Sweetwater: The Kihn (The Sweet Series) (43 page)

“The Zelts are under attack.” They exchange a pointed look.

“What?” I ask in surprise.

Lucas sighs. “Now?” I hear a slight, almost amused, note in his voice. Then he exhales a sharp breath and shakes his head.

“Nick, Dominic, and Taylor have already headed that way,” Christian says. Lucas walks with strong, purposeful strides, and I hurry to keep up. “Andy, Ray, and Patrick went with them—and Sawyer.” Christian gives me a quick look.

“Have the others ready to leave in three minutes,” Lucas orders. He slows and pulls me up beside him, circling my waist with his arm.

“They’re ready, Lucas. At the gates,” Christian adds.

Lucas gives me a quick hug. “Sofie, you stay here.” Then he moves away quickly, leaving me. “Have Cal and Brighton man the gates—” Lucas stops, turns, and regards me for a moment before returning to me. He bends down to look into my face as he speaks.

“Sofie, I want you to stay here—where I know you’re safe. It will help if I don’t have to worry about you so I can stay focused.” His eyes hold a hint of amusement, but I know he’s serious.

“Okay.” When he cocks an eyebrow, I snort softly. “I will stay here, Lucas.”

“Thank you.” His deep voice is husky as he strokes my cheek with his fingers. He pulls me into his arms and kisses me with a passion that leaves me breathless. I flush when I see Christian’s knowing smile.

I lay my hand against the side of his face. “You be sure and come back.”

“My sweet, I will always come back to you.”

“Lucas, I have some things I need to tell you too.”

He touches his finger to my lips. We share one more fervid look. “Soon.” He turns to Christian, and they leave.

I look around, feeling uncomfortable in the empty arena. Very uncomfortable. I hurry out and head toward the house. The night is eerily quiet. It’s most likely my imagination, but the silence seems foreboding as I move quickly along the lit pathway. As I enter the house, I lock the back door and the door to the kitchen. It just makes me feel better. What I haven’t counted on are Bobbi and Teresa sitting at the kitchen table. I pause as I turn from the door.

“What are you doing here?” Teresa asks with plenty of attitude.

I exhale sharply and head for the living room. “I live here.”

“You’ve known him for what, two weeks?” she asks, bitchily.

I keep on walking. Jake and Lars are having a drink in the living room with the Indian, Quanah. Quanah’s eyes are on me as I step over to Jake, who gives my shoulder a quick squeeze.

“You okay?” he asks.

“Yeah, I’m glad you’re here.” I do feel better—until Bobbi and Teresa slink in.

Teresa slithers right up to Lars. “Buy me a drink?” she coos.

Oh, good grief!

“Can we turn some music on or something?” Bobbi asks. I think I hear a note of anxiety in her voice. I glance toward her. How much does she know? Does Nick tell her things? Important things—
like what Lucas should tell me
.

I go to check the front door and the outside door in Lucas’ study. I know I’m being silly, but it makes me feel better.

“I’ll see if I can figure out Lucas’ music system,” Jake says as I walk back into the room.

“Play something good to dance to,” Teresa says. My disbelief must show on my face because Teresa gives me an ugly look. “What?” She demands.

“I believe the lovely Sofie is worried. She has loved ones out there tonight,” Lars answers for me. He tips his head when I smile my thanks.

“Do you think I’m lovely?” Teresa asks as she latches on to his arm and leans into him.

I don’t hang around for the answer. I go to the bedroom and stand at the windows. I wonder what’s happening at the Rogers plantation.
Please God, keep them all safe
, I pray. I check and lock the outside door off the bathroom hall.
How silly!
I don’t know why I’m being so paranoid.

I pace in front of the windows. I hate being here, not knowing what is going on. I pray Lucas and I will get to finish our conversation. I’m ready to tell him everything. I want, no,
need
to tell him. Plus, he does have some explaining to do about the shared-blood situation. Every time we try to talk, we are interrupted, start making out, or end up in bed. That makes me smile. I’ve also decided I want him to know I love him.

I continue looking out into the night, looking for something, anything that would indicate trouble.

Damn! I hate waiting.

Girl——they are coming
.

Chapter Twenty-Four

“W
hat?” I ask, surprised and wondering if I’ve imagined the voice.

The Kihn are coming through the woods——they are coming for you.

Crap! I didn’t imagine that!

I grab the flashlight out of the nightstand and run into the living room. “Turn off the lights and the music!” They all look at me. “Hurry! The Kihn are coming onto the compound!” The men move at once to do my bidding.

