Storm winced as she slipped several times, leaving a few cuts on the palm of her hand. Relief swamped over her as the material fell away.
With no time to lose, she unlocked the door and scrambled out. No way would she be able to hot-wire River's Ranger. The smoke was too thick, and anyway, she didn't know which direction to drive.
The wind, superheated by the smoke and oncoming fire, made her cough. She had to think, which became harder to do with each breath. Her eyes stung and her lungs burned. The dam was only a few meters away, but it wouldn't be deep enough to save her.
She prayed to God that her plan would now work. The problem with hiding in a dam from an oncoming fire, if you didn't drown, you'd suffocate as the fire sucked the oxygen out of the air while it roared past. On the back of the Rover's tray was a steel lock box.
Storm scrambled up onto the truck's tray. Ripping open the lid, she hurriedly tossed out the tools, keeping hold of the hammer to smash the bolt that kept the box from sliding about during driving. When it broke free, she proceeded to pound at the hinges of the lid until it finally fell away. She grabbed the side handle and dragged it off the back of the Rover. Even empty with no lid, it was heavy, but that was exactly what she was counting on.
Coughing and grunting, she struggled with the box towards the dam, behind her the roar and glow of the firestorm bore down on her, reaching and surrounding River's Rover.
She fought the rising panic, her mind going over and over. You can do this, you can survive, you have to live for River. And she had one bitch's ass to kick. Her vision became more obscure, the thicker the smoke. She pulled the box, her feet slipping out from under her, hitting the dam wall. She slid the box down the rest of the way and into the water. The cooler water soothed her heated skin as she sank deeper, tugging the now floating box behind her. Once she located the middle of the dam, she quickly flipped the box, making sure she trapped air inside. She prayed the trick worked, for any moment there would be no air to breathe at all.
Storm glanced up to see the bright yellow and orange only feet away. She took a deep breath, gripping on to the box as she went under the water. It was a battle to hold on to the box and keep it steady and keep it submerged while it still had air.
All around her the water lit up as the flames passed overhead, the water grew hotter, and her lungs began to burn. She came up under the box, sucking in her captured air before sinking down again. She did this several times until the air in the box became thin, un-breathable.
The box tilted under her tiring grip, starting to fill with water and sinking lower into the dam. She swam out from under it and brought her head to the surface. The fire had passed all around her, covering the surroundings in white and black ash embers which still glowed. Storm knew she wouldn't be able to walk on the ground for some time. Slowly, she moved to the shallows, sitting down in the mud as the water lapped around her body.
Thankfully, the air was clearer as the wind pushed the smoke in a different direction. She took in several breaths of clean air, her mouth still tasting of smoke, while the cuts and burns on her hands and wrists were soothed by the water. There was nothing to do now but wait and reflect on the fact someone had just tried to murder her.
It wasn't fear Storm felt, she had stared at death and lived despite it. The adrenaline in her system now caused her whole body to shake. If she stayed put, every fiber of her being knew River would come for her.
~ * ~
The light was fading fast. Storm hadn't turned up back in Black Town, nor had she returned to the lakeside camp. Using the in-road to the lake, River and his team of mixed breed cat shifters were able to follow the Rover's unique tire tread on the dirt bush roads. They did not turn off onto the sealed road but instead went deeper into the bush right towards the black scorched ground of a recent fire outburst that had swept through the area. River was damn near out of his mind with fear. It was easy to become disorientated in the heavy smoke. River knew very little survived the ferocity of a firestorm.
The Black Town fire truck crossed over the blackened ground. The men who sat on the back of the truck sprayed water over still burning hollow trees as they passed. River struggled to dampen down his panic. If she was out there somewhere…if she burned alive…oh God, he felt ill at the possibility.
Still he went on in sheer determination to find her. He would not stop until he had his mate back in his arms.
The fact she'd left all her belongings, including her laptop behind, told him she wouldn't have run off on a whim. It weighed heavy on his mind why she would have left the safety of the lake camp. Unless she didn't go willingly.
