* * * * *
One moment, it was quiet.
Levi thought he’d caught the low murmur of voices but he couldn’t be sure.
Then the wind whipped up, tree branches snapped and an ugly, furious snarl shattered the night. “They can’t blame me for this,” a man said, his voice harsh. Angry. “I just did what they weren’t doing—cleaned up a mess.”
The sound of a hand striking flesh. A woman crying out.
Narrowing his eyes, Levi homed in on that sound and ran, tripping over exposed roots, dodging the obstacles in his path when he could see them and falling when he couldn’t. He all but fell into a clearing, this one small, less than ten feet across. A dark shadow lay at his feet but as he sucked in air, the shadow moved, climbing to her feet.
She spoke and the sound of her voice sent a chill down his spine. “Get away from here,” she said, talking to him, looking at him. Though he couldn’t see her face, he knew she was looking at him.
There was another shadow and this one laughed. Then, the same voice he’d heard earlier, spoke up. “He won’t get far. I’m not leaving it like this. This mess has to be cleaned up. It’s too dangerous, leaving things undone. I keep telling them that but they won’t listen.”
“Leaving things undone?” the woman said, her voice heavy with anger. Rife with it. “Is that why you killed a man? Because you felt it was some kind of mess you needed to clean up?”
“A man goes around talking about monsters, sooner or later, somebody might start to listen. He might find others that believe in monsters. If their numbers get large enough, it poses a problem to us.”
Monsters.
It poses a problem.
Levi swore and brushed past the woman. He couldn’t see the man who spoke. He was just a shadow lost among shadows but Levi could use his ears just fine. And his hands. If he got his hands on the man—
A shadow emerged just at his left and Levi went flying. Somebody laughed as he crashed into a tree.
The woman cried out and then she was there, beside Levi. How did she move that quickly?
“Damn it, I told you to leave,” she said.
Yeah, her voice is definitely familiar, Levi thought groggily.
“He isn’t going anywhere.” The threat came from the man in the shadows.
Cori snarled as she knelt by Levi. Cold fear tripped inside her chest, settling over her heart. She wanted to run too. Wanted to grab Levi’s hand, pull him up and run. But she knew better. She wasn’t much of a predator but even she knew that running from a wolf was just plain stupid.
“You’re just a baby, aren’t you?” the disembodied voice asked.
Cori ignored him, kneeling by Levi and wrapping her hands around his arm. They needed to get out of there. Now. She was scared, pissed and she just might have been willing to try to fight, even if it meant getting hurt or worse. But she wasn’t going to leave Levi there. He was just a human, all but helpless against a werewolf.
“Little baby vamp. The Council wouldn’t have sent you to investigate a mortal death.”
“No, you’re right,” she said as Levi finally managed to get his legs under him and push himself upright, relying heavily on her assistance. He was watching her—she could feel the weight of his stare even if she wouldn’t let herself look at him right now. “Nobody would send me to look into anything. But that doesn’t mean it’s open season on me. I do work at the school and I can guarantee you that if I go missing, this is the first place they are going to check. One of them will know your scent. You really don’t want to hurt me. They’ll find you.”
The werewolf sighed and rubbed his head. “You’re right. I don’t want to hurt you. I didn’t want to hurt that pathetic man, either. He was so miserable, just trying to find out what had happened to his girlfriend but he was learning too much. It was dangerous, so I had to eliminate him.”
Cold—so fucking cold. He was just so damn cold about it. Owen—he’d been looking for her, wanting answers, and because he might have pieced together something nobody would believe, this bastard had killed him.
Levi stumbled against her and she worked an arm around him, trying to steady his weight. He was too damn big for her to do much more than act as a crutch. She could support his weight easily enough but he wasn’t too steady on his feet. Worse, he was bleeding. She could smell it.
“Eliminate him.” She kept her eyes on the werewolf and kept backing away. “Is that what you call it? Is that what you plan on doing with me?”
“No, little girl. I am going to eliminate you…and I’m sorry.” Then he lunged for her.
