The icy air rushing into Brand’s lungs smelled of pine, snow, and blood. The crash of a large body’s hectic flight through the underbrush drifted to him and he increased his speed. Ahead of him, the dim outline of his quarry crested a rise. The chase had ranged over miles of night-clad wilderness, but finally his prey was in sight.
Arnbjörn glanced over his shoulder, and that hesitation cost him. Brand barreled into him and shoved him into the trunk of a tree that groaned with the impact. Clumps of snow fell from the branches above them. Arnbjörn snarled.
Brand closed the distance between them. He curled his fingers in Arnbjörn’s sodden shirt and shook him. The scent of fresh female blood surrounded the other male. “Whose blood is this?”
“She’s a tasty morsel. Smells delicious, don’t she?” Arnbjörn offered a lecherous wink. The satisfaction that rolled off him turned Brand’s stomach.
Brand banged Arnbjörn into the trunk of the tree twice more. “You’re a filthy mongrel.”
Arnbjörn laughed. “She’s hurt bad. Don’t you want to go check on her?”
Images of how he’d found Alice clouded Brand’s mind, though she was far from here and safe. If he backtracked Arnbjörn’s route through the woods after he was done here, he thought he could find the new female he’d found to torment.
Capitalizing on the moment of distraction, Arnbjörn punched Brand in the gut. He grabbed Brand’s arms and swung him around until he crashed into another tree. The impact made Brand lose his grip. One more punch, this one to kidney, and Brand crumpled to the ground, gasping for breath.
Arnbjörn kicked him in the ribs, sending splinters of pain up and down his side. “She’s dead. Same as the one you took will be when I find her.” He rolled Brand over onto his back with his foot. “Only reason I don’t kill you now is I want you to watch.”
With a parting kick, Arnbjörn pivoted and ran down the hill toward the village at top speed. Brand struggled to regain his feet, but gave up after a few seconds. Now that Arnbjörn was aware he was after him, Brand doubted he’d get another chance to catch him alone. His best bet was to go back to Denver and wait for Arnbjörn’s anger to drive him there.
* * *
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