The Keeping

by Nicky Charles

  “I hope you know that you’ve ruined me. I’ll never be able to just point and shoot again with a disposable camera from the drug store.” She laughed up at him as they stood by his truck, their shoulders lightly touching.

  “You won’t be the first woman I’ve ruined.” He quirked a smile at her, but Mel felt her happy mood suddenly sour at the mention of his womanizing ways.

  She stepped back and stuck out her hand. “Well, thank you for your time. Maybe we can continue the interview tomorrow.”

  Ryne looked puzzled. “What’s the matter, Melody?”

  “Nothing’s the matter, and my name is Mel.”

  “No. To me, you’re a Melody.” He ignored her outstretched hand and much to her surprise pulled her into his arms. Once she was pressed flush against him, he questioned her again. “Now what’s wrong? One minute we’re laughing and enjoying ourselves and the next, you’re the ice queen.”

  Mel compressed her lips tightly, reluctant to explain herself, but once again feeling compelled to bow to his wishes. It was strangely annoying, this effect he had on her. Against her will, she found herself explaining. “You mentioned all the women you’ve… er… ruined. And it reminded me that I’m just here for a little while and I have a job to do. Getting too… um… friendly with you is a bad idea.”

  Ryne’s arms tightened around her briefly before letting her go. This time he was the one to step back. Mel immediately missed the contact with him, but pushed the feeling away. Bad Mel, she told herself. You slipped up the other morning, and just now you forgot again, but no more!

  “You’re right. Our getting involved the other morning wasn’t the best idea, but… ” Ryne hesitated, appearing conflicted, almost as if he didn’t want to utter the next idea. “That doesn’t mean we can’t at least enjoy each other’s company, right? There’d be no harm in that. After all, sitting around a table somewhere just asking and answering questions won’t be a lot of fun.” He gave her a half smile and winked.

  No harm. Mel repeated the words inside her head, not sure if she believed them or not. Looking at the man in front of her, there was no way she could conclude he was harmless. Dangerous—yes; harmless—no. But, she did need to finish the interview and it was much more pleasant to have a friendly conversation…

  “I suppose… ” She thought for a moment, then made a face. “You’re right. I was just over-reacting. I guess our little ‘encounter’ yesterday morning threw me off.” Feeling herself flush, she forced herself to continue. “It’s not the sort of thing I usually do.”

  “Really?” Ryne reached out and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. His fingers felt cool against her warm cheek. “I’d never have known. You seem to have a natural talent in that area.”

  Mel blinked at him, processing the comment, totally unsure if she should feel honoured or insulted.

  Ryne gave a short laugh, obviously pleased at having confounded her, and chucked her under the chin before getting into his truck. Once inside, he rolled down the window. “You can keep the camera while you’re here. Play around a bit with the different settings and see what you can do. There’s a cable in the case so you can download any pictures you take onto your laptop.”

  “But won’t you need it?” For the moment, Mel gave up on sorting out her feelings and focused on what he was saying.

  “No. Like I said, it’s my back-up. I hardly ever use it. The batteries are rechargeable, but I put a fresh set in before coming over, so you should be good for a while.”

  “Well, thanks. I appreciate this.” Mel hesitated before asking about seeing him again. “Um… Can we get together again?” Seeing the evil twinkle in his eye, she quickly clarified. “For another interview session that is?”

  “Sure… ” He paused, seeming to think of something. “If I can ask you a question.”

  “What is it?”

  “How did you find me? Here in Stump River, that is. I’ve kept a pretty low profile.”

  Mel swallowed hard. She didn’t want to admit that she’d been watching Kane and Elise at the post office in Smythston and then snooped through the mail. Falling back on a tried and true answer, she smiled nervously. “Reporters never reveal their sources.”

  “What kind of an answer is that?”

  Thinking quickly, she snapped back at him. “It’s came from the same category that ‘I didn’t exist before photography’ did.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “Pure bullshit to avoid answering, in other words.”

  “Worked for you.” Mel raised her brows and inclined her head.

  Ryne grunted then gave what appeared to be a reluctant grin. “I’ll be in town again on Wednesday. I work until four. We could have dinner at The Broken Antler again and talk then.”

  Mel nodded and with a wave of his hand, he drove off.

  Chapter 20

  Ryne pulled up in front of the house and turned off the engine. He made no move to get out; his mind occupied with other more important things, specifically, Melody Greene. For some strange reason, he had difficulty staying focused when he was around her. The real reason he was spending time with her—to keep an eye on what she was doing and to monitor the information she gathered—kept slipping from his mind.

  Unexpectedly, the afternoon had turned out to be fun. Melody was an enthusiastic companion, eager to learn about her new found interest. He chuckled, thinking of how she’d furrowed her brow and bit her lip while absorbing what he told her. Then when she’d snapped a picture and the image appeared on the screen, her delight had lit up her whole face. There was a natural artistic streak within her. When she set up a picture, she seemed to know how to frame the shot and take the best advantage of the light and angles.

