Ransom tilted his head to the side, studying the print. He walked around it and rubbed his chin. “Put two eyes and a mouth on it, and it could be a ghost.”
Kinley’s mouth fell open slightly.
“I know, right? I’m really very clever. It could be a land jellyfish too. Or a massive arctic hare with an extra foot. Imagine how much luck that would be worth if you could chop it off?”
Was he teasing? Or insulting her? She’d been serious about looking at the print in a new way. There was something about it they were missing. A clue as to what it truly was. Now she couldn’t concentrate because she was too worried about what he really meant. He hadn’t laughed, but he was smiling. Was there an LOL attached to his words or a roll of the eyes? Houses were not as complicated as people. They were so much easier to work with.
“Okay, maybe not a giant rabbit.” Ransom swatted at a mosquito on his neck. “What are you thinking?”
Kinley turned toward the mountain. Blocking out the noise of the construction, she tried to pick up the silent whispers in the air. Like last night, it was just out of her reach. Too much going on at the site.
As a bear, she could hear more keenly on all levels. They needed answers. She glanced at Ransom. “I’m going to shift and take a look around. Maybe I can see something higher up that we’ve missed down here.”
“Good idea.” Ransom stripped off his coat and tugged off his shirt.
Heat washed through her body at seeing his bare chest. He had a lean athleticism, not big and broad like her father or Sedge. And he had a swirling tattoo that curled around one of his nipples. She didn’t catch what it was before she averted her gaze to the ground. “Um, you don’t need to come with me.”
“I’m your bodyguard, remember?” That was accompanied by the unbuckling of his belt. “I’d like to see the site from above too.”
Right, okay. Two sets of eyes would be better than one. “May I change in your truck?”
“Of course.” And there went his zipper.
Kinley nearly ran back to his truck. A lot of shifters had no problems with nudity, but she had a feeling he was daring her to strip down right there. Clearly he was mistaking her for a different type of woman.
She undressed and stashed her clothes neatly in his truck before shifting. She relished the wispy tingles of changing skins. Like a cool breeze carrying fluffy seedpods sailing over her body. Maybe when someone developed a teleporter, this was what it would feel like.
Shaking herself, she stretched her four legs and jogged to where an immensely content lynx sat waiting for her. None of the workers paused what they were doing to watch them, as if a polar bear and a big cat hiking up the mountain were nothing unusual. It actually sounded like a joke waiting to happen.
Ransom led the way upwards, and she followed. The mountain grew bare as they distanced themselves from the thick forest below. Bigger rocks and less rubble made walking easier.
Her ears twitched. The whispers became urgent as the sudden stench of decay assaulted her nostrils.
A roar unlike anything she’d heard before shook the ground, and she crouched as small stones rolled down on either side of her.
From around the side of the mountain, a humongous bald head emerged. Shoulders, arms, a bloated body.
This was no joke.
A giant stomped toward them.
Kinley froze as every bone in her body screamed to run. Part of her wanted to say she was watching a monster flick on a big screen. A cheesy one with a horrible budget. The giant didn’t look well put together. Its head was too small for its body and its mouth too big for its face. Gray skin sat in odd lumps growing to thick rolls around its belly and above—
It was male. Pitifully male at that.
And he was reaching toward her. Fear lanced through her veins.
Ransom growled and smacked her on the rump. Kinley jumped down the hill, sliding a bit before she got her footing, and ran. Not as fast as the lynx, but polar bears were quicker than many people thought.
Workmen hollered, scrambling away from the work site and to their trucks. A few of them had shifted. A wolf and two black bears. One of which dashed into the woods away from the mountain.
Each step the giant took shook the ground. He wasn’t fast, but he didn’t need to be. There was no way to outrun the monster.
Kinley’s heart hammered. She couldn’t think above the noise. And the stench. She gagged and nearly tumbled into the foundation hole. Running around it was taking too much time.
Shotgun blasts made her slip again. Two men stood by the trailer and fired at the giant. His misshapen head twisted to them, and he roared.
