Amanda's Wolves(108)

A few seconds ticked by. “Machinery. Heavy equipment. Trees…”

The logging site. Logan slapped his head. Of course. “Run, baby. Run down the mountain in the direction we showed you. The fire is working its way toward you.”

“No shit. Logan, it’s so close. I don’t think I can make it.” He could sense her running, though. Her exertion was evident once again.

“You are going to make it, Amanda. Run. Stay ahead of the flames.”

“Amanda?” Sawyer broke in. “Logan?”

“She’s alive,” Logan said. “Baby keep running. Run hard. Don’t try to speak.” He kept the communication open to include Sawyer. “I think she was in a shed at the logging site. She broke out. She’s headed down the mountain.”

“The logging site?” Sawyer shouted. “The flames are licking at the edges of it now. I can see them just above me.”

“I’m okay. I’m okay,” she communicated. “I see the first marker we left at the top. Need. To. Stop.”

“Hon, no,” Sawyer interjected. “Don’t stop. Keep running. I’m heading your way.”

“’K.”

Logan gripped the edge of his truck so tightly his hands hurt. His heart was beating wildly. Please. Oh God. Please. A hand landed on his back, and he jerked his gaze to find Trace at his side, Melinda and Laurie behind him. Their faces were full of concern.

“She’s at the logging site.”

“The logging site? It’s already been overcome with flames,” Trace mumbled.

Logan shook his head. “She’s right in front of the fire. Running. Sawyer knows where she is. He’s heading toward her.”

Seconds ticked by. Long excruciating seconds that made Logan’s lungs ache in sympathy to his mates out there in the smoke.

∙•∙

Sawyer dropped his equipment where he stood and motioned to his squad leader pointing in the direction he was already running.

The man whirled around as Sawyer ran by. “Someone’s alive up there?”

Sawyer didn’t answer. He needed every second to get to Amanda. At least his squad leader had understood his signals. That would have to do for now. It would be hell trying to explain how he knew about Amanda’s location later, but he’d figure something out. All that mattered was getting to her before the flames.

He sprinted as fast as he could toward the group of trees where they’d left the red rope markers. Thank God they’d taken the time to do that.

His lungs heaved for oxygen. It was difficult to see clearly through the thick smoke. His eyes burned. Visibility was short. For once he wished one of those spirits would appear to guide him, but he realized in the current conditions he wouldn’t be able to see one anyway.

Finally, after the longest few minutes of his life, he saw something moving up ahead. Something pink…

Thank God the woman had left the house wearing light colors.

“Amanda,” he screamed.

She couldn’t hear him over the cacophony of sounds coming from the flames, the falling debris, and the chainsaws at his back. Her hand landed on a tree where Logan had tied a red rope. She grabbed the ends as if they were a lifeline that had the capability of saving her on their own.

He ran faster, impossibly so. Even in as good a shape as he was in, this was a test of his strength. Adrenaline drove him. Just as he reached her, her eyes rolled back in her head, and her body gave out. He lurched forward, caught her in his arms, and turned around to head back down the mountain without losing a beat.

Flames licked at his heels, too close for him to ponder. If he took the time to turn around and look over his shoulder, he would lose precious seconds he didn’t have. But he could feel the intense heat.

He lowered his ear to her mouth as soon as he thought he had enough distance between him and the fire to take the risk. She was breathing. Faintly, but breathing. She was overcome with too much smoke inhalation. And God only knew what else was in her system…

“Sawyer.” Logan’s one word into his head was terse. Frantic.

“I have her,” Sawyer shouted through their connection. “Hon. God. Please. Stay with me.”

“Is she okay?”

“So much smoke. I don’t know how she managed. I’m heading down to the service road now. There are paramedics there. She passed out cold the moment I grabbed her. Two seconds longer and she might have collapsed to the forest floor, and I never would have found her.”

“Thank God. I’ll meet the ambulance at the hospital.”

Sawyer kept running.

When he reached the spot he’d been working, his squad leader dropped his own gear and raced forward. “Jesus. How did you know someone was up there?” Luckily the man didn’t require a response. He grabbed his radio from his pocket and yelled instructions into it. “Civilian female headed your way. Approximately twenty-five. Looks like smoke inhalation.” He nodded toward the service road, and Sawyer kept going.