Page 72 of Tethered to the World
She frowned down at him. “That makes no sense. I—”
“He’s right. I think you were the target.” Camden flipped open his computer, and typed something for a moment, then spun the screen around to face them. “In the beginning, the victims were random, but look at the data.”
She peered at the screen, the long list of names sickening. “I don’t see it. What—”
“Shit.” Xander growled as he began to stalk back and forth across the room. “It’s not the names. It’s the species. They’re targeting rare or very powerful shifters.”
“Not only are you rare, you’re an alpha.” Mason shoved his chair away from the table, the screech horrible, his rage practically filling the room.
“Look at the dates.” Logan edged closer to the computer. “The disappearances were random in the beginning, gradually becoming more frequent in the past few weeks, but there is a pattern.”
Camden swung the computer around then began cursing. “Every two to three weeks.”
The strength suddenly went out of her legs, and she would’ve fallen if Logan hadn’t caught her.
“Annora!” He sat in her chair and pulled her onto his lap. The rest of the guys shot forward, crowding around them. Instead of feeling suffocated, their nearness calmed her. The connection between them flickered faintly to life, their concern like a warm blanket. She didn’t receive thoughts or images, just impressions.
“When did the drugs first start?” She licked her dry lips, praying she her guess was wrong, but it would make a sort of sick sense.
The guys glanced at each other, Logan the first to answer. “Three months ago.”
“If I’m right, the disappearances probably started about five months ago?” She glanced at Camden, hoping she was wrong, but his scowl spoke the truth, and he gave a hard nod.
“They’re harvesting shifters to create the drug.” It was the only logical conclusion. Logan tightened his hold on her, nearly cutting off her ability to breathe. Xander stopped dead, his face going blank.
“We don’t know that for sure.” Camden shook his head, but his green eyes were bleak.
“Fuck!” Mason swiped his hand across the table, sending two plates and cups shattering against the wall, his chest heaving as he stared at her with devastated eyes. “They almost took you.”
His hair was standing straight out as he pulled back the chair where she and Logan sat, then plucked her away from the kitsune as if she weighed no more than a blanket. She curled herself around him as his troll tried to take control, worried what would happen if he lost himself to his beast.
He buried his face in the crook of her neck, his deep breaths calming slightly, and she reached up, stroking the back of his neck soothingly.
“How?” Logan croaked. He wouldn’t look at her as he got up from the chair and went to the kitchen to begin putting the food on the table.
Annora turned to look at Camden, whose usual calm façade was almost shattered. “Did you get a sample of the drug?”
He shook his head, then ran his fingers through his hair, the iridescent colors shimmering with his agitation. “No, we have to wait for the next party. My contact said they sell out of the drug within minutes. They can’t keep up with the supply and demand.”
“The next party is in a week.” Xander walked into the kitchen, his dark energy wrapping around her with a need to do something—preferably to kill those responsible. “Which means we can expect more people to disappear.”
They were all silent while the food was placed on the table. Almost reluctantly, Mason placed her back on her chair, his touch so gentle, tears prickled the back of her eyes. She glanced down at her plate and blinked them away, feeling cherished for the first time in her life.
Shards of porcelain and glass crunched while Mason retrieved the broom to sweep up his mess. Logan set two new dishes, glasses and silverware on the table while Xander filled her plate, packing almost as much food on it as Mason, his hand touching hers for a second as if to reassure himself.
The connection snapped open briefly, and a swell of panic and desperation swamped her, the force strong enough to drag her to her knees if she wasn’t already sitting. She quickly grabbed his wrist when he would’ve moved away, and he froze, his eyes shooting toward hers. Instead of speaking, she allowed her emotions to gather at the center of her mind.
Gratitude for having met them.
Peace at finally having found her home.
Determination to find the ones responsible.
She was unable to stop the way her heart swelled as she glanced at all the guys, unable to describe how incredibly happy she was for the first time in her life.
Xander twisted until he grabbed her wrist as well, a small smile kicking up the corner of his mouth, his teal eyes heating. Then he lifted her hand, gently kissing her fingers. “You have no fear.”
He seemed both awed and frightened by it, and she brushed her fingers lightly against the closely cropped beard along his jaw and shrugged. “Believe it or not, I’m actually pretty deadly in my own right. If they had taken me, they would have realized their mistake quickly—when I killed them.”
