Four. Not all of them and had gone straight through and she was left with the lead buried in her body. Irritating and painful, but something she could work around.
“Wait. You knew my mother?”
He didn’t say anything and his expression remained placid.
“It doesn’t matter right now. I have to get to Eagle. They have him, don’t they?”
He inclined his head. She rolled to her hands and knees to stand. She needed food to replace all the blood she lost.
Eat.
A pile of fresh rabbit carcasses laid nearby. She’d been out long enough for Cian to hunt after he pulled her out of the water.
It was thoughtful. Her stomach rumbled. To help Chayton, she’d eat every one of these suckers raw.
Eat. And I’ll explain.
Kaitlyn crawled to the heap of fur. She withdrew a blade from the damp holster secured around her thigh. She wondered if she could get her guns working. Had the water destroyed the silver-wash on the bullets?
Probably.
She sighed and skinned her first rabbit. Instead of rebelling, her mind rejoiced at the food supply. Shifters lived a long time, she couldn’t avoid raw meat forever.
Wielding her knife, she carved off several pieces and popped them into her mouth. Cian watched. Funny how she felt comfortable around him. Her thoughts danced over what she’d do next. Recover her gear, follow the trail to Chayton, pray he was still alive.
They’ll torture him first.
Her heart sank. Yeah, she’d guessed that if he wasn’t dead, life wasn’t pleasant.
You need reinforcements.
“I don’t have time.”
It’s either reinforce or die once you find him.
“It’ll take the Guardians at least a day to get here and that’s after the hours it’ll take me to get back to the colony.”
The colony is full of fierce fighters. The rogues said they were using him to lure you to them.
She cut into her second rabbit, hunger driving her hard. Going to the colony was a smart option, but time wasn’t on her side.
Raw meat wasn’t as terrible as she assumed. Her human expectations had blocked a natural act.
“Why can’t you help? They seem to be terrified of you.”
He swung his shaggy head away. I cannot.
“Why?”
He turned with a warning stare. I just can’t.
She was struck by his eyes. Such a clear green. So familiar.
“While I’m eating, tell me how you know my mother.”
He grew introspective again and gazed across the waves reflecting pale moonlight. I go into civilization sometimes when the urges get to be too much. It was a one-night stand.
Kaitlyn paused, her knife hovered over the carcass. Her mom cheated on her dad with Cian?
The meat in her belly suddenly wasn’t sitting so well. Her mom had cheated on her dad with Cian.
I had no idea it’d be anything more. I never saw her again. But your scent doesn’t lie.
No.
I have a child who lives in Valley Moon. It’s why I stay close. Your scent is very much like hers, and your mother’s.
“Shifters aren’t supposed to be able to reproduce outside of mating.”
There are anomalies, and apparently, I am one. I have had at least two children a century that I know of. You and my other daughter are the only survivors.
Her meal churned in her belly. “Why do they all die?”
Did she have some weird genetic disease? Was that what was really behind her faulty shifting?
Various reasons. Mostly violence. And here you are, a Guardian. He gave a long blink. A child born for fighting.
His mournful words roused her defensive nature. “And that’s a bad thing?”
In my life, yes. How’s your mother?
Kaitlyn glared at him, unsure whether she should be angry at him for asking. “Dead.”
His eyes closed. I’m sorry.
She knew she didn’t have to tell him, but she needed an outlet for her sudden rage. “My dad killed her when I hit puberty and shifted and he realized she must’ve been unfaithful.”
Cian’s head dropped. I’m sorry. It’s why I remain alone. Those around me end up getting killed or die because of me.
His mournful, heartfelt words hit home. Damn her soft heart. “Look, I know it wasn’t your fault. You didn’t pull the trigger.” She forced herself to choose a third rabbit, the fuel necessary to help Chayton. “Why did Mom do it? Was she out looking for someone else?”
She wasn’t. She was out for a hike and so damn beautiful, and sad. I felt a kinship with her, but I tried to stay away. I took my human form and went swimming. She found me and we started talking. He drifted off to stare into the distance, a trait that seemed too common for him. I wanted more time with her, but she was determined to return to your father.
