Chapter 71 Chapter 6–Book 2

WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE AND TOPICS

Brutus followed Nova for two days. Each night, she managed to find a clever spot to sleep. They didn’t think she was sleeping, though, because they could hear her moaning, and then she would let out a scream when she woke up.

That meant she was having nightmares; they didn’t know what from. It wasn’t good, because each day she was a little bit slower, getting exhausted from her lack of sleep. Still, she would press onward to…what they didn’t know.

Brutus thought it would be best if she stopped to make a fire, that they slowly start to show her their presence. To their luck, either she was just too tired to continue, or she was cold. She stopped and made a makeshift camp.

She built a small fire, one that wouldn’t allow for a lot of smoke to give away her location. Which was curious: was she running from something?

She looked so tired that they felt she was just going to fall asleep right next to the little fire and not bother to eat. She looked like she needed to eat.

That was when Brutus got the idea…

James was all packed up and ready to go. He had a new trophy for his wall at home and was excited for the surprise that was waiting for him.

Avery finally showed up, and together they took off down the road.

“Listen up, James, we are going to have to lay low for a little while. I found out today that an FBI agent is in the neighborhood to investigate the missing people cases.”

“Are you planning on killing him if he gets too close?”

“Not sure if that is wise, James. The FBI tends to go looking for missing agents, especially when they disappear on a case. Anyway, just lay low for a while. No more killing or the other stuff you like to do.”

James wasn’t happy about it, but he did understand. Anyway, he would have his new toy to break in and his new trophy to admire. He could lay low for a long time. Thinking about his juicy, ripe stepdaughter made him smile.

“Sure, Avery, I can lay low for a while. Not a problem.”

Sheriff Avery looked over at James Springer. The man always gave him the creeps. He did have his uses, though, but there might be a time he was going to have to take care of him.

He was an unpredictable loose cannon, and Avery couldn’t have that when the FBI was around.

Kathy woke up again. This time it was actually morning, something that doesn’t usually happen. She remembered that she was supposed to have a chat with her daughter.

She decided that she would take a shower, then go and see if her daughter was home. She didn’t realize that this time she had been drunk or passed out for two days.

When she finally looked at the calendar, she realized that it was time for James to come home today as well. She skipped her shower and went to Nova’s room.

Nova was not home. Perhaps she was working, though the room didn’t feel like it had anyone sleeping in it for a little while.

She did notice that Nova’s jacket and purse were gone. Her shoes that she usually would wear for work were still there, though. Didn’t mean anything, though; they were looking worn anyway. Maybe she wore another pair instead.

Kathy looked at the clock. It was almost eleven AM. That meant that Nova had to have left around eight this morning and will be back around three this afternoon. She hoped that Nova would be home before James.

If not, Kathy was going to have to do some fast-talking. Nova will not be prepared, and James was going to be pissed. She wasn’t sure what she should do, though, so she grabbed another bottle and went to her couch.

She was passed out when the Sheriff pulled up to the house to drop off James. The next thing she knew, she was being kicked awake by a very angry James.

Nova realized that she had to stop. There was no getting around it or out of it. She was exhausted, both mentally and physically. She was going to have to do something about these nightmares, or this hike is going to become a real-life nightmare.

She found a nice little secluded spot to make a small camp. She was so tired though that even making the small fire made her sleepy.

She still had to catch a fish or two for dinner, but she decided that that was not going to happen. She reached in and treated herself to a candy bar she had been saving.

Before she could even finish the bar, she was laying on her side asleep. She vaguely thought she felt that feeling of being watched, but she was so exhausted that she didn’t care.

She slept without any nightmares this time, because of the exhaustion. When she woke up, she was smelling fish frying on the fire. She sat up instantly, wide-eyed, looking at the man that was sitting on the other side cooking.

He was gorgeous, and looking at him made her forget that this shouldn’t be happening. What was a man doing in the middle of nowhere, cooking fish on her fire?

Was she still dreaming?

