Kuma (10 page)

She worked through the pain, moments of time ticking away in her head. The knot wouldn’t give, and her tears ran hot down her cheek. She rose up again to check her surroundings before tugging at her bindings. A sigh escaped through her lips when her ties loosened. Kicking her feet free, she pulled her boot off and reached into the shoe.

Nix stabbed the Connect button on the screen and made the call to the only number programmed into the cell.

“Hello?” Fre’s tentative voice flowed over the line.

“Seri fucking kidnapped me!” Nix whispered as she played with the hatch mechanism.

“How the hell do you let these things happen to you?”

“Hellooo pot…kettle,” Nix shot back

“Boris is gonna be so-o-o mad at you,” Fre spoke in a singsong tone.

“Shut up. Just come and get me.”

“Where are you?”

“Umm.” Nix took another look at the outside area. “A rest stop, I see a bunch of bathrooms and a couple of vending machines. There are a lots of pine trees surrounding me and, umm, picnic tables, cement ones.”

“That’s every damn rest stop on the interstate.”

“Well that’s all I got. Shit, you have all those guards at your disposal. Snag one and give him some of my clothing. Tell him to sniff me out.” Nix squeezed the latch and the back hatch popped open.

“That’s an idea.”

“Just do it quietly. The last thing I need is Boris finding out about this little snafu.” Nix grabbed her boot and slithered out the opening she created.

A deep baritone came on the line. Boris’s voice was calm as he enunciated his words. “
Milly
, when I find you I can promise you this, after I kill Seri you won’t be able to sit for a week.”

“You wouldn’t.” Nix casually started to walk away from the vehicle.

Fre’s upbeat voice came back on the phone. “Yeah, I think he would. Old Boris here looks pretty pissed. Who’s Milly?”

“Don’t worry about that. Be so kind as to tell Boris to get in line. Seri is mine.” Nix ran her finger across the End button. She heard a strangled scream behind her and glanced over her shoulder in time to see Seri stop, midstep, and drop the vending machine items she held.

Nix kept walking in an uneven gait. Her boot rapped her hip as she increased her pace to put as much room between her and the psychotic wolf as possible. She stepped onto the sidewalk and dropped the cell in the garbage receptacle as she passed it. The movement she saw from the corner of her eye drew her attention, and she looked over into the cold amber eyes of Seri shadowing her from the parallel walkway. Nix sat down on a bench facing the parking lot and watched Seri stop, mimicking her movements.

Seri tilted her head and raised her hand pointing two fingers at Nix and moving her hand as if she was shooting a gun. Nix smiled and took her time putting her boot back on. When she stood, she raised her hand and gave Seri the finger, mouthing the words
come and get me, bitch
. Seri formed fists and stepped of the curb. The blow of a horn as a minivan sped by had her jumping back.

Nix took advantage of the diversion and hid between two parked cars. She rose to window level and looked into the rheumy blue eyes of an elderly gentleman. She dipped her head and smiled.

“Sorry.” She kept her gaze on Seri as the woman spun around in a circle. Nix focused on the old man. “My boyfriend and I are playing kinky games.”

The guy snorted. “Can’t say I blame him. Need a third person since you’re into that?”

Nix winked. “Maybe next time.” She moved away toward another set off vehicles.

There was no way to tell what the crazy woman would do. Nix pursed her lips and weighed her options. She had no weapons, not only did Seri have a gun but she could use her claws and from the look in her eyes, Nix knew desperation when she saw it. No, she couldn’t stick around and risk innocent people. She looked at her boots and sighed, they were her favorite pair. After a quick glance over the body of another automobile, she stood and kicked her stilettos against the concrete until the heels broke. In modified flats, she searched the area one more time before turning around and running for the copse of trees on the knoll behind her. She was sure Seri would pick up her scent and follow her.

Chapter Ten

Boris and Fre leaned to the left as he swung the sedan into a parking spot and slipped the gear into park. He threw the door open and, placing one foot on the asphalt, he half stood, taking a deep whiff of the air. Finally, after their third stop he caught the faint smell of strawberries and champagne. He moved completely out of the car and slowly canvassed the area. Seri’s vehicle was at the end of the parking lot. Relief rushed through him, and he briefly closed his eyes holding Nix’s fragrance in his lungs before exhaling.

