Cautiously, careful not to make any unnecessary movement or sound, she swiftly jumped from tree to tree, keeping to the very top. She knew rogues could only climb the thick branches, so her light weight allowed her to leap through the thin ones higher up. The hissing sounds got louder, and she held out one of her weapons in front of her to prepare herself—a long dagger that could cut through any rogue. She sharpened her mind, ready to swing at any attack as movement became visible in front of her.
Her body froze for a second when the forest finally gave way to a small clearing, where there were rogues gathered. There were probably about three dozen of them, and two dozen of those were gone, decapitated and dead on the ground.
The last dozen were in the middle of a massacre with a man.
No, not man. A bear.
Bear shifter, her mind supplied, dumbfounded. What was a bear shifter doing here on this godforsaken mountain?
She had no time to analyze her own question because while the shifter was currently winning the fight, it might not be for long—not with how bruised and bloody he looked now. His fur was a magnificent rich brown, and he was probably one of the largest and grandest bears she’d seen in her life. But yes, he was seriously injured and limping, even while he fought the dozen off all at once.
It was impressive.
It was horrible.
Then Nell heard it: rustling coming from below her. Then, a good amount of hissing. More rogues were on the way, and if they attacked the bear shifter now…
He’d be dead before he could blink.
Nell moved before she could think. In that split of a second, she knew the priority now—keep that shifter alive and preserve the alliance. Get him somewhere safe in the meantime. As she began to form the plan in her mind, she took out one of the potions in her bag: a clear liquid with silver glitter inside it. The witch who made it said it would work for only a few minutes, but that was alright.
That was all she needed.
Nell leapt through the air. Then she threw the potion behind her, creating an effective barrier that the coming rogues couldn’t cross. For now. When she landed, one of the rogues attacking the shifter looked up, sensing the movement.
It was dead in less than a second as Nell landed on its back, ramming her dagger through its skull. There was a squelching sound, but she tore off its head before it could keep moving. She attacked two more, as silent as the wind, feeling all of the training Lucinda had pushed on her come back and guide her flow. Out of the corner of her eye, she had enough time to see the bear shifter sway as a rogue latched onto its throat, and another onto its arms. Then the shifter was down on the ground, out cold.
Oh, no.
A hiss came out of her throat. Then she was ripping the first rogue away from the shifter, then the second. Swish, swish, swish. Then she was jumping back in the opposite direction, baring her teeth at the remaining rogues.
“Hey, you idiots! Come and get me! I’m fresh meat!”
Oh, they heard her. There were only four of them left, and their heads all turned in her direction. Then they were attacking her at once.
There was no coordination at all to their movements, which would have made them a terrifying enemy for their unpredictability alone. But Nell kept baring her teeth and stood her ground, waiting until they were only a foot away from her. Then she jumped high up in the air, and all four collided against each other in the now-empty space.
Wasting no time, she landed with a hiss. Then she joined the throng.
And she killed them one by one.
*****
She didn’t have time to waste after she killed the remaining four. The barrier was going to break soon, and if she and the shifter didn’t get out of here, they were doomed.
A glance to the side where she left him had her pausing for a few seconds. He was still unconscious, and he was no longer able to retain his bear form. In his human form, he was just as big, with broad shoulders and a back that was all golden skin. She walked over and gingerly turned him around. Then she froze.
She knew him.
This was Hans Grayson, leader of the bear clan. He was well known in her community. Lucinda talked about him, as well as her mate Finn. This was one of the most powerful shifters there was, and one of the most influential in their time.
He was also the one who didn’t join the war against the evil witches some months ago, leaving his shifter mates behind.
Whatever prejudice she felt about that, she set it aside as she pulled him up to a sitting position. She saw his bag lying nearby, and tucked that with hers. Then she placed herself in front of him and placed both his arms around her, feeling his head loll towards her shoulder. Good. Precious time, precious life.
Then she stood up, lifting him with her, and started running.
*****
He was very heavy, but she powered on and ignored the sore muscles she was sure she was going to get carrying his dead weight on her shoulders—his dead, naked weight. Nell made sure to stick to the shadows and make minimal noise, desperately trying to find someplace to hide for her to deal with Hans. He was still bleeding, and it was worrying her in two ways: that the rogues might track the blood, and that he’d end up dying in her arms despite all this effort.
She finally found a cave just up ahead—a small indentation that looked almost like an ordinary boulder. But it was enough. She lay Hans on the ground and squeezed herself inside the small opening, quickly checking inside to determine that there were no other hidden holes for some rogue freak to surprise them. Satisfied, she went back out and lifted Hans again, squeezing him inside and sighing in relief when she heard a thud on the other end. She dove in after him, then closed the tiny opening by lifting a boulder over it so only a sliver of moonlight remained. She used the masking potion again, but this time on the entrance, so that their smell would be masked by the rogue’s hideous scent. As another precaution, she also used up another potion—one that would blindside the rogues to any sound.
