A noise sounded in the hall. Jacinda stood outside my door, grinning. She held a finger up and told me to wait. She sailed down the hall and returned a minute later.
“Wear these with it,” she instructed. She held up gold, hoop earrings. A hint of her jasmine perfume floated around me as she surveyed my legs. “Now, to go with the top . . .” She eyed my skinny jeans in the closet.
“No,” I replied. “Don’t even go there.”
I picked up my favorite cut-off jean shorts from the floor and pulled them on before slipping on simple, white canvas sneakers. They were broken-in and comfortable for work.
Surprisingly, Jacinda clapped in approval. “Lena! You just put together your first cute outfit!”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop my reluctant smile. “Come on, we’re running late.”
Di was in a mood too, evident in the way she grumbled and paced in her bedroom. Apparently, the new girl changed direction again, opting for a bus heading for Arizona versus Colorado. In other words, she wasn’t arriving this week.
Half an hour later, Jacinda and I were setting up the buffet. Jacinda’s eyes still twinkled every time we bumped into one another. She didn’t try to hide her excitement over my sudden fashion interest.
I didn’t burst her bubble that it was a one-off interest. So far, all the pretty top had done was get in the way when I tried to lift things. The damned top was too tight in the shoulders.
“Lena, you look great!” Dean called. His voice snapped my attention from the buffet. The cowboy stood at the side door, and for once, arrived early.
The other cowboys, and cowgirl, stood behind him—Tyler, Jessie, Aaron and Mica. Jet, Jasper and Flint were nowhere to be seen. I avoided Aaron, even though I felt his eyes on me. To quell my unease, I locked my gaze on Dean.
“Thanks. Where are the other guys?” I asked.
“Still out working.” Mica dusted her hat off on her jeans. “Pete sent them off to round up the last cows that wandered onto the north ridge.”
I envisioned Flint and the twins on horseback wandering around the hills. Did that mean they wouldn’t make it back in time for supper?
“You gonna join us for the meal tonight?” Dean asked.
I held up what I arranged on the buffet. “Gotta work.”
Dean shrugged. “Worth a try.” He squeezed my shoulder when he walked by. His hand was large, not as big as Flint’s, but still, it swallowed my upper arm. I wanted to kick myself for liking the feel of Flint’s hands more.
The cowboys and Mica followed Dean. They were all dirty, dusty and towered over me. I smiled pleasantly at everyone except for Aaron.
The next hour passed slowly. Dean was right about Jet, Jasper and Flint. They never made it back for supper. I still couldn’t stop my eyes from going to the door every few minutes to see if they’d arrived. Since the incident at the barn, the only times I’d seen Flint had been in passing at meals. I couldn’t help but feel he was avoiding me even more than usual.
The cowboys all talked and laughed throughout the meal, obliviously happy and content. My gaze scanned everyone in the hall, one by one. I hadn’t realized I’d switched my vision until it passed over Aaron and his ugly, evil cloud rose like a tidal wave. It hovered above him, swimming around his neck and through his hair. The shifting ebony colors were like a gigantic eel that slithered against his skull. I snapped my sight back to normal and swirled out of the dining room. I couldn’t get to the kitchen fast enough.
When the meal finished, Jacinda approached. “Hey, Little L? Val needs to go into town to get supplies and said that one of us can go with her. Do you want to go or stay here and clean up?”
From the sparkle in Jacinda’s eyes, I knew she wanted to go. While she liked the ranch, at heart, she was a city girl and used every excuse to get into Little Raven, even though it wasn’t a sprawling metropolis.
“You go,” I replied. “I’ll stay here and clean up.”
“You don’t mind?”
“Not at all.” I didn’t mention that I still felt like a freak in town. It didn’t seem my first impression on the locals was wearing off anytime soon.
“Okay, we’ll be back in a few hours.” Jacinda flashed her supermodel smile. I knew she was ecstatic. I only got that smile when she was really happy.
