by Louisa Bacio
Back outside, he sought out Jana. If anyone would know, she’d be the first Silver would tell. Dominick unloaded the supplies from the truck.
“Hey, Dom, can you come with me? I might need your help.”
The moment Jana saw them, she appeared guilty about something. “Something’s happened, hasn’t it? She didn’t come tell you, did she?”
“Tell me what? Where did she go?”
“Sheba asked her to get some supplies. I didn’t know. She’d sent me to fetch something else, and when I returned, Silver was gone.”
Dominick turned red and looked away.
“I know she’s your mom and everything,” Jana said quickly.
He held up his hand to her. “Don’t sweat it I know how she is.”
“Do you know which way Silver went?” Viktor asked.
“Flower gathering, for your birthday. It’s been too long, though. She should have been back by now.”
The wind shifted and Viktor raised his head up, inhaling the light scent. “Fire. There’s a fire burning somewhere in the woods.”
Jana followed his direction, blanching. “How far away? Do we have to worry?”
“It’s not too close to us, but right now we have no idea where Silver is and that’s another danger we don’t need. Dom, go round up a search party, and tell your dad. If you see your mother, don’t let her leave. Something tells me she’s going to be a bit scarce right now.”
“Will do. Where are you headed?”
“I’m going to find her, and bring her home.”
Chapter Thirteen
The forest around her crackled with life and death. Silver struggled to breathe, her lungs full of the blackened smoke. She hung against bottom of the tree, getting as close to the ground as possible and taking in that sweet, clean air. It was all relative. The air probably was toxic, but it was much better than what she got above. Her trapped ankle and her hands had turned bloody from her working away at her confines. It shouldn’t be so damn hard to set herself free. What would she rather do: lose her foot or burn to death? Didn’t seem like much of a choice.
With raw fingers, she worked on the bindings. She relived the moment of the rope pulled tight over and over. The rope snare had been hidden in the dirt, and she hadn’t even noticed it. Some werewolf she was, getting her foot stuck in a wolf trap.
A round of hacking overtook her, and she held onto her stomach. She swung on the line, rotating slowly. Pain and panic vied for attention. If she could only get free, then she’d be able to get away. With her Other abilities, she’d heal quickly. But if the smoke inhalation progressed too much, there would be no coming back.
How far spread was the fire? Would Nick remain safe locked down in the cellar? What if it reached the campground, and he lay trapped? Even if the fire didn’t enter into the cellar, he could die from the smoke.
“Silver,” a voice called out. “Silver, where are you?”
She twisted toward the sound, not believing her ears, and at first not wanting to believe because if she did, that meant she would hope, and with hope opened up the window for disappointment.
“Silver Ashe, where are you?”
“Over here. I’m over here. My leg’s trapped.”
She heard a rustling, then Viktor crashed onto the scene, his eyes wild with fear. Barely controlled energy seeped from his pores, and he accessed the situation: Silver hanging upside down from the tree.
“What the hell did you get yourself into?”
“Don’t yell at me. Get me down from here.”
“Your wish is my command. I’ve got a knife.”
Dear Lord, what a wonderful, resourceful man. She just might be able to marry him. Viktor reached upward, grabbing a branch for leverage, he scaled the tree.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t know how to do this more gracefully. You’d better brace yourself for impact.”
Rather than trying to pry the trap off mid-air, he cut the rope connected to the tree. She tensed her muscles, landing with a thud on her shoulder and side. He closed the knife, tucked it into his back pocket, and jumped down, alighting beside her.
“I didn’t think I would see you again,” she said.
“Shhh, it’ll be fine. Hold still,” he said. “This blade is extra-sharp, and I wouldn’t want to lose any of your toes.”
Gently, he tucked a few fingers between the metal blade and her skin in order to make some cuts without potentially nicking her. He pried the rope off, and she sighed at the burning release.
Once she was free, he removed his outer shirt and used the material to wrap her ankle. “That should hold you until we can get it properly cleaned and bandaged. Do you think it’s broken?”
Shifting her weight, she attempted a step and stumbled. “I’m not sure, but it hurts.”
With an accessing nod of his head, he picked her up, and carried her back through the woods. She looped her arms around his neck, and tucked her head into his chest, breathing his musky scent rather than the burning air.
Her ankle throbbed and she hoped she didn’t do permanent damage to it. He hurtled a fallen branch, and she bounced against him, moaning unwittingly.
“I’m sorry,” he said, repeating those words as if they were magic for the umpteenth time. “We’ll be back soon enough and we’ll get you taken care of.”
“What’s going to happen to the forest? Will it burn?”
He grew quiet, and his breathing became more labored. How much more smoke had he taken in while rescuing her and doing the extra strenuous running?
“Naw, it’s too big to burn. We’ll lose a bit, the humans will try to fight it, but eventually, it’ll peter out. It’s near the swamp. Think of all that wetness. Plus, through the destruction will come new life, new growth. Once you’re back on your feet, I’ll take you to a site of a previous fire, and you can see how it’s recharged.”
