The Chosen Ones by Lori Brighton
Chapter 17
“You were right,” Kelly said, her eyes wide as she stared unblinkingly at me in confused bewilderment. “You knew not to trust her.”
My heart ached for my friend. The truth had hit her hard. I knew the feeling well and wanted to reach out, I wanted to tell her it would be okay. But honestly, I wasn’t sure if it would. Perhaps the world would never be normal. Perhaps we’d always be scared for our lives, worried about the next day, constantly wondering who we could trust.
“It doesn’t matter,” Will growled, obviously frustrated. “We need to find the serum now.” He started by Thane, but he reached out, grabbing Will’s arm and stopping him.
“They don’t have the serum,” he said.
Will jerked away. I’d never seen him so flustered, unsure. “What do you mean?”
Thane dropped his pack, knelt and opened it. Inside was vial after vial of antidote. The same containers my grandfather had given us the day we escaped the island. “It’s here.”
I knew the shock on Will’s face mirrored my own. “But—”
“You believed me?” I interrupted, staring hard at Thane. Why had he made me think I was insane? A silly, jealous ninny? “You didn’t trust her either.”
He shrugged, closed the bag, and stood. “Her arrival was too convenient.”
Exactly what I had thought and said. Anger fought with relief. Why hadn’t he told me? But even as I thought the words the answer hit me…because he didn’t trust me. Thane, apparently, trusted no one. It hurt much, much more than I’d ever admit.
“Damn,” Will snapped, pacing to the creek’s edge. “I should have known.”
Kelly still stood there, staring blankly at me, lost in her own pain and confusion. She was waiting for answers I couldn’t give. None of us could. What made a person betray another? Fear? Anger? Greed? Emotions all too common in our world.
“You’re right about one thing, Will,” Thane said. “We still need to go after Tony and Susan. We can’t allow them to reach Bacchus. They know too much.”
Thane threw his pack over his shoulders as we started up the hill.
“You think Bacchus is behind this?” Will asked, falling into step beside Thane. “Damn it, why didn’t you tell me?”
Thane paused, but he didn’t respond and we all knew why. He didn’t trust Will. I had known it for some time and now they did as well. Will’s jaw clenched, his face flushing. Even as I felt bad for Will, I didn’t blame Thane. I wasn’t sure if I trusted Will either.
“No,” Kelly interrupted. She hadn’t followed us but still stood near the creek. “Tony wouldn’t! He hates them! He loved me, he said so!”
Her pain vibrated around us, raw and consuming. “Kelly.”
I tried to reach out to her, but she spun around and paced alongside the creek. “No. Oh God.”
She froze, tears streaming down her face. Why hadn’t I voiced my suspicions about Tony earlier on? Maybe if she hadn’t fallen so deeply for him, Kelly wouldn’t be taking this so hard.
“He did it,” she whispered what we had already accepted. “He was responsible for all their deaths.”
No one responded. My urge to comfort her fought with my need to stop Tony and Susan. “I’m sorry, Kelly.”
“We need to go,” Will stated impatiently. “Tony knows our meeting points. And…” A telling flush colored his face. “I told Susan about them as well.”
Kelly’s pain was all but forgotten. I wanted to ask him how he could be so stupid, but managed to keep my thoughts to myself. It didn’t matter. Nothing did. It was too late. We could only try to stop them now.
Thane sighed and continued up the hill. “Then we definitely need to find them.”
I raced after Thane, leaving Will and Kelly to follow. “What’s the plan?”
“I’m heading northwest, you go northeast. I think they split. Yell if you find them, I’ll hear.”
I nodded and we parted at the campsite. They were only a few minutes ahead of us. I had no doubt Thane would find them. I also realized he probably knew exactly where they were located and was sending me in the near opposite direction on purpose. Will had taught me to know the people around me. I might have misjudged Will, but I knew I hadn’t misjudged Thane and he would try to protect me. I didn’t head northeast, but headed north, hiking almost parallel to Thane. If they ran, I’d catch them.
I felt Will behind me a moment before he whispered my name. “Jane.”
I didn’t look at him, but kept my gaze on the forest, my feet sure and steady. “Where’s Kelly?”
“I sent her south to the next camp to warn them.”
I frowned, annoyed he would send her alone in her condition. Why hadn’t he gone with her? Because he, too, felt like he needed to protect me. “What do you want?”
“I’m sorry.” He brushed his hand against my arm as he fell into step beside me. I wasn’t quite sure if it was an accident or not. “I have to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.”
No, he didn’t. But that’s how Will was and how he would always be. Just like that, my anger evaporated. If there was one thing I’d learned from Tom it was that people rarely changed. And maybe that was okay. Maybe Tom and Will should be with someone who accepted them as they were. “Its fine, Will, really.”
“I feel…”
I didn’t wait to listen to whatever excuse he would use, and hurried my steps. Thane was impossible to see or hear. But knowing him, he’d probably already caught the two escapees. I quickened my steps, jogging through the woods, brushing aside branch after branch, trying to make sense of the shadows in the forest and all the while Will raced beside me.
