“Okay. You stay here in case they’re on their way, and I’ll go check the restaurant and his apartment.”
Maris desperately wanted to go with him, but Darling was right. He needed to stay in case they were in a low reception area while en route to the hospital. Satellites occasionally malfunctioned and went down...
It could be nothing. Terek might have gotten sick and they could be at a twenty-four hour pediatric clinic with him, “Please hurry.”
Darling inclined his head to him. “You know I will. I’ll call as soon as I get there.”
Maris nodded as Darling left. Hauk came in a second later.
“What are you doing here?”
Hauk grinned. “Sitting on you while you panic. Making sure you don’t do something stupid. Are you planning to be stupid?”
“I try to avoid it.”
“Good for you. I don’t. Rather I embrace my natural stupidity with both arms.”
In spite of his panic, Maris laughed. He loved the grouchy Andarion. Hauk was always worth his weight in laughter. But still, he was worried. “They’re okay, right, Hauk?”
“Of course. You know we’re not going to let anything happen to your family.”
Maris was desperate to believe that. But as he waited to hear from Darling, he cursed himself for ever turning the monitor off. How could he have gone to sleep and left Ture alone?
Please be all right...
He’d never forgive himself if something had happened while he slept.
Time dragged until he finally saw Darling calling him. He picked up and heard a baby crying in the background. “Is that Terek?”
“Yeah.”
His stomach pitched as Darling fell silent and he heard nothing other than the baby. “What is it?”
“Is Hauk with you?”
This was bad...
“I’m right here. Why?”
“I need you to hold on to Mari for me.”
“What!” Maris snarled. “Darling, tell me what the fuck’s going on.”
When he finally spoke, his voice was tense and deep. “Anachelle is dead in the kitchen, and it’s obvious there was a bad fight here.”
“Ture?”
“No sign of him. By the looks of it, I think he was taken.”
Maris couldn’t breathe as those words slapped him hard.
“Terek seems to be fine. For some reason, they left him in his crib in Ture’s office. I’ve already got everyone on this and Jayne’s taking Terek home with her while we mobilize. We will find him, Mari, you know we will.”
But in what condition?
Terror consumed him. It was so foul and biting that it made his ears buzz. His sight dimmed as his blood rushed thick and hard through his veins. He locked gazes with Hauk. “Get your hands off me or lose them.”
“Maris—”
“Hauk . . . have you ever seen what a Phrixian can do when cornered?”
“Maris, don’t!” Darling snapped.
“If this was Zarya?”
Darling cursed. “Let him go, Hauk. He’s right. As badass as you are, in the mood Mari’s in, you’d need backup. Phrixians are like rabid animals when wounded. They’re three times as strong as normal, and don’t feel pain until their adrenaline stops rushing. Think of Nykyrian with a shot of Prinam in him.”
And right now, Maris felt nothing except the desire to rip the throat out of whoever was dumb enough to take Ture from him.
Hauk stepped back then gaped as Maris pulled the monitors off and stood without flinching. Like Darling said, he felt no pain and wouldn’t until he calmed again.
He headed to the bag Ture had brought from home and dressed. The last time Maris had felt like this was when the Resistance had kidnapped Darling. He’d been insane until they found him.
As soon as he was dressed, he returned to Hauk and stripped him of his weapons. Hauk didn’t say a word or try to stop him. He merely handed them over, one by one.
“You’re going to need a ride.”
Maris strapped the blaster to his hips. “I’ll drive.”
Hauk hesitated. “You suck at driving.”
“So do you.”
He flashed a fanged grin then surrendered his keys. “Oh yeah, I do.”
Maris headed out with Hauk and Fain flanking him. He was going to find Ture, and he planned to tear anyone with his boyfriend into small, bloody pieces.
CHAPTER 13
Ture watched the blood dripping from his nose and mouth as it splattered against the white floor beside the chair he was tied to. He hurt so badly, he couldn’t draw a breath without his eyes tearing up.
The League officer buried a gloved hand in his hair and snatched his head back so that Ture was forced to stare up at the bastard. “Either tell us where he is or call him!”
“Fuck you.”
The soldier backhanded him again. “Answer the question, you stupid faggot!” He struck him again.
Ture laughed. “I might be gay, but you’re the one who’s going to get publicly butt-fucked when Maris gets here. He’ll tear all of you apart for what you’ve done.” For the first time in his life, he believed that. He had no doubt that Maris would come for him.
The soldier hit him again and again. Finally, he pulled back. “Had enough yet?”