Midnight Revelations: The Watchers, Book 3

by D McEntire

  She had found herself gripping the chair and biting her lip to keep from knocking on the door or simply slipping inside and joining him in the shower.

  Her mouth had gone dry and an ache had settled between her legs. When he had stepped out of the bathroom wearing only his blue jeans, which sat deliciously low on his hips, she had gotten an eyeful. His feet had been bare, and his hair was wet. Rivulets of water had streamed down the bulging muscles of his pecs, sliding over his abs before disappearing into the waistband of his pants.

  Unable to take her gaze off him, she had followed his every move as he walked to the front of the trailer, a towel in his hand to dry his hair. She had noticed his gait was much different than the Rogues, as he called them. Where theirs was cold and calculating, his was casual and relaxed. And his eyes. His eyes were like pools of honey. Nowhere near the crazed, soulless depths of those monsters.

  She had never before had thoughts like this about a man, but deep down, she knew it meant nothing. It couldn’t. There was no room in her life for a relationship.

  Stifling a groan, she made a quick change of clothes and climbed out of the camper.

  “Ready?”

  Rayne was smiling at her as if he knew her thoughts and the struggle she was having with them. Either that or she had put her shirt on backwards. After a quick scan and not finding anything awry, she nodded.

  Walking slightly behind him, which she told herself was a bad idea as it gave her an up-close view of his backside outlined by tight jeans, Suma racked her brain to think of something to say. The silence wasn’t helping to squelch her raging hormones.

  “I still can’t believe someone would sneak out here to dig holes and set traps. They’re lucky the vampires didn’t eat them.”

  When Rayne stopped abruptly, Suma ran into his back, knocking the breath out of her as if she had struck a brick wall.

  “What’s wrong?”

  The look on his face when he turned around screamed aggravation, and Suma took a step back. “Uh… I mean Rogues,” she stammered.

  With a shake of his head, Rayne turned around and continued in the direction of the trap, which the wolf had fallen into last evening.

  Suma fell into step behind him, resisting the urge to stick out her tongue behind his back like a child. He had known what she meant. He was just being arrogant. Her hand went up to her mouth to cover her smile.

  It didn’t take long before they reached the pit, and Suma shuddered when she recalled falling into its depths. As she stared at the hole, images of Rayne lowering himself in to rescue her played in her head like a romantic chick flick. She could still feel his gentle touch, and hear his soft voice speaking to her.

  “Suma?”

  Suma blinked, then turned her gaze to Rayne who was staring at her with concern.

  “Are you okay?”

  Forcing a smile, she nodded and backed away from the hole, giving him room to work.

  “So,” Rayne started as he begun scooping dirt and tossing it into the pit. “How long are you planning on staying in the area?”

  Suma had wondered when the questions would start again. She had figured they were coming, and she would have to come up with some answers.

  “I guess I will be leaving when my people leave. After the Pow-wow is over, they’ll return to the reservation.”

  Rayne didn’t speak again for several minutes, and she wondered what he was thinking. She knew what she was thinking. Down girl! She didn’t know if she was talking to herself or the wolf as she watched the muscles bunch and play under his shirt while he worked to cover the hole.

  Rayne was not just making conversation, he wanted to learn more about Suma. To him, she was the most amazing woman…beautiful, courageous…and alone, like him.

  The fact that she would be leaving soon bothered him, and though he tried to tell himself it was no big deal, his lie didn’t convince his head, or his heart.

  “Where will they head out to next? Is there another event they are scheduled to attend?”

  Rayne knew he was grabbing at straws, secretly hoping her answer would be some town close to Louisville where there was a possibility he would see her again.

  “I really don’t know.”

  Rayne heard her move around as if she was growing anxious. He didn’t look at her, figuring he would ask questions casually while he shoveled, hoping to keep her talking.

  “It’s not like I am on their distribution list or anything.”

