Hearing another bark, I decided to check on Samuel and Moses. They'd been making noises for far too long. Maybe they were hungry. Jeremy always fed them early since he typically was the first to rise. I left the kitchen and headed to the front door.

  Barefoot and dressed in shorts and a tank top under my robe, I stepped outside and onto the porch. The cool morning air appeased my skin as I stood in the sun. After my eyes adjusted, I spotted the dogs jogging near the horses’ play pen. To my surprise, all three horses were outside. Samuel and Moses were taunting their four-legged larger friends.

  "Hey!" I yelled.

  The two Doberman pinschers turned their heads my way, then immediately ran toward me. Finding their food bowls at the end of the porch, I picked them up. The two reached the door before me. One of them yapped.

  "Shh! Quiet," I said.

  The same dog barked at me again. Why is it they obeyed Jeremy and not me?

  I opened the screen door with my hands full. The two loud mouths squeezed by me and headed for the kitchen. I followed at a slower pace. Once I entered the kitchen, I set the bowls on the floor, off to the side near the wall where they would be out of the way.

  The coffee machine spat as it finished brewing. Since the dogs were busy sniffing around, I decided to take care of my needs first instead of theirs. I opened the cabinet, then claimed two mugs. Jeremy would be down for java at some point, so I'd at least have his cup near the pot. As I set them down with a soft clank on the counter, warm arms wrapped around my ribs and I flinched.

  "Just me," Jeremy said, then planted a kiss on my cheek.

  "Damn it, I was trying not to wake you."

  "I woke up the minute you left the bed."

  I knew the same feeling all too well. Without him next to me, I had difficulty sleeping.

  "Would you like some coffee?" I asked.

  "Yes. I'll feed the dogs." He kissed my face again before he stepped away.

  "Did you know the horses are outside?" I asked as I poured the dark fluid into our cups.

  Wearing only boxers, he lifted the forty-pound bag of dog food from the wide pantry, then carried it to the dishes. "Yeah, I put them in the pen. I didn't want them to breathe the toxic fumes."

  I fished the creamer from the refrigerator. "What fumes?"

  "Shawn and I had to pour bleach on the ground to get rid of the blood stains." He tipped the bags near the bowls. Little pebbles of food filled one dish, then he moved to the other.

  "Were you able to clean it all up?" I dumped creamer into our cups, then added a little sugar to Jeremy's. The spoon clanked as I stirred.

  "Yeah, it just stinks. I left both doors open, but the horses may need to stay outside for another day." He lugged the bag back to the pantry.

  I set our drinks on the center island, then took a seat in one of the high chairs. Jeremy came and sat next to me. His slightly red eyes revealed his fatigue.

  "Maybe you should try to nap later. I bet you could use the rest," I said.

  He took a sip of java. "I'll be fine."

  I glared at him as I held my cup in front of me.

  "I can survive on little sleep," he said with a smile.

  "Uh-huh. Well, if you don't have too many plans, we can always take it easy and watch a movie together later."

  His eyes widened with excitement. "Alone time with you? I'm there, baby."

  I set my mug on the counter. "Did you two get rid of the bodies?"

  "Yep. Had a little bonfire away from the barn. I'll get rid of the bones in a bit."

  "No blood, no bodies," I said as I counted with fingers. "What about the car?"

  "Bo is taking care of it. He'll probably stop by later."

  "So I'll finally get to meet him."

  He nodded. "One reason why I got to bed so late was because we had to return the car. Bo borrowed one from a friend, so I had to take it back to the guy's maintenance shop. Shawn had to follow to give me a ride back."

  "Oh yeah, I forgot you drove home in a different vehicle."

  He lifted one of his shoulders. "I'm going to call Howard later, too. I want to tell him what happened. I trust him not to say anything."

  "That's a good idea, that way he won't start asking questions later."

  Jeremy finished his cup, then set it on the countertop. I had a little left to go in mine.

  "Shawn told me Chaz knocked him out for a while," Jeremy said. "He's got a nasty black eye."

