One Down

by Alexandra Ivy

She gave a choked laugh, a completely strange sound in the moment they found themselves in. “You killed a guard, saw me wet and naked and abused, and were shot. Doesn’t anything ever bother you?”

  A rueful smile touched his lips and his eyes connected with hers. “Seeing you caged and collared like an animal. That bothered the fuck out of me.”

  “Well, aren’t I?” she returned without heat, then raised an eyebrow at him. “An animal?”

  His jaw tightened and though his voice remained barely above a whisper, it was fierce. “You are Pantera, female. You’re never ever going to be caged or collared again. Only to be respected and…”

  “And what?”

  He pointed a warning finger at her. “Stay here and don’t make a sound,” he commanded.

  “Where are you going?” she whispered, clutching the gun in her right hand.

  His brows lifted and his mouth quirked with a wicked grin. “To play the Pied Piper.”

  Without giving her time to argue, Cerviel turned and headed back into the spray of bullets. A landscape he was totally at ease within—mild to moderate chaos. Two guards were running toward the stables, one of them shooting and the other screaming into a walkie-talkie.

  As he’d hoped, they instantly charged after him, calling out all sorts of vile shit and shooting wildly. Without having to worry about Hallie, Cerviel easily avoided being hit, his speed putting distance between him and his pursuers.

  He was across the circular driveway when there was a shout from the main house and Donaldson abruptly appeared on the wide terrace with several men dressed in expensive suits. The cat inside him scratching to be released, Cerviel battled the instinct to turn back and have a painful, deliciously lethal chat with the congressman and his friends.

  Later, he promised the puma through gritted, ready teeth.

  For now, he had to get Hallie to safety, then to Raphael.

  Careful not to lose the growing crowd of guards, he angled though the small rose garden and down the sloping trail that would eventually lead to the Salt River that flowed through the barren landscape.

  It would be the logical way to flee from the ranch.

  Less than ten minutes later he could hear the muffled grunts and groans from the guards as they wearily climbed over the slick rocks and splashed through the small eddies of freezing cold water.

  He glanced back, judging that he was far enough away to double back.

  Crouching low to the ground, he headed straight up the steep bank. He leaped from boulder to boulder, his catlike quickness allowing him to disappear without making a sound. Then, following the line of the barbed-wire fence, he cautiously made his way back to Hallie.

  * * *

  Hallie forced herself to stay hidden behind the stables.

  In her mind, she wanted to be Xena, Warrior Princess, a show she’d seen Carl watching from time to time on the small TV hung in the corner of the basement. She hated this. It was embarrassing to cower like a weakling in the darkness while Cerviel risked his life to rescue her. But even as she considered how she could help, a voice in the back of her mind warned that taking such a foolish risk would not only endanger herself, but Cerviel.

  She was weak from hunger, and her body hadn’t fully recovered from her most recent beating.

  Until she could regain her strength, she wasn’t going to be able to do anything but stay out of the way.

  Clutching the gun in one hand, she made herself take deep, even breaths, concentrating on counting each passing second. It was the only way to leash the nervous energy that squeezed her heart and made her palms sweat. She’d just reached seven hundred and fifty when she caught the scent of warm musk.

  “Don’t shoot,” a low male voice commanded.

  Cerviel.

  A form appeared in the shadows. Silent. Graceful.

  Relief and awareness flooded through her as her strange ability to see in the dark revealed the full impact of his stern features and the lethal glow of power in his eyes.

  Her heart missed a beat as he leaned down to scoop her up into his arms. With astonishing ease, he straightened and cradled her gently against his chest as he jogged away from the ranch.

  His unnerving strength should have terrified her. She’d been beaten and abused by men who were willing to starve or even drug her, until she couldn’t fight to protect herself. But somehow she felt deeply and inexplicably comforted as she snuggled against the broad chest of this man. Or male, as she’d heard Donaldson and the others say. It was as if she was going to be protected for the first time in her life.

