So, after delivering the “remedies” in Nathalie’s neighborhood, they found a quiet corner in the surrounding trees to steal some kisses. Dean’s mouth was hot on Nathalie’s. It was an unseasonably warm day and they were still in tee-shirts despite the changing of the leaves signaling colder weather. Dean’s hands were gripping her butt tightly as he pressed her against a huge oak and rubbed himself against her. He was groaning loudly as he kissed her and Nathalie shushed him laughingly.
“I can’t help it,” Dean said, kissing her neck, his hand climbing up the front of her shirt and caressing one of her breasts. “I haven’t held your ass or been inside you in ages.”
His words made Nathalie breathless. Love and fiery passion for this man flooded her. His skin was hot under her hands and he smelled so very good. Somehow his jeans were open under his shirt and she found her hands in there stroking him. She missed his big naked body in her bed, tangled in her sheets. She missed seeing their clothes on the floor jumbled together, her underwear on his. It made her shiver. She wanted him now, even though Taline and Wayman had warned them against reckless and obsessive behavior, especially sexual behavior.
“You both need to be alert—more alert than most,” Wayman had said sternly. “Look what happened in the woods. You threw caution to the wind to be together. You have to control it or—”
“Abstain,” Taline said firmly.
“Abstain?” Dean had said, aghast.
Even Wayman had winced.
“Not touch Nathalie? Are you kidding? Impossible,” he had said flatly.
Nathalie had blushed in embarrassment.
“Willow’s presence is heightening sexuality in people. Reckless behaviour is getting people into trouble, even killed,” Taline added. “Have you walked down any of Town Circle Park’s paths lately?”
It was true, and people had died. First their principal had been killed, then another teacher had been shot by her husband for having an affair, along with other crimes of passion…
“And dark riders are attracted to that type of behaviour,” Wayman had said quietly. “The older teens in the town, like you two, have been hit hard with the amorous bug. You are already bags of hormones…”
“With no desire to control yourselves—” Taline interjected.
“The things we’re seeing in the woods…” Wayman shuddered.
They had promised to be responsible.
The conversation ran through Nathalie’s head in a blur as Dean kissed her. He had pulled up her shirt and bra and was sucking noisily on her breasts. She felt flushed and tingly. Her skin was so sensitive that every brush of Dean’s hand had an answering tightness in her abdomen. She could feel Dean wiggling out of his pants while he pushed down her shorts and panties.
There’s no danger at all. The woods are completely deserted. Just this last time, she thought.
Their kisses were deeply passionate, and Nathalie’s arms were wrapped tightly around Dean’s neck as his huge body pinned her to the tree. Any worries of danger were gone. They slid down, her bum hitting soft grass and Nathalie moaned as he pushed inside her with firm, powerful thrusts. Her head lolled back as pleasure flooded her, the incredible feeling spreading through her body. Dean groaned and bit her neck, holding her in a vice grip as he came. After a moment he mumbled, “sorry for biting,” and kissed her.
“I love you, Dean,” Nathalie said quietly.
He gripped her so tightly she thought her ribs would break. “I love you too, Nathalie. Only you, all of you, for ever and ever.”
They stayed that way for a minute before practicality set in. Nathalie looked around as they reached for their clothes and got dressed. Dean had started to kiss her again when they heard the screams.
Dean whipped his head around the tree and saw two small figures struggling with a huge one at the edge of the forest. “Oh my God,” Dean said as he bolted towards them. “It’s my little brothers!”
Nathalie’s heart dropped. She followed Dean at a dead run. What on earth were they doing here? They were supposed to be at the Barrington’s!
Dean got there first. The figure stared at Dean as he held the little boys effortlessly. They had come on their bikes, which had been tossed carelessly in the undergrowth of the forest. The being was way over six and a half feet tall and dressed in black leather pants and vest. His long, tangled black hair fell to his waist. His teeth were sharp and rimmed with black. His eyes were red and blinking in the sun. It was a dark rider.
“Let them go,” Dean said menacingly.
