Coveted

by Stacey Brutger

  He blanched, then his gaze dropping to his partner. The man was nearly submerged, his eyes forever open and staring at nothing.

  “You little bitch, you did this.” Jacob slammed her against the wall hard enough to make her to go limp, then tossed her still body into the water.

  Aiden roared, his beast vibrating with rage, the tortured sound reverberating down the tunnel.

  Jacob strode toward the exit, only a slight rush to his steps, leaving his fallen friend behind. But he’d grown careless, believed himself invincible, and didn’t watch his steps.

  An inch, but that was all that Aiden needed

  He lunged.

  His claws scored across the right side of Jacob’s face.

  Four long welts appeared from temple to lips, marring the perfect visage. Jacob flailed backwards and covered the wounds with his hand. Bright red blood gushed between his fingers.

  Vindictive pleasure surged through Aiden at knowing he’d permanently disfigured the bastard.

  Murder darkened Jacob’s eyes. Aiden braced himself for an attack, when reason slowly returned to the other man. Jacob narrowed his eyes, malice giving them a certain gleam, before he turned and ran. “This isn’t over.”

  Aiden fumbled with the key. With one last twist, the door to his cell creaked open, and Aiden inhaled reflexively.

  Freedom had never tasted so sweet.

  He watched the man disappear into the shadows then turned to see the woman who’d saved him being swept away by the current. A growl rumbled in his chest.

  Vengeance urged him to go after his captor, but he couldn’t let her die, not after what she’d risked to save him. And if he lost her, his best chance at rescuing the rest of his people would go with her.

  “Damn it all to hell.”

  He turned away from the entrance and sloshed after the woman. The excitement had worn him down, each step physically exhausting.

  He heard her sputter, spotted her fighting to catch her breath, and he increased his speed. The woman struggled for purchase, but the current was swifter here, drawing her inexorably away from him.

  Then he saw where she was heading.

  The old aqueduct tunnels expelled waste from the castle, dropping the water some thirty feet below into the ocean. If she managed to survive the ride, the fall would kill her. He ran and leapt the distance between them. He landed on his stomach in the water, his hands brushing against hers before clamping his fingers around her wrists.

  The heat of her silky skin almost burned. Her touch was like a spark, it snaked under his skin, bringing things into sharper focus. He wanted more and clutched her close, afraid that it he lost her, it would all prove to be a horrible lie and he’d wake up back in his cell.

  The water swept them away too fast for him to stop their descent. He tucked her slight body against his larger frame, cushioning her against the harsh stones. She was so delicate he feared his harsh grip would break her, but refused to loosen his hold. Already, he could feel the water trying to tug her away from him. They entered the tunnel at an alarming speed. If he hadn’t lost weight, he never would’ve fit.

  Stones scraped against his back and sides. His elbow lost a chunk of skin when it hit some sharp rocks. Blood blossomed in the air as his skin was scraped away, his clothes no barrier to the harsh abrasions. When she burrowed her face into his shoulder, he tucked his head lower and clutched her closer, sheltering her petite form as much as possible without smothering her.

  The fresh scent of tangy citrus and sea rose from her, and his beast wanted to rub it all over and revel in it. The floors dropped, the sharp angle making them pick up speed, and his arms tightened possessively.

  Then they were flying.

  The woman gave a startled squeak, flailing as the world dropped away and they plummeted toward the sea.

  It took everything he had to maintain his hold on her.

  Even in the dark, he saw the churning water rapidly approach.

  “Tuck yourself up tight. Take a deep breath. Whatever you do, don’t let go.”

  Then they plunged beneath the surface.

  The brutal impact tore the woman from his arms despite his desperate bid to keep her close. Air was knocked from his lungs. His limbs grew heavy. The cold snaked around him as the frigid grip of the sea dragging him deeper and deeper.