  With a shake of her head, she allowed her tense muscles to relax, and shoved the gun into the front pocket of her hoodie. She wasn’t used to weapons. Which meant she was more likely to shoot herself or Cerviel than any enemy. But she was a quick study, and glad to have it. In case.

  She wasn’t going back to that basement, or that cage.

  End. Of. Story.

  She circled her arms around his neck as he raced over the hard, dusty ground. She didn’t understand why she knew bone-deep that she could trust this male, that he was the complete antithesis of Donaldson. But for now, she was simply going to appreciate being out of the cage and running away from the men who’d made her existence a living hell. Soon enough, she’d have to think about where she would go, live. How she would take care of herself…

  Remaining silent as Cerviel vaulted over a wooden gate, she strained for any sounds of pursuit. But she couldn’t hear anything over the pounding of her heart. Fear? Wonder? Relief?

  Maybe all three.

  At last she glanced over his broad shoulder, ensuring that none of Donaldson’s guards were in pursuit. She didn’t see anyone. Still, she forced herself to wait until they at last reached the foothills before she asked the question that was burning on the tip of her tongue.

  “Where are we going?”

  He smoothly moved up the steep incline, leaping over boulders without breaking a sweat.

  “We need a place to lie low until I can contact my people and arrange a transport out of here,” he told her.

  “Your people?” Her heart leapt into her throat. What was she going to be forced to do next? Could they be trusted? And if so, would she be able to remain with them for a short time to figure out what she was going to do next?

  “The Pantera,” he said as he slowed his ruthless pace as they reached the line of pine trees.

  A strange sensation tingled deep inside her. Again. So similar to the one she had in her dreams. And when this male had moved down the stairs back at the ranch, and stalked toward her cage. She glanced up and studied his lean, beautiful, fierce face, wishing she had the nerve to reach up and trace the elegant lines of his features.

  “You can change into a cat?” she asked him.

  “A puma,” he corrected. “And only in the Wildlands.”

  She’d heard of that place. Donaldson had mentioned it, but without details. “Where is it? The Wildlands?”

  “Deep in the bayous of Louisiana. It’s beautiful.” His mouth curved into an easy smile. “You’ll love it. So green and lush, the slow-moving water setting the pace. You’ll find that our people have generous hearts and are always ready and willing to give you and your puma the friendship and support that has been clearly lacking in your life.”

  With her trust issues, his words should’ve troubled her. Or at the very least, made her suspicious. But they didn’t. Just the opposite, in fact. She was fascinated by the world he spoke of—and strangely comforted by the idea of others like her offering support and kindness. Even if it was for a short time.

  “But I’m not Pantera,” she said. “I’m human. Same with my parents.”

  “Perhaps you were born a human.”

  Prickles of heat moved over her skin. She swallowed tightly.

  “Something changed,” he continued. “Your blood—”

  “You suspect I have Pantera blood?”

  “Yes.” His glowing gaze lowered, studying her face with a
fierce intensity. “I can smell it.”

  She arched a brow at him. “Are you saying I smell?”

  His nose flared and he inhaled, the heat of his body wrapping around her like a caress. “Oh yeah, you smell, kitten. And it’s glorious.”

  She shuddered at his words, at the way he’d spoken them, while new, terrifying sensations swirled through her. She had Pantera blood inside her? How? How was that even possible?

  She forced her mind back, but it only fell into darkness.

  She growled to herself, and abruptly turned away from his burning gaze. She couldn’t process her strange reaction to this male or what he’d said. Not after what she’d been through. It wasn’t true. Couldn’t be, and yet…

  “I’ve always known there was something different about me,” she said almost to herself. “Why else would I have been taken, locked up…”

  “Not different,” Cerviel said. “Superior.”

