The sight of him shocked her enough that she collapsed onto her ass. He used his uninjured hand to grab her wrist, keeping her from scrambling away from him. She wanted to.
His bone structure was very rugged, with pronounced cheekbones. His nose was wider but flatter than any she’d ever seen. His full lips were parted and revealed the fact that he had vampire teeth. Those two fangs were long and sharp-looking. He looked almost human but she wasn’t fooled.
What the hell is he? Her brain reeled at the possibilities. Is he some kind of human freak of nature? Maybe he is a druggie after all, into serious vampire fetishes. Some crazy people mutilate their bodies with fake teeth and facial implants. A good plastic surgeon could make his nose a different shape and amplify those cheekbones. Or he could be a werewolf. Do they exist? Her gaze lowered to his chest. He just had a little bit of hair there. Wouldn’t werewolves be hairier? Stop it! They don’t exist. Do they?
Lynn tried to jerk away from him but he had an iron grip on her wrist. It didn’t hurt but she couldn’t break free. “Please let me go.” She was glad she’d found her voice.
He growled and shook his head.
Her heart pounded inside her chest, her terror rising. He wasn’t DEA. He was something else, something dangerous. He stood slowly, swaying a little on his feet. The grip on her arm didn’t ease. He tugged, trying to get her to stand too. Her legs refused to work as she realized he had to be about six-three. He had to bend toward her to keep hold of her wrist from his height and his hair fell forward, the damp, silky strands brushing against her arm.
He pulled harder and it forced her to move. She rose on shaky legs, unable to do anything else. Shock helped, her body seeming to go into autopilot. He backed up, forcing her to follow him toward the thick line of trees.
“Let me go. Please. Don’t hurt me.”
He shook his head.
She wasn’t sure if that meant he wouldn’t let her go or that he wouldn’t hurt her. Either way, he backed up, forcing her to follow him.
“Let me at least grab my pants and shoes,” she pleaded. The jacket fell lower than her panties but not by much. Most of her legs were exposed.
He shook his head again.
This isn’t good.
Chapter Two
The scary man led Lynn about twenty feet into the tree line. The small clearing revealed his discarded clothing and a bag similar to a backpack. He stumbled a few times but never broke his hold on her wrist. He bent, delving his free hand into the open black bag.
“Please let me go. I’ll get you help. You need stitches and medical care.” She tried to keep calm but it was tough to do. He wasn’t talking, only making soft groans and growling noises. He had to be in a lot of pain.
He lifted a short black rope from the bag. It was only about twenty inches long. He turned to face her and she stared up into his unusually bright eyes. He had almost a foot of height on her, but he was weak. She could attack him, though he’d already killed four vicious guard dogs. Now she knew how he’d done it. He had a lethal mouth.
He glanced down and she followed his gaze. The rope he held touched her wrist and she gasped when the thing seemed to move on its own, reminding her of a snake. It wrapped around her skin, tightening just below where he gripped her with his fingers. She was too stunned to do anything but watch as he used the other end of it to tap against his own wrist. It wrapped around his skin too, linking them together as if they were handcuffed. He let go of her wrist.
“What is that?”
He swayed on his feet and bent again, reaching into the bag a second time. He pulled out a palm-sized box and a light emanated from it. He growled in a long, broken pattern. She tried to identify what he held but it wasn’t anything she’d ever seen before. It kind of reminded her of a cell phone but it didn’t have a lighted screen. It just had lights coming from the side seams of the slim device.
He swayed again and she looked up at his face. His golden skin tone had paled considerably.
His eyes rolled upward and he collapsed.
Lynn cried out when he pitched sideways. The rope-like thing connecting them didn’t break. She was jerked forward, landed on top of his side, and lay sprawled there. She stared at his face. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be out cold.
She twisted, rolling off his big body and crouching next to him, studying the link between their wrists.
