Page 21 of The Dark Rising
I nod. “We have to be quick and take the opportunity. We can’t risk being seen before we have even gotten close to the Alpha home.” Josh ignores me.
“Are you sure that’s where Sarah will be?” Anna asks, and I look over at her.
“I hope she isn’t, but I know Patrick, he will have her there.” I try not to shiver at the thought but fail. Josh growls low, but I don’t look at him. I don’t want to see the look on his face, it would break me. “Are you all sure you want to be here, the risk is high.”
“Sarah is pack, and we will get them all back, no matter how long it takes,” Sebastian snarls, and I could hug him for his loyalty.
He’s right, we will get them back, I won’t stop until they are all safe with us back at Witches Rest and until we find a new home and start again.
I have no idea where we will go, but I’m sure we will find somewhere. Eridian isn’t an option anymore, but there has to be a safe place for us to live. We can’t stay with the witches forever.
“I can try and scry when we get to the top of the hill, but it won’t be a powerful one. Other witches may pick up on the power surge otherwise, and send a direct link to the Highers’s witches.”
We don’t want that. “If you can be subtle about it, I don’t see why you can’t—“
A howl behind us cuts me off, and we all quiet down, ducking low in the long grass. Then another howl joins the first, until there is a chorus of them ringing in my ears, their sound sending chills down my spine.“Rogures?”I ask Josh through the link.
“Fuck, sounds like it,”he hisses, and I try to hide my surprise that he has spoken to me.
Shit, not good. They might run through here and find us. I point to the hill and Josh nods, putting his anger behind him for a moment and taps the others to get their attention. We start shuffling forward slowly, our heads low as we aim for the hill. If we can hide from the rogures, we can continue on with the plan. The other problem is that if the Aragnis pack also heard the howls, they will be coming in our direction to take them out.
Gods, what if there is a horde of them? Do we stay and help or port out of here? There are still innocents in that pack.
I’ve not taken seven more steps before I feel it.
Power.
Heady, strong, and accompanied by a scent I know too well. My eyes go wide as I stop in my tracks, my head turning behind me while my heart pounds within my chest. Runa sits up, her eyes alert to the newcomers.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
“Go to the hill, I’ll stay back and distract them if I need to,”I say frantically to Josh. “They might not sense us here after taking Belldame’s potion to mask our scent, but he’s strong. You all need to get to the hill and stake-out as planned.”Josh’s eyes flicker for a moment, and I growl at him down the link. Now he chooses to care?“This isn’t about me, it’s about Sarah, and if he finds us, we’re completely fucked and have no chance. It’s me that has a target on my back. Just go, quickly for fuck’s sake.”
What are they even doing here?
I watch as Josh and the others move forward, Colten giving me a nervous look before he disappears through the tall blades of grass like the others. I take a deep breath and gently open my senses, keeping my dominance and power locked low to not give away my presence.
I listen intently, hearing feet shuffle, and then someone coughs, then gags. “Fucking Gods, I didn’t know I would be deep-throating grass,” Damian splutters. They must have ported in.
Leo laughs. “Get some practice in, I’ve seen the way you look at my ass sometimes.”
“The fuck I do, the only interest I have in your ass is kicking it,” Damian snarls and then the sound of flesh hitting flesh reaches me.
A low growl surrounds me, sounding like it’s right next to me and my heart rate speeds up.Darius. “Will you two fucking stop it, let’s hurry up and get rid of the rogures and leave.” I shiver at the sound of his voice, the deep cadence of it, my heart and mind warring within me in his presence.
It has been so long since I’ve heard it, since he spoke those words full of anger and coldness.
My hands press into the earth as Runa rallies inside of me, snarling and growling at the sounds of his voice.
At least I’m not the only one pissed at him. Hurt.
“It shouldn’t take long,” Zaide grunts, and I hear them moving from somewhere behind me, coming closer.
Too close. Gods.
I turn, facing their direction blindly, and looking at the stalks in front of me. They’re heading straight for us, and there is no way they won’t find me and then the others.
How can I be so unlucky, do the Gods really hate me?
