Scent of Valor (Chronicles of Eorthe #2)

by Annie Nicholas

  Sorin had been here, though.

  He searched the area but Sorin was nowhere. Who would save them if not him?

  The alpha leaped upon a group of young pups. Their small screams jerked him from his apathy.

  Racing forward, he shifted to his feral form and attacked. Fur stroked against his tongue, then the heat of blood filled his mouth. It pulsed and he had to release his hold or drown.

  The alpha lay at his feet. His throat torn open.

  “Peder?”

  He spun around and faced Sorin.

  The young hunter lay on the ground and touched his foot. “Alpha.”

  Peder jerked awake and hit his forehead against the solid bar so hard it rang. The pain cleared the fog of his nightmare. Rubbing the sore spot, he leaned up on one elbow and absorbed the heat of the pit. He had no space to move around and the cage was getting smaller. He needed to get out.

  How had he gotten so far from home? When had he lost his way and who had he become? The omega part of him seemed so distant—like a story of someone else. Feral urges grew harder to resist. Goddess, he’d even killed. But he wouldn’t let go of this new strength. He couldn’t help but feel like he had so much at stake, yet he was trapped here unable to do anything except lock himself inside his head. What the hell was he doing, dreaming of being an alpha?

  Nahuel hadn’t moved but it seemed as if his bleeding had stopped. That was a small blessing. Peder returned his hand to his chest.

  It didn’t rise.

  “Nahuel?” He shook him not caring about the pain he might cause him. “Nahuel?”

  The hunter’s head rolled and his unseeing stare met Peder’s.

  Peder leaned against the bars, his body unable to support his weight. “May the Goddess take you into her bosom, my friend.” He closed his eyes, lifting his chin, and howled to let the city know a great hunter had passed.

  Benic drove the carriage to the slave compound, following Ahote’s directions. This trip was costing him more than he cared to think. The new flintlock pistol secure in his pants just depleted more of his gold funds. Even after all this effort, he bet the packs would still want to suck out his marrow.

  A mournful howl chilled the night.

  He shivered. He hated when shifters made that noise. Someone had died in the slave area of the city—it wasn’t a shock. The lone howler grew louder as he parked his carriage in front of the locked gate. He jumped down and rang the bell until a guard answered.

  “What do you want?”

  “I’m here to buy a slave.” He showed his ring.

  “We sold the lot this afternoon.”

  He dropped his hand. “All of them? Who’s that howling then?” Kele would tear out his heart and eat it while he watched if he returned without Peder. She’d never believe he’d been sold in the short amount of time they’d been separated, no matter how honest he smelled.

  “That one’s not for sale.”

  “Everything is for sale in New Berg.” How much would he have to spend to find out where they sold Peder? His connections with Lord Weis wouldn’t help much since the lord supported enslaving the wild shifters. He probably owned half these compounds.

  A guard inside shouted, “Shut up, Goldie.”

  “Goldie?” Benic gave the door guard a knowing smile.

  “Like I said, he’s not for sale.”

  Benic gripped the pommel of his sword and cleared the flintlock for easy access. Maybe he should have bought two. “Get your master.” Damn that silly omega. What had happened that everyone else was sold but not him? And why was he howling so?

  The guard hesitated.

  He showed him his pistol. “Now.”

  Not moments later, the gate cracked open wide enough to allow him inside. He loosened his sword from its scabbard before entering.

  “What do you want?” A large cat shifter loomed over him. Torches lit the open courtyard. Benic noted all the empty cages yet a shifter still howled. Where the fuck was Peder?

  He pulled out his dagger and cleaned under his fingernails. “A few days ago, some slavers trespassed on my lands and stole some of my shifters. I’ve tracked them here.” As he spoke, he moved toward the last howl he’d heard. The shifter had quieted.

  “You have to take that up with the slavers. What I purchase is mine unless Lord Weis says otherwise.”

  “I’ve already been to Lord Weis’s.” It wasn’t a lie. Cat shifters weren’t as good at scenting lies as wolves but he wasn’t willing to take any chances. “I understand you have my golden omega.”

