Chapter Eight #2
It would be easy to end this here and now.
If he was a different kind of man, he would, but Cyrus had never stooped to murder.
Oh, he’d killed men who trafficked in guns, drugs, and women, never feeling an ounce of remorse.
Wilkes was a bastard, no doubt about it, and had stepped over the line by tracking Vinnie, but he could be following orders from the sheriff. There was no way to know for sure.
There would be a confrontation between them. It just wouldn’t be today. He’d planted the tracker about a mile to the north over rough terrain. It would keep the deputy busy and out of their way. Fur pushed against his skin, his wolf agitated at being so far away from Vinnie and Adam.
After waiting long enough to be certain Wilkes was taking the bait, Cyrus hurried to catch up with the newest members of his pack.
Whether they’d admit it or not, they were his to protect and care for.
They were moving fast, just not fast enough.
The sun was at its peak. A sense of urgency built inside him, and he picked up his pace.
When he caught up with them, Adam shoved his mother behind him, much to her chagrin. She had her weapon drawn and pointed straight at Cyrus. Werewolves were damn hard to kill but a heart or head shot could be lethal. She slowly lowered the gun and Adam rose from his fighting crouch.
“Oh, it’s you.” Vinnie holstered the weapon and blew a lock of hair out of her eyes. “Where’s Wilkes?”
“Somewhere higher up and headed in the opposite direction.”
The grin she shot him went straight to his groin. “I’d love to see his face when he discovers the tracker but not us.”
“He’s no longer an immediate threat.” He glanced up at the sky. “But we’re moving too slowly.” Vinnie wasn’t going to like his suggestion, but there was no other way. “Adam and I can move fast.”
“I’m not leaving my mom.” Arms crossed over his chest and thrust out his chin, the picture of defiance.
Ignoring the challenge, because that’s what it was, he looked at Vinnie. “If I carry you, we can get down in less than half the time.” That might give them the breathing room they needed.
“You can’t carry me and run at the same time. I can keep up.”
“No, you can’t.” There wasn’t time to placate her.
“That’s not a slur against you, but the unvarnished truth.
Like it or not, Adam and I are different.
I can carry you for hours and not break a sweat.
” Maybe it was a slight exaggeration, but not by much.
When it looked as though she might protest again, he played the one card that trumped all others.
“We need to get somewhere safe, for Adam’s sake. ”
“Shit!” Vinnie spun around and stalked off but didn’t go far. Adam shot her a worried glance before glaring at Cyrus. When she marched back, her jaw was rigid, but she nodded. “Fine. How do we do this?”
Stomping down even a hint of triumph, because he wasn’t stupid, he slipped off his knapsack, turned his back to her and bent down. “Climb on.”
“This is ridiculous,” she muttered. But she wrapped her arms under his, gave a small jump, and twined her legs around his waist. Straightening, Cyrus hooked his arms beneath her thighs and settled her more securely against him.
“Adam, you’ll have to take my knapsack.” He couldn’t carry both it and Vinnie on his back.
“Got it.” He slung the second bag over his shoulder.
“Hold on tight,” Cyrus told her. “Adam, tell me if you’re having trouble keeping up.”
The boy scowled but nodded.
Cyrus took a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”
The next couple of hours, he set a punishing pace, each beat of his heart another stroke forward in a countdown clock.
Adam was panting heavily but managing to keep up.
Vinnie was holding on for dear life, her body jostling with every step he made.
She was going to be sore tomorrow, but there was no help for it.
“I need a break,” she whispered, her breath hot in his ear. It had to be bad for her to actually ask.
“We’re almost there. Can you hang on a bit longer?” By his calculation they were about a half hour from their destination. Once they reached his SUV, she could rest all she needed.
Her arms tightened around his neck and she nodded. “I can make it.”
Once he got her back to the mountain, he planned to take excellent care of her. Until then, he had to continue to push her beyond her limits. Adam had, of course, overheard their conversation, and his face was grim. Cyrus shook his head when he opened his mouth to speak.
He kept up the brutal speed, finally stopping about twenty feet from the parking lot where they’d started.
Adam bent over at his waist, rested his hands on his knees, and sucked in air.
Cyrus released Vinnie and helped her slide off his back.
After being in one position for so long, her limbs were cramped and unsteady.
She’d have fallen on her ass if he hadn’t held her upright.
Groaning, she tried to straighten. He helped her slip the pack off her back. “I feel a hundred years old, and you did all the running.”
“You’ve been flexing both your arm and leg muscles the entire time to maintain your balance.
” When he was sure she wouldn’t fall, he released her.
“Stay here, I’m going to check the parking lot.
” When they both nodded, he worked his way to the edge of the tree line and scanned the parking area. His SUV was where he’d left it.
When he was certain there was no one around, he circled the vehicle, looking for signs of tampering. Dirt had been scuffed by one tire. In itself, nothing serious, but his nose caught a familiar scent.
“Let’s see what you’ve been up to, Deputy Wilkes.” It took all of five seconds to discover the tracking device stuck to the undercarriage. By the time he was done, he’d found a second.
