His hands still tingled from where he’d held her in his arms. Despite their difference in size, Nina had fit against him like she’d been made for his body, and his body alone. At first, when he’d approached her and asked her to dance, Riot had feared she was like all the others. Especially when she’d taken a step back. Then Nina had done something that had surprised him. She’d held her ground. Just like the night she’d met his beast. That small gesture had cautiously renewed his hope that he had a chance with her.
Riot hadn’t intended to drop into the reception, but he’d been unable to resist, when he caught a glimpse of Nina. She had looked so beautiful in her pale green dress with those flowers woven into her long, black hair. He opened his hand and stared down at a crushed bloom. He’d managed to pluck it without her noticing, needing to hold a piece of her until he could claim the real thing.
He brought the flower to his nose and inhaled. It was sweet like Nina. The scent brought to mind the moment he’d gathered her close. She’d melted against him. He could still feel her hard nipples brushing his chest. When the warm scent of her arousal had reached his nose, his beast had roared to life inside of him, urging Riot to claim her right on the dance floor.
He still trembled with the burning desire to touch her and taste her skin. Just the thought made his shaft pulse within his trousers. Riot shifted his heavy length to alleviate the pressure, then pressed a button on the band around his wrist. The dress clothes morphed into his flight suit. The change helped, but nothing would diminish his need. Not until he had Nina beneath him and he was buried balls deep inside of her.
Riot took one last look at the woman he wanted more than his next breath, then faded into the woods. His beast would not be denied for much longer, of that he had no doubt.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Riot stayed in the woods bordering the town. He’d told himself to keep away, at least until he’d put together a plan for how to approach Nina, but he hadn’t been able to. He found himself returning to her home over and over, hoping to catch a glimpse of her again.
The man in him couldn’t stop thinking about the feel of her in his arms, while his beast could still feel her small hands burrowing into his thick fur, holding him tight. He felt the warmth of her thighs as she gripped his sides. It wasn’t hard to imagine those same thighs grasping his hips, especially after the dance last night. Riot closed his eyes and shivered, as his big body came to life.
He continued to skirt the trees, taking care to obscure his image from human eyes. Nina’s delicious scent wafted from the small, well-kept house tucked against the woods at the edge of town. She had a small garden in the back and flowerpots that would be ready to bloom come spring. Her nearest neighbor was over a hundred yards away and obscured by trees.
Riot stared at the house, wondering what she was doing. Was she even awake yet? He’d hardly slept a wink. Had she thought about him after he left the reception? He hoped so because he hadn’t stopped thinking about her. Riot liked everything about Nina, but it was her bravery that captured his hearts. Things were happening quickly, far quicker than a normal human mating pattern, but that’s how it went when a Phantom Warrior encountered a potential mate.
A faded, paint-chipped blue pickup rattled down her driveway, bouncing as it hit a pothole. Riot’s head perked up, hoping it was her, but the truck was the wrong color. His brow furrowed as the vehicle stopped, sputtering noisily as the engine died. Two lanky men climbed out of the cab of the truck. One had red unkept hair that could do with a wash, and the other had dark brown, which matched his misshapen beard.
Anger surged through Riot. It was followed by a swift wave of protectiveness, as the men walked up onto the front porch and knocked on the door. Nina was his. How dare these two men come into his territory!
Riot stepped deeper into the woods, no longer able to keep his form invisible. His emotions were running too high to concentrate, but he didn’t go far. For some reason, he couldn’t tear his eyes away. He had to know. He had to see for himself if Nina was attached to one of these males. No matter how much pain it inflicted upon him.
“You sure this is where she lives?” the man with the dark hair asked.
“Yep, she was at a vet place, when I first spotted her. I think she works there ‘cause she had keys to the place. I wasn’t sure it was her, until I saw her come out of the Sheriff’s Station. I followed her from there to here,” the red head said.
The dark haired man’s expression turned cold, calculating. “What was she doing there?”
