The Three (2 page)

Her smile was so sunny that Anna blinked in surprise and looked at the glowering young man again. He was dressed in a baggy black T-shirt and dark blue jeans. She couldn’t tell what color his hair was, as it was shaved close to his head. His eyebrows were dark and drawn together in quiet anger.

The leader of the men chuckled, and his buddies joined in after a brief hesitation. “I’m sorry, boy. Your women?”

The young man took a step forward and fixed Anna with possessive eyes. “My women.”

“Looks to me like you’ve got more women than a boy like you can handle,” the man next to Anna said. He grabbed at her and squeezed her flesh with cruel fingers. “How about you let us take one off your hands?”

Anna drew back and threw an elbow at his face, catching him hard in the jaw. He recoiled with a grunt of pain, then lunged with his belt held aloft in an upraised fist.

His blow never connected, and for a stunned moment, Anna stood frozen as she waited for her brain to catch up with the action. The man who had tried to hit her was lying on the ground. An instant later, the leader of the thugs was engaged in a whirlwind attack that ended when he dropped to his knees and the young man snapped his neck with merciless hands.

“Didn’t my women warn you that you shouldn’t cause trouble here?” he growled, and reached behind his shoulder to unsheathe a long sword that was strapped to his back.

The fight was over within seconds.

Fight? More like a massacre. The redhead’s friend was the best fighter Anna had ever seen. He moved so fast that she could barely keep up, and his technique was like nothing she had ever witnessed before.

When the last of the thugs hit the ground, the young man stopped, breathing hard, and dropped his bloody sword. He examined his hands briefly and wiped them on his pants before taking a tentative step toward the redhead.

“Are you okay, Elin?” His voice was low, urgent.

The redhead, Elin, turned with a tender smile and held out her arms. “I’m fine, baby. Are you okay?”

Eyes flashing with pure relief, their savior stepped into Elin’s embrace, pulling her tight against his body. “If you’re fine, I’m fine.” They held one another quietly while Anna stood by in awed silence.

When the couple broke apart, Elin gave Anna a bright grin. “I’m sorry. How about you? Are you okay?”

With an embarrassed nod, Anna mumbled, “I’m okay.”

The man scanned Anna with stormy eyes. “I don’t know what the hell you were thinking, running into the middle of a fight like that.”

That set her on the defensive. “I can fight.”

“Yeah, you can fight so well that you were about to get raped right here on the ground in front of me.”

Anna’s chin trembled at his harsh comment, and she swiped an angry hand across her face to hide her weakness. “Fuck you.” She felt raw, exposed by the cruel words, and her chest stung. “You don’t know anything about me.”

“I know that you’re damn lucky Elin held them off until I got back.” He stared at her with a blank gaze that made her feel even more the hysterical woman.

“Kael,” Elin said, “she probably saved my life. I didn’t see the fourth guy sneaking up behind me. If she hadn’t warned me, I most likely would’ve gotten a crowbar to the back of the head.”

Momentary panic flashed in the young man’s eyes, then his expression softened, and he engulfed Elin in another hug.

Elin squirmed and giggled within his embrace. “I said I’m fine.”

He dropped a tender kiss on her hair. “Bloody,” he observed, and dabbed at a cut above her eyebrow.

“A little. So much for my sunny, relaxing afternoon.”

Anna folded her arms across her chest, still hurt and upset by Kael’s comment. “Speaking of bad decisions, I don’t know what the hell you were doing, leaving her alone out here like that. You can’t be so thickheaded as to think that’s safe.”

He glanced at her. “I don’t answer to you.”

“Kael can’t be with me every second,” Elin responded with a gentle shake of her head. “Nor do I want Kael with me every second. I think you saw that I’m rather capable in my own right.”

“You’re right,” Anna said. “I’m sorry.”

She met warm hazel eyes when Elin stepped close and lifted Anna’s face with a hand under her chin. “Hey, don’t be sorry. I’m just glad you were here when I needed you. Kael got back fast, but it could’ve been a lot worse if you hadn’t decided to help me.”

Kael gave a quiet snort. “I’m just wondering what she’s doing out here alone in the first place.”

