“I wasn’t talking about Dale and me,” I shot back. “Open a damn newspaper, Brian. Watch the news. Tragedy is all around us. Every second of every hour of every day. But people overcome that kind of loss every day too, and they go on to do things that matter.”
My words and tone stunned Brian into silence. He slid off my legs and knelt beside me, his eyes combing over my face. Reaching up a hand, he attempted to touch my cheek, but I jerked away.
“No one’s suffered like me,” he whispered.
I met his stare with a fire of my own burning in my eyes. Then I focused on the half-drawn wolf ear on my thigh. It didn’t look like much yet, but it still sickened me.
Brian put the ink gun aside and inched closer to me. He leaned in as I cut through the last rope holding me to the tree. With a liquid-like movement, I arced my hand up and over, sinking the knife blade of the multi-tool into Brain’s shoulder. His eyes widened while his mouth dropped open. No sound came out as he keeled over, his hand groping for the knife handle. Before he could find it, I reached up and yanked out the knife. After slicing through the ropes holding my ankles, I bolted to my feet and took off as Brian lay, howling in agony on the forest floor.
Amazing how animal-like his cries sounded in Denali.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
I flew over the terrain, my feet barely touching the earth as I wove deeper into the woods. I half hoped to run into a grizzly so I could point him in Brian’s direction. My lungs begged me to stop and rest, but I had to deny them. Though I didn’t hear Brian stampeding around behind me, the only way to keep my distance from him was to keep moving.
The flap Brian had cut into my jeans flopped open as I moved, sending snowy, nighttime air into my pant leg. The farther into the woods I got, the darker the shadows became. Trouble was I didn’t know which way was out. With Dale, we had entered and exited Denali through the main gates of the park. My landing with Brian in the Super Cub had not been standard protocol to say the least. I had no idea where that open field was in the grand scheme of the park. I also didn’t know how far Brian had lugged me from the plane’s landing site to the tree. To the unfamiliar eye, every tree in Denali looked the same. I could have been going in circles for all I knew.
With so many unknowns, hope surrendered to the cold.
I finally stopped to rest on a boulder as the shadows darkened to blackness. The snow stopped, and silver strands of moonlight filtered through the pines, shedding enough light to keep me from totally freaking out. As I caught my breath, things stirred on the ground nearby. Every noise had my head snapping up, expecting Brian. I’d gotten him pretty good with the pocketknife. Nothing fatal, but he wouldn’t have been able to keep up with the pace I had maintained. Something about running for your life puts a little extra push in your step.
I bent down closer to my thigh and shook my head at the wolf ear Brian had managed to carve into my leg. Should I have let him finish the tattoo? Would that have been better? What was I supposed to do with a wolf ear on my thigh?
In the curtain of night that was closing over Denali finding the entrance to the park would be impossible. As much as I didn’t want to spend the night alone in the wilderness with my pocketknife as my only supply, I didn’t have any other choice. If I wandered with my vision so limited, I could get into worse trouble.
If there was such a thing.
I pushed to my feet and wandered a little farther until my foot sank into a patch of soft earth. I lost my balance and careened to the ground, wrenching my ankle in the process. Motionless on the chilled ground, I was tempted to stay there and let whatever night creatures came upon me have me. A voice in my head—the one that sounded like Meg and Dale mixed together—insisted I get up and carry on, so I did.
As I got to my feet, pain shot up my entire leg. Limping along, using trees for support as I went, I finally came upon a small rock cave.
“Someone’s looking out for you, Cormac.” Throwing a thankful glance to the sky, I stood outside the mouth of the cave to listen for a few moments. Wouldn’t be a good thing if I walked into an occupied cave in the middle of the forest.
I threw a few stones into the cave and when nothing stirred inside, I gathered pine boughs to spread on the floor of the cave. Didn’t want the cold ground to absorb what little body heat I still had. I wobbled into the inky blackness and breathed a sigh when it seemed warmer within the rock walls. After tossing the boughs down, I tightened my scarf and pulled up the hood of my jacket. I sank to the ground, propped my swelling ankle on a rock, and fidgeted around on the branches. I pulled some of them over me, hoping the twigs would camouflage me and offer additional warmth.
