Keenan frowned. “Why didn’t the practitioner cleanse the area? Why conceal it instead?”
“No amount of cleansing could completely wipe away so much violence and pain,” said Ella. “The containment spell kept everything in that little area from reaching your senses. The glamor helped reinforce the illusion. They were strong spells. The practitioner was talented.”
“But you’re better,” said Harper with a smile that Ella returned.
“I’m better,” agreed Ella.
Tanner stalked over to the prison door, nostrils flaring. “None of the blood in there belonged to anyone we know.” Moving away from the prison, he patrolled the area around it that had also been concealed by the spell. And then he tensed, cursing a blue streak.
“What is it?” asked Knox, voice sharp. “What do you scent?”
Tanner turned to face them. “I can smell Alethea here plain as fucking day.”
“It’s hardly surprising, since she was the one nursing the incorporeal,” said Knox.
Tanner gave a curt nod. “Yeah, but it’s not just her I smell. Someone else we know was here—their blood isn’t here, just their scent. And the scent isn’t heavy with pain or death. They weren’t a victim. They were with her.”
Knox took a step toward him. “Who?”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Back at the villa, Harper slapped her clothes into the suitcase. “I won’t believe it’s him, Knox,” she clipped. “I will not believe he’s the Horseman. How could he be? He’s been in Cuba for fucking years.”
“Or so we thought,” said Knox, voice soft. He stood a few feet away, giving her space, letting her reason it through. If he was honest, he was just as surprised as Harper to hear that Drew’s scent was in the basement, so he couldn’t blame her for finding it so difficult to absorb. Knox didn’t like the hellcat whatsoever, but he wouldn’t have suspected him of being the Horseman or party to anything that would harm Harper.
“What possible motivation could Drew have for wanting to see the US Primes fall?” she challenged.
“He wants me dead, Harper. In his mind, I stole you from him.”
“Yes, and you know that because you’ve literally been in his mind. If he was the Horseman, you’d already know.”
“That’s not how it works, Harper. The mind is a vast space. Trillions of webs of memories, thoughts, views, wants, likes, dislikes, regrets, goals, et cetera. I didn’t root through his mind as a whole, I only explored the web of thoughts and memories he had that were related to you. Still, I’d like to think that I’d have seen some indication of him being the Horseman if he truly was.”
“But you didn’t, did you?”
“No, but why else would he have been with Alethea? What other reason could he have had for being in that house? He wasn’t killed there, Harper. He wasn’t used to feed the incorporeal. Either he was working with her, or he had some other reason for going to that house. Whatever the case, he was with her. I picked up how badly he wants me dead—”
“It’s one thing to want to see you dead. But why take all the other Primes down too?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he’s bitter that Jolene wouldn’t make him Prime—I called her a few minutes ago; she said he told her long ago that he wanted to take her place one day, and he’d seemed upset when she made it clear that she wanted you to replace her.”
It had made Knox wonder if just maybe that was part of why Drew had wanted Harper for himself so badly—as her mate, he would have then also been her co-Prime if she’d taken Jolene’s place. It could even be that the reason he’d waited to claim Harper was that he’d been waiting for her to be declared Prime first. But Knox decided not to say that, since she was hurting enough.
Shooting him a look of impatience, she snorted. “Knox, practically all demons want to be a Prime. We’re typically power-hungry creatures.”
“I’m simply saying that maybe we failed to see that Drew is as power-hungry as Isla, Nora, and Roan were.”
Harper jutted out her chin. “I won’t believe it.”
“You don’t want to believe it,” he corrected.
“No, I don’t.” Because it would kill Devon, and Harper didn’t want to see her friend hurt. Regardless, it just seemed wrong to her. It didn’t add up. “You have to admit there are some holes in this theory. Did Drew ever seem power-hungry to you?” Harper had never sensed that quality in him.
“No, but Tanner scented him in that basement, baby. Why else would he have been there?”
“I don’t fucking know.” Slamming the suitcase shut, she sharply yanked on the zip as she secured it shut. “But I just can’t accept that Drew is the freaking Horseman. I can’t.”
