Captive Angel Ch. 10

The snow lasted for another three days, burying them in four feet of the cold stuff. It was an idyllic time for the two; they talked and laughed, loved and teased each other, enjoying their time with an enthusiasm that was coated with an underlying fear of what would happen when they left their little retreat. By unspoken agreement, neither spoke of what they might face when they finally drove away from the cabin.

Or of their quest now, to find the location of the stone and to try to retrieve it before Sebastian could find them.

It had been Angel's idea, to get the stone and to use it to get Sebastian to leave them alone, a trade of sorts. They would let him have the stone and whatever curses went with it, he would let them go back to their lives and never bother them again. Maybe a little naïve on her part, but she was praying it would work.

Now they were in the woods, going for a hike on the snowshoes that Hunter had found in the shed. The weather had warmed enough that the snow was melting somewhat where the sun was beating down on it.

"I look like a duck, a big clumsy duck," Angel laughed, brushing snow off of her from where she'd fallen yet again.

Hunter laughed, making his way over to her and rubbing his hand over the curve of her ass where the snow still clung. He'd been on the unwieldy shoes before and knew more about how to walk on them. "But you're a cute clumsy duck," he laughed, ducking as she tried to rub snow into his face.

"You're not swinging your leg out far enough to clear your other foot, honey. That's your problem, right there."

"No, my problem is that I let you talk me into doing this in the first place," she grouched good naturedly, lifting her foot and swinging it out and away from her body before bringing it back into the snow. She repeated the action with her other leg, grinning when she'd managed four steps without whacking her ankle or tripping herself up. "Look!" she shouted, holding her hands up in triumph. "The duck did it!"

She turned her head when he made no comment and saw a puzzled frown on his face. His head was tilted as if he was listening and then suddenly, she heard it too. A buzzing noise, sort of like the sound a hive of bees would make when angered, that steadily grew louder as they listened. "What is it?" she asked quietly. But then she knew. She'd lived in Michigan long enough to know the sound of a snowmobile engine.

"Someone's here," Hunter said. "I want you to stay out here, out of sight, baby. I'm going to see what they want."

"NO!" Angel shook her head, trying to make her way back to him. "What if it's Sebastian?"

"It's a single snowmobile, Angel. It's probably the caretaker of the place coming to check up on it." He grabbed her as she started to fall, giving her a quick hard hug. "If something happens, you get in the truck and drive down the hill and call that number I gave you. Brandon will take care of you. Okay?"

"No, it's not okay, it's not okay at all," she groused, grabbing a hold of him and kissing him. "If anything happens to you..." her voice trailed off as she saw the fierce look in his eyes, a look that matched the one in her own.

"I love you, too, Angel mine," he whispered, turning away from her and trudging his way back the way they had come.

Shock held her motionless for a single moment, and then she wondered if she'd actually heard him right. His words, whispered in that husky voice, tingled through her system. Her eyes turned determined and she started to make her own way back, trying hard to concentrate on the right way to move the snowshoes so she didn't fall again.

It was hard to think of anything but what might be happening to Hunter. If that was one of Sebastian's goons and they had finally tracked them down, Hunter could be lying in the snow dead right now while the cabin was ransacked and the journals taken.

The thought of him, dead or dying in the snow, had her moving faster cursing when she clipped her ankle with the snowshoe and then stepped on her other one, ending up face first in the snow. Pushing herself up, she brushed the snow off, as she started moving again, not even checking the clearing around the cabin before pushing through the growth of underbrush and surging forward.

Her shoe got caught on a root, tripping her up once more and she sprawled down again. This time she hit the snow with her fist before she struggled to get up, cursing as the accumulated soft snow kept sucking her back down and not giving her a firm surface to rise from.

A shadow loomed over her, blocking the sun and she looked up warily.

"Here," the man said, holding out his hand. "It took me forever to learn how to walk in those damn things."

Angel took his hand cautiously, feeling his strong grip and the ease with which he helped her out of the snow. She brushed the snow out of her face, her eyes on his. "Thanks," she said, her voice unsteady with fear that she was determined not to show. "Who are you?" Her eyes darted around the clearing, searching for Hunter. When she couldn't spot him anywhere, her panic rose trying to choke her as she struggled not to give in to it.

