Dark Dawning (Totem Book 1)

by Christine Rains

  Everything was going to be okay.

  “Finally.” Ametta grinned and lifted his head from her lap so she could stand. When Lucky attempted to get up too, she gestured he remain still. “Stay there. Don’t move. I’ll wave down the truck.”

  “Well, I guess guys are more apt to stop for a hot blonde than a banged up guy.” Lucky chuckled, watching her with a smile from his position on the side of the ditch.

  She wasn’t going to disagree. As the truck came closer, she could see there was a couple in there. Even better. The pickup slowed to a stop and parked on the other side of the road. The driver opened his door and hopped out.

  Ametta started to walk across the road. “Thank God you came along. I didn’t think anyone else was out today…”

  Her eyes locked with his dark ones, and his scent hit her. The hunter. No.

  His shock fast turned to vicious delight as he grinned and reached inside the cab.

  Behind him, the woman thrust her upper half out her open window and popped over top of the truck with a gun in hand.

  Fuck.

  “Lucky, run!”

  Ametta dove into the ditch as the woman fired.

  Ametta scrambled on her belly behind her overturned car. Her heart thumped hard in her chest. Never in all her worst nightmares did she think her luck could be this bad. She wanted to bawl and rage and curl up into a little ball wishing it would all go away.

  Lucky snatched the canvas bag as he belly-crawled toward her.

  The car rocked with a sickening creak as the hunters fired into the wreck. Thunk, thunk, thunk! Even louder than the hammering of her heart. She screamed as something enormous and warm covered her. Lucky lay on top of her, shielding her head with his arms.

  He groaned, breathing heavily, and not in a good way. “We’re going to have to make a run for it. Are you all right to run?”

  “Yes. Are you?” Her muscles tensed as sweat trickled down the back of her neck. Running she could do. As far from this fucking state as possible.

  The gunshots stopped. They couldn’t give the hunters time to reload. Ametta and Lucky rose into a crouching position with his arm draped around her waist.

  “I don’t have much choice in the matter.” Lucky readied himself and motioned to the right where the thickest patch of trees was. “Go!”

  Ametta raced into the woods as several shots rang in her ears. Bark flew off the side of a tree near her head. Tears burned in the corners of her eyes. This was her fault. She should’ve been paying attention to the road. If she hadn’t been mooning over him, they wouldn’t have hit the moose and they would’ve been safe at home.

  Lucky grunted as they skidded down a slope and continued to weave in between the trees. Her three hundred dollar boots and designer jeans were splashed with mud. She just had to change out of her old hiking boots, didn’t she? At least these ones didn’t have a heel.

  Behind them, one of the hunters crashed through the trees. He wasn’t close yet, but there was no way they could lose him without putting more distance between them.

  An eagle’s screech rang out from above. Ametta glanced up through the branches. The shifter was following them, letting her partner know exactly where they were. This was how they managed to unfailingly track their prey.

  Another gunshot. She darted around a big trunk, and Lucky ducked behind a fallen tree.

  How were they going to get out of this alive?

  “Psst!” Lucky waved to get her attention. He mouthed for them to shift and then pinch the hunter between them.

  Ametta shook her head. Was he crazy? One of them would likely die if they did that. She bet he was counting on it being him. Lucky the big, brave hero.

  No! No one would give their life for her. There had to be a way for them both to survive.

  Besides, the bastard hunter wanted their pelts. He wanted trophies. No way was she going let him have a bear. If they stayed in their human forms, then it was some crazed killer hunting people in the woods. If they came across other folks, they’d help them instead of helping another hunter kill a wild animal.

  What they needed to do first was get rid of the eagle.

  She pointed up to the sky and then to the bag in Lucky’s hand. Miming a gun, she pretended to shoot it upward. The signal launcher had three flares.

  Lucky dug it out of the bag and swiftly loaded the gun. Ametta knew how to use guns. Every Alaskan did, but no matter her keen eyesight, she was only an average shot. She hoped that Lucky was a better marksman than she.

  The silence hit her. It was too quiet. Where was the bastard?

