Page 3 of Kissing the Kelpie

A chill kisses my skin, leaving my arms covered in tiny bumps. Em doesn’t know the man’s here. He subverted Em’s detection. A shiver runs up my spine.

This man, this thing, isn’t human. He can’t be. Danger flashes like a neon sign before me. Fear spears my heart. Whoever, whatever, the stranger is, he doesn’t belong here, and the fact that I've gotten so close to him means my defenses are down.

“Safra,” I keep my voice low as I call my feline escort. She responds with a low, non-threatening sound to let me know she’s with me.

This catches the man’s attention. He pauses a moment. Our eyes meet. The air is pulled from my lungs. Suctioned. My body quivers. Feeling overexposed in the thin white nightgown I made for myself, I cross my arms over my chest as if that will offer some sort of protection.

Unable to think straight, I pull my eyes from his and soak in the rest of him. His broad shoulders stretch the loose-fitting cream shirt he wears. It’s loosely laced up in the front, hinting at his smooth chest. That, along with his black baggy pants, reminds me of a pirate from a hundred years ago. All he’s missing is a hat, sword, and boots. Well, he may be missing boots. I can’t see his feet from where I am.

There’s something pulling me to him. I want to get closer. See him. Touch him. I have to fight the urge with everything I have inside me.

My eyes return to his. They’re piercing, cutting into my inner self. The bright blue color captivates me from across the spring. The corners of his lips lift ever so slightly before he nods at me in acknowledgment, then pulls the bow across the strings of his instrument and makes music once again.

I release a shaky breath I didn’t realize I was holding. I want to get rid of the ominous feeling in my chest so I can approach him with a clear head. I can’t. Seized by fear, I’m frozen in place.

This is wrong, I remind myself. He’s dangerous because he doesn’t belong here. Breaking out in a cold sweat, my heart drums against my chest. My body trembles. I have to force myself to flee. I swallow hard gathering my bearings. I need to be strong for Ana and create distance from this being.

“Come, Safra,” Pretending I’m not affected by the man, I ignore him and use all my self-discipline to turn around and rush back to my cottage. Twice, I feel the need to look behind me and see if he’s following. He isn’t.

The closer I get to my cottage, the faster my heart beats. Once inside, I rush to close the door and lean my back against it. Clutching my chest, I catch my breath and search the room for something to use as a weapon if he forces his way inside.

*

Sleep evades me for the next week. I toss and turn in the dark, waiting with anticipation to hear the beautiful music again. The music that filled me with nostalgia and joy. I know it’s coming.

That he’s going to return.

I fill with disappointment instead when, night after night, I hear nothing but the hooting of owls and the croaking of frogs in the darkness.

I consider asking Em if he encountered the stranger, but decide not to. If he knew about him, he’d tell me. Since neither he nor Erin mentions anything, I leave it be, in case the man was here by mistake. No need causing problems for someone who meant no harm.

Unless he did. Does.

I believe he had a purpose for being here. At least, that’s how it seemed when I saw him at the spring. He looked too comfortable and carefree, too unafraid of the environment around him to have stumbled here by chance. And who carries a violin on them?

For now, I decide to keep the mysterious man my secret. Why stir up trouble for no reason? At this point, the likelihood of me ever seeing him again is slim to none. At least, that’s what my head tells me. But my heart waits with anticipation for his return, knowing it’s only a matter of time.

Chapter 3

My feet move. I barely notice that I’m walking. It feels like I’m floating or being pulled on a conveyor belt. The closer I get to the spring, the faster my heart beats. Trepidation or excitement, I’m not sure which, has me trembling so much I can’t see straight, and the images around me bounce and blur.

“This is crazy!” I reassure myself. “I have nothing to be nervous about. You’ll keep me safe, Safra, won’t you?”

She doesn’t answer. Doesn’t even turn her head to look at me. What do I expect? She is a cougar. It’s strange, though. I always get some sort of acknowledgment when I speak to her.

I wonder if this should set off a warning flare. It doesn’t. At least not one obvious enough for me to turn around.

“You’re a little out of sorts, girl; you’d stop me if you sensed danger. Wouldn’t you?”

She yawns in response. Maybe she’s just tired and upset because I woke her from her sleep to walk with me. I chalk her behavior up to the fact that cougars are wild animals and don’t respond the way humans do, even though Safra is a lot more interactive than your everyday cougar.

Ignoring the niggling feeling that I may be heading for a trap, I forge forward, almost as if I’m powerless to stop myself. Although, I know if I decide to turn around and go home, I’ll find the will to do it. Just like last time.

I give it one last shot. “We’re out for a nighttime walk, that’s all girl, right?” I ask her, as if we do this all the time. This time, Safra gives me a side glance and a low growl.

“What?” I grow defensive, knowing in my heart that I’m flirting with danger. “I’m not doing anything wrong.”

Then why does guilt flood through me? I feel like I’m betraying Em, which is crazy. It’s not like I’m planning to hurt him; I’d never do that or sneak anything bad into the forest. The man is already here. He found his way on his own. But I know my guardian wouldn’t approve of me meeting with this stranger—meeting with anyone, for that matter—without him by my side. I shake my head. How treacherous can a man schooled in playing the violin really be? It’s a sophisticated instrument. Beautiful, not just in the rich sound that comes from it, but with its glossy finish and rounded curves. Harmless. You can’t even get a splinter from it.

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