Chapter 17
Lexia sat there for what seemed like forever after he had left, her body frozen in shock. Hands shaking she pulled the chains off her and stood. Slowly she crept across the floor towards the door; the sun was high in the sky now. Stepping out on the veranda that ran around the little wooden shack, Lexia looked for some way down, walking around she realised he must have climbed up in his cat form. “Damn it!” she muttered.
She was about 20 feet up. “Can I make that? What the hell, it’s better than waiting for him to return.”
Standing on the railing Lexia took a deep breath and jumped, cold air rushed past her face as she dropped to the ground. She landed in a crouch but stumbled, curling into a ball she rolled forward before coming to a stop. Adrenaline pumped through her veins, bringing her back to life. Standing up she winced as her leg twinged. “Fuck, why does it always have to be the same leg?” she muttered, but moved as fast as she could in the direction she hoped was home.
Lincoln stood in the shadows waiting to see what she would do. He still couldn’t quite believe he’d let her go but she made him feel things that no one else ever had.
He wanted her to be his and that frightened him. His panther continued to snarl at the surface, wanting to rip through his skin. It didn’t like feeling this confused; Lexia had been right, the panther had wanted her to touch him, to pet him. Then he’d heard her talking and laughing to Dan that night and the cat had taken over. His panther had been so mad, driven by possessive instincts he’d bitten into her neck, leaving his mark. He had to let her go before he did something he would regret, he’d be lucky if she ever spoke to him again.
She had taken a few hours to come out of the door and now she stood on the railing about to jump. It was a long way down, no problem for his cat of course.
She twisted her leg upon landing but was up and running with only the slightest limp seconds after. The panther growled at his mind wanting to hunt its prey back down but he remained in control. She wouldn’t be gone for long he smiled.
Lexia stopped, panting slightly. Her ankle throbbed from the twenty- minute run. She’d found her bearings now and home should be a five-minute run from here. She could no longer feel him watching her, so she walked in the direction of home. She was certain he was playing some game with her, but for now that didn’t matter, she had to get home before her dad organized a search party.
Finally home. She smiled, thinking of getting a hot shower, but stopped suddenly, danger screamed at her mind, sizzled over her skin. Slowly Lexia walked toward the house, careful not to make a sound; the forest around her was eerily quiet, not even the rustle of leaves could be heard. She reached the kitchen window and looked through but couldn’t see anything unusual so she carried on around the side of the house. Glancing down the drive, Lexia felt nothing with the new senses but still something was very wrong, all her nerves buzzed with danger telling her to run. Dad’s home, she thought, looking at his car in front of the house but the front door was half open.
Her heart started to beat faster as she stepped onto the front porch, a feeling of dread formed in her gut. Lexia didn’t want to walk in the house; if she just stayed outside then everything would be okay, she’d never see what horrors lay behind the door. Lexia opened the door with shaking fingers and knew the second she walked into the house and felt the death, the darkness lingering in the air, that life would never be the same.
Her mind refused to translate what she saw. Feeling numb she walked forward, her legs like lead, she followed the grisly red trail down the hall then came to an abrupt stop. Sprawled on the floor at the end of the hall was a body, pools of red spread around him and his leg stuck out at an odd angle. A strangled cough penetrated through her paralyzed mind releasing her from her frozen state. Running forward she tripped on the overturned hall table. Glass cut into her hands and knees as she crawled towards her dad but she didn’t feel it, she only felt numb like this was all a nightmare and she would soon wake up. Oh please let me wake up!
“Dad? Dad... Can you hear me?”
A strangled whisper replied, “Lex?”
“Yes, Dad,” she said, turning him onto his back, looking into his blue eyes.
“Lexia, listen to me, you must listen! Your mother didn’t leave.” Blood filled his lungs making him cough.
“What do you mean, where is she?” Silent tears fell from her eyes and she struggled to breathe.
“I ran with you Lexia. She turned into a monster, it’s in you, too!” His breathing slowed. “Don’t let it out Lexia, promise me,” he croaked.
