Dark Moon (25 page)

River water flowed into his mouth and coughing and sputtering, he stumbled to his feet.  He staggered, pain from his broken ankle was shooting up his leg, and he roared with shock and surprise when the Lycan bit him on the thigh.  The wolf’s sharp teeth tore through his pants and ripped a chunk of muscle and flesh from his thigh.  Kaden screamed and grabbed the Lycan’s thick head.  Gritting his teeth against the pain, he dragged the twisting, writhing Lycan deeper into the river.

They were waist deep now and before the Lycan could twist free and leap on him, he dropped on top of its muscular body and forced it under the water.

“The gods help me!”  He screamed into the cold air as he laboured to keep the struggling Lycan under the water.  On the bank of the river, four other Lycans snarled and howled with rage as they watched their brother drown.

The Lycan’s struggles ceased and Kaden stood up, balancing shakily on one leg.  The dead Lycan floated upwards, its eyes staring blankly at the sky, and the Lycans watching from the river bank howled in agony.

Two of them floundered into the water and, using the Lycan to balance, Kaden struggled deeper into the river.  The Lycans yipped in fear and anger as he moved chest deep into the river.  The pain from the broken ankle and the bite in his thigh was fading, the coldness of the water numbing it, and he balanced carefully in the quickly-flowing water as he stared at the Lycans on the shore.

As his teeth began to chatter and his body trembled, he grinned fiercely at them.  “Afraid of a little water are we?  Come and get me, you mangy dogs!”

They howled in reply, pacing back and forth as Kaden turned and scanned the far side of the bank.  He was safe for now but he couldn’t stay in the river forever.  He’d freeze to death.  He gritted his teeth and, steeling himself against the pain, pushed the dead Lycan away and took a step forward.

The adrenaline had seeped from his body, and the coldness of the water had numbed his ankle and fooled him into thinking that he could walk.  As a bolt of searing pain shot up his leg, he screamed hoarsely and immediately lifted his foot.  His other foot slipped on the slick bottom of the river and he plunged backwards into the icy water.  He swallowed a mouthful of water and panic flooded through him.  He struggled to find purchase with his good foot as he thrashed in the water.

He was going to drown.  The bottom of the river seemed to be made of ice and it was impossible to struggle to his feet.  He was going to die and Draken would hurt Sophia.  He couldn’t let that happen.  He couldn’t –

A hand sliced through the water and gripped his arm tightly.  He was hauled to his feet and, coughing and choking, he stared in disbelief at Nicky.

“We really need to teach you how to swim, human.”  Nicky said grimly as he put his arm around Kaden’s waist and began to drag him towards shore.

Two of the Lycans on the shore were already dead and the other two were howling and shrieking as James and the others tore into them.  Kaden watched numbly as the largest one, a giant black beast, bolted for the trees.  James chased after him and leaped onto his back.  As the Lycan opened his mouth to scream, James ripped his throat wide open and blood sprayed out in a gushing fountain.  The Lycan made a gurgling scream and collapsed as James howled in triumph. 

Nicky helped Kaden sit on the ground as Marshall, his white fur splattered with blood, snarled loudly and killed the last member of Draken’s pack.  Kaden, shivering and gasping for breath, watched numbly as Tristan shifted to his human form and knelt beside him.

He grabbed Kaden’s arm and shook him roughly.  “My daughter!  Where is she?”

“She’s back at the camp.  She made a bargain with Draken to try and save my life.”  Kaden gasped out.

“What kind of bargain?”  Nicky asked as James, still in his Lycan form, approached them.  He sniffed at the wound on Kaden’s thigh and Kaden grunted with pain when the Lycan dropped his large body down onto his leg.

Warmth tingled through his leg as Tristan shook him again.  “What bargain?”

“She said she would go to Draken’s bed willingly if his pack members succeeded in hunting me down and bringing back my head.  She believed you would find me and save me.”

He stared up at Tristan and Nicky.  “How did you find me?”

Marshall had shifted and he crouched naked next to his brother.  “Luck.  Dani said they had taken you north.  We’ve been running all night, trying to catch your scent.”

“Dani’s safe then?”  Kaden asked.

Marshall nodded and Kaden gave Tristan a hesitant look.  “Ian is dead.”

“Aye, Dani told us.”  Tristan rubbed his hand across his face.  “We must keep moving.  How far away is the camp?  How many Lycans are with Draken?”

