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Connor and Rayce were both looking at hi, Cade?" Connor asked "The waitress was about two seconds away fro sip of the ice water in front of hi hand over his face He tried to speak and realized he was already in a partial shift, his rowl "Da bloodlust"

Rayce and Connor both looked astounded and Connor fell back in his chair Cade concentrated on forcing his beast back down "A soif de sang?" Connor was saying "That kid? Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure Ah hell, yeah, I’m positive I could sense him as we rode past this place I’ve never heard of anybody being able to do that before with a bloodit was That’s why I turned to co His scent hit ht I wouldn’t be able to control it It scared the shit out of rave;re, if he’s your et away?" Rayce asked anxiously "If you lose track of him…"

Cade blew out short breath and took another sip of water "Did you seehi kid How can I… no, I have to let it go I have to figure out a way to resist it"

Rayceraised his eyebrows "Resist it? You can’t resist it--it would kill you You’d know this too, if you were thinking straight" He shook his head restlessly, and stood up "No, we have to go after him"

"And then what? Kidnap him? Think about it, Rayce, he couldn’t be more than sixteen years old," Cade said bitterly

Connor stood up too, holding out a hand to Cade "Coure so away" Cade shook his head and picked up his cup "He’s on foot--hewon’t get too far" Rayce tilted his head at hilass back down on the table, Cade felt a jolt of sheer panic "Fuck, I never thought of that" He jumped to his feet and raced toward the door He are that both Connor and Rayce followed hiammas nearest the door, while Rayce called to ot back

As soon as they got on the road, Cade could see the boys up ahead They were on the to ease the aled in Cade’s chest at the idea heup behind him, heyanked at the smaller boy’s arm and fled off the road, up toward a bank of trees a few yards away Yelling to his hten him any more than they already had, Cade followed hih the tere running fast, dodging around trees and underbrush and obviously scared to death, the older men were able to surround them quickly, and Cade pulled the boy into his arht like ahi to do The other child had tried to run, and Cade was vaguely aware of Rayce catching hold of hi voice Cade had his boy on the ground, telling him over and over he wouldn’t harm him, while the boy screaht he passed out Cade was surprised at the flood of protectiveness that washed over hih in this case, the one person the kid wasdown on the down hard by this time, so Cade picked the boy up and carried hi out rain gear and wrapping it around the other child Cade called out and reassured the crying child that the boy he carried was all right, but he felt like a ear and draped it over the boy in his arms The members of Cade’s pack weren’t bothered much by the rain, no matter how hard it was, but the humans who traveled with theear on their bikes

Cade had noticed a little motel next to the café, so they drove toward it, and Rayce went inside to secure some rooms Cade took both the boys to one of the rooms that was ready, and told the others to head back for their breakfast, while he decided as to be done Cade knew Rayce would smooth over any apprehension as well The little scene with the boys at the café had gone against his strict rule not to bring any undue attention to the pack, but he hadn’t been thinking straight once he’d seen his littleat a table in the rooht the child a soft drink and turned on solances over at the boy on the bed, the child seeot the boy, whose naer boy said was Jax, inside the roo, wrapped him in some blankets, and turned up the heat The child, who said his name was Mason, was soaked too, so Connor wrapped a thick blanket around him He took off the child’s shoes, but neither Cade nor Connor felt co him to take off his wet clothes They would wait until Jax woke up

The boy on the bed, however, belonged to him, so Cade stripped him down No doubt he’d be upset and alar sick He was still out like a light, so Cade hung up his clothes to dry on a chair by the low-slung heater, and went through his s, while Mason watched TV The boys had no backpack or suitcase of any kind, nothing but the clothes they earing Along with a few dollars and a business card from a probation officer, Jax’s billfold contained an Alabama driver’s license that proclaie was a huge surprise and relief He certainly didn’t look nineteen, but the child confirer child by questioning him too closely, but when Connor asked him if they lived nearby, the child shook his head and looked evasive He told them Jax was his brother, but that was about it

He knew Rayce would make discreet inquiries at the café, so settled back to wait for Jackson to wake up In the meantime, he studied his face

Jax was beautiful, no other word for hih cheekbones His face was al jaith a hint of dimple in his chin Cade already knew his eyes were a dark, striking blue that had glittered at hilass when he’d held onto his wrist