6 comments/ 15742 views/ 18 favorites Night Walker's Woman Ch. 02 By: Tara_Neale Jaycee brought the steaming mug to her lips. "That's right, Angel," she encouraged her daughter, who was putting one of their new ponies through its paces with Hector's assistance. The man never more than arms length from her daughter, just in case. She smiled at the seemingly simple accomplishment, but for a child with uncontrolled seizures nothing was simple. "Five more minutes, Hector," she called out to her neighbor and friend. "She is doing well, senora," smiled his wife, Lupe. "Moving out of the city, it is good for the child." Jaycee nodded her head, "I was thinking the same thing, Lupe. Since we left Dallas, Angel seems able to stay focused longer. She's not having nearly as many meltdowns. I was reviewing her seizure diary last night and there is a definite trend towards fewer and milder ones," Jaycee did not mention that she had been scouring the journals looking for patterns at two o'clock to keep her mind off of handsome cowboys that made her heart race. The older woman nodded and smiled, "Sometimes the best medicine does not come in a bottle," the woman waved her arthritic hands about her, "sometimes the earth, she gives us all that we need." Jaycee shook her head. She was a woman of reason, of science. It was likely all just coincidence, this improvement in Angel's condition. Perhaps as some of the more optimistic doctors had suggested, her daughter was even outgrowing her condition. But whether it was the quieter country life or happenstance, all that mattered to Jaycee was that she had more good days with her daughter. "Thank you for coming over again today. I hate to impose like this, but this follow-up meeting to the case yesterday could prove crucial," she tried to change the subject. "No problema, senora," Lupe smiled. "With our grandchildren so far away, la niña has become like one of the family. You both have." Words of gratitude froze on her lips. The smile disappeared from Jaycee's face as she watched the large white truck drive up the bumpy dirt road towards her wood frame home. Her heart stammered in her chest. Why did this man effect her so? This stranger? "Lupe, would you and Hector take Angel inside when she is finished?" The woman frowned, "Si, senora." The truck drew to a halt in front of them. Both sets of eyes were glued to it as the door swung open. He unfolded his large frame and rose up to his full six foot plus height. "Madre de dios," the older woman whispered as she made the sign of the cross. His eyes were locked with Jaycee's when the tiny ball of energy hurdled itself at her mid-section. "Did you see Mommy? Did you see me? Hector said if I keep improving one day I may be able to run the barrels just like you did." She wrapped her arms about her daughter's shoulder and hugged her tightly as she watched the man approach. The dark expression on his face did not bode well for this meeting, but she was determined. She would convince him to allow her to board her client's horses. She had to, just had to. They had so much riding on this case, she could not afford to loose, no matter what. But even more than she needed to win this case, the mother inside of her had to protect her little Angel. She smiled down at her daughter as she pushed her behind her back, "You go inside with Hector and Lupe, sweetie. I have some business to discuss with this gentleman." *** None of it made sense to Rex. He knew from his woman's thoughts that the child that she was hiding from him was her daughter, her reason for existing. But his senses told him something else as well, the child was gifted, special. A night walker. A female night walker. It was unheard of. He froze at the foot of the steps. He shook his head uncertain what to do, how to proceed. The child made the decision for him, stepping around her mother, she walked to stand in front of him. He bent down, staring into the most intense brown eyes he had ever seen. She frowned at him for a moment then her tiny light brown hand reached out and caressed his cheek. He felt the zing of power from the top of his head to his toes curled in his boots. Then those eyes glazed over and rolled back into her head, she would have dropped to the ground if he had not caught her. Her body began to convulse erratically. His woman screamed out as she raced towards him, "Give her to me. Lupe, get me her meds." He shook his head and stood up as she reached him, "No, I'll carry her. Where should I put her?" The older woman stepped forward, "Inside, take her inside." He nodded and walked towards the small house. An elderly man opened the door as the woman led his mate inside. He placed his precious cargo on her side on the couch. His woman dropped onto the floor next to her child as the older woman's hands rested on her shoulder. "She may come around on her own, senora. Give it a couple of minutes." She nodded her head slowly as she lifted the little girl's hand to her lips, "I know, Lupe. She usually does," her sobs tore at his heart, ripped it from his chest and squeezed it tightly. Her thoughts only made it worse. Fear was not an accurate enough word, even desperation did not cover the dark cloud that covered his mates mind. She was petrified for her child. He wanted to do something. Anything to comfort her. To take away her pain. His eyes focused upon the child. He studied her for a moment. She was not what he would have pictured. Her shortly cropped hair formed a cap of tight ringlets that covered her tiny head, the color was draining from her face and her lips took on a dark blue hue. He listened as his mate drew in a deep breath, "Get me the emergency meds, Lupe." Her hand rested lightly on the child's shoulder keeping her on her side as the violent shaking continued, salvia leaking from the corners of her lips. He knelt on the floor behind her, his body pressed against her back, he could feel the tiny tremors that shook her body as well as the child's. Heart beats, moments stretched. He was not certain how long they waited, but he knew it was too long, too long for the violence that shook the child's tiny body. One hand rested on her shoulder, drawing her instinctively into the comfort of his arms. His other hand covered hers on the child's shoulder. He felt that zing once more and just as suddenly as it had begun, it was over. The child lay deathly still. Everyone tensed, waiting, until the little girl drew in a deep breath. His woman sighed as the older one brought her a small box, "Thanks, Lupe, but she finally came out of it." "Bueno, senora," the woman smiled as she placed pillows under the child's head and knees. He felt his woman tense in his arms. He heard her thoughts, knew that she was angry with him for taking the liberty of comforting her, but she was madder at herself for accepting it. He smiled as the words, 'how right it felt,' flitted through their heads. At least, she recognized that, he smiled. It was somewhere to begin. Reluctantly, he pulled back, going to stand next to the older man as the two woman fussed over the child that appeared to be sleeping naturally now. "Hola, I'm Hector Ramirez," offered the man as he held out his weathered hand. Rex nodded and took it, "Rex Ranger." His eyes returned to where the women were talking quietly near the little girl. "Lupe is my esposa. She was a nurse for many years, working with niños, children. We help Senora Jaycee out as much as we can. I putter around with the animals and Lupe cares for little Angel," smiled the man. Rex nodded, feeling an instant camaraderie with the couple, who obviously cared so much for his woman. And child. He shook his head as he studied the sleeping child. This changed everything. She changed everything. Angel changed everything. Of course, he had known about the child from his mate's thoughts. He had even caught glimpses of her concern about her daughter's health. For that he had been prepared. There was no doubt, whatever, whoever mattered to his woman mattered to him, came under his protection. What he had not expected was her gifts. There was no doubt in his mind. This child was a night walker. And from the power he felt when they touched, a damned powerful one. His woman stood slowly. Her eyes were glazed with moisture, her hands trembled just a bit as she turned to him with a weak smile. "I'm sorry, Mister Ranger. If you don't mind, perhaps Hector can show you around. Then we can discuss things in more detail." He nodded, "Or I could come back at a better time?" She shook her head and sighed, "No, Mister Ranger, this is as good a time as any." He felt the pain and despair rolling off her like the deepest fog, hiding all beauty. He heard the litany of thoughts that raced through her intelligent mind. Embarrassment, that he had witnessed her daughter's condition. Disgust with herself that she would have such a thought. Fear that this would not work, that she would not be able to fulfill her duties to her client and her child. He wanted, no, he needed to go to his woman. Wrap her in his arms and kiss away every last one of those fears. Reassure that she no longer had to bear those burdens alone. That she would never again face anything alone. But he knew that she would not welcome it, welcome him. And he had other duties of his own. His job to make sure that those animals were well cared for. He nodded and turned towards the man next to him, "How about a quick tour then, Senor Ramirez." *** Jaycee could hear the men talking inside the old barn, she could not make out the words though. This morning had not gone at all like she planned, but then again nothing had gone to plan since Angel's first seizure. But this ranked as a disaster. How could she convince this man that she could manage three thorough-bred race horses on a five acre ranch with a sick child. She sighed and plastered a smile into place as she pushed open the barn door. Its squeak announced her presence and the men stopped talking, turning towards her. "Thank you, Hector," she said with a slight nod. "De nada, senora," the old man replied as he shook their guest's hand. "It was nice meeting you, Senor Ranger. I look forward to seeing you again." He smiled as he turned and walked past Jaycee towards the house. "I'm sorry I couldn't show you around myself," she mumbled as she looked at her boots half hidden among the straw and dirt. She tried to think of a logical argument to counter-act what he had seen this morning. But at that moment, she was doubting herself more than ever. How had she thought that she could return to practicing law when Angel could have another seizure at any moment? Even relatively small cases like this one demanded her full attention, which was something that her child owned. Her shoulders slumped as she shook her head, "This was a bad idea. I'm sorry for bringing you all the way out here, Mister Ranger. I'll speak with my client, prepare him for the seizure of the horses." Without looking up, she turned to leave the barn, but strong arms held her in place, drew her into safety and warmth. It was an illusion. This man was a complete stranger. They had met less than twenty-four hours ago. So why the hell did she feel so fucking protected and cherished when she was anywhere near him? And since when did Jaycee Riley, gung-ho feminist, need any man? But that was exactly what she felt, need. Not want, but need, pure and simple. She brought her hands up to the front of his soft flannel shirt. She had meant to push him away, but instead she found her fingers curling into the soft fabric and solid muscle that lay just beneath it. "Let me go," her voice sounded throaty and weak. His arms tightened about her waist, "I can't. Trust me, Matawan Naya, I am the needy one when it comes to you. Without you, I am damned," he whispered the words against her lips. Then his mouth covered hers, but not with the same boldness that he had yesterday. This time, he teased the corners with his tongue, licking and tasting her, as if pleading for entrance. Her fingers started to move once more, tracing lightly across his shirt, feeling every inch of his broad chest, moving lower until her hands splayed across the small of his back, drawing him closer. She whimpered when she felt the hard ridge of his erection press against her thigh. She felt silly when it reminded her of a bad romance novel with electrical shocks skittering along her spine. His hands covered her butt, pulling her against him, until their bodies danced against one another. Only their clothes kept them from the true dance they both wanted in that moment. She moaned into his mouth and cursed her suddenly overactive sex-drive as her hands trailed to the front of his jeans. Her fingers wrapped about his erection, moving teasingly up and down the full length. "Fuck, Mitawa Naya, that feels so good," he rasped into her mouth. But then his large hand came between them, covering hers, holding it still. She could feel his pulse beat within the firm column of flesh. She could hear it pounding in her head louder than music in a disco. She frowned as she realized that it beat in perfect synchronicity with her own. She shook her head and jerked her hand out of his, away from his, his erection. Her mind rebelled at the thought. What was she doing? She whirled and crossed the barn, putting as much distance as she could between them. But it did not help. The truth stared her squarely in the eye. She had been just heart beats away from a literal roll in the hay. With her sick child laying less than fifty feet away. With this case that very well might decide their whole future up in the air. And she was throwing herself at the man, who held that fragile future in his hands. It made no sense. Okay, so she had not had sex in a long time. And the man was drop dead gorgeous. But still she had never been a woman to through herself at any man. As for the lack of sex, well, it was nothing that her toys could not replace. She did not need a man, they did not need anyone, she reassured herself as she paced back and forth. His deep chuckle knotted her stomach into a tight ball. "What's so funny, Mister Ranger?" "Trust me when I do take you, my mate, the first thing that is going in the garbage are those damned toys. I will care for all of your needs from now on," she shook her head as she looked at him. In the dim light of the barn, it seemed as if his eyes glowed the faint red of a wolf. "That day will never come, Mister Ranger. This is business, nothing more. It is about property, my client's property. Those horses," she tried to keep her mind on the case, but it was not easy the way the man stretched his shoulders, making that chest even wider than it already was. It had felt so amazingly warm and solid beneath her fingers. What would it feel like to lay her head against it? To fall asleep listening to his heart beating just beneath her ear. Was it covered in soft blond hair that would tickle her nose? Or was it bare like his native ancestors? He shook his blond head, "If this is all business, Mitawa Naya, why does it matter that my chest is bare like my Native forefathers. And there is nothing I want more than to hold you against me as you fall asleep in my arms." He drew in a deep breath, "But you are right. We need to settle this business between us first." Jaycee's throat worked reflexively, trying to clear the tightness that his words caused to form there. How did the man keep doing that? It was disconcerting to say the least. Having another human being know your every thought. She frowned, was he human? Of course, he was. Psychic maybe, but even that she had a hard time believing. More than likely it was just that her years of staying home with Angel had made her rusty with the poker face that her work required. She would need to practice hiding her feelings more if this man could read them so well. "You will never get so practiced that you can completely block me, Mitawa Naya. That is not the way of mates, but given time, I have no doubt that you will be able to build some walls. Filter some of what your mind so readily broadcasts to me now. And no, I am not psychic. Not in the truest sense of the word, only with you. Because you are my light, my breath." She shook her head, even more confused at his words. "Listen, Mister Ranger, I don't know what kind of game this is, but I'm not interested in playing. In case you couldn't tell, I have enough things on my plate right now. My daughter. Making this ranch work. Rebuilding my legal career. Men are off my list. Period." "I am glad that men are, but I am not any man. Your are my mate, Mitawa Naya," he walked towards her, holding his hands out. "How is Angel?" "What? Can't you just look into my mind and find out for yourself?" Jaycee felt trapped. She could not afford to offend this man, her career and their future depended upon it. But he frightened her and excited her as no man ever had. It was a dangerous combination. He shook his head as he came to stand just a couple of feet away from her. The way he towered over her made her feel small, vulnerable and incredibly protected. "It does not work like that. I hear what you think as if you said it aloud," he smiled. "You have not thought about Angel lately." She frowned at his words. She thought about her daughter constantly. How could she have gone this long without doing so? She shook her head, "She's sleeping peacefully. She usually does after one of the big ones." He nodded, "Does she have them often?" She wanted to argue, to tell him it was none of his business, but if she wanted his help with those horses she needed to assure him that she could manage them. "Generalized ones like that, not so much anymore. One or two a week. But she has focal ones, what they call absences, where she just kind of stares off. She has several of those every day. And when she sleeps she has myoclonic ones, jerking." He frowned, "Besides Lupe and Hector, do you have any help? School? Her father?" She sighed as she tried to formulate her answer in a positive way. "I homeschool her because she kept falling asleep in class. Schools just can't manage really sick children like Angel. As for her dad, he sees her when he can, but his law practice keeps him pretty busy. But I assure you, we do all right. Hector helps me out with some of the heavier chores when it comes to managing the animals and Lupe watches Angel when I need to meet with clients. She used to be a pediatric nurse so she is as familiar with Angel's seizures as I am." "You're lucky to have them, but what about you? When do you get time for you?" She shook her head and held up her hands, "Mister Ranger, that is none of your business." "Yes, it is. You are my business. You are my total world, Mitawa Naya?" She stared at him for a moment. She was getting nowhere with this. He seemed stuck in some fantasy land with her in the starring role. She needed to get him back on the subject that brought him here. "Mister Ranger, I assure you that I can manage those horses. I have been working with them since I was a child. I know my horses and as you can see I have the facilities to house them," she asserted as she waved her arms at the barn. "You have my support with that," his voice was low as he spoke. She sighed and smiled, "Thank you, Mister Ranger." "You are welcome. I would never do anything to add to your burdens, Mitawa Naya," he smiled at her and her tummy did a funny little loop-the-loop. Why did this man intrigue her as much as he infuriated her? "I intrigue you because the Great Spirits created us to share one soul. You are the light, the good. I am the dark and dangerous. We need one another." Jaycee's brows arched. The quiet way that he said it made her pause. There was no doubt that he believed what he said, but how could a man who otherwise seemed reasonable believe such things? Night Walker's Woman Ch. 02 The man stepped closer to her, pinning her against the wall. His hand came up slowly to caress her cheek. She sucked in a deep breath at the almost electrical shock as the rough pad of his thumb brushed her lower lip slowly back and forth. She found it hard to breath when he was this close, all she could smell was him. Fresh straw, animals, it all melted away and all she knew was him, fresh, clean and all man. Her man. Her eyes went wide at the thought. Her heart skipped a couple of beats. He smiled down at her and nodded as he bent slowly towards her once more. "Yes, Mitawa Naya, all yours," she did not have time to deny it before his lips softly closed