The Otherkind Book One:Heart

~*~ 10 ~*~

The noise echoed in my ears and sounded as if it were heading right for us. The squeal of breaks and skidding tires mixing with the sound of the laboring engine were screaming, roaring deafeningly in my ears. Trees were snapping and falling against others. A few skidding down not too far from where we were now. The truck must be jack-knifed or going sideways from the sounds. The noise of the drivers fight to keep his truck on the road was fearsome.

"STAY" came a commanding, authoritative voice brooking no disobedience that I only dimly recognized as Bryce's. In an instant he and his warm coat were gone, almost in the blink of an eye. I peeked around the tree. Bryce was running up the embankment that he had just half drug, half pulled me down. No, that wasn't right. Bryce was floating up the embankment and very fast! I rubbed my eyes trying to see clearly through the heavily falling snow. I could see the shine of the trucks headlights as they came closer aiming almost exactly for the spot my car had nose-dived into. I stood up, a scream on my lips that I was not even aware of making.

"BRYCE!" In my mind I saw him getting hit by the runaway, heavily-laden logging truck. In my mind I saw the truck tumbling down the small ravine right on top of me, crushing and obliterating both of us.

A very bright flash resembling a rainbow shattering in the sky, arched in every direction like fractured prisms. And then the headlights straightened out. The truck driver miraculously regaining control. It lumbered smoothly now, out of the curve, continuing on down the road. I was only dimly aware of the shower of slushy wet stuff that had rained in a torrent over me as the sideways truck so nearly passed right above me. Tears ran down my cheeks. I still hadn't seen Bryce.

"Bryce?" My hair was plastered to my head in thick rivulets of icy slushy stuff. "Bryce!" I started half walking, half stumbling toward where I had seen him last. And then I saw him. Smiling. The fool was smiling! I wanted to hit him. He was coming down the ravine without even slipping once. So not fair. "You're okay! I was so worried!"

He was beside me very quickly. "Shh, it's okay now." His voice was tender. In as much time as it took to blink, he was here pulling me to his chest. Holding my head against him softly humming a song that reminded me of a lullaby. It was vaguely familiar and comforting, I relaxed against him. He was warm and dry.

I pulled away suddenly looking at his coat, curiously running the back of my hand against it. I wasn't imagining it. It was dry. Shaking his head he pulled me back against him. This time I didn't pull away. I was dreadfully cold.

He swept his trench coat around both of us so he could share his warmth. After a few moments I was still shivering, but tucked next to his chest and the warmth of him, my teeth stopped chattering. I could hear his heart, a steady slow pulse, like he had not even ran up the side of the ravine, nor back again.

Looking up at him, he lay a finger against my lip silencing me with an accompanying shake of his head as if he knew I was about to question him. I resisted the incredible urge to touch his face. "Thank you. For saving me."

His breath hissed in over his sensual lips. He looked down at me. And just as had occurred at the last car mishap, our eyes locked and held with an almost tangible connection.

My world tilted. So much pain and desperation. So much love and longing. I wanted to stay here in this moment forever, just freeze time, well maybe freeze was the wrong word, but I didn't want to leave his side. Ever. He kept looking at me in that riveting way. I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted to kiss him. I inhaled deeply, a shuddering sound.

"Let's get you home." he said huskily "I don't want you to catch a cold."

I didn't want to leave.

Shrugging off his coat he draped it around me pulling it closed in front. "Rowan—" he looked at me for a long moment. There was so much unspoken feelings in his eyes that I couldn't understand.