by Jane Jamison
Shay punched the buttons on her phone. The past grueling days were over, and she couldn’t wait to get home to Passion.
“Hello? Is that you, you skinny bitch?”
As it usually did whenever she spoke to Tatum, a smile formed on her face. She could envision her friend’s long brown hair, hazel eyes, and the freckles that skimmed over the bridge of her nose. Yet, even though she hadn’t seen her friend for months, she could sense that Tatum had changed. The shy girl with the large glasses and oversized clothes was gone. Since meeting the three Shelton brothers, Tatum had transformed, abruptly changing into a confident, sexy young woman. She didn’t have to see her friend to know it was true. She could hear it in her voice.
“Yeah, it’s me. The Bitch of the West. Although skinny I’m not.”
“Bitch in name only. Shay, where the hell are you anyway? I expected you back home by now. Or did you find a hot California surfer dude to hook up with?”
She couldn’t blame her friend for jumping to that assumption. If she’d found a hot surfer dude, she wouldn’t have hesitated to stay on to enjoy both him and the beach. As far as Shay was concerned, life was for fun, and she wasn’t going to miss a single second. Although she knew she wasn’t what most people would call beautiful, she could hold her own with men. In fact, she was sure that most of them preferred a woman with curves instead of the flat-chested, bony bitches the advertising world inflicted on society. She had generous breasts and was damn proud of it, flaunting her “girls” with low-cut tops every time she got the chance. Her face wasn’t classically attractive with her wide forehead and her round face, but she thought she looked intelligent and yet still approachable, forming a combination that most men liked.
Shay had led a charmed life. The only daughter of doting, wealthy parents, she’d had everything she’d ever wanted. If she lived two lifetimes, she couldn’t spend all the money in her trust fund. Yet, according to everyone who knew her, she’d remained unspoiled, caring, and giving. And ready to play on the wild side of life as often as she could.
She’d tried to find a place to settle in during her long trek around California, but no place had ever come close to feeling like home. How she’d ever thought she could find a better place to live than Passion, Colorado, she’d never know. She missed the artsy, eclectic community where billionaires like her parents mixed easily with starving artists and the tourists who flocked to the small town in the summer months. Passion had its share of the eccentric, too, and there were even rumors that supernatural beings such as werewolves and vampires lived in and around the town. She’d seen a few things in her life to make her think that the rumors might be true.
“Shay, are you there?”
“Yeah, I’m still here. But no such luck about the man thing. I, um, took a detour.”
“A detour? Where to?”
“To a friend’s house.” She’d tell Tatum what happened at Willa’s home, but not over the phone. Some things needed to be told in person. “But I’m leaving today. I should get to Passion in a couple of days.”
“You mean unless another detour pops up.”
Shay laughed for the first time since she’d arrived at Willa’s. “Well, you know what I always say. If opportunity knocks, open the damn door.”
“Yeah, I know. Okay, then. But I expect you to call me the minute you get back into town.”
“I promise. Make sure those three men of yours are ready for an interrogation. If I think they’re good enough for you, I might let you keep them.”
Tatum’s laugh was bright and cheery, sending Shay the warmth she needed. “Girl, no one’s taking my men away from me. Not even you.”
“Okay, now I’ve really got to meet them. They must be super special.”
“You don’t know the half of it. Drive carefully and be safe.”
“Got it. Check you soon, Tee.” She punched the off button and snatched up her suitcase. “I can’t wait to get the hell out of here.”
She swung by the front desk, dropped off the key, then hurried to her car.
Shay scraped off the mound of snow that had accumulated on her hood and windshield as she let her Porsche warm up. The snow had started coming down in large, white flakes, adding to the inch of wet stuff already making the road hazardous to drive. She’d never liked driving in less than favorable conditions, and each trip she’d made between Willa’s home, the hospital, and her motel had shaken her nerves. She hated winding around the hillside with the sharp drop off the side only a half foot from the edge of her wheels, but at least she’d only have to do it once more. However, with the extra inches of powder added, the drive down would be even harder.
She checked the position of the sun heading toward the western horizon then looked at her phone for the time. Leaving in midafternoon gave her plenty of cushion to make it down the mountain before nightfall set in.
Or at least that’s what she hoped.
She slipped into the driver’s side and cranked up the heater. Not for the first time, she wished she’d left her car in a city at the base of the mountain range and rented a pickup or Jeep with snow chains for the trip to Willa’s. But she’d wanted to get to her friend as fast as possible.
“I can do this. All I have to do is take it slow and easy.” She’d managed other roads during storms and less than desirable conditions, and she’d manage this one, too. Pulling away from the motel, she glanced back once and sent good thoughts to her friends still recuperating in the hospital.
Ten minutes later, she’d relaxed enough to sing along with the Pink CD she’d popped into the player. The edge of the mountainside was still too close for comfort, but she kept her gaze on the road ahead and away from the terrifying free fall. Yet no matter how she tried, she couldn’t shake Willa’s ominous warning.
What had she meant? What was the blackness in the woods? For a moment, she was thankful that the road was flanked on one side by the rocky cliff and on the other by the steep drop over the side. No forest meant no blackness, right?
