CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

 

 

 

“Now, you can hold him but don’t bond with him. Buster Scruggs is going to be a huntin’ dog.” Canyon hid a smile as he looked over at Seren kissing on the wiggling pup.

“I’m not bonding,” she assured him as she buried her face in the small animal’s fur. “I’m keeping him warm.”

“Do you like him? He’s just a mutt, you know.” Canyon wasn’t sure what breed the dog could be. “Might be part golden retriever, part hound dog.”

Seren cut her eyes at Canyon, giving him a harsh glare. “He’s not a mutt. Buster is perfect.”

“Ah, okay.” He didn’t mind her attitude. She would show the exact same loyalty if someone insulted him. “When we get home, we’ll fix him a bed, and find him something to eat.”

Seren hid her face behind Buster’s head and grinned. “I don’t know. He might have to sleep with us. He’s just a baby, you know.” When Canyon sputtered, she couldn’t help but giggle. “What’s wrong?”

He shook his list at her. “My wishes!”

“Oh, yea, right.” She nodded agreeably. “I’d forgot about those.” Actually, she couldn’t wait to see what he had on his list. “Did you ask for cookies? Pancakes? A foot rub?”

“Not hardly.” He gave her a panty-wetting grin. “Just you wait and see.”

“I’m on pins and needles,” she teased him. “I bet I can guess one thing on your list.”

“What’s that?” He turned on the blinker for the last leg of their journey. Canyon could barely contain his happiness. He’d never expected to feel this way again.

“A blow job,” she said with full assurance she was right.

“Nope. Sorry. I have this amazing girlfriend who gives me those regularly.”

“True.” Seren trembled at his answer as she cuddled Buster, her mind racing at what his requests might be. “What’s in the sack?” she asked just noticing a small bag between his legs on the floorboard.

“Has to do with one of my wishes,” Canyon answered as he pulled into the yard. “Hold up and I’ll help you and Buster out.”

Seren waited patiently, happy to note the puppy was comfortable enough to sleep in her arms. “I love him already,” she breathed the words in contentment as Canyon took her by the waist to ease her to the ground.

“Remember, a good hunting dog shouldn’t be too spoiled,” he cautioned as they made their way to the front door.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she muttered. “Wouldn’t want to spoil anyone.” Seren gave him a sidewise knowing glance.

“Except me. Spoiling me doesn’t count.”

“I thought so.”

Once they were indoors, they worked to make Buster comfortable. After making sure he had food and water, Seren put a piece of her clothing, a hot water bottle, and a wind-up clock in the bed with him. “This will keep him company. If he starts whining, I’ll come check on him.”

“He’s going to be fine.” Canyon waited patiently for her to finish. When she was done, he led her to the bathroom. “Okay, are you ready to hear my wishes?”

“I am.” She was more than ready to grant his every request. “Just tell me what you want me to do for you – and I’ll do it.”

“Let me tell you my plan for the evening.” Canyon stepped over to the large tub, put in the stopper, then turned on the water to the correct temperature.

“Okay, it involves a bath. Obviously.”

He placed the small bag from the truck on the vanity next to the tub. “Everything you suggested were things you could do for me.” Next, he proceeded to undress Seren, removing her clothing slowly, caressing and kissing each portion of creamy flesh he uncovered.

“Right, that’s the idea of granting wishes,” she murmured, finding it a bit hard to breathe with him slipping her panties down her legs and off her feet.

“Wrong, these are my wishes and I want to spend them on you. I didn’t put in any bubble bath because I want the water to be clear enough for me to see every delectable inch of your beautiful body while I take care of you.” Taking her by the hand, Canyon helped her into the water, then knelt by the tub.

“You want to bathe me?” The very idea made Seren shiver with anticipation. “Me?” she squeaked.

“I know what I want,” Canyon told her in the most sensual tone she’d ever heard. “I want to show you what you mean to me. How much I desire you.”

Over the next two hours, Seren was treated to an experience unlike any she’d ever known. Canyon bathed her. Tenderly. Seductively. Leaning over the tub, he caressed every inch of her body. At one point, he stepped behind the clawfoot tub, bending over to kiss her neck while he played with her breasts. When he had her at a fever pitch, Canyon moved back to the side, cradling her with one arm while he fingered her until she came – gasping and crying out his name.  

Once she was out of the tub, he dried Seren tenderly, then settled her on the bed for a back rub. “See, making you happy makes me happy.”

“You succeeded. I am ecstatic,” she whispered as he touched her all over, making her feel as if she was the most important person in his world.

Once she was sated and relaxed, he upped the ante. The touch of his hands was replaced by the whisper of a feather. “What’s that?”

