Leo was already hurtling straight up, going through the ceiling, making a nice exit hole as he dragged Timothy up and out with him. Luke’s wings fluttered and he shot into the air, following fast.
The explosion rocked beneath him seconds later. One explosion, another, then another…The rush of flames raced after them as the building itself seemed to erupt. The heat surrounded him but he just flew faster. Harder.
And Garrick’s grand plan? Not very effective. Try harder next time, you sonofabitch. And don’t ever use fire against a dragon.
Luke flew back to his island. He dropped off Eli right next to a stunned looking Rayce.
“As many whiskeys as you want,” Eli promised him quickly. “Forever.”
Leo lowered Timothy onto the ground. The guy looked queasy. Humans never seemed to adjust well to paranormal speed.
Luke pointed at the agent. “Rayce, don’t let him out of your sight. We’ll need this one later.”
“Right.” The wolf nodded quickly. Then he cast a nervous glance at Leo.
“Are we fucking ready now?” Leo asked. “Or do we have a few more dozen pit stops you want to make while McAdams gets away?”
My, my. Someone was getting pissy.
Luke still had a strong grip on Julian. Ignoring his brother’s fury, Luke said, “I’ll take you to your vampire.” Someone should get a fucking happy ending.
It sure wasn’t going to be him.
But then, it wouldn’t be Garrick, either. That man wasn’t going to ever get a happy ending. Instead, he’d just get a slow death. Luke’s wings spread wide and—
“Wait!” Timothy yelled.
Luke glanced at him.
“He’s…he’s on the boat because he’s going after her.”
Luke felt his blood begin to ice.
“Garrick McAdams has always been obsessed with Mina James. He can’t let her go.” Timothy was speaking fast, the words coming out rapid-fire. “When he had that collar designed, he made it to include a tracking device because he never wanted to lose her again.”
Luke’s jaw had locked. He forced it to unclench as he gritted, “I destroyed the collar.”
“But not until after the Ori had already deployed its stinger. The tracker was attached to the stinger. The tracker is in her. I heard Garrick talking to Madeline when they tied me up…he had Mina’s signal. He was going out on the boat because he was getting her. He isn’t going to stop, not until he has her again. I don’t…I don’t think he can stop.”
Luke’s gaze jerked to the ocean. Mina was out there and she was being…hunted? No. No.
“The boss you’re after—the man in charge of all the agents—he was the one bringing the boat.” Timothy’s shoulders sagged. “Now I know why they were saying all that stuff in front of me. They were sure I’d be dead and you’d never learn about any of this…”
But he knew everything now. Garrick and the mysterious boss are together. Time to end them both.
He flew into the air and the shift swept over him again. Soon it wasn’t a man’s hand holding tightly to Julian. Instead, a dragon’s talons curled around his friend. Fast, faster he flew and the ocean blurred beneath him.
If Garrick hurt Mina again…if that bastard dared to touch her…
I will pry the flesh from his body.
Chapter Eighteen
A boat was approaching her, moving so fast and leaving a giant wake in its trail. She stared at it, her eyes narrowing. So strange…she could recognize a boat but she couldn’t remember her own name. When she tried to see her past, her head ached. A fog seemed to settle around her mind, and the ocean would pull her in deeper as if saying…Don’t worry about that. It doesn’t matter. Only the moment matters.
But when she’d heard the growl of that boat’s engine, curiosity had pulled her up. She almost felt as if she were looking for…
Something.
Someone?
Now her eyes raked over the boat. A large vessel but…
Not the one.
The name of this boat was Seaman’s Journey. That…didn’t seem right to her. It’s not the boat I was looking for. It’s the wrong one. Not a prize at all.
But…why would she be looking for a boat?
She started to ease beneath the water.
“Mina!”
The cry carried easily over the water.
“Mina, I know you’re here! Mina!” There was so much desperation in the man’s voice and…
That’s my name. My name is Mina. Certainty filled her. It should have made her feel good to at least have that—a name—but she was suddenly very afraid.
That big boat was closer to her now. She didn’t want the man calling out to find her. Every instinct she possessed screamed at her that he wasn’t the right man.
Then who is?
Mina turned away and her tail splashed the water as she headed beneath the sea.
***
“There is no way Mina James is out here.” Madeline stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at the water. “We’re sixty miles from shore. Yeah, I get that the woman is a good swimmer and all…” She lifted a brow as she turned to Garrick. “But no one is this good.”
“The signal is tracking right here.” Frustration seethed through his blood. He was staring at his control panel and the damn thing showed Mina. She was— “Moving,” he snapped out. “Fast.” Exceptionally fast. Too fast. “Turn this boat around!” Garrick bellowed, but then…