“I agree with you. I don’t buy into the rumor either. And by the way, we just passed the road that goes to my house.”
“Oh really? I’m curious. What sort of place does a conservation warden live in? I imagine a log cabin.”
“You’re right! It’s a log home. Not huge, but big enough. There’s a company on the other side of the county that sells pre-cut kits. Still, it took me three years to get it completely done. Would you like to stop and see it on the way back?”
“Of course!” My heart pumped a little faster. “Since there are so many rumors running rampant, what are they saying about me and my friends? We’re the outsiders, so I know there has to be something.”
“I’m sure there are one or two, but I haven’t heard any. The old mill has plenty of ghost stories, legends, whatever you want to call them. But you know how it is. Take a very old building like that, with owners who are seldom present, and people make stuff up for entertainment. The rumors turn out to be nothing more than campfire stories.”
“Maybe you should tell me some. After all, I’m staying there. I’d like to know if there’s a monster chained up in the basement!” I laughed, but this time Gabe wasn’t laughing. He took his eyes off the road and looked at me for a second. There wasn’t a hint of a smile on his face.
“Interesting you should say that, Kelly. That’s one of the stories.”
“A monster in the basement? Jesus!”
“Something. A monster is just one of the versions. But since we don’t have a campfire handy, I’m unable to talk about it further.” With that last bit of snark, Gabe finally cracked a smile. A bolt of lightning shot across the sky.
“Wow, Gabe. You were right about the stormy weather.”
“Better keep the radio on.” Gabe tuned in to an AM weather station.
“It may not be a campfire, but this stormy weather presents a good setting for some of your stories about the mill. Can’t you tell me about the monster now?”
“Some people say there’s a creature that lives under the water wheel. That it’s some sort of monster who wakes up every twenty years or so. I don’t know what kind of monster exactly, but I’ve always imagined it being a troll or something like that. The truth isn’t as fun. Every once in a while, we get someone who decides to go for a swim in the mill pond. The way the water flows—”
“The undercurrent right? We were warned about it when we moved in.”
“Exactly. The undercurrent can easily drag a swimmer down under the wheel. Just like they were pulled down by some unseen creature. It’s hard for people to reason the current could actually pull a person down when the surface looks so calm. Hence, the monster under the water wheel.”
“Aw…I’m a little disappointed! No monster that ravages the women of the village at night? No shapeshifting creature?”
“Sorry. Real life lacks the suspense of fiction.” The radio blasted out an annoying series of buzzing sounds. Gabe added to the urgency when he turned the volume up.
“A tornado warning has been issued for Forest County. At 7:10 PM, a large and dangerous thunderstorm cell was moving east at twenty-two miles per hour. Doppler radar shows rotation, indicating tornados are likely to form with this storm, along with frequent cloud to ground lightning, large hail, and heavy rain. This storm will be over Muskrat City by 7:30 PM. Anyone in the path of this storm is advised to seek shelter immediately.”
“Sorry, Kelly. We’re just south of the storm’s path. And really close to my place, we’ll turn around and be safe there.” Before I could say anything, Gabe turned the wheel and spun the truck 180 degrees, flooring the accelerator. He seemed to know how to handle the truck like a professional, but then again, he did say that conservation wardens go through law enforcement training.
The wind picked up. Leaves and small branches littered the blacktop, and the windshield wipers were in a desperate but losing battle with the rain. I looked at the road that snaked through the heavily forested area and wondered how Gabe would find the little muddy lane to his cabin. But he knew exactly where to turn, and I received my first true bouncing-off-the-seat off road adventure. In the waning greenish light, I saw Gabe’s cabin. It wasn’t a huge cabin, but it was much larger than I expected. The quaint home had a very modern design that I imagined a log cabin should look like. It had a covered porch that ran the entire length of the front of the structure. Gabe parked close to the front steps and I readied myself. The rain was literally pouring from the eaves of the dark green metal roof. I took off my heels, took a breath for the inevitable, and made a run for the porch. Even in the short distance, the sheets of rain thoroughly soaked me.