Cori spun away, moving just in time. One of his clawed hands swiped out and caught her biceps. She scented her own blood and in response, her fangs dropped and her heart rate sped up, pumping adrenaline through her body.
Eliminate her. As if she were some kind of annoying yard pest.
Crazy, Levi thought. She has to be crazy. With the ringing in his ears and the blood in his eyes, he had a hard time thinking, but he was pretty sure his would-be savior was crazy. She eased him to the ground and, though he could feel the chills racking her body and could tell she was afraid, she squared off with the man who’d hurled Levi flying ten feet through the air.
Not right.
No man could throw another man around like that. But that thing had thrown him like a rag doll.
And the woman—she ought to be running for her life but instead she was standing between Levi and that…thing. Her voice, low and husky, the kind of voice that made a man think of sex straight up, shook as she said, “You don’t want to do this.”
“You’re absolutely right. I don’t. It’s a huge risk, it’s a tragic loss, and I’d rather not do this at all. If you would have just waited a few days. Even a few hours.”
“They are going to come looking for you. Kelsey will come. The others. Do you really think you can take them down?”
“I’ll just have to try to make them understand, if they can find me. I don’t plan on being found.”
There was a rush of wind. The impact of a body, then she cried out. Fury burned. Adrenaline pulsed through Levi and he made it to his feet. Wobbling, more than a little unsteady, but upright. Something wet and warm trickled down his face—blood. He’d busted his head open. But he didn’t let that stop him.
“Leave her the hell alone,” he said, trying to pierce the darkness.
It was so damn thick, almost unnatural. His skin went tight. The icy cold night suddenly seemed oppressive. The way it was just before a summer storm. Noises, off in the dark. Weird popping sounds, followed by wet cracks. It sounded like the break of bones.
“Damn it.” Her voice was low. “This is bad. Very, very bad…”
Levi snorted. “Ya think?” Off to his right something flickered. Levi spun around, his empty hands opening, closing. The knife. He’d dropped the damn knife.
What…fuck…what the fuck…
Eyes. Glittering at him, reflecting light back at him, kind of like a house cat, but this was no damn kitty—not unless the kitty knew how to fly. The glowing eyes were easily six feet off the ground, and bigger than any cat eyes Levi had ever seen.
His gut ran cold. If he’d eaten anything that day, he would have lost it. Levi had known fear before but there was something about those eyes—this wasn’t fear. It went deeper than fear. It was colder than fear. Older than fear.
“Levi.”
He jerked at the sound of his name. The woman—who the hell was she? How did she know his name?
“Get out of here,” she whispered.
“He isn’t going anywhere, vampling. I’m sorry. I truly am very sorry.” That rush of wind. Pain and death bearing down on him. A slender body came between Levi and the owner of those awful, terrifying eyes. Pain—it sliced through the air. Cut them both.
Levi felt it spreading through him like acid. Choking, burning, tearing…then her again. Her voice, soft and pained. Something wet splashed onto his hand. Cool and wet.
&
nbsp; They both fell, Levi hitting the ground first and because she wouldn’t let him go, she fell on top of him. He groaned in agony, trying to twist away, but he couldn’t move.
Couldn’t breathe. That poisoned pain crept through his system. Tearing him apart. Blood roared in his ears. The air pressed in on him, weighed him down, crushed the oxygen from his lungs.
Time spun away from him and he fell into darkness.
No— He battled his way back to consciousness, unaware if any time had passed, or how much. He was weak, lightheaded. Cold and wet, hot blood pumping from his body.
More voices.
“Go after him.”
“Damn it, Kelsey!”
“Cori, please…”
Kelsey…Cori…he tried to speak but couldn’t. Blood choked him. He could feel it. Taste it.
Dying.
He was dying.
No. Not fucking yet.
Voices. They rose around him in a riot of noise. Cool hands pressing down on his throat, a woman’s harsh, disbelieving cry. Another voice that sent shivers down his spine.
“Damn it, he’s going to die!”
He wanted to yell. Wanted to tell them to find the owner of those eerie yellow eyes. But he couldn’t talk. When he tried, blood spurted from the gaping wounds in his throat. Too much blood.
