by Lily Harlem
“Take these off,” I demanded, standing and facing Aatu. “Take these silver chains off.” I clenched my fists to stop myself from reaching out and shaking him.
“Not a chance in hell.” His expression was stern.
A hysterical sob burst from my chest. “You have to. These are good men.”
Aatu sneered. “Men, these aren’t men—they’re vampires. Soulless, cold, murdering bastards.”
“No, you’re wrong.”
Aatu looked at Isaac. “She’s hysterical. Take her away.”
“No.” Again I dodged Isaac, but Caleb caught me.
“Think straight,” he said hotly into my ear. “Calm down and shut the fuck up.”
Calm down? My whole body was buzzing. My mind was spinning. The joy of finding Aimery and Ryle alive was mixing with the terror that they may be snatched away from me again at any moment. How the hell could I think straight? I could barely think at all.
Except for one thing. One thought spinning through my head, screaming at my psyche.
I have to get them out of here.
Aatu turned and walked away, leaving us in semi-darkness. “Stoke the fire,” he shouted as he strode from the cave. “The time is drawing near to get rid of the first one.”
“Please, Isaac,” I said, reaching for him. His skin was hot and his muscles solid beneath the surface. “Please, speak to your father for me. Convince him that Aimery and Ryle, my husbands, are not bad. They don’t deserve this, really they don’t.”
“Nothing will convince any of us of that,” he said gruffly. “Even if my father does seem to have thawed a little toward me since the last time I was here, he’s never going to release vampires back into the wild.”
“Please…you know how I’ve mourned for them. I love them.”
He looked at me, his stunning orange-flecked eyes boring into my soul.
I stared back and tried to convey how desperate I was. How much I needed his help.
“No,” he said after a long moment. “I just can’t. It’s too far from everything I believe in to give you back to them. You’ll be used for the rest of your life and you’re worth more than that. You’re worth more than just being vampires’ food.”
“No, please.” I took a step toward him. He hadn’t even given me a chance to explain, to fight my case. “It’s not being used, it’s what I want.”
“Shh,” Caleb said, pulling my back against his chest again and wrapping his arms around me. He put his mouth against my ear. “Shh, I will help you.”
“Caleb?” Isaac said in a harsh whisper. “You can’t.”
“I damn well can. Bea has given me more companionship, understanding and friendship than any of the pack.”
“But they’re vampires. Our archenemy.”
“I trust Bea’s judgment of people. I know her well enough to know that she wouldn’t love a bad man.”
“Fuck, you’re at it now. They’re not men, they’re vampires.” Isaac shoved his hands though his hair and shook his head. “Jesus, you’ve lost it, Caleb.”
I turned within Caleb’s arms. “Thank you. Thank you, please, just give me a minute.”
“Hurry,” he said, glancing at Isaac and then the wolf, Darz, that guarded the cave.
Darz was watching Elfrida who was snuffling and twitching as though the pain from the silver was coming over her in waves and causing her body to spasm.
I dropped to my knees, between Aimery and Ryle, forcing my mind to think logically. I could panic later. Let hysteria take control when I’d sorted this situation out.
My men were weak and in pain. I needed to feed them and get rid of the silver.
With fumbling fingers I removed the silver collar from Aimery. He lifted his head immediately it was out of contact. His eyes were dull, the beautiful sheen of his cool skin faded and matt.
“Drink,” I said, pressing the underside of my wrist against his mouth and glancing at Darz.
He’d turned back to the outside world, watching, from what I could gather, as a great fuss was made of more wood being piled onto the fire.
“Hurry, Aimery, drink,” I whispered.
His fangs slid down, and without taking his gaze from mine he pierced my flesh and began to swallow greedily.
The usual delicious sensation traveled up my arm, arousing my clit and clenching my pussy. But I beat the arousal down. Now was not the time to enjoy the aphrodisiac qualities of his saliva and the way it heightened all of my erogenous zones.
After twenty seconds he pulled away. A drop of blood sat on his bottom lip. “Thank you,” he mouthed.