Satisfied with her work, Nell then turned her attention to the shifter. Her vampire abilities allowed her to see in the dark better than anyone, and what she saw of him didn’t bode well. He had gashes all over his stomach, and they required stitches.
What would happen if a clan leader died under her watch?
Nell shook her head. Not gonna happen. So she took out one more potion from her bag—the one that was supposed to be for emergencies only.
This definitely constituted as one.
She bit her lip, trying to think. The sound-masking potion on the entrance could only mask minimal volume. She looked around, then shrugged off her cloak and removed her shirt. She twisted it until it formed into a rope-like shape. Carefully, Nell placed it in his mouth, ensuring that he wasn’t going to scream. The witch had told her this was going to be a quick heal, hence it would be very painful. She couldn’t afford to have him screaming awake.
Would it work on him?
Nell gritted her teeth. Then she opened the bottle of potion and hoped for the best.
CHAPTER THREE
He felt like he was in hell.
It was painful and dark, and he couldn’t move at all. There was none of the fire that hell was supposed to contain, but maybe that was just hearsay. He felt like shouting as another stab of pain hit him, but for the life of him he couldn’t utter a word. His throat felt dry, and something felt stuck in it.
His vision also wavered, but Hans fought on with the hope that the darkness he was seeing was merely because he was closing his eyes. But a few blinks allowed him to see shadows, which meant that everything was really dark. Damn it. He was about to let that curse out loud despite the dry throat when something flashed in front of him—long hair moving in his line of vision. Then he felt a pair of soft hands touching him, and a soothing voice telling him that everything was going to be alright.
Then a pair of vivid blue eyes was in front of him. Hmm. Maybe he was in heaven.
That was Hans’ last thought before
the pain took his breath and consciousness altogether.
When Hans woke up, his vision was much better—so was his mind, as he took in the sight of the ceiling above him. He was in an enclosed area that looked suspiciously like a cave, but with flickering lights inside. A glance at his right determined that it was coming from a tiny bonfire.
“Good. You’re awake.”
The voice was female and had a lovely lilt to it. Hans sat up, on alert in an instant. His body protested at the movement, and he winced when his stomach held back on reflex, as if telling him he should throw up. Steeling himself, he readied his stance and turned his body towards where the voice was.
Surprise filled him.
So it hadn’t been a dream. The blue eyes staring at him now looked just like they did earlier, only there was a hint of wariness in them now. It really was a woman. She was sitting on a rock, rubbing her arms with her hands and eyeing him as if he was going to attack her any second now.
He supposed he understood where the wariness was coming from. He was a whole lot bigger than her, small thing that she was. He didn’t think her head even reached past his chin. Hans let his eyes sweep over her body, which was covered by a cloak. She looked like a child, except for the knowledgeable eyes. And that hair, red and spilling over one shoulder. High cheekbones, a mouth that would be considered sensual if it wasn’t pursed so tightly.
Yes. Definitely not a child.
The memory of those hands on him made him frown, then look down at his stomach. If he remembered last night correctly, he’d been losing that fight with the rogues because he was badly injured. Which meant only one thing.
“You saved me.” Hans gestured at his body. It wasn’t a question.
The woman nodded her head, keeping her mouth clamped shut. Suspicion flowed inside him, wondering how she got it done with barely a scratch left on him. He looked at his surroundings, noting that she didn’t have anything with her except a tiny bag. It didn’t take two and two to put things together.
He narrowed his eyes. “Are you a witch?”
Nothing in her posture or stance changed, but he got the feeling that she internally bristled at the question—and it wasn’t in defense or anything. Just as if she was bracing herself. He couldn’t sense any well of power in her, though he knew witches were good at hiding it. But his instincts told him she wasn’t one.
“No,” she said at the same time he reached the same conclusion. She didn’t elaborate, which made him even more suspicious.
“How did you heal me?”
“Potions.” She shrugged. “I know a witch, even though I’m not one.”
“Why are you here?”
“Do you always grill people who save your life?” she asked, exasperation in her tone.
Hans nodded shortly. “When I’m stuck in a cave with them, I do.”
She pointedly indicated towards what he assumed was the entrance, which was covered by a huge rock. Then she stood up and crossed her arms. “You’re not stuck. Please feel free to leave anytime.”
Ignoring her sarcastic suggestion, he stood up and stepped forward towards her. Automatically, she stepped back.
He held out a hand. “My name is Grayson.”
Her eyes narrowed as she looked at his hand. Then she took it and accepted.
“Lena.”
He was momentarily fascinated by the contrast of their hands—his were large and rough, while hers felt small and smooth to the touch. She was also warm, which eliminated the fleeting idea that she was a vampire.
What was she?
Hans studied her now that they were close, scrutinizing her features. She was pretty, he thought. Not drop dead gorgeous like most women he noticed, or sophisticated by any means—but there was a certain aura of vibrant energy surrounding her, even when she was in a simple cloak. But…
“What are you doing in this area, anyway?”
She yanked her hand off his at the question and stepped backward again. “Are you really this nosy?”
