“I’ll help you,” she said at last. “What do you want me to do?”
Ronin contemplated her for a moment. “Mitchell can’t stomach violence very well. He gets a little green in the face when I have to torture someone.”
That’s because he’s an empath, you asshole. It hurts him when others are hurting.
Kate barely managed to keep from blurting that thought out loud. If she gave away Mitch’s secret, it would give Ronin an advantage over him.
Sympathy tugged at her again. Mitch had said he’d once been part of Ronin’s army, but not by choice. It must have hurt him deeply to witness and be involved in so much violence. How had he escaped? What had he done to make Ronin want him dead so badly?
And why did she even care? Her life was hard enough as it was without getting tangled up in this mess. But she couldn’t help wanting to defend Mitch.
“Not everyone enjoys violence, you know.”
Ronin chuckled. “True. Maybe if I threaten to torture you, he’ll come out of hiding.”
Kate’s blood ran cold. She had no doubt Ronin would torture her. But would Mitch give himself up to free her?
“Not likely. I don’t even know the guy. Why would he give himself up for me, a total stranger, especially if he knows you plan to kill him?”
Ronin sighed. “You’re right. He may not enjoy the killing like I do, but he does it nonetheless. I taught him the same way I teach all my soldiers. He won’t save you. He stood aside and watched me torture many men. He stood aside while my men raped many women. He did nothing to help them. So why would he help you?”
Coldness seeped under Kate’s skin. Ronin’s words reminded her that she didn’t know Mitch at all. He could be a cold-blooded killer and a rapist for all she knew.
Don’t be so quick to judge him, Kate. Remember to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Maybe the reason Mitch had done nothing to help the others was because there had been nothing he could do.
Kate had witnessed others being tortured and killed. Raped. And there had been nothing she could do to stop it.
Ronin grabbed her arm and dragged her back toward the door. “I want you to get out there and find him. I’m not giving you a choice. Do whatever you have to do to win his trust. You bring him to me and you do it soon.” Ronin yanked open the door and thrust her out of the building. “If you don’t, then your trading days are over. Your cart will go to someone else. And you’ll be tossed to my men to do with as they please. Got it? Now find him!”
He slammed the door in her face.
Kate swallowed hard. If she didn’t bring him Mitch, not only would she not be allowed to trade anymore, but she’d become a sex slave to Ronin’s army. A whore.
She shuddered. As much as she wanted to help Mitch, she’d rather not become a whore. Trading was how she survived.
Drawing in a deep breath, she headed back toward the alley.
But how could she betray Mitch? How could she just hand him over and let him be killed?
Just do it, Kate. You have no other choice.
Yes, I do.
I can do the exact opposite of what Ronin ordered. If more people stood up to him, he wouldn’t be so powerful.
Instead of heading back to Mitch, she changed direction and went in search of the cellar he told her about.
She was going to help Mitch find his friend.
Her trading days would be over. She would become wanted, just like Mitch.
Hunted.
If she disobeyed Ronin, Kate would have no choice but to flee for her life.
Was one man—a complete stranger—worth it? Would Mitch even uphold his end of the bargain?
What if he abandoned her as soon as she found his friend?
What if he left her at the mercy of Ronin?
Kate drew in a deep breath.
Would helping him end up being the biggest mistake of her life?
There was only one way to find out if Mitch was the man she thought he was.
* * *
Mitch waited for over an hour. The sun had long since gone down, but still Kate hadn’t returned. The soldiers had searched the alleyway multiple times, but Mitch simply flashed from one place to the next, and they never discovered him. Now it was quiet. The residents of Aftermath had gone to bed. Mitch’s superior senses kept him alert and wary to the slightest sound, the most miniscule of movement, the weakest of scents. Nothing escaped his notice.
Where was Ronin?
A movement at the end of the alley caught his eye. Mitch grabbed an arrow, lining the nock against the string of his bow, and pulled the string of the bow back.
Kate came into view, slipping quietly toward him.
She was alone.
Mitch lowered the bow. He stuck the arrow back in his quiver and rose to meet her.
