Phantom Warriors: Riot (4 page)

Nina’s head shot up and she gazed into the
woods, her brown eyes searching the shadows.

“What is it?” Lulu asked, doing the same.

A smile played on Riot’s lips as he took a
step back. She’d sensed him. For some reason, the idea thrilled
him. She may not be able to see him, but she certainly knew he was
there. He looked at the smudge on her cheek, longing to brush it
off with his fingertips. The women continued to stare at the
woods.

She shrugged. “I thought I…it’s nothing.”
Nina shook her head and gave the creature in Lulu’s arms one final
scratch behind the ears.

Riot watched her gather her things and walk
back to her vehicle. He looked at the truck, memorizing everything
about it, so he’d be able to find it again. He wasn’t going to get
his hopes up. This woman may turn out to be like all the others.
Even as the thought slipped through his mind, he dismissed it.
There was something different about this woman. “Nina,” he
whispered her name aloud. “See you soon.”

***

Nina couldn’t shake the feeling that she was
being watched. At first when she’d felt the sensation, she’d
dismissed it. But when it grew stronger, she could no longer ignore
what her body was telling her. She scanned the woods, searching the
tree-line.

Despite it being midday, the shadows were
deep and could easily conceal someone who didn’t want to be seen.
Warmth scrolled down her body, pausing long enough on her beasts to
make her nipples harden. Nina swallowed hard and rolled her
shoulders. She didn’t ‘see’ anything, but there was definitely
someone there. She’d lay money on that someone being a male. She
took a deep breath and shook her head. Maybe she was just tired,
but that didn’t explain her body’s reaction. Nina could still feel
the eyes on her as she drove back to the office.

The rest of the day was uneventful. Nina
checked on her patients and finished the last of her paperwork.
Numbers swam before her eyes as she stared at the Balance Sheet. If
they didn’t get more business, they’d have to close the office.
There were clinics nearby, but none like theirs, in the heart of
Cherokee. She rubbed her eyes and yawned.

“Hard at work I see.” Kim Watt poked her head
in Nina’s office.

“What are you doing here?” Nina rose and came
around her desk to hug her friend.

“I was out shopping for wedding decorations
and thought I’d drop by. How are you doing?” Kim’s sharp gaze took
in the dark circles under Nina’s eyes and her disheveled clothes.
“You aren’t sleeping, are you?”

Nina sighed.

“That good, eh?” Kim squeezed her hand. “What
is that on your face?”

She laughed. “Pig crap most likely.”

Kim’s face scrunched. “Eww.”

Nina grabbed a wet towel and dabbed her
cheek. She met her best friend’s caring gaze. “He’s not getting
better,” she said. She didn’t have to say who. Kim already
knew.

“I’m sorry, hon. I really am,” she said.

Nina scrubbed harder. The pain on her cheek
distracted her from the pain burning inside of her. “I know. I’ve
been praying for a miracle.”

Kim hugged her again. “We all have.”

She blinked back her tears. “Are we still on
for tomorrow night?”

Kim’s face brightened. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
She grinned.

“Is Danny okay with you going into the woods
with me?” Nina couldn’t imagine Kim’s fiancé, who also happened to
be a deputy with the Sheriff’s Department, being okay with his
future bride traipsing through the woods destroying poachers’
illegal bear traps.

Kim blushed and glanced away. “I didn’t
exactly tell him that’s what we were doing. I might’ve said that we
were having a bachelorette night.”

Which was the truth, and a lie. This was what
they were doing
instead
of the bachelorette party. “What if
he finds out?” Nina asked. She was happy for her best friend, but
she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy that Kim had
someone to go home to. What would that be like? She couldn’t
imagine. For the last two years, she had been spent all of her time
either working or taking her grandfather to doctor’s visits. Dating
and having a social life were foreign concepts and would remain so
as long as Harold was in the hospital.

Kim shook her head. “Danny won’t find out,
unless you tell him.” She winked.

Nina snorted. “You know that’s never going to
happen.” Danny Alberty had never cared for her. Oh, he’d tolerated
Nina because of her close friendship with Kim, but he didn’t really
like
her. The feeling was mutual. One good thing she could
say about Kim’s fiancé was that he treated her best friend well.
Nina knew Danny was counting the days until the wedding, since it
meant that they’d be moving away. Fresh pain blossomed around
Nina’s heart. Soon everyone she cared about would be gone.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Kim nudged her out
of her maudlin thoughts.

