Sanctuary (A Hunted Novel Book 1)

by Shaw, Bethany

  They careened down a low grade, the truck picking up speed as it bumped down the hill. A large tree loomed in front of them. Nate jerked the wheel one last time, but the wheels wouldn’t budge. Crap. Turn. Turn. Turn. He stiffened, bracing for impact. The front end smashed into the tree with a loud thud. The tree cracked, swaying violently before it broke in two and landed on the car.

  The roof smashed in with a sickening crunch. Nate covered Tess with his body, praying they weren’t crushed. He grunted as something sharp grazed against his shoulder. Blood dribbled down his elbow, dripping onto the cloth seats and Tess’ side. Oddly, the pain was minimal. There wasn’t time to ponder why it didn’t hurt, he was thankful for the reprieve. A puff of white dust shot out as the airbags deployed. Dust filtered into the cabin, causing him to cough.

  We have to get out of here. The hunters are right behind us. Nate shoved the white balloon out of his way and undid his seat belt. He turned to Tess, she seemed frazzled, a drizzle of blood ran down from her forehead to her neck. Is she okay? His heart sped up, what if she hit her head too hard?

  “We have to run,” she panted as she struggled to release the clasp of her seatbelt. Her fingers trembled, pressing adamantly at the button. Nate jammed his digits onto the buckle, cursing wildly when it refused to unclasp. A crackle ripped through the cabin and he blinked realizing Tess had shifted her hand. She flexed one nail and sawed away at the belt. Nate smiled. She was sharp.

  A blur of green flitted past her door. No. Hunters had caught up to them.

  “Tess,” he hollered as her door was jerked open.

  Hands reached inside and drug her out. Tess screamed, kicking her feet and thrashing her arms in an attempt to ward off her attacker. No. I have to get to her.

  A form appeared in his side mirror and he waited for them to get close enough. He swung his door open, connecting with the approaching man. His enemy sputtered and fell to one knee. Nate tugged the door toward him and then rammed the hunter with it again.

  He hopped out and punched his pursuer in the jaw. The man’s head snapped back, and he fell to the ground unconscious. Pain sliced through Nate’s injured arm. Great. It would choose now to start hurting. He glanced down at the deep laceration. Blood glided down his arm and ran between his fingers before dripping on the ground. I’ve had worse. I have to check on Tess. I can’t let them separate us. Nate raced to the other side of the car. Tess was on her knees, staring down at a lifeless body. Admiration rolled over him. Tess didn’t need him to be her knight in shining armor. He knew in his heart the werecat could take care of herself. But after years of being around submissive, non-fighting women, he was going to have to get used to this. Marvel over her later. More men are coming.

  “We got to go,” Nate urged, reaching out to touch her shoulder. Numbness washed over him as the pain in his extremity receded. Well that’s weird. No time to think about it now though.

  Tess whirled around at his touch, her eyes wide with fright before they fixated on him. She nodded and stumbled to her feet.

  Nate entwined his fingers with hers, doing a quick once over. She had a few cuts and bruises, but she would be okay. But they had to get away from the hunters; more would be here any moment.

  “Come on,” he insisted, yanking her into a grueling run.

  A gunshot crackled through the air and they both ducked down out of instinct.

  “We need to shift,” Tess gasped. “We’re faster that way.”

  Nate nodded in agreement. Using his free hand, he snatched his cell phone and wallet out of his pocket and put it in his mouth. They were going to need a phone and some money later.

  Tess pulled away from him in one fluid movement she leapt forward and went from a beautiful woman to a gorgeous, sleek black cat.

  Careful not to break his phone, Nate sprung forward, triggering his own shift. His clothes fluttered to the ground around him as he charged through the woods after Tess.

  ***

  Tess slowed to a steady trot. Her lungs burned from exertion. They had been running for what felt like hours. It probably has been. She gazed up at the opening in the trees. The sun peaked through, shining down on them. We could be halfway back to Sanctuary by now.

  Nate sat down on his haunches next to her. His ears flicked back and forth as he listened for movement in the woods. Tess hadn’t heard anything besides the quiet scuttling of animal life for a while. One could never be too careful with hunters on the prowl, but for the moment, she thought they were safe.

