Page 30 of The Dawning
LAYLA
Rebekah had insisted that we wait until I’d had a few hours of rest before we made the trek to the ranger’s station. I appreciated her concern. It was heartwarming that a perfect stranger cared. Sure, her military edict to protect those she served played a role, but outside of the uniform, I could still see she had compassion for others, and my trust in her solidified.
But with the impending storm, it was critical to leave now. Not only that, but I couldn’t rest, let alone sleep. My nerves were teetering on the brink of destruction.
I inhaled the crisp mountain air, glancing up at the angry sky. The storm clouds hadn’t opened up yet, but the earthy scent right before the rain came down was being carried on the wind. Any second now, we would be soaked and trudging through mud. But I didn’t care. The farther we hiked toward the ranger’s station, the more my excitement built. I knew it would be hours before Sam arrived, but the thought of seeing the hunky vampire was pushing me to power through the soreness in my muscles. That and his emotional speech of how he would marry me. Under the stars sounded like sunshine and heaven.Will we get the chance?
Maybe luck was on my side. Meeting Rebekah was a miracle, in my book. If it weren’t for her, Sam would’ve never known where I was. I owed the she-wolf big time.
“We have to hustle if we want to beat the storm,” Rebekah tossed over her shoulder.
We were only thirty minutes into our journey, and according to Rebekah’s estimate, we had about two hours to go or longer, particularly if I had to rest. I wasn’t planning on stopping, but my body could only take so much. The spasm in my back was still there but dulled. And the only nuisance really driving me crazy was the burn in the back of my throat.
Of course, Rebekah had heard the conversation with Sam and Dane on the topic of blood. After I’d hung up, I’d explained to her why. She’d been quick to cut her palm and squeeze blood into a glass—but the minute it hit my tongue, I’d spat it out. Her musty animal aroma should’ve been a sign that her blood wasn’t compatible, but I’d been desperate to cool the burn. Instead, I ate crackers and drank ice water—anything to take my mind off the cravings.
Sighing, I checked the sky above. We wouldn’t make it another five minutes before the dark clouds unleashed their fury.
I tucked my hands into my coat pockets and bowed my head, watching every step I took. “I’m right behind you.” The wind was brutal, kicking up dirt and dead leaves. I needed a set of goggles to shield my eyes from Mother Nature.
I picked up the pace and let my mind drift to anything other than the need for Sam’s blood or wondering whether my grandmother had people searching for me. Or if maybe she was dead. The news that she’d collapsed was more of a relief than a concern. If she couldn’t bark orders, then it was likely no one was searching for me. Rianne didn’t care about me. Granny was the only one who had a hard-on to pry me away from Sam.
For now, I focused on something happier, like Sam’s emotional speech. Another reason the adrenaline was high, giving me the burst of energy I needed to make the journey. I giggled at his promise to cut off limbs and feed them to the sharks in the Atlantic, remembering something similar I’d said to him about sharks. He and I had been traveling up to Jo and Webb’s house in Maine. I’d just found out I was pregnant, Rianne had turned on me, and she and my cousin Noah had unsuccessfully plotted to murder Sam. So my hot-as-sin vampire had been trying to soothe my nerves.
“Layla, let’s try and relax for the next two days and not think of your sister trying to annihilate your boyfriend,” Sam said.
I snorted out a laugh. “You’re my boyfriend?”
“You don’t agree? How about partners? Enemies? Fuck buddies? Pick one or two,” he said.
“Partners,” I fired back. “That’s a weird one. I’m going with enemies. Just don’t ever call me your baby mama because I will cut off your balls and feed them to the sharks.” I pointed at the Atlantic Ocean as we drove by.
The more our relationship grew, I was finding he and I were similar in a lot of ways. We were both stubborn, strong-willed, fought for those we loved, and thought along the same lines. I wasn’t enamored with his other pet name of baby mama, but it had grown on me, and regardless, he loved me. I loved him. I couldn’t wait to say I do and promise him my soul beneath the stars. I felt we had that undying love that only happened once in a person’s lifetime. We could live in a cave or a hut with no running water or electricity. As long as we were together, building our family, and we were safe, nothing else mattered. More importantly, like him, I wouldn’t allow anyone to come between us.
I’d wanted to tell Sam all that on the phone and more, but I’d gotten choked up during his speech.
A raindrop fell on my head, pulling me back to hell.
Rebekah spun on her heel. “I’m going to check out the terrain over the hill and get my bearings. It will take me a second. Stay here. These trees will provide cover.” She darted off.
Rain began to fall at a steady and heavier rate. The wind howled and kicked up leaves and rustled branches as icy fingers tiptoed down my spine.
I reached into my coat pocket and wrapped my fingers around the handle of the gun just in case I needed to use it. I would give anything to have my uncle Jack’s flamethrower right about now. I swore that if I got out of these mountains, I would beg Sam to lock me up and throw away the key, at least until these babies were born.
As if the babies heard me, an intense tingling snaked into my chest—a sign my banshee was ready to release the scream of the century. Laughing, I squinted and swiped rain from my eyes once again. My scream didn’t affect an immortal. As Steven had described the effects, their eardrums might be damaged for a bit.
Rebekah returned. “There’s an open path we can take that should lead to the ranger’s station.” She glanced at her compass.
The military woman was prepared for anything. The bag she had slung over her body contained several weapons, camping gear, and MREs or Meals, Ready-to-Eat.
I had taken one step when she held her finger to her lips and stiffened.
Fuck me.No. No. No.
I carefully searched around us, holding my breath, but jumped a freaking mile when thunder boomed.
Get your shit together, Layla. You’ve been here before. You’ve traipsed through woods in the middle of the night and faced vampires who had the strength to end you in a nanosecond. You’re a survivor. Pregnant or not, you’re not a wimp.
My inner shrink was right—if I wasn’t tired, craving blood, and my legs didn’t feel like they were about to detach from my body.
