“Are you all right?” he asked softly, standing.
When he walked toward me, I flinched involuntarily. Apparently, I wasn’t all right. Seeing, hearing, and knowing he’d killed five men shook me. It wasn’t that I didn’t appreciate his defense. I did. But knowing that my life had once again started the death cycle broke me down inside. Two wolves finding us I could try to pass off as a fluke, to deny the inevitability of my death, and to tease myself with maybes. Maybe Luke, one of the good guys, could help me. Maybe I would live this time. Five wasn’t a fluke. Those maybes were a fool’s dream. I just needed to come to grips with my fate. I would die. Horribly.
He stopped advancing and eyed me sadly.
“It will be okay, Bethi. I left money and an explanation with the manager for the broken window. We should go.”
I nodded numbly and watched him pick up the duffle bag. He held a hand out toward me, but I ignored it and walked through the door. My hope to stop the dreams didn’t matter anymore. The countdown to the end had started.
Sitting once again on the back of the bike, the scenery rushed passed. I didn’t see any of it. I didn’t remember getting on the bike. The sight of a gouged eye blinded me to all of it. Instead, I dwelled on the dead of this life and past lives. The loud sound of the battering wind faded as the ticking of the countdown deafened me. I stayed locked behind Luke, feeling him turning occasionally, but not hearing him, not seeing him until he pulled to the shoulder and cut the engine.
“Bethi?” he said turning to look at me. “I am sorry about this morning. Those were not typical challenges. They did not back down. I had no choice.”
Challenge? I blinked at him trying to bring myself back. I remembered the fights from past lives where two wolves fought for the right to their mate. He thought he was fighting for his right to me? Part of me wanted to cry because he hadn’t really believed me, or put together what I’d been telling him. Another part wanted to cry because his interest, or lack thereof, was pointless.
“Don’t be sorry,” I said flatly. “It wasn’t a challenge. There will be more wolves. They will come until I choose, or I die.”
Luke opened his mouth to say something more but stopped after searching my hopeless gaze. He turned around, told me to hold on tight, and took off from the shoulder. We flew, and this time the tearing wind reminded me I wasn’t dead yet.
Woods and a cloud-laden sky brought an early twilight. The wind picked up as I stood in stunned immobility. On the ground, a man lay gasping. The gurgling wet noise of his inhale told me he wouldn’t live long. I stumbled backward and tripped over another prone form.
Something ran past me too fast to see clearly. Not far away another member of our party cried out and then fell silent. I didn’t run. Turning in a circle, I tried identifying who darted around me within the shadows.
A voice, directly behind me, stilled my movement and sent shivers racing over my skin. “So beautiful.” A hand stroked my hair. Fear made my heart race.
“Do you still doubt me?” a familiar voice called.
I turned to watch my group’s leader emerge from the shadows completely unharmed.
“You were right,” the man behind me agreed.
I stared at the approaching man with dawning horror. “You betrayed your people,” I gasped looking again at the bodies lying nearby.
“Not my people,” the man I thought I knew growled. “My people do not run from a fight, not even to spare a single life.”
The man behind me laughed. “Now that we have her, where was she leading you?”
“She had knowledge of a plant that will bring us wealth. It relieves pain.” The betrayer stepped closer. “We will need someone to test it,” he said.
I spun and ran, knowing it was useless. They could have outran me, but, instead, made a game of the chase. My sides ached, and my breath came in painful gasps.
“Enough play time,” the betrayer called to his companion.
Something bumped into me knocking me to the ground. Pinned by an unyielding mass, I sobbed as the man licked my neck.
“You will be delicious,” he whispered.
Chapter Nine
“Bethi,” Luke called my name and tapped my face.
I opened my eyes with my heart still pounding.
“Why didn’t you lean against me? The dreams aren’t as bad then,” he scolded with a concerned frown.
I blinked at him as the memory of my sister’s death continued to cloud my thoughts. “Betrayer,” I whispered.
Luke looked shocked. “I would never betray you,” he whispered. Some obscure emotion flicked into his eyes and for a moment he looked so helplessly lost. “Never,” he breathed as if talking to himself. Then, determination replaced it and he slowly leaned toward me.