Read Online Guardian Bears: Karl by Leslie Chase - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Leslie Chase
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that.
“I’m sure,” he said, focusing his will to keep himself steady as he straightened. “I’ve been through this before, when I was in the Army. I know what I’m doing.”
“If you say so. It’s your body, after all.” Marty didn’t sound convinced, but he didn’t bug Karl about it. Instead, he showed Karl the way to the freezer full of bags of ice and opened it for him. “Here you go, friend. Take what you need, and look after yourself. Remember to drink, too. Lots of people don’t realize how much water they’re losing in weather like this.”
“Thanks, Marty,” Karl said, pulling a couple of the big bags out. The touch of the cold was blissful, and he already felt better. But he could feel the pain hanging around the edge of his vision, still – this was going to take some time to recover from.
I don’t even know why I did it , he thought, shaking his head as he hauled the heavy bags back to his room. He didn’t have to worry about being seen now; who’d question someone grabbing some extra ice in this weather? In fact, having the hunters see him around the motel might keep them from connecting him to the attack.
The hunters were too busy to pay much attention, though. He could see a group of them gathering in the parking lot, heading out in different directions as Damian barked orders at them. The men he’d hit must have made it back, or radioed in – and their encounter with a monster had stirred up the rest.
Karl growled to himself as he kicked his door shut behind him. No time to think about the hunters and what they were up to, and his pounding headache wouldn’t let him focus on it anyway. Hurrying to the bathroom he tore the bags open, emptying ice into the bath before pulling off his clothes and jumping in with them.
Oh God, that’s better! The cold seeped into him, leeching the terrible heat from his bones and leaving him feeling a lot better immediately. He smiled and lay back, feeling the ice cubes crunch under his weight. For a blissful moment he could ignore the heat, and he felt himself waking up as the cold cleared his mind. Finally, he could think clearly again, and he found himself replaying the encounter with the wolf in his mind.
His bear rumbled contentedly too, enjoying the touch of cold ice. Reaching up, he turned on the cold tap and let the bath fill around him, icy water embracing him as he remembered the look in the wolf’s eyes, the shock as their gazes had met for a moment that seemed in his memory to last forever. There was something familiar about those green eyes, but he couldn’t place it.
I hope she got away, he thought as he let his eyes drift shut.
9
A llison woke in the darkness and panicked. Where am I? This isn’t my bedroom.
A hot breeze played across her body. She wasn’t under her sheets, and as her head cleared she realized that she wasn’t on a mattress. Or even a carpet. She was lying naked on the cold rough earth.
Above her, she saw the stars twinkling. The massive arch of the sky spread magnificently overhead, the full moon shining down on her. She looked around and saw the barren landscape stretching towards the black rocks of the mountains. And in the distance, she saw people moving, flashlights shining in the darkness.
What the hell is going on? Why am I alone, in the desert? And why am I naked? The dream of her run through the wilderness was still with her, though the details were gone. Scrambling to her feet, she considered calling out for help. But she didn’t want to be seen naked in the desert, especially not when she didn’t know how she got there or why she was there. And something inside her really didn’t want to be found by these people. She didn’t know why not, or who she thought they might be, but something was wrong.
Well, obviously something’s wrong! I’m waking up naked in the desert, for God’s sake! Shaking her head, she looked around for somewhere to go.
Fortunately, there were buildings nearby. She
“I’m sure,” he said, focusing his will to keep himself steady as he straightened. “I’ve been through this before, when I was in the Army. I know what I’m doing.”
“If you say so. It’s your body, after all.” Marty didn’t sound convinced, but he didn’t bug Karl about it. Instead, he showed Karl the way to the freezer full of bags of ice and opened it for him. “Here you go, friend. Take what you need, and look after yourself. Remember to drink, too. Lots of people don’t realize how much water they’re losing in weather like this.”
“Thanks, Marty,” Karl said, pulling a couple of the big bags out. The touch of the cold was blissful, and he already felt better. But he could feel the pain hanging around the edge of his vision, still – this was going to take some time to recover from.
I don’t even know why I did it , he thought, shaking his head as he hauled the heavy bags back to his room. He didn’t have to worry about being seen now; who’d question someone grabbing some extra ice in this weather? In fact, having the hunters see him around the motel might keep them from connecting him to the attack.
The hunters were too busy to pay much attention, though. He could see a group of them gathering in the parking lot, heading out in different directions as Damian barked orders at them. The men he’d hit must have made it back, or radioed in – and their encounter with a monster had stirred up the rest.
Karl growled to himself as he kicked his door shut behind him. No time to think about the hunters and what they were up to, and his pounding headache wouldn’t let him focus on it anyway. Hurrying to the bathroom he tore the bags open, emptying ice into the bath before pulling off his clothes and jumping in with them.
Oh God, that’s better! The cold seeped into him, leeching the terrible heat from his bones and leaving him feeling a lot better immediately. He smiled and lay back, feeling the ice cubes crunch under his weight. For a blissful moment he could ignore the heat, and he felt himself waking up as the cold cleared his mind. Finally, he could think clearly again, and he found himself replaying the encounter with the wolf in his mind.
His bear rumbled contentedly too, enjoying the touch of cold ice. Reaching up, he turned on the cold tap and let the bath fill around him, icy water embracing him as he remembered the look in the wolf’s eyes, the shock as their gazes had met for a moment that seemed in his memory to last forever. There was something familiar about those green eyes, but he couldn’t place it.
I hope she got away, he thought as he let his eyes drift shut.
9
A llison woke in the darkness and panicked. Where am I? This isn’t my bedroom.
A hot breeze played across her body. She wasn’t under her sheets, and as her head cleared she realized that she wasn’t on a mattress. Or even a carpet. She was lying naked on the cold rough earth.
Above her, she saw the stars twinkling. The massive arch of the sky spread magnificently overhead, the full moon shining down on her. She looked around and saw the barren landscape stretching towards the black rocks of the mountains. And in the distance, she saw people moving, flashlights shining in the darkness.
What the hell is going on? Why am I alone, in the desert? And why am I naked? The dream of her run through the wilderness was still with her, though the details were gone. Scrambling to her feet, she considered calling out for help. But she didn’t want to be seen naked in the desert, especially not when she didn’t know how she got there or why she was there. And something inside her really didn’t want to be found by these people. She didn’t know why not, or who she thought they might be, but something was wrong.
Well, obviously something’s wrong! I’m waking up naked in the desert, for God’s sake! Shaking her head, she looked around for somewhere to go.
Fortunately, there were buildings nearby. She
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