Shadow Fire (7 page)

"What do you think you're doing?" he asks, anger filling his voice. "I can't protect you if you refuse to obey my orders!"

His left arm wraps around me, pulling my body flush against his firm chest, my face colliding with his neck. I feel a touch lightheaded for a moment as I breathe in his scent. He smells of vanilla and something else… perhaps cinnamon? Closing my eyes, I lean my head in closer, pressing my cheek against his warm skin. Yes, cinnamon. An urgent whine from the bushes snaps me out of my daze. Zane is still on the defensive, waiting for an attack.

"It's just Shadow," I manage to say through my dry throat. Zane still has me pressed up against him, protecting my body with the armor on his left side. "Please lower your sword. You're making him nervous."

When Zane makes no move to sheathe his sword, I try pulling away. His grip is like iron. I'm not going anywhere until he decides to release me.

"Shadow, come here," I call out.

A large black wolf pads out of the brush. His ears are perked up, and his tail is stretched out behind him, on full alert. It appears neither male wants to back down. Shadow sniffs the air, opening his mouth as he inhales. Zane tenses against me when the wolf's teeth are bared in a predatory grin.

"Zane, this is Shadow," I begin the tense introduction, "he's my hunting buddy." Zane starts to relax, his arm loosening around my body.

"This massive wolf is a pet?" he asks, freeing me from his grip. When he sheathes his sword, I release the deep breath I'd been holding.

"Not a pet. More like a companion," I say with a small smile.

Shadow creeps forward. I bury my fingers in the thick fur at his neck. Zane holds his hand out, allowing the wolf to take in his scent. Shadow chuffs before settling back on his haunches, his bright blue eyes shifting between Zane and me. His head is tipped to the side, a gesture I always interpret as curiosity. I suppose the wolf is unaware of the events of the past three weeks. He must be wondering where I'm going.

"Zane, I hope you don't mind, but I think there's a good chance Shadow will follow us."

"But what about his pack?" he asks. "I thought wolves lived in packs."

"Well, Shadow's a bit of a renegade. I found him when he was a small cub, and he travels alone as far as I know. The only other wolf I've ever seen him with is Loki, but I wouldn't really call them a pack since they barely tolerate each other." My eyes scan the forest searching for the white wolf, Loki. "I wonder where Loki is. He certainly wouldn't let me leave without saying goodbye…"

I trail off realizing Zane is gazing at me with a raised eyebrow. He must think I'm crazy now, the girl who talks to wolves. Shadow's still staring at me; his azure eyes alight with curiosity.

"Shadow, we're leaving, wanna come?" I ask, rubbing at his furry ears.

I know the wolf understands most of what I say, though most people would think me crazy were I to admit it aloud. He's been my confidante for four years, and he always seems so intelligent, like he's listening to every word. Sometimes it's nice to have someone to talk to who can listen and not respond, or offer ridiculous advice like Celeste.

"We need to move on," Zane says. "We're too exposed and vulnerable to attack here."

I nod and follow him into the dark, sinister woods, Shadow close behind. The wolf seems to be on high alert making my anxiety soar. Zane reaches back and takes my hand in his.

"Stay close," he orders, "something still feels off."

His hand is warm, the contact sending a wave of tingles throughout my body. He laces his calloused fingers with mine, his thumb caressing my hand. I glance at the side of his head, noting the way his dark auburn hair bounces with each step. The short sleeves of his shirt are tight, his muscles pushing against the smooth fabric. My eyes wander down to his legs encased in tight fitting black pants, tucked into worn black leather boots. He's walking fast and his sword slaps his left leg with each step. I'm so wrapped up ogling the mercenary I fail to notice a large fallen branch. As I stumble over it, Zane stops me from falling. It's a good thing he had my hand, or I would've face-planted on the forest floor.

"Are you all right?" he asks.

I can't seem to find my voice so I nod. Satisfied, he continues on. As the canopy of trees thickens, it blocks out what little light the moon provided. Our pace slows when the darkness makes it difficult to navigate the many obstacles along the forest floor. The leaves rustle in the night wind, creating an eerie sound matched only by the infrequent grunts and howls of nocturnal forest creatures. It's quite easy to understand how the rumors of ghosts came about. I wouldn't be surprised if one appeared in our path right now.

