by Fleur Smith
“No, ma’am. I don’t own anything I can’t make with my own two hands or nature doesn’t provide.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. As she did, she wiggled her fingers and toes again, preparing to sit. “What about your clothes?”
“Those nature provides to me too. She gives me deer, hares, and turkeys to hunt. That gives me meat and pelts to exchange for clothes and what little money I need. I don’t like owing nothing to no one.”
Bambi pushed herself into a seated position, only to fall back against the hard mattress with a scream on her lips.
“I’m sorry, I should’ve warned you. As well as your fractured ankle and dislocated shoulder, you’ve broken at least three ribs. I’ve done what I can to stabilize them, but it won’t do you no good to be sitting up.”
“What am I supposed to do then?”
“Rest. Relax. Let me get you better for a few more days, and I’ll drop you back into the city when I go in next.”
One statement stood out stronger than anything else the monolith had said. “What do you mean a few more days?”
“You’ve been here for three days already. Drifting in and out of consciousness.”
“Three days? Shit! I need to get back home.” She tried pushing herself up again, only to collapse back.
The mountain man’s lip curled upward. “Are you gonna make me restrain you again?”
She drew in a sharp breath, and it cut through her chest in the worst way. She screamed until the pain stole her breath, and she blacked out.
CHAPTER THREE
FOR THE SECOND time, Bambi woke in an unfamiliar room and had to remind herself where she was and how she’d landed herself in that situation. The huge man was watching her, and she had no idea whether she’d been out for minutes or hours.
Days?
She hadn’t been restrained again, which she took as a good sign. She wasn’t dressed though, which wasn’t great information. The thick woolen blanket scratched her body where it came in contact with her skin.
“How are you feeling? You passed out again.”
After another assessment of her body, she groaned. “Tired. Sore. Like I’ve been hit by a Mack truck.”
“I don’t think it was a Mack, but I do think you got hit by something. Can’t think of no other reason you’d have the injuries you do.”
Bambi nodded as she recalled the car. “I think you’re right there.”
“Name’s Samson, by the way.” He offered her a friendly smile, and once more she found herself running through his appearance and demeanor, trying to decide whether she was safe or he was crazy.
She touched her chest. “Bambi.”
“Pleased to meet you, Bambi. I’ll be back in a short while.” With the words, he left her alone.
Taking things slowly, she pushed herself up into a seated position. Her ribs still screamed at the motion, and her heart raced with the effort it took to sit upright. She leaned back a little, trying to ease some of the pressure and fight the rising darkness. Her stomach churned. How long had it been since she’d eaten?
She rolled onto her side, hoping to stand, but the agony overwhelmed her again, and she fell back against the bed. Dropping her head against the hard pillow, she gave up and waited for Samson to return. Maybe this time, he’d have some answers for her.
Samson had been gone for a while before Bambi heard footsteps coming back toward the room. She was uncertain whether she could trust him or not, but it didn’t matter. She had to rely on him for the moment at least.
Bambi sniffed the air again. New scents swirled around her. The aromas of cooking that had been faint before bursting to life with the flavor of herbs and spices. They delighted the back of her throat and enticed her stomach. Once more, the question of how long it had been since she’d eaten anything tickled her mind.
“I’ve got soup,” Samson said, as he pushed through the door backward. A steaming bowl and a small loaf of campfire bread sat on a wooden tray between his large hands.
As she inhaled deeply, the flavors took on a more sinister hue.
“You must be starving,” Samson added. “You should eat.”
“W-what is it?”
“A family recipe.” He grinned widely at her. “Venison stew.”
She gagged at the thought.
“Caught the deer myself.” His grin proved how proud he was of that. “Just like my pa showed me.”
Pressing her hand over her mouth, she willed herself not to vomit. No doubt Samson thought he was helping, but the notion of that food twisted her gut. Was that someone—some deer—she knew? None of the others in the local area were shifters, at least not to her knowledge, but that didn’t make them offer less companionship to her when she allowed nature to call her home.
With one hand still firmly in place across her lips, she shook her head and used her other hand to shoo him away with a gesture.
With a frown, he took a step backward, moving into the doorframe. “Aren’t you hungry?”
She lifted her hand long enough to squeeze out the word, “Vegetarian.”
It was an excuse she’d discovered early in life to explain away her aversion to meat. It wasn’t that she thought it was wrong per se. Her bear family all indulged in the occasional acts of carnivorism. She just couldn’t. She was a herbivore in both her forms.
Samson’s nose screwed up at her word. “You’re vegetarian? No wonder you don’t have any meat on your bones.” He chuckled at his own joke.
“Can you please just get that out of here?” Bambi asked, holding her nose so that she could get the words out. “Before I lose what precious nutrients I have left.”
Instead of leaving the room, Samson moved closer, placing the tray on the small table beside her. Before she could complain—or vomit—Samson lifted the bowl of soup and left the room. As the putrid scent of death dissipated from around her, it was replaced by the aroma of the fresh campfire bread and melting butter. She closed her eyes and focused on that scent, drawing it deep into her lungs. Her stomach roiled and flipped in celebration of a coming meal, sending out echoing complaints that she wasn’t already feasting.
