by JJ Keller
She couldn’t let that happen. “I love you. I know Harry meant a lot to you, a brother in your small family, but we will create our own.”
He held her in a firm embrace. “I love you, too. I want the same thing.”
A sudden wind picked up, swirling twigs through the air. The sky blackened.
Pippa went to her knees. The whirling pieces drew together, shaking Basil. He wobbled. She clung to his arm.
Firmly planted on the ground, he shouted, “What’s going on?”
“Freak fall storm. It happens when the weather switches from warm to cold,” Aidan yelled.
Her vision blurred. No, she would not black out.
****
Basil cradled Pippa in his arms and tried to shout her name through the rocking-train-on-a-railroad-track noise. Fighting the whirling rain, he laid her on the lounge near the rear door of Aidan’s home. Her eyes were closed, but her chest rose and fell with each breath. Had she fainted? He gently shook her, but she remained asleep. He straightened and turned, searching through the chaos to find Skogul. No doubt she’d created this mess.
Head bent, Aidan gripped an aluminum horse hitch. His deltoid muscles bunched as the wind glued the cloth of his shirt to his arms. Basil wasn’t concerned for him, but where was Skogul?
Three shimmering shards of brilliant particles formed into human form as the darkness dissipated. Two women dressed in all white like Greek goddesses. Laced thigh-high boots encased firmly planted feet. The leather appeared buttery smooth. Beautiful with dazzling blonde hair and Madonna faces, their height and dominant stances provided him a sense of their authority.
He turned his attention to the third outline, still transforming from bits of dust into a human shape. His mind couldn’t comprehend the image in front of him. “Harry?”
“Silence,” the older of the two women commanded. She turned to Skogul. “Take care of the vet.”
Basil glanced at Skogul, who pointed her hand toward Aidan. A large tear drop fell onto the Valkyrie’s cheek as she whispered, “Sleep, my dear, to awake on a new day and remember none of what has passed between us.”
Aidan fell to the ground.
“Is he going to be all right?” Basil asked Harry.
“Yes, merely unconscious.” Harry ran forward and drew him into a hug. “Christ, I can’t believe how much I’ve missed you old friend.”
He sighed. “And I you. Is what Skogul said true? You’ve chosen a different, ah, non-life?”
Harry took a step back. “Yes. I’m a battle strategist for Odin. We want you to join us. I need you.”
Tears streaked the face of the third woman standing in the background. Why was she crying? “Is that the infamous Kiara?”
Harry chuckled. His friend appeared so full of life, as if years of pain and post-traumatic stress syndrome had never afflicted him. For a moment Basil wanted that, to have joy without the heartache of war, death, and betrayal.
“Yes, my wife. Since you’re here, you must have read the documents on my laptop. Did you get Wilson?” Harry asked.
Yeah, he’d spent several hours trying to remember Harry’s password and after reading the information he had confirmed his suspicion of Wilson’s guilt. Basil shook his head. “No, he escaped. The detective you hired is also missing. Is he—”
“No, he is dead.” Harry looked at the older woman. “Will it be okay if I give him the information?”
A stern frown crossed her face as she shook her head.
“As you see that information is confidential, but I know you’ll get Wilson.” Harry gestured with his hand. “Kiara, come meet Basil.”
She drew forward, swiping at her face as she did. A few strokes across the filmy white material and she extended her hand, palm up. He gripped her soft, somewhat delicate hand and instant recognition played through him. He’d met her before. Was that what would happen to Aidan? He’d forget Skogul completely? Would Basil forget all of them and continue to search for Harry?
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He dropped her hand and turned to look at Pippa, resting on the lounge, unaware of what was passing. “Pippa—”
“She won’t remember what has transpired today in regards to us.” Kiara touched his arm in a reassuring manner. Sadness marred her features as if she understood what would happen in the next few minutes and it made her grieve. “And if you decide to go with us, she won’t remember you.”
What about the ranch? Would Pippa still be the owner?
“Yes. You’ve already arranged the ownership,” Skogul said.
“Come with us. Join me,” Harry insisted.
Basil walked to Pippa and caressed her cheek. Could he leave her? She leaned her head into his fingers, as if she knew it was he who touched her. “As much as I want to go with you, my friend—”
“Don’t say it. Months ago you were in love with a nurse, before that a petty officer.”
He stood and faced Harry. “Stop. She is different.” Basil ignored the shocked expressions on the women’s faces. “I’m in love with her. I want to stay here and be a part of her life.”
His friend lowered his head. Basil almost expected him to shout obscenities about a womanizer falling victim to ordinary human love. Indeed, he had and he’d stand by his decision. She needed him, they needed each other.
Harry looked at him. “I understand. You stood by me when I kept telling you how much I was in love with my angel, even when she wasn’t on Earth. How can I fault you for a relationship with this woman?”
His look of regret almost made Basil change his mind, but he couldn’t. He loved Pippa.
He hugged Harry. “I miss you, but this is what I want.”
Harrison clapped him on the back. “I wish you much happiness and thank you in advance for naming your first child Harrison.”
“Right, and I’ll teach him everything you taught me.” He glanced at the obvious leader, a woman decked in purple. “Could I keep my memories of today and the past few weeks?”
She tilted her head. “Yes. No one can know about us, or we’ll return.”
“Frak. This isn’t going to be good for me,” Skogul said.
“No indeed, you’ll be forced to face your consequences,” said the bossy Valkyrie. “We must return to Asgard.”
“Goodbye, Harry.” He straightened his back. Despite the tears hovering, clouding his vision, he saluted his friend and rushed to Pippa’s side, prepared for whatever was to come.
The massive vortex appeared again. Basil bent to hold onto Pippa until the tornado diminished and the foursome disappeared.
Aidan remained sprawled on the ground.
He waited for the blackout, the possibility of a time warp taking him back to before he knew Skogul. Dating Pippa would be filled with candy and roses the second time around.
Pippa moved and tried to sit. “What happened?”
Basil sat beside her, draped an arm around her fragile shoulders, while giving thanks to having his memories intact. “You passed out. Not enough rest I imagine.”
“I don’t pass out—well, except for the hanging off the cliff thing.” She glanced around as if trying to make heads or tails of what had transpired. He was confident she’d be confused about her fainting because she wasn’t a weakling.
His memories of Skogul, Harry, and Kiara remained sharp and clear in his mind. In addition their leader’s warning flashed in the queue. Given limited time on Earth he’d better not waste it, because they could always return. “Pippa, will you marry me?”
“What?” She pulled back a moment, then a daisy-bright smile spread across her face. “I thought you’d never ask.”
He chuckled low in his throat. If nothing else, he’d have the ability to shock her. “I love you and if you see a future for us together, I’d like to propose marriage.”
He’d continue his search for Wilson, and the mystery of Aidan Hall needed looking into. The vet wasn’t one of the Valkyries, but he’d seen Skogul. Why?
Most of all Basil wante
d to spend his remaining days with Pippa.
“Of course I’ll marry you.” She embraced him and he sealed the vow with a kiss.
A word about the author...
jj Keller is a native Hoosier. A dreamer. A writer. A storyteller.
She's married and has two sons. Traveling to exotic locations is something she can't do enough of (even if it's only in her mind) and puttering around in her herbal garden is her favorite pastime. Dedicating time to animal rescue is part of her make-up, something she must do.
Please join her in her fight against cruelty to animals:
www.aspca.org
http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/stop-animal-abuse/
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Pippa’s Rescue
Copyright
Praise for jj Keller
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
A word about the author...
Thank you for purchasing this publication of The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Also available from The Wild Rose Press, Inc.