Ash.

Was.

Pissed.

Even with all the fun he was having with Jin and Colin, he was still able to keep track of Coby through their link, including all his thoughts and emotions. When the ride was slowing down, and he could feel his body begin to peel itself off the wall, he froze. Coby was in danger. Someone was tracking him, had spotted him in the crowd, and was going after him. Coby’s waves were erratic as he made the final decision to lead the pursuer away and leave Ash with the group as their means of protection.

Then the shield went up.

Co-Bieasah Turner, don’t you fucking dare!

Of course, there was no reply. Coby couldn’t see or hear Ash, just as Ash couldn’t see or hear Coby. The second he was off that wall, he stormed across the ride, and began punching the door.

Outside, Kline, Alise, Rem, and Mika all stared at the door to the ride, startled at the sounds coming from within. The pounding was furious, determined, and violent. Alise took an involuntary step back as dents began forming in the metal and they could hear shouts coming from inside. She was sure she could hear Colin trying to get someone to calm down, just as a second arrhythmic pounding joined the first, the dents even larger.

The door flew off its hinges, bouncing down the ramp before it came to a sharp halt against a taco stand, startling the bystanders, and Ash bolted down the ramp, Jin hot on his heels.

Rem frowned. Of course Jin would be helping Ash to destroy something. Why wouldn’t he?

“What—” She began at the same time Colin was coming out after them, pleading with Ash to chill out.

“Dude, stop!” he cried, getting in front of him and putting his hands on Ash’s chest. “What the hell has gotten into you? Are you trying to get arrested or something? You’re dad—”

“Where is he?!” Ash demanded, his gaze falling on the rest of their group. Rem’s sour expression faded under that gaze. He wasn’t just furious, he was petrified.

“Shouldn’t you know that?” Kline asked. “You guys are connected at all times, so—”

“He put his goddamn shield up!”

Mika visibly flinched, his face blanching, eyes wide. “He what?” he asked, his voice small.

Ash searched the crowd, darting forward, walking as fast as he could, his head on a swivel as the rest of them followed after him.

“Did you see which way Coby went?” Jin asked, all traces of his previous joviality buried under the hardened warrior he was.

Alise and Rem shook their heads. “He was right next to us just a moment ago,” Alise said. 

“He’d put his hood up, but I figured it was because the temperature dipped,” Kline said.

Ash shook his head, nearly colliding with a couple and shoving roughly past them to their great irritation. “Someone’s after him,” he said.

“Who?” Alise said, shocked.

“I don’t know, I couldn’t sense them too well in that ride. Whatever it is, it’s moving fast.” He halted, a thought occurring to him. He turned to Jin who nodded once.

“You can’t see him in the link, but you can find him with your senses opened up,” the merman said. “Do you know his energy signature?”

“Is that meant to sound stupid?”

“Fair enough.”

“Ash, there’s hundreds of people here, with every kind of energy signature” Colin said, gesturing around them. “How are you going to spot Coby among this mass?”

Ash glared at him. “Because I know my husband,” he said, his voice cold. “Now, move.” He marched past Colin, bumping his shoulder, the rest right behind him, spreading out and doing their own search without having to be directed.

Colin turned halfway, staring after them, his fists clenched. He didn’t care about soulmates, not really. It was the benefits that came from it when bonded to a mythic or Divine he was envious of. Ash absolutely could pick Coby out from among this sea of bodies as easily as spotting a red dot among the blue and Colin knew that. Having such heightened senses, among so many other things, was one thing Colin longed for…looked forward to having one day soon. 

He also knew trying to stall Ash would be a pointless exercise. Still, every second delayed was a second in Colin’s favor. Watching the altered human run off without so much as a glance back to see if he was coming, didn’t upset Colin; it only fueled his growing hatred for the man he once considered his best friend. He knew he should feel some level of guilt for what he was doing, for betraying him this way. And yet, he simply couldn’t. He wasn’t sure what that said about him, but he didn’t care. Just like he hadn’t cared when he’d gone back to Scott and Ash’s apartment and fucked Scott for the first time nearly a year ago.

Was that when he first started hating Ash Turner? He wasn’t sure, but it didn’t matter. He hated him now and was happy to watch him suffer while he reaped the unseen benefits.

Colin felt someone approach but he didn’t turn around. He knew who it was and it sent a small thrill through his body, one he tried to ignore…just like all the others he’d been experiencing lately.

“He led him out of the park,” Scott said in a low voice. “The little brat is trying to minimize casualties.”

“You better be right about him,” Colin replied.

Scott grinned, his fingertips surreptitiously brushing the back of Colin’s hand. “Don’t worry about Rona,” he said. “He wasn’t named the late Queen’s top assassin for no reason.”

Colin finally turned to his lover. “And Sy-Ohna?”

Scott’s grin widened. “I promised him Coby. I never said in what condition I was handing him over.”

Colin turned completely to Scott, leaning down to whisper, “When that behemoth arrives and Coby isn’t dead or in our possession, he’ll come after you, and that’s something I will not tolerate,” he said, his breath hot on Scott’s ear. The angel’s skin shivered and his eyelids fluttered, his head lowering to hide the expression on his face. “You better have a backup plan in case that happens.”

Scott looked up at him through his lashes. “I do,” he said, his voice rough. “I have you.”

Colin smirked, a gleam sparking in his dark eyes. “Go home, Scott,” he said, a mountain of promises in those three words. “Now.” With that, he turned and followed after his group. 

Scott watched him go, an unfamiliar tightness taking hold in his chest. Colin could fight, Scott had made sure of that. He only hoped when his lover came to him, he would still be in one piece.

A flash of red light in the distance got his attention and a grin of sheer, malicious delight spread over his smooth, perfect features, before he turned and did as he was told.

**