Читать книгу Chocolate Damsel - A.C. Masons - Страница 8

Chapter 3

Alexia lifted a second blanket over her body as wind howled through cracks in the old stone building. Earlier the heat had seemed unbearable, and now cold seeped through to her bones.

Nails scratched wood. Had they come back with dogs to pick up her scent? They were sure to find her now. She held her breath. Please, don’t let them find her. Thumping against her rib cage, her heartbeat pounded. After Jill, Monique and Annette’s sacrifice, she couldn’t die like this. A low muffled growling came from the other side of the wall. From the creature she sensed worry, not hatred or the thrill of the hunt.

Relief washed over her. More paws moved on the wooden floor.

Bright joy filled her with happiness, and she picked up on a woman, then a man on the other side of the wall. The animals had vanished. They were special, like her, but with different unique gifts from hers. Back in America, she’d come across an Indian woman once who could shift into a deer. But could she trust these two?

As the dresser slid away from the wall, wood screeched.

Light shone through the darkness from a brass handled flashlight. She shielded her eyes. A woman with long, flowing white hair and a young face stared at her.

“My name is Griselda, and I’m going to do my best to get you somewhere safe.” She extended her hand, her bright blue eyes beaming with pain and sadness.

This woman knew the kind of loss Alexia had experienced. Neither of the two meant her harm. She grabbed her fingers and allowed her to tug her out.

“This is Cathen.” Griselda pointed to the tall broad figure standing a few feet away by the door.

A stunning male gazed down at her through amber jewel-like eyes. “We are too exposed here. I don’t like it.”

“I know.” Griselda gestured to the back. “Let’s take her to the safe house in the city.”

He shook his head. “They won’t be able to hide her scent.”

“We can’t take her with us.” Griselda paced. “It’s too dangerous.”

That didn’t sound good. What scent? Did she smell different from everyone else? If she did, it seemed best that she stay with these two. Did they have the ability to mask her from any type of creatures that would notice her fragrance? Alexia didn’t much like the idea of being handed over to some other group. What if they couldn’t be trusted?

“She has more of a chance with us.” He gathered items from the dressers and placed them in the bag over his shoulder. “Otherwise we should kill her now, given the unspeakable things they will do to her. You know better than anyone what they do to the women.”

Images invaded Alexia’s thoughts of torture. The sting of a whip. Men lying on top of Griselda, laughing as they used her body, until her mind was filled with nothing but the hope that she may die.

Alexia wrapped her arms around Griselda. Tears sprang to her eyes as she held on. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered to the older woman. Humans could be so cruel.

Griselda pulled away. “VanWolf will not be happy with this.”

Who? And why wouldn’t he want her around?

“He isn’t here to disagree, and he left me in charge when he is away.” He darted a stare at Alexia. The amber halos of his eyes shone in the dark as his intense gaze traveled over her, pausing at her hips. Inside her, a fire lit. He strode toward the back, hesitated, then the door slammed.

“You are coming with us.” Griselda took her hand.

The empty alley outside lay eerily still. A large animal’s shadow cast on the adjacent building.

“It’s just Cathen in animal form. He will guide our path out of the city, all right?” Griselda tapped her hand.

Alexia nodded and followed her.

Around the corner, a white wolf with black frosted tips to his fur and a dark spot between his gold eyes waited. He signaled them forward with his snout, and a sense of peace came over her.

* * * *

VanWolf waited on the rooftop of the hospital. The night sky was filled with smoke. Fire scorched the horizon. A werewolf lurked in Paris. Of this, he was sure. He’d picked up the vile creature’s stench one too many places for the odor to be residue. What the animal was after, he wasn’t sure. Though his kind could sense werewolves, the creatures were not tuned into Shunus’ energy levels. Something else must have brought the beast there.

A large paw appeared over the edge of the building. The wolf climbed over the side. Intense green eyes stared at him. The ghost-like matter of the figure grew solid, morphing from animal to man, then picked up a coat and lit a cigarette.

“You shouldn’t take such risks.” Being seen in Shunu form put the entire pack in danger.

“I leave clothing up here to change into.” Jean shook his head. “If I need to make a quick getaway, I’m ready.”

“There is a were in the city.” VanWolf walked past the lean male to the edge, gazing south.

“We knew the Nazis might use some to get special jobs done.” Jean inhaled deeply. The line of his jaw tightened. “Seen Sandra recently?”

The question didn’t surprise him, since he hadn’t had the chance to bathe. “I’ll get to her in a moment.” He met Jean’s narrowed eyes. “You’ve been sloppy and included my name on too many reports of dead young women. General Straks isn’t happy that many ladies who’ve spent the night with me have ended up dead.”

“One more.” He lifted his index. “I’ll wait a few days.”

“You are reckless. If your actions cost us the lives of all the others, what then? Our work will have been for nothing.” The children deserved a future elsewhere. No matter how many he saved the pain he felt for the loss of his wife and child never diminished.

“It’s Sandra.” Jean said, turning to him.

One more would be dangerous. “What is your intention toward her?”

“What does it matter? She’s human.” The pup’s tone was harsh with arrogance.

VanWolf growled. “Unless she means nothing to you, I’d consider very carefully the next few words that come out of your mouth. I have no tolerance for any of the betas messing around with females under the pack’s protection.”

Jean spun away. “I can smell her arousal all over you.”

“Are you accusing me of something?” How the young played with affairs of the heart. May they never know the pain of losing the one they love.

“No, it’s your right to.” His hand fisted.

As a war raged around him, the last thing he wanted was to fight over a woman. Neither this one nor the one destined to be his and Cathen’s. “You’ve been careless with her. She’s a clever young woman and deserves to know what your intentions are toward her. She’s confused about your feelings and acting out to get your attention, which she seems to have succeeded in doing.” Though he could be clueless about women, this was pretty straightforward. Don’t mess with a lady’s head.

“So you two didn’t?” The misery on the man’s face was evident. He tossed the cigarette butt away.

“Have I ever been with a female connected to a pack member?” Rare enough were the occasions when he sought release with a female.

“Never.” He piped up with a smile.

Unlike other Shunu Alphas, he didn’t get off on asserting his rights over the pack. At times, he wished he hadn’t taken on the burden. He would have joined his beloved in the afterlife. The only thing that brought him peace now was the work he and the pack did to rescue people.

“Marguerite and Sandra are coming with us when we move. Leaving them here would seal their deaths.” The two women would arouse the suspicions of the Nazis after he and his pack disappeared. The concept of fun was a one night encounter with a woman in a town where they’d be gone in the morning. Some Shunus found love and left the pack for a human life with their mate. Not all could accept communal living and loving.

“I want her as my mate.” Jean stepped closer.

Those who coupled with their own stayed with the pack. Males usually followed their loved one into the afterlife, but not the Alpha, nor the females.

“Will you stay with the pack or settle after we move on?” This decision was important as his choice would dictate if he’d turn her or not.

“Whichever she wants.” Resolve glinted in his eyes.

The man was in love. “You have my permission to mark her.”

Jean’s lips parted and his white teeth shone bright. Simple joy filled his expression. Bliss he’d known and lost. All that was left in him was the desire to make wrongs right. Help the weak.