Walker's Run (12 page)

These things raced through his mind, and Braedyn thought sleep would never claim him again. He needed to get her through the last transformation of this lunar cycle, deal with her father and brother, and then his pack once he got home. Only one out of the three was he looking forward to. Then there was Tamara's dream of the silver coated wolf being sought after. His Casey. He swallowed the lump that rose in his throat at the thought of her being in danger.

Amber’s comment of his uncle made the fine hairs on the back of his neck bristle, and he tried to clamp down the anger. He knew Harlan would be the one to put her in danger. Braedyn took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to block it all out. Seeking the solace of her touch, he laid his cheek against the top of her head.

Casey snuggled closer, sliding her hands up to his shoulders. “Go to sleep,” she whispered.

“I'm trying.” He ground his teeth when her warm breasts slid against his chest. She lifted her head to look in his eyes. “And when you touch me like that, it makes it...
hard
.”

She grinned and cocked her brow. “There's more on your mind than my body.”

“Right now, it's the only thing on my mind.” She shifted against him, and he sighed. “I won't be able to sleep if you keep touching me like that.”

“It’s not my intention to get you all worked up, but I don't think either of us will sleep like this,” Casey murmured, placing a gentle kiss on his collar bone.

Closing his eyes, a shiver worked its way through him, as her hand drifted down his chest, to stop at his hip. He groaned when he felt, more than heard, her soft giggle. “No, I don't think we'll be able to sleep like this.”

Sighing, she drew away from him and rolled over, putting her back to him.

Braedyn found he missed her touch and rolled onto his side, curling up behind her, wrapping his arms around her. Nuzzling her neck, he breathed in her scent. Normally it relaxed him, but the scent of her desire made his groin tighten.

She pushed back when he pressed against her, and then shuddered when he placed a tender kiss just under her ear. He left his mouth there. Her soft moan thrilled him. With measured tenderness, he brushed a hand down her side, over her hip, and down her thigh, curling her leg back over his own, so his hands could roam more places.

Casey’s hands drifted down his arms while he nibbled his way down to her shoulder.

“This isn't fair,” she whispered turning her head to him. He laid a gentle kiss against her lips.

“It’s only not fair because I’m the one doing the touching.” He felt her wriggle her bottom against his hardening length and took a deep breath, continuing his seductive roaming.

Slipping a finger into her, he felt her body quiver. Biting back a grin, Braedyn slowly withdrew his finger, gently tracing circles around her tiny nub. Her light moans and hisses of pleasure only heightened his excitement when she writhed against him.

The slow torture continued. He delighted in hearing her gasps. When she was close to teetering over the edge, he’d withdraw. Moving upward, he teased and pinched her nipples, and then he sunk another finger into her moist depths. She stiffened against him when her orgasm took hold from his hands alone.

He lifted her thigh a little higher and entered her from behind, squeezing her breast with one hand while the other hand kept a gentle rotating pressure on her sensitive nub. She cried out immediately with another orgasm, her body shuddering against his. Braedyn could feel the constant wave of pleasure coursing through her. Her body clenched spasmodically and she gasped for breath.

“Oh God...” Casey groaned, grinding against him.

Braedyn continued his torturous pleasure. He felt another orgasm build within her. Clenching his jaw, his need rose in him. He thrust his hips into hers, growling through his release. Casey buried her face into the pillow, howling in rapture. Her body sagged against his, shaking from the tremors still wracking her.

Wrapping himself around her, he held her close and kissed her shoulder. Her hand reached back and touched his cheek. Casey’s eyes drooped and she relaxed, sleep claiming her again.

“You’ve saved my life and for that I shall grant you one wish.” The old man looked at me and smiled, seeing the conflicting emotions on my face.”You are alone, as I am in this world, Silver One. You’ve no one left to care for or to care for you. You saved a human who had no right to your kindness, yet you’ve brought me food and shared your warmth to see me through. As a reward I shall grant you a wish.” He ran his gnarled hands through my silver fur with a tenderness I was unfamiliar with.

