Page 3 of Beyond the Blue Horizon

I could feel the energy radiating from the cab.

Disoriented fear.

Like whoever was inside might be in shock and unable to process what was happening.

Didn’t relish the idea of breaking the glass, but I’d do it with my bare hands if I needed to.

“Open the door. I’m here to help you,” I shouted, barely feeling the frigid cold that howled through the forest.

A fire lit through my being.

Fuck, please be okay.

I breathed out the smallest gush of air when the door finally clicked open, and the light inside the cab flicked on to reveal a woman in the driver’s seat. An older woman was in the passenger seat, but what sliced through me like a blade were the cries erupting from a small child in the back.

The airbags had deployed, and it looked like the windshield was busted to shit.

A scourge of distress poured out, and I bent at the knees so I could better assess the situation.

“Is anyone hurt?” The words scraped up my throat.

The driver finally shifted her face in my direction, giving me a look at her for the first time.

In an instant, I was nailed to the spot.

Held by these fucking giant blue eyes that stared back at me in shock.

The same color as the arctic lake that The Sanctuary was built up against.

Just as fuckin’ deep.

The kind if you even dipped your toes into it, you’d slip right in and drown.

But it was the stream of blood coming from a gash on her temple and running down her cheek that sent worry screaming through my body. Slammed with a rush of protectiveness so severe that I didn’t know what hit me.

I ground my teeth against it. Only I was fucked up enough to be thinking about how gorgeous this woman was when she was in the middle of a calamity. Wanting to sink my fingers into her flesh all while I wanted to make sure she was whole and complete.

Never claimed not to be a sadistic bastard.

“Are you okay?” I forced my voice into calm as I tried to break through the daze that had taken her hostage.

Attempting to get her to focus on me when I could see her spellbinding gaze whirring with confusion.

“Hey, I’m right here. We’re going to get you help. I just need to know if anyone is hurt.”

She blinked through the havoc, words breaking on her tongue. “I…my son.”

Rattled cries of terror were coming from the backseat.

“It’s alright. Just stay calm. I’ve got him.”

I pressed the locks on the inside of the door. They clicked, and I hurried to the back driver’s side door, pulling it open to expose the car seat that sat directly behind the driver’s seat.

It faced backward, and a toddler who I’d guess was maybe two was buckled into it. His blond hair struck in the bare glow that rained down from the cabin light. Fat tears ran down hischubby cheeks, and he pointed his little index finger toward the front.

“Mommy!” Fear distorted his face, his mouth tipping down deep on the sides.

Distraught and still cute as fuck.