I blinked…because that sounded like an honest question. “Ezra.”
He hummed.
My God, he was serious. “This is America, land of the free and diversified. I’m sure you can find someone who has an Asian background easily enough.” My eyebrows puckered. “You traveled the damn world, how do you not know about the United States? Your home?”
“You’re forgetting, I was running away from home.” He paused, and then chuckled. “God, speaking of home, this area is right up your alley. I just saw a fox.” Another pause as he continued chuckling. “Hey, you’re not following me are you?”
“Ha, ha, funny man.” I thought about it. “I’m bigger than an actual fox, aren’t I?”
No response.
My wolf growled.
“Oh, sweetheart, you know I think you’re perfect. And your wolf is perfect, too.”
My wolf huffed, loving hearing him say it. “Just call me in another half-hour.”
“I will, but take a damn nap so you’re not worn out tonight for me, alright?”
I glanced at the bed, and it did look inviting. “You sure you’re doing fine out there?”
“It’s only me and the wildlife, sweetheart. Just try to relax for a little while.”
“Fine…I’ll try.” No promises.
“Promise me.”
Damn it. “Fine,” I growled. “I promise.”
He hummed happily. “I love you, wife.”
“And I love your aggravating ass, too, husband.”
“You say the sweetest things.”
I yawned, eyes on the bed. “Just call me, smart ass.”
He chuckled softly. “I’m Ezra Zeller, it’s nice to meet you, Smart Ass.” When I growled, he muttered, “Fine. I’ll call, sweetheart. I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
I woke to a buzzing sound. Blinking open my eyes, I sat up instantly and scented my surroundings. Quickly, my heart rate decreased as I remembered where the hell I was. Another craphole motel. The setting sun was filtering in through the lone window, and I stretched before grabbing my phone that had been buzzing on the pillow next to mine. Glancing at it as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, I saw that I had a message.
And it dawned on me…my eyes shot to the window.
The sun was f**king setting.
I quickly accessed my voicemail, and in a soft and calm voice, Ezra stated, “There’s an issue with my Prodigy. Coms are holding her.” My heart rate kicked into a wild gallop, only to increase when he paused, then said, “A lot of Coms.” He sighed. “There are Vamps in the area, and I’ve asked them to stay in the general vicinity, but they can’t go in with me because the die keeps faltering when they’re near, and I’ve tried Elder Farrar’s and my dad’s phones, but no one’s answering, so I only left messages.” A long pause. “I can’t leave her in there with them. I need to get her.” My heart rate stalled completely as he whispered, “I love you, sweetheart. Just…,” a pause, “just remember that.” The call ended.
There were no other messages, the call having come in fifteen minutes ago.
Jumping from the bed, I quickly called his number.
No answer.
I called again.
No answer.
Breath faltering, I placed a bracing hand on the wall before searching for Antonio’s number.
A knock sounded at my door. It was more of a banging.
I ran to it, hitting Antonio’s number as I threw the door open. It was Antonio, and he wore that expression. The one he had worn outside the cave before we had left on this journey. I shut my phone before it fell through my suddenly limp fingers.
He walked inside, shutting the door behind him. “I can’t find Cahal anywhere. I think he went hunting.” He bent, grabbed my boots, and threw them at me. “I can tell by your face you know Ezra’s in trouble. Get your shoes on.”
I dropped, shoving my boots on, lacing them up, my heart pounding so hard I could barely hear, but in a shaking voice, I asked, “How bad, Antonio?”
He stopped in his tracks, staring at the wall. “Now you ask?”
“Yes.” It was so soft, I was surprised he heard me.
“If it’s what I think it is…it’s bad,” he muttered, sidestepping Bonnie — who growled at him as he dug through my bag — grabbing my red fur coat and tossing it to me. “I’m going to try to find Cahal again, and possibly Merrick and Jacobs after I drop you off.”
My fingers shook as I stood, throwing the robe over my bra and underwear I had on, only managing to button the top one before I gave up on the others. “Is he going to live?”
He ignored me, opening the case of my gifted Cizanos. “You’re going to need these.”
I yanked them out but dropped them on the bed, quickly strapping my gun to my thigh before grabbing them again. “Antonio…”
His lips thinned. “There’s no more time for questions, Lil.” Antonio reached out a hand, touching my hair and returning it to neon red, and he pointed to Bonnie, who returned to appearing like a lion cub. “Grab her.” As I did as told, he ordered, “No matter what, do not release me or try to pull away. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
Antonio slapped a hand on my shoulder. “This might take a few minutes.”
I rested against him and had to shut my eyes, he glowed so bright. Sound ceased to exist as we went to a…well, what could only be perceived as a void. It was a golden open space, Antonio the only thing I could see. Bonnie growled in the circle of my arms but didn’t move, behaving.
After what felt like five minutes, I asked into the nothing, “How much longer?”
No response.
After what seemed like another five minutes, I asked, “Antonio?”
He squeezed my shoulder, but there was no verbal response.
I waited, staying perfectly still. He was carting not just himself, but two other living beings through this void, while searching for Ezra. I supposed that had to take some concentration. I focused on my breathing and closed my eyes, figuring that darkness was better than opening them and expecting to see something. It was f**king claustrophobic, screwing with my Shifter senses.
After another five minutes, I began to feel a breeze. I sighed, sucking in the scent of fresh pine and grass. And blood. I froze. Lots of f**king blood.
My eyes slammed open, but there still wasn’t anything to see. Sounds came next. Screams and cries of pain began breaking through the silence in intervals. I stayed silent, not knowing where he would set us down from this void, uncertain of what we were stepping into. Ezra had only said there were a lot of Coms, not the layout of the location. And then we were in a forest, the wind whipping around us, blowing my robe and hair about.