Lost & Found (Possessed 3)

Yipping was her only answer from somewhere ahead. Knowing it was a bad idea to leave the porch without Nick or Ace, she still went in search of the dog. How could she not? Small dots of blood were in stark contrast with the crisp white snow as she came upon the source of the moaning.

“Oh, Roxie!” she cried out in dismay, seeing the animal with what she assumed was a bear trap wrapped around one paw. The men never mentioned anything about them being out here. It seemed irresponsible that they wouldn’t, so she had to wonder if they even knew it was there. How many others were out there?

“I got you, sweet girl,” she cooed to the frightened dog as she rubbed her soft coat.

The thought of leaving the animal alone was not an option, so she tried screaming for her men in the hopes they weren’t too far away from the house.

“Nick!” Her voice was so loud birds took flight from the trees.

“It’ll be fine.” She kept talking to Roxie, trying to inspect the wound without touching her. “Shit!” Blood was flowing from it.

“Ace!” she tried screaming again. Roxie started howling with her.

“How do they not hear us?” Pepper tried to keep her voice comforting as she took off her coat to wrap around the now shivering dog.

Roxie tried to contort her body to lick the open wound, and it killed Pepper not to let her try to soothe her own pain as she pushed her body back down. “I’ll take care of you, sweet girl.”

“Nick!” she screamed louder, hoping against hope he would hear her.

No such luck.

She had to do something. Refusing to leave the injured animal, she told her, “I’m gonna try and get this off you.” Roxie gave her a blank, painful stare. “Just don’t bite me. Please.”

Getting a grip on both sides of the claw without moving it around was a lot more difficult than she thought it would be. Roxie’s whining brought tears to her eyes.

“Alright, baby, here we go.” Their eyes met briefly before she started pulling the claws apart. Her grip nearly faltered. Steeling her resolve, she yanked with all the strength she could muster. When it opened just enough for the dog’s paw to slip through, she drew it down and off as she lost her grip, one of the sharp blades clipping her finger as it closed.

“Thank God,” she muttered to her injured companion, not even realizing that she was bleeding as well.

Ripping the sleeve off her shirt, she fashioned a make-shift bandage to wrap around the wounded leg of Roxie before picking her up in her arms.

With no idea how long of a walk it was going to be, she called upon every ounce of strength she had in her body and mind to get them home so they could get her friend to the vet for treatment.

Every noise, every movement within the trees, was all magnified. Her senses were on high alert. She wasn’t prepared for what would happen next. What she would see.

Gold eyes. Enormous bodies. The scent of blood.

For a moment, Pepper swore it was the end.

Nick was prepared for whatever Pepper’s brother had to say, no matter how much the other man had already pissed him off with his obviously careless words tossed at his sister.

“I told her she was a fucking burden. That stupid cunt I was seeing played me for a fool, and I told Pepper she needed to grow up.” The pain and grief were clear in the other man’s voice.

Ace followed Nick as he went into the office, wanting to get shit sorted with James without Pepper being hurt. “Look, we all make mistakes. Not all of us get second chances, though, so you better fucking make sure you set this right with her. This is the time to step up and be the fucking hero she remembers you as.”

Ignoring everything Nick had said, the other man asked him, “Are you involved with my sister? She has amnesia for crying out loud.”

No sense in lying to the man. “Yes, we are.” He knew James would catch the we.

“We? You and that deputy? You’re both screwing my sister!” The outrage and insult were pissing Nick off.

“Watch your fucking tone, Detective.” It was the only warning Nick would give him. “I understand you’re shocked at the news, but I won’t allow you to disrespect her. Especially to her face when you get here. Understand?”

“Fuck!” Nick could practically see the other man running a hand down his face in frustration because he’d be doing it himself if the roles were reversed.

“You hear that?” Ace asked him, his head poking out of the office door. “Where’s Pepper?” James was talking to him, but he was only paying a little attention to the other man as Ace walked to the front door.

When it opened, they heard “Nick!” screamed louder than he’d ever heard before.