by Michelle Fox
He smelled awful, not just of dirt and sweat, but of something rotten. I wondered vaguely if he was some kind of shifter as well. But it was getting hard to breathe, and the world was going gray and fuzzy. I struggled, but the man was much stronger than I was. Struggling just got harder and harder, so finally I gave up, concentrating on breathing. And even that was getting harder by the second.
“Let her go, Weatherly. She's not the one you came for.”
“Yeah. But she's the one I've got.” Ranger Weatherly jerked me upright so hard my feet left the ground. That just made everything worse, made breathing next to impossible. I went limp, not by choice, but because I had no choice.
“Back off. And call off your dog, Colt. You know what I want, why I'm here. And if I can't have you, then I'll take this one. You know I can snap her neck in a heartbeat.” Something cold tickled the skin below my jaw. Colt's eyes narrowed and Jericho whined. I guessed Weatherly had added a knife to the mix to back up his promise to break my neck.
The world was really going black now, the ranger's voice getting faint. My head fell to the side, and through half-closed eyes I saw Colt on the other side of the fire. Jericho stood by his side. Their expressions were identical, anger mixed with fear, mixed with confusion. Those weren't looks that instilled confidence in me.
But I couldn't blame them, didn't blame them. I tried to tell them that, tried to talk, tried to send telepathic messages. I was leaving the conscious world and the last thing I wanted them to feel was responsible. Silly thought...
Chapter Five
I jerked awake. My neck hurt and I tried to lie still until the zings of pain in my body stopped, not sure what, if anything, was broken. I tried to open my eyes, then realized they were open, but I couldn't see. For a really long horrible moment I thought I'd died and this was purgatory, that I was stuck in a place where I was unable to see or hear or speak. But then I realized I wouldn't have this much pain if I were dead. Slowly bits and pieces came back to me: the fire, of Colt and Jericho —sex—the ranger. Weatherly. It occurred to me that I finally knew his name. I was on something more or less soft, and something was stuck in my mouth. So I was blindfolded, gagged, and lying on a smelly mattress. And I was alive.
“Hey, you're awake.” The voice was close, sounding absurdly happy about the fact.
I jerked again, another wave of pain shooting down my arms. My hands were tied behind my back, but I could wiggle my fingers. They worked. The pain meant I was alive, and that even if I was injured, I wasn't paralyzed. It might have been a small thing, but I was suddenly very happy to feel pain.
But why Weatherly had me, and what he intended to do, that I wasn't very happy about.
“Let's get better acquainted.”
Hands touched me, my face, pulling my hair hard enough to make my eyes water. I grunted...I was pretty much over reveling in pain now. All I wanted was to see and to be able to sit up. The blindfold came off. I looked up at Weatherly.
I wanted to laugh, which was impossible with the gag. Weatherly looked far worse for wear than I felt. Whatever happened before they tumbled into the clearing, Jericho had gotten in few good scratches and bites. Weatherly's uniform was shredded in places, the edges caked with dried blood, torn skin visible beneath a few of the bigger tears. And if he smelled bad before, he smelled even worse now. Sweat, old and new, dirt and blood. And I sensed the sharp tang of fear on him. Not a pleasant combination. But what the hell did he have to be afraid of? I was the one tied up and gagged, not him.
Weatherly wrenched the gag out of my mouth, pulling my hair again, my scalp aching. I glared up at him, mustering up as much bravado as I could.
“Listen…Weatherly…I don’t know what your game is, but I’m pretty sure Colt and Jericho aren’t going to just let you take me. They’re probably on their way here, right now.” At least I hoped they were. How much loyalty did an-almost stranger garner?
“I’m sure they are. And that’s just fine by me. The more the merrier.”
“What do you want with me?” The whole disjointed conversation by the fire, the part about Jericho and Colt - all that could wait. I wanted to know what my part in this was. And I wanted him talking, so I could find a way to get my hands free, or get him to untie me. I wanted to take a swing at him so bad I could taste it.