“I feel like I hurt you, which I didn’t want—”
“Will,” I snapped, annoyed. Couldn’t he see I was trying to concentrate? I didn’t want to focus on my emotions. At least not now, maybe not ever. Emotions, feelings…blah. They made everything too complicated. I was done completely with them.
“Broken branch,” Will whispered as we approached another creek.
But it was the footprint in the mud that caught my attention. A female print by the size and shape. I narrowed my eyes, the adrenaline in my body pumping. How I’d love to find Susan on my own, make it clear exactly how I felt about her.
“It’s just that—”
“Will,” I hissed, finally turning to face him. “It’s okay.”
For one long moment we merely stared at each other, something strange and uncomfortable shifting between us. He was no longer the priority in my life, and he had proven with Susan that I was no longer the priority in his. He knew—I could see it in his eyes—that I had moved on. I no longer needed him, and for Will that would be hard to take.
“Do you love him?”
I knew who he spoke about, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about Thane and even if I did know, I didn’t want to discuss it with Will. I trudged through the creek. “What are you talking about?”
“Thane.”
I could feel the heat rushing up my neck and into my cheeks. A sharp, wry laugh escaped my lips. “I don’t even know what love is. I don’t think I’ve ever known. Maybe I never will.”
The words saddened me more than I thought they would.
Disconcerted, I hastened my steps up the bank of the creek, but before I could reach the top Will grasped my arm, stopping me. “Have you kissed?”
I jerked my arm away, frustrated and annoyed. Why did he suddenly care? “That’s none of your business.”
“So you have.”
“What’s this about, Will?” I glared at him. “What’s this really about?”
How dare he question my relationship with Thane when he had practically ignored me in favor of Susan. He parted his lips, but didn’t respond. He didn’t want to admit that he was jealous.
“We should be searching for the others.”
He frowned. “Thane most likely already found them.”
True, but I still didn’t want to stand around chat
ting with Will about my love life. Talk about awkward. “He might need help.”
He released a harsh laugh. “Thane never needs help.”
I couldn’t tell if it was bitterness or merely honesty behind his tone. “Why do you care about me and Thane, Will? You made it abundantly clear that you wanted nothing to do with me the moment Susan arrived.”
He took my hand, his fingers warm and comforting. “Jane, I don’t know how this serum will affect me. I didn’t want you wasting time on us when I didn’t know if I’d even have a future.” He released my hand and cupped the side of my face. “I do care about you. I always have.”
Did I believe him? Or was he only speaking about his feelings after finding out that Susan had betrayed us? Was I his second choice? I shook my head. It didn’t matter. I didn’t want a relationship with Will. Perhaps with no one.
“Over here,” someone whispered, the voice traveling through the woods.
I jerked my gaze from Will and peered through the branches. Tony was in the clearing just through the trees, but he wasn’t speaking to us. No, he was speaking to Susan who stumbled into the open area after him, clutching a bag to her chest. Thane’s decoy satchel.
“Where are they?” she whispered in a hushed tone. “They should be here by now.”
They? The vampires were coming. Will crouched next to me, his gaze pinned to the two. I shifted my attention from them to the trees beyond, looking for Thane. Dare we wait for him to make a move, or should we attack now?
“Make sure the serum is there before Bacchus arrives.” Tony reached out and snatched the bag from Susan, tearing it open.
I knew what he would find even before he cursed. But I wasn’t concerned about his reaction. No, I was focused on their upcoming visitors. Bacchus was coming. Just the thought of the vampire made my blood go cold. Bacchus was coming. Instinct told me we had to act now, before it was too late. We couldn’t wait for Thane’s help.
“Idiot!” He threw the bag at her. “It’s empty!”
“No.” Susan shook her head, dropping to her knees to search the satchel. “They’re…Oh God, they’ll kill us!”
I started to surge forward, but Will reached out, grasping onto my upper arm and stopping me. He, obviously, wanted to hear more.
“We can’t return to camp,” Tony snapped bitterly, raking is hands through his hair and pacing the small clearing. How I hated him. He was the reason Jimmy and the others had died. He had stood there while Jimmy lay bleeding to death, and pretended to care. The mere sight of him made me ill.
“Unless I pretend I caught you escaping.”
Susan surged to her feet in outrage. “You aren’t betraying me like you did your supposed friends! I’ll tell them the truth!”
He leapt toward her, his lips lifting into a snarl. “Who do you think they’ll believe? Me, someone who has been with them for years, or you?”
The woods were growing dark. It would be harder to fight them, more difficult to see. And if Bacchus appeared we were as good as dead without Thane’s help.
“Will?” I whispered urgently.
I’d give him one more chance, but Will was no longer my leader and I trusted my instincts more than I trusted him. My instincts were screaming at me to act.
Fortunately Will relented and nodded. “Go around. Surprise them from the back.”
I headed through the trees, making sure to avoid stepping on twigs and branches that might give away my presence. While I made my way around the clearing, Tony and Susan continued to argue about what to do. It was obvious they hadn’t known each other for long, which meant Susan had been sent to us on purpose, most likely to find the serum.
