“I’m always alert.”
“Are you?” Kade didn’t look convinced. “It seems to me you’ve been a bit distracted of late.”
I pursed my lips. Was he trying to get me to admit something? “I’ll be alert,” I said finally. “I don’t want to die. I can promise you that.”
“That makes two of us.” Kade locked gazes with me for a long moment. “We’ll figure it out.”
“I have faith in you,” I said, grabbing the platter of burgers from the counter. “I need to start grilling.”
“I’ll leave you to it.”
Kade moved back toward the table – and I didn’t miss the fact that he settled next to Luke instead of Raven, who glared death rays in his direction. He cast two glances over his shoulder as I worked, his expression unreadable. He seemed conflicted.
Now I just had to figure out if that was good or bad.
RAVEN met me in front of my trailer shortly before bedtime, her face a mask of fury until she saw me approach. Then she blanked it, flashing an insincere smile.
“Do you want something?” I asked, moving to skirt around her. The last thing I needed was an explosion so close to bed. I was drained. Because there was a possibility something might’ve fed off me the night before, the realization was a bit disconcerting.
“I want to talk to you,” Raven said, rubbing her hands as she met my gaze.
“If it’s about the dreamcatcher, we strengthened the lines after dinner,” I reminded her. “We won’t know if it works until something tries to get through the barrier.”
Raven snorted. Whether she was genuinely amused or being derisive was anybody’s guess, but I leaned toward the latter because that’s her way. “It’s not about the dreamcatcher. It’s about Kade.”
“Good grief,” I muttered, shaking my head. “We have bigger issues than your personal life.”
“Yet my personal life seems to be tied to your personal life,” Raven pointed out. “If you think I like that … well … you’re mistaken.”
I wasn’t so sure. “Do you even like Kade?”
“He’s extremely attractive.”
“That’s not what I asked,” I pressed. “Do you like him?”
“I’m not sure I understand the question.”
“Have you tried talking to him, about something other than yourself I mean? Have you asked him what he likes? I mean … what’s his favorite color? Where does he see his life going? What does he want out of life?”
Raven guffawed as if I was conducting a standup routine rather than asking a series of important questions. “Give it a rest. Not everyone feels the need to talk things to death. I’m a physical person. I’m willing to bet Kade is the same.”
“And that’s why you’ll never entice him,” I muttered, shaking my head.
Raven narrowed her eyes to slits as she regarded me. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that. Kade may be thawing to your presence on a professional level, but that’s just the way he is. You clearly burned your bridges when it comes to a relationship.”
“I wouldn’t argue with that.”
“And yet you won’t stop staring at him,” Raven groused. “I see you watching him. You’re like a lost puppy trying to find a home. He’s not your home. He doesn’t want anything to do with you.”
“If you believe that you wouldn’t be here trying to slap me down.” I had no idea why I said the words, but I didn’t regret them, even when I saw the flash of anger swallow Raven’s pretty features. “If you want a relationship with Kade, you need to bring it up with him. I’m not a part of this imaginary triangle you’re playing out in your head.”
“You really believe that, don’t you?” Raven made a disgusted sound in the back of her throat. “You’re so … pathetic. You can’t beat me when it comes to a fair fight. You know that, right?”
“Then why are you worried?”
“I’m not worried.”
“You’re here warning me. That would seem to indicate you’re worried about something.”
“Perhaps I’m simply tired of the pathetic looks you lob at Kade when you think I’m not watching,” Raven countered. “Make sure you’re ready to take me on – to really take me on, mind you – if you think you’re going to claim him a second time. I won’t sit idly by and watch it happen.”
“I have no interest in competing with you,” I snapped. “We have bigger issues here. Why can’t you see that?”
“Because I’m focused on what I want,” Raven replied. “That’s the most important thing to me.”