“I don’t want you…or I didn’t. Until I saw you on the path. But then that damn wolf showed up.” He loomed over me for a minute, then must have decided it was awkward bending over to glare at me. Grabbing my shoulders, he yanked me upright. I had no balance, wavered from side to side. And then fell backward, my head hitting the wall. I closed my eyes as a new pain added itself to the mix.
“The wolf showed up.” I heard a footstep and opened an eye, watching as Weatherly turned, pacing across the small room. It gave me a chance to look around. There wasn’t much to see. The room was bare, just the mattress I was sitting on, a few chairs sitting at random angles, a table shoved in the corner. All in all, not someone’s permanent residence. Probably a deserted rental cabin from the 50s, long forgotten, long-abandoned. Perfect place to keep a hostage.
“The wolf showed up. The wolf I was after, one of them, anyway.”
“So why bother with me?”
Weatherly paced a few steps toward the door, twitching open the tattered curtain that hung on the window. He stared out into whatever was out there, whatever he could see in the dark. Then it struck me. He was a wolf…a shifter. He could see in the dark, just like Colt and Jericho. And that meant he could change, just like they could. And with him as a wolf, I didn’t stand a chance.
I wiggled my hands, turning my wrists. The rope bit into my skin, burned like hell. But I thought there was some play in them. Maybe it was my imagination, but it was the only thing I had to hold on to right now.
Weatherly moved to another window, looked out, then turned back to me. I froze, my wrists screaming in pain, my shoulders rotated at some unnatural angle. Something changed in the way he looked at me, something darker crossing his features.
“You were going to be collateral damage, at first. Get you out of the way, nasty hiking accident. Didn’t matter if you knew what any of this meant. You just needed to go away. But then…you hooked up with those two. How the hell did that happen? I tracked them forever, and there’s never been a woman. But now, there’s you.”
“I’d be happy to just bow out right now. No harm, no foul…”
“Not so fast. Plans change.” He crossed the little room, almost standing on my feet. “I can use you.”
He grabbed me again, pulling me upright. “Those guys used you. I can use you too.”
I was pretty sure his idea of use wasn’t going to be anywhere as fun as what happened with Colt and Jericho. I struggled, trying to disguise my attempts at freedom with frantic wiggling. Something loosened in the ropes around my wrists, one loop slipping. Weatherly apparently wasn’t very good at knot tying.
“Use me how?” Did I really want to know?
“I can make you one of us, like me…” He leered at me, baring his teeth. They were the same brilliant white as Colt’s and Jericho’s, a little longer than normal, far sharper than any human teeth should be. I jerked back, trying to get away from him.
“Bite you, mark you, make you mine. You’ll be mated to me, and I can have what they have.”
Whatever he was saying was lost on me. I’d stopped paying attention after the mention of bite. I didn’t want to be bitten, not by Weatherly, or anyone else. My heart galloped wildly in my chest, and I struggled not to go into full-blown panic mode.
Another loop of rope fell away, and for a surprised second I felt hope that I may actually stand a chance of getting away. Then I let fear replace exhilaration. It wasn’t hard. I heard Jack’s voice in my head, telling me to wait, look for my opening, to keep my eyes open. That I just needed to focus, to be patient.
But Weatherly had other ideas. He pulled me against him, his big hand grabbing my hair. For an instant I w
ished I’d chopped all this hair off, given myself a buzz cut. That way men wouldn’t be able to yank me around by it.
He pulled my head back, eyes drifting from my face to my neck. He smiled, if that’s what it could be called. My body had gone numb, limp, partly by design, mostly out of my control. The only thing really moving was my heart, thumping along at a dizzying pace.
“It’s not going to hurt…” He was focused on my throat, his arm slackening against my back. Just stay cool…don’t telegraph…
Weatherly dropped his head and I was out of options. I brought my knee up, aiming for his crotch. I hit his thigh instead, and it was like kneeing a tree. But it gave me an opening. I pulled against the hand holding my hair, setting my scalp on fire, and swung for the moon with my left. I hit him, hard, in the side of the head.
The blow didn’t do much damage, but it did startle him. He took his arm away from me, but held on to my hair. I swung again, a wild right that whistled through the air past his face. I could hear Jack’s snort of disapproval in my mind. Waste of energy, throwing useless punches.
