Release, book 3 of The Angler series by Annie Nicholas Page B

one, the group turned and left the area, marching quietly away from us.
    A chill ran down my spine. “Did you do that?”
    Tane’s shields were back up, and I’d been released from his protection. “Of course I did. I can’t leave a bunch of slayers alive with knowledge of my existence.”
    I startled. “You’re not going to kill them , are you?” I stepped toward the retreating slayer zombies, but Tane scooped me against him.
    “Rabbit, if I wanted them dead , they’d be corpses. Unfortunately, it takes time to bury that many bodies. I wiped their memories, which took considerable effort since they’d all been trained against such tricks.”
    “Oh.” I watched Red shamble away. “What will he remember?”
    Tane’s eye narrowed. “That I’ll kill him if he ever makes such demands from me again.”
    I closed my eyes and rested my head on Tane’s shoulder, trying to soak in his strength. “He didn’t mean to insult you. He’s just worried about me. All he sees are bruises and bites. He doesn’t know the whole story.” Only Colby knew of my bond to Tane, so Red thought I’d been rolled into some kind of sex slave. I ran my hand over Tane’s muscled back. I could think of worse fates.
    “What’ s been going on? Where are Rurik and Kam?” He squeezed me tighter and nudged at my mental shield, asking to enter my memories. He could ram his way in like he did the slayers but with me he always used a gentle touch. He hadn’t never forced his way in since Budapest. I opened my recent memories and let him view what had happened since I’d left his side in Monte Carlo.
    He sighed. “I wasn’t ex pecting this change in him.” He pulled away and paced, setting his hands on his hips as he concentrated. “First, we’ll return to the orphanage and see what has happened to Kam. His alpha will want to tear into my hide if something happens to his only son.” Tane grabbed my hand and led me toward the garage.
    “The cabs are that way.” I pointed behind me.
    “No cabs. We need to move fast if we want to catch Rurik.” He started to check the vehicles.
    “Can you sense where he is like you do me?”
    He shook his head. “I’m bonded to you, so that was easy. Finding Rurik is more difficult, especially if he’s grown stronger. He can shield against me and my brothers.” The door to a white work van opened. “Good. It’s an old model. It’ll be easier to hot wire.” Bending under the steering wheel, he began to tear things apart and look for wires.
    I blinked and drew closer to him. “You’re a man of many hidden talents.”
    He snorted. “What do you think I do with my time?”
    “Plot.” I grinned at his sharp look. The truth hurt, and I knew I hit a nerve. Tane watched his nation very closely and always had a scheme up his sleeve.
    The van started. “Ge t in, belt up. If I scramble your brains in a crash, I won’t be capable of healing that kind of injury.”
    I climbed into the passenger seat. “You do realize I still experience pain when injured. No crashing of any kind.”
    He gave me a familiar evil smile. It should have turned my marrow to ice. Instead his smile sent a wave of warmth through me. Tane, master plotter and liar extraordinaire, was back in action. He attached my seatbelt. “We have to find him before someone else does. Who knows what kind of trouble Rurik is causing.” He pulled onto the street, squealing the tires and tilting the van in alarming manor.
    I clung to the chicken bar.
    “Where is this orphanage?”
    I pictured the directions in my head. It seemed easier than guessing street names. Som etimes the ability to speak with Tane using my mind came in handy. Learning to build stronger shields and open them at will had provided a challenge for both of us. Tane had proved he could be a patient teacher though.
    We drove to the orphanage and parked at the end of the road. The tree branches creaked and their leaves swayed in a breeze. Darkness cloaked the forest