  It was also interesting to see how she seemed to have an instinctive affinity to nature. This was surprising in someone who had purportedly grown up almost exclusively in a big city. Yet, the wonder in her eyes when she’d crouched beside him, examining the pattern on leaves and the path of an early ladybug, was real. More than once, he’d caught himself reaching out to grasp her hand as they walked along in companionable silence, soaking in the world around them. He’d enjoyed spending time with her, sharing his passion.

  And speaking of passion, her nearness had stirred him more often than he really cared to admit. Her scent had filled his mind, making it hard to concentrate on taking pictures and explaining photographic theory. In reality, all he wanted to do was to throw her down on the ground and taste her sweet lips one more time. The sex between them had been great and, even though he knew any involvement with her was dangerous, he was eager to experience her once again.

  Maybe it was the element of danger that was drawing him to her. She was like a forbidden fruit and he’d never been one to toe the line any more than he had to. While his logical mind said no, his wolf was telling him yes. Burying himself between her thighs, filling his hands with her curves, tasting her, smelling her; the very idea of Melody was consuming him beyond reason.

  Ryne felt as if there was a battle raging within him. As Alpha, the needs of the pack came first. He knew the law and what was at stake. The actions he might have to take were spelled out clearly. Yet despite this knowledge, his wolf kept urging him towards the woman, pushing all other concerns into the background. What was it that his wolf knew, that he didn’t? Usually, they were of one accord, but now a dichotomy seemed to be developing within him. It was something he had never experienced before and didn’t know how to handle, yet handle it he must. The situation was too crucial. Who knew how many lives were depending on the decisions that he would make over the next few days? Having his mind clouded with lust was unacceptable.

  He clenched the steering wheel and tightened his jaw. When he set out on his own, he knew he wanted to create his own pack, to be Alpha, to use the power within him. Well, now he had his wish and he’d live up to his obligations, no matter what his personal inclinations might be. And so he’d continue to see Melody, answer her questions as slyly as possible, maybe even
bedding her again if he thought it was needed to keep her distracted from what was under her very nose. Then, when he was sure she’d bought his story, he’d send her on her way.

  ‘But what if she doesn’t ‘buy your story’ and keeps poking around?’ The wolf inside, questioned him angrily. ‘What will you do then?’

  Shaking his head, Ryne growled at himself. “Whatever it takes,” he answered back. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”

  With that, he climbed out of the truck and slammed the door shut. Bryan and Daniel were inside supposedly installing the cabinets that arrived this morning. He’d better see how they were doing. They meant well, but enthusiasm didn’t always translate to solid construction.

  *****

  Ryne spent the rest of the day, and most of the next, helping with the installation of the cabinets followed by new countertops and a sink. By the time the job was finished, the kitchen looked considerably improved; the tempers of the three men, however, were not. The walls of the old house were less than plum and there had been considerable trimming and shimming required—a tedious and frustrating process at the best of times—before the job was complete.

  Standing in the room surrounded by the scent of new wood and the gleam of marble countertops, Ryne knew it had been worth it. This was a kitchen suitable for his vision of the future. He could see it filled with pack members; some lounging at the breakfast bar, others busy at the stove. It would be loud and friendly—.

  “Hey Ryne, Bryan and I are heading up to the Broken Antler for dinner and some fun. Armand has a pool tournament arranged. Want to come along?” Daniel popped his head through the door way, still buttoning his shirt and obviously fresh from the shower.

  Glancing down at himself, Ryne recognized his own need to clean up. Bits of sawdust still clung to his pants and pricked his skin where it stuck in the sweat of his chest and arms. “Nah. I still have to get cleaned up and then I want to go for a run.” He shrugged his shoulders and stretched his arms, feeling the tightness of his muscles. The work in the house was taxing, but still not enough to ease the tension within him.

  “Suit yourself. If you change your mind, come in to town later.”

  “I might, but if I don’t, behave.”

  Daniel rolled his eyes and laughed. “Don’t we always?”

  “No.”

  “True, but it’s more fun that way.”

  Ryne faked a growl back at him, then shook his head as the boy turned on his heels, and hurried out. It was good to see the kid loosen up a bit once in awhile. Daniel was far more serious than Ryne had ever been at that age.

  Scratching his chest, he grabbed a broom and began the tedious task of cleaning up sawdust, discarded nails, scraps of lumber and bits of packing materials. The other two would have helped if he’d asked, but he didn’t mind the time alone. Besides, they’d worked hard the past two days, and deserved some kind of a break.

  He heard the door slam as his companions left, laughing about their plans for the night. Soon the sound of a vehicle starting floated inside followed by the crunch of gravel as it began to move down the driveway. Ryne paused in his sweeping and listened until the sound faded into the distance, then sighed and resumed his task. The house echoed with silence now that they were gone, the faint scrape of the broom against the floor the only sound. It was both calming and lonely, if such a combination actually existed.

  For a moment Ryne regretted turning down their offer, but other thoughts weighed too heavily on his mind to make him a suitable companion for the night. He still hadn’t told Bryan and Daniel about his concerns over Melody. They viewed her as a delightful little pest and had given him no end of teasing about her while working on the cupboards. Good naturedly, he gone along with them. There was no use giving them cause to worry when nothing might come of it. If the need arose, then he’d inform them.

