Tori Page 5

  She parked her hands on her hips and stared at him, one finger tapping away, as if matching the tempo of her thoughts.

  He kicked the ground and looked around. They were alone; everyone else had been all-too-happy to escape. Even his brother had left them alone. Then again, maybe that wasn’t so surprising. His brother hadn’t been a huge supporter of his engagement to Tori, but he’d been outspoken since it had broken off. Telling him to wait. Tori would be back. She’d realize what she’d missed out on soon enough.

  Only, Tori didn’t get the message.

  Or if she did, she didn’t seem to give a damn. And he’d realized belatedly how vast a mistake he’d made.

  Karl had even changed his tune. Telling him to go after her before it was too late. But it was too late. He’d left it too long, and any excuse he could come up with sounded lame.

  Then this had happened, and he’d jumped at the chance.

  And he’d been heavy handed about it.

  He hadn’t been able to find his rhythm with her since meeting her again. Before, they’d always finished each other’s sentences, thinking the same thing at the same time. Always. What they’d had together had been special. Incredibly special.

  Until he’d lost it all. He’d been a fool.

  “What are you thinking?”

  Tori tapped him on the shoulder. Damn. He’d totally zoned out on her.

  He shrugged her hand away. “Nothing.” He motioned to the remaining vehicle. “Can I drive you somewhere?”

  She raised her eyebrow, shouldered her bag, and shook her head. “No. I’ll get myself home.”

  Walking away was the hardest thing he’d ever done. He knew she could look after herself, but he’d brought her here against her will, locked her in a room overnight, and dragged her out into the dead zone of the woods.

  He stopped in his tracks. He couldn’t leave her here alone.

  “I know you want to get rid of me, but I won’t leave you here alone.”

  Those deep mysterious eyes of hers stared at him. Into him. At the person he was deep inside. Searching, asking, and then as she relaxed, finding the answer she needed.

  “Fine. You can drop me off downtown.”

  He raised one brow, but said, “Let’s go.”

  Silently, hesitatingly, she opened the door and slid in.

  “Anywhere in particular downtown?”

  She gave him a quick glance. “At the coffee shop. If it’s still there.”

  Memories hit him. Hard. Long evenings talking over special coffees in take-out cups, sitting up on the rooftop garden overlooking the city. They might have had some arguments, but coffee had always been their meeting ground, and the coffee shop had been their meeting place.

  Ten minutes later, he pulled up outside the long, outdoor seating area of the local coffee shop and parked.

  She opened the door, then seemed to hesitate.

  He leaned forward, hoping.

  With a bright smile, she said, “Thanks.”

  And she got out, shutting the door and walking away. Again.

  Chapter 9

  She forced herself to stare straight ahead, keeping one foot going in front of the other instead of turning to look back at him. What she really wanted was to turn around, get back into that vehicle, and ask him why he hadn’t come after her a year ago.

  Everyone knew the two of them were perfect together.

  And if everyone was correct, how did he not know?

  Behind her, she heard the vehicle drive away, taking her dreams along with it. Inside, she stopped and looked around.

  And smiled, recognizing the feeling.

  This felt like home.

  “Tori?” There was a rush of footsteps followed by a loud cry of joy. “It is you!”

  And she was engulfed.

  “Ah, Vienna—”

  Vienna sniffled. “Oh my, I was so afraid I’d never see you again.”

  “I’m here. Honest.” But it was hard to talk when her face was buried in Vienna’s wealth of black ringlets. Both the same age, the two women had been friends since forever. While she’d been wooed by Devon, Vienna had been wooed by his brother, Karl.

  When she’d bolted, there’d still been stars in Vienna’s eyes.

  The Chancellor family were the family in town, and no one married into the family without Grandfather’s permission.

  She pulled back and studied her best friend, who beamed back. Vienna had always been the local beauty; Tori hadn’t had a chance beside her. But Vienna was as nice inside as she was beautiful outside, and so they’d been best friends in spite of it all.

