This serial novel draft is posted weekly on Fridays. Comments are always welcome. I hope you enjoy it!
Tempest
Chapter 33
Amy reached him first and stepped into his hand, wobbling as he boosted her up into the tree. "Climb higher," he called, helping Brenda up behind her, and waiting for Tanya, steps away from his position. He glanced over her shoulder in time to see the Wilsons and Adrienne clambering into a tree further down, Charlie waiting below for her turn with her back to the tree trunk.
Motion off to the side caught his eye, and he turned in time to see thick muscles bunching up under gray fur, then launching straight at Tanya. She wasn't going to make it. He threw himself at the animal, tackling it just before it would have reached it's goal. He landed underneath the heavy body and rolled, using the momentum from the fall to keep the creature off balance.
The wolf snarled, twisting to get a foot hold then springing out of Jake's grasp. It turned and pounced, jaws open and aimed right for Jake's throat. He tried to curl up, but it was too late - the wolf was standing on his chest, and all around the yips and growls got louder as the pack closed in. Jake pushed hard against the furry chest, a sharp pain in his leg making him kick out frantically as he looked into the wild green eyes of his personal reaper.
He saw the bullet fly just behind the wolf's front leg just a fraction of time before the sound of a shot registered in his brain. The wolf went down, rolling to the side and another report rang out just before the pack scattered, loping away in defeat. He turned his head to the side to see Charlie standing in the middle of the path, one arm supporting the other as she leveled a gun in his general direction. It must have fallen out of his waistband when he'd hit the ground.
She glanced around, slowly lowering the piece before she ran to his side. "Are you hurt?" She felt his neck, then started looking the rest of him over.
"My leg." His throat was dry, and his head was spinning as the adrenaline surge started to ease. She bent over his calf, probing with a light touch through his pant leg. He looked up, noting that Brenda had started climbing down. "Don't come down," he called, wincing as Charlie hit a particularly painful spot. "They could still be hanging around." He opened his eyes in time to see her nod and settle back in on the branch she'd chosen, close to the other two women sharing her tree.
Proving his point, he caught a flicker of green peeking out from behind the tree, and a little ways off on his other side, a snarl and a yip. "We need to relocate," he said, pushing himself up on his elbows. "Help me up, quick." The wolves were getting bolder again, and a larger one stepped out on the path ahead, lifting it's lips in a menacing grin. "Give me the gun, Charlie."
She helped him up off the ground, then handed him the gun. He squeezed off a round at the brave canine, then hobbled for a tree between the two already occupied. He reached up and grabbed the lowest branch, testing to make sure he could reach. He turned back to Charlie, who was already shaking her head.
"No." Her tone brooked no argument. "You go first. You can pull me up easier than I can help you."
He hesitated, warring with his protective instinct, but he knew she was right. He put the gun back in his waistband, then swung himself up onto the branch, scooting back against the trunk for stability as he leaned over and reached down for her. She jumped, catching his wrist and swinging her other arm up over the branch. She pulled herself up, barely hooking one foot up before the wolves converged, running out of the darkness to snap at her other foot. She snatched it up, and inched her way toward the center of the tree as Jake climbed up to a higher branch and out of her way. He looked down, watching as one of the wolves started climbing the trunk. Smart son-of-a-gun.
"Stay still." He waited a second, making sure Charlie would heed his command. He aimed for the white chest and pulled the trigger, satisfied as the animal fell to the ground. "You okay?"
Charlie let out her breath in a long, audible sigh. "Yes."
"We need to get higher, find a comfortable spot for the night." He waited for her to stand on the branch, then looked up into the tree, spotting a wide elbow that might be okay. "Just follow me, okay?" He glanced back, noting she'd moved up to stand on the branch behind him.
She nodded, her expression unreadable in the darkness. "Lead the way."
