by V. A. Dold
Rose? Rose, I love you. Hang in there baby, I’m coming. Nothing. Even in sleep she should have heard him. He knew Travis could block his telepathy with his mate but he had to keep trying. Apprehension rippled through his gut. Dragging in a breath, he tamped down his growing fear. He wouldn’t entertain a single thought of her injured or dead, that wasn’t an option.
Rose moaned as she regained consciousness, being choked until passed out left a skull splitting headache. She didn’t need to experience that again in this lifetime. Her mouth was bone dry and her throat ached. The room didn’t have a mirror but she was sure there were bruises the exact shape of Travis’s hands on her neck.
The door was closed allowing her secrecy to appraise her situation. Gingerly she left the bed, praying it didn’t squeak or moan as her weight left it. She froze when voices rose in the next room.
“Stop mooning over the bitch and get out there for your watch.”
“I’m going, but I’ll be close and if you go near her I’ll kill you.”
“You can try, mutt.”
A door slammed and more than one man laughed on the other side of her door. She remained frozen, waiting for the men to come after her but the door remained closed. There was a window in the corner and it looked large enough to fit through. YES! Her luck was holding, the glass pane was gone. She wouldn’t even have to open it to get out. As quietly as she could she moved the chair from the corner to under the window. She stepped onto it and a loud groan came from the rickety old chair. The door slammed open and she dove for the window. Almost through, she was lifting her other leg out when a hand grabbed her ankle. Balling her hands together she slammed down on the wrist exposed. He yelped and released her. She fell to the soft ground and scrambled for the tree line.
One man came through the window after her and another came through the door. She ran for the cover of the forest. Travis appeared out of nowhere and stood between her and the other men. She rushed to the trees and let them swallow her. Not stopping she tried to put distance between herself and her kidnappers.
A fight could be heard in the distance. It sounded vicious and there was definitely more than only three guys out there.
Once undercover with a good half mile of bayou behind her, she breathed a little easier. She had to be smart about this and try to make a plan. Okay, I have no idea where I am. Maybe if I can get near the water I’ll recognize something from when we went to the bar? She worked her way to the water’s edge and search up and down the canal. Nothing looked familiar. She slapped the billionth mosquito and eyed the water. She wasn’t sure if the dark shapes were alligators or submerged logs. Best not to find out. The location was picturesque but desolate. Though beautiful to look at, this island offered only terror and her closest hope for help was more than likely miles away through alligator infested water. Worse yet, Simon had no more idea where to find her than she had for the direction home.
I have no food, no water, no weapons and I’m lost in the swap. I’m so screwed. Okay, I’ve watched all the seasons of Survivor, I can do this. A twig snapped behind her and she dove for cover. She listened hard as she remained as quiet as she could. A growl came from fifty feet to her right. She looked left and thankfully it was high dry ground with a faint game trail. She slowly moved onto the trail and away from who ever had followed her. Just when she thought she was in the clear she heard the rhythmic pounding of paws in soft earth. They were coming!
Chapter 13
On the Run
Terror was a living and breathing presence. Fear took her well past the point of thinking rationally. She had no one to rely on but herself. I need to get the heck out of here, before they locate me. Running now, her only thought was stay to high ground.
Whoever said watching TV was bad can bite me. She knew from watching national geographic and Swamp People that in the bayou an island could be deceiving. Filled with spongy sinkholes, they were everywhere. And if you find one, you can kiss your ass goodbye. An unwary traveler could fall into one, but she was safer under cover than on a path. They were stalking her and might find her again, or be waiting in ambush. She was fairly certain Travis was in the heavy undergrowth.
Snakes were a very real issue, they were everywhere and some were deadly. Thank god for eighth grade science class, she could identify all five poisonous varieties. They will all bite you but not all will kill you.
It had been hours since she escaped. She wasn't sure when she’d lost them. Or maybe they were out there right now playing cat and mouse with her, she didn’t really know. He’s a shifter and could trail her by scent quite easily but her instinct to survive wouldn’t let her stop running even knowing it was fruitless.
The foul stench of stagnant water permeated the air. Disoriented, she slowed, stumbling forward until she couldn't go any farther. She fell onto the first open dry ground she found. Rose lay, waiting for them to grab her, but as the seconds ticked by, she realized they must not be ready to end his sick game yet.
Exhausted, she tried to rise. She needed to find shelter not to mention food and water. She couldn't, her body just wouldn't cooperate. It was dangerous to sleep on the open ground so she put everything she had into standing. Her only options were keep moving or find shelter.
The sun was going down and she seriously needed to find a safe place for the night. She didn’t want to be in the open when the night creatures came out to play.
Nightfall was upon her and there was only a sliver of moon spilling across the swamp. In the darkness, the cypress trees looked macabre, as if they stretched long stick arms instead of branches. Grayish moss hanging like streamers looked like tattered clothes fluttering occasionally above the blackened water. The breeze barely stirred, making the muggy air barely breathable.
Stumbling forward, she broke through a line of brush to see salvation. A small cabin-style house materialized in front of her.
