Legacy Lost

by Jillian David

  Praise for Jillian David’s Hell to Pay Series

  “Cleverly and expertly woven between their POVs, their journey is not an easy one—lives will be lost, family endangered, much bodily harm done to many—and love begins to bloom despite neither really wanting it . . . (T)his series will be an exciting one and well worth the time to savor strength in men, and women.” 4.5 stars —InD’Tale Magazine

  “ . . . teases and taunts from the beginning, slowly building characters by revealing pieces of their lives and past in bits . . . . Immortal Flame is a slow burn to a fiery furnace . . . ” 5 Stars —Paranormal Romance Guild

  “Intense and entertaining throughout . . . a strong start to a promising new series that should prove a treat for fans of this ever-popular genre. One to add to your reading list, it is strongly recommended.” —Book Viral

  “A fast-paced and fun paranormal romance. This was a new author for me but one that I will definitely look to read again.” —Night Owl Romance

  “Packed with scorching love scenes, a bit of mystery and plenty of action, Jillian David keeps you wanting more from the very beginning.” —Eat Sleep Read Reviews

  “The sex is hot and steamy while not being gratuitous or overbearing. I love the characters she has created, the way they support each other and feel like people I would enjoy getting to know. As an independent reviewer for paranormal books and authors that rock, I give this four firm solid and sharp fangs.” —4 Fangs, Paranormal Romance and Authors that Rock

  “A wonderful read full of action and romance . . . ” —4 stars, Romancing the Book

  “Okay, seriously, this book has me HOOKED!! Like whoa, hooked! I feel like I could easily devour ten of these books in a weekend! I’m totally and completely in love!!”—4.5 stars, Chapter 5 by Joss Radillo Book Blog

  “ . . .a heart-pounding start to what looks to be another fabulous paranormal series from Jillian David who makes her rural settings come to life with jaw-tensing reality.” —5 stars, Tome Tender

  “Wow, well that was a surprise. I haven’t read anything by this author previously but that is very much my mistake because judging by this book, I may have been missing out!” —5 stars, Books Laid Bare & Books Laid Bare Boys

  Thank you for downloading this Simon & Schuster ebook.

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  Contents

  Cover

  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

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Acknowledgments

  ‘Immortal Flame’ Excerpt

  Guide

  Contents

  Start of content

  Legacy Lost

  Hell’s Valley, Book 2

  Jillian David

  Avon, Massachusetts

  Chapter 1

  “Watch it! Incoming.”

  The smug male voice’s command came almost too late to react to the bale of hay dropped from the loft. Shelby Taggart yelped and dodged the heavy projectile in time, but the chilly puff of straw dust kicked off another coughing fit that she couldn’t contain no matter how hard she tried.

  Damn Eric Patterson, all healthy and fit, hucking fifty-pound bales like it was no big deal.

  She stepped around a corner of the small barn and gave in to the wheezing as the lining of her lungs burned like someone had sprayed acid over them. Pressing her hand to her chest against the double layers of flannel she wore, she took slow, deep breaths. Damn it. She still hadn’t recovered from the smoke inhalation a few weeks ago. The cold, dry mountain air didn’t help. The evening forecast for Copper River, Wyoming, promised snow soon. And it was only late November. It was going to be a long winter.

  Bad news for the Taggart family. Not enough time to prepare for the cold weather this year.

  When the main barn with all the supplies and feed inside had literally gone up in flames a few weeks ago, the Taggart family’s future went with it. This winter was going to suck. Even luck might not be enough to keep the ranch afloat, at the rate bad things were happening here. Too many bad things. Weird coincidences. Too weird.

  A chill hit her spine, and she whipped around, peering down the long line of stalls, half-expecting to see someone. Or something.

  What was left of the singed hair on her forearms popped into goose bumps. She squinted. No movement. The only out-of-place noise was Eric’s booted feet stomping on the wood floor of the loft. Nothing else seemed wrong. Must be imagining things. A faint scent of sulfur irritated her nostrils and she coughed again.

  The sensation of someone standing just out of sight continued, and she rubbed her shoulder.

  At the sound of an impatient whuff, she shuffled over to a nearby stall. A velvety nose emerged from the darkness. Pink patches of healed burns dotted the roan head. Her horse, Bob, blinked his big brown eyes and nuzzled her neck. The ticklish pressure of his nose on her neck started the coughing all over again.

  Had it been worth it? Running back into that fire to save Bob from the burning barn? Almost dying? Risking permanent lung damage?

  He rested his soft chin on her shoulder and gave a great, horsey sigh.

  Yes, totally worth it. As she leaned against the stall door, Shelby scratched her horse’s jowls and he stomped a hoofed foot in happiness.

  “You know, a guy could get jealous of a horse, the way you’re mooning over him,” Eric’s sardonic voice started up again. Even without looking, she’d bet fifty bucks on him sporting a sarcastic twist of his mouth. “Before you two make plans for your happily ever after, you should be aware that he’s gelded.”

