Lindsay McKenna

by High Country Rebel

“A few,” Talon murmured, running his fingers lightly across the makeshift splint, testing to see that her knee had the support it needed. He lifted his head. “Are you thirsty?”

  Groaning, Cat nodded. “Dying of thirst.”

  Talon pulled out a pint of water and handed it to her. “Drink up.”

  He watched Cat. When she lifted the plastic bottle to her lips, it exposed the slender curve of her throat. A throat he’d kissed, where he’d felt her pulse beneath his lips. He struggled with his own shock of almost losing her. Who would have counted on a grizzly being part of all of this? Talon knew in the spring, the bears were starving, covering many miles in search of food. Cat happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Talon glanced over his shoulder, checking on Zeke. His dog had saved Cat. He looked closely at Zeke but couldn’t find any evidence that the bear had wounded him. His fawn-colored coat was smooth and shining in the low light. The dog was panting heavily, but hell, he’d just taken on an eight-hundred-pound pissed-off grizzly bear. And lived to tell about it. Zeke had been absolutely fearless.

  Cat emptied the entire bottle. She whispered her thanks to Talon, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “Zeke was incredible,” she told Talon. “He saved me.”

  Tucking the empty bottle into his pack, Talon nodded. “He’s a combat assault dog. He’ll take on anything or anyone without any fear.”

  Cat felt tears coming into her eyes again, her emotions seesawing through her. “He’s a hero. I was never so scared, Talon. God, he attacked that bear like it was nothing.”

  Nodding, Talon closed his bag and shrugged it over his shoulders. “Zeke’s good at what he does.” He studied her for a moment, his heart bursting with so many feelings. Sliding his fingers across her cheek, he said, “He just saved the woman I love….” and he leaned forward, his mouth searching, finding hers.

  Cat moaned softly, lifting her hands, sliding them around Talon’s neck as his mouth pressed gently across hers. It was a soft, tender kiss. Not sexual. Just…loving. When Talon eased from her lips, she saw the glitter in his gray eyes. “I love you so much it hurts…” she choked, her chest tight.

  He gave her a faint smile and caressed her pale cheek. “Love shouldn’t hurt, babe. Come on, I’m going to help you to your feet. We need to get up and over this hill and down to the highway below. Cade is sending an ambulance our way.”

  Cat wanted to tell Talon, as he helped her to stand, that her pain was the anguish of thinking she was going to die, never to see him again. She compressed her lips, taking all the weight on her left leg and allowing Talon to slide his arm around her waist. She leaned heavily against him, suddenly feeling weak.

  “Okay?” he asked huskily, kissing her tangled hair.

  “Okay,” she said. As he positioned her hand around his waist, Talon was solid and made it easy for her to limp forward. “This isn’t going to be fast,” she warned him, feeling pain begin in earnest in her knee.

  “It’s all right,” he soothed. “Take your time.” Talon looked over his shoulder and called Zeke, who leaped and swiftly closed the gap between them. Talon pointed toward the hill and gave the dog an order to guard. That meant Zeke would move out in front of them, making sure there were no bears, no humans, anywhere around them as they walked slowly up the hill.

  Cat was grateful for Talon’s patience and strength. As they finally crested the rocky hill, she spotted the highway below. There were no vehicles waiting for them but she knew they were deep into the Grand Teton National Park and it would take time for the ambulance to arrive.

  Talon looked around.

  Cat felt him shift into a different mode. “What are you doing?” she asked in a whisper.

  Talon looked down at her. “Sensing if there’s any enemy around. In this case, Magee. I don’t feel anything and Zeke doesn’t, either.” He moved his chin in the direction of where his dog was operating about twenty feet in front of them, farther down the hill, trotting back and forth, always alert, always looking around.

  “I wish I knew where Magee was,” Cat muttered, feeling raw and vulnerable.

  “Cade called the sheriff in the county above ours and gave them info on your truck and Magee. He thinks he might be slipping away, making a run for it.”

  “God, I hope he’s gone from this area,” she said as she looked down the hill.

  “Did he hurt you?” His breath jammed in his throat for a moment.

  “No. He’s crazy. He never touched me, thank God. He said he wanted to win me back, that I’d get to like him again as we stayed at that cabin.” She shook her head, her voice bitter. “Like I’d ever want that bastard anywhere near me.”

