by Beth Alvarez
The herd slowed and Kade pulled his horse up alongside her, surveying the horizon. “That should do. We’ll let ’em walk themselves to wherever they please, they’ll settle in a minute here.”
She forced herself to smile. “Must be some serious topics for discussion.”
“A little bit.” Kade was more serious than usual, the stern set to his mouth reminding her of when she’d made the mistake of asking about the business card that morning.
One by one, the cattle stopped moving, distracted by the grass and weeds underfoot. The horses stopped without needing guidance when the herd grew still. Felicity shifted in the saddle, trying not to look at him. His expression unsettled her stomach, and her mind was already scrambling for reasons riding with him was a bad idea.
No matter how hard she tried not to, she found herself thinking of the dead man Gertie had told her about.
“So what do you think?” Kade leaned forward, patting Dex’s neck. “You wanna start with small talk, or jump right into business?”
She lowered her eyes. “I’d just like to know why I’m out here.”
He didn’t reply right away, peering over his shoulder at the dim glow of the house on the horizon. Then he sighed. “All right, then. Here’s the deal.”
Felicity gripped the saddle horn to keep her hands from shaking, bracing herself for whatever request he had that couldn’t be mentioned within a mile of another living soul.
“I’ll be square with you, Filly. There’s somethin’ funny goin’ on out here, and though I’ve been trying, I can’t seem to figure anything out on my own.” Kade bowed his head, licking his lips as if gearing up for the worst. “I need help, and I feel like I can trust you to do it.”
For a moment, she didn’t know whether to be relieved or more concerned. Relieved his proposition wasn’t nearly the indecent request she’d convinced herself was coming, but the look on his face was so troubled she suspected she might’ve preferred indecency.
“What do you need?” Her voice was calm and steady in spite of how rattled she felt.
He grimaced. “First night I was here, McCullough lost a cow from the herd. I’m sure you’ve already heard about that.”
She nodded.
“Well, I told the officer that came out here that I saw a wolf take it down before the men dragged it to the truck. And that ain’t exactly true.”
“Did they shoot it?” It didn’t make much sense to steal a dead cow, but if that really was the animal that turned up dead in town, maybe it was supposed to mean something else.
“No.” His fingers twitched on the reins. “Somethin’ did take it down, but it wasn’t no wolf.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What was it?”
Kade studied her, then jerked his head to the left. “Ride with me a moment.”
Swallowing hard, she turned her horse to follow his lead.
He guided Dex up a small swell, stopping where they overlooked the herd. “I’ve seen one of them things before, but if I start telling you about it, you’re gonna think I’m crazy.”
She halfway thought him crazy already. “What is it?”
He gave her a crooked smirk. “You sure you wanna know?”
Scowling back, she tried not to grind her teeth. “Just tell me!”
“It’s one of them goat-suckers. El chupacabra.”
Felicity blinked, her shoulders slumping. Was he being serious? Those urban legends cropped up all the time, though usually closer to the border. “A chupacabra?”
“You know what that is, right?”
She gave him a flat look. “You’re joking.”
“Dead serious.” Kade glanced at the cattle, making sure they were settled before he slid out of the saddle. “C’mere a minute.”
Pursing her lips, she considered just turning the mare and riding home. If nothing else, she’d only lost a few hours of her evening. And her father would no doubt be delighted if she suddenly distanced herself from the cowboy, though he might be less pleased knowing one of his tenants was crazy.
But there was a simple honesty about Kade that drew her to him. Everything seemed clear and straightforward when she talked to him, and it was so refreshing that—for just a moment—she thought that maybe he wasn’t so crazy after all.
She dismounted to join him.
“I owe you an apology, Filly. I haven’t told anyone here the whole truth. I ain’t exactly what you think.” Kade dug beneath the collar of his coat, pulling out a necklace. Odd teeth and claws hung from the knotted cord.
Curious, she inched closer. “What are those?”
“Trophies. Keep one every time I take down a target.” He hesitated, then flashed her one of his dimpled grins, touching a tooth on the cord that was as long as his finger. “This one’s my favorite.”
“What’s it from?” She glanced at the other souvenirs, but none were so impressive as that tooth that hung from the middle of the string.
“A lycanthrope that lost his mind. Pack couldn’t set him straight, so he had to be taken down.”
Felicity blinked, confused.
“Werewolf,” he said simply, turning his attention to a smaller trophy. “And this is from a chupacabra. But that thing was small, size of a dog, maybe. Still dangerous, able to take down livestock all on its own. The one that’s out here?” He shook his head. “If anybody saw what I saw, I’d be amazed if they didn’t run for the hills.”
For a long time, Felicity said nothing. She’d never been the superstitious sort, and the urge to mount up and leave returned. Aside from that massive tooth, the treasures on his necklace could have been from any animal. For all she knew, they weren’t even real. Plastic shark’s teeth could be bought anywhere that sold cheap fashion jewelry. And yet, if they were fake, why would he bring her out here and show her?
She searched his face, frowning. “Why are you telling me this?”
