Page 6 of The Warrior's Captive

The second she was loaded roughly into the backseat with the man she assumed was the leader, and his two henchmen or whatever they were, climbed in the front and slammed the doors shut, she knew she only had herself to rely on. No one was coming for her in time. Her family wouldn’t reach her. She had her body and her wolf, if she could ever remove the chains wrapped around her, and that was it.

There could be no more hope. Only action. Only violence equal to what these beasts exuded. The smell of them permeated the enclosed space. Her nostrils flared with all that powerful stench. It crept into her lungs as a new black cloud, spreading ice cold fear to the heart of her.

The Jeep spun around and was rammed into a gear that ground before the next was found, but then it spun down the dirt path, rocking and swaying, spraying up dirt.

The movement made her head swim. It made her feel sick to her stomach. She nearly gagged again, but that hand still remained over her mouth. She was pressed up tightly against her captor, not because it was necessary any longer, but because he was so huge he took up the entire backseat. There was no room for a body that big to go.

A current of liquid warmth seeped through her, but it came from the pit of her stomach, the bottom of her aching heart, that black abyss she thought would always be there inside her. It spread peace through her limbs and assuaged her fears.

Shock. She had to be going into shock.

This was no time to register any sort of calm or peace or whatever that syrupy warmth was. It wasn’t hope. She was fresh out of that, and she didn’t want to feel it anyway because it was nothing more than a trick and a lie. The warmth was something else entirely, but she gave herself up to it because it was pleasant and she’d rather feel it than the icy shivers of terror clutching at her, making her sick to her stomach.

That animal warmth spread through her like an embrace. She closed her eyes and drifted into it, into the safety of that sensation. It was one of pure trust, love, shelter. At first, she was confused at the musk flooding the cab of the vehicle. She was even more alarmed when she realized it was coming from her own body. It was comforting, that scent, and animal, like one wolf pressing against another in the cold of the winter on a brisk run, their bodies hot and steaming in the dark night. It was raw and earthy, dark and animal.

Oh fuck. Her mom had told her about this…

“What the fuck is that smell?” the giant behind the wheel roared.

The shadow in the passenger seat ripped his head around. Why was he staring at her like that? No, not at her. At the man beside her.“What the fuck, Hades?”

“You’ve betrayed us. He’s played us. This is a trap.”

“Keep driving,” the man surrounding her, Hades, snapped.

“Why does she smell like that?” Shadow demanded. His eyes sliced her into a thousand pieces as they roved frantically back and forth between them.

“It’s a bonding scent,” Giant roared. “He’s tricked us into kidnapping his damn mate. He’s betrayed us.”

Briar May tried to wrench her eyes up into her captor’s face, she briefly caught a glimpse and noticed he seemed fearful, but then he moved like he was the very air. He couldn’t possibly move that fast, especially in that small, confined space, but it happened. He released her, drew one of his axes from behind his back. He smashed out with his opposite fist, catching Shadow under the chin. It was a blow that delivered immediate unconsciousness, and he slumped forward. In less than a blink, he had the axe notched under Giant’s chin.

“Keep driving,” he commanded, pinning him to his seat.

“Fuck. That. You’re going to die for betraying us. That’s a promise, you bastard.” Maybe he was trying to break free, or maybe he was trying to make good on that ominous threat by killing them all, but Giant punched the brakes and wrenched the wheel hard to the right.

The Jeep careened off the dirt road and for a sick instant they were flying. She heard a curse, and then strong arms wrapped around her and tugged her against a chest that was solid steel. He closed himself around her, and in all that confusion and fear and the immediate threat of pain that was coming, she felt more like she’d found her way home. She closed her eyes and leaned into that warmth and strength right before the vehicle came back down on its side with a twisting crunch of metal.

Chapter 3

Briar May

Darkness filled her head, but bright pin pricks of light pierced through it. Her mind was full of mist, her brain as heavy in her skull as her tongue was fuzzy and cumbersome in her mouth. She tried to swallow down the bitter, foul taste, but her throat wouldn’t work. There wasn’t enough moisture in her mouth, or her brain was too foggy to instruct her body to obey. Her temples throbbed, growing worse as she struggled to peel her heavy eyelids open.

“Because of that stunt, our lives are both at risk now. We’re no doubt being hunted by your pack as well as mine. The difference, little wolf, is that my pack are seasoned warriors trained to kill. We have one of the best trackers on our side. At least, we did.” Footsteps. Floorboards groaning. The smell of dust in the air. Beyond that, the scent of fresh air, blue skies, wild grass. “I say on our side, but he’s no longer on mine. He’s against me, and I know that going to the ends of the earth won’t be far enough to escape. I’m going to ask you this and ask you once only. I know you’re awake. Don’t pretend otherwise.”

She forced her eyes open with effort, her head swimming and her stomach lurching. At least she was a shifter and they healed fast. There was a sudden flash of recollection—a crash, being taken somewhere, being drugged. Being held.

Her heart started racing as her eyes took in her surroundings. Old. The room, everything she could see from the dirty old mattress on the floor that she’d been spread out on, was old. Not just old fashioned. Real old. Abandoned old.

“Here.” A plastic water bottle was thunked down right in front of her face. It was only half full and she wondered what the hell else could be in there, but her mouth was so dry she unscrewed the cap and gulped down the contents.

Her eyes travelled warily up the heavy, dusty combat boots, up the black fatigues, to the tightly fitted black t-shirt. She stopped there. She knew who was with her by his scent. Somehow, even though she was aware that the house was near stifling, he still smelled like lemons and herbs. A little like black licorice and dark spices.

She recalled the vicious gleam of his axe heads and shivered.

He nudged her toe. Barefoot. Where were her sandals? She was still in the same blue dress that she loved so much.

“I’m only going to ask you this once,” he repeated. “What was all that about in the Jeep?”

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