Darlings of Paranormal Romance (Anthology) (61 page)

She steered conversation to topics
both couples could appreciate as the meal progressed. Sonja spoke
confidently of Texas. Ty’s descriptions turned vivid when he shared
tales of Shooter Creek and Texas.

Sonja couldn’t help the anticipation
building inside her to see Tyler’s Texas.

Jeb commented only briefly each time
Sonja tried to draw him into the conversation. His attention kept
returning to Briann, who spoke little and only picked at her
food.

When she referred to the wealth
awaiting them further west, Ty’s demeanor became bland and his eyes
steadfast on his plate. If she wasn’t mistaken, there was tension
in his jaw as she expounded on the dreams awaiting them in
Texas.

“
Oh!” Briann clutched her
stomach and winced briefly. Glancing about, she qualified the
exclamation with a small smile.

Reaching out, Sonja took her sister’s
free hand in hers and squeezed. “Are you all right,
sister?”

With a less than vibrant smile, Briann
shook her head. “A little tummy trouble. Nothing to worry
about.”

With a glance in Briann’s direction,
she could only surmise their exchange was on her sister’s unspoken,
empathic level. Her sister’s eyes held a strange expression for
Jeb. She almost asked again, what was wrong, but thought better of
it as they were in a public place.

After the meal, Ty gathered the check
and escorted Sonja from the establishment once more. Once they were
outside, he skirted the group and took up the position closest to
the street. Ruffians and rife-raft couldn’t be ignored, Sonja
supposed. After all, the town was in its infancy seeing as how its
founder discovered the springs only thirteen years prior. What the
community lacked in options the people made up for in pride. Its
streets were clean and well maintained. Why, even gas lampposts
dotted the main street. Taking in the quaint and interesting
displays in the shop windows, Sonja didn’t notice Briann and Jeb
lagged behind. They past a photography shop and she paused grinning
up at Ty who’d halted as she did.

“
Wouldn’t a picture to
commemorate our travels be nice?” she asked him.

He studied her a moment and broke into
a grin himself. “My ancestors believe a camera steels the soul of a
person.”

His wry smile told her he didn’t
harbor the same opinion, so with her arm wrapped casually about
his, they stepped into the cool interior of the
establishment.

The kind faced woman behind the
counter introduced herself and offered them a seat. “My name is
Caroline. I would be happy to help you decide on a seating
arrangement for your photograph.” Her bright, green eyes twinkled
as she spoke. With a wide sweep of her hand, she guided them into
the back of the shop where a large brown box sat atop a tripod
stand.

When she noted the women’s curiosity
with her equipment, she laid a hand atop the large black box with a
drape hanging from behind and smiled, “This is the camera. I’ll
slip under the cover so as not to expose the picture to any more
light and when I count to three, the frame I hope up with go up in
a cloud of smoke. The whole process takes less than a couple of
minutes from setup to the finished picture. Don’t be disturbed by
the exploding powder or the noise, it’s all quite harmless, I
assure you. She winked for the sisters, “Come, look at the various
seating arrangements I have on display. If you don’t see one you
like, I can work with your idea as well.” Her smile was warm and
companionable.

Caroline went to a nearby table and
gathered a small book before bringing it to them. She opened the
book to the first page and smiled broadly. “Pick any stance you
like and we’ll do our best to reproduce it for you.” She turned and
went back to the table across the room. “I’ll set everything up and
we’ll be ready in just a few minutes.”

Sonja glanced up as Briann and Jeb
appeared in the doorway.

“
We heard voices. Thought
you might be back here.” Jeb escorted Briann ahead of him as they
entered.

Briann’s face grew strained and Sonja
was again concerned. Briann gave her a positive smile, so she let
it drop. “We’re having our picture made,” she announced cheerfully.
“Please join us. I would like so much to document our travels with
the people who are most important to me.” When the words slipped
out of her mouth, Sonja flushed with what she’d implied. Glancing
briefly at Ty, there was a glimmer of something she considered
might be genuine appreciation and as quickly as it had appeared the
expression was gone. In defense of nerves, Sonja extended her hand
and grasped Briann’s as the young woman stepped over to sit beside
her and view the lovely scenes available in the photographer’s
portfolio.