“Yeah, that was her problem.” Kaitlyn wondered how much heartache could’ve been saved if her mom had left her controlling dad. Would his jealous streak have pursued her only to hurt her?
She sliced off one more chunk. The fur pelts laying in a pile made her think of Chayton and how he would’ve saved them. She’d seen him giving his furs to a specialty shop in West Creek that processed them and made products to sell. Waste no part of the animal, he often said snidely. She’d always asked if he bedazzled his bathroom tile with fish scales.
She smiled sadly. His sneer had never hidden the smile in his eyes at her teasing. Why did he try to scare her off over and over?
She’d never know if she didn’t go save his ass.
Chapter Eight
Pain radiating from all of his extremities lured Chayton back to consciousness. He wanted to dive back into the darkness to escape it, but his survival instinct prodded him to wake. This time he may be able to maintain alertness.
He didn’t open his eyes, but used his other senses. He was still outdoors. Did his captors not have a survival pit they festered in? A cave?
“Open your eyes, Guardian,” the female rogue sang in his ear. Her raspy voice was either natural or from howling or hollering. A female with multiple males descending into feralness probably spent a lot of time calling out in pain. He didn’t pity her, doubted she was a victim. All her actions indicated a willing participant.
“If I open my eyes, would I have to look at your ugly muzzle?” His words were garbled but clear enough.
A fist smashed his nose. Warm blood oozed down his cheek. Amazing he had enough blood left to bleed. He added a throbbing face to the long list of poorly healing wounds covering his body. He tugged on each limb, but he was secured, his arms and legs spread out and anchored around a tree. Did they steal these supplies or did they have someone leaving them a pile of rope in the forest with their steaks? “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were sensitive about your looks. Is that why you couldn’t live in society anymore?”
Another fist clipped his chin this time. His teeth clattered, but at least he didn’t bite his tongue.
One of the males chuckled. Chayton pried his lids open and found the three surviving rogues surrounding him. Sweet Mother, this was going to hurt.
The pale one spoke. “You embody the reason why we left our colony in the first place. Self-centered arrogance.” He stalked closer and twisted Chayton’s hair into his fist. “This symbolizes what a powerful warrior you are, no?”
Chayton glared at him. If they thought a haircut would make him cry, they had it wrong. His hair would grow back, these rogues’ intelligence wouldn’t.
The male leaned down and bared his fangs. “In fact, I think we should take all the parts of you that make you think you’re a man and better than us. Do you think this hair and that floppy dick are what makes you fit to rule us?”
What? How did they know he was primed as the next leader of Spirit Moon after he mated with Tika? They were being supplied by Chayton’s colony with more than physical gear. But why information?
The female stepped between his
legs, brandishing a wicked blade. Chayton strained against his ropes, the blond shifter yanked his head tight. Getting each strand of hair pulled out one by one seemed like a vacation compared to what he guessed the female planned.
Castration.
Fuck, his balls would grow back, but how much would that hurt? Unless she cut them off. Shifters’ healing capabilities stopped at regenerating body parts. That’d solve his problem with Tika. She’d gladly release him from his vow if he showed up missing pieces. He would chuckle at the irony if the thought of losing his manhood wasn’t so traumatizing.
She grabbed his sac, her laughing eyes signaled the male at his head. Chayton dimly wondered what the third had planned for him when the blade struck.
Blinding agony hit him like lightning. Ropes cut into his wrists and ankles, he gritted his teeth so hard his fangs would’ve punctured his lower lip if his mouth wasn’t drawn tight in a silent scream. And silent it was. Chayton wasn’t gifting them by broadcasting any more pain than the stifling torment rolling off him in waves.
His head fell back against the ground. A hunk of ink-black hair hung from the male’s hand. The knife between his legs stabbed him again. White-hot pain lanced his groin. Chayton would’ve thrown up if he’d had anything in his belly.
“Time for a close shave.” The shifter’s dark laugh was the last thing Chayton heard before he gladly let darkness sweep him back under.