  “I’m glad he thought he could trust you.” Talon grunted as he helped her down a rocky expanse. “You ran out of the cabin when he was distracted?”

  Compressing her lips, clinging tightly to Talon, she said, “Yes. But I was torn. He had a knife, Talon. And I knew he could use it on me if I ran. I wasn’t sure if I shouldn’t stay and try to talk sense into him or run.”

  “It was smarter to run,” Talon said. They were halfway down the hill when he saw Cade Garner drive up and park below them on the berm of the highway. “There’s Cade,” he said.

  More relief sped through Cat. “I’m so afraid Magee is out here lurking around somewhere….”

  “Zeke would pick him up in a heartbeat,” Talon assured her, watching as she carefully lifted her injured knee to hop another foot down the hill.

  “You’re safe, Cat.”

  Breathing hard, winded by the run and the adrenaline starting to leave her system, she groaned, “Not until they find Magee. I’m afraid to go back to the condo. Somehow, he got in. He was waiting for me when I unlocked the door and walked in.”

  Scowling, Talon said, “You’re going to the hospital first.”

  Cade emerged from the black Tahoe cruiser and he quickly took to the hill, reaching them in no time.

  “How are you, Cat?” he asked.

  “I’m alive. That’s what counts.”

  “Let’s stop,” Talon said, looking over at Cade. “Let’s put our hands like a seat beneath her butt. We can carry her down to the cruiser a lot faster.”

  “Good idea.” Cade smiled at Cat. “Ready for a short ride?”

  She nodded. “Thanks…”

  In no time, Cat was sitting in the backseat of the cruiser, waiting for the ambulance to arrive. She kept her right leg straight, protecting the swelling knee. Talon stood near the open door, never far away. He had given Zeke water earlier, the dog lapping it eagerly out of his cupped palms. Cat was amazed at the calm of the dog and his master. If she’d leaped on a grizzly’s back, she sure would be shaken up even now. But Zeke was calm, attentive, his dark brown gaze moving up to check on her occasionally. Talon seemed unruffled, focused and intent, as he and Cade talked.

  The ambulance rolled up, parking behind the cruiser. Just as Talon helped Cat stand, Cade’s radio came alive. Another sheriff’s deputy reported that they’d spotted Magee in her truck.

  Talon listened as he allowed Cat to lean against him. The two fire department paramedics came up with a gurney. As he helped her sit down on it, he said, “I’m going with Cade. We need to get Magee. He’s left the truck on the side of the road and disappeared into the woods. Zeke will find the son of a bitch in a hurry.”

  Cat nodded and lay down. “Please, be careful? Both of you. He has a knife.”

  Talon grimaced and placed a kiss on her brow. “I have a combat assault dog. Zeke will find him and take him down.”

  “But—”

  “Hush,” Talon whispered roughly, taking her hand. “I want you out of here, Cat. Safe. At the hospital.” Talon saw a second cruiser pull up behind the ambulance. “I’ll come and see you as soon as I can. I promise.” And his gaze locked on to hers. He felt Cat’s cold, damp fingers on his. Trying to not sound so gruff, he added, “I love you, Cat. Let these guys take you to the E.R. and then home.”

  *

&nb
sp; CAT’S TRUCK WAS pulled off the road and partially hidden. Shelby Kincaid, who had been driving toward the Yellowstone southern entrance, spotted it with her sharp eyes. As a tracker, she was used to looking for small but telling details. Magee had driven off and put the gray truck into the woods and almost succeeded in camouflaging it. The truck had a flat tire and no spare, so Magee had abandoned it. Shelby was waiting beside the road for them when they pulled up.

  “Hey,” she called, lifting her hand toward Talon. “I see you brought the serious firepower. Your dog.”

  Nodding, Talon had Zeke on a leash. “Yeah, he’ll make short work of this. Let’s get over to the truck. Zeke needs to pick up Magee’s scent and then I’ll unleash him.”

  Cade walked beside Shelby and they followed Talon and Zeke to the truck. Talon opened the door, pointing to the driver’s side of the seat. Zeke leaped up, his front paws on the floorboards, sniffing loudly. He whined and began wagging his tail in excitement.

