wildlife.”
She had no idea where she was. The windows of the vehicle were blacked out as was the privacy panel between the front seat and the rest of the car. She’d had to sit in absolute darkness, hands bound tightly in front of her, tape over her mouth, while they’d rocketed along whatever roads he took, slowing down only when the surface turned rough and bumpy. She stumbled on the uneven surface, trying to get her footing in the flimsy sandals.
An hour or more ago she’d been standing on the unlit highway leading to her family’s home, wondering how she could have run out of gas when she’d just filled up her tank the day before. One minute she was trying to get a signal on her cell phone. The next the big SUV pulled up next to her, three hooded men jumped out, grabbed her and tossed her into the back seat. She’d still been trying to scream when they’d roared off, her cries cut off when a fist had connected with her jaw.
She’d awakened to a hazy state of consciousness when the driver had stopped long enough for the man in the back with her to get out along with the person in the front passenger seat. Then they were off again, tyres screaming on the pavement. She’d tried desperately to gather her scattered wits together and figure out what was happening.
I never thought it would come to this. And which one of them had reached such a point of desperation?
Before she could make actual sense out of her thought they’d arrived at this desolate place and she had no idea at all where it was.
She managed to look around as the man dragged her roughly along the ground. She saw the dark shape of a cabin surrounded by a forest of trees. Holy shit. They were in the middle of no place. No one would ever find her here. Who were these men and why had they grabbed her? Her jaw still ached from the punch she’d taken and inside she was shaking but at the moment she didn’t have the luxury of fear. If he got her into that cabin she had a feeling she’d never get out alive.
As he tugged her along the dirt again she dug in her heels and yanked her arm out of his grasp. When he turned towards her she brought her leg up sharply and kneed him in the balls. His cry of agony could have curdled blood, and while it still rang in the air she brought up her foot and kicked him in the crotch again. He dropped to the ground, curled up in the foetal position, and Lauren took off running. She could hardly make out where she was going, wiry undergrowth scratching her skin, her toes stubbing on tree roots that protruded from the ground. But she knew if he caught her she was worse off than dead.
“Bitch. Where you at, bitch?” His voice had a strangled sound to it generously laced with rage. “When I get my hands on you, you’ll pray for me to kill you. I don’t care what my orders are.”
Orders? Someone gave the order for this?
Lauren pulled up next to a thick tree, bracing herself against it, trying to even out her breathing as she listened for the man’s progress. Cautiously she stepped away, one foot then another, being as quiet as she could. She’d barely gone ten steps before she heard him behind her and suddenly there he was. He still had the hood on but now he also had a gun in his hand.
Lauren backed up, wondering if she could drop-kick the gun away, when she heard a growling sound and three furred bodies hurtled past her to land on the man. She stared at them, frozen.
Wolves!
She knew there were wolves in Maine. She’d spent every summer of her life near these woods. But she’d never seen them this close before. Fear slid through her like an icy finger as she watched them knock the man to the ground. One of them sank his fangs into the gun hand and the man let out a scream. But the sound was short-lived, as in the next minute the other wolf ripped out his throat.
Ohmigod!
She was frozen to the spot, knowing she should run or they might turn on her next but her muscles didn’t seem to get the message from
She had no idea where she was. The windows of the vehicle were blacked out as was the privacy panel between the front seat and the rest of the car. She’d had to sit in absolute darkness, hands bound tightly in front of her, tape over her mouth, while they’d rocketed along whatever roads he took, slowing down only when the surface turned rough and bumpy. She stumbled on the uneven surface, trying to get her footing in the flimsy sandals.
An hour or more ago she’d been standing on the unlit highway leading to her family’s home, wondering how she could have run out of gas when she’d just filled up her tank the day before. One minute she was trying to get a signal on her cell phone. The next the big SUV pulled up next to her, three hooded men jumped out, grabbed her and tossed her into the back seat. She’d still been trying to scream when they’d roared off, her cries cut off when a fist had connected with her jaw.
She’d awakened to a hazy state of consciousness when the driver had stopped long enough for the man in the back with her to get out along with the person in the front passenger seat. Then they were off again, tyres screaming on the pavement. She’d tried desperately to gather her scattered wits together and figure out what was happening.
I never thought it would come to this. And which one of them had reached such a point of desperation?
Before she could make actual sense out of her thought they’d arrived at this desolate place and she had no idea at all where it was.
She managed to look around as the man dragged her roughly along the ground. She saw the dark shape of a cabin surrounded by a forest of trees. Holy shit. They were in the middle of no place. No one would ever find her here. Who were these men and why had they grabbed her? Her jaw still ached from the punch she’d taken and inside she was shaking but at the moment she didn’t have the luxury of fear. If he got her into that cabin she had a feeling she’d never get out alive.
As he tugged her along the dirt again she dug in her heels and yanked her arm out of his grasp. When he turned towards her she brought her leg up sharply and kneed him in the balls. His cry of agony could have curdled blood, and while it still rang in the air she brought up her foot and kicked him in the crotch again. He dropped to the ground, curled up in the foetal position, and Lauren took off running. She could hardly make out where she was going, wiry undergrowth scratching her skin, her toes stubbing on tree roots that protruded from the ground. But she knew if he caught her she was worse off than dead.
“Bitch. Where you at, bitch?” His voice had a strangled sound to it generously laced with rage. “When I get my hands on you, you’ll pray for me to kill you. I don’t care what my orders are.”
Orders? Someone gave the order for this?
Lauren pulled up next to a thick tree, bracing herself against it, trying to even out her breathing as she listened for the man’s progress. Cautiously she stepped away, one foot then another, being as quiet as she could. She’d barely gone ten steps before she heard him behind her and suddenly there he was. He still had the hood on but now he also had a gun in his hand.
Lauren backed up, wondering if she could drop-kick the gun away, when she heard a growling sound and three furred bodies hurtled past her to land on the man. She stared at them, frozen.
Wolves!
She knew there were wolves in Maine. She’d spent every summer of her life near these woods. But she’d never seen them this close before. Fear slid through her like an icy finger as she watched them knock the man to the ground. One of them sank his fangs into the gun hand and the man let out a scream. But the sound was short-lived, as in the next minute the other wolf ripped out his throat.
Ohmigod!
She was frozen to the spot, knowing she should run or they might turn on her next but her muscles didn’t seem to get the message from
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