urge to kick the weaselly bastard in the face. “He’s seen us. I don’t like it a bit.”
“Don’t worry. This is Duke’s department.”
Sid chuckled at Ed’s comment, a nasty sound without humor, then stood up, wiping his hands on his pants. “Well, pretty boy. Your face don’t look nearly as good as it did a while ago. But I guess that won’t matter to you anymore, will it?”
Nate glared at him. The taste of blood was hot in his mouth, anger and frustration boiled in his veins. He wanted to feel Sid’s scrawny neck between his hands. The image filled Nate’s mind until his fingers ached with the need to twist the life from the bastard. He clenched his fists, well aware his fingers were already numb as the ropes cut into his forearms.
Ed and Sid left the huge cavern and their laughter echoed down the narrow tunnel. Nate took a deep breath, strangely shaken. He was not a violent man, but the image of his own hands wrapped around Sid’s neck had been vivid, the desire to kill, a need as elemental as breathing.
But was it his need? His desire? There’d almost been a sense of something else. Someone else.
There was a subtle prickling along his spine and he was almost positive he sensed a vague presence. The sensation grew stronger. Within seconds, his senses cleared and his body practically vibrated with a feeling of renewed strength.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough for him to free himself.
Nate struggled, but the ropes held fast. He tried to focus on the presence but it was gone. Or, more likely, never existed. Getting the crap beat out of him seemed to be having a strange effect on his mental processes.
He leaned his head back against the heavy beam, then winced in pain. One possible concussion, courtesy of Sid and his rifle butt. He definitely owed Sid a few bruises.
But murder? Was his veneer of civilization so thin?
He had to escape.
Enough light filtered through the opening to the mine for Nate to get a fairly good look at his surroundings. It was larger inside than he’d expected, supported by heavy redwood timbers, but there were stalactites along the ceiling and strange rock formations that disappeared into the darkness of the far wall. Frowning, he tried to make sense of what he was seeing, but it took what felt like an agonizing amount of time for the anomalies to make sense—the ringing in his ears and the pain in his head didn’t help.
It’s a cave, not a mine! It wasn’t man-made at all. The entrance had obviously been reinforced, but it was still a natural cave. No wonder it was nothing more than a slash in the mountainside.
He studied the main cavern as well as he could, tied so tightly to the supporting beam. But now he looked with new interest. Had the Spirit Walkers stayed here? Did this cavern hold their secrets?
Had he felt their presence?
No. Impossible. Carvings in stone were one thing, ghosts an entirely different story. Not going there. Not at all. He shook his head. Shit. That hurt.
The throbbing pain in his skull had the walls slowly spinning. He choked back the nausea rolling over him and held perfectly still until it subsided. What the hell was he thinking?
He’d only imagined that sense of something or someone else. Desperation and fear could have an odd effect on a man. Nate tugged at his bindings once again and his thoughts turned to Alex. How far had she gotten? Was she safe?
He had to escape. There were too many reasons to live.
Hiding behind a massive pine tree, Alex shoved her fist into her mouth, biting down on her knuckles until she tasted blood. Where was Nate? Had those men killed him? She had to be patient, to wait for an opportunity to help. It was her only chance.
She couldn’t lose Nate. Not now, not with the powerful link already growing between them. She had no idea what it was, what it meant. What it might lead to. Loving him? Alex sucked in a quick breath. Was she losing her freaking mind? She didn’t love him, couldn’t
“Don’t worry. This is Duke’s department.”
Sid chuckled at Ed’s comment, a nasty sound without humor, then stood up, wiping his hands on his pants. “Well, pretty boy. Your face don’t look nearly as good as it did a while ago. But I guess that won’t matter to you anymore, will it?”
Nate glared at him. The taste of blood was hot in his mouth, anger and frustration boiled in his veins. He wanted to feel Sid’s scrawny neck between his hands. The image filled Nate’s mind until his fingers ached with the need to twist the life from the bastard. He clenched his fists, well aware his fingers were already numb as the ropes cut into his forearms.
Ed and Sid left the huge cavern and their laughter echoed down the narrow tunnel. Nate took a deep breath, strangely shaken. He was not a violent man, but the image of his own hands wrapped around Sid’s neck had been vivid, the desire to kill, a need as elemental as breathing.
But was it his need? His desire? There’d almost been a sense of something else. Someone else.
There was a subtle prickling along his spine and he was almost positive he sensed a vague presence. The sensation grew stronger. Within seconds, his senses cleared and his body practically vibrated with a feeling of renewed strength.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough for him to free himself.
Nate struggled, but the ropes held fast. He tried to focus on the presence but it was gone. Or, more likely, never existed. Getting the crap beat out of him seemed to be having a strange effect on his mental processes.
He leaned his head back against the heavy beam, then winced in pain. One possible concussion, courtesy of Sid and his rifle butt. He definitely owed Sid a few bruises.
But murder? Was his veneer of civilization so thin?
He had to escape.
Enough light filtered through the opening to the mine for Nate to get a fairly good look at his surroundings. It was larger inside than he’d expected, supported by heavy redwood timbers, but there were stalactites along the ceiling and strange rock formations that disappeared into the darkness of the far wall. Frowning, he tried to make sense of what he was seeing, but it took what felt like an agonizing amount of time for the anomalies to make sense—the ringing in his ears and the pain in his head didn’t help.
It’s a cave, not a mine! It wasn’t man-made at all. The entrance had obviously been reinforced, but it was still a natural cave. No wonder it was nothing more than a slash in the mountainside.
He studied the main cavern as well as he could, tied so tightly to the supporting beam. But now he looked with new interest. Had the Spirit Walkers stayed here? Did this cavern hold their secrets?
Had he felt their presence?
No. Impossible. Carvings in stone were one thing, ghosts an entirely different story. Not going there. Not at all. He shook his head. Shit. That hurt.
The throbbing pain in his skull had the walls slowly spinning. He choked back the nausea rolling over him and held perfectly still until it subsided. What the hell was he thinking?
He’d only imagined that sense of something or someone else. Desperation and fear could have an odd effect on a man. Nate tugged at his bindings once again and his thoughts turned to Alex. How far had she gotten? Was she safe?
He had to escape. There were too many reasons to live.
Hiding behind a massive pine tree, Alex shoved her fist into her mouth, biting down on her knuckles until she tasted blood. Where was Nate? Had those men killed him? She had to be patient, to wait for an opportunity to help. It was her only chance.
She couldn’t lose Nate. Not now, not with the powerful link already growing between them. She had no idea what it was, what it meant. What it might lead to. Loving him? Alex sucked in a quick breath. Was she losing her freaking mind? She didn’t love him, couldn’t
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