The man shrugged. “Don’t know, but when she came out, looked like she was crying.”
The dark haired man sneered. “Good! I’m going to give her more to cry about. Let’s get this over with.”
“You sure, Hank?”
“Yes, and I think I know just how to get her to come with us,” Hank said.
The conversation didn’t make any sense. What were they talking about? If she knew them, then why had they needed to follow her home? Gooseflesh rose on Riot’s arms as a wave of foreboding swept through him. He didn’t know whether to interfere. His instincts were screaming at him, but he didn’t fully understand Earth customs or behavior. There was too much room for error and misunderstanding. So he waited in the shadows of the trees, keeping his distance for now.
Hank raised his hand and knocked on the front door.
***
Nina was having the most delicious dream, when the first knock sounded on her door. The dark-haired giant of a man had his head buried between her thighs and he was making hungry noises in the back of his throat as he licked her into oblivion. The knock came again, this time louder. Nina opened her eyes and looked around, but her dream lover was nowhere to be seen.
The knocking sounded more insistent. She cursed under her breath, wondering who in the world could be stopping by. Harold was her only family. He had a key. And Kim knocked, but always walked straight in. Besides, she was already gone, off to start her new life with her new husband. Nina rolled out of bed, feeling decidedly disgruntled. The dream had been so vivid that she’d expected the man to be there beside her. She stumbled to the front door and pulled the curtain back.
Two men stood on her front porch. One had his fist raised, ready to knock on her door again. They looked vaguely familiar, but she knew she didn’t know either of them. Were they lost? Dressed in jeans and work boots, they didn’t look like tourists. They looked like locals, but they weren’t one of The People. She knew all of them. Nina brushed a hand over her eyes and cracked the door open enough to quickly lock her screen-door.
“Can I help you?” she asked, eyeing the strangers.
The dark-haired man nodded. “We ran into a bit of trouble down the road.” He hiked his thumb over his shoulder. “We clipped a bear with our truck. Someone told us that you might be able to help.”
Nina’s heart clenched as her mind flashed to the Great Bear. “Was it big?”
The dark-haired man’s eyes narrowed. “Why do you ask?”
“I need to know. It’ll determine the size of the tranquilizer I’ll need.” It was both the truth and a lie. She brought various amounts of tranquilizers with her when she made house calls. But this time, she needed to know for her own peace of mind.
The man shrugged. “It was about average I’d say. Isn’t that right Mark?”
The red-haired man ran a dirty hand over his scruffy jaw. “Yep, regular size. I reckon.”
Nina stared at the men. Something wasn’t right about their story, but could she really take a chance if there was a wounded bear out there that needed her help? “Are you sure it’s still alive?”
The dark-haired man’s face flushed and his nostrils flared. “I know the difference between a live bear and a dead one.” His exasperation evident.
“Hank, sure does,” Mark said. “You might say he’s an expert on the subject.”
“Okay, wait right here. I need to get my bag.” Nina rushed into her spare room and pulled out her medical ki
t. It was stocked with enough stuff to at least halt bleeding and allow her to assess the animal’s injuries. She threw on yesterday’s jeans and a long sleeved T-shirt, then hurried back into the living room. She grabbed her house keys and rushed out onto the porch.
The second Nina locked the door a large hand covered her lower face, clamping down on her mouth to keep her from screaming. Fear sliced through her. Who were they? What did they want? The possibilities were endless and terrifying.
“You cost us plenty last night,” the dark-haired man hissed in her ear. “We’re hard working folks. We don’t need the likes of you interfering in our business.”
She swallowed hard. The poachers. Nina didn’t think they’d gotten a good look at her. Apparently, she’d been wrong. And that mistake might very well cost her, her life.
He manhandled her over to the truck and tossed her inside. The man he’d called Mark shoved a dirty rag into her mouth and held her down so she wouldn’t be seen in the cab. They drove out of Cherokee, heading toward the Smoky Mountains. It was easy to tell the direction since there weren’t many roads running through town. They let her sit up once they left the paved roads. There weren’t many cars on the rural roads. No one to spot her. And no one to hear her scream. Cliché horror movie fodder. Too bad it was really happening to her.