I thought back to the days prior when I had watched while my pack was slaughtered, skinned, and gutted. For days, I’d lain in wait and watched the group of humans go about their daily rituals, feeding their own and loving one another. Ironically, I found myself fascinated by them and less repulsed. They’d only been trying to save theirs from the cold and starvation, not realizing we were doing the same. They were ignorant in that way, but I could see a potential within them.

In my experience with human’s, none had ever talked to me the way this man did. None had ever touched me, and the pathetic, simple gesture of his fingers moving through my fur was glorious.

‘To be human,’ I thought without hesitation.

A sad smile curved the edge of his lips. “After all they’ve done to you? Are you sure this is what you wish for?”

‘Yes.’

Never did I stop to wonder how he understood me. I was a wolf, incapable of speech, yet he understood me, like I’d spoken to him in his language.

Apparently, I didn’t completely comprehend the meaning of the words “grant” or “wish” either.

Pain seared through me while his arms wrapped around my neck. He whispered foreign words into my ear. There was a heat inside I’d never felt before. I struggled to break myself of his grip, only to find the frail old man was far stronger than he appeared. My howls of torment and fear echoed around me; then I felt the cold as I had never felt it before against my...
skin
?

* * * *

Casey woke, alone in the tent. The dream was still with her and she had to shake her head to clear it. She felt well rested but starved, again. Pulling on her clothes, she immediately regretted leaving the warmth of the sleeping bag, but hunger took precedence over all.

Stepping out of the tent, the smell of venison cooking had her stomach growling fiercely.

Braedyn wasn't near the fire. She frowned and looked around, still unable to see him. By the looks of the sky, it was after noon, but the clouds spoke of another storm rolling in, so it could be earlier or later than she was reasoning it to be.

Closing her eyes, she called the wolf forth to try and scent him. He was near. Following her nose, she walked around the tent and saw him coming out of the woods with an armful of logs.

He was a handsome sight, carrying the largest bundle of firewood she'd ever seen a man carry. His long raven-black hair down over his shoulders and fierce grey eyes...she nearly lost her breath when their gaze met. Her heart stuttered, then raced to catch up again.

She watched him stumble and catch his step. “You have to stop looking at me like that,” he rasped, approaching. “You’re going to make me lose what little control I have when I’m near you.”

With a blush, she glanced away for a moment. “Need any help?” Taking a few of the logs to lighten his load, Casey followed him back to the fire. “What time is it?”

“A little after one,” Braedyn said. She helped him arrange the wood for easy access to the fire. “Can you sense if your father is close?”

“I don't know,” she mused, dusting off her hands. “I was able to use her nose to find you. But she doesn't know my father's scent, does she?”

“No, but you do. This is where you have to teach the wolf instead of her teaching you.” He walked over and turned the deer over the fire. In a pot he had cut up some vegetables and had them boiling in water.

She stirred the pot, noticing it was far more than either of them could eat in one sitting. “Making extra?”

He nodded and gave her a gentle smile. “I’d think they’d be hungry after all that hiking.”

“How are we going to do this tonight?”

He turned to look at her and took a deep breath. “I can add a little something to their food to make them sleep.”

“It won't hurt them will it?”

“No, it will make them sleep. They may be a bit groggy in the morning, but they will be okay. Do they drink coffee? The caffeine will kick it in faster.”

She cocked an eyebrow at him. “They are both former Marines. Coffee is a staple in their diet.”

“Good.” He pulled out a small pan and filled it with snow and set it on the fire to boil. “Try scenting them.”

Casey turned away from the fire and closed her eyes, thinking about her father and brother. Taking a deep breath, she called upon the wolf. Braedyn stepped up behind her, lifting his nose into the air.

“I-I'm not sure,” she groused.

He slipped his arms around her. “How long does it normally take you to hike in here?”

“About five hours.”

“So with their survival skills and figuring in the weather, we'll add maybe another three or four hours, which should put them getting here really soon since they left just before sun up. Try again.”