I paused when I was directly across from Will. I could barely see him through the branches but the moment I heard the twigs rattle, I took action. In one smooth movement, I pulled the gun from the waistband of my trousers and stepped into the clearing.
“Stop. It’s over.”
Tony spun around to face me. “Jane,” he gasped. The surprise on his face quickly smoothed into concern. He was good. Really good. “I found Susan trying to race off with the serum.”
I would have punched him in the face then and there if he hadn’t been stronger than me. “Really? Well, good thing you were there to stop her.”
He didn’t notice my sarcasm. “Is that a gun?”
“It is.” He didn’t need to know there were no bullets left and it was about as useless as a rock. I only hung onto it because Thane had asked me to. Thane. Where was he? It wasn’t like the man to be late. He was always one, or five, steps ahead of us.
“But where’d you get it?”
“We know,” Will said, stepping from the trees, his dagger in hand. “Don’t try to deny it, Tony. We know you betrayed us.”
Tony shook his head, tearing his gaze from the gun and focusing on Will. “No. I wouldn’t do that. You know me, Will. We’re friends.”
“Damn it,” Will hissed, grabbing Tony by the shirt and jerking him close. “How could you? How could you pretend to care when they were tortured? They killed Jimmy!”
“I did care!” Tony hissed, struggling to break from Will’s grasp. “They’ve known about us for months, Will! They’ve been following us. They gave me a choice, and if I wanted to live, I had to pick sides.”
“You picked the wrong side.” Will threw his fist forward, hitting Tony in the chin. His head snapped back and he stumbled, falling to the ground. Will shoved his foot into Tony’s chest, sending him to his back. “Find something to tie them up.”
Susan was whimpering by a tree. “Please, I had no choice.”
“Get up,” I snapped, in no mood for her manipulative begging. It might have worked on the guys, but not me.
She stumbled to her feet, glaring at me. Her poor maiden disguise was gone, the ugly truth revealed. “You don’t think you’ll end up dead along with us?”
“We might end up dead,” I said. “But it will never be alongside you.”
“They would have killed me.” She looked ridiculous standing there in her white, maiden gown, her beautiful face flushed with dirt and outrage. “I had to do what they said! I had no choice!”
“We always have a choice.” I gripped her upper arm and turned to head back toward camp. I had barely taken my first step when a shiver of warning raced down my spine. “Will, I think…”
Men shifted from the woods, at least five beautiful ones and Bacchus, merging into the clearing. The terror I felt was real and shocking. My hand grew tight around the butt of my pistol.
“Well, well, well,” Bacchus sighed. “We came merely to get the serum. But I see the universe has thrown in a surprise…or two.”
I slid Will a glance from under my lashes. What was the plan? Certainly we had a plan. But he looked just as worried as I felt. Will was a leader, he wasn’t a warrior. Swallowing hard, I jerked the gun up, deciding to take action on my own. “Don’t move.”
Bacchus looked at the gun, then back up at me and laughed. The men behind him grinned. My arm wavered. They knew. Somehow they knew.
“Even if that gun had bullets, which I’m rather sure it doesn’t, it won’t kill us, my dear. So don’t even think about trying anything.”
I raised the pistol. “It will kill you if I hit your head.”
Before I could blink, they were on us. I barely had time to register their advance before the gun was torn from my hand and I was tossed to the ground. The side of my face hit the hard earth. Will was slammed to the ground next to me. With a muffled cry, I tried to break free, but they held me so tight I could barely move. My arms were jerked back and rope was wound tightly around my wrists. Just as quickly as I’d been shoved to the earth, I was jerked back to my feet. It was all too much, too fast. My mind spun, the world around me wavered in and out of focus.
Although my body ached and my arms felt as if they were being pulled from the sockets, I didn’t worry, for I knew Thane would arrive at any moment. He’d never let m
e down before and he wouldn’t now. At least I hoped. But could Thane take on five beautiful ones and Bacchus?
“Shall we, my little pets?” Dismissing us, Bacchus started through the woods as if we were on a stroll through the forest, all ease and smiling happiness. How I hated him like I’d never hated anyone. There was no reasoning with the vampire, he was a demon in man’s clothing. A monster who got his power from harming others.
When Bacchus’ minions pushed us forward, we had no choice but to follow. But I wasn’t focused on Bacchus. No, I was scouring the dark shadows, trying to find Thane. Where was he?
“See,” Tony hissed under his breath. “I told you I had to pick sides, and it looks like I picked the right one. At least I’ll live.”
Will’s jaw clenched, and I knew he, like me, wanted to punch that smug look from Tony’s face. Susan and Tony quickened their steps, falling behind Bacchus, eager to please. I thought about Thane’s girlfriend, the woman he had loved. She had worked for them, but she hadn’t been safe. No one was. And just like Thane’s love, Tony and Susan would eventually be killed as well.
We moved down a narrow deer trail, Will and I between Bacchus and his followers. Even as I frantically searched the dark woods, hoping for a way to escape, I knew we were trapped. Our only hope was Thane. Some ten minutes later we entered another clearing.
“Now,” Bacchus said, slowing his steps. “Tell me about this serum.”
