Mating Hunt (7 page)

It was a dirty, very thin little girl about four years old with big, sad eyes. Daisy, the youngest. Her ash-brown hair was matted and dirty. Arianna aimed the pencil-thin beam of light over the girl. Her pink dress was stained and torn. A small patch of dried blood was on the collar.

Breath fled her. Who could do this to a child? Memories rushed back; the awful, pinching hunger, the fear, hopelessness and despair, and the terrible aloneness, thinking no one would ever rescue her.

The girl crawled away from her, into the corner.

Heart pounding hard, Arianna whipped her gaze around and saw Kyle’s tight expression. Silence fell in the cabin. The other children were hiding.

Arianna spoke in a gentle whisper. “It’s all right. We’re like you and here to help you. We’re not with the bad men who hurt you. We’re here to take you home to your parents. They miss you very much.”

A small rustling in the corner, like mice.

“Tend to the little one,” he whispered. “I’ll get some light in here, try to reassure them into coming out.”

He lit a small oil lamp on a shelf. A soft yellow glow illuminated the cabin, detailing the decrepit conditions. Arianna crouched down before the little girl, making soothing noises. No response. Insight hit her. She shifted into wolf and whined.

Still, Daisy did not respond.

But the other children did.

From behind a rotting chair in a corner, a boy and girl crept out. Kyle crouched down, shone the light away from their eyes.

“Hey there. We’re not going to hurt you. We’re here to help.” Her guardian spoke in the same deep, soothing tones he’d used to lure her out of the hollowed log where Arianna had hidden years ago. Gone was the feral beast intent on mating with her, replaced by the caring, compassionate Lupine who knew how to tame wild, frightened creatures to his strong hand.

At the sight of her siblings, the younger girl scampered over to them. The boy clutched her hand, his expression fierce. A young, proud Lupine. His name was Jessie, his older sister was Amanda.

Arianna vowed never to forget their names.

He was nearly twelve; the older sister looked about eight. Both wore loose, frayed clothing much too light for these colder elevations. Jessie looked mistrustful, but Amanda seemed traumatized, her vacuous eyes looking past Kyle at the door, as if she feared someone else would soon enter the cabin.

Arianna shifted back, clothed herself and stood.

“What are your names?” Kyle asked.

No response.

A lump clogged Arianna’s throat. “They won’t give them to you because their names are all they have left as a defense. Once you give out your name, you give your captor power over you.”

Jessie’s swung over to her. He clutched the girl’s hand in a protective manner. Arianna’s heart gave a vicious twist. She studied the children, forcing back memories she’d tried long to suppress.

“You have to shift into your wolf. It will reassure them you’re just like me,” she told Kyle.

When he did, suspicion vanished from Jessie’s face and Amanda relaxed. Even Daisy finally lost her vacant look.

“You’re one of us,” Jessie said.

“Yes, we both are.” Arianna gave him a reassuring smile.

“Then you’re not going to beat us?” Amanda girl whispered.

The gray timber wolf swung its massive head toward Arianna, his beautiful green eyes filled with rage. Just as quickly, Kyle shifted back and clothed himself. Hands fisted, he stalked outside.

Her guardian needed to release his fury, and he didn’t want to scare the children.

She crouched down at their level. “You’re Jessie,” she told the boy. “I found your scent and the trail you left for us to follow. Good job. You’re very smart.”

He gave a small smile. “I knew someone would find it, hoped someone would find it soon. Daisy’s only four, and she hasn’t eaten much since they took us.”

Daisy hugged herself, rocking back and forth. Self-soothing behavior. Arianna knew it well.

She picked up the girl, holding her close as Daisy’s siblings sat on the bed.

“We heard one of you cry out as we hiked up the mountain. Are you injured?” she asked Jessie.

Jessie glanced at his sister. “Amanda got scared when she heard something in the forest. She thought the bad men were coming back.”

When Kyle returned, he motioned for Arianna to join him outside. She handed Daisy to her brother, who cradled his sister in his thin arms, his manner protective.

Arianna touched his arm. “You’ll make a fine alpha one day.”

Outside, she gulped down deep breaths of fresh air, trying to erase the stench of the cabin and its horrors. His jaw working, Kyle regarded the distant peaks. “We have to get them out of here. It turns dark fast in these mountains.”

“Can we make it to the ranch?”

