The Gazelle Who Caught a Lion (16 page)

magical and mythological beings need to stay away.”

“That doesn’t explain anything,” Alexis countered.

The skin-walker had grinned, but had not replied, at least not

while they were still within Academy grounds. Alexis had gone along

with his captor’s wishes and obediently stepped through the

rudimentary portal the skin-walker managed to create. Once at the

house, his nemesis finally revealed his plan.

“You’ll be blamed for all this, Mr. Whitaker. I was careful to

provide clear snapshots of you taking out Sara. Also, once your friend wakes up and sees you taunting him, he’ll tell his mate all about it. I hear shifters can speak to their mates telepathically.”

It was in that moment that Alexis had understood the skin-walker

planned their deaths. Of course, he should have realized it earlier. He felt horribly stupid, but he’d decided to make up for it. He vowed that he would not die here, and he would not allow his friend or Principal Huitzilin to perish either.

It wasn’t easy to free himself, but at last, his effort paid off and the rope tying his wrists snapped. Thankfully, the skin-walker had

underestimated him and not bothered with securing him with more

attention. Of course, Alexis understood the reason. Incubus magic

could influence people to do the caster’s bidding, but had no effect on
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objects. In fact, in terms of physical strength, incubi were the weakest of the demon races. But their cunning, stealth, and magic made up for that lack.

In the other room, he heard Angel talk to the skin-walker. At one

point, there were loud noises that sounded like someone bashing

against a metal bar. Alexis felt concerned for his friend, so he rushed to free himself from the ropes around his legs. Finally free, he got up and found the first object he could use as a weapon. It turned out to be an old fireplace poker. Alexis felt distantly amused, since he hadn’t seen something like that since his childhood years. Alexis’s family

had long ago automated the fireplace system in their home, and pokers seemed like a relic of the past. Regardless, the item made for a good weapon, so Alexis was glad for its presence.

He slowly made his way toward the next room, where he knew

both the skin-walker and the other captives were located. As it turned out, he reached the doorway just as the kidnapper was coming his

way.

It was almost surreal. The skin-walker was wearing Alexis’s face,

so for a brief moment, Alexis froze, staring at himself, almost

hypnotized. But the copy wasn’t quite right, and something in the

skin-walker’s eyes betrayed the fact that he was nothing more than a fake.

The shifter reached for Alexis, but before he could do anything,

Alexis brought the fire poker down on his opponent’s head with all his might. It seemed he’d underestimated his own strength as the skin-walker crumbled to the floor in a heap. Alexis briefly knelt and

checked the man’s pulse. He was still alive, but out like a light. Thank God.

Alexis rushed back into the room, panting. He found Principal

Huitzilin tied into a net that kept her from escaping and Angel in a cage. “Are you crazy?” Sara asked. “Stop that thing.”

She was looking at a ticking device, and Alexis realized in terror

the skin-walker had placed a bomb in the house. He stared for a few

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moments, but the numbers on the LED screen told him he didn’t have

much time. Truly, it didn’t seem like a very complicated bomb, and

perhaps Alexis might have attempted to disarm it had his life been the only one in jeopardy. Instead, he rushed back out of the room and

searched the skin-walker’s clothes. He found a bunch of keys with

reasonable ease, but there were so many. Which ones fit the locks

keeping Angel and Sara trapped?

Alexis went to Angel first, since he wasn’t sure how he would pull

Sara down. He tried several keys before finding the right one. All the while, he was acutely aware of every passing second. Sweat trickled

down his spine, and his hands trembled as he finally opened the door to the cage.

Angel burst out of the cage. He took the keys from Alexis, hopped

onto a wardrobe with the agility only a gazelle could have and

grabbed the wooden beam that supported Sara’s net. Crawling onto

the beam, he reached the lock of the hook. On the third try, he

managed to unhook the net. Sara fell onto the floor, and immediately, Alexis proceeded to help her out of the net. Angel jumped down from

the beam just as Sara was finally free. There were only fifteen seconds left, and the bomb was continuing to tick.

“Go, go!” Alexis said.

He knew they were both faster than him, and he would slow them

down. Angel and Sara grabbed his hands and pulled him along, and

their speed boosted Alexis’s, make him go faster than he could have

on his own.

They ran past the skin-walker, and as much as Alexis regretted it,

he couldn’t stop. The seconds were passing quicker than even

hummingbirds could run. None of them could carry the unconscious

man outside and save themselves, too. And as selfish as it might be, Alexis wanted to live. He wanted to live and see Morgan once more,

kiss those full lips again, feel Morgan’s strong arms wrap around him.

If he survived this, he would tell Morgan everything, confess every

emotion that bubbled inside him. Life was too short to be afraid.

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They burst out of the house and into a beautiful grove. Distantly,

Alexis realized they hadn’t gone too far from the Academy. In fact, if he had to guess, this house must have once been Angel’s home, the

one the antelope had mentioned in a conversation between them.

But that thought vanished when at last, the bomb exploded. A

deafening boom sounded behind them and the strength of the blast

sent both Alexis and his companions flying as if they were nothing

more than leaves scattered in the wind. Pieces of burning wood flew

around them. He heard Angel cry out in pain, and the sound both

frightened and relieved him. At least Angel was alive.

Alexis fell on his knees and rolled around, struggling to move

away from the inferno. He didn’t get too far. Something hit him hard, and Alexis’s world melted into fiery pain then darkness.

* * * *

Angel screamed as a branch on fire hit his back. He rolled over,

doing his best to dodge the falling projectiles. For the most part, he succeeded, in spite of the pain still radiating from his shoulders.

