Born Of Night

Chapter Five

The man bent over her. Hot, fetid breath spilled over her face and chest. He stank like a dog, his feral stench turning her stomach. He growled and nuzzled her breasts roughly, as if she’d invited him to touch and taste.

She strained against her fleshly bonds, but the hands holding her down yielded nothing, allowing her not even the slightest movement.

Hopelessness crept into her, growing like a cancer.

Jessica gnashed her teeth, unwilling to succumb to it. She swore to kill them if given the chance.

In the distance, a dog howled at the moon. She wondered dimly if it was one of Gabriel’s werewolves prowling the night. She’d never be so lucky.

The man on top of her halted suddenly, sniffing the air. He snarled, growling deep in his chest, like a Doberman giving warning to a trespasser. Jessica felt her heart and lungs freeze--there wasn’t enough air to breathe.

One of the others snapped his jaws, growling in response. The hairs raised on her skin, shivers crawling over her like swarming ants. Why didn’t they speak? Their animalistic behavior kept pushing her to the edge, panic dulling her mind. She swallowed against the rising tide, trying to keep calm.

The man between her legs stiffened, twisting against her thighs. He released her abruptly as something came crashing through the night with the force of a barreling semi. The hands holding her arms and legs disappeared, ripped away. Jessica gasped at the bruising wrench, the sudden freedom. She scrambled upright, pushing her dress down, peering into the shadows. She couldn’t see anything. She felt like her eyes were closed, like this was a nightmare come horribly to life. Jessica continued scrabbling back, until cool stone pressed against her back. She kicked her feet out, waved her hands in case anyone came near.

In the dark, the men snarled and growled like pit bulls at a dog fight. Jessica didn’t know if she was more scared or relieved. Had some guard dog come to defend her?

Feet scuffled on the worn path, grunts echoed meaty strikes.

“It’s because you are pups I don’ kill you for dis,” a voice growled in the dark to the accompaniment of heavy thuds.

Jessica’s bones nearly melted from her body at the velvet drawl she’d recognize anywhere. Gabriel. Somehow, he’d come for her, known she was in trouble.

Jessica huddled on the ground, not daring to move lest she distract him. She wanted to help, but she couldn’t see a damn thing and she was too scared she’d injure him if she entered the fray.

Something liquid splashed against the ground next to her feet, and the coppery scent of blood filled the air as the beatings continued, interspersed with painful groans and shouts.

Finally, after what seemed like an hour of unbearable tension, someone touched her shoulder. Jessica startled, looking up to see the faint, star framed silhouette of a man above her.

“Chere?” Gabriel asked.

“Gabriel!” Jessica breathed in relief, getting to her feet. She hugged him fiercely and felt her thin dress soak through with sweat or blood or both--she couldn’t tell. He ran his hands against her back in soothing circles.

“Did they hurt you?” he murmured against her hair.

“No. Nothing I can’t handle.” She pulled back, wishing she could see him. “Thank you, Gabriel. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

He stifled a groan and slumped heavily against her.

“Oh my god. You’re hurt. Gabriel, where is it? Where are you hurt?” His silence unnerved her. Jessica felt around his body, but she couldn’t find anything that could have weakened him so much--unless it was something internal. The thought galvanized her. “We have to get you to a hospital.”

“No,” he said and pushed away from her.

“Yes.”

“No,” he said emphatically. “You can ... take me ... home.”

He sounded like he was just before passing out. She couldn’t blame him. He’d run off three men nearly as big as he was, and from the sound of them, they’d been insane. She didn’t have time to be impressed. They had to leave before the thugs had a chance to come back. “I’ll take you home. But first we have to catch a cab or something.”

“My car is out front,” he said, and leaned into her for support.

Jessica stood under his arm and they hobbled their way to his car--an old Camaro, its color indistinguishable in the faded dark.

She followed his directions, and he fell asleep as she drove up the Ponchartrain Expressway, getting off once they’d passed the fair grounds. A wooded area came into view, and she stopped at the first house as he’d instructed: a sprawling two story Victorian with a gazebo and porch swing on one end, interconnected with the porch curving around the house.

Jessica didn’t stop to admire the house, pulling the Camaro onto the lawn along a roughened patch of dirt until she neared the front entrance. She stopped the car and switched it off, giving Gabriel a concerned glance before she got up and went around to help him.