He shook his head. “Too far from here without enough daylight. We’ll have to carry the little one. But we should be able to make my lake house around sunset. It’ll be hard going, but they’ve got to have food and shelter. Out here, on the mountain, they’re an open target.”

“They need to feel safe.”

“If I find the ones who did this...” With considerable effort, he leashed his frustrated rage. Kyle drew in a deep breath. “Let’s go. We have a long hike ahead and the temperature’s going to drop fast as the sun goes down.”

T
HEY MADE IT
to Kyle’s mountain retreat as the sun began to sink below the mountains. The log cabin had a stone walkway leading to the lake. Behind the cabin was a garden filled with now dead wildflowers, accented by river rocks and guarded by naked cherubs. Some of the statues posed as if ready for flight. Others sat on stone perches, sporting cheerful grins.

Arianna tilted her head at the incongruity of the rugged male beside her and the sweet garden scene. “Cherubs?”

Kyle shrugged. “Hobby. I like to sculpt.”

“But cherubs?” She carried Daisy on her hip.

“Only for the garden. I’ve done others that definitely are not for children.” His eyes spoke volumes. Beyond the garden, set against the slope of the rugged mountain, sat a square storage shed, a miniature replica of Kyle’s log cabin.

“How cute! Is it a playhouse?” she asked.

Kyle gave a mysterious smile. “Of a kind. But also not for children.”

They climbed the porch steps. After retrieving a key from a wooden planter beneath the wide bay window, he unlocked the door.

“I’m checking the grounds. Bring them inside. Two bedrooms upstairs, with the master bath, and another bathroom off the kitchen. Cabin’s fully stocked with supplies.”

Still carrying Daisy, Arianna herded the children inside and flipped on the wall switch. Warm, welcoming light flooded the cabin, the soft gold glow immediately soothing her raw nerves. The cabin was laid out in a large L-shaped room. A long, overstuffed couch sat before a river rock fireplace flanked by two oak cabinets. Beneath a bank of windows sat a dining table with six chairs, next to a small kitchen with gleaming marble countertops and stainless appliances.

After hanging up her jacket and dumping her pack, Arianna settled the children at the table and then went into the kitchen. She found a box of instant cocoa and started boiling water. The Mitchell pack retained this cabin and others around the lake for members who desired to run wild on the mountain. Each cabin was fully stocked with supplies, even clothing.

Arianna let the cocoa cool and set two mugs before the solemn-faced young. She poured Daisy’s into a cup, but the little girl did not touch it.

Kyle came inside, stomping mud off his boots. He placed his pack down, hung his thick sheepskin jacket on a peg and then joined them. “You’ve never been here before.”

She shook her head.

His hooded gaze shot to a window above the dining table. “Stay away from the shed. It’s private.”

A shiver slid down her spine. “What’s inside?”

“Something I hope to share with you. But not until you’re ready.”

He gently settled Daisy onto his lap. Throat constricting, she watched her guardian coax the girl to drink. This wasn’t the wild, feral beast who looked at her with hot lust. This was the same gentle Lupine who’d rescued her, who would fiercely defend a small, helpless child with his last breath.

Arianna brushed at the moisture gathering in her eyes. She defrosted meat and began to make a hearty stew.

“The solar panels are working fine. There’s hot water in the tank,” he said, glancing at the young. “Think they could do with a warm bath. We stock children’s clothing in all the cabins in case of emergencies.”

Jessie straightened, looked dignified. “I’m too old for baths.”

Kyle leaned back, set his hiking boots upon an empty chair, his posture relaxed as Daisy rested against his broad chest. “That you are. But your sisters aren’t, and it sure would help them sleep. Ari, why don’t you let me fix that while you bathe the little ones?”

Jessie narrowed his eyes. “You would cook? Isn’t that a female’s job?”

Hiding a laugh, Arianna concentrated on seasoning the stew.

“If that were the case, every male on a hunt would starve. Cooking’s the duty of whoever wants to eat,” Kyle said easily. “Here, take your sister, Jessie.”

When the boy lifted Daisy, Kyle went to the stove. His long, strong fingers brushed against hers, the spark of sexual awareness making them both jump. Arianna drew in a deep breath, struggling with a sudden surge of want. Clenching his teeth, her guardian went still. Arianna’s heart pounded hard as she remembered his earlier ferocity. But then he relaxed and stirred the stew, as if nothing had happened.

