Dire Cravings

1

Idid not see a monster drain a man dry of blood. Not possible. It wasn’t real.

Three days.

That’s how long she’d been running nonstop.

Oliva’s legs could not carry her fast enough. She ran, suspecting the creatures who attacked her camp were not far behind. The altitude alone slowed her down. She wasn’t used to being elevated in the mountains. Every sound made her skin crawl and her heart race. There were moments where things were too silent. Like the forest slept while she ran. The erratic beat of her pulse served as a reminder she lived. With every breath she took, her chest burned. The weather grew colder, wetter. The damp air hindered her movements and made her clothes stick to her skin. The combination of cold sweat against her overheated body exhausted her limbs. Having dry mouth and a swollen tongue only served as an annoyance of things she took for granted. Like water. Food. She was parched while at the same time her clothes were soaked through to the skin. Her only hope, to reach safety, and soon. But what was considered safe? What constituted her life no longer in danger? Dying in the forest, on a forced vacation posed a serious problem for Oliva.

What the hell were those things back there? They couldn’t be what she thought them to be. Vampires didn’t exist. They had to be crazy drugged up men. Yeah. That was it. Psychos. Because anything else would make her certifiable, and Olivia Vasques was not crazy. Those men back at the camp killed the Moore’s, a nice husband and wife. The Chester’s, who were newlyweds. Their throats ripped to shreds and the photographer, Ben, strung up by his feet from a tree limb still alive. His blood seeping into the ice-cold ground beneath him to mix with ice and mud. And their guide, Art, she hadn’t seen his body. There was too much blood and destruction for her to truly digest what her mind was taking in.

Thank god, she didn’t scream. A lot of good it had done her. The moment Olivia stepped foot inside the camp, and witnessed the carnage, all hell had broken loose. The men hunched over the prone bodies of her fellow travel companions, snapped their heads up, and zeroed in on her. Eyes lit up like red lasers, locked on her like she was a rare NY Strip. One may have possibly called out to her.

No thank you. She was not that girl. The one that died within the first five minutes of a slasher flick. Fuck that shit.

She wasn’t going to die today. She had a company to run. An ex-husband and board members to murder. This had been their idea after all. Issuing an ultimatum and forcing her into a vacation she didn’t need nor want. Because of them, she was running for her life. Her lungs were on fire, and all the cardio and spinning classes she took, did absolutely nothing to increase her endurance. Not while she was in the mountains. Not at the elevation she was in. The air was thinner, and her body felt like two tons of brick.

Her legs were going to give at any minute. She was sure of it.

With every inhale and exhale of breath, her chest flamed in pain. I’m too loud. They would hear her. She needed to slow down, maybe backtrack and find shelter to rest for the evening. She needed to sleep before her body could no longer support her. Maybe if she slept at night and ran during the day, it would buy her some time. It was the only thing that made sense to her shattered mind. If she slept at night, and ran during the day, those things wouldn’t find her. She hadn’t seen one during the day. She hadn’t seen one at night either.

Maybe they’re playing with you.

Toying with their food in hopes to wear her out. Or maybe it didn’t matter what time of the day she slept or ran.

Animals could sense fear, and anxiety. It was like second nature to them. But those things were men. At least she hoped they were. Escape lunatics from a local hospital maybe? She could handle that, deal with the idea that maybe, those four men had gotten free, and were out on the loose. But she was in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness. There wasn't a hospital for hundreds of miles, least of all a mental facility. Would anyone even be looking for her now? No. They wouldn’t be. She was on a two-week vacation and had been told by the board that if she so much as answered an email, she was as good as out on her ass. Fuckers.

She knew what they were planning. They didn’t like the way she ran things. Wanted to shove her out, so they could start searching for her replacement. They had another thing coming if they thought they could toss her aside. She’d help make Madd's Parson’s and Goldberg the best insurance agency in the business. She'd bled for them, and what a coincidence it would be if she died because of them. I am not going to die.

The sound of something ahead, drew Olivia up short. Was she surrounded? Had they found her? Ducking behind a moss-covered boulder, she plastered her back against the stone, hoping to become one with it, as she tried to hold in her breath. Her heart beat loud, broadcasting her whereabouts.

The moist ground smelled of wet earth. Her boots were water resistant and her clothing, perfect for the wet weather in Alaska. But on the inside, she was baking. A toasty one-hundred and two degrees if she had to guess. Which in turn made her sweaty and the reason why her clothing clung to her skin. Olivia wasn’t a hiker, she wasn’t a survivalist. She worked at an insurance agency, in a corner office and ordered espressos with petit fours. Where were those two guys from that show when you needed them? Only this was nothing out of Dual Survivor. It was more like the/ movie where people hunted people. I gotta find a way to get out of here. She could see the mountain up ahead; it had been her target for the past three days. Her mind supplied the illusion that if she could somehow make it to the mountain she may come out of this horrible ordeal alive.

