Serenade

by Heather McKenzie

  I shut my eyes. Warm in his arms, his serenade filled my ears and lulled me into a deep sleep.

  I woke to an all too familiar smell, one that brought back memories of camping and hating every single minute of it. I knew I was in a tent because that awful, musty, nylon odor had been forever sealed into my senses. I half expected that if I opened my eyes, I would see Stephan and the counselor who claimed she could cure me of my anxiety. Instead, the late morning light cast a glow on my actual tent mates, Regan and Seth. I was sandwiched between them as they snored with their backs to me. It took a minute to remember how I got here. There had been arguing, and then I was pulled from Luke’s arms…

  Luke.

  I heard the crackling of a fire and caught a glimpse of a moving shadow. Was he real? The more I thought about it, the more nothing made sense, so I focused on the only thing that did: escape.

  I wiggled out from beneath a heavy wool blanket. My arms felt like they weighed a hundred pounds, and my legs were like jelly. Seth stirred, so I held my breath until he started snoring again. Regan didn’t budge.

  I slowly pulled myself up into a sitting position, and my heart pounded so hard everything went black. I waited for what seemed like an eternity until my vision came back. Then I bent forward on my hands and knees, praying my elbows wouldn’t collapse, and reached for the tent zipper. My fingertips got a hold of it, but a strange sound stopped me from yanking it up.

  A large form had risen from beside Seth, and it was inches from my ear. Hot, foul breath brushed my neck, and I slowly turned to be greeted by a mass of huge, razor-sharp teeth. It was all I could do not to scream when a low growl came from a dog with a head so huge it could crack my skull like a nut.

  Seth sat up groggily. “Oh, Brutus, quit yer grumblin’ and get back to bed.”

  Fangs and claws retreated with a disgruntled snort, and the dog flopped down a few feet from my knees. I thought right then and there my heart was going to actually explode.

  “I see you’ve met my pal. Don’t worry about him. Now, where do you think you’re going there, girlie?” Seth asked, rubbing his eyes.

  I didn’t know what to say or do, so my stomach made the decision for me. “I’m… I’m going to throw up,” I choked.

  “Whoa, not in the tent!” Seth lunged for the zipper, and in one practiced move, he had the flap open.

  My head spun wildly, and I hit the dirt just outside the tent, too weak to even sit up. He got behind me on his knees and wrapped his arms across my chest while I retched for what seemed like forever. A gust of smoke from the fire caught in my throat, and my stomach churned even harder. I felt like death, and I was humiliated that I needed this repulsive man’s assistance to keep upright.

  To make it worse, we’d woken Regan. He emerged, looking sleepy, with a shiny object in his hands and a determined look in his eyes. “This will fix you up, Kaya,” he said, tapping the side of a needle.

  “If you come near me with that, I’ll kill you!” I yelled as my guts twisted.

  Ignoring me, he grinned and jabbed my arm, injecting God knows what into my veins.

  “I’m not a pin cushion,” I barked, but the nausea instantly subsided and my head stopped spinning. “Have you never heard of just a simple, old fashioned pill?”

  “You should feel better soon,” he said, his accent seeming thicker than before, “I’ve used this a few times on myself, and it works pretty fast. If it doesn’t, I’ve got something else I can try.”

  “It worked,” I said quickly.

  “Good. Let’s get back to sleep then,” said Seth, still holding me.

  His body odor was as foul as the beast’s breath, and I had a flash of a vision of those bared teeth and wild eyes staring me down like I was breakfast. I trembled. “No… I can’t go back in there with you and that… thing.”

  “That thing is my best pal. And really, you don’t have a choice,” Seth said flatly and began dragging me toward the tent. I heard the beast panting and fought with all my might. My heart pounded so hard that those little black dots came back into view.

  “She’s scared of the dog, Seth. Let her go,” said Luke.

  I turned my head to see two dusty hiking boots planted firmly next to me, the laces now tied tightly. I looked up at the stranger, at Luke, and choked. Every feature of his perfect face was perfectly clear from this view. Damn it all to hell—he was beautiful, especially in this morning light. The blue of his eyes was vivid, and the golden tips of his hair surrounded his face like a halo.