It felt like some kind of weird, lightweight metal. There wasn’t a keyhole anywhere to be found and it wasn’t moving anymore. She tried to tear it off but it wouldn’t release her wrist. She gave up and focused on the downed man. His chest rose and fell, assuring her he lived.
“What are you and who are you?”
He fascinated her. Lynn reached up to cup his face with both hands but his heavy arm kept one of hers down. She pushed against him until he lay flat and lifted his arm until it rested over his chest. It freed her to gently cup his face so she could study him carefully. He was attractive in an odd way. Her focus fixed on his mouth. He had plush, full lips that were slightly parted, those two long fangs denting his bottom lip. It didn’t take much to tilt his head just enough to get his jaw to open more.
The rest of his teeth looked almost normal. They were white and straight. She ran the pad of her fingertip across his tongue. It was pink like a normal person’s except a bit wider and more pointed at the tip. The texture wasn’t as soft as it should have been—a bit raspy, but not sandpaper quality. She pulled her finger away from his mouth and lowered her gaze.
He really was in great shape. And huge. His shoulders were broad, his biceps thickly muscled and well defined. She looked lower, having to admire his stomach. Even though he was unconscious, she could distinguish every ridge of muscle that waved down to the waist of his strange leather underwear. He had to weight about two hundred fifty pounds and she couldn’t spot a single hint of flab.
She lifted up to stare at his unique choice of leather Speedos but quickly noticed the bright red that had seeped through the bandage she’d put over his inner thigh. It was bleeding again. She moved down his body, dragging his arm so she could tend to the wound. It was a struggle to untie her bra to get a look at it.
He needed stitches and a doctor. It was obvious the dog had bitten down, just tearing the flesh instead of removing it. She twisted, stretching her hand out to snag his backpack. He thought he might have a first-aid kit but all she located were some items of clothing. She grabbed what appeared to be a folded gray shirt and used it to press against the wound, putting her upper-body weight into it. He’d die if she didn’t get the bleeding to stop.
“Hello? Please wake up!” She stared at his face but he didn’t flinch, move, or react in any way. “You’ve got to get this thing off my wrist. I need to get you help. Wake up!”
He didn’t stir. She lifted her chin to stare at the darkening sky through the tree branches above them. The sun would go down and they’d be in a world of shit. She wouldn’t be able to find the cabin without some light. Mr. Avery’s land wasn’t exactly a place she’d visited often. He had to own a few hundred acres. Animals would be drawn to the river and to the scent of blood.
A list of predators streamed through her mind. There were coyotes, snakes, feral hogs, some bobcats, the occasional mountain lion, and she’d had to trap some vicious raccoons and opossums in her time. They didn’t usually attack humans but even the normally timid creatures might come after him, especially if they were hungry, injured, or diseased. The man in front of her would seem like an easy meal, too tempting to resist. Her weapons were too far away to drag him back to the river’s edge.
Even if the wildlife wasn’t an issue, he needed medical attention. Infection seemed to have already taken hold in him. His skin felt feverishly hot, and he’d lost blood on top of it. She struggled with the rope-like shackle again, with no luck.
“Son of a bitch!” She slapped her open palms down on his chest in frustration.
He jerked under her and his eyes flew open. I
t took him a second to focus on her as she inched up his body, staring back at him. He growled low, an animalistic sound.
“You need to let me go for help.” She lifted her arm enough to jerk on his where they were connected. “Get this off me.”
He shook his head.
It pissed her off. “What’s your name?”
He growled.
“Stop that. Just tell me your name. I know you’re in pain but this isn’t the time to act like a jerk.”
He growled again.
She realized he’d never said a single word to her. “Can you talk?”
He hesitated then shook his head.
It came as a shock. He wasn’t just messing with her. The guy only made those sounds. She had to take a deep breath and calm. “You can understand me?”
He nodded.
That’s something. “Okay. Listen to me. You’re really hurt. We’re near a big watering spot for animals. This is Johnson Avery’s land. He’s an old man and he doesn’t trap or hunt anything anymore. His property is fenced off to keep everyone out. Do you know what that means?”