A loud hooting causes me to jump in fright before my mind registers it's an owl. Zane's fingers tighten around mine, which helps calm my racing heart. We've been hiking through the dense underbrush for quite a while. My legs are starting to feel like pudding, I doubt I can go much farther without collapsing.

"Zane," I call out through panting breaths, "we've been walking for quite a while now. Can we stop for a rest soon?"

He stops to glance back, his expression soft, his lips curved into a kind smile.

"You must be exhausted," he murmurs. "I know there's a small creek nearby. We can camp there for the remainder of the night. I just wish I was more familiar with these blasted woods." He sounds tired and frustrated too. I'm about to scream in exasperation when an idea springs to mind.

"Oh, wait a sec." I release his hand and drop my pack to the ground. "I have an idea." Rummaging through my pack, I find what I'm searching for. Pulling out the bright blue flask, I open it. After taking a quick drink, I hold it out to Zane. "Want some?"

"No, I'm fine, thanks," he replies. "What's this plan of yours?"

"Shadow!" I call out, scanning the forest for his form.

Within seconds he's at my side huffing. Pouring some water in my hand, I hold it out to Shadow. He sniffs at my hand then licks the tiny pool of water.

"Shadow, we need this. The water. Can you lead us there?" The wolf huffs before he takes off almost straight ahead. "Well let's go," I say to Zane through a smile.

"Very clever," he murmurs.

He holds his hand out and I take it again. Though I know he's holding my hand out of necessity not attraction, I just can't bring myself to care. The feel of his warm, calloused fingers against mine is divine. Just holding his hand makes my pulse race out of control. It's a good thing I'm tired. I hope Zane attributes my soft panting to exhaustion rather than attraction.

We follow Shadow's trail through the dense trees, trying to keep up with the wolf's brisk pace. Shadow isn't taking an easy path. We have to dodge quite a few low hanging branches, and I manage to trip over another fallen log. Then I hear a sound that warms my soul, running water — and close by too. When we reach the creek, Zane releases me, and scopes out the area, searching for a suitable campsite. Shadow is on the opposite bank howling and huffing.

"I think Shadow found our campsite for us," Zane remarks. "He's certainly intelligent for a wolf."

He takes my pack then motions for me to stay put before jumping across several large rocks to reach the other side. There's no way I'm going to follow him across the wide creek; the night is far too cold for a swim. I watch in apprehension as he drops the packs and makes his way back to me. He leaps from rock to rock, the picture of masculine grace.

"Your turn," he says, his bright garnet eyes gleaming in the dim light.

"Oh, ah, perhaps I'll just camp over here," I say, backing away from the offending creek.

A wicked grin spreads across his face, and he scoops me up into his arms before I can react. I squeal in surprise while flushing several new shades of crimson. He chuckles low in his throat, the vibration sending tiny shivers throughout my body.

"Hold on tight," he warns as he starts toward the creek.

Closing my eyes, I wrap my arms around his neck and bury my face against his shoulder. He jumps from rock to rock, my weight seeming to make no difference at all. I'm both relieved and disappointed when he sets me back down on the ground.

"I'll start a campfire then take your bow and rustle up something to eat," he says while gathering some large stones to make a fire pit.

"Oh, I don't think that'll be necessary," I say, when Shadow drops a fat rabbit at my feet. "Looks like Shadow's on hunting duty tonight."

"Well, you just made my life easier. Thanks Shadow," he says, nodding his head to the black wolf. "I'll go gather firewood and start a fire."

While he's gone, I pull out my dagger and proceed to skin the rabbit, hanging it from a nearby branch to drain the blood. Zane returns with an armload of wood just as I finish gutting the rabbit. He kneels down and drops the wood into the center of the stone fire pit. The fire sparks to life in mere seconds. I'm amazed at how easily he manages to start a fire. He must've had a lot of practice.

"You'll have to show me how you light the fire so quickly," I say, pointing at the decent blaze. "Quite a useful skill. My fires always seem to take forever to light."

"It's really not difficult," he says with a sly smile and a wink. "Remind me to show you next time." He notices the gutted rabbit hanging on the low tree branch. "Frankly I find your skill preparing our dinner much more useful. Would you like me to cut it up?"

"No, I got it. I've had years of practice."