  She looked at Nate and held out a paw as she meowed, in an attempt to ask him if he wanted to shift. Nate gently set his cellphone and wallet on the ground, how he’d managed to carry that in his mouth this whole time was beyond her. He cocked his head to the side and let out a bark. I don’t speak wolf. That makes no sense to me. Talking was so much easier in their human forms. Werecats had limited communications in their animal forms, but they did have the ability to convey simple meanings. Apparently that capability didn’t extend to other shifters.

  Tess inhaled sharply as she stretched. Shifting would be best right now, but there was one tiny problem. Neither of them had any clothes. Shifters undressed all the time before and after transitioning—it saved on their clothes. It wasn’t being naked in front of Nate that was the problem; their nudity would be more of a distraction—it would be nice to see him naked again. It was the fact that it was cold and they would have to find something to wear. Awkward.

  Shaking her head, she forced the thoughts away. One thing at a time. Tess gritted her teeth and arched her back, triggering her transition. Her muscles burned pleasurably from the change. She opened her eyes and stared down at the muddy ground. Pushing up she rose to her knees in time to see Nate’s body contorting as he too changed. The process was mesmerizing.

  Within a second, his human form crouched before her. Dried blood covered his arm, but the deep cut that had been there before they’d shifted was replaced with a long silvery scar. Got to love shifting and its healing capabilities. Nate looked up, his cobalt eyes searching hers for a moment before lowering to take in her body. She shivered, allowing her eyes to do the same.

  Nate’s muscles rippled with strength and she shivered, remembering how they felt beneath her fingers. Her digits burned aching to reach out and touch him. She averted her eyes before they could linger on his lower half. Her body trembled with awareness. If she allowed herself to gaze at his member, they wouldn’t be leaving this spot for some time.

  No. Now is not the time for that. Hunters are still out there somewhere. We have to keep moving.

  “We need to get some clothes,” Nate stated the obvious as he diverted his gaze as well.

  The wind blew, sending a cold chill zipping down her spine. Tess wrapped her arms around herself.

  “Any ideas?” she asked curiously. She’d never been in a situation like this before. Transitioning was always done on her prides land, where it was safe from prying eyes, and stashes of clothes were kept in boxes in the woods.

  Nate ran a hand through his hair and looked around. “I’m pretty sure there is a town that way,” he pointed. “It’s getting to be daybreak. We could find a house on the outskirts and wait for the occupants to leave.”

  “Then we...” Tess trailed off. What exactly was he suggesting?

  “We let ourselves in and borrow a few garments,” he explained.

  Tess bit her lip. Breaking into someone’s house didn’t sit well with her. Her home had been burned to the ground by mercenaries. It would be wrong to violate someone else in a similar fashion. It’s not like there is another choice. You can’t stroll into a store in your birthday suit.

  “We’ll be careful. There isn’t much else we can do,” Nate pointed out, voicing her earlier thoughts.

  “Okay,” she agreed. They’d have to be careful and be as inconspicuous as possible. She didn’t want anyone to worry over their tiny break-in.

  “I’m pretty sure it’s this way,” Nate said motioning with his han
d. “I can smell the oil from a furnace.”

  Tess inhaled and bobbed her head up and down. She could smell the fuel oil too.

  “I’m guessing this isn’t the first time this has happened to you,” Tess murmured as they started to make their way through the woods. He definitely seemed to know what he was doing.

  Nate peered at her over his shoulder. “Companies much better this time around.”

  Tess laughed as heat burned through her body. She had a perfect view of his fabulous backside. I just want to touch it. But she couldn’t. They were running for their lives. A distraction right now could mean the difference between life and death. She needed to keep her libido in check.

  “One of the things about my job is you learn to handle any situation,” he sobered. “There,” he pointed.

  Tess let out a relieved breath. There was a house just over the ledge. Concentrating would be much easier with them both clothed.

  “Come on. I know you’re cold,” he said, leading the way.