over hers. Unlike all the other kisses they had shared, where passion flared quickly and burned so brightly that she feared it would consume her, this kiss was tender and comforting. And it scared her more than the others ever had. How easy it would be to simply give in, accept the crazy illusion that this handsome stranger offered? She had been alone so long. Born so much pain. Lived in almost constant fear of losing the one thing that meant the most to her. Sleepless nights, just watching her daughter breath, making certain that she did. Long days spent in hospitals, one test after another, one doctor after another. And nothing helped. Now she had this place and her career that she had to, simply had to, resurrect. It was all too much. But it was her life, her reality. And she had learned the hard way that she was the only one that she could count on. Alone, always alone. She pushed against his chest and he drew slowly back from the soft kiss, but he did not let her go, keeping her wrapped in his tender embrace. He leaned his forehead against hers. So close that their breathe mingled, entwined and hung like a cloud about them, pillowing them in its intimacy. "No more, Jaycee, you are mine as much as I'm yours. That includes the burdens you bare. You will never be alone again. Never face it all alone anymore." His use of her name shocked her, she froze for a moment, then shook her head. He drew her into his embrace, his hands smoothing her hair as he simply held her. She knew that she should she pull away, deny his words, fight him. But the truth was that those words had crafted such a hypnotic spell about her that she wanted nothing more than to believe them. So for several long moments, she pretended, leaned against him and allowed her fantasies to weave a web of love and security. He was the first to break it as he pushed her back arms length. He gave her another of those dazzling smiles and bent to kiss the top of her head once more. "I want to stay here with you," he sighed as if under some heavy burden of his own. "But I cannot. Not yet anyway. There are things I must do, must see to, before we can truly be together as we are meant to be." "And one of those things are the horses. I won't lie to you, Mitawa Naya, I have my reservations. Your land here is small for housing such animals. But more importantly their care is an immense burden on top of all the others those tiny shoulders already bare. But Hector assures me that you will have his help." His thumb brushed her cheek once more and she was helpless to stop herself from leaning into the tender caress. "And make no mistake about it, I will help too. It is part of the bargain. If I agree to place one point two million dollars worth of prime horse flesh as you keep pointing out to me on this kiddy farm, I have the right to inspect them. Anytime. Do you understand?" She frowned at this latest demand. Was he using his position unfairly? He shook his head, "Actually, Mitawa Naya, you are using yours to your advantage. Know this, I would not agree to this deal for anyone except you. Hell, my mind keeps telling me that I should not even now. I may damned well lose my job for this. But as with everything for the rest of our lives, you come first. And you need this." She choked past the tightness in her chest as she nodded her agreement to his demands, "Thank you," she managed at last to whisper past the knot in throat and the moisture in her eyes. "For you, anything and everything," he whispered before once more lowering his head and brushing another of those heart stopping kisses across her lips. This time she could not fight it, fight herself. Her fingers wrapped in his soft curls, drawing him closer. It was she, who deepened the kiss. Her tongue that snaked its way between his lips, danced against his. For this moment she wanted to taste and feel all of him, all of this fantasy. Her body melded against his, she shivered when she felt the hard ridge presses against her thigh. Her right hand slipped between them again, moving surely over it. She felt him tremble, knew her power and used it as she toyed with him until she could hear their hearts pounding so loudly that it drowned out all other sounds. She reluctantly broke the kiss, her hands dropping to her side. She did not want this game to end. It had been so fucking long since she had felt her womanly powers. If she were honest, too long since she felt anything other than worry, fear and despair. But it was all an illusion, a fantasy, she reminded herself. There was no room in her life for men, love or even sex. She had Angel, this place and her career. There simply was not enough of her left for anything or anyone else. "Thank you for agreeing to this compromise, Mister Ranger. But I need to get back to Angel and I have work to do before those horses arrive," her voice sounded too throaty to carry the authority that she had hoped to convey. He nodded, his thumb caressing the corner of her mouth one more time. "Yes, I too have obligations. But know this, Mitawa Naya, you and the child come before all else with me. You always will." She stepped back and inhaled deeply, squaring her shoulders, "Mister Ranger, like I said thank you for agreeing to let the horses stay here until the court case. But that is all this can ever be, a professional relationship. I'm sorry if I led you on in any way," she studied her boots and stammered across the truth, "I lost my head for a moment. Sometimes we all dream of things that we can never have. But I mean it, there is no room in my life for a relationship. With anyone. And certainly not a man I met less than twenty-four hours ago." He chuckled, "Bull shit, Jaycee. Say whatever you need to now, but if we both didn't have things that were so pressing, I'd take you into that stall and show you just how real this is." She gasped, opened her mouth to deny his claim, but thought better of it. She could not lie to him or herself, if she had gotten the chance she most definitely would have taken the opportunity for a quick roll in the hay with this man. Looking at him from boots to slightly ruffled blond hair, she admitted, most women would. "You are not most women, Mitawa Naya. And it would have been much more than a quick roll in the hay," he laughed. Jaycee frowned, "And quit doing that. It's freaky. People can't just hear other people's thoughts." "But I do. Hear yours. As for freaky, there are things in this world that defy explanations. That does not make them untrue. Good-bye, Jaycee. For now." "Wait. When will you bring the horses? Should I draft an agreement of some sort?" Now that he was leaving, why did some part of her feel so bereft? So alone? She was making a fool of herself, trying to keep the man. She stopped the rising panic. There was no way she would allow him to 'hear' these thoughts. But the slight smile curving the corners of his delectable mouth told her he already had. At least he had the good manners or good sense not to mention it. "I'll be in touch when I speak with my boss. And, Mitawa Naya, try to get some rest. Your tiredness beats at me." "Tired doesn't even begin to cover it, Mister Ranger." "Rex. Call me Rex, Jaycee." She would have argued, tried to keep things on a strictly professional level, but the pile of hay caught her eye. That boat had probably sailed already, she thought. "All right, Rex. I look forward to hearing from you." She stammered again, "I mean about the horses." *** Rex forced himself to turn away from his woman. Forced each step that took him closer to his truck and further from her. This trip had not been what he expected, but then again nothing about her was. He waved to the old man, who was puttering by the corral. He was thankful that his Mitawa Naya had the couple. But now she had him too. He climbed into the truck and started the engine. He debated which call to make first. He choose the easy one. Punching in the speed dial number, he listened as it rang. Just once. It rarely rang more than that with his grandfather. He pressed the speaker phone button. "Rex, my son, what do you need?" He smiled softly, how like his grandfather to cut straight to the heart of the matter. "I don't know for certain, grandfather. Could you come down to Houston for a few days? I have something to show you." He watched the house recede in the distance. Saw her climbing the steps, her limbs seemed almost weighed down with the responsibilities those tiny shoulders bore. "Someone I want you to meet." "Her." "Yes, grandfather. My Mitawa Naya. But someone else as well," he did not want to say any more to the man. He wanted his grandfather's first encounter with the child. With Angel, he reminded himself. To be completely untainted with his own opinions. His grandfather knew these things far better than he did, if the girl had the gift, the old man would recognize it. And he hoped have some of the answers that the doctors seemed unable to give his woman. "Please, grandfather." "Of course, my son. I will leave right after my prayers." "Thank you, grandfather." The line went dead. Rex paused the truck at the end of the driveway. This next call would be far more difficult, but it needed to be made. He had to convince his boss, Tim Masters, to release the ASPCA's claim to those horses. And that was not going to be easy. He shook his head, hell, maybe it would be best to fight that battle in person. He turned towards the highway and Houston. His mind and senses were still on overload, filled with her, but he tried to focus on the battle that lay ahead. He would win it. He had to. For her. He had given her his word and he would find a way to keep it. It was just the first of a lifetime of promises that he would always fulfill to his Mitawa Naya. Night Walker's Woman Ch. 03 It was almost lunch time when Rex arrived back at the ASPCA offices. He read through the half a dozen messages that waited in his inbox and cursed under his breath when he recognized his boss's signature on the last one. Tim Masters wanted to see him in his office the moment he got back. He sighed and headed to the large office at the end of the hallway. No use delaying the inevitable; it was just another of his grandfather's sage advice. He inhaled deeply as he brought his fist up to the hard wood door. He could still smell her, lingering in his nostrils as much as she did in his mind. It was that which propelled him forward when the voice bid him, "Come in." Tim Masters had never been his favorite person. With his freshly pressed suits that seemed out of place in a building with hundreds of animals, he was too much the polished politician for his liking. The man had never spent a day in the field, knew nothing of the neglect and abuse that the animals faced. Hell, Rex could not remember the last time he had seen the man in the holding pens, where the animals were kept awaiting adoption. No, this man got and kept his job because of one thing, his ability to raise money. And this time Rex was standing in his way. He did not relish this meeting. "You wanted to see me, Mister Masters?" "Yes, Mister Ranger," the formal introduction set Rex even more on edge. "I received a call from Marigold this morning. She told me about what happened in court yesterday." The man finally lifted his cold eyes from the computer screen, "Would you mind telling me since when does the ASPCA work with the defense on cases we are prosecuting?" Rex met the man's stare directly, "Miss Riley is not the defense. She represents a third party in the case. The man's son, who claims rightful ownership of those horses. His father is contesting his wife's will that left the bulk of her estate to their son. It is likely that Mister Marshall's intent was to starve the animals so that his son could never take possession of his property." "Yes, I knew all of that going into this court case. We all did. It has no baring on the case. If the younger Mister Marshall wanted to claim his property, he had the responsibility to insure that it was being properly cared for. What I want to know is what the hell came over you in that courtroom that you would deviate from our case and take up with the opposition?" Rex could see the red tint forming around the man's ears and hear the rise in voice. "This was an unusual case from the beginning, Mister Masters, you know that. It is not every day that the ASPCA is called to one of the largest ranches in the state. The Marshalls trace their ancestry back to the Alamo, founding fathers of this state. And the value of those horses? We have never dealt with those kinds of assets." Rex skirted the subject, knowing that was the true motivation for this man's concern, the loss of potential revenue from the auctioning of the horses. This man had never cared for the animals themselves, just his career, his ability to impress the board and move on to another higher paying and more prestigious job in a couple of years. It disgusted him, but he did all that he could to hide his feelings, to keep the conversation professional. "Exactly, Mister Ranger, all the more reason that the ASPCA must do all that it can to protect the welfare of those animals. We cannot appear to favor the Marshalls because of their station in this community. And you saw for yourself the state of those animals, the intentional starvation imposed by Mister Marshall on the animals when every other animal on that ranch was well maintained with plenty of food and water," the man's hands rested on the top of his desk, his knuckles were turning white where they were laced together. "Yes, but once more that had nothing to do with his son," Rex tried to keep his own anger under control. This man got under his skin on the best of days. The past two years working with him had been an exercise in control. But today, when he was already on edge, when the beast him in roared to claims its mate, when things were happening so fast that his brain could no longer process it, his patience with the self-centered bastard was hanging by the proverbial thread. "And we are back to the point that we agreed with Marigold and the Prosecutor's Office before taking this case to court. That Thad Marshall had a legal obligation to monitor the care of the contested property while in the possession of his father. How has that changed, Mister Ranger?" Masters furrowed his brows as he stared at Rex. Rex searched for an answer that would make sense, would appeal to this man and his agenda. He fell back onto the only one that he had been able to come up with during the long, sleepless night filled with images of her in his arms and bed. "The ASPCA cannot insert itself into a civil matter of this magnitude. While those horses are animals and deserve all of the protection that we can offer them, they are also financial assets worth one point two million dollars, Mister Masters," which he knew was the heart of his boss's objection. Tim Masters wanted those horses for the center piece of the annual auction next month. Rex would bet that the man had even listed them in the brochure already. He took a deep breath before he continued to plead his case under the intense stare of his superior, "Due to the nature of this case, it is likely to receive a lot of media attention, not just locally or even statewide, but nationally and perhaps internationally as well. We cannot have Mister Marshall or his attorney claiming that the ASPCA interfered and prematurely seized his property. It would do serious damage to our reputation and perhaps scare off some of our high profile donors." There it was, his ultimate argument. He watched as the man's brows knit together in thought, his mouth scrunched up, his nose twitched. He waited. And waited. And waited as he allowed the man to play through the various scenarios in his mind. "Yes, well, I will concede your point, Mister Ranger, but that did not give you the right to intercede on the woman's behalf without consulting me or Miss Clement." Rex nodded, "I apologize." He kept it simple. The sooner he was finished with the man, the sooner he could focus upon more important things. Like her. His Mitawa Naya. Tim Masters sighed and shook his head, "I'm assuming that you have a plan. That you and the woman are working out this compromise that you promised Judge Ortega? And I trust that you are looking out for the best interest of the animals." Rex nodded, "Yes, sir, I am. Miss Riley, the younger Mister Marshall's attorney, has a small ranch just outside of Houston, in Waller County," he stumbled over the half truth. The few acres that the woman owned could hardly qualify for the term, but he did not want his supervisor knowing that. "She runs a pony farm for special needs children in her spare time. And in her youth, she competed in barrel racing at the Livestock Show and Rodeo and won several Four H prizes. She has volunteered to care for the animals, under our close supervision, of course, until the civil matter comes to court. If the younger Mister Marshall wins the case then she has assured me that he will reimburse the ASPCA for any care they received while in our possession." He played his ultimate card, "She assures me that we have Thad Marshall's deepest gratitude. Perhaps he would even be moved to make a generous donation." Rex waited as he dangled the worm before this greedy fish. He saw the man's face soften just a bit before he continued, "Of course, if Mister Marshall senior were to win then nothing stops us from proceeding with our case against the man and seizing the horses as we planned." Rex smelled the man's discomfort. He knew that Masters was not completely satisfied with the plan. He was certain that the lure of immediate revenue from the auction weighed more heavily than any possible donation. He did not blame the man. From a purely business point of view, it was not the wisest decision, but Rex had never been much of a business man. And this decision had nothing to do with business. Honestly, it had far less to do with the welfare of the animals than he wanted to admit. It had everything to do with her. The man finally shook his head, "I'm still not convinced that this is going to work, Mister Ranger. You said that the ASPCA will supervise the care of the horses? How do we even know that Miss Riley has the facilities or ability to fulfill her duties? As you say these are highly valuable animals, the ASPCA needs assurances that they will be cared for properly." Rex smiled, "That is where I was this morning, checking out Miss Riley's facilities. While her ranch is not large, it has a sufficient barn for housing the animals and land for their exercise. As I said, Miss Riley herself is quite the horsewoman and she has the assistance of Hector Ramirez. He was a former jockey and groomsman until he retired some years ago. And you have my word that I will inspect the horses often to insure that they are receiving the care they need to recover fully." The man frowned, "Yes, well, as I said I am not happy with the situation, Rex." Masters' use of his first name did nothing to assuage him. "But after your little performance in front of Judge Ortega yesterday, you have not left me much choice in the matter." The man stared him in the eyes before continuing, "Hear me now. Do not pull another stunt like that again without consulting me and Miss Clement. We do not like having the rug pulled out from under us without warning." Rex inhaled deeply, knowing that this battle was won. His mind raced ahead to the next, his grandfather. And as it always would, it returned quickly to her. His Mitawa Naya. He nodded slightly, "Thank you, Mister Masters. And you have my word," he said as he slipped from the office, closing the door behind him. *** Jaycee paced back and forth down the hallway. She opened the door and checked on her sleeping daughter several times. She would pause there until she heard the raspy wheeze of her snores or could see the soft rise and fall or her chest. If she did not, then she tiptoed into the room and softly laid a hand on her tummy until she felt the gentle rise and fall of her chest that confirmed the child was still breathing. SUDEP, it was a horrible acronym. Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy. It was also her worst nightmare. The possibility that her daughter would go to sleep and never wake up. It occurred in just one to two percent of those diagnosed with epilepsy, but they were almost all either children, teens or young adults. She shivered at the thought. It was not the first time. From Angel's first seizure, Jaycee has scoured the Internet seeking information and support. On place that she received that support was an online forum run by the Epilepsy Foundation. Her eyes filled with tears as she thought of that first night that they were home from the hospital. She had come across a posting on the forum that would stay with her forever. A mother wrote about putting her daughter to bed for her nap. The child had begged and pleaded for another story, but the mother refused and closed the door. When she went to wake her daughter, she was dead. The woman was filled with guilt, not only over the death but the story as well. Jaycee swiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She had to stop thinking about the worst, she told herself. But on days like this, it was virtually impossible to manage. Bad days always brought out the worst of her fears. Of course, there was no telling when Angel would have a bad day. Or why. She frowned, it did seem odd that her daughter's seizure began the moment she had touched Mister Ranger, Rex. Then again anything outside of her normal routine tended to upset Angel and she was more likely to have the worst seizures when she got upset, or tired, or sick. She once again debated the advisability of returning to work, but the only other choice was a long legal battle with her ex-husband to increase the child support. And as Lupe reminded her, taking a few cases also gave her a small break from the almost constant care she provided for Angel. She smiled, she had to admit that it felt damned good to be back in the courtroom. It gave her a sense of control that was missing. But this case might be more than she could handle. Already there had been days of depositions, two court appearances and now this unexpected turn of events. She played over in her mind the rest of her meeting with Rex Ranger. There was no denying that the man got under her skin. And into her mind it seemed. How the man did that still bothered her. It was disturbing, having another person know what you were thinking all the time. All the time? Just how far did his gift go? Did he know what she was thinking now? The soft vibration of her phone in the back pocket of her jeans made her jump. When she looked at the screen, her eyes widened. Rex. She frowned as she pressed the button to accept the call, "Yes, Mister Ranger. I was just thinking about you, but I suppose you knew that." The deep chuckle on the other end of the phone did funny things to the butterflies that seemed to have taken up residence in her stomach since she met the man yesterday. Yesterday? She shook her head again. "It does not work like that. When we are not together, it is not that clear. I only feel vague glimpses, the strongest of your emotions. A protective mechanism to know when our mates are in danger or need us," he explained. Her frown deepened. That information should have been reassuring to Jaycee. She had only to put distance between them to know that her thoughts were her own once again. But what confounded her more was the idea of being protected, of anyone caring when she was upset or in danger. She had been battling alone for so long that the very thought of it brought fresh tears to her eyes. She brushed them away and cleared her throat. "Yes, well, to what do I owe the privilege of your call, Mister Ranger?" "Many things, Mitawa Naya. Just to hear your voice, know that you are safe. To check on Angel. Is she feeling any better?" his soft Texas drawl washed over her like warm water in a bubble bath. Refreshing and relaxing at the same time. She shook her head, reminding herself that she needed no one, lest of all a stranger that she had met just twenty-four hours ago. "My daughter is still sleeping. After those types of events, she often does for hours," she tried to keep her voice business-like. Tried to keep the fence around her heart in place. Why did he have to ask about Angel? She could talk to Sean, Angel's own father, and he would barely mention their child. But this man thought to inquire as if he genuinely cared. "I really should go and check on her again, Mister Ranger" Jaycee tried to cut him short before he got any more under her skin, breeched that fence. "Just one more thing, Jaycee. I spoke with my supervisor about the horses. He has okayed the deal. When would you like me to deliver them?" Jaycee should have been happy, she had managed to protect her client's interests. But at that moment, it felt like just another heavy burden on her shoulders, one that she feared might break her. But she could not admit that to this man. "I guess tomorrow morning would be fine. If that works for your schedule, Mister Ranger. Or Hector has a truck and trailer, we could come there?" She would much prefer to pick the animals up. He was unlikely to be so bold at his place of employment. If she were lucky, he might even be out on another case and she could avoid him completely. "No, tomorrow morning will be fine. I want to make certain that they are settling," he explained. "And there is someone I want you and Angel to meet, Mitawa Naya." "Fine, then I will see you then," she really needed to get off the phone. But some other part of her begged and pleaded for just another minute with the deep baritone that calmed and soothed her soul. And that petrified her. "And Jaycee, try to get some rest. The exhaustion and worry beats at me," he whispered. Anger rose in her gut. How dare he? What did he know of her existence? Did he think it was that easy? Did he think that she wanted to wake a dozen times or more each night just to check that her daughter was still breathing? Did he think as Sean and some of the doctors seemed to that she was over-reacting? "I'll just schedule a week at the spa, Mister Ranger," she replied sarcastically. He chuckled, "I'd settle for a good night's sleep. Preferably in my arms." "Not happening so fuck off," she spat as she heard Angel call for her. "I have to go. Angel is awake." "Of course, but Mitawa Naya make no mistake, it will happen. And soon," his cool confidence shook her, but the tiny butterfly that took flight from her tummy and seemed to settle somewhere in her chest, causing a tightness that felt oddly like want and need, shook her even more. "Good-bye, Mister Ranger," she replied as coldly as she could manage. "See you tomorrow morning," he reminded her. *** Rex felt the tension rising inside himself. His beast roared and not even the presence of his grandfather in the truck beside him could quiet the monster. The horses must have sensed the danger too because they had been uneasy in the trailer that he towed. His driving required all his concentration; if the horses shifted to one side he needed to be ready to compensate or the truck and trailer could turn over. He did not relish facing Tim Masters if anything happened to that one point two million dollars worth of horse flesh. "Do you want to tell me what is going on?" asked his grandfather as he calmly brought the cardboard cup of coffee to his lips. Rex shook his head. "It won't be long now. The turn off is just ahead, grandfather." The old man nodded his grey head, but his piercing black eyes continued to bore into his soul. Rex sighed heavily. "Tell me all that you know about night walkers, grandfather." A rich chuckle came from the other side of the truck. "If our turn off is just ahead, son, then we do not have time for such things. Tell me what you wish to know." Rex pondered his response. He had not told his grandfather the true purpose of his visit. Despite everything that his senses had told him yesterday when he met the child, his mind still rebelled, doubted what he already knew. He did not want to prejudice his grandfather; he needed the man's first reaction to Angel to be completely his own. "Has there ever been a female night walker?" he almost whispered the question that had been the center of his thoughts for the past twenty-four hours. The old man studied him closer as if deciding how to answer the question, "Yes and no, my son. Yes, there have been some girl children born with the gift." He paused, looking out the truck's window at the field passing them by. "But these gifts are not easy to master. You of all people should know that. Being born with the gift is only a small portion of it. You must also embrace your gift and learn to use it properly. That is a lifetime process." Rex nodded, given all that had happened to him in the past couple of weeks, he had a new appreciation for how far he still had to go to embrace and master his own gift. "What happens if you don't?" His grandfather continued to stare out the window for several long moments. As it often did, his silence told Rex far more than words. When he turned back, his face was heavy and the lines of age and wisdom seemed to run deeper than it ever had. "That is not an option. my son. The consequences are too grave." Rex knew that his grandfather thought he was asking about himself, but before he could explain he saw the turn-off. Driving required all his attention to make the left hand turn off the highway and then to travel the almost half a mile across the dirt road with three restless horses in the trailer. Besides perhaps it was best if his grandfather's first reaction to Angel was unclouded with his own suspicions. Night Walker's Woman Ch. 03 His heart leapt into his throat when he saw her working along side Hector, preparing the corral, spreading fresh straw. He scanned the front porch until he saw Angel swinging with Senora Ramirez. The girl was using her feet and legs to kick, trying to make the heavy porch swing sail far higher than it could. Disappointment shown in her face at her efforts. He stopped the truck at the end of the circular driveway and opened his door, motioning for his grandfather to join him. Even before his boot hit the hard clay ground, her smell drifted upon the morning breeze to him. Not even the apple shampoo and soap could cover the smell of worry and exhaustion that clothed her like heavy coat on a hot day. He wanted to run to her, scope her in his arms and carry her off to bed. Not to claim her as his body demanded though, but to lull her into the rest that she needed, to kiss away every single heavy worry line in her forehead and erase the dark circles beneath those mesmerizing hazel windows into her soul. He held himself in check, reminding himself that he did not have the right, not yet anyway. But soon. He was so caught up in studying his woman, inspecting each inch of her after their long separation, that he almost missed the look of shock and awe upon his grandfather's face as the man turned not to join him and his woman by the barn, but towards the house and where the child sat swinging with her caretaker. "Grandfather," he called, but the man kept walking straight towards Angel. Rex was not surprised, but Jaycee seemed to be as she dropped the shovel in her hand and shimmied over the rough wooden boards of the corral. His hand shoot out to capture her arm as she went past him. "Let me go, you maroon. I need to get to my daughter." She struggled in his arms as he drew her closer to his body. "Sex might be all you think about, but I have a child to consider. After yesterday," she shook her head almost in accusation. "My grandfather would never harm a child. Especially not your daughter," he soothed as he kept his eye upon the old man. He studied him as he stopped at the steps, kneeling upon the bottom one. Rex noted something unusual, a calm, almost adoration in the man's face. He was reminded of the stained glass in the church that his mother attended. The three wise men kneeling before the baby Jesus in the manager. Rex held his woman back, giving his grandfather time alone with the child. But his job was not easy as Jaycee twisted and turned in his arms, "I said let me go, Mister Ranger." He shook his head again, "Please, Mitawa Naya, give him just a moment with her. You have my word, he means her no harm." "Yeah, well, whether he means her harm or not, doesn't matter with Angel. She doesn't handle disruptions to her schedule too well or new people. You should know that after yesterday," she shook her head and he could see the tears glistening in her eyes. She brushed them off with the back of her hands, but that only succeeded in smearing dirt across her alabaster skin. The rough pad of his thumb repeated the motion erasing both the smear and her tears. *** Jaycee forced herself to swallow the knot of fear that threatened to choke her. She had barely slept all night. Not only was she afraid to leave her daughter unattended after such a violent episode, but her mind could not seem to quiet the battle that raged inside. Things had gotten out of control. Again. She was somewhat used to the lack of control she felt when it came to her daughter's illness. While she still had not learned to accept it, she had been living with it for so long that it was a familiar enemy, perhaps the way people in war zones learned to live with terrorists. When she decided to return to practicing law, she had not thought that she would be opening the door to let even more chaos into their lives. But it seemed that was what she had done with this case. And this man. She took a deep steadying breath as she watched the old man kneeling before her daughter. Granted, he seemed as harmless as Rex asserted, but still it was not him that she worried about. It was her daughter's reaction to him, to anything new or different in their small world. She sighed as the child smiled back at the man, they seemed to be laughing at something, even Lupe joined in the mirth. She looked up into the handsome man, who haunted what few moments of sleep she had managed to get the night before. Every time her eyes closed the dreams he filled her mind, his lips hot against hers, his hands caressing her body. Going further than he ever had, burrowing between her legs, he rubbed the tender flesh until she cried out and arched off the bed, a powerful orgasm draining her of all energy and calming her turbulent mind. His forehead leaned against hers, "Fuck woman! Do not think about that when we are surrounded by people, when we have those horses to see to." Jaycee blushed a beet red as she remembered that this man could read her thoughts. What he must think of her. Of the wild and kinky fantasies that had never seemed to be a problem until he came into her life. "That's it," she exclaimed. "It's all your fault. You're planting these ideas in my mind somehow." He chuckled as he shook his head, "Afraid not. Those fantasies are all yours, sweetheart. One day soon, I'll share a few of my own with you though." His thumb brushed her cheek once more and she fought everything inside of her to keep from leaning into the tender caress. "But right now, we need to get those horses out of the trailer and settled." She shook her head, "In a minute. I just need to check on Angel. See how she's feeling. I mean after yesterday," she blushed again as she admitted how vulnerable she really felt. "I just need to make sure she is okay." Rex studied her for a moment. Those lips that had been so hot and firm in her dreams twitched a bit at the corners before turning up in a soft smile. "All right. I want to you meet the old man anyway." She tried to think about anything except the delicious feel of his hand at the small of her back. It was protective and yet promised a thousand erotic delights at thee same time. It was her turn to curse as she caught herself once more and knew from one side ways glance that he had heard every single thought. 'One times one is one, one times two is two, one times three is three,' she thought. Deep, rich laughter wrapped about her as his eyes caught hers, "And here I thought you would take to reciting line and verse of the law." "Yeah, well, that takes too much work to remember and my brain doesn't work that well when I'm around you," her hand flew to cover her mouth as she realized how much she had revealed to him with her words. "It's okay, Mitawa Naya. Mine does not work so well around you either." His blond head nodded towards the truck and trailer, "I know we should get to those horses, but all I can think about is making you laugh, erasing those tiny worry lines creases your forehead, and carrying you inside to that bed and re-enacting every single one of those erotic dreams of yours. But there are too many people around and those horses do need our attention. So let's go check up on the old man and Angel, then get our work done." She nodded as they headed across the yard towards the small group on the porch. "Grandfather, may I present Jaycee Riley. Mitawa Naya, I would like you to meet my grandfather, Raymond Wild Horse." She studied the man as he held out a weathered and slightly misshaped hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you," she said as she took it. But she shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot as the man's dark eyes seemed to bore into her very soul. It was worse because of how vulnerable she felt knowing that his grandson read her every thought, his protective hand at the small of her back moved up to drape over her shoulder in a clear show of possession that had all three people on the porch smiling broadly. "No, child, it is I, who am honored to meet you. I have waited long for this day, to know that my Rex's soul is safe in the care of his mate," Jaycee would have protested the man's wild assumption except for the bright light that shown in those eyes. What would it hurt to let him think what he liked if it brought him happiness, he looked like a man, who had seen far too little of it in his lifetime. He turned towards her daughter and held out his other hand. Angel stepped forward with a huge grin, "And this special one is but an added blessing from the Great Spirit. I am humbled and honored to count you both among our family." Jaycee opened her mouth to correct the man, she could not allow Angel to get caught up in this fantasy. But as her daughter's tiny hand meet the mangled dark one, she felt a zing of power. Like a static electric shock but a thousand, hundred-thousand, times more powerful. If not for Rex's arm about her shoulder and his other hand that came up to encircle her waist, she would have collapsed from the power of it. "What the fuck?" she exclaimed, so shocked by it all that she forgot to filter her words around Angel. Her knees threatened to buckle as her eyes travelled back and forth between the old man and her child. "See to the animals, my son. I will speak with your woman and child," said the man as he patted the wooden porch next to him. "Sit, my daughter, there is much I want to ask you." Panic welled up inside of her. Since the moment she laid eyes on Rex Ranger in that courtroom, she had felt that her life was spiraling out of control, but looking into the black depths of this man's eyes, it felt more like water circling the drain and she was just a couple of turns from being sucked under forever. She fought to breath as fear of what lay on the other side of that drain consumed her. Then she felt his strength holding her up, "No, grandfather. You take Angel inside for a bit. I will see to the horses and my woman." Rex exchanged a stare with the old man and for a moment she felt that perhaps they communicated in some unspoken manner. But that was crazy, as crazy as him actually reading her mind. She began to laugh hysterically. Lupe looked at her oddly as she stepped forward, "Yes, Senor, I am sure that la niña would like to show you her room. She has many horses there, do you not, Angel?" Her daughter beamed, actually glowed at the man as she tugged on his arthritic hand. Jaycee squinted as for a split second it seemed that the man's fingers straightened under Angel's touch. She shook her head. Nothing made sense in the world anymore. And she feared nothing ever would again. Night Walker's Woman Ch. 04 Rex guided Jaycee towards the truck and horse trailer where Hector was already working to soothe the excited animals with small pieces of apple and carrot. Her silence and acquiescence were as worrisome as her thoughts. His Jaycee was anything but quiet and docile. She was the most beautiful mustang filly running free across the rough terrain of the Hill Country. She was...she was perfect for him. But he recognized too how accurate her thoughts were. In less than two days her world had been turned on its head. She had been asked to understand and accept things that were beyond explanation. He smiled as he thought