ward off her inner chill. Wisps of hair escaped her tight bun, making her wish for a thick wool cap. She hugged herself as Grayson led her to a path into the forest behind the cabin. Their footprints vanished behind them.
“An old spell I cast on the land,” he explained as they crossed the meadow. “My enemies can’t sense my scent or see any marks I’ve made.”
“What enemies? The families of the victims you’ve hunted?”
“My former pack, the ones coming here.” Beneath the terse words lingered a shadow of deep pain. She wondered what happened. Why were they running?
Frosty blades of grass crunched beneath their boots, then magically straightened. It was like watching a film in backwards slo-mo, she thought. If only my life could be the same .
She felt her muscles protest as she walked. Samantha winced. He turned, stopped, looked at her. The blue of his eyes contrasted to the black leather jacket and black cords. Scarlet stained his cheeks from the wind’s sharp bite. She wondered about that. Grayson was a wolf, and unaffected by the cold.
“Are you too sore from last night?”
His calm, steady gaze flustered her. “Nothing I can’t handle. Except you could have bought better underwear.”
A sexy grin touched his mouth. “You don’t like the lace thongs? I bought different colors.”
No amount of charm could douse her anger. Samantha held onto it like a drowning woman. “Where are we going?”
“I have a hideout about six miles ahead. Small, but camouflaged, off the public records. Warded against danger. You’ll be safe there. My magick is powerful.”
They began walking again. “And you? I gather you’re not staying? Going shopping to get an early start on Christmas? Thinking about using your new demon powers to start a forest fire? Maybe go out and conquer the world?”
“Heading back here to confront them.”
Samantha stared at his broad shoulders. “They’re coming here to kill you and you’re taking them on alone? Is this some macho thing?”
His warm breath misted the air as he exhaled deeply. “Reasoning with them. If I challenge Russell and win, the others will listen to me.” His voice was quiet. “I don’t want to hurt him, but they leave me no choice.”
“Why did they kick you out?”
The only response she got was the crunch of undergrowth beneath his boots. Samantha jogged after him. She wanted answers, but sensed he wouldn’t give them easily. “Why can’t you talk to me? Tell me what we’re facing. I hate being in the dark. I have no more demon powers, so what are you afraid of?”
Grayson halted, turned. “I’m afraid of what will happen to you.” He touched her nose, the playfulness of the gesture dimmed by his solemn expression. “I swore to myself I’d take good care of you. I told the Society I’d take good care of you. And that can’t happen until I finally face my pack and get them off my tail, pardon the pun.”
His concern dampened her earlier anger. Or maybe it was the angel goody-goodness nagging her to forgive. “Then let me help you.”
“I’m going to do my job, it’s my duty to take care of matters. I won’t risk you getting hurt.”
As they reached the forest’s edge, he stopped and bent over. Deep, gasping breaths sounded as if he struggled to breathe. Samantha touched his arm.
“Grayson, what’s wrong?”
He straightened, his face an alarming grayish pallor. “Damned coffee must have been too strong. Stomach’s a little off. Stay here. Be right back.”
He jogged into the woods. A minute later, a terrible screeching followed.
Her heart went still at the sound.
Chapter Seven
Must not show weakness, Grayson thought Samantha couldn’t see him like this.
Reaching the covering of thick woods, he doubled over, and then slumped to the ground. Dazed, he tried to regain his composure as a white-hot pain raced through his veins.
What the hell had just happened? It felt like the venom was still inside. Splitting him
“An old spell I cast on the land,” he explained as they crossed the meadow. “My enemies can’t sense my scent or see any marks I’ve made.”
“What enemies? The families of the victims you’ve hunted?”
“My former pack, the ones coming here.” Beneath the terse words lingered a shadow of deep pain. She wondered what happened. Why were they running?
Frosty blades of grass crunched beneath their boots, then magically straightened. It was like watching a film in backwards slo-mo, she thought. If only my life could be the same .
She felt her muscles protest as she walked. Samantha winced. He turned, stopped, looked at her. The blue of his eyes contrasted to the black leather jacket and black cords. Scarlet stained his cheeks from the wind’s sharp bite. She wondered about that. Grayson was a wolf, and unaffected by the cold.
“Are you too sore from last night?”
His calm, steady gaze flustered her. “Nothing I can’t handle. Except you could have bought better underwear.”
A sexy grin touched his mouth. “You don’t like the lace thongs? I bought different colors.”
No amount of charm could douse her anger. Samantha held onto it like a drowning woman. “Where are we going?”
“I have a hideout about six miles ahead. Small, but camouflaged, off the public records. Warded against danger. You’ll be safe there. My magick is powerful.”
They began walking again. “And you? I gather you’re not staying? Going shopping to get an early start on Christmas? Thinking about using your new demon powers to start a forest fire? Maybe go out and conquer the world?”
“Heading back here to confront them.”
Samantha stared at his broad shoulders. “They’re coming here to kill you and you’re taking them on alone? Is this some macho thing?”
His warm breath misted the air as he exhaled deeply. “Reasoning with them. If I challenge Russell and win, the others will listen to me.” His voice was quiet. “I don’t want to hurt him, but they leave me no choice.”
“Why did they kick you out?”
The only response she got was the crunch of undergrowth beneath his boots. Samantha jogged after him. She wanted answers, but sensed he wouldn’t give them easily. “Why can’t you talk to me? Tell me what we’re facing. I hate being in the dark. I have no more demon powers, so what are you afraid of?”
Grayson halted, turned. “I’m afraid of what will happen to you.” He touched her nose, the playfulness of the gesture dimmed by his solemn expression. “I swore to myself I’d take good care of you. I told the Society I’d take good care of you. And that can’t happen until I finally face my pack and get them off my tail, pardon the pun.”
His concern dampened her earlier anger. Or maybe it was the angel goody-goodness nagging her to forgive. “Then let me help you.”
“I’m going to do my job, it’s my duty to take care of matters. I won’t risk you getting hurt.”
As they reached the forest’s edge, he stopped and bent over. Deep, gasping breaths sounded as if he struggled to breathe. Samantha touched his arm.
“Grayson, what’s wrong?”
He straightened, his face an alarming grayish pallor. “Damned coffee must have been too strong. Stomach’s a little off. Stay here. Be right back.”
He jogged into the woods. A minute later, a terrible screeching followed.
Her heart went still at the sound.
Chapter Seven
Must not show weakness, Grayson thought Samantha couldn’t see him like this.
Reaching the covering of thick woods, he doubled over, and then slumped to the ground. Dazed, he tried to regain his composure as a white-hot pain raced through his veins.
What the hell had just happened? It felt like the venom was still inside. Splitting him
Similar Books
