Passion Of Sleepy Hollow

by Lexi Post

  He stroked Daredevil, the strong horse starting to show signs of weariness with the unusual amount of exercise. “Not much longer. We’re going to find her.”

  Daredevil nickered in response and Braeden smiled. “I wish you could tell me she will definitely be there. You were in the original story, so you should know.”

  The original story. “Of course. Ichabod was the old schoolmaster in that story and Irwin would know that. Thanks, Daredevil.” He patted the horse, who seemed to perk up at the praise. “To the schoolhouse!”

  Daredevil took off like a cannonball from a cannon, reminding Braeden of the story Irwin had told him about the real Headless Horseman. When he finally found the half-gone school building, he sensed Kat’s presence though there was no light shining from inside. Relief at finding her flooded his limbs, causing him to stumble as he jumped from Daredevil’s back. Shaking off his emotions, he crept toward the building. The back half had caved in, though the front looked as if it still stood intact, despite the weathered wood.

  “Who’s out there?” Irwin’s nasal voice sounded loud in the darkness.

  Braeden dropped into a crouch.

  Kat’s voice came clearly from inside. “Irwin, how many times do I have to tell you? There are no ghosts out there. Why don’t we go back to town? You’ll feel safer there.”

  “I’m not stupid. I know there are ghosts out here. I listened to the tales from my grandfather about how Ichabod fought off the Headless Hessian and escaped capture.”

  “Irwin, that was Brom acting as the Headless Horseman. There is no such ghost.”

  Though he now knew Kat was incorrect, Braeden just hoped he wouldn’t see proof of that tonight. If Irwin was afraid of ghosts, he could work with that. Quietly, he removed his shirt. After tying the sleeves, he filled it with leaves. Twice as he did so, Irwin yelled out and Braeden stopped. When he was done, he tied the bottom of the shirt. Thankfully, he had a large shirt, so it did look like a headless torso.

  Climbing up a tree just out of sight of the doorway and Irwin, Braeden set the torso on a limb, but when the branch moved, it began to fall. He grabbed the shirt just in time, his heart racing at the possibility of being shot from the tree before saving Kat. Shit.

  If he had a rope, it would make his plan a lot easier. He looked at his boots, but he wasn’t sure the laces would hold. Ah, but his belt. In no time, he secured the torso to hang from the branch and climbed back to solid ground. He crept around the back of the schoolhouse. As he came up on the right side, he caught sight of Kat between the slats of the wall. She was tied but he could see her working at her ropes while Irwin stared outside. That’s my girl.

  Continuing to the front edge of the building, he took a deep breath. Hefting a rock he’d found on the ground among the leaves, he threw it hard. It hit the trees and fell into the leaves, making a good loud noise. Daredevil neighed in response.

  Irwin stuck his head out the front door and froze at the sight of the torso.

  Braeden lost no time. Jumping onto the porch, he tackled Irwin from behind. He pulled at the gun in the man’s hands and twisted. Irwin squeezed the trigger as Braden slipped it from his grasp and the gun exploded.

  Kat screamed and Daredevil charged. Braeden barely had time to knock Irwin out before Daredevil’s hooves hit the porch. Braeden plastered himself against the wall as the horse barreled by. “Daredevil!”

  The stallion slowed and turned. “It’s me. I’m okay. Are you?” The horse snorted, bouncing its head up and down, still prancing a bit. Braeden swore it understood every word he uttered. Daredevil calmed and walked back, showing no sign of injury.

  “Hey, who’s out there?”

  At the sound of Kat’s voice, Braeden ran inside.

  “Braeden!”

  He turned to find her lowering a mean-looking piece of wood with nails protruding from it. She’d escaped her bonds. “Ah Kat, I thought I would lose you.” His heart threatened to beat outside his chest as his fear overwhelmed him.

  She dropped the board and he grasped her to him like a lifeline. If he’d lost her, he’d lose his reason for living.

  Irwin moaned, reminding him he still had clean-up to do. As much as he didn’t want to let Kat go for a moment, he disengaged from her. “Let me get him tied up and on his way to the village. Ludo will take care of him. Stay right there?”

