Hell or High Water (Gemini Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

“No one has heard from Aunt Dot either, and her truck is missing. I think she was taken too.”
    “Where are you?” Icebergs ran warmer than his voice now, the chill of his words reassuring me he was himself. “Never mind. I’ve triangulated your signal. Keep the phone on. I’ll find you.”
    I lowered the phone to my lap and smudged my thumb across the screen.
    Never had I been happy to hear that Theo was due for a visit.
    I guess there really was a first time for everything.

Chapter 3
    D ell and I returned home to find organized chaos. Our borrowed corner of the pack lands bustled with activity. The Chandler wargs kept to their homes while our tightknit band of exiles scurried to pack their belongings and meet their former alpha’s deadline to vacate the premises.
    “Like ants on a mound,” Dell observed.
    “And Bessemer’s the kid holding the magnifying glass into a sunbeam.”
    An almost smile graced her lips, but she smelled like fur and regret to my heightened senses.
    “We’re going to get him back,” I promised her, as much for her sake as my own. “Aunt Dot too.”
    “Yes, we will.” An exhale pursed her lips. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to take away from your pain, when this is your burden. Not mine.” She knuckled her chest. “My wolf is riled, that’s all. Too much change too fast probably.”
    “You’re entitled to your feelings.” Dell and Isaac had been blasting mixed signals at one another since the day they met. “I’m glad you got to know Isaac well enough to worry for him. He doesn’t make it easy.”
    The hurt wafting off her made me wonder how deep their antagonistic friendship extended.
    Angling Isaac’s truck into the wide clearing where four gleaming silver Airstream trailers formed a wide circle came second nature to me. Eyes on my mirrors, I shifted into reverse, lined up the hitch with ease after a lifetime of practice, then threw the gearshift in park.
    The door swung open before I killed the ignition, and the surly-faced alpha of an as-yet-unnamed pack reached in and hauled me into his arms so fast my feet didn’t have time to touch the ground. While my heels drummed the running board in a weak attempt to wriggle free, Dell made her escape and jogged toward the others to lend a hand.
    “You smell like tears,” he murmured against my neck. “Is everything all right?”
    Laughter muffled against his shoulder as I turned my face into his cheek. “You mean other than my aunt and favorite cousin being kidnapped by a serial killer’s changeling puppet while the cousin who’s hated me since we were kids is coming to ream me out about it?”
    Scruffy as he was, his smile tickled against my skin. “Yes. Other than that.”
    “Then yes, everything is fine.” I squirmed until my boots hit dirt. “How much longer do we have?”
    “Six hours.” He released me with obvious reluctance, and I was reminded yet again how tactile wargs were compared to Gemini or fae in general. “Everyone is packed and ready.”
    “Waiting on me,” I said, because it was true.
    A frown cut his mouth. “No one sees it that way.”
    No one could have foreseen these events, except perhaps the Garzas if I’d only known to ask them, and no one would blame me for holding up our mass exodus considering we had no destination in mind, but squatting on Bessemer’s land was dangerous for us all. It was past time we left.
    “I have a favor to ask Dell.” I fisted Isaac’s keys. “I’ll need help moving the trailers now that…”
    My throat worked over a knot. Using all those years of practice in blocking out memories of Lori, I erected a mental barrier of questionable integrity and prayed it held until we made it out of Villanow. I had to be strong and focus on getting Aunt Dot and Isaac back safe. Grief would only slow me down.
    Pushing off Graeson’s warm chest, away from his comforting embrace, I headed for the milling group of nervous-smelling wargs who now belonged to