Knox crossed to her and rested his hands on her shoulders. “There are a lot of people trying to track Drew right now. He can’t hide for long. We’ll find him, and we’ll get our answers. For now, we have to operate on the assumption that he was—at the very least—involved with Alethea somehow.”
Sighing, Harper raked a hand through her hair. “I only just got Devon back, Knox,” she said, voice small. “If you’re right, the whole thing will shred her, especially if we have to kill him.”
“I know. I wish that wasn’t the case.” Killing Drew wouldn’t bother Knox, but causing a divide between Harper and her friend would. Still, there was no way he would—or even could—let the male live if he was the Horseman. Deciding to change the subject, he asked, “You packed?” At her nod, he gave her shoulders a little squeeze and pressed a soft kiss to her mouth. “Good. The jet’s ready. Let’s go get Asher.”
Minutes later, they were walking to the clearing where the private jet waited. Levi led the way, using a machete to clear a path through the thick vegetation. The pilot, Davis, and his mate, Noelle—who was also the flight attendant—were already there. The sentinels got settled in the front cabin while Knox, Harper, and Asher seated themselves in the rear cabin for some privacy.
She sat Asher on her lap, who was busy poking Hound’s eyes. God, she hated that she was taking him back to a place where danger awaited him. She’d considered leaving him on the island with Tanner, but she couldn’t. Maybe it was selfish, but she wouldn’t cope with having so much distance between them. She also couldn’t bring herself to leave Knox to deal with the Horseman situation alone, even though he was fully capable of doing so. They were a team, and that need to be proactive in eliminating the threat to her son wouldn’t be satisfied with leaving it to Knox. No way.
Before the jet took off, Noelle came to offer drinks and snacks. Knox ordered a gin and tonic, but Harper declined—her churning stomach wouldn’t handle food or drink very well. Soon enough, they were in the sky.
Sitting opposite her, his thighs bracketing hers, Knox squeezed her knee. “It’ll be okay, baby.”
She kissed Asher’s head, inhaling his scent. “No, I don’t think it will.” Because there was a very good chance that Drew was going to die. “If we kill him, it will always sit smack bam between me and Devon, no matter how justified the kill is.”
“Which is why I’ll be the one to kill him, if it needs to be done. I’m fine with Devon hating me, but not with her hating you. Have you spoken with her about his scent being present at the house?”
“Not yet.” But she suspected that Jolene, as Devon’s Prime, might have already done so—her grandmother wouldn’t want the female hellcat to find out from someone else.
“You don’t want to speak with her about it because you’re still searching for a reason that might excuse why he was there—something innocent,” Knox gently accused.
“Is that so wrong?”
“No, but perhaps you should consider that the Drew you thought you knew doesn’t truly exist. Or maybe he did once exist but has long since changed. You’re right that some things don’t make sense, but that’s only because you have a certain impression of him in your head. Plenty of people wear masks, baby.”
Harper felt her brow furrow. “Yes, but Devon would have seen righ
t through it.”
“Are you sure? She rarely sees him these days. He’s been gone six years now, and she wasn’t frequently in contact with him. People change—sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Drew likes a rush. What better rush than to be a Prime? And how much bigger would that rush be if you got the position by dominating the other Primes, making yourself the only ruler?”
Closing her eyes for a moment, she rubbed her forehead. “Okay, it would be a huge rush, but it doesn’t automatically follow that you’re right.”
Knox took a sip of his drink. “Would the Drew you thought you knew have been so disobedient? Several times he’s ignored warnings from Jolene. He’s even lied to her. She was under the impression that he was in Cuba right now. She escorted him to the airport herself a few weeks ago—even walked him to the departure gate and watched the plane take off. He either got off the aircraft somehow before it left, or he took a flight back to Las Vegas.”
Harper thought on that for a moment. “He’s never been rebellious, no. He always seemed to respect her authority.”
“His recent actions would suggest otherwise, baby.”
