Page 2 of A Seduction Of Death (Umbra Hunters #4)

TWO

Meyer

I keep my hand clamped over my mouth, stifling the sobs threatening to break free as Elaine's magic slowly withers around me. The magical binding she wrapped around me the moment Jesthren entered the cave releases its confining hold as her lifeless body drops from his big hand.

My eyes slam shut in disbelief, trying to decide what to do next. I hear the man I thought I could trust grunt in annoyance, the skittering of rocks under his feet shifting as he steps back.

This isn’t happening. This can't be happening!

I had managed to slip into the cell because the mindless Wraith's attention was solely on her as she killed everyone she could. I had three minutes to talk with her and devise a plan to escape as Elaine ranted and raved at how stupid it was for me to follow. Then Jesthren’s voice rang through the cave, silencing our whispered argument. At first, the sound brought a wave of relief, and I started to move out from behind the small boulder I used as a hiding spot. I paused at Elaine warning hiss and she bound me so fast I didn't understand what was happening until the door swung open.

Her magic was so much stronger than I thought, keeping me frozen in place and silent as Jesthren Darakh murdered my friend right in front of me. Tears pour down my cheeks, my chest heavy with shock and grief as Jesthren sighs in disgust.

“Get me the girl. She’s still on the mountain. Bring her here before the others find her. Meyer is the key. If I have her, our brothers will lose hope and surrender without a fight. But I have to get back to them before they suspect something.” There is another shuffle of feet, and I open an eye as Jesthren steps further from the cave I’m hiding in. “And Archer,” he whispers, making the other man still at his voice. I strain my ears, trying to hear Jesthren’s whispered threat. “Don't fail me again.”

My heart stalls at the mention of Razar’s twin, and I think I might be sick as I try to comprehend everything I just heard. Archer and Jesthren are working together? Why are they doing this? Why betray their family?

“Leave!” Jesthren bellows and I feel a cold whip of air run through the cave, making me shiver as I hear more footsteps and the unnatural hiss and rough sounds of the Wraiths listening to their master. “Find me the blonde human girl and bring her to me.” I hold still, keep my breaths low and shallow, my eyes locked on Elaine's motionless fingers as I slowly creep forward, unwilling to wait a moment longer to reach her side. I can still hear the heavy footfalls of Jesthren leaving as I get to my friend's side.

“Elaine,” I rasp, my voice barely audible to even my ears as I reach for her, my hands shaking, fingers pressing to the thin column of her swollen and injured neck. I hold my breath, my eyes closing as I realize there is no pulse, and I shake my head, refusing to comprehend what that means. “No! You can't!” I choke out, my hands moving to her chest as I start compressions, a pain like nothing I’ve felt before blooming in my chest as I perform CPR, desperately praying that, by some miracle, it will work. “Please,” I beg, as I lean down and breathe air into her lungs, then start the compressions again, working on her for so long I lose feeling in my fingers and toes. “I need you!” I whisper as I stare down at her, tears dripping from my cheeks and landing on her peaceful-looking face. “Theo! Theo needs you! Please, Elaine! Please! You can't leave us! This will break him!” I finally scream, no longer caring if something or someone hears me.

My trembling arms finally give out as I slump over her, sobs racking my body as I cling desperately to her body. “Don't go,” I whisper, knowing my pleas are hopeless. The strongest and most loving woman I have ever met is now gone—the woman who showed me kindness and was there for me no matter what, is gone. The thought breaks something in me as I cry into her fighting leathers.

After a long moment that feels like an eternity, I slowly sit up, looking down at Elaine's face. If I didn't know better, I would've thought she was sleeping. I reach out and gently stroke her soft brown hair off her face as I gasp for breath, my lungs feeling like they’re on fire as I try to regain a small amount of control.

“I wish you hadn't done that,” I whisper to her. “If I wasn't bound by your magic, maybe I could have helped.” My words come out in a choked whisper before I scoff and shake my head. Despite my words, I already know that if Jesthren had known I was here, the situation would be one hundred times worse, and my guys would be in even more danger. “Dammit!” I rasp, fresh tears pouring down my face as I look at her. “You were always trying to protect me and all the Rangers. You were a better mother and friend to us than we deserved.”

