Caught in between

an led Amara to an old, battered truck parked a short distance from the clinic. He opened the p

ase," Amara said, her voice tinged

he engine roared to life. He cast her a sidelong glance,

ed in closer with every mile, the towering trees swallowing what little light remained in t

y, breaking the tense sile

ied, his voice low. "There'

. "And you couldn't j

o real humor. "This isn't something you ex

her. He wasn't being evasive-he was being careful. She turned back

t path barely visible through the overgrowth. The truck rattled and groaned as it pushed

ened. "Lachlan, this is start

hing the dim light. For a moment, he didn't say anything, j

me?" he ask

t off guard. "I... d

ling a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "But I n

there was something in his expression-something raw and vuln

d, stepping ou

erily quiet, the kind of silence that made her ears strain for any sound. Lachla

leaves. Lachlan moved with an ease that suggested he'd walked this way a thousand times

r?" she asked, her voic

see it," he replied

utes before Lachlan stopped abru

on died in her throat as she stepped ar

clawed its way through. Deep gouges marred the earth, and the trees surroundi

he took in the scene. "Wh

ks in the dirt, his fingers brushing the

h wh

ed, standing and turni

r heart pounding. "You'

seemed to wrestle with himself. Then he took a

oice low and urgent. "Not in Blackwood, not in

her pulse racing.

tever brought you here, it's bigger than you think. And if you stay...

ver. "What are you talking about,

through the air-a low, guttural gr

the treeline, his entire body