Fiction: Safety
Jan. 21st, 2012 10:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
clare_dragonflyTitle: Safety
Word count: 1,652
Rating: R for suggestiveness
Prompt:![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
rainbowfic Tyrian Purple 14, eternal sleep; Heart Gold 8, Talking of love is making it. - William G. Benham
Notes: Hugh has also appeared in Bigfoot Hunting and On the Trail; this story takes place about twenty-five years before those.
He’d lost the rest of his team, and it was getting dark, but Hugh wasn’t worried.
No, because being worried would mean admitting that maybe those backwards, superstitious locals were right, and there were vampires on this island. And that would be completely absurd.
Yes, there was definitely something on this island, something that had been killing people, something that had taken out his team and the two teams that the FBI had sent in the last decade. But that was what he carried a gun for.
He could tell there were people living on the island; there were too few animals around for it to be deserted, and some of the cave mouths they’d seen had looked suspiciously well-used. But whoever they were, they had hidden themselves well.
Which you would have to do, of course, if you were a homicidal maniac and the FBI came to call.
Hugh realized that he was squinting into the trees ahead without it making any appreciable difference in what he could see, grimaced, and pulled his flashlight off his belt.
He turned it on and shone it straight into a pair of eyes.
He nearly jumped out of his skin before realizing that they were blue, human eyes, and that they were in a human face—a girl’s face, actually. She was no more than twenty-one, and she had full lips, pale skin, and a mess of wild red hair that had some twigs and leaves stuck in it.
He holstered his weapon and hurried towards her, covering the ground between them quickly. “Miss, are you all right?”
Her eyes widened, then narrowed just for an instant, then returned to normal. “I think so,” she said shakily. “Who are you?”
“Agent Hugh Burke with the FBI,” he told her, putting a hand on her shoulder. She was ice-cold—probably in shock. Of course all the blankets were in the car, on the mainland. “It’s going to be all right. What’s your name?”
“Judith. Are they… are they after you?” She curled in close to him, pressing her cold skin against his chest.
“You’re the first person I’ve seen on the island.” He circled his shoulders with his arm, trying to keep her warm, and safe, and close. “And…” He checked his watch. “We’ve just missed the last ferry until morning. We’d better find somewhere to hole up for the night.”
She looked up at him at that, her eyes wild and huge. “No! We have to get away! I can’t stay in that cave any longer…”
“What cave?”
She pointed, and he turned the flashlight where she had indicated. Sure enough, there was another cave opening there, the entrance spread with pine needles. He couldn’t see how deep it went. “Have you been staying here?”
“Yes, for two days. They haven’t found me yet, but it’s so awful, and I know it’s only a matter of time…” She clung to him, her breathing harsh.
“It’s all right, Judith,” he repeated, keeping his voice calm. “Until I get some backup, I can’t do anything except protect you. We could try to make it to shore, but I’m not much of a swimmer. Can you swim?”
“No,” she whispered, her voice thick with tears. “If I could, I would have gotten away before now…”
He nodded. “Then the best option we have is to find a defensible position, where we can keep them from getting at us, and that cave is our best choice. I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep moving when there’s two of us and only one flashlight.”
She hiccuped, obviously holding back sobs. “Promise you’ll keep me safe?”
“I promise.” He stroked her hair, tugging out a couple of the dried leaves that were caught in it. Poor thing, all she wanted was to get away from here and have a hot bath, he was sure. “Now, why don’t you go down into the cave? Here, hang on a second.” He let go of her reluctantly, bent, and freed his knife from his ankle sheath. Then he pressed it into Judith’s hand. She took it cautiously and stood looking down at it with a nervous expression. He gave her a gentle push towards the cave. “I’m going to set up a barricade. If you meet anything down there, or if anyone gets past me, use the knife.”
She finally nodded and hurried into the cave, crouching down to wriggle through the low entrance. He spent a moment watching her, admiring her round ass, before doing as he’d promised and setting up a barricade.
