Ghosts
The Jeep was parked in my drive when I pulled the snowmobile around the side of the house. I knew he’d be here. Taking a deep breath, I cleared my face of any emotion. I had to play along.
I burst in the door to find Jefferson coming down the hall accompanied by two men I didn’t recognize. My best bet was to play dumb.
“Hey, where’s my dad?” I peered around the living room. Keetah limped over to me, and I noticed his bloody leg. Bile seared the back of my throat as I tried to remain focused.
“Where’s the map, Ima?” Jefferson moved closer to me.
“Map? I have no idea what you’re talking about. We’ve got an atlas of Alaska, though.”
“Don’t play stupid with me. I want to know where the shifters are,” he snarled.
I started laughing. “Shifters?”
“Yes, the ones from the camera,” he said.
“Oh my gosh—you’re serious. Sorry, but there aren’t any shifters. Me and a friend were playing a trick on my dad. Did he show it to you?”
Jefferson’s face turned bright red. “You’re lying, I saw the pictures there’s no way that could be fake.”
I shrugged. “Well, if that’s what you came all the way up here for, then I’m sorry, because it was a hoax.”
“I don’t believe you.” His face twisted. “Just like I didn’t believe your dad. You will show me where they are.” I watched in horror as he took a gun from his pocket and rushed for me.
Keetah whimpered, then lunged at Jefferson, and knocked him to the floor. I picked up a nearby lamp, smashing it down on his head. He reached for my leg but missed, and I grabbed Keetah’s collar, pulling him out the door with me.
Terror enveloped me like surging waves as I tried to get down the driveway. Keetah barely limped along and I had to drag him over to the snowmobile then prop him up in front of me. I started the engine, turning to see Jefferson and the other two men stumbling down the stairs after me. I gave the snowmobile some gas and sped through the streets. All I needed to do was lead him away from the others. To keep him from finding my friends.
“Hold on, Keetah,” I cried as a gunshot rang out.
I veered down the road toward Old Town. The cold air bit at my bare face and hands. The exposed skin tingled as if someone was sticking pins and needles in me. With a quick glance over my shoulder, I searched behind me for my pursuers. To my relief no one followed me, yet. But I knew it’d only be a matter of time before they caught up. I had to get as far away from them as possible. The glittering snow swirled and twirled before me, and I fought to see where I was going as the flakes billowed into my eyes.
“Please,” I whispered. Old Town was just a little further.
Right then the snowmobile chugged, and coughed.
“No, not now! Come on.”
I stared down to find the fuel light had come on. The pin was on empty. It went about another two hundred feet before it died.
“Damn it!” I shouted punching the snowmobile.
A pair of headlights blazed in the distance, but they were far enough away for me to find a hiding place.
“Come on Keetah, we’ve got to go,” I said.
He lifted his head, staring at me. Keetah whimpered again, and I realized he wanted me to leave him. Tears blinded me, freezing on my lashes as soon as they fell. I couldn’t go through this, not again tonight.
“I’m not leaving you out here.” I sobbed. “So you better come on.”
Keetah pushed to his feet, trudging after me. He got partway then collapsed his whimper louder this time.
“Okay, I’ll carry you.” As gentle as I was able, I slid my arms beneath his front arms and half-carried, half dragged him.
I maneuvered us toward one of the last sod houses and went inside. Panic set in as I stared at my surroundings. Where could I hide? It was then I realized I hadn’t eluded death this night. Sure, I tricked him once, but I doubted I’d be spared a second time.
My lids fluttered shut and when I opened them, a flash of light pierced the darkness of the ancient abode. Ghostly figures wearing bear and animal skins floated through the room. A wispy woman gestured her faint hand for me to cower down in the shadows. Spectral men marched by, their phantom drums pounding out a warlike hymn.
I clutched Keetah tight to me as I heard the Jeep skid to a stop.
“I know you’re here, Ima. You can’t hide from me,” Jefferson shouted his voice high, almost deranged. .
He’d gone mad. There was no other explanation for his behavior.
“What are those?” one of the men shouted before gunshots fired off and the sound of screaming enveloped the night.
“They’re ghosts,” another man said.
Several more shots rang out, and I jumped with every bang and scream.
