Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
“Staying.”
Muttered words filtered back to him sounding an awful lot like, “thought so.”
He lay back as the large dog hopped up in the passenger seat, circled and lay down. The three around him also relaxed back.
I hope I’m not making a mistake by doing this.
His exhaustion lured him back to slumber as the van’s easy movement rocked him. The dogs’ warmth didn’t hurt, either. He woke with the whines.
No one but him on the bed for the dogs had all gotten to the floor, tails wagging.
“I know, guys, just a bit more.”
They stopped, moved forward a bit, then paused once more before continuing. He reached out from the blankets and peered beyond the shade and curtain. Snow covered fields were dotted trees, pines and other kinds. As they took a corner, he spied a house sitting back in a copse of trees. A garage next to it. Then another corner and all he saw was white and green.
He sat up when she pulled into a garage. Weak and wobbly, he kept the blankets around his lower half. Gray walls lined with tools met his gaze.
She killed the engine and hopped out. Within seconds, he sucked in a breath as she opened both side doors. “Okay,” she said. The dogs bounded out and vanished. All except the one who’d been riding in the passenger seat. He sat between the captain’s chairs and stared at him.
He don’t like me.
“So,” she commented, leaning in. “Let’s get you inside.”
Just as he began to stand, she climbed agilely inside. Crouching, she turned off the electric blanket then backed out. “I’ll get you some boots. Be right back.”
He took advantage of her absence to readjust one of the blankets for walking. Attraction may be there but, damn it, he had some pride.
She reappeared with some tall rubber boots. “Not very stylish but it will keep the snow off your feet. I promise the house is warm.” She set them down. “Come on, I’ll help.”
It galled him to feel so weak and helpless. He clenched the blanket closer and placed a hand on her shoulder as he stepped into the boots. They were tight but he wasn’t about to complain. His situation had vastly improved from being naked in a river.
Every inch hurt. She let him set the pace and he stared at the house. Two low steps led the way to the porch, and he saw all the dogs up there, including the large male.
She unlocked it and depressed the silver handle. Warmth poured out, covering him when it swung open. He groaned in pleasure. They entered first then the dogs. She closed the door and pointed to the left.
“That way.”
His legs were heavy, and the injuries weren’t helping. He pushed on.
They entered a bedroom, she held up more of him as his depleted energy vanished. He was damn near finished. At the bed, she flipped the blankets back and he sort of just crumbled, bringing her along.
She untangled herself then swung his legs up and tucked the blankets around him after removing the boots. “Look, I don’t know what happened to you or who you are, but you’re safe here. You can rest.”
Some sort of response was required and as he opened his mouth, darkness swarmed him. His body had reached its limit and he succumbed to the blackness awaiting him. For when he was there, he didn’t hurt, and it didn’t matter there were men trying to kill him.
He came to in a blink, phantom burn pain piercing him. It took everything inside him to keep his cry contained. Sweat trailed down his skin as he struggled to maintain his slow, measured—and in control—breathing.
He gazed about. Wood walls, a dresser—also wood—and unbarred windows. Unbarred, he wasn’t a prisoner anymore. They had blue curtains framing them. The main difference was the smell. It wasn’t musty and rank with the scent of unwashed men and feces. Quite the opposite. The smell escorted him to a field of wildflowers, nothing overwhelming. Subtle but there.
We’re in the middle of winter. I shouldn’t smell flowers like this. Was this another trick?
Moving once he’d ascertained he had no restraints, he pushed up in the bed. A polished wood floor gleamed up from where it peeked up from spots it wasn’t hidden beneath thick area rugs and runners.
Alert, he swung his feet to discover he remained naked. This could pose a problem. Flashes hit him.
Killing one and running. Snow blowing, biting the fresh burn marks and cuts.
Chapter 2
"The Wild still lingered in him and the wolf in him merely slept."
— Jack London (White Fang)
* * *
The buzzer brought her head up from where she had it buried as she finished boxing the last of the books she’d promised the senior center. Standing, she cracked her neck and rubbed it as she padded to the dryer. She withdrew the dried clothing and folded them, leaving them stacked on the table as she transferred the wet clothing in from the washer.