by Leia Shaw
The arm band. She’d heard of enchanted devices that could inhibit magic. They were only a few yards from the car. She scratched and kicked and fought with all her might but they were stronger.
Just before they forced her into the car, she screamed, “Sorin!”
A hood came over her head, blocking her sight and dulling her scream. The last thing she heard before they slammed the car door shut was a terrifying howl that chilled her to the bone. A small sense of calm creeped into her heart. She knew who that enraged noise belonged to and what it meant. Sorin was coming for her.
Chapter 9
Every enemy turned to look at Sorin as his enraged howl tore through the carnage. He’d never felt so… Words couldn’t even describe it.
A dozen or more vampires came at him as he fought his way toward the car that made off with his mate. He ripped through each one, his gaze on the billow of dust the car had left behind.
Slash. Fucking vampires. Kill. God help them if they hurt a single hair on her head. If he’d been injured, he wasn’t aware of it. Every kill, every vampire head that fell only fueled his anger.
By the time he cleared a path through his enemies and made it to the end of the driveway, the car was long gone. Harmony’s scent lingered. Dropping onto all fours, he ran down the dirt road, following her scent. Panic set in when it slowly faded. At a fork in the road, he couldn’t tell which way they’d gone.
He let out another howl, this one a desperate plea to the gods to help him. He went left at the fork but could find no sign of vampires or Harmony.
Start at the beginning. There has to be a trail.
He ran back to the dirt road where he’d last had her scent. It was gone from there too.
Mate. Protect. Rational thought started to leave. Mate gone. Kill. He paced the road. It was hard to focus, his grief was so powerful.
Vaguely, he registered several men crowding him. He growled at them.
“Sorin.”
He recognized that voice.
“You have to calm down. Shift so we can talk.”
Mathias. Friend.
“We can find Harmony.”
He growled again. Mate. Gone. Taken.
“Calm down. Breathe through your anger. You can save her if you shift. Think rationally.”
Shift. Save her. The words cut through the haze and he took a deep breath. A few moments later, he was human.
“Are any alive?” he asked Mathias.
He shook his head.
Stabbing pain hit him in the heart and his muscles clenched and started to morph.
“Don’t shift, Sorin,” Mathias said calmly. “We have a lead.”
He willed his body to calm down, to stay human. His chest heaved with the effort as he stared at Mathias. “What?”
“Harmony’s friends.”
Girls? The two small women she shared a cabin with? How could they know where vampires were hiding with his mate?
Mathias must have read the disbelief on his face. “They knew the coven was prepared for us today. It’s why Harmony was here.” He held Sorin’s gaze. “I think we’ve been underestimating these girls.”
Chapter 10
The world came into focus slowly. Harmony groaned and stretched her aching limbs. It was dark. Or maybe her mind was still hazy from the aftereffects of the drugs she’d been given in the car.
She tried to sit up but bumped her head on something hard above her.
“Ow,” she mumbled, lying back down. Where was she? She couldn’t see a thing.
Hesitantly, she felt around in the dark. First, the sides of her body then above her. Wood. She was surrounded by wood.
As she felt around again to be sure, she started to panic. She was in a coffin!
“No.” Palms flat on the lid above her, she pushed with all her might. It wouldn’t give. She kicked at the bottom, hoping to loosen a piece of the end. It was sealed tight.
Her heart pounded like a stampede. Tears leaked from her eyes. She started to thrash around in a panic, but voices in the distance stopped her.
They came closer. At least she wasn’t buried.
“Is it sealed?” a man asked. She didn’t recognize the voice from anyone in the car.
“Yes. She won’t be able to escape even when she comes to.” That voice, she remembered. Something about him – his voice and presence – gave her the willies. Almost as much as being locked in a coffin.
“Dispose of her. She’s no use to us. I don’t even know why you bothered to take her.”
Shit! Panic set in again, making her chest ache.
“No. She has some value.”
“Victor wouldn’t like it. She’s dangerous.”
“She’s just a girl,” he snapped. “The arm band will keep her from shifting and she’s not stronger than us.”
A pause then, “Still. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Think about it, Lorenzo. The gray wolves’ blood makes us more powerful. Don’t you want to know what a werewolves’ blood does?”
“I’m sure someone has tried it at one time or another. It isn’t worth the risk, Raul.”
“I’m keeping her to experiment on.”
Experiment? Flashes of lab equipment, being tied to a table, needles, came crashing into her mind. Fuck. She had to get out of here.
“Is that why you’ve been prowling around those dogs? I know you’ve been to their camp.”
It all fell into place. The unsettling presence. How he’d masked himself so well, she had no idea. But the fact that he’d been stalking her – or somebody – made a shudder run up her spine.
“I don’t even want to know,” Lorenzo said with a sigh. “Keep her then. As long as she doesn’t cause any trouble.”
“Of course.”
Someone tapped on the coffin. “If Victor hears about this, you’re in a world of trouble.”
“I can manage her.”
It was quiet for a moment then Lorenzo said, “Are you coming hunting?”
“No.” A hand slid across the cover of the coffin.
“Just be careful.”
