She did as he asked.
As they climbed the hill, Avalon used all her senses. She could feel the breeze, hear the wind in the surrounding trees, and feel the small pebbles bouncing over the toe of her boot.
When she stepped down, it gave under her weigh. Immediately, her fingers slipped from his belt, hitting the ground to brace her slide. As she began slipping, Nate’s strong hand closed over her wrist.
“I have you,” he reassured, keeping her from sliding down the hill. “We are almost there,” he said, pulling her up the last few feet.
At the top, her heart was pounding. “Sorry,” she stated, knowing they could have both been hurt.
“You don’t have to apologize to me,” he stated. It was obvious that this woman said it a lot growing up as a child, and he wanted it to end.
He knew how hard that climb had been, and he could see.
“Let me see your hands,” he said, turning them over. Her palms were pretty scraped up. Digging around in his bag, he found the small kit and pulled out some antiseptic wipes.
She could feel the cool across her palms.
“I’ll fix you up.”
“You already have,” she offered. “The minute I met you, you healed all that was broken in me.”
Her words rocked him to his core.
He felt the same way.
Gently, he kissed each of the wounds, offering her a little kindness. Somehow, he didn't think anyone ever did that for her as a child. From her astounded reaction, he was right.
“I’ll always heal you. You just have to find me, Avi. If you stay with me, you’ll never hurt again.”
She hugged him.
It caught him off guard. He wrapped his arms around her body, sharing that moment. Yes, they had people after them, but she needed this, and Nate would always give her whatever she needed in life.
He wanted to be that man for her.
Nate wanted to love her to his dying day.
“We better get moving,” he finally said, knowing they had to make up some lost time. The terrain had slowed them down, and by now, the men would be arriving at the cabin—unless Maura and Luke had done their job.
“Yes, Nathaniel,” she stated, placing her sore hand in his.
Just then, they heard it.
One single gunshot broke the silence of the forest.
Avalon froze where she stood.
“Shhhh, it’s okay, honey. It’s far away. That’s not near us.” His heart thudded in his chest. Someone was doing battle, and he only hoped that his family wouldn’t be on the losing side.
“If you say so.”
He kissed her fast. “I do. Now, let’s go.”
With that, he led her even faster through the trees to someplace they would be safe. Night was coming, and Nate knew that was when they were in the most danger.
The men wouldn’t take a sleep break, but they’d have to. Tonight, they might be fighting for their lives.
And he was scared.
* * * C a r t e r - G a i n e s * * *
Holy shit!
The bullet just missed her. It hit above her head just inches from her body. That was a close one. While they weren’t going to shoot up the woods, apparently, the ex-military men didn't feel the same way. They didn't seem to give a shit.
That worried her.
Not for her safety, but for Luke’s. If they were caught, she could play the game, pretending to join them. She knew these men, and they would want her skills, but Luke…
He would be dead weight.
They’d kill him, and Maura couldn’t let that happen.
Not now.
Not ever.
Glancing across the area where they were hidden, she could clearly see her fiancé. He wasn’t in total cover, despite him thinking he was and that was dangerous. She could see his boots, and if she could when the men arrived, so could they.
Before she could signal to warn him, there were the fast approaching footfalls.
Shit!
They had company.
The ex-military killer stopped right in front of her. He was inches from her hiding place, and like predicted, he’d zoned in on Luke’s body in the trees.
A million things flooded her mind, but the most important was that she had to do something. If it meant hand to hand fighting, she’d do it.
What choice did she have?
As he lifted his left arm, holding his gun arm level, she waited to hear Luke’s gun, but it didn't happen. Instead, she saw him move his foot.
If she saw it, so did their stalker.
Maura moved into action. She pulled her bloodied knife and leapt from the bramble. It cut into her body, tearing at her face and hands. Anything not covered by the new military Kevlar was cut by the thorns.
But it didn't matter.
While she surprised him, his arm never came down, and that gave her access to the most important part of his body—his heart.
She thrust the bowie knife deeply into his chest, just under the armpit where the Kevlar didn't cover him. She heard the gasp as she twisted, severing the aorta.
He died instantly.
The blood on her hands shined in the moonlight.
As he fell to the ground, she stood over his body, listening to the silence of the night. The men were out there, but they had a few minutes.
Luke was safe.
As he joined her outside his hiding spot, he immediately began apologizing. “Maura, I’m sorry,” he said, knowing what she had to do to keep him safe.
“It’s okay, Lucas. This wasn’t the ideal spot for either of us.”
That was a lie.
She was more than happy with the outcome. They’d taken another one down.
“Strip his guns. We’re taking them,” she stated, as Luke pulled open the backpack that he’d been carrying.
She stared down at the ex-soldier. He’d made a bad choice, and paid the ultimate price. With her bloodied hand, she left a print on his Kevlar.
She marked him.
He was one of her kills.
