Smiling to herself, she shook her head. The man was simply visiting for a while, taking care of a sick father, and then he would disappear as quickly as he’d appeared on Mystic Mountain. But there was no harm in having a little fun while he was here. And she needed the diversion.
Desperately!
She’d awakened after only a couple of hours of sleep, completely depressed. That had never happened to her as far as she could remember. She’d always slept soundly and then greeted each new day with enthusiasm, barely able to wait to get started on whatever she had planned to try. But she’d felt an overwhelming sadness instead, which also never happened. The decision to quit trying to conjure seemed to take her drive to function as well, making her even more upset than she’d expected to be about giving up on the craft. Why she hadn’t just looked at it as another in a long line of opportunities to try again, like she always had before, and then moved on to the next experiment? These thoughts played through her mind while she’d gotten out of bed, dressed, eaten a few carrots for breakfast, and then had nothing else to do but stare at the walls.
Never having felt so lost before, Dia had done the unthinkable. She’d straightened and cleaned her one-room lodge completely. Nary a stitch of clothing laid across the footboard of her bed and not one dirty glass sat in the small sink in the corner that made up her kitchen. Dust, which she normally considered irrelevant, had suddenly become the enemy and was fought and defeated. It wasn’t until she’d gotten the text to check on her new neighbor that she’d not only felt a spark of interest, but was filled with exuberant excitement.
Great-Uncle Frank had made a point of making sure she, not he, given his advanced age and all, was checking in on their guest, to make sure he felt at home. When she’d responded that she’d checked on him the night before, she’d been asked to do so again this morning. What was particularly funny, other than the instant pleasure she’d felt, was the elderly American Indian was as spry as a teenager and rarely left anything to anyone else.
Knowing his mystical abilities, Dia wondered if Great-Uncle Frank hadn’t foreseen her need of distraction, perhaps a touch of excitement for something other than the gift she would never have. If that was the case, she’d have to thank him. To think about something other than ignoring her locked shed was a must. However, now that she’d come over and had gotten another much clearer in the daylight look at her new neighbor, she was actually jittery with nerves.
“Do I need a jacket?”
Dia blinked, realizing she’d been staring into space, then nodded. She could only hope the sudden thrill-chill giving her goose bumps didn’t show on her face. “A light one, maybe. The mountain is cool this early in the morning, especially at this elevation. But we can shed them later if we have to, once the sun is higher. Though you’ll definitely need one until we get out of the forest. With all the tall pines, it rarely gets all that warm here at ground level.”
Ryan looked her up and down with a slight grin on his lips before he returned to his suitcase to close it. “Let me run this upstairs. I’ll be right back down.”
Dia bit her bottom lip as she appreciated the view of his jeans-clad gluteus while he made his way up the ladder-like steps. Though he had the face of a mathematician, his body was that of an amateur athlete, and she liked the combination. Very much in fact. Grinning to herself, she waited and, from the sounds coming from above, figured he was taking the time to make his bed and put away his clothes.
How cute.
From the look of things, other than the half-finished bottle of orange juice, and the wrapper he’d taken off one of the muffins her mom had made for the gift basket, he hadn’t settled in at all. Which made sense, given his decision to leave. But now that he was staying, and since it was basically her fault he was, she knew she’d need to find a way to make him as comfortable as possible. And keep herself too busy to get depressed again in the meantime.
And yes, find out what this strange pull she felt for him was.
He returned with a smile, wearing a jacket that looked appropriate given their plans. He made his way to the little island and lifted the cellophane wrapper and carried it to the small garbage can sitting at the edge of the sink. And took another minute to wipe down the countertop while he downed the small bottle of juice, then disposed of it too, before shaking the towel out over the trash can.
Dia watched him, wondering if she’d been wrong. Maybe he was a neat freak after all. But that was okay, too. In fact, she couldn’t think of a thing about him that didn’t tug at her. Which was confusing to say the least. “You have dish cloths. They’re in a drawer.”
He looked from her to the sink and lifted the hand towel and looked at it with a frown. “What do I do with this?”
Dia smiled. He really was cute. “Just hang it back on the stove handle, and when we get back I’ll take it with me to wash.”
“Oh, okay.” After doing as he was instructed, he grinned at her. “Do I rebuild the fire before we go?”
Dia looked at the hearth. She hadn’t noticed the banked fire or how chilly the room was until now. “No, I’ll show you where everything is, and we’ll get it done as soon as we get back.”
Ryan nodded. “Okay, I’m ready, but let’s check out that generator before we go. That way I’ll know what to do with it later. I definitely don’t want to take another cold shower.”
Dia would have kicked herself if she wouldn’t look foolish doing it. She should have taken care of it all the night before. “I’m so sorry I should have helped get you settled in much better than I did last night. I promise I’ll show you everything you need to know to keep the cabin warm at night, and the water hot for whenever you need it.”
Chapter Three
Having his arms around a beautiful woman first thing in the morning was every man’s dream, and Ryan couldn’t believe he’d not only awakened from a dream filled with her touch, he was now actually with her. Her scent was as intoxicating as her features, and her zest for life was something he’d never before known. The world he lived in, when he bothered to socialize, was filled with serious people who did serious things all day to achieve a serious goal. She seemed to be a free spirit, one who could declare herself on vacation, and one who loved speed and flying over boulders in the wildest terrain he’d ever been in.