  She nodded and he went outside, making short work of tying Irwin to Daredevil. “Take him home, boy.”

  He patted the horse on the rump and Daredevil snorted before trotting off back toward town.

  Braeden pulled his watch from his pocket. Pressing the light on it, he stilled. It was 11:33 p.m. He rushed back into the schoolhouse.

  Kat brushed dust and cobwebs from her skirt. He grabbed her hand and pulled her outside. She stumbled, so he scooped her up in his arms.

  She laid her head against his shoulder. “I’m sorry. My legs aren’t working properly yet after being tied for most of the day.”

  “That’s okay. For what I want to do now, you won’t need to stand for long.” Finding a relatively clear area, he set her against a tree, then kicked and pushed as many leaves as he could into a pile. He came at her with a purpose. “Strip.”

  “What?”

  “Take off your clothes and hurry. We need to make love in the next twenty minutes or you will disappear from me for another year and I can’t…”

  “Oh Braeden. I didn’t realize it was so late.” She’d already untied her skirt and as it fell, he spread it over the leaves. When he looked back, only her shift remained and he divested himself of his jeans and shoes. “Come here.”

  She wobbled over on unsteady legs and he lifted the light fabric from her body. She shivered, the cool air making her nipples hard and erect. He wanted to love every inch of her, but that would have to be later…again.

  He grabbed her to him and held her tight. He’d almost lost her forever. The reality struck him so hard his eyes watered. “God, Kat. I don’t ever want to let you go.”

  She mumbled against his chest and he loosened his hold. “What?”

  “I said I don’t want to let you go either, Braeden. I want to make love to you. Now.”

  He gently laid her down on their makeshift bed. The limited moonlight reflected in her pale hair, making it almost glow. A dark mark just beneath her right eye caught his attention. He dropped down to inspect. “Did he hit you?” Fury washed over him.

  She touched the spot with her fingers. “No. I did that trying to get away from him. Knocked my face on the saddle.”

  His body shook as the unneeded adrenaline rush sped through it and his respect for her rose another notch. She was no coward. He loved that about her. That and so many other things. He softly kissed the bruise. “I will never let anything happen to you again. I promise.”

  She raised her arms to him. “I know.”

  Her gaze proved her words and his heart swelled with her confidence in him. Accepting her invitation, he lay over her and cradled her face between his palms. “I will never let you go.” Lowering his lips to hers, he poured all his love for her into his kiss.

  Kat grasped him to her, proving her feelings were the same. The adrenaline that coursed through his veins coupled with his fear of losing her had him ravishing her mouth, desperate to have all of her.

  She must have felt the same way. She pulled on his hair, forcing his face closer. He resisted, fearful of hurting her. He lifted his head to press kisses down her neck. “It’s okay, Kat. I’m here now. I’ll always be here.”

  She clawed at his naked back even as he encountered tear tracks on her cheeks.

  “Please, Braeden.”

  The request was all he needed. He unzipped his jeans with one hand and rubbed his hard cock along her moist entrance.

  Her legs opened wider. “Darn it, Braeden. Now!”

  Smiling inside at her spirit, he positioned himself between her open thighs and plunged into her, his lips claiming hers again.

  Her body
molded to his, letting no space between them as he pumped his cock into her tight softness, her moans filling his mouth and her scent overwhelming him.

  His heart hitched. She’s all right. The litany in his head ran on and on in rhythm with their lovemaking. She’s all right. She’s all right. Until her sweet surrender sent his thoughts soaring and left nothing but ecstasy behind.

  * * * * *

  Newtime—Tuesday Morning

  Kat and Braeden stood in the circle with the rest of the village. As the previous morning’s meeting had never finished, the meeting resumed, though in quite a different tone. Jurgen, hobbling in on crutches he’d made for Max just a week earlier, apologized and urged everyone to vote in their favor. He admitted to setting the fire as a distraction. He also revealed that Irwin had told him he would take care of Braeden, showing him the gun. Jurgen had kidnapped Kat to make sure Braeden followed, but when he heard what Irwin planned to do with her, he had tried to stop him.

