Something metal was pressed to her mouth and water spilled onto her lips. She cracked her eyes open, even the dim light seeming too bright.
“Gwyneth will be so pissed off at me,” she murmured.
“Why is that?” A damp cloth was wiped over her brow.
She swallowed with difficulty. “Because there’s probably some spell that would cure me if only I’d taken the time to study it.”
“Perhaps.”
Stone’s face swam before her eyes, her fevered mind morphing his face into a wolf’s and then back again. She furrowed her brow, trying to think. There was an idea floating about in her head, but it wouldn’t stay still long enough for her to latch on to it.
“Aroooo!”
“What are you doing?”
“Howling. Arooooo!”
“You’re delirious, burning up with fever.” He unbuttoned her shirt and loosened her waistband.
“I’m turning myself into a wolf. If I was a Lycan I wouldn’t be worried at all. I’d just heal myself, wouldn’t I?”
The movement of Stone’s hands stilled. “If you were a Lycan.”
“Yeah.” She closed her eyes, suddenly exhausted. A grey cloud began to envelop her.
“Christina?”
“Hmm?” It was too much of an effort to wake up.
“Christina, listen to me.” His hand cupped her face. “I have an idea, but it might not work.”
“Idea.” She nuzzled his palm.
“I’m going to give you some of my blood to drink.”
“Blood?” Her mouth didn’t seem to want to cooperate, the words sticking in her throat. “Witch, not vampire.”
“I know you’re a witch and that’s why this might not work, but I need to try something.” He worked an arm under her shoulders, lifting her so she was cradled in his arms. “Lycans have superior healing abilities. There’s a slight chance that ingesting some of my blood might buy you some time.”
She blinked at him blearily. A beam of moonlight flooded the small clearing they were in, bathing Stone in a cool, silvery light. “...turn into a werewolf?”
“No, you’d have to have a Lycan gene for that. This is for healing only. I don’t know if it will work, or even if it’s ever been done before.”
He was crazy. She wanted to tell him that, but it really was too much effort. Her eyes drifted shut and she dreamed of a wolf and a witch surrounded in silvery light. They were playing together, frolicking in the forest until suddenly the wolf gasped in pain and blood began to rain from the sky. Droplets landed on her face, dripped into her mouth, metallic, salty. She made a face and tried to spit it out, but there was too much. It filled her mouth and she swallowed it, coughing, trying to turn her head away, but it was no use. The witch faded from existence leaving only a wolf howling at a blood red moon.
Chapter 10
Christina’s fever had finally broken during the night, whether it was from the blood he’d given her or her body’s own immune system, he didn’t know. Whatever the case, she’d been more lucid in the morning, chatting with the children as he’d struck camp.
“The wound’s still festering and red but no worse in appearance.” He checked her leg before they began their journey.
“Stone.” Her voice sounded hesitant. She glanced towards the children who were a few yards away. They were playing with the doll, rolling about like puppies.
“Yes?”
“I had the strangest dream last night.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I was a werewolf howling at the moon.”
He snorted. “And your howls are pathetic.”
“I wasn’t really doing that, was I?”
He couldn’t keep his lips from twitching. “Sorry, but yes, you were.”
She let her head drop back to the ground. “I am so embarrassed.”
“Weird shit happens.”
“At least the bit about it raining blood wasn’t true.”
“Well…”
She levered herself up on her elbows. “It did not rain blood. Even I know that isn’t possible.”
He held out his wrist. The flesh was still scarred from where he’d cut it.
“I didn’t do that!”
“You’re right. You didn’t. I did.”
“My howling was so bad you cut your wrists?” Her eyebrows shot upwards. “That’s pretty extreme. Couldn’t you have just covered your ears or left me a bad review?”
“No. I gave you some of my blood to drink.”
“Ugh! I’m not some blood-sucking leech of a vampire you know!”
“I realize that. I was hoping it would help the healing process.”
“Not meaning to insult you, but drinking blood?” She made a face. “Yuck.”
He shrugged. “You’re still here. Not healed but better than you were last night.”
She was silent for a moment. “Okay. Then thanks.”
He rose to his feet, her leg now bandaged. “Time to get moving.”
“Don’t forget Clarice.”
He sighed. “I’ll make sure she comes along.”
Some time later, Stone heaved a sigh of relief as the trees began to visibly thin. Just yards ahead of him was the clearing where they would rendezvous with the chopper. His arms were beginning to feel the strain of carrying the two small children and a backpack as well as supporting most of Christina’s weight. He had briefly thought of abandoning the pack, but if they should miss the scheduled pick-up its contents might make the difference between survival and death.
“Almost there.” He offered the reassuring words to the trio. The toddlers clung to him silently, still showing no signs of talking. Christina offered him the briefest of nods. Her jaw was set, lines of strain showing on her face. The improvement he’d seen that morning appeared to be wearing off. He was sure it was only fear of Mendoza’s men behind them that kept her going.
Readjusting the children in his arms, Stone forced himself to continue his unnaturally short stride so that it matched Tina’s hobbling pace. Her arm gripped his waist and she leaned on him heavily, her fingers tightening around his belt with each step. Damn, she had more courage than many a Lycan.
