by Cora Blu
“Can you swim?”
The branch shook after she smacked it. “I knew you had that nasty water in mind.”
“You can’t swim?”
“I can swim.” She fumbled through her bag, “Let me put my laptop in a Ziploc bag.”
“You carry your laptop in a Ziploc bag?” He smirked and looked down. She followed his gaze. The wolves stopped jumping and two slept against the trunk. The others walked off an hour ago.
“I keep my toiletries in a Ziploc.” She unzipped her bag, dumped the contents of the storage bag, lose in the duffle. Sliding her laptop and extra battery inside the plastic bag, she turned to see Seth’s amazed stare. “You’d have starved and reeked of sludge if not for my baggies of shampoo and snacks earlier, Mister.”
“Wow, that’s all I can say is, wow.”
Another hour before the wolves moved on and they made their way down out the tree and to the water’s edge.
“Tell me again why we’re taking the water instead of just walking around.”
“You wanna run into the dogs again with your knee like that?” He angled a glance at her leg.
“Wolves,” she poked at him. “Not dogs.” She heated under the thick atmosphere forming between them.
“Like I was saying, the house is on the other side of the hill which is across the water.”
She inhaled and then blew it out. The thought of swimming through icy water did not appeal to her. Fortunate the temperature kept things living in the water close to dormant this early in the season.
He handed her his matches and wallet. “Fit these in your Ziploc.”
In silence, they crossed the path covered in raised tree roots down to the shallow end of the water, keeping an eye out for the wolves to return. The wolves’ scent was unmistakable, musky.
Seth took his bag from her shoulders and hitched it up on his. He said nothing as he turned and started walking again. “Keep moving. The sun will be up soon and this snow will turn to rain.”
“What’s eating you? You’ve been barking at me all night.” She favored her bruised knee, eyeing the ground following the lake’s edge.
“The hiking cabin is not that far, once we’re over the hill. By lunch we should see the top. ”
“Stop,” she ordered, fists planted on her hips. “What did I say wrong?”
“Watch your step close to the water’s edge. The ground is soft,” he warned. She knew something bothered him, but didn’t push. The next few hours passed in silence. Stepping over rocks and brambles, they walked in silence. Seth looped an arm around her waist when they came to unsteady or uneven ground. However much his mind was distracted, he would stop every so often to check her knee. In the dark he touched her face with a gentle stroke after removing his gloves. Rubbing warm hands over her neck beneath her collar after a two-minute stop, they continued up the hill.
She could see herself camping with him back home. Canoeing the Ausable River, fly-fishing early in the morning.
Simone almost forgot they had strangers on their trail as the early morning darkness began to lift.
A flock of birds flew by and not one landed by the water, which struck her as odd.
“Seth…” she said, but a crackling sound interrupted any more words. She peered into the dark woods and something stirred low to the ground.
“Keep walking, Sim, it’s not…” He paused to sniff the air. “Do you smell that?” They both stared at the moving branches in the brush.
“Shh,” she warned, slipping the bow from her back.
“Sim, don’t waste time with that, you’ll…” He stopped, stood transfixed as arrows left the bow one after another. The wolf closest fell forward, an arrow high up on its shoulder before a second arrow pierced the smaller wolf circling its hind leg. Yaps and whining from the injured wolves drove the others into the woods. Two injured from their pack limped to the forest edge and laid on the ground in the dead grass, peeking out from under the snow. They were dying.
Simone patted the knife on his hip.
“You keep me alive and I’ll keep you alive,” she said, shoving the bow up on her shoulders. “I normally use a sixty pound pull, this is at least a seventy-five pound pull,” she shot him a quick glance. “I hate killing animals, especially wolves. They were only doing what comes natural and we are in their home. They were so beautiful.”
“Where did you camp as a child, the rain forest?”
“G-i-r-l does not spell helpless,” she said as he pulled her toward the water.