  His temple struck the craggy rocks, the pain stealing the last of his breath. He sank, struggling against the lure to finally be able to rest. Impotent fury roared through him that his body had failed him just when he’d finally gained his freedom.

  He refused to die, drowned like some unwanted pup. He had to snap out of it and find the woman. She wasn’t strong enough to withstand the rip tide. The heat of her imprint still tingled where they’d touched, as if she belonged in his arms. The need to get his hands on her again curled through his gut. He couldn’t let her die, not when he’d just found her.

  Chapter Four

  Shayla concentrated on finding the surface and shot up through the water. As she broke topside, she gasped for air, her chest rattling as she inhaled. She treaded water, the strap of her bag nearly strangling her, and she clutched the last of her belongings like a lifeline. A large wave smacked into her hard enough to send her tumbling. She clawed her way back to the surface, bobbed in the water, and waited for the dark head of her savior to appear.

  And waited.

  Night had fallen. The rain had slackened to a cold drizzle. The tide tugged her inexorably toward a collection of jagged rocks surrounding the cliff.

  Away from her would-be rescuer.

  The water smashed into the stone with stunning force, hard enough to break her into pieces. High above her, water blasted out of the tunnel before crashing into the ocean. The frothy water churned like some hungry creature searching for prey.

  They were lucky to be alive.

  The side of her face throbbed, her back was so bruised that each breath caused her ribs to ache. If she pushed herself, she might be able to reach the shore.

  Barely.

  But not if she lingered much longer.

  Shayla slapped the water at the impossible decision.

  If she left, he was dead.

  If she stayed, her chances for survival were drastically reduced.

  She remembered the way he turned his back on the man who’d imprisoned him in order to save her. The way he cradled her in his warm embrace, protecting her from hurt until they were dragged further and further from the surface. With one last touch of her skin, the man had relinquished his hold.

  To save her.

  Not willing to give up on him so easily, Shayla closed her eyes and sank below the surface. The storm faded to a peaceful silence below the waves. Water swirled around her, pulling and tugging, and she drew on what her grandfather called her faerie magic.

  A warm glow came to her like a small flame on a candle. That’s usually as far as she went. To search for people, she had to crack open the door between the worlds. The Frost World was inhabited by the dead, and they didn’t take kindly to intruders, reminders of the living.

  They nearly killed her the last time.

  No wraiths or vengeful ghosts would be lurking about in the middle of the sea, waiting to ambush her, or so she tried to reassure herself. Not all were vicious, but the violent ones gravitated toward her, as though they sensed she was the key to their release. A spirit’s touch burned on contact. Their lightest contact left bruises that she would wear for days.

  And those weren’t the only problems. The longer she lingered in the other world, the more repercussions she’d suffer, so she had to do this fast.

  Taking the gamble, Shayla concentrated her rescuer. The connection snapped together quickly. The water temperature dropped dramatically, her gift consuming the warmth from around her, needing the heat to fuel her search. The chill of the sea burned her skin raw, while her insides hoarded the heat like a greedy miser.

  Her body stiffened as she swam, her lungs constricting painfully
while her blood slowly overheated.

  Darkness pressed in around her from every direction, and she concentrated on feeding the spark. The sea grew dim. The flickering glow of the flame burst into an inferno, spilling into the underwater world around her. Shapes began to take form as anything living or burdened with a soul reflected the light. Her head throbbed as she used a part of her brain that normally remained dormant.

  At first she saw nothing but sea life, fish large and small like brilliant stars against the backdrop. Then her caveman’s body blazed like the sun some fifteen feet below her.

  And sinking fast.

  With a kick, Shayla pushed lower, more than a little unnerved to be virtually blind in the sea with lord knows how many hungry creatures swimming just out of sight. Her lungs protested the lack of oxygen.

  She was so close.

  Only when her fingers snagged fabric did she stop swimming. She dropped out of the Frost World, but the damage had been done. Her head pounded with a relentless thud. Her eyes burned, phantom shapes flickering in her vision. She could deal with them. They weren’t the real problem.

