Rescue in the Smokies (Durham Wolves) Read online

  It always amazed him that humans could see so poorly. “It’s right here.” He grabbed the windbreaker from the bench and handed it to her.

  As she tied it around her waist once again, he said a silent prayer of thanks to whatever god had aided in keeping her shoulders bare so he could admire her torso on the walk to freedom.

  “Coming?” she tossed over her shoulder.

  “Be right there.” Deep breaths in and out. His dick ached. He tried to get the fellow to calm down in vain. Adjusting himself with a grimace, he tugged his T-shirt as low as he could to hide the evidence of his discomfort.

  As if that would work.

  When he finally came up behind Juliana and put his hands on her shoulders, she was standing outside the cave, her breath held, her gaze wandering around their surroundings.

  “It’s so beautiful. How often do you get to see the center of the forest right after a rainfall? The sun is even peeking out as if it never happened.” The awe in her voice made him glance around, seeing nature in a new light. How had he never noticed it before? She was right. Flecks of shimmering light glinted off the drops of water on the leaves, casting tiny, sparkly rainbows everywhere.

  He’d lived and run in the forest all his life, and it took his mate to make him see the world through new eyes.

  He could fall in love with this woman.

  Where did that thought come from?

  A sharp inhale only made things worse, her scent flooded his nostrils and seeped into his body unbidden to mingle with the fresh smell of rain and earth and the sprouting buds of spring.

  “You okay?” She turned her face to glance at him over her shoulder.

  “Right as rain, love. Better than ever.”

  She smirked. “Are you always so poetic?” She turned to him, breaking all contact, hands on her hips. “You sure look smugly content for a man who didn’t have sex.” An eyebrow rose in mock question.

  “What can I say? Making my woman scream in pleasure is more than enough to bring me peace.” Hardly fucking true, but it sure sounded good.

  “Your woman?” She smiled, belying the intention behind the question. “I feel like a commodity. And this from a man who seems to think he owns me after a hike in the woods and the queen of all make-out sessions in a cave. Hmph.” The grin still hung in place. She knew her world had shifted. It was written in the crease on her forehead. The blush spreading across her cheeks. She just didn’t know quite what that entailed yet.

  But he had her.

  Wrapped around his middle finger, the one he’d used to bring her to orgasm. Twice.

  With a smirk of his own, he took her hand and started trekking south, toward the road and civilization. As much as he loathed returning.

  Down, boy, he repeated to his dick. You’ll get a turn…eventually.

  Chapter Eight

  The last mile to the main road wasn’t as easy as the first, as far as the traveling was concerned. The tension had disappeared, an easy camaraderie having developed between them that lightened the load on Serg’s shoulders and made his spirits lift until they nearly floated.

  But the hiking was brutal. Water streamed down the mountain, creating little rivers and pools they had to occasionally wade through when there was no other way to cross.

  He worried about Juliana’s wet boots and soaked feet. She’d rub a blister if they weren’t careful. And he slowed the pace considerably with that in mind, watching her face for any signs of distress.

  She showed none, of course, and insisted she was fine. She’d hiked wet before. She claimed she’d climbed several miles a day on occasion and sometimes the skies let loose.

  She teased his overprotective side.

  “Serg, I’m fine. Just get me out of here.”

  Eyes to the ground, she kept moving, stepping over anything she could and traipsing right through the middle of whatever was unavoidable.

  Sure, she hiked a lot. He got that. But this was different. Nobody gallivanted around off the beaten path like this for great lengths. It wasn’t safe. Even Sergius didn’t do it. You never knew what you might step in or on.

  “Look.” He took her hand in his and pointed in front of them.

  “Thank God.” Her smile stretched clear across her face. “Didn’t think we’d ever see concrete again.”

  The road was ten yards away. In a moment, Serg heard the sound of a motor and dashed the last distance to stop whatever vehicle might be headed down that stretch of pavement.

  His luck got even better when the sheriff’s slow-moving cruiser pulled to a stop as he burst from the trees.