“Fuck,” Isaac said from behind me. “I can’t watch this shit.” I was aware of him stomping from the cave but I had no care for his opinion. I had to work fast to save the men I loved.
I pulled at the chain around Aimery’s wrists, saw that it was a simple loop to his feet and then a ring on the wall and quickly began to thread it through. He winced and stifled a groan. It was obvious every movement and touch of the silver was agony for him, which of course is what the wolves had counted on.
But it didn’t hurt me and I quickly had him free.
“Beatrice,” he said, looking at me and sitting a little straighter. “Ryle, help Ryle.”
A sudden snarling sound burst up from Elfrida. She glared at me and then tore against her binds, attempting to lunge over Ryle toward me.
Caleb was there in a second, shoving her back against the wall. “I’ve got this,” he said to Darz, the wolf at the entrance. “She’s under control.”
Darz stood and growled, a low rumble that echoed around the innards of the cave. He then stalked back to his sentry spot and looked in the direction of the fire being brought to life. It was crackling and popping, around it the pack barking or shouting depending on which form they were in.
It was obviously going to be an exciting evening, killing three vampires, but if I had my way it would only be one.
Quickly I undid the collar from Ryle’s neck but he barely seemed to notice.
“Bring the female.” It was Aatu’s voice, booming around the campsite and into the cave.
A gruff cheer went up and again Darz stood.
I stilled, dropped down into Ryle’s lap as though devastated and weeping and hoped no one would notice that Aimery was free.
“Keep still,” Aimery whispered.
I didn’t even reply.
“Bastards,” Elfrida spat. “I’ll get you for this…no…no…have mercy.”
Caleb was undoing her chains at the wall. “I said I‘ve got it, Darz,” he said, his human fingers making much quicker work of it than paws ever could. “Stay there.”
Darz growled again.
“If I have to die, then you all will too,” Elfrida said. “I’m going to tell them what you’re doing and—”
“Shut the fuck up, bitch.” Caleb shoved a silver ball into her mouth, it had a strap around it that fastened at her nape and he quickly secured the clasp.
I stared in fascination as Elfrida’s eyes went so big I thought they’d pop right out of her head.
She bucked, flung her head back and then, as suddenly as she’d jerked against her binds she slumped into the wall, eyes closed and a long low moan coming from her chest.
“Where is she?” Aatu was at the entrance, hands on hips.
“Here.” Caleb handed him the end of the chain and took a step back, closer to me.
“Ah, you don’t want to listen to her screams then, Caleb?”
“It will upset Bea.” Caleb shrugged. “She’s not of this world after all.”
There was a pause. “She isn’t,” he said, “unlike you, Caleb.”
Elfrida was still whimpering and jerking on the floor.
“We will talk more,” Aatu went on, “about you and Isaac spending more time with the pack, integrating again. Isaac is after all my son, he will challenge to be alpha himself one day and I would imagine he’ll want you at his side.”
“Yes, sir. Of course and…I h
ope so.”
“But first we must dispose of our trespassers. All of our trespassers.” Aatu jerked Elfrida’s chain. “Say goodbye to your friends, bitch,” he said, dragging her by the neck collar out into the open.
I raised my head and looked at the entrance which was illuminated by the fire just off to the left.
Caleb stood where Darz had previously sat, watching Elfrida being pulled along the floor. I wondered what was going through his mind. What did Aatu want to talk about later? It sounded as though some kind of truce or compromise could be met for them.
But I didn’t have time to wonder so I turned my attention back to Ryle. “Ryle, please, drink,” I whispered into his ear and pressed my opposite wrist against his mouth. He seemed so much weaker than Aimery. “Ryle, please.”
He whimpered.
“Hurry the hell up,” Caleb said, glancing at me and then looking nervously out of the cave again. “I’m surprised they’ve left me guarding for even a moment. Darz will be back soon.”
“Yes, yes, okay,” I said.
“You are doing great, Beatrice,” Aimery said, moving to his knees next to me. “Come on, Ryle, get out of your trance and drink.”