He came awake as she opened the door and got out on his own, but Jessica fussed and continued to help him walk. It was just like a man to try and be macho about serious injuries. She didn’t know about his, but she wasn’t about to take any more chances than he was already forcing her to take.

The front door was unlocked, which she found oddly trusting considering the state of this day and age, but she pushed it open and went through. A long, wide hallway shot straight through, past the narrow staircase, to the back door, and large rooms parted off from each side.

“Dere’s d’livin’ room,” Gabriel said, pointing to the right tiredly.

Jessica shuffled to it, feeling on the wall for the light switch. She found it easily enough, flipped the lights on, and guided him onto a worn, leather couch facing an old TV. He collapsed on it, closing his eyes and throwing an arm above his head. He was wearing the same basic outfit she’d seen him in before: Jeans and no shoes or a shirt. Blood smeared his chest and throat, and she knew she had to clean him off to properly to assess the situation.

Jessica left, in search of a bathroom or a kitchen. She found the kitchen in the back of the house on the left. A small cupboard above the sink revealed clean dish rags, and she pulled several out and wet them before returning to Gabriel.

She stopped in the doorway, watching him a breathless moment as she waited to see the rise and fall of his chest. Breathing a silent thanks, she went in and dropped onto the hardwood floor on her knees, leaning over his chest as she slowly wiped the blood away.

There were no wounds anywhere, not even the beginnings of bruises. She kept wiping at him until she’d cleaned his chest, then moved up to his throat and face.

Gabriel slept through her ministrations. Still, she found nothing, no wounds to explain his weariness. She changed rags and cleaned his arms and hands. His knuckles were only slightly reddened, when she’d expected to at least find them split open. She frowned down at him, wondering how he could be unscathed after a fight like that.

Some residual blood clung to a patch of skin bared by a rip in his jeans, and Jessica wiped it away, flushing as she realized how close she was to his groin. She looked back at his face to see if he’d woken up, and nearly choked when she saw him watching her with a hungry look to his eyes.

He looked at her with such heated interest, she could almost swear she knelt before him naked.

“Gabriel, are you okay?” she asked with a breathless little whisper.

He said nothing as his hand snaked out and grasped the hand still holding the towel, lingering near his groin. She dropped it and it rolled down his hip into the cushion of the couch. Jessica gasped as he pulled her toward him, closer, until she was laying splayed atop his bare chest, her mouth inches from his own.

His faint, warm breath made her insides quiver with anticipation. If felt good to lay on top of him, with her breasts squashed into the hard planes of his chest, her belly melded to his rippled, washboard abs. She felt as malleable as molten metal.

His mouth curled into a satisfied smile. Jessica was caught between the urge to strangle him for making her worry, and the urge to kiss him breathless and wipe the grin from his face.

“You weren’t even hurt, were you?” she asked with an exasperated, accusing breath.

“I was wounded more than you know, chere, t’think you cou’ be harmed.”

The reminder of what had almost happened made her shudder, and his eyes darkened until they appeared almost black. A primal look flickered in them, strengthening as he pulled her head down to greet his lips.

Jessica gave in to him, her concern weakening her defenses. Her lips throbbed under the insistent pressure of his mouth, and an electric thrill of excitement rippled through her veins, dancing like heat lightning before a storm. He nibbled her lips, coaxing her, running his hands over her back. Her skin sensitized to the pressure of his hands, and suddenly she had too much clothing on. She wanted to know what it would feel like to mold against him, skin to skin. His whispery touch made her burn, sent her blood pulsing through her body.

He hooked a hand firmly around one thigh, pulling it up and over his hips to settle against the opposite side, hoisting her off the floor until she lay on him completely, pressing him deep into the soft folds of the couch. Her dress rode up from the movement and position until she felt air in places that had never seen the sun.

His mouth grew rough, hungrier to have her above him. Her pulse thundered, echoing in the tight clench of her pussy. His right hand eased around her back, a thumb skating against the side of one breast. Jessica trembled with excitement at his daring, the steady pull of his hand on her thigh, the touch at her breast.

