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“The rabbit found this note on the bar.” He hands it to Jax. “It’s not the first one. We have to draw him out. I’m fucking sick of this shit. He wants to hide and stalk us. I want to pull him into the light.”

“We’re in,” Blue says seriously.

“First, we need to go to Ryker. He has a man from Grant’s pack.”

“Why is he there?” Blue asks.

“We kidnapped him and tortured him for information.”

“Bad ass.” James grins.

“I approve,” Blue says, his face expressionless.

“Why do you need him?” Harmony asks.

“Bait,” Elijah simply says.

“We also need Ryker and Bash to watch out for me until we trap him,” I add.

“The whole band back together?” James rubs his hands together.

“Real mature,” Blue scoffs.

“Don’t be the killer of my fun,” James pouts.

“Children,” Jax scolds. “What do you need us to do?”

“How do you feel about herding a man through the forest?” I ask.

Their surprise quickly turns to eagerness.

The smell is horrendous.

Ryker was eager to get rid of his unwelcome guest. Sam has been hanging in his basement for days, rotting. His numerous wounds have stopped healing.

If we don’t have any nutrients, there comes a point when the body gives up. He will eventually heal if he is able to shift and eat. Unfortunately for him, he won’t get the chance.

“The customers have started to complain about a lingering smell,” Ryker says, turning accusing eyes to Elijah. “When I go home to my mate and she can’t stand to be near me until I shower off the stench, it pisses me off.”

“We will take him off your hands,” Elijah says, fighting a grin.

“Thank you, Ryker,” I offer.

“Your mate has manners,” he says, turning with pointed look at Elijah.

“She does.” Elijah runs his finger down my cheek. “I don’t.

“Can we just get the fucker out of here?” Bash asks.

The vampires were willing to help us. I realize what it means that Elijah is prepared to allow them to protect me when he can’t. I am coming to terms with the idea that he is committed to me. That is difficult for me to trust.

Sam has been watching us with a glazed half-mast gaze. He hasn’t said a word. He’s given up the fight. I have to fight the urge to be sympathetic to him. All the things he has witnessed and participated in don’t deserve my forgiveness.

Bash walks to the table at the side of the room and picks up the duct tape. Sam limply holds his head up and easily allows Bash to put it over his mouth. Elijah searches the table and comes away with handcuffs. He puts them around Sam's wrists before Bash takes him off the hook, letting him fall heavily to the floor. Ryker passes them cuffs for his ankles, which have a long chain connecting them.

“How are we getting him out of here without someone seeing?” I ask, pushing aside everything we have to do.

“The underground tunnel,” Ryker simply says.