“Look bitc–”
Travis’s voice cut me off. “Emma.”
Oh shit. Oh shit.
Please God, tell me I heard him wrong. Emma? Travis’s Emma. No wonder he was standing there pale and in shock like the walking dead. The girl he was madly in love with had just returned from the grave.
This had just taken an unexpected twist. Why was I always the last to know what was going on? And what on earth had happened to Emma? From what I have heard about her, this was a completely different girl. Never once had Travis mentioned that his Emma was a hunter, which led me to believe this was a new development. A sticky-icky discovering for everyone involved.
Emma tilted her head toward Travis, really seeing him for the first time. And this was the distraction I’d been waiting for. Finally. Travis actually came through.
The world moved in slow motion, like everything was passing through thick glass, but at the same time it all happened in the blink of an eye.
I saw Emma with the crossbow aimed at Chase’s heart and her eyes glistened with hate. I watched as they flickered for just a moment with confusion. If I didn’t act now, she was going to kill Chase. My heart lurched from my chest, and I knew I was going to do something desperate and stupid. Chase must have known it too.
My name bellowed from his lips, but I was already in motion. I ran straight toward her.
Realizing that I was moving, Emma pulled back the arched bow, preparing to let the arrow fly. Chase was in action coming straight for us, but there was no way he was going to make it in time, even with his turbo speed.
At that moment, I didn’t think about the bow she had in her hand or any other weapons this hunter could possibly have had on her. All I thought about was that she wanted to hurt Chase, try to kill Chase. That was enough to make me flaming mad.
I hit her with bone-jarring thump, and the two of us went tumbling to the stiff ground. The impact of the hit stunned me for just a second and then again from the fall, but I pushed all the pain aside and let adrenaline kick in. I went all commando on her ass. Unfortunately, she was just as quick on her recovery. Maybe more so.
I pinned her with my weight (thank God for that box of cupcakes I’d eaten earlier) and she went straight for my hair. My head snapped back and tears of pain lanced my eyes. I smacked whatever I could get to connect with my crazy hands, but mostly we were just wrestling pathetically on the woodsy floor.
Fighting wasn’t my style, I was just mouthy. So the fact that I was doing so now was a joke. It was pitiable. This girl was a trained assassin. Her fist made contact with my lip and I swear I saw stars. Groaning, I could feel Chase glaring at me and hear Travis snicker above us, but none of it mattered. She was going to pay. I was feeling the height of bitchiness.
But I never got the chance to unleash the witch inside me. Chase secured his arms around me, pulling me to my feet and off Emma, while Travis secured her in his arms. She was flailing in his grasp like a mad woman. “Christ Angel. When did you become such a wildcat?” Chase asked after I stopped fighting in his arms.
I jerked out of his grasp. “The day I met you,” I seethed, wiping the back of my sleeve against my mouth. Blood trickled from the side of my lip and hurt like a mother trucker.
Chase grinned now that he felt like he had things under control. “Yeah, I have that effect on people.”
“Shut up,” I grumbled and straightened my medusa hair.
He stayed plastered to my side and whispered, “I know something we can do to help you alleviate some of the pent up energy you’re feeling.”
I tried to ignore the shiver of excitement. Damn him. “I just bet you do,” I muttered.
He was suddenly in front of me and in my face. Like a switch being flipped he suddenly looked scary mad. “You could have been hurt. Don’t try a stunt like that again.” His voice had gone dark and ten octaves below freezing. There was no room for argument in his words.
I crossed my arms and glared.
Without giving so much as a warning, he gave a nod over my shoulder at Travis and then proceeded to pluck me off my feet. In seconds my stomach was in my throat as Chase raced through the woods. I buried my head into the soft cotton of his grey shirt.
“Let’s go,” Chase demanded dropping me into the front seat of his car. My head was still spinning in dizzy circles.
I could hear Travis grunting and grumbling from outside the car. “I’m trying. I’ve sort of got my hands full,” Travis complained.
“I just bet you do,” Chase said under his breath.
Travis jumped in the back with his very uncooperative, kicking package.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Chase asked, looking at Travis in the rearview mirror as he made a very speedy u-turn. “This feels like kidnapping.”
I snorted. “She deserves it.”