Winter Peril

by Pinder, Victoria

  He came back in the room with a hot chocolate, a cloth, bandages, and rubbing alcohol. He leaned against the door and shook his head. “Do I have to strip you again?”

  “No. Do they have rabies?” She shook her head and tried to stand up a bit. Her knees were weak.

  “They might, but they might not. I can give you a shot.”

  The jacket slipped off without trouble, and her shoulder heated. She tried to lift her fleece, but her shoulder was hot and stiff. Her chest hitched. “Ouch. Are you a doctor?”

  He walked over and stood in front of her. He stared at the redness of her shoulder and grimaced. Then he lined up everything on the table beside her. “Stand up for me, and no, I’m not a doctor. I keep supplies in case I get stuck for the winter.”

  She swallowed. He intended to help her, again. She pressed a fist to her lips. She owed him too much already. “I can do this.”

  He stood with his hands at his sides. “It will be faster and easier if I help. You’re bleeding on the furniture.”

  She blinked, and her cheeks were wet. Then she nodded. “Okay, Captain. Do this fast and get it done. Are you sure the shot is safe?”

  “You’re a trooper.” His hands went to her waist and to the fleece. “What will sting is the alcohol.”

  She lifted her hands to help him, but the second the fleece tugged at her raw skin, she yelped. Then she shook her head and her chin trembled. “Will I be okay if you give that shot?”

  “One more time, Erica. You’re the bravest woman I’ve ever met and you will be fine.” With his hands at her waist, she twisted a bit and closed her eyes. His fingers wrapped around her sweater. Even through her T-shirt, the brush of his palms made every part of her aware of his every move. Then he lifted. She tried to help and lift her hand, but her shoulder burned.

  He kissed her forehead and told her, “This last one will be easier. Your shirt is already pretty ripped.”

  She choked out her words. “You . . . said . . . the . . . last . . . one was the last.”

  “We need to clean the wound before everything settles. Right now your skin is half-frozen, but if we let it thaw out there will be even more pain and possible infection.”

  She nodded, and again, he wrapped his hands around her. This time her skin grew goose bumps, like she hoped he’d kiss her everywhere. Her face heated as he lifted. She was so disoriented. She was sure it wasn’t because of her shoulder. He lifted her shirt, and at the sight of her shoulder, his smile faltered. She closed her eyes so she didn’t have to see him give her a shot.

  She felt a prick, but she stayed still. Her lungs constricted. “It burns a bit.”

  “You’re okay. Open your eyes, Erica. We’re done now.” She followed his directions, but his hands were already on to the next task. He shook the alcohol bottle and poured some onto a towel.

  “I thought we were done.” She held her breath.

  “I cleaned your arm to give you the shot. Now I need to clean the whole wound, so you don’t get other infections.”

  He screwed the cap on the bottle, and she shook her head. Had time stopped? “Can’t we skip that part? Or let me do it.”

  “I want to make sure you get everything.” He stared at her shoulder. “I’ll be right back.”

  She sucked in her lower lip a little deeper for a moment, and then realized her shoulder was pretty red. Her body collapsed inward. In the mirror, she saw a few spots in her shoulder where the animal’s teeth must have punctured her skin. She pushed her bra strap to the side. Her throat was painful and tight now. The snap in the band stung her sore skin. She chewed on her lip to stop a cry, and stared at the rubbing alcohol. Soon, the pain lessened, and she could think. Should she wash herself? She gulped.

  Then he walked back in with a bandage and a washcloth. She blinked at him. The intensity in his eyes held something else, something new. Empathy. Her face flushed a bit, but she knew her grimace remained. “Thank you, Gabriel.”

  “For what?” He took a seat opposite her and placed everything down except the washcloth.

  He opened it and she stared at his large knuckles. He worked with his hands, and her skin burned a bit. He had worked her better than anyone else ever had. Her mouth fell open for a moment, but then he washed her shoulder.

  She let out a long sigh, but the sting lessened the more he cleaned. Her skin was raw and sensitive as he removed the cloth. “There now. You can hold on to me to fight the sting.”