After they left, I took my time with everything. By the time I finished, the dining tables gleamed, and the floor shined. Cleanliness always made Val happy.
I stepped out into the night and felt a little better. Nothing like productivity to calm a heartbroken spirit. I took a deep breath. Scents of horse, grass, cattle and clean mountain air filled the night air. I was growing to love that smell.
It was chilly, so I took off at a brisk pace. Pete told me, way back on the day he’d picked me up, that the ranch’s high altitude accounted for a number of crisp evenings, even during the summer. He hadn’t been kidding. Goosebumps rose on my arms faster than a rabbit running from a coyote.
The farther I traveled from the house, the quieter the night became. No lights shone inside the guest cabins lining the drive, all looked deserted. It was then I remembered tonight’s entertainment included a big bonfire down by the river. No wonder no guests lingered. I rubbed my chilled arms and kept walking.
Thump, thump, thump.
I abruptly stopped. The breeze tossed curls into my eyes. What had that been?
Scanning the darkness, I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. Faint light from the main house shone in the distance. Other than that, inky night surrounded me. I still stood a fair distance from my cabin so scanned the area again. I didn’t see anyone. I cocked my head, listening.
Just the nighttime sounds. That was it.
Shrugging, I began walking again. I’d only gone ten yards when the same sound came. I swirled around. There was definitely something behind me.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I froze. I looked around but still didn’t see anything. I looked left and then right. Nothing. But I felt . . . something.
“Is anyone there?” I called. I waited a moment.
Silence.
“Hello?” I said.
Nothing.
I waited a second longer, but I could still feel it. My sixth sense told me I wasn’t alone. I started to breathe faster. Someone is near and doesn’t want me to know it. I felt as certain of that as I knew the sky was blue.
Without another thought, I turned and sprinted. My feet scissored beneath me as a survival instinct roared to life. I bolted for the cabin as fast as I could go.
I couldn’t be sure, but I thought I heard someone behind me. The thump, thump on the gravel grew faster, more pronounced. That almost made me shriek, but then I saw the cabin. It was still far. The small building had only crested my view on the gravel drive, but the shining living room light beckoned safety.
I breathed harder and moved my legs faster. The breeze whipped across my face, all pleasant scents gone.
The distance closed. Forty yards. Thirty yards. Twenty yards. Ten yards! I was almost there when a dark figure stepped out in front of me.
I screamed.
The sound abruptly died when I slid to a careening halt. The sudden stop pitched me off balance. I almost tripped.
The figure reached out and grabbed me. I screamed again, the sound piercing my own ears, but then I recognized a scent.
Spice, wood and tangerines.
Flint.
“It’s just me,” Flint said gruffly, concern lacing his words. “Why are you running?”
He pulled me to a dark, empty cabin a few cabins up from ours. Tall grass tickled my calves. I panted from running and clung tightly to his forearms.
“Why were you running?” he asked again, more firmly this time.
I could only breathe loudly.
“Lena?”
I took a staggering breath and struggled to get myself under control. His fingers grasped my chin and tilted my head up. In the moonlight, his angular features were sharp a
nd severe, his eyes black.
“Jesus,” he whispered. “What happened?”
I was still too stunned to speak.
“Did somebody hurt you?” He gripped my shoulders tighter. Hot energy rolled off him. I shook my head. Already, the fear I’d felt was rapidly disintegrating. Safe, I’m safe. Once again, that soothing, precious feeling flowed through me in his presence.
“Lena, what happened?” His breath was warm and sweet. It was hard to not lose all coherent thought.
“Nothing,” I finally managed. “I don’t know.” I shook my head as I tried to figure out what had happened.
A few other times, in Rapid City, I felt that someone was after me. It was usually at night when I was out wandering around with Frida, a woman I’d met. Both times it happened, I listened to my gut, pulling Frida with me. We’d run as fast as we could to a more populated area. I’d never know if those fears had been valid, but I trusted my gut. It was all I’d had.