It took no time to ascertain which truck belonged to the deputy. Cyrus used the tail of his shirt to wipe his fingerprints off both trackers and stick them to the undercarriage. He could only imagine Wilkes’s face when he realized he’d been outsmarted.
Leaving the doors to his SUV unlocked, Cyrus started to head back to get Vinnie and their son, but they appeared from behind a couple of trees. Rather than call them out for disobeying orders, he waved them forward. “Hurry.”
He grabbed all their bags and tossed them in the cargo area. Vinnie took the passenger seat next to his while Adam sprawled in the row behind them. None of them spoke as he wheeled out of the parking lot and onto the road. Tension was thick as they made their way toward town.
It was faster to go through the downtown core, but also safer because of the traffic.
In a small town, everyone would notice an unusual vehicle on a quiet street.
“Duck,” he ordered as they neared the police station.
Vinnie bent forward and Adam went flat in the back seat.
Keeping a slow, steady speed, Cyrus drove toward the town limits.
“Are we clear?” she asked.
“Another few minutes.” He wasn’t about to take any chances.
Less than thirty seconds later, a patrol car rolled around a bend in the road headed in the opposite direction.
When it kept going, he sighed in relief.
There wasn’t time to tangle with the local cops.
Speed was of the essence, every second valuable.
Vinnie finally complained, “I’m getting a cramp.”
“It should be safe. Just be prepared if I tell you to get down.”
Adam’s head popped up and he leaned forward, bracing his arms on his mother’s seat. “Are we stopping for food?”
“We’re too close to your home. We don’t want to risk running into anyone you know who might recognize you and think to mention it to the sheriff. You’re still officially missing.”
“I should call that in. My phone is in my knapsack. Hand it to me, will you, Adam?”
“Not yet. They’ll want to question all of us. We don’t have time. We can sort out Adam’s disappearance later. At this point, a couple of days won’t matter.”
“I’m still a deputy, Cyrus.” Vinnie rubbed her hand over her face, her green eyes dark with concern.
“This is about our son’s safety.”
Adam was tense but quiet behind them.
“You’re right,” she agreed. She rubbed her hands over her thighs. “You missed the turnoff for the house. Where are we going?”
“Kentucky.” It was risky, but staying here was no longer an option. Not with Wilkes actively searching for them.
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Besides, I thought you said there wasn’t enough time?” She glanced toward the back seat, fear reflected in her eyes. None of them knew what would happen when the sun went down and the moon rose, not even him.
“What’s in Kentucky?” Adam asked, his gaze going from his mom to Cyrus and back again.
“Sin Mountain, home to me and my brothers.” He shifted his attention to Vinnie.
“It’s where Adam will be safest. We can’t risk Wilkes or some other deputy showing up on your doorstep tonight.
” That would be a disaster. Lives would be lost if it happened, because Cyrus would kill to protect them. That was a problem none of them needed.
Lips pressed into a thin line, she muttered, “Damn Wilkes.”
He silently echoed the sentiment. “I need to call home, let them know what’s happening.” He waited until he got a curt nod before engaging his phone and putting it on speaker so she could hear. That wasn’t an issue for Adam.
It was answered before the first ring ended. “What do you need?”
And there it was, the bedrock of support he could always depend on. “I’m on my way home, Josiah. You’re on speaker. I have Vinnie and Adam in the SUV with me. There’s been a development.”
“What’s your ETA?”
“Estimated time of arrival is about five hours.” The trip usually took anywhere from between five and a half to six, but he was pushing it. As it was, he’d be cutting it too damn close for comfort.
“Silas is the only one not home yet, but he’s on the way. The others finished their jobs and got here late last yesterday and this morning.”
“I’m going to need all of you.” He glanced at his son in the rearview mirror.
Their gazes locked for a brief second before Cyrus had to turn his attention back to the road.
Beside him, Vinnie was silent, her tired face grim.
“There’s a full moon tonight.” There was a long silence.
He could only imagine what Josiah was thinking.
“We’ll handle it,” was his brother’s reply. “Zach says to tell you he’s tracking you. If you think you’re not going to make it, we’ll drive out to meet you.” There was a long pause. “Keep them safe.”
“You know I will.” He ended the call.
“I thought Josiah didn’t like me.” Vinnie rested her head against the backrest and closed her eyes.
“It’s not personal. Josiah doesn’t like anyone.” He amended the statement. “Except his brothers. Although, most days he tolerates us.”
“How many brothers do you have?” Adam asked.
Ready for it or not, his brothers were now part of Adam and Vinnie’s family. “I’m the oldest of seven boys. I have six younger brothers, who are now your uncles.”
His mouth fell open at the same time his stomach growled. Vinnie muttered, “God help us.”
It wouldn’t take much for her to panic and possibly decide they might be better off on their own. Changing the subject was the safest course of action. “There’s a rest stop not far ahead. We’ll stop there and grab some food to go.” He glanced at the dashboard clock. “We’ll have to make it fast.”