At the end of half an hour he was sweaty and dirty, but there was a strong lattice of branches and leaves across the front of the cave, and he and Judith were both safely inside. His barricade wouldn’t last three seconds against gunfire, but as far as he knew, he and his missing team were the only people on the island with guns—he certainly hadn’t heard anything that sounded remotely like gunfire. The barricade might camouflage their hiding place from anyone looking for them, and would certainly slow down an attacker, with the added bonus of making enough noise being moved to alert Hugh of any presence.
He found a convenient ledge of rock and set his flashlight in it, where it illuminated most of the cave. It was a snug, dry little place, with a sandy floor and lots of little nooks and crannies. It would have made a great pantry. He smiled at Judith, huddled on the floor with her arms around her knees and his knife on the floor beside her. “Sorry I don’t have any provisions,” he said. “I wasn’t really expecting to spend the night here. I just wish I could give you some food. You must be famished.”
She swallowed, then managed a smile. There was something strange about her eyes, he noticed—and hadn’t they done something odd earlier? But then she edged closer to him, and he was distracted by the fact that her dress was torn and most of one shapely thigh was exposed. “It’s all right,” Judith said. “I’m just glad to have someone else here with me. And I’m really lucky to have a big, strong man like you.”
Hugh nodded and put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m glad I can keep you safe. How did you get here, anyway? I mean, of course you took the ferry, but this isn’t exactly a popular vacation spot.”
She looked away. “Oh, it’s stupid, you’ll laugh.”
“I would never laugh at you.”
That made her glance up quickly and smile. “You promise?”
“I promise,” he said, putting his hand on his heart.
“All right, then. I was looking for a good picnic spot. I was going to ask this guy out.” She shook her head, sending her hair rippling over her shoulders. “It was a terrible idea anyway. And then there were those… things…”
“It’s all right,” he soothed, pulling her closer. She gladly nestled into his arm. “In the morning we’ll get off this island, and we’ll be safe. And you can find that guy, or whatever you want to do.”
“I don’t want to find him,” said Judith. “I just want to stay with you.”
“Well, that can be arranged, too.” There was a moment of silence between them, during which Hugh listened carefully to the noises outside the cave. He couldn’t hear a thing—not even the wind in the trees or the small night noises of animals. But the stone walls of the cave and the brush in the front would make a pretty effective buffer against noise.
“This isn’t the most romantic of spots,” she said wistfully.
“Oh, I think it could be romantic. After I go get some backup, and we clear the monsters out of this place, I’ll bring you back here. We can bring a picnic, and candles, maybe some nice music…”
She laughed. “Oh, that does sound lovely! Maybe something soft to lie on?”
“Oh, yes, that would be nice.” He lifted his hand to lightly stroke her neck. The batteries in his flashlight were dying, the light growing dim, but he didn’t mind. “Food and drink, to refresh ourselves afterward.”
She made a pleased mutter. “Keep that screen of yours intact, so nobody bothers us.”
“Oh, yes. And I’ll let my team know that I need a few hours.”
“Several hours.” Her arms came up and around his neck. “I hope.”
“Oh yes.” He grinned, though he was trying to keep his pleasure in his success internal. “Several hours are definitely required. And maybe some sort of heat—I don’t want you to get cold.”
She shivered in anticipation. “That sounds lovely too. You do think of everything, don’t you?”
“I try.”
She pressed herself against him, sighing with contentment. “I’m really very lucky that you found me. Luckier than I knew.”
He shook his head and rested his free hand lightly on her bare knee. “It’s not luck. It’s just diligence. I’m here to do my job, and that includes rescuing civilians.”
She lifted her head again, her eyes sparkling in the light of the flashlight. “Only rescuing them?”
“Well, I do what I like on my own time.”
She pouted. “But you’re on work time now.”
He looked around, turning his head in an exaggerated gesture. “Nothing to fight. I have our position secure. I think this time can be mine.”
“Oh, good.” She kissed him, her lips full and sweet.
The flashlight went out as they rolled together onto the floor of the cave. That was all right; he didn’t need sight, only feeling. He felt Judith’s body, warm and supple under his. Then he felt a brief, sharp pain on his neck, and for some time felt no more.
Until he woke, and felt his new power.
