Chapter One
The truck screeched to a halt, tires digging in the dirt of the driveway. The driver's side door opened, and a young woman stepped out before the truck even stopped rocking. She paused by the back of the truck, pulling out a small black bag before turning to the house.
She was lovely and graceful, her bright-red hair gleaming in the stuttered rays of the sun coming through the leaves of the trees. Her eyes were wide and intelligent, the green irises seeming too green to be anything but contacts, but they were indeed all her own. She was tall and lithe, her gait long and elegant, as if she were heading into a party and not this half-built log cabin her brother called home.
Caleb had called her, panic in his voice, unable to tell her the exact problem, just asking her to come, and to bring her medical case. Jenna would do anything for her older brother, and she'd done just that, cancelling the rest of her patients and driving like a madwoman the sixteen miles to his property.
"Caleb?" she called, as she pushed open the screen door. "Where are you?"
"Back here," her brother yelled back, and Jenna finagled her way through the mess her brother lived in. She was constantly threatening to bring a dump truck out here to finally give this place the cleaning it needed, but Caleb always stopped her, spouting a joke or making some excuse.
"What's the big rush, Caleb?" she asked, pushing through the door that led back to the bedrooms. She saw her handsome brother as he quickly closed the door of one of the rooms, and her eyes fell to the mark on his bare chest. It was a bite mark, she was certain. It was an ugly one at that. A chunk of flesh had been torn away, and he seemed to be favoring that side so she knew it was painful to him.
"What bit you?" she growled, stepping up to poke at the flesh around the wound. There didn't look like any infection had set in, and the bleeding had already stopped. She jumped when he grabbed her hand, pulling it away from the mark.
"I didn't call you about me, Jen. I... found something in the woods." He didn't say anymore, and she tore her hand away.
"Is that what bit you?" she snapped. The wound on his chest was ugly and needed stitching as well as bandaging.
"Yeah, but...it's not as easy as all that. He's injured and feral, Jen. I was hoping you might work a bit of your magic with him."
She met his eyes, eyes that were so much like her own. "You've brought an injured and feral animal into your home, Caleb? Are you crazy?"
"I...I never said he was an animal." He uttered the words quickly as if he'd hoped she wouldn't realize what they meant. As soon as her eyes focused on him again, he knew she'd caught what he'd been saying.
"You have a man here? A man who is feral and who bit you? Are you crazy, Caleb? You should call a hospital and let them handle it. They’ll know better what he'll need and will have the medications that will help him."
"Jenna...just shut up for a minute. This isn't an ordinary man. God! I knew this was going to be difficult." Caleb grabbed her arm and tugged her into the room he'd just left. The man he'd brought back to his house was lying on the bed, chained down with two sets of handcuffs. His head turned when he heard the door open, his nose flaring as if he were trying to recognize their scents. Then a snarl curled his lips, and he threw himself against the restraints, his teeth snapping.
His nudity was the second thing that Jenna noticed.
He was well muscled, though he looked a bit thin, and there were cuts and bites all up and down his arms and legs. Blood was dried on his tanned skin, and hair grew profusely on his chest, narrowing to a slight trail over his belly then widening to a curled tangle at his groin. His cock was thick and long, even limp, and Jenna couldn't help but glance at it.
His eyes, a glorious shade of amber, were wild, and she could see the terror in them. When he couldn't break his restraints, he used his feet to push himself as far away as he could from them. "Where did you find him?" Jenna asked, keeping her voice pitched softly.
"I was on the trail, the one I run every morning. I was just past the first big 'S' curve when he jumped out at me. He bit me, and I lashed out. I was lucky, and he fell and hit his head on a rock. I couldn't just leave him there, Jenna. You know that."
"And you thought because I was a vet, and the man bit you, that meant I was the woman for the job?" She shook her head as she set her bag down close to the door and held out her hand toward the man. "I'm not going to hurt you," she said. "My name is Jenna. I want to help you."
The man snarled again and shook his arms. Jenna could see the fresh blood that was spilling from new wounds in his wrists. "Please," she whispered. "Please stop fighting; you're just hurting yourself more." Her voice was low and gentle and seemed to be reaching him. He stared at her, a pleading in his eyes that broke her heart. "Let me help you."
She walked slowly toward him, her hands held out to prove that she meant him no harm. She kept her steps as non-threatening as she could, her eyes on his golden gaze. "I just want to help you."
"Be careful, Jenna," Caleb hissed.
The restrained man snarled, and his shackles rattled again. Jenna quit moving. "Shh, it's all right. Caleb?" she said a little louder. "Shut the hell up."
She waited for a moment until the man seemed calmer again. Taking the last two steps toward the bed, she reached out, touching his arm.
He raised his head, his nostrils flaring as he stared at her hand.
