Chapter 14

Ana smiled, despite the pain in her wrists and ankles from the deep bite of the rope. Fergi and Cody were with Chase, and soon Giovanni would be alerted that Chase suspected her whereabouts. That would send Giovanni scrambling. The way she figured it, he would kill her and claim to have saved Clara, after charming her so that she didn’t remember that it was he who had kidnapped her to begin with.

Her smile faded. She had to banish the scorpions before Giovanni arrived and free herself and Clara. Otherwise, she had no chance at all.

Closing her eyes, she stilled her breath and concentrated on sending out a call. Every creature on Earth had its own natural enemies. Scorpions had to be the same. What she needed was to make contact with an enemy of the scorpion.

“Grandfather, lend me your strength,” she prayed silently and began her chant. “Viue tibi Musis, multitudinis amicitias vita. Temporis sis auarus: omnibus beneficus: utere donis tuis: vocationi inuigila. Verbum Dei nunquam recedat ab ore tuo.”

Slowly the darkness began to brighten in a swirling eddy of light. She opened her eyes to see the muted tones of brown and beige swimming before her eyes. A form started to take shape.

The first clear feature she saw were two round yellow eyes. The eyes blinked once, then again. Slowly the became more distinct. Ana lost touch with her surroundings as she beheld the vision in her mind.

At about five and half inches in height, the owl was without ear tuffs and its buff-colored feathers bore indistinct dark streaks. It had a very short tail, but sharp little talons.

“Who are you?” Ana asked.

“Humans refer to my kind as an Elf Owl.”

“And you are capable of battling a scorpion?”

The owl chirruped a laugh. “Eat ‘em for breakfast.”

Ana laughed right along with the owl. “Well, I’m surrounded by a veritable feast. You think you could round up some friends and come over for a buffet?”

“Give me five minutes,” the owl chattered its reply.

“Bless you,” Ana replied and opened her eyes to find Clara staring blankly, her eyes void of hope.

“We’re going to get out of this,” Ana said. “I promise. You just have to hold on a little longer.”

Clara nodded, but Ana could tell that she no longer believed they were going to be saved. Ana could not fall victim to that hopelessness. The owls would come. She had to believe that.

The seconds ticked by, and the sounds of the scorpions crawling over one another mixed with Clara’s weak breathing and the rustle of trees outside.

Then another sound intruded. Ana strained to make it out. The sound intensified until it seemed to be coming from all directions. The chatter and chirp of not one but many owls.

A few seconds later they entered the house, flying through every open window and hole in the roof and walls. Hundreds of owls, all chattering and diving toward the scorpions.

Clara screamed at the sight. “It’s okay!” Ana yelled to her. “They’re here to help.”

Charmed as they were, the scorpions battled their natural inclination to run for cover and so proved to be easy prey for the owls. Within minutes the room was free of scorpions and all but one small owl.

It alit inside the circle with Ana and hopped onto her leg, staring up at her with its big eyes.

“Thank you,” Ana said gratefully and inclined her head in respect. “You’ve saved our lives. I owe you a debt and will gladly pay whatever you ask.”

“I think I’d like to stay with you,” the owl replied.

“Really?” Ana was thrilled. “Are you sure?”

“If you can get that big bossy hawk to agree.”

Ana chuckled. “I think I can manage that. Do you have a name?”

“Ne-as-jah.”

“I’m Ana. It’s an honor to meet you, Neasjah, and I would love to have you as a companion.”

“Then it is done,” Neasjah said. “Do you need help with those bindings, Ana?”

“Actually, yes, I do.”

Neasjah hopped off her and moved behind her. Ana could feel the ropes around her wrists being tugged and pulled. It took a while, but at last Neasjah succeeded in weakening the rope enough that Ana could break free.

