The Bridal Hunt (Brides of the Hunt Book 1)

by Jeanette Lynn

  Eager for a closer look, I rushed over, but stopped at the edge. Eyeing the water dubiously, I peered down into its depths. Checking to see what it was like—how deep it is, and what, if anything, could possibly be living in there—I was pleased to discover it was clear all the way to the bottom, no creepy crawlies, beasties, or slithery things in sight.

  Letting out a breath of relief, I glanced back over my shoulder. Still alone.

  "Unless they have any Abominables in a mini-version, they ain’t gettin' in here." Safe at last, at least for now.

  I debated for the longest time, as I stood there staring down into the bubbling pool, before finally relenting, giving my hands and face a good scrub with the warm liquid. It felt wonderful, but I wasn’t ready to push my luck and get too comfortable, not yet. Who knew if they had another way in.

  Looking around, I found a nice spot that gave me a perfect view of the entrance to my hot springs cavern, deciding it best to set up camp there.

  Walking over to slide along the wall, I hunkered down in the corner, curling up into my customary protective ball, and blew out my candle. I tried not to let the complete and utter darkness bother me so much, tucking myself in further, attempting, rather unsuccessfully, to settle my jumbled nerves.

  No candles for now—I didn’t want to make it any easier for them to find me, if that was even a remote possibility.

  Soon enough my lids grew heavy, all the adrenaline from earlier leeching from my body, leaving me tired and drained.

  Sleep took over and I let it, unable to fight the pull. Huddled into my corner of the room, all thoughts of beasties hunting me down to take off with me momentarily on pause, I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

  Chapter Five

  I

  woke up early the next morning, daylight peeking in from various little holes in the top of the cave's ceiling.

  Yawning long and loud, I stretched and shook myself, noting every crack and creak as my overtaxed body protested mutinously.

  I’m aching, sure—all that running is to thank for that—but I’m still alone. Alive and blessedly alone. Phew, I thought, looks like they really didn’t have another way in.

  Rested and, though sore, a little more relaxed, I got up and took care of business, not particularly keen on having to relieve myself in a cave but, hey, a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.

  That taken care of, giving my hands a quick rinse in the water, I decided to familiarize myself with my surroundings, explore the tunnels and see where each one led.

  Taking on my new task as quietly as humanly possible, I was careful to keep my steps light, just in case there was another entrance hidden around here somewhere—a larger one appropriate for, say, a snow beastie to fit through.

  ✽✽✽

  I must have wandered for a couple of hours, making my way through winding tunnels and dark passageways, checking out each and every pathway and cave room, before I came across another hot springs pool. It was close to the one I had slept in, interestingly enough—a surprising find as I’d woven my way back. Located on the opposite length of the tunnel, towards the back, hidden a little off to the side along a grouping of jagged stalactites, masking its entrance, I’d almost missed it.

  "Wow," I whispered, whistling low, marveling at all the glittery looking crystals forming along the ceiling overhead. The space was humongous, filled with small pools that fed water into one another, not unlike the purple tinted pools of water that fed each other back by the rock formations, in the woods back home. The whole setup reminded me of a series of natural one-man hot tubs.

  Steaming water reflected off the crystals, tiny little rainbows of colored light bouncing off the walls. The effect was beautiful.

  My stomach growled, kicking up a fuss right then and there, loud and proud, and I grimaced, wishing I'd somehow forgotten and shoved a candy bar or two into my jacket pockets before traipsing out into the snowy wilderness. Two measly matchsticks in a squashed matchbox and a seen-better-days safety pin just weren’t going to cut it.

  An old packet of crackers, some beef jerky... Good lord, I wasn’t picky. It could be covered in lint, for all I cared. Just about anything would do right now.

  Ugh.

  Letting out a long, drawn out breath, I sighed heavily, eyeing the water dubiously. Annnd nope. I wouldn't even drink that stuff on a good day.

  Disappointed, I trudged on, ignoring my stomach's increasingly loud protests as the day wore on.

