Whatever it was, it was hiding somewhere on Big Savage Mountain.
“We should call Rock in.” Iva put her hands on her hips. Ian “Rock” Rockford was a park ranger and Amara’s boss. He was also an earth elemental. The mountain might tell him more than anyone.
Iva wasn’t even breathing hard from running all that way. None of the dryads were. Noah, on the other hand, would kill for a drink of water. He panted, his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth like some dorky dog instead of the head of the pack.
“I agree.” Ash stared up at the mountain with a scowl. “Terri hid up there, in one of the caves. We never could figure out which one.”
Ugh. Noah remembered Terri, and what she’d done to the town. That bitch had been the catalyst for waking the hamadryad, so some good had come out of her reign of terror. Noah shifted, having more to say than barking could convey. “I think Rock was the one who eventually found her cave, right?”
Amara nodded. “I’ll call him.” Rock was not only her boss but her friend, so she had him on speed dial. She pulled out her phone and dialed as Trajan landed and shifted.
“Tell me how bad Terri was. What can we expect on the mountain?” Iva shivered. “I’ve been informed of what she did, and it all sounds bad.”
Noah smiled grimly. “As Amara put it, Terri was a weed that needed pulling. Mollie burned her to death, we separated the ashes into different jars and either buried them outside the town limits or sunk them in lakes or, in one case, mailed them to somewhere in Asia, I think.”
“You really didn’t want her coming back, did you?” Iva’s expression was astonished.
“She wasn’t even alive anymore, not really. Her spirit was long gone, but her spell on Parker kept something of her animate and aware of her mission to get Parker to love her.” Ash shuddered. “If whatever is harming Blake has taken up residence in Terri’s old cave, it will feed off the residual evil that’s in there, making it stronger.”
“Wonderful.” Noah sighed. It seemed his evening could, indeed, get worse. “So much for our first date, huh?” He put his arm around Iva’s shoulders.
“Naked,” Iva muttered. Her cheeks were fiery red, and her gaze was firmly glued to a random tree.
“Yup. I am.” Noah breathed deep, puffing out his chest. “Do you want to—”
“Focus, please.” Ash spoke harshly, reminding Noah of where they were.
“I am, believe me.” Iva’s voice was muffled, her lips barely moving.
Noah glanced down at her. He had to hold back a moan when he saw where her focus was. His dick was very interested in her intense inspection, standing up for a more in-depth perusal. He couldn’t wait to find out what it would be like to have her lips moving up and down his length, taking him into the back of her throat. He could picture the aftermath, pushing her onto her back and giving as good as he’d gotten. Seeing her writhe beneath him as he pleasured her was a goal he planned on meeting every day for the rest of their lives.
“Ahem.” Amara’s amused voice broke into his thoughts. “Rock is at the ranger station. He’ll be here in a few minutes.”
Noah could barely force himself to look away from his mate, but he did. “Thanks.”
Ash handed him the small backpack of clothing. “Get dressed if you’re staying like that.” He stared at Trajan. “You too.”
“You don’t want to stare at his dick?” Amara asked, still sounding amused as hell.
“What dick?” Ash’s tone was dead serious, his eyes steady on Amara’s face. “I see nothing of the sort.”
Iva burst out laughing. “How the hell can you not? It’s a fucking cannon.”
Ash blinked at her. “I. See. Nothing.”
Trajan chuckled. “I’d say what I saw but my Eddy would kill me.” He sauntered off to the side of the group and pulled on his clothes, still chuckling.
Noah snorted out a short laugh as he got dressed. “Cannon, huh?” he whispered in Iva’s ear.
She blushed bright red. “Shut up.”
Noah sat down to put on his boots, ignoring the laughing ladies surrounding him. Only Ash didn’t laugh, though Noah would later swear he saw Ash’s lips twitch.
“Hello, Amara!” a deep voice rumbled up the mountain.
Amara cupped her hands around her mouth. “Hello, Rock!”
