Page 29

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Y ael had an eerie feeling. He hadn't left the safety of Enzo's house for days. Everyone there was bigger and more capable of protecting themselves and Eryn from someone like Andre than Yael was.

They had to drive through downtown Wingspan to get to the high school. They'd turned off the road Enzo's house was on. The area wasn't residential. The houses were spaced apart and on several acres, in most cases.

It seemed most of them were farmers, or they were neighbors of the farmers with fields and fences in between each house.

The feeling of impending doom grew strong with each house they passed.

Eryn sucked in a breath. "Yael!"

"What do you see?" Yael wasn't sure why he whispered. If he talked about Andre loud enough, maybe Andre would find them.

But as they passed a cute yellow house with flower beds nice enough to make Yael wonder if Simon was the owner’s gardener, Yael noticed a blonde man in a brown Carhart coat and a cap on.

Yael stopped breathing when the man met his gaze.

"Holy shit." Eryn sank in the seat, but by then it was too late.

Andre watched them drive by.

Yael wasn't sure what to do. In the panic, all his thoughts disappeared. His instinct was to run to Simon.

"Tell Skippy. I'll call the sheriff." Eryn grabbed his phone and dialed.

Right. The plan. He needed to implement the plan. I saw Andre.

Where?

We're on Bailey Road. He was at a yellow house. He saw us. Yael stopped his car in the middle of the road.

He listened to Eryn tell the sheriff their location in relation to Andre. He told him Skippy and the others were on their way.

"Drive away from him. Don't confront him," the sheriff said through the phone.

Yael had no intention of getting close enough to confront him. Not if he could help it. His instinct told him Simon was his safe place and to get to him as soon as possible.

Yael put the car in reverse to turn around in the road. His heart lodged in his throat when he saw a car coming at them. "No. No. No. No."

His hands shook when he put the car into drive. Andre grinned from the driver's seat of the other car as he penned them in. Making it impossible to move in the direction Yael desired to go, which was back to Enzo's house and to Simon.

He turned the wheel in the other direction, but he couldn’t get the car moving before Andre was at Eryn's door.

"Knock. Knock." Andre grinned as he dragged out each word.

Eryn met Yael's gaze. The sheriff was still on the other end of the line. He told them he was on his way and to not hang up. But Eryn set the phone in the center console cup holder. His hands shook, and he pleaded with Yael to do something.

Yael took his hand. "I won't let him get to you."

When Yael let go of Eryn's hand and put the car in park, Eryn shook his head.

"Stay in the car, Yael."

Yael couldn't let Andre near Eryn.

"I've been looking for you everywhere," Andre said.

Yael opened the door. "Lock it behind me."

Eryn kept his fingers on his own lock, making sure it didn't open. Thankfully, Yael's car was older and still had the pull locks, as well as the electric button.

Andre tried to open Eryn's door, but he couldn't get in. "He's had you long enough. I'll teach you all the right things."

When Yael shut his door, Andre's attention snapped to him.

He heard the lock click into place again.

"Leave him alone, Andre." Yael's senses caught the scent of blood. "Did you kill the people in the yellow house?"

He already knew the answer, but his stomach knotted at the thought.

Andre shrugged. "Didn't you miss me?"

Yael heard the door handle lift as Andre tried to get into the car.

Yael growled. His hands shifted. "Get away from him."

"You probably fucked him up. Knowing you, you didn't teach him anything useful. You made him weak." Andre worked his way around the car.

Yael hated the word weak. It was their father’s word.

Yael took off his jacket and then his shirt. He had his pants partially off when Andre grabbed him, kicking his feet out from under him. Yael couldn’t catch his breath. His lungs seized up and for one moment he panicked. And then his lungs started working again.

He expected the beating. What he didn't expect was Eryn to get out of the car.

"Leave him alone!” Eryn ran to them, nearly putting himself between Andre and Yael. He stopped in his tracks when Andre pulled a knife from his pants.

Blood dotted the blade and handle. It was fresh, smelling like a dragon shifter.

He'd already used it once that morning. He wouldn't hesitate to use it again.

Andre pulled Yael to his feet by his hair and put the blade to Yael's throat. "You think you can save him from me, but who’s going to save you? The sheriff? I've got everyone looking in the wrong direction."

But that last part wasn't true. The sheriff knew exactly where they were. And so did Simon. All Yael had to do was keep them alive.

"You're right. I am trying to save him from you," Yael growled.

"Yael." Eryn stepped closer as if he'd put himself in between Yael's throat and the knife.

"If you touch him, I'll kill you, Andre. I swear it to the gods." They were strong words considering he had a knife at his throat, but he knew Andre well enough to know he wanted Yael to beg for his life. He got off on pleading and crying. Begging would make him kill Yael sooner. So, Yael did the opposite. He needed to stay alive and keep Eryn out of Andre’s grasp.

He heard the motorcycle engine in the distance, but it was the three dragons flying in their direction that made Yael thank the gods.

Andre's eyes widened and his jaw clenched when he noticed them and then Simon turned onto the road, riding in their direction.

"You wanted to know who would save me. That's who."