She shrugged off the tension tightening her shoulders and focused on what she’d do once she made it home to Passion. First, she’d check in with friends, especially Tatum. She was dying to meet the men Tee had fallen in love with in such a short time.
Was it love at first sight? She scoffed. She’d never believed in that kind of thing. How could she when she’d never fallen in love at all? Love was a two-sided sword. One day it would bring happiness, and, in the next, it could bring despair and heartache. She had no desire to leave her fun-loving life, free to roam wherever and whenever she wanted.
She slowed down to maneuver around a curve and noticed that she’d reached the part of the road that was bordered on one side by the statuesque trees. Again, she thought of Willa’s words then shoved them out of her mind. Why focus on such dreariness when all was right with the world again?
She let out a sigh then reached over to flip through the stack of CDs on the passenger seat. Grabbing another disc, she punched the player’s eject button, snatched Pink out of the player, and slipped the new one in.
She glanced up, and all hell broke loose.
Like a bear standing on its hind legs, a dark shape stood in the middle of the road, its front legs bent like a dog begging for a bone. A thin neck led to an oval-shaped head and large, elongated red eyes glowed in a face that seemed more alien than human. Flashing long, deadly fangs, the thing leapt out from in front of the car to disappear into the woods.
Shay let out a scream and stomped on the brake, sending the car into a tailspin. She clutched the steering wheel then turned into the spin, but by then the vehicle was a bullet already flying toward its destination. Blurred images of the edge of the cliff, then the trees, then the cliff again whirled by her until finally coming to rest on the trees. The Porsche struck a tree dead-on, throwing her body back then forward.
Pain seared through her forehead. A warm substance slimed its way down, over her eyebrow and onto her eyelid. She kept her eyes shut, letti
ng the shudder ricocheting through her body come to its final destination at the bottom of her feet. The ache in her head intensified when she opened her eyes.
Snowflakes drifted toward the ground as she stared through her side window and into the trees. Quiet as the dead, the world around her continued, oblivious to her predicament. She moaned, searching outward with her hands until she finally gripped the steering wheel. She pushed backward until her shoulders rested against the back of her seat. The vision in her right eye blurred as blood dripped into it.
What the hell happened?
She needed to know, wanted to know, but couldn’t bring herself to move. Moving meant pain, and she’d had enough of that. Instead of thinking, she concentrated on her breathing, pulling in air through her nose then letting it out her mouth. And still the snow fell.
She couldn’t have said how long she sat in the same position, staring straight ahead, making no movement aside from the rise and fall of her chest. As though viewing the world through binoculars from a faraway place, she watched as the dusting of snow on her hood grew higher. Thought finally broke through the haze, forcing her back into the world around her.
What was that thing I saw? Is it still here?
She dragged in a deep breath, prepared herself for the pain, then turned her head. Agony struck her, singeing up from the middle of her forehead to travel over her head and down her neck.
Look.
She listened to the inner voice compelling her to ignore everything, every pain, every ache to concentrate on what she could see. Yet she saw only the beauty of the snowbound forest.
Look the other way.
Again, she pushed away the torment pounding in her head and turned to scan the other side. And again, she saw nothing but the woods.
Maybe I scared it away.
She was almost certain she hadn’t hit it. Too bad she couldn’t say the same thing about the tree. From the way the hood of the vehicle was bent upward toward the windshield she assumed it was useless to try to start the car, but she did it anyway. As she’d expected, the car was dead.
Groaning, she pulled the lever and opened the door. If she’d hit it, she wanted to know. Pivoting to get out, she put her feet on the ground, sinking her boots into a half foot of snow.
Fighting against a sudden rush of nausea, she took hold of the car door and yanked her body into a standing position. She cried out as her knees gave in and she crumpled to the ground.
She lay on the ground, the cold and wetness seeping into her. Sunlight filtered through the trees above her, entrancing her into staying where she was. Would someone come along and find her? It was unlikely considering she hadn’t seen a car from the moment she’d left the motel.
Get moving. If you lie here, you’re going to freeze to death once night comes.
Yelping at the pain her movements inflicted, she rolled over onto her stomach then pushed her body into a sitting position. She shook her head, ridding her face of the snow. The world spun around her to create a kaleidoscope of dark browns mixed with brilliant white.
My phone.
She twisted around slowly, painstakingly, to search the car. Her phone rested on the floor mat, so close, and yet the distance seemed insurmountable. Still, she tried, once again bringing a stabbing flash of pain. Against her will, her tears broke free, but she managed a shout of victory as her fingertips touched her cell phone.
Call for help.
Idly, she wondered if calling 9-1-1 twice in less than a week was a new record.
She clasped her phone and brought it in front of her face. Wiping away the blood that had settled on her eyelid, she squinted at the phone and tried to make out the screen. But her eyes wouldn’t focus enough for her to see the icons. Instead, she gambled, pressing what she hoped was the On button. Swiping her finger across the screen, she heard the familiar sound of her cell unlocking, and she smiled, for the first time feeling a spark of hope.
