“Here?” Hex asked as he stopped moving.
Martha took off her snow shoes, not wanting to get her feet tangled up and fall in the water. Then she edged closer to the water and leaned forward, peering down at the ice along the side of the bank. “It looks good.” She knelt down and pressed her hand onto the ice. “There’s no cracking.”
“Jonas, I’m going to pull you toward the bank,” Hex said. “If the ice breaks, don’t let go of the branch. I’ve got you.”
“Okay.” Jonas clung on as Hex adjusted his grip on the branch before he inhaled deeply. Then he lifted his head and froze, his eyes drawn to the mountain peaks in the distance.
“Is this it?” Martha whispered as she backed away from the creek.
Hex nodded. “This is it.” He tore his gaze from the mountains and looked down at her. “Be ready.”
“I am.” She turned away from the creek for an instant and said, “I trust you, Hex. I trust in you.”
Hex didn’t look so sure as he focused completely on young Jonas, who couldn’t have been much older than twelve or thirteen. The poor boy looked cold and terrified as he lay prone on the ice, waiting for Hex’s next move.
“Will the ice break?” Jonas asked, his voice quivering as his teeth chattered hard enough to break the ice on their own.
“I don’t know,” Hex told the boy. “Just hold onto the branch. Whatever happens, we’ll get you out of the water.”
Jonas nodded and swallowed down his panic as he wrapped his arms around the branch. “I’m ready.”
“I’m going to take as much of the weight as I can,” Hex explained, as his upper arm muscles bunched, taking the weight of both Jonas and the branch, his focus completely on rescuing the boy from the ice.
“It’s cracking,” Ethan cried out as he rushed toward his brother, his hands held out to save him.
“Stay back.” Martha darted forward, her foot slipping on a rock hidden beneath the soft snow.
With arms flailing, her feet slid from under her and she hit the ground hard. Her momentum gathered as she slipped down the bank and as the icy water covered her feet, she looked up, glimpsing the mountaintop covered in snow.
Despite everything. Despite Hex’s warnings to stay back, the dream that had haunted her mate was about to come true.
Chapter Twenty-Three – Hex
“Martha!” Hex reached for her as he watched his dream unfolding before his eyes. He’d failed.
Not yet, his bear roared in Hex’s head. We can do this. We can save them both.
With all of his strength, Hex lifted the branch, and Jonas, out of the water. The boy clung onto the branch, even as the ice broke beneath him from the impact of Martha’s fall.
“Jonas!” Ethan ran forward and grabbed his brother, hauling him further up the bank as Hex let go of the branch and ran toward the bank.
“Do you have him?” Hex called over his shoulder as he reached the edge of the creek.
“He’s safe,” Ethan replied.
“Martha.” Hex slid down onto his belly and looked into the dark cold water. “Martha.”
He scanned the depths of the creek where the ice was broken, scared that his mate had been pulled under the still-frozen ice and he’d be unable to find her.
You know the dream, his bear replied. You know how to find her.
Hex searched the creek, not with his eyes but with his other senses. She was there. He reached down into the freezing cold water searching until he touched her shoulder, reveling in that instant burst of electricity that arced between them.
Levering his body forward, he plunged his other arm into the water and hooked his hands under her arms. Straining his muscles, he lifted her out of the water. Time seemed to pass impossibly slowly as she rose up toward the surface.
Is she breathing? his bear asked.
No. Hex dragged Martha out of the water, but her foot snagged on something below the surface. Damn it!
“What can we do?” Ethan asked as he held his brother in his arms.
“I need to get in the water and free Martha’s foot, it’s tangled in the tree roots.” He looked down at his beautiful mate. “Can you help support her head out of the water?”
“Sure.” Ethan leaped down the bank and slid to a stop next to Hex. “Go, I’ve got her.”
Hex dragged his boots off his feet and stripped his jacket and shirt off. He would need dry clothes for Martha when she was out of the water.
Hurry, his bear roared.
