“It’s infected, all right. I’ll give you an antibiotic shot,” Trina said.
Angelina didn’t care what she did as long as it would stop the throbbing pain. She barely felt the needle enter the flesh of her hip. She was finally able to give in since she knew Angus would be receiving his own medical help. “Suck on this,” Trina commanded. “It will help with the pain. I’ll attend to your mate next.”
Mate…. Angelina sighed. For some strange reason, she actually didn’t mind being called that. If only it meant more. She had to chastise herself. What am I thinking? I barely know Angus and he’s my paid bodyguard, nothing more.
Angelina didn’t know what Trina gave her, but it tasted sweet like honey and melted in her mouth. She blinked slowly as Trina took care of Angus, who exhaled sharply as she tended to his wound. It looked much worse than hers but he continued to sit upright, his dark eyes capturing hers. She stared at him until she couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore. Instead of being concerned about what she’d been given, Angelina welcomed the dark blanket of sleep that wrapped her in its warm embrace.
Salem and Caleb wandered through the wilderness in search of their prey. Salem breathed deeply but all he could smell was the damp pine needles layered beneath their feet.
“Can you catch their scent?” Caleb asked. “I can’t get this damn black box to turn on.”
“No, but how far could they have gone?” Salem knelt, fingering a leaf that held a small droplet of blood. “I can’t tell if this is human or animal blood.”
“Not even with that hyena nose of yours? I thought you’d be able to track our prey easier.” Caleb grinned.
“Why don’t you take a crack at it? Oh I forgot, snakes can’t really track prey from their smell if it’s quite a distance away.”
“I’ll have you know, Salem, that snakes are adapted to follow a scent if we find it interesting. I’d do that now if I could smell our quarry instead of this infernal rain. If we don’t find the lady and the llama soon, we might get caught up in a torrential downpour and have to turn back.”
“You believe the area is flooded?”
Caleb stopped and pulled out a satellite image. “This will show you that the Platte River is over its banks. The reservoir isn’t able to hold any more rainwater. It might takes us time to find our prey, but when we do, they’ll have nowhere to hide.”
“Not if we don’t keep moving we won’t. I can’t help but wonder who really hired us to kill the actress. The woman who gave us the maps made it sound like someone else might be involved, too.”
“Since when do you care who hires us?” Caleb asked.
“I don’t. I just wonder why anyone would want a beautiful woman like that dead. What could she possibly have done to deserve that?”
“You’re getting soft, Salem. Unless you want a go with the woman when we find her. I imagine those full lips of hers would feel great wrapped around your cock.”
Salem was disgusted. “I’m no rapist!”
“Calm down, it was only a suggestion. When was the last time you fucked a woman?”
“Shut up, Caleb. I think I hear the river up ahead.”
“Which is short for a hell of a long time, but I’ll drop the subject if it makes you so uncomfortable.”
Salem pushed past Caleb. He wasn’t about to discuss his sex life or lack thereof with his partner. It would be dangerous to become entangled with a woman for more than one night, and that was what he really wanted. He shook his fantasies off; in his line of work that was impossible. He didn’t come home every night for one, and it was too dangerous to stay in one place. He’d never put his mate in danger if he had one.
He glanced at Caleb who had a large knife stuck in his boot, knowing he’d never allow the man to be near anyone he cared about either. His wanton abandon to kill was all he thought about. When they had partnered up a few years back, Salem actually believed Caleb did it for the money—that’s what hired assassins did—but Caleb seemed uninterested about the down payment. He actually enjoyed scaring the crap out of the woman who met them. What he failed to understand was that they’d still need to get the other half of the money when they finished the job. It just seemed wrong on so many levels that they were hired to kill a popular actress like Angelina Foxworth.
“There’s the flooded Platte River,” Caleb pointed out. “It’s obvious that they’re trapped.”
“We don’t know that for certain since we haven’t located them. There must be a way around the flooding.”
“Not in the direction they left from the crash site. It won’t be long before we catch up to them.” Caleb massaged the butt of his handgun that was encased in his holster. “I’m almost looking forward to going up against a llama. I don’t think I’ve ever fought with one before.”
“You won’t be squeezing the life out him, that much I know.”
“So what’s our plan of action? I can’t imagine that llama will leave her side for a moment.”
“I suppose you’ll have to figure that one out, Caleb.”
“From the looks of the clouds overhead, we’ll need a place to hold up until it’s passed,” Caleb said.
“That’s the smartest thing I’ve heard you say… ever.” Salem laughed.
Caleb disregarded Salem’s comment. “Not sure where we’ll find shelter out here.”
“Let’s head in that direction,” Salem suggested, pointing further down the river. “There might be a few outcroppings we can take shelter under.”
“I was actually hoping for a cave.”
“That would be great, but I can’t imagine finding one that isn’t already inhabited by a bear.”
“I’d expect bears to be out foraging this time of year, but I suppose you’re right,” Caleb said.
Caleb continued to walk some distance before he pointed out a rock formation near where the mountains began to slope up. “That looks like a good place.”
“Yes, it’s just too bad I’m huddling under the rocks with you instead of a willing female.” Salem grinned.