  “Okay, he’s got the scent,” Talon told them. He called Zeke down and the dog instantly put his nose to the ground, moved quickly around the pickup, straining at the leash, on the scent.

  “I’m going to let him go,” Talon told them over his shoulder. “Get ready to follow him….”

  “But he’ll outrun us by a mile,” Shelby said.

  Talon grinned darkly. “Oh, you’ll hear him, no problem. He’ll find Magee and take him down. The screams will tell us what direction to go. Ready?”

  Cade nodded, drawing his pistol. He glanced over at Shelby, who did the same. “Let him go.”

  “Seek,” Talon ordered his dog. He unsnapped the leash and Zeke leaped forward, moving at top speed, whipping in and around the stands of pine trees, swiftly disappearing.

  “Let’s go,” Talon growled, pulling the Glock from his waistband, digging his toes into the dirt and pine needles.

  Talon moved at top speed, brush whipping past him, swatting at his legs and hips, the pistol held high and ready. He was used to working with his combat dog and could hear Zeke’s explosive breath somewhere out in front of him. He followed the sound without ever seeing his dog. Cade and Shelby were hot on his heels, crashing through the brush right behind him.

  There was a low, snarling growl and Talon knew Zeke had spotted Magee. He couldn’t see anything, the darkness starting to fall around them. The temperature was dropping rapidly, near freezing as he lunged in the direction of the growl. Zeke would not make a sound when he found his victim. He would growl only at the last second, getting the human’s attention, throwing him off guard just before he lunged.

  A man’s startled scream split the air. Talon moved quickly toward the sound. He heard Zeke’s guttural growl, Magee’s yelp of panic. In moments, Talon came upon them. Zeke had a hold of Magee’s left arm, having dragged him down to the ground. The man was striking at Zeke, but the dog refused to release his arm. Zeke was snarling and growling, hauling back on his rear legs, forcing Magee to stay on the ground.

  Talon quickly came around Magee, looking for the knife he carried, which he saw in a sheath on his belt. “Stay down or I’ll let my dog rip your throat out,” he snarled at the man, pulling a pair of flex cuffs from his back pocket.

  Terrorized, Magee stopped struggling.

  “Zeke, sit!” Talon ordered. Zeke released Magee’s arm and sat down nearby. Talon quickly pushed Magee on his belly, jerking his arms behind him. Cade came around and helped him cuff Magee from behind.

  “Wow,” Shelby said, impressed as she put her pistol away. “That’s some serious tracking Zeke did.”

  Talon smiled grimly and stood up. He and Cade hauled Magee to his feet. His left arm was bleeding where Zeke had bitten and held on to him. “Maybe you ought to get a dog for the department.”

  Cade read Magee his Miranda rights as they pushed him toward where the cruisers were parked.

  Shelby nodded and gave Zeke a proud look. “He’s really something special.” And her green eyes danced with mirth. “And so is his owner.”

  Talon felt proud of Zeke, who now obediently walked at his side. Panting heavily, the dog kept his eyes on Magee, always alert, always guarding. Talon reached down and ruffled Zeke’s fur. “Good boy!” Later, he would tussle with Zeke, give him the ball he loved to be rewarded with for doing a good job. Right now, all Talon wanted was to get back to Jackson Hole to the hospital and be with Cat.

  As they walked out of the woods, Talon’s heart and soul were oriented to Cat. She’d been so frightened. Helpless with a knee injury that had made her a target of the grizzly. Thank God for Zeke. Even though he had a shoulder injury that would never improve, his dog had responded magnificently to the bear. Talon patted Zeke’s head, more than grateful to his dog. Zeke had saved him and his team so many times in the past. Now, even though he was no longer in the military, he was still saving lives. A fierce love for Zeke rose in Talon and he caressed the dog’s ears.

  “Shelby,” Cade called after they got Magee into the backseat of his cruiser. “Would you take Talon and Zeke to the hospital?”

  “Will do,” she called.