“Ryle,” I said again, cupping his cheek and tipping his face to mine. “Please,” the word had come out almost as a sob I was so desperate for him to wake up.
He snorted and his fangs slid down. Before I knew what was happening he was guzzling from my wrist. Relief shot through me, along with a need to get the hell away from the Carlton Pack and be alone with my vampires. My whole body was buzzing for them.
He stopped drinking. I was lightheaded. He’d taken a lot of my blood. But still I set to work on his chains.
Aimery touched one to release it but quickly retracted his hand and hissed in pain.
“I’ll do it.” I said, undoing the last one from the wall.
“Can you stand?” I asked Ryle.
He looked at me. His blue eyes as clear and sharp as the first day I’d met him. “I can more than stand.” His voice was strong and sure. “I’m ready to get us all the fuck out of here.”
“Go. Now,” Caleb said, pacing into the cave three steps and wringing his hands together. He glanced at Ryle and Aimery then studied me. “Take a right and then hug the cliff until the river. That’s the shortest route to the boundary of Carlton territory. But be quick, really quick.” He spun to the entrance and pointed. “They’re riled up for burning and beheading and they’re expecting three vampires. Being short-changed isn’t going to sit well with them.”
“But…?” I said.
How could I just go? Run off and leave Caleb and Isaac without saying goodbye and facing the consequences of my actions.
“Go,” he said in a panicked voice and moved back to the entrance. “Now.”
Standing and moving to the cave mouth, I stared out at the darkness. To my right the trees were black but on the left the huge campfire was burning bright and casting golden shadows around the forest floor. It seemed impossible for us to get out unseen. Darz was only twenty feet away, staring at the fire. He’d know as soon as Ryle and Aimery appeared.
Caleb plucked the torch from the wall, shifting the light and making it darker where we stood. “What the hell are you waiting for, Bea? They’ll be here any moment for your vampires.” He stepped from one foot to the other.
I stared up at his handsome, worried face. “But you’ll get into terrible trouble for this.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
“Of course I will.”
“You don’t have time to. Not if this is what you really want, Bea.”
“It is,” I swallowed a sob. This was not a moment for crying. “Thank you,” I managed. “Both of you. Please say goodbye to Isaac for me.”
“I will, now go.”
Aimery and Ryle unfolded next to me, each with stern expressions, each poised to fight.
A sudden muffled scream rang through the air followed by barks, cries and whoops of delight.
I glanced to my left. Aatu stood tall by the fires with his hands raised. In his fists he held a mop of bright red curls that covered Elfrida’s decapitated head. The light of the fire glinted off the silver ball that still plugged her mouth and several stringy strands of vampire neck-flesh swung in the breeze.
“Burn her, burn her, burn her…” the pack chanted as several stalked around, grunting and heaving, apparently gathering up her body.
“Hurry,” Caleb said again. “While they’re distracted.”
Suddenly Aimery scooped me up against his chest and whispered. “Hold on,” and don’t let go.”
“I won’t.”
He dropped a kiss to my head and then shot from the cave. Caleb, the fire and my immediate surroundings became a blur and then were gone. I was aware of Ryle close behind and the forest foliage whispering to us as Aimery moved with staggering speed.
Elfrida was dead. Aimery and Ryle were alive, and we were out, away from the pack. Moving, escaping and Aimery was holding me. My Aimery. He was carrying me away from the nightmare Elfrida had created for me to live in.
I held on with every ounce of strength that I had.
I’d never let go of him again.
“They’re following,” Ryle shouted as he dodged between trees and overtaking us slightly.
“Of course they are,” Aimery said. “Did you really think it would be that easy?”
I could hear barks and growls behind us. Twigs snapping and panting breath.
“Fuck,” Ryle said, speeding up. “Hurry. These bastards are quick.”
I clung to Aimery as he picked up the pace. He felt so familiar and safe despite our perilous situation and I buried my face in the curve of his neck as the wind whistled past me.
Our speed was incredible but his run was a glide, so I wasn’t jostled, just held, as he dodged between trunks and leaped over logs.
