Kraig's Kat

by Brigit Aine

  KRAIG'S KAT

  Book Three – Torrent's Talents

  Copyright © 2011 Brigit Aine

  Cover design by Heather Gardener

  Book design by Denysé Bridger

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  Brigit Aine

  Visit my site at: http://www.brigitsworld.com

  ISBN: 978-1-927027-12-7

  Online copy provided in Canada

  First Published by XoXo Publishing: June 2011

  XoXo Publishing™ a div of Ninni Group Inc

  Visit us at: http://www.xoxopublishing.com

  XoXo Publishing™ is a member of the

  EPIC, SPAN and

  EF Publishers Association

  XoXo Publishing™ uses Canadian English spelling which is a blend of British and American. publisher@xoxopublishing.com

  Kraig's Kat

  Book Three: Torrent's Talents

  by Brigit Aine

  Chapter One

  Katherine (Kat) Walker weighed the choices about which direction her life was going and sighed. Now that there was a meeting set with two officers she had met yesterday and their significant others, the life she was used to was going to change for sure. New people, making friends, meet and greets, those were never easy for her, and there was something about the two officers that set her internal radar off. For some reason they made Katherine even more nervous than most. The running was getting old, and Katherine wanted to settle down, here in Torrent, where she had heard it was a safe place for those with talent. It felt, to Katherine, like her whole life had been nothing but hiding, even in the house where she grew up. If she made friends, let people in, know the real her, it might put them in danger, and Katherine didn’t want to do that. For as long as Katherine could remember, she hid so others would not be subject to the abuse her father, Christopher, would have put them through if they had tried to befriend her. Almost a year passed since she left this time, and Kat’s inner sense of self and her soul finally felt like they could settle down, be peaceful. A tranquility unlike anything before seemed to settle within her. Katherine didn’t like violence and especially didn’t want anyone else to get hurt if Christopher found her.

  Hands resting on the reading table, Kat knew what was needed. A tarot reading. Fingers trailing over the smooth edge of the table, Kat sighed. A piece of art more than a piece of furniture, it brought hope and joy to her world. Honed from maple, the table brought feelings of love and tenderness to mind. Her grandfather had crafted it specifically for Kat to do her tarot readings on, before Christopher cut him from her. A velveteen cloth in royal purple covered most of the table. Like many things, the cloth had called to Kat when she spotted it at an antique shop. History wove itself into the very fabric of the velvet. Once belonging to a man burned at the stake in the Salem witch trials, the energy carried in the velvet was perfect for Kat’s tarot reading. The cloth and the table fit perfectly and Kat was glad Christopher allowed her the graduation trip she took to Massachusetts, if for nothing other than to visit that store.

  The Shapeshifter Tarot, her favorite deck, was on the table. As a psychic/tarot reader, Katherine placed almost all of her faith on the cards. Often times, her moves were predicated on a simple reading that allowed her to know if Christopher tracked her to where she was. In fact, the cards helped point her here, to Torrent, as a safe haven. Katherine thought of the issue before her: going to the bakery that morning to meet with the men from the day before and whomever they brought with them. If she could focus her question, Katherine knew the energy the cards picked up would bring a more specific answer. Katherine kept her query simple, even though, no matter the answer, the course of her life was going to change. She shuffled the deck, took in a deep breath, centered herself, and thought about her question, “Should I go to the bakery this morning?” until a single card was pulled free and fell onto the table before her. Katherine opened her eyes and glanced down with some trepidation, not really knowing what she wanted the reading to tell her. Partnership. Well, that answered that. Clearly, she was supposed to be here and set down some roots. She needed to move forward and get ready for the meeting down at the bakery. The change coming was an exciting one, time for new friends and bonds to form.