I wasn’t comfortable at all, but at least I was dry and…well…alive. So far. All I wanted was to close my eyes and fall asleep. Wake up to find this whole ordeal was just a nightmare. But that wasn’t going to happen. I had to stay alert. Had to listen for Brian.
Logical Alanna planned what to do once the sun rose. The rest of me was a mix of hurt, exhaustion, fear, and hunger. The least Brian could have done was feed me the spinach pies he had supposedly brought along on our little voyage of the damned. I thought about building a fire and searching for edible plants nearby, but my ankle was throbbing now. Besides, something about doing either of those tasks made me feel as if I was admitting defeat and giving in to being stranded. I preferred to see my night ahead in the cave as a mere resting point. A brief stopover before getting out of the park tomorrow morning. I was sticking to whatever story put my mind at ease. Realistically, this night would be anything but brief.
And I thought a night sleeping without Dale had sucked.
Dale. Where was he right now? I conjured pictures of him on his couch in his cozy cabin with Gypsy across his lap and Zynk recovering at his feet. The flames from the fireplace danced in Dale’s emerald eyes. Why did it feel like a million days had passed since I’d seen him?
If only I didn’t have to go home to New York.
I shook my head in the darkness. What was the point? Assuming I got out of my current mess, I was heading back to New York where I belonged. Where it was safe. Ha! New York City? Safe? Shit, this was all backwards.
I shifted and pulled my arms out of the sleeves of my jacket. Jamming my hands into the pockets of my fleece sweatshirt underneath, I attempted to warm my fingers. Inside my left pocket, my hand closed around something. I felt around the contours of the object until I had to unzip my jacket and take a look.
When I opened my palm and shuffled over to the cave’s opening to get some light, my eyes filled. Then came the flood.
A stupid dog treat. One of a couple I’d stuffed into my pocket when I took Zynk to the market. Seeing it now, however, pushed me over the edge. What I wouldn’t give to have that dog—and the man that owned him—with me right now.
I let the tears pour down my cheeks until my face was raw with cold. Peering down at the dog treat, logical Alanna took over again, and I ate it. Didn’t taste good. Didn’t taste bad. Tasted a little like the pork chops my dad used to cook to death. Maybe I’d emerge from all this with a healthy, shiny coat and tartar-free teeth at least.
My eyelids drooped, though my brain screamed to keep a sharp lookout for Brian or bears or wolves or any number of monsters lurking about the area. Everything ached from running, and my stomach rumbled angrily. Shifting again, I slid down to lay on the pine boughs, my hood acting as a meager pillow. I fell asleep to the sound of owl hoots and thinking of Ram’s chicken wings.
****
“Alanna…Alanna…” a voice purred in my ear. I shivered with cold and wrapped my arms tighter around my torso underneath my jacket. “Wake up.”
A hand loosened my scarf and caressed my cheek, fingertips hot against my frosty skin. I pushed toward them and opened my eyes.
My breath caught in my throat.
“Surprise.” Brian crouched over me. He clamped his hand over my mouth, stifling the scream ready to erupt. “Good morning, sweetheart. I see you’
ve found yourself a cozy hideaway here. Not hidden enough, though, I’m afraid. I’ve played this game long enough to be skilled at it.”
He winced and groaned as I slid my arms into the sleeves of my jacket and struggled against him. My eyes grazed over his shoulder where a deep crimson splotch stained his jacket.
“Yeah, you got me good.” Brian tightened his grip on my mouth, taking his other hand and grabbing my wrists to stop my hands from battering his chest. “Kept me up all night. Used almost everything in the first aid kit to stop the bleeding.” He slid his hand off my mouth and plunged into the pockets of my jacket, then my jeans until he found the multi-tool.
He moved his shoulder and held up my knife, my only hope. “You didn’t think a little slice would keep me from finishing what I’d started, now did you?” His lips curled smugly as he removed his hat and angled his head toward me. “If this didn’t keep me down, nothing will.”
Again his scarred scalp filled my vision, and I wriggled wildly, trying to free myself from Brian’s iron grasp.