“Honey dust. This was what was in the bag. It’s made with real honey. I’m going to brush it on your skin, then kiss it off.”

“Oh.” She shivered at the thought. “I bet it will taste sweet.”

“Not as sweet as you.”

By the time he was through kissing and licking her body, Seren was mindless with arousal. She opened her arms and welcomed Canyon into them. They made love time after time, making use of the whole bed. Insatiable, his seemingly inexhaustible ardor even took them to the thick rug. The moon was high in the sky before he was sated enough to sleep. 

 

*  *  *

 

Rising early, Seren let Canyon sleep in while she went to tend to Buster Scruggs, taking the puppy outside for a morning run. She hugged herself as she followed along behind the romping dog, her cheeks red from the crisp wind teasing her hair. Taking a deep breath, she let herself absorb the beauty surrounding her.

Canyon lived in such a pretty area. Hilly. Rocky. Covered in trees. The hardwoods were losing their foliage, but the leaves that still clung to the branches were colored shades of vibrant orange, yellow, and red. Creation at its finest. As she trailed the small animal, Seren reminisced about scenes in heaven she’d seen with her own eyes. Yes, those recollections were beginning to fade now. Of majestic waterfalls. Placid blue seas. Fields of flawless flowers. As perfect as those places were, Seren didn’t miss them. Earth might bear the scars of time and nature be burdened with the weakness of deterioration – but the capacity of humankind to know the heights of joy and the depths of sadness gave greater meaning to both.

“How’s our boy?”

Canyon’s voice drew Seren’s attention as he joined them, leaning in to give her a morning kiss. “He’s good. I’ve already fed him. He had a little accident during the night. I need to get some puppy pads,” she admitted. “I’m sorry I didn’t think about buying any last night.”

“I guess we had other things on our mind,” he teased, grasping her hand to hold as they walked.

“You sure surprised me,” Seren admitted. “Last night was amazing.”

Canyon chuckled and shook his head. “I came so hard, you wouldn’t believe.”

“You came three times. I lost count of how many times you made me come.”

“Good. That’s how it should be.” He kissed her on the side of the face. “Don’t forget the party tonight. I know you’ll want to take fresh clothes to change into after work.”

“All right. I’ll be sure to take what I need.” The puppy barking frantically at something drew their attention. “Oh, good gracious. Buster’s cornered a skunk!” Pulling away from him, Seren took off at a run toward the scene of prospective calamity.

“Whoa!” Canyon made a grab for her. “You don’t want to get sprayed.” Stopping, he hunkered down on the ground and began to snap his fingers. “Come here, Buster. Come to Daddy.”

Despite the direness of the situation, Seren giggled. “Come to Daddy,” she repeated his plea.

“Quit laughing and help me call him over. If he gets sprayed, we’ll be all day getting the stink off him.”

Seren joined Canyon, kneeling down, trying to persuade the little dog to leave his newfound playmate. “Buster! Buster! Come to Mama.”

Buster looked at them, then back to the skunk. The skunk seemed oblivious to the whole business, much more interested in some small rodent or insect in the clump of grass.

“Hey, Buster! Look here, Buster.” Canyon took out his keys and shook them. To their relief, that seemed to do the trick. With mouth open and tongue wagging, he scampered over to play with the keys. “Gotcha! You little varmint.”

Seren laughed when Canyon swept him up, carrying Buster like a football under his arm. “I think the safest place for Buster today is in my shop. I’ll make a spot for him if you’ll bring his water and food.”

“Sure thing.” She left them to gather the food bowls and the dog bed. When she returned, Seren made her way into Canyon’s workshop. “Oh, this will be a good place for him. He’ll have plenty of room to roam around.”

“Yea, I think I’ve moved all the bad stuff away he could get into.” He stooped to give Buster a pat of assurance. “Don’t worry. I’ll build you a dog-run soon. When you’re housetrained, we’ll put in a pet door and you can take care of your own bathroom trips.”

Glancing up, Seren realized his art studio was right next door. She hadn’t been inside of it since her fall from grace. “Since we’re here, why don’t you show me what you’ve been working on?”

Canyon shook his head. “Soon. I want to clean up in there and make a few final adjustments before you see the piece.”

“You don’t have to clean up for me. I’ve seen your work before, it’s fantastic.”

“You have?” This was news to Canyon. “When?”

She shrugged. “I saw the dragon you made for Cal Farley’s Boy’s Ranch.” At his confused expression, she reminded him. “Religious family, remember?” To keep him from asking more questions, she nodded toward the house. “I’d better go get ready. We don’t want to be late.”

