Spirit Bound - Christine Feehan [101]
There was a connection between Thomas and Levi—she’d almost caught it in the sudden emotion rising in Thomas. But the answer was as elusive as what or who Thomas really was. She drew in a deep breath and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her, determined not to panic. If not for her own sake, then for Rikki’s, she had to fight through the need to pull a blanket over her head and retreat from whatever mess she’d gotten into.
She’d given him back precious memories.
In spite of her determination to remain distant from Thomas, Judith couldn’t help but hug that small gift to her. She had given him something he obviously treasured. She could hear it in his voice and feel it in his mind. If he was using her, his emotions for her were still very real.
THE intruder lurched to his feet the moment the owls backed off. He cast one wary look toward the sky and took off running again. His shirt was torn in several places, long slashes that had cut into his skin. Bloodstains spread rapidly across the taut material. The man was in good shape, but the birds had rattled him. Suddenly, he veered away from the road and made for the far side of the meadow where the taller grass grew.
The sudden departure from the fastest route warned Stefan this was no peeping Tom who had come to spy on the women who lived on the farm. The fact that he’d chosen Judith’s home meant he hadn’t done so randomly.
Cut the engine, Lev. He can hear you coming and he’s up to something. Do you have a visual?
The man had disappeared into the thick, tall grass and there was no movement to give him away. Stefan halted the chase abruptly and slipped back into the shadow of the trees.
Who is he? Ivanov?
Hell if I know. He doesn’t move like Ivanov, but he’s up to something. Watch yourself. Stefan studied the grass as he replied to his brother. What the hell was the intruder up to? He had to be crawling through the grass, staying low, making certain there was no ripple to give his position away.
Overhead, the owls circled. One gave a cry, and instantly Stefan’s vision blurred. He pulled away from his brother immediately. Judith was still feeding the energy, boosting the power, and he was picking up remnants of his brother’s craft. He took a step to his left, looking for a better visual and something spat wood splinters into the side of his face. He dropped to the ground and rolled, then, on his belly, using his elbows and toes to move fast, scuttled across the open ground to the patch of small boulders at the start of the meadow. There was a shallow depression and he fit his body inside it.
You hit?
Don’t sound so upset. Stefan knew he sounded irritated, but truthfully he was annoyed with himself. Once he was certain they weren’t dealing with Ivanov, he’d minimized the danger in his mind.
Yeah, you’re all right.
Stefan felt rather than heard the relief in his brother’s voice. It was hard to let yourself care when you hadn’t for so long. Emotions were worse than rusty, they’d become so thin and tattered, feelings were hardly recognizable.
Did you just get shot at? Judith’s voice reverberated through his mind, shocked, frightened. Thomas. Levi. I’m calling Jonas.
No! both men answered simultaneously.
Stefan took a breath. Who the hell is this Jonas character to you?
There was a moment of silence. Stefan cursed inwardly in a mixture of several languages. He’d just displayed a man’s worst trait and he’d never known he even had it. Jealousy. Pure, black jealousy at the absent and unsuspecting Jonas.
Lev’s laughter spilled into his mind. He is the local sheriff.
Judith gave a little sniff. I told you I was making a kaleidoscope for his wife. Ordinarily when someone starts firing guns, a civilized person calls the sheriff.
The anxiety in her voice belied her words. And what the hell was she doing still connected to them? He was going to have to do some fast explaining. Another bullet whined through the air like an angry bee and smacked into the tree where