by Bianca James
Maybe escaping their clutches and giving away millions of dollars of their illicit funds to charities wasn’t such a great idea. Now they simply wanted revenge and there would be no negotiating this time. They had nothing to bargain with. They’d given it all away.
Zip tied to the wooden chair, her options were severely limited. Feet securely tied together. Each wrist was bound to an arm of the old but sturdy chair. She wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Adding insult to injury, her wooden stockade had been carelessly repaired to hold its prisoner. Sharp nails protruded from the edge of one arm of the chair. It pricked and gouged Elle’s wrist each time she tried to wriggle some circulation into her hands.
That gave her an idea.
Chapter 10
The gunfire above wasn’t sporadic and reckless, more restrained and purposeful. That was a bad thing. Spider knew it meant they were dealing with trained professionals, skilled in the art of war, making each round of ammunition count.
“We have to get out of here. Now.” It wasn’t a request. Spider grabbed Erin’s arm and hurled her toward the back of the bunker.
Erin planted her feet firmly on the concrete floor, refusing to comply.
“I’m not going anywhere, especially with you, until I know what’s going on.”
Spider’s face hardened. His once cute dimples now looked out of place on this battle toughened warrior. The dim light of the bunker served only to add to the ferocity of his expression.
“We’re not the bad guys here. The ones shooting at my friends up there,” he pointed to the ceiling, “they’re the bad guys and they’ll waste you quicker than looking at you. We’re the ones they want, but they’ll take you out all the same.”
Something in his tone compelled her to trust him. This time, when he tugged her arm for her to follow, she trailed after him, feet scrambling to keep up with the long legs of the former Navy pilot. She had no choice. The shooting from above was sounding more urgent and they both knew it would only be a matter of time before they were cornered and the underground haven became their underground tomb.
Stray rounds peppered the concrete floor at their heels chasing them toward the darkness of the farthest corner of the bunker. Erin briefly wondered how they had built such a place below the ground, but this was no time for idle speculation. Bullets tore into the walls either side of them hurling chunks of concrete in all directions as the shooters found their range and their eyes adapted to the lighting. Time had run out.
Shouldering her to one side, Spider knocked Erin toward a rack of Heckler & Koch MP7 machine pistols. Grabbing two of the weapons from the rack, Spider threw one to Erin on the fly as they made their way around the corner to a small hatch hidden behind an array of oil drums.
He only intended her to carry the piece as a backup for when he needed to swap it out for his own weapon when it was empty. Instead, she ejected the magazine, checked it was full, slammed it back home with the heel of her palm, flipped off the safety and fired a couple of short, accurate bursts at the nearby oil drums, spraying a fountain of oil over the floor they had just crossed.
Nice job. Spider spared a split second to appreciate the way she handled the gun like a pro and her cunning. Her stock just went up another 10 points.
“Where’d you learn to handle a gun like that?” Spider couldn’t help himself. He had to find out, his curiosity demanded it.
“I’m from Texas.” Erin shrugged it off as if that explained everything.
Spider entered the cramped tunnel first and was poised to slam the door shut after Erin entered when a spray of bullets pinged off the steel frame of the door. Spinning on his heels, Spider threw himself behind Erin, placing himself between her and the smoking gun barrels behind them, effectively shielding her from the assault with his body while he wrapped his arms protectively around her shoulders.
More bullets sparked off the edges of the door and the door frame as the viscous oil slick caused the gunmen to lose traction, spoiling their aim. Finally, Spider managed to pull the door closed but not before a couple of rounds found their way through the narrow gap just before the heavy steel door clanged shut.
Spider turned to secure a heavy iron crossbar in place, effectively securing the door against the intruders. As soon as he let go of her, Erin felt a sense of longing, wanting his warm, secure touch to return. She couldn’t admit it to herself, but she was afraid. Or maybe she just enjoyed having him hold her so protectively.
This really isn’t the time for that kind nonsense, she warned herself silently.
It was pitch black and the air was dank and stale in the tiny stone walled vestibule. Spider flipped a switch and a small globe lit up, revealing they were at the bottom of a vertical shaft. A rope ladder led to a hatch some twenty feet above their heads.
Erin’s face must have shown her confusion at their predicament.
“Emergency exit in case there’s a fire in the bunker,” he answered her unasked question.
She nodded and smiled in appreciation of Spider’s safety protocols. Then her smile disappeared as fast as it came. Her eyes grew wide with concern.
Spider wanted her to smile again. She had the kind of smile he could wake up next to every morning for the rest of his life.
“What’s the matter?” He put his hand on her shoulder, unsure what he’d done to provoke such a reaction.
She shivered and writhed away from his touch.
His fingers trailed an ominous smear of blood across her top as she pulled away.
Spider looked at his hand to see a stream of blood dripping profusely from his fingertips.
Chapter 11
Suddenly they were breathing fresh air again as the hatch above them opened, revealing a clear sky sprinkled with twinkling stars. Fresh mountain air. The scent of pine trees. It was almost perfect. It might have been the perfect romantic tableau but for the intermittent sounds of gunfire and Spider’s hemorrhaging bullet wound.