“Well, you see,” Tony replied, sweat glistening across his forehead. He was so nervous he almost tripped over a branch. “Apparently Thane tricked us, because the bag is empty.”
“You don’t say,” Bacchus said thoughtfully.
He strolled across the clearing, and while his feet were quiet and light, my boots crunched over branches. And while the burs and thorny vines somehow managed to miss his silky clothes, they poked and scraped against my skin. I was fully aware of each scratch and the blood it might bring to the surface.
“Come, my friends,” Bacchus said, pausing next to a large boulder, his eyes glowing just like the other vampires. “Sit.”
They’d set up camp, probably lying in wait for days. Bedrolls, bags and even a fire had burned in the center at one time. Who knew how long they’d been here. Will and I were shoved forward, falling to our knees. I tried not to grimace, but the pebbles dug into my knees and my arms ached.
Bacchus glanced dispassionately at Susan and Tony. “Kill them.”
I felt Will stiffen beside me. But I wasn’t surprised in the least. They had no need for them. As much as I hated Tony and Susan, it didn’t stop my heart from lurching, for I knew they would die a painful death. Bacchus’ men were on Susan in seconds.
Her screams echoed through the woods, bouncing against the trees. Using their inattention to his advantage, Tony fled, crashing into the woods. But Bacchus’ men went after him. Frantic, I searched the dark forest. Now was the perfect time for Thane to attack and free us. But Susan was dead, and Tony’s screams faded. Still no Thane.
Suddenly Bacchus stood before me. A shiver of unease raced down my body. He knelt slowly, those eerie eyes pinned to me. Mirth clouded his gaze, but there was something more there…hunger, I realized with dread.
“You’re waiting for Thanatos, aren’t you?”
Startled, I froze. I barely breathed.
With his gaze still on me, he reached toward my neck. I barely had time to flinch before he’d pulled Tom’s necklace out from underneath my shirt. With a quick snap, he broke the string and pulled it close. “Pretty.”
Smirking, he stood and tossed the necklace toward the woods. He strolled to the large boulder. Making a great show of brushing off the rock, he settled, all ease, on the hard surface.
“Let me tell you about the real Thanatos.” He folded his hands demurely in his lap and smiled at me. “The man you obviously care for is actually working for me.”
“You’re lying,” Will snapped.
Bacchus lifted his brows. “Oh no. Not at all.”
The area grew quiet. Bacchus’ men were still in the woods, most likely feeding off of Tony. As I stared into the vampire’s face, I realized Bacchus was completely serious. Dread swept through my body, threatening to drown me in a vast pit of darkness.
“No,” I whispered, the word slipping across my lips. I wouldn’t believe it.
Bacchus lifted his gaze, focusing on something beyond my shoulder. “Tell her, Thanatos.”
Will turned.
I didn’t bother to move, because I knew who stood there. I could smell him. I could sense him. I should have been terrified. Instead, all I could think about was that he had betrayed me. The pain was sharp, haunting, consuming. I couldn’t move, couldn’t think, could barely breathe.
“Thanatos, please take your friend Will here into the woods and kill him.”
It was all I needed to jerk me from my stupor. Somehow I managed to surge to my feet and spun around to face Thane. “No. Please. Please don’t do this.”
Thane merely stood there impassively, as if my words did not reach him. As if he had no heart, no conscience, no soul. Who was this man I thought I knew? I stared hard at him, met his gaze and held it even while my heart broke, piece by piece, scattering to the ground below me. Thane. My Thane. How could he?
“Please,” I whispered once more.
Nothing.
Will had grown stoic and still. He didn’t beg. He knew it would do no good. No, Will would go down a warrior, and a leader. Slowly, he stood, stumbling to his feet with his hands still tied. Thane latched onto his arm.
“No!” I screamed.
Will looked back only once before he was shoved into the forest. In his gaze I saw his apology, I sensed the way he felt about me. In his gaze I saw his goodbye. Just like that they disappeared into the dark shadows. I listened until I could hear Will’s feet no longer crashing through the vegetation. And even after it went silent, I still listened, hoping…praying.
“As much as I’d love to watch, we have a carriage to catch.”
Bacchus shoved me toward a deer trail. I hadn’t just lost Will in those woods, I’d also lost Thane…at least the man I thought I knew. A sob caught in my throat, choking the air from my lungs. No. No. No. I wouldn’t believe it, I couldn’t. Thane wouldn’t turn on us. Will couldn’t die.
“Don’t worry, my sweet,” Bacchus cooed, his words barely audible over the harsh pounding of my heart. “I think we’ll keep you for a while. Dionysus will love you. You’ll be the perfect gift for our king.”
I spun around and bolted to the trees, toward where Will and Thane had disappeared. I’d made it only three steps when I was slammed to the ground. As I lay there, gasping for breath, I kept my gaze focused on those trees, knowing it had to be a mistake. Surely it was all a ruse to free Will. They would return and attack Bacchus together.
“Come now,” Bacchus said impatiently. “We have places to be. It’s time to give up.”
But still I lay there, waiting, waiting, knowing that Thane wouldn’t betray us.
