whenever he was in town.
When Adam reached them, he gave Avy a full body hug. “Sorry about your parents. But I’m glad you’re back.” He stepped back from her but kept his hands on her shoulders. She didn’t pull away from him. Marcus felt a jab of something in the pit of his stomach. The deputy must have sensed Marcus’s reaction. He smirked. “We’ve known each other since we were five, Marcus. Small towns,” he added with a shrug as if that explained everything. Marcus knew enough about Adam’s reputation with the ladies to put his arm around his witch. He caught himself in mid-motion. Am I actually marking my territory? Damn.
Adam’s tone was serious when he turned his attention back to Avy. “Sheriff wants to see you.”
Her face was still waxy. She looked from Adam to Marcus and then back to Adam. “Me? Why?”
Adam looked away as if to escape answering her.
The color rose in her cheeks. “Does this bomb, or explosion, or whatever it was, have to do with my parents?” she asked, her voice hoarse with the emotion she held at bay.
Adam looked at her, his face reflecting a struggle between compassion and duty. “Better talk to the sheriff,” he said.
Marcus felt her fingers spasm in his hand. He tightened his hold. She didn’t ask him to go with her, but he didn’t give her a choice. The Gwynn murders and the explosion were connected. And magic had something to do with both. Marcus had a terrible feeling he knew what that something was. It was bad. Really bad.
Chapter Six
Avy's head was still spinning. Both men were looking down at her with concern. She cleared her throat hoping more air would reach her lungs. She wasn't sure what had just happened.
The force of the explosion had hit her like the blast from a furnace. The shock knocked her brain into overdrive . Suddenly she cou ldn’t process the overload of traumatic events any longer. The shock and grief of the last few days blocked the passageway to her lungs leaving her gulping for air. Just as h er vision seemed to tunnel, narrowing, she saw the beautiful light s . Each a kaleidoscope of color. Then strong hands anchored her. A gentle mouth breathed soothing, warm air into her lungs. Hidden deep inside, Avy felt something unique and fragile tingle with life. Like the prickling static she’d been feeling in her fingertips, only stronger. It grew, seemed to crackle and arc like an electrical current, as it reached out to Marcus.
What kind of a vet can kiss like that? Avy shivered and touched a finger to her lip where it still felt numb from the experience. She had to wonder what in the name of the good Goddess was happening to her.
She avoided looking at Marcus but , w ith a sharp nod to Adam, led the way to the bank building.
Adam opened the main door, stepped through. He kept his hand on the door until Marcus reached over her head to hold it. She caught up with Adam, before looking back. The setting sun was behind him shining through the doorway, and outlining his body with a warm glow of amber.
“At least it’s only one color.” Avy said, thinking of his weird and beautiful eyes .
Adam turned to look at her. “What was that, Avy?”
She shook her head. Yup, losing my mind. They continued through the foyer. She expected to smell smoke but that wasn’t it. There was a haze still floating in the sunbeams, with a pungent smell, but more like a match than a fire.
With a start, she recognised the smell. It smelled just like the scorch marks on the lawn. Dynamite maybe? Why would someone throw dynamite at the house? Maybe her parents were just bystanders who got in the way. Collateral damage—but of what? She couldn’t believe anyone’s discomfort with her parents’ pagan religion had escalated to something more threatening? Not in Bandit Creek.
Marcus took her hand again as they passed the teller wickets. They stepped carefully trying to avoid the shards of glass, bits of wood and other debris as they made their way
When Adam reached them, he gave Avy a full body hug. “Sorry about your parents. But I’m glad you’re back.” He stepped back from her but kept his hands on her shoulders. She didn’t pull away from him. Marcus felt a jab of something in the pit of his stomach. The deputy must have sensed Marcus’s reaction. He smirked. “We’ve known each other since we were five, Marcus. Small towns,” he added with a shrug as if that explained everything. Marcus knew enough about Adam’s reputation with the ladies to put his arm around his witch. He caught himself in mid-motion. Am I actually marking my territory? Damn.
Adam’s tone was serious when he turned his attention back to Avy. “Sheriff wants to see you.”
Her face was still waxy. She looked from Adam to Marcus and then back to Adam. “Me? Why?”
Adam looked away as if to escape answering her.
The color rose in her cheeks. “Does this bomb, or explosion, or whatever it was, have to do with my parents?” she asked, her voice hoarse with the emotion she held at bay.
Adam looked at her, his face reflecting a struggle between compassion and duty. “Better talk to the sheriff,” he said.
Marcus felt her fingers spasm in his hand. He tightened his hold. She didn’t ask him to go with her, but he didn’t give her a choice. The Gwynn murders and the explosion were connected. And magic had something to do with both. Marcus had a terrible feeling he knew what that something was. It was bad. Really bad.
Chapter Six
Avy's head was still spinning. Both men were looking down at her with concern. She cleared her throat hoping more air would reach her lungs. She wasn't sure what had just happened.
The force of the explosion had hit her like the blast from a furnace. The shock knocked her brain into overdrive . Suddenly she cou ldn’t process the overload of traumatic events any longer. The shock and grief of the last few days blocked the passageway to her lungs leaving her gulping for air. Just as h er vision seemed to tunnel, narrowing, she saw the beautiful light s . Each a kaleidoscope of color. Then strong hands anchored her. A gentle mouth breathed soothing, warm air into her lungs. Hidden deep inside, Avy felt something unique and fragile tingle with life. Like the prickling static she’d been feeling in her fingertips, only stronger. It grew, seemed to crackle and arc like an electrical current, as it reached out to Marcus.
What kind of a vet can kiss like that? Avy shivered and touched a finger to her lip where it still felt numb from the experience. She had to wonder what in the name of the good Goddess was happening to her.
She avoided looking at Marcus but , w ith a sharp nod to Adam, led the way to the bank building.
Adam opened the main door, stepped through. He kept his hand on the door until Marcus reached over her head to hold it. She caught up with Adam, before looking back. The setting sun was behind him shining through the doorway, and outlining his body with a warm glow of amber.
“At least it’s only one color.” Avy said, thinking of his weird and beautiful eyes .
Adam turned to look at her. “What was that, Avy?”
She shook her head. Yup, losing my mind. They continued through the foyer. She expected to smell smoke but that wasn’t it. There was a haze still floating in the sunbeams, with a pungent smell, but more like a match than a fire.
With a start, she recognised the smell. It smelled just like the scorch marks on the lawn. Dynamite maybe? Why would someone throw dynamite at the house? Maybe her parents were just bystanders who got in the way. Collateral damage—but of what? She couldn’t believe anyone’s discomfort with her parents’ pagan religion had escalated to something more threatening? Not in Bandit Creek.
Marcus took her hand again as they passed the teller wickets. They stepped carefully trying to avoid the shards of glass, bits of wood and other debris as they made their way
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