She looked harder, willing her eyes to see the phone icon. When at last her vision grew clearer, she punched it and saw the display change into the large numbers of the keypad. She punched in 9-1-1 and put the receiver to her ear.
Nothing. No dial tone. No sound at all. She bit her lower lip and forced herself to stay calm.
I’m going to get out of this. Think. Don’t let your emotions take over.
She swallowed and tried going through the steps again. Still no sound. Fear trickled into her, but she pushed it back again, determined not to give in. Shoving the phone into the pocket of her jacket, she grabbed the door with one hand and flattened her other palm against the side of the car. Gritting back a cry, she stood up and tested her legs.
Okay. I’m still on my feet. That’s good. I can find my own help.
She glanced around and saw the tracks her car had made in the road as it had spun around and into the forest. She’d gotten lucky that her car hadn’t careened off the side of the mountain.
Gathering her wits, she decided that she had four choices. She could stay inside the car and wait for help to come. But she wasn’t the type to wait, and who knew how long it would be before someone came along.
She could walk back to the motel. She wasn’t sure how long it would take, but at least once there she’d get dry and warm. Scanning the road back the way she’d come, she weighed her chances of walking up the icy road with its steep incline. She doubted she could make it without losing her footing and either breaking a bone or slipping off the edge and plummeting to her death.
Should she start walking downhill? But going downhill was as slippery as going uphill, and she knew it would take her hours before she’d make it to the first rest stop that had a gas station.
She turned and faced the woods. Could she make it very far in the forest? Once she’d taken that route, she’d have little chance that anyone would find her. Not that anyone was looking. Willa and Bill would assume she’d made it off the mountain and wouldn’t check on her. Only Tatum knew she was headed home, and if she didn’t show up in two days, Tee would simply assume that she’d taken another detour. Weeks would have to pass before Tee grew worried enough to raise an alarm.
She rubbed her arms, fighting against the chill creeping into her bones, and made her choice. At least if she made it downhill, she had a chance of running into someone. She’d just have to keep moving and hope that would keep her warm enough until she found help.
Shay took a step toward the road then stopped at the crashing sound that came from directly behind her. Whirling around, she stared, alarm clogging her throat.
Could it be the Thing I saw on the road?
A small fawn broke through the trees and slammed to a stop. Its huge black eyes fixed on her, looking as stunned as she felt. The fawn’s light brown coat was dotted with dark spots. It was a vision of wilderness beauty against the pristine backdrop of the snow-covered trees.
A giggle escaped as relief swamped her. The Thing? Drama queen much? What next? The creature from Alien? Get a grip, girl.
A fawn was better than confronting the Thing in the road. She smiled and forgot about the pain in her forehead for the first time since running into the trees.
But her joy was short lived as a dark movement to the right and back of the fawn caught her attention. Was that the Thing? Or something even worse?
A vision of the glowing eyes and the long fangs froze her. Warning bells clanged in her head to get back into the car, and yet she stayed where she was. After everything that had happened, after everything she’d seen and done in the past few days, she couldn’t stomach the idea of the fawn dying a terrible death.
“No way, no how. I am not going to let whatever it is hurt you,” she whispered. Searching around her, she found a large branch that, for one reason or another, wasn’t covered with snow. She moved slowly, carefully, and picked it up then hefted it, judging its weight.
Hoping that the fawn could sense she was on her side, she lifted the branch over her head and circled the car. The Thing in the underbrus
h moved again and growled. Shay sucked in her gasp, rethought her idea, then forged ahead.
It’s probably a rabbit. Yeah, like rabbits growl all the time.
Making a semicircle through the snow, she worked her way toward the brush, putting herself behind the predator. Once in position behind a large tree, she waited for it to move closer to the fawn.
If she hadn’t thought it impossible, she would’ve guessed that the fawn was fascinated and knew what she had planned. The branch was heavy and its bark bit into her skin, but she held it firmly over her head, ready to react.
Everything happened at once. She saw the brush shaking as the animal broke through its branches and dashed toward the fawn. The fawn jumped into the air then spun around to bolt into the forest. As a large wolf rushed out of the forest, she brought down the branch as fast and as hard as she could. Her vision blurred in the same moment that she hit the animal. Shockwaves shuddered through her arms and she dropped the branch.
Shit.
Unable to control her body, she fell forward, darkness overcoming her.
Chapter Two
Rosh groaned and pushed over to face upward. He blinked at the sunlight as the ache in the back of his head seared a path along both sides of it. The snow against his back and rump didn’t bother him. He’d always enjoyed the cold weather with or without clothing. But after chasing Kira for a mile in a game of hide-and-seek, the chill felt good.
Groaning again, he ran his palm over his hair and down to the curve of his neck, expecting to find the warm stickiness of blood, and yet found nothing. No doubt a knot would form soon enough even if the blow hadn’t broken his skin.
What the crap hit me?
He let out a curse that was meant for both himself and the unseen assailant. He’d gotten so involved with playing with Kira that he hadn’t paid attention to his surroundings. That was a bad mistake to make in either The Outside or in The Hidden.
