Fate and Destiny Read online

  “I hope you aren’t laughing at me. I tried to get you to do this for me but you wouldn’t.”

  Shadow padded closer, leaving little room for Andrew to tend to his patient.

  Andrew softly hummed a jingle from a commercial. Any distraction a good one.

  Averting his eyes, he gave Shadow a guilty look. On edge, he began to sing the lyrics he hummed a moment before. Bringing down the heated towel, he efficiently dried her exposed skin. He slid one arm into a sleeve, lifting her gently, wrapping the flannel shirt behind her, and sliding in the other arm. Quickly closing the ends around the front, he started buttoning from the top down. His movements mechanical, mindless as he decently covered her. The shirt almost fit. She was about four inches shorter than Andrew’s own six-foot frame, but where he had muscle, she had curves.

  The gash on her head continued to seep blood. Deciding against a needle and thread, he opted to return to the first aid kit. Nothing in his background prepared him to put stitches in a stuffed animal, much less to scar an unconscious stranger. Cutting a bandage into strips, he closed the wound as best he could. A trick he learned from living alone. At his house, there wasn’t anyone to kiss his hurts when he slipped with a screwdriver or dropped a floor jack on his toe. Coordination was not one of his strong suits.

  He studied his handiwork. The closure of the wound was not perfect, but it would have to do until he could get her to a doctor. He hoped she would live long enough to complain about the shoddy workmanship on her head.

  “We’re almost done, honey. You just lay back and relax.”

  She didn’t move.

  “That’s a good girl. The top half is better, but now I have to take care of the rest.”

  He was becoming a pro at this savior thing. Thankfully, she didn’t regain consciousness yet. Her reaction to a strange man stripping off her clothes could be a very bad experience for both of them. The way his luck was going lately, she would give him a gash upside his head to match hers.

  After removing the shoes, unbuttoning, unzipping, and peeling the fabric from her, he eased the jeans down past her thighs and over her knees.

  Her right calf was swollen and purple from the middle of her leg to her foot. His hands ventured along her smooth flesh feeling for a broken bone. The skin warmer to his touch than when he first brought her inside. He sang a little louder now.

  As he tenderly felt around the swollen area of her leg, the woman let out a small cry of pain. The unexpected noise jarred him. He quickly glanced up at her face to see if she was coming around or if the pain from his touch broke through her comatose state. Shadow, also alarmed, jumped to his feet, emitting a sound of sympathy.

  She made no other attempts at moving. The wince of pain quickly crossing her face before returning to a relaxed expression.

  “Sorry, honey. I’ll be more careful.”

  Shadow wagged his tail slightly, agreeing Andrew should take it easy on his treasure.

  Without discomforting her further, he eased her foot back onto the rug.

  “Almost done now. Bear with me. Oh, and by the way, now would not be a good time to wake up. Okay, honey?”

  He stuck his fingers under the edge of her lacy panties and pulled them off. The singing in the cabin rose to an elevated level. Shadow, watching the whole scene, joined in. He barely emitted a hearty whine, not getting the chance to start howling before Andrew stopped singing.

  The man and the dog looked at each other. A giggle tickling the back of Andrew’s throat at the absurdity of a grown man who avoided looking at an undressed woman. The giggle turned into a cough and deep clearing of his throat. Giggling would seem less than manly in front of the dog. Shadow gave him a knowing look, settling back down to watch over his charge.

  Andrew resumed his task by slowly sliding the bruised ankle into the leg of the sweatpants, quickly following the path with the other leg. The fabric easily pulled up the length of her long legs, finally clothing her completely. He bit back the shout of triumph, choosing instead to grin at the dog. Shadow grinned right back.

  Picking her limp body up, he carried her to the clean dry bed and covered her with extra thick blankets. Shadow gave him a snort of approval before jumping on the bed and lying down next to his new friend.

  Satisfied that his charge would be comfortable, Andrew cleaned the cabin. Wet clothes hung on a line over the fireplace to dry. All of the bandages and supplies returned to their slots in the first aid kit. He emptied the bloody water from the bowl and rinsed out the washcloth before he was done.

