Page 8 of Lucifer's Mirror
Chapter 4
Where I Faceplant in the Forest
Idomybesttokeep up. But we’re in a forest, in the middle of a moonless night. Thankfully, the scary red lightning has stopped, but it means I can’t see much of anything—just murky shadows looming in the darkness. Ahead of me, Khaosti moves as though it’s the middle of the day. He slides between the tree trunks, jumps nimbly over the branches that crisscross the forest floor so fast, that I struggle to keep him in sight. “You know, there are paths through this forest. Could we not use one?” I shout after him but get no answer.
I trip over yet another branch or root or whatever and lurch forward, landing face-first in the mud. I lie there until something toes me in the side. Rolling over, I stare up and can just make out Khaosti’s pale face in the darkness. His lips quirk. I’m so glad he finds me amusing.
I spit the mud from my mouth and do a quick body check, but I don’t think anything is damaged.
“We need to go,” he says.
“I heard you the first time,” I mutter as he reaches out a hand to me. I grasp it and feel a shiver of something pass through me, and then I’m being hauled to my feet. He doesn’t give me a second to catch my breath before scooping me up in his arms.
I go completely rigid. “What are you doing?”
“Carrying you. It will take all night at this rate.”
“You can’t carry me.”
“Of course I can. You’re smaller than I expected.”
“You expected me to be bigger?” I’m just astounded that he expected anything at all. It’s finally sinking in. There’s someone who knows, if not who I am, then at least of my existence. And apparently, he’s been looking for me. And I’m smaller than he expected—ugh!
Then we’re moving. I’ve never been carried like this—at least, not that I remember. I guess I’m lucky he hasn’t just tossed me over his shoulder. I have no clue what to do with my arms. I consider wrapping them around his neck but can’t quite bring myself to do it. In the end, I fold them across my middle and trust he won’t drop me.
I close my eyes as the last of the adrenaline leeches from my system, leaving me weak and shaky. Burying my face against his broad chest, I breathe in that spicy scent mixed with something uniquely masculine—almost feral—and let go of my fear. I realize that I feel safe. Carried by this intimidating stranger, his strong arms wrapped around me, a sense of peace fills me. It’s new, and I allow myself to relax against him, listening to the beat of his heart.
I’m jolted out of my trance as he lowers me to the ground. I think my legs are going to give way, but I lock my knees and stand up straight. Something warns me that I can’t show weakness around this man.
I open my eyes. We’re in a clearing, and a black SUV is parked on a dirt road off to the side. The door opens, and another man steps out. As tall as Khaosti but not quite as broad, he has blond hair pulled into a ponytail.
“Who’s he?” I ask.
“Trystan,” Khaosti replies. “He’s a friend.”
Huh. He doesn’t look very friendly. There’s a calculating coldness to his expression that puts me on edge.
“You found her?” Trystan says.
“Obviously. I tracked the shadowguard directly to her.”
“They’re getting stronger.He’sgetting stronger.”
Who’s ‘he’? I want to ask, but Khaosti is already heading to the vehicle. I loiter for a few seconds, unsure what to do. The new guy is studying me with hard eyes. I’m not sure what to make of his expression, but I don’t like it.
“You want me to cuff her?” he asks Khaosti, who’s already opening the car door.
What the holy heck?
Khaosti pauses, then smirks. He looks me up and down as if considering the idea, and something dark flickers in his eyes. I scowl, and he shrugs. “Not right now.”
“How about never,” I mutter, giving Trystan a dark look. He shrugs and nods toward the car. I hesitate. Do I really want to go with these men who I know nothing about? Except they presumably go around with handcuffs on their person. Anyway, I have a strange premonition that I really have no choice. If I refuse, then those cuffs might become a reality. And I do not want to be cuffed.
Hell, no!
I can’t even phone someone because I left my bag and phone on the roof when I ran off. Serves me right for being so impulsive. I need to learn to think before I jump. Zayne and Josh must be out of their minds with worry, but there’s nothing I can do right now.
Plus, maybe if I hadn’t run, those things—whatever they were—might have tracked me there and killed all of us. But why? What did they want from me? For that matter, what the hell were they? From what I glimpsed, they weren’t human. Am I finally going totally crazy? Or was I hallucinating? Maybe I still am. I glance at the man sitting in the driver’s seat of the SUV, his face in profile. Could I have conjured him up?
