Love’s Fortune – Excerpt

An excerpt from Phaze Fantasies II

Anton approached the snowcapped ranges of the Smoky Mountains. He didn’t like snow, or the cold or the long windy road to the ridge-top. The road was certainly a risk in an ordinary car, one reason why he’d hired a SUV. At the moment the sky still looked clear.

After an hour on the road, his mood eased. The sky still looked good too. He should make it to Roven’s Peak in plenty of time.

A strange sensation washed over him, not entirely unpleasant. In fact it was becoming too pleasant. The feeling he’s experienced the other night returned, as did the scent of musk.

It must be the fair-haired woman he’d glimpsed the other night.

A gentle brush over his lips sent a burning sensation throughout his body, congregating at his groin.

Didn’t get any sex last night which is why you’re fantasizing. She’s not really here. Despite his inner reasoning, the feeling refused to go away.

Lips traveled over his neck. He brushed his hand over his neck to get rid of the sensation. At the same time, his SUV moved in a sickening sideways motion. The squeal of tires came to an abrupt halt in the side of the road.

“Whoever you are, can you back off until I get to my destination?” As soon as he said it, it sounded ridiculous.

The searing heat faded. Rather than digest exactly what had just happened, Anton maneuvered the SUV back onto the road. As he sped up, the sky grew progressively darker.

The visibility plummeted. A sinking feeling struck him as he looked further afield. A menacing mass of dark clouds moved towards him. He might not make it to Roven’s Peak after all.

Just great. No cell phone signal existed out here either.
Emma knows where you are. Yeah, and by the time she figured I might be in trouble, I’ll probably be dead.

Anton checked the fuel, nearly full. As long as he kept the engine running, he’d be fine, and warm.

A pea-soup fog descended, sending visibility to twenty feet. The pine trees took on ominous shapes. He turned on the fog lights, which made little difference.

Concentrate on the road and you’ll be fine.

He slowed down to a pace almost as slow as a fast walk. With an effort, he forced himself not to press the accelerator.

Then it began to snow.

He put the gear in low-range. Starting the wipers, he inched the SUV forward. Be damned if he was going to get stuck out here and die.

Snow began to cover the road, making it difficult to see.

Slowly the SUV began to veer at a sharp angle. He re-righted the wheel.

Cursing, he went through his options. Walk and be assured of freezing to death, wait it out until he was rescued, or keep going as far as he could. He figured he was about half an hour away from Roven’s Peak. Even if he got stuck here, it wouldn’t take long for a search party to find him.

Like they could even see where they were even going in this weather. Nope. He was on his own. Anton inched the SUV forward.

The snow slowly built up on the bonnet.

His heartbeat drummed throughout his head. Time for a distraction. Anton turned on the radio.

“The blizzard looks set to stay for the night,” the announcer said.

He groaned. Great.

Anton stopped the SUV. There was no point in going on unless he wanted to go over a cliff. Rather than up the heat and fog everything up, he leaned over to the back seat and grabbed his coat. Slipping it on, he readied himself for a long wait.

The sky grew even darker.

Shit.

What if no one came to look out for him?

What if it just got colder and colder, darker and darker and he would die out here? What if the engine failed?

“To keep your mind off the chill, here is some music that is guaranteed to get you feeling warm,” the radio announcer said.

A slow tune came on, one that he’d never heard of. Country and Western, both he hated with a passion.

“And when you think it all dark and hopeless,” the woman sang, “true love will come to your side.”

“Pleeease.” He turned the radio off.

“Now now, that’s not nice,” a sultry voice said.