Dakota's Pride

Chapter 2. A New Family

Hannah-Leigh opened her eyes as she slowly came to, gradually realizing she was not lying in the woods anymore but on a bed. Oh god, where was she this time? She quickly sat up and nearly screamed from the blast of pain that hit the right side of her face. Her fingers grabbed at the bandages as she looked around for a mirror. There was one on the far side of the room. Dizziness took over as she made her way to the mirror and stared at her reflection.

The entire side of her right face had been bandaged tightly and so had her arms and hands. She looked like mummy gradually coming to life. Memories of what happened flashed in her mind and she gasped covering her mouth. She knew the cuts were deep, she could feel the knife hitting her cheekbones. They were going to leave nasty scars and ruin her face. She'd never be the same again. Then again, wasn't it her so called irresistible natural beauty that had gotten her into trouble in the first place? No one would want her now. Good...perhaps she'd finally be put out of her misery. The door opened surprising her. She staggered back and grabbed a chair to put in front of her.

A man with blue eyes and short blonde hair walked into the room. He raised his blonde eyebrows and shook his head. "No, no, no, you shouldn't be out of bed," he spoke in a German accent.

Hannah-Leigh stared at him. He was tall, muscular, with a strong square jaw line, which meant he was going to be stubborn as hell and not easy to fight in her condition. She lifted up the chair when he took a step to her. "Don't come near me so help me I'll smash this chair upside your head! Who are you?!"

He blinked in surprise, then tilted his head with a grin and crossed his arms. "I'm beginning to see why Dakota wanted to keep you."

"Dakota? Is he the one that bought me?" Hannah wanted to know still holding the chair. She was getting quite dizzy, but wasn't about to back down.

"Bought you? My dear you are not a slave anymore. You're free." He frowned. "There's something so wrong with me saying that..."

"Listen to me you, German prick. I've had it with all of you! As you see, I'm damaged goods. My face is tore up so why am I still alive?"

"Because we want you to be. I am Nikolas and I swear I will not harm you. No one here will harm you or touch you. You're safe. Dakota saved you. You're with friends."

Dakota...that sounded like an Indian's name. She suddenly remembered the Native American standing over her, scalping the bastard who'd cut into her face. Her hold on the chair wavered... "You mean...that...Indian guy...with the big knife and psychotic attitude...he's real?!"

"Yes, he's real, you wouldn't be here if he wasn't. You probably wouldn't be alive if he wasn't..." Nikolas added as he stared at the chair. "Will you please put down that chair. I promise you, I will not harm you."

"They all say that..." Hannah-Leigh stared at him suspiciously.

Nikolas sighed. "I'll tell him you're awake and in fighting spirits..." He started to turn around and bumped into Dakota who had been standing behind him. "Oh there you are..."

The moment Hannah-Leigh saw the tall, very muscular Native American walking straight towards her, she did the only thing she knew how. She threw the chair as hard as she could at his face and watched him easily catch it with one hand. He dropped it to the side and kept walking without breaking stride. What was he a living nightmare?!

She grabbed a vase, a lamp, the table that the lamp was on, any and everything and the Indian just knocked them out of the way and kept walking like nothing happened. She backed to the bed. "I'll kill you before I let you rape me. You or me or both of us will die today, don't really care, but I won't let you touch me!"