Callie's Captors [Mountain Men of Montana 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Jane Jamison Page A

toward a group of people sharing a meal and laughing. “You may have noticed that some of the people here are a bit different.”
    She nodded then opened her hand palm up to ask for another slice of orange. He gave it to her and started walking again, taking long strides that made her hustle to keep up with him. All the while, she tried not to stare at those around her.
    “That’s why they’re here. Because of their differences, they can get hassled elsewhere. Plus, this place is special. It’s serene and the weather’s always wonderful.” He drew her in with his intense look. “You’ll see things in The Hidden that you’ll never see anywhere else in the world.”
    “You’re making this place sound almost magical.”
    A hint of a smile formed on his lips. “‘Magical’ is a good word for The Hidden.”
    “So tell me how you and your brothers found this place. I know for a fact that I’ve never heard of it or seen it on any map. I studied maps of the region before I came hiking.”
    “That’s why it’s called The Hidden. We want to keep it a secret.” He said hello to a couple of men who passed by. “Raine and I are natives, believe it or not. Our parents came here before we were born. Then they took in Pete and made him our brother.”
    He tossed the rind of the orange into the bushes. “But I’m more interested in hearing how you fell into that pit.”
    She winced. “I hope I can live that catastrophe down.”
    “It’s not that bad. Everyone trips and falls at some point. And you had an extra reason to get careless with the buck chasing you. But did anything else happen?”
    “I saw that weird creature, then three wolves. Then that’s when you showed up.” Why did she have the impression that he was fishing for something else?
    “But did you see, or maybe feel, anything out of the ordinary?”
    She was right. He was searching for answers. “Yeah. I did. When the buck was chasing me—Pete said its name is Jerry—I ran like hell. But then it was like I hit an invisible wall. One second, I was going full steam ahead and then, all of sudden, it felt like I was trying to run through water. I could feel this substance that was heavier than air rippling around me.”
    She gave him a suspicious look. “Do you know what I’m talking about?”
    His answer seemed sincere enough. “No. I’ve never experienced that.”
    “So do you guys do that a lot?”
    He blinked, thrown by her switching the subject. “Do what?”
    “Name the animals. Like calling that buck Jerry.”
    “Yeah, we kind of do.”
    “Like pets?”
    A flash of irritation swept over his features. “We don’t have pets because we don’t think any living being should own another.”
    Touchy subject, huh? She decided not to push him.
    “Tell me about the creature. Lyra knew what I was talking about and you do, too. I can see that you do.”
    “They’re called The Cursed because of their ugly appearance. And they’re dangerous. Stay away from them and stay inside the camp area, especially after dark.”
    “I’ve never heard of them, much less seen one before.”
    “Like I said”—he took her hand again and gripped it harder—“stay in the camp.”
    “I’m not planning on staying at all.”
    “And here’s where the open mind part comes in.”
    “Uh-oh. I don’t like the sound of that.”
    He started walking again, pulling her along with him, and led her onto a narrow path leading into the forest. The sunlight dimmed as it struggled to get through the tree limbs. Animals scurried away and into the underbrush. Brilliantly colored flowers lined the path.
    If any place is magical, this place is.
    “Where are we going?”
    “We’re meeting my brothers at the pond.” He picked up his pace even more and she had to jog to keep up.
    “Do you remember the white-haired man you saw last night?”
    “Sure. He was with the little guy that reminded me of an elf.” She hissed at her mistake. “I’m sorry. That was so un-PC