“From a woman?” Kael sounded like a positive answer would confirm her worst fears.
“Yes, I think so,” Anna said.
Elin shuddered. “Do you think we could get going, you guys? This is really creeping me out.”
Kael stepped over and rested a hand on Elin’s shoulder. “Yeah, we’ll go, sweet girl. I want to put some distance between us and whatever happened here, for sure.”
Anna took Elin’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Why don’t you tell me more about Led Zeppelin, baby? I’m interested in what you were saying.”
She accepted a look of quiet gratitude from Kael before turning her back on the dead man. Though she would never have admitted it out loud, Anna was just as creeped out as her innocent lover and just as eager to escape from the ominous air of the stranger’s final resting place.
Behind them, Kael sighed deeply. “Let’s be extra careful today, okay, girls?”
Elin’s scream echoed throughout the forest.
“Kael! Help me! Anna, please!”
Anna scrambled to her feet, unsheathing her hunting knife, and immediately took off in a fast run.
Something is really wrong. She wondered why Elin wasn’t using the distress whistle. Where was Kael? She was out practicing with the bow and arrow, but she had to be within earshot. That was the cardinal rule when they enjoyed time alone.
Anna broke through the trees into the clearing where they’d set up camp for the night. She gasped as a large black bear lunged toward Elin, who stood in front of the fire, her hands raised in feeble supplication.
The bear grunted and swiped at her. Elin stumbled backwards over the flames where their rabbits were spitted and came down hard in the embers, one hand trying to brace her fall.
“Elin!” Anna raised her knife intending to release it in a deadly arc toward the bear, but at the last moment she froze in fear. What if I hurt her? What if I just make that thing more aggressive?
Elin scrabbled backwards out of the fire and continued crawling away on her hands and knees. The bear followed and seized her lower leg in its powerful jaw. Elin threw her head back and released a bone-chilling scream.
Without a second thought, Anna raised both hands high in the air so she’d look larger than she was and released an enraged noise as she stomped through the clearing in an attempt to intimidate the animal. “Get the fuck away from her, you piece of shit!”
The bear released Elin and backed up a few steps, growling and baring its teeth. Whimpering, Elin crawled cautiously away. Hands still held high, Anna started a slow advance toward the bear. “Get outta here!” she yelled, furious at the dark blood that stained the torn denim at Elin’s calf.
With a loud growl, the bear reared up and stood on its hind legs. Anna steeled her nerve and willed her feet to stay planted on the ground. If you run, it’s all over.
As she tried to weigh her dwindling options, a fast-moving object whistled through the air from her left. An arrow struck home deep in the center of the bear’s throat. Twisting away, it made a strange whining noise of pain and fell to the ground. Anna swiveled to see Kael among the trees at the far side of the campsite, her face pale and drawn, compound bow with a fresh arrow nocked still held in front of her body.
Anna dropped to her knees beside Elin’s prone body, gasping at the sight of Elin’s mangled leg, visible through her ripped and bloody jeans.
“Fucking piece of—” Kael stalked across the campsite toward the fallen bear. The steel of her blade hummed as she dropped the bow and pulled her sword from its sheath. She advanced on the bear and finished him off quickly and cleanly.
Anna looked into Elin’s frightened hazel eyes. “Baby, you’re going to be okay,” she said, even before she had a chance to examine the extent of the injuries. Her gaze dropped to the reddened hand that Elin clutched to her stomach. “Do you think you’re badly burned?”
Fat tears rolled down her pale face. “I really fucked up. I can’t believe he bit me!” Elin rolled onto her back, sobbing and writhing in pain.
As Anna cut away Elin’s torn jeans, Kael ran to them and dropped to her knees.
“Oh my God. Oh my God.”
At the panicked horror of Kael’s words, Elin looked up through her tears. “I’m sorry, Kael. He just came at me. I…I never—”
“It’s okay,” Anna said as calmly as she could. “It wasn’t your fault. I’ve never seen a black bear so aggressive before.” She took Elin’s ankle in gentle hands and met Kael’s eyes, willing her to re-focus.
“Kael. She’s going to be okay, but we need to stop the bleeding and make sure that nothing is broken.