She scrubbed a hand down her face. “It doesn’t even make sense that he’d work with Alethea. You’ve been in his head; you say he wants me. Why would he have ever worked with someone who would have loved to see me dead?”
“I don’t believe he was working with her, I believe he was using her. We agreed that the Horseman probably lied to Alethea about his plans. Maybe Drew told her that he wanted you dead. That would have gained him her cooperation. In using her, he also kept her away from you.”
“What about Heidi, Knox? The Horseman arranged to have her kidnapped so that she could be used in a damn ritual. No matter how much Drew wants to be a Prime, he would never hurt Heidi. I firmly believe that.”
“So maybe, unknown to him, it was Alethea who chose Heidi. Maybe the reason that there wasn’t another attempt to snatch her was that he disapproved of Alethea’s choice. But don’t be so sure he wouldn’t harm Heidi. You said Drew was a decent person who would never try to break up a family, but he did. He tried to turn you against me. Tried to convince you to leave me. And he spoke of our son as if Asher were a thing, not a person. Does that really sound like the Drew you thought you knew?”
She swallowed. “No. No, it doesn’t. I just wish that—” The jet jerked to the side, struck by something hard. “What the—?” She cuddled Asher tight, eyes wide, mentally fumbling as the jet shook. Swayed. Tipped to the side. And then they were falling.
Jaw hard, Knox let out a wave of raw power that punched a hole through the jet. “I’ll get the others. Go!”
Harper called to her wings, tightened her arms around an alarmed Asher and—hating that she had to leave Knox behind but trusting him to get himself to safety—shot out of the aircraft like a bullet out of a gun. The air whipped at her hair and face, almost taking her breath away. They were above an island that neighbored theirs, she realized, and—
Something slammed into her wing, sending her dipping into the trees. Her wing got caught on a branch, yanking her backwards so sharply that it felt like someone was trying to pluck the wing stem right out of her back. Grinding her teeth through the blinding pain, she wrenched free, wincing as the branch tore a long, wide strip through her wing.
Panicked, Harper flexed her back muscles hard. Yet more pain assaulted the stem, and her injured wing failed her. Knox, we’re going down! All she could do was helplessly and shakily glide her way down, navigating her way through the tight clusters of trees.
As they neared the ground, she curled herself even tighter around Asher and snapped her wings around them to cushion their fall. It helped, but her head still connected hard with the spongy moss ground. Stars burst behind her eyelids and fiery pain knifed through the stem of her injured wing, making the breath explode out of her lungs.
She heard a sob build in Asher’s chest, but the sound seemed so very far away. “Shh, baby,” she whispered, voice lacking in strength, head spinning. “We’re fine. Let me get a good look at you.” But even as she said it, she could do no more than loosen her hold on him before the darkness pulled at her. She fought it, she really did, she fought it so fucking hard … but it was mere moments before it swallowed her whole.
Knox felt it the moment that Harper lost consciousness—his own vision darkened around the edges, making him almost lose his footing on the moss-covered earth. His heart leaped, and his ribs suddenly felt too tight as panic tore through him.
Baby, don’t fucking do this to me. Wake the fuck up. He had no chance of sounding gentle when a soul-wrenching terror was strangling him with a vice-like grip.
Pulse racing, Knox touched Asher’s mind and felt vibes of fear, confusion, and shock. But no pain, to his utter relief. That didn’t calm Knox’s demon—the entity was going fucking insane.
Knox soothingly brushed his mind over Asher’s, trying to ease his anxiety. It’s okay, I’ll find you, he said, hoping the reassurance in his tone would somehow comfort his son.
Asher’s mind slid against his own, cold and composed, and he knew it wasn’t Asher responding to him. It was his son’s inner demon, giving him the “impression” that it would keep Asher safe. That would have to be enough for now.
Knox scanned the area, as if he’d miraculously see some sign of Harper and Asher. He didn’t. Hell, they could have been twelve feet away and he probably wouldn’t have noticed, since the undergrowth was so dense. Ropy vines curled around thick tree trunks and draped over branches that boasted long-ass leaves. If he’d thought it would help, he’d fly over the island in search of them, but the canopies were too thick—he could easily skim right over Harper and Asher without knowing it.
