Allegra Fairweather_ Paranormal Investigator - Janni Nell [52]
Once again the creature reared out of the water and hurled itself at the boat. I made a last valiant effort to fend it off but it was no good. The boat took on more water. I was going down.
Would the thing in the loch kill me? Or would it let me swim to shore?
Who was I kidding? I couldn’t even see the shore.
I made up my mind that, if I was going to die, I wouldn’t go quietly. I would fight to stay alive.
In the moments before the boat sank I pulled off my thick jacket, my shoes and socks. I didn’t want to take off my sweater and jeans but I knew that wearing as little as possible would give me a better chance of surviving the swim. Whether I’d survive the cold was another matter.
The boat was so low in the water it no longer supported me. I kicked away from it and started to swim. The creature closed in. I could feel its body bumping me, churning the water. I thought of McEwen and Malcolm their bodies riddled with bites. Did the creature bite before or after death?
Please let it be after.
The creature rose out of the water and hit my head. I went under but came up immediately. There was time to suck in one breath before I went under again. This time the creature swam over me, holding me under.
I punched it. Fought my way to the surface. The cold air stung my lungs. I shouted, “Casper!” once before it forced me under again.
I needed air. My body screamed to inhale. I kicked and punched, fighting for my life, but the creature was too strong.
Water filled my nose and ears. I kept it out of my lungs as long as possible but the urge to breath was too great. I opened my mouth.
Chapter Thirteen
I don’t know how long I was unconscious. The next thing I remember was a dream. The most beautiful and vivid dream of my life.
I was in a forest. It was hot and damp like a New Orleans summer. I was lying in a clearing. The grass was soft and springy. I could smell wild flowers. Mmm.
There was someone with me. A man. He was leaning over me. We were naked. I could feel warm sun on my body. I heard bees humming and leaves rustling in a gentle breeze. Then I felt tears on my cheek.
The man said, “Hush,” and dried my tears.
Then he kissed me.
He didn’t kiss like a finalist for Best Kisser in the United Kingdom. He had no technique at all but it didn’t matter. He was hard and passionate and I wanted him. Bad.
Suddenly the forest and the heat were gone. I felt a chill like nothing I’ve felt before. But I was still being kissed. Huh?
I coughed and the man who was kissing me moved away. Rolling onto my side, I spewed up water. Gallons of it.
When I was done, Casper asked, “Feeling better?”
Casper? I rolled over to face him. “Why were you kissing me?”
“I was giving you mouth-to-mouth.”
“Oh.”
“You almost drowned in the loch.”
“No thanks to you,” I said. “I thought you were supposed to be my guardian angel.”
“I got to you in time.”
“Barely.” I thought of the time I had fallen over Wilson’s Creag. He had taken a long time to arrive then too. “Do you do it on purpose?” I demanded. “Leaving everything to the eleventh hour?”
He smiled, so I knew he was teasing when he said, “Doesn’t cheating death by seconds make life just a little bit sweeter?”
“No.” I was in no mood to be teased. I began to shiver. “Have you got a blanket?”
“Sorry.” He took off his Matrix coat. “Put this on.”
It was better than nothing. I huddled into it but I didn’t stop shivering.
Casper said, “Come here.” Opening his arms, he drew me onto his lap. Because of my height it’s not easy for me to curl up comfortably on a man’s lap, but with Casper it worked. He rubbed my back and arms until the blood flowed warm and rich. Then he started on my bare feet.
I felt like a cat curled up snug and warm on its owner’s lap. I very nearly purred.
“Feeling better?” asked Casper.
“A bit.” Okay I lied. I was feeling a lot better but I didn’t want