Skin Walkers: Leto (5 page)

Then a
nother object shattered just outside the room.  Shy snatched the towel from the wall ring next to the sink, wrapped it around her elbow and slammed it with all her weight through the glass before scrambling up through the window that was still lined with jagged glass before she dropped down the other side and out of the hotel room.

She ignored the
pain that seared the crease of her inner thigh as she struggled to her feet and raced blindly through the forest.  She ran as hard as she could and even though the ground was covered in snow and she had no coat she was sweating within minutes. She jumped fallen trees and ducked low-lying branches before she raced through an outcropping of trees and came face to face with a woman. 

The woman was dressed in head-to-toe
winter fatigues and when Shy saw the pistol holstered at the woman’s hip, she wondered if the woman was a hunter.  The beautiful stranger had jet black hair with one thick white streak that formed at her right temple and disappeared with the rest as it was pulled back in a tight ponytail. 

Chapter 7

Aries’ smile from mere moments earlier when her halo winked with its ethereal light and whined to signify the commencement of a Walker’s affliction upon meeting his mate, vanished as she eyed Shy’s tear soaked face, torn shirt, and the blood that soaked the crotch of the other woman’s pants.  Her fine brows drew down as her jaw worked.  She’d heard the woman screaming earlier, and it took all her will to keep from storming into Leto’s motel room and confronting him.  “Did he…”  Her words died off, she couldn’t say it.

She must be a Walker. 
Shy dropped her eyes, shivering uncontrollably.  Warm tears still slid down her face as she wrapped her arms around herself, “H-he hurt me.”

Aries swore under her breath and swiped a small hand over her face.  “Fuck!”  She stripped off her
winter-camo jacket and shoved it into Shy’s hands.  “Put this on.”  Aries’ eyes swung round to quickly scan the perimeter as Shy slid her arms into the jacket. 

Turning back to the other woman Aries pushed
Shy’s trembling fingers away and zipped the jacket for her.  “How did you get out?”

Shy
sucked in a shaky breath trying to stop her tears, “I-I climbed out the bathroom window.”

Aries eyed the area again before sighing resolutely.  “Alright, come on.”

“Wh-where are we going?”

Aries
grabbed the other woman’s arm.  “I’m getting you out of here.  Now move.  If Leto’s not already after you he will be soon.”

As they made their way through the thick forest, both women jumped and spun at the rustling of the trees behind them.

Shy was shoved behind the Walker woman as Aries spun and pulled her pistol simultaneously.  Her sights leveled on RedKnife KillsPrettyEnemy as he stood scowling at the pair of women from the brush. 

Shy
’s heart accelerated.  She didn’t want this Walker woman hurt because of her.  She offered tremulously from behind the slight woman shielding her.  “I…I don’t want to cause any trouble.  I don’t want anyone getting hurt over me.”

RedKnife was silent as he eyed Aries and the gun she was pointing at him before
his dark eyes slid to Shy and took in her appearance.  His eyes lingered on the blood that stained the crotch of her pants.  Then he looked back at Aries and slowly, silently back-stepped. Before he was swallowed by the thick foliage, he tilted his head to the heavens.  His eyes darkened until they were a demonic looking solid black.  Aries watched the Walker for several tense moments before he dropped his all black eyes to look at her.  It was then that the snow began to fall thicker, in heavy near blinding sheets. 

Recognizing the
rare gift from the only known Indigenous Walker, Aries spun back to Shy and grabbed her arm, “Move!”

Aries sprinted through
the forest and Shy kept up as best she could until finally she collapsed against a tree causing the Walker woman leading her to stop.

“What’s
wrong?”

Shy
drug her eyes up to meet the other woman’s, noting that Aries wasn’t even breathing heavy.  “I’m tired.” 

Aries rolled her eyes, “Christ!  Be tired later, he’s coming.”

Shy tensed and turned quickly to look over her shoulder before shoving off the tree and following more sluggishly after Aries.

