try so hard to kill him?
He looked for a way to escape. The trees where they had taken shelter weren’t thick. Just on the other side, another clearing offered a possibility. There were two drawbacks, however. One, the trees were spaced wide enough to offer little protection, and two, the clearing over there was an avalanche chute. But if they could reach it and ski away...
Spotting something that would serve as good cover, he looked toward Savanna and whispered harshly, “When I start shooting, ski for that boulder.”
She jerked her head, spotting the boulder, and then nodded at him.
Korbin stuck his poles into the snow and eased the pistol beside the trunk. Aiming in the direction where he’d seen the hat, he fired and then sprang into motion after Savanna started skiing. He skied hard to the next tree, where he fired again. His bullet hit a fallen tree trunk where the hat bobbed down and out of view. Korbin skied the rest of the way to the boulder, joining Savanna there. When Damen kept firing, Korbin fired back until the gun clicked. No more bullets.
As soon as he tossed the weapon aside, a distinct rumble began high up on the mountain.
“Avalanche,” Savanna murmured, fear giving her voice a tremor.
“Get away from the chute.” Korbin looked over the boulder. He didn’t see the hat anymore. Damen had gone to take cover, probably hoping they’d die in the avalanche. Which they very well could. The trees weren’t thick here. It was a small cluster that divided chute. They were right in the middle of the avalanche path.
“Get back into the trees!” he shouted. It was the best chance they had.
In an instant, the rumble was upon them. Korbin was flung forward and bashed into a tree. A white cloud engulfed him and he heard Savanna scream. He wrapped his arms around the trunk and held on. Snow ripped down the mountain, splintering trees and crashing with a deafening roar.
Seconds later it was over. The avalanche reached the valley and went silent. Korbin looked for Savanna...and didn’t see her.
Chapter 4
S he screamed long and loudly. The snow engulfed her. She closed her eyes and mouth to keep it from packing there. Both her skis ripped off her feet, twisting one of her knees painfully. She tried to remember everything she learned about what to do if caught in an avalanche.
Keep her head in the uphill direction. Wait until the momentum slowed. Swim for the surface while the snow was still mobile. Create a breathing space.
Even if she were buried as little as one foot, her chances were slim for survival. If she were buried for more than thirty minutes her chances grew lethal. Only one in four people lived through an avalanche if they were buried in one at all. If the asphyxiation didn’t kill her, the cold would.
She wasn’t ready to die...
Each second felt like an eternity. The snow began to slow. She tried to swim upward. When the snow began to slow and stop, she moved her hand up to her mouth to create that life-saving breathing space. Her gloved hand touched her lower lip. She wiggled her fingers. Good. A small pocket of air. Now if Korbin could find her...
The snow hardened like cement around her body. She tried not to panic.
* * *
Korbin hissed a curse.
Moving swiftly, he threw off his backpack and retrieved a shovel and collapsible probe pole. With the side of his ski he kicked the backpack across the snow, careful not to let it slide downhill, wanting to mark the area where he’d last seen Savanna. It would provide a reference point if he needed it during his search. Immediately he turned his transceiver to receiving mode; it would be the only hope he had of saving Savanna’s life.
Something he couldn’t do for his wife. Something he couldn’t do for Collette. Dead women were stacking up in his life.
Well, he’d be damned if he’d let another one down.
The transceiver Savanna wore would still be set to send a signal and his would pick it up when he was close to her. He heard
He looked for a way to escape. The trees where they had taken shelter weren’t thick. Just on the other side, another clearing offered a possibility. There were two drawbacks, however. One, the trees were spaced wide enough to offer little protection, and two, the clearing over there was an avalanche chute. But if they could reach it and ski away...
Spotting something that would serve as good cover, he looked toward Savanna and whispered harshly, “When I start shooting, ski for that boulder.”
She jerked her head, spotting the boulder, and then nodded at him.
Korbin stuck his poles into the snow and eased the pistol beside the trunk. Aiming in the direction where he’d seen the hat, he fired and then sprang into motion after Savanna started skiing. He skied hard to the next tree, where he fired again. His bullet hit a fallen tree trunk where the hat bobbed down and out of view. Korbin skied the rest of the way to the boulder, joining Savanna there. When Damen kept firing, Korbin fired back until the gun clicked. No more bullets.
As soon as he tossed the weapon aside, a distinct rumble began high up on the mountain.
“Avalanche,” Savanna murmured, fear giving her voice a tremor.
“Get away from the chute.” Korbin looked over the boulder. He didn’t see the hat anymore. Damen had gone to take cover, probably hoping they’d die in the avalanche. Which they very well could. The trees weren’t thick here. It was a small cluster that divided chute. They were right in the middle of the avalanche path.
“Get back into the trees!” he shouted. It was the best chance they had.
In an instant, the rumble was upon them. Korbin was flung forward and bashed into a tree. A white cloud engulfed him and he heard Savanna scream. He wrapped his arms around the trunk and held on. Snow ripped down the mountain, splintering trees and crashing with a deafening roar.
Seconds later it was over. The avalanche reached the valley and went silent. Korbin looked for Savanna...and didn’t see her.
Chapter 4
S he screamed long and loudly. The snow engulfed her. She closed her eyes and mouth to keep it from packing there. Both her skis ripped off her feet, twisting one of her knees painfully. She tried to remember everything she learned about what to do if caught in an avalanche.
Keep her head in the uphill direction. Wait until the momentum slowed. Swim for the surface while the snow was still mobile. Create a breathing space.
Even if she were buried as little as one foot, her chances were slim for survival. If she were buried for more than thirty minutes her chances grew lethal. Only one in four people lived through an avalanche if they were buried in one at all. If the asphyxiation didn’t kill her, the cold would.
She wasn’t ready to die...
Each second felt like an eternity. The snow began to slow. She tried to swim upward. When the snow began to slow and stop, she moved her hand up to her mouth to create that life-saving breathing space. Her gloved hand touched her lower lip. She wiggled her fingers. Good. A small pocket of air. Now if Korbin could find her...
The snow hardened like cement around her body. She tried not to panic.
* * *
Korbin hissed a curse.
Moving swiftly, he threw off his backpack and retrieved a shovel and collapsible probe pole. With the side of his ski he kicked the backpack across the snow, careful not to let it slide downhill, wanting to mark the area where he’d last seen Savanna. It would provide a reference point if he needed it during his search. Immediately he turned his transceiver to receiving mode; it would be the only hope he had of saving Savanna’s life.
Something he couldn’t do for his wife. Something he couldn’t do for Collette. Dead women were stacking up in his life.
Well, he’d be damned if he’d let another one down.
The transceiver Savanna wore would still be set to send a signal and his would pick it up when he was close to her. He heard
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