  Tess rolled her eyes. “I’m always cold.” Actually, right now, she was anything but cold. Her body was an inferno, aching for his touch. But she wasn’t about to admit that to him.

  “This fall seems to be unseasonably chilly. Tennessee usually isn’t too bad since we are more south, but its been frigid the past few weeks. Makes me wonder how winter is going to be,” Nate commented.

  He doesn’t seem bothered by our nudity at all. Of course he doesn’t have the view you do. He’s looking at the woods. You’re the idiot walking behind him ogling every step he takes. Talk to him, that’s a good distraction. “Washington has a pretty diverse climate. Where I’m from it stays decent all year. Never too hot or too cold,” Tess replied.

  “Sounds pretty perfect. Except for the rain. Doesn’t it rain a lot there?” Nate questioned.

  “Sometimes,” Tess admitted. “I’ve been thinking if my pride has to relocate it should be further south. Like Florida.” Someplace nice and warm. If she went far enough south she would never have to worry about the cold again—except for those freak occurrences.

  “Would you really go that far?” Nate asked, turning to her.

  Tess shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t really have a home right now. I’m guessing my family and I aren’t ever going to get the welcome mat rolled out for us.” Sure they’d helped Thea and Audrey, but she got the very distinct impression that they weren’t wanted there. The armed guards outside their guestroom were an indicator of how much they were trusted.

  “Give people some time. They’ll come around,” Nate urged.

  Tess quirked her brow up. Was he serious? There had been a sliver of a chance before, now she was pretty sure it was gone. “Maybe. But I have a feeling this,” she reached forward and ran her fingers over his mark. “Is going to get me showed to the door real fast.”

  His skin was hot, and it burned the pads of her fingers. Tess shivered as her body heated. Desire pooled in her belly and she closed her eyes, wishing the thoughts away. Now is not the time.

  “I don’t know what they’re going to do,” Nate answered honestly. “But I do know that I’m one of their best trackers and fighters. From what I’ve seen you can handle yourself too. Sanctuary needs people like us. If they were smart, they’d set their differences aside and accept you and us.”

  “Us?” Tess asked quietly.

  Nate turned around to face her. His blue eyes wild as they took in her body. Tess swallowed under his heated gaze, and her breathing became labored.

  “That’s what I was saying before we got interrupted. I want to complete the bond Tess,” he said, taking a step closer.

  Tess shivered at his proximity. Her nipples hardened and her core tightened with a familiar ache.

  Nate clamped his eyes shut, scrunching up his face. He took a few steps back before finally opening his eyes again. “We’re not doing this here. It’s too dangerous.”

  Tess swallowed hard, forcing the lump forming in her throat down. He was right now was not the time. Nate spun on his heel and continued to trudge through the trees.

  “I understand what you’re saying,” she started needing the distraction of words to keep her body’s needs at bay. “But look at history, not just ours, but history in general. It’s filled with people and shifters alike doing things that don’t make sense because they can’t set their differences aside.

  Nate inhaled a deep breath, his shoulders rising up as he did. “Then it’s up to us to make sure that we make them see what they need to.”

  Tess bowed her head down to duck under a tree. She understood what he was saying, but it wasn’t as easy as he seemed to think it was. Prejudices ran deep and once someone thought a certain way, there was little hope of changing their opinion.

  ***

  Nate worked to scrub the mud away from the carpets as Tess worked in the bathroom. They’d inadvertently tracked in a bunch of dirt. The last thing they wanted was for the homeowners to come home and think someone had been in their home. No one knew where he and Tess were, the longer they could keep it that way, the better.

  “Need some help?” Tess asked as she squatted down next to him. “Bathrooms all clean.”

  Her vanilla pine perfume enveloped him and he fought the urge to reach out and touch her. He’d needed to distance himself from her the moment they’d gotten into the house. Walking with her naked through the woods had been a challenge. Her glorious naked body was perfect in every way, and he wanted to claim it—claim her. Tess cleared her throat, drawing him from his thoughts. She asked you a question. Answer it. “Almost done here too,” he commented as he moved his towel vigorously over a stain. Did they do that or was it already there? It sure wasn’t coming up.

