Chapter 286 Chapter 286
Gia checked the mirror again to make sure there was no movement on the street. There had been very little communication over the radio and the waiting was killing her. She looked up at the roof of the house again, Creed was still sitting there since he’d done a wide sweep around the house. What was happening? She knew it was good that he sat up there, but he was looking in the backyard. There had been nothing on the radio since they said they were taking them back there. Turning, she looked to see Shaelan covering the man’s leg with white bandages. The smell of infection filled her nose. How had this man been injured? Had it been while he was abducting one of their own kind? She wanted to ask him, to confirm why she had to do this job, but Shaelan had given him a shot of something when he’d started to come to, and he hadn’t moved since.
Bear stood in the open door, the tranq gun aimed at the man. With the first dart and whatever Shaelan had given him, he wouldn’t be speaking at all tonight, but Bear wasn’t taking any chances.
Evanna had come around and got in the van and handed Shaelan the things she asked for. Gia wanted to ask her who Minn was, but after the quick explanation from Shaelan before she’d got here, Gia also didn’t want to intrude into things she didn’t quite understand. Evanna grabbed a bottle of water and got out of the van, she opened it and poured it over her hands, then drank the rest. “I can taste the rot in my mouth.” She said quietly.
“I don’t know if the leg is saved, but I don’t think he’s going to be walking very much where he’s going.” She wiped her hands and surveyed the man once more. “How much time has passed?”
Bear looked at the house and then back, “it hasn’t been as long as it feels.”
“Coming out through the garage.” Deacon’s voice came over the radio. “Bring the other vans closer.”
Shaelan stepped out of the way when both Evanna and Bear turned, guns raised at the open garage door.
Gia turned back quickly and started the van.
“Send the clean up here, Devin, and get them to go through everything, find the rest of this clan.” Calum’s voice came over the system. Shaelan turned to look toward the garage.
“Body bag?” Devin asked.
“One,” Calum answered.
Gia glanced at Evanna; she didn’t seem phased by the information. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Blair had avenged his family; his mate’s family and it had been her that had said how it was to be. She licked her lips and looked back at the radio.
“There won’t be a trace of them by daylight.” Devin’s low tone told all those on the comms.
She stared at the radio and then looked toward the garage. Deacon came out of it, he looked the same as he had when he’d gotten out of the van. He lifted his hands and sent Evanna and Bear a look.
They lowered the guns from him.
Lights hitting the mirror had her look in it quickly, the other vans were pulling up.
“Bear, go with Nox and keep an eye on the prisoners.”
Bear nodded and jogged down the sidewalk.
Asher came up to Deacon and handed him clothes. Deacon nodded and walked back up the drive and set the clothes behind one of the cars. He looked up and lifted his hand signaling Creed to come down.
Gia’s heart beat hard in her chest when Kobie and Blair came into the light. His chest was covered with blood. Shaelan grabbed a handful of bandages and ran over to him.
Blair looked down at her when she reached him.
Gia couldn’t hear what he said to her, but she paused and looked at him and then held the bandages out to Kobie. Kobie took them and nodded.
Calum walked by the van; Gia watched in the mirror as he waited until three of the men got in the van behind them. When he lifted the dart gun and shot it several times, she knew he had just knocked out the men they’d found in the house. He spoke to Jesse and then came back toward Shaelan.
“We’ll ride with your patient.” He said the word patient like it tasted bad on his tongue.
Creed came down the drive, pulling his shirt over his head. He looked a little shaky but kept going with long a long stride. Gia didn’t even know how that could work—a large man like that becoming a bird? How did that work?
The passenger door opened, and Shaelan climbed in. She looked at Gia, her expression mirroring Gia’s thoughts. ‘This wasn’t at all what either had expected.’
Gia waited until Calum, Creed, and Deacon climbed in. She looked at her phone and then the radio, waiting for the promised information about where they were supposed to be going.
“I’ll direct you,” Calum said quietly.
She nodded, then watched Deacon close the door before turning in her seat and putting the van in drive, “Do I wait for the others?”
“No, they’ll be taking different routes. This one will be going by chopper, the others aren’t.” His tone didn’t leave room for more questions.
“Get out on the interstate and head North.”
She glanced in the mirror and met Deacon’s look; his expression told her everything was fine. Pulling away from the curb, she kept her eyes straight ahead and focused on driving. Reaching, she pushed the button and put both windows down, hoping the others needed air as much as she did.