He agreed and she ran back to gather her things for the boat excursion. Once she was out of earshot, Canyon picked Buster up. “How do you like your new home, boy? Better than the shelter, huh?” When the pup licked his face, Canyon laughed. “I liked it when Seren called herself Mama, didn’t you? Do you want her to be your forever mama?” A small bark sealed the deal. “I think you’re right. Give me a little time and I’ll see what I can do.”

Later…at Hardbodies

Isaac motioned for Canyon to turn off the portable welder. “We’ve got company.”

Doing as Isaac asked, Canyon took off his protective goggles, turning to see Denver and Jacob climbing from one of the ranch trucks.

“Look what the cat dragged in!” Isaac yelled, always ready to give his family or friends a hard time. “Where are you two going? Shopping?” he asked, noting the empty stock trailer behind the truck.

“Nope. Nice set up here, Bro.” Jacob stalked around the outdoor kitchen checking everything out. “We moved Magnus to the south pasture so he could stretch his legs. Thought we’d drive by and drop off Canyon’s paycheck.” He pulled the envelope from his pocket and handed it over.

Isaac frowned at Canyon. “Why are you still living in the stone age? What’s wrong with direct deposit?”

Canyon held up the envelope. “I like to see my money, not just read it as a line item on a website.”

“It’s a wonder he doesn’t want it in cash,” Denver drawled joining Jacob as they looked inside the heavy-duty smoker Canyon had built. “This is damn nice. You can cook a whole steer in this thing.”

“That’s the idea,” Isaac muttered as he rose to answer a summon from Doris who stood at the back door of the club. “I’ll be back.”

“Hey, are Jessie and Seren going with y’all tonight?” Denver asked as he grabbed a water from the cooler and sat down on a large rock brought in for landscaping. “To the duck boat thing?”

“Yea,” Jacob spoke for them both as Canyon nodded. “Why?”

Denver pushed his hat back and frowned. “Bree’s not keen on going and she doesn’t want me to go either.”

“Why not?” Canyon asked as he watched an old green truck pass slowly in front of the club. As he followed the vehicle with his eyes until it was out of sight made Canyon wonder if he’d ever quit watching for Diego.

“Well, it makes her nervous. She’s been doing research on those things and she doesn’t think the boats are safe under any circumstances.”

“I know there have been some accidents, I remember the one in Arkansas. Have there been others?” Jacob asked, giving Denver his full attention.

“Several, according to Bree.” Denver took a swig of his water. “The last accident happened in Missouri, seventeen people died after a storm lashed Table Rock Lake. Thirteen died on Lake Hamilton near Hot Springs in ’99 due to a dislodged drive shaft seal that allowed water to flood the hull. Not to mention the dozens of road accidents. In 2011, a motorcyclist was seriously injured when a duck boat ran over him. In 2015, five college kids were killed when one of the ducks collided with a bus.”

“Wow. I had no idea,” Canyon mused. “That’s a lot of accidents.”

“I’m not sure they should be on the water, to tell you the truth,” Denver continued with his protest. “After all, they’re based on a five-ton war machine from WWII. I don’t think they were ever intended to be a tourist attraction.”

“I guess the appeal is that the vehicle can travel on land and on water. I know they have a few in Austin.” Jacob continued to think aloud. “Well, I agree they aren’t the best boats on the water, but this man has gone out of his way to make all kinds of repairs and improvements. His rig isn’t a regular duck boat, it’s a helluva lot bigger with all kinds of amenities.”

“He deserves a second chance,” Canyon agreed. “There’s no telling what the poor guy has invested in that monstrosity.” He smiled and shrugged his big shoulders. “I always thought they looked fun…” His voice faded to a whisper. “Although, carrying those dead children to their mothers is something I’ll never forget.”

“I know.” Jacob hung his head, studying the toe of his boot. “I suppose this wasn’t the best idea, timing and everything.”

Denver waved his hand in the air. “Don’t let me influence you. Bree is always getting a feeling about one thing or the other. Sometimes she’s right, sometimes she’s not.” He laughed and rubbed his forehead. “The other day she told me A&M will beat LSU this weekend and we both know that ain’t gonna happen.” 

“You never know.” Canyon stood and stretched. “Aw, heck. Let’s go. The guy has gone to a lot of trouble and it wasn’t his fault. At least we can take comfort in the fact that lightning rarely strikes the same place twice.”

 

…After parking near the marina, Canyon led Seren onboard the boat for the excursion. “This is nice.” She clutched her sweater closer around her. “It might get cool later. I’m glad we can sit inside if we choose.” She waved at a few people she recognized. “Look, they have lots of viewing room.”

