AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I shake my head, hurt stabbing through me. Not just from the jostling of my injuries with every pounding foot fall, but also from my freaking stupid heart. “They didn’t come.”
Movement out of the corner of my eye catches my attention. Cohen sees it at the same times and raises his hands like he’s going to cast a spell at them, but a deep red blur shoots straight toward them, six tails and sharp teeth barrel into the group of hunters raising their guns in our directions. Cohen and I don’t slow to watch Kohaku work. Or rather Cohen doesn’t, tugging me after him when I would have stayed standing where I was and watching him, entranced by his viciousness.
“Almost there, Ro.” He encourages, pulling me after him as Kohaku dissolves into a cloud of darkness and shoots after us. I don’t know if he can move faster that way or what, but a second later he’s next to me in his six tailed fox form keeping pace. His big head swinging from side to side to keep an eye out for our enemies.
I can feel myself dragging. I’m not moving as fast as Cohen wants me to, as I need to. My whole body throbs with agony with every step I take, and there’s a sharp pain in my side with every breath. Pretty sure that’s my ribs.
Cohen glances over his shoulder at me as we reach the chain-link fence. “You have to stop cataloguing all your injuries, baby, or I’m going to go back in there and kill every last fucking one of them.”
My heart flips over at the viciousness of his tone as I blink at him. “I’m sorry. I can’t-” I motion at my face helplessly.
He nods. “I know. I’m sorry.” He pushes open a section of the fence, holding it for me to duck through as Kohaku goes formless again to pass through like smoke and reform on the other side. Shouts and gunfire still sound behind us and I am not at all certain what they think they’re firing at, but it sure isn’t us. Or at least it doesn’t seem like it’s us.
Kohaku nuzzles into my side, and I pat between his ears as Cohen crosses the fence line. “How much farther?” I ask, looking for any sign of this portal Cohen apparently created. I can’t see it, but that’s not surprising considering I have no clue what a portal across a thousand miles would look like.
My gaze moves back to Cohen as he steps up next to me. The amount of power it must have taken to get here is astounding. That he’s not completely whipped right now is surprising. That he came to get me after working such a huge casting is also surprising. How is he still standing? Let alone looking like he could go back into that compound of witch hunters and beat the shit out of all of them?
His lips quirk up, but his eyes remain serious as he cups my face and presses his forehead to mine. “I’ll follow you anywhere, wild card. I will always come for you, no matter the odds, no matter the danger. I will come for you. Understand?”
I nod against him, feeling warmth spread through my chest. A burning starts in my throat and behind my eyes and I try to keep it at bay, try to not let any tears fall, but I am so damn tired, and angry and hurt, so a few slip free before I can stop them.
Cohen gently kisses my cheeks, catching the tears before he sighs and pulls back. “We gotta keep moving, wildcard.”
He drops his hand and laces our fingers together, tugging me after him. Kohaku stays at my side and my free hand slips into his soft fur, loving the silky texture of it against my battered skin. You’d think it would hurt or be uncomfortable at least, but it’s strangely soothing.
I love the feel of it.
Cohen’s hand tightens on mine, and I love the feel of that too. These men, both of them, have the uncanny ability to make me feel safe and secure even in the most dangerous times. I mean, right now witch hunters could come after us, but here we are, walking through the woods at a leisurely pace, like we aren’t fleeing for our lives.
The panic attack I’d been battling while tied to that chair has all but vanished and although my body still feels like I’m walking through suspended shards of glass, it would be a thousand times worse if we were running.
“It’s just up ahead,” Cohen murmurs, pointing with his free hand. Kohaku disappears from under my hand and then reappears, standing tall next to me, his fingers laced through mine. It’s weird how he goes from feeling like mist, like vapor around my fingers, to something solid and real. But I’m not complaining, so long as I can feel him.
Up ahead, I see a shimmer in the trees, like gold dust scattered in the air. That must be the portal. Cohen moves straight toward it, but I hesitate pulling back on his hand. He looks back at me in question and I sink my teeth into my lower lip before saying, “What if it doesn’t let me through? What if I end up somewhere else? Somewhere worse?”
Cohen’s lips quirk into a wry smile. “Is there somewhere worse than in the middle of the woods being hunted by witch hunters?”
I frown. “The middle of the Septem Stellae Coven? Robert Harris’s office? The middle of the freaking ocean?”
He chuckles and squeezes my hand. “Point taken.” Ice green eyes look back over his shoulder, considering the portal. “I don’t think it’ll be a problem, since I made this portal for you, but if you’ll feel more comfortable, you can lead us in. If you’re going to be spit out somewhere else, we’ll go with you, rather than losing you like that asshole Harris did.”
I should say something like it wasn’t Fielder’s fault. He tried to keep me with him. But I’m still hurt by not one of them coming here to save me, so I keep my mouth shut. Or at least I think I do.
Kohaku wraps an arm around my waist and holds me against his wide chest. I must have said that out loud if he’s trying to comfort me.
“Did they tell you why they wouldn’t come?” I hate how small my voice sounds. I hate it so much. How many times am I going to let them hurt me? How many times are the tender parts of my heart going to forgive them just for them to do something like this again?
Cohen’s lips tighten, and he cups my face. “They did, but I think it’s better if you have this conversation with them.”
I nod. He’s right. It’s not fair to put him in the middle.
“I’ll put myself in the middle,” Cohen corrects. “Between you and whatever you need protecting from. I’ll be there. Okay?”
Tears prick my eyes again, spill down my cheeks and off my chin. I wish I had a tissue or something. If I had my bag-
“Oh, shit. Oh,shit.”
Cohen tenses. “Your bag? They have it?”
