20—Disbelief, Unbelief
Dallas drove quickly to Bonhi’s office, his mind on her, feeling lit up from the inside because he would see her soon.
He arrived, pulling into the parking lot, spotting Aven and Dakota right away. They were working on fitting plywood into the open spaces of the front door.
“Hey,” Dallas said, jumping right in to help.
“Hey,” Dakota said. “We swept up the glass and cleaned up all the fingerprint powder the cops left.”
Aven pointed at a closed door. “Bonhi's in there with a client.”
They finished securing the door, then cleaned up. Aven and Dakota cozied up on the couch in the waiting area and Dallas sat in a chair near them.
He spoke quietly. “There's another one.”
“Another what?” Aven asked.
“Blurry person.”
Dakota and Aven looked at each other like they’d been talking about it, then they both leaned forward.
“The woman who fell from the sky at Cove Springs—her doctor at the mental hospital is blurry and—” Dallas held up a hand, locking eyes with Aven. “He twitched too. I think it's related because one of the women at the caves twitched and Bonhi said the kidnapper twitched.”
Aven kissed Dakota on the forehead then stood and paced stroking his chin. “You know what? Hank out at Cove Springs was charmed by vampires, and you’re right, he twitched.” Aven drew his shoulders, elbows, and knees forward in a fast, full-body replication of the twitch that made Dakota laugh.
Dallas’ gears ground to a halt. He stood up and faced his friend. “How’d you know he was charmed?”
“Because he got violent for no reason, and there was a vampire there.” He nodded at Dakota. “She fought him.”
Dakota’s lip curled. She hopped off the couch and paced.
“Ol’ Hank wasn’t blurry, though,” Aven said. “So again I say, why can only you see it?”
“I'm just glad you believe me, bird.”
Aven laughed. “If the blur and twitch means charmed by vampires, the big question is, why is this doctor charmed by vampires?” He spread his hands. “Maybe I should do a flyover. Sit outside his window for a bit.”
“Yeah.” Dallas got excited. “That's perfect. If vampires show up we could prove to Jameson that something’s going on.”
“Okay, see you guys in a bit.” Aven kissed Dakota goodbye with a loud smooch. “See you later,” he said, then he went outside, walked in front of the row of office buildings, stepped off the sidewalk into the grass, and then disappeared into the forest.
Dallas grinned at his sister.
She grinned back, pointing to the spot where Aven had disappeared. “I love him,” she said, hugging herself.
Dallas shrugged. “He’s cool.”
The door opened and Bonhi came out looking fresh and sweet. A man and woman were with her. She smiled at Dallas while she ushered them outside, then she said her goodbyes and came back in.
“Hi,” she said to Dallas, smiling sweetly.
“Hi.” He caught her eye and held it, grinning.
“Thanks for fixing my door,” she told Dakota, while mostly keeping eye contact with Dallas, with blatant desire in her expression. Interesting.
“You cleaned everything up,” Bonhi was saying, her eyes still meeting Dallas’. “I can't thank you enough.”
Dakota stepped between Bonhi and Dallas theatrically, catching Bonhi’s eye. “Buy us dinner tonight,” she said, “And we'll call it even.
Bonhi laughed. “Yeah, okay, sounds great. Italian?”
“Sure, I love Italian.”
“Okay, I know a great takeout place. We can eat at my place. I’ve got a fire pit out back along with horseshoe pits.”
Dakota stood on tiptoes and ruffled Dallas’ hair, saying, “Sounds like a date!” She went outside and stared up at the sky, hands on hips.
“You’re coming, right?” Bonhi said, looking at Dallas from under her lashes.
Dallas nodded. “Wouldn’t miss it,” he said, but he didn’t smile. Bonhi didn’t realize she was being guarded… or she didn’t want to admit it.
Hours later, dusk had fallen. Bonhi was in her bathroom on the second floor, where a small window looked out over the backyard.
She’d finished showering and dressing, and her hair was almost dry.
Dallas had taken a quick shower and changed clothes, bringing in a fresh outfit from his car.
He and Dakota were in the backyard, and they had a strong fire burning in the pit.
Bonhi watched Dallas out the window in the light of the fire. He was playing horseshoes with his sister and he looked good. He was wearing jeans and a long-sleeve combat shirt with black field boots. His muscles rippled invitingly under his shirt with his every move.
Dakota looked at the sky and said something to Dallas that Bonhi couldn’t make out. Bonhi looked up to see if it was Aven returning. Dakota had said he could shift into a golden eagle, and just… fly away. Bonhi couldn’t believe it. She needed to see it.
She searched the sky and saw a golden eagle coming in fast. The thing was huge! It SKREE’d a few times while flying lazy circles around her yard, then it divebombed into the forest while Dallas and Dakota laughed. Bonhi watched closely, not sure what would happen next.
After a moment, the eagle flew out of the forest, straight into Bonhi’s yard.
It landed in the grass and walked under an awning, then it changed, growing at an explosive rate, feathers melting into clothing, talons molding into boots, bird beak and face morphing into Aven, while Dakota whooped and laughed and ran over to meet him.
“Wow,” Bonhi breathed. He was a man who could turn into an eagle, just like Dallas could turn into a jaguar.
Her mind was at war, both clamoring to get to know Dallas better and shouting to stay away from him, but she was already falling for him and that scared her.
She didn’t need to be swept away into his world where things didn’t make sense. She had so much work to do.
Bonhi steeled herself for the evening ahead.
If she could just get him out of here without kissing him, maybe that would be it.
She could get back to her life tomorrow and try to forget how good he smelled, and how well he’d protected her.
Maybe they could date, and she could… control the pace a little better without him leaving her life completely.
She dressed, putting on jeans, a pretty purple blouse and a lighter purple pashmina for warmth, and boots.
Bonhi went downstairs. She grabbed the bags of takeout off her counter and took them out into her private backyard with six-foot privacy fences and the forest lining the back. The fire and tiki torches gave them light to see by.
The others were nearby, talking. Bonhi raised a hand to Aven, then began to lay the food out on the picnic table.
“Momeyer wasn’t blurry,” Aven told Dallas and Dakota. “But he did twitch a few times, exactly like Hank. No vampires, though.”
Bonhi didn't listen. It was none of her business and her brain was sticking on that word vampires. She didn’t want to believe that for a second… but if there were shifters, which she’d seen with her own eyes, could there be vampires, too? And witches?
No. Definitely not witches.
“Food’s here,” Bonhi called, hoping everyone would stuff their faces, and no one would bring up witches.
She directed Dallas what to bring out of the kitchen, and where to find it, then she laid out lasagna, baked ziti, salad, garlic bread, and chicken parmesan.
Dallas brought out the plates and silverware, and they sat to eat with Dakota next to Aven and Dallas next to Bonhi at the picnic table.
Two nearby bug zappers zapped occasionally while they ate.
In the forest, a fox or coyote called to its mate, which made several animals bark and howl back for a few minutes.
Bonhi was silent, and the others were, too, all with an ear cocked to the forest. This was why Bonhi lived out here in the middle of nowhere, because she loved nature, wilderness, and wild animals.
The thought made her look at Dallas. He was already looking at her.
She flushed and smiled at him. In the forest, owls called and replied to each other, oblivious to the sudden heat filling Bonhi.
“So Bonhi,” Dakota said. “How old are you?”
Bonhi smiled, her face heating at the open appreciation and sexual attraction she found in Dallas’ eyes. She looked away and said, “35.”
Dakota nodded busily. “Mm-hm. Dallas is 37. Want kids?”
“Dakota, stop,” Dallas said dryly.
Bonhi locked her gaze on Dallas, saying, “Yup, two.”
Dallas smiled and nodded like that would be fine with him. Damn. The man was perfect.
“Two, got it,” Dakota said, like she was taking notes. “Have you tried to do magic yet?”
Bonhi’s mood soured a little. “No. Not interested.” She gave Dakota a look that said that was the end of it.
“Okay,” Dakota said, smiling. “Wanna play horseshoes?”
Bonhi dropped her fork onto her plate and stood. “Sure.”
They lined up and started the game. Bonhi was good, and started with a ringer, giving her three points. She quickly pulled ahead of Dakota, while the men laughed and joked at the picnic table.
Several minutes later, Bonhi held her horseshoe up, preparing for her throw.
If she could get a ringer, she would win.
She threw it, and at the same time, Dakota threw something tiny.
Whatever Dakota threw glanced off Bonhi’s horseshoe with a bright blue spark and changed its trajectory enough that it barely grazed the stake, ruining her ringer.
Bonhi turned to Dakota, amazed, both that she would cheat, and at whatever she did.
“How’d you do that?” Bonhi asked.
“Magic,” Dakota said, cocking a hip, her eyes challenging Bonhi.
Bonhi shut her mouth with a snap. “I should have known. Lemme see it again.”
Dakota laughed. “You don’t believe,” she said, while Aven and Dallas watched from the picnic table, drinks in hand, amused smiles on their faces.
“Damn right I don’t believe,” Bonhi said, hands on hips, but she was grinning and enjoying this. She almost wanted to believe. Dakota was fun, and the magic—if it really was magic—was astonishing.
“Too bad,” Dakota said, shrugging. “Because if you did believe, you could do it, too.”
Bonhi shook her head. “Nah, not me.”
Dakota picked up a pebble off the ground and tried to hand it to her. “If Dallas sees you glow blue that means you’re a Belief switch and if you're a Belief switch you can do magic if you believe it.”
Bonhi laughed “Like Peter Pan and Wendy.”
Dakota nodded and grinned. “Exactly like that.” She thrust the hand with the pebble at Bonhi. “Belief switches work best with stone, so this ordinary rock will be actual magic for you.”
Bonhi stared at the rock. She didn’t believe it so there was no sense in taking the rock.
“It’s late,” she said. “Thank you all for coming, but I’m gonna head to bed soon.”
Dakota’s hand wilted. She dropped the rock and looked at Dallas.
Dallas spoke up. “I was hoping we could stay, keep you safe.”
“I don't know,” Bonhi said with a grin. “You can't stay with me forever. Don't you have jobs, and lives?”
Dakota stood straighter and looked off in the distance. “Fight vampires.”
Aven saluted. “Guard switches.”
Dallas shrugged. “Not really.”
“Well…” Bonhi said, drifting toward her house. Dallas followed her, while Aven and Dakota went back to the horseshoe pit.
Bonhi locked eyes with Dallas, having no idea what she was going to say.