Chocolate Temptation (8 page)

Cathen pulled up next to her, and she mounted his back, holding onto his fur. She placed one leg on each side of him.

“
We have two options, a difficult trek through wilderness, which is much shorter, or we can stay by the roadways. But they are patrolled,
” Varor explained to him.

“
The direct route it is.
” The Nazis would probably anticipate this move if they figured out where they were going. As long as Varor wasn’t out to betray them, they could keep Alexia out of Gestapo hands.

Varor nodded his snout and sprinted off.

Cathen followed close behind.

A gunshot went off. A wretched cry sent the birds into the sky. One of the birds told him the enemy had taken Tyra, but rather than be tortured, she’d gone for one of the soldier’s weapons and the other had shot her.

“
You should tell him that his sister did not suffer. It will ease his heart’s burden,
” Alexia instructed him.

Death and pain found little comfort in facts. Part of him was bothered at how she could show compassion for others and yet he could not reach her heart. Did she hate him? And if so, which of his actions had earned this distaste from her? Could she really blame him for struggling with cordiality after she’d paired with VanWolf? Maybe it was because he hadn’t fought for her. Another reason might be that he had not let her return to VanWolf on the train. His hands were tied. Just as she had her values, Shunus lived by different beliefs. He needed to figure out where their values merged. If he didn’t find a way into her heart by the time they reached the pack, he would hold to his promise to her and free her.

Dense woods surrounded them. The altitude grew higher. Alexia clutched him, cold from the frigid thin air. Her thoughts drifted to their reunion with the pack. Their sorrow could be felt even over this distance.

Rejoining them would be bittersweet for them both.

Chapter 11

Alexia’s body hurt from the cold and lack of moving her limbs. Cathen and Varor grew tired. Even in their peak physical conditions the thin air this high from sea level wore on their bodies.

“
Can
we stop and rest
?” she asked.

“
No,
” Cathen snapped at her. “
We don’t have far to go.
”

If they were attacked, neither of them would be in a position to fight. “
Please.
”

“
We haven’t any shelter. It’s too dangerous
.”

As she’d suspected, there was more to his refusal than he told her.

“
I can make us a shelter and we can set a trap. I need to walk, drink and eat. You both need water, food and rest
.” She knew his mind was consumed with his need for her. So in many ways it was easier for him to keep going than to stop. “
Please…Cathen
.”

He barked to Varor and stopped.

Once he lowered to the ground, she dismounted next to partially frozen water. Her legs felt weak and she wobbled. As circulation returned to her legs, she scouted for a fir, and found one that looked like a large Christmas tree. It had full boughs, which covered the ground beneath.

Cathen did not interfere with her gathering of branches. Soon he and Varor brought more to her. Every time Varor was near her, she felt Cathen grow uneasy.

She used some spruce boughs to pad the bottom of the area and cover any gaps in the branches above. Bark and woodbine vines kept everything in place. It wasn’t impressive, but it wasn’t bad, either. She hadn’t made one of these shelters since she was a girl with her father and brother.

“
I’m impressed. I had no idea you could make such a thing
,” Cathen said.

“In America we have ancient people who don’t live among us in our cities, towns and villages. Indians. My father had a very good relationship with the tribes in our area. Not unlike Shunus, they live in communities.” For the first time since she’d become VanWolf’s mate she missed America, the land and the people.

She filled a bowl with snow, crawled into the space and placed the container to the side to melt, opened the bag and pulled out the food Tyra had wrapped for her. Why did anyone have to die for her? Tears burned her eyes.

Varor and Cathen covered their tracks and created a false trail for anyone stalking them to follow.

Alexia took a few bites, but didn’t have the stomach to eat. Now that she’d stopped moving she felt nauseous. She ran out of her makeshift shelter and heaved. This couldn’t start now.

“
What cannot start now?
” Cathen stopped behind her.

“
Nerves and stress.
”

Cathen’s jaw tensed. “
I pushed you too hard today.
”

The last thing she wanted was for him to hold himself responsible. “
No, I didn’t say anything earlier.
”

“
But I sensed your fatigue and should have stopped. I’m sorry, coquette.
” Regret made his voice deeper than usual.

She patted his head as she walked by and reentered the shelter. The inside was warm. She removed her boots and jacket, then lay down by the door, staring out.

* * * *

Night fell. Dark gray clouds covered the sky. The moon rose on the horizon. Alexia watched Cathen and Varor play fight in the snow. Though they were both tired, restless energy made them aggressive because of the waxing gibbous moon and her. Always her. Chasing, nipping and biting, Cathen pinned and released Varor, asserting his superiority over the other male. Varor seemed good humored enough about the game they played.

Cold and tired, she retreated into the makeshift shelter she’d created for them and wrapped herself in the animal skin blanket from her bag.

A snapping sound came from the woods behind them. Her heart pounded in fear that they had been tracked and now were in danger.

Cathen and Verror grew still, then crept along the ground. One went around one side and the other headed in the opposite direction.

“
Alexia, grab the gun out of the bag,
” Cathen ordered.

She did as commanded and held the weapon. Yet it did not make her feel safe but rather more fearful. Had her insistence in stopping cost more lives?

Low growling came from farther away, a menacing snarl she didn’t recognize. It was a werewolf.

“
He isn’t alone and the other one is searching for you.
Listen to me very carefully. Get dressed and go to the hollow tree stump where the dense shrubs are by the water.
Follow the northeast side,
” Cathen instructed.

Alexia put on her boots, coat and jacket, then stuffed the animal skin cover back in the bag. A second werewolf was in the woods waiting to catch her and take her to the Gestapo, those who wanted to cage and breed her.

