Dream Shadow (23 page)

She gave Beth a slight nod of approval.

“Stay here. I’ll flush them out.” The women gleefully agreed before Grace melted into the forest.

Circling around the men’s position, Grace smiled. They had made the mistake of choosing an area that was steep and only about ten feet from the lake itself. They also were far too involved with watching the women below them to bother to make sure their position was secure. Grace stood three paces behind them and they never even looked up. Pathetic really, they were even downwind of her.

“Anything interesting, guys?”

All three surged to their feet in surprise. They couldn’t keep their footing on the incline and two of them tumbled right down the hill and landed at the shallow edge of the lake. The third managed to halt his slide and turned to face Grace. She took in his astonished expression before pulling her skirt out of the way, planting her foot in the young man’s midsection and sending him rolling down to join his friends. The women swarmed forward and captured the young men, laughing and squealing in their excitement.

Brice looked up as he heard the commotion from the field. He and Jacobs climbed the rise and watched as what looked to be every woman from both camps swarm onto the field. Brice couldn’t contain his laughter.

“Looks like a little afternoon entertainment.”

“What do you mean?” Jacobs inquired.

Brice angled a smile at Jacobs before looking back to the field. “Any man caught watching is their prisoner. But they haven’t caught anyone in years.”

“Want to take a wild guess as to who might be responsible for that little change?” Jacobs asked with dry humor. Brice slid Jacobs a look, laughing low in his throat.

“Not much gets past her.”

“Nope,” Jacobs agreed.

The women formed two long lines that stretched down the field. A number of them had their
prisoners
held at the top of the line. Grace watched in amusement as young and old, every single woman at the event came running. They were holding brooms and riding crops and carpet beaters.

Jacobs couldn’t stop laughing as the three offenders were sent down the center of the women. The women delighted in swinging their brooms and other weapons. The men hastened to get to the other end of the line, but as soon as the last man reached it, the women broke ranks to chase them down the hill.

“That’s just plain harsh.”

“Makes me glad I never got caught,” Brice informed him.

The two men slowly made their way onto the field. The women were busy celebrating and Beth and Grace were at the center of it.

Grace started to make her way out of the crowd. The women’s enthusiasm had been very amusing to watch. If she ever got out to another of these events she was going to catch a few more of those young men just for the entertainment value.

Little girls frisked about playing tag, using the women’s skirts to hide behind. Grace found it charming as one of the children grabbed her legs and hid among her skirts. Grace stood still, waiting for the child to move on.

“London Bridge!” the child demanded.

Grace had no idea what the girl was referring to. Beth knew and raised her arms out in front of her body. Following her example, they grasped hands forming a
bridge
for the child to go under. A parade of others followed and Grace found herself in the center of the game. The little girls chanted while running around Beth and Grace for a short time. Their attention was soon caught by something else and their song continued as they paraded away.

A last child with dark hair ran under the bridge but stopped and dove under Grace’s skirts. Her small hands grasped Grace’s legs. Grace’s body stiffened as visions exploded in her mind. The electric shock was powerful, and Grace strove to bring it into focus. Beth felt it through their joined hands. It was so painful for her that it tossed her body back several paces before she landed on her backside in the dirt.

Dropping to her knees in front of the little girl, Grace firmly attempted to bring their contact into focus. She was the second child. The dark-haired little girl sat in front of Grace smiling at the attention she was receiving. Grace forced a smile onto her face to keep the little girl from becoming alarmed. Every detail was correct. Grace had felt the child while holding that blanket and there was no doubt that this was indeed she.

She was dressed in a baggy calico blue dress. There was a small apron tied around her waist. A small blanket was tucked through the waistband of the apron. Grace reached out and gently touched it. It was a homemade one as well, but none of the stiches were pulled loose yet.

“Is that your new blanket?”

The child nodded and pulled the corner of it up, rubbing her face into the fabric. “Mommy made it for me ’cause my other one got lost at the store.”

She grabbed Grace around the neck and pressed a wet kiss onto her cheek before running off to find the other girls. Grace pushed herself to her feet and began to walk. She didn’t spare a thought for anyone else because she would lose the link she had gained from the child’s touch. Grace wanted to explore that link, but she had to get off the field first. The vision was demanding her complete attention and she fought to keep it at bay long enough to get to her tent. Grace made it by sure force of will. One step inside the canvas walls, she fell to her knees and allowed the void to surround her.

Jacobs scooped Beth off the ground. He was torn between the need to follow Grace and watch Beth.

“Stay with her. I’ve got Grace.”

Beth shivered and her ankles wobbled. Jacobs looked over her head at Brice. “All right. But let me know if she moves.”

If it had been anyone else, he would have turned Beth over to one of the people nearby. He just couldn’t do it with Beth. It wasn’t very often that someone got pulled into a link unless Grace was focused on them. But the few times it had happened, he’d had seen this very same thing. He had even felt it once. It hurt like hell. Beth was trying to draw breath into her lungs. Her body was lax from lack of oxygen.

“Loosen her corset,” someone commanded him.

He supported Beth with one arm and pulled her blouse apart with the other. Fortunately, her corset had front hooks and he pulled at them until they sprang apart. He spared a brief look for the sweet flesh that was exposed before pulling her blouse to cover her again. She succeeded in filling her lungs and her blue eyes popped open as she gripped his arms. Her chest rose and fell in a frantic pace as she tried to regain her equilibrium.

Beth slowly regained her bearings. “What happened?”

