“Let’s start from the beginning,” I said and pulled a notebook from the stack sitting in the middle of the table with a collection of pens.

“I’ll do what I can,” Noah said.

“When was the last time you saw Avery?” I asked.

“This morning. Early.” He squinted his eyes and looked to the ceiling. “About 2:30. And it wasn’t in person.”

“What do you mean it wasn’t in person,” Jacob asked.

I laid a soothing hand on his forearm. He snapped his attention to me.

“It was a virtual call,” he said. “I watched her get abducted.”

“Did you get a good look at who?” I asked.

He pressed his gorgeous lips together and shook his head. He stared at me with his green eyes that used to make me melt like an ice cube in the Sahara. “I’m sorry, they were wearing black coverings over their heads.”

I stiffened and settled my attention on him. “Are you one hundred percent sure?”

“Yes, why?”

I looked at Jacob. He clenched his jaws and nodded once before standing up and leaving.

“The description sounds similar to a string of other crimes in the area,” I said. “I’m afraid that is all I could tell you.”

My heart palpitated. If what Noah said was true. My dear friend is in very real danger. The group of people never left a person alive, only a symbol as their calling card, drawn in the victim’s blood.

They targeted witches mostly. Not shifters. So, it didn’t make sense to me why they would be branching out now.

“That’s bull shit, Vanny,” Noah said.

“Don’t,” I snapped. I took in a deep breath and added, “Don’t call me that.”

It was his nickname for me growing up. That was, of course, before we crossed the line and did things… sexy, hot, spicy things.

I don’t think Avery ever knew. He was supposed to be a brother to me too, but when I hit my hormonal teenage years, I looked at him very differently.

“Please, it’s me,” he said. “You can tell me.”

“No,” I said. “I can’t.”

He leaned back and ran his fingers through his hair. “You have to give me something.”

I nodded. “I understand what you are going through is tough. The best thing you can do is sit back and let me and my partner do our job.”

He shook his head. “No. I want in on this.”

“I can’t let you. The liability alone—”

“Vanny, it’s me, you’re talking to. Avery is my sister. You know what we’ve been through. You’re the only one I trust to help me with this.”

I leaned back and narrowed my eyes at him. “You weren’t going to file a report were you?”

He shook his head.

A knock rapped at the door. A split second later, Jacob and Liam both walk into the room and take seats on either side of me. Both of them have the same sensation pouring off their frames. I switched my gaze between the two of them, wondering what the hell had them both on edge. I sighed. Whatever, it didn’t need my focus right now. Noah did. And finding Avery.

“I’m Captain O’Connor,” Liam said. “I’ll be joining the investigation.”