It was amazing to look ahead and see nothing but forest in their path, but she somehow knew exactly where to go for them to continue on their journey without hitting a tree he was certain was in front of them only seconds before. At first his heart had lodged in his throat, but as time went on, he realized she was as good as any of those racecar drivers he envied when secretly watching NASCAR in his youth.
When she finally pulled to a stop, they were beside a wide stream. She turned to him and smiled. “Let’s take a break here and I’ll show you the magic of this place.”
The word magic took a little joy from the moment, but he knew he had two choices. He could let his father’s irrational mind ruin this time for him, or he could pocket those thoughts until later, when he planned to once again enter the room of the delusional.
There was no choice to make. His father was a stranger in every sense of the word. And though he felt the need to help Clayton in any way he could, there was no way he would ever believe the tales his father had told with such conviction. That would make him as crazy as his sire.
Ryan rose from the seat and took Dia’s hand when she held it out. She swung her leg over and they stood side by side. He smiled at her, and she smiled back, and he was certain he’d never had a more perfect moment in his life.
“This is beautiful. Like a painting. I didn’t expect green grass and shrubbery this early in the year.”
Dia smiled. “This place is always green, though the ground cover is mostly moss here. The stream never runs dry or stops running, even when it gets cold enough for a layer of ice to form on top. That only happens in the dead of winter. What you see is the main water artery that runs from the top of the mo
untain down to the lake below. We call her Neolia, as she brings new life to any who drink her waters.” Dia’s brows pulled together before she looked up at him and smiled like she’d made a joke. “I don’t know why I’m telling you all this. It’s…you know, folk lore.”
Though he didn’t know what she was talking about, he nodded. “That’s a pretty name.”
Dia nodded. “Yeah, um, well, come see what she holds.”
She took his hand and led him closer to the stream. He grinned as he glanced down to their clasped hands, wondering if she even realized how unusual it was for someone to be touched so casually, on such short acquaintance. Or maybe it was just him. Women didn’t take his hand to lead him anywhere, ever. If his nose wasn’t stuck in a technology book, he was calculating reactivity equators in his quest to build either the video games that had made him a rich man or the game system he knew would take the market by storm. Making him even wealthier. Not that he minded her ease with him, at all. As firsts went, this one was pretty exciting. He curled his fingers loosely and was rewarded with a slight squeeze.
As hard as it was to pull his attention from her touch, he forced himself to follow her lead when they stopped by pristine water, so clear he could see the multitude of fish following its path, as well as the mossy bottom that looked rather deep for a stream. They squatted down together and she released his hand, to cup hers together. She dipped them in, then brought the water to her lips and sipped. She made a sound of pleasure and closed her eyes as if the simple act of drinking was a sensual experience. For several seconds he just watched her, so taken with her beauty he could barely breathe. When she opened her eyes and looked at him, his heart tripped, as they matched the kaleidoscope eyes of her in his dream. As soon as his mind registered the oddity, her irises were back to sky blue, and he knew he was mistaken. She dipped her cupped hands in again before holding them out to him.
“Try it. It’s the purest water on earth.”
Ryan looked from her to the stream again, his confusion stumbling over his desire to please her. Though he would never consider drinking from a waterway, because of all the minute germs that could live within it, he debated briefly but then knew he couldn’t disappoint her. Touching his lips to the side of her palm sent a jolt through him, but he tried not to react as he sipped. As if the initial shock weren’t enough, a surge of energy built throughout his muscles as the water slid down his throat. When he was done, he almost felt dizzy and looked at her, torn between wonder and trepidation.
“That’s…strange.”
“What is?” she asked softly, her eyes studying him intently.
“The energy. Didn’t you feel it?”
Dia gasped. “You felt it?”
Ryan nodded, as they rose to their feet. “How is that possible? What’s in that water…besides fish?”
Dia swallowed and stared at him as if afraid to answer. She sighed and looked around behind them, into the forest, seeming concerned they might be overheard. She turned to him again, and though her gaze seemed cautious, she answered anyway.
“I don’t know. I’ve never followed it to its origins. That is a secret, sacred place of my uncle Tom’s people. No one is allowed to go there but him and his father. They are the tribal and spiritual leaders of their people. My mom says one day his sons, my triplet cousins, will be taken there to…” She shook her head. “But anyway, isn’t it, um, cool?” she finished, rather lamely.
Ryan frowned, concerned by her sudden reserve. He wanted to ask what it was that she hadn’t finished saying, but she looked as confused as he felt. So he sought a safer course. “The old man who rented me the cabin. He is the local tribal leader?”
Dia nodded. “Yes… He’s very wise. Um…and quite a good story teller.”
She giggled, but it sounded strained and didn’t quite ring true. He cleared his throat, wanting information, but not wanting to scare her off. “Tell me his story about the water.”
Dia’s eyes were large as she stared at him. “It’s just Indian folklore. And I barely remember, um…uh, I remember the story.”