A stony somber silence fell over the men; pitying glances cast in his direction, making his anger simmer. The look of doubt on their faces, knowing Storm held little chance of being alive if she was out there, just made him even more determined to prove them wrong.
Powerful searchlights cut through the blackness to aide their search, despite their keen night-time vision. They painfully crept forward, leaving no part of each area unturned. Several cats had shifted, trying to pick up any kind of scent other than smoke. They trotted alongside the Black Town fire truck.
A loud roar from Ted indicated he'd found something. Hawk, handling the truck, nodded to acknowledge he too had heard Ted. He slowly turned the wheel, making their way through the burnt scrub.
River was out of the truck before Hawk even brought it to a stop, racing towards the burned out vehicle. River's whole body shook in fear as he saw the number plates of his Rover. Slowly, he approached around the driver's side. Taking a deep breath, he glanced into the burnt out interior of the cab. Finding it empty was no relief from his anguish. There's no way she could have outrun a firestorm.
"Search the area," he bellowed.
They spread out, doing as he commanded. On the back of his Rover, he noticed his lock box missing, but all his tools spread over the back. His searchlight in hand, he walked past the fire truck and caught the glint of water. His feet moved towards it as a glimmer of hope sparked.
A small dam. He swept his light over the area. He nearly missed her as she was almost completely covered in mud. She lay huddled by a slightly blackened lock box. His heart stopped for a split second in his chest as he focused the light on her muddy form. He scrambled down the side of the dam.
"Oh God, cookie." Gently he touched the side of her muddy face. With every care, he turned her body towards him. At the soft rise of her chest, he sobbed in relief. She was alive. He couldn't tell how badly she was hurt for all the mud, but she was alive.
"Hawk!" he screamed. "Get me a blanket!"
Men came running to the edge of the dam. Hawk sprinted over with a grey blanket.
"By the mother goddess, how on earth did she survive the firestorm?" Hawk shone his light on Storm's muddy form.
River lifted her while Hawk wrapped her in the blanket before settling her back into River's arms. He carried her up the dam bank towards the truck. The men parted and scrambled to assist him into the truck as he held her close.
With everyone back on board, Hawk drove the truck, heading straight to the nearest hospital. The entire search party were in quiet awe, no doubt all wondering how she had survived. River didn't care how. The fact she had was all that mattered right now.
She stirred in his arms, a soft moan escaping her lips as her eyes fluttered open. She raised her head slightly to meet his gaze.
"River?" she croaked. Tears spilled down her cheeks, washing away some of the dried mud.
"Shhh, cookie, I've got you. Don't talk until you're better. We're taking you to the hospital right now." He kept his tone calm and gentle. One thing still nagged at him. He gently stroked her head, gazing into her pain-filled eyes.
"Tell me, did someone do this to you?"
More tears streaked down her cheeks as she gave one simple nod.
More questions than answers moved through his mind in that moment. They would wait until Storm was better. One thing was certain,
when he found whoever did this to her, he would rip them to fucking shreds.
Chapter Thirteen
River stared at the oxygen filter fitted under Storm's nose to help clear her airways of smoke. It had taken him and a nurse a good half hour to clean all the mud off her body before they dressed her and inserted a fluid drip to prevent dehydration.
"You've got a very clever woman there, Mr. Black." Dr. Wilson nodded towards Storm's sleeping form. "The mud on her skin would have protected her from being burnt. I cannot find a burn on her body. Of course she will suffer the effects of mild smoke inhalation for a while, but with the humidifier, her lungs should clear. Her body was dehydrated and suffering from exhaustion."
"The babies?" River glanced briefly up from his seat by Storm's hospital bed.
"All scans came up clear. What concerns me the most is the blow to her head. She has mild swelling. It should reduce in a day or too, but we'll need to keep a close eye on her to make sure there are no lasting effects." The older man shook his greying hair. His blue-grey eyes regarded Storm with professional curiosity. "I'd like to know myself how she got out of a major firestorm so unscathed."
