Joe forced Lelandi to go first, and her breathing grew more labored. She attempted to steady her breathing, calm her racing heart, ignore the tightness in her chest. But nothing was working. Time seemed to slow and the fear of dying in the tomb-like tunnel escalated.

She paused for the third time, trying to get her anxiety under control, hating that she couldn’t manage it.

“Don’t tell me you’re claustrophobic,” he snarled.

“Well, I am, damn it. Larissa wasn’t. She could hide in the smallest caves back home, curl up in one and wait my brother and me out when we were playing hide-and-seek, but I can’t do that.”

“Why?”

As if she’d tell the bastard.

When she didn’t answer him, he laughed. “Doesn’t matter. Just suck it up. Now move!” He shoved at her butt and she kicked back with her foot, connecting with some part of him… probably his head as it was so hard.

He yelped. “Damn it, Lelandi, you’re asking for trouble.”

Rocks tumbled together from up above, but the cave was so narrow at this point, she couldn’t look back to see what had happened. The sound of falling rock sent chills racing across her skin. Buried alive in a rock tomb came to mind.

“I have a little surprise waiting for them.”

What was this maniac planning? As she reached the opening into a large cave, the mountain shook and rumbled.

“What have you done?” Her heart nearly stopped. Darien? His men? What if… what if anyone was badly hurt or killed in the rock slide?

She scrambled into the cave and Joe followed her out of the tunnel, her boot’s imprint on his forehead.

“I made some assurances that if anyone tried to come in here when Larissa and I were having our special time, they couldn’t tell anyone, and if they did manage to survive, they wouldn’t be able to locate us.”

He was crazier than she suspected. “But you’ve locked us in a tomb.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Two more tunnels lead out of here that are never used.”

Another rumble of rocks shook her. She looked back at the tunnel they’d come from. Joe seized her arm, but she jerked free, her teeth clenched, tears filling her eyes. She’d found her soul mate only to lose him? “If you killed Darien, you might as well shoot me and get it over with.”

“And if I haven’t? Would be a shame if he found you dead, too.”

He was right, the bastard. If Darien found her dead, he might not get over the grief. A clear plastic bag drew her attention, a pile of furs folded inside.

“I brought them here for Larissa and me, except she died before we had the chance to use them. I tried to convince her to come away with me, but she was afraid Darien would come after us. He still thought the triplets were his. He would have killed me and taken her back if he’d had to tear the world apart looking for her.”

He grabbed Lelandi’s arm again and yanked her toward another tunnel. “This one’s shorter, not as narrow. After we make it down the mountain, we’ll backtrack to town, pick up my truck, and be on our way.”

“You don’t need me. Darien won’t care what happens to you if you leave me behind.”

“Darien took Larissa from me. Now you’ll be her. Just like everyone thought in the beginning anyway.”

“But he’ll look for me, just like he would have searched for Larissa. He’ll never quit coming after us.”

“If I’d risked it last time, maybe Larissa would still be alive.”

As much as she didn’t like the idea, Joe might be right. If Larissa had left with this man, whoever wanted her dead might not have bothered to kill her.

“You said you were taking me to Ural. That he knew where my parents were. Were you telling the truth?”

Chapter 19

BLOCKED FROM HIS BROTHERS AND THIRTY OF HIS MEN. MORE stones rained down from the initial explosion that rocked the mountain. Darien choked on the dust and rubbed his eyes so he could see the mess he was in. The rocks barricaded the tunnel entrance and no one had made it inside but him.

“Everyone all right out there?” he yelled, hoping to hell no one had been caught in the slide.

Jake hollered, “We’re fine. You?”

Highly pissed. “Fine here.”

He listened, trying to hear any sounds indicating where Joe Kelly and Lelandi were. Nothing. At least Darien could still go after them.

Sam shouted from the other side of the blockage, “We could move the rocks, but it will take hours, boss. Mason and I used to come in another way. Less hard on the knees.”

“Show the men,” Darien growled. He’d kill that son of a bitch as soon as he got his hands on him. If he’d done anything to Lelandi…

Jake hollered, “We’ll meet you around the other side, but damn it, Darien, don’t get yourself shot in the meantime. Those bullets are silver.”

Darien had no intention of waiting for his men to reach him while Lelandi was in Joe’s clutches. “How long will it take?”

“When I was younger, about half an hour. Maybe longer now,” Sam said. “The way’s easier once you’re inside, no low crawling, but to reach the cave, the climbing’s much harder.”

“See you in half an hour.”