“Just walking,” Anna mumbled.

“Well, I left dinner in the woods. I should go back and get it.” Kael nodded at Elin, eyes shining with affection. “I caught you a rabbit.”

Elin clapped and a wide smile lit up her whole face. “My perfect afternoon is back on track.” She placed a gentle hand on Anna’s arm. “And now we have a dinner guest and everything. You will stay for dinner, won’t you?”

Anna blinked in surprise. She glanced at Kael, but his face betrayed no emotion. Thanking Elin for the offer, she said, “My name’s Anna, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you, Anna.” Elin pressed a hand against the blood that still oozed from the cut above her eyebrow. “I don’t know about you, but I could use a bath.”

Anna blushed and ran a hand self-consciously through her hair. “That’s what I was planning when I happened upon this whole sordid mess.”

Elin nudged her playfully. “What do you say you and I wash off while Kael gets dinner ready?”

Kael nodded. “No offense, but it looks like you’re both in desperate need of a good soak.”

As he picked up his sword, Anna lowered her eyes to the prone bodies sprawled on the ground around them. “Are they all dead?”

“Yeah.” There was a hint of sadness in Kael’s dark eyes.

Anna gazed down at the curly-haired man at her feet, remembering the feeling of his hand groping her body. “Good.” She was surprised to catch Kael staring at her with quiet sorrow, and asked, wondering if she’d missed a comment, “I’m sorry, did you say something?”

“I’m just glad you’re both okay.” Kael tipped his head, serious, and walked away. As he passed Elin, he said, “I set up camp in that clearing we passed through earlier. The one with the”—he dropped his voice—

“pretty flowers.”

Elin grinned, waving him away. “We’ll be there in no time.” Walking toward the lake, she called, “Hey, Anna! Come on, the water’s fantastic.”

Anna watched Elin dive into the water, and her throat went unexpectedly dry at the glimpse of pale, naked skin. Still trembling with adrenaline from the fight, stomach in knots over her confrontation with Kael, she summoned her strength and limped to the shore.

Elin’s head broke the surface of the water. “This feels wonderful.” She slicked back her hair with both hands. “You hurt your ankle?”

“About a week ago, during a fight. I keep thinking it should feel better—”

Elin stood and Anna watched breathlessly as water sluiced over her bare skin. “I’ll look at it after dinner.

Maybe I can help. Now take off your clothes and get in here. You don’t know what you’re missing.”

Anna licked her lips and stared at the dark pink nipples only yards from where she stood on shore. This was the closest she’d ever been to a real live naked woman. You’re right, I probably don’t. As much as she wanted to dive into the water and get closer to Elin, shyness held her back. She dropped her eyes to her own chest. Her green T-shirt was torn and dirty, her light brown skin smudged with blood and filth. She rubbed her hands over the seat of her pants, remembering all too well the scars that littered her body.

“Not used to being naked in front of someone else?” Elin’s voice was full of quiet sympathy. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about.” At Anna’s quick backwards glance to where Kael had disappeared into the woods, she added, “And you have no reason to be afraid.”

“He doesn’t like me, does he?” Anna pulled her T-shirt over her head after a brief hesitation. She folded her arms over her stomach, skin burning beneath Elin’s gaze.

“Kael just doesn’t know you. It isn’t easy for him to trust. Give him some time.”

Anna unsnapped her pants, stepped out of them quickly, and shot another look at the trees around them.

“He’s one hell of a fighter.”

“One hell of a person.” Elin held one hand playfully in front of her eyes. “I’m not peeking. Get the rest of those clothes off, and get your ass in here, girl!”

With a nervous giggle, Anna shed her bra and panties, then, putting as much weight on her left ankle as she could bear, she moved into the water. She was submerged safely to her upper chest when Elin uncovered her eyes.

“Feel good?”

“Wonderful.”

“Want to feel even better?”

Anna tried hard not to stare at Elin’s creamy collarbones. She worked her jaw for a moment, unable to produce a sound. If she had any idea what I was thinking, she’d hate me. Playing it safe, she croaked,

“That depends.”

Elin brought a hand out of the water and displayed a small, capped bottle with a triumphant grin. It was half full of thick amber liquid. “Shall I wash your hair?”

