Peeking around her hiding place at a still unmoving Wolf, Casey had removed her clothes, hoping to rinse them out quickly. She noted this worked a great deal better, as she could turn the garments inside out, gaining a further inspection.
Casey turned to once more peek around her hiding place to check on Wolf, while she readied herself to step into her now clean panties. She screamed, terrified, when she noted he was not sleeping, but only a few short feet away from her. His face no longer impassive, he was staring at her body as if she were a buffet and he was starving for all you can eat.
Casey was still clutching her panties to her breasts as she fled from the water. She raced into the jungle, plowing through ferns and dodging rocks. She could hear Wolf behind her. He was steadily gaining. Casey's smaller legs were no match for him and his powerful physique; she knew he would have her within his grasp in a matter of moments. She was certain of his intent. Her tears were already flowing at the images assaulting her battered mind. She was petrified!
Casey saw the branch up ahead. She reached for it as she raced past, ducking under it. Stopping suddenly, she turned and pulled hard, letting go of the branch. It sailed through the air, smacking Wolf hard across the chest with a loud thwack! He fell backwards on impact, feet flying out from under him. He landed soundly, bottom first, with a loud thump. Wolf lay supine, motionless. He groaned. Casey once more began running.
Wolf arose, his mouth the shape of a circle in stunned surprise. She did it again!
Damn!
Wolf made his way back to camp, grumbling, his chest aching. He would find her, he vowed; now it was personal. He stopped, stunned, as he saw her standing, now fully clothed and soaking wet by the fire. Wolf advanced on her, his hands fisted, his intent clear by the rage on his face.
“No wait, please,” Casey cried out, her hands splayed before her. She backed up.
“Wait for what! For you to break my leg next!” Wolf howled.
Casey cowered before him. “Please, no. I was frightened. You didn't see the look you had on your face. I got so scared I just had to run. I had to stop you. Wait!” Casey cried as he gripped her by her revealing, wet shirt, almost yanking her off the ground, pulling her towards himself.
“You hurt me...again!"Wolf snapped furiously. He gripped her throat with his other hand.
“I didn't hit your head,” Casey choked out, terrified.
Wolf looked down into her ghost-white face. Her breath was coming in ragged gasps. She whimpered up at him. Pleading words emerged from her mouth as her jaw quivered. She was not even struggling, he noted with interest, just rubbing the arm that gripped her throat, pleading for compassion, mercy.
“Why didn't you keep running?” he questioned, now curious. His outrage was quieting as she remained completely submissive. His grip loosened.
“What would be the point? We are alone together. I don't want to spend all day running and hiding from you. You would only find me and be angrier. You were sent to kill me. You spared my life, but I don't want you to hurt me. Please don't do that to me.” Casey was sobbing brokenly. “My friend was raped. She never told anyone but me. She was terrified of men after the assault. She said it was so awful, she had been helpless. He was so cruel. She was so scared. He was so big. You are...so...big.” Casey was now hysterical with her fear.
Wolf released her and she sank to the ground in a heap at his feet. She clutched at his pants, her bowed head pressed against his knee. Taking a deep breath, Wolf regained his control and rubbed at his chest. She was right; she hadn't hit his head again. At least she hadn't said he was so ugly. Wolf crouched before her, sensing an opening he had been looking for. He gripped her chin firmly with a large hand.
“I will not rape you. But you owe me,” Wolf declared.
Casey nodded emphatically.
“You will tell no one of our encounter. When we leave this island you will forget I exist. If you do not, I will track you down, and you and your friend will have a great deal more in common. Do you understand?” Wolf said threateningly.
“I won't tell, I won't tell,” Casey whimpered.
Wolf glared into her eyes and, finally satisfied, he released her.
Casey watched Wolf warily as he returned from the falls. He still had yet to don his shirt, and his powerful chest glistened; his hair curling at his ears seemed darker than midnight. Wolf noted her guarded expression.
