15 Targeted by Evangeline Anderson

to face them.
    “Well then, let’s get this over with.”
    Silently, Kate held out her hand. It was tiny, even smaller than Trin’s and it was swallowed completely when Thrace took it in his own. She closed her eyes and Thrace watched her warily, waiting to feel her in his brain. But there was nothing—just the feel of her cool, smooth hand in his and the rapid, light beat of her pulse in the tiny, bird-like wrist.
    Gods, he couldn’t help wondering how Rone was able to love her without breaking her. She was so tiny—so delicate looking with her mass of red and gold curls and her pale skin. Was he concerned when they were together that he might hurt her?
    Finally she opened her eyes and looked up at Thrace.
    “Two things—first, I’m tougher than I look.”
    Thrace pulled his hand away quickly.
    “You never said anything about reading thoughts!”
    “I didn’t and I can’t. But sometimes when I touch someone I get a sense of what they’re thinking or feeling. So I appreciate your concern for me but I assure you, Rone is very, very gentle.”
    Thrace was convinced that her mate would be angry but Rone only sighed and shook his head.
    “Worried about you was he? With a big, hulking male like me?”
    Kate nodded.
    “Well, you have to admit you’re a scary looking guy.” She grinned at him and he smiled back.
    “Forgive me,” Thrace said. “I never meant…”
    “It’s all right.” Rone shook his head. “We get that a lot—especially when people find out I’m Wulven.”
    Thrace shook his head.
    “I don’t understand. I’m Havoc myself, not Kindred. And honestly, I’d never heard of Wulven Kindred until now.”
    “We have a double nature,” Rone explained. Much like the Rai’ku Kindred.”
    “Now them I have heard of. My mate’s friend has what the humans call a brother-in-law who is Rai’ku Kindred. ” Thrace frowned. “Don’t they have a ravenous beast within which comes out and devours females?”
    “That’s right.” Rone nodded easily, his blue eyes gleaming.
    “So you’re the same?” Thrace stared at him. It would certainly explain the strange animalistic air of the other male.
    “In a way. Of course, our beast isn’t the same as the Rai’kus’ but it can be deadly to the wrong person.”
    “Which is anyone but the female who tames it.” Kate’s voice held a hint of pride. Clearly she had accomplished this task and had no fear of her mate’s beast.
    “But enough about us,” Rone looked at his mate. “Did you get anything?”
    “Sure did—she’s in Southeast US. Or she was in the past twenty-four hours.”
    “And you know this for sure?” Thrace asked.
    She nodded. “Positive. Where exactly is a little harder to say—maybe the Northern part? Anyway, it helps narrow things down a bit. And I got a visual—if I see it, I’ll know it.”
    “Well then, let’s go,” Rone said. “We can take a shuttle down to the nearest HKR and start looking right away.”
    “You go get the shuttle ready, honey.” Kate spoke to her husband but she was looking at Thrace. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
    Rone gave her an unreadable look but then nodded briefly and left the antechamber.
    Thrace frowned. “I’d better go too. I’m sure my mate—”
    “Trin,” Kate said. “Trin is waiting for you and she doesn’t even know the difficult choice you’re trying to make.”
    “What?” Thrace growled, frowning. “Just how far inside my head did you get?”
    “Farther than I do with a lot of people.” Kate sounded interested. “Not sure why that is. I just wanted to tell you—what you want to do is the right thing. I know it’s tough but you’ll be glad you did it.”
    “I know it’s the right thing.” Thrace was, in an odd way, relieved to be talking to someone about what had been weighing on his mind. “I made up my mind to do it long ago. It’s my mate, Trin—I’m afraid she’ll object.”
    “She may at first.” Kate nodded thoughtfully. “But you need to