“It’s okay, Keetah,” I said in a hushed voice, burying my face in his fur.
A dark silhouette blocked the light from the door and I watched in alarm as Jefferson barged into the sod house.
“You thought you’d get away from me.” A bitter laugh echoed around me. “You won’t be able to protect them—because once I kill you nothing’s going to stop me from exposing them and getting my name in print.”
“You’re mad.” With a gentle nudge, I moved Keetah from my lap and attempted to stand. “The thing is you won’t get away with it. I got to my dad in time and he’ll tell the authorities, which means you’ll go to prison.”
“He’s dead.”
“He’s not. I found him at the airstrip and took him somewhere safe.”
“No!” Jefferson raised his gun.
He pulled the trigger and I simply stood staring at him, unable to move. At that moment, Keetah used his last bit of strength, and leapt in front of me.
The bullet struck my dog and blood splattered on my clothes.
“Keetah,” I screamed. “You shot my dog!”
Jefferson went to fire another round, but the gun clicked. He was out of bullets. Throwing his weapon aside, he dove at me, sending me against the back wall.
Pain rippled through me, and I screeched as something stabbed through my side.
Jefferson wrapped his hands around my neck, choking me. I flailed in an attempt to kick at him, but his grip was too strong. Black spots formed in front of my eyes. I couldn’t breathe.
How much longer could I hold on?
A growl erupted behind Jefferson and he released me, seeing the large polar bear standing behind him. I knew what Carsen looked like when he shifted and this bear’s eyes were much darker, angrier.
The bear’s gaze flicked over me and I knew without a doubt it was Talon. He lashed out a paw, dragging his claws across Jefferson’s face. The man screamed in agony as he fought to scoot away from the bear. But Talon bared his teeth, pinning the man down before he ripped out his throat.
I buried my head against the gruesomeness, listening to the sound of other bears outside the sod house. The unmistakable noise only a shifter could make; the cracking of bones and tearing of skin.
“Ima,” Talon’s voice called out to me.
I raised my head to meet his gaze. “Thank you.” I sobbed.
He knelt before me his hands on my face, his breath hot against my wind burned cheeks. His mere touch made me breathless. A soft humming vibrated in the frosty air between us, an ancient calling that didn’t want to be denied. My hand reached out of its own accord and touched his bare chest and Talon’s fingers entwined with mine.
Mates.
The word drifted from ghostly voices, swirling and thrumming from every inch of the room. And in the back of my mind, I knew this was what I wanted.
Talon’s head snapped around as another figure entered the sod house. He snarled, lunging forward and shifting in mid air. I observed the scene with terror when I realized it was Carsen coming in. Yet, Talon didn’t stop in his pursuit.
“Stop,” Ferren shouted. “Talon!”
Talon swiped a big paw out, nearly catching Carsen’s leg but after a few intense moments, Talon finally eased up, but not before backing up to guard me.
“I’m not going to hurt her,” Carsen said, his voice laced with irritation.
Talon shifted once more, his skin stretching and his fur disappearing until at last he stood in front of me, naked as the day he was born.
“I’ll take care of her,” Talon said, leaving no room for argument.
“Fine, but don’t you forget whose girl she is.” Carsen’s tone sounded defensive.
I glanced around Talon to find Carsen staring down at me. His girl? That was all I’d been wishing for this past week; to have Carsen forgive me and for us to go back to normal. Now I wasn’t so sure if it was enough. But the longer his eyes lingered on me the more I felt as I had the night we’d fallen asleep in the sod house. Even so, there was no way I could ignore Talon.
“We’ll talk later,” he said.
With a slow nod, I turned my attentions to Talon who bent down and lifted me. I cringed in pain, blood seeped through my sweatshirt and I glanced back down at Keetah.
“Keetah’s hurt.” I cried.
“I’ll get him,” Carsen said, then reached down and picked up the large dog with ease. He stepped around Talon and me, leaving us alone.
Talon peered down at me. “You risked your life to save us.”
Tears flowed from my eyes, and I nodded my head again.
Talon leaned down as if to kiss me, then stopped. He frowned, moving one of his hands from my back. “You’re bleeding.”
“I think I fell on something when Jefferson tackled me.”
“Let’s get you home,” he said, saving me for the second time that night.