“Did something scare you?” Flint asked.
All I could do was nod.
“What?” he demanded. Another huge wave of energy rolled off him.
“I heard someone. Someone was following me when I was about halfway back. I could feel that I wasn’t alone, but nobody answered when I asked who was there.”
“Where?” he asked, his tone clipped.
I explained where I was when I first heard it. I was about to mumble that I might have been mistaken when the air whooshed around me. My breath caught in my throat.
I was flying.
Before I could think two words, I stood on my cabin’s porch.
Flint was gone.
It all happened so quickly, it took me a minute to process it. My eyes widened when I did.
Flint just carried me up the road to my porch. I searched for him in the distance. He’d vanished into the night.
“Lena? Is that you?” A tapping sound made me turn.
Mica’s face pressed against the glass. She was sitting at the kitchen table, visible through the window. She smiled and waved.
I returned the wave as best I could before walking inside. The feeling of being chased, the sensation of being near Flint, and the incredible way he’d moved me ten yards in two seconds left me dumbstruck.
“What took you so long?” she asked when I stepped inside. She was reading a book. A cup of half-drunk juice sat beside her.
Instead of responding, I walked to the bathroom. I closed the door and placed my hands on the sink. I leaned into them. Harsh breaths escaped me. My fingers gripped the porcelain bowl tightly, the smooth basin hard and unforgiving.
A few minutes later, finally feeling in control, I looked up. My face stared back in the mirror. I was a little paler than normal. Other than that, I looked like myself. Dark red curls tumbled down my back. My green eyes appeared particularly alert but not out of the ordinary. I splashed cold water on my face and returned to the living room.
“Where’s Jacinda?” Mica had moved to the couch, the book on her lap.
“She went to town with Val,” I replied automatically. I sat beside Mica and pulled my feet underneath me. The couch’s upholstery felt rough and worn. A second later, an abrupt whoosh of air had me sitting straight up, but it was only Flint, barreling through the cabin’s door.
“Nothing,” he said. “I searched the whole area but didn’t find anyone.” His eyes shone like two, onyx daggers darting through me. I wondered how far he’d gone. With how fast he moved, he’d probably covered a few square miles.
“Okay,” I replied. “Do you think I imagined it?”
“No.” He didn’t elaborate.
Mica fidgeted beside me just as Di appeared in her bedroom doorway.
Wide-eyed, Mica said, “What happened?”
Before Flint or I could respond, commotion sounded on the porch. Jacinda pushed through the door passed Flint, carrying several bags.
“Hey, guys,” Jacinda said pleasantly. She sailed to the small kitchenette and placed the bags on the counter. “I bought us some more coffee and that cereal you like, Mica. Lena, I bought you a new pair of earrings. I hope you don’t mind.” Her chatter died down, the rustling from the plastic bags dying with it.
Jacinda frowned and surveyed all of us. Di, in her usual all-black attire, crossed her arms. “Something’s happened,” Di said.
Flint nodded curtly. “Someone was following Lena.”
“What?” Jacinda’s face paled. “Are you serious?”
“Where?” Di demanded.
“On her way back to the cabin,” Flint said.
“Do you know who it was?” Jacinda asked.
Flint shook his head.
Di eyed all of us. “Right, no one is to be alone outside at night anymore. Got it?” She turned back to Flint. “Are you going to tell the guys?”
“I will, but I don’t think Jet or Jasper will be too worried. What’s the likelihood of someone attacking a male?”
Di frowned and replied in a quieter tone, “Unless it has something to do with us.” She made a motion toward her tattoo.
My eyes widened. I hadn’t thought of that possibility.
“Hmm.” Flint’s lips tightened.
Di turned to the three of us. “I don’t want any of us alone anymore at night. Okay?”
“Should we tell Pete?” Mica asked.
