Chapter Fifteen
Sherese
I race through the woods. My vision is sharp, and I avoid everything that comes at me.
My heart is thrumming and pulsing, and I know I’m nothing more than a blur.
I let my anger fuel me now, and I push myself faster.
There’s a child out there, and his life depends on me right now.
I run and run and run and wonder if they’re planning on blurring all the way back to West Virginia.
I don’t stop to rest; I just push on. I’m nowhere close to burnout.
..yet. I keep a lock on the vampires. Every time I feel like I'm getting close, they get further away. I’m beginning to wonder if they are older vampires.
That doesn’t bode well for me because they’ll be faster in all things, including fighting.
But I don’t think about that right now; right now, I just have to catch up to them.
They finally slow down, and I know this is my chance to catch up to them.
But when they come to a complete stop, dread fills me.
This could be where they’re planning on transporting the boy.
I push harder; I need to be there now. I don’t stop to think.
I just run right at the stopped figures.
I leap over a fallen log and land in a clearing, and clock everything instantly.
Two vampires. The child. A dark van. And. ..Ajax.
Ajax spins around, shock on his face. I clock it and file it away.
He wasn’t expecting me to be here, so this wasn’t for me.
It was for Emma. His expression clears instantly, but it’s too late.
I already saw. “Sherese, what a welcome surprise.” He smiles, but it’s so cold.
I’ve never liked Ajax, but he’s been around forever.
He joined us after the war, or maybe he was around before.
I only met him after the war when he showed up with Rizo one day.
I hear the tiniest whimper, and my eyes jerk over to the little one.
My heart tugs in my chest because he’s so obviously Garrett and Emma’s little one.
He has Garrett’s dark hair, but the eyes are all Emma's eyes. His big, bright blue-green eyes meet mine, and I see the fear there. I don’t know how he’s not screaming in fear; he’s so young.
I take a step towards him, but Ajax puts a hand on my arm. I yank it away.
“Don’t touch me.”
Ajax smirks; I hate that smirk. I always have. “Sherese,” he croons. “You don’t know what you’ve stepped into here, but I’m glad you came when you did. You can help us.”
“I’m not helping to kidnap a child, Ajax.”
His eyes cool, and I can see the presence of his wolf there. I’ve never understood why a wolf would align himself with the vampires on purpose. “You have no idea what this is about.”
“You’re going to give me the child to take back to his parents,” I tell him, taking a step forward.
He throws his head back and laughs, but when he looks at me again, there is no warmth there. “Cute. No, the boy goes with us.”
“No, Ajax.”
He stares me down, and I shiver at the coldness there.
“Rizo is under the impression that you’re still with us, Sherese.
Has that changed? Are you with them now?
With the wolves?” It’s his turn to take a step closer to me.
“If that’s so, that would be very unfortunate.
Very unfortunate indeed. He’s already given orders as to what should happen if you turn on us or betray us. ”
I keep any expression off my face. Living with them for years has taught me a lot of self-preservation skills. “Yeah? And what’s that, Ajax?”
He smirks that stupid smirk again and cocks his head to the side. “How far along is she?”
I frown. “What are you talking about?” And then it hits me. Emma. I shake my head and laugh. “You must really be stupid. The alpha of the Northwoods Pack is going to kill you slowly.”
He’s in my face a moment later with his hand wrapped around my neck.
I stiffen as his cold fingers tighten painfully around my neck, but I don’t let my fear show.
“I am not stupid.” He spits the words in my face.
“Do you know how many times I’ve wanted to destroy you?
” he asks softly. Then he chuckles. “I would love to be the one to take you down off your high horse. You always act like you’re better than anybody else, living in your own home, doing what you want to do, just because Rizo sired you.
” His eyes run over me, and I fight my revulsion.
“Man, I’d have fun destroying you.” Black dots are starting to appear in my vision; I really need air soon.
He releases me and shoves me back, and I resist the urge to grab my throat.
I suck in oxygen and try to calm my racing heart.
“But until Rizo gives me the okay, I can’t.
But that doesn’t mean I can’t make your life miserable.
” He grins, and it’s so cold, I want to shiver.
I don’t allow myself to. “Back to my original question. How far along is she?”
“I don’t know,” I rasp out. “But Garrett won’t let you near his mate.”
His eyes scrunch up in confusion, and then they light up in merriment. A wide smile plays across his face. “You don’t know.”
“Don’t know what?” I demand with a hoarse voice.
“Your friend is pregnant.”
Shock slams into me, and everything clicks into place.
Bryce is being more uptight than usual, Ava is not being herself, and Rizo is saying to pass on his congratulations.
I suddenly feel like I’m going to be sick because they’re threatening—I close off that thought immediately.
“You are not going to hurt Ava or her baby. Bryce will tear out your throat.”
“Oh, Sweetheart. It won’t be me.”
I stare him down. “Send them,” I encourage. “Send them and see what happens.”
A slow smile fills his wicked face. “Oh, this will be fun.”