Jessica moaned as her legs parted and his jean clad erection connected with her bare cleft. He thrust upward with rough, sensual promise. She’d forgotten her panties were gone ... until his hand slid up her thigh and he cupped one bare buttock, slipping his fingers in the bottom cleft of her cheeks. Her skin suddenly sensitized, his possessive fingers lighting a sizzling fuse in her body.

Heat curled through her slit, and Jessica gasped at the feel of those callused digits strumming a heady tune on her nether lips, dangerously close to the core of her femininity. He played with the wetness he aroused, smoothing it on her lips to cool in the air, skimming through her swollen folds as though she belonged only to him.

Jessica whimpered into his mouth, jolted with the white hot pleasure shimmering between them.

Distantly, her subconscious railed against giving in, but she could no more resist him than she could cease breathing. She was helpless against his devouring mouth, helpless to keep from drawing further under his spell.

She groaned and plunged her tongue into his mouth, rubbing her body against him, eager to put the fire out that raged in her blood. Her clit throbbed with the rough abrasion, the frantic movement of her hips. He tasted addictively sweet, as delicious as chocolate, as potent and stimulating as coffee. She drowned in his scent and the molten feel of his muscular body trapped beneath her.

Gabriel growled and sucked her tongue, digging his hand into her ass cheek, slipping his fingers into her pussy from behind. She wanted to scream from the pleasure of it, the tight stretch of two fingers pumping inside her, curling into her with deliberate, probing strokes.

Jessica broke away from his mouth, arching her head back as he kissed along her throat with sucking, nibbling kisses. He scored her flesh with his teeth. Shivers chased over her skin.

“Your scent drives me mad, petite. I wan’ to taste you all over,” he whispered, his voice hoarse with passion and need. He nipped her throat, marking her with tongue and teeth and lips. Jessica’s nerves jolted down to her core. Her body wept with the fierce, demanding need.

Small, harsh whimpers escaped her, marking a change in him, a ravenous intent that hadn’t been there before.

An animalistic growl vibrated from his throat as he thrust his fingers into her again.

Harder. Her pussy creamed with the forceful drive. She felt the excess trickle down her parted folds to her clit, soaking her, soaking his jeans. Her womb contracted with a hard, violent spasm of pleasure. The strength fled her muscles. She moaned mindlessly, rocking her hips on him, trying to envelop him in her heat. She was empty deep inside, where not even his fingers could reach, needing the thick heat of him within her, begging for it with every jerky move, every shaky breath. Her clit throbbed with achy want, engorged to the point of pain. Each brush against his hard cock had her pussy spasming near ecstasy.

Her mind shut down to everything but the steady, driving pump of his fingers, pushing her toward rough climax. She felt herself getting closer, and moved on him with mindless abandon.

A harsh voice interrupted them like a dowsing of ice water. “What is this?” it demanded gravelly.

Jessica came off Gabriel so hard, she landed on the hardwood floor with a bone jarring thud to her knees. She ignored the pain, pushing her dress down her legs to stare up at the intruder, wide-eyed with shock.

If god had any mercy, she would have died of embarrassment on the spot. Her pale skin turned bright pink, the heat of desire changing to the burn of shame.

Gabriel sat up on the couch, giving the intruder a look to kill. “What are you doing here, Nardo?” he ground out, standing, his chest rising and falling with sharp, angry breaths. His hands fell to his sides, clenching and unclenching with repressed violence.

“Your demands are not important....” He trailed off as Jessica stood and moved beside Gabriel.

The man was huge, looking like nothing so much as a muscle-bound wrestler. His insolent stare lingered on her breasts, and Jessica covered them uncomfortably, moving closer to Gabriel as if she could melt into his side. She wanted to slap the knowing look right off the man. She worked up her anger, eager to put her embarrassment behind her.

“I have as much say in the pack as you do ... and every right t’claim a mate,”

Gabriel ground out.

The man laughed, grating on her nerves, keeping his eyes trained on her. He looked like he would jump her at any moment, and what desire Jessica’d had quickly slipped away as nervous fear took over.

His laughter subsided, and a cruel glint entered his black, soulless eyes. “Gabriel,”

he growled, “did you really think you could keep her from us?”

Nardo “escorted” her and Gabriel outside, keeping steady watch on them both as if expecting them to bolt at any minute.