They finally reached the edge of the clearing and Stone carefully set the children down. He helped Tina ease herself to the ground at the base of a tree, noting how the children nestled themselves closer to her. She’d be a great mom someday. The idea created a strange sensation inside him, a softening of feeling he couldn’t allow.
A mate at our side, his wolf murmured, and eventually, pups. They would frolic at our feet. We would teach them the way of the world, to respect the law, other creatures, to seek justice for all.
Stone frowned. His wolf was usually silent, biding its time until action was needed. “Where did this notion come from?”
The time has never been right.
“And this was the right time?” Stone snorted and turned to survey the area for any sign of human activity. There was no reason to suspect that the enemy was here, but you could never be too cautious.
The shell of a small home and a decrepit wooden shed were evidence that this had been a small farm at some point in time. Old cocoa trees grew along one side of the clearing, the pods showing signs of pests or disease; a failed crop that the owner likely couldn’t afford. Fields that should have produced food for the family were now overgrown, only a few scraggly stalks of grain showing among the native grasses that were encroaching. In another year or so, the surrounding jungle would reclaim the land completely.
Why the farm had been abandoned, he didn’t know. Perhaps years of fighting and an unstable economy had caused it to be vacated or maybe the farmer left the land for the hope of a better life in the city. It was an old story he’d seen played out in too many underdeveloped countries.
His eyes narrowed when he noted some of the plants were crushed. From the looks of it, a chopper had landed here recently. It would seem Reno wasn’t the only one who saw the potential of the area as a landi
ng pad. The drug cartels? Or perhaps a group of guerillas planning a coup? Whichever group it might be, Stone could only hope the Lycan chopper arrived soon.
The area seemed clear of threats, but his wolf was becoming edgy, a sense of urgency making it pace back and forth. A glance at his watch indicated they were on time, at least twenty minutes to spare. He turned to stare back the way they’d come. Something wasn’t right. He cocked his head to the side and listened. Was there a change in the chatter of birds and animal life in the canopy above? This wasn’t his natural territory. He didn’t know the rhythm of the jungle as well as he would that of a forest. Scenting the air gave no more information, the slight breeze was blowing away from him and the heavy, humid air meant scents didn’t travel as easily.
Were members of Mendoza’s militia approaching? He briefly considered moving his charges to the relative shelter of the broken buildings but quickly dismissed the idea. That would be the first place that would be searched and his limited ammunition would only be able to hold off attackers for so long.
No, he’d move his small entourage to the far side of the clearing so that when the chopper came, it would be between them and any approaching threat. If, heaven forbid, rescue didn’t come, they would then slip deeper into the jungle and try to lose their pursuers once again.
Bending down in preparation for picking up the children, Stone started to explain his plan to Christina, only to discover that she’d slumped to the side, her eyes closed.
“Christina? Christina!” He gently tapped her face. “Wake up. We have to go just a little farther.”
Eyes still shut, she shook her head. “I can’t.”
“Yes, you can. Here.” Stone took the canteen and pressed it to her lips so she could take a drink.
“Hmm,” she sighed in gratitude, briefly opening her eyes, only to shut them again.
“Christina, stay with me! The chopper’s due any minute. Do you hear me?”
“Yeah.” She licked her lips and nodded, making an effort to hitch herself up. Stone eased her into a sitting position noting how hot she felt. So much for Lycan blood being able to heal a witch!
Torn between caring for his young charges and helping Christina, Stone decided he’d have to move them in stages. The clearing was roughly circular and he wanted to get to the far side but didn’t dare cut straight across it. They’d be too exposed. Instead, he would move around the circumference, taking the children a short distance, setting them down and then coming back to get Tina. It would take several trips, but he didn’t want to leave any of them alone for too long or have them too far away.
“Stay awake,” he instructed her. “I’m going to move the kids over there first.” He indicated a spot about a quarter of the way around the clearing. “Then I’ll come back to get you.”
Stone smiled as reassuringly as he could at the children, before picking them up and carrying them to the place he had shown Tina. Once there, he instructed them to stay put, that he’d be right back. A solemn nod from both let him know they understood though fear showed in their eyes when he stood to leave. He paused then crouched down and cupped their faces in his hands, caressing their cheeks with his thumb while trying to convey to them that everything would be all right.
“I’ll only be gone a moment, don’t worry,” he told them. “I just have to get Christina.” He remembered the doll tucked into his pocket and pulled it out, placing it in the arms of the oldest child. “Here, Clarice will keep you company while I’m gone.”
A few minutes later, he touched Christina’s shoulder. “I’m back.” She’d fallen into a light sleep and gave a start before recognizing it was him.
“Hey, Stone.” She murmured his name as he hoisted her into his arms and rubbed her cheek against his shirt. “Rough. Did I mention I’m into textures?”
“Yeah, you did.” He snagged the field pack and made his way back to where he’d left the children, trying not to joggle her leg too much. The bandage was already stained, showing the wound had been oozing again. His stomach knotted at the thought of the risk to her health each passing hour brought. Soon, he reassured himself, soon she’d be getting proper medical treatment.
