The Panther's Escape, page 17
"Sure." Czar sounded distracted, and Jinx shook his head once more. No, right now, Czar didn't give a damn about the trucks.
"Right, call me when you're ready for a trade."
Czar laughed, and then the line went dead.
Gertrude handed the phone back, a surprised look on her face. "What the fuck happened?"
"Something happened to Ximena." He couldn't breathe.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm not sure, but it's something with Ximena. He was surprised to hear we wanted her."
"Why? It's the most logical thing we'd ask for."
It was, but for some reason, it had surprised Czar.
"Jinx?" Angelo stood in the doorway to the room.
"Yeah?"
"What are we to do with this week's delivery?"
"There is no delivery. We only have two trucks and nothing to deliver."
Angelo grimaced. "We have community meat. We're in the middle of packaging."
There was more meat? Jinx hadn't put in any stops, but he'd been sure Czar would have. With only two trucks there was no way they could deliver as usual. And why would he try to solve it for Oakmouth? "We'll take the meat to Myrfolk, but I doubt there will be more after this. I'll...eh...talk to Czar about who the new representative will be, and they'll let you know how things will be in the future."
Angelo paled again. Jinx wished he could say he'd protect him, but he didn't know how to.
* * * *
Chapter 23
Namir's belly brushed against the ground as he crept forward. Ximena's arms were tight around his neck. She wasn't strangling him, but it wasn't far from. He'd crossed the road and gone into the garden of the house the guard had exited with the coffee cups.
Ximena wore a red shirt, which made him itch. He melted in with the surroundings, she did not. Had it been warmer, he'd taken it off her. Her skin would've been better camouflage than the red fabric, but she was already too cold. The January air was unforgiving, and she wasn't wearing a jacket.
Her hold on him tightened, and he almost hissed as she pressed on his larynx. As if she realized what she was doing, she lowered her hands a fraction. Then he heard footsteps. Had she heard them before he had? Did jaguars have better hearing than leopards? He would've huffed if there hadn't been a guard nearby. It was never something he'd considered.
He backed into a shrub, hoping the twigs would shield Ximena from any prying eyes. The guard passed them, and Namir waited. He didn't want to have to wait for thirty, forty, however many minutes he'd been waiting to get in, but he couldn't rush over the border on the guard's first turn.
Before he came back there was a loud call. The guard who'd stayed behind when the other had gone to get coffee rushed off in the direction the first one had disappeared.
"She's still here!"
Ximena's knees dug into his sides. Fuck. Had they been spotted?
"Backup will be here any minute."
Namir sent a silent hold on to Ximena, then he stood and moved forward. The guards were some fifty feet away. It meant nothing if they were vampires, which he suspected at least the coffee guy was, but if the backup was arriving, they couldn't remain here.
He sprinted, conscious of Ximena's grip on him. He didn't run his fastest, but as fast as he dared.
There was a call, and Ximena whimpered.
Fuck.
He leaped. His claws sank into the closest trunk, and he scaled the tree in record time. He flattened himself on a branch, hoping they were both vampires and wouldn't scent them. Twigs snapped as the guards tumbled into the woods. Ximena held her breath. Good girl. He wished he could talk to her, but shifting now wasn't an option.
The guards moved faster than shifters would, both of them. Namir's heart thudded in his ear. He didn't stand a chance against two vampires. He knew that from experience, but they had to keep going. Soon, the woods would be crawling with shifters and vampires, and then there was no way they'd get out.
"Call it in!" The voice came from behind them. One of the guards must've run in a semicircle back toward the border.
Next, Namir heard the other guard talk to someone. His voice came from their left, so he looked to the right, moved quickly over the branch, and jumped. He fell faster than he'd anticipated, and Ximena's hold slid a little when his claws finally caught hold of the trunk of the neighboring tree. He quickly found a branch to stand on and allowed her a second to readjust her grasp, then he leaped again. Her grip slid again, so this time he moved down the trunk instead of trying to jump. She was good at clinging to him, and perhaps a fall would've triggered her to shift, but he couldn't risk it.
