High Noon (Between the Veils Series, Book Two) (9 page)

He smiled at her. “You’re definitely addicting, sweetheart.”

She shrugged, trying to hide her smug grin. “You could have said no.”

“And miss an opportunity to hear you scream my name? I don’t think so. I’ve got far more sense than that.” He trailed a finger down her cheek. “You okay?”

She kissed his hand. “Fine. Though a shower would be nice.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” He glanced over at his bag. “We should pack this up and head out. The State Library and Archives is just a short drive over to Carson City. It should be open by the time we get there and will have far more historical records than that poor excuse your town calls a library. We need to find out who or what Dalton is before he makes another appearance.”

The fine lines around her eyes creased as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. “Can you stop him again if he does?”

“Temporarily. But we can’t live long on salt and holy water. And until we know what the story is, we’re pretty restricted with our offensive capabilities.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “Hey, we’ll get this guy. It’s just a matter of time.”

“After last night, I’m thinking time isn’t something we have a lot of.”

“Not a lot. But enough.” He cupped her hand. “Come on. Let’s pack up and I’ll see what I can do to get you that shower.”

He winked at her, hoping he’d hidden his concern. She was right. They didn’t have much time and if last night was any indication of this ghost’s intentions, they needed to end this now.

Chapter Seven

“You know, Blake. When you said you’d see about a shower, I thought you meant a real shower.”

“This is a
real
shower. There’s a showerhead, water. It’s just a bit more rustic than most.”

Payton waved her hand at the surrounding campground. “It’s a wash-off station at an RV park. Not exactly what I was expecting.” She rubbed her arms, trying to warm herself against the cool water. “It doesn’t even have hot water.”

Blake raised one corner of his mouth into a provocative smile. “I could jump in there with you and heat you up.”

“Wrong kind of heat, sweetie. Besides, you’re supposed to be keeping watch. I really don’t need to bare my ass to every guy in this park.”

“Ah, but it’s such a beautiful ass.” He ducked when she tossed a small bar of soap at him. “I’m watching. I don’t want you baring your ass to other men, either.”

She shook her head, rinsing the last of the suds off. “So why here?”

He walked toward her, handing her a towel he’d brought along. “Security. After all that’s happened, I wasn’t about to compromise on safety for the luxury of a shower. At least here I was able to make a ring of salt around the shower area.”

She simply nodded, secretly touched he’d gone to such lengths to provide for her. She shook her finger when he held up the soap she’d tossed to her. “I’m done. Now it’s your turn.”

He sighed, glancing around the area. “I’m not one to bare my ass for men, either.”

She closed the last bit of distance, rubbing against him. “Don’t worry, big boy. I’ll protect your virgin ass.”

He reached around, slipping his hand under her towel as he cupped her ass, squeezing firmly. “I’d worry more about your virgin ass with me around, sweetheart. Because after touching you like I did last night, I have every intention of loving you there, as well.”

Heat suffused her body as he tapped her flesh before releasing her and shucking his clothes. Pale skin over hard muscles filled her view, his cock standing proudly out from his groin. He winked at her then dashed under the water, sucking in an audible breath as he rinsed his body beneath the steady spray. She took a step toward him, content to join him, when eddies of dust whipped up just outside the salt ring.

She turned, gripping the towel tighter as she scanned the area, trying to discern anything that looked remotely otherworldly. But who was she kidding. She wasn’t like Blake. She didn’t
see
ghosts everywhere she went. Hell, until a few months ago, she didn’t even believe in them.

Payton took a step backward, gasping when she hit a hard wall of man. Blood pounded through her head as she tried to calm her breathing, Blake’s comforting hand settling on her shoulder.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” He nodded toward the truck. “You see something?”

“Just an eddy of dirt, but…” She gazed over her shoulder at him. “There isn’t any wind and it felt, wrong.”

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s to trust your instincts.” He held her still as he moved in front of her, pulling his pants over his wet skin. “Stay here. I’ll move the truck closer so you don’t have to go outside of the circle to get to it.”

She grabbed his arm. “What about you? I realize this is what you do, but…I don’t want you getting hurt.”

