What the hell? This couldn’t be right. Why would Travis be so on guard about a group of guys? Mind you it was nerve racking to see them sporting some over-the-top gear. But…
Travis growled low in his throat. “Hunters,” he rumbled.
Oh shit. This wasn’t good either. Why hadn’t she thought of them?
Wicked bows hung in their grasps with quivers hanging at their backs. Looking closer there was something strangely familiar about one of them. The way he moved…she could have sworn that she knew him or had seen him before.
Her heart beat against her chest, pumped with fear and adrenaline.
An arrow whirled over her head. She didn’t have the first clue about what kind of arrows they were using. All she cared about was whether they could hurt Travis. From what she had learned, he could heal fast, but she knew he wasn’t invisible. He could be killed.
The dream, nightmare or whatever it was came back to her like rushing waters.
“Run Emma! Run now,” he screamed, never taking his eyes off the men in black.
How could she leave him alone while she ran, while these men tried to kill what she loved most?
Her entire body was paralyzed. In a cloud of haze she could hear Travis screaming at her to run, but she just couldn’t seem to command her legs to move. Another arrow whizzed past her. All she could do was stare at the four men aimed to fire in front of her.
As soon as he realized she wasn’t moving, he knew his window of escape was closing fast. If he didn’t do something now, she was likely to take a stray arrow. Taking off in warped speed, he circled around behind before they even knew he moved. Emma being here changed his approach. Chase usually went for the mind control whereas Travis didn’t have his skills.
Emma changed everything.
Knocking the bow aimed her way Travis had two of them disarmed before they realized he was there. This was going to turn into a blasted disaster if he didn’t figure something out quick. Even with his superior skills, five hunters was a truckload for one Divisa. Add Emma into the equation and he wasn’t at top form.
As much as it pained him, Travis knew he had to get the hell out of there, for Emma’s safety.
He raced back through the forest sweeping a stunned Emma off her feet. Tucking her into his arms, he ran. Arrows pelted the air behind them, he did his best avoid the tiny spears and keep her from getting lashed by branches. He didn’t stop the grueling pace until they reached his house.
“You’re bleeding,” Emma exclaimed when he set her down. Her heart had yet to stop jumping out of her chest.
“It’s nothing,” he waved off. “The wounds will heal within the hour. Let me look at you.”
“I’m fine,” she insisted, lines of concern still ceasing her face. Windblown strands of her strawberry blonde hair framed her larger than normal emerald eyes.
It was some time before Travis deemed it safe to take her home. She was positive she would be grounded for life when she walked in. This was the first time she had missed curfew, and there was going to be consequences for sure. Her hand shook as it turned the knob. She was almost more scared to face her parents than she had been earlier today faced with the hunters.
He was sitting in the recliner with just a small light illuminating from the side table. She could tell by the hard set of lines on his face that whatever he had to say wasn’t good.
“Dad?” she asked. “I’m sorry. I–”
“Have a seat Emma. We need to talk.” He had that disapproving tone that had her slumping.
She swallowed hard as her mind ran through a thousand scenarios. Folding her hands in her lap, she waited on the verge of doom for him to say something. She didn’t have to wait long.
He leaned forward in the chair. “You are no longer to see that boy.”
Just like that her world crumbled to pieces around her. The earth stopped spinning. “Dad I can explain–” She tried to rush out the words only to be cut off sternly.
“There is nothing you can say. This isn’t open for discussion. You are to stay away from him. Period.”
What BS. How can he do this to her? Tears blurred her eyes as she refused to believe that he was doing this to her. Taking away the one person she wanted most in the world.
“I don’t understand.”
“All you need to know is that I am looking out for you. He is not the kind of guy you should be associating with.”
She shook her head in denial. “I can’t,” she sobbed.
“You don’t have a choice young lady.” His eyes hard as steel.
Maybe, but right now she had to get the hell out of there. She couldn’t listen to another word. Fumbling the keys in her hand, she stood up.
“Emma!” he thundered, but she was already out the door.
Jamming the key into the ignition, the car ripped to life as she squealed the tires backing down her driveway. She wasn’t giving her father the chance to stop her.