He shook his head.
“We have hunting seasons for a reason in this part of the country. It’s not just to kill stuff and snap photos to post on the internet. It’s because the animal population can grow out of control. We’re currently on over two hundred acres of wildlife gone unchecked. Is that clear enough for you? I know he has a ton of coyotes because last year he told me about hearing them. I offered to come out and see how bad it had gotten but he refused to let me. There could be dozens of them.” She paused. “More. The larger the pack, the more fearless they are.
“Rabies is a concern too. Mr. Avery’s eyesight is bad and he can’t see sick animals, which means he can’t shoot them. You never want to come across a rabid animal without a gun. I once saw a raccoon go after a bull. It was sick, and that crazy. Rabies is a disease that can spread from one animal eating or attacking another. You need to let me go so I can get to the cabin. Mr. Avery has a phone.”
She glanced around. “I can help you climb that tree right there. I’ll go get my stuff before I leave so you have a way to protect yourself until I come back.” She lifted her wrist again to remind him about the rope binding them together. “Let me go so I can save us both. Most of the things out here that can hurt us are nocturnal hunters. It means they come out at night.” She pointed a finger up. “See the sky? Need I say more?”
A howl tore through the woods and Lynn jumped, twisting her head in the direction from which it had come. Another coyote joined in, then another. She didn’t spot any of them but they weren’t far off.
“Shit. Hear that? Coyotes.” She looked at him. “You’re bleeding. They are going to investigate that.” She shook her head. “We’re going to be in a world of trouble. They are going to see you as food. Understand? You already faced off against four canines and look what they did to you. Imagine a dozen or two of them.” She didn’t feel guilty for trying to scare him. It wasn’t exactly a lie. They could attack if they were hungry enough, feeling bold in numbers, or diseased.
He sat up and climbed to his feet. Lynn scrambled to get up too. He snagged his bag and shoved her toward the nearest tree. They reached the base of it and he lifted the bag, jamming it on top of a branch about six feet high. He turned to her then and clenched the rope in the middle. It vibrated for a second but it opened, letting her go.
Lynn tried to back away but the tall man moved faster. He spun, one arm sliding around her waist. All Lynn could do was gasp out in surprise as he hoisted her upward to the lowest branch. She didn’t need to understand what he said to know he wanted her to grab the limb. She did and he released her waist. He gripped both of her thighs to give her a boost up. She scrambled quickly to give him room to follow.
He was right behind her as she climbed higher into the tree. Below, she spotted movement near the edges of the clearing as she straddled a branch. Two coyotes crept forward, growling. They went to the spot where the stranger had bled and sniffed the ground.
“They might go away,” she whispered. “Be quiet.”
He leaned down, grabbed his pack and pulled it higher into the tree. He reached inside and threw down a round disk that reminded her of a thick Frisbee. It hit the dirt and both coyotes snarled but didn’t run away. The disk thing began to glow white, getting brighter. The coyotes stayed a few feet back but held their ground near the blood.
The man wedged his backpack so it wouldn’t fall and climbed higher, easing onto the branch behind her. She turned her head, watching him lean against the thick tree trunk. He gripped her hips and tugged her toward him.
Lynn was tempted to fight but motion from below drew her attention. Nine more coyotes had entered the clearing. Within seconds, that number increased to over twenty. Two of them stopped directly under the branch she perched on, lifted their heads, and stared at her. They snarled.
“Go away!” she shouted, hoping her voice would make them flee.
More gathered at the base of the tree trunk, their focus fixed on her and the man behind her. They snarled, flashing teeth. It was clear the pack wasn’t afraid of people and didn’t plan to go anywhere. She and the man were treed and trapped.
From behind, he yanked her closer and wrapped his muscled arm around her waist. His chest was hot, plastered against her back. Lynn didn’t struggle, too afraid she’d fall off the branch. The coyotes watched from below, probably hoping that would happen. They’d attack. They’d grown too bold, living in such big numbers.
