Erisha started her bike, and without switching on the headlight, gunned the engine.

'There! Jesus, he's got a bike! And someone's with him!'
The two men were stunned to see a bike come out of the clearing, and onto the road.
'I'll catch you, you bastard!'

One of them ran back to the house, presumably to get their bike, and that earned Erisha enough time to put on her headlight and race across the street.
Treyton kept looking back, as she put the machine on full throttle and rode away.
'Faster! Faster!'
He urged her.

But the men were just as quick, and soon enough, a light from behind was following them.
There was the sound of a shot, as one of the men fired at them.

'Verdammt! Move fast, woman!'
Treyton shouted to her.

'I'm trying!'
She shouted back at him.

They raced across the otherwise dark and silent countryside, two bikes, in full speed.
As another shot whizzed past, Erisha shifted gears, to move out of the way.

'Take over the driving!'
She told him suddenly, as they turned on to a dark street, and she decreased her speed.

'What?'
He looked at her doubtfully.

'Take over the driving, I said!'
Erisha said over her shoulder.

'I heard you, but why?'
Treyton took hold of the handlebars from behind her, and watched stupefied, as Erisha half stood up, while the bike was still running.
'What the hell are you doing, you crazy woman?'
He shouted at her, but she was not even listening.

'Keep driving!'
She somehow swung her legs around on the seat, coming face to face with Treyton.

'Who the hell are you?'
He looked and felt absolutely baffled, as her chest hit his.
Damn it woman!
'Are you a spy or stuntwoman on the side or something?'
He tried keeping his concentration on the road, finding it a tad difficult, with her breasts brushing his chest, as she looked beyond him.

She actually chuckled at that.
'I wish! But I used to do gymnastics in school..'
She looked at the men's bike closing near them.

'I can see that!'

'I wasn't very good at it though..'

His eyes widened in shock, as another shot rang in the air.
'You are absolutely mad!'

'I may be, but I don't want to be dead meat! Keep your eyes on the road!'

With that, he watched astounded, as Erisha took out the gun from her pocket.

'I'm getting surer by the minute that I'm stuck with a lunatic! What the hell are you doing?'
Treyton was losing his mind.

'Don't you ever watch action movies?'

'What? Don't tell me you are a fan!'
He rolled his eyes, as he tried to keep his eyes on the road, while taking all this in.

'Oh, absolutely! And I've seen this situation..'

'That was a movie! This is life!'

The sound of another gunshot made him pick up more speed.
He saw Erisha lift the gun, and point it towards the men following them.
He almost swerved the bike sideways, as Erisha fired a shot back at them, the vibration shaking them.

'Oh my God!'
She screamed, and Treyton's heart almost stopped.

'Erisha. ERISHA!'
He shouted, then turned his head to look at her, when she didn't answer.
'Dammit, I..'

'I hit their bike!'
She sounded so incredulous, that Treyton slowed down their speed, and stopped the Harley with a screech, to look back.

'Holy!'
He sounded just as astounded as she did, when he saw that she was right.
The goons had fallen over, along with their bike, and were just trying to get up.
'You said you didn't know how to do this!'
He looked back at her, his eyes accusing.

'Call it beginner's luck!'
She was grinning delightedly, and he couldn't move his gaze away from her lit up face.
He almost groaned out loud, however, when she unknowingly rubbed herself against him, almost hugging him.
'I stopped them..let's move!'
She moved back to look at him, when he didn't respond.
He was just staring at her, as if trying to figure her out.
'Earth to Treyton!'
She waved her hands in front of his face, the gun still in her hand.

'Hunh!'
Treyton was a bit perplexed. He didn't know if this was the real Erisha, so animated, so lively, or the one David had told her about, a conniving, lying cheat.
'What?'
He looked at her.

'Maybe I should take over the driving! I really don't want to die here..'
She gestured around at the dark, lonely road, and then at the men who had started to run towards them now.
'If you do, you are free to stay..I'd rather go home, and soak in a hot tub..'

The images that created in his head, was another thing altogether.
Good God! What is wrong with me? It has to be all the sleep deprivation these past days..nothing else! Yeah!
He quickly started the bike, and Erisha began to report on the men's progression, as they huffed and puffed towards them.

Ofcourse, on foot, the men couldn't do much, and they soon lost them, as Treyton reached the highway.
Treyton stopped the bike, so Erisha could sit behind him, before driving off again.
Seeing a few vehicles pass by, it was a relief to know that they could get help if needed. Because, Treyton knew the men must have called David by now, and he might have sent reinforcement to find him again.

'You okay?'
Erisha broke into his thoughts.
'I'll do the rest of the driving..'

'No, I'm good!'

His voice rumbled against her chest, making her aware of his closeness, and his male body, now that the adrenalin rush was over.
She rolled her eyes at her thoughts.
'I think you need to eat, and rest..let's stop at..'

'NO!'
His refusal was a bit forceful, so that she stopped.
'I mean, we can't just stop anywhere. Those men must have informed Huber already..I can't..'
He stopped mid sentence, suddenly remembering that Erisha was Huber's employee? and he might be falling into another trap.
'I'll just get dropped off at my place..'
Just then, he felt another bout of dizziness, and the bike swerved almost dangerously.