Soon the park ranger was ambling up to them, his stride easy and his expression relaxed. He was dressed simply, in jeans, a T-shirt and hiking boots. Amara must not have told him what they were hunting, or why. Noah was proven right when Rock asked, “What has you guys out here this late at night?”
Amara put her hands on her hips. “Noah’s on the scent of something that’s made Blake Truillo sick. The scent led us here.”
Rock’s easy demeanor shifted. His shoulders tensed as he scowled. “Terri again?”
Amara shook her head. “No, but we all think it might be in the cave Terri called her own.”
Rock stared at the mountain, his face going blank. Noah couldn’t even imagine how an earth elemental communed with the stone, but Rock did it with ease. In fact, his face cleared within moments of going blank. “There is something up there, but I can’t quite find it. The stone is aware of it and is trying to eject it.” He stared at them all. “There’s a residue left over from Terri, and whatever you’re hunting is hiding in the heart of it.”
“Damn.” Noah took the small pack from Ash and slung it over his own shoulder. “Guess we go hiking.”
“Not without me.” Rock took the lead this time, ignoring the way Noah snarled. “I can sense it. You can smell it. Between the two of us we should be able to nail it to the wall. Besides, I can identify the trails you can use. Following your nose could lead you right over a cliff if you’re not careful.”
The guy was right. Noah let him lead.
They began climbing up the mountain. Any human who came upon them would be shocked. Not one of them had a flashlight in the half-moon light, because none of them needed one, not even Rock. Rock walked with the assurance of a man who’d walked this trail a million times before.
Again, Noah wondered what the elemental experienced as the earth spoke to him and guided him. As for the dryads, they too walked with assurance, their hands trailing across tree bark and leaves, or bending down to touch grass and undergrowth. The forest itself led the way for them, taking them where they wished to go. Hell, Noah could barely see Ash. He blended into the forest so well not even an apex predator like himself could sense him. The Guardian of the Forest was on the prowl, hunting something that was a threat to the forest. Nothing would stand in his way.
“That way.” The scent trail led him away from the path Rock was taking.
“Are you sure?” Rock pointed the direction he was going. “My senses tell me this way.”
“It’s possible whatever came up here took a different way to the same spot, leaving a scent trail for Noah to follow.” Amara grimaced. “We could split up.”
“No.” Noah wasn’t going to allow that. “We stay together and safe.”
“Agreed,” Rock replied. “We’ll follow the scent trail. Maybe I’ll pick something up along the way.”
“This isn’t a B horror movie. We can all take care of ourselves.” Amara crossed her arms and glared at them equally.
“Both paths lead to the same place. I agree. We stick together.” Ash put his hand on Amara’s shoulder. “You’d say the same normally, especially if Parker were here.”
Amara’s shoulders slumped, her tone becoming glum. “It’s just... Terri? Really? Are we ever going to be free of her?”
“We will. We’ll cleanse the area and make sure nothing can use her evil to hide behind ever again.” Ash glanced at Iva. “Right?”
Iva grinned, the expression pure evil. “I say we pull some weeds.”
Amara immediately straightened up. “Okay.
Sorry I wigged out.” She shook her head and took a deep breath. “Weed pulling. Got it.”
Noah nodded and took the lead from Rock. The farther up the mountain they went the stronger the scent got until Noah was ready to gag. Between the scent of lichen and rot the sulfur smell was the strongest.
“Oh my Goddess, what is that?” Iva did gag, but luckily didn’t puke.
“Evil,” Amara muttered, her gaze straying up to where a cave mouth could barely be seen. “Pure evil.”
Iva stared up at the cave as well, as if she understood what Amara meant. Maybe she did. Out of all of them, except maybe Mollie and Greer, she’d been closest to that evil. “We have to stop it.”
“Are you all right?” Noah took hold of Iva’s free hand. “Any voices?”
She tapped the side of her head. “It’s only me in there right now.”
“Good. Then let’s go check the cave out.”
