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My heart thunders as I run back the way I came, out into the snow-covered pasture and over to the sleigh shed. If the blizzard comes in while I’m out there looking for her, a Land Rover isn’t going to cut it.
I need the Frost Titan.
The doors to the shed swing open, revealing a vast expanse of red metal. It’s an Aerosani, a propeller-driven sledge invented by the Soviets back in the early twentieth century.
However, mine is larger than anything the manufacturer had ever built.
It’s a mix between a speedboat and a car, mounted on thirty-foot skis, with a cockpit big enough to seat six with a cargo area, and the Frost Titan is strong enough to tow a tank if needed.
As the sky goes from blue-gray to the color of coal, I turn the key and the engine fires to life without a stutter.
The propeller whirs, and a second later, I’m tearing out into the snow, headlamps lit, following a light trail of reindeer prints leading out into the wilderness.
“I’m coming, baby. Just be okay. God, please, let her be okay.”
* * *
I followthe barely there reindeer trail through the sparse woodland at the edge of the property, over vast expanses of white beneath the dark sky. Mountains watch, impassive, as I speed by, the roar of the engine and scent of gasoline my only companions.
Oh, and my guilt. There’s that, but if I have my way, that motherfucker is moving on as well.
She’s out here. I feel it, and I’m going to get her back. I have to. She’s my miracle. My sun. My breath. I vow from this moment on, I’ll be what she needs. I’ll be a better man. I’ll go straight.
I’ll open a fucking hardware store and come home every night and complain about the price of lumber, how no one wants to work anymore and how taxes are killing me.
I’ve never paid taxes, but if I did, it would kill me.
My property ends, but the trail doesn’t, and I crash through the poorly maintained fence without a second thought as I drive the Frost Titan right onto Mort McAllister’s land. It’s no wonder our reindeer end up on his land. That fence wouldn’t stop them, not even close. Fucking asshole.
As his house and barn come into view, I hear a shotgun blast, and my mouth goes dry. My heart stops and my focus narrows to a pinprick.
If he’s fucking touched her, I’ll kill him. I’ll fit him for a pair of concrete shoes, cut a hole in the ice on Lake Harpon and drop him in.
I leave the Titan running, hop out into the snow as the vehicle’s propeller slows, and I grab my pistol from my waistband.
I sprint toward the barn where the shot rang out.
“Get out of the fucking way, girl.” Mort’s slurred voice sounds triumphant as he shouts. “That reindeer has crossed my fence for the last fucking time!”
“No. You will have to shoot me first.”
I breathe a sigh of relief as I hear her voice.
“If you don’t get your ass out of my way, I’ll do just that.”
I burst through the door behind Mort as the snow starts to fall, giant flakes coming down wet and heavy as the promised Christmas blizzard begins.
My gun is raised, my arm locked, my years on the streets come flooding back as I wrap both hands around the grip of my Glock. “Drop the shotgun, Mort. You raise it against my granddaughter again and you’ll die where you fucking stand.”
“Your granddaughter…” He turns to spit, and my finger tightens on the trigger as he lets the barrel of his gun drop an inch. “Your granddaughter brought one of your fucking reindeer onto my land, Sabato. I told you what would happen if I caught any of them here again. Fucking reindeer poop all over the place. I’m going to dine on venison tonight.”
“You will not!” Carina screams, her hands around Leonardo’s neck as he paws at the ground, vapor snorting from his nostrils. “He’s my friend. If I had a gun right now, I’d blow your fucking balls off, you wrinkled up old fucking backwoods bastard.”
“Friend.” Mort screws up his nose as he turns back to stare at her. “You hear this, Sabato? Your granddaughter a little slow in the head or something? She’s got a right nasty mouth there, too. Deer ain’t your friend, you stupid girl. Deer are meat, simple as—”
I charge at him as Carina does the same, hurling curse words as I whip my gun across the back of his head, a crack sounding out as the butt hits his skull, then he goes down with a thump onto the dirty barn floor. Carina scurries my way, throwing her arms around my neck and burying her face in my chest.
“I wanted to be the one to drop him. I know what you mean now about that protective instinct. He was going to hurt my family, and no one hurts my family.”