It looked solid enough, and in the back of her mind was the thought that if she could just make it to the door the person inside might help her.
As soon as she reached the door she new it was abandoned, I have all the luck. At least I’ll be safe from gators and snakes in there. She pushed open the swollen door to find a one-room, bare bones hunting shack. Nothing fancy but she didn’t have the luxury of pickiness.
Pushing the door until she managed to squeeze it back into its frame, she felt a little safer. She turned her efforts to searching what the little cabin may have to offer and clear it of any creepy crawlers. There were only two cabinets in the makeshift kitchen, opening the first she squealed with delight, canned goods! She would dine on baked beans and peaches tonight. The single drawer below produced a can opener, spoon, and a large roll of trail marking ribbon like they use on Swamp People. YAHTZEE!
She feasted on the beans and then relished the peaches. There was no drinking water available so she drank the juice from the can. She didn’t want to dehydrate if she could help it.
The beat up single mattress sagging against the wall looked nasty so she made due with the floor. At least she was fed and had a roof over her head. The cans of beans and peaches were all the cabin had to offer and they were gone. She would have to keep moving and try to find another cabin or if she was really lucky, people. Tomorrow she would get an early start and stick close to the water. With any luck, a boat might come by.
The swamp came alive after dark. As she lay awake listening she shot off the floor. I can speak with Simon with telepathy! Simon? Can you hear me? She heard only silence. He must be too far away. She sighed. Simon, please find me. Soon.
She was on the verge of sleep when voices came from the forest near the cabin. Quietly she slid into a shadow along one wall.
“God dammit. Travis must have blocked her scent, she could be anywhere.”
“He told us to leave her be. Claimed she was his mate now. Crazy mutt has totally lost it this time.”
“We’re not going to find her this way, check that cabin then we head back.”
> Twigs snapped below the single window and a shadow leaned toward the grimy glass. “She’s not here, let’s go. She’ll have to come back sooner or later or starve. Unless a gator gets her.”
She tried to sleep but she was terrified they would come back. Exhausted with tears rolling down her cheeks she finally dozed off.
Anna pressed the speed dial on her phone.
“Hello?”
“Hi, baby, it’s Mom.”
“Hey, Mom, what’s up?” John asked.
“Is Thomas with you?”
“Yeah…..what’s wrong, Mom? I hear it in your voice so don’t deny it.”
She heard him yelling for his brother to pick up the extension.
“Mom? What’s wrong?” Thomas asked breathing hard. He must have run for the phone.
“Rose is missing, we think a crazed shifter has her.” The stress had her chest feeling like it was squeezed in a vice and tears streamed down her face. “Awww!”
“Mom! Mom, what happened! Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” she breathed through the pain. “I think I might have just had a contraction.”
“Anna! What’s wrong?” Cade ran into the room.
She was weeping and holding her stomach, “Cade, it’s too early, he won’t make it.”
Cade swept her into his arms and ran to his parents’ house, Anna needed his mother’s healing abilities. NOW!
The phone and her sons were forgotten, as she was rushed from the house.
“I’ll call Jack, you call Michael,” Thomas directed John. “We’re out of here in forty five minutes. If they can’t be here, they’ll have to follow after.” He jammed what he would need into a duffle bag. “We’re not waiting.”
Thirty minutes later all four men were loaded into the Suburban speeding down Highway 87. Nineteen hours and they would be there, eighteen or less if they pushed it hard, and they were pushing it. They received hourly updates on their mother and the baby, she was stable and Emma had been able to stop the contractions. They needed to find Rose for both her safety and Anna’s health, the stress was having detrimental effects on the pregnancy.
They drove straight through, and with the help of some old police academy buddies leading the way, it had only taken fifteen hours. Cops all along the route chaperoned the boys in their race to save Rose.
Thomas gave his brother a determined look then pulled his pistol from the glove box and exited the black Suburban. Just in case, he thought. He had no desire to get up close and personal with a gator. John, Michael, and Jack were gearing up as well. Their luggage would have to wait, Rose was in danger and nothing else mattered.
Glancing toward the river, male voices caught his attention as he began to arm himself. Bowie knife secured in its hip sheath, he holstered his weapon before he grabbed his rifle for good measure and struck out to join them.
The night breeze was heavy with humidity, the moonlight bright and eerie as it reflected off the black water. Simon and the men turned at the sound of boots on dock planks. A quick round of welcomes and it was back to business.
Each just over six feet in height, Thomas and the men from Denver were on the short side in this crowd. At twenty-four, most people underestimated Thomas’s knowledge and experience due to his youth. Most people were wrong. He was intelligent, cunning, and deadly. He may be human but he could hold his own against even these men.
He went straight to Simon and gave him a back pounding hug. “Simon, these are Rose’s foster brothers Jack and Michael,” Thomas said. The men shook hands. Then Simon turned and introduced them to his brothers and father.
“Thank you for coming, I’m sure once we find her she’ll be happy to see you,” Simon said to Jack and Michael. He was holding it together but just barely, it had been a day since she went missing and he was sick with worry.
