Callie's Captors [Mountain Men(44)

She had to find out. Why would Scrunch risk coming so close unless he needed her? Although she wasn’t sure he’d see her or even understand, she gave him a little wave to say she’d come outside.

Gathering her dress and shoes, she slipped out of the bedroom and padded her way to the front door. Throwing her dress over her head as she pushed her feet into the moccasins, she turned the knob and eased into the night. She paused and listened for any sign that she’d awakened the men. Hearing nothing, she hurried down the steps then angled to the left. She came to the bushes where she’d seen the red eyes, but couldn’t find them again. Had it all been an illusion?

“Scrunch? Is that you?”

The men would turn her over their knees and spank her for real if they caught her. She tried again, raising her voice a little. “Scrunch?”

He poked his head out of the bush, then pushed his hand through. She almost laughed when she saw the banana in his hand.

“Are you bringing me a midnight snack?”

He peeled the banana, doing it in much the same way she’d done. Breaking it in half, he handed her a piece. She took it and chomped off a large bite. “Yeah, it’s really tasty.”

She covered her mouth as she spoke with it full of the fruit and checked to make sure no one had heard her. “But this isn’t worth getting your butt kicked for. Is there something else? What do you want?”

He pulled away, disappearing into the dark recesses and making her take the chance to lean toward him. His claw-like hand wrapped around her arm and she let out a quick squeal that was cut off when he yanked her through the branches. The rough ride scratched her arms and face, but he soon turned her loose once she was on the other side.

“You could’ve asked me, you know.” She inspected her skin. “Thanks for nothing.”

He cocked his head to the side and made a noise that sounded like a mix of a growl and a groan. Then, after giving her arm a quick tug, he spun around and ambled off, his knuckles scraping the ground.

She took off after him, knowing she was putting herself at risk. But she couldn’t not go. She had to find what he wanted. Unlike what they’d told her, Scrunch was more intelligent than a mere animal.

But keeping up with him was not easy. “Wait up. I can’t move as fast as you.”

Every time she tried to get him to slow down, Scrunch whirled around in a circle, gave her a quick glance, then took off again. She tried to move at a quicker rate, but running at night without a light had almost sent her falling face-first into the dirt twice already. If the moon hadn’t been out and the sky cloudless, she wouldn’t have had a chance of catching up with him.

“Come on. Don’t go so fast, for Pete’s sake.”

Pete’s going to have my head. If he doesn’t kill me first. Figuratively speaking, I hope.

Scrunch spun around again then let out a shriek and took off.

“No! Scrunch, hold up!” Heedless of the possibility of falling, she took off running. She didn’t know where they were or where he was leading her, but she wasn’t about to give up.

Someone took hold of her shoulder and wrenched her around. Her hair flew across her face and she whipped it away, fearing what she might see.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Pete was angry. Very angry. Blue and Raine raced by her, chasing Scrunch.

“Let me go!”

But he held her, his fingers digging into her skin. “Not on your life. Hell, not for your life.”

“I told you to let me go!”

He shook his vigorously. “No.”

She’d have to try a different method. Pushing her mouth into a pout, she batted her eyelids and attempted to muster up a few tears. “But, Pete, you’re hurting me.”

He sucked in a quick breath and turned her loose. “Shit, Callie, I never meant to—”

She took off running before he’d ended his sentence, calling over her shoulder. “I can’t believe you bought that.”

The screech that tore the night apart sent her speeding ahead. It was as if an inner ability she hadn’t known she possessed had opened up, and without her understanding why, had given her a burst of high energy. The world shifted, the dark grays and blacks of the night tinging with an amber color. Her heart pounded, but not from exertion. Instead, it came from the thrill of running under the moon.

She lowered her head and, hearing Pete’s footsteps behind her, barreled ahead. If Raine hadn’t caught her, scooping her up into his arms, she would’ve fallen into the same hole where Scrunch sat crouched in a corner.

Instead of struggling, she brought her gaze to Raine’s. An internal explosion broke through her, awakening a new inner voice, and she heard the howl of a wolf deep inside her. She flattened her hand against his hard chest and felt his heart beating in unison to hers.