Grimmer (Sequel to Kailin)

Chapter 1: A Wolf's Maw

I sucked in a deep breath, ordering myself to be calm. I focused on what I would have to do. Every worry was stuffed deeper down with the next intake of breath, until I grew more than serious and was able to feel the presence near by; hear the sound of boots hurrying over thin layers of snow.

Chris, Shayn, I called out to them.

They both answered me immediately. Yes, Commander?

Come to me quickly. There is a problem, and if there is more to come I don't want this one getting away. You know where I am.

We do, they replied.

I'm on my way, Shayn told me.

I'll meet up with Shayn and be there quickly.

Good, I told them. Be aware of what is around you as you go.

Understood.

After straightening myself to be parallel with the runner, I sped up to run far ahead of him. When I was far enough away, I stopped and turned.

My eyes closed as I listened. A steely look came over my face while I thought about it. Running too fast. Moving too deliberately. Directly for the Vari.

Seconds later his movements slowed. He felt me and I knew it. I decided not to search through his memories until he was in front of me. The man began to walk.

The figure stepped forward, a crouch in his movements, then stopped just before he broke into the light of where I stood, blocking a clear view.

His black eyes caught the light a moment while he hesitated, crouching low with his fingers twitching at his sides as if he were debating on fighting me or not. My lip twitched up in a snarl when I thought about it. I sized him up as he crouched there.

"You aren't the one I want," he spit out in a gravelly voice. "I must speak with someone else. Now move."

His accent was unfamiliar to me, which made my snarl cease. "Stand and maybe I can help you," I offered to him.

"No! I have orders," he snapped, leaning farther toward me. One of his hands reached back to his belt.

Immediately after hearing that I threw my thoughts out to him, only to find my path completely blocked. I searched around but came up with nothing. It was impenetrable. Again my lips rose over my teeth. "And from where do your orders come?" I growled, knowing full well already.

Instead of answering me, he leapt from the cover. The knife in his hand rose up while he was still airborne, and I allowed his bulk to come forward until the last second, when I jerked his wrists in my hands and turned to slam him against a tree.

He struggled against my hold in any way he could: yanking his arms, throwing his head back, kicking out his legs, all the while screaming in anger. I shoved his sweaty head into the bark of the tree and held his hands tightly together in one of mine.

"Keep still and shut up!" I barked.

Instead of listening to me, he continued to fight, struggling bestially to throw my weight until I sent heat gradually through my hands. The more he moved, the hotter my skin burned until he stifled a scream and froze.

The second he froze, my men burst forward through the snow.

"Get over here and tie his hands," I ordered.

Chris jumped forward and grabbed his wrists from me while Shayn came up on the other side to keep him from squirming.

When I stepped away I fought to keep down my snarl. The ball of worry that had been in my gut before turned into a spike of anger that kept my skin burning.