Mud!

That was it. She’d cover herself in mud, like Arnold did in that movie with the alien. Then she wouldn’t be seen.

Do you really think that’s going to work Vasquez?

It had better work, because she couldn’t run anymore. Olivia slid down the boulder and began coating her clothing, face, and hair with mud. She wouldn’t think about all the dirty bacteria, or possible infections she’d get because she rubbed it on her skin. Or how cold the stuff was. Nope. She would think of all the health benefits a mud bath could offer her. Your only free spa day, and you’re rubbing mud into your skin to save your life.

Which was true, because she had to face reality: death could be a real possibility for her. She didn’t know if the mud would work. She didn’t know anything at this point. All she wanted was to stay alive. Live to run another day. Eventually get off the mountain, back to civilization, and when she returned from her forced vacation, she was suing the ever-loving shit out of the company for emotional and mental stress.

That’s exactly what I'm going to do.

Exhaustion was setting in fast as she sat slumped against the boulder. Adrenaline was leaving her body by the gallons, replacing it with irrational fear. Her eyes darted around the forest every second, at every sound. In the brush in front of her, she heard growling. If she could have stood, and taken up running again, she would have, but she couldn’t. Her limbs wouldn’t move. She was frozen in place, not by fear, but over exertion.

Dig deep Vasques. Pull that last burst of energy from your gut and move your ass!

The mental pep talk didn’t do her any good. Her vision blurred, she couldn’t make out what was in front of her, but she heard the growl again. It was enough to get her heart to pump more blood into her system and gave her the strength, or maybe it was the will power, to move. She made it to her feet within seconds, focused in on the mountain and took off as fast as her feet would carry her.

As she ran, she heard the distinct sound of something running after her. She didn’t want to look back. Couldn’t. If she did, she’d fall. It happened in every movie that ever involved a vampire. Turn around, you lose your footing and then you die. Yup, it wasn’t going to happen to her. But her stupid, stupid mind told her there were no such things as vampires, so it must be something else that chased her. A bear? An elk? Are there even elk in Alaska? Whatever was chasing her, she wanted to know. Needed to know. She couldn’t not know.

Olivia chanced a quick glance over her shoulder, and found that it wasn’t vampires. It was something much worse. A large black beast of a wolf was trailing her, and its ice blue eyes did not appear in the least bit friendly. The wolf was pissed. It was also the size of a fucking pony. Holy mother of God! I promise to go to confession every Tuesday night if you just get me out of this. Please! Now she was praying to the virgin mother. She was officially screwed. But then, the last pocket of energy she needed kicked in, and she knew she couldn’t outrun the beast. Even if she tried to confuse it by zig zagging in a jagged path. Wait. Don’t they travel in packs? Wolves weren’t solitary creatures. At least she didn’t think so. Stop thinking and run Liv, fucking run!

Her feet were liquid, but she didn’t stop. The idea of climbing up a tree to save her life held merit. But her arms wouldn’t hold her weight due to exhaustion, and the idea of lifting her body weight seemed altogether dangerous. If she stopped the wolf would pounce. There was no true clearing in the woods, only tree after tree after tree. The closer she got to the mountain the colder it became. Olivia tried to focus in on the brush in front of her but failed, everything was a blur. She couldn’t hear paws pounding behind her. But she knew the wolf was there, somewhere, waiting to attack. Her nerves calmed slightly at the thought the wolf had given up its chase. But then her mind would supply the soundtrack and she'd freak out all over again. Hopefully, muddy human wasn’t on the menu and the wolf wanted her out of its territory.

It didn’t matter, Olivia wasn’t about to slow down. But what she did do was turn her head to double check her suspicions, which is why, when her body collided with solid steel, she was knocked flat on her ass. She ached all over. There was a chance she’d broken her ass during the fall, but as she looked up, way up, she found a mountain of a man standing in front of her. She had to be dreaming. No, because you only dream of tall , dark and handsome. Not tall, light, and…Her train of thought was lost when the stranger with the long blond hair and ice blue eyes peered at her from a savagely rugged beard that outlined a face that belonged in an epic poem. Not just any epic poem but a Viking eulogy, or an Icelandic saga complete with a ship burial as flaming arrows danced across the sky and embedded its target. It was Olivia’s last coherent thought before darkness claimed her.