The ladies didn’t take long to decide
on a pose. When Caroline returned, she positioned her subjects and
within minutes, their images became emblazoned within the camera’s
lens.

“
Ty, we’re captured for all
eternity. You aren’t worried about your soul or something like
that, are you?” Jeb’s tone was serious. His eyes twinkled with
mirth though, at his own joke. Draping Briann’s hand over his arm
possessively, he smiled down at her with humor playing on his
lips.

Being able to appreciate the General’s
wit eased some of Sonja’s concern over her sister’s choice of a
companion. Jeb managed not to break out in a grin when Ty simply
shrugged and shook his head.

“
Haven’t lost it over the
past four years. Don’t suppose I will.”

Sonja understood his reference to the
war. He said little about his service, yet the dreams
continued.

“
War changes a man.” Jeb
glanced out toward the rolling hills through the photographer’s
window and squinted.

Briann brought them all back from
their individual musings with a groan.

Jeb was checking on her before either
Sonja or Ty could rise.

From what she could tell, Briann
wasn’t feeling well. They should leave.

Chapter 9 the Dead
Live

“
Where’s the doctor?” Sonja appeared in the
doorway to a room they’d taken at the hotel. Lucky to find one
after so many people ascended on the town, she’d stayed with Briann
while Jeb and Ty went for a physician.

“
There isn’t one,” Ty
growled as he stalked past her.

The hallway was small and several
people loitered in the area. Sonja sent a couple a withering look
before closing the door soundly.

“
What do you mean, there
isn’t one? In a town this size? That can’t be possible.” She heard
the edge of The sharp edge of hysteria lined her voice.

Jeb went straight to the bed,
gathering Briann’s hand in his. “How is she?”

Real pain showed in his eyes.
Apparently, being undead hadn’t altered his ability to care and
deeply. Laying a hand on his forearm, she tried her best to comfort
him. “It’ll be okay. We’ll find someone who knows what to do!” She
glanced hopefully at Ty.

Jeb spoke up at that point. “Ty didn’t
tell you everything.” His face tightened over the words. A pale set
to his mouth made Sonja more uneasy. “The town doctor won’t have
anything to do with someone from the train.” They’ve decided it’s a
fever. His voice, filled with reproach, sounded lost. Nobody will
even answer a question.” A mask of solemnness shrouded his true
feelings.

Sonja ground down on her teeth. Such
backwoods assumptions based in gossip and innuendo couldn’t be
helped – at least not in time to help Briann. Seeking Ty’s council,
Sonja spoke low, “The townspeople must have one hell of a gossip
vine for Briann’s condition to have already been diagnosed by the
street doctors.”

“
Fear moves like a
wildfire.” Ty brought her close in such a tender embrace, Sonja
searched out the heat of his neck to rest her head for a brief
moment. “I’ll go for Hortence. Maybe she can help and contact the
Guardian as well. At least we won’t have to worry about explaining
his presence or the old witch’s for that matter to any butcher
pretending to be a man of medicine.”

Agitated, Briann called out. Her eyes,
glazed and blank stared out blindly.

Turning, Sonja stepped back to the
bed. Checking her temple, she glanced at Ty. “She’s running a
fever.” Tenderly brushing a damp curl from her sister’s forehead,
she whispered, “I’m right here Briann. Don’t worry, dear, the
doctor’s on the way.” She turned back to Ty. Her features hardened
to stone. Through clinched teeth, she whispered. “Go get Hortence
now!”

“
I’ll be back as soon as I
can,” he stated through his own clinched teeth and shoved the
Stetson lower on his head.

Ty disappeared out the door. The war
had made him what he was. That was the truth, but conflict also
gave him a strength few could say they possessed.

Not wanting to allow doubt to rear its
head in the situation, Sonja reached out and gripped her sister’s
hand giving her a great big smile meant to encourage
her.

