Page 65 of Taken By Raider Kings
“Okay.”Brenn’s trembling eased.“Thank God you’re here.I was beginning to get really worried.”
The crowd parted.How could so many people fit into one kitchen?Or did the flood of different scents make them seem bigger, more numerous?
“That’s me,” Sophie said weakly.“Showing up in the nick of time.”Or rather, that’s Zach.He saved my life.
There were rickety wooden stairs.She hung on to Brenn, got a faceful of strong musk plus a terrible deep crimson aroma.It was probably a good thing she was too tired to be afraid, because the red smell reminded her of fists meeting flesh, of screaming, of contorted faces and pain.
It was the invisible, palpable fume of pure rage.
A shape moved on the stairs.Another shaman; Sophie’s nose told her it was a male bear before her eyes deciphered long hair and a strong jaw.The ice-and-silver smell came off him in waves.Unfamiliar relaxation washed through her, and she suddenly understood a whole lot more about this entire thing.
“Good Christ,” the bear-shaman said.“Look at you.You should be in bed.”
“That’s what they keep telling me.”Sophie’s vision struggled to adjust to the darkness.Brenn carried her carefully past the man, letting out a slight hiss as he stumbled on a step, recovering gracefully.
Sophie had a sudden vision of falling down into the cellar and winced inwardly.That would just top everything off.
A loud, low growl rose from the basement’s well, rattling her entire body.She recognized it even as Brenn flinched, almost cowering, his scent curiously masked by the deeper musk.
Another shape loomed in the dimness.It was Cullen; her nose identified him with very little help from her eyes.“Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“Positive,” Sophie lied.“Point me at him.”
“He’s tied.Right over there.”Brenn pointed, and her eyes adjusted a little more.“Against the wall, and?—”
“I see him.”Her heart gave a painful leap, because shedidsee.The long, lean shape, sliding with fur, his eyes flat shining discs.There was a flash of white teeth; the nose lifted, sniffing.
The low thunder of the growl stopped.
Until that moment Sophie hadn’t realized just how loud it had been.The vibration had been running through the house like the rattlerumble of a subway, and the sudden cessation was ominous.
Cullen drifted back toward the stairs, so quietly Sophie barely noticed him moving.
“What do I do?”she whispered.
The furred shape against the wall sniffed again, chuffing lightly.She could see the ropes now—several were broken and messily slopped over with fresh cables.
He must have been struggling for a long while.
“I have no idea,” Brenn whispered back.His pale aroma nearly vanished under the welter of confusing, conflicting auras.“Can you get close to him?I’m…”
He was afraid to get any closer.Sophie summoned every last scrap of strength.“I think I can.”I might fall flat on my face.What will happen then?
“I’d try talking to him first,” Cullen offered.
At the sound of his voice the growl returned, a warning.
“Now stop that,” Sophie said, sharply.
The rumbling died, spiraling slightly up at the end like a question.
She braced herself, pushed away from Brenn, and took two weaving, faltering steps.“Zach?I know it’s you.I’m right here, I’m okay.I kind of need to talk to you.”
No sound.The furred shape drew back on itself, and she thought she saw it shiver.She tacked out over the uneven concrete floor, and the similarity to the wine cellar would have made her shudder if she hadn’t been concentrating so hard tonotfall on her face.
Or more ingloriously, onto her aching behind.
“Zach?”Her voice sounded very small.“I really would like to talk to you.”
