He found Viktor outside shrieking with blood streaming down his face. “What the hell happened here?”
James snickered. “Your woman nearly clawed his eyes out. He’ll be lucky if he regains vision by the end of the night.”
“The sack o’ blood nearly blinded me. Why aren’t ye draggin’ her back here by her entrails?!”
“Well, you deserved it, you old bat,” James spat at him. “You attacked her.”
Charlie zoned in on Viktor’s face, catching sight of the blood dripping from his mouth. Nessie’s blood.
“I can’ believe my daughter married such a simpering foo—“
Charlie slammed the bloody dagger still clutched in his fist into Viktor’s chest. And he didn’t miss the heart this time. Katherine was a few decades younger than himself. He could handle her if she didn’t heed the only warning she would get. But Viktor. Viktor had centuries on him. He wouldn’t get a second chance to eliminate the ancient bastard if they crossed paths again.
And with Nessie’s blood in Viktor’s system, he could track Nessie down. That couldn’t happen.
Someone screamed and Charlie caught sight of Dina running from the house towards them.
“Father! No!” His old friend sobbed as she stood over her father. The silvery webs crept over his body, deteriorating it as they spread.
Dina’s watery, blue eyes gazed up at him as she knelt down next to Viktor. “You killed my father. In my own house!”
Charlie bowed his head before looking at her again. “He drank from Nessie. I couldn’t risk it, Dina. I’m sorry.”
James crouched down next to his wife, putting his arms around her as he gave Charlie a hard look. But he nodded in understanding as he cradled his sobbing wife in his arms.
“Just go,” he muttered.
Nodding, Charlie took off in search of Nessie, hoping he found her before another monster did.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
As the eastern sky shifted from black to indigo, the stars began to twinkle out of sight. Dawn was near. And she was safe…for now. Nessie collapsed in a heap to catch her breath, wincing as her shoulder protested. The sleeve of her dark sweater was already soaked with blood.
Glancing around her, she saw nothing but trees, trees, and more trees. No path. No compass. All she could do was use the sun to guide her. But where? Her only family was playing a sick version of house with a monster. And her only friend, if she wanted to give Charlie his way and call him that, had either gone down fighting for her survival or was about to burn up if he’d been foolish enough to come after her. She had no one left. Everyone she’d ever even thought of caring about was gone. And glancing up as the last star vanished in the purple sky, she realized how truly lost she was without Charlie. She didn’t even know which direction to run in, and when the sun crept back out of sight in a few hours, someone would catch up with her. Master, Viktor, or Kat. It didn’t matter. She’d pissed off every one of them in one way or another. She’d probably be dead before her next sunrise.
And so, at long last, she curled into a ball on the damp ground and wept. For her father. For herself. For her life unlived.
"No time to cry, Ness. I need to find some shelter. The sun will be up in a half hour."
Her head popped up and she stared at the figure before her until, finally, her blurry vision cleared and she could see his face. His sweet, handsome face.
“You’re alive,” she whispered, her voice threatening to crack under the weight of her relief.
“For the time being,” he teased, winking.
She wanted to wrap her arms around him and ensure herself that he really was here. And she wasn’t having a psychotic break. Instead, she forced herself to keep her feet planted.
They stood there in silence for a few moments before Charlie finally said, "I really do need to find shelter.”
She nodded and took a breath, hoping her voice had cleared before saying, "Lead the way."
Charlie found a cave not far away and snuck inside first. A roar echoed from the cave making her jump and dash behind a large tree trunk. A few moments later, a large cat came scurrying out of the entrance and into the woods behind her. Charlie appeared in the cave entrance, beckoning her to him. Once inside, she followed Charlie deeper into the cave where there wasn’t a speck of light. But she could still make out the shadows that outlined the tunnel. Charlie slipped his hand into hers, tugging her forward.