“You can feel free to attack me wantonly if you wish,” Wolf told her and chuckled as her face turned crimson.
“I don't find your humor amusing,” Casey informed him petulantly.
“Hell, who was joking, I was serious.” Wolf sat across from her by the fire. “So what's your name?”
“David didn't tell you?”
“Oh, he called you a name all right, but I'm guessing it's not an endearment,” Wolf said with a smirk.
“My name is Casey,” she replied, annoyed.
“I had a dog named Casey once,” Wolf told her. Casey groaned.
“Well since we're on the canine subject, why Wolf?” Casey said, and felt smug as his eyes narrowed.
“Careful, little girl, I bite,” Wolf warned.
“So I noticed. Why would you want to kill people? Don't you worry about eternal hell and flames? What about compassion?”
“If I were without compassion you would not be sitting there,” Wolf reminded her, “and, I'm an atheist.”
“Oh.”
“Not everyone goes around spending Daddy's money. Some people do have to work for a living,” Wolf said.
Casey watched him while he ate more wild figs. She noted he watched her as well. She shuddered. What if they were here for a long time? What if no one ever found them? She would be stuck with a maniac. Though he claimed he would not rape her, he said he was an atheist, not a monk. She had seen his interest.
“We need a signal fire,” Casey declared, becoming agitated.
“Yes, we do,” Wolf concurred. He remained unmoving, still watching her.
“We should build it on the beach out in the open,” Casey said. She began to squirm under his scrutiny. She couldn't shake the feeling he was remembering her nude.
“The beach is a fine idea,” Wolf replied. His dark eyes trailed over her suggestively, as though he were undressing her with his eyes.
“Will you stop it!” Casey yelled, jumping to her feet, though her side protested at the sudden movement.
Wolf looked up at her. “Stop what?” he asked.
“You are always staring at me, you're making me nervous on purpose. Maybe I should move to the other side of the island after all,” Casey said.
“I would just find you, as you so helpfully pointed out,” Wolf replied, unconcerned.
Casey sat. She had been right; he wouldn't let her leave. His eyes continued to trail over her body.
“Please stop,” she begged.
“There is nothing more interesting to look at,” Wolf replied in his defense, not understanding why she was so unnerved. “Did you know your toe is bleeding again?”
Casey looked down and groaned with annoyance. It was a deep cut. It must have reopened during her wild flight away from him. She took her bandage off, then shied back as a shadow darkened and Wolf suddenly appeared in front of her. Very gently, he lifted her foot and inspected the damage.
“It's a deep gash,” he said, stating the obvious.
“What do you care?” Casey whispered.
“You were right when you said we are alone together. I like to be alone, but not alone enough to lose the only other living being on the island.” Wolf was glad he had spared her life. Who knew how long he would be trapped here? Perhaps in time her fear of him would lessen, if he allowed it. Wolf took the bandage and headed for the water. He returned shortly and washed her bloody toe. When finished, he re-wrapped it.
“Wolf?”
He looked up into her apprehensive expression. “Yes?”
“Don't hurt me,” she whispered.
“Funny t
hing, little girl, but if you recall, you're the one doing all the hurting,” Wolf reminded her. He rose to his feet and went to get a drink of water.
Wolf watched with interest as Casey propped up a two foot long, hollowed piece of bamboo over the fire. One end rested on the ground, the other supported by a forked stick embedded into the ground. She had poured water into it, and then stuffed green leaves inside. Wolf could see the steam escaping from the small, loosely plugged hole at the top. Casey had also made two cups from bamboo by using a sharp rock to cut just below the joint in the bamboo.
She then took banana leaves and, placing them over ash from another fire she had started earlier, she cracked open three eggs she had found. They sizzled softly from the oil of the leaves. Casey had informed Wolf she was sick of mangos and wild figs and would like something else to eat. Wolf had grandly raised his hands and said sarcastically, “Let's go shopping.” To his great surprise, Casey did.
