Page 8 of Ensnared

In.

Out.

Arough hand shakes my shoulder, andIfumble to find the knife.Itonly takes me a moment to realize there’s no need.

It’s... over.

Dompulls back when my eyes open and he stands up.Hewaits for a minute, watching the clearing, then nods and looks down at me.Hesays something, butIshake my head, my ears still ringing.Hescowls.

I’mfloating with shock.Itcan’t have been that easy.Therewere so many of them.

Domgives me a vexed look and walks toward the “path” back down the cliff.ThenBeauis in front of me, forehead crinkled in concern.

Isqueeze my eyes shut again.Thisis too much.Reliefand fear and confusion clog my throat with hot tears.Theyleak between my lids.Howcan it be over so quickly?I’vebeen running fordays.Atleastdays.Asob escapes, quickly followed by moreIcan’t hold in.

Strongarms lift me, andIwrap myself aroundBeauagain without thinking.Icry into his dustyT-shirt on the way down the cliff.Whenwe reach the bottom,IrealizeIcan hear my own soft weeping, and the deafening ringing in my ears finally settles into a soft, background twang.

Chapter4

Eden

Survivaltip #38

Cheese= safety.

Mythree rescuers are waiting for me,Iknow, butIneed a minute beforeIface the destruction in the clearing.Myfreedom.The‘what’s next’ problem.Thereare too many things to think about andIjust... don’t want to think anymore.Idon’t want toworry.Rightnow,Ijust want to be held.

Asthough sensing my thoughts,Beaudoesn’t set me down.

“Isshe hurt?”Luckysounds alarmed.

Domstalks toward the viscera in the clearing. “She’sfine.Don’tknow why she’s crying; we just solved all her problems for her.”

Hisdispleasure cuts through my moment of self-pity.Iraise my head, butBeau’sarms just tighten.

“Fuckoff,Dom,”Beausays mildly. “She’sbeen through a lot.”

Thelarger man crosses his arms.Itry not to notice the way it pulls hisV-neck tight over his broad chest.

“Wecan’t bring her back,” he says, voice tight. “She’sa deadweight.”

“Doesn’tseem like she weighs much to me.Hey,Beau, let me try!”Luckytugs at my blouse.

Ishake my head, like that might clear it.WhatamIdoing?Thefrantic panic is fading, but a new uneasiness is settling in.Whatdo these men want with me?Bringme back?Backwhere?

WhenIshift back fromBeau, he reluctantly sets me down.Tenderon my foot,Iturn to face the two other men and immediately wishIhadn’t.Deadbodies are strewn around the clearing, fallen in awkward, final positions.Bloodand chunky body matter coat the grass and the smell of charred flesh wafts to me.I’veseen some terrible things over the last four years, but this is among the worst.

Dombends down to examine the partially dismembered hand of one of the hunters; it’s branded with a tattoo of a coiled snake.Hemoves and looks at another with the same symbol.

Fora moment,I’mworriedI’lllose my stomach—not that there’s much to lose—and, as he straightens to look back at me,Dom’sbored expression tells me he’s expecting it.Thatalone is enough to make me swallow hard and look away.

“I...”Itake a deep breath, trying to summon some of my old poise.Onceupon a time,Iwas known for my manners. “Thankyou.Iappreciate your help but there’s no need to go to any further trouble on my behalf.I’lljust...I’llleave you to it.”

Beau’sface grows darker by the word, making me falter asIturn to leave.

Luckyshakes his head, his brow puckering in concern. “Wedidn’t get them all, sweetheart.Therest ran off when they realized they’d lost half their number.It’snot safe.Youshould come with us.”

Luckyseems younger than the other two, closer to me in age thanDomandBeau, whoI’dguess to be in their early thirties.Butdespite the lightness in his demeanor, that teasing voice still has a bossiness to itI’mnot sureIappreciate.

---