He gave her that sexy smile. “He’s not after me, sweetheart. I’ll be fine.”

He tugged on his shirt and motioned for her to stay before making for the truck. Another swirl of dirt seemed to follow behind him, dying off when he jumped inside. She waited, heart hammering in her chest as he started the engine and moved it closer, lining her door up with the line of salt on the ground. He waved at her and she reached for the door, when a hiss sounded close to her shoulder.

She reacted, yanking open the door and launching inside, sliding across the seat and into Blake’s lap. He curled his arm protectively around her, a small bottle in his hand. His gaze didn’t stray from the door as if he was waiting for something.

Payton stayed tucked in his side, wondering if she should be tossing salt out the open door or doing something else more useful than sitting there, hoping Blake would take care of their unwanted guest.

His hold loosened slightly and she eased away from him, reaching over and closing the door. Her hand shook slightly as she turned to face him, certain he’d see the fear beading her skin.

He looked her in the eye, his gaze hardening. “You okay?”

“Fine. I thought I heard something hiss at me.”

“I’m sure you did.” He looked toward town. “We really need to get to the State Library.”

“So let’s go.”

When he glanced at her, his expression stole her breath. No man had ever looked at her with such intensity before, as if his life depended on hers. “I won’t risk your life, Payton. Not even to find out what this is all about. Maybe I should take you back to the church—leave you there while I investigate.”

“Like hell you will.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “While I’m touched by your concern, I’m not about to hide while you risk your life. This ghost has been haunting me for months. I think I can survive one more day.”

“The bastard hadn’t tried to hurt you before.”

“Technically, he didn’t hurt me, he just dragged me upstairs.”

“That classifies in my books.” He turned away, seemingly lost in thought for a moment. “Fine. We’ll go together. But if I’m the least bit concerned about your welfare, you’ll get your ass in this truck and keep it here until I say otherwise.” He stared at her. “Understand?”

She sighed, knowing he wouldn’t compromise on this one. “Deal.”

He nodded, though she could tell he wasn’t pleased with the situation. She reached out and squeezed his hand, smiling when he looked over at her. The simple act seemed to ease some of the tension and he leaned over for a quick kiss before heading toward Carson City. They drove out of the park and onto the highway, winding along the pavement when a blur shimmied across the road. Blake slowed the truck for a moment, glancing over at her, before hitting the gas again. Her back pressed into the seat as he accelerated, the needle on the speedometer cresting eighty. She reached for the handle above the door, wondering why he’d sped up when a dark mist materialized in the middle of the road, the wispy edges swirling into the shape of a man.

Payton screamed, bracing for impact as Blake hit the figure head-on. A black veil surrounded the truck, plunging it into darkness as an eerie howl vibrated through the interior before abruptly cutting off. The cloud circled the vehicle, spinning skyward before dissipating as quickly as it had appeared. Payton gasped as the truck headed for a curve, the silver guardrails gleaming in the morning light. Blake reacted, skidding the truck sideways, spinning the tires on the soft shoulder. He counter-steered, keeping the vehicle straight as he waited for the rubber to get some traction, finally veering back onto the road. Payton glanced behind them, but all that lingered was the frantic beating of her heart and the pounding of her pulse in her ears.

“Holy shit, Blake. What the hell was that?”

He spared her a quick glance. “
That
was one pissed off spirit.”

She furrowed her brow. “That was the ghost cowboy? But why would he appear in front of your truck? Surely he couldn’t think he’d be able to stop us or anything.”

Blake grimaced and she knew she wasn’t going to like whatever he had to say.

He sighed. “Actually, if I hadn’t modified the truck by lining parts of the frame with iron, he might have been able to gain access and drain the battery or reattach to your energy signature. Whatever his motivation was, it’s made one thing extremely clear.” He caught her gaze. “He’s upping the ante and you’re his prize.”

She nearly choked as she tried to swallow past the large lump in her throat. “What I don’t understand is why me? Why now? I’ve been here for several months. Why hasn’t it made a move like this before?”

