“Hey babe, is Richard around?”
My mouth flew open as I saw her holding her cell phone next to her ear. It was already too late to protest.
“Hey Richard, hold on, someone wants to talk to you.” She said and handed me the phone.
“I am going to kill you.” I mouthed to her. She made a motion with her hands and silently mouthed back “Bring it on.”
“Richard.” My voice was a little shaky.
“Hello, Julie.” His voice was soft and smooth.
“I just wanted to thank you for the beautiful roses.”
“You are most certainly welcome. I am very pleased you are enjoying them.”
“Yes, I am. I love roses. Peace happens to be my favorite. How did you know?” I glared at Casey who looked away with a grin on her lips.
Richard laughed lightly. “Well, I would never divulge my source. The main point is that they have brought a smile to your face.”
A smile broadened across my face as I answered. “Yes, they did.”
“Excellent…I can actually hear your smile. Well, enjoy them and keep smiling. I will talk with you later.”
“All right,” I said as I heard the phone click. I closed the cell phone and handed it back to Casey.
“You are a dirty dog,” I sneered at her. “Whose side on you on, anyway?”
“Oh, get over yourself, Julie!” She laughed. “I"m on your side, remember?”
For a moment, I considered her statement and my eyes narrowed as I looked at her.
“Are you playing match maker again?” I asked firmly.
“Nope.”
“Casey?”
“I swear it!” Her eyes widened as her voice rose to a tone that stung my ears. “I just know that you were in a gloomy situation. Everyone noticed it. Well, it seemed that Richard brightened it up a bit for you,” she said, bobbing her foot up and down.
The rest of the evening, I worked on taking care of business matters. I managed to convince Casey I would be safe long enough for her to go and spend some time with Nathaniel. She hesitated, but agreed that she missed him and promised she would return later on in the night to check on me. I couldn"t help from feeling alone after she left, but I knew it was the best for her and me. Casey had a mate now, and she needed to be spending her time with him and not protecting me. Besides, my danger must not be that serious, as I had not heard from Daniel in three days. There was still pain in my heart over our separation and I worried about him. What if something had happened to him? What if something happened to all of them? Who would call me and let me know?
Would someone even know to send me word? What were they all doing anyway? Why was it so secret?
Fear grew inside of me at all of the “what ifs“. The only thing I could do at this point was wait. I didn"t want to over speculate.
It was already dark outside when I decided to leave the house and go into town.
Hunger had settled in, and I was in the mood for something different. I had decided Italian was a good choice, so I stopped at Antonio"s Italian Restaurant. A table for one was not as bad I had thought. The restaurant was dimly lit, and they managed to seat me in a nice quiet area. I nestled in my chair and read over the menu quietly.
The choices were almost too many to decide, but since their lasagna had always been a favorite, I ordered it instead of the spaghetti. A few minutes later, my waitress brought out my salad and drink. I was hungry, so I couldn"t understand why I was picking over my food. It was odd to be here by myself. My father and I would always come here at least twice a month before I left for college. Maybe this was what was bothering me.
The food was as excellent as I remembered. The waitress arrived and brought me a take home box as I slipped my credit card out of my wallet. She returned shortly with the bill for me to sign. In a hurry, I signed the receipt with a tip, and left it on the table as I exited the restaurant.
The anxiety crept back into my heart. I tried very hard to remind myself that Daniel was on his way back home. He told me it would be only three days. Well, today was the last day. He was due to come home this evening. So my excitement began to build. I couldn"t wait to see that handsome man of mine.
Maybe I could make it home before he did. However, I was a little concerned because there was still no call from Daniel. I wondered if something was wrong. I shuddered at the thought, and climbed into my car. It might be a good idea to make it back home before he did. At least then he wouldn"t have to know I was out having dinner by myself.
The interstate was in sight and I could make it home in time. Pressing the accelerator to the floor, I raced down the newly paved road. The cars were few on the highway, which was good for me as I continued my race home.
