Hostage of the Heart

Dollars to Donuts (Twenty-One)

"Piper! Piper!" she called in a voice that had gone hoarse over an hour ago. Despite the clothes clinging to her chilled body, Desiree kept diving underneath the rushing water, keeping her eyes open as she searched liquid darkness with a flashlight. Unfortunately, there wasn't a sign of her lover or the blankets she had been wrapped in.

Heading toward the surface, her head broke through the water. Hair clung to her face as she raised it toward the night sky, pulling in lungfuls of air. Air. She had plenty of it while Piper was below in dangerous need. Although it was difficult to tell, tears began to mix with the river water dripping from Desiree's face. She had to find her. Had to rescue her. Someone needed to come to Piper's rescue for once.

Lips tinged with blue parted. "I'm coming, Piper. Hold on, I'm coming." She was just about to duck back underneath when a chuckle stopped her. Making an almost one-hundred and eight degree turn, she sharply inhaled upon seeing him crouched on a spacious rock, which protruded from the water. She shook her head from side to side while blinking, willing his repugnant image to disappear. It couldn't be. She killed him. Both she and Taj shot him, but it was her bullet that caused him to drop and thankfully cease breathing.

He smirked. "You look like you've spotted a ghost, lamb chop."

"You're dead. I shot you. I killed you!"

"No need to brag about it."

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Just wanted to suggest that you not waste your time looking for her." A grin on his lips, Victor pointed toward the water. "My sister isn't in there."

"What do you mean?"

"She's with Dad and myself. We'll take good care of her." The grin broadened. "Make sure she's warm. Real warm."

Desiree's eyes narrowed, hands below the surface drawing into fists. "Don't you touch her!" A growl escaping her, she began to swim toward him. After a few moments she realized that she wasn't getting any closer. In fact, the more vigorous she swam, the further away from Victor she appeared to get. The more distance between them, the more he laughed while waving at her. Repeatedly screaming her lover's name, the river began to drag her underneath. At first she struggled, yet decided to give up, almost relieved when water rushed down her throat. Perhaps it would take death to find Piper.

"Piper...Piper...where...Piper," she moaned, a hand clutching the fitted sheet she slept upon. Her eyes shortly opened when a warm body pressed against her back, a strong arm wrapped around her middle. A faint smile found her lips when the back of her head was kissed. "Piper," she whispered. Desiree began to shift until she faced the woman stretched out beside her. That smile flourished when she took in Piper's impressive length. Even in basic sweatpants and a T-shirt she looked beautiful.

"You're here."

Smiling, Piper leaned in to kiss the tip of her nose. "Of course I am. Bad dream? You thrashed a lot."

"More like a nightmare. Kept searching the river, but I couldn't find you. And then...he showed up."

"Screw him. He's gone and can't hurt us any longer." She leaned toward Desiree again, that time aiming for her lips. "Just a dream," she whispered. "I'm here now. You found me, you've got me, I'm yours."

"Thank God. Best sentence I've ever heard." Pressing her front to Piper's, she gently clasped the nape of her neck, drawing her closer for a more thorough kiss. Hands roaming skin underneath clothes, tongues were about to get acquainted when a knock at the door drew them apart. The visitor opened the door without waiting to be granted entrance.