Amber Flame (The Flame Series Book 4) (28 page)

~ ~ ~

Fergus stood very still at the head of the table in his strategy room. He was surrounded by his team, but had never felt more isolated or alone than from the moment he’d lost contact with Mary.

She’d provided extremely valuable information with her warning about explosives at the southwest entrance and had probably just saved dozens if not hundreds of lives because of it.

But had she lost her own in the process?

He tried repeatedly to reestablish contact with her, but couldn’t. Was she being silent in order to protect herself or had something else happened?

As the minutes passed, he grew increasingly uneasy that he couldn’t reach her. By the time dusk was falling, he was on a group communication with the alphas from the remaining fourteen packs. Each would protect his pack and keep his wolves from going war-mad, while Fergus would take a team to Sydon’s HQ as soon as full-dark arrived.

When at last the automatic steel shades came up, he glanced out at the dark night sky. He tried reaching Mary again, both telepathically and through her dreamglide, but got no response.

Because of his fae senses, he knew she was no longer in her home and that she’d been unable to escape Sydon’s HQ. He sent his squad over to her house anyway, just in case he was misreading the signals.

Ryan reported back two minutes later. “When we arrived, the front door was off its hinges and Mary was nowhere to be seen. But there’s more. We found a syringe reeking of amber flame on the floor next to the couch. We’ve searched the house. Mary’s gone.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

FERGUS GREW VERY still. He tried to reach Mary a couple more times, but nothing returned. His fae senses confirmed what he already knew, that Sydon had sent humans to shoot Mary up with amber flame and drag her out of her home.

The war room disappeared from his vision and every one of his wolves fell silent.

He heard only the sound of his rough breathing, which came out in short gusts, like intermittent gunfire.

Mary was gone, taken by a monster.

He could hardly think, and he sure as hell didn’t know what to do. Only one thing became clear to him. He had to get Mary back. But how?

He felt his neck arch and knew he was close to letting loose with an agonized howl. But he couldn’t do that right now, not in front of his pack.

He contacted Warren telepathically and let him know what had happened. Warren already knew that Mary had gone back a second time in her dreamglide to gather the information about the bomb.

What do you need me to do?
Warren asked.

You’d better get over here and bring a squad with you. At the very least, I’ll need you to liaison with the rest of the packs.

I’m with you, brother.

Fergus’s throat tightened.
Thanks.

Whatever happened with Sydon’s assault, Fergus had to find some way of getting Mary safely out of the bunker. The counter-attack wouldn’t begin for at least a half hour, so he had time to figure things out and put a plan together.

Needing a minute alone, he turned the pack over to Ryan, then left the room. He couldn’t feel his feet as he moved. Maybe he was levitating; he wasn’t sure. His heart pounded in his chest.

Sydon and his witch had taken Mary well before sundown.

Jesus. They must have used humans.

His limbs shook with a profound drive to go after her. But a hasty move could jeopardize not only her life, but the counter-attack as well.

He headed back to the guest room and shut the soundproof door. He paced at the foot the bed. ‘Fuck’ became his mantra. The word burned the air repeatedly.

He clenched his fists. The wolf in him wanted to run, something that would help the raw state of his nerves, but he didn’t have time for that. He had no way of getting to Mary.

Frustration caused the dam to break. He dropped on all fours, shifting at the same time, then lifted his neck and howled over and over.

Fully wolf, he called for his alpha-mate, for Mary, for the woman he loved.

There was his greatest truth, fully acknowledged: He loved Mary and he needed her. He had from the moment he’d held her in his arms during her rescue from Roche’s sex club. His wolf had recognized her for exactly who she was in his life, his woman, his mate.

He’d known it all along, of course, but he’d refused to allow himself to see it. He howled some more, then guilt struck because if he’d permitted himself to bond with her when he’d had the chance, she would never have gone back to her house. She’d be with him right now. She’d be safe.

After a minute, his howls ceased and his mind began to grow calm.

Reason returned.

