Chapter Forty
Dessie came to with a start, the musky smell of elderberries around her. Pain pounded from her wrist. She gingerly rolled over to see swollen clouds covering the night sky. The moon made a valiant effort to pierce their bellies but only lit the top clouds. Where was she?
Coughing out sand, she looked around a tiny meadow. Rocks and trees surrounded her, and the sound of an owl carried on the night wind. Then her gaze caught on a form near two downed spruce trees. Panic chilled her extremities. It was Ulric, and he was facedown. She quietly pushed to her feet, swaying as her damaged wrist protested. The pain was intense.
She gulped and took a deep breath. To the left was a long dirt road. There had to be a town somewhere close, but following the road would be too obvious. Was she even in the States? She had to find help. A light rain was falling, and by the look of the purple clouds, a storm was about to hit. That was good. Anything that masked her scent could only help her.
Turning toward the trees, she crept as quietly as possible between two ancient pines, prepared to find a trail and run.
Two helicopters zoomed above them, shining down blinding lights. Vehicles with mounted lights approached on the road and screeched to a halt. Panicked, she turned to run, only to smash headfirst into a hard body. She bounced back and fell on her butt. Agony ripped up her wounded wrist, and her body heaved.
Figures wound through the trees, their light eyes piercing the darkness. She tried to scramble away. Rough hands grabbed her arms and dragged her to her feet, jostling her broken wrist.
The darkness grabbed her, and she fell unconscious.
Then she was in and out. There was more darkness, some light, and then more pain. Finally, a hard surface beneath her head. She had no idea how long she was out or where she ended up. Finally, the pain became too much, and she forced her eyes open to find herself in some sort of shed. The sides were wood, the floor dirt, and the air chilly. She gingerly sat up and then swayed as her wrist protested.
Rain beat mercilessly against the structure, and water dripped from small holes in the roof. The door opened, revealing it was still nighttime outside. A male Kurjan walked in. His eyes were purple and his hair black, tipped with red. He was tall and broad across the chest, but he looked young. Maybe eighteen. She scrambled away from him and put her back to the wall.
He looked at her wrist and winced. His skin was incredibly pale and his lips bright red. “Who are you?”
She swallowed, and her throat felt burned. If he didn’t know who she was, then he wasn’t very high up. Could she use that? “Nobody. Just wrong place and wrong time. Please help me leave.”
“That wasn’t an answer.” There was the immortal arrogance she’d expected. His jawline was firm and his features more angled than rugged. If he didn’t have purple eyes, he’d probably be handsome. “I asked your name.”
“Dessie.” Either he knew about her or he did not.
Thunder rolled high and loud outside. “You arrived with Ulric,” the male said. “Who are you?”
“She’s his Intended.” Another male entered, and this one wasn’t as pale. His eyes were an odd blue, and he looked almost human. “I’m Vero, and this is Harold. What happened to your wrist?”
“It’s broken. I could use an aspirin,” she said. If the pain would ebb, she could think.
Vero nodded. “We’ll send in a medic.” He nudged his friend. “We shouldn’t be in here, Harold. What are you doing?”
“I was curious,” Harold said. “Go get the medic, and I’ll wait here. She’s in pain, Vero.”
Vero’s gaze was somber. “All right. If my uncle comes, say you were ordered to guard her. We’ve gotten in enough trouble lately.” He slid back out into the night.
Harold studied her, no expression in his gaze. “Okay, Dessie. You need to explain and fast. You arrived with Ulric, but I get no sense that you’re enhanced. You’re human. How are you not dead?”
She held her wrist and put her head back on the damp wooden wall. “I’m enhanced, but it’s hidden well.” This guy really didn’t know much about his people or their experiments, but it seemed as if he wanted to help. She needed help. “It’s a long story and one that’d probably get you killed if you knew it, but that’s the truth. Will you help me get out of here?”
“You’re enhanced.” Doubt turned down his lips.
“Yes.” The higher-ups knew who she was; this was her only chance to get free. “Please help me.”
He dropped to one knee, and his fangs shot from his mouth.
She yelped and tried to shrink away from him.
He bit into his wrist, and blood welled up. “If you’re enhanced, you can take a little of my blood. It’ll heal you. Trust me.” He looked over his shoulder and then pressed his wrist to her mouth. “But you have to hurry.”
She didn’t see a choice. Garrett’s blood had helped her, but he was her mate. Or should’ve been her mate. She sucked down several gulps, and they burned right to her stomach. The copper taste made her gag again, but she kept the liquid down. The pain in her arm started to dissipate.
He stepped back. “Wipe your mouth,” he hissed.
She hurriedly licked her lips. Then she jumped as her bone snapped back into place.