“And that’s why you so often lose,” I muttered, meeting Raven’s challenging gaze for a full minute before she shook her head and stalked off in the direction of her trailer. I watched her go, conflicted. She was clearly worried about Kade’s attention and affection. I knew I should push the possibility of making inroads with him out of my mind, but it was difficult when things were so jumbled in my muddled head.
I glanced to my left when I heard footsteps on the hardened earth, widening my eyes when I caught sight of Kade walking toward me. He made quite a sight despite the dim light, his broad shoulders cutting a fine figure in the darkness.
“Did you finish your rounds?” I asked.
Kade nodded. “Was that Raven I saw hurrying away just now? What did she say to you?”
I was going out of my way to be honest with him, so there was no way I could break my streak now. “She warned me away from trying to claim you as my own and said you were hers.”
“And what did you say?”
“That she seemed awfully worried for a woman who believed she had no competition for your affection.”
Kade arched an eyebrow. “Do you think you’re in the running for my affection?”
“I … .” His demeanor was icy, which brought me back to reality fairly quickly. “Of course not. I lied to you. I don’t expect you to forgive me.”
“Yeah, well … .” Kade heaved a sigh and ran a hand over his short-cropped hair. “Everything is quiet, but I don’t want to take any chances. I’ll be sleeping on your couch again tonight.”
Conflicted, I opened my mouth to argue. “But … .”
“I know it’s uncomfortable for both of us, but this is my job,” Kade explained. “I’m going to grab a few things from my trailer and then I’ll be back. If you don’t like it … take it up with the head of security.”
“You are the head of security.”
Kade flashed a genuine smile. “Isn’t it fun how that worked out?”
I could think of a hundred different words that fit our scenario better than “fun,” but I kept that observation to myself. “Let yourself in. I’m tired. I’m going to bed.”
“I won’t be long. Get some rest. Something tells me you’re going to need it.”
11
Eleven
“How did you sleep?”
I woke to find Kade staring at me from the door. His short hair didn’t allow for bedhead, but his eyes remained heavy lidded and sleepy.
“Some people might consider it creepy to watch someone sleep,” I pointed out, propping myself on one elbow as I ran a hand through my tangled hair.
“Are you one of those people?”
I shrugged. “I didn’t find it creepy when you did it before, but that was under different circumstances.” For some reason I felt bolder today. Raven’s insecurity bolstered my strength, which is the mantra in fighting bullies the world round, I know. Still … . “Of course, if you wanted to sit here and stare, I wouldn’t be opposed.” I patted the mattress for emphasis, batting my eyelashes, causing Kade’s eyes to widen and a bolt of heat to flash through his dark orbs.
“You’re clearly feeling better,” he said after a beat. “I’m glad to see you’ve gotten your fighting spirit back.”
His words held potential for hidden meaning, but I decided to let it slide. “We basically have today to get things up and running. I need to be on top of my game if I hope to get everything done before midnight. There’s no preview
showing tonight.”
“Yeah, I meant to ask you about that. Why do we have Thursday previews for some towns and not for others?”
“It all depends on the contract we sign,” I replied. “Each municipality is different. Some don’t allow liquor, others do. Some allow beer and wine but none of the hard stuff. This stop is completely dry.”
“Is that a Mormon thing?”
“That would be my guess. We ran into some angry people at the market the other day. They said they didn’t want our kind so close to their pristine town. I believe the word ‘debauchery’ was tossed around a bit. I’m pretty sure they don’t know we’re monster hunters and magical in our own right, so they must’ve been referring to something else.”
“I think you’re insinuating that people believe we’re fornicators or something,” Kade teased.
“Not yet.” I winked as I tossed off the covers, reveling in the uncomfortable way his gaze roamed to my bare legs. I flounced past him in my cotton shorts and tank top, taking a moment to pat his cheek before heading toward the shower. “Thank you so much for protecting me. Next time you can utilize a more hands-on approach if you prefer.”