“There’s no one in the cellar,” she whispered. “And I couldn’t find Maddy. Ethan appears to be long gone, or hiding really well. The few people who would talk to me said Ronin’s men killed Ethan. Are you sure he’s still alive?”
Mitch turned away, clenching his fists in frustration. “Ethan’s alive. He must have snuck out of Aftermath somehow. Maddy may have helped him.” He turned back to her. “I have to find him. If I don’t…” He sighed. “Thank you for trying. I have to go now.”
She grabbed his arm. “Wait.”
Mitch tensed as a wave of emotions spiraled from her and into him: Frustration. Desperation. Worry. He jerked his arm from her grasp, trying to shove the emotions away.
“Don’t touch me, dammit.”
“Oh, sorry.” Her eyes went wide. “I didn’t mean–”
Mitch waved an arm at her. “It’s all right.” It wasn’t her fault.
Dammit, where had Ethan gone?
Mitch had to get out of here. All these negative emotions from the soldiers were getting to him. He needed a place to relax and ground himself.
“Take me with you. Please. Ronin gave me an ultimatum. Either I turn you in to him or he takes away my trading cart and tosses me to his men.” Her gaze latched on to his, her worry and fear escalating by the second. “I chose to help you instead of hand you over to him. Please, Mitch. Without my cart, without being able to trade, I won’t have any way to support myself. I really don’t want to be a whore for a bunch of soldiers.”
Mitch sighed. It was his fault she was in danger. Now Ronin would be hunting her too. Mitch couldn’t abandon her.
“Come on.” He strode back to her cart and flipped the tarp aside. “Take whatever food you can carry. We’re going to need it. There’s one other place Ethan might be. I hope he’s there or I don’t know what else to do.”
Kate handed him the ham. She pulled a medium-sized pack from the cart and stuffed it with clothes she’d stashed in her cart and as much of the food items as it she could fit. She pulled the pink hoodie sweatshirt over her head and tossed the bag over her shoulder. She met his gaze briefly, then turned away.
Guilt nagged at him. It was his fault she could no longer be a trader. His fault she couldn’t even take all of her belongings with her. He’d asked for her help and now her life was in danger.
I’ll make it up to her somehow.
“I’m sorry.” He searched her gaze, seeking her forgiveness. “I never meant to get you involved.”
She nodded, her gaze filling with understanding. “I didn’t like being a trader anyway. It was just the only way I knew how to survive. Don’t worry. We’ll figure something out. You’ll see.” She smiled, a breathtaking smile that made his heart do a crazy summersault in his chest. Mitch felt his lips twitching in response.
Her positivity washed over him then, soothing him. The tenseness left him, his muscles relaxing. Mitch grabbed her hand, squeezed. “Thank you.”
Her gaze darted to his. “I thought you didn’t like touching.”
He shrugged. “Negative emotions like anger and hatred affect me, cause me pain. I don’t like being around negative people. But positive energy brings o
ut the best in me, helps me relax. Right now you’re giving off a strong determination, a positive attitude, and that spirals into me, gives me confidence, and makes me feel good.”
Color crept into her cheeks. “Oh, so…that’s good, right?”
“Yes.” He cradled the ham in one arm and held his bow in the other. “Let’s go.”
They each pulled the hoodies over their heads. Then they snuck down the alley and peered around the building. Mitch eyed the bathhouse longingly as they passed. He would have to bathe later. No one was around as they raced across the dark yard toward the border fence. Mitch focused on his superior senses, letting his senses guide them. He noticed there were only a handful of chickens left in the chicken coop, one female goat, and four pigs in the pig pen. The army had eaten nearly all the livestock. It wouldn’t be long before they turned to eating the remaining horses in the corral. Ronin would likely starve the residents out.
Not that Mitch could do anything about it. Not right now.
Focus, Mitch. Worry about that later.
It’s too quiet.
Suspicion crept in. Where was Ronin? Was he hiding somewhere, watching? Waiting to catch them? Or had he given up and gone to bed?