  Not knowing what to make of her comment, Rayne looked up to judge her meaning by her face, but she had her back to him, seemingly keeping her gaze peeled for Rogues.

  Finally, the pit was filled in as much as possible, and he stretched his arms and legs with a grunt.

  “Well, this one’s finished. Let’s see what else we can find.”

  Through the night, they found two more pits and a few other crude snares and traps, which they discarded. The night had given them a chance to get to know each other more, though Rayne could sense Suma’s answers were guarded. She answered his questions regarding her family, even telling him how her parents had been killed by an attack from Rogues, but she didn’t answer questions about her relationship with her people.

  Rayne saw Suma’s pain ran deep when she spoke of her grandfather. From her words, he envisioned a wise and honorable man, and most likely one of the tribe’s well-respected elders, which made him all the more curious as to why her place within the tribe was strange. No doubt her grandfather had held a place of importance among her people, why didn’t she?

  “Suma, who taught you the ways of the Skinwalker? Your grandfather?”

  “Yes,” she said, settling down on a tree stump to rest a moment. They had been walking for hours, checking for traps.

  “I was sixteen when my grandfather told me the Spirits had chosen me for the gift. Well, let me tell you, I wasn’t very happy about it. I guess I was more scared than anything. I refused…but in the end…I accepted it.”

  Rayne nodded. He understood the fear of learning the Spirits chose you to carry something of great importance, of great responsibility, not to mention the idea of magic being involved.

  A mere child shouldered with such an enormous burden.

  He had been much older than Suma when his father had told him of his calling.

  How hard it must have been for her.

  The act from the Spirits surprised him, though he quickly reminded himself he had no right to question their logic as all actions had results only they could foresee. Though he wondered if her grandfather had had an explanation.

  “Why so young? I thought the chosen one wasn’t initiated until at least their eighteenth birthday?”

  Suma blew out a sigh, and the air from her lungs seemed to go right through him.

  “Grandfather didn’t have much time left. He had held off as long as he could, and I was most thankful. As it was, he only had a little over a year to train me.”

  Rayne saw the raw sadness on her face and in her eyes. He felt it all the way to his bones. A nagging suspicion settled in the pit of his stomach. She had lost her people along the way, as he had lost his. Remembering his people was like the edge of a knife in his chest—a loss which cut him deeply.

  He cleared his throat in an effort to banish his thoughts and the wave of emotions before he drowned in their depths. “I think it’s time we headed back. Do you want to return to Dana’s or are you going across the river tonight?”

  Suma didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want to be alone again, at least, not tonight. If she returned to her truck, she would sleep in the camper, alone. She wasn’t going across the river until the Pow-wow began later that evening.

  “I will go to Dana’s, if you don’t mind. I didn’t get a chance to meet and talk to her today. Maybe I will be able to catch her tomorrow.”

  Rayne stilled suddenly, and at the same time Suma’s inner warning bells were sounding loud and clear. Even the wolf was stirring.

  They looked at one
another and smiled.

  “We’ve got company,” she whispered.

  As Rayne slid apart his walking stick, reveling sharp blades on each end, Suma felt a sense of elation and pride while watching him, the warrior in action. But, he is not your warrior, a voice whispered in her head. She pushed the voice aside, not letting it take away from what she was feeling at that moment.

  “When you change, do your clothes disappear during the change?”

  His sly grin made her laugh, and she shook her head.

  “No, but you’re going to have to settle for a bright light. You may want to turn around. The light can be blinding.”

  She laughed again at the feigned disappointment on his face as he followed her suggestion and turned his back. She took a moment for one last look at his stance—ready for battle.

  Suma clasped her wolf in her hands and let the change come.

  White light enveloped him, catching his breath at the peaceful feeling washing over him at that moment. He turned and gazed upon the beauty of the black wolf. Her green gaze stared at him, a twinkle reflected in its depths.

  They stood motionless, waiting.