They ran for what felt like
an hour, but Shy knew it was actually more like ten minutes.  Then Aries held up a hand and Shy skidded to a halt in the snow.  She watched as Aries focused her attention on nothing in particular.  When Aries was silent for several tense moments Shy whispered, “What are we doing?”

“I’m getting rid of my husband and his team.”

Shy scanned the area confused before she remembered references to some bullshit theory that Walkers could communicate with one another telepathically. 

Shy
stood quietly behind the other woman and waited.

Aries blinked rapidly several times as if coming out of a trance before she turned to
Shy.  “We’re going to have to run hard and fast.  They’re moving out but it’ll only be seconds before they scent you and turn back.  Are you ready?”

Shy
sucked in a long breath and nodded, her eyes glassing up.  She was running on pure adrenaline and even that couldn’t keep her limbs from shaking from her exertion.  She hated this.  She hated running, hiding, and now the Walker woman with her was pulled into this mess deceiving her own husband.  She wanted to apologize to the woman and thank her, but there was no time. 

Aries curled her fingers in the sleeve of
Shy’s jacket as both women shot off at a break neck pace.  Shy couldn’t run fast enough.  She was propelled more than actually keeping up on her own.  The Walker woman was so much stronger.  Shy hoped the day never came when the two were enemies.

Breaking through a stand of trees,
Shy saw an army green jeep parked in the clearing.  As they reached the vehicle Aries pushed Shy one way as she split the other.  “Get in!”

Shy
’s ass had just touched the seat when Aries turned the keys that were in the ignition and slammed the shift into gear as the jeep jerked to life and the tires spun in the snow before catching and propelling the vehicle forward. 

Shy
braced one hand on the dash and another on the door frame.  The vehicle rocked back and forth as it quickly descended the mountain.  She stared at Aries and noted that the woman’s eyes kept shifting to the rearview mirror and back.  “Are they close?”

Aries slid her eyes from the mirror to touch on
Shy’s before frowning at the road ahead.  “No, but they’re coming now.  They know you’re with me.”  Aries’ features cracked into a wicked grin then, “My husband knows I’ve deceived him.  He’s not happy.”

Shy
’s heart squeezed. 
What have I done?
  She knew she had to take advantage of this opportunity in case…   “Thank you for helping me.”

Aries didn’t respond, simply kept her eyes
forward as she maneuvered the jeep over the slushy road.

“I’m sorry your husband is angry with you.”

Aries grinned tensely, “I didn’t say he was angry.”

“He’s not?”
Shy asked hopefully.

“No,
” Aries stated.  “He’s fucking furious.”

Shy
’s shoulders drooped as she slouched back in the seat.  “God, what have I done?  I’m sorry.  I’m so, so…sorry.”  She shook her head then peeked over at the other woman.  “My name is Shy.”

“I know.” Aries bit out tersely without offering her own name.

“W-who are you?”

“Aries.  Aries Drago.”

Shy couldn’t control the gasp that escaped her parted lips.  “Conn is your husband?”

Aries flicked a curious glance at Shy.  “You know Conn?”

Shy shook her head immediately.  “No.  I’ve just heard York speak of him.”  She still wasn’t ready to admit her role with the Megalya and the extensive research she’d done on the Skin Walkers.  Silence filled the jeep before Shy spoke quietly, “Nobody can escape him.”

Aries snorted before challenging, “I did.”

“Maybe…” Shy licked her lips before continuing, “Maybe you should get out here.”  Her eyes slid to Aries’ jaw as it worked angrily.

“With me you have a chance.  If you try to run on your own, they’ll have you before the sun sets.”

“I just don’t want you to be hurt because of me.”

Aries scowled at the younger woman
before biting out defensively, “Conn would never hurt me.  No Walker man would hurt a woman intentionally.” 

Shy turned her head to stare out the window as Aries’ eyes flashed to the other woman before sliding down to the blood that stained her jeans.  She sighed heavily, “I’m sorry Shy.
  I’ve never heard of a Walker hurting a woman intentionally.  I suppose Leto has just proved that it
is
possible.”

