by Kate Hill
“If I had said no, what would you have done?”
“Put you back in your cell.”
She snorted, ripped her clothes from his hands and dressed quickly.
“We’re thieves, not rapists,” he stated. “And for a woman who was fucking us against her will you were rather enthusiastic.”
“I didn’t say you were rapists.”
“What else were you implying?
She smiled and, tucking in her shirt, approached him. “That bothers you, doesn’t it? Surprise, surprise. You do have integrity mixed in there with your criminal tendencies.”
“Surprise, surprise. You’re in law enforcement and you don’t seem to have a shred of integrity.”
She curled her lip. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. If you hadn’t looked so desperate playing with yourself outside our bedroom door I wouldn’t have bothered fucking you. That was a sympathy screw, lady.”
“What the hell are you talking about, wolfswine? Sympathy screw? The fact that anybody even talks to you at all is an act of charity. If I hadn’t been afraid for my life, I’d have never lowered myself to fucking you. You and that micro-weenie of yours.”
“My weenie isn’t micro,” he snapped. “It’s just that you’re so friggin’ loose it’s like screwing a manhole.”
“And you’d be the expert on that,” she said. “Seems you’re better at screwing man holes than women.”
Temple’s eyes flashed and his fangs lengthened as he advanced on her. “If you weren’t a woman, I’d knock your teeth out.”
His fury was almost tangible. Jolie should have been afraid of him. Part of her probably was, but her anger was far greater. She had meant to remain calm and collected until they set her free, but his attitude was too much.
“Go for it,” she said, shifting to her wolf shape and raising her clawed hands to fight.
He cast her a scathing look. “I don’t hit women. Even Vampire wannabe sluts.”
Then he made the mistake of turning his back on her to reach for his clothes. Overcome by fury, she leapt onto his back, one arm braced around his neck, squeezing from the front while her other applied pressure from the back.
He grunted, trying to breathe in her stranglehold and began twisting around the room in an attempt to fling her off his back.
Ransom burst into the room. “What the fuck is going on in here? Jolie! Get off him!”
Temple finally managed to flip her off his back. She landed with a grunt on the hard floor, but acted quickly and kicked at his legs. He moved even faster, grasped her by the ankles and dragged her to the bed.
“Stop it!” Ransom bellowed, shoving Temple away from her and catching Jolie by the waist as she leapt to her feet and lunged at Temple.
“What the hell happened?” Ransom demanded.
“We forced sex on her, Ransom. Did you know that?”
“What?”
“We forced her to have multiple orgasms last night.” Temple’s eyes flashed. There was a wide red mark on his throat where she’d held him and Jolie almost felt a twinge of guilt. She’d gone on about how crazy Temple was, but she’d jumped on him like a wolf in the wild. What was it about the man that got under her skin?
“Jolie, what is he talking about?”
“All I said was that being a prisoner I wasn’t in the position to deny you.”
Ransom stared at her in disbelief.
“She’ll probably go back and tell her bounty hunter associates we attacked her. Add that to our crimes,” Temple said.
“You should have thought of that before,” she snapped. It was only Ransom’s hurt expression that made her feel guilty. He was far too sensitive to be a renegade. “But I wouldn’t make up a story like that. You guys are in enough trouble already.”
“How sweet,” Temple said with a phony smile. “But maybe you’re the one who should have thought before you spoke. We don’t have to release you.”
A twinge of fear shot through Jolie. This was a stupid move on her part.
“We’re releasing her as planned,” Ransom stated. “Jolie, come with me. We’ll wait in the hall.”
Jolie and Temple fired angry, stubborn looks at each other as she followed Ransom out of the room.
A short time later, they were on their way to freedom, or so she hoped. To keep their lair a secret, Ransom and Temple blindfolded her. She was forced to walk between them, depending entirely upon them for guidance over the rugged terrain. Temple strode in front, Jolie’s hand on his waist, while Ransom guided her from behind, his hand resting gently on her lower back.