“I don’t understand?” she cried. She couldn’t believe this was happening to her, she could feel herself trembling, feel her heart slowly cracking, the pain so intense she just wanted to die.
“Upstairs in my closet there’s a box under the boards, it will explain everything. Now promise me you will never become a monster like her,” he whispered, closing his eyes.
“Dad! Dad, I promise, don’t leave me, please don’t leave me, I can’t do this alone.” She shook, desperate to do something, anything. He couldn’t die. Opening his eyes and focusing on her one last time he whispered, “She’s coming for you, Lex. Run!”
“Who Dad? Who?” she sobbed, grief cutting off her airway.
“Hunters,” he whispered with his last breath.
A feral cry ripped from her throat and then she collapsed as great sobs shook her body. Lexia sat there hunched over her father’s body, his blood soaking into her clothes and yet she never noticed, all she could feel was the pain of her loss. Her heart hammered in her chest and a dead, empty feeling filled her up; it ravished her insides until her whole body hurt and her every breath felt like breathing in fire.
The sound of tires crunching on gravel made her look up. Darkness had settled while she had been lost in despair. Footsteps sounded on the porch but she sat frozen. What does it matter anymore? I might as well be dead.
“Mr. Granger? FBI.” A cool voice rang out into the night, a light switched on, hurting her eyes. Two figures ran towards her. “Are you hurt, Miss? Are you hurt?”
She looked into his face, confused. Am I hurt? No...Yes... I hurt everywhere, my hearts been ripped out. But she replied, “He’s dead,” as fresh tears fell down her face.
Lexia sat in a daze watching people fill her home, they whispered and glanced at her but nothing sank in, she just sat there looking at the place her father had once been. Remembering how she’d screamed at them to leave him alone, how she’d stood on her shaking legs with her father’s blood covering her body and told them she’d kill anyone who came near him. They’d looked at her with a mixture of pity and revulsion and then as a FBI agent had taken a step forward, she’d knocked him to the side like he was a mere fly. That’s when she’d realized what she was doing and remembered her dad’s last words, she did have a monster in her and she couldn’t let it out. The people around her were just trying to help and she wanted to kill them, of course they’d never believed her when she’d screamed it. But Lexia knew she could and that’s what had made her stop, what made her step back and slide down the wall; she could kill them all.
Two legs appeared in her line of vision. “Miss Granger, you need to come with me.”
She looked up taking in his muscled build. He had a broad face, his dark hair in a buzz cut, mouth set in a grim line, then her heart stopped as she stared into his eyes. Lincoln’s honey-smooth voice spoke in her mind, Their gold eyes mark them as Hunters.
“Come with me, please.” He held his hand out to pull her up. Confused, she grabbed his hand and let him pull her up but as his hand touched hers, it felt like he’d stabbed her; cold radiated from his touch, chilling her to the bone. She forced down a gasp trying to hide her reaction and followed him outside. Lexia tried to get a hold of the million thoughts that now raced through her mind.
This man was a hunter but was he FBI, too? Her dad had said they were coming for her but nothing he’d said had made much sense. Why didn�
�t I get that box? Lexia didn’t understand what was going on and she had no idea what her next move was. Her dad was dead; all she wanted to do was curl up somewhere and cry. But her body was screaming at her to run and the last time she’d ignored her body... I will never ignore my instincts again.
He met another man in the drive and they started walking towards their car, it was parked near the edge of the forest. Her dad’s voice whispered in her head, She’s coming Lexia, RUN... Hunters. As his voice drifted away the haze cleared and her mind stopped racing.
Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes and let her mind become blank until she could focus on the power deep inside of her. It felt like energy rushing over her body, everything became clearer and she could think through the grief that was suffocating her mind. The gaps in the trees weren’t just gaps but an escape; she saw every rut, every patch of ground that would slow her down. Calculating the best place she made her decision.
