Hurricane Watch - DK2

by Melissa Good

  Dar felt the motion before it happened, a reaction buried deep in her body that twisted her shoulders and sent an elbow into his jaw, slamming him back against the wall with a startled yelp.

  She turned as the other one came for her and nailed him with an overhand right, almost exulting in the sharp sting of impact that traveled up her arm and through her shoulders. He staggered back and she followed, grabbing him by the dirty fabric of his flannel shirt and lifting him up as she shoved him against the door of the main hall.

  He opened his mouth, then looked into her eyes and fell silent, his lip quivering.

  ”You,” Dar sent her voice as low as it would go. ”Are between me—” She kneed him in the groin and watched his eyes roll up into his head. ”And Dairy Queen.”

  She let him drop and he collapsed, grabbing his parts and making a low, whining sound. Dar turned and glared at the two beer guzzlers, who had picked up their rifles and started to hop over the side of the Hurricane Watch

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  truck. She leveled her gaze on them and stalked towards them, her hands flexing and unflexing into fists.

  They stopped in mid motion, one falling over and landing on his head and the other falling back on his ass in the truck bed. The one who had fallen out of the truck scrambled to the driver’s side, pulled the door open and got inside, then hastily started the truck and threw it into gear. He stepped on the gas and it took off, its tires bumping in the dirt and tossing the man in back up and down like a frog on a hot car roof, his desperate yells following the truck’s engine sound out of the camp.

  Dar turned and looked at the man she’d hit first. He crawled out of her sight and off the porch, rolling under it and startling the camp dog, who scooted out barking in outrage. Then her eyes slowly swept up and pinned themselves on Skippy. ”Where’s the bus driver?”

  The girl opened her mouth and closed it several times before any sound came out. ”Oh, uh...I...he's...um...I...”

  ”Find him,” Dar growled.

  ”Yyyyes ma’am.” Skippy fled.

  It was quiet then, only the sound of Kerry’s hiking boots scuffing across the sandy ground broke the silence as the blonde woman crossed the area and hopped up on the porch. ”Well,” she murmured, putting her hands on her hips.

  Dar regarded her wryly. ”Sorry I took off like that. You okay?”

  Kerry pursed her lips and regarded the moaning man on the floor.

  ”Um, yeah, I guess.” She waved the rest of their group forward. ”You all right?”

  Dar leaned back against the wall as their group arrived, giving her wary, respectful looks. ”Yeah, I’m fine, actually,” she remarked. ”I just want some ice cream.” She walked to the bench outside the door and sat down on it, stretching her legs out before her and exhaling.

  Skippy came back, eyeing Dar nervously. ”He’s on his way.”

  ”Good,” Dar said, her eyes closed. ”Do you have first aid stuff here?” She turned her head. ”A sinkhole opened up underneath us.

  Those four got tangled in poison ivy.” She nodded towards Steven, Eleanor, Charles and José, who glared at her.

  ”Uh.” Skippy glanced between them. ”Maybe I’d better call the paramedics.”

  Eleanor gave her an evil look. ”Will they keep us here?”

  ”I...I don’t know, um, probably,” the guide responded weakly.

  ”Just put us on the damn bus,” the Marketing VP snarled. ”My lawyer will do the rest of the talking.”

  ”Mine too,” José chimed in.

  ”I am a lawyer,” Steven added. “And boy, I hope you guys have insurance,” he snapped at her. ”This was disgraceful, not to mention dangerous.”

  ”Yeah.” José grunted.

  ”Hold it.” Kerry stood up and walked between them, seeing that 96

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  Skippy was about to burst into tears. ”Stop yelling at her. It’s not her fault.” She gave the guide a quietly sympathetic look. ”She’s just doing her job.”

  Skippy gave her a tremulous smile. ”Thanks.”

  Kerry grinned warmly back.

  ”Shut up, you whore,” Steven spat disgustedly.

  Kerry turned to look at him, aware of the sudden motion on the peripherals of her vision. ”Excuse me?”

  ”You’re Dar’s whore. We all know it, so just shut up, and go lick her or some—” He never even saw the fist that hit his face, sending a sharp crack across the porch. Steven’s body slid down onto the ground, bonelessly.

