Dragon Bound (Elder Races #1)(109)

The rolling countryside was carpeted with thick clusters of forest and open areas carpeted with riotous profusions of wildflowers. She paused at the edge of a wood and ran her gaze quickly over the scene behind her. No sight or sound of pursuit.

Gold and purple and scarlet dusted the emerald green field she had just traversed. Her gaze landed on a brilliant purple flower with fluted petals like a lily as it spat out a long, feathery, stamenlike stalk, whip fast, and it caught a buzzing insect on the sticky end, which then retracted into the flower with its prey.

She recoiled. Let’s not consider that a metaphor for anything.

She slung the crossbow on her back and plunged into a forested area for ground cover. She avoided anything that looked like a path. If she managed to get far enough away, she would start thinking about how to hide her trail better, but right now she didn’t have time to consider finesse.

A light rain started to patter in the treetops, the occasional drop making it far enough to land on her. Maybe she’d get lucky and it would start to pour. A heavy rain would help to dissipate her scent.

The newly released Wyr in her was eager to stretch out her legs and dig into a hard run, but Pia’s human mind couldn’t help but be frustrated. Six months from now she would have had a chance to practice many of the tricks her mother had tried to teach her about how to obscure her path from pursuers. As it was, she didn’t dare try to tap into her Power in case she made a mistake and gave away her position.

She got maybe fifteen minutes of peace and quiet. Then Urien hissed in her head, You have just made a very bad mistake, Pia Giovanni. What I did to your boyfriend is nothing compared to what I will do to you when I catch you.

Snot, snot. Threat, threat.

The lunatic inhabiting her body said to the Fae King, I can beat any pace you set, ass**le. Catch me if you can.

Okay, let’s face it. It wasn’t the smartest thing she’d ever done. But she had so had it up to here with mean people today.

The rain started to come down harder. She ran faster.

Her awareness narrowed to what was around her, watching for obstacles, plotting her course ahead through the trees, and working to keep her footing on ground that became increasingly slippery. Soon she was soaked to the skin. The forest grew more shadowy and treacherous.

Then she saw a break in the trees ahead. She managed to skid to a stop before she went tumbling head over heels down a rocky incline.

Oh, that’s not so good. Ahead of her stretched a very large expanse of rolling meadow. It wasn’t the size of the plain where she and Dragos had been trapped, but it was still far too large and exposed for her liking.

She bit her lip and tried to think. Couldn’t go back. Shouldn’t go to either side. Urien would spread his men out as they pursued her. Damn. Nothing to do but go forward. Maybe she could get to the other side before she was seen.

She bounded down the incline, hit the bottom and sprinted with everything she had.

Pia, Dragos said.

She stepped into some kind of animal hole and went down. Pain lanced up her leg. She clutched it and rocked. Dragos! Damn it.

She thought she heard him say, Thank you, gods. Then he demanded more loudly, Where are you?

Well, I don’t know that, do I? she snapped. I got drugged again and carted off to one of Urien’s vacation homes. Then I escaped, and now he’s chasing me, and I just stepped into some damn gopher or rabbit hole. Damn, DAMN, damnedy damn it—

Did you break anything?

I don’t know. She bit her lip and with a gigantic effort flexed her ankle. The pain was a railroad spike shooting up her leg.

Can you run?

I don’t know! She pushed to her feet and tried to put her weight on the ankle.

Describe where you are, he demanded.

She pushed her hair out of her eyes, looked around and told him what she saw. The ankle protested but bore her weight. Barely. She lurched into a limping run, but her former speed was gone.

Hey, big guy, she said, gritting her teeth against the pain. I can’t tell you how glad I am that you came or how good it is to hear your voice.

How glad you are that I came, he said in a flat voice. What the hell does that mean?

What do you think it means! she snapped. Forget it. I can’t talk right now. This is too hard.

She tried to push harder, to eke out a little more speed, but there wasn’t any more to be had. Jagged splinters of pain shot up her leg with every step. If she were a horse, she would have herself put down.

She wasn’t going to make it.

She put her hands on her hips, caught her breath and walked. The rain felt good, nice and cool on her overwarm body. She was about halfway across the meadow when a sense of malevolence made her turn around. She looked back to the tree line from which she had just come.

Urien and his men, mounted on horses, stood staring down at her.

She had passed the in-for-a-penny-in-for-a-pound road sign a long time ago. Hell, she was cruising the neighborhood streets of tonnage by now. Limping backward, she raised her middle finger to the Fae King.

Their horses plunged down the incline. With a casualness that spoke of contempt, he and his men trotted toward her.

She pulled the crossbow from her back. As soon as they were in range for her, she would be in range for them. She must stand out against the twilight like a lighthouse. She tore off her white T-shirt and tossed it aside, then turned her body to present less of a target.

I’m so sorry, peanut.