Boot Scootin' Boogeyman

by Lily Harper Hart

  Tyler, who had been watching the interaction with amusement, raised his hands and stepped between them. “Let’s avoid any bloodshed, okay?” He was calm, but it was obvious he was keen to take charge. “Everybody is okay. There’s no reason to freak out.” His gaze was pointed at Cooper.

  “She could’ve been hurt,” the security chief protested. “Astra is a trained witch. Hannah has basically stumbled into her powers. I’m not saying she’s not tough but ... Astra is better.”

  Even though she knew he was simply speaking the truth, the words were like an arrow through Hannah’s heart. “Well, if Astra is so much better, what are you doing with me?”

  “Oh, don’t do that.” Cooper wagged a finger. “I didn’t mean it like that and you know it.”

  “You said it.” Hannah folded her arms and averted her gaze, opting to focus on Jackie. “What’s going on here?”

  “Becky is missing,” Jackie replied succinctly. “We can’t find her anywhere.”

  “Yeah, well, we had a talk,” Hannah hedged, shifting from one foot to the other as discomfort washed over her. “I might have laid down the law with her.”

  “What does that mean?” Tyler asked, laying a hand on Cooper’s shoulder to calm the other man. “I don’t understand.”

  “I just ... well ... she’s been kind of snippy with me.” Hannah felt off her game. “She’s had attitude because of Cooper, and I just explained to her that it wasn’t fair and that she needed to get over herself. If she didn’t think that was possible, I offered her severance but said I wasn’t going to put up with her being rude.”

  “I think that’s more than fair,” Tyler said reasonably. “I’m being serious. You’ve put up with a lot more than most people would. You didn’t do anything wrong. I was aware you had a talk. I was just checking to make sure nothing else happened that we weren’t aware of.”

  Hannah risked a glance at Cooper and found him watching her with unreadable eyes. “I just didn’t want things to be uncomfortable. I was in a good mood despite the death and destruction that seem to be hanging over this place and ... maybe she took off because she was upset about what I said.”

  “I don’t think so,” Cooper replied. “Her car is still in the parking lot. She’s just ... missing.”

  Hannah pressed her lips together, considering. “Do you think that she was taken? I mean ... someone has obviously been hanging around town without us seeing him or her. Maybe Becky was kidnapped or something.”

  “That’s what we’re worried about.” Cooper dragged his hand through his hair. “I think we need to split up and start searching outside the town. We should do teams.”

  “I’ll go with Tyler,” Jackie offered. “Danielle can stay back here in case she returns. That leaves the two of you.”

  Cooper held Hannah’s gaze and nodded. “We’ll take the pathway toward the river, check the caves, and go from there. You guys hit the other side of town. Be careful and don’t take any unnecessary risks. If you see anything of note, call me.”

  Tyler nodded without hesitation. “We can do that. She’s probably just wandering around pouting. It’s not easy to get over a crush.”

  “I hope that’s all it is.”

  HANNAH AND COOPER LEFT TOWN together in relative silence. They’d only exchanged a handful of words since Cooper called Astra better, and the emotional distance between them was torturous.

  “I’m sorry,” Cooper offered in a low voice as they set off down the path. “I didn’t mean that the way you took it.”

  Hannah was quiet for a beat, and when she did finally speak, it was with a remote tone. “Maybe that’s how you feel.”

  “No, it’s not.” Cooper wanted to kick himself. “I didn’t mean that Astra was a better person than you. I didn’t mean that I think she’s better for me. I just meant ... she’s a stronger witch. That’s not a bad thing either. You’re still learning.”

  “She’s definitely more knowledgeable,” Hannah agreed, refusing to make eye contact. “She knew exactly what she was doing today and I only reacted out of instinct.” She broke off and licked her lips, slowing her pace. “The thing is, maybe my instincts are stronger than her evil plans. Have you ever considered that?”