  Kerry shook her hand out. ”Ouch.” She winced. ”That hurt like heck.” Everyone was looking at her in shock including Dar, who had stood and started to walk over. ”And for the record. I’m not anyone’s whore.”

  An awkward silence fell. Finally, Skippy cleared her throat. ”Um, would anyone like some cookies?” she offered with desperate cheerfulness. ”We’ve got three kinds, and some juice, while we wait for the bus. I mean, I’ve asked the camp manager to get your things from the cabin, and I, you know, we’ve never had anything like this happen before, and we’re really sorry. Really, really sorry. Can I get you all some juice?”

  Long pause. ”Cookies?” her voice cracked a little.

  Mariana, mercifully, came to her rescue. ”That would be great, and if you have Calamine lotion. I’m sure it wasn’t your fault. Let’s see if we can find some Band-Aids, too.” She ushered Skippy inside the hall as Kerry walked back over and sat down next to Dar, somewhat self-consciously. Her hand hurt like hell and she cradled it in her other one, staring down at the swelling knuckles as though they belonged to someone else.

  Jesus. She’d hit someone. Worse, she’d hit the assistant vice president of marketing for the company she worked for. All over a couple of words. Ashamed, she glanced up at Dar.

  Warm, proud blue eyes gazed back at her, over lips that held a definite, gentle smile.

  ”I shouldn’t have done that,” Kerry whispered.

  ”No, but it’s all right,” Dar told her, deliberately reaching over and taking her hand, examining the bruises carefully. ”That’s going to hurt for a few days.”

  ”Mm.” Kerry absorbed the warmth of her lover’s fingers around hers. ”Looks like yours did that night,” she murmured, glancing around at the rest of the group, who were studiously looking elsewhere. ”This is really messed up.”

  ”Don't worry about it,”

  Dar told her. ”We’ll get through this, trust me.”

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  Liquid green eyes gazed up at her. ”I do.”

  Dar nodded a little reassuringly, then sat back and exhaled, willing that driver to hurry.

  Chapter

  Eight

  IT WAS DARK by the time they headed back after two stops on the road to pick up medical supplies and another stop at Dairy Queen, which gave up not only Dar’s ice cream, but burgers and all the trimmings to the exhausted group. Even Skippy left her perky manner at the camp and joined in, munching her burger in silence, and trying to avoid the baleful stares from the three riders suffering most.

  Steven had remained quiet after he’d woken up, nursing his grievances in moody silence and scratching ceaselessly. Most of his exposed skin, like Eleanor’s, and José’s, was a patchy red and they each took possession of a large bottle of lotion, applying it so thickly they began to resemble creatures from science fiction.

  Mark had reclaimed his Harley and headed back ahead of them, taking Mary Lou with him on the back of the bike. Duks and Mariana were both snoozing, having finished their dinner.

  Dar was sprawled in a seat near the back, biting off pieces of chocolate and licking melting drops of vanilla ice cream with an absorbed expression on her face. Kerry was in the seat across from her, nursing a large hot fudge sundae with extra cherries.

  ”You know something, Dar?” She looked up, sucking on a stem.

  ”Mm?” Blue eyes looked up over the half eaten chocolate bonnet.

  ”Ice cream does make you feel better,” Kerry adm
itted. ”Why is that?”

  Dar nibbled a bit more chocolate. ”I have no idea.” She chewed contentedly. ”And I don’t much care. I just know whenever I’ve felt really lousy an ice cream cone always makes me feel better.”

  ”Mm.” Kerry worked around a mouthful of hot fudge. ”Probably because it’s so bad for you.”

  ”Probably,” Dar agreed, mildly.

  They munched in silence for a moment. ”What’s going to happen Monday?” Kerry finally asked, quietly.

  ”Don’t worry about it,” Her lover replied.

  ”He’s going to make a lot of trouble.” Kerry indicated the front rows of the bus. ”They all are.”

  ”I know. Don’t worry about it,” Dar repeated. ”Let me handle things.” She caught an errant drip of ice cream with an agile tongue.

  ”What’s the worst that can happen? They fire me?”

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  Kerry absorbed that. ”Dar, I...I’d rather just resign, than see you go through all that,” she uttered, very softly.

  ”I don’t want you to do that,” Dar objected instantly. ”Just let me work things out, Kerry. You said you trusted me.”

