Tymber Dalton - Doggy Tales

Ivan Biendino had an itch to scratch, and this was the only way to get relief. He drove north on US 301, away from Tampa. He didnt care what the hell Jeremy Bruin thought. He needed it. Running on a fucking treadmill and listening to canned nature sounds on an iPod like Jeremy did not give Ivan what he craved. Maybe Jeremy had calmed his inner beast, but Ivans still wanted playtime.

Fucking pussy. Go run on the treadmill, he says. Ill shove that goddamned treadmill up his ass if he doesnt leave me alone.

Only a little after eight on a Tuesday morning, Hillsborough River State Park wasnt busy. He paid the entry fee and drove until he reached his favored parking area, pulling his silver Ridgeline truck into a spot that would remain shaded for a couple hours yet.

If he had more time, hed drive up to Withlacoochee State Forest, or Silver Lake, or even Ocala. Unfortunately, Jeremy had ordered him to have his ass back in the office by noon. He locked his truck and looked around. Still relatively desolate. A few early joggers and bikers, but where he was going there werent exactly any trails.

He took off down a path, making sure he wasnt observed. Once under the safe cover of a thick cypress stand near the river, he stepped off the trail, far enough into the underbrush he couldnt be spotted.

Lindsey Martinez couldnt wait to get to the park. Shed looked forward to this treat for days. Normally she settled for jogging around her neighborhood, but she was dying to get away from everything.

Tampa was brighter and hotter than she was used to, even though shed been raised there. Five years in Vancouver, Washington, had thickened her blood and dulled her senses. Screw the romance of rainy days and Pacific Northwest rain forests.

It was good to finally be home.

To finally be free.

Shed only been back three weeks and itching to visit one of her favorite places. How many hours had she spent jogging or canoeing or hiking here? Did numbers go that high?

She parked next to a silver Ridgeline and stepped out, misting herself with bug spray. She planned a full morning of walking and jogging and didnt want to be a mosquito smorgasbord in the process. Shed do the Florida trail first, then the River Rapids trail. After that

Lunch.

She locked the car and tucked her key into her pocket. She picked up her MP3 player and popped the earbuds in. Then she hooked it to her waistband, grabbed her bottle of water, and set off on her adventure.

Ivan streaked through the underbrush, his senses in overdrive, his heart pounding. He didnt have time to hunt today, especially here, but he loved tracking. About the only thing worth taking down in this area was the occasional wild pig, but sometimes they fought hard, and he didnt feel like calling Jeremy to come take him to the vet.

Id never hear the end of that. Hed bust my balls forever.

He caught a scent, a deer. Unusual, because they normally stayed on the other side of the park. But hey, gift horse and all that crap, right? He veered off course, hyperextending his long legs, flying over the ground, blurring the brush beside him.

Now this is a run in the woods. Jeremy could have his goddamned treadmill. I dont give a shit what he says. Real wolves run woods.

Lindsey stopped and took a long drink of water. The day grew hotter, but she didnt care. It felt great. No more sweaters and jackets all the freaking time.

She passed a group of three teenage boys, skipping school probably, on one of the paths. Understandable, since shed spent many days skipping school here, too. She ignored them.

Ivan made quick work of the deers trail, an older doe grazing at the edge of the pine woods near the northern park boundary. He crouched downwind, watching. It would be so easy to

He shook his head. Not here. He didnt like taking deer in this area. For one thing, they usually tasted like crap. The last one he caught had the flavor of a freaking tire from grazing on the highway shoulder all the time. The ones up in Ocala, however, melted in his mouth like prime rib. For another, if someone stumbled across the carcass here, it could cause questions. No one cared about wild pigs. They were considered a nuisance species. But if something started taking down deer, people would start asking questions.

And then Jeremy would so be on his ass over it. Especially if it made the news.

He chuffed and growled, scaring the deer. Its head popped up, and it bound away. Ivans amused snort started his tail wagging, and he took a minute to stretch before returning the way hed come. Lots of kinks worked out of his muscles, that was for sure.

Jeremy can have his fucking Starbucks. Nothing jump-started his day like a morning woods run. Fucking pussy. My boss or not, I dont care what he says. I need a good, old-fashioned run..

A glance at the sky, and from the suns position he saw hed probably been out here an hour. Hed need to head to the office and grab a shower before he went back to work. He paused by the rivers edge and drank, enjoying the natural tang. The river wasnt too bad this far from the bay, but he damn sure wouldnt be drinking out of it on two legs.

The whiff of a scent drifted to him, and his head popped up. Nose wrinkling, he tested the air. A woman, not too far away. He had to be careful not to be seen, because off-leash dogs werent allowed in the park.

But maybe a little tracking for fun was in order.

He silently made his way through the undergrowth as he followed her scent. Then he found her, blessedly oblivious to her surroundings because of her music.

Ivans tongue lolled from his mouth, and not from heat exhaustion. She wore running shorts that showed off her great legs. A little on the pale side, like she spent a lot of time indoors, but damn did she smell great. Except forewwbug spray.

He sneezed and froze, but she never heard him.

Ivan padded down the trail after her, staying twenty yards behind, enjoying the view of her hips rolling under the blue fabric of her shorts. She had a gorgeous, tight ass hed love to run his hands over. She didnt smell like she slept with a guy, at least not last night. No trace of a mans scent on her. Her red hair was pulled into a ponytail and hung just below her shoulders, bouncing in lively time with her steps. He bet she had green eyes, but staring at her ass, he couldnt tell.

And what a nice ass she had.

Trim with just the right curves, a pleasure runner, not a marathoner or serious competitor. Just enough meat on her bones to make her fun, not so freaking skinny that she looked like a compilation of toothpicks with tits.

Hmm. Maybe a different kind of hunting trip was in order.

Lindsey felt watched. She paused, looking around, removing the earbuds so she could hear. Nothing but birds, bugs, and distant traffic. She shivered despite the heat. Creepy. Shed never felt like that before.

Hunted.

Okay, Ive been watching too many freaky TV shows lately. Or read one too many vampire romances. This park was safe. Shed never had a problem here, even as a teenager.

Christ, thirty and acting like a baby scared of my own shadow.

She replaced the earbuds and picked up her pace, jogging as she followed the path closer to the river.

Ivan quickly found his bearings and started toward his stashed clothes when he crossed the trail and froze. He picked up the womans scent, and then another, disquieting one.

He glanced around, making sure he was alone, and put his nose to the ground. Three men, together.