“Rabies is a concern too. Mr. Avery’s eyesight is bad and he can’t see sick animals, which means he can’t shoot them. You never want to come across a rabid animal without a gun. I once saw a raccoon go after a bull. It was sick, and that crazy. Rabies is a disease that can spread from one animal eating or attacking another. You need to let me go so I can get to the cabin. Mr. Avery has a phone.”

She glanced around. “I can help you climb that tree right there. I’ll go get my stuff before I leave so you have a way to protect yourself until I come back.” She lifted her wrist again to remind him about the rope binding them together. “Let me go so I can save us both. Most of the things out here that can hurt us are nocturnal hunters. It means they come out at night.” She pointed a finger up. “See the sky? Need I say more?”

A howl tore through the woods and Lynn jumped, twisting her head in the direction from which it had come. Another coyote joined in, then another. She didn’t spot any of them but they weren’t far off.

“Shit. Hear that? Coyotes.” She looked at him. “You’re bleeding. They are going to investigate that.” She shook her head. “We’re going to be in a world of trouble. They are going to see you as food. Understand? You already faced off against four canines and look what they did to you. Imagine a dozen or two of them.” She didn’t feel guilty for trying to scare him. It wasn’t exactly a lie. They could attack if they were hungry enough, feeling bold in numbers, or diseased.

He sat up and climbed to his feet. Lynn scrambled to get up too. He snagged his bag and shoved her toward the nearest tree. They reached the base of it and he lifted the bag, jamming it on top of a branch about six feet high. He turned to her then and clenched the rope in the middle. It vibrated for a second but it opened, letting her go.

Lynn tried to back away but the tall man moved faster. He spun, one arm sliding around her waist. All Lynn could do was gasp out in surprise as he hoisted her upward to the lowest branch. She didn’t need to understand what he said to know he wanted her to grab the limb. She did and he released her waist. He gripped both of her thighs to give her a boost up. She scrambled quickly to give him room to follow.

He was right behind her as she climbed higher into the tree. Below, she spotted movement near the edges of the clearing as she straddled a branch. Two coyotes crept forward, growling. They went to the spot where the stranger had bled and sniffed the ground.

“They might go away,” she whispered. “Be quiet.”

He leaned down, grabbed his pack and pulled it higher into the tree. He reached inside and threw down a round disk that reminded her of a thick Frisbee. It hit the dirt and both coyotes snarled but didn’t run away. The disk thing began to glow white, getting brighter. The coyotes stayed a few feet back but held their ground near the blood.

The man wedged his backpack so it wouldn’t fall and climbed higher, easing onto the branch behind her. She turned her head, watching him lean against the thick tree trunk. He gripped her hips and tugged her toward him.

Lynn was tempted to fight but motion from below drew her attention. Nine more coyotes had entered the clearing. Within seconds, that number increased to over twenty. Two of them stopped directly under the branch she perched on, lifted their heads, and stared at her. They snarled.

“Go away!” she shouted, hoping her voice would make them flee.

More gathered at the base of the tree trunk, their focus fixed on her and the man behind her. They snarled, flashing teeth. It was clear the pack wasn’t afraid of people and didn’t plan to go anywhere. She and the man were treed and trapped.

From behind, he yanked her closer and wrapped his muscled arm around her waist. His chest was hot, plastered against her back. Lynn didn’t struggle, too afraid she’d fall off the branch. The coyotes watched from below, probably hoping that would happen. They’d attack. They’d grown too bold, living in such big numbers.

“We’re going to die up here.”

He put his other arm around her and she peered over her shoulder at his face. Most of it was in the shadows but his pretty eyes were clear enough to see. He shook his head, then growled low.

“I don’t understand you. You’re hurt.” She pointed down. “They want to eat us. I’m pretty sure some of them have rabies, judging by how aggressive they are. Do you get that? God only knows how long it will be before that idiot Jimmy decides to call someone, if he’s not too stoned to notice my SUV is still parked on his property. It could be days, if ever. He might just totally lie and say I left, to keep the cops off his property. That means no search party. Those coyotes could wait us out until we’re too dehydrated to stay up here.”

He shook his head again.

Lynn was irritated when he closed his eyes and tilted his head back, seeming to plan on going back to sleep. She pushed against him to help keep him pinned in place. More coyotes had joined the group when she looked down. One of the more brazen ones lifted up and planted his paws on the trunk, as if it would help him reach them.

You can’t climb, muzzle face. She was in a hell of a mess. But it could be worse. It was summer so they wouldn’t freeze overnight. She just wore her jacket and panties. The guy behind her wore those little leather Speedos. She couldn’t decide what would be worse—the search party finding them wearing so little and having to explain, or the headlines that would be made up if their bodies were recovered. Either way, she’d be the most talked-about thing in Green Bend.

“Damn.”

Darkness fell but the light below kept glowing. It lit up about a twenty-foot circular area. Some of the coyotes grew brave enough to approach it and one even put his nose against it to sniff.

A loud blare pierced the night.

Lynn started at the sharp blast of noise. The coyotes scattered, rushing off in different directions.

“What was that?” She turned her head to stare at the man behind her. His eyes remained closed but she could feel his chest rise and fall against her spine. She twisted just enough to feel for a pulse at his neck. It was tough to find. He was fading fast, probably dying from blood loss and infection.

“Hey!” She rubbed his cheek. “Look at me.”

He didn’t stir. Lynn looked down at the ground. The coyotes hadn’t returned. That sound had scared the hell out of her and had probably done worse to the pack. She needed to get to Mr. Avery’s cabin and call for help. There wasn’t much to debate. Some of the coyotes had taken off toward the river so going after her things wasn’t an option. She eased his arm from around her waist and gripped a branch above her head. She climbed higher, trying to spot any source of light in the area.