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28
“Just as well, as you were going to use it to leave me!” Fallon’s eyes glowed gold.
“Ah…you said there was a second reason?” Jayems said, interrupting a doozy of a brewing quarrel.
A little abashed, she looked at him. “I haven’t tested it yet.”
“Ah.” He set the Bell carefully on his desk.
Fallon picked it up and looked at it. “So this is what I spent so much frustration trying to figure out.”
Rain shrugged. “If it makes you feel better, it frustrated Azion for year
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Golden Bell 29
She’d hurt him tonight; wanted to hurt him. Part of her was angry with him for making her come here, for railroading her into a relationship she wasn’t ready for. They were both going to cross some rough roads to get to a place where this marriage he’d started could work. He’d taken advantage of her, but she was to blame, too.She hated admitting that, but she was nothing if not fair. Now, they were stuck. She was stuck, because she’d willingly given up her ticket off this planet. For what? To soothe Fallon’s fear. Why had she done that?Maybe it was because she understood fear. He had been kind to her. Maybe the only thing he felt for her was desire, but he’d been generous about sharing that, too. He didn’t make her feel
Golden Bell 30
The park was too crowded, though by no means full. She felt exposed as curious eyes tracked her progress. It was as she entered the orchard and achieved the seclusion she’d hoped for that she began to worry. Something wasn’t right. Shouldn’t her bodyguards have said something by now, questioned her choice of wandering in the woods? She expected someone to appear, ready to chew her out.A familiar pain gripped her as the change came over her, lengthening her nails, sharpening her teeth and her senses. This time she rode it out, using her nose to test the wind before the change dulled it, blessing the ears that picked up sound unavailable to mere human ears. She stood still, looking, scenting as shiny red fruit swayed gently in the breeze. Something…
Golden Bell 31
“My lord, later,” one of the medics snapped at him. “Let’s make sure she lives first.”“I’ll live,” Rain muttered, but it was clear she wasn’t fully sensible.They wouldn’t let him inside the operating room, so Fallon paced. Keilor joined him, keeping silent vigil as they waited for news.“Maybe a flashback?” Fallon offered, when over half an hour had crawled by. “She has panic attacks around Haunt.”While Keilor had not yet met Rain, he’d listened just that morning as Fallon had spilled his guts about his wife. “Maybe.”
Golden Bell 32
Rain opened her eyes and found that she was alone. Lovely. She’d had unpleasant dreams and would have welcomed a distraction, even if it were Fallon’s scowling face. Not that she could blame him. She felt a creeping embarrassment that she’d thrown herself over a four-story waterfall without a good reason. She shifted and winced. She must have hit every rock in that blasted river.The current had been fast, and she was amazed that she’d survived. There had been a couple of times she’d been sucked under and nearly drowned. Maybe somebody upstairs was watching out for her, because there was no way she should have made it out of that river.If a higher power had saved her though, she couldn’t fathom why. Fallon was mad at her, for one. Y
Golden Bell 33
Kial did as Fallon directed. The change itself wasn’t dramatic, just a simple melting of form, accomplished in seconds. Underneath all that fur, Kial was an unassuming brunette of average height and looks. His expression was a little hesitant as he addressed her. “Good morning, my lady.”She stared at him without blinking, wary as a kitten suddenly dropped into a box of pit bull puppies. Her abused muscles were screaming at her to relax, but her mind wasn’t listening. She’d run hurt before.Fallon gestured for Kial to sit. “So tell me, are you still thinking about getting your red sash? You’re more than eligible.”“I don’t know if I wan
Golden Bell 34
Relieved to have the whole business over, Rain nodded and started hobbling back toward home, going the long way around. She didn’t feel like trying to scramble over the wall again.The kids followed her.“Whatcha doing?” Bracelet kid asked.“Going home. You should, too. What’s your name, anyway?”“I’m Malix.” He grinned at her, showing off his missing tooth. He nudged the unknown boy, another red head. “This is Twix. He’s Carri’s older brother.”Rain grinned. Twix, was it
Golden Bell 35
He kissed the top of her foot. “His brother gave their parents the parts list. He can’t wait to make his own…Guess rifle, was it?”“Gauss. Wait. You mean DJ and Malix are brothers?”“Yes, twins. His dad’s proud of him for not hitting a girl, but he promised to give him pointers about making her stop without hurting her. He also told him to stop teasing girls.”She smiled at that. “Who’s his father?”“My cousin, Keilor.” He snuggled up behind her on the wide wooden lawn chair. It was a tight fit, but not claustrophobic. With his hand low o
Golden Bell 36
Rain closed her eyes against the flash. When she opened them, all that remained of him was a pile of rust colored dust. Her hand clenched on the Bell, closing the connection.Her room was neat and empty. There was no way to trace Azion’s death to her.She felt a little sick. She’d let the man reach out to his own destiny, but knowing he was dead wasn’t the sweet relief she’d hoped for. Abruptly, she got up and left the room.***Fallon was in Jayems’s study, examining a printout of Azion’s rooms. He’
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