He was just about to answer when Hunter came out of the cabin. He bent to pick up the snowshoes that he'd dropped there before going inside then lifted his head, seeing Angel coming into the clearing.

"I'm Brandon Austin, a friend of Hunt's as he's about to tell you himself," he said, laughing as Hunter came trotting across the clearing.

Angel felt Hunter wrap his arm around her shoulders. "Brandon came up to find us, baby. Shanna has been taken hostage."

"Sebastian?" she asked, though she didn't think it was necessary to wait for the answer. Of course it was Sebastian. He hadn't been able to get to them so he'd gone on to the most helpless of the three siblings, Shanna. "How did he know where she would be? Didn't you tell me that she'd run away from her husband only recently? How could Sebastian have known?"

"It's been on the news that Senator Clinton's wife had left him and had returned home to her family," Brandon answered her. "You can't get away from the news."

Angel shivered, fearing for the young woman at the hands of that monster. She kept seeing Clyde and Floyd's eyes and the evil lust in them.

Hunter, mistaking her shiver for cold, rubbed his hand down her arm. "Let's get you inside. It's too late to start heading out tonight. I want to look at the ransom note that they left with Brandon and we need to get packed up." He looked over at his friend, a part of him wanted to blame Brandon for the predicament his sister was in, but he knew his friend. It would have taken some kind of ambush before Brandon would have let anything happen to Shanna. "You wouldn't happen to be staying at some cushy hotel for the night," he asked hopefully.

"Buddy, you wanna tell me that there is a hotel, motel, b and b, or anything within sixty miles? Sorry, you're stuck with me for the night." Brandon couldn't help but laugh at the disappointed look in Hunt's eyes. "I understand the thought, Hunt, but there isn't much I can do to help you."

"We could put him in the shed? He could have his collection for company," Angel said to Hunter, laughing as Brandon blushed.

"Found those, did you?" He sighed, running his hands through the thick gold of his hair. "Hey, what can I say? I find the human body is a work of art."

"Yeah, I've seen some of those works of art." She shook her head, her tone saying what she thought of his idea of art. "I guess boys must be boys," she laughed.

"You know, Hunt, I like her. She's mouthy, which she'd have to be to handle you."

Hunter, who was bending down to unlace the snowshoes from Angel's feet, gathered a ball of snow and quickly lobed it at Brandon. "Just so you know, she's mine so keep your mitts to yourself," he said, noting with satisfaction how Angel blushed at his words and smiled down at him warmly.

They made it into the cabin where Hunter stoked up the fire to a blaze so that they could all warm up. Brandon help Angel fix some dinner and then sat at the table with the couple. He'd never seen Hunt act like this around a woman, not even his ex wife. Of course, that he could understand. Cindy hadn't been much in the way of a prize despite her beauty queen looks.

Angel made them both laugh, even as they looked at the ransom note and then showed Brandon the journal. "We've got to get to a computer or a map and find out where these numbers will take us," he said, tracing his fingers over the tiny spidery writing.

"I can't let you go with us, well, me actually. I am sending Angel home with you, Bran. She needs protection until this whole thing is over, one way or the other." Hunter glanced over at Angel, ducking his head when he saw the astonished look on her face.

She rose from her chair, going to the sink to drop the dishes they had used into it, her hands gripping the edges as she thought of his words. He was sending her away and after everything they'd gotten through together. "You can't do this on your own," she said quietly.

"Yes, I can. I have to." Hunter rose, seeing the way her shoulders stiffened against him even as he moved behind her. He dropped his hands onto her shoulders anyways, unable to stop himself from touching her. "Do you know how I would feel if something happened to you?"

"The same way I'd feel if something happened to you," Angel growled, turning around in his arms to face him. "Quit being so fucking stubborn and chivalrous, I'm not a little girl in need of protection. Besides, how do you know I'll be safe with Brandon?"

"Sebastian doesn't have any use for you anymore, Angel. You'll be safe with Brandon until I can find the stone and bring it to him to get Shanna back." He ran his hands down her arms, taking her hands in his big ones. "Do this for me? Please?"

