Page 29 of Hunted By Them

I dragged trembling fingers through my hair. It was clean, brushed even. My nails were unbroken. My skin was smooth and freshly lotioned. I rubbed at my wrists. They were tender, but no visible marks. Looking in the rearview mirror, there was a faint line on my chin. Hand trembling, I ran my finger down the small mark that could’ve been made by anything. A sapling branch to the face would have caused a larger mark.

My pulse wouldn’t slow. My body still ached.

Then I remembered, he carved himself into my chest. My hand flew to the spot, comforted for a moment. But a sharp knock shattered the silence and stopped me from checking.

I screamed, jerking back against the seat. My eyes whipped to the left as I clutched at my shirt.

A man in uniform crouched outside my window. Khaki shirt, patches on the shoulders, a wide-brimmed hat shadowing his eyes. I recognized the uniform of a park ranger.

He leaned close, calling through the glass. “Sage Harlow, is that you?”

My lips parted. My name sounded strange in his mouth, too ordinary after everything else. I was tempted to say no, it was Sweet Daisy, but I licked my lips and nodded.

“Can you open the door, please?”

My hand shook as I fumbled for the handle. The door clicked, creaked open, and the ranger kneeled in front of me. The ranger’s face was sun-tanned, serious, and etched with what looked like worry. He had one of those sexy square jaws, but the sun and his hat shaded the rest of his face while I fought against the brightness.

“Ms. Harlow, how did you get here?” His gaze swept over me like he was making sure I wasn’t a ghost. “We’ve had a search party out looking for you for days. We were just getting ready to head out again when I spotted someone moving in your car.”

“I…” My voice cracked. “I don’t know.”

His eyes softened. “It’s okay. You’re safe now.”

Safe? What the hell did that word mean in this fucked up world?

I’d felt safe in the cave with men I didn’t know, and yet my heart knew them.

“Come on, I’d better get you over to the volunteer tent and let the police know you’re okay. We should also get you checked out.”

I didn’t say anything as he helped me out of the car, his arm steady under mine. My knees nearly gave out, but I forced myself to move, to let him lead me. We crossed the lot, the gravel crunching beneath our boots, and I lifted my head.

A cluster of tents had been set up at the edge of the trees. Tables, radios, and volunteers in bright yellow vests. Uniforms were everywhere. Some of them were rangers, some paramedics, and even police. Coffee cups balanced on clipboards. Maps of the park spread wide, my name scrawled in black marker across them, and areas marked off.

All of this was for me?

I blinked hard. My throat burned. Was this why they got rid of me? The search was getting too close. These people were all here to help me, worried I had fallen into a ravine…or worse, and here I was wanting to scream at them. I wanted to tell them to go away, so I could go running back into the forest and find that cave.

People looked up as we approached. Relief swept across their faces. Some whispered. One woman, despite not knowing me, actually put a hand to her chest like she’d been holding her breath for days.

A medic stepped forward, asking questions in a gentle tone, but my ears rang too loudly to process them.

“Ms. Harlow, do you know how long you’ve been missing?”

I pointed my thumb at the ranger. “He says days, but I don’t really know.”

“What happened? Did you get lost in the storm?”

The questions were coming from all directions. I swallowed, mind reeling. What could I say? Three masked men had chased me through the forest and tied me up in a cave. I couldn’t tell if it had been the best dream or something…else. I’d begged for them. I hadn’t wanted to leave.

I couldn’t tell them that.

I lowered my eyes, feigning confusion. “I…I don’t remember.”

The medic exchanged a look with the ranger, then nodded as he jotted notes.

“Memory gaps are common with trauma,” she murmured. “We’ll get you to the hospital and checked out.”

“No…no hospital. I just…I just want to go home,” I said firmly.