They gained the protection of the heavy stand of trees. Brush had grown up everywhere, unusual in a forest so dense, where the canopy kept the sun from hitting the forest floor. In the very center of the brush, a thick green carpet stretched out before them. The strip of grass was narrow and Dimitri realized with every step he took, behind him, the grass sank into the ground so that only dried leaves and brush remained, covering their tracks.

Skyler indicated the need for stealth. A guard directly ahead of us.

He already knew that. His senses were coming back, acute, the senses of the Sange rau, or Hän ku pesäk kaikak, whatever he had become. Whatever his mixed blood and the silver had made him. He knew exactly where the Lycan was. They would forever be a stench in his nostrils. He knew each individual. This one had stayed away from him. Several times Dimitri had noticed him speaking with Zev.

They have a pattern they follow when they guard their pack. This man will move to the right while the guards in the outer circle will move to the left to cover where he has been.

He shouldn’t be surprised anymore with any information Skyler had, but the inner workings of a Lycan pack?

The moment the guard shifted direction, she was on the move. How had she known the precise moment the Lycan had changed his position? Dimitri found he was just a little in awe of his lifemate. They edged past the first guard and picked up the pace, moving quickly along the little strip of grass that wound through the trees and kept them covered by heavy brush.

8

Dimitri found he was getting his legs back as they hurried along. At first he’d been stiff, walking like a marionette with someone jerking the strings to his arms and legs. Blood flowed back with movement, and he found he could easily block the painful pins and needles. After the burn of the silver, the prickly sensation was more annoying and troublesome and easily manageable. Skyler picked up the pace, but in deference to his state, she wasn’t moving very fast. His longer strides kept up with her easily.

There will be another guard a few meters ahead. We have to wait for him to circle back around, she cautioned.

He hadn’t believed that they could just walk out of the Lycan camp. Hanging from a tree with silver wrapping him from head to toe, he’d had plenty of time to study the pack and the way they operated. A lot of the day-to-day operations were instinctual, probably imprinted on them before birth.

His own wolf had fed him information on the species, giving him the data necessary to be Lycan, but this was different. His wolf told him how to fight in pack formation, but Skyler had gleaned much more. She knew movements, times, how the pack guarded camps. He kept his mind merged with hers, learning the information, and how Mother Earth had shared with her.

He found his heart swelling with pride and respect. There should be no more surprises with his lifemate, yet she astonished him at every turn. Her abilities continued to grow along with her confidence. Was it the combination of her bloodlines? But there were others with her specific bloodlines, and they didn’t exhibit the extreme power she displayed. Her mother? What did they really know of her mother and her gifts? Clearly he needed to learn more about her.

The path shifted to the left and then cut back sharply to the right. He could smell the other guard. The Lycan was much closer than Skyler had expected, which meant he had deviated from his normal routine. Dimitri put a hand on her shoulder, halting her progress. They crouched together on the narrow path, Dimitri sheltering her body as best he could, making certain he completely covered her in the event bullets started their way. The pack preferred hunting without guns, but he’d seen plenty of weapons in the camp. If they were preparing for a war, they would be using modern weapons.

Every breath he drew was difficult, and he had to prevent the wheezing from being heard. His lungs were shot. He needed blood. His close proximity to Skyler made his mouth water and his teeth stay lengthened. He could move, and he could endure pain, but he couldn’t stop the ever-present hunger that crawled through his body demanding he feed starving cells.

His hand remained on Skyler’s shoulder and he felt her tremble. She had gone to her hands and knees, sitting back a little on her heels, but she kept her hands in contact with the mat of grass. Through her, he felt the silent footfalls of the Lycan guard approaching. The earth gave off the smallest of vibrations. Skyler was so sensitive she felt it.

He stayed relaxed, but deep inside, he coiled, ready and more than willing to strike to protect his lifemate. He might be weak, but there was no silver chain to stop him. Skyler held her breath as the guard came even closer. The man moved first to their right and then to their left. Was he searching for them? The brush surrounding them was thick enough that the Lycan avoided going through it, and he wasn’t aware of the thin strip of forest green carpet leading them to safety.

Dimitri allowed his enhanced senses free rein. Being a mixed blood gave him all the gifts of a Carpathian as well as a Lycan. As time went on, he would evolve even more. He already was gaining the speed of the mixed blood, and he had the acute vision and sense of smell as well as hearing.

The stench of the fire, the burned tree and cabins permeated the forest. The Lycan guard continued to move back and forth in an effort to see what was happening back at camp. He couldn’t abandon his position, but he was clearly worried.

A sense of relief swept through Dimitri. He wasn’t anywhere near full strength and he doubted if he could fight off a pack of Lycans. He wanted to get away without any of them realizing he was gone until it was too late to stop them.

They waited, counting the seconds ticking by, both knowing any moment someone would discover Dimitri had escaped. After what seemed an eternity, the guard gave up and resumed his normal patrol. Dimitri squeezed Skyler’s shoulder. She looked back at him, her eyes changing color, like a kaleidoscope, a signature of her Dragonseeker blood. He knew the color change indicated nervousness.

You’re amazing. He breathed the words into her mind, accompanied by his deep respect and love for her. I honestly didn’t think you could possibly get me out of that tree, let alone remove the silver chain from my body, but you did it. And now we’re moving through the second circle of their guards.

It’s a long way until we’re really free, she reminded. From here on out, you would have a much better chance without me. I can’t go to ground or take to the air.

He leaned close, his mouth moving against her ear, although he spoke in her mind. I can’t do those things at the moment either, csitri. I am far too weak.

Josef is waiting just ahead. We couldn’t risk his being too close in case the Lycans sensed his energy. But he’ll give you more blood—Carpathian blood. Paul’s here as well. He’s just a few kilometers from Josef. And you can feed again there.