hell, maybe you pulled it off, because the dream ends there every damn time I have it.”
A pinecone bounced off the windshield, catching Amara’s gaze. “I’m sliding very quickly across the line to freaked, McVey. I’m not responsible for your dreams. I don’t chant over fires or zap memories from men’s minds or—”
“I’m not a man in the dream.”
“Boys’ minds, then... Whoa!” She braced herself with both hands as a blast of wind punched the truck like a giant fist.
McVey glanced skyward. “If there’s anything in your background that can affect the elements, Red, now would be a really good time to call on it.”
“I’ve never actually... Oh, my God, is that the yellow-ribbon tree?” Shocked, she stared at the huge, uprooted oak that currently lay between her grandmother’s house and one of the outbuildings. “It was a hundred and twenty years old.”
“It missed the roof by less than five feet.” McVey pulled into the driveway. “It also flattened the old well.” With his eyes on the exposed roots, he reached for his beeping cell. “What is it, Jake?”
Amara slid from the truck while he talked to his deputy. Some of the branches had scraped the outer wall of the house. Thank God her grandmother hadn’t been inside at the time.
Still on his phone, McVey headed over to survey the damage. Amara left him to it and turned for her rental car. She needed at least one of her suitcases and she wanted her medical kit. It might not be smart for her to touch McVey given their earlier wow of a kiss, but as she’d put the scratches on his cheek, she felt she owed it to him to clean them up.
Score settled. Or as settled as it could be with lust doing its best to tie her in knots.
She scooped the hair from her face as she approached the vehicle. “Dozens of so-called witches in Raven’s Hollow, yet no one’s moved this stupid wind along.” She shot a vexed look at the night sky. “I’m sure Bangor could use a good airing out.”
The wind shrieked in response and almost caused her to stumble into the driver’s-side door.
“I’ll take that as a no.”
Releasing her hair, Amara reached for the handle. And froze with her fingers mere inches away.
Her throat dried up. “Uh, McVey?”
Of course he couldn’t hear her. She could barely hear herself. But she could see. And what she saw was a man. He was slumped over the steering wheel of her rental car. Long blond hair obscured his features, but he wore a sleeveless shirt and, most significant to Amara, he wasn’t moving.
“McVey?” She inched closer. Was he breathing?
“McVey!” she called again. When the man failed to stir, she took a bolstering breath and opened the door.
His head came up lightning-fast. His eyes glinted. “Hello, gorgeous.” He offered a freakish smile, whipped his right hand around and gave his wrist a double flick. Amara saw the gleam of a knife a split second before she turned and bolted.
Thoughts scrambled in her head. Had there been blood on the blade? On him? Pretty sure she’d seen red streaks on his arms.
Trees and bushes rushed past in a blur. There it was, the lit porch of her grandmother’s house, less than fifty feet away. “McVey!”
Suddenly the porch light winked out. Everything around her went dark. Amara stepped on a fallen branch and had to slow down. “Ouch! McVey!”
A man’s hands descended on her shoulders from behind.
She didn’t think or hesitate. She simply spun, knocked the hands away and brought her knee up hard.
She heard a cursed reaction.
“Are you insane? Amara, it’s me.”
McVey swung her around so they were back to front, holding her in place with a forearm pressed lightly across her throat. “Have you lost your mind?”
She pointed straight ahead. “Man. In my car. With a knife.” Her fingernails sank into his wrist. “There might be blood.”
McVey released her. “Stay here.”
“What? No. Now who’s insane? He could be anywhere.”
“Fine. Stay
A pinecone bounced off the windshield, catching Amara’s gaze. “I’m sliding very quickly across the line to freaked, McVey. I’m not responsible for your dreams. I don’t chant over fires or zap memories from men’s minds or—”
“I’m not a man in the dream.”
“Boys’ minds, then... Whoa!” She braced herself with both hands as a blast of wind punched the truck like a giant fist.
McVey glanced skyward. “If there’s anything in your background that can affect the elements, Red, now would be a really good time to call on it.”
“I’ve never actually... Oh, my God, is that the yellow-ribbon tree?” Shocked, she stared at the huge, uprooted oak that currently lay between her grandmother’s house and one of the outbuildings. “It was a hundred and twenty years old.”
“It missed the roof by less than five feet.” McVey pulled into the driveway. “It also flattened the old well.” With his eyes on the exposed roots, he reached for his beeping cell. “What is it, Jake?”
Amara slid from the truck while he talked to his deputy. Some of the branches had scraped the outer wall of the house. Thank God her grandmother hadn’t been inside at the time.
Still on his phone, McVey headed over to survey the damage. Amara left him to it and turned for her rental car. She needed at least one of her suitcases and she wanted her medical kit. It might not be smart for her to touch McVey given their earlier wow of a kiss, but as she’d put the scratches on his cheek, she felt she owed it to him to clean them up.
Score settled. Or as settled as it could be with lust doing its best to tie her in knots.
She scooped the hair from her face as she approached the vehicle. “Dozens of so-called witches in Raven’s Hollow, yet no one’s moved this stupid wind along.” She shot a vexed look at the night sky. “I’m sure Bangor could use a good airing out.”
The wind shrieked in response and almost caused her to stumble into the driver’s-side door.
“I’ll take that as a no.”
Releasing her hair, Amara reached for the handle. And froze with her fingers mere inches away.
Her throat dried up. “Uh, McVey?”
Of course he couldn’t hear her. She could barely hear herself. But she could see. And what she saw was a man. He was slumped over the steering wheel of her rental car. Long blond hair obscured his features, but he wore a sleeveless shirt and, most significant to Amara, he wasn’t moving.
“McVey?” She inched closer. Was he breathing?
“McVey!” she called again. When the man failed to stir, she took a bolstering breath and opened the door.
His head came up lightning-fast. His eyes glinted. “Hello, gorgeous.” He offered a freakish smile, whipped his right hand around and gave his wrist a double flick. Amara saw the gleam of a knife a split second before she turned and bolted.
Thoughts scrambled in her head. Had there been blood on the blade? On him? Pretty sure she’d seen red streaks on his arms.
Trees and bushes rushed past in a blur. There it was, the lit porch of her grandmother’s house, less than fifty feet away. “McVey!”
Suddenly the porch light winked out. Everything around her went dark. Amara stepped on a fallen branch and had to slow down. “Ouch! McVey!”
A man’s hands descended on her shoulders from behind.
She didn’t think or hesitate. She simply spun, knocked the hands away and brought her knee up hard.
She heard a cursed reaction.
“Are you insane? Amara, it’s me.”
McVey swung her around so they were back to front, holding her in place with a forearm pressed lightly across her throat. “Have you lost your mind?”
She pointed straight ahead. “Man. In my car. With a knife.” Her fingernails sank into his wrist. “There might be blood.”
McVey released her. “Stay here.”
“What? No. Now who’s insane? He could be anywhere.”
“Fine. Stay
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