Skin Walkers: Leto (17 page)

“Shit!  Leto!
”  She felt for his chest and placed a hand there to see if he still breathed.  Unfortunately, her hand was shaking too badly for her to be certain whether or not she’d actually felt any movement. 

Inching closer she brushed her hand across his face and touched trembling fingers to his lips then held her breath.  When her fingers warmed with damp heat she whimpered. 
He’s alive!
  Relief swamped her only to instantly be tamped down when she heard footfall crunching over the broken glass outside the car.  It was getting closer and as she strained to listen she realized it was more than one set of feet.

“Leto,” she pressed her lips close to his ear, “please wake up!”

When he didn’t move she was torn between trying to flee to protect their child or staying and attempting to defend his lifeless form. 

The sound of footsteps halted and she crouched on all fours waiting.  She turned to look behind her and was met
by an angry face, which evoked a shrill shriek. 

The male peered at her then let his eyes slide to Leto before shouting, “She’s alive.  Looks like the Walker’s dead.”

Next to her, somebody tried to open the passenger side door.  Shy screamed and inched closer to Leto.  Even unconscious, she felt safer near him. 

“Fucking door’s jammed,” someone yelled.
  “Come outta there!”

Curling her body closer to Leto
’s, her voice quivered, “N-no!”

She heard another strange sound as her ears strained to take in their attacker’s actions.  She turned towards the
driver’s side window.  Around Leto’s massive frame, a dark figure held a shadowy object that she couldn’t make out pointed at Leto. 

“Get out now, before I put a bullet in your boyfriend!”

“I thought you said he was dead!”

“Nah,” the stranger answered his friend, “there’s breath coming out.  He’s alive…for now!”  He turned his attention back to Shy, “Move bitch!”

Her fearful eyes darted to Leto.  He was still unconscious and unable to tell her what to do.  She wanted to protect her baby, but knew they’d shoot Leto to get her out.  Then what?  She’d have to come out eventually.  Her good hand snaked out and rubbed Leto’s cheek.  She didn’t want him hurt either.  Slowly, she inched toward the passenger side door.

“I got her.”

Before she could react rough hands grabbed her through the front windshield.  She screamed as she was jerked free of the rubble.  Pain seared the back of one shoulder where the jagged glass tore through her thin shirt and cut deeply into her.  Sucking in another breath to scream, she swallowed it down when she heard Leto moan.  She desperately wanted to call to him, but knew he’d only try to save her and the baby if he managed to break free of the vehicle. 
They’ll kill him!
  Sealing her lips tightly, she tried to remain quiet when she was jerked to her feet.

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, and when they did she took in the sight of five men circled around the
upside down car.  Each man carried a gun and all of them were pointed at the vehicle. 

She turned when one man asked, “Is it her?”

The man closest to her grabbed her jaw and jerked her head to look at him.  “Yeah, it’s her.”  There was triumph in his voice, “The Doc’ll be pleased.”

Doc?  Dr. Chambers!  Oh God no! 
Shy eyed her surroundings, looking for a way to escape.  Leto said the Sentries were coming.  She could stall.  She took a step back, “Y-you have the wrong people.”

A hand fisted in her hair and jerked her back into something hard.  “Don’t move!  And don’t waste your breath.”  A crumpled photo was held up in front of her face.  She had to blink back tears to see the image clearly.  It was the photo of her taken at Megalya, the one they’d used on her ID. 
Shit!

“Get her in the car.”

She screamed when the hand in her hair fisted tighter and jerked her backward.

“What about him?”

“Bring him.  Doc says their conception might be unique and only work with each other.  If that’s the case, we’ll need him too.”

Shy had her good hand clamped around that of her captor, she was trying to keep pace with him to stop the painful tearing of her hair from her scalp.  She eyed the sky hoping for some sign of the Walkers.  There was none.

“Get in!” 

