“Now you’re exaggerating,” Lily said as she started to pull her clothes back on.
Despite being in hiding, sleep claimed them both and when they woke up it was noon. Jeremy stirred around for something to eat. He came back with a bottle of water and some crackers.
“How long have they been here?” She asked, eyeing the crackers suspiciously.
“I don’t know, eat at your own risk.” A thud from outside scared Lily and she rushed to the window and pulled the blinds back. Someone was talking, and Lily knew it had to be the witch despite not being able to see her.
Jeremy was already outside with her, and as Lily raced out the door, she saw he was suspended in the air once again unable to move. The witch was hurting him by the twisted look on his face. Her heart raced, and there was no time to think as she rushed at the witch. She just let the adrenaline take her. The witch turned to Lily and started to chant, her eyes looking somewhere in the distance. She felt the air rush from her lungs as the witch made it hard to breathe.
Right before she blacked out, her body was flung up in the air. She landed in a pile of hay and quickly jumped to her feet. Jeremy had shifted, and he was fighting her. When she’d been distracted trying to kill Lily she’d let go of the spell on him to her detriment. She shot what looked like little lightning bolts into him as his teeth clamped around her wrist. He growled in pain, and she watched as his large legs buckled in the front.
Near the hay, Lily found a shovel and picked it up without much thought. She rushed the witch and hit her hard on the head while her back was turned. The momentary bravery was replaced with horror at what she’d done she looked down at the witch and hoped she’d not killed her. There was blood on her head, but Lily assumed she was simply knocked out. Jeremy growled loudly trying to release the little magic the witch had put on him. As it dissipated, the little bolts shot off of him until his animal howl turned into a human scream. He pulled Lily to him and kissed her.
“You crazy girl. Are you ok?”
“Yes. Are you?”
“Good, let’s go before she comes back around. The spells are down if she found us, meaning we aren’t safe here anymore.”
Jeremy took Lily by the hand and pulled her out toward the back of the cabin. He led her to a small shed and opened the door so she could see what was inside. It was a dirt bike. He was planning a getaway on a dirt bike. She gathered her courage as he rolled it out of the shed.
“Hop on.”
Lily jumped on as the bike let out a loud rev and shot off into the woods. She closed her eyes tightly and squeezed him. Her body shook with nervousness, and the trees were close to them as they whipped by.
“Stop worrying. It won’t be nearly as scary as when you rode me as a bear. “
Jeremy took the bike out of the woods and onto the road. They made their getaway from the witch before she was able to shake off the attack.
Chapter Eight – Amateur Kidnappers
They got off the main road after staying on it for a while. They were in human territory when they finally dipped down a side road, and Jeremy steered the bike into the woods between two houses.
He pulled the bike behind a large fallen tree and killed the engine. Lily got off and noticed her legs were wobbling. There was a stream nearby. Jeremy went and scooped some water from. She decided to do the same.
“I think I liked riding the bear better,” she said.
He ignored her. “What are we doing next?”
“I don’t know, but we have to figure it out quickly. Running away a second time makes me look guilty.”
“Well yes, but you didn't have a choice.”
“Let's kidnap Donovan and torture him until he tells the truth,” Lily exclaimed rubbing her hands together.
“Okay, you've seen Donovan. You know how big he is. How the hell do you think we can kidnap him?”
“Fair point. We'll take Clinton then,” Lily nodded.
“Where are these stealth ninja kidnapping skills coming from exactly?”
“We’ll wing it.”
“Yes, winging it will make sure we're successful.” He said sarcastically as he paced beside the stream. “Okay, if we do this it will be strictly to clear our names. We aren’t going to turn into criminals on the lam kidnapping and robbing to stay alive.”
“Listen to yourself. We are only detaining Clinton until he agrees to tell the truth. I don’t know much about torturing people..”
“How are we going to get him clear of his fellow guards?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll have a plan by the time we get there!” Lily slammed her fist into her other hand and started walking towards Cedar Falls. Jeremy followed her. somewhat reluctantly. She hoped she was headed in the right direction. They weren’t in the town of Swan which was where her family came from and aside from a couple of rides to the south, she’d never been in the surrounding areas.
There was no way to know how far away from Cedar Falls they were. She heard the bike rev behind her, and despite not wanting to get back on it, she didn’t really think she could walk the distance. Hopping on she grasped Jeremy around the waist. He took a minute to lean back and kiss her softly.
“There’s no one I’d rather be a criminal with.”
She slapped him playfully and then they were speeding through the forest once again.
When they arrived at the house, it seemed as though everyone was gone. They were probably out looking for her, but she knew Clinton would be there. Very rarely did he go out with his guards. Clinton said he'd stay at headquarters and run things from there. He had a cell phone and a tablet and from what Lily had seen he never used either to talk to his men.
The problem they faced was that Clinton would be in his quarters, which meant they had to get him out of the house. As hard as she’d thought, she still hadn't come up with a plan on the way over.
“What's your big plan, Lily?”
“I'm still thinking of it.”