Did you enjoy this story? You can read more stories in this world or see all my fiction posted at Dreamwidth!
Word count: 1,652
Rating: R for suggestiveness
Prompt:
rainbowfic Tyrian Purple 14, eternal sleep; Heart Gold 8, Talking of love is making it. - William G. BenhamNotes: Hugh has also appeared in Bigfoot Hunting and On the Trail; this story takes place about twenty-five years before those.
He’d lost the rest of his team, and it was getting dark, but Hugh wasn’t worried.
No, because being worried would mean admitting that maybe those backwards, superstitious locals were right, and there were vampires on this island. And that would be completely absurd.
Yes, there was definitely something on this island, something that had been killing people, something that had taken out his team and the two teams that the FBI had sent in the last decade. But that was what he carried a gun for.
He could tell there were people living on the island; there were too few animals around for it to be deserted, and some of the cave mouths they’d seen had looked suspiciously well-used. But whoever they were, they had hidden themselves well.
Which you would have to do, of course, if you were a homicidal maniac and the FBI came to call.
Hugh realized that he was squinting into the trees ahead without it making any appreciable difference in what he could see, grimaced, and pulled his flashlight off his belt.
He turned it on and shone it straight into a pair of eyes.
He nearly jumped out of his skin before realizing that they were blue, human eyes, and that they were in a human face—a girl’s face, actually. She was no more than twenty-one, and she had full lips, pale skin, and a mess of wild red hair that had some twigs and leaves stuck in it.
He holstered his weapon and hurried towards her, covering the ground between them quickly. “Miss, are you all right?”
Her eyes widened, then narrowed just for an instant, then returned to normal. “I think so,” she said shakily. “Who are you?”
“Agent Hugh Burke with the FBI,” he told her, putting a hand on her shoulder. She was ice-cold—probably in shock. Of course all the blankets were in the car, on the mainland. “It’s going to be all right. What’s your name?”
“Judith. Are they… are they after you?” She curled in close to him, pressing her cold skin against his chest.
“You’re the first person I’ve seen on the island.” He circled his shoulders with his arm, trying to keep her warm, and safe, and close. “And…” He checked his watch. “We’ve just missed the last ferry until morning. We’d better find somewhere to hole up for the night.”
She looked up at him at that, her eyes wild and huge. “No! We have to get away! I can’t stay in that cave any longer…”
“What cave?”
She pointed, and he turned the flashlight where she had indicated. Sure enough, there was another cave opening there, the entrance spread with pine needles. He couldn’t see how deep it went. “Have you been staying here?”
“Yes, for two days. They haven’t found me yet, but it’s so awful, and I know it’s only a matter of time…” She clung to him, her breathing harsh.
“It’s all right, Judith,” he repeated, keeping his voice calm. “Until I get some backup, I can’t do anything except protect you. We could try to make it to shore, but I’m not much of a swimmer. Can you swim?”
“No,” she whispered, her voice thick with tears. “If I could, I would have gotten away before now…”
He nodded. “Then the best option we have is to find a defensible position, where we can keep them from getting at us, and that cave is our best choice. I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep moving when there’s two of us and only one flashlight.”
She hiccuped, obviously holding back sobs. “Promise you’ll keep me safe?”
“I promise.” He stroked her hair, tugging out a couple of the dried leaves that were caught in it. Poor thing, all she wanted was to get away from here and have a hot bath, he was sure. “Now, why don’t you go down into the cave? Here, hang on a second.” He let go of her reluctantly, bent, and freed his knife from his ankle sheath. Then he pressed it into Judith’s hand. She took it cautiously and stood looking down at it with a nervous expression. He gave her a gentle push towards the cave. “I’m going to set up a barricade. If you meet anything down there, or if anyone gets past me, use the knife.”
She finally nodded and hurried into the cave, crouching down to wriggle through the low entrance. He spent a moment watching her, admiring her round ass, before doing as he’d promised and setting up a barricade.
