Page 20 of Princess
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~Nadira~
“Cyran?”She looked up noticing that his head hung low. He didn’t answer, his seatbelt being the only thing holding his body up. She released her seatbelt after a few failed attempts. Panic set in as the darkness made it harder for her to see as she reached over to Cyran, feeling his neck for a pulse. She sighed deeply, relieved. He had a pulse, strong and steady. She hastily searched for her phone, finding it lodged beneath the front passenger seat on thefloor.
She reached for it just as the back passenger door was ripped off the hinges of the car. She screamed, trying to crawl backwards to the other side of the car as a figure grabbed her foot, dragging her out of the car. The cover of night kept her from seeing her assailant. She grabbed onto the seatbelt, in one last attempt of saving herself, as the hooded figure violently jerked her, snatching her from the car. She landed on the muddy hard ground. She rolled away, scrambling to get up. The figure grabbed her again, grunting as she kicked him in the abdomen. His grip loosened as she scrambled up the embankment, pulling on the grass and tree roots to help her get tothetop.
“Everyone okay down there?” A deep male voice yelled out from the top ofthehill.
“Help us!” She screamed frantically; she turned looking for her attacker, yet not seeing any traceofhim.
“We’ve called the police!” anothervoicesaid.
“Thank you!” she yelled back. The attacker had disappeared into thin air. She made her way back to the car cautiously. She sent up a small prayer that Cyran was unharmed. She didn’t see anyone around the car as she quickened her pace to get to Cyran. She hadn’t realized how far she had gotten away from him. The distant sounds of sirens could be heard off in the distance. She rounded the car, noting that Cyran’s head was still hanging low,unmoving.
She jerked the driver door open, calling Cyran’s name again. He jerked his head up, when she shook him. He blinked his eyes a couple of times, trying tofocus.
“Princess, are you okay?” he asked, unbuckling his seat belt and getting out of the car. He stumbled at first, refusing her help as he leaned back againstthecar.
“Yes, I’m okay,” she said wrapping her arms aroundherself.
“Are you sure?” His jaw tightened as he glanced at the mud and dirtcoveringher.
“I’m fine but we need to hurry and come up with a good story; the police are here.” She looked up at the top of the hill, seeing the flashing of red and bluelights.
* * *
~Cooper~
“Since when dowe investigate car accidents?” Sam complained as Cooper directed him to theaccident.
“It’s just a favor. They only have one car that can go out right now. Something about a huge situation downtown and needing S.W.A.T. So I said we’ll stop by to see if our help is needed.” They pulled up behind the ambulance and squad car. A few other cars were parked along the side of the road near theembankment.
Sam let out a whistle as they walked towards the top of the hill where witnesses reported the car was pushed off the road and tumbled down the embankment. The guardrail was mangled where the car slammed into it. “If they are walking away from that, they sure are lucky,” Sam said before he jogged over to a few bystanders while Cooper was frozen in place. His attention was on the female sitting on a log at the top of the hill being checked over by aparamedic.
His heart skipped a beat as his eyes drank her in. Even through all of the mud and dirt, her hair plastered to her head and dirty scrubs, he recognized her. The woman from his fantasies, his dreams, was sitting fifty feet from him. She smiled softly at the paramedic who kneeled in front of her, wrapping a blanket around her. She glanced up and did a double take when she caught him staring at her. She looked away quickly, then turned back to look at him. Sadness clouded her eyes as she returned hisstare.
His feet took off in her direction before he could even think about it. The paramedic stood to leave as he arrived atherside.
“Are you sure you don’t want us to take you to the hospital to get checked out?” the guy asked, scratching his head. “This was a nasty accident; you really shouldconsiderit.”
“I’m fine. Just shaken up a bit, but otherwise unharmed. Not a scratch on me. Thank you for checking me out,” she said with a heart-stopping smile. A sheepish grin spread across theparamedic’sface.
“Just doing my job, ma’am. Have a good evening,” he said, leaving themalone.
She looked up at him with her ice blue eyes that had been haunting his dreams for a week now. She stood up, wrapping the blanket around her tighter. She was so tiny and the look of vulnerability on her face made him want to wrap her in his arms and protect her from whatever put that look onherface.
“Hi,” she said softly, biting her bottom lip. The strong urge to grab her and replace her teeth with his on her plump lip wasstrong.
“Have we met before?” he asked, moving closer to her. “Don’t think I’m crazy, ma’am, but I have seen you in my dreams every night for the past week. I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind.” He pushed her hair behind her ear. She shivered at his touch. “Please tell me that I’m not crazy,” he whispered, trailing the back of his hand down hercheek.
“You’re not crazy,” she whispered as tears pooled in her eyes. His heart sped up evenfaster.
“Then why can’t I remember more than justyourface?”
“It’s too dangerous for you to know me,” she said softly, closing her eyes and leaning into his hand. Her eyes popped open. “Get me out of here.” He nodded his head without hesitation, grabbing her hand and pulling her behind him. He had to be losing his mind, but he had the feeling that he knew her. He led her to Sam’s car, helping her into the backseat. She huddled down in the seat as he ran tograbSam.
“Sam, we need to go!” he yelled, knowing that Sam was going to think he had lost his marbles. Sam took one look at Cooper and nodded his head, following him back tothecar.
