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And the fact was, she couldn’t even tell if they were headed north, south, west or east. She was completely and utterly lost. Like it or not, she was at the mercy of Sam Michalski, who seemed to know exactly how to survive in this godforsaken land.
No matter how much she hated the idea, she had to endure Sam Michalski’s company a little longer. Just until they reached within distance of civilization. Then she would happily leave the bounty hunter where he belonged. In the wilderness with
the rest of the animals.
Chapter 7
Ivy went stiff as she felt Sam Michalski’s arms slip around her. He had fallen asleep a while ago. She could tell by his heavy breathing. As usual, there would be no sleep for Ivy. Her daytime nap only reinforced that. Actually, it had been more than a nap. It had been a long, deep sleep. Though it felt refreshing and rejuvenating, it was also shocking, not to mention frightening.
She had been twelve years old when she learned it was not safe to fall asleep. If she wanted to survive, she had to learn to do with little sleep. It was those hours that his lordship would slip in and relieve his sexual needs on her sister. Ivy had been too frightened to say or do anything. Always, instead, hiding beneath her bed until he was done, then watch as his black boots left the room.
The memory of her sister’s tears as she tried to silence them into her pillow, haunted Ivy now. If only she had the courage to have helped her instead, maybe Moira would be with her now.
A noise outside the lean-to had her coming back to the present with a start. The rain had long stopped and the only sound in the forest was the odd water droplet as it fell from a branch onto the cold earth below. The air had a fresh after the rain smell, pronouncing the scent of the surrounding pine trees somehow.
There it was again.
Ivy held her breath, listening closely for the sound, trying to identify it. When it came again, closer, she gasped out loud. A hand swiftly covered her mouth.
“Shh.”
Heavy footsteps passed by her head, not more than two feet away. Though these were not feet she heard, but paws. Big heavy paws that belonged to an equally large animal. Her only barrier being the thin wall of branches Sam used as material for the lean-to. Ivy froze all movement or sound, praying the bear on the other side couldn’t hear her trembling inside the shelter.
Sam must have felt them though, for his arm tightened around her, pinning her body even closer to him. To her surprise, she was not overcome with an urge to flee. Instead, an unbelievable sense of safety swept over her.
Sam’s breath felt warm next to her ear as he softly whispered, “We’re downwind. She won’t be able to smell us. Just stay still.” If she hadn’t been holding her own breath, she would never have heard him.
She nodded and was struck by the realization that she was glad Sam was there. Glad she was not alone. Glad his arms were around her. Never before in her life had she ever felt so protected.
And that was when the urge to flee eventually did come. But instead, she forced herself to remain still, biting her bottom lip hard to keep it from trembling. The forest was silent, making the sound of the bear’s snort sound that much louder. Every time the animal exhaled, it sounded so close, Ivy was sure the creature would discover them at any moment. She physically flinched when the animal’s breath was felt far too close to where her head lay.
The old dependable feelings of anxiety returned, bubbling deep in her gut. She tried desperately to suppress it. Now was not a good time to vomit. As if sensing her rising anxiety, Sam tightened his hold on her. One hand covering her mouth, the other slowly and almost as if he wasn’t aware, stroking her arm.
The one covering her mouth tasted salty against her lips. Was he sweating? Was he as frightened as Ivy? The thought should have sent her reeling into a panic, but for some unexplainable reason, it actually had a calming effect.
So the man was human after all. Perhaps was in need of a little comforting as well. Not that she would offer him any, she told herself sternly. For all she cared, the bear could have him for dinner.
Heavy shuffling indicated the animal had moved toward the entrance of the shelter.
Ivy’s pulse skyrocketed and without even realizing it, she leaned deeper into Sam’s embrace. Sam squeezed her, obviously trying to send her a mute warning to be still and silent. And he was right. She knew that. Whatever it took, she could not scream. Something she was fighting hard against.
Years of struggling to survive had built in a natural survival instinct in Ivy. She did not want to die. Not here. Not this way. If it meant she could not move for the next twenty-four hours, the next week if need be, she would do it.
To her relief, however, the sound of the bear’s heavy paws began to move away from the shelter. The sound of trees and bush rustled as the animal headed back into the woods and out of their camp, until finally it was silent once again. And even then, Ivy did not move.
“She’s gone.” Sam’s mouth was just over her ear and when he spoke his voice sounded so soft, so comforting. A warm ripple unexpectedly ran down her spine. Perhaps it was the pent up stress of having to remain so still when what she really wanted was to go running into the forest screaming at the top of her lungs, which had tears welling at the back of her eyes. Now was not the time to cry. She pressed her lids tightly together, forcing them dry.
When she finally felt herself reasonably in control of her emotions, she said, “Will she be back?”
“Might,” he admitted. “Good chance she smelled what was left of our dinner in the fire pit.”
“Can you shoot it?”
Behind her back, she felt him grow rigid. When he spoke, his voice was no longer soft. “You can’t go around killing everything you don’t like.”
“What I don’t like is the fact if she had come one step closer, she’d have found the entrance to this shelter.”
“She was looking for food. That’s not a crime.”