“We need to get you to a hospital. You’ve been shot,” Erin added unnecessarily.
No shit? But Spider just grimaced as he hauled himself out onto the forest floor before reaching down to help Erin through the narrow opening.
She snatched her hand away from his grasp. “I’m fine. I’m not the one who’s been shot.” She didn’t need to be reminded of how good his touch felt.
“It’s nothing. Right now, we have to find shelter. It’s gonna get real cold and you’re not exactly dressed for sleeping under the stars.” He glanced at her perky nipples protruding through her blouse, highlighted by the glow of the moon.
Erin followed his gaze to her breasts and realized what he was looking at before shooting him a stern look. Typical guy. Shot. Bleeding to death and he can still check out the nearest set of boobs.
Spider’s neck began to prickle as he flushed crimson. He hadn’t meant to stare. He hadn’t meant to get caught, either. Damn.
“There’s a rescue hut not far from here. If we can make it there, we can at least make it through the night.”
“What about the others?” Erin looked concerned.
“Jack and Jarrad? Don’t worry about them. They’ll be fine.”
She didn’t look convinced.
“They’ll look out for each other, don’t worry. Both of them have been in tighter spots than this and come out of it without a scratch. Let’s just concentrate on getting out of this mess ourselves.” He paused as he turned to make his way to the rescue hut. “Bet you wish you’d stayed away from here, now. Not much fun when the shooting starts, is it?”
“I can handle myself,” she asserted. She didn’t need a man to look after her or protect her. She’d always looked out for herself.
It is kind of nice having someone care about you, though and nobody’s ever taken a bullet for me before, either!
The rescue cabin wasn’t the Sound of Music style Alpine chalet that Erin was expecting. It was a more rudimentary, functional hand built shelter designed to save the lives of c
limbers and hikers who found themselves snowed in or caught out by a flash storm. But it would at least be warm. She hugged her shoulders against the bitter cold that had threatened to freeze her to the core. The temperature had dropped as sharply as Spider said it would. She just hadn’t realized that it was possible for the thermometer to plummet like that. That was a high mountain survival lesson she’d not forget in a hurry.
“First we need to get a fire started,” Spider suggested as he fumbled with the frozen door latch.
“No, we need a medical kit so we can clean your wound or you’re going to die from infection or shock before we can get you to a hospital,” she countered.
Finally, he shouldered the door open and they entered the dark cabin, grateful to be out of the cold wind that had started blowing not long after they escaped from the bunker. Erin rubbed her arms and huffed into her palms in a futile effort to shake off the bitter cold as she put her gun down next to the door, just in case they had uninvited guests.
After some scratching and cussing, Spider managed to strike a match which he used to light a large candle in the center of the small one room cabin before using it to light some kindling in a small cast iron wood stove.
Acrid, choking smoke roiled from the stove, enveloping Spider as he tried to fan the flames to keep them alight. He closed the stove door and with some tweaking of the air intake control, managed to keep the stove alight and the cabin smoke free. They might just survive the night after all.
“OK, now you’ve done your Boy Scout thing, let me take a look at your wound.” Erin pointed to a small wooden stool next to the stove.
Spider looked at the stool, then back at her.
Maybe she was being a little optimistic. Someone Spider’s size wasn’t going to sit on a puny stool like that. She needed another plan.
“Okay then, lay down over there.” She indicated a lumpy mattress on the floor against the wall. It didn’t look like a hygienic hospital bed, but it was all they had.
“Where’s the emergency medical kit?” She looked around the small room. There weren’t too many places it could be hidden.
Spider nodded toward a metal locker behind the door through which they’d entered. He put his weapon down alongside the mattress, within arm’s reach.
“Take your shirt off,” she instructed as she fossicked around in the locker, extracting the pre-packaged medical kit and a small torch she thought might be handy.
Then she turned around, she was ready to play Nurse Erin. What she wasn’t ready for was what stood before her. He mouth dropped somewhere south of New Mexico and her eyes widened like saucers.
“What’s the matter?” Spider asked anxiously, looking animatedly for more wounds or bullet holes he hadn’t been aware of.
“Noth . . . nothing,” she stammered.
Oh my God! She stood transfixed. Even the most basic of human functions, like breathing, paused as she took in what she was seeing.
Chapter 12
Worms of warm blood seeped from the deep gashes in her wrist. It hurt like hell but she persisted, twisting her hands, gouging the protruding carpentry nails into her flesh. She consoled herself with the thought that they felt fresh and sharp, not old and rusted. At least she’d avoid the irony of dying from a tetanus infection before she was rescued.
And she knew she’d be rescued. Of that she had no doubt. Jarrad would come. She felt it.
She knew it.
The thought of Jarrad brought back the dull ache inside her chest. She fought it back, determined not to let her emotions turn her into a sobbing mess.
Jarrad, where the hell are you?
Chapter 13
“We’re outgunned and outmanned.” It was a statement of fact. Jarrad didn’t expect Jack to come up with a solution. He just felt better saying aloud what they both knew.
Muzzle flashes erupted all around them. Bullets flew in every direction, all aimed at Jack and Jarrad as they sought protection behind a few rocks that had been brought to the surface during the bunker excavation some years ago.
