Hunter

by Melody Anne

  “I can’t guarantee anything,” he said with a chuckle. “But if we do get lost forever, at least we’re together.”

  “That’s not reassuring,” she told him. “Maybe we should just head back.” They were already deep into the mountain. She wasn’t sure how much farther she wanted to go.

  “Then our treasure hunt will be over. We won’t know where the next clue will lead us,” he told her.

  “I never have been one to give up,” she said with a sigh.

  “When this is all over and I figure out what it was that my father wanted me to learn, the two of us will celebrate in a beautiful place with an expensive bottle of champagne,” he told her.

  “It doesn’t have to be expensive,” she said as they made their way down the narrowing tunnel.

  “What?” He seemed confused.

  “Some of the best things in life cost nothing,” she said.

  He stopped and turned toward her. It was dark all around them, but the lights attached to their heads were bright, and she wondered what he was trying to find in her expression. She wasn’t good at masking how she felt.

  “I agree with that. I’ve been all over the world and I’ve run from this place so fast and so hard that it gave me whiplash, but if I’m being honest with myself and with you, I haven’t felt this happy in a long time. Maybe what I’ve been seeking all along has actually been here.”

  It was the most serious thing Rebekah could ever remember Hunter saying. She should respond, should lift her hand and caress his cheek, should ask him to expand on what he was saying. But she chickened out, and the moment was lost. He turned and began walking again.

  They were mutually silent as they moved farther along the path until it opened up into another cavern.

  “I thought I heard running water,” Hunter told her.

  They walked carefully forward and found an underground stream. Rebekah leaned down and felt the water. It was ice-cold and she would bet it tasted exceptional. She wasn’t going to test her theory out though. There were too many fears of what could be in it.

  “We’re in the right place,” Hunter said as he pulled out the map and showed it to her. “Look for the rock cropping.”

  The two of them circled the large cavern until they found the shape on the map, a pile of rocks. They dug into it and found a box.

  “I can’t believe it’s here,” Rebekah said with excitement as she held the box in her hands. “Is this the treasure?”

  Hunter looked at the small item. “I doubt it,” he said. “If so, my inheritance is awfully small.”

  “It’s not about what the item is, it’s about the journey,” she told him. “How can you not be excited about this?”

  “Maybe because I’m irritated with my old man,” he said. There was something in his tone that told her it was so much more than that.

  “I think it’s more likely that you miss him,” she said quietly as she handed him the small wooden box.

  Hunter was silent for several moments. “Maybe I do. Maybe I could have made a few different choices in my life,” he admitted.

  That was more progress than Rebekah could have ever hoped for.

  “Open it please before I die of anticipation,” she said, unable to contain her excitement.

  Hunter lifted the lid and they both gazed inside. There were only two words — “Algoma Resort” — and an envelope with another map.

  “What is this?” she asked.

  “Looks like my dad wants me to go see my brother Luke,” he said with a sigh.

  “So the hunt is still on?” She couldn’t believe how grateful she was to hear that.

  “The hunt is still on,” he told her with a chuckle. “We might as well get out of here. By the time we get back to the mainland, I’ll be ready to chew off a leg.”

  “I have granola bars,” she said, taking off her pack and pulling out a couple.

  Hunter accepted one and with their newest piece of treasure tucked into his pack, they began to make their way back out of the tunnels. He was strangely quiet as they made the two-hour trek out of the mountain. When they finally saw light again, it was later than they’d realized.

  The sun was low in the sky and they would be hard pressed to make it back to shore before dark. Rebekah didn’t mind a sunset boat ride with Hunter at the helm. Her emotions were already messed up. What would a bit more confusion hurt?

  They began the path back down to the boat, and that’s where things went severely wrong. Rebekah heard the rattling too late. Hunter was several feet away from her and she turned in time to see the snake’s head coming toward her. She stumbled back, but not far enough.

  The thing struck her fast, latching onto her leg, where immediate pain made her scream before she fell backward. Hunter caught her before she hit the ground. He kicked the snake and it went flying off into the woods.

  “I’m right here, Becka,” he told her as he cradled her in his arms, and then began running down the trail to their boat.

  It didn’t take them long to get there, but her leg was on fire. He climbed aboard their boat and laid her down on the deck. He didn’t hesitate a single second before he ripped the bottom of her pants to see the area better.

  “I need to grab the first aid kit. I’ll be right back,” he told her.

  Rebekah couldn’t fight tears from falling down her face. She’d never been bitten before and she was grateful for that. The pain was excruciating. She reached down to rub the spot, but Hunter was back and pushed her hand away.

  “Don’t touch it. I need to clean the area and then we have to get you medical help,” he said. The panic in his voice wasn’t reassuring her. “I should have been faster,” he told her as he washed the area, tying a dressing a few inches above the bite mark.

  “It’s not your fault,” she told him, her teeth beginning to chatter.

  Shooting pain radiated from her leg. Her head was growing light and fuzzy, and her heart raced. She began to twist as he did the best he could with the supplies they had.

