Whispers of Darkness (The Deadwood Hunter Series) (12 page)

Caden could see Lexia was struggling but he knew she’d never accept his help, she was far too stubborn. Night was setting in but he was certain within twenty minutes they’d be at the lake he remembered through his leopard eyes. Everything from the last few days felt fuzzy, he’d been mostly leopard in those days and so his human memories were all jumbled and unclear.

“When I was little
, Lex, we lived in the Black Hill ranges.”

“What! Really?” Her face lit up and she picked up her pace so that she was next to him. Caden held out
his hand for her. She hesitated but then slipped her small cool hand into his.

“Before
Hunters most shifters lived in packs where we didn’t need to hide. The Black Hill pack was one of the largest in South Dakota.”

“But where did you live?”

“In aeries like Lincoln’s or small wooden houses. Our pack settled between Deadwood and Rapid City. My parents are doctors, they have worked in Rapid City their whole career.”

“I’
d love to meet them someday...If it’s ever safe.”

“It will be
,” he squeezed her hand. “I followed Lincoln everywhere when I was little. He was always stronger, everything came so naturally to him and me, well, I’ve never been at one with my cat. When the pack split up... Well, I never had chance to be a leopard”

“But I don’t understand
.”

“Packs had to split up and hide, be humans so that the
Hunters wouldn’t find them. Our pack was one of the last to scatter but in the end it was the safest way. Lincoln lived with his grandfather, David, he had a business in Rapid City. We both went to school together but when Lincoln turned ten his grandfather expanded his business to California. We’ve always kept in touch but Lincoln never stays in one spot long and I’ve never left Rapid City.”

Lexia stumbled
, her head suddenly spinning, she gripped onto Caden’s hand trying to steady herself. “Wow, Lex are you okay?”

“I, I don’t feel so good
.” She gripped onto him with her other hand. “Can we just stop here?”

“Lexi
, you need water, staying here won’t help you.” Caden bent and scooped his arm behind her legs, they gave away and he pulled her up into his arms.

“Doc, put me down!”

“No, you need help; just like I needed help and I never complained whilst you cleared a path through the forest for me and hid me in a tree and you risked your life to protect me. So it’s my turn to take care of you.”

Lexia had never heard Caden speak with such authority
. He seemed different somehow since turning back, like a little bit more of the spunky, daring leopard was at the surface, but still she hated that she needed help and most of all she hated that she was in Caden’s arms and not Lincoln ’s.
Where are you, my pretty panther?

“You know I always wanted a big brother when I was growing up, someone to always be my friend and move with me, protect me. I guess I finally have one.” She smiled at Caden but then a wave of sickness rolled over her and she turned her head into his chest groaning. “I don’t feel so good, Caden, I think there’s something wrong with me.”

“I’ve got you, you just need food, that’s all.”
Shit what am I going to do?

Caden could smell the blood on her and beneath that a sickly smell. She’d once told him she never got ill, so what was wrong with her and could he help her in the middle of a forest?

When Caden finally found the lake he’d been to as a leopard the night sky was pitch black and angry storm clouds swirled above them blocking out any light from the moon and stars. As he stepped out from the cover of the trees he realized they were at Pactola Lake. He used to come here as a kid, camping and fishing with his parents. It was the end of the season so as he silently made his way over to a tap on the other side of the lake, he prayed no one would be out camping. The last thing they needed was someone seeing him carrying an unconscious girl.

Laying her gently down, Caden searched through the bags for the empty bottles
to fill and then he slowly poured water into Lexia’s dry parched mouth, her normally soft plump lips were cracked and bleeding. She coughed and spluttered as the water trickled down her throat but she never came to. His leopard rose to the surface as he smelt fresh blood coming from her shoulder.

“Why are you not healing as fast
, Lexi?” Caden murmured to himself, he let the leopard into his eyes and looked around him, his leopard seeing far better in the dark than the man. Over in the distance there looked to be a small building, so he picked her back up and made his way across.

