Every bump the truck hit along the pothole-riddled dirt road jarred Evelyn’s head. Maybe she wasn’t ready to be on her own.

“Hey, Billy, how’s the dam?” Lawke spoke into his radio.

They’d already checked the storm damage for a couple of picnic areas and the walking trail to the lake. Nothing blocked the path, although the wooded areas contained sheared off limbs and soggy, fall-colored leaves.

The loud screech of static filled the cab. “The dam should be fine as long as we can clear the debris in the reservoir. Randy’s helping me, can you check the education areas?”

Lawke glanced at her.

“Sure.” She enjoyed the fresh air and the tales he told about the different areas of the park.

“Roger. Don’t catch a cold while swimming.”

“Randy’s the one wading today. My luck calling the coin flip continues.”

Lawke laughed. “Someday you’re going to lose. Check-in in two hours. Out.”

An awkward silence filled the car. The camaraderie he shared with his fellow rangers would never be a part of her life. She walked alone. That was her choice. But the bitter ache for something similar took hold.

For once in her long life, she wanted to have a friend to tell stories, to share the places she’d been, and to tell tales of the people she met. Only she didn’t know how to make one.

Talking to people was so difficult. Statements that were funny in her head never came out right in public. Conversations moved on before she found the words to express herself. Always apart from the art groups she interacted with, it was easier to stay on the fringes of society.

To be alone.

He held her door open. “You coming?” His head was cocked to the side, a worried expression on his face.

She forced a smile for him. “Sorry, I was lost in a thought.” They were parked in a small lot, big enough for fifteen cars. “What are we inspecting now?”

After closing her door, he joined her. “The Walkway to Nowhere.”

She squinted. “Really?”

His blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight streaming through the trees. He grabbed her hand and dragged her to a small trail, only wide enough for them to walk single file. “Yes. Come along.”

Her steps quickened. She wanted to see what sparked his newfound enthusiasm.

They turned a corner, and a waterfall surged down the terraced side of the cliff. The water glittered in sunlight as it tumbled down along the rocks. Timbers buried into the side of the hill created steps down to the water’s edge. Off to the right, a small information center stood in the shadow of two giant oak trees.

A wooden walkway crossed the stream, slick with droplets from the falling water. Broken limbs floated in bubbling pools among rocks. The wood eventually broke free and floated down the stream.

“Feel free to explore. I’m going to check the building then join you.”

She waved and stepped on the walkway. A gentle thump thump serenaded her as small waves lapped against the supports. The water level was high, only about half a foot away from submerging the boards.

Downstream, four turtles lay on a log. In the shadows, a small silver fish jumped with a splash. All around, the natural beauty exuded a calm serenity. A place untouched by the frenzy of mankind.

Evelyn turned to the opposite bank and continued. The wind carried cooling droplets of water while white, puffy clouds traveled across the bright blue sky.

The boards bounced and creaked. “Ready to keep going?” Lawke held his arm out.

What was he so eager to show her? Could she trust him?

“Sure.” Her voice wobbled. A sudden chill lifted the hair on her arms.

Mist rose off the water, surrounded them in a world of gray. Each swoosh of water reverberated, became more, like the roar of a rushing stream. She gulped air, started to hyperventilate.

She needed to stretch her wings. To ride the currents. To be free of the land.

He grabbed her hands. “Are you all right? You’re trembling.”

Her skin rippled. The change brought about by her irrational fears.

Lawke’s hands gripped the sides of her face. “Easy.” His thumbs slid across her skin in a slow, sweeping caress.

She shuddered. Flashes of heat and then cold wracked her body. Her gaze locked with his. Within the icy blue depths, she found an unfettered hunger.

For her.

In that one heartbeat, everything stopped. Her mind blanked. Nothing existed in the world except those blazing blue eyes. He leaned toward her, and his breath warmed her skin. Time rushed forward in a blaze of heat.

His lips touched hers, and she burned.

He tasted of coffee with an undertone of a wild forest. His tongue brushed across hers, a swift caress before he pulled away.

“Better?” Banked desire shone in his eyes, but concern colored his voice.

She stepped out of his embrace, distanced herself from him. It was his job to keep people calm. Even if the thought of him kissing someone else like that inexplicