Beasthood (The Hidden Blood Series) (40 page)

             
The feeling of impending doom was not lost any of them.

             
Skye whispered edgily to Ronnie to come to her .He was transfixed on the Weres. The moment Kain mouthed the dreaded command and all the Weres lunged forward towards the river, Skye yelped frantically to Ronnie, “Come here! NOW!”

             
He jumped up and out of his daze, startled by his sister's terrified voice, and rushed towards her. She didn't think twice about grabbing his hand and racing towards the trees.

             
Kenna's dark blonde hair whipped past Jaz's head and before she had thought about moving her own legs, still in shock, Alf was tugging violently on her arm and in seconds they were sprinting through the trees.

             
Skye was ahead with Ronnie to Jaz's left side, Kenna was up in front and disappearing fast, she was quick, like her sister.

             
Jaz was panting madly, from fear more than exertion. The blood in her legs was like liquid fire. Every movement hurt, but she could
not
stop. The thundering sound of boots against earth urged her on. Alf was a fast runner, too fast for her to keep up. She tried to run at his pace and when he was pulled back again by her inferior speed he also slowed down.

“
What
-are-you-doing!?” she panted. “I'm-slow-ing-you-
down
!”

“
Keep moving!” He ordered tugging her arm forward.

             
Her breaths were ragged and her chest felt like a knife was sticking into it every time she breathed in.  After a few feet she cried, “Just-let-me-go!
Run ahead
!”

             
He whipped his head round for just a second to bark back, “
Never
!” and gripped her hand tighter.

             
For whatever reason, it made her force herself to move faster.

             
The sounds of footfalls behind them grew quieter as they began to outrun them. But then Jaz noticed something else. She looked around the forest. Kenna had made it ahead. She caught a whiff of her scent, on the trail back to the village. Maybe Kelda would already be on her way back with support? Maybe she'd already found Kenna and they were both heading back here with back up?

             
But Skye's scent had stopped.

“
Alf!”

“
I'm not lett-”

“
Skye's stopped!”

             
He immediately stopped dead and Jaz smacked into his back. He grunted. Jaz rubbed her forehead and cocked her head around, listening out for Skye.

             
He scanned the trees too, his nostrils flaring as he tried to make out her scent. “She's stopped about two hundred yards back. Ronnie's with her.” His soft blue eyes squeezed half shut as he concentrated. He inhaled and his nose wrinkled as if he'd caught a bad smell. But it didn't match the look on his face. His blue eyes were wide and anxious.

             
Jaz gripped his arms. “What is it?” she whispered edgily.

“
Ronnie. Ronnie's blood.”

                                                                                                  *

              Driver jumped out of his chair.

             
The council members were gathered together in the usual meeting room when the sound of rampant feet coming from somewhere outside and the cries of a terrified girl, cut the meeting dead.

             
Nik's sense of smell was superior to his hearing, which was saying a lot considering. He smelt the scent of the girl's blood. He'd known everyone here for many years. He had a knack for deciphering who was who by scent.

“
Kelda,” He said, staring at the double doors.

             
Her mother, Edda, stood up as if her chair had come alive and whipped her head round towards the doors. She composed herself just enough to get a silent look of consent from her Pack Leader and Arik, Head of Council, before she excused herself from the meeting and rushed towards the doors.

             
Several seconds later she was running back, Kelda on her arm. The young girl was panting in ragged, desperate breaths, her hands and face were scratched and bloody, her thick eyeliner had run.

             
Obviously something had scared her so much she'd been running like a bat out of hell through the thick forest.

             
Between each breath she said, “Dead. Tree. Pack. Attack. Friends. Still. Back. There. Pack. Coming. Here.” 

             
Anyone else who wasn't already standing, sprang up from their seat.

“
You're sure!?” Lamont, the Head of Peace Keeping between the Packs felt the weight of this more than most. His life was dedicated to keeping alliances between Packs. They all knew him and had a strong friendship with him. Knowing Kain was about to betray that trust made his blood boil. His dark skin took on a red tinge.

             
Kelda could only nod in an urgent manner.

“
The land is uphill from there once they reach the golden fields off the forest. We will have the upper hand if we stay where we are,” Nessa,  Second in Command of Construction and Land Usage announced in a confident voice that drew them all in. She had always been a quick thinker. She knew the land and the terrain like the back of her hand, even more than those who'd been living there longer.

             
She had organized the construction of the new barbecue area. Alongside her First in Command, Garth.  She looked at him now for support and he gave a firm nod of agreement.

“
Head Councillor Arik?”

             
The old man was the only member still seated. He stood up now, slowly. “You do what you do best Nik. I do not want this to get ugly.”

             
Nik bobbed his head in agreement. “Astrid?” Nik turned to the small, pixie-like creature to his left. Her brown choppy bob swished as she looked at him. Her hazel, pointed eyes settled on his face. “Get all the women and children, anyone unable to fight right now to the Underground. In case anything happens.”

“
Yes Pack Leader.” She bowed and left the room.

“
And what about
us
women? Y'gonna make us hide away too?” Tyra retorted, though it was just for play.