Time. They’d given her and Ransom time to get away.
She sped around the hole and dared a glance back. The guns had no effect on the creature other than angering him further. The men raced away as he swung a huge hand and missed his attackers. Instead, he grabbed the trailer and picked it up.
Please let there be no one in it.
Ransom whacked her behind again with a paw and nodded his head to the woods.
Run away. Yes, that would be the smart thing to do. She wanted nothing more than to flee this terrible creature that was not supposed to exist. But men were still there.
The giant lifted the trailer and chucked it at the men who darted in between the trees. The building shattered as if it were made from Popsicle sticks. Did the workers make it? Did they die while giving her time to get away? Time she didn’t even use.
The remaining wolf and bear howled and stood their ground. What were they thinking? That thing could crush them without blinking.
Ransom pushed her with his body. She ignored him.
The giant slapped the ground, and the black bear rolled away. Brave or stupid, the wolf went for a thick hairy ankle. He was kicked away like an annoying Chihuahua.
No! Kinley bellowed. She couldn’t let anyone else get hurt or die.
The giant’s filmy gaze settled on her. He bared his blackened teeth, or really, the stumps of them, and walked toward her. Not paying attention, he stumbled into the foundation hole and went down on one knee.
This was the part in the movie where the heroes filled the hole with quick drying cement. Yup, because cement would totally hold a behemoth like that.
She grunted as Ransom headbutted her shoulder and took a few steps toward the woods. If he was big enough, he’d likely toss her over his shoulder and run off with her. While the thought held some appeal, it wasn’t going to happen now. Not while there were people still in danger.
The black bear hadn’t gotten up. Was it Ian? And even if it wasn’t, she couldn’t leave him to the giant.
The werewolf slunk away, and the last truck kicked up dirt as it tore away from the site. Grumbling, the giant struggled to rise.
Now or never. Kinley sprinted toward the fallen bear. He was the same size as her. No way she could carry him, and there was no time to drag him away.
Ransom zipped by her and skidded to a stop beside the unconscious shifter. He transformed back into his human self. “Get out of here, Kinley! It’s focused on you. Go! I got this guy.”
He flipped the black bear over and hooked his arms under the forelegs. Though the shifter easily weighed four hundred pounds, Ransom dragged him fast backward into the trees past the remains of the trailer.
If Kinley could have cheered him, she would have. Instead, she spun around to take off in the opposite direction. She wasn’t going to lead the giant to the others. Let them get away—
The giant swiped at her and knocked her off her feet. She hadn’t gotten back up when he seized her and picked her up. She bit and clawed at his hard flesh and vomited when a piece got in her mouth.
Dead. He a walking corpse.
Bear and Raven might have destroyed the last of the giants, but did they ever think one would come back from the grave?
Raking with all her paws at once, she opened a huge wound on his palm. He bawled and threw her.
Kinley ba
rely had time to register she was flying through the air before she smashed against the boulder atop the crushed backhoe. Her side exploded with red-hot pain, and black dots erupted before her eyes.
Stay awake, stay awake. She couldn’t pass out.
The giant stomped closer and ripped a huge chunk of granite from the mountain. Lifting her head hurt. Everything hurt. Her legs flailed as she tried to right herself.
A second rumble joined the steps of the giant. Rain? No, not thunder but the hum of an engine. Both Kinley and the giant turned their heads to stare at the dump truck puffing out black smoke.
Who the hell was that? Hadn’t everyone gotten away? That truck wasn’t going to move quickly enough. It lurched toward the giant, gaining speed as the transmission squealed.
Holy smash-up derby! It was going to plow right into the monster’s legs.
The giant snarled and bent forward as if puzzled by this machine that dared to charge at him. But the truck kept coming. Just before it hit him, he flung the rock at Kinley.
The granite landed on her, or rather, against her, and pinned her to the boulder. Her world went black. But it wasn’t Death’s cloak.
A crash and an unearthly shriek. Then only the idling of the engine.