  “Yes.” Tentatively, Cooper reached out and grabbed her hand. “I think you’re amazing. I think you’re strong and you’re going to be ten times the witch Astra is. I’m just ... afraid. Astra thinks in a way you don’t.”

  “And how is that?”

  “That wasn’t an insult,” he chided when he saw the grim set of her mouth. “You’re a good person. She’s not. Don’t you understand that? She will react in ways you wouldn’t dream of because you’re not evil.”

  Hannah thought about the way she couldn’t turn her back to Astra as she left. She understood — at least on the surface — what he was saying. That didn’t mean she wasn’t still hurt. “You think Astra is better than me.”

  “No, I don’t.” Cooper’s frustration came out to play. “I don’t think anybody is better than you.” He moved closer and put his finger under her chin, forcing her to look directly into his face. “Right now, Astra has the upper hand because she’s willing to hurt people to get what she wants. You want to protect people. That’s always going to make you vulnerable.

  “For her, magic is second nature because she’s been practicing a really long time,” he continued. “You only found out that magic was real two months ago. You’ve only been practicing a few weeks. She’s only better on the magic front for now because you’re still learning. When it comes to the rest of it ... well ... she lags so far behind you it’s impossible for you guys to even see one another.”

  He was so earnest Hannah found some of the resentment she’d been hoarding like gold dissipating. She let loose a heavy sigh. “I don’t want you with me because you think you should be. If you feel differently ... .”

  “I don’t.” He swooped in and planted a hard kiss on her lips, fervently hoping she would give up the argument and return the sentiment. He wasn’t disappointed. She sank into the exchange, melting against him, which allowed Cooper to slide his arms around her and hold her flush against his chest.

  The kiss was torrid, to the point of taking them both over. They were breathless when they finally pulled apart, and Hannah had a feeling that they would’ve taken things in the other direction if they hadn’t been standing in the middle of nowhere, with the only things to cushion them being scratchy grass and a rutted walkway.

  “That was ... .”

  Cooper smiled at her bewildered expression and leaned in to give her another kiss. This one was soft and brief. “That was a fine way to make up.”

  “I didn’t realize we were fighting.”

  He laughed at the statement. “I’m not a big fan of fighting. It’s inevitably going to happen, though. I think that should definitely be our preferred method of making up.”

  “I just thought we would get naked and roll around in my apartment.”

  “That, too.” He gave her one more kiss and then pulled back. “We’re okay, right?”

  She nodded.

  “Good, because we need to focus on finding Becky.” Cooper returned his attention to the problem at hand. “She’s a complete and total pain in the behind, but I’m worried enough about her being out here that I think we have to keep looking.”

  “No, I agree.”

  They started walking again, although this time their fingers were linked. Because he couldn’t bear the idea of being mired in silence again, Cooper was determined to keep the conversation going.

  “What did Astra say when you fought off her attack so easily?”

  “She seemed surprised.”

  “I bet.”

  “She also seemed a little ... worried.” Hannah’s forehead wrinkled as she thought back to the minutes following the attack. There hadn’t been time to dwell on them before. “She really wants the Casper Creek property, to the point where she’s becoming obsessive. She’s obviously told St
ormy what she wants with the property, too, although we’re still in the dark.”

  “I’ve given that a lot of thought,” he admitted, his eyes sharp as they searched the bushes and foliage for signs of movement. “I think there’s something hidden on the land that she wants. Or, at the very least, she thinks there’s something hidden here that she wants.”

  Hannah was intrigued. “Like what?”

  “That I don’t know. Maybe she thinks there’s a magical well underneath the town, or a talisman hidden somewhere. Maybe she thinks Abigail purposely hid things away from her while she was here. Or maybe the land itself somehow acts as a booster for magic. You seem to be reacting to it.”

  Hannah pursed her lips. “I just thought it was one of those things where I heard about magic and then started manifesting. Is that stupid?”

  “I don’t know that I like that word,” Cooper hedged. “I don’t know how to answer that question. I’m not magical. You’re the one going through this. What do you feel?”

