Warrior (Relentless #4)(226)

I’d been searching for well over an hour when my nose caught the scent of blood nearby. My stomach lurched as I veered left toward the blood, and I braced myself for what I might find. But it was just the remains of some small animal – a fox, judging by the tuffs of red fur on the bloody snow.

The sound of water ahead made me stop and visualize a map of the terrain. A large river ran through this area, alongside several game trails. If the wyvern lived within a few miles, he’d come here to hunt. I looked down at the bloody patch of snow and set off running toward the river.

I came out of the trees beside the roaring water and began making my way upriver. Minutes later, I felt a rush of excitement when I came upon a patch of beaten down snow at the base of a large boulder. Footprints, too small to belong to a man, led away from the rock, heading upstream. It was Sara. It had to be.

The freezing rain was coming down hard, spurring me to go faster. If Sara was walking, she couldn’t be badly hurt, but she wouldn’t last long in this weather. Even my Mori was working hard to keep me warm against the freezing onslaught.

Above the rain and the roar of the river I heard what sounded like a growl. I thought my ears were playing tricks on me, until I peered through the darkness and saw a shape circling in the air a quarter of a mile upriver.

Ten steps later, I felt the faintest brush against my mind.

I sped over the uneven ground, her presence growing ever stronger. I’d almost reached the bend in the river when my name carried to me on the wind.

My heart thundered. She knew I was near.

I rounded the bend, and a pit opened in my stomach when I saw her lying facedown in the snow less than one hundred yards from a small cabin.

“Sara!” I yelled, dropping to my knees beside her.

“Sara, wake up,” I ordered as I checked her breathing and pulse. They were weak, but she was alive. “Stay, with me.”

Her mouth opened, and she mumbled something that sounded like my name.

“Sara, oh God.”

I crushed her to me. Above us, the wyvern growled as it flew in circles like it was guarding her. It must have sensed I wasn’t a threat to her because it didn’t attack.

“Are you hurt?” I asked her. When she didn’t respond I shook her gently. “Sara, talk to me.”

“C-cold,” she muttered.

I felt her jeans. “Khristu, you’re soaked through.”

I picked her up and stood. I had to get her warm and out of those clothes. “I’ve got you. You need to stay awake for me.”

“Okay,” she said weakly.

In seconds, we were at the cabin perched on the edge of the river. One twist was all it took to break the padlock on the door. I shoved it open and carried Sara inside, kicking the door shut behind me.

My eyes saw well enough in the darkness of the cabin to pick out a pair of twin beds. I sat Sara on the closest bed. A scan of the room revealed an oil lantern on a small table, and I went to light it.

“Nikolas?” Sara called fearfully.

“I’m here.”

I struck a match and put it to the wick, thankful that whoever owned the cabin kept it well maintained. The lantern flared to life, and I left it on the table to go to the fireplace where kindling had already been arranged for a fire. It took no time to get a good blaze putting off heat into the small room.

Now to get her out of those wet clothes. She didn’t protest when I peeled off her small coat and removed her shirt, boots, and jeans. Her skin had a bluish tint, and she was shivering violently by the time I got her outer clothes off.

“Jesus, your skin is like ice,” I said when my hand brushed her thigh.

I got to my feet and pulled off my coat and shirt. My Mori already knew what I wanted, and it increased my body temperature as I pulled her up and pressed her body against mine. She stood like a life-size doll while I rubbed her arms and back to get her circulation going again. Her lack of response scared me, even though I knew it was normal for someone suffering from hypothermia. She’d be herself again as soon as I got her core temperature up.

She sighed softly when her skin began to warm. Relief washed over me, and I looked around the room to see if there was anything dry for her to wear. Between the two beds stood a large wooden chest that looked promising.

I sat her on the bed and opened the chest. Inside were homemade quilts and two pillows. I grabbed a thick quilt, wrapped it around her, and carried her over to the fire. There was a small rug on the floor, and I set her down on it.

“It will warm up in here soon,” I promised her.

I added more wood to the fire, and then I went outside to bring in some of the chopped firewood I’d seen in a small lean-to by the side of the cabin. Freezing rain lashed my bare back as I filled my arms with wood. Ignoring the discomfort, I made three trips, creating a good-sized pile near the hearth. It was turning into a real storm out here, and I needed to make sure Sara stayed warm all night.

On my last trip outside, I heard the flap of wings and the scratch of claws on shingles. Looking up, I saw the wyvern perched on top of the cabin like a sentry. He turned his head and stared at me for a moment before he settled down with his head under his wing.

Shaking my head, I walked around the cabin to make sure it was as secure as it could be. It was small but made of logs, and storm shutters covered the two windows. The thick door wouldn’t keep out a determined vampire, but it would provide ample protection from the weather. I hadn’t run across a single vampire while I was searching for Sara, so I doubted there were any nearby. If by chance, one did find this place, the wyvern would make him think twice about paying a visit.