  I wonder what time it is... Probably closer to lunch, I thought a little tiredly, if the lethargy that wants to take over my lumbering bod is something to go by. And all I’d eaten last night was soup—hadn’t even gotten to taste my banana bread yet—not much to keep you going when you're on the run.

  A few turns later I came across another cavern, much like the first two, the deeper space darkening to a sort of granite grey and terracotta red, the farther I dared venture.

  Without giving it another thought, excited to see what this one was like, I just waltzed right in, momentarily distracted by all the sparkly, shimmering black and blood red streaking through the richly pigmented stone. Winding through the rounded space like spidery veins, splashes of glittering gold and shining silver crept up and along the jagged ceiling, then back down again, twinkling and winking back at me from the smooth, bowed walls.

  Stalagmites littered the floor, some thin and some small, others fat and massive, loosely grouped towards the rounded corners of the asymmetrical space to trickle out like a border.

  This cavern room was much smaller than the rainbow prism one—though it dipped down and tipped up high—a lopsided pit with a vaulted ceiling—with one huge difference above all the others: it was occupied.

  Taken aback, I gasped as I glimpsed an Abominable wading around, quietly scooping up steaming water in his large palms to let it trickle down his chest. The clear, steaming liquid went up mid torso as he cupped more in his hands to splash it over his neck and shoulders.

  Shivering a little before shaking himself out, fur spraying water droplets all around as he gave a short but harsh grunt, the action reminded me of a dog.

  Choking on my own spit, I gasped again, stumbling back, smacking into a stumpy stalagmite. Tripping over the obstructive lump of mineral deposits, I slammed right into the wall behind me, face first, in my rush to spin around and bolt.

  The beast man swung his head around at all the racket I was making, spotting me instantly. Crystal blue eyes pierced me as they gazed up at me.

  He seemed much smaller than the other beasts, I couldn’t help but note, trying not to freak out, scream, and run just yet. Less hairy, too.

  We studied each other, my new adversary and I, sizing one another up in deafening silence.

  My stomach chose that moment to protest, loudly and adamantly, startling the man-beast enough to make him jerk.

  Laughing nervously as I inched a little closer to the entrance I’d traipsed in through, I gulped and hugged the wall. “N-n-nice, uh, Abominable guy... Heh. Heh. Nice beastie.”

  The snow beast grunted when I made to gain another inch, wading closer when I didn’t stop. I felt as if I was being x-rayed as his gaze bored into me, examining me from head to toe. When he grunted again and I stilled, he tilted his head questioningly.

  “I stopped already, alright!” I barked out on a splutter. “Quit frickin’ grunting at me. I’m stilling, sitting, staying, whatever.”

  Lips twitching, the Abominable creature raised a hand to absently scratch at the thick muscles across his chest. As my eyes followed his actions briefly, I blinked at the gleam entering his bright, clear blue eyes. No, no, no, no, no, I say, to whatever he was thinking. And I repeat, no!

  Unsure of my next move, I watched guardedly as he went to reach for his belt, which was much closer to me than it was him.

  It could have food in it, I debated, eyeing the thick strap. And I'm much closer to it than he is... It might even have a weapon in it. I could protect myself.
<
br />   Wait. A weapon?

  He could use it on me, then! Eyes wide, fear and panic the first emotions to hit, I scrambled over and snatched the fat, fuzzy belt up, turning to rush out of the room.

  The water drenched beast moved fast, too fast, grabbing my ankle when I would have turned to flee, holding me in place as he started to climb out.

  “Nooo!” I screamed and swung the belt at him, smashing him in the face—a move he clearly, by his stunned expression, wasn’t expecting—knocking him back into his bathing pool.

  Shaggy head shaking as he resurfaced, popping back up, he gaped at me. Frozen in place for a full minute, he stared at me with the funniest expression.

  Hah! That's what you get for underestimating a girl, ya bastard! Sniffing haughtily, I scoffed and rolled to my feet, clutching the belt to my chest.

  "Wait!" he called out, and quite clearly for a grumbly beast, when I went to rush from the room.

  Yeah, sure, lemme think about that for a minute. Uhmmm, no.