“Why do you insist on leading me like a toddler?” she huffed, but didn’t remove her hand. It was a small comfort having the physical connection to prove he was really here. Not a pile of ash. Not a figment of a desperate mind. “I know you missed the last decade, but I’m all grown up now.”
He stopped and turned to face her. The shadows of his face moving as he gave her a sly smile that he thought she couldn’t see. “Trust me. I’ve noticed.”
Heat rose in her cheeks as Charlie began trekking forward again.
They walked for what seemed like forever. She actually forgot herself, glancing around the dark tunnel. There were veins of sparkling stones running along the caverns. Which made her crash into Charlie’s backside when he suddenly stopped, and she stumbled backwards. Clumsy idiot. Charlie's hand tightened around hers and, with a small jerk, she found herself in his arms as he straightened her. "Watch yourself," he muttered.
A bolt of pain swept over her as his hand glided across her injured shoulder, hidden beneath a black, blood-soaked sweater. "Jesus, Nessie! I could smell you were bleeding, but not like this. Why didn't you tell me he mauled you?!"
She wrenched herself from his arms, but he held tight to her hand. "We had more pressing matters," she stated.
"Well, I'm taking care of that before we rest for the day." She opened her mouth. "Don't argue!" he snapped before leading further into the cave. Taking care of it? What the hell did that mean? She found out when they stopped further ahead.
Charlie’s hands pulled on the collar of her sweater, his breath on her face. She shivered as he swept the material away, revealing her damaged skin. She knew what he was about to do. And…she didn’t stop it. She realized with a twinge of horror that she actually didn’t want to stop it.
His tongue slid over her shoulder and she sucked in a breath, waiting for the feel of sharp fangs sinking into her. But it didn’t come. Only the heavenly warmth of his mouth against her cool skin. She found herself leaning into him, craving more. He shuddered and then his mouth left her skin, and she almost whimpered at the loss.
"I have to stop. I don't want to do more damage than good," he whispered as he leaned away from her. His hand, which she hadn't even realized rested on her leg, moved away.
He’d wanted to bite her. And, yet, he’d forced himself away. She worried her bottom lip as her mind and body fought for control. She wanted nothing to do with his mouth. Nothing, dammit!
Trying to distract herself, she reached up and touched her shoulder, finding it almost completely healed. His tongue had swept most of the blood away, and his mouth had healed most of the wound.
"Thanks," she said. Good grief, was that breathless voice hers?!
"You’re welcome," he replied, his voice low and sexy. The voice that went with his black eyes. The knowledge sent her body into another tidal wave of heat, and she gritted her teeth as she turned away.
"Well, I'll see you in a few hours, then." She lay herself on the cold, hard ground, wishing for the soft bed she had enjoyed only the day before.
"Sleep well, Nessie," she heard Charlie whisper before the cave fell into silence.
***
Nessie collapsed beside him as they settled into another underground cavern the following morning. He had pushed her hard tonight. Because the stubborn woman had refused to allow him to carry her last night.
As he watched her curl into a ball and fall asleep, a twinge of guilt lodged in his throat. Maybe she’d let him carry her tonight. Now that she knew what keeping up with him entailed. He scooted in as close to her as he could
without risking waking her and drifted off.
But his own body was restless. And with his mate only inches away, he practically hummed with anticipation. He woke up with a hard-on more than once already. It was getting ridiculous. He was losing control of his own body. Not good.
When he heard the soft pitter-patter of footsteps, he scrambled to his feet, planting himself in front of Nessie. She groaned, nudging him with her elbow.
“Charlie, what the—”
He shushed her, and, by some miracle, she fell silent. For about five seconds.
“What’s wrong?” she whispered.
“There’s someone in the upper part of the cave.”
Suddenly, the soft footsteps above were drowned out by the sound of Nessie’s frantic heartbeat. “They’ve found us, haven’t they?” she asked, a tremor in her voice.
“I doubt it,” he replied. “It’s still a few hours until sunset. They’d all be dust if they were up there right now.”
