Rikki’s fingers combed my hair, sweeping away errant strands from my face.
“Cain escaped. He sensed our arrival and he left. I don’t know how many rogues managed to escape with him.”
I grimaced at the sound of Cain’s name.
“We captured two.”
“What do you plan to do with these rogues?” I asked, already aware of the answer.
“Question them.” This time when Rikki spoke, there was no gentleness in her tone. She wanted to kill them.
“Please, Rikki. No more bloodshed.”
Gold flashed in her eyes. “No promises, Bonnie.”
“Ask your questions. And when you’re done, let them go or keep them caged until you figure out what to do next.”
Rikki sighed. “Try not to think about it. The less you know, the better.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
I remembered a moment during Cain’s attack, a moment when his teeth penetrated my flesh, splitting sinew and veins. My mind was numb to everything else except the pain. Dark clouds concealed all thoughts. I was terrified that I would die, but what scared me even more than that was the possibility that death would not come for me then. That Cain would not kill me, and instead I would be forced into his pack, to birth his cubs.
I cursed myself for stopping, for getting out of my car the night I was attacked. I ignored every rational instinct and let my desire to save a life make me forget about safeguarding my own. I could have died that night. I should have died that night. But I became a werewolf. It should have been a second chance. Maybe it was. It was difficult to think of it that way now, since I knew that Cain would keep coming for me so long as he continued to live.
I admired Rikki's strength at a time like this. I was crumbling piece by piece with each minute that passed, and here she sat before me, stone-solid in her certainty. I knew it wasn’t my fault. I kept telling myself that anyway. I didn’t provoke the attack. I didn’t even ask for it.
When I looked at Rikki, I realized how much I had been so inwardly focused. Jeanie was gone. Dead. Rikki had recently lost someone who was important to her. Someone that she had once loved. I wanted to give her some indication that I could help to heal her. That I could give her love too. Softly, I brushed hair away from her cheek. Her nose crinkled, stirring from the sensation of my fingertips against her skin. I smiled and scooted closer to her. I shut my eyes and pressed my forehead against hers, hoping that she would feel the love that I was offering.
I slid my hand over her hip and grasped it firmly, then I allowed them to explore the space of her body all the way up to her hair. Rikki gasped softly.
“I am sorry,” I whispered into her ear.
She hugged me tightly and buried her face into the crook of my neck and began to cry. I knew grief was a savage creature. It could break you apart and leave you unable to mend yourself. I kissed her hair and breathed in the honeysuckle scent of her skin.
“I will fight for you and for the pack—”
She kissed me.
We didn’t need any more words tonight. Our future was clear.
We would fight. I would free myself of Cain. The pack and I would go forth together as a family. I wrapped my arms around Rikki tightly, confident that we would endure.
We held each other for the rest of the night.
*
“What happened?” Rikki growled as she rose from the kitchen table where we were sitting at the sight of Mika rushing inside from the backyard.
Mika was sweating, his eyes were crazed. “He came into my home! Took my girlfriend!”
The table was no match for Rikki’s fury. It and the food we were eating were smashed to pieces. Luckily, I had gotten out of the way before I was smashed to pieces too. The chaos resonated through the house, and several members of the pack rushed into the kitchen, their eyes golden. They thought Cain had returned.
I knew this was not my fault and I couldn't make this just about me, but I couldn’t help but feel some responsibility for all of it. I wasn't the only one being affected. I walked over to Rikki, gently pressing my hand against the center of her back. She stiffened for only a second but slowly relaxed into my touch. I wrapped my arms around her waist and rested my head on her shoulder. Her breathing slowed.
“We don't—”
I held my hand out to whoever had spoken, not caring who it was. Right now, Rikki needed a clear mind, otherwise she might rush after Cain without a plan and get herself and others hurt. We should have seen this coming. Though Cain was driven away the other night, it wasn’t a sound defeat. So long as he lived, Cain would continue to come for me. In his mind, I belonged to him.
I kept my arms around Rikki. “You know what he’s trying to do, Rikki. He’s trying to draw us out to him. We have to come up with a plan. We can’t just barrel in—”
“No,” she hissed.
“Rikki, I—”
“No!” she yelled as she turned to face me. Her eyes were golden.
Desperation seeped into my tone. I needed her to listen before she did something foolish and suicidal. “Rikki, we don't know where he or his pack lives! The only thing we do know so far is that they sometimes hang around Banes…but who knows if they will go back to the bar now?”
No response except the flickering glow in her golden eyes. Cecilia approached us tentatively. “Perhaps, we should listen—”
I slammed my fist down on the counter. “Let me handle this, Cecilia.”
She was silent. Rikki was too.
I gave them each one more severe glare to ensure that my point was made. “Good. Now, it’s no secret that he’s after me, so I think we should use that to our advantage for once.”
“Absolutely not, Bonnie. You are not going to sacrifice yourself! You think that’s going to stop him? You think he won’t lay waste to the pack once he has you?” Rikki’s body was rigid again.
Damn it.