This seemed too easy. Ronin wouldn’t just let him escape, would he? Was Kate leading him into a trap?
Mitch paused. She wasn’t giving off a negative vibe. Right now the air between them hummed with her positivity, combined with a hint of fear and worry.
No, she hadn’t betrayed him. She was just anxious to get away. Like him. Afraid of being caught. Like him.
They reached the acacia thorn fence. Mitch listened. He sniffed the air. He let his gaze scan across the yard behind them and back. Again. And back.
He sensed no one. Saw no one. Felt nothing but the quiet of the night.
He reached for a section of fence and pulled it back.
The air stirred around them. Mitch tensed as he felt another presence behind him.
He spun around.
Ronin materialized out of the darkness, his eyes glowing black in his pale face. Mitch was immediately consumed by Ronin’s anger and hatred. It choked him, swirled around, strangling him. Mitch gasped and stumbled back.
Fight it. Don’t let it overwhelm you.
Mitch squeezed his eyes shut and pushed Ronin’s negative energy back away from him, trying his best to ignore it. He spied Kate out of the corner of his eye, stepping back out of the way. Mitch turned to her.
“Run, Kate! I can’t save you.”
Ronin leapt at him, his superhuman strength knocking Mitch to the ground with nothing more than a single punch from his beefy hand. Mitch hit the dirt with a thud, wincing in pain.
He dropped the ham and reached for an arrow, slipping the nock against the string of his bow and pulling it back.
Ronin chuckled. “Go ahead. Shoot me. See what happens.”
Mitch let the arrow fly.
Ronin lifted a hand and caught the arrow before it reached him. He snapped it in two and dropped it to the ground. “Is that all you’ve got, Mitchell? I was hoping for a good fight.”
Shit. Get out of here before he kills you.
Mitch let his gaze skim around. Kate had vanished. Good.
Mitch glanced at the large acacia tree that grew about thirty feet beyond the border fence. He closed his eyes and imagined himself there.
Moments later, he opened his eyes and found himself at the base of the tree.
Kate was still nowhere to be seen.
Ronin appeared in front of him, grinning. “Anywhere you go, Mitchell, I can follow.”
We’ll just see about that.
Mitch flashed to a group of rocks, then to a small bush, then to a grove of trees, then back toward the fence. Flash. Flash. Flash.
Ronin stared around him, wide-eyed, trying to pinpoint Mitch’s location.
It was working. The cheetah’s speed was making it difficult for Ronin to find him. If Mitch could keep this up for a while, Ronin would lose him, and Mitch could escape.
What about Kate?
Mitch teleported again, across the dry ground to another tree, then again to an area near the fence. And again, several yards away. He couldn’t stay still for too long or Ronin would catch up to him.
He glanced around as he teleported, but didn’t see Kate anywhere. Where had she gone? Was she hiding somewhere? Was she safe? Should he leave and hope she escaped on her own? Could he just leave her after putting her in danger like this?
Ronin materialized in front of him. His fist flew forward, connecting with Mitch’s jaw, slamming him backward. Mitch grunted, hitting the ground hard and rolling several feet.
He’d foolishly let himself become distracted and now Ronin had caught up with him.
Mitch had lost his hold on the bow and it had sailed through the air, landing several feet away. His quiver of arrows had fallen off his shoulder when he’d hit the ground. It now lay out of reach, the arrows scattered everywhere. He was now defenseless except for his own body. He and Ronin circled each other, their gazes locked. Growing up a street kid had taught Mitch how to fight, but there was no way in hell he could beat Ronin’s superhuman strength. While Mitch also had strength far greater than a human, courtesy of the drifter flowing through his veins, Ronin was still much stronger. Mitch’s only chance of coming out of this alive was somehow escaping.
Ronin chuckled. “You’re pretty fast, Mitchell. That’s impressive. I could use someone with your powers. I’ll tell you what. If you come back, rejoin my army and obey my orders, I’ll let you live. I’ll even forgive you for betraying me. But only if you agree. What do you say?”