             
Nik clenched his jaw. Now was not the time for games. “The current Pack members will follow me. We'll stop about halfway if we haven't crossed their path by then. I don't want to be too close to the village,” he added cutting Nessa off as she was about to argue about the safety of the people. She lowered her chin, satisfied with his response. “See if we can sort this out before it gets ugly.”

“
It seems we were misled about the day Kerk overheard then?” Swain announced.

             
Kerk who was standing with his arms folded, leaning against the wall by the door – his regular spot- shot a menacing glare in Swain's direction. It hit the right side of his face, and as if he felt it, Swain only smiled wider. Kerk's frown lines deepened.

             
Swain was standing next to Tyra, and had been silently absorbed in the conversation until now. His presence was irregular and to the women, sorely missed, but when he was there he could move a crowd just by standing there.

“
It would seem so,” Driver replied. “But Kerk has never been wrong about what he sees and hears,” he countered, giving his brother a warning look.

“
There's always a first time,” Swain smiled. Tyra blushed as he eyed her for a fleeting moment.

             
Swain then focused on his scowling brother who replied with, “They may have said Saturday, only to confuse us.

“
Kerk is very good at what he does, no one can doubt that, but if the other Pack Leader's have as good a sense of smell as mine, they may have caught his scent and played him. I'd appreciate it, if you cut the guy some slack.”

             
Swain only shrugged. And then flashed his brother a grin of truce. Nik's eyes eventually smiled back but his expression remained stern and authoritative.

“
You don't understand!” Kelda barged in, now finally able to speak. “I was with Skye and Ronnie, Alf, my sister and Jaz! They've not come back! They might have been caught! Or worse...”

             
Nik drew in a breath.

“
Nik?” Erica, who had been solemnly quiet ever since Jaz had denounced her existence in her life, finally found her voice. “We can't attack. Not like this. Not whilst my niece is in danger.”

“
I agree.” Edda concurred. “My daughter is there. If she'd had the chance to run, she would have. And would've outrun them all. Something must be wrong if she's not returned.”

“
Where did you leave them?” Maria, who was stood by Nik, questioned Kelda.

“
At the Silver Back River.”

             
Before anymore could be said- or needed to be said- Nik Driver was marching out the door, his Pack pouring in line behind him.

             
Any one else who was not fighting, and hadn't gone to the Underground yet, held back to let them pass as the Pack made their way outside. Everyone inside and out on the grounds stood watching as their Defense Pack marched purposefully by.

             
They bowed their heads after them, their hands clenched into fists, crossing their chest in respect. Loved ones turned away before they lost their resolve and then ran to safety.

                                                                                    *

              Jaz 's whole body felt the solid fist crack against the side of her jawbone before she saw it.

             
The force knocked her head back violently, her knees buckled as if the ground had suddenly turned to mush, her stinging eyes were momentarily blinded with salty tears,  and it was only her powerful determination that kept her from falling to the ground.

             
She managed to kick the attacker in the balls before she was grappled back by Alf's surprisingly strong arms. She wanted to hurl abuse at that bastard who she was sure had broken her jaw, but because of the pain, she could only wince and cup her chin with her free hand as if she was holding the bone together. Her other arm was pinned into Alf's chest.

“
You wanker! You'll pay for that!” Alf growled.

             
The man who had shoulder-length, golden hair and dark blue eyes that always seemed to sneer at their target, regarded him silently, all traces of pain inflicted to his groin had gone sooner than Jaz liked.

             
She was also surprised he wasn't the loud, mocking type to match his exterior.

             
As she studied him whilst locked in Alf's arms, he fixed his eyes on Jaz in a way she was unable to decipher, before the Pack Leader drew all of their attention.

“
Put your girlfriend on a leash Alf and lead me to Nik. No one else has to get hurt.”

             
Jaz looked down at Ronnie who's face was smeared with blood. His bright brown eyes were watery as he did his best to hold back tears. Jaz's heart strings tugged painfully as she saw how brave he was being. Her hands were itching to embrace him.

             
Skye was kneeling by his side, in a set position of a runner. Her collarbone was strained, amplifying her visible urge to run. Her left cheek was bright, lobster-red from a eye-watering, skin-scorching slap. She'd obviously tried to take the most of the blows aimed at her brother. Though why anyone would want to hurt a child was beyond Jaz's comprehension.

             
She'd been so livid at the sight of Ronnie's injuries she'd run straight into three of the men's path kicking and punching like a wild animal. She'd caused some damage -thanks to Carr's lessons- though not as much as she'd like, before Blondie had nearly knocked her jaw off her face.

             
Alf's grip tightening on her arm brought her back to reality. “No way Kain. You've already violated enough laws and it's not even lunchtime. What makes you think you deserve that honour?”

“
Honour!?” Kain scoffed.

             
In less than a second, Alf sprang forward, sweeping Jaz behind his back protectively and backhanding Kain with the other so hard, the ground vibrated. Or perhaps Jaz's hearing was becoming even more acute. Either way, the look on Kain's face as he touched his tender bleeding mouth and cheek was very satisfying.