Read Online The Huntress: full-length sexy romantic suspense by Dorothy McFalls - Free Book Online
Authors: Dorothy McFalls
Tags: romantic suspense
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they went. At the tree, they leaned into a deep groove in the ancient tree’s convoluted trunk.
Vega stared out into the forbidding swamp with no desire to wander into its depths without a gun, a lantern or a map. But, considering the situation, she couldn’t think of any other option.
“Shit,” she muttered.
Grayson moved closer. His arms snaked around her waist. Avoiding her shoulder, he pressed against her, using his body to shield her from the hidden shooter.
“I don’t need your protection,” she snapped. “This tree is between that rifle and us. The laser sight flitting around out there is giving his position away.”
“I know.” He didn’t pull away.
His warmth continued to seep into her, irritating her that his body heat was helping ease the pain in her shoulder and feeding her strength.
“On the count of three we’re going to make a run for it. Keep close to me,” she said, her complete focus turning to the next few seconds. “I’m going to zigzag through the trees about five hundred feet. The darkness should have swallowed any traces of us by then. At least, I hope so.”
“That’s exactly what I would do.”
That settled, she calmed her mind and prepared her muscles for a terrible trial. “One,” she said, beginning the countdown.
“Wait.” He cupped her chin with both hands and bit his bottom lip as if trying to come to a decision. “Wait.” He dropped one hand but kept the other clamped on her face. His rough thumb caressed her cheek. He glanced down at his pants as he fumbled in his pocket. “Here.”
He pushed a key into her hand, wincing as he did. “I have a truck hidden about a mile from here.” He let out a long sigh. “If you can get yourself beyond the reach of that sharpshooter, I can show you the way to the truck.”
Why in the world was he doing this? She felt her head spin. Once beyond the dangers of the rifle, he could easily lose her in the darkness. What kind of resistance would she be able to give him if he did? It was going take most of her strength just to get through the swamp. She wouldn’t have reserves left to chase after him.
But by handing her the truck’s key, he was assuring her that she didn’t have to worry. He was assuring her that he was going to get them both out of the swamp.
She jammed the key, clutched so tightly that the metal had bit into her palm, into her pocket. “Ready?”
He gave a quick nod.
Bullets sang through the air as they ran a haphazard path, weaving through the cypress grove, skipping over the knobby cypress knees that littered the muddy ground. Her foot splashed into a particularly deep bog, sinking into mud the consistency of fresh putty. She had to fight to keep her balance and her boot from being sucked right off her foot.
Grayson wasn’t so lucky. He tripped over a stump and went flying forward, she grabbed his arm and pulled him along with her, not letting him fall, not letting him slow his pace.
Several hundred yards from the shack, her eyesight began to blur again.
Give me a little more time; she begged her muscles, while drawing a series of slow, deep breathes. Just a little further.
Not even her heart-pounding fear of the creepy creatures waiting to devour her in this dark wilderness was enough to overcome the damage she’d done to her body.
Suddenly, her legs felt like weights had been piled on top of them. She no longer cared if she made it out of the swamp or not.
Grayson tugged on her arm. “Come on. We’re nearly there.”
She stumbled. Her knees crumbled beneath her.
That was it.
She sank into the thick, wet mud, not minding the damp or the cold, or the creatures.
She was done.
Grayson scooped her up into his arms. She cried out weakly. Her shoulder screamed in pain.
“We’re nearly there,” he assured her. He continued his dash through the swamp at a steady pace, giving a worried glance over his shoulder only once.
Vega struggled against him, but the pain had taken over. The best
Vega stared out into the forbidding swamp with no desire to wander into its depths without a gun, a lantern or a map. But, considering the situation, she couldn’t think of any other option.
“Shit,” she muttered.
Grayson moved closer. His arms snaked around her waist. Avoiding her shoulder, he pressed against her, using his body to shield her from the hidden shooter.
“I don’t need your protection,” she snapped. “This tree is between that rifle and us. The laser sight flitting around out there is giving his position away.”
“I know.” He didn’t pull away.
His warmth continued to seep into her, irritating her that his body heat was helping ease the pain in her shoulder and feeding her strength.
“On the count of three we’re going to make a run for it. Keep close to me,” she said, her complete focus turning to the next few seconds. “I’m going to zigzag through the trees about five hundred feet. The darkness should have swallowed any traces of us by then. At least, I hope so.”
“That’s exactly what I would do.”
That settled, she calmed her mind and prepared her muscles for a terrible trial. “One,” she said, beginning the countdown.
“Wait.” He cupped her chin with both hands and bit his bottom lip as if trying to come to a decision. “Wait.” He dropped one hand but kept the other clamped on her face. His rough thumb caressed her cheek. He glanced down at his pants as he fumbled in his pocket. “Here.”
He pushed a key into her hand, wincing as he did. “I have a truck hidden about a mile from here.” He let out a long sigh. “If you can get yourself beyond the reach of that sharpshooter, I can show you the way to the truck.”
Why in the world was he doing this? She felt her head spin. Once beyond the dangers of the rifle, he could easily lose her in the darkness. What kind of resistance would she be able to give him if he did? It was going take most of her strength just to get through the swamp. She wouldn’t have reserves left to chase after him.
But by handing her the truck’s key, he was assuring her that she didn’t have to worry. He was assuring her that he was going to get them both out of the swamp.
She jammed the key, clutched so tightly that the metal had bit into her palm, into her pocket. “Ready?”
He gave a quick nod.
Bullets sang through the air as they ran a haphazard path, weaving through the cypress grove, skipping over the knobby cypress knees that littered the muddy ground. Her foot splashed into a particularly deep bog, sinking into mud the consistency of fresh putty. She had to fight to keep her balance and her boot from being sucked right off her foot.
Grayson wasn’t so lucky. He tripped over a stump and went flying forward, she grabbed his arm and pulled him along with her, not letting him fall, not letting him slow his pace.
Several hundred yards from the shack, her eyesight began to blur again.
Give me a little more time; she begged her muscles, while drawing a series of slow, deep breathes. Just a little further.
Not even her heart-pounding fear of the creepy creatures waiting to devour her in this dark wilderness was enough to overcome the damage she’d done to her body.
Suddenly, her legs felt like weights had been piled on top of them. She no longer cared if she made it out of the swamp or not.
Grayson tugged on her arm. “Come on. We’re nearly there.”
She stumbled. Her knees crumbled beneath her.
That was it.
She sank into the thick, wet mud, not minding the damp or the cold, or the creatures.
She was done.
Grayson scooped her up into his arms. She cried out weakly. Her shoulder screamed in pain.
“We’re nearly there,” he assured her. He continued his dash through the swamp at a steady pace, giving a worried glance over his shoulder only once.
Vega struggled against him, but the pain had taken over. The best
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