Chapter 19

Lydia took a sip of her coffee, grimacing. She placed it in the microwave to nuke a few seconds. "What else would it be?"

"You and Sawyer are fated mates. You carry his mark on your shoulder." Kennedy touched her own neck where Lydia assumed Dooley's mark was. "Did you also bite him to complete the bond?"

"Yes, but our bite doesn't leave a scar."

"No, but it does something. Right?"

The microwave beeped, and Lydia removed her cup, taking it to the table, and sitting across from them.

"It does. It stalls the mate's aging process if they're human. It gives the mate the same lifespan we have. And in some instances, it allows us to mind speak. My Goyle has been reaching out to Beck's Bear, but she said they're weak."

"It's that connection you are tapping into. I can find Dooley no matter where he is. Like he has a GPS chip and my Fox is the receiver. Beck might be weak, but the bond is there."

"You think I was tapping into his location in my sleep?"

"Stranger things have happened. It's possible his subconscious is telling you where he is and who has him."

"Then why didn't I know which direction to go when he was taken?"

"Possibly because he's too weak."

Dooley's computer dinged, and he tapped some keys. A few seconds later, his phone rang. He answered by saying, "I see it."

The sound of furious typing came through the line along with Carleigh's voice. "They screwed up. I locked onto the signal, and I'm sending the coordinates now."

Dooley drummed his fingers against the table as he waited. Lydia stood and walked around behind him so she could see the screen. When his computer chimed again, he typed in a code before opening Carleigh's encrypted email. Then he opened a map.

"Hang on." Lydia rushed from the room and found the paper map she and Beck had used. She returned to the kitchen and set it down next to Dooley's computer. She pointed at the red circle. "This is where we found the helo."

"Which direction were the snowmobile tracks headed?"

Lydia closed her eyes, envisioning the area. "Dammit, I'm no girl scout. Okay. It was around one when Beck went missing. If I'm standing beside the bird, the sun wouldn't have been behind me to the left, say between the eight and nine on a clock. The tracks went toward the twelve."

"That would be north. Fuck. This area is in the opposite direction." Dooley switched screens and brought up a topographical map of the area. He zoomed in and circled the area where Beck was last seen. He then zoomed out and circled another spot. "These are the coordinates Carleigh sent, and they're about seventy-five miles southwest."

"Then that's not where Beck is."

"No, it's probably Amara's location. If she's hiding out, she might not want to be found," Carleigh said.

Dooley leaned back in his chair. "I can't leave this to maybes. If she was taken, she'll appreciate being found, and if not, we can find her a new hiding spot. I'll need to go shopping for a tent and snowshoes. While I do that, you ladies can head to the grocery store."

"Why can't we look for Beck first? He's my priority, not his mother."

"Because we don't have any idea where he is. At least we have a solid lead on the Empress, and once we get her back, she can help us find Beckett."

"But there were tracks leading away from the helicopter."

"True, but we don't know how far away they are. Beckett would want you to follow the solid lead, not waste time."

Lydia didn't like that plan, but she wasn't going to argue. "How far will we have to hike?" Lydia's legs were still recovering.

Dooley pointed at the map. "I'm hoping we can land the helo somewhere around here. That leaves another twenty to twenty-five miles on foot. If we can land there. We'll circle around and see if there's a better spot."

"Make sure to charge your damn satellite phone before you leave," Carleigh said.

"Should we charge Chloe's too?" Lydia asked. "Or could someone else be tracking it?"

"I'd leave it off for now to be on the safe side. Did you get your package yet?"

"Yes, and thank you for that. I didn't think I'd need the license this soon. I also didn't think I'd be the owner of a helicopter and a warehouse to store it in. Do I even want to know how much that set us back?"

"Not as much as you're probably thinking. The warehouse was dirt cheap, and you and Beck can use the helo in the future. Or you can sell it. Since you have shopping to do, I'll let you go. Be safe out there. Love you."

"Love you too, C." Lydia took a sip of coffee, which had grown tepid again. Instead of reheating it, she chugged it, needing the caffeine hit. "Blech." She mentally added insulated cups to the shopping list. Lydia probably had ten of the things at home, but if they found Amara, they would need to come back to the rental until they got a lock on Beck's location, and the cups were a necessity.

