back, for once choosing not to change.
“Please,” she whispered as he moved closer. “You don’t have to kill me. Whatever you need my blood for, you can have it. You know that.”
His brows drew together. “What are you talking about?”
She wondered which would be faster, her enhanced strength, or his magic.
He embraced her, then pulled back to look into her eyes. “I’m not going to hurt you. What exactly is going on in that head of yours?”
“Stop lying to me!” She shoved him with all her strength, and he went flying back, confirming her theory that he was only human with a few fancy language upgrades.
He opened his mouth to even the odds, and she flew at him, punching and clawing. With one last burst of energy, Greta slammed his head against the wall. Dayne crumbled to the floor, and the door lock fell open, withdrawing its simple magic now that the spell caster was unconscious.
She ran into the night, her eyes adjusted, and she fought the urge to shift. No fur. No paws. The trees were coming toward her too fast. She’d never run like this on two legs before, but her reflexes came to her rescue, causing her to zigzag through the woods without even a branch snagging her top.
When she’d put a few miles between herself and Dayne, she slowed her pace. Time to strategize. Think. The tribe wouldn’t be looking for her; they’d just expect Dayne had her, keeping her safe until it was time for the sacrifice.
She wasn’t sure how long he’d stay unconscious. She might be able to make it past the border and take shelter with a wizard. Unlike sorcerers, wizards could be trusted. Too bad there weren’t any in Cary Town.
Before, she wouldn’t have considered involving a human; it was too risky. But she’d run out of options. At the main road, she hailed a taxi.
“633 Oak Circle.”
The driver gave her an appreciative once-over. Greta smiled, glad she’d remembered her pill. Though the heat would have to be pretty bad for this guy to inspire her lust. He had a scruffy beard and was wearing flannel, for God’s sake. Mother Nature could only take one so far.
“Here we are,” he said unnecessarily when they pulled up to Charlee’s house.
“Thanks. Could you wait while I go get some money?”
“You tryin’ to stiff me, sweetheart?” His voice held a touch of menace and some darker, violent part of Greta itched to do damage. Instead, she took a breath to steady herself.
“Just. Wait.”
“Fine, but if you aren’t out in five minutes, I’m comin’ after you.”
Greta’s eyes glowed golden, and she hissed. She didn’t have time for this crap.
His hands shot up in surrender. “Take all the time you need, baby.”
Greta knocked for a full two minutes before a bleary-eyed Charlee opened the door, her red curly hair askew.
“What’s wrong?”
“I need money for the cab first.”
Charlee went and got her purse. When the taxi rolled away, she asked again.
“I need you to smuggle me out of the city.”
Confusion marred her friend’s face. “Huh? Just drive away.”
“I can’t. I know this is going to sound weird, but you were on board with the cat thing and the sorcerer thing.”
“Didn’t that work out?” Charlee tied the belt around her bathrobe and led Greta inside.
“It was just a way to keep me in a holding cell, so no one in the tribe against this could warn me or help me escape.”
“So tell me again why you can’t just drive out of the city.”
“You know the toll booths on all the major exit roads?”
Charlee nodded.
“Preternatural border guards.”
“Why not just take the back roads? There aren’t any tolls there.”
“There are wards to keep therians from crossing. The toll roads exist because there are exemptions. And some species can pass at will, like vampires. Therians have to have permission to leave and when they do, they go through the toll roads and present paperwork.”
“Why therians?”
Greta sighed. “I can appreciate your
“Please,” she whispered as he moved closer. “You don’t have to kill me. Whatever you need my blood for, you can have it. You know that.”
His brows drew together. “What are you talking about?”
She wondered which would be faster, her enhanced strength, or his magic.
He embraced her, then pulled back to look into her eyes. “I’m not going to hurt you. What exactly is going on in that head of yours?”
“Stop lying to me!” She shoved him with all her strength, and he went flying back, confirming her theory that he was only human with a few fancy language upgrades.
He opened his mouth to even the odds, and she flew at him, punching and clawing. With one last burst of energy, Greta slammed his head against the wall. Dayne crumbled to the floor, and the door lock fell open, withdrawing its simple magic now that the spell caster was unconscious.
She ran into the night, her eyes adjusted, and she fought the urge to shift. No fur. No paws. The trees were coming toward her too fast. She’d never run like this on two legs before, but her reflexes came to her rescue, causing her to zigzag through the woods without even a branch snagging her top.
When she’d put a few miles between herself and Dayne, she slowed her pace. Time to strategize. Think. The tribe wouldn’t be looking for her; they’d just expect Dayne had her, keeping her safe until it was time for the sacrifice.
She wasn’t sure how long he’d stay unconscious. She might be able to make it past the border and take shelter with a wizard. Unlike sorcerers, wizards could be trusted. Too bad there weren’t any in Cary Town.
Before, she wouldn’t have considered involving a human; it was too risky. But she’d run out of options. At the main road, she hailed a taxi.
“633 Oak Circle.”
The driver gave her an appreciative once-over. Greta smiled, glad she’d remembered her pill. Though the heat would have to be pretty bad for this guy to inspire her lust. He had a scruffy beard and was wearing flannel, for God’s sake. Mother Nature could only take one so far.
“Here we are,” he said unnecessarily when they pulled up to Charlee’s house.
“Thanks. Could you wait while I go get some money?”
“You tryin’ to stiff me, sweetheart?” His voice held a touch of menace and some darker, violent part of Greta itched to do damage. Instead, she took a breath to steady herself.
“Just. Wait.”
“Fine, but if you aren’t out in five minutes, I’m comin’ after you.”
Greta’s eyes glowed golden, and she hissed. She didn’t have time for this crap.
His hands shot up in surrender. “Take all the time you need, baby.”
Greta knocked for a full two minutes before a bleary-eyed Charlee opened the door, her red curly hair askew.
“What’s wrong?”
“I need money for the cab first.”
Charlee went and got her purse. When the taxi rolled away, she asked again.
“I need you to smuggle me out of the city.”
Confusion marred her friend’s face. “Huh? Just drive away.”
“I can’t. I know this is going to sound weird, but you were on board with the cat thing and the sorcerer thing.”
“Didn’t that work out?” Charlee tied the belt around her bathrobe and led Greta inside.
“It was just a way to keep me in a holding cell, so no one in the tribe against this could warn me or help me escape.”
“So tell me again why you can’t just drive out of the city.”
“You know the toll booths on all the major exit roads?”
Charlee nodded.
“Preternatural border guards.”
“Why not just take the back roads? There aren’t any tolls there.”
“There are wards to keep therians from crossing. The toll roads exist because there are exemptions. And some species can pass at will, like vampires. Therians have to have permission to leave and when they do, they go through the toll roads and present paperwork.”
“Why therians?”
Greta sighed. “I can appreciate your
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