Dog pulled back further, pushing the creature within him to the depths of his consciousness, keeping it shadowed, hidden.
The Breeds who had attacked Cassie were in restraints, heads lowered, but he could feel the strength of their hatred for him, for Cassie. He had no choice but to allow them to live, for the moment. But he’d ensure that time came to an end soon.
Stepping aside he watched as the Enforcers escorted the two Breeds from the building leaving Jonas alone with them.
“I have this,” he told Dog, the command in his voice firm. “They’ll pay for what they did.”
Dog merely grunted at the claim.
“Ensure they do, Director,” he growled. “Because I’ll be waiting for them. I promise you that. I’ll be waiting for them.”
• CHAPTER 6 •
“I’m fine!” It wasn’t the first time Cassie made the statement in the four hours since she’d awakened in the Bureau’s medical lab, and she was getting damned tired of having the demand ignored. “Would you stop poking at me?”
She glared at Dr. Sobolova as she came at her with yet another pressure syringe. “I need some of my blood myself, you know.”
Her head was throbbing, the result of what the doctors suggested was a fist to the back of her head. Her ribs were tender from another blow. For some reason she’d gone to her knees before collapsing and their contact with the cement hadn’t been easy.
“Cassie, they’re trying to help.” Her mother’s calm voice wasn’t helping. Nor were the worry and fear shadowing her dark blue eyes.
It was a reminder of when she was a child and her knowledge of the strength it had taken for her mother to always remain calm, no matter how hard, how fast, they had to run, that ensured Cassie didn’t give in to her own terror.
She hated what had happened to her mother during those two years. The fear, the battle to stay one step ahead of the monster determined to take her daughter and the constant attacks had nearly destroyed Elizabeth.
Cassie remembered the night Dash had found them in that truck stop in the middle of a blizzard. The car they were in couldn’t travel farther; the scent of her mother’s blood, her hopelessness and her determination to fight to her last breath had been smothering Cassie.
Then there Dash had been, the letter she’d sent him in one hand, promising safety with the other. Now, fifteen years later, Elizabeth was stronger, well trained by her husband to defend herself and her children, and still fighting to protect her daughter.
From the corner of her eye she saw Sobolova advancing on her again.
“If they touch me one more time, I’m going to lose it,” she muttered, looking up at her mother from beneath her lashes, fighting to hold back the anger building inside her.
Elizabeth was wor
ried. Cassie could see it in her face, but even if she couldn’t, she could sense the deepening concern filling her mother. Her dark blue eyes were shadowed, her expression somber.
It seemed that no matter her attempts, she couldn’t give her mother any peace.
“I’m going to my suite.” She eased from the gurney, thankful neither doctor protested too strenuously. “Do you think you or Dad could have some food delivered?”
Collecting her shoes from the metal shelf next to the bed, she hoped—no, prayed—Dog was still close by. She might need some help getting to her suite on her own two feet.
“I’ll call,” her mother agreed. “Give me your phone. I don’t have the numbers here.”
Oh yeah, right. No way in hell was she going to tell her mother about her phones. Elizabeth would erupt with fury and Dash would probably force Cassie back to Colorado.
“On second thought, I’m not hungry.” She was starving. “Is Dog still with Jonas?”
Maybe she could get Dog to call. She really wasn’t up to explaining the fact that her phones had been wiped. Remotely wiped. Whoever had ordered it hadn’t even had the courtesy to ask for the phones or simply take the Bureau line.
As she considered whether she was actually able to walk to the elevators on her own, the door to the examination room opened and Dog strode in. Tall. Powerful. The sense of relief that swept over her was weakening.
“Going somewhere, halfling?” he growled a second before he swept her up into his arms.
She didn’t have the strength to protest. Resting her head on his shoulder, she felt the breath she’d been holding slowly release.
“My suite,” she sighed, feeling his warmth surrounding her.