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AFTER BEING LOCKED in her former childhood bedroom, Celia had managed to escape out the three-story window using bed linens and curtains tied together. It’d worked better than she’d predicted. She’d made it all the way to the bus stop before her father’s henchmen showed up. Thinking on her feet and hoping to mislead them, she’d stuffed her cell into a luggage pocket, praying the goons tracking her would think she’d hopped on the bus, and would follow her GPS. At least a couple had tracked her into the forest.
The crunch of what she’d believed to be footsteps had ended when she entered bear territory. Exhausted, Celia stumbled in the dark, shivering as the temperatures plummeted after sundown, wishing she could find a safe haven but afraid to give up her flight for fear her father’s men would catch her.
If they don’t find me, the bears might. At that moment, she couldn’t decide which outcome would be worse. Best to get off their land before I stop moving.
Thunder rumbled, and lightning lit up the sky, showing the outline of a house in the distance. Celia rubbed her prickly arms and damned her bad luck at the approaching storm. Thanks to the weather, she picked up her speed, groaning at the protest of her aching muscles. This was more exercise than she’d participated in all last year combined.
Praying she’d lucked up and strayed outside bear territory, she stumbled up the steps of the cabin. Celia cupped her hands around her eyes and attempted to peer through the home’s windows. With no lights on inside the house, she could make out nothing, not even furniture. She banged on the door and when no one answered, she slid to the porch with her back to the door. Drawing her knees to her chest, she wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her forehead on her knees, seeking a little warmth. Maybe someone would return soon.
Maybe they won’t eat me when they find me huddled in their entryway.
The night grew longer, and her teeth began to chatter. Deciding she couldn’t tolerate the cold any longer, she’d risk being eaten by a pissed off werebear for breaking and entering. Before smashing in the window, she tested to see if it was locked, thanking her good fortune when it slid up. Breaking the glass would’ve just been another way to tick off the bear that owned the cabin.
Guess bears don’t worry about intruders.
After climbing in through the window, she flicked the light switch near the door, and light flooded the space. Since the electricity worked, did that mean this was no summer cabin?
Bread spied on the counter in the kitchen verified the owners would return soon-ish so she quickly made a PBJ sandwich, two of them, and scarfed both down. She filled a glass with tap water and guzzled it, chasing down the food, while deliberating if she had time for a shower or not. It’d be the fastest way to heat her blood and stop her teeth from chattering, but she didn’t want to get caught naked.
Plundering the domain for a weapon, all she located was the knives in the kitchen. It’d do, better than nothing, but she decided to scope out the rest of the house just in case.
The first room she entered was a bedroom with an attached bathroom. With her teeth still knocking together, the white-tiled shower was too much to pass up. While the water heated, she quickly disrobed and then stepped into the stall. Sighing at the blissful heat, she gave herself just a moment before she went to work scrubbing twigs, leaves, and dirt from her hair. By the time she exited the bath, her prior exhaustion had returned.
If only I had an hour to rest. A catnap would rejuvenate her, but she didn’t dare risk the time. The cabin’s owner could show up at any minute.
After drying off, she grimaced at her dirty clothes. She tiptoed into the bedroom and listened at the door for the resident’s occupants.
Deciding they’d probably have approached her had they returned home while she showered, she closed the door and eyed the dresser. Eyes heavy, she opened one of the drawers, found a white T-shirt, and pulled it over her head. Catching her reflection in the mirror, she noted the way her nipples pebbled beneath the fabric, highlighting the tight buds.
She covered a yawn with her palm and decided she’d rest on the bed for just a moment to catch her breath. Maybe drum up a little energy too. The food in her belly had helped, but her feet and legs ached so bad she dreaded the idea of squeezing her feet back into the knee-high, five-inch boots. Thanks to the charley horse she’d experienced in her butt cheek, her ass hurt too.
One minute. That was all she’d give herself before getting dressed and running again.
Celia rested her head on the pillow and buried her nose into the feathery softness. She didn’t know who owned this place, but the scent clinging to the fabric was divine.