Gauntlet Rite of Ascension (32 page)

              I easily dodged her attacks and we kept rolling together through the lush foliage of the forest floor. After a while she had maneuvered us to where she was on top and tried to pin me to the earth. Her dad wasn’t around this time and I was able to get my feet under her and kick, sending her fifteen feet straight up.

              A look of pure surprise and helplessness crossed her face as she furiously moved her arms and legs, trying to control her flight.

              I watched as she landed and immediately sprinted off into the trees. I wasted no time as I pursued, the thrill of the hunt began anew.

              She was fast, almost faster than me. Her agility was a marvel as she quickly turned and moved through the overcrowded forest. I willed my Beast to keep pace and it answered. I slowly started catching up to her when I saw something that made my grin look absolutely wolfish. Up ahead was a fallen log, just like in my pursuit of Abaddon, I waited for the right moment in anticipation of her having to take a split second to leap over the tree. My instincts once again drove me and I heeded their call. Jumping at the last second I watched as Eavan gathered herself for her own leap and slowed the tiniest bit, allowing me to gain on her and once again slam into her as she was at the height of her jump.

              We again tumbled into a tangle of claws and teeth, only this time when we landed I was on top and I kept her pinned. She tried to struggle free, but I could tell it was more for show than for effect. Finally, she settled down and lay under me, unmoving. I could feel the heat of her body as I lay on top of it. Her chest rose and fell with her heavy breathing and her body shimmered as she shifted forms and I once again was completely stunned at the beauty of her. I too shifted and our naked bodies lay in the deep leaves of the forest floor, sweat shining off of them, highlighting her curves as the smell of her drove me almost mad.

              Deep pain and loss again assailed me as I remembered Sara and saw her face as it screamed a wordless shriek, never to finish, never to be heard.

              I was an inch from Eavan’s face when I bowed my head at the pain of the memory.

              A sound off in the distance instantly drew my attention as I noticed Eavan looking up towards the same direction. I turned to Eavan and we exchanged a look that said “this would have to wait.”

              I quietly got up off her and a deep red flush rose to my face as I saw her nakedness in its full glory and at my body’s natural reaction. She looked at me, then down at me and her smile became more lustful and made my shyness evaporate slightly.

              We both slowly made our way towards the sound, curious as to who or what would be out here, so far away from the Den.

              I watched with dismay as Eavan again shifted form and I followed suit. If we were going to sneak up on someone we needed to have all our abilities, the Beast form provided this even though it was a shame to see Eavan’s pale skin replaced by her deep red coat.

              In absolute silence we crept closer to the sound. When I concentrated it came into much clearer focus and it took me only a second to realize it was the sound of a large diesel engine idling. I heard the sound of a door shutting and then muffled voices. I willed the Beast to aid in my hearing and the recognizable sound of Vicktor’s right hand man, Jameson, came to me clearly.

              “No, you’ll have to take them in through the tunnel, we cannot risk them coming in the front.”

              “That’s three miles from here, I’m hungry.” I heard someone complain.

              “I don’t give a shit if you die of starvation; this takes priority over your god damned stomach. Unless you want to tell her yourself that delivery was delayed because you wanted a sandwich.” Jameson said.

              I heard a low mumbling, and then Jameson said, “What? What did you say?”

              “I said I’ll take them right now, no need to tell her anything.”

              “That’s what I thought. Now get your ass over there.” Jameson said as he turned away.

              By now we had reached the edge of the tree line that opened up to a well paved road. There was a large fence, about ten feet tall, which ran alongside the road, showing the ending of the Den’s property line.

              I saw a large blue van whose windows were blacked out. Jameson was walking away from them as the van backed up and turned around. It rumbled off in a fog of exhaust fumes that stung at my sensitive nose.

              Eavan was standing inches from me as we watched with rapt attention. Jameson walked up to a pearl white corvette when he stopped and reached into his jacket, taking out a cell phone. He tapped a few numbers then spoke into it.

              “It’s on the way.”

              I could tell he was answering questions posed by the other caller.

              “Yes, uh huh.”

              “About ten minutes.”

              “Okay.”

              He hung up and began to get into the corvette when the wind shifted and I felt the hairs on my back pushed up by the breeze that carried our scents straight to him.

              He stopped as he was getting in and looked up in our direction. He raised his head sniffing the air and turned his focus more clearly towards where we were crouched.

              Eavan and I slowly backed away and down the slight hill we were on, using the ground to shield our presence. I stopped and concentrated, calling on the Beast to send my awareness out into the environment.

              I felt a weird disorientation as my senses expanded. I felt the wind as it again shifted, no longer sending our trail to him. I saw Jameson as he stepped out of his car and walked over to the fence. He looked with attention into the woods, right at where we had been hiding. He reached up with both hands and placed them on the fence. I was certain he was about to start climbing them when his phone rang and broke his concentration.

              He reached into his jacket and answered it.

              “Hello?” He said quickly.

              A few seconds later he said, “Are you fucking kidding me? If you weren’t my cousin I’d kill you myself. No, don’t go anywhere, Ill be there in a few minutes.”

              He took one more look into the forest and then turned back to his car, its powerful engine purring in the air, his tires squealed as he peeled out and left us alone.

I felt the slight disorientation as I brought my awareness back and I blinked, looking around. I saw Eavan still crouched next to me with a questioning stare.

“He’s gone, he almost caught our scent and came after us, but he was interrupted and had to leave.” I said, thinking she was looking at me like that because she wanted to know what happened.

