by L. E. Wilson
“Just take me back! I won’t even tell them it was you guys. I’ll just say I went for a walk! Yeah. I just went for a walk! That’s all. I swear I won’t say anything about you, if you’ll just take me back to Nik.” She couldn’t imagine what he must be going through after her little disappearing act.
And she had a sister to rescue.
Exchanging looks amongst themselves, they seemed to be considering her plea, and she dared to hope she may have gotten through to them. But as the minutes ticked by and no one made a move to honor her request, her small flame of hope was dashed.
Sighing heavily, she crossed her arms and gave them all a withering look. “What?” she snapped.
Cedric looked over at Red, but seeing he would get no help from that end, he finally turned back to Emma, who had started tapping her foot impatiently.
“What?” she demanded again. “What now?”
“Aren't ye worried he'll be pissed at ye for wandering off?” Cedric asked quietly. “I assume he told ye not to.”
Shrugging nonchalantly, she assured him, “He will be. But he’ll get over it.”
Cedric gaped at her. “Ye do ken that he's a vampire?”
“Yes.” She rolled her eyes with a heavy sigh. “I know he’s a vampire.” What the hell was he trying to get at? She wished he’d just spit it out already.
“'N' ye’re no’ scared o' him?” he asked in astonishment.
“No. Why would I be scared of him? He wouldn’t hurt me,” she assured him. “Look, I’ll be fine. Just drop me off where you found me,” she pleaded. “If you really are their friend, then you have to know he’s probably sick with worry by now.”
A dawning look of comprehension slowly came over his face. “Worry, ye say?”
“Yes!”
Exchanging a strange look with Lucian and Duncan, he mused, “A vampire only worries aboot his human mate. We’ve a’ heard the stories. Is it really true, lassie?”
Emma gave him a stony look in reply, refusing to confirm or deny his assumption.
Cedric held up his index finger, indicating for her to excuse him a moment, then turned to the other guys. They huddled together, speaking rapidly but quietly, with only the occasional “och” or “aye” and one “Yer off yer head!” by Red, followed quickly by a “Haud yer wheesht!” by Cedric, loud enough for her to hear.
Watching them, she wondered if they’d notice if she just casually strolled away.
Taking a discreet glance around, she was almost positive they’d entered a small clearing from the way directly behind her. Maybe she’d be able to lose them amongst the trees until the sun went down and Nik could find her.
As quietly as she could, she started to back away from the arguing werewolves. She got about a hundred feet with no one paying her any mind whatsoever, so with a quick prayer, she slowly turned and started creeping forward as stealthily as she could, using the giant, mossy trees as cover. After another fifty feet, she silently thanked the gods and took off at a steady jog.
She didn’t get ten more feet before she was gripped around the waist by a muscular arm and hoisted onto a hip.
“Damn it! Let me go, you stupid dog!”
Lucian, or “Red” as Emma liked to think of him, jostled her a little higher and trod back to the group with her tucked easily under his arm.
“Where do ye think ye're goin, lassie?” Cedric grinned at her as Lucian dropped her at his feet for the second time. Holding out his hand, Cedric offered to help her up, laughing heartily when she slapped his hand away and stood up on her own.
“Nikulas has got his hands full with this one.” He chuckled in amusement as her eyes shot daggers at him.
She crossed her arms defensively and snapped, “Well, Nikulas doesn’t have his anything right now, does he? Because you STOLE me from him.”
Cedric boomed with laughter. “C'mon wee kitten, let's get going. We need to be there by nightfall.” Turning his back to her, he swung his hand around in a circle. “Let's go!”
Herding her into the middle of the group, they set off, moving farther away from the cave. And farther away from Nik.
Chapter 39
Nik and Aiden stood silent and motionless just inside the hidden entrance of the tunnel. Waiting.
The sun was finally setting.
