Authors: Ronda Thompson
The Cursed One (22 page)
The camp they were taken to wasn't far, which Gabriel
was ironically glad of because the nets weighed them down and Amelia had stumbled and nearly fallen more than once. Their feet were free, but the nets drawn tight didn't allow for them to take anything but small steps. Their captors were not taking chances that Gabriel and Amelia would escape them again. He had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had vowed to protect Amelia, had thought he had done a good job of that, only to learn that because of Mora they were never being truly hunted ⦠until now.
was ironically glad of because the nets weighed them down and Amelia had stumbled and nearly fallen more than once. Their feet were free, but the nets drawn tight didn't allow for them to take anything but small steps. Their captors were not taking chances that Gabriel and Amelia would escape them again. He had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had vowed to protect Amelia, had thought he had done a good job of that, only to learn that because of Mora they were never being truly hunted ⦠until now.
Why they didn't just kill Gabriel and Amelia when they had the chance, he didn't know. The men who had rounded them up and herded them to the camp had weapons. If Gabriel had been able to move his arms from his sides, he would have wrestled a weapon from at least one man and tried to shoot his and Amelia's way free.
A tent had been set up. It was a strange sight against the rugged backdrop of the forest. A few men milled around outside, stopping to stare as they neared. Gabriel studied the faces of the men. They looked like
ordinary people. He supposed he would find that odd if he did not look like an ordinary man himself.
ordinary people. He supposed he would find that odd if he did not look like an ordinary man himself.
One of the men stepped forward. “They want to talk to him first,” he told the others. “The woman stays outside.”
Gabriel didn't like the fact that they were splitting him and Amelia up. He liked the fact less that she would be left on her own with these men, bound by the net around her, unable to defend herself. The thought filled him with rage and he tried to bring his hands up from his sides and free himself from the net. Two men were on him in an instant, holding his arms by his sides.
“No need to struggle,” a female voice said. “It is pointless.”
He glanced toward the tent. Mora stood there. She was dressed in what he had to assume was Amelia's finery, taken once they had fled Collingsworth Manor. Mora looked nothing like a servant. She did look every inch a lady, one who would blend in among the tonish set even if she did not take the form of Amelia Sinclair Collingsworth. Except for her eyes. There was a wildness there she could not disguise.
“Amelia won't be harmed,” Mora said. “Not yet, anyway. Come peacefully or that will change.”
It was worse that he and Amelia had been captured together. Gabriel knew they would use her against him if they wanted something, and they obviously did, or he and Amelia would have been killed upon capture. All he could do at the moment was go inside and see what Mora wanted. He tried to send Amelia a reassuring glance, although he did not feel assured of anything at the moment.
“Take the net off of her,” he demanded. “She is not an animal.”
Mora met his gaze, lifting a perfectly arched brow. A slight smile shaped her lips at his insinuation. “Tie her hands,” she instructed the men. “Give her fresh water and find a comfortable spot for her to rest.”
Although Mora spouted orders like a queen, a few of the men were clearly resentful of her authority and her instructions. There was no argument, however, and Gabriel was shoved forward and herded into the tent. There were cushions on the floor, a small table filled with food and wine. And there was another man inside the tent. He wasn't a guard, Gabriel quickly surmised. The man was too well dressed.
“You have led us on quite a chase, Lord Gabriel Wulf,” the man said. He indicated a cushion on the floor. “Please join us.”
Gabriel didn't have a choice. One of the guards had come inside with him and shoved him to the ground. “What do you want?” he cut to the point.
The man lifted a wineglass and took a drink. “I believe my sister has already informed you of our plans,” he answered drily. He shot Mora a reproachful glance. “Mora sometimes takes too much for granted.”
Gabriel cut his eyes toward Mora, who blushed slightly over the reprimand.
“And although she has great abilities, Mora isn't always the best judge of character, either.” The man studied him from across the low table set with food and drink. “She should have known you were one of us. She should have sensed it, but she was too busy studying
Lady Collingsworth and her mannerisms, as she was told to do, to question your own odd abilities.”
Lady Collingsworth and her mannerisms, as she was told to do, to question your own odd abilities.”
