Burning for Winters Bite

By C. M. Hubbard

Hero in Disguise
Mack is on a mission. To kill the man who kidnapped and tortured his mother and sister. In his search he finds Vanessa. Saving her from the same fate seems simple enough. But he struggles with her obstinate nature, an unseen foe, and the desire he feels for her. They are hurtling down a path that will only lead them to death and destruction.
Damsel not in Disguise
Vanessa thought her nightmare was over when Mack rescued her. But it was only the beginning. Every time she closes her eyes he is there. Waiting for her. Tearing apart her very soul. She struggles to break free. She needs Mack to help her. It's the only way they will survive the nightmare that has become their life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: C. M. Hubbard
• Release date: Jan 22, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311525178

C. M. Hubbard

C.M. HUBBARD was born on August 28, 1974 in Ft. Hood, Texas, to a military family. She grew up in many different places. She has traveled across the United States and has been to Germany, Poland, and Czech Republic. She is the wife of an Army Veteran, the mother of two children and the owner of four dogs. She enjoys reading books and has found a new love of creating her own stories for others to enjoy.

Book preview

Burning for

Winters Bite

C. M. HUBBARD

Burning for Winters Bite is a work of fiction created by the author. Any names, characters, and actions occurring in the story are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or events are merely coincidence. This book contains content that may not be suitable for a younger audience. Reader's discretion is advised.

Copyright © 2015 by C. M. Hubbard

Published by C. M. Hubbard at Smashwords

All rights reserved.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. This ebook version has been reformatted from its original format to fit multiple ereaders.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Other Books By C. M. HUBBARD

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Epilogue

Author's Note

Connect with C. M. HUBBARD

Burning for Winters Bite is dedicated to my family. My soulmate. Thank you for your continued support and patience.

Prologue

Mack! Where are you going? Jack hollered at him as he ran back towards the building that they had just escaped from.

Mack skidded to a halt and turned around to face Jack. I have to get to Vanessa. I saw them bring her in earlier. He waved his hand at Jack saying impatiently I'll explain later, as he quickly turned around and raced back into the building without looking back. If he had he would've seen the horrified expression on Jack's face.

Hurry, the place could blow any minute, Jack hollered.

Mack waved his arm over his head and kept on going. He knew the place could explode any minute. He didn't need a reminder. He could see the flames as they consumed the building. He ran inside and headed towards the hospital area located in the back of the building.

People were running around everywhere, trying to get out the burning building. They bumped into him, knocking him from to side, in their panic to escape the inferno. He regained his balance and started yelling get out of the way, and then pushing them out of his way when they didn't move fast enough. He was tired of being a nice guy.

He had almost reached the room where they had taken Vanessa to when he was grabbed by the arm. He stumbled to a halt.

Where are you going young man? Dr. Schwarz said, peering up at him with his soulless black eyes.

A woman was brought in. She needs to be removed from the building before the fire reaches the gas tanks, Mack said, jerking his arm out of his grasp.

She's of no consequence. Leave her. We can always get another one like her, Dr. Schwarz said offhandedly.

No, Mack said firmly and took the remaining steps to reach the door. He opened it up and there she laid.

She was lying on a hospital bed, hooked up to an I.V. line. It was slowly administering drugs to her system that kept her unconscious so they could perform their nefarious plans. Plans that had been interrupted by the unexplained fire.

He strode over to the bed and carefully pulled the I.V. needle out of her arm. He reached down and scooped her up, wrapping her inside the bedding as he did so. She had lost weight since he had last seen her. She had dark circles underneath her eyes, almost as if someone had blackened them. Her hair, once a glorious golden blond color, had dulled and looked like wheat that had been left behind in the sun to dry after it was cut. It was brittle to the touch. It looked like it hadn't been washed in months. She had been missing for quite a while, so who knew how long it had been since it had been washed.

Stop staring at her and get going. No sense in getting us all killed now that you have her, Dr. Schwarz said coming up behind him.

He hadn't noticed him following him into the room. He had been too focused on getting to Vanessa. He turned around and faced Dr. Schwarz's shrewd gaze.

She is a fascinating little piece isn't she? he chuckled and it sickened Mack's stomach.

He strode past Dr. Schwarz and out the open door. He turned left, going in the opposite direction than which he had come. There was a back door that was located closer than the front one in which he had come in through. It would get them outside more quickly and away from the burning building.

When he reached the door he kicked it a couple of times before he was able to break the hinge and it sprung open. He flew out the door, holding Vanessa tightly to his chest, turning his back to the door as it bounced back to prevent Vanessa from getting hit. He grunted as his back absorbed the blow, but he kept on running.

