AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As we continued, the terrain became more treacherous. Finally, a yelp of pain forced me to stop moving. She’d tumbled over fallen debris, her body shaking as she tried to regain her footing. One of her hands was badly scraped, trickles of blood oozing from the wound. The scent alone was enough to draw additional predators, which would force me to use my weapon. Silencer or no silencer, I didn’t want to take the chance of being heard.
“Stay right there,” I huffed, taking a few seconds to yank my shirt from my pants, ripping a section away. “Wrap the wound.”
“Where the hell are we going?” she barked as she grabbed the scrap from my hand.
“We have two miles to go.”
She half laughed, taking several gasping breaths as she wound the cloth around her hand, wincing from the pain. “We’ll never get out of here alive.”
“You don’t know me, Willow, or what I’m capable of. Let one of the fuckers try and stop us. Come. We have limited time.”
Her laugh continued but she forged on, stumbling every few seconds. We’d gone well over a mile, but that meant shit until we were safely inside the helicopter. The damn pilot better be there. He was the one person I’d hired to get us the fucking hell out this shithole. Once inside, he’d be instructed to take us to a facility I’d already determined, dropping us off. From there, I would personally handle the transportation.
With every step we took, a sickening premonition festered, increasing in intensity. I had a sick feeling we were surrounded. As we approached a pile of debris that was obviously created as a deterrent, blocking the minimal path, I snarled then threw out my arm holding the flashlight. “Hold this.”
She didn’t respond at first, finally jerking it from my hand. “This is crazy.”
When I yanked out one of the two knives I’d brought with me, glancing over my shoulder, once again her eyes opened wide. “This is normal.” I slashed at the debris, cutting through the vines with ease, the action necessary. On either side were two booby traps, the pits deep and deadly.
When I heard movement behind me, the source of light shifting, I jerked around, barely managing to yank her back. Two additional steps and she’d have fallen into one of them, answering the question as to what creatures were waiting in the darkness. “Be careful, sweetheart. Don’t stray too far. The jungle will kill you.”
She dropped the flashlight, her body shaking. “I can’t do this. I just can’t. And I’m not your sweetheart.”
“Well, you have no other choice if you want to live. Do you hear me?” When she didn’t respond, I shook her.
“Yes. Yes.”
“Come on. We’re running out of time.”
Her body shaking violently, she scooped up the light, inching closer to me as I finished cutting us a path, pushing back the rest. “After you,” I told her.
She shook her head as if she was going to refuse before lunging through. I trailed behind her, shoving the debris back into position. Then her scream cut through the night. Instantly shifting into the soldier I’d been trained to be, I tugged her backwards, holding and shifting her arm to highlight whatever had terrified her.
The jaguar shocked the hell out of me. They were as terrified of humans as we were of them, although I’d come to admire their predatory actions, appreciating their intense beauty and sense of protection. The unusual behavior meant there were likely cubs somewhere near, the beast only protecting her own. While I’d normally do everything in my power to avoid terminating such a beautiful creature, I had no other choice if I wanted to get Willow to safety.
I threw the knife, the blade wedging in the jaguar’s throat. What I wasn’t expecting was the anger Willow presented, immediately lunging toward the big cat as if she planned on attempting to save the beast’s life.
I wrapped my hand around her ponytail, snapping my wrist then placing my arm around her neck to keep her quiet and eliminating her ability to move. “Not a good idea, Willow. That creature could tear you apart in seconds.”
“You killed it. You bastard. You’re a disgusting savage.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I’m a fucking savage, Willow, a goddamn monster. That’s something you need to remember. It was you or the beast, sweetheart. Which would you have preferred?”
“You’re a fucking asshole as well. That’s what you are.”
I laughed in her ear. “Absolutely. It’s best if you remember that too. I’m not here for a popularity contest. I’m the only hope you have of remaining alive.” Her scent was far too intoxicating, filtering into my system within seconds. Another wave of burning desire shifted through me, my balls tightening. “Your yelp was a beacon. Now, get moving.” I pushed her forward, yanking my knife free before following her. I had a feeling this would become a problem very quickly.
Only two hundred yards later and I heard a sound. Then I ripped the weapon from my holster, pushing her to the ground. “Stay down, sweetheart. This is just about to get hairy.”
Pop! Pop! Pop!
CHAPTER2
Willow
“Stay down, sweetheart. This is just about to get hairy,” Viper snarled.
His gruff words as he pushed me to the ground filtered in my ears.