“My hero!” She grinned at Neasjah and quickly untied her feet. Her arms and legs were cramped from being in the same position for so long. It took her a moment to get the feeling back so she could use her hands to undo the noose, then weave the banishing spell and cancel the circle Giovanni had cast around her. Neasjah added her own chirps and chatters to the spell for which Ana thanked her then hurried over to Clara and performed the banishing spell again.

“I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes,” Clara whispered, eyeing Neasjah warily. “You really are a witch, aren’t you?”

“Yep,” Ana replied as she worked at Clara’s bonds. “We have to find a place to hide. Unless I got Fergi’s message completely wrong, Giovanni will be headed our way.”

“Why?”

“To kill me and charm you into forgetting that he kidnapped you.”

“Fat chance,” Clara snorted, some of her natural spunk returning.

“Actually, a pretty good chance,” Ana argued quietly and moved to untie Clara’s feet. “Giovanni isn’t working alone. Seems like he took on another spirit and it’s one mean mother, if you get my drift.”

“He what?”

“Come on.” Ana stood and held out both hands to help Clara stand. “I’ll explain while we decide on the best place to hide.”

Neasjah flew up and landed on her shoulder. “Yeoh!” Ana winced at her sharp talons. “Okay, first things first.”

She said a quick charm to render Neasjah’s talons harmless to her skin. “Okay, that’s better. Now, Neasjah. Can you take a look around and keep an eye out for Giovanni?”

“I’m on it.” Neasjah took off.

Clara watched the exchange between Ana and the owl in amazement then shook her head. “All right, what’s the scoop on this Giovanni character and that whatever it is inside him?”

“Come on.” Ana took her hand and headed for the door. “See, it all started when…”

* * * * *

Chase found his father and brothers in the kitchen of the Circle R, along with Giovanni Sardo.

“I think I may have a lead,” he announced as soon as he walked in.

Four pairs of hopeful eyes turned toward him in the form of his father and brothers. Giovanni Sardo’s eyes narrowed, and his mouth tightened.

Chase ignored Giovanni and addressed his family. “I was talking with Mick Rogers. He was flying over the wilderness a couple of days ago and saw a car headed that way. He didn’t get a plate, but they were headed toward Aravaipa.”

“Call and round up everyone you can for a search party,” Charlie directed Clay.

“Perhaps it would be better to wait until morning,” Giovanni Sardo suggested.

Charlie opened his mouth as if to argue, then closed it and nodded. “You might be right. No point in stumbling around in the dark. We’ll start at first light. Clay, go ahead and make the calls. Tell everyone to meet here before sunup.”

Clay nodded and went for the phone. Chase watched his family and how quickly they fell to Giovanni’s suggestion. Before Sardo, Charlie would have been out the door before Chase finished talking. Now he was content to wait for morning.

But that was exactly what Fergi and Ana were counting on and as much as it went against the grain for Chase not to rush immediately to Ana’s side, he would go along with their plan.

“Well, I guess I’ll head on home and meet you back here in the morning,” he said.

“Why not bunk out here?” Cole asked.

“Naw, I’ve got Cody in the truck. I’ll see you all at sunrise.”

“Good idea,” Giovanni said, making Chase want to punch him in the mouth. “You’ll need your rest.”

“Yeah, right,” Chase mumbled and headed out to his truck.

“Well?” Cody’s question came immediately in his mind the moment he got into the truck.

“Well, now we get back home, get saddled up and see if Ana and Fergi are right,” Chase answered, still feeling for all the world like a lunatic, carrying on a conversation with a dog. But he’d talk to a bear if it meant getting Ana and Clara back. If Fergi was right, it wouldn’t be long before Giovanni would hightail it out to Aravaipa to dispose of Ana and make sure Clara thought of him as his rescuer.

That wasn’t going to happen. Not only would Chase be waiting for Sardo at Aravaipa, but he’d also be armed for bear.

* * * * *

“Neasjah, will you find Fergi and let her know where we are?” Ana asked as she and Clara knelt in the shadows of a thicket of cottonwood trees.

