Mythical Link ▸ Link Neal {Book One}

136

A million thoughts, or voices, began flooding Link all at once in one massive tidal wave. They decided they were going to follow Rhett's scent out of the alley, which took them onto the main strip in the heart of Burbank. Everything was eerily quiet as Link found himself stopping to take stock in the surroundings.

The usual hum of people on the streets was nil as they were the only two souls in the middle of the road. Bars and restaurants normally occupied by late night goers were empty, minus the few oblivious to the world stragglers here and there. Where they had to keep stepping off to the side of the road to avoid an oncoming car had ceased, only because there were no cars on the road. It was all silent, the silence almost harboring its own screeching sound.

Link swiveled on his heel, his lips parted as his eyes were laden with worry. Every factor was adding up to one of those cliche horror movie scenes where two of the main characters are trapped by the bad guy, and they're about to be slaughtered. That's what Link was feeling like, like they had just stepped into a trap. He didn't understand why he was feeling that way, when he wasn't the one that was being chased by the Alpha. Unless... he was feeling what Rhett was feeling.

Link gripped the sides of his head and bared his teeth as he tried to focus in on any of the voices in his head, but there were too many coming at him at once. They were all fighting for a space in his head, one shouting louder over the other one if it didn't feel like it was being heard over the others.

As if to add onto Link's ever growing apprehension, Jackson announced a startling discovery, rather reluctantly.

"I think I've lost his scent."

Link snapped his head up and stalked toward Jackson, pointing to the hoodie in his arms. "Can't you just shove that thing in your face and try again?"

Link's voice echoed off of the buildings and he had to stop himself, making a mental note to keep his voice lowered next time so they couldn't be traced.

Jackson shot Link a dry and unamused look.

"I can 'shove this thing in my face,' all I want. It doesn't change the face that I lost his scent," he retorted rather sarcastically, reiterating the fact that he had lost Rhett's scent.

Link clearly wasn't picking up on what Jackson had meant and he just shook his head with the quizzical look in his eyes. Jackson groaned, rolling his eyes once again. He wondered how these two goons even managed to get themselves tangled in this mess without finding themselves dead yet.

"Here, let me dumb this down for you a little bit more. I know what Rhett's scent is like. It's forever ingrained in here and I'll always recognize him when he's around without even having to look at him," Jackson started as he pointed to his head. He then turned his body to gesture down the dark alley from which they came. "His scent was really strong in there and lead to us coming out here, but now," he motioned with his arms to the whole area, "his scent is gone. Like he vanished into thin air." After Jackson had explained it, Link understood what he meant.

He didn't like the sound of that at all.

"O-Okay... why don't we try walking around for a little bit and see if either of us can pick up on anything," Link said as his gaze fell past Jackson and down the long road ahead. They had a lot of area to cover, and he had a feeling that they had a very short amount of time.

Jackson grinned, clasping Link on the shoulder which took him by surprise.

"Now you're using your head!"

Rhett stopped running and doubled over to catch his breath. He had been in pursuit of the animal control vehicle, after spotting it only a couple blocks away from Link's house. Link must have been close to home when he hit Jessie, which gave Rhett the unsettling feeling that Jessie was trying to make her way back home. He let out an elongated breath, feeling the water sting his eyes like somebody was flinging sand in them.