Territory (19 page)

Mile after mile of highway stretched out like an asphalt ribbon behind her. To either side of the highway was Montana’s typical rolling snow-covered plains; devoid of anything save for a sprinkling of pine trees and wandering herds of antelope.

Mile markers. Look for mile markers…signs!

The sudden intrusion of Briggs’ voice in her head was so comforting and welcome that grateful tears instantly sprang to life in Kya’s warm brown eyes as she was swamped with overwhelming relief. She bit hard on the gag in her mouth in attempt to control her chin’s trembling as she craned her neck to follow Briggs’ command.

Mileposts topped with small green reflective tags dotted the highway on either side. The numbers were too small for Kya to see as the car whizzed past each marker.

Her tears of relief turned to tears of frustration. Unsure how to communicate with Briggs Kya just tried thinking loudly.
I can’t read them!
Just as she thought the words, the car passed a much larger road sign that read:

There was an arrow under the words indicating the direction of the Management Area.

Got it!
Kya heard Briggs shout in her head.
You’re near Havre. Still in Montana, but he’s headed for Canada. I’m coming!

Unfamiliar with Montana, Briggs’ declaration of her location meant nothing to her. She still had no idea where she was or how Briggs would or could get to her in time. She wanted to ask him how close he was and how long it would take him to find her, but she didn’t want to distract him, she just wanted him to find her as quickly as he possibly could. Fear washed over her and she prayed.
Oh God, please let him get to me in time.

I will Kya. I will!

Kya tried to keep from thinking. She knew there was a way to block thoughts from fellow pack members, but still too new to the pack ties, she had no idea how to perform the feat. Further, she found it disconcerting to think that perhaps Briggs wasn’t the only pack member that could hear her thoughts. Mates or not, Dell was the pack Alpha and as she understood it, he was the one who should be able to hear all of his pack at will.

While with Theron’s pack, she’d had little exposure to other packs, but she’d tried to make the most of the exposure when she could. She would often eavesdrop, or if she got the opportunity, she'd question other pack members incessantly until Theron--or Reiner on Theron’s command--would backhand her and force her back to her basement captivity.

Through her years of questioning she hadn’t learned much, but she did know that while pack members could communicate with each other if they chose to, the Alpha was the only member of the pack who could read any members thoughts at will.

Mates too had their privileges. If mates chose, they could leave their thoughts unblocked from each other, allowing each other access to their mate’s thoughts. She assumed this was the bond she and Briggs were currently sharing. She concentrated too hard on not trying to think about how she wished she could block her thoughts when she was hit by a sudden moment of clarity.

Oh my God
! Kya sucked in a sharp breath around the kerchief in her mouth.
He claimed me so we’d have mate ties. He did it intentionally so he’d know where to find me. He didn’t want… I can’t believe I thought...”

Embarrassment, self-loathing, and anger all struggled for control.
God
p
lease don’t let him know that I know.

Trying not to think of this new revelation was like trying not to breathe. Impossible. In an effort to occupy her mind, Kya struggled for the next hour or so in an attempt to free her hands. She centered all her concentration on trying to wriggle her hands free of the thick rope that held them trapped behind her back.

Despite the freezing temperature in the trunk, a thin layer of sweat coated Kya’s body. With all her attention focused on her task, Kya felt terror sweep over her and her struggling stilled as she felt the car easing to a halt.

“What’s going on? Has there been an accident up ahead?”

Kya’s ears pricked as she heard Kyler questioning some unknown person.
Cop! It must be a cop.
Instantly she began kicking the interior of the trunk and moaning around the kerchief in her mouth as loudly as she could.
Please hear me!

The car suddenly lurched forward and Kya’s weight was rolled to one side as Kyler made a sharp u-turn.
He’s running. The cop must have heard me.
She prayed she was right.

As the car sped down the highway, Kya maneuvered to peer out the hole in the tail light. Prepared to see red and blue flashing lights trailing closely behind as the cop chased Kyler down, disappointment and confusion swamped her as she saw a red truck, not a cop, chasing closely behind the car.

Kyler accelerated and Kya watched in horror as the truck lagged further and further behind.
No!

They raced down the highway at break neck speed for about another ten minutes when Kya felt the car slowing again.

“SHIT!” Kyler yelled, and Kya heard him slamming his palms on the steering wheel.

Kya shimmied and peered through the brake light hole. Before hope had a chance to spring to life, Kya’s body was violently slammed into the roof of the trunk as Kyler left the highway.

The old car creaked and moaned under the strain of the off road terrain. Kya heard Kyler attempt to accelerate but the car continued at the same pace, the tires spinning with a loud WHIRRRR in the snow. As Kyler kept his foot slammed to the accelerator, the car inched slower and slower, finally with a loud thud and a soft impact, the car coughed to a halt.

Kya’s eyes darted about frantically as she shimmied to peer through the brake light hole. Before she had a chance to maneuver herself in a position to see anything, the trunk was flung open.

Bright light blinded her and she squinted trying to see, but before she could focus, cold water was splashed onto her.

Startled, Kya coughed through her gag trying to catch her breath. The temperature was already freezing and the cold water instantly set Kya to shivering. She tried to scoot her body to the back of the trunk as Kyler continued pouring water over her. Then she froze. Inhaling once, she started screaming through the kerchief in her mouth. Fear permeated her soul as the scent registered. It was gasoline!

Her heart hammered in her chest and she whimpered in fear. She knew there was no way humanely or wolfly possible for that matter for Briggs to be anywhere within distance of rescuing her. Her only hope lay with the red truck that had been chasing them.

Kya tried to sit up, hoping to buy time. “YLER LEASE!”