  “You have to try to keep still,” he said. His voice was calm, but with an edge that told her she wasn’t doing well.

  “I’m trying,” she said. Dizziness was overtaking her and Rebekah wasn’t sure if she was going to remain conscious for much longer. She didn’t care. At this point, passing out would be a relief.

  “I’m going to get you help.” Hunter leaned down and gently kissed her lips before he was on his feet again. Rebekah felt the motion of the boat as he reversed out of their place and then floored it, in a much bigger hurry to get back than he’d been to arrive at the island.

  Rebekah gave into the dizziness and let the darkness pull her under.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Drifting in and out of consciousness, Rebekah preferred the blackness because each time she was awake, she felt the burning throb she didn’t want to feel. Who would have guessed that two small puncture wounds could send pain throughout the entire body?

  Her time in the hospital had been a blur, she’d been so out of it. She barely remembered Hunter bringing her to his place and lying her down. But as she blinked her eyes open and tried to focus on the slowly spinning ceiling fan, she felt the dull throb in her leg and knew it was time to wake up, if only for a dose of pain meds.

  A sound escaped her throat and made her jump before she realized it was her making the noise. Even so, panic invaded her until she felt the soft touch of fingers against her cheek.

  “You’re okay, Becka, I’m here with you,” Hunter whispered.

  Turning her head, she found him lying next to her. Her heart slowed its erratic rhythm as she focused on the man who had been so quick to respond during her emergency. She was grateful he’d been there.

  “Hunter.” Her voice cracked as she spoke his name. She closed her mouth and tried to clear her throat. She was unbelievably thirsty
, but she wasn’t sure she could get the words out. It was awful how weak she felt.

  Without her asking, he sat up and slowly lifted her into a sitting position before he grabbed a glass of ice water with a straw.

  “Take a drink. I’ll get your meds,” he told her.

  Her fingers trembled as she took the glass from him. He didn’t let go until he was sure she wasn’t going to drop it. When he left to get her meds, she felt a moment of panic. It was ridiculous. She’d been on her own for a very long time and even being sick, or damaged as was the case, she didn’t want to lean on anyone — knowing it was safest to count on herself.

  “What happened?” she asked, trying to recall everything after the snakebite.

  “I got you to the hospital and your leg was severely swollen. They gave you the medicine and kept you overnight. I brought you home this morning. They said to give you the pain meds and to keep you warm and watch out for you. The swelling already went down and you responded great to the treatment.”

  “Good. I hate hospitals,” she told him.

  “I remember,” he said with a chuckle. “I’m not a big fan of them either.”

  “We have to go to the next clue,” she said. Her voice was coming back and she was afraid he was going to finish the treasure hunt without her now that she’d been injured.

  Hunter chuckled again. “It’s not going anywhere. The doctor insisted on at least a few days of rest. We’ll reevaluate then,” he told her.

  “You can’t do it without me,” she said.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it,” he assured her.

  That helped her relax. She didn’t understand why this journey was so important to her, but if it were to come to the end without her there, then it would all have been for nothing. Maybe she was so worried about it because she’d never gotten closure with Hunter before, when as a teen, she’d been so in love with him. Maybe this was the closure she needed to finally move on with her life.

  “Where are we?” she asked as she looked around at the unfamiliar bedroom.

  “We’re at my brother’s property, in a guest house,” he said.

  “Oh.” She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. “In the cabin?”

  “No, that’s a bit too rustic. We’re in one of the guest houses. It’s not luxurious, but I sort of like it.”

  “Me too,” she told him. And she did. She felt at home and completely comfortable — maybe too comfortable if she were honest.

  “I feel so funny,” she said. Her head was foggy and she was so dang tired, though the sun was coming in through the curtains and it was obviously the middle of the day.

  “The meds will make you a bit fuzzy, but without them you would be in a lot of pain,” he told her as he gave her more pills. She took them without hesitating.

  “My stomach is a bit sore, too,” she said, not liking the uncomfortable feeling.

  “Let me get you some food.”

  He began to leave and she felt that stirring of panic again. “I don’t think I could eat,” she said before he was able to step from the room.

  “Let’s just get some soup and bread into you. Then you can rest more.”

  “Do you have to leave?” Why was she so scared about that?

  “I’m not going anywhere, Becka,” he assured her. He leaned down and gently kissed her lips before he stood and walked from the room.

  She knew she shouldn’t get too comfortable, but she couldn’t help it. Normally when she was sick, she was alone in her small apartment, suffering in silence. She had pulled away from everyone in her life, living too much like a hermit. Maybe it was time to stop that when this adventure was done. It was too easy to grow depressed while watching the world go by instead of actively participating. She didn’t want to wake up one day and regret every decision she’d ever made.

  She heard Hunter rattling around in the kitchen and she leaned back against her pillows and closed her eyes, enjoying the sound of another person being in the house with her. It was something she could most certainly get used to. That was a frightening thought, but she didn’t care. The meds were doing their job and she felt free and uninhibited.