He’d kept himself separated from Mary in the same way he’d built a heavy steel door between himself and Sharon.

But the same door that had been useful to keep his pack safe in his early alpha days now seemed obsolete. Maybe it had been for a long time.

With powerful intent, he mentally bulldozed the damn thing down. And as he did, a fresh breeze blew through his soul.

A familiar woman’s voice entered mind.
Fergus, I’m here. Let me help.

Fergus turned and saw a misty form taking shape. He recognized Sharon immediately and flowed back into his human form to speak with her.

She floated above the dresser but appeared to be sitting with her knees crossed. She had a quirky smile on her lips as she looked him up and down.
Damn, you look good. Were you always that tall?

He slipped into telepathy as well.
And you look the way I remember you, Sharon. But I’m so fucking sorry for the way I treated you.

She nodded.
I know and its okay, all of it. So many of our wolves died the year you took over and I know their deaths caused you to shut down. I also understand that I could have helped you through the transition, but I didn’t. I was too self-absorbed. Fergus, I never took to Savage like you did and I never liked being a wolf, though you seemed okay with all of it.

He nodded.
I don’t know how it happened, but I accepted my transformation pretty quickly and I always liked serving on the border patrol. But what are you doing here and why have you been hanging around Mary?

To make sure you didn’t do anything stupid, of course. But there is something you need to know.
She hesitated for a moment before continuing. When she did, she looked guilty as hell.
Our friend, Sydon, was the wolf who killed me.

He stared at Sharon uncertain he’d heard her right.
You had sex with Sydon?

He’d been after me for a long time and finally persuaded me to meet him.
Her misty nostrils flared.
The sex wasn’t exactly consensual.

He raped you.

She nodded slowly.
But right now, that’s not the important part. It was Sydon’s plan all along to get rid of me. He and Sandrine had been planning this whole thing for years, starting with the takeover of the Gordion pack and ending here with a full-on Savage territory assault. In an attempt to weaken you, he got rid of me.

Until this moment Fergus hadn’t quite realized how nefarious Sydon’s plan had been.
Sharon, I knew little about Sydon back then. If I’d understood what we were up against, maybe I could have prevented what happened to you.

I’m not sure about that,
she said
. Sydon is a devious monster and he’s had Sandrine’s help all along the way.
Her lips slowly curved,
But you know what? Neither of these assholes counted on Mary.

At that, his spirit grew deeply settled, purposeful. He sat down on the end of the bed and watched Sharon, knowing she’d deliberately come from the other side to help him.
You like her, don’t you?

Sharon floated to the floor and moved to hover in front of him.
Oh, hell, yeah, but she’s way too good for you.
Her ghostly lips quirked again.

You won’t get any arguments from me.
He felt as though he’d already lived an entire lifetime with Mary.

He shifted his gaze away from Sharon, then continued,
She’d taken her dreamglide into Sydon’s den the second time, but Sandrine was right there, probably waiting for her in case she returned. I lost contact with her but not before she relayed a critical piece of information, about a bomb on the southwest entrance, then nothing. I’m pretty sure Sandrine did something to her in the dreamglide.
Reverting his gaze to her, he asked,
Do you know what happened to her?

Sharon nodded, which moved the ghostly mist around.
Sandrine brought Mary’s dreamglide straight to the floor. And in case you’re wondering, she sent a team of humans to kidnap Mary from Revel.

That’s what I thought.
He had to figure all of this out.
But based on what Mary had told me earlier, I’ve been able to mobilize all the pack alphas in anticipation of the assault. And I have a team ready to attack in their bunker beneath the Naked Wolf. I take it she’s there?

She is. But, hold on a minute. You mean you’ve even gotten cooperation from packs you’ve gone to war with?

Sure. What choice did any of them have? Sydon has been cultivating traitors in each of our packs. They’re with him now, in his bunker.

Fergus, you’ve built a lot of respect in Savage over the years. I was there to watch some of it develop and seeing what’s happening here, you’ve accomplished a lot.

