Heedless of the boxers that hung shredded on her hips, he reached the window in three strides. Outside, Alek reached up when Rhy bent to pass Patience through.
“Fuck!” Angry curses bellowed from the doorway behind him. Rhycious tossed Patience out the window as gently as he could, and prayed Alek would catch her. Hard footfalls headed his way.
“Get her out of here.” Rhycious whirled around, pulling his knife free once again.
Three hunters barreled into the room and faced off with him. Two held knives of their own, one a shotgun. Their evil stench gagged him, so he drew in a breath through his mouth.
Rhy crouched low, tossing the fourteen-inch blade back and forth between his hands. The knife’s flat edge caught the light and glittered with ominous presence.
“I’m gonna enjoy this,” he said. And in his mind’s eye, he saw their blood spill, swirling in a pool on the dirty floor. An electrifying chill shuddered through him. He wanted to sink the knife in deep, make them pay for hurting Patience, and take their life in payment.
Just like in his nightmare memories.
Appropriately emblazoned with an Omega Mu shirt, the huskiest of the three sneered at him. “Three against one? I doubt that.”
Rhy lifted his Bowie in casual ease and flipped it end-over-end with one hand. He had no sooner caught the metal tip before he sent it out, sailing through the air. It plunged into the neck of the man who raised his hand to stroke the tail of his dirty blond hair.
Superior fast reflexes. The assholes never saw it coming.
“Make that two against one.”
The mortally injured man’s eyes rolled back, blood and air frothed out his mouth in a satisfying gurgle. He dropped hard to his knees, his hands clutching the knife as he fell over onto his side.
Dead.
Rhycious drew his secondary knife before the body hit the floor. The blade waved toward the hunters. Energy crackled through Rhy as if lightning had struck him, and revenge tasted sweet on his tongue.
“Tom! Oh, my God. He done killed Keith!” Frazzled, blond, and bucktoothed, the one holding the shotgun misfired, blasting a harmless hole into the ceiling. Bits of particleboard rained down. White dust hovered in the air, the grime turning to red slush on the dead man.
Bad aim, their bad luck.
“Think of it as saving the world from another fucking mullet.” Rhycious took a step toward them, threatening with his knife, flashing a hostile smile. The buzzing inside his head increased. White noise preceding the inevitable PTSD sounded like a radio station that lost its signal.
Instead of fighting the hated disorder, he embraced it like a lost friend.
Tom shoved the smaller, gun-toting male hard enough to make him crash forward. Rhy caught the thin blond around the throat with his arm, squeezing when he struck out with the weapon. The silver armband of Queen Savella kissed the guy’s cheek and Rhy had enough presence of mind to witness the fat coward spin and run from the room.
The shotgun clattered harmlessly to the floor.
Numb with rage, Rhycious struggled to keep his demons leashed. Anger flooded his body, and he crunched the hunter’s neck in a satisfying, bone twisting turn.
* * *
Cool air kissed Patience’s skin when Rhycious chucked her out the window and into Aleksander’s waiting arms. Her breath whooshed out when the solid wall of the Centaur’s leather armor slammed into her side. Outside, the air smelled clean, compared to the stink of unwashed bodies in the cabin.
Aleksander spun on his hooves and galloped faster than a racehorse for the nearest tree line.
“We can’t dip out and leave Rhy in there.” Patience kicked her legs, struggling in the guard’s firm hold. “Where are you going?”
Her head bounced off his body armor and she thought her neck would surely break straining to peer over his massive shoulder toward Rhycious.
“Quit thrashing around. Do you have so little faith in the man?” Alek adjusted his hold with a brain-rattling jolt. “He survived two hundred and fifty years and one hellacious war without any help from you or me. I think he can handle a few backwoods boys.”
“Don’t be blastin’ me about it; I know he’s a big boy. I just thought it was diss’n to leave him like that.”
After placing a safe distance between them and the hunters, Aleksander slowed to a trot and finally stopped. He eased her down on a knoll that overlooked the weather-beaten cabin.
Twenty-four hours without food or water, and gut digger cramps hit hard. She doubled over and clenched her jaw to kill her moan. On top of the gut twist, a pounding beat drummed in her head. Patience rubbed her temples to relieve the ache grinding behind her eyes.