He shimmied a little to get her to slide a little farther forward on his back, then he ran. He moved as fast as he dared and focused on being silent, but the damned red shirt. He ducked under boughs and jumped over fallen trunks.
For a moment, he believed they'd make it. They weren't far from the car now. Then a call cut through the air.
"I see them!"
Ximena whimpered, and Namir said a silent prayer she'd be able to hold on as he sped up. He was now running full-on, and she was tossed back and forth with each stride.
The car came into view, but he heard twigs breaking behind them, and it was a vampire chasing them. They were out of time.
He more or less collided with the car, shifted his paw first of all, and yanked the front door open while the shift still traveled his body. He threw Ximena over the middle console and winced as her breath whooshed out of her at the impact.
The key was still in the ignition, thank fuck, and he turned it. His bare feet found the pedals, and he put the car in reverse. A tall man with pale skin, honey-blond hair, and a red beard slowed his steps as he watched the car. Vampire. Those fangs didn't belong to any shifter.
"Leonard."
It was the first time Ximena had spoken, and for a fraction of a second, Namir looked at her. "Put on your seatbelt, sweetie. This is going to be a bumpy ride."
She was too small to sit without a booster seat, but there was nothing he could do about it. As soon as he heard the click of the seatbelt, he spun the wheel. The car turned, and he gunned the engine.
Several people tumbled out of the woods, but he kept driving. The vampires could catch up with them, but would they risk getting hit? Even if you healed quickly, being run over by a car was no fun. Maybe they counted on him stopping if they threw themselves in front of them. Who'd risk crashing with a child in the car? He looked at her.
"Is the belt nice and tight?"
She tugged at it and nodded. He feared she'd be propelled through the windshield if there was an impact. There was no time to think about it now, though. He pushed the car as hard as he dared to, and while he saw some people follow them in the rear-view mirror, no one tried to get in front of them.
They'd recognize the car, though. If they had cars or motorcycles, they'd be able to catch up with him on the way. Fuck. He had to disappear.
After a couple of tense minutes, they reached the highway. He checked the rear-view mirror again, then reached into the backseat and snatched his shirt. Driving naked wasn't great.
He grew aware of Ximena's gaze on him as he tried to get dressed and drive at the same time. If she was a shifter she must've seen a naked man before. Or not. And most people never saw scars like his.
"I'd tell you to drive, so I could get dressed, but I don't think you can reach the pedals."
She smiled, and warmth spread in his chest. Yeah, she'd be fine. As long as he could get her to Jinx, she'd be fine.
* * * *
Jinx's phone vibrated, and he stared at the screen. "It's Namir."
Gertrude looked at him from the driver's seat. They'd been on the road back toward Myrfolk for maybe fifteen minutes.
"Babe?"
Silence followed. Maybe calling him babe had been a mistake.
"Namir?"
"Jinx! I'm...ah...fuck!"
Jinx sat up straighter. "Where are you?"
Gertrude's hold on the steering wheel tightened.
"I'm running out of gas, and I think they're after us."
What the hell? "Where are you?"
"We were on the highway from Oakmouth, heading home, but the low fuel symbol lit up, and I heard motorbikes closing in, so I turned off the highway and found a small gravel road. I don't know exactly where I am, but I fear we'll have to leave the car and hike."
Gertrude made a U-turn. Cars were honking as she maneuvered through the traffic. There were more honks when Asher and Noah followed her example.
"We? Who are we?" Clara had only said Namir had left the community.
"Ximena and I." There was a rustle, and then Namir sounded far away. "Say hi to Daddy, sweetie."
"Dad?"
A sob left Jinx before he could pull himself together. "Baby, are you okay?"
She hummed then there was more rustle as if she handed the phone back to Namir. "Hello?" Namir sounded distracted.
