Exquisite Breath of Darkness

by Candice Stauffer

  ~ Eighteen ~

  IT WAS WELL past closing, but Mia was still at her boutique rearranging racks of clothing in preparation for a sales event she was having the following day. She heard the front door open and called out, “I’m almost done, Joseph.”

  Then she remembered she’d locked the door and she’d never given Joseph a key because he didn’t need to use one. She experienced a strange sensation of déjà vu just a split second before she heard Eli’s voice. “He’s not right for you.”

  She turned to face him. “How did you get in here? What are you doing here?” Her first thought was to call Joseph to her, but she didn’t. For reasons she couldn’t figure out, she didn’t want Eli to die. More men walked in, but Mia didn’t believe they were a threat. She knew Eli was in charge, and he wouldn’t allow them to harm her.

  Smiling, he dangled a key in front of her. “You dropped it just outside.”

  She reached for it. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.” He handed it to her. “But you won’t have any use for it in the future. I’m taking you with me. You belong with me.”

  She counted eight men besides Eli. She wasn’t going to be able to fight them all, but she believed it wouldn’t come to a fight. Deep down she actually believed he didn’t mean any real harm. For whatever reason, he’d gotten the notion in his head that they belonged together. Of course, he was wrong. Joseph was the only man she would ever love. Eli was obviously confused and just plain stubborn as hell, but she believed she could reason with him and help him come to terms with the truth.

  Narrowing her gaze on him, she frowned. Well, she could try saving the dumbass before calling Joseph to execute him.

  She took a step back to give herself a little space and time to figure out what the hell to say to him to convince him she didn’t belong with him. The men moved with supernatural speed and surrounded her. Still, she knew Eli was in control, and she believed she might be able to reason with him. Instead, she found herself completely immobilized in the strong arms of another man. Her backside was pressed so tightly against his body she didn’t have a hope in hell of getting away.

  Eli moved closer to her. “Don’t afraid. No one will harm you.” As she struggled to break free from the man restraining her from behind, Eli held a cloth over her face. Rather than panic when she realized she was losing consciousness, she called out to Joseph. I need you now! She sent him the image of Eli’s pack standing in her boutique as darkness surrounded and overtook her.

  * * *

  Joseph no sooner heard her cry for help and saw the image of Eli’s pack surrounding her than his mental connection to her disappeared. Completely disappeared. In its place was a dark, empty void. It was as if she’d never existed. There were only two possibilities: she was dead, or she was unconscious.

  His heart stuttered as if it would stop and then slammed against the wall of his chest. He reached for her again and waited for a few seconds but sensed nothing. There was a chance she might reach for him while he wasn’t in tangible form, but he had no choice—he had to shed his flesh and shift to her. Almost instantly, he was standing in very spot she’d been in when she called out to him, but she was gone.

  The first thing he noticed was that there were no visible signs of a struggle. It was the worst thing he could’ve discovered. Mia would’ve fought like hell when Eli approached her. She would’ve done her best to prevent him from taking her.

  Eyes scanning the boutique for clues, he breathed deeply through his nostrils, filling his lungs with Eli’s scent. He memorized Eli’s scent and the scent of each pack member that had anything to do with Mia’s abduction. He could and would be able to find them anywhere regardless of how much time passed. And he would eventually kill each and every man involved.

  Suddenly, the front window shattered. Slivers of glass sliced his flesh, and bullets tore through his body. Then a powerful explosion shook the building with enough force to throw him back several feet. He landed flat on his back.

  Eyes flashing open, he jumped to his feet. Severely wounded, he stumbled backward, but he quickly regained his balance and forced his body to function. His chest was tight, and he was short of breath, but it had nothing to do with the wounds he’d sustained. He was a master of overcoming physical pain.

  Something strange was happening. He felt lightheaded and nauseous. His heart physically ached. At first, since he’d seldom feared anything during his long life, he didn’t realize it was panic for Mia. The moment he understood what was happening to his mind and his body, he gathered his strength and took control.

