Page 47 of Blades of Ice

“As long as we have a recent photo and a recording of their voice, yes.”

“Will you adopt Kennedy and me? I want to be part of your Clan.”

“Sure.” Lydia removed the mask and replaced it in the box for safe keeping. Turning to Kennedy, she said, “Thank you for last night. I have nightmares because of something that happened recently, but the one last night was different. In it, I found Beck, but he wasn’t alone. There was a man and woman who were taunting me. I couldn’t see them, because it was mostly dark, but I… I killed the female, and the male turned into a bear, then lunged at me. That’s when I woke up.”

Dooley and Kennedy shared a look.

“What?”

Kennedy stepped behind Dooley and rested her arms on his shoulders. “Are you sure it was a dream?”

Chapter 19

Lydia took asip of her coffee, grimacing. She placed it in the microwave to nuke a few seconds. “What else would it be?”

“You and Sawyer are fated mates. You carry his mark on your shoulder.” Kennedy touched her own neck where Lydia assumed Dooley’s mark was. “Did you also bite him to complete the bond?”

“Yes, but our bite doesn’t leave a scar.”

“No, but it doessomething.Right?”

The microwave beeped, and Lydia removed her cup, taking it to the table, and sitting across from them.

“It does. It stalls the mate’s aging process if they’re human. It gives the mate the same lifespan we have. And in some instances, it allows us to mind speak. My Goyle has been reaching out to Beck’s Bear, but she said they’re weak.”

“It’s that connection you are tapping into. I can find Dooley no matter where he is. Like he has a GPS chip and my Fox is the receiver. Beck might be weak, but the bond is there.”

“You think I was tapping into his location in my sleep?”

“Stranger things have happened. It’s possible his subconscious is telling you where he is and who has him.”

“Then why didn’t I know which direction to go when he was taken?”

“Possibly because he’s too weak.”

Dooley’s computer dinged, and he tapped some keys. A few seconds later, his phone rang. He answered by saying, “I see it.”

The sound of furious typing came through the line along with Carleigh’s voice. “They screwed up. I locked onto the signal, and I’m sending the coordinates now.”

Dooley drummed his fingers against the table as he waited. Lydia stood and walked around behind him so she could see the screen. When his computer chimed again, he typed in a code before opening Carleigh’s encrypted email. Then he opened a map.

“Hang on.” Lydia rushed from the room and found the paper map she and Beck had used. She returned to the kitchen and set it down next to Dooley’s computer. She pointed at the red circle. “This is where we found the helo.”

“Which direction were the snowmobile tracks headed?”

Lydia closed her eyes, envisioning the area. “Dammit, I’m no girl scout. Okay. It was around one when Beck went missing. If I’m standing beside the bird, the sun wouldn’t have been behind me to the left, say between the eight and nine on a clock. The tracks went toward the twelve.”

“That would be north. Fuck. This area is in the opposite direction.” Dooley switched screens and brought up a topographical map of the area. He zoomed in and circled the area where Beck was last seen. He then zoomed out and circled another spot. “These are the coordinates Carleigh sent, and they’re about seventy-five miles southwest.”

“Then that’s not where Beck is.”

“No, it’s probably Amara’s location. If she’s hiding out, she might not want to be found,” Carleigh said.

Dooley leaned back in his chair. “I can’t leave this to maybes. If she was taken, she’ll appreciate being found, and if not, we can find her a new hiding spot. I’ll need to go shopping for a tent and snowshoes. While I do that, you ladies can head to the grocery store.”

“Why can’t we look for Beck first? He’s my priority, not his mother.”

“Because we don’t have any idea where he is. At least we have a solid lead on the Empress, and once we get her back, she can help us find Beckett.”

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