Similarly, Sara managed to avoid being too hurt. Alexis, however,

wasn’t so lucky. Angel saw a large, burning beam hit his friend. Terror swept over him as Alexis’s body went very still. For a brief, horrible moment, Angel couldn’t move. He just stood there in disbelief. But

the sight of the fire consuming Alexis’s clothes snapped him out of his trance.

He shot forward, his mind completely on his goal. He felt Clark’s

panic through their bond, but he couldn’t back away now. He’d never

be able to forgive himself.

By miracle, he reached Alexis’s side unhurt. But then a larger

obstacle appeared. The wooden beam lay over Alexis, and it wouldn’t

be easy to move. Taking a deep breath, Angel shifted into his antelope form. He used his hoofs to dislodge the beam, even if the burn

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threatened to scorch his flesh. Sara made her appearance as well and helped him, even if it couldn’t have been easy for her to do so.

It seemed to take forever, but at last, they had his friend free. They pulled Alexis away and found cover behind a big rock. Tears streamed down Angel’s face as he looked at his friend. Angel was in pain, but that didn’t matter for him. They needed medical assistance for Alexis, as soon as possible.

He focused on his bond with Clark and desperately prayed for

help. Around them, the fire seemed to be growing hotter and brighter, and suddenly, Angel realized that neither he nor Sara might make it

out of this after all.

Closing his eyes, Angel sent a message to his mate,
“I love you,
Clark.”

* * * *

The explosion shook the mountain, and Clark’s terror increased

tenfold. Through his bond with Angel, he’d seen what had happened.

He now knew Alexis had been telling the truth all along. But that did very little to help him or the three former captives. The bomb the

impostor had set was incredibly powerful. Even if they’d managed to

get out of the house, Angel, Alexis, and Sara still received a strong blow.

Clark felt Angel’s pain as if it were his own. He felt the scorching fire burn his mate and released a panicked roar. When he heard

Angel’s whispered declaration, his heart almost stopped
. “I love you,
Clark,”
his mate said, and it sounded far too much like good-bye for Clark’s comfort.

“Oh, God, Angel. Please, don’t die, love,”
he answered.
“Please,
live, for us.”

At the other side of the bond, Angel’s voice came through a wave

of pain,
“Clark, help us. Help us.”

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Clark ran as quickly as possible now. They were very close, so

much so he could feel the heat from the bomb singing his fur. He

reached the grove that formerly held their home and tried to find his mate through the trees now consumed by flames.

His beast led him to Angel. His mate had been struck by a burning

branch, but he’d managed to take refuge behind a large rock that

survived the blast. Alexis and Sara were also there. Ignoring the

danger, Clark slipped through the foliage, until at last, he reached his mate’s side.

Angel wrapped his arms around his neck and buried his face in

Clark’s fur. “God, Clark. Alexis is injured. He’s hurt really bad.”

So focused on Angel, Clark had not realized Alexis was out cold.

He felt a little sick when he realized the extent of the incubus’s

wounds. The incubus’s right side had been completely disfigured, and given the current circumstances, Clark couldn’t even be sure Alexis

would live.

Shifting, he gave his mate a serious look. “We need to get him,

and you, to a doctor.”

Clark had no idea how he would carry the hurt man out of there

since he had little knowledge of the anatomy of magical creatures. The fire was spreading, though. Thankfully, Corbin and Preston made their appearances as well. Clark took his mate in his arms, while the lynxes grabbed the other two captives. They headed back, fleeing from the

fire that threatened to consume the forest.

A few minutes into their flight, they found their friends and

families heading their way. The two cars stopped, and Morgan jumped

out of his father’s vehicle. He snatched Alexis from Corbin’s arms and released an agonized shout.

“I hope you’re happy now,” the shark told Sara. “This is all your

fault.”

There was so much anger and pain in Morgan’s voice. Clark

himself tasted the bitterness of guilt in his mouth, both because he’d
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believed Alexis was behind the murder and because he couldn’t help

but feel relieved that Angel’s injuries were less serious.

Brushing away those feelings, he ushered his friend toward the

car. “Morgan, come on. We need to get him to see a doctor.”

Morgan nodded and loaded the incubus into the vehicle. Clark did

the same with Angel. Even if his mate wasn’t as hurt as Alexis, Clark was still concerned.

As the cars advanced through the forest, Clark hugged his mate to

his chest. He still couldn’t believe it. He’d been so close to losing Angel tonight, and even now, he could feel the pain radiating through his mate.

The trip seemed to take forever, but at last, the cars reached the

Academy. Doctors were already ready and on the move. With great

reluctance, Clark handed his mate to the medics. He plopped down on

a chair in front of the clinic, only distantly registering Morgan pacing to and fro around him.

He didn’t know if he could have kept his sanity without his bond

with Angel. As it was, Clark remained completely aware of what went

on with his mate. Angel’s pain started to dwindle as his shape-shifter abilities and the doctors’ ministrations soothed his hurts. It was like a balm on Clark’s heart, and he found himself growing more relieved

and, at the same time, more anxious with each second that passed.

Thankfully, the doctor soon let him know that he could come in

and see Angel. As he rushed inside, Clark spotted another medic

talking to Morgan. The situation didn’t seem so great with the

incubus. For Morgan, for Angel, and for Alexis himself, Clark hoped

the doctors would be able to fix things. Alexis deserved it. He’d saved Angel’s life, and that was something Clark would never forget.

All thoughts vanished when he reached Angel’s room. His mate

was struggling to get out of bed, stubbornly working on the machines that were supposed to monitor his vitals. The moment Clark stepped

inside, Angel turned toward him and froze, hands still on the wires.

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In a mere instant, Clark was by his mate’s side and crushed the

antelope to his chest. “God, Angel. I thought I’d lost you.”

Angel didn’t answer. He just buried his face in Clark’s chest and

sobbed quietly. Clark held his mate, soothing him, until the shock