No, whomever paced in the cavern above was no vampire. And that didn’t make him any less wary. Because he wasn’t the only monster with fangs in these woods.
“It seems to be staying up there for now. Try to get some more rest.”
Nessie snorted, but said nothing. Crossing her arms over her chest, she leaned back against the cave wall and stared up at the ceiling.
He shook his head at her, taking a seat next to her. They sat, quietly waiting for the sun to set.
“Why did you come after me?” she asked, breaking the hours of silence.
He glanced over at her, finding her staring at him.
“After I ran from Dina’s. Why did you come after me?” she repeated.
“I get the feeling you didn’t want me to,” he muttered.
“I didn’t say that, and that’s not an answer.”
Charlie could sense the exact moment the sun had disappeared behind the mountains. Time to find out who was blocking their only way out.
Thankfully, he’d taken in a few teaspoons of Nessie’s blood when he’d healed her shoulder. Those few precious ounces had given his strength back even as it robbed him of some much-needed control.
“Stay here. I’ll come back when I know what we’re dealing with,” he whispered. He caught her opening her mouth, but dashed off before she could get a word out.
He crept up higher and higher, inching his way towards the opening of the cave. Peeking his head around the corner, he tried to locate the threat, but the cave looked empty. Wary of the sudden disappearance, he tip-toed towards the entrance.
Just as he was about to peer out into the dark woods, a large, white wolf jumped in front of him, teeth bared, hackles raised in full alarm. He flashed his lengthening fangs at the animal, growling his own warning. Most animals would easily recognize his kind as the superior predator and flee. This one growled back and snapped its teeth at him instead. Not a good sign.
As the two of them circled each other, trying to find an opening for an attack, Charlie heard more footsteps behind him. With the wolf in front of him, he didn’t bother glancing back. An all-too-familiar and alluring scent wafted through the air thick with tension
“Nessie, I told you to stay down there,” he snapped. The wolf’s icy gaze flickered behind him for a moment.
He caught Nessie shrug out of the corner of his eye. “I decided not to listen,” she said nonchalantly.
The wolf barked and he saw a smile curve its snout. Then, his initial suspicion was confirmed. The wolf was no more. In its place stood a tall, ivory-skinned woman with hair as pale as the wolf’s fur and eyes the same icy blue. She wore a sly smile and nothing else. No surprise there. Lycans couldn’t transform clothes, after all.
"Is the girl with you?" the woman asked, her voice soft and wispy.
Charlie nodded stiffly.
She nodded in return. "Blackmoon Pack has caught your scent. They’re tailing you. No pun intended."
Charlie's arms fell to his sides. "Why are you warning us?"
The woman's eyes saddened as her eyes locked onto Nessie, pity pooling in their depths. "If she’s caught, the pack will enslave her.” Her eyes shifted back to his face. “They will kill you on sight, bloodsucker. She slows you down. You will never outrun them with her. Leave her."
"No.” There was no hesitation in his response. No way in hell would have been a more accurate response, but he wanted to keep this conversation as short as possible.
A smile curved her mouth. "You must care for the girl, then."
Charlie paused, his eyes darting to Nessie for just a moment. More than she realized. When his gaze flickered back to the woman, he nodded.
"If the pack kills you, she won’t stand a chance. But if you leave her behind, the pack knows they won’t be able to catch up with you. They’ll abandon their hunt for you once they find her. It’s not you they want. It’s her. You’re just an obstacle."
Charlie's jaw clenched. "I will not abandon her to save my own skin."
Her smile widened. "As long as the pack thinks you have…" She paused and tilted her head, her eyes widening frightfully large. "The pack is coming. Choose quickly. Your time is running out." With that, she shifted back into the white wolf and took off into the night.
Charlie went to snatch her into his arms, but she held out a stiff arm. Her hand slammed into his chest, halting him in place. Her jaw set as she looked up at him, her face a hard mask.
“You need to leave.”
“Not without you.”