“I wish I knew. It could be as simple as being in the wrong place at the right time. Or maybe there’s something about you that attracted this guy. As for the timing? Maybe I provoked it by coming here. Or maybe there’s more to this haunting than just convenience.” He gave her a hardened look. “What I do know is that we won’t get any answers if we don’t get our hands on some old records.”

“Which means a trip to the library.”

He seemed to hesitate before nodding. “We can only hope the iron depleted some of his energy and bought us some time. Carson City might just be far enough away that he won’t be able to follow us there, though I wouldn’t stake our lives on it. Either way, I only pray we don’t run out of time.”

Payton wasn’t sure what else to say and they fell into an uneasy silence. She knew her safety weighed heavily on Blake’s mind, but she didn’t know how to put his fears to rest, not when she had no idea just how dangerous this ghost could be. Throwing things and dragging her upstairs was one thing. Trying to get their truck to crash was another. And if the look on Blake’s face was any indication of what this spirit was capable of, they hadn’t seen anything yet.

The miles droned on, the steady hum of the tires slowly grating on her nerves. She missed the sound of Blake’s voice, the hot press of his hand in hers. Though it’d only been a day, she’d already grown accustomed to the feel of his skin next to hers and wished he’d say something, anything, to break the silence.

Payton jumped as his hand brushed hers, his fingers wrapping around her palm. She gazed over at him, drawn to his deep blue eyes and easy smile.

He winked at her. “So, are you going to tell me what’s put that delightful furrow on your brow or do I have to resort to reading your mind?”

“I was just wondering what it is that you aren’t telling me.”

His eyes clouded over as he sighed and stared at the road. “It’s not that I’m not telling you anything, it’s just…” He shook his head. “This ghost is unpredictable. I don’t want to watch you get hurt because I did something stupid.”

“Like not sending me back to the church.” She squeezed his hand. “If it makes you feel any better, I feel safer with you than I’ve ever felt with anyone. I know you won’t let that creep hurt me. So stop worrying and let’s get rid of this cowboy, once and for all.”

He chuckled. “Feisty as ever. Just stick close and don’t hesitate if I yell at you to run.”

“Deal.”

Some of the tension lifted as he turned off the highway and headed for the library. Carson City was larger than Virginia City, but surrounded by the same reddish hills. Blake parked the truck and looked around, a frown creasing the corner of his mouth.

He seemed lost in thought before finally turning to her. “There’s no telling if we’ve lost our friend or not, so stay close.”

She nodded, taking his hand and climbing out his side of the vehicle. He hid some supplies beneath jacket then moved quickly through the lot and into the building, heading straight for the records area. He took a table off to one corner, isolating them from others milling around the area. Payton sat next to him, watching as he flipped through various microfilms, finally weaving one into a machine. He flicked through the images, loading two more before he stopped on the photo of a man, his features frightening similar to those of the spirit.

Payton stared at the clipping, reading the caption above the picture. “Virginia City Rancher Hanged for Crimes.” She looked at Blake. “Oh my god. That’s him. That’s really him and this paper is dated…” She searched for the date, drawing a harsh breath. “Today’s date only eighteen ninety-two.” She forced herself to swallow. “That’s exactly a hundred and twenty years ago.”

“Shit. That helps explain why he’s become more determined. The time around the anniversary of his death holds more power. Claiming your soul now might give him the strength he needs to break his connection to whatever’s keeping him here.”

“Which means…”

“It means that no one and nothing will be able to send his spirit back across the veil.” He speared his hands through his hair, looking as if he wanted to pull some of it out in frustration. “But let’s not panic before we see who our mystery man is.” Blake zoomed in on the small type. “Ted Dalton, local rancher who was convicted of killing several hired hands at his farm on the outskirts of Virginia City last month, was put to death today in a public hanging outside of the town jail. Dalton, aged thirty, claimed dark voices told him to stab the transient workers and bury their bodies in his pasture. Dalton was found with the body of his last victim, when a gunfight ensued. Dalton was wounded but survived to face trial, after which he was sentenced to death by hanging. His body is to be buried in a simple, marked gravesite on the fringes of Mount Saint Mary’s cemetery later today…”