of the trouble she would make when this telepathy became a two-way street. He sighed, but there was much that they needed to settle before that could happen. And these horses were the first thing. "How are they doing, Hector?" he asked the older man, who had much more experience with this quality of horse flesh than either he or Jaycee. The man nodded, "The road was not easy on them, Senor Rex. The gelding is very skittish. He will not even take the food from my hand." The man's voice was barely more than a whisper and Rex thanked his ancestors for his heightened senses that allowed him to catch each word. "The filly, she is much calmer. But that may just be an illusion. I can feel her heart bounding still." Rex smiled, was the man speaking of the horse or his mate? His arm about her waist was the only thing holding her up at the moment as she struggled to make sense of things which defied explanation. "Which do we move to the barn first?" "Not yet, Mister Rex. Let me speak with them a bit more first. If you and Miss Jaycee will make certain that the stalls are ready for them," he replied as he reached a hand slowly through the small open window of the trailer. Rex nodded as he led the still silent woman towards the barn. He needed to rouse her from her cogitations. Her beautiful mind was like a prize old hunting hound who had lost the trail and was circling round and round trying to find something to ignite its memory once more. Once they were inside the barn, he pulled her into his arms, pinning her against the wooden door frame as his mouth took hers. He had meant to be gentle and coaxing, but the hours without her, the long night with the distant but never-ending scent of her anxiety had eaten at his mind. He needed to taste her as much to know that she was still real as he did to shake her from her ruminations. For a moment she remained that docile compliant softness beneath him. It was her soft whimpers that fed his soul as his hand came up between them to cup her breast. His thumb found her hard nipple and brushed back and forth across it through the layers of her shirt and bra. He was sorely tempted to tear them all away, to claim her and put it all to an end. But it was not this submissive and confused creature he wanted, he longed for her biting words and that strong spirit that challenged him to be more than he had ever been before. He needed her strength as much as she needed his. She was his very breath, his Mitawa Naya. Then he felt it...the shift inside of her mind as her own hunger overcame the confusion of her earlier thoughts. Her actions followed suit as her hands wrapped about his shoulders drawing him closer. Her tongue came to life as it battled with his. But when she arched her chest into his caress and growled like a bitch in heat, it was nearly his undoing. He fought for control as she fanned flames inside of him that threatened to ignite them both. But the inferno would be a hell of a way to go, he thought as he gained enough self-control to slow the pace. His kisses becoming the tender caresses he had meant them to be in the beginning. Then he found himself flat on his butt in the hay and dust of the barn floor. He laughed as he picked up a handful of the straw and threw it at her. "Vixen." *** Jaycee was not sure what she expected of this man. How could she be really? She barely knew him even though something inside of her screamed that she knew him better than she knew herself. Then again her marriage should have taught her that you never really knew anyone. One thing was certain a handful of hay was not what she had expected when she had shoved him away and sent him spiraling towards the indignity of that dusty barn floor. Then again she supposed she deserved that tiny bit of retaliation. She hugged her side as she looked down at the big man sprawled so indignantly upon the ground. "What's so funny, woman?" he demanded, though she could see that he too fought to control his mirth. "Nothing," she mumbled through fits of laughter that threatened to bring tears to her eyes. "Absolutely nothing." She watched as he rose to his full height, dusting off his jeans as he smiled at her. "We don't want them thinking we were just having a quick roll in the hay, now do we?" She shook her head, "And I thought you said that a roll in the hay with you would not be quick, lover boy?" His face lost its lightness as it clouded with the passion that they had shared only moments before, "It won't be. And neither will it be a literal roll in the hay, Mitawa Naya. You deserve silky rose petals, not rough hay." She shook her head, "You know with a silver tongue like that you could do much better than a bitter single mother with a sick child and the weight of the world on her shoulders." She squared her shoulders and turned her back as she fought back tears at the thought of this man with another woman. Even as her mind listed every single one of the reasons that this could never work. But the soft hand that rested comfortingly upon her shoulder made a lie of every last one of them as did his soft words whispered next to her ear, "You forget the only one that matters, Mitawa Naya. You are mine. The other half of my dark soul created by the Great Spirit from the beginning of time. And if you think for one minute that I am letting any of those things stand in our way, well, you will just have to see." He turned her gently and stared down at her as his finger brushed the smile lines around her mouth, "You are even more beautiful when you laugh, Jaycee." She shook her head as she tried to remember the last time she had laughed, really laughed. Not the bitter sweet chuckles of irony that accompanied each small victory that she and Angel grasp from cruel Fate, but genuine, honest to goodness laughter that came from the heart. "I will consider it my job to make certain a day does not go by for the rest of our lives without laughter then, Mitawa Naya," he whispered as he placed an almost solemn kiss on her forehead. Jaycee fought back tears but even harder she fought back hope. Hope that for once she would not be alone, would not face every damned burden that seemed sent just to break her all alone. But she knew it was just an illusion. She was the only person that she could count on in the end. Sure she might have good friends like Hector and Lupe to help out, but in the end they went home each night and she was left alone in the darkness to face her demons. Alone. *** Rex thought about arguing with her but he realized that it would be futile. Words would never convince this woman. She was a master wordsmith, she crafted them for her purposes, to win cases for her clients. Her opponents used those same words to try and wrest that victory from her. Words were not real, they were merely weapons to be used, lies to be carefully crafted to suit the purpose. Only actions would convince this woman of his true intent. "Everything looks fine in here. Let's go back to the house and check on Angel and grandfather until Hector is ready for us." She nodded, but this time it was she that took the lead. He smiled as he watched her assume the reins once more. There was his woman. His strong, brave, if slightly cynical Mitawa Naya. She paused for just a moment to confer with Hector before leading them back to the small house. As they entered, Rex took the opportunity to look around for the first time. He had been too focused upon the little girl...and his woman yesterday to notice anything beyond the fact that the room was warm and safe for his charges. But now he noticed the wood burning stove that gave a cozy warmth to the place even when it was not in use. The rest of the place was like his woman functional though he guessed that most of it was a pish posh of odds and ends that she had found at yards sales and thrift stories. But they were all arranged to make the most of their country feel. Despite all that or maybe because of it, this place felt like...home. She led him into the kitchen where Lupe was working away busily. He smiled at the fragrant reminder, "Mole?" The older woman turned with a smile and nodded, "Si, senor. It is my Hector's favorite. And his reward for working so hard for Miss Jaycee." He tried for his best boyish grin as he snuck up to the stove and dipped the end of his finger around the edge of the bubbling brew, "I don't suppose there will be any extra?" The woman laughed and swatted at his hand with the back of her wooden spoon, "Not if you keep sneaking around like that. I doubt that after feeding three hungry men there will be any left though." He smiled and kissed the woman on her weathered cheek. It was not just the food or her genuine care for his woman's child or even the devotion that this couple showed them. It was the knowledge that there were still good people in this world...and that they had been there for his women when he had not even known they existed. It was a humbling thought as he swore that this couple would come under his protection as much as his Mitawa Naya and Angel. "You can stay and try charming Lupe if you want, but I am going to check on Angel and your grandfather," Jaycee said. Rex smiled, did he detect just a hint of jealousy? He followed the gentle swaying of her hips in the tight jeans, hypnotized by its seductive call until his brain was throbbing with need as much as the hard ridge behind his zipper. His woman was leading him a merry ole' chase...and he would not want it any other way. Because it would only make her final surrender all the sweeter. *** Jaycee fought back tears as she watched the tiny dark head with its hallo of tight curls bent so close to the grey streaked one. It was as if the two of them had known one another forever. As if they alone shared the secrets of the universe as they bent conferred over the pages of Angel's favorite book about horses. Rex's grandfather looked up at her with a soft smile as her daughter tugged on his shirt, "Read, read," she commanded. Jaycee returned the smile as she stepped into the room. "Mister Wild Horse probably needs a break, sweet heart...and you need a nap." She could tell by the pout that immediately rose on her daughter's full lips that a storm was brewing. She was tempted to give in...to allow the child her story. She was never comfortable with her child's meltdowns. She had adopted that term because temper tantrum simply was not accurate. There was little manipulative about her daughter and these outbursts had nothing to do with getting her way. In fact, once a meltdown began, not even giving her what she wanted would stop them. But there were other reasons as well. Her carefully kept seizure diary indicated that there was some correlation between these outbursts and her fits. Which was the cause and which was the effect she could not seem to fathom though. At times it seemed a little of both, like a vicious cycle. And especially around strangers, she was never comfortable having people see her child at her worst. Hell, even her ex-husband had blamed her, calling her an over-protective and permissive mother. Sean had even blamed her for their child's illness, claiming it was probably the effect of some drug that Jaycee's mother had done when she was pregnant with her. No, the stings of being a 'bad' mother were bad enough from the man she had once thought she loved, she did not need them from total strangers. There it was again. That damned calming hand on her shoulder. She shrugged hard, trying to dislodge it as she fought to regain control of this situation. "Your mother is right, my little warrior. This old man must help the others with those horses. But by the time that you wake from your nap, they will be in the corral and we will watch them run together. I will show you how to read their spirits," the old man said in the softest of tones as if he were actually hypnotizing her daughter...and perhaps her as well. She shook her head and tried to fight off the comforting feeling as if they belonged. As if she and Angel were tied somehow to these strangers. It was foolishness. They barely knew the older man or even his grandson. And Jaycee had never been the type of woman to engage in flights of fancy. Except maybe when she indulged in her books. But this was no book. This was her life...and her daughter's. She shook off that web of deception and walked over to her daughter's bed. Its big pink princess canopy was the one luxury that she had indulged in when setting up this new home on the tightest of budgets. But she had put all that she had into this room, just as she had her only child. And that was how it should be, how it was going to remain she told herself as she took the book from the old man's gnarled hands. "Mommy will read to you until you go to sleep, Angel Princess." She watched the tension drain from her child's face and she sighed a deep breath of relief that one disaster had been diverted as she settled into the bed next to her daughter. The old man slipped from the room with a nod to his grandson, "I will see you outside, my son." Rex nodded but rather than follow behind his grandfather he walked to the bed. He bent and lightly kissed the top of her little girl's curls. "Sleep well, Angel mine." The way that her child just accepted this intimate show and word's of possession ate at her. She knew that her child thirsted for her absentee father's affection. As a foster child it was a feeling she knew all too well. And she had done absolutely everything she could to make up for Sean's lack. At times she had convinced herself that she had succeeded, that her love was enough for both mother and father. But less than an hour with these men shattered that illusion and made Jaycee feel as inadequate as a mother as she had as a child after each meet and greet with prospective parents, who never wanted to take her home. Then it was her turn, he lips brushed her cheek softly, "You are a wonderful mother. But you can never be a father. That is not how this world works, Mitawa Naya." He drew back slowly and smiled down at her almost sadly, "You are not alone anymore. And I swear that I will do everything I can to make you see that. I very much want to take you home, Jaycee." Then he turned and left. And she was left alone with her daughter to read the story to the sleepy child. As she neared the end of the chapter, she stared down into Angel's brown eyes as her lids drifted lower, "Grandfather says that I am a very special little girl, Mommy. Just like you do." Jaycee fought back the anger as she gently arranged her daughter on the bed. She kissed her head gently in stark contrast to the rage boiling in her gut. "Grandfather indeed. Time for a showdown Mister Ranger." *** Rex heard her coming before he saw her. The loud slamming of the front door announced her presence as surly as the hands upon those curvy hips that swayed so beautifully in the early afternoon warmth. Damn, the woman was even more beautiful when she was mad...if that was possible. She was upon him in less than thirty seconds. Her dainty little finger poking into his chest as her checks flamed scarlet. He knew he should be listening to every word that she said, but he was too busy listening instead to what she thought. His woman was scared, mortally terrified, that he and now his grandfather were getting too close. He shook his head and fought back both rage and tears. Not at her, but for her. His woman had been alone so long that it was all she knew. This new feeling of needing someone else was so foreign that it frightened her more than she wanted to admit. "And who does your grandfather think he is coming in here and telling Angel that she may call him 'grandfather'?" Rex drew a deep and calming breath. Only one thing was absolutely clear, the one thing he could not do was the one thing she was trying to make him do...back down. She wanted him to leave. Or rather that was what she had decided was best...that he should leave before she came to actually need him. Truth was that she was trying to force him to do the one thing that she did not want him to do. Inside her, deep inside, she longed to be able to lay even just a tiny bit of her burdens on his broad shoulders. The problem was that she had been carrying them all alone for so long that she did not know how to let them go, any of them. His job was to show her that path. His task was to teach her honor and faithfulness in a world that had robbed her of such things from birth. It was a monumental task, but one he could not afford to fail at. His grandfather tapped Jaycee softly on the shoulder and she spun around, glaring at him for a moment as well. "I apologize, child. I am sorry if I offended you. Grandfather is the name which I am called much more often than Ray. It is not just my grandson and nephews who use it, but half of the town where I live and many of those among the nation. It is more of a title of respect than familiarity. I am sorry that I did not explain that to you as I did to the Angel." Rex watched his woman. He was proud of the way that the great oak could bend...both of them. He knew her words before she opened her mouth. "I am sorry too, Mister Wild Horse. You are right I did not understand that." His grandfather smiled and took his woman's hand, "Is it too much for this old man to hope that you too might be persuaded to call me Grandfather?" His arm went about her waist immediately. He knew it was all that was keeping her upright in that moment. How had his grandfather shattered the wall that he thought impregnable? But he felt it, he knew it. Even as she smiled, nodded and whispered, "Yes, Grandfather." Rex knew something else too. This was only a temporary truce in their battles of love. She still feared that which she wanted the most. Love. Trust. Need. Him. But right now, it was her physical needs that battered at him most. "Excuse me, Hector, Grandfather. Can you finish putting the horses away? I need to speak with Jaycee alone." The men nodded but he did not bother to wait. He wanted to scoop her up into his arms and carry her into the house before she collapsed. But that was certain to lead to a fight...an unnecessary one. As it was, his arm about her waist did much the same thing as he led her through the front door. "Where is your room?" he asked. She shook her head, "Please, now is not the time for another round of kissy face, Mister Ranger. I am too confused and tired to handle it or you." He smiled. It was a breakthrough of sorts. Did she realize how completely honest she was being with him? "I know that. But beds are for more than just making love, Mitawa Naya. And right now, you need sleep even more than your body needs mine." She shook her head, but he noticed that even those movements were slower, less sure than usual. "I can't. I need to help ya'll settle the horses. I have to check on Angel. I should probably see if Lupe needs anything in the kitchen. I have a court appearance next Tuesday." Her list was exhausting even to him. And for the first time, he truly understood the depth of his woman's responsibilities and their weight upon such tiny shoulders. His respect for her grew accordingly. Night Walker's Woman Ch. 04 "Hector, Grandfather and I can handle the horses. And if Lupe needed your help I am sure she would ask for it. In fact, I will check on her after I put you to bed and ask her to keep an eye on Angel while you rest. As for your case? Well, I am sure that it will be much easier to think once you have a bit of rest," his fingers traced the dark shadows beneath her eyes even as he noticed the glassy layer of tears that she just barely managed to hold back. "Now, woman, your choices are to show me your bedroom so I can tuck you in or I will throw you over my shoulder and go looking for it myself," he tried to keep his expression jovial but he meant every word. He always would with this woman. "You would too, wouldn't you?" she shook her had as she led the way down the hall to the closed door just across the hallway from Angel's room. "You don't need to tuck me in. I am a big girl. I have been doing it..." 