She pressed her lips together and he saw her eyes start to glisten. “We can’t risk both of us being caught.”
“It could be a trap.”
“Which will be twice as effective if we’re together,” she pressed. She closed her eyes to take a calming breath. “You have to leave me.”
He shook his head. “I can’t.”
A tear slid down her cheek. “I can’t become a slave again, Charlie. I just…I can’t.” She opened her eyes, shining as the moonlight reflected off her unshed tears. “If you don’t come back for me, I’ll…I’ll.”
The gravity of the situation hit him like a ton of bricks. She was trusting him to come back for her. To break her out of slavery a second time. So she wouldn’t have to take her only other option to end her slavery. Her own life. She was trusting him with her life.
Her cheeks grew wet with streaks of tears, his own eyes burning with emotion. If he left now, it might be the last time he ever saw her. If their split-second plan didn’t work. No, he thought. It has to work. But just in case…
He placed a hand on the back of her neck, pulling her into him. His mouth landed on hers and he swallowed her gasp of shock. But she didn’t pull away. She sank right into him, pressing her body against him. His other hand slid up her back so he could hold her close, feeling her heart beating against his chest. He dove into her mouth with the intensity befitting a first and (potentially) final kiss. If this was his only chance, he was giving her everything he had.
And she absorbed every ounce of it, giving it back as if her life depended on it. Her tongue slid over one of his fangs, and he moaned into her mouth, clutching her tighter to him.
But as much as he wanted this to last. It couldn’t. In the far distance, his keen hearing picked up a faint howling. Mentally cursing, he forced himself to pull his mouth from the blissful heat of hers. In the cold night air, his lips still burned with the fire of that one kiss. A kiss he’d never forget no matter how long he lived.
He rested his forehead on hers, his eyes still closed as he took a breath. "I will always come back for you, Nessie," he whispered...and then he was gone.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Nessie opened her eyes, finding him vanishing in a blur. She tried to catch the breath that kiss had taken, her fingers skimming across her tingling lips. Her first kiss. It had been better than she’d ever imagined. Not that she’d thought about it much. But after that introduction, she might have to think about it more often…
A howl sounded,
faint and far away, but it got her moving. Thoughts of kisses, amazing or otherwise, vanishing as fast as Charlie.
I will always come back for you, Nessie. Charlie’s last words rang in her ears as her feet ate up as much distance as her human legs could manage. She fought back tears, clinging to his promise as she heard the howls somewhere in the distance behind her. The trees around her grew blurry and her foot caught on a root she couldn't see through her wretched tears. She didn't even know why she was running. The wolves were faster than her, Charlie was faster than her. What was the point of running at all? They would catch her, and Charlie was long gone. And she had been the one to tell him to leave her behind! She wanted to scream for him to come back, but she didn't dare with supernatural senses honing in on her.
Another howl rang out, this one closer than before, and that had her back on her feet and running.
She could hear a crowd of paws pounding against the ground behind her, growing louder every minute. It wouldn't be long now. There was no outrunning them. She glanced up, the intertwining branches above her offering little hope, but she'd take any right now.
Leaping up, she wrapped her fingers around a thick branch and pulled herself up. She found her footing and moved to the next branch, climbing quickly. Glancing below, she made out a small group of wolves heading her way. When they reached the base of her tree, clawing at the trunk and snapping their jaws up at her, she turned away and continued climbing. One barked loudly.
Branches trembled beneath her, and she glanced down in time to see a man reach out and grab her ankle, yanking her off her own branch. She screamed, falling into the man's grasp. His face was emotionless as he looked down at her, his eyes bored, almost empty. Flailing in a desperate attempt to save herself, she landed a solid hit to his face as her palm shoved into his nose. He roared as he released her, clutching his nose. She grunted as her body broke through a branch, probably cracking a rib on her descent to the ground.
First Kiss of Freedom: A Vampire Shifter Hybrid Romance (The Whitemoon Warriors Series Book 1) Page 7
