He nodded, dark blue eyes somber. “I won’t take too much.” His black hair had been slicked back, and his hands were cool as he searched for a vein.

She turned away from the needle as it slid into her skin. The bite didn’t hurt overmuch, but her stomach still ached and her head began to pound. What if she didn’t find Logan before they tried to inject her with the mutated virus? Her system had been through too much lately, and who knew what the injection would do to her? Tears threatened to fall, and she batted them back.

Her legs trembled. Not from fear, but from the urge to take down both men and go find her son. What she needed was a schematic of the facility.

The doctor retracted the needle and pressed a cotton ball to her vein. She took over and jerked away from him.

He nodded at Ivan. “I’ll let you know if the tranq is out of her system.” Without another word, he gracefully exited the room.

Felicity glared at Ivan. “I’m done cooperating if you don’t let me see my son.”

He threw the notebook onto the desk, and it clattered across to stop against a keyboard. “I don’t require your cooperation, and you know it.”

The earth rumbled and shook. Part of the map fell loose.

Felicity grabbed on to the table, her feet planting for balance. “Earthquake?”

“Yes. We’ve been getting quite a few of them since you destroyed the other mine on the island.” He shook his head, using a chair to steady himself. “I’m hoping it settles down, but to be frank, some of the earth’s movements have revealed new veins of both planekite and silver. Your little stunt not only has given me the opportunity to make a lot more money, but it has allowed for the rapid mining of the mineral that will kill those damn witches.”

She frowned. “What do you have against witches?”

“Nothing until you went and mated one. My partner has a problem with the Coven Nine, but I don’t really give a care.”

She glanced around, not feeling much movement from mining activities, which meant that she wasn’t in the mining part of the mountain. The offices and bedrooms were on one side of the mountain, and the mine on the other. The two had to be connected somewhere underground, and if she were creating a connection, it’d be close to the war room. The room only had one door, so she needed to look around meticulously when she exited.

A knock echoed hollowly, and the doctor poked his head in. “The tranq is out of her blood. I have the room ready to commence with the injection.”

Felicity twirled around and bunched her legs to attack.

Ivan held steady, a green gun in his hand. The laser kind that turned into bullets upon impacting flesh.

She faltered.

“I’m absolutely fine shooting you and carrying you to the medical room,” he said.

Her heart rammed against her rib cage.

He pointed toward the open doorway with the gun. “Go.”

She swallowed and walked toward the doctor, her knees shaking. Stepping outside, she glanced around. The tunnel continued down the way to another large metal door.

Blood roared through her veins and filled her head.

She followed the doctor, pain before her, and a gun behind her. Where the hell was Logan?

Chapter 30

Daire shucked his belt and examined his boots as the familiar scent of Simone’s penthouse filtered around. Spicy moonflowers. “No metal.” Shit. They wouldn’t be able to wear bulletproof vests because of the metal content, and no guns or knives would make the trip. “Teleporting is more dangerous than I thought.” Considering they couldn’t take weapons.

Sam finished removing his watch and cell phone to place on Simone’s feminine walnut desk in her home office. “Accidents are rare. There’s less than a ten percent chance that your molecules will be torn apart by cosmic forces.” He smiled. “If you’re demolished on a subatomic level, we won’t ever find your particles, so if you’d like to leave a message for loved ones, now is a good time.”

Zane snorted over by the satellite pictures glowing on the wall screen from the computer.

Daire cut them both a glare. His mate’s kids were assholes, but he couldn’t blame them too much.

“I want to go,” Garrett grumbled for the tenth time from where he sprawled across a plush sofa.

“Too risky,” Zane said. “We can get you in, but we might not be able to get you out. I carry Daire, and then Sam brings back Daire while I bring back Mom and Logan.”

Daire nodded. “You give me your word that if you can only get one person out, you take your mother, and Sam takes Logan.”

“No problem,” Zane said easily.

Daire was suddenly sorry he’d sent Kellach to Titans of Fire headquarters with orders to get to the bottom of the Apollo connections no matter what. He was done taking it easy and going slow, although right now he could use some backup of the friendly variety.

A knock sounded on the outside door, and Simone glanced up from the computer screens. “Now who is here?”

Daire winced. He’d already had a discussion with Zane, and this might’ve been a bad idea.

Heavy footsteps echoed through the pristine penthouse, and a rumble of tension violated the atmosphere. Nicholai Veis crossed into the room.

“Bloody hell,” Simone said, sitting back in her chair. “You called the damn demon?”

“The Coven guards are on the way to fetch you, and I’m a little busy right now,” Daire shot back at his cousin. He’d had to scrap his plan to get her away from Nick in order to save her neck. “So aye, I called for backup.”

She stood, dark eyes flashing. “I don’t need backup.”

Darkness settled on Nick’s face, making him look every inch the dangerous demon he was. “That’s too bad, Zaychik moy.” Sucking in air, his lowered his chin, and the air in the room slowly relaxed.

Daire’s shoulders untensed, but he kept an eye on his cousin. Being called My Bunny wouldn’t set well with her, but he was fairly certain she wasn’t currently armed. Well, except with her natural ability of being able to create and throw fire.

Nick turned toward Zane. “As your first in command, I have to say, take me instead of the enforcer.” His eyes held no expression as he nodded at Daire. “No offense.”

Daire rubbed his chin. “None taken.” As an enforcer, he understood duty. “But my mate, my fight.”

Nick nodded. “Zane?”

Zane glanced at Daire. “I’m with the enforcer. Plus, he can communicate with my mom and so far hasn’t burst a blood vessel in his brain.” The demon leader turned back to the picture on the wall. “Yet.”

The family love was going to suffocate Daire. He rolled his eyes. “Simone, I need somebody on you.” Then he winced at the language. “As a bodyguard. Leave here, get somewhere secure, and as soon as I get Felicity to safety, we’ll figure out our next step.”

“No.” She crossed her arms over a pretty red shirt.

Daire sighed and nodded at Nick. “Thanks for your help.”

“Not a problem.” He took two steps into the room. “Come with me willingly or not, Simone. Your choice.”

She stood and planted her feet. “Daire, I can’t believe you’re on board with this.”

He dug deep for patience he really didn’t have. “I’m about to cross dimensions and end up a world away, cousin. In order to concentrate and then probably fight to the death, I need to know you’re safe. So aye, I’m on board. Get to safety, and you can yell at me later.”

She eyed him, no doubt fighting both loyalty, concern, and a glorious temper. “Fine.” She tossed her hair and strode toward the demon. “You’re garna regret this, Nicholai Veis.” Her huff as she swept by him promised a wonderful fight was on the way.

Daire gave him a look containing both gratitude and warning. “I owe you.”

He smiled. “Zane, I have my phone. Call if you need backup.” Without waiting for an answer, he followed the furious witch.