I left Kade with his mouth hanging as I stripped and hopped into the shower. It took every ounce of strength I had not to look over my shoulder to see if he was still watching my floorshow. It was better leaving it to the imagination. Um, well, kind of. I seriously wanted to know, so the fact that I was trying to torture him was torture for me.
I wasn’t surprised to find Kade gone when I exited the shower. I hoped I gave him something tantalizing to think about during the day, and I was all smiles when I hit the communal dining area.
“You look like you did something naughty last night,” Naida noted, smirking. “I notice you weren’t alone for the bulk of the evening. Does that mean you and Kade are back together?”
“Nope.”
Naida’s smile slipped. “But he spent the night with you.”
“He slept on the couch,” I explained. “He seems to think my life is in danger. It’s kind of cute. The way he wants to protect me, I mean. The sleeping on the couch leaves a little to be desired, but I’m really not in a position to complain, am I?”
“I’m sure that won’t last long.” Naida made a sympathetic clucking sound in the back of her throat and patted my arm. “He still seems as smitten as before.”
“Do you think so?”
Naida nodded. “Sure. He’s angry, too. That’s fairly obvious. He seems to be putting the anger behind him, though. Do you want to tell me what you did to make him so angry in the first place?”
“Not really.”
“You’ve been at the center of the Mystic Caravan gossip mill since you and Kade had your falling out,” Naida supplied. “There have been a lot of stories going around about you. The biggest has to do with a love triangle between you, Max and Kade.”
I was horrified. “Are you joking?”
“Not even a little.”
“People honestly think I’m doing stuff with Max?” Did anyone else go to a scary visual place? “He’s like a father to me.”
“All anyone knows is that things were fine until you had a conversation with Luke, Kade and Max. Then things fell to crap and you got depressed and Kade was furious.”
“Yeah, but how do you get to me doing sexy stuff with Max from there?”
Naida shrugged. “Our lives are very small.”
I barked out a laugh, genuinely amused. “I can guarantee that nothing is going on with Max and me.”
“I know that,” Naida said. “Something is clearly going on, though. Max has practically disappeared. Someone said they saw him go into your tent yesterday. Is that true?”
“I … yes. He’s dealing with some things.”
“Things that have to do with what happened that day at the picnic table?”
“You’re relentless,” I complained, shaking my head. “It’s frustrating.”
“Eventually we’re all going to find out what happened,” Naida pointed out. “Luke was there, and he has a huge mouth. I figure the only thing keeping him quiet right now is love for you. The moment Kade and you get past your issues he’ll be back to his normal self, and that means he’ll return to the center of the gossip ring.”
Now that was a sobering thought. “I … .”
“I heard that, and I resent the implications.” Luke appeared next to the grill and flashed a smile in my direction. “Hello, love of my life. You look well rested. You don’t have that glow I keep hoping I’ll see after a night of you and Kade sharing a roof, but you look markedly healthier than yesterday.”
“Are you trying to insinuate something?”
“You betcha.” Luke’s grin was so wide it almost swallowed his entire face. “I’m trying to insinuate that it’s time to throw Kade down, climb on top of him and declare your intentions to buck that bronco.”
“I … what?”
“You heard me,” Luke said, lowering his voice. “Enough is enough. It’s time to ride your horse over the finish line, and this is the one time it might be more fun to trot instead of gallop.”
I was still confused. “Is there a reason you’re clinging to horse jokes? You usually regionalize your humor.”
“Yes, I miss the corn-grinding jokes from Nebraska,” Naida lamented.
“And the coal-mining jokes from Kentucky,” I added.
Luke ignored the digs. “It’s time for you to get some action, Poet. That’s not a joke, and I’m not kidding. You need it. Lord knows I need it. If I have to think of Utah jokes to make it happen, I will. Sadly, everything I come up with is fairly offensive to the majority of the residents here. Still, that won’t stop me. I won’t be happy about it, but I’ll do it.”