“Yea, there’s multiple decks to choose from and an eating area for catered food. Do you want to go to the top? We’ll be able to see the fireworks while we eat.”

Seren rubbed her tummy. “Good. I’m a little hungry.”

“You’re always a little hungry.” Canyon gave her a teasing squeeze, smiling at her wide-eyed alarm. “Don’t worry about it. I love a girl with a healthy appetite.” He whispered in her ear, “Especially for sex.”

“You think I’m fat!” Seren hissed, then groaned. What was she getting upset for? She was pregnant. With his child. “Hecky-dern!” And she couldn’t tell him. The man she loved thought she had a ‘healthy appetite’.

“No, not fat.” He rubbed her arms. “Curvy. And I love curves on you.” With a teasing squeeze, he nodded across the room. “Look, they have liquid refreshments.” Canyon pointed to a wet bar. “Can I get you something?”

“Just water will be fine. I don’t need any more calories,” she grumbled under her breath.

As Canyon fetched their drinks, Seren moved to the big glass windows to look out over the water. As she stood there, she let her mind drift from one thought to another. Passengers were still coming on board. She did a quick headcount of the ones she could see and tallied about thirty. Taking a deep breath, she found the air was fragrant with the smell of BBQ. Seren’s stomach grumbled and she covered it quickly with the palm of her hand.  Last night, after the wonderful time with Canyon, she’d dreamed about the baby. A dark-haired little boy named Jon. He’d been the mirror image of his daddy.

“Hey, Seren. How are you?”

She turned to see Jessie McCoy looking stunning in all red. “I’m good. Oh, you look so festive!” She’d renewed her acquaintance with Jacob’s wife in the last couple of weeks.

Jessie preened. “Thank you. The holidays are big at our house. Jacob believes in celebrating every holiday to the fullest. Why don’t you and Canyon sit with us? We’re at the Captain’s table.” When Seren narrowed her eyes and frowned, Jessie laughed. “Okay, that sounds fancier than it really is. Anyway, we have a great view and we’ll be served first.”

“Sounds good to me.” Seeing Canyon making his way to them, she wiggled her finger at him to follow. “We’re sitting with Jacob and Jessie.”

He nodded. “Good deal.”

As they made their way up the narrow stairs to the upper deck, Seren felt the boat begin to move. “Here we go,” she announced, feeling a bit of a thrill. “I’m glad there’s a full moon. The water will look spectacular.”

Once they were seated, Jacob leaned back against the rail and looked up at the night sky. “Wow, look at those stars. Do you ever wonder what’s up there?”

Canyon leaned his head back and gazed also. “Well, with at least a hundred billion stars in a galaxy and approximately ten trillion galaxies in the universe, that adds up to about a septillion of stars, as in a 1 with twenty-four zeros behind it.”

“Wow, Bill Nye the Science Guy, I didn’t know you were so brainy.” Jacob motioned a waiter over for a refill.

“What? I’m more than a brawny sex symbol.” With everyone staring at him, Canyon shrugged. “I’m not sure where those tidbits of info came from. I guess I heard it somewhere.”

Seren knew where he’d heard those exact facts. She recalled one of their earlier conversations when she’d offered to play Scheherazade so he’d let her stay. “Canyon has hidden depths,” she offered while studying his expression closely.

“Like this lake.” Jacob looked off into the distance. “Just look at the moonlight on the water. Who’d think there were two ghost towns beneath these waters? Hancock and Cranes Mill. I’m talking churches. A post office. Cemeteries.”

Jessie shivered. “Don’t start with the spooky stuff. I want to be able to sleep tonight. I can’t seem to forget what Bowie Travis told us the other day.”

“What did he tell you?” Canyon asked, leaning forward. “I’ve always enjoyed stuff like this.”   

“Aww, I think he was just trying to scare Jessie. You know his ranch is located on an old army camp and he keeps a couple of camels, they’re sort of a tradition at Camp Verde. The army brought a herd of them to the facility back in the 1850’s. Anyway, he told her that on Halloween night, he saw a whole line of ghost camels, walking in formation, passing through the copse of trees near the old fort – not to be outdone by the troop of ghost soldiers he saw running across the old bridge built over the river where it runs across his property.”

“Crap, that’s neat,” Canyon mused, tapping his lips with his forefinger.

“Yea.” Jacob grinned. “And to add to her case of the willies, Noah’s mother, Sofia, went to Lost Maples State Park to see the fall colors and swears up and down some ghost children giggled and tried to push her off the cliff up on Llama Rock.”

“Hush.” Jessie patted Jacob’s arm. “That’s enough.”

“Are you kidding, I love the way you cuddle up to me when you’re scared,” Jacob told her when a smirk.