Kyler ignored her pleas and dumped the last of the gasoline onto her before throwing the empty canister into the trunk with her and slapping the two chest pockets of his worn jean jacket. Frantically, Kyler checked each of his pockets as Kya continued to beg.

“YLER LEASE, NO! NOOOOOOO!”

Without even acknowledging her, Kyler checked both the front and back pockets of his jeans before he stalked away from the trunk. Kya knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he’d return with his misplaced lighter.

Kya drew in a ragged breath, inhaling gasoline and trying to keep from choking as she closed her eyes and prayed, “
God, please help me
!” She pushed out with her powers praying she’d shift. Nothing. She didn’t feel the excruciating pain she’d felt earlier, but she didn’t shift either. Nothing happened. It was as if she weren’t even a shifter. She calmed herself and shoved with her powers searching for the familiar transitioning, but again nothing. Her eyes flew open as she heard Kyler’s return, his footsteps crunching through the snow.

Chapter 2
5

Kya barely heard the pop over her loud scream. She instantly quieted when Kyler’s smile slid from his face as he stared down at her. He stood motionless over her for a moment before the unlit Zippo fell from his fingers and tumbled into the trunk, followed by the heavy THUNK of Kyler’s body.

Kya lay still under his weight trying to figure out what had happened. When Kyler didn’t move, Kya sat up, using her shoulder to shove Kyler off her. His body fell back out of the trunk.

Kya felt a warm stickiness soaking her jacket and she looked down and saw that she was covered in blood. Her heart slammed into her rib cage as she did a quick self-assessment and realized the blood wasn’t hers.

Desperate to be out of the gasoline soaked trunk, Kya leaned over the side of the car and let her body fall onto the snow-covered ground. She kicked with her still bound legs, trying to put some distance between herself and the car. Inching away from Kyler’s dead body and what she could now see was an old rusty Buick, Kya stopped to search the skyline looking for her savior.

A figure was walking towards her, rifle in hand. The red truck that had been chasing them sat parked just off the highway some twenty feet behind the approaching figure. As Kya struggled to a sitting position, a turquoise Chevy pulled up next to the red truck and another figure jumped out of the truck and jogged towards her.

As the first figure approached, Kya could see that it was a dark skinned elderly man. Without saying anything to her he walked up and kicked Kyler’s limp form, then bent down to inspect his handiwork.

Just as the elderly man stood the other figure approached. It was a younger man with jet-black hair. His face was sprinkled with freckles, and while he was clearly younger than Briggs, he stood near as tall.

“Did you get him Uncle?” The younger man asked as he stood over his crouched Uncle and inspected Kyler himself.

“Yeah.” The older man answered simply.

The younger man’s infectious grin eased any misgivings Kya had about the pair, as he slapped his Uncle’s shoulder then smiled at Kya as he approached. Quickly he dropped to his knees in the snow and untied the kerchief that was stuffed in her mouth.

“We were worried. Thought we’d missed you on the highway.” After removing the kerchief, he swung to her back to untie her hands, and then moved to her feet. “I’m Pony. Pony Blackbird. You met my wife, Stevie. That’s Uncle Walter.”

Hearing his last name, Kya finally relaxed as realization hit her.
Family
. Once she was completely untied, she threw her arms around Pony’s neck.

Nearly knocked over by Kya’s sudden gratitude, Pony laughed. “Whoa!” He patted her back. “You’re alright.” He confirmed. “Briggs’ll be here soon.”

Kya couldn’t control the sobs that wracked her body at the mere mention of Briggs’ name.

“She alright?” A rough voice cut in.

Kya pulled back, and wiped the tears from her face as she smiled up at Uncle Walter. “Thank you. Thank you so much!” She started crying again as appreciation once again overwhelmed her.

Uncle Walter merely nodded, the frown not leaving his face. “Better get her home.”

Pony stood and helped Kya up. She watched as Uncle Walter walked back to Kyler’s body. Bending down, Uncle Walter reached in his pocket and pulled out a small red bundle, held it up towards the sun, then whispered something unintelligible and placed the bundle on Kyler’s body. The second the bundle touched Kyler’s body, the dead form shifted to that of his wolf.

Kya gasped and took an unsteady step back.

Pony smiled as he grabbed her arm to steady her. “Cool huh? Now instead of murder he’s just some dumb wolf that got shot by poachers.”

Once at the road Uncle Walter turned to them and held his hand out in front of him, palm down, and smoothed it over the air. It looked to Kya like he wiped off the top of an invisible table. Then his truck roared to life and he pulled off the shoulder and onto the highway.

“Oh.” Pony amended seeming to grant her ignorance some leniency due to her foreign upbringing. “This is the rez.” Pony eyed his surroundings, his smile faltering. “Well
this
isn’t the rez, but close enough. We claim it. Fort Belknap is where our people are from.”

“
Our
people? You mean shifters?”

Again, Pony laughed at her, the corners of his eyes crinkling with delight. “Some shifters, but not all. We can’t claim that much. What I meant was our family. Blackbirds. You’re Briggs’ wife right?”

“Uhhh…” Kya’s belly dropped at being put so suddenly on the spot.

Pony cut her off, “Well anyway this is where we’re from. Mama grew up here then moved to Glacier. She’s not
my
Mama though, she’s my Aunt.” He beamed proudly at the fact. “Stevie and I live at the compound with our daughter. I’ve just been up here helping Uncle Walter with some home repair.”

Pony’s smile seemed to grow, “That poor guy in the snow back there had no idea that he was bringing you to Briggs’ home territory.” At this he laughed, “Sucker!”

A few moments passed and Kya was so deep in reflection that it forestalled keeping up polite conversation.