Legend Hunter

by Jennifer Mckenzie

Jeremy put the radio receiver back on the hook and stared at Ben. “I don’t want you to leave the area.”

  Ben’s eyebrows shot up. “Don’t leave town? That sounds like I’m under suspicion.”

  “You’re a witness.” He turned back to his clipboard. “Where will you be staying?”

  “I don’t know yet,” Ben answered. “Probably The Bigfoot Hotel.”

  “Right. And you, Dodo?”

  The older man sighed. “Same as always, Jeremy. You’ve got my number.”

  The Sheriff nodded. “You guys are probably bushed. I’ll follow you back to town. I need to check on Amanda.”

  The other two men piled out of the Sheriff’s SUV and climbed into Ben’s truck. Dodo relaxed against the seat. “You’ll have to drop me off at Kiera’s cabin. That’s where my car is.”

  “We have to pick her up anyway.” He was exhausted and Dodo was already dozing. Something told Ben that things were only going to get tougher from here.

  The Sheriff lurked behind him as he struggled to stay alert. His muscles were sore. His feet throbbed. He just wanted to sleep for a week.

  As he pulled into the clinic parking lot, he jabbed Dodo in the arm to wake him up. They stumbled out of the truck and to the entrance.

  At the nurse’s station, the expression on the woman’s face as he approached revealed how ragged and dirty he must look. He leaned on the counter in front of the window. “Amanda Amber?”

  “Are you family?”

  Dodo answered. “Yes,” he lied.

  The woman buzzed the door open and Ben and Dodo strode through the entrance. Ben peered around the corners until he heard Amanda and Kiera’s voices.

  “I am not going to discuss this,” Amanda argued.

  “Well, I’m his best friend. I think you need to tell him the truth.” Kiera’s tone held no sympathy.

  When Dodo and Ben crashed the girl party, both women glared at each other. Without another word, Ben gripped Kiera’s arm. “Let’s go.”

  “Take your hands off me,” she snapped at him. The dark circles under her eyes weren’t just dirt and she had scrapes and bruises all over her body from their harrowing trek. She needed to sleep. She was a bit grumpy. One look at her face and he knew better than to mention it.

  He tried a soothing tone. “No. You need rest. Amanda needs to stay here.” He glanced at the other woman. “Just to warn you. The Sheriff was right behind us. I think you’d better decide what you’re going to tell him.”

  She opened her mouth and shut it with a snap. Kiera sighed with frustration. “Let me go, Ben.” She tried to pull away. So much for reasonable. He tightened his hold.

  “Come on. Out the door.” He dragged her by the arm through the hallway.

  She tried twice more to jerk her arm away and he just strengthened his grip. He leaned down and whispered, “Keep it up and we’ll both end up explaining more than we want to. Personally, all I want is to sleep.”

  Kiera glanced at him. “You look awful.”

  “Thanks, honey. So do you.” He rushed her out the door with Dodo behind them and ignored her hot glare. As they climbed into Ben’s truck, the Sheriff headed for the clinic entrance. He studied the man’s back. That was a very pissed off officer of the law. Amanda wasn’t going to be able to talk her way out of this one. “Trust me. You didn’t want to stick around for that confrontation. If you’re as tired as I am, it wouldn’t be worth it.”

  “Fine. Take me home.” She leaned back, her short blonde hair askew, streaks of dirt on her arms and face, and lines of fatigue on her face. His heart clenched and he resisted the urge to wipe the dirt away from her cheeks.

  Somehow, Ben managed to drive them to her cabin and they tumbled out of the truck. Without another word, all three of them staggered to the door. Kiera opened the lock and stepped over the threshold. He heard her sigh with relief. “We made it.”

  Ben turned to get back in his truck. “Where are you going?” Her voice followed him.

  He stared at her. “To my hotel.”

  “You have a room there?”

  “No.”

  “Then stay here.” She waved in the direction of one of the rooms. “I have extra beds.”

  “Are you sure?” He walked slowly back to the cabin.

  She smiled and, even as tired as he was, it slammed him right between the eyes. “I’m sure. Come on in Legend Hunter. You’ve earned a rest.”