Iva’s grip tightened. “Sounds like a plan.” Her voice was tight, and a shudder ran through her slender frame.
“I’m right here,” he whispered as low as he could.
She squeezed his hand one last time and let go.
Part of Noah mourned the loss of her touch, but this wasn’t the time or the place for exploring the warmth between them. If Amara and Iva were mentioning weed pulling, then the situation was extremely serious. Amara only said that when she was gearing up for a fight. The words of the dryads had his hackles rising as his wolf prepared for a fight as well. He stripped and passed his pack to Ash, then shifted into his dire wolf. Now was the time for ripping and tearing and destroying that which threatened his own.
The dire wolf was not a form taken lightly. It took a great deal of energy out of him, but it was his best bet for fighting. If needed, he’d shift into his smaller wolf if the cave wouldn’t allow his larger wolf in. Until then, he was assuming the worst and preparing for it.
They quickly made their way to the entrance of the cave. The scent was so strong now that Noah couldn’t help but pant, his tongue hanging out as he drooled. He tried desperately not to upchuck all over the side of the mountain, but he was beginning to lose the battle.
Iva’s fingers curled in his fur, soothing him. She stroked his head before walking past him into the cave.
Oh hell no. Not without me.
Noah shouldered her out of the way, using his larger form to his advantage. There was no way in hell she was going to go first into a possible trap. Noah remembered seeing Dragos fighting in a clearing, his body torn and bleeding from numerous wicked thorns and the whip of thin branches. Terri had commanded over the so-called weeds of the forest. Plants that wouldn’t acknowledge or listen to dryads had obeyed Terri with unquestioning loyalty. Noah wasn’t certain how that worked, as he’d always thought all plants obeyed the ruling four, but he’d been wrong.
And this cave was filled with life forms that wouldn’t listen to Amara, Ash or Iva, but instead would obey the lingering evil that filled the cave. No way in hell would Iva step one single toe ahead of him.
If anyone got lashed it would be him. He’d protect her even from herself.
Chapter Nine
Iva glared at Noah’s furry butt as he made his way into the cave. Seriously, he was the one who seemed ready to upchuck his Milk Duds, but he pushed her out of the way?
Hmph. Stupid alpha male bullshit.
She was tempted to poke him in said butt with her sword, but she let it go. If he needed to go first that badly, she’d let him. If they got in a fight she’d do her part whether he liked it or not. She might be the weakest physically of the four ruling dryads, but she was quick and fierce in battle. The fact that she’d been able to call her sword to her so easily in Mina’s office, plus the fact that Noah was beside her, gave her more courage than anything else could have. She’d fight to the bitter end to keep Noah safe from harm.
They made their way into the cave, and now even Iva could smell what had Noah practically hurling on her toes. That rotten egg smell was permeating everything, the walls, the floors, even the ceiling of the cave. Normally Iva wasn’t creeped out by being in a cave. After all, she kind of lived in one. But this cave was different. It reeked, reminding her of being in the labs.
But the labs didn’t always smell like this. They only had this scent when...
When...
“Noah?”
The dire wolf stopped and glanced back at her, his head tilted curiously.
Iva began to tremble. “This scent. I’ve smelled it before.”
“Where?” Ash was there, his hand on her arm, a scowl on his face.
“There was a man who’d come to the labs. Tall, blond, really good-looking. He moved like he held enough power to own the world if he wanted. He’d watch sometimes while they did things to me, and the room would start to develop this smell. I didn’t always smell it, though.”
“Why do you think that is?” Trajan sounded more intrigued than worried.
“Because he wasn’t excited those times.” Iva put her hand on Noah’s back, taking strength from the contact. “That’s what I’m getting, like he’s been here, excited over Goddess knows what.”
“A blond man who moves arrogantly,” Ash muttered. “Shit. PB, the devil himself.”
“What?” Iva stared at her brother, utterly horrified.