“Spider’s going to have to look after himself for now. We’ve got our work cut out for us staying alive and getting the hell out of here.” Likewise, Jack only voiced what they both knew to be true.
Elle. I need to find Elle. But now wasn’t the time to be a hero. He was no good to her dead. They needed an exit strategy.
“What did you two do to piss these guys off so badly?” Jack asked during a brief lull in hostilities as the shooters reloaded.
A fresh burst of automatic fire from all around them highlighted their dire situation.
They looked to each other, their faces set determined. “Time to Hotel Alpha,” Jarrad called it first. It was time to haul ass for sure.
“How? We can’t shoot our way out . . .”
Jack paused for a beat, trying to formulate a plan.
“Unless . . .” Jarrad encouraged him to continue.
“Maybe we can outrun them.”
Realization gleamed in Jarrad’s eyes. He slapped his hand on Jack’s shoulder. Probably the nearest thing to affection he’d ever shown another man. “Let’s do it.”
In unison, they dropped their weapons and let their bears have free reign, shifting from their human form as they ran into the forest, toward the gunmen who were unlucky enough to have stood between them and safety. Their glee at having their prey run into their line of fire turned to dismay as the running men morphed into enormous, fearsome bears, complete with thunderous paws pounding the earth and bared teeth snarling and ready to tear them apart.
Both bears took a few rounds, fired in haste by the panicked shooters, but they did little damage thanks to the thick fur and slabs of powerful muscle that lay beneath. Within seconds, the bears were upon them and screams rose from the forest like the other cartel gangsters had never heard before and in their line of business, they’d heard a lot of screams.
Then the screaming was cut short and an earie silence fell over the forest as gun smoke wafted in the breeze. The only sound they heard was the heavy drubbing of the bear paws as the two bear shifters ran to freedom.
Chapter 14
“What are you staring at?” Spider was plainly concerned that she was staring because she’d spotted another bullet wound or some other injury that he wasn’t aware of.
He couldn’t have been more wrong.
Erin tore her gaze away from the chiseled six-pack that had first caught her attention, past the superbly developed pecs that capped his broad, thickly muscled chest up to the cute cleft of his chin then to his handsome face.
Until now, she’d never really looked at him closely. But his body. Her mouth was dry and she found herself licking her lips to moisten them, and then realized she looked like a salivating dog on heat.
Bad girl, she admonished herself. Very, very bad girl.
When she’d seen him earlier, all she noticed was that he had broad shoulders and a narrow, trim waist. That’s all she could discern when he was fully clothed. But now, half naked and standing only feet away from her . . .
“Where’s all the blood coming from?” she asked, trying to change tack and stop drooling like a hormone crazy teenage girl.
There was blood. Plenty of blood in fact, but no bullet holes or vicious exit wounds like she had been expecting to see. Just blood and even that was starting to dry into a crust, as if it had suddenly stopped flowing.
She circled him warily, examining him for bullet wounds. She found none.
“How . . .” Her voice faltered. She couldn’t find the words. If his Adonis like body didn’t make her breathless enough, the fact that his bleeding had stopped and no wounds appeared to be the source of the bleeding left her speechless. Not something that Erin experienced very often, maybe never.
“Let me get cleaned up and I’ll explain,” Spider offered. “There’s a creek out back, I’ll get some water. You look for something to clean the blood off with.” He didn’t wait for her to respond, he turned on a heel and hea
ded straight out the door before things got any more awkward.
She was still rummaging through the medical kit looking for gauze pads to clean his wounds, or whatever he had, when Spider came back with a bucket of water. “Water’s colder than a witch’s tit, but at least it’s clean.” He smiled at her, the dimples either side of his face looking even cuter than she had seen previously.
Grrr! Cute and buff. Bad combination.
Fisting a handful of pads from the medical kit into a makeshift sponge, she took the bucket from him and began to wash the dried blood from his skin. Slowly. She was in no rush.
“You saved my life back there, didn’t you?” she asked.
“Are you kidding me? Those guys couldn’t hit the side of a barn with a shotgun. You weren’t in any real danger,” he scoffed.
“You threw yourself over me and got hit for your trouble. I’m not stupid, you know.” She fixed him with a stare that challenged him to contradict her. He didn’t dare.
His bear stirred at her close proximity. The scent of his mate filled his nostrils and awakened his primal mating urges. Not now, boy, he commanded his bear.
“What was that?” she asked, her sparkling green eyes widening as she cocked her head to one side.
“What was what?”
“That look that crossed your face just now. And your eyes, I swear they changed . . . like they changed color or something. Then it passed. What the . . .?”
It was time for some military tactics. Distract and avoid. Spider fell back to what he was used to and being examined by a gorgeous girl was definitely not on his list of things he was used to. He did the only thing he could think of.
He kissed her.
At first he crushed his lips to hers, seeking only to interrupt her flow of interrogation and to throw her off balance. She’d been asking too many questions and piecing things together. Then his bear took over and before he knew it, he was pressing his large, strong body against her smooth curves and he felt himself hardening against her belly.