Bad Moon Rising - Paranormal Romance (10 page)

“You are all hiding something,” she added.

“You could be right.” He gave her a teasing smile.

Mya was infuriated. He’d brazenly admitted that his business with her uncle concerned her, but he was refusing to tell her what that was.

“I hate to intrude on your tantrum,” he said, amusement dancing in his eyes, “but could I maybe get a drink of water?”

Mya was tempted to go inside and slam the door in his face, but it would be inhuman to deny someone water on such a hot day. Besides, he had saved her life on the highway that night; a drink of water wasn’t too much to ask for. She didn’t protest when he followed her inside, though common sense told her she should have. After all, wasn’t David Bray a suspect, as far as she was concerned anyway?

Reaching into her fridge, Mya pulled out a couple of bottles of water and handed them to him.

“Thanks.” David said, before opening one and drinking down half its contents.

Folding her arms in front of her, Mya leaned back against the refrigerator. He should have enough manners to leave now, but it didn’t appear as if he intended to do any such thing.

Now it was beginning to make sense. Donny didn’t want anyone to point fingers at David Bray because they knew each other, and were apparently friends.

“Where were you the night Ben Metzger was killed,” Mya asked. She no longer cared if Donny got upset with her. These were questions that needed to be asked, and no one was willing to ask them.

Cocking his head to one side, David stared at her. The anger that she’d expected to see wasn’t there. Her question seemed to amuse him. “Well now … that was awhile back, but I think I was at home,” he said, taking a couple of steps toward her.

Her heart began to thud painfully and she felt as if she couldn’t breathe. He was so close that she could almost feel the electricity buzzing between them. She couldn’t think.

“Can … can someone verify that?” she asked, her words sounding more like little gasps.

He shook his head slowly. “No,” he whispered. “Can you verify where you were that night?”

“No … but I’m not a suspect.” Mya tried unsuccessfully to move to the side and put some distance between them, but his arm shot up and stopped her. He placed both of his hands against the refrigerator, blocking her between his arms.

“And I am?” His brows shot up.

“As far as I’m concerned you are. Now will you move your arms and let me go?” Mya feared his closeness, but perhaps not for the reasons she should have. If she didn’t put some distance between them soon, she would melt right where she stood.

“What reason do you have to suspect me?” he asked in a low voice, his icy gray eyes cutting right through her.

“You had a motive,” Mya told him, refusing to look away. She was shaking inside, but not from fear. Being so close to him made her feel as if she were losing control.

“Maybe so … but a hundred other people around here also had a motive … including you,” he whispered. His lips were so close to her ear that she could feel his hot breath against her neck. “It didn’t start until you got here … did it?”

Mya’s body began to tremble and at that moment she couldn’t even remember what it was they were talking about, nor did she care. When he covered her mouth with his and she felt his tongue dance with hers, it was as if time stood still. All that existed was his nearness - his touch, and the way he was making her feel. Somewhere deep within her subconscious, she knew there was no turning back now. It was in that moment that he laid claim to her soul.

Mya’s arms went around his neck and she drew him closer until her body was melded into his. She was so lost in her passion for him that he could have done anything to her, and she wouldn’t have questioned it. Being with him was like a drug that was instantly addicting - a little just wasn’t enough. She wanted to be closer to him - so close that they would become like one.

He pulled back suddenly and looked down at her, his eyes still smoldering. “This shouldn’t have happened.” His voice was raw and filled with pent up desire.

Mya opened her mouth to ask why, but he put a finger to her lips. “I’m sorry … this was my fault. I should have recognized what was happening,” he apologized before leaning down to kiss her forehead.

As soon as he released her and stepped back, Mya felt like she were surrounded by an empty - cold void. “What are you talking about?” she asked, though what she really wanted to do was fall into his arms again.

He stopped a few feet from his bike, but still didn’t turn to face her. “Mya … I know you don’t understand now, but you will soon. Then you will be glad that I walked away.”

Mya bit at her bottom lip, not sure if she wanted to cry or scream at him. How dare he stir such feelings within her, and then leave her high and dry?

Mya stepped off the trailer’s stairs, but went no further. “You at least owe me an explanation.”

Finally he turned to look at her. “Mya … if you really knew me … you’d be terrified right now,” he said with a sad smile. “Take my word for it … I’m not really someone that you want to get close to.”

Without another word he got on his bike and drove away. Mya watched him until he disappeared behind some tall juniper bushes. Taking a deep breath, she tried to get a hold of her emotions.

When he’d kissed her, she’d turned to putty in his hands. Never in her life had a kiss made her feel like that, but then again, no other guy had ever intrigued her like David Bray.

He spoke in riddles. There was no mistaking that he’d wanted her in those moments that he held her in his arms, but he was afraid of something. He’d said she was a witch that should be chasing witches.

David Bray was at the heart of the mysterious happenings on the reservation, and whatever was happening to her, but she was no longer sure she wanted to find out how he was involved. Mya desperately wanted the killer to be anyone but him. She suddenly realized that from the moment she began to suspect he was involved, she hadn’t wanted it to be him. That’s why she’d been so intent on confronting him. She’d wanted him to deny any involvement.

