Riley's Journey (33 page)

Screams of pain along with the clash of weapons rent the air. Her eyesight clearing, Riley watched the grisly battle scene in disbelief. These new people, women as well as men, fought hard and well; the newcomers decimated by the onslaught of this fighting force. A figure drew her attention. Jonas! It was Jonas!
Om-i-gawd
—it was Jonas!

The fierce battle waged, bodies dropped before the deadly onslaught of Jonas’ team. Ruthlessly, they routed the beleaguered newcomers, giving no quarter, and when the last newcomer had been dispatched to that primeval hunting ground in the sky, the team finally rested.

Pushing up, Riley crawled across the blood-stained earth, reaching the spot where Nathan last fell. Shoving dead bodies to the side, she found him at the bottom of the gruesome pile. His colorless face—ashen and unmoving—terrified her. Crushing his bloody and bruised head to her breast, she gently rocked, willing him to be alive. “Nathan,” she moaned, “Nathan, don’t die!” Blinding tears fell in a river, raining down on Nathan’s pale, still face. “Please don’t leave me,” she begged, “not now.” Kissing his brow over and over, she wept uncontrollably, wailing her grief to the heavens.

“I’m drowning here,” Nathan’s weak voice complained. His eyelids fluttered open and those warm caramel eyes met hers.

“Nathan, Oh-mi-gawd, you scared me to death!”

“You think you were scared!” he coughed. “Watching you fight was the scariest thing I ever saw! You should have seen yourself! I didn’t know you had it in you!”

Tenderly, she brushed his hair back, admitting ruefully. “They made me really mad.”

“Remind me never to upset you or I won’t feel good about turning my back on you ever again.”

A fierce growl drew their attention. Demon planted himself between them and Jonas’ team, teeth bared, eyes burning red from a bloody, brutalized skull.

“Nathan! Call off your damn dog—I assume he’s your damn dog!” Irritation skewed Jonas’ face. The huge dog growled again, moving one stealthy step forward, hackles up, tense, waiting for Jonas to make one wrong move.

Giddy with overwhelming relief, Riley laughed. “He really is a big sweetie. Just give him a few days, and he’ll be sitting on your lap!”

“It’s the few days in between I’m worried about.”

Totally understanding, Riley giggled. “Been there, done that!”

The dog took another step, growling viciously, sharp canines snapping in warning.

“Damn it, Nathan, call off your damn dog!” Jonas snapped, inching backwards, his eyes glued to the monstrous animal.

“Demon—sit! It’s okay, boy, he’s a friend.” The dog relaxed immediately, but stayed put, refusing to allow anyone near his people.

Riley patted him on the rump, amazed the dog had survived. “You’re such a good puppy! Mommy loves you,” she crooned. Demon’s tail wagged in response, though his eyes remained focused intently on the new intruders.

Jonas’ eyes narrowed, glaring at her. “And how many times did I tell you
never
and I mean
never
turn your back on an opponent!” Demon huffed a small warning.

“Sorry,” she muttered contritely, looking away. “Things just got out of hand and I forgot Rule Number One.”

“Leave her alone,” Nathan grumbled. “If you hadn’t taken your sweet time getting here, there wouldn’t have been a problem.”

Laughing, the team drew close. “Old guy just couldn’t keep up with the rest of us.” Geena’s cheeky comment drew a fierce scowl from Jonas.

“Old guy!” Jonas sputtered. “You’ll think ‘old guy’ while your fat butt does night patrol for the next three weeks.

“Oooooooo! Geena make big man mad.” Cackling, Allie added her two bits.

“And you,” Jonas whirled. “I told you to stay with the horse. How many times do I have to tell you?”

“More than once—less than a thousand.” Unrepentant, Allie shrugged, sauntering away.

“And who is that?” Nathan’s eyes followed Allie.

“A big pain in the butt,” Jonas growled. “How she ever made it on this team is beyond me.”

“I thought she fought very well,” Riley interposed. “She certainly saved me!”