"I won't do it for you," Brandon said, standing up and going to the fireplace. "I'm not letting you run off on some kind of suicide mission. Hunter, I know your background and what you are capable of doing, and I don't think you have a chance in hell of accomplishing it alone." He went to the door of the cabin. "Stay here, I've got something I want you to see."

"Like we've got anywhere else to go at the moment," Angel hissed under her breath.

Hunter snorted laughter. He leaned down, finding her mouth with his own even when she tried to duck away from him. His kiss deepened when he felt her resistance and he knew a quiet moment of triumph when she finally groaned and returned his kiss. "I love you," he whispered against her mouth. "Please Angel, I can't stand back and put you in harm's way. It's just not in me to be that type of man."

"And it's not in me to be the type of woman who sits back and lets her man run her life. I have my own ideas, Hunter. If anyone should know how capable I am of doing things, it should be you." She tried to ignore his words of love, not ready to explore her own feelings yet.

"Yeah," he laughed and brushed his lips against hers. "I still have nightmares about that damn gate you rammed."

"I got us out of there, didn't I?"

"And took ten years off my life doing it," he answered her.

"Wanna make it fifteen?"

"Whoa, kids, ding ding, back in your corners," Brandon said, coming into the cabin with a thick folder in his hands. "I wanna show you two something. I did some scrounging around in the data base at work, called in a couple of favors from some higher ups and compiled some information for you on this Sebastian character." He set the folder down, sitting back in the chair he'd recently vacated.

Hunter moved to the table, his hand eagerly reaching for the folder. "Why didn't you tell me this when you got here?"

"Chalk it up to giddiness at seeing your ugly mug alive after thinking you were dead for all these weeks. Do you have any clue how hard I've been looking for you?" Brandon grabbed Hunter's arm. "Man, you've been my friend for a while now and I thought you were dead. They were just getting ready to make me cold case your file since I hadn't been able to come up with anything when you called out of the blue like that."

"I kinda had no choice. Sebastian didn't believe in giving out one phone call," he said. He opened the file, seeing the photo of the man who had held him and Angel captive clipped to the front of the folder. "Smug son of a bitch," he hissed, staring at the smile that held all the charm of a cobra.

"Sebastian Antonelli AKA Tony Bastion, AKA Tony the tiger, AKA Sebastian Cruz, damn, the man has more aliases than any three crooks."

"Yeah, and if you'll note, his rap sheet is clean as a whistle. He's never gone down for anything he's done." Brandon's finger moved down the page.

"They've got hunches, they've got ideas, but no one has anything concrete on him."

"No one like whom?" Angel asked, sitting back down at the table, her eyes going to the file curiously. "How did you get all this information?"

"No one like the FBI, the NSA, Scotland Yard, the local cops, even Interpol has a file on this creep. I compiled this from all the information I could dig up on all our databases. Hunter didn't tell you what I do for a living, did he?"

"No, he didn't," she said, racking Hunter with a look. "But let me guess, you're a cop, right?"

"Uh, kind of. I'm a little more than just a cop. I work for the FBI out of their San Antonio office."

"Special Agent Brandon Austin, Angel," Hunter said, smirking a little as he gave Brandon's full title. "He's senior agent in San Antonio, it gives him a big head."

"Anybody ever tell you two that you act like kids around each other?" She reached out and snagged the file from under Hunter's hand, pulling it over until she could get a look at it.

"Suspected arms dealing, suspected drug trafficking, suspected murder, ten counts. All of this and they haven't been able to hit him with any of it?" She looked up from the file, fear in her eyes. No wonder he'd been able to make her disappear so damn easily.

"We almost had him once, had a witness ready to flip on him. That witness disappeared from out of a FBI safe house without any of the agents sent in to protect him knowing. One minute he was there, the next, poof! They never found a body either, I doubt they ever will." Brandon dropped his head in his hand, rubbing the back of his head where he'd been cold cocked a couple of days before. It still hurt and he had a headache that made the marching band at his alma mater sound like a kid's toy.

"You okay?" Angel asked, sitting up when she noticed the wince and the pain in his face.

"Sebastian's boys decided to skull bash me when they went after Shanna. It's nothing, just a bump."

"You haven't had it looked at, have you?" she asked as she rose to her feet, letting Hunter pour over the file. She went to him, parting his thick hair despite his protestations, her gentle fingers skimming over the lump on the back of his head.