I knew I needed to remain calm. If my tone rose in pitch at all, it might set Rikki off completely and she’d be out the door in a heartbeat. “I am not going to sacrifice myself. I’m not naïve. Look, those two rogues you captured haven’t given you any information we can use, so I think we need to devise a plan of our own.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. The others held their tongues. “A plan? And what exactly would that plan be?”
I wasn’t going to let her bait me into arguing. “We pretend to get into a huge argument. I storm out and drive home, followed at some distance by a few pack members. Cain is going to take advantage of that opportunity, and he’ll snatch me from the road and take me back to his pack’s den. Our wolves will then come back to you to report the location of Cain’s hideout, and then you can plan your attack.”
“You become bait?” Rosemary questioned.
“Exactly. This is the only way we can get Mika’s girlfriend back safely. And it’s the only way we are going to be able to defeat Cain. Who knows when he will attack next? We need to go on the offensive,” I explained. “Tato and Toni should be the ones to follow. They are the best trackers.”
A hush fell over the room. Everyone looked to Rikki for an answer, except for Rosemary. She looked at me instead. Rikki didn’t say anything. Her hands were balled into tight fists.
“We both know you're going to do this whether Rikki likes it or not. And, it is a good plan.” Rosemary shifted her weight from her left leg to her right. Her hands were on her hips.
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
I nearly jumped back a few feet. It was the first Rikki had spoken in several minutes. I was certain she’d still be seething, but I was glad she was actually listening.
I nodded. “I do. I can do this.”
Rikki inhaled sharply, staring at the floor. “Okay.”
I was relieved that Rikki agreed to my suggestion, and even more so that the others were also on board. This plan would work. I knew it. Cain was secretive, and it played to his advantage. To discover his den, someone would have to be bai
t, and he only wanted me. It had to be me. I shuddered inwardly. I would have to keep my nerves in check, especially when I was face-to-face with Cain. Our connection, our primal link, would make me highly susceptible to his influence…his presence. I had to fortify myself against it. I had to keep reminding myself of Mika’s girlfriend, of the pack, of Rikki.
My nerves were perceptible to Rikki. I hoped she was the only one who noticed. She took hold of my forearms and our eyes met. My resolve steadied.
“I trust you.” She said it loudly enough for everyone in the kitchen to hear.
I nodded shakily. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
*
Time doesn’t drag its feet. It’s impatient and moves ever onward without regard for those who must race to keep up, or for those who’d prefer to remain behind. I was the latter. Even though I had the support of Rikki and the pack, my nerves wriggled under my skin like worms working tirelessly through the soil of my tissue. The plans were cemented. Roles assigned and outlined. Each step painstakingly memorized.
The kitchen table had become a command center of sorts over the course of the day. A local map was laying open at the center of the table, horribly crinkled and stained with pizza grease. Balls of used napkins were strewn across the map where we had settled on the road I would travel. Cecilia put another slice of pizza on my plate. I waved my hand, disinterested in food at the moment. She nudged the plate closer to me, undeterred by my indifference.
“You are going to need your strength.” Cecilia rested her head in her hand, her elbow flattening one of the napkins on the map.
I stared at the pizza. It didn’t inspire any degree of hunger, but to be honest, I would have felt the same way about a perfect piece of prime rib.
I frowned and picked up the slice. “Thanks.”
I groaned but ate the pizza anyway. Cecilia wouldn’t leave me alone until I did.
Rikki wandered into the kitchen with a faraway look on her face. She spotted me and Cecilia at the table and picked up my glass of water and took several large gulps.
“Ready?” Rikki asked.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The cold air stung my exposed skin.
I had decided to pull off the road some time ago when I realized that I wasn’t being followed by anyone except for Toni and Tato. It was quiet but not ominously so. Maybe he isn’t coming? No, that’s ridiculous. He will come.
There was a small bridge a few yards ahead of me. Leaving the car was probably not the best idea, but I was here to get kidnapped anyway, so I might as well pick a good spot to wait. I walked to the bridge, dead foliage crunching underneath my shoes. I sensed the presence of Toni and Tato. They were somewhere out there in the fog of blackness.
The bridge was made of a sturdy stone and overlooked a small stream. Large, smooth rocks crowded together at the base of the bridge, partially blocking the steady flow of water. I leaned against the stone wall, peering at the water below. I hoped that Rikki had managed to calm down. She wasn’t doing such a great job of hiding her worry when I left. Now that the moment had arrived, I couldn’t hide my fear either. I shivered against the chilly breeze.
Somewhere behind me, the sound of a branch snapping was carried to the bridge where I stood shaking with anxiety. The sound originated from a source that was close to my car. I couldn’t see anything, but I could sense them. The rogues. They were here. A low growl resonated in the blackness. A lone wolf stepped out of the dark and onto the bridge.
I straightened my back. “I know you didn’t come alone.”
There was a loud thump behind me, and I turned to find another rogue on the opposite end of the bridge. I was cornered. Each of them took a step forward in turn, gradually closing in on me second after second. Their teeth were exposed, and threatening rumbles erupted from their throats. I want to be kidnapped. I want to be kidnapped. I want to be kidnapped. This is fucking crazy. They are going to kill me. Why didn’t I listen to Rikki?