  The cat snorted. “I have no omega, only a hunter on the verge of becoming alpha.” He rubbed his forehead. “A real pain in my ass.”

  “Let me buy him from you then.” He cut a full purse from his belt and tossed it at the cat shifter’s feet. There was enough gold in there to buy a dozen slaves. At this point, he just wanted to return to the comforts of home.

  The big cat toed the bag. “Pull them both out.”

  “Both?” Benic watched the guards open a grated metal flooring. One of them jumped down as another lowered some rope.

  “I have two hunters left from that purchase.” The cat’s smile grew wicked. “You can have both.”

  The first body they pulled out was covered in blood and lifeless.

  Benic’s stomach plummeted. “What did he do to deserve this?” The question was out of his mouth before he could filter it. He knelt next to the young male as a wave of guilt washed over him for being relieved it wasn’t Peder. Nobody should die in this manner.

  Another body was tossed next to him.

  He gasped at the sight of the omega. He’d changed since the last time Benic had seen him three or four months ago. Peder had put on more muscle and despair had dulled the spark of mischief from his eyes. His lips were cracked and dry. “Give him some water.”

  The guard who held the rope dropped it and carried a bucket of water to his side.

  Benic dribbled some in Peder’s mouth.

  Peder rolled his tongue around and blinked as if seeing Benic for the first time. He furrowed his brow as if confused. “Benic?”

  He helped Peder sit up and held the bucket as he drank. Benic scanned the compound. There were three guards and the cat shifter. He couldn’t imagine anyone not being curious enough to come check a middle of the night visitor. These four had to be the only on duty.

  Peder dropped the bucket. “They killed him because of me.” He rolled and touched the dead shifter. The utter remorse in the young omega’s voice snapped something inside Benic he’d thought long gone.

  He rose and drew his sword. Forget the money. This lot owed a blood debt to his packs. None of them had deserved this abuse.

  Peder staggered to his feet next to him. “The cat is mine.” His shift to feral form was a smooth as Sorin’s or Inali’s. The cat shifter had been right. There was no omega here.

  Peder loped toward the other shifter with an unsteady gait.

  Benic shook his head. Peder would get himself killed. Movement in the corner of Benic’s eyesight caught his attention. He loosed his dagger at a guard, who moved to defend the cat, and buried it hilt deep in his throat.

  Staggering back, the guard blinked repeatedly, his mouth moving soundlessly. Before the other guards could react, he stabbed the closest in the heart with his sword, then attacked the third one. His skills were fine for guarding chained and caged shifters, but Benic had spent decades fighting free wild ones. Parrying his attacker’s sword swing, Benic lunged and wounded him enough to knock the guard on the ground. If Benic didn’t have to kill his own kind, he wouldn’t. There were too few of them left.

  He twisted around to check on Peder.

  The cat and wolf shifters circled each other. Peder had fresh blood on his left shoulder matting his fur. It was obvious his injuries were giving him trouble since he moved slower.

  Benic wiped his sword clean on the fallen guard’s shirt then sheathed it. He could let the cat shifter kill Peder. That would clear hi
m of guilt. Peder had insisted on fighting the slaver. Kele would hear the truth in Benic’s words.

  With a flash of speed, the cat caught Peder by the throat and squeezed.

  “Shit.” Benic drew his pistol and shot the cat in the knee. The Apisi shifter had suffered enough. When the fuck had Benic grown a conscience?

  The cat yowled in pain and fell with Peder suddenly on top of him.

  Benic approached Peder’s great golden form. The beast tore at the cat shifter’s neck. He lifted his head, his teeth bared.

  Lifting his hands in front of him, Benic stopped moving forward. “Peace, Peder. If you’re done tearing him apart, I’d like to take you home to Kele.”

  The feral monster before him snarled when he said Kele’s name, then shifted back to civil form. Blood coated Peder’s skin and he weaved on his feet. “We can’t leave him here.” He pointed to the dead hunter and then he sank to the ground.

