Free Hunter Bear: BBW Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance (Enforcer Bears Book 2) by Zoe Chant Page A

gravity pulling at both of them. Amid a shower of gravel and rocks, they rapidly slid down a steep incline.
    For several seconds, there was nothing but the terrifying sensation of speed and bruising rocks. It was completely dark down there. Cleo's hand was still in his own as they hurtled downward.
    Don't let go. Don't let go, his bear was roaring at him, furious and frightened for their mate.
    Then the ground dropped away beneath them, and they fell once more, with no stones or walls to clutch at.

Chapter Five
Cleo
     
    Cleo was screaming. She heard her voice echo in the darkness as she fell. Her fingers still held on to Steven's hand, gripping him so tightly that her fingers hurt, and she clenched them further, holding on to the only thing she had left in the darkness...
    And then they hit water.
    With a loud splash, they plummeted into a lake. Instinct made her kick her feet even as gravity pulled them deep into the water. She held her breath, using both legs and her arm now to fight her way back up towards the air, but she still held on to Steven.
    She could feel his body working next to hers, his powerful limbs struggling against the weight of the water—until they finally broke the surface.
    Air!
    Cleo gasped for breath, sputtering and coughing. Everything was dark. She still couldn't see anything.
    "Are you all right?" Steven asked hoarsely.
    Then his arms came around her, and Cleo clutched at him, shock driving tears into her eyes.
    "I'm... I think I am," she gasped. "Oh God, where are we?"
    "Don't let go.” Steven’s voice was rough. “Whatever happens, don’t let go! We can't get parted in here!"
    Steven's hand brushed her cheek, then clenched around her hand once more. Together, they began to swim, moving very slowly in the darkness.
    The sensation was terrifying. Cleo kept reaching out with her hand to make sure that they weren't swimming into any rocks. Everything was black. The thought of the jaguar silently waiting for them in the darkness made her shiver, but the water was so cold that soon, the only thought left was the need to escape this underground lake.
    Eventually, her searching hands encountered stone.
    "Careful," Steven said breathlessly.
    They clung to the edge of the lake for a moment, gathering their strength. Finally, moving very slowly, they dragged their aching bodies onto the rocks they had found.
    Shivering, Cleo immediately curled into Steven's embrace.
    Everything was silent. The darkness surrounding them seemed impenetrable. How far had they fallen? How deep below the earth were they?
    "Oh God," she whispered again, the shock finally retreating enough that she realized the full horror of their situation. "We're lost in the darkness, and there's a wild jaguar somewhere in here with us!"
    Steven's arms tightened around her. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. His strong hands rubbed her back as she shivered miserably in his arms.
    "We might be lost, but we're together in this,” he said, his voice echoing eerily. “And the jaguar didn't fall. It's still somewhere above."
    Cleo tried to shift even closer, then groaned. Her entire body felt sore.
    "I'm bruised all over," she muttered. Her hips ached where they rested on the cold stone, and her entire left shoulder was sore from sliding down the incline.
    "We'll get out of here,” Steven promised. His lips brushed against her cheek, cold from the water, but still comforting.
    She sighed softly and tried to move even closer. For long minutes, they rested against each other, trying to get their breath back.
    It still seemed unreal. The excitement of their little treasure hunt had turned to horror so quickly.
    "Do you think that jaguar was waiting for us?" Cleo finally asked.
    Steven's hand stroked up to her nape, playing with the strands clinging to her wet skin.
    "I don't think so," he said slowly. "We must have surprised it. Remember, I've been tracking it for a while, and I always lost its trail in the water? I'm thinking that we