“Sofie, are there any weapons in the house?” Jake asks.

“None that I know of.” Our eyes lock.

“I’m going out to the truck.”

“No!”

“I have to,” he says firmly.

I’m afraid he really does. We need weapons. “My shotgun’s in the Jeep.”

“In the back?” he asks, already on his way out.

“Yeah. Shells are in the console. Bring both boxes.” I’m right behind him at the door.

“I will go with him,” Quanah offers at my back.

I nod. “Thank you.”

I’m terrified. I scan the parking area and beyond to the woods. No sound comes from anywhere and I wonder about Cal and Brighton at the gates. About the time I’m thinking,
Oh please hurry
, Jake and Quanah bound up the steps. Jake hands me the shotgun.

I notice he only has his crossbow. “Why didn’t you get your shotgun?”

“I left it at Diane’s,” he admits a little sheepishly. “I didn’t think I would need it.”

“As much as I wish you had it, I’m glad you’re looking out for her.” Diane’s parents are gone for the weekend, and I guess he felt better with her having a shotgun. I know I do.

We lock the front door and go back to the living room. Lars is with Teresa, who’s crying, and Bobbi, who looks scared.

“They will come through the doors,” Quanah quietly says.

“What are we going to do?” Teresa wails.

Jake is at my side. “Sofie, is there a safe room in the house?”

“No one’s ever mentioned a safe room.”

“What about the basement?” he asks.

I shake my head. Then I remember something.

Jake sees the change in my expression. “What?”

“I think we should move to the basement. I’ve got an idea.”

We hurry through the kitchen, and I retrieve two more flashlights from a drawer. In the back of the drawer, I see the flashlight I dropped the night I snuck on to the compound.
I knew he had it!
Before heading downstairs, I unlock the kitchen door and grab some of the coats hanging by the outside door. I hand a couple to Bobbi and Teresa. Bobbi thanks me.

“I think we’re going to need them,” I say to Jake.

“Good thinking,” he says as he and Lars grab a coat each.

We use the flashlights to go down the basement stairs. The night Christian and Taylor were down here, they came out of the wine room I’d just been in. So I’m thinking there’s a hidden door that leads—somewhere. We make our way into the wine room and close the heavy steel door behind us. It has a bar that drops down so no one can open it. At least, not easily. Jake drops the bar in place.

“How strong are the Kihn?” Bobbi asks.

Quanah and Lars exchange a look. “They are strong enough,” Quanah answers in a calm voice.

At a shelf of wine bottles, I start searching for a release handle behind the racks. I push on the shelves in different areas. Jake goes to the racks on the opposite wall and does the same.

“We’re looking for a door I think is down here,” I say.

“You think!” Teresa screeches. “You think!”

“Shut up, Teresa!” Bobbi tells her. “Get over here and help me.”

Thank goodness, one of them has a little sense.

I remember something Gramps told me about a tunnel down here. I just hope we’re in the right area of the basement, and Lucas hasn’t had it sealed off.

Hurry, girl.

Damn it!

“Quanah?” I say. He’s quickly beside me. “Can you reach up on top? There at the back.”

I hear the click as he flips the release. We both pull on the shelf, but it slides with ease and swings open like a door. We hurry into the passage. As Quanah pulls the shelf to close it, I realize something.

“Wait!” I hurry back out to the steel door to lift the bar. If the door is barred, the Kihn will know we’re in here, and it will only be a matter of time before they find the opening too.

Jake follows me. “Good idea.”

As Quanah shuts the door of the passageway, the flashlight reveals a bar to secure the door, the same as the other. He drops it in place, securing the shelf from opening.

I hear Teresa crying. At least she’s doing it quietly. I’m too scared to cry, or I might be blubbering too. “Jake?”

“Yeah?” He moves beside me.

“Gramps told me about this passageway. It leads to a tunnel.”

“Where’s the tunnel lead to?”

“I don’t know.” I do know I’m ready to move, to run for safety. “It was part of the Underground Railroad.”

“What?” Jake asks with surprise.

“That’s what Gramps told me.”

I shine the light around and see a door on both sides of the passageway. Quanah opens the door on the right, and I look in. There are a couple of cots.
Weird.
The door on the left opens into a room full of what looks to be cases and cases of wine. Some of the stacks are taller than I am. I know I’m not especially tall, but the stacks must be over five feet high. The room feels cool, refrigerated.