Fre opened her door and stood looking at him over the roof of the car. “Well, is Nix here?”

“Yeah.” Boris nodded.

“Then get to it, sniff her out.” Fre’s cell rang and she lifted her hand and checked the number. She groaned. “Hi, Rhys, your meeting over already?”

The sarcastic retort Boris had, died on his lips as he heard his brother demanding to know where the hell Fre was. He shook his head at Fre and started to walk in the direction he’d thought his Nix had gone. He could smell Seri and if he wasn’t mistaken, she was furious and hot on Nix’s trail. He picked up speed and started jogging across the parking lot, leaving Fre to handle Rhys. Given the way his brother was yelling, she’d be awhile.

He passed the semitrucks and cautiously moved into the thickets that led into the woods. The air was cooler under the shade of the trees that covered the vicinity, and the pine needles crunched under foot as he walked farther into the densely wooded area. Sunshine dappled the forest floor and once he passed the brush, the rest stop on the other side seemed to disappear. The only sounds were those of the birds high in the canopy of the trees. He cocked his head and caught the sound of an air horn blaring from the nearby interstate.

Boris closed his eyes and focused on Nix, cocking his head from left to right. Her scent was the strongest to the left and he tugged his shirt over his head. Unbuttoning his jeans, he kicked his boots off and pushed the denim over his hips. Free of his clothing, he embraced his change into his beast. Boris followed the clues to where Nix and Seri went.

***

Nix stepped over a thick branch and stopped to pick it up, judging the weight of it in her hand. It was just big enough to wrap her fingers around and long enough to control. With a firm grip on her makeshift weapon she circled back to where she’d entered the forest. Careful to stay down wind she maneuvered through the dense foliage, stopping when she heard the shuffle of leaves. She moved closer to a pine tree keeping it at her back. After waiting a while, when no other sounds reached her ears, Nix moved tentatively in the direction she was going.

Her only warning was the snap of a twig. Nix turned in time to throw her hand up and hold the other end of the wood as Seri leaped through the bushes at her, maw open to expose her fangs. Seri latched down on the piece of timber, her paws landing on Nix’s chest. Nix fell on her back with a
thump
, and they both went skidding across the woodland floor. Her shoulders burned where pinecones and other debris dug into her skin. She doubled her efforts to hang onto the branch as Seri snapped at it.

Nix maneuvered herself between the splayed legs of the animal and placed her feet on its soft underbelly. She pushed off and Seri flew back, landing on her side, she rolled to her feet. The low growl sent a foreboding tingle down Nix’s spine as she rose up on her knees. Nix took stock of her situation, her branch wouldn’t last and she had no other weapon. Not only was Seri sporting claws and teeth, hell she had crazy on her side too. Seri dipped her head low between her shoulders and stalked toward her. Nix used the stick to push to her feet. Using the time to catch her breath, she narrowed her eyes searching for any weakness since the bitch appeared to have healed from their knife fight.

Maybe, hopefully, that leg was still weak. Nix thought to herself as she circled the blonde wolf. “Ya know, if you walk away now there is no harm and no foul,” Nix called out.

Seri’s snarl was deep and rumbled from her chest. She snapped her jaws together.

Nix sighed. “Guess not. Okay, we’ll do this the hard way, but let me warn you only one of us will walk away from this and it will be me.”

Seri charged her. Nix’s body tensed in anticipation of the blow she’d take when Seri hit. She enclosed both hands around the end of the tree limb and raised her arms in a classic baseball stance. Seri leaped and a blur of deep brown crossed Nix’s vision. Boris roared, rising to stand to his full height, and moved to place himself between her and Seri. Nix looked around Boris’s side, Seri was backing away baring her teeth. Boris dropped to all four feet and ambled forward. As he got closer Seri pawed at the ground and attacked. Boris caught her midair around the throat and tossed her. She spun around midair before landing against a tree. She slid down the bark and slumped at its base. Seri shook one of her paws and stood. In a few steps Boris shifted.