“Get to the point, Raef,” Mora interrupted. “I have been scolded enough for my oversight.”
Raef, supposedly Mora's brother, looked nothing like her. Where Mora was light haired and fair skinned, her brother's hair was so black it was nearly blue. His skin was more olive. The only thing they shared was the color of their eyes.
The man took another drink of wine. “Mora has convinced me that you may be of more use to us alive than dead.”
“I don't see how,” Gabriel assured him.
When Mora's brother smiled, his teeth flashed white against his swarthy skin. “I think you do.”
Of course Gabriel did. They wanted to use him, as they wanted to use everyone, to their advantage. “I have no standing among society,” he pointed out. “Surely you are aware of that.”
“Perhaps not now,” the man agreed. He glanced toward Mora. “But with Lady Collingsworth as your wife, that could change.”
Gabriel laughed. “Do you think I would marry your sister? Pretending to be Amelia or any other way?” He looked at Mora and narrowed his eyes. “I'd as soon sleep with a serpent every night. I'd trust the snake more.”
He expected his insult to anger Mora; instead, she looked oddly hurt by it. What did she expect? He'd cared for her along their journey. He'd protected her, he thought. And truth be told, he was also angry that he
hadn't picked up on her deception. He'd been naturally leery of her in the beginning. He should have paid attention to his first instincts.
hadn't picked up on her deception. He'd been naturally leery of her in the beginning. He should have paid attention to his first instincts.
“Mora does what she has been taught to do and what she is told to do,” Raef said, and he no longer looked amused by the whole situation. “You are one of us, whether you wish to admit it or not. Why not join us?”
“I am not one of you!” Gabriel growled. “I am cursed. I do not embrace what I have become. I am shamed by it.”
Raef set his wine aside and was in Gabriel's face so quickly, it took him by surprise. “If you'd been given nothing else in your cursed life but your extraordinary abilities, you would feel differently. If you watched your family starve, your brothers hunted like animals, you would feel differently. Mark my words on that.”
“What are you going to do to Amelia?” Gabriel demanded.
The man sighed and reseated himself. “Beautiful Amelia is going to die. I'm sorry, but it must be that way. For the cause.”
“Just like you murdered her husband for the cause?” Gabriel asked. “Just as you will murder anyone in your way and claim it is for the cause?”
Raef ran a hand over his rugged features, then stared at Gabriel for a moment, as if contemplating how to respond. Finally, he said, “From what I understand, it has been better for you that the husband was dead. He didn't love her, you know. He only married her for the large dowry her father had placed upon her. Every servant at Collingsworth Manor knew that. You saw his home. It was falling down around him. He hardly had
the money to plant his fields. He was going to have to sell his precious horses if he didn't find a wealthy wife, and quickly. And he did have a bad heart. We simply sped him along his way.”
the money to plant his fields. He was going to have to sell his precious horses if he didn't find a wealthy wife, and quickly. And he did have a bad heart. We simply sped him along his way.”
Gabriel wondered if the man was telling the truth. Had Robert only married Amelia for her dowry? How sad if that was the case. Robert was an idiot if that was true. “Don't tell her that,” Gabriel said quietly.
The man lifted a raven brow. “You are in love with her. It clouds your judgment. You should be thinking about your own skin right now, and saving it.”
“I don't care about my own skin,” he said. “I do care about hers.”
Mora walked into view, standing behind her brother. “Does Lady Collingsworth know what you are?”
He couldn't look Mora in the eye.
“She will despise you,” she assured him. “Just as she now despises me. I don't require you to love me, to even like me. Together, we can do a lot for our people.”
He shook his head. “Our people? I've told you, I am not one of you. Whatever the hell it is you are.”
“You are not like your lady love, either,” Raef spoke up. “I think you need to be reminded of that. I think she needs to see exactly what you are. Mora believes the moon controls the change for you. Although we have learned to shift at will, the moon still has an effect on us, as well. It makes controlling the animal side of our nature more difficult. We will allow Amelia to watch you transform tonight. In the morning you can give us your decision.”