What happened? She tried to dig in her claws and pull herself forward. No go. She was stuck. Her ears twitched listening for the giant, for the whispers, anything.
One minute passed. Two.
Every inch of her sang with pain. How was she going to get out? Someone would have to dig her out. But no one in their right mind would come back to the site.
“Kinley!”
Ransom?
“Kinley!” A scuffle of rocks and dirt. “Kinley, are you there? Please say you’re okay.”
She chuffed and just that little movement made her cringe with pain. Cringing hurt too.
“Thank fucking God.” Ransom shouted and lowered his voice. “The giant’s gone. It just, I don’t know, went poof when I hit it with the truck. I can see you, but the space is small. Are you pinned by the rock?”
Kinley made a sound like “uh-uh” and wished she could see him, but he was talking from the end where her rear was pointed.
“Good, okay. Shift and crawl back if you can. You should be able to slip out here.”
A way to escape. Yes! The giant was gone but for how long? She needed to hurry.
Wait. Shifting meant turning back to her human self. Her naked human self. With Ransom watching her bare butt coming out at the other side. Oh God. Maybe it was better just to stay trapped under the rock.
“Are you hurt too badly?” Ransom’s tone softened. “I can try to break some of the rock.”
Kinley shifted out of her bear form. Cold lanced into her and amplified her agony. “No. I can move.”
Inch by torturing inch, she wiggled back toward him. Her chest burned with agony. She had to get out. They needed to get away in case the giant came back from… Did Ransom say he poofed? What did that even mean?
Ransom tugged her out when she got close enough for him to latch onto her ankles. He scooped her up into his arms and stood as she bit back a cry. “If you’re hurt, let it out. Scream all you want.”
Kinley shook her head. Every bone ached, and blood trickled down her back. No screams. She didn’t bawl or howl. She squeezed her eyes and hands shut, silently urging him to go. And hurry he did. Nimble in his human form as he was as a lynx.
“Wait!” She snapped her eyes open. “The others. Where are they? Are they okay? We can’t leave anyone.”
“Ian came to, and I told him to go get some help. The wolf took off. There’s no one else. Just me and you, you damn foolish, damn brave bear. And to think I was the one wearing a superhero shirt today.” Ransom ran to the side of his truck and opened the door while still holding her. He gently put her in the passenger seat and closed the door.
Everyone was gone. Safe. Good.
Ransom hopped into his side and started the engine. She wrapped her arms around herself as her eyes fluttered closed. More questions swam in her mind than when they arrived that morning. But first, rest. Her chin dropped to her chest.
Maybe she was being foolish not running away from a giant. This was far more dangerous than the adventuring she had imagined.
Kinley slept for over twelve hours and woke being able to breathe considerably easier. In her own bed. Dressed in bandages and pajamas.
Okay. Best not think too much on how that happened.
The night sky twinkled with countless stars. The view over the lake was perfectly framed by her immense picture windows. She designed her cabin for that Alaskan beauty. Her inspiration.
A toilet flushed and the tap ran. She cocked her head. Maybe Ametta was playing nurse. Not the usual role anyone pictured her younger sister in, but with her father and Saskia gone, Ametta was the only one left.
Kinley sat up in bed, slow and careful. Her back demanded she be gentle. Would it let her go to the bathroom? Wiggling her toes and feet, she judged she could walk.
The bathroom door opened, and Ransom padded out. Bare chested. Wearing a pair of her oversized flannel pajama bottoms. Her heartbeat quickened, and a wave of dizziness had her clutching the blankets on either side of her. Maybe she was wrong in her judgment that she could walk.
“Hey, you’re awake.” He smiled and sat on the bed next to her. “How do you feel?”
Heat rose to her face. Ametta wasn’t there? That meant Ransom dressed her and put her to bed. He dressed her! Well, she had been naked. She supposed she should be thanking him. But she found it immensely difficult to speak at the moment.