  “And it improved his disposition immediately. Should be mandatory for all guys.”

  Eric made a choking sound and a leather-gloved hand drifted over his groin.

  Good. Served him right. Longtime family friend or not, it didn’t hurt to put him in his place every so often. Kept him honest. Knocked that grin off his too-handsome-for-his-own-good face.

  She kissed Bob’s smooth nose. “Don’t judge. What Bob and I have is beyond your understanding.”

  Eric laughed and shoved his unruly sandy hair back off his forehead. “I don’t want any details about your relationship with that . . . horse.”

  “What? Wish you could wear a bridle and be tacked?”

  “Naw. I don’t wear a saddle well. Chafes my delicate skin.” This cowboy? With his broad shoulders and solid frame? Nothing about him was delicate.

  The laugh that bubbled up triggered another unfortunate coughing spell. He stepped forward, but she held up her hand. “I’m good.”

  A furrow formed between his midnight blue eyes. “You sure? Because you were pretty wrecked a
fter the fire and smoke inhalation. That was a few weeks ago and you’re still coughing. Want to go rest? I can finish the work here.”

  Blowing a curl off her forehead, she rolled her eyes. “You know what I realized? Maybe the reason I like my horse is because he doesn’t talk back to me.”

  “Maybe that’s because you don’t stop talking long enough for him to get a word in edgewise.”

  She popped a hand on her hip. “Maybe that’s because most non-horse males don’t have anything worthwhile to say.”

  He crossed his big arms over his broad chest. His stupid, muscled chest. “Or maybe because you can’t handle what they have to say.” Damn that lifted chin. “Wouldn’t kill you to listen to advice from people who want to help you, at least once in a while.”

  The disapproving emotion he projected tasted like sour milk, and she flinched, shoring up her filters. Her damn psychic power had been on the fritz since she had used it two weeks ago. Sure, the stupid radar detector still worked. Yay for her. She always knew where to look to find missing people. But when she went that extra step and dove into the lost soul’s mind to pinpoint their condition? Well, that was the move that short-circuited her mental switchboard. And after diving into two minds recently, her reward was the reduced control over her ability.

  The mental filters she had always used before to maintain her sanity? Fried.

  No longer could she simply block out everyone’s emotions and pick and choose what she sensed. Now everyone’s feelings battered the barriers she had worked hard to erect. Holding back others’ emotions took way more effort than it ever had in the past. She’d become a cracked dam with a spring flood’s worth of people’s feelings rising behind her. At what point would the dam overflow? Rupture?

  When her control totally broke, did she really want to know how Eric felt?

  Nope.

  “Wow. Way to cut to the chase. Thanks, chump.” Gritting her teeth, she kept what filters she still had firmly in place. Anything less, and the deluge of feelings caused too much pain, not only because the act of reading other people’s emotions gave her a headache, but with Eric, she didn’t want to know what he really thought of her. Not now. Maybe not ever.

  Ah, denial. The coziest, fleeciest blanket she could wrap around herself. And damn it, she’d burrow right into her cocoon of denial any day of the week, and screw anyone else for suggesting otherwise. Warm, protected, safe from criticism and safe from people’s true feelings.

  Maybe if she could get a few more good nights’ sleep, she’d have her defenses back up to full strength. Maybe. Who knew for sure?

  Until she could figure out the problem with her power and its mental filters, she needed to continue avoiding certain people, like Eric.

  She’d kept all of her abilities secret from everyone but her family. That is, until a few weeks ago when big brother Garrison had outed her human radar detector skills. She almost didn’t care if Eric thought she was a freak of nature. She’d use that power all over again to save her nephew and Garrison’s girlfriend, Sara. But ol’ Eric hadn’t taken learning about her secret well.

  Wait until he found out she could read anyone’s emotions.

  Not that she’d ever tell him.

  It was bad enough he knew about her homing beacon skills.

  A wave of something else wafted over her filters. Warm, smoky caramel. The scent of Eric’s concern and worry about her.

  Great.

  His light brown brows drew together. “So, how’s your breathing? Really?” By the way he asked, he damn well knew the answer.

  “Fine.”

  “Want to try that answer again?” The curve of his sensual mouth pressed into a hard line as he studied her. Did he seriously move into a wide alpha-dude stance? Not that she was affected by him. No way. Her disgust stemmed from the fact that hard muscled, denim-clad legs like those should be illegal to display without a license.

  “Sure.” She suppressed a betraying wheeze. “How about it’s none of your business and let’s get back to work?”

  He barked what passed for a laugh and moved not one inch. “You bet it’s my business.” He extended a work-roughened hand toward her then dropped it. “I can’t believe you’re on call for Search and Rescue in this condition.”

  “In this condition?” Virtual heat steamed from the top of her head. “Now you’re checking on my condition?”

  “I’m an EMT, same as you. Someone should assess how you’re doing since you refused medical treatment after the fire.”

