Together By Chance (#1 The Together Series) (2 page)

    
“What do you mean linked?  How is that even possible?”

    
“Have you ever wondered why you go to sleep in one place and wake up in a totally different place?  Or why your dreams seem to come true almost the moment your eyes open?”

    
“How do you know about that?  Have you been watching me?”

    
“Easy, through Chance.  Everything you do Chance can see and feel.  Everything he sees and feels, I see and feel.  When you are hurt, sad, scared, or in danger, Chance knows and all I need to do is touch him and I see and feel what he does.”

    
“How do you know when he knows something?”

    
“He comes to me.”

    
Glancing at the dog, she swallowed the lump in her throat.  If she hadn’t already experienced so much, she would of felt the need to call for the guys in the little white jackets. Instead she turned and watched out the window as the scenery went by.

    
They pulled up to the apartment building she had ran from.  Quickly he opened her door and they made their way to the apartment.  He didn’t ask any questions when he grabbed a bag that had been sitting in a chair next to the bed.  He went to the dresser and began shoving her belongings into the bag.  Watching him rush around gave her the sense of urgency that was behind getting them to somewhere safe.  But then she wondered what was she really running from to begin with and where was she running too? How could she trust someone she just met?  He did seem to make her feel safer than she had in a long time. Things surely couldn’t get any worse.

    
She walked over to the bedside table and grabbed her IPOD sitting on the bedside table and when she turned back he was by the door waiting for her.  She looked around at the apartment one last time and then followed him out the door.

    
Back inside the car she again took note of the urgency that was involved when she noticed him speeding through traffic leaving town.  Looking in the rearview mirror every few minutes to make sure they were not being followed.  Again chills swept through her as she watched him handle the car like he was part of it. 

    
He swept her a quick glance and she quickly looked away wondering what was happening to her.  Her body began to stir.  Heat even.  She began to feel as if she were on fire.  She looked down at her breast and then back out the window as she crossed her arms over her chest.  Why would just a look from him cause her nipples to harden? Feeling the heat rise to her cheeks she tried to concentrate on watching the trees fly by. Always seemed like she was watching her life pass her by.

    
“Where are you taking me?”  She needed to know something.  After all she was in a car with a complete stranger and the only comfort she had was a sense of safety that almost radiated from Chance to her.  His ears perked as he stared out the window almost as if he were watching out for signs of danger.

    
“Some place safe.  I can’t answer all your questions right now and I know you must have them.  I need to concentrate on getting us out of here and keeping a connection with Chance.”  Those were the only words he spoke to her before reaching over and gripping her hand.  Immediately she felt the tension leave her body as if he were sucking it from her. 

    
Suddenly the feeling of exhaustion overwhelmed her senses and the need to sleep was the only thing she now thought of.  She leaned her head back against the seat, closing her eyes in hopes of catching a nap while they made their way to wherever it was he was taking her.

Chapter Two

    
The feeling of soft knuckles caressing her cheek and the sound of a warm voice calling her name stirred her from the deep sleep she had been in.  She opened her eyes only to stare back into Connors. Relief swept through her when she realized this was not another nightmare.  That she had finally had a restful sleep.

    
“We’re here.”  He got out of the car.

    
She looked around noticing they were literally parked out in what looked like the forest.  It was dark and the only light was that of the headlights.  She opened her door looking around noticing Connor grabbing bags from the trunk of the car.  Once again Chance was by her side.

    
After shutting the trunk, Connor handed Keira a flash light and shut the head lights on the car off.  “It’s not far from here.  Just a short walk.  Watch where you step, the path is cluttered.” 

    
She felt nervous by the darkness that surrounded her.  For the first time in her life she felt as if her life were now in the hands of a complete stranger and a dog.  A dog that she felt as if she had known her entire life.  That made her feel safe.  That in itself made her mind question everything that was taking place right now. 

    
“Why are we in the woods?  Where are you taking me?” She asked, stepping over brush and carefully watching for any creepy crawly things that she was sure hung out in the woods.

    
“To a place where we won’t be disturbed.  To a place where I can answer all your questions and give you the answers you seek.  And to a place to train.”

    
“To train?  Train for what?”  She barked out in a high pitched squeal.  She didn’t want to train for anything.  The only want she had was to try to live a normal life.  That was what she wanted.  What she longed for. 

     
Connor stopped turning around.  “Keira, you don’t trust me.  That’s okay.  But you need to understand something right now.  If you don’t learn to trust the feeling you have around Chance, which is a feeling you can have around me, the world as we know it is only going to pay for it.  Now no more Q and A until we get there.”  His voice was stern when he spoke with her.  Not that he wanted to scold her, but he needed her to understand this was not the time for questions.  He needed to get her to the caves before anything negative could sense the energy that she unknowingly put off.  That was how she was so easy to track.  The sooner she knew how to control her energy, the sooner she would be safe.

     
Keira didn’t say anything else.  She was upset by the tone he had taken with her and now irritated by the fact that she was out here with him to begin with.  She shined her light around looking into the forest.  Trees larger than she had ever seen before were everywhere.  Leaves, limbs and other debris covered the ground around them.  Cautious with each step as she made sure to avoid the stickers coming from the various berry bushes that littered the path she foraged on. Feeling as if eyes were watching her every move from deep within the trees, made her rush to keep herself within an arms-length of Conner even though she was more than irritated with him right now.