He’d just set her down and was planning on repeating the step-by-step moving process when he heard sounds coming at him from two different directions.
The distinctive roar of vehicles travelling over a rough path came at him from the south while at the same time the drone of an approaching helicopter filled the air from the north.
“Come on, come on.” He scanned the sky for the as yet unseen rescuers, then turned to Christina. “A chopper’s coming this way. Can you hear it? Let’s get you up so we can make a run for it as soon as it lands.”
Christina tried to stand, but her legs didn’t seem to want to cooperate.
“You can do it,” Stone grabbed her under her armpits, lifting her and propping her up against the trunk of the nearby tree.
“I’m sorry, Stone. I can’t.” She slid down the trunk, and collapsed at its base, her half-open eyes black against the whiteness of her face.
Stone looked at her, a muscle working in his jaw. The trek through the jungle hadn’t been easy today. They’d fought their way along the overgrown path, the razor-sharp edges of leaves causing a myriad of small cuts and scratches. Little rivers of sweat and tears had left their marks on her dusty cheeks and her hair was sticking to her forehead. His eyes drifted down to the dried blood still encrusting her pant leg. She’d given her all. Now she was done. It was completely up to him now.
“All right. I’ll carry you to the chopper when it lands.”
Her eyes fluttered open. “But you take the children first.”
He opened his mouth to protest, but she shook her head.
“For the good of all. I remember you telling me that last night.” She stared directly into his eyes, the glazed look of fever seeming to fade away. “Two of them versus one of me.”
“The children go first.” He conceded the point. “And then I’ll come back and get you.”
“I know you will,” she smiled weakly, closing her eyes again.
Stone stood in the shadow of the trees, alternately scanning the sky and the jungle. The sound of the chopper grew louder almost drowning out the sound of the approaching men. He could just make out the sound of their shouting. Obviously, they were aware of the helicopter’s arrival. A few random shots were fired and Stone’s stomach knotted, memories of the past threatening to overtake him… The women. Adisa. Safety just yards away when the jeeps had appeared. Gunfire… He shook his head. No, not now. The pups were depending on him. Christina was depending on him.
He crouched ready to grab the children and run as soon as the chopper was even close to the ground. Glancing at Tina, he saw her eyes were open. She was staring at him intently as if trying to memorize his features.
Stone reached out his hand and touched her cheek. She clutched his hand, pressing a kiss to it. His heart began to pound almost as loud as the sound of the approaching helicopter. A feeling of warmth spread throughout his chest, as if his insides were melting.
Just then the helicopter appeared over the clearing and began to descend. The surrounding foliage started to buffet back and forth from the force of the wind it created. Stone leaned forward and gave her a hard kiss before reaching for the children.
“I’ll take the kids to the chopper and be right back for you.”
“Stone, I want you to know that I… ” Her voice trailed off. “Never mind.”
“What?”
She shook her head. “I’ll be fine. Go.”
He took a step, paused and looked at her one more time, something tugging at his insides, telling him to stay with her, to make whatever they had between them last. “Eli.”
“Pardon?”
He shouted over the sound to the chopper. “Eli. My name. It’s Elijah Stone.”
“Elijah.” She smiled as she said his name as if savouring the sound. “I’ll never forget you, El
ijah Stone.”
A shiver ran over him, a queer quivering feeling that filled every corner of his being. “Christina…”
The sound of gun fire erupted and he jerked his head towards the noise. Jeeps spilled into the opening, men jumping from them even before the vehicles had stopped.
Stone grabbed the children and raced towards the chopper, instinctively bending low as he ran under the whirling blades. As he crossed the opening, he could see bits of soil erupting into the air as the bullets hit the ground around him.
Arms reached out of the chopper, taking hold of the children and him, dragging them inside. Stone set the children down and pulled back, “I have to get my partner!”
“No time man,” a voice yelled at him, tugging at him to enter the chopper.
Let us go, his wolf snarled. The witch! We said we would return for her.
“No! I’ve got to go back.” Stone strained against the two men who were now intent on keeping him in the machine. He braced his hand against the doorway and started to break away. A bullet whizzed by his head and grazed his hand, causing him to lose his grip and giving a momentary advantage to the men inside.
“They’re firing at us. We have to take off!” shouted the pilot. “Get that fool in here!”
The helicopter began to rise, Stone still only partially inside. He twisted frantically against the hands that held him, half turning and trying to jump out. Panic filled him as he took in the sight below him. Fighters swarmed over the clearing.
She needs us! We have to save her! His wolf snapped and snarled. We gave her our blood. She is our witch now!
“Christina!” He struggled against his rescuers, his vision blurring as his wolf threatened to take over. Suddenly, the helicopter banked to the right and he was thrown backwards, away from the door. He hit the wall on the far side, his head snapped back at the sudden stop and he slid unconscious to floor.
Something had told Tina that this might be the end. Maybe it was the infection spreading through her body, maybe it was a vision she’d had that she was too weak to completely interpret, but as she’d gazed up at Stone, the need to memorize his face had been overwhelming. She’d wanted his image forever committed to her memory.
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