A clump of ferns thirty feet away shivered ominously.
Her heart almost stopped when something burst out of them, but then Rufus appeared.
Oh God.She willed her heart back down her throat, now worried for him, and that he would give her away.
He paused to sniff the air, ears up, nose quivering.He could smell her but not see her.
She couldn’t shoo him away.Couldn’t say or do anything as she lay there, her gaze darting back to where she’d last seen the shooter.
Rufus put his nose to the ground and started sniffing as he moved forward, coming closer and closer until he paused around fifteen feet away.She swore their gazes met through the layers of camouflage covering her.He was staring right at her.
She knew the moment he’d figured out where she was.His ears dropped slightly, and his tail started wagging as he loped over.
He came right up to her hiding spot, shoved his snoot between all the branches and fern fronds to give her a wet, sloppy kiss on her nose.
Oh, Rufus...
Terrified that the shooter had seen or heard him, that her hiding place was no longer safe, she grabbed Rufus around the neck and pulled him down with her.
“Stay, buddy,” she whispered, silently begging him to obey.
He went rigid at being restrained, his paws digging into the soft earth.For a moment she feared he would fight her and yank away, making even more noise.
But he stayed, albeit reluctantly.
She stroked a hand over his soft fur in reassurance, willing him to stay calm.Her fingers locked in place, her heart seizing when something else moved over in the brush where Rufus had come from.
Rufus stiffened even more and let out a low, warning growl.
She clamped her hand around his muzzle.
“Shhhh,” she whispered unsteadily, the sudden lash of fear so thick it choked her as her gaze locked on the patch of blue denim visible through the brush.
Where the fuck werethey?
Darren stopped and changed direction again at a faint sound coming from behind him.He wanted Tripp.Needed to take him out first, and then Willow would be easy by comparison.
They’d split up a few minutes ago.He was certain Tripp had tricked him with a misdirection.He had seen him running west for a few seconds, alone, then lost sight of him.
The semi-euphoric buzz from the booze was long gone, leaving a cold, hard resolve in its place.He scanned the surrounding forest restlessly as he moved, finger curved around the trigger, ready to fire in a split second.
He had nine rounds left, plus a full magazine in his pocket if needed.Plenty of ammo to flush out and kill his prey.
But this was taking way too damned long.He needed it done and over with before it got dark, then he’d find a place to burn the bodies where no one would see.
Slight movement out of the corner of his eye made him whirl around.A bush trembled thirty yards dead ahead of him.He glanced behind him just in case, wondering if this was another trick to throw him off the trail.
But he didn’t see or hear anything behind him.
He crouched slightly and stepped out from behind the large tree trunk, emerging briefly out of the shadows.The sudden bright light made him squint, and he froze when he saw more movement ahead.Close to the ground, near a fallen log.
And for just a fleeting moment, he thought he heard something.Almost like a low growl.
He kept going, a heady sense of triumph pumping through his bloodstream.
Shadows engulfed him once more as he resumed his pace, eyes quickly readjusting to the dimness.He stared at the spot where he’d just seen the disturbance, all his focus on whatever lay behind that log.
Tripp?Or Willow?