  “You don’t have to go back in there,” he said.

  Seth sighed and let go. I fell forward onto my palms, and pinecones and small rocks dug into my skin.

  “Let me help you up,” Luke offered.

  His hand was outstretched for me to take, and as much as I yearned to reach for it, that would only show weakness. For the first time in my life, I had to stand on my own.

  All those nights dreaming about him and fantasizing about who he might be—an actor, classical pianist, maybe even a teacher or brilliant businessman—were now wasted by the reality that my beautiful stranger was nothing but a criminal. I clung to that anger and disappointment, pleading with my legs to be strong. They argued, making their weakness known, but held me up.

  The dog eyed me warily as I struggled to remain upright and take in my surroundings: two green army tents, a small fire with a pot of something bubbling over the rim, and a shirt hanging from a tree branch made up the small camp. Trees so thick that there was nothing but blackness behind them surrounded the small bare patch of earth, and what appeared to be a trail snaked out behind me—I would make a run for that and then disappear into the dark…

  “Maybe you should go back in the tent and rest,” Luke said gently.

  His hands were still outstretched, ready to break my fall should I stumble. My head spun. Nothing about the look in his eyes or the tone of his voice seemed even remotely villainous. Then I reminded myself that I was here against my will, he was my abductor, and I had to escape.

  “Please, Kaya, go and lay down. You can have that tent all to yourself. I won’t let those two, or the dog, anywhere near it.”

  His accomplices didn’t protest. In fact, they seemed a bit wary of him. This only confirmed my instinct to be wary of him, too.

  I straightened my back and tried to look as confident as I could, but suddenly my heartbeat throbbed so loud in my ears it shut out all the sounds of the forest. I put my hands to my head, and Luke lunged forward to steady me. As if all my emotions had been poured into my hand, I swung a fist at him with all my might. He caught it easily, as if he’d been expecting it, and seemed completely unfazed.

  “Save your energy,” he said, fingers clamping firmly around mine.

  “What do you want from me?” I asked. My entire body had begun to quiver. His touch was confusing, and the pained look in his eyes was heart wrenching. I was trying to be angry, to hate him, but everything I was feeling was the exact opposite.

  “I will explain everything soon. It’s—just really complicated right now. But I promise nobody will hurt you, okay? I’ll make sure of it. You have my word.”

  “Your word means nothing to me,” I spat out.

  A look of shock came across his face. Don’t look in his eyes…

  “Your father is not the man you think he is,” he said quietly.

  “Oh, so you’re trying to get to my father through me? Well, news flash—Henry Lowen doesn’t give a crap whether I’m alive or dead. He doesn’t care. You’re wasting your time.” Saying that hurt because it was true. Henry cared about my worth, not me…

  “You don’t know what he’s done,” Luke said.

  Regan and Seth had been standing by quietly, and now they eyed each other. “Don’t tell her anything,” Regan said carefully.

  “Plans have changed,” said Luke.

  Regan shifted irritably and clenched his jaw. “Nothing changes,” he said firmly. “We have risked everything, and we aren’t going to t
hrow it away just because you have decided to take pity on a pretty girl.”

  “Nobody touches her!” Luke roared.

  Regan jumped back defensively and the stick Seth was about to throw on the fire remained in his hand. The beast stood, his thick, matted black fur lifting up slightly on his back.

  “This is not the time to argue, boys. We need to focus,” Seth said, motioning for the beast to relax and lie at his feet. “They will be sending out a search party for her soon. Y’all know what we gotta do.”

  What the hell do they have to do? I pulled my hand away from Luke’s and stepped back a foot. Luke and Regan were staring each other down like bulls about to fight. I gathered my breath.

  “You don’t understand,” Luke said quietly. “She’s not the girl I thought she was.”

  I inched back a bit more. In a few steps, I could make a run for the trees and vanish…

  “What do you mean, not the girl you thought she was?” Regan asked defensively. “We got the right girl! She is Kaya Lowen!”

