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pack.
 There s peanut butter and crackers in the front pocket.
Think you can make your aunt and yourself a snack?
 Yep.
 Good, then get to it. We re not going to be here long.
Rachel got off the bike. The muscles in her legs were stiff
and she could barely walk.
Curran chuckled.  Feels a bit like you re still riding, doesn t
it?
 Yes.
 Going down will be tougher than going up.
Naturally. Nothing could go easy. Rachel looked down the
mountain. They were above the tree line.
The path was steep and strewn with rocks. She couldn t
see what happened to the trail once it disappeared into the
trees, but she had a fair idea she could add mud to the list
of obstacles. The thought of taking the bike down there
scared the crap out of her.
 Maybe I should just walk mine down.
 Not an option. He pointed to the right.  See that valley
over there?
 Yes.
 That s the Carmichael strength stronghold. Sound carries
up here. Someone will come investigating who s riding
motorcycles up here.
The Carmichaels.  The rogues mentioned something about
them.
Curran unscrewed the cap to the gas tank and poured the
gas in.  I bet.
 I don t think they re in cahoots.
Curran looked up.  What makes you say that?
 From what they said, I got the impression they don t have
loyalty to either side.
Cur screwed the cap back on with an outward impression
of nonchalance, but she could feel the tension within him.
 Be specific.
She couldn t. As hard as she tried to remember what she d
heard that night, all she remembered clearly was panic over
Curran s state.
 It s important.
 I know. She closed her eyes, trying to remember the
words spoken.  I remember hearing you fall down. The first
couple men coming in made comments about you being
drunk. Someone made a comment about leaving the mixes
to Haven. Someone else mentioned about letting the
Carmichaels take care of Haven. There were comments
about the Carmichaels being a traditional pack. About
them cooperating long enough.
 Long enough for what?
 I don t know. She opened her eyes.  They didn t say.
 You sure?
She closed her eyes again, trying to remember. The
blackness at the edges of her vision began to blur to a
gray. A vision. Oh, God, she didn t need a vision now, here.
But as usual it didn t matter what she needed. The visions
came when they did, taking over, ruining her life. Josiah s
hands slid into hers. Reality blurred away as the dream
spread from the center of her mind s eye outward.
 It s okay, Aunt Rachel. I ve got you.
The vision grew stronger. Bodies formed in the mist, hazing
her mind. She squeezed Josiah s hand.
Holding her hand was something he d done since the time
he d overheard her confessing to Sarah Anne that the
visions scared her.
 What s going on? Cur asked.
She shook her head. The words couldn t get past the power
of the vision.
 She s having a vision.
 What the hell?
A distant part of her mind recognized Cur s shock. Her
world diminished until she was standing in a meadow
looking through the transparent walls of a shack. Inside
stood three men. Two she couldn t see; one she could. The
one she could see was very scary. There was no doubt he
was wolf. No doubt he was ancient. His face was horribly
scarred. His eyes were cold and held the promise of death.
She could sense he was facing enemies but he wasn t
afraid. Resolute. He was resolute. He knew what he was
doing. He knew it wasn t going to make anyone happy, but
he was doing it anyway. The wall shimmered and solidified
until she couldn t see any more inside the cabin. She heard
a door open, the scuffle of feet. She heard Cur s snarl and
then a cry of  traitor. The fog wavered. A gun cocked. She
could feel the threat. Someone was going to die. She
screamed, in her mind grabbing for the gun. Not Curran.
Not her Curran.
 Goddammit, Rachel. Come out of it.
The mist wavered and dissipated. Rachel blinked. When
she opened her eyes, all she could see was leaves backlit
by sun with specks of blue sky in between.
The sun was blocked and then all she could see was
Curran s face. A dream. It was just a dream.
The scent of blood spiced the afternoon air. Beads of
sweat dripped down her brow. The world shook again.
 Rachel, look at me.
The world wasn t shaking. Curran was shaking her. She
moaned, remembering the gun blast.
Curran shook Rachel again. Her skin was pasty white. Her
claws gouged his arms, but she was with him. And she
wasn t screaming. He didn t think he d ever get the sound
of her scream out of his mind.
She was having a vision, Josiah had said. She was a witch.
A witch in the eyes of all werewolves was evil. Fine. He
looked into her face, her terrified gaze, and he didn t care.
He pulled her into his embrace, holding her face into the
curve of his throat, rocking her.  It s all right, Rachel. It s all
right.
 The traitor got you.
 What traitor?
 The ancient with a scarred face. He betrayed you.
He knew only one werewolf that fit that description. Daire.
The mercenary with no allegiance to anyone. One of
Haven s Protectors.
Eleven
 YOU RE sure she s talking about Daire?
Cur glared at Donovan.  As sure as I am that I gave you that
black eye.
Donovan bared his teeth.  One lucky shot does not a threat
make.
 And suspicion doesn t make for conviction, Cur snapped
back.
Kelon yanked Cur s handcuffed wrists up behind his back. If
they had been regular human cuffs, he d have broken them.
 Until Wyatt gets back, it s what we ve got.
Cur snarled. And jerked on his arms. The sons of bitches
had taken Rachel from him the minute they d arrived. He d
fought, but they d had the advantage. He hadn t seen the
assault coming. He was pack. Pack didn t turn on pack.
Kelon just increased his grip.
 Settle down while we sort this out.
 There s nothing to be sorted. Rachel is my mate. She
wears my mark. By pack law, you have no right to hold her.
 And in ordinary times, we d concede that.
 But these aren t ordinary times.
Pain ground through his shoulder as Kelon wrenched his
arm higher. He snarled at him over his shoulder. It d taken
both Donovan and Kelon to get the cuffs on him. He would
kill them both when they took them off.  Fuck you both.
Donovan shook his head.  No, thanks. Now, focus.
He smiled coldly. He d told Garrett it was a mistake to
strive for more than they were. No pack would accept
mixed-bloods. Here was the proof.  Uncuff me.
 Not until you get that temper under control.
 I m in perfect control. For a man whose mate had been
taken into custody. For a man whose mate believed he d
betrayed her. For a man who d thought he could trust pack.
 Good. Then tell me what you know.
 Where s Garrett?
 Busy.
Movement outside the window caught his eye. Garrett
stood across the street, leaning against a post, a smile on
his face. No one who saw that smile thought he was up to
any good. Cur knew the instant Kelon saw what he did. The
werewolf stiffened.
 Shit.
Donovan came over.  What?
Kelon motioned to the window.  Looks like we have
dissension in the troops.
Garrett touched his hand to his hat. As a gesture of respect
it was lacking. A crook of his finger summoned someone
over. Cur burst into laughter as Rachel came into view.
Garrett had busted her out. Another crook of his finger and
four more women joined Garrett.
 Hell, I d say we ve got a full-out rebellion.
Two of the women broke ranks. They had similar looks,
similar builds and similar frowns. They headed for the front
door.
 Your mates? Cur asked, his anger at last having an outlet.
Kelon glared at him.  Yes. And if you ve upset mine, I ll cut
off your balls.
 I m sure she s no more upset than mine.
Kelon frowned as the front door slammed.
 Kelon!
 Donovan! What did you do to Rachel? [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]