Training Their Mate [Pack Wars-Book 1] (24 page)

How long
should she wait before she tried to get help? Her arm hurt like a bitch, and with
each passing minute, she grew weaker. Her legs cramped something fierce from
squatting so long. Her brain fogged, and for a moment, she almost believed he’d
left.

She lifted
her head above the bush for a quick look, and a twig cracked nearby.
Damn
. She ducked.

Footsteps
sounded. “Game’s over,
chica
. I’m
gonna git you. I can smell you.” She swore he growled after he chuckled.

A flash
of blue appeared between the branches.
Oh
God
.

An unusually
hairy hand snaked into the bush, and when he latched on to her wounded arm, she
yelped.

“I got
you now, little lady.”

He
pulled her through the brambles, slicing her face and limbs. Once she was free
from the bush, he glared at her. His gun wasn’t in his hand, but she knew he
must still have it. If she lived through this ordeal, she wanted to remember
everything about him. Too bad all she could see was a watery gray eye that
seemed unfocused.

Now that
she’d gotten a good look at him, he’d know she could identify him. “I promise I
won’t tell anyone. Just leave me alone.” Her voice wobbled, and she was never
more disgusted with herself than at that moment. However, if she acted tough,
it might make things worse.

He grinned,
showing yellowed pointed teeth.

“You’re
right about not telling anyone.” His spittle sprayed when he spoke too close to
her face. Vomit rolled up into her mouth. She wanted to wipe off his vile
effluent but he was holding her arms too tightly. “When I’m done with you, you
won’t be able to say a word.”

The
putrid stench from his breath forced her to turn her head. He jerked her
injured arm, and her eyes rolled upward for a second. She opened her mouth to
scream, but only a squeak came out. He shoved her three feet to the left, past
the hedge, and slammed her back against the wall. Pain stabbed her spine, and
her legs wobbled.

She held
up her hands. “I have money. I’ll give you my credit cards. Take everything.
Just don’t hurt me.”

“You are
a piece of work,
puta
.”

His
mouth descended on hers. She pressed her lips tight to prevent his tongue from
darting in, but his brute force bruised her mouth. Unable even to turn her
face, she lifted her knee to strike him in the balls. He anticipated her
reaction and blocked her thrust.

“You
can’t win, bitch.” He leaned back a few inches and tore at her blouse with
nails that more closely resembled animal claws than human fingers. The buttons
popped and the material ripped open.

Oh, no. He’s going to rape then kill me.
The repulsion of what was to come stole her
breath. Tears leaked out.
I don’t want to
die
.

He
lifted her chin, exposing her neck. “I’m so going to enjoy this. Scream and
I’ll rip out your throat, too.”

Too?
Jeffrey’s bloody image surfaced once more, and all she could do was nod. The
murderer dragged her bra up over her breasts and the chilly air pebbled her
nipples. He grabbed hold of her breast and squeezed. Pain tripped past her
ribs.

Do something
.

She
couldn’t stand there like an accepting lamb while he stuck his cock in her.
Thoughts of getting DNA under her fingernails seemed her only option. She
glanced to the street and hoped someone would happen by, but the partial fence
blocked her view.

“Don’t
touch me,” she whispered through gritted teeth.

He
barked out a laugh. “Like you’re in any position to tell me what to do.” The
smack across her face came so fast and hard her knees gave way, and her ass
dropped to the ground.

Her heart
slammed against her ribcage as the intensity of the pain radiated across her
cheek and down her teeth.

The man wasted
no time. While he held her wrists in one hand, he knelt and straddled her. She
struggled to get free but failed to move at all.

Oh, no. Oh, no
. Her mind whirred as she tried to figure out what
to do.
Do something.
Anything
.

When his
fingers reached up under her skirt and grabbed hold of her panties, she clawed
his cheek and snarled.
Take that you
asshole.

“You
fucking
puta
.” He tore off her
underwear with one swift pull, and the expected blow to her face came so hard
she blanked out for what she thought were a few seconds.

When she
roused, her vision blurred and her jaw ached. He was kneeling on her wrists,
making it impossible for her to grab him. She rocked right and left but
couldn’t throw him off.

Stupid.
Now because of her resistance, her imminent death would be more
painful.

Aw, hell
. She had nothing to lose. Nothing! Once more, she lifted her knee
between his legs, but he deflected the blow.

“You
want to play hard to get? I’ll show you,
chica
.”
He reached behind his back, withdrew the gun and tossed it to the side. His
fingers grappled with his pants button and his tongue lolled out.

She
closed her eyes, not wanting to watch the sadistic bastard leer at her during
the assault. All she could focus on were his zipper lowering and his hard, fast
breaths. Spittle dropped to her face, and she worked hard not to gag.

She
considered another tactic. Hadn’t she read that a rapist got off on the
victim’s fear? Could she act interested instead of showing she was scared to
death?

Reality
hit. No matter what she did, he would rape and murder her. Not only would she
suffer a horrific end to her short life, her poor parents would suffer terribly
with the knowledge.

To hell
with what she’d read. Let him hurt her—torture her. She wouldn’t die
without a fight.

She
opened her mouth and let out a blood-curdling scream.