magical spells as a potent source of power. The trouble was, most spells didn’t call for the whole dragon-mate, just their hearts-blood. Since most dragon-mates were dragons themselves, they tended to get real pissed if anyone tried that. But with Honor being human, she had very little protection against the level of badassery that would be looking for such a spell component.
The sound of his cell going off with a loud jangle made them both jump, on their feet and looking around for the first assailant within a second. When he realized, Baron chuckled in relief and pulled his cell phone free. The name on the screen wiped the grin right from his face. Swiping his thumb over the screen, he answered it.
“Hey, Iliona. What’s up?” He didn’t bother with niceties. If the boss-lady was calling in the early hours of the morning, then shit was serious.
Likewise, Iliona didn’t waste words. “Baron, do you have Duke with you?”
“Yeah, looking at his ugly mug now.” Duke blew kisses so Baron extended his middle finger and turned away.
“Good. Right, listen carefully. I need you to get Honor and get her out of there.” Baron stilled, the deadly serious tone in Iliona’s voice driving chills up his spine. “We got hold of your guard, he wasn’t just done over, he was beaten half to death. Been in a coma for weeks. We got one of the mystics to dream-walk with him and, long story short, we have a bead on the person behind the threats to Honor. It’s Lambert Sellers, Croft’s second in command.”
“Shiiit….” Baron breathed, surprise rolling through him. He’d written Sellers off as a corporate bully, little more than a human with big ideas throwing his weight about, not the kind of shady character with a leash on redcaps and trolls. That needed some serious oomph of the magical variety. “I thought there was something shady about him.”
Iliona snorted. “Yeah, he’s a whole bunch of roses this one. Human, or used to be. Got his fingers in some real dodgy pies. It’s this guy, not Croft, that we’re after. We got a tip off from one of the Croft employees that he’s at their head offices now, and something serious is going down. I’m dispatching teams now, but given his threats to Honor, I suggest you get her out of there. I don’t care where you two take her, just keep her safe.”
Baron nodded, even though Iliona couldn’t see him and motioned to Duke that they were going to be rolling. “We’re on it. Going radio silent as of now. We’ll contact you when we’ve picked up some disposable pay and go cells.”
“Got it. Good luck,” and with that she cut the line.
Baron pocketed the phone and looked at his brother. “We’re going silent running. It’s Sellers after Honor so the boss lady wants her out of the picture, stat.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Duke nodded, then his eyes unfocused as he searched the surrounding area. “Just one problem. Your lady love isn’t in the house.”
“What?” Baron stopped mid stride, his hand already reaching for the door handle. His heart stilled in his chest at Duke’s words, icy fingers of fear wrapping around the organ and squeezing. Had Sellers somehow managed to get someone in the house to take her? “What do you mean she’s not in the house? Find her. Now .”
***
Five minutes later, Baron was forced to admit that his brother was right. As soon as he’d extended his senses, his dragon on the verge of panic, he’d known. The warmth of her presence, so integral to his soul and peace of mind, was gone. Only an emptiness remained where it had been, but the human part of his mind, the rational part, insisted on a sweep of the house and grounds anyway in case she was lying injured somewhere.
“That explains how she left the house,” Duke commented as the pair stood in front of Honor’s car. It stood in the middle of the drive, engine idling and lights on, in front of the still closed gates out onto the public highway.
“No shit,
The sound of his cell going off with a loud jangle made them both jump, on their feet and looking around for the first assailant within a second. When he realized, Baron chuckled in relief and pulled his cell phone free. The name on the screen wiped the grin right from his face. Swiping his thumb over the screen, he answered it.
“Hey, Iliona. What’s up?” He didn’t bother with niceties. If the boss-lady was calling in the early hours of the morning, then shit was serious.
Likewise, Iliona didn’t waste words. “Baron, do you have Duke with you?”
“Yeah, looking at his ugly mug now.” Duke blew kisses so Baron extended his middle finger and turned away.
“Good. Right, listen carefully. I need you to get Honor and get her out of there.” Baron stilled, the deadly serious tone in Iliona’s voice driving chills up his spine. “We got hold of your guard, he wasn’t just done over, he was beaten half to death. Been in a coma for weeks. We got one of the mystics to dream-walk with him and, long story short, we have a bead on the person behind the threats to Honor. It’s Lambert Sellers, Croft’s second in command.”
“Shiiit….” Baron breathed, surprise rolling through him. He’d written Sellers off as a corporate bully, little more than a human with big ideas throwing his weight about, not the kind of shady character with a leash on redcaps and trolls. That needed some serious oomph of the magical variety. “I thought there was something shady about him.”
Iliona snorted. “Yeah, he’s a whole bunch of roses this one. Human, or used to be. Got his fingers in some real dodgy pies. It’s this guy, not Croft, that we’re after. We got a tip off from one of the Croft employees that he’s at their head offices now, and something serious is going down. I’m dispatching teams now, but given his threats to Honor, I suggest you get her out of there. I don’t care where you two take her, just keep her safe.”
Baron nodded, even though Iliona couldn’t see him and motioned to Duke that they were going to be rolling. “We’re on it. Going radio silent as of now. We’ll contact you when we’ve picked up some disposable pay and go cells.”
“Got it. Good luck,” and with that she cut the line.
Baron pocketed the phone and looked at his brother. “We’re going silent running. It’s Sellers after Honor so the boss lady wants her out of the picture, stat.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Duke nodded, then his eyes unfocused as he searched the surrounding area. “Just one problem. Your lady love isn’t in the house.”
“What?” Baron stopped mid stride, his hand already reaching for the door handle. His heart stilled in his chest at Duke’s words, icy fingers of fear wrapping around the organ and squeezing. Had Sellers somehow managed to get someone in the house to take her? “What do you mean she’s not in the house? Find her. Now .”
***
Five minutes later, Baron was forced to admit that his brother was right. As soon as he’d extended his senses, his dragon on the verge of panic, he’d known. The warmth of her presence, so integral to his soul and peace of mind, was gone. Only an emptiness remained where it had been, but the human part of his mind, the rational part, insisted on a sweep of the house and grounds anyway in case she was lying injured somewhere.
“That explains how she left the house,” Duke commented as the pair stood in front of Honor’s car. It stood in the middle of the drive, engine idling and lights on, in front of the still closed gates out onto the public highway.
“No shit,
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