Accused (Hunted book 2)

Chapter 3

I went back to the beach the following week. It was still pretty full, but around early afternoon people started to leave. There was rain forecast for 3 pm.

Of course, because a few people stayed, the lifeguards had to stay too. Lachlan's expression was sour. He clearly didn't relish the thought of sitting here in the rain.

Someone screamed and grabbed her son out of the water. "Shark!" she shrieked. "Shark!"

People screamed and ran from the water, as far up the beach as they could go. A few people who had been further out were swimming as fast as they could toward the shore. The other lifeguard was panicking, picking up his phone to dial 9-1-1 and then changing his mind. Lachlan jumped down from his chair, grabbed the lifeguard board-thingy and paddled out towards the last swimmer. I didn't think he was supposed to do that, but hunters had a habit of putting themselves in danger.

Lachlan reached them and pulled them onto the board. As he turned and started paddling back, the shark approached. I could hear the ominous "duh-duh duh-duh duh-duh" in my head as the shark circled them.

The panicky lifeguard had finally called someone and was shouting frantically into the phone. He wasn't cut out for this and he couldn't stand the sight of blood and blah blah blah. I noticed his lifeguard board-thingy sitting in the sand to the right of his lifeguard chair. I ran over to it. If worst came to worst, hopefully I would get bitten and not them.

I dragged the board quickly to the shore and stuck my legs off the back to kick. I pulled them back onto the board when I got close to Lachlan and the swimmer.

"What the hell are you doing?" He shouted at me.

"Just trying to help. If you don't need it, though, I can just go back to shore."

Lachlan didn't reply so I took that to mean that he wanted my help. The shark came closer to their board and it rocked unsteadily. After making sure the shark was on the far side of their board, I paddled away. When I was far enough away, almost 100 meters, I dug my fingers hard into my palm, so hard it broke the skin. I stuck my hand in the water and waved it around. The shark, having smelt the blood, changed direction and headed for my board. Lachlan took this opportunity to paddle back to shore.

I pulled my injured hand from the water and paddled hard with my other hand as the shark came towards me. I was further out than I had realised. Just when I thought the shark was going to catch up to me and I was going to get eaten, it disappeared.

I couldn't see it anywhere, which was somehow scarier than seeing it right next to you. I sat on the board like a surfer, with my legs on either side of it. I couldn't see anything. My hand had healed and I was preparing to paddle some more when a searing pain pierced my calf. I yanked my legs out of the water. I was bleeding a lot.

"Watch it!" I shouted at the shark.

I pulled my shirt off over my head revealing my bikini top underneath, and tied it just above the bite. In comparison to getting shot with wolfsbane, it really wasn't that bad, but at the time, it hurt like hell.

The shark swam past the board again and I kicked him in the fin with my good leg. I knew it was a bad idea, but I was angry. The shark came head on for the board, mouth open. Uh-oh. I twisted so that both of my legs were facing the shark. Maybe I could hold his mouth open with my feet.

He slowed as he reached the board and I kicked him right on the nose. At that, he backed off, circling farther away. I made a dash for the beach and made it, hurrying out of the water.

"Oh my gosh, you got bitten!" cried the swimmer.

I shook my head. "No, I didn't. I'm fine." I pulled the makeshift tourniquet off my leg. It was bloody and I would definitely never be able to wear it again, but the wound beneath it had stopped bleeding. It looked more like an old scar than a fresh wound.