Ryan tried not to let his confusion show. It was almost as if she was telling him things against her will. He smiled, hoping she would relax, completely perplexed by her agitation.
“Tell me anyway, please. I love hearing about regional folklore. I rarely watch television, but when I do, it’s to discover things like this. My mother brought me up watching the Public Broadcasting Station.” He grinned at himself. “But I snuck in unacceptable viewing when she was at work.”
After a slight hesitation, Dia nodded. “Well, let’s see… When we were little, Great-Uncle Frank told us Neolia was born of Mother Mountain millennia ago, when the earth’s plates fought for dominion over each other. When what is now called the Appalachians were formed by the plates buckling over each other in battle for supremacy, the Great Spirit became angry with their foolishness. He feared the mountain range would continue to grow in length and also eventually reach the heavens. And man, being man, would invade and desecrate the city of God.
“So he sent a giant bolt of lightning to the center of Mystic Mountain, as it was already taller than all the rest. It went all the way through each layer of rock until it reached the water far below the earth’s crust. Because of the heat of the lightning, hot water spewed up as a geyser for hundreds of years, then it cooled and continuously ran down the mountain until it created a lake at the base.
“Many hundreds of years more passed, and the weight of the water broke through the rock separating the lake from the mountain’s underwater cavern. And to this day, the water runs in a circle from the lake, up through the mountain, and then back down Neolia and her veins, to the lake again.
“Great-Uncle Frank says it’s The Circle of Life. Each time the lake waters run back up the mountain for another trip they are purified and chilled again, so Neolia is considered to have given new life to the water as well as….”
“As well as what?”
Dia bit her bottom lip before speaking. “As well as those who drink it. Of course, that’s just what Great-Uncle Frank and his people believe.”
Ryan nodded, liking the story, but more fascinated that he actually felt stronger and more alert than he ever had before. He pushed his glasses back up his nose, just realizing they’d slipped, and then removed them when they seemed dirty. He unzipped his jacket and wiped them on the tail of his shirt, and then put them back on. But wiping them made no difference. He tried wiping them again, but the result was the same. Irritated, he glanced up to find Dia watching him, and he nearly jumped. Not because she was so close, but because he could see her clearly.
“What is it?” she asked, concern marring her features.
Ryan shook his head. “Uh, I don’t know… I think my sight is clearer.” He looked beyond her, but he still had trouble seeing distances clearly, although he’d swear that had improved as well. “Well, up close anyway.” He looked back at her, bewildered.
Dia’s eyes were large and her face was frozen as if she didn’t know what to say. Slowly she looked from him to the glasses in his hand, her frown deepening.
“Well, isn’t that interesting.”
Ryan didn’t know how to respond to that. Though it wasn’t totally clear as far as distance, up close, at least as far as Dia was standing, his sight was as pristine as the water he’d drank. Which was actually very cool. He glanced back down at the stream and then at her. “Do you think it’s possible that drinking the water did that?”
Dia shrugged, though she looked seriously concerned now. He hated seeing her beautiful face tight like that, so he changed the subject. “So tell me more about this place. Have you always lived here?”
Relief eased her features a little, and she nodded slowly. “Yes. My entire family does for the most part. There are quite a few of us.”
“Since you are clearly not, it must be another branch that are Native American?”
Dia nodded again, but it seemed her discomfort extend
ed to talking about her family. He couldn’t blame her. He had no interest in talking about his. He was about to find another topic to discuss, but, surprisingly, she answered him.
“Yes. My mom’s sister, Destiny, married Tom who is a Native Son, and they had triplet sons.”
“Wow, triplets are rare.”
Dia inhaled before biting her bottom lip. He got the impression their conversation was making her irritated, yet, instead of telling him to mind his own business, she laughed a little.
“Not in my family. They are actually quite common. But enough about me, are you ready to ride some more?”
Though he didn’t know why, he felt relieved for her. She seemed to need an excuse to stop talking. Ryan opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out when he spotted blurry movement behind her. He slowly slid his glasses back on and gasped as he stared past Dia’s head. He let his glasses slide down, and then he glanced down at her. “Don’t move. There’s a huge wolf right behind you,” he whispered.
Dia swung around, and he grabbed her to pull her against him while keeping his eyes on the wolf. He was certain Dia could feel his heart beating frantically at her back, but instead of sharing his fear she emitted a little laugh of pleasure, and then struggled from his arms to take a step forward. The wolf sat down, its tail wagging.
Ryan shoved his glasses up and held his breath as she approached it, disbelieving when she reached out to scratch behind its ears. She turned back to him with a smile. “This is Jaspon. He patrols the mountain with his pack.” She turned back to the wolf. “Jaspon, this is Ryan. He’s a friend.”
The wolf barked once and Ryan would swear it was a greeting if asked. He nodded, not ready to take the chance he would get a hand bitten by moving forward to join her next to the big male. He glanced between her and the animal, wondering if perhaps he was still dreaming. It was the only possible explanation to her being with him in the first place. Never mind the magic water that made him feel like a superhero, the improved sight, and a friendly wolf in the wild.
Unforgettable Heroes II Boxed Set Page 157