  Juliana bounded right into the back of him, catching her breath.

  “You’re a sight for sore eyes,” she shouted over the motor as James climbed from the cruiser. “What luck.”

  “Hardly luck at all, ma’am. I’ve been driving back and forth along this stretch for the last several hours hoping you two would pop out along here somewhere.”

  She stepped out onto the pavement and followed James back to the patrol car. He popped the trunk, opened a cooler and handed them both a cold water. “Thirsty?”

  “Parched.” Serg took the dripping bottle, unscrewed the top and chugged three quarters of the cool liquid down before pausing.

  “Serg here is the best at finding lost hikers in these woods, even when all my volunteers fail.”

  The radio at the sheriff’s waist beeped. “Hardin?”

  He grabbed the device and pressed a button on the side. “I have her. We’ll be on our way to town in two shakes.”

  “Fantastic. Got someone here who’d like to say something.”

  “Go ahead.”

  “Jules?” The female voice was wracked with worry.

  James held the mic up to Juliana and nodded. “I’m here, Vanessa. I’m fine. Tired and hungry.”

  “Thank God. We were worried sick.”

  James pulled the mic to his own mouth. “We’ll have her back to you in a few minutes.” He replaced the receiver on his belt. “Damn thing’s kinda antiquated, but it works like a charm out here where there’s no signal. Were you carrying a cell phone, ma’am?”

  “Yes, but I seemed to have left the camera on and it died.”

  “Is there anyone else you need to call? We can’t reach very far on this radio, but you can call your family back at the station.”

  Juliana shook her head. “No. I don’t have any close living relatives.”

  James opened the passenger door and motioned with a hand for Juliana to get in. Serg climbed into the back seat behind her.

  On the way to the station, James asked Juliana numerous questions about what had happened to her yesterday.

  Serg hadn’t said much about McKinney during the walk, not wanting to frighten her any more than necessary while they hiked. But now he sat back and listened as she recounted everything that had happened from the moment the vamp had lured her off the path until now. She even shuddered and crossed her arms as she told the saga.

  She’d been shaken. Still was.

  “It seems so strange,” she muttered. “I’ve never gotten lost before. I felt like I was in a trance. All night. As though I were drugged. Even the stars seemed to move around in the sky and keep me scattered.”

  That was McKinney all right. The man definitely had enthralled her somehow. Controlled her thoughts. The idea made Serg cringe. He gripped the leather seat on both sides of his thighs with his fingers.

  The vampire had lured her into the woods for a reason. Whatever that reason was, it still existed. He’d no doubt the bloodsucker would come after Juliana first chance he got.

  When they reached the base, Juliana leaped from the car before the engine was off and ran into the arms of the two women standing on the curb. A giant group hug was followed by three sets of tears and smiles.

  How women could be happy and sad at the same time, he’d never understand.

  Serg ambled over to them and stopped a few feet away. They all spoke at once while Juliana retol
d the story for the third time today. Although the version was pointedly shorter and less frightening when she told her friends.

  “I’m so sorry I scared you,” she stated when she’d calmed down. She looked from one to the other and then turned around. “Sergius, this is Vanessa and Charlene.”

  The women gasped. Charlene even put a hand over her heart. “This is the man who led you out of the forest?”

  “Yes.” The look of pride on Juliana’s face made him smile.

  “God, I’d happily get lost any day of the week if that’s the kind of man they send in to retrieve lost hikers.” Vanessa didn’t move as she spoke, her words serious and flirty.

  Juliana hit her playfully on the arm. “Vanessa!”

  “Just sayin’.”

  “Can I take you ladies to lunch?” He’d rather be shot than have to share his mate with anyone at this point, but it couldn’t be avoided. Until the three women got it out of their systems, he was stuck waiting on them to grope each other and make sure all limbs were still intact and no one was in eminent danger of dying.

  “I’ve never been so hungry in my life.” Juliana’s shoulders sagged with relief. “Please.” She looked around and smiled.