She had scoured the area with a suspicious Wolf trailing her, claiming he was still not certain she wouldn't bolt when gone from his sight. Casey had gathered sea lettuce that she first washed before placing it into the bamboo cooking container. She had dug a small hole in the sand. After thoroughly scorching stones, she had thrown them into the hole, followed by the clams they found, and covered it over with wet seaweed and more sand. Wolf could just barely see it steaming.
“I got shipwrecked with Rambo,” Wolf mused as Casey handed him the cooked food on a cleaned, large leaf.
Smiling, Casey settled back, relaxing more now that Wolf was looking at the food instead of her. He had been trailing after her like a gigantic puppy all day. His incessant questions drove her to the brink of insanity. She had never realized a fully grown man could be so annoying. David had always given her a great deal of space. She was very close to begging him for her demise.
“My parents and I traveled a great deal. More than once we were treated to a wide variety of interesting dishes and shown how they were cooked as well as caught,” Casey informed him. “I love clambakes. I wish my parents were here with me now.”
“So where are your parents and why did they let you marry that scumbag?” Wolf inquired. He was working on the second egg, eating enthusiastically.
“My parents died while I was just finishing high school. There was a terrorist bombing in the Middle East. My mom and dad where killed when the car in front of them exploded. My dad was a diplomat. He was a good man, they were wonderful parents. I miss them.”
Wolf was looking at her thoughtfully. “I've known diplomats. And the life their children lead. They take them to country after country if they want their spouse and child close. I'm guessing your father kept you close.”
Casey nodded; rarely had her dad ever left her or her mother behind. “What about your parents?” she asked.
“My dad was an assassin,” Wolf told her, grinning.
“Nothing like following in your father's footsteps.” Casey shivered. “Weren't you afraid?”
“Afraid of what? Him being killed by an exploding car?” Wolf inquired.
“Touche.”
“I grew up surrounded by family, too much perhaps, a great deal of extended family. We took care of our own. We live, we laugh, and we die, we're not so different. I saw Santa Claus at the mall. The Easter Bunny came. I went on pony rides and ate candy apples. I loved my dad, he was an amazing father,” Wolf informed her.
“Is he still alive?” Casey asked curiously.
“No,” Wolf said briefly.
“What about your mom? Is she still living?” Casey asked.
“No.”
Casey put the rest of her dinner down. She had lost her appetite. There was always so much death. She watched as Wolf reached for it and finished it off.
“Do you have other family?” Casey asked. Wolf remained silent. He seemed to close himself off, as though he had offered too much information. His impassive look was once more securely settled onto his face, and she realized their conversation was now over. She sighed softly. Perhaps it was time for a drink. She arose quietly, noting Wolf's eyes trailed after her.
The sky was once again darkening. The horizon turned a fantastical red. It had been a long day and Casey was tired. She returned from the waterfall quickly, not wanting to be away from the safety of the brightly burning fire. She had been dismayed that they had not spotted one plane overhead or any boats in the distance.
Casey curled once more onto her side. She knew Wolf was watching her; surprisingly it didn't bother her anymore. It seemed to be a habit of his, not done out of malice to purposely frighten her.
The darkness of the island was fierce; it hadn't taken long for the luminous red to fade. She grew apprehensive at what lay beyond her sight, and shuddered. The noises seemed to intensify as the sun set, and Casey started, sitting up swiftly at an unfamiliar clamor in the darkness.
After a lingering gaze off into the foliage, she once more settled herself down. She wanted to be home, she wanted to feel safe, and neither was going to happen any time soon. She pulled herself into a tight ball, covering her face, her arms cradling her head protectively; she would have to learn to take care of herself out here and forevermore, she had no one. She would have to be strong, tough; still, she was miles from all she knew.
Her chin quivered and she sobbed quietly with the thought, and then hardened herself to tears, no tears; she would not allow herself to give in to theatrics. After a few deep breaths, she stilled her small sobs to tiny hiccups. She lowered one arm to drape it closer to her chest in a protective gesture.
