Chapter 110 Chapter 110
Calum leaned against the tree and shook his head as he watched the women climb. He could have called out for them to stop, but didn’t. He’d stepped on the branch, just to see what Gage and Devin would do. Now that he had them on edge, maybe they’d stop making more noise than a marching band.
Gage suddenly stood up, hands on his hips. “Calum, you bastard, I can smell you.”
Calum grinned and started walking again. “Could you guys make any more noise?” He kept his voice low, knowing the shifters would hear him. Marilyn had said this area was clear of village patrols, but he wasn’t taking anything for granted while on this large hunk of dirt. Stepping out of the taller plants, he nodded to Jesse and Jake. As backup went, they were two he trusted.
Stopping in front of Gage, he cleared his throat. “You may want to get your women out of the tree now, we have to get to the cave.”
“We’re going to a cave?” Jake asked.
Calum nodded, not feeling like explaining just yet.
“Cool.” Jake looked excited by the idea.
He waited for Rayne and Kelsey to have both feet on the ground, then turned. “Let’s go, I don’t like being out in the open in the dark.”
Gage put a hand on his shoulder to stop him from walking. “If your anxious, then I’m feeling all nervy too. What the hell is going on?”
Devin cocked his head and studied him. “Did you find your men?”
He had no idea where to start to explain any of this, and he definitely wasn’t going to stand here and chat. They needed to get back to the cave. He nodded. “Yeah. I’ll try to explain, but we have to get moving. Now.”
Rayne came over, pulling at leaves tangled in her hair. “We can’t shift to speed it up?”
Running a hand through his hair, he debated on it for a second. “Better not. I don’t think they’d be interested in the rest of you, but as I’ve already escaped once, I don’t want to do it again.” He growled softly, “I’m not fond of chains.”
“Chains?” Gage immediately pulled Kelsey closer.
Devin nodded as he grabbed Rayne’s hand. “Lead the way, and we’ll talk when we get where we’re going.” He nodded to Jesse, “You and Jake take the rear and watch our backs.”
Calum started walking back the way he’d come. He felt better knowing he wasn’t alone. It didn’t feel better with Shaelan still in the village with her insane father though, but this was a start.
“Are you okay?” Rayne asked him, keeping her voice down.
He snorted, “I’m in one piece if that’s what you mean. I had stiches in one shoulder, but it healed when I shifted yesterday.” Looking over his shoulder, he caught the look between the men. “Let’s pick up the pace, if you think you can jog for a bit?”
Kelsey caught up to him. “You have my adrenalin pumping like crazy, so I’m up for that.” She brushed past him and started running without having any clue where she was going.
“Me too.” Rayne answered, following Kelsey.
Nodding, he swung his pack around to his back and started jogging after them so he could take the lead.
They were only about thirty feet from the entrance when he heard a low yowl, from a jaguar announcing its presence. He stopped and crouched down, looking in every direction he could. Without turning to look, he knew the others would be low to the ground now as well. Calum inhaled, trying to find the direction of the cat. Turning slowly, he waited. He saw the eyes coming toward them in the dark, shrugging out of his pack, he braced himself for a fight.
He heard a warning growl from behind him and recognized it as Gage’s voice. Out of the trees, a large male, with a coat almost as dark as his own started walking toward them. Hadn’t Nona said no males come near here… Huffing out a breath, he stood up slowly, not wanting to make any fast moves. “Brock?” he asked quietly. The cat turned in a slow circle as if to say, ‘look at me’. Sighing, he looked behind him to the others. “It’s okay.”
Brock came bounding over in long strides and rubbed against his leg. He refused to pet a male cat. “Are you patrolling?” Brock chuffed in response. He started walking toward the cave entrance. “We’re almost there, guys.”
He turned to see Brock walking in a circle around Jake. “He likes women.” Calum said and then almost laughed at the wide-eyed look Jake gave the cat as he stepped away from him.
“He’s beautiful,” Rayne said going over and stroking a hand over his coat. Devin growled. Lifting her hand away, she rolled her eyes at him. “Not the same species, don’t get your tail in a knot.”
Kelsey chuckled and caught up to Calum. “You have a lot of explaining to do.”
Nodding, he motioned for her to go into the cave. “Yeah, I do. And it’s going to get messy.”
She stopped and looked at him. “Messy like tears or like tie-Gage-up-so-he-doesn’t-do-something-stupid, messy?”
“Hey, Gage can hear you.” Gage said as he stopped beside her.
“Both,” Calum answered and motioned again to the cave.
Jake came over and walked beside them. “Missing clans, a dark mysterious cave, voodoo vibes and creepy as hell, how bad can it be?” He snorted and walked in.
When they’d all gone in, Brock bounded over. “Thanks for keeping lookout. Please go watch out for Shaelan.”
Brock looked at him for a second, then took off into the dark.
Calum heaved out a deep breath, wishing he could shift and go run off some of the frustration that weighed on his shoulders, as heavy as the ground he stood on. Running his hand through his hair, he looked at the entrance and knew he had to keep it together to fill the others in on the last few days of his life, and prepare them for the hell that was going to be the next several.