Time passes by as I sit next to Elaine’s body, holding her cold, limp hand in mine, refusing to leave her side while I try to figure out what to do next. All I want to do is cry and lose myself to the grief I feel, but I know I need to find my guys and make sure they’re okay. They need to know about Jesthren and his betrayal. Then, I need to do what I can to help Theo.

A whimper tears from my lips as I think about having to tell my best friend his mother is dead. Slowly releasing Elaine's hand, I climb to my feet, determination flooding me. I won't leave her here; I can’t.

It takes longer than I want to admit before I finally manage to lift Elaine's body enough to press her over my shoulder, grunting under her weight. She is taller than me but thinner. It’s awkward but not impossible to stand with trembling legs as I slowly make my way to the cave entrance and peer into the cavern beyond the small room we’re locked in. I try to ignore the bodies of several men lying on the cave floors, their empty eyes staring into nothingness as I carefully step over them. Sniffling back my tears, I hesitantly walk out of the cave and into the now dark night of the snow-covered mountains, the blistering cold wind setting my teeth on edge as I carefully make my way down the gradual incline that leads to the cave.

The path is well-trodden, and I sigh in relief, grateful I don't have to wade through the snow while I try to get Elaine's body back to the castle. My eyes gradually adjust to the dark, and I’ve never been so grateful that whatever happened to my body over the last few weeks has improved my vision enough to travel safely at night.

Shoving my pain aside, I cling to my anger, letting it fuel me as I move. For the first hour, I think I might be able to handle the trip back home by myself. I hold tight to Elaine, my heart heavy as I keep my eyes forward, searching the nearby trees for any threats. Jesthren and his Wraiths are still on this mountain and looking for me. But after I've walked for what feels like forever, my shoulders begin to ache, my arms and legs tremble as the path I followed from the cave ends, and I’m left trying to keep us from falling into the deep snow. A sense of hopelessness washes over me as I whip my head back and forth, trying to figure out which direction to head as the bone-chilling wind picks up, and snow starts to pelt my face. I shake my head and grit my teeth, refusing to stop.

I need to get us home and get Elaine’s body back to the castle. There is no other option.

“I can do this,” I whisper to myself, though the words taste like a lie on my lips. Tears spring back to my eyes as I try to readjust my hold on Elaine, and I wince at the pain that aches in my knuckles, the cold making my hands stiff. “I can do it,” I repeat, trying to convince myself as I take one step at a time down a steeper part of the mountain, turning sideways so I can shuffle us through a narrow path of trees.

“See,” I whisper to Elaine, trying to keep my mind off how I haven't been able to feel my toes for at least thirty minutes or more as the tears trickle down my wind-chapped cheeks. “I got this. I’m going to bring you home.” Just as I say the words, my foot catches on a fallen tree branch I didn't see, and suddenly I’m pitching forward. I desperately try to stop the fall, but with Elaine's added weight, it’s useless. I land hard on my hip, crying out when a rock digs into my side.

“Fuck!” I grind out as I lie on the ground, panting from the long walk in the snow while moving Elaine back to the ground. “I don’t think I can do this,” I finally rasp as I lie on my back and stare at the cloudy dark sky above. There is no soft moonlight, no peaceful sounds of the woods, only the howling wind and chill of the bitter frost setting in. My head is pounding from the exertion and crying I’ve done, my body feels cold and weak, and I feel… broken. The only thing I want to do is get my friend's body back to the castle, and I’m not even strong enough to do that.

“I’m so sorry,” I whisper as I lie there, letting myself fall apart once more. My tears only grow stronger as a familiar thrill of excitement races down my spine. My eyes slam closed, and I release a humorous laugh.

Of fucking course, the Beastia would find me. They always do, whether it's real life or my dreams. I don't think I’ll ever fully escape them.

