Goldie Lox And Her Trio Of Bears (Goldie Lox Prophecy Book 1), стр. 20
“It's not too late for us to save it.” Jillian broke the silence that hung thick in the warm little space.
“I have faith.” Vincent picked up his empty plate and placed it in a galvanized washtub along with his fork and cup.
Jillian squirmed in her seat, not wanting to mention what the spirit said about her being a vessel. But when her eyes met Vincent's, she sensed that he already knew.
When everyone had eaten their fill, they all placed their metal dishes into the washtub. Finn and Conner flipped a coin to see who was going to take it out to the hand well to fill it with water and let it soak till morning. Conner won. What little leftovers there were got scraped into a compost pile along with the bucket of potato skins that Jillian had discarded. She noted how nothing was wasted. The three men worked together seamlessly to clean up afterward, barely needing to speak in the dark little cabin.
“See you guys in the morning.” Finn headed off to his room.
“Goodnight.” Conner bent over to kiss Jillian on the cheek, and she leaned into it, not realizing until a moment later that it should have seemed a little strange. They barely knew each other, and yet, nothing about being close to any of them felt anything but natural.
“I put fresh sheets and blankets on the bed in there.” Vincent pointed to his room.
“Where are you going to sleep?” She stood up as he beckoned her in.
“I put the screen back on as well, so you won’t get eaten by mosquitoes. I’ll be right in there on the couch if you need anything.”
She relaxed a little when he confirmed he didn’t expect to share the bed. She wasn’t sure why she thought that might be an issue and scolded herself for even thinking that Vincent would be anything less than the perfect gentleman he’d been since her arrival.
“Goodnight, Vincent.” They stood in the doorway facing each other, and she thought for a split second about asking him to stay. Not that she would have wanted to have sex with him then and there, but the thought of sleeping with his arms around her made her heart skip a beat.
“Goodnight.” He gave a polite nod and walked back out to the den, kicking off his boots by the door.
She pulled back the blankets and climbed in, jeans and all. Sleeping fully nude in Vincent’s bed just seemed like a rude thing to do without him being in it. She turned over, staring at the books on the shelf above his writing desk. He had been writing in his journal about everything that had happened over the last two days. That meant, he had definitely written about her.
As tempting as it was to take a peek into his innermost thoughts, she let out a long wistful sigh at the realization that she would never violate his privacy like that, not after everything he had done for her.
Sleep eluded her for ages. Jillian turned over, pulling up the covers to her chin. The curtains danced as a breeze rolled in. As refreshing as it was, a nagging fear wouldn’t let her close her eyes.
I’m on the ground level. Jillian thought to herself. And it took very little strength for me to push that screen off. What’s to stop that hunter from cutting a slit in the screen and climbing inside?
Experiencing death, even if it was through another creature, had wounded her in a way that she wasn’t sure would ever heal. Sure, there had always been four-legged predators roaming the woods, but they no longer seemed so sinister, especially from the perspective of the deer. At least with mountain lions or wild dogs, a deer would have a chance to run or fight back.
There’s no outrunning something that lies in wait, camouflaged in the safety of the trees. Even animals with claws and sharp teeth were no match for a weapon that deals a killing blow without ever coming close. To these creatures, we are the monsters from their nightmares.
After staring at the open window for what felt like an eternity, she finally worked up the courage to throw off her blankets and cross the room to close it. Just as she was about to slide it down, she caught sight of Vincent standing out near the trees, staring up at the stars, and her fear disappeared.
None of them would let anything happen to her. These guys were a family, and they would protect each other to the death. She sensed that she would be included in their family as long as she chose to remain here.
Vincent’s hair fell, soft and wavy around his broad shoulders. Letting go of the window, she tiptoed out to the den, before lifting a coat from one of the hooks on the wall. She turned the knob on the front door as quietly as she could, slipping her arm into the sleeve of the coat and closing the door behind her.
“Something on your mind?” She stood next to Vincent, looking up at the twinkling lights.
“All my life.” His husky voice was warm against the hum of the crickets. “My grandmother told stories of a time when spirits spoke to us. We were always expected to take it on faith that it was them answering our prayers when things went our way. But there was always a shadow of a doubt.”
“You seem so sure of your faith when you tell the stories.” She lost her breath as the colors of the Milky Way blossomed before her eyes. Since the visions had begun, she experienced nature in a completely different way.
“I grew up in a shifter community.” He