Di and Flint dipped their heads and started whispering. I couldn’t hear what was said. I knew Jacinda did from the way she perked up. When they stopped, Di said, “For the time being, no.”
I swallowed. They were obviously concerned enough about our situation to not want Pete and Val involved.
Flint eyed me. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah, fine.”
His gaze lingered. Jacinda had sat beside Mica and me, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Di on the other hand, stared out the window, looking deep in thought.
Only Mica seemed unperturbed. She picked up her book again. “Not many boring nights around here!”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
When I walked up to the main house the next morning, I kept thinking about the previous night. Had someone really followed me? How likely was that? And could it really be related to what happened to us all those months ago? I shivered at that thought.
Since it was my day off, the dining room was in full swing by the time I got there. I grabbed a few slices of toast and a cup of coffee.
Flint sat on the other side of the room with the cowboys. I tried not to stare. Something about him looked different.
It took me a minute to place it. Stubble lined his cheeks. Dark smudges blackened the skin under his eyes. He looked tired. That was a first. I’d never seen him as anything but clean-cut and alert looking.
Mica appeared just as I finished. “It’s your day off, right? We’re taking the guests on a nature walk. Wanna come?”
Since I didn’t have anything planned, I nodded. “Sure.”
As usual, Flint ignored me when I passed. Even after last night, nothing had changed. My heart sank.
A group of guests, most of them kids, were already waiting outside. I smiled at the kids and let the magic of being around people work through me. When I dipped down to talk to the little ones, I got a few giggles. That made me smile.
It was nice to be outside for a change. I was glad I brought my windbreaker, though. It had cooled considerably, and a low cloud cover was moving in.
“Nice to have you with us, Lena.” Pete stood in the yard and smiled warmly before beckoning the kids and parents to join him.
“We’ll be goin’ on a nature walk today,” Pete said. “We’ll be talkin’ about the plants of Colorado, specifically, the ones that grow around here. Now to start, can anyone tell me how plants are named?”
One of the girl’s hand shot in the air. “They’re named in an old language so everyone calls them the same.”
“That’s right,” Pete said. “All plants are given Latin names and common names. The Latin names were developed lo
ng ago by . . .”
A famous botanist named Linnaeus. I reeled inwardly when the knowledge spewed out of my brain. Here we go again.
Once again, random knowledge escaped from some unknown cavern deep within my subconscious. If only I could do that with my identity. I groaned inwardly. I was certain, more than ever, that I’d been educated at some point in my life.
A few hours later, we returned to the main house. Everyone climbed the steps just in time for lunch.
“What did you think?” Mica asked. Mica also helped with the tour. She knew all of the Latin names too.
“You did great. Did Pete teach you that Latin stuff?” I asked as the last guest trailed inside.
“No, I already know it.”
I sighed. “So we’re all like that.”
We walked into the house, the door closing softly behind us. Mica stomped the mud from her boots on the rug.
“Do you think we all went to college?” I asked. “Or some advanced prep school?” Considering how much we knew, it didn’t seem like your every day school program explained it.
“We must have, cause you have to admit, we know a lot. And it’s not like I’m the smartest person in the world,” Mica replied.
I also didn’t think I was the next Albert Einstein. However, it was almost eerie at how much was crammed in our heads.
“Why do you think we can remember so much, but can’t remember ourselves?”
Mica shrugged. “I don’t know. Your best bet is to ask Flint or Di. They spend a lot of time talking about this stuff. Ooh! Pizza for lunch! Yum!”
She raced into the dining room. I sighed and followed.
Jacinda, Di and Val were hard at work when I entered the hall. I couldn’t help but wonder if the three were having a hard time keeping up without me. There were two additional families at the ranch this week. No doubt the new girl would come in handy when she arrived, if Val and Pete were happy to hire her too. I wondered how we’d explain that one. It was kind of weird after all, to just randomly show up with another person, as if out of thin air.
I loaded a plate with food and sat beside Mica.
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