  Benic lifted Peder in his arms and carried him to the carriage. Sentimental fool would have him drag a corpse home? What would they do when it started to bloat and smell? “I can’t waste what little resources I have on a dead hunter. I’m sure your friend would agree with me.” Oh, of all the fools on this planet why did he have to save Peder?

  Then Benic regarded his vampire brothers. He crouched between the guards. “He stole from me.” Benic pointed to their dead master. “I’d suggest you gain employment more wisely in the future. Many are not as forgiving as I am and would have dealt you the same fate.” His gaze traveled to Peder. “You’d be better forgetting about him. If anyone asks, he was sold with the other slaves.”

  Rising, he moved around the wounded bodies, kicking weapons far from their grasps. Just because he gave sound advice didn’t mean the idiots would take it.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  The sound of heavy footsteps had Kele at the door before Ahote. Her stomach cramped at the smell of fresh blood. She cracked the door open and gasped.

  Benic supported Peder as they drew closer to the room. Once again, her mate was coated with blood, and she could tell that much of it was his.

  She shoved the door open, ignoring Ahote’s protests, and hurried under Peder’s other arm. They maneuvered him inside the room and slowly set him on the bed. Bruises, cuts and scrapes covered most of his skin. Her hands hovered over his body in fear of causing him pain with the slightest touch. “Where’s Nahuel?”

  Peder entwined his fingers with hers and gave her a weak smile. “You got away.”

  Benic collapsed in the room’s only chair and began cleaning his sword with the bedding. “The Yaundeeshaw hunter is dead.”

  The empty ache in her chest grew larger. “Nahuel? How?” Did she really want to know? No, but his pack deserved the truth.

  Peder squeezed her hand. “We escaped Timothy, but his slavers caught us in the streets. He beat Nahuel to death.” Peder stared at the ceiling with an inward gaze as if recalling the moment. She could heal wounds of flesh but not those of the soul. How would she bring back the sparkle in his eyes?

  She wet a cloth in the washbasin and cleaned him. Everything she wanted to say seemed so unworthy. Sorry was weak, and revenge empty. She couldn’t even offer the consolation that Nahuel had died as a hunter instead of a slave. All she could manage was to be at Peder’s side.

  “The owner is dead, his guards wounded, and God knows Ewald has probably noticed you’re missing by now. It’s time to run.”

  She stared at the dried blood coating Benic’s weapon. He saved Peder. Would the vampire ever stop surprising her? “Thank you.” There was no love lost between those two. He could have killed Peder and claimed Timothy had done it. Maybe she misjudged him, but she couldn’t trust vampire motives. Not after he’d kidnapped her.

  Benic slid his sword back in its scabbard and tossed a few items in a saddlebag. “I’ll trade the carriage for a few more horses.”

  “Horses?” The dark hunter shook his head. “Don’t get one for me. I can keep pace.”

  She wanted to second him but knew it to be a lie. Her skills lay with stealth and tracking, not strength and endurance like Ahote. Yet, she’d never ridden a horse. Eaten one, yes.

  Peder sat up, but his movements were slow and jerky as if he was in great pain.

  “Lie down.” She pressed her hand to his chest and he fell back on the mattress. “Peder will have to ride something but I don’t know if he can remain on a horse long. That would require some kind of skill, right?” She aimed her question at Benic.

  He blew out a frustrated sigh. “We’ll tie him to the fucking saddle if that will make you feel better, but we have to make speed. Stealing slaves is considered a capital crime in New Berg.” He stared at their blank faces. “That means if they ever figure out I helped you and Peder escape, I’m dead.”

  “Sounds promising. I like hunting with you.” Ahote grinned and slapped Benic on the back. “I’ll get the lovers ready while you gather the transport.”

  She blocked Benic’s way. “There’s no point in running if we arrive home with Peder dead. He’s exhausted and injured. A fall from a horse while running will end him. We take the carriage.” A horse would not cooperate with a wolf shifter on its back. She was sure of this.

  A storm of emotion flashed across Benic’s face. “What? No.” He slashed his hand between them. “I have to draw the line here. Time is of the essence. Once I get you to the forest, I know you can hide from anyone, but there’s a long journey between here and there.”