***
“Des!” Kaitlyn sprinted to the cabin. She sensed his presence, so she kept yelling. “Des! I need a phone.”
Des crashed through the patio door and as soon as he saw it was only her, screeched to a halt. “Where’s Chay?”
“The rogues captured him. They’re using him for bait. I need the colony’s best fighters to follow me.”
Des was turning to go, but he stopped and swiveled back. “I’ll rally our warriors, but they won’t follow you anywhere. You’re not one of us.”
Kaitlyn wiped sweat off her brow and stalked past Des into the house. “I don’t give a fuck what they think.” She found Chayton’s spare items by the couch and dug out his phone. “And Des, I want warriors you trust. There’s shifters in this colony helping the rogues.”
Des bristled. “Why would they do that?”
“Exactly.” She punched in the commander’s number. It rang once before he answered. She filled him in; Des listened intently.
“Anyone there you can trust to have your back?” Commander Fitzsimmons asked.
She cocked an eyebrow at Des, who inclined his head. “Yes.”
“Call after you get him.” The commander cut the line.
Des’s speculative gaze didn’t stop her mechanical motions loading up on gear. She wasn’t going to waste time changing clothes. She smelled like lake water and dried blood from digging out the two bullets lodged in her side. As she checked ammo and strapped on holsters, she sensed no movement from Des. Without Des, she’d have to approach the colony’s leader. “I’m leaving to find Mato as soon as I’m locked and loaded. Are you coming with or are you another ancient who refuses to fight?”
His gaze sharpened. “Cian’s out there?”
“Yep, and while I’m grateful he saved me or I’d be hanging with the bottom-feeders in a lake, his pacifism pisses me off.”
“You don’t want Cian in a fight with you.”
First, Des was just standing there. Second, he insulted her dad. She cleared that thought from her head. Her dad was the guy who rocked her to sleep, taught her to ride a bike, and let her dance on his toes. He was also the guy who killed her mother.
Kaitlyn drew the short straw twice in the dad department.
“Well, he refuses to fight, so it doesn’t matter.”
Des took a step forward, his expression severe. “I’m serious, Kaitlyn. I barely trust myself to go with you, but Chay’s been my link to sanity. Cian’s been toeing the feral line for centuries.”
Kaitlyn huffed out a breath and straightened. Guns and knives resting against her hips and thigh comforted her. It was her new normal. “I don’t sense any crazy from him, other than being a hermit.”
“Those of us who survived the extinction barely did so with our minds intact. We lost nearly everyone. Those who had no one to begin with, like Cian, fared even worse, if they were unlucky enough to survive.”
She charged out the door without bothering to see if Des followed or not. When she reached the driver’s door of the SUV, she jumped. Des waited patiently by the passenger door.
Once they were settled, Kaitlyn threw the gearshift in reverse and stomped on the gas. “Hasn’t Cian ever had a mate?”
“Rumor has it he did, but she never bonded with him—refused to bind her soul with his. Ancients don’t need the ceremony to connect their souls to their mates, not like modern shifters. It’s even easier for us, but she refused regardless, or because of, perhaps.”
Kaitlyn snorted, earning a sidelong glance from Des. Mates who didn’t want to bond must be a family curse. “Then how’s he not bat-shit if he’s never mated?”
Des rested his head against the headrest. “Guilt holds the worst of us in stasis, neither succumbing to the feral call, nor moving beyond to a fulfilling life.”
“What does Cian have to be guilty for?” Other than knocking up her mother, who’d been married at the time.
“Differentiating between friend or foe is impossible for him during a fight.”
Nice. Another dad who goes berserk. Kaitlyn jerked the wheel for a sharp right. Des gripped the oh-shit handle but otherwise said nothing about her driving. She sensed his urgency to help Chayton matched her own, but he hid it slightly better.
She sped through town and screeched to a halt in front of the colonial home of Mato. Zitkana poked her head up from where she was cleaning out the flowerbeds to ready them for winter. Kaitlyn left the engine running when she hopped out and charged up the front walk.
“Where’s Mato?”
Concern highlighted Zitkana’s eyes as she took in Kaitlyn’s urgency and Des’s shadow behind her. “Des?”