Jonas’ eyes followed the small woman. “Yeah,” he muttered ungraciously, “she did fight well.”

“I heard that!” Allie’s voice echoed cheerfully.

“Good hearing, too!” Nathan laughed.

Geena and Micah hauled Nathan upright, checking his wounds. Most were superficial, but two were cause for concern. “He needs stitches and bed rest. We need to get him back to Abe. Allie can bandage him for the time being.”

“Is Allie a paramedic or something?” Riley asked.

“I’m the midwife,” Allie piped up.

“I’m pretty sure I don’t need a midwife,” Nathan grumbled.

Eyeing Allie, Riley’s face brightened. “Maybe you don’t, but I’m thinking I might.”

Startled, Nathan’s mouth dropped open. “Are you trying to tell me something?” His eyes bored into hers.

Dead silence. All eyes focused on her. Awkwardly, Riley groped for the right words, wishing the ground would open up and swallow her, embarrassed by all the sudden attention. “Uh—well—I’m pretty sure I’m pregnant.”

“Why didn’t you say something?” he demanded.

“Like we really had time and, besides, you had enough to worry about.”

Reaching for her, he enfolded her in the circle of his arms, nuzzling her neck and loving her as no other could. Riley breathed in his natural scent, clean and tangy, overlaid with the smell of blood and sweat.

Jonas cleared his throat. “Well, uh, congratulations—I guess!” Cheers erupted from the team, laughing and slapping each other as if they had played some part in the conception.

“Old friend—what are you doing here?” Nathan waited for a response.

Shrugging noncommittally, Jonas retorted. “Where else would I be? And why didn’t you tell me where you were going! I spent the last five or so years looking for you! It wasn’t until she” gesturing at Riley, “disappeared that I really began to suspect what happened. Then all it took was a little ‘persuasion’ and Miles spilled the whole story.”

“Poor Miles,” Riley commiserated. “Is he still alive?”

“He was the last time I saw him.” Jonas’ terse remark left Riley wondering.

“By the way, Bethany is here.”

Nathan froze and then glared, his eyes shooting hot sparks. “Here! What the hell is she doing here?” Nathan’s reaction was pretty much what Jonas expected.

“She wouldn’t be left behind. It was either bring her along or no one came.”

Nathan glanced around. “Where is she?”

“Back at the cave with your sheep—along with eight others. With Bethany, we had seventeen total to begin with, but we lost a man and one woman already in a bear attack, and one of our men got on the wrong side of a cat with really big teeth.”

“Is Bethany okay?”

“Yeah, ornery as always—you know Bethany.”

Riley’s eyes narrowed menacingly. “I have a few choice words I’d like to share with Bethany. And after that, she’s going to owe me a lot of back pay and I mean to collect, one way or another.” Secretly, Riley considered taking it out of her hide. The woman played God and no one had the right to do that.

Confused, Nathan asked. “But why? Why are
all of you
here?”

Waving his arms grandly, Jonas explained. “We came to save you and now, we’re going to stay.”

“Stay?”

“Yup,” Jonas grumbled reluctantly. “Can’t go back. Remember how it’s a one way trip. Well, things haven’t changed.” Grinning, he continued. “We’re your new family!”

Turning to the team members, he waved at the fallen newcomers. “Gather up anything we can use—weapons, food, whatever. They won’t be needing them. Allie! Bring that horse over here. Nathan, will the horse drag a travois?” The team scurried to do his bidding, collecting weapons and what few other incidentals the bodies held. It was grisly work, but no one complained.

“He’ll haul just about anything.” Pausing, Nathan looked to the west. The sun was rapidly setting. “It’ll be dark soon and we need to find shelter. The smell of blood will draw the predators like fat people to a buffet and we don’t want to be here when that happens.”

Micah ran down from the tree line, dragging two strong saplings behind. “While I was cutting these, I spotted a cave back up the hill that might provide cover for the night.” With few choices, it was the best solution—if no unfriendly critters currently inhabited the temporary quarters. A makeshift travois was hastily constructed and Nathan tied on. The horse balked at the weight, but with a good slap from Riley, he followed docilely. Riley walked by the travois, holding Nathan’s hand, still stunned by the realization that they had survived, and these people were here to stay. They weren’t alone anymore.