  “When did you get back?” Vienna asked, bubbling over with enthusiasm. She wrapped her arm around Tori’s shoulder. “Come and sit down. I’ll get you a coffee.”

  Quickly, Tori was seated in the back corner of the shop, and a huge cup of hot, frothy liquid was placed in front of her. She settled back and sighed happily. It was good to be back.

  “Now tell me.” Vienna arrived with her own cup. “Robbi is letting me take my break now. It’s not busy anyway.” Vienna pinned her with a look. “What is going on?”

  Tori smiled and played with the handle of her coffee cup. “It’s a little hard to explain.”

  “It always is.”

  “First, let me ask you a question—are you still going out with Karl?”

  A shadow whispered through her friend’s face. Her lips quirked but she shook her head. “No. We broke up after you left town.”

  “Ah, jeez. I’m sorry, Vienna. You two were good together.”

  “As good as you and Devon, huh?”

  There was not much she could say to that.

  “Let’s get back to you, and the really important question—are you staying?”

  “I came back to help out with the far corner of the forest.”

  Vienna gasped. “Oh my. That was such a terrible nightmare. Everyone is talking about it. But I didn’t realize that was you everyone was talking about.”

  “Yeah, there will be lots of talk for a while.” She winced. Like she wanted to be at the center of more gossip.

  Vienna laughed. “I think it was more about Grandfather bringing you back in to deal with it. The news spread all over town within minutes of the group being rescued.”

  “Figures. I’m going to contact my sisters, but…” Tori leaned forward. “Can I crash at your place, if I need to?”

  She needed to contact her sister, Genesis, but her sister’s apartment was too small for the two of them. There was only room for half a person on a good day. As for her younger sister, Celeste, she had no idea what was happening. Tori herself had been trying to figure out what to do when Devon showed up.

  A beautiful grin rippled across Vienna’s face. “I wouldn’t hear of anything else.”

  The next question was a little harder. “Can I also borrow your car?”

  Vienna’s brows shot up. “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t want to say… if you don’t know, then you can’t get in trouble.”

  Vienna shook her head, her long hair rolling from side to side. “What’s this all about? Are you in trouble?”

  Tori glanced around carefully, but all the other patrons appeared to be busy talking to each other. At least, she hoped they were. “No, I’m not. But I need to check something out, and I need a car to get there.”

  “Then I’m going with you.”

  “And that you can’t do, sorry.” Tori sat back and watched the troubled look settle on her friend’s beautiful features. “I have to do this. I helped fix things today, but it was only a temporary solution. It’s all going to revert back again unless I can figure out what’s going on.”

  “You’re going underground?” gasped Vienna. “Not alone?”

  “I’m limited to those that can come with me.”

  “Take Devon.”

  Tori snorted. “He’s the last person I’m taking.”

  “How about Karl?” Vienna peered over her huge mug, her eyes wor
ried. “You can’t go alone. It’s too dangerous. You know that.”

  Now that she had an answer for. “I won’t be alone.” Her grin widened and she leaned forward. “Jessie is with me.”

  Vienna shifted in her chair, her eyes darting from one side to the other. “Where is he? The last time I saw him, that critter was stealing the cake right off my plate.”

  Tori laughed. “You should have shared in the first place. He loves cake. Especially chocolate cake.” Her friend harrumphed, but she didn’t relax like she had before Jessie’s name came up. “So can I borrow your car, please?”

  After a long, considering look, Vienna said, “As long as you come back. No getting hurt, and no running again.”

  “Not with your car at least.” Tori laughed. “Thanks. I appreciate it.” She stood up.

  “What?” Vienna looked up at her in shock. “You’re going now?”

  With a look outside at the sun high in the sky, Tori said, “The sooner the better. I don’t know how long it will take.”

  “Oh. Okay.” Vienna pulled her keys out of her pocket and put them on the table. She stood and hugged Tori. “Please be careful. I just found you again; I don’t want to lose you so fast.”

