Montana Sky

Things. I don’t know.”
    “It’s been a scary time for you.” Louella took out a lace-trimmed hanky and dried her daughter’s face.
    “Yeah, in a lot of ways. I guess I’m shakier than I realized. I’ll get through it.”
    “Of course you will. Now come on down and join the party.” With her arm around Tess’s waist, Louella started out. “Later, we’ll pop open a bottle of French bubbly and catch up.”
    “I’d like that.” Tess’s arm slid around Louella’s waist in turn. “I’d like that a lot.”
    “Then you can fill me in on that long, cool drink of water you’ve got your eye on.”
    “Nate doesn’t like me very much right now.” It was going to make her weepy again to think of it. “I’m not sure I like me very much either.”
    “Well, that can be fixed.” Louella paused on the stairs, listened to the sounds of women. “I like both of you.”
    “I should have asked you to come,” Tess murmured. “I should have asked you to visit months ago. It shouldn’t have been Willa inviting you. Partly I didn’t because I thought you’d be uncomfortable. And partly I didn’t because I thought I would be. I’m sorry.”
    “Sweetie, you and me, we’re as different as Budweiserand Moët. Doesn’t mean they don’t both have their points. God knows, I’ve scratched my head over you as often as you’ve scratched yours over me.”
    Louella gave Tess a quick squeeze. “Listen to that hen chatter. Reminds me of my chorus girl days. I’ve always had a fondness for women carrying on. Can’t be uncomfortable with that, or with a wedding in the works. And I sure do like your sisters, honey.”
    “So do I.” Tess firmed her chin. “Nothing’s going to spoil the wedding for us.”
     
    H E WAS THINKING THE SAME THING . HE COULD HEAR THE sound of women’s laughter, of women’s voices, pretty as music. It made him smile. He liked to think of Lily inside, in the center of it, soft and sweet. She’d be dead if not for him, and he’d been hugging his secret heroics to his heart for weeks.
    He’d saved her life, and he wanted to see her married.
    When those pretty images paled, he could always bring the picture of what he’d done to Jesse Cooke to the front of his mind. Sometimes he liked to fall asleep with that replaying through his head. A fine, colorful dream, scented with blood.
    He’d been very careful since then, and when the lust for killing became overpowering, he cooled it in the hills and buried his prey. It was odd how much stronger that lust was now, more than the need for food, for sex. Soon, he knew, soon, it wouldn’t be satisfied by rabbit or deer or a calf from pasture.
    It would have to be human.
    But he would hold it back, he would control it until after Lily was safely married. He was bound to her now, and where he was bound, he was loyal.
    He feared she was worried that something would happen. But he had fixed that as well. He’d printed the note with great care, pondered the words like an exercise. Now that he had written it, now that he had slipped it under her kitchen door, he was lighter of heart.
    She wouldn’t worry now. She would know someone waslooking out for her. Now he could relax and enjoy the sounds of the female ritual. Now he could dream of wedding bells that would herald the breaking of his fast for blood.
    As the sky washed with red over the western peaks and the party broke up, some of the women who drove past waved. He lifted a hand in return. And he wondered whom he would choose to hunt when the time was right.

TWENTY-SEVEN
    “I THINK YOU SHOULD SEE THIS .”
    Her brow arched, Willa took the sheet of notepaper from Lily’s hand. She’d been ready to turn in after a long day of socializing when Lily had come to her room. It took only the first glance to wash the fatigue away.
    I don’t want you to worry. I won’t let anything happen to you, or Adam, or your sisters. If I had known what J C was up to, I would have killed him sooner, before he scared you. You can rest easy now and have a nice wedding. I’ll be there, looking out for you and yours. Best wishes, a friend.
    “Christ.” The chill sent a shudder through her. “How did you get this?”
    “It was under the door in the kitchen.”
    “You showed it to Adam?”
    “Yes, right away. I don’t know how to feel about this, Will. The person who sent this killed Jesse. And the others.” She took the paper back from Willa, folded it. “Yet he seems to be trying to reassure me.