Anton peered below into the dark canyon. Lex was close. He’d picked up the Vilka’s scent not far from Beaver Creek and had tracked him to the cliff’s ledge.
Though he’d be able to track Lex more efficiently if he were in his wolf’s body, he would be far too easily distracted. He had to stay in control if he were to have any hope of rescuing Summer from a sure death at the hands of that rogue vampire.
Suddenly he picked up on the wolf’s scent even more strongly. He stood completely still - listening. There was movement in the trees behind him. Anton was ready to slip into a self-defense mode. His eyes changed to those of the wolf - their shimmering yellow radiance seeing far better in the dark than his man’s eyes.
A shadow crept forward and he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. His caution quickly turning into full-blown rage as the beast within him made ready to take over. When Anton went into self-preservation mode, he would no longer be able to hold the wolf back.
“It’s me … Lex!”
Anton heard the words, but it took some time for their meaning to penetrate his impulse to attack.
“Why are you tracking me?” Lex asked.
“I need your help?” Anton told him, his voice still rough with the wolf’s growls.
Lex watched him, his dark eyes seeming to take in every detail of his surroundings. At one time Lex was the leader of the Zen, but he’d turned bad and was banished from Outerlands . Would he care enough to help find Gray Eagle’s daughter?
“What could a Zen warrior want from an old wolf that has been cast out from his pack?”
“Summer Gray Eagle has been taken by a vampire. The same vampire that has been killing women in Reno,” Anton explained.
Lex’s mouth turned down in a frown. “That is indeed a problem. I saw Summer not too long ago. She has been very helpful with my endeavors on this side.”
“You and Summer working together?” Anton scowled.
“She’s a good girl. I would hate to see anything happen to her.”
“What has she been helping you with?” Anton wanted to know.
“Vampire issues,” Lex smiled. “It could be why she was taken?”
Anton shook his head. “No, it has to do with me. I did something a long time ago and it has continued to haunt me since. It is why I joined the Zen.”
Lex’s smile was hard. “Please … enlighten me.”
Anton turned away. “I’ve never told anyone about this.”
“Well you must tell me if you have come to ask my help.”
“When I was young, there was a gypsy girl who lived near my home in Romania. Sabina was so beautiful. I tried to resist her, but she was very persistent.”
Anton took a deep breath before continuing. “I was with her once … only once, but she became pregnant. I obviously could not marry her and she was devastated. She took her own life. I have lived with this guilt since.”
“That is unfortunate, but what does this have to do with some wayward vampire?”
“This vampire fell in love with Sabina. He wanted to help her I think, but she would not have him. He blames me for Sabina’s suicide and has killed every woman that he thought I might care about. He killed my wife. It was then that I decided to live a solitary existence. I did not want to put any woman’s life in danger.”
“So I take it that he believes you to be in love with Summer Gray Eagle?”
Anton nodded.
“Are you?” Lex glared at him through narrowed eyes.
“Yes,” Anton whispered. “I swear I tried not to love her, but …”
Lex made a clicking sound with his tongue. “Have you defiled her Anton? Have you forgotten your vow to the Zen?”
“No I haven’t forgotten.” Anton shook his head. “But I have taken her to my bed, and I would do so again.”
“Regardless of the fact that she is to marry your brother,” Lex frowned.
“She refuses to marry.”
“Does she even know that her betrothed is your brother?”
“No, but it doesn’t matter. I love her and the only thing that I
Though he’d be able to track Lex more efficiently if he were in his wolf’s body, he would be far too easily distracted. He had to stay in control if he were to have any hope of rescuing Summer from a sure death at the hands of that rogue vampire.
Suddenly he picked up on the wolf’s scent even more strongly. He stood completely still - listening. There was movement in the trees behind him. Anton was ready to slip into a self-defense mode. His eyes changed to those of the wolf - their shimmering yellow radiance seeing far better in the dark than his man’s eyes.
A shadow crept forward and he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. His caution quickly turning into full-blown rage as the beast within him made ready to take over. When Anton went into self-preservation mode, he would no longer be able to hold the wolf back.
“It’s me … Lex!”
Anton heard the words, but it took some time for their meaning to penetrate his impulse to attack.
“Why are you tracking me?” Lex asked.
“I need your help?” Anton told him, his voice still rough with the wolf’s growls.
Lex watched him, his dark eyes seeming to take in every detail of his surroundings. At one time Lex was the leader of the Zen, but he’d turned bad and was banished from Outerlands . Would he care enough to help find Gray Eagle’s daughter?
“What could a Zen warrior want from an old wolf that has been cast out from his pack?”
“Summer Gray Eagle has been taken by a vampire. The same vampire that has been killing women in Reno,” Anton explained.
Lex’s mouth turned down in a frown. “That is indeed a problem. I saw Summer not too long ago. She has been very helpful with my endeavors on this side.”
“You and Summer working together?” Anton scowled.
“She’s a good girl. I would hate to see anything happen to her.”
“What has she been helping you with?” Anton wanted to know.
“Vampire issues,” Lex smiled. “It could be why she was taken?”
Anton shook his head. “No, it has to do with me. I did something a long time ago and it has continued to haunt me since. It is why I joined the Zen.”
Lex’s smile was hard. “Please … enlighten me.”
Anton turned away. “I’ve never told anyone about this.”
“Well you must tell me if you have come to ask my help.”
“When I was young, there was a gypsy girl who lived near my home in Romania. Sabina was so beautiful. I tried to resist her, but she was very persistent.”
Anton took a deep breath before continuing. “I was with her once … only once, but she became pregnant. I obviously could not marry her and she was devastated. She took her own life. I have lived with this guilt since.”
“That is unfortunate, but what does this have to do with some wayward vampire?”
“This vampire fell in love with Sabina. He wanted to help her I think, but she would not have him. He blames me for Sabina’s suicide and has killed every woman that he thought I might care about. He killed my wife. It was then that I decided to live a solitary existence. I did not want to put any woman’s life in danger.”
“So I take it that he believes you to be in love with Summer Gray Eagle?”
Anton nodded.
“Are you?” Lex glared at him through narrowed eyes.
“Yes,” Anton whispered. “I swear I tried not to love her, but …”
Lex made a clicking sound with his tongue. “Have you defiled her Anton? Have you forgotten your vow to the Zen?”
“No I haven’t forgotten.” Anton shook his head. “But I have taken her to my bed, and I would do so again.”
“Regardless of the fact that she is to marry your brother,” Lex frowned.
“She refuses to marry.”
“Does she even know that her betrothed is your brother?”
“No, but it doesn’t matter. I love her and the only thing that I
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