Page 78 of Vampire Bachelor Games

“If he’d done that I’d have known. Falcon didn’t even know The Free Men were involved until I told him. He suspected Spider was the one to supply me with the poison for Caroline.”

“Spider?” She frowns, sipping her tea. “Then if Falcon wasn’t responsible, someone else took them.”

“Who?”

She shrugs.

“I guess Spider’s a start.”

“Yes,” I nod. “Jag told me Falcon believes Spider might have connections with The Free Men.”

“If he does I don’t know about it,” she frowns. “I’ll pass your information on. It’s a tad too little, too late, but it’ll give them a new lead.”

“So, you’re part of them now?”

“No, not officially. They helped me and I owe them a favour, that’s all.”

“But why is it too little, too late?” I frown. “Have they already done something to Falcon?”

The thought of him harmed sends a shiver down my spine, and I involuntarily place my hand on my stomach where his child rests.

“Angie,” Yin says quietly. “They have his mother.”

“They kidnapped her?”

“For all intents and purposes, as far as the world is concerned, she’s dead. But yes, they have her. If Isabel and her family are not returned by a given date, she’ll truly be dead.”

I gasp and cover my face with my hands.

“Oh, no. She wasn’t to blame. She was good. This is all my fault. I’m to blame if they kill her. I’m the one who asked The Free Men to save me.”

‘He loved his mother. He never said it to her, or to me, but it was obvious. She was the heart of his castle.’

“C’mon Angie,” Yin shakes her head. “You said Eleanor put you in The Games and holds secrets from the son she professes to love that he has every right to know. Viper being his half-brother, the fact he had a sister…from what you’ve told me she sounds like she’s well and truly enmeshed in vampire power games. She’s hardly the innocent. She’s more like a master manipulator.”

“True, but,” I frown, a horrible new thought coming, unbidden, “the flowers, the note. I told you I had to get word to her about what Viper had done.”

“And you did,” she meets my gaze, “she got the flowers.”

“But did she have time to act on the information?” I murmur.

“She met with Falcon after they were delivered. I know that much. But as for her kidnapping, I told you, Angie,” Yin says quietly. “The help of The Free Men always comes at a price.”

58

“You’re sure?”

“The trail stops at a house in the hills,” Jag grunts, “but I have my best men on it. We’ll search day and night.”

“And you’re sure she’s not with family.”

“Even if she was stupid enough to run to family, which she’s not,” he mutters, “I’m sure. I’ve visited them all. I’ll start on friends and colleagues next.”

“You’re right,” I run my hands through my hair in agitation, “she’s with The Free Men. They’re not going to do something so blatantly fucking obvious.”

“If I were them I’d have spirited her overseas already,” he sighs. “Somewhere far, far away.”

“That’s not helpful.”