  He picked up the rubbing alcohol and doused the cloth. She nodded. Then she closed her eyes to not see. A few seconds later, her shoulder burned from the cloth. She screamed under her breath a bit and grabbed hold of his thigh. Her eyes watered but she refused to look.

  “You can open your eyes. I’m done.” His voice was gentle and sweet. She followed directions and stared into his smoldering eyes. Her heart beat a little off kilter in that second. “I just have to bandage you, but you should be fine.”

  She nodded, but her voice sounded shrill to her ears. “Are you sure the rabies shot will work?”

  He squeezed her hand. “Relax, Erica. I’m more worried about other infections. Are you allergic to penicillin?”

  “No.” Her shoulders were less tense. “Do you have some?”

  “Yeah. I want you to take a few pills, just to be safe.” He rubbed her hand. “Everything will be fine. Don’t try to run away and kill yourself.”

  Her eyes were a bit misty, but she’d not cry. “Don’t disappear all day and leave me alone. Then I won’t be so frightened.”

  “I’ll come and check on you more often.”

  She sniffled. “Promise?”

  “Yeah, don’t be scared. I’ll figure this place out.” He sat back in his chair and stared at the door, not her. “There are things I need to do, and you can’t be with me.”

  “Why?” Her eyes were not misty anymore. “I can help.”

  “There are things that, if you knew, would scare you even more than the animals outside.” He stared back into her eyes again, and she saw the glimmer of hopelessness. “You’re beautiful and untouched.”

  “No.” She shook her head. “You’ve touched me, more than once.”

  His gaze turned upward a bit, and he tugged at his collar. “I meant pure and sweet. What happened here is why I’m still here, and why you can’t help me.”

  “What happened?” She held on to his massive hand with both of her smaller ones. “Nothing you say will scare me more than this house.”

  He stood up and took his hand back. “I can’t talk about it. You’re safe if you stay in the apartment. Don’t go looking for my troubles.”

  He stepped back. She stood up to chase him, but she saw how haunted he was. She gulped. He’d saved her life. She’d figure this out and help him too. She kept quiet, but her mind was made up. If she couldn’t leave, then she’d help him.

  Gabriel turned toward the kitchen and disappeared into the shadows. The snow outside the window grew again, but she refused to let anything else get to her.

  He’d not stay gone forever. Determined to stay up, she drank her hot chocolate slowly. Then she lost track of time on that couch.

  Footsteps echoed in the hall, and she blinked the sleep out of her eyes. The heavy steps became louder, and for a second goose bumps grew on her arm. The shadow of a person grew larger, and she forced her neck to hold her head straight. “Hello?”

  “Why aren’t you in bed?” Gabriel leaned against the door. His hands were wet, like he’d just washed them.

  She gulped, then nodded. “I couldn’t go to sleep after you stormed out on me.”

  “I’m exhausted.” He took a step closer to her. “You had to be wiped after what happened to you.”

  He had tried to change the topic. She wouldn’t get answers from him at the moment. Finally, she sagged her shoulders and said, “I don’t want to go to sleep by myself.”

  “Do you want me to stay with you?” His eyes widened. “I thought after you left that I should steer clear of
you.”

  “No.” He stepped back. She bit her lip. “I mean, wait. I just need to know you’re here, with me. We don’t have to do anything.”

  He came forward a bit again. “But you left. I thought you left because of me.”

  “I don’t know who I am with you, but you don’t scare me.” If she were here with him for a while, then later, she’d enjoy all of him. She yawned and inhaled his woodsy scent. Then she licked her lip. “Tonight, can you just stay with me in case I need something? I won’t be too much trouble.”

  He reached out for her hands and massaged her palms. “You’re no trouble at all.”

  He took a step backward, and she followed him. The day ended the opposite of how she’d planned, but for right now, she’d take what was offered. Gabriel was captivating, and if she woke up next to him, then she’d feel safe.

  His warmth was the opposite of how this house freaked her out.

  With him, there were no noises.

