His heart would stop.
Breath would leave his body.
She wasn’t going to save him.
All of this crazy talk terrified her.
They kept on walking and the sun had already set. Did Caleb know she hadn’t made it to the hotel? He must have known. Or was he too busy hunting for this bastard?
The crazy bear clearly didn’t understand that Caleb wouldn’t just send her to another town and not check up on her. At least, she hoped not. If this were the other way around, she’d have called the hotel and asked to speak to him.
The bear grabbed her arm and laughed. As they came through the clearing, she heard the rush of water. The light from the half-moon highlighted the waterfall. In daylight, or any other circumstance, she would have admired the rare beauty of it. Tonight, not so much.
“Look at it. My rebirth. My growth. This is where I will come into my own. People will see how fucking wonderful I am.” He held his hands up and laughed. “Beautiful.” He roared and she tensed up.
This man was so crazy.
She stayed perfectly still, not wanting to ruin his moment, but also just wanting to stay as clear of this man as was physically possible.
He faced her. “This is a beautiful moment for you, too. You can strip if you’d like.”
“My hands are behind my back, and if it’s okay with you, I’ll wait, fully clothed until after you’re reborn.”
She wasn’t sticking around. Hell no, she intended to run at the first opportunity. So long as he untied her wrists, which she hoped he did, figuring she would need them to actually save him.
He tutted. “You think I’m crazy. You think I don’t see what you’re doing?” He shook his head. “You disappoint me.”
He pulled the shirt over his body and wriggled out of his pants. Fear clawed its way up inside her.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“I can see it in your eyes. You think I don’t see what you’re going to do?” He laughed. “Oh, you shouldn’t underestimate me. I know so much about everything. I can feel the earth. I can sense this. I know what is required of me.”
He spun her away from him and untied her hands. She quickly pulled them up, rubbing at her bruised wrists. The rope had been way too tight. She watched him as he wrapped an end of the rope around his wrist and then grabbed hers.
“What are you doing? Let me go.” The rope was back on her wrist, this time even tighter and cutting off circulation.
“I’m not a fool. There’s no way you’d pull me out of the water of your own free will. With you in the water with me, as I die, I become heavy, and I will pull you right under with me. What you’ve got to hope is that your desire to live is stronger so you can pull me out of the water to revive me, or you’re drowning right along with me.”
“What? No, you’re crazy. There is no way this can work.” He was going to take her into the water. “No.”
“Yes.” He marched toward the water. “You had your chance to take your clothes off.”
“No, please, I don’t want to die. You don’t have to do this. I’m human. You’re a bear and you’re bigger than me. How strong do you think I am? You’re going to kill us both.”
“And if that is what needs to happen, I will let it.”
“Help me,” she screamed.
The sound got louder as she was pulled into the water. She didn’t even want to think of what creatures could be waiting to eat them in the dark water.
The crazy bear didn’t leave her alone.
“No. Please. Let me go. I don’t want this. Please.”
There was no way her life could end like this.
She tried pulling on the rope. Her hand was losing feeling by the second as he’d done it too tightly.
“Caleb! Please, come. Help me.”
Her time was running out.
“No, please, don’t.”
The crazy bear smiled at her one last time and sank beneath the water. Her minutes were numbered.
Chapter Ten
“Faster,” said Caleb.
“We don’t want the cops’ attention,” said Reese, picking up the speed.
They’d all piled into the pick-up truck and headed to the place Joe said they’d probably find the rogue bear. It was a sacred place the bears visited at least a few times in their lives—when they mated, after the birth of their cubs, and for spiritual rebirth. They’d left David behind to care for the bear females until they returned. After seeing the dead, mutilated bodies, his fears grew tenfold. That bear was capable of anything, any remnants of humanity long gone.
“Do you remember where we live?” asked Brian. “I haven’t seen a cop around here in years. Don’t worry about speeding.”
“Whatever,” said Reese. “How much farther, Joe?”