She reached for the bread, bringing it to her lips. It wouldn’t be enough to keep her satisfied for long, but she needed to eat. How she was still alive if she’d been in and out for the last few days, she didn’t know. Samson must have had managed to get some fluids into her at least.
Samson returned shortly after. “Sorry, I didn’t consider that you might not eat meat.”
“That’s okay. You don’t know me.”
A blush crept over his rounded cheeks. “I’d like to know you though.” He covered the distance to her bed. “I’ve been watching over you while you were in and out.”
Bambi couldn’t hide the shock and disgust on her face. “What?”
“I wanted to make sure you were okay and that you didn’t hurt yourself.” His expression, his demeanor, everything screamed one simple thing. He didn’t see anything wrong with what he’d done. Just like he hadn’t thought it was wrong to restrain her.
What else was he willing to do because he didn’t know it wasn’t socially acceptable?
Feeling newly exposed, Bambi drew the thick blanket around herself. Scratchy material or not, it was far better than having it all on display.
“I didn’t mean no harm.”
Although her heart still rapped against her ribcage, she found herself believing his earnestness. “It’s not something people normally do.”
“You were hurt real bad.”
“Thank you. For helping me, I mean. A lot of people would’ve left me on the road to die.” Or snapped my neck to ease my suffering if I was in my other form. “Maybe you should take me to the hospital now though?”
As he jerked away from her, a frown deepened on Samson’s face. “I ain’t going to town any sooner than necessary.”
Bambi frowned at his refusal. “I have people who will be worried about me. A job I need to go to.”
“No.”
Her lips turned downward, and tears welled in her big eyes. “So I’m your prisoner?”
“Of course not. You can leave whenever you want.”
“Okay. Can I call someone to come get me?” She ran through all of the numbers she knew by heart. The list was small. Most of them were stored in her cell phone, which was back in her apartment because she hadn’t needed it when she’d gone for her frolic.
“I don’t have a telephone.”
“Let me get this straight, I’m free to go whenever I want, but you won’t take me anywhere, I’m too injured to go anywhere, and I can’t call anyone to come to pick me up. So I’m not a prisoner, but I can’t leave either.”
“If you choose to see it that way.”
Bambi wanted to throw her hands in the air and scream at the man; only she was certain it would hurt her far more than was worth it. “It’s not a choice to see it any other way. That’s the way you’re telling me it is.”
He stood and gave her shoulder a gentle pat. “You should get some more rest. Would you like anything?”
“I’d like a hospital. Heck, I’d even settle for their food right now too.”
Samson cracked a small grin. “I can’t help with the hospital—”
You could if you wanted to, Bambi complained silently.
“—but I can bring you some more bread.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, before discovering it was as stupid an idea as throwing her hands in the air. Stupider considering the damage to one of her wrists. “Great. Bread and water. You know, I think they feed actual prisoners better than that these days.”
His eyes flashed with amusement. “But you’re—”
“Not a prisoner,” she cut Samson off. He was getting far too much enjoyment from their conversation. “Yeah, yeah, so you keep saying.”
“You’re the one who won’t believe me.”
“You’re the one who brought me here against my will.”
He scratched his beard. “Not entirely. You did ask me to help you.”
“Well, I’d just been hit by a car. I was hardly in my right frame of mind.”
“That explains some of your other mutterings.”
“Mutterings?” Her stomach twisted. “Like what exactly?”
He shifted his hand to scratch the back of his head. “Well, they didn’t make much sense to me, but you said something about me thumping.”
Bambi choked on her breath at his words. “Thumping?” Or Thumper?
“Something like that. I didn’t understand it myself. Care to explain?”
Her face burned as she shook her head. There was no way she was going to admit to the nickname she gave guys who were good in the sack. Men who could make her bed thump against the wall as they gave her what she needed. “It was nothing, I’m sure. Just some pained ramblings.”
He offered her a friendly smile. “I’m sure you’re right. You should get some sleep. I’ll come back with some fresh bread.”
Although she didn’t want to go back to sleep, there was little else for her to do at that time. Maybe with a little more sleep, she’d be able to outwit Samson. Then maybe she could force him to take her back to civilization sooner.
CHAPTER FOUR
OVER THE NEXT few days, Bambi was unable to escape the room. Samson took care of her needs as best he could—much to her displeasure. She had one win, and that was to get him to bring her some fresh clothes one day. She had no idea where he’d gotten them from, but he came back less than half an hour later with clean, if completely outdated, clothing for her.
He arranged a make-shift bedpan and emptied it regularly. He brought her warm water in a bucket and helped her stay clean. There was an almost constant supply of fresh bread, and on the second day, he even made her a mushroom soup.
“I just want to get up,” Bambi said, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m tired of being stuck here. I’m sick of being sore. I just want a hospital. Drugs. Proper food. My house.”