  “After last night — and that kiss we just had — I wouldn’t sell yourself short on the magic stuff. That’s what I feel.”

  His grin was lightning fast. “Thank you. I’m being serious, though.”

  “Who says I wasn’t being serious?” When he didn’t respond, she let out a long sigh. “It’s hard for me to know what I feel,” she admitted, sobering. “All of this is so new to me. Then, when you add you to the mix, my heart is always humming. I’ve never really had the chance to sit down and try to suss out the intricacies of this whole thing.”

  “Aw.” He squeezed her hand. “You make my heart hum, too.”

  “I wasn’t trying to be romantic.”

  “Well, you managed it all the same. Perhaps you’re gifted beyond my wildest dreams.”

  “More gifted than Astra,” she muttered under her breath.

  “Oh, let’s not turn this into a thing.” Cooper sounded pained. “Please, I’m begging you to let that go. I really didn’t mean it the way you thought I did.”

  Honestly, at her core, Hannah knew that to be true. It was time to be the bigger person, she decided. “You’re off the hook. I’m not going to bring it up again.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I bet Astra would bring it up again.”

  “Oh, geez.”

  Despite herself, Hannah smiled ... and then turned serious. “Maybe we should look over there.” She turned her head to an outcropping of rocks. She was familiar with the area, although she’d only been here once before. It was the same spot where she’d tracked a demon ... and watched an evil child die.

  “I was thinking the same thing.” Cooper was serious as he squeezed her hand and started pulling her off the trail. “Neither one of us wants to go back to that cave, but I don’t see where we have a lot of choice.”

  “It would make sense for us to find him now,” Hannah offered, her voice low. “Logan, I mean.” She thought she would feel some distress when thinking back on the boy who tried to kill her. He was so bad he managed to keep a demon captive and terrorize the creature to the point where suicide was a better option than living under his control. “We have a reason to be out here. We have a reason to search the caves.”

  Cooper hesitated. “It might still be a little soon. We’ll think about that later, after we find Becky.”

  Conversation was sparse after that. The closer they got to the cave entrance, the heavier the atmosphere began to feel. It was dread that Hannah felt when they reached the opening of the cave.

  “Should we go in there?” she asked finally.

  Cooper was conflicted as he glanced between her and the opening. “I think we have to, just to be on the safe side. Under normal circumstances I would demand you stay out here while I go inside, but I’m not okay with us being separated.”

  Hannah wasn’t okay with it either. “So, we’ll both go in together.”

  Cooper released her hand and dug in his pocket for his keyring. He kept a flashlight there. He moved her hand to his back belt loop and smiled encouragingly. “I want you to keep hold of me. I’ll go slow. If I tell you to run, I want you to run.”

  “I’m not leaving you.”

  “If I tell you to run, I want you to run,” he repeated, firm. “I can take care of myself.”

  “I can take care of myself, too,” she pointed out. “We’re a unit now, though. That means we take care of each other. We’re both going into this cave together, and we’re both coming out together, too.”

  Cooper opened his mouth to argue and then realized it was a wasted effort. She was going to do what she was going to do. She wasn’t much different than him on that front. He either had to accept it or let it go ... and the latter wasn’t possible.

  “Just stick close to me,” he insisted. “There’s probably nothing in here.”

  “That would be nice, huh?”

  Hannah wasn’t a fan of dark and dank places. Memories of the last time she was in the cave were still at the forefront of her mind and she struggled not to think too hard about what had happened to Logan. Even more, she desperately tried not to think about the monster that lived inside of him. It was the stuff of nightmares.

  She remembered the trek through the cave from when she was there before and her heart pounded the closer they got to the final chamber. She kept her finger around Cooper’s belt loop as he insisted and did her best not to melt down even though she was suddenly feeling claustrophobic.

  It wasn’t the easiest endeavor.