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

L
uckily, the cave harbored no territorial occupants and they were firmly ensconced before full dark, just about the time the forest came alive. Sinister movements through the brush confirmed Nathan’s statement of predators massing, lurking and waiting for the chance to feed. Aside from that, for the first time in weeks, Riley felt totally safe. Her eyes were drawn to each member of the strike force. Thank God for Jonas—loyal, reliable Jonas! Geena and Micah looked to be a couple, cuddling close, whispering and laughing together in a small niche they claimed for themselves. Two quiet men, as yet unnamed, who looked to be both competent and deadly, and Allie, the small whirlwind. She appeared to be furtively watching Jonas and looked away guiltily as she caught Riley’s eye. Hmmmm, Riley plotted, there just might be something to this little scene.

Nathan rested beside her, sleeping soundly, snoring softly in the peace of the cave. His face had regained some color and the more serious wounds had stopped seeping blood, expertly packed by Allie’s capable little hands. She lightly dusted the wounds with antibiotic powder, protesting vehemently that it was natural, and therefore not contraband, and none of the numerous cuts appeared to be festering or showing signs of infection. Chilled and exhausted, Riley kept a lonely but contented vigil by his side. Few of the other team members remained about as most had settled down for the night, tired from the long day’s events. The small cooking fire was nothing but smoldering coals, casting eerie shadows on the uneven surface of the cave walls.

Jonas squatted down, draping a warm skin around her shoulders. “How’s he doing?”

“I think better. He’s resting easier.” Tenderly she stroked Nathan’s sweat-dampened forehead. “Still a little warm, but not overly so.”

“He’s tough. One of the many things I like about him.”

Riley arched an eyebrow at him. “And I’m surprised why?”

His mouth quirked, suppressing a grin. “Because I’m so tough myself! Nothing soft about me!”

Her green eyes studied him intently. “No. That’s not how I would describe you—although, the fact you showed up here so opportunely says something.”

Flushing red under her concentrated appraisal, Jonas searched for a witty rejoinder. Nothing popped up, so he opted for silence instead.

Secretly pleased at his discomfort, Riley basked in her small victory. “Answer me something. Was the team picked for compatible couples—you know—like Geena and Micah?”

“No,” he hesitated, puzzled by her question. “They were picked for their abilities.”

“So—there are still six women back at the other cave and three men—is one of the women your partner?”

“What makes you ask that?”

“It only makes sense. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that besides their various fields of expertise, you picked people capable of bearing children. Allie said that all of the women are under 35.”

“Allie talks too much,” he growled low.

“Like I’m not going to find out?” Amused, she watched him fidget, his eyes unwillingly drawn to the sleeping Allie, cuddled up to Demon, or perhaps Demon had done his usual, and cuddled up when no one was looking.

“I reiterate. She’s a pain in my butt!”

“Methinks he protests too much,” she quipped.

Nathan stirred, tossing fitfully. “Did anyone notice I’m trying to sleep here,” he groaned.

“What was the real reason you came here?” she asked Jonas, soothing Nathan gently, quieting his restlessness.

Seemingly lost in thought, Jonas answered slowly. “Because I don’t belong in the future. I belong in a time where my people were free to follow the winds and stalk the deer and elk.” Motioning around, he continued. “Most of the tribal members feel the same way. The others, like Micah and Geena, live for the adrenalin rush, and what better rush can there be than this little adventure?”

Nodding understandingly, she chewed her lower lip. “I wasn’t given a choice to be here. I was selected—by Bethany.”

“Are you unhappy?” Jonas asked concerned.

“No. Nathan is all I never really knew I wanted.” A sad smile creased her lips. “Bethany just should have been honest with me. I thought I would eventually go home.”

“Do you have someone waiting for you?” Never having known this side of the story, Jonas was at a loss to comfort her.