'All my life,' he caught the unspoken words in her mind and it was he whose vision was clouded with tears. His childhood might have been difficult with scientist parents seeking scientific answers for their only child's 'short comings.' But he had never questioned that they loved him. Even after the divorce. And of course, Grandfather had been the stalwart rock upon which he could always count. But his woman had had none of that. She had faced it all alone. And her few disjointed thoughts of Angel's father made him believe that her marriage had not been much more than a legal partnership. It was no wonder that she found it so hard to trust...and even harder to believe. He opened the door and for a moment thought perhaps they had the wrong room. The first thing he saw was the desk and locked file cabinets that dominated the room. The room looked like what it was...her office. It was a moment before his eyes lit upon the small daybed in the other corner of the room. She shrugged, "I usually sleep with Angel anyway," she murmured. He nodded as he led her across to the bed. She half sat and half collapsed onto it. He tried to block out the cacophony of disjointed thoughts that beat at her already exhausted brain. It was as if she could not even manage to focus upon a single one. He pulled off her boots and gently lifted her feet up onto the bed. He grabbed a quilt from the end of the bed and unfolded it, tucking it around her just as he said he would. He wanted to climb into that bed and hold her tight in his arms, promise her that everything would be all right now. But he knew that would only scare and confuse her more right now. Besides he knew too what that kind of closeness would do to his body. No, the best option was to do what he promised...help Hector and Grandfather settle those horses and make sure that Lupe watched the child. That was what she needed from him right now...to carry just a tiny bit of the weight that was dragging her down. To show her that she could depend on someone else. That she could trust him. He bent to kiss her forehead, but despite all her protests her eyes were closed already. "I'll just rest for a moment," she whispered. 'Can't afford to drop my guard,' he heard even plainer in his mind as she drifted off into sleep. Night Walker's Woman Ch. 05 Jaycee leaned against the wooden column of her front porch. It was late. After midnight. Too late. She knew that she should be in bed. After a fitful evening, she had finally managed to get Angel down. She should have gone to bed then. But she needed to check on the horses one more time. Or so she told herself. There was also work to be done for a new client. A divorce. It would not be an easy case. But this one was troublesome at best. Her client claimed domestic violence against her husband of almost fifteen years. That would be bad enough but she also claimed that he had abused their daughters. That alone ripped Jaycee's heart out. But the worst part of it all was the lack of evidence of any abuse because her client had dared not call the police...when her husband was sheriff of the small town they lived in. She had come to Jaycee because she was another woman, a divorced mother and lived two counties over. But Jaycee knew that offered the woman or herself little protection. Texas still had its 'good ole' boy' network. A phone call or two would be all that it took for the woman's husband to locate the domestic violence shelter where she had placed her and the children while she filed the legal paperwork for the restraining order. A restraining order that even she knew was useless against a determined abuser, especially one this powerful. It was a dilemma that she had been pondering for days. Even if the woman could bring herself to flee, to beg the family that she had been estranged from since the early years of her marriage for help, to take the children across state lines without their father's approval was custodial interference at the least...and possibly kidnapping. Jaycee shook her head. Sometimes she hated her job that was nothing about justice or fairness. She laughed as she half remembered some line from the ancient philosopher Plato's Republic. One of her first year law professor had written it in big letters across the blackboard on the first day of class. "Justice is serving the interests of the stronger." It was a lesson that she never seemed to learn. She let her shoulders slump for a moment, almost anticipating the long hard fight that would likely end in some sort of horrible compromise that kept her client under the man's control through the children. She was just about to turn and head back into the house. Climb into bed and try to sleep. But sleep had become both friend and enemy. Since Angel's first seizure it was nothing more than a simple necessity. One that she tried to get by on the least of that she possibly could. But now as her practice was beginning to grow again and the burdens piling higher and higher even that necessity was becoming a burden. If that was not bad enough, every single time she closed her eyes she found herself caught in the silky spider's web of erotic dreams about HIM. Rex Ranger. The damned man had become some fucking addiction for her. Since that first encounter in the courtroom she could not get him out of her mind. And his visits every couple of days to check on the horses did not help. Since she had woken up almost at dusk that night to discover, the horse safely ensconced in the corral and everyone talking and laughing on this front porch over bowls of Lupe's mole, she had felt... Honestly, she was not sure what she felt. On one hand the man was proving his point about being there. He usually managed to make his 'animal welfare checks' at the end of his work day. He would complete that duty then he would find some excuse to remain. Angel gave him plenty. She might remain reluctant to accept his presence in their lives, but her daughter was not. The little traitor usually managed to convince him to assist her with a pony ride using the excuse that Mommy and Hector were too busy, not that she had even bothered to ask either of them earlier. If not a ride then she wanted to hear another of his stories about 'Grandfather' or his ranch. Over half of the time, those big brown eyes would turn to Jaycee and beg, "It's okay if Rex stays for dinner, right, Mommy?" If her daughter's puppy eyes were not bad enough, she usually had to contend with another set of big sky blue ones. She often wondered how a man that looked more like a Viking warrior could in fact be Native American. But that was not all she wondered about. Because at some point almost every visit, the man would manage to sneak a kiss somehow. A kiss? What an understatement! It was those kisses that made her whole body ache with a need that she had never thought herself capable of having that seemed to fuel her dreams. They would begin almost the moment her eyes closed with a slow motion, instant replay of the latest kiss. But they never ended there. It became a configuration of the taste of those kisses, every naughty book she had ever read and her darkest fantasies. Until she woke up sweating with her skin on fire, her nipples hard and her thighs sticky from her juices that had leaked until they practically soaked her sheets. And the realization that it was more than just a dream somehow as her body still thrummed with the after-effects of the dream-induced orgasm. "Damn the man! I should just sleep with him to get it out of my system. There is no way in hell he can be that good." Perhaps the disappointment of the reality of making love with Rex Ranger would free her mind...and body to focus upon the things that she needed to...like her daughter and career? But it was getting later and there was no point in delaying the inevitable any longer. She was turning to go back into the house when she heard the dog bark, followed by the high-pitched and frightened whiny of a horse. Jaycee felt the fear shoot down her spine like lightening. She froze where she stood. Unlike most of the state, she was not a fan of guns, but in that moment she wished she had been. She was a woman alone with a sick child and three valuable thorough bred horses. She tried to think of what she could use as a weapon...a kitchen knife? A heavy iron skillet? But there was nothing really. She reached for the phone in the pocket of her jeans. Her fingers trembled as she punched in the code to unlock it. She knew she should call nine-one-one, but what if this was related to her new client? What if she could not trust the law? Hector was just a ways down the road but until she knew what she was dealing with she did not want to endanger her friend. A wild animal was one thing but the two legged ones could be much more dangerous. The barking got louder and a second horse joined the other in its cries for help. Without stopping to consider why she punched his number into speed dial. She was not even certain she heard it ring when his deep voice cried out over the line, "What is it, Mitawa Naya?" *** Rex had spent the whole evening pacing the small apartment that no matter how hard he tried never felt like home. He could feel it like bugs crawling just under his skin. Something was wrong. But he had not known what. The past couple of weeks had been heaven...and hell. He had loved every minute he spent getting to know her and their little girl, because genetics aside that was how he saw his Angel. And he did not think it any coincidence that the child had been born with 'the gift.' He and Grandfather had probed as gently as they could into the child's background. Obviously, her father was African-American, but that did not mean he could not also have some small bit of Native American in him as well. In fact, it had once been all too common for the minorities, who were persecuted by the 'white man' to intermarry. But of course, Jaycee herself was the more likely candidate for her daughter's gifts. And she knew next to nothing about her heritage. As Grandfather said, where the gifts came from mattered little. What became of them was the important issue. And history was not on their side. His Grandfather had been reluctant to speak of it, but in the end Rex had convinced the man that he needed to know if he was to protect and care for what was his now. But the truth had frightened even him. Of the handful of female children in their ancient history who had been born with the gift...none had survived to adulthood. He had bitten back bile at the thought of anything happening to the precious little girl whom her mother had so aptly named Angel. But the next thought had frozen his blood, how would Jaycee survive without her child? He had wanted to cry out at the unfairness of it all, at the nasty way that the scales of fate were stacked against them. But what would have been the point? So instead of getting caught up in hopelessness, Rex had demanded that his Grandfather tell him all that he knew...anything that might save his daughter. He had not fully appreciated the gentle guiding hand of his Grandfather in his life until then. As they spoke of how to slowly train the child to accept her gifts...embrace her destiny. It seemed a gargantuan task to Rex but he reminded himself that he of all people could understand. But now this. This new danger...whatever it was. He had reached for his phone where it lay with his keys and wallet on the table...even before it rang. He had known. He would always know when she needed him. He had told her that but not even he had realized how deep that knowing went...until now. As he waited for her to respond, he had never felt so helpless, alone or scared. If anything happened to either of them, he knew he would become the monster that dwelled just beneath the surface. The monster that only she could temper. "Jaycee?" he begged her to respond. When she did, it was low whisper that was barely audible. He strained to hear her over the noise in the background. He tried to identify them. A dog barking for sure. But was that the horses? He focused on the sound of her voice. "I don't know but something is wrong. One of the dogs started to bark and then the horse. Something is not right..." her voice trailed off. He could hear the fear in it and that ate at his gut like a wolf who tore open the underside of its prey. And he was too far away. Much too fucking far to help. To get to them in time. Damn it! He should have claimed her day ago, made her his once and for all. Then he would have been there to protect them, to care for his girls. But he had wanted to give her time to get to know him, trust him, and perhaps even begin to love him as he loved her. Now all that may have been futile. His own undoing. If he could not get to them in time. But he refused to think like that. Now that he had found her...he would find a way. "Listen to me, Jaycee. You stay in the house. Lock yourself in the bedroom with Angel. Call the cops. I will be there as soon as I can," he promised even as he reached for the keys to his truck on the table. He gathered them and his wallet. He was about to walk out the door when he turned back towards his bedroom. Her voice trembled as she spoke, "I can't, Rex. I have to check on the horses. See what is spooking them." He cursed as he crossed the room to his gun safe and punched in the combination. He knew that these were the least powerful of the weapons at his disposal. But if he could use them instead of the ones that lived inside of him...he would. He was not ready yet to explain all that to her. Not yet. She needed more time. "The horses be damned. You need to take care of you and Angel. Do you hear me, Woman?" he demanded as he lifted his shotgun and grabbed a box of ammunition from the safe. He slammed the door and headed back outside. He knew he could probably get there faster if he stopped somewhere outside the city and transformed but again he did not want to have too many questions to answer. Yet. "I can't, Rex. I am responsible for them. I promised the Judge...your boss," he could hear how torn she was but he could feel it even stronger. "Jaycee, listen to me," he commanded. "They are animals. Animals can take care of themselves better than people can. Lock yourself in the bedroom with that little girl until I get there," he pleaded. "I'm hanging up now, Rex. I will call the police before I go check on them though." There was a pause as he sought words that would stop her, but he knew there were none. His Mitawa Naya was a strong and stubborn woman. His woman. "Be careful. I love you, Mitawa Naya. I will be there as soon as I can," he promised as he climbed into the cab of his truck. He pounded the steering wheel in pure frustration as the line went dead. He was too far away, but he knew someone who was not. He found the number among his contacts and dialed it. He was surprised when the man answered on the first ring. "The dog woke us up. I am dressed and going there now," Hector tried to reassure him. Rex swallowed back the gratitude. There would be time for that later. Right now he needed to let the man do what he could not. But not again. Never again would he be too far to protect what was his. Never again would another man need to do what was his responsibility...his pleasure. "Be careful," was all he said as he raced out of the apartment complex and broke every speed limit there was to get to them. Once he was on the Interstate and racing towards them, he made the other call that he needed to. "Come now and bring the horse trailer," was all he needed to say. He knew that his Grandfather would do what he asked without question. Explanations would come later. That final task completed the moments seemed to drag out into eternity as his skin itched uncomfortably. The demon was clawing its way to the surface, demanding to be released. Demanding to do what he could not...protect what was theirs. But he kept it caged...just barely. And he prayed. To his ancestors. To his mother's Christian god. To Fate. To anything that was what there, if anything was. He prayed that he would get there in time. That his woman and child would be safe. That was all that mattered. Night Walker's Woman Ch. 06 Each breathe burned in Rex's oxygen starved lungs. Each mile that had become so familiar these past weeks seemed longer and slower than ever. Each passing moment was a struggle to keep the beast raging within him leashed. He had debated over and over parking the truck and taking across country on hoof or paw. But he was not ready yet...not ready to reveal all to Jaycee. His senses were so bombarded and on edge that he almost missed the turn-off to her home. He knew he took it too sharp and too fast but his muscles that strained against their human constraints welcomed the challenge of controlling tons of metal, plastic and glass. He helped him to remain focused...just long enough to come to a shrieking halt as close to the house as he could get. Which was not that close with Hector's truck and three police cars with flashing lights and sirens parked out front. His eyes scanned the crowd quickly looking for just one thing. One person. Her. His Mitawa Naya. But he did not see her. His heart that had been beating too fast came to a sudden halt as it burst from his chest into his too tight throat. Where was she? He threw open the door of the truck and headed... He was not sure where to go. The house was ablaze. It seemed every single light was on. But he did not see his Angel either. All of these lights and noise must be a living hell on her senses. If she had woken to this... He only hoped that she had not had a particularly bad seizure. She had been doing a bit better lately. He had taught her a couple of the ancient chants that his grandfather had once taught him. As they had him, it helped to calm and center her, keep her mind focused until her tiny brain could cope with the sensory overload. He had begun to hope that... But now? What now? He was just about to shout, rage at the skies. He did lift his head to the deepest, darkest part of the night sky. He closed his eyes and opened his other senses. Allowed the beast as much reign as he dared. He smelled for her, turning slowly in a circle, stopping and filling his lungs with deep inhalations each time. Finally, he detected her. Or what he was almost certain was her. But her familiar scent was laced too heavily with adrenaline. She smelled of fear. He smelt something else too. Something that he could not mistake...blood. He sniffed again. He thanked all of the gods of his people that it was not her blood. That was something at least. He shook his head, anger and disgust lacing with his own fear and worry. His Mitawa Naya had faced this all alone. That ate at him like a cancer that grew in his gut. How had he allowed this to happen? Why had he not stayed closer? Why had he not claimed what was his by all the rights of ancient custom and fates? But he would deal with all of that later. Right now he just wanted to find her. Hold her. Know that she was well and truly safe. He opened his eyes. He was facing the barn, which seemed to the center of most of the activity. He scanned the small crowd. He saw Hector's face. It was drawn into a deep furrow. The older man looked almost ashen in the bright lights of the police cars which were aimed in that direction. Rex noted that Hector was talking with a deputy. The man was busy scribbling in a small black notebook. Their heads kept turning towards the half closed barn door. Light could be seen through the cracks there as well. He took a step in that direction. He stopped when the door opened a bit wider. There she was. Framed in the soft glow that came from the flashlight that both she and the sheriff held in their hands. The high beams of the police cars made her appear almost translucent, she was so pale. He could even detect a slight tremble in her fingers as she held the flashlight. But most of all he could see the bright sheen of tears that were gathering in her eyes. His heart splintered into a thousand pieces. He had done this. He had let her down. Something he had sworn he would never do. But he had. He wanted to go to her. He needed to go to her. To wrap her in his arms. To hold her close and just know that she was safe. But guilt and shame ate at him. What right did he have? What right did he have to even think of her as his? Let alone as his Mitawa Naya? He loathed himself as he never had. Not even as that little ten year-old boy who everyone, even the teachers, made fun of. Never had he felt so inadequate. Such a failure. She suddenly stopped whatever she was saying to the sheriff. She looked up. Almost as if she could sense him as much as he sensed her. But he knew that was not possible...not yet anyway. Her eyes searched the crowd, scanned the dark. Then her gaze captured his. His breath caught in his lung with fear. She must hate him for letting her down like this. He did not blame her. He could never blame her for anything. But her mouth curved into a smile. A half smile anyway. Nervous. Tired. Uncertain. But a smile nonetheless and that was all that mattered. She shook her head and turned back to the sheriff and said something. He nodded slowly and turned back towards the inside of the barn. Then she took a step towards him. And another. Then suddenly she was running towards him. And nothing else mattered. His heart came back together in an explosion of light and began to beat again. His own feet were released from the manacles of fear and self-hatred that had bound him to this spot. He was racing towards her then. Towards his future. Towards his destiny. Towards his Mitawa Naya. She was safe and that was all that mattered. *** It did not make sense. None of it made a lick of sense to Jaycee. She wanted to stop, to come to a screeching halt. This was crazy. Something out of a very bad movie from one of those women's channels. The heroine racing into the arms of the hero. But as stupid and asinine as it sounded that was all she wanted. To feel his strong arms wrapped about her. To have him hold her and tell her that everything was going to be okay. Even if she knew that it was not. Even if she still trembled and quaked from the carnage that she had seen with her own eyes this night. Even if every fiber of her being still feared that creature. Even if she was loathe to face the unknown that seemed to be stalking her...and her daughter. That threatened everything she had re-built for them. And stupid, silly woman wants to just run into a man's arms, she chided herself. But her feet kept running towards him. Eating up yards with each step. Bringing her closer and closer to her heart's desire. Her eyes never left his face. His normally tan skin seemed paler. Was it the halogen lights from the police cruisers? Or perhaps had he honestly feared for her? Cared...even half as much as he said he did? 