  ”W...well yeah, I do. I just...” Kerry sighed. ”I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

  A faint smile edged Dar’s lips. ”I’ll be fine. Let’s just forget about it until Monday, all right?”

  Kerry exhaled. ”All right,” she agreed reluctantly. “I’ll just be glad to get back home.”

  “HEY COL.” KERRY watched the traffic carefully as she steered the Lexus down the Rickenbacker causeway. ”We’re back.”

  ”Good grief, girl. What happened?” Colleen burbled from the phone’s receiver. ”You weren’t due back until tomorrow afternoon.”

  ”I know.” Kerry glanced at Dar, who was leaning against the door with half closed eyes. ”We had a little trouble.” Dar had wanted to drive, but Kerry had insisted and now she was very glad. The trip home had been uneventful, with most of them snoozing through the drive and dispersing rapidly as they got to the parking lot of the office.

  ”Oh boy,” the redhead clucked. ”Well, things are fine here. Your puppy’s been an angel, and I’ve just been lounging around watching football on this lovely television,” she told her. ”Did you guys get to eat?””Well, not really,” Kerry responded. ”Hang out. We’ll get something when we get there, or at least I will,” she added. ”Dar’s not really feeling well.”

  ”I’m fine,” Dar mumbled. ”I just have a headache.”

  ”Oh? Okay, I’ll turn on the lights in her room, then.” Colleen’s voice faded a bit as she walked. ”And turn the comforter down. You want me to put up some coffee or something?”

  ”That sounds great,” Kerry agreed. ”We’re about to get on the ferry. See you in fifteen minutes.” She hung up the phone and tucked it away, then steered the car onto the boat and parked it, reaching over and covering Dar’s hand with her own. ”Almost home.”

  ”Kerry, I’m fine.” Blue eyes turned her way. ”Honestly.”

  ”Dar, look, we both know you hate people making a fuss over you, but you’re limping and I know you’re hurting. Would you please save the ‘I’m so tough I could chew circuit boards’ attitude for everyone else?” Kerry scolded her. ”It’s okay not to feel well, for Christ’s sake.”

  Dar slumped against the seat, poking her lower lip out a little.

  ”That’s a very adorable pout, but it doesn’t fool me.” Kerry felt a grin tugging at her lips anyway. ”I think it’d be a good idea for you to change, and lie down. Is that too much to ask?”

  Dar sighed. ”No. No, you’re right.” She rubbed her temples. ”I 100

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  need some aspirin, and an ice pack for this damn knee, and...” She scowled a little “More ice cream.”

  Kerry started up the Lexus as the ferry docked and drove up the ramp, turning at the first turn and heading towards the condo. ”I think we have some mocha chip in the freezer,” she commented wryly.

  ”Though you might want to think about at least having a grilled cheese sandwich or something with that.”

  ”Ugh.” Dar winced. ”No. I...my stomach’s just not in the mood for that. I just want some ice cream.”

  Kerry parked the car and got out, popping the trunk and grabbing both of their bags. “Okay. I hear you.”

  Dar eyed her. “I’m being an idiot,” she acknowledged. “Humor me.”“I am. C’mon.” Kerry waited for Dar to join her at the steps and just kept herself from grabbing Dar’s arm as she limped up them. ”Got a little stiff, huh?” she commented offhandedly.

  ”Yeah,” Dar admitted, reluctantly. “Hurts like hell.”

  “Uh huh.”

  They both paused at the landing before going up the last set of steps, and looked at each other. Kerry wasn’t sure later which one of them moved first, but somehow she’d gotten her arm around Dar’s back, and Dar had put her longer arm across Kerry’s shoulders, in a quiet surrender that surprised both of them.

  ”Thanks,” Dar said.

  ”Anytime,” Kerry replied as she helped her up the stairs. The door opened as they got to it, and Colleen’s friendly greeting cut off in a spate of outraged Irish tainted expletives when she saw her friend’s condition.

  ”Good Mary and Joseph, Kerry. What in the hell did you two do to yourselves?” Colleen held on to the wriggling Chino and backed up to let them in. ”What happened to your hand? And you’re limping, Dar?”

  ”It’s a long story,” Kerry sighed as she helped Dar into her room.

  ”Let me get things settled, and I’ll tell you the sordid tale.”

  Dar leaned against the wall and let her head thump back, shifting her weight onto her good leg and working at her belt buckle.