Dressed to blend with the night, they were nearly invisible in the dim light of the tunnel. Black hoodies were zipped up with black zippers. Black hoods pulled up to conceal their faces and hair. Even the wicked-looking blades strapped to their thighs were black.
Nik’s partially healed skin masked all but his fangs, which were displayed in a chilling snarl.
Aiden had only managed to get him to drink enough for his eyes to heal. Even with so little nourishment, his body fairly vibrated with the need to get to his mate.
The sun seemed to pause as it reached the horizon, hanging on to that last moment of daylight, before finally surrendering and dipping below the skyline.
The tunnel was empty before the final ray disappeared.
Emma shivered as the sun began its final descent. She was still wearing Nik’s long-sleeved shirt, but hadn’t grabbed her coat when she’d stepped outside.
Of course, she’d only planned on being outside for a few minutes. If she’d known she was going to be trekking through the Canadian wilderness against her will with three hulking werewolves, she maybe would have rethought that decision.
They’d been walking for miles without a word between them. But judging by the looks of approval she grudgingly received now and again, they were a bit surprised the “wee lass” was able to keep up.
She had a good idea where they were going, but not what her part in it would be. The one time Emma had dared to ask, Cedric had glanced back with a sympathetic smile. “Tis better if ye dinnae ken just yet, lassie.”
That so did not make her feel any better.
With a weighted sigh, she took in the beauty of the scenery around her, trying to memorize any distinctive landmarks that would help her find her way back before the light faded.
Large Western Hemlocks dominated the landscape, covering the mountains that lined the valley they traversed through on foot. Here and there she would catch a glimpse of a snow-covered mountain peak. Jays screeched over the prettier songs of the chickadees, and small animals rustled in the vegetation around them as they passed. Somewhere in the distance, she could hear the trickling sound of water.
The whole place was breathtaking, really. She wished she were in a position to enjoy it more.
Her stomach growled loudly in protest at the lack of a recent meal, and she put a hand over it, trying to stifle the sound.
Duncan glanced over at her and reached into his pocket. He pulled something out and offered it to her.
Emma tried unsuccessfully to stifle her disgust at the piece of dehydrated meat. “Thank you, but I can’t eat that,” she managed to mumble.
He gave her a frown. “Ye dinna like jerky?”
She shook her head. “I don’t eat meat.”
His look of disbelief was almost comical. “Ye dinna eat meat? How do ye survive?” Running his eyes from her head to her toes, he nodded knowingly. “That's how come you're so wee. If ye ate meat, it would plump ye up some.” He gave her another lusty wink.
Glancing over her shoulder at the sinking sun, she silently begged it to hurry up already, even as she wrapped her arms around herself against the dropping temperature.
“So what are you guys doing here anyway?” she asked him.
He cast a quick glance at Cedric, who shrugged his approval, before he deigned to answer her question. “We’re ‘ere to visit Leeha. Just like ye. She has my brother.”
“How did you know she was back in the area?” she wondered, elaborating, “It’s my understanding she went off grid for a few years.”
He gave her a sly smile. “Ye’re vampires aren’t the only ones with eyes everywhere, lassie.”
Emma gave the setting sun a nervous glance.
Periodically, she ran her eyes over each of her captors carefully, ever watchful for any physical or behavioral changes. She prayed Nik would get to her before the moon fully rose. She knew what would happen if he didn’t. She hadn’t watched all of those werewolf movies for nothing.
They’d walked another couple of miles deeper into the ravine before Cedric finally called a halt to their little parade. As one, they all dropped down onto their haunches at the edge of the forest line.
With a yank on her arm from Red, Emma did the same.
In the space between two sets of broad shoulders, she could see the creek she’d heard earlier rambling along in front of her. It appeared to run right into the base of one of the larger mountains, where it disappeared into the deepening gloom.
“So here's the plan, lassie,” Cedric told her quietly. “Leeha always has guards stationed just downstream a ways. We're aff to let them capture ye as soon as it’s full dark.”
“Excuse me?” she squeaked.