"I'll be sure to let you know when she wakes," River said, grateful for the doctor's care. River decided it best to take her to the local district hospital, rather than use Milo, the town's shifter doctor. The fires were finally out across the area. Not long after they arrived at the hospital, it began to rain in big fat drops, cooling a scorched land to every one's relief. He'd sent Hawk home to get some rest along with everyone except Hamish Brown and his brother Andy who took guard duty to help protect Storm.
"I am also concerned about the marks on her wrists and hands."
River, too, had noticed them once her arms were clean. It was more evidence someone had tried to kill her and cover it up by the fire. No doubt Storm's quick thinking saved her life. River drew in a deep breath. There was a time for anger and vengeance, but right now he needed to stay calm and collected for Storm's sake. He lifted one of her bandaged hands, holding it gently in his, stroking his thumb over the back of her hand.
"I will look into the matter, doctor, thank you. Is there anything else?"
"Just make sure she gets plenty of rest, lots of fluids, and no vigorous activities for a week or two."
"I'll make sure of it."
River mentally swore to take better care of his mate. Twice he'd almost lost her. Never again would he let her out of his sight, no matter what it took. He'd hand over his Alpha duties and give up his job. There was nothing he wouldn't do to keep her safe.
"Very good, very good, try and get some rest, Mr. Black. I'll be back in a few hours to check on her."
The doctor gave a nod, set down Storm's chart and walked out of the room.
River leaned over, kissing Storm's forehead. "It's going to be fine my love. I promise I won't let anyone hurt you again." His scrubbed a hand over his face and yawned, his body dropped heavily into the chair by her bed. She was safe by his side. He would make certain of it for the rest of their lives.
~ * ~
Hawk inhaled the fresh damp scents of bush around the house. Last night's rain had been a gift of the gods, extinguishing the remaining fires and washing everything anew. Now the morning sun shone again brightly, giving the air a humid feel. Reports of only native animals injured in the blazes was a relief. It seemed River's mate was the only victim of the fires, in more ways than one. It was too early for any reports to discover how the fires had started.
There were times when Hawk resented doing his brother's bidding. But of late, he hadn't minded in the slightest. Being twins, they could often feel the shadow of each other's emotions. River had been on a hell of a roller coaster ride over the past few weeks. Hawk caught the echoes of emotions rolling off River; the passion of the despair, the joy and even the gut wrenching fear.
Having a true mate was not for the fainthearted, despite his panther often pining for his special someone. Hawk craved and yet dreaded finding his. More than likely it would never happen, only a small percentage of shifters were fortunate enough to find true mates.
The townspeople had long ago packed up the lakeside camp and were back in their homes while he was stuck on 'fetch-for-me' duty for River.
He liked his little sister-in-law and was madder than hell someone had obviously tried to kill her. Hawk was on his way to relieve Hamish and Andy Brown of guard duty. His identical twin cousins were quite fond of Storm and offered to stay and help protect her during her stay in the hospital. She would have around the clock protection until they found the one who had attempted to murder her.
Balancing the bags in one hand, he yanked open the boot of his SUV, tossing in Storm's bag before walking around to set down the sealed containers of steaming food and coffee. His mother had been in a cooking frenzy since early morning, declaring hospital food unfit for consumption. Hawk knew she was worried about River and Storm.
He sniffed at the air, catching her scent before he caught sight of Gia, strolling along the path towards the house. He stopped by the back of his SUV, watching her approach with a smug smile on her haughty face. Some would consider her beautiful, but her slim athletic build never appealed to him, nor did her eagerness to fuck any shifter which crossed her path. Not to mention her nasty attitude towards the humans living in Black Town.
"Hawk, what a lovely surprise. Are you going somewhere?"
"What are you doing here, Gia? I thought we told you to stay off the property."
