Page 29 of Soulmates
“Shh.” He puts a hand on my shoulder and closes his eyes. “Two in the front, at least one behind us, and”—his brows draw together—“one down the trail a bit.”
“Are any of them your boyfriend?” I don’t even know why I sound so bitchy. It’s not like I’ve got any claim on Salvatore-the-vampire.
His hand falls away. “Shut up.”
Another bullet careens through the broken glass where our front window used to be, slamming into the wall over my head. “Maybe it’s your ex-boyfriend. I don’t know. The one who stopped by earlier.” I guess I get mouthy under pressure.
Trajan doesn’t respond, and I’d say he’s taking the high road, except both of us are kissing the linoleum. Things get quiet outside, so I ease up on my elbows. He jerks me down.
“We’re going to the bedroom.” His voice is hot and hard, and I spout an inappropriate giggle.
“This really isn’t the time, Guido.”
“Shut. Up.” He grabs my arm so hard, I wince. “I’ll open the window, then I want you to shift and run. Keep to the shadows until you hit the trees.”
There’s only about twenty feet of scrubby grass between the house and the forest, so I should be able to get by one guy without too much trouble. Still, that leaves my favorite vampire dealing with three, or maybe four, armed men. If they’re really men. I inhale as much air as my anxiety-twisted chest cavity can hold.
“Elf.” I roll the scents around on my tongue. “And phouka.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll slow them down, then track you.”
Footsteps pound across the front porch, which keeps me from begging him to bring my boots when he runs. Instead, I thrust the shotgun into Trajan’s hands. He hasn’t wandered around much outside, but a couple of times during his death sleep, my wolf scouted the area. “There’s an old shack on top of the ridge behind us, about a quarter mile south of here. Look for me there.”
Someone hammers on the front door. We scramble into the bedroom, and as soon as he gets the window open, I shift. I manage to stifle most of the heat and light, even though it burns like fuck. Anyone outside couldn’t have seen more than the glow from a cell phone, and even then for only a second. I nudge him with my muzzle.
“David…” His voice cracks, like he really cares.
I pause, coiled for the leap that will take me outside.
“Be careful.”
You too.I leap out the window, land lightly in the dirt, and take off.
Normally, my wolf thinks in broad strokes. Run. Fear. Cold. Except tonight. All I can think about is that tiny crack in Trajan’s voice when he said my name.
Oh no, I amnotfalling for a vampire.
My fur is dark gray, almost black, and once I hit the shadows, I’m difficult to see. I keep moving. I smell danger and fear, spread out instead of focused on one spot. I don’t stop, I don’t look back, and I don’t get hit by a bullet.
I don’t even pause when an explosion behind me sends a ball of fire into the sky.Jesus fuck, I hope Trajan got out of there.
After ten minutes’ hard running, I reach the top of the ridge. The night smells like smoke. One of the lookout towers must have seen the flames, because the breeze carries a distant siren.
Fear.
Cold.
Guilt.
I slow to a trot, heading south to the old shack. Why the hell had I run? I should have stayed. Helped.Damn.I slow down further. When I’m the Alpha, I’ll need to give directions, not leave my friends stranded.
I tag that thought for later, when I have the brains to figure things out.
I come to an old cedar, split nearly in two by lightning, the bark scorched and splintered, the dead half flopped over on the ground. I test the air. The shack is near.
And so is the sound of hoofbeats.
I stop in the shadow of the broken tree. Poised. Angry. A large black horse trots up from the direction of our cabin. The wind is behind me, so I can’t catch his scent, but no normal horse would be following a wolf after dark. I’d guess either shifter or phouka. I bare my teeth in a growl that even I can barely hear.