An orange flash pulsed near a towering hemlock tree, followed by an atmospheric pop. Daisy rushed forward, her arms extended. “Patience! Oh gods, are you okay? What the hell happened to your clothes?”
Aleksander shook his head, pointing toward the tree. He swung his perplexed gaze back to Daisy. “Did you just come out of that tree?”
“Yeah, I’m a Wood Nymph. I can do that sort of stuff.”
“But it’s not your tree, is it? I thought—”
Daisy rolled her eyes. “Wood Nymphs can borrow trees for short durations. Do you have anything she can wear?”
Overcome with fatigue, pain, and outright fear, Patience wrapped her arms around her best friend’s warm midriff and closed her eyes in relief. She’d screamed so loud in the cabin, her throat was sore.
Cool and subtle, a breeze fanned her derrière, and a ripple of awareness crept up her spine.
“Daisy? Am I flashing a BA?”
“Yeah, sweetie. You are.” Daisy dropped her comforting arms and gave a half-hearted laugh. She reached for the black cotton shorts Aleksander materialized out of what Patience recognized as Rhy’s travel bag, and handed them to her. “You okay?”
“I will be, as soon as we split out of here.”
Patience stood first on one quivering leg, then the other. She stepped into the running shorts and adjusted the elastic band. The shorts were too large, but it was better than having her ass flap in the wind. Wood Nymphs were comfortable with their nudity, but she flushed miserably just the same.
Alek’s brow wrinkled and he scratched his black goatee. “Then why didn’t you shimmer into a tree when we first met, during that earlier ordeal?”
Daisy cleared her throat, brushing microscopic leaves from her skirt. “It’s hard traveling between the planes when I’m stressed.” She shook out her skirt one last time and met Aleksander’s eyes, daring him to comment on whatever it was they were talking about.
He didn’t.
Smart man.
“Here comes Rhycious.” Alek strode forward and abruptly stopped. “Holy Bacchus . . . .”
Through the thick stand of trees, Patience’s gaze followed Rhycious walking the plaited trail. Sunlight winked on his shoulders, keeping shadows at bay. Her breath caught at the sight of him, and she gripped the droopy black shorts hugging her waist. With his dark hair pulled back, the Centaur-man reminded her of a gunslinger from the old Wild West.
Every stride of Rhy’s loose-limbed gait brought him closer to her. Blood splattered across the front of his gray shirt, obscuring the words Wear It. Streaks of crimson smeared his cheek, and a darker patch cracked, drying on the thigh of his pants.
He wasn’t limping or appeared injured in any way, thank the gods. By the look of the speckled pattern, she doubted it was his blood.
Tears collected in her eyes, and she dashed them away with a sweep of her arm. “Please tell me none of that is yours.”
She swallowed hard, trying to read the glint in his narrowed eyes as he stalked toward her.
Rhycious didn’t stop until he stood toe to toe looking down at her. Bravely, she lifted her chin. The scent of rust and salt assailed her nose from the gore covering his chest. They locked eyes and he held her arms in a gentle grip.
“It’s not mine.” A flicker of pain crossed his f
ace before his expression settled once more into a stoic mask. His studious eyes took in the length of her body. Mouth twisting, he fought for control. “How did they hurt you?”
Patience darted a glance to Aleksander and Daisy before she answered. “Let’s talk about it later. Right now, all I want is to go home.” Stretching up on her toes, she kissed his lips, avoiding the spots of blood. “Please,” she whispered.
Her eyelids sagged, feeling like a ball and chain weighed them down, but freedom shined brighter and she didn’t complain. A yawn snuck out, causing her eyes to tear up. She couldn’t find the energy to lift her hand to cover it. Lying down to sleep for a hundred years after a long, hot bath sounded like bliss to her.
Alek rooted around in his bag while Daisy peered over his shoulder. He pulled out a small wrapped bar and handed it to Patience.
“Thank you,” she said. “What is it?”
