by Anya Nowlan
And it wasn’t like she stood on some moral high ground. She had made some pretty ruthless decisions when she first started out and was making a name for herself. Sure, she could afford to pick and choose her targets now, but that hadn’t always been the case.
“Time for a quick pit stop,” River remarked, glancing at the gas station coming up on the side of the road.
They’d been driving for a while now and Kate was stiff as hell. Stretching her legs would be a welcome change. Not to mention that it definitely gave more hope for a getaway than being cooped up in the Camaro with River. Even if he did smell good enough to make her sort of enjoy the ride.
Kate’s insides lit up immediately, but she was careful not to betray her intentions. They were growing ever closer to Chicago, and this could be her best and only chance at making a run for it.
“I could use a bathroom break,” she nodded.
River peered at her from the corner of his eye as she forced her expression to remain totally neutral. He pulled off the road and came to a stop near one of the pumps outside.
“I presume I’m allowed to go inside now?” she asked, looking from River to the small, rundown convenience store slash gas station.
“By all means,” he replied, opening his door.
That was a little too easy, she thought with a frown, but she wasn’t going to let that deter her.
Reaching back, she grabbed her purse and stepped outside, the gravel crunching under her shoes. River gave her bag a slightly suspicious look, but didn’t say anything as he dealt with the gas pump.
Thanking her lucky starts for that, Kate calmly walked the short distance from the pumps to the store, but burst out in a sprint as soon as she got inside. The young guy behind the counter gave her a curious look.
“Really need to pee!” Kate called out as she ran to the back of the building.
As she already feared, the backdoor she found there was locked. River could probably break it down easily, but unfortunately, she could not. Cursing, she headed to the bathroom next, her heels clacking on the dirty tile floor.
“Come on, come on,” she muttered, looking around.
The only thing that looked promising was the small window opposite the entrance, looking out onto the fields that spread out behind the gas station. The sun was ticking lower, bathing the field in a golden glow. It looked a little bit too promising to be true, but fortune was for the brave and Kate wasn’t about to mess up her chance.
If she could slip out from there and run into the tall stalks of corn without River seeing her, she had a real shot at evading him. There was only one problem – the metal grid covering the whole window, attached at all four corners with screws.
She opened her purse, rummaging around. Opening her wallet, she found just what she had suspected. All her cash and cards were gone. But that didn’t matter right now. Wading through tissue packets, keys, her red lipstick and some errant hairpins, her fingers finally reached the lining of her bag. She felt around, hoping against hope her secret weapon had gone unnoticed.
Yes! her thoughts shouted, as she felt the shape of her dagger under her fingertips.
She used it to rip through the fabric from the inside out and unceremoniously dumped her bag in one of the sinks, grabbing a wastebasket and dragging it underneath the window. Kicking off her shoes, she stepped on the grimy thing, hoping she didn’t end up with an infection of some sort.
Focus. Bigger problems to deal with. Like the big bad tiger waiting outside.
While keeping her ear to the ground, she used the sharp side of her blade to unscrew the plate from the window. It wasn’t really the right tool for the job, which meant it was going excruciatingly slowly.
The plastic wastebasket beneath her feet was beginning to dent and sink in on itself as she balanced on the edges of it precariously, the tip of the blade pressing into her fingertips as she maneuvered it against the screws.
It wouldn’t be long until River started to suspect something was up. The grid started to loosen as her work bore fruit. One screw fell to the ground and then a next one, as she let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. Kate gave the metal frame a good yank, and it fell away from the window, hanging on by the lower corners.
Kate didn’t need to bother with those anymore, as the window itself was clear. She grabbed onto the handle, hoping the window wasn’t wedged shut. It definitely looked like it hadn’t been opened for ages.
Cobwebs and dust flew into her face as the window creaked open in a crumble of paint flecks. Kate used her arms to pull herself onto the windowsill, stomach first, her legs dangling off the ground. She pressed her feet into the wall, forcing herself forward.
Come on, you can do this.
It wasn’t exactly the most dignified thing she’d done in a cocktail dress, but this was no time to complain.
As her center mass cleared the edge of the window, she tumbled onto the ground, scraping her legs against the rough edges in the process. The landing was a little rough as well, but she didn’t let that bother her as she flattened herself against the wall and looked around, making sure she wasn’t in River’s line of sight.
Her toes were digging into the dirt and that was starting to become way too familiar of a sensation as well.
She could hear a car door slam shut on the other side of the building and decided this wasn’t the time to be cautious. Looking at her bare feet and uncomfortably tight dress, she knew she would be at a disadvantage, but she wasn’t one to back away from a challenge.
She might not harbor the same hate for River that she used to, but that didn’t mean she was going to be his compliant little prisoner. Staying with him would be an exercise in seeing how long she could stay alive before her inevitable execution, and she didn’t feel like playing that game.
Pushing herself off the wall, she darted towards the field, letting her muscles carry her as fast as they could.
If I can just put enough distance between us, maybe he won’t be able to track me by my scent, she thought, diving into the sea of gold.