“Get in the water, little elf. Swim over to the other side of the river unless you’re willing to shoot the rest of them.” Their barks and yelps filled the air more a sorrowful whaling now. She’d killed part of their family, a horrible feeling, one she never liked even when hunting.
~~~
Seth was impressed. Her accuracy in shooting gave him a hard-on. She held little fear protecting them back there. And Simone’s powerful strokes through the dark water with her bag pulling at her from behind kept him in a state of arousal. At the shore he gripped her under the arms helped her to her feet. Whoever was behind this was going to pay for putting her through this, he thought. He looked around, getting his bearings making certain they swam in a straight line across the lake. If not they could be walking in the wrong direction. He led her into the woods.
“You impressed the hell out of me out there, lady.” He held her in his arms and covered her mouth with his, blowing warmth down into her body. The wet jacket pulled body heat from her faster than he could warm her. Removing the jacket, he squeezed as much of the water out as he could before slipping it back on her. “The one good thing about these frou-frou coats,” he whispered, “is that they’re easy to squeeze water out of.” He zipped her in the cold, wet material. He kissed her mouth as her teeth chattered, blowing warmth into her face. “I know. It’s cold. You need something on though.”
He set his attention on the woods, sniffing the air. If the wolves had made it around the lake, their scent would be faint on the cold wind.
Simone’s teeth continued to chatter. He found her bare skin beneath the coat, pushing her sweater up and rubbed vigorously over her stomach, bringing heat to her body. Her shivers were violent. He closed his mouth over hers kissing her deep, feeling heat come to her face. He did everything trying to warm her as he fought the cold stabbing all over his own body. Lifting his face from hers, he pushed stray hairs off her face and his eyes took her in her struggling not to shiver. “You did well, Sim. Real good back there. Now we just need to get over that hill and the cabin should be in sight.”
“Find me a fireplace.” Her voice broke under the chattering teeth. “And I’ll sleep under you again—naked.”
That made him smile. “We’ll get you dry…I promise.”
~~~
Clutching Simone’s shivering body beside his, Seth braced on the porch of the cabin for whoever was to answer the door. It could be his brother himself. The brother his mother has mourned for thirty years. Not a day passed that she hadn’t touched the picture over the mantle in his family home, of herself pregnant with twins. Then the picture beside it of her holding one baby, him, disappointment in her eyes.
He moved a quick gaze around the grounds shrouded in the light of early dawn. A barn perched off to the right. The soft whinny of the horses floated out of open doors and the deep bark of the German shepherd protected the stable. Now the horses made sense.
The front door opened. A tall grey-haired man stood with his head tilted. Simone sighed as warm air filtered from the open door.
In thick German, the quite man asked, “Mikhail, what happened, son? Did Harriet kick you? You know she doesn’t like to be riding this early in the morning…” the man trailed off, taking in their appearance. His thin eyebrows rose. “Well? Why do you stand there? You both need warm clothes. Come inside.”
“Sir, I’m not Mikhail. My name is Seth Dragoslava and my friend, Simone Daniels, is from the states. Do you speak English?” The
man’s eyes widened.
“Some. How is it you resemble my Mikhail?” His English badly broken yet understandable.
“May we stand in front of your fireplace?”
He looked chagrinned. “Bitte, treten Sie ein!”
Simone gave Seth a confused look. “He said, ‘Please, come in.’” She nodded a thank you.
“Look at you two. Did you fall into the lake? You say your name is Seth.” He leaned back into the hallway “Anya, come in here. We have some guest in need of help. Bring towels.”
“I’m sorry to show up on your door step this way. Sir, I’m looking for Mr. and Mrs. Shamochernyi.”
“Josef, what is wrong? You say we have guest.” A petite woman came into the room and seeing Seth, she tilted her head as if she saw the difference then changed her mind. “Mikhail, what happened to you?” she frowned. “Did Harriet run you through the lake again? Son, she doesn’t like to be ridden this time of day, you know that. Go get out of those wet clothes before you catch pneumonia,” she protested, dropping a small basket of towels on the tall stool in front of the counter. Red hair with silver streaks tumbled over her petite shoulders as she faced him.