  She smiled at his words, a moment of lightness, pressing her head tight against his chest as he pushed his way through a wall of pine branches illuminated by the half-moon’s light. The landscape was becoming increasingly remote and untamed. The sort of place humans rarely visited. The sort of place where an animal might be very comfortable.

  “You don’t lack in confidence,” she pointed out.

  He laughed softly. “No. I’m sure many would call me an arrogant bastard.”

  She glanced up at him.

  “In fact, my Pantera brothers have called me much worse.” He gave her a wink.

  The action went straight through her and penetrated her heart. The one that had broken, then had ceased to beat during her time in the cage. He was something. Dangerous and sexy, yet held so much warmth and kindness within him. Her eyes searched his, so dark and liquid. He was one of the good guys. She was certain of it. Just as she was suddenly certain she would do anything to get him to smile at her again.

  She swallowed thickly, feeling oddly vulnerable. “Do you have a big family?”

  As a quick breeze picked up around them, he ducked beneath a low overhang and followed a narrow path that led along a deepening ravine.

  “Hundreds.”

  She blinked. Had she heard him right? “Hundreds?”

  He slowed as the path narrowed. On one side was a wall of rock, on the other a sheer drop-off. She gripped him a little tighter.

  “My pack is my family,” he told her, though his voice held a thread of sadness as he said it.

  “That must be nice.” Envy speared her heart. She couldn’t imagine being surrounded by a large, loving pack. She’d been alone for so, so long.

  He glanced down at her, his brows pulled together. “Have you always been at the ranch?”

  “I…” Her words trailed away as she gave a helpless shake of her head. “I don’t know.”

  His frown deepened. “What do you mean?”

  She hated having to tell him this. It made her feel so damn weak. “I think something was done to me,” she admitted, her gut clenching with both pain and sickness as she tried to push back in time. “I can’t remember anything before waking up in that cage five years ago.”

  He looked stunned. “Nothing?”

  She shook her head. “It’s blank. It’s as if my mind was erased.” She regarded him with somber, pensive eyes. “It’s as if I never existed.”

  5BCHAPTER 4

  It was a nearly impossible task, but Cerviel bit back his urge to press Hallie for more details on her loss of memory. There was only one reason to clear someone’s mind. And that was because they had information that would be dangerous.

  But right now he needed to concentrate on finding a place to keep her safe from Donaldson. At least until he could make sure it was safe to signal for the chopper and they could get the hell out of Wyoming.

  Following the curve of the narrow pathway, he discovered a wide opening that led into a cave. It was shallow, with a low ceiling and a smooth rock floor, but it was well away from the human pathways, and best of all, no one could approach from behind or below. He could easily defend the location.

  “I think we should be safe here,” he murmured, ducking inside and crouching down to settle Hallie near the back of the space.

  He was about to straighten when she reached out to grab his arm.

  “Are you leaving?”

  The slight panic in her voice made his gut clench. “I want to do a sweep and make sure there’s no one who might stumble across this cave. Also want to make sure our tracks are covered.” He eyed her seriously. “You still have the gun?”

  “Yes.” She reached into the front pocket of her hoodie to pull out the Taurus PT111.

  He grimaced. She held the weapon like it was a snake about to bite her.

  “Shoot first and ask questions later,” he commanded in stern tones. “Got it?”

  Perhaps sensing his lack of confidence, Hallie squared her shoulders and gripped the gun with far more determination.

  “Got it.”

  Cerviel hesitated. He hated to leave her alone. She was clearly feeling vulnerable and exposed. No big surprise for a female who’d been locked in a cage for years.

  But he had to make sure they weren’t being followed.

  Dipping his head, he brushed a reassuring kiss over her furrowed brow. Then, with a sharp movement, he was on his feet and heading out of the cave.

  He didn’t use the pathway, however. Instead he scrambled up the vertical rocky slope and circled around the peak of the ridge. Once near the top, he pulled out his cellphone that had been boosted by Xavier just in case there was no signal and hit Raphael’s number.

