Page 38 of Reaper
Chapter Thirteen
Reaper
Reaper had hoped that their trip would be more fruitful, but other than a sliver of a lead, they had no more information to go on than when they started.Xander had been excited to get it, and even hours later, Reaper had to admit that at least it was a start.
There had been several leads to four different benefactors who had contributed to Dr. Ames’s research, and they had driven to Denver in order to chase the possibility that they had found who was after Ara.Three of the supposed moneymen had led back to the same shell corporation that listed no owner, nor did they state exactly what line of business they were in.The fourth, however, led them to a dead man.
Martin Phillips had an extensive criminal record.Stealing cars, breaking and entering, and drug possession with intent to distribute.They wondered how a low-level drug dealer masterminded a shell corporation that made close to a billion dollars annually, with no traceable income stream.It had taken them all day, but Xander had discovered, through public records, that Martin Phillips died from blood loss due to a gunshot wound.The details were vague, not indicating how he received the wound or the location of the wound itself.There had been no date of death listed, no next of kin, and no physical description of the man.
“Someone has deleted all aspects of this man’s life, only leaving enough for the state to issue a death certificate.The birth certificate has been changed, deleting the mother and father’s first names, and I can’t find one photo ID of the man in the system.It’s like he’s been erased, which is next to impossible,” Xander muttered.
They concluded that whoever wanted Ara had powerful ties.He was able to erase her entire existence, but yet he left traceable evidence to a man who had been dead for years.
“He’s fucking playing with us,” Reaper said aloud.
The moment Ghost had ordered him to go with the team to track Xander’s lead, Reaper had worried about leaving Ara alone.He knew that Ghost and Gunnar would keep her from harm, but it still bothered him that this fucker was one step ahead of them the entire time.
Not the whole time.I got to her first.
Finally, Ax turned on the road that led to Kai’s house, and Reaper blew out a heavy breath, relieved that Ara would be in his arms soon.Before he could finish the thought, Reaper’s shoulder slammed against the side of the door, leaving an indentation, before he sensed the car start to sway.
He opened his mouth to shout at Ax, but when he looked at the shifter, the words died in his throat.The way Ax’s eyes bore into the road ahead of them made Reaper aware that something had gone terribly wrong.His hand shot out and gripped the dash just as Ax slammed on the brakes.His eyes traveled to a massive sinkhole in front of the car.
“Fuck.”
Seconds after the car had come to a complete stop, Reaper understood what had happened.
He pushed open the door and glanced around to scout the quickest way to get back to Kai’s.Before he could explain his actions to the others, he leapt across the part of the road that had disappeared moments before, and shifted into his wolf by the time his paws landed on the other side.He darted into trees and as the ground shook harder, he let out a long, low growl.
Ara’s doing this,he communicated this to the team.
How?Why?What the hell?The questions ricocheted in his mind, but he couldn’t distinguish the voices.He needed to get to Ara.
Later.Be safe.
Reaper cursed himself because he hadn’t realized how powerful Ara was becoming.Fear pushed him harder, wondering whether someone was trying to reach her.Either way, her defensive weapons were stronger, but she was his to protect.
Mine!She’s fucking mine!
His wolf whined as the shaking increased, and within minutes the house came into sight.He picked up his pace.
Kai, I’m close.
The door opened and he ran through it without stopping.He slid to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, before he bolted up to where he sensed Ara.He barreled through the open door, and stopped dead as he took in the scene in front of him.
A pain in his chest, something that he’d never felt before, pulsed hot.Liv hovered over Ara, who was curled into a tiny ball in the corner of the king-sized bed.Ara whimpered as she rocked herself back and forth; tears streaked down her face, as she mumbled something he couldn’t quite understand at that distance.He strode closer, and what he heard made him want to kill.
“Don’t kill him!Don’t touch him!Reaper, Reaper,” she mumbled.
His nose butted against Ara’s hand, and he chuffed when her fingers slid through his fur and pulled him closer.
“Ghost told me that the bastard sent her the video of the lion-shifter.She was worried for you and thought it would be safer if she left, but I convinced her to stay.I gave her a sedative to help her sleep, but I think that she’s had a reaction to it.I tried to wake her, but she…wouldn’t,” Liv said through tears.
Reaper whined his understanding without taking his gaze from Ara.Liv nodded and turned toward the door to give them space.He waited until the door shut before he shifted back and lifted Ara into his arms.As soon as Ara was cradled close to his chest, the shaking around them stopped and he blew out a relieved breath.
“I’m here, beautiful.You’re safe, I promise.I would never let anyone hurt you.Look at me, Ara,” he begged.
Her head lifted slowly, as if she were shaking off the last remnants of sleep, and met his gaze.She blinked at him, her face pinched as if she couldn’t believe her eyes.
