Page 28 of An Avalanche Hero Christmas

And then her eyes slid shut of their own accord. Mallory sank, unconscious, into the snow.

Chapter Twelve

“You Don’t Like to Help Pretty Women?”

Both men stood unmoving, assessing each other like animals anticipating an attack.

Lance was certainly anticipating one any second now.

The odds were not in his favor; that much was certain. He was outnumbered, five to one. Well,fourto one. In all honesty, he didn’t consider the man in the coat and hat much of a physical threat. His henchmen, on the other hand…

“Look,” Lance said, “for the last time, I’m notkeepingyour daughter.”

The fae man’s eyes narrowed. In the past few minutes, since he opened the door, Lance had gathered a few details about him and deduced some more. The man was Henri, leader of a fae clan north of this side of Frost Mountain. They were a powerful clan, and the woman Lance had been harboring for the past couple of weeks was none other than Henri’s own daughter.

Julia.

“A lie,” Henri spat. “You have my daughter. I know it.”

Lance stared down at the man, then around at his men, and found himself unsure how to respond. Henri obviously didn’t believe his claim that Julia wasn’t here. What was worse, he seemed to think Lance had somehow “taken” her. The man’s tone alone filled Lance’s mind with the threat of danger.

What was he to do? Tell Henri that his daughter was inside? Julia had come to him for a reason. He couldn’t give her up. She’d become his responsibility…and more.

“I don’t have her,” Lance said, moving to shut the door. “Now, if you have nothing else to ask…”

“Father?”

Henri’s eyes widened, riveted on something over Lance’s shoulder. His heart sinking into his gut, Lance turned justin time to see Julia brush past him and leap at her father, throwing her arms around him.

“Oh, Father!” she cried. “You came for me! I was so terrified. I got lost out here, and then I was taken. I thought he might never let me see you again, but here you are!”

Every cell in Lance’s body froze.Taken?

Over his daughter’s shoulder, Henri glowered at him. “Guards! Seize him!”

***

He awoke with an inaudible gasp, his hand flying to his forearm. His fingers brushed the jagged scar absently. He was greeted with darkness, and for a moment, panic flared through his chest. Then his eyes fluttered open.

It was still somewhat dark, but soft moonlight filtered into the cave, illuminating his surroundings. A cave. Yes. He was in a large cave with a somewhat narrow entrance. And he wasn’t alone. Another figure sat leaning against the wall adjacent to him.

“You’re awake,” said a voice. “You were dreaming.”

Lance blinked. Mallory was smiling down at him. He pulled himself into a sitting position. “You’reawake. I was beginning to worry. You’ve been unconscious ever since…”

He didn’t need to complete his statement. He could see in her eyes that she remembered, too. Some of it, at least. Like the sudden attack. The fight with Boris.

It had been two days since the Fae Hunter had found them again. Boris had returned more murderous than ever, and it had been even more difficult trying to hold him off. If Lance hadn’t shifted when he had, Mallory would be dead by now. He’d managed to deal the hunter several blows and slash at him before he’d taken off, his green eyes flashing with fury and disbelief.

Lance could still remember the man’s words.This is not over. I will find you.

And Mallory? The poor fae woman had been knocked out. For the past two days, Lance had carried her up the mountain, eventually stumbling on a cave to settle in. She was awake now at long last.

“I’m hungry,” she said, clutching her stomach.

Lance blinked at her again. Then he sat up and reached for the duffel bag filled with their clothes and food, handing her some. Mallory took it from him and immediately dug in, her eyes lighting up with relief.

He watched her for what seemed like forever until she spoke.

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