Captured by Desire (7 page)

“No. You. I need to know you’re secure from the Wendigo before I go hunting it. Since I know we wouldn’t make it off the mountain alive, this is our only chance.”

Jules wasn’t happy with their options, but at least Cristian wasn’t leaving her out in the open as she had suggested he do.

She blew out a breath and nodded. “All right.”

Cristian didn’t think he’d ever stopped being amazed at Jules. He expected her to fight him more on being left alone, but then again, Jules wasn’t just any woman. She was a woman who knew what hunted them and knew their chances were slim. She accepted it and made the most of it.

He wasn’t about to let her down. He was her only chance at survival, and he’d be damned if he’d fail her. Not now, not after he had finally found a woman who made his blood turn to wine and his body hard with just her smile.

There was no doubt he wanted her, and not just in his bed. He truly wanted her. He wanted to know every single detail of her life, he wanted to see her wake each day beside him.

Cristian held out his hand. There was no hesitation on her part when she placed hers inside of his.

“We’ll move as quickly as we can.”

She gave him a short nod. “I won’t slow us down.”

He pulled her to him for a quick kiss. “Ready?”

“Yes.”

The path to the cave was nearly direct, with just a few twists to go around boulders. He took her bag from her and looped it over his head and arm with his own. He wanted nothing to slow her down.

He had scouted the area earlier and found the Wendigo gone, but it moved like the wind and could return at any moment. He tugged Jules in front of him just in case.

“What are you doing?” she asked as she tried to turn and face him.

Cristian kept her facing forward. “If the Wendigo attacks, it’ll be from behind, when I’m not looking at you. If I’m behind you, I can better protect you.”

She sighed. “And if he attacks in front of me?”

“Fall to the ground, and wait for me to occupy him so you can make a run for the cave.”

She was silent for a moment as if contemplating his words. “So many days I sat in my father’s office reading his journal entries, wishing that I could have an adventure of my own. Now, all I want is the safety of my home. There’s no easier way to do this, is there?”

“Yes. You can stay here in the weather.”

“No. You’re right. The best place is in the cave. It’s just...I’m scared.”

Cristian’s heart melted at her words. He turned her around and pulled her into his arms. “I know. I am too.”

“You?” she asked and pulled back to look up at him.

“Yes. I’m afraid that you’ll be hurt. The thought of something happening to you tears me up inside.”

She ran a finger over his eyebrows. “Nothing will happen to me with you at my side.”

Before he could say anything else, she turned and stepped out of the protective circle. Cristian was a step behind her. He directed her where to go, keeping a watchful eye out for the Wendigo at all times.

Their pace was quick, only slowing if Jules slipped on the steep path. But she never stopped moving. They were nearly there when he heard something behind him.

“Keep moving,” he whispered and turned to face the Wendigo.

Except there was nothing. He whirled around to follow Jules, but she was gone.

Cristian followed her footsteps, and then they just stopped, as if she disappeared. His stomach clutched painfully as he stared at her footprints.

“Jules!” he bellowed into the silence.

But as he expected, there was no answer.

The Wendigo had taken her.

Chapter Eight

Jules grimaced as she moved her head. It felt as if someone has smashed a rock against her skull. She stayed still for several moments until the nausea and throbbing stopped.

She opened her eyes to complete darkness. Terror gripped her, making her want to scream for help. Yet, somehow, she kept silent.

The last thing she remembered was running toward the cave with Cristian behind her. Then, she was being yanked upwards and everything went black.

The Wendigo
.

Jules tried to move, and it was only then she realized her hands were tied above her head. Her shoulders and arms ached, telling her she had been in the position for quite some time. She could view the fact she was sitting down a blessing except for the rocky, damp earth beneath and behind her.

She pulled on her bonds to see if she could get loose. Her eyes were slowly adjusting to the darkness, and she hated not being able to see. Fear began to take hold, but she knew it would take cunning to get her away from the Wendigo.

With a vicious yank, she jerked away from the wall and her bonds. But all she managed to do was make herself fall to the side. Right into something.

Jules turned her head to see what she had fallen against and saw a skeleton shackled to the wall just as she was. A scream formed in her throat and she swiftly sat upright. Through her ragged breaths, she heard something moving toward her.

She made herself go still and dropped her head forward as it had been when she’d first woken. Her hair hung down on either side of her face, hiding her view.

By sheer will alone, she managed not to scream when she realized it was the Wendigo standing before her. He sniffed her before giving a low growl and walking to the left. Jules had to bit the inside of her mouth to keep from crying out for Cristian to find her.

Time inched by before the Wendigo walked off into the darkness, leaving her alone once more. She let the tears fall then. She didn’t blame Cristian for her capture. The Wendigo had known how to trick them, which had resulted in her being taken.

From her father’s notes, she knew her time with the Wendigo could last for months before she finally died. During that time, he would cut off pieces of her to consume, making sure she was kept alive during the process.

She shuddered and fought to find the courage Cristian told her she had. How she’d hate for him to see her now, alone and shivering in horror at what awaited her.

It was strange that a few hours earlier she had made love to Cristian twice, content to be in his arms but refusing to think about a future, refusing to dwell on dreams long buried.

But now, all she could think about were those dreams. Those dreams and Cristian. She tried to tell herself her need for him had been purely physical, but she could no longer deny the fact that her emotions had run much, much deeper.

