muscles rigid with terror as the dogs closed in around her. She tried to gird herself for what she knew was coming, praying it didn’t last too long. But instead of sharp teeth ripping through her flesh, she felt the slobbery wet kiss of a dog tongue moving over her cheek.
Jerking her head back, Leah opened her eyes. She was nose to snout with a handsome German Shepherd with soulful brown eyes. To Leah’s stunned relief, the dog gave a happy bark and began to wag her tail.
Another dog, a sleek black hound of some kind, nosed between Leah’s legs, sniffing at her crotch. Leah, sitting in a patch of damp dirt, realized with dismay she must have wet herself in her fear. Scooting away from the curious animal, Leah closed her legs. She felt weak with relief to realize these dogs were friendly, and not the rabid killers she had feared. Tentatively she held her hands, palms down, for the dogs to sniff. There were eight of them altogether, all large animals who appeared to be in their prime.
Pushing herself to her feet, Leah stood tall over the pack, wishing she could speak to them. She looked all around the area, searching out any possible guards. Seeing no one, she reached behind her head, hoping to unbuckle the harness. She was unable to get it off, however, as a small padlock had been secured through the buckle, rendering it impossible to remove.
At least she wasn’t bound hand and foot. She was free to move around the kennel, which was really more of a large, fenced-in dirt yard. There was a large water trough in one corner, with eight empty metal food bowls nearby. There were various dog bones and toys scattered around the area, and a tin roof extended out over one corner of the space, offering shade. On the dirt beneath the tin canopy stood what looked like a long, low trampoline.
Leah walked toward the trampoline, the dogs keeping her company every step of the way. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was a kind of large outdoor dog bed. To prove the point, several of the dogs climbed aboard and curled into nap position, heads on their paws, tongues lolling in the mid morning heat.
Leah moved toward the water trough. She would have been more than willing to drink from it, but the muzzle precluded that opportunity. At least she could wash up a little. Reaching into the trough, she splashed handfuls of the cool water over her body, trying to clean herself as best she could. Several of the dogs jumped excitedly around her, trying to bite at the splashing water. A couple of them nosed empty tin bowls and looked back at her beseechingly.
Though the circumstance was surreal in the extreme, Leah felt, for the first time since the nightmare had begun in the jewelry shop, a little of the fear lift from her heart. The pure, innocent, doggy happiness of the animals cavorting around her actually made her smile beneath the leather mask.
Some of the dirt and sweat removed, Leah made her way around the perimeter of the high chain link fence. The top of the fence was covered in coils of barbed wire, the gate locked from the outside. She could see the ocean in the distance, and off to the left she saw a startling sight. There were half a dozen horses visible through some trees. They were frozen in place, some in mid gallop, some gazing regally toward the horizon, one rearing back on its hind legs. It took her brain a moment to process that these were not real horses, but statues sculpted from some kind of smooth white stone.
She was distracted from the curious sight by movement in her peripheral vision. Turning back toward the villa, Leah saw two men in the distance wearing coveralls, bending over flowerbeds.
They were either unaware of her or indifferent to her presence. Briefly Leah considered trying to attract their attention, but thought better of it. No doubt she’d been carried right past them and they hadn't lifted a finger in her defense. They were probably well-paid to do their jobs and keep their mouths shut.
The
Jerking her head back, Leah opened her eyes. She was nose to snout with a handsome German Shepherd with soulful brown eyes. To Leah’s stunned relief, the dog gave a happy bark and began to wag her tail.
Another dog, a sleek black hound of some kind, nosed between Leah’s legs, sniffing at her crotch. Leah, sitting in a patch of damp dirt, realized with dismay she must have wet herself in her fear. Scooting away from the curious animal, Leah closed her legs. She felt weak with relief to realize these dogs were friendly, and not the rabid killers she had feared. Tentatively she held her hands, palms down, for the dogs to sniff. There were eight of them altogether, all large animals who appeared to be in their prime.
Pushing herself to her feet, Leah stood tall over the pack, wishing she could speak to them. She looked all around the area, searching out any possible guards. Seeing no one, she reached behind her head, hoping to unbuckle the harness. She was unable to get it off, however, as a small padlock had been secured through the buckle, rendering it impossible to remove.
At least she wasn’t bound hand and foot. She was free to move around the kennel, which was really more of a large, fenced-in dirt yard. There was a large water trough in one corner, with eight empty metal food bowls nearby. There were various dog bones and toys scattered around the area, and a tin roof extended out over one corner of the space, offering shade. On the dirt beneath the tin canopy stood what looked like a long, low trampoline.
Leah walked toward the trampoline, the dogs keeping her company every step of the way. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was a kind of large outdoor dog bed. To prove the point, several of the dogs climbed aboard and curled into nap position, heads on their paws, tongues lolling in the mid morning heat.
Leah moved toward the water trough. She would have been more than willing to drink from it, but the muzzle precluded that opportunity. At least she could wash up a little. Reaching into the trough, she splashed handfuls of the cool water over her body, trying to clean herself as best she could. Several of the dogs jumped excitedly around her, trying to bite at the splashing water. A couple of them nosed empty tin bowls and looked back at her beseechingly.
Though the circumstance was surreal in the extreme, Leah felt, for the first time since the nightmare had begun in the jewelry shop, a little of the fear lift from her heart. The pure, innocent, doggy happiness of the animals cavorting around her actually made her smile beneath the leather mask.
Some of the dirt and sweat removed, Leah made her way around the perimeter of the high chain link fence. The top of the fence was covered in coils of barbed wire, the gate locked from the outside. She could see the ocean in the distance, and off to the left she saw a startling sight. There were half a dozen horses visible through some trees. They were frozen in place, some in mid gallop, some gazing regally toward the horizon, one rearing back on its hind legs. It took her brain a moment to process that these were not real horses, but statues sculpted from some kind of smooth white stone.
She was distracted from the curious sight by movement in her peripheral vision. Turning back toward the villa, Leah saw two men in the distance wearing coveralls, bending over flowerbeds.
They were either unaware of her or indifferent to her presence. Briefly Leah considered trying to attract their attention, but thought better of it. No doubt she’d been carried right past them and they hadn't lifted a finger in her defense. They were probably well-paid to do their jobs and keep their mouths shut.
The
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