Chapter 18

Blinded by her tears, Laylah ran. Her side ached and she was forced to slow down. She wiped at her eyes and noticed that she was in the forest behind the house. She didn't remember coming in this direction, but somehow it felt right. Strangely enough she felt at home in this place, surrounded by trees and birds.

 She caught her breath and pondered about what happened. Jacques had hit her! She touched her smarting cheek. She couldn't believe it. Why had he hit her so hard?

The sting of the slap remained with Laylah as she looked about, trying to figure out how to get back home, or at least find someone to help Jacques. It was starting to get dark and she hated nighttime. She started walking, not sure what direction to take.

The snap of a twig froze Laylah in her tracks. She strained to hear and noticed that the forest was quiet. Her heartbeat sped up and the familiar hand of fear touched her. She took two steps and the air was suddenly filled with menacing animal calls. Stifling a scream, she turned and ran.

Behind her, twigs snapped and the sounds of the pursuing animals grew louder. She glanced over her shoulder to see and tripped over a tree root. Her ankle popped as it twisted the wrong way and she fell to the ground writhing in agony. Hoarsely, she screamed as the pain radiated up her leg. She saw the bone sticking out of her flesh and she almost fainted.

::Get up! You can't lie there::

The voice in her head frightened her into an amazed and scared silence.

::Get up, now, or they will rip you to pieces!::

"Who are you?" she whispered, her ankle throbbing. She must be going crazy.

::You are not crazy, but you're going to be very dead if you don't move that cute body out of harm's way.::

Cute body? Now she knew she was dreaming, but something about the voice compelled her to her feet. She didn't want to die, but she was hurt and there was only so much she could do. "Where do I go?"

::Follow my voice. I will get you to safety. Now, run!::

Laylah obeyed, but the pain slowed her down to a fast hobble hopping movement that still managed to jar the injury. There was barely any light left and she was exhausted. The voice continued to urge her on. The sounds of the animals hadn't gotten closer, but neither had they stopped. She knew that they would close in soon.

::You are almost there. Give it everything you've got. Hurry, Beautiful.::

She snorted. "Sweet talking won't help me move any faster," she snapped, but the howl of a wolf nearly brought on a panic attack.

"I can't do this!" she wailed, her strength waning.

::You can and you will. You're here! Now climb, Beautiful, climb.::

"No way!" Laylah stared in dismay at the hill in front of her. "I'm not going to make it!" Panic set in when the second wolf howled. The setting sun's dying glow gave her the first glimpse of the animals hunting her. She blinked and gasped. Two wolves, a giant leopard, a horse and one enormous grizzly bear had cleared the forest and were making a beeline for her.

::Climb!:: the voice shouted, startling her into obeying.

 Her entire body hurt and the pain in her ankle was excruciating. It had long gone past being tolerable. She slipped when she reached for a handhold, slid down and cut her exposed belly on a protruding rock before catching herself. Panting, she fought exhaustion and continued climbing. She tried to ignore the unhappy and angry noises the animals were making below her. She wanted to be safe.

Finally, her hand touched the top and she reached with the other to anchor herself. She felt fingers wrap around her wrist. "Hey! Let go!" but the words died in her throat as she was hauled upward.

Laylah had one confused moment to catch sight of the person grabbing her — blue eyes, dark brown hair, man — before being tossed behind him. She screamed in agony from the pain that lanced her body as her hurt ankle hit a stick lying on the ground. Tears ran down her face as she fought to manage the throbbing from the injury.

She heard a growl and she wildly jerked her head up. Amazed, she stared at the wolf that stood on the edge. How had it gotten up so fast? It wasn't possible! She'd barely made it up and she had hands! Her rescuer stood two feet in front of her and she felt afraid for him. He also was blocking her view. She struggled to sit up and the sight that greeted her made her want to hide.

