“Never!” Atticus was going to kill him, that was all there was to it. Then he felt a pressure on his shoulder and a light warming his dark heart.
“Atticus, stop.”
Her voice wasn’t loud or demanding, but soothing and pleading. Standing, Atticus turned, and Danica stood before him even more beautiful than before.
Her long dark hair blowing in the slight wind, her beautiful eyes glowing with her wolf—she was a sight to behold, staggering him. It was as if she glowed, beckoning him to do her bidding—purity and light, things he couldn’t touch himself but craved like nobody’s business. When she stepped closer, bringing herself within inches of his body, he opened his arms, beckoning her to come closer. When she moved into the cradle of his arms, laying her head on his chest, Atticus felt at peace. Wrapping his arms around her, he held on, probably tighter than he should have but at that moment, neither of them seemed to care. The captor had quickly turned into the hostage.
With great strength, he pushed her away slightly to get a good look at the woman who was coming to mean so much to him. His beast, wolf, and he needed to make sure she was indeed okay. She smiled slightly and placed her tiny hand on his cheek.
“I’m fine, Atticus, getting stronger every day.”
Not willing to completely let Danica out of his hold, he brushed his hand down her arm, intending to hold her hand in his. It looked like his little wolf had the same idea, linking their fingers together, showing Matt they were together. He wanted to smile and preen, but this wasn’t the time. They needed to make plans. The Coven was still coming after them, and the call of his Master had gotten louder as the black magic dissipated from his body.
“If you two lovebirds and the big bad wolf can get your shit together, we need to move,” Sage intoned dryly. When no one acknowledged her immediately, she continued, “If we stay in one place long, we will be found!”
“I’m aware of that and the situation at hand, Sage. You have done well keeping Danica safe. I will take over now.”
“The hell you will!” Matt stood, no longer under Atticus’ thrall.
Danica sighed loudly and shook her head, a visible sign she was just as frustrated with their traveling companions as he was. They hadn’t made it as far as Atticus would have liked by now, but that couldn’t have been helped. All of them, except Matt, had been drained of their magic, and Sage could only move during the dark of night.
“I’ll go to the town closest to us and get a car, then take Danica home where she belongs.” Matt was posturing, but the three of them ignored it. The boy still had a lot to learn, and it seemed Sage was going to be teaching him some lessons of her own.
“And draw the coven to a helpless town?” she yelled, rounding on him. “During a blood rage? Are you stupid or just a selfish man who doesn’t mind others getting hurt as long as you get what you want?”
“I didn’t say…” Matt sputtered.
“You didn’t have to. If we go to town like you suggest, it will be a bloodbath. Bane is commanding the coven. The longer his orders are disobeyed or not completed, the harder he pushes. He doesn’t care what the outcome is as long as he gets his way. Innocents will be hurt and killed if we draw them into any town.”
“She’s right, we need to keep to the wilds. It will take longer, but is the safest option at the moment,” Atticus said.
“Like you care what happens to a bunch of innocent humans. Aren’t you Bane’s Enforcer, the one who dishes out the deadliest of blows. Using your tainted magic to get what his master wills and wants?”
“I don’t hurt innocents if it can be helped,” Atticus exclaimed.
“And yet you took my sister from her home and forced a bond she never wanted,” Matt seethed.
Danica stood next to him, still holding his hand, lifting her tiny chin in the air like a regal queen, looking down her nose at Matt.
“I won’t deny Atticus’ nefarious reason for taking me, but he has yet to force anything on me, Matt, nor has he hurt a single hair on my head. Can you claim the same?”
Atticus tensed, imagining all sorts of things. He wanted to draw blood—had Danica’s hold on his hand not tightened, he would have.
“Dani, you have to listen to me, I came to save you, can’t you see that? I’m not the same as I once was. It’s important to me I get you home safely and return order to the pack.” More quietly he added, “It’s the least I can do after all that I’ve done in the past.”