"We're coming." He wasn't proud of the desperation in his voice, but Namir either didn't notice or didn't care.
"I don't know where we are, but I fear they'll catch up with us any minute now."
Shit. If Czar got hold of Namir with Ximena, he'd kill him, and he most likely wouldn't be quick about it. Which hopefully gave Jinx time to find him. He still didn't think he'd hurt Ximena, but he might lock her up where he'd be sure he couldn't get to her. Ever.
"Hide the car. We can get it later. Get out and go on foot. They won't expect you to."
"Ximena has a red shirt on and no jacket. We'll stand out like a sore thumb. There are no leaves on the trees, and it's a bright red."
"I know. I bought her that shirt." And it was the same she'd had on the day he'd been forced to leave her. Did it mean she hadn't been allowed to change clothes?
"It's cold. She has no jacket." It was the second time he'd said she had no jacket. It made Jinx smile. Namir worried about her.
"Better a little cold than caught."
"True, but I think it's more than a little cold. I think she's been outside for a long time. The run from the guards warmed us up some--" His voice softened, and Jinx pictured him smiling at Ximena. "--but it's chilly out there."
"We'll find you, but you have to not get caught." Gertrude zigzagged past cars, driving well over the speed limit. "We're nearby."
Namir snorted. "Four hours away."
"No. We were in Wanford, and you said you'd driven some on the highway, right?"
Silence, followed by a curse. "I hear motorcycles. I don't know where Wanford is."
"Halfway there. We're an hour away." Or two. He had no idea where Namir was.
"I have to go. They're closing in. I'll do my best to keep her safe." Then the phone went dead, and Jinx stared at it as icy tendrils spread in his body.
"Call Noah." Gertrude's gaze was glued to the road as she passed another car at a reckless speed.
"Why?"
"To let them know why we're driving as if we've robbed a bank. Asher's driving, so call Noah."
Jinx did, relayed the information, and then spent a few moments simply staring at the road. "If they get to them, I'm going back there."
Gertrude glanced at him. He had the feeling she wanted to give him a longer glare but had to focus on the traffic. "I've gotten Namir out of captivity once. I'll not allow him to go back. If they take them, we'll all come."
Four wouldn't be enough, and he couldn't allow Asher and Noah to sacrifice themselves. Rue and Chaton needed them. "I can't let you. Four against--"
"Ninety-four. Or at least eighty-five once we've removed humans and children." She smiled. "Hopefully, we'll manage to solve this without a war, but don't for a second believe I won't go there. Namir is mine, and no one is taking him from me unless he wants to go."
Jinx stared at her. She'd go to war for one person? For his person.
"Don't look so shocked. There was a reason you wanted to come to Myrfolk, and it wasn't Namir. You wanted to come before you knew there was a crazy guy who snuggled with chickens in his kitchen."
"True." Jinx chuckled, and some tension left him. A lot remained, but he could breathe more easily.
"And the reason was because you believed you'd be safe with us. You believed I'd keep you safe."
He nodded. It had been the reason. He'd believed he and Ximena could relax if Gertrude welcomed them to the community.
"One of the reasons people feel safe is because they know the community has their back. We help each other. Some people like to have people around them, some don't. Those who never talk to anyone and don't hang out with anyone, know I'll come for them too if they're in trouble. Namir is mine, and as long as he is, I'll come for him." She gave him another quick look. "I'll come for you too, and the little girl I have yet to meet. The community will come for you."
Jinx feared he'd sob again. His throat had grown uncomfortably tight.
* * * *
Chapter 24
Namir drove into a grove of young trees. There was a lot of bushy growth, and he managed to more or less bury the car in some thorny blackberry shrubs. It was still visible, but the way the twigs hugged the vehicle made it look as if it'd been there awhile. It was worse with the tracks. He had to do something about them.
