Jade didn’t say anything, she just pulled his mouth to hers again. This time she took over the kiss. She was a fast learner. Kissing him gave her a pleasure that surprised her. How come she’d never felt this way with anyone else? What was his secret? She pulled away and looked at him, the question in her eyes. He inhaled and was about to speak, but Jade stopped his words with a kiss. She didn’t want to talk. She wanted to feel the length of his hard body against hers. She wanted to feel his flesh against hers, to revel in the wonderful differences in their bodies.
Sam got the message and pulled his sweater off. Jade applied herself to the buttons on the shirt he wore underneath. Her own clothes were dispatched with precision. He smiled, appreciating her tiny undergarments, but taking them off her almost immediately. Undoing his pants he pulled Jade into his lap. She rested a knee on either side of his hips and engulfed him with one sure movement. In this position Jade could look down at him and watch his reaction to her every move, a rather unique vantage point. She pulled his hair and bent his head back. Her lips took his mouth as she used her thigh muscles to rise up and slowly slide down.
He groaned, and his lips fastened on her small breast. For a moment Jade worried that he’d find her lacking in that area, but Sam didn’t seem to mind. The feeling was exquisite. Her breasts were small, but as she’d just found out, they were incredibly sensitive. Sam simply breathed on her nipple, and it puckered. He smiled and looked up at her with excitement shining in his eyes. In one sure and very smooth manipulation he slid her body under his and drove them both to the edge of insanity. They liked it there.
* * * *
Early the next morning she woke when she felt the delicious caress of his fingertips. He could play her body like a musical instrument, and she loved the song he wrote. She cried out twice before he was done. Utterly spent, she sighed deeply. He spooned her tiny body from behind. Jade’s last conscious thought before falling asleep was how perfectly they fit together. With his lips against her ear he said, “Shhh.”
* * * *
She heard singing. Sam was making breakfast. The divine smell of pancakes cooking wafted into her bedroom. It amused her that he sang in the morning. He could definitely carry a tune. Was there anything he didn’t do well?
She put her hand in the dent his head had left on the pillow next to hers. Bringing the pillow up to her face she breathed his lingering scent. Oh so much better than evergreens. Arching her back, she stretched like a cat. Reaching the limit her body could take, she stood up. She walked to her closet and pulled out one of her favorite robes. This wasn’t the run of the mill house coat. It was made of silk and floated around her tiny body like green mist. The color matched her eyes. She flushed when she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror. My God, was that her? That confident woman with the sex mussed hair, could that be Jade Adams?
In the kitchen, Sam’s face lit up when he caught sight of her. “How many more of those things do you have, because I’m not sure I can take it.”
She giggled and shrugged. “It’s a weakness of mine.”
“Honey, the weakness is all mine.” He slid her a predatory glance.
She giggled again, opening the refrigerator door, she poured two glasses of orange juice and handed one to him. Surprisingly in sync they finished preparing breakfast together.
They were almost finished eating when Sam’s cell phone rang. He looked at the call display. “It’s Travis, maybe they found something out at Maynard’s.”
Jade watched as Sam’s face turned grey. She braced herself for what he would have to tell her after he’d finished his conversation with Travis.
He said goodbye and hung up.
“There’s been another attack, Jinx.” He took her hand.
Flatly, she said, “It was supposed to be me.”
* * * *
“She’s alive but just barely.” Travis told them when they arrived at the scene. It was about two miles from Maynard’s. The team that Travis had searching the area for evidence of what Jade had described, found the woman and immediately called an ambulance.
Travis said, “It looks like she’d got out of her car for some reason and was taken then. At least that’s what the tracks indicate. The car is owned by Kristen Sage. The driver’s license picture looks a little like the victim.” He shook his head sadly. “It’s kind of hard to tell. She was pretty torn up.”
Sam nodded to an area about fifty yards away. Three deputies were gathered around something. “What did you find over there?”
“It looks like the creature was interrupted. There are deer tracks and a trail of blood. I guess it’s willing to attack an animal if it interferes with its kill.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Sam, I’d like you to take a look and see what you think. The county medical examiner is just over there, but can you take samples too? He’s an outsider, he may not be willing to accept his findings if there’s anything out of the usual.” Sam inclined his head and walked toward the deputies.
Alone with Travis, Jade watched as his breath turned to a mist in the cold air.
She said, “You think a deer interrupted the attack?”
“Yeah. It probably saved her life and may have lost its own in the process. There’s a lot of blood over there.” He shook his head sadly and wiped a hand across the stubble on his chin.
“A deer so close to an attack like this? That’s unusual, don’t you think?”
Travis looked away from her. “Everything about this case is unusual, Jade.”
After leaving the crime scene, Jade drove to McCann House. Chase knew nothing of what had happened to her last night. Nor did he know about this new attack. She wasn’t looking forward to telling him.
He wasn’t home. Reggie told her he was meeting with Jackie Blake, his literary agent.
Reggie rolled her eyes. “She’s gorgeous, but I can’t hate her. I’m too happy to hate anybody right now.” She sobered when Jade didn’t respond. Narrowing her eyes she said, “Tell me.”
Jade related what had occurred in the last twelve hours.
Reggie was horrified. “Oh my God, that poor woman. Are you okay? Did you see the thing?”
Jade shook her head. “I’m fine. Someone else took my place as prey. I saw nothing, but I knew it was out there. It was so quiet, so still. The wild animals of the forest were silent. It was like a warning to me. That told me something was wrong. I could hear the thing coming after me, and I ran as fast as I could. Had I not hollered and drawn attention to myself I don’t think I’d be sitting here right now.” Jade leaned back on the couch. “It was willing to attack me close to Maynards, but it didn’t want to be seen by a crowd of people and backed off. I guess we may not be safe in pairs, but groups are okay.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“Thank God you thought to make a ruckus. I can’t bear to think what would have happened if you hadn’t.”