The tears came then, either from relief or an overcoming of emotions. So much had changed for Silver over these past few months, and yet while she would previously had thought this man so simple, he was complex, full of character and emotion. And though he was so very big, he possessed a gentle side.
The dampness of his shirt clung to her face, and he soothed her until they reached the encampment. She heard the commotion of voices before seeing anyone.
“Come lay her down here,” someone called out. Viktor bypassed them all, and brought her to her home.
Above the din, Silver heard a furious pounding and angry scream. “Let me out of here!” Nick.
The setting sun dipped behind the horizon, and Silver connected the timing. How ironic. Right when he could do something, it was too late.
Viktor propped her foot up onto pillows, and the healer of the Pack came forth to look her over. Jana approached Silver’s side.
“What can I do?”
“Bring me the hot water and soft cloths I set out,” the healer said. “I need to clean this first before we can access the damage.”
The bed settled under Viktor’s weight as he sat next to her. “We’re in the home stretch, too.”
More voices came from the doorway and Silver searched the shadows. Her father stood there, his eyes filled with fear.
“Can you go let Nick out?” Silver asked Viktor. “He’s going crazy in there, and the last thing we need is a wild vampire running rabid.”
He looked about to deny her wish, but stood. “Just for you,” he said.
Jana returned with the supplies, and Silver braced herself for the pain. No matter how gentle they were, or how much she prepared, she knew it was going to hurt—a lot.
* * * *
Throat raw and fists even worse, Nick wondered why the hell he’d ever allowed himself to be locked into a cellar during the day. For his own protection? He could rot in this hellhole—or worse, something could happen to Silver and he’
d never have a chance to help her.
The outside lock rattled and he dashed up the stairs, pushing his way through.
“Hey, watch it,” the lumberjack werewolf shouted as Nick barreled past him. Fucking forget their size difference now.
The acrid smell of smoke burnt his nostrils, and panic grew. He tried to get a bead on Silver’s scent, and the closet place he found it was the asshole next to him.
“Hold up. You’re not going to do her any good going in there full force.” Viktor grabbed at Nick’s shirt, and he yanked out of his hold.
“Where is she?”
“In her cabin, but you should know she’s hurt, and scared.”
“How hurt?”
“It’ll heal.”
The circumstances. Her scent all over him. There was more to the story than Viktor was telling him.
“Let me guess: You rescued her?”
A smile broke out on the bastard’s face, then quickly vanished. “You got that right, at least.”
Jealousy reared up. Silver was his—his woman to protect. Not this—his mind jumped. If it wasn’t for Viktor, she might be dead right now. Damn. He owed him.
He stopped fighting to get away, squared his shoulders, and faced his rival. “Thank you for your bravery,” Nick said.
“I would do anything to protect her,” Viktor said.
They shook hands. At that moment, something shifted between them. Nick wouldn’t say they were exactly friends, but maybe no longer quite as opposing enemies.
“I know exactly how you feel. Now, can we go see her?”
Stretched out on her bed with her leg elevated, Silver’s complexion blended in with her hair color. Washed out and pale, small strain lines from the pain she was in tugged on the sides of her eyes. As soon as she saw Nick, she tried to sit up, and he waved her back.
“What happened? What were you thinking?” he asked, assaulting her with his questions immediately.
She shrank back against the pillows. “Hey, take it easy,” Viktor said, laying a hand on Nick’s shoulder. “Yelling at her isn’t going to make her feel any better, soon.”
“Damn, you’re right. I’m sorry. I just was so worried about you, and then being trapped down there, and not being able to do anything …”
She laid her hand on top of his, infusing a calming sensation immediately. “I get it, but I’m fine. I can’t say no harm, no foul,” she joked, looking down at her foot, “but there doesn’t look to be any permanent damage. Some bad rope burns, and loss of skin. Nothing’s broken.”
“I do want to know, though, what happened. What made you take off by yourself in the first place?”
Silver averted her gaze, and Viktor added, “I remember warning you about that area in the past, about the trappers that often are seen. It’s a big forest, but you gotta remember what you’ve been told.”
“I know. It’s just that …” She paused and looked toward the door. Her attention drew Nick. Outside stood Sheba, her father’s mate. She didn’t appear so concerned. If anything, distracted and disappointed. Nathaniel approached her, his face red. He shook his fist at her.
“Whoa, something’s going down there,” Nick said.
“’Bout time,” Viktor said. “I never much cared for that bitch.”
“Quiet. They will hear you.” Silver hushed them.
“What does it matter?” Nick asked.
“I’ll tell you later.” With that statement, she lay back against the pillows with a deep sigh, and her eyes fluttered shut. “Nick, can you lie next to me for a minute?”
Her request went straight to his heart, and he caught the look of disbelief on Viktor’s face. Nick gave a little shrug, and settled onto the bed next to her.
“I’ll be right outside if you need for me anything,” Viktor said.
Her only response was a “mm-hm,” and she snuggled into Nick’s side. Beneath the layers of smoke, he made out her personal fragrance. Earthy and wild. He slipped his arm under her and radiated healing vibes toward her. Who knew if any of that crap actually worked, but anything to make her feel better.