One set of footsteps left. Raul, she guessed, rummaged around the room. She heard him walk around all sides of the coffin. As much as experimenting disturbed her, it was better than being disposed of. At least it gave her some chance to escape. A small chance. Could she fight a vampire while she wore an arm band that kept her from shifting and weakened her?
“Now then,” she heard from above her. “Let’s see how you taste.”
The lid opened and she was blinded by the florescent light above her. Her eyes flew shut. That was her first mistake. A second later, she was hanging in the air by his hand wrapped around her throat.
A gleaming smile greeted her. Black eyes that matched his long hair looked stark against his pale skin. She etched it in her memory for later. “You’re a small thing for a werewolf,” he said, looking her over. His smile turned to a frown, like he found her lacking.
If she hadn’t been having a hard time breathing, she’d have rolled her eyes. Always coming up short of people’s expectations. She kicked at him but missed.
He smiled again then slammed her down on the coffin lid. She landed hard on her back and tried to scream, but a cough came out instead. Her head throbbed but she still fought, kicking, scratching at his hand around her throat. When he tightened his grip, her muscles started to sag.
Fangs descended. He leaned in. She squeezed her eyes shut. Teeth stabbed into her neck. The world faded.
***
Harmony drifted in and out of consciousness. It was hard to keep track of time, lying still in the pitch black. The vampire must’ve taken a lot of her blood. Without the armband on, she’d have healed and replenished it by now. She doubted she could even stand up at this point.
Focus, she told herself over and over. But each time she tried to come up with a plan, her mind drifted into dreamland. Sorin was there, frowning at her recklessness. It made her smile. She’d miss him the most.
Sounds of running brought her attention to the present. Someone walked around the outside of the coffin. She couldn’t handle another feeding.
The lid opened. This time she knew to shield her eyes from the light. She brought her arms up to cover her face. Someone pushed them away.
“Look at me,” a deep voice ordered.
She knew that voice. Her lids cracked open to see a bloody mess of a man. Tall, but not pale. Well, from what she could tell from underneath the blood. Black hair cut in a rugged shape around his face. Blue eyes looked bright against crimson blood.
Sorin!
She tried to jump up and hug him but it was a struggle just to sit up. Sorin put an arm under her back and helped her out of the coffin.
“Are you okay?” He scooped her into his arms.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung for dear life.
He grabbed her upper arms and set her away while he looked her over. He frowned at the bite mark on her neck. “I’m going to fucking kill them. Talk to me, Harmony. Are you alright?”
“You stink like vampire,” she rasped.
A quick smile then he kissed her forehead. “Let’s get out of here.”
It was then that she noticed there was nobody behind him. No one checking the room was clear or barking orders into a mic. The cold stone room, lit up by florescent lights, was empty except for the coffin. What was this place? Worry set in. “Are you alone?”
“For now.”
Shit. “Put me back in the coffin. Get out of here!” She pushed at his chest. “You can’t take down this whole fucking place! Come back when you have reinforcements.”
“Shut up,” he said distractedly, already pulling her toward the doorway across the room.
It was hard to walk. She stumbled. “The band. I’ll never be able to keep up with it on.”
He paused.
“I think there’s a key,” she said, pointing at the cabinets lining the wall behind them.
“Fuck the key.” He shoved his fingers between the band and her arm and pulled. His face strained and a little grunt escaped him.
“I don’t think that’s gonna –”
It started to bend then come apart. She winced when the needles dislodged from her skin but she felt the repressing magic lift. It would still take a while to fully heal but she could at least shift if she needed to.
After throwing the wretched thing to the floor, Sorin ushered her toward the exit.
The gray slate and lack of windows made her wonder if they were underground. Then again, why would a vampire lair need windows?
“Do you know where you’re going?” she asked.
“No idea.”
Great. “How did you even get in here?”
“I snuck in. The blood masked my scent.” He stopped suddenly then shoved her behind him. “The dead bodies I left behind, however…”
The whooshing sound of air moving heralded their appearance. Three vampires, already fanged and growling, blocked the exit.
Sorin stood in front of her like a shield. She scanned the room for another exit. On the other side, there was an arch that opened to a hallway.
“A tunnel,” she whispered.
He nodded. “Go. I’ll be right behind you.”
“I’m not leaving you alone.” She could fight. Sort of. Maybe not at her best, but she’d try.
“We don’t have time to argue,” he said. “Do this for me, Harmony.”
She agonized a moment.
“Please.” The desperation in his voice cinched her decision. She would do what he said.
“Okay. Be careful.”
Without another word, he shoved her backward. She turned and ran as fast as she could. Grunts and growls sounded behind her. Sorin was taking on the vampires, but three was no match for him.
Just before the tunnel entrance, a familiar face came into view. Raul crouched down, legs wide, fangs out. The bite mark on her neck throbbed, supplying enough anger to give her a short burst of energy.
She ran at him. When he reached out to stop her, she slid down and skidded between his legs. Her claws shot out as she reached up at his crotch and squeezed. A deafening roar filled the room then she let go, jumped up, and ran into the tunnel. He wouldn’t be chasing her for a while.