  Above, the eagle continued to circle around their position. She, too, was silent.

  Ametta crouched down, scanning the area around them. In the distance, the rush of a river seemed to shush them. And back the way they came, a truck zoomed by along the road. A few daring squirrels or chipmunks rustled softly in the undergrowth, but nothing else.

  Lucky’s attention was focused upward. He held the gun ready as the shifter made slow circles in the sky.

  Where did the hunter go?

  She didn’t want to look around the other side of her tree. Blood roared through her veins. There was no choice but to take a peek. She had to make certain he wasn’t sneaking up on Lucky.

  Inching around the base of the trunk, she looked at the trail they’d left behind them. No one needed an eagle to locate them. A three-year-old could find where they went. No one there, though. No one she could see, that was.

  She watched a little longer, waiting for a leaf to twitch or a twig to snap. Was the guy hiding? There were so many bushes and low hanging pines. Certainly he wasn’t the type to wait them out. A human would get hungry, thirsty, and sleepy before a shifter would.

  No, no. He was up to something. But what?

  Lucky fired the launcher, startling Ametta. The flare was too slow, though, and the eagle dodged easily. Ametta cursed under her breath. Now their hunters knew what they were up to.

  The bastard snatched a handful of her hair from behind and jerked her back against him. Before her back even met his chest, she swung her elbow and cracked him in the face. She spun, tumbling to land on all fours facing him.

  The hunter stumbled. Machete in one hand and clutching his cheek with the other. His rifle hung slung over his shoulder. He grinned and spat out blood. “Shift.”

  “What?” Ametta glanced both ways, trying to determine the best direction to run.

  “Shift, bitch. Fight as your true self.”

  What the hell? Did he honestly believe that? Being partners with the eagle, he must know something about shifters. Unless the shifter was a fucked up bitch. Oh wait. She was.

  Behind her, Lucky bellowed and charged. He’d shifted. Of fucking course.

  The hunter jumped back, gaining a position on higher ground and swinging with his blade as he attempted to get his rifle in hand to fire.

  Lucky rushed past, bumping her against the tree, and swiped the gun away from the hunter. He roared again, spittle flying everywhere. The forest shook with it.

  With her ears ringing, Ametta sprang at the hunter. She had to get the blade out of his hand. She kicked, and he whacked her foot with the butt of the knife. Hissing with her fury, she tumbled backward and left Lucky room to fight the hunter. No human in their right mind would stand in front of an angry Kodiak, but the bastard didn’t even flinch. He took out another smaller knife in his left hand and waited for Lucky’s move.

  And move Lucky did. With ferocious fury.

  Claw versus steel. And if she didn’t hate him so much, she might be impressed the hunter held his own for almost twenty seconds. She scrambled to her feet to circle around him.

  Yet the power of the bear was too much for him.

  The hunter attempted to throw his small blade, but Lucky knocked it out of the air and swiped at him, knocking him off his feet. The Kodiak stood on his hind legs and let out a victory cry.

  Ametta stood straighter, bracing herself for the killing blo
w.

  The eagle swooped down from the sky and raked Lucky’s head. He hollered with the pain, swatting and missing the bird. Missing badly. Oh God, did she get his eyes?

  The hunter crab-walked out of Lucky’s reach and went for his rifle.

  They couldn’t have Lucky. Ametta refused to let them.

  By the fallen tree five feet away, she spotted the flare gun. She snatched it up and stuffed a rocket inside. Who should she shoot?

  The eagle still tormented Lucky. The hunter was out of her sight amongst the bushes.

  Eagle shifter it was then.

  But she was right there near Lucky’s head. It was a big flapping and furry mess of movement. If she missed…

  If she missed, the hunter would have his rifle and shoot Lucky. He’d be dead and then swiftly so would she.

  Ametta aimed. There was no choice.

  She fired.

  The rocket seemed to fly agonizingly slow as it arced. There was no way it was going to hit the eagle. Ametta’s legs quivered as her stomach clenched painfully.

