Page 93 of Healing Her Lions

“Fuck, I didn’t smell them at the fire,” Logan mumbles under his breath.

“The smoke was too overwhelming.” I stare at the ruined door. “If they get her in a car, we won’t be able to track as easily,” I say anxiously.

“We will find her,” Logan says, and I wish I had his confidence.

“They are on the way. Quinn is reaching out to his men,” Las informs us.

“Who is coming?” I ask.

“All of them,” he responds.

We will need them all to take on a man whose scent I have never smelled before.

“Why wouldn’t they cut off the scent?” I ask as I’m walking next to Logan.

“They want us to follow,” he assumes.

We followed the trail away from the cottage. All of our friends are spread out around us, except Elijah, who hasn’t left Logan’s side.

“He wants you to come,” Elijah says. “He’s not afraid.”

“Why would he be?” I snort. “The man has more power and connections than anyone I know. He’s ruthless and hiding something.”

“A dangerous combination,” Elijah whispers. He insisted Saylor stay behind locked doors, not wanting to take the chance with her pregnancy.

Heath can’t win when we have a crew of shifters and vampires who value the mating bond. Bash is scouting ahead with Marie. They can move faster. Las is in his lion form, his nose guiding us.

Kerian, River, and Ava are to the right of Elijah along with Draden and Brae, Elijah’s brothers. The dragons are to my left, creating a long line. The panthers are behind us, guarding our backs.

“Have you been this far? Do you know of any buildings out here?” I ask.

“I remember the area, but I don’t think there were any buildings,” Logan says.

“They must have drugged her. How else would they travel so far?” My claws have remained out, ready to tear someone's throat out.

“She didn’t go quietly,” Logan says.

“Our warrior,” I mumble. “I am oddly proud,” I voice my earlier thoughts.

“I am too, but it might have been best if she went quietly,” Logan says, his voice filled with fear for our mate.

“I wish she didn’t have to choose how to go at all.” I blink and my eyes fill with my lion. We can see more clearly with our animals close to the surface.

“You don’t know what this man’s shifter body is?” Elijah asks.

“No. I haven’t smelled the scent before. No one has seen him shift either. As far as I know, he keeps to himself. He lives alone and has an army of men that work for him. He was a ghost at the fights. You would see him for a moment, but in a blink, he was gone.” Heath must be something rare.

“If he’s as powerful as we think, we wouldn’t be able to sneak up on him. We are being led,” Logan points out.

“As long as Breeane is there, I don’t care. As much as it sucks to follow his plan, we have to give in. I get the first hit,” I grit out. “With the amount of blood in the cottage, we know she is hurt.”

“The ones who caused the damage will die today,” Logan agrees.

“So, you think this guy is doing all this because you left?” Elijah asks, pulling his hat low.

“What else could it be?” I return. “I was a top fighter.” I wish I could go back in time and never go down those stairs. I rub my chest where the ache of losing Breeane burns.

“Lucas,” Logan starts, pausing and turning toward me. “I need your head straight. We have to get Breeane back. Don’t live in the past. You didn’t ask for this.”

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