  “Don’t need to assess anything. I’m fine.”

  He rolled a gloved hand into a fist and propped it on a central beam, leaning like he wanted to shove down the entire structure. “Damn it, Shel, you’re going to get yourself killed if you don’t take care of yourself. I’m one of the team leaders on Search and Rescue. And I will pull you from a mission if you’re not healthy.”

  Irritation crackled along her nerves. No way could she give in to the undertone of concern in his voice. “That would be the last thing on earth that you did, getting in my way of doing my job.”

  His mouth barely moved. “If it’s a medical call, I’ll do it.”

  This conversation was getting too serious too quickly. And she couldn’t detect a rock bottom for this uncomfortable chat. “So now you’re a medical expert?”

  “As close as we’re going to get right now.”

  Spin the topic, damn it. Change the subject. Now. “No way, dude. You’re not evaluating my medical condition. Because then I’d have to make you wear the stupid nurse costume and call you ‘ma’am.’”

  He paused then shook his head. With a glint in his dark blue eyes, he shot her a broad grin that made her heart flop. “How about I wear the hat?”

  “Well . . . ”

  “And nothing else.”

  Today’s verbal judo wasn’t working like it normally did. Her cheeks warmed up at the thought of an exam by Eric. With him wearing only a nurse’s cap. That image cast her childhood friend in a whole new and uncomfortable light. She broke eye contact. Nope. Nothing would ever happen beyond friendship, and life was better for both of them that way.

  Because, with her crappy gift to detect emotion, Shelby’s problem wasn’t intimacy, it was the aftermath, the judgment, the inevitable disapproval, the garbage and static that came along with even the nicest thoughts. Way too much closeness.

  She and Eric were friends. That’s the way it had been for years, and that’s how it would be for years to come. Period.

  “Fine, Nurse Patterson.” She sniffed. “But I get to decide how to use the stethoscope and blood pressure cuff.”

  A brief wave of his warm emotion, the heated metal scent of anticipation and raw hunger, hit her then dissipated. He was a pro at hiding how he felt, and he didn’t even know why. Thank God. Mainlining his emotions would hurt her brain and her heart.

  Maybe he somehow knew to protect himself from her powers? Instinct? The reason didn’t matter.

  Fair’s fair. She hid her feelings from him. Who was she to judge if he did the same?

  “Seriously, Shel. Why don’t you take another week off Search and Rescue call and rest up?”

  “What are you, my boss?”

  “I am on our Search and Rescue team.”

  She paused. Yeah, he could pull her off the squad. But that would require him to confront her. Eric was rock solid. As a general rule, he didn’t stir things up. She’d known him since middle school; he avoided situations where there was bound to be a fight. If he removed her from team, the knockdown drag-out shit fit she would present him? Epic.

  With a wheezy sigh, she rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Look, the sooner I get back to a normal routine, the better. The ranch is important and we’re all working together to run it. But with Search and Rescue, that’s something I can call my own.”

  “I get it.” His tone of voice dropped like a flat, lead weight.

  And if the twinge of orange disappointment that bubbled out from him was any
indication, she’d just reminded him of the fact that he had nothing to call his own.

  “Sorry,” she mumbled.

  He cut her off with a chop of his hand but didn’t meet her gaze. “It’s nothing. And I like working on Search and Rescue, too. I get where you’re coming from, wanting to help people.”

  Way to redirect the conversation.

  Giving Bob another pet on the nose, she brushed off her hands and headed back toward the loft ladder. Away from Eric.

  “Shel, stop.” He didn’t touch her, but that tone rode over her skin like the pad of a big, worn, cowboy’s finger.

  She whipped around. “What?” Damn it, her voice came out way too sharp.

  Right before he closed his eyes, she caught a flicker and a warm whiff of . . . something more than irritation. A hunger. A focus. For her. On her.

  Then he blew out a puff of air. Male scent, leather, hay, and his essence of spiciness, like cloves, flowed by her. Literal smells. Not the strange sensations generated when her power fired up. Man, if she could bottle up and sell Eric’s unique aroma, she’d be a millionaire.

  With visible effort, he schooled his face into a neutral expression. Only, an undertone of irritation remained, didn’t it? “Just. Let me get down a few more bales for the herd and the horses. Then we’ll be done for the evening.”

  “Fine.”

  No way would she watch while he climbed back up that ladder.

  Several more bales of hay later, and he joined her as they loaded the ATV. Then he drove away toward the lowing cattle in the nearby field. The quiet in the barn didn’t reassure her.

  Separating a bale, she loaded up the feeders in each stall. The sounds of chomping horses filled the silence.

  When she reached the last stall in the darker back portion of the barn, her brother Garrison’s horse stuck its nose out, waiting for his turn to have dinner.

  “Hi, fella. I didn’t forget you,” she murmured, lifting the hay and dropping it into the feeder.

  He snorted and looked into the back corner of the structure.