"Do we have time for a quick breakfast?" Kennedy asked. "I can make bacon and egg sandwiches we can eat on the drive to the store."

"Yes, My Darling. While you do that, I'm going to shower." Dooley stood and kissed his mate thoroughly. Lydia had to look away. She didn't begrudge them showing affection, but it made the ache for Beck that much worse. She opened the fridge and pulled out the bacon and eggs. The sooner they got the sandwiches made, the sooner they could head out. Finding Amara wasn't the same as getting her mate back, but maybe the Empress would be able to help since she knew Boyd well.

Kennedy made a shopping list while Lydia cooked. After she typed in everything Lydia asked for, the fox asked, "Not getting personal, but do you need tampons or pads?"

"I'm still a couple weeks away from my start date, so I should be okay." Then again, nothing had gone as expected, and if they got trapped out in the wilds… "Go ahead and grab a box of tampons." Lydia told her the brand she preferred. She also asked Kennedy to grab her some tuna packs to replace the peanut butter sandwiches. Lydia finished their breakfast, and the couple took theirs to go.

Lydia remained behind to study the systems on her new helicopter. It wasn't like driving a car where most everything was the same. She uploaded the necessary manual and read it thoroughly. She also doublechecked the no-fly zones even though Caleb had traveled close to the same route she was taking. Lydia had never been more grateful that she'd kept up her flying lessons with Frey. Not only had he taught her how to fly, but he'd schooled her in flight laws and everything she needed to get her license. Carleigh and Cailín were the only ones besides Frey who knew how much Lydia loved flying the helos.

It took two hours for Dooley and Kennedy to shop and get their gear ready. Lydia repacked her bag and was waiting when they returned. Once they transferred the groceries into their new packs, the trio loaded up and headed out. At the warehouse, Dooley unlocked the roll-up door and pressed the button to raise it. "You want help with that?" Dooley asked as Lydia prepared to move the helicopter out of the hangar.

"I got it, but thanks." Caleb had left the ground handling wheels attached, so Lydia grabbed onto the stinger and gearbox, then pushed the bird out of the warehouse. Once that was done, she removed the wheels, which Dooley took from her and stored them inside the building. He pulled the SUV inside, then lowered and locked the door while Lydia climbed inside the helo and took a few minutes to familiarize herself with the controls. Dooley and Kennedy stowed their gear and got seated.

Lydia started the engine and took a deep breath. It had only been a year since the last time she'd gone up with Frey, so her nerves calmed quickly once she was in the air. If she'd been alone, she would have let out a loud whoop, but she kept it to herself. Dooley sat in the co-pilot seat and directed Lydia using a map on his phone to follow the coordinates Carleigh shared earlier. The flight took about half an hour to the point Dooley plotted for them to land. Lydia continued a few miles, searching for something closer, but in the end, there were no flat spots with enough clearance close by, and she didn't want to waste daylight or fuel.

When Lydia set the bird down, Dooley said, "Damn, Lydia. That was smoother than Caleb's landing. When Carleigh said you knew how to pilot a helicopter, I didn't realize you were an expert."

"Yet you got in one with me while bringing your mate along."

Dooley looked over his shoulder at Kennedy. "My little fox told me to trust you because she does."

Lydia flipped the switches and shut the motor off. They waited until the rotors stopped turning to climb out. They all grabbed their own gear, and Lydia pulled out the paper map. It had been helpful her last trip, but also it made her feel closer to Beck. Because they had specific coordinates, she left the drones back in Valdez. Lydia held out the map and pointed. "We're here, and we need to go here." Lydia trailed her finger along the path. "We have about four hours of daylight. I'll apologize now for slowing us down."

Kennedy took Lydia's hand and squeezed. "I've never worn snowshoes in my life, so if anyone will slow us down, it'll be me."

"We'll be slow together. And at any time you feel like shifting, I'll carry your pack."

Kennedy beamed up at Lydia. "I'm glad we met."

"Me too." And Lydia meant it. She had plenty of family and friends, but the little fox was something special, and Lydia was blessed to know her, especially out here in the middle of nowhere. She didn't feel so alone.

As with her last time trudging through the snow, they went around instead of over obstacles. They encountered wildlife, but this time, she didn't need her flamethrower. She had Dooley. Lydia kept her eyes on the position of the sun, and when she noticed a good spot to set up camp, she said so.