  "Yeah, he took a big hit. I'm glad you arrived when you did. I think Chaz was going to stab him."

  Jeremy looked at my hand. He slid his underneath, then lifted mine. "What happened? Did they do anything to you? How did Steven get hold of you?"

  The questions flew from his mouth. Even though he'd taken care of the thugs, he still worried about me. The demon had a kind soul.

  "Bob thought he was some macho shit. I hit him, then kicked him until he was out cold. Chaz had knocked Shawn out by that point. I thought he was going to kill him, so I jumped on his back. He was too damn big, so I slid off. He tried swinging the knife at me. He missed, but he backed me up to Steven. Chaz came at me again and I tried to shove him with my legs. He took one and twisted my knee out of joint. It fucking hurt. Then he punched my ribs and broke a few. I'd healed for the most part by the time you showed up."

  "Those motherfuckers. They could've killed you," he said in an angry tone.

  "I doubt—"

  "No. No more, Jessie. Please." Although his voice sounded strong and firm, the words came out as if he were pleading. "I hate putting you in harm’s way. Can you at least try to avoid getting mixed in with trouble?"

  I finished my coffee, then set the cup down. "Jer, I'm not going to lie to you. I'm part demon. Trouble is in my blood as much as it is in yours. I think we should accept this and find a way to work together."

  Grinning, he shook his head. "If we ever have kids…"

  "They're going to need serious discipline."

  "Oh yeah?" His brows rose. "And who's going to wear the pants in this family?"

  "If you won't, I will. We can't have kids running amuck. I won't allow it."

  The amusement on his face was priceless. He looked happy. Seeing his joy made me equally content.

  He pressed his lips to mine and he tasted of coffee. I gave him a kiss back.

  "I love you," he said.

  Gazing into his eyes, I said without hesitation, "I love you."

  He kissed me again, only this time, he stayed for more. When he slipped his tongue inside my mouth, desire flooded me. Every touch and flick set my body on fire. My tongue thirsted for him while my body hungered for his cock. I needed him to fill me and make me come. Fuck me, my patience was dwindling. Thank the stars we only had one more day left because I seriously doubted I could wait another.

  Heart racing and hormones raging, I placed my hand on his chest. He withdrew his lips with a soft groan.

  "One more day," he said.

  "And she better remove these stitches," I said.

  He inhaled a deep breath, then rose with his boxers in the shape of a tent above his groin. "Hungry?"

  Staring at his hard-on, I nodded.

  He chuckled. "Me too. But I'll fix breakfast."

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The mid-day rays beat upon my skin with their heated touch as I leaned against the fence, watching Jeremy ride one of the horses. Perspiration dribbled down the back of my neck. I wore shorts and a light blouse to help keep me cool, but I'd been standing outside for forty-five minutes in the sun. Trying to maintain a normal temperature was hopeless.

  Jeremy had a content expression on his face as he let the horse jog around the outskirts of the play pen. Shades hid his eyes, but his smile was quite visible. One horse watched while the other looked away as if it were jealous. Both were on the opposite side from me. Dressed in jeans and a white t-shirt, the demon had been riding for a half hour. Although he enjoyed his career as a hockey player, I sensed he loved his new life more. I was happy for him.

  The crunching of dirt and rocks behind me gathered my attention. Shawn walked toward me wearing a pair of nice sunglasses that curved around his eyes. His skin on one side of his face was darker than the other, bruised from the punch he'd taken. He wore Bermuda shorts and a gray t-shirt with a rock band on the front.

  "How's the eye?" I asked.

  "Swollen." He came to stand next to me.

  "Did you put anything frozen on it?"

  "Yeah, I’ve got two bags of vegetables in my freezer now," he said. "What happened after he knocked me out?"

  "Not much. Chaz twisted my knee from the socket and broke a couple of my ribs."

  "Damn."

  "Eh," I said with a shrug. "Broken bones heal."

  "How long has he been up?" Shawn asked as he watched Jeremy on the horse.

  "He woke up with me around nine."

  He shook his head. "Why did he get up so early?"

  "He said he woke up when I left the bed."