Casey closed her eyes, feeling his arms around her, and lifting her nose into the air, once again called the wolf. She could catch scents of the animals in the area and tried to narrow them down. After a few minutes, she shook her head. “I can't pick them up yet.”

Braedyn nodded. “It will take you some time, and the distance will take you a little longer.”

“Can you pick up anything different yet?”

“Not yet. But I can feel them getting closer. Which is why I've been getting everything ready so they won't be in such a rush to get you out of here. My hope is they’ll see you are well taken care of.” He sighed and squeezed her a little tighter.

Turning in his arms, she looked up at him. “We'll have to devise a way of how we met.”

“The truth? I met you here in the forest, and we got snowed in together?” He grinned when she frowned at him.

“That wouldn't work, though it sounds very romantic...”

“Yes, it has been, hasn't it?”

She laughed and looked in his eyes. “We could say we met through my work.”

“Like I'm a fan?” He furrowed his brows a moment. “How about...I'm a fan of your nature work, and this trip was to take some pictures for an article I’m writing.”

“You write?” She wasn’t sure why that would surprise her. But trying to imagine him sitting at a desk with a computer just didn’t seem to fit with the hands of the man she knew. Sitting in the wilderness with a pad, though...would seem more likely.

He grinned and shrugged. “I have written a few wilderness articles, about wolves and hunting with various weapons, survival techniques, that sort of thing.”

“Really? You know that could really work out for us. I've really wanted to get back into nature shoots.” She smiled and felt him hug her closer.

“I think working with you would be fun.” He kissed her again. “I rather like the thought of hiking out in the woods, watching you take pictures while I sit back and write.”

“I think I'd enjoy that very much.” She pulled away and turned her attention to the venison, her mouth watering. “Will it take much longer?”

“No, it should be ready now.” He pulled the skewer off the fire and set it onto another bracket stand he’d made. With a sharp knife he began slicing off large chunks of the meat and setting them on a plate.

Casey knelt to stir the vegetables and check to see if they were done. Licking her lips, she pulled the pot away from the fire as he sat down on the log with the plate and two forks.

Feeling like a starved animal, she procured her place next to him and devoured her portion of the meal. She’d never eaten this much in her life. Never had she felt compelled to show the nearly gluttonous craze that seemed to fill her now in front of anyone other than her family.

Luckily, Braedyn didn’t mind the ferver in which she ate. He seemed pleased she enjoyed his meals. She sat back and watched him finish his part of the meal. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve and set the empty plate aside. Looking up at the sky, she saw the clouds were swollen and heavy.

“Looks like we're in for another bad storm,” he said with a frown.

She nodded. Worry crept up on her. “I hope my father and brother make it here before it gets too bad.”

He nodded. “If they’re half as resourceful as they’ve taught you to be, they should be here any time now. They shouldn’t have any trouble. With the impending blizzard, we should go and collect more wood, we're going to need it.”

She followed him, gathering what they needed, and brought it back to their ever growing pile. When they were content with the amount they'd accumulated, Casey stopped a moment to stretch and caught a new scent in the air.

“I think they're near,” she whispered, noticing Braedyn watch her.

He smiled. “I've smelled them for a little while now. How close do you think they are?”

Her eyes lost focus and she sniffed again. “I'm not sure.” She turned around and looked over the fire to the clearing about three hundred yards away and saw a flash of orange.

* * * *

Braedyn walked over and stood beside her while the two men lumber their way closer.

“Casey, is that you?” A deep baritone boomed.

Large, fat, snowflakes began to fall.

“Daddy?” Braedyn fought to control his grin when he felt her joy at seeing her family. “Daddy! Dean!”

Both men broke into as much of a run as they could manage in snowshoes, dropping their packs to move quicker. She sprinted toward them and was lifted up off the ground, crushed by the embrace of the largest of the two.

“I'm so glad you're all right,” her father said taking off his goggles, looking his daughter over. The relief on his face apparent when he gave her another bone obliterating hug.