  Jurgen’s tale had a number of people shaking their heads, but Kat publically forgave him. The villagers could be far too judgmental, and she wanted Jurgen to find someone else to love. That wouldn’t happen if they all treated him as an outcast.

  Jurgen left the center of the circle and approached, staring at Braeden. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t accept she was in love with someone else.”

  Braeden extended his hand.

  The man stood still a moment, obviously surprised, before shaking. Afterward, he looked at Kat. “Do you want to speak now?”

  She was about to answer when another person made for the center of the circle. She grinned. “I guess I will have to wait until Nora is done.”

  “Nora?” Jurgen looked back before hobbling into the line of people.

  Nora addressed them, her confident stance portraying she was proud to be there, so her words were a bit of a surprise. “Since we are confessing today, I also need to confess.”

  A number of people nodded. Kat glanced in question at Braeden, but he simply smiled.

  “As many of you discovered yesterday, I am the black rider.”

  A murmur ran through the crowd and Kat turned to Braeden. “You knew? How?”

  He lowered his head. “Her rose scent, her shoe size and her motivation.”

  “Huh?”

  He ignored her and watched Nora.

  The woman held her hands up for silence. “As you can see, I am not a ghost, nor was I trying to make it appear that Braden had brought bad luck. In fact, my goal was the opposite.”

  “What was your goal?” Max yelled.

  Kat rolled her eyes. That man needed Newtime and he needed it now.

  Nora shook her head at him. “I would tell you if you would stop interrupting.”

  The villagers smiled knowingly, allowing Nora to continue.

  “My goal was to make Braeden stay. We need to be in Newtime. My daughters,” she pointed to the two almost-grown, pretty women, “will want to marry and have families one day. There are no men in this village of an age with them, except Max, whose only focus is Newtime, and now possibly Liesbeth.”

  The young woman blushed but Max smiled proudly.

  “I want a future for my girls. I want to see them have a happy life like I have had or like I have now.” She turned and focused her attention on Ludo. “I have been lucky in my life to fall in love twice, first with my husband and now with Ludo Van Ripper.” She reached her hands out toward him.

  The man strode forward to take them with no hesitation.

  “I love you, Ludo. And I want everyone to know it. No more midnight courting.”

  He gazed at her, surprise as well as a hint of uncertainty on his face. “But you could find someone better in Newtime.”

  “There can be no better man than you in any time.”

  “Ah, Nora.” He pulled her against him and kissed her.

  Everyone clapped and Kat brushed happy tears from her eyes. She glanced up at Braeden to see a smug smile on his face. “You knew that too?”

  He nodded. “As an outsider, I noticed different things than those of you within your circle.”

  “So why did you run down the Newtimer?” Janna asked.

  Someone else joined in. “And tramp through Jurgen’s garden?”

  “And listen at my window?”

  Kat added her question as well. “And why did you run me down when I came home one evening from giving Dame Van Brunt a ham and Hans Van Ripper’s dog a bone?”

  Nora addressed Kat first. “I’m sorry, Kat. Running so close to you was an accident. Gunpowder was spooked and I was trying to control him when we bounded out of the woods and there you were. I ran close to Braeden to try to keep him from leaving Sleepy Hollow. I didn’t realize he planned to return. I trampled the gardens of those who wouldn’t accept that the curse needed to be lifted.”

  “And you were coming to my aid,” Braeden’s voice was loud, “when Jurgen’s men knocked me out.”

  “So you listened at my window to help lift the curse.” Dame Vandend stood, a strange occurrence for her, so everyone’s eyes were on her. “You all want this Newtime,” she spat. “You will be sorry if you lift the curse. Mark my words.”

  Nora whirled around, pinning the old woman with her intent stare. “Why, witch? Do you plan to lay another curse on this village?”

  The entire village went silent, the chickadees the only living thing daring to make a sound.

  Dame Vandend scanned the crowd before her gaze settled on her grandson. She seemed startled, as if she’d forgotten he was there.