  With a reassurance she didn’t feel, Tori hugged her best friend back. “I’ll be careful.”

  *

  After Tori had climbed out of his car, Devon made it down one block before he pulled the big SUV off to the side. “Damn it.”

  His phone rang. He checked the ID. It was Karl. “What?”

  “Where are you?”

  “Sitting in the car downtown. Why?”

  “Grandfather wants to see you. And he wants Tori back here.”

  Devon leaned his head back against the headrest. “I let Tori leave.”

  “What?” Karl’s shocked voice rasped through the phone. “Uh oh. Grandfather isn’t going to like that.”

  “Then he should have said something about it beforehand.”

  “He still wants to see you. Now.”

  “I’ll be there in ten.”

  “Good.” Karl said. “And heads up, find a decent excuse for letting her go.”

  His brother disconnected the call. Devon sat there, deep in thought. He didn’t need a damn excuse. Tori was not a prisoner. They’d treated her like crap, and she’d still helped out. If she wanted her freedom and space from them, who could blame her?

  Grandfather for one.

  Ten minutes later, Devon stood in front of Grandfather and watched silently as the older man paced the office in front of him.

  “You had no right to let her go. We needed to talk to her.”

  “I had no right?” Devon dropped his voice to barely a whisper but hardened it in warning.

  “Don’t you get uppity with me.” Grandfather stepped forward. “You’re the one who kidnapped her.”

  “On your orders.”

  His grandfather snorted. “And if you could do that, why not this?”

  “Because I wanted her back here where she belongs.” He watched Grandfather’s face turn red. “And no, I’m not going to retrieve her for you.”

  Then Grandfather stepped back. “Then I’ll find someone else who can.”

  “She’s not our prisoner.”

  “Says who?” Grandfather walked to his chair behind the huge desk. “Get her back.”

  Not good. Devon studied Grandfather and knew he’d finally hit that crossroad that had been on the horizon for a long time. A crossroad he’d worried about, thought on, and had hated, knowing the day would soon be on him. But now that it was here…he was relieved.

  He studied his grandfather’s angry face for a moment, then shook his head. “No.”

  Then he turned and walked out of the room.

  As he walked across the long hallway and entered the stairwell, he felt lighter and relieved. Finally. He almost made it to the bottom floor alone when he heard someone calling out behind him. “Devon, wait up.”

  His brother. Figured. Devon hadn’t even seen him in the room. Probably standing behind him in Grandfather’s office, behind the door for an easy exit.

  “Devon, stop.” Karl said as he reached Devon’s side.

  “If you want to talk to me, keep up.” Devon pushed open the double door and stepped out into the fresh air. He stopped, tilted his face to the late-afternoon sun, and took a deep breath. It felt so good he took a second one. He could feel Karl’s curious gaze on him, so he chuckled and said, “I should have done that a long time ago.”

  “Maybe.” Karl stared at him cautiously. “But now what?”

  “I’m going to do what I’ve always wanted to do.”

  “Um…you’re kidding, right?”

  “No. Not in the least.”

  His brother stepped in front of him. “Look, don’t do anything rash. Find Tori, ask her to come back and speak with Grandfather, and all will be well.”

  “No. I will find her. But I won’t ask her to speak with him.” With a determined smile, he added, “I’m not sure I’ll speak to him myself.”

  “I know you’re mad. I understand that.”

  “No, I’m not mad. I’m actually relieved.” He slapped his brother on his shoulder. “Not to worry. I’m good. In fact, I’m really good.” He headed back to his vehicle, stopped, and laughed. “I guess I’m walking.” He turned to his brother and tossed the keys to Grandfather’s SUV to him. “I’ll finally get to drive my truck.” He flashed him a big grin. “See you later.”

  Chapter 10

  Tori pulled Vienna’s car onto the highway and headed in the direction of the north end of the forest. She had a forty-minute drive ahead, and the sun was at the very beginning of its descent. It was a stunningly beautiful afternoon.

