in the belly of that cat.”
“Guess you’re one lucky girl,” Grady noted, following Dorian, who was leading them to where they’d left the cougar.
The big cat was much closer to Dorian’s cabin than Amber had previously realized, as everything had seemed like a weird dream up until now. He had been right.
“Here it is,” Dorian said, extending the tips of his fingers downward to the dead cougar.
Grady went up to it and squatted down, leaning over his knees. “Yep… definitely a cougar.” He lifted the cougars head, examining it, and then let it drop. “Neck’s broken.” He looked surprised, staring up at Dorian. “You did this?”
“He sure did!” Amber quickly replied.
Dorian displayed one of his rare (fake), modest moments. “Think I had a rush of adrenaline.” He flashed an amiable grin at Grady and then in Amber’s direction, winking.
Amber wondered how he could be so relaxed and laid back in such a situation.
“Still,” Grady noted, “you must be a powerfully strong fella to snap a big cat’s neck like this.”
“Don’t know how I did it, either…Just chalk it up to adrenaline and luck.”
“Damn lucky!” Grady stood.
“I’ve never seen anyone move so fast!” Amber added. “That cat was in mid-air and Dorian seemed to come out of nowhere and slammed it to the ground.”
Grady cut his eyes around to Dorian. “Really?”
“I wasn’t that fast…And I’m afraid it wasn’t as dramatic as it appeared to her. As I said, I just got lucky.”
“Well…I do know that sometimes things really seem exaggerated in our minds when we witness or experience something traumatic. But thank God you were around!”
“Yeah…I was just mentioning that.” Looking askance at Amber.
Grady stood. “I’m hoping this will put an end to all the mysterious deaths around here lately…That this cougar was the culprit.”
“I hope so, too,” Dorian said without hesitation, having hoped Grady would think that and that Klaus would be more careful.
“Want to help me load this fella in my Jeep?”
“Certainly.” Dorian stepped forward to assist him.
The two men picked up the big cat, Grady at the head and Dorian taking the rear. Amber followed them to the Jeep and opened the back for them. They tossed the cat inside and closed the door. Grady turned to Dorian then. “Guess you’re somewhat of a hero, Dorian. Amber and the community owe you. Of course, it’s my job to protect the wild life…but not a killer…which this one obviously was.”
“Aw…Only doing what anyone else would.”
“Don’t be so modest, Dorian,” Grady smiled strangely. “Most men wouldn’t even come up against one without a rifle… a weapon of some kind. And here you tackled it with your bare hands! Now, I’d say that is really rare.” His expression changed suddenly.
“What?” Dorian asked.
“I know I haven’t known you for very long. Still, you never struck me as being the modest type.”
“I’m not…really.” He grinned charmingly and winked at Amber.
“Okay…then.” Grady glanced at Amber and back at Dorian, probably seeing there was no sense in pushing the matter. He opened his door and slipped inside, tipping his hat to the both of them. “Guess I’ll see you later.”
“Have a good day!” Dorian said.
“Yes…” Amber added.
Grady raised a hand then, bidding them bye, backed out and drove off.
Soon as Grady was out of sight, Amber turned to Dorian. “He’s right, you know. We do owe you…big time!”
He seemed hesitant in taking the compliment from her. “Well…Maybe.”
“Thank you so much,” she said, making herself look straight into those mesmerizing eyes that she suddenly realized were now the color of the sky on a clear day. It was as though they sometimes changed in hue slightly. She could have sworn they were a pale grayish blue.
His pupils did that little shifting thing again. “You are most welcome…” He looked off then, seeming to be aware that he was unnerving her again. “I’ll walk you home…If you’re ready, that is? Not trying to get rid of you.” He gestured with a little curtsy.
“Yes…I certainly should get back…So much I should be doing.”
He flashed a captivating smile and immediately took her arm as though they were a couple, but Amber didn’t protest, and headed her back down the trail.
As they reached her porch, he faced her; his stare was penetrating, pupils doing that thing again. “So now, pretty lady…I will leave you.”
Her legs felt like jelly, so enthralled was she. She hoped the effect he had on her didn’t show. “Thank you…Dorian!”
“You are more than welcome,” he said, and then quickly kissed her cheek, straightened, flashed a huge grin, and turned so briskly that she felt a breeze as he walked away, head held high and shoulders proud.
