Callie's Captors [Mountain Men(2)

Big, black eyes fixed on her as he turned his head toward her. Yet she wasn’t afraid. How could anyone be afraid of something so beautiful?

He snorted, dropping his head and pointing his antlers at her. The way he acted was unusually aggressive for a deer, but she was too involved in taking the photograph to be worried. Even then, she doubted he’d do anything more than bluster and stomp, splashing the water about in his attempt to frighten her away. It wasn’t until he burst out of the water like a mass of energy exploding from confinement that she lowered her camera and gaped at him. Water sprayed everywhere, dotting his chest with shiny diamonds of water and making sparkling lights in the air.

Oh, shit!

She took off running, holding her camera in one hand as she used the other to break through the forest. He snorted, blowing air through his nose as he pounded toward her. When she glanced back, the sight of him gaining ground on her spurred her into running harder and she no longer felt the sting of the branches tearing at her skin.

Passing the spot where she’d left her backpack, she snatched up the backpack then started running again and didn’t look back. He was so close she could almost feel the warmth of his breath on the back of her neck.

She couldn’t think. She could only run.

Breaking into a clearing, she let out a small whimper, yet felt a flush of relief. He should’ve already caught up with her, but she didn’t dare question her good luck. If only the luck would stay with her a little while longer, she might make it to the other side of the grassy area. Then, just maybe, she could hightail her butt up a tree far enough to stay clear of his deadly antlers.

Something hit her, washing over her as though she were trying to run through water. The instinct to survive took charge and she kept moving even though her vision blurred and she found it difficult to breathe. A dry heat cocooned her, at once supporting her yet making her unsteady on her feet. It was if she’d entered an invisible wind tunnel and was struggling to push through to the other end.

Her mind, clouded with alarm, couldn’t make sense of the sensations rippling over her body. Instead, she struggled on, determined to make it to the end. Providing the strange area of wind had an end.

When at last she made it to the other side of the clearing, she broke out of the strange barrier and stumbled forward, thrown off balance by the sudden lack of resistance against her. Her backpack and camera went flying and, just as she started to pick them up, the buck appeared. With no other choice, she left her possessions and darted into the underbrush, not caring where she was going, only that she had to get away. The buck was only a few feet behind her, the steady rhythm of his hooves striking the dirt. With her breath catching in her throat and a stitch aching in her side, she kept going.

All at once, she was falling, tumbling in a downward spiral. She screamed and reached out for anything to break her fall, but could find nothing. She tumbled, fast and hard, until she landed on her back. The air rushed out of her, depriving her lungs and clenching the muscles in her chest. An ache barreled through the rest of her body, bulleting it with pain as she squinted her eyes closed. She hurt everywhere, and yet, at the same time, she was aware enough to realize that nothing was broken.

The buck’s snort made her open her eyes, and when she did, she found herself gazing up at him. She was in a deep hole, a pit, but at least she was safe from the animal.

Callie lay still, letting her heart slow down and her breath even out. The buck pranced at the edge of the pit and stared down at her. His dark eyes met hers and blinked.

Groaning, she pulled her aching body into a sitting position and waited for any fresh pain to come. When none did, she glared at the animal, then pushed her body into a standing position. But standing proved harder than she thought and she had to rest against the dirt wall to keep on her feet.

The buck lowered his head then raked his hoof along the edge sending a powder of dirt drifting down on top of her. She yelped and moved out of the way.

“Get away from me. You’re the reason I’m in this mess.”

The buck blinked again, then continued to stare at her. Was he trying to understand her, or had her imagination gone as wild as her run?

“You’re losing it, girl,” she whispered.

She pulled her cell phone out of her back pocket and held it up, inspecting it for damage. “Please don’t let it be broken.” Yet, although the phone was intact and the home screen came on as it always did, she couldn’t get any reception. She held it higher but still no bars.

“Damn it all.” She paced to the other wall and ignored the animal when he started circling the hole. If she didn’t get a call out, who knew how long she’d be trapped?