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She stood looking into the face of her childhood friend, her gun pointed directly at him.

She didn’t know where things went wrong between them and it didn’t matter.

Only Racheal mattered. She would die to find her best friend.

More importantly, she would kill for it.

She had inadvertently helped them wound Devon.

He was innocent. His only crime was being a different species.

Gerald was right about one thing. She wouldn’t be a Ranger and do the things she needed to while wearing a badge.

“Where is she, Gerald?” She said coldly.

Gerald’s face hardened. “You haven’t called me Gerald since we were kids.”

“Gerry was a figment of my imagination. He never existed. Now tell me where Rachael is.”

Devon groaned on the floor.

Hunter was already on the floor checking Devon’s pulse. “We need to get him out of here. He might die.”

Gerald huffed. “It won’t kill him. His heart rate and bodily functions will slow. Soon he will be ripe for harvest.” His tone was that of an irritated monarch speaking to his subjects.

Sarah wanted to know where Racheal was more than anything, but she couldn’t let Devon pay that price. This was her mess. “We’re taking him out,” she said.

“Sarah, my father’s team is the best. You won’t escape.” He spoke as if she were an errant child. “Come willingly and you will see Racheal tonight. I told you I had a surprise for you.” He smiled smugly.

She wanted to shoot his arrogant ass so bad her finger twitched on the gun.

He must have seen it because his smirk faded.

He honestly believed he had a chance with her.

She calmed her voice and loosed the grip on her gun, letting the barrel dip slightly.

“You’ve had Racheal this whole time?” She spoke softly.

She needed this answer to hold her over.

Gerald smiled coldly. “Yes. You know her specialties, Sarah. She has been invaluable to this project.”

She knew Racheal would never have been a part of this disgusting experimentation willingly. She could only imagine the leverage that Gerald used to get Racheal to help him. Sarah let the reality that Racheal was alive wash over her.

Hunter propped Devon up. “We have to go now Sarah... please.”

She had a feeling that wasn’t a word he used often. She nodded and turned back to Gerald. “I’m taking him out. You can kill me or let me go. Your choice.” She put every ounce of steel into her voice.

Anger flared in Gerald’s eyes. He’d believed he could use Racheal to manipulate her.

“My father will kill HER,” he snapped.

“He would if she wasn’t so valuable to your deplorable experiment.” He didn’t know her as well as he hoped. Yes, she would trade herself for Racheal, but not Devon.

Gerald looked aghast. “You would risk Racheal’s fate over this... thing. A beast?”

“He isn’t a beast. He’s a man.”

“They’re animals. We hunt animals. We kill them. They were put on this earth to service man. It’s disgusting that they have a longer lifespan than us. One that we will rectify. You are one of us, not THEM.”

He was rambling. Talking so fast she had trouble getting his words straight. “I’m not one of you. I thought you were like me. You pretended to be appalled when our fathers killed the African animals. You even helped me set the animals in the cages loose.”

“That was before I knew their true purpose. That trip was prior to Kevin and Brian finding out about the shifters races.”

She turned to her father. “You have been involved in this from the beginning,” she said with disgust.

“Sarah, you need to come with us. You don’t cross Kevin,” he implored.

She backed up and kneeled so she could help Hunter lift Devon. The gun remained pointed at Gerald. “We’re leaving.”

Gerald stepped forward. “If you leave. I will capture you. Enslave you. I will keep you, but I won’t treat you any better than we do those animals.”

Sarah and Hunter backed up with Devon between them. Hunter pushed the broken door aside as the shooting outside started.

She angled the gun as she sidestepped out the door. “I would rather die.”

* * *

Hunter and Sarah got Devon to the truck. Liam and Luca were already waiting. Hunter positioned Devon in the seat, turning to the twins. “What’s happening?”

“They went after Dad and the boys. They’re giving them quite a show.”

“Why would they go after them instead of trying to secure Devon?” Hunter said.

“I heard one of the men say that the eldest takes priority,” Luca said.

“Talen?”

“I’m thinking Dad.”

“Shit. How many men does Kallan have out there?”

Luca glanced at Sarah. “These are Kallan’s men? I thought they worked for Marksmen.”

“No. Marksmen works for Kallan,” Hunter said.

Sarah felt the betrayal all over again. How could she look Devon in the eye with him knowing her own father actively participated in this experiment?

She couldn’t stop what happened, but she would do everything in her power to expose Kallan and her father for the monsters they were. She just had to save Racheal first.