“Here,” I hear Quanah say. He’s standing near the end of the passageway. He’s moved what looks like a large boulder, but it must be fake or he couldn’t have moved it. Quanah has revealed a hole through the rock wall.

They are here, girl
.

“They’re here!” I whisper. We all become silent, listening for any sound.

“Let’s go!” Jake decides. He motions for me to go through first.

Gee, thanks, Jake!

I’ve loaded my shotgun with 00-buck, and I have Dragon’s Breath shells in my pockets. Jake has his compound bow and more shells. The problem is the tunnel doesn’t look big enough if it comes down to a fight. But I try not to dwell on that.

Quanah comes through right behind me. While the others make their way into the tunnel, he motions for me to walk a little way ahead with him. He moves the flashlight beam around to illuminate the tunnel walls, reinforced with timber, and the dirt floor. Digging a tunnel like this one would take a mind-staggering amount of time. I have no idea how long it is or where it ends.

“We will need to hurry,” Quanah says quietly. “The Kihn will be able to smell everyone.”

I look at him in surprise.
Damn, this is going to be bad.

“We should only use one flashlight at a time, Sofe,” Jake suggests. “We don’t know how long we’ll be down here.”

“Sofe?” I feel Quanah looking at me.

“It’s... a nickname,” I tell him.

“Let’s move. I’ll bring up the rear with Jake, the girls can stay in the middle, and Quanah can take the lead,” Lars offers, by way of getting us moving.

I bet Lars had no idea when he decided to stay that he would spend time underground running for his life. We move on, but it’s pitch black, and one flashlight doesn’t give all of us much visibility. The tunnel is not wide, and the men have to stoop so they don’t hit their heads.

“If I need to move to the back, be ready to hug the wall,” I warn behind me.

“You always think you’re so important,” Teresa bitches.

“Teresa!” Bobbi snaps. “She has the shotgun!”

“Keep quiet!” Jake whispers loudly.

I have a sudden urge to giggle. Teresa being such a pain in the ass is too comical. Even when running for her life, she manages to be an annoying bitch. I control the urge, however, knowing it would be hysterical laughter if I started.

“Are you okay?” Quanah asks softly.

“Yeah... nerves.” I’m not surprised he picked up on my emotions. I knew those dark eyes had a lot going on behind them when we first met. He just has something about him...

We make our way through the tunnel as quickly as we can—but probably not as fast as we need to. I wonder what type of supernatural being Quanah is. I wonder about Cal and Brighton again. I worry about what is happening at the gates and if they are aware the Kihn have breached the compound.

I can’t let myself dwell on Lucas and Sawyer, it’s too frightening. I have to have faith that they’re okay. I’m certain the attack on the Zelts was a diversion, and I wonder if Lucas has sorted that out yet. My mind won’t be still, it keeps running from one worry to the next. I can’t help but remember that the Kihn chased me through a tunnel in one of my nightmares. The déjà vu is so strong I nearly choke with fear.

We have to slow at a point where the walls have caved in somewhat. The timbers that held the earth at bay for so many years are broken. If this tunnel was part of the Underground Railroad, it’s about a hundred and fifty years old. Okay, I wish I’d not think of things like that.

I feel as if we’ve been walking for hours, but in reality, it hasn’t been near that long. Where this tunnel will take us is anyone’s guess. I’m betting on the river. What then? We’ll be at the Kihn’s mercy out in the woods, with the temperature well below zero. I keep this to myself, though. I’m sure the guys have already considered the situation, and there’s no reason to make Bobbi and Teresa hysterical.

“I’m cold,” Teresa whines.

I’m starting to feel chilled too. “Is it getting colder?” I ask Quanah. He’s only wearing a suede-fringed jacket.

“Your body temperature has cooled to match the temperature of the tunnel.”

“What temp do you think that is?” I mostly ask to make conversation. I’m tired of thinking about scenarios that could happen.

“About fifty-five.”

“It feels colder than that.”

When he doesn’t say anything else, I shut up and continue to follow. I know it’s not my imagination that it’s getting harder to breathe. Our path has been fairly level, so I must be really out of shape or—we’re running out of air. I’m just full of good thoughts.

Without warning, Quanah stops. I slam smack dab into his back, which is about the same as walking into a brick wall.

“Sorry! I’m so sorry!” I tell him as I back up a step. Bobbi’s hands push against my back, but she doesn’t say anything. I look around Quanah as best I can; he’s not a small man. He turns, and I see his face in the light that reflects back on us. He looks down at me. “What?” I ask softly.

