by Ciana Stone
Chapter Twelve
Logan lay propped on his side, up on one elbow, watching Sabine. She had the double windows of the bedroom thrown open. Old fashioned in design, they opened out like a set of doors. There were no screens.
Cool air and moonlight flooded the room, washing her in silver and lifting tendrils of her long hair.
“You want to talk about it?”
She turned her head to look at him but didn’t answer. Logan got the feeling that she was trying to formulate her words. She’d asked to be excused after dinner, saying she needed to make a call. When she didn’t return and two hours had passed, Logan said goodnight to his aunt and uncle and headed up to the room where he and Sabine would be sleeping.
He patted the bed and after a moment, she crossed the room and climbed onto the bed beside him. She arranged her legs Indian style, tucking her skirt between them. “I’m sorry, Logan Ja—Logan—” She paused and frowned. “Logan just doesn’t sound right. May I call you Logan?”
“Honey, you can call me anything you want.”
She gave him a fleeting smile. “I know you’re concerned, but don’t be. My conversation was with my mother. When it comes to dealing with the Council and the Watchers, she’s far more experienced.”
“Something she said upset you.”
“Surprised me.”
“How so?” He put his hand on her thigh, feeling the coolness of her exposed skin.
“I will get to that, but ask for your patience. There’s a lot I need to tell you and some of it may—trouble you.”
“I’ll handle it.”
“I know.”
“So?”
She nodded. “Okay, so I spoke with my mother…”
*****
Wayne cut a look at Ravyn. She had her elbow propped on the door and her face in her hand, staring from the window. She hadn’t spoken in over an hour. Wayne didn’t know what to say to her at this point. After what his mother had told him, Wayne wasn’t sure what to believe or who he could trust.
If there was one person on the planet he wanted to trust, it was Ravyn. She’d given him no reason to mistrust her, but his mother’s words kept echoing through his mind.
“Because she’s a witch. They all are…”
That just couldn’t be true. First, there was no such thing as a real witch. Oh sure, there were people who claimed to practice magic, to be part of pagan societies and all that, but he didn’t believe there were people who could cast a curse on someone and make that person miscarry a child. That just wasn’t possible. No more than it was possible for a little girl to suddenly be a glowing giant with enormous wings.
No. None of that was possible. Those were nothing more than words of hate or fear, two things that easily prompted people to lie. He couldn’t say he understood his father’s hatred of John Legacy, even knowing their history, but he knew it was deep and real.
Ravyn turned her head to look at him.
“It doesn’t make any sense that we can’t have our cell phones,” he said. “What if something happens? If we break down?”
She gave him a quick smile. “The way I hear it, people traveled back and forth from place to place for years with no means of communication in their pockets. I think we’ll be okay. Besides, like I told you, Sabine wants to make sure we’re not being followed. That man who works for your father, Marcus Bannon, is ex-military and who knows what he will do, particularly since you basically called him nuts over the story he told. Besides, the last thing you need is for your father to find out you’re meeting with the person Bannon claims is some kind of demon.”
Wayne wasn’t a person who became upset when someone’s stance differed from his, or when what they said made sense. Like now. What she said made sense. His father would go ballistic if he knew Wayne was headed for a meeting with Sabine with Ravyn Legacy accompanying him.
“Hey, isn’t that the road up ahead?” she asked and pointed.
Wayne squinted. Road 2037. “Yes, that’s it.” He made the turn onto the dirt road. There didn’t appear to be much on it. It wound through trees and past pastures for two miles. He was starting to wonder if they had the wrong road after all when Ravyn pointed.
“There.”
A drive to an old house turned off the road to the right. There was a pasture on both sides of the road. In the pasture to Wayne’s left, a helicopter was parked. Sabine stood beside it, as did Logan Legacy.
“What’s he doing here?”
“He brought Sabine. Just trust me, okay? He’s my brother. I know we can trust him.”
“Can we?”