Knowing…until moments later when Thane returned, stepping from the darkness of the woods and into the clearing, covered in blood.
Chapter 18
“You were right,” Kelly said, her eyes wide as she stared unblinkingly at me in confused bewilderment. “You knew not to trust her.”
My heart ached for my friend. The truth had hit her hard. I knew the feeling well and wanted to reach out, I wanted to tell her it would be okay. But honestly, I wasn’t sure if it would. Perhaps the world would never be normal. Perhaps we’d always be scared for our lives, worried about the next day, constantly wondering who we could trust.
“It doesn’t matter,” Will growled, obviously frustrated. “We need to find the serum now.” He started by Thane, but he reached out, grabbing Will’s arm and stopping him.
“They don’t have the serum,” he said.
Will jerked away. I’d never seen him so flustered, unsure. “What do you mean?”
Thane dropped his pack, knelt and opened it. Inside was vial after vial of antidote. The same containers my grandfather had given us the day we escaped the island. “It’s here.”
I knew the shock on Will’s face mirrored my own. “But—”
“You believed me?” I interrupted, staring hard at Thane. Why had he made me think I was insane? A silly, jealous ninny? “You didn’t trust her either.”
He shrugged, closed the bag, and stood. “Her arrival was too convenient.”
Exactly what I had thought and said. Anger fought with relief. Why hadn’t he told me? But even as I thought the words the answer hit me…because he didn’t trust me. Thane, apparently, trusted no one. It hurt much, much more than I’d ever admit.
“Damn,” Will snapped, pacing to the creek’s edge. “I should have known.”
Kelly still stood there, staring blankly at me, lost in her own pain and confusion. She was waiting for answers I couldn’t give. None of us could. What made a person betray another? Fear? Anger? Greed? Emotions all too common in our world.
“You’re right about one thing, Will,” Thane said. “We still need to go after Tony and Susan. We can’t allow them to reach Bacchus. They know too much.”
Thane threw his pack over his shoulders as we started up the hill.
“You think Bacchus is behind this?” Will asked, falling into step beside Thane. “Damn it, why didn’t you tell me?”
Thane paused, but he didn’t respond and we all knew why. He didn’t trust Will. I had known it for some time and now they did as well. Will’s jaw clenched, his face flushing. Even as I felt bad for Will, I didn’t blame Thane. I wasn’t sure if I trusted Will either.
“No,” Kelly interrupted. She hadn’t followed us but still stood near the creek. “Tony wouldn’t! He hates them! He loved me, he said so!”
Her pain vibrated around us, raw and consuming. “Kelly.”
I tried to reach out to her, but she spun around and paced alongside the creek. “No. Oh God.”
She froze, tears streaming down her face. Why hadn’t I voiced my suspicions about Tony earlier on? Maybe if she hadn’t fallen so deeply for him, Kelly wouldn’t be taking this so hard.
“He did it,” she whispered what we had already accepted. “He was responsible for all their deaths.”
No one responded. My urge to comfort her fought with my need to stop Tony and Susan. “I’m sorry, Kelly.”
“We need to go,” Will stated impatiently. “Tony knows our meeting points. And…” A telling flush colored his face. “I told Susan about them as well.”
Kelly’s pain was all but forgotten. I wanted to ask him how he could be so stupid, but managed to keep my thoughts to myself. It didn’t matter. Nothing did. It was too late. We could only try to stop them now.
Thane sighed and continued up the hill. “Then we definitely need to find them.”
I raced after Thane, leaving Will and Kelly to follow. “What’s the plan?”
“I’m heading northwest, you go northeast. I think they split. Yell if you find them, I’ll hear.”
I nodded and we parted at the campsite. They were only a few minutes ahead of us. I had no doubt Thane would find them. I also realized he probably knew exactly where they were located and was sending me in the near opposite direction on purpose. Will had taught me to know the people around me. I might have misjudged Will, but I knew I hadn’t misjudged Thane and he would try to protect me. I didn’t head northeast, but headed north, hiking almost parallel to Thane. If they ran, I’d catch them.
I felt Will behind me a moment before he whispered my name. “Jane.”
I didn’t look at him, but kept my gaze on the forest, my feet sure and steady. “Where’s Kelly?”
“I sent her south to the next camp to warn them.”
I frowned, annoyed he would send her alone in her condition. Why hadn’t he gone with her? Because he, too, felt like he needed to protect me. “What do you want?”
“I’m sorry.” He brushed his hand against my arm as he fell into step beside me. I wasn’t quite sure if it was an accident or not. “I have to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.”
No, he didn’t. But that’s how Will was and how he would always be. Just like that, my anger evaporated. If there was one thing I’d learned from Tom it was that people rarely changed. And maybe that was okay. Maybe Tom and Will should be with someone who accepted them as they were. “Its fine, Will, really.”
“I feel…”
I didn’t wait to listen to whatever excuse he would use, and hurried my steps. Thane was impossible to see or hear. But knowing him, he’d probably already caught the two escapees. I quickened my steps, jogging through the woods, brushing aside branch after branch, trying to make sense of the shadows in the forest and all the while Will raced beside me.