“Knock it off, little girl. I’m not impressed with your little hissy fit. Just accept…” He pulled me up by my hair until I was standing on my toes. I sucked a breath through my teeth, trying really hard not to scream at the pain.
“Not so tough now, are you?” He dragged me backward toward the mattress. “I think there’s a better way of doing this. Giving you swinging room is dangerous.”
He pushed me down onto the mattress, following me, his big body covering mine, finally letting go of my hair. I hit him wherever I could, pounding his back, his shoulders. It was like punching stone. I wanted to scream, but he was crushing my chest with his, and getting air was getting harder.
I brought my knee up again. This time I connected with something that brought a reaction from Weatherly. He grunted, his hands stopping in the middle of the act of tearing off my clothes. I tried again, but Weatherly reared back, slapping me across my mouth. I tasted blood, and for a horrible moment, everything went black.
“You know, I like a fighter, but this is ridiculous. You’re being downgraded to collateral damage again.” Weatherly fumbled at his belt, and the cold sharpness at my throat snapped me back to reality.
“I’ve been chasing these bastards long enough. They’re the last of their clans, and I’m the last of mine. They’ve taken everything from me, my land, my clan…and left me out in the cold. I’m tired, and I’m tired of you. You’re not worth making a mate; you’d be nothing but a thorn in my side.”
He slid the knife against my throat, and for an instant I wondered if he was joking, or if this was just some weird sort of foreplay. But he pulled back, grinning, a terrible expression full of lust and hate, and so many clashing emotions that I had to look away. I tried to turn my head, and then I felt the warm rush of blood seeping from the place he’d cut me.
“There. Just lie there and die.” He pushed off of me. I wanted to sit up, to scream, to do something. But a tiny part of my brain told me I was probably better off just being still, and for once I listened to that little voice.
I reached up, almost tenderly, touching my neck. When I pulled my hand away, there was blood, so much blood. Too much blood, it seemed. I closed my eyes, putting my hand over the cut, praying to every deity I could imagine to let me live, to end this nightmare.
The door crashed inward, and I opened my eyes, watching as it shattered into a thousand rotten splinters. Behind it was Colt, as wolf, followed by Jericho, as human. Colt shook himself briefly, eyes locked on Weatherly. Weatherly still held the knife and he rushed the wolf, bringing the knife around in a big arc. It all looked like slow motion. His footing is off…wild punch…won’t connect…
It didn’t. Colt ducked easily, coming around, snapping at Weatherly’s legs. He bit hard, teeth sinking into Weatherly’s thigh. Blood ran down his dirty uniform, mixing with old blood and dirt. I took grim satisfaction that Weatherly was bleeding too. But I didn’t have the energy to do much more than think about it.
Jericho circled Colt and Weatherly, kneeling beside me. Weatherly’s grunts, and Colt’s growls filling the air. Jericho met my eyes, and it was pretty clear from the look in them that what he saw frightened him. I smiled, or tried to, tried to sit up.
“Stay still.” Jericho’s voice was low. “Just stay still.”
There was a crash behind Jericho, and I didn’t stay still. I wanted to see, to watch Colt. To know he was okay. Jericho sat down near my head. He’d torn off his t-shirt, and held it to my neck. I wasn’t sure if it was to stop the blood, or keep from having to look at whatever damage Weatherly had inflicted.
Weatherly was down on the floor, Colt standing on his chest. One massive front paw held down Weatherly’s arm, now a bloody and torn appendage, but still clutching the knife. The other paw was on Weatherly’s neck. I gave a silent cheer at the sight of it.
“Give it up, Weatherly. You’re done for.” Jericho’s voice seemed far away, really far. The room’s perspective seemed stretched somehow. Blood loss…you’re losing it…hold on…
“Fuck you. Fuck both of you. And your hell cat.” For being pinned by a wolf, the man had spunk. Colt growled, shoving his face into Weatherly’s. I was pretty sure the growl was a returned “fuck you.” Then he lunged.
