Blood Hunger (An Adult Paranormal Romance) (Deathless Night Series #1) (28 page)

     However, they didn’t seem like they were a danger to her either. She nervously looked up, scanning the darkening sky for the rising moon.

     At least for now.

     Nik and Aiden stood silent and motionless just inside the hidden entrance of the tunnel. Waiting.

     The sun was finally setting.

     Dressed to blend with the night, they were nearly invisible in the dim light of the tunnel. Black hoodies were zipped up with black zippers. Black hoods pulled up to conceal their faces and hair. Even the wicked-looking blades strapped to their thighs were black.

     Nik’s partially healed skin masked all but his fangs, which were displayed in a chilling snarl.

     Aiden had only managed to get him to drink enough for his eyes to heal. Even with so little nourishment, his body fairly vibrated with the need to get to his mate.

     The sun seemed to pause as it reached the horizon, hanging on to that last moment of daylight, before finally surrendering and dipping below the skyline.

     The tunnel was empty before the final ray disappeared.

***

     Emma shivered as the sun began its final descent. She was still wearing Nik’s long-sleeved shirt, but hadn’t grabbed her coat when she’d stepped outside.

     Of course, she’d only planned on being outside for a few minutes. If she had known she’d be trekking through the Canadian wilderness with three hulking werewolves against her will, she maybe would have rethought that decision.

     They’d been walking for miles without a word between them. But judging by the looks of approval she grudgingly received now and again, they were a bit surprised that the “wee lass” was able to keep up.

     She had a good idea where they were going, but not what her part in it would be. The one time Emma had dared to ask, Cedric had glanced back with a sympathetic smile, “Tis better if ye dinnae ken just yet, lassie.”

   
 
That
so
did not make her feel any better.

     With a weighted sigh, she took in the beauty of the scenery around her, trying to memorize any distinctive landmarks that would help her find her way back. Large Western Hemlocks dominated the landscape, covering the mountains that lined the valley they traversed through on foot.  

     Here and there she would catch a glimpse of a snow-covered mountain peak. Jays screeched over the prettier songs of the chickadees, and small animals rustled in the vegetation around them as they passed. Somewhere in the distance, she could hear the trickling sound of water.

     The whole place was breathtaking, really. She wished she were in a position to enjoy it more.

     Her stomach growled loudly in protest of the lack of a recent meal, and she put a hand over it, trying to stifle the sound.

     Duncan glanced over at her, and reaching into his pocket, offered her a snack. She unsuccessfully tried to stifle her disgust at the piece of dehydrated meat.

     “Thank you, but I can’t eat that,” she managed to mumble.

     He gave her a frown. “Ye dinna like jerky?”

   
 
She shook her head. “I don’t eat meat.”

   
 
His look of disbelief was almost comical. “Ye dinna eat meat? How do ye survive?” Running his eyes from her head to her toes, he nodded knowingly, “That's how come you're so wee. If ye ate meat, it would plump ye up some.” He gave her another lusty wink.

     Glancing over her shoulder at the sinking sun, she silently begged it to hurry up already, even as she wrapped her arms around herself against the dropping temperature.

     “So what are you guys doing here anyway?” she asked him.

     He cast a quick glance at Cedric, who shrugged his approval, before he deigned to answer her question. “We’re ‘ere to visit Leeha. Just like ye. She has my brother.”

   
 
“How did you know she was back in the area?” she wondered, elaborating, “It was my understanding that she went off grid for a few years.”

   
 
He gave her a sly smile. “Ye’re vampires aren’t the only ones with eyes everywhere, lassie.”

   
 
Periodically, she ran her eyes over each of her captors carefully, ever watchful for any physical or behavioral changes. She prayed Nik would get to her before the moon fully rose. She knew what would happen if he didn’t.

     She hadn’t watched all of those werewolf movies for nothing.

     They’d walked another couple of miles deeper into the ravine before Cedric finally called a halt to their little parade. As one, they all dropped down onto their haunches at the edge of the forest line.

     With a yank on her arm from Red, Emma did the same.

     In the space between the broad shoulders of him and Cedric, she could see the creek she’d heard earlier rambling along in front of her. It seemed to run right into the base of one of the larger mountains, where it disappeared into the deepening gloom.

     “So here's the plan, lassie,” Cedric told her gruffly. “Leeha always has guards stationed just downstream a ways. We're aff to let them capture ye as soon as it’s full dark.”

   
 
“Excuse me?” she squeaked.

     Duncan translated, “There are guards downstream. Leeha’s guards. We’re goin’ to
pretend
to let them take you. We'll send ye out by yourself, staying upwind so they dinna ken we’re here.”

   
 
She felt the strong urge to protest this plan of action. “I don’t agree with this plan. This is a
terrible
plan.”

   
 
“It'll be fine,” he assured her.  “But we have to wait for just the right moment. We canna let anything actually happen to ye, Nikulas would murder us all.” They all nodded gravely in agreement.

     “By the time they show themselves 'n' start taking ye in, yer Nik will be here.” Cedric smiled broadly.  “ 'n' then he’ll take care o’ those guards, we’ll take care o’ any others that show, and we can take care o' this daft bitch together.
”

   
 
“Why not just wait for Nik and Aiden outside the cave? Let them know you’re here and you want to help. Wouldn’t that have been easier than going through all of this?” Emma hissed.
It would’ve been easier on me, that’s for sure.

