Yearnings: A Paranormal Romance Box Set by Amber Scott, Carolyn McCray Page B

the pair. Simultaneously, he phoned Holly. “She’s been drugged. How fast can you get here?”
    “ Faster if you transport me.”
    Elijah debated leaving, even for a moment. Damn it. He had no choice. He teleported to the safe house, grabbed Holly by the waist and transported their bodies back to the club. Immediately, his gaze sought and located Sadie, still slumped at the bench, the scum caring for her.
    “ We need to find the girl she came with,” he said, showing her a photo on his phone.
    With a curt nod, Holly set off to do so.
    Elijah spotted Holly’s flicker near Sadie’s cousin, not in fair form either, leaning against a wall and a shoulder, on the other side of the room.
    Drugged. No wonder he’d lost Sadie’s sound in the crowd. The drug, probably Rohypnol, must have dulled her vibration.
    Watching the guy holding her half-limp form sent a shot of rage through him. Mortals like these disgusted him. Parasites. Not that immortals were immune to exploiting the weak. Just looking at any bloodthirsty vampire showed how depraved an immortal could get. They wore their black on their sleeve, though.
    Sadie shouldn’t have been an easy target. Elijah should have recognized the danger long before she stepped in it. He’d grown overconfident, maybe, distracted with images of her sultry writhing on the dance floor. She didn’t look like herself tonight. The light and energy had bathed over her shimmering skin with every bend and sway.
    Sensing Lyric had arrived , as well, c almed Elijah a degree. This human would be easy to handle, but with immortals present , plus that changeling sniffing around for Sadie, Lyric’s vicious skills were a boon.
    “ Where do you want me?” Lyric said, joining him near the entrance.
    “ Stay with Holly. I already had to transport Holly here. If I have to transport Sadie too, the shifter in the rear might be trouble.” He didn’t know if Sadie could be transported at all, as human as she still was.
    “ Nothing like a fight to start the night off right. Any take on his shifting preference?”
    “ Her preference. I’m getting feline tendencies.”
    “ Meow. Where will you take Sadie?” Lyric asked.
    “ Depends on how badly she’s been drugged. Most likely her home.”
    “ Astrid could heal her. Why not the safe house?”
    Elijah shook his head. “I can’t just kidnap her even if she won’t remember a thing. And she can’t disappear.”
    “ Looks like the human is about to make his move,” Lyric said.
    Bile burned in Elijah’s throat. His anger climbed. Then a dawning hit him. Lyric wasn’t feeding off the human scum’s predilection for victimization. Perhaps the feeder was back in control after all.
    Elijah glanced back to verify Holly had the other girl safely in hand. She sent him a nod.
    Nice and simple. He’d wait. Let the scum get Sadie into a cab, then snatch her out of it with only the driver to witness. A greedy buzz sounded in the guy’s energy. Elijah clenched and unclenched his jaw.
    “ Careful, Elijah. That rage is practically rippling off of you,” Lyric said. “If that shifter likes her cat sense best, we’ll earn an audience. We don’t need a good kitty Samaritan sending enforcers to derail this.”
    Elijah’s wings shivered from his pulsing adrenaline. Lyric was right. Sadie would be safe , but enforcement could sniff out other trouble. Changeling trouble. He had to protect Sadie. His muscles bunched with tension. His fists curled tighter, craving the feel of bone, the pop of skin.
    She was becoming immortal. She would survive the transport. She had to. A cab pulled up to the curb.
    Elijah glanced back. Roommate still in place, looking greener but standing. Holly ready nearby. “Distract the shifter. I doubt the other three will be fazed by any activity.”
    Lyric left without question.
    The scum shut his phone and got Sadie to her feet. He was making his move. Elijah stepped out of the club. A warm wind fingered through his wings and hair.