  He was surrounded by fire and smoke. The walls and the ceiling were fully engulfed in flames. He stood motionless in the center of her tiny boutique, her pride and joy, as it burned down all around him. She’d started out with nothing except a dream and determination. She’d worked hard for it. She’d fought with all that she had to keep it. And now, it was gone.

  Eli knew bullets and an explosion couldn’t kill a demon. Eli had destroyed her to dream just to buy time to escape with her because he was too much of a coward to fight man to man.

  Raising his head to the heavens, Joseph roared. He called Haden to join him as he lifted his arms and pulled the most deadly ancient powers in the universe to him. He drew every ounce of the energy in the atmosphere into his body, determined to send it slamming into Eli with more deadly force than an atomic bomb.

  He stopped. What the hell was he doing? He could control the explosion. Mia wouldn’t be harmed, but would she realize that? If he sent all this power to kill Eli and his pack and Mia feared it, she could die of that fear. He couldn’t take that chance. He had to hunt them down, get her back, and then destroy Eli and his pack.

  His body began changing. Stretching. Contorting. Growing.

  In the form of the dragon, he lifted his head and roared as he shot up straight through the top of the building, using the flames and billowing smoke to hide his ascent from any onlookers. He traveled quickly, making it several miles before Haden joined him. Together they began to search for Mia and Eli’s pack.

  * * *

  Standing near the campfire, Eli stared over at Mia. She didn’t deserve to be abducted and tied to a tree in the middle of the forest. He’d made a terrible mistake. He hated the way he’d taken her. He knew all too well she could’ve summoned Joseph the moment she saw him and his pack. He hated that he’d stooped to drugging her to prevent her from calling out for help to the man she loved. He’d been convinced for so long that she was his mate, but after seeing her anger and hatred for him in her eyes when she realized he was going to take her, he knew better.

  Something else bothered him. Up until the day he’d cornered her in the alley behind her boutique, he’d dreamed of feeling his heart and soul merge with hers the first time they touched. He’d heard many of his kind describe the total connection they shared with their mates and had looked forward to feeling it with her. When he touched her, it just wasn’t there—he didn’t feel any deep connection at all. He couldn’t even force it. Though he’d continued pursuing her, it was mostly because he didn’t know what else to do. For the past twenty years of his three hundred years, finding and possessing her had been his sole purpose for waking up each day.

  It bothered him that she was still unconscious. It had to have something to do with her illness. She was weak. Her body was depleted. He’d managed to shield her weakness from the pack, but they would eventually figure it out. When they did, they would attempt to kill her to preserve the integrity of lycan bloodlines.

  Mia stirred and groaned. He walked over to her and knelt down to place his hand on her chest. Her heart was beating too slowly. He’d known her illness was fatal, but until that moment he’d failed to realize just how close she was to death. He placed her hand on her forehead. She was cold and clammy.

  “What have I done to you?” he asked, though he knew damn well what he’d done. By using chloroform to knock her out he’d completely separated her from Joseph, a
nd Joseph had been sustaining her life. He knew what he needed to do. He untied her and picked her up in his arms. “Hold on, Mia. I’m taking you to Joseph. Just hold on a little while longer,” he whispered in her ear.

  “Where are you going with her?” Samuel stood up and blocked Eli’s path.

  “Get out of my way.” Eli kept walking as if he would just walk right over Samuel if he didn’t move. “I want a little private time with my mate before it’s time to move on.”

  Growling, Samuel stepped to the side. “What’s wrong with her?”

  “You know damn well what’s wrong with her. We used chloroform to knock her out.” Without even looking at Samuel, Eli kept walking away. He knew Samuel was very close to discovering the truth about Mia’s health. The scent of death was strong on her. “I will be back before first light. Make sure the pack is ready to move out.”

