Chapter 454 Stinker  

~ SASHA (Two Weeks Later) ~

She woke that morning with a groan and didn't open her eyes immediately, though her heart was pounding.

Even though they'd found plenty of grasses, and Zev had collected a couple of extra furs, she was still finding sleeping on the ground an adjustment.

Thud, thud, thud, her pulse sang in her head. It had started the first morning after they'd seen all the humans arrive. Between stress and usually waking without feeling Zev's warmth next to her, she'd woken up every morning with an adrenalin rush.

Two weeks. For two weeks they'd evaded the humans. It had taken them that long to move slowly out, in long spirals, from the City and the Village.

Sasha grimaced just thinking about the hordes of people they'd brought through, rifling through the City and the dwellings in the village. They'd crawled over the place like ants—and made her stomach twist in much the same way.

Like insects, you always wanted to be able to see where they were. But they were being smart. Thana was a large place, easy to hide large numbers of people—or Chimera. So the team were slowly searching, and leaving sentries anywhere they'd searched to make sure the Chimera didn't move in behind them.

That had been great for the first two weeks, but now, even though their numbers were a lot thinner since they were leaving people every half-mile in the forest, they had made their way almost to the cave from the village.

It had looked the day before like they'd be crossing the valley. At this rate they wouldn't be in Zev and Sasha's area for another few days, but it was like a ticking clock in her ear, threatening, always threatening.

The humans were coming.

The humans were looking for them.

The humans weren't giving up.

Zev had thought when they didn't find anyone in the settlements or nearby areas, they would have just destroyed the place and moved on. But the humans must have been very convinced that the Chimera were still in Thana, because they were relentless.

What were they going to do when they reached all the way to their hiding spot?

They spoke only in their heads now, just in case. And even that, very little.

Sasha was concerned about Zev. His eyes had become haunted. He still hunted every other day—in fact, had hunted up enough food for several days yesterday in fear that it wouldn't be safe to roam away from her soon.

Neither of them spoke about what they would do if the humans found them. Zev just kept saying he believed he could hide her.

But he wasn't sleeping. Barely ate. He'd lost weight. And he'd become snappish.

Sasha was more than concerned about him, she was downright worried. And still trying to convince him that they should try to sneak into the Gateway and come back to Thana at a time when Xar was Alpha and Zev was gone—because things were at least a little peaceful then, right? Even if it was screwed up. They could hide in that time and no one would know.

But Zev not only felt it was too risky to try for the Gateway when the humans were still using it every day, but also reminded her that while the humans couldn't scent, Chimera could. He said if they went back to that time, they'd be scented by someone within hours. And while they might put Sasha's scent down to an unknown team member, they'd know Zev.

He'd never heard tales or had anyone ask him about that. He believed that meant they'd never done it.

She had to trust his judgment, but it wore at her. What if he was wrong?

Worse, what if he was right and they really had nowhere to go? Just sitting there waiting for a human to stumble on them?

She sat up. It was still dark, but she knew from the way she felt that it must be almost dawn. She was falling asleep earlier every night, and waking earlier every morning.

Stress.

Also, there was little do when they couldn't risk making fires or smoke once the sun went down.

Well, they might have found ways to fill that time quite pleasantly, but Zev was... shut down.

Worried? Sasha was on the verge of panic. He hadn't touched her in over a week, and sometimes when he looked at her she saw flashes of that self-loathing.

She'd tried to talk to him about it the night before and he'd gotten up and walked away.

What the hell was happening to them.

She got up, wishing her clothes didn't feel like they were stiff and about to walk away on their own. She must reek, she knew. But she couldn't smell Zev. She prayed his sensitive nose wasn't offended by the stink of her. That he leaned into his animal nature on that. She was horrified.

Hustling slowly out of the cave, hugging the wall the way he'd shown her until she could make sure the coast was clear, Sasha leaned out to find Zev laying on the outcrop again.

Zev, she said softly in his head.

He turned slowly. His eyes were puffy and had circles that looked like dark bruises under them.

I'm okay, I've just been watching. And I've made a plan.

His voice was flat, even in her head, but he seemed a little less tense than he had been last night.

What do you want me to do? she asked hesitantly.

Bring the furs. It might be a difficult night, but we're going to need them as towels and to keep us warm while our clothes dry. We're going to wash ourselves and our clothes, because it might be a while before we can again, and I'm worried about your skin.

She was starting to get irritated patches of skin all over her body, but she was surprised he'd noticed. She hadn't mentioned it and they hadn't made love.

Of course, his eyes were good in the dark as well.

Okay, she said carefully. But, Zev... are you okay?

He narrowed his eyes. Of course I'm not okay. I've put my mate at risk, my people are gone, and my son is in the hands of the most fucked up people in creation. Of course I'm not okay! he repeated. Are you?

Well... when he put it that way.