Lucian looks out at the meadow and shakes his head. “You wouldn’t say that if you came face to face with the king of the ferals. We call him the Red River Reaver. He’s a monster. Not even I would want to run into him. I’m pretty sure even Thorne is scared of him.” He gives me a sidelong look that tells me he’s probably fibbing but I still look around the meadow because what if he isn’t?
“You’re lying. There’s no such thing as the Red River Reaver.”
“There is too. You keep running around here long and you’ll find him. Can’t have that so I’m staying right here with you.”
“I’m fine,” I lie and glare at him. “I’m not falling for your tricks.”
“Don’t give me the stink eye. I don’t make the rules.”
“What? You’re literally the one deciding you want to stay.”
Lucian laughs, or at least it starts as a laugh. He opens his mouth and it’s all wrong. Like his breath got caught in his throat. He grabs his stomach and groans.
“Lucian?” I might have been trying to get rid of him before but something is wrong. My healer instinct kicks in and I rush forward to catch him when he staggers forward. He’s too heavy though and when he falls, I can’t hold him up for long. I have to let him go and he hits the ground with a thump. I drop to my knees beside him. “Lucian? Can you hear me? What’s wrong?” I push at his hands and see what he was trying to grab at. A tranquilizer dart. I rip it from his stomach and throw it to the side. “Lucian, get up, we have to go. Now.”
I don’t know who would shoot him but I know whoever it is has ill intent. There’s no reason for them to be here in Red River lands and shooting Lucian. This is bad.
“Lucian, please. Get up.” I shake him but he’s out cold. His head lolls to the side when I try to pick him up.
“Hells,” I whisper and grab him under his armpits. If I move fast enough maybe I can drag him into the copse of trees by the switchbacks. I can…I don’t know what I’ll do then but it’s a start, so I start dragging him. I try to keep an eye out around the meadow for whoever shot Lucian, but I miss the figure moving low through the grass. When I see them they’re too close to do anything but stand and face them.
“He should have listened to you,” Keiran says with a sigh. He’s got a rifle over one shoulder.
“What the hells are you doing here? Are you crazy?”
He laughs. “You know what? Funny you should ask because yeah, I kind of am, Cordy. It’s all your fault, you stupid bitch.” He turns and waves an arm at the meadow. “Come on out. I got her.”
I watch in horrified silence as a dozen figures rise from the grass and start towards us. I see the glint of rifles in their hands. They were waiting for me. Oh no. I led Lucian right into a trap. I’m so stupid.
“What are you talking about? Why are you here?” I drag Lucian back another inch. I do the math as I move the alpha.I’m fighting a losing battle. I’m not getting away from Keiran if I keep trying to bring Lucian with me. I have to leave him and even so…I can’t. I let his arms go and drop into a defensive position. I’ll shift. I have a better shot at holding Keiran off if I lose my skin, but I only feel my wolf start to take hold when he raises his rifle and shoots me.
I scream and fall back. After being shot by an actual bullet, It doesn’t hurt as much as I thought it would.
I don’t go out as fast as Lucian does. I fight to sit up and manage to get up on an arm right as Keiran drops to a knee beside me. He reaches out and strokes my cheek. I try to slap his hand away but he just bats my hand down.
“Do you know what you’ve put me through? Huh? Do you?” I fall back on the ground when he grabs my chin and forces me to look up at him. I used to think Keiran was beautiful. Now he just looks disgusting to me. Grotesque.
I try to turn away from him. “G’way.” It’s hard to speak. I can feel my body slipping further away from my control. I can’t lift my arm anymore.
“Oh, I’ll go but you’re coming with me, baby.” He leans down and kisses me. I muster up the last of my strength and bite his bottom lip. I feel my teeth cut right through his flesh and when Keiran backhands me it doesn’t wipe the smile off my face like I know he wants.
“You fucking whore.”
I try to tell him he’s a fucking ass but it’s just a garbledfkshdkkttt.
He moves away from me and snaps his fingers at the others that came with him. “Grab her. Throw her in the back of the truck. I’m done with this fucking back water hell hole.”
I’m grabbed by the arms and thrown over someone’s shoulder. I lift my head and even though I know I can’t see itfrom where I am, I still try to see Thorne’s Embrace. I black out searching for it.
Chapter
Fifty-Three
CORDELIA
When I wake up, I see the last thing on Earth I’d ever want to see.
Keiran.
