Under Threat by B.J. Daniels (reading the story of the .TXT) 📕

still straining to hear something, anything, to give her a clue as to what the sound might have been.

She inched her way toward the hallway, eyes trained on the door and the windows. She didn’t know whether she was expecting someone to burst through one, or one of those red dots from a laser sight to show up on her chest.

The sound didn’t repeat, and she slowly moved down the hallway. Just as she reached Ranger Cooper’s door, she heard it again.

It was oddly high-pitched, but not quite mechanical. Where she had originally planned to be very careful and quiet, gently waking up Ranger Cooper, the sound repeating caused Natalie to move forward clumsily and jerkily, swinging open his door with no finesse it all.

He was bolting up in the bed before the door even banged against the wall. His hand immediately closed over his weapon, which had been placed on a nightstand next to his bed.

It was the second time he’d almost pulled his weapon on her in the course of not very many hours, but she was glad he had such quick reflexes. It was oddly comforting to know he would immediately grab for his gun and try to protect them both. Considering he had never actually done anything with the gun, just placed his hand on it both times, she still felt safe in his presence.

He flung off the covers, getting out of the bed in one quick, graceful movement. He was wearing athletic shorts and a T-shirt, and perhaps a little bit later she’d have more time to appreciate just how sculpted his muscles were, but for right now she had her life to save.

“What’s happening?” he asked, his hands clutching the gun at his side, looking like a man ready to fight.

“I...heard a noise,” Natalie said, feeling foolish and scared and just damn lost.

He didn’t balk, he didn’t question her. He simply nodded.

Chapter 7

Vaughn tried to loosen his grip on the gun. Natalie had shocked him the hell out of sleep, and the adrenaline was still pounding through him.

He glanced at Natalie’s pale face. “Tell me what you heard,” he ordered gruffly, shoving his feet into his boots.

“I... I don’t even know. It was kind of high-pitched, but... It didn’t sound like anything I’d ever heard before.”

He gave a sharp nod, not bothering to pull the laces tight. “Where did it come from?” He stepped out into the hall and motioned her to follow.

“I’m not sure. It was so sudden and out of nowhere. But, it’d had to have come from closer to the front of the cabin, I think, or it would have been more muffled.”

Again, he nodded. He listened for any noise aside from the sounds of their feet on the stone floor. Nothing. “I want you to stay in the hallway while I check the windows and doors.” He stopped his progress and turned to face her. “You will stay right here no matter what. Understand?”

She scrunched her nose, but she didn’t argue with him. She nodded, lips clamped together as though she didn’t trust herself to speak.

She was smart, he’d give her that. He entered the living area, starting at the window closest to him. As stealthily as possible, he raised the curtain, surveyed what he could and then moved to the next window—each time all he saw was rocks and dusk.

He made it to the kitchen window and still nothing. They’d have to go outside. He debated making her stay inside while he searched, but it would be more dangerous to separate. Especially separating the unarmed civilian from the man trained to handle a weapon.

“I’m not seeing anything,” he said gruffly, turning to find her exactly where he’d left her in the hall.

“I swear I heard something,” she said, her eyes still round, her fingers clenched into fists.

“I believe you,” he returned, barely paying attention as he tried to formulate a plan on how to investigate the perimeter without getting either one of them killed.

“You do?”

He glanced back at the note of incredulousness in her voice, focusing more on her than his plans for the first time. “Is there a reason I shouldn’t?”

“No, I just...” She shook her head, looking completely baffled. “I’m...not used to people believing me. Especially you.”

Those last two words shouldn’t have an impact on him. What did it matter if he hadn’t believed her all this time? They were here, weren’t they? He was keeping her safe. Yet he felt that especially you like a sharp pain.

But he didn’t have time to dwell on that or figure it out. Quite frankly he wouldn’t want to even if he did.

“We’re going to have to search the perimeter together. We’re going to do the same thing we did when we got here. You’re going to follow me closely. Listen to whatever I say. And hopefully we’ll find the source of the noise and it’s nothing.”

“And if it’s something?”

“There are too many possibilities for us to sit here and go over all of them. You’re just going to have to follow my lead, and everything will be fine.”

“Is the unwavering confidence real, or do you say those sorts of things so I’ll go along with whatever you say?”

Oddly, he wanted to smile. Because it was a good question—a fair one, and the dry way she delivered it. Because he appreciated her backbone. Unfortunately, now was not the time for good or fair questions. So he simply said, “Both” and then started walking toward the door.

She followed him as she had when they’d first arrived. Though her antagonism and questioning tended to grate on his nerves, he would have to give her credit for following directions when it was required.

She wanted to fight him, it was obvious, but she didn’t. He admired both. Someone who didn’t get a little bent out of shape about being told what to do was too much of a pushover to be of any real help. But someone who could make the choice to