“Stop evading my question with more questions,” he intoned.
“I don’t have to tell you what I’m doing—”
Her words stopped and her eyes widened. He heard it at the same time she did, which only raised his suspicion about her abilities. But now was not the time.
There was hissing near the entrance of the cave.
They stared at each other for a beat before Hans nodded his head. Then he was shifting his hands into claws and bracing himself again, and beside him, he felt her do the same as she took out a dagger.
The rock shifted from its position, echoing a thud inside. Moonlight poured in, making Hans blink. Something slivered in, but it wasn’t the vicious creatures they were expecting.
It was a lizard, crawling all over the wall before going up the ceiling. It hissed before disappearing out of sight. Beyond the entrance, no sound came.
“They’re not here,” she confirmed. “I placed…something on the entrance to ward them off.” She picked up her bag and rummaged around it, then held up a bottle in front of him. “Here.”
“What’s that?”
“Just something to help ward them off. They can’t smell you for a while if you place a few drops on your clothes.”
“And how do I trust this?”
“Are you always this suspicious of everything?” she asked him incredulously.
“I don’t trust witches or vampires.”
“I’m not either,” she assured. Suddenly looking impatient, she placed the bottle in his hands without preamble. “Here. All yours. I’ve got plenty. And it’s herbal. It’s completely safe.”
Then she was sliding out of the entrance without a sound.
Hans cursed inwardly. Then he scrambled after her, taking in his surroundings once he was out of the cave. They were still in the forest area, but he had a sense they were just on the edge of it. Lena was sprinkling the same potion all over herself. After a moment, he followed suit, finishing the measly amount in the bottle she threw at him. Then he turned his attention back to her.
She was already heading up, ignoring him completely. Stubbornly, he followed her, his long steps eating the ground until he was walking beside her. She gritted her teeth and pointedly ignored him.
“Where are you going?” he persisted.
“Away from you,” she replied smoothly.
“Why?”
Lena glared, blue eyes freezing him with a look. He was unperturbed. She looked like someone trying to frost him over with a stare but failing spectacularly. Her face was too sweet.
“Because you’re annoying and I don’t like being followed, Grayson.”
She was probably right, but he wasn’t about to let her go that easily. “You’re hiding something from me, Lena.”
This time, she stopped abruptly in her tracks and whirled to face him. He was surprised at the movement, but didn’t let the surprise show on his expression. The dagger glinted under the cloak, the sharp end poised towards him.
“Aren’t you hiding something, too?” she dared. “Like what you’re doing on this mountain?”
So she wanted to play that game? He could indulge. “I’m looking for something. A witch hid something at the top of this mountain and I intend to find it.”
He could tell he surprised her with his response. Then she closed off her expression again.
“I’m looking for…someone,” she muttered, not meeting his gaze.
“Who?”
Before she could answer, they heard hissing again—plenty of it. Hans hand automatically went to her arm before loosening his hold when he realized he still had his claws out. The dagger was now held out of her cloak as she listened around. He pulled her to run, but she held her ground.
“I know how to fight them,” she insisted.
“And you’d be dead in a few minutes,” he said. He listened again. “That sounds like three to four dozen headed our way.”
Her eyes widened at his rough estimate. This time, when he pulled her,
she didn’t fight his grip as she followed him to the edge of the forest.
They were out of the trees in no time and headed towards a wide field with grass up to her shoulders. They were running now, trying to keep their movements quiet as the moonlight shone brightly on the sky. He thought they were in the clear and was about to urge her to move faster when he heard it—movement on his right.
On instinct, Hans dropped flat to the ground, taking her with him. He expected her to yelp or protest at the sudden movement, but she was still, quiet beside him, her eyes keenly observing from her position below.
Silently, she placed her elbows on the ground and started moving forward by dragging her body across the flattened grass. She didn’t make any sound at all, a woman of stealth and grace that only raised his suspicions further. But again, there was no time to analyze it now—not when the hissing and movement edged closer.
The rogues were all around them, all over the grassy fields.
Without a word, Hans mimicked her movements, painfully aware that any wrong move could cause a sound—and any sound could cause their death. He could smell blood, fresh and strong, just to his right, as well as the sounds of teeth ripping flesh. So he focused on keeping the silence, even while his eyes endlessly scoured the area.
After what seemed like an hour at most, they finally reached the end of the field. Hans spotted a large bush growth just up ahead and didn’t waste any time. Before she could reach the end, he was pulling her and ignoring her startled movement, yanking her down and inside the bush. No sound followed them here, which confirmed his earlier thought that the field was some kind of lounging ground for the rogues—or eating ground. They obviously found prey in the form of some animals, and were too busy devouring.
Which gave him time to do this.
In one movement, Hans flattened her on the ground, pressing his body on top of her. Then his claws moved to her side. Dug in.
“Who are you?”
CHAPTER FOUR
Hans Grayson had to be the most annoyingly persistent man she had ever met.
Hans (The Clan Legacy) Page 2