  “No, I mean… yes that’s the right girl but… she is, um—she’s…” Luke stammered.

  Seth and Regan were staring at Luke in confusion. Nobody was watching me.

  Regan threw his arms in the air in sudden realization, “Whoa! Wait a second! Is this the girl you’ve been talking about? The one you met the night you broke into…”

  This was it, now or never.

  I gathered every single ounce of energy I had and steadied my mind to ignore the pain in my foot and the dizziness in my head. Then, with everything I had, I turned and bolted toward the dense forest. The darkness instantly enveloped me. I could see well enough not to run into tree trunks, but branches caught me at every turn. My head felt as if it was spinning like a top, but I forced my legs to keep going. I could hear the men’s voices yelling at each other in an organized manner.

  I tripped and found myself on all fours. Get up, girl. There’s nothing wrong with you—get up…

  I made it a few more steps before my head connected with a blue spruce, and then I collapsed in a pathetic heap. My arms were so wobbly I could barely wipe at the gash across my forehead. My body was completely failing me. I prayed to God that the mutt would just snap my neck and get it over with quickly…

  Human footsteps approached. I gulped in some air and tried to push myself up, but the world tipped on its side and I fell with it. Within moments, large hands had my wrists pinned to the ground. I struggled and fought with everything I had left, which wasn’t much.

  “Stop fighting,” he said.

  His voice created such confusion inside me. I kicked harder.

  “Stop… please,” he begged.

  Luke’s body pinned mine to the ground. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes.

  “Please, Kaya, trust me. I won’t let anyone hurt you, I promise.”

  I was dizzy but vividly aware of his body as it both warmed and chilled mine. I looked up at him; his eyes were tearing up too. “But you have hurt me,” I said, “you’re not… who I thought you were…”

  I instantly regretted saying that. I might as well have admitted I felt something for him. He let go and sat back on his heels. “Kaya, remember when I told you that someday you would find something to fight for? Well, I have that something, and I will never, ever give it up… it’s just… now it’s become a lot more complicated… because of you.”

  He leaned forward and pressed his sleeve to my bleeding forehead, dabbing and inspecting it closely while I had no choice but to gaze up at him. How could this beautiful man be a kidnapper? It just didn’t fit.

  “It’s just a scratch; no stitches required,” he said, voice trailing off as his eyes met mine.

  We stayed like that for a while: me on the ground, him kneeling over me, and our line of sight only on each other—until an unmistakable sound broke through the treetops.

  “They’ll find me,” I said softly, wondering if Oliver was in the helicopter circling over our heads.

  A puzzled look came over Luke’s face. He hadn’t expected to be located so fast—obviously, my anklet was still working. “Well, there is nowhere to land, and by the time they do, we’ll be long gone.” He positioned his arms under my body, and, in one graceful motion, he picked me up and into his arms. “Just don’t run. Promise me that, please. I’ll keep you safe and get you back home. You have my word. Okay?”

  He held me tightly—protectively—waiting eagerly for my reply with turmoil in his blue eyes. My whole body hurt, and admittedly, I couldn’t have walked another inch. The wolves or that beast would have got to me long before Oliver would have. I was at my kidnapper’s mercy, laying helplessly in his arms and falling harder for him by the second.

  “I promise,” I said.

  Louisa is in the kitchen, her nightgown the same color as the light pink lipstick smeared around her mouth. Her eyes look puffy from lack of sleep, and I can see she is upset about something. I pull her close, and she presses her body tightly against mine.

  “You should go to sleep,” I say, and she gives me a kiss on the cheek. I promise her we will get out of here soon, to a safer place, somewhere we will be happy and have dinner together every night. Just one more week.

  “I love you, Louisa,” I tell her, meaning it so wholeheartedly and completely it hurt.

  “I love you, too,” she says back.

