Taking Flight by Tabitha Rayne Read Free Book Online Page A

the feral menace in Marcus’s voice.
    “You’re choking me,” the man said in a raspy way that confirmed Marcus’s hands were firmly around his throat.
    “Marcus.” Deborah leaped up and tried to pull him off the struggling man. “You’ll kill him, stop!”
    His grip softened and the man sat up, rubbing his neck and breathing hard. In the dim shadows of the night, Deborah could just see the light of a smile in his eyes and a hand extended to Marcus.
    “Sorry, mate, I had to check you out,” he said in a friendly manner completely out of place considering what had just happened.
    Marcus looked over his shoulder at Deborah, who could only shrug.
    “I had to make sure you weren’t after us,” the man said, letting his arm drop.
    Deborah’s heart was pounding, thoughts streaming through her mind. Were there more of these people; were they here for them? “Who are you? Who do you think we are? How did you find us?” Panic tore through her and the words were coming too quickly to wait for answers. Marcus laid a calming hand on her arm and she fell silent.
    “It was you, watching me and my lady today, wasn’t it?”
    Deborah blushed and looked away.
    “How the hell did you find us?” Marcus sounded bewildered. They’d run for what seemed like miles to get to this hidden spot, and they hadn’t made that much noise at the amphitheater earlier.
    “Listen, when you’ve been hiding in these woods as long as we have, every cracked twig or displaced leaf can be read and followed. You guys were easy. And if you’re on the run too, you’d best start learning how to cover your tracks. It’s not just yourselves you put in danger.” An icy bitterness inflected his tone and Deborah was suddenly ashamed at their ignorance. “If you’re not on the run, you must be guards or agents, and in that case, you’re just idiots.”
    Normally, that would have been enough of an insult for Marcus to give the guy a slap, but Deborah knew he’d detected the softening to the man’s speech even in the harsh words. She watched as the two males relaxed and shook hands warmly.
    “Marcus, and this is my girl, Deborah.”
    The man hushed him quickly. “No real names here, friend,” he said, darting a quick look into the shadows, and Deborah suddenly felt danger lurking. “I’m known as Birch and my good lady wife is Hazel, due to her love of...well, I don’t think I need to explain that to you, now do I?” The darkness was beginning to lift and Deborah caught the wink he threw her way. “Your knowledge of the woods, or lack of, has convinced me to trust that you aren’t here to capture me or my wife.”
    “No, of course not. We’re—” Deborah started, but she was cut off by Birch.
    “Please, the less you tell me the better. So while I believe you mean us no harm, if you continue to stumble haphazardly through the forest the way you have been, you will bring danger to us. You’ve already laid blinding tracks to our camp—which must be eradicated—and no doubt you’ll make more, so I must insist you join us, at least for one night, so we might teach you some skills.”
    Relief washed over Deborah. “Yes, that would be wonderful. Do you have water?”
    “Our camp is the best and most well stocked in these woods. Come.”
    Deborah got up to leave, but Marcus grabbed her by the arm and forced her down. “What do you think you’re doing?” he hissed. “We’ve never met this guy before and you’re ready to go off with him—without even discussing it with me?” He was incredulous and Deborah was once again ashamed. It was as if this forest had taken all of her sense. She could hardly think straight.
    “Sorry, I just...” Her voice quavered. “I don’t know what to do.”
    “Listen, I’ll give you an hour to discuss it, then I’ll come for you. It will be light by then and we can cover your tracks. If you choose not to come with me, I’ll make sure I’ll leave no trace and you’ll never see me again.