The Viking's Mate Hunt

CHAPTER 117

The cave was dark and cold. The rugged ground was covered with loose rocks, dirt, and water puddles. Small streams of water trickled down the walls here and there. Our steps echoed down the dark and narrow passage ahead. With my back turned to Ezra, Jacob, and the wagon, I stared down into the darkness, scared the thud of my raging heart would start to bounce off the walls. It had created as an attempt to forget that I had to leave Lydia alone in the wagon, but as the cold and wet darkness sucked me into it, I am almost ashamed to admit how fast I forgot about her.

It is not that I thought this little hunt, as they called it, would be a peachy walk in the mossy forest ground still bathing in sunlight, but I didn't imagine it like a gruesome horror movie either. But that is just what it is starting to look like,

"Why here?"

"Isn't that obvious?"

"No, not really."

"Oh, come on, Ezra, you know by now she's not that bright."

I didn't even bother to acknowledge him; I just continued to stare into the darkness. The sound of water drops colliding with the cold ground made it all so much worse, and all the tiny invisible hairs down my neck and back stood straight and made me feel cold to the bones.

"Oh well, I guess my brother is right. The plan is that this underground labyrinth will make sure no unwelcome players ruin our little game. You see, besides this entrance, there is no way out. So, safe place to let our prey go. Spacious and dangerous enough to give us a challenge, maybe even anger our wolf just the slightest."

He paused to look over at Jacob while they both laughed,

"Perfect for a little game, don't you agree? And as long as you keep to the rules, we won't touch your dying little pet over there."

"Rules? What are the rules?"

"Don't worry, they are so simple even you will remember. 1. Run. 2. Run. and rule number 3. Don't die. It is not up to you when you get to die; that is up to us. Do you need to write that down, honey? Run, never stop, and ask for permission before dying."

There was no need to waste energy looking at him; I knew he meant it, and I had no need to torture myself by seeing him yet again. No matter what happens here today, I will remember these two, besides that massive white wolf, for the rest of my life. He was beautiful, stunning, and magical, but it was impossible not to notice his black eyes, the cold evil lingering around him like a thick cloud. I've given up on understanding how they can throw their family aside like this, their sister, and I am not about to ponder why their beast is evil. Waste of brain cells, for sure.

"How long do I get?"

"Oh, we can stay here for days! I mean, if that is a secret dream of yours!"

"No. My head start? How long do I get?"

The silence that followed from both of them was enough for me to turn around and realize one thing: They didn't actually know how the original hunt worked. The masochist inside of me perked,

"So that is what this is... They didn't allow you to play with the other boys, so now you copy the game?"

Ezra reached his hand out to stop Jacob, who took a couple of threatening steps my way.

"And why would we give you a head start?"

"Didn't you want to hunt? Give your monster freedom to track me down like an injured little meatball covered in fur? Without a head start, I probably haven't even had time to start running before the chase is over."

"Don't act like a smart ass, it doesn't suit you!"

The mockery from Jacob sounds so childish. I was kind of surprised he didn't end it by sticking his tongue out.

"How long did the Vikings give you?"

"A day."

Jacob scoffed but also turned his back to his brother, kicked a stone, and walked away to kick another.

"No, that is too much."

"I thought you wanted a challenge? Or was it bragging?"

"One hour. "

He didn't bite, but the corner of his thin lips tugged up to an amused grin. A loud crash echoed down the cave, and the sound bounced off the walls into the darkness. Ezra spun around, and my head jerked in the direction the sound came from. All I saw was Jacob with his arms folded over his chest, smiling from one ear to the other. An image that made my chest tighten in horror; I'm sure that man never smiles to be kind. At first, I didn't understand what he did and didn't see what could have made that sound; then I looked higher up. He kicked the lock behind the wagon, making the end of it fall, creating a wooden slide down to the ground.

"Wh..What are you doing?"

Nobody answered, and nobody moved.

Looking back and forth between the brothers, an uneasy feeling spread in my stomach. I knew nothing about this situation looked bright, but his smile...

"You promised!"

My squeaking voice filled the room, and every muscle in my body tensed watching them. Ezra only looked at Jacob, like he was accessing the situation or trying to see his mind and what he planned to do. Jacob leaned back on the wagon, still with that creepy smile plastered all over his face, and I don't think I ever wanted to smack off a smile as bad as I wanted right here and now.