  I hear footsteps from out in the hall, and then suddenly, a loud bang shakes the apartment floor and the flimsy front door crashes down. Two men who I thought I would never see again burst into the room and put a gun to my head. They pull Louisa from my arms, and she starts screaming, terrified, her panic cutting right through to my very soul, but I am helpless…

  “Louisa, no! Please don’t take her… I’ll do anything, whatever you want… just please don’t…”

  I beg, I plead. I scream her name.

  And when I wake up on the kitchen floor in a pool of my own blood, she is gone.

  “Louisa!” What have I done? “Louisa!”

  “Luke, it’s only a dream. Wake up—everything’s okay,” said a sleepy voice from beside me in the dark.

  I opened my eyes, wishing it really were just a dream and not a replay of the worst night of my life. The memory held me captive, eating away at my insides and haunting me every time I tried to sleep. It was the sole reason this girl with the emerald eyes was beside me now.

  I pushed the inescapable horror away as best I could and turned toward Kaya… Kaya Lowen… God, she was beautiful. While she’d been trying to comfort me, she’d fallen back asleep with her hands curled under her chin. I wanted nothing more than to run my fingers through her ebony hair and feel her cheeks to see if they were as soft as they looked.

  I’d fallen for her—hard—but it wasn’t just her appearance that had pulled me in. It was her… everything. I’d been impossibly obsessed from the moment we first met. After that encounter in the garden, I’d spent countless hours reliving the moment, and then countless more trying to banish it from my mind. Yet still she lingered. I couldn’t turn off the constant running tap of her voice trickling through my head. How was it that she was here, lying beside me in the dead of the night, as my hostage? What the hell was I doing?

  My mission was to get Louisa back, and kidnapping Henry Lowen’s daughter was the key to making that happen, but everything had changed. Using Kaya for any reason had become unthinkable. I had to get her out of these mountains and somewhere safe, even if that meant losing Louisa forever—and that was tearing me apart. How could I risk one life for another? How could I live with myself if anything happened to either of them?

  I stared hard at Kaya’s face, matching her name to her every detail, memorizing and forever burning it into my mind. Then I tried to look away—but it was impossible. I was drawn to her like a magnet, so much so that my chest ached and my heart felt like it might burst. As I lay staring at her while she slept, I asked myself the all-important question; could I risk losing everything for this girl I
didn’t even know?

  Yes. Without a doubt. Without question.

  Well, if that wasn’t downright terrifying…

  I moved my fingertips slowly across her cheek. Her skin was even smoother than I imagined, and my heart raced like I was about to dive off a cliff. When her eyes opened, I pulled my hand away, not wanting to frighten her. She looked up at me, those deep, emerald jewels shining in the dim, moonlit tent, and all the missing parts of my life pulled together, making me completely whole.

  She searched my face intently, and then she put her delicate hand on my cheek. “I hope you find her,” she said sincerely.

  I didn’t know what she meant. Her touch was so euphoric; I was lost in it.

  “The girl in your dreams, the one you were calling out for… Louisa May? I hope you get her back,” she said quietly. “She is what you said you would never, ever, give up on. What you said you were fighting for, right?”

  I gulped. That was not all I was fighting for. Not anymore.

  The day quickly became like a roller coaster from hell. We trudged through the forest, staying hidden under the pines while helicopters flew overhead. I wasn’t worried, because even if they got their men to the ground, finding us would still be like finding a needle in a haystack. I was however, worried about Kaya. She seemed so frail. I watched her closely and protected her from every branch or loose rock while she glared at me with hatred. It was killing me. I would have died right there from heartbreak if it weren’t for her show of affection last night.

  By afternoon, we were all completely exhausted. Kaya insisted she could walk on her own, but she couldn’t keep up. It was obvious she was in pain, and she threw up a few times. I kept trying to slow the boys down and offered to carry her, but she pushed me away with contempt and anger. At one point, she tripped, and Regan swiftly picked her up. I didn’t like the look on his face when she gave in and almost passed out in his arms.

  When the light started to leave the sky, we stopped to make camp. Regan carefully set Kaya down against a tree in a small clearing and bound her hands. We set up for the night under her watchful glare.