Another tear fell down her cheek. The dreams she had refused to dwell on were forever gone now. Even if she wanted a future with Cristian, it wasn’t possible. She knew he would search for her, but the possibility of him finding her was next to impossible.

She lifted her head. Her vision had gotten a little better in the darkness, and she realized she was in what looked like a cave. She could just make out several other skeletons around the cave. Some still had fragments of clothes on them while others were piled in a corner.

Her fate was laid before her. She could either sit and wait for the Wendigo to begin eating her, or she could try to get out of her bonds and escape.

Cristian’s beautiful green eyes smiling at her flashed in her mind.

Her dreams, everything she had ever wanted had been right in front of her the whole time. Only a weak fool would give up and accept their fate.

And she wasn’t weak, or a fool.

* * * *

Cristian turned as soon as he realized the Wendigo had taken Jules. He needed the beast within him in order to rescue Jules.

He stared at her last footprints for the longest time trying to determine how it had taken her. The Wendigo could have carried her, but Cristian would have at least glimpsed him. Then, his gaze moved to the many trees surrounding him and he recalled how the Wendigo had climbed them effortlessly.

After that, it took little effort to find the markings from the creature as he had held on to lift Jules. Cristian used the marks on the tree to guide him to the Wendigo’s lair. But just as he feared, the trail died, leaving Cristian no better off than he had been before.

He had no doubt that the Wendigo’s lair was close, but the mountain was huge with thick forests and a vast number of caves as well as mine shafts. He could spend years exploring each one and never find the lair.

Cristian had never felt so helpless, so useless. Even the beast within him could not aid him. Or could it? How many times had his father told him he would never know his full powers until he truly unleashed the beast?

He had never done it for fear that he wouldn’t be himself, wouldn’t be in control of his body and the beast would take over. But he would gladly give in if it meant finding Jules.

Even now, all he had to do was close his eyes and think of her and he could feel the softness of her skin, the delectable curves of her body, the delicious taste of her lips, the luxuriousness of her hair.

She was seduction and passion and desire. She was courage and loyalty and love. She was his.

That one thought released the caged beast within him. Cristian let both sides of his beast loose. For Jules he would do anything. Power surged through Cristian like lightning. Intensity as he’d never experienced filled his limbs.

The vampire and werewolf within him were potent forces alone – together they were unrivaled. The vampire’s speed and power mixed with the wolf’s sense of smell and strength.

He had been dangerous before.

He was lethal now.

He sniffed the air and picked up a foul stench. He knew without a doubt it was the Wendigo. A heartbeat later, he ran through the forest faster than ever before, following the scent.

His mind was set on finding Jules and killing the Wendigo.

Cristian jumped over boulders that before he’d have had to scale. After much climbing, he followed the scent to a cave entrance that was partially blocked by falling rocks. He didn’t hesitate before moving into the entrance.

The cave was dark and dank. A perfect place for a creature such as the Wendigo. Cristian walked slowly through the cave. He wasn’t surprised when it split off into four sections, but his scent didn’t help him this time, not when the entire place stank of blood and death.

He chose the middle right cave, and it wasn’t long before he came to a dead end. Cristian retraced his steps, this time taking the tunnel to the left. This tunnel had several others that branched off it. One looked as if it served as an eating room while another seemed to serve as a bedroom of sorts.

Cristian stretched his hands, eager to find the Wendigo and end its evil life. He tried one of the other tunnels, and that’s when he smelled something different, something soft and pure.

Jules
.

He wanted to rush to her, but he couldn’t chance it if the Wendigo was with her. When he turned the corner and spotted the dead bodies, he feared he was too late. Then he heard something to his right. His head swiveled and found Jules bound and held with her arms above her head.

Quickly he rushed to her. “Jules,” he whispered.

When he heard her whimper, he wanted to rip his heart out for her pain and terror.

He leaned down and put his mouth next to her ear. “Are you all right?”

She nodded, giving him answer enough for the time being. He stood and reached to untie her hands.

“Cristian,” she screamed.

He whirled around in time to block a vicious blow from the Wendigo. The creature let out a loud roar and flew at Cristian. He ducked another swipe of the Wendigo’s talons and used his own to slash the beast’s belly.

The creature hissed in pain but never backed away. He bared his teeth at Cristian and grabbed him by the throat. Cristian was yanked off his feet and slammed against the wall. He clawed at the hand at his throat that prevented him from breathing.

Cristian knew his strength matched the Wendigo’s, so it would be a matter of who was the most cunning. And Cristian didn’t intend to lose. Not when Jules’ life hung in the balance.

He lifted both knees and jammed them into the Wendigo’s chest. The creature stumbled backwards, and Cristian, now released, landed back on the ground. He wasted no time in attacking.

With a growl, he barreled into the creature and slammed him against the opposite wall.

Now that the Wendigo was dazed, Cristian rose up to hit him again. Except the Wendigo moved quicker. With one shove from the creature’s hand, Cristian flew across the space and slammed into the wall again.

Pain exploded in his body as he slid to the ground. He crouched on the balls of his feet, his hands on the ground for balance as he focused on the Wendigo. The creature stalked him, ready to deliver the killing blow.

Cristian stayed where he was, letting the Wendigo think that he was wounded.

“No. Cristian, he’s coming!” Jules screamed.

He wanted to reassure her, to let her know that he could – and
would
– beat the Wendigo, but he couldn’t even spare her a glance. He needed all his attention focused. It would all come down to a matter of heartbeats if he was to succeed.