Spirit Bound - Christine Feehan [104]
You sure this is the way?
Lev shrugged. It’s my way now. This is my home. I abide by the laws as much as I can. This one is easy enough. Jonas is a fair man. You have to make your choice, Stefan. If you choose to make your stand here, I’ll help you, but if you’re going to walk, do it now before Judith gets hurt.
Judith. He could easily kill for her. But enduring the indignity of allowing someone to trap him even briefly—that was a test he hadn’t expected.
Two sheriff’s cars plowed over the grass, divided, one on either side of them, hemming them in. The vehicles skidded to a halt, the sirens blaring and lights flashing. Driver doors popped open and weapons appeared.
“On the ground. I want to see your hands.”
Lev immediately complied, kneeling, hands outstretched, palms facing the officer. “I’m armed, Jonas. Gun’s in the shoulder harness and my knife’s in my boot,” he called out.
“Put your hands behind your head.”
Lev did so, linking his fingers. Stefan hesitated. The officer behind them had remained silent and he didn’t have a good sight on him. He didn’t like being so exposed, or vulnerable.
Get down, Stefan, Lev hissed.
Very slowly he knelt, his hands outstretched to show they were empty. His gut knotted. He detested the indignity of it.
Shariton obviously knew the drill. He rolled to his knees, struggling to raise his hands.
“I’m going to put you in handcuffs, Levi, for our safety and yours.” The officer—presumably Jonas—held his gun very steady without moving position.
The officer approached from behind and reached for Lev’s wrist, drawing first one, and then the other behind his back. It was impossible to see with the glare of the headlights, a deliberate move to blind them, but Lev remained passive while the deputy removed the gun from Lev’s shoulder harness and the knife from his boot before thoroughly searching him as well.
Stefan hadn’t allowed anyone to manhandle him since he was a boy. He could feel the need to survive, the drive to fight building relentlessly. For a moment he couldn’t breathe and something lethal unfolded inside of him.
It’s just handcuffs, Stefan, Lev’s calm voice filled his mind. You know you could kill either of them if you needed to, even with the cuffs on. In any case, you can get them off in seconds. Just cooperate. It will be over soon.
Stefan fought back the memories of beatings. Of betrayal. When he was twelve he was dropped into Siberia and told to survive, that someone would return for him only if every single one of the men hunting him were dead. He had no idea of how many men were planning to kill him or even if there were men. The ice rained down and the temperature was so cold his blood felt like ice water flowing through his veins. He had no food and only a knife, with no idea of the size of his enemies or when they would come at him.
He couldn’t trust anyone. What was he doing, allowing a man to come up behind him? His breath burned in his lungs. His heart accelerated. He could take the deputy coming up behind him, but the headlights were blinding him and he couldn’t see the exact position of the officer behind the door. He hadn’t moved, hadn’t stepped out of position and the gun had never wavered.
Thomas, talk to me. What’s wrong? I can feel something’s wrong.
Shockingly, Judith breached the space between them. The surge of energy was powerful, so powerful, electricity snapped and crackled audibly and the hair on their bodies stood up. He wasn’t the only one who felt it. Both officers and Lev looked warily around them. Fortunately, he was the only one to hear her.
Thomas, I’m coming out. Are you hurt?
How did he answer that? She showed concern now, but the moment this was over, she would most likely