  Kerry gently brushed her hands away and took care of that, freeing the belt then unbuttoning the soft, faded jeans. ”That coffee smells good,” she murmured, sliding the fabric down over Dar’s hips and letting it fall, then tangling her fingers in the soft cotton shirt and leaning forward to nuzzle Dar's chest. ”But you smell better.”

  A soft chuckle. ”Good thing we showered before we left,” Dar remarked wryly as she nibbled an ear. ”Or you certainly wouldn’t have said that.”

  Kerry smiled, kissing her lightly on the lips before she turned her attention to the injured woman’s leg. ”Oh, shit, Dar.”

  Dar exhaled. ”Yeah, swelled up a little, I guess.” She regarded her Hurricane Watch

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  knee in irritation. The skin was swollen and tight over the injury and colored a lurid collection of reds, blues, and purples. She pulled her shirt off over her head and draped it over the chair nearby. ”Can you hand me my shorts?”

  Kerry retrieved her pajamas and handed them over, then knelt and gently touched her lover’s knee, which was slightly flexed as Dar kept her weight off of it. ”Dar, this looks really bad.” She glanced up, irreverantly enjoying the view. ”I think you should get it checked out.”

  ”Nah,” Dar disagreed. ”It'll be okay tomorrow, just needs a little rest.” She winced as she bent her leg enough to get her shorts on over the bad leg, then almost went down as she put her weight on it to get the other shorts leg on.

  ”Dar—” Kerry stood quickly and grabbed her, supporting her until she could manage to stand upright. ”Now you look here,” she snapped, reaching down and pulling her lover’s shorts up, then snapping the waistband to get her attention. ”That is not going to be okay.

  Tomorrow, you’re going to call Dr. Steve.”

  ”C’mon, Kerry, it’s not—” Dar stopped, as a white hot bolt of pain ran through her and her jaw clenched. She waited a moment for the stars to stop spinning around her head and sighed. ”Okay, maybe it is.”

  A gentle hand patted her belly. ”Good girl.”

  ”I’m not going to the hospital,” Dar warned. ”I hate them.”

  ”I know.” Kerry quirked a grin. ”Let’s see what Dr. Steve says.

/>   Maybe he can take you first thing Monday morning at his office, hm?”

  ”Monday’s out of the question. We’ve got too much stuff going on,”

  Dar countered.

  ”Dar.” Kerry gave her a look. ”All right, we’ll talk him into meeting us at the office tomorrow then.” She gave her lover a triumphant smirk.

  ”I’m sure he’ll do that for you.”

  Yeah, he probably would. Dar grumpily concurred. ”Well, we’ll see.”

  She twitched her shirt a little straighter. ”Maybe it’ll be okay tomorrow.”

  Just like a little kid. Kerry put an arm around her waist and hugged her gently. ”Come on, into bed.”

  Dar resisted the tug. ”I’d rather sit out in the living room for a bit, just to relax,” she objected. ”Besides, it’s hard to eat ice cream lying down.”

  Kerry started laughing. ”You do have a one track mind sometimes, you know that?” She relented. ”Okay. You can listen to me tell our sad story, and I’ll get you some darn ice cream.”

  Dar allowed herself to be assisted into the living room, one long arm draped over Kerry’s shoulder. ”I like listening to you tell stories,”

  she commented. ”You know that.”

  ”Huh?” Kerry glanced up. ”What do you mean?”

  Dar fell silent, considering her words. ”I don’t know. I think I need that coffee,” she finally muttered in consternation, glancing over to see 102

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  Colleen reappearing from the kitchen. ”Thanks, Colleen.” She sat down on the couch and Chino stumbled over, climbing onto her feet and whining. ”Okay, okay.” She leaned over and picked the puppy up, suffering the tiny claws and enthusiastic tongue.

  Colleen put a tray of coffee cups down and stared at Dar’s knee.

  ”Jesus and Mary, you look like you were playing rugby or something.”

  She sat down and handed cups around. ”So what happened?”

  Chino wriggled loose and went over to greet Kerry, nuzzling her arm until she picked the puppy up and cuddled it. ”Hey puppy, did you miss us?”

  Chino yawned, making a squeaking noise, then nibbled on Kerry’s arm as the blonde woman tickled her tummy.