Hunted
an excerpt

Chapter One

Arianne sat alone in the dark, pulling and twisting against the rope that bound her hands. The room was silent but for the pounding of her heart and the echo of her erratic breathing. She fought to control her fear, which seeped to the very marrow of her bones and threatened to consume her. She couldn’t let it. She had to keep her wits about her if she hoped to escape.
Tears slid down her face as she continued to work against her bonds. Pain tore at her wrists and she tried to ignore it. She couldn’t let it slow her down. The strip of cloth they’d gagged her with pinched the corners of her mouth and sent a deep ache into the joints of her jaw. If she stopped to think about all the places she hurt, she wouldn’t be able to move. She had to keep going.
She had no idea how long they’d been gone or when they’d return. All she knew was she wasn’t going to be there when they got back. The thought of their hands on her again was more than she could bear. They’d done just about everything to her except rape her. What if that was next on the list? Her stomach convulsed, nausea rushing through her like adrenaline. Then what? Would they kill her? Mostly likely the answer was yes.
The idea of her imminent demise plunged a stake of terror through her soul. Icy fingers crawled up her spine as her heart battered her ribcage. Her movements became more animated. She had to get out. She couldn’t sit there and let them do whatever they wanted to her. Fresh tears rolled down her face as the rope tore her flesh. The pain seared her and she pretended not to notice.
She couldn’t stop shivering and it had nothing to do with the cold draft that moved through the room. What if she couldn’t get out before they came back? Would they really rape her and then kill her? They’d threatened all kinds of horrible things. What if they meant to make good on those threats? She had to stop thinking about it. Freedom had to be her focus. Nothing else mattered but getting out.
The hinges creaked behind her and she froze, her heart galloping like a racehorse. She shook her head. No. Not yet. She was so close. She could feel it. Just a few more minutes and her bonds would be broken. Sinking her teeth into the gag, she yanked with as much strength as she could muster. The rope slackened and hope sparked. If she could free her hands before he reached her, she could fight him.
The footsteps stopped behind her and a powerful aura radiated against her back. The presence was male. She was sure of it and it lacked the usual malice that filled the room whenever her captors entered. Who was it and what did he want? No doubt the same thing the others did. Her brother. They kept asking her where he was and she kept telling them she didn’t know. Why wouldn’t they believe her?
Every muscle in her body tensed and she clenched her fists, her nails cutting into her palms. How long would he stand there and do nothing? She closed her eyes, taking a deep, choppy breath. She had to be brave. If she didn’t maintain some modicum of control, any hope she had of survival would be lost. Throwing up a silent prayer, she steeled herself for whatever was about to happen.
Anticipation gutted her as her eyes wandered the darkness. Her heart palpitated so fast she feared it would burst. Pain stabbed at her chest as it tightened. Her breaths came in short, sharp spurts as sweat gathered on her forehead and trickled down her sides. The chilly air hit her damp skin and made her shiver more violently. She wanted to scream at him to do it and get it over with.
Finally, he moved. Circling around her right side, he stopped in front of her. She strained to make out his features in the darkness, but it was no use. It was too absolute. He touched her face and she flinched, choking back a sob.
“Shhh.” Strong, warm fingers brushed over her lips. “It’s all right. I’ll not hurt you.” His warm, deep voice held a strong Scottish burr and any doubts she’d had about gender were laid to rest when he spoke. “I’m a friend of your brother’s. I’m here to help you.”
She tried to recall who her brother knew in Scotland and she couldn’t think of anyone. Not surprising. She came to realize over the course of the past few days that she really knew very little about her brother. God only knew what secrets he’d kept from her. The man touched her face again and this time she didn’t flinch. “Everything’s going to be all right.”
She nodded, trying to decide what to do. Should she blindly trust him or try to run as soon as he freed her? Did she really have a choice? She had no idea where she was or how to get back to Edinburgh. She closed her eyes, focusing on her instincts. His presence was a comfort to her and she felt no threat from him. Not only did she feel the need to trust him, but she found she wanted to.
He was behind her again and the rope binding her wrists snapped. Her arms dropped to her sides, pain rippling through her muscles. She swallowed back a scream. She had to find a way to bury the pain. It would only slow them down and she wanted nothing more than to get out of there.
“Can you walk?” he asked, his voice coming from in front of her. He worked the gag out of her mouth and it fell against her throat, wet with her saliva. Within moments, both her ankles were free.
“I think so,” she croaked, her throat raw from lack of moisture. She forced the gag up over her head and tossed it to the floor. Taking a deep breath, she willed her body up out of the chair. Her legs were stiff and pain coursed through them, but she would make them hold her up. He slid his arm around her for support and she clung to him like a shipwreck victim to a piece of debris. This man would protect her. She had no doubt on that score.
“Let’s go, ” he urged, lighting their way with a penlight. She raised her gaze to his face, trying again to make out his features, but couldn’t in the darkness. The thin beam did nothing more than show them where to step.
They hesitated at the doorway and he swept the corridor with the light. Apparently content that all was clear, he guided her out of the room. She wanted to say something, but was afraid to. Her throat was so dry and sore the thought of speaking made her cringe. Besides, what would she say? Thank you seemed wholly inadequate, not to mention premature since they weren’t out of the building yet. And what if her speaking drew unwanted attention to them? She couldn’t risk it. There’d be time for talking later.
He tightened his embrace around her as they started up the stairs. She hoped she could make it all the way up. Her legs were shaking to the point she feared they’d collapse under her. She was fairly certain he could carry her if he had to, but it would slow them down. When they finally reached the top, she breathed a sigh of relief.
They emerged from the darkness into a small room. Light filtered in through lace curtains and the sparse furnishings that occupied the room were coated with dust. The previous owners had left everything behind. Why, she wondered. What would make someone abandon everything they owned? The horrific threats they’d made against her cluttered her mind, causing her heart to stall for an instant. Perhaps the owners hadn’t left of their own accord.
He tucked the penlight in his pocket and wrapped both arms around her. She took the opportunity to cling tighter to him. Her gaze moved about the room and a cold chill ran through her when she saw what she thought was blood on the carpet. She was torn between wanting to turn away and wanting to look further.
The choice was made for her when her rescuer placed his hand on the side of her face and turned her head toward his shoulder. He was obviously trying to shield her from something and she decided to let him. Her intuition told her her captors were dead and if that were the case, she wasn’t sorry. That didn’t mean, however, she wanted to see it.
“Almost there, love,” he assured her as they made their way out the front door. They were about halfway down the front walk when her legs folded under her. He swept her into his arms before she could hit the ground and carried her as if she weighed nothing. She folded her arms around his neck and held onto him for dear life.
As he eased her into the front seat of the truck, a sense of peace and security washed over her. She was safe, no matter what happened from that moment on. The man, whoever he was, would let no harm come to her. He would protect her as fiercely as if she were his own flesh and blood. She was as sure of that fact as she was of her own name. Curling up on the front seat, she closed her eyes. Within moments she was lost to the world.