“Yay! We made it alive! You scared the hell out of me, but it was fun!”
“Sorry, I just wanted to get here before the storm nailed us.” I had to smile when Gabe opened the front door of his cozy little den.
As we walked into his living room, I touched the hand hewn planks that were used on much of the furniture. The large overstuffed cushions and the numerous blankets looked like ones you would see on an old western movie. “This is some seriously sturdy furniture. And big!”
“I made all of it myself. Well, except the cushions of course. And the wool blankets. Got those from the gift store at the reservation.”
The metal roof rattled like a giant bucket of golf balls had been dumped on it. “Just in time. Sounds like serious hail.” He took a blanket from the back of a chair and wrapped it around my shoulders. “I’ll get you a towel,” he said as he walked out of the living room. As luck would have it, that’s when the power went out.
“Don’t worry about the towel, Gabe. It’s pitch black in here.”
“Just have to…” THUMP “…damn it! Just have to find my flashlight.” I could hear Gabe fumbling around in some other room, looking for the flashlight.
“Be careful back there!” I called out. Just before the power went out, I’d noticed a brass platter on a nearby end table. A few pillar candles were arranged on it. Quickly, I retrieved my wand from my purse, hoping I could get the spell right for a change. The last thing I wanted to do was barbeque Gabe’s living room. I quietly mumbled the words and watched in awe as my wand lit up like a candle. With a proud smile, I moved swiftly to light the wicks, extinguish the tiny flame at the tip of my wand, and stash it away before Gabe made his way back to the living room. The candlelight bathed the room in romance. “Now this is nice.”
“What’s that, Kelly? Did you say mice? I’m sure there are a few around here.” A tiny beam of light bobbed around as Gabe found his way back. “Candles. Good idea! Because this puny little penlight is all I could find. My good flashlights that I use in the field are out in the truck. I’m going outside to start the generator. I’ll be—”
I grabbed his arm. “No. Please. It’s too dangerous with all the lightning, or a tree could fall on you. I’m fine with a few candles.”
“Hey, I’m good with that. There are a few more candles on the fireplace mantle and one on the coffee table. I lose power out here all the time. The lines get knocked down on a regular basis.” Gabe placed his hand on my back. “You’re freezing! Now that we have some light…” Gabe picked up a candle and led me into a hallway. “Here’s the bathroom. There are some towels hanging up and a clean bathrobe on the hook behind the door. You really should dry off, you’ll be much warmer.”
“Hmm.” I took his advice and closed the door. “Sorry, sexy dress, that’s two dates, and I still haven’t been able to show you off,” I whispered to myself. Just like Gabe said, a thick fluffy bathrobe hung from a hook on the back of the door. I hung my soaked dress over the shower curtain rod before I wrapped myself in the comfortable robe. I playfully adjusted it so it was open enough to show a nice seductive V of bare skin below my neck.
“Your turn. Why don’t you get out of those wet clothes?”
When Gabe came out of the bathroom, I was surprised to see that he wore nothing more than a towel hanging from his neck and a pair of pajama pa
nts. The sight of his bare chest made me want to lick the skin right off of him. Oh Hell’s Bells. My eyes detoured south while my mind headed straight for the gutter, conjuring vast arrays of images that included a very sexy Gabe doing extremely naughty things to me.
“Sorry about our plans for dinner. I can fire up the generator and make something, if you want.”
“Really, it’s not a big deal. I’m fine. I’ve been having so much fun hanging out with you, just like on our walk up to the spring the other day. I enjoy your company…so much.”
“That I can offer you plenty of. Come on, I want to show you something.” Gabe’s strong hand twisted with mine as he guided me back to the candlelit living room. He waved his hand in front of the couch, inviting me to have a seat. I was curious to know what he was up to when he crossed the room and pulled back the curtains of a large window. “If we’re going to have a bad storm, we might as well enjoy a good light show.”
