Winter Prey

Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Scarlet whimpered in Kymbria's arms and she realized she was hugging the setter close, squeezing her. At least, she hoped that was the cause of the dog's uneasiness. She kissed the satin head and released her. Scarlet licked her face in turn before she settled down again, head on Kymbria's lap. One hand on her spirit bundle, Kymbria uneasily stared at Caleb's back. He stood in front of the fire, thumbs hooked in his rear jeans pockets, gaze on the flickering flames.

After a moment, she shifted on the sofa to glance out the window. While she'd related the ancient, nearly-obscure tribal lore Adam had conveyed to Niona, snow had begun to fall again. A soft layer brushed the windowsill, and heavy dark-gray clouds over the frozen lake indicated more to come. Growing tired of waiting for Caleb's response, she rose and walked towards the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" Caleb asked.

"To see if any of the snowmobiles will start," she explained.

"If I have to repeat myself, I will," he said in a grim voice. "You're not going chasing after this beast."

She sighed and ignored him. What could he do if she disobeyed him? Use his superior physical strength against her? She had quite a store of self-defense training from over the years, probably moves he wouldn't expect.

Caleb joined her at the back door, but instead of trying to stall her as she donned her snow boots and heavy coat, he put on his warm gear, also. After she removed the garage door opener from the countertop and exited the cabin, Scarlet at her heels, the three of them walked silently out to the garage.

Kymbria punched the appropriate button, and the garage door slid up with a groan, snow mounded at its base scattering in clumps. She switched on the overhead lights, which illuminated the four machines, two of them older and well-used, the other two fairly new. She removed the key to the newest one from a hook inside the door and went over to the sleek black machine her brother Pete had bought on sale two years earlier.

"My brother always takes care of maintenance," she murmured to Caleb. "As I recall, he drains all the gas out before he stores the machines. Oh, I left the two gas cans I had them mix for me at the station the other day on the side of the garage."

"I'll get them," Caleb said.

He returned a moment later with one of the red ten-gallon gas cans in hand. Kymbria already had the gas cap off, and Caleb filled the tank. Then Kymbria slid onto the machine, inserted the key, and crossed her fingers.

After a short, preliminary grind, the snowmobile engine roared to life, and she uncrossed her fingers to form a V sign. She backed off the throttle to allow the machine to idle for a few moments.

"I'm just going to take it down the road and back," she said to Caleb. "Make sure it's running all right."

"Wait until I get another one started and I'll go with you," he ordered.

"I can be back by the time you do that."

She gleaned his intention even before it showed in his eyes, dropped the snowmobile into gear and swerved past him when he attempted to block her path.

"Keep Scarlet with you," she called over her shoulder as she turned down the driveway. Either he disregarded her or the dog escaped Caleb's grasp. On the road at the end of the driveway, Scarlet bounded around the snowmobile in a red flash, her yips of joy at the freedom of a run resounding even over the snowmobile's engine.

Kymbria shrugged, then smiled and cranked up the throttle. She passed the setter, then throttled back so the dog could pass her. They played out the race all the way to the end of the dirt road, where Kymbria pulled to a stop at the intersection and let the engine idle again.