Outside on the lawn behind Gabriel’s Camaro, a truck waited. As they came out, the driver looked up at them and started the truck. It came to life with a deafening roar, and a chug of smoke rose from the tail pipe, clouding the air like city smog.

“Where are we going?” Jessica asked, wanting nothing so much as longer legs or faster feet ... or a gun. She despised this feeling of helplessness and not knowing what was going on.

“A meeting’s been called. You’re the guest of honor,” Nardo said behind her, snickering. She felt his eyes bore into her back and buttocks, and it took supreme effort of will not to cover her cheeks with her hands. Or turn around and knock his head off.

Gabriel said nothing to Nardo, but his tension was evident in every move of his body and the angry clench of his jaw muscles. He seemed ready to snap at any moment.

Jessica didn’t know what to think about what was happening. That intuitive warning she’d ignored before came back full force. She should not have ignored her inner voice. She should’ve left town without answers. But then, she would likely have never met Gabriel....

Nardo pulled the back gate of the truck down, and Gabriel helped her climb up. She settled down in the back, the metal cold against her back and buttocks, making her shudder. Gabriel climbed up and sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, pulling her tightly against him. His heat made her feel better, warmed her when she felt unaccustomedly cold. Jessica appreciated his comforting, protective gesture, but she didn’t know how much good it would do them.

Nardo closed the gate and sat across from them, ever watchful. Jessica drew her knees up to keep her feet from touching him. He noticed her movement and sneered at her before turning slightly to the driver. He tapped the back window and the driver took off, heading West, further down the road that passed in front of Gabriel’s house. The truck picked up speed, bouncing them in the bed and sending plumes of dust into the air like a thick fog.

The dark swallowed them whole as they left the lighted yard and drove down the oak shrouded road. The moon’s light pierced the thick canopy marginally as they progressed, and Jessica gave up trying to keep up with where they were going, since it didn’t seem to make any difference--they were headed in a straight line.

She snuggled against Gabriel, comforted by his presence and fearful of what would happen. The nervous fear had her stomach tied in knots. She hated the feeling.

Normally, she could handle herself pretty well, but there was something infinitely bizarre about the whole situation. She was completely out of her depth. If she’d known from the start what trouble she would dig up by trying to find her birth parents, she damned well would have brought her gun ... and enough ammo to take out an army of Rambos.

Jessica closed her eyes and tried to ignore the piercing stare across from her, not that she could see him, but she inherently felt that he could see her. Her skin prickled like she was being watched. She felt like throwing dirt in his eyes just for the satisfaction of it.

The truck slowed and swayed as it turned, and Gabriel tightened his arm around her. He still hadn’t said anything, and hadn’t tried to kill their abductors. She wasn’t sure if that was good or bad, but she’d rather see anyone’s blood but their own spilled.

They moved down a road narrow enough the tree branches scraped the sides of the truck. She thought perhaps they were going down some hunter’s trail, or possibly a long, winding driveway. The truck stopped after several more minutes of driving.

Jessica looked around but even with her eyes adjusted to the dark, she could see nothing but trees and more trees, and little patches of light striking the ground.

“Get up,” Nardo said roughly, kicking the gate open and jumping down.

Gabriel hopped down and Jessica sat on the edge, her legs dangling. He wrapped his warm hands around her waist and lifted, helping her gain her feet on the ground.

A woman came up, startling Jessica with her sudden presence. “I’m to take you with me,” she said in a cold, angry voice, grabbing Jessica’s wrist with a bruising grip.

She’d never felt more violent in her life than she did tonight. Everywhere someone attacked her. She’d had enough of it. Screw being a lady. Jessica pulled back. “No.”

“You mus’ go with her, chere. It’s d’only way. I’ll come for you soon,” Gabriel said reassuringly.

Jessica didn’t feel the least bit reassured. “I said no.”

“You don’t have any choice,” the woman ground out, tugging her forward.

Jessica dug her heels in, grabbing Gabriel with her free hand. She was just before ripping the woman’s hair out.

“Please, chere, for me.”

She sighed and released him. “Okay. You have to come back for me. I don’t want to be wondering if you’re dead or alive all night.”

“You know I live ta please, cherie,” he said, and she could hear the smile in his voice.