Kaitlyn rolled her eyes. Nothing pissed her off like old-school shifters. Strapped down with weapons, holding the title of Guardian, and the female still looked to a rumpled ancient for answers. The older shifter’s assessing gaze barely concealed how she’d deemed Kaitlyn unworthy to breathe Spirit Moon’s air. She hoped Zitkana got fleas.
Kaitlyn charged into the house. She followed her senses of where Mato could be. If Chayton’s life wasn’t in danger, she’d be irritated with him for leaving her to ask Mato for help.
As she burst through the door, Mato was already rising. A gorgeous female with lustrous black hair and a sundress stood beside the desk. Kaitlyn guessed the female was close to the same age as her.
“Explain,” Mato barked.
“I need you to gather three of your best warriors to go with me into the forest.”
Mato straightened and crossed his arms. His brown eyes flashed. “Why?”
She grudgingly admitted that he had the right to know. “Chayton’s been captured by the rogues. Three are still alive.”
The girl gasped. Kaitlyn didn’t spare her a glance.
A sneer twisted Mato’s lips. “Where were you when he was taken?”
Kaitlyn plastered her hands on the desk and leaned forward. With males like Mato, there were only two approaches. Completely appealing to their sense of authority or proving her balls were as big as theirs.
“Not that I have to tell you, but I was shot and lying at the bottom of the lake.” She cocked her head at him. “I’ve never had to hunt rogues before who were so well-equipped by the colony.”
Mato’s nostrils flared. If possible, he grew in height. “Don’t make accusations you can’t prove, little girl. No one from this colony would aid rogues.”
“I’ll make the accusation again, and this time I won’t stutter. Shifters from your colony are supporting the rogues, who are using Chayton as bait. Now I’ll say it slower this time
. I need three of your most trusted warriors.”
The female sidled next to Mato and laid her hand on his arm. “Daddy, my mate needs help.”
Kaitlyn’s brow furrowed. Didn’t the girl just hear that there was a Guardian in danger? Couldn’t begging her dad to help her mate wait until after Kaitlyn left?
The girl’s luminous amber eyes beseeched Mato. “Chayton’s made me wait this long to mate, I couldn’t stand it if he was killed before we took our vows.”
Kaitlyn blinked at the girl. Blinked again. Her mind locked the pieces into place until the puzzle they formed finally made sense. The girl and Chayton planned to mate?
“What?” Kaitlyn cursed herself. This should wait until her mission was over. But—Chayton and this girl?
Mato patted his daughter’s hand in reassurance. “Tika and Chayton are slotted to mate this spring.”
Des inched up behind Kaitlyn. He still hadn’t said a word, and for that Kaitlyn was grateful. She felt support from him and she needed it.
“I thought…I thought…aren’t mates destined?” Kaitlyn cursed the question as soon as she asked it.
Mato cut her a sharp glance. “It was meant to be. Our bloodlines should be merged.” He rose to loom over Kaitlyn. “Fine, you need three warriors. You’ve got me. Des?”
Des inclined his head in confirmation. Mato barked for Zitkana.
His mate appeared within seconds. “Get me Trevon.”
Zitkana disappeared. Kaitlyn hadn’t quit gaping at the revelation. Without revealing that she was Chayton’s mate, Kaitlyn wanted some goddamn answers.
“Why did Chayton get stationed with us if his,” she involuntarily choked on the word, “mate lives here?”
Tika ran her hands down her impossibly shiny hair. “He insisted we wait until I was twenty-five. We settled on this spring, although being holed up with him for the winter sounded good to me.”
Kaitlyn’s jaw clenched. Tika’s tone spoke of familiarity between the two.
The female came around the desk. “I know he can take torture, but they won’t kill them, will they?”
“As soon as they see us, they will.” Kaitlyn forced calm, even breaths. At least the shifters in the room—except for Des, who must suspect the relationship between her and his son—assumed her roiling emotions were from Chayton’s capture.
Ancient Ties (Pale Moonlight (Wolf Shifters Romance) Book 2) Page 10