The Wolf's Surrender - By Kendra Leigh Castle Page 0,76

sharing, including his wallet, a fact which had caused some amusement among the others as they’d divvied up the cash inside. They seemed to think he’d turned tail and run away. Jeff doubted it, but that was nothing the others needed to know.

If they understood, they would likely run too. They thought he meant to give them power. But really, what he’d needed was their muscle, their ability to go where he could not and pass for sane. Maybe they would be rewarded with a new life, or maybe they’d simply be chewed up and spit out, drained in the Shadowkin’s impending feast. He didn’t know, and he didn’t care. His moments of lucidity were fewer and farther between now. He could hear echoes of Mia in his head all the time, talking, laughing, weeping. He dreamed of his mouth on hers, her blood on his hands. Was it real? Was anything, anymore?

At least none of the others seemed to have heard the soft and questioning whispers in the dead of night, echoing through the woods. But he did. He heard the shadows calling to one another, gathering.

Jeff knew he and his men were being watched, had been watched since their arrival. His dark friends were making sure he did what he was supposed to, that he stopped screwing up. As long as nothing else went wrong, he himself had been promised safety, immunity from what was to come. The fact that the Shadowkin had, in all likelihood, lured one of his men out to be feasted upon was a little irritating. Still, better Troy than him. The rest were expendable.

For now he rested, saved his strength. Went over the words he’d memorized by heart, ancient words, given by a dark figure with red eyes. And dreamed of shadow.

Chapter 18

Despite the fact that he’d said he wanted to talk to her, the car was silent on the ride back to Jenner’s house. He seemed to be trying to come up with something—the anxiety was something Mia could actually identify as a scent now. Part of her wanted him to try...and the other part just wanted to grab her stuff and run.

She wouldn’t, though. She’d seen it in his eyes when he’d started to understand, even if he didn’t want to. He had so much to give, even if he was afraid to. Even if he ended up closing himself off to her. But she wasn’t ready to walk away.

He’d taken a risk with her once, against everything he’d promised himself.

So now she’d take this one last chance on him, that he really was the man she’d fallen in love with.

Mia was so lost in her own thoughts that she only halfway noticed when the truck turned down the long country road off of which sat Jenner’s house. The sun shone intermittently through the clouds that had gathered, dappling her lap with sunlight. He made the turn into the drive, tires crunching on gravel.

They were halfway to the house when Jenner’s muttered expletive pulled her back into the moment with a rude jolt.

“Damn it,” he growled. “Hang on.”

Mia jerked her head up. Jenner was frowning into his side view mirror and accelerating toward the house. She turned to look behind them and saw a large black SUV tearing up the driveway. She felt her stomach do a roll, and her heart began to pump rapidly as her adrenaline kicked in.

“Is it Jeff?” she asked.

Jenner’s jaw was set, and he looked furious. “Looks like it is,” he said in a voice that was little more than a low growl. “And he’s brought company.”

She didn’t have time to digest all the implications of that. She only had a split-second to register that Jeff and whatever thugs he’d found to help him were finally making their move, and that the odds weren’t good, when Jenner wrenched the wheel to the right and headed into the grass. The truck bounced on the uneven ground, but Jenner managed it. He turned again, and the tires slid a bit, but they kept going. She saw what he was doing, trying to arc around and get back onto the driveway behind the SUV, pointed so they could get back on the main road and get out of here.

Unfortunately, whoever was driving the SUV was an adept driver as well. The bigger truck spun, and pointed itself in the same direction, driving beside and just slightly behind Mia and Jenner and lining up so they could pull along Jenner’s