Ransom eyed her for a few seconds and grinned a little wider. “I hope you don’t mind I took you back here. I figured you wouldn’t want to go to a hospital, and no one was at your dad’s place. Your driver’s license had your address, and the keys were in your bag.” He shrugged and reached to brush back a lock of hair from her face. “Bert sent out his private physician to have a look at you. You had two broken ribs, which we bound up. That was the worst of it.”
Broken ribs? Kinley had never gotten more than a bruise in her entire life. Why was it strangely exhilarating? She should be scared out of her mind.
“He left some pain pills in case you needed them and his number if you wanted to call him for anything. Bert says you have full access to the doc and all his resources. Anything you want.” Ransom leaned in and did a comedic shift of his eyes. “Personally, I’d go for a Harley Davidson Night Rod Special. Maybe a trip to Tahiti.”
Better yet, Comic Con in San Diego.
God, she hoped she didn’t say that out loud.
“Do you need a drink? Something to eat? I made some soup, but you didn’t have too much in your kitchen. Except chocolate chip cookies. While your fur might be white, I get the feeling you’re actually a cookie monster and not a bear. There were like five bags!”
“Were? There should be exactly five bags.” Yup, certifiable cookie addict. And so embarrassing that’s what her mouth chose to respond to. Would it be believable if she pretended to pass out again?
Ransom chuckled. “I didn’t eat any, don’t worry. How do you feel?”
“Sore. But I can breathe better.” Kinley wet her dry lips. A drink of water would be good. She glanced at her night tables, and Ransom nabbed a bottle of water before she could ask. He unscrewed the cap and held the bottle out to her. She accepted the water and took a few sips, dipping her head. “Thank you. For the water, for taking care of me… for saving me.”
“I’d never leave you.” The rawness of the statement took her aback. Whatever caused it fast disappeared, though. He leaned back, resting on one hand. “Besides, it’s not every day a guy gets to slam a truck into a giant.”
Oh, yes. The giant. That’s what they needed to be talking about. Not how sexy Ransom looked sitting there. With his tattoo drawing her gaze along his lean torso. Tribal designs, swirls, a lynx in the mix, and a guitar? Interesting.
Giant! Focus, Ki
n. “So yes, the giant. You said you rammed the truck into it, and it just poofed. Like exploded? Disappeared like a ninja? Not that it had the dexterity to be one. I mean, him. He was definitely, yeah. He was clumsy. And dead! That’s right. Well, I guess you have to say undead now. A zombie giant. Those don’t go poof. They go splat.”
“He didn’t go splat. The truck hit him. I had my eyes closed, expecting shattering glass, but only an airbag smacked me in the face.” Ransom rubbed his right cheek. “When I looked again, the giant was gone. Not like he ran off. He vanished.”
“So ninja zombie giant. Or wizard. Or maybe he was summoned by a wizard.” The scenarios she could create for her role-playing group from this were endless. “Can you get me my laptop, please? On second thought, I’ll get it. I need to go use the bathroom.”
Kinley shifted to swing her legs out of bed and winced. Slow. Move much more slowly. Perhaps she should take a pain pill too.
Quick on his feet, Ransom helped ease her to a standing position. “You need to take it easy. I’ll help you to the bathroom. Then I’ll go get your laptop.”
There was no point in protesting. Every step renewed the pain.
She closed the door once she was in the bathroom and did her business. Washing her hands, she looked into the mirror and flinched. Dark rings circled her eyes, and her hair stuck out at odd angles. Damn. She looked like she was the one he ran over with the truck. Well, she did get thrown by a giant.
Suffering the pain, she brushed her long hair and tried to tame it as much as she could before putting it back in a loose braid. Messy, but not as wild as it had been.
Ransom was standing near her bed texting when she opened the door. He came to her side with a smile and helped her back into bed. “Just told Bert you woke up and that you’re okay. He said he wants to talk as soon as you’re feeling up to it.”
“I can call—”
He shook his head. “Nope. Right now, you rest. No business. Besides, it’s probably a good idea to let Bert cool down. Vamps can be pretty territorial, and with a giant on Bert’s land, yowzah.”
Silent Whispers (Totem Book 2) Page 3