Suddenly without warning, my car jerked forward. I glanced down at the controls, then in the rear view mirror. It was a white truck, and it had just rammed into the back of my car. My foot hit the accelerator hard, the car in front of me slowed down, as the truck behind me rammed me again. This time he meant business as I weaved and tried not to hit the car in front of me. I slammed on the brakes and my car skidded sideways to a stop.
Everything was a blur from that point, moving in slow motion. The white truck skidded to a stop behind my car. Two men got out, I tried to start the car and one of them ripped the door off its hinges and pulled me out. Dear Fate they were werewolves! The stench overwhelmed me as I struggled to free myself from the steel grip on my arms.
The other one pushed my car off the embankment, into the trees down below.
The next thing I remember, I jerked free from the one, and punched him in the stomach then brought my knee up to his head. The other one grabbed my arm and spun me around. I blocked his punch and landed him a close right as hard as I could, sending him back a few feet. Suddenly, the other one grabbed me around the waist pinning my arms to my sides. I pushed my back against his chest and stomped down on his foot. He bent forward as I tried to flip him when I felt something hard come under my chin. The world around me spun out of control as I fell deep into a spiral of darkness.
* * *
Vague voices and some unknown noises faded in and out as I came around. Slowly, my eyes fluttered open. My head pounded from the excessive blow to my jaw. The light from the darkness I had sunk into diminished, and I became aware of my surroundings.
I sat in a chair with my hands tied behind my back. This was not good. The stench from the smell of werewolves was strong, way too strong for me to breathe.
“Yeah, she"s awake.” I heard a male voice say. A chair slid across the floor.
Footsteps were heard on the floor and they moved slowly. From the sound of them, it was two men walking toward me. The stench of them was unbearable. I managed. I had no choice.
One of them stopped before me. I didn"t raise my head high enough to look into his face. My head still felt like someone set loose a jackhammer inside of it. He squatted down in front of me. Probably so he could look at me eye to eye.
“Yeah, Paul you"re right, she"s the one. She is a pretty thing,” he said eyeing me.
The man in front of me was of stocky build. Thick. He wore a plaid shirt with the sleeves ripped out, and his thick arms were covered in tattoos. Even his bald head had tattoos on the side. He took a drag of his cigarette and blew the smoke in my face. I turned my head and coughed.
“Yeah, she"s good,” he said then backed away.
Another man walked in front of me. He was around the same height as Baldy, but was slender in build. His hair was dark blond and slicked back on his head. The jeans he wore indicated he had somewhat good taste and the shirt was a fairly expensive brand.
“Yes, I think we got the right one this time. This is his bitch,” he spoke up and then smiled at me. “You, my dear, have been a bitch to get a hold of.”
“What do you want with me?” I hissed between my teeth.
He eyed me over a minute. He inhaled deeply. “Mmm, you know you are so damn tempting. See, right now you are like a bitch i
n heat to my boys. So if you don"t cooperate, I might let them…let"s say, have a very good time.” He narrowed his eyes, “If you know what I mean.”
I growled a throaty growl as his hand touched my leg. “What do you want?” My eyes narrowed against his.
“Your mate actually. See, I hear he"s up for the Lycan council. Frankly, we are a little tired of you wolves killing our boys out there. So, we are going to pluck you apart one by one. I figure we will tempt them into a little fight with us. Once we rid ourselves of the Lycans, we will then take care of your family, Those Dark Wolves which have provided such a distraction to the Council.”
“You LIE!” I spat out.
“No, my dear.” He laughed lightly. “I take it you don"t know your family of Indians are the Dark Wolves. I must say they have given us a run for our money as well.
But it will be over soon. My plan worked very well to create a Civil war between the clans and the Dark Wolves. It was actually very easy. I just had to set the right trap, and let the Dark Wolves know the truth about what the Council was planning. I don"t need anyone in my way at this point. Not even your precious Daniel.”