Neasjah gave a sharp chirp and took off into the sky. Ana turned to Clara. “We’re just going to rest here for a little while until Neasjah gets back, okay?”

“As long as we’re out of that cabin and away from those scorpions,” Clara said with a shudder. “Ana, how did you get those owls to come?”

“I didn’t. Neasjah did. All I did was send out a plea for help from whatever was the natural enemy of the scorpions. Neasjah heard me and answered. She rounded up the owls.”

“I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Me either,” Ana agreed, and then added. “We really owe Neasjah. Without her help I don’t know what we would have done.”

“Seems to me that I owe you,” Clara said. “I know I acted pretty snotty at first when you said you were a witch, but as I live and breathe, I’m damned glad you are because if you weren’t, that little owl wouldn’t have brought her feathered posse.”

“You don’t owe me, Clara. If it wasn’t for me, we wouldn’t be in this mess, and you’d be— Neasjah’s back.”

A moment later the little owl alit on Ana’s shoulder, chattering a mile a minute. “She said that Giovanni is on his way and will be here in a few minutes. Fergi is sticking with Chase who’s on horseback and also just a few minutes away. Cody is with him. Chase plans on ambushing Giovanni.”

“Thank god,” Clara breathed heavily in relief.

“No, that’s not good,” Ana argued. “Clara, on his own Giovanni wouldn’t stand a chance against Chase. But he’s carrying around something old and mean and bent on inflicting as much pain and suffering as possible. It won’t matter what weapon Chase has on him because the Entity in Giovanni won’t fight on the physical plane.”

“And you think that…thing in Giovanni is strong enough to hurt Chase?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then what do we do?”

Ana considered it for a few moments. Neasjah chattered at her, and she nodded. “Okay.” She turned her attention to Clara. “This is what we’re going to do. I’m going to attempt to create a charm that will make you less visible and—”

“You can make me invisible?” Clara blurted louder than she intended. “Sorry,” she whispered.

“No, I can’t make you invisible, but I can, hopefully, make you less noticeable—as long as you stay within the shadows. When Giovanni gets here, I’ll draw his attention. It’s me he wants to hurt, so I’ll do what I can to keep him focused on me. While I’ve got him distracted, Neasjah will lead you to Chase. Once you’re with him, convince him to call for help. The more people the better.”

“But you said weapons wouldn’t work.”

“They won’t. But it will keep Chase busy and besides, maybe an audience is just what we need. At least that way we’ll have witnesses.”

“I don’t much like the sound of it, but okay.”

“Neasjah, I need you to be able to talk to Clara,” Ana said. “Which means I need your power to make this work. Will you help me?”

Neasjah chirped once in reply and Ana smiled. “Okay, here we go.” She closed her eyes and began to chant softly. After a few minutes she opened her eyes. “Okay, I think that’s it. Neasjah?”

“Yep,” came the soft almost childish feminine reply in her mind.

“Oh my god!” Clara gasped, letting Ana know that she had heard Neasjah. “I can’t believe this!”

“Well, believe it, baby,” Neasjah giggled. “And get a move on. We’ve got some ground to cover.”

Clara looked at Ana and Ana nodded. Clara hugged Ana tightly. “You be careful.”

“You, too,” Ana replied then stiffened. “Go. He’s here.”

Neasjah hopped onto Clara’s shoulder and Clara hurried off, sticking to the shadows of the trees. Ana walked out into the moonlight and waited.

She didn’t have to wait long. Giovanni strode into the clearing. He stopped abruptly when he saw her.

“How did you free yourself?”

“Like always, you underestimated me,” she replied.

“Where’s the old woman?”

“Not here.”

He ground his teeth and stomped over to her. “You stupid fucking bitch! She was my goddamn meal ticket and now you’ve fucked that up just like you fuck up everything else.”

“Too bad,” Ana replied with as much verve as she could muster. Something was flickering in Giovanni’s eyes and whatever it was, it was frightening. She could not show fear to Giovanni or the thing that inhabited him. Clara needed time to reach Chase.

