Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Sure, he had the sexy rock star persona thing down pat.
But that’s all it was.
A persona.
It wasn’t who he really was.
And who he really was … well, she found it annoyingly appealing.
He raised an eyebrow, something like surprise in his gaze. “Echo?”
She wrenched her eyes from his and whispered, “I know where they are. They couldn’t have gone far with Orla … and if Orla is with them, there’s probably at least one other vampire among the five men Adelah mentioned. We own a safe house in the woods at Hunter’s Cove. It’s private land, a couple of miles from any other property. It’s where we stay when we visit Odette. It’s deep in the woods—and sunlight proof.”
“Isn’t that an obvious place?”
“Yes, but I don’t think William imagined we’d be this close behind. And he’d be guessing I wouldn’t endanger Odette by attacking the cottage.”
“And will you?”
“She’s already in danger.”
“That’s a yes, then.”
“My sister doesn’t get hurt. But we are attacking that cottage.” Echo picked up Adelah’s cell on her bedside table. “One hour to sunrise. The safe house is twenty minutes from here. That gives us forty minutes to get inside.”
Elijah nodded, impressing her with his lack of nervousness. “What’s the plan?”
“To make one up in the twenty minutes it takes to get there.”
“Oh. Wonderful plan. Really. Awards should be won.”
Usually his sarcasm amused her, but Echo was way too anxious. “Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.” She pushed him toward the window. “Let’s go, rock star, before I decide to leave you behind.”
“Somehow I don’t think you will. Got an awful feeling I’m going to be a big part of your plan.”
“So you’re not just a pretty face after all?” she sniped as he climbed out the window.
He ducked his head back in to grin at her. “You think I’m pretty? I bloody knew it.”
Before she could snap back a retort, he let go, falling effortlessly out of sight.
“Smug British bastard,” she muttered as she climbed out after him.
“Oi, I heard that,” he whispered from far below.
12
It would seem Echo understood William well. The cottage at Hunter’s Cove lit up in the dark. Guards patrolled outside, automatic weapons in hand. Wooden stakes were strapped to their hips. A precaution.
Or William truly didn’t believe Echo would attack the cottage.
Elijah studied his companion as they hid in the dark forest. He could hear the water of the gulf hitting against the shore a mile away. The cottage sat in a clearing less than a hundred yards ahead of them. Together they’d pulled the shadows around them to keep cloaked from view and had a sound barrier up. At Echo’s suggestion on the way there, he’d discovered the ability to smother their scents too. It allowed them to get very close.
Echo’s beautiful face was pinched with worry as she took in the sight of the cottage, her love for her sister palpable. It made Elijah see the woman beneath the vampire. The combination of that closely guarded softness in her heart and the fierce warrior was intoxicating. It was making him feel things for the vamp. Dangerous things.
“You were right,” he murmured. “They’re here.”
She looked at him. “There are two high-ranking vampires in that cottage. I know their scents. Odette’s there … she’s … I can smell her fear.” Anguish gleamed in her eyes. “Why would she be afraid of them?”
Reaching out, Elijah placed a calming hand on her shoulder. He tried to soothe her with his magic, but nothing happened.
At his frown, Echo sighed. “You can’t use your mind warp or anything like that on other supernaturals. We’re immune.”
That was new information. Good to know. “Who else is in there?”
“That’s it. Orla and Roark. Plus the four wolves on guard outside. Two out front, two out back. Can’t you hear their heartbeats?”
Elijah closed his eyes and tried to focus past the sweet scent of Echo, of the thrumming of her heartbeat, to those beyond. Finally, he heard them. Four different pulses outside. Three inside.
“Six.” He opened his eyes and met Echo’s enigmatic gaze. “What’s the plan?”
“Vamp hearing is excellent. If you can cast this sound barrier over me and the wolves, I can take the wolves out before they realize what’s happening. First the ones out front, then the ones out back.”
“And from there?”
“Steal the stakes off the werewolves. We burst into the cottage. You take Orla. I’ll take Roark.”
The thought of killing the vampire filled him with dread, but he’d do it if it meant protecting a child and saving his family. “Sounds easy enough.”
“You ready? Keep up with me and hold the barrier in place. No one can hear me breaking the wolves’ necks.”
He nodded grimly. “Got it.”
A foreign sensation of determination and tightly leashed fury mingled with his own and he realized, once again, that he was feeling Echo. He didn’t know how that was possible, especially considering she’d just told him his mind manipulations couldn’t work on her. But it meant he was totally in tune with her and knew to move when she moved.