  Chapter 10

  The sun on her face woke her up. Erica blinked, turned away from the window, and tilted her head. What time had he left her bed? The pillow he rested on kept only a slight warmth, but she could smell the woody scent he embedded in the sheets. Perhaps he’d been gone an hour? Even now, after he had been sweet and saved her life, he disappeared.

  The buzz of machinery played in the walls.

  Was he the ghost? Erica closed her eyes and listened to the noise. Her question made no sense. But why did she hear machinery in the walls? Her mind spun. Was Gabriel working on something? Or was that something else? She sat up and told herself to calm down and think straight.

  The other day in the kitchen, his hands were dirty. Perhaps it was dirt and wood of a hard day’s work that had scared her. He told her he would rip the house apart to find the secrets. She smiled and shook her head. Then she shut her eyes. Of course. She’d been scared over nothing.

  She’d tell him about the diary and the secret room.

  Her stupid fear was why she avoided haunted houses and scary movies. Next time, she’d ask Gabriel for more conversation. She’d tell him what she found. Yesterday proved one thing: she couldn’t leave. But she refused to spend every day here with her hair raised on her neck. She already jumped at every noise in the house. Last night, she’d needed to listen to his steady heartbeat. Near him, her body relaxed. In life, Erica never ran around scared, and yesterday didn’t sit well in her stomach.

  To stop, she threw her hands up in the air and tried to release her frustrated energy. Her shoulder burned, and she rubbed it to stop the pain. Even this didn’t help, and her frustration combined with the hurt.

  In a hurry, she stormed out of her room fast, to see if Gabriel was still in the apartment. She should go and find wherever it was that he was working on the house.

  Silence clung to the air. Again she approached his room, and she heard more of the same. Nothing.

  The noise in the wall had to be him at work somewhere.

  Eventually she turned around and rolled her eyes. He had disappeared again. She should have expected it. And what did he mean when he said she was safe here?

  They were alone in the chateau, right?

  Goose bumps grew on her arms. Hands had helped push her out the door the other day, and they were too small to be Gabriel’s. Was that someone else? Or was there a ghost?

  A yawn escaped her lips. She tapped her fingers on her wrist, then decided to try to get more sleep, not that she was tired. In a rush, she slammed her bedroom door shut. Then she marched back into bed and tugged the covers over her head to stop her headache. Her lack of clarity would go away the second her head straightened out.

  This hadn’t worked for her, and until she’d been here, she’d never been lazy.

  Something else had happened in this house.

  The tightness in her chest didn’t go away, and she sat back up. She blew air out of her mouth and renamed the emotion frustration. With a sigh, she shook her head.

  Her mother needed Erica to be the strong, collected one. But now she was lost. And the one other person, Gabriel, had left.

  She was mad at herself. Why had she not scheduled their next talk? Loneliness sucked, and she was definitely lonely here. How had her sister disappeared years ago?

  Erica gazed at the white snow in the window. She was slightly scared that snow would never melt. Sure, she knew irrational thoughts all swirled in her head, but it stayed in the center of her thoughts.

  With dramatic flair, she sat up in her bed. She scrubbed her hand over her head and remembered the diary. Perhaps in his wife’s diary, there was a clue to whatever he wouldn’t tell her. She didn’t know much about Gabriel. She’d like more information on the man who made her heart beat faster. At the very least, his dead wife would leave a few clues about his personality and what he liked. She reached under the bed to fish out the book from where she tossed it.

  A squeak cried in the air, and it wasn’t the bed.

  What was that? She flinched, then stared immediately at the mirror. The squeak seemed to come from behind it, but a moment later nothing stirred. The white noise of the machines was still in the distance. Finally, she pulled out the diary and opened to the first page.

  Marriage is not all it’s cracked up to be when married to a Marine. It means long bouts of no sex.

  Erica shrugged and assumed the wife to be a fickle woman. When he was home, he’d have bottled-up energy like she’d experienced, and the memories of his touch made her forget every other boyfriend she’d ever had.