  “We’re here,” Cooper said on a whisper, lifting the flashlight above his head. He scanned the ground first, and Hannah didn’t have to ask what he was looking for, especially when the beam hit the small figure curled on the ground.

  Hannah’s heart flopped when her eyes landed on the dead boy. He’d been bitten by a snake and left for dead, and she still wondered if she’d done the right thing. Knowing the evil he was capable of, though, was enough to give her at least a little peace of mind.

  “Logan,” she breathed.

  “Yeah.” Cooper lifted the flashlight higher. “There’s no sign of your demon. I think he really did take off like he said he was once he was fully recovered.”

  “I’m glad.”

  “Yes. How weird is it to say that we were rooting for the demon in this one, huh?” His lips quirked as he swung the flashlight to a different wall, his heart threatening to stop beating entirely when the light bounced off a different set of eyes. “Holy ... .” He almost dropped the flashlight he was so surprised. At the last second, though, he maintained his grip.

  Hannah felt all the oxygen whoosh out of her lungs at the sight in front of her. Three women, all blond, stood with their backs pressed against the wall. Shoulder to shoulder, they stared at the cave invaders ... and didn’t say a word.

  “I don’t ... .” Hannah’s voice was barely a squeak. She found she was so frightened, she almost couldn’t find the words to say what was necessary.

  “Heather?” Cooper asked after a beat, focusing on the blonde farthest away from them. She was the one he recognized from the conversation above the brothel. “Heather, can you hear me?”

  The woman didn’t respond. None of them did. They simply stood there ... and stared.

  “We should do something,” Hannah said, finally finding her courage as she released Cooper’s belt loop and took a determined step forward. “We have to get them out of here.”

  Her words were enough to stir the women. They all moved at the same time, jerking their heads in unison until they were all focused on her, and then they started hissing ... like snakes.

  “That can’t be good.” Cooper reached for her hand ... and missed. “We need to get out of here. Right now.”

  17

  Seventeen

  “We have to help them.”

  Hannah was completely focused on the women. It never occurred to her that they weren’t chained or restrained ... at least by any obvious method. She couldn’t see beyond her excitement.

&n
bsp; “Hannah, wait.” This time when Cooper reached out to grab her he managed to make contact, wrapping his fingers around her wrist and jerking her back.

  “What are you doing?” Annoyance positively rolled off Hannah in waves. “We have to help them.”

  “I agree. We need backup before we do, though.” He gave her a firm shove toward the tunnel. “We’ll get help and come back.”

  Hannah was honestly baffled by his reaction. “What are you talking about? They’re right there.”

  “I know but ... .” As if somehow drawn magically to them, Cooper’s eyes shifted back to the women. They were detaching from the wall ... and heading toward them. “Run. Right now. Run!” The shove he gave her this time couldn’t be described as gentle and he was insistent as he moved behind her. “Don’t look back.”

  “What are you talking about?” Hannah wanted to continue arguing, but the hissing noises coming out of the women had doubled in frequency. They were loud enough to send a chill through her, and when she risked a glance over her shoulder, she saw the glittery eyes staring as the women’s mouths worked in unison. “I think they’re trying to talk.”

  “That’s great.” Cooper was done playing nice. He grabbed her around the waist with one arm and dragged her into the tunnel, using his other to hold up the flashlight. Hannah struggled against his iron grip, but he refused to release her. Somehow, deep inside, he knew that would be disastrous.

  “Cooper!” She fought for freedom, her mind rebelling against the idea of leaving the women behind. “What are you doing?” Through a small gap, she finally managed to get a good look at Heather’s face ... and what she found staring back at her was the stuff of nightmares. The woman, her face drawn and pale, had what looked to be small snakes writhing under her skin. And the eyes, something Hannah found expressive during her brief interaction with the bride-to-be, were completely devoid of life.

  “Run,” Hannah ordered, immediately ceasing the fight and instead grabbing Cooper’s hand to drag him forward. “Run.”