"Can you hear them?" He looked at Ximena who was clutching the seat belt. They'd driven for as long as he'd dared after he'd hung up with Jinx. The car was faster than walking, and a lot warmer. He worried about the cold. He'd be fine, but Ximena's teeth were chattering despite him blasting heat at her and flipping on the seat heater.
He hadn't brought a jacket for himself, hadn't been thinking. He had a hoodie. It would have to be enough.
First, he needed to cover their tracks, then he'd tackle the cold.
"Nothing?"
She shook her head. He couldn't hear anything either. He didn't think it meant they'd lost them. They'd be back soon.
"Wait here."
He stepped out of the car and snapped some branches in quick succession. He did his best to hide where they'd gone off the road but feared he didn't do a great job. If anyone would be looking for tracks, they'd be able to find them. It was better than nothing though, and hopefully, they believed he'd set out with a full tank of gas, and not done something as stupid as not thinking about checking how much fuel there was. He didn't have a credit card or any cash, so he couldn't refuel, but they didn't know.
Walking back to the car, he opened the passenger door. "Okay, I think we'll do like this." He pulled off his hoodie. "You'll ride on my back." He turned and motioned for her to climb on. It took a couple of seconds, but then slim arms curled around his neck. "Good. Now, I'll put this on over both of us, okay?" He held up the hoodie. "It'll help keep us warm, and it'll hide the red of your top. Hopefully, if someone sees us, they'll think I have a backpack." He gave her a grin over his shoulder.
She nodded and let go of him with one arm to swipe a strand of hair from her eyes.
He had to rip the neckline a little to fit both their heads and not have the hoodie strangle them. "Ready?"
Ximena nodded, and he rose to his feet. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, and he pulled at the hoodie to get it to cover as much as possible of her. She shivered against him, and he was beginning to fear hypothermia. She couldn't have been outside all night, could she?
"Okay. Let's hope we're heading in the right direction." He was only half joking. Part of him wanted to find the highway and walk along it the entire way back, but it would get them caught within minutes.
He didn't run, but he walked at a rapid pace, wanting to put distance between them and the car should they find it. Vampires and shifters could search an area pretty darn fast.
They walked and walked and walked. At one point, they'd heard a couple of motorcycles, and Namir had dropped down on the ground as they drove by. It could have been two random motorcyclists, but he didn't think so. Luckily, it didn't appear as if they'd found the car.
Ximena's stomach roared, and Namir winced. "I'm sorry, pumpkin. I don't have anything edible, and I don't have any money to buy anything."
She only nodded. A quiet child.
He kept on walking, and her grip around his neck loosened as she swayed with his every motion. He wasn't sure if she was asleep or only had drifted off into some sort of trance, but he made sure to hold on to her should she let go. Poor thing most likely hadn't slept properly in days, much like her father. Though, Jinx had been resting when he'd left him the night before.
Namir didn't know for how long he had been walking. It felt like hours, and Ximena had fallen asleep. Her left arm slid off his shoulder, but the hoodie kept it from flopping to her side.
When an engine came closer, he crouched by a trunk. He didn't want to throw himself on the ground if he didn't have to, and it sounded like a car, not bikes. It didn't mean it wasn't them, of course. He assumed they'd come after them with cars too.
Then Ximena started to struggle. She went from asleep to fighting the hoodie in the blink of an eye.
"Hey, easy. Calm down." He tried swaying a little as if he was hushing a baby. Maybe she'd had a nightmare. "We're only waiting for the car to pass."
"It's Daddy."
Hope burst in Namir's chest, then he squashed it. "How do you know?"
"I can hear him. He's worried."
Hear the engine of the car? Did she recognize it? "You can hear it?"
"Yes, he's afraid. Worried."
"You can hear that he's worried?"
Silence.
"Ximena?"
"I can't listen if I speak."
Oh..."But you hear..."
"We have to get to the road. He can't hear me like I hear him. He's never been able to."
Namir turned his head as much as he could to watch her. "You can hear his worry?"
She nodded.