  If Tori were being honest, she had to admit she’d missed living here. Her whole life history was here. The small house she’d been raised in, her two sisters, the friends she’d had growing up, and her aging grandmother who’d loved her and sacrificed everything to give her a decent life. But more than anything, her grandmother, the last stargazer of her line, had shown her that her abilities were to be honed and used, not shunned as so many others believed.

  She’d thought Devon, with his own developing abilities, had understood. But he hadn’t, not really. Because he hadn’t been able to see Jessie. Jessie was one of the joys and one of the heartaches of her life.

  According to her grandmother, her perfect partner would be able to see Jessie.

  In a cruel twist of fate, Grandfather had seen her spirit pet and Devon hadn’t. Her lips twisted at the irony. Of course, Grandfather, when actually broached about the subject in front of Devon, had denied all of it. And that stuck yet another ‘crazy’ feather in her cap. To cap it off, instead of believing her, Devon had believed Grandfather.

  Such was her life.

  The highway was empty, and in some ways, terribly lonely.

  As though she’d summoned him, Jessie appeared in the seat beside her. “Hey, Jessie. How are you?”

  Jessie chattered in that wonderful, conversational way he had. It was as if he understood. Her granny had said he did, and maybe she was right about that, too.

  Maybe it was Tori’s own limited growth holding her back. If she had one-tenth of the talent her granny had, she’d be happy. Granny had been amazing. But she’d passed on before Tori had finished her training. It had damn near broken her heart.

  But she’d survived, the same way she’d survived so much before. And that thought just led her into a depressing circle back to Devon.

  He’d damn near broken her, too.

  But she’d run and rebuilt her life. Maybe it wasn’t that great a life yet, but it had potential. And that’s all she’d needed: potential. You could do anything once you had that. Her relationship with Devon had potential. Hell, he still had potential. But not with her.

  She needed to head over to Genesis’ place and catch up. She might know what was going on in the forest. But first she’d take a quick look herself.
r />   The parking lot turnoff was up ahead. The sun had dropped behind the mountain, sending eerie lighting across the sky. Beautiful and strange at the same time. She pulled into the lot and drove to the far end.

  She knew where she was going, but some things had changed in the year she’d been gone. There were large construction trailers ahead of her. No lights, no vehicles, and apparently no people.

  Great about the people. Bad about the machinery.

  Jessie sat up and stared, then started to bounce in excitement.

  She smiled. “Yes. We’re almost home.”

  She parked the car beside the trailer and got out. Jessie raced around the grass and trailers, checking out the latest additions to his world. This was his playground. It meant nothing that the people of the city had forgotten his ownership.

  Without him, and her, they couldn’t survive.

  But she’d had no idea that leaving could cause this kind of harm.

  “I’m so sorry, Granny. I didn’t know.”

  A warm wind wound itself down the hillside, twisting through the huge mix of old-growth trees. This forest dated back hundreds of years, an ecosystem all on its own.

  And it was damaged. Her heart ached as she studied the large brown slash in the earth in front of the trailers. What were the men doing here? The bits and pieces that she could see didn’t indicate exactly what they were doing. Or trying to do.

  *

  Devon walked down the main street, picking up his pace the closer he got to the coffee shop. She could still be there. He pushed the door open and searched the room, ignoring all the knowing looks from the other patrons. They’d have lots of new gossip to work on soon, once word spread about him walking out of Grandfather’s office. Still, he’d never felt better.

  There was no sign of her. He frowned and made his way to the back of the restaurant. Vienna stood off to one side, speaking with a customer. Aware of the rising buzz of sound, she turned around to look and caught sight of him. He nodded to the front door. She frowned, realizing he wasn’t going to go away, and walked over to talk with him.

  “What can I do for you?”

  “Where did Tori go?”

  Vienna raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think she was here?”