Chapter 17
Narae couldn’t stop checking the road behind them. At any second, she expected a dozen wolves to break from the forest and barrel down the road after them.
“They’re not coming, trouble, because they know what’s waiting for them if they do.”
Daemon’s words had her shooting him a dark look. She was pissed now that some of the adrenaline from her kidnapping was wearing off. Hands still bound behind her back, dried blood still coating the neckline of her shirt, she’d had one shitty fucking morning.
“Here, let me untie you.”
Finally! Eyes flat, she gave Daemon another dark look before twisting in her seat to bare her hands to him. She had every intention of attacking the second her hands were free.
Instead of releasing her hands immediately as Narae had expected, Daemon’s fingers brushed her throat as he pushed the fall of her hair back off her shoulder.
“The bite is healing nicely,” he murmured.
A shiver coursed through her at his touch, and she struggled to stifle it, forcing her posture to stiffen in hopes of steeling herself against the soft caress and gentle tone of his voice.
Narae couldn’t remember the last time a male had spoken to her softly.
God, had it really been so long that she couldn’t even come up with a single instance?
She didn’t have to bother trying to remember the last time a male had touched her gently. It had never happened…until now.
“I’m sorry for that. I should have…” But he let his words trail off without finishing the thought.
It had Narae wondering what he’d been going to say. Why was he sorry? What should he have done?
The soft slide of material as her binds were released drew her from her thoughts. Turning slowly, she was contemplating her plan of attack when Daemon ripped off his shirt and shoved it toward her.
“Here. You can put it on top of your shirt and then take yours off. I’m sorry I ruined your shirt.”
Her eyes snapped up to collide with Daemon’s.
He didn’t hold her gaze long; it was almost like he was ashamed.
Instead, he forced his shirt into her chest. With him looking away, it gave Narae the chance to lower her eyes to his bare chest. He was covered in tattoos down both arms and across his chest, even up onto his thick neck.
Distinct Viking symbols and a myriad of ravens covered his flesh, but couldn’t hide the raised scars on his flesh.
Claw marks. Of course, he was covered in battle scars.
Even before he’d taken off his shirt, Narae had known he was battle-hardened.
There was an air about him, an authority that screamed Alpha.
It had her wondering why he wasn’t. She knew it had to be one of two reasons.
Either the Allegiance Alpha, Koe, was an absolute fucking beast, or Daemon wasn’t Alpha by choice. She’d bet on the latter.
Pulling the shirt onto her lap, she ignored the chills that blasted up her spine, the pricking of her flesh as Daemon’s scent wafted up to her.
The soft material of his shirt was still warm from his body.
Mixed with his scent was the slight scent of blood, but not his.
There were droplets on his shirt from the enemies he’d just slain, but not nearly as much blood as that on her shirt.
She huffed a quiet sound. She’d merely been bitten while he’d gone to war, and he still wore less blood.
She shot him a glance. Leviathan. She’d known Daemon for all of about thirty minutes, and she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was a titan among shifters.
The stuff of other shifters’ nightmares.
His wolf was probably terrifying, too. A skitter of giddy anticipation shot through her when she thought about meeting Daemon’s animal.
“We’ve got a couple hours ride back to the compound,” Daemon spoke without looking at her. “We’ll stop when we can for food. Until then, you can relax.”
Relax? She audibly snorted.
“Here.” Thrall lifted the lid on the center console between himself and Daemon before he reached back and handed her a bottle of water. Glancing at her in the rearview, he winked. “It’s the best I can do right now.”
“Don’t fucking do that!” Daemon snarled quietly.
“What?” Thrall snapped, attention going to Daemon. “I gave her a water, dude.”
“Don’t fucking wink at her!” Daemon ordered.
Narae couldn’t help the smirk that twisted her lips, and then immediately self-admonished, “What in the fuck are you smiling about, you idiot? You’ve been kidnapped!”
Clearing her throat, she glanced out the window. “You can just drop me anywhere.”
Thrall shot her a look in the rearview mirror and then sliced his gaze to Daemon.
Daemon slowly turned his head to the side but didn’t look at her. The cab of the truck was silent as the muscle in Daemon’s jaw ticked. Finally, he growled low, “Ain’t happening.”
“So, what then?” she snapped. “You take me to your territory and hold me? For what? Ransom?” She chuffed. “I’m bottom of the barrel.” Leaning back, she turned her head to glare out the window. “Bragga won’t pay a cent. Not for me.”