* * *

A loud hissing sound erupted as the spray of water hit the hot rocks. Steam rose up from the rocks to fill the lodge with a suffocating vapor. David sat alone in the sweat lodge, oblivious of the heat. Strands of long - wet hair framed his handsome - sensual face. His bare chest heaved as he tried to pull oxygen out of the hot - moist air.

He prayed to the Creator for the strength to overcome his weaknesses. He needed to rid his body of its need for her. Somehow he had to purify his mind so that she was not constantly in his thoughts.

When he’d kissed her, he’d crossed the line and stepped into forbidden territory. He feared there would be no turning back. Now that he’d tasted those lips - she would become an obsession - a deadly obsession.

For months now she’d haunted his dreams – bewitching him until he’d been nearly mad with need. At first he hadn’t known who this dream woman was - not until he’d seen her standing on the corner that day. That was when it dawned on him that he’d seen her before - that she was the one sent to destroy the
Sinapu
and the
Dineh
. She was bait to lure him away from the heart.

He had to keep reminding himself that the attraction between them wasn’t real; they were both witched. Knowing this should have helped, but it didn’t. Every time he saw her, it grew more difficult to control his longing for her.

It would take all his strength to fight the urge to take her over the edge with him. Even now his body shook with the need that Mya had ignited within him. If he were ever forced to choose between her and the fate of the people, how could he be sure he would do the right thing? How could he force himself to kill her, even if it meant saving thousands of lives.

Mya hadn’t a clue of the evil that ran through her veins. She was innocent - a victim as sure as those that were dying. She was the bait they were using to draw him in and convince him to forsake the people.

That was what he had to remember - he had to remember his vow to protect the heart of the people.

She had to leave. It was the only way she would be saved. As long as she left this place and never returned, he would never have to choose.

* * *

Mya spent the rest of the day trying to forget David’s kiss, but she wasn’t very successful. She couldn’t concentrate on anything without seeing his face and hearing his voice. It was almost like being haunted, but this phantom was no ghost. No, he was very physical and very real, and just the memory of his touch sent a tingling sensation through her body.

After spending hours researching skinwalkers on the Internet, she hadn’t really found out anything that she didn’t already know. They were witches that could shape-shift. These witches would take the form of animal and human, and when done with that form, they would shed the skin. Skinwalkers would spread misfortune, and witch people with spells of enchantment. Nowhere had she found any mention of the
Sinapu
. Mya concluded that talking about them must be even more taboo than mentioning the skinwalkers.

The hunger pains gnawing at Mya’s stomach finally got her attention and she realized that she hadn’t eaten a thing all day. Sliding her chair back from the kitchen table that doubled as a makeshift desk, she stood up and stretched to get the kinks out of her muscles. She’d been on the computer far too long; it was time to quit for the night.

Mya thought about her bare fridge and wished she’d taken the time to go shopping over the weekend. She also wished that she were closer to town and could just make a quick run for some fast food.

Donny still wasn’t home yet, which was unusual. Mya’s eyes rested on her phone as she thought about calling him, but at that instant there was a loud thud against the door. Startled, she jumped so high she thought she would come right out of her skin.

Mya eyed the door, unsure if she should answer it. She lived miles from town. The chances that someone had just dropped by for a casual visit were almost nonexistent. But it hadn’t really been a knock - it had been more like a thud.

Before she could decide what to do, she heard it again - this time louder. It sounded like someone had kicked the door.

She remembered Donny’s advice about checking noises outside at night. If you wanted to stay alive - you didn’t.

Mya opened a kitchen drawer and pulled out the largest knife she had. Gripping it tightly in her hand, she stepped over to the door.

“Who’s there?” she called out in a shaky voice.

Mya put her ear to the door and waited, but there was no answer. She’d just turned away when there was another bang against the metal door.

“Who’s there?” she asked again.

Still there was no answer.

Though it went against her better judgment, she opened the door just a crack - ready to slam it shut again at the first sign of trouble. There was nothing. It was too dark to see past the steps so she turned on the porch light. Opening the door a little wider, she stuck her head out, but still she saw nothing.

Everything happened so fast that she didn’t have time to think, only react. There was a loud flutter close by her head. All she saw were the flapping of large wings as it swooped down at her. Screaming, she pulled her head in and slammed the door.

Forcing herself to be calm, Mya went to the small window that looked out onto the porch. Lifting the blinds, she wondered why she hadn’t done this in the first place.

It was still on her porch. At first she couldn’t tell what it was, only that it was a large bird, but then it turned in her direction and she saw its large - luminous eyes. For just a few seconds, she was in too much of a daze to do anything but gape at the animal. The owl stared back at her, and Mya thought she detected something in the bird’s eyes that shouldn’t be there - intelligence - awareness.

Mya began to shake uncontrollably. What she was seeing was finally sinking in. Her stepfather had taught her about the owl a long time ago. When the owl visited you, it was bringing you a message from the spirit world - a message of death. To the Navajo, the owl was an omen that you or someone close to you would soon die.

She slammed the blinds down so fast that there was a loud crash when they slammed against the bottom of the window.