Eva raced through the forest, branches tearing at her exposed flesh and clothing.
She could hear Nick crashing through the brush behind her. Good. She'd likely need the wolf.
Struggling to concentrate as she ran, she attempted to get a handle on Tianna's location. She could feel her friend's panic—panic that was tinged with terror. The feeling was overwhelming, clouding Eva's thoughts, inhibiting her ability to think clearly. And so she ran, allowing her instincts to guide her.
And then Ethan was there beside her, his long tempered strides keeping pace with her. "I'll get her." He threw her a glance. "Go back to the manor."
"Forget it," Eva tossed at him and sped on. His hand closing roughly around her arm and nearly jerked her shoulder out of its socket as he halted her in her tracks.
Furious, Eva yanked at his grasp. "Look, mutt," She hissed. "Now is not the time to get in my way."
Ethan glared at her and snarled. He could feel the undercurrent of power just under her warm flesh where his hand was wrapped around her upper arm. "There's another wolf in these woods. Maybe more than one. I can't be responsible for you."
"You won't be!" She tugged at his unyielding grasp. "We don't have time for this!"
Nick crashed through the brush, stopping short when he saw them. His gaze switched between the two, taking in the tension in their faces and Ethan's hand wrapped around her upper arm. "What's going on?"
The witch's dark gaze met Ethan's. "Please, Ethan. There's no time."
He perused her a moment before releasing her wordlessly. He spun abruptly and took off.
Nick instantly tore after him, leaving Eva to summon the strength to keep up with them.
She took off after the wolves, following as best she could but they were too fast and were soon out of sight. So she focused on Tianna. The wolves could follow Tianna's scent, she could follow the pull of Tianna's fear. It was unsettling. She'd never felt Tianna so frightened. Her friend didn't scare easy and the near blinding terror was causing Eva's heart to beat erratically in her chest.
And then Tianna was gone. Eva stumbled, reeling from the sudden loss. She had experienced some distance from Tianna's emotions before, but never had she been so abruptly and completely cut off from her friend's feelings. It scared her. It was as if Tianna had simply disappeared. Pushing herself on, she didn't even want to think what the sudden disconnect meant.
"Ethan!" she raced in the direction they'd gone. "Nick!" Nothing. The woods were quiet around her.
Breathing hard, Eva came to a halt. She had lost Tianna and the wolves were now moving too quickly and silently for her to follow.
Eva felt ill, nausea roiling in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't let anything happen to Tianna. Tianna was the only family she had. She swallowed thickly, apprehension swelling in her chest. She was going to have to try something different, something she'd never tried before.
She bent to pick up a fallen twig about the thickness of her index finger. She snapped the limb between her hands, her breath shallow. "Blood of my blood," she murmured. "Sister, bring me to you." Clenching her teeth so hard she though she heard her jaw pop, she dragged the edge jagged edge of the branch over her palm, splitting her flesh open. She choked back a cry of pain as she closed her fist and her eyes drifted shut. Blood seeped between her fingers. "Blood of my blood," she whispered. "Bring me to you."
Eva felt power crackling through her chest painfully. She cried out in agony as her knees buckled and she fell forward onto her hands and knees. She sobbed as pain ripped through her. She had no business attempting a spell this powerful —this taxing—but she could think of nothing else. She had no choice. She curled her fingers in the dark rich soil beneath her palm, the connection she needed. Her life's blood seeped into the soil and she watched through blurred vision as the blood spread from beneath her palm in spindly rivulets over the ground.
"Blood of my blood," she gasped. "Bring me to you."
She collapsed on the forest flood, darkness taking her over.
***
The wolf crouched over his unconscious prize. Goddamn, she smelled good. He hadn't wanted to slug her but she'd left him no choice. She'd run and then she'd fought him, snarling at him and then tearing at him with her claws.
He took her delicate jaw between his thumb and forefinger and turned her face slightly. He grimaced. A bruise was already beginning to darken her lovely flesh. Shame.
His gaze roved over her dark hair; it was mussed and littered with twigs and leaves. The delicately arched slash of her brows crested her closed thickly lashed lids. She had high cheek bones and sinfully full pink lips. Awake, she was glorious—enraged and fighting him. He could see Dominic Moore's ferocity in her. Out cold, she was damn near angelic.
His gaze moved lower, over the generous mounds pressed against the revealing little tank top she was wearing. A tantalizing slice of skin was bared to his gaze above her low slung pants. He smoothed his hand over that exposed swath of skin. She was stunning, intoxicating. No one could begrudge him just a taste.
He slid is hand under her top. His hand nearly spanned her waist. He dragged his fingertips over her ribcage as he leaned over and brushed his lips over her cheekbone, moving toward her lips. Just a taste.
Just as his lips hovered over hers, her eyes sprung open. He jerked back. Her eyes were liquid black, no hint of white. Her lips parted, revealing elongated canines. "Get. Off. Me."
He cocked his head, staring down at her in consternation. Her voice was different, as if she spoke with two tongues. The effect was eerie.
When he made no move, she roared at him. "GET OFF!" Her small hands were pushing against him fruitlessly. It made him smile. He liked a bit of fight in his women. Suddenly there was a surge of energy exploding through his chest and he was flung violently away from her and sent sailing until into a tree trunk. The massive evergreen creaked and shuddered under the impact and he crumpled at its base.
He groaned, rolling onto his hands and knees. He saw her rise with uncanny fluidity. The air crackled with electricity. He felt it buzz through him, making the hairs on his arms stand on end.
She was staring at him with those dark eyes, her face impassive. "Listen, motherfucker," she growled. "I am not that chick." That voice again; it was like two voices pitched together. "Care to try again?"
Snarling, he lunged at her only to have her lift her palm to him in an almost casual manner. Before he was within three feet of her he was hurled back once more, skidding across the ground.
"Asshole," she muttered almost absently.
He pushed himself to his feet. "What are you, bitch?" he spat.
A small smile curved upon her lips but she said nothing.
His ears perked up. He'd wasted too much time. They were coming for her already. He fixed his hard glare on her. "We're not done, bitch." He jutted a finger at her. "Remember that."