“Men and beasts who hurt weaker people within or from outside their families don’t deserve second chances, wolf,” Sage exclaimed and turned her back.
Atticus watched Matt's face fall. He truly believed the wolf was trying to do the right thing although going about it the wrong way. He did agree with the man on one point, they all needed to get to Eclectic. Atticus knew he was going to have to take control, come up with a plan that would help all of them.
Atticus’ power was coming back slowly, but he wasn’t completely healed—he couldn’t shift or use his vampire speed, he had tried several times over the past few days. His pride had been tested more than he liked, having to rely on his enemy to move him away from the coven. He was determined that would change. Being weak in front of Matt was one thing, but being that way in front of Danica was another.
“Enough,” Atticus said to Danica, Sage, and Matt, who were still arguing. “We will continue as we have been. The journey will be hard, but it’s the only choice we have at the moment!”
“And where exactly are we going, mongrel, and why would any of us follow your lead?”
Atticus had always been independent, never counting on anyone. Sage was his closest confidante, but even she was limited in what he had allowed her to do over the years. As a child, his wolf had been docile, an Omega, nothing more, and he paid the price for his lack of strength, time and time again. It was one of the reasons Atticus had fallen for Bane’s dark promises, he feared to become weak again. Atticus despised what his Master had done to him, but at the same time, he was no longer that scared, vulnerable boy. He was an Alpha. Atticus didn’t doubt Matt would come into his own one day and soon, but that time wasn’t now.
“Because you don’t have a choice!”
Matt postured but backed down quickly, the animal and man inside him recognizing the predator standing before them.
Danica, his little wolf, tried to sooth the ruffled feathers of her pack mate.
“It will take us a while to get to Eclectic, but it’s not an impossible feat. We can run during the night until our power is gone and rest during the day. I won’t leave either Atticus or Sage undefended!”
“You owe them nothing, Dani, can’t you see that?” Matt yelled.
“I never said I did, Matt, but I’m not willing to leave them unprotected and vulnerable. It’s the right thing to do, and you know it! We’re headed exactly where you want to go, so why does it matter if the four of us do it together or separately?”
Matt stomped off, leaving him with Danica and Sage.
“I will keep an eye on the wolf,” Sage said, inclining her head. “I believe now would be a good time for the two of you to talk, but please walk as you do. The sun is rising quickly, and I will need to be at rest before that happens.”
After she left, he had expected Danica to move away or at least remove her hand from his, but she didn’t. Not looking at her, he said the first thing that came to his mind.
“I’m sorry, little wolf, I’ve truly made a mess of everything, haven’t I?”
Danica laughed and leaned her body into his, laying her head on his shoulder.
“I think we all have, Atticus, you’re not alone in that. You may have started this, but the four of us will finish it. When we get to Eclectic, the pack will help.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Anything, Danica.”
“You were going to kill Matt had I not stopped you, weren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Why? He’s done some pretty horrib
le things and acts as if he is king of the world, but he also carried you for days and came for me. Tried to protect me. I don’t understand why you would turn on him after that.”
“Danica, I don’t think you will ever understand the minds of men, just as I will never understand the compassion of a woman. He challenged me, threatened to take my greatest treasure. He needed to learn his place. Regardless of my current state of weakness, I am still stronger than he is.
“I’m sorry, Dani, I really am, but I won’t let anyone or anything keep me from you. You are mine, and I refuse to let you go. Only you can break our bond, only you can deny me. I have this darkness inside me and will until the bond with Bane is broken. But if you chose to do either of those things, I will honor it. I won’t force you to stay with me. The creature inside will demand things you can’t imagine—I wouldn’t want you to, but I will fight it, just to give you what you want. Do you understand? The last thing I want to do is hurt you, little wolf.”
“Thank you for saying that at least. Right now, I can’t answer you, I don’t know what I want. I know it’s vital we all make it to my home, to my pack, but beyond that, I can’t make you any promises, Atticus, even if I wanted to. They would only be words without thought or feeling.”