Fourteen
River
I wonder what my little firestarter is up to, River thought, leaning against his car, which now had a full tank.
I think I’ll give her one more minute to turn up, just to keep things exciting.
Looking around, he knew there weren’t many places for her to run to, even if she did manage to slip out of the building without him noticing. They were surrounded by acres of farmland, with houses few and far between and minimal traffic.
A part of him was looking forward to a good chase. Despite how unfair it would be. River was fast, with excellent reflexes and a great nose for runaway prey. Especially one that smelled as sweet as Kate did. Those were just the facts. Still, he had a feeling Kate could make catching her plenty exciting.
He grinned to himself as he headed to the building to pay for his gas and see what Kate was doing in that bathroom for so long. The little bell above the door jingled as he pushed the door open. The boy at the counter looked up and gave him a polite smile.
“Hey. Pump three.”
“Yes, sir,” the kid at the register nodded, obviously marveling at his size for a moment before ringing him up.
River settled his bill, listening intently as he did. It was a little too quiet and his tiger roared in anticipation of a hunt.
Where are you, Katie…
“I’d like to use your bathroom,” he said, stuffing his wallet back into his back pocket.
“Of course, sir. It’s right over there,” the boy replied, gesturing towards the back.
River strolled towards the direction shown to him, smelling the air as he did. It was definitely where Kate had headed, but he didn’t detect any sounds coming from that area that indicated a human presence.
Entering the ladies’ room, he couldn’t help but chuckle. The window was open, with the grid that was supposed to be covering it hanging against the wall, held up by the screws attached to the lower corners.
>
Kate’s shoes were on the floor, next to a smushed up waste basket. Her purse had been haphazardly thrown onto the edge of a rust-covered sink, its insides ripped open.
What were you hiding in there? River mused, simultaneously chiding himself for not being more thorough when going through her bag, and congratulating himself for allowing this chase to happen.
He stepped closer to the window, noting a faint scent of blood in the air. Small crimson streaks smeared the rough edges of the window frame, only adding fuel to the predatory instincts taking over him. Yet another part of him was immediately worried. He didn’t want a hair on Kate’s head hurt all of a sudden.
River walked back out at a leisurely pace, whistling to himself. He waved to the clerk as he did, and headed to the back of the building.
The dry earth beneath the bathroom window was obviously disturbed, and dusty footprints led straight towards the nearby cornfield. The stalks swayed slightly in the wind as he rolled his shoulders and pushed himself into motion, his blood rushing as excitement built inside.
The smell of fertilizer and pesticides was almost strong enough to obscure Kate’s scent, but he also had the slightly metallic smell of her blood to go by. He pushed the leaves aside as he drudged deeper into the thick of things, his clothes snagging on the stalks that bent to his massive body.
The sunlight grew dimmer, taking on a green tint as he moved forward, following Kate’s trail. It looked like she had run at first, before opting for a more careful approach. It became harder and harder to track her by looking at the disturbed ground or plant life as he imagined her tiptoeing around the damp earth.
River reached out with his senses, letting the sounds and smells of the field wash over him. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting it all soak in. The wind rustling in the leaves made it impossible to ascertain her position by sound alone, so he decided to rely on smell.
He stopped, sniffing his surroundings and wondering how big of a head start she had. Kate’s scent was already starting to fade, carried away by the wind and absorbed into the chemically-enriched dirt.
But he could pick up the smell of blood easily. With a growl, he headed west, already looking forward to their inevitable confrontation.
He loved seeing her fight. There was a wildness in her then that she usually kept under wraps. The ice queen could come to life so suddenly that if you blinked you’d miss it and thought she had always been that wild thing with flashing eyes and bared teeth. The way her body moved in that tight dress of hers was a sight to see. If he was lucky, he would even get to feel her struggle against him.
His heat bubbled to the surface at that thought, urging him to find her, make her his, lose all inhibitions and reason. River clamped it down, focusing on his pursuit and nothing else. The smell of blood grew more potent and a smile stretched on his lips as he looked around.
She had to be close by.
Something’s wrong, his instincts warned as he came to a stop, scanning his surroundings.
The smell was too immediate, too clean. The way forwards from where he was standing was too untouched, not a single leaf out of place. Taking another whiff and crouching down, he realized he had been played.
One of the stalks was marked with blood, with the distinct swirl of fingerprints in the middle of the stain. Kate had rubbed her blood on it before doubling back and going a different way.
Oh, she’s good, River thought, rushing back to the spot where he’d made the wrong turn from and heading east this time.
It wasn’t long until he discovered tiny signs he was on the right track. A hint of a footprint here, the slight smell of sweat here. He was getting closer, he could tell from the way her scent became clearer as he was catching up to his prey.
River broke out into an all-out run now, spurred on by the thought of how near she must be. His tiger let out a low purr as he caught sight of a different shade of gold right ahead of him. Leaves rustled, giving him a peek of blonde hair before suddenly everything stilled.