Nina glanced into the bed of the pickup, grateful that her best friend had left town and wasn’t lying in the back. Sooner or later, they’d stop. Once they did, she’d do her best to get away. Nina didn’t want to think about her odds. If she did, she knew the fear would stop her. They drove off the Qualla Boundary toward the park.
The men turned down a fire road and drove until they reached a locked gate. Mark jumped out of the truck and pulled a pair of bolt cutters out from behind the seat. He walked up to the chain on the gate and snapped it in two. He pushed the gate open and waited for Hank to drive through, then shut it behind them, laying the chain over the top.
From a distance, it would look like the gate was still locked. It would only be upon closer inspection that someone would notice it had been broken. They drove on. Signs appeared on a few trees stating that they were trespassing on private property. Where were they taking her? She didn’t know and that scared Nina even more.
They drove until the road ended.
Hank shut off the truck and turned to his partner. “Grab the guns, traps, and the rope,” he said, then gripped her arm and dragged her out of the truck. “Start walking.” He shoved her into the woods.
***
The men were taking Nina. His Nina. Riot stared at the truck in disbelief. By the time he rushed out of the woods, the truck was pulling onto the road and driving away, smoke billowing from its exhaust pipe. He was fast, but he wasn’t quick enough to catch a speeding vehicle. He watched the truck begin to fade into the distance.
Riot raced back into the woods, trying to keep an eye on the truck as it made its way toward town. The traffic was light, giving him no chance to catch up to the men. He couldn’t see Nina anymore, but he knew she was in there. Shoved between the two men. Why wasn’t she screaming? Trying to fight her way out of the vehicle? Had they struck her? Was she even conscious?
Rage boiled through him and he was forced to move deeper into the woods. By the time he came out on the other side, the men’s vehicle was fading into the distance. Riot bellowed, the sound echoing through the hills.
He pushed on, running as fast as he could. Trees fell in his wake as he shoved through the brush. The truck turned off onto an unpaved road and continued on. Riot fell further behind. His hearts slammed in his chest. He couldn’t lose her. Not now that he’d finally found her.
Deer scattered to get away from the raging beast terrorizing the forest. The smaller creatures huddled, trying to remain out of sight. Riot didn’t care. He raised his head into the air and took a deep breath. All he could scent was the truck’s noxious exhaust. It would be enough. It had to be enough.
The smell of the truck faded on the wind. Had they slipped off the road? It seemed unlikely since traffic only moved in one direction, but he circled back nonetheless in order to catch all the scents floating on the wind. Riot couldn’t afford to miss anything. Nina’s fear soaked scent was but a wisp of memory. Riot stood on his hind legs and bellowed. His roar shook the ground beneath his clawed feet. It was a warning to the men who’d taken Nina, and a promise of things to come.
***
Nina’s head shot up as a monstrous sound battered the woods. She couldn’t tell where it had come from, but it had sounded close. Birds instantly stopped chirping and the forest shivered, then grew unnaturally quiet. Hank and Mark looked around nervously.
“What was that Hank?” Mark ran a shaky hand through his red hair, then clutched his pistol.
Hank’s grip on Nina’s arm tightened and he checked the safety on his shotgun. “Don’t know. Don’t care,” he said, but she felt his hands tremble.
He yanked her forward and she stumbled, falling onto the ground. Hank didn’t give her a chance to get up. Instead, he pulled her to her feet, dragging her over twigs and rough stones.
“Where are we going?” Nina asked.
“We’re going to scare you. Scare you bad,” Mark said in a taunting voice. “You won’t ever come back in these woods again. Right Hank?”
Hank nodded, but the look on his face said he had more in mind than just frightening her. The stark hatred burning in his eyes scared Nina more than any verbal threat.
“Why are you doing this?” she asked.