Bolts of lightning arced across the night sky. I felt so comfortable with Gabe, I didn’t mind the closeness of his body next to mine when he joined me on the couch. I sighed contently as we watched the storm. The streaks of lightning were so frequent and bright, I understood why Gabe had put a window in that location. I could easily see a heavily treed terrain that sloped down to a small lake, creating a picturesque view. Gabe’s arm stretched out across the back of the couch. I eased myself against him, nestling my head into his shoulder. I gently pulled his arm down around me, enveloping me in his warmth.
We were both silent for a long time, mesmerized by the flickering candles that cast dancing shadows around the room. There was a continuous roll of thunder accompanying the stormy light show. “This is better than any dinner or movie, Gabe. Thank you.” I snuggled myself even closer, turning into him with the side of my face against his bare chest. At first, I worried that things were maybe moving a bit too fast with Gabe. It wasn’t a situation I had ever found myself in. I’ve never connected with any man from the moment I met them. Yet with Gabe, everything seemed perfectly natural, like we’d known each other for years. I wondered if magic had brought us together. Either way, we fit together perfectly. I gave up on thinking and let my arm wrap around him. From that point on, our conversation was a silent exchange of light touches as we explored one another, bringing our senses to the very edge of passion. When Gabe kissed me, everything melted away. The rest of the night we kissed, touched, and tasted our way through the steamiest, hot, and exciting lovemaking I had ever experienced. At times it was gentle, delicate, and slow, and at other times, we were wild and completely uninhibited.
As far as I was concerned, there was nobody like Gabe on the face of the earth, and even if there was, I had no desire to know. The night that started with ruined plans became perfect in every way.
Chapter Twenty Seven
The Morning After
The bright sun of a new day woke me. I felt refreshed, relieved, and a little sore, but in a good way. The soft cotton sheets and the soft pillow reminded me I was waking up in Gabe’s bed. And although I never intended for anything to happen, I was more than a little happy with how our date turned out. I remember thinking that Gabe must have woken up hungry, too, because of the low growling noise I heard.
“Good morning,” I said to the pile of sheets and blankets next to me. There was no answer. “Gabe?” I leaned up on my elbow to sneak a peek at him and what I saw next made my heart stop. A monstrous sized black bear was sprawled out in the bed where I expected Gabe to be. I leapt from the bed as quickly as I could. The bear rolled around until its hind quarters slid onto the floor. It stood upright, raised its forearms over its head, and let out a loud groaning growl.
“Gabe! Gabe! Help! Bear!” I screamed, but Gabe didn’t answer. For some reason, I thought of a giant anaconda swallowing its prey whole. I looked at the bear, briefly wondering if I’d see the outline of Gabe’s body. My blonde moment passed quickly, and I remembered that bears actually chew their prey. That’s when I realized Gabe was gone. “Oh my God! You ate Gabe!”
The bear cocked its head from side to side as it tried to comprehend what the screaming naked woman in front of him was saying. I had nothing to defend myself with. Gertie’s magic bear repellent was in my purse, so was my wand. And my purse was still in the living room. I gave myself a pep talk. “Okay, Kelly. You can do this. Ezzy’s showed you this spell a hundred times.” I held my arms straight out and recited the incantation I learned. My voice was shaking, but I managed to blurt it out.
The bear looked at his paws and almost seemed surprised—if bears can look surprised—like it didn’t realize it had such big meaty paws. Suddenly, it let out a ferocious growl. The spell I performed was a wand retrieval spell and it worked. My wand floated into the bedroom, quickly finding its way into my waiting hand. I pointed it at the bear before snapping my wrist, “Ignis impetum!” A ball of fire the size of a strawberry flew from the tip of my wand, zipping past the bear’s big head. It hit the mirror behind him and ricocheted right back at the bear, hitting him square in the ass.