  Ignoring him, I hurried out, breaking out into a run when I heard the tell-tale sounds of him splashing out of the water.

  Mind reeling, I skidded around on the dirt in the cave pathway, trying navigate my way back through the tunnels, headed straight for the smaller pockets I'd found early on in my explorations. No way could he squeeze through one of those.

  Crap! Crap! Crap! I’m too far from any of them at the moment, and the angry male would surely catch up to me before I could reach any of them...

  “Detour,” I wanted to shout out as I made my way over to another series of caves, looking for any kind of possible hiding place.

  Well, this looks as good a hidey-hole as any, I decided not two minutes later, trying to get my ass to fit into a small tunnel leading to what looked like a tiny, closet-sized room.

  Or... maybe not.

  One slight problem with my harebrained idea, and I wanted to smack myself right now. I can totally relate to a certain loveable bear with a penchant for honey, who just so happened to get his chunky butt stuck in the door to his buddy's house. Gah!

  If my fat ass was only a smidgeon smaller, I thought, wiggling fiercely. Oh, please, please, just let me get outta this alive and I swear I'll lose that ten pounds I'm always yammering about.

  An ominous growl rent the air, echoing off the caverns just behind me as the sound bounced around. Cursing a blue streak under my breath, knowing I didn’t have much time, if any left at all, I panicked, pushing and pulling as hard as I could.

  Tearing holes in my pant legs as I used them for leverage, scraping my knees and thighs in my struggles, I kept going. Gah! Go! Go!

  A hand came down over my ass suddenly and I shrieked, my hips bucking, jerking in reaction. Screeching like a madwoman as he gripped my thighs in both of his warm, large hands, intending to yank me back, my legs kicked out, one and then the other, my efforts rewarded with a pain filled grunt. That strong, capable grip loosened instantly, to fall away altogether.

  Like a cork popping off a bottle, I gave one last push and shot forward, falling through the little cave entrance with a plop, tumbling right in to slide across the dirt.

  "I made it!" I crowed, rolling onto my back, my fist pumping into the air.

  Staring up at the ceiling, I took a moment for myself, simply laying there breathing, just trying to catch my breath.

  There was a bit more grunting from the beast man's side of the rock wall, scuffling and shuffling sounds reaching my ears, and then a face peered in from the hole I'd just popped through.

  "Good luck getting in here, ass wipe," I taunted, grinning over at him smugly.

  Sitting up, I remembered his belt and picked it up, testing the weight of it in my hands.

  “It’s mine now,” I felt the need to inform him. “Finders keepers.”

  His lips quirking in my direction as I gave him a significant look, pausing in my perusal of my stolen loot, he simply raised a fluffy eyebrow. His response drew a small frown from me, more confusion than irritation.

  Grunting a little, his head turning to stare off somewhere off to his side, he called something out in his language over his shoulder, turning back afterwards to give me a small smirk.

  Chuh. Whatever, dude.

  Feeling triumphant and rather childish, I flipped him off and stuck my tongue out, irritated when he didn't seem upset by my actions, more like intrigued—curious.

  Unaffected, he just continued to watch me as he peered in through the hole.

  Weird.

  Growing worried, I frowned as this continued, a little disconcerted by his steady regard, his unaffected demeanor. It didn’t sit well.

  Harrumphing, I turned my back on him and proceeded to rifle through his stuff, finding very little of interest. Peeking over my shoulder every so often, I caught the tail end when his head disappeared and the sound of his retreating footsteps followed.

  Alright, so he’s stepping away for a bit. I wasn’t dumb enough to think he would actually just up and leave—I could never be that fortunate. The beast was probably just waiting me out, biding his time until I messed up.

  "Jackpot," I whispered, sighing when I found a pouch full of dried meat in one of the belt’s smaller side pockets. Stuffed next to that was some type of cracker-like bread, and in the next one I was delighted to discover dried fruit.

  It proved wise to skip the meat, still unsure about where, exactly, they acquired theirs from. I did take a few bites of the fruit, though, but then thought better of it, setting it aside for later.