“Glad to hear you haven’t given up on that. I haven’t either, but this job certainly makes it difficult.”
“So why are you still doing it, Caleb?”
“The same reason as you I suppose—money.”
“And here I thought you were in it for the thrill of killing.”
“I don’t think you have much to say in that respect, Salem. I haven’t heard you complaining about being a hired killer.”
“You won’t either,” Salem said as he hunkered down, which would be for some time as the sky let loose.
Chapter 6
When Angelina sat up, it took a moment before she realized a pungent smell was coming from her—or the bandage that was now wrapped around her arm. As she gazed over at Angus, she realized that he also had the same bandage covering his wound.
“Don’t worry,” Angus said as he smiled from where he sat against the opposite wall of the cave. “You’ll get used to the smell. We’ll both be feeling much better tomorrow. Trina has healing hands.”
“I suppose she’d have to, living way out here.”
“It’s a choice, remember that.”
“And a wise one at that,” Trina said as she handed Angelina a wooden bowl of red berries. “You’ll need to eat to gain your strength.”
“I’d listen to her,” Taylor said. “You don’t want her angry at you.” He winked.
“What are you doing about finding us some meat for dinner, Taylor?” Trina asked.
“I’m going, woman. You should know by now I’m a good provider.”
“I do know that.”
“I’ll help you,” Angus said as he tried to stand.
“You will not,” Trina reprimanded as she eased him back down.
“Trina’s right,” Taylor told him. “A good day of rest will do you both good. Come on, boys,” he called to his cubs, who scampered after their father.
“Doesn’t it worry you when your cubs are out of your sight?�
�� Angelina asked shyly.
“Not when they’re with their father, and it’s not hunting season.”
Trina walked over to the edge of the cave and glanced down at the flooded river below. “If that water gets any higher I’m going to insist we head to higher ground.”
“I can’t see it coming much higher,” Angus said. “Although the stability of the rocks and cliff might be compromised.”
“I’d hate to leave the safety of the cave, but I do have my cubs to think about.”
“Where would you go if you left?” Angelina asked.
“There’s a clan not far away. We always gather when the water gets high.”
“So you never leave the wilderness?”
“I have family in Cheyenne, where I’m from. It’s the largest city in Wyoming, although it’s dim in comparison to most states. It’s a friendly place to live, although a rowdy one at times.” Trina smiled.
“How did you meet Taylor?” Angelina asked curiously.
“He was in town on a construction project. I met him at the bar I was working at. You might say Taylor saved me from my life in Cheyenne. I worked twelve-hour shifts and I could’ve done without the rowdy bar patrons at night.” She smiled once more. “He saved me from two men in the parking lot when I was leaving, too. I have to admit there is something about a man helping a woman he doesn’t even know that just gets her between the legs, if you know what I mean.”
Angelina nodded; that was exactly how she felt about Angus.
“When I became Taylor’s mate, we moved out here. It was a culture shock to me at the time, but I’ve accustomed myself to living far from civilization.”
“How so?” Angelina asked, receiving a look from Angus. “Sorry, I don’t mean to ask so many questions.”
“I thought you knew. I’m not a shifter.” She winked. “I never considered that the man I fell in love with was a shifter, not until much later when he told me. I heard stories that shifters lived in Wyoming, but I’d never met one before. Once you’re with a shifter, you’ll never look back.”
“I’ll admit I’ve never met one before either, not until I met Angus,” Angelina said. “How long have you known Angus?”
“I met him last fall at the Silver Creek Ranch where he works, before me and Taylor headed out here.” She smiled. “They were poking fun at Angus because he didn’t have a mate yet. I’m glad to see that he changed his mind about finding one.”
“Silver Creek sounds like a good place to hold out,” Angelina said.
Angus nodded. “It is, but I can’t risk—”
“You’re hiding something,” Trina interjected. “You’ve been quite evasive about why you’re here.”
“Our plane crashed,” Angelina reminded her.
“I know what he said, but I’m very perceptive. I feel there’s more to it than that. I only hope you won’t put my family in any unnecessary danger.”
Angus struggled to stand, but Angelina hurried over. “Oh no you don’t. You need to rest.”
“So do you,” he said painfully. “Don’t worry, Trina, we’ll be on our way in the morning. We should be rested enough by then.”
Trina simply nodded and sat down, working long branches that had been stripped of leaves through a series of sticks. She glanced up at Angelina. “Would you like to learn how to make a basket? These are willow sticks and I’ve already soaked them so they are pliable.”
Angelina joined the woman as Trina demonstrated by weaving the willow between the long frame sticks. “Now you try.”
Angelina wasn’t confident as she tried to work the willow through the frame. “I’m not getting it tight enough,” she complained.
“You need to pull harder.”
She did as Trina said and her fingers began to hurt, but she didn’t say anything; she didn’t want the woman to think she wasn’t willing to learn. So far Angelina had to admit that she was rather enjoying being away from Hollywood, other than the plane crash.
She turned to admire Angus, who was resting again. He had quite the physique, and she would have enjoyed helping him take his clothes off if they were in a different set of circumstances. The vision of his cock was still locked in her head. Maybe next time she saw it would be in a more intimate moment.