  Shawn chuckled. "Oh, to be in love."

  I leaned sideways and pushed his shoulder with mine. "You need to find someone."

  "After watching you two, I think I'll pass for a while."

  "What's that supposed to mean?"

  "There's too much stress, too much tension." He turned his shaded eyes to me. "And women are too much trouble."

  I shoved his arm hard enough he had to step to the side. "I resent that. I'm no more trouble than he is."

  He laughed. "You asked."

  "Hey," Jeremy said as he approached us on his horse. "What's going on?"

  Shawn reached over the fence and pet the animal. "Your woman is starting trouble again."

  "I am not," I said loudly and with a hint of annoyance.

  Past Shawn, I noticed a black car coming up the road. Dirt flew behind it.

  "Who's that?" I asked.

  They shifted their attention to the road. Jeremy pulled the horse away from the fence.

  "That's Bo," Jeremy said, then directed his four-legged friend toward the exit.

  "Great. I'm looking forward to meeting him," I said as I stepped back.

  I headed toward the house as the dark car approached. Shawn walked a few steps behind me. The vehicle was an older model from the seventies, if I'd guessed right, and it had two doors. The driver veered to the front of the home, then stopped.

  I paused and waited for Shawn to catch up to me. "What's this guy like?"

  "One of us," he said.

  His response left me a little confused. I trusted Jeremy's friends, so I believed he was a reliable person. But that didn't tell me about his personality.

  The car door squealed loudly as the driver pushed it open. A tall Native American with long, flowing dark hair exited the vehicle. Dressed in jeans and a brown shirt, he slammed the door shut. We caught up to him near the hood.

  Shawn whistled. "Oh, man. She's a beaut. Is that a Road Runner?"

  "Yep. Restored her myself," the Indian said. He looked young, in his twenties. He had the typical features of his kind with dark brows and eyes, tanned skin. But he had plenty of muscles. A tattoo covered one of his arms. He looked at me and extended his hand. "I'm Bo."

  "Jessie. Nice to meet you," I said as I accepted his greeting.

  Heat from his touch spread up my arm while my skin tingled. I quickly understood Shawn's earlier comment. Bo wasn't your normal Native American.

  "Hey, Bo," Jeremy said as he approached us.

  Bo jerked his head up. "How's it going?"

  Jeremy and Bo gripped each other's hands as if they had known each other for a long time. I glanced at Shawn and found him running his hand along the hood of the vehicle as he walked around it. He eyed the car as if it were candy.

  "I see why you didn't want to use your car last night," Jeremy said.

  "It's pretty rare to see one of these babies," Bo said.

  Jeremy stared at the Road Runner and crossed his arms. "Were you able to get rid of the car without any problems?"

  "Yeah, it was a breeze. I stopped by the shop this morning. It's in pieces," Bo said.

  Jeremy turned his attention to me. "Bo works at a auto body shop in Albuquerque."

  I shook my head. "Nice. And thank you, by the way, for helping us out."

  He gave a light wave of his hand. "No problem. I was more than happy to help after Jeremy told me what was going on. That shit wouldn't be tolerated on the reservation where I live. We take care of our people."

  "Demons or Native Americans?" I asked.

  He grinned. "Both."

  "How long have you two known each other?" I asked, gaze bouncing from Bo to Jeremy.

  "I don't know." Jeremy shrugged, then dropped his arms to his sides. "Four years or so. Bo used to live in Phoenix. He was a big fan of the Coyotes hockey team. We met at game."

  My eyes widened. "Wow."

  Bo chuckled. "Yeah, I'm not like most Indians you'll meet."

  "It's what's in your heart and soul that counts," I said, then looked at Jeremy. He gave me a wide smile.

  "We have more company," Shawn said.

  We veered our gazes to the dirt road. A pickup truck approached.

  "Looks like it's Howard," I said.

  "Good timing," Jeremy said. "We can bring him up to speed."

  "Bo, can I offer you a drink?" I asked. "My sun tea should be ready."

  "Sounds good to me," he said.

