23—Big-Butt Baby, Where are You?
Bonhi sat in the passenger seat of Dallas’ car, with him driving.
She had her laptop open, figuring out what work she could cancel or rearrange, to give her the next few days to figure things out with Dallas.
She pushed back all her appointments, and she didn’t have a case in court until Vernon’s in two days, so she was okay, as long as she could carve out a little time each day to tie up loose ends, and as long as she could get someone out to take pictures of Vernon’s cabin.
She closed her laptop, sent one more text to a client, then put everything away.
Dallas had stayed awake all night, then dozed for an hour that morning while she’d eaten breakfast with Aven and Dakota, but he didn’t look tired. She studied his strong jaw as he drove. He looked at her and held out his hand. She took it, and they held hands over the center console.
Aven had gone to watch over some doctor as an eagle, and Dakota was driving behind them, going with them to the magical house.
They drove across the gorge created by the Nantahala River.
The land dropped far below the bridge they were on, making Bonhi’s stomach swoop as she looked down.
They reached the far side of the bridge and Dallas followed the road into the deepest part of the forest. They started up a dirt road that led into the foothills of a larger peak, which was tall and rounded, like a dome.
Dallas smiled at Bonhi. “Let’s take the scenic route.”
Bonhi smiled back, not knowing what that meant. Dallas followed the road as it wound alongside the field then curved back toward the other side of the rocky dome.
Bonhi’s mouth dropped open. The dome was split in half!
Somehow half the rock had sheared away to create a flat, perfectly vertical face.
The exposed rock was a riot of color, every shade of the rainbow scattered across the surface, like one enormous opal had been split in two.
Growing right up the middle of the split dome was one tall, strong tree.
“Beautiful,” she breathed.
A field of sunflowers came up quickly, until they were driving through it.
Bonhi watched the bright flowers fly by with a smile on her face.
It was like a fairy tale. The road ended and they rolled to a stop.
Bonhi got out and went to the sunflowers, touching several.
They were so tall and strong and there were so many of them.
Dallas came close and put his arm around her shoulders.
She took his hand and they walked through the meadow along a thin path that led straight toward the mountain.
At the end of the path, was a wide clearing of grass that reached all the way from the sunflowers to the sheer face of the rainbow-infused mountain.
It was beautiful, and she couldn’t help but smile… until she saw Jameson in his ranger uniform, arms crossed, scowl on his face, eyes on her.
“I don’t understand it,” Dallas said, the uncertainty in his tone making Bonhi stop and look at him. “Where’s the big-bu—where’s the house?”
Dallas shook his head, charging past Jameson onto the dirt spot where the magical house should be. Where was the big-butt baby?
Jameson got in front of him, pointing at Bonhi. “What in the hell do you think you’re doing, bringing her out here?”
“She glows,” Dallas said. “I brought her to see if she had a room, and also because she needs protection. Another charmed human tried to kidnap her last night.”
Jameson crossed his arms over his chest. “Charmed, huh. You saw vampires, too?”
“No vampires, but they must be sniffing around Bonhi, that’s why she needs protection. Ask Aven and Dakota. Ask Maze, he was there last night.”
Jameson shook his head and fumed, his nostrils flaring.
Dallas set his feet and crossed his arms, staring Jameson down.
Dakota came running up the road, yelling, “Where’s Credence?”
Jameson pointed at Dallas. “Ask your brother. Credence must be pissed off because he’s bringing any-damn-body he wants to the house without permission.”
Dakota held up a hand. “Hold on, Jameson, I think Dallas is right about Bonhi.”
Jameson didn’t say a word. He just stared and fumed.
“She feels like a switch to me,” Dakota said.
“She can do magic then?” Jameson asked, clear hostility in his tone. His gaze landed on Bonhi, who was hugging herself and standing back. Jameson raised his hand weakly. “Hi, Bonhi. No offense.”
Bonhi only stared.
Dallas shook his head. “You’re gonna owe her a big fat apology when she gets switched on.”
Jameson stepped forward and got in his face. “You owe me an apology now.”
Dallas growled, his jaguar flicking to the surface.
Jameson glowered at him. “What the fuck are you doing?”
Dallas gestured to Bonhi. “She already saw you shift out at Cove Springs. Guess you ain’t so fucking stealthy or smart, are you?” His jaguar danced inside him, begging to be let out to put this rigid control freak in his place.
Jameson growled, a real wolf growl and Dallas fucking lost it.
His jaguar took over in a way it never had before, not even any of the times he’d been shot.
He shifted and launched himself at Jameson, catching him around the shoulders with his claws, but Jameson was already shifting into his wolf, and he was so big!
Instead of them being evenly sized, Jameson was a wolf the size of a horse.
Dallas rode the wolf’s back anyway, chewing through his white fur, scraping his teeth to the skin. Jameson jumped to the left and flipped Dallas away. Dallas somersaulted in the air and came down on all four feet, facing Jameson.
