"Damn you, Hank."
The sudden sound of Eleanor's voice made Maddie jump. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed they hadn't noticed she was awake.
"How was I to know he'd already been inside? I told you, he came around the side, and the windows were shut." Hank's voice was an odd mixture of contempt and fear.
Eleanor gave an unladylike snort. "Shut, but not locked, you fool."
Opening her eyes a little, Maddie saw Hank hunker down in the seat. "We still got one kid—can't we just go kidnap another?" This time there was definitely an edge of fear to his voice.
"I told you, we need the Maxwell kid for the ceremony— there's not enough time to go through another cleansing."
"Barnett's probably handed him over to the police by now."
"No doubt." Contempt ran through her sharp voice. "But the police station is the least of our problems."
Hank grunted. For several long minutes, the growl of the engine was the only noise to be heard above the heavy pounding of rain against the windows.
"Stop here." Eleanor leaned forward in the seat as the car jerked to a halt.
"Get the kid out of the trunk."
Maddie shut her eyes again. The car doors opened, then there was a sharp rap of boots against loose gravel. I should run while I have the chance. But what hope would she have against Eleanor, who had the shape and speed of a panther?
The trunk opened, and Maddie risked a quick peek again. The dark branches of an old Christmas-tree type pine hung low over the car, protecting it from the worst of the weather.. They were somewhere in the mountains, obviously, but beyond that there was very little to be seen.
Eleanor and Hank dragged something out of the trunk before slamming it shut. The second kid. The certainty made her stomach turn. She'd been so worried about Evan that the safety of second teenager had slipped her mind entirely. She bit her lip, then slowly levered up on her elbows.
Hank and Eleanor where about twenty feet away, carrying a bundle wrapped in blankets down a steep incline. Now was the time to run. She sat fully upright and studied the area. The dark outline of trees met her gaze. A small dirt road disappeared past the pines on her left, and on her right, past the huge old Christmas tree, the land rose sharply. If there was anything else to be seen, it had disappeared into the rain.
It would be stupid to run when she had no idea where she was—or if there was even help nearby. Running might not achieve anything but making Eleanor angrier—and Maddie had a feeling that was something she might not live through.
She lay back down on the seat and, after several minutes, heard Eleanor and Hank returning. But only one door opened. The front seat squeaked as Hank climbed in, then the engine started.
"Now remember," Eleanor's usually mellow voice was sharp and cold, "dump our hostage and find where they've got the kid. I doubt if Barnett will agree to an exchange, no matter what his feelings for the woman."
"I've seen the two of them together. He'll come for her."
"Maybe." Eleanor's tone made it obvious she didn't agree. "Just find the kid, Hank. Remember, if you want your life extended again, you need that kid." The door slammed shut. Maddie kept her eyes squeezed closed. The wheels spun as Hank took off, and for several second the car did nothing but drift sideways. Hank cursed fluently, and as if suddenly fearful, the car surged forward. She didn't know whether to feel relieved or not. Granted, she was free from Eleanor's sharp gaze, at least for a while, but she still had Hank to contend with.
She frowned slightly and wondered what Eleanor had meant in her last statement. Life extended again? Did that mean this was not the first time she'd extended their lives through magic? Sure, sixteen kids had disappeared, but would Eleanor need a blood sacrifice every month to extend her life? And Hank's?
She didn't know, but she had a feeling Jon would. She rubbed her thumb against the cold metal ring on her finger. Its presence was oddly comforting, if only because she knew he'd come back for it. She wasn't alone—someone was out there, looking for her.
The car bumped along, the rhythm oddly hypnotic. After what seemed like ages, it slowed and turned. The rain eased as suddenly as someone turning off a tap. Out the back window she saw a garage door closing behind them. Her stomach rolled. She closed her eyes and listened to Hank getting out. After a few minutes the back door opened.
Hands grabbed her shoulders and hauled her out. She kept her eyes shut and forced herself to relax. Her only chance of escape might lie in convincing Hank she was still out of it.
"Christ, how can a little thing like you be so damn heavy." His mutter was almost a curse as he hauled her up and over his shoulder. She watched his feet move across the concrete, then heard a door open. The rain and the cold hit them. Moisture ran down her back and around her throat as he hurried across the wet grass.
Where in the hell were they? She risked shifting slightly and saw the vague shadows of a house and trees. And below them, the dark outlines of other houses. They were back in Taurin Bay—or at least on the outskirts of it, anyway. Hank's house maybe, or Eleanor's.
The scream of a hawk suddenly cut across the rainswept silence. Hank yelled, letting go of her legs as he dove out of the way. Air swooped past her. Maddie had a brief glimpse of brown-gold wings as she tumbled from Hank's shoulder. She hit the ground hard and grunted in pain, struggling to breathe and briefly seeing stars. Hank cursed and reached for her. She kicked out at him and heard the hawk scream again. As Hank's gaze jerked skyward, she rolled away from him, heading down the hill towards the house, and as far away from him as she could possibly get.
The hawk swooped, and Hank's scream of terror filled the air. Maddie thumped into a tree and struggled to a sitting position. Dizziness hit her and, for an instant, her vision blurred. She shook her head and took a deep breath. Rain dripped hotly from her nose. She ignored it and watched the hawk sweep around for another attack.
Hank ran for the trees. The hawk circled around, then with a flick of its wings, came back to her. As it neared, a gold haze crawled over its form, and the hawk became Jon.
"I didn't think you'd find me so quickly," she said, blinking back tears of relief and pain.