“Tell me where she is!” Giovanni roared and reached for Ana.

For the first time, she did not hesitate. She raised her right hand, palm out. “No!” she said firmly and loudly. “Never again!” A bolt of energy shot from her palm, striking him in the center of the chest and lifting him up off his feet.

Giovanni hit the ground a dozen feet away but bounded up cursing. “Nice try, bitch, but that’s child’s play to what I can do now.”

“Can’t prove it by me,” she challenged him.

Giovanni snarled, raised both hands up on either side of his face, and then flicked them forward much like a gunslinger pointing two handguns.

Ana raised both hands to ward off the attack and Giovanni’s energy collided with the shield she raised, sending sparks into the night all around her. Neither of them would relent and soon both were straining with the effort to maintain the energy they emitted.

Ana knew she could not hold out much longer. Even now she could feel the tendrils of his power seeping in through gaps forming in her protection. It was like fire that penetrated her skin and took residence in her blood, searing her from inside.

The pain weakened her, and Giovanni grinned, moving closer, pressing harder. Ana struggled to maintain what little defense she had left but it was no use. His power was too strong.

I’m going to die. The realization hit her with enough force to temporarily erase the pain. Without help, she would not be able to withstand the attack and she would die. But if she died then Giovanni would win. He would find Chase and Clara, kill Chase, and make everyone, including Clara, believe that he had saved her.

The idea of Chase dying gave her the strength she needed to play her final card. Instead of attacking, she surrendered. Ana sank to the ground, folding her legs into the lotus position. The pain made breathing hard and sweat poured from her body, but she tried to ignore it.

With every ounce of energy she possessed, she projected a plea. “To those who walk in Shadow, and long to reach the Light. I call upon you now, come forth from dark of night. Dispel this ancient evil. Dispel this ancient hate. Rise now to do my bidding and change your wandering fate.”

Giovanni laughed at her. “Now that’s just pitiful. You can’t do better than that?”

Ana did not respond. She had only enough energy to concentrate on her summoning. Over and over, she murmured the chant, enduring the pain even though her heart was beginning to beat erratically, and her lungs felt like she was breathing fire.

Giovanni reached down, grabbed her by the hair and dragged her to her feet, pressing his face down close to hers. “You’ve lost, bitch. You can’t beat me. You’ve lost and you’re going to die. But not before I fuck you one last time.”

Ana’s concentration failed when he threw her on the ground and started ripping away her clothes. She did not have the strength to fight him and the pain racking her body was enough that she struggled just to not scream.

“Don’t,” she pleaded as he grabbed her knees and spread her legs wide. “Please, Giovanni. If you ever cared for me, don’t do this.”

His reply was a backhand that sent her head whipping to one side and stars dancing in her eyes. He drew back to hit her again but screamed as sharp talons punctured his skin.

Giovanni rolled off Ana, battling Fergi, whose talons were sunk into his arm. She snapped and pecked at him, successfully biting off the tip of one of his fingers. With his attention diverted, the power he had over Ana faded. She scooted back like a crab from him and climbed to her feet.

“Fergi!” She cried out a warning as Giovanni’s free hand began to pulse with fire.

Fergi released him and lifted skyward, barely dodging a blast of fiery energy. Giovanni cursed, cradling his wounded arm against his body as he turned on Ana. “Now, where were we?”

Ana stepped back from him, raising her arms out to her sides, and repeating her summons. Before she’d finished the chant, a wind rose, blowing her long hair out around her like a dark halo. Leaves rustled and twigs snapped. Fergi’s shrill cry blended in with a low keen that seemed to come from all around them.

Giovanni paused and looked around. His eyes widened.

* * * * *

The sound of horses had Chase stopping and turning Whiskey to face the approaching riders.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded as Charlie reined to a stop in front of him.