  Talon opened the rear of the cruiser and Zeke leaped in. Right now, he had to call his mother and let her know what had happened. And then put a call in to the McPhersons. Talon knew they would be worried sick. At least these calls he’d make would have a happy ending. All he wanted was to be at Cat’s side, be there for her. He loved her, and Talon was going to make sure she knew it in every way possible.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  TALON WATCHED CAT come out from beneath the anesthesia after her knee operation. He stood by her bed in the private room at the hospital, his hand around her cooler one. “Welcome back to the real world,” he teased, giving her a tender smile. She’d undergone a one-hour operation to repair the torn meniscus in her right knee.

  “Hey,” she mumbled, feeling his warm, strong fingers around hers. “Are you okay?”

  “Never better,” Talon promised, leaning down, lightly kissing her lips. This was all he wanted: Cat. As he eased away, he could see her trying to smile, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. He held her eyes, the pupils large, rimmed with blue. “Cat? I love you. Just hold on to that, okay?”

  She heard the thickening of his voice, the barely withheld emotions behind his words. “I love you, too, Talon.” She frowned, closed her eyes and then felt more of the drug leaving her, her thoughts more lucid. Obviously, he was anxious, though his face remained unreadable. She knew he cared. His hand was wrapped around hers and the way he looked at her told Cat everything. “Did they find Magee?”

  Talon straightened and smiled. “Zeke found him. Cade Garner brought him over here earlier while you were in surgery to get his arm medically taken care of. Now Magee’s in jail without bail.” He saw the relief come to Cat’s wan face.

  “Is Zeke okay?”

  “He’s a happy dog. He got to take down a bad guy.”

  Cat managed a half smile. “Ugh, I feel so dopey….”

  “Jordana McPherson was just in here to check on you. She said the orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Lyons, did a good job on your knee. Said it would take about an hour for you to feel normal after coming out from under the anesthesia. Can I get you anything?”

  Cat felt the dressing around her right leg. “No…I’m okay. Just glad to wake up and see you here. Glad Zeke’s okay, too.” Her heart opened wide to Talon. He loved her. He was here. “Guess it’s your turn to take care of me for a while,” she teased, her voice hoarse sounding.

  “I wouldn’t want it to be any other way, babe.” Already Talon could see her eyes beginning to clear and he drew in a deep sigh of relief. “Gus, Griff and Val sat out in the surgery lobby holding space for you during your operation. The doctor told them your surgery was a success and you were fine. They just left to drive back to the ranch once you were in recovery.”

  Nodding, Cat said, “That was so nice of them. And Sandy? Did you call her?”

  “I did. We were all worried abou
t you, Cat. Matt and Casey Sinclaire were in the surgery lounge when I arrived. They were holding guard for you, too, until I could make it back here to be with you.”

  Smiling softly, Cat whispered, “I have the best friends.”

  “They’re like family to you,” Talon told her gently. And, indeed, they really were. “Matt said you’ll be getting six weeks of medical leave because of your knee injury. Told me to tell you to call him when you felt up to it. Casey wanted to know if she could be of help at your condo, if you needed anything cleaned or errands run.”

  “They’re wonderful friends.”

  Talon grazed her cheek, seeing a tinge of pink coming back to them. “I told them we were living together and thanked them but that I’d be doing the cleaning of the house and any other errands you might need run.” Because, unless Cat said differently, Talon was not leaving her side again. He’d nearly lost her.

  “I like the sound of that,” Cat admitted softly.

  The door opened. Jordana peeked in. “Hey, you’re awake!” She walked in, hands in her lab coat, the stethoscope around her neck. “Welcome back to the world of the living, Cat.” She nodded hello to Talon and then walked over to Cat. “How’s that knee feeling? Any pain?”

  Cat was grateful when Jordana brought the bed up into a slightly sitting position for her. “It’s a bit cranky, but no real pain.”

  “Good,” Jordana murmured. “Dr. Lyons will be by shortly.”

  “The surgery didn’t take long,” Cat said, moving her hand over the light pink blanket over her knee.

  “It doesn’t. The good news is, once you feel like your old self again, you’ll be discharged from the hospital. You can go home.”

  “That’s great. I hate hospitals.” And then Cat gave Jordana an apologetic look. “Not the people. Just being in a hospital.”

  Patting her hand, Jordana grinned. “I understand. In the meantime, no work for six weeks. Dr. Lyons and I can go over what you can and can’t do.”

  “Six weeks,” Cat muttered. “God, I won’t know what to do with myself.”