“Daniel will kill you!” I sneered.
He laughed, and then looked around to the other three men that stood by.
“You know, I really think he"ll kill you first when he finds the scent of a vampire on you.” He laughed loudly, and then became serious. “But that will be our little secret.” He whispered.
“Fuck you!” I hissed at him.
“Oh honey! Don"t tempt me, because after I fuck you I„m going to enjoy what"s left of your flesh. You are just simply mouthwatering.” he sneered into my face.
I turned my head, to keep the stench of him from my face.
“Now tell me where the Council is meeting,” he stated firmly, planting his foot between my legs on the chair.
“I don"t know.”
“Wrong answer.” He drew back his hand and slapped me.
Anger welled inside of me. I snapped my head back to him, and fire flew through my veins as I glared through my narrowed eyes.
“You pussy bitch!” I spat out, “You want a piece of me, then let me loose!” I growled.
His eyebrows rose as behind him one of the other men let out a chuckle.
“She"s a feisty one, better watch out! She might bite you!” Baldy roared out in laughter.
“You really want to die, don"t you?”
“Not before I kick your stinky wolf wannabe ass!” I was furious; my teeth were clicking inside my mouth.
Judging from where I was located, it appeared to be an old warehouse. Several cars, some dusty and some covered in white cloths were around us. It could be a body shop.
The smell of auto paint filled the air. Yes, it was definitely a body shop. Glancing up, it was still daylight outside, so I knew they couldn"t change. I had forgotten whether tonight held a full moon or not.
“Now I"m going to ask you nicely one more time. Where is the Council meeting?”
“I told you I don"t know!”
The back of his hand came across my face so hard, tiny stars beaded in front of my eyes. Another shot of anger welled inside of me to the point of rage. I wanted nothing more than for him to feel my teeth as they tore out his flesh.
“Stop!” Another voice said as I heard a door shut.
Footsteps came up from behind me. I could tell it was another werewolf by the stench. My senses ran wild. He placed his hands on my shoulders.
“Julie Knight, daughter of the infamous Martin Knight. Soon to be the wife of Daniel Maxwell.” He moved in front of me.
Instinctively I released a warning growl at him. It was Brendan Phillips.
“From what I hear, Thomas Maxwell is trying to find me. Wonder what for? I suppose because of Dr. Miller. Yes, I had a little run in with Dr. Miller quite some time ago. I must say, what he had to offer me was something. As you can see, I decided the make the most of what I have. Unlike you and your wolf kind.”
“Why are you doing this? Daniel could help you!”
“I don"t need any help! The only thing I need is to get rid of you and your kind. My brothers have run from you for far too long. I have bigger plans than you could ever imagine.”
“You won"t survive! I promise you. If you kill me, you will have a fight on your hands, more than what you"ve bargained for,” I hissed.
“Yes, I"m sure your little vampire friends will come for us. I have a little surprise for them as well. Something they should favor very well. The military has a large amount of weapons at their disposal. Some just take a little modification. Just enough to take care of our dear friends the vampires.” He smirked out a grin.
Oh dear, now Richard and the rest of them were in more danger than I realized.
These guys were not planning on playing fair. They had pulled in military weapons to kill vampires. The odds were not in our favor. Apparently, the Lycans were not the only ones walking into a trap. These guys meant business.
Brendan turned to the one named Paul. “I know where the Council is hiding.
Assemble your group, and we will meet them tonight. I"ve sent word out to Mr.
Maxwell. If he wants his darling little mate back alive, he will meet us in hanger one of the airport. We"ve got approximately two more hours before dark. I am sure they will be there waiting, so let"s not disappoint them.” He turned back to me. “Make sure she is unable to change, but don"t kill her. I need her alive.”
My heart slammed inside my body as I watched him walk away. Visions of Casey flashed through my mind, and I knew what they had in mind. Fear ripped through me. I thought they could at least give me a fighting chance. Maybe I could kill one of them before I was beaten nearly half to death.