Ignoring his bear, knowing one wrong move could mean death to them all, Hex slid into the freezing cold water.
The cold bit into his skin like a thousand small shards of ice piercing his flesh as he maneuvered his body into position. Taking one large gulp of air, he dipped his head under the water even though every fiber of his being told him not to.
But this was for his mate. The woman he loved, the one he’d do anything for.
As he slipped under the water, he kept his hands on Martha’s body, working his way down her legs, down to her feet, trying to find what was trapping her. There. Her foot had caught around a tree root and as she struggled it had slid over her ankle, making it impossible for her to shake herself free.
Working quickly, he tore the tree root apart, freeing her from the trap before he pushed her upwards out of the water.
With Ethan pulling and Hex pushing, Martha was soon out of the water and lying on her side on the bank of the creek. Shivering from the biting cold, Hex took a couple of deep breaths to calm his panicked mind. If he was going to save her, he had to think clearly and remember the information in the booklet Shawn had given him.
Check her airways, his bear prompted.
With a nod, Hex opened Martha’s mouth and checked that her airways were clear before he felt for a pulse. Opening her mouth, he pressed his lips to hers and breathed into her mouth, watching her chest rise and fall before breathing again.
“Is she going to be okay?” Ethan asked, his face pale as he watched Hex work.
“I hope so,” Hex answered before he continued CPR.
“Is it working?” Jonas came to sit next to his brother, tears streaming down his face as he watched. “She can’t die. It’s all my fault.”
“It’s not your fault,” Hex replied as he lowered his head and breathed into Martha’s mouth one more time.
“She’s moving!” Jonas cried out as Martha took a breath and heaved.
Hex turned her on her side as water spewed from her mouth. “She’s okay.”
“You saved me again,” Martha said as she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him close.
“Come on, we have to get these wet clothes off you.” He worked fast to strip her shirt off and cover her with his dry clothes, while Ethan and Jonas huddled together with their backs to Martha. As soon as she was dressed, Hex picked her up and grabbed hold of their packs. “Let’s go.”
Ethan and Jonas scrambled to their feet and jogged behind Hex as he strode along the side of the creek before cutting up toward the road. There was little chance of anyone driving by, but Hex hoped he might be able to get a signal on his phone and call for help.
“Can you try calling my brother?” Hex asked as he shifted Martha’s weight in his arms and handed Ethan his phone. Martha was deathly still in his arms, her body trembling from the cold.
“There’s no signal,” Ethan said as he looked at the phone.
“Keep trying.” Hex walked on as fast as his snowshoes would allow him over the virgin snow. He wasn’t even sure Mac would be able to reach them by road, but at least he and Joey might come and meet him and help carry Martha.
We can do this, his bear told him fiercely. However, they both knew that Hex was tiring, the cold water had zapped his energy and now that his adrenaline had drained away, he was struggling to keep up the fast pace.
“I got a signal!” Ethan called out five minutes later. “Oh, now it’s gone.”
“Back up.” Hex whirled around and the movement seemed
to pull Martha back to consciousness as her eyes flew open. “Search for the signal.”
Ethan did as he was instructed and waved his hand around until he nodded and pressed call. “What do I say?”
“You should speak to Mac,” Martha told Hex firmly as she wriggled out of his arms. “I’m okay for a moment.”
She didn’t look okay. Martha looked anything but okay. However, she was right, he needed to talk to Mac. “Pass me the phone.”
Ethan handed it over and stood with Jonas and watched Hex as he waited for Mac to answer. “There might not be a signal his end,” Ethan said quietly.
“I can try the land… Mac?” Hex’s heart leaped in relief as his brother answered.
“Hex, are you still in Cougar Ridge? The weather is about to get bad again.” Mac’s concern was evident.
“No, we’re on the road.” He paused and closed his eyes, fighting back the panic that wanted to burst out of him and render him useless to the three people standing next to him who were depending on him to get them home safely. “We go into some trouble.”
“Where on the road are you?” Mac asked. “I can come get you.”
