Dawns Everlastin' (former title: Dusk Before Dawn) Book 2 by Mickee Madden Read Free Book Online

disbelief.
    "There are things in this
house tha' can't be easily explained."
    Closing her eyes and leaning
against the edge of the table for support, she willed her reasoning
to resurface. She became aware of Roan's hand massaging the back of
her neck, but it would take far more than his touch to relax the
knotted muscles and tendons.
    "Who else is in this house?"
she managed.
    "Only the five o'
us."
    She looked at him, her eyes
misted green pools in her ashen face. "Don't lie to me.
Someone—"
    "I swear, lass, there's no'
anither livin' soul in this place."
    Tears rolled down her
cheeks. "Why are you doing this to us? What kind of game are you
playing?"
    A wounded look softened
Roan's expressive eyes. "I haven't the sense o' humor to play
useless mind games."
    "Boys, come here," she
ordered, glaring mistily into the masculine face. When they
complied, she protectively kept them close to her as she backed
away from Roan. "We're leaving. Right now. I swear if you try to do
anything to stop us, I'll hurt you."
    "Ye're doin' a fine job o'
it now," he grumbled, his shoulders stiffly drawn back.
    Her eyes never wavering from
Roan's, she ordered, "Kevin, take your brothers into the
foyer."
    "Huh?"
    "The hall," she said
irritably, pointing toward the parlor door. "Get going. I'll be
along in a minute."
    "Do we hafta go?" Kahl
moaned.
    Kevin looked from one adult
to the other, his brows drawn down in a frown. "Yeah, c'mon guys."
Taking them by the arms, he pulled them across the room.
    Roan watched the boys
disappear into the next room before searching Laura's features
again. It was on the tip of his tongue to try to explain about
Lachlan Baird, but she whirled away. Three paces later, she froze
in midstride. Roan stared at the back of her head, nurturing a hope
that she'd decided to listen to him rather than sail on the tides
of her pride.
    A moment passed before he
noticed that she was violently trembling, and that her head was
turned in the direction of the sideboard. He glanced that way and
saw nothing unusual.
    Weightiness materialized in
his chest. "Laura, wha's wrong?"
    Silence mantled the room.
Suffocating silence that completely unnerved him.
    Laura's head began to shake.
Then she stiltedly walked to the sideboard, her body blocking
Roan's view from what had captured her attention. He waited for
what seemed an eternity before approaching her. Standing close
behind her, he craned his neck to see over her shoulder.
    "Explain this," she said
throatily, turning to face him.
    A tickling sensation moved
along his arms as he stared down at the Oriental statue clutched in
her hands. When his gaze rose and looked into her clouded eyes, he
inhaled deeply and slowly released it.
    "Lannie protects wha's
his."
    "The owner," she said
dully.
    "Aye. He's been dead for
over a century."
    For a long time, Laura
stared at him. She was devoid of emotions at this point; physically
and emotionally devoid of any feeling. A roar similar to that of
waves crashing on a shore, filled her ears. The statue felt
unnaturally heavy in her hands, as if vying for her full
attention.
    "Lannie asked me to help you
efter you hit the oak. He'd spent his energies, and couldn't
solidify to pull you ou' o' the car."
    With the speed of lightning
and without conscious thought, Laura struck him open-handedly on
the side of his face. Seemingly unaffected by the blow, he went on,
"He'll return in a day or two."
    Her hand rose again but he
caught her wrist and pinned it to his chest. "You asked for the
truth!"
    Laura merely stared at him,
the fear in her eyes intensifying with each passing moment. The
fingers of her left hand tightened on the statue until her knuckles
were deathly white.
    "I'll go into town and call
the consulate."
    Her head moved in a stilted
denial.
    "Wha'? You don't trust me?"
He scowled, his nostrils flaring. "You'd rather drag the laddies
off into the cold?"
    "Yes," she whispered, giving
a weak tug on her arm in a demand for him to