  Her caveman was a dead weight, dragging them both further down into the murky, icy-cold depths.

  She kicked. Muscles protested the abuse. The burn in her body lessened as the breath-stealing chill of the sea seeped into her pores. Her fingers cramped as she struggled to maintain her grip on her savior.

  When she glanced around, everything looked the same. It was impossible to tell which way was up. Panic tightened her throat, and a bubble of air escaped. She watched the small circle trail through the water.

  Toward the surface.

  Shayla quickly followed. She swallowed repeatedly, fighting the instinctive need to inhale, fighting to prevent water from invading her nose and mouth.

  Her lungs strained.

  Demanded air.

  Her concentration broke when the corpse of the man she’d cracked over the head plunged into the water just feet away. Entombed inside the shell of his body, his soul screamed in silent terror, struggling to be free of the flesh imprisoning him while he was slowly pulled toward hell.

  She jerked back, terrified he’d reach out and haul her down with him. His clouded eyes gazed beseechingly at her. One touch from her would free his soul, but it would also set off a craving in him for the life that he’d lost. He’d cannibalize her, absorb all the warmth she’d hoarded, just for the illusion of living for a few more hours. She could fight him off but not rescue her caveman at the same time.

  Shayla resolutely turned her back and swam, thanking the faeries that his recent death kept him trapped inside his body. It was only a matter of time before he figured out how to escape his rotting corpse, and she wanted to be long gone by then.

  Her lungs strained, and she couldn’t hold back as her body reflexively gasped for breath. Saltwater stung as it hit the back of her throat seconds before she broke the surface.

  Shayla coughed until her throat ached with each breath. Minutes passed as she struggled to remain afloat and keep her savior’s head above water.

  Knowing that no one would be out searching for them, that she had to rescue herself if she wanted to survive, she angled them away from the rocks and kicked toward shore. After ten minutes, she stopped searching for the coastline and just concentrated on staying afloat.

  A large wave smacked her in the face, dragging them under for a few seconds. Using the last of her strength, she managed one last push upward.

  The man exploded into action, fighting against her, shoving her under again. A blow landed on her already aching ribs, and she automatically inhaled water.

  Then she was being hauled to the surface.

  She didn’t have enough energy to spare to even glare at him. Her arms felt laden. It hurt to even move. “I swear, if you drown me, I’ll come back to haunt you.”

  And she’d find a way to do it, too.

  The man stared at her, incredulous. “You saved me.”

  Shayla rolled her eyes. “No, the mermaids did.”

  She shifted to her back, battling to stay afloat, and allowed the tide to draw her toward shore. The man struggled silently at her side, but she was too tired to help. By the time the waves tossed them onto the sandy beach, she didn’t have the energy to do anything but balance on her hands and knees. Agony throbbed through her. Breathing was a chore as she struggled for air. Her throat was raw, her body battered and bruised, and her head pounded relentlessly from the use of her gift.

  The frigid air stole the last of her warmth. They had to get out of the water. Shayla groaned at the thought of moving, then forced herself to stand. Her legs trembled like a young colt’s, and she staggered toward her much too silent companion.

  “We have to get away from the shore. We need shelter.”

  The man lifted his head. Blood dripped from his face, pooling in the sand. Unfocused eyes settled on her.

  He didn’t move.

  Stooping, Shayla draped his arm over her shoulder and tried to drag him to his feet. Despite being skin and bones, the man weighed a ton. She couldn’t budge him.

  Urgency rocketed through her. “Get up, damn you. I didn’t save your ass just for you to die here.”

  On her second heave, he lumbered to his feet. Whatever little color he’d gained quickly drained from his face, and he nearly crushed her when he stumbled. It took two tries to find the right balance for them to walk without crippling each other. “That’s it. Now we just need to find shelter.”