  Outside, the storm continued to grow in intensity, the wind howling around the cabin. Refreshing his cold coffee with hot steamy brew, Andrew stared at the woman sleeping with Shadow protectively curled up around her.

  He refreshed Shadows water bowl before frying a couple of eggs for himself.

  The woman and the blizzard provided too much excitement for one day, and all before breakfast.

  3.

  Horrific images danced through her head as she hung in the mixed-up world between awake and asleep. Nightmarish glimpses of men in a car hitting and threatening her. Men she knew but couldn’t seem to remember exactly how she knew. Dreams of flying through the air, rolling dizzily, cold, and near death, then suddenly stopping against something hard.

  Curling deeper into the warm blankets, she was certain the nightmare would be a distant forgotten memory before she really woke up. Bending her knee, she twisted in an attempt to roll over without leaving the warm place etched into the mattress. She barely moved when pain shot from her ankle.

  Gulping in air, her mouth flew open, hands instinctively reaching down to feel her leg. Whimpers of pain and awareness escaped as sleep dissolved. In their place came hot blinding percussions dropping her back to the bed. Her head swam and her stomach rolled as dizziness and nausea almost overcame her. The ankle now competed with the throbbing from her temple.

  Slowly, she forced her swollen eyelids open. It took a moment for them to adjust to the low light.

  The room was on fire.

  Panicking, she slammed her eyes shut before cautiously reopening them. Not a house fire, a contained fire. Even the dim light bothered her irritated eyes. Blinking a few times, trying to clear her head, squinting anew as a fireplace slowly came into focus.

  Her head began to clear. Her bedroom closet was gone. In its place stood a large stone fireplace with a fire burning on an open grate. Where the bathroom door should have been, a window framed the gray sky. Wanting to sit up and look around, the aches across her body warned her not to even try. The quilt under her tightening fingers was foreign, the pillow cradling her head not nearly as soft as her own. A few more blinks, a deep breath, and the room stopped swimming.

  A crumpled pile of blankets covered the floor between the bed and the fireplace. Windows flanked either side of the stone chimney, and a soft glow shone from them into the room. To the left of the fireplace, on the other side of the window, stood a door. Between the window and the door, jackets hung on large hooks reflecting the firelight. One of them was hers. How strange that she couldn’t remember hanging her jacket up there. For that matter, she also didn’t remember ever being here before, getting in the bed, or falling asleep. At any moment, three bears were going to come through the door and accuse her of eating their porridge. The gingerbread police would come, discover a green eyed Goldilocks trespassing in Baby Bears’ bed, arrest her and put her before a jury of fairies and elves.

  That’s it, she thought, I’ve lost my mind. Gone over the edge, flew over the cuckoo’s nest. Forget fairytales. Guys in white coats are going to come through the door and have me fitted for a straightjacket.

  She still needed to roll over to alleviate muscle stiffness. Despite the pains, she tried to ease from her side and onto her back without using the aching leg. Something large and soft behind her stopped the movement. Reaching back over the blankets, her hand brushed against a lumpy form. Her first thought was of Baby Bear from the fairytale. Paralyzed
with fear, she lay perfectly still, her heart beating too fast, too heavy. Her head pounding with the increased blood flow.

  The figure moved a little closer and she could not restrain herself anymore. A brief scream erupted, as she scrambled into the corner of the bed against the wall, intense pain forcing her mind to the edge of blackness.

  Crouched, sitting on her backside, she used her arms as leverage, kicking her good leg out as hard as she could. A loud yelp and a large hairy beast leapt from the bed. Fear and adrenaline took control of her body. The room swayed. Fairytales and the boogeyman from under the bed stalked her, but there was no place to hide.

  She needed to stay awake and alert. That thing could come back. Losing control over reality, her head slipped back down to the bed. The fireplace swam in and out of darkness. She curled up as tight as possible, but no safety existed. Her head refused to lift from the mattress. Gripped by a need to fight back, she tried to speak. Something, anything. But only whimpers escaped her lips as blackness came over her, quieting the fears.

