Beauty and the Beastmaster
Linda Winstead Jones
Copyright © 2020 by Linda Winstead Jones
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover design by Elizabeth Wallace
http://designwithin.carbonmade.com/
Created with Vellum
Contents
Prologue
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
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
About the Author
Also by Linda Winstead Jones
Prologue
One Year Ago
Gabi’s eyes drooped. She closed one eye for a moment, squinting at the dark and deserted road ahead with the other. Her headlights illuminated a portion of the narrow road, but beyond that light there was nothing. She might as well be driving into a black hole. Driving with one eye open wasn’t safe at all; she could feel herself drifting toward sleep, so she forced both eyes open wide.
She’d been driving for too long, was tired to the bone, but she didn’t dare stop. Her fear was stronger than any physical or mental exhaustion. She wasn’t far enough away, she wasn’t safe. Was any place in this world safe?
Instinct and an old map — an actual folded paper map since she’d dumped her cell phone somewhere on the shoulder of I-75 as she left Florida — had led her to this narrow and occasionally bumpy Alabama road. It had been hours since she’d seen another vehicle, but who in their right mind would be on this road, or any other, in the middle of the night?
Both eyes drifted shut, just for a moment. When she swerved and almost drove into a ditch, she jerked awake, heart pounding, breath coming too hard.
Mia, snugly secured in the car seat behind Gabi, stirred. She cooed.
Gabi gripped the steering wheel tighter. She leaned forward, forcing herself into an uncomfortable position. Maybe she was willing to risk her own life in order to escape, but she wouldn’t risk her child’s life for any reason.
Mia must’ve agreed, and in her own infant way made sure her mother was wide awake. Oh, that smell! How could something so adorable and beautiful create a stink like that? This was her punishment for supplementing with formula. It obviously didn’t agree with Mia. A soft cry followed the arrival of the smell. That cry soon turned into an ear-splitting scream.
Gabi hadn’t seen a gas station or any other sign of life for a while, but luck was with her. The car’s headlights illuminated a turn ahead. She glanced down at the dashboard. She’d need gas soon, but right now all she needed was a place to park for a couple of hours. She’d change and feed Mia, and then they’d both sleep.
He wouldn’t find them here. Not for a while, anyway. What about tomorrow, or next week? She’d drive herself crazy if she went there, so she focused on tonight, this road, on right now. There was nothing else.
When she finally reached the turn off, she took it slowly. Gabi found herself on another narrow road; there wasn’t even much of a shoulder. Nothing was directly ahead. Nothing at all. There were no streetlights here, no life on the side of the road, so she had to go by what her headlights showed her. She turned on her brights. There still wasn’t anything much to see.
How far should she go before she turned around? No. Turning back wasn’t an option. There had to be something ahead. A house or a business. A wider spot on the shoulder of the road. Something. Anything…
The driveway to the left sprung into view without much warning, but Gabi was driving slowly enough to take it. She expected to see a house ahead, but instead there was an industrial-looking windowless building that appeared to be abandoned. This time of night, it was impossible to tell. She drove to the front of the building, parked, and turned off her headlights.
What she really wanted to do was sleep, but like any mother she had things to take care of before she could even think of sleeping. Gabi opened the door on the damp, brisk chill of early March in the South, and quickly moved around the car and into the back seat. She changed Mia’s diaper, put the foul thing in an empty grocery bag, tied it tightly, and opened the door just long enough to drop it on the ground and then slam the door on the cold air. That done, she bared one breast. Snug in her arms, Mia fed with relish.
Gabi held her daughter close and shut her eyes. She’d known from the moment she’d suspected she was pregnant that she’d love her child, but the power of that love continued to overwhelm her. She kissed the top of Mia’s head, breathing in that special baby smell which was so sweet it more than made up for the other baby smell, which wasn’t so sweet. She didn’t know what tomorrow or the next day or the next would bring, could barely stand to think beyond the next few hours. But in this moment, her world was fine.
Mia fed well, then Gabi righted her clothes and made sure the baby was snugly wrapped in her blanket. Inside the car was warm enough; she didn’t feel any cold creeping in, yet. She held her daughter close and they both slept. For Gabi it was a hard sleep, without dreams. Without fear.
Her eyes flew open suddenly as her body jerked awake. The sky was gray with a winter morning light. Dawn was coming, and with it another uncertain day. The interior of the car wasn’t as warm as it had been when she’d drifted off. How far could she drive today? Where could she go? She had no answers, no plan at all beyond moving. Escape. Safety.
She eased a sleeping Mia back into her car seat, then opened the car door. It seemed even colder than it had a couple of hours ago. She was tempted to leave the bag-o-stink where it lay, but no matter how desperate she was, she wouldn’t do that to someone else, wouldn’t leave her mess for someone else to clean up. She snatched up the bag and rounded the building, looking for a garbage can. She found one and tossed the bagged diaper into it.