Rain started to fall as he carried Lexia into the small wooden
hut that turned out to be some toilets. He couldn’t hear or smell anyone nearby so he switched on the light and looked over Lexia. Blood had bled through the bandage on her shoulder and the claw marks across her chest hadn’t healed like he thought they would have.

It worried Caden that she seemed to be healing slower and overall weaker than she’d been before
. Was this from being alone and worrying about Lincoln or was there something very wrong with her?

He got out the first aid kit and looked for a pair of scissors
. Carefully Caden cut away what was left of her clothes and bra. He tried not to think about her chest being bare, he was a doctor and it was his job to treat her wounds. If she wasn’t healing as well then he needed to make sure every cut, no matter how small, was cleaned because if they got infected he had no antibiotics to treat her with.

Caden worked most of the night washing Lexia’s skin until it
had returned to its beautiful milky white color. He stitched up the deepest bites in her shoulder and wrapped most of her middle and chest in the last of the thick white bandage, then he pulled one of Lincoln jumpers over her head and laid her down on top of the clothes she’d brought for him and Lincoln.

He switched off the light and sat beside her
, gun in hand, listening to the rumble of thunder and the cracks of lightning as it lit the night sky. Rain pounded onto the tin roof above them. Green leopard eyes glowed bright as they kept watch through the night, ready and waiting to kill anyone who dared hurt his friend.

When Lexia woke she noticed two things, one she was comfy, and two she could smell Lincoln. When her still fuzzy brain registered those facts she bolted upright. “Lincoln?” she whispered, her head swam as she looked around her. “Lincoln?” she called louder.

A loud growl echoed around the small wooden hut she appeared to be in but her heart sank as she reali
zed it wasn’t as deep and rough as her panther’s growl. Lexia looked behind her at Caden, gun in his hand, leaning back against the wall.

“Sorry I thought I smel
led,” Lexia looked down, “Lincoln ... I have his jumper on.”

“Sorry
, Lexi, I had to clean you up last night and you hadn’t packed any clothes for you.”

“Hmm
, funny how I thought of only you two whilst running around packing things. All I did was strap as many weapons to me as possible, never even thought of freezing to death.”

“Lex, you got us out of that house alive, that’s all that matters.”

“I still don’t feel that good,” she whispered, laying back down.

“You just need to eat; I’ll go see if there is anyone camping higher up and steal a few things before day break.”

“Be careful.”

“I’ll be back before you know it.”

Caden slipped out into the dark morning. He had a few minutes before the sun would start to rise. He ran silently across the grass, his leopard at the surface. Caden marvelled at the ease with which his two halves worked together now, how quickly he could call upon the strength and skills his leopard possessed.

At the far edge of the campground stood a tent. It was big enough to fit a few people in it, and they had a car parked next to the tent. As he drew nearer, Caden could see they’d put all of their belongings into the car because of the storm. Careful not to make a sound he tried the door, it opened with a click, he winced and waited but no one stirred.

Inside he found some women’s clothes and a sleeping bag. Gathering those into his arms, he saw out of the corner of his eye a small blue cooler. With slow silent steps he walked towards the cooler outside of the tent. As he picked it up the contents rattled but no one stirred and soon he was walking back into the toilet.

“I found food!” he said as she sat back up.

“What’s in it? Although I think I’d eat anything right now!”

Caden opened the box. “Bacon.”

“Mmm I’d kill for bacon! Did you happen to steal a gas stove, too?”

“Nope, you’ll have to eat cheese, crackers, an apple and some more energy bars.”

“What about you?”

“I’m okay. I’ve eaten a lot lately.”

“Hmm, that was disgusting by the way!”

“To be honest I don’t remember much and I’d like to keep it that way. Otherwise I may become a vegetarian.”

“First ever veggie Leopard... I like it!” Lexia laughed, biting into the apple and moaning in delight. “This is soo good.”

