Page 63 of Hers to Claim

When they got back to the house, Cisco dumped him unceremoniously on the curb. “You’re not down there with your friends getting arrested because I know a hellhound won’t survive for long without his twin. But my leniency has limits.”

Halcyon glared at him, prompting a fresh round of snarling from Dasher and Dancer. “Your threats don’t frighten me, Cisco.”

Cisco let the hellhound simmer for another minute before he asked, “You were going to take her to Vincent?”

Halcyon tossed his head when one of the shifted hellhounds snapped at him when he took too long answering. “That was the mission. We had hoped to do it without much bloodshed.”

“Glad to disappoint you.” Rio smirked. “Tell us where he is.”

When he didn’t answer, Cisco continued, “You owe him no loyalty. I know you’ve always hated him. Why did you and your brother stay?”

“Because he has our mate,” Halcyon growled.

Dasher and Dancer both lowered to their haunches, suddenly much less eager for a fight. One of them whined.

“Fuck off,” Halcyon said grumpily with a dirty look for each of them. “I don’t need your sympathy.”

“Is it Tristan?” Rio asked in a gentle tone.

“Yes.” Halcyon snapped his teeth. “We didn’t know until he came back a few months ago looking for you.”

Rio crouched to look him in the eye. “Do you know what happened to him?”

Halcyon exhaled a long sigh. “He doesn’t know. He woke up in Los Angeles a few years ago and didn’t remember anything. Flashes started coming back a bit at a time, and when he had pieced together enough he came looking for his past.” A growl rumbled through him. “Vincent found him before we realized who he was. He keeps him drugged under lock and key. Won’t even let us touch him.”

A dark scowl settled over Rio’s handsome face. “We’re going to get him out. I swear to you.” Rio glanced toward Mari. “You can let him go.”

She dropped the bindings at once and the hellhound sagged in place, all of his bravado gone.

“Where is he, Hal?”

He appraised Rio quietly and considered for a few seconds before answering, “He’s got a warehouse off of Blue Diamond where he’s been hiding out since you all hit his offices at the paving company. I can show you.”

Rio clapped him on the shoulder, and then helped him up. “Let’s go figure out a plan.”

* * *

Mari sat on Dante’s lap in the conference room as they planned the assault. He had showered and gotten out of his bloody clothes, and that made Mari feel better, but still unsettled. His hand slid up and down her back and she wasn’t sure if he was trying to calm himself or her. She’d changed into joggers and a long-sleeved T-shirt as soon as they came inside because she didn’t want Cisco to have any excuse to leave her behind when the time came.

“I should go in first and let Clarion know what’s coming,” Halcyon said as they looked at a projection of the property.

“That’s an awful lot of trust you’re asking us to put in you when an hour ago you were shooting at us,” Cisco rumbled.

“That was before I looked in his eyes and knew he’d do whatever it takes to free my mate,” Halcyon said while gesturing toward Rio.

Cisco glanced Rio’s way for a vibe check. Rio nodded. “He’s being honest. All he cares about is getting Tris out.”

“That’s a double-edged sword. If he sees an opportunity to stab us in the back to get what he wants, he’ll do it.”

Halcyon grunted. “I know there’s no way in hell Vincent is letting Tristan walk free. He enjoys toying with us too much. You know how he is.”

“I agree with him,” Rio said. “I don’t want to have to fight Clar on the way in if we can avoid it.”

“I’ll tell them I got away from the initial assault but I had to lay low for a bit. As long as we’re moving before dawn I can spin that.”

Cisco looked at Kima to get her take.

She wrinkled her nose. “I hate it, but I hate everything.”

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