Kate must have noticed she was being followed. River sprinted the last couple of feet, coming to a stand in the small clearing near the spot he knew she was hiding in.
“Come on, don’t make me drag you out of there. We both know it’s over,” he called out, his muscles coiled.
Kate shot up from a nearby cluster of stalks, brushing a strand of hair off her forehead and looking pissed. He grinned, seeing her body shuddering slightly, her chest rising and falling from heavy breaths.
Got you.
She strolled over to him, a tenacious gleam in her eye, her lips pressed thin. River knew the relaxed way she was carrying her body was just a front, meant to lull him into a false sense of safety.
And truly, looking at her, you’d have no idea she was able to kick most anyone’s ass six ways from Sunday. But he knew better.
She came to a stop mere feet from him, giving him a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“You’ve caught me,” she admitted, just seconds before her fist made contact with his jaw.
Fifteen
Kate
Pain reverberated up Kate’s arm as she landed the punch. River’s head jerked to the side, but she had a feeling she had hurt herself a lot more than she had him. Maybe just his pride a little.
She took a wider stance, pulling up her dress and digging her feet into the ground, preparing for another attack.
Balancing on her left foot, with her arms still up, she raised her left leg and landed a kick to River’s midsection before he could retaliate. He stumbled back a step, grunting slightly.
This is too easy, a thought rushed through her brain, right before she saw the look in his eyes.
When he looked at her, he was grinning widely, devouring her with his eyes.
“What are you smiling at?” she demanded, suddenly feeling self-conscious and far less sure of herself.
The bastard had caught her and she was mad at him. But here he was, standing there, taking hits like she was little more than an annoying gnat, and giving her a look that was nothing short of smoldering.
Her fingers slid to the back of her dress, where her dagger was still tucked away safely. She could try to go for it, maybe even manage to get it at his throat…
But the thought of River, bloody and lifeless on the ground struck her harder than she would have thought. Maybe because the part of her that had been plotting his murder was slowly giving in to the part that wanted to kiss him, instead. Or maybe because the image reminded her of another man, someone she used to care about, dead at her feet.
Whatever the reason, she let her hands drop back to her sides, knowing full well it might be a decision she’d grow to regret.
“Just enjoying myself,” he replied, before charging at her with superhuman speed.
Before she knew it, she was once again trapped in his strong arms, pressed against his chest, helpless. She didn’t bother struggling this time, just sighed defeatedly as her body went limp against his while adrenaline continued to surge through her veins, amplifying all her senses.
She didn’t need a broken rib from this. Not if she was going to be in any kind of fighting condition for her next grand escape.
“Did I at least pose a challenge?”
River loosened his grip, holding her at arm’s length by her shoulders instead, letting her feet touch the ground.
“You always do,” he replied vaguely, a mischievous glint in his eye.
Her frustration falling aside, Kate was suddenly very aware of how close they were standing. She was still breathing a bit heavily, having put her all into trying to outrun River and then fighting him. His t-shirt was damp with sweat, clinging to his chiseled frame.
So I made him sweat. That’s something.
Her heart started beating faster as her gaze lingered on his lips, her subconscious whispering things her rational mind rejected.
I can’t be attracted to his mental case, I just can’t! she yelled to herself.
Ri
ver’s hand moved to the back of her head and suddenly his mouth was on hers, awakening something inside of her she had thought long dead. Kate weakly pushed at his chest, not ready for what she was feeling, but he wouldn’t budge. Of course he didn’t.
This is a man that kidnapped you and plans to make you his personal killing machine! she reminded herself, ignoring how soft and good River’s mouth was against hers.
Anger flared inside her, if it was aimed at River or herself, she wasn’t sure, but she bared her teeth and sank them into his lower lip, hard enough to draw blood. He pulled away with a growl, wildly studying her face, his hazel eyes hazy with something primal and demanding.
Kate stared back, her skin humming and her scalp tingling where he was tugging at her hair, her insides swirling in a mass on confused emotion. Whatever River saw in her face must have been clearer than what she was feeling at the moment, as he pulled her against him, claiming her mouth again with a crushing urgency.
This is insane.
A small moan slipped out of her throat and she couldn’t fight it any longer. She melted against his body, her nails raking down his biceps as her lips parted and his tongue snaked inside. River didn’t waste time exploring her mouth, bending her backwards with the force of his kiss.
Kate’s fingers found her way to his hair, twisting and yanking his head back, breaking the kiss so she could run her tongue up from his neck and over his jaw, biting down at the tip of it. River’s chest rumbled as he started tearing at her clothes, pulling her dress apart at the seams.
The fabric ripped in the front, splitting down the plunging neckline and revealing her bra. She gasped, but instead of her hands moving to cover herself, she clung to him harder.
River placed a hand on her lower back and pulled her hips against his, burying his face in her neck. Shivers went down her spine as he licked and bit at the sensitive skin.
With her breath catching and her eyes wild, she shoved him backwards, tugging at the hem of his shirt. He raised his arms so she could pull it off, revealing a chest she had only gotten a chance to admire in the dark.