  Dogs bayed in the distance, and the man stiffened.

  Shayla heaved a sigh of resignation. She and luck had never been close friends. “I suppose it is too much to hope that it’s a rescue party.”

  Piercing green eyes landed on her before he very deliberately set her away from him. “You should run. They’ll be after me. I’ll hold them off as long as possible.”

  Shayla could only gape at the idiot, noticing his accent had thickened to a deep brogue. “And how long do you think you’ll last?”

  Ignoring the way he stiffened, she wrapped her arm around his waist again. Solid muscle greeted her touch, and she marveled at the heat of him. He was like a furnace, and she wanted nothing more than to cuddle right up and try to get feeling back into her skin. To get her mind off the feel of him, she sized up their situation.

  Towering cliffs blocked their exit.

  They were trapped on the beach.

  “At least it’s stopped raining.”

  The caveman grunted. “Easier to scent us now.”

  Shayla wanted to drop the big lout on his backside, but he only spoke the truth. The wind howled, flinging their scent directly toward the beasts. She tightened her grip around him and increased their speed. A glance behind them revealed a yawning darkness waiting to devour them.

  Chapter Five

  “Do you know where we are?”

  As soon as she spoke, Aiden pulled away to walk on his own, as if he’d forgotten her presence until she opened her yap. Shayla cursed and shivered, already missing his warmth. Without the overpowering stink of the caves, the combination of his body heat and his masculine scent was both soothing and distracting.

  She glanced at the man, hardly recognizing him with the dirt gone. The female in her wanted to know what he looked like without the facial hair, but the logical side of her warned she was better off not knowing. He wasn’t a type of man easily forgotten.

  He surveyed their surroundings, not missing a detail.

  Alert.

  A predator.

  More than six feet tall, he towered over her, far from the hunched, filthy creature she’d first seen. He had dark hair, a sharp nose, deep, brooding eyes and firm, sculpted lips that made her own tingle as she imagined how he would taste.

  Despite his haggard appearance, there was a symmetry to his face that drew her gaze again and again.

  He was attractive.

  She tripped and nearly fell on her face at the realization.

  He pinned her w
ith his gaze, and she shivered at his ferocious expression.

  “I have a pretty good guess.”

  She shivered again, but this time at the sinful, raspy sound of his voice. It dripped with danger and sex, and Shayla looked anywhere but at him, grateful the darkness covered the fiery heat that filled her face. She wanted to banish those thoughts, but they wouldn’t leave complete, teasing the back of her mind.

  She took a deep breath. This was not the time or the place, and he was most definitely not the man. “How far to civilization?”

  When he didn’t respond, Shayla peeked up, then swallowed hard at his bleak expression. Okay, she wasn’t going to make the meeting with her new boss in the morning. If she even survived the night.

  “We’ll head north. If we can make it to the borders of my land, we might have a chance.”

  He didn’t sound very confident; the accent that had so charmed her was noticeably absent. She wasn’t ready to admit defeat. They’d made it this far. They’d make it to safety, too. She ripped a strip from the bottom of her shirt. “Sit. We need to stop your bleeding.”

  At the baying of the hounds, Aiden’s claws pressed hard against his fingertips. He wanted to shift and hunt down those mangy beasts, then their owners, but that wasn’t going to happen while she watched his every move.

  He should run, he had his freedom, but both he and the wolf were content to remain at her side. Chances were if he left she’d be slaughtered, and everything in him rebelled at the thought.

  Most of the time humans annoyed him. His wolf barely tolerated them. Which was why he’d volunteered to remain at the castle to watch over the pack. He was one of three alphas, the enforcer. It was his duty to ensure everyone obeyed the law. When he’d learned about the drugs being created from wolf blood, he’d been overly confident, positive he could solve the problem with the pesky humans, and return before nightfall.

  That had been nearly two months ago.

  Now, here he stood, in front of a dainty princess who’d risked her life to rescue him.