“See you then.” Nina finished the day and
dropped by the hospital once more before returning to her empty
home. Without Harold there, the place seemed so quiet…so very
lonely. There was nothing to do but go to bed and start all over
again tomorrow.

Nina dressed in black, despite the dangers of
traipsing through the woods near hunting season without reflective
clothing on. It was safer to wear the orange reflectors, but if she
did that, then the poachers might spot her. Or worse yet, a
Sheriff’s Deputy. She didn’t want anyone catching her, or Kim, in
the woods tonight. What they were doing was risky enough. She
glanced at the clock. Her best friend would be here any minute.

She tugged on her boots and quickly laced
them up. The hiking boots would allow her to move quicker, and
hopefully protect her ankles on the uneven terrain. There was a
full moon scheduled for tonight, but they wouldn’t be able to tell
beneath the canopy of trees. She’d pulled out a map of the Great
Smoky Mountains and the Qualla Boundary earlier, circling spots
that would be likely for poachers to set up traps.

Every year she went out hoping to not find
them and every year she came back disappointed. Some people just
couldn’t abide by the hunting laws. She stood and stomped her feet
to make sure her boots were secure. Nina heard the screen door
creak. It was followed by a loud knock.

Kim opened the door without waiting for her
to answer. “You ready to go?”

“Just about.” Nina grabbed her hat and shoved
it on her head, then took in her friend’s outfit with an eye toward
stealth. “If moonlight hits it, they might spot your silver
necklace.”

Kim’s hands rose to her throat. “Oh, I forgot
all about that. I had to dress up a little since this is supposed
to be my bachelorette party. If hadn’t, Danny would’ve known
something was up.” She winked and flicked the latch on her
necklace. Kim pulled the chain off, gently placing it on Nina’s
table. “How’s that?”

“Better,” Nina frowned at her friend’s
running shoes. “Where are your boots?”

“They’re in the car. I couldn’t exactly wear
them out of the house without Danny getting suspicious,” Kim said.
“He was upset enough at the thought that you might’ve hired a male
stripper.”

Nina snorted. “Could you imagine?”

Kim shook her head. “No, I can’t.” She made a
gyrating motion with her hips and burst into giggles.

Nina pointed to the necklace. “Remember to
pick it up before you go home. Don’t want to make Danny jealous for
no reason.”

Kim chuckled. “Danny doesn’t get jealous. He
just shows all the guys his big gun.”

Nina laughed. “The last thing we need is him
showing up tonight, waving his big gun around.”

Her friend flushed. “No, that wouldn’t be
good.” She glanced at her watch. “I can’t stay out all night. He
may not be the jealous type, but he is a cop and I don’t want to
worry him.”

“We’ll be back in plenty of time for your
curfew,” Nina said.

Kim swatted at her. “Very funny.”

Nina pulled a face and Kim laughed
harder.

“Have you given any more thought to that
blind date I told you about last week?” Kim asked.

The humor fled from Nina’s face. “You know I
don’t have time to date. What with Harold being so sick.”

Kim looked at her. “You know I love you, so I
don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but I think you use
Harold’s illness as an excuse to keep your distance.”

Nina blanched. “That’s crazy.”

“Is it, hon? Really?” Kim asked. “I thought
so at first, but then I realized that you were like this before
Harold got sick.”

“I was not,” Nina said defensively. She’d
been busy building her veterinary practice. That took time away
from everything, including her social life.

Kim sighed. “I know you’re lonely, NiNi. I’m
your best friend. I know you better than anyone and I’m worried
about you. You can’t keep your life on hold indefinitely.”

“I’m not.” She sighed. “I won’t.”

Kim stared at her. “What are you going to do
after my wedding?”

Pain pinched Nina’s chest. “Work, what
else?”

“There’s more to life than work.”

Nina forced herself to meet Kim’s knowing
gaze. “I’m fine on my own. You know that.”

She shook her head. “No, you’re not. That’s
why I hate to see you pushing perfectly nice guys away.”

