Page 32 of Fire Dragon Lover

They stood in the living room and surveyed the damage from the explosion. Dirty boot prints led to the blown-out window, making it clear where the attackers had entered, but no other clues were to be found.

“They had this planned very well,” Sloan observed. “They got in, got the women, got out, and cleaned up after themselves, all before the enforcers made it inside. No gas canister, no explosive device residue, nothing that could possibly be used to track or identify them.” He ran a hand through his hair as he huffed out a frustrated breath.

Logan dropped his head into his hands with a groan.What was I thinking? I’m an asshole! Why didn’t I bond with her already? If I had bonded with her, I’d be able to feel her, I’d know where she was, which way to go to get to her, I’d know for sure she’s alive. Oh god, she has to be alive, I don’t think I can survive without her now.

Sloan put a hand on his shoulder. “Come on, man, we’ve got this. You know I’m bonded with Hailey, I can feel her. She’s alive, and if she is, then so is Gretchen.”

Logan looked up. “Can you track her?”

“Yes,” Sloan nodded. “I can feel her direction, she’s…” he spun slowly in place, “…that way.” He pointed, and they raced to the front door.

They gathered the enforcers that had been guarding the doors and took them along for backup. Logan got behind the wheel of the enforcers’ van, pulled out onto the street, and looked at Sloan.

“Guide me.”

Sloan pointed and they took off.

After almost thirty minutes of twists, turns, and unexpected dead ends, they found themselves parked beside an old train station.

“They’re in there,” Sloan said, “for sure.”

Logan grimaced. “Theywouldbe. That place is a maze of old tunnels. If we’re not very careful and very quiet, they’ll know we’re coming and take them out another way while we’re still looking.”

“We do have an advantage,” Sloan said, “true mates are so rare that hardly anyone realizes that bonded mates can feel and track each other. They’ll be thinking they were so thorough that we’ll have no idea where they are, and all the while we’ll be sneaking up on them.”

“True,” Logan agreed, “let’s get to it then.”

Sloan stood in front of each tunnel opening for a minute, feeling for Hailey’s presence, before indicating to the center one. “I’m pretty sure they’re down this one. Keep your eyes open, we don’t know what kind of guards they have. You last two, make sure you watch our backs.”

The men nodded their understanding. They stuck to the main tunnel for a while and ignored all of the side passages they passed until Sloan held up a hand for them to stop, then pointed down a side tunnel, and gestured for everyone to be careful.

“We’re close,” he whispered. “Ready? Okay, let’s hit them.”

They started their attack with Logan and Sloan in front who were barely containing their growls.

Forty-Four

Gretchen

Gretchen sat on the floor and leaned back against the bars closest to Hailey’s cage. Hailey sat next to her on her own side of the bars. They had been left alone, after again being warned to keep quiet. Hailey shifted her position again and tried to get as comfortable as she could with her injuries.

Gretchen looked over with concern. “How are you doing?”

Hailey grimaced. “I’m okay, it just aches a little.”

“How long have we been here?” Gretchen wondered aloud. “I can’t tell.”

“Neither can I, and we don’t know how long we were unconscious before as well.”

“That’s true. I wonder where we are?”

Hailey sat up a little more with interest. “Listen carefully, you’re closer to that grate in the ceiling, can you hear anything?”

Gretchen listened for a moment. “Just trains. I’ve been hearing trains, but they don’t stop or anything, they just keep passing by, pretty regularly.”

“We must be near the tracks, or maybe a station if you keep hearing them often. It may be an old unused one, though, if they never stop.”

Gretchen nodded and leaned her head back against the bars. “I wish Logan would get here. These people scare me.”

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