Anna couldn’t remember the last time she’d experienced the luxury of shampoo. She skimmed one hand over the surface of the water. “I don’t want you to waste—”

Elin clicked her tongue in disapproval and put a soothing hand on Anna’s shoulder. “Don’t be silly. It’d make me really happy to give you this simple pleasure. Given that you saved my life and all.”

“But—”

Encouraging Anna to face away from her, Elin said, “Dunk.”

Anna did, bending her knees until her head was underwater. She held the position for only a moment, until a powerful feeling of vulnerability propelled her to the surface. Sputtering, she pushed away the wet locks of dark hair that hung in her face.

“I’m not sure I saved your life,” she said, keeping her back to Elin. She jerked in surprise when Elin touched her head, then released an involuntary moan when strong fingers rubbed fragrant shampoo into her hair.

“My fighting skills aren’t exactly up to par these days.”

“You saved my life.” Elin scratched at Anna’s scalp, and Anna had to fight hard not to whimper in pleasure.

“So it’s just your ankle that’s hurt?”

“Among other things.” My head. My heart. My will.

“Well, you look exhausted.” Resting a hand on Anna’s shoulder, Elin encouraged her to bend her knees and crouch. She scooped up fresh water to pour over Anna’s soapy hair and asked, “Where are you headed?”

“I’m not sure.” Anna closed her eyes to enjoy the slow rinsing of her hair.

Elin was quiet for a minute, then asked, “Where are you from?”

Anna flashed on a nightmare image of her last day at home, unable to suppress a shudder. “Near the Pennsylvania-Maryland border. I grew up in a tribe that settled in that area.”

“Nomadic?”

Anna managed a weak shrug. “Not nomadic enough, I guess.”

For a moment Elin’s movement faltered, and then she began rubbing one hand over Anna’s upper back.

Anna blinked and brought her hands to the surface of the water, scrubbing at the dried blood that still clung to them.

“Your tribe was attacked?”

“Last year.” To Anna’s surprise, it all came tumbling out. “Nearly everyone was killed. The rest were captured by raiders. My best friend Garrett and I managed to escape.” She hesitated, then murmured, “He was killed last month.”

“I’m sorry.” Elin curled her fingers around Anna’s shoulder, giving her a tender squeeze. “So you’re alone now?”

“Yeah,” Anna whispered. It was the first time she had spoken it aloud. “I’m alone.”

Anna wasn’t even aware that she was crying until Elin tightened her grip on her shoulder and pulled her around into a warm embrace. Then she felt the wetness of her cheek pressed against Elin’s, and her shoulders shook within the circle of Elin’s slim arms. She barely registered the thrill of naked breasts pressed against her own, she was so overcome with her private agony.

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Elin cooed, and rocked her where they stood. “It’s okay. You’re not alone anymore.”

The whispered words, and Elin’s fingers stroking the small of her back, shocked Anna out of their embrace.

Wiping at her tears with both hands, she glanced around at the trees once more. Her whole body trembled at the thought of Kael coming back and finding them like that.

Elin interlaced delicate fingers with Anna’s battle-roughened ones. “I never lived in a tribe,” she said, pulling Anna’s attention back to her face. This close, she could see the furious smattering of freckles across pale skin. “I grew up all alone with my father. He took us to the country just as the sickness reached its peak, then spent years teaching me how to hide from other people. It must have been amazing for you, growing up around so many others.”

“Your biological father?” Anna had never met an adult raised by a biological parent before. Her own parents died early on, shortly after the President had declared a state of emergency for the entire country.

Anna couldn’t remember a lot of the details, but Uncle Roberto had sometimes talked about it on those nights when he got drunk enough to summon up that time without breaking down.

It had taken only months for the country to dissolve into chaos. There were so many dead and dying, the hospitals had to close their doors. Anarchy erupted and the military struggled to maintain order amid rising violence from a citizenry driven to blind panic. The president was assassinated, and the federal government imposed martial law. But it was too late to stem the spread of rebellion. Throughout the nation, state and local government collapsed and small competing militias emerged, vying for power in shattered communities.