  The eagle flapped her wings upward just as the flare reached her. It didn’t hit her body, but it hit one of her enormous wings and bounced off. The rocket ignited her feathers, but there was no great whoosh of flames. The heat melted them instead. Crying out, she tried to fly away, but the damage was too much.

  Lucky plowed the eagle into the ground and snapped her neck. Ametta covered her mouth as she gagged.

  A thin woman appeared at Lucky’s feet. Her eyes wide open and her head twisted the wrong way.

  Ametta shuddered and fought to remain standing. Her legs refused to move.

  Lucky went back down on all fours, pawing at his eyes, as he snarled.

  The hunter emerged from the bushes with rifle in hand. His gaze turned to his companion, and his face reddened as it screwed up with anguish. Trembling, he shot at Lucky and missed. The bullet buried into the tree near the Kodiak. Letting out a wail, he cocked the gun and shot again.

  This time it got Lucky in the shoulder, and the bear tumbled backward down a hill. Saplings broke and rocks rolled all the way down.

  Falling down to his knees, the hunter lifted his partner into his arms.

  “No!” Ametta screamed and forced herself to move, running after Lucky. She didn’t even look back. The bastard could’ve shot her, but it didn’t matter because at the bottom of the hill, Lucky lay unmoving in his human form.

  Lucky wasn’t dead. The urge to laugh and cry at the same time had Ametta choking as she took in a breath.

  But he couldn’t see and was naked. They were in the woods, and any second, the hunter was going to reload his rifle and come after them.

  No time for celebrations. No time to nurse him, kick him, or kiss him.

  “Come on. Don’t slow down now.” Ametta wrapped her arms around him and urged him to stand. “Hold on to me. I’ll lead the way.”

  Lucky’s hand covered his eyes, so she couldn’t see the damage. But the bullet hadn’t hit anything vital. It went through his shoulder’s muscle on the outside part. No slug left inside this time. It would heal. His eyes, though, she didn’t know.

  He shoved her away. “Run. He’ll stay to slay me. Run now.”

  “Don’t you dare try to be the hero with me,” Ametta snapped.

  “Go!” Lucky growled.

  “I’m not leaving you.” She grabbed his wrist and yanked him to her, holding tighter when he tried to pull away. “Hold the fuck on to me. I’m going to circle back around to the road. If someone doesn’t come along to help, then we’ll go to the bastard’s truck and take it.”

  “With your magic key?” he scoffed.

  “I can hotwire a goddam car. And don’t look so surprised. Saskia taught me.” Ametta placed his hand on her shoulder and sniffed. Blood and woods. The hunter hadn’t come for them yet, but he would. She didn’t doubt it. She took in a deeper breath. There was the concrete and gasoline. She started on an angle away from the hill, not up the way they came, but to a spot that would be farther down the road.

  “It’s no surprise. I’m impressed.” Lucky grunted and gripped her tighter. “Is the bitch dead?”

  “Yes.” There was no pride or joy in her voice when she said it. Yes, the eagle shifter was a murderer, but no good feelings accompanied her death. In fact, the more Ametta thought on it, the more nauseated she became.

  “Move faster. I’ll keep up.” A branch whipped him in the forehead. He ducked his head down. So close that his hair tickled the back of her neck every now and then.

  Ametta trotted at a quick pace, trying to pick the ways of least resistance. There was no way to be quiet about it, but she whispered directions to him to step one way or another or to mind low hanging branches.

  With every step, her heart thumped hard. All her senses grew hypersensitive. Safety. They had to get to safety.

  When they stumbled out of the woods to the road, she almost couldn’t believe they made it. They weren’t totally safe by any means, but part of her didn’t think they would make it out of the woods alive.

  “Okay. We’re out. I don’t see the hunter anywhere. Nor do I see our vehicles. I think we’re a little more to the west now.” Ametta stopped to allow him a moment to rest. The fact that the man was still standing was a testament to his incredible strength of will.

  From down the road, there was a familiar rumble. She grinned as a big rig came into view.

  “Our ride is here. Stay behind me so he doesn’t see you’re naked right away.” Ametta started waving at the truck. For a few terrifying seconds as it drew closer, she didn’t think it was going to stop. The squeal of several sets of brakes made her laugh out loud.