     
They kept a steady pace for about fifteen minutes before he spoke to her.  “Here we are.”  Pulling out brush from the front of him he stepped aside and motioned forward with his arm.

     
She looked in front of him to the opening of a rather large cave.  She felt as if the air around her was being sucked away from her.  Her chest began to grow tight.  Surely to God he didn’t expect her to go in there she thought.  There must be bats, a bear, wild animals, spider webs she thought about nervously. She was always afraid of tight places.

     
“And where exactly is that?  You are out of your mind if you think I am going into that dark hole in the mountain side!  Who knows what kind of animals have already made themselves at home in there. I’m sure they are not expecting company.”  She shouted when he moved toward her.

     
Chance wined and licked her fingers.  Immediately Connor turned putting his hand on Chance then looked up at her.  “It’s not what you think.  It has a rough appearance but when we get deeper in, you will see it is better than living in your apartment.  I have remodeled it.  It is a safe place.  These caves are composed of a lot of lead.  It makes it really difficult almost impossible even to track us here.  I promise Keira your safe here.  I won’t let anything happen to you.” 

     
She felt the sincerity in his voice.  Again he reached out taking her hand.  “Just stay close to me.  It’s not that far in.”

     
With that being said, Keira followed behind him as close as she could.  Her hand remained locked with his. There was no way she was taking the chance of a wild animal jumping out at her.  Again she noticed the feelings she felt when he touched her.  Feelings that made her question her own body’s response.  How just a single touch could calm her nerves, ease her erratic heartbeat, calm her breathing? And at the same time cause a feeling of pleasure deep inside her.  Keira couldn’t help but be confused over the way her body reacted to him.                                                                                                         

    
The cave was darker than the night of the forest.
Please don’t let the batteries go out of my flashlight,
Keira prayed silently. The air was cooler and caused a shiver to run through her. Once again thankful for the sweater she had grabbed when they got out of the car.  She hoped that when they got to the remodeled part of the cave it was warmer.  Keira hated to be cold.

     
They reached a wall in the cave and as Keira shined her flashlight at it wondering what was next, Connor chuckled for a reason unknown to her.  He waved his hand over part of the wall and with a crack and grind a small part of the wall opened, almost magically, to reveal a keypad.  He punched in a few numbers and just like Moses had parted the red sea the wall opened.  Gasping in her amazement Keira looked at Connor.  She was beginning to not doubt anything when it came to him.  Her mind still full of questions but at the same time believed in him.

     
A soft light shined within revealing nothing like Keira had ever dreamed of.  They stepped in and the wall closed behind them.  “Make yourself at home.”  Connor spoke.  She watched as he turned lights on. 

      
“You have electric here?”  Stupid question, she immediately thought. 
Of course he has electric there is light.

     
“No, there isn’t electric.  I have it set up with generators.  I have converted them to burn energy from wood.  Like a wood furnace, which is also how I heat it. I have equipped it with special filters so the smell of wood burning is not detected outside.  And, as you can see, it doesn’t take much to heat it here.  I haven’t been home in a few days and its nice and toasty here.  Right?”

    
“Yeah it is.  How is that?  I was chilled outside the door, but I’m comfortable in here.”

    
“It’s very well insulated here.  For the most part the natural materials in the cave walls do the insulating.  I didn’t have to do much at all.  The wood furnace burns at a very slow rate.  Just enough to keep the wood hot.  Therefore it last a lot longer than normally.  Despite being in a cave and not having a landline and cable, I have everything here you would find at home.”

    
Again she looked around.  The walls were the natural wall of the cave.  The flooring was amazing.  Dark mahogany wood flooring as far as she could see.  The furniture was what she imagined you would find in a log cabin.  The couch, loveseat and chair facing a fireplace was made from dark wood, clear coated to shine with dark red cushions for seating and backing.

    
Paintings of snow covered mountains, streams, and scenery hung on the cave walls.  She walked over to the kitchen which was open to the living room and was shocked even more.  Very modern with stainless steel stove, sink and refrigerator.  The counter top again looked like dark wooded, smooth with a clear coat that made it shine beautifully.  Above the stove sat a microwave. 

    
“How do you run all of this with just a generator?”  She looked at him puzzled.

    
“It’s a rather large generator.”  He smiled before opening the fridge.  She watched as he pulled out a white package of meat from the freezer, placing it on the counter.  He opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of wine, lettuce, tomatoes, a block of cheddar cheese, a bowl with a few eggs, green onions, cauliflower and broccoli. Placing the frozen steak in the microwave to defrost he picked up a knife and began chopping the vegetables at an amazingly rapid pace.

    
“I’m starving.” He spoke without looking up. “I’ve already taken your bag down to your room if you want to go ahead and freshen up while I fix some supper.   It’s just down the hall, second door on the right.  Would you like a glass of wine?”

    
“Yeah.   Thank You.”  She watched him poor a glass and after taking it she excused herself to go find her room.  The cave walls continued down the wide hall.  She passed the first door and again the door was a dark colored wood with a clear coat.  At the end of the hall were two doors.  The last one to the right and then one at the end.

    
She opened her door and walked into the largest bedroom she had ever seen in her entire life.  A king sized bed made of the same wood the living room furniture was made of sat centered against the end wall.   A single chest matching sat against the side wall.