Nathalie stopped at the tree line and watched as the giant sniffed the air. “You smell the same as girl. Same as these two.”
Girl? Nathalie thought and tensed. This was one of the guys the Sheriff had warned them about. “The girls said they were compelled against their will,” she had heard the Sheriff saying to Mr. Barrington.
He dropped the struggling boys. “Sleep,” he said to them and they fell to the ground bonelessly.
“Sex,” he growled, sniffing the air and looking at Nathalie. He lunged for her but withdrew with a howl at the same time she yelped in surprise and pain. She drew out the heart necklace Taline had given her. It was red hot. Dean was doing the same thing as the burning became unbearable. The being hissed and backed away, losing interest—his form flickering before he was gone.
“Oh my God, Dean!” Nathalie screamed as she knelt down beside one of the little boys. It was Eddie. His eyes flickered open and the terror in his face was replaced by relief at seeing Nathalie. Dean was crouched beside Zach, who was waking up as well.
“What are you doing out here?” Dean yelled furiously.
Zach started to cry with huge shuddering sobs and Nathalie could see Eddie’s eyes fill with tears. Dean scooped the two little boys into his strong arms and was hugging them to him, his eyes suspiciously wet.
“We wanted to help deliver the medications to the sick people,” Eddie said, clinging tightly to his big brother.
“We tried to find you but we couldn’t! We biked down all the streets and then this guy showed up. He was smelling us like he was a dog!”
Dean shuddered and let them go. “That was a very dangerous thing you did. You know it’s not safe to go outside by yourselves right now. There are a lot of strangers in town for the festival. Strangers like that big ugly guy.”
Eddie and Zack got mutinous looks on their faces. “We’re not babies. Everyone’s not letting us help. We had ammunition.” Nathalie and Dean looked. Sure enough, their pockets were full of rocks.
“Okay, but that guy was pretty big. The rocks would be like mosquitoes to him.”
“Yeah,” they said in unison, scuffing their feet.
Nathalie and Dean looked at each other. Abstinence it is, they agreed silently. Passion was too dangerous for them and the people around them. Wayman and Taline were right.
“We need some more information on those guys in leather,” Dean said. “Why was he after my brothers?”
“I don’t know,” Nathalie said, looking at the spot where the giant had disappeared. “Let’s get these two back and find Wayman.”
The Barrington Estate
The boys were in big trouble when they got back. They had scared the hell out of all the adults, and a lot of yelling ensued by Ella (the babysitter). But it was facing Claire Barrington that put the fear of God into the boys for once and for all. She had lined them up against the wall in the kitchen and was staring at them. They were looking up at her with wild eyes, and they didn’t move a muscle.
“Are you not guests in my house?” she asked them softly.
“Yes,” they said in hushed voices.
“Do I not make you cookies and let you swim in my pool?” she asked quietly.
“Yes,” they said with quivering voices.
“Are you ashamed of yourselves? You have scared me and many others who love you dearly,” she asked in her calm and quiet way, looking down at them and folding her hands in front of her.
The bo
ys hung their heads in shame, nodding. Big tears splashed to the floor in front of them. Sniffling could be heard.
Dean was amazed, especially when Luke hung his head and nodded with them.
“Dude,” he said to Luke quietly.
“Habit,” Luke hissed back, annoyed, but straightened his neck.
“I expect much better from you boys next time. I expect you to listen, and you are not to leave the estate again. Do you understand?” Claire Barrington asked in a firm voice.
They nodded miserably and were sent to the kitchen for a snack.
Luke looked at his mother with amazement and a big smile as realization dawned in his eyes. “That’s a powerful voice you’ve got there, mother,” Luke said. “Very, shall we say, influential.” She was truly powerful in many ways.
“Even my family had special gifts, Luke, not just the Barrington line.” She smiled and added, “how do you think I got seven boys through charm school and dance classes?” She hummed happily as she headed to the kitchen.
“What was that all about?” Dean asked quietly.
“Never mind, it’s not important. Come on, time to call on my love, and then we’ll head to the fair.”