'He is here, isn't he, stupid?' whispered a little voice in her that she dared not believe. It was the same voice that she had been battling since that first day in the court house. Was it the voice of her girlish dreams that she had thought long since dead? Was it the voice of some weakness that dwelled deep within her, that sought a rescuer when she knew that no one would save her or Angel but herself? Or perhaps was it the heart of woman herself...crying out for what could not be? But then they met...somewhere in the middle. His arms went about her automatically. Not a single word was said. And everything was all right. For the first time perhaps that night, likely years, maybe even a lifetime, she felt safe. She felt secure. She felt truly home. She did not feel alone anymore. And that scared her even more than the lifeless, bloody carcass that lay broken and mangled in the barn. Still she did not rouse. Instead she buried herself deeper into him. He smelled of sweat and man with just a hint of leather and mint. It was the oddest combination but comforting somehow. She literally buried her face into his chest just over his heart. Its steady beat just under her fingertips was the lullaby that as a little girl she had always dreamt a mother would sing to her each night. The crisp, springy hair that covered his chest tickled her nose. But not enough to make her change position. This was where she belonged. In this man's arms. That was the only truth she knew in that moment. She was not sure how long they stayed like that. It seemed an eternity, but was not long enough as he just held her. His warm hand slowly moving up and down her back. The motion similar to the one that she had used when Angel was a baby to burp her, but it was more comforting than anything she could imagine. Finally after a long moment he pulled back. Not much and for that she was eternally grateful because after a night of such excitement and a life time of misery, she was not sure that she could stand on her own just then. The look on his face was grave even though he tried to force a smile. And when he spoke, his one word question said all that she ever needed to know about this man. "Angel?" She wanted to laugh hysterically. She knew that tears she had been holding back for hours, for a lifetime were gathering behind her too heavy eyelids. This man had staked his job, his career, on her ability to keep those horses safe. He had as much or even more riding on this. And his first concern was her daughter? Of course, it was only natural that she be concerned for her only child, but since very soon after Angel's first seizure Jaycee had grown accustomed to her father's lack of interest in his child. So why would this man, this stranger whom she barely knew; why would be place her little girl's safety above his own career? Her throat was tight and her voice cracked when she finally found the strength to answer. "Lupe is with her. She is all right. Well, as good as can be expected with all the lights and noise." He nodded as he inhaled deeply. The smile that broke across his handsome face then was genuine, if weak. The hand that had been caressing her back landed soundly with a thud against her jean clad bottom, sending a fine cloud of dust into the air. "That is for disobeying me when I told you to lock yourself in the house with her." Jaycee was not used to anyone telling her what to do. Certainly not a man. And despite all the hype from those books and movie about kink spanking did nothing for her. She shoved against his broad chest, trying to break away, trying to once more assert herself in this situation. Even if she wanted nothing more than to give him control. She struggled for a long moment against the steel bands of his arms. "Let me go," she demanded. He chuckled and the deep sound washed over her like cool water from a mountain spring trickling through the parched desert. He smiled again...this one completely genuine. "That, sweetheart, is something I will never do. And I will never again be so far away that I am helpless to be there for you when you need me either." He bent and placed a soft kiss on her lips. The moment that his warm, soft lips touched hers, she moaned softly and opened for him. He did not need a second invitation as his tongue danced and warred with hers. For the first time in hours, Jaycee felt alive again. Her body flamed with need...even though she knew almost a dozen people were milling about, perhaps even staring at them, she did not care. She wrapped her arms tightly about his broad shoulders and just hung on for the ride. When he finally did break the kiss, his smile lit up the dark night and those hidden corners of her heart, "You go inside and check on our Angel. I'll go check with the sheriff. See what else I can find out." She opened her mouth to argue. Then she realized something...she was about to argue with him over the very thing she wanted to do most. She would be arguing just for argument's sake. For the past hour, she had wanted nothing more than to run to the relative safety of her home, to hold her little girl and try to forget bloody mangled flesh, to just let someone else deal with this mess. And here he was offering to do exactly that. Why was she arguing? Some misplaced sense of independence? Some ideal of women's liberation that said she did not need a man? Well, she had. She had been very glad to see Hector when he arrived...and even more glad to see this one. Honestly, she had been waiting for him to get here, sneaking glances at the road since even before the sheriff and his deputies arrived. Jaycee was not foolish enough now to argue with him. Not when he offered the very thing that she wanted most. A break from all this. Instead she closed her mouth and nodded her head. He smiled once more and bent to kiss her again. But this time he kept it light. Just a brief peck on the lips as if to seal some bargain between them. He released her from his arms then. For a moment she felt unsteady on her feet. She wanted to turn back into the safety and warmth of his embrace. But she needed to see how her daughter was managing in all this chaos. Not well, she could be almost certain. And that was a pity as she had been having a good couple of weeks...since Rex had been visiting so often. She was on the bottom rung of the steps when she realized that she had not told him what happened, what to expect in the barn. She turned back to look for him, but he was gone. Disappeared in the dark night. Just like that thing had done. It sent a chill up her spine to think of it. When another quick scan of the area did not reveal him, she shrugged and turned back towards the house. He would soon discover the mess for himself, she thought. For now she had another kind of mess to deal with...her child's health. *** Rex made his way towards the barn. Even without all the people milling about, his nose would have drawn him there. The smell of blood was overwhelming. It made his skin itch. It cried to the beast inside of him. And now without her in his arms that ugliness, which he had battled all night, was reasserting itself. He ran into Hector first. He was leaning against the hood of one of the police cruisers. The older man looked like he had aged a decade since Rex had seen him last...just yesterday. His normally darker skin tone was faded to a pasty white. There were dark circles under his eyes and his shoulders were slumped. Rex noticed that his hands were trembling as he wrung them together nervously. When Rex put his hand on the man's arm, he actually jumped. He let up a small squeal as his dark eyes met Rex's. "Senor Rex," he shook his head, "the sheriff says it was a wolf or a rabid dog. But I saw it. I saw it myself. That thing was no normal wolf and certainly not un perro." Rex nodded, feeling guilt now combined with the helplessness that he had battled since he first heard her frightened voice on the phone. This was not how it should have been. He should not have sent this man to do his job. Protecting his girls was his responsibility. And now this man was paying for it. The way the man's voice broke as he spoke stood in testament to that fact. "I am sorry, mi amigo," was all that Rex could do now. And promise himself...never again. The man shook his head that seemed greyer overnight. "It was a beast, senor Rex. Chupacabra. It was una Chupacabra, senor. I swear. Madre de Dios, I saw it myself. It had no hair and its back stood up high. I saw the blood on its fangs and I thought it was going for Miss Jaycee. Then it looked right at me and snarled. That sounds was no animal, it was more like a wounded man crying out." Rex listened to every word, absorbed them as a new fear began to dawn inside of him. Was this his fault? Had he brought this creature to their door? Was it the bond that he shared with Jaycee that called this monster to his family? He did not have the answers, but the man that would was likely already on his way here now. He squeezed Hector's shoulder, "I believe you," he said reassuringly. That was the problem...he did believe him. He knew the man told the truth or as much of it as he knew. Because Rex was one of the few people who knew the truth, the real truth about what or who the Chupacabra was. They were the monsters, the darkness, which lived inside of all night walkers. What he would become without her. Now he was forced to wonder...had this creature who had embraced the darkness come just to steal his light? Nothing bothered the Chupacabra more than one of its kind finding the light. Had this one known somehow? Sensed it and come to take her from him? It was a fear that ate at the core of his happiness like a worm rotting the apple from within. Had he brought this danger to them? To Jaycee and Angel? Even to Hector and Lupe? He did not have the answers...and all he could do was wait. Well, not all. He inhaled deeply but rather than calming him it only made his skin itch more. Blood was thick in the air but so was something else. Something that he could not describe. Something dark, and wild...and deadly. And he could not shake the feeling...it was coming for him. For them. Each step was heavy and slow as he made his way towards the half closed barn door. By the time he stood just outside of it, he too was trembling. Dread hung like a heavy cloak on his shoulders. He did not want to open that door. But he knew that he had to. He had to see what was inside. Had to face the horror that was stalking them...that threatened her. His head was throbbing in time with his heart as he placed the palm of his hand against the weathered wood and shoved gently. It was the sound of ancient war drums calling him to battle and he knew it. He knew fear too. Not fear for himself though. Death never scared him. Whether the ancestors of his Grandfather or the heaven of his mother, he knew that death was nothing more than another stage of life. No, what scared him was the thought of losing them...losing her. His Mitawa Naya. And his lungs burned then. As if his very breath as he named her was already gone. Even though he knew she was safe in the house with Angel, he could smell her here still. Smell her fear. It hung like accusatory words in the air. 'You should have been here. Where were you when I needed you?' But there were other smells too. Blood was the strongest. Though looking around he saw very little of it. For a murder scene...an animal attack....there was almost no blood to be seen. As he walked slowly to where the sheriff crouched next to the dead animal. Rex looked at it. His heart slowed almost to a stop. It skipped a beat, perhaps two before it restarted that too fast, pounding drums of war again. Despite the lack of blood, the dog's throat had been ripped open violently. The odd angle of its head indicated that it was likely the beast had snapped its neck in the process. Its light blue eyes that indicated its wolf-mix heritage were fixed open. Rex caught the unique whiff of the assailant. He memorized it...this thing that was threatening his family. He drug his eyes away from the dead dog and forced himself to hold out his hand towards the sheriff. He knew the man from his work of course. "Rex, what are you doing here?" asked the man. He thought better of explaining his professional interest in the horses and instead simply replied, "I'm a family friend and Jaycee called me when she heard the noise." The man nodded as he took a final photograph of the dead dog with his cellphone. "Same old story really: a wolf or coyote, maybe a rabid dog. The horses were probably its intended victims but the dog got in the way." Rex nodded in silence, a dog this size would have put up more of a fight. Fared better even against a rabid animal. No, Hector was right...this did not make sense. But he knew better than to argue with this man. Legends like the Chupacabra had no place in police work...or animal welfare. Even if he knew they were true. No, it would be up to him as a Night Walker to protect his family. To find this creature of the darkness and end its misery. Because there was no other word for the life it had chosen. This creature of darkness was evil. It craved death and destruction more even than food or water. Even in its human form, the life he led would be depraved. He would enjoy hurting others, even those closest to him. There could be no doubt, he had made his choice when he gave into the darkness, the need for power and blood. The thing, for it was no longer human really, must be killed. And that job fell to him alone now. Night Walker's Woman Ch. 06 It was not a task he wanted or would enjoy, but it was one that must be done nonetheless. Now that the thing had her scent, it would be back. Again and again. It would not give up. And Rex could not, would not, allow anything to happen to her. Not now...not ever. Of course, he was not looking forward to the fight that was too come with the breaking dawn. When she saw his Grandfather drive up with the horse trailer in tow, he knew that all the running into his arms, just being held and holding on tightly in return would fly out the window...fast. He would have to fight her as much as the Chupacabra in order to keep them safe. But he had an ace up his sleeve and he was not ashamed to use it. His mate, his Mitawa Naya, would do anything...anything...to keep her daughter safe. *** Jaycee came awake slowly. She smiled as she looked at her daughter curled up next to her, soft brown curls askew across the pink pillow case. She sighed half convinced that it had all been nothing more than a nightmare. A very bad nightmare. One she could never forget. The sight of that 'thing' with Blu's neck in its jaw. It, whatever it was, was the ugliest, scariest thing she had ever seen. In some ways, it looked like another dog or perhaps a coyote. But it was much larger than dog or coyote she had ever seen or even heard of. It was closer in size to Angel's pony. But that was not the worst part. It was completely hairless. Well, excepts for a couple of tuffs of thick hair that looked almost like a porcupine's quills that stood up straight on its prominent back bone. Its eyes...even in the dark of the barn, they glowed...yellow. It was like nothing she had ever seen. Which was why it simply had to be a nightmare. A bad one. But a different kind of nightmare than her usually one of losing Angel that had haunted her since that first seizure. Those she was used to. Whether the one where she was looking for her daughter in thick banks of fog, crying out for her, hearing her call back but never able to reach her...or the one where she awoke to her daughter's cold, blue, lifeless body next to her own. The thought of that made Jaycee reach out her hand and brush her child's forehead. Even though she could see the pink tinge in her cheeks and even watch the soft rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, something inside of her forced her to touch her just to be sure that she was still warm...still alive. Even when Angel frowned and turned over in her sleep, shying away from the caress, still the compulsion was there...just to be absolutely sure. She knew it was crazy, perhaps the past few years as her ex Sean claimed had destroyed her sanity. But she was certainly not going to admit it to the man or anyone else. She was not going to give him grounds to take the only thing that mattered to her...her daughter. She blushed then as she remembered the other part of that dream...him. Rex Ranger. He had been in it too. He had come when she called...no questions asked. And he had held her. She had felt safe in his arms. But she knew that was just a dream too. There was only one person she could count on...herself. She bit back guilt then. That had not been true either. Hector was there too...in her dream. He had showed up just as that thing had taken its first step towards her. He had his shot gun too. He had gotten off a couple of rounds. One she swore had hit the thing in its shoulder but she must have been wrong because the thing had not so much flinched. Instead it had stood there, its back growing even bigger if that was possible. Then it had let out the most unearthly howl she had ever heard before bounding off through the open barn door...right past the two of them. She shook her head. Coffee. She needed a nice cup of hot, black coffee. That would put everything to right. She stood up and stretched. She frowned. She was still in her dusty jeans and t-shirt from yesterday. She never went to bed fully dressed. Well, not in a while. She had done that very thing for months after Angel's first seizure. She had been so frightened that she wanted to ready...should her daughter have another one during the night. But she had stopped doing that once they were given the emergency medication and told not to bring her to the hospital unless they could not get the seizure to stop. After using the medicine a couple of times and the seizures stopping almost immediately, she had relaxed a bit, taken back to wearing nightgowns, though not the sexy, see-through things that Sean liked. Maybe that had been another reason for the divorce? Not that she cared. She did not need him, she rarely even thought about her ex anymore. Other than when he instigated another court proceeding. It was always the same thing though...he wanted more custodial rights over Angel, which was ironic given that he rarely took advantage of the ones he had already, cancelling more visits than he kept. And, of course, less money, less child support. That was the real thing. Sean loved two things...money and power. He always had. More than he