  Standing up from reading, Katherine stretched and thought about the meeting ahead. Still nervous about new people, Katherine also felt a sense of hope, a first in a very long time. A lighter feeling seemed to fill her where once there would have been dread. Partnership. A positive connotation came with that card and it was a good way to start this venture. Her senses were never wrong, so Katherine let herself enjoy the moment, knowing she was going to be getting some help and be able to settle in one place for as long as she wanted. Looking around her new house, with its pretty pastel colors and warm feeling, Katherine’s sense of belonging took over. This was where she wanted to stay; the sense of coming home, to where she belonged permeating her whole being. If only Christopher would leave her alone, life would be perfect.

  Shaking off the foreboding shadows that came whenever she thought of him, Katherine focused on getting ready for this meeting. The concept of having friends she could keep, people who could truly know her was a new one and Katherine found herself smiling at the idea. Torrent was going to be someplace special. She wouldn’t have to hide who she was. She had done some research before deciding to settle here and discovered that the people of Torrent were unique. Many of them had something a little extra within themselves and they didn’t hide it—in fact they used their talent to help one another and make the town a safe place.

  As she stepped out of the huge shower, she wondered what the talents were of the people she was meeting this morning. Her brief interaction with the Sheriff and his deputy yesterday hadn’t given her enough of a chance to use her gift. Katherine had been too nervous and worried that she would give something away about herself, so keeping the introductions brief had been what she focused on, instead of seeing what energy the men gave off. She dried off with a big fluffy towel, one of the new ones she bought just outside of Torrent. It felt good, soft and comforting. It was a pretty color, bright yellow, and fit perfectly in the new bathroom of light blue. Katherine smiled — sometimes her talent was a good one to have. Knowing, to some degree, what was coming helped when decorating on the fly. Christopher kept her running more often right now, and the last time he had caught up, she was forced to leave almost all of her belongings behind in order to get out before he got there. Now, she wasn’t so sure that had been a bad thing. Sometimes a new start was the answer to the problem. Katherine chose her clothes carefully—she tried for the casual but not too relaxed look, selecting white capris and a bright pink button down shirt with a white camisole underneath. Slipping into white sandals with pink trim, Katherine felt ready to go.

  Chapter Two

  The short walk to the bakery was enjoyable for Katherine. It was only a few blocks from her new home and the tarot reading business she was hoping to open, if she got to stay. That same sense of coming home, the soul belonging somewhere settled over Katherine as she approached her destination. Stepping through the door to the bakery, Katherine was inundated with the scents of apples, blueberries, chocolate and the smell of bread. One scent in particular seemed to stand out; it was the most delicious smell, tempting her and causing her stomach to growl. Stepping up to the counter, Katherine pretended she hadn’t noticed that she had become the center of attention the instant she came through the door. Small towns were notorious for that, and she tried to ignore it w
hen it happened to her, as she was often the new person.

  “Hello, I’m looking for the Sheriff and his deputy,” Katherine said to woman behind the counter.

  “Hi there, you must be Katherine. I’m Cassie. Jared, the deputy you met yesterday, told me you were coming in.” Katherine could hear the lightness in the Cassie’s voice and knew Cassie was trying to ease some of the awkwardness. Katherine was surprised and grateful at the other woman. Clearly, Cassie knew that meeting strangers, even if they may become friends, was a nerve wracking experience. Breathing in deeply, Katherine put her hand out to shake Cassie’s, feeling better about the meeting.

  Katherine’s tension eased faster than normal, but she couldn’t figure out the cause. Glancing around the bakery, she tried to see why she was beginning to feel so at ease. It wasn’t like her to not always be on guard — relaxing wasn’t something she just did. While the mouthwatering smells coming from the fresh baked goods were enough to send her senses into melt down, Katherine knew it wouldn’t cause her guard to go down. Still trying to figure it out, Katherine gazed at Cassie. She had to be the reason. It was the only reasonable explanation, as Katherine had not come into contact with anything or anyone else.

  “So tell me what you did when we shook hands, because I am not near as tense as I should be,” Katherine figured being upfront and honest was the best way to start.