A soft rustling sound caught her attention; the ground beside her was disturbed. She stiffened as Wolf suddenly lay down next to her. He draped an arm over her, pressing himself firmly against her.
“Wolf?” she whispered fearfully. She began shaking, wanting to pull away, yet did not dare.
“Go to sleep, little girl. Wolf is through hunting for the day. There is more safety in a pack,” he breathed into her ear.
Though frightened, wondering at his intent, Casey remained motionless, paralyzed. She was helpless once more. Long minutes passed. Her body stopped shaking as Wolf curled around her, his hard chest pressed securely to her back. She could hear his even breathing. He pulled her more snugly against himself, yet kept his hands from roaming. She could feel his steady, strong heartbeat. Her head lay cushioned on his arm.
He had washed at the falls earlier, but she could smell the essence of man. It wasn't unpleasant. Her eyes felt heavy and she battled to keep them open. The fire crackled before her. Safety was a luxury, she finally concluded. Being in Wolf's arms was no more dangerous than being in David's. Yet, David had wanted her eradicated, and though Wolf had given her no reason for sparing her life, she sensed he did not want her dead any longer. Casey could have cried at the thought, but didn't. Instead, she closed her eyes. If Wolf was going to take her life he would have already.
She wondered at the money he had forgone to allow her to live. His body felt warm against the cool night air. Warmth was also a luxury. Casey decided to allow herself this small luxury. She slept.
[Back to Table of Contents]
* * *
Chapter Six
* * * *
Casey helped Wolf drag large pieces of driftwood towards a roaring fire they had started on the beach. The days were dragging by slowly; each day that passed had Casey fearful they would never be found. Though Wolf had tried to remain aloof, each day brought more disclosures of his life to her. She was fascinated when he admitted to having been everywhere in the world.
Casey had thought she was well traveled, but Wolf had been to places she had never heard of, he could converse fluently in six different languages, he was undeniably brilliant, and he studied all forms of martial arts. Her discovery of the martial arts became apparent shortly after the first day, when she had watched him practice his fluid, easy Katas. Without embarrassment she had settled herself down to observe him; she thought perhaps he had enjoyed her a
ttention.
She found it disturbing that she liked to watch him move; he was mesmerizing. It was amazing to see someone so large move with the skillful grace of a talented classical dancer. The few times she had attempted to mimic his movements, she was clumsy and had fallen. He had laughed while assisting her to stand, and his normally emotionless eyes had shined with amusement. Then he had just as abruptly walked away, ignoring her, leaving her to stand alone, shaking her head in confusion at his retreating back.
It took a great deal of coaxing on her part to gain any information about him; at times she felt it would be easier to remove live alligator teeth than to have him open up, but she was persistent. Casey had always been very social and she wasn't use to conversing with someone so dead set against talking about themselves. She was finding delight in any of his random admissions, which seemed to be a tad more forthcoming as they spent more time together.
Though interesting as Wolf was, she was still overwhelmed by him and his profession. Perhaps it had been wishful thinking when she had caught a brief, bright glint in the sky. She had been certain a search plane had passed overhead just that morning. Wolf had been pessimistic. Casey had been distressed when their own fire had burned out after they had left it to once again seek food, but Wolf remained unconcerned. He took a piece of softwood and, running a hard stick through a groove relentlessly, he had caused friction, starting a fire from a spark into the tinder he was creating.
“Now who's Rambo?” Casey asked wryly, watching the flames grow as they licked hungrily at the dry wood.
“What can I say, I'm a pyromaniac,” he replied cheekily.
“Well, the maniac part is definitely believable,” Casey muttered.
“Just because I'm an assassin does not mean I'm insane,” Wolf countered. He then tossed a large piece of dry driftwood onto the fire. Casey scooted back as it burst into flames.
“What part of killing people do you classify as sane?” she asked. She stared up at him in a challenging way.
My Assassin Lover Page 6