He almost made it to the edge of the clearing, to the safety of the woods, when the building exploded. The force of the explosion sent debris in every direction. Mack was thrown to the ground as something slammed into his back. He fell on top of Vanessa. He tried to move off of her but couldn't. He couldn't feel anything from the neck down. He managed to move his head to the side and saw the burning building.

Debris was still falling from the sky, raining fire down on everyone and everything it touched. He could just make out Dr. Schwarz running around, as much as an old man his age could, screaming and tearing at his clothes. He fell down to the ground and twitched a few times before remaining still.

A fitting death for someone so evil. His mission, that had started months ago, was finished. The evil bastard was dead, even if it wasn't by his own hand as was planned. His grandfather was dead. He just didn't think he'd be dying along with him.

He felt some sensation return to his limbs, giving him hope that he wasn't going to die, at least not today. He tried to move off of Vanessa but was only able to move a little ways when he was struck once more with flying debris. Only this time he took the blow to the back of the head.

His last thought before losing consciousness was that he hoped Vanessa appreciated his sacrifice for her.

Chapter 1

Vanessa was slowly regaining consciousness and becoming aware of her surroundings. She felt a heavy weight on her back, one she had never felt before on the previous occasions she had woken up. She was never conscious for long. Once they realized she was awake they would up her dosage of medication. Her body was constantly fighting off the drugs but she didn't know how much longer it would before she never woke up again.

Learning from previous mistakes, she laid as still as she could and slowly opened her eyes, just enough to barely see through. She tried not to alter her breathing pattern as she looked around. She couldn't see much, but what she did see shocked the hell out of her. She was lying on the ground, and something was on top of her, smashing her front into the dirt. She tried to move and then stopped when she heard voices coming towards her.

I'm telling you, no one survived that blast. You saw what it did to Dr. Schwarz, a man said with a voice that quivered, like he was disgusted by what he had seen.

Yea, I saw. I also know how to follow orders. And the boss said to check everyone and everywhere. So that's what I'm doing. You should to if you know what's good for you, another man said.

Fine, the first man huffed. I'll check over there. See if that poor bastard is alive, he said snidely.

Vanessa held her breath and laid as still as she could. She heard the crunch of boots as they came closer behind her.

Well? Is he alive or not?

Doesn't look like it. There is a lot of blood covering him and I don't see any movement. Vanessa heard him walking away but she didn't release her breath yet. Her lungs were screaming at her to do so though.

Then he's most likely dead. Can you tell who it was? the other guy asked as their voices faded further away from her.

It looked like the new chief of security. Mack, I think his name was.

Poor bastard. He probably tried to get Dr. Schwarz out and when he died he was struck down by flying debris as well.

The guy said something else but Vanessa couldn't hear them anymore, even with her heightened hearing. She could've heard them if her head wasn't being smashed on both sides, blocking her ears with dirt and the body of this Mack fellow.

You might want to breathe before your lungs collapse on you. I didn't risk my life rescuing you just so you could suffocate yourself, he said quietly into her ear. His warm breath tickled her ear and sent shivers of awareness to course through her.

Vanessa took a deep breath and struggled to get out from under the heavy body on top of her. She was trying not to panic. She didn't want those guys coming back and discovering she was there, but she also didn't want to remain under an unknown body either. She whimpered when she couldn't break free.

He groaned in pain as she moved. Her struggles caused pain to shoot all over his body but the main focus of pain seemed to come from his head.

Vanessa, please stop. I'm not going to hurt you. It's me, Mack. Connal's friend, he groaned. He felt her struggles cease as she tensed up.

Mack, she whispered. She tried to turn her head to see him but he was behind her and she couldn't turn her head to see him, confined as she was under him. She felt him nod his head. Can you get off me, please, she pleaded with him.

He slowly rolled off of her and onto his back. He looked up at the sky and tried to focus on the few stars that were poking through the dark and cloudy night. He was thankful that it wasn't daylight. If it had been their ruse wouldn't have worked on those men and she'd have ended up right back where she was. He would've risked his life for nothing.

Vanessa felt him roll off of her and she took a deep breath, expanding her deprived lungs. The smell of dirt, smoke and burnt wood brought her senses alive for the first time in months. She rolled over and stared up at the cloudy night sky. She had almost given up hope of ever seeing them again. It was a moonless night, but that was okay. She was free and she'd be able to bask in its glow once again.