The bear howled in response. The horrendous smell of burnt bear fur filled the room, but the distraction it caused enabled my escape. “Gabe! Gabe! Help!” I screamed hysterically as I ran for my purse. I hoped Gabe hadn’t become a tasty hors d'oeuvre. I frantically dug through the mess that I call a purse and resorted to dumping the contents on the floor. I snatched up the grey satchel filled with Gertie’s anti-bear powder and spun around just in time. The bear stood there menacingly. His big forearms were held high and the clawed paws arched downward, as if it was ready to shred me to pieces faster than a politician shredding campaign donation receipts. I ripped open the little string that held the pouch closed and threw the powder at the bear’s chest.
The bear froze instantly, falling backward. Its weight made the floor shake and the picture frames on the walls shudder. Then the most peculiar thing happened. The bear began to glow. The white light was so intense I had to look away. When it subsided, I expected to see a pile of ashes from the bear I had inadvertently cremated with the powder. Instead, there was Gabe.
He was on his back, naked, and paralyzed. His eyes had a look of horror and confusion, his mouth held open as if he were trying to say “what?” At first, I thought I had freed Gabe from the belly of the beast. But I noticed Gabe’s arms and hands were frozen in the same position as the bear’s paws and forearms.
“What did I just do? What just happened?” Fragments of possibilities spun around in my head as I tried to make sense of what I saw in front of me. My lips trembled as I held back tears. “Gabe? Gabe?” Leaning down to listen, it was clear he was still alive.
I looked up and happened to see the truck keys on the end table near the door. Unsure if I had the skill to transport Gabe by broom, I opted for the truck. I threw on a bathrobe and stuffed the keys in the pocket of the robe. My only hope was to get him to the mill where Gertie could help unfreeze him. The first step was to wrap him in a blanket and drag him out to the porch. I succeeded, but it took a considerable effort. Once I had him outside, I backed the truck up, and slid him right into the bed. Praying I didn’t get pulled over, I drove like a bat out of hell back to the mill. I can’t even begin to imagine what I could possibly say that would explain my way out of the situation. When I finally arrived at the mill, I slid into the gravel lot with the horn blaring. Once I was stopped, I jumped into the back with Gabe and yanked the blanket off of him.
“What the hell happened? Why did you kill him?” Randy yelled from the porch.
“I didn’t kill him. Well, I don’t think I did. Get Gertie! Ask her how to unfreeze a bear.” Randy ran inside and came running back out with the entire crew, minus Gertie.
“Witch goes out on a date and comes back with the boy’s corpse in the back of a truck,” Ezzy deadpanned.
“And they’re both naked. Let’s not forget that little detail,” Randy pointed out. I hadn’t even noticed my bathrobe was undone and I was flashing everyone.
Barney slapped his head. “Christ, we haven’t even been in this town for a week. What’s the body count at now?”
“He’s not dead, smartasses! I think he’s in a coma,” I shouted at my critics. “Where the hell is Gertie? I need her to fix him.”
Gertie ran down the front stairs to the truck. “Here I am! Where’s the bear? And why did you kill Gabe?”
“I did not kill him! He is the bear. Or, he was the bear, but I used the bear repellent you made for me and he froze up…and became…Gabe. I think. I don’t get it.”
“Ahh! I get it. Hey everybody! Kelly’s boyfriend is a werebear!” Gertie called out. “Here, Kelly. Pour a few drops of this on his tongue. It’ll wake him up.” She handed me a little silver flask. I unscrewed the top and carefully poured it into Gabe’s mouth. Almost instantly, his head shook from side to side. He sprang to his feet, yelling a nearly unintelligible stream of obscenities.
“Gabe! Gabe! It’s me, Kelly. We’re at the mill. Are you okay?”
“My ass! My ass burns! Oh my ass!” Gabe spun around. “How bad? How bad is it?”
I cringed at the damage I inflicted. There was a dark red spot the size of a baseball on his left butt cheek. The center was blistered and looked terribly painful. “I’m so sorry. Gabe, please forgive me. I didn’t know…”
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