  Samuel grunted. “We’ll be ready.”

  Eli felt Samuel watching him as he walked into the woods. He had about two hours before sunrise, two hours before Samuel realized he’d abandoned the pack. Samuel wouldn’t hesitate to take over and lead the pack to hunt him down and kill him. If he hurried he could return her to Joseph within three hours. Hopefully a two-hour head start would put enough distance between them to prevent the pack from catching up. She didn’t weigh enough to slow him down, but he couldn’t travel at full speed without jarring her and causing her more pain. He hoped like hell she stayed unconscious—her heart was so weak a sudden adrenalin rush could kill her.

  As soon as he was out of Samuel’s sight, he picked up his pace as much as he dared. He covered several miles within the two hours. Mia’s heart continued to get weaker with each passing minute. He stopped several times just to check if she was still breathing. He knew the instant Samuel and the pack started to pursue them, but he’d traveled far enough that they wouldn’t catch up to him. Even so, he didn’t slow down.

  * * *

  Drifting in and out of consciousness, Mia knew she was dying. Strong arms cradled her, but she knew it wasn’t Joseph. She couldn’t remember what had happened. She wasn’t sure who was carrying her until she was lowered to the ground and she opened her eyes. “Eli,” she whispered. “Why?”

  Placing his palm over her heart, he leaned down over her. “It’s good you’re awake. The affects of the chloroform are wearing off. You should be able to merge with Joseph now. Do whatever you can to connect with him. You’re in rough shape, your heart is weak, but he can help you.”

  “He’ll kill you.” She should be happy at the thought of Joseph killing him, but despite everything she still didn’t want Eli to die. She tried to focus on Joseph, she tried to reach out him, but there was a solid wall of darkness separating them.

  He gently pushed her hair back away from her face. “Just do it. I deserve it. I had no right to take you.” He scooped her up and started to move. “We need to hurry. We can’t allow my pack to catch up.”

  “I’ve tried to reach Joseph. I can’t. Something is between us. I think it’s a spell.” Why would he worry about his pack catching up to them? He was their leader. Wasn’t he? Was it possible they’d turn on him? She remembered his pack had rallied around him when he’d taken her. “Why would you consider your pack a threat?”

  “I’m returning you to Joseph.” He stopped abruptly. She heard him take a deep breath through his nostrils and knew he was scenting the air. Obviously, he sensed a threat close by. She remained absolutely silent and still to allow him to study and locate the threat. “And by now my pack has realized you’re ill. They will attempt to kill you to preserve the integrity of our bloodlines.”

  “We’re being hunted. What is it?” she asked.

  “I’m not sure yet.”

  “Put me down.” She squirmed to get him to release her. “I can help you. I can fight.”

  “Hold still.” He laughed softly. “I’ve no doubt you can, but I’m hoping to avoid a fight by getting us the hell out of here.”

  * * *

  Something to the left moved and caught Eli’s eye, and then, within seconds, something to the right moved. He stopped and lifted his head to scent the air. Vampires. He recognized their odor instantly. He couldn’t outrun them in his human form, and he couldn’t carry her in his wolf form. Though she’d offered to fight with him she wasn’t even strong enough to hold onto him. He had to fight, had to kill them, and for that he had a better chance in his wolf form. He quickly but gently lowered her onto the ground. “It’s vampires. Let me deal with them. Don’t get up. Don’t try to fight. We both know you’re not up to it right now.” He shifted into his wolf form.

  A vampire stepped out from behind a tree and onto the path Eli had been traveling on. “Give us the woman, and we will not kill you.”

  Baring his teeth, Eli growled. He could hear Mia struggling to get to her feet, but he didn’t dare take his focus away from the vampire.

  “Don’t be stupid,” the vampire warned. “Your pack is miles away. We have you outnumbered.”