“Wait for us, Darien, damn it,” Jake said again.

Darien was sure everyone knew he wouldn’t. He raced through the sections of the tunnel that he could, but soon came to an area where he had to crawl. The slight scent of Larissa and Lelandi remained in the tunnel. He ground his teeth when he smelled Lelandi’s fear. Joe was letting off a panicky scent also. Good. Darien hoped he was sweating fear. Damned cowardly male lupus garou who had to use a weapon to fortify himself. The notion Larissa had been here with Joe curdled Darien’s stomach though.

Down on hands and knees, he traversed the narrow, low ceiling tunnel, and he envisioned Lelandi’s skin being torn up by the rough-edged rocks. Damn that Joe. How could Larissa have managed? He would have seen any injuries she’d incurred. Unless they’d usually come in another way. Sure. Sam said the other tunnel was easier to maneuver. But this time since Joe was trying to outrun Darien and his men, he had used the cave closest to town.

When Darien finally reached the cave, he climbed out, but saw no sign of them. Except for fur blankets packed in a plastic case. His stomach and fists tightened. Two more tunnels opened out of the cave, and he hurried to one, walked in a couple of feet, but could find none of Lelandi’s or Joe’s scent. He raced across the cave to the other tunnel. But the sound of footfalls from two individuals approached him, making him stop dead. What the hell was Joe up to?

“How would I know the damned cave-in would trigger one over here? Or maybe someone set off the cave-in a couple of weeks ago,” Joe growled.

“What about the other tunnel? What if we’re trapped?” Lelandi sounded desperate, her voice shaking.

Darien wanted to dive into the tunnel, snap Joe’s worthless neck, and hug Lelandi in his secure embrace to prove she was safe and loved and the likes of Joe would never harm her again.

“Shut up! Don’t get hysterical on me. The other tunnel’s fine. It’s a little trickier getting out through that one, but we’ll manage. You have to watch for the pits. Drop something in them, and you never hear it hit bottom. Lost my hardhat down the first one once. Must have stood there twenty minutes or more waiting for it to hit rock bottom, or water, or something. Nothing. Just went on forever.”

Don’t worry, Lelandi. You won’t be traversing any damned pits with this maniac. Darien stripped off his jacket, then shirt and ditched his boots, careful not to make a sound.

Lelandi and Joe’s footsteps echoed off the tunnel wall as they drew closer. “He’ll… he’ll come after you. You know he will. If you just leave me behind—”

“Shut up! I told you you’re going to replace my Larissa.”

“I can’t be like her.”

“You look just like her. That’ll be enough for now.

You’ll grow on me.”

You’ll never have the opportunity, Joe. Darien peeled out of his jeans and stretched his arms above his head, physically and mentally preparing for the change. His face elongated into a silver snout, his teeth growing into killing weapons. His body became furred in a silver pelt and his claws extended, readied for a fight. Dropping to his pads, he waited, preparing himself for the leap that would separate Joe from his mate, his teeth itching to sink into his blood, to kill the man who would endanger his mate’s life.

“Damn it to hell! This one’s blocked, too!” Jake said on the outside of the cave at the tunnel entrance. “Is there another way, Sam?”

“One other tunnel. But that way’s too treacherous without climbing ropes.”

“I’ll get some,” Mason said.

“I’ll go with you,” Deputy Peter added.

“How long will it take to get to that tunnel, Sam?”

Jake asked.

“About forty minutes straight up. When I was younger.”

“Let’s get going.”

Joe gave a sickly laugh, the sound echoing off the walls. “We’ll get through the tunnel way before they do.”

“But they said we needed climbing ropes,” Lelandi warned.

“I’ve got some. You wouldn’t think I’d be unprepared, would you? Now come on, quit dawdling. Wouldn’t want them to reach the tunnel entrance before we’ve made our getaway.”

You’ll never even reach the tunnel entrance, Joe. Rest assured.

Joe shoved Lelandi out of the tunnel into the main cave. At once her eyes lighted on Darien, and for a minute, she looked like she was trying to figure out which wolf he might be. He bowed his head in greeting. She took a deep breath and her eyes widened. Yes, Lelandi, your silver knight in wolf pelt.

As soon as Joe stepped into the cavern, Darien leapt. No waiting for the miner’s recognition that he was face-to-face with the pack leader. No long-winded staring down scenes to show who was the boss. The gun loaded with silver bullets precluded that. He couldn’t risk Joe getting a shot off and possibly hitting either Lelandi or himself and leaving her in even more danger.