As she walked back toward the car, wondering where she’d stop next, she heard a howl in the distance. The wail was quickly followed by another, and then another. Wild dogs, most likely. Surely there weren’t wolves here in southern Alabama. She increased her pace and jogged back to the car, jumped into the driver’s seat, and locked the doors. Yeah, because a locked door would help if there were wild dogs, or worse, on the other side of the building.
She started the car. The time illuminated on the dashboard showed she’d gotten almost three hours of sleep. That wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing and she did feel better. More alert, at least.
Gabi took stock as she backed up and then turned around to head out of the parking lot. She had enough cash to last her for a few weeks, a suitcase crammed with her clothes and Mia’s, a decent supply of diapers, and a few bottles of formula. There was a case of water and two boxes of protein bars in the trunk. She’d prepared for this as best she could, all things considered. It would’ve been nice if she’d had more time, but circumstances had made that impossible.
When she reached the road, she turned right. Mia immediately started to cry. It wasn’t an I’m uncomfortable mewl, it was yet another ear-splitting scream. A child not yet three months old shouldn’t be able to make that much noise!
Gabi stopped, put the car in reverse, and backed into the parking lot, gravel crunching under the tires as she eased away from the road. The screaming stopped. She glanced over the seat to Mia, who kicked her feet and smiled. Okay, that was weird. Again, Gabi pulled forward slowly. Even the slightest turn to the right triggered the scream.
After the third time, she decided to experiment. She turned left, glancing into the back seat so she could judge the baby’s response.
No scream. In fact, Mia kicked her fat little legs, waved her arms, and cooed up a storm.
“Well, that’s weird,” Gabi whispered. She continued on. If she remembered the map correctly the river was straight ahead, to the east. Maybe there was a vacation community, a few fishing cabins and boat docks. She glanced down at the fuel gauge. A gas station would be great.
She passed a battered sign which welcomed her to Mystic Springs, whatever that was. As they drove past that sign, Mia made a series of new sounds. She blew air through her lips, cooed contentedly, and made a noise that was suspiciously like a giggle. Her little arms and legs danced with enthusiasm.
Okay, so her infant was making the decisions now. How was that any worse than the circumstances that had brought them here?
She passed a few residential streets to the right, but kept going until the road ended.
In dawn’s gray light the small town, unexpected at the end of the less than impressive road, looked charming. Maybe by the full light of day its scars would be revealed, but at this moment it was welcoming. It was beautiful.
Mia was cooing up a storm in the back seat. She liked it, too.
Gabi spotted a small gas station to the left. It wasn’t open yet, but would be eventually. She turned right, intent on exploring a bit, and drove slowly down what the sign designated as Main Street. Police station, café, hardware store, antiques store, and more. There were several empty spaces as well, scattered here and there. Oddly enough the road just ended, straight ahead. It was a weird configuration, as if the road was unfinished; as if at one time someone had planned for that road to continue, and then they’d changed their minds.
Just past the library Gabi turned the car around and headed back toward the gas station. She could park there and wait for it to open, maybe even sleep a while longer. Once she had a full tank of gas and a little more sleep, she’d be good to go.
But where? Where would she go?
Until now, no one would’ve called her a determined woman. All her life she’d been laid back, she’d gone with the flow. Don’t make waves had been her lifelong motto. Life with her single and unhappy mother hadn’t been easy, but they’d gotten by. They’d persevered, through hard times and peaceful moments. She’d cried when her mother had died far too young, but she’d done her crying in private.
Being the object of a rich man’s undivided attention, having someone in her life who did everything in his power to put her first, to make her happy, had been a thrill. At first she hadn’t known how to act, what to say beyond an awkward thank you when a man who seemed to adore her sent flowers, gifted her with expensive jewelry, and took her to the best restaurants in town. Blake Pierce had been well respected in South Florida, and could’ve had any woman he wanted. He’d wanted her. He’d pursued her, not at all put off by her shyness or her ordinary job in a four-station beauty salon.
Looking back, she realized she hadn’t asked enough questions. She hadn’t wondered why Blake asked, early on, so much about her family. Or lack thereof. The thrill of his lavish attention had robbed her of her common sense, of her innate caution. She’d fallen for his lines, she’d let herself be fooled by his charm. By the time she’d realized what he was like, it had been too late.
If only she’d gotten away before she’d made the mistake of saying I do. Even now, could she truly say she’d gotten away? Was Blake right behind her, or around the next corner? She wouldn’t put it past him to be two steps ahead.
Gabi crawled into the back seat and took Mia out of her car seat. No regrets. Her decisions had led her to this point, but they’d also made her a mother. Mia smiled, gurgled, kicked her legs, and waved her arms. And then she settled snugly into her mother’s arms and slept. Gabi slept, too. Her last thought, as she held her daughter close and drifted toward sleep, was a resolute I will do anything for you.