The door opened and closed behind me. This was it. Someone stood behind me and the restraints on my hands loosened. The only rational thing for me to do was run. I had to get away. Save myself. Save my child. Daniel had no idea he was in this much danger.
The werewolves were separating us from the Council, leaving the Council members vulnerable. No one knew the trap was set so thick. If the vampires showed up, which if I knew Daniel, in my absence he would have already contacted Richard somehow.
Richard would show up with his brothers and be destroyed. Someone was going to die tonight, but who I was not sure.
I pushed up from the chair, grabbed it and spun around. I hit the man in the head behind me, breaking the chair into pieces. The one named Paul came for me. I turned and threw a punch into his throat. He gasped then coughed before he fell backwards.
Flinging myself forward, I grabbed the back of the wooden chair and slammed it on top of old Baldy as he lunged for me. The other one in the back came running towards me. I bolted into a run towards the exit sign I saw above the door. Someone fired a gunshot. A sharp sting in my shoulder soon turned into a burning pain as I tilted forward to the floor. I went down to the ground. I closed my eyes as I felt the excruciating pain from the gunshot blistering in my shoulder.
The one named Paul pulled me up from the floor by my hair. The next second, he promptly beat the living hell out of me. After I fell on the floor for the third time, red blood spilled out onto the floor as I heaved a cough. Yes, it would have been better if they had killed me. It felt as if every bone in my body was broken. I knew my ribs were broken because it was difficult for me to breathe. He pulled me up from the floor. I uttered a silent prayer, a prayer that my child would live through this. The last thing I remembered was seeing the floor again as my world went black.
Somewhere in the haze of my pain, I knew I was being moved. The next thing I remember was far worse. My eyes fluttered open and closed. I saw before me a large werewolf, his eyes flaming red. The stench of him upset my stomach. He reached down and in one swift motion, grabbed my already tortured body. My feet left the floor as he brought me face to face with him. In a quick motion his head went to my neck. His teeth penetrated deeply in my flesh. He dropped me like a rag doll
back on the floor.
My world continued to spin. The burning inside my body became feverish. My skin burned where he had bit me. I could feel a rush from the bite running into my veins. The werewolf venom spread though my body as my heart raced. Fire and ice fought within my body. My face burned as my body convulsed, sending me into a rage of ice-tempered madness.
The feeling of an explosion welled inside of me, where the burning began. My muscles constricted in pain and then the moment came that I hadn"t expected.
The ice burned inside my chest. The newfound burning sensation sent me into an obfuscated melody of pain. My eyes flew open against the pain. My hands clutched into fists as the muscles in my arms screamed for mercy. The ice ran through every part of my body that was flesh. Opening my mouth, I released a blood-curdling scream as the fire and ice clashed against my veins. The shell of my body trembled and shook uncontrollably. I knew the werewolf venom was in my system. The only thoughts I had were of my child. Would it live through this nightmare? Would it survive? What would become of it if it did?
Spasms ran through my muscles again. Gritting my teeth together, I was determined to fight the pain. The fire and ice clashed again as my body twisted into another convulsion. Closing my eyes, I bared down against the pain. The only sound that came out was a deep menacing growl.
Fevered and exhausted, my body continued constricting and convulsing. The fire and ice continued its war, a war that raged on with no avail.
My will was strong, but the exhaustion took over. I could no longer fight against the muscles that controlled my body. My eyes opened and closed with each clash of the fire and ice. If it had not been for the pain in my muscles, I would have thought I had died.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Somewhere in the midst of my continuum of pain and high fever, I heard a faint noise. My eyes fluttered open again in a moment of slight consciousness. There were men standing around me, approximately ten men, and they were all holding what appeared to be military guns. I struggled to regain my consciousness, coming in and out of the blackness. The war with the werewolf venom raged on inside of my body.
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