Mitch bared his teeth. There was no way in hell he was rejoining Ronin’s army. But it might buy him some time until he found another chance to escape.
Movement behind Ronin caught Mitch’s gaze. Kate crept forward, a small silver blade glinting in her hand. His heart nearly stopped. Damn her, didn’t she know how powerful Ronin was? She was no match against him. Mitch had yet to see someone who was.
Ronin spun around just as she reached him. He snatched her up, his big hands wrapping around her slender throat. Lifting her up off the ground, Ronin slowly squeezed. She gasped, her eyes bugging out of her head. The knife fell from her hand, landing harmlessly in the dirt. She kicked and flailed out with her limbs, to no avail.
“What’s it going to be, Mitchell? You coming back? Or should I kill the woman?”
Mitch couldn’t let her die because of him. Her terror floated around, spiraling into Mitch, squeezing around his heart, smashing his lungs, cutting off his breath. He dropped to his knees, gasping, overwhelmed by her pain and terror. It was as if Ronin had Mitch in his grasp, squeezing off Mitch’s life. Never had another’s emotions affected him so profoundly without touching. It was almost as if she were a part of him.
“Let,” he gasped. “Her…” Another gasp. “Go.” He drew in a ragged breath, tried to center himself, tried to push it all aside.
Finally, he shoved the emotions away and lifted his gaze, locking eyes with Ronin.
“Let her go and I’ll come back.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Ronin released his stranglehold and Kate fell to the ground, gasping. Her head spun with dizziness. She dragged air into her lungs, again and again, her vision slowly clearing. Her throat ached. Her lungs burned. Ronin had almost killed her. Bastard! She searched for the knife she’d dropped, her fingers finally brushing against it in the dirt. Kate slipped the knife into her palm, carefully hiding it from view.
Ronin snickered. He grabbed Kate’s arm and hauled her to her feet. “My men have been looking for some new entertainment. They’re getting a little tired of the females at Aftermath. You should give them some enjoyment for a while.”
Kate jerked back. “No.”
Mitch rose, stepping into Ronin’s path. “That wasn’t the deal we made. Let her go.”
Ronin yanked Kate back against him. “I said I would let her live. And I will.
Though she may not survive for long, not once my army gets done with her.”
Bile threatened its way up Kate’s throat. No. She wasn’t going down like this. She’d sworn no man would ever rape her and she’d meant it.
She tightened her grip around the knife. Her gaze connected with Mitch’s. His eyes were glowing again, a golden glimmer of pure torture that tore at her heart. Mitch was hurting. Was her pain and terror too overwhelming? Was Ronin’s evilness causing him misery? Or were all of the emotions together just too much for him to bear?
I’m sorry, Mitch. I didn’t want to cause you any pain.
She would give him a chance to escape. Or at least try to.
“I’m not a whore!” Kate lifted her knife and thrust it upward and back, into Ronin’s neck.
Ronin hissed. He gurgled. Blood spurted out. He released her abruptly and stumbled backward, clutching at his throat.
Kate stared. Had she hit his carotid artery? Could she be that lucky?
Mitch bent and scooped up his bow, then grabbed his quiver and snatched up several fallen arrows. “Hurry! This way!”
Kate cast a last glance at Ronin. He fell to his knees, blood streaming down his shirt, and continued to clutch at this throat, trying to stop the flow of blood. He lifted a hand and pointed at them.
“You…will paaaay…for that!”
Kate snatched up her pack of food and supplies from where she’d hidden it behind the tree. Mitch grabbed her hand, pulling her after him. “Come on! He has super healing abilities. It won’t be long before he comes after us.”
Kate’s heart slammed into her ribs. Crap. I should have figured as much. She willed her legs to move, to become as surefooted as the ungulates who grazed the savannah. She couldn’t see very well in the dark, but Mitch had drifter eyes, so she imagined he had excellent night vision. Holding tightly to his hand, she followed him trustingly as he pulled her along, darting this way, dodging that way, bouncing around this and leaping over that, until they finally hopped behind a termite mound and crouched low, trying to catch their breaths.
Drifter Page 4