All the animals were on the hilltop with her and the mystery man. Everything was quiet, so still you could hear an eyelash fall. The creatures in front of her rescuer seemed to shimmer before the popping of bones filled the air and the creatures began to change. Features slid away becoming more human as the five animals went to their hind legs and grew until men stood in their place.

"You're...you're...." Words failed Laylah. Eyes wide in marvel and terror, she stared, unsure of what her sight was telling her. Wait a minute! They were naked! Her cheeks flamed pink with embarrassment. She averted her gaze and threw her hands up, covering her eyes.

"Well, well. If it isn't the mighty Donil," sneered the man who had been the big brown wolf.

Laylah peeked underneath her fingers, making sure to look at the men's faces and not lower. The one who spoke first, seemed to be the leader of the chasers. His voice had that same cruel tone Violet got whenever the older girl was about to bully Laylah.

"Hello, Gerard. What an unpleasant surprise," her savior retorted.

Her mystery man's voice was pleasant to the ears, but held a bite to it. The two men were obviously not friends.

"Move out of the way, Donil, and let us have our prey."

Prey? What did he mean by that? Wait a minute, was he talking about her? Didn't he know it was illegal to hunt humans? Laylah was starting to get that helpless feeling and along with it, a little anger at her current situation.

"She's nobody's prey, Gerard. Take your flunkies and get off my land."

 Donil shifted position and kept himself in front of Laylah.

Gerard snarled and his gang shuffled about. "No can do. The boss wants her, the boss gets her. Get him, boys, and bring me the girl."

"With pleasure," growled the giant man who had been the grizzly bear.

 She squeaked in fear as the nude men charged. Mid-air, they slammed into something invisible that bounced them away, tossing them several feet. In disbelief, she stared at Donil and wondered who he really was.

"Very impressive, Donil. I see the rumors about you are true. You are strong. But I didn't come here to lose." Gerard growled low and his gang stopped where they were.

Laylah felt the hairs stand up on her body and she shivered. A faint pressure touched her and suddenly her body grew heavy. Fear hit her and she struggled to remain upright but her body refused to work as she was forced to the ground. "Help me," she whimpered.

"Don't worry, I will," Donil assured her.

"Ha! Don't make promises you can't keep, Donil. You're weak, like the rest of your family," Gerard sneered.

"You can be such an idiot, Gerard. Maybe that's why your Alpha really keeps you around."

Laylah was amazed her protector could remain so calm and still be standing. Her own heart was racing. She wanted to live, not die on a hilltop.

"Go home, Gerard, and take your pups with you."

Gerard tried to stare down Donil and lost. "This isn't over."

"Oh, of that I'm sure. Send my regards to your Alpha."

Gerard gave an impotent snarl, barked orders to his men and they all changed back into animals and ran away with super speed toward the west.

Once they were gone, the invisible force that had pinned her down vanished. Laylah made an attempt at rising but was too spent. "Please." She didn't know what to ask for but she needed help.

Donil turned and squatted down, putting his face close to her. She found herself lost inside his gaze. Blue eyes, not sea blue but not dark blue either, stared at her in concern. He grimaced, breaking the hold his gaze had on her.

 She gulped, blushed and ducked her head, confused by her reaction to him. Why did she feel so hot? Her heart was racing, but she wasn't scared. What was happening to her? She knew her cheeks had to be a bright pink because she was extremely uncomfortable. She yelped when his fingers touched her ankle.

"Sorry about that. It's broken. I need to get you to a doctor right now."

She clutched at his arm. "Please. Jacques needs help. He was bleeding and…and." Her body began to shake so badly her teeth chattered. "What's wrong with me?"

"You're going into shock."

"Shock? Oh, is that why I feel lightheaded?" Her vision swam and Laylah knew she was going to do something silly. "I think I'm going to faint." She moaned, not liking the dizziness.

Donil scooped her up. "I've got you, Beautiful. I'll keep you safe."

"Oh, good." She sighed, closed her eyes and let unconsciousness take her.