They traveled for what seemed like miles before she caught three familiar scents. Excitement darted through her. Crispin, Andre and Chantel had tracked her! She caught the scent of other wolves and vampires with them and fear clutched her heart.
There was a good chance Ransom and Temple would be caught. Even though they’d kidnapped her, even though her duty demanded that she bring them to justice, she didn’t want to see them arrested. If they didn’t go quietly, there would undoubtedly be a struggle and they were greatly outnumbered. One or both could be hurt or worse, killed.
Temple stopped abruptly, forcing his companions to do the same.
“Smell that?” he asked.
“Intruders,” Ransom said.
“Take off the blindfold and let me go,” Jolie said. “Then run for it.”
“What?” Temple demanded.
“You heard me.” Jolie tightened her grip on him. “Get out of here while you still can. My foster-father and his mates are here. They’re the best bounty hunters in the world and you will not get away from them. Trust me. I know.”
Without further hesitation, Ransom tore off her blindfold. Jolie blinked as her eyes adjusted to the light. The scent of the approaching wolves and vampires grew stronger, then there was a movement in the distance.
“Look out,” Temple snapped, shoving Jolie and Ransom to the ground at the same moment a shot rang out.
Jolie heard a howl of pure rage in the distance and she knew it belonged to her foster-father, Crispin. She prayed he didn’t think she’d been shot.
“You guys need to get out of here fast --” she began, then saw Ransom crawl to Temple who lay on the ground, his chestnut pelt drenched in blood. His eyes unfocused, he struggled to rise. She joined them, trying to help Ransom find the wound and apply pressure.
Ransom glanced at her, horror in his eyes. “I have to get him out of here. Go, Jolie. You’re free.”
She rose, shifting to her wolf form, and raced several feet, then paused and glanced back at Temple and Ransom who were struggling in the opposite direction, Temple leaning heavily against his mate. She turned toward the area where the shot had come from, knowing her foster-father and his mates were waiting to bring her home.
Glancing at her hands and shirt, covered in Temple’s blood, she knew she couldn’t run off without trying to help the renegades first.
She hurried after them and slipped an arm around Temple’s waist, helping Ransom support him.
“What the hell are you doing?” Ransom asked.
“You need help. They’ll track you easily with Temple wounded and if I’m with you they’re more likely to take you alive.”
“Could have fooled me,” Ransom said.
“Both of you get out of here,” Temple panted his voice tight with pain. “There’s nothing you can do.”
“Just shut up for once, Temple,” Ransom ordered and glanced at Jolie. “I’m going to trust you with something very important to us. Can I?”
She nodded.
Ransom guided them uphill. Jolie knew that to Temple every step was agony, yet he didn’t complain at all. His breathing labored, he stumbled twice, but somehow with their help managed to keep going. The scent of the other wolves and vampires grew stronger and she knew it was crazy to believe they could escape them or that Temple could survive out here, severely wounded by a bullet that was most likely made of silver.
Th
e brook they’d been walking along widened until it became a vast waterfall.
“Ready?” Ransom asked his companions.
“For what?” Jolie demanded.
“Jump!”
They leapt into the river, carried along by the powerful current they were washed down the waterfall. In spite of her terror, Jolie kept a tight hold on Temple. She knew Ransom’s idea was a good one. The water would help cover their trail. Carried along possibly for miles, even Temple’s blood might give false trails in the many brooks and rivers branching from this main flow.
The stream ran past the entrance to another cave. Jolie and Ransom dragged Temple onto shore where Ransom hoisted his partner over his shoulders. He led Jolie into a labyrinth, finally stopping in a small cave housing several trunks.
Ransom placed Temple on the ground and gently took his face in his hands. “Temple. Temple!”
“Umm,” Temple said, his voice scarcely a whisper.
Jolie sat beside him and Ransom found the wound, took her hands, and placed them on Temple’s chest. “Keep applying pressure.”