  From the safe place on the floor near the fireplace, Andrew looked at the now motionless form of the woman on the bed. Everything happened so fast. There was no time to react, much less calm her, or save poor Shadow from the kick that launched him from the bed.

  Scratching the fur around the dog’s neck, Andrew felt for injuries. No lumps or cuts rose along the nape. The animal was strong, his pride hurting more than his neck. The dog would get over it and forgive her, but Andrew doubted Shadow would be sleeping next to her in the bed anytime soon.

  “It’s alright boy. She didn’t know any better. Ungrateful wench, isn’t she?”

  Warily, Andrew crept closer to the bed in case a foot came flying in his direction. Not taking any chances, he prepared to duck or block as needed. Her body curled up tightly into a ball with her back pressed against the wall and headboard, her head along the outer edge of the mattress. Reaching out, he stroked the side of her face to see if she would respond. When no reaction came, he unfolded her body so she would be able to lie comfortably.

  Taking great care with the injured leg, he placed her head on the pillow and situated her in the middle of the bed. He tucked the blankets around her again, preserving her body heat. The whimpering ceased and she visibly relaxed enough to sleep calmly.

  Throwing another log on to keep the cabin warm, Andrew returned to the rug, his only cushion from the hard floor. Shadow, deciding it was safer sleeping near his master, curled into a ball next to the fireplace.

  “Nice try, but we both know you’re going to slip under the blankets with me as soon as you think I’m asleep.”

  Andrew chuckled as Shadow opened one eye, yawned, and turned his face towards the fire.

  This woman was going to be more trouble than she was worth. But at least he was not going to be bored or lonely in his mountain retreat.

  Blinking away sleep, she tried to focus on the coats hanging by the front door. Her gaze drifted over to the fireplace, coming to rest on the man sleeping on the floor. The events of the night before were fuzzy. Everything blurred together into a tangled mosaic of colors and sensations. She studied the man intently as she concentrated on breathing evenly and controlling her erratic heartbeat.

  His face was relaxed with sleep, lips slightly open, short dark hair, and smooth skin with a scruff of more than one missed day of shaving. He was an attractive man, but she didn’t know him. Although only bits and pieces of memory lingered, she knew he was not one of the men who abducted her, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t an accomplice.

  Her eyes darted to the door, trying to clear her mind. Spying the fireplace poker leaning against the wall, a plan began to form. She would get to the tool, then either hide it or use it immediately. The man on the floor would take it away from her unless she did more than make idle threats. Just moving her toes brought twinges of pain along her leg. It would be difficult to defend herself and wield a weapon against attackers when she couldn’t even straighten her leg without pain, not to mention walk.

  The mental exertion began taking its toll on her throbbing head. Raising her hand, she rubbed her forehead, her fingers finding bandages. Even her own gentle touch in that sensitive area caused her to wince, sending spears of hurt slicing through her head. Her eyes closed briefly with fatigue and pain. Worried, she could not return to sleep and leave herself defenseless.

  She opened her eyes, once again staring at her captor. He seemed innocent lying there asleep, but looks were deceiving. She wanted to memorize his features in case she lived through whatever happened to her.

  The weak light from the windows and the fireplace pierced her skull, but she hardly even blinked while she scrutinized the man. She would not allow herself to falter now. Her life depended on it!

  He was awake before he opened his eyes, the subconscious sensations of someone staring at him while he slept slowly waking him from a fitful sleep. He cautiously opened his eyes, expecting to see Shadow looking over him, drooling and waiting for breakfast. Instead, steely feminine eyes greeted him with a glare full of suspicion and hostility. It was too dark to see what color they were. He caught himself, wondering why he should care. Sensing the animosity sizzling within them, he didn’t move, mesmerized by the emotions in those depths.

  Mistrust and fear were the most obvious. She was afraid of him. He knew it without her saying a word. She would hurt him if she could. He stared back at her, trying hard not to appear as a threat of any kind, making no sudden moves that might startle her.

