Ivan's Captive Submissive (Submissive's Wish) by Ann Mayburn

hell and some other stuff. It should give us something to track. We’re getting the helicopter ready just in case we can spot her before full dark falls. If you find her, stay where you are and point the light up into the sky.”
    “Thank you.”
    “Good luck.”
    Turning to the forest again he tried to shut out all of his emotions and focus on the probabilities. He had a unique gift of being able to figure out the most likely scenarios, and it paid off in his military and civilian life. He knew she was a long distance runner so she’d probably try to use that to her advantage, not realizing she was only putting herself in greater danger. Ivan didn’t know these woods or this area so he was as blind as she was to any pitfalls that could break legs or natural predators. He wasn’t sure if they had bears here like they did where he grew up in Russia, but he had a feeling her greatest threat was going to be dehydration and hypothermia. Her entrance into the woods was easy to spot. Branches had been broken and the green smell of recently crushed vegetation still scented the air. Saying a quick prayer, he picked the route of least resistance through the undergrowth and trees.
     
     
    Gia leaned against a moss-covered boulder and tried to slow her speeding heart. She knew better than to sprint, especially in a pair of flip- flops. Thankfully they were made of a soft terry type material on top so they didn’t cut into her, but they sure as fuck made running awkward at best. Her arches were killing her and she could already feel a Charlie horse wanting to form in her right calf. Like a dumbass she’d given into her fear and had run as fast as she could from the house and into the forest. She had no idea how long she’d run, only that the sun had set almost completely and soon it would be full dark. Overhead the last of twilight brightened the sky and she almost moaned in despair.
    Her ill-considered escape plan had not included the house being situated in the middle of nowhere. She’d been surprised the door had been unlocked when she made her escape, then reasoned that they’d never expected her to get away from Ivan. At the thought of the big, amazing, morally corrupt man who she wished was her Master she felt even worse.
    She’d fallen for losers before, but this was a new low for her. When he’d touched her last night she’d been dying for him, encouraging him to take her harder. They’d made love three more times after their initial encounter, one of them rousing in their sleep to stroke the other and slide their bodies together. The third time, it had been her turning to Ivan as he slept, taking his deliciously thick cock into her mouth. Without a doubt, she’d wanted him more than she’d ever wanted anyone and her shame knew no bounds.
    Pushing herself from the cold stone, she looked around for a place to sleep tonight. While she might be excessively stupid at times, she wasn’t purposely suicidal. Walking around in the woods during the night was next to impossible. She’d be better off if she found someplace to curl up and keep warm until dawn. Wincing as her calves cramped up, she made her way over to a pine tree and looked down at the bed of needles beneath the thick branches. It looked relatively creature-free, so she went and grabbed a bunch of long wild fern stems and tried to lay them out enough so she wouldn’t be covered in pine needles. With a grunt she sat beneath the branches and took a deep breath.
    She was cold, tired, hungry, and heartsick. The fact that she hadn’t eaten since yesterday gnawed at her gut, adding to her misery. Tears began to fall, and she didn’t stop them. A breeze blew through the forest, and the path of her tears cooled, then chilled. She ventured a little farther out to gather more ferns before the light was totally gone, hoping she could layer them over her like a blanket. There was enough illumination to see by as she crawled back beneath the tree and pulled as many