'Treyton! You okay? Stop the bike!'
Treyton had really no choice, and stopped it.
Erisha immediately got off and caught hold of him.
'Look at yourself! You are so weak..you haven't had food in God knows how long, you need rest..'

'You are right! Just drop me at my penthouse..Gordon will attend to my needs..'
He looked exhausted.

'Okay..'
Erisha shrugged and got back on the bike, taking the driver's seat.
Treyton didn't argue with her, testimony to how tired and weak he was actually feeling.
Erisha made a sudden decision, and rode off.

They had reached the main city by now, and the regular hustle bustle of a Viennese evening could be seen.
Treyton didn't mutter a word, but held on to her, as she maneuvered the bike through the traffic.
It was only when she turned towards the train station, did he react.

'This is not the way to..'

'I know that..'

'Then, why are you..'

'Hold your comments, okay? We are almost there..'
With that, Erisha turned into her street, and only stopped when she had reached her parking area.

'I'll just call my driver..'

'Yeah, sure..'
Erisha indulged him, as she waited for him to get off, and follow her.
As she lifted a hand to help, he gave her a look.

'I'm fine! Stop treating me like an invalid..'

'Okay, fine!'
She lifted both her hands.
'Sorry, for trying to help..'
She muttered, as she walked ahead of him.

Treyton hadn't wanted to come here, back to the place where they had lost themselves in each other..but then she had unceremoniously kicked him out.
Plus, after hearing how she had helped David, he had wanted to throw all those accusations at her.
But somehow, maybe because he wasn't himself right now, he had let her help him out of that hell hole.
And he didn't know why, but he felt..he didn't know how he felt, at being brought here, but he wasn't able to protest much.
So, he followed her quietly to where she stood waiting for the elevator.

Erisha kept glancing at him, not being able to gauge his mood. He was quiet, which wasn't very like him.
But Erisha herself was a bit flustered.
Had she done the right thing, by bringing him here? Especially, after what had happened the last time he had been here...

As the elevator rode up, and they reached her apartment door, both were quiet, a tensed atmosphere having risen between them.
Erisha switched on the lights, and shut the door after letting him in.
Involuntarily, both their gazes went to the wall next to the door, and immediately to each other. Something flickered in Erisha's eyes, and Treyton's mirrored it. But, just as quickly, they both looked away.

'Uhm..I'll just go get you something to eat..'

'Can I use your phone?'

The both spoke at once, to dispel the sexual tension that had suddenly taken over.

'Why don't you eat something first? You can call then..'
Erisha looked at a point beyond him, not ready to meet his eyes again.

'Okay..'

'Why don't you go freshen up? I'll just fix some sandwiches..do you have any preference..cold cuts, chicken, cheese?'
Erisha blabbered on.

'No! Anything would do..where do I go? The powder room?'
He pointed to the door next to her kitchen, and they both remembered him hiding in it.
When David had arrived..

'Uhm..that's kind of small..you can go to the one in my room...'
Her voice trailed off, as he gave her a pointed look.
'Yeah..that door on the left..'

Treyton shrugged, and she saw him disappear inside the open door of her bedroom. Springing into action, Erisha hurried to her refrigerator.

Treyton entered her bedroom, and paused at the threshold.
Erisha's room...
It was a beautiful room, kind of like it's owner.
Cream coloured bedsheets covered the wrought iron bed in the centre, with coloured cushions for a splash of colour.
A dresser lined one wall, with makeup and cosmetics, a shelf on one end full of more books, like those he had seen in her living room. The same colour continued in the curtains that draped the window on one wall, a small window seat covered with more coloured cushions, right below it.
He could easily imagine Erisha sitting there, reading a book, drinking coffee..
The bedside lamps were on, providing a very romantic feel to the room.

Who is this woman? A smart antiques dealer by day, has a wild side when she drives a Harley-Davidson, watches action movies..saves men from crooks..and yet..still so feminine..

The sound of something falling outside, jerked him into the present, and he realised he had been standing there doing nothing but looking.
He quickly turned, and opened the bathroom door.
His gaze went straight to the tub in the corner, and his thoughts went back to her comment about taking a long soak in it.
Get with it, Treyton!
He hurried to the sink.

Erisha finished making the sandwiches and coffee, and placed them on the table in her open kitchen.
She looked towards her bedroom, but Treyton still hadn't come back out.
She sat and waited, taking a sip of her coffee.
When half an hour had passed since his going in there, she frowned. Then suddenly got up.
What if he got dizzy again, and fell down? Damn! Why didn't I think of that before?
Erisha scurried over to her room, expecting the worst.

Going straight to the bathroom door, she knocked softly.
'Treyton! You okay in there?'
She knocked again, but there was no reply.
Her heart began to race, and she tried the handle. It was open.
She mentally rolled her eyes for breaking into Treyton's privacy, but the thought of him lying on the floor, God forbid, fainted or more, had her push open the door and take a look.
She was surprised to see that the bathroom was empty.
What the?
Where did he go??
Erisha turned to leave, her hand on the door, and froze at her spot, a gasp leaving her lips.

For Treyton was sprawled face down on her bed, naked, except for a towel wrapped around his waist, fast asleep.

To be continued...