Chapter 8

8

C reed

This is dia-fucking-bolical!

It can't get too much worse.

There are at least six males after us right now. I am sure there will be more soon. I have to think of something, and fast. I can't fight so many of them off. With the human on my back, I am slower than they are. I need to come up with another plan yesterday.

As we continue to dodge through the dense foliage, my mind races with possible strategies. The footsteps behind us are getting closer, their heavy thuds echoing ominously through the night.

Fuck!

Think! Think! Think!

I keep coming up with one idea, and the human isn't going to like it one bit. I won't be able to explain it to her. She's going to have to trust me like I asked her. Like she swore she would. I veer to the left, hoping I make it in time. I use every ounce of control I have in me to push harder and then harder still. My legs pump, and sweat drips. My breath is coming in ragged pants. I'm careful to avoid tree roots and downed branches as I go. If I so much as stumble, we will be caught.

I pray I'm going in the right direction. This feels right. It has to be. I almost cry out in relief when I see the rocky outcrop ahead. Seconds later, I scale the rocks, finding the narrow crevice I happened upon a couple of months ago. I used it in a terrible hailstorm that hit the island. I happened to be hunting in this section at the time.

I say a silent prayer as I rip off her tank top. The sound of the fabric tearing has me cringing. She makes the tiniest of gasps.

Trust me!

Please!

I let my hands grow into claws as I partially shift. I don't take it too far; still, I find myself hoping she can't make out my changed features. I will be bigger than before, too.

"Shhhh," I whisper ever so softly into the shell of her ear, feeling her tremble against me. I can't say anything more. I don't dare.

Using one of my sharp nails, I slice her arm. It's very superficial, but she hisses softly before biting down on her lip to stifle the sound. Using her shirt, I mop up the trickle of her blood, trying not to get any of it on myself. Then I urge her to take off her backpack and push Octavia into the crevice, getting her to go in as deep as she can. I hope they won't catch her scent. Octavia shuffles inside, moving deeper and deeper.

Good!

I look around; the jungle is more open in this section; shifting is possible in certain areas, this being one of them. If a dragon comes close enough to this crevice, he'll smell her. I need to lead them away from here and I need to do it now. I'm loathe to leave her, but there is nothing else I can do.

With her bloody shirt clutched in my hand, I head away as quickly as my tired legs will take me. I push myself to the limit and beyond. I can't afford to slow down, not when Octavia's safety hangs in the balance.

Before long, I reach my destination. It's the edge of a sharp gully that appears out of nowhere. The base of the gully is just as dense with trees and foliage as the area around my cabin, making it hard for a dragon to land nearby. It'll buy us time. I hook the shirt on a sharp-looking branch right on the edge. Then I drop to the ground and roll in the dirt, doing my best to get her scent off me. I kick some of the dirt and rocks over the edge. They clatter their way down the side. Lastly, I hightail it the fuck out of there.

I only hope the males on their way here will buy my ruse long enough for Octavia and me to make our escape. This is exactly what I was afraid of.

No sooner am I under the cover of trees than I hear flapping above me. There's more than one dragon circling above.

I keep moving away from the gully, taking a path I hope no one will use. I run as quietly as I can, slowly doubling back. Then I wait a few beats before turning and running back to where I left the shirt. I get there just as two males arrive slightly ahead of me. A dragon lands behind me. I hear the cracking of bones as he shifts into his human form.

One of the males lifts the shirt and growls low. "She was here."

Another one grunts. I recognize the third male as Spike; he is frowning deeply, looking down the gully.

I rush up to them, arriving at the same time as a fourth male – the male who just shifted. I'm already greatly outnumbered, particularly since they can shift out here. My ability to partially shift won't help me. I'm a sitting duck if they suspect me, which they will. I only hope I can talk my way out of it.

"What are you doing here?" Spike shouts at me. "I thought you weren't interested in the female."

"Why did you kill Maximus?" another male snarls. "What are you hiding?"

"Of course, I'm interested in the female." I grab at the shirt, snagging my fingers on the fabric, which tears a little more as Spike pulls it away.

"No!" he yells. "I found it. It's mine."

Touchy, touchy!

All of them are on tenterhooks. I can practically smell the testosterone in the air.

"I just wanted to see it," I tell him. "I went to check out what was left of the wreckage, and you were right; a human female is on the loose. Of course, I am interested in her." I look at the other male, narrowing my eyes on him. "As for Maximus, I can't have him or anyone else talk shit about me. I haven't seen the female. I haven't been anywhere near her. He likes to talk crap. I will kill anyone who speaks untruths about me. It is as simple as that." I push out my chest and let my lip curl from my teeth in a threatening snarl.

Two of the males take a step back. Good! They are right to fear me.

I let my stance relax a little. "It looks like she fell down the gully." I take a step forward, peering down. "It would be tough for a human to see it at night." I sigh, letting my shoulders slump. "The human is more than likely dead. It's a pity."

"A terrible waste," another male says.

I nod.