Jessie pouted. “It’s not funny, Sofia’s tale really unnerved me.”

“Oh, Sofia spent so much time in Mexico, she’s a little extra superstitious.” Jacob turned to Canyon and pointed to the owner of the boat who was making his way to the table.

“Yes, she is superstitious,” Jessie agreed, smiling at Seren. “She’s also a heck of a cook. I’ll have to give you her recipe for Posole Rojo.” When the men stood up to greet the Captain, Jessie leaned closer to Seren. “However, Noah’s mother has nothing on my mysterious sister-in-law, Cady. I swear, she’s got powers of some kind. Her whole family is magical, New Orleans hoodoo witches or something.” A little frown marred Jessie’s pretty face. “There’s something extra with Cady though. She’s good. I mean, spooky good. Holy, almost.” She grinned. “I’m not suggesting she’s a prude, Joseph is much too happy for that to be true. I mean, she’s above everything, like she sees the big picture of life.” Letting out a sigh, Jessie shook her head. “I don’t know what I’m trying to say.”

“I think I know what you mean.” Seren recalled how Cady seemed to recognize her from before, even mentioning the party they’d planned. She also couldn’t forget the strange mental message that had come to her mind when she made eye contact with a weirdly glowing Cady at the karaoke competition. “I’m really looking forward to getting to know her better.”     

Their conversation was curtailed when Greg Houseman introduced himself to everyone at the table. “I’m really glad you all could come. You don’t know what it means to me to get a chance to thank everyone for the help you gave.”

“We serve our community to the best of our ability,” Jacob replied. “I’ve worked with the VFD and other organizations for years and seen a lot of tragedy.” He sighed and blew out a long breath. “It never gets easier.”

“I know. Believe me,” Greg said, taking his seat. “I wouldn’t have had that happen for the world. When I thought it was just a freak thing because of the storm, it was bad enough. To know someone intentionally caused the accident is mind-blowing. I thought about just throwing up my hands in defeat, but my wife talked me out of it.” He laughed and took his phone from his pocket. “She’d be here tonight, but we have a little one.” Finding a photo, he shared it with them. “This is our Valerie.”

“Oh, she’s darling,” Jessie spoke up. “I agree with you. We can’t live in constant fear. Once…I was kidnapped and…” Her voice trailed off.

Jacob picked up her story. “Yea, I turned the world upside down trying to find her. A psycho had her chained in a damn shed, holding a gun to her head.”

Jessie nodded. “I could’ve let that change me, kept myself locked in the house. Sometimes, when I go out, I think about it. But I can’t hide from life, we have to have faith everything’s going to be okay.”

While Greg explained to Jacob and Canyon the changes and improvements he’d made to the boat, a waiter brought them each a big plate of BBQ with all the trimmings. As she ate, Seren took the time to consider what they’d been talking about. Faith wasn’t something she’d ever considered to be within her reach. So…why was she feeling this tugging need to believe there was an answer for her?

“Hey, I’m going to the little boy’s room and get something else to drink? Can I bring you something?”

Canyon’s voice snatched Seren back to the present. “Uh, I’m good. Thanks.”

“Be right back.” He gave her a smile and walked quickly away as Jacob and Greg discussed the new life jackets he’d purchased.

“I think the fireworks are about to start,” Jessie told her, noticing the boat was mooring in the middle of the lake. “Can you see? Move your chair closer to mine.”

As she scooted her deck chair around, Jacob and Greg stood up and walked to the far side of the boat, deep in conversation. “I can barely see the shore, this is a big lake, isn’t it?”

“Yea, about nine miles at its widest point, with over three hundred miles of shoreline. About a hundred twenty-five foot deep, I believe.” Jessie rattled off the statistics, then grinned. “I’m not that smart, I asked Jacob the same question on the way over.” She was quite for a few seconds. “I’m dyslexic, so I tend to memorize everything I hear. Reading doesn’t come easy for me.”

“Oh, I didn’t know,” Seren said quickly. “I would’ve never known. Not that…”

Jessie laughed. “No worries. I’ve found ways to compensate. So…is it serious between you and Canyon?”

As the booming explosion of fireworks began to light up the sky, Seren tried to think of something to say in answer.

 

…Meanwhile, Canyon stood at the urinal, finished his business, then went to the wash basin to clean his hands. His mind was full of plans and promises. Over the last few days, he’d arrived at an undeniable conclusion.

He couldn’t live without Seren in his life.

Canyon felt this overwhelming need to sit her down and find out every last detail of her life. Everything she thought. What she liked. What she disliked. He knew some things about her, but he wanted to know more. Her hopes. Her dreams. Her fears. All of it.

