The two men didn’t bother to look at Terey. Instead, they continued what Rici assumed was a staring contest. Or more accurately, a glaring contest.

  “I’m not. This big cow pie is, though.” Rici gritted his teeth and wondered if he could get away with zapping Jim out of existence. But then he wouldn’t have a chance of getting rid of Terey.

  “Watch your mouth before I cram a cow pie in it to shut your pie hole.” Jim bumped Rici’s chest and tilted his head with an expression Rici assumed meant “take that!”

  “Let’s go find them.”

  As they finally broke their “contest” and landed their attention on Terey, Rici knew he’d found an ally. “She’s right. We should go track them down.”

  “So you’re an expert tracker now and not merely a horse talker’s assistant?” The sarcasm dripped from Jim’s voice as he sent Rici a smirk to seal his thinly veiled insult.

  “No, but how hard can it be to find two grown people and horses in a direct line for the Lazy W Ranch?”

  “He has a point, Jim.”

  The three studied each other, waiting for the other to speak. At last it was Jim who took them up on her idea. “Fine. I’ll go. Alone. I don’t need two love-sick puppies along with me.”

  “No way. I’m going to find my sister. Whether you like it or not.”

  “And wherever Rici goes, I go.” Terey wrapped her arms around Rici. Rici and Jim groaned at the same time.

  “Ain’t happening, Terey.”

  “He’s right, Terey. You should stay here.” Away from me. Rici glanced between them and came up with another idea. “Or wait. Maybe we’re wrong. I mean, it’s her brother out there. Maybe she should come along.”

  Terey let out a squeal as Jim tried to thwart Rici’s plan. “What? No. We don’t need her along. Hell, I don’t need you along.”

  This time when Terey hugged her body to his, Rici wrapped his arm around her in a show of support. Terey let out another happy squeal and clung to him harder. “Well, that’s just tough, Jim. Terey and I are coming along whether you like it or not. In fact, I’ll drive.”

  Jim laughed and adopted a wicked grin. “What? The great horse talker’s assistant and brother drive? Not on your life.” His grin died as his sneer grew. “You’re gonna ride. Travis and Charissa took off across land.” He held up one finger. “First, no roads.” He held up a second finger. “Second. The land’s going to be muddy.” He held up a third finger; his middle finger.

  Rici bristled at the third finger. I’d like to take that third finger and shove it up his ass.

  “Third. Horses travel in mud better than trucks. Especially where there’s no roads.”

  Rici snarled as Jim held up a fourth finger.

  “Fourth. I say we ride, so if you’re coming with me, you’re riding.” Jim fixed his hat on his head, spun around, and headed toward the barn where the working horses were kept.

  Terey hugged Rici again, took his hand and started following Jim.

  Rici let Terey lead him as his mind took off. Someway, somehow, he’d get Jim and Terey together. Failing that, he’d at least get Terey to stop loving him. He didn’t know how, but he would.

  ****

  “I’ve been thinking.”

  She reached up to cup his face and plant a quick kiss on his lips. After making love all night, she’d grown fond of the now-beautiful, lumpy sofa bed. “Good for you.” She snuggled into the crook of his arm and waited for him to go on.

  “Naw, I’m serious.”

  “What about?”

  “About us.”

  She held her breath and suddenly found the wooden beams running along the top of the cabin very interesting. She knew what he’d say before the words came out of his mouth.

  “Charissa, I know this is fast and all, but I need to tell you.”

  “No, you don’t.” Not yet. Not until she’d sorted out her next move. She hadn’t made her choice between Options One, Two, or Three.

  “Why not?” He flipped over, braced his head on his hand and studied her. “I promise it’s good news.”

  She lowered her eyes. If she looked at him, she might not be able to stand it. “Then keep the good news to yourself until we can find the best place and time to celebrate. Okay?” The ruse might buy her time but wouldn’t change the outcome. But for right now, she’d take all the time she could get.

  His tone held the laughter she knew he wanted to turn loose. “I can’t think of a better time or place, can you?”