Spike makes a noise of irritation. "Looks like it. Although it might be a ploy to put us off her scent. This female has been very clever in staying one step ahead of us. I'm not sure how she is doing it. It's almost like she knows her way around. Or, as if she has aligned herself with someone who knows our jungle." He sniffs the shirt, then sniffs it again, his eyes darting to me. "I smell you on her clothing."

"That's because I touched it, asshole," I grunt.

"It scents too much of you for a small touch."

I roll my eyes. "Paranoid much?" Then I laugh. "I bet I can beat you down there." I shift in less than a second, hearing the others do the same. Then we are soaring through the sky on our way down. Except, I won't land down there with them because the human isn't there. I have a small window of opportunity, one I plan on taking.

Octavia

I'm quite literally between a rock and a hard place. I'm squeezed into this crack in the rock and as deeply as I'll go. I'm trying hard not to breathe loudly or move in case I get caught. My backpack is at my feet. I don't think these huge mountain men will be able to get in this deep. Not that it will help me if they find me. I'll have to come out, eventually. I mustn't think like that. I have to remain positive, even with the odds mounting against us.

Creed is gone.

My arm isn't bleeding anymore, but the wound stings. Creed had better have a very good reason for yanking off my top like that. I'm sure he's using it to make them think I'm in another location. To buy us some time, but I don't love being shirtless in a jungle full of sex-crazed men.

I'm wearing a lacy white bra. As far as I was concerned, I was getting off the island and going home. I didn't realize when I snuck away this morning that I would need to prepare for something like this. I didn't pack a spare shirt or a sweatshirt or anything. In hindsight, it was probably stupid of me. Particularly since I packed a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a spare set of underwear. Why, oh why, did I need more underwear? Then, I have a couple of bottles of water and a few protein bars. I threw a few things in a bag, not expecting to actually need any of them. I didn't give it too much thought. Right now, I wish I had.

I'm wedged in, trying hard to breathe as softly as I can. Trying hard for the hundredth time since crashing in this godforsaken place not to panic, and I'm failing.

There's shouting from somewhere down below, which causes me to hold my breath.

"Here!" one man shouts. "This way."

No!

No!

"Yes! Finally!" another one yells.

"Where is she?" a third shouts.

Crap! They've found me.

Please, no! Please!

I expect one of them to appear at the opening, but it doesn't happen. My whole body prickles with awareness, but nothing happens. The seconds feel like hours, and still nothing happens. Perhaps they didn't find me after all. They couldn't have, or they would be here by now. I wait, and then I wait some more.

Where is Creed?

What happened to him?

Please let him be okay. If something happens to him, I'm as good as dead. He's a little strange, but he's a nice guy. I can't believe I told him about that novel I read. I felt like such an idiot. He looked at me like I was crazy. Good thing I didn't tell him the title of the book: Saved by the Mountain Man . Very fitting for this scenario. Although, in the book, they end up having hot sex and falling in love, which isn't going to happen with us. There are more important things – like surviving.

The crevice gets darker, and I hear breathing. I'm not sure how, but I know it's him. It's Creed. I can hear it from the way he is breathing, but I can also smell it. It sounds weird, but it's true. He has this woodsy, musky scent with a hint of smoke. I'm sure it's from the fire back at the cabin, although I've never smelled a smokiness quite like this before. It must just be him…what he smells like. It isn't unpleasant. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that I like it. It's manly and interesting. Maybe I am weird, which is fine by me. My mother always used to say that being different is good. That there is nothing wrong with it. I embrace that now.

I reach out my hand and touch him on the side of his arm. Since he hasn't said anything, I'm going to assume he can't talk. That it might be dangerous. We could get caught. The danger is far from over. I get the feeling it won't be for a while.

It's going to take us six or seven days to get to the city. Right now, that feels like forever.

Creed does something unexpected; he takes my hand and squeezes. That small gesture brings tears to my eyes. He's risking everything to help me, and I couldn't be more grateful. We stand there for a few moments, our fingers interlaced. Then he tugs on my arm gently, urging me out of the crevice. I shuffle a few small steps and then wriggle down to pick up my backpack. I might not have a shirt in the thing, but we can still use the items inside it.

I shimmy myself all the way out. I can see better out here as the half-moon peeks out from behind the clouds. I look down, my eyes going wide. I think he might be naked, but I don't try too hard to check for sure. Actually, I don't want to know. If he is in a state of complete undress, I'm sure he has a good reason for it.

He goes down, turning away and hoisting me onto his back. Then he leaps down from the rocks, landing in a half-crouch. My heart goes straight into my throat. I'm not sure how I manage to hold back a scream. This is insane. How did he jump like that and keep his balance? He's the strongest person I've ever met. That's for sure.

Creed starts running. He isn't as fast as he was before, but he is silent. We're soon back under the cover of the jungle. I don't hear anyone following, but that doesn't mean they aren't there.

Creed stops when there is a loud screeching noise in the distance. The air in my lungs freezes as I strain to identify the terrifying sound. What is it? What kind of animal makes a noise like that? It isn't one I know. It sounds big and pissed off. A second screech tears through the night, followed by a roar. I want so badly to ask Creed what that is, but I don't dare.

Then he is running again, moving faster than before, and all I can do is cling to him.