Chapter 23

Shy was jerked back hard and shoved sideways.  Falling forward, she had to land on her chest when her wounded hand failed to move to offer any support while the other remained clamped at the back of her head.  Her cheek burned as she was pushed face first onto the bench seat of what she assumed was a car.  Too low to be a truck, the vehicle smelled of cigarettes and alcohol. 

Using a shoulder to try and right herself, hands grabbed her again and pulled her to a sitting position. 
A door closed and she finally got a good look at the asshole who’d been manhandling her. 

Sharp beady eyes over a beak nose sat atop a sour mouth.  “What the fuck you looking at?”  His hand fisted in the front of her shirt and she was jerked hard into the man’s chest.

The door next to her opened and a second body squeezed in on the other side of her after yelling, “Bobby!  Let’s go.”  Settling beside her the man snorted as he turned toward her, “Shit Tanner, couldn’t wait for a kiss huh?”

“Bitch is staring!”  When he spoke, Shy tried not to wince at his foul breath.

Another door closed and the vehicle roared to life.  Her eyes left those of Tanner as she looked out his window to see the other two men carrying Leto from the demolished vehicle.

“Wait!”

Tanner clawed a hand over her face, “Don’t worry.  He’s coming!”

As the vehicle sped away, a sinking feeling settled over her.  If they’d kept them together at least she’d have been sure that Leto was okay.

“Aren’t they worried he’ll wake up?  Maybe you shoulda stayed Tanner.”

Tanner released her face and shirt and sat back in his seat.  “They’ll be fine.  The freak is going in the trunk.”

Trunk?  Oh God, he’ll freeze!
  Shy wanted to speak up but knew she’d only be abused further, and it’s not like anyone cared what she had to say anyway.  Instead, she prayed that wherever they were taking her and Leto it wasn’t too far.  When night had fallen so had the temperature, and if Leto didn’t wake and shift she was certain he’d freeze to death in the trunk.

The man to her
left pulled out a cell phone and dialed before holding it up to his ear.  “It’s Casey.  We got her!” 

There was silence in the car then, “We got him too!  Alive.  We’re en
route now.”  Then he hung up and shouted, “Hooeee!  I can’t believe we got him too!  Shit boys, that triples our pay day!”

Shy stared straight ahead trying to determine where they were headed.

Casey turned to smile at her, “Do you have any idea how much you’re worth?”

She refused to look at him and remained silent with her eyes forward.

“I think we should pull over and have a little fun.”  Tanner’s foul breath filled the backseat as he spoke.

“Not happening.”  Casey sobered, “If she’s injured in any
way we lose half.  That was the deal.”

Tanner leaned forward to frown around her, “She’s already injured.  Her wrist is broke.  You think we won’t get docked for that?”  He fell back against the seat, “I’m just saying if we’re gonna lose half, we might as well get some enjoyment out of it too.”

Shy fought to keep from retching.  The thought of Tanner touching any part of her was repulsive.  Silently she prayed that Casey stood his ground.

“We’re not getting docked
for her wrist.  Doc is concerned about the baby.  That means no fucking her.”

Tanner leaned forward again, “We could fuck her in the ass.”

Shy stiffened and curled the fingers of her good hand into a tight fist.  She’d fight to the death to keep them from touching her in that manner.

The driver started laughing and his eyes found Tanner’s in the rearview mirror.  “Jeez bro, get laid much?  Shit!
  You act like you haven’t had any in a year.”

Tanner sat back ag
ain but Shy could feel him tense.  He was angry.  “Fuck you Bobby!”

Bobby started laughing again, “Sounds like you’d actually like to!”

Both Bobby and Casey erupted into laughter.  When Casey sobered he rubbed at his eyes, “When we get paid you can buy all the pussy you want.  For now, hands off.”

They drove in silence for what felt like an eternity before Casey turned to nod at Tanner.

Tanner grabbed her around the neck and forced her head down into his lap.  She tried to pull back but he only pushed harder.

“Sorry sweets,” it was Casey’s voice, “but you can’t see where we’re going.”

