Page 14 of Dark Wolf Soul
Behind him, night has cloaked the lonely highway in complete darkness. There’s not a single other car in sight. Far in the distance, a shadow of mountains looms, and I try to figure out where I am, but it’s not enough to go on. Lakeland is already smack dab in the center of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and we clearly haven’t left the area entirely.
“Do you promise to behave if I let you ride up front?”
I don’t answer.
He straightens and steps back, letting me climb out of the backseat.
The moment my feet hit the gravel shoulder, I start running.
Unfortunately, my bare feet are no match for the sharp rocks, and my run turns instantly to a pained limp.
He catches me immediately, wrapping one strong arm around my waist and lifting me clear off my feet like I weigh nothing at all.
I open my mouth to scream, but he covers it with his other hand. I breathe in the scent of his skin, hating how much I like it. My body reacts like the traitor she is as the memory of being this close to him earlier tonight slams into me. How much I’d wanted to give him more than a lap dance.
Now, he’s going to take whatever he wants, whether I give it or not.
Backtracking to the still-open car door, he sets me on my feet but keeps his arm wrapped firmly around me. His hand releases my mouth, and I suck in a breath before screaming again.
“Help!”
Something sharp pricks my neck, the unexpected pain cutting off my scream. A second later, the pain is gone, and the stranger is tucking something away then adjusting his grip on me.
“What the hell was that?” I demand.
“Relax. It’s not going to hurt you.”
“Liar.”
The hand around my waist spins me so that I come face to face with my captor, my back against the open car doorframe.
In the darkness, I look up into a pair of glacier blue eyes that are filled with fury as they glare down at me. His full mouth is downturned into a frown that borders on a snarl, and my heart races at all the things he’s probably going to do to me now.
“I have a sexually transmitted infection,” I blurt, fear making me babble on. “You don’t want to touch me. You’ll get a rash, and it’s gross, and you’ll be sorry and—”
“Whoa. Geezus, relax. I’m not going to do anything like that.”
“You’re not?”
“No.”
“Then what…”
Whatever drug he stuck me with kicks in. My limbs suddenly feel like they weigh a ton. My knees buckle, but his arms come around me and keep me from crumpling. His movements are sure and quick as he tosses me into the car. He leans inside, reaching for the seat belt. While he’s distracted, I manage to land a solid punch to his jaw that has him cursing and backing off a little.
“You hit me.” He looks more stunned than angry.
“What the fuck else do you expect, asshole?” I glare at him. “You can’t kidnap a girl and expect her to go along willingly.”
He bites off his response, shaking his head irritably. “Fine, you want to escape, be my fucking guest, but we’re in Indigo Hills now, and if anyone else finds you out here, I can promise they won’t be as nice as me.”
He straightens, holding the car door open wide.
I launch myself out the open door but immediately fall to my knees as the drugs he gave me paralyze my limbs. Even climbing to my feet proves impossible, so I lie there, cussing and calling him every name I can think of. Which is a lot.
He stands over me, staring down at where I lie on the gravel. “You have a colorful vocabulary.”
The amusement in his voice threatens to send me over the edge.