She felt a sizzle of awareness slither under her skin. It had the feeling of rippling fur and then it was gone. She shook off the strange feeling as Hunter turned to her.

Hunter sniffed twice. “Sarah are you okay?”

She got into the truck. “Yeah, let’s get him home.”

They didn’t speak on the ride home. Luca and Liam took another SUV and weren’t far behind. They got Devon up to his bedroom. He was a lot heavier than he looked, but Hunter shouldered most of the weight. Devon flopped onto the bed and groaned low.

A wave of pain and nausea hit Sarah. She doubled over before realizing it was Devon’s.

The feelings of betrayal, regret and determination were next.

She understood the betrayal that was all her.

She understood the determination. She didn’t understand his regret.

Was that her too? Did he regret meeting her?

Probably. Hunter was speaking, but she couldn’t hear him through the confusion. She tried to focus.

Hunter squeezed her shoulder. “Sarah, what’s happening?”

“I feel him. His pain,” she gasped.

“Shit. He wouldn’t want that,” he moved back to the bed and whispered in Devon’s ear. Immediately the bombardment faded to a mere trickle. She could still sense him, but wasn’t inundated with his pain and emotions.

Luca and Liam strode into the room. Now that she had a moment to breathe she saw the resemblance. The Cascade boys all took after their father with tall, athletic, muscular builds. They walked with the same confidence Devon had.

“Well,” Hunter asked.

“Dad and the boys took out one team, but another two arrived. They had to fall back. Kallan’s men are staying on the property close to the lodge. They haven’t followed us.”

“They weren’t willing to leave Gerald?”

Luca shook his head.

Sarah cleared her throat. “Brian has mentioned on many occasions that Kallan’s men were like cockroaches.”

“I have to go check on the rest of my family. Are you okay to stay with Devon?” Hunter asked.

“Sure. I won’t leave till you get back,” she said.

Hunter scratched his neck. He looked like he was about to say something, but he turned and left with his brothers.

Sarah touched Devon’s face. She marveled at how handsome he was despite the small grimace that periodically showed on his face. His body shook every few seconds. When it stopped, she panicked.

“HUNTER,” she yelled.

Hunter ran into the room. His hand was at Devon’s neck, checking his pulse before she could blink.

Sarah watched the tension ease from Hunter’s face.

“He’s fine. He’s back in control now.”

“What does that mean?”

“He’s sleeping,” Hunter said.

Devon’s eyes opened slowly. Looking directly at his brother. “Who can sleep with you yammering away like a school girl?”

Luca and Liam ran into the room. “Is he okay?”

Hunter huffed. “He’s being a dick. He’s fine.”

Luca and Liam both smiled. They were both extremely handsome when they smiled. Sarah couldn’t help, but smile with them.

“You keep smiling at my brothers like that and I am going to have to get up and kick their asses,” Devon said without humor.

Luca’s smile widened as Hunter and Liam laughed.

Sarah wasn’t sure Devon was kidding. She felt jealousy and affection coming from him. It was an unusual combination. She was already questioning the connection that was forming with Devon. She needed to leave before this thing went any further.

Devon sat up. “Get out,” he said to his brothers.

All three of them left without hesitation.

“You didn’t need to be so rude to them. They just saved you,” she chided.

“You want to leave. Securing one’s mate takes precedence over family niceties.” His gaze was intense. “You feel guilty.”

She pursed her lips, stifling the compulsion to cry. “I’m sorry Devon. For the pain my family caused yours. For leading you into Gerald’s sick game.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“I should have known Gerry... I mean Gerald, was lying to me. I was trained to,” she said.

“You weren’t trained as a child. He was ingrained as a family member before you became a cop.” His tone was comforting.

“I should have figured it out. He has Racheal. He’s using her.”

“I know. Cyril said that the female doctor experimenting on him was reluctant. I’m guessing that’s Racheal.”

“Racheal’s not just a doctor; she’s a geneticist. I guess that’s what they want though, isn’t it? Your genes.”

Devon pulled Sarah into his arms, forcing her to move onto the bed beside him. “We will get her back, Sarah. I just need a couple of hours. Hunter will get the family together. We will figure it out.”

Sarah was undecided if she should allow the Cascades to help rescue Racheal. Though she knew she had little chance on her own. She patted his chest. “Alright, you get some rest.”

Devon put his arms around her and lay back. She was propelled on top of him with only a thin sheet between them. She felt his erection press into her. He pulled her mouth down to his.

“I never said anything about sleep.”