As Lexia approached the car she dashed into the forest. All the pain from her hurt ankle was forgotten. Trees blurred past her as she ran flat out away from the two men that were close on her heels, they were barely making a sound. Buzz Cut was nearly on her, she urged herself to go faster but he was going to reach her. Then out of the corner of her eyes she caught the glint of black velvet fur.
She whirled around to see the panther leap on him, ripping out his throat; the other FBI agent aimed his gun at the panther. No! she thought, launching herself at him. As her legs wrapped around his body she grasped his head. Twisting it with all her strength, Lexia heard a sickening snap. They fell backwards as his body slumped to the ground; his empty gold eyes stared at her. What have I done? Scrambling off him she backed up into to a tree, her knees gave way and she slid to the ground in shock staring at his eyes that seemed to taunt her.
It was all just too much, she couldn’t cope; this wasn’t an animal, he was human and she’d killed him. She could feel herself trembling, she clutched at her head desperately wanting to pain to stop; someone was talking to her but her eyes wouldn’t look away from the dead man. I killed him, I’m a killer, it’s too much, it’s all too much. Lexia wanted to cry but the tears wouldn’t come, her dad was dead, she was a killer but the tears wouldn’t come, the pain wouldn’t stop, she felt like her heart was cracking, slowly coming apart piece by piece.
Lincoln shifted back into human form looking at Lexia. She sat at the base of the tree shaking like a frightened kitten staring at the Hunter she had killed. How had he ever thought she was a threat?
Kneeling at her feet he put his hand on her shoulder and a warm sensation travelled up his arm. His panther clawed at his mind wanting to claim her. “Lex, move, we have to go.” Grasping her shoulders he shook her slightly. “Lexia, look at me”. Her frightened eyes met his. “More will come, get up, Lex.”
Her eyes seemed to focus on him and her distraught face changed suddenly to one filled with rage. He felt the power ripple through her and as his beast strained to take control she launched him across the forest, slamming him into a tree.
Lexia got to her feet and walked over to him, every one of her muscles seemed to tremble with anger, she had her fists clenched into tight balls and her eyes shone the brightest he’d ever seen them.
“You!” she said through clenched teeth. “He’s dead because of you!”
Lincoln got up and started to step away from her, he held his palms up. “Lexia, he was going to attack you, just calm down.”
“Calm down? My dad is dead because of you!” Lincoln looked at her, confused.
“Lex?” he whispered.
“No! You don’t get to be sorry It’s your fault!” she screamed.
Lincoln said nothing, just kept slowly stepping away from her. His panther clawed and snarled to be let out but Lexia needed comfort not aggression.
“It’s all your fault,” she said in a whisper and a tear leaked from her eye. “If I’d been there...If...If I could have saved him.” She dropped to her knees and Lincoln ran to her, taking her into his arms. She thumped at his chest, sobbing, and shouting at him.
“It’s your fault, you had me and I wasn’t there...I wasn’t there...I could have saved him!”
“No, Lex, they would have killed you. You couldn’t have saved him; they would have killed you, too.”
Lincoln sat on the ground holding her as she sobbed into his chest. They needed to move but she wasn’t ready yet, too much had happened, but he had to ask her to be strong because if too many Hunters came, he feared not even his panther could save her.
“Lex, we need to go. Please, Lexia, I need you to be strong”
Lexia looked into Lincoln’s golden eyes, they still seemed cat-like. She took a breath and nodded, climbing to her feet. Lincoln shifted into the panther again. He was incredibly fast; he glided across the forest floor having no problems with the dips and ruts that slowed her down. But she pushed herself, determined to keep pace with the beautiful creature that had fascinated her for so long.
Chapter 18
Twenty minutes later he led them into town. Slowing, he shifted; she watched the gold lights glow and sparkle like fireworks before they grew tall and faded away. He started walking to the edge of the tree line, stopped and put on some clothes that he must have stashed there. “We’ll cross through the center of town then head out into the forest on the other side. They will expect you to come back into town so keep your head down, don’t look at anybody in the eyes. Do you think you can get them under control?”
Confused she asked, “Get what under control?”
