Read Online Ultimate Prey (Book 3 Ultimate CORE) (CORE Series) by Kristine Mason - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kristine Mason
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“Not anymore.”
Somewhere in the Everglades, Florida
Thursday, 2:48 a.m. Eastern Standard Time
“Watch your step, you don’t want to land on a snake,” he said, keeping his gun trained on his prey and the flashlight aimed at the ground. “I’m going to give you two a few tips before I let you loose for the hunt. This narrow path we’re on probably wasn’t made by humans, but by animals. Wild boar, I’m thinking, or maybe panthers or bears. If I were you, I’d stick to these types of paths for as long as possible.” He flashed the light onto Ian’s bare feet. “You’re going to discover that the vegetation here can be just as deadly as the wildlife. I’ve seen thorns that are almost an inch long. Imagine that impaling your feet.”
He glanced at his watch. Almost back on schedule. “Here’s another tip. Don’t drink the water unless you boil it.” He chuckled. “Good luck finding a pot and a fire-starter.”
Cami tripped and stumbled forward. With her hands still behind her back, he expected her to nosedive into the ground, but she managed to right herself. He landed the beam of light on what she’d tripped over, then to her slippered feet. “You’re going to want to keep your feet dry to avoid trench foot and also watch out for alligator nests. Those mama alligators are rather protective of their young.”
After another twenty yards, he ordered them to stop and keep their backs to him. He shrugged out of his backpack, set the flashlight on the ground, then pulled out a set of handcuffs and a cord. “Here’s how we’re going to do this,” he said, cuffing their wrists together. “We’re going to rest here for a couple of hours. You’ll be thanking me for this later. Fatigue will set in quickly as your body dehydrates and hunger sets in.” He considered adding that spending the next two hours tied to a tree would likely demoralize them. But why waste his breath on the obvious? They had two hours to try and rest against a tree. The temperature had dipped into the low sixties and they were barely clothed. Sleep would elude them. Fear of the unknown wouldn’t. He smiled. “Come along.” He led them to a large bald cypress, forced them to sit, then tied them to the tree, keeping the long cord around their necks and midsection. “Comfy?”
The glow of the flashlight bared the hatred in Ian’s eyes. Good. The feeling was mutual. He looked to Cami. The woman’s face was still mascara-stained and tear-soaked. At least she’d stopped her screaming and whining. He would have hated to have to kill her before the hunt had even begun.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” He grabbed his pack, dropped it against the opposite tree and sat down before setting the timer on his watch. “Get some sleep. Because in two short hours we’re gonna have some fun.”
Orlando, Florida
Thursday, 3:09 a.m. Eastern Standard Time
Lola jerked awake and quickly looked out the window of CORE’s private jet. In the distance, thousands of lights twinkled below and she realized they must be nearing Orlando. After they picked up Harrison’s friend, they only had a short one-hour flight to the Everglades.
Her stomach soured. How was her mom? Where was she? Did that bastard hurt her any more than he already had? Oh, God. Would they be able to find her mom and Ian?
She clutched her stomach and fought a wave of panic. Her dad used to tell her that if she didn’t have bad luck, she’d have no luck at all. He also used to tease her and call her his little black cat. If he took her to a Lakers or Dodgers game, they always lost. When she was learning to drive, she’d managed to take out their mailbox and rip off the back bumper of her mom’s car. She hadn’t been able to hold a job past nine or ten months without messing something up, to the point where she’d eventually been fired. What had made her think she could lead a team into the Everglades to rescue her mom and Ian?
The images of the man breaking her
Somewhere in the Everglades, Florida
Thursday, 2:48 a.m. Eastern Standard Time
“Watch your step, you don’t want to land on a snake,” he said, keeping his gun trained on his prey and the flashlight aimed at the ground. “I’m going to give you two a few tips before I let you loose for the hunt. This narrow path we’re on probably wasn’t made by humans, but by animals. Wild boar, I’m thinking, or maybe panthers or bears. If I were you, I’d stick to these types of paths for as long as possible.” He flashed the light onto Ian’s bare feet. “You’re going to discover that the vegetation here can be just as deadly as the wildlife. I’ve seen thorns that are almost an inch long. Imagine that impaling your feet.”
He glanced at his watch. Almost back on schedule. “Here’s another tip. Don’t drink the water unless you boil it.” He chuckled. “Good luck finding a pot and a fire-starter.”
Cami tripped and stumbled forward. With her hands still behind her back, he expected her to nosedive into the ground, but she managed to right herself. He landed the beam of light on what she’d tripped over, then to her slippered feet. “You’re going to want to keep your feet dry to avoid trench foot and also watch out for alligator nests. Those mama alligators are rather protective of their young.”
After another twenty yards, he ordered them to stop and keep their backs to him. He shrugged out of his backpack, set the flashlight on the ground, then pulled out a set of handcuffs and a cord. “Here’s how we’re going to do this,” he said, cuffing their wrists together. “We’re going to rest here for a couple of hours. You’ll be thanking me for this later. Fatigue will set in quickly as your body dehydrates and hunger sets in.” He considered adding that spending the next two hours tied to a tree would likely demoralize them. But why waste his breath on the obvious? They had two hours to try and rest against a tree. The temperature had dipped into the low sixties and they were barely clothed. Sleep would elude them. Fear of the unknown wouldn’t. He smiled. “Come along.” He led them to a large bald cypress, forced them to sit, then tied them to the tree, keeping the long cord around their necks and midsection. “Comfy?”
The glow of the flashlight bared the hatred in Ian’s eyes. Good. The feeling was mutual. He looked to Cami. The woman’s face was still mascara-stained and tear-soaked. At least she’d stopped her screaming and whining. He would have hated to have to kill her before the hunt had even begun.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” He grabbed his pack, dropped it against the opposite tree and sat down before setting the timer on his watch. “Get some sleep. Because in two short hours we’re gonna have some fun.”
Orlando, Florida
Thursday, 3:09 a.m. Eastern Standard Time
Lola jerked awake and quickly looked out the window of CORE’s private jet. In the distance, thousands of lights twinkled below and she realized they must be nearing Orlando. After they picked up Harrison’s friend, they only had a short one-hour flight to the Everglades.
Her stomach soured. How was her mom? Where was she? Did that bastard hurt her any more than he already had? Oh, God. Would they be able to find her mom and Ian?
She clutched her stomach and fought a wave of panic. Her dad used to tell her that if she didn’t have bad luck, she’d have no luck at all. He also used to tease her and call her his little black cat. If he took her to a Lakers or Dodgers game, they always lost. When she was learning to drive, she’d managed to take out their mailbox and rip off the back bumper of her mom’s car. She hadn’t been able to hold a job past nine or ten months without messing something up, to the point where she’d eventually been fired. What had made her think she could lead a team into the Everglades to rescue her mom and Ian?
The images of the man breaking her
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