“It’s what we in the military call gedunk.” Alek opened a green container and passed it to her. The smooth metal chilled her hand. She took three long swallows, and hummed in appreciation. Cool and wet, the sweet spring water basted her raw throat and squelched the irritated burn.
“I was told you never ate last night—” Alek cleared his throat at the steely glance Rhy shot his way—“but we’ll get to that later.”
Patience smiled her thanks and placed the flask in Rhy’s open hand.
“Gedunk is a snack or any easily consumed food,” Rhy explained. His hand touched the cap of her shoulder, sending warm tingles down her spine. “Tastes like shit, but gives you energy.”
Daisy shook her head at Rhy’s offer of a drink before he tipped the canteen upside down and drained the last of the water. He tossed the empty container back to Alek. Grabbing up his discarded backpack, he slid his hand to the small of Patience’s back, encouraging her down the vegetated trail toward home.
Patience glanced back at the sorry looking shack, grimacing in distaste. “What about the hunters?”
“I’ll have a clean-up crew sent over,” Alek said. “We’ll take care of the remains.”
She tilted her head to look at the sky, wishing she were one of the clouds drifting lazily by. It was beautiful—a beautific nightmare. Patience hugged herself, glad to be out and alive.
Daisy asked Aleksander about his foodstuff, politely declining his offer of a taste. Patience was so hungry she could eat raw grubs, so she had no qualms about ripping open the food stick. She took a moment to sniff the sticky brown bar.
“Well, I’m all for some energy right about now,” Patience said. “My legs feel like lead from being tied for so long.” She took a bite and wrinkled her nose at the bland flavor, but chewed the lumpy mass, and swallowed.
The return trip to her tree near Boronda Creek passed quickly with the murmurs of Daisy and Aleksander’s conversations floating in Patience’s subconscious. Within a few minutes of setting out, Rhy had swept her up with gentle hands into his arms and held her against his blood-encrusted shirt.
She’d soon become drowsy, amazed she could relax while wreathed in his embrace. His strength gave her comfort and started the healing process she so desperately needed to overcome the horrors of the last few hours.
Patience wrapped her arms around Rhy’s neck, burrowed her nose against his warm skin, and closed her eyes. A warm kiss on her forehead was the last thing she remembered before drifting off to a dreamless sleep, rocked like a newborn babe in her remedy maker’s arms.
Much too soon, soft lips feathering kisses over her eyelids, cheeks, and lips roused her. Tender caresses whipped lightning into her bloodstream. Her pulse danced.
“Patience. Wake up, polytima.”
If the light stroking hadn’t woken her, his deep voice would have. Patience slapped her hand over a huge yawn, and forced her eyelids to open. In front of them, an arm’s length away, her sycamore grew steadfast. The tree’s shiny leaves in the canopy above splashed a few shades lighter than the other sycamores towering above it.
“How long did I crash out?”
He lifted his wrist to glance at his watch and she realized he was kneeling on the ground, holding her in his lap, his body aroused.
“About two hours. How do you feel?” His amber eyes glittered like precious gems and blazed beneath brows stamped with lines of concern.
Patience traced the scar on his cheek, the disfigurement pink and smooth next to his whisker-rough chin. She slid the pad of her finger over the sensuous outline of his lips. “Pretty good, considering everything I ….” She sighed, not wanting to continue.
His arms tightened around her. “Let’s get you inside.”
“Hey.” She glanced around and noticed they were alone. “What-up with Daisy and Aleksander?”
“Daisy went home to grab a few things, and Alek’s playing bodyguard for her. They’ll meet us here in a while.”
No need to grip his hand for a shimmer this time, he’s not letting go of me. The pleasant notion curved her lips. Patience focused on building her internal voltage with enough power to transfer two people inside her tree.
Sparks of metabolic energy danced along Rhy’s skin, and his eyes polished into glistening beams of light. He glowed like a Greek god in Elysium. Then with a jiggle and a pop, they reappeared in her living room.
Rhycious lowered her feet to the floor, but kept his arm wrapped around her waist. Standing from his kneeling position, he helped her up. She glanced around, noting half her stack of magazines lay spread in disarray on the floor near the couch. The little pink pillows Serenity made for her last year were pushed to one side.
