Hearts Are Wild (31 page)

Chapter Twelve

Windigo ran like the wind, bending to his master’s will with iron resolve. Shain pressed himself tight to the stallion’s sweat-drenched neck, urging him on.

Finally the line of pine and cedars loomed ahead. Shain slowed Windigo to a gallop until they located the opening and crashed through. Windigo plunged down the twining trail, smashing branches, leveling shrubs.

Shain rubbed his heaving side, encouraging him. As they careened down the rocky embankment, the stallion stumbled and Shain pulled him up, barely keeping his feet under him.

“Whoa, boy.”

They’d have to walk the rest of the way. It was too treacherous for Shain to demand the horse take it at speed.

“I’m sorry, Shain…Nhya…”

“Lily!” Shain shouted. Her honeyed voice echoed in his mind. So close.
So real…

Shain dismounted, whispering quick words to Windigo before forging ahead at a dead run. Past the brook, up the other side. Pounding down the trail, around tree and rock, and finally through the thick tangle of vegetation and out into the sunny clearing.

A gray stallion looked up from where it grazed with Rialda at the far end of the glade.

Storm.

What was Darrell’s horse doing here?

Cold seeped into Shain’s chest. “Son of a bitch.”

* * * * *

Pinpricks of light danced behind Lily’s eyes, black lurking at the edges. She knew he was waiting for her to pass out and drop the pouch. Why he couldn’t just
take
it was beyond her.

“Stubborn bitch, drop it!” he shouted inches from her face.

Lily ignored him, her mind spinning free. She closed her eyes as a subtle sensation of warmth filled her palm and spread up her arm and into her chest. It was pleasant, comforting and something else.

A promise…

Of what?

“Let her go, Darrell.”

Lily’s eyes flew open as the pressure on her neck eased. She gasped, dragging air into her tortured lungs and down her bruised windpipe.

Shain…
He stood near the couch, the door open behind him. His hands were in fists at his side, his handsome face thunderous and his smoky brown eyes nearly black as he gazed at Darrell. “Get your hands off her.”

Darrell complied and Lily barely caught herself as she hit the ground. She collapsed against the wall, hand to her aching throat.

“Why, if it’s not my good buddy, Shain.”

Lily’s eyes watered as she fought for air, her throat burning, her chest aching. Looking down she realized that she still held the pouch and
it was glowing
. A gentle, golden-red glow of autumn leaves, a summer sunset, a mountain lake at winter dawn. And it seemed to shift in her hand—tug—as if wanting to move toward—

Her eyes rose, meeting Shain’s around Darrell’s coiled form. She recognized the fear for her safety in his gaze…and something else. A red-hot, formidable rage.

“Why?” came Shain’s deep rumble.

She couldn’t see Darrell’s grin but Lily could feel it like a choking breath of deep winter. “You wouldn’t understand, Shain old boy, and I don’t have the time or inclination to explain it to you. I had hoped to locate the pendant with you and your lovely sister none the wiser but your stubborn parents saw to it that I wasn’t going to get to it in a…non-violent way.” Darrell smirked and cold seeped into every inch of Lily’s spirit. Her gaze cut to Shain, who was frozen, pain and fury burning in his eyes.

Darrell sighed. “Unfortunately, I also underestimated the ability of your great-grandfather to protect the amulet.” He laughed. “So you see, we were both fools of a sort. Yet…” He paused and turned slightly to gaze at Lily. The manic gleam in his eye brought Lily straight, every nerve set on defying him any way possible. “I don’t intend to be the dead fool.”

With his gaze still on her, Darrell’s hand shot in Shain’s direction and Lily watched in horror as Shain doubled over. Darrell closed his hand into a fist one finger at a time in midair, and Shain’s body twisted with it, slamming into the hardwood floor with a thud that made Lily cry out.

“Lily, love, would you like to hand me the pendant
now
?”

Without thought, she fell to the floor and kicked out with both legs at Darrell’s knees. Susan’s self defense class had taught her to go the floor and use her legs, the most powerful part of a woman’s body, and, by the screech and twist of rage on Darrell’s face, she was pretty sure the method was sound.

Before Lily could scrabble far enough away, Darrell gripped her ankle and yanked, sliding her across the floor and into his arms. She only had a moment…

“Shain!” she called as he rose like a great bear from a deep slumber. Lily lifted her arm and threw the pouch.

It sailed through the air as if borne by an invisible breeze. Time froze. All eyes watched its descent. Lily felt Darrell release her, his body readying to spring.