“Ah, little wolf, you are coming into your own. That’s fine, and I understand. One day, I hope those thoughts and feelings will come my way, all we can do is wait and see. As for your pack, I don’t know, Danica, I fear Lucas and Kaylee will be even more hesitant to help than Matt.”
“I think they might surprise you, Atticus, only time will tell.”
There was another thing Atticus desperately wanted to know.
“Why did you stay with Sage? Why did you wait for Matt and me to catch up? Why didn’t you run? Your magic is coming back faster than mine, I can feel it all around us.”
Danica stopped and turned to him.
You’re right, I could have left at any time, and yet I couldn’t.”
Atticus bent his head leaning his forehead against hers.
“The longer I know you, the more I realize I am right where I’m supposed to be. Not for the reasons I previously believed but for others yet to be discovered. You, little wolf, are more than my destiny—you are hope, love, and light, things until I met you, I never understood or believed in.”
Atticus could feel through the forming bond how his words confused, excited, and scared Danica. Deciding that was enough for one night, he said, “Come now, let’s catch up to the children before they decide to foolishly spill blood and bring the coven to our door.”
Chapter 14
Days had passed since the four of them had met up. Dani had enjoyed the short time she and Atticus had been able to talk, but after that, there hadn’t been much time. He and Matt consistently went out away from the group, making false trails for the coven to follow. Dani and Sage had been safe, but there had been times each of them had come back with cuts, bruises, or scratches. Neither of them had spoken of what had occurred, but Dani could guess. Even Sage had been surprisingly quiet.
Each day, they had found a safe place for Sage to sleep, and after walking for hours on end through the night, Dani had fallen asleep almost instantly. She would always wake to a warm fire, Atticus’ scent, and fresh water. There had even been a couple times a small flower was left as well. She knew it was an alstroemeria or Peruvian lily as they were commonly called. Dani loved the delicate little flower with the tiger stripes, it had always been one of her favorites. She had grown them for many years in her own garden. Where he was getting them, she had no idea but appreciated the effort.
Dani had been thinking a lot since leaving the mansion. She no longer denied the fact Atticus was her mate—some things nature wouldn’t let you deny. That she could accept, but she wondered if she could accept the man? Accept her circumstance? He was never going to be meek and mild. Nor was he anything she had dreamed of in a mate—steady, stable, reliable. He would be a whirlwind of contradictions and adventure. But in a way, they fit, her softness evened out his brashness. Her laid back nature canceled his arrogance—well, not canceled it, mellowed it, maybe. Several times now, she had stopped altercations between him and Matt with just a few words.
She had realized pretty quickly, he wasn’t as he had first portrayed himself. He still showed unyielding determination, but it was no longer at her fixing his problem, creating the bond to break his with his master. Now, it was to get the four of them to safety.
She was—much to her amazement—starting to care for her kidnapper, finding good in his faults. But the big question was, could she ever truly forgive him? Or the larger one, would he ever see her as more than just a means to an end? Damn it!
Getting up from her makeshift bed this time, she didn’t accept the water or the beautiful bloom. Instead, she got up, brushed off her dirty nightgown covered ass, and decided enough was enough. They were supposed to take turns standing guard, but Matt and Atticus took those duties upon themselves, not waking her even once. While A part of her was grateful, another part was pissed.
She wasn’t helpless and felt she needed to prove that to her mate. He seemed to like to coddle her. Under normal circumstances, that would be nice, but the situation they were in was anything but ordinary, and Dani wanted to do her part. At least the tension between them all seemed to lessen with time. Dani wouldn’t say Matt and Atticus would ever be friends, but they were tolerating each other. Matt and Sage, on the other hand, that was something else altogether. The two of them skirted around each other every night, close but not close, watching but averting their eyes before the other caught them. Dani realized it was some kind of courtship dance. A courtship neither wanted but was helpless to deny.
