Bound to Blackwood Read Free Page B

long enough. The old man must be crazy to think we can find her now!” His voice, hit a jovial note as he said it, as though amused by the seemingly impossible task.
    Kaden's gaze shifted to the young Guardian, anger and regret that Heath Greenshire should be so insulted welling in the pit of his stomach. Rising from his chair, Kaden growled at the other man with such anger, the whole room seemed to shake. “Heath Greenshire is a man of honour. I doubt you truly know the meaning of that word, Skylar. It is we who owe him , not the other way round.” Kaden voice was low and gravelly. “Watch your mouth doesn't run away with you, youngling.”  
    Skylar's mouth flapped as he stuttered. Kaden felt his lip curl as he flashed a menacing smile at him, daring Skylar to answer him. A youngling like Skylar had no right to call the man crazy and he felt sickened that a Warrior as great as Heath Greenshire had not just been consigned to the history books, he had been completely forgotten. How the hell did that happen?  
    The team fell silent. Kaden inhaled deeply, the scent of fear and respect blooming in his nostrils. Save for the others staring intently at their own feet, only Thorn showed any reaction. His golden eyes drilled into Kaden’s before he simply nodded. The Keeper returned the gesture and retook his seat.  
    As he sat, he tried to regain some sort of inner calm, but he just couldn’t. His heart hammered in his chest and his blood roared.
    Thorn resumed his explanation as if nothing happened. “He personally led missions to find her over the last two centuries but he never succeeded. His health is failing him. With the death of his mate, Cassandra last year I think he knows his time is running out.”
    “She’s definitely alive?” Though Kaden felt obligated to ask, though deep down, he already knew the answer.
    “He says so.”
    Vampires who held a blood tie with another — through mating, birth, or blooded oath — could always feel the life force of that Vampire. Usually they could use that tie to trace the other, but it was weak when the bond was new, like with a child and only got weaker the more time they spent apart. If Eden had been missing since she was a youngster, there was no chance of tracking her that way.
    The sense of their life force never went away though. Nobody could really explain it, but it was just there. A sort of knowing. If that life force were to disappear without warning, it could cripple even the strongest Vampire. With Heath, it would probably kill him. If he said Eden was still alive then it must be so.
    “I want Kaden, Lena and Ryver to talk with Heath some more. Get some background. Skylar, Mercury, you’re with me. Phoenix, I’m sorry, but with Soraya away we can’t afford to have you in the field. We need a medic on base.”
    Phoenix did not look happy but nodded. Hard lines developed around Lena’s mouth as Kaden watched. She definitely wasn't pleased about being sent on a research mission. It looked like she was about to voice her opinion when Kaden laid a fierce hand on her shoulder. She looked over her shoulder to meet his gaze. By Fae, he was angry with her, and the look in her eyes said she knew it too. Good !  
    As she turned back around, Kaden saw Thorn’s sharp, amber eyes meet hers. To Kaden’s surprise, she just nodded and kept her big gob shut. Vampires didn’t blush but Kaden could have sworn Lena had a reddish tint to her cheeks. Thorn returned Lena's nod and swept from the room with Skylar and Mercury in tow. Lena exhaled slowly. Weird .  
    “Come on, Lena. Let’s go and see what Heath Greenshire has to tell us,” said Kaden. “Or what he hasn’t got to say.” He glanced at Ryver, who just narrowed his eyes at his Keeper.
    While Ryver didn’t mind using his talent for the good of the Order, Kaden realised that reading an enemy was a completely different story from reading a tired old man. Even so, Kaden had no problem using any resource at his