  The blankets around him started to wiggle. The cool air of the cabin crept under them as Shadow decided to wake up for the morning. He wriggled until his cold wet nose and large brown eyes stuck out of the blanket near Andrew’s head. The dog looked over at him with a sleepy, tongue wagging; good morning grin before his jaws opened into a wide, lazy yawn.

  Andrew tipped his head back to avoid the morning dog breath, but it was no use. The thick warm stench from the dog’s mouth hit Andrew even as he held his breath and turned his head. He tipped his head back farther, seeking fresh, cool, untainted air.

  As if suddenly remembering his new best friend turned enemy, the dog looked towards the woman in the bed, his large tail wagging under the blankets. He never held a grudge for long. Throwing back the blankets, Andrew released the animal to cease the fierce tail lashing.

  Quickly crossing the space between Andrew and the woman, Shadow leapt onto the bed. Other than the quick movement to free the dog from the tangle of blankets, Andrew didn’t move. Instead, he regarded the woman as her expression transformed into amusement, then wonder, at the lovable dog joining her on the bed. Shadow crawled on his stomach with his head low. His doggy way of making peace with the person who had so viciously kicked him.

  Using the tip of his nose, Shadow nudged the long, graceful fingers of the woman's hand resting on top of the blankets. Andrew leaned up on one elbow and watched as she patted the furry head while the traitorous dog studied her with adoration. She seemed to have forgotten Andrew was there. Maybe her fear abated, leaving it safe for him to get up. Then again, maybe she was hoping the floor magically opened up, swallowing him whole.

  A slight smile played at her lips as she ran her hand over the thick coat of fur. Suddenly, her awareness of Andrew renewed. Lifting her eyes to meet his, the smile disappeared, cloaking her face in anger and fear once again.

  “Who are you and where am I?”

  He calmly regarded her before answering. The unsaid accusations in her voice were apparent.

  “My name is Andrew Greer and you are on a mountain near Doves Cove, Colorado. I found you in the snow yesterday and I brought you here so you wouldn’t freeze to death.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  Andrew sighed. He saved her, cleaned her up, and gave her his clothes and bed. Now he was stuck taking care of her for who knows how long, and she was treating him like he was the one who hurt her! It just doesn’t pay to save a damsel in distress these days. />
  He wasn’t concerned she would jump out of the bed with a wildcat frenzy and attack him. Her injuries would prevent her from trying. He pulled back the blankets, slowly standing up before stretching out his sore muscles, the joints in his body cracking after the long night on the hard floor.

  “Look lady,” he said calmly. “I don’t care whether you believe me or not. I have no reason to lie to you, and you can believe whatever you want. If you want to leave, please feel free. This is my quiet haven and the door is right over there.”

  He motioned toward the front door before flipping on the light in the kitchen.

  She said nothing, regarding him with only a glare. The soft light seemed to hurt her eyes, causing a twinge and grimace, but her gaze didn’t waver from Andrew.

  “If I was going to harm you, would I give you my bed while I slept on the floor?”

  A sweeping motion of his hand indicated the crumpled blanket and pillow in front of the fire.

  “Would someone who intended to cause you harm have a dog like that?”

  He pointed towards the enamored Shadow who lazily lifted one eyelid to look at Andrew but didn’t attempt to show allegiance to his master.

  The woman’s eyes broke contact with Andrew, looking down at the dog then quickly back at the man. A bit of the ice in them melted as she looked away without answering, her eyes coming to rest on the clothes hanging near the fireplace. She immediately recognized the familiar items.

  Andrew watched her reaction out of the corner of his eye as he headed into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. He almost chuckled aloud at the redness of her cheeks as she realized he had changed her clothes.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked without turning around, hoping the edge in his voice sounded irritated instead of amused.

  Her only reply was a sharp “No!” but he braced himself, expecting something to come hurtling at his back from the bed. He picked up the frying pan. For a fleeting moment, he wondered if another bump on the other side of her head would do too much damage.