After [A Journey of the Twins Novel] (16 page)

"Hunting?"

"Yeah—like the girl. Ruben promised us lots of gold for find'n a girl with a big cat. He even showed us the gold before we left.” A glint filled his eyes. “He didn't say how he came across it, and we didn't ask. All we was interested in was the payment ... and the fun.” Brent winced because the grip on his arms had tightened during the conversation.

"How many of you are there?” Shyanne hoped the man's guard was down enough for him to answer the question without thinking.

Brent hesitated. “There are fifteen of us left after the cat made a mess of things.” “I can take you to the ones you look'n for. I know where they are in the camp.” The restrained man looked at Shyanne, hope in his eyes.

"We'll get back with you on that, Brent.” Shyanne punched him hard across the jaw, causing his head to rock back and forth, effectively knocking him out.

Drayco let go and watched as Brent fell over on his side. “What do you want to do? He took too long to answer. That tells me he's lying."

Shyanne walked a few paces away from the unconscious man. Drayco followed. “I think we should check out the camp before daylight. Our chances of getting caught are less with the darkness covering us."

"I agree.” He tipped his head in Brent's direction. “What about him?"

"We tie him up and hide him. His boss will think he fell asleep somewhere."

"I wonder who this Boss is and why he's going through all this trouble to find you,” Drayco pondered.

"Right now, all I want to do is find Drizzle and Joseph.” Shyanne sighed heavily, rubbing her eyes. She was exhausted from the long ride and the lack of sleep thereafter. “Let's scout out the camp. We can get some rest after we're done. If they move before we return, we can shadow them and wait for a chance to free our friends."

"I'll tie him up first. Then we'll go."

Brent had revived and slowly risen to his feet while the twins planned. He was almost around a large group of rocks when Drayco spotted him. He shuddered as the dark man's eyes locked onto his, and ran.

"Help me! Help me! The girl's over here! Over here!"

"Damn!” Drayco growled. He started after the fleeing man, Shyanne right behind him. “We have to shut him up! Fast!"

They could hear the sentry as he wove his way ahead of them. The twins were gaining, but not quick enough. Drayco scrambled up onto the rocks to try to cut him off. Shyanne continued on the ground, increasing her speed as she ran. They had to shut him up or the camp would know they were there. She rounded a large stone and saw her prey directly ahead. He was about to disappear from sight when Drayco landed in front of him, blocking him.

Brent slid to an abrupt stop and yelled at the top of his lungs, “
Help
! I need help!"

Drayco snarled and leaped at the man. Brent ducked down and flipped Drayco into the wall behind him. He stood up to continue his forward momentum toward camp. Shyanne was on his back before he could move. She pounded on his head and upper body as hard as she could.

Drayco recovered immediately from the unexpected toss. He smoldered with anger at being fooled so easily by this worthless bit of a man. He walked up to Brent, grabbed his hair, and yanked hard, knocking him off his feet. Brent and Shyanne went down in a tumble of arms and legs.

The dark man threw himself onto the struggling man's body, pinning him to the ground. Shyanne saw what was coming and was unable to get away. She was trapped beneath Brent. Her eyes widened with fear as she watched Drayco snarl like a feral beast. He sank his teeth deep into the soft exposed neck and pulled out a large chunk of flesh. The only sound from Brent was a quick intake of breath when the pain from his ravaged neck registered in his brain.

Blood splattered all over Shyanne's face and upper body. Drayco latched onto the spurting wound created by his teeth, cutting off the flow. She wanted to get it out of her eyes; her arms were pinned by the two men on top of her. The metallic taste of blood coated her mouth; it made her gag with disgust. Her breath came in ragged gasps. She wanted to scream. It was difficult enough to breathe because of the weight on her, much less cry out. She tried to control the rising panic. Her fever crazed nightmare after the rizbak attack returned in full force. The only difference was Drayco wasn't biting her.

The blood running in her eyes temporarily blinded her. Unfortunately, her hearing was working all too well. The sound of sucking and slurping filled her very being. The fear at what might happen when the blood flow stopped was almost unbearable. Her heart raced faster and faster.

