Page 93 of Eternally Bound
“Landfills smell better,” he said.
“Now we know why he’s out in the boonies,” Lucien said and opened his door.
Ronan focused on Kadence as she shifted in her seat. The last thing he wanted was to have her here, but he’d promised not to cage her again. He was close to breaking that promise and screw the consequences. She could be mad forever as long as she was alive. He glanced at Declan in the back seat, who stared blankly back at him. Declan could stay with her; he’d be able to keep her restrained if it became necessary.
“Don’t,” she whispered. “I promise, Ronan, I’ll do what you say, but don’t make me stay here. I won’t forgive you if you do.”
“You’ll be alive.”
“Life isn’t worth living if you take my freedom away from me again.”
He strove to maintain restraint as he inhaled a deep breath and then another. “We’ll just check things out for now,” he finally said and closed the door.
Walking to her side, he opened her door and took hold of her arm to help her out. Her nose wrinkled as soon as she exited the vehicle, and she stepped back. Her hand flew up to block her nostrils. “It’s horrible,” she muttered.
“It is,” he agreed. “Come.”
CHAPTER 41
They moved down the dirt road with rapid speed before he led her into the forest and around to the side of a dilapidated, three-story, brick building. Judging by its numerous boarded windows and sagging roof, it had been years since anyone had done any upkeep on the warehouse.
“Smart,” Declan said as he crouched on the ground beside Kadence. “We’d never think to look for him out here, and there are no humans around to interrupt them.”
“He was one of us,” Saxon said. “He knows how we work, what we look for, but Brian should have been able to locate him out here.”
“Not if he’s been moving around a lot,” Lucien said. “This most likely isn’t where he’s staying. Judging by the smell, there are too many Savages in there for his liking.”
“Can he smell the Savages still?” Kadence asked.
“No,” Ronan replied. “Years ago, Declan and I caught a purebred who turned and questioned him. Once they give in, they no longer smell the rot of another. Probably because they are rotten too.”
Kadence shuddered as her eyes drifted back to the building. Beside her, Ronan’s body was coiled so tight, she thought he might snap. “We have to see how many Savages are in there,” he murmured. “This way.”
He kept her hand in his as he led her around the crumpling structure to a sliding barn door in the front. From inside, laughter and music flowed out, as did the pungent stench of blood and decay. Turning to Kadence, he clasped her shoulders.
“I need you to stay here.”
“But—”
“You promised you would do as I say, and I need you tostayhere. I can get closer by myself, and I don’t want you to see what is going on inside.”
Kadence glanced at the building as she tried to keep breathing through her mouth. Even still, she couldtastethe horrific stench of this place. She didn’t think it was any worse than what she would have experienced before becoming a vampire; there were just far more Savages here than she’d ever encountered before.
“You can’t go alone,” she whispered.
“I’m only going to look, not attack.”
“Okay,” she relented. “You have to be careful.”
“I will be.”
He drew her close, his hand sliding through her hair to cup the back of her head as he held her close and claimed her mouth. Reluctantly, he stepped back and released her before turning to look at the shadows dancing through the trees behind her.
“I’d lower those weapons if you want to live,” he said coldly.
Kadence followed Ronan’s gaze, as the others turned toward the woods and edged back until they were flanking her and Ronan. The shadows shifted when her brother came forward, lowering his crossbow as he walked. Behind him, Asher and Logan also emerged with half a dozen other hunters.
“Don’t ever point a weapon at me again unless you’re prepared to fight,” Ronan said to Nathan. “And if any of you think to aim one of those at her, you’ll all be dead before you know you’re missing your throats.”
