Page 36 of Into the Dawn

"She'll come through," I say to John in the darkness, trying to convince myself, as much as him.

"She better, or we're both fucked." I can almost feel his pity for me as I blow out a long breath. "I'm not saying she wouldn't want to, Ben, but Rusty’s in her head. She might want to stand up to him, but I don't know if she can. Not through any fault of her own. I love that girl, and I know she has a heart of gold. I just don't know if she's going to be strong enough to break free, even for you."

I say nothing, and as the silence stretches between us, I can practically hear the cogs turning in John's brain.

What if she doesn't help us? Then the two of us will die together.

"She'll come through," I repeat simply, because I have every faith that she will. If she can. I'm praying that Jed was just fucking with me, and that he's not setting things up so he can have her all to himself.

Shaken from my thoughts by noises from above, I push back, stepping away from the bars. There's the sound of wood dragging on wood, and multiple sets of footsteps stomping down the roughhewn steps.

Our reunion is over.

"Party time," Jed says as he appears in the doorway. His long, straggly hair is slicked back and tucked behind his ears. The lantern light catches on old bloodstains on his clothes. He has a less dirty pair of jeans on than earlier and a denim shirt. This is clearly Jed's version of dressing up.

His friends open the door while he steps back and allows me space to exit, cleverly staying out of arm's reach. The tunnel air grows thicker with their fear-scent.

"My father would have come to get you himself, but he's busy interviewing suitors for Vanessa. There's quite a long line of men up there, all looking to steal your girlfriend, Ben. I hope you can stay calm when you see what happens here. We're not asdomesticatedas you. We like to do things the old way. And Vanessa, well, if she wants to breed, she's going to have to shut up and put out."

He spit out the word,domesticated,like me and Evan have turned into cute little lap dogs that can’t fend for themselves in the wild anymore. It’s a bit of a stretch.

My beast snarls just hearing our mate’s name on his lips.

"This is so fucked up," John mutters. The despair in his voice makes my heart sink.

So much for rescuing him. We’re in even more trouble than we were before.

Jed leads me out, and I willingly walk in front, keen to get out of that prison, even if it means walking to my death. I have no idea what I'm going to do, but hell, at least it's better than doing nothing.

"What about him? I’m not leaving him down here. He’s sick." I don't want anything to happen to John while I'm gone. Maybe now that they have me, and Jed's decided he's going to take his father out, he doesn't need him anymore. He definitely won't want any witnesses who can ruin his plan to make Evan believe he's trying to turn over a new leaf.

Jed stops and turns to face John. "You want to come up here and watch your son being beaten to a bloody pulp? Fine by me."

John mumbles something, which Jed takes as acceptance of his offer, and then his door is swung open, allowing him to join us in the narrow, damp corridor.

"Don't fucking try anything." Jed warns. "You." He points to John. "Stick with me. If you even attempt to make a run for it, my beast will hunt you down and throw you on the fucking barbecue for everyone to enjoy. I miss the hunt. I could do with a chase to remind me of the good old days."

As we exit the underground tunnel, I take in a deep lungful of fresh air, my beast feeling a little better now that he can see the sky.

The cool evening breeze carries multiple scents. There’s wood smoke, cooking meat and cheap beer, and underneath it all, something wild and electric that’s making my blood run cold.

My beast strains toward that scent, recognizing our mate, even as my mind struggles to focus.

The scene before us looks like something from a nightmare. Firelight casts twisted shadows across weathered buildings, while drums beat like war calls from somewhere in the gathering darkness. Red dust swirls in the wind, making the entire compound look eerie and deserted.

Through our bond, I feel Vanessa's fear twined with something else, something making both our animals restless.

Vanessa's here. We're both still alive… But that's about the only positive I can come up with from this situation.

As Jed's guard gives me a shove in the back to encourage my feet to keep moving forward, I grit my teeth against the growing heat under my skin. Around us, the compound has become an arena, and the clan is ready to watch a fight.

So, that’s what they’re going to get.

20

VANESSA

The beating drums vibrate through my chest, making my heart pound faster and harder, and my head spin with the dizzying assault of noise. The sound echoes the pulse of the beast within me, who’s poised and ready to act, just beneath my human skin.

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