Primal Promise

Twenty-Eight

Jameson had seen the smoke rising up and as he whipped into the clearing he feared the worst. the building was in flames, the SUV he'd been pursuing jutting out at an odd angle from the corner, flames licking at its hood. All he could think was that CJ was in there. He lept from the car, before running toward the blaze even as he knew it was far too late, the heat searing his skin, blackened smoke burning his eyes as he fought to get close enough, crying out her name in desperation.

"Uncle Jay!" a voice shouted above the roaring flames and he turned, seeing Maggie come running from the edge of the woods.   She slammed hard into his chest, sobbing as she squeezed him so tight his ribs ached.

"What?..." Surprised but glad to see her alive, he moved away from the fire if only to protect her from it. He looked up, seeing Jaris with a girl he did not recognize. He barely registered the figure on the ground as he pulled Jaris against him in a hug, the other girl pulling away and eyeing him with a fearful look.

"What happened?"

"They attacked us at the cabin. We ... Herb..." Her face went white, but she lifted her chin. "They killed Herb.. and Isabella and.." her strength seemed to crumble. "Max..."

"Max is fine." he took her arms and sought her eyes. "He was sleeping in the closet. Blaine has him. He's safe."

"Oh God..." she sobbed and reached around to pull Maggie over to her, weeping in relief.

"They tied us up, and brought us here." Maggie sniffled. "There are two older ones.. and two boys, but... one of them ran in the house and he didn't come back out. " She looked down at the still unconscious Zev. "This one tried to drive the SUV through the house but didn't get very far." Her anger barely contained.

"Where are the other two?"

"They're following his cousin." Amy's hollow voice made Jameson jump, almost having forgotten she was there.

"Whose cousin?" He felt a nervous prickle at the back of his neck.

"The man who..." She blushed in shame and turned her face away. "Who was hurting me. He called her 'cuz'. She walked out of the house when the screaming stopped. She ... she just walked away. " She glanced toward the western side of the clearing. "Then the others came and... the big men went after her."

Jameson was sniffing the air, but his nose was deafened by the heavy stench of smoke. He couldn't smell her here. He had to get away from the fire. He shoved the keys into Jaris' hand. "Take the car. Blaine needs you."

"What about him?" Maggie asked as Jaris was leading Amy to the car.

Jameson looked down at the boy tied up on the ground. He was furious. Beyond angry and the wolf inside him wanted to rend and tear. He bared his teeth at the thought of what this boy had been a part of. "Pop the trunk." 

 Dragging the boy over, he hoisted him and dropped him like a sack of flour into the confines of the trunk and slammed it shut. "I have questions that only he can answer. Leave him in there until I get back." He waited only long enough to see Jaris pulling away down the road before he raced into the woods, hoping he would find CJ before the other two did. 

The woods around her seemed to shift. The ground, which ought to have been rough and transected by roots and broken timber was a soft pad of moss and fern under her feet. She could hear the voices of her youth. The murmurs of ancients in tongues she ought not to understand, but did. Weaving a thread that drew her ever onward, ever upward.