She did as ordered, glad to see the bleeding had slowed a bit, but she still wondered if Temple would make it. He looked terrible and already a raging fever ravaged his body. Now she had no doubt the bullet was silver.
Ransom quickly opened a trunk and spread several blankets on the ground, then he removed a case filled with medical supplies. Together they guided Temple onto the blankets. Ransom nodded toward a couple of buckets in a corner of the room. “Jolie, get me some fresh water. Then I’m going to need you to assist me while I remove the bullet. Once it’s out, his regenerative powers should allow him to heal.”
Nodding, she leapt to her feet and immediately did as he’d ordered. When she returned, Temple was completely unconscious from a shot Ransom had given him. The black-haired wolf had reverted to his man form and pulled on jeans and a shirt that must have been stored in one of the trunks. Moments later, she knelt beside her unlikely companions, trying not to be squeamish as Ransom worked. Funny how she could enjoy the hunt but when it came to surgery she was practically a wimp.
Watching Ransom she began to regain control of herself, reassured by his confidence. His large hands were shockingly deft. Though she knew it must have torn him up inside to see his lover wounded, he controlled his emotions well, placing them aside to complete the important task at hand. Jolie did her best to assist him, following his instructions to the letter.
“This is tricky,” Ransom murmured, probing for the bullet. Beads of sweat sprang out on his brow and trickled down his temples. Jolie wiped them away with a towel before they ran into his eyes.
Her stomach clenched so hard it ached. Though she and Temple didn’t get along that well, she hated the thought of him dying. In spite of his annoying ways, he had qualities she liked. And if it hadn’t been for him knocking her to the ground, she might have been the one to take that bullet.
“Got it,” Ransom sighed with relief. He dropped the poisonous silver bullet into a container then set to work closing Temple’s wound.
When he finished, he silently cleaned his equipment and put away the case while Jolie sat beside Temple. She cleaned up his bloody pelt as best she could and covered him with a blanket.
She caressed his face and smiled, turning to Ransom. “His fever is down. You --”
Her brow furrowed, she glanced around, but Ransom was gone. Jolie stood and stepped out of the cave. Ransom stood a short distance away, a shoulder leaning against the wall, his arms wrapped tightly around himself.
“Ransom,” Jolie said softly and approached, placing a hand on his back. She felt him trembling. “Hey. You all right?”
“Fine.” He shook his head and glanced at her, his large gray eyes filled with emotion. “I just -- I didn’t want to lose him.”
“I know.” She slipped her arms around him and held him tightly, stroking his thick black hair. “Thanks to you he’s going to be fine.”
“And you. I don’t think I could have done it without your help. Thanks for coming back. You could have broke and run, but you didn’t.”
She smiled, trying to look nonchalant. “I’m not that kind of woman.”
“You’re a good woman, Jolie. One I’m proud to know.”
Her smile faded and she took his face in her hands and kissed him. “I like you a lot, Ransom. And I like that other big lug, too. The gods know why.”
“Temple and I are going to stay here tonight. You’re welcome to go if you want.”
“I’ll stick around, just to make sure he heals up right.” Not only that, if the authorities happened to find them, at least she could try to act as a buffer between them and the renegades. The last thing she wanted was for some trigger-happy guard to kill them before she had a chance to talk to Lady Altah.
* * *
Temple slept for several hours and when he woke was strong enough to shift back to his man form. The shape shifting greatly helped his regeneration process. Temple slept more and after dusk, when Ransom again checked his injury, was almost completely recovered.
After dinner, Ransom and Jolie lay close to Temple, sharing each other’s warmth since the cave had become rather cold. Tired from the emotional stress of the day, Ransom fell asleep, but Jolie was unable to join him. She was tired, too, but her thoughts raced too much to allow her to sleep.
She had willingly gone with two criminals she had been sent to capture. Obviously her foster-father and his mates were searching for her, probably fearing the worst, especially after the shooting.
