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protests.
The home had plush pinewood love seats and easy chairs
Bonnie Vanak 203
with Southwest prints. A heavy pine coffee table and a rag
rug were set before a river rock fireplace. Two brass reading
lamps with aspen, leaf-designed lampshades sat beside the
easy chairs. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the valley
below. The bedroom had a pine four-poster as big as her
truck, a stone fireplace and a door leading out to a small
porch.
Pine and cinnamon scented the air. The fragrant scent
combined with the heavy masculine furniture and the small
touches of whimsy, such as stuffed bears tucked into the
corners, made the cabin feel like home. Maggie looked
around with interest.
It s mine, he said, setting down her bags. Thirty good
acres of prime land. The nearest neighbor is five miles away. I
bought this years ago as a private retreat. Lots of wildlife, fox,
deer, rabbits and it s far away enough from civilization for
me.
They ate a light dinner Nicolas cooked. Perched on a bar
stool at the center island, she watched him whip eggs into an
omelet, add freshly grated cheddar cheese, onions and
peppers. They toasted each other with glasses of pinot noir.
Over the rim of his crystal, Nicolas gave her a crooked, en-
dearing grin, reminding her of when they d first met at the
bar in Florida.
Conversation consisted of equally light talk. Nicolas s
face lit up as he talked about home and how he longed to
make the ranch a real home again someday.
Lots of open space, fresh air. A good place to raise
children, he said softly, his hand sliding over hers.
They finished dinner and spent time before the fire making
long, slow leisurely love. Nicolas loved her with a quiet
intensity, as he knew this was their last time together before
204 The Empath
returning to the Draicon. Flames crackled in the fireplace as
he kissed her naked body, his lips trailing warmth. The fur
rug beneath her felt soft and warm, contrasting sharply to the
hard male body settling over hers.
The next morning, light snow danced around in the wind.
Grayish light showed through the windows. Maggie snuggled
deeper under the goose-down quilt as Nicolas raised his head.
He watched dawn s graying light touch her sleeping face.
Dark lashes feathered her rosy cheeks. Fresh air, time alone
with him had removed the strain and stress from her features.
His trembling hand reached up to gently sweep her silky
curls away from one cheek.
His feelings threatened to spill over. Nicolas threw up a
mental wall, not daring to share himself mentally with her.
Pain rolled through him. He had to teach her to fend for
herself, reassure himself that she could survive among the
pack on her own& if he were gone. Nicolas rolled over and
hugged Maggie to his side, feeling an almost devastating
sense of complete loss.
He couldn t lose her. Not now. Maggie, he whispered,
caressing her hair. My beautiful Maggie.
Her eyes fluttered open, and he drowned in their sea-blue
depths. Nicolas drew her close as Maggie nuzzled his neck.
She curled against him, sharing her body heat. She was warm
and soft, silky female flesh yielding against him. Cold air
whistled through the slightly opened window. She splayed
her fingers over his chest, making him shudder with renewed
desire.
Reality would come soon enough. Too soon.
Pinyon Valley, home to the Draicon. Years ago the pack
had moved here, fleeing the comfortable heights of
Bonnie Vanak 205
Colorado s Rockies for the quietness of northern New
Mexico. Nicolas explained that the pack had once moved
every forty years to keep mortal suspicions at bay since the
Draicon aged slowly. Now they moved to keep their children
safe from the Morphs.
Grayish sagebrush, dense forests of pinyon, ponderosa
pine and juniper grew on the foothills and valleys. The plains
seemed barren and the mountain slopes thick with brilliant
golden aspen. The grasslands and meadows were sparsely
populated but for ranches peppering the seemingly endless
valley. Rising above the foothills were majestic mountains
wooded with thick trees.
Hidden on a mountainside cloaked with thick firs and
aspens, the large pinewood hunting lodge now served as the
Draicon s main quarters. Most pack members lived separ-
ately, but when Damian fell ill, the pack moved as a unit into
the lodge. They needed the closeness of each other when
their leader lay dying.
Nicolas drove the Ford Escape rental up a dirt road. Birds
called to each other in the trees. Clouds scuttled overhead, driven
by a light wind. Maggie rolled down her window to inhale the
fresh, pine-scented air. Memories tugged. Good memories.
My father used to take me for long walks in this area,
she murmured, lifting her head to let the wind brush her
curls.
Nicolas glanced at her. You re remembering. Good. The
pack may remember you, or may not. I m uncertain as to what
Baylor told them, so be on your guard.
She frowned. Why does he detest you, Nicolas? He seems
determined to bait you at every step.
Those broad shoulders lifted in a shrug. I once had sex
with his girlfriend, before they had a relationship. It was
206 The Empath
nothing more than sex after a fight with Morphs and I needed
the energy. Probably he still resents it.
Doubts filled her. Baylor s animosity simmered from more
than mere jealousy. The Draicon harbored a strong sense of
family and pack. She sensed it had more to do with that.
The dirt road opened to a large, grassy meadow and a
graveled drive. A split rail fence separated the property from
the woods beyond. Nicolas parked in front of the enormous
log building. Large floor-to-ceiling windows looked out over
the meadow. Though the immense house resembled a sump-
tuous vacation spot, she sensed it was fortified heavily, like a
fortress.
He climbed out, grabbed their bags. Come on. No sense
in delaying this. They re waiting for us.
How can you tell?
I can smell them, he muttered.
Nicolas pressed his palm over a flat scanner besides the
large double doors. Nothing happened. A muscle ticked in his
jaw as he tried again.
Dammit. They still have me locked out.
Not a very welcoming sign. Maggie gave her brightest
smile. It s me, Nicolas. They re unsure of what to expect. I
am a stranger, for the most part.
Her loud knock sounded more confident than she felt.
What felt like minutes later she heard a brisk tread on the
floorboards inside and the slide of several locks.
The door opened outward slowly.
A friendly faced young woman stood on the threshold,
holding out her hand. The welcoming smile on her face con-
trasted to the thick doors that barred them shut.
Hi. I m Katia. You must be Maggie.
Before Maggie could respond, the other female stepped
Bonnie Vanak 207
forward and enfolded her in a giant bear hug. Her strength
surprised Maggie.
I m so glad you re here, and Nicolas is back. It s awful.
Just awful. Everything is falling apart, Katia whispered.
Then she rubbed at her brimming eyes, fostered a brave
smile and gave Nicolas a brief, but affectionate hug. Come
on in. I m giving you a bedroom upstairs. The sickroom is
down in the basement. Damian s room is on the third floor
and isolated from the others.
Nicolas shot Maggie a questioning look as he picked up their
luggage and entered the lodge. Katia was crumbling inside.
How many others felt the same? Maggie s compassion
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