    
“Well now, where’s the fun ’n
’
that?” The wolf leader chuckled softly. “Besides, then
they’d
ken that
we
ken where their ‘secret’ hideout is.”

   
 
Duncan must’ve felt some sympathy for her, for he patted her gently on the back. “Dinna worry, lass. Nik 'n' Aiden will get here before anything happens to ye. And they’ll be so happy to see us, they’ll forgive us for stealing you away. Between us all, we'll be able to handle them easy.”

   
 
“You seem to be awfully confident of that. What if there are more than you expected?” she asked nervously. “What if they outnumber you? What then?”

   
 
Cedric smiled a knowing smile. “Nik is a vampire rescuing his mate. I will be surprised if he needs us at all!"

     “It’s time.” Lucian announced.

     “Aye.” Cedric stood up, bringing Emma up with him. “A'right lassie. Off ye go. Just follow th' creek, 'n' act like you're lost.” Giving her a little push, he sent her off in the right direction.

     Emma managed about three steps before she dug in her heels, trying one last time to appeal to them. “Please! I don’t want to do this!”

   
 
Her teeth started to chatter and her body started to tremble. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t willingly sacrifice herself like this for the amusement of these dogs.

     Lucian bared his teeth at her. “Ye
will
do it. 'N' you'd better hurry, before th' moon rises.” It was the first time he’d spoken, and his voice was raw and gravelly. The sound of it raked over her like hot coals, and Emma felt chills run down her spine.

     Her eyes widened at the sight of his long canines, and she turned her terrified stare to Duncan, who gave her a confident smile. “We'll be right behind ye. Ye can do this, lassie.”

   
 
Not seeing that she had much choice, she started walking jerkily towards the creek.

     They watched her until she got out of hearing range, and then Duncan whipped around towards Lucian. “That wasn’t necessary, Lucian. She would've gone on her own.”

   
 
“We didna have time for her to make up her mind,” he snarled.

     “Haud yer wheesht!” Cedric put an end to the debate before he had to break up another fight between the two of them. “C'mon, we need tae follow her.
” 
He smiled. “Ah, I hear Nikulas comin’.” Staying just inside the tree line, he set off to follow Emma’s small form.

     With a last, disdainful look between them, Duncan and Lucian followed.

***

     Tears streamed unnoticed down Emma’s face as she followed the creek downstream, and her body shook so hard her teeth clattered. And not from the cold.

     A quick peek over her shoulder didn’t reveal anyone following her. Were the dogs even there?  Or were they just sending her off to her doom? Pretending to be friends with Nik and Aiden?

     What if they were lying? She may have signed her own death wish by not denying she was Nik’s mate. Hurting, or killing, her would be the perfect way to destroy him.

     It would be a fatal blow. One that would make him suffer severely before he finally found his end.

     She was getting closer to the mountain, and nothing and no one had leapt out to halt her progress. Where were these supposed guards?

     She would kill those dogs. She really would.

     If she made it out of here alive.

     She thought about making a break for it. Would she make it to the tree line without anyone seeing her? If the wolves were really following, she knew she wouldn’t get far. But at least then she’d know they hadn’t been lying.

     And if they weren’t following? Well, she’d know that too.

     Nik would be looking for her now. He’d said he’d be able to find her as long as she wasn’t too far away. Was she? She tried to add up the number of miles they’d walked in her head. But she wasn’t sure how far was too far.

     She fumbled over some rocks at the edge of the creek, barely catching herself before she landed on her face. It did
n’
t really matter, did it? There was no way she was just going to willingly get herself captured. She knew what the guards would be like. Abnormal things with grey, rotting skin and red eyes.

    
I’d rather die lost in the wilderness than be taken by those…

   
 
She couldn’t finish the thought. Mind made up, she took one last frantic glance over her shoulder, and took off running towards the thick trees. 

     She hadn’t made it even halfway when she heard something behind her. Terrified, she pumped her arms and stretched out her legs, her mind telling her to look behind her, but her body rebelling against the thought.

     She’d never ran so hard in her life, but in spite of her best efforts, she could hear her pursuer gaining on her. Uneven footfalls came closer and closer no matter how fast she went. Harsh, wheezing breaths sending chills down her spine.

     Keeping her eyes on the trees, she hit her stride, giving it all she had. Irrationally thinking that if she just made it to the cover of the forest, she’d be safe.

     She was almost there when, from the cover of the trees, a pair of red eyes appeared straight from one of her nightmares, glowing eerily out of the darkness. Emma screamed as a loud hiss crawled over her skin, every hair standing up on end.

     She didn’t notice the anguished roar that came tearing through the trees in answer to her scream.

     She veered off to the left, hoping against hope that the werewolves were actually there and would help her. Tears ran down her face, making it hard for her to see. Something burst from the trees on her right, lurching towards her, long arms spread wide to catch her. With a shriek, she veered off again in the opposite direction.

     Directly into the beast that had been behind her.

     It grabbed her up in a bear hug, hurtling her roughly to the ground and falling on top of her.

     Emma flipped onto her back as soon as she hit the dirt. Pushing on its chest, she kicked her feet and threw her head back and forth as it tried to get a grip on her. Long, yellow claws sliced into her skin through her clothes. Saliva mixed with blood dribbled from its open mouth as it screeched at her, landing in her hair, on her face…

   
 
No! No! No! Please no!!
The mantra repeated itself over and over through her head as she struggled. This couldn’t be happening to her again.