"Oh, just taking a stroll. I am so relieved Black Town is no longer in danger from the fires. Is River home? I never did congratulate him on finding his mate."
The hairs on the back of Hawk's neck pricked up. The way she smiled at him was odd; something was definitely off with Gia. It occurred to him that she may have had something to do with Storm's abduction.
"You might want to hold off your congratulations for a while, Gia. River's at the hospital, with Storm."
Gia's brows shot up in sudden surprise but were quickly masked. "Oh, she got hurt? Humans, you know, they're so breakable."
"She got badly hurt caught out in the fires. She's at the district hospital."
"Oh, well then, do send my regards. I'm sure she'll be just fine." Gia turned away, seemingly in a hurry all of a sudden. "I'll let you get on your way then."
He watched her disappear back down the path.
Even more certain of his suspicion of Gia than before, Hawk climbed in behind the wheel of his car. He needed to get to the hospital quickly and have a quiet chat with River.
~ * ~
River's stomach growled, scenting his mother's delicious cooking. His nose twitched. There was an aching in his lower back as he roused from his sleep. Blinking, he sat back, realizing he'd fallen asleep by the side of Storm's bed; his head resting near her arm. He glanced up at her--she still slept on peacefully--before turning his attention towards the lovely smells.
"Morning, bro, looks like you finally got some sleep," Hawk quipped.
River glanced up at his bright-eyed brother greeting him with a lopsided grin, pulling containers out of a bag and placing them on the table. "Mum sent these. She thought you'd be hungry."
River stood up and stretched his back, trying to relieve the ache of sleeping awkwardly.
He gratefully took the offered travel mug of coffee, twisting the lid and swallowing down the warm creamy liquid.
River owed his brother a lot. He and his mother had been there for him every step of the way over the last few weeks. Hawk set down Storm's bags by the bottom of the bed. He tugged out a little box from his pocket, tossing it over the bed. River caught it and tucked it into his own pocket before re-taking his seat.
"Thank you."
"How's she doing?" Hawk studied Storm's sleeping face.
"The doctor said she'll be fine and is very lucky to have escaped so unscathed. I still want to know who did this."
"As a matter of fact, I may know who."
River
jackknifed to his feet. "Who!"
"I had a little visit from Gia just before I left this morning, once again looking for you, and enquiring after Storm."
"Gia!" He stared at Hawk in anger and confusion. "I know she likes to fuck around, but would she stoop this low?"
He looked back at Storm.
"When a woman has her claws out for you, there's no telling how far she'll go to try and get you. Still, I have no proof, but I have a feeling, if given the opportunity she may try to strike again. All we need do is…"
"Set the trap and wait." River understood Hawk's train of thought. Gia, damn. It made more sense than any of the wild ideas of rival shifters wanting to be town Alpha. It wasn't a hit at him but a direct hit at Storm for standing in the way of a vicious, ambitious bitch. "You've got a plan, don't you? I can see it your eyes." He worried more for Storm's safety than anything else.
Hawk grinned. "Better believe it, bro; I know what you're thinking. At no point will she be in danger again. We'll be watching carefully."
"You think she'll try something soon?"
"That I can't say. Don't take this the wrong way, but as long as Storm's alive, I think we have a good chance at catching her if she tries anything. And if it's not her, then it may flush out the one who did do it."
River reached for the first of the plastic containers, ripping off the lid, the wafting smell of his mother's Spanish omelets making his mouth water.
"Here." Hawk tossed him a fork.
River caught it but paused before he dug, thinking over Hawk's words.
"It's a good idea, but I will not put Storm in harm's way again."
"We won't let it get that far. We just need to know who for sure. When Storm wakes up, no doubt she'll be able to name her abductor."
"I want to keep her out of this as much as possible. She's been through so much these past days. I've already failed in my job to protect her. I will not do so again."
"I respect that, but you also don't want to be glancing over your shoulder every moment, studying every face, wondering if they are the one who tried to kill her. We need to end this and quickly."
The Purrfect Plan Page 9