Page 69 of Trusted Instinct

But this last time he said it, it was because Gator would see them, and he’d feel how the energy wove around them. He’d be a gentleman, for sure. But he wouldn’t bald-faced lie to his oldest friend. Gator would know for sure. Better to come clean.

And Auralia agreed.

They revealed themselves

And Fate had arrived.

“Be good to us,” Creed whispered. “Be kind.”

But the keening lament and moans of pain all around him made it hard for Creed to hear hope’s whisper.

Creed reached the embankment and realized there was no way to get himself down there without adding to the danger of the situation.

He raced up onto the bridge and looked down.

He tried to call out past numb lips.

With a thrumming heart, Creed saw Auralia, dressed only in her underwear, dragging her two trunk totes out of the water. There was a black plastic garbage bag, full of air, clamped under her armpits.

“Shit, woman!” He bellowed. “Good job! You are glorious!”

God, his heart was pounding so damned hard he might just die from relief. He clutched his chest to calm the assault.

Auralia opened a bin, pulled out her winter jacket, and tugged it on.

Creed cupped his hands over his mouth and yelled her name.

She didn’t turn in his direction. The wind was whipping his words and scattering them about.

He scooped up Rou and jogged off the bridge over toward the trees above her.

Below him, Creed found her standing there, bare-legged, her feet in the narrow swath of wet sand before the sheer clay-slick bank, staring at her car. Creed couldn’t fathom why she wasn’t doing something more to save or protect herself. She grew up on water. She knew how dangerous the cold could be.

Just that morning, when she’d pranced out of the bathroom in her sexy little lace panties and the bra with the sweet little pink ribbon, he’d thought about how beautiful she looked then. But now she looked miraculous.

Creed whipped his phone out and dialed Gator.

“I see you. I’m almost to the bridge,” Gator reported. Of course, Gator would have felt Auralia going over the side, and he would have been in motion, too.

“I’ve got eyes on her, brother. She’s standing on the shore. She has a dry coat on. And she brought along her two car totes, where she keeps her outdoor supplies.”

“Safe?” Gator was breathing hard in Creed’s ear. “Say it again. Safe?”

“Safe. She’s out of the water. I’m looking at her with my monocular. She looks like she’s trying to catch her breath. No visible signs of blood or other injury. She looks clear-eyed with a churning mind. That look she gets when she’s strategizing her next move. I’m not worried about her being in shock.”

“WoooEEE! Hell to the yeah!” Gator yelled out. “Alright, brother, if she’s good, I’ll leave you to bring her up. I’ll keep working on helping these folks.”

“I’ve got Auralia. I’ll get her up the banks.”

Creed had given his word. And while his word was his bond, his heart was the reason he wouldn’t stop until Auralia was in his arms.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Auralia

Auralia stood and looked along the bridge and the bank.

She would swear that Creed was there, but as she scanned, there were no human silhouettes at all.