“We’re just on the road between Cougar Ridge and Bear Creek, just past the picnic site by the creek,” Hex answered, trying to keep calm. “The snow is pretty deep, I don’t think you can reach us in the truck.”
“Are you all right?” Mac paused. “Is Martha all right?”
“She went in the creek,” Hex’s voice cracked as he spoke. “She’s okay, but we’re cold and I don’t know if I can make it home.”
“Can you shift?” Mac asked. “If you shift, can you make it?”
“There are two kids with us, too,” Hex replied. “One of them got stuck on the creek. I don’t want to leave them out here alone.”
Even if it is the sensible thing to do to save our mate, his bear replied sadly.
“Okay, I have an idea.” Mac hesitated. “It might work, but I don’t know… Look, I’ll meet you at the Tourney Crossroads. If I can’t reach you by truck, then I’ll grab Joey and we’ll find a way to get to you.”
“Thanks, Mac.” Hex hung up the phone and took a deep breath.
“So we keep on walking?” Martha asked as Hex stared into the distance.
“We keep on walking.” He glanced at Ethan and Jonas. “Can either of your shift yet?” His senses told him no, but he figured he’d ask all the same.
“No.” Ethan shook his head. “I’m close, but Jonas is a couple of years away.”
“If you two need to shift, go ahead,” Jonas added. “We can get ourselves home from here.”
“No, we’ll stick together for now,” Martha said quickly.
“You could shift,” Hex replied. “If that will help.”
“My cougar is afraid to let me shift,” Martha admitted. “She doesn’t think I look too good.”
“She’s not the only one.” He summoned all his energy and scooped her up in his arms despite her protests. “Mac will meet us.”
“Why don’t you kids try to call your parents?” Martha asked the children. “They must be worried.”
“You can use my phone,” Hex offered.
“Sure, I’ll give them a call.” Ethan dialed the number and waited for his parents to answer. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” Hex replied as he looked down at Martha.
“We did the right thing,” Martha assured him as she raised her hand and stroked his cheek. “When we have kids, if they ever got into trouble, I hope someone would stop and help them.”
“I hope so, too. We couldn’t have left Jonas out on the ice. Even though I had a dream warning us not to go near the water.” He lowered his head and kissed her cheek, her skin was unusually cold for a shifter.
“I’m sorry.” Martha tightened her grip on his neck. “I didn’t believe it was true.”
“It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that the dream helped me save you.” As she started to slip in his arms, he lifted her higher against his chest. “All that matters is we’re going to be home soon, and we have your mom’s meds and you’ll get warm.”
“What’s that?” Martha lifted her head and looked far into the distance. “There’s something coming toward us.” She tilted her head and tried to listen. “Something I’ve never heard before.”
Hex glanced nervously at the children, but they seemed unaware of anything unusual and that was just how they needed it to stay. “Did you get through to your mom and dad?”
Ethan nodded and handed the cell phone back to Hex. “They’ll walk to meet us from town.” He pointed along the road. “There’s a trail that leads toward town just up ahead. Dad said to follow that trail.”
“We need to go straight on,” Hex said. “Will you be okay?” He pocketed his phone as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.
“Yeah. We’ll be fine. Mom and Dad will shift, they’ll be here soon.” Ethan ran his hand over the back of his neck. “I feel a bit weird.”
“You’re just tired,” Hex told them, not wanting to reveal what he thought was the truth.
We know what the truth is, his bear told him.
He was right, with every fiber of his being he knew what was up ahead, what was coming toward them…
“I think I’d like to walk,” Martha told him. Her strength seemed to have returned along with some color to her cheeks.
“Soon,” Hex replied. “I don’t want you to exhaust yourself.”
She shivered and clung to him tightly. “I’m glad you’re a hot-blooded shifter.”
He chuckled. “I’m hot for you.” Although right now, even Hex was cold, the freezing water had penetrated his bones and he could not shake off the chill.