Chapter 1
Present Day
Even this far south, Alabama could be bitterly cold in late February. But some days, especially this late in the month, it promised spring to come. There was a touch of warmth in the air in the afternoon, and some of the trees in the forest that surrounded Silas’s home and place of business were bold enough to bud.
Today was one of those days. He ran along a rough path that wound from his place to the springs for which the town he called home was named. Three dogs followed, obeying his call. Overhead a flock of birds wove up and down, following as the stray dogs did. A few wild animals, hiding here and there among the trees and bushes, watched and listened. They did not follow, though a few kept pace with him for a short while.
Like generations of Hollisters before him, Silas used his gift of communication with animals to serve as Mystic Springs’ veterinarian. One of his most important jobs was a solitary one. He collected, treated, and trained the strays that were drawn to the springs and were foolish enough to drink from it. The water, tainted with the magic that made the town what it was and made the people who they were, drove the canines mad for a while. The effects might last a week, a month… the dogs all reacted differently.
Some of the dogs who came his way were simply lost, but far too many had been discarded by owners who got tired of them, or moved and didn’t want to bother taking their pets with them. Those poor animals were just dumped on the side of the road, left to fend for themselves.
There had to be a special level of hell for people who would do that.
As he took a bend in the path, Silas saw home ahead. His home, his business, a large pen for the animals he called his, for a while… and a white SUV parked beside his battered gray pickup truck.
He muttered a curse word. A handful of birds in the branches he ran beneath took flight in response to his anger. A squirrel abandoned a newly dug hole to take off, moving deeper into the woods. The truth was, while he had no choice but to deal with people, pet owners and law enforcement agencies for the most part, he far preferred animals to humans.
Before Silas reached the pen directly behind his home and office, a blonde he didn’t immediately recognize opened the SUV’s passenger door and stepped out. Donnie Milhouse exited from the driver’s side. As Silas let the newly collected animals into their daytime space, where a collection of other dogs waited, he remembered where he’d seen the blonde before. Holy hell.
He silently ordered the animals to remain calm and to welcome the newcomers — the dogs, not the people — then he turned away. If only he had that power with humans. Even if he did, it probably wouldn’t work with her. She’d never been one to get along well with others.
“Jenna Maxwell,” he said as he walked toward the couple. “What brings you back to Mystic Springs?” Clint would be pissed when he found out his ex-wife had returned.
She smiled. “It’s Jenna Sterling, now.”
“You remarried.”
“I did.” She shrugged. “That marriage didn’t last long either, I’m afraid.”
If she’d tried to change husband number two the way she’d tried to change Clint, he couldn’t be surprised that she was divorced again. Jenna was gorgeous — tall, shapely, blond and blue-eyed — but beauty would only get you so far.
Donnie stood close to Jenna, draping a possessive arm over her shoulder. Huh. A Bigfoot shifter like Clint had to be changed, but she’d take up with a werewolf? Made no sense to him.
“Let’s get to business,” Donnie said.
The hairs on the back of Silas’s neck stood up. There was something alarming about Donnie’s tone, something off about that crooked smile.
Silas ignored Donnie and focused his attention on Jenna. “Does Clint know you’re back?”
“No,” she said sharply. “And I prefer he not know. At least, not yet.”
“He’s married.”
“So I hear.”
“And he’s a friend, one of the few people I actually like, so why should I keep your secret?”
“I told you this was a bad idea,” Donnie said in a low voice.
“We can’t do everything on our own, as much as I wish that were true. Silas has always been reasonable. He gets it.”
Something was up. And when something was up in Mystic Springs, it usually meant trouble. “Exactly what do you need?”
Jenna smiled. “I figured it out. I know what to do.”
“I still have no idea…”
She took a step closer. “Alice Daniels, rest her bitter soul, wasn’t the only powerful witch in town. And contrary to popular belief, magic doesn’t cease to exist beyond the boundaries of Mystic Springs.” Before he could ask for more specifics she whispered, in a voice that sent a chill down Silas’s spine. “Brigadoon.”
March had come in like a lion, with wicked winds and a round of storms, but the past couple of days had been very nice. Warm, or at least warmish. The skies had been a particularly beautiful shade of blue.
Gabi turned her head and glanced out the window as Silas Hollister ran by, a pack of excited dogs running, jumping, and cavorting ahead of him. When she’d first seen him running down the street, a year or so ago, she’d thought he was chasing those dogs. It had taken her weeks to realize he wasn’t chasing the animals, he was herding them. He regularly took a pack of dogs out for a run. The dogs in the pack changed, she’d also noticed, though they were almost always mutts, mixed breeds impossible to identify.
Beauty and the Beastmaster (Mystic Springs Book 3) Page 1