  Brush crackled under footsteps, followed by snarls and low voices. Two Rogues stepped within view. Rayne made a move to get their attention.

  “Damn. It’s a Watcher,” one said sarcastically.

  “And look. He’s got a dog,” the other taunted.

  “Hello, boys. Out for a stroll?”

  The Rogues looked at each other and smiled. “Yeah. Out for a walk in the night air. We had a craving for venison.”

  Rayne tsked. “You don’t expect me to believe that now, do you?”

  Suma’s body brushed against his leg as if she were giving him a playful punch. He could swear he heard soft laughter, but he didn’t chance a glance at the wolf. If there was one thing a Watcher never did, it was never to lose focus on the bloodsuckers. They looked for such opportunities.

  The wolf shifted again, and he knew it was growing restless. He felt it was more the wolf than Suma, its animal instincts calling upon it to kill.

  “Oh, all right. Have at it,” he drawled, and the wolf reacted.

  Instantly, a body of black fur crashed through the brush, plowing into the front of one of the Rogues. Without hesitation, Rayne set into action as the other Rogue picked up a thick branch.

  Rayne shook his head at the Rogue thinking of defending himself with a piece of wood against his razor-edged daggers. He knew he could turn that branch into toothpicks in a heartbeat, but he decided to play along, at least for a little while. He didn’t want to finish off his quarry before the wolf. Ladies first.

  Her fight didn’t last long. Rayne knew the wolf was good. It had been in the park taking down Lord knows how many Rogues before he had arrived.

  As he cleaned his blades the white light enveloped him once more, and he closed his eyes allowing the feeling to wash over him again.

  Suma stepped beside him. “Wow. You were great.”

  Rayne snorted. “Me? The wolf sure knows her stuff.”

  Suma’s blush was endearing as she shyly looked away.

  They left the impromptu battle ground and the disintegrating Rogues, and headed to his Jeep.

  The sky was gradually lightening when she and Rayne stepped inside the trailer. She felt a little nervous at being here again, alone with the man who kept her imagination and hormones running wild. Strange sensations flowed through her veins when she looked at him or even thought about him. Sensations never before felt with anyone, and she didn’t understand it. Something about being near Rayne made her skin tingle.

  Nervously, Suma glanced in his direction, then went to the refrigerator for bottles of water. She handed one to Rayne, looking away when his fingers brushed hers, making her heart skip a beat.

  She tried to cover her nervousness by plopping into the chair next to the couch. She thought about trying to sleep, but knew it wouldn’t work. Too many thoughts and emotions were racing through her head.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Dana stood on her deck, sipping a hot cup of coffee and listening to the familiar country morning sounds. She smiled as she looked to the horizon where the sun was beginning to make its presence known, slowly fading away the beautiful pink and purple painting in the early morning sky.

  Birds chattered and flew from tree to tree, making the branches shake. She loved to listen to their songs, finding it relaxing. She heard one of the neighbor’s horses whinny in the distance, followed by a loud bellow of a cow.

  Crunching gravel broke the peaceful sounds of the morning. Frowning, Dana turned and walked toward the front of the house to watch a pickup truck barreling up her driveway sending sprays of rock and gravel dust flying. Jed.

  Jed’s truck screeched to a stop in front of the house. He bounded out, giving the door a hard slam behind him.

  “Mornin’, Jed. What can I do for ya?” Dana tried to keep a pleasant smile on her face. She had known this conflict would come and was ready for it.

  “Mornin’, Dana. I just left Ben Marson’s place. He said you came out and bought the two goats he had for sale. I had planned on buying ’em myself. He wouldn’t tell me how much you paid, but I’d like to take ’em off your hands, with a little extra tossed in, of course.”

  Jed reached the foot of the steps to the porch, and though he tried to be civil and polite, she could see the anger in his eyes. She had known he would not take kindly to her buying the goats, but she hadn’t cared. There was no way she was going to sit back while he kept them in pens and cages for his animal shows.