  “Yes, I can. Like some place where I can get something hot to eat.” She jerked her chin at the empty bean cans sitting on the end table. “Cold beans don’t say ‘Celebration’ to me.”

  His fingers tripped across her collar bone as a poor attempt to get her to look at him. “You’ve got me there. But I can’t wait. I have to say this.”

  She searched her brain for a way out, but couldn’t find one. Unless she pushed him into agreeing with her. But no. She’d had enough of controlling emotions. Except hers. So far her spells had caused her trouble and nothing else.

  “I love you, Charissa.”

  She closed her eyes and let the words warm her heart. They traveled around her chest, spreading the comfort of knowing he cared, making her whole body tingle in delight. But it wasn’t long before the chill of reality wiped away the joy. She couldn’t let him go on thinking he loved her. Not when it was a result of her brother’s spell.

  “Did you hear me?” Taking her chin, he forced her to turn her face toward him. But she refused to lift her gaze and meet his own.

  “I heard.”

  “Look at me, Charissa.”

  As if his command had real power over her, she did as he told her to do. She lifted her eyes to his and fell inside them.

  “I love you. I want you to stay at Tall Oaks. We’ll do this however you want. We’ll date awhile or we can get married right away. Whatever you want.” He dove into her as though he could slide into her body and search for the answer he wanted.

  “I. Can’t.” She wanted nothing more than to jump on top of him and tell him she was joking, but she knew the dream had to die. After she got Rici to remove his spell, Travis would breathe a sigh of relief that she’d turned him down.

  “I don’t understand. Why the hell not?” His face grew dark as a possible answer came to him. “Are you saying you don’t love me? Is that it?”

  She opened her mouth to confirm his words, but couldn’t. No, now was not the time for more lying. Now was the time to tell him the truth. Maybe in telling him the truth, she could make another choice. Take an Option Four. “Travis, you don’t know me. Who I am. What I am.”

  He kissed her then, tearing away the doubt in her mind. “I know you. I know all of you.” His sweet smile that came with her sudden idea made her heart lurch.

  Maybe, just maybe it would work. If she explained everything to him, including her powers and her people, then maybe he’d give her a chance after Rici removed the Love emotion from him. Maybe they could start over.

  She rose, throwing back the thin blanket on top of them, and got to her feet. He stayed in bed, surprised by her abrupt move. “Okay, here’s the thing, Travis. I need to tell you about me and Rici.”

  “You’re not going to say you’re lovers instead of siblings, are you? Or worse, siblings and lovers?” He kicked off his part of the blanket and hopped from the bed. “Because I don’t think I could stand the idea. Much less the image running through my head right now.”

  “Rici, my lover? Oh, shat, no.”

  “Whew, what a relief. For a minute, I thought Jerry Springer would barge through the front door and point a camera at us.” He raised his hands and pretended to film her. “Cowboy Trailer Trash. Brother, sister and cowboy. A threesome from Hell.”

  She didn’t laugh with him. Instead, she threw on her clothes and motioned for him to do the same. Once they were dressed, she started over.

  “I need to tell you about me. About my family. About my people.”

  “So you are from another country?”

  “Oh, Travis, I’m from far, far away.” Where had she heard that phrase?

  “Okay. No problem. Are you a visitor to the country? Because when you marry me, you become an American citizen right away.”

  He moved to take her in his arms and, although she knew she shouldn’t let him, she couldn’t resist. Who knew when she’d be in his arms again after he heard the truth?

  “I am a visitor, but not the way you’re thinking. Let me tell this from start to finish, okay?” She placed her fingers against his lips to keep him from talking. “Quiet until I’ve said everything.”

  When he agreed, she started again. “I’m from another place.” She searched his eyes, ready to see the disbelief. “I’m from an invisible moon circling Earth. My people are called Matlantians and we have special powers. Including the ability to put different emotions into humans.”

  Why didn’t he say something? Anything? “Do you understand, Travis?”