Shain stood to his full height and lifted an arm, the pouch landing squarely in his open palm. Lily scrambled to her feet and ran to Shain’s side. His left arm engulfed her and Lily pressed her cheek into his sweat-dampened shirt, the leather and spice scent of him filling her lungs.

With unhurried hands, Shain looped the thong of the pouch over his head, letting it rest against his chest. Only inches away, Lily was startled yet comforted by the power wafting from the amulet. Darrell jumped to his feet and Lily gripped Shain’s arm in warning.

“So be it. I’ll simply kill you both,” he said calmly, raising his hands in their direction.

“No you won’t.”

Lily and Shain twisted to see Nhya standing in the doorway, rifle leveled at Darrell’s chest. She walked forward to stand beside them. “Move on or die here.”

The surety in Nhya’s voice chilled Lily and she found herself holding her breath as Darrell’s lip curled into a snarl. “Too many unforeseens.” He snorted. “No matter. There is another way.” His turquoise gaze fastened on Lily and she felt Shain tighten his hold, his body primed for action.

He whistled softly, his eyes never leaving Lily’s face. “Waving wheat, crackling dry.” Darrell tipped his head her direction.

* * * * *

Shain didn’t care what he was. He’d rip his leering eyes right out of—

Before he could move, Darrell sprinted across the room and leapt through the plate glass window. Shards exploded outward, catching the light like glittering crystals. Shain spun Lily aside and lunged forward.

“No!”

Nhya’s shout and arm on his shoulder brought him up short. Brother and sister stared at one another. “Let him go, Shain.”

He shook her off. “I’m going to smash that bastard into a million…”

The expression on his sister’s face stopped his words. Her eyes were glowing again, and the pouch was getting warmer on his chest, tugging,
moving
…

“It is not his time. And if we kill him here, which, by the way, would be exceptionally difficult, here he would remain. For a very long time,” Nhya finished, emphasizing the word long.

“Fuck,” Shain muttered, understanding what Nhya was getting at. The freak would become a shade, a bad spirit, wreaking havoc on the ranch for God knows how long. Shain raked a hand through his hair and stared out the shattered window. “We can’t just let him go. That son of a bitch is bad-ass dangerous.”

“Yes,” Nhya said with a sigh, moving forward to engulf Lily in a hug. “He is.”

Gritting his teeth, Shain moved back to Lily’s side. She left his sister’s arms and fell into his. “He’s not a normal man, Shain. You don’t know…” Her words faded and Shain tipped her chin to get a better look at her neck. Bands of red were still visible and Shain knew she’d have an ugly bruise within the hour.

Fury burned in his gut and the anger threatened to overwhelm his good senses. He stepped back, fighting to control his temper. “What the hell happened here?” Shain growled. “Darrell…shit. And his comment about our parents.”

Shain stared at Nhya, raw pain evident. “Do you think that crazy asshole had something to do with the plane crash?”

As the steady pounding of hooves receded in the distance Nhya wiped her eyes and lowered the rifle. “I don’t know. Maybe. God help us.”

With a roar, Shain slammed his fist into the ceramic lamp, shattering it much like the window.

Nhya placed a calming hand on his arm. “He fooled all of us, Shain. Even Curt and Luke who have a nose for magic.”

“Curt and Luke?” Lily asked, perplexed.

“Our cousins,” Nhya replied. “They came down last month from Billings to help us keep an eye on things. Darrell had worked here for about a year and Shain promoted him to foreman after our parents died. We needed someone. I was busy handling the books and he seemed so stable…”

Lily’s eyes widened as Nhya’s words sunk in. “Cousins. That’s why I kept thinking Luke looked familiar. And the bear! So he
was
warning family. Luke. Luke is family.”

Shain kissed the top of Lily’s head, his nerves still pinging with adrenaline over the thought of losing her. “He is.”

Nhya checked Lily’s neck, her lips pursed in concern. “You’re family now, too, Lily.”

The thought mixed in Shain’s gut like an explosive cocktail and the words fell out before he could stop to think. “She will be, once she agrees to marry me.”

Lily gasped. “Did—did you just…” She affixed him with a firm stare. “I can’t believe you said that. What happened to traveling the path to see where it takes us?”

Taking Lily’s hands, he knelt and pulled her onto his knee. “Fuck that. No more waiting. Life’s too damn short. I may have lost my friggin mind in the last forty-eight hours but I’d rather lose it with you than anyone else, darlin’.”

Nhya snorted. “Well, if that wasn’t the lousiest proposal I’ve ever heard. You’ll be lucky if she agrees to spend another night at the Red Bear, you big lunk head.”