  When he returned, the smell of the soup should have awoken her appetite, but as he placed a tray in her lap, she still couldn’t muster up a desire for food. She looked down at it in disinterest.

  “I know it’s hard to eat, but I want you to make an effort,” he told her.

  He carefully sat down on the bed next to her and leaned back on his own pillows as he looked pointedly at her food and then her face. She didn’t want to seem ungrateful for the effort he’d put into making her something.

  “Thank you,” she told him.

  “I find that I like taking care of you,” he said. He reached over and plucked a piece of fruit off her tray and munched on it. A bit of juice escaped his mouth and he caught it with his tongue. Even in her drug-induced stupor, she felt a stirring within her at the sight.

  She certainly had a problem if she was on her sickbed and the only appetite she could muster was for the man next to her. So she wouldn’t give herself away, she quickly picked up her spoon, taking a tentative bite of the soup. She could barely taste it, but at least it didn’t upset her stomach. With much effort she forced herself to take small sips in between bites of the crusty bread.

  “You know, you scared the hell out of me,” Hunter told her after a few moments.

  “How so?” she asked. She finally pushed the food away. She’d eaten at least half.

  “I don’t like seeing you hurt,” he said.

  “We all get hurt,” she pointed out.

  “Can you eat a bit more?” he asked.

  “No. I’m stuffed,” she said. He sighed but he took the tray away from her and set it on a table in the room before joining her on the bed again. This time when he sat, he pulled her against him so she was now leaning on him.

  Though he was much harder than the pillows, he was also warm and comforting and she cuddled into him, feeling sleepy and taken care of. His fingers reached into her hair and she allowed herself to relax against him as he caressed her head.

  “I will make sure nothing like that ever happens to you again,” he said. His voice was coming to her through what sounded like a tunnel. It was oddly nice.

  “You’re Mr. Adventure. You put yourself at risk all the time,” she pointed out.

  “That’s me,” he said, his voice confident. It made her smile.

  “So it’s okay for you to scare the people who love you, but it’s not okay for me to go on an adventure and take a risk?” she asked.

  “Taking a risk is one thing, but getting an injury that could permanently affect you is another.”

  “It’s not like I sought out the snake and told it to come and bite me,” she said with a small chuckle. She was too warm and comfortable to argue very effectively with the man.

  “No, but you have to be more careful. You were tired all day. Maybe if you were getting more sleep you’d be more focused.”

  “It was a snake, Hunter. There’s nothing I could have done about it. One second I was walking and the next it was just there. But I promise you I’ll be as careful as possible.”

  “I know I’m being ridiculous. It’s just that you really scared me,” he confessed.

  “I like that you’ve been worried about me,” she told him. She snuggled in a bit closer to him and felt all her pain and worry drift away. It might be the medicine she’d taken, or it might be his fingers rubbing her head. Whatever it was, it was the magic formula and she wasn’t in a hurry to move.

  “Let’s get you laid down,” he said as he began to pull her away from him.

  “No,” she said, an edge of panic in her voice.

  “What? Are you in pain?” he asked, stopping his movement immediately.

  “No. I just don’t want to move,�
�� she said.

  Hunter sighed as he squeezed her gently.

  “Then we won’t,” he told her. She felt his lips against her temple and she closed her eyes.

  This time when the fogginess took her under, she didn’t care. She was safe in Hunter’s arms and she knew he wasn’t going to leave her — at least not while she was injured. She was almost grateful for that dang snake now.

  Rebekah fell asleep with a content smile on her lips.

  Chapter Fifteen

  It was pitch black out when Hunter was awoken by Rebekah stirring against him. His body throbbed where her leg pressed against his groin. She was wrapped completely around him, which was something he’d normally love, but at the moment, with her being injured, he wasn’t a huge fan of the situation.

  He wanted to kick himself for having such an insensitive response to the woman when it hadn’t even been forty-eight hours since she’d been hurt. Man, had he been terrified when he’d seen that snake strike and watched the pain filter across her face before she’d let out the anguished cry.

  His heart had raced and his mind had completely blanked for a few seconds before he’d managed to prod himself into action. He had to help her — save her. He had to make sure nothing happened to her.

  Hunter had been a fool for a long time. He knew this beyond a doubt. He’d always sought adventure, the more dangerous the better, and he hadn’t allowed himself to stay in any place long enough for roots to grow. Only now, he didn’t exactly understand why that was.

  As he’d fallen asleep with Becka in his arms, he’d felt more peace than he ever had while doing all those things he’d thought he needed to do to be happy. What if all he’d needed all along was this one woman? He didn’t even want to think about that, because if it were true, he’d already wasted too much time.

  He shifted and Becka moaned, instantly making him feel guilty.

  “Did I wake you?” he asked, pulling her closer to him, though it caused him almost unbearable pain.

  “No, I feel like I’ve been sleeping for a million years,” she told him. She snuggled in closer, instead of pulling away, and Hunter couldn’t help but like it. The only light shining in the room came from the hallway, but it was enough for him to be able to see her features.