"It didn't bleed, first shots are usually freebies," she said, pressing delicately at the lump and the skin surrounding it. "Any double vision or headaches?"

"No double vision but I got the major brain thumping headache of all time," he sighed, relaxing against his chair as she stroked her fingers over his temples.

"We've got some pain killers here," she said softly, patting him on the shoulder. "I'll go get you a couple."

"Thanks," he said, smiling ruefully up at her.

They decided to pack up to get an early start in the morning. Brandon would leave the snowmobile in his shed and Hunter decided to leave most of the canned food he'd gotten in the cabin. It didn't take long before everything was done and Brandon grabbed a couple of blankets, turning one of the couches away from where the mattress was on the floor and bunked down, fully dressed.

"Don't mind me," he said, an amused tone in his voice.

Angel looked at Hunter and then at the top of Brandon's head, which was about all that could be seen from where she stood.

"I can sleep on the other couch," Hunter whispered in her ear, coming up behind her, his hands resting on her flat stomach.

"Is that what you want to do?" she asked, turning her head so she could see him.

"Hell no, but I don't want you uncomfortable. If it means not having you beside me tonight..." His voice trailed off and he shrugged.

"Let's go to bed, Hunter," she said, smiling and pulling him down with her on the mattress. She didn't undress, but then again, neither did he. Instead, he scooted his big body up behind her, curling around her soft form and dropping his arm over her waist.

* * * *

He heard her voice, soft and seductive, crying out his name as if it were part of the wind that blew around him. It tore at his clothing, holding him back from where he desperately wanted to go, keeping him trapped. She was being hurt. He knew it. He could hear it in the way her voice grew shrill.

He pushed against the wind, dragging himself forward one small step at a time until finally he broke through, rushing forward to hurry to her rescue and finding himself in a room full of people. She was there, in the center of them, her eyes fixed upon him, golden and lovely, her lashes lengthened and dyed, the lids outlined in kohl. Her black hair trailed over her shoulders, hanging in a stygian waterfall of curls around her.

She wore a thin gold shift, the material shining with every move she made as she danced around the circle of people who seemed to be ignoring her. It clung to her curves, dipping deeply in at the waist only to flow over her slender hips, the hem stopping at the top of her thighs. Held up by two tiny ribbons, the neckline plunged, showing off deep cleavage, the silky material clinging to the twin peaks of her breasts.

She was heart wrenchingly beautiful; her movements as she danced were seductive and sensual, full of heat and grace. Every move was meant to invite, every glance of her mysterious eyes designed to draw him closer to her.

He felt his breath seem to lodge in his throat as she moved closer to him, her dark hair swirling around her, tiny bells tinkling merrily from her wrists and ankles. Then she danced around him, her hands reaching for him, stroking his chest, his back, rubbing against him with her scantily clad form. She was like golden fire, quicksilver as she moved around him until finally, with an effort that seemed gargantuan, he raised his arms, capturing her and pulling her softness against him.

His head tipped, hers lifted, and lips met soft as the sigh of a butterfly.

Mouths parted and clung as desire raced. He could feel her breasts against his chest, their rapid rise and fall as her breathing quickened. She was hot in his arms, her body pushing against his, rubbing, and grinding, anxious to feel him, needing him.

He dug his hands in those dark curls, holding her head still to kiss her, his lips rubbing over hers with sensuous heat, changing the direction of his kiss at will. She shivered, her need calling to his, lighting fuses that, once burning, would be impossible to extinguish. His name whispered onto the wind from between her lips, swollen from his kisses, her eyes opened and she stared at him, heat, passion, desire, twisting in the golden flames of her beautiful irises.

"Who are you?" he whispered, enraptured, enchanted, and ensnared by her.

"Shanna," she whispered, her voice becoming like smoke as her body disappeared from his arms. Then he heard her scream and the room whirled round him, tilting and tipping, throwing him to the floor. He looked up, seeing the shadow of a pistol on the wall, pointed at the shadowed figure of a woman. Shanna!

His eyes flew open as the pistol went off; Shanna's scream the last thing he heard before the shock of it woke him. Brandon lay on his back, his breath coming in frantic pants, trying to figure out where he was.