Dying…dying…
* * * * *
“Move, Cori.”
Cori shot a look up at Kelsey. “You’re too late.”
“I said, move. I’ve fucked this one up enough. I’m not doing it again.”
“If I let go, he’s gone anyway. He’s bleeding out. I can feel it.”
Kelsey’s breath hissed out—a frustrated, furious sigh. Then she crossed around and knelt beside Levi.
What does the witch see when she looks at him? Cori wondered. Does she see what I see? Eyes fixed, skin pale and growing paler. The vivid wash of blood. “Too late,” Cori whispered again. She could feel his soul fading away from him, growing ever fainter.
“Maybe. Or maybe not.”
Cori didn’t bother looking at Kelsey. “I smell were. The infection’s already started.”
“Yeah. Shitty choice—life as a were or no life at all but I’ll give him the choice.” Kelsey leaned over, cupped his face in her hands. “Levi. Do you want to live?”
Cori’s jaw dropped. “Do you actually think he can talk right now?”
But Kelsey didn’t pay her any attention.
A hand came down on Cori’s shoulder, squeezed gently. She scented Duke, recognized him even before he crouched beside her. “He doesn’t need to talk. Just needs to listen,” he said, his voice flat.
Kelsey spoke again, her voice low, harsh, almost intelligible. The hairs on the back of Cori’s neck stood on end and, fascinated, she looked at Kelsey once more. Kelsey was no longer looking at Levi. No, her gaze was moving up, up, as though she was tracking something that nobody else could see. “Damn it, man, you’re running out of time. Yes or no?”
Something flashed in Kelsey’s eyes and then she moved, reached down and covered Cori’s hands. “Let go, Cori. I’ve got him now.” She glanced up, over Cori’s shoulder. “Duke, see if you can catch up with my husband. I’d like him to leave Hale alive long enough to answer some questions.”
Duke left, but Cori barely noticed. It was the first time Cori had ever seen a healer at work. Light shimmered from under Kelsey’s hands. The cold, wintry night air burned hot. Kelsey’s eyes glowed and power flared, building until it was a raging storm in Cori’s ears, in her blood, churning through her.
The power swelled, crested. Cori flinched as Levi’s body arched up off the ground, his spine bowing. Life returned to his eyes and he gasped—a broken, raspy sound. Kelsey’s hands fell away and Cori stared at Levi’s neck, stunned.
It was whole.
Marred by four jagged, red scars that stood out in sharp relief against his tanned skin.
Chapter Eight
“You ever going to leave this room?”
Cori didn’t bother looking at Kelsey. “I don’t really see the need.”
“Well, for starters, you need to feed. It’s been a couple of days already. You can’t go much longer.”
“I’m aware of that.”
Kelsey blew out a breath. Her scent darkened. Deepened. Sadness hung around her like a shroud. It weighed down on the older woman.
But it was nothing compared to the anguish weighing down on Cori. Guilt, grief, rage, self-doubt. It was a nasty mix, she realized. Very, very nasty,
“Look, Cori…I don’t know exactly what I’m supposed to do to make this better for you.”
“You don’t need to make anything better for me.” She leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes. She wanted peace. Quiet. Silence.
She wanted to be left alone.
“What about him?”
Exhausted, Cori asked, “What about who?”
“Levi. Owen was his cousin, right?”
Slowly, Cori turned and faced Kelsey. The redhead stood on the other side of the room, her hands tucked into her pockets, shoulders slumped. She looked exhausted. Stressed out. Odd, for her. “Yes. They were cousins. Close, though. Very close.” Cori wrapped her arms around her midsection, huddled inside herself. It hurt to think about it—a vicious, ugly pain. Owen…dead. And Levi…hell, had she failed there or what? “Best friends.”
Reluctantly, though she didn’t want to ask anything of Kelsey, she found herself asking, “The wolf who attacked him—is that who killed Owen?”