“
Go now,
” he growled at her.

As fast as she could, she ran along the northern shoreline to mask her scent with the water. It was nearly deja vu. Paris all over again. At the time, she’d thought she was running to someone, but the pack had sent her away for her own good. It was the only way they thought she’d survive. She slid into the water. The cold burned the flesh of her legs and splashed her. She pressed on to the dense wood, into the hollow tree stump hidden in the shrubs.

Above, the fight raged on. Varor howled out in agony. Cathen growled low and menacing. There was nothing she could do to protect them. She was afraid for their lives. Not a day went by when she didn’t cause danger to those who cared for her. She retreated further into the stump and huddled in the dank darkness. Please don’t let anything happen to Cathen. She couldn’t bear it.

All sound stopped. The eerie stillness was accompanied by a heavy fog that blanketed the woods.

“
Cathen
?” She reached out to him mentally, but no response came from him. If he were dead she would have felt the loss of him as she had for VanWolf. Cathen would have told her he’d set her free and where to go to meet up with the pack.

A twig snapped nearby. She slowed her breathing in hopes the stump would hide her scent enough that her stalker would keep going on by. Snow crunched beneath paws.

She pulled out the gun from inside the bag and held it pointed out, ready to shoot anyone who would think or attempt to attack her.

“
Cathen.
” Once more she reached out to him, hoping to connect with him.

Nothing.

Just outside, red eyes turned toward her and the snout inhaled. Large canine teeth hung over the sides of the creature’s mouth. He continued past her. She remained as still as she could and kept her breathing even. An owl’s
hoo hoo
and branches swaying in the wind were the only sounds that were left.

Cathen could be lying in the snow dying, and to protect her, he would not call to her. What had she done to deserve this? Her father had always taught her God had a grander plan, one bigger than we can understand. Right now, she hated them both.

Low snarling startled her, and ruby red eyes gazed upon her. “
Are you going to come out, or make me come in and get you?
” His tongue passed over his lips. In beast form, the were would not fit through the opening of the stump.

“
You’ll need to come get me.
” She pushed her body further back.

“
I was hoping you’d say that.
” It jerked and contorted with deathly cries as beast vanished and a man appeared. “I want a taste of you to know what the fuss is about
.
”

Blue eyes fixed on her, the large dark-haired man lunged into the stump, grabbing for her leg. She kicked his hand with her foot.

“You like it rough.” He clutched her leg, his fingers digging into her skin. “I like that in a dame. When I mount you, I’ll make sure every second hurts.” Lust gleamed in his eyes.

She cocked the gun and aimed it at him. “Let me go.”

“You can’t stay in there forever, and you haven’t it in you to shoot me or you would have already.” He smiled, revealing his jagged, yellow teeth.

“I don’t want to shoot you, but I will.” If he didn’t leave her a choice, she wouldn’t let him take her alive.

He cried out, eyes bulging, and was dragged out, reaching toward her with both hands.

Dark shadows moved in the night like shaded silhouettes. Snarls, growls intermingled with whimpers carried off in the wind. Limbs were torn from the half-transformed creature’s body.

At the opening, Cathen gazed in. Blood soiled his face. “
Varor is gravely injured
.” Cathen was more beast than human. His eyes glowed gold. “
Come
.” He gestured with his snout.

Chapter 12

Cathen turned from Alexia, exiting the stump. Inside him, he wanted to claim her with every muscle, but rather, he rolled in the snow to clean off his fur and cool down from the heated fight.

Up above in the makeshift shelter, Varor bled to death.

Alexia climbed the side of the mountain. He wanted to pounce in front of her and prevent her from going to the wounded creature. Though he knew if he did she’d only hate him more. He followed her a few steps back and entered behind her.

She reached for the nude male. Cathen’s paw covered her hand.

“I must touch him to heal him.” She stroked over his snout.

Cathen did not move. In a transient motion, he shifted from beast to man, yet felt no less settled. “Continue.” He wrapped his arm around her waist to calm the darkness. He needed to maintain body contact with her otherwise he might become wild.

She dipped her hands in the bowl of snow she’d collected, now filled with water. Sparkling drops dripped off her fingers. She glided her hands to Varor’s human-form thigh. Blood gushed out from an open wound. The light of life shone from beneath her hands.

Varor whimpered. Below her touch, the claw gashes in his legs closed.

She crawled forward over Varor’s lower body. Cathen scooted closer with her. Immersing her hands in water, she brought the glimmering source of life to the slice in Varor’s abdomen. Beneath her radiating fingers the wound shut.

Cathen pressed to her back to contain his need to pull her from this male, roll her under his body and seal their bond. The yearning edged him near madness. Sweat covered his brow. All that remained was the laceration on Varor’s neck. She slipped forward further, her legs on each side of the male’s torso. Cathen evened his breathing and swayed with the movement of the spirit trance. He slid his hand over hers. Alexia directed her stroking fingers over the blood-drenched flesh. Bright light emanated from her hands and the marks vanished. Love and sorrow whirled inside her.

She was magic. Special.

“You are amazing,” Cathen whispered into her ear.

She leaned into Cathen, cheek pressed to the side of his face. “Help me get him beneath the cover.” She hesitated. “I need you to lie with him to bring his body temperature up.”

Varor’s flesh was cold as ice. And Cathen knew the heat of both their bodies would be required to warm Varor. There was no time to think of the state it would leave him in.

“We both need to help him.” Cathen pulled the cover from the bag. “I’ll lie on the outer side of the shelter. You lie stripped down to your panties in the inner part with your front to his back.” Cathen lay facing Varor whose lips were blue, but his heart still beat.