Only 06 - Winter Fire

didn’t have to look. The land filled her eyes, her heart, her soul.
    â€œThe snow will melt tomorrow,” she said quietly. “But until then, everything will be like a Christmas angel, all sparkling with light.”
    His breathing hesitated, then continued evenly despite the memories running like razors through his heart.
    â€œDid your family have an angel at the top of their Christmas tree?” he asked.
    She nodded. “Of all the decorations, it was my favorite.”
    â€œEmily loved the angel best, too.”
    The echoes of pain in his voice made Sarah ache. Saying nothing, she shifted until she could put her arms around him. His arms tightened around her in return.
    Snow shimmered like the wings of angels, white and glistening, feathery veils of innocence that both softened and emphasized the stark beauty of the land.
    How can I leave this? she thought.
    Breath squeezed raggedly from her lungs.
    â€œStill afraid?” Case asked quietly.
    â€œI know the difference between nightmare and night” was all she said.
    He pulled her closer and tucked her head beneath his chin. With each breath he inhaled the clean scent of her hair.
    Tenderness and desire fought within him.
    Both won.
    â€œWhat are you thinking about?” he asked after a time.
    â€œLand and silver and Conner.”
    â€œHe was so excited he was dancing in place.”
    â€œUntil I started talking about sending him back East to school,” Sarah said.
    â€œConner was thinking of spending that silver on good cattle and digging wells and such.”
    â€œHe can do that after he has a university education. If he still wants to.”
    Case opened his mouth to point out that Conner’s future was her brother’s decision, not hers.
    Yet in the end he said nothing.
    â€œHunter wasn’t very excited about the silver,” she said.
    â€œIt means trouble.”
    â€œWe were poor and had trouble. Now we’re rich and have trouble. I’d rather have the silver as well as the misery.”
    Again, Case held his tongue.
    Then he thought better of it. If Sarah understood just how great the risk had become after the Spanish treasure was found, maybe she would grab Conner and get the hell out while the rest of them took care of the Culpeppers.
    â€œWe were followed once we left that side canyon,” Case said flatly.
    â€œWe’ve been followed before.”
    â€œWe were carrying firewood then.”
    â€œSo?”
    â€œWe come out of that canyon with no firewood in sight, yet our animals all cut deeper tracks than they did on the way into the canyon.”
    Sarah stiffened.
    â€œAb Culpepper is a good tracker,” he said. “So are most of his kin. They know you were hunting for Spanish treasure.”
    â€œAnd now they know we’ve found it,” she finished bleakly.
    â€œThat’s what I would think, if I had been the one watching and tracking.”
    â€œNobody knows where the silver is hidden now but the two of us,” she said fiercely.
    â€œYou wouldn’t last long once Ab started questioning you. Neither would I. He’s a man of rare cruelty.”
    â€œThen you’ll just have to keep me out of his hands until I get that silver to a bank.”
    â€œI have a better idea. Take Conner, four bars of silver, and six horses. Run without stopping for Santa Fe. Ute will go with you as a guard. You can come back once the raiders are taken care of.”
    â€œConner won’t go,” she said.
    â€œHow do you know?”
    â€œI’m not a complete fool. I want my brother out of here in one piece. But he won’t leave. When I told him I wouldn’t give him any silver if he stayed, he just shrugged.”
    â€œDamnation,” Case said through his teeth.
    â€œAmen.”
    She sighed jerkily.
    It’s all coming apart, all my plans for the future. Why did Conner have to grow up so stubborn?
    Starlight glittered across snow like frozen tears.
    Sarah closed her eyes, shutting out everything but the comfort of Case’s body so solid against hers and his armsstrong around her. A shiver that was both sadness and pleasure went through her.
    â€œDon’t think about the nightmare,” he said softly.
    â€œI wasn’t.”
    â€œYou trembled.”
    â€œI was thinking about how fine it would be just to stay here in the night with you and let the rest of it slide away, all of it, all the bad memories and the