She wondered briefly if she and Atticus looked the same way. Dani had stopped fighting the pull, but Atticus had been keeping his distance. Dani received brief feelings of unworthiness, guilt, and resolve through their bond, but he spoke to her of none of those things, adding to her frustration. She still couldn’t answer his questions from earlier in the week. She didn’t know what she wanted for her future, at least her head didn’t. Dani's heart and body, yeah, they already knew.
Stepping away from the cave they had found for the day, Dani made her way down to a small stream to refresh herself. Her wolf was coming closer to the surface every day but still held herself out of reach. She wished she could change and just run for a while, to be wild and free without thoughts of the coven that was after them, Atticus, and the future.
The day was warm and muggy, but that was only a slight discomfort. Dani had always liked the sun on her skin. In her youth, it had been a treat from being isolated within the pack house, in her teen years, a reward for good behavior. After drinking her fill from the fresh water, Dani sat at the edge of the stream, shutting the world around her out for a little while. All she had done was think, going through all the what-ifs in her life until she made herself sick. She was determined to just be for a while. She might not be wild and free, but she would allow this one pleasure. Unfortunately, the gravity of her current situation didn’t allow such frivolous things.
There was a bigger problem on the horizon. Dani had noticed the signs of her heat coming on fully in the last couple of days. In two moon rises, she would be in full heat, and nothing would stop her need. The problem was they were still days from being home, and she didn’t have a safe place to lock herself in and hide and feared there wouldn’t be one.
She sensed him before she felt the heat of his body settling in behind her, cradling her body with his own. Leaning back, she allowed it, craved the closeness even. Atticus. She couldn’t deny the comfort and safety she felt in his arms. She also couldn’t deny the peace it brought her. It was as if nothing else mattered, there was a knowing in her Atticus would and could do whatever she needed.
“What has you so sad and thinking so hard today, little wolf?”
Dani laughed. Not thinking, she wrapped his arm around her tighter. There was her
answer—she had already forgiven him. Now, she just needed to see where they could go from here.
“What hasn’t, Atticus?”
“Ah, I see, maybe if you share some of your burden with me, we can figure out a solution.”
Dani tilted her head back and looked at him—still gorgeous though she could see the dark purple circles under his eyes from his lack of sleep and the worry lines that always seemed to crease his forehead.
“Things have changed, Atticus, but have they changed enough?”
“What do you mean, Danica? What has changed?”
“We’ve changed, or more specifically, my feelings toward you have changed. At first, I resented you, cursed you even, but I realized you’re not the man who took me. You’re different.”
“Danica, I fear you’re not seeing me for who I really am. I’m not kind, loving, or tender. I’m rough, brutal, and dark. Don’t ever forget I have done things in my life that would make you run screaming. I fear one day you will realize what a shitty hand the fates have dealt you.”
“Atticus, you are not unredeemable. Everyone is capable of change even kindness, love, and tenderness.” Turning in the circle of his arms, Dani placed her hand on his chest above where his heart laid, pushing a little of her healing magic into him. It wasn’t like before, the dark magic had lessened to an extent, she could barely see it. Looking into his eyes, she said, “You just have to want it to happen.”
“I don’t deserve your gift, Danica.” Atticus removed her hand from his chest, stopping the magic. “All of this has made me realize what a truly selfish man I am. I willingly took you, tainted you with dark magic. I jeopardized you, your wolf, and the future by trying to achieve my goals with no thought to anything else. Those aren’t the earmarks of a good man, Danica. I fear there is no redemption for me.”
“See, that’s where you’re wrong, your actions have proven you to be a good man. You are no saint,” Dani laughed. “The good might take a while to emerge, but it’s there.” Dani felt Atticus shift his weight as if to leave and held onto his hand a little tighter. If anything, she would have her say.
Dirt Road Redemption (Dirt Road Series Book 2) Page 10