Page 31 of Rhaz's Redemption
I wouldn’t let him touch Beatrice. It would be over my dead body that he’d even get close to her and I was a hard person to kill.
“Your mountain? You own nothing,” he snarled with disgust. “You all are monsters, unworthy of the air you breathe.”
“You, go back into the forest and listen for my signal,” he pointed to Gil. “I’ll call for you when I need you.”
The muscular hunter looked troubled but he did as Dameron commanded and walked into the dense forest until he couldn’t be seen through the trees.
“I need you on your feet,” my sire untied the ropes holding my ankles together and helped me up.
“What do you plan to do with me?” I asked.
“I plan to use you as bait.” His smug expression made my heart sink. He’d thought of everything and there was very little I could do to stop him.
Chapter 15
Beatrice
2 weeks later/present day
My legs were growing tired as I followed Zander through the thick forest. I thought he might take one of the more worn down trails, but instead he followed what seemed to be a path known only to him. I’d spent the past few hours pushing past bushes, walking over fallen logs, and keeping an eye out for any predators. I did all this while also trying to remain as quiet as possible. I knew the sirret sense of hearing was superior to humans but I didn’t knowhowmuch better or how far the hearing went.
Despite my fatigue, I kept walking under the light of the moons. We walked and walked until my tired, sore legs finally got the better of me and I tripped over a log that had been covered with leaves.
I cursed under my breath and stood up again quietly, but quickly. I couldn’t lose sight of Zander. Without him leading the way, I’d be screwed.
Unfortunately, it seems like that was exactly what had happened. I looked ahead of me through the trees where I’d last seen the tall Sirret male, but he was nowhere to be found.
My heart raced in my chest as I looked all around me trying to catch even the slightest glimpse of Zander.
“Are you alright?”
A deep voice came from beside me and I was so startled by it, I fell on my ass all over again.
Zander stepped into the light with a smug smile on his face and offered me his hand.
“You don’t have to walk so far behind me, you know? I could hear you panting for miles.”
“What?” My mouth hung open at this new revelation. “How long have you known I was there?”
“I heard you following me shortly after I left the clearing,” he remarked as if my following him deep into the woods was no big deal.
I took his hand and stood back up. “You knew I was there the entire time?! Why didn’t you send me back?”
Zander shrugged his shoulders. “I wanted an excuse to go back to your dekes, and now, after I check on my sister and Rhaz, I won’t have any choice but to help you back to the mountain.”
My jaw hung open again. He’d let me follow him so he could have an excuse to go back.
I straightened my shoulders and eyed him suspiciously. “What is it you like about my dekes so much?” I had a feeling I already knew the answer, but I wanted to see what he’d say.
“I uh,” he looked around at our surroundings as if a tree might whisper something helpful in his ear. “Tarak. Tarak is a good Savrix.”
“Uh huh. So it’s just Tarak’s leadership that has you wanting to come back? No one else?” I raised an eyebrow up at him. He hadn’t been able to take his eyes off Fatima the entireafternoon. Every time she entered the room or even walked by him he’d suddenly stop talking or paying attention to whomever he was with and stare. It was as if her mere presence made his brain short circuit entirely.
“Do I need another reason?” He shot back.
“No,” I admitted. I liked Zander so far, but I still didn’t know him well enough to approve of this crush he had on my best friend.
“There’s a cave up ahead. We can bed down there for the night,” he quickly shifted topics to our sleeping arrangements.
