Laughing Fate Read Online Free Page A

business!” yelled the warrior.  The men wisely took a step back.  They could see her hand itching toward the log.  She gave them one last glare and then turned away. She threw her gear in the jeep and then after locking it, began her long hike up the mountain.
     
    ****
     
    She was aware that the men probably thought she was crazy.  She could feel their stares on her back as she walked up the dirt road. She was wet, cold, and tired, but she refused to let the men see that.  She swiped away a single tear and straightened her spine and walked at a sharp pace.  With each step Puck mentally cursed herself. How could she have said those things? Had she actually threatened them with death?
    This was almost, but not quite, as bad as the time Jimmy, her brother, had shaved off all of her hair while she was sleeping.  She had saved face by saying she was tragically afflicted with cancer.  The sweet town had supported her and when she had ‘recovered’ a month later, the town had thrown her a party and named it Puck’s Day. It had turned out ok in the end, but when she had first seen her shaved head she had been so angry, so hurt, and so shocked that she had wanted to hide away for months.
    “I am completely crazy,” she muttered to herself in a lost little voice. Why hadn’t she accepted Potter’s ride?
    "Actually, I don’t think you should be so hard on your self," a man’s voice said, a stupid man’s voice. Puck turned around and glared at Mr. Macho himself.
    "What are you doing?” she demanded in her prissiest voice.  She had hoped to see fear or even panic in his eyes, but instead Potter smiled down at her. Boy, did he have a great smile, like a wolf eyeing a flock of sheep.  Puck didn’t trust that smile, and hated that it made her stomach all flip floppy.
    "Well, you can’t walk all by yourself. Don’t you know it’s dangerous for a pretty little girl to walk alone in the woods? So I thought to myself that you needed someone to protect you, so here I am."
    Puck felt her mouth drop a little. She had so many feelings battling within her, anger or shock? Or maybe she should go with door number three: that stupid girly feeling she got when he had said she was pretty. Wait, door number three was usually a goat pulling a cart…maybe she should go with humor? The man who was scared of seagulls wanted to protect her. Yes, Humor definitely was winning the battle.
    "You? You are going to keep me safe? HOW??" she asked skeptically.
    Ouch. That was a blow to Potter’s pride.  He could protect her, he worked out damn it!
    "Yes, me. Potter at your service ma’am." He tipped an imaginary hat in her direction.  He was trying really hard not to let her skepticism get on his nerves, he deserved this for what he’d said to her earlier.
    That really got her laughing. "You?!?" she asked again, peals of laughter coming out of that dang mouth. That’s it the gloves were off.
    "Yes, damn it! Me!" Now Potter was fairly angry. He could protect one lady. Hell, he could protect a thousand ladies! He paused a second to savor that image. Evil laughter pulled him out of his happy fantasy.
    "You!! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha," She cried in between peals of laughter. Her evil eyes were crinkling in the corners and she was pointing at him with one dang finger, laughing uncontrollably.
    "YES!! Is that so hard to believe?" He bellowed. Still laughing, Puck continued walking, ignoring him completely and talking to herself.
    "Mr. Tough guy who is scared of seagulls is gonna save me! HA! As if I even need protection! I survived two brothers! I can walk along a dirt road with out Spaz boy protecting me from wild flowers. Oh no! What’s that? A leaf is falling! Run!!!! Run for the hills! What’s that? A dandelion? Holy Crap! We are going to DIE! Save me from the dandelion of death, Mr. Macho!!! "
    Enough was enough. She was mocking him! "Listen up Girl"- he started to say fairly assertively.
    "Shut up, Mr. Macho," she interrupted him.
    "My