1. Reaper

1

Reaper

Where the hell is that cabin? I knew it was far from the road and hard to find, but this was ridiculous. The damn road disappeared a mile back. Spartan did say I would have to walk a ways. I stopped my truck, got out, and grabbed my duffel bag.

I trudged through the underbrush, every step crunching against the forest floor. The silence was interrupted by a distant rustle and a low growl. Slowly turning, I saw a massive German Shepherd emerge from the shadows. This dog was enormous, dwarfing any other I'd seen. My hand instinctively hovered near my sidearm, ready to defend myself if necessary.

A sharp whistle pierced the air, and the dog turned and trotted off. Moments later, a woman appeared with the dog by her side, followed by a man.

"Are you Reaper from Delta Force Guardians?" the man asked, his gaze steady.

"Yes, that's me." The guy walked over to me, extending his hand. I took it, feeling the firm grip. "My name is Beau Allen, and this is my cousin, Sarra Allen. Sarra will be the one you are protecting. Why don't we walk back to the cabin and talk?" Beau suggested.

My eyes kept drifting to Sarra. She wore oversized sunglasses, obscuring her eyes, but there was a fragility about her, a guarded demeanor that made me want to reassure her. The dog never left her side, a silent sentinel.

The modest but sturdy cabin emerged from the trees. It had two bedrooms, with the kitchen and sitting area combined in one room. The electricity was solar-powered, and there was water and a bathroom. I noted four windows, one in each bedroom, kitchen, and sitting area.

I extended my hand to Sarra. "Hi, Sarra."

She smiled, her hand slipping into mine as she removed her sunglasses. Her eyes, the color of the Caribbean Sea, were the prettiest blue I'd ever seen. Her raven-black hair shimmered in the light. There was something familiar about her.

"It's nice meeting you. I'm glad you found us; we are far off the road. Beau has to help my other cousins find this man who wants to kill me."

"Do you want to tell me about this man who is after you? And why you've been hiding most of your life?" I saw her glance at Beau, who shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know much about him," she said. Her voice matched the rest of her. Okay, Reaper, keep your mind on your job.

"All I know is he was at a book signing I was at, and he asked me out. Of course, I said no, then he started stalking me. I've seen him three times, following me. His name is Brian, and he's very muscular and big. Almost as big as you. He made me uneasy when I first saw him."

"The reason I've hidden out most of my life is because my nanny took me from my house when men broke in and killed my parents. I was two. We have always lived here. Mam died, and I read some papers she had that told me what happened, and I found out about my cousins. So I contacted them."

"What happened to the men who broke into your house?"

"They were killed while robbing our house. Mam killed them. She was bitten by a snake and died three years ago. She shouldn't have gone into the swamp at that time of night."

"Did this man physically hurt you?"

"Yes, he grabbed me and told me he was going to kill me if it was the last thing he did. He pulled my arm behind my back and pushed me inside his car. Some guys came to my rescue, and I told my cousins about it."

"Did you know that you had cousins?"

"Not until Mam died. I found a bunch of papers in her room that explained everything. I'm tired of hiding. The law hasn't found this man, and I know he's still hunting for me."

"How do you know he's still hunting for you?"

"Because he killed a homeless woman who had some of my features. Plus, he left a note saying the next one would be me. The police haven't found him, so I hired someone to hunt him down. He couldn't find him either if he even looked for the man."

"How long have you been hiding here?" I asked.

"I don't like to say I'm hiding out. I would be hunting that jerk down myself and catching him if my cousins would let me go with them. I can take care of myself with my bow and arrows."

"So you can use a bow?" I asked.

"Yes."

"We thought you could protect Sarra while we find this killer," Beau said. "This is Sarra's home. She grew up in these swamps. In fact, she has lived here since she was two. We…"

"You don't have to explain my life to him. All he needs to do is guard me. I actually think I could guard myself if I stayed here. I have Bub here with me. No one could get past him.

"I've been hunting in these swamps since I was old enough to hold a bow. But I agreed with my cousins and said I would let you stay here with me," she explained, "only because they wouldn't leave me alone.

I glanced at her. I didn't want to get caught staring again; she already acted like she was nervous about me being here. "I see," I said. "Which room do I take?"

"You'll take this one," Beau said. "I'm leaving, and the sheets have been changed."

"I didn't see a vehicle anywhere out there."

"I have a motorcycle. I'll keep in touch."

He left, and I looked around. "I'll put my things away. I need you to introduce me to your dog. I don't want him to keep growling at me."

"Bub, come over here. Bub, this is Reaper. I know he has a weird name. Ignore it, I'm going to. I know, who would name their child Reaper?"

I couldn't help but chuckle, about the way she talked with her dog. "Reaper is my Delta Force name. My real name is Knox Bellmont."

"I'm calling you Knox. Knox, this is Bub. He's my best friend and my protector. I've had him for three years. He's a good boy, and he knows you are his friend. Do you have any animals?"

"Yeah, I have a German Shepherd. Molly is a good dog, plus I have a pig that was given to me."

"Did you say you have a pig for a pet? Why?"

"Alpo was given to me. He is a pot-bellied pig. And he thinks he's a dog. If you don't treat him like you do the dogs, he will go to the corner and pout," I explained.

She burst into laughter. "That is the strangest thing I've ever heard. Do you have pictures?"

I took out my phone and showed her pictures of Alpo. "Is that your girlfriend?"

I glanced at the photo. "That's my sister-in-law."

"Beau was going stir-crazy here. He isn't used to being in the swamps without a television," Sarra said, looking at me. He watches the news at his house. That drove me crazy. There is nothing more depressing than the news."

"I like being away from the noise. I live in a small town on a mountain. I'll be fine here," I said. I knew she wanted to see if I would go bonkers out here.

"If you need anything, let me know," she said as she walked to her room.