Guardian of the Night

Lowell glanced up from the oven. “Ten more minutes and you’ll find out.” He closed the door and laid the oven mitt aside. “It’s my own secret recipe.”

Blue smiled at the note of camaraderie in his tone. “Can’t wait.” She took in the kitchen in one sweep. Modern, but not so much that it took away from the house’s overall feel of a bygone era. “I think I’ll take a walk and get my bearings,” she announced, feeling restless and with a definite need to see the sun one last time before it disappeared for the day, leaving her to this gloom.

He nodded absently. “Don’t be long.”

Blue was careful to lock the front door behind her just as Lowell had instructed. Taking her time, she surveyed the grounds around the front of the house. The spirit bottles jangled as the breeze kicked up, drawing her attention or maybe warning her of some impending doom. She grinned and wondered if Lowell had done that, or maybe Mr. Drake under the cover of darkness just to spook the locals. But surely neither of them would be the superstitious type.

As she strolled around the house she was caught off guard again by the dark, foreboding forest that closed in on the yard from both sides. Trees, centuries old and laden with moss, towered over the thick brambles and undergrowth that cloaked all else. The distant rustle of leaves startled her, sent her backing up several steps. She executed a quick right face and marched to the backyard.

Pete’s sake, she was too old for this kind of childish behavior.

The moment she rounded the corner at the back of the house, her breath caught. The beach flowed right up to the grass, less than twenty yards from the house. The blue surf foamed white, roared and then died on the sand, dragging back only to start the whole process over again. All but a sliver of the sun had melted into the horizon, leaving vivid streaks of gold and orange to color the otherwise royal-blue sky. She closed her eyes and inhaled the salty air.

She wished she was barefoot as she walked through the sand, but she was on the job. She looked back at the house. God, it was beautiful. A wide screened porch had been added for enjoying the view of the Atlantic. A widow’s walk loomed high overhead. She wondered if anxious wives had used it as a lookout for their husbands returning from the sea. Or maybe the pirates and smugglers had benefited from the perfect vantage.

Blue was certain she’d never seen any place more beautiful.

Despite the darkness that lay within those walls, she couldn’t call this place unappealing. It was no wonder Mr. Drake had chosen this island, this house as his refuge.

She turned to look out over the ocean once more, chafing her arms to chase away the tremble that accompanied the knowledge that the sun was now completely gone.

She stalled mid-turn.

A thread of tension tightened inside her.

Someone was watching her.

Chapter Three

Blue stared up at the third-story tower room as the tension erupted into a shiver that raced across her skin. She braced herself against the sensation, but it didn’t help.

Someone was watching her.

Was it him?

Drake?

The last rays of the sun sank beneath the horizon, slinking away with the waning light and leaving nothing but the gray of desolate dusk as she stood on the beach and peered up at the house through the thickening gloom.

“I’m not so easy to spook, Drake,” she muttered. “So don’t be thinking you can be rid of me so simply.” Lowell had warned her that Drake didn’t want her here.

She would change his mind. Surely common sense would prevail. If the man’s life was in danger, he needed protection. His enemy could strike at any moment.

A crack ruptured the silence.

Blue recognized it instantly.

Gunshot. High-powered rifle.

The sand kicked up where the next round pierced it. She dove for cover. There was none.

Simultaneously unholstering her weapon and scrambling toward the edge of the forest, Blue kept her head low as yet another shot rang out and plowed into the ground less than three feet away.

A hunter, she considered.

Not open season if things on the island were consistent with those on the mainland.

The shots hadn’t come from the direction of the house. Not likely from Drake. At least she hoped liked hell it wasn’t him. Then again, he could be over the edge.

As soon as she’d reached the fringes of the forest, she stilled, listening for telltale sounds of the approaching shooter.

Silence.

Long minutes passed as she moved deeper into the concealing shadows of the forest, her ears ever alert for sound, her gaze moving constantly in search of movement. There was no time to think, only to act.

She needed to work her way around to the front of the house and then use the overgrown shrubs for cover to cross the lawn. Getting inside and checking on Drake was top priority.

He could be in danger.

This little game of carnival shooting gallery could be nothing more than a distraction to keep her occupied while the real trouble went down inside.

Lowell kept the house locked. That was good. But it wouldn’t stop an assassin intent on accomplishing his mission.

She kept moving, adrenaline urging her forward. The undergrowth was thick…the brambles unforgiving. She pushed through the brush, trying not to think about what might be hiding within its concealing depths.

As the threat appeared to lessen, she slowly became aware of her surroundings. Complete darkness had closed in around her.

Her heart thundered in reaction, sending the sting of panic rushing through her torso…her limbs. Her hands shook. Sweat dampened her skin. She had to keep going.

…I wouldn’t want to be out in these woods at night. The memory of the very words she’d thought only a couple of hours ago slammed into her head.

And here you are, another little voice taunted.

Blue muttered a curse. She reached beneath her button-up shirt and shook the light stick hanging on her chain. The black color of her shirt kept the glow hidden, but it was there and that’s all that mattered. She could make the dark go away if only a little. Instantly her heart rate dropped to a more normal pace.

Moving cautiously, she was almost to the front of the house. No more shots had been fired and she hadn’t sensed any signs of a tail. Maybe it was some local goofing off with target practice. If that was the case someone needed to instruct him on weapon safety. Those shots had been all too close for comfort. On second thought, Blue decided the guy needed his butt kicked L.A. style.

A twig snapped maybe ten yards behind her.

She stopped. Held her breath. Listened intently. And squinted into the consuming darkness without moving a muscle. There was something…

A whisper of foliage against fabric or maybe skin tingled her auditory senses.

He was closer…almost on top of her.

She darted to her right, then ran like hell, hoping to God she wouldn’t crash into a tree.

The light from the full moon pierced the thick overhead canopy from time to time, just enough to give her some sense of place and direction. A silent mantra trembled on her lips over and over keeping her focused. I’m not afraid of the dark. I’m not afraid of the dark. She had her gun and her light. They were all she needed.