Page 96 of The Last Sanctuary

“Over here!” Scorpio called. His voice was unusually high and shaky. He’d wandered across the clearing and now stood behind the Mountain Laurel bush.

Something lay crumpled beneath the large bush near the opposite edge of the clearing. The sodden fishing hat, brown as dirt, barely visible through the sheeting rain.

Scorpio pointed at something on the other side.

Raven knew what it was.

He’d found the body. Or what was left of it.

And there, a few yards from the bush, beneath the shagbark hickory trees—something else glinted wetly. The rifle she’d been forced to leave behind.

Dekker, Vaughn, and Cobb crossed the clearing to join Scorpio. Dekker and Vaughn swore. Cobb stumbled backward, hand over his mouth in disgust and horror. His face went ashen beneath his beard. He turned his head and retched.

“So that’s what happened to Gomez,” Dekker said.

“Those damn wolves tore him to pieces,” Vaughn said in awe. Like he was impressed rather than horrified.

Raven clenched her jaw and said nothing.

The Headhunters milled around the wide matted circle of the kill.

“Here’s an arm,” Scorpio said.

“I found a leg,” Cobb called.

If she ran now, she wouldn’t get far. They’d hunt her down easily.

Raven eyed her rifle beneath the trees, lying in the underbrush. It was visible only if you knew where to look. Twenty yards, if that.

She would have to run straight across the clearing, grab the rifle, and start shooting before the Headhunters could reach her.

Even then, she might take down one or two, perhaps three if she were lucky, but there were ten of them. Too many.

Unless, of course, they were otherwise engaged.

She yanked at the plastic bindings digging painfully into her wrists. The rifle was a moot point without her hands free. It wouldn’t be easy to get to the whittling knife stuffed into her pocket, and she needed the knife to cut the zip ties.

Approaching footsteps commanded her attention. She glanced up. Vaughn and Dekker strode toward her. Vaughn’s face was a mask of rage in the rain. “Bring her here!”

Beside her, Damien tensed. He stepped in front of her. “For what?”

Dekker’s flinty eyes shone with sadistic anticipation. They were dark as beetle shells. “Time for this little slut to make good on her promises. If she can.”

“I told you,” Raven said. “The den is just past the hickory trees on the other side of the clearing. I swear it.”

“We looked over there. No den,” Dekker said.

Damien’s jaw pulsed. He tightened his grip on her arm. “Leave her alone.”

“Where’s the den?” Vaughn kept his gaze laser-focused on Raven. He barely glanced at Damien. “I’m only going to ask you once.”

Raven’s heart hammered against her bruised ribs. “It’s here, just through the trees?—”

Dekker’s eyes narrowed. “Liar.”

“I told you what would happen if you played me.” Vaughn’s tone flattened. He nodded at Dekker. “She’s all yours."

Dekker’s smile bristled with sharp white teeth. “With pleasure.”