"You promised not to touch her!"

"Jacob..?"

Ezra asked, but there was a deep tone reminding him there was no time for stupid tricks and childish antics. That was the only time he paused his smile to roll his eyes at his brother.

"Yeees, Eeezzra?"

He dragged his name out, and for a second, they locked eyes. Tension grew inside the dark cave, and the energy around them grew heavy and vibrating.

"Come one! I'm not even touching her. Look!"

He held up both hands, like it was a gesture of innocence, and upgraded his horror smile to a flashing million-dollar smile. Still, it made him look hideous and unearthly, and I had to resist the urge to shiver.

"And what are she going to do about it if I did? Refuse to run? Ooooh nooo... hoooow sad! Well, at least it will be an easy kill, and we will start the hunt for a white female wolf from scratch! Easy peasy!"

I gaped at him like he just lost his last screws, but to my dismay, both were now looking at me. Jacob was pleased with the shift of attention; Ezra just stood there as he debated himself with this newfound information like it was a missing piece of an unsolved puzzle.

"Stop! Stop it!"

Shouting, I took a couple of fast steps toward Jacob that tilted the wagon so Lydia´s limp body started sliding down to the open end.

"Just.. Hei! Hei! Jacob, fucking stop!"

Frustration and anger rushed through my body, and I shouted louder and louder as Jacob lifted it higher and higher up. How couldn't he see how dangerous this is? How serious this is? Because I could feel the burn and anxiety raging inside my chest, exploding up my throat, leaving a numb taste on the tip of my tongue, especially when I saw the ground behind the wagon. She would die if she rolled out the wagon and down on those. What the hell! A half-made hole in the ground covered with sharp sticks and arrows.

In that brief second, I gasped for air; between the shouting, something heavy slammed against my throat, and suddenly, my back crashed hard against the hard ground. Forcing the oxygen out of my lungs and pain shoot up my back. My lungs screamed for oxygen, and the need burned like acid up my throat. The pressure increased behind my eyes, making it feel like they would bulge at any second. At that exact moment, the darkness started to thicken around me, the pressure loosened just enough for my body to inhale air so fast it felt like an adrenaline shock. The lack of oxygen had me so in a haze that it took me several heaves of air to realize what the weight on my chest was.

His warm breath fanned the small loose hairs hanging down by my ear, and the heat of his voice brushed against my cheek. Still struggling to get out of that thick haze, I continued to gasp for air, desperately trying to catch up when Ezra lowered his voice and almost whispered right by my ear,

"You forgot your place!"

The only response I was capable of making was a deep, gurgling groan. In the distance, I heard footsteps, and without being able to see him, I knew it was Jacob, and my head started moving after the sound. Warm fingers slowly slid over my collarbone, over my shoulder, up my neck, and tangled in my hair before his fist clenched. Pulling my hair hard, forcing my head back and to keep still. My eyes started focusing again, glued to the cave roof over us, small rocks, dark and wet stones scattered above our heads. I stared at one stone that happened to fall into my focus; there was nothing special about it, it didn't stand out, but that is what I kept staring at, clawing at the sense of clarity I got scared to lose if I blinked.

Even when hands grabbed my wrists and forced them over my head and to the ground, I kept staring at that little stone. As his hoarse voice rasped in my ear again, my body and mind slowly came back. My heart began to hammer against my ribs; that alone was enough to make breathing more challenging. Looking up, I stared straight into Jacob's snickering face, and the idiot even had the audacity to wink at me while his disgusting brother's body pressed against mine. A hand slid down on the outside of my thigh, behind my knee. A groan mixed with an angry, deep growl pressed out between my lips when my knee lifted up and Ezra pressed himself between my legs. Warm breath and beard stubbles scraped up my neck and to my hair before he took deep breaths. Like he tried to savor the smell of my hair in his lungs.

"Tsk, tsk. Good girls know when they misbehave!"

Jacob's voice chirped in when I started squirming beneath Ezra and pressed my hands firmer down, pinning them above my head.

His body pressed against mine, shifted, and grinned before a hand slid up under my shirt, and I hissed through clenched teeth. Wished I could claw his eyes out. While he continued to let himself explore my body, Jacob leaned down to my ear and whispered, shushed, and filled with amusement,

"I bet you thought I was the cruel one!"