Tortured Embrace Read online

  Don’t look back, she told herself. Don’t look back.

  Her leg began to throb, and she felt a rip on her thigh. Looking down briefly, she was shocked to see the pale coloring of her human skin. Without even realizing it, she was shifting back into her human form. The serum must still have some effect on her. Phasing, or her mad race to make it home, reopened the cut on her leg. Her weakening body continued forward as fast as she could, but at a much slower pace, her bare feet throbbing as they hit the dirt.

  Doesn’t matter. She was still faster than any human.

  Run, goddamn it!

  Tears stung her eyes as the memory of the countless cuts, the spells that made their bodies twist in agony, the cold cell, the humiliation, it all came rushing to the forefront. Her head swam with the images, blurring her vision. She tripped on something and hit the ground as if someone had lifted the earth and smacked it into her.

  It happened all too fast for her to save any part of her body, her face receiving the most brutal hit of all. Her nose throbbed, the tears relentless now. The entire front of her body burned wildly, and she was only dimly aware she’d landed on gravel.

  Cautiously, she turned her neck, placing her tender cheek on the little pebbles, trying desperately to see where she was. There were cornfields about five feet from her line of vision, and the longer she lay there, the roaring wind no longer in her ears, she could just make out the sounds of an expressway somewhere far off to the left.

  Get up, she told herself. You have to keep going.

  Every inch of her refused to cooperate with her brain. The fight had left her. There was no more energy inside her battered body. It was over. She could tell herself off all she liked, but there was no way she could move. Closing her eyes, she apologized to Ben, the baby, her brother. She apologized to the man she loved, for not having the courage before to tell him how she really felt. With his lasting image searing deep in her mind, she let the dark, traitorous world claim her.

  ****

  It was two A.M. and as much as he didn’t want to, Jason turned the Avalanche around, taking a different road back to Wilmington. Heading east on route 72, he thought about all the places they’d searched. He wondered if the Chicago crew looked hard enough. Perhaps he should take a trip up there tomorrow and make his own inquiries. Again. He could stay at his condo in the south loop for a few days.

  Second-guessing himself for the umpteenth time, he questioned if taking his pickup had been such a good idea. For weeks the pack had searched for Serena in their wolf forms, but they couldn’t very well interview people that way, and the folks around here didn’t take kindly to a naked man interrogating them. Tonight he’d driven all the way down to Quincy, stopping along the way at every shop, inn, motel, anything that remained open to ask questions, pushing a picture of Serena into every face he came across.

  He drove slow, all senses on alert. His phone beeped next to him on the passenger seat. Glancing at it, he saw it was Adam, asking if he was home yet. As he was about to text him back, an overwhelming sadness blasted straight through his chest. All of a sudden, as though he’d just become someone else, he was filled with love, grief, and pain. Unimaginable pain.

  The feeling expanded throughout his body, shocking him. Jason slammed on the brakes, his heart drumming in his chest, near to bursting, and pulled to the side of the road. His hands shook violently as the Avalanche squealed loudly, marking the road in its wake. He shot out of the truck, and stopped a moment, glancing in every direction, trying to find the source. It wasn’t too far from where he stood and every fiber of his being told him it was Serena.

  Contemplating phasing to sharpen his senses, he stepped into the cornfield and paused again as the faintest hint of her scent hit him. Her hair. He’d smelled it just before she went missing, and he’d recognize it anywhere. Forgoing the decision to change, he ran headlong into the tall ears of corn. He was close. The intensity of her emotions was weakening, but her scent grew stronger. His arms sliced through the high field, the sound echoing loudly, terrifying him to his very marrow.

  Body shaking violently, Jason fought the impulse to phase. If she needed medical attention, he couldn’t do shit with his claws. Up ahead, he saw an opening and knew he’d find her there. He raced into a clearing and stopped abruptly, crushing gravel beneath his shoes.

  The world went silent, the drumming of his pulse the only sound beating wildly in his ears.

  Sinking down to his knees, Jason’s heart finally burst.

