CHAPTER SEVEN
Jake Kismet didn’t sign up for this, but he was already here, and there was no backing out now. He looked down at the body that was crumpled on the ground so carelessly—the one he was kneeling in front of and was very much still alive, though unconscious.
He couldn’t be mistaken that this was Lucy Marlow. He recalled her in pictures, what’s with her prominent wealth and status as one of those high-society heiresses who always made a splash in magazines and tabloids. He supposed it came with the territory, but he couldn’t figure out how one could live a peaceful life with all that fuss. Personally, if he were filthy rich, he would prefer living in the mountains and the forests and never have to deal with any other person ever again.
But he was broke, and he needed money and needed to get his shit together…so here he was.
He’d kept his hand on her pulse since he found her, surprised to find it steady and warm. Actually, her whole body was warm, reminding him again that despite the heiress status she had, she was just like him on another level: a wolf beneath the human façade. Worry furrowed his brows as he wondered how long she’d been unconscious and who did this to her.
He shook the worry off, deciding it wasn’t going to help at the moment. He then looked around at his surroundings.
It was a maze that much was sure. He and Lucy were right in the middle of it, where there was a courtyard with a huge stone fountain in the middle and entrance points branching out everywhere—a circular maze. He recalled his words to Simon just before their line got cut off. He wasn’t kidding when he said he didn’t know where he was because the last thing he remembered was him running towards the back when he saw a blur of movement and heard some men talking. He had intended to check it out so he could report whatever was going on.
Instead, he found himself running into a white light, then…nothing. He was suddenly here, in this damn courtyard, with Lucy and no idea how to get out.
His senses told him they were alone, but instinct screamed that it wouldn’t be for long. Not wanting to waste time, he carried Lucy away from the open area and into one of the maze entrances, where he settled her on his lap.
After a few minutes, he finally felt her move, a soft sigh escaping from her lips. It was like watching someone wake up from a long slumber, with the way she unconsciously stretched her limbs and muscles before her lashes finally fluttered.
She opened her eyes, showing him golden irises that had his breath freezing for a little bit. They were sleepy and confused for a few seconds before they finally focused on him—then, she became aware of what position she was in.
In a flash, she was pushing him away and scrambling out of his lap, her eyes widening as she stared at him.
“What were you trying to do with me?”
Jake didn’t like the accusing tone in her voice one bit, despite its huskiness being the sexiest thing he’d ever heard. But he took the calm route, shrugging his broad shoulders almost lazily. “Nothing. Trying to rescue you, for one. Do you have any idea how you got in this maze?”
She looked around the moment he said maze, quietly absorbing her surroundings. Then she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin, the huskiness in her voice disappearing to be replaced by a polished, cool tone. Despite her wrinkled white dress and slightly messy blonde hair, she looked like a damn queen about to order him around.
And that was exactly what she did.
“Thank you for the rescue, then. Are you with someone? Did my father send you? Find us a way out of here quickly, please.”
Slowly, Jake unfolded his body, stood up, and stared her down. “You’re welcome; I’m with two other people, Dylan Masters sent me, and yes…as soon as I figure out where here is.”
“Then contact your companions.”
“I can’t contact them, either. We’ve been cut off. I think this maze is some kind of prison.”
Any normal woman would have panicked—well, except Robin, who was strange—but Lucy did the exact opposite. She straightened further, nodding almost determinedly.
“Then let’s find a way out of here.”
She didn’t have to tell him twice.
Lucy led the way, and Jake had no choice but to follow as he stared at her back. Part of him wanted to shift to his wolf form, but the hedges were so tall that he didn’t think even he could jump that high. So they kept walking, keeping up with the trial and error and trying to memorize the paths they used.
Then shock filled Lucy’s expression, ruining her placid face as she stopped. Jake stopped a few inches behind her, staring at the scene she was looking at.
It was the courtyard from earlier.
Jake cursed under his breath, and Lucy jumped at the sound of his voice. Then his head snapped up when something else caught his senses—a growling sound from the other end of the maze.
His hand automatically went to Lucy’s wrist, pulling her away. But she was faster than he was, already running away with a speed that surprised him. She ditched her heels and went barefoot, and he only had a second to admire her hidden tenacity before the ground quaked and something blurred in front of them.
Then all hell broke loose as the growl became a roar, and a monster bigger and more terrifying than them charged into a run towards them.
It was brown and built like a tree—except it wasn’t a tree because it had glowing back orbs for eyes and black teeth sharper than any shifter’s. Hell, sharper than vampires. It reached out its branch-like hands towards them, and Jake yanked Lucy back just as the creature swiped at the area she was in.
Then they were both running in the opposite direction.
It followed them. They were way faster and quieter, which gave them the advantage as they lost it for a while. Seconds turned to minutes until they found themselves running in circles again, with the monster far behind them and the growling noises turning faint.
Tired of running and impatient to do something useful, Jake pulled Lucy’s arm to slow her down. Then he backed them into one of the mazes, the soft hedge pillowing them as they squeezed in.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Something,” he muttered. Then he hollered. “Hey, idiot! Come get us!”
He kept shouting until the growling followed, ignoring Lucy’s protests and strength as she pushed against him. He pushed back and kept still, waiting until the growling steadily got louder. Then the blur appeared again. Jake quietly reached for the knife in his boots, murmuring to Lucy to stay still for at least a minute or two.
Then he jumped just as the first branch-like limb appeared on his path.
In swift movements, Jake was already on the creature’s head, straddling it and avoiding its teeth. In the same swiftness, he swiped in a blur, hacking and hacking until blood poured out of the monster. So it did bleed. It staggered on its feet and tried to get him off, but Jake was stubborn and clung on like a leech, never letting go until he felt the creature stagger, then sway. Then it fell to the ground with a loud thud, and Jake jumped off just in time and landed on his feet beside it.
He was sweating and out of breath, but at least the creature was dead. Lucy got out of her cover and approached him, her eyes widening as she stared at it.
Jake smirked, pretty proud of himself. “See? I could totally handle it—”
“Get back!” she shouted, yanking him forward. Jake turned at what she was looking at and found the monster was gone, slowly evaporating into the air, replaced by gray smoke. A puff got into his nostrils, and immediately he felt dizzy as hell. He cursed again.
“Come on,” Lucy said softly.
Her voice did something to him—or maybe it was just the smoke. He felt himself harden, something inside him stirring and yelling at him to take her right here and now. He fought it.
Unperturbed and unaware, Lucy kept dragging him out of there and back into the maze that just kept getting stranger and stranger.