Page 79 of Tempting the Tiger
Ember takes out her phone, taps a few times, then shows me the screen. My stomach drops at the sight of Milo and Zara sitting in a cell surrounded by bars. Milo’s arms are around a crying Zara, his face contorted with pain.
Shit, shit,shit. Why aren’t they tearing the place apart, in either biped or winged form? What did those fae do to them?
It’s a struggle to retract my glowing scales—my dragon doesn’t think it’s safe yet—but I force them away, wincing at the pain of reabsorbing hot scales into my skin. ‘How do I know that’s real?’
Videos can be faked. I need to be sure my siblings are really in trouble before I decide my next move.
Aire takes out her own phone and makes a call. On the screen the camera angle changes, rising to show an entire row of occupied cells. Some just show a shivering lump, others a person sitting against the rear concrete wall. In the cell next to my siblings, I catch a glimpse of a familiar face from Raj’s investigation. It’s Jay, the half-brother of Raj’s friend Wren.
Fucking hell, the missing shifters are still alive.
‘If you have them, why do you need me?’ I ask with sharp hand movements, trying to buy myself time to think.
The lighting there is artificial, but even with the wider view the picture is too small to pick out any details that might give a clue as to their location. A windowless room, definitely. Underground, perhaps?
Aire hangs up the phone and shoves it back in her pocket, smirking at me in that fucking superior way I’ve gotten used to from the fae. ‘We need a more powerful shifter. We originally planned to use your tiger boyfriend, but when your friends on the task force came to arrest Lance, he gave the order to capture you instead. Your siblings are our backup plan should you fail to comply.’
My dragon gives an angry vibration at the layered threat, even though it’s not a surprise. Of course Lance would want me to be the victim for whatever the fuck they’re up to now that they’ve failed to get to Raj. He knows how far I’d go to protect my siblings.
‘What for? Why shifters?’ I ask, my hand movements rapid asI desperately try to think of a way to alert Raj without Aire and Ember noticing.
Their eyes watch my hands at all times so there’s no way to use my phone. My feet are bare though, and the tiled floor is covered in ash—which gives me an idea.
‘Our plan is of no concern to you,’ Aire’s hand movements are sharp. ‘Your choice is to come with us, or watch your siblings endure unimaginable pain.’
Yeah, that’s not happening. I refuse to let Milo or Zara become test subjects for fae weapons, if Jet’s theory is correct. If that means I’m the one in pain instead, so be it.
‘I need your word that you’ll let them go if I come with you.’ Not that I actually have any power to enforce that stipulation, but my heart is hammering, my throat constricted knowing they’re trapped somewhere, unable or unwilling to shift.
Shit, what if there’s a ward in place like the one around Wargate? Despite the fact that every missing person is a shifter, none of them were in their animal forms just now from what I could see.
The idea that my siblings are enduring the agony of separation from their dragon sides has my own dragon vibrating in my chest, wanting out, ready to unleash holy terror. He insists that we shift as soon as we’re clear of the building and show these puny fae who’s really in charge.
As tempting as that is, it doesn’t feel like the right move when we don’t know where Milo and Zara actually are. Getting to them has to be the priority.
I warn my dragon side to prepare, because we’re going to be separated one more time. It’s going to make rescuing everyone more difficult, but I’ll find a way, no matter what it takes. I refuse to risk never seeing my brother and sister again.
‘Nice try,’ Aire sneers. ‘Leave your phone here. You won’t be needing it.’
That’s a no to letting Milo and Zara go, then. No doubt to ensure my continued cooperation.
I toss my phone on top of the blackened remains of the coffee table. ‘Fine. But if you so much as harm a hair on their heads, I’ll make sure you regret it.’
Their attention on my hands and face is the final distraction I need to finish the message on the floor. I step over it as I leave with my captors.
Chapter Nineteen
RAJ
“You can look forward to receiving notice of our lawsuit for wrongful arrest,” Lance’s solicitor says, nose in the air as he opens the door of the interview room and ushers Lance through first.
Lance smirks at Ethan and me before walking out, giving a subtle nod to a vampire guard on duty. I make a mental note to look into that particular guard later.
I use my BSG pass to let the two fae out of the secure door to the foyer, then repeat for the outer door. I shove my hands into my trouser pockets and watch them walk away into the bustling street, the overcast sky threatening rain.
Ethan joins me outside, arms folded across his chest. “What a bastard.”
I snort. “Which one?”