  He didn’t know why, but when he crossed the threshold, he felt like he had come home.

  Chapter Eleven

  When Kiera opened her eyes, she didn’t know how long she’d been asleep. She vaguely remembered waving Ben to a bed in the other room. Dodo had crashed on her couch, and she collapsed in her bed still in her clothes. At least she’d managed to get her boots off.

  Her muscles protested any movement, but she stretched and sat up very slowly. From her bedroom window, the sun streamed onto the comforter and warmed the room. First she wanted a shower.

  With a groan, she hauled her body out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom. Damn, that trip kicked her ass. Every joint, every inch of her ached. As the hot water needled her skin, her muscles began to relax and unwind. She scrubbed her whole body with soap and washed her hair vigorously as if she could eradicate the memory of the trip that way. The fear, the stress, still lingered even as she scrubbed away the dirt.

  After a long shower, she toweled off and got dressed in sweats and a t-shirt. She padded out to the kitchen. Coffee. She smelled coffee.

  The sight of a still scruffy, but very handsome Ben Harmon in her kitchen was a welcome one. Strangely, he seemed right, as if he was a missing color to one of her paintings. It disturbed her. He handed her a cup of sweet heaven. “You done with the shower? I’d love one if you don’t mind.”

  “Go ahead. Thanks for the coffee.”

  “No problem.” He grinned at her and headed for the bathroom.

  With coffee cup in hand, Kiera could face another day. She clicked on her radio to find out what day that actually was.

  “The Sheriff’s department has issued a statement that Robert Angelos was murdered by person or person’s unknown and that the investigation is ongoing. Details from the autopsy done yesterday have not been released. Robert Angelos was the Chairman for EPAC, or Environmental Protection Action Committee, and a freelance photographer. Unconfirmed reports state he was working for The Times Standard when he was killed. Reporter Amanda Amber is in the Willow Creek Clinic in stable condition and could not be reached for comment.”

  The radio went on to the weather and Kiera discovered she’d been asleep for eighteen hours. Her stomach churned. The memory of the bleeding, dead corpse of Bobby Angelos wouldn’t be banished. Now, the vision of that broken body was added to her terror associated with Dead Line Trail. She shook her head. They couldn’t be connected. No, Bobby was killed by someone very human. Someone who wanted Bigfoot to take the blame. She pursed her lips together. Someone who wanted Bigfoot to be real.

  She glanced out the window to the sunshine that blazed over her flowers. So far, Ben’s name hadn’t been mentioned. Perhaps they had some time. Dodo’s car was gone, so he’d apparently gone back to Eureka and the comfort of his own bed. Which meant she was alone with the Legend Hunter. One who had kissed her. She shook her head sharply. No sense in thinking about that.

  She shuffled onto her porch. She’d listen to the wind in the trees, drink her coffee, and try to process what happened up in the mountains.

  In all of her encounters with the thing that was up there, she’d never felt threatened before. Watched, yes. Unwelcome, certainly. Threatened? No. But that experience at Fanning Creek had violent undertones Kiera didn’t understand. Even the frightening watchfulness on Dead Line Trail had more menace than her previous visit.

  Something was going on up there and she wasn’t going to leave it alone. A glutton for punishment, that’s what I am.

  As she rummaged through the back of Ben’s truck for her gear, she resolve
d to go back to Fanning Creek. She unpacked her dirty clothes and piled them up to wash. But she left all her other gear still packed.

  The next question was how to ditch Ben so she could get up there and investigate. That thought made her squirm a little. She was afraid she’d find something. She was afraid she’d find nothing. Maybe the stones were all a dream like the one she had on the peak of Little Trinity. Perhaps the watchfulness, the menace, she sensed was in her head.

  She didn’t want Ben there to find out. If she was honest with herself, she’d acknowledge she didn’t want him to know she thought something might be up there. So she was back to how to get rid of him.

  It wasn’t going to be easy.

  She also wasn’t sure she wanted him to leave.

  Another unwanted thought. She sighed.

  “That was a heavy sigh.” His voice made her jump as he appeared behind her on the porch. Freshly showered, shirtless and in tight jeans, the man was a walking temptation. His brown hair was shiny wet, and his blue eyes gleamed with amusement. His hands were wrapped around a mug and Kiera was fascinated by them.