Bring me some cold water. I want to rinse off my hands before I touch this bite. Get Elin’s bag, too. We need bandages and something for burns. I think she has aloe.”
They worked in silence, their breathing the only sound beyond the occasional chirp of a distant bird and the buzzing of nearby mosquitoes. Anna was so intent on stopping the flow of blood from Elin’s wounds that she barely noticed an insect landing on her ear. Elin lay deathly still on the ground, except for shallow, anxious breaths.
Anna studied her face as she kept pressure on the leg wound. Elin’s lips were bluish, and her forehead shone with sweat. “I’m afraid she’s going into shock,” she murmured to Kael.
Kael grew even paler, if possible. “What can we do about that?”
Anna chewed on her lip. Beg whoever’s listening that she’ll be okay. “We need to treat these injuries and keep her warm and comfortable. I’m not sure that there’s much more we can do out here.”
Kael gently probed at Elin’s wrist and winced when Elin cried out in pain. “Besides the burn, I think it’s sprained. It doesn’t feel broken, but if it’s hairline…”
Elin’s breathing grew more labored, and she brought her uninjured hand to her stomach. “I feel sick. I almost wish I could pass out—” Her whole body tensed as Anna began wrapping the injured leg in bandages. “Am I gonna lose it?”
Anna managed to smile even as she worried about the fogginess of Elin’s gaze. “You’re going to be fine, sweet girl. It’s going to hurt like hell for a while, I won’t lie to you, but we’re going to get you back to as good as new.”
Kael placed Elin’s gauze-wrapped hand on her stomach with care. “I want to elevate that wrist as much as possible. Let me just—” She leaned her backpack against Elin’s. When she had a suitable arrangement, she helped Elin rest her bandaged hand on top. “I’m sorry I can’t do more.”
“Elin, do you have something to help you sleep?” Anna finished bandaging Elin’s calf and pulled back, disgusted by the dried blood that stuck to her hands. “In your bag?”
Elin’s forehead crinkled in deep thought. “Um…” She blinked, looking confused. “Melatonin? I think. Green bottle.” Her words were soft, slurred. “I don’t know if I’ll need it.”
Anna took Elin’s uninjured hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Just in case you do. I don’t want to move you very much, but maybe we can get you to a sleeping bag.”
Kael pulled a green bottle from Elin’s bag and gave Anna a brief nod. “I’ll lay out her sleeping bag on the closest level spot, then help you move her over.”
“Thanks, Kael.”
Elin gazed up at Anna in distress. “I’m sorry.”
Winding silky auburn hair around her fingers, Anna murmured, “Baby, don’t be. You didn’t ask for that bear to attack you. This isn’t your fault.”
“But how am I going to travel? How are you—”
Anna leaned over and, with excruciating care, planted a loving kiss on Elin’s lips. “Hush, baby. Let me and Kael worry about that, okay? You just worry about resting and healing.”
Kael crouched beside Elin’s prone body. “You listen to her, sweet girl. Don’t worry about a thing. We’re going to take care of this, and you’re going to be just fine.”
Elin nodded. “Okay. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Anna and Kael replied
, almost in unison.
With incredible caution they positioned themselves so they could lift Elin’s body one foot or so from the ground. They carried her to the sleeping bag Kael had laid out, settling her as gently as possible. Still, Elin groaned in pain.
“Sorry, little one,” Kael murmured.
“Elin, do we have anything for pain?” Anna asked.
Elin shook her head, and fresh tears leaked from her eyes. “Not really.”
Anna stroked Elin’s forehead tenderly. “Close your eyes, baby girl. Kael and I will take care of you. Just try to sleep now.”
Elin turned her head to the side and squeezed her eyes shut. She continued to sweat, and Anna watched her chest rise and fall in rapid motion. “So much for…those rabbits,” Elin muttered.
Anna glanced over at the disturbed fire that still smoldered. The spitted rabbits were blackened, charred shapes lying in the embers. “That’s okay.” Anna stroked a cool hand over Elin’s clammy forehead. “I was getting sick of rabbit, anyway.”
Elin grinned, then sighed deeply. Then her mouth lolled open as she fell into uneasy sleep.