Luke watched and somehow, he knew better than to make a comment. This wasn’t the time to joke, or speak. Maura didn't look well, and he knew why.
It was obvious, that despite what she said, she didn't like killing.
While she’d do it, she didn't revel in it like the men who were now chasing them.
“They’ll know for sure who they’re dealing with,” Maura stated. “The last three served with me before I became Bravo Ghost One. That’s how they marked their kill.”
“You’re giving one back.”
“Before tonight’s over, Lucas, I’ll be giving five back. They’re hunting us, and that pisses me off.”
It insulted her.
It risked the mission, and the man she loved.
They’d pay the price.
There was no doubt about it.
* * * C a r t e r - G a i n e s * * *
It didn't take them long to find the fallen man.
Even in the darkness of the trees, the second their flashlight fell on his chest, they knew who they were dealing with.
They had their suspicions as the team kept coming up against someone better than them, but now it was crystal clear why they couldn’t find the woman.
Major Maura Gaines was leading the mission.
While they wouldn’t have an easy time of bringing her in, they would eventually chip away at her.
She was tough to break, but they knew she had a weakness. Every soldier did. At some point, when you found it, there was a way to exploit it.
It was only a matter of finding hers.
Captain Tim Vance shook his head. “It looks like it’s just the three of us,” he stated.
“What do you expect?” Corporal Leroy Tynes asked. “This is how she works. She’s going to get her team to isolate us and pick us off.”
Vance stared at their third teammate. “You have to head out. I want you to get back to the vehicle and call for backup. We’ll keep her trapped in this area. S
he won’t leave unless she takes us all out, and that’s where we’ll get her,” he stated.
The man stared down at the dead friend. “And our fallen?”
He laughed. “War sucks, but you’re not a Marine anymore, son. We don’t carry our dead out on our backs. We leave them. Someone will find them and take care of it.”
Tynes looked around nervously. “You better hustle. It’s going to be a long walk back.”
The man headed out. He didn't like being sent off. She was picking them off one by one, but he didn't want to be killed by them either.
It was a bad situation all around.
Vance waited until he was gone. There was no doubt in his mind what they needed to do. He’d trained with her, and Maura Gaines had a weakness. So, like any good soldier, he exploited it.
Calling into the night, he taunted her.
“Major Gaines! Give her up and you walk out of here alive. In fact, if you hand her over to us, you’ll get a big fat signing bonus.”
He waited for her to tell him to fuck off, but nothing came. There was only silence.
Oh, she played the game well.
“Okay! Deal’s off! Now you die!”
With that, the men headed into the darkness to kill a major.
The hunt was on.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
N ate knew that Avalon couldn’t keep up any longer. It had been almost four hours of walking, and she was starting to lag behind. It was time to call it a night. They’d have to make camp and hope that there would be someplace where they would be safe. Since they were out in the open, there couldn’t be a fire, so that meant the night was going to suck.
Glancing over, Nate hoped Avalon could handle it. She was tough. There was no doubt about that. The entire time, she didn't complain once, and that was surprising. Most of the women he’d dated would have been whining five minutes into this little adventure.
That said a lot about her strength and character.
“We’re camping here for the night,” he stated, dropping their packs. There was an outcropping of rocks, and that would give them a decent amount of cover if it were to rain. “We covered some ground, but tomorrow we’ll have to push hard to get to the next site.”
“No problem,” she stated. Her feet hurt, and she wanted to eat something. In fact, she’d give her arm for a candy bar and glass of wine.
Somehow, she doubted that was on the menu.
Nate placed the gear in the opening of the crevasse. With his phone’s light, he scanned the inside, searching for anything that was going to bite or kill them. When it was clear, he relaxed.
“No fire, so we’re going to have to survive on what’s in the bag,” he stated.
When he took her hand in his, Avalon let him lead her to the spot beside him on the ground. Despite being exhausted, she enjoyed being near him. He still smelled really good, and she wondered if she was a hot mess.
When Avalon touched her face, running her fingers down the length of a bramble scratch, Nate wanted to kiss them away. He felt bad that they were marring her beautiful skin, and he couldn’t help but feel responsible. After all, he pushed her hard.
“You have to be exhausted. I wish we had a soft bed.”
“That’s okay. I don’t mind roughing it,” she offered. It wasn’t like this was the first time she’d been bedded down in this type of situation. Often, the Marines had to rough it like this. When they were compromised, anything could happen.
“We have jerky and water.”
“Well, I’m so tired that even that sounds delicious.”
He grinned. “Here you go,” he offered, handing her the bottle of water.
Delicately, she took a sip.
Nate watched her in the moonlight, trying to find a way to give her some comfort. The need to protect her reared up, heating his body.
Well, he wouldn’t be cold tonight.
He wasn’t exactly thinking pure thoughts.
“Can I ask you something?” Nate inquired, trying to not think about Avalon’s mouth, her body, or the moments they’d spent naked.
