Chapter 13
He wandered the hills for hours, unable to face the mess his world had just become. Finally, as the sun began to descend toward the horizon, he headed back for the cabin, weary in body and weary in soul. By now Jewel should had changed back to her human self, so he could talk to her.
Hopefully, she hadn’t gone. Though part of him wished she had. Confused, shocked and honestly afraid, he didn’t know what he wanted. What he felt. He was no longer certain of anything.
The thought made him wince.
She’d told him she had secrets. In a hundred, million years, he’d never imagined they’d be anything like this.
Yet picturing a future without her was so bleak, he ached when he thought of it.
He’d done a lot of soul searching and agonizing while walking the land. As a reporter, he was trained to work with facts. Ignorance bred fear. He needed to talk with Jewel, learn more about her species, and try to banish his instinctual terror.
If he wanted them to have a chance, he had no choice.
Climbing the path to the mobile home, the first thing he noticed was the blood. The path was tainted by it; huge splatters discolored the grass, the leaves, the dirt. Had Jewel, in her wolf form, killed a deer or pig and brought the carcass here to feast?
He rather doubted that.
Heart pounding, he ran for the front door. Crimson stained everything, the ground, the porch and the front door. The knot in his gut twisted.
“Jewel?” he called, hoping against hope she was here, that she’d answer. On the porch, he slipped, his sneakers sliding in the fresh blood—he turned and raised his voice, calling out over the vast expanse of land. “Jewel?”
No answer.
Bracing himself, he entered the house.
Inside, he found Roy, bound and semiconscious, a baseball bat on the floor beside him. Reba’s warning about Bettina ringing in his ears, Colton crouched beside the man he’d once thought of as his friend.
Damn.
Quickly, gently, he removed the ropes and untied the gag, easing it from Roy’s mouth.
“Water,” Roy croaked, blinking at him.
He got a glass, helping Roy hold it to his mouth as he greedily gulped. When he paused to take a breath, Colton set the glass on the floor.
“Roy, what happened? Where’s Jewel?”
Wincing, Roy gave a long, shuddering sigh. “Bettina has her. She’s taking her to Leo.”
A coldness spread through Colton’s chest. “Bettina? How?”
“She knocked Jewel out with a tranquilizer dart.” Sitting up, Roy rubbed his head and groaned. “Floyd figured out where you’d gone and broadcast it around town. I think Bettina hurt him. Right before she held a gun on me and made me get in the car with her.” His gaze flickered away and he licked his lips, as he’d always done when he got inventive with the truth.
There’d be time later to ask Roy why he’d lied. Colton knew the lengths men would go to for love.
“Where?” Colton asked. “Tell me where they’ve gone.”
Roy took a deep breath, his bright blue eyes glittering strangely. “I don’t know.”
Colton closed his eyes. Jewel’s worst nightmare.
When he started for the door, Roy followed.
“What are you going to do?”
Turning, Colton looked at the man he’d only thought he’d known, his expression grim. “I’m going to find them, of course. I promised Jewel I’d protect her.”