  “Is this true, Grandmother?” Max took a step forward, his disbelief heartbreaking for Kat to watch.

  The old woman avoided his gaze and shrugged. “I’d never harm you.”

  “That’s not what I asked.”

  Dame Vandend sat on her hay bale and waved her hand to the side. “You want Newtime, you can have it.”

  Max’s hurt was obvious and Nora took the opportunity to step back to the edge of the circle to comfort him. She nodded to Kat.

  Without hesitancy, Kat and Braeden stepped forward. “I think we should take a vote. Will you all approve my marriage to Braeden, thereby keeping Sleepy Hollow in Newtime forever? If you approve, please raise your hand.”

  Kat’s heart raced as hands went up all around them. They turned together to check and as she scowled at the witch, the woman raised her hand. Even Jurgen’s arm raised along with his followers. Relief filled her heart as Braeden squeezed her waist.

  Nora called out, “How do you two vote?”

  Everyone laughed and Braeden grasped her hand in his and raised them together. “It is unanimous! We will marry and Sleepy Hollow will stay in Newtime.”

  Cheers erupted and even a few hats flew into the air.

  Kat turned to Braeden with tears in her eyes once again. “I love you.”

  “Good. Because we are going to get married right now.”

  “What? But I don’t have a dress. We haven’t been engaged but a day. There is no supper planned. Braeden, your family isn’t even here.”

  “Katrina Van Tassel.” He pulled her toward him and wrapped his arms about her waist. “I am not waiting one more minute to be your husband. I will never take the chance of losing you again. This wedding will satisfy the curse in Oldtime, but we will have to marry again in Newtime under the laws of the country now. Then you can have a beautiful dress and an amazing reception and all my family will be there. So in essence, you will have two weddings. Okay?”

  “Fine.”

  “Good.” He kissed her deeply, then raised his head. “To the church! We’re getting married right now.”

  Kat grinned as the men grabbed Braeden and propelled him toward the path to the church while the women pulled her back to the inn. In no time she was dressed in a beautiful chintz gown of tiny pink rosettes on an ivory background, her hair raised high upon her head and flowers in her hand.

  Nora finished pinning up the hem of the skirt. “This looks much better on you tha
n it would have on my daughter.”

  “I feel terrible taking the gown you made for one of your daughters. Are you sure, Nora?”

  The woman laughed, more carefree than Kat ever remembered seeing her. “Definitely. Thanks to you, I will be able to purchase ready-made dresses for both my girls in Newtime.”

  Kat gave the woman a tearful hug and they left the inn arm in arm.

  The ladies walked her to the church. A group of geese couldn’t have been louder. It was so different from the first time she’d come to the small church to be married. That time, she’d been waiting for a groom who never showed. Now her groom, obviously impatient, waited for her. As they came to the entrance of the church, she lifted her face to the sky. Thank you, Brom, for letting me go and giving me such an amazing husband.

  A chill swept through her but she smiled. He’d heard. With a full heart and a light step, she floated forward, anxious, after more than two hundred and forty years, to finally begin her new life as Katrina Van Brunt.

  Epilogue

  Present Day

  Braeden pressed his wife against the door to the hotel suite. The low-cut neckline on the white satin gown revealing her ample cleavage had given him a day-long hard-on. As beautiful as she was, he liked her better in nothing.

  “Braeden, someone will see.”

  He chuckled against her neck as his hand squeezed the breast he craved and pushed it up toward the opening of the dress. “What will they see, but the tails of my tuxedo?” He continued to squeeze and work her breast until the nipple popped above the neckline. His mouth, already close, couldn’t resist, and he tongued the hard nub.

  “Oh Braeden. I’m getting wet for you.”

  He jerked his head up. “Where did you hear that expression?”

  “Why? Is it not appropriate?”

  He leaned his forehead on her chest and talked to her breast. “Yes, it is if your goal was to make me so hard I will lift this dress to your waist and take you here in the hallway.”

  Her intake of breath told him his idea had increased her excitement, and he forced deep breaths through his lungs to gain control of his desire. When he could speak again, he lifted his head. “Just tell me who told you.”