“No one said you were.” Luca crouched next to Dr. Dante and took his hand. “No one would ever say that.”
“And I’m not cra—” Dr. Dante gritted his teeth and curled forward. “Fuck.” His grip on his shoulder tightened enough to bleach his knuckles white.
“We need to get out of here, now.” Johnathan took out his cell phone and headed out the front door.
Seung’s wolf, followed by three blues, leapt from the shadows of the dining area into the patch of sunlight cast across the living area, then they disappeared again in the band of gray created where the middle slat of the screen door cut out a swatch of light.
“How did they know where we were?” Nox said.
“I think I’m right….” Dr. Dante rocked back into the chair. “I didn’t want to be. I didn’t. I didn’t….” Tears cut trails down his cheeks. “But I feel them. I feelhim.”
Johnathan returned with his men and Seung’s betas on his heels.
“We need to get everyone out of here.” Head up, shoulders back, waves of dominance and aggression rolling from the Sarvari Johnathan carried, stabbing the Anubis.
Nox tightened his hold, but there was no pause, no hesitation, noacknowledgmenthe even existed to it. The Anubis remained a weight in Nox’s soul. A presence that filled him.
A presence thatwashim.
“You okay.” Luca walked over.
“Yeah, yeah.” It wasn’t technically a lie. “C’mon, Johnathan’s right. We need to go.” He herded Luca toward the door.
He was almost there when he stopped. “Wait? What about Ms. Phillips? We can’t leave her here.”
Johnathan scowled.
“I’ll get her.” Seung headed down the small hallway where Nox and Luca’s room was located. “Johnathan?” She reappeared at the end of the hall.
Johnathan met her gaze then cursed.
“What’s wrong?” Luca said.
“She’s gone.” Nox made it a statement.
One look from Seung confirmed it. “The car’s still here, so she’s on foot.”
“Doesn’t matter. We don’t have time to track her.” Johnathan waved a hand in Nox’s direction. “Dr. Dante, you ride with Nash and Luca.”
“What? No. I’m probably the reason those things know we’re here.”
“You’re—”
Dr. Dante pushed himself to his feet. “Don’t. I’m not stupid. Iamthe reason, and you know it.”
Johnathan glanced Nox’s way.
“Dr. Dante,” Nox said. “We need to hurry.”
“I’m not getting in a vehicle with you two. If anything, I should go in the opposite direction.”
“If they’re here because of you, then how did they find Caspin?” Johnathan said.
“I can’t answer that. But those, those out there, they know whereIam. And that means if they know where I am, then I put anyone around me in danger.”
“We only have so many vehicles,” Johnathan said.
“Then give me the keys to the rental.” Dr. Dante held out his hand.