The Beauty the Hunter and the Hunted

Page 9

“What's he saying?” Cinnamon asked.
“I don't know, girl,” Lilith said stroking her fur.
Distracted by his conversation Lance nearly drove his car into the side of a building, but turned at the last second.
“Are you trying to kill us?” Lilith demanded.
“No, darling, I'm trying to arrange for our trip out of here,” Lance said as the car turned another sharp corner.
In the rear-view mirror Lilith could see two black sports cars chasing after them. She sank low in the seat and prayed that bullets didn't start flying. Lance hung up the phone and shoved it in his pocket.
“My brother will be waiting for us at the airport,” Lance said.
Lilith closed her eyes not wanting to watch the city blur by her head. She heard a shot and sank lower in the seat. The bullet struck a mailbox and kept going until it collided with the side of a building.
“Looks like the hounds don't know how to aim,” Lance chuckled.
His laughter was cut short when a bullet struck his taillight shattering the case.
“I take that back,” he said and stepped on the gas harder.
“We're going to die!” Cinnamon howled.
Another bullet shattered the back window. Lilith yelled in fear. Lance quickly released her seat belt and shoved her and Cinnamon onto the floorboard.
“Stay down!” he ordered.
Lilith didn't need to be told twice. She got as close to the floor as she could and squeezed her eyes shut. Lilith concentrated on trying to hear the communications of any animals that were close by, hoping they could be her eyes and ears.
“Don't go left!” Cinnamon screeched.
Lilith repeated her words so that Lance would understand them. She feared that he might ask questions, but he took the advice and swirled the car down an alleyway to the right.
“A poodle said that werewolves were hunting down that street,” Cinnamon barked.
“That's my girl,” Lilith said managing a grin.
Another gunshot sounded in the distance, but Lilith couldn't make out where it landed. She prayed that no one was going to die for the sake of her escape.
A rain of bullets hit the bumper of the car and propelled them forward. Lilith cried out again and covered her ears. Cinnamon howled her displeasure at the loud noise cursing the werewolves and Lance.
“I just wanted a nice weekend of watching television! I didn't want to die! I'm too young to die! Now our friends are trying to kill us!” Cinnamon howled.
Lilith didn't try to comfort her, because she knew the Yorkie was right. The Lingstons didn't use guns to bring down vampires. They had more high-tech equipment for that job. They only used guns on their human enemies. Hunter had sent one of his pack-mates to kill her. Tears threatened to fall, but she pushed them back. There wasn't time to cry.
Lilith didn't like the idea, but she knew that she and Cinnamon had to trust Lance to get them to safety. She still wasn't convinced that she and Lance had been married in a past life, but that didn't matter. What mattered right now was staying alive. She felt something for the vampire, but was it more than lust?
Another rain of bullets hit the side of the car jarring Lilith from her thoughts.
“Damn it!” she heard Lance swear, “come on, baby, come on, you can do it! Just a little farther!”
“Is he talking to the car?” Cinnamon asked.
“I think so,” Lilith said not opening her eyes.
“He's crazy!” Cinnamon barked.
“Not as crazy as the mutts with the guns,” Lilith screamed.
Another set of bullets hit into the back of the car. Lilith was sure at any moment the car was going to die or explode.
“Maybe we should start talking to the car,” Lilith cried.
“Come on you lug, you can do it,” Cinnamon barked.
“We're almost to the airport,” Lance said quickly, “When I say go, get out of the car and run. There's only one plane on the strip, head towards it. Don't look back, Lilith! Run! I'll be right behind you, but I have to hold these guys back! If they damage the plane, we're fucked, love.”
“Thanks for the reassurance,” Lilith said rolling her eyes.
“Any time, love, any time,” Lance chuckled.
“Do I run, or are you going to carry me?” Cinnamon asked.
“You run, you're faster than me,” Lilith smiled at Cinnamon, “Get to the plane, regardless of what happens. If the plane gets damaged go hide. I want you safe.”
Lilith's hands trembled as she climbed back into the seat trying to stay low. She felt weak in the knees, but adrenaline was still surging through her veins. It urged her on, giving her the faith she needed to at least fight for her life. She wasn't sure she'd succeed, but Lilith wasn't planning on going down without a fight.
“Get ready,” Lance warned, “Now!”