  ✽✽✽

  A few hours, maybe longer, must have passed, making me restless and hungry again. I hadn’t heard any noise outside of my little cozy cave hideaway, but that didn’t mean he was gone.

  In an effort to pass the time, I hummed to myself, playing my own makeshift game of marbles with some of the round, gemlike stones I'd found among the belt's many numerous pouches. His belt had about a million of them, it seemed like.

  Ignoring my stomach wasn’t too bad, all things considered, until one too many sharp hunger pains pinched my gut, a small bout of nausea starting to peak. With my insides nagging at me in silent threat to nourish it or else, I had to relent.

  I hated to see my food go, knowing I need to make this shit last, so I pulled out a piece of the cracker bread—my last for today—and chewed on it slowly. That would just have to be enough.

  Chewing methodically, the cracker a bit bland and cardboard-like for my tastes, I nosed around in the rest of the blue-eyed beastie's pouches.

  Hmmm. He must really like these gem dealies, I thought, holding one out in my hand to examine it. He had two pouches full of them.

  The cracker proved kind of dry and stale—pretty hard and really salty. Trying to swallow the wad of pasty, goopy, chewed up bread thickly, I started choking on it as soon it began its descent, coughing reflexively when it stuck to my dry throat.

  I’ve been reduced to eating salty, glue-like when wet, saw dust chunks, and it’s trying to kill me. Help!

  My eyes started watering when I finally caught a breath, the glop temporarily suffocating me going down hard, and I blinked rapidly, coughing a bit more.

  All of a sudden there was a heavy thump, shaking the walls. A bit preoccupied, I was too caught up to care or fully take notice. Blinking past the moisture in my eyes, I scrubbed at them, trying to clear my vision while simultaneously coughing and sputtering, hoping I didn’t aspirate bread clumps.

  If I could have, I would have screamed when a hand came down to pound gently on my back, a squishy pouch then being thrust into my hands.

  Gasping too hard to shriek, I tried to roll away, but large hands plopped me into a fur-lined lap. Despite my wriggling protests, a bit of water soon met my lips.

  In desperate need to dislodge the clumpy lump gagging me, I grabbed at the squishy bag of liquid. Washing the stale cracker down, I drank more once the coughing ceased, stopping only long enough to catch my breath in-between gulps.

  "Not too muc
h."

  Startled, I jerked at the unfamiliar voice, springing up and stumbling over my recently acquired belt. Wide-eyed, I stared at the blue-eyed beastie, the same one who'd been chasing me, trying not to panic.

  "How... h-how did y-y-you get in here?" I stuttered, wiping at the droplets of water on my face.

  He was momentarily distracted, the monster-like man-beast watching me curiously, his distractingly blue eyes tracking my fingers as they swiped at my lips.

  A strange, low rumbling noise erupting from his throat, he glanced up at my face again, his gaze intent, and leaned forward, angling his body towards mine.

  There was a loud clatter above us and my head shot up, spotting a man-beastie peering down at us over a wide lip along the very top of the cave wall.

  The blue-eyed beastie looked up as well, grunting some sort of greeting to the other beast, and then they started jabbering at one another. Their voices echoed off the cave—rising by the second, the longer they spoke—and I saw a small but still probable chance. Acting at once, moving slowly so as not to draw attention, I inched my way, one snail-like bit at a time, towards my original entrance.

  When neither had seemed to notice, still chattering away at one another like growling, hairy magpies, I dove, fiercely wiggling back through the mouth of my hideaway.

  The beastie from up top shouted something, the surprised bite to his barked exclamation tipping me off I’d just been made. Moments later thick fingers hooked onto my legs and tugged.

  "NO!" I bellowed out in rage, shoving my foot back in a mule kick.

  A small, muffled growl followed, that harsh grip slipping, but the beast was determined.

  Equally as determined to get away, I forced my way to the other side, bruising my hips in the process. The blue-eyed beastie was shouting something from inside the cave closet, his death grip on my ankles cutting off circulation. This male was loath to give up his prize.