  “I’ve got the asset,” he said as soon as he heard the older male’s voice.

  “Alive?” Raphael demanded.

  “Yeah, but she’s been—” Cerviel bit off his words. He couldn’t think about what’d been done Hallie. Not unless he wanted to risk everything by returning to the ranch and slicing Rick Donaldson into bloody strips. “Have you figured out why it was so important that you sent me to retrieve her?”

  “Not yet. Why?”

  “Are you still willing to let her die if you decide she’s a threat to a Pantera?”

  “Sacrifices are always demanded. You know that better than anyone, Cerviel.”

  “Maybe you won’t get her back, then,” he said impulsively.

  There was a low snarl over the line, then, “Cerviel—”

  “She’s been tortured, for fuck’s sake. She has no idea where she came from or why. I won’t have her hurt again.”

  The leader of the Pantera exhaled heavily, didn’t say anything for a few seconds. When he finally did, his tone was calm and controlled. “Do you trust my word?”

  Cerviel didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

  “You get her back to us and I swear to you she won’t be harmed in any way. But you get that you sound more like her mate than a member of the PSL, right?”

  Cerviel refused to answer. In fact, he refused to even think on the male’s ridiculous observation. All he wanted was to keep an innocent female safe. “I’ll bring her in.”

  “Is that the only reason you’re calling? Or are you ready for the evac?” Raphael asked.

  Cerviel considered. He glanced around the thick layers of trees and rugged terrain. He was fairly certain he’d managed to shake off his pursuers. But if the guards were still searching for them, the approaching lights and sound of a chopper would most certainly pinpoint their location.

  Especially if he had to travel with Hallie to a spot where the chopper could easily land.

  “No. Call it off for tonight. I don’t want to alert the guards where we are,” he told Raphael. “We’ll meet at the same coordinates where I was dropped off, at dawn.”

  “I’ll let the pilot know,” Raph promised. “But remember, he’ll be on the ground for ten minutes. Not a second longer. You need to be there.”

  “Got it.”

  Ending the connection, Cerviel slid the phone into his pocket and set off
at a rapid pace. He did a careful sweep to make sure there were no stray campers in the area before returning to the pathway to make certain there were no footprints that might reveal the direction they’d taken.

  Once confident he’d left nothing behind that could lead the guards to the cave, he headed toward a hunting lodge he’d seen when the chopper had dropped him off three hours ago. The four human men who were staying at the large, log structure were still awake, but not one of them noticed the silent shadow that slid through the back door. They were on the porch, busy swapping bullshit about the ‘one that got away’ and drinking heavily from a bottle of scotch.

  Collecting what he wanted, Cerviel left as silently as he’d arrived, melting into the shadows with the ease of a predator.

  A quarter of an hour later, he was back at the cave.

  “It’s me,” he called out before stepping into the opening.

  The last thing he wanted was to startle Hallie. She might not know much about guns, but she could squeeze a trigger and put a bullet through his heart.

  “I promise not to shoot,” she called out.

  An odd sensation twisted his heart. The light, almost teasing words couldn’t disguise the aching relief he could hear in her voice.

  Entering the cave, he moved to settle next to her shivering body, setting up a small battery-powered lantern before placing a canvas bag between them on the floor.

  “I come bearing gifts.”

  With a lift of her brows, Hallie watched in silence as he pulled out the loaf of bread, a large container of roast beef and a bag of chips. Hardly gourmet fare, but he’d overheard the guard telling Donaldson that he hadn’t fed Hallie. Right now any food would no doubt taste like ambrosia to her.

  “Where did you get this?” she demanded in appreciative surprise.

  “I borrowed it from a hunting lodge a few miles away.”

  She glanced up to study his overly-innocent smile. “You borrowed it, huh?”

  He shrugged. “Something like that.”

  “Did you poach it?”

  “Does it matter?”

  “Hell no,” she admitted on a laugh. “I’m starving.”