ever loved her or their child. She stretched her too tired and stiff muscles. Her back hurt. Probably from the way that she had slept. A single Princess canopy bed was not made for two people. Coffee. That would put everything to right in this world...not thoughts of ex-husbands or creatures in the night or seizures. She bent and kissed Angel's forehead. Then she headed into the kitchen. There was almost a full pot of fragrant coffee. See, everything was right with the world, she had even remembered to set the timer on the damned thing. All just another bad dream, she thought as she poured some into her favorite cup, the extra-large one. She cupped the mug lovingly between both hands as she headed out to the front porch. That was her favorite place to drink her morning coffee, watching the sun come up. On those rare mornings like this one when she woke up before Angel that was. She frowned as she threw open the front door. The sun was higher in the sky than it should be...much higher. By the looks of it, it was mid-morning...nine at least, probably closer to ten. But that was not all that was wrong. There was an unfamiliar truck sitting in the driveway. With a horse trailer attached. Panic rose inside of her. Something must have happened. They had come for the horses. Why had Rex not warned her? Because no matter what he says, a career is more important than a few stolen kisses. Hadn't Sean taught her that lesson well enough? If her ex's career came before her or even their sick child, then of course this stranger owed her no loyalty. She took a deep swig of the coffee, even though it burned her tongue and throat. She would need the caffeine jolt for whatever battle lay ahead. She had started down the steps just as she saw him emerge from the barn with one of the thoroughbreds on a halter. Her heart froze behind her breastbone for a moment. Not warning her was one thing, but coming to take the horses himself only deepened the betrayal. Although why she should care was not something she wanted to think about. She charged across her front yard, coffee sloshing over the sides of the cup, but she barely registered the pain of the scalding burn. "What do you think you are doing, Mister Ranger?" she demanded as they met face-to-face near the open back of the trailer. He stared at her. His handsome face was devoid of the smile that she had come accustomed to. He was all business and she read the determined set of his mouth. It was a side of him that she had seen lately, not since their first couple of meetings. She planted her feet firmly apart as if daring him to pass her. She wanted to put her hands on her hips but the cup of coffee she was holding prevented that. She thought for half of a second about throwing the damned thing right in his face. "I said...what are you doing?" she demanded in an even louder voice. *** Even knowing that this battle was inevitable, Rex did not relish it. He did not like arguing with her. Those lips were meant for kissing, not fighting. But the longer he delayed the inevitable, likely the worse it would be. Besides the sooner they were on the road and away from this place, the better he would like it. He was tired and on edge. The scent of that monster taunted him, a constant memory of what might have been...all that he could have lost. He had not slept at all last night. Even once the sheriff left, he and Hector had dug a hole to bury the dog. Blu, he remembered its name at last. He knew that the dog's death would upset Angel, but he did not want the child seeing what had happened to her pet. Then together with Lupe, he had soothed Jaycee...convincing her that they would handle everything. That she needed to get a couple of hours sleep at least. For Angel's sake. For Angel's sake. That was his ace card in all this, he reminded himself. "I am packing the horses up," he stated the obvious. "I can see that. But why? Why have you suddenly changed your mind about me fostering them until my client's case comes to court?" He frowned, "After last night, well..." He watched the color drain from her face. It went from angry and animated to pale and frightened. He watched the cup drop from her trembling fingers. He saw her knees begin to buckle and dropped the horse's reigns without thought. He reached out for her arms just in time to keep her from falling into a puddle in the dusty dirt driveway. Those big eyes of hers stared up into his, "I thought it was all a nightmare," she whispered. Rex cursed under his breath. He preferred her angry and fighting mad to this. It brought all those feelings of guilt and failure crashing back on him. He inhaled deeply trying to clear his mind but the smell if the evil that was haunting them still hung in the air like miasma that he could not shake. He needed to get them away from this place...now. And that was what he said without preamble, "I am taking you and Angel some place where I can keep you safe." She shook her head and opened her mouth to protest, but Rex was in no mood for arguing. He wanted out of there, had wanted for hours but not enough to wake her. One of them needed a few hours' sleep that was for sure...given what had happened, given the danger they faced even now. "I do not want to argue with you, Mitawa Naya. If you will not do this for yourself...for me...then do it for Angel. What if that thing last night had come after you? What if it had broken your neck and torn out your throat instead of Blu's? What then? What would become of Angel? Who would have taken care of her then? Your ex? Would he have given up everything to make sure she has the best care possible the way you have?" Rex knew he was being tough on her...too tough. He might even be destroying some of the fragile trust that they had built up these past couple of weeks. He might regret this later. But he was tired, on edge, and all he wanted right now was to get his family as far from this place as possible. He hated himself even more, when she dropped her head, but not quickly enough that he did not see the unshed tears glistening in her eyes. He felt too the fight leave her body as her shoulders slumped beneath his fingertips. But she nodded and when she finally spoke after a moment, it was a soft whisper, "What can I do to help?" He smiled though even that was strained. "Grandfather and I can manage the horses and Angel's pony. You pack whatever the two of you need. We leave as soon as she wakes up." "For how long?" she asked, looking back up at him with those unshed tears. He shook his head and gave her the only answer he had, "Take anything and everything she needs, Jaycee. Or might possibly want. Because you are not coming back here...not until I can be certain it is safe." And likely not even then, he thought but dared not give her that much of the truth. They were his now...his responsibility...his to protect and care for. And never again would he be so far from them when they needed him. When they were in danger. He could see that she wanted to argue once again, but she did not. Instead she simply nodded her head and turned silently back towards the house. He wanted to go after her. Hold her close in his arms as he had last night. But he knew that he could not. Not now anyway. She did not want his comfort now. And he had more pressing matters as he grabbed the horse's reigns and saw his Grandfather leading the stallion from the barn. He had things to do...to make them safe...or as safe as he could with that 'thing' stalking them. Because one thing he knew beyond a doubt...it would find them again. Once a Chupacabra had a scent there was nowhere safe. But next time he faced it...it would be on his terms. Night Walker's Woman Ch. 07 Rex watched her from the front porch of his Grandfather's weathered log cabin. Three days. They had been here three days and Jaycee had barely spoken to him, except to politely ask him to pass the salt at the dinner table. She was hiding, emotionally at least. Not that he could blame her. He knew he had been heavy handed that morning. But he did not regret that. When it came to keeping his family safe, he had done what he needed to do. His cell phone rang. He looked at the number and pushed the reject button...again. Tim Masters, his boss. It was probably the tenth call the man had made since he had sent the email that night informing him that he would be taking an indefinite leave of absence to handle some pressing family business. It was not a lie. They were his family...in every way that counted. The man had been less than thrilled to have his lead investigator just disappear, but it was the disappearance of the horses and the call Masters had received the next day from the sheriff that had begun this barrage of calls. Rex had taken the first couple of them, explaining that he had taken personal responsibility for the animals, was ensuring their safety. He had suggested that perhaps it was not really an animal attack but something more sinister dealing with the court case. Tim Masters has insisted that it was in the best interest of the animals that they be brought to the shelter then. Rex had refused, politely of course. He had explained that might put other animals in danger. That much was the truth at least. The Chupacabra had come after the horses because it knew somehow that they were important to his woman. If he had her somewhere that it could not get to her, then the thing would use the animals to draw her out. Rex did not tell his boss, likely soon to be his former boss, the real reason. He did not trust the man. He had never liked the ambitious center director, but now he trusted no one. The Chupacabra had a human form. A human form that like Masters would be ambitious, greedy, and unscrupulous. Or worse. While Rex wanted to believe that he would smell the evil, he could not be certain. What was more, even if Masters was not the Chupacabra, he could be in league with the monster or unknowingly used by it to find his family. No, the fewer people who knew where they were the better. Not even Hector and Lupe were privy to that information. But right now, his job was the least of his worries. Keeping them safe was first. But close behind was how to rebuild the bridge between him and his Mitawa Naya. He watched her smile as Grandfather taught Angel to speak with the horses. He remembered the lesson well. That first summer, Grandfather had taken him into the corral. He asked Rex what the horses were saying. He had scoffed at his Grandfather, "How should I know, Old Man?" His Grandfather had smiled and replied, "But they are speaking so clearly. Can you not understand them?" Rex had been torn been curiosity and thinking the Old Man truly had lost his marbles. In the end, curiosity had won out. By the end of that summer, he could hear them talk too. He smiled, his Angel had not been as stubborn though. She had held out her hand and replied, "I can hear them. I always hear them. But I cannot understand." He was not sure who had been more surprised...him, who understood the significance of her innocent words or Jaycee for whom they were cause for further worry. Oh yes, Angel was most definitely a Night Walker. Perhaps the strongest and purest. She did not seem to possess the same darkness that most of their kind did. Maybe that was why she had so much trouble though? There was nothing to filter out the screams. She heard them constantly: the cry of wolf without its mate, the fear of the deer as it bounded through the woods away from hunters, even the buzz of the bees, she felt the weight of the ants as they struggled with burdens far beyond themselves. The tears of all the weak...the abused...the pain of all their hurts. This tiny girl felt it all...all alone. But no more. She had become almost an appendage to Grandfather. From the time that she woke up in the morning until they put her to bed at night...and likely even then, she clung to him. She absorbed every story that the Old Man told her. Asked hundreds of questions...some of them shockingly astute. She rode horses with him, cared for the animals. In essence, she did pretty much everything that a six year old little girl would do who lived on a farm...and then some. He saw and heard the conflict in Mitawa Naya. On one hand, her heart soared with pride and joy at each of the little girl's accomplishments. She beamed when her daughter asked a question that stumped even Grandfather. She glowed when the child told her the details of all she had learned that day. Yet at the same time, she hovered as she was now. Always leery, always fearful that something would happen, something would go wrong. That Angel would have another seizure or fall and hurt herself. Rex understood. That had been her life for so long that she feared to relax her guard for even a moment. What if she did and something happened? Had she noticed that Angel had only one small seizure since they came here? Had she seen the way that her daughter was learning to center herself and build her own filters? And how was she going to handle things when her precious baby no longer needed her all of the time? Rex had his own ideas...his plans for how to distract the woman. But with her barely speaking to him now...well, that would just have to change and now was as good a time as any to begin, he thought as he stepped from the porch and walked across the dusty yard to stand next to her by the wooden corral. He did not speak. He waited patiently. He smiled as he caught snippets of her thoughts...so he made her uncomfortable, made her aware of things she did not want to think about...made her want things she did not think was possible. It was a start. *** Could the man not take a hint? Jaycee thought. Watching her daughter's curly head bent so close to the straight grey, almost white, other one tugged at her heart. The smile of her child's face went soul deep, she could see that. A blond man could see that Angel had never been happier. If getting her away from the pollution, crowding and noise of Dallas had seemed to improve her condition, there was no doubt that the past three days had been almost miraculous. But it was too soon for her to give up her vigilance just yet. This could just be a fluke. Although something told her that it was not. There was something special about this place. About Grandfather. After looking to doctor, scientist and expert after expert for six years, was it possible that there was another path...a different option? That there was more to her child's condition than medicine could understand? Perhaps more to the world than the eye could see or the ear hear? She was no longer sure. She just knew that since the moment they had driven up the bumpy, dirt road; the second that the faded logs came into view with the sun setting behind the hills which surrounded them, she had felt like she belonged. Like after a life time, she had found home. The home she had craved since she was a little girl in foster home after foster home. Of course, the sane part of her argued that it was just a childish fantasy. This was his home. His Grandfather's. His legacy perhaps. They were intruders for a time, visitors. When the danger was passed, they would go back to their ranch. She could not stifle the chuckle at that thought. Five acres, a barn and a wood frame house that all of her efforts to re-decorate never seemed to cover up the fact that it was falling down around them...ranch? No, this was a ranch with hundreds of acres, where even wild horses could roam free, a place seeped in history and tradition that went back generations. Angel was not the only one listening to Grandfather's stories. As much as she wanted to believe these strange feelings, she could not allow herself to build up her hopes...not anymore. She had done that so many times as a little girl...each open house at the adoption agency, she just knew that some family would claim her. But they never did. Then Sean, she had thought that they could build a family together...be the perfect couple. But the sad truth was that they had never shared the same dreams. Her ex wanted money and power and sex...lots of sex. With as many women as he could get. When Angel got ill, her sand castle of dreams had crashed around her. There was not room in the man's life for a sick child or a wife that 'did not pull her weight' as he has accused when she gave up the law to care for Angel. She had promised herself then that she would re-build alone. That she could give her daughter what she never had: stability and family. As hard as it was as a single mother bearing the twin burdens of a sick child and a job, she had been determined that she would do it...that she needed no one. Until that night. Until she looked into the glowing yellow eyes of that thing...that monster. She had been afraid then...alone and afraid. She had wondered what would happen to her daughter, who would care for Angel when she was gone, when that thing ripped out her throat and broke her neck just as it had Blu's. She still trembled every time she thought about it. Her vision blurred and she brought the back of her hand up to swipe the tears away. She felt a strong arm wrap casually about her shoulder. She was tugged gently closer. She told herself that she should push him away. That it was just another girlish fantasy, another stupid dream, another castle built of sand. But she did not have the energy just then to fight him...or herself. What would it hurt for a couple of minutes to pretend that this illusion was real? That she and Angel belonged here. With this man. That this truly was the home she had been searching for a lifetime. She heard and felt him sigh heavily. He turned her slowly in his arms until their eyes locked. He bent slowly and at first she was certain that it was going to be another of those soul shattering kisses that they had stolen in her old barn. Instead his soft lips gently brushed her forehead. She could not deny she was a bit disappointed. But his next words shook her to the core, "That is no illusion, Mitawa Naya. You are home. And nothing in heaven or on this earth will ever make me let you go again." She sucked in a deep breath and prepared to set him straight. Her logical brain argued that those words sounded oddly stalkerish...she could use things like that to get restraining orders for her clients. And wasn't it oddly strange that she had never had any trouble until he came into their lives? But before she could get a single word out, a tiny projectile launched herself at them both. Angel wrapped her arms about them both and drew them even closer together. The three way hug brought her body into direct contact with his. His hard body. And her own, traitor that it was, melted instantly against him. "Did you see me? Did you see me, Mommy? I could hear her. I could hear the horse, Rex. And this time I knew what she was saying. She called to me. She called me by name," her daughter danced excitedly from foot to foot as she held them tighter and tighter. Fear knotted in Jaycee's chest. She always hated when Angel got too excited. That was never good...seizures were certain to follow. But even knowing that, she did not have the heart to reprimand her daughter. Instead she smiled and nodded, "We saw, sweetie." She would talk to them later, she promised herself. Speak to Grandfather and to him. Try to make them understand that Angel could not manage getting over-stimulated. Perhaps even bring up the idea that they should go back home where everything was more familiar. She was sure that that thing was gone now. She knew she was running...but right now she did not care. The longer they stayed here the easier it would to believe it...the whispers, the fantasies...the lies. The Old Man stared at her with a strange smile upon his face. "There is something I want to show you," he said as he took her daughter's tiny hand in his. Jaycee frowned as the big one blended perfectly with the little...as if the two were one. She shook her head to clear the illusion from her vision. Then she followed them into the old barn that was attached to the corral. The man led her daughter to an old trunk against the wall. When he opened it, she could see nothing but old animal hides. She opened her mouth to protest that her daughter was too sensitive for such sights, but his hand was on her shoulder again, gently squeezing. She turned and looked up into those eyes again as he shook his head. "Just watch for a moment...and listen." *** "Today, my little angel, you began your journey," Grandfather smiled at the small wonder before