She opened the door before the car stopped and Cinnamon sprung out of the car first. Lilith hesitated a moment, but Lance's hand on her shoulder urged her on. She sprinted out of the car towards the plane. Cinnamon was already nearing it and Lilith prayed she made it there safe. Bullets sounded from behind her and a large man tackled her to the ground.
“I'm Lance's brother, Richard,” he said before Lilith kicked him in the balls.
“Prove it,” Lilith said still tense.
He pulled her to her feet and flashed his fangs.
“Good enough,” Lilith said and continued running.
She was nearly to the plane before she realized that Richard was the vampire she had crossed in the alleyway with the woman who had given her the black sapphire ring. He was Lance's brother? Maybe Lance had been looking for her for a long time, but why didn't he make his move sooner? Nothing made sense.
“Love, you're moving too slow,” Lance's voice growled in her ear.
The vampire scooped her into his arms without missing a step. Lilith squeaked in surprise, but was grateful for the break. Her muscles ached and her adrenaline was fading away. Panting, she tried to slow her racing heart, but it was no use.
She could see the werewolves gaining on them, but there was nothing she could do to defend herself. The shock of the situation had finally worn on her. She watched Cinnamon run up the boarding ramp and onto the plane. A smile played at her lips and she passed out.
Chapter 6: Lance
“Is she okay?” Lance asked Ginger.
“She will be,” the woman said, “She's just exhausted, Lance.”
“Can you get the dog some water?” he asked, “If she thinks we mistreated her, she'll have our heads.”
“Of course,” Ginger said and left to go find a dish for Cinnamon who trotted along behind her.
“Where did it hit you?” Richard asked once they were alone.
“My shin,” Lance answered.
“I thought so,” Richard grimaced, “Let's get the shell out before the skin heals over it.”
“Thanks,” Lance said biting his lip in pain.
“This is going to hurt,” Richard said after looking at the wound.
“No shit, you think?” Lance snapped, “Just get it the fuck out of there before Lily wakes up.” Lance hissed in pain, but his brother paid him no mind. The skin was already beginning to heal over the bullet, which could lead to blood poisoning and for a vampire, that was a serious illness.
Lance dug his fingernails into the seat as his brother reopened the wound and pried the bullet out. After the bullet was out Lance panted in agony as his body worked quickly to repair the damage. Lance didn't know what hurt worse, getting injured or having his body heal the wound so rapidly.
“You need to feed,” Richard told him.
“I hope you have wine on hand then,” Lance said pulling his sock back up.
“She still doesn't remember, does she?” Richard asked.
“No,” Lance answered.
“Maybe you can get Ginger to do the ritual while she's asleep?” Richard offered.
“No,” Lance shook his head.
“Why not?” Richard asked, “You said it yourself, Lance. You know this is Lily. We all know this is Lily, and once she remembers all of our lives will be much easier, not to mention safer.”
“I can't do that to her,” Lance said.
“Do what to her, Lance?” Richard asked, “Help her remember?”
“It would be wrong and you know it,” Lance sighed.
“You're right, but I'm just trying to help,” Richard said.
“I know, but that's not the way to go about it,” Lance said, “and besides we have more important things to deal with.”
“Did I hear you correctly, brother?” Richard asked in mock shock, “Something is more important that helping Lily to remember?”
“Yes, and shut up. It's never been about getting her to remember. It's been about finding her to ensure her safety,” Lance said, even though it wasn't the whole truth.
Lance had wanted to find Lilith for a number of reasons, but most of all he just wanted her back in his arms. His life was empty of meaning without her presence. He knew that Lilith would have been safer if he had just stayed away, but his heart wouldn't let him. On the day that Lily was taken from him, Lance had sworn to find her again, to take revenge against the hounds that had killed her.
“She was a lot safer before she met you,” Richard chuckled.
“Maybe, but you know Lily, eventually she would have wanted to quit her job. She's a good person and her conscience would have caught up with her,” Lance said, “Then she would have been in just as much danger.”
“You know we can't take her to our family?” Richard asked, “At least not until she swears loyalty to us again. We can't take Hunter's lapdog into the coven-stead.”
“Lily is not a lapdog!” Lance snapped, “Think about it Richard, she couldn't go back to the Lingstons if she wanted to. Hunter sent that mutt to kill her. If I hadn't of been there she would most likely be dead by now.”