Quietly she stood and walked through the labyrinth, following the cool scent of fresh forest air down an unfamiliar path until she stood outside on a rocky ledge. Glancing below, she saw the river running by the cave mouth they’d used to enter the labyrinth. A movement caught her attention and she saw Temple, in wolf form, step into the rushing water. He ducked under. Panic gripped her then she saw him surface and wade toward shallow water to bathe. Aroused, she watched him cleanse his sleek body. Finally he stepped out of the water and shook off his pelt. Glancing upward, he fixed his gaze upon Jolie and her belly tightened. She didn’t think he’d noticed her.
He stepped back into the caves and she drew a deep breath, leaning against the rocks. His scent grew stronger and she knew he was approaching. With a racing pulse, she waited, tense though she wasn’t sure why. Unlike Ransom, he made her feel uncertain. Yet in that uncertainty was a level of excitement she’d never experienced with anyone else.
A moment later, Temple’s arm slid around her waist and he pulled her snugly against his chest.
“You surprised me, Jolie.” He spoke in a low voice so close to her ear that his breath tickled her. “I thought you’d enjoy seeing me die.”
“You think too much of yourself,” she sneered, trying to pull away from him, but he held her fast. His hand moved from her waist to gently caress her stomach.
“You can’t make up your mind about me, can you?”
His words struck too close to home. She grasped his wrist hard, her nails biting into his flesh. He didn’t seem to mind and continued stroking her. Actually his touch became shockingly gentle. He cupped her breast, stroking with tenderness she never would have expected from him. His thumb brushed over her nipple, making it stiffen beneath her shirt.
“You seem to be feeling better,” she said sarcastically.
“Much, thanks to you and Ransom. I still want to know why you helped me.”
“I don’t know.”
“Of course you do. Everyone knows the reasons behind their actions.”
Jolie resisted the urge to close her eyes. Damn, he knew just how to touch her. Still she managed to focus her thoughts and ask, “Why did you try to protect me from that bullet? You could have just knocked Ransom out of the way.”
He growled, clearly not liking the way she’d turned the conversation toward him.
“Enough talk.” He tugged her into the cave and thrust her roughly against the wall. His
gaze fixed on hers, holding her captive. The hot, wild look in his beautiful blue eyes sent little quivers of desire racing down her spine and she was instantly wet.
Grasping her wrists, he held them above her head and used a knee to thrust her legs apart. His shoved a hand down the front of her trousers and cupped her soft mound.
Jolie’s teeth clenched, mostly because of the turmoil inside her. She wanted him to keep touching her, but not like this. Not in anger or as a punishment because she pissed him off with her question.
“Is this how you repay someone who helped save your stinking life? By attacking her?” she snarled.
Instantly he dropped his hold on her and stepped away, his eyes flashing and teeth bared. His fangs elongated and his face became more wolfish. Partway between beast and man, he paced in front of her, stalking her. His clawed hands clenched into fists.
“I’m not attacking you, Jolie. From now on you will come to me of your own free will. You will tell me exactly what you want so there will be no mistake. Walk away if you want. Or come to me, but if you do admit it’s because you want to. Take responsibility for your actions like a wolf. Don’t hide your greedy appetites like a fucking Vampire.”
“You don’t know all Vampires,” she snapped and strode toward him until they stood inches from one another, anger and lust burning between them. “And obviously not all wolves are noble. Do you think you’re the only one who’s lost family because of someone else’s violence and greed? My entire pack was slaughtered by a rival pack. The same thing happened to my foster-father with his pack. That was wolves killing wolves, Temple. No Vampires involved. You can’t blame an entire race for the actions of some.”
He stared at her. An expression of compassion glimmered faintly beneath his icy gaze. “Unfortunately, Jolie, in order to seek justice we don’t always have the luxury of sparing those who don’t deserve our wrath.”
“That’s a poor excuse.”
“I don’t make excuses. I admit what I am and what I’ve done. I’m a hunter. A killer. Someone strikes me and I strike back. I can’t be like you and Ransom, hoping those in power will one day see the error of their ways. By the time that happens, the rest of us will probably be destroyed.”