I shut my eyes as they inched closer.
“They won't hurt you, Bonnie. Cain would not like that at all.”
My eyes flew open. There was a woman of surreal beauty standing in front of me. She appeared to be about my age and a few of her features were remarkably similar to mine.
She offered me her hand.
Why did it feel like I knew her?
“We must go. Cain is very impatient to see you.”
*
I was blindfolded, which I expected. I also had expected them to knock me unconscious, but they didn’t. The drive to Cain’s den was relatively smooth except for the last few minutes. It must be a dirt road. I gripped the cushion of the seat when we hit a particularly rough bump. Tato and Toni were following, I knew. I was glad that they had managed to remain undetected so far.
The car came to a stop a few minutes later.
The woman helped me out of the car carefully.
“I'm going to remove the blindfold,” the woman said.
I blinked repeatedly as it was lifted off of me, adjusting my eyes to the darkness. There was nothing but trees around.
“Follow me,” she urged.
I followed, stumbling over vegetation. We were on a hiking trail.
It took us 20 minutes before the trail opened into a clearing. I observed the layout, realizing we were at a campground. There were several large tents that were the size of a studio apartment spread out in the clearing. It looked as if this camp had been here for a while. No wonder Rikki couldn't find a money trail of Cain or his rogues. They'd been hiding out here. Wherever here was. There were two different campfires roaring on opposite sides of the tents where rogues in human form sat eating and drinking. All eyes turned to me as we approached.
“Take her,” the woman commanded. She handed me over to one of the rogues who had assisted in my capture.
He wasn’t gentle with me. Grabbing my arm forcefully, he dragged me alongside him grumbling frustratedly. The tent to the far right of the campground was our destination. Inside of it were two large, iron cages. One was occupied, but I was pushed into the other so quickly I didn’t have time to get a good look at who it was inside the other cage. The rogue retrieved a key from his pocket and locked the cage. He tapped the cage menacingly, then turned and exited the tent.
“You must be Bonnie,” a soft voice said.
I turned to the cage next to me and narrowed my eyes. It was a little dark, but I could make out the figure of a woman. She was curvy and dark-skinned. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail.
I smiled weakly. “And you must be Mika's girlfriend.”
She nodded, scooting as close as she could get to me in her cage. “Kesha.”
“Sorry to meet you under these circumstances.”
I wondered how much she knew. The last thing I wanted was to be responsible for exposing this world to her.
“How much do you know?” I whispered.
“I've been with Mika for almost three years. He told me everything on our fifth date. You’re mated with Mika’s mom, right?”
“Yeah. Mika told me what happened to you.” Her voice wavered.
“Yeah. Well, I'm sorry I got you into this.”
“It's not your fault.”
*
Someone walked in and I knew instantly it was Cain.
Soil and roots.
Moon and tides.
I felt dizzy, and so I steadied myself by gripping the bars of the cage as tightly as I could. The woman who took me from the bridge was standing next to him.
She snarled. “You swore to me you would never touch her.”
Cain smirked. “Things change. She's powerful and needs someone like me to tame her.”
“No one can tame me!” I hissed. I couldn't help myself.
The wolf inside me was awake and wanted control. She had been caged for too long. Her teeth sought to rip out Cain's throat. I stifled a snarl. It was no small matter to contain my wolf, particularly when I felt threatened or angry. My eyes burned. I feared I was losi
ng to her.
“No one will try and tame you,” the woman said. Her eyes met mine.
“Who are you?” I questioned, my voice gravelly with fury.
Her expression hardened and twisted in anguish. “No wonder she has come involuntarily. I trusted you to tell her the truth. You swore that you had nothing to do with her being attacked. You were supposed to bring her to me under friendly terms, but now I see that she is our enemy.”
What the hell is going on?
Cain slammed his fist against my cage. “I am not in service to you, Braelin. You follow my orders!”
“You’ve had my loyalty for five years. You promised me that you would help me. This was all I asked for in all the time I’ve served under you.” She shook her head and hugged herself. “Why did you do this? For a woman who doesn’t want you? For greed? She doesn't even know who she is, Cain! How could you expect to get anything from her?”
His eyes were fixed on mine. “I'll shake it out of her if I have to.”
A shiver rocketed up my spine, causing me to tremble.
Fear crumpled under the weight of my anger. I wanted them to stop. Stop talking about me. Stop making plans for me. Stop. I gripped the bars and yanked as hard as I could. The cage rattled, and I felt the metal of the bars bend under the force of my hands. It certainly got their attention.
“I am not yours!”
Cain hovered close to the cage, swaying slowly from side to side in a taunting manner. His eyes were golden. He sniffed the air between us, and I could sense his desire.
“I turned you. I have every right to claim you.”
“Technically, you did not turn her.” Braelin was trying to insert herself between Cain and me.
“Then what exactly would you call the attack that night?” I asked.
“I only meant—”
“Braelin!” Cain snapped, issuing a warning to Braelin. His eyes never left mine. “This would all end easier for you if you just submit.”
A Night Claimed Page 17