Walking over to the tree, I retrieve the rabbit, slice it into pieces, and slide them onto two roasting spits. Zane takes the spits, placing them above the flames. While they're cooking, I wash my hands in the frigid creek and clean the blood from my dagger. Shadow returns with a rabbit of his own, lying down near the fire to tear into his prey.

Returning to the blazing fire, I sit on the warm ground next to Zane. He hands me a spit of cooked meat, and we eat in companionable silence. The rabbit is delicious. Eating such fresh game is rare indeed. Most of the time when I hunt I don't have time to properly drain the animal before carting it back to town. As I chew the tender meat, I decide should I ever make it home I'll have to change my hunting style. Well, at least for the game I bring home for my own consumption.

After we finish eating, I throw the remaining carcass of our rabbit to Shadow, which he proceeds to pick clean. Wrapping my arms around my legs, I lean my head back to stare up at the canopy of trees. The moon is bright tonight, casting an ethereal glow that trickles down through the leaves. A fairly decent breeze picks up and blows chilled air through our camp. Even with my cloak wrapped around my frame, I shiver a bit from the cold.

"Will the wolf let you sleep next to him?" Zane asks. "It's going to be a cold night so you'll need the warmth."

"I guess so," I reply, glancing over at Shadow. He's at the creek lapping greedily at the freezing water.

"I'll lay my cloak down on the ground for you to sleep on," he says as he digs into his pack. He pulls out a long black cloak and spreads it on the ground.

"What about you?" I ask hesitantly. "Where will you sleep?"

"I'll keep watch," he says, staring off into the forest. "We should be safe this far from the main path, but I don't want to take any chances."

"All night? You need sleep don't you?"

"Don't worry about me. I'm used to long night watches," he murmurs, shivering a bit as another icy gust of wind buffets the camp. He rubs vigorously at his arms trying to banish the goose bumps cropping up on his bare skin from the cold.

"You know, Shadow will wake us if anything or anyone approaches the camp. You can go to sleep." When I realize what I'm about to suggest, I feel warm despite the cold chill in the air. "We should sleep next to each other, you know, to keep warm."

I watch a smile spread across his face as he stares into my eyes, holding me captive. I can't tear my gaze away, though I make a considerable effort.

"Come here," he whispers. All of a sudden my throat feels dry, and I swallow around the lump that formed there. "Shadow, come here," he beckons the wolf.

The wolf's stare moves from Zane to me before he pads over. Zane points to the cloak next to him and motions for me to sit. I remove my cloak then lie down. Shadow stretches out to my right farthest from the fire. Zane takes my cloak and covers us as he reclines on the other side. I have to admit it's pleasantly warm sandwiched between the wolf and the mercenary.

"Are you sure Shadow will alert us if needed?" he asks.

I smile at him and nod.

"Well then, good night."

"Good night, Zane. I'm glad you're here with me." I roll onto my left side facing him. "I'd hate to be out here alone." He smiles and puts his arm around me. I snuggle closer to him, resting my head on his right shoulder. His fingers rub slow, soothing circles on my back. With a soft sigh, I close my eyes. Zane makes me feel so safe and protected. The slow, steady beat of his heart soon lulls me to sleep.

Chapter Six

Loki

Soft noises wake me from a deep sleep, and it takes a few moments for my drowsy mind to remember why I'm sprawled out on the ground. Zane is no longer beside me; instead my head is resting on his pack. He must've placed it there to keep me from falling when he arose. A blush creeps across my cheeks when I remember how forward I was, practically sprawling across the poor man. Before I have the chance to chastise myself any further, I realize what woke me, soft voices speaking nearby.

I rise to my feet, wrapping my cloak around my shoulders to ward off the frosty chill in the air. Shadow lifts his head to gaze at me and starts to rise as well. I motion for the ebony wolf to remain where he is before creeping through the trees in the direction of the low voices. Years of hunting have taught me how to move through the forest without making a sound.

Once I'm within earshot of the voices, I hide behind a large oak tree to spy on the two men speaking in hushed tones. Zane is talking to a strange man. Though, I'm not sure if he can even be called a man since he's emitting an unnatural glow. The last time I checked, normal people weren't surrounded by a light blue halo of light. Long white hair falls down to his ankles, shimmering in the moonlight as he moves.