“Your eyes, love. They’re glowing bright as the sun.”
“Oh god, are they?” She buried her head in her hands, wishing she wasn’t such a freak. God what the hell’s wrong with me, why can’t I just be normal!
Strong arms held her shoulders slowly brushing up and down her skin leaving a burning trail in their wake. “Hey, just breathe. Calm down and they’ll go back to normal. That’s it, deep breaths, center your mind.”
His smooth voice seemed to wrap around her like silk, caressing her mind. Opening her eyes she looked into his face. God he’s stunning she thought.
“There you go, blue again. Ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
Lexia walked next to Lincoln. She could feel the heat coming from his skin; it felt like an electric current between them, zapping at her skin. She struggled to keep up with his long strides and had to drop behind to let a couple pass by, but as she jogged to catch up he turned suddenly, backing her into a wall. His arms came up on either side of her head, he leaned in and whispered, his warm breath tickling her ear, “Hunter up ahead, walking this way.”
Lexia’s heartbeat quickened; his body was so close, a wall of lean muscle pinning her. Looking up into his eyes her breath caught and she shivered. Lexia took a deep breath and she clenched her thighs not wanting him to smell her arousal. His gaze travelled over her body making her breath come out in shallow pants.
“Lexia, you wanna tone it down? Your eyes are lighting up again!” he chuckled. Leaning in to her neck he took another deep breath making her quiver. “Not anger this time, hey Wildcat?” His back stiffened, going serious again. “He’s nearly on us. Your eyes, Lexia!”
“I can’t control them!” she whispered, cursing her body for reacting to him. Come on, Lexia, calm thoughts, don’t think about his lean, hard muscles or how close he’s pressing... God, get a grip.
“Close your eyes,” he hissed.
She closed them trying to concentrate on slow breathing when his lips touched hers, his hands sliding up to cup her face. Her mouth opened, giving in to his hard demands. Her body felt like jelly and she moaned into his mouth, then he broke away abruptly. Grabbing her hand he pulled her along, striding down the street he turned into a cutting that led to the forest. She let him drag her along in a daze, her mind reeling and all the sensations from his kiss swirling around her. Only Lincoln could make her feel like that by just a simple kiss. It felt li
ke the world had stopped, she’d not even felt the hunter as he’d walked by; every thought, every feeling was of Lincoln.
He dropped her hand and she stumbled on the forest floor. “What the hell was that?” she shouted, feeling stupid now for acting so silly.
“That? It was a kiss, love,” he laughed.
“Lincoln.”
“Look, your eyes were lighting up like Christmas lights, I had to do something to hide your face, didn’t I?” He laughed again turning into the forest. “Catch me if you can!” He ran off, his laughter trailing behind him.
“Argh,” Lexia ran after him, anger raging through her blood and she soon caught up with him.
Who am I kidding? he thought. Her scent still filled his nostrils; she smelt like a sunny day, like a cool calm breeze with just a hint of spice mixed in. Her scent was a drug to him. He brought his hand up to touch his lips; they still tingled. As soon as he had kissed her it sent a shockwave through him all the way to his now rock hard cock. What is she doing to me?
He sensed her behind him. She was getting quicker now, finding it easier to tap into her Hunter strength. He kicked up his speed another notch just to see if she would push herself more. When she did he smiled to himself, That’s my girl.
Lexia was surprised how easily she kept up with him. He picked up speed every time she got too close. It made her mad but she pushed herself, pleased he couldn’t win and leave her behind. He kept to the edge of the forest and ran until they’d passed the town limits. Lexia focused all her energy into running. She kept her eyes on Lincoln’s tall, muscled frame. If she could just keep it together and not let her mind wander to the horrible images that lurked below the surface, then she may possibly survive this.
He stopped and turned with a wide grin on his face. “We’ll cross here.” She followed him across the road and back into the forest. He threw her another cheeky grin and then set off running flat out and Lexia couldn’t help but smile. He was being so childish and yet it was the only thing keeping her going.
Lexia (The Deadwood Hunter Series) Page 13