The second order of business was to convince her that he was a better choice of someone to love than…George. “George,” he whispered the name with disdain. “I despise the man and I’ve never met him.”

Pushing open the exit door, he firmed up his goals in his head. “I can do this. I can make her love me.” Canyon wasn’t certain when he’d changed his mind about wanting someone in his life – but it had happened. The more he was around Seren, the more certain he was that he couldn’t live without her.

Looking at the floor, Canyon didn’t notice the other man in the hall until they collided. “Oh, hell. Excuse me.”

A mumbled apology was the guy’s only response.

Forgetting the momentary distraction, he continued down the dark corridor. He’d drop by the bar, then get back to Seren. In the distance, he could hear the boom of fireworks. He’d gone about a half dozen steps when there was a louder boom. Closer. Suddenly - beneath his feet, the boat shuddered. “What the hell?”

Canyon stopped in his tracks. What had he felt? Turning around, he looked deeper down the hall, past the restrooms. What was down there? As he debated what to do, he felt the boat lurch. “Oh, Christ.” Taking his phone from his pocket, he hit the button to call Jacob.

“What’s up?”

“Did you feel that?”

“Not really. I thought maybe a log bumped us. Where are you?”

“Heading down to the engine room, just to make sure everything’s okay. Watch out for Seren for me. Okay?”

“She’s right behind me sitting with Jessie. I’ll watch her. Do you need some help?”

“I don’t know. I’ve got a bad feeling about this, McCoy. Keep your eyes open.” About that time, there was another loud boom and Canyon started to run. “Jacob, start getting people off the boat. Something’s damn wrong.”

Stuffing his phone back into his pocket, he pushed into the engine room. Immediately, he saw water pouring into the boat from a hole in the lower wall. Standing by it – was Diego. “Fuck, man, what’s wrong with you?”

Diego didn’t say anything. He just took out a lighter and lit a long fuse that was connected to the engine’s fuel tank.

“No!”

Canyon charged Diego, fighting to get by him to stop the path of the fire.

“Not so fast, blacksmith.”

Diego charged Canyon, pushing him so hard to the right, his head struck an iron pipe. Pain detonated behind Canyon’s eyes. His vision blurred. He tried to see, to block the blows the other man was raining on his face and chest. He couldn’t think clearly.

“Why would you do this?” Canyon screamed at him This man had set off two explosions. The boat was sinking. Now, he was trying to blow it sky high. Panic rushed through his body, he needed to get to Seren. He needed to make sure she was safe. Instead, he was struggling to find a foothold, to push through the deluge of water and stop the fire that threatened to destroy them all.

“Why? I’ll tell you why. I lost my whole family to one of these damn boats. My mother, my brothers, and my sisters. All drowned!”

Canyon could hear the pain in the other man’s voice. “This isn’t going to bring them back.” He pushed against his assailant “Come on. Help me. Let’s stop this thing and get out of here. We can save everyone. This doesn’t have to end in tragedy. We don’t have to die.”

“I want to die!” Diego screamed. “I want to die and I want to take as many with me as I can!”

 

…Up top, Jacob wasted no time. Trusting his friend’s judgment, he informed Greg Houseman of the situation. The captain had no answers, he seemed to be in a state of shock. Total disbelief.  

Jacob tried phoning Canyon for an update. When there was no answer, he cursed. “Dammit!” People were milling around in confusion, everyone asking everyone else what was going on. The fireworks were forgotten.

Grabbing Houseman by the shoulder, he made the man look him in the face. “Get to the engine room and see what happened. I’ll make sure everybody gets to safety.”

“All right. All right.”

Keeping his head, Jacob took his wife’s arm. “Jessie, you and Seren come with me. Let’s get you into a lifeboat.” He steered the women to the place Greg had shown him earlier, putting a life jacket into each of their hands. One of the volunteer firemen was assisting each person into the boat, then helping to lower the boats into the water.

“You come too, Jacob,” Jessie said, her eyes wide with terror.

“I’ve got to help people. Don’t worry. I’ll be right behind you.”

When Jacob left them, Jessie took her arm. Seren didn’t move, she balked. Looking around she wondered at the chaos. The passengers were crying and shouting and the last time she’d seen the captain, he’d just looked dazed. “I can’t go. I can’t leave.” She wouldn’t – couldn’t leave Canyon behind. “Go on without me. I’ve got to find Canyon. We’ll be on the next boat.”

Pulling away from Jessie, she took off in a run. Her heart was hammering and there was an uncomfortable tingle edging down her spine, the same niggling feeling she’d felt the night of the Halloween party when Pennywise the clown had followed Canyon to the back of the bar.