  Why did she have to be attracted to a Legend Hunter? Up in the mountains, their camaraderie held comfort and safety. Now, she didn’t feel safe at all. She stood up abruptly and brushed passed him into the house. “I need more coffee,” she murmured.

  His gaze followed her into the kitchen. “What’s wrong, Kiera?”

  She closed her eyes. Damn. She didn’t want to admit her conflicted feelings around him.

  “Nothing.” She poured another cup of coffee.

  “Bull.” His tone was quiet. “I know that expression. You’ve decided to try and get rid of me.” Her head snapped around and she stared at him. How did he guess that? He nodded. “It isn’t going to work.”

  He set his coffee down on the telephone table and strode across the room to where she stood with her cup clasped in front of her like a shield. He pried it from her fingers and set it down on the counter.

  She started when his hands closed over her upper arms and he pulled her slowly towards him. Her gaze was caught by his. He was going to kiss her. Now. And she wasn’t going to stop him.

  In slow motion, he bent his head and brushed her lips with his. She froze for a heartbeat, and then her whole body melted as fire licked her veins. The entire trip held her need for him at bay with all the chaos and danger. But now, she realized how much she wanted this man.

  She moaned as his tongue touched hers, and she clung to him, her hands around his neck to drag him closer. There was no more thinking. No more doubting. There was only his lips on hers, his hands on her body. One of his hands tunneled in her hair. The grip made her scalp tingle and her body reacted with more heat.

  So unexpected, like going up in flames. Electricity exploded between them and the kiss became frantic. She didn’t think he was in control either, which was both frightening and exciting. Pressed against the kitchen counter, her hips twisted to fit along his. His groan vibrated through her and she trembled.

  His hands clenched her hips and lifted her until she sat on the counter, his lips locked with hers. He scooted her forward until she naturally wrapped her legs around his waist and hooked behind him. The counter was low enough that the junction between her thighs met his in this erotic position.

  She shifted and slid along his hard length that strained in his jeans, and he responded with a growl that rumbled from his chest. He slid his hands up her t-shirt and stroked her breasts with the pads of his thumbs. She wasn’t wearing a bra, and his fingers manipulated her nipples until they were hard and aching. He broke the kiss to plant drugging kisses along her neck. Her head dropped back and her breath caught as his lips traced a pattern down her body. He laid her out on the counter and his mouth captured one of her nipples, the slide of his tongue sending shots of intensity through her system. She cried out as his teeth scraped her erect flesh, and her hips shifted to seek some relief from the heavy ache between them.

  He lifted his head. The wicked gleam in his eye sent sparks cascading along her nerves. He reached the waistband of her sweats and, with a jerk, he yanked them down her legs. The cool kitchen tile contrasted with her heated flesh and she squirmed with pleasure.

  Her hips thrust upwards and she cried out. His name a pant on her lips, his slow movements became more intense, and a roll of pleasure swamped over her.

  Her toes tensed and her hands clasped in his hair as she splintered into a million pieces. He gave her no respite, but continued to lash her with his mouth to another peak until she careened off into oblivion.

  He growled again and stood up straight. His features were tense and dark as he loomed over her. Without fumbling, he yanked a condom from his jeans and then dropped them to his ankles to kick them away. “Tell me you want this, Kiera. I need to know you want this as much as I do.”

  His hoarse demand only spurred her on. “I want you.” Her voice was husky. “More than anything, I want you.” Incoherent with desire, she murmured words of encouragement as he slid the condom over his erect flesh, and she laid little kisses along his collarbone, his neck, his earlobe.

  His hands clasped around her face and he possessed her with a kiss first. The tip of his sheathed length pressed against her entrance and she tried to capture him, drive him deeper, but he waited.

  Her hands were everywhere, touching his flesh, the muscles in his arms as his lips claimed her. When he broke the kiss, she was begging him to take her, frantic to feel him inside her.