Lexia devoured most of the food and drank two bottles of water.

“I found clothes, too; I think they should fit you,” Caden said.

Caden helped Lexia to her feet and she winced. “Do you think you could pull off this jumper, I don’t think I can manage on my own.”

He hesitated. “Erm.. You don’t have anything on under that.”

“Yeah, I kind of noticed. And you cut them off, so what’s the problem? You saw me last night. You’re the only one here, Cade. I’d rather not be showing you my boobs but what choice do I have?”

“Okay.”

Caden slowly inched Lincoln’s jumper over her head and then slipped the thin jumper he’d stole on her, careful not to knock her wounds.

“Will you put Linc’s back on, too, I’m cold.”

“Are you? You don’t feel it; in fact, you’re burning up, Lexi.”

Lexia sighed as Lincoln’s jumper went over her head, just having his scent on her made her feel better.

“Can you manage the rest alone?” Caden asked her, passing over the jeans he’d found.

“Think so, thanks.”

Lexia peeled off her jeans. She stood on one leg and pulled and then stood on the other. Bending gently she stepped into the new jeans that she knew straight away would be a bit big but as she pulled them up she noticed the cut on her hip from the fight with the Hunter days before.

“Hey, Doc?” Caden turned around, then covered his eyes with a gasp.

“Lexi, jeans!”

“Oh stop being stupid, I have pants on! Look at this cut.”

Pulling his hand away, Caden dropped his gaze to the cut she was looking at; the skin was inflamed around the cut, which was black. He dropped to his knees. “Shit, when did you get this? It’s infected, no wonder you don’t feel well.”

His hands went to her skin, as he squeezed the cut together, black liquid leaked out.

“Caden that hurts!” Lexia snapped.

Lincoln had finally found a fresh trail, but with this trail he could smell fresh blood. His gut twisted in panic and he cursed himself again for losing himself in the forest.

When they’d broken through the tree line, police and Hunters everywhere, bullets firing, he’d lost control. The rage he felt from his mate being in danger was just too great and he’d lost the thin hold he had on his beast and gone on a rampage.

He should have come back straight away, but he hadn’t. He’d wandered, letting his dark thoughts swirl and grow and when he’d finally pulled himself out of the abyss, he’d wandered so far into the mountains it took him days to return.

He’d spent most of the last few days running flat out, his panther muscles being pushed to the limit as he followed the ever-fading pull of their mating bond. 
What’s happened to you, Lexia?

The mating bond was still there, she was still alive but it felt faded, as if there was a block, a wall between her and it. He skidded to a stop and shifted. Looking around him Lexia’s footprints stopped but she was with Caden, his footsteps carried on.
Why are you carrying her, my friend?

He jumped and shifted mid-air, his paws landing lightly on the ground. He was tired, he didn’t think he’s ever felt this tired, so wound tight. He needed to find her, he needed it more than he needed to breathe.

He shifted again when he came to a tree line that surrounded a campground.
What are you doing here?

Lincoln walked around the edge of the trees, daylight had broken. It was still early but he couldn’t be seen walking naked around a campground. As he made his way further around he noticed a tent and car up in the far corner of the campground. The tent was quiet, whoever was inside hadn’t woken yet. He dashed out and reached the car but found the door already open and Caden’s scent all around.

Stealing my friend, how very unlike you,
Lincoln smiled to himself.

Snatching a pair of jeans from the car, he followed Caden’s scent to a small wooden hut that must be toilets. He could smell Lexia inside. His paces lengthened, his heart hammering as he pushed the door open.

Caden was trying to not show Lexia how concerned he was. The black liquid coming from her cut... Well, he’d never seen anything like it. His best guess was that they’d put some kind of poison on the blade that had cut her.