Shy kept h
er eyes focused out the window.

Aries
shifted gears and maneuvered the jeep off the snowy mountain pass and onto the wet highway. 

Shy looked over her shoulder.  “Are they still coming?”

Aries didn’t bother with sugar coating.  “Yes, but they had to back track for a vehicle.  It’ll buy us some time.”

“Where will we go?”

“StoneCrow.”

“NO!” Shy yelled, drawing Aries’ confusion.  “If…if we go to StoneCrow Leto will find me.”
  It’s where York had informed he’d intended to take her and she had no intentions of meeting him or any of the other Walkers there.

Aries’ brows drew together, “It’s alright Shy.  Monroe will protect you.”

Shy was shaking her head vehemently.  She didn’t know who Monroe was but it didn’t matter.  “You think one man can save me from Leto?”

Aries’ eyes shifted to the rearview mirror again, “Monroe is not
just one man.  He’s an army of Walkers unto himself.  What I meant was that he
and
the others will protect you.  Leto has no right to you, no rights where you’re concerned.  You’re not wearing his halo.  Even if he is afflicted, he shouldn’t have forced you into sleeping with him.  I’ve heard a forced claiming can happen, a Walker will force his angel’s submission, but as I understood it took several months of her refusal to accept him.  I didn’t know it could be triggered so quickly.”  Her eyes darted to the blood soaked jeans again.  “There will be consequences.”

Shy stared at Aries dumbfounded before dropping her eyes slowly to her jeans and staring at the blood that darkened the denim.  “Oh my God!  You think that Leto…”  Shy threw herself back in her seat and covered her face with both hands
in mortification. 

“What?” Aries demanded.  “You don’t have to cover for him Shy, you’ll be protected.”

Shy kept her head tilted back against the seat as her hands slid free of her face.  Her pallor was ashen and she was shaking her head as tears slipped down her cheeks.  “The man in the forest that let us go,” she turned to stare at Aries, “he thought it too?”  She didn’t need confirmation.  She knew he’d misunderstood.

Aries
’ knuckles whitened as she gripped the steering wheel harder, “While it’s unacceptable in normal society, in Skin Walker society it’s a crime that’s punishable by death.”

Shy gripped her stomach, “My God Aries!  Leto didn’t rape me!”

Aries turned to frown at her, “But you said…”

“I didn’t say anything!  You assumed.  Fuck!  This is bad!”

Aries frown slid from her face, “But what about the blood?”

“What blood?”

“Between your legs,” Aries practically growled.

Shy looked down
and spread her legs apart fingering the tear in her jeans.  “I must have cut myself climbing out of the window.”

Aries’ frown returned with a vengeance as she accused, “I heard you screaming Shy.
  You reek of his scent and your own fear.” 

“He was angry.  He was…” the last word was barely audible, “rough.”

“Fuck Shy, I’m risking the wrath of not only Leto but the wrath of Conn…pun intended.  Did Leto hurt you or not?”

Shy g
rabbed Aries’ arm.  “He hurt me, but it wasn’t like that!  He was just so…so furious.  He choked me.  He wants me dead!  Please don’t take me to StoneCrow Aries.  You said he has no right to keep me.  I-I haven’t done anything wrong.  I can’t go there.  Not like this, not now.  He’ll kill me.  He already tried, and if he finds out about the ba…”  Shy gasped then realizing her mistake as she dropped her hands and pulled back into her seat dropping her eyes to the floor.

“If he finds out about what Shy?
”  Aries tone was firm.

“Aries I can’t.”

“They’re approximately half mile behind us.”  Aries slowed the vehicle as Shy’s eyes snapped to hers in silent plea.  “Leto’s with them.”

Shy turned in her seat, “Please Aries!  Please!”

“Talk,” Aries demanded.  “Leto will kill you if he finds out about what?”