“A spider.”

A tremor runs through my body. “What?” I breathe.

In the faint light, his black eyes delve into mine. “You fear spiders.”

I gulp convulsively. “Mostly... big ones.”

He regards me steadily. “Then you will not like this.” He swings the light out ahead of us.

I look into a mass of spider webs. In the center of that tangled weave dangles the biggest freakin’ spider I’ve ever seen. It’s the size of a possum, a large possum. I bet it eats possum for a snack! The flashlight makes its eyes glow.

I back up, pushing against Bobbi.

“Hey! There are still people back here,” she mumbles a little crankily. I flatten against the wall, trying to melt into it. “What?” she asks. I can feel her reaction when she sees what is ahead of us. “Shit!”

My sentiments exactly.

“What’s going on?” Jake calls to us. “We don’t have time to stand here.”

“Jake, you need to come up here, please.” My voice is shaky. Quanah moves toward the nest. “What are you doing?”

“I am going to knock it down.”

“No!” Bobbi screeches.

I grab Quanah’s arm. He stops and looks down at my hands. “P-Please don’t,” I beg.

From his reaction to my hand on his arm, I’m certain not many lay their hands on him, and normally, I don’t let myself get this close to someone I don’t know. But I’m not letting go of his arm until he agrees he won’t knock that eight-legged nightmare down.

“If you knock it down, it will—” I can’t stop the shudder that runs through my body “—it will be on the ground. Running around—on the ground!”

Bobbi grabs my shoulder, her nails digging in. “Don’t let him do it!” I try to shrug her off, but she has a death grip on me.

“What’s going on?” Teresa asks. “We need to move. I’m cold.”

“Please, Quanah.”

“Woman—I will kill it.”

“Kill what?” Teresa’s voice has raised an octave. “What’s up there?”

“It’s too big!” As terrified as I am of that spider hanging in our way, I’m petrified of it being on the ground, in the dark, crawling around.

“What is it?” Teresa’s voice is practically hysterical now.

“Sofie, what’s going on? Do you need me?” Jake calls.

“Yes! Jake, please!” Bobbi calls back.

Quanah looks down again at my hand locked on his arm. I can feel his bicep through his jacket. His arm is well muscled, and there’s no way I can physically stop him.

I realize it would be easier for Jake to just hand me the crossbow than to try to move up from the back.

“Jake, pass your crossbow up here.” I look back at Quanah. “Do you know how to use one?” I’m not going to stereotype and just assume that he does.

I think I see his lips twitch. “I think I can manage,” he says.

I hear Jake say to be careful, and Bobbi hands the crossbow to me. I hold it out to Quanah as he looks at the nest. For a moment, I’m terrified he’s going to go through with his original plan. I’m pretty sure that spider’s too large to knock down and stomp. To my relief, he turns back and reaches for the crossbow. He rests the stirrup on the ground and pulls the bowstring with ease, cocking it. I hand him an arrow.

He looks at me. “Everyone will need to back up. I’m too close.”

I’m only too happy to stay as far away from that arachnid as I possibly can. I relay the message, and as we back up, I have a sudden urge to flee. That’s the best way I know to describe what I’m feeling. Are the Kihn getting close? I say nothing because I know that Quanah is aware time is not on our side.

While I’m contemplating all this, he is setting up the shot. I hear the crack-snap of the crossbow. I for real do not want to look, but I get that unbearable urge to look at something I just know I shouldn’t. And yes, I wish I hadn’t.

The spider thrashes around in the cobweb. It looks as if it’s trying to pull the arrow out. It finally hangs lifeless, and Quanah steps up close to it. He uses an arrow to knock down the dead spider and web. My life will never be the same knowing spiders that large live here in the Ozarks.

“I hate spiders,” Bobbi shudders.

I glance back at her. For once, we agree. I turn back to see Quanah motioning for us to move forward. We pass the crossbow back to Jake. Quanah pulls the arrow from the spider’s body and moves it as close to the wall as he can with his boot before moving on. I pull a flashlight out of my back pocket and hold the beam on the spider as we sidle past. I think Teresa will have a fit when she sees it, but Bobbi tells her to shut up, it’s dead. We don’t get far before Quanah stops again.

“What now?” I ask. I pray it’s not another spider. One of those in a lifetime is enough.

He shines his light out beyond us. Water.

I have a sudden feeling of wild panic.
No!
I am not doing this!

“What is it this time?” Lars asks. Bobbi and I flatten our bodies against the tunnel wall.