Thrall was the one to respond as he waved his hand toward the windshield.
“You just want us to leave you out here? They’ll just drag you back to the Biter compound.
” He shot her a dark look in the mirror.
“Is that what you want?” His eyes narrowed as they shifted between her and the road.
“That doesn’t even make sense, especially if it was as bad as Jury claims it was.
Plus, wouldn’t you want to go see Jury?” He shot Daemon a pointed look.
“This doesn’t feel right. Something’s off with her. ”
“First off, stop judging me,” Narae snarled.
“You took me! I didn’t say a fucking thing.
You saw what you saw, you did what you did.
” Her angry eyes slid to Daemon, who was staring straight ahead.
“You bit who you bit. I didn’t ask for any of this.
And you’re right.” Her attention went back to Thrall.
“This doesn’t feel right. You just expect me to believe you’re from an enemy pack.
How do I know this isn’t all just some loyalty test from Bragga?
A set-up! You two could be new recruits sent to get information from me.
I don’t know where Jury is! You can tell him that! ”
That had Daemon turning in his chair to thunder, “We killed Biters!”
She rolled her eyes. “Bragga would sacrifice any of us to prove a point.”
Daemon shook his head in disbelief as Thrall hissed, “Jesus Christ! What is it with that fucking disease of shifter you call Alpha?”
“I don’t call him, Alpha,” Narae bit out.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she sank lower in her seat and glared out the window.
“I don’t call him anything. I keep my head down, my mouth shut, and I avoid the males as best I can.
” Now she was shaking her head. “This little stunt is going to cost me.” More quietly, she said, “When he gets me back, he’ll make an example outta me.
I’ll be punished for this.” Almost on a whisper, she fretted, “I’m still not healed from last time. ”
That had Daemn sitting up straight, then slowly turning to look at her.
“He won’t get you back,” Daemon growled.
“And he sure as fuck ain’t punishing you.
He won’t touch you again! You’re not his anymore.
You’re no longer a Biter.” His words were like a shot that ricocheted through the cabin, leaving an eerie silence in their wake.
Finally, Daemon heaved a sigh. “We’ve got a long drive for you to come to terms with that. I suggest you start.”
And that pissed Narae off even more. It felt like she’d just gone from the frying pan to the fire.
Still being bossed around. Still treated like property.
Still trapped. She looked at the lock on the door, trying to gauge whether it was engaged.
She was contemplating jerking the door open, rolling out while shifting mid-roll, and then making a break for it.
She swallowed once, trying to build up the courage, when the sound of the locks engaging filled the truck cab.
Her eyes snapped to the rearview mirror, where Thrall grinned at her.
“To keep you safe, little bug.” He shot her another wink.
A snarl rattled its way up her throat, but was cut short as she noticed Daemon’s body tense in his seat.
Thrall’s grin vanished, and he hissed, “Shhhhit!”
In a flash, Daemon’s hand shot up and ripped the rearview mirror from where it hung.
Thrall bellowed, “Fuck, man!”
Daemon’s voice was dangerously low when he commanded, “Pull over.”
Thrall stammered, “I wasn’t… She didn’t…”
“Pull over!” Daemon roared, and Thrall immediately did as ordered.
Narae sat up straighter, heart thundering in her chest as the cab of the truck filled with the weight of Daemon’s…
authority? Rage? She couldn’t quite place what it was that was emitting from Daemon, and she didn’t get the chance to figure it out.
Before the truck fully rolled to a stop, Daemon jerked his door open and shoved his way out.
Behind him, the door slammed closed so hard that the whole truck rocked.
In a blink, Daemon was at her door, jerking on the locked handle.
Narae scrambled as far as she could from where Daemon stood outside her door, glaring at Thrall, who stammered, “O-okay. Sorry. Geez!”
Thrall ducked his head and quickly unlocked the doors.
Then Daemon’s big body was folding into the back seat.
All the fine hairs on Narae’s body were raised. She was torn between fight or flight while her damn wolf just waited, head canted, eyeing Daemon curiously.
Daemon slid into the seat and faced her, his back pressed against the door as he grunted, “Come here.”
When he reached for her, Narae yelped, “Wait!” as she plastered herself against the door.
But Daemon was too fast and too strong. Before she could formulate a plan, he was pulling her across the back bench seat.
Narae had seen what he’d done to her pack-mates.
If Bragga was a beast, then Daemon was an ender of worlds.
There’d be no way for her to take punishment from him and survive.
There’d be no hope of defending herself. No fucking way!