She tried to struggle free, but with only one good hand she couldn’t gain any leverage to shove out of Tanner’s lap.  When his grasp on the back of her neck became brutal, she stilled and allowed him to hold her down. 

He rubbed her face against his groin and she gagged when she felt the unmistakable ridge of his erection as he rubbed her cheek back and forth over the denim. 

She heard Casey laugh, “Well I suppose that’s acceptable.”

Shy tried to push away but only succeeded in being forced harder against Tanner’s lap.  She heard him moan and then growl, “You’re gonna suck it bitch!”

The knuckles of his free hand brushed her cheek as he tried to unbutton his pants.

“Don’t do that man!” Casey sounded horrified, “
Do you honestly trust her not to bite?”

Tanner’s finger’s stilled and then were gone.

“We’re here anyway.”

Tanner stopped rubbing and she felt the car ease to a halt. 

She was jerked back to a sitting position and watched as Bobby climbed from the car followed by Casey.  “We’ll make sure the coast is clear.  When I signal, bring her to the van.”

Terrified to be left alone with Tanner, Shy tried to inch her body away from his.  He grabbed her arm and jerked her out of the car.  Before she could even get her balance she w
as shoved back against the car.  Her lower back exploded in pain when she was thrown against the protruding door handle.  Tanner’s body crushed into hers as he smiled menacingly revealing that he was missing several teeth.

His hand slid
up and wrapped tightly around her throat while the other dropped out of her line of vision.  She heard the rustling of clothes then the sound of a zipper.  She lifted her good hand trying to force his hand from her throat to jerk back, but his hold on her throat tightened. 

“Don’t worry bitch, I won’t fuck you.  But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways to get off.”

His hand caught her wrist and rubbed her hand down his chest forcing it lower until he held it over his hard cock. 

Terror quickly turned to revulsion before Shy let her fingers curl.  Her
nails dug into tender flesh as she slowly added pressure. 

Tanner’s smile vanished and his eyes widened
when she clamped her hand onto his man hood and clawed as hard as she could, letting her nails dig into flesh. 

He howled in pain before pulling back an arm and punching her hard in the face. 

Shy reeled, but luckily she’d turned her head at the last moment taking the punch high on her cheek bone.  It hurt, but not as bad as it would have if he’d connected with her nose.

Shy’s hand clutched at her cheek and she ignored Tanner as he dropped to the ground and writhed in pain as he attempted to zip his pants.  A low rumbling in the trees behind the car had both her and Tanner snapping their heads in the direction of the sound. 

Tanner scrambled to his feet and Shy took a chance.  Before he could reach for her she raced toward the tree line.  She wasn’t fast, but didn’t need to be.  She felt Tanner grab the back of her shirt and she ducked her head and crashed to her knees when a mountain lion vaulted over her head and slammed Tanner back against the ground. 

Shy prayed the beast was a Walker but didn’t stick around to find out.  She ran! 

Viscous snarls rent the air behind her and lent strength to her legs as she dashed between trees, using her good hand to clamp her broken wrist against her body.  She jumped over a stump and the jarring pain to her wrist had her clamping her teeth together even as her fear ebbed a fraction and anger bubbled to the surface.  She was tired of running, tired of being the victim.  What she’d already endured should have been enough!  She thought of the Skin Walkers and their existence and felt a swell of pity knowing that her life for the last half a year was how they’d had to live their entire lives.  It wasn’t fair. 

Lost in thought, Shy nearly collided with the massive body that stepped into the path in front of her.  Her feet slid in the
pine needle covered earth and she recoiled when the man reached for her. She slipped but scrambled backward as best she could, her eyes round with fear. 

She’d hoped he was a Walker, a friend, but when he stepped from the shadows into the light Shy didn’t recognize him.  When he bent to reach for her again she did the only thing she
had left.  The terrified scream was ripped from her throat as she fought the man who clamped strong hands onto her arms.  “LETOOOOOOO!”