“This is the trail,” Ethan said as Jonas trailed behind. The poor kid looked exhausted, but Hex barely had the strength to carry his mate, and could not have carried the boy, too.
Hex stopped and turned toward the trail that led into town. “I can sense two bears heading this way at a run.”
“That’ll be our parents,” Ethan’s expression brightened.
“Do you need us to wait and explain what happened?” Martha asked the boys.
“No, it’s okay.” Ethan nodded at Hex. “We can tell them.”
“Will you tell them?” Hex asked. He and his brothers had gotten into some scrapes when they were kids and certainly hadn’t told their parents everything they’d gotten up to. However, Jonas might need to see a doctor and so the boys needed to be honest with their parents.
“I’ll tell them,” Ethan replied as he cast a worried look over his shoulder at Jonas.
“Because you want your brother to be safe.” Hex smiled softly. “Take care of each other.”
“We always do.” Ethan waited for Jonas to catch up with him. “Come on. Mom and Dad are on their way.”
“Do you think Dad will carry me?” Jonas asked as Ethan put his arm around his younger brother’s shoulder and pulled him toward the edge of the road and the trail beyond.
“I’m sure he will,” Ethan told his brother. “Come on, I think I can see them.”
Jonas half turned and waved to Hex and Martha. “See you around.”
“Yes, you will,” Hex replied.
“Good kids,” Martha said as they watched the two boys walk along the trail. Their parents were close now, Hex could hear them plowing through the deep snow along the trail as they raced to get to their children.
“They remind me of me and my brothers,” Hex confessed. “We used to fight and argue, but we always had each other’s backs. No matter what.”
“I missed out on that, being an only child,” Martha said sadly. “I hope we are blessed with a couple of children or more.” She placed her hand on his cheek and he looked down at her. “Especially now that we can look forward to a long and happy life together.”
“You mean now that my dream came true, I can finally stop worrying about losing you?” Hex’s smile was bittersweet. “I have lived that mome
nt over and over again more times than I ever care to remember. I hated it. Every time. Yet it probably helped save your life. I knew your foot was trapped under the water…” His smile broke out into a grin. “You know what? I intend to put it all behind me. Behind us. This is our new beginning.”
“I, for one, can’t wait.” She kissed his cheek and then turned her attention to the thing that was in front of them. “Is that…”
The air around them seemed to grow warmer and the snow clinging to the branches of the trees melted, sending big drips showering down on them. Ahead, there was a faint ruddy glow, as if someone had lit a fire.
“It is.” Hex chuckled. “Mac’s plan.”
“Mac’s plan was to get a dragon to melt the snow on the road so he could drive his truck to meet us?” Martha asked incredulously.
“I think it was.” Hex had to admit he hadn’t seen that coming, but it sure was an incredible idea.
Inspired, his bear agreed.
“I didn’t think it was true,” Martha admitted. “Dragons. But then I know you would never lie to me.”
“I had a hard time believing it,” Hex told her. “But once you see one in real life, it’s something you’ll never forget.”
“Then let’s hurry. I want to see him.” She wriggled out of his arms.
“What are you doing?” Hex asked as the air around Martha shimmered. “I thought your cougar was afraid to shift.”
“I’m feeling much better now,” Martha told him, although she didn’t look much better. “The thought of seeing a dragon shifter has given me strength. Plus, it’s a lot warmer over there than it is here.”
Hex’s bear came forth and he shifted at the same time as his mate. He didn’t want Martha to run off without him. He wanted to be by her side forever, it was where he belonged.
However, the snow on this section of the road hadn’t melted and he found the going tough, his short legs and heavy body not built for running through deep snow. Frustrated, he plowed through the snow, sending large clumps flying into the air.
Then he sensed her, Martha’s cougar was waiting for him, an amused expression on her face. Love surged through him as hot and fierce as any dragon fire. Her cougar ran toward him, bouncing in the snow as she circled around him before she trotted along by his side.
Hex (Winter - Shifter Seasons Book 1) Page 17