Ravyn put her hand on his arm. “It’s our fathers who hate one another, Wayne. None of us have ever had anything against you and I don’t know why you’d have anything against us. You and Logan might be business rivals but it’s not personal. I thought you were bigger than that.”
Her words shamed him, but not enough to make him say he trusted Logan. But he did give in. “I trust you. Can that be enough for now?”
“It can. Pull in right there. See that section of fence that’s down?”
Wayne pulled off the drive and into the pasture. He parked a couple of car lengths from the helicopter. Ravyn was out of the car by the time he opened his door, running toward the people who waited.
Wayne watched her throw her arms around Logan, who hugged her tightly. By the time he set her down, Wayne was halfway to them. Ravyn hugged Sabine then hurried to take his hand.
“It’s good to see you, Wayne,” Sabine said when he and Ravyn stopped in front of her. “You know Logan, right?”
“I do. Logan, good to see you.” Wayne offered his hand.
Logan smiled and took Wayne’ hand. “I don’t know that you mean that, but thanks. Why don’t you climb in? We have a bit of flying to do.”
“Where are we headed?” Wayne ignored the tug Ravyn gave his hand.
“West Texas.”
“West Texas?” Wayne looked at Logan. “Why?”
Logan shrugged and nodded his head in Sabine’s direction. “Ask her.”
“Well?” Wayne asked.
“There’s someone there you should meet, someone who can help me explain.”
“Who?”
“Can you please just be patient a little while longer?” Sabine asked. “I promise no harm will come to you. Surely you must know that Logan would never allow any harm to come to Ravyn, and he’s known about you and her since the beginning and has never acted maliciously against you so why would he now?”
“Is that true?” Wayne looked at Ravyn.
“It is.”
Wayne wasn’t sure he liked the answer or the situation, but he wasn’t about to let Ravyn down even if she had disappointed him. “Fine. Let’s go.”
They all got into the helicopter. “How are things going with the Cotton Creek oil strike?” Wayne asked. “I know you bought up all of Liz Quinlan’s shares.”
“I did and it was going well until this recently. Seems there have been reports of water contamination.”
“Fracking accident?”
Logan shook his head. “Nope, not according to our people and we have one of the top drillers in the world working for us.”
“Renegade Riggs, right?”
“Yep.”
“Yeah, he’s good. So if it wasn’t an accident, then what?”
Logan cut a look back over his shoulder at Wayne. “Don’t you already know the answer to that?”
Wayne felt like a kid being caught doing something wrong, even though he’d had nothing to do with it. That, at least, allowed him to answer honestly. “I had nothing to do with it.”
“You know, I never thought you did. I figured it was your dad. He’s the only one who hates us enough to endanger all those people just to get some kind of revenge.”
Wayne had never felt more ashamed in his life. Ashamed of his father and ashamed of himself if what he did next was cover for his dad. He looked at Ravyn and saw her love for him shining in her eyes. That w
as what it took for him to finally step free and be his own man.
His words were directed at her rather than at Logan. “You know I’m slicing my own throat if I say it was him and I’m not going to do that. An investigation will easily show if it was sabotage and if it was, then you’re right to suspect people who have a grudge against you. He’s certainly at the top of that list. What I can tell you is that I had nothing to do with and I’ve never taken part in any act of revenge against your family.”
“I know,” Logan responded. “I know you’re an honorable man. It’s why my sister’s still with you. Despite what you may think about us, my father has always been honorable and drilled the importance of honor into every one of us.”
“I don’t doubt that.” Wayne remembered John’s face and voice in Herbert Pursell’s barn all those years ago and what his mother had told him. As sick to his stomach as it made him, he knew it was his father who had lost his honor.
“Then trust me now, Wayne. I don’t know who we’re going to meet, but I do trust Sabine. I’ve owed her my life for thirty years. There’s no one I trust more.”
Wayne looked around at everyone and then finally asked the question that had been burning him since he met with his father and Marcus Bannon. “Look, I know it’s none of my business, but I guess Ravyn told you what Bannon said—well, what he said Micky Andrews said.”
