The Gathering (24 page)

Looking up at Carmen, Rayna sneered, the
hatred in her eyes evident to any who looked. “I don’t think
Victor’s plan was for you to bore me to death. Say what you’re
going to and get the hell out of my face.”

The punch to the side of her head rocked the
chair up on two legs. Carmen grabbing her by the hair before it
tipped over was the only thing that saved her from falling. The
pounding inside her head was nothing compared to the heat she felt
pulsing through her limbs. The burn at the tips of her fingers was
signal enough. The wolf was provoked again.

She wondered for a brief moment if she could
call the wolf and get out of her current situation. There were only
a few people in the building with her. Surely she could get out
before they grabbed her.

But then what?

Run into the city, a newly born wolf? She
only had stories of what happened once a wolf was born and none of
them were pretty. Bloodlust would force her to feed and she wasn’t
in the mountain forest of Wolf’s Creek where wildlife was abundant.
She was in Bluff’s Point. A city full of people she knew.

She’d be shot the moment she attacked
someone. If they didn’t shoot her on sight. But isn’t that going to
happen anyway? She’s dead regardless of when or how she
shifted.

If Victor and the other Breed leaders want
the world to know they exist, then why not give them what they
wanted? It would end her current torment. She was tired and the
waiting was causing fear to creep in. Not to mention Carmen was
there to taunt her. She didn’t have to be told to know that and she
already knew what Carmen’s weapon of choice would be. Garrett.

The thought of him calmed her somewhat. His
face materialized in her minds eye and she held back the smile she
felt tugging at her lips. She wished she’d had time to tell him how
much she regretted leaving the mountain. Leaving him. Her heart
ached knowing she’d probably never get a chance to now. She knew,
even though the last time she’d seen him he was face down in the
pit, that he would come for her. Nothing would stop him from
reaching her. He’d said the others, the wolves from their pack,
were waiting for him. They’d get him out of Victor’s house and he’d
come for her. He was smart. He’d figure out where she was.

And he’d get himself killed.

Rayna closed her eyes at the thoughts of
Garrett’s death because of her. She didn’t want to be there if and
when it happened. She had to do something and there was only one
option she could live with. She had to shift now and die alone.

She knew from what Judith had told her she
could call the wolf to her at any time but it was hard without the
pull of the moon. Normally. The situation she found herself in now
wasn’t normal. It wasn’t dark out and the full moon had passed days
ago, still, she had to try.

Forcing herself to ignore Carmen, Rayna
concentrated on the wolf. She saw her inside her mind taking shape.
She focused on the creature and felt her. Felt her anger and knew
that was the key. The wolf always showed itself when Rayna’s
emotions were highest. She’d come to the surface several times and
anger had been what drew her.

It didn’t take much to incite her once Rayna
recalled everything that had happened over the last week. She
replayed every event in her mind, taking the frustration and
turning it inward until her chest burned and her limbs shook from
the force of it.

Carmen’s voice was an echo inside her head
and she latched onto it, drew it in and fed the beast with the
hatred she felt for the woman. She knew the moment the others in
the room noticed what she was doing. Their shouts were muffled but
the shocked tone of their voice forced her eyes open.

The world looked different through the wolf’s
eyes and Rayna knew it was only a matter of time before she was
free. She pulled at the ropes holding her and with little effort,
they fell away. The growl rumbling in her chest erupted and drew an
anguished scream from her as the fire consuming her body burst and
the wolf started to crawl to the surface.

* * * *

Garrett didn’t trust anyone inside Victor’s
house but had little choice given his current situation. He needed
to get out of the pit and Nicolas seemed willing to help him do
that.

He paced Victor’s dungeon when Nicolas left
to grab him a change of clothes and Garrett hadn’t expected him to
return. Sabriel had assured him he would but he had his doubts
until he heard footsteps on the stairs. He turned and saw Nicolas
and he accepted the jeans and shirt he handed him without comment.
When he was dressed, he looked at Nicolas. “Is this the part where
you say you were lying or is this where we actual leave?”

Nicolas laughed. “This is the part where we
actually leave.”

