Chapter 14

Jake jerked Sam behind him and took the brunt of the attack from the stallion. Sam stumbled to her knees.

Jake felt the horse's teeth clamp down on his arm and he couldn't help the groan as the horse shook him like a ragdoll. He hit the stallion, but to no avail.

Witch tried to defend her master, but the stallion ignored the kicks and bites he received from the mare. Ace squealed and took off.

"No," Sam screamed at the Phantom. "No!"

The silver stallion either didn't hear Sam, or chose to ignore her. She knew she had no choice but to reveal the horse's secret name in order for her to save Jake. Witch continued trying to save her master.

"No, Zanzibar," Sam yelled and groaned in relief when the stallion dropped Jake. Jake collapsed on the ground. Witch rushed forward to stand between the Phantom, Sam and then Jake.

The mare snaked out her neck and Sam could feel where the mare had just missed biting her. Then she snapped at the stallion who snorted and retreated into the tunnel.

"Witch," Sam murmured to the mare. "Let me help him."

Sam tried taking a step closer to Jake but had to step back when the mare tried to savage her.

"Jake?" Sam called to him. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," he answered, but Sam could hear the pain in his voice. She started to cry then, knowing he was hurt again and this time it was her fault.

"Witch, please," Sam begged the mare. She heard the snort from the mare, but this time the mare didn't try to bite her.

Sam hurried to Jake who was on the ground holding his arm. She stooped next to him.

"Where did he get you?" Sam asked.

"My arm," Jake responded.

"Damn Ace for running off like that," Sam spat. "I had a flashlight in my saddle bags."

She heard Jake snort.

"You find the strangest times to find something funny," she retorted.

"I have a flashlight in my saddle bag," Jake told her and Sam stood back up.

She wondered if she could get close enough to Witch to get it out. The mare was still baring her teeth in Sam's direction. Sam murmured to her quietly, hoping the big black horse would let her get to the flashlight. Sam heard the snap of the mare's jaws.

"You can't make me feel any worse than I already do," she whispered to the Quarter Horse. "I know I'm responsible. Please Witchy."

Sam moved forward, one hand reaching for the saddle bag as she kept watch on the mare. Witch snorted at Sam, but allowed her to reach into the bag and pull out the flashlight.

"Thank you," Sam told the mare and turned it on, shining it towards Jake. He ducked his head against the light.

"Sorry," Sam murmured and kept the light out of his eyes as she approached him again. "Let me get your coat off."

Gently, Sam removed Jake's coat, noting the tears from the Phantom's teeth. Once she had the coat off, she could see the blood soaking the sleeve where he had gotten bitten. She put her hand to her mouth.

"I need to unbutton your shirt and take a look at the arm," Sam told him.

Jake nodded. He had hoped for years now that some day Sam would take his shirt off when they were alone, but this wasn't what he had in mind. She tugged the shirt out of his jeans. He sucked in a breath as she pulled the shirt off his arm as gently as she could.

When she shined the flashlight on his wounds, Sam gasped. They were pretty severe. Jake looked at them and knew the stallion had marked him for life.

"Oh Jake," Sam barely whispered, but Jake heard her.

"We need to get back," Jake said, trying to shrug his shirt back on.

"Let me," Sam's touch was incredibly tender as he put it up on his shoulder then buttoned up the front. She couldn't help the hug around his chest when she was done.

Normally Jake didn't tolerate hugs but he had to admit her arms around him, hurting as badly as he did, felt wonderful.

"I'm sorry," she mouthed against his chest.

Did she just kiss his shirt over his chest? Jake wanted nothing more than to kiss her right now, even forgetting about the pain the wounds the stallion had given him.

He was in a different kind of pain and he felt it in the tight confines of his jeans. Oh good grief, now was not a good time for his manhood to swell and harden. He couldn't help it. Jake groaned and Sam thought she had hurt him and quickly stepped away from him.

"I'm sorry," she said again, bending over to pick up his coat. "Let me help get this on you."

Jake could care less about his coat right about now, but he let her hold out the sleeve for him to put his arm through. When both arms were through the sleeves and the coat over his shoulders, Sam zipped it up for him.

Then she grabbed the reins of his mare and brought her to Jake.

"Can you hang on with one arm?" Sam asked him.

"Yeah," Jake told her. He was disappointed in himself that he hadn't kissed her when he had the chance.

Sam stuck her boot in Witch's stirrup and swung up on Jake's horse. Jake took a handful of mane with his left hand and swung up behind her.

"Hold on," Sam turned her head to tell him.

Their eyes locked, even in the darkness. Without their realizing it, their heads slowly came together, Jake's mouth inches from Sam's. Witch gave a small jump and Sam turned away to check to make sure the Phantom hadn't returned.

Jake jerked his head back. Another opportunity lost.

"Ready?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Jake murmured.

Sam urged the mare back towards camp.