“Well that's just great, we don't have one.”
“I don't see you coming up with anything,” Lily said putting her hands on her hips.
Jeremy walked back and forth in front of the bike with a hand on his chin. She’d have thought it was cute if he wasn't annoying her so much.
“We take him when he goes to the bathroom. That's the only way,” Jeremy nodded along with his idea.
“How do you figure that?”
“He's vulnerable in there. I know I would be.”
“What if he doesn't have to go?”
“Then I guess we’re just out of luck, my dear.”
“That’s what I’m worried about.”
Surveying the situation Lily determined the best way to get in was by going up to the roof again and through the attic. She hoped the window hadn’t been sealed shut after they had discovered she’d gotten away.
“We’ve got to go back up that tree.”
“There won’t be guards?”
“No, they are out looking for us. Only really stupid people would come back to the place they were running from.”
“Well, you’re not wrong there,” Jeremy said.
They made their way up onto the roof fairly quickly and slid slowly towards the window. To her surprise, it opened right up. When they were inside the attic Lily tried to explain where not to walk without making noise. Jeremy immediately knocked over a large dress mannequin which landed in between the beams and by some miracle didn’t break through the ceiling.
“Please be careful,” she hissed at him and balanced on a beam that led her to the attic door. She wasn’t sure how they would open it from the inside, but there had to be a way.
Once she was over the door, she listened to see if she heard anything. The house seemed quiet and for a moment it felt like they might actually pull off what they were trying to do without a lot of difficulties. She jumped on the door and it didn’t move.
“Wait, let me hold your hands. You’re going to crash right through and give us away complet
ely.”
Jeremy held her hands while she continued jumping on the door and it finally budged and then opened. It still made the loud creaking, and she froze hoping no one had heard it. They let the ladder down slowly and climbed down as quietly as possible. Once they’d made it down they argued about putting the ladder back up and risking making more noise.
Stefan surprised them both by walking around the corner, and the three of them simply stared at each other.
“Lily?” Stefan said surprised, and Jeremy let out a roar as he ran forward and punched him. He knocked him out cold, and Lily screeched.
“No! What did you do that for?”
“What would you have had me do instead?”
“Ugh, let’s just go get Clinton and get out of here.”
“How are we going to do that?”
“Well, you could just knock him out like that if he’s alone.”
They moved around Stefan and headed to the stairs. It seemed the house was quiet and if they could avoid the maids they might actually make it all the way downstairs.
Clinton stayed in a room at the very bottom of the house that was both his quarters and his office. Each had its own purpose. Lily had only seen his office, but she’d snuck a peek into his little apartment and saw it was completely different with a slightly effeminate décor. When they made it downstairs, they could hear him yelling at someone. So much for finding him alone.
His door was slightly ajar, and she could see him on his couch eating something.
“No, no why would you choose Ryan? He’s obviously just there for the attention.”
“He’s talking to the television. This is that Single Time show.”
“How the hell would you know this was the Single Time show?” Lily asked, amused that Jeremy would watch a show where one woman chooses her soul mate based on dates set up by the producers.
“Don’t judge me! I’m just saying I think he’s alone and distracted.”
Jeremy was the first to make a move, he ran into the room and yelled at Clinton who was taken off guard. Never once had they discussed him running into the room blindly like that and Lily was caught off guard. She had no idea what he thought he was doing and could only stand back in anticipation to see what was up his sleeve.
“What the hell! Who are you? You’re the guy who killed the alpha.” Clinton stood and moved towards Jeremy.
Lily was not pleased to see he was in his boxer shorts and a white tank top. It wasn't a sight she could unsee. Without much thought, she grabbed a large vase from the hallway and rushed into the room. He hadn't seen her yet, and she hit him over the head with it breaking the vase and knocking him out.
Clinton slumped to the floor in front of his couch while his reality program continued to play. Jeremy looked at her with wide eyes.
"What the hell was your plan exactly?"
"I don't know," Jeremy said, "I panicked!"
"Okay well it's over now, let's try to get him out of the house. Stefan isn't going to stay knocked out forever, and I'm blown away that we haven't been discovered by anyone at this point." Lily crawled over Clinton and looked down at him to see how she could help Jeremy move him.
"Okay, you get his head," Jeremy said as he apparently was doing the same thing.
Just when they'd both lifted him onto the couch to get a better grip, a high pitched squeal came from the door.
"Well, we've come full circle," Lily said as she watched Mary the housekeeper once again through her tray of tea before fleeing for help.
"How the hell are we going to get out of here?"
"There's a back door. You don't need me to help you lift Clinton. Just use your bear strength."
Lily ran towards the door that led out of the basement and back into the woods. She could still hear Mary screaming and knew there was no way she hadn't attracted the attention of whoever was still in the house.
She didn't look back to see if Jeremy was following her so she just ran. When she made it outside her breath caught in her chest. The entire membership of the guards was marching into the back gate, and she was completely exposed. Throwing herself on the ground, she felt her chin sink in the mud. At least she hoped it was mud. Just then, she felt Jeremy fly out the door and trip over her, throwing Clinton into the bushes.