She moaned at him, biting her lip and sinking her nails into his shoulders as he dug out the wound. He knew he was hurting her but whatever was in this cut needed to be out now before it spread. Now it all started to make sense, why her powers, her energy had been so low and now her temperature was spiking. She had an infection from whatever they’d put on the blade and they were in the middle of nowhere and Lexia needed antibiotics now.

A savage growl erupted from his throat as Lincoln’s eyes gazed over the scene before him: Lexia’s jeans around her ankles, Caden kneeling before her, Lexia’s fingers digging into his shoulders, her eyes closed.

Her eyes snapped open the second the growl left his throat. She whispered his name, tears pooling in her eyes. Caden started to stand but Lincoln had already reached him and dragged him up by his neck.

He wanted to shred him, tear out his throat but Caden surprised him; the leopard flashed into his eyes, his claws sliced through his skin and into Lincoln’s chest.

“Let me go, friend, this isn’t what you’re thinking,” he commanded.

“Grown some balls while I’ve been gone I see! Thought you’d have my mate, too?” Lincoln spat as his grip tightened on Caden’s throat.

“Lincoln! For god sake let him go! He was helping me!” Lexia yelled, but Lincoln’s eyes never left the wild green of Caden’s.

Lexia took a step forward out of her jeans, intending to break them up before someone got hurt, but her head swam as she moved. Her body went limp and a startled breath left her as she fell towards the floor.

“Lexia!” Both men said at once, their fight forgotten as she fell towards the floor.

Caden reached her first. “Grab that sleeping bag, Linc.” Lincoln did as he was asked and rolled the sleeping bag underneath her for Caden to lay her on.

“What’s wrong with me, Cade?” Lexia whispered.

“Whatever was on the blade that cut you has gotten into your system, but it’s okay, Lexi, I’ll fix you right up, okay? Don’t worry.”

“Linc?” she murmured.

“Hey baby, I’ve missed you,” he murmured, shuffling over to her side, his fingers running over her pale face.

“Don’t ever stay away so long again!” she said, opening her eyes and locking them with his.

“I won’t, I promise. I love you.”

“I love you,” she whispered, her eyes closing as she slipped into unconsciousness.

Lincoln turned and looked at Caden. “What the hell happened when I was gone?”

“Hey mate, you were the one who left, don’t blame me!”

“Where did all these wounds come from and why isn’t she healing?”

“I’m afraid the majority of them are from me and before you gut me, she never fought back. She wanted to die... That’s what brought me back,” Caden answered, readying himself to fight Lincoln off.

Lincoln sat back, his hands running through his hair. “What? Why the hell would she want that?”

“Linc, I think a lot of things have happened. She’s young and confused, you were gone and she was hurt, she couldn’t feel you, she thought you’d left her.”

“Shit,” he said, running his hand though his hair again and pressing his palms against his eyes. “What are we going to do?”

“She needs antibiotics, Linc, but even then I have no idea if they’ll help. Whatever they put on the blade has most likely been designed to slow her down.”

“How are we going to find antibiotics?”

“I’m going back to Rapid City,” Caden said, standing.

“It will take you days to get back there.”

“Not if I steal that car out there. I’ll be in the city before nightfall. I’ll have my parents bring me supplies and then I’ll come back.”

“Caden, Lexia can’t stay here, it’s too public.”

“You’re not going to like this but I have a suggestion.”

“What?”

“Take her to your family home. It should take you a day tops carrying her there and if I get a four by four from somewhere, I should be able to take the track that used to run straight from the edge of the city to the pack.”

“That track hasn’t been used in over a decade.”

“It’s the only option I can think of and if needs be I’ll run it, but by all means tell me a better plan.”

“There isn’t one. Go, Caden, I’ll get her there.”

“Linc as soon as you do, bring her temp down... Be safe, my friend.”

Lincoln nodded, slung Lexia’s backpack over his shoulder, and zipped her into the sleeping bag before lifting her into his arms.

“I’ve got you, just sleep, okay? We are going to fix you right up,” he whispered, kissing her forehead.