Sighing with relief, she herded the young upstairs.

A short while later, the children were bathed and put into clean, somewhat oversized pajamas, seated at the kitchen table with Arianna.

After ladling the stew into bowls, Kyle replaced the pot on the stove. He gently scooped Daisy into his lap. Jessie looked at Kyle fiercely. The boy tensed, as if expecting the hunter to hurt his sister.

In a gentle, crooning tone, Kyle spoon-fed Daisy like a baby bird until she finally took the spoon and ate on her own. Gradually Jessie relaxed and focused on his own meal.

Suddenly ravenous, Arianna spooned her meal. “Kyle, aren’t you having any?”

Something wild and dangerous flashed in his gaze. “I’ll satisfy my appetite later.”

When the children finished, she hustled the older ones upstairs to a guest bedroom while Kyle carried Daisy. They settled the young into the queen-sized bed, tucking them beneath thick blankets.

Humming a lullaby, Arianna sat on the bed, smoothing back Daisy’s hair and watching her eyes close. Hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans, Kyle stood over them.

Jessie watched with his careful, concentrated gaze. “Are my sisters safe here?”

“As safe as I can make them,” Kyle assured him.

“You’re not going to hurt us like the bad men?” Amanda whispered.

Kyle closed his eyes momentarily. When he opened them, they glinted with resolve. “No, little one. We’re going to take very good care of you, until we can return you to your parents.”

Then he smiled. “We need to find out from you what happened. I know it’s hard. But we need answers so we can stop these bad men from taking other children. So I’m going to ask a few questions. Okay?”

Both children nodded.

“Was it Skins who took you? Did they say why they wanted you?”

Fierce anger burned in Jessie’s eyes, while his sister whimpered. Arianna’s stomach clenched hard. Memories swirled like iridescent colors, creating a pattern she did not want to see.

“We were visiting the area, taking a vacation,” Jessie said. “Our parents wanted to take us hiking in the forest near the mountain. They got permission from the landowner. At least he said he was the landowner.”

Kyle exchanged glances with her.

“He said his name was Skip. He smelled like a Skin, but a Lupine, too. I thought it was weird, but our parents said a lot of Lupines douse their scents to fool human hunters.”

The boy looked thoughtful. “He was at the lodge where we stayed, conducting private hunting tours, and he gave my dad a special invitation. He told us he could take us to places to get the best game.”

Dread curled in her stomach as a memory tugged like a child yanking on her hand.

“Skip came by the next day and took us in his truck. We were deep in the woods when Skip asked my parents if they wanted to hunt as Lupines. If they were like him, they needed fresh meat to shapeshift. They agreed. Mom and Dad told us to stay put on a fallen log, and they’d be back shortly.”

Leaning forward, her heart pounding like a war drum, Arianna stared at the boy. “Did Skip shapeshift too?”

“No. He said he had trouble shifting because he hadn’t eaten fresh meat in over a month. He asked my parents to kill a rabbit for him. He smelled Lupine so we thought he was one of us. My parents shifted, saw a rabbit and gave chase. He started after them, but came back to us.”

“And then another bad man came out of the woods and grabbed us,” Amanda whispered. “He and Skip tied us up, put us in the truck and drove us to Mitchell Mountain. They made us march up the mountain to this cabin.”

That explained why the worried parents hadn’t caught their scent, Arianna thought. They’d been searching in the wrong place all along.

“Did you find out the other bad man’s name?” Kyle asked.

Jessie shook his head. “But I’ll never forget their faces. He was lean and tall, while Skip was much shorter.”

Tears glittered in the girl’s eyes. “They gave us a bucket to go to the bathroom, and some water and food. They came back every few days and when they saw we refused to eat, they hit us. The bad men told us we had to be pretty and acceptable, or the man who wanted us wouldn’t pay.”

Now her heartbeat thundered, blood buzzing in her ears. Nails digging into her clenched palms, Arianna forced out the question. “Why did the man want to buy you?”

Jessie’s gaze turned cold. “I overheard the tall one talking. The man would only pay if one of us was close to puberty and we were healthy. He wanted our DNA. He wanted to keep us in cages and when we got older he would...” The boy’s voice cracked. “Force us to breed babies for him. He said we would never escape.”