The tunnel was dim. An overhead light every few yards cast a yellowish glow here and there, but otherwise it was dark. She slowed to a walk, listening for signs of a pursuit, but mostly for Sorin. Deep in the tunnel now, she couldn’t hear him or smell him. There was an eerie stillness that made her shudder. Should she go back for him?
The ground shook. Just a little but enough to send her heart racing.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
She ran again, panicked as some…thing gained on her. What did they have in here? A troll? The thudding got louder and louder as it came closer. Pieces of dirt and rock fell from the ceiling and walls.
Something grabbed her. She screeched as she was hauled over a giant shoulder. The world flipped upside down and she was staring at a furry, muscled, blood-covered back.
Sorin. He’d shifted into his crinos form. The beast handled her easily as he jogged through the tunnel, with her slung over his shoulder.
With a growl, he ground to a halt. He turned the other way then stopped again. A grunt then he placed her down on her feet. She looked up at him. Way up. His jaw was the size of her whole head. It was hard to believe this terrifying creature was her mate.
From the left, a figure appeared, slashing a sword through the air. She screamed when it swished a few inches from her face. Sorin threw her against the wall and caged her with his body. With a roar, he swung his great big fist at the vampire’s head. But vampires were fast. He ducked then parried. The sword hit its mark, slicing through Sorin’s thick skin on his arm.
Harmony’s protective instincts came to the fore. She tried to slide out from behind Sorin and fight the vampire that dared to hurt her mate, but Sorin only pressed her in further.
More vampires appeared, some with weapons, some not. Sorin fought savagely while trying to shield her. Blood sprayed the walls and floor. But as he killed one after another, more came to take their place. They were outnumbered.
“Sorin!” she yelled above the chaos. “Let me help!”
Finally, he stepped away. Two big swipes with his claws on either side of him sent vampires flying back. He jumped to the other wall, and placed his back against it then grabbed Harmony and held her tight against his side.
She struggled to get out of the headlock he held her in. What the hell was he doing? Using the other wall as leverage, he kicked the opposite one – once…twice... The stone crumbled. A third time went through the stone completely and light from outside shone through the gap.
He shoved Harmony toward it then fought through another round of vampires. But he was slowing down. A sword clattered to the ground by her feet. She picked it up and sliced it through the nearest enemy. Sorin dodged blows by two vampires while one hung off his back. It bit down on his neck, tearing off a piece of flesh.
With a growl of anger, she jumped forward and thrust the sword through the vampire’s neck. When he fell to the ground, she used it like an axe to chop off his head. Blood sprayed on her shoes and bottoms of her jeans.
Damn it felt good.
Pounding and more crumbling behind her made her spin back around. Sorin was punching the wall, making the hole bigger. He pounded hard while rock flew all around him. When the gap was big enough for her to fit through, he turned and motioned for her to go.
The fight had died down for a moment. The sunlight streaming through the wall made the vampires rethink their plan. But the ceiling was starting to sag. He’d punched through an arch. At the top was the keystone – the wedge that held up part of the building. If that fell, the whole side of the building would collapse. What was he thinking?
She shook her head. She wasn’t leaving him again.
Anger grew in his eyes. He couldn’t talk in t
his form, but the message was clear. His patience snapped when a throwing knife went whizzing by her head then bounced off the stone wall beside her.
He grabbed her by the arm and shoved her toward the hole. In order to go through it, she’s have to sort of climb over the bottom half of the wall then slide through because the crack wasn’t very wide, otherwise he’d have pushed her outside himself.
The top of the wall started to crumble. More vampires appeared in the tunnel, skirting the edge of the sunlight. Another throwing knife whistled through the air and missed.
Sorin stepped toward her with a threatening growl.
“Okay, okay.” Even though he was her mate, he was still fucking intimidating.
With a sigh, she obeyed and slipped through the wall into the outside air. He would pound the wall a few more times then follow her. She didn’t need to worry.
As she took a few steps back, she kept her eye on his figure through the hole. Come out, Sorin.
He reached up.
Come out! She started to panic.
He swiveled and ducked his head to view her through the hole. With a last longing look, he pulled down on the keystone.
“No!” she screamed.
It was too late. The wall collapsed, the stone ceiling fell, crushing anything beneath it. She jumped back. Stone and dirt flew as it crashed to the ground. When the dust settled, she moved toward the debris.
“Doesn’t mean he’s dead,” she told herself. He was strong. He could survive almost anything.
She would pick through every last rock until she found him. It was hard to estimate where his body would be in the giant pile of rubble. After studying it for a moment, she started just in front, confident he’d have tried to move toward her while it fell.
On the other side of the mountain of rock, something stirred. She looked up. Two vampires stumbled out from behind a pile. Another one came from her right. More in the distance.
Shit.
They hadn’t seen her yet but would smell her in a matter of minutes. She looked down at the debris Sorin was buried under. Nothing stirred.
Fuck. She groaned. There was no choice. She had to leave.
Bones cracked then slid into place in a different configuration as she shifted to lupus form. She turned and fled into the thick wood behind her. There was no pursuit. The vampires were weakened by the sun. They would find shelter and she could go back and unbury her mate.