“Damnedest thing,” Charlie replied. “I was getting ready to turn in and suddenly it hit me. Why the hell are we waiting around for morning? Clara could be dead by then. So, I rousted the boys and we hightailed it over here.”

“Jason’s on his way with the rest of the police force,” Clay added. “Damn, Chase, I feel like a complete fool. How the hell could we have sat there and done nothing when Mama C’s life is at stake?”

“It’s Sardo,” Chase replied.

“Sardo?” Charlie asked. “What the hell you talking about?”

“He’s a witch,” Chase said. “He’s the one who made you believe that it was okay to wait. As soon as he thought you’d turned in, he headed out here for Ana and Clara.”

“Witch, my ass!” Charlie scoffed.

“Believe what you want, but—” Chase wheeled Whiskey around as Cody took off into the darkness. It took Chase a few moments to spot what had Cody so excited. He was off his horse and eating up the distance that separated them the moment he recognized the slim form stumbling toward him with a little owl perched on her shoulder.

“Chase!” Clara latched hold of him and hung on for support. “Thank god! You have to help her!”

“Where is she?” Chase asked.

Before she had a chance to answer, Charlie was pushing Chase aside and scooping Clara up in his arms. The little owl perched on Clara’s shoulder fluttered to a nearby limb and watched. “God almighty, Clara.” Charlie cradled her against him. “I thought I’d lost you. Are you hurt? If that bastard so much as laid one hand—”

“I’m fine, Charlie,” Clara interrupted softly. “But Ana isn’t. That no-good husband of hers tied us up in one of the old buildings in the ghost town and left us surrounded by scorpions for two days, and now he’s coming back to finish us off. You have to help her.”

“The hell I do.” He carried her toward his horse.

“The hell you do is right.” Clara struggled out of his arms and faced him with her hands on her hips. “If it wasn’t for Ana, I’d be dead.”

A chatter drew Clara’s attention, and she amended her statement. “Correction. If it wasn’t for Ana and Neasjah, I’d be dead.”

“Who the hell is Neasjah?”

The owl flew over and alit on Clara’s shoulder. “This is Neasjah,” Clara said. “Sardo had us tied up and surrounded by scorpions and Ana couldn’t break the magic circles around us or the scorpions would have killed us. So, she called for help and Neasjah heard her and brought hundreds of owls and they disposed of the scorpions and Ana and Neasjah were able to free us and then—”

“Clara, Clara.” Charlie pulled her to him and engulfed her in his arms. “Christ, woman, what did they do to you? Boys, we got to get her to the hospital pronto.”

“Like hell!” Clara pushed away from him. “You listen to me, Charlie Russell. I’ve been taking care of you and these boys most of my life and loving every one of you even though it can be a thankless job. I’ve put up with your bellyaching, your blustering, your cuss-fired bad temper and all your bullshit because of that, but if you think for one red-hot second that you’re not helping Ana then you can just think again. That girl saved my life and loves your son, and he loves her. And whether you like it or believe it, she is a witch and right now she’s fighting something that’s likely to kill her, and you will help her or so help me God, I’ll leave the Circle R and never come back.”

“Clara—”

“No!” she cut Charlie off and turned to Chase. “We have to hurry.”

“Then let’s go.” Chase mounted and led the way.

Clara faced Charlie. “Well, what’s it going to be?”

“Get on the damn horse,” he groused and mounted.

Clara took his extended hand and swung up behind him. Ten minutes later, they were on the edge of the ghost town.

Silently Chase made his way along. He looked around the corner of a building just in time to see Fergi dive out of the sky and attack Giovanni Sardo, who had Ana pinned to the ground.

Ana scooted away from Giovanni as he battled the hawk. Chase made his way around behind Giovanni. When a strange light started to pulse in Giovanni’s hand, Ana screamed a warning to Fergi, who lifted off.