“That’s what she said,” I teased, earning a smirk from Luke. I rested my hand on his shoulder a moment, tilting my head to the side as I considered the suggestion. “I don’t want to push him but … .”
“Push him,” Luke prodded. “He’s ready. He wants to be pushed. He simply doesn’t know it yet.”
“I’ll consider it.” I pressed a quick kiss to Luke’s cheek. “Thank you for being such a good friend the past ten days. I needed it.”
“That’s why I did it.”
“I know.” I threw my arms around his neck and gave him a warm hug, leaning into him for a moment. “I’m feeling better. I think you can stop handling me.”
“I’ll consider it.” Luke cupped the back of my head a moment and then kissed my forehead. “I … huh.”
The change in his demeanor was immediate, and I couldn’t stop myself from looking at the spot over my shoulder. My heart rolled and all pretense of a happy morning fled when I realized what I saw.
Naida moved closer to my side, her gaze trained on the boy stumbling through the field and heading in our direction. “Is that what I think it is?”
I grimly nodded before detaching from the group and moving toward the tiny figure picking his way through the clearing. “It’s trouble … and it’s heading this way.”
THE BOY, his dark hair standing on end, was shockingly pale. I held out my arms in what I hoped was a welcoming stance and purposely approached with shallow steps. The boy seemed dazed. He didn’t so much as glance at me until I dropped to my knees in his path. I wanted to make myself a small target, so I wasn’t big and hulking and he wouldn’t be intimidated by my size.
I let my eyes roam, and the first thing that caught my attention were the ugly red wounds on his neck. They matched the ones on mine, although they were much angrier and pronounced. “Are you lost?”
The boy jolted at the sound of my voice, his hand flying to his mouth as a lone tear coursed down his cheek. My heart rolled at the sight. I wanted to draw him to me, soothe him, but the prospect of frightening him held me back.
“My name is Poet,” I offered, keeping my tone soft. “I want to help you. Can you tell me your name?”
The boy didn’t respond other than to shrink bac
k when a shadow fell over him. I recognized Kade’s presence without glancing in his direction and fought the urge to scowl at him. I knew he wanted to help, but the boy wasn’t responding well to male interference.
“Keep the others back,” I ordered. “He’s … traumatized or something.”
“I can see that.” Kade’s smile was bright when he matched my stance and dropped to his knees. He was a big man and he clearly knew that addressing the boy from an even level rather than a position of power was the way to go. “Hey, bud. Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
“Look at his neck,” I murmured.
“I see that,” Kade said, reaching out a tentative hand.
The boy started shaking uncontrollably when he registered the motion, and Kade immediately snatched back his hand.
“I won’t touch you,” Kade offered. “I … we need to call the police. I’m pretty sure this is the missing boy they were talking about in town yesterday.”
I’d figured out that much on my own. “Do you know his name?”
“Um … Joshua. Joshua Gilmore.”
I plastered a bright smile on my face. “Well, Joshua, I’ll bet you’re hungry. We have a lot of food … and even better, we have a lot of people over there who want to protect you. I need you to come with me. Do you think you can do that?”
The boy lifted his head and finally met my gaze. His brown eyes looked hollowed out, as if he’d seen something terrible and it clawed inside and emptied him from beneath the skin. I extended my hand, hoping he would take it. Instead he took me by surprise and threw his arms around my neck, bursting into frantic tears as he clung to me.
I exchanged a worried look with Kade as I stroked the back of Joshua’s head. “It’s okay,” I whispered. “We’re here and we’ll protect you. I … it’s okay. I promise it’s going to be okay.”
I struggled to gain my footing, Kade ultimately holding onto my waist until I balanced without worry of toppling to either side. Then we began the slow trek back to the fairgrounds. Joshua sobbed into my neck the entire time.
“WHAT SHOULD we do?” Raven approached Joshua three times, only to be met with screeches at each attempt. She resigned herself to hanging a few steps back and studying the boy from a distance. “He has the same marks.”
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