Waking the Beast(7)

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Oh, my God! I’ve found it. I’m almost afraid to confess this here in fear someone may find it, but it is too great to contain inside me. I’ve found what I didn’t even realize I was searching for. The bushmen not only know the legend of the paka watu, but have an oral history of the legend far greater and more in depth than anything I’ve read. Even better…THEY HAVE A NAME! I have a starting point.

The pride leader left his native country on a ship bound for England, under cover of darkness, claiming the identity of a man who would never be leaving Africa.

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Abby once again found herself kneeling over Utah, trying desperately to wake him. If she felt more fear this time, it was only because of what she still couldn’t believe she’d seen. But there was no time to process it all now. She’d deal with it later, when they were somewhere safe.

“Utah.” She shook his shoulders vigorously, not afraid of waking the dead man who was the only one who still remained with them.

She almost felt sorry for Southy. When Utah had snapped the first chain, Whiney had taken off yelling he wasn’t getting paid to die. Harlan had screamed at him to stop, even as he’d backed away himself. But as another roar rocked the room and the second chain groaned at the force Utah was exerting on it, Harlan had turned and run as well.#p#分页标题#e#

Only Southy remained and only because he had the compassion to open the cell door for her. She had no idea what made him do the right thing in the end. Whatever it was, it had cost him his life.

She shuddered as the crystal clear vision of Utah exploding off the wall filled her mind, broken chains hanging from his wrists and ankles. Southy had been reaching for her hand when Utah grabbed him. Had the man meant to help her or use her as a shield against Utah? She’d have to figure that out later, when shock wasn’t trying to shut her down.

Utah had flung the man hard against the wall he’d just torn free of. Then he’d crouched in front of her growling. Southy had taken one look at Utah’s face and backed away in fear.

What the hell had they shot into Utah? She swore his eyes were completely golden, instead of the warm brown they usually were. What was happening to him? Part of her was screaming she knew exactly what was happening. She’d known, and it had terrified her, even as it had excited her.

“Utah.” She slapped him across the face, trying to wake him. Southy’s blood was creeping across the floor toward them as it flowed from where his throat had been ripped out…ripped out by Utah’s bare hands.

She’d screamed Utah’s name, making him turn as Southy dropped soundlessly to the floor. Utah’s face and chest were splattered with blood, so much blood. The hot metallic smell of it seemed to cover him. His eyes flashed brown, gold, brown, as he shook his head and took a step toward her.

“Abby.” Her name had been a mere whisper as he fell, losing consciousness at the most inconvenient time.

She had no idea where Harlan and Whiney had run off to, no idea if or when they might be coming back. She had to get Utah up and going now. She didn’t have a clue where they were. She’d ripped her sweatshirt over her head and used it to towel off the majority of blood from Utah. If there were people outside, it wouldn’t be good to let them see him covered. He’d killed a man, and it wouldn’t matter that he had only been defending himself, not with the vicious way he’d killed Southy.

Utah moaned.

“Utah, please wake up. Wake up. We need to go.”

His eyes flickered open, and she almost sighed in relief at the beautiful warm brown orbs that greeted her. He was back.

“Abby?”

“We have to go, Utah.” She tugged at him, urging him to rise. “They’re gone. We need to get out of here before they come back.”

He glanced slowly around as he sat up. His eyes locked on Southy and he winced. “Jesus. What the fuck? Why’d they do that?”

She just shook her head. He wasn’t ready to hear the truth, and she wasn’t prepared to tell him yet. There were too many explanations that needed to be shared first. Besides, she needed Utah calm and in control to help them get out of here. Telling him, “oh, by the way, you did that,” wasn’t going to accomplish that.

“We have to go!” She let the fear fill her voice and eyes, and if a little of it was directed at him as well now, she’d deal with that later.

He snapped to attention, standing and pulling her up with him. She took his hand and tugged him in the direction she’d watched Harlan run off.

“This way. We have to be careful, Utah. This is the way they went.”