Free Born of Night by Celeste Anwar

snickering. She felt his eyes bore into her back and buttocks, and it took supreme effort of will not to cover her cheeks with her hands. Or turn around and knock his head off.
    Gabriel said nothing to Nardo, but his tension was evident in every move of his body and the angry clench of his jaw muscles. He seemed ready to snap at any moment.
    Jessica didn’t know what to think about what was happening. That intuitive warning she’d ignored before came back full force. She should not have ignored her inner voice. She should’ve left town without answers. But then, she would likely have never met Gabriel....
    Nardo pulled the back gate of the truck down, and Gabriel helped her climb up. She settled down in the back, the metal cold against her back and buttocks, making her shudder. Gabriel climbed up and sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, pulling her tightly against him. His heat made her feel better, warmed her when she felt unaccustomedly cold. Jessica appreciated his comforting, protective gesture, but she didn’t know how much good it would do them.
    Nardo closed the gate and sat across from them, ever watchful. Jessica drew her knees up to keep her feet from touching him. He noticed her movement and sneered at her before turning slightly to the driver. He tapped the back window and the driver took off, heading West, further down the road that passed in front of Gabriel’s house. The truck picked up speed, bouncing them in the bed and sending plumes of dust into the air like a thick fog.
    The dark swallowed them whole as they left the lighted yard and drove down the oak shrouded road. The moon’s light pierced the thick canopy marginally as they progressed, and Jessica gave up trying to keep up with where they were going, since it didn’t seem to make any difference--they were headed in a straight line.
    She snuggled against Gabriel, comforted by his presence and fearful of what would happen. The nervous fear had her stomach tied in knots. She hated the feeling.
    Normally, she could handle herself pretty well, but there was something infinitely bizarre about the whole situation. She was completely out of her depth. If she’d known from the start what trouble she would dig up by trying to find her birth parents, she damned well would have brought her gun ... and enough ammo to take out an army of Rambos.
    Jessica closed her eyes and tried to ignore the piercing stare across from her, not that she could see him, but she inherently felt that he could see her. Her skin prickled like she was being watched. She felt like throwing dirt in his eyes just for the satisfaction of it.
    The truck slowed and swayed as it turned, and Gabriel tightened his arm around her. He still hadn’t said anything, and hadn’t tried to kill their abductors. She wasn’t sure if that was good or bad, but she’d rather see anyone’s blood but their own spilled.
    They moved down a road narrow enough the tree branches scraped the sides of the truck. She thought perhaps they were going down some hunter’s trail, or possibly a long, winding driveway. The truck stopped after several more minutes of driving.
    Jessica looked around but even with her eyes adjusted to the dark, she could see nothing but trees and more trees, and little patches of light striking the ground.
    “Get up,” Nardo said roughly, kicking the gate open and jumping down.
    Gabriel hopped down and Jessica sat on the edge, her legs dangling. He wrapped his warm hands around her waist and lifted, helping her gain her feet on the ground.
    A woman came up, startling Jessica with her sudden presence. “I’m to take you with me,” she said in a cold, angry voice, grabbing Jessica’s wrist with a bruising grip.
    She’d never felt more violent in her life than she did tonight. Everywhere someone attacked her. She’d had enough of it. Screw being a lady. Jessica pulled back. “No.”
    “You mus’ go with her, chere. It’s d’only way. I’ll come for you