Kade sighed, tucking the necklace back into his shirt. “Because I’m stuck on this one. It ain’t like any jobs I’ve taken before. Somethin’ else is going on, here. It ain’t just a monster killin’ cattle. The men that showed up? That loaded that steer onto that truck? They brought the thing. They let it out, and when it was satisfied with the hunt, they packed it up and took it off somewhere. I’ve never seen anything like that. The hunts I’ve been on before, it’s just been chasing down a wild animal.”
“How many times have you done this?” she asked quietly.
“Quite a few.”
“Is that why you’re really here?”
He nodded. “There’s a reason supernatural sightings never pan out, Filly. These critters? They’re worth a whole lot of money. As soon as they make it to the news, you got a dozen bounty hunters out there lookin’ for it. They catch it, the sightings stop, and everyone laughs it off. Then there are cases like this one, where if you know where to look and who to ask, you can get a real early start. Far as I know, I’m the only one after this critter right now. And if you can help me figure out where I need to be to take it down, then I promise you, your cut will be more than enough to save your Hilltop House. Maybe even enough for you to put money down on that storefront you pretend you don’t love.”
Her heart skipped a beat, fluttering at the prospect of her bakery—her dreams—and then sinking like a stone. She made herself turn away. “I don’t think you realize how deeply in debt we are.”
“It’ll be enough,” Kade said.
Tears pricked her eyes. “We’re several months behind on the mortgage, on top of around forty thousand dollars we still owe for Mom’s treatment.”
“It’ll be enough,” he repeated, softer.
Squeezing her eyes closed, she swallowed against the lump in her throat. “How much?”
“For a chupacabra?” He made a soft, thoughtful sound. “Well, one this size, I don’t know. But the last one I took in? Half a million.”
A chill ran through her, leaving her limbs icy.
Kade moved closer. “Whatever it brings in, Filly . . . i
f you help me find this thing, I’ll give you half. I promise you.”
She bit her lower lip, taking it in. He was right. That was enough to change everything, even putting her dreams back within her reach—something she hadn’t thought possible since her engagement ended. “And what if we don’t find it?”
He shrugged. “Happens, sometimes. I suppose I’d just move on.”
The thought of him leaving left her strangely hollow. She knew it would come to that eventually, but seeing him—getting to know him, feeling the spark of connection between them—made some part of her hope McCullough would find a permanent place for him at the ranch once the need for an overnight shift was gone. But if a wrangling job wasn’t why he was really here, that made it a silly hope. Even if he weren’t insane, even if they found the monster he claimed was out there, he’d eventually move on.
Who was she kidding? She tried to be reasonable. This was nuts. Yet, she couldn’t think of a reason not to try. The worst that could happen was she would have wasted her time, and without any other ideas, a distraction from her problems might be a good thing.
Making her decision, she nodded. “What do I have to do?”
Kade smiled, the light of relief in his hazel eyes. He’d thought she was going to turn him down, she realized. He’d brought her out here to tell her this, fully knowing she would probably call him crazy, possibly cut ties right then. And somehow, he’d decided the risk was worth it. Why?
“Simple,” he said. “You ask questions. Funny things happen around a place like this, the locals expect one of their own to be curious about it. But I’m an outsider. If I start askin’ too many questions, it’s gonna look suspicious. The last thing I need is to give your policeman another reason to be suspicious of me. When you work in a profession like mine, drawin’ attention’s never good.”
Fidgeting with her gloves, Felicity lowered her eyes. “I can do that.”
“Just be careful,” he murmured, touching her arm. Even through her coat, the feeling of his hand against her made her heart pound. “I don’t want anything to happen to you. Especially not because I told you to be sniffin’ around.”
She stifled a laugh, nudging a clump of grass with the toe of her boot. “It’s sweet of you to care.”
Kade frowned, confused. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because you barely know me. Though after all this, I guess you know me a lot better than I know you.”
“I haven’t lied to you about anything, Filly.” He slid a finger under her chin, tipping it up until she had to look at him. “I’ve just been keepin’ some parts of the truth to myself. It’s safer that way, for me and you both. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt.”
Felicity couldn’t help smiling. “And here I thought so ill of you when you asked me to come out here.”
He cocked his head to the side. “What do you mean?”
Her eyes darted away from his face, a flush rising into her cheeks. “You asked me what I was willing to do. I thought you were bringing me out here to ask me to sell myself.”
Kade blinked twice, a look of annoyed consternation painting his face. “Do I strike you as the kind of man who’d do that?”
“Well, no, but . . .” She trailed off, embarrassed, staring at the ground.
“Now you listen here.” He stepped closer, laying one hand on her shoulder and cradling her face with the other. “If that happens between us, it’ll be because you want it to. No other reason.”
Closing her eyes, she pressed her cheek into his gloved hand. The leather was cold against her skin, but his touch was still comforting. “Do you want it to?” The words escaped before she could stop them, her face turning redder.
“That ain’t fair. There’s no right way to answer that.” He smoothed her hair away from her face, tucking a wisp beneath her hat.
