The giant beast thrust its head close and snuffled. Renee gasped, her pulse racing at double-time. She took in the black nose, its blue eyes and small ears. The bear stared right back. It snuffled again and inched closer. Sharp white teeth filled her vision. A scream built in her chest, the pressure immense, yet the cry refused to crawl up her throat and burst free.
The bear lifted a huge front paw and swiped at her seat harness. A whimper escaped her, and she realized how much she wanted to live. The bear repeated the move, tearing at the harness, but somehow missing her flesh. Without warning, the harness gave way, and she tumbled forward.
Before she could regain her balance, the bear grasped her arm and hauled her from the cab.
She cried out, and the bear growled, releasing her once she hit the snow-covered ground.
Her heart hammered as she stared at the bear. Instead of attacking, the bear padded over to the helicopter and pushed its way inside.
With her gaze on the bear’s hindquarters, she took stock of her injuries. Her left arm throbbed with the nagging intensity of an aching tooth. She tried to put weight on it and almost howled at the white-hot thrust of pain.
Where the devil was she? A decent length of time must’ve passed because full darkness had fallen. She shivered, wetness seeping through her navy pants.
That woman. Maggie of the red coat.
She’d had a gun.
She’d shot at the helicopter.
A chuffing sound came from the bear, and it backed from the helicopter, dragging the First-Aid kit. It dropped the kit beside her while she froze, petrified to make a wrong move. The animal scanned the surrounding terrain before turning its attention back to her. That blue gaze freaked her out—the glint of intelligence.
Without warning, the bear’s head lifted. His nose twitched and his chest expanded. He cocked his ear and chuffed, the harsh expel alarming Renee.
A second chuff had another layer of goosebumps scuttling across her arms and legs to join the ones caused by cold. Every instinct told her to close down, to hide from her fate. But stubborn pride, her determination to survive had her trying to crawl. A whimper escaped, and she froze, breathing deep to ride out the pain.
Her legs hurt. Her arms throbbed. Her head thumped.
Her entire torso ached like one humongous bruise.
Leaving—no, impossible.
Her gaze returned to the bear. His blue eyes were trained on her. He grunted, cocking his head as if he were listening to something again. He bared his teeth.
Sharp. Yellow.
His ribs stuck out on his sides. He’d be hungry, going for months without food and waiting for the Hudson Bay to freeze over.
Why didn’t he eat her now? Get it over with.
Renee edged away and tears spilled free. She gritted her teeth. At least the nagging pain might stop then.
He shifted his weight from his front right paw to his left. If he’d been human, Renee might accuse him of dithering.
Without warning, he lumbered away, soon lost in the gloom.
Renee burst into action, fingers fumbling at the First-Aid kit. She needed the survival blanket before she froze. And the radio in the chopper. Did it still work?
Maybe not in this storm.
In a piece of luck, her chopper had gone down in a sheltered spot, but the wind whistled above the surrounding trees. Snowflakes drifted through the canopy, leaving a white tinge on the ground.
Renee gathered the courage to crawl for the radio. One more breath.
She forced her limbs to move and cried out.
“I heard you. I’m coming to get you Renee Paulson!” The harsh feminine voice floated on the wind. “Prepare to die, if you’re not already dead.”
It was a jolt to hear her real name screamed across the tundra. Renee stilled, the gunfire, the woman in the red coat making more sense.