For the next hour, Nathalie and Dean listened in awe as Luke shouted his love and admiration for Sadie towards the inhabitant of the church. The first few times Willow had come out and openly taunted him, but his words and persistence were taking its toll. She never came out of the church anymore when he was there, but Luke knew she could hear him. His words reached her, even in the farthest and darkest part of the church where she cowered with her fingers in her ears. He did this every day; continually reminding Sadie to fight and that they would be together soon, in each other’s arms.
“SHUT UP!” Hannah had cried the day before, storming out of the church and standing up to Luke nose to nose. “No one cares about your stupid feelings, Luke! Go away!” she screeched. They were friends no longer. When she found out Sadie and Luke’s breakup had been a farce, she had had a meltdown. “I hate you,” she screamed in his face.
Luke looked down at her coldly. “Unbelievable. Sadie’s worth a hundred of you, no a thousand,” he yelled loudly so Sadie could hear. Venius and Clovis had looked at Luke speculatively before dragging Hannah away, tossing her back into the church and closing the doors.
Luke had glared at the hunters. “If you touch one hair on that girl’s head…”
They had just laughed.
In actuality, Luke was forbidden to leave the Barrington grounds. “Now that you’re the seer officialis, you are in grave danger,” his father had explained.
“She can’t kill me. She needs me,” Luke scoffed.
“That may be, son, but there are many other ways to destroy a man, not just by killing him. She can also capture you and lock you up—”
“Torture you and break your spirit,” Father MacGunne added.
The Doc was nodding. “Cut off your fingers and your…”
“Whoa, Doc!” was the consensus around the room. “He gets the picture!”
Luke looked a little shocked, but became determined again. “But I can help. I can see things that no one else can see. The only ones who know about me for sure are Willow and her small gang, but she seems to be keeping the truth close like we are. She doesn’t want any interference either. Besides, there are hundreds of people at the fair, plus, Taline’s amulet makes me hard to see. I’ll make sure I have escape routes and scream really loud if anyone tries to touch me, but I can’t stay here. I’m going crazy and it’s a waste of my abilities.”
So with the help of Clara, Father MacGunne, Nettie, Wayman, and Taline, Luke’s safety at the fair was fairly assured.
“I’ll bash those buggers on the head with my staff,” Clara had threatened, waving around a large wand-like stick with a huge crystal on it.
“It would help if the crystal were jagged,” Father MacGunne had suggested. “More chance they’ll die, or at least suffer a more painful wound.”
Everyone looked at the priest in amazement.
“What?” he said, looking around. “I’m not advocating it. I’m just saying.”
As he, Dean and Nathalie headed back towards the manor, Luke looked back and saw Willow staring at him balefully from one of the church windows. He smiled and blew her a kiss, but she turned away. This had better work, he prayed.
They took the safe path to South Road and headed to Town Circle and to the fair. Dean had one of the citizen’s patrol walkie talkies in case of emergency. Bursts of static and talking punctured the air as they walked. Dean was fiddling with it, fascinated.
Luke warned him. “Don’t do it, man.”
Dean pressed the button and spoke, “ten-four Sheriff. All clear here.” Dean snickered.
Sudden yelling came from the little machine. “WHO THE HELL IS THIS?” the voice shouted angrily. “BOY, THIS IS AN OFFICIAL LINE. YOU HAD BETTER NOT BE MESSING AROUND ON IT. IF YOU TOUCH THAT BUTTON AGAIN, YOU’D BETTER BE DYING,” the Sheriff yelled.
Startled, Dean tossed the walkie talkie to Luke as if he’d been burned. Luke laughed and put the walkie to his mouth. “Won’t happen again, Sheriff.”
The fair was teeming with life.
“It’s amazing how life just goes on for some people,” Nathalie said wistfully.
“For most people,” Dean said, pushing his way through the crowd.
They found Wayman saddling Pleasure and Pain for a ride. Dean looked longingly at the two horses.
“People are still doing the trail?” Nathalie asked curiously.
Wayman laughed, helping the youngsters up and patting the horses’ rumps to get them going and walked over, dusting his hands off on his pants. “It’s business as usual for everyone but you guys.” He looked sharply at Luke. “What are you doing out?”
