Lying with Wolves. Cynthia Cooke

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      Celia lurched forward to stop her. “That can’t be moved,” she said, and snatched the crystal out of her hand.

      Ruby looked up at her, startled. “Why not?” she asked, sounding surprised and a touch confused. She took a step back from the crystal, rubbing her hands across her jeans.

      Celia cringed at her too-sharp tone. “I’m sorry.” She smiled and tried to soften her words. “I have four of them placed at each compass point of the room for protection. They can’t be moved.”

      “Protection from what?” Jade asked, her icicle-blue eyes narrowing as she studied her.

      From the Gauliacho, who want to kill me. But Celia couldn’t tell them that. She could never reveal the truth of who and what she was. Not even to them. It was better they didn’t know the horrific details of how their mother died, or how easily she could just disappear one day. Even though her aunt, like Celia and her mother, had been a Keeper, the crystals’ power hadn’t been able to protect her from the demons.

      As Keepers, they alone had the gift to rejuvenate the dark energy of the stones and keep the protective force field strong. But as her mother had warned, she couldn’t stay away from the Colony for too long. Keeper or not, she would be safe only in the Colony. Aunt Sue’s death had been proof of that.

      “I’m sorry. Old Native American folklore.” Celia forced a smile and spun to place the crystal back in the window.

      “No problem,” Ruby said, continuing to rub her hands across her jeans. She began rearranging her bottles again. But the happy mood had been broken.

      Celia glanced out the window again as an uncomfortable skittering raced once more along her nerves.

      Something was definitely coming. Something or someone.

      * * *

      Malcolm Daniels sped along the winding desert road through mountains unlike any he’d seen before. And completely unlike the towering ragged granite peaks he’d left behind at the Colony. The deep red of the rocks of the Arizona desert were stunning against the backdrop of blue sky, but the sparse trees and wide-openness of the land left little room for cover against prying eyes. Here there was nowhere to run without being seen. No way to hide.

      How could Celia stand it?

      He was getting closer to her now. He could feel her—a wave of warmth in the pit of his stomach that spread out to encompass him. Their connection was strong. She might think she could run away from him, but there was no running from the bond they shared. He would find her and he’d make her come back to the Colony. She had to return to rejuvenate the boundary stones. If she didn’t, if he couldn’t bring her back to the Colony in time, the shifters would die.

      He would find her.

      Even if she hated him for it.

      He touched the string of stones on his wrist, running his finger over the black-and-red crystals that offered protection for three days. Day three was here, and if he didn’t find Celia soon, his presence would become known to every demon out there. In physical form and in shadow.

      He slowed his truck as he turned the bend on 89A and the town came into view. Small eclectic shops and restaurants lined either side of the highway displaying woodcarvings, paintings, crystals, beads and palm readings in this metaphysical mecca.

      He crawled past several stores, each quaint and unique with outdoor tables and pots overflowing with bright flowers. His gaze shot to a storefront displaying an abundance of beauty products. Copper vortexes spun outside the large picture window, but his eyes fixated on the large red crystal sitting on the sill.

      A crystal from the Colony.

      This was it. Finally!

      A quarter mile down the street, he found a parking place and pulled into it. His heart was pounding. He rubbed his damp palm on his jeans. He’d wanted to see her. Had thought of nothing else during his three-day journey, but now that he’d found her... How was he going to tell her what had happened to Jaya?

      He walked slowly toward the shop, trying to think of words that should never have to be said or heard. What was the best way to break someone’s heart?

      “I’m sorry...I don’t know where to start,” he said, practicing, not paying attention when a large man stepped out of a restaurant directly in front of him. Almost plowing into him, Malcolm sidestepped the man, stiffening, his eyes widening. Malevolence, thick and rancid, rolled off the man. An Abatu.

      Dammit! Malcolm kept his head down and kept going, adrenaline surging through him, kicking up his heartbeat. The Abatu hesitated on the curb. Malcolm continued forward, hoping there was still enough energy in the stones on his wrist to keep him shielded.

      Through the reflection in the restaurant’s large picture window, Malcolm saw the Abatu turn toward him, confusion tightening his face for a long moment before he finally spun around and walked away. Malcolm let out a relieved breath. He got by him. This time.

      If he was going to find Celia and get his crystals regenerated, he’d better do it soon.

Chapter 2

      The pressure in Celia’s chest was unbearable. Malcolm was here. She could feel him. Close. The shop’s walls closed in on her as she circled the room. She couldn’t face him. Not yet. Damn, why was he here?

      Concern widened Jade’s all-seeing blue eyes as she watched her pacing from behind the counter. “What is it?” she asked.

      “I—” Celia didn’t know what to say. How she could explain? The man who broke my heart into a million pieces is here, and I’m too much of a coward to face him? Yep, that would sit well. Hell, she wasn’t a baby; it was high time she stopped acting like one.

      And then she saw him through the window, and her heart leaped into her throat and strangled her.

      Jade followed her gaze, then turned back to her, a smile twisting her lips. “Is that Malcolm?”

      Malcolm. The one Celia could barely think about, let alone talk about. The man who had carelessly ripped out her heart and fed it to the buzzards. How could he still affect her so deeply? She backed away from the window. “Tell him I’m not here.”

      “What?” Jade blurted, astonished.

      “I know, I’m the biggest kind of coward. And I will deal with him. Just...not...yet. Tell him I’m gone. Anywhere. The store. The moon. Please.”

      “But, Celia, he came all this way. Don’t you at least want to know why?”

      “No. Not really.” Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good. Not for her. She shook her head as she backed through the door at the rear of the shop that led into a storage room.

      “You can’t keep running,” Jade said, her voice annoyingly maternal. “One of these days you’re going to have to face—” Her words broke off as the bells chimed above the door.

      Maybe, but not today. Celia shrank back into the darkness behind the door.

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