“Anya, honey, that’s not Mikhail,” the man corrected. “Says his name is Seth Dragoslava.”
“Seth is it…” she said, rolling her eyes up to the ceiling and letting them land on Seth. “Tell me you’re not seeing two women at the same time again? Mikhail, how will we get a proper daughter-in-law with you carrying on as a schoolboy?”
Seth let the bags fall from his shoulder and rubbed vigorously up and down Simone’s soggy-sleeved arm. Anya came forward, helping him get Simone before the fireplace.
“Mikhail, you look a rag-a-muffin. If the other guests see you, they’ll think we’re taking in beggars. And look at this frail child here, shivering the curl right out of her hair,” she said.
Seth tightened his grip on Simone as the woman tried to ease her away from him.
“Son, she’ll be fine. Young lady, are you up here with your family?” She waved a hand, as if erasing her first question. “No matter. Come in here by the fire.”
Seth released Simone. She stumbled along behind the woman, who led them into a large kitchen to sit in front of the fireplace. They crouched on the hearth before the glorious flames blazing bright. He lifted her to his lap, tucked her under his chin as she trembled in violent spurts. He removed both their jackets.
“Mr. Shamochernyi, I’m sorry to barge in like this, but we had no choice. I have to speak with you.”
“Have some coffee first.” Anya handed him a large mug, but he waved away the one intended for Simone. She appeared so gentle relying on him. He hadn’t seen that look from a woman in too long. Tipping it to her mouth, his chest warmed as he watched her drink the hot liquid trusting in his care.
“Miss,” Simone stammered twice before they realized she was speaking. “This is asking a lot, but we have no dry clothes after dragging our bags through the lake when the wolves charged us. If I could place a few pieces in the dryer?”
Seth frowned as Anya shook her head and angled a hand out toward them.
“Come with me. I cannot watch you shivering any longer, young woman. There are robes in the guest room down the hall to the right. Get out of those wet clothes at least. Come back out tell us about your parents, young man, and wash your clothes. This way you will have clean dry clothes after you’ve eaten and then have a hot shower.”
“That would be wonderful,” Simone, crooned. “We appreciate it. Thank you.”
“How’s your knee?” Seth asked.
“Tender,” she said.
“Here, put your arm around my neck.” He picked her up and a flash of the two of them in the shower crossed his mind. He grew tight beneath his wet jeans. The vision formed in his mind of her soft and naked body clinging to him. She didn’t deserve this from him, she’d saved his life and all he could think of was what her lips would feel like wrapped around him.
~~~
Dirty but dry, the two of them sat around the fireplace, Simone drinking hot coffee by his side sharing Anya’s delicious sweet, fat pastries. Clean clothes were folded on the kitchen chair. All attention was on him as he told the tale.
“My parents, Larissa and Sergei Dragoslava, were told that my twin died at birth thirty years ago. Two years ago a baby trafficking ring was exposed and both the doctor and attorney involved were finally being brought to justice. Turns out the doctor was the same one who delivered me and my brother. After two years of intense researching, I tracked my brother down to you as his adoptive family. I need to know how you came to adopt Mikhail.”
The older couple’s faces tightened.
“If you are suggesting, young man, that my Anya and I had anything to do with stealing your brother from—”
“Josef.” Anya’s tone held apprehension. “I don’t think he’s accusing us—are you, young man?”
“I’m asking questions and I need answers,” he told them as Simone pressed a hand to his chest, he took her warning.
“I can’t imagine the pain of such a loss for your parents,” Anya said. “We had no knowledge of this.” She looked at her husband, her eyes clouded with unshed tears. “We were told he had been abandoned by his mother. They said she left him at the hospital.” Her face paled. Wadding the hem of her sweater, she set her eyes on each face in the room one by one. Switched to smoothing out the hem of the sweater, down over her hips. She took a breath and appeared to calm herself before blowing it out. “You have to believe that, young man.”