  With his gaze locked with hers, he thrust inside of her and fire consumed her. She exploded, white lights danced behind her eyes, and he hadn’t even moved yet. As he stroked her with his hard flesh, the pressure built and her chest ached as she tried to breathe. Another earthquake slammed into her, and his hips moved faster. As she convulsed around him, he shouted his release and sent her spinning off the planet.

  For several minutes, she trembled and shook from the force of her response to him. Incredible. She should have known he would take her to another world. That first kiss ought to have warned her. The two of them together were dynamite.

  His chest rose and fell as he also tried to get control. His hands still clenched around her soft flesh at her hips. His fingers dug in her skin and she reveled in the strength of them.

  The reality of their position sunk in. She was laid out on a kitchen counter like a feast, and Ben’s head rested between her breasts. Shame washed over her. What was wrong with her? He was a Legend Hunter, a dream chaser. Why in the hell would she sleep with him?

  She shoved him away and slid off the counter. Heat flooded her face and replaced the erotic flush over her body. Embarrassed, she couldn’t meet his gaze. The scent of their lovemaking wafted over her nose and she cleared her throat. “I—” What could she say?

  His hand touched her arm and she stepped away. She glanced at his face and for a moment, hurt seemed to radiate from his eyes, but it was wiped away and a shuttered expression closed him away from her. “Kiera—” he started.

  “No.” The word exploded from her. “I shouldn’t have—” Her throat closed over the words. She yanked on her sweats. “It won’t happen again,” she stated.

  “Do I get to know why?” His tone was low.

  “Because I don’t sleep with Legend Hunters.” Bitterness dragged the words from her. “I don’t want to get caught in that trap. I know what that life looks like.”

  “I see.” He was quiet and she heard him deal with the condom and pull his jeans back on. “So, I’ll be written off as a mistake, is that it?”

  “Yes.” Her heart clenched. She knew she’d never write him off. She couldn’t. But she wouldn’t live that life.

  She gasped when he grabbed her arm and whipped her around to face him. She’d thought he was in control but fire sprang from his blue eyes as he glared at her. “That’s crap and you know it. You can try, Kiera. I know what happened here. You go ahead and write me off. Tell yourself I was a case of bad judgment. You an
d I know it’s a lie.” He stomped out of the kitchen and slammed his bedroom door.

  Kiera collapsed on the kitchen floor and covered her face with her hands.

  She was still there when a loud knock sounded on her door. With an agonized glance at Ben’s door, she hauled her ass up off the floor. The knock sounded again and she opened her door.

  “Jeremy.” Her friend’s face was dark and forbidding. “What did you find from the autopsy?”

  “There are claw marks, Kiera. Why would a man have claw marks on his back and be hung in a tree like a piece of meat?” Jeremy’s face hardened. “I need to ask you a few questions.”

  “Come on in.” She stepped back and avoided the Sheriff’s gaze. It was clear her disheveled hair and disarranged clothes hadn’t escaped his notice.

  “Do you know where Benjamin Harmon is?” he demanded.

  “We were all exhausted. Dodo and Ben both crashed here.”

  “Where’s Dodo?” Jeremy’s sharp gaze took in the room and the blanket on the couch.

  “I think he went home.”

  “But Harmon is still here?” Jeremy studied her. She hoped she didn’t blush, but the heat in her face betrayed her.

  “Yes, he’s—” She was interrupted by the bedroom door opening and Ben walked into the living room. He carried his bag and had put on a shirt. She tried not to stare at him with the hunger that gnawed at her. “—right here,” she finished.

  Jeremy glanced from her face to Ben’s. The tension in the room was intense, and Kiera avoided Ben’s gaze as she stared at her feet.

  “We have a little problem.” Jeremy told them. “The papers have the story that Bigfoot killed Bobby Angelos, and it’s going to get insane around here.”

  “I don’t understand.” Kiera frowned at Jeremy. “How would they get that idea unless someone revealed the autopsy results?”

  Jeremy nodded. “Someone did. I don’t know who but I can guess.”

  “Gavin.” Kiera breathed out. Shit. If the McBride family got a hold of this, the Bigfoot circus would begin.

  “Will someone clue me in?” Ben’s tone was mild, but Kiera saw a twitch of irritation in his jaw muscle.