Dooley dropped his pack to the ground. "It's like you've done this before." He helped his mate with her backpack, then opened his to remove their tent. Lydia got hers set up, while Dooley was still working on his. She didn't want to overstep by offering to help. She didn't think he'd be offended, but she didn't want to chance it.

Kennedy had spread out a waterproof blanket and was sitting with her short legs stretched out in front of her, ankles crossed, watching her mate. Lydia got her attention, pointed at Dooley, and raised her eyebrows. Kennedy grinned, shaking her head, so Lydia took a seat next to her friend, mimicking the way she reclined. Kennedy scooted closer and leaned her head against Lydia's shoulder.

"Tell me more about your family. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but your mom sounds hilarious."

While they watched Dooley struggle, Lydia talked about her parents and brother. She recounted the story of her mother hiding her grandfather's journal in the library in the hopes the Gargoyles would find it, which led to a brief history of Jonas Montague, or JoJo as he was known to their family, and his part in the apocalypse.

Kennedy leaned back, her brow furrowed. "You're related to the first clone?" Dooley finally got his tent put together and dropped down on the other side of Kennedy to listen. After she told more of the Gargoyles' history, Lydia asked Kennedy about her family. Both she and Dooley spoke fondly of Kennedy's parents and siblings.

"I'd like to recruit you both to be on the council we're forming." Lydia explained what happened in South Carolina with the wolves and the GIA agent. She told Dooley, "I think with your computer skills and the two of you being different species, you'll be assets."

"Will we get to travel?" Kennedy asked.

"If you want. Our main objective is to identify as many different species as possible to spread the word. For millennia, we thought Gargoyles were the only shifters. Then we met the Gryphons and wolves. Now, here you two are, adding to the list."

Dooley and Kennedy stared at one another a few seconds, then Dooley held out his hand to Lydia. "We accept." They shook, and Kennedy clapped her hands, wiggling where she sat.

"I've never been out of Alaska. This is exciting."

They talked a while longer and ate thick ham and cheese sandwiches before calling it a night. Lydia climbed into her tent and got as comfortable as she could. Kennedy's giggle followed Dooley's whispered words, and Lydia did her best to tune them out. She was happy to have the company, even if their closeness made her miss Beck more than she already did. Lydia closed her eyes and meditated, searching for the mate bond. It was there, but barely. Lydia was afraid to sleep. Afraid she would have another nightmare. Her body took the choice away from her, and she fell asleep wrapped in one of Beck's shirts.

Three days later, they arrived at the spot where Amara was supposed to be. When they reached the coordinates, there were both human and animal prints as well as larger areas where the snow had been disturbed. Some of the snow was pink, indicating someone had dropped blood. Dooley and Kennedy shifted to their animals. It was Kennedy's Fox who found the ice cave, yipping to get their attention. Dooley bounded to his mate, and Lydia walked as quickly as possible on snowshoes. Kennedy shifted back, naked as the day she was born. Lydia didn't understand why some species, like dire wolves and polar bears, could shift with their clothes intact.

"There's blood and a lot of it."

Dooley took to his skin and entered the cave with Kennedy and Lydia following. Deep inside they found a set of chains imbedded in the wall with cuffs attached to the end. There were deep gouge marks around where the chains were bolted. Dooley sniffed the metal, then frowned. "That smells off."

Lydia sniffed for herself, and she jumped back. "That's wolfsbane."

"How do you know that?" Dooley asked.

"There are certain poisons that can take down Gargoyles, and we're taught at a young age what they are and how to identify them by sight and smell. It can cause paralysis, and in large doses mixed with hemlock is fatal for Goyles. I'm not sure what the plant would do to a bear though."

Dooley kicked the chains. "Well, the Empress isn't here, so we need to find her. If she was poisoned, she might be out there fighting for her life."

"I didn't notice sled tracks. Whoever was here must have come in on foot. Let's see where the prints lead," Lydia suggested.

"But there are two sets of prints. Which ones do we follow?" Kennedy asked. "Both are bloody."

Dooley tugged on Kennedy's long braid. "The smaller ones."

They exited the cave, studied the prints, and after identifying the direction the smaller ones led, the trio headed that direction.