“Sure.”
He paused.
“I hope you don’t think I’m a mind reader, do you?” she asked laughing. “That’s not quite how this works. I see the future and flashes of things that are about to happen.”
He started laughing. “Sorry, I was actually chewing and swallowing. My momma taught me not to talk with my mouth full.”
“My mother didn't teach me anything,” she stated
“I’ll share mine with you.”
The water bottle paused halfway to her mouth. “Nathaniel,” she began.
“I don’t want to argue,” he replied, knowing why she was upset. She was too stuck in what might happen. Nate already believed he’d save her.
He had to.
She let it go. Partly because she didn't want to cry, and also because she was exhausted.
“What did you want to know?”
“If you didn't have this gift, or you never saved the president, what would you have done with your life?”
She thought about it. “That’s tough. Did I get to go to school? That would be the first thing on my bucket list. I have a really good memory, and I learn fast, so I always knew I could be taught to read. I was always jealous of those who could.”
“I’ll teach you, Avi. I’ll learn braille, and then show you how.”
That was the sweetest thing anyone had ever offered her. In all her life, no one cared about her like this man. “Nathaniel.”
“Let me have this, Avalon. I need to believe there is more out there other than me losing you. Let me have a future, even if you swear it’s not going to happen.”
She reached out and touched his cheek. “I would love for you to teach me to read. I’ll take you up on that offer as soon as this is over.”
He kissed the palm of her hand. “Thank you for that.”
How could she break him?
Nathaniel Carter was a good, kind man, and he was putting it all on the line for her. She’d let him have this.
“So back to my question.” He thought about it. “Yes, you got to go to school and you already know how to read.”
“Then that’s easy. I’d help people like me. It’s not easy being an outcast. Sometimes, just knowing that you’re not the only freak in the world heals the pain. I’d want to find people like me who are in trouble and fix them.”
He didn't comment on her use of the word freak. She’d given him something, and he’d do the same—even though he hated when she called herself that.
With time, that would change. He’d make sure of it.
“There’s so much suffering in the world. I’d want to make a difference. I’d want to help people like you, Maura, and Luke do. You have important lives, and I’d want my time here to matter.”
He took her hand in his. “You do matter. You’ve saved a president, and God only knows who else.”
She smiled. “If I tell you, they’ll kill us both.”
He didn't doubt that.
“I’d want to help the lost, Nate. What lives in me is a curse, and I don’t know why I was chosen to carry it, but I will. If I were to get out of this, and to be truly free, I’d spend the rest of my life helping people.”
He kissed her. “I think you’ll get your wish.”
Avalon chewed on her jerky. “I hope you’re right.”
“For the record, I want you to stop calling yourself a freak, and this gift isn't a curse. It was what brought us together. I’ll take that any day of the week.”
She didn't argue.
“I’ll tell you something that I’ve never told anyone,” he stated.
“Okay.”
“I hate my job. I loathe the FBI. Each day, I stand in someone else’s blood as I stare down at broken, battered souls. It makes me sick. I would trade this in without ever looking back. So, when we get you free, I’m coming with you. I want to help people again. That’s why I went into law enforcement. I�
��ve seen too many good people gunned down.”
She didn't know what to say. “Nathaniel.”
“We’re going to get through this. I know you’re Oracle, but I have faith. For the first time, in my heart, I feel it.”
She wanted to believe.
“You have to believe in something, Avalon. While fate puts us on the path, love will win. I have to believe that after all this, love is going to come out on top, or why the hell are we here?”
When she opened her mouth, he cut her off.
“Just believe. That’s all I’m asking. Maybe then we can change the future.”
“I love you, Nathaniel.”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. This fragile woman had given him purpose. He’d be damned if he’d let her slip through his fingers.
“I love you too, Avalon.”
When she started shaking against his body, Nate knew the temperature was dropping. “Hop into the sleeping bag. I’ll hold you against me to keep you warm,” he stated.
Pulling on another layer, he waited until she was in the sack. Then he propped her against his chest, between his legs. “Comfy?” he asked.
Avalon cuddled against him. “This is still a really great day,” she offered.
Nate held her tight. As she slipped into sleep against him, he pulled out his gun and proceeded to commence guard duty.
They were going to be safe.
Nothing was going to take her away.
He was a desperate man, and he needed to change the future.
Fast.
* * * C a r t e r - G a i n e s * * *
This wasn’t Maura’s first day out in the woods fighting for her life. If the men tracking them thought it was going to be easy, they had another thing coming. She knew how to twist and bend the rules to give them the advantage.
She was a Marine.
She wasn’t going down without one hell of a fight.
They’d miscalculated, and that was going to cost them—dearly.
Giving Luke his instructions, she had him build a very small fire. She wanted to give the illusion that they were bedding down for the night. As soon as the men spotted it, they’d make their move.
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