Hunted by Denise Grover Swank

umbras .” He swung the pipe like a baseball bat against the man’s head. Emma twisted her face away as the sound of a splitting melon filled the air. She gagged, almost vomiting.
    “Emma, you may get your boyfriend now.”
    Emma sucked in a breath through her mouth as she ran to Will, holding back her sobs and her fear. Neither would help right now. He looked up at her, blinking the blood out of his eyes. One eye was already swelling shut. His lip was split. He had a gash on his forehead.
    “Will.” She reached for his arm and tried to lift him off his knees.
    He moaned with the movement. Raphael reached down and slung Will’s arm over his shoulder. “Emma, open the car door and I’ll help you get him into the car.”
    Will glared at Raphael. “Who the fuck are you?”
    “Will, he’s a friend. He helped me hide. We can trust him.” It’s me you can’t trust .
    Raphael lifted Will’s body as Will cried out with the movement.
    “I’m sorry, my friend,” Raphael said as he lowered Will onto the seat and closed the door. Raphael picked up Will’s bag out of the street and carried it to the car.
    Emma opened the trunk and Raphael tossed it in. As he slammed the lid shut, she turned to get in the car.
    “Emma, wait.” Raphael touched her shoulder. She spun to face him.
    “Emma, when you leave here, drive and don’t stop.” His voice was low and insistent. “I know you want to get help for your boyfriend, but there are men searching for you. You must get far away from here.”
    Her eyes widened in alarm. “How do you know?”
    “Trust me, I know.” He lowered his voice. “You need to know that your boyfriend has significant injuries.”
    Her tears fell and Raphael wiped one off her cheek. “Don’t worry, he’ll recover. But listen to me.” His eyes pierced hers and she felt herself becoming lost, forgetting all sense of where she was. “Emma, you can help him. You have power that you don’t even realize. Find your power and you can heal him. Use the pendant. Now go.” He led her to the driver’s door. His eyes held hers, dark and captivating. To her dismay, the familiar heat spread throughout her body. Raphael leaned into her ear, brushing her cheek against his lips. “Not yet, my love. But, soon. Soon I will come for you.”
    He turned and walked down the street, into the darkness.

 
     
    Chapter Nine
     

     
    Emma’s hands trembled as she pulled out of the parking lot, her thoughts spinning in a vortex as she tried to figure out what just happened with Raphael. How could she react to him that way?
    “Who the hell was that?” Will slurred, his head slumped toward her.
    Her face burned with shame, making her grateful for the darkness. “He was someone who helped me. Helped us .” She turned down the street and she tried to remember where the highway was.
    “What did he say to you just now?” His words rushed out in a gasp of pain.
    “Will, you shouldn’t talk. You’re hurt.”
    “Emma, what did he say? ” He coughed from the exertion, then tensed with a moan.
    “Will, please . He didn’t say anything. He told me to take you far from here. He said he thought you were really hurt.” Where was the highway? She parked at a stop sign, her fingers numb from gripping the steering wheel so tight.
    “ Did he touch you? ” He coughed again, then doubled over in pain.
    “Will, stop! ” She turned to look at him, fear constricting her chest as she watched him spit blood onto his lap. “I need to take you to a hospital.” Her voice shook.
    “No. He was right,” he said in a defeated tone. “You have to get far away from here.” His body sagged in the seat.
    Emma held back her sobs, tears streaming down her face. Where was the highway?
    “I saw him get too close to you.”
    “Will, stop. Just stop. Nothing happened.” So, she now was a slut and a liar. She not only made out with Raphael while Will got the shit beaten out of him, she also would have done it with Will watching in