“Shit,” Hayes muttered. “I wonder how much blood she lost.”
“She was conscious when they took her away. That’s a good sign.” I scanned the trail ahead, my gaze catching on a bunch of dark spots in the dirt. “Hayes.” I pointed.
He crouched, pressing his finger to the dirt. When he lifted it, the tip was a dark red—almost brown but not. “Blood.”
I swallowed against the burn rising again. “That means they stayed on the path.”
“For now, anyway.”
Images assaulted my brain as we picked up our pace again. All the things that could make Hadley bleed. I shook my head and pushed my body harder, thankful for all the training I’d done in full gear.
Hayes slowed, holding up a hand to stop me. I strained to see or hear what he had. There was nothing at first, and then the soft sound of voices carried on the wind.
Hayes motioned me off the trail. We moved deeper into the forest to the point where we could barely see the trail and then began walking. As we moved, the voices got louder.
“What’s the matter, Little Daredevil? Not in the mood for cliff jumping today?”
I stiffened at the use of my nickname for Hadley. I glanced at Hayes. “Are there cliffs near here?”
His eyes blazed. “About one hundred yards ahead.”
“We need to move. Now,” I whispered.
“We need a better lay of the land—”
With a single look, I cut him off. “We don’t have time.” I unholstered my weapon.
“You come in from the south. I’ll come in from the west. I’ll be loud, distracting. You’re the ambush.”
I gripped Hayes’ shoulders. “We’ll get her.”
He nodded and took off running.
I dropped back, crossing over to the other side of the trail, hoping I could come up behind them.
“I said walk, you dumb bitch.”
Hadley cried out in pain as she crumpled to the ground, holding her ribs. “I can’t,” she wheezed. “I need to catch my breath.”
Calla pointed her gun at Hadley. “I really don’t want to have to drag dead weight to the cliffs, but I will.”
“I’ll go. I just—I need a minute.”
Hayes stepped out of the trees, his gun raised. “Don’t move.”
Calla’s eyes flared as she took in Hayes.
“Now, slowly lower your weapon,” he instructed.
She didn’t move an inch. “I don’t think you want me to do that. My finger could slip, and I could blow little Hadley’s brains right out.”
I tightened my grip on the gun as I moved through the trees, looking for a straight shot at Calla. A twig snapped under my boot, and I sent up a silent curse.
Calla hauled Hadley to her feet by her t-shirt, and Hadley cried out in pain. She dug her gun into the spot behind Hadley’s heart. “You might want to tell your friend to stop trying to sneak up on us. That whole slippery finger business, you know.”
My footsteps slowed as I stepped through the trees. “Let her go.”
Calla turned and began backing towards the cliffs, pulling Hadley with her. “Why? So you two can live happily ever after?” She snorted. “I don’t think so.”