“I’ll kick your ass for you if you’re lying.” She felt a little assured that he wouldn’t run off and die on her. But not much. She refused to dwell on it.

Grudgingly, she went with the woman, who pulled her through the woods at a pace too fast for her to easily keep half blind. Brambles tore at her exposed legs, dirt and pebbles skittered into her sandals and under her heels. She kept up as best as she could, since she had no other choice.

She said nothing as the woman brought her to a lighted tent that looked big enough five adults could easily spread out inside.

The woman released her and opened the flap, gesturing for her to move inside.

When Jessica didn’t move fast enough, she pushed her. Jessica tripped over the opening and fell on the floor, sucking in a sharp breath as her knees bruised on the hard ground.

Jessica whipped her head around, giving the auburn haired woman a scathing look.

“You bitch,” she gritted out, her hands clenching with the need to rip that shiny red hair from her skull. She’d taken as much of this shit as she was about to take.

“Fuck you,” the woman sneered and raised her hand to slap Jessica.

Jessica lunged for her, her fingers curved into claws, digging into the woman’s legs as she dragged them out from under her. The woman went down and rolled instantly, slashing at Jessica with her nails. She growled primitively, missing Jessica’s eyes by a hair’s breadth.

Jessica drew back in a split second, crouching on her haunches, sidling past the center pole of the tent, keeping the woman distant. She eyed the tent opening, wondering if she could make it past. She decided to risk it. She dove for the opening, running into the dark. The woman’s fingers scrabbled at her dress, pulling her back just as Jessica ran into a meaty wall.

Cruel fingers dug into her arms, making her gasp as she fought the hold. Jessica kneed him in the groin, and he barely grunted before crushing his fingers into her biceps.

“Lavinia, can’t you do any fucking thing you’re told? Are you so weak you can’t hold on to a human?” the man sneered the last word like it left shit in his mouth.

The woman, Lavinia, came up behind her and snatched her hair, pulling her head back until she thought her scalp bled. “Kiss my fuckin’ ass, Lado,” she ground out and dragged Jessica back inside.

Jessica growled in impotent fury as her arms were forced behind her back and tied to the center pole. She kicked out as Lavinia came around her, connecting with her shins. Lavinia cursed and grinned maliciously before slapping her hard across the face. Bright light exploded on the left side of her face, and Jessica tasted blood as her teeth rattled.

The woman chuckled and tied her feet together while she sat there, stunned. Lastly, she gagged Jessica, then zipped the opening closed as she left.

Jessica blinked the pain back, focusing on her surroundings. There was nothing inside but sleeping bags rumpled from their fight. She craned her head around, looking for a weapon or something to cut the cord, but still found nothing. The tent was empty of anything even remotely useful. Obviously, they’d been expecting to house her inside it. The thought left her cold and miserable.

She couldn’t sit there and worry about it. She refused to worry about it. Worrying caused more harm than good.

Jessica wiggled her fingers, thankful the rope was at least loose enough the blood flow hadn’t instantly cut off. No amount of wiggling could free her, however, and trying to rip her hands loose only made her shoulders and muscles ache. She tried pushing against the tent pole, but the post was so secure, it didn’t move no matter how hard she pushed--almost like it was mounted in a cement foundation. If that was true, then they routinely stayed out here ... or held prisoners inside.

She fervently wished she could do something useful, like dislocate her shoulders and slip her hands under her feet. But the pole would still be in the way even if she could do that trick. She considered her options and came up empty. With the gag tight on her mouth, she couldn’t work it off and chew on the ropes.

She sighed heavily through her nose, shaking her hair out of her face.

There was nothing to do but wait and see if Gabriel would uphold his promise to her. She just hoped he didn’t do anything stupid--like getting killed before he could rescue her.

The wry thought did little to ease the tension cramping her belly. In all honesty, she knew she had no one to rely on but herself. Smart people didn’t trust their fate to others. The urge to let Gabriel play her hero and sweep her into his arms went beyond tempting, but it was completely irrational. More than likely, they were outnumbered, definitely weaponless, and in the middle of nowhere.

She was going to have to get free by herself and try to do something. She just wasn’t sure how much she could do if someone didn’t come back inside ... and by then, it would probably be too late....