him. "I have heard of these men they call 'horse whispers.' They say that they can speak to animals. But speaking is nothing, my child. We must learn to listen. We must learn to hear what they are saying to us." She smiled up at him and nodded her head thoughtfully, "Yes, Grandfather." "You heard her today, I know you did. And that makes you special...very special, Angel. But along with being special comes great responsibility. Responsibility to care for those who cannot care for themselves. Do you understand what Grandfather is saying?" the Old Man looked patiently at the child. She frowned then nodded her head slowly, "I think so. You are saying that because I am special I must take care of them, the way that Mommy takes care of me when I am sick." The Old Man nodded and smiled, "Yes, sweetheart, that is what I am saying. And just like it is not always easy for your mother to care for you so it will not always be easy for you either. This world in which we live is out of balance. Man believes that he is the only animal on this planet that matters. That he can take whatever he wants. Land, water, the air we breathe are all there for him to do with as he wishes...without realizing that they belong to all of us, not just him." She frowned for a minute, "I can paint with all the colors of the wind is what you are saying, Grandfather?" "That movie," he laughed for a long moment. "There is more to it than the movies show, child, but yes, that is a good place to begin. You know, you hear, you understand, things that other people cannot. And what you know troubles your little mind. Makes it hard for you to simply be because you know that you have great things you must do, Angel. Very great things." He reached out and brushed strands of curls out of her eyes, "But you must give yourself time to learn, to grow stronger. I know that you feel the burden...that time is short for us all. Look at me, Angel," he commanded. The child's eyes stared deep into the Old Man's, "There is time. Not much granted, but enough for you to grow and learn. Enough for you to just be." Her curls shook from side to side, huge tears gathered in her dark eyes, "How? How, Grandfather? How do I make it stop? I hear them all the time. I hear their voices, their cries. There are so many of them. And they are hurting...I have to save them." He wrapped his arms around the little girl, engulfed her in them as he never had. Now there were tears in his dark eyes, clouding them, "I know, child. I know," he whispered. They just stayed like that for several long moments, the ancient and the young finding strength in one another. The man with his arm about his mate's shoulder. The beast beneath finding peace in her very presence. Time stopped. The world grew silent. Perhaps for the first time in the tiny child's brief existence upon this earth, there were no cries. Just the sounds of their breathing...of life. The Old Man could sense it, knew that the precious gift understood. Understood this lesson at least and it was a beginning. Just the first of so many that he must teach her, so much that she needed to learn...more even than he knew. She was the New Age...he merely a guide from the Old and ancient. But in that moment, he believed. Believed that together they were find a way, bridge the gap. They could do the insurmountable job which they had been given. They could and they would. And it was their secret. He cleared his throat, "Angel, you must learn to filter some of that, those cries. You will one day learn the hardest lesson of all...we cannot save them all. There are just too many. This world is too big, too painful, too..." He smiled and drew in a deep breathe, "Just too..." He reached slowly into the trunk and pulled out a pelt. A grey wolf. He ran his arthritic hands over it and felt the power surge beneath his fingers...still to this day it was there. In a flash of time, a heartbeat, it all came back...a lifetime of choices. Good ones and bad ones, the right paths...and the wrong. They were his history, written already except for the final chapter...this blessed child. And was not the final chapter always the most important one in any book. So too would she be. He passed it to her and she frowned. He knew that she felt it, heard the voice of the dead. He could not save her this lesson, though he might wish he could. Reality must always be faced, darkness conquered before there could be light, truth must be revealed otherwise you could never see the lies. He shook his head, "Not this one then," as he took the skin from her. Although she did not say anything he saw the relief in her innocent smile. He passed over the molted white and black mustang that was Rex's. Though his beloved grandson had been entrusted by the Great Spirit with the protection and care of this child, he knew that no two living Night Walker's ever shared the same skin, not while they still roamed anyway. He passed over the mountain lion as well...there was nothing predatory about her spirit. He discarded skin after skin as he sensed each would not fit this tiny giant. In the end, only two remained. Each was ancient, his great-great grandparents...and perhaps even beyond that. The one was the feathered head-dress of eagles that had been worn by one so great he dared not mention his name. Ray had thought one day to gift it to one of the museums run by his people or perhaps even the great one in Washington, D.C. Perhaps the whole world needed to see this piece of his people's history. Or perhaps the Great Ones had another purpose for it. It was likely that not since the man who had worn it had there been a more powerful Night Walker. He offered it to her reluctantly...it would be a big spirit to grow into. The child frowned and shook her head. She drew back and covered her ears with her hands. "Too much blood, too many voices." He smiled, relieved. He was glad that this was not her path. She was right, the man's vision of the future had brought too much blood...on both sides. There was only one skin left though...and it made no sense. It was the simple, soft doeskin dress that had once belonged to his grandmother and her mother before her. Though these women had born the seed of Night Walker's within their hearts and bodies neither had ever had the gifts themselves...to his knowledge. He frowned, of course, there was another possibility, but that did not bear thinking. He could not believe that the Great Ones would ask that of her. Such a small and sensitive child. To take the life of the one in whose skin she must walk? How could that be? No, he shook his head as he offered out the only other option. She nodded, "It is just like the one in the movie. The one the Indian Princess wore." Her hand lovingly caressed it. A broad smile broke across her face. When she lifted her light brown face it was radiant, though tears glimmered in her eyes. "But it is too big, Grandfather. It won't fit," the child almost cried. Night Walker's Woman Ch. 07 He smiled as he passed the ancient and delicate dress into the hands of its new owner. "That was the lesson child. You must grow into it. Grow into the dress...and the gifts which reside in it. It will take time but I know you will." The child nodded slowly as if pondering his words, then she was off like a wild horse. No, like the beautiful brown doe which she was, he corrected himself. She bounded like the young fawn she was in that moment to where his grandson and her mother had stood silently just inside the door of the barn. The woman did not look happy, he noted. He chuckled. This was just the first of her lessons too. She like all mothers must learn to let go...it was a lesson that seemed harder for the human mind than their animal cousins. This one especially had been such a lone wolf, protecting and feeding her young alone for so long. But she must learn know that she was part of a pack. That there were others who shared her burdens. Others in whom she must come to trust. He did not envy his grandson those struggles. Especially as this was only the first lesson of this day. "I must see to supper," he said as he rose slowly from the hay that covered the barn floor. His knees hurt. His back protested. He thought of that moment when he had touched his wolf again. He had felt the power once more, such a fleeting glimpse of the man he had once been. But as he watched the woman begin to argue with Rex and her daughter that she could not accept such a gift, he knew that it was his mind and not his broken body they all needed now. His family. And they were home...home to stay whether they knew it or not yet. He dusted the dirt from his jeans and tried to be casual as he brushed the back of his hands across his eyes to clear the tears. He would be more blessed by this final chapter than the whole book that had come before. *** Rex stood on the front porch, looking out over the dry and hot Texas Hill Country. It never ceased to amaze him how much life this semi-arid region could support. Its thin layer of topsoil meant that it had evolved plant life all its own to survive the mostly dry and sometimes flooding terrain. He smiled as he looked across the yard at the Texas live oak that he had once climbed as a boy. How old was the damned thing, he wondered. He knew that Grandfather before him had climbed it. And after today, he was beginning to hope that his little girl would someday soon climb it too. His little girl? How could he think of her like that after such a short time? Only a few weeks seemed too quickly. The truth was that it had happened the moment he laid eyes upon her. Oh, he had listened to his friends talk about the moment they had first seen their children...the instant bond, the unconditional love. But that was a biological thing...after months of pregnancy and anticipation. He had needed neither, just the sight of her soft brown skin, those big brown eyes and that hair flying as wildly about her head as he hoped she would one day fly about the ranch. He shook his head as he thought about the hours of arguing that he, Angel and Grandfather had with Jaycee. The woman was stubborn. He chuckled, that word did not come close to covering it. No doubt if she had been a Night Walker, her skin would have been a mule. "What is so funny, my son?" That voice of wisdom spoke from over his shoulder. "Mitawa Naya," it was all he needed to say to his Grandfather. He knew the man would understand instantly. His Grandfather echoed his chuckle, "I will not say that I envy you, my grandson. That one is..." Rex laughed as he turned and accepted the steaming hot cup of coffee that the old man held in his weathered and gnarled fingers. He flashed back to that Sunday morning before he met her. It seemed a lifetime ago. His Grandfather had been right, of course. He need not have been worried, Fate and the Great Ones had it all under control. He inhaled...he hoped they did know as well. "What am I going to do, Grandfather?" he repeated the question. "What you are meant to do...love and protect them," his Grandfather's wise advice seemed so easy. But it was anything but. If Jaycee had insisted once, she had done so dozens of time since that afternoon. Angel could not accept such as precious gift from them. He and Grandfather had both tried to explain, but how could they? Tell this woman of logic that the skin belonged to the child or maybe the child belonged to it. He was reminded of another mother...his own. She never did come to understand. To this day, his mother dismissed all of her father's ways. She clung to the 'one truth' of her mother's family. Even more she clung to the science and experiments she conducted in her labs every day. She could never accept that it was the spirit world which she denied and not the medicine that she forced on him for years that had finally brought him the peace he sought. He chuckled again, not that he had much peace since she came into his life. If he could never convince his mother what made him think he could convince his mate? Even now, she resisted. Refused to see that they belonged together. Resented the way that he knew her thoughts. Denied the very existence of the bond that provided his only hope for true peace from the beast within. The beast that threatened to consume him as it had that other man...the Chupacabra. But there was no other choice. He had to succeed this time. They had to, he thought looking at his Grandfather. It was not just his life that rode on this outcome...but his child's as well. He remembered that first day, the violence that had threatened to pull her tiny body limb from limb. He had to make Jaycee see what she refused to admit...her daughter had not had even one of the seizures since they came here...not even one of the small ones. He hoped that would count for something...when the time came. And he feared it was coming soon. Too soon. He needed more time, he wanted to ease her into things, help her to come to accept the truth that she could not see. His Grandfather put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed softly, "Like I told the child, there is time. Not much time granted. Perhaps even shorter for you, my son. But as it will with her...it will be enough." His shoulders sloped as the reality of the battle ahead loomed larger than even the comfort of his Grandfather's words. He hoped there was enough time. He hoped he could reach this woman as he never had his mother. He hoped he was man enough to be what she needed. To protect and love the woman and child that he had been given. He hoped Grandfather was right one more time. *** Jaycee watched them through the screen door. It was hard to believe that the two men were related at all. The older one with skin almost darker than her daughter's and long straight hair that even through the white you could catch glimpse of the midnight black it must have once been. She smiled as she thought about the picture that she had seen of the man. He had been an actor...in Hollywood. And the wedding photo of the dark handsome young brave with the platinum blond starlet had been another shocker. She would have never guessed. But that photo and the one of the little girl with light caramel skin and straight light brown hair began to explain how Rex had come to be so fair. She had found no photographs of the woman and her son...none of the man that must have been his father. But undoubtedly he was as fair as her mother had been. Rex might not look like his Grandfather with his sandy blond short hair that curled just a bit at the tip. Of course, his Native American heritage could account for some of the healthy copper tan. Her breathe caught in her chest as she thought about seeing him without a shirt that first day as they had unloaded the horses in the late Spring heat of the Texas Hill Country. The tan extended into the waist band of his jeans that clung like a second skin to firm thighs and a tight ass. But it was the smooth muscled expanse of his chest that had cradled her head the night before than had tormented her dreams every night since. She sucked in a deep breath just at the thought of it. "Damn it, woman," came the pained explanation as the center of her thoughts turned to face her. She had forgotten that as weird as it seemed he seemed able to read her mind. Or she would like to forget it anyway. Better yet, she would rather he did not. "I'm sorry to disturb you," she apologized as she dropped her eyes to the wooden floor. She hoped they could not see the way her cheeks flamed red in the pale moonlight. "It is just that Angel wants Grandfather to read her a bed time story." Not me, she thought as she choked back tears. She knew that she should be grateful. Happy that her daughter...and she...had more good people like Hector and Lupe in their lives. It seemed that there were so few of them in this world as she thought about all the people that she had once thought her friends...back when she was married to Sean, back before Angel got sick. It seemed another life time ago. So why was she so jealous? Why did she resent them so much? She had been grateful for the help that Hector and Lupe offered. Even though she had always insisted that they let her pay them something for their trouble, she knew that they did it not for the money but out of the goodness of their hearts. Just like Rex and his Grandfather. So why the difference? Because she had never really had to share her daughter with them. Hell, she had never had to really share her with anyone, not even her ex-husband, Angel's father. And that frightened her. What would she do if Angel came to need them more than her? She had given up her life...most of it anyway...to care for her daughter. What would she have then? What would she do? She choked back a silent sob as they opened the door. The older man came through first. "Please join us. I would like you to hear this story too, my child." Jaycee frowned as the man walked past her down the hall to the room that she shared with her daughter while they were here. She was not certain she was ready for anymore of the man's lessons today. She had finally had to accede to her child's demands to keep the old dress when she recognized that the child was spiraling out of control, fast approaching one of her meltdowns. She had not had one since they came here. She frowned, she had not had a seizure either. Not even in her sleep. After five years of vigilance, it was strange lying in bed next to a peacefully still child. She frowned as she tried to think of even one time since that first seizure when she was a baby that she had gone this long without a single one. She could not. But there had to be some explanation. Maybe as a couple of the doctors had suggested, Angel was outgrowing them? But most of the experts they had consulted had not been so hopeful...not as severe and frequent as her seizures were, not as young as they started. What then? She sighed and shook her head. She would have the whole night to think about it. It was better than more wet dreams about his bare chest and tight ass. Or worse yet about the hard ridge that she had felt in his jeans during their brief stolen moments on her ranch. Before all this... She felt the hand on the small of her back like a red hot poker. Her nipples hardened painfully in her bra. She felt the moisture as it ran into her panties. Damn, why did this man do it to her body every time? He captured her hand in his and brought it to his soft lips. He kissed the palm as he stared into her eyes. He slowly lowered her hand then, but instead of releasing it, he brought it to the front of his jeans, "Because it is mutual, Mitawa Naya. My body craves yours as much as yours desires mine." He smiled at her, "But we were summoned by Grandfather and we should not keep them waiting." Jaycee nodded mutely, glad for any excuse to escape the heat and need she felt building for this man. This was the first time he had touched her since they had come here. She had even begun to think that he was having second thoughts. That seeing what her life was truly like day in and day out, he had decided that he was not that interested in her after all. She would not have blamed him. He shook his head, "Never. That little girl is not a burden. And even if she were, she would be mine to bear right alongside of you, Mitawa Naya." He bent and brushed a kiss atop her head, "I just knew you were mad at me. I wanted to give you time. But never think for a single second that I do not want you. Need you. I do. And I always will." Jaycee nodded. She did not want to admit it, but his words came as a relief. She was glad to know that he still wanted her. She was half tempted to put her hand right back on the front of those jeans just to prove to herself how much. He chuckled, "Damn it, woman, your timing sucks." He growled and for all the world it sounded like a wolf. Like the old pelt his Grandfather had shown her daughter than afternoon come to life. His hand at the small of her back urged her forward, "Later." Was it a promise or a threat, Jaycee wondered. Not that she cared one way or the other. Her body anyway. It was starved for his touch, his kisses, his caresses. He pushed her through the door where the soft glow of the lamp seemed to embrace them all...young and old. His Grandfather looked up as they came in. Was that smile just a bit to knowing? "I am glad you could join us, my children. I was just about to begin without out. Tonight I promised our Angel that I would tell her a very important story, another lesson. About the Night Walkers..."