“You’re not being very gracious.” He shook his head and pocketed my knife. “I mean, I bought you a muffin, invited you out to fly with me, let you cry and mope about Ramsden. The least you could do is cooperate.”
I kicked out. My ankle caused me to cry in agony, but I pounded him in the chest. He stumbled back a bit, his bent legs unsteady beneath him. I tried to squeeze past him and leave the cave, but Brian was on his feet in seconds. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he pulled me to the ground. I was too slow with my busted ankle. I landed with a thud on the hard, uneven floor of the cave. My palms dug into the jagged rocks, and my forehead slammed into the cave wall. Blood trickled down my temple.
“You’re only making it harder on yourself.” Brian repositioned both of us so he had a fistful of my hair. He wrenched it, jerking my head back so I could only look at the cave’s ceiling. Coming close to my ear, Brian rubbed his cheek against mine. A whimper slithered out of my throat, and Brian groaned in pleasure.
“There’s something about a woman in distress I can’t resist.” He inhaled deeply. “Even if I’m the one causing the distress.” Brian nosed around my ear and down my neck. I had been cold only moments before while I slept, but now my blood pumped at full throttle, and an adrenaline-induced sweat coated my body.
Think, Cormac! Do something!
Brian’s grip on my hair let up a little, and I was able to level out my head. My neck muscles had been pulled back so far that turning from side to side was painful.
“Now where was I?” Brian said. “Ah, yes, I’ve got a tattoo to finish.” He pushed me until I was lying on the cave floor, his bulk pinning me in place. He nudged the flap in my jeans aside and dug in his backpack. His fingers closed around the ink gun as he bent over my leg.
“Not enough light in here,” he mumbled. He gripped my biceps and yanked me to my feet. I let out a cry as sharp pains stabbed at my ankle.
“C’mon. And don’t fuck with me anymore.” His voice was raspy, full of need and anger at the same time.
Supporting my weight, he dragged me behind him as he turned toward the cave opening. My ankle was on fire, the pain vibrating up my entire leg. When Brian froze in his tracks in front of me, I bumped into his back, not ready for such an abrupt stop. With his fingers digging into my arm through my jacket, I’d only been thinking of what my next step would be.
“Don’t move,” a calm voice ordered. A familiar voice.
I peered around Brian’s shoulder where the barrel of a gun pointed at his chest. I gasped as Brain raised one of his hands to his head. The gun’s handler remained out of view in the faint morning light.
“Come out slowly.”
“We’re camping,” Brian said. “Me and my girl.”
“I don’t like the way your camping trips have been ending lately,” the voice said. “Both hands on your head and come out slowly.”
“We’re not doing anything wrong here,” Brian countered.
“Didn’t say you were. Feel guilty, Turner?”
“How do you know my name?” Brian lowered his hand.
“I make it point to know the names of assholes that kill in my town. Keep that hand up and get the other one up there.” The barrel of the gun pointed upward for a moment and then leveled back toward Brian’s chest. “Alanna?”
Shock zipped through me at the sound of my name.
“Alanna, are you in there? It’s Jake.”
Jake! I moved to hobble around Brian, but he tightened his grip on me and blocked my path.
“Listen, Turner, you’d better let her through. You’re all done here, you understand? You don’t get to add Alanna to your list of bodies,” Jake said. “Now step aside and let her pass.”
“Why do you care? She isn’t one of yours. She’s New York trash I’m going to take to the curb for you. Besides, the way I see it, I could easily wrestle that gun from you.”
Brian took a step forward, but two uniformed police officers emerged from behind the trees to flank Jake. Brian stopped, but I still couldn’t get around him.
“Let me introduce you to my backup,” Jake said. “Policing 101. Never go into a scene where there might be a lunatic without backup.”
And then I heard it. Didn’t I? That magical sound. Faint, but there. Growing louder by the second.
I pushed Brian aside again to get to the sound, nearly knocking him over, but he adjusted his hold on me, and somehow I wound up in front of him. The barrel of Jake’s gun now pointed at my own gut.
“You won’t shoot her,” Brian said to Jake.