  Eli knew he was outnumbered, but he wasn’t going to hand Mia over to them. Apparently she wasn’t going to allow them to take without a fight. She was at his side, but clearly, teetering from side to side, she was too weak to fight. She was only in danger because he’d taken her. He would give his life to right that wrong. Within seconds it became apparent he was indeed going to die trying to protect her. Dozens of vampires attacked him all at once. Even in his wolf form he didn’t stand a chance. Mortally wounded, unable to take a full breath, he watched the vampires carry her away.

  * * *

  Excruciating pain moving through her body, Mia began to regain consciousness slowly. She heard moving water. It sounded like a river. She could also hear something else. It seemed a far-off echo of male voices. They were arguing. She tried for focus on what they were saying, but she just couldn’t make out the words of the conversation.

  She realized she was starting to feel drowsy. She knew better than to fall asleep, but she just couldn’t fight it. She was so tired. So cold. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift off.

  * * *

  Panic rose up in her. She suddenly became fully aware. Her heart was raced. The panic she was feeling was all-consuming, but it wasn’t her own. It was Joseph’s. She heard Joseph call her name over and over again, commanding her to wake up, to stay awake. She reached for him. She imagined his arms holding her, comforting her. No, she wasn’t imagining it. He was with her though he wasn’t.

  And then he wasn’t with her at all.

  * * *

  Joseph. She waited for a few minutes. He was gone. Nothing remained of his presence. No sense of his arms wrapped around her. She’d imagined it or dreamed it. Joseph, I need you. Where are you?

  She lay shivering on the cold, damp ground. The air was foul, tasted stale or moldy. She began to sit up, but when she tried to extend her arms for support, she realized they were bound behind her back.

  She remembered Eli coming into her boutique, she remembered reaching for Joseph, but that was it. She couldn’t remember if she’d actually reached Joseph—maybe she only dreamed of reaching for him. But then she simply relaxed, knowing Joseph wouldn’t abandon her. Even if she hadn’t reached him, he would find her.

  Meanwhile, though, she needed to find a way to help herself until he got to her.

  She had no idea where she was. It was too dark to see anything. She expanded her mind and sent her other sense out to study her immediate surroundings. And that was when she realized she wasn’t alone. “Aww shit.” She felt a terrible a hunger, a desperate need blood. It could only be a vampire.

  “I may not be giving off the greatest vibes, but I’m not going to hurt you.”

  She recognized his voice at once. “Caleb?”

  “That would be me. I would say it’s nice to see you again, but considering the circumstances I’m sure you are about as happy to see me as I am to see you.”

  “I can’t see you,” she admitted. “It’s to
o dark in here for me to see anything.”

  “Well then, it’s your lucky day,” he teased.

  “Where are you?”

  “I’m directly across from you.”

  Squinting, she tried to make out his form just in case she needed to defend herself, but it was no use. She was surrounded by utter blackness.

  Caleb laughed softly. “I’ve known Joseph for many years. I’m sure you know he wouldn’t have left you in the cemetery alone with me if he thought there was any chance I’d harm you.”

  “I’m sorry. It’s just that I’ve had many bad encounters with vampires.”

  “There’s no need to apologize. I understand. How did they manage to separate you from Joseph?” Caleb asked.

  “Eli Thomas took me from my boutique. He drugged me. I don’t remember anything else.”

  “Have you tried to reach Joseph?” Caleb asked.

  “Yes. I felt him for a moment. But it could’ve been a dream. He’ll come for me.”

  “Yes. I’ve no doubt he is doing all that he can to find you, but it might be impossible. These vampires are getting stronger, and they’re getting much better at utilizing Zack’s blood. We are surrounded by demonic spells designed to prevent telepathic communication.”

  “It’s Demetri. He’s helping them. But Joseph will find me. He told me nothing can ever prevent me from reaching him, and I believe him.”

  “Eventually you will. But will it be in time? We need to get you out of here.”

  “Do you know where we are?” Mia asked.

  “Beneath the falls.”