  “So stop wasting time arguing with me. Shifters were never meant to ride other animals. I never heard of such a ridiculous thing. The animals will go mad as soon as you sit us on top of them.” She could see the muscles of his jaw working as he clenched his teeth.

  “Fine.” He pointed to Ahote. “Carry Peder.”

  She flung her arms around Benic’s neck and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for coming for us.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Thank me properly when I get you home alive.”

  Peder growled from the bed and struggled against Ahote’s arms.

  “Easy, wolf. That should give you enough incentive to make the return journey alive.” Benic winked at her before striding out the door.

  She rubbed Peder’s back. “He’s only joking. Settle down.” At least, she hoped Benic was. The sky was painted in dawn colors as she followed Ahote to the carriage, where they settled Peder on a bench lined with a thin padding. Sitting next to him, she gathered him in her arms. “Rest against me.”

  Ahote passed the water skins and some provisions. “If we run hard, we can be home in a day.”

  “There’s no riding hard in a carriage. The wheels won’t take it.” Benic climbed aboard. “But we’ll do our best.

  Pemma kissed along Ewald’s neck and ran her fingers through his hair slowly.

  He lay on his back with her on top, tangled in the bed sheets. His eyelids grew heavy. “We should argue more. Reconciling is quite invigorating.”

  She hid her smile and glanced at the sun over the horizon. She hoped Kele was out of the city by now. Keeping Ewald in bed all night had been a chore. After seeing the way Peder looked at Kele, she found herself yearning for such a connection. Ewald would never see her as an equal and vampires didn’t seem to fall in love as easily as shifters. Their time together was coming to an end. She could sense it in her bones.

  He ran his hands over her bare hips. “You’re putting me to sleep.”

  She chuckled and nibbled his earlobe. “Take a nap and we’ll play more later,” she whispered.

  “Hmm…” He rolled her over and gave her a playful slap on the rump. “I can’t. It’s a busy day. I have to meet with your alpha and go over supply lists and I hoped to invite Lord Benic to dinner tonight. I have a few more questions for him about the route he wants us to take.”

  “Do you want me to run the invitation over?” She rested her head on the pillow and silently prayed he would. The longer Ewald suspected nothing wrong, the longer Kele and Lord Beni
c had to escape home.

  He’d grown still. “No, I should never have sent you through the city alone.”

  “I know the way and I can take a carriage this time.” She’d say Kele would accompany her, anything to keep him from seeking her. Who knew how Ewald would take Kele’s escape? She thought the loss of coin would be his greatest concern.

  “No, we’ll send one of the hunters.” He scooted her off the bed and rose to his feet. “Let’s break our fast and go shopping.”

  She nodded eagerly. He meant shopping for supplies and weapons, not dresses. She had a few suggestions. “Very well.”

  He dressed in yesterday’s pants and rang a bell. “Get under the covers, Pemma. We can’t be scandalizing Weis’s servants all the time.”

  She pulled up the thin, almost transparent summer sheet. He liked scandalizing the servants. He couldn’t lie to her.

  The maid entered, her gaze averted to floor after it landed upon Pemma. “Yes, sir?”

  “We’ll take our meal here. You can send Kele in to serve it.”

  She curtsied. “Yes, sir.” Then she hurried from the room.

  Pemma’s appetite vanished. “Why Kele?”

  “She needs more training if she’s to be your lady-in-waiting.” Ewald went through his clothes, picking out an outfit. “After she knocked my fang out, I think she could at least bleed in a cup for me so I don’t gum you anymore.” He winked.

  “I doubt I’ll need a lady-in-waiting in the West. What we need is her hunting skills. We should let her sleep.”

  He sat to put on his stockings and boots. “What she really needs is to submit to your alpha and join your pack. Have you introduced her to them yet?”

  “Not officially. I hadn’t a chance.” She joined him in dressing. “Maybe I should go do that while you eat.”

  “Nonsense.” He pulled her on his lap, grinding his hardening cock against her. “I think we should play a game today.” He plucked her underclothes from her hands. “No petticoat today. That way I can lift your skirt and have you anytime I wish while we shop.”