  Lucky wrapped an arm around her middle and hugged her from behind. “Thank you. For not leaving me.”

  “I couldn’t leave you. You owe me dinner at Orso.”

  He chuckled softly and then went quiet before sighing. “The bitch got me good. I think she blinded me.”

  The truck slowed to a stop. A guy with a big white beard and short legs climbed out.

  “Just keep your eyes closed. Let them heal. You’ll be fine.” Please God, let him be okay.

  “Is everything all right here?” The trucker called as he walked toward them. His steps were slow. Smart man to be wary.

  Ametta smiled and walked toward him, leading Lucky. “Thank you for stopping. We hit a moose a little ways back there, and my, uh, boyfriend is badly hurt. Glass shattered in his face and in his eyes. In my maddened way to check for more injuries, I cut off his clothes. I’m sorry if this is embarrassing, but we really need a ride.”

  “No, yes, of course. We’ll get you two right to the Valley Hospital. I have a blanket in there for you, young man.” The trucker led the way back to his cab. “Damn moose. You’re lucky you’re alive.”

  “Thank you so much.” Ametta’s legs trembled again. Almost there.

  They all froze when a car’s tires screeched in the distance. A bellow followed. Not like a bear’s or a human’s.

  “What was that?” Lucky pressed her more to him.

  “I don’t…” Ametta’s stomach flipped as hooves pounded on concrete, coming around the bend toward them fast.

  A bull. And not just any bull. It was huge and charging right toward them.

  “Get in!” Ametta didn’t have to tell the trucker twice. He deftly hopped inside and held out a hand to help them. She pushed Lucky to the door and put his hand into the trucker’s. “Climb into the cab!”

  She almost expected him to fight her on it and insist she go first, but he did as he was told. She pushed on his rear with her shoulder to force him up and in faster. Following right behind him, she barely got her legs inside when the bull hit the driver side door. It tore off its hinges and skidded down the road as the beast came to a stop.

  The brand. She gasped as she recognized it. One of the Meyers.

  But no, it couldn’t be. The hunters killed Paul. If he was a shifter, part of their herd, he wouldn’t mur
der one of his own. Unless he was totally insane.

  He smashed the side of the cab, ripping the tire open with his horns.

  Yup, batshit crazy.

  The trucker hollered at the bull to go away as if it were just a regular animal. He didn’t know. Very few humans knew about shifters, and Ametta didn’t bother to correct him. Grabbing his radio, he sent out a Mayday, but was cut off when the bull hit the rig again, nearly knocking it on its side.

  “It’s a bull. The hunter is one of the Meyers.” Ametta whispered to Lucky. “He’s going to trash this truck to get at us. We need to run.”

  “Goddammit. We can’t outrun a bull.” Lucky shook his head. “We can climb onto the trailer. The bastard can’t wreck the whole thing.”

  “Then he’ll shift and come at us.” Ametta realized Lucky had taken his hand from his face. His eyes were squeezed closed, but the cuts from the eagle’s talons were deep. The white of the corner of his left eye peeked between the shredded flesh.

  She bit her lower lip to keep herself from making any sound at the gory sight. He gave up his sight for her. And now she was going to ask him to put his life on the line again.

  The bull smacked the truck again, rocking it.

  “We have to run. The Matanuska River is close by. The trees will slow him and the water will stop him. We can shift and swim. Swim all the way down to the bay if we have to.” Ametta gripped one of his hands in both of hers. The trucker called out again on his radio before chucking a coffee mug at the bull.

  “Can’t cattle swim? I think they can.” Lucky shook his head.

  “I don’t know!” She hadn’t thought about that, but bears surely could swim better than any bull. The cab rocked, and she opened the passenger side door. “We have to go or else he’ll kill this poor man too.”

  “Dammit!” Lucky growled and scooted to the open door. Ametta jumped out and helped him down, took his hand, and ran to the opposite side of the road where the river was.

  The old man yelled at them, and while the hunter hadn’t noticed they’d run off, it seemed he heard the trucker for he took up the chase again.