“Two, maybe three miles.  There are at least another six Lycans, not including Draken.”  Kaden winced as James pressed his body firmly against his leg.  He reached out and touched the wolf’s shoulder gingerly.

“Thank you.”

James barked softly as Tristan stood.  “I’m going after her.”

“Dad, wait!”  Nicky grabbed his father’s arm before he could shift.  “You can’t go on your own.  As soon as James has healed Kaden’s leg, we’ll go together.”

“We can’t wait, Nicky!”  Tristan hissed at him.

For the first time since he met him, Kaden could see Tristan losing his usual iron-clad control.  He pushed lightly at James’ shoulder.  “It’s better.  I can walk on it.”

Nicholas shook his head.  “It isn’t, and you know it.  We need to wait.”

He squeezed Tristan’s arm again.  “Give us ten minutes, dad.”

Tristan took a deep breath as Marshall said quietly, “He’s right, Tristan.  You cannot go alone.  If we are to save Sophia, we must stay together.”

Tristan sighed harshly and stared into the woods as Nicky let go of his arm.  “Will they be on watch for us, Kaden?”

Kaden shook his head.  “No.  Sophia told them you weren’t expecting us back until today and Draken believed her.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.  He’s gone mad.”  Kaden said simply.  “Ian – “

His throat closed up and he swallowed painfully.  “Before Draken killed him, Ian said he could smell the madness on him.”

Nicky stared silently at him and Kaden gave him a sudden, pleading look.  “I didn’t want to leave her.  She made the bargain with Draken before I could stop her, and she made me promise I would go for the river.  She told me that once you found me, we could come back for her.”

When Nicky didn’t answer, he stared down at the cold ground.  “I didn’t want to leave her.”  He repeated softly.

Nicky clapped him roughly on the shoulder.  “We know.”

He turned towards his father and his uncle.  “We use their scent to cover ours.”

They nodded and Kaden watched as all three of them shifted.  He grimaced as they rubbed and rolled their large bodies across the bodies of the dead Lycans.  He tapped James on his shoulder and the large wolf stared at him.

“I think it’s better.”

James stood up and Kaden stared down at his leg.  The bite on his thigh wasn’t completely healed but it had stopped bleeding.  He flexed his ankle carefully, sighing with relief when there was nothing but a slight twinge of pain.

James was staring at him questioningly and he nodded.  “It’s good enough.  Let’s go.”

The red Lycan turned and joined the others in rolling and rubbing against the dead Lycans.  When they were finished, James crouched down on the ground.  He barked impatiently at Kaden. 

What he wanted was obvious but Kaden hesitated.  “Are you sure you – “

Tristan interrupted him with an angry growl and without another word, Kaden quickly climbed on to James’ back.  He clutched the Lycan’s fur tightly as the pack moved swiftly through the trees.

Chapter 23

Sophia touched the cut on her temple.  It had been nearly twenty minutes since the pack had left, and she stared at the flecks of dried blood on her fingers before raising her knees and resting her forehead on them. 

Her heart was pounding in her chest and she had never been so frightened in her life.  She had bargained for Kaden’s life out of sheer desperation.  She was frantic to stop Draken from killing him, and at the time she had been positive her family would find him and save him.  Now, doubt was creeping in and she could feel the hot tears wanting to leak down her face.  If the Lycans caught up to Kaden before he made it to the river he wouldn’t have a chance.  And if he did make it to the river, if her family didn’t find him, he would freeze to death.  She blinked back the tears.  She couldn’t think that way.  Her father and brothers would save him.  They had to.

The distant sound of howling brought a rush of adrenaline to her veins and she stared wildly into the trees.  She inhaled deeply, her pulse pounding in her ears, as there was another faint howl.  She cocked her head as Terrence gave the other Lycans a quick look.  The howl had sounded like one of pain and she felt a thin thread of hope.

Draken grinned happily as the other Lycans regarded each other uneasily.  Without speaking, he ducked into his tent.  Ten minutes later he reappeared and stood in front of Sophia.  He held his hand out.

“They have found him, my pretty one.  Come, join me in my tent.”

She shook her head.  “No.  They have not returned with his head.”

Draken scoffed loudly.  “It is only a matter of time.  Let’s go.  I grow tired of your games.”