  Giving the kitchen a last glance, he propped the broom and dustpan in the corner, then headed towards his bathroom to take a shower. He’d get cleaned up, then take a run around the perimeter of the property to check for signs of intruders. If he planned his route properly, he’d end up just a mile or so from Melody’s cabin, not that he intended to stop by, he assured himself. No, last night during the sleepless hours he’d spent tossing and turning, he’d come to the conclusion that his association with the woman had to be short and sweet. He’d give her the briefest of answers on Wednesday, declare that he was through, and send her packing. It was the safest course of action for all involved.

  *****

  Mel sat in her cabin staring blankly at the computer screen, waiting for it to download the pictures that she’d taken with Ryne the previous day. She frowned at the screen wondering why it was taking so long; there seemed to be a lot more pictures in the file than she thought there should be. Idly she wiped a bit of dust from the screen with her finger, contemplating the fact that she really should buy one of those little laptop cleaning kits when she got back to Chicago. Maybe she’d check out Brown’s General store when she was in town tomorrow—for such a backwoods type of location, it did seem to have quite a varied product line. Adding that to her mental to-do list, she glanced at the screen and sat up straight, a look of anticipation spreading across her face. Ah, the pictures were done downloading.

  Disconnecting the camera from the laptop, she put the cable away and tucked the camera back into its carrying case, mindful of the fact that it was just a loan. Then, turning back to the computer, she found her picture file and began to scroll through, looking for her nature shots, anxious to see how they’d turned out. Scanning down the menu, she found the proper folder and opened it up. A bubble of happiness grew within her as she examined the fruits of her labours. Darn, but the pictures weren’t half bad!

  After going through the photos twice, she gave herself a congratulatory pat on the back. For a beginner, she felt she’d done pretty well and was eager to show Ryne how they’d turned out. Hmm… Maybe she’d even take a few more on her own and surprise him with how well she’d remembered what he taught her. Glancing at her watch, she saw that it was only four o’clock—plenty of time to go for a walk, snap a few pictures and be back home before dark.

  Closing the folder with her pictures, she noticed another folder just above it. Now what had she put in that one? She really did need to sit down one day and organize her hard drive with proper labels, she muttered to herself. Quickly clicking the folder open, she scanned the contents. That was strange—she didn’t remember taking any of these pictures. Huh… and who were those people? As her finger hovered on the mouse, she suddenly realized that these must be pictures Ryne had taken and never erased from the chip. She’d accidentally downloaded them with her own. Well, she’d just delete them later, she decided, pushing away from the table without further thought. She wanted to get outside and take more photos while the light was still good. Chuckling, she thought of the phrase she had just used—‘while the light was still good’ made her sound like she really knew what she was doing.

  Grabbing the camera and her coat, she headed outside. From the top of the step, she surveyed her surroundings, considering which direction to head. Hmm… There was a stream not far away; Beth had told her about it. Thinking it might provide an interesting bit of subject material, she headed that way.

  A half an hour later, she sat crouched beside the stream, tired from her hike—these people had no concept of ‘not far away’—but pleased with what she was seeing. Recent rain had swelled what she’d been told was a small lazy stream, into a swiftly moving waterway that could almost be dubbed a river. Still, the location provided a number of possibilities and Mel spent quite a bit of time trying to capture images of water drops splashing upwards around rocks and partially submerged bits of log. Occasionally a leaf or bit of grass would go floating by, twirling in the current and bobbing up and down.

  Feeling adventuresome, Mel carefully picked her way along of set of makeshift stepping stones that led almost to the middle of the stream. The water and b
its of mud that had washed up onto them, made them somewhat slippery, but she was confident in her ability to keep her balance. After all, she could walk on four inch heels. This couldn’t be that much trickier, could it?

  Placing each foot carefully on a relatively flat surface, she bent forward, intent on taking a picture of an old weathered log. The water was eddying around it, and the light danced off the surface, shimmering like so many diamonds. It would make a lovely shot.

  Slowly she bent her knees to get the proper angle, then she framed the shot in the view finder. Yep, that was it. She snapped a few pictures, before shifting the camera ninety degrees to get a different angle. Even better. Zooming in, she focused on a leaf that was momentarily caught on the edge of the log and, when it finally worked its way free, she stood to watch its progress as it moved down stream. A slight movement to the right had her swinging her head to the side. There at the base of a pine tree sat the largest wolf she’d ever seen. It was as black as the night except for intense blue eyes that seemed to stare right through her.

  “Oh my gosh!” She gave a startled cry and instinctively stepped backwards, remembering too late that there was nothing to step back onto. The stomach lurching sensation of falling filled her as she tipped backwards barely having time to utter a cry before her head submerged. Icy coldness wrapped itself around her, her clothing quickly becoming saturated and heavy, tugging her down towards the bottom of the stream. At the last second, she thought to keep her hand up in the air attempting to save the camera from a watery grave.

  The soft, silt of the river bottom cradled her body for but a second then something hard grabbed at her arm and hauled her upward. Her head broke the surface and she gasped, coughing and sputtering as her lungs sought to simultaneously inhale oxygen and expel water.