“Yes.” Kelsey looked down and her red-gold hair fell forward, hiding her face. “From what we can piece together, Owen was trying to find proof that people like us exist—that you were killed by a vampire right in front of him. He was like a pit bull, just wouldn’t let it go. He was being monitored but apparently his monitor had a few screws loose. Instead of notifying us, he took matters into his own hands. We’ll have to spend some time tracking all the people he’s been assigned to watch over, make sure there aren’t any unusual disappearances. I’m sorry, Cori. We should have taken better care of your friend.”
“Yes. You should have.” Cori wanted to let it go at that. She knew Kelsey was half-sick with guilt but if Owen had been watched better, he’d still be alive. “And I should have been told.”
She shot Kelsey a narrow look. “I’m not some kick-ass, uber-bitch soldier in this army you run but I’m not a child, either. I had a right to know and not have you try to sugarcoat the details.”
Kelsey inclined her head. “Agreed.”
“The werewolf responsible…” she let her words trail off, licked her lips. Her gut went all hot and slippery every time she remembered what happened. She didn’t want to remember, didn’t want to think about that lunatic. But she was having a hell of a time sleeping, not knowing. “Is he dead?”
“Yes. He’s dead. He won’t be able to do this to anybody else.”
“I bet that’s a huge comfort to Owen and Levi,” Cori muttered. It certainly wasn’t much comfort to her. “How is Levi doing? Is he…adjusting?”
“Not too well. He’s confused. He’s still weak. He lost a substantial amount of blood. He was almost gone before I got to him. And the Change from mortal to were is hell, even worse than a vampire’s Change. He’s angry, he’s grieving…and he keeps asking about you.”
“Me?”
Kelsey shrugged. “Not you specifically by name. But he keeps asking about the woman who was there that night. Doesn’t quite believe anybody when we try to tell him that you’re fine. I don’t think he feels much of a need to believe anything we say.”
Mockingly, Cori thought, Now imagine that. She just gave a jerky shrug and said, “He’ll adjust. He’ll have to.”
“Like you have?”
Cori stared at Kelsey in silence. No, I haven’t adjusted. No, I’m not doing well. But what the hell else do you want from me?
“You can make this easier for him,” Kelsey said, as though she heard the doubts,
the questions, the recriminations circling through Cori’s head. Piling up on her and holding her under.
“I can’t make this easier.” Cori clenched her hands into fists and tried not to scream. “The only thing I could have done that might have helped him would have been to protect him from that monster. That is the only thing that would have helped either of us, and I was too damn weak to do it.”
“Cori…you’re not weak. You’re not a fighter but that’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
Snorting, Cori spun back to the wall. It was a bare, empty expanse, devoid of pictures, of windows—nothing but stark, blinding white. It burned her eyes, made her head pound. But it was better to stare at nothing than to look at Kelsey and see the glaring reminder of how useless she was. “You’ve been a fighter your entire life, haven’t you, Kelsey?”
“This isn’t about me.”
Woodenly, Cori replied, “No. Of course not. It’s about the vampire who’s so damn weak she can’t protect one stupid man from a werewolf. Not for even five minutes. His life is over now—as hard as it was going to be for him to recover, he could have recovered. He could have gone on to have a life after Owen was butchered—a nice, normal, human life. Now it’s gone. And I could have done something to change that.”
“Are you so sure?”
“Why else would I have been drawn there? I left, so determined, so convinced to find that…that monster, and I did. But I showed up just to watch Levi get butchered and I wasn’t strong enough to stop it.”
“Oh, for crying out loud, Cori, stop feeling sorry for yourself,” Kelsey snapped abruptly. She flung her arms wide and said, “So you’re not a fighter. Big fucking deal. You tried. Even those who are born to fight don’t always put their all into it and that’s what you did. You tried and whether you realize it or not, you made a difference. You were strong enough to slow him down. You stood in the way of a werewolf and you kept him from killing Levi. You held him off long enough that we had a chance to get there and if that doesn’t count as something for you, then fine. So be it. I’m wasting my time but damn it, Cori, it should matter to you. In some way, shape or form.”
Belonging Page 8