They made for the stairs but Garrett stopped
before starting up them. “What about Sabriel?”

Nicolas turned his head to look at the
vampire sitting against the wall. “It’s still daylight out.
Besides, I have a plan to get you out. I’m not sure they’d buy my
excuse for taking a vampire along.”

“It’s fine,” Sabriel said. “I’m in no shape
to go anywhere at the moment. Until I’m fed, I’m useless. I haven’t
the strength to even stand at this point.”

Garrett studied him for long moments before
nodding his head. “When this is done, I’ll come back for you.” He
waited for Sabriel to acknowledge what he’d said before he and
Nicolas headed up the stairs and onto the upper landing. He stopped
when Nicolas turned to look at him.

“Just play along with me regardless of what I
say.”

“Do I have a choice?” Garrett asked.

“No.” Nicolas grabbed him by the arm and
ushered him toward the door on the opposite wall. A series of
hallways, another flight of stairs and they were on the main floor
of the house.

“Okay,” Nicolas said in a hushed whisper.
“This is where the ‘play along regardless of what I say’ part comes
in. Got it?”

Garrett nodded his head and followed behind
Nicolas.

Two men stopped them when they reached the
front door of the house. They eyed Nicolas suspiciously before
turning to study Garrett. “What’s he doing out of the pit?”

“Victor wants him. Something to do with the
girl.” Nicolas smiled and gave Garrett’s arm a rough tug.
“Apparently they need a little help persuading her to play along.
This is Victor’s insurance policy.”

Garrett watched the men stare at him before
looking at each other and talking quietly. They weren’t buying
Nicolas’ story. He wouldn’t either if the situation was reversed
but he hoped the two men in front of him were as dumb as they
looked. Being this close to freedom, the desire to run was strong
but Garrett bit his tongue and played the part of prisoner.

“Look,” Nicolas said when neither man looked
as if they were ready to let them go. “Thad called me not ten
minutes ago and said to bring the wolf. Call him yourself if you
don’t believe me but don’t blame me when he castrates the both of
you. The girl is giving them a fit and Victor is already pissed.”
He reached into his pocket, pulling out a cell phone before dialing
a number. He looked up and handed the phone out to the men. “Who
wants to talk to him?”

Neither of the men looked interested and
after another quiet talk amongst them, nodded toward the door. “Go
on.”

Nicolas pocketed the phone, cursed under his
breath and pulled Garrett along with him to the door. When it shut
behind them, Garrett saw the car waiting out front. “What now?”

“Now, we go get your girl back.”

Once inside the car, Garrett waited until
they were on the main road before looking behind them. No one was
following. He turned to look at Nicolas, studying the man’s
profile. “You can drop me off by the clearing up ahead. My friends
are waiting for me there.”

“No they’re not.”

Garrett raised an eyebrow at him.

“Oh, they’re waiting for you, just not there.
Trust me.”

“I’ve never been big on trust.”

Nicolas laughed. “Obviously. Your friends
weren’t either. They are waiting though.” He glanced over at him
before reaching into his pocket for the cell phone. “You can call
them if you like but we’ll be there soon.”

“Be where? And why are you going against
Victor? Don’t you want the Collective to succeed?”

“Not everyone in the Collective is playing on
Victor’s side. Most had no choice in the matter. You either agreed
or paid dearly. Our friend Sabriel is proof of that. There are a
few people with Victor who have been keeping me, and my friends,
abreast to what’s happening. My friends grabbed your pack and took
them to the site Victor plans to expose us. They’re all waiting for
us there. We’ll have Rayna within the hour.”

Garrett was still weak from the drugs
Victor’s men had shot him with and leaned back in his seat before
closing his eyes. “Who are you?” He asked, still not sure he could
trust this man.

“Nicolas Mears. I thought we already covered
this?”

“Your name doesn’t exactly answer my
question.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Well, let’s start with why you just lied to
those men and helped me get out of there? Why you’re willing to
help me get Rayna back? What’s in this for you?”