“I was too far away.” Kael’s voice was rough with self-loathing. “Goddamn it, I’m always going too far away.”
Anna pulled Kael into a gentle embrace and ran a soothing hand over her shaven head. “You only got back a moment after me, and at least you were able to stop it. I’m the one who watched her fall into the fire and get attacked by that thing. I couldn’t even throw my knife. I was halfway through the motion when I realized I’d only make it madder. I—”
Kael pressed her fingers to Anna’s lips, stopping her words. “You’re good at healing. Thank you for reacting like you did. I just saw that blood and—”
“I know.” Anna blinked back stinging tears and watched her pale lover toss in fitful sleep. “I couldn’t believe it when I saw that thing attacking her. It was crazy.”
Kael’s eyes swam with anguish. “I don’t like seeing her in pain. It tears my heart out. I feel paralyzed by it.”
Anna thought hard. “Didn’t we pass a cannabis field not too far back? I almost suggested we stop and pick a few heads, but— “ Enough. No more “should haves,” she thought. “I’ll hike back and get some.”
“I don’t like you going off alone.”
“We can’t leave Elin. And it’ll help with the pain.”
“Be careful,” Kael said, her voice hoarse with emotion. “How far back is it?”
“A couple of miles.”
Kael looked up at the gray sky. “It’ll be dark before you get back.”
“There’s a full moon. I’ll take matches and a candle, just in case.”
“We need supplies. We need more bandages, and vitamin E, and antibiotics for that bite, and a roof over our heads. While Elin heals.” Rubbing her hands over her scalp in frustration, Kael finished with a resigned sigh. “All right. Get the cannabis. I’m going to study our maps and figure out where we can go. And I’ll figure out dinner, too. We have a whole bear to choose from.”
“It really will be okay, Kael,” Anna said.
Kael stared down at Elin’s pale face. “I know,” she whispered. “It has to be.”
Chapter Eleven
Two city blocks from the looming brick hospital in downtown Owensboro, Kentucky, Kael took an abrupt turn into the entryway of a large office building. The building looked long abandoned, as had every other part of the city they’d seen, but Kael, a silent Elin cradled in her arms, stopped their progress.
“Let me go in first.” She turned to Anna. “Put down your bags and take her from me, will you?”
Anna surveyed Elin with anxiety. While the cannabis did seem to ease her pain, she had spent most of the two-day walk to the city pale and whimpering. Infection was settling into the bite wound, and she was increasingly feverish and sluggish. They couldn’t have arrived in Owensboro at a better time.
“Do you want me to go back to the hospital for supplies?” Anna murmured as Kael worked on the door.
“You must be exhausted. I know you haven’t been sleeping.”
Kael opened the door to the office building and poked her head inside. “I’m fine. I’m going to the hospital, and you’ll stay here with Elin.”
Anna wished she could reach out and touch Kael, but even if she had a free hand, the emotional distance between them since Elin’s injury would have stopped her.
“Fine. Remember, though…bandages, any antiseptics you can find, antibiotics, of course—”
“Anna.” Kael stared at her. “I know what to get. We’ve talked about nothing else for the past forty-eight hours. Trust me, okay?”
Like you trust me? Anna shook off the niggling thought, instead giving Kael an agreeable nod. She lowered her eyes to Elin again and cradled her closer.
“Wait just inside the door,” Kael whispered. “If you hear anything suspicious, I want you to run with Elin and hide. No hesitation, okay? And if anyone approaches—”
“I’ll come get you,” Anna finished. “Don’t worry. I know the drill.”
Grunting in acknowledgement, Kael slipped inside the office building. Anna hung back in the open doorway with Elin securely in her arms. She stared out at the empty city street in front of them, keeping one ear attuned to the interior of the office building.
Kael is right about one thing. Cities are a hell of a lot creepier than the forest. Anna shifted on her feet, gazing at the few abandoned vehicles that were parked along the street. Parking meters lined the sidewalks like silent sentries, and large yellow traffic signals hung, dead, over the intersection to her immediate right. The sounds she was accustomed to hearing—the chirping of birds, the rustling of forest animals—were absent.