“You’ve thought about it, haven’t you?” It was an inappropriate question, she knew, but after that response she couldn’t help it. With the way he’d kissed her in the kitchen and the way he’d touched her while they decorated the tree, she thought she knew the answer, but she wanted to hear him say it.
“Honestly,” his voice dropped to a husky murmur, “it’s hard not to think about it, what with them jeans you’re wearin’.”
Stifling the laugh that came with a wave of self-consciousness, Felicity tugged the bottom of her coat a little lower around her hips.
Kade cleared his throat. “In any event, there are some books in my bag, back in my room. Stuff about the kind of critters I hunt. If you need them, you can get ’em out. Might give you some ideas for what kind of questions to ask.”
Grateful for the change of subject, she nodded and turned back to her horse. “I’ll let you work, then. I told Dad I wouldn’t be out long, anyway.”
He followed her, lacing his fingers together and bracing them against his knee to create a foothold. She didn’t need the help, but she let him boost her to the saddle anyway, just to have contact again.
She took the reins, smiling down at him. “Ride safe tonight, bounty hunter.”
“Call me cowboy,” he said.
“You know,” she said, feeling the warm stirring of fondness in her chest when she met his eyes. “I think I like that better.”
NINE
* * *
FELICITY HAD ENOUGH trouble sleeping without thinking about monsters. She hesitated at the door to the suite, unsure she wanted to go inside. Her father had already gone to bed, and though Nick and Penny were awake, they were decorating a gingerbread house in the kitchen and laughing between themselves, not paying any attention what she was doing.
Not that it would have been strange for her to be in Kade’s room; she was the housekeeper, after all. She considered that for a while before finally letting herself in.
Every time she set foot in the suite, she was surprised at how clean it stayed. It wasn’t unusual for guests to leave clothes on the floor or charging cables for gadgets in a tangle next to outlets, but aside from the bags on the floor, the room could have been empty.
Pushing the door almost closed, Felicity crept over to kneel beside his bags. Whether or not she had permission to get something out of them, it felt odd to go through someone else’s belongings. One bag was all but collapsed on itself, nearly nothing left inside. The other still looked full. Worrying her lower lip with her teeth, she unzipped the full one and peeked inside.
A trio of books sat nestled inside, spines facing up. She reached for them before she realized what they were propped against, and her stomach gave a flop.
She didn’t have to look inside to recognize gun cases, and there were several. Having grown up in the country, she wasn’t afraid of firearms. It was knowing they belonged to someone who genuinely believed Marshall McCullough was losing cattle to a chupacabra that made her sick.
If Kade came unhinged, what would those guns be used for?
Suppressing a shudder, she pulled the books free and sat cross-legged beside the bags. One was an unlabeled volume, but it looked like a journal, so she put it away without opening it. The other two bore the titles The Practical Guide to Cryptids and the more vague Cryptozoology. She put the latter aside, flipping open the Practical Guide.
Inside the cover was a simple note, reading: To Kade. Happy hunting! and signed with a name she couldn’t decipher.
She frowned, turning a few pages. Articles about monsters filled the book in alphabetical order, some with illustrations. She flipped ahead and the book’s pages parted where something had been stuck between them. It was cheap photo paper, obviously gotten from one of the instant photo kiosks found in every department store. The back was dated a few years prior. Tilting her head, she pulled it out and turned it over.
It was a picture of Kade. Just like any other photo taken of a hunting trophy, he was grinning ear to ear and holding up the head of . . . something. It looked like a dinosaur, long-necked and gray-green with flippers, though it wasn’t much bigger than he was. Felicity stared a
t it a long time before putting it back and moving ahead.
She might’ve thought it fake, but there were more. Too many to be forgeries, and too flawless, besides. Dozens of photos, one tucked in every few chapters, all of them the same. Kade looking delighted, sometimes armed, posing next to some sort of bizarre creature she couldn’t name without checking chapter titles. Hairy ape-like things, winged creatures, alien looking monstrosities that gave her chills—which she tried not to look at for long. Even a photo of him holding what looked like a jackrabbit, except he held it up by its antlers.
She swallowed hard and paged backwards, looking for the Cs.
A part of her didn’t want to see it. It would be easier to wash her hands of the mess, have her father kick him out of the bed and breakfast, cut ties and be done.
There was a photo on the page she wanted. Felicity looked at it, then closed her eyes, willing herself to breathe.
Kade with a small gray creature, canine in shape, with leathery skin and spines running down its back.
The last chupacabra he’d found, worth half a million dollars.
Suddenly sick, she clapped the book closed and shoved them all back into the bag.
“Why couldn’t he just be crazy?” she muttered, picking herself up off the floor, retreating from the suite before anyone saw her.
She definitely wouldn’t be sleeping tonight.
* * *
Bleary-eyed, Felicity stumbled into the kitchen just in time for the front door to open and the bell to ring.
Struggling not to sigh, she turned around and crept to the foyer. When she saw Grant at the desk, she mustered a smile.