“Did Rico tell you that I’m a tracker?” He put his arm around me and tucked me under his shoulder. It wasn’t a sexual or inappropriate move, but I felt protected the same way I had around Rico.
“Of course.”
“I’ve been tracking Tye. He’s close. I pulled in when I spotted you and now I can smell him.”
My eyes widened, and the edge of panic tingled on my senses. I couldn’t look around much under Jury’s arm, but I didn’t have to wait long. Within seconds, Tye walked around the gas station. His face split into a big grin, but there was nothing happy about it. It was a cruel, sadistic expression, and it only got wider as he walked toward us.
Jury stepped forward and put me behind him. “Don’t get any closer.”
Tye completely ignored him. “Shut up.” He kept walking toward us.
Jury turned his head to speak quietly to me. “Get in the truck and drive directly to the manor. Do you hear me? Straight there.”
He was right. Rico might’ve been gone, but the look on Tye’s face was absolutely terrifying. Something was off about him.
“I have to pay for my gas,” I whispered.
“Don’t worry about that,” he replied. “I’ll take care of it.”
I jumped into the truck and shut the door as Jury kept himself between my truck and Tye. I knew Jury could handle himself better than pretty much any human. Rico had told me the dragons gave them enhanced abilities in their human forms.
My knuckles were white as I gripped the wheel hard, thinking about the look on Tye’s face. Going as fast as I could, I turned onto Main and headed out of town. The road up to the Kingston manor house was down Main street on the far end. I’d only been up this way once or twice, but it was the only road in that part of town that headed up into the mountains. Now I knew it was because all that land belonged to the Kingstons, and a lack of roads from town meant they could control if humans came onto their land.
Once I was on the gravel road headed up the mountain, I went faster, bouncing around in my truck. I came around a bend and a strange SUV was pulled off on the side of the gravel road in a small patch of grass. I blew past it, not even slowing down.
My heart raced as I realized the vehicle hadn’t been empty as I thought. It pulled out behind me, slinging gravel as it got right on my bumper.
It was reckless to go any faster on this winding, mountainous, gravel road, but I pushed the truck anyway. It was a couple of miles to the manor. I knew Maverick’s house was along the way somewhere, but I had no idea where the turnoff was.
As I turned a particularly sharp curve, the SUV hit my back bumper. My truck careened, then slammed onto its side. It all happened so fast. The seatbelt bit into me as my body tried to fall to the ground. I moaned, trying to figure out if I’d hit my head on the steering wheel.
It was over in a flash. One minute I was going around a curve and the next I was hanging from the seatbelt. Damn it. I wasn’t confused, though, so that was a good sign. I hadn’t hurt my noggin, but I had to get upright.
I twisted my legs out from under the dash and instead of popping the seatbelt free, I slid out of it. If I’d let it go, I would’ve just collapsed in a clump on the passenger window.
“Freeze.” The deep voice meant business. Someone stood outside the truck, pointing a gun through the front window. “Climb out the driver’s window.” He stood just to the side of a bright ray of sunshine, obscuring his features. It wasn’t Tye, though. Did Tye have men working for him that would go to these lengths? This was insanity. Like something from a bad action movie.
I nodded and looked forlornly at my purse. The stun gun was in there. If I could grab it, I might have a chance.
“Don’t even think about it.” He must’ve seen me contemplating my purse. “Whatever you’re itching to grab, leave it there. I guarantee I can pull this trigger before you can reach it.”
Fuck. How had this happened? Maybe I was a little fuzzy.
“Climb out!” he yelled. His voice sounded more panicked than before. I scrambled to do as he said, using the steering wheel and still-buckled seatbelt as leverage. The man still stood in front of the truck, but a second set of hands reached in and grabbed me, yanking me up and out faster than I ever could’ve gotten myself. I cried out as broken glass from the window scraped across my arm.
As soon as I had my feet on the ground, I started fighting. I’d learned a thing or two over the years and stomped the man’s instep as hard as I could.
Nothing surrounded me but woods. But damn, I was safer in Kingston woods than anywhere else. I was surprised these men were brave enough to do this on Kingston land.
I ran as hard and fast as I could, uphill, trying to stay somewhat parallel with where I thought the road was. I held my arm close. I could tell it was bleeding, but not how badly; I didn’t have time to stop and look.
The men stayed on my heels. If I tripped like the idiot women that were always being chased in horror movies, I wouldn’t be able to get up. Fear, panic, and adrenaline kept my legs pumping.
I also knew they had at least one gun, so I didn’t run in a straight line. Thankfully, there were lots of trees to provide cover. Their loud footfalls and panting breaths as they chased me helped me be sure they were moving