  Sergius followed her gaze to the hole-in-the-wall diner across the street and nodded. “Jasper’s. Great burgers. Especially if you’re famished. Just a sec.” He headed over toward the sheriff who still fiddled with something in the cruiser. “Taking Juliana and her friends to lunch across the street. We’ll be back. I’m sure you need a statement.”

  “Sure. I’ll be here.”

  Serg turned, smiled at the women and spread an arm out in the direction they were headed. “After you, ladies.”

  Giggles erupted and Juliana slapped both her friends on the arm. “Stop it. You’re embarrassing me.”

  He didn’t know why. The friends of the woman he intended to spend the rest of his life with thought he hung the moon. What could be wrong with that?

  In moments, the four were seated in a booth at Jasper’s, Serg on one side with Juliana pinned against the wall, Vanessa and Charlene on the other, all gaga-eyed, tossing repeated looks in his direction. Was he that fantastic to look at?

  It’d been a while since he’d spent any amount of time in town, hanging with the locals, but he couldn’t remember anyone ever acting quite so…drooly…in his presence.

  Perhaps it was the hero factor. He’d saved their friend from certain death—in their eyes anyway.

  When the waitress came over, chomping a huge wad of gum on one side of her mouth, Sergius glanced up at her. “We’re starving.”

  “Okay. What can I get you?”

  He turned to his mate and raised an eyebrow. “Burger? I promise you’ll never have a better one.”

  “Perfect.”

  He glanced at her friends. They both nodded assent.

  “Four burgers, fries and fountain drinks.” His stomach rumbled and he wasn’t even the one who hadn’t eaten for a day.

  “Cokes?” The waitress snapped her gum and jotted down their order with a flare. As if the woman couldn’t remember the simple fare between the booth and the kitchen.

  Everyone nodded and she went back to the kitchen.

  The women jabbered all at once again. He had no idea how they knew who was talking to whom or when to respond. His brain was tired, and he just watched them and the dance of their limbs and lips as they spoke over each other, hand signals sending arms flailing in every direction.

  He set the arm closest to Juliana on her thigh and squeezed. He couldn’t stand not touching her, and he wanted her to know she was still his. Even though they were no longer lost in the woods, he wanted her. Intended to have her.

  She tensed for a moment and then relaxed into his touch, even reaching below the table for a moment to squeeze his hand with hers.

  It was all he needed. Acknowledgement that they were okay. This wasn’t over. She wouldn’t tell him to “take a hike” when they walked back outside.

  His fingers grazed her thigh while she talked to her friends, and he watched her face flush, knowing he did that to her. She angled him a look with narrowed eyes that said “watch it, buddy”, but her legs parted slightly at the same time, giving him even more access to her center. Over the scent of fried food and grilled meat, he could smell her arousal and chuckled softly to himself.

  She wanted him.

  She needed him.

  She was his and he would have her. Soon.

  Huge plates of food landed in front of them. The silence was a welcome relief when everyone dove into the juicy burgers and hot, crispy fries. It was after the lunch crowd. Not many people in the diner at this hour of the day.

  Juliana moaned around a bite and closed her eyes as he gazed at her. Grease ran down her chin and he reached instinctively to wipe it off with his finger, and then sucked the juices into his mouth.

  Luckily no one seemed to notice. Her friends would have had a field day with that one. But they were both concentrating on getting catsup out of the bottle at that moment, and the intimacy belonged only to the almost-lovers.

  Juliana swallowed and gazed into his eyes. She bent to take a drink of Coke, never losing eye contact. No emotion showed on her face, but the subtle desire in her eyes did not escape him.

  “Can we go home after this, Jules? Have you had enough hiking for one weekend?” A glance at Charlene proved she was smiling jokingly at her friend.

  “I know you guys have to get back, but I think I’ll stay a few more days.” Juliana took another bite before glancing at the faces frozen mid-chew in front of her. “I mean, I have to speak to the police, answer questions, sort things out. There’s still the issue of the man who led me astray, you know. If this is all his fault, he might do the same thing to someone else.”