“That’s no mystery, just visit Kristen Sage in the hospital. She’s barely alive and badly torn up.” Jade spoke flatly. She sat in Reggie’s living room, in front of the fireplace. Even in the daylight, the Christmas tree gleamed brightly. There was Christmas music playing in the background and distractedly Jade said, “Ottis Redding’s “Merry Christmas, Baby”. This is one of my favorites.” She moved to the music.
“I think Chase just wanted to get away from me and my singing.” Reggie laughed tentatively, trying to distract her friend. “This time of year is particularly conducive to breaking into song. Since you have to stay until Chase comes home, I’ll refrain while you’re here.”
“I appreciate the thought.” Jade smiled at her sister-in-law. “But don’t hold back on my account. I just might join you. I need the distraction.”
Reggie’s singing voice really was a train wreck. She butchered every song she sang. On the high note in “O Holy Night”, Jade feared the windows would break. But she joined Reggie with enthusiasm. They sung without restraint, and Jade felt a little better.
Chase said, “You kept your head…so to speak…”
Reggie punched him in the arm. “That was so lame even I don’t know what to say.”
Chase had the good grace to look sheepish. “Sorry, Jade.”
Jade just laughed and shook her head. The singing had helped to cheer her.
He said, “So that thing is afraid of crowds is it? I guess it’s not invulnerable after all. But it looks like it might have it in for you, Jade. Ernestine suggested as much.”
“What did
I
do?”
“You’re different from the rest of us. You can talk to animals. That makes me think they may hold the key to finding this thing.”
Jade shrugged. “Makes sense. But it means I have to figure out what they know and soon. Where do I start?” She frowned. “We are trying to capture this thing, right? We’re not at the stage where it’s wanted dead or alive?”
It was Chase’s turn to shrug. “I gotta tell you, Jade, if a bullet in the brain is the only thing that will stop it, I’ll gladly pull the trigger.”
Wincing, Jade disagreed. “I think you’re wrong. We know nothing of this creature. We can’t kill it just because we don’t understand it. Have we humans learned nothing from past mistakes?”
“Yeah, but you’d be safe.” It sounded like he liked that idea very much.
“I appreciate the concern, believe me. If I’d had a gun last night I may have used it. I was scared enough. But I don’t think we should mount a posse and kill the thing on sight.”
“We can’t take any chances, Jade. It’s tearing people apart. I think we err on the side of caution. That has to be the policy on this one, and I think Travis and Sam would agree.”
Jade turned to Reggie. “What do you think?”
“Sorry, Jade, but I’m with my husband. It would be one thing if the creature responsible was one of Mother Nature’s creations, but it’s not. You’ve said it yourself. This thing is wrong.” Reggie looked at Jade with regret.
Chase said, “Ernestine would agree with us I’m sure.”
“Has she been able to shed any light on any of this? Has anyone?” Jade was beginning to feel defeated.
“Well, so far we have a vague description of the thing. We know it can run faster than any creature known to man using two or four legs. It drinks its victim’s blood and eats their flesh. It hunts only humans and kills quickly and efficiently.” Chase summed it up.
Reggie took up where he left off. “It’s highly intelligent, stalks its victims and isn’t finished yet. Since Ernestine thinks you hold the key to the thing, Jade, maybe the animals know more than they’re telling you.”
Chase said, “Maybe Sam’s inside guy at Daniels Pharmaceuticals has something we can use. He’s been given enough financial incentive.”
Reggie shook her head. “That’s a long shot, and we’re running out of time. Gillian’s having trouble sleeping. The tension in this town is getting to her.”
Jade asked, “How’s Allan Simpson’s family doing?”
Chase shook his head. “It’s been so hard for them. Ernestine is there every day. Allan didn’t want a funeral, but I think Iris needed some closure. Sometimes the funeral is for the ones left behind and not the deceased.” Jade could understand. She’d faced the very same dilemma not long ago. She’d decided not to have a service for her father, but there was no one left behind who would have grieved at his passing. Allan Simpson was a different story all together.
“What about the two girls attacked, Delia Brady and Julie Hanson? Will their families hold funerals here?” Jade asked.
Chase said, “They’re not from this county. Apparently, the women were in town Christmas shopping on Main Street and stopped for a drink at Kally’s. That decision cost them their lives.” He shook his head sadly. “Ernestine has made contact with their families and offered her support and so has Gillian.”
Jade nodded. “Of course being outsiders they wouldn’t understand the kind of comfort Ernestine and Gillian can provide. To them, it would be like talking to complete strangers, but it would help them to talk to two Guardians. Let’s hope they do.”
Reggie said, “We’re all going to the funerals. Maybe we can help the families that way.”
Jade hated feeling so impotent. “I doubt there’s anything that will help.” She sighed and a thought struck her as she spied Pita on the back of Chase’s chair.
“Pita might be able to help. Do you mind if I have a little chat with him?”
Chase looked behind him at the huge cat. “Be our guest. We’ll leave you alone.” He started to stand up, but Jade put out her hand to stop him.
“No, don’t leave. Chase, this cat has bonded to you. It’s you he wants to communicate with. Maybe he’ll be more forthcoming if you’re right here with me and I act as translator.”
Reggie smiled. “Why don’t I just go call the United Nations? There’s a new translator in town.” She stood up.
Jade said, “You don’t have to leave.”
“That’s okay. I’m hungry anyway. You do your stuff.” She left the room and headed for the kitchen
Pita understood what they wanted to do and jumped from the back of Chase’s chair and on to the couch. Jade sat next to him and looked into his green eyes. Fleetingly, it occurred to her that they were almost the same color as hers were. He really was part of the family.