“Because the minute I look ready to leave, you can bet one of those men will be watching for other avenues of escape.”
“Oh.” I put down the toast, then picked up the coffee and gulped it down quickly. “Let’s do it.”
I followed him over. He cupped his hands, then boosted me up. I grabbed the window frame and began to shove myself through the gap feetfirst. I went flat on my back rather than sideways because the window was wider than it was high. It was a tight fit all the same, with my shoulders and breasts scraping. But I got through and dropped to the ground, retaining my balance by grabbing the outside wall.
“You okay?” Trae’s face appeared in the window.
“Yep.” I dusted off my hands and gave him a smile. “Give me the bag of my clothes, and I’ll get out of here.”
He passed the bag through the window, then handed me a cell phone. “If I can’t meet you up the road, I’ll call as soon as I can.”
I nodded and, as I turned away, I heard the window shut. I climbed through the wire fence, and walked into the shadowed coolness of the thick stand of pine trees. I’d barely taken a dozen steps when the hair along the back of my neck began to stand on end. I stopped behind the gnarled trunk of one of the pines and looked around.
A man stood at the far end of the motel. A dark-skinned man with a large nose and big hands. Not the man I’d attacked last night, but someone else. Someone whose features scratched at my nerves like a bad case of hives.
Because I knew him. He was one of the dragon-born, and a tracker working for the scientists. He was also the man responsible for capturing me in the first place. Cold sweat broke out across my forehead and my hands began to shake. I would have liked to think it was fury, but I knew that was far from the case.
I couldn’t be caught by this man a second time.
I wouldn’t.
I backed away slowly, carefully, until the shadowed greenness of the pines was deep and thick around me. Then I moved forward, taking care with each step, trying to be as silent as possible.
When I looked over my sho
ulder again, he was following. Not that I could see him. I could sense him. Sense the forbidding gloom of his presence. The thick, peppery smell of him.
A shiver ran down my spine, and panic surged. My fingers clenched around the plastic bag containing my clothes, and it was tempting, so tempting, to reach inside and grab the cell phone, to call Trae and tell him to get me the hell out of here. Only he didn’t have a phone, so that was a pretty useless urge.
Besides, while I had no doubt he would help me, I wouldn’t have called him even if I could have. I’d already killed his brother. I couldn’t risk his life as well.
No, this particular battle was mine, and no matter how much it scared me, I was not helpless.
I might not have flame in my weaponry, but the sea was mine to call. And if I was close enough, it was a power I could use.
I just had to get close enough.
I drew in a deep breath, and released it slowly. Then I forced my feet on, walking through the thick shadows, heading for the road Trae mentioned. The trees eventually began to thin out, and bright sunshine started dancing through the pine needles all around me, sprinkling the air with slivers of gold and green. The ground began to slope downward, and a road became visible. I couldn’t see Trae’s car, which was a blessing. I didn’t need to drag him deeper into this.
I stepped onto the pavement and paused briefly, tasting the air, searching for the scent of the sea. Its touch was light on the cooling breeze, hinting at distance.
I crossed the road and turned right, walking up the hill. After a while, my neck tingled, and the tang of pepper scented the breeze. The dark man had come out of the pines.
I clenched my hands and resisted the urge to run. He would follow, biding his time, waiting for the perfect moment. Until we were alone, I was safe.
I swung left, onto another street, following the scent of the sea. Traffic was heavier in this street, and the pavement more crowded. People walked by, some smiling and nodding in greeting, some not. I was one of the latter—fear of the man who followed made me incapable of anything but forward movement.
I crossed another street and walked down another sidewalk, edging closer to the sea and some sense of safety. Occasionally I caught a glimpse of my dark-skinned hunter via the storefront windows as I passed, but mostly it was just a sense, a certainty, that he was near.
The scent of the sea was thicker on the wind now, drawing me on, making it difficult not to run. I kept my pace even, trying to ignore the tingles down my spine, the feeling that at any moment, his fat fingers would be on my neck, squeezing tight.
I shivered and ran across the road. Another turn, and the sea was suddenly visible—a thick blue line that had my soul breathing a sigh of relief.
But I wasn’t safe yet. Not by a long shot.
I walked on, hoping I had the time, hoping the man behind me wouldn’t risk getting too near until we were all but alone.
But there weren’t many people on the beach. Just a handful of joggers and a couple of swimmers brave enough to risk the chill of the water. I stepped onto the sand, the grit of it harsh against my toes. After stripping off my pants and sweatshirt, I strode toward the water. When I was near enough, I dropped the bag and placed my clothes on top. It wouldn’t stop a thief, but I could only hope there were few of them around at this hour. Not that I had much to steal—just some cash, a stolen credit card, and a borrowed cell phone. None of which I could actually afford to lose.