Page 26 of Unforeseen Mate

“You can’t mean to take her to the Hollow, can you?”

“I can. Once we get to Anchorage, I need transport to the portal. I’ll take her down that way.”

“Brie isn’t going to like it, but she’ll do it. Strode using one woman to try and force another woman to do what he wants isn’t sitting well with any of us. I’ll be with whoever we send so you’ll know the transport is legit.”

His sister had never been easy. Early on Caye had gone her own way, leaving the hellhounds and swearing her allegiance to the Shadow Sisters. Hayden didn’t like it. Not that he didn’t respect it, but he didn’t like it. He missed his sister.

“Thanks, Caye.”

The flight back seemed even longer than the one he’d taken from Anchorage to Cardiff, and Fallon seemed to be losing ground in her fight to survive. It occurred to Hayden that Strode might have used some kind of poisoned ammunition, but there was no way to tell. He needed to get her to the healer. They changed planes in Halifax and flew on to Anchorage.

As they set down on a deserted landing strip, the plane was surrounded and then boarded by what appeared to be a highly-trained group of female warriors. Their movements were coordinated and smooth, like a well-oiled machine. Aubry Hawthorne had done well in picking Caye as her second. Caye had trained from childhood to be one of the elite hellhound warriors—most said the mothers of the Valkyries—and she had trained the Shadow Sisters’ fighting force well.

“Hayden,” she said, embracing him. “It’s good to see you, big brother.”

“And you, little sister.”

Caye looked at Fallon, who was resting. “She doesn’t look good, Hayden.”

“I know. If I leave her to her own people, she’ll never survive.”

“She might not make it regardless of where you take her. You’re going to have to be careful. This close to death and traveling to the Hollow, the reapers might try and take her from you.”

“If they end up with her, avenge me, for I will be dead.”

“She means that much to you?” Caye asked.

Hayden nodded. “She is my fated mate.”

“I understand. Let’s get you to the portal. I have a chopper waiting. It’ll be me, you, and Fallon. We can’t be showing everybody and their brother the portal into the other realms.”

Hayden smiled. “Thank you. Let’s go.”

They carried Fallon to the chopper on a stretcher. Once she was strapped in, Hayden moved forward to sit in the co-pilot seat.

“She’ll never make the journey on foot,” said Caye as they lifted off.

“Then I’ll carry her.”

“Look, Hayden, I know how strong you are—not just physically, but mentally as well. This is not a time strength alone is going to take care of the issue.”

“I will not lose her.”

“That isn’t necessarily up to you. I’m afraid she might be too weak. We can use the stretcher and make it into a travois for you to transport her. I made sure we have a harness that will make that conversion easy.”

“Thank you.”

“What are bratty little sisters for if not to show up their all-powerful big brothers?”

Hayden chuckled. He and Caye had always been close. Her choice to live on Earth had not been a popular one. The only reason she had not been banished and made human was that her brother was alpha of the hellhounds. Hayden had ensured that Caye had the freedom to follow her own path. He didn’t alwayslike it, but he loved and respected his sister too much to protest her choice.

When they landed outside the portal, Caye helped him bundle Fallon up and convert the stretcher into a travois.

Caye reached back into the chopper, bringing out a sword, snugged into its sheath. “I know, but just in case,” she said, handing it to him. “Safe journey, brother.” Embracing him, she continued, “You don’t have long. Even I can smell death all around you.” Having lived on Earth for so long, Caye’s sense of impending death had been blunted. “If a reaper comes for her, you’re going to have to kill it—a life for a life.”

Hayden had been picking up that scent for hours but refused to allow Fallon to meet that fate and be taken from him forever. He knew she would end up in heaven, and there was little chance of him finding a place there. No, he would save her and help the Resistance. Then, maybe he would have redeemed enough of his soul to garner a place beside her.

Strapping into the harness, Hayden headed to the portal’s entrance, stopping to look back and wave his hand in farewell to his sister. She returned the greeting and lifted off in the chopper. Turning back toward the portal, he raised his hand and opened a small fissure into which he walked, dragging a very weak Fallon behind him.

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