“Where were ye?” She asked.

“What do you mean? I was right here.” I answered.

“I don’t mean yer body. Ye left for a few minutes, yer eyes got all unfocused and then ye left, or just expanded. It was weird.” Eavan and I had slowly started back towards the Den.

“I sent my awareness out.” I answered; shocked that she seemed unaware of such a feat.

“That’s impossible, my da is almost three hundred years old and he has just recently mastered that ability.” She said, doubting my answer.

“I guess I’m just a natural.” I said, shrugging.

She stared at me as we walked. Her canine snout hung open in disbelief. For once it was nice to see her speechless. Without waiting for her to say anything back I took off in a fast-loping stride. I heard Eavan as she kept pace behind me.

My thoughts wondered as I ran. Jameson was in charge of some sort of trafficking operation. Who or what he was trafficking I didn’t know, but I was determined to find out. My excitement grew as I thought we might be getting closer to what Vicktor and the vampire were up to.

My instincts screamed at me to jump and I reacted instantly. I leapt up into the air as a large sledgehammer with a flat head on one end and a large spike on the other whistled past where my head had been.

Distracted by my wondering thoughts, I never noticed the ambush until it almost killed me. As I landed I saw out of the corner of my eye as Eavan screeched to a halt and began backpedaling as one of Jameson’s thugs stalked towards her with a large Persian blade in his hands. I recognized these two from the alley where Jameson had first tried to kill me.

“You’re in direct violation of Pack law; we have immunity until the Rite.” I pleaded. I wasn’t afraid of them; I just wanted to buy us some time to recover from the initial shock and maybe get one of them to give away some information.

The guy coming at me was bald and his dark tattoos gave him a very menacing appearance but he didn’t look very intelligent. This was confirmed by what he said next.

“Vicktor doesn’t care about the Law. It was his idea to have you killed.” Baldy said in a sneer.

His partner, who was taller and slightly heavier in build, wore his hair in a tight pony tail that accentuated his dark skin and deep black of his heavy beard that was in need of a shave.

“Shut your damn mouth and kill them already.” He snarled.

A deep spike of worry shot through me as I realized Eavan was unarmed. She had left her weapon with the rest of her clothes thinking she was safe while on the Den’s property. A mistake she wouldn’t make twice, if she made it out of this alive.

Baldy’s eyes flashed a deep yellow as he swung the big hammer at my head, hoping to crush my skull and any fight with the first blow. He wasn’t very smart, but made up for it with sheer aggression and strength. His hammer came at me with a speed and force that I hadn’t expected. I just barely managed to bring my gauntlets, which had grown to cover my forearms and hands, up in an x shape in front of my face.

I felt the powerful force of his swing as the clear and distinct sound of his hammer and my armored gauntlets rang loudly as I blocked his attack.

I kept my form rigid and felt my feet slide on the ground as the force of the impact pushed me back a few feet. I dug my claws into the ground and leapt at him; taking advantage in the time, it took for him to readjust his hammer for another swing. He surprised me by using the hammer handle to quickly adjust to my attack and counter my clawed gauntlet.

They were out for blood, but the part of me that analyzed everything and tried to work out problems logically told me that I couldn’t kill him. Eavan couldn’t kill her opponent either. Vicktor sent these guys after us knowing full well that if we killed them he’d win and if they killed us he’d still win. Were I to kill Baldy I knew, somehow, that Vicktor could claim that I had killed him without provocation, that I had allowed my Beast to control me and without a Pack member to act as a witness it would be his claim against Eavan’s and mine. If they killed us they could claim we had attacked them and were forced to kill us in self defense. Like I said either way Vicktor won.

“We can’t kill them!” I yelled to Eavan, hoping she heard me.

“What do ye want me to do, smother them with kindness!” She yelled back.

I smiled, she was being attacked by someone larger, older and more experienced than her without her silver laced sword and she still had the ability to be a smartass. I liked this woman.

“I’ll think of something!” I answered.

“Ye better be quick!” She said as the big Persian sword swung at her in a multitude of quick, powerful strokes, she ducked and dodged his attack, keeping his blade at bay.

I kept my attack up and looked for a flaw in his defense. His hammer was large and very devastating, but it was slow, he effectively used the long handle in defense but his transition to offense was clumsy. I continued to press him and faked a stumble, giving him the opportunity to come at me.

In the time it took for him to bring his hammer to bear I stepped inside his swing and was clipped by just a portion of the hammers force. Pain erupted and I spun from the blow. I kept my wits about me and used the spin to give my backhand force as it connected with his face. We both staggered away from each other, him clutching is bleeding face, me, my broken arm.

Normally, my Beast would heal me in a few seconds but when the damage is done by a weapon made from generational silver the wounds take longer to heal, and if severe enough can kill.

Baldy screamed in anger as blood seeped through his fingers. His body started to change and I knew he would be even more dangerous if he finished. I rushed him and in the moment his form finished its change into a large werewolf with black fur I punched him in the stomach and he doubled over in pain. I followed that up with an uppercut that sent him flying and watched as he landed unconscious on the ground.

I looked over at Eavan to see how she was doing and I had to admit I was impressed. She kept out of his weapon’s range but still found a way to strike at him when he gave her an opening. I ran over to and joined Eavan; he took a step back as we stood facing him. My gauntlets shone with a silver radiance and Eavan’s claws dripped with his blood.

He took a long look at both of us and then turned and glanced at his companion. A look of uncertainty crossed his face and I could see how his mind started turning, deciding if the tables had just turned against him.