Jack looked Simon in the eye. “If Rose needs us, we come, plain and simple.”
He nodded his acceptance of that, glad to have these capable men in the crew.
Simon broke them into teams. “Thomas and Jack I want you with Stefan and Isaac, you’ll be on point. John and Michael, you’re with Cade at my flank. Etienne and Marcus, you’re with me. Keep your eyes on the banks, watch for signs of her passage. I’ll direct us using hand signals, speak as little as possible, silence is essential.”
The boats went upstream, they had searched down stream yesterday finding no sign of Rose. They moved slowly searching for the slightest sign of her passing. When they came to a split in the channel the boats each took a branch. Eight hours later they returned to the dock without Rose.
As the boats were secured Isaac watched Simon closely. He was worried about his son’s state of mind. It had been two days of searching with no sign of Rose. If it were Emma missing he’d be hysterical with worry.
He knocked on Simon’s front door out of courtesy before he walked in. “Simon?”
“I’m in here,” he called from the bedroom.
Isaac found Simon hugging Rose’s pillow, with his nose buried in it. “How are you holding up?”
“I can’t live without her, Dad.” He raised his gaze. “If she isn’t found, I don’t want to live either.”
Isaac nodded, he understood a mate’s need. If he were in Simon’s position he would feel the same. “Promise me you won’t do anything drastic until you give us enough time to actually find her.”
“I’ll hold on as long as I can, but I can’t hear her. I try continuously but I can’t speak with her. I can’t sense her, Dad. It feels like she’s already gone.” Tears streamed down his face as his heart shattered.
Isaac gathered his son in his arms and held him until his sobs subsided. “I can’t promise we’ll find her, but I can promise we’ll keep searching. Just hold on a little longer, Simon.” He gently wiped his son’s face, kissed the top of his head and gave him some privacy.
As the team gathered at the boats the next morning, Simon announced, “I received word of a possible sighting yesterday five miles northeast of here.”
The men exchanged glances but remained silent.
“I have reason to believe she wasn’t kidnapped but is being chased or hunted.”
Gasps raced through the boats. “What makes you suspect that?” Stefan asked.
“I was told she was seen running and looking behind herself, they said she looked terrified and thought they glimpsed a wolf stalking her. Before they could help her, she disappeared and they were unable to relocate her. They also said that while searching, a trail marked by ribbon on trees was found. They followed it to an abandoned cabin. I believe the trail was marked by Rose.”
“We’ll have to search in a completely different fashion than we normally would, instead of searching for a specific scent you are searching for a complete lack of scent.” He looked to Thomas. “You have the right idea, we’ll need to use brute force, guns, and knives initially to subdue him and shut down his gift. Our powers won’t work against him until he is unconscious or dead.”
Chapter 14
Rescue
Sweat beaded her brow in the Louisiana early morning sun. Without taking her gaze from the surrounding swamp, she wiped away the perspiration. Every second counted, and she had to stay ready. Rose scanned her surroundings, she needed to hide and catch her breath. Crouched in a thicket, she held her position, watching, listening. All she heard were birds chirping, the light patter of raindrops on the leaves, and a distant roll of thunder. A reassuring thought crossed her mind, she could gage if danger was close to her through insect and bird reactions. I must be safe for the moment or the birds would be silent. And, they haven’t been spooked away, that’s a good sign too.
She was on the move again. She tiptoed across a spongy patch of ground as fast as she could while avoiding noisy twigs and debris. Out of the corner of her eye, something large and solid caught her attention. Could I really be this lucky? An abandoned cabin appeared as she parted the tall grass she had been using as cover. It looked like it had been more than a
hunting shack in is heyday.
Using any cover available and staying to the shadows she made her way to the door and slipped through. Cobwebs covered the cabinets and dust layered every surface. Quietly, she closed the door and barred it as best she could.
My kingdom for a meal and a bed she thought as she leaned against the door, hardly able to stand. She was pretty sure it had been three days since she had been drawn into the woods and kidnapped by Travis. Two of those days without food and with little sleep to speak of.
Why was Travis protecting her from the others? Was he really crazy enough to think he could force her to be his mate? From what she knew it didn’t work that way. She was trying in vain to find her way back to Simon. Hanging her head, she admitted to herself she was hopelessly lost. Unlike the hunting shack, there wasn’t a stitch of food in this cabin but it did provide shelter. She decided to explore more and if she didn’t find help or another cabin by the time it got dark she would follow her ribbons back to this one.
Simon directed the team to avoid the pier and instead docked the boats at a hidden strip of trail that led to the center of the island.
“Stefan, direct the alligators and snakes into the river and away from us. I don’t want anyone bit.”
“Got it, bro.”
They eased the boats into a small inlet one hundred feet from the dock and around a bend, out of sight. The men slipped into the knee-deep water, pulling the boats behind them to tie to a tree or shrub. It was a painstakingly slow process, taking care not to splash as they struggled through the mire until they could reach higher ground. Like all bogs, grass grew wild and tall and a multitude of shrubbery and flowers filled in spaces between trees.