"Shhh, you're going to get us caught."
"Who told you to lie on the ground like that?"
"Guards," Lily hissed as she pulled him down toward her when he tried to stand up again, and he finally noticed the men standing around outside.
“Oh, well now I've gone and thrown our hostage into the bushes. We are the worst at this."
The guards took forever to march back in through the gates and the first thing the second in command would do would be to go find Clinton to report. They needed to be long gone before that happened.
Rushing through the woods was becoming something she was familiar with. She led the way avoiding getting slapped by branches and jumping over logs before she ran right into Donovan’s solid frame.
"Crap," she yelled as the enormous man caught her and kept her from falling. He gazed down at her sadly and then past her to Jeremy carrying Clinton. Jeremy hadn't seen him yet. He helped steady Lily, and then without a backward glance, he took off for the house. She wasn't sure if he was running to tell the guards he’d seen them, or running away, but she didn't wait. Rattled a bit from the hard hit she started running again. She'd tell Jeremy about seeing Donovan later.
“Watch it! You’re slamming his head into everything,” Lily said. When they made it back to the cabin, Jeremy finally shifting and carrying them both, Lily was exhausted. She was a little surprised Clinton was still out after the rough trip he'd had on Jeremy's back. She wondered how hard she’d actually hit him.
“Why does it matter? You creamed him with a vase.”
“We don’t want him to be brain dead before we question him."
Jeremy responded to that by slamming Clinton’s head into the doorframe as he carried him into the living room.
No sooner had they positioned him in a chair and Lily had gone to get him a glass of water, the entire kitchen exploded. Pans, plates, forks, knives, and everything else in the kitchen flew around in a mad dash. Jeremy had to catch a fork before it lodged itself in Clinton's head.
"Jeremy you can't run from me. I will take care of this traitorous girl and then when the clans are at war you and I can run away together."
Lily crawled across the kitchen floor and looked up at Jeremy. He shrugged, and she made a circle around her temple while looking around for the witch. She couldn't see Penelope. More plates came crashing to the floor, and the chairs lifted up. One came flying at Lily, and she flattened herself on the floor nearly avoiding getting bashed in the face by it. The wood splintered as it hit the walloped the counter.
"Where are you P, come out and stop throwing my stuff around. Let's talk about this."
"No, it's too late for talking."
This time another chair came flying at Lily and all she could do was cover her head as it hit her hard in the back. Pain radiated through her spine and her body heated up. She wanted to kill that witch.
"Is that all you got P," Lily shrieked mockingly. She jumped up and grabbed a broom. "Come out and face me woman to woman. I'll beat you with your own transportation."
Penelope came through the door and looked at her. Lily pictured herself standing in the center of a destroyed kitchen holding a broom. It wouldn't do much good against a witch, but she was willing to try.
"I don't travel on a broom, I have a very nice Honda. Didn't you see it parked when you were snooping around my place?" As she spoke, she threw her hand in the air and a wooden bowl full of pine cones whipped at Lily. She hit it with the broom sending it back across the room.
"Penelope, think logically. If you kill her, I'm not going to want to have anything to do with you."
"Well, then," Penelope studied her fingernail and let an evil grin creep slowly across her face, "I'l
l just have to kill you both then."
The entire house shook like she was bringing it down. Lily looked through the kitchen door into the living room. She stood by the coffee table with both her hands pointed up to the ceiling, cackling.
“Penelope, don’t destroy my house. You know how long it took me to build it.”
The familiarity he had with her caused Lily’s face to burn. Had Penelope lived there with him? Had she helped him build the house?
With a scream, the witch shook both her hands causing the house to vibrate even harder. Lily fell along with everything else that wasn’t nailed down. She needed to get outside. The chair Clinton was in had toppled over, and he vibrated across the floor like everything else. Lily crawled towards it with a plan to push him towards the door. She hated the man, but she didn’t want him to die.
Jeremy flew across the room and slammed into the wall as the witch continued to laugh. She had her head thrown back, and her dark hair was whipping around her. This was now the image of witches’ that would forever be burned into Lily’s brain. No gingerbread house, just an insane woman who had magical powers.
The door burst open again, and Donovan came running in.
“Penelope.” He yelled holding up some type of amulet. It glowed or emitted light as he got closer to the witch, Lily couldn’t tell.
“What are you doing here?”
“Stopping you, you crazy witch.”
The amulet got brighter, and the witch brought her hands down to her sides staring at it. Lily was confused, and Jeremy was just starting to come awake having been knocked out after hitting the wall so hard. She was relieved to see he was getting up but didn’t feel like the danger was completely gone.
The witch yelled. “What are you doing to me?”
Lily saw little flickers of power coming from her as whatever the amulet did to her magic took it away from her. She put up her hands sending a red light back towards it, but eventually, it became too much for Penelope and she fled.
Love Beyond the wall (A Rizer Pack Shifter Series Book 1) Page 38