"It's okay," she said again. "I don't want to hurt you." She sank down on the bed next to him and smoothed his snarled hair away from his face. "What hurt you?" she mused aloud. She glanced over at Caleb, who was still in the room, and smiled genially at the man. "He's going to bring me my doctor's case. I have some medication that will help you."
The man snarled and snapped at the air around him as Caleb came closer to the bed, then reached out with his left hand, grabbing Jenna's fingers and trying to pull her closer to him.
"What is he doing?" Caleb asked, shocked.
"Protecting me, I think." She took her other hand and smoothed it over the man's face. "Shh, it's all right. Can you tell me your name?" She stared into his amazing golden eyes, willing the man to understand her. "I'm Jenna." She pointed at her brother. "That's my brother, Caleb. Who are you?"
"J-Jenna," the bound man said, the words sounding harsh, as if he hadn't used his voice in a while.
"Yes, I'm Jenna." She let her hand slide over his hair and against his scalp, feeling for bumps and bruises. "Who are you?"
"J-Jenna," he said again, and then turned his face so he could look into her eyes. It was as if a sudden burst of understanding slammed into him. "Jacob."
Jenna smiled and then flinched when he did. "Jacob, you've got a nasty bump here." She pulled her hand away, staring at the dried blood and gore that had stuck to her fingers. "Caleb," she called, "I need hot water and ice and all the clean towels you can give me." She glanced over her shoulder toward her brother. "Maybe you can come up with some sweats or something that we can get Jacob into after I get him cleaned up."
Jacob barely glanced Caleb’s way as he left the room, attention firmly upon Jenna. He'd managed to snare one of her hands and brought it to his nose, breathing in the essence of her scent. He nuzzled at her hand, and then he smiled. "J-Jenna."
"Yes, I'm Jenna, and you're Jacob." She couldn't help but smile, he seemed so eager to please her now.
His face twisted into a puzzled frown, and he stared as if expecting her to figure out his problem for him. "Jenna, Jacob."
"Yes, that's very good, Jacob."
"N-no. No! Jenna Jacob's. Jenna Jacob's," he repeated, smiling.
Caleb had quietly re-entered the room and heard Jacob's last words. "I think you've been claimed, sis." He jumped when Jacob snarled and dropped the ice pack he’d brought into the room with him.
Jacob heard him and snarled again, grabbing for Jenna's arm again, trying to push her behind him.
"Jacob, Caleb's okay. He's my brother. He's not going to hurt me." She let her hands move over the man in a soothing matter.
Jacob seemed confused but let loose of Jenna's hand. "J-Jenna mine," he growled.[P1]
Before she had a chance to pick it up, Jacob had it. He held it close to his face, smelling the fabric, turning it over and over in his hands as if he couldn't understand what it was for. He lost curiosity quickly, especially when Jenna wrung out a cloth and began to clean his wounds. One wound in particular seemed pretty bad and he hissed, backing away from her hand.
"No, Jacob. These have to be clean or they could make you very sick. I'm sorry if I hurt you; I really didn't intend to cause you pain.” She reached for the hand still held by Caleb's handcuffs. "Get me the key," she snarled back at Caleb. "There's no reason for him to be tied. He's not going to hurt me, right, Jacob? You won't hurt me, will you?"
"N-No h-hurt." His eyes didn't leave Jenna's face as Caleb handed her the key. She clicked one wrist cuff open, gently taking his hand out and holding it in her tender hand. She looked at the welt that Jacob had worn into his wrist, fighting the cuffs, and sighed. Getting him cleaned up was going to take a while and would be painful.
She set his arm down against his side and then let her hands graze along Jacob's forehead. He didn't feel hot, but that could change quickly if any one of the bites and cuts on his body became septic. "Caleb," she said quietly, knowing her brother would hear her. "I think we need to put him out for me to clean these up."
"That's the best idea you've had since you got here, Jen. What do you need?"
"For you to stay back for now. Don't startle him." She waited until Caleb agreed, then sat forward, her face inches from Jacob's. Despite the dirt that seemed layered over his skin, and the raw patches that were still leeching blood, he didn't smell bad. Instead, he smelled like male; thick and sinfully rich with a hint of wild. It stirred something inside her, something that was more feminine than the pity she originally felt for him. It was a hint of attraction, and it made her nervous.
"I-I w-won't h-hurt you," Jacob growled in a low voice. He shivered, and Jenna knew that he was cold.
She moved slowly toward the closet, reaching in and pulling down a comforter, and spread it over the injured man. He groaned, for even the lightest of weights seemed to hurt him, but he snuggled into the fabric as if it was a luxury he wasn't used to. "T-thank you."