  Dana stared at Jed, gathering her courage to face the confrontation simmering below the surface.

  “Wouldn’t dream of partin’ with them. They are just adorable and seem to like it here. Besides,” she added with a smile, “I bought a dog to help keep an eye on them.”

  Dana raised her arm and pointed to the barn area where a Great Pyrenees sat, watching Jed intently while growling low in its throat.

  Jed turned toward the barn and scowled before he turned and faced her again.

  “Listen. I had already planned on buying ’em goats from Mr. Marson, and I don’t know how you managed to buy ’em out from under me. One of my good buddies told him I would be out in a few days to get ’em. By rights, they should be mine as I had spoken for ’em first.”

  Dana shook her head. “Nope. Don’t think so. Mr. Marson sold me those goats outright, and I paid what he asked for them. They were bought and paid for by me, so they belong here on my place, and that’s where they’re gonna stay. You’re not going to use them as more of your money making toys for your stupid shows, and then throw them out as meat to the cats when you’re tired of them.”

  Jed’s face blazed red, and Dana could have sworn she saw smoke coming out of his ears before he narrowed his eyes.

  “I don’t know what game you’re playing, woman, but you don’t know who you’re messin’ with. I don’t take kindly to being jerked around. You listen, and you listen good. You better keep your nose out of my business, and stay the hell out of my way.”

  Before Jed could continue his threats, Keith walked out the door and stepped up beside Dana, a protective arm sliding around her waist. Dana almost laughed aloud at the sudden change in Jed’s demeanor at her husband’s presence.

  “Mornin’, Jed,” Keith said in a low, dry tone. Dana could tell by the fierce look in his eyes her husband wasn’t pleased at what he had heard Jed saying to her. Her husband had told her time and time again Jed was a slimeball, and she was kicking herself for not listening.

  “Mornin’, Keith. I was just telling your wife here how much I would like buy those two goats from y’all.” Jed flashed Keith a smile which never reached his eyes. Instead, they were thick with menace as he glanced at Dana.

  Keith scowled. “I heard damned well what you said to my wife, and let me tell you, I’ll be damned if you’re going to talk to her that way. Take your wimpy-assed threats, get the hell off
my property, and don’t ever let me catch you setting foot on it again. If you do, you’ll be seeing the end of my rifle. You understand?”

  Keith’s voice was almost a growl, and Dana was flattered her husband had come to her rescue and was protecting her.

  She held her breath as Jed stood there for a few moments, giving the same cold stare he was getting from Keith before he turned his head and spit on the ground. He reached up and pushed his hat off his forehead. As he leered at them, he spoke again. “I hear you, Keith. I hear you loud and clear. But don’t think for a minute this is over.”

  With that, Jed turned on his heels and stalked to his truck, yanking open the door with so much force, it surprised Dana it didn’t rip from its hinges. He jumped inside, then sped down the driveway.

  Letting out a long breath, Dana started to tremble. Keith pulled her close, and she felt sheltered in his strong arms.

  “That bastard. How dare he come here spouting his mouth,” Keith spat, the sound of his voice rumbled in his chest and echoed through hers. After a few minutes, he pulled away and looked at her.

  “Are you okay?” he asked softly.

  Dana nodded, then closed her eyes for a moment to gather herself.

  “Listen, honey. If he ever, I mean ever, threatens you again, you let me know right away. You hear? I don’t want him coming near you either.”

  Dana nodded again, then hugged her husband tight, staying in his arms for several minutes before he pulled out of the embrace.

  She watched his gaze move to look at the Jeep parked beside the trailer, then return to her, an eyebrow raised in question.

  “When did your folks get a Jeep?”

  Oh boy. Here we go.

  “It’s not Mom and Dad’s. We have guests.”

  When both of his eyebrows rose, she gave him a wary smile. What she needed to tell him was not going to be easy, and she wasn’t sure if he would believe her.