G

BLUE HAD FOLLOWED the human female for three days. After he’d dispatched of Roman’s men, he’d stumbled across her scent on his way back to the mountain. His first thought was a Hunter had gotten away. But as he tracked her, he realized she must have been one of the human’s in the camp. He’d been trying to get her to run the other way. Not towards the mountain. Persistent. A fighter. In a way, the female reminded him of the Pack’s Luna, Nerina. Strong willed, and unshakeable. Any other person would have broken down long before three days. He’d kept his distance at first, but when Blue realized her course of direction, he had to take matters into his own hands. Not that it worked. Another day of running and she would have stumbled right into the pack’s den.

She was covered in mud. Clever girl. Had she’d been naked and covered in mud, it might have done her some good. But clothes covered in mud still gave off a distinct smell. One he could detect as well as Hunters. The question now was; did he bring her back to the den. Or did he take her down the mountain and drop her off on one of the service roads in hopes someone would find her. Blue knelt in front of her, checked for a pulse and found it weak. It might be days before someone finds her. It wasn’t hunting season, this was a time when hikers would be out and about but barely. The snow had barely melted, but it wouldn’t be long, before another covering came through to blanket the woods in white. Spring wouldn’t be for a couple of months.

Victor would not be happy. Neither would the others. Normally, it didn’t matter what anyone thought. Their notions or concerns didn’t appeal or apply to him. But with the current war they were immersed in, he had no choice but to shack up with the other’s. His club had been burnt to the ground. And it was decided they bring the Packs in and reside in the mountain. Talkeetna was a ghost town, and Victor’s father, Thorn, was no longer the Alpha of the pack. He had declared the town unsafe. After Roman and his men attacked outright, staying wasn’t an option.

Living in close quarters with other wolves made it hard for Blue. He was a loner by choice. He didn’t pledge his allegiance to any pack. He was his own alpha. In the recent months, he’d even gone to Victor alerting the new Alpha and Luna of pack Canidae of his plan to find shelter on the far side of the mountain. Away from the Pack. It was how he’d stumbled upon the camp and its carnage. He’d been out making a run to grab supplies when he'd heard the screaming and scented the blood.

When he'd come upon the clearing there was no one left alive. But there were hunters. Four of them, and they were newly made. One male he recognized from town. Tahoe, he'd been one of the few humans he let in his club. All three males were in a blood rage and so wrapped up in drinking their victims blood, it had taken them a full minute to realize Blue had arrived.

He'd killed them swiftly. Left nothing of their dead bodies but broken bones, and shredded meat.

Looking down at the female covered in mud, he grunted. He had to deal with her, but he couldn't leave her on the side of a service road. That would be irresponsible on his part. It wasn't that he didn't like humans, because he did. It was the problems it would cause for the others when he brought her into the den.

Hiding their identity was one thing. Bringing someone into their home was another. Especially with the conflict with Roman and the others. Blue was conflicted, but understood the right thing to do was to care for her until it was safe to bring her down the mountain.

He picked up the woman and made his way back to the den. It took longer than he expected. He was dragging his ass. Not because he was tired, but because he knew the moment he stepped foot inside the mountain, things would get edgy. Take her straight to your room. As he neared the opening, Santos, one of the guards greeted him.

Blue, what is that you’re carrying?

Blue didn’t answer right away. He didn’t need to. Santos had one of the sharpest noses in the pack. The moment he wafted through the mud and dirt, his hackles would rise.

Santos, not in the mood.

Fuck, she’s human. A barely alive human. What the hell happened out there?

Hunters. Four of them. Took her entire camp out. Tracked her down when I realized she was headed straight for the mountain.

Victor is not going to be happy about this. How close was the camp?

One day run for us, four for her. They were on the outskirts of our property.

Santos nodded as he looked past Blue’s shoulder, calculating the distance.

Why you’d bring her here? Should have dropped her at one of the service roads.

Thought about it, but her pulse is weak. It could be days before anyone comes along. It gets cold at night.

Santos eyed him suspiciously.

Since when do you care what happens to humans?

It’s not a matter of caring, Santos. It’s a matter of right and wrong. It’s not her fault her camp was attacked. Blue sighed deeply. I’m gonna take her to my room, get her out of these clothes, and try and get some food in her when she wakes up. Can you send Cassandra to my room?

Yeah man. But do you really want to do that? She’s not going to be happy.

No, Cassandra wouldn’t be happy. But she’d deal. He and Victor’s sister had once thought to breed, but things hadn’t worked