She smiled and then resumed sitting next to him. "Jacob, I don't want to hurt you any more than you've been hurt. But I have to clean those wounds. Now, I have medication in my bag that will make you sleepy. When you've gone to sleep, I can clean your wounds and bandage them without hurting you. You'll only sleep for a little while, then you'll wake up and we can talk some more. How does that sound to you?"
"No!" he shouted. "No, I can't sleep. They...they'll find me, they'll take me back...No!" Jacob shouted the words, and Jenna felt her heart break at the fear that sounded so loudly in his voice.
"Shh," she whispered. "You're safe, Jacob. You're safe." She let her hand brush through his hair, calming him. "I won't put you to sleep, Jacob. I won't let them get to you, I promise." Her palm cupped his cheek, and she felt the trail of wetness that slid down his face. "You're really scared," she whispered.
"Y-yes."
His answer was only that one word, but it spoke volumes to her. "Okay, we'll do this without anesthesia, Jacob, but it will hurt more."
He nodded, barely flinching when she began cleaning.
Even when she began pulling detritus from the wounds, he didn't moan, but kept his eyes on her face, watching her every move. The only time he looked away was when she called Caleb closer; then he watched the man cautiously, as if waiting for him to attack.
"You're doing well, Jacob. It will just take a little while longer." Her hand touched his face again and he smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. He snarled when Caleb reached out and touched her shoulder, but Jenna calmed him, stroking his cheek with her fingers. "He's my brother, Jacob. He'll never hurt me."
"B-brother?"
"Yes, my older brother."
Jacob nodded and then flinched. He watched as she reached into her bag, pulling out a needle and a bottle of clear liquid. "I have to numb you, Jacob. I've got to stitch these up so that they'll heal."
Jacob rattled the other chain, the handcuff that she hadn't taken off yet. He looked up at her, his eyes pleading, even though his mouth stayed silent.
"I can't take that off until you promise you won't attack my brother again, Jacob."
"Jenna, I can take care of myself."
She glanced at her brother and nodded at the bite mark on his chest. "Yeah, that sure looks like you can handle yourself."
"He sprung out at me, Jen. I didn't even know he was there."
"Yeah, and he's in such good shape that you could take him down that easily. Come on, brother. Fess up."
She chuckled as Caleb's cheeks turned red. "I'm picking on you, Cal. Get over yourself."
"Jenna, you are so not funny."
She laughed at the tone of his voice. "See, he'd never hurt me, Jacob. That means I just need you to promise you won't attack him."
"He can't touch you," Jacob said, his voice a rusty growl.
"Touch me...why?" she asked, confused.
"He can't," Jacob said and refused to say more.
"Tell him you won't touch me, Caleb."
"I won't," he answered, though there was a tone in his voice that stated he thought Jacob had some kind of mental condition. "I promise, Jacob. I'll keep my hands to myself even when she drives me crazy. Okay?"
She took the key and slid it into the other cuff, turning it carefully. His wrist slid out and fell to the mattress next to his head. He lifted his wrist, holding it with his other hand. Jenna held out her hand, carefully checking his wrist and the welt from the cuff.
She smiled. "You're bruised and beaten up, Jacob, but I don't believe there is anything broken, or any internal injuries. You just need some rest."
He sat up, reaching for her. "I can't sleep. If they find me again...I'll be dead."
"If who finds you, Jacob?" She didn't try to break from his grip, shaking her head at Caleb as he stepped toward the bed. "Who is scaring you so?"
He opened his mouth as if he were going to answer, but then slammed his mouth shut. "I can't," he groaned. "I...just can't."
Jenna smoothed her hand across his face, her thumb sliding across the shadows under his piercing amber eyes. "It's okay," she said softly, knowing she was so close he could hear what she was saying. "I won't let anyone hurt you, Jacob. As long as you're in my care, you're safe."
"Okay," he growled, leaning back against the pillow. He nodded at her. "Go ahead and do what you must. I won't move."
She glanced over at her brother before pulling her medical case even closer and pulling out her kit. She grabbed her needles and surgical thread, searching for the finest to close his wounds. "Are you sure you don't want something to dull the..."
"No!" Jacob's head shook furiously. "I can't"
"Okay, I'll try to be quick." She flinched when she threaded the needle through the first of his wounds, and then every time after that until she'd finished them all. Bandaging took another hour or so until he resembled a mummy. By that time, Jacob was yawning and his eyes were drooping, even though he refused to keep them closed.
"You need to sleep," she said softly. "You're safe here. No one but Caleb and I know you are here. We won't let anyone else in."
Jacob reached for her, his hand catching her wrist and holding it gently. "Stay with me?" he asked, staring into the startling green of her eyes. "Don't leave me, please?"
Jenna sighed, feeling the heat of his hand. He was running a temperature, and she could only hope what little antibiotic she'd been able to get him to take, as well as the ice she was using against his forehead, would help it break. "I'll stay. But you must rest."