  “What’s our plan from here?” Tess asked, watching him.

  Nate sat back on his bottom and stared down at the tough spot. Tess took the initiative and sprayed some more carpet cleaner down before blotting at it.

  “I texted my mom. Callum’s tracking a lead right now. As soon as it pans out he’s going to call us. My mom is transferring me some extra money into my spending account. We need to find some form of public transit then find a place to lie low for a bit,” he explained.

  “So we stay low?” she asked as she continued to work the spot.

  “I think that’s the best idea. It should only be a day or two. Callum’s as good a tracker as me. He’ll find them in no time,” Nate said confidently. While Nate got along with everyone on his team, there was camaraderie between he, Xander, and Callum. They were more than teammates. They were best friends—brothers.

  “When we get a chance I want to check in on Thea and Audrey,” Tess mentioned quietly.

  “Of course.” He should’ve thought of that. He cursed under his breath. Way to be caring. “As soon as we hit the road we’ll give them a call.”

  “I’m sure they are fine,” Tess continued. “It’s just Thea is so close to her due date and Audrey... I hope she’s woken up by now.”

  “I think you’ve got it now,” Nate observed, indicating the stain.

  Tess stopped blotting, and they both looked down at the spot. The carpet looked clean. Silently, they gathered their used towels, trash, and cleaning supplies and put them back where they belonged. It looks like we were never here.

  Nate tied the trash bag as he led the way to the back French door. He opened it then switched the lock, pulling it shut after they’d left. With any luck, the homeowners would be none the wiser of their presence. He deposited the trash in a waste bin, and then hustled down the stairs, Tess right behind him.

  Now they needed to find a safe place to stay. Hopefully they could find one soon. He was beat.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Nate blinked his eyes open. The smell of pine and vanilla enveloped him and he inhaled sharply. Tess. Her hair tickled his nose. He looked down at the sleeping beauty. Tess rested with her head against his chest, and one arm wrapped around his torso. The oversized tee she wore dipped down off her should
er, exposing her soft, creamy skin.

  He smiled to himself. She’d fallen asleep before him with her head resting on the glass window of the Grey Hound. And he recalled tipping his head back to rest on the headrest. Yet, somehow their bodies had gravitated towards each other.

  The bus lurched over a bump and Tess stirred against him. He peered out the window as he pulled her closer, he wasn’t ready for her to pull away yet. They were almost to their destination; he wouldn’t be able to hold her too much longer, best to savor it while he could. The trip was short and sweet. Not wanting to travel too far, they’d chosen the closest hub they could find. Indianapolis was a bit out of the way, but it would do for now.

  The driver’s voice crackled over the loudspeaker announcing their arrival. Tess groaned, shifting as she sat up. Her hand trailed up his chest, lingering over his heart as she met his eyes. He stifled a gasp at the contact. It was heavenly, and he wanted to feel more.

  “Hey,” she whispered. Her warm breath caressed his neck, and he gritted his teeth, begging his body to behave.

  “Hi,” he greeted. “We are almost there.” He reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, letting the silky strands slide through his fingers as he did.

  Tess held his gaze, her breath hitching. “Where do we go now?”

  Nate shifted, causing her to slip and fall closer to him. Her lips were so close, so round and perfect. All I have to do is close the distance and I can taste those beautiful pink lips again. He inched forward, inhaling her sweet aroma. Grumbling from the seat in front of him drew him from his trance. They weren’t alone. “I was thinking we should see about getting some type of vehicle and then go to a hotel. Get some sleep. There isn’t much point in wandering all over the place until we’ve heard from Callum.” Ambling around would waste their money and wear them down. They should be safe from hunters for the moment. It would be wise to take the reprieve while they could.

  Tess’ tongue darted out to lick her lips as she pushed herself up all the way. Her warm hand stayed on his chest, and he shifted trying to conceal the hardening of his cock. Now wasn’t the time for any fantasies. But her perfume was so intoxicating, and her body was so close. He needed distance before he did something stupid. There were a few dozen people on the bus. He couldn’t lose control.