With his eyes closed, Drayco quenched his inner need with a thirst powered by hatred, hatred for those who were after Shyanne. He savored every drop from the severed artery; it filled him with a sense of euphoria. Lost as he was in the blood drinking frenzy, he failed to notice his sister's agony. The man under him quit fighting as his lifeblood drained. The flow stopped when he died.

The rushing sound in Drayco's ears gradually subsided as he let go of the dead man's neck. He heard an odd sound beneath the body. Opening his eyes, he saw his sister covered with blood, a panicked look in her eyes as she tried to breathe. A bluish color surrounded her lips. He scrambled to his feet and hurled Brent's lifeless body off her.

Shyanne rolled onto her side, gasping, savoring the sweetness of fresh air once she was free. She frantically rubbed at the blood on her face, trying to get it off. The action only smeared it. Drayco reached out to help her; she flinched away from his touch. He backed away, hurt by her reaction.

"I'm sorry, Shyanne. I'm so sorry. I just wanted to kill him before he got away. Before he let all the others know we were here. If I had only known ... If I had only opened my eyes and seen...” He could tell he was rambling. He couldn't stop himself.

He knew now that the virus had come between them like nothing else ever would. Drayco turned away from Shyanne. He walked to the rock wall and curled into a small ball, his face buried in his hands. He loved his sister dearly. It had taken him so very long to find her, and now he might lose her forever. Even seeing the fear and disgust would be better than never seeing her again. He finally admitted it; he was tired of being alone.

Shyanne watched as Drayco backed off and went down into a ball. Her heart broke at the sight, but she could not make herself go to him, not yet. She had to get herself under control first.

The whole attack, escape, and recapture took only a few minutes, yet it seemed like hours had passed. No alarms sounded, and no one was running around frantically searching for anything. It appeared luck was on their side. No one had heard the shouts from the doomed man.

Using the sleeve of her shirt, she wiped her eyes and face. By the time she finished, she had come to terms with her fears. The dream that haunted her was just that, a dream. It could continue to haunt her until it became a reality, or she could put it to rest. Either way, it was a matter to be dealt with on another day. Right now, her brother needed her.

She moved to Drayco's side. He gave no indication of knowing she was there. Reaching out, she placed a hand on his shoulder and felt the muscles underneath tense.

"Drayco? Are you okay? Can you look at me?"

The dark twin refused to look into his sister's eyes. He knew what he would see: the fear, the hatred, the pity. He remained curled in a tight ball, unwilling to face the inevitable.

"Drayco, please, look at me. I know you didn't mean to do what you did.” Shyanne continued to touch his shoulder. “I'm sorry I acted like I did. I couldn't help myself ... I was afraid. You are my brother, and I love you very much. I know you would never do anything to intentionally hurt me."

Shyanne squatted next to Drayco and wrapped her arms around him. She knew if he didn't come around soon, they'd risk discovery when a replacement came for Brent. The fear at what she had just experienced was still fresh, but she had to bury it deep if she was to help her brother. Shyanne talked to him in a soft, soothing voice, combing his hair with her hand while she spoke. She felt his body start to relax.

Drayco listened to his sister's words. She sounded calm, not in the least bit disgusted.
I only hope her eyes match the tone of her voice
. He slowly looked up.

A pink hue blended with her tanned skin, and the blood made sections of her hair stiff. With dread, he gazed into her blue eyes. Although they were filled with caring and love, she was unable to hide the fear he saw deep inside. He reached up and grabbed one of the hands holding him, giving it a gentle squeeze. He knew for her sake, and for the sake of the others, he had to pull himself together. With a sigh, he stood up.

He extended a hand and helped her to her feet. “We have lost companions to find."

Shyanne watched his face transform from that of a lost child to that of a steely soldier. After a brief pause, she nodded her head in agreement. “Let's go."

Drayco followed Shyanne toward the camp. His stomach was still in complete knots, but he gave no indication of the inner turmoil on his outward appearance. Through the years, he had learned to hide his feelings, even from those who thought they knew him well. The twins wove their way through the rocky terrain toward the glow seen earlier. They dropped to their bellies and crawled quietly onto a shadow-covered rock to observe the camp's activities below.