His golden eyes closed and then opened again almost instantly. He glanced from Jenna to Caleb. "Don't let them in. When they come, don't tell them you know me and don't invite them in." He waited for them both to nod before he let his eyes close again. Within seconds, his breathing grew deeper and his eyes began to close.
Jenna waited a few more moments before she began to rise. Jacob's hand was still around her wrist, and when she tried to pull free, he mumbled something in his sleep and held tight. She sighed. "Caleb, take the bloodied bandages and throw them in the fire, then bring me in a bowl with ice and water so I can use it to try to get his fever down. I want you to get the antibacterial cream from my kit and use it on that bite mark, then put one of the big bandages on it and put a shirt on him. We don't want anyone to see the wounds"
Caleb nodded, gathering the wads of soiled gauze and pads to throw them in the fire as she asked. "What do you think he meant; when they come?"
"I know about as much as you do, Cal. We've just got to do as he wished. I won't have him taken from us."
"But...what if he's dangerous? What if these injuries were caused by him trying to get away from some kind of legal institution? What if he's mentally deranged, Jen?"
"Does he look dangerous to you?" she argued, nodding at the sleeping Jacob. She pulled his blanket up closer around him. "He's weak and running a temperature, Cal. Please, just do as I ask. We'll get this all figured out when he wakes up." Please God, she thought as her brother left the room.
Her eyes roamed over him as she gently brushed the hair away from his face. His hair was black, what her Papa would have called black as sin. It was long and ragged, as if he hadn't been able to get it cut for a while. It matched his dark brows and the thick lashes that surrounded his amber eyes. His face was rugged, chiseled and handsome and a thin scar that bisected his cheek and ended at his hair line took nothing away from his attractiveness. His lips were lush, but dry and cracked, bleeding from one side as if someone had slapped him hard.
The rest of his body had been badly abused, and he looked too thin, his ribs showing through his lanky muscles. His hip bones were too apparent, and she felt sickened by what had been done to him. She couldn't help stroking her hand over her hair as he slept, almost petting him, and she felt a strange possessiveness come over her.
She jerked when Caleb came back into the room, a large tin bowl in his hands. He set it on the bed table and gave her a stack of clean clothes. "I've started some soup and will leave it simmering on the stove. I've gotten out some clothes for our guest if he feels like wearing them when he wakes up. I'm already late for work, Jenna. I've got to go."
"I know. Thanks, Caleb."
He bent and kissed her cheek. "Stay safe, sis. My Sig is in my room; you know where it is, and you know how to use it. You've got your cell. If you need me, call, understand?"
"Always the big brother," she said with a smile. "Don't worry about me."
"I always worry about you, Jen. It's like a hobby."
"That was so not funny, Cal." She shook her head at him. "Stay safe, big brother."
Cal grinned and nodded, snapping on his gun belt as he walked out.
Jenna squeezed out the cloth the best she could with one hand. Jacob wasn't letting loose of her other.
She slipped the cold cloth over his forehead and down his cheek before folding it and placing it back on his forehead. "It's just us now, Jacob," she whispered.
He moaned in reply, rolling and pulling on her wrist until she was tugged down next to him. She curled up on the blanket, feeling the heat of his body against hers. She could smell his scent over the medicated cream she'd used on his wounds, and she breathed deeply, allowing herself to be pulled under his spell. She could feel how much bigger he was than she and knew that, standing, he'd tower over her five feet nine inches. The hand wrapped around her wrist was huge but very gentle. Even when she tried to pull away, he didn't bruise her.
He seemed to feel her next to him, and he moved even closer, moaning a little when the pain of his wounds intruded upon his rest. He murmured her name, making her smile as he rolled toward her, his head coming to rest next to her breast.
She stroked his hair, feeling him calm, and let her eyes close, though she didn't sleep. Her thoughts were running rampant, the curiosity of Jacob's presence omnipresent. She couldn't stop thinking about him, wondering how he'd been hurt and who'd done it. The bites didn't look like they could have come from humans. They'd looked more like dog bites; some kind of huge dog like a Great Dane.
If he'd been attacked by dogs, how did he manage to get away, and who had used the knife on him?
She knew her brother would be putting out the word tonight about finding a man in poor condition. He would have lots to tell her when he got home. Until then...
She sighed, rolling to her side a little. Jacob curled up against her back, his arm going around her waist, his hand resting against her slim stomach. She fell asleep, finally, but it was a fitful sleep.
When the doorbell rang an hour and a half later, she sat straight up in bed, rousing Jacob. She turned to soothe him. "It's okay, Jacob. Someone's here and they might need my help. I'm just going to see who it is."
Jacob wouldn't release her. "It's them, the people who did this to me. You can't let them get you outside, or get you to invite them in, Jenna. They'll kill you."
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