“We’re going to die up here.”
He put his other arm around her and she peered over her shoulder at his face. Most of it was in the shadows but his pretty eyes were clear enough to see. He shook his head, then growled low.
“I don’t understand you. You’re hurt.” She pointed down. “They want to eat us. I’m pretty sure some of them have rabies, judging by how aggressive they are. Do you get that? God only knows how long it will be before that idiot Jimmy decides to call someone, if he’s not too stoned to notice my SUV is still parked on his property. It could be days, if ever. He might just totally lie and say I left, to keep the cops off his property. That means no search party. Those coyotes could wait us out until we’re too dehydrated to stay up here.”
He shook his head again.
Lynn was irritated when he closed his eyes and tilted his head back, seeming to plan on going back to sleep. She pushed against him to help keep him pinned in place. More coyotes had joined the group when she looked down. One of the more brazen ones lifted up and planted his paws on the trunk, as if it would help him reach them.
You can’t climb, muzzle face. She was in a hell of a mess. But it could be worse. It was summer so they wouldn’t freeze overnight. She just wore her jacket and panties. The guy behind her wore those little leather Speedos. She couldn’t decide what would be worse—the search party finding them wearing so little and having to explain, or the headlines that would be made up if their bodies were recovered. Either way, she’d be the most talked-about thing in Green Bend.
“Damn.”
Darkness fell but the light below kept glowing. It lit up about a twenty-foot circular area. Some of the coyotes grew brave enough to approach it and one even put his nose against it to sniff.
A loud blare pierced the night.
Lynn started at the sharp blast of noise. The coyotes scattered, rushing off in different directions.
“What was that?” She turned her head to stare at the man behind her. His eyes remained closed but she could feel his chest rise and fall against her spine. She twisted just enough to feel for a pulse at his neck. It was tough to find. He was fading fast, probably dying from blood loss and infection.
“Hey!” She rubbed his cheek. “Look at me.”
He didn’t stir. Lynn looked down at the ground. The coyotes hadn’t returned. That sound had scared the hell out of her and had probably done worse to the pack. She needed to get to Mr. Avery’s cabin and cal
l for help. There wasn’t much to debate. Some of the coyotes had taken off toward the river so going after her things wasn’t an option. She eased his arm from around her waist and gripped a branch above her head. She climbed higher, trying to spot any source of light in the area.
Lynn found what she was looking for. Mr. Avery might be blind, but he kept his porch lights on to keep critters away. She spotted his cabin. It wasn’t as far away as she’d thought it would be. It was possible that she could make it on foot without weapons.
She took her time climbing down, watching and listening for any sign of the coyotes returning. She checked on the man one more time. He was out cold. Two other branches next to the one he sat on would keep him upright if he tilted to the side. It meant he wouldn’t fall.
“No choice,” she muttered. He needed a hospital. He might not survive until morning otherwise. It meant she’d have to run through the dark woods. She stared at his strange light source, wondering what had made that alarm go off. It was tempting to take it with her but it would help her find him once she got a rescue team to Mr. Avery’s cabin.
It wouldn’t be easy to reach the ground. She was barefoot. She got to the lowest branch and then swung out and dropped to the ground in a crouch. Nothing came at her out of the darkness. She straightened and sprinted off toward the cabin. It was tough to see without a flashlight but she was motivated.
She made it a short distance before a howl brought her to a halt. The last thing she needed would be to run into that pack. She looked for trees close to her that were easily climbed but most of the branches were out of her reach. Another howl came from behind her and she knew she was in deep shit. They were hunting her.
She turned, saw movement in the darkness.
“Fuck me,” she hissed and sprinted forward.
A snarl sounded to her left, telling her instantly that it was as bad as she’d feared. They were trying to surround her. Lynn frantically looked up for a low branch to grab while she ran for her life. She saw one ahead and heard something crash through the brush behind her. She jumped, grabbing for the limb.