I prayed Aimery and Ryle had the strength to outrun the wolves. They’d been so near death only moments ago. Thank goodness for my healing blood. Thank goodness Aimery was carrying me as though I weighed nothing more than a feather to him.
The sound of the wolves faded, but only a little and I guessed we’d made some ground ahead of them. Not much, though, they were hot on our trail and they were fast and strong and determined. They’d also had the taste of murder this evening and were lusting for more.
I sensed the cliff coming to an end and the trees thinning. A stretch of open land lay before us and as we reached it both vampires went up a gear, racing faster than I could have ever believed possible now that there were no obstacles.
Caleb’s face hovered in my mind. He’d put himself on the line to save us and gone against what Isaac wanted. A heavy knot of regret coiled in my stomach. What kind of trouble had I got him in with Aatu and the pack? Damn. I cared about him so much. He’d been my rock these last months, yet I hadn’t even said thank you. Hadn’t even been able to hang around and fight in his corner with Isaac.
Oh, Isaac. I knew he’d never agreed with my marrying vampires, but he’d been nothing but kind and protective toward me. He’d returned to the pack where his lover had been ridiculed and faced his father all for me—all to rid Elfrida from my life.
She was gone.
Thank goodness. I’d hated seeing her head held aloft, but now that I had it was real. Real that she was dead and burned and not able to threaten me ever again. I was glad I had the gruesome vision in my mind.If I hadn’t she would have still haunted my dreams.
But I couldn’t get away from the fact that I’d caused trouble for Isaac and Caleb. Lots of trouble, and the very reason they lived away from the pack was because they didn’t like trouble. They enjoyed a quiet life of togetherness without complication.
Well, I’d certainly been a spanner in that plan.
“The river,” Ryle said.
“Good, Beatrice is getting cold,” Aimery said, reducing his speed. “The river means we’ll soon reach a road and we can get a car and drive
to the lodge. That will be warmer and more comfortable for her.”
“Yeah, sounds like a plan,” Ryle said.
“I’m fine.” I clutched Aimery tighter. “Really, I’m fine. You’re both alive, how could I not be okay?” A hysterical bubble of laughter burst from my chest. It could have developed into a sob but instead I shivered quite violently. I could gain no body heat from Aimery; he was as cold as a slab of rock.
He looked at me and frowned, his pace reduced as he studied my face. “You’re dropping your temperature and you’re weak. You’ve given us both a big drink. We need to get you warm as soon as possible.”
“Shit, don’t slow down,” Ryle said, glancing over his shoulder. “We’re still being followed.”
“Damn,” Aimery picked up the pace again. “We will have to jump the river. Hold on, Beatrice.”
Suddenly we were flying. Aimery lunged into the air, tightening his grip on me and flung us upward and forward.
I screwed my eyes shut, gasped, and tried to control the rollercoaster lurch in my stomach.
But as soon as we’d taken to the sky we landed with a soft bump.
Aimery absorbed the impact with his knees and then came to a halt, turning and looking at the wide body of water. It was flowing fast, spitting and spraying icy splashes into the air. It was full of debris from the storm: logs and branches, leaves and fir cones.
“Fuck, still too close for comfort,” Ryle said, standing just in front of us, hands on hips, head tilted proudly.
“Yeah, but we’re off their territory and they might be fast, but they can’t jump that river,” Aimery said, not in the least bit breathless.
Across the river stood at least twenty wolves, panting and parading along the side of the bank.
A couple had gone to the water’s edge, testing out the current, looking at the depth. One went deep, ’til the water hit his belly, then the river tried to claim him and he had to battle to shore again.
The other wolves apparently learned from his lesson and backed away from the water’s edge.
I scanned their coats, looking for Caleb’s rich silver-gray and Isaac’s reddish fur. But they weren’t there. Aatu was though, right at the front, bigger, blacker and badder than all the rest. He bared his teeth—gums bright red, drool dripping—and padded restlessly left and right. At one point he threw his head back and howled; a long, agonized sound that strained my eardrums and slid into my soul.