“I feel like I hurt you, which I didn’t want—”
“Will,” I snapped, annoyed. Couldn’t he see I was trying to concentrate? I didn’t want to focus on my emotions. At least not now, maybe not ever. Emotions, feelings…blah. They made everything too complicated. I was done completely with them.
“Broken branch,” Will whispered as we approached another creek.
But it was the footprint in the mud that caught my attention. A female print by the size and shape. I narrowed my eyes, the adrenaline in my body pumping. How I’d love to find Susan on my own, make it clear exactly how I felt about her.
“It’s just that—”
“Will,” I hissed, finally turning to face him. “It’s okay.”
For one long moment we merely stared at each other, something strange and uncomfortable shifting between us. He was no longer the priority in my life, and he had proven with Susan that I was no longer the priority in his. He knew—I could see it in his eyes—that I had moved on. I no longer needed him, and for Will that would be hard to take.
“Do you love him?”
I knew who he spoke about, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about Thane and even if I did know, I didn’t want to discuss it with Will. I trudged through the creek. “What are you talking about?”
“Thane.”
I could feel the heat rushing up my neck and into my cheeks. A sharp, wry laugh escaped my lips. “I don’t even know what love is. I don’t think I’ve ever known. Maybe I never will.”
The words saddened me more than I thought they would.
Disconcerted, I hastened my steps up the bank of the creek, but before I could reach the top Will grasped my arm, stopping me. “Have you kissed?”
I jerked my arm away, frustrated and annoyed. Why did he suddenly care? “That’s none of your business.”
“So you have.”
“What’s this about, Will?” I glared at him. “What’s this really about?”
How dare he question my relationship with Thane when he had practically ignored me in favor of Susan. He parted his lips, but didn’t respond. He didn’t want to admit that he was jealous.
“We should be searching for the others.”
He frowned. “Thane most likely already found them.”
True, but I still didn’t want to stand around chat
He released a harsh laugh. “Thane never needs help.”
I couldn’t tell if it was bitterness or merely honesty behind his tone. “Why do you care about me and Thane, Will? You made it abundantly clear that you wanted nothing to do with me the moment Susan arrived.”
He took my hand, his fingers warm and comforting. “Jane, I don’t know how this serum will affect me. I didn’t want you wasting time on us when I didn’t know if I’d even have a future.” He released my hand and cupped the side of my face. “I do care about you. I always have.”
Did I believe him? Or was he only speaking about his feelings after finding out that Susan had betrayed us? Was I his second choice? I shook my head. It didn’t matter. I didn’t want a relationship with Will. Perhaps with no one.
“Over here,” someone whispered, the voice traveling through the woods.
I jerked my gaze from Will and peered through the branches. Tony was in the clearing just through the trees, but he wasn’t speaking to us. No, he was speaking to Susan who stumbled into the open area after him, clutching a bag to her chest. Thane’s decoy satchel.
“Where are they?” she whispered in a hushed tone. “They should be here by now.”
They? The vampires were coming. Will crouched next to me, his gaze pinned to the two. I shifted my attention from them to the trees beyond, looking for Thane. Dare we wait for him to make a move, or should we attack now?
“Make sure the serum is there before Bacchus arrives.” Tony reached out and snatched the bag from Susan, tearing it open.
I knew what he would find even before he cursed. But I wasn’t concerned about his reaction. No, I was focused on their upcoming visitors. Bacchus was coming. Just the thought of the vampire made my blood go cold. Bacchus was coming. Instinct told me we had to act now, before it was too late. We couldn’t wait for Thane’s help.
“Idiot!” He threw the bag at her. “It’s empty!”
“No.” Susan shook her head, dropping to her knees to search the satchel. “They’re…Oh God, they’ll kill us!”
I started to surge forward, but Will reached out, grasping onto my upper arm and stopping me. He, obviously, wanted to hear more.
“We can’t return to camp,” Tony snapped bitterly, raking is hands through his hair and pacing the small clearing. How I hated him. He was the reason Jimmy and the others had died. He had stood there while Jimmy lay bleeding to death, and pretended to care. The mere sight of him made me ill.
“Unless I pretend I caught you escaping.”
Susan surged to her feet in outrage. “You aren’t betraying me like you did your supposed friends! I’ll tell them the truth!”
He leapt toward her, his lips lifting into a snarl. “Who do you think they’ll believe? Me, someone who has been with them for years, or you?”
The woods were growing dark. It would be harder to fight them, more difficult to see. And if Bacchus appeared we were as good as dead without Thane’s help.
“Will?” I whispered urgently.
I’d give him one more chance, but Will was no longer my leader and I trusted my instincts more than I trusted him. My instincts were screaming at me to act.
Fortunately Will relented and nodded. “Go around. Surprise them from the back.”
I headed through the trees, making sure to avoid stepping on twigs and branches that might give away my presence. While I made my way around the clearing, Tony and Susan continued to argue about what to do. It was obvious they hadn’t known each other for long, which meant Susan had been sent to us on purpose, most likely to find the serum.