Tents were pitched in a circular pattern within a sizeable clearing amongst the rocks. About two dozen people strolled between them, going about their business. Fires burned in several places, lighting up the area, and accounted for the glow they had followed. In the center, a man was tied to a large wooden post standing upright from the ground. His head hung down and his arms were at a painful angle behind him.

"Joseph. Drayco, there's Joseph.” Her whisper was soft; he almost didn't hear it.

Drayco put a finger to his lips and pointed over her shoulder. A guard stood on another boulder several paces away. His back faced them as he watched the outer perimeter of the camp. The man never turned around. If he had, he would have seen the twins crouched close by. They moved deeper into the shadows to avoid being seen while they continued to check out the area, and look for Drizzle.

A mountain of a man emerged from a large tent close to the captive. His long, black hair was tied back to keep it away from his strong, handsome face. His body appeared to be one giant muscle, not an ounce of fat showed anywhere. His arms and legs were as big tree trunks, and he towered above the people around him. Shyanne and Drayco looked at each other, seeming to think the same thing. This must be Ruben.

They watched as the big man sauntered over to the prisoner. He stopped inches from Joseph, an arrogant half smile on his face, and seized a handful of hair. Jerking the bowed head upward, Joseph's bruised and battered face appeared. The glare he gave the big man said he still had some fight left in him, though. Ruben let go and words were exchanged.

The prisoner must have said the wrong thing because in the next instant, Ruben backhanded him. Joseph recovered from the sudden blow and glared once more at the monster standing before him. The twins were too far away to hear what was said. They understood the body language well enough.

Shyanne's heart ached at having to watch what happened to him, knowing she was unable to stop it. At the same time, it swelled with pride at the way Joseph handled himself.

She frowned.
These conflicting feelings are becoming a nuisance
.

It was odd that she cared for Joseph almost as much as she cared for her family. What made this man so different from the others, and in such a short amount of time?

She returned her attention to the scene below. Ruben paced back and forth in front of Joseph. The twins could see his mouth moving.

"I wish we could hear what he's saying,” Drayco whispered.

"We can't risk getting any closer. We might be discovered, and that would ruin any chance of a rescue."

"I know. But it's hard to see this go on and do nothing about it."

"I know what you mean, Drayco.” Tearing her gaze from the prisoner, she glanced around the camp. “I wonder where Drizzle is. Brent said they didn't kill him, but I don't see him anywhere."

"Ruben probably has him hidden in one of those tents. He knows you'll eventually come for your cat. When that happens, he'll have you. That's what I would do if I wanted to capture you."

"We'll meet that son of a rizbak soon enough—but on our terms, not his,” Shyanne said through clenched teeth.

The big man halted once more in front of the fair-haired prisoner. He leaned close, his nose mere inches away, his arms clasped behind him in a typical military stance. Joseph met the stare with his own cold, hard gaze, showing no fear. Ruben started to talk again. The prisoner kept his mouth shut, refusing to answer any questions. Suddenly, Ruben straightened up and slammed his fist into the side of Joseph's head.

The hit rocked the captive sideways as far as the restraints allowed. He slumped over and did not move. Ruben observed the unconscious man, his arms folded in front of him. A sneer spread across his face. He turned and strode toward his tent when he knew nothing more would come from the one before him.

He barked some orders concerning the prisoner to the nearby guards. They jerked to attention. One guard's response time was not fast enough for Ruben. He flew over and knocked him to the ground. A kick in the rear followed. The man leaped immediately to his feet and snapped to attention once the abusive commander backed off. With a satisfied nod at the quickness of the man's recovery, Ruben went inside his tent.

Shyanne was shocked at how quickly the big man became violent with everyone, including his own people. She glanced at her brother. Drayco's face was grim, his jaw clenched. His eyes smoldered with anger. She looked back at Joseph's unconscious form.

Drayco indicated with a hand signal that they should back off after Ruben disappeared inside his tent. They slid off the rock to the ground below, beyond the sight of the guard who stood near them, and crept back to where they had left Brent's body.