He’d managed to pyroport the sentinels, Davis, and Noelle to the ground before the jet crashed somewhere in the distance, but they had no fucking idea where they were. None. Worse, he had no fucking idea where his mate and son were. Baby, wake up and tell me where you are. Nothing. Not a fucking thing.
“Harper’s unconscious,” Knox told the others, voice thick, stomach rock hard. He wouldn’t be surprised to hear that his eyes looked as feverish with rage as he suspected.
“Shit,” cursed Levi, sidestepping a spiky pineapple bush as he sidled up to Knox, fists clenched. “Asher?”
“He seems to be okay.” But while Harper was unconscious, Asher was extremely vulnerable. As if the heat, insects, and wild animals weren’t enough of a problem, there was the added danger of the Horseman. Who else would have taken out the jet? “We have to find them.” Even he heard the fear in his voice—the emotion left a metallic taste on his tongue.
Tanner’s nostrils flared as he drew in the scents around them. “They’re not close, but that doesn’t mean they’re at the other end of the island or anything. We will find them, Knox.”
Oh, they’d find them. What worried Knox was that the Horseman might find them first. The very idea of it made his chest tighten unbearably, taking his breath away. “But we don’t know which direction to head in, do we? Until we have even a hint of an idea where they landed, we don’t know where to start.” Harper, fucking answer me!
“Am I the only one thinking that the Horseman was responsible for the jet crashing?” asked Davis, taking his mate’s hand in his.
“It had to have been him,” said Knox. “He wasn’t able to get on my island—it’s too well-protected—but he knew what direction we’d take to get home, so he waited.” If Knox hadn’t erased the memory of himself using his ability to pyroport from Drew’s mind, leaving the hellcat clueless to it, Drew probably would have taken another course of action.
Noelle flicked a frown at the giant termite nest a few feet away. “Do you think he thought the crash would be enough to kill us?”
“I doubt it.” Levi used the bottom of his tee to wipe at the sweat on his forehead. The air was hot, thick, and heavy. “But I think he thought it would badly injure and weaken Knox.”
; “Can’t Harper fly above the canopies when she wakes?” Noelle asked Knox. “You’d easily spot her if you then did the same.”
Knox shook his head. “He hurt her. Damaged either one or both of her wings bad enough to make her fall.” And the fact that she couldn’t fly her way out of danger made it even more important that Knox find her and Asher fast.
Tanner rubbed at his nape. “I have to say, I can’t imagine Drew harming her. Unless he’s given up on winning her to his side. Some people have that whole ‘If I can’t have you, no one will’ mentality.”
Harper, baby, I need you to wake up. When she didn’t answer, Knox growled and kicked aside one of the pieces of overripe fruit that littered the ground. “Whoever the Horseman is, he’s somewhere on this island. Where, I don’t know. But my guess is that he’ll be intent on tracking Harper and Asher, just like we are.”
Levi nodded, jaw hard. “They’re your only vulnerabilities. Moreover, they’re your demon’s only vulnerabilities.”
The reaper had that right. It was taking every inch of control Knox possessed to keep his demon in check. The entity wanted to hunt and annihilate the person who it knew was daring to hunt its mate and child.
It was filling Knox’s mind with images of them hurt and in pain, trying to goad Knox into surrendering control. But he didn’t. Even though he felt close to drowning in a soul-eating rage, he maintained control. Because the demon wouldn’t think. Wouldn’t wait for Harper to wake and give them some clue as to where she was. It would only do what it had been born to do—destroy.
“I don’t think he’ll hurt them, Knox,” said Tanner. “At least not until you’re there to watch.”
That didn’t make Knox feel much better. He again touched Asher’s mind. The vibes of fear had eased, which told Knox that it was highly unlikely they’d been found.
It galled him that he couldn’t get moving—he needed to act, but they needed some idea of what direction they should move in first. That left him feeling both helpless and fucking useless.