Perfectly nice guys? When had she met a
‘perfectly nice guy’? “Are you talking about Rick?”

“Yes,” Kim said.

Nina fought the urge to roll her eyes. She’d
met Rick through Kim. He’d ‘accidentally’ bumped into them when
they were out to lunch. The man spent the entire hour discussing
his guns. To be polite, Nina had feigned interest. Rick took it as
encouragement. She’d been dodging him ever since. “I don’t want to
date a Sheriff’s Deputy,” Nina said diplomatically.

“Then don’t!” Kim said. “But date someone.
Anyone. It’s not healthy to have more contact with animals than you
do people.”

“I don’t—” Nina stopped mid-sentence as Kim
arched a brow. It wasn’t her fault that animals were more reliable
and far better company than most of the people she’d met over the
years. She rubbed the back of her neck. “Maybe I have been avoiding
the dating pool.” She grudgingly acknowledged.

“The first step is admitting that you have a
problem.” Kim grinned.

“Very funny.”

“It’s time to take off the water wings and
get wet. Promise me that you’ll at least talk to the next guy that
captures your interest.”

Nina sighed. “I promise, Mom.” How long had
it been since a man had caught her eye? She couldn’t remember. Nina
looked at her best friend. Thank goodness she hadn’t given her a
time limit. She had a feeling a set time would come and go before
she encountered someone like that.

Kim stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry
at her, shattering the seriousness of the moment. She glanced at
the map laid out on the table. “So where are we going to
start?”

Nina jumped at the chance to change the
subject. She walked over and pointed to one of the spots she’d
circled in red. “I thought we’d check out the Qualla Boundary where
it borders the park. We’ll take the Blue Ridge Parkway to Heintooga
Ridge Road and pull over somewhere along the side. The woods around
there are a good spot for poachers to set up their bear traps.
Close enough to civilization to haul a four hundred pound bear
carcass out, and yet far enough away to stay out of sight.”

Kim’s brow furrowed. “There are a few houses
along there, before you reach the park and several hiking trails. I
wouldn’t think it would be smart to set up where a hiker may
stumble across them. Too easy to get caught.”

“Nobody said they were smart.” Nina rolled
her eyes. “Besides, given the money they can make by selling bear
gallbladders to the Asian market, it’s worth the risk.”

“Good point.” Kim nodded. “I’m going to grab
my boots and backpack out of the car, then I’ll be ready to
go.”

***

It didn’t take long to reach Heintooga Ridge
Road. Black Camp Gap marked the entry to the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park. If tonight wasn’t successful, then Nina planned to
check in the woods off Heintooga Round Bottom Road. At least there,
their vehicle wouldn’t stand out because they could park in Balsam
Mountain campground. They wandered into the woods and quickly
checked their bearings. The plan was to hike in a half a mile or
so, and slowly circle back toward Nina’s truck.

The woods were quiet this time of year. After
the trees changed colors, most of the tourists left the area,
giving the locals a chance to recover and get ready for next
summers’ arrivals. Nina preferred the fall. She liked the peace
that descended upon the mountains. She just wished it didn’t bring
out the poachers. Daylight was fading fast. Soon the sun would drop
behind the mountains and leave them in deep shadows. Darkness would
descend an hour or two later.

“Ready?” She turned to Kim, who once again
checked her watch.

Her face flushed with excitement. “Yep, let’s
do this.”

They hiked deeper into the woods, leaving the
road behind. Dead leaves covered the forest floor, crunching
beneath their boots. Despite the dense, decaying foliage on the
ground, the trees were far from bare. They walked for an hour in a
grid pattern to make sure they covered the area thoroughly. Nina
continuously scanned the ground for bear traps and obvious bait
snares, while Kim kept her gaze glued to the tops of the trees,
searching for camouflaged hunting blinds.

There shouldn’t be any in the park or on
Cherokee land. The People controlled who hunted on the Qualla
Boundary. They kept chatter to a minimum as they slowly worked
their way through the woods. The quiet became a living, breathing
thing that surrounded them. Instead of feeling cocooned, it
sharpened Nina’s senses, making her hyperaware. Humans weren’t the
only things they had to watch out for in the woods. There were
black bear and bobcats, though neither tended to bother people if
they were left alone.