Heartbeat racing, his senses were jangling, warning him Hope was in danger.
He had to get to her, fast.
Even as the thought urged him on, pain exploded against his chest, almost throwing him on his back.
The effort of staying upright made his legs tremble. Sweat broke out on his forehead.
He managed to draw air into lungs that were being squeezed by the pressure on his rib cage.
He knew without a doubt he was experiencing what Hope was going through right then.
She was in trouble. Her dragon had reached out to him through the new mating bond and was guiding him to her.
He felt her pain like his own. If he could, he'd have her funnel all her agony through the bond to him.
Just like that, he knew what he had to do.
Reaching inside, Aaron tapped into reserves of energy so unique to him. His abilities as an Ascendant, his experiences from the battles he'd fought as an immortal… he drew on it. Then he channeled it through the bond, pulsing it to his mate.
All the while, he kept running, through the trees, up the hill, pausing only when he reached the top.
As he looked down on the complex of buildings, straight to the abandoned oil rig in the center, he saw movement. His senses alerted him that she was there on the rig.
A pulse of panic came down the bond. She was fighting for her life.
Running to the base of the oil rig, he took the stairs two at a time.
When he reached the top, he heard Hope gasp, "You can't break through a dragon's psychic shields. They are the strongest of any species."
Sweat streaming down his forehead, Aaron hunkered down next to a wall of crates. Aaron assessed the situation.
Hope was talking to a man who he guessed must be the teleporter behind the kidnappings.
Between them sat a girl, head bent, all the fight beaten out of her. He'd tortured her, Aaron was sure of that.
"It seems I can." The Elysian's voice was toneless. It was as if his emotions had been replaced by ice. "All these years of experimenting on shifters have paid off."
"You've been kidnapping shifters for years?" Hope's voice cracked on the last word.
Waves of frustration reached down the newly formed bond to him. Her dragon writhed as it tried to break free of the Elysian's hold.
It sent another burst of pain spiraling toward him, and he bit his forearm to stifle his gasp.
Darkness crept in at the edge of his vision.
"How else could I have found a way to penetrate a shifter's shields?" The Elysian gestured to Freya. "This human here, with her unique shield, was the missing link. If I understood how her shields worked, then I would learn how to find a weak spot in any shield." Bracing his elbows on the table, the Elysian male leaned forward.
"If you can control dragon shifters, it means you can control all other races." Hope's voice was calm. She was managing to hide how much pain she was in.
"I'll use the dragon shifters to hit Bombay and take over the Council." The man continued talking, unaware of Aaron's presence. "With the Ascendants in my control, I can harness their psychic web to take over all living races."
"Oh yeah?" Hope got to her feet, and Aaron felt the waves of agony shoot through her.
Gritting his teeth, he stayed where he was, though every part of him insisted he go save her. But he had to wait for the right time to move, or else this would endanger all their lives. The Elysian was stronger than him, so he had to be smart to find a way to overpower him.
Hope gripped the table to steady herself. "Let's see you try to shut me up."
Aaron felt Hope try to shift, and the sheer agony of not being able to transform cut through her. It rippled through the bond, pushing against his chest and holding him immobile.
The Elysian's telekinetic power pinned Hope to the chair. It topped over. Her head hit the floor.
Aaron tried to go to her but found he couldn't move.
There was a thud, sounds of grappling, then a growl and another scream.
"Freya!" Rage surged through Hope and down the bond to Aaron.
The emotion was strong enough to create a hairline crack through the control the Elysian had over her beast.
It loosened the Elysian's hold on Aaron. Breaking free of the Elysian's psychic grip he moved.
Aaron leaped over the crates and launched himself at the Elysian.
He took the man by surprise, enough for both of them to crash to the floor.
The darkness of telekinetic power once more lashed into him, this time with such force he blacked out for a few seconds.
When Aaron came to, he found Hope on the floor on her back.
The Elysian raised his joined fists to bring them down on her.
43
Aaron
Aaron hurled himself at the Elysian male. Both went flying across the platform, almost to the edge.
Rolling over, he jumped to his feet, only to bend and ram his fist into the other man's face, then his side, then back to his face.
His fourth punch missed by inches, for his opponent had swerved and sprang to his feet.
The Elysian's face was bloodied, and blood splattered the front of his once-white shirt. "Finally, a warrior worthy of a fight." His lips thinned.
"You are the one who attacked Alex's bar. I recognize you," Aaron panted.
"Tibor Quant at your service." The Elysian mock bowed.
"Zach's brother?" Aaron recognized the surname.
"Half-brother." Tibor snapped.
Aaron angled his head. "Zach told us if we volunteered shifters to replenish your emotions, he wouldn't attack the dragon shifters nor the Council of Bombay."
Tibor placed his hands on his hips. "Good thing I don't owe loyalty to him anymore." His eyes narrowed.
Aaron's muscles bunched.
His fingers twitched with the need to smash his fist into the man's face and knock him unconscious.
The Elysian was stronger and as fast as he was. Aaron forced himself to take a breath. He had to bide his time and wait for an opening to attack. He had to be strategic. It was not just his life but that of Hope and Freya at stake. "You were banished by the Elysian?" He leaned forward on the balls of his feet, indicating Tibor had his full attention.
"Let's just say I didn't see eye to eye with him." Tibor raised his head. "I left with some of the strongest of our race to set up my own faction. We're going to take down Zach and his team."
Aaron huffed, "They are too powerful for a breakaway faction to defeat them." His stomach felt rock hard. His heart raced. What was Tibor going to do next?
"Not if the dragon shifters and the Ascendants are under my control. Not only will I have access to your emotions, but I can use you to fight for me." Tibor set his feet apart. Turning his gaze on Hope, he raised his hand.
The hair on Aaron's forearms rose. His nerve endings tingled as he sensed Tibor push down on his psychic hold on Hope.
The next second, Hope clutched her throat, body convulsing. Her eyes rolled back, her back rising off the ground with the force of the psychic pressure.
Aaron's heart pounded against his ribcage so fast he was sure it was going to break through.
There was no sound from Hope, nothing except the white tips of her knuckles which indicated she was choking to death.