Lily grinned and relief washed through Shain. His heart had been up in his throat as soon as the words left his mouth. Shain took Lily’s hand and turned it over, running his finger across the pale skin of her palm to her ring finger. “Nhya’s right. Shithead might be a better word for me on most occasions and I know we probably need some time but, by God, Lily, I know this is the right thing. At least tell me you’ll stay on for a while. Give us some time, even if you don’t want to decide right now…”

Before Shain could finish he found Lily flush to his chest, her face even with his, her forest green eyes gazing into his with a depth of sincerity that stole his breath. “Listen, lunk head, time’s probably a good idea but damned if I want to wait either.” She took his hand and pressed it to her chest, her lower lip trembling. “I’ve been waiting my whole life for someone to warm up to. You’ve branded my heart, Shain Stevenson.”

Joy swelled in Shain’s gut and he crushed Lily to him as they stood. “I think we branded each other, darlin’. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Chapter Thirteen

Shain handed Nhya the pouch as soon as he had a hand free. “This belongs to you, sis.”

Lily watched in fascination as Nhya reached out a mocha-colored, trembling hand. The pendant seemed to jump into her open palm and she gasped as the ancient leather made contact. “All this time. It was here. Waiting,” she whispered, a single tear rolling down one cheek as her fingers closed.

They stood in silence for a time and Lily welcomed the odd tingle, knowing that this time, everyone felt it. “Will you open it?” she asked, her curiosity banked only by the significant nature of Nhya and Shain’s inheritance.

Nhya shook her head. “Not now. Not yet. There will be a time.”

Lily stepped forward. “We’ll be here for you, Nhya, when that time comes. We’ll help you protect it.”

Shain joined her, his expression fierce. “Damn straight. And if Darrell, or whoever he is, comes back I’ll break his legs and drive him into Billings before I strangle him.”

Nhya looked up, her entire body radiating a subtle light that washed warm across Lily’s soul. “He won’t be back. But there might be others—we’ll have to be vigilant.”

“What
was
he, Nhya?” Lily asked, taking Shain’s hand.

She shook her head. “I don’t know for sure. He’s a man who has captured power. I don’t know how, or why, but he’ll continue to use it for ill.”

“Shit,” Shain murmured disgustedly. “You should have let me break his neck.”

Nhya sighed and tucked the pouch under her shirt. “There are others who will deal with him.”

Shain raised one brow. “Do you know something that we don’t?”

“Yes. No.” Nhya laughed fitfully. “Maybe. This is all new to me…these feelings, these thoughts I have. As I child, they were always about ordinary things. My family. A pet that needed help or attention. A sick horse. An uncle who needed to see a doctor. Knowing when it would rain, or snow, or when to bring the herd in from the range. But now—” She paused and walked to stand at the front door looking out. “Now the feelings, impressions are stronger and wide reaching. But it’s not always easy to interpret their message.”

She turned. “Red Claw appearing to you and Luke. I have to think it was a warning of the menace in our midst. Unfortunately, I didn’t read the signs well enough to realize Lily was in danger. I’m sorry.”

Nhya’s words wrenched at Lily’s heart and she took her hands. “That’s silly. There’s no way you could have known that.” She gazed at Shain. “Nor could you, so don’t even
think
about beating yourself up over it. As a matter of fact, if I hadn’t been here…if I’d left with Shain like I’d wanted, Darrell would have the pendant now.”

The reality of her words hit everyone like a wall of cold water and their gazes intersected each others’ with shocked realization. “She’s right,” Nhya whispered, her hand pressed against the pouch beneath her blouse. She stared at Lily. “Maybe his presence wasn’t so much a warning, as it was a promise, Lily. A promise that by opening your heart and allowing it to lead you, you would find the strength to protect more than the road to your own future. There is no telling exactly how many lives, or even worlds, your actions shielded tonight.”

Lily gaped, the thought so overwhelming her mind simply refused to contemplate it. “I—I don’t even know what to say to that.”

Shain squeezed her shoulder. “You don’t have to say anything. I’m about done trying to understand all this friggin’’ mumbo jumbo. Let’s just leave it at what Nhya said and get the hell out of here and back to the ranch. I’ve got a goddamn foreman to replace and I think you’ve got some phone calls to make, Lily.”

“Phone calls?” Lily said as she rubbed her forehead.

Shain leaned down and captured her lips with his. As need wicked through her belly, he pulled back slightly, a wolfish twinkle in his gaze. “Always make good on your bets, darlin’. Especially when you win.”