Chapter Thirty-Five
The pounding of Peder’s heart filled his head. Soft soil squished between his clawed toes as he led the others deeper into the forest. The run had been longer than he’d wished. Every stride sent a new wave of muscle spasms along his back. He glanced over his shoulder to check on Kele.
She panted with exertion and he was stunned that she struggled to keep pace. The last time they had run through these woods together to save Susan, he’d had difficulty making it back to Apisi lands. Granted, he had run all the way to Benic’s castle first.
He smirked. “We need to not make a habit of these types of runs.”
Her folded ears twitched in annoyance. “You’re injured and can still outrun me. How is that possible?”
Peder slowed until he stopped, giving her a chance to catch her breath.
Ahote brought up the rear. “Why are we stopping? I can smell horse close by.” The hunter didn’t even look winded, but he hadn’t been beaten and starved for days.
“Give her some water.” Peder pointed to the water skin on his back. “I’ll double back a little ways and check.”
Before he left, Ahote grabbed his upper arm. “Take a drink first.”
He gulped a few mouthfuls and handed the water skin to Kele. “I won’t be long.” He hated seeing her like this. They were so close to home. He’d never let them take her away from her pack again. He’d die first.
It didn’t take long before the scent of horse drifted to him on the wind. Only vampires rode those beasts. He couldn’t smell any shifters with them. That was good. He didn’t want to fight his own kind. Not after the last few days of senseless killing. He would if he had to. The wind didn’t blow hard and they were only a few hundred strides into the forest.
The vampires were close.
Peder returned to Kele and Ahote using the hunting skills Sorin had drilled into him. Stay close to ground, watch where he placed his feet, and for Goddess’s sake, act like he was part of the land. Peder found them where he’d left them. “We’ll head west from here.”
Ahote shook his head. “The forest gets thick that way. It will make it harder to run.”
“Exactly. They won’t be able to use their horses. The thick underbrush will give us cover until we reach the Temple.”
Ahote eyed him. “You’re different.”
“Let’s go.” Peder rested his hand on Ahote’s shoulder.
The dark hunter glanced at where he’d been touched. Omegas didn’t touch hunters uninvited, not unless they wanted a beating. “Yeah, we’ll talk about this later.”
Peder chuckled under his breath. Ahote could talk to him all he wanted, but Peder would probably be dead anyway. He led them into the thicker part of the forest. Keeping his nose close the ground, he smelled for the neutral scent of Temple land. He didn’t want to compound their problems by accidently crossing into Yaundeeshaw territory.
His chest tightened. It wasn’t time to mourn Nahuel, but somehow he’d get word to the dead hunter’s pack of his passing.
The nicker of horses pricked his ears. The slavers were even closer than he’d assessed. Damn. He motioned for Kele to stay next to him and directed everyone to follow him into the sea of ferns that flowed with the spring breezes. The leaves would weave in their passing but would appear as wind blowing.
Ahote crept to the right of them. “At least this plan doesn’t involve skunks.”
“Yet.”
The dark hunter’s ears flattened to his skull at the joke. He’d never forgive Peder for that.
On four legs, they made good time.
In the distance, Peder heard the vampires talking. “The ground’s too unstable for the horses. We’ll have to go by foot from here,” one of them said.
“Are you mad? They can be waiting for us in there. I know where they’re heading.”
He couldn’t move. That voice! He recognized it.
Shift for me. Huan had said that to him before setting the brand to his hand. His voice was like a brand in his memory.
Kele crept next to him. Her eyes narrowed and her claws extended for a kill.
They couldn’t indulge in revenge. Not here, not now. Inside the Temple, they’d have the higher ground and the doorway was narrow enough to force them to enter two at a time. The space was close so blow darts would be hazardous to use. He grabbed her hand and shook his head.
Her eyes blazed and her claws dug into his flesh but didn’t draw blood. The scent would be a beacon to the vampires.
He didn’t have the time or patience for her vengeful nature. He squeezed back but harder.
She blinked and bared her teeth at him.
Ahote reached out and cuffed them both on the ears.
The pain snapped Kele out of her rage. She released his hand and nodded for him to continue leading the way.
He breathed a sigh of relief and rose to his feet. So Huan knew where they were heading. It made no sense to hide anymore. It was now a race to the Temple. “They’re not following. We need to make better time than the horses. Let’s run.”
Without waiting for a reply, he took off at full speed over branch and bush. This was his idea so he should be the one to fall if it failed.
The sounds of snapping twigs followed him. He glanced over his shoulder and saw them both behind him. Ahote could have easily overtaken his pace, yet he stayed alongside Kele. Peder’s chest swelled at the hunter treating him as an equal. More than an equal.
