CHAPTER Twenty Nine
The sensation of passing through the gateway made me feel oddly nauseous. I pushed it away, however, blinking, and realised that this second gateway was close to the clearing where John had shown me the wichtlein’s stone. It made sense now, after all we were some distance from the beach and it had never quite tallied that Iabartu had travelled so far away from there instead of going straight to the keep. It seemed a lifetime ago now since I’d been here last. I closed my eyes for a brief second, imagining John in front of me, before composing myself, opening my eyes and looking coldly at Anton. “What will happen to the portal?”
“It’s none of your concern,” he muttered.
F*ckwit, I thought, enjoying the feeling of my bloodfire rise further. “You can’t keep the pack safe with this open, Anton.”
“You are pushing your luck,” he hissed at me, his breath warm and unpleasant in my face. “The mage will close it now that we have returned. The pack will only be safe once you have gone.” His eyes narrowed to slits. “And it’s time you did so now.”
I took a step closer to him and was rewarded to see that he took a step backwards, away from me. “Oh, I’ll go, Anton. But you’d better be the best f*cking alpha in the country. Because if I ever hear that you’ve done anything to endanger the pack, or if you abuse your power in any way, I’ll be back.” I licked my lips. “And we both know who would win the fight.” I dared him to remember the fact that I’d bested him the gym in the Brethren’s test. He snarled at me, but I’d already had the last word and meant every part of it. And he knew it. Spinning on my heel, I stalked away, towards the road and away from the keep.
Walking through the forest, I knew I’d have to be fast. Corrigan could easily catch me, probably in his human form as much as in his shifter form and there was nothing left that would hide my so-called humanity from him. I scoffed at myself. Humanity? That was a laugh. I wasn’t human, I was some weird kind of weak dragon by-blow with stupid hot blood that was apparently addictive.
I picked up the pace. Before too long the road leading to Truro and then beyond appeared in sight. I pulled a few large leaves off a nearby tree, using them to rub off the worst of the blood. The last thing I’d need was to be picked up by some well meaning passerby who’d be so horrified by my appearance I’d be taken straight to hospital, no matter what I said. The leaves did a fairly poor job, but they were better than nothing. I started to jog. I had to put as much distance between myself and the keep as possible – not only because Corrigan might find me but because despite my vow to Anton I knew I was in danger of changing my mind and going back to the only home I’d ever known, whatever the consequences. I spared a thought for Tom, Julia, Betsy, Johannes, even Nick. I hoped they’d understand why I’d left.
Suddenly a Voice slammed into my head.
You’re running away. It was Corrigan.
I swallowed, slightly scared. Actually who was I kidding? The man more than scared me - he terrified me. I have to, I sent back. He wouldn’t understand but lying again right now was beyond me.
You don’t have to just join another rural pack, Mackenzie. Come to the Brethren. Your boyfriend is joining us after all – you won’t be alone.
I didn’t respond. Silence hung in the mental air for just a second and his Voice appeared again. You’re not joining another pack, are you? You’re going rogue.
Again, I didn’t bother to reply. My actions would be clear soon enough.
You know the consequences of this.
Way Directive No 6: All shifters must belong to a pack or they are to be considered outcasts. The Brethren put rogue shifters on their watchlist and they ended up forever looking over their shoulder, waiting to be caught. Fair enough, yeah, but I wasn’t actually a shifter, was I?
I will find you, kitten, sooner or later.
Goodbye Corrigan. I slammed shut my mental gates, pushing him out and trying to ignore the little flicker of regret as I did so.
The sound of a car appeared behind me and I stuck out my thumb, half-hoping it wouldn’t stop. It did. The window wound down and a ruddy face peered out. “Where to, love?”
I batted down my irrational irritation at the ‘love’ and bit out a smile. “As far as you’re going.”
“Exeter do you?”
It was a start. I smiled and walked round to the passenger side.