“We need more information on the two big guys in leather.”
“Ah, Venius and Clovis. The dark riders. Wild hunters. Stay away from them. They’re on the opposite side of the battle.”
“Why would one of them recoil from my necklace?” Dean asked curiously, pulling it out.
Wayman scowled. His glower made him seem larger all of a sudden. Nathalie stepped back, afraid. Luke looked awed.
“You had a run in with one of them?” He looked at Nathalie as well. “I warned you both about losing your focus. Dean, you put yourself and Nathalie in grave danger.”
Nathalie took Dean’s hand. “It wasn’t only his fault. It was my fault too.”
“That type of behavior attracts them. Luckily, the amulets are linked by love, which will repel a being like that. BUT HE SHOULDN’T HAVE FOUND YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE.”
They looked ashamed. Luke now looked confused.
“There was no harm done. He took off,” Dean said humbly.
“What are you talking about?” Luke asked in frustration.
“Nothing, man, nothing,” Dean mumbled.
“Dark hunters are strongly attracted to fear, blood or sex. They have an incredibly acute sense of smell that can differentiate between the different emotions humans give off.”
“Emotions smell?” Dean snorted.
“Very strongly,” Wayman said seriously. “Your body emits a scent when you’re scared or aroused. How do you think Clovis found you?”
“I get it now,” Luke said, waving a hand with an uncomfortable expression on his face. “I don’t want to know!” He went to find a hay bale to sit on.
“He was smelling the air,” Nathalie said. “He said Dean smelled like a girl and he had grabbed Dean’s twin brothers who were out on their bikes looking for us,” she said worriedly.
“He said you smelled like a girl?” Wayman asked.
“Whoa! Not like a girl, but like the girl!” Dean protested.
Nettie breezed in. “The girl, as in Ella Croft, his sister. A few weeks back Clovis bumped into her at the fair. He liked her smell.” She looked at Dean sternly. “Keep those boys at home. I’m sure Clovis was on a mission for Willo
w. She needs a sacrifice, and twins double the power. You were lucky you were there.”
Dean was aghast. “Oh my God…”
Nettie patted his arm. “I doubt she’ll try again. She knows they’ll be under lock and key now, but it never hurts to be vigilant.”
She turned to Nathalie. “Did you want to continue with the diary this evening, lass?” Nathalie and Nettie had been meeting at Nathalie’s in the evening to read her “Book of Record.”
“Yes to the reading, but what do you mean he liked her smell?” That can’t be good, Nathalie thought to herself.
Nettie smiled. “Crofts smell good. They’re historical victims.”
“I wish you’d stop saying that,” Dean complained, looking a little pale.
“You know about the dark riders?” Nathalie asked curiously.
“Och, to be sure,” Nettie said with a frown. “Dangerous buggers. Do not let those boys out of your sight.”
“Don’t you worry, Nettie. My mom has taken care of that,” Luke said with pride.
Nettie smiled. “Yes, she’s got a powerful voice, that girl.”
“He didn’t mark her?” Wayman asked Nettie, worried.
“I checked Ella right after it happened. He hadn’t touched her,” Nettie said confidently.
Wayman still looked worried. “He did catch her scent and obviously filed it away for another time,” he mused. “That’s not good.”
Nettie agreed. “We need to keep an eye on the lass. If he gets obsessed with her, there’ll be no getting rid of him until one of them is dead,” she warned, “and this one has been a right player during this festival. He’s had women willing and unwilling under him.”
The kids gasped, but Nettie shrugged. “It’s the truth. He’s using his power a fair amount to compel the lasses, and a few lads. What we don’t want is for him to abscond with Ella.”
“Clovis isn’t smart enough,” Wayman said with disdain.
“Maybe, but he can be a determined and sneaky bastard when he wants to be,” she said darkly.
“Willow must have forbidden it,” Luke said thoughtfully, “otherwise he would have done it already. Clovis won’t go against her for a mere mortal right now, but that won’t stop him later.”
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