“Yeah.” If not, Grace would leave. The feeling of time counting down weighed on her, and not just because of her illness. If Adare knew she was gone, he’d be hunting.

Hopefully he had no clue.

* * * *

Night was falling by the time Adare and Benny made it back down south to the airport.

Adare drove as if a hell beast snorted on their back bumper, barreling toward a metal hangar set far back from the others in the private part of the airport. “Somebody has taken her.” He couldn’t believe it. He’d just put her in the car, believing the Realm officials knew what they were doing. “There’s a fucking reason we haven’t aligned with anybody.” The Seven were the best of the best and didn’t need complications or connections.

“This isn’t your fault,” Benny said, grabbing onto the handle above his door to keep from crashing through the windshield.

Of course it was his fault. He never should have trusted a human chauffeur to take Grace to the airport.

“Um, not for nothing, but we still have explosives in the back of this thing,” Benny said.

Adare didn’t care. Not a bit. He slid to a stop in front of the metal building, slamming into a snowbank. The vehicle hadn’t stopped moving before he was out and striding through the darkness and snow, followed closely by Benny.

A figure stepped out of the shadows, long and lean, smooth danger in every line. “Hey, Benny.”

Benny stepped up, his face splitting in a smile. “Jordan Pride. Damn, it’s good to see you.” He shook hands and then jerked his head toward Adare. “Have you guys met?”

“No,” Adare said shortly, although he’d heard of the leader of the feline nation. The guy was deadly and fiercely protective of his people. He also didn’t know about the Seven, but somehow knew Benny. Of course, everyone knew Benny. “Have you acquired the human?”

Jordan studied him, his topaz eyes gleaming through the darkness. As a lion shifter, he was probably used to a bit more deference.

Adare didn’t give a shit.

Jordan nodded. “Talked to the Realm, and they IDed the guy, so we searched for him all day. Finally found him, stoned out of his gourd, playing video games in some moron’s basement.”

“What did you tell him?” Benny asked.

“Nothing,” Jordan returned. The shifter wore cargo pants with a black long-sleeved T-shirt and thick boots; no doubt he was armed. Although a lion like him probably didn’t need much besides his claws. Even in human form, there was something feral and predatory about the male. “He was starting to cry when I tied him up, so I came outside. The noise was annoying.”

Benny winced. “I hate it when they cry.”

Adare rolled his shoulders back. The bastard would do a lot more than cry by the time he was done with him.