At the end of half an hour he was sweaty and dirty, but there was a strong lattice of branches and leaves across the front of the cave, and he and Judith were both safely inside. His barricade wouldn’t last three seconds against gunfire, but as far as he knew, he and his missing team were the only people on the island with guns—he certainly hadn’t heard anything that sounded remotely like gunfire. The barricade might camouflage their hiding place from anyone looking for them, and would certainly slow down an attacker, with the added bonus of making enough noise being moved to alert Hugh of any presence.
He found a convenient ledge of rock and set his flashlight in it, where it illuminated most of the cave. It was a snug, dry little place, with a sandy floor and lots of little nooks and crannies. It would have made a great pantry. He smiled at Judith, huddled on the floor with her arms around her knees and his knife on the floor beside her. “Sorry I don’t have any provisions,” he said. “I wasn’t really expecting to spend the night here. I just wish I could give you some food. You must be famished.”
She swallowed, then managed a smile. There was something strange about her eyes, he noticed—and hadn’t they done something odd earlier? But then she edged closer to him, and he was distracted by the fact that her dress was torn and most of one shapely thigh was exposed. “It’s all right,” Judith said. “I’m just glad to have someone else here with me. And I’m really lucky to have a big, strong man like you.”
Hugh nodded and put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m glad I can keep you safe. How did you get here, anyway? I mean, of course you took the ferry, but this isn’t exactly a popular vacation spot.”
She looked away. “Oh, it’s stupid, you’ll laugh.”
“I would never laugh at you.”
That made her glance up quickly and smile. “You promise?”
“I promise,” he said, putting his hand on his heart.
“All right, then. I was looking for a good picnic spot. I was going to ask this guy out.” She shook her head, sending her hair rippling over her shoulders. “It was a terrible idea anyway. And then there were those… things…”
“It’s all right,” he soothed, pulling her closer. She gladly nestled into his arm. “In the morning we’ll get off this island, and we’ll be safe. And you can find that guy, or whatever you want to do.”
“I don’t want to find him,” said Judith. “I just want to stay with you.”
“Well, that can be arranged, too.” There was a moment of silence between them, during which Hugh listened carefully to the noises outside the cave. He couldn’t hear a thing—not even the wind in the trees or the small night noises of animals. But the stone walls of the cave and the brush in the front would make a pretty effective buffer against noise.
“This isn’t the most romantic of spots,” she said wistfully.
“Oh, I think it could be romantic. After I go get some backup, and we clear the monsters out of this place, I’ll bring you back here. We can bring a picnic, and candles, maybe some nice music…”
She laughed. “Oh, that does sound lovely! Maybe something soft to lie on?”
“Oh, yes, that would be nice.” He lifted his hand to lightly stroke her neck. The batteries in his flashlight were dying, the light growing dim, but he didn’t mind. “Food and drink, to refresh ourselves afterward.”
She made a pleased mutter. “Keep that screen of yours intact, so nobody bothers us.”
“Oh, yes. And I’ll let my team know that I need a few hours.”
“Several hours.” Her arms came up and around his neck. “I hope.”
“Oh yes.” He grinned, though he was trying to keep his pleasure in his success internal. “Several hours are definitely required. And maybe some sort of heat—I don’t want you to get cold.”
She shivered in anticipation. “That sounds lovely too. You do think of everything, don’t you?”
“I try.”
She pressed herself against him, sighing with contentment. “I’m really very lucky that you found me. Luckier than I knew.”
He shook his head and rested his free hand lightly on her bare knee. “It’s not luck. It’s just diligence. I’m here to do my job, and that includes rescuing civilians.”
She lifted her head again, her eyes sparkling in the light of the flashlight. “Only rescuing them?”
“Well, I do what I like on my own time.”
She pouted. “But you’re on work time now.”
He looked around, turning his head in an exaggerated gesture. “Nothing to fight. I have our position secure. I think this time can be mine.”
“Oh, good.” She kissed him, her lips full and sweet.
The flashlight went out as they rolled together onto the floor of the cave. That was all right; he didn’t need sight, only feeling. He felt Judith’s body, warm and supple under his. Then he felt a brief, sharp pain on his neck, and for some time felt no more.
Until he woke, and felt his new power.
Did you enjoy this story? You can read more stories in this world or see all my fiction posted at Dreamwidth!