Duncan translated. “There are guards downstream. Leeha’s guards. We’re goin’ to pretend to let them take you. We'll send ye out by yourself, staying upwind so they dinna ken we’re here.”
She felt the strong urge to protest this idea. “I don’t agree with this plan. This is a terrible plan.”
“It'll be fine,” he assured her. “But we ‘ave to wait for just the right moment. We canna let anything actually happen to ye, Nikulas would murder us all.”
They all nodded gravely in agreement.
“By the time they show themselves 'n' start taking ye in, yer Nik will be here.” Cedric smiled broadly. “'n' then he’ll take care o’ those guards, we’ll take care o’ any others that show, and we can take care o' this daft bitch together.”
“Why not just wait for Nik and Aiden outside the cave? Let them know you’re here and you want to help? Wouldn’t that have been easier than going through all of this?” Emma hissed. It would’ve been easier on me, that’s for sure.
“Well, now, where’s the fun ’n’ that?” The wolf leader chuckled softly. “Besides, then they’d ken that we ken where their ‘secret’ hideout is.”
Duncan must’ve felt some sympathy for her, for he patted her gently on the back. “Dinna worry, lass. Nik 'n' Aiden will get here before anything happens tae ye. And they’ll be so happy tae see us, they’ll forgive us for stealing you away. Between us all, we'll be able tae handle them easy.”
“You seem to be awfully confident of that. What if there are more than you expected?” she asked nervously. “What if they outnumber you? What then?”
Cedric smiled a knowing smile. “Nik is a vampire rescuing his mate. I will be surprised if he needs us at all!"
“It’s time,” Lucian announced.
“Aye.” Cedric stood up, bringing Emma up with him. “A'right lassie. Off ye go. Just follow th' creek, 'n' act like ye're lost.” Giving her a little push, he sent her in the right direction.
Emma managed about three steps before she dug in her heels, trying one last time to appeal to them. “Please! I don’t want to do this!”
Her teeth started to chatter and her body to tremble. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t willingly sacrifice herself like this for the amusement of these dogs.
Lucian bared his teeth at her. “Ye will do it. 'N' you'd better hurry, before th' moon rises.” It was the first time he’d spoken. His voice was raw and gravelly, and the sound of it raked over her like hot coals. Emma felt chills run down her spine.
Her eyes widened at the sight of his long canines, and she turned her terrified stare to Duncan, who gave her a confident smile. “We need th’ element o’ surprise. We'll be right behind ye. Ye can do this, lassie.”
Not seeing she had much of a choice, she walked jerkily toward the creek.
Chapter 40
Tears streamed unnoticed down Emma’s face as she followed the creek downstream, and her body shook so hard her teeth clattered. And not from the cold.
A quick peek over her shoulder didn’t reveal anyone following her. Were the dogs even there? Or were they only pretending to be friends with Nik and Aiden and sending her off to her doom? She may have signed her own death wish by not denying she was Nik’s mate.
Hurting—or killing—her would be the perfect way to destroy him. It would be a fatal blow. One that would make him suffer severely before he finally found his end.
Emma was getting closer to the mountain, and nothing and no one had leapt out to halt her progress. Where were these supposed guards?
She would kill those dogs. She really would.
If she made it out of here alive.
She thought about making a break for it. If the wolves were really following, she knew she wouldn’t get far. But at least then she’d know they hadn’t been lying.
And if they weren’t following? Well, she’d know that, too.
Nik would be looking for her now. He’d said he’d be able to find her as long as she wasn’t too far away. She tried to add up the number of miles they’d walked in her head. But she didn’t know how far was “too far”.
But, it didn’t really matter, did it? There was no way she was just going to willingly get herself captured. She knew what the guards would be like. Abnormal things with grey, rotting skin and red eyes.
I’d rather die from exposure in the wilderness than be taken by those—
She couldn’t even finish the thought. Mind made up, she took one last frantic glance over her shoulder, and took off running toward the thick trees.