I paused when I was directly across from Will. I could barely see him through the branches but the moment I heard the twigs rattle, I took action. In one smooth movement, I pulled the gun from the waistband of my trousers and stepped into the clearing.
“Stop. It’s over.”
Tony spun around to face me. “Jane,” he gasped. The surprise on his face quickly smoothed into concern. He was good. Really good. “I found Susan trying to race off with the serum.”
I would have punched him in the face then and there if he hadn’t been stronger than me. “Really? Well, good thing you were there to stop her.”
He didn’t notice my sarcasm. “Is that a gun?”
“It is.” He didn’t need to know there were no bullets left and it was about as useless as a rock. I only hung onto it because Thane had asked me to. Thane. Where was he? It wasn’t like the man to be late. He was always one, or five, steps ahead of us.
“But where’d you get it?”
“We know,” Will said, stepping from the trees, his dagger in hand. “Don’t try to deny it, Tony. We know you betrayed us.”
Tony shook his head, tearing his gaze from the gun and focusing on Will. “No. I wouldn’t do that. You know me, Will. We’re friends.”
“Damn it,” Will hissed, grabbing Tony by the shirt and jerking him close. “How could you? How could you pretend to care when they were tortured? They killed Jimmy!”
“I did care!” Tony hissed, struggling to break from Will’s grasp. “They’ve known about us for months, Will! They’ve been following us. They gave me a choice, and if I wanted to live, I had to pick sides.”
“You picked the wrong side.” Will threw his fist forward, hitting Tony in the chin. His head snapped back and he stumbled, falling to the ground. Will shoved his foot into Tony’s chest, sending him to his back. “Find something to tie them up.”
Susan was whimpering by a tree. “Please, I had no choice.”
“Get up,” I snapped, in no mood for her manipulative begging. It might have worked on the guys, but not me.
She stumbled to her feet, glaring at me. Her poor maiden disguise was gone, the ugly truth revealed. “You don’t think you’ll end up dead along with us?”
“We might end up dead,” I said. “But it will never be alongside you.”
“They would have killed me.” She looked ridiculous standing there in her white, maiden gown, her beautiful face flushed with dirt and outrage. “I had to do what they said! I had no choice!”
“We always have a choice.” I gripped her upper arm and turned to head back toward camp. I had barely taken my first step when a shiver of warning raced down my spine. “Will, I think…”
Men shifted from the woods, at least five beautiful ones and Bacchus, merging into the clearing. The terror I felt was real and shocking. My hand grew tight around the butt of my pistol.
“Well, well, well,” Bacchus sighed. “We came merely to get the serum. But I see the universe has thrown in a surprise…or two.”
I slid Will a glance from under my lashes. What was the plan? Certainly we had a plan. But he looked just as worried as I felt. Will was a leader, he wasn’t a warrior. Swallowing hard, I jerked the gun up, deciding to take action on my own. “Don’t move.”
Bacchus looked at the gun, then back up at me and laughed. The men behind him grinned. My arm wavered. They knew. Somehow they knew.
“Even if that gun had bullets, which I’m rather sure it doesn’t, it won’t kill us, my dear. So don’t even think about trying anything.”
I raised the pistol. “It will kill you if I hit your head.”
Before I could blink, they were on us. I barely had time to register their advance before the gun was torn from my hand and I was tossed to the ground. The side of my face hit the hard earth. Will was slammed to the ground next to me. With a muffled cry, I tried to break free, but they held me so tight I could barely move. My arms were jerked back and rope was wound tightly around my wrists. Just as quickly as I’d been shoved to the earth, I was jerked back to my feet. It was all too much, too fast. My mind spun, the world around me wavered in and out of focus.
Although my body ached and my arms felt as if they were being pulled from the sockets, I didn’t worry, for I knew Thane would arrive at any moment. He’d never let m
“Shall we, my little pets?” Dismissing us, Bacchus started through the woods as if we were on a stroll through the forest, all ease and smiling happiness. How I hated him like I’d never hated anyone. There was no reasoning with the vampire, he was a demon in man’s clothing. A monster who got his power from harming others.
When Bacchus’ minions pushed us forward, we had no choice but to follow. But I wasn’t focused on Bacchus. No, I was scouring the dark shadows, trying to find Thane. Where was he?
“See,” Tony hissed under his breath. “I told you I had to pick sides, and it looks like I picked the right one. At least I’ll live.”
Will’s jaw clenched, and I knew he, like me, wanted to punch that smug look from Tony’s face. Susan and Tony quickened their steps, falling behind Bacchus, eager to please. I thought about Thane’s girlfriend, the woman he had loved. She had worked for them, but she hadn’t been safe. No one was. And just like Thane’s love, Tony and Susan would eventually be killed as well.
We moved down a narrow deer trail, Will and I between Bacchus and his followers. Even as I frantically searched the dark woods, hoping for a way to escape, I knew we were trapped. Our only hope was Thane. Some ten minutes later we entered another clearing.
“Now,” Bacchus said, slowing his steps. “Tell me about this serum.”
“Well, you see,” Tony replied, sweat glistening across his forehead. He was so nervous he almost tripped over a branch. “Apparently Thane tricked us, because the bag is empty.”