“Was it rough for you, stuck in here like you were?”
“Sweetheart, you have no idea.” He shrugged off his pack and tossed it on the couch. “Good thing Daisy came by when she did.”
The room tilted, and she staggered a bit in making a beeline for the cold box in the kitchen. Food. She needed food, and lots of it. Rhy followed close behind. Patience found herself emotionally reaching for him and their domestic togetherness.
She grabbed the bagels and cream cheese Serenity brought on her last visit. Her missing sister, never far from her thoughts, loomed up to tug at her heart. Patience needed to speak to Rhycious about how to best search for her, but her heart advised that right now wasn’t the time.
Six days had passed since Serenity went missing. Knowing her sister wasn’t in bondage at the hunters’ cabin was a huge relief, though momentary. If Serenity wasn’t there, then where was she, and who was she with? The indefinite possibilities gnawed a little more in her mind.
After cutting the bagel in half and slathering way too much cream cheese on it, she handed a slice to Rhy and bit into the other.
“Military food bites the big one compared to this.” Patience rolled her eyes back as a sweet burst of flavor filled her mouth.
“I’ll agree with you there.” He finished his bagel in three enormous chomps and watched her lick the cream cheese from the corner of her mouth. His pupils dilated in those tawny orbs of his until only a thin gleam of orange surrounded the black centers.
Reaching across the butcher’s block they were using as a table, Rhy stroked the hair off her forehead. His fingers lingered in a fiery caress, drifting down from her temple and across her cheek, where he cupped her bruised face in his palm.
He gazed deep into her eyes. “Babe, I need to know. Did they touch you?”
A ripple of pain went through her body as she remembered the hours past. Patience fell into his hypnotic gaze, her pulse beat wild in her throat. Using his thumb, he traced the contours of her cheek. Every torturous thought disappeared from her mind. Need coursed through her veins in a rapid hot flow that both excited and frightened her.
She had never reacted this way to a male before. And she shouldn’t be reacting to this Centaur. In the end, it wouldn’t be fair to him. What happened to her self-control and common sense?
With great effort, she rediscovered her voice, but it was silky, smoldering. She hardly recog
nized it. “No, not like you think. Molested is more like it. It could have been much, much worse.”
“I want to kill them all over again,” he whispered. “Please say you don’t fear me now, polytima.” Rhycious lowered his hand and drew nearer. His fingers curled around her throat in a caress, and he tilted her head back, his eyes never straying from hers. He leaned closer.
“I’m not scared of you.” The quiver in her voice ridiculed her answer. She gazed at him, her escaping breath a thin stream from between her parted lips. The molten heat in his gaze stimulated an answering warmth within her, and she found herself staring at his sumptuously carved mouth.
“Don’t ever be afraid of me.” His words barely discernible, he leaned closer still. “And don’t be scared of this.” Rhycious closed the distance between them, lightly pressing his lips to hers.
Instantaneous heat burst around them, within them, brilliant and scorching as the incandescent lighting along the walls. Patience drew in a small gasp, pulling Rhycious to her. He settled his mouth against hers more firmly, and she told herself she only wanted a sip.
Nothing more.
Flames swept through her body, the blood scorching the veins in which it traveled.
One nibble.
Just one—and it would never be enough.
His mouth tasted like satin drenched in apricot brandy. Sugary soft and intoxicating. His tongue slipped between her parted lips and she luxuriated in the experience. Rhycious caressed her, and Patience answered in kind, countering purely on impulse. Her tongue slid lithely against Rhy’s and he plunged in deeper. The flames vaulted higher.
A low moan drifted up from her throat and she wound her arms around his neck. His kisses drugged her, and she grew lightheaded. as if her body hovered off the floor. Rhycious lifted her, his arms wrapped around her like a protective shield from the gods. His large hands coasted down the small of her back and molded her body to his.
Fully aroused, his erection strained into her belly, hard as ironwood, tempting as sin. Memories of sweat-stained t-shirts and loud abrasive laughter crowded for room in her overly taxed thoughts. A tremble shot through her, and she pushed a hand against his chest. She wasn’t resisting Rhy, she was fighting to rid herself of an awful memory.
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