It wasn’t the first time she’d made the statement, and she figured this complaint would be as meaningless as all of her others. That wasn’t enough to still her tongue though.
“Soon,” he promised. “I’m heading into the city tomorrow. Maybe you can go with me. If you think you’re ready to get outta bed, that is.”
Bambi’s ribs still poked at her side and her leg had a constant ache. She hadn’t tried to stand though. Wasn’t sure she’d be able to with the splint Samson had put on her leg. Her body healed a little faster than any normal humans would, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to test it yet. “I don’t know if I can. Can’t you just carry me to the car?”
“I’m not going to take you back until I know you’re gonna be okay when I leave you at home.”
“I keep telling you, take me to a hospital. They’ll make sure I’m okay.”
“I’ve told you, I won’t be going anywhere near any hospital.”
She huffed. “This is kidnapping. You know that, don’t you?”
“I didn’t kidnap you.” He spoke to her like she was a child. No doubt he was as sick of having the circular conversation as she was, but she didn’t want to give up.
“Well, if not kidnapping, it’s at least false imprisonment.”
“You can go if you like.”
“Except I can’t walk so I can’t go anywhere. Can’t call anyone. Can’t do anything!” She thumped her hands on either side of her. Seconds after the action, she discovered it was a terrible idea. A shooting pain ran across her chest and stabbed at her lungs. A deep ache burned in her healing leg.
Samson remained silent and watched her for a few minutes. It was even more disconcerting than him arguing with her.
She wanted to scream at him to talk to her. To say something, even if it was just another one of his godawful excuses.
After a moment, he grinned. “Let’s get you outside.” He’d barely finished the sentence when he stepped forward and scooped her up into his arms.
“Put me down!” Bambi squealed, but she didn’t dare kick or fight back in case he lost his grip and dropped her.
“There’s no pleasing you.” Without stopping, Samson carried her through the door.
Bambi’s complaints died on her lips as they passed through the main room of the house. Well, cabin. That was certainly a more accurate description.
Even that word might have been overselling its size. The “main” room was barely bigger than the bedroom where she’d been sleeping, and there was no bathroom. The kitchen was a sink and a counter in one corner of the main room. The scent of smoke reached Bambi from outside, so he must have done most of his cooking out there. A makeshift bed comprising of a blanket and an old jacket filled with leaves for a pillow sat in the middle of the main room.
She turned her head toward Samson. “Is that where you’re sleeping?”
He didn’t answer her, but a pink coloring crept over his cheeks.
Bambi softened her approach. “You know it’d be easier if you took me back to the city, don’t you? That way you could have your bed back, and I’d be out of your hair. You could even leave me on the hospital steps anonymously if you like. I’m okay enough to get by from there. I wouldn’t tell anyone about you.”
As she’d spoken, he’d walked out of his cabin. Not a single sound left his lips, and he didn’t set her down as they passed through the small clearing someone had hewn along the front of the cabin. Just like she’d imagined, there was a fire pit in the clearing and a pot hanging over that. From the smells emanating from within, she could only assume he’d put on a fresh batch of the mushroom soup. Or he had made a big enough batch to leave it simmering for a while—ready whenever she wanted it.
The idea that he was using what might be his only food preparation equipment to make her vegetarian meals was rather sweet.
It didn’t make up for the fact that he had kidnapped her.
Even if he had apparently done it to help her and only at her request.
W
hen Samson continued to walk well past the entrance to the woods, Bambi’s instincts reared up and demanded attention. Maybe he was sick of all her arguing, and now he was going to make her pay for it with her life.
Swallowing hard, she glanced around her as best as she could without wiggling free of Samson’s arms. He didn’t appear to have a weapon, but his size alone would’ve been enough of a weapon against her.
“Where are you taking me?” Bambi’s voice was a quiver as the question left her lips.
Samson didn’t respond.
Bambi’s heart beat faster.
CHAPTER FIVE
THEY WERE A good dozen yards into the forest before Samson stopped and set Bambi down on an old fallen tree.
Despite everything, being in the forest, and out of Samson’s arms, set the wild animal within Bambi at ease. Her deer spirit longed to be freed. It had been almost a week since she’d transformed, and her skin felt tight around her.
Trying to distract herself from the itchy thought, she closed her eyes and turned her face up to the forest canopy. With the slight breeze on her face, she was able to breathe easier. Her nose twitched, and she was overwhelmed with scents. All she wanted to do was transform and bound off into the forest. She couldn’t take that risk though. Either her damaged leg would hinder her, and she’d do more damage to herself, or Samson would catch sight of her transformation and have his entire world shifted.
“You look happy.” Samson sat beside her.
“I suppose I am. Happier than being stuck in a bed at least.”
“I’m glad.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes. Bambi let her deer as close to the surface as she dared. Her ears pricked, and her senses turned to everything around her.
“Can I ask a question?” Samson’s voice cut through her thoughts, startling her.
“What were you doing out on the road anyway?”
She chuckled. The illusion of freedom afforded by the outside atmosphere had put her in a better mood. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“Try me.”