He slowly gave her a lopsided grin. “Too much heat.”

“Oh…I’m better now.”

He looped an arm under her legs and carried her off on those long legs of his.

Jacobs didn’t stop until he stood in front of his tent. He had intended to put Beth there, but Brice was standing in front of the tent and inclined his head to indicate that Grace was inside. Jacobs stood for a moment undecided as to his next course of action.

“Put me down.”

Jacobs disregarded that demand completely. Beth looked fine right at the moment but he knew from experience that she could get cold very quickly. The strain that one of Grace’s visions put on a person’s body was amazing. He had no intention of letting her out of his sight. Brice settled the dilemma by striding over to his own tent and returning with a folding canvas chair. He placed it in the shade and Jacobs sat Beth into it. She immediately began to rise, but Jacobs set her back down with one large hand placed firmly on the center of her chest.

“Stay right there.”

“I will not,” she shot back tartly.

Rising to her feet, Beth tilted her head back in stubborn defiance. But it took only a moment before she was trying to keep her balance and remain conscience.

“Sit down, honey.”

Beth really had no choice. Her body collapsed back into the chair as she fought to keep her eyes open.

The sun was setting with a brilliant show of crimson and gold. For once, Grace stood completely oblivious to the natural splendor that surrounded her.

She had been expected.

Paige Heeley was nothing but bait set neatly in a trap that Grace had walked straight into. Some of the pieces were fitting together. Others were still mismatched. Where did the second child fit in? That blanket had been placed in that cabin for Grace to find, but the child had never been there at all. Could the entire reason have been to keep her interested in staying in Benton County?

So why did someone put a hole in her last month? Another way to keep her in Benton?

Was that what she had felt from Brice’s porch?

Whoever it was, they had a personal hatred for her. A rage that was strong enough for her to detect even after the person expressing it was gone. It was a side effect of being focused, she often responded without thinking. One she went to great lengths to control. Whoever was here, they absolutely hated her.

She stopped in her tracks. There was too much evidence here but not enough facts. Now she had her second child, yet there had been no kidnapping. The blanket had been planted for her. There was no other logical conclusion. Once Jacobs considered those facts, they would be leaving.

She would have to agree with him too.

The certainty of that separation was as clear as dawn. Grace looked at the night sky. The last hours of her time in Benton County were ticking away. Once Turvel got wind of this, she doubted she’d see a civilian case in the next decade.

Reality was closing around her like a cage. Grace could almost see the steel bars in front of her eyes. Swinging around, she looked across the field to where Brice stood. Jacobs was nowhere in sight, but it was plain that the sheriff was on duty.

Watching her. Just like there was always someone watching her. But tonight it was Brice. Not some impersonal soldier who would complete his duty round before gratefully turning the chore over to another. Brice was here because he was waiting for her.

The very idea of him stepping into the routine of her life angered her. She liked Brice’s disruptions far better. Because he was right. Too many people told her what to do, what to feel, what to be. Always telling her to suppress her feelings. Contain her yearnings. Perform to their specifications.

And for what? She earned nothing for her sacrifice.

Well, not tonight.
The breeze carried his scent and she filled her lungs with it. He smelled like a man. Strong, determined and very aggressive, it set her blood speeding through her veins.

Tonight, she was going to do what she pleased.

Grace was coming to him. Brice could actually feel it. The clear purpose communicated itself through her walk. His shoulders tightened as victory surged along his skin. Having her in his bed had been intense. Watching her come to him was staggering. She was already lifting her hand toward him as she got close enough to touch.

“I’m tired of everyone telling me what to do.”

“Good.” Brice reached out and captured her hand.

His grip was solid steel. He locked his fingers around hers as he turned and pulled her after him. She scurried to keep up, the ruffle of her petticoat flipping away from her ankles in the effort. He doubled his pace and she scrambled to keep up. Her foot landed on one of the many layers of her skirt and she tripped.

Brice almost didn’t turn around. The sharp tug on their joined hands had too much possibility of being the evidence of a change of mind. Instead of a look of confusion, all Brice caught was the top of her head as she used her free hand to yank a handful of her skirt away from her feet. Brice dropped her hand and scooped her off her feet.

Her body settled against his chest and she sighed. There was just something so very complete about being in contact with his body. Brice shouldered his way into his tent. His mouth collided with hers in the same instant. Hunger drove him as he let her legs slide down while his hands settled in firm possession on her hips.

The layers of historical garments were almost endless. Her skin screamed for freedom from their confining hold. Brice pulled and tugged until the dress lay in a tangled heap around her knees. Pulling her off her feet again, he lifted her away from the mess. But the wool of his jacket frustrated her. Grace set to work on the unwanted garment.

The ropes that held his mattress in its frame creaked as he rolled onto his bed. Pulling Grace along with him, Brice groaned in sheer pleasure. Their bodies merged in complete freedom. Grace slid her hands into the mat of hair that covered his chest even as she lifted her mouth for another taste of his.

But there was something she needed to do first.

“Wait,” she instructed him.

“Grace, don’t you dare change your mind.” His tone was dangerous.

Grace laid her hand across his firm mouth. “I finally made up my mind about making sure I enjoy my life. You were right, but you forgot something you promised me at the hospital.”

He propped an elbow beneath him while his body made a barrier between her and the tent door. His hand formed a claw as it pulled at the sheet. The raw force released on his face caused her belly to tighten. The curl of passion quickly rose upward, inflaming every inch of her flesh.