  I took a few steps past Jeremy. "Let's go inside. I'll fix some for everyone."

  "I'll be there in a few minutes," Jeremy said.

  Bo followed me toward the house. By the time I reached the door, Howard had stopped next to Bo's Road Runner. Shawn stayed next to Jeremy, but his attention was directed at Bo's vehicle. I wasn't too surprised he had an interest in cars. Typical man.

  "How much sugar do you take?" I asked as we entered the living room.

  "Two teaspoons is fine."

  "Have a seat," I gestured. "I'll be back in a few."

  "Thanks, Jessie."

  I strode down the hall to the back of the house. Earlier in the morning, I'd filled a large jar with water and tea bags. I learned the trick from my old and dear friend, Dani, when I lived with her in Indianapolis. Many times I'd thought about her. I hated how the VETOV had ended her life.

  Sad thoughts aside, I stepped out on the back porch and spotted my jar. The tea bags had turned the water to a good shade, not too dark, but not light either. Squatting, I carefully lifted the container in my arms. I didn't want to tear a single stitch since my appointment was in the morning. Glass in my arm, I returned inside the house.

  "Need any help?" Bo said as he watched me from the other side of the hall.

  "No thanks. I got it."

  I strode from the nook and headed for the sink. Slowly, I set the jar on the countertop. When I spun to get a few glasses from the cabinet, I saw Bo ambling near the open doorway with his hands wedged inside his front pockets.

  "You can have a seat. This won't take long," I said as I collected five glasses from the cupboard.

  "Jeremy's told me a lot about you," he said as he moved closer.

  "Only good things, I hope."

  I set the jar on the edge of the sink, then placed a glass under the spout. As I held the button, the darkened water filled the cup.

  "I didn't know you’re Native, though," he said.

  I set the filled glass on the counter, then worked on another. "Well, he recently found out. I hadn't confirmed it until recently."

  "It makes sense. Many of us are spiritual," he said, standing on the other side of the center island.

  I finished filling all the glasses, then retrieved the jar of sugar on the counter by the stove. Pausing, I thought about his words. "Do you think I have my ability because I'm Native American?" I hadn't considered it before.

  "I don't know how we get the gifts that we have, but it would make sense for the devil to give a spiritual being the power to send souls to him."

  Bo was right. What better person should have a gateway to Hell? The devil must have known what he was doing when he or his demon minion impregnated my mother.

  "Bo, you're a wise and smart man. Yet you look so young," I said as I poured teaspoons of sugar into each filled glass.

  "My soul is old. I knew Jeremy before, in a prior life."

  Jeremy's voice drifted into the kitchen from the living room while I stirred the tea. Bo's confession intrigued me. I'd have to learn more about his connection to Jeremy at another time.

  "I'd like to hear more about it later sometime." I lifted two glasses and headed toward the exit.

  "I can help," Bo said after I passed him.

  I paused in the hall. "Thanks, Bo."

  I strolled into the living room to find Jeremy sitting on the edge of his recliner. Howard sat close to him on the sofa. Shawn had taken a seat in the chair at the other end of the couch. I handed Shawn a glass first, then Howard. Bo appeared with the remaining cups. He offered one to Jeremy, then gave me a glass.

  "Thanks again, Bo," I said.

  Jeremy set his glass down on the table next to the chair before he rose. "Bo Weatherly, this is Howard Nalwood. Howard, meet Bo."

  The two shook hands.

  "Where are you from?" Howard asked.

  Bo walked around the coffee table. "I'm staying on a reservation in Albuquerque." He took a seat on the sofa next to Howard, then I sat next to him.

  Jeremy moved to the middle of the room. He directed his attention to Howard. "Jessie and I wanted to share this with you in person. We trust you'll keep it a secret."

  Howard leaned forward and glanced at me before returning his gaze to Jeremy. "You can trust me."

  "We know that," Jeremy said. "And if any questions arise, I want you to bring them to my attention."

  "What type of questions?" Howard asked, then took a drink of his tea.

  "Three men, one of them Native American, won't be seen or heard from ever again," Jeremy said.

 

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