Claiming Emerald Read Online Free PDF Page B

black quilt off the bed and walked back out. Striding naked into the kitchen with only the blanket to cover his cock, Russell dug threw one of the drawers. He pulled out a handful of metal skewers and a large cleaver that was used for cutting fresh meat. He turned his back to those present and laid the quilt out, folding it into a long strip. Beginning at one end, he placed the skewers and the cleaver in the fabric and then rolled it tightly. Russell lifted his makeshift pact and turned around. “Do we have anything you could use to tie this around my body if I shift back into a cheetah?”
    Kay nodded and went into a drawer, taking out a roll of what looked like old clothes line. “Would this work?”
    “Yes, it will be fine. Just don’t tie it tight enough to cut off my air please.”
    “Is this about Em? Everyone knows that she didn’t come back last night.”
    Russell nodded. “Unfortunately, yes.” Without further comment, he shifted back into a cheetah.
    Kay picked up the pack and put it on his back. He felt her wrap it a few times with the line around his body before she tied a knot in it. She put the end before Russell’s face. “If you hold the end, then when you get there, you can pull it and the knot will come out, just don’t tug on it until then.”
    Russell nodded and took the end gently in his teeth. The pack felt odd upon his back, but he tried to ignore it as he walked through the main chamber and up the stairs. Kay followed him and opened the door. “Be safe, Russell. I hope you can bring her back.”
    He hoped so also. Russell sprinted out the door, heading for where he had discovered Em. Halfway there, the pack shifted to the side. It forced him to slow his run, but he still made it back in good time. As Kay had told him, he tugged on the rope and the entire thing slid from his back. Russell changed back into a yeti.
    Judging as best he could where her body was located, Russell draped the quilt over the snow. He began at the right of her, first chopping the ice that had formed on the top with the cleaver and then digging it back with his hands. He created a path around her, allowing the blanket to drop down into the hole as he worked. His plan was to completely encase her with the black fabric before he tried to move in to where her body was. Em made no sound, and as he finished off the back path, he wondered if she were still alive.
    His heart was sinking in the silence as he stuck one of the skewers in the snow to hold the quilt in place. “Em?” he whispered. “Please give me some sign that you are still with me?”
    There was no reply. “Please don’t leave me. Things between the four of us are perfect. You will leave me, Rory, and Salt lost in a world where death will not come soon enough. Rory will walk in the sun and Salt may do the same. I can’t do that. I can kill myself, but I don’t know how many of my race is left. I figured that at some future point, I would go out and try to hunt down a few females just to breed. I want to be with you. I love you. Don’t die on me. Don’t die on us. Please, Em.”
     
    * * * *
     
    Salt shoved his hair back from his face. “Who the hell is knocking on our door? I don’t want to deal with anyone right now.”
    Rory nodded but stood up and walked to the door. He opened it, peering around the corner just in case the outer door was open. “What do you want, Kay? This is not a good time.”
    “I know that. Can I come in?”
    Rory opened the door further, and she walked inside. Salt glared at her with infuriated eyes but kept his mouth shut.
    “I know that you are worried sick over Em. I just wanted to tell you that Russell was here. I think that he found her and he is trying to do something.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “He came into the kitchen with a very thick black quilt. I think maybe it was on Joel’s bed. He took a cleaver and some skewers that we use to make grilled veggies in the summer. He didn’t give me any details, but he