  Serena’s thin form lay motionless in front of him on the hard gravel, her face turned in his direction. His precious girl. Dear Lord, the sight of her was a blessing and a curse. He pushed a fist at the sting in his chest, holding his breath.

  She lay face down, and he could see faint scratch marks on her back, as if she’d been rubbing against something rough. Other than deep cuts along her cheek, there were no other signs of injury. He bit down hard as he stared with shimmering eyes at her battered face. Did her attacker just do this? The cuts bled as though freshly inflicted.

  In an instant, his hackles rose, sensing they were watched. Whipping his head to the side, his eyes locked on a gray animal entering the clearing. With its head bowed, shoulders raised, it poised to attack, lips curling over grimy teeth.

  Snarling, Jason’s eyes shifted as he pushed himself off the ground with his hands in a giant leap straight toward the jackal. Fear, rage, a maddening urge to kill everything and anything that dared to come close to Serena drove him to insanity. Not bothering to phase and without a thought to his safety, he reached for its neck as it leapt at him, and in a second, snapped it in a swift twist. The jackal’s screech was cut short as it fell limp in his hands. He tossed it aside, his wolf eyes narrowing, surveying the field surrounding them. For whatever reason, the nasty beast had acted alone. He sensed nothing else.

  He’d think about the strange attack later. Rushing quickly back to Serena, he knelt beside her, running shaky hands over his face.

  For a moment, he just knelt there, frozen, as if touching her might make her disappear. He couldn’t believe she was in front of him. And he was scared, scared shitless. He couldn’t bear to see her hurt.

  With trembling hands he reached for her and as gently as possible turned her over, laying her carefully in his arms and off the rocks.

  Jason winced and bit down hard, his face contorting in anguish as he examined her, his vision gleaming in a blurry haze. Serena’s entire body was bruised and there were marks all over her skin, old and new, the worst of which was the fifteen-inch cut running down her leg, pouring blood down the sides of her thigh.

  She’s alive, he told himself. Her body was still warm and he could hear a pulse, she was just unconscious. The tears sprung of their own accord, tears of relief, agony, and unequivocal love. Sliding her further into his arms, Jason embraced her tenderly, needing to feel her close to him, closer than he’d ever been. Rocking her slowly back and forth, he moaned in a wretched voice, “I’m so sorry, little one. I’m so sorry…I’m so sorry…” His body shook with grief as he held her tighter, his face buried deep in her tangled hair. “Oh God, Serena, I’m sorry. I’ve got you now. I’ve got you. Please forgive me. I’ve got you now.”

  He couldn’t tell if he was consoling Serena or himself. Pressing his cheek against hers, he tried to calm his ragged breathing. He needed to focus now.

  Getting up swiftly, he ran back toward the truck, trying as hard as he could not to disturb any part of her body. As he ran, his eyes darted back to her face, watching her closely. He kept his ears hard on her pulse, letting the subtle beats calm him into getting her safely back home.

  When they reached the pickup, he slid her carefully inside. Reclining the passenger seat as far as it would go, he laid her out hoping to God she was comfortable. Examining her leg, he pulled his shirt over his head. Carefully, he wrapped it several times around her thigh, fashioning a quick tourniquet. Reaching into the backseat, he placed the jacket he kept there over
her and ran around to the other side. Punching the call button on the steering wheel, he called Adam as he peeled back onto 72.

  “Yeah,” Adam answered, sleepily.

  “I’ve got her!”

  Silence.

  With a shaky voice, he said again, “I’ve got her, man.” He knew Adam was as stunned as he was. “We should be there in ten. Call Dr. Moros. Make him teleport right this second.”

  “She…she…” Adam stuttered.

  “I think she’s okay, but I’m not a doctor.”

  There was silence on the other end again, then, “You found her?” Adam asked quietly, still disbelieving.

  Jason hesitated, his voice on the verge of cracking. He barely believed it himself. Serena was right next to him. He held onto her hand as if she might disappear at any moment. “Yeah,” Jason answered, breathlessly.

  On the other end, he could hear Evangeline in the background calling Dr. Moros from her phone, her vampire ears picking up the whole conversation. Thank God she was there. He and Adam were going to be no help at all.