Nicolas chuckled. “Well, I had to lie to get
you out the door. Rayna’s in for a world of hurt if they make her
go through with this and as for me, I don’t want the world to know
what I am. I prefer to keep my secrets to myself.”

Garrett opened his eyes and turned his head
toward Nicolas. “Is that the only reason you’re doing this? So your
secret is safe?”

“No.” Nicolas didn’t say anything for long
minutes. Garrett watched him, waiting. When he cleared his throat,
he gave a bitter chuckle. “I’m sure you know how hard it is to meet
someone with Lycanthropy hanging over our head.” Garrett nodded. He
did know. He’d spent years trying to keep that secret from people,
especially women, and it wasn’t easy. “Well, there’s a woman.” He
smiled and glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. “She knows.
About me, I mean. It took a hell of a lot of work to get her to a
place where she wasn’t scared of me. Where she accepted who I am
and can overlook it. Imagine if the world knew what I was. What do
you think she’s going to do when everyone we know looks down on her
because she’s fucking a monster? How long do you think I’ll be able
to keep her then? How long do you think my beast will let her stay
gone?”

Garrett didn’t answer him. There was no need.
He knew the answers. He’d lived them up until Rayna was infected.
It was his one saving grace.

A part of him often wondered if his wolf
didn’t infect her on purpose. It solved so many problems with Rayna
being one of the monsters herself. The fear he’d hurt her was gone.
His wolf could have his mate, a true mate, and not have to worry
about her leaving. Her wolf wouldn’t let her. And he’d never have
to worry about her looking at him in disgust. To look at him and be
repulsed at what he was. She was like him now. They were both
monsters.

The drive was longer than he thought it would
be but the moment he spotted a familiar area, he sat up straight in
his seat. He knew where they were headed then and a sense of unease
settled in his stomach.

When the city limit sign for Bluff’s Point
was visible, Garrett knew whatever happened in the next few hours
would dictate their lives from then on.

If Victor got his way, the world would know
what they were and they’d live the rest of their lives in fear.
More so than they did now. They would be hunted like animals and
shot on sight. Their mountain retreat wouldn’t be a safe haven as
it was now. It would be a prison. One they could never escape.

When the car pulled to a stop, Garrett saw
Dillon and Chad standing by a group of people talking. The others
came into view then, smiling as they saw him. He gave a relieved
sigh after opening his door and grinned when Chad gave him a look
that said he thought he was a dumbass. He knew the look well.

“Still alive, I see,” Chad said.

“Of course. I told you I’d be fine.”

Chad gave him a once over, his gaze lingering
over Garrett’s face. He made a noise in the back of his throat
before shaking his head. “Well, your face didn’t improve with the
rearranging they did.”

“It’s good to see you too, Chad.”

Nicolas rounded the front of the car and
pointed toward the group of people standing near the sidewalk.
“Let’s go meet the others, Garrett, and I’ll let you in on our
plans to get Rayna back and piss Victor off in the bargain.”

Rayna was dazed. Her vision was blurred and
the voices around her echoed as if she were in a tunnel. She
blinked and tried to focus her eyes on the shapes hovering above
her and managed to see one face clearly. Carmen. She was staring
down at her, laughter shining in her eyes.

The other faces slowly came into focus.
Victor, Thaddeus and two men she didn’t recognize. There wasn’t any
amusement on their faces. Just the opposite. Anger was etched into
harsh lines around their eyes and mouth. They were all talking at
once, yelling to be exact, and Rayna closed her eyes again to try
and drown them out. It didn’t work.

Someone grabbed her arm and jerked her
upright. “What did you think you were doing?”

It was Thaddeus. His voice scraped along
Rayna’s brain like razor blades. She opened her eyes to look at him
and realized for the first time, the wolf hadn’t come like she’d
thought it would.

She wasn’t sure what happened. The last thing
she remembered was the mind-numbing pain, the fire that consumed
her body and the sensation of not being in control of herself.
Then… nothing. She sighed. It hadn’t worked. She wasn’t able to
call her wolf like the others could. Not without help. Mitch had
needed it. Apparently she did too.