Enchant the Night - Amanda Ashley Page 0,63

keep you out.”

Ebony trailed at her heels, making guttural sounds of complaint low in her throat.

“This will make you feel better,” Callie said, filling the cat’s bowl with food. “A little tuna chow for you, toast and coffee for me.”

After breakfast, Callie crept into the bedroom, pulled a pair of jeans and a sweater out of her suitcase, along with a change of underwear and a pair of socks and boots, and went into the hallway bathroom to change.

* * *

Running her fingers through her hair, Callie went out the front door. A deep blue Range Rover was parked in the driveway.

The day was cool and cloudy, the ground damp from last night’s rain. The house sat in a clearing surrounded by tall trees and boulders. Through the trees, she spied a chimney. Neighbors, she thought, though they were a good, long walk away.

Callie stood there a moment, her breath making little white puffs in the cold air. She thought of taking the car and seeing if she could find a town, then decided to take a walk instead. She struck out on a narrow trail that led into the woods.

The quiet closed in around her as she strolled along, broken only by the faint drip-drip of raindrops from the pines and the scuff of her boots.

She rounded a bend in the trail, came to an abrupt halt when she saw a beautiful four-point buck walking toward her. The stag froze in its tracks, liquid brown eyes wary, ears flicking nervously back and forth.

Callie felt something ethereal and mystical pass between herself and the deer as they stared at each other. Hardly aware of what she was doing, Callie held out her hand, palm up. Come to me.

The buck took a tentative step forward. And then another. And another. It huffed a breath, then nosed her palm. Smiling with excitement, Callie stroked the animal’s neck.

She let out a cry when a splotch of bright red appeared on the deer’s shoulder, followed by the sharp report of a rifle shot. The deer took a couple of wobbly steps, then dropped to the ground, legs twitching.

Whirling around, Callie saw a hunter emerge from the cover of the trees. “Are you out of your mind?” she shouted. “You could have killed me!”

“I’m . . . I’m so sorry,” the young man stammered. “I didn’t see you.”

Callie glared at him, her nerves humming as she gathered her power. Murmuring under her breath, she held out her hand, then clenched her fist until her knuckles were white.

The hunter let out a yelp as his rifle, now red hot, the barrel bent in a U-shape, singed his fingers. He dropped the gun, sent a frightened glance in her direction, then turned and ran away.

Callie knelt beside the deer, who lay quiet, its beautiful brown eyes staring up at her. Whispering “It’s okay,” she placed her hands over the bloody wound and again summoned her magic. She didn’t know where the words came from, but as they fell from her lips, her palms grew warm and she felt power pour from her hands into the deer.

Time seemed to stand still. And then the stag lifted its head and scrambled to its feet.

Feeling suddenly weak, Callie stared up at the deer. The bullet wound was completely healed, leaving only a faint scar behind.

The deer lowered its head, as if to say thank you, then bounded into the trees and out of sight.

Rising, Callie shook her head, thinking Quill would never believe this. When she turned back toward the house, she saw Ebony sitting in the middle of the trail.

Callie blinked at the cat. “How did you get here? I left you in the house.”

With a flick of its tail, the cat turned and trotted down the path.

Callie stared after Ebony. What had just happened here? she wondered as she followed the cat back to the house. Just what manner of feline had they taken in?

Chapter 26

Ricardo 42 stood in front of the Elder Knight, his head bowed.

“Speak,” the Elder said, tersely.

“I went to the woman’s house. It was empty. No sign of the woman or the vampire.”

“Where have they gone?”

Head still bowed, Ricardo 42 admitted, “I don’t know.”

“Did you try to follow their trail?”

“There was none. I believe the vampire employed his powers to transport them to another location.”

In a fit of rage, the Elder Knight struck Ricardo 42 across the face with the back of his hand. “You incompetent fool!”

Ricardo pressed his hand to his throbbing cheek.