“Yes, we know,” Sabine answered.
“Is it true?” Wayne asked.
“Which part?” Sabine countered.
“Any of it. All of it?”
Sabine looked at Logan. He reached out to give her hand a squeeze and then cleared his throat.
Logan could almost see the clearing before him, an almost transparent vista. Smells and sounds dredged from memories long hidden swam to the surface of his mind. He felt a shiver dance over his skin and he let himself return to that time.
Logan turned away from the sight of carnage and death. It took every ounce of will he possessed to keep from throwing up or running screaming into the woods.
Allison’s hand tightened in his, making him realize he’d all but forgotten about her. She must be terrified. He squeezed her hand and looked at her. A split second later, terror had him tearing his hand from hers and backing away.
It was like something from a nightmare. Her face was distorted, elongating and pushing forward like that of a dog or bear, her mouth full of sharp pointed teeth. She laughed, or at least he thought that was the sound. It was hard to tell. She advanced on him, snapping her teeth and sending spittle and blood spraying.
Logan felt his he was about to wet his pants in fear. This thing that was supposed to be Allison was reaching for him and his body had lost the ability to move. He was going to die and couldn’t even muster the courage to scream.
Suddenly Sabine was there, stepping in front of him. He wanted to tell her to run, but the truth was, he was too scared. She, however, didn’t seem scared at all. She stood with her feet in a wide stance and her shoulders squared. “Back off, Umbra. You can’t have him.”
The thing that was Allison opened its mouth and roared at Sabine, then lowered its head, snapping those razor sharp teeth as it charged.
Logan felt his vision fade in and out with the pulse of his heart. Maybe he was going crazy. This couldn’t be happening. Surely what he was seeing couldn’t be real?
Sabine’s body arched like someone had shot her in the back. Her arms threw out wide and her head fell back. Her body literally lifted off the ground three feet and then light exploded from her, like it was spilling from her pores. Brilliant white light.
And white wings. White feathered wings like an Angel.
The thing that was Allison howled and dove at Sabine. Sabine looked at the creature, raised one arm and make a slashing motion.
Logan could not have imagined anything more surreal or horrifying. Allison kept moving for a second as her head separated from the body and sailed to one side. It landed with a thud several yards away. The body collapsed at Sabine’s feet.
Sabine turned and the light turned with her, blindingly brilliant.
“Don’t be afraid Logan James. I’ll never let anyone hurt you.”
Logan wanted to respond, wanted to reach out, to acknowledge or somehow react, but he’d passed the point of being able to deal with what he was experiencing. He felt darkness close in around him, felt arms catching him as he fell and then felt soft lips on his cheek.
And then everything went black.
“I woke up in my bed at home with my parents watching over me. I asked about Sabine and all they would ever tell me was that she was safe. It took a while before they would let me see Micky or my friends again and none of them ever mentioned it. Gil and Rusty believed we’d been attacked by animals, most likely bears. Micky just started stealing liquor from his dad and staying to himself like he was scared to even be around me. Finally, my parents got his dad a job somewhere else and I didn’t see Micky again just recently.”
Logan paused to look at Sabine. “I tried to find Sabine but no one would tell me where she was or help me find her. Finally, I just stopped trying. I’m sorry for that.”
“You couldn’t have found me. They wouldn’t have allowed it.”
Logan cut a look back at Wayne and Ravyn. “I’m guessing you think we should make a detour to the nearest psychiatric hospital.”
Wayne looked a bit shell-shocked. He shook his head, looked at Ravyn and then at Logan. “I’m not saying you’re lying. I think you believe you saw that, but I have to be honest. I don’t believe Sabine is an Angel.”
“I’m not.” Sabine’s voice drew everyone’s attention.
“Oh shit,” Logan muttered when he looked at her. She was glowing and her wings were visible, squashed against the seat and imprisoned by the harness.
She smiled and looked at Wayne. “I just have Angels for parents.”
Chapter Thirteen
“Are you sure this is the right place?” Ravyn asked from behind him.