  The thick eyebrows dipped between his deep caramel-colored eyes. “You’re telling me you’re an alien from outer space and you can zap me?”

  She blushed at his ridicule and struggled against the arms holding her tightly to him. “I’m not making this up.”

  “Wow. You really do like to stir things up, don’t you? But, come on. A brother and sister alien?”

  “We don’t consider ourselves aliens. We were here before you.” This wasn’t going the way she wanted. If he continued to make fun of her, she’d knee him in the groin.

  “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. So you’re the real Native Americans?”

  She broke free of him, paced toward the fireplace where last night’s embers glowed. “I’m telling you the truth.”

  “Really? Come on. Why are you telling me this outlandish story? Because I said I love you? Did I scare you? If I did, don’t worry. You don’t have to say it back. I can wait. But give us a chance, all right? Don’t do whatever it is you’re trying to do.” His face became a mask of barely restrained irritation as he rubbed the back of his neck.

  “I am telling you the truth.” She couldn’t help it. Anger started boiling within her and she didn’t care if the emotion took over. Maybe it was time to let her emotions take over. “Don’t talk. Just listen.”

  He opened his mouth as if to object and then shut it—and gave her the go-ahead by sticking out his hand, palm to the ceiling.

  “Okay, but listen with an open mind, too.” When he continued to stare at her, she took it as his agreement. “What I’ve told you is the truth. As amazing as it sounds, it is.”

  When he remained silent, arms folded over his chest, she started to pace back and forth in front of the fireplace, hoping to put her story in the best light possible. “My brother, Riciseon, and I are from an invisible moon circling this world. My people, the Matlantian people, have existed long before Mankind; before dinosaurs and cavemen.” As she continued, her voice grew stronger with her confidence.

  “Matlantians have always held logic and reason above all things, preferring not to allow our emotions—which can sometimes be very volatile—to take control. However, some of us, namely Rici and I, didn’t follow the rules. We liked to use our power to send our strong emotions into the cave people. We thought it was good fun. Until now.”

  She had to give it to him. He could look as emotionless as any Matlantian she’d ever met. “But we went too far and our rulers, The Council of Elders, punished us by putting us in the Golden Chamber of Silence for years and years.” She sought him out, tears in her eyes, and thought she recognized compassion in his. Or was it pity for a crazy person?

  “But then the earthquake happened. Do you remember the quake?” At his nod, she continued. “The quake broke the Chamber enough for Rici and I to force our way out. That’s when we came here and I saw you the day you brought Adonis home. I saw you and knew right then that I loved you.”

  She saw him consider her words, start to speak and then stopped. “But I also saw how you rejected those women who threw themselves at you. And I thought you’d reject me, too.”

  “I wouldn’t have.”

  His words rang true to her and she smiled. “I wish I’d known. But I couldn’t risk your rejecting me. So, in order to be with you, I changed into Justin.”

  At his bewildered expression, she explained. “I was Justin, Travis. Me in the body of an old man.”

  His mouth parted as he took in her explanation and tried to grasp it. But as fast as he’d let his mask slip, he put it back on.

  “Anyway, I finally decided it was time for you to meet the real me. So I found you at the bar and told you that I could talk to horses.” Should she tell him the whole of it? Or just what needed to be said? “Travis, Rici and I, our people, have many abilities. We can change our form, do magic and, most of all, throw emotions into others.”

  “I don’t understand. What do you mean by throw emotions?”

  “I can make a person feel a specific emotion. Like love or hate.” She moved toward him, hoping he’d take her in his arms. When he didn’t, however, she understood. “You say you love me, but you don’t. Not really.”

  His anger flashed, burning her with its intensity. “Don’t tell me how I feel. I’m not buying any of this absurd story. If you don’t feel anything for me, Charissa, just say so. Don’t try to avoid it by making up a wild lie.”

  “Rici pushed the Love emotion into you so you’d fall in love with me. I told him not to, that I wanted you to love me in the natural way, but he didn’t listen.”