  “True…” Vanessa gulped her food and continued, “But we can’t leave you here.”

  “Sure you can. I’ll be fine.” Juliana waved a hand in front of her. “I bet Sergius would be willing to entertain me if I get bored…waiting on the cops and all…to wrap up their investigation, you know.” She squirmed next to him, and he had to hide his grin behind his uplifted glass of cola.

  “Uh, huh.” He wasn’t sure who muttered that line of understanding, but both ladies resumed their meals, smirking repeatedly at Juliana. They weren’t stupid.

  Secretly, Serg was so excited his insides were doing a dance. The woman he was going to spend his life with had just made a pile of lame excuses to her friends so she could spend more time with him. I’m one lucky bastard.

  Sure, what she’d said was true. It would help if she stayed around a few days to talk to the sheriff and answer questions, but he knew she was just blabbing at the mouth. She likes me. Convenient. He couldn’t keep his emotions under control. He was known for being rather stoic. Smiling was not his style. But damn if this woman hadn’t thrown him off his game.

  “Wait, where will you stay?” Vanessa’s brow furrowed. She had a French fry in one hand, dangling in front of her lips. “The hotel is booked. They’re waiting for us to get out this afternoon and—”

  “She can stay with me.” She will stay with me. I’m just glad everyone is making it so easy… Don’t smirk…

  Charlene’s mouth fell open and she turned to Juliana. “Jules, are you okay with that? I mean…I, um, can see you two have…” she waved her burger through the air, glancing back and forth between Juliana and Sergius, almost comical considering the serious slant of her eyes, “…some sort of chemistry, but you don’t really know each other.”

  Juliana glared at Sergius and then reached across the table and laid her hand on her friend’s. “I’ll be fine. We just spent several hours together. He’s harmless…sort of…” She glanced at him, her cheeks pink, one eyebrow raised. “Besides, it’s not like he could chop me up and bury me in the yard with the cops knowing where I am.”

  The look she’d given him spoke volumes. Her eyes were slightly glazed over and she took a deep breath.
When she gripped his knee beneath the table, he stiffened. The little minx was as aroused as he was and eager to finish what they’d started. This mating thing was great. Even though she was human, her attraction to him was no less than his for her.

  “’Kay, Jules, just so you know,” Vanessa began, “that’s not comforting.” She shivered as though a cold wind had blown through the restaurant.

  Juliana startled from staring at Serg and twisted back to her friends. “I’ll be fine.”

  “We expect updates.” Vanessa leaned back and pushed her plate away. “And don’t do anything I wouldn’t do—”

  “On that note, who’s ready to go?” Time to halt the chick banter before he lost his lunch. He stifled the smile forming on his mouth and got up to pay the bill.

  All three women argued about his paying as he walked away, but he didn’t turn around. What sort of gentleman would pass the bill around the table?

  The sun had emerged when they stepped outside, and they had to squint to see each other on the curb.

  Charlene spoke first. “Well, I really have to get back tonight…if you’re sure you’ll be okay here alone.” She glanced at Serg in trepidation.

  Juliana put an arm around Charlene. “Of course. You guys go on ahead. I’ll rent a car and drive back as soon as I can. You both have jobs and responsibilities. I’m footloose and fancy free still, at least until I find a job, or a life.”

  Sergius fully intended to provide her with a life.

  Hugs went around and then Charlene and Vanessa left after Juliana promised to call them every day with updates.

  First things first. They had to go back to the sheriff’s office. Reluctantly, Sergius guided his tired mate into the police station where it took only a few minutes for James to get everything he needed from her.

  She sat in a chair across from the sheriff while Serg hovered behind her, shifting his weight back and forth.

  Neither man wanted to make a big deal out of what had happened to her, but they both knew from her description she’d been hunted by McKinney. She was not safe by any stretch of the imagination.