She didn’t worry about those thoughts as she spent more time with Angus. She had never felt more concerned about the pain or suffering of anyone before and she was aware of how selfish that was. Donating money to the homeless wasn’t the same as really helping them, although it did help keep the shelters open.
“What do you use baskets for?”
“They have their uses, such as gathering berries, but I also sell them at the monthly women’s retreat. Some of the women don’t live out here and have stores in nearby towns. They don’t attend the retreat to buy anything ordinarily, but who wouldn’t want to attend the retreat when the men care for the cubs.” Trina winked.
Angelina sighed. If only she could live out here, too. Who would be looking for her here? Though she had to admit that she’d much rather be near some sort of civilization. Even if she was really Angus’s mate, would she be satisfied living in the wilderness? She was certain that wouldn’t be the case.
The cave shook as Taylor dragged a deer inside in his bear form, tossing it on the floor. The cubs bounded in next, pawing at the carcass. Angelina averted her eyes as Taylor shifted back to human form and grabbed a knife.
“What are you doing, husband? You know I always dress the deer. I could show Angelina how to do it.”
Angelina held a hand over her mouth. “I don’t think I can do that. The sight of blood makes me gag.”
“She appreciates your willingness to teach her,” Angus said, “but it’s not a skill she needs to learn as we don’t live in the wilderness.” He grinned. “I plan to head to Creeksboro when we leave tomorrow.”
Trina’s brow shot up in a quizzical expression as Taylor nodded. “It’s probably for the best. I caught sight of an animal that isn’t native to the area.”
Angus sat upright. “What kind of animal, exactly?”
“I only saw the back of it, but it resembled a hyena.”
“Maybe we should leave now,” Angus suggested. “There’s no reason a hyena should be here in Wyoming.”
“I insist you wait until the morning,” Taylor said.
Chapter 7
Angelina crossed the cave quietly so as not to disturb anyone before snuggling up to Angus, who wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. She wasn’t sure if he was awake or not, but she was shocked yet pleasantly surprised. It made her feel safe, which was something she hadn’t felt in a long time, not since her stalker. When he was arrested she was still threatened, and Angelina couldn’t help but wonder how close she had really came to being murdered. If only she knew why someone would want her dead.
Salem stared at the side of the cliff, with Caleb at the ready. While it was dark, they had the full moon for light.
“Are we going in?” Caleb asked.
“Not wise when we’re dealing with a bear and his cubs.”
“So you plan to wait it out?”
“I can’t see any other way.”
“I can,” Caleb said. “All I have to do is slither down and take a peek.”
“And if you’re spotted by the mama bear?”
“The bear that was with the cubs today wasn’t a mama bear,” Caleb hissed as he shifted.
All Salem could do at that point was watch as Caleb slithered over the rocks and out of sight. It has been beneficial having a snake as a partner; he could slip into places that no bigger animal could, at least unbeknownst to their quarry.
Caleb slithered down and into the cave as the sounds of vibrating snores alerted him that they were indeed sleeping. Farther into the cave he went, where he spotted Angelina Foxworth. He was shocked that she was snuggled against a large man he assumed to be the bodyguard. Llamas sure don’t look nearly as intimidating in human form.
Across the cav
e, Caleb turned to see a baby bear rouse. Before he could alert anyone, Caleb slithered over with lightning speed, wrapping his body around the small bear, constricting. He made an error in judgment though as the other baby bear called the alert and the sleeping couple broke apart, the male shifting into a grizzly bear.
Caleb let the bear go, facing down an enraged bear and spitting llama, who charged him with a stomp of his mighty hoof. Caleb shook at the blow but was on the move to escape, almost making it before the bear struck him with his razor claws. Caleb sailed to the raging river below, and although he should’ve been able to swim well, he could no longer keep his snake form. He yelled before he hit one final rock on his way down and disappeared beneath the water of the river, motionless as the current took him downstream.
Taylor clawed his way to the top of the cliff where he cornered Salem, kicking up stones and dirt at him. Salem remained in his human form, knowing he’d be unable to fight off an enraged bear.
“Stop,” Angus called out in his human form as he surfaced from the cliff. “I have a few questions for this man, like who sent him here.”
“I don’t know what you mean. I was just hiking and got lost.”
“I can smell the hyena in you,” Angus said as he spat. “You were hired to come here. What I don’t understand is why any shifter would do such a thing to his own kind.”
“I wasn’t hired to kill any shifter. The woman, on the other hand….”
Taylor shifted back to his human form and asked, “What’s he talking about, Angus?”
He sighed. “I’m really sorry about this, Taylor. I was hired to protect Angelina Foxworth, the actress. Someone’s been trying to kill her. They made a desperate attempt when they caused the plane crash. I was trying to get her out of the wilderness and to safety.”
Taylor snarled. “You should have told me what was really going on.”
“I didn’t want to put her in any more unnecessary danger.”
“Of course not, but you put my family in jeopardy. That shifter snake nearly ended my son’s life!”
Llama and the Lady Page 4