“According to the coordinates Sabine’s mother provided, yes.” Wayne looked at Sabine. “Do you know whose spread this is?”
“No, but I have to ask for Cia.”
“Well, here we go.” Logan started the descent, choosing to land in what appeared to be an empty pasture adjacent to the house.
Sabine watched the house as they landed. A woman walked out onto the front porch, followed by a tall man. They watched the helicopter set down and then left the porch and started across the front yard.
Sabine was the first to disembark. After waving at the others to follow, she hurried to meet the couple headed for them.
“Are you Cia?” she asked when she and they stopped, face-to-face.”
“Yes.” The woman looked at the man with her and then back at Sabine. “What are you?
Not who, but what, Sabine noticed. “I’m Sabine. My mother told me to come here. She said you could help me find Joe.”
The surprise was evident on Cia’s face as well as the man with her, who spoke up. “Pardon, ma’am. But just who are you and who’s this Joe you’re looking for?”
“I’m sorry.” Sabine realized how crazy it must sound. “Like I said, my name is Sabine—Remy Sabine Gustav Legendre Beaudreaux. My mother Kinah told me to come here to find Joe. He’s my father.”
“You’re—” Cia looked at the man with her again, then at Logan, Wayne and Ravyn coming up behind Sabine, and finally to Sabine. “I’m sorry, why don’t we start over? I’m Cia Whitehorse and this is my husband, Kade Lawson.”
Kade extended his hand. “Pleased to meet you, Ms. Beaudreaux. And your companions are?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Logan Legacy, Wayne Garen and Ravyn Legacy.”
“Same Legacy with a brother named Lincoln Jerico?” Kade asked.
“That would be me, yes.” Logan shook Kade’s hand. “But how do you know Linc?”
“We don’t know him, just of him.” she explained. “As we know of your brother John Luke.”
Sabine saw something flit across Logan’s face a split second before he spoke again. “So, you’re with the SACU that’s interested in Linc?”
“We are,” Kade replied, then turned his attention to Wayne. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Garen.”
“Same here.” Wayne and Kade shook, then Kade addressed Ravyn. “It’s a pleasure, Miss Legacy.”
“Pleasure is mine,” Ravyn responded.
“Well,” Sabine took over the conversation. “Now that introductions are done, can you tell me how to find Joe?”
“I wish I could,” she answered. “I mean, it’s not like he has a phone. He just kind of shows up when he’s needed.”
“Really?” Sabine hadn’t considered that her mother might be sending her on a wild goose chase, or at least making it difficult. But then she didn’t really know her mother well, so how was she to know whether Kinah was leading her down a dead end for an undisclosed reason?
Still, she was here and she needed to find him, so she’d work with what she had. She turned her attention back to Cia. “Do you mind if I try to call him?”
“Of course not. Do you all want to come up to the house?”
“Thank you so much, but not right now. I want to see if he will show up.”
“Fine. I guess we should leave you—”
“No, please, that’s not necessary. After all, you know Joe. I mean, what he is.”
“Yes.” Cia nodded. “He’s saved my ass more than once.”
“Then please stay,” Sabine said. “Maybe he’ll be more inclined to come since you know him.”
“Okay, if you’re sure.”
“I am.” Sabine smiled and then walked a little distance away. She closed her eyes and cast off her spell of concealment, allowing her light to shine. That initial moment of agony struck, causing her body to tense and arch, her breath to catch and hold. She felt her wings unfurl and the pain subsided.
With relief, she turned, looking up and out. “Jophiel, please, it’s time we meet. I so need to see you. Please, Father. Please come to me.”
A disturbance in the air had her turning. He stood behind her with a smile on his face. Sabine smiled as well. She’d never known what to imagine, what his appearance would be. He appeared older, well into his fifties, with long gray hair pulled back into a ponytail. Dressed in faded jeans, a plaid shirt and worn boots, he could have been a rancher, a truck driver, a farmer or a feed store manager. He could have been anyone had it not been for those magnificent white wings of light.