  Travis threw up his arms and stalked away from her outstretched hands. “You are unbelievable. You really expect me to believe this bullshit? Sorry, lady, I’m not that dumb.”

  “What I’m trying to do is tell you the truth. I’m praying you’ll give me a chance after I get Rici to remove his spell. Then we can start over and, hopefully, you’ll fall in love with me again. The right way.”

  She’d stopped pacing, but Travis started his own stomp back and forth across the room.

  “Travis, I—”

  “Don’t. Stay quiet and let me think.” He paced a bit more before turning to her. “Most of my money is tied up in the business, but I’ll find you the best psychiatric care available. I won’t desert you.”

  The anger in her flared, making her want to tackle him and either kick him or fuck him. Whichever one might work the best in getting him to believe her. “I. Am. Not. Insane.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Travis, you need to listen to me.”

  “No. No more.” He waved her away as she approached, then wheeled around and strode through the front door, slamming hard enough to make it bounce open.

  As he stormed outside, Charissa followed him and shouted for him to stop. Warned him not to trip.

  Boggens screeched as Travis fell over him, rolling to a stop next to a tree stump with an axe sticking embedded in the top. As Travis scrambled to his feet, gaping at the small brown creature in front of him, Charissa burst onto the scene.

  Travis stared at Boggens, as Charissa froze and tried to gather her wits. Boggens, however, didn’t hesitate. He lunged at Travis with his sharp, tiny teeth bared. Travis yelled, gabbed the axe and swung.

  “No! Don’t, Travis. Don’t bite him, Boggens!”

  But luck was with the dirt faery as he jumped away and ran toward the pond. Travis, axe raised at the ready, took off after Boggens while Charissa raced to catch them. Boggens skidded to a stop at the edge of the pond, whirled to face Travis, screeched his ear-splitting screech, and ran into the pond. A second later, he dropped out of sight under water, the single purple-strand of hair bobbing at the surface.

  Travis stopped at the water’s rim and Charissa grabbed his arm to halt her forward momentum. “Boggens! Where are you?”

  He confronted her, axe still in his hands. “You know what that was?”

  “That, as you so crudely put it, is a dirt faery named Boggens. And he’s drowning.” She ran into the water, splashing her way to the purple hair. As she got within a foot of it, she felt her feet slide as the ground underneath the water dropped off in a steep slope.

  She started to scream, but couldn’t make a sound before water filled her mouth. As she slipped under the surface, she reached out, hoping to grab Boggens. At least they could die together.

  The muddy water filled her mouth as the tightness in her chest began. She needed air desperately but couldn’t find her way to the top. As her hands sought out and caught hold of something—Boggens?—she resolved herself to a watery death.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Charissa, open your eyes.”

  An odd black mist surrounded Charissa as she coughed. Water spilled out of her mouth as someone rolled her to her side.

  “Charissa, baby, please, open your eyes.”

  She wanted to open her eyes. But the weight on her chest held them closed. Who the shat had the gall to sit on her?

  The urgent voice continued to probe into her conscious mind, begging her, commanding her to open her eyes. Travis? Was Travis sitting on her chest? She didn’t mind if Travis fondled her chest, but sitting on it was another matter. Wanting to tell him to get off, she opened her eyes, ready to confront him about his abnormal behavior.

  The blurry image of Travis wavered, growing clearer. At last, she could see his worried brow, the concern in his eyes as he gazed down at her. “Travis?”

  “Yeah. I’m here.”

  She watched as a drop of water fell from his wet hair onto her chest. Did she have a lot of water on her chest? Could water be that heavy? Is that what heavy water was? “Travis, get the heavy water off my chest.”

  He smiled a short-lived smile of relief and shook his head. “You don’t have anything on your chest. But I think you probably swallowed half of the pond before I pulled you out.”

  His strong chin became more defined and she realized what had happened. Gasping, she fought to remember. “Did I drown?”

  “Close enough. In fact, too damn close.”

  She gasped as she remembered why she’d gone into the pond and tried to sit up. “Is Boggens all right? Where is he?”