Lupi 09 - Mortal Ties

people. Jasper, I’m trying to decide if
     I should call this in.”
    “Call it in?” Jasper blinked rapidly. The fuzziness at the edge of his vision was
     spreading. Everything in the middle was blank, but he could see dim shapes at the
     edges.
    Amusement warmed Rule’s voice. “Lily’s jargon is contagious. Call the cops, I mean.
     Probably her people, though it might be better to call Ruben and…” His voice trailed
     off.
    Funny how Jasper could feel the sudden tension in Rule even though he still couldn’t
     see him. “What is it?”
    “I can’t find her.” Rule’s voice was utterly flat. “I can feel Lily, but I don’t know
     where she is.”
    Cautiously Jasper asked, “Should you?”
    Rule didn’t answer.
    Jasper turned his head slightly so he wasn’t looking straight at Rule. It worked.
     He saw Rule take out his phone. Dimly, fuzzily, but he could see his brother. Relief
     swamped him so hugely that for a second he was afraid he’d cry.
    Rule held his phone to his ear. Waited. Waited some more. Then snarled, clutching
     the phone as if he wanted to throw it. “Scott!” His voice cracked out like a whip.
     “Take those who aren’t mobile to the hotel. The rest of you, with me. Now.”
    “Your shoulder—”
    Rule growled. It was not a human sound. He turned and started for the door.
“Now.”
    “I T’S like with my Find spell, then,” Cullen said. “You know she’s somewhere. You just
     can’t tell where.”
    “So I assumed.” The mate bond hadn’t broken. Rule kept repeating that mantra. The
     bond hadn’t broken, so Lily wasstill alive. Still alive
somewhere
…but he had no sense at all of where. The directional sense he’d grown so used to
     was completely screwy.
    He reached for his phone.
    “No, dammit, hold still. Unless you think bleeding out will improve matters?”
    Rule forced stillness on himself. It was not easy. His friend was driving a hot poker
     into his shoulder.
    And Lily was missing. And it was his fault.
    They were in the backseat of the rented BMW. Joe was driving. Jasper sat beside him.
     He’d insisted he was mobile, his vision was returning, and he would damn well go with
     them. If nothing else, he could give directions. He knew the city, knew where Dingos
     was. Chris and Alan followed in another car.
    Cullen jabbed. Pain shot off the scale, a white-hot burst so acute it had to mean
     he’d finally found the bullet. Rule hissed through his teeth. Sweat sprang up on his
     face, his chest…and finally, finally, Cullen stopped.
    “Got it.”
    Rule took a moment to regain his breath. He’d told Cullen to skip the pain-blocking
     spell, which drained both the caster and the recipient. Rule wanted nothing to slow
     his healing, and he wanted Cullen to hang on to as much juice as possible. He might
     need it. “Good. I need to call Ruben.” Rule used his left hand to reach for his phone.
     His right would be useless for a while yet. His shoulder throbbed in blazing pulses.
    “You need a sling.”
    “Got one?” First Rule checked for calls or texts. He knew Lily hadn’t called him back.
     He knew that, but he checked anyway. He’d called her twice. He’d also called Tony
     and Todd and Mike. None of them had answered.
    Cullen pulled his T-shirt off over his head. “I’ll improvise.”
    “If—” The phone in Rule’s hand vibrated. He answered quickly. “Cynna—”
    “I can’t do it.” She sounded weary and frustrated. “I’m sorry, Rule. I can’t come
     there.”
    If anyone could find Lily, it was Cynna. He needed her to come. Needed her to at least
     try. She didn’t know Lily was missing. If he told her—
    If he told her, she might well come anyway. Rule squeezed his eyes closed. He gave
     up guarding his expression, his body, so he could make sure he had his voice under
     control. “I see. I was wondering.…is it possible that your decision is based on information
     I don’t have? Information, perhaps, you aren’t able to share with me?”
    A long pulse of silence, then she said, “That’s an interesting idea.”
    If the answer had been no, she would have said so.
    He could change her mind. He was sure of it. He could tell her about Lily, and loyalty
     and friendship would bring her here. Cynna would tell herself that whatever omen or
     communication the Lady had given her wasn’t 100 percent. She’d come, determined to
     Find Lily.
    Rule would have rather had Cullen digging in his shoulder again than say what he