Lowering to kneel beside the bed, Jeb
spoke softly. “We’ve got the best there is, honey. I won’t leave
you either.” When Briann searched Jeb’s face for affirmation of his
words, Sonja’s chest tightened over the love visible in his face.
His used his big, weathered hand to brush the perspiration from
Briann’s temple. While he faced the woman he obviously loved, he
showed no signs of doubt. His face remained solid and strong. The
dark blue of his eyes remained calm. Comforted by his strength of
courage, Sonja released a sigh. She was glad to have him there.
Briann was lucky to have him in her life. Sonja discovered his
presence alone proved enough for her, so if he helped Briann, she
would be grateful to him forever.

Her concerns ebbed with his stalwart
presence. Sonja found a new confidence anchor her. Glancing at the
general, she reached out and took his cool hand in hers. They’d do
what had to be done, she mused.

***

Briann’s pain progressed steadily as
the fever increased. Jeb never left her side, tending her as any
family would. His words of support and comfort brought an ease to
Sonja. His presence seemed to calm her sister as well and for that,
Sonja said a silent prayer. Briann’s strength began to wane though,
as the time continued to slip away. Watching the clock became a
secret task for Sonja.

Jeb’s quiet eyes didn’t miss the
passage of time either. The room grew overheated and without a
knowledge of what the fever harbored, Sonja was afraid to open the
windows. She noted the general continued his steadfast demeanor for
Briann’s sake. Yet, Sonja could see the tension tighten the muscles
of his face as the time wore on. With Briann condition complicated
by the length of time, which passed, both Sonja and Jeb began to
swap uneasy glances. Neither dared voice an opinion as if to
mention their concerns would make them all the more dangerous to
Briann. Sonja recognized Jeb’s worry that without a change in the
situation soon, Briann could die.

The solid knock on the door had both
of them rising. Jeb pulled his revolver and pointed the barrel
squarely at the portal as Sonja gingerly opened the
door.

Hortence bustled in dragging Ty in
tow. “Your sister is going to be all right. Never doubt her ability
to survive,” the old witch told Sonja.

Sonja’s inability to hide her concern
hadn’t escaped Hortence either. Using a different approach, Sonja
helped the old woman with her potion in order to remain focused on
the moment. Realizing Hortence’s arrival brought a new kind of
tension to the room, Sonja engaged the men in gathering linens and
hot water. The question remained on everyone’s mind. Would Hortence
be able to heal Briann with magic?

“
There is a powerful force
at work here, Sonja. You of all people should understand the evil
that can invade a body and the havoc such a thing can render.” The
old woman’s face turned up and through beady eyes, she peered about
the room as if in search of the evil. In the blink of an eye, her
knarled hand thrust toward Jeb. “Your defiance of the evil is
admirable. Good for you and your woman. Hold fast to your faith.
Hold fast to the truth of your love for her.”

Sonja’s nerves stretched to a breaking
point. She’d listened to the old woman babble on for over an hour
without any change in her sister’s condition. The brew which
Hortence instructed her to keep warm hadn’t shown any signs of
helping as of yet. “Hortence can you save her?” Praying the old
witch wouldn’t see how badly she was shaking, Sonja knelt on the
opposite side of the bed.

Hortence’s brow furrowed and she clucked her tongue at Sonja’s
question. “You of all people would ask me that, my dear?” Her
bottom lip protruded in disgust at her student’s obvious doubt. Her
voice rose to a shout as she slammed her fist on the side table
sending bottles and spoons clattering. Of course I can save her.
The demon’s power is in the air.” She swept her hands wide and her
beady eyes bulged. “She will survive. The question is,
will you
?”

“
Hortence, now’s not the
time for your riddles,” Sonja chided heatedly. “Briann needs your
help.” With her temper rising, Sonja stalked to the window. She
could feel the first prickle of wolf hairs along her neck start to
rise. If she remained with the ever obstinate, elusive, totally
irritating Hortence, she would be hard pressed not to lash out at
the old woman.