“It has to be,” Trajan agreed. There was a low growl in his voice, but unlike Noah’s it did nothing for her. He turned back to Iva, his expression grim and his accent thickened with anger. “My Eddy, he felt the pain you were in. He barely slept for two days afterward, waking from nightmares he couldn’t explain.”
“I’m so sorry, Trajan.” Iva hugged the man, ignoring Noah’s snarl of warning. “I never want anyone to go through what I did. Eddy’s way too sweet and innocent to face that kind of evil.”
Trajan finally hugged her back. “Mulțumesc,” he replied, confusing the fuck out of her.
“What does that mean?”
Trajan pulled back and surprised her by kissing her forehead. “It means thank you.” He pushed her gently away and strode to where Noah was, ignoring the still snarling alpha. “We should continue on.”
He sounded uncomfortable, like he wasn’t used to showing affection to anyone but his mate. And who knew, maybe he wasn’t. Iva had barely met him when all of this exploded in their faces, but she wouldn’t apologize for hugging him. His mate had been harmed because of her, and that was unacceptable in her eyes.
“Your eyes are glowing,” Amara said apprehensively.
“Wow,” Rock whispered. “That is so cool. It’s like someone shone a light through obsidian, all black in the center but fading out to blinding white.”
“Guess I’m more scared than I thought.” She shivered, clutching the hilt of her sword. Her hands started to shake as the sulfuric stench permeated everything around her.
Maybe she wasn’t so ready to fight after all.
Suddenly she had a furry attachment to her leg. She put her hand on his shoulder and walked with him, allowing Trajan and Rock to lead the way. She calmed as she walked with him despite the intensity of the rotten egg smell. Using her connection to her mate, Iva began to center herself, noting things about the cave, especially the floor. If they found themselves fighting, little things could trip them up. It was easy to evade a large stalagmite on the floor but a pebble? Not so much.
The floors were fairly smooth, with few protuberances. The walls were less so, the lichen and mold clinging to its pitted surface. As for the ceiling, it was high enough that Iva couldn’t perceive it. “Anyone have a light?”
“Yeah, even for me it’s getting a little dark.” Ash squinted. “I can’t see past Trajan.”
“I’ll take care of it.” Trajan snapped his fingers and fire danced around his hand. “The perks of being a dragon far outweigh the disadvantages.”
“Show-off,” Amara muttered affectionately.
Rock grunted. “I didn’t have any trouble.”
“What do you sense, Rock?” Iva was curious to find out if it was anything like what she was experiencing.
“The earth is in pain,” Rock bit out shortly. “And I’m not sure how to fix it.”
“We cleanse the area, like we said, my friend.” Trajan waved his hand in front of his face. “If necessary, we burn it till it bleeds.”
“Stone doesn’t bleed,” Ash replied, confused.
“Doesn’t it?” Trajan nodded at Rock, who was shuddering. “I think our stony friend understands otherwise.”
They came to a spot where the cave gave way to tunnels, narrow and dark. They were so narrow the mold and lichen were rubbing off on her clothes. They had to go single file. Trajan led the way, Ash guarding the rear.
The floor remained oddly smooth. “Someone has shaped this cave to their liking,” Rock muttered.
“Not Terri. I don’t think she had that kind of power.” Amara’s voice shook. “PB would, though.”
“Would he?” Rock shook his head, his dark hair gleaming in the light of Trajan’s fire. “No. This was done by one of my people, but it’s old, very old. Some of us come up to the mountain to commune with the earth, and some of us never leave. I think this is the former home of one of the later, but from long ago. Terri stole it and twisted its purpose.”
“A perfect home for a demon.” Iva glared at the walls. “Take something pure and twist it with evil.”
“It opens up soon.” Rock’s tone was steady. “I can feel the hand of the one who did this. It was formed about two hundred years ago. The man who built it loved his solitude. He died here, happy.”
Iva was aware of some of the customs of the earth elementals. If the former occupant died here, then... “His bones are still here, aren’t they?” For a demon, desecrating what was essentially a grave would be the cherry on his cake of evil.
Hour of the Wolf Page 9