  “Hurry,” Adam said. “I’ll meet you outside.”

  Jason hung up and checked on Serena for the thousandth time. Her light brown hair was much longer and knotted all around her head. She was thinner. Too thin. Her cheekbones were more pronounced and her sweet lips were pale and dry.

  “Can you hear me, Serena?” Jason tried, racing as fast as his truck could move, his left fist squeezing the life out of the steering wheel.

  There was no reply. She was out cold. Jason’s head reeled with panic. If the vampire doctor wasn’t at the round house, he was taking her straight to Silver Cross Hospital. The doctors there were good enough, but they were nothing like Dr. Moros. He’d seen the guy in action.

  Next to him, Serena gave a soft moan, her small frame shifting slightly on the seat. The sound of her voice, feeble as it was, felt like someone had gently hugged his heart.

  “You’re with me now, Serena. We’re almost home.” He brought her hand to his lips. “You’re safe.”

  Chapter Five

  Ramo dressed quickly, avoiding the woman’s eyes as she slipped her feet into black pumps. Ordinarily he’d feel more relaxed after sex, in better spirits, but there was something about the way the girl looked at him that felt off. Why did she remind him of…

  A hazy image of a dark-haired girl surfaced in the back of his mind, her dark eyes shiny and bright as she gazed at Ramo with naïve awe. Shit! He hated when his subconscious conjured up his estranged wife. Her face surfaced for just a moment before fading away. As it had been years since he’d seen her, he’d pretty much forgotten what she looked like exactly.

  Guilt sliced through him, ruining the sex high he’d been hoping to bask in after his romp with the girl who was taking way too long to gather her things.

  “I should go,” the woman said hesitantly, running her fingers through her tousled hair. He glanced over, and her long thick hair fell behind her shoulder, reminding him again of his wife. He might not remember exactly how she looked like, but he couldn’t forget her thick dark hair.

  Making a mental note to steer clear of brunettes for a while, Ramo gave her a noncommittal smile. “I’ll walk you to your car.” Damn. He was feeling like crap because he couldn’t remember her name.

  The girl squared her shoulders. “No need.” He felt her embarrassment at his awkward behavior. “I know the way.”

  Before he could apologize for his rudeness, she was out the door. Running a hand over his face, he went to the kitchen for a beer, tossing it back in one long swallow. It must have been lack of sleep that had him out of sorts.

  After a cold shower, he collapsed on the couch for a quick nap before it was his turn to go out searching again. The only sleep he got, however, was about three minutes.

  He was the first to arrive at the round house minutes later. Having picked up Adam’s elation seconds before he got the call, he’d shot out of bed, stark naked, throwing on just his jeans, jacket, and boots. He didn’t bother with underwear or socks. They usually weren’t necessary when you ran with a pack. You never knew when you’d have to phase in an instant.

  Ramo stood next to his cousin now. Neither one uttered a word as they waited for Jason. For the first time in a while, Ramo kept any and all comments to himself. Even he knew when to shut up. His cousin’s voice when he’d called a few minutes ago was unrecognizable. He doubted Adam would hear him anyway.

  Ramo was, of course, itching to give his cousin a pat on the back or some sign he was thrilled Serena had been found, but the look on his alpha’s face, said Shut the fuck up.

  As far as he knew, Serena was okay, but she still needed medical attention.

  Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear, or the vamp doc anyway. Dr. George Moros teleported in front of Adam’s octagonal home.

  “Are they here, yet?” the Clark Kent look-alike asked.

  Adam responded in a detached voice, his eyes hard off in the distance. “No.”

  Moros surveyed the house carefully then asked, “I’m not gonna get decapitated when I enter, will I?”

  Ramo smirked, shaking his head. Before Evangeline’s transition, his cousin’s round house was like a landmine to vampires. Times had certainly changed, and Ramo couldn’t help but think things were about to get even weirder.

  Ramo answered for his cousin who’d stepped to the street, pacing now. “You’re good, doc. Eva’s setting up the master bedroom.” He jerked his thumb toward the house. “Go on in, we’ll bring her up as soon as they get here.”