She wasn’t even halfway there when she heard the unsteady footfalls of something behind her. Terrified, she pumped her arms and stretched out her legs, her mind telling her to look, but her body rebelling against the thought. She didn’t need to look. She knew what it was.
Emma never ran so hard in her life, but in spite of her best efforts, she could hear her pursuer gaining on her. The footfalls came closer and closer no matter how she pushed herself. Harsh, wheezing breaths sent chills down her spine, and she cut to the side.
Keeping her eyes on the trees, she hit her stride, giving it all she had. If she just made it to the cover of the forest, she could lose it, and she’d be safe.
She was only about twenty feet away when, from the cover of the trees, a pair of red eyes appeared straight from one of her nightmares, glowing eerily out of the darkness. Emma screamed as a loud hiss crawled over her skin, making every hair on her body stand up on end.
Running for her life, she didn’t notice the anguished roar that came tearing through the trees in answer to her scream.
Emma veered off to the left, hoping against hope the werewolves were actually there and would help her. Tears ran down her face, making it hard for her to see. Something burst from the trees on her right, lurching toward her, long arms spread wide to catch her. With a shriek, she veered off again in the opposite direction.
Directly into the beast behind her.
It grabbed her up in a bear hug, hurtled her roughly to the ground, and fell on top of her.
For a brief moment, she froze as terror overwhelmed her. But only for a moment. Emma flipped onto her back as she hit the dirt. Pushing on its chest, she kicked her feet and threw her head back and forth. Long, yellow claws sliced into her skin through her clothes. Saliva mixed with blood dribbled from its open mouth as it screeched at her, landing in her hair, on her face—
No! No! No! Please no!! She repeated the mantra over and over as she tried to fight it off. This couldn’t be happening to her again.
The urge to vomit was overwhelming as she felt the thing hump her, excited from her thrashing underneath it. But she couldn’t let it get a good grip on her. It would rip her apart. And this time, she had no doubt, she wouldn’t survive.
Pieces of its rotting flesh came off in her hands as she pushed and clawed at its chest and arms. Gripping her wrists, it tried to hold her arms down, its yellow claws slashing open her skin on the inside of her arms. But still, she fought. She didn’t know where
her strength came from, but didn’t stop to think about it.
Frantically, she kicked and rocked her body from side to side, until she finally managed to get one of her legs between them. With all of her strength, she slammed her knee into its balls.
Throwing its head back, it shrieked in pain, but didn’t roll off of her. Emma sobbed uncontrollably now, but somehow managed to pull one of her arms from its grip. She slammed her palm into its exposed throat, but she couldn’t get her fingers far enough around the rotting flesh to cause any real pain.
Ignoring her weak attempts to strangle it, it lowered its head and pulled its lips back, tongue flicking out to lick her face. Gagging, she turned her face away only to see the other two had joined them and were eagerly waiting their turns.
Tongues flicked over sharp teeth as they palmed themselves disgustingly, grunting at the feel of their own hands and the sight of her wrestling with their companion.
She released a low, keening cry as hopelessness washed over her. It was over. She could feel her strength waning against its superior might with every second. Once one of them got its fangs into her, they’d fight over her like dogs.
A ragged sob escaped her as she thought of Nik finding what little would be left of her. He would blame himself for not protecting her. For not insisting she stay inside. The guilt would eat him alive. He didn’t deserve that. It wasn’t his fault she hadn’t listened to him.
Emma floundered a bit as these thoughts flew through her head, but then she gritted her teeth and rallied herself. She couldn’t let that happen.
With a yell, she bucked underneath the thing in one last ditch effort to get it off of her. Her muscles screamed in agony, yet she fought like a wild thing. She kept it up as long as she could, even when the only thing she seemed to accomplish was arousing the thing more. Until, finally, she could feel her muscles giving out on her. With one last feeble attempt to save herself, she curled her fingers on its throat and squeezed its trachea.