“Do you have another one of those?” She motioned to the sword as she jumped over a power cable. They were only a few feet from the forest and she pushed harder, knowing the faster they got to the woods the better chance they had at survival. And then they were there. The trees rose up to surround them, almost protectively as they ran.
Kellsie was breathing hard, her lungs working like a bellows to pump air in and out of her body. Her legs ached and her clothing was plastered to her skin with sweat. She could no longer hear anyone behind them, but that didn’t mean they’d shaken their attackers. It only meant her pulse was pounding so hard in her ears she couldn’t hear anything beyond the fast, heavy thudding sound.
“Can you use one?”
It took her a second to remember what she’d asked him. “Yeah,” she gasped as she ran. “Stunt training. Revenge of the Samurai Vampire.”
Marko looked stunned by her admission. Then he laughed. It was such a joyous sound and so out of place it made her laugh too. She grinned at him, unable to help herself. His laughter was infectious. God, this was crazy. She was running for her life, fleeing demons and Hades himself and she’d never felt more alive.
Marko’s sword disappeared and another one reappeared. This sword was shorter but no less deadly. They slowed slightly but kept moving steadily on an uphill grade. She dug the toes of her sneakers into the ground for purchase on the steep incline. He handed her the weapon. “Go for their neck and eyes. They’re most vulnerable there. And their heart.”
“Got it.” She’d never killed a living thing in her life, not even a mouse. Could she do it? She tested the weight of the sword. Damn right she could. Those things chasing them weren’t living.
They reached the top of the slope and Marko dragged her behind a huge boulder. She leaned against it for support and sucked in much needed air. Her thighs were quivering and her calves were burning. Her entire body was shaking, begging for respite. But there would be none, could be none. Stopping meant certain death.
“Where are they?”
“Behind us.”
“Why doesn’t Hades attack us himself?” That bothered her. He was a god. He was certainly powerful enough.
“His power carries a signature. If he uses too much in this realm the other gods would know. He doesn’t want to attract that kind of attention, not until he’s ready to launch his offensive.”
Okay, that made a weird kind of sense. “What about Mordecai?”
Kellsie sensed Marko’s pain. “I don’t know.” He turned to her. “You’re tired. You can’t go on much longer.”
“I can keep up.” No way was she being left behind.
Marko cupped her face in his hand, leaned down and kissed her. It was such a soft kiss, barely a touch of their lips. “Thank you for believing in me.”
Kellsie squirmed beneath his praise. She’d had her doubts, but he didn’t have to know that. “Yeah, well, not like I had much choice.”
He rubbed his nose against hers. “You had a choice.” He turned his head and listened. She could hear nothing, but she knew he could. “They’re getting closer and you’re too tired to go on for much longer.” Before she could protest, he continued. “You need to ride me.”
“What?” He couldn’t be thinking about sex. Not at a time like this. Not that she wouldn’t love the opportunity to ride him, but still, this wasn’t the time or the place.
Her core clenched at the mere thought and she knew it was official. She was crazy. This was so not the time to be thinking about sex. She opened her mouth to tell him so but he was already talking.
“I can carry you in my bear form. I can move faster and all you have to do is hang on.”
Boy, was she glad that shock had kept her from opening her mouth and inserting her foot. Talk about embarrassing. While she’d been thinking about sex, he’d been thinking about their escape. She nodded, ignoring the arousal still pulsing low in her body. “I can do that.”
Marko didn’t wait, his big body beginning to shift. She’d seen him do it several times now, but it was still incredible to watch each and every time. His limbs reshaped and fur covered his body. His face morphed, his jaw extending and his forehead flattening. In the blink of an eye, the man was gone and the gigantic bear was there in his place.
She swallowed hard. It was one thing to know Marko was really a massive bear. It was quite another thing to actually witness the change. He was larger than any known bear, more like a prehistoric one, if they’d even had bear-like creatures back then. She really didn’t know and it didn’t matter. She was stalling. He was really rather intimidating in his animal form.
He huffed at her and she knew he was urging her to hurry. She went to his side and tried to figure out how she was going to get on his back. There was no bridle or stirrups to help.
As if sensing her problem, Marko lay flat on the ground. She took a deep breath. She could do this. If she could face Hades and his demons, she could darn well ride the bear.
She quickly scrambled up. The sword got in her way and she eased it through a leather loop on her tote bag. The blade sat flat against her side. She hoped it would hold. Last thing she wanted to do was lose it or stick herself with it. Wouldn’t that be embarrassing? She dug her fingers into Marko’s massive shoulders, clutching at the fur. With her legs wrapped tight around his flanks, she dug in her heels. “Giddy up.”
Marko peered over his shoulder, seemingly not at all impressed as he climbed to his feet, or paws in this case. She shrugged. “Seemed fitting.”
He huffed and took off running with a burst of speed. Kellsie slipped to one side, almost falling off before she managed to right herself. She clung to his neck and sides with all her might as he powered through the thick woods, moving closer to the base of the mountain and upward.
Marko zigzagged between huge Douglas firs and around spruce and cedar trees, always seeming to know where the easiest route lay. She could hear the chatter of squirrels and the rustle of other small animals as they scurried out of the way. The wind made her eyes water and she blinked and looked to the side, trying to see more, but the world whipped by at a fast rate.
Kellsie could hear the shouts of the demons behind them, but their yells got more distant the higher Marko climbed until she could no longer hear them at all.
It seemed too easy.
Hades commanded who knows how many demons. Granted, only about sixty or so were on the movie set, but they should have had more trouble escaping them. Was this all part of some nefarious plan? Kellsie didn’t know, but it was definitely something to think about. She’d have to ask Marko what he thought as soon as they got wherever it was they were going.
The sun was high in the sky, but they were in such dense forest it only flickered between the thick branches from time to time. She got used to the play of heavy muscles beneath her as Marko moved steadily forward.
The bear was untiring as he continued upward. The motion was almost like being in a rocking chair or a hammock. The heat from his large, furry body was better than any feather mattress. Combined with the warmth from the sun and the fact she’d gotten little sleep last night, it was no wonder her eyes were heavy. They closed several times and she forced them open.
Her stomach growled, reminding her of how little she’d had to eat the past twelve to twenty-four hours. Marko must be starving, considering how much energy he had to expend carrying her. She was thirsty too.