Following her instincts, she fought her way against the flow of people to get to the lower deck. Once she was down the stairs, water lapped at her feet. “Oh, no! Canyon! Canyon!” Rounding one corner, she glanced out toward the water just in time to see a lifeboat lowering. To her shock, Greg Houseman was on board. “Wow, brave,” she muttered. Shaking her head, she focused on her mission. She needed to find Canyon. What had happened she didn’t know, but everything within her told Seren that he was in trouble.

When she came to the last set of stairs, she could see even more water. “God, please,” she muttered in a prayerful tone, “let me find him.” She could swim, or she used to be able to swim as well as she could fly. Hopefully, that skill was still with her. Regardless, she intended to do whatever it took to find him and make sure he was okay.

 

…In the engine room, Canyon was striving to keep his head above water as Diego did his best to drown him. “Sorry to disappoint you, asshole. I don’t intend to die.” He had a reason to live. For Seren. The sparks flickered, but the rising water wouldn’t reach the fuse in time to avoid setting off another explosion. Calling forth all his strength, he lunged upward and grabbed the fuse, extinguishing the fire in his palm. Diego grabbed him from behind, but Canyon bucked backward throwing Diego hard against the wall. As he did, there was a sickening crack as the madman’s skull came into contact with the engine block.

When Diego slipped from his grasp, Canyon started from the engine room. If he hurried, he could find Seren and insure everyone made it to safety before the duck boat sank to the bottom of the lake. As he sloshed toward the exit, he heard an ominous creaking noise. Looking up, he saw a crack forming in the ceiling. That was when Canyon realized the hole in the engine room wasn’t the only one Diego had put into the boat. Moving as quickly as he could, he endeavored to get out of the way before the debris fell on top of him.

Too late.

The ceiling gave way, water poured down, and a large slab of wood crashed down directly on top of Canyon.

This time, he went under the water and didn’t come up.

 

…Feeling desperate, Seren pushed herself to the limit. “Canyon!” She had to locate him. Understanding the brave heart of the man she loved, Seren knew she’d find him at ground zero, the center of the problem. She just wished she knew where that might be. When she reached the main deck, Seren was horrified to see a gaping hole where the gangplank used to be. The hole was now below the water line. Seren could tell the boat was sinking quickly.

Pure panic forced her to move. “Canyon! Canyon!” When she neared the center of the duck boat, Seren could see a rising tide of muddy water. A spike of pure terror knifed through her when she realized Canyon was down those stairs and he was in trouble. He needed her. She knew this as well as she knew she loved him – and she was surer of that than anything in the world.

Hurrying as fast as she could, Seren came to the point where the steps led below deck. Only there were no steps to be seen, there was only water. “Oh, please, no. No.” Without thinking twice, Seren held onto the side of the wall and started down the steps. She didn’t have far to go until she saw a body in the water – floating face down. There was no mistaking Canyon. She would’ve recognized his broad shoulders anywhere. Seeing him so helpless…maybe… “Canyon! Help! Help!” Pushing forward, she grabbed his arm and began to pull him toward the top of the stairs. When she did, Seren happened to glance back to see another man floating in the dark water. “Oh, no.” He needed help also. “Hold on, sir,” she called.

As soon as her feet could touch bottom, she began to maneuver Canyon out on the deck. Unfortunately, the water there had risen to at least six inches deep. “Help! I need help!” Moving behind him, she grasped Canyon under the arms and began to pull. When she had him at a point where he could lie flat and his face and chest be clear of the water, she stopped to check for his pulse. “No!” she screamed when she couldn’t find one. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she started CPR – compressions on his chest, breaths into his mouth – repeat and repeat. As she pressed on his chest, Seren screamed to the top of her lungs, “Jacob!”

…Putting one foot ahead of the other, Jacob forced himself to be thorough. He didn’t intend to leave one person on this damn boat to drown. Greg Houseman was nowhere to be seen. All of the lifeboats were gone and if help didn’t arrive soon, he’d be swimming to shore. How long this thing could stay afloat – he had no idea.

Expecting Canyon to be safe on shore by now, he called his cell. No answer. The call went straight to voicemail. “Hell.” In the next heartbeat, his phone buzzed in his hand with an incoming call. Seeing the ID reflected his wife’s name, he jumped on it. “How’s my baby?”

“Fine. I’m on the dock. Look, I don’t know what happened – but Seren’s not here.”

“What?” Jacob turned and glanced all around him. “How about Canyon? Do you see him?”

“No. Everyone’s accounted for except the three of you.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Greg Houseman arrived here right after I did. So much for the captain going down with the ship.”