Giovanni turned to face Ana and said something Chase couldn’t hear. By that time Ana was on her feet. She raised her arms out wide to her sides and began to speak. Chase couldn’t make out more than the first few words before a wind started to whip the cottonwood trees and blow debris across the ground.

A sudden shrill cry from Fergi made him jump. The low keening sound that came from nowhere and seemed to reverberate all around them made the hair on the back of his neck rise.

Whatever it was, it was slowing Giovanni Sardo. He was looking around nervously. “Spread out,” Chase whispered to his father and brothers. “Once we have him surrounded, we’ll move in and take him.”

His brothers gave nods and headed into the darkness, careful to move quietly. Charlie started to leave but Clara took his hand. “You be careful,” she whispered.

Charlie nodded, gave her hand a squeeze and moved off.

“You stay put, you hear?” Chase said to Clara, and at her nod, slipped around the corner of the building and melted into the darkness.

Ana felt the rise of power in the wind and ended the chant. She could feel the presence of others. Giovanni was looking around fearfully. She wondered if the fear was his, or if the Entity inside him was afraid. At this point it made no difference to her. All that mattered was stopping both of them and helping the Others to make the crossing.

Amorphous shapes began to swirl around them, like fog gathering. The wailing intensified as the spirits circled around them. Ana spotted shapes moving in the darkness and heard Fergi’s voice letting her know that Chase and his family were there.

Neasjah’s voice sounded, letting Ana know that Clara was also there and that she believed that she could join with Clara to intensify her power if Ana wanted to attack Giovanni on multiple fronts.

At first Ana didn’t understand, but Cody’s voice joined in and explained. He was with Chase. She, Chase, and Clara had unconsciously formed an equidistant triangle around Giovanni. Together with the spirits that swirled in the clearing, they had Giovanni surrounded.

“Okay,” Ana sent the message to the animals. “Tell Chase and Clara what to do and on my signal give it all you’ve got.”

Fergi swooped down and settled on Ana’s shoulder as Ana began her chant. The spirits wailed louder, and the wind intensified until it had the power of a storm.

Across the clearing, Chase jumped as Cody’s voice piped up in his mind, explaining what was about to happen. Chase’s first inclination was to argue, but something happened to change his mind.

Charlie stepped out of the darkness with a Colt in his hand. “End of the line, you miserable jackass,” he yelled at Sardo.

Giovanni’s head whipped around in Charlie’s direction. He raised his hand, pointing at Charlie, and snaking energy shot from his fingers. It slapped at his hand and the gun flew from his grip. The energy circled Charlie and lifted him up off the ground. Giovanni flicked his fingers and Charlie was slung a good twenty feet before crashing to the ground.

“Okay,” Chase whispered to Cody. “We’ll try this your way.” Hoping he was not making a huge mistake, he crawled over to get his gun and waited for the signal.

Giovanni screamed at Ana in a voice that was not entirely his own, letting her know that the Entity was assuming more control. “Stupid witch. You think you can stop me with your paltry magic and these pathetic humans? I’ll crush you all like bugs beneath my feet.”

Ana challenged him, “And yet here I stand.”

Giovanni roared and ran toward Ana. “Now,” she said and pointed one hand in Chase’s direction and the other in Clara’s.

Chase saw Clara doing the same thing and followed suit. Suddenly a brilliant stream of light appeared, connecting each of their hands to the other, forming a triangle of light around Giovanni Sardo.

He stopped abruptly, turning to view the spectacle before facing Ana again. “I hope this isn’t all you have,” he said before he unleashed a fiery tendril of energy at her.

Ana’s body arched under the impact but straightened after but a moment. Her eyes glowed as if lit from within. “To those who walk in Shadow, and long to reach the Light. I call upon you now, come forth from dark of night. Dispel this ancient evil. Dispel this ancient hate. Act now to do my bidding and change your wandering fate.”

The wail of the spirits rose to earsplitting volume. Their shapes swirled in frenzy around Giovanni, buffeting him from all sides. He stumbled, fighting to stay on his feet and maintain the attack on Ana.