Damn, he was going to miss her.
Chapter Fourteen
“You could have died today, and there was nothing I could do about it.”
“It wasn’t all that bad.” Chills continued to pummel Silver’s body, and it wasn’t from the temperature, but the memories from the afternoon. She didn’t want Nick to know quite how close it had gotten: The fierce pain of the trap’s teeth biting into her ankle, and the increasing smoke of the encroaching fire.
“Like hell it didn’t. You shouldn’t be out here. You need to come back home, where you’re familiar with the dangers. This here, it’s a whole ’nother world.”
Viktor stepped into the skirmish. “Things like this don’t happen very often, and let me remind you she was just fine. I kept her safe.”
The two men squared off on each other, and while the situation between them had gotten tense, the air absolutely crackled at this moment. Nick bared his teeth, staring up into the eyes of the giant behemoth of a werewolf. With his usually tall height for a human, Silver knew he wasn’t used to looking up to most people. Viktor had inherited all the dominant genes of the tribe. He soared over everyone else, even her father, and not just Nick.
“Let’s not get into a pissing match again,” Silver said, verbally stepping between them. “I’m fine. It was good that Viktor was around to help me, but even if he wasn’t, odds are I could have gotten out of there myself.”
“By what? Chewing off your paw?” Nick spat out.
His choice of words pierced her heart. She reminded herself he was simply lashing out because he was worried, or frightened, and for no other reason that had anything to do directly with her. Yeah, right.
Nick raised both hands above his head and grunted in frustration. He turned around, facing one of the walls, and punched the wood. A crackling sound reverberated through the room, and his knuckles came away dripping blood.
“Nick, don’t hurt yourself.” Silver swung her feet over the side of the bed.
“Stay away from me right now. I don’t know if I’ll be able to control myself, especially around you.”
She leaned back quickly, as if shocked by electric energy. “I don’t understand.”
“Don’t you get it? If there is one thing I have left, it’s you. I can convince myself that I can at least protect you. As this monster I’ve become, I’m stronger and faster than most. If something attacks, I can usually kill it. Today? Nothing. I could have done nothing. If it was left to me, you would have died.”
“You mean more to me than that,” she whispered. She might not have shown it lately, but she definitely still felt it. They had a history together. A bond connected her to Nick, just as sure as he was connected to his sire Lawrence, and Silver with her brother Trevor. She couldn’t ever imagine being without him in her life totally. “You gotta believe that.”
“I know what you think you believe,” Nick said. “It doesn’t mean it’s the truth, and maybe you’ll be better off with that lug anyway.”
Viktor shrugged his shoulders. “I’ll take that. I’ll take Silver any way I can get her.”
Silver had almost forgotten that Viktor was even still there. He’d been so quiet, letting them battle it out head to head. Probably the smartest thing to do.
“I’m not some piece of meat you guys can take a bite out of and pass back and forth. I get to have some say in the man I’m with, you know? Whom I choose as a mate.”
The two men in her life made eye contact, as if they were now bonding over the experience of her freaking out. She smacked the palms of her hands against the bed. Lord almighty. She was acting like Lowell pitching a fit. Odds were that she’d barely get the same amount of attention that he did. Maybe one of them would give her a spanking and send her to her r
oom. Maybe they’d both escort her to her room.
If only.
A girl could dream.
Exhausted, she shut her eyes. When she regained her strength, they’d get a piece of her.
Chapter Fifteen
Silver lay in bed, eyes shut and forehead creased. Her leg was propped up on some pillows, and her ribs were bandaged. Viktor would do just about anything to take away her pain, and while that wasn’t possible, he would do his best to soothe her.
“Can you watch her for a few minutes?” he asked Nick.
“Sure, but then I need to step out. The smell of the fresh blood gets to me after a while.”
The admission startled Viktor, but he got it. After what the vampire had gone through to get out of the cellar in order to save Silver, he wasn’t going to do anything to hurt her now.
“I’ll be right back.”
Back at his cabin, Viktor washed up and changed his clothes. He pulled a comfortable long-sleeved green shirt over his head. Finding her out there, strung up like an animal, was brutal. Thank God he’d gotten there in time—and those bastards who’d chased her hadn’t found her strung up and defenseless. Later, he’d have to deal with Sheba. She’d always seemed non-genuine. Fake. He’d never trusted her, and now he knew his instincts were spot-on.
From against the wall of his bedroom, he picked up his guitar, making sure a pick rested on the strings. Hell, he’d rather be out killing someone or something. Instead, he was going to sing to Silver until she went to sleep.
Although he was a mighty warrior with all the tools in his arsenal, it was the only thing he could think of doing at the moment that would make her feel better. While he guarded her sleeping body, he’d soothe her soul.
* * * *
When he returned, Dominick sat outside the cabin, rocking on the porch. “Jana’s visiting,” he said, indicating why he was there. “She thinks it might be better if she spent a few days elsewhere to let Silver get her rest, and give you guys some privacy.”