She glanced over at Mack and winced. He was covered in blood. It was no small wonder that he was alive. He had streaks of it running down the side of his face. His already dark black hair looked blacker still, slicked with his blood. She sat up and looked down at him, trying to find the source of his bleeding.

Where are you hurt? she whispered, reaching out to touch his face.

Don't, he said gruffly. He struggled to sit up and would have fallen right back down if she hadn't reached out and pulled him upright. Once he was up she let go of him.

Mack, where does it hurt? We have to stop the bleeding and get out of here before anyone else shows up, she said once again reaching out to touch his head. This time he allowed her to probe his head. She scooted behind him and searched his scalp, running her nimble fingers along his skull.

He hissed in pain as she touched a tender spot, but he didn't jerk away.

There you are, she whispered. Don't move.

He tried to look at her to see what she was doing but she wouldn't let him. She grabbed his head to keep him still. Stay still, damn it. I'm just going to rip up this sheet to make a bandage.

He heard a ripping sound, but didn't turn his head to look at her. He didn't need her yelling at him and bringing the whole search team down on their heads.

She scooted back over to him and placed a wad of cloth against his head and he gritted his teeth against the pain.

Hold that there for me will you while I wrap this around your head to hold it in place? She waited for him to reach up and hold the cloth in place. She then started winding a much longer piece of sheet around his head. You can let go, she said after she had went around his head, locking the wad in place. She wound it around a couple more times before tying it off. There, that should hold it until we can get someplace safer to take care of it better.

Thank you, he said grudgingly.

You're welcome. Do you need help standing up? She asked as she watched him as he attempted to stand up on his own.

He sighed, defeated by his own weak body. He had lost more blood than he had originally thought. He was light headed and dizzy just from getting up on his knees. Yes, please.

She placed herself in front of him and he grabbed her shoulders as she placed her hands just under his arms. On three. One...two...three. She pulled him up as he pulled himself up, using her shoulders as leverage. He managed to get one leg underneath him before he collapsed back down, pulling her on top of him.

Humph, he said as his back hit the ground and she landed on his sore body. His breath knocked out of him by the force of her landing. She scrambled off of him as quickly as she could, but in her haste she accidently kneed him in the balls and he whimpered, rolling over and covering his abused appendages. Stars appeared behind his closed eyes.

Sorry, she said horrified by her actions. All she had been thinking about was getting off of him as quickly as she could, to lessen the pain he felt and now he was in more pain because of her. She covered her eyes in remorse.

It's...alright. I...know...it was...an accident, he said between pants. He opened his eyes and peered up at her. She had a horrified expression on her face and he could see the remorse in her beautiful blue eyes. He would laugh at their situation if he wasn't in so much pain.

Here they were, stranded in the woods together. Him covered in blood and her...well she was in nothing but a hospital gown. She probably didn't even realize that it was open in the back. It was a good thing he was in so much pain. It would prevent his body from getting any other ideas.

She was gazing down at him, struggling to hold her tears at bay. She wasn't going to turn into a watering pot, damn it. She glanced around and noticed that they were almost to the tree line. She got an idea. Can you crawl to the trees over there and use them for leverage to help you stand up? She stared at him while he contemplated her idea.

It's worth a shot, he chuckled and started crawling towards the trees.

What's so funny? She watched him crawl slowly toward the trees.

I usually do this sort of thing as a panther, not as a human. I'd shift if I thought it would help but I can't stay focused long enough to do it.

Oh, yea. I don't think that it would help our situation much right now anyway. Or I would've already shifted. I'm having a hard time ignoring the fact that I only have on a hospital gown. She reached down and scooped up what remained of the sheet and draped it around her waist, hoping it covered her backside.

Mack reached the trees and braced his arms against the trunk. He paused for a few minutes to get some strength back that he had lost from crawling. He placed one foot on the ground and pushed up with his leg. He struggled for a moment but he managed to get his other leg underneath him. He embraced the tree, hugging it tightly as the world spun around him out of control. He felt Vanessa come up behind him and touch his back. She placed her hands flat on his back. One on each side of his spine, steadying him. He tried to focus on that area of his body and eventually the world stopped spinning. Thank you.

You're welcome. Better? She rubbed her hands up and down his back, trying to soothe him.

What she didn't realize was that it was having an altogether different effect on him. Yea, he said jerking away from her touch. We'd better get moving. We've wasted enough time here already.

Do you know where we should go? She shivered and looked around. She didn't even know where they were. What country they were in. All she knew was that it wasn't Scotland, the last place she remembered being. Where are we?

He looked down at her with what seemed like pity before saying quietly Brazil.

What? she gasped. She covered her mouth, eyes wide with shock. They were in South America. How?

