CLARA'S POV
I stifled a groan as the SUV hit yet another pothole, and sharp rays of pain shot through my foggy head. How the hell was I going to get out of this? I held back a sob. Thank God Jane had gone with Taki.
"Kel said the buyer doesn't want her damaged," a low voice with a thick Spanish accent hissed from the front seat. "She and the girl are worth five million. Suckers." The voice continued.
"But, we didn't get the daughter," a voice closer to me spat out.
"Yeah, but this one's gotta be worth at least half," came the sharp retort from the first man.
"Who the hell would pay that for a couple of chicks?" someone else sneered.
"Kel wouldn't say. Probably someone the bitch pissed off." the first person said.
"Well, can we at least have some fun while we're waiting?" A nasal voice this time, causing chills to creep up my spine.
"No. She is to be unharmed." A voice retorted back.
The hungry desire to cause pain radiating from the front of the car made my shoulders tense and then shake. My stomach clenched. I fought to slam my mental and emotion shields into place—maybe my father had been right about empaths being touched by the devil. God wouldn't hurt me like this.
I swallowed another sob, pretending to be unconscious. I had to think of a way out of this so I could get back to my baby. The moldy smell of old carpet tickled my nose, and I stamped down on a sneeze before it could erupt.
The car slowed until it came to a stop. Four doors opened and slammed shut. Seconds later, the back hatch opened and the man from the elevator reached in and yanked me out by my bound hands. My head clunked against the hatch before I stumbled against him and then found my footing on the wet leaves, several feet down. They had lifted the vehicle to a ridiculous height.
He squeezed my arm and I felt his breath hot against my temple. "You should be awake by now, bitch."
I yanked to the side, my head throbbing. I kicked out against his shin to escape the pain at my arm while bile rose in my throat.
"Oh, we have a fighter." He laughed hard and coarse while he released my abused flesh. "This might be fun." His laugh carried images of dark pain, and I fought to block my mind. The slipping of my empathic shields ripped a raw fear through me that even his threats failed to reach. He dragged me toward a large cabin.
Trees surrounded us, pure safety waiting for me. If I could break his hold, I could run for the forest. I tracked the nearest trail through my peripheral vision. If I escaped that way, I'd veer into the bushes and they'd lose me.
I stumbled and fell to one knee. He yanked me to my feet and backhanded me across the face. My head flew to the side. Apparently "unharmed" meant something different to him than it did to me. The bastard holding me smacked me again, and while I stayed on my feet, the blow scattered my senses and the mental shields slipped away. Oh God.
A roar cascaded from the surrounding forest, and an anger not my own slammed into me with the strength of a title weight punch. my fear morphed into pure terror.
What was coming?
The man holding me froze, scanning the thick trees. Without warning, a large blur of dark motion launched itself past me to take the prick to the ground. Blood sprayed in a graceful arc across my lower legs and adrenaline spiked my blood with a clawing need to flee. Rusty copper mixed with the clean scent of rain, and my feet refused to move.
"Taki," I said, barely able to breathe as he rose to his full height. Blood splattered across his brutal features and over his hands, his eyes a primal gold in the strengthening rain. I gaped at the sharp fangs protruding from his mouth. They ran red. Then, the rapid sound of gunfire filled the air. He tackled me as I muffled a scream. He shielded me with his body and rolled us under the car to the other side, where wet leaves crackled with their musty scent beneath us.
Protected by the SUV, Taki leapt to his feet. In a smooth, fluid motion, he threw a double-edged knife through the air. I shifted to peer under the carriage of the vehicle. A man collapsed to the ground with a gurgle of pain, his hand on the weapon that was buried to the hilt in his neck.
Pulling myself away from under the carriage, I grabbed the door handle and hauled myself to my feet, determined to flee if necessary. The safety of the forest beckoned me.
The remaining two men scrambled toward the haven. With an animalistic bellow, he leapt over the SUV and took the first kidnapper down with a flying tackle onto the wet leaves. His bare hands crushed the man's neck with a loud crunch. With a final snap of Taki's wrist, he rose and faced the remaining man, who backed up toward me, praying in Spanish.
Taki's oddly glowing eyes showed no mercy as he stalked the horrified man.
"Please, don't kill me," the man begged as he continued to stumble backward.
"You touched what's mine." His voice was unnaturally guttural as he reached the man.
"No, no I didn't," the man protested, making the sign of the cross in the air. "I never touched her."
"All right," Taki said agreeably, "then you die quickly." With one quick slice of his arm, the man's head tumbled to the ground. Then, He turned toward me. The knife's blade glinted silver in the emerging moonlight, its point dripping red life onto the wet earth. Blood splattered his clothes and covered his hands. Savagery was stamped into every line of his face. His fangs glistened sharp and deadly in the dusky light.
My eyes rolled back into my head, and that was all I remembered before I collapsed.
I regained consciousness with a scream as Taki hefted me from the passenger seat of the SUV. He silenced me with a quick squeeze.
"Where are your fangs?" I asked groggily.
He chuckled and carried me into a small summer cabin, easily kicking the door open with one foot. He held me away from the blood coating his clothing. I looked around, struggling with reality as the lingering scent of lemon cleanser filled my nose. What had I seen? My heart pounded while my back muscles softened in exhaustion. The conflict warring within me threatened to shut me down completely.
The living area contained a couch and huge hearth. To the left, the kitchen held avocado-colored appliances and a large, quilt-covered bed sat in the far corner. The rain continued to drum outside as he placed me on the dark leather sofa and grabbed an old towel to wipe the blood off his face.
He lit a fire, and once the logs crackled, he crouched down to my eye level and stroked the hair away from my face. "Stay here and warm up, baby. I'll be back shortly." Spicy pine and the dark, earthy scent of man washed over me.
"Wait." I clutched his arm, my gaze on the now calm features of his face.
His eyes gentled. "I need to take the SUV back to the cabin. They'll send reinforcements when the kidnappers don't check in. While I've already left a few surprises for them, I'll add a couple more on the car. Don't worry, I'll be back soon." He reassured.
"Where's Jane?" I was almost afraid to ask.
"With my brother, Dage. She's safe."
"Wait. Shouldn't we keep the SUV, just in case?"