“You don’t say,” Bacchus said thoughtfully.
He strolled across the clearing, and while his feet were quiet and light, my boots crunched over branches. And while the burs and thorny vines somehow managed to miss his silky clothes, they poked and scraped against my skin. I was fully aware of each scratch and the blood it might bring to the surface.
“Come, my friends,” Bacchus said, pausing next to a large boulder, his eyes glowing just like the other vampires. “Sit.”
They’d set up camp, probably lying in wait for days. Bedrolls, bags and even a fire had burned in the center at one time. Who knew how long they’d been here. Will and I were shoved forward, falling to our knees. I tried not to grimace, but the pebbles dug into my knees and my arms ached.
Bacchus glanced dispassionately at Susan and Tony. “Kill them.”
I felt Will stiffen beside me. But I wasn’t surprised in the least. They had no need for them. As much as I hated Tony and Susan, it didn’t stop my heart from lurching, for I knew they would die a painful death. Bacchus’ men were on Susan in seconds.
Her screams echoed through the woods, bouncing against the trees. Using their inattention to his advantage, Tony fled, crashing into the woods. But Bacchus’ men went after him. Frantic, I searched the dark forest. Now was the perfect time for Thane to attack and free us. But Susan was dead, and Tony’s screams faded. Still no Thane.
Suddenly Bacchus stood before me. A shiver of unease raced down my body. He knelt slowly, those eerie eyes pinned to me. Mirth clouded his gaze, but there was something more there…hunger, I realized with dread.
“You’re waiting for Thanatos, aren’t you?”
Startled, I froze. I barely breathed.
With his gaze still on me, he reached toward my neck. I barely had time to flinch before he’d pulled Tom’s necklace out from underneath my shirt. With a quick snap, he broke the string and pulled it close. “Pretty.”
Smirking, he stood and tossed the necklace toward the woods. He strolled to the large boulder. Making a great show of brushing off the rock, he settled, all ease, on the hard surface.
“Let me tell you about the real Thanatos.” He folded his hands demurely in his lap and smiled at me. “The man you obviously care for is actually working for me.”
“You’re lying,” Will snapped.
Bacchus lifted his brows. “Oh no. Not at all.”
The area grew quiet. Bacchus’ men were still in the woods, most likely feeding off of Tony. As I stared into the vampire’s face, I realized Bacchus was completely serious. Dread swept through my body, threatening to drown me in a vast pit of darkness.
“No,” I whispered, the word slipping across my lips. I wouldn’t believe it.
Bacchus lifted his gaze, focusing on something beyond my shoulder. “Tell her, Thanatos.”
Will turned.
I didn’t bother to move, because I knew who stood there. I could smell him. I could sense him. I should have been terrified. Instead, all I could think about was that he had betrayed me. The pain was sharp, haunting, consuming. I couldn’t move, couldn’t think, could barely breathe.
“Thanatos, please take your friend Will here into the woods and kill him.”
It was all I needed to jerk me from my stupor. Somehow I managed to surge to my feet and spun around to face Thane. “No. Please. Please don’t do this.”
Thane merely stood there impassively, as if my words did not reach him. As if he had no heart, no conscience, no soul. Who was this man I thought I knew? I stared hard at him, met his gaze and held it even while my heart broke, piece by piece, scattering to the ground below me. Thane. My Thane. How could he?
“Please,” I whispered once more.
Nothing.
Will had grown stoic and still. He didn’t beg. He knew it would do no good. No, Will would go down a warrior, and a leader. Slowly, he stood, stumbling to his feet with his hands still tied. Thane latched onto his arm.
“No!” I screamed.
Will looked back only once before he was shoved into the forest. In his gaze I saw his apology, I sensed the way he felt about me. In his gaze I saw his goodbye. Just like that they disappeared into the dark shadows. I listened until I could hear Will’s feet no longer crashing through the vegetation. And even after it went silent, I still listened, hoping…praying.
“As much as I’d love to watch, we have a carriage to catch.”
Bacchus shoved me toward a deer trail. I hadn’t just lost Will in those woods, I’d also lost Thane…at least the man I thought I knew. A sob caught in my throat, choking the air from my lungs. No. No. No. I wouldn’t believe it, I couldn’t. Thane wouldn’t turn on us. Will couldn’t die.
“Don’t worry, my sweet,” Bacchus cooed, his words barely audible over the harsh pounding of my heart. “I think we’ll keep you for a while. Dionysus will love you. You’ll be the perfect gift for our king.”
I spun around and bolted to the trees, toward where Will and Thane had disappeared. I’d made it only three steps when I was slammed to the ground. As I lay there, gasping for breath, I kept my gaze focused on those trees, knowing it had to be a mistake. Surely it was all a ruse to free Will. They would return and attack Bacchus together.
“Come now,” Bacchus said impatiently. “We have places to be. It’s time to give up.”
But still I lay there, waiting, waiting, knowing that Thane wouldn’t betray us.
Knowing…until moments later when Thane returned, stepping from the darkness of the woods and into the clearing, covered in blood.
Chapter 18