Anger burns through me, and I want to fight him right here, right now. I hear a small sound, and my gaze flicks over to the child. Daniel. I take a breath. One thing at a time. “Give me the child. I’m taking him back.”
“No, you’re not,” Ajax says. He lifts his head. “It’s been long enough. The wolves will be coming soon. Let’s go,” he says to the vamps, who have been quiet up until this point. I face them, and they eye me warily. They know they can’t touch me because I’m Rizo’s sire.
“You’re not taking him anywhere,” I tell him, taking a step back and preparing to fight.
“What? You’re going to fight us for him?
” Ajax asks with raised eyebrows. That’s exactly what I plan to do.
I don’t give them time to prepare. I launch myself at the vampire and snatch the child from his arms before he has a chance to prepare.
I leap away and throw the child on my back.
“Hang on.” Thankfully, somebody taught this child how to piggyback ride—probably his father.
He hangs on so tight; it almost constricts my airflow.
I don’t bother to look back as I race away.
Adrenaline fuels my speed. I can hear Ajax shouting orders behind me, but I run faster than I’ve ever run in my life.
I am so conscious of the little bundle hanging on for dear life.
I leap over a fallen log, and something barrels into me.
I’m knocked to the side. I barely keep from crushing the child on my back.
I jump to my feet and launch myself at the other vampire.
I don’t dare set the child down, so I fight with him clinging to my back like a little monkey.
I go after the vampire hard and fast; I can’t afford to have to fight two at once.
The only thing that will kill him is to remove either his head from his body or his heart, but I can’t do either of those things.
I will settle for knocking him out for a few minutes, so we can get away.
I dodge his hits and fangs and go for his head.
He knocks my hand away and gets a hit to my stomach, driving the air from my lungs.
But I push away the pain and continue my assault on him.
He’s not a great fighter, and it shows. I avoid his blows and finally get his head between my hands and deliver a crushing blow to his face with my knee.
Daniel cries out, and I whirl around, barely keeping him on my back.
I face the other vampire. This one is older and faster than the last one.
We trade blows. I take several hits but manage to keep my feet.
But then I take a crushing hit to my cheekbone, and my world tilts.
I land on my knees and try to find my equilibrium.
I put my hands down on the ground and take a breath.
I feel something and grab at it. Then I launch myself off the ground and slam the rock in my hand into the side of the vampire’s face.
He drops like a rock, and I’m out of there.
I need to put as much distance between Ajax and me.
I run through the woods, but I am aware that I’m not as fast as I was earlier.
I’m nearing burnout. If that happens, there will be nothing I can do to defend myself and the boy.
I hear a wolf howl, and the hairs on the back of my neck rise.
I don’t know if it’s a wolf on our side or if it’s Ajax.
I push myself faster. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, a huge black wolf jumps in front of me and growls so fiercely that the ground trembles.
I take a step backwards, nearly losing my balance.
I put my hands up, but I can tell he’s going to pounce.
I prepare to run, but before I can, another wolf jumps out from the trees and lands in front of me.
I stumble back, even as I feel relief fill me.
I recognize this wolf. This wolf is dark gray, almost black, but it’s the small patch of white on its chest that makes it recognizable to me.
Hunter. I look back at the other wolf and would bet my life that the huge black wolf is Garrett.
Seconds later, two wolves flank him, one on either side.
The wolf moves in front of me, and suddenly, a very naked Hunter stands in front of me.
“Shift so we can talk,” he orders, his voice more threatening than I’ve ever heard from him.
The wolf on the left shifts first, and I recognize Liam. I keep my eyes on his face, and I almost don’t recognize the harshness there. He's always been so nice. “Give us the child.”
At that moment, Daniel leans over my shoulder. He must recognize his father, even in wolf form, because I hear a tiny voice. “Dadda.”
My heart nearly breaks at the word. I pull him around to the front of me and then lower him to his feet, but I don’t let go of him just yet. I look over to Liam. His eyes have gentled. “You can let him go. He’s in no danger.”
I feel it then—that feeling on the back of my neck.
I don’t even have time to shout a warning.
I grab the child and wrap my arms around him as they come.
I’m running again. I hear the savage sounds of the fight between the wolves and vampires, and I hate leaving.
But I know the boy has to be protected. The fierce growl shaking the ground behind me lets me know that the alpha is not happy, but I don’t slow.
I’m the only one fast enough to outrun the vampires.
I don’t know where else to run except back to the house we’re staying in.
I don’t know where Emma and Garrett’s house is.
Black dots line my vision by the time I get near the edge of the woods, and I know I’m near burnout.
I push myself and get to the steps before I suddenly can’t go on.
I want to call out to somebody, but I have nothing left.
I hold the child close and sink down onto the first step.
I just have to get the energy to get up the steps.
I hear the front door open and the sound of urgent voices.
“Sherese!” I hear Ava’s voice, but it’s Raechel that gets to us first. Bryce is next to me a moment later.
“Let’s get you inside,” he says gently.
“Hey, Buddy,” Raechel says in a very tender voice as she lifts Daniel into her arms.