“Draken,” Terrence began hesitantly, “the howling sounded – “

“Enough, Terrence!”  Draken shouted.  He reached down and yanked Sophia to her feet.  She punched him hard in the face and he roared with shock and hurt.

“You stupid bitch!”  He spat out before grabbing the back of her neck with one hard hand.  She struggled wildly but he dragged her easily to his tent and shoved her inside.

“Do not interrupt us!”  He snapped at Terrence before following her in. 

Sophia was waiting for him and she dove at him, grabbing his waist and trying to knock him off his feet.  His body beginning to swell and his skin rippling, Draken snarled loudly and grabbed her shoulders.  He pushed her upwards before slapping her viciously across the face.  The blow knocked her off her feet and she fell to her hands and knees, panting loudly and her head ringing.

She stiffened, her nostrils flaring, when she caught a glimpse of her sword tossed carelessly beside the blankets of Draken’s bed.  It gleamed softly at her and she hesitated only briefly before bowing her head and beginning to weep quietly.

“I’m sorry.”  She sobbed.  “Please don’t hurt me.  Please.”

Draken knelt beside her and petted her bowed head.  “Shh, my pretty.  I don’t want to hurt you.  Do what I say and everything will be fine.”

“I’m sorry, my lord.”  She whimpered.  She sat up and rested her head on Draken’s chest, curling her arms around his waist and clinging tightly to him.

Draken smiled at her, his eyes changing to red, as he stroked the tendrils of dark hair that had loosened and curled against her neck.  “That’s my good girl.”

“Please, can we take this off?”  She touched the collar around her neck lightly.

He shook his head.  “No, my pretty.  The collar will stay on until I know I can trust you.”

“You can trust me, my lord.”  She smiled sweetly at him as he thumbed away the tears on her cheeks.

He laughed and pinched her chin lightly.  “Aye, I’m sure you want me to trust you but I think a few more months of the collar will be necessary.  Don’t you?”

“Whatever you say, lord Draken.”  She replied obediently.

“I will take the collar off when I’m sure that you have forgotten all about that stupid, weak human and wish to be my mate.”  He kissed the tip of her nose lightly.  “You’re so beautiful, Sophia.”

“Thank you, my lord.”  She replied before looking at the floor of the tent demurely. 

He put his fingers under her chin and tipped her head up.  “I have waited my entire life for someone like you, Sophia.  When we arrive at my home I will give you everything you have always dreamed of.  Would you like that?”

“Aye.”  She whispered.

“Good.”  His eyes glowing, he dipped his head to kiss her.  Before he could press his mouth against hers, there was a chorus of frightened howls and then Terrence was screaming his name.

“Gods be damned!”  Draken shouted.  He thrust her away from him with a hard shove and stalked to the front of the tent.  He stuck his head out the opening.

“Terrence!  I told you not to – “

He stuttered to a stop, his eyes widening with horror as he watched his pack of Lycans being torn apart.  Terrence, still in his human form, was backing away from Kaden.  He gave a hoarse shout of fear and his body began to enlarge.  Hair sprouted on his face and he snarled at Kaden.  He turned to flee but Kaden reached out with terrifying quickness, his face a grim mask, and wrapped his large hands around Terrence’s rapidly-swelling neck.  Before the Lycan could shift completely, Kaden twisted his head roughly to the left.  Terrence’s neck broke with a quiet snap, and he slithered bonelessly to the ground as Kaden shouted Sophia’s name.

“No.”  Draken whispered.  He backed into the tent and turned quickly.  Sophia was standing in front of him and his eyes widened with shock as a soft breathless gasp escaped from between his lips. 

He stared wide-eyed at her before his eyes dropped to the sword embedded deep in his chest.  Sophia, growling deep in her throat, twisted the sword and grabbed the back of his neck.  She yanked him forward, the sword thrusting into his chest to the hilt, and grinned fiercely at him. 

She wrenched the sword free and took a step back as he touched his chest weakly.  His hand was immediately drenched with blood and he stared at the bright red bloom of colour on his fingers before holding them out accusingly to her.

She grinned.  A shudder went through him at the look in her eyes before his legs gave out.  He collapsed to his knees and then fell forward on to his nest of blankets.  Darkness was creeping over his vision and he turned his head, his eyes rolling upwards in their sockets to stare helplessly at Sophia.  She curled her lip at him as he whined feebly. 

“For Ian.”  She whispered as she raised her sword high above her head.