Once they dealt with the slavers, he and Kele could finally figure out what was between them. He knew his heart. He loved her. But their pack situations caused so much turmoil. How could such different shifters fall in love? He wasn’t so different anymore.
The underbrush grew more spaced out and he battled fewer ferns and bushes to run. In the distance, the Temple came into view between the tree trunks. Its stone walls were covered in fresh spring vines. Buds sprouted all over but none had bloomed yet. He lifted his ears to catch any sound of hooves and heard only the quiet of the forest. A familiar faint scent caught his attention.
Apisi?
Was that left over from their visit? Had it only been days ago? It felt like so much longer, almost a lifetime since Susan had made her strange measurements with a rope. He scanned the area but didn’t spot anyone. That didn’t mean anything. He had been running too fast to track properly and his packmates could be hiding on purpose. Peder knew he would be if a bunch of foul-smelling, beaten-up shifters came charging into the area.
They needed to reach the Temple before the vampires, though. It was their only chance to take the slavers. If they kept running to either Apisi or Payami lands, the vampires would follow and who knows how many more slavers they’d return with or if Benic could defend them against their numbers. This had to end today. For all their sakes.
He took the stairs to the Temple two at a time and collapsed next to the altar to catch his breath. His lungs heaved so hard they ached. How long had it been since he’d felt no pain?
Kele stumbled inside and lay on her back in the middle of the floor with Ahote not moments behind her.
The hunter crouched close to the doorway, panting, and tossed her the water skin. “You drive a hard pace, Peder.”
He did, but for a good reason.
The sounds of horses approaching perked all of their ears.
They’d made it here before the slavers but without much time to recover. The vampires would be fresh from riding while they were exhausted from the sprint. He crept to the doorway next to Ahote to peek outside, but nothing stirred.
Kele spoke a prayer to their goddess.
Ahote rolled his eyes. “I doubt she’s listening.”
Peder cuffed him. “Be respectful even if you don’t believe. She has enough faith for your whole pack.”
Ahote blinked at him as if he’d grown three heads. “Are you out of your mind, hitting me like that?”
He bared his teeth at the hunter and shoved his face against Ahote’s. “We don’t have time for this shit. If you follow me then you submit to my dominance.”
He growled. “You’re not Payami.”
“Sorin’s not Payami either, but you didn’t have a problem with that when he led us into Benic’s castle.”
“He could beat me to a pulp.”
Peder snorted. “And you doubt that I can? Who do you think has been training me?”
Ahote blinked again.
“I was raised Apisi, by the worst alpha known to the tribe. Try to remember that.” He shoved Ahote away before he did something stupid like snap the other hunter’s muzzle shut with his teeth.
Kele carried the water skin to Peder. “I saved you some.” She caressed his ear with her fingertips. “Forgive Ahote. He wasn’t the smartest pup in the litter.”
The hunter snapped playfully at Kele. “But always the cutest.” He rose to his feet and stretched.
Something whistled by Peder’s ear.
Ahote slapped at his thigh. “What the…?”
Peder dived, tackling Ahote to the ground as other darts flew into the Temple.
Kele was already on her stomach and against the wall.
Another dart landed on the floor by his hand. He pushed Ahote farther into the ruins of the building. “Let’s lay you down before you faint.”
The hunter gave him a disbelieving look. “It must have just grazed me. I feel fine.”
He pulled his hand off his thigh and found it empty. No dart in his flesh. Could they be so fortunate? He glanced at Kele. Or was it divine intervention? Either way, he was happy to have Ahote awake and ready to fight. He slapped him on the shoulder. “Stay quiet,” he whispered. “We’ll try to lure them inside by letting them think we’re unconscious.” On his belly, he crept closer to door, doing his best not to click his claws against the stone. All his time staying quiet and creeping around the den as a young male was finally paying off.
Footfalls on the steps outside reached his ears. They were soft and careful, as if the person expected them to charge out the doorway. He wanted to kill Huan himself. Any person who hurt Peder and his would perish from this day forward. The meek Peder whom Kele had fallen in love with had died in that pit, but he still wasn’t sure what had been born in his place.
Whoever was approaching the entrance must be expendable. Peder couldn’t imagine Huan being brave enough to lead his comrades in here. He glanced at Ahote, who crouched in position ready to spring at a moment’s notice, and pointed at the doorway.
Ahote nodded.
Kele was on all fours on the other side of the entrance. Her claws were extended and her limbs trembled. Not in fear though. He’d smell that. It was anticipation. She gave him a fierce grin. He imagined she was picturing Huan’s dead body at her feet.
They would end this just as they had begun—together.