Then she realized that this god of a man was only wearing jogging pants! What the hell? Did she just happen to find a Mr. Crazy Pants?

She started to get up to make an escape when Mr. Crazy Pants spoke, and all thought left her mind. His voice was deep and flowed through her like honey.

“There is no need to be alarmed; my name is Jack Dawson. I will not harm you. You looked like you needed a good meal and some rest. Are you running from someone?”

She just stared at him in silence. Not sure what to say, she didn’t feel any sense of danger coming from him. At the same time, he is out here in the middle of the forest, wearing only a pair of jogging pants. She must say, though, that it was a great view.

She shook her head in disbelief. She had never thought of another male, or female for that matter, in a sexual way. But she wanted him.

Coming to her senses, she finally spoke up.

“Jack, what are you doing in the middle of these woods with only jogging pants on?”

Jack looked away for a little bit, and she could tell he wasn’t ready to answer that question.

The fish smelled wonderful, though. She felt her attention going to the food, and her stomach chose that time to let out a loud growl. He chuckled and handed her a plate with a nice sized brook trout on it.

She couldn’t wait any longer. Stranger or not, she was hungry. She ate the trout in record time and was a bit embarrassed that she wanted more. Again, he gave out a chuckle and put another fish on her plate.

After she had another fish, she was full and happy. It still didn’t explain anything, though. She looked up at the sky; the stars were out, and she was realizing that dawn was coming.

She started to move; she needed to get her things in order and get going. That was when she realized that the plate that he handed to her was her own. That meant he had to have gone through her pack.

She turned on him in an instant and started to demand answers, answers she could tell he wasn’t ready to give. She grabbed her things, launched her pack onto her back, and started to walk out of the campsite.

Jack reached her just as she was about to step into the treeline. When he touched her, she let out a scream and bolted.

Jack ran after her. She was quick and quiet on her feet. He was longer-legged and, well, a WereBear.

When he caught her, she started to fight. His mate could fight, and she fought dirty. She kicked him in the shins and then in the balls. When she bolted again, he tackled her to the ground. He winced when he did it, though.

She is going to think he is a creeper. He wondered what his clan would say if they’d seen a small human female had just kicked his ass.

When James walked through his front door, he knew that he didn’t have a surprise waiting for him, at least not one he wanted. He found Kathy passed out on the couch. The TV was on; he shut it off.

He went into their bedroom and unloaded his stuff. He decided to check Nova’s room; perhaps she was waiting for her. He always had sweet daydreams about fucking her in her room, with all her girly stuff surrounding them.

When he looked into the room, though, it was empty. Well, she must be at work. He went back to the living room and kicked Kathy until she woke up.

“WHERE IS MY DINNER, YOU LAZY WHORE? WHERE IS THE SURPRISE YOU PROMISED?!”

She woke up finally, looking at him. “I don’t make dinner, you know that, that is Nova’s job. As for your surprise, it is at work.”

“Well, isn’t that just fucking wonderful. You are so useless, you know that, Kathy?”

“Yeah, I know. Can you get me that bottle of red wine in the fridge?”

He looked at her for a little bit, turned, and got the bottle out of the fridge. “Here you go.” He whipped it at her; she managed to get out of the way as it shattered against the wall.

“What are you hiding from me, you stupid bitch?”

“I…am not…hiding anything, you troll. Why did you do that to that perfectly good wine?”

He just stared at her with his predatory smile.

“Ok, alright already. Your surprise has not been told what her new role in the family is gonna be. She had to go to work early to clean some dumbass cabin. So, we haven’t had the talk.”

“I figured that you might enjoy telling her yourself. I know how excited you get when you see fear in their eyes.”

“What time does she get home, you cow?”

“She should be home within the hour, as usual.”

He went into the kitchen, made himself a sandwich, grabbed a beer, and sat down in his chair in the living room, waiting for his surprise to come home.

Maybe he should go out to his shed and pick out a nice pair of earrings for her, to mark the special occasion.