She stood there momentarily; hand going tentatively to her cheek where his soft lips had touched her skin. She realized her mouth was agape and closed it. He leapt over some brush and disappeared from sight. She managed to make her weak knees take her on into her cabin.
When Dorian reached his cabin, Klaus was gone, nowhere in the vicinity that Dorian could sense. He hoped he could trust the German vampire, but he now had serious doubts. Why was he spying on him and Amber? Had he peeked Klaus’ curiosity by asking him to stay away from Amber? Something he had known was a possibility. Vampires liked challenges, as being immortal went hand ‘n hand with countless hours of boredom. Or had Klaus been merely observing with mild interest? There wasn’t sufficient reason, as yet, to confront him. But he didn’t like it. He’d really have to keep his senses honed in and know where Amber was at all times.
Soon as Paul heard the news, he was beside himself. “You’re positive she’s okay?” he asked Grady, who was now off duty for the rest of the evening and had stopped by to gas up.
Grady looked askance at Paul as he was filling his tank. “I assure you she is fine.”
Paul breathed out. “Thank God!’
“Yep…And you can thank that other newcomer, Dorian Lodovico for that.”
Paul squint his eyes and his chin went down. “Dorian Lodovico?”
“Yeah…She said she never saw anyone move so fast…Claims he slammed into the cougar in mid-air and knocked it down.”
“What?” Paul said, dubiously.
“Not kidding…That’s what she said. And…get this…He snapped that cat’s neck like it was a damn chicken!”
“Seriously?”
“Yep…Saw the damn thing myself… Snapped all right. I know Dorian looks to be in good shape… but he’s slender and not overly muscular. Would have never believed he could be that strong.”
Paul scratched his temple and dropped his hand down. “I guess if the leverage was right…”
“He claims he just got lucky…that it was the adrenalin.”
“Suppose that’s possible, too.”
“Oh well…What’s important…is that she’s okay…alive. And I’m hoping this will put an end to all the killings around here.”
“I certainly hope so, too.”
Just then Judy, having just gotten off the now leaving school bus, walked up with a load of books in her arms. “What you too gabbing about?”
Speaking to her, Grady said, “Paul can tell you…gotta go. Late for supper…Samantha will be upset if she has to leave me another cold meal. See ya later.” He jumped in his Jeep and drove off.
“I’m waiting,” she said, eyeing her brother.
“Ahhh…Seems Amber was almost attacked by a cougar…and that Lodovico fella saved her…killed the cougar.”
“Really?”
“What Grady just told me. Grady wouldn’t lie about something like that.” He looked down at her books. “Got a lot of homework?’
“Yeah…Got to study for a test tomorrow…English. Should have studied this past weekend, but just wa
sn’t in the mood.”
He gave her an I-could-have-told-you-so look and then said, “Okay…Don’t worry about cooking supper. Sally’s here now. She came in early. She can mind the store. And if it’s okay with you? I want to run out and see Amber for a minute…I’ll cook us up some burgers when I get back.”
“Why should I mind?”
“Supper might be a little late.”
“Fine with me…brother.”
“Wipe that smirk off your face. Just concerned about her.”
“Sure, brother.” She laughed lightly. “I’ll get everything ready, veggies and buns. And all you have to do is cook the meat when you get home.”
He wrapped an arm around her and gave her a big hug. “Thanks, little sister.”
“Hey…I’m not so little anymore.”
“You’re right…You’re not.’
She went inside the store then, and he headed for his truck.
Amber, still basking in the glow of having been in Dorian’s presence, so much so, felt guilty when she opened the door to the worried Paul.
“Are you okay?” were the first words out of his mouth.
“Yes…I am…Thanks to Dorian,” she said, letting him take her in his arms and hug her.
“I was bowled over when Grady told me… A cougar! My God! Who’d ever thought…” he pulled back from her then.
“I really am okay, Paul. But thank you for worrying about me.”
She turned then and led him into the kitchen.
“Whew…I know Grady said you were fine…But I just had to see for myself. I hope that’s okay?” He asked, looking at her questioningly.
“Of course…it’s okay. Why wouldn’t it be?”
He shrugged apologetically. “I know we’re just friends…Right now.” There was a look of hope in his eyes.
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