Page 12 of Guarded By the Yeti

Chapter Eight

Kaelthar

She’s wrapped like a burrito in the softest blanket I own, lying on top of me, her white hair spread over my chest. She didn’t want to sleep alone tonight. I hold her gently, and it’s easy to doze off after today’s adventures. Last night, it was hard. Impossible. Now she’s in my arms, she’s mine, and I fall into a deep, restful sleep as I listen to her steady breathing. Her heart beats next to mine. We’re in sync. I can’t imagine a more perfect moment.

It’s stormy tonight. The wind started howling as I gave Ysella a bath. It took her a while to get used to it beating against the windows and the side of the house. I made sure to bring in plenty of firewood, knowing we’d most likely wake up in the morning and realize we’re snowed in.

My dreams are of her. Of what we did on the floor, in front of the fireplace. Her scent fills my nostrils, and I involuntarily squeeze her body closer to mine.

There’s a bang outside, and I furrow my brows in my sleep, but don’t wake up. Storms are terrible up here in the north. Ysella stirs, and I cradle her gently. She turns on her other side, pressing her left cheek to my chest. Another bang, more noise, and I grunt and stir myself, annoyed at the loud weather.

Then I feel a tiny hand on my cheek. I smile and murmur something. Maybe her name. The hand moves down to my chin and tugs at my beard. Once. Twice. She tugs harder, and this time, I open my eyes. She’s hovering over me, eyes wide. The lights are on, as always, and I read fear in her dark gaze.

“What’s wrong?”

A third bang outside, louder this time. It seems to be coming from the front door.

“It’s just the storm,” I say.

She shakes her head and tugs at my beard again. I let out an “ouch!”. I’m a tough guy, but if there’s one part of my body that’s more sensitive than the rest...

I take her hand in mine and gently tuck it back into her blanket.

“Shh... it’s okay.”

I get up, though. She rolls off me and sits up in the middle of the giant bed as I find my pants and go into the living room to throw another log on the fire.

“I’ll check,” I say. “Just to show you that it’s nothing.”

I head to the front door, and it bursts open before I reach it. I take a step back. Snow tumbles in. I hear the howl of the wind and the ominous crunch of snow under heavy boots. I don’t have time to get my bearings, because there’s a bang, and another... Three, four, five...

And I realize someone is shooting at me. I can feel the bullets hit my chest and my arms. The pain is blinding, even though the projectiles don’t penetrate my skin. They remain embedded halfway, and when the shooting stops, I start plucking the bullets out, one by one. Blood stains my white fur, and the wounds sting, but that’s about all the damage human guns can cause someone like me.

“Where is she?”

Men pour in through the front door, led by Artie Carvassi. My first instinct is to crush them all, but I stop in my tracks, because I don’t understand what’s happening.

“How did you find this place?”

Artie doesn’t answer, and he doesn’t need to, because I can see the two Yeti males behind his small army of men. I recognize the Yeti from whose aunt I bought the piano yesterday. He must have followed me here or asked questions in Shiverpoint and Icefang until he figured out the location of my cabin. I don’t know who the other Yeti is, and I don’t care.

“I’ll ask one more time, then I’m bringing out the big guns,” Artie says.

I cock an eyebrow. His men don’t look convinced, so I’m not sure what “big guns” he’s referring to. It seems to me these are the only guns they have, and they’re laughably inefficient in a fight with a Yeti.

I look around me, assessing the situation, trying to make sense of what’s happening. He’s clearly looking for his sister, but why? I notice Ysella has closed the door to the bedroom. That won’t keep these mad people out. But I will. If I have to.

“I don’t understand,” I say. “She’s safe. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

Where’s my satellite phone? Did it ring, and I didn’t hear it? Did Lucia try to get in contact with me and I was too wrapped up into... well... Ysella?

Artie advances toward me and taps my chest with his gun. For such a short guy, he’s got balls.

“She did it,” he says. “Officially, your job is done. Over. Get out of my way.”

“She did what?” But I don’t care, really. I square my shoulders and push him back when he tries to get past me. “Ysella is under my protection.”

“Didn’t you hear me, stupid ape? Not anymore.”

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