  Her smile grew wider. She’d settle for a few years with no sex and never complain if the reward was Gabriel. She’d already experienced the wait with her long bout of celibacy, until she met Gabriel. Perhaps she’d spent too much time in hospitals over the past few years. But Gabriel excited her the minute her eyes glanced at him. All he had to do was walk toward her and her body temperature soared.

  With a laugh, Erica realized that most men, in her opinion, were not memorable enough to think about after the big act happened.

  Gabriel was amazing.

  She continued reading.

  Gabriel must never know. At least I had some relief. His brother Raphael and I continued our affair under his nose. Gabriel is so busy, he never noticed what I did or who I did. This has been so easy. The wall in the library gave way as he pushed me up against it. That moment was both erotic and scary. With Raphael still inside me, we uncovered one of my husband’s many secrets. The old hotel had secrets he never knew about, and I could use that against him, like keeping the affair an intimate moment that Gabriel would never find. No man controls me. I dictate my life. My marriage will end on my terms, and no one else’s. Gabriel is not allowed to get a divorce.

  With a gasp, Erica brought her knees up to her chest and covered her mouth. Gabriel’s wife had an affair with his brother? What secrets did she think Gabriel had? He seemed a decent man. Poor Gabriel must have eventually found out about this betrayal. Those were lines that should not be crossed.

  She stared at the door for a second. If the diary was here, then could the secret room be in this place, or had they lived somewhere else? If it was here, were there more? If she found the room, would she discover what pained Gabriel?

  No. Not yet. She’d finish. So she flipped the page and read the rest of this entry.

  I marked the wall with my nail polish and pushed a bookshelf to the side with Raphael’s help. The man has a glorious body, all muscular, and his shoulders were made for a football player. To be truthful, Gabriel’s were too hard from the Marines. I married him for his money and good looks, knowing he’d be perfect because he’s never home. The Marines were supposed to kill him, not send him home. Raphael, though, is becoming the man I love in bed. It took me a while to figure out the right cocktail to get him there. His guilt makes this whole thing more enjoyable. He has no choice but to love me. Everyone should love me. We now have the perfect place to be alone, and I’m so happy. The entire chateau might have
secret compartments, but this one is all we need. Growing up, my parents had a secret bunker built into their home too. I always hid everything in my life there and made sure no one caught on. Like Gabriel, my parents tried to tell me to live my life with a moral code. Who did they think they were? Anyhow, my life is what matters now. Raphael is the best lover. Gabriel has become immune to my charms, and he’s lost his usefulness. Getting Raphael, now that was fun, and every time he protested, but he soon became my toy to do with as I please. I had to use unusual means to get him to cooperate in bed. Gabriel must have spoken to him about morality. Raphael was a close call the last time, but I had my way. I have to work more on him, and ensure he agrees we’re not wrong to be together. I decide my life. Besides, Gabriel is always working and never done. He’s helping his brother keep a satisfied wife.

  Erica’s cheeks burned. Her mouth went dry, and she stared at the wife’s name. Tiffany. If they had met, Erica would have told her off. But then, Erica worked hard to keep her family together, not break other families apart. Women like Tiffany worked with a whole other set of rules. Her mother always spoke about the golden rule of ‘do onto others what you would have them do onto you’ in life, and Erica could never understand how any woman would be so heartless. Her toes curled while she almost choked on the fact that someone would intentionally hurt Gabriel.

  Poor Gabriel. Secrets had driven him into seclusion. She wasn’t wrong to defend him. One man for one woman was what she believed, and Gabriel would be enough for her. A laugh escaped her lips. Scared out of her wits, Erica’s solace came from that man’s warmth.

  She stared at the diary in her hands. If she read more now, the sour taste in her mouth would grow.

  So she shoved the diary in between her mattress and box spring. She had more questions, but couldn’t read any more.

  Her skin crawled. She stared in the mirror. Then she closed her eyes and relaxed. Gabriel’s hands on her back replayed in her mind, and her skin tingled. Where did he spend his days out of the apartment? His hands were callused and hard. Hard labor? What did he do all day? She pressed her ear to the wall. The sound of that machine buzzed.