“I need to see record of that adoption,” Seth warned.
“Son, I believe you are accusing my Anya and I of participating in this travesty.” Josef stood tall, his face tight. Seth needed proof it was just that simple.
“Wait,” Simone said. As she pressed her hand along his arm, the warmth penetrated his skin spreading up to his heart. Stroking the pounding muscle until his breathing leveled out. Why could her touch sooth him? “Mr. & Mrs. Shamochernyi, you have been more than hospitable and gracious with your home and time and we appreciate that, but you have to understand Seth’s need for answers.”
“I understand, young lady,” Josef started and his face became blotchy and red as he spoke. “But to come into our home filled with…”
“Take your anger out on me, not Sim,” Seth ordered, angling himself in front of Simone. “Talk to me.” He shot a glance to his right, Simone stood at his side, running her hand along his spine.
“May I say something?” She asked calmly and he allowed her to step before him as he rested his hands on her shoulders
“If it will bring peace to my home, please do,” Anya said.
“Seth’s parents believed their son to have died and now to find he’s alive—there’s going to be a lot of riled emotions and hurt feelings bringing all this to the surface. I’m an outsider and I speak from a limited view, but Seth is doing this for his parents. He isn’t trying to hurt you. He’s watched his mother desperately mourn her baby for years. All he is asking for are answers to ease her minds. Anything you can provide will be more than what his parents have now.”
He’d been holding his breath listening to her speech and blew it out when he noticed his hands massaging her neck.
“Seth,” Josef said. “If she is only a friend, you are missing out on a wonderful woman. I will bring you all the information we have, young man.” Josef turned to his wife, who nodded politely as he left the kitchen.
Seth’s brow rose as Anya waved a hand at him, shooing him from the kitchen. “Go take your shower while I speak with your friend.”
He locked eyes with Simone and she offered a weak lift to the corner of her mouth. Was she seeing the pain he has kept buried inside all these years? Could she sense his desperation to end these thirty years of mourning? Give his mother the only son she’d ever loved—Mikhail? He was no longer looking for approval. He just wanted it over.
~~~
Simone rested
a hip against the kitchen stool. This gave her a great view of Seth leaving the kitchen, scrubbing a hand over his thick wavy hair. He was naked under the thin robe. Each cheek teased her as he moved into the shadow of the short hallway. Visions of his body when she’d undressed him flared behind her eyes. No—she was vulnerable and weak around him. She had to stay focused on getting home and not getting laid. Anya touched her face.
“He will make you a good husband,” Anya whispered next to Simone’s ear handing her a towel from the basket to fold.
“Excuse me?”
The women cantered her face away from Simone, eyes bright and wide. “He doesn’t know you love him, does he?”
“We met yesterday,” Simon said, choking on the words making a mess of folding the rectangle of cotton in her hands. “I’ll admit I’m attracted but not love.”
“Love does not come with a day planner, young lady. There is something happening between you two. Why do you fight it?” she prattled on.
“Mrs. Shamochernyi…”
“Anya.”
“Anya… I’m here on vacation that’s all.”
“Eh—you stare at that man with hunger in your eyes.”
“I do not,” Simone barked in defense.
“Maybe it’s the mole below his left eye you were staring at—hmm,” Anya said and leaned out over the kitchen counter, her face resting on the palm of one hand.
Simone snapped another towel in the air before massacring it instead of folding the square of cotton. “It’s not on the left but the right side in his hair line above his temple,” she corrected Anya and wanted to crawl under the kitchen counter. Why didn’t she just tell her about the mole on the inside of his left bicep, or the small scar on his stomach close to his naval?
“Love, my dear. It only comes along once, maybe twice, in a woman’s lifetime. Take my Josef. We met when I was a young girl, sixteen, going on seventeen. I begged my parents to allow me to go to America after high school.”
“You met Josef in America?” Simone asked setting the laundry basket on the bar stool”