“Don’t watch.” Jericho reached down, covering my eyes. I closed them, not because he said so, but because it seemed easier this way, to just lie here and rest. Suddenly I was tired. Sleep…just go to sleep…
There was a terrible crunching sound, and a gurgle that filled my ears. Then there was nothing, just the sound of my heart beating out its last rhythm. At least you met some cool guys…had a good weekend…
“She’s not going to last long. We can’t take her back to the cabin.” That was Jericho. My blonde Viking…
There was a snuffle, and a wet tongue licking my hand. I opened an eye, almost on the same level with Colt. He nudged me again, whining low in his throat. I wanted to tell him I was sorry, that I wished I’d met them under better circumstances. Maybe when I wake up…
“Colt…you gotta do it. Before it’s too late.”
There was movement, someone lifting me, holding me upright. I opened my eyes to see Colt beside me. He nuzzled my face, his wet nose in my ear. I wanted to laugh because it tickled, but it seemed like a whole lot of work. So I tried to smile.
I was cold, bone cold. I knew I was more or less sitting on Jericho’s lap, that his arms were around me, but I couldn’t feel anything. Not the warmth of his embrace, or the solid presence of him behind me. It seemed like everything was growing colder around me, and I half expected to see my breath. But it was still summer.
Colt’s muzzle brushed against my neck. He whined again, a tentative sound.
“Do it…now, Colt.”
There was a blinding flash of pain. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to scream, succeeding only in making a muffled groan. Then again, more pain, and Colt’s body pressing me back against Jericho. What the hell were they doing to me? They were supposed to save me!
Heat flooded through me, intense, almost unbearable. I could feel everything, arms, legs, fingers, toes…in a way that I really didn’t like. It was like being dumped head first into one of the steaming hot springs. I wanted out of my skin.
“Red? Hey…can you open your eyes? Look at me.”
I forced my eyes open, looking up at Jericho. “Yeah…okay.” The room was brighter now, things coming into focus. But there was a roaring in my head that made his words garbled, indistinct.
“Can you hear me?”
I nodded. “Yeah…shhh…” His voice only made the roaring louder. “I’m okay. Just don’t talk right now…”
“You’re not okay. But we need to get you to our cabin. I’m going to pick you up now, okay?”
I really didn’t have a say in that decision. I was lifted in the air, flying I thought, even though I knew that was impossible. People didn’t fly. But then we
were out in the forest, the cool air a blessed relief against my feverish skin. Maybe I was dead, and an angel, flying through the forest. I closed my eyes again, or they were still closed, I wasn’t sure. I decided I’d completely lost it, and that taking that nap now might be a good idea. I let go of reality, and let myself go someplace else, someplace far away. The roaring faded, and everything went silent and black.
Chapter Six
Everything was silent. The roaring in my head was gone, replaced with a migraine. I could tell, without opening my eyes, that it was light outside. But eyes closed were fine for right now.
I was in a bed, so that must mean I was in Jericho and Colt’s cabin. Some snippet of conversation came back, something about bringing me here, after…after what?
“Oh, geez…”
After Colt had killed Weatherly. After Weatherly had tried to kill me. And come damned close. I reached up, touching my neck. There was a bandage wrapped around my throat, a really big bandage. Weatherly must have done quite a number with his knife. I let my hand fall back onto the bed.
“Hey…you awake?”
I opened my eyes enough to look toward the voice, toward Colt. He stood in the doorway, hair pulled back in a low ponytail. I smiled.
“Yeah.” My voice came out a weak little croak. “I’m awake.”
He crossed the room and sat on the bed. “You’ve been out for a few days.” He took my hand, chafing my fingers in his. “We’re glad you’re back with us.”
“Me too.” I tried to sit up, but my body didn’t really want to cooperate.
“Here…you’re going to be weak for a while.” Colt helped me sit up, propping pillows behind me. “Better?”
“Yeah. Better.” A wave of vertigo sent my head spinning. I swallowed, my dry throat clicking. “Can I have some water?”
“Yeah. Here…” He poured a glass from a pitcher on the bedside table. “Drink slow. Your throat’s probably a little bruised.”
The water was cool, felt like heaven, but he was right. It reminded me of having my tonsils out as a kid. All the ice cream you want…except you can’t swallow it.