Mack grabbed Vanessa and pulled her roughly behind him. Shhh. He pointed back toward the burned out building and she saw dark shapes moving among the debris. And then the voices drifted their way.

See. I told you it was Dr. Schwarz we found. Fried to crisp on one side of his body. If he hadn't managed to fall on his face the fire might have eaten his whole body and we'd never had known he was dead.

I guess it's all over now that he's dead.

The two men were back and they had brought a friend.

Gentlemen, gentlemen, a new man chided. When you cut off a snake's head he just grows another one. Did you actually think Dr. Schwarz was in charge? he chuckled. Oh no, he tsked. He was just the puppet. Someone else pulled the strings. The man stopped laughing and said brusquely search the area.

We did that already, one of the men whined.

Do it again. The woman's remains weren't in the debris. She has to be around here somewhere. Find her, he demanded.

Mack quickly and carefully pulled Vanessa deeper into the woods, searching for a place for them to hide. He found a dead tree lying on the ground that had a hollowed out shell. He pushed her into it and climbed in after her. It was a tight fit. He had to pull her on top of him in order to fit his big body all the way inside, so he couldn't be seen from the outside. He reached up and pulled some brushwood in front of the opening. Again thanking the darkness for their cover.

Vanessa buried her face in Mack's chest. She peered up at him fearfully. What are we going to do? she whispered.

He gazed down at her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. We fight if we have to. I won't let them take you again. I'll die first, he whispered tensely.

They grew quiet and remained tense as they listened to the men search the woods, looking for her.

She ain't here. This is a waste of time, one man said angrily. He hit the bushes and kicked at the twigs and leaves that covered the ground.

We ain't gonna find anything in this darkness, the other man grumbled.

Vanessa and Mack slowed their breathing as the men got closer to their hiding spot. They held their breath as one of the men actually sat down on the tree they were hiding in.

Come on, let's go back. Inform Mr. High and Mighty we need daylight to search the area better.

And more men. This is a big area to cover, he grumbled.

Vanessa and Mack took shallow breaths as they heard them leaving the area. They listened as the men explained that it was simply too dark, even with the flashlights, to see much let alone any hiding places. They needed more men and daylight to make an adequate search of the area. Mr. High and Mighty grumbled but eventually agreed to wait until morning, which was only about five hours away anyway.

Mack waited about twenty minutes longer before he pushed Vanessa up off his chest so he could pull himself out of their hiding spot. The pain in his head had lessened to a degree in that time but another pain was taking place in his groin. Twenty minutes of her body pressing up so intimately against his was all he could take.

Stay there while I search the area first, he whispered, without looking down at her. He had an advantage over those men. While they couldn't see in the darkness surrounding them he could, and clearly too. Being part panther definitely had its advantages. He quickly searched the area and found that no one had been left behind. He shook his head at the incompetence of some humans. He made his way back to the hidden tree and wasn't a bit surprised that Vanessa was sitting on top of the tree instead of inside it. She had been a spitfire the first time he had seen her and was actually glad to see some of that attitude returning. You listen real well you know that? he said coming towards her.

She stiffened her spine and said you said stay there and I did. Just on top, instead of in. She crossed her arms over her chest, pushing her breasts up and his eyes darkened as he saw the outline of her nipples.

I'll have to be more specific next time I tell you what to do, he said roughly, trying to get his body under control. Why it was reacting to her this way he had no idea. It hadn't done that the first time he'd met her. Why now? It must be because he hadn't been with anyone in over a year. He'd been too focused on his sister, Jesse, and her turning twenty-one to worry about his own sexual needs. Come on, lets go, he said a little more gruffly than he had meant to. He was so frustrated. The last twenty-four hours hadn't gone quite the way they had been planned to.

He hoped things started going his way soon though. He needed to get Vanessa back to Canada and let Connal deal with her. Because one thing for sure, he knew without a doubt, was that a panther and a wolf wouldn't make very good bed partners.

Chapter 2

Do you have any clue where we are going? Vanessa asked tiredly. She was walking behind Mack again. The foliage didn't allow for them to walk side by side as they had been doing for the last few hours.

The trees felt like they were closing in all around her. The vines that were interwoven among the trees had thorns growing out of them and they kept snatching at her gown. She had quite a few rips and scratches that were slowly bleeding. She glanced at Mack to check on his progress and he seemed to be losing ground. The many scratches that had been inflicted on him weren't helping, especially with his previous blood loss. She didn't know how he kept on going like he was.

He stopped in front of her and gave a weary sigh. He turned around to