  Moros took off into the house just as they heard J’s car revving up Water Street. Alex and Nick arrived on foot seconds before Jason pulled up in front. They all stood to the side. While the others scanned the area around them, Ramo homed in on his cousin in the seat next to his beta, jaws clenched. Adam sped to the passenger side, wrenching the door open to gather Serena in his arms.

  His cousin was wrapped in Jason’s jacket and she didn’t look good. Pale as hell, she was thin as a stick. Smelling her dried blood, Ramo felt deep vibrations wrack his body, aching for revenge.

  They heard Jason growl low in his throat, stepping around the car, protesting anyone handling Serena, but him. Adam shot Jason a glare, responding with a snarl, reminding his beta who was boss.

  Faltering, Jason shook himself then followed his alpha into the house with a maddening look in his eyes.

  Ramo, Nick, and Alex all stared at each other. It was Ramo who spoke first. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

  The other two shifted uncomfortably. Nick asked, “Is the doctor here?”

  “Yeah.”

  Nick nodded. “I have a feeling we’re gonna have to break protocol tonight. Those two didn’t look good,” he said, referring to Adam and Jason.

  Ramo knew what he was talking about. He remembered how Adam reacted to the vampire doctor when Evangeline was delivering the twins. Now the poor doc had Adam and Jason to deal with. The aching love their beta was emanating was enough to overwhelm any other feeling in the rest of the Fighters as though the emotional bond was a speeding train they were all on with Jason as the conductor.

  Shit, he’d rather go toe to toe with a hundred vampires than watch his cousin and friend lose it.

  For the second time that night, Ramo thought of the girl he’d married years ago. He’d never given his marriage a chance, having taken off minutes after the ceremony, but he figured he’d dodged a bullet. There was no way he wanted to be tied down that way, which was why Ramo found it necessary to shut down his emotions when he was around women. He couldn’t imagine losing himself the way Adam and Jason did. That shit looked painful, and Ramo wasn’t into it. He loved life, but guarded his heart like a motherfucker.

  It was moments like this that reaffirmed his decision to leave his wife. The girl was better off without him rather than suffering a werewolf’s intense love.

  ****

  Evangeline met Adam at the bedroom door, ushering him in with
his sister’s limp body in his arms. She was concerned for her soon to be sister-in-law, to be sure, but Evangeline was all too acquainted with her mate’s temper and overbearing nature. She worried his presence in the room would not help Serena. And by the look on Jason’s face, these two were going to be trouble.

  Hustling in after Adam, Jason hovered over Serena as her brother placed her down on the bed. Adam sat by her side, smoothing her tangled hair out of her face, while Jason fumed on her other side, his brooding stance taking up half the room.

  Dr. Moros gave Evangeline a knowing look. She responded with a brief nod, and then addressed her fiancé. “Babe…” she tried carefully. “Why don’t you guys wait downstairs?”

  Her mate gave her a crazed look. “No. She needs me. What if she wakes up?”

  “I’ll be here,” Evangeline countered. “You know she’s in good hands.”

  Adam thought for a moment, worry for his sister etched in his features, then spoke again, not meeting Evangeline’s eyes. “We don’t know what she’s been through. If she wakes up and finds two vampires over her, she may flip out.”

  Ah. She hadn’t expected that. New to this vampire life, it was almost easy to forget Evangeline and her werewolf fiancé were supposed to be enemies. Nevertheless, Adam was just going to have to trust his sister would know she wasn’t in any danger.

  “Adam, the first thing she’ll sense when she wakes up is our concern for her.” She gestured toward the door. “At least stay put by the door, please.”

  Adam nodded and got up warily, but Jason stayed where he was.

  “Jason…” Evangeline said, looking anxiously at her mate’s best friend.

  The beta’s avid gaze was on Serena, his massive form generating all his power into protecting her. There were dark shadows under his eyes, his usual tanned skin a bit paler too.

  Staring fiercely at Serena as though willing her to wake up, Jason looked like a man who’d gone to hell and back. Evangeline didn’t need the werewolf bond to pick up the agony he was going through. The love coming off his expression melted her insides.