The other one loomed behind him. Taller and heavier, with a neck thick as a ham. This was a different guy from the creek when they attacked me. His small eyes never moved off me. He ripped open the driver's door and got both hands on my arm before I even had breath to scream.
Why hadn't I stayed at Chance's? Why hadn't Igotten a gun or at least some pepper spray after they'd attacked me at the creek? Fucking hell, I was too damn stupid to live. They might as well let them kill me now.
"Told you we'd see each other again," William sneered, like he'd been waiting for this his entire life.
I tried to bolt, dropping my weight against them to try to throw them off balance, but it was like a toddler against an adult.
William had zip-ties ready. "Mark, give me her wrists."
Fast as a gunshot, my hands were yanked forward, and William cinched my wrists so tight the plastic sliced into my skin.
"No, no, no!" I twisted, tried to plant my feet, but Mark clamped a hand behind my neck and shoved my head down.
The last time I'd been scared, Chance had sensed it. Tonight I was about a dozen steps past the level of terrified I'd been before.
William jammed a lump of gum in my mouth, spiking my panic even further. I tried to bite his fingers, but he moved fast, like he'd done this maneuver a million times before. Spearmint exploded in my mouth, a taste so strong and sharp my tongue went numb. It was like they'd put ten Altoids in my mouth at once.
I sputtered, almost puking, but he clamped my mouth shut as he grinned, eyes hot with triumph. "Chew. It'll prove you're human. Monsters are all allergic to mint."
What the actual fuck. No wonder my girls were allergic. I had no idea. In all the conversations we'd had, it hadn't come up.
The taste was foul because it was so damn strong. I choked it down while William and Mark went to work. They smeared mint leaves on my cheeks, under my jaw, across the pulse at my throat. I smelled like a candy-cane factory, but it didn't have any other effect other than tasting and smelling strong.
I kicked and squirmed. William swore when I kicked and managed to hit him in the knee. This wasn't even about me. Not really. It was the twins. Their mint allergy. The way it made them both crumple in pain.
The bastards held me, pinning my shoulders even with me bleeding from where the ties slicing skin. My face ran with tears. Half from the menthol, half from rage and humiliation.
"Easy, sweetheart," William purred. "You've proven you're human, so you'll be fine, as long as you play along. We know what happens when a monster'smate is doused in dragon bane. Or mint, call it what you want."
He traded a long look with Mark. William leaned in, his grin wide and full of glee. "Your monster gave himself away, Ms. Winters. The eyes, sweetheart. Real showstopper."
Chance. They had seen him. My mind ground to a stop, panic laced. If they were the hunters Chance had mentioned, they'd try for the girls next. They'd killed Chance's father.
Mark wrenched my shoulder and hissed, "Move, or we'll break your arm. I don't hurt humans, as a rule, but I'll make an exception for a monster fucker."
I crashed against the open SUV door, trying to twist free. Black, new car smell rolled over me as William twisted me into the back seat. He slammed the door so hard the SUV rocked.
My wrists were slick with blood but didn't really hurt. Once the adrenaline wore off, I was in for a lot of pain.
"Stay down," Mark barked, and pressed my head to the seat as I tried to squirm out the other side.
They didn't stop. Not for a second.
William upended my purse in the footwell, then fished my phone out.
"Unlock it," William snapped. "Turn her face up."
Despite my best efforts, he angled the phone in front of my face. The damn thing blinked once, then let them in. I truly regretted ever fishing it out of the creek and storing it overnight in a bag of rice. Damn modern technology with its water resistance.
William's fingers stabbed at the screen. He found my thread with Chance. Typed. Then he turned the phone so I could see the words.
I'm home.
The reply came back within two seconds.
Sleep well.
A scream built in my chest, but I couldn't let it out.