“Hell. That bastard.” Concern for his friends put Jacob’s feet into motion. “I’d better find them. I’ll keep looking.”

“Be careful.”

“Will do.”

 

…Over and over Seren pushed on Canyon’s chest, stopping only long enough to breathe air into his lungs. She simply refused to give up. She couldn’t.

“Seren?”

The sound of Jacob’s voice caused all the strength to flow from her. “He’s not breathing, Jacob! He’s not breathing!”

Jacob stopped only long enough to send out another May Day call for a helicopter, then he was at her side. “Here. Let me try. How long has it been?”

How long? “Not long, but I’m not sure.” She shook her head in confusion. “A couple of minutes maybe.” Scared to death, Seren moved to the side and began to pray. “Please don’t take him from me. Please,” As she whispered in desperation, she felt the weight of her mistakes pressing her down. “Don’t let him pay for my sins. I learned my lesson. I learned.” As she said the words, an image came into her head.

The other man. There was still another man to save.

Rising to her feet, she set a course to return to the flooded section of the boat. In the same moment, she heard the most beautiful sound in the world. Canyon coughed and gasped a mouthful of air. With his next breath, he said her name, “Seren.”

With a grateful heart, she spared him one glance to make sure he was really awake. Seeing him respond to Jacob’s care, Seren hurried away before their friend could stop her. Once she arrived at the stairs, she jumped back in, looking for the other man. “Where are you?” He wasn’t where she’d seen him initially. The water seemed to be flowing in faster now. Debris had shifted and Seren couldn’t see him anywhere. Holding her breath, she dove down, coming up on the other side of a large chunk of siding. When she did, Seren saw the victim. He wasn’t floating face down the way she found Canyon, he was on his back, wedged against an instrument cabinet. “Hey. Hey!” She swam forward and when she came near enough to see his face, Seren almost sank to the bottom. “Diego.” Without being told, she knew he was responsible for all of this destruction. For all she knew, he’d tried to kill Canyon. She reached across and placed a finger on his throat. There was a pulse, but it was thready and uneven. There was also a lot of blood on his skull. If she left him here, he would surely die.

An eternity passed in a microsecond.

Without further hesitation, she looped her arm around his neck and began to tow him to safety. “Jacob! Jacob! I have someone else who needs help.”

 

…Canyon rolled to his side and coughed again. “Where’s Seren, Jacob?”

“Just rest easy, she’s right…”

“Jacob! Jacob!”

“I hear her!” Canyon tried to get up. “I’ll…”

“Stay right there,” Jacob ordered him. “Don’t you dare move. I’ll go.”

Canyon ignored Jacob and pulled himself upright. Hearing Seren’s voice made him feel better. “The water’s rising. We’ll all be in the drink soon enough.”

Jacob didn’t take time to argue. He set out to find Seren. “Where are you?” he yelled.

“Here! Help!” Seren called from the other side of the debris. “I can’t bring him under without help. He’s too big.”

Jacob dove in and within a few seconds, he found them. “Damn, is this…”

“Yea, the same guy who burned down the trailer.”

“All right. Let’s get out of here.” Holding onto Diego, Jacob dove, towing the man along with him. Seren took a deep breath and was about to follow when a loud splash sounded behind her and something heavy hit her in the back of the head. The last thought she had…was of Canyon.

 

…Canyon sat up, his breathing coming easier. When he saw Jacob carrying Diego, he frowned. “Where’s Seren?”

“She’s coming. She saved this bastard.” He looked Canyon in the face. “She saved you too.”

Canyon staggered to his feet, his eyes riveted on the hall that led to the lower deck stairs. “I don’t see her.”

Tending to Diego, Jacob didn’t look around. “He’s alive. Listen for the helicopter.”

At the moment, Canyon couldn’t care less about Diego or the helicopter. His whole being was focused on the fact that Seren was still down there somewhere. Still in danger. Going into the water, he slogged to the point where he had to dive beneath the debris. When he came up on the other side, she was the first thing he saw. “What did you do, baby?”

She didn’t answer and he gathered her into his arms, trying to tell how badly she was hurt. Placing an ear to her mouth, he was thankful to feel a soft breath. Her forehead appeared to be bruised and there was a gash on her cheek. Where else she might be injured, he didn’t know. “Seren? Seren?”

From faraway, Seren heard a voice. She tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t come. With great effort, she opened her eyes. Everything seemed so bright. Blinking, she tried to make out the form above her. When her focus cleared, she saw Gregori. His stern face was unreadable. She thought she might be dead. Forcing her lips to move, she begged him for mercy.

“My baby. Please. Don’t let my baby die.”