  Katherine watched as her statement caused Cassie to laugh. “Already? That is fabulous. Let me get you one of these wonderful blueberry muffins, and after just one bite, you should be more relaxed and at ease then you have been in years, maybe ever. To answer your question though, my talent is soothing or muting emotions in others. You could say I alleviate problem emotions. So when you are in proximity of me, your emotions aren’t as intense. Touch helps boost it.” Cassie pulled a muffin out of the case as she explained and smiled at Katherine.

  Katherine pondered what Cassie said, both about the muffin being put on a plate for her and about the talent Cassie had, wondering what it would be like to have it. The bell above the door rang, signaling someone coming in. Cassie’s face lit up when she glanced toward the sound. Katherine turned and saw the two men she had spoken with the day before. One of those two put that look on Cassie’s face and Katherine found herself trying to “see” them, since she hadn’t yesterday. Frowning, Katherine realized that she couldn’t get a read on either of them. Trying a little harder, Katherine focused her energy. When she was still unable to get anything off of either of them, she stopped trying. Raising a hand in greeting towards the door, Katherine continued to think about all the things she had learned, since she had walked into the bakery, and she still didn’t know what Cassie meant about the muffin. However, not being able to get a read of any sort off of someone, let alone two people, was very unusual for her. She’d always been able to sense something about a person. The blonde one, Jared, she knew from earlier, sauntered over to Cassie and gave her a quick kiss. Katherine could sense the love between them. It was easy to see it as they seemed reluctant to part, as if they wanted more than just that small contact.

  “Here you are,” Cassie said, as she turned away from Jared; her face a pretty shade of pink, and towards Katherine, the plate with the blueberry muffin in hand. “One bite of this and any anxiety left will quickly be gone.”

  Cassie winked at her as Katherine took a forkful of the muffin right there at the counter. Katherine kept hearing Cassie say this one muffin was going to make her feel better, but not knowing how that was possible, Katherine figured she would be the judge of the food. Amazingly, as the bite melted on her tongue, the tension seemed to flow out of her, as if calmness infused her entire being and shoved out anything else.

  “Okay, this is, oh wow, I need to know.” Katherine couldn’t even form complete thoughts; her brain had been turned to mush as it stopped worrying and planning for the first time in years. She hadn’t been able to shut down since, well now that she thought about it, Katherine couldn’t remember a time. The idea that her muscles could unclench and her mind didn’t have to be thinking of the next step was foreign to her, and yet as she took another bite that is exactly what happened.

  Cassie and Jared both laughed at her. “Red,” they answered in unison.

  “She’ll be out in a minute I would imagine, since Ethan went to get her. Although with the two of them, it could be longer, but I don’t think so. Let’s find a table where we can all talk and get acquainted.” As Cassie said that, Katherine realized the other man, Ethan, had disappeared. Amazed that she hadn’t even noticed, Katherine found herself at a loss for what to do except what Cassie said.

  As Jared ushered both Cassie and her toward a table at the back of the bakery, Katherine’s sense of being safe, the feeling she didn’t have to be the only one looking out increased. From the way he had them seated quickly and his eyes darted around the bakery and out the big glass windows that showed the street out front, Katherine realized he was looking for anything out of the ordinary. Someone else on the lookout was new for Katherine, but she hoped that this meant she would be able to get some help, and that she would have others to rely on. Although Jared was just doing his job; it helped Katherine’s comfort level a great deal. Just as the three of them got seated, the door from the kitchen opened and Ethan stepped out with a woman Katherine assumed was Red. They looked around the bakery for the others, spotted them at the back and headed for them. Katherine saw that Ethan scanned the bakery and the windows just as Jared had done only moments before. Katherine could see that from this vantage point in the bakery, the men had a clear view of all the entrance points and the rest of the patrons. Jared had even managed to seat the women so that the men had their backs to the wall and not the door. Katherine knew this position well, as this was how she always sat, just in case she needed to get out of somewhere quickly.