He stood up and met Sharon’s gaze.
That’s one of the nicest things you’ve ever said to me.

Her quirky smile returned.
Just giving you a hint about the future.

Is that why you’re here?

In part. Mostly, I’m supposed to tell you to do everything you can to save Mary. She’s the key for you and for Savage. Also, she knew she might not make it out of there the second time she went back in her dreamglide. She’s basically sacrificed her life for you and for all the packs. The least you could do is get her the hell out of Sydon’s bunker.

He watched her for a long moment.
I’m sorry I didn’t stop you from going out that last night, the night you died. I waited up for you. I’d intended to make more of an effort. I know I failed you.

She drew close to him, her form little more than mist. She lifted her arms and the next moment he felt a drift of fingers down his face.
And I apologize for cheating on you, especially with a bastard like Sydon. If I’d been a better mate to you, I could have helped. Instead, I don’t think I ever got over losing my human life and that beautiful resort we built together. But I am sorry. I know I caused you a lot of grief.

All is forgiven then?
he asked.

Of course. Now, I’m going to tell you one more thing, then my job here is done. When you draw close to the Naked Wolf, make contact with Mary and have her tell our heinous pair that if they kill her, the moment she dies, you’ll know of her death and you won’t hesitate to bomb the hell out of their bunker. Have her inform them that you’re part fae now and that you’ll know exactly if and when she dies. That will keep her alive long enough for you to get in there and take care of business. Got it?

I do. And thanks.

At that, she smiled.
And one last thing. Sandrine will soon think about using a killing spell on Mary. Apparently, Sydon is about to show a little too much interest in taking Mary to bed.

These last words created the right imagery to spur Fergus forward. He headed toward the door.

Sharon called after him.
I won’t be back, Fergus. Be sure to let Mary know I think the world of her and that I wish you both well.

Reaching for the door, he glanced at her over his shoulder.
Will do. And thanks, Sharon.

With another quirky smile, she saluted him then disappeared.

~ ~ ~

Mary’s eyes rolled back in her head and she couldn’t focus. Her vision was blurred. She ached in strange places, which made her howl softly.

The humans, four strong men, had come to her front door and broken it down. She’d tried to fight them off, but they were heavily muscled and knew what they were doing. They’d pinned her to the couch, roped off her arm, and shot her up with amber flame.

She’d passed out.

Now she lay on the purple velvet couch in Sydon’s office. She could smell Sandrine’s dark, smoky scent nearby, and she could feel the witch’s powerful drive to kill her.

But there was another smell now, very wolf that kept teasing the insides of her legs all the way to her sex.

She ground her hips into the cushion. She needed sex and she needed it now.

Oh, dear God, she’d forgotten this aspect of amber flame, how it affected female wolves, making them ready to work the sex clubs. All she wanted right now was a man between her legs, any man, and the scent that kept her in an aroused state was very male.

Her first impulse was to sit up and maybe attack the next male wolf she saw. Instead, the fae part of her kept her very still. As much as she was able, she needed to think.

Her gaze became fixed on Sydon. A very distant part of her brain despised him for the killer he was. But the part doused with amber flame thought he’d never looked better in his snug gray t-shirt and leathers. Right afterward, however, the fae part of her made a disgusted snort inside her head. That helped.

She looked away from him.

What she didn’t understand was why she was still alive. What was Sydon’s game? Or Sandrine’s, for that matter?

“Looks like our guest is waking up.”

“Would you just kill her, Sandrine, and get it over with? I have a territory … to take … over.” Sydon must have caught Mary’s scent, because he stopped what he was doing and turned to stare at her.

He moved suddenly in Mary’s direction.

“Sydon, my love, what’s going on?”

“Can’t you smell her? The woman is part wolf now.”

“What?” Sandrine almost shouted the word.

“Yes, she’s wolf the way you are and she’s ripe. Her scent is pouring off of her now because of the drug. A good fuck is just what I need before we launch. Besides, if you didn’t want me to take her, why did you shoot her up with amber flame?”