There was nothing worse than the thought of Amelia watching him turn into a beast before her eyes. To
know that she would understand he had deceived her. That he had made love to her without telling her what he was. That she had trusted him when he'd been lying to her from the moment he met her. He was no better than Mora, who had deceived them both.
know that she would understand he had deceived her. That he had made love to her without telling her what he was. That she had trusted him when he'd been lying to her from the moment he met her. He was no better than Mora, who had deceived them both.
“I would prefer that you just kill me now,” he said.
Raef smiled, even if it was a rather sad one.
Â
Amelia was terrified. After days of running from the
creatures, she was among them now, at their mercy, and so was Gabriel. The creatures had kept them separated throughout the day. She'd been given water to drink, even offered food, although she refused, knowing it would not stay down with her stomach churning as it was. She sat in the shade at least. She was still alive at least. But she knew that wouldn't be for much longer.
creatures, she was among them now, at their mercy, and so was Gabriel. The creatures had kept them separated throughout the day. She'd been given water to drink, even offered food, although she refused, knowing it would not stay down with her stomach churning as it was. She sat in the shade at least. She was still alive at least. But she knew that wouldn't be for much longer.
Gabriel was across the camp. They hadn't removed the net from him as they had done for her. Her blond angel looked uncharacteristically defeated. She hoped it was simply a pretense on his part. She hoped while he sat brooding he was thinking of a way to get them out of this predicament. She'd exhausted her own mind upon the matter. They were well guarded. They were secured. They had no weapons. It was a bleak scenario.
She'd thought about throwing herself upon Mora's mercy, begging for her and Gabriel's lives, but knew it would do no good. Mora had her cause to love. She'd already proven it was more important to her than the lives of two people who had once befriended and protected her. And yet Mora had spared Amelia that night she'd escaped from the tavern. There might be a small hope of survival if their fate was left solely up to Mora,
but obviously there were others in the camp of importance among these people.
but obviously there were others in the camp of importance among these people.
Amelia had seen a tall, dark-headed man come and go from the tent. Those guarding them seemed to stand taller when he appeared, as if he were royalty. Amelia supposed under different circumstances she might have found him handsome. He'd barely glanced in her direction, as if she was of no importance to him. A means to an end.
Twice Amelia had been untied and allowed to attend to personal matters, but always with a guard standing within embarrassingly close distance. Did she have the strength to wrestle a weapon away from one of the men? Could she outrun them if she bolted? She'd have to leave Gabriel behind, which she could not do. Better to get a weapon and take a hostage. Someone they would easily exchange Gabriel for. Mora.
Amelia mulled the idea over as night drew nearer. She watched two men who had been curiously constructing something during the day, something made from thick branches lashed together by ropes. Only when they finally finished did Amelia realize it was a cage. A cage big enough to hold a man. Her gaze swung toward Gabriel. He was also looking at the cage, and his expression was so dark and dangerous she would be afraid of him if she didn't know him so well.
Mora and the dark man exited the tent. Amelia was more than annoyed that Mora looked better in her clothes than she did. Skinned rabbits were roasting over a spit in the middle of camp, and the smell of cooked meat made her stomach growl. Cushions were brought from the tent and placed on the ground around
the fire. Mora nodded to the man guarding Amelia and he reached down and hauled her to her feet, pushing her toward where the other two were now seated.
the fire. Mora nodded to the man guarding Amelia and he reached down and hauled her to her feet, pushing her toward where the other two were now seated.
“Sit,” Mora instructed her.
Amelia would have disobeyed if she had a choice. The guard shoved her down.
Mora now glanced toward Gabriel. “Put him in the cage,” she instructed.
Amelia's heart broke as she watched three burly men jerk Gabriel to his feet and drag him struggling toward the cage. One used a knife to slice the netting from Gabriel before he was shoved inside, the gate at one end secured so he couldn't get out. There wasn't room for him to stand. He had to draw his knees up to fit inside the cage. He glared at Amelia's companions, his eyes glowing blue in the coming dark.
“Would you like something to eat, Amelia?” Mora asked.
She couldn't eat now, even if the smell of meat was nearly torture. “No need to be civil,” she said to Mora. “I know you're not, even if you suddenly like to put on airs.”
The man smiled as if amused by Amelia's daring. “She's right, Sister. There is no need to offer comfort to the enemy.”
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