I bring my hand up and wipe my runny nose, knowing I look and sound pathetic, as I take a deep breath. I don't even know if I have enough strength to stand up and defend myself, but as the sound of a haunted howl echoes through the air, my fingers move to the last throwing blade I have sheathed at my side. Palming the small weapon, I press myself up on my elbows, my arms feeling like Jello as I climb to my feet and stand in front of Elaine's body. A twig snaps to my right, and I brace myself, praying I have enough energy to fight off whatever monster is coming my way.

I twist, bringing my blade up in front of me as a dark shadow stalks out between the trees. Its soulless black eyes are pinned on me with such intensity that it brings me to my knees. Gasping, I fall to the frozen ground as I stare at the enormous Beast before me. My blade slips from my fingers as I watch him snarl and leap forward, his chest vibrating with a growl.

“R-Razar?” I breathe out through a hiccuping sob as the Beast stops in front of me, his black eyes moving from my face to my shoulders. A loud huff escapes his thick snout as he nudges my shoulder, making me groan a little as I’m pushed back on my ass. The big Beastia sniffs me, starting at my shoulder before moving down my chest and then all the way to my toes. I watch him in confusion, shocked and relieved to see him, then gasp when the Beast raises his head after he finally decides I’m relatively uninjured and lets out a threatening and angry growl in my direction. His eyes lock with mine, and I can see the fury alight in those dark eyes, an endless wave of blackness encompassing the soul and snuffing out all forms of light.

“What?” I ask, as I hesitantly reach forward and place my hand on his big snout, earning another growl as he bares his teeth at me, then snaps at my fingers. I glare at him, yanking them away as I shake my head. He wasn't even close to biting me; he’s just being an asshole.

“It wasn't my fault! I ended up on the North Ridge alone,” I hiss at him, my head and side still throbbing from falling and crying so much. “I had to follow them. She was all alone, and the Wraiths had her and…” A sob breaks through my words as I shake my head, and his Beast stops growling and steps back, taking me in with a tilt of his head like he’s trying to figure me out. The move makes him look more like a scary Demonic puppy than a murderous killing Beastia, and I almost smile through the tears pouring down my face. Cursing, I wipe at my cheeks, not wanting to look weak in front of him.

He growls as his head snaps to the side, and he leans on his right paw, a huff of air releasing from his flared nostrils when he sees Elaine's body behind mine. He takes a small step around me, his nose gently touching Elaine’s cold, still hand. A low growl rumbles through the air, the black needles that cover his back standing on end and making him look even more terrifying than before.

“I was too late. She didn’t let me help, and he killed her, Raz.”

Suddenly he’s back on me, his heavy paws pressing on my stomach and pushing me to my back, before his Beast’s nose presses to my throat, then my head, then my chest. His ears are cocked as he presses the side of his enormous head to my chest, right over my heart. I hold my breath, my eyes wide as I stare at all the black needles of his fur so close to my skin.

“Umm,” I whisper, trusting Raz not to intentionally hurt me, but he’s acting weird, and I really don't want to feel those claws dig into my skin after all that’s happened today. The air shifts around us, and suddenly, Razar’s large black form shrinks in on itself. I gasp as I stare into the green-black eyes of Razar’s human form. His face is twisted into acute rage, his long black hair whipping around his face in the wind, lips pulled into a menacing snarl as his hands rest on either side of my head that’s pressed into the snow.

“Who?” he growls out, the word so rough I almost don’t understand it. “Who, Pup?” he snarls, hands moving to my shoulders to shake me out of the shock at seeing him shift in front of me. I bite my lip as I stare up at him, a thread of fear wiggling into my mind as I try to figure out what to say. Will he believe me when I tell him it was Jesthren? That his oldest brother is to blame for Elaine's death and has betrayed them. Or will he call me a liar and ignore my warning?

“Pup!” Razar snaps, leaning even closer to me, and I swallow and close my eyes, knowing that if he doesn't believe me, it will break my heart.

“Jesthren… It was Jesthren.”