Jake’s gun lowered slightly, but the other two police officers kept theirs steadily aimed.
“No, I won’t shoot her,” Jake said. “But these two will do what is necessary to get the bad guy.” He motioned to the officers on either side of him. I wasn’t exactly comforted by his words.
“Maybe,” Brian began. Something clicked in his hand and the cold steel of a blade pressed against my throat. “Maybe I’ll finish her off right now.” He wiggled my knife, then rested it against my neck.
The sound. There it was again. Musical. Calling to me. If I was going to die today, it was certainly a sound I wanted to hear before I checked out.
I tried to wriggle free again, but Brian wrenched my arm back farther, and when I arched forward, the hot pain of knife through skin had me crying out.
“It’ll be a shame if I have to kill her before I get to…sample her.” Brian’s breath seared my cheek as he leaned closer to kiss it. He pressed the knife into my neck. The warm ooze of my own blood caused my stomach to churn. Jake took a step forward, his gun still lowered. The other two officers by his side, however, were ready to pounce.
“Don’t…” I said to Jake. I closed my eyes, sending a few tears rolling down my cheeks. I kept them closed while visions of my dad, Meg…Dale…flickered behind my lids. I understood why people say, “My life flashed before my eyes.” Twenty-eight years of life was barely a flash. A single heartbeat of existence.
The sound nudged my eyes open again. Clearer, louder, closer. I did hear it, didn’t I?
“Look, Turner.” Jake holstered his own gun. “Why don’t you let Alanna go, and we can get you help, okay?”
Brian shook his head, his smooth cheek rubbing against my ear. “Your idea of help would be prison.”
“Yes.” Jake took another step into the cave. Brian’s whole body tensed behind me. His grip on my arm was industrial strength, my wrist close to snapping in his hand.
“Stay right there,” Brian shouted.
“I want to make sure Alanna is okay.” Jake held his hands out.
“No, no.” Brian edged us both back deeper into the cave. “You want to take her from me.”
“She’s not yours.”
“I’ve earned her,” Brian shot back. “Her and all the other whores I dumped by the river.”
“What makes you think Alanna is a whore?”
“They all are. She fell for Ram
sden and his perfect image. She wouldn’t give someone like me a chance. None of them would.”
“So you make them take the chance. Is that it?”
Jake was doing a hell of a job keeping Brian talking. With each question he asked, he took a step closer.
“I give them an opportunity. An opportunity to see what they’re missing.” Brian slid his thumb along my jaw.
“She is beautiful, isn’t she?” Jake looked to me now. His brown eyes were focused and planning.
“She’s the best one so far. High quality.” Brian turned his head to look at me.
In that instant, Jake launched himself onto Brian and pushed me aside. Jake rammed Brian into the cave wall as I skittered away from their grappling. The two of them tumbled to the ground, and the entire cave spun before my eyes.
Jake leaped to his feet, pulling Brian up with him. As he reached for his gun, Brian plunged his fist into Jake’s stomach. Jake doubled over and when he staggered back, the red that trickled over his hands at his gut made me scream. Jake fell to his knees, and as I scrambled over to him, Brian came at me again.
He never reached me. As I shielded my face from his knife-wielding fist, the glorious sound I had been hearing changed.
Happy, playful yelps turned to howls. Vicious barks. Low, rolling growls echoed in the cave as two beasts descended upon Brian before he got to me. Snapping teeth and swiping claws tore at his clothes, baring skin. After they pinned him down, the beasts dripped saliva onto him as he writhed beneath them. When he moved, they barked in his face, threatening to bite.
I slithered over to Jake who was motionless on the cave floor and pulled him toward me, away from Brian and the creatures. He moaned, letting me know he was still alive.
“Gypsy, Achilles. Down.” Another body filled the cave entrance. The one body I wanted, needed.
The dogs sat back on their haunches.
“Go ahead. They won’t hurt you,” Dale said over his shoulder.
The two police officers shuffled in. They turned Brian onto his stomach and hoisted him to his feet. Four red slashes distorted the ferocious wolf head on Brian’s bared forearm, defeating it.
Alaska Heart Page 26