  “Hi there,” the woman Katherine assumed was Red said, as she pulled out a chair and sat down. “I am Radine, but everyone calls me Red. Welcome to Torrent. This is my family’s bakery and a sort of gathering place for everyone in town. That could be because of Cassie, or I suppose me. Hmm, I’m going to have to think about this now. Oh well! Ethan says your talent is tarot cards. I can’t wait to come visit you.”

  Katherine just stared at Red. This woman had more energy than anyone she had seen before. Her aura practically glowed with all the energy she carried. And her thoughts, given the introduction, were clearly going a hundred miles a minute. As everyone else at the table laughed at Red’s speech, Katherine felt herself begin to settle more comfortably into her chair, sensing from the energies she could read that these people wanted to help her, make her feel at ease, and welcome her to their town, just as they said.

  Red, it turns out, was friendly and curious, but not overly pushy. As they talked to one another, and included her in the conversation about general things, the weather, where she had lived before, the gossip in Torrent, Katherine realized that both of these women, were very likable, and in fact she was beginning to fit in and be a part of the group without even knowing how it had happened. Katherine usually had a hard time fitting in and getting close to others because of her ability to read them, but outside of the energy from the women she wasn’t able to get anything from them, making it easier to simply be a part of the group. Having never really been around others with talent before, Kat wasn’t sure if that was why she was having trouble sensing them or if there was something else. Christopher had kept her hidden from the world, not wanting others to know about her ability. It was something to ask the ladies about at a later date, she thought, and was startled to realize she was subconsciously planning on seeing them more.

  Right now though, she had a more pressing issue to discuss with Red, one she should have brought up earlier. “Alright, so tell me your specialty, because I feel calmer than I have since my ordeal began ages ago, and Cassie has already told me that it is only partly because of her and that the rest is you.”

  Red grinned at the w
ords. “Well, I have a different talent that you won’t find very many places. When I cook, whatever emotions I am feeling or thinking about goes into the food I am making. I made those blueberry muffins for you specially this morning. I figured you would be nervous coming in to meet us. I know I would have been. Coming into a new town and having the Sheriff set up a meeting with people you don’t know. I can’t imagine how nervous and frightening that must be. So I focused on being extremely calm and soothing when I made the muffins, and I told Cassie to be sure and serve you one. Perfectly brilliant idea, if I do say so myself.” Red finished with an upswing in her voice and a teasing look on her face and Kat couldn’t help but smile back at her. It was clear Red thought herself a genius for the idea.

  Katherine marveled that these women and men, whom she had just met, would put so much thought into making her feel comfortable and wanted. Her eyes filled with tears that she quickly blinked away, not wanting them to see how much this meant to her. “Thank you so much. I can’t tell you what it means to have someone think of putting me at ease. This is new for me, people usually only want what they can get from me because of my ability to “see” their thoughts and energies. They don’t understand that outside of a vague sense of what their intentions are and how they are feeling I can’t get much else. Most seem to think I can read everything they think.”

  Kat’s cheeks blushed as she became aware of how much she had given away—she didn’t usually talk about herself. She picked up her mug, and took a sip of a coffee that had somehow appeared in front of her. She looked up and saw that they all had coffee and pastries of some sort. She had been so focused on the people at the table and trying to figure out why she couldn’t read them, and why they affected her, that she had been completely unaware that someone had served them. Being so unaware of what was going on wasn’t something Kat could do very often. Even feeling as if there were people here who would help protect her, she didn’t want to bring danger to them. No matter if they were trained law enforcement of not, if Christopher came blazing in, everyone became fair game. As these things raced through her mind, Kat realized she still didn’t go on high alert. Not sure if it was because of Cassie and Red, or if she really felt that she wasn’t all alone here, Kat knew she was safe, and that these men, so protective of their women just when choosing a table in a bakery, would help to keep her safe as well. However, they couldn’t do that if they didn’t know what was going on. Looking up she saw that the expressions on her companions’ faces had become serious and Kat knew it was time to tell her story.