Fate and Destiny Read Online Free

knew he was not one of the men who abducted
her, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t an accomplice.
    Her eyes darted to the
door, trying to clear her mind. Spying the fireplace poker leaning
against the wall, a plan began to form. She would get to the tool,
then either hide it or use it immediately. The man on the floor
would take it away from her unless she did more than make idle
threats. Just moving her toes brought twinges of pain along her
leg. It would be difficult to defend herself and wield a weapon
against attackers when she couldn’t even straighten her leg without
pain, not to mention walk.
    The mental exertion began
taking its toll on her throbbing head. Raising her hand, she rubbed
her forehead, her fingers finding bandages. Even her own gentle
touch in that sensitive area caused her to wince, sending spears of
hurt slicing through her head. Her eyes closed briefly with fatigue
and pain. Worried, she could not return to sleep and leave herself
defenseless.
    She opened her eyes, once
again staring at her captor. He seemed innocent lying there asleep,
but looks were deceiving. She wanted to memorize his features in
case she lived through whatever happened to her.
    The weak light from the
windows and the fireplace pierced her skull, but she hardly even
blinked while she scrutinized the man. She would not allow herself
to falter now. Her life depended on it!
    He was awake before he
opened his eyes, the subconscious sensations of someone staring at
him while he slept slowly waking him from a fitful sleep. He
cautiously opened his eyes, expecting to see Shadow looking over
him, drooling and waiting for breakfast. Instead, steely feminine
eyes greeted him with a glare full of suspicion and hostility. It
was too dark to see what color they were. He caught himself,
wondering why he should care. Sensing the animosity sizzling within
them, he didn’t move, mesmerized by the emotions in those
depths.
    Mistrust and fear were the
most obvious. She was afraid of him. He knew it without her saying
a word. She would hurt him if she could. He stared back at her,
trying hard not to appear as a threat of any kind, making no sudden
moves that might startle her.
    The blankets around him
started to wiggle. The cool air of the cabin crept under them as
Shadow decided to wake up for the morning. He wriggled until his
cold wet nose and large brown eyes stuck out of the blanket near
Andrew’s head. The dog looked over at him with a sleepy, tongue
wagging; good morning grin before his jaws opened into a wide, lazy
yawn.
    Andrew tipped his head back
to avoid the morning dog breath, but it was no use. The thick warm
stench from the dog’s mouth hit Andrew even as he held his breath
and turned his head. He tipped his head back farther, seeking
fresh, cool, untainted air.
    As if suddenly remembering
his new best friend turned enemy, the dog looked towards the woman
in the bed, his large tail wagging under the blankets. He never
held a grudge for long. Throwing back the blankets, Andrew released
the animal to cease the fierce tail lashing.
    Quickly crossing the space
between Andrew and the woman, Shadow leapt onto the bed. Other than
the quick movement to free the dog from the tangle of blankets,
Andrew didn’t move. Instead, he regarded the woman as her
expression transformed into amusement, then wonder, at the lovable
dog joining her on the bed. Shadow crawled on his stomach with his
head low. His doggy way of making peace with the person who had so
viciously kicked him.
    Using the tip of his nose,
Shadow nudged the long, graceful fingers of the woman's hand
resting on top of the blankets. Andrew leaned up on one elbow and
watched as she patted the furry head while the traitorous dog
studied her with adoration. She seemed to have forgotten Andrew was
there. Maybe her fear abated, leaving it safe for him to get up.
Then again, maybe she was hoping the floor magically opened up,
swallowing him whole. 
    A slight smile played at
her lips as