“You know why,” he spat.
Nina shook her head. “I’ll pay for the traps. Just let me go.”
He squeezed harder. “I don’t take handouts from red trash. You people with your casinos and government checks go around flaunting your status as a sovereign nation, while hardworking folks like us lose everything. We don’t get a land grant from the government. We have to buy our own. It ain’t right.” Hank shook her so hard that her teeth rattled.
“Yeah,” Mark said. “The least you can do is give up a few bears.”
“Oh, she’ll do more than that,” Hank said. “She’s going to bring the bears to us. Aren’t you sweetie?”
How did they expect her to do that?
They marched her deeper into the woods. Nothing looked familiar. Nina spotted a small clearing up ahead, then a drop off where the land sloped down. She could hear water running, but it didn’t sound deep. A creek? Maybe if she could twist out of his hold, she could get to the creek and follow it downstream. It would have to lead back to the Qualla Boundary…eventually.
“Don’t even think about it,” Hank said. “I’ll fill your backside full of buckshot before you make it ten steps.”
Nina shivered as her body broke out in a cold sweat.
“Tie her to that trunk.” Hank pointed to the nearest tree.
Mark grabbed her arm and wrapped one end of the rope around her wrist. He pulled her over to the tree that Hank had indicated, and looped the rope around the trunk before tying her other wrist. Nina twisted her hands. If she kept twisting, she might be able to work herself free. Even as the thought crossed her mind, Mark wrapped the rope around her body until she was trussed like a Thanksgiving turkey. He tied the ends behind the tree, way out of her reach.
Unless a hiker stumbled upon them, she wasn’t going anywhere until they released her. Which from the looks of things, wouldn’t be anytime soon. No one knew where she was or who she was with. With Harold in the hospital and her shifts at the clinic over for the week, no one would even think to look. Oh Harold would notice when she didn’t show up for her daily visits, but he wouldn’t be able to do anything about it, but worry. Her eyes started to burn, but she blinked back the tears. She wouldn’t give these men the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
The men proceeded to set up snares and bear traps around the perimeter. They even placed one by her feet. Nina pulled at the ropes, while they were distracted. No matter which way she twisted the ropes woul
dn’t budge. Mark may be stupid, but it was obvious he knew how to tie a good knot. By the time they’d finished laying out all the bear traps, all she’d managed to do was scrape her wrists raw and tighten the rope. Each breath cut into her chest, compressing her lungs.
“Could you please loosen the rope a little? I can’t breathe.”
Mark took a step in her direction, but was stopped short by Hank.
“You should’ve thought about that before you tried to wiggle out of it,” Hank said. “Take shallow breaths. You’ll be fine. Least until the bears get here.” Hank walked up to Nina and pulled a knife out of his pocket. He flicked the blade open and stared at her. The knife wasn’t long, but the curved blade looked well cared for and sharp.
Nina straightened against the tree trunk. “What do you plan to do with that?”
“You need bait in order to catch bear.” His gaze scrolled down the front of her long-sleeved T-shirt, but there was nothing sexual about the look he gave her. “We forgot ours, so you’ll do.” Hank’s hand shot out. The blade sliced through her shirtsleeve and opened the skin on her arm. Blood welled, then began to run along the cut before dropping onto the leaves at her feet.
It took the pain a second to register. When it did, Nina screamed.
He cut her again, tearing through her other arm. She thought he might stop then, but he didn’t. Instead, Hank moved onto her abdomen, crisscrossing over her stomach. Blood made her shirt stick to her body. The cuts weren’t fatal, but they were deep enough to bleed for a while. Happy with his handy work, he stepped back.
Mark’s face was green and his eyes were wide with fright. He obviously hadn’t anticipated this part of Hank’s plan. He stumbled over to a nearby tree and ducked his head behind it. Retching followed. Nina listened to him empty his stomach. Her mouth watered and she barely kept her breakfast down. Her skin burned. Every breath hurt.
Phantom Warriors: Riot Page 7