“Leave, Seri.” His tone was calm but Nix saw veins protruding along his neck. “We have history and I don’t want to hurt you, but if you continue to threaten Nix or any other member of my family I will kill you.”

Seri whined, ducked her head, and turned away. Then in a flash of speed she swirled around and charged Boris. He raised his arm and she attacked, biting him. He shouted out and swung the appendage, partially twisting to smack her down with his other hand. Her head snapped back from the force of the blow. She rose to her feet and shook her head while baring her teeth.

Boris lowered his voice. “I’m giving you one chance. Go, Seri.”

The wolf howled before running away.

Boris turned on his heel to face her. Blood ran in rivulets down his forearm. Nix dropped the branch and turned her palms forward. “Now, Boris, listen.”

“You wanted to run from me.” Pain etched his voice.

“Not you Boris, never you…us. I don’t know how to explain it properly but the way you make me feel scares me.” Nix dropped her hands.

“I would never hurt you. You are a part of me, I have only heard the stories about true mates and the moment I saw you I knew you were it. The woman that completed me.” He shook his head. “If you need to leave, I won’t stop you. Your happiness is what matters the most.” He turned away from her and started walking.

Nix watched the muscles in his back flex as he strode away from her. The pain she’d held at bay returned tenfold, only it wasn’t her head it was her heart. She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth.
If you don’t go after him, you’re a dumbass
, her mind screamed at her.

She whispered, “Boris.”

He stopped but didn’t turn to face her.

“Boris,” Nix called out to him.

She started running toward him before he moved, hurtling herself at him as he swung around. He caught her around the waist as she locked her arms around his neck. She kissed him, tracing his lips with her tongue. He stood stock-still, and she realized she needed to do more. Nix reared back and met his gaze. For the longest time he didn’t blink, allowing her to see the hurt she’d inflicted in the soft chocolate depths of his irises. She hugged him tighter and placed her head in the crook of his neck.

“I’m sorry.” She pressed her lips against his throat and tasted the salt on his skin from sweat. Taking a deep breath she continued, “Mate me.”

She slipped down his body when his gripped loosened. Nix weaved her legs around his. He moved his head back and stared at her in disbelief. “No.”

Her heart seemed to slow, and she couldn’t breathe. She ran through ideas in her head. She’d always had an angle in the past. Nothing seemed right but to be brutally honest with him. “Boris, I know I’m not good enough for you. You deserve someone so much better than an orphaned, ex-drug running stripper with trust issues who is on the most wanted lists of quite a few countries and keeps a cache of weapons hidden in the trunk of her car because she decided a long time ago if she was going down she would go down fighting. I am so tired of reinventing myself.” There, she’d put it out there.

A slow smile spread across his face. “That sounds like the perfect woman for a self-indulgent assassin with obligation issues that was adopted by a pack of wolves and can turn himself into a bear at will. I will always be there for you.”

“You don’t have commitment issues.” She scoffed.

“I did until I met you.” He rubbed his nose to hers.

“The offer still stands,
Kuma
. Will you mate me?”

His smile faltered. “A mating is irrevocable, Nix. There will be no running away from the bond that we forge.”

“I think it’s a little late for that. The bond is already there I believe. Plus, I have this perfectly naked man with the hottest body I have ever seen at my disposal.” She released him and combed her fingers through the dusting of hair on his chest, giving him a gentle push. He let her go, lowering her to her feet. Nix pulled the shirt over her head and flicked the button of her jeans loose. She looked down at her shoes and sighed.

His gaze followed her down to her shoes. “Weren’t those boots your favorite?”

Nix looked up and grinned. “You noticed.” She bent and, hopping on one leg, tried to pull the footwear off.

Boris reached out and held her arm to steady her. “We’ll get you another pair…two just in case.”

She shook her head. “Can’t. They came from Brazil and sadly, that is a country I can’t be seen in yet, at least not for a long while.” She straightened.

He slipped his index finger beneath her chin and lifted her face. “Woman, I would walk through hell for you. What’s a little side journey to Brazil? Where is your sense of adventure?”

She covered his hand with her own. “Ya know I would follow you anywhere.” She chuckled. “Someone has to keep you out of trouble.” Nix slipped a hand around his neck and tugged him down for an openmouthed kiss.