Anna dropped her gaze to Elin’s face. “My poor girl,” she whispered close to Elin’s ear. “Once Kael gets back from the hospital, we’ll be able to take care of you the right way.”
They were out of bandages as of yesterday. The vitamin E had run out the first morning of their trip, and the aloe wouldn’t have lasted through another evening of travel. Cannabis was the only thing they had plenty of, because Anna had gathered enough to ensure that Elin wouldn’t have to suffer any more pain than necessary. It was one of the few things she could do for her lover until they gathered more supplies in Owensboro.
“I love you.” Anna touched her lips to Elin’s damp forehead. “I can’t wait to hear you laughing again.”
“Hey, Anna?” Kael tromped down a staircase behind Anna, drawing her attention into the office with her soft words. “I found a great room upstairs. There’s even a couch where she can sleep.”
“Fantastic.” Anna stepped inside and let the door close behind her. “Lead the way.”
Anna pressed her nose into Elin’s hair, inhaling the scent of her lover as Kael went outside for their bags.
Shortly after, Kael walked back in carrying the backpacks, sleeping bags, and medical bag with nonchalant ease, her cool gaze fixed over Anna’s shoulder.
Somehow they made it up the two flights of stairs without waking Elin. Kael led the way through a maze of hallways to a large office. There was an overstuffed leather couch in the corner, obviously dusted off by Kael, and Anna deposited Elin on the cushions with care. Kael set the bags down and came over to plant a soft kiss on Elin’s forehead.
“I’ll be back in a little while.” She straightened with a friendly nod to Anna. “I’ll also look for some water.”
Before she could stop to think about it, Anna reached out and gripped Kael’s muscular bicep. “Be careful.”
For the first time since the night of Elin’s injury, Kael met her gaze with eyes full of naked emotion. Anna could see the bone-deep weariness, the guilt, the fear; she could see a struggle to maintain the distance that had been killing Anna, and for a moment, she thought that the stoic façade might crumble.
Instead, Kael raised one shoulder in a half-shrug. “Take good care of Elin.” Anna let her hand slide down the length of Kael�
�s arm, briefly entangling their fingers. “Of course.” Without another word, Kael left the room and closed the door behind her.
The office was one of the most luxurious places Anna had ever seen. An enormous wood desk sat in front of the windows in the center of the room, a layer of dust obscuring the heavy polish. The couch where Elin rested was positioned at one side, and two bookcases full of binders and various hardcover books flanked walls hung with framed artworks. Between them sat two comfortable-looking leather chairs. Anna got the medical bag and brought it to Elin. She settled on the plushly carpeted floor and dug through Elin’s bag until she found the aloe. She contemplated removing the bandages from Elin’s hand so that she could apply more of the soothing fluid to her burn. I could let it air out for a while. Before Kael gets back. Still, she was loath to wake Elin.
Anna leaned back against the couch, resting her head on the arm with a tired sigh. Closing her eyes for just a moment, she allowed her mind to wander.
That’s a computer on the desk. I wonder what it looks like inside. Maybe I’ll take it apart tonight after Kael gets back. Or maybe I’ll wait until Elin can help me. I bet she’d have a good time with that.
“Anna?”
Anna opened her eyes and gave Elin a surprised smile. “Elin. Baby. How are you feeling?”
“I’ve been better.” Elin blinked at the surroundings. “Where are we?”
“Downtown Owensboro. We got here just a little while ago. Kael went out to the hospital down the road for supplies. He should be back soon, and then I can change your bandages again.”
Elin sat up, alarmed. “The hospital?”
Anna also sat up and faced Elin with a puzzled frown. “Yeah. The hospital. We need more bandages, and antiseptic, and we want to try some antibiotics to deal with the infection in your leg—”
Elin put her uninjured hand to her throat.
Anna laid a soothing hand on Elin’s shoulder and pushed her back against the cushions. “It’s not a big deal. It’s maybe two blocks away. Kael will be fine.”
Elin shook her head and tears rolled down her cheeks. “No, he’s terrified of hospitals. Most of his nightmares…the Eve Institute was housed in an old hospital. He’s so scared of them—”
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