Neal (Golden Streak Series) by Kathi S. Barton Read Free Book Online Page A

held it out. “It’s very old and you might not know the
history behind it. But my family does and now…well, I trust you with this,
Neal. If you hurt her with this information, I’ll kill you.”
    “It looks like some sort of faerie or
something. Is that what she is? A faerie?” He shook his head. “No, they aren’t
real. I mean right? They’re not real.”
    He sounded so hopeful, but he needed to
know if he was going to make her his. “Yes, she’s a faerie, but not like you
see in the movies. She doesn’t have wings or any dust she sprinkles around. She
just has her ability to do these amazing things that have gotten her into a
little trouble in the past. And only a few of the things she’s used on you.”
    He nodded. “She tossed me around like I
was nothing. And her touch…what is that? Some sort of protection shield?”
    “Yes, but it’s not part of what she is. That’s
her own doing. She won’t let anyone get close to her because she doesn’t trust
anyone.” Neal stood up to pace as she continued. “There was a man once, not
long ago, who she fell in love with. He was a good man, not great, but good. They
dated for several months before he asked her to marry him. It took her a long
time to tell him yes because she had to work up the nerve to tell him what she
could do.”
    “I take it he didn’t take it well.” She
shook her head, knowing that was an understatement. “I’m not him or anything
like him. I have my own secrets to keep from the outside world and I’d die to
protect her.”
    “That’s what he said, too, up until she
touched him without a shield.” Karin stood up and patted him on the back. “I
don’t really have to work in the morning, but I’m giving you the chance to come
in and try to work this out with her. But I’m not kidding you when I tell you
that if you hurt her in any way I will hunt you down and tear you apart.”
    He looked at her and she could see that
he believed her. He was bigger than her even as a human and his cat would
likely kill her as soon as she shifted with intent to harm him, but he knew she
was serious. When he nodded, she started to tell him that she had other means
than her wolf to hurt him, but then he spoke.
    “If I hurt her in any way, I would
gladly let you kill me.” He moved to the door that led to the showroom. “I’ve
spoken to my mom, and she would like for you to let her host this dinner tonight.
She said that there are a great deal more of us than of you, and she’d very
much like to have you two over to dinner.”
    “I can do that. Tell her that I’ll bring
desserts. I was going to have pork chops and trimming, but I like that better. I
was wondering how to seat all of you.” He nodded. “Neal, she’s not going to be
happy with either of us when she finds out I’ve told on her.”
    “I know. But I do thank you. And Mrs.
Hull? I won’t hurt her. I’ll protect her with all that I am.” He looked into
the showroom and then back at her. “The man that hurt her, where is he?”
    She smiled. “Please call me Karin, and
he’s dead.”
    ~~~
    Closing her eyes, Rayne let her power
pour over her as she held the large container. She knew it was an unfair
advantage she had over other florists and greenhouses in the area, but she had
it and wanted things to work for her and her mom. She opened her eyes when she heard
someone step into the room with her. Neal was standing there.
    “That’s how you have such lovely
flowers. I like it. You give them a sort of jumpstart.” He nodded, seemingly
approving what she was doing. “Do you do that to all your containers?”
    “I thought you left.” He shook his head
and picked up one of her little plants. “You need to leave now. I have a lot of
work to do and very little time to do it since my mother said I have to be at
her house tonight.”
    “No, we’re all going to my mom’s house. She
called and said she had more room for us all. Your mom is making some desserts
to take over.