The Vow (Black Arrowhead #1) - Dannika Dark Page 0,21

don’t let me throw up in front of everyone. My stomach twisted and spun like a carnival ride, and I instantly regretted eating the food at the bar as it finally brought on its wrath of destruction. My chest tightened, my palms became clammy, and my throat slightly expanded in such a way that signaled it was getting ready to expel unwanted contents. Focus, Mel. Focus. Not in front of Shikoba. Not now.

Footsteps approached from behind me, accompanied by the distinct sound of a wooden cane tapping against the gravel. “Sky Hunter, come help this woman.”

“I’m dirty,” Lakota said gruffly.

“Do as I say,” Shikoba commanded, inviting no argument.

Lakota exchanged glances with the men standing by him then swiped his T-shirt off the ground. As he sauntered toward us, I could sense his reluctance to help.

I swung my gaze down, my legs shaky as I stood up. “I don’t need any help. Something just made me dizzy for a minute.”

Lakota feigned a smirk. “Maybe we should put our shirts back on.”

I glared at him as I scooped my purse and dignity off the ground. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

Shikoba studied my face and shook his head as he came to some conclusion. “Drive this woman and show her the way to the motel.”

“How do you propose I get back?”

“Take a room there,” he replied, stepping close and lowering his voice. “It’s a bad omen if she dies after visiting my land and eating our food. Her sickness or death will bring trouble. You must take her off this land, or else her spirit will latch on to us in the afterlife.”

“Whoa,” I said, raising my hands. “Let’s not plan my funeral just yet. Something I ate at the bar didn’t agree with me. I just need to lie down for a little while, and I’ll be as right as rain.”

Ignoring me, Shikoba continued giving Lakota orders. “I’ll send Tak over in the morning with your truck.”

“Someone’s growing roots over there,” one of the men razzed. “The bet’s not over, Sky Hunter. You still have one more throw.”

Lakota yelled back, sounding like someone who’d just received punishment. “I’ll see you boys later. I have to babysit.”

“Careful not to turn your back on that one,” another called. “She’s a trickster.”

“Nice friends you got there,” I murmured as we headed to the Jeep.

When we reached the driver’s-side door, he got in, and I stood there for a moment, staring at him through the window. Still too queasy to give him the finger, I shuffled around to the other side, irritated by his lack of manners. It wasn’t that Lakota was the shining example of a gentleman, but he’d always respected women. That was what his parents had taught him as a child.

But apparently he’d grown up to become a jackass.

Wondering why the fates were punishing me, I climbed in and buckled my seat belt. Without a word, Lakota backed out and turned around. We passed a few more of Shikoba’s packmates along the dirt road, and they watched with curiosity.

Ignoring the awkward silence, I searched the glove compartment before reaching beneath my seat. There had to be a plastic sack somewhere that I could use to get sick in. My stomach took precedence over everything else, including having a conversation with someone I hadn’t seen in years.

“What are you looking for?” he asked curtly.

I closed my eyes, struggling to think about something that would take my mind off this terrible feeling. But the more I tried to pretend it wasn’t happening, the more my mouth began to water and my stomach began to churn. Every bump in the road became torture.

“Pull over,” I croaked.

“You look green.”

When I unhooked my seat belt and gripped the door handle, the truck lurched to the right and came to a hard stop. Without a second to spare, I flung open the door and stumbled into the high grass. It was as if the smell of fresh air had given my body permission to release, and I bent over, every muscle contracting as my stomach offered a full return on lunch.

My vision blurred with tears, but the humiliation hadn’t quite sunk in yet. It was just a physical reaction, and I had no doubt that my eyeliner was officially everywhere. I walked farther out and dropped to my knees.

I swear to the fates I’ll only eat prepackaged food on my next road trip, I vowed, heaving once more. Donuts, pizza, potato chips.

Wiping my face, I cleared my mind. “Stop thinking about