“No!” he screamed at Ana. “Die, miserable bitch!”

“Not today,” she said a moment before a ball of light shot out of her forehead toward him.

Giovanni’s scream was cut short. The ball of light illuminated the spirits to eye-watering brilliance. In turn they crowded in on Giovanni and exploded like a nova, sending a wave of energy out in all directions with light so blindingly white that all sight was obliterated.

Within moments it was over. Giovanni Sardo lay on the ground. There was no sign of the spirits.

Ana dropped her arms and Fergi lifted off her shoulder. Ana walked over to kneel in front of Giovanni. He did not appear to be breathing. Self-loathing filled her. How could she have taken a life? Chase raced to her, and she looked up at him with tears in her eyes. “What have I done, Chase?”

“Survived,” he said as he pulled her to her feet and into his arms. “And sent some long overdue folks on their way home.”

Clara ran to Charlie along with his sons and got him to his feet. With one arm over Clara’s shoulders, he limped over to Chase and Ana. “God as my witness, if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I’d never have believed it.”

A groan from Giovanni made Ana jump. He opened his eyes and saw her with Chase. “You think you’ve won, bitch?” he snarled and lifted his hand. In it was a handgun.

Faster than the strike of a snake, both Chase and Charlie drew their guns. Two shots sounded, almost simultaneously. Twin blossoms of crimson appeared in the center of Giovanni’s chest. His body jerked, spasmed and then stilled.

Ana closed her eyes as Chase wrapped his arms around her and pressed her face against his chest.

“It’s over, Sassy,” he crooned. “You’re safe.”

“At what price?” she asked.

“The way I see it, you did nothing wrong,” Charlie spoke up. “The man tried to kill you and Clara. You saved Clara, and probably the rest of us. You saw what he did to me. If you hadn’t…blasted him with whatever the hell that was, then we probably would all be toast.”

“Amen,” Chase said.

Ana looked up and saw Clara smiling up at Charlie, and Charlie and Chase looking at one another intently. “I was wrong, son,” Charlie said. “About a hell of a lot, it seems.” He gave Clara a meaningful look. “All I can do is apologize. What say we make a fresh start?”

Chase looked down at the hand his father extended and then at Ana. She smiled and nodded. Chase took his father’s hand. “Sounds like a plan…Dad.”

Ana realized then that there was no need for remorse. Giovanni had chosen his own path and had allowed the evil to take up residence inside him. In fact, he had welcomed it. That it destroyed him was not her fault. And maybe that was the way his story was supposed to be. If nothing else good came out of his life, at least he was instrumental in bringing Chase’s family together again. That had to count for something. The look in Clara’s and Charlie’s eyes when they looked at one another counted for even more. Ana would be willing to bet that there would be wedding bells ringing in their near future.

And then there was Chase. She looked up to see him watching her with love shining in his dark eyes. Gone were the shadows of the past.

“Woohoo!” Caleb startled them all with his gleeful yell. “Well, hell, ya’ll. Life is for the living. I say we meet up with Jason and let him know we rescued the women then get home and have ourselves one hell of a victory celebration.”

Chase and Charlie groaned at the same time and Ana laughed. “What’s the matter, cowboy? One little old ancient evil and a handful of spirits take the starch out of your shirt?”

Chase gave her a mock scowl and made a grab for her as she darted away from him and took off running in the direction of the horses. Chase hesitated for only a split second before he took off after her.

“Hey!” Caleb yelled after them. “What ya’ll doing?”

“Chasing Ana,” Chase shouted over his shoulder as he closed in on her.

“Ya’ll coming to the house?” Caleb asked.

“Later!” Chase replied as he scooped Ana up into his arm, giggling and squirming.

“Much, much later,” she added and looped her arms around Chase’s neck. “So, cowboy. What now? We get on our horse and ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after?”

“Indeed, we do, Sassy.” He grinned. “Indeed, we do.”