“We’re in the woods. Probably a deer.”
“I don’t know…” the man argued, not lowering his gun.
“All we need is for some early first responder to hear shots,” the second man said. “Put the gun away.”
“But—"
“We need to get out of here, in case the guys on the plane got a message out before they crashed,” the man said. “We don’t want to be nearby if the rescue squads show up.”
“They wouldn’t be coming if the boss wasn’t trigger-happy,” the second man grumbled as they turned to leave.
“Go ahead. Tell him that. He’ll probably toss you down the mine shaft and leave your bones for the rats,” his companion replied as they headed back the way they came.
Scott remained where he was for several minutes, fearing they might hear his movement. His heart thudded at the closecall. For a moment or two, he had been certain he would be a goner, surviving the crash only to get shot.
When the men’s scent faded, and he no longer heard footsteps, his coyote stepped out from his hiding place, eyes still fixed on the flames consuming the wreckage.
Mike and Bill deserved better. Now they won’t even get a decent burial.
A fat raindrop hit him on the nose. His instincts told him the storm was likely to last a while, and he knew he had to find shelter before he struck out for Fox Hollow. He needed a safe place to sleep and recover.
They spotted a shallow cave beneath a rocky outcropping, and to his relief, it wasn’t already claimed by other animals. Coyotes were predators, but cougars and wolves were larger, and with a sore leg, he wasn’t in top fighting form.
His coyote had gone quiet, leaving Scott alone with his worries.
I’m hurt and a long way from home. Someone shot our plane down. Mike and Bill are dead. Guys with guns came to finish off any survivors. I have no way to know if Justin got my message. No one may even notice we didn’t come back until tonight.
Even if the SOS got through, it’s a big area to search. The rain will make it hard to look for the wreck from the air. Someone might have seen us go down or spotted the smoke, but it could take days for them to find the plane.
I could be dead by then.
The realization made him grieve the future he might not live to see.No articles are worth three lives. Justin and I were just getting started. I don’t want it to be over yet. I want to spend the rest of my life with him and get old and grouchy together.
Curled up into a tight ball, his fluffy tail wrapping around himself, he buried his nose in his fur to stay warm. Out of therain and wind, in the relative shelter of the small cave, he figured that a coyote should be able to last out the night without danger of hypothermia.
We’ll be okay,his animal side encouraged.We’re a wild animal.
Scott appreciated his other half’s sense of humor.Wild-ish. Good instincts, but we like sleeping in a warm bed.
Scott pushed away the sights and sounds of the wreck, although he knew they were likely to haunt his dreams. He used his heightened senses to scan for danger and nearby creatures. When no immediate threats surfaced, he let his human memories come to the fore.
His mind wandered over the time he spent with Justin, from their first meeting to their most recent phone call. He focused on remembering the sound of Justin’s voice, the smell of his hair, and the touch of his hands when they made love.
I’m not ready for it to be over yet, so I guess I’m just going to have to save myself.
8
JUSTIN
“Your boy is quitethe rabble rouser,” Liam said as Justin took a seat at the table in Bear Necessities Coffee and Café with two steaming cups of coffee.
“He’s not my ‘boy.’” Justin rolled his eyes even though he knew Liam was teasing.
“Close enough,” Liam replied. He reached for his cup and let out a nearly pornographic sigh of contentment as he took the first taste, closing his eyes and savoring.
“Do you need a room?” Justin joked.
“When it comes to coffee, I’m an exhibitionist,” Liam replied.
