HeroRising Read Free

Where was he from? Somewhere in Europe
maybe. Not Latino. German, maybe Scandinavian? Yeah, when Ari was a kid, her
mother loved a rock band from Norway and this guy looked a lot like the lead
singer. Only darker and a helluva lot more dangerous.
    “Are you certain? You’re bleeding quite profusely from the
head. Your hair is all bloody.”
    “What?” she shrieked and felt around her scalp. Nothing on
her head hurt or was sore as if she’d been cut.
    She pulled her hands free, but only rain covered her skin.
“I’m not bleeding.”
    His brow furrowed. “But your hair is bloodied.”
    “Oh.” She held up a sodden lock. “That’s just the color. I
guess it does look a little like blood. But I’m okay. Relatively speaking.”
    His brows rose and mouth fell open as if he were stunned.
“It’s a most unusual color. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
    For some reason the wonder in his tone made her want to
smile.
    Okay, so far he had maintained a respectful distance. She’d
see if that lasted if she was upright. She climbed to her feet and bit back a
moan with a wince as the skin of her scraped knees stretched. The seat of her
dress was soaked through and muddy and bits of gravel and pine needles stuck to
her bare legs like a strange tattoo.
    “Um…thank you?” she offered, still not convinced she was any
safer now than she was before he arrived.
    “Was that your vehicle I passed back aways?”
    She nodded and continued to stretch, testing her limbs.
    “Why did you leave your vehicle? Don’t you have a
communications device to call for assistance?”
    “You mean a phone?”
    “Ya.”
    Damn he was cute with that accent. There was also a grit in
his voice, deep and growly, kinda like a blues singer at the end of his career.
The sound was sexy and harsh, which completely sucked. She didn’t want to find
anything else about him attractive.
    “I do,” she began to answer, “but…” That’s it. Confirm
you have no one to call or a way to scream for help. “I preferred to walk.”
    His eyebrow took another journey north. “Where are you
going?”
    “That way.” She pointed down the road. “Look, like I said,
thanks for taking care of the creepazoids. Have a great day.”
    With her body positioned to keep him in her sights, she
walked back to where she dropped her bag.
    “You are alone, aren’t you?”
    Yep, not gonna answer that either. She picked up the bag and
brushed off as much debris as possible before slinging the strap over her shoulder.
She didn’t even bother with her sodden jacket and stuffed it into her bag.
    “Can I take you anywhere?” He gestured to the motorcycle
several yards away that lay on its side as if he had been more concerned with
saving her life than parking properly. “It will be a tight fit, but I can carry
you.”
    Though his shoulders were wide, his waist and hips were
lean, not the she was paying that much attention to his physique. Sure, they’d
be able to fit on the seat. Barely. She would have to be plastered to him as
tight as wallpaper. Wrapped around all his muscles…and manliness…and muscles…
    Shaking her head to clear the image, she marched on. “No
thank you.”
    “I promise you, no harm will come to you while you are in my
care.”
    “Right.” Was he for real? Who talks like that nowadays?
    “Female, stop!”
    The barked order made her stop short. Here it comes. Steel formed in her bones as she braced for his attack.
    He held out his hands again, this time as if trying to calm
a frightened animal. “I know you have no reason to trust me, but I will see you
to safety. Here.” From his pocket he withdrew the knife he used earlier. With a
slow bend of his knees he set the blade on the ground then took three steps
back. “Take it.”
    “What?”
    “Take it. I’ll stay right here.”
    Between them on the ground lay the knife. The inlaid silver
scrollwork pattern and deep-blue gemstones set deep into the black onyx grip
caught the last