Warrior (Relentless #4)(116)

“Hey man, I thought you were in Utah.”

I turned to Dax. “Change of plans.”

He held up the tablet he carried. “You must have a sixth sense for trouble. We had a vampire attack in town tonight.”

“An attack in Butler Falls? Are you sure?” No vampire would be stupid enough to hunt so close to one of our strongholds.

“It’s the real deal, all right.” He tapped on his tablet. “Chris went to check it out, and he confirmed it. Tristan’s gone to town too on account of the trainees being at a party there. I’m surprised you didn’t pass him –”

Icy fingers touched the back of my neck. “Sara is in town?”

“Yeah. No worries though. The party is out at a farm on Old Creek Road, and the attack happened on the other side of town. Besides, Tristan and the others are there by now.”

I reached for his tablet, and he relinquished it. On it was a map of Butler Falls, zoomed in to an address on Old Creek Road. Handing the tablet back, I turned to the door.

A minute later, I was speeding toward town, dread knotting my stomach. Butler Falls hadn’t had a vampire attack since we moved in next door. And now they had their first one on the night Sara was there. It was just too much of a coincidence.

I shouldn’t have left Westhorne. If anything happened to Sara, I’d never forgive myself.

I couldn’t help but think about the last time I’d raced to find her. I’d been too late, and I’d almost lost her. What if I was too late again? What if Tristan hadn’t reached her in time?

My chest felt like it was in a vise, and my Mori was in a state of high agitation by the time I pulled into the farm’s long driveway and spotted two of our SUVs. I parked behind them and strode toward the house. The sounds of laugher and music coming from the place eased my mind a little, but I wouldn’t relax until I saw Sara and knew she was okay.

I was almost to the house when I spotted lights moving over at the barn. Instinct had me moving in that direction instead, and I let out a breath when I suddenly sensed Sara’s presence nearby. Some of the trainees stood outside with Seamus and Niall, but there was no sign of Sara or Tristan.

I came up short when Callum walked out of the barn with an unconscious human male over his shoulder. When Jordan appeared behind him in blood-splattered clothes and carrying a bloody knife, my heart began to pound against my ribs.

Movement in the barn entrance drew my eye, and I stared at the girl emerging from the shadows. Her clothes were covered in blood. She stumbled and would have fallen if not for Tristan. He held her up and offered to carry her.

I was too late.

Roaring filled my ears, and a deep-red veil fell over my vision as my tenuous hold on my Mori snapped.

Solmi, the demon roared ferociously, its distress and rage blending with mine. My body shook from the white hot rage consuming me. The urge to destroy anything that threatened my mate overpowered me.

Sara stopped walking and looked at me, and my gaze locked on her. A part of me registered she was well enough to stand, but all I could focus on was her pale face and torn, bloody clothes. The need to touch her, to comfort her, and to reassure myself she was okay was unbearable, and it was all I could do not to go to her and crush her to me. The pain and confusion in her eyes were all that stayed me and kept my Mori in check.

She walked briskly toward me…but then she veered to go around me.

Mine, my Mori growled, and an answering sound rumbled in my chest.

She stopped abruptly to stare at me. “Did you just growl at me?”

“Nikolas, she is okay.”

I heard Tristan’s words, but it was difficult to focus on anything except the girl standing too far away from me. My Mori was close to losing it, and she was the only thing keeping us together.

Tristan spoke again. “Sara, listen to me. You need to walk toward him, talk to him, and let him know you are okay.”

“I don’t understand.” Her gaze remained locked with mine, and I could see fear creep into her eyes. “Can’t he see that from here?” she asked.

“No,” Tristan answered calmly. “You need to get a lot closer. He won’t hurt you. If there is anyone here who is safe from him, it is you.”

I wanted to speak, to tell her I would never hurt her, but I was locked in a power struggle with my demon. My Mori would not harm her, but it might hurt someone else. Sara wouldn’t forgive me if that happened. I’d never forgive myself. All I could do was hold myself as still as possible as she closed the distance between us.

She stopped a few feet away and gave me a tentative smile. “Look, Nikolas, I’m perfectly fine, see? Okay, I’ve looked better, but that’s beside the point.”

My enhanced senses recognized her sunshine scent beneath the coppery smell of the blood that covered her clothes. Mine, the demon snarled again.

I gritted my teeth from the superhuman effort to control the demon side of me that was feral in its need to claim our mate, to take her away and make her ours.

I was only vaguely aware that Sara and Tristan were talking. Then she moved forward until she was close enough for me to see her lips tremble and hear her rapid heartbeat.

An eternity later, I felt her cold hand slide into mine, and I grasped it like a lifeline. If she pulled away now, I didn’t think I could bear it.

“Let go!”

I stared down at her in confusion when she hit me in the chest with her free hand.