“Get up,” Nardo said roughly, kicking the gate open and jumping down.
Gabriel hopped down and Jessica sat on the edge, her legs dangling. He wrapped his warm hands around her waist and lifted, helping her gain her feet on the ground.
A woman came up, startling Jessica with her sudden presence. “I’m to take you with me,” she said in a cold, angry voice, grabbing Jessica’s wrist with a bruising grip.
She’d never felt more violent in her life than she did tonight. Everywhere someone attacked her. She’d had enough of it. Screw being a lady. Jessica pulled back. “No.”
“You mus’ go with her, chere. It’s d’only way. I’ll come for you soon,” Gabriel said reassuringly.
Jessica didn’t feel the least bit reassured. “I said no.”
“You don’t have any choice,” the woman ground out, tugging her forward.
Jessica dug her heels in, grabbing Gabriel with her free hand. She was just before ripping the woman’s hair out.
“Please, chere, for me.”
She sighed and released him. “Okay. You have to come back for me. I don’t want to be wondering if you’re dead or alive all night.”
“You know I live ta please, cherie,” he said, and she could hear the smile in his voice.
“I’ll kick your ass for you if you’re lying.” She felt a little assured that he wouldn’t run off and die on her. But not much. She refused to dwell on it.
Grudgingly, she went with the woman, who pulled her through the woods at a pace too fast for her to easily keep half blind. Brambles tore at her exposed legs, dirt and pebbles skittered into her sandals and under her heels. She kept up as best as she could, since she had no other choice.
She said nothing as the woman brought her to a lighted tent that looked big enough five adults could easily spread out inside.
The woman released her and opened the flap, gesturing for her to move inside.
When Jessica didn’t move fast enough, she pushed her. Jessica tripped over the opening and fell on the floor, sucking in a sharp breath as her knees bruised on the hard ground.
Jessica whipped her head around, giving the auburn haired woman a scathing look.
“You bitch,” she gritted out, her hands clenching with the need to rip that shiny red hair from her skull. She’d taken as much of this shit as she was about to take.
“Fuck you,” the woman sneered and raised her hand to slap Jessica.
Jessica lunged for her, her fingers curved into claws, digging into the woman’s legs as she dragged them out from under her. The woman went down and rolled instantly, slashing at Jessica with her nails. She growled primitively, missing Jessica’s eyes by a hair’s breadth.
Jessica drew back in a split second, crouching on her haunches, sidling past the center pole of the tent, keeping the woman distant. She eyed the tent opening, wondering if she could make it past. She decided to risk it. She dove for the opening, running into the dark. The woman’s fingers scrabbled at her dress, pulling her back just as Jessica ran into a meaty wall.
Cruel fingers dug into her arms, making her gasp as she fought the hold. Jessica kneed him in the groin, and he barely grunted before crushing his fingers into her biceps.
“Lavinia, can’t you do any fucking thing you’re told? Are you so weak you can’t hold on to a human?” the man sneered the last word like it left shit in his mouth.
The woman, Lavinia, came up behind her and snatched her hair, pulling her head back until she thought her scalp bled. “Kiss my fuckin’ ass, Lado,” she ground out and dragged Jessica back inside.
Jessica growled in impotent fury as her arms were forced behind her back and tied to the center pole. She kicked out as Lavinia came around her, connecting with her shins. Lavinia cursed and grinned maliciously before slapping her hard across the face. Bright light exploded on the left side of her face, and Jessica tasted blood as her teeth rattled.
The woman chuckled and tied her feet together while she sat there, stunned. Lastly, she gagged Jessica, then zipped the opening closed as she left.
Jessica blinked the pain back, focusing on her surroundings. There was nothing inside but sleeping bags rumpled from their fight. She craned her head around, looking for a weapon or something to cut the cord, but still found nothing. The tent was empty of anything even remotely useful. Obviously, they’d been expecting to house her inside it. The thought left her cold and miserable.
She couldn’t sit there and worry about it. She refused to worry about it. Worrying caused more harm than good.
Jessica wiggled her fingers, thankful the rope was at least loose enough the blood flow hadn’t instantly cut off. No amount of wiggling could free her, however, and trying to rip her hands loose only made her shoulders and muscles ache. She tried pushing against the tent pole, but the post was so secure, it didn’t move no matter how hard she pushed--almost like it was mounted in a cement foundation. If that was true, then they routinely stayed out here ... or held prisoners inside.
She fervently wished she could do something useful, like dislocate her shoulders and slip her hands under her feet. But the pole would still be in the way even if she could do that trick. She considered her options and came up empty. With the gag tight on her mouth, she couldn’t work it off and chew on the ropes.
She sighed heavily through her nose, shaking her hair out of her face.
There was nothing to do but wait and see if Gabriel would uphold his promise to her. She just hoped he didn’t do anything stupid--like getting killed before he could rescue her.
The wry thought did little to ease the tension cramping her belly. In all honesty, she knew she had no one to rely on but herself. Smart people didn’t trust their fate to others. The urge to let Gabriel play her hero and sweep her into his arms went beyond tempting, but it was completely irrational. More than likely, they were outnumbered, definitely weaponless, and in the middle of nowhere.
She was going to have to get free by herself and try to do something. She just wasn’t sure how much she could do if someone didn’t come back inside ... and by then, it would probably be too late....
Chapter Six
Nardo pushed Gabriel roughly, driving him ahead to the luna clearing where the pack met each cycle, when the moon sat fat in the sky and pulled them to shift with near irresistible force. Gabriel stumbled from the forceful push and whipped around, his voice a menacing growl, “You push me again, I’ll kill you, mon ami.”
Nardo returned his menacing look, his eyes flashing in the dark, but he said nothing.
He did not touch him again as they walked.
Gabriel thought of Jessica being taken away by that bitch, Lavinia. He hoped she did nothing so foolish as to hurt Jessica, for if she did, she would regret it.
His fury rolled inside, like the flames of a white hot blaze. He should have expected this. He had, but not so soon, and not when he was with Jessica.
His brains fled to his cock every time she was near. Had he gotten a handle on his lust, he never would’ve been so foolish as to take her home, or any other place he’d ever been. The pack could sniff him out so easily. He should have known they were waiting to take him.
Gabriel felt like hitting something. His fists tightened with the urge. He knew he’d soon have the chance to satisfy the bloodlust.
They crossed the guardian-like trees into the clearing, moving toward the center.
Nardo parted from him silently as they reached the center, moving back into the shadows of the trees. Gabriel stood in the placement of the accused. A mark of shame for the worst trespass on pack laws, the accused stood surrounded by the pack, yet alone.
The last time the pack had met to try an accused had been a few months back, when Raoul had trespassed into vamp territory to claim a human woman.