A bird SKREE-ed from the air. It dive-bombed them all, practically crash-landing between them, then shifting to a man.
“The fuck?” Aven shouted, facing Dallas down, then whirling to face Jameson. “What in the hell’s going on here?”
Dallas shifted and took several steps backward. His shoelaces were out of the boots and laying on the ground. He snatched them up and retreated. Jameson shifted into his Dudley Do-Right outfit and stood his ground.
A small brown something fell from the sky near Dallas and hit the ground. He picked it up. It was the chalkboard from the kitchen of the magical house, and it read, “Bring Aila home.” He tossed it to Aven.
Aven showed it to Jameson. “Who’s Aila?”
Jameson shook his head. “Never heard of her.” He threw one last look at Dallas and stalked to his vehicle, then drove off.
“Shit,” Aven said. “That could have gone better.”
“Why’s he so fucking big?” Dallas asked.
“Because he’s ‘The Keeper’ that’s why,” Aven almost yelled. “His role in ‘The Cause’ gives him extra size, and the heartbound kiss with his switch made him even bigger than that.”
Dallas didn’t know what a heartbound kiss was, but he was glad he hadn’t got his ass kicked by the Massive Wolf of Nantahala.
He put an arm around Bonhi. “I didn’t think it would be like this.”
She looked at him, her eyes sad, her expression worried. “His role in the what?”
Dallas pulled Bonhi into his arms. “He’s in charge of the organization of shifters and switches who fight vampires.”
Dakota came close, asking, “What’s up with Jameson? He was on a hair trigger.” She looked at Dallas. “I don’t think he can throw me out, but you better take it easy. I’m pretty sure he decides if you stay or go.”
Dallas shook his head. “The house decides.”
Dakota stepped back and looked over the dirt field with the rock backdrop. “But the house is gone.”
“Shit,” Dallas said. “Where are we going to sleep?”
“Aven’s got a cabin in the backcountry,” Dakota said, “But it’s not big enough for three.” She looked pointedly at Bonhi. “Or four.”
Bonhi was staring at them with wide eyes like she was taking everything in. She didn’t say a word. Dallas tried to think of something to say to convince her that she was a switch, after that disastrous display by Jameson.
A SKREE sounded overhead and they all looked up. It was a red-tailed hawk: Maze.
He landed and pranced around as a tiny bird for a moment, then grew at an astonishing rate into a man. Bonhi startled and pulled Dallas closer.
“Hey,” Maze said, lifting his chin, meeting first Aven’s eyes, then Dallas’.
He ignored Bonhi and Dakota altogether. “Jameson’s pissed that Thorn took off and left town this morning.
Plus Cora is having bad morning sickness.
He’s having a shitty week, but you should know he’s thinking of sending someone to New Orleans to check out that woman who gave Thorn the everweft. ”
A lightning bolt went off in Dallas’ mind.
“Holy shit!” Dallas cried, pacing and slamming his fist into his palm.
“If there’s a switch in New Orleans who can hand out everwefts, that switch might know things ‘The Cause’ doesn’t, like why I can see Bonhi glow and no one else can, and why charmed people look blurry to me.
Maybe if we find her, we could even convince her to join ‘The Cause.’” He swung around and looked at Bonhi, trying to figure out how to get her to go to New Orleans with him.
“Maybe she could convince you that you really are magical.”
Bonhi met his eyes and gave him one short nod. “I’m in,” she said. “That is, if you want me to go with you to New Orleans.”
Dallas grinned at her, then looked at Aven.
Aven nodded and looked at Dakota. She nodded, too, hands on hips. “I like it,” Dakota said.
“Good plan,” Aven said. “You go to the airport now, and I’ll tell Jameson once you’re in the air.” He pulled out his phone. “I can get you a hotel room, paid for by ‘The Cause.’” He pointed at Bonhi. “One room only, right? For safety?” She grinned shyly then nodded.
Bonhi touched Dallas on the chest, saying, “I have to be back the day after tomorrow for court.”
Dallas took her hand and nodded, pulling her to his car. “That’s plenty of time. Let’s get you packed. I’ll buy a change of clothes on the way to the airport.”
They reached the car and Dallas opened Bonhi’s door, noticing something in the backseat—a small duffel bag. His duffel bag.
Dallas looked back over his shoulder. The house was still gone.
“Thanks,” he whispered, moving to the back seat and zipping the bag open.
Inside were several changes of clothes, with boots and toiletry bag, and right on top was the cuff that Warrior Woman had given him.
Aven waved to get his attention. “How many beds?”
Dallas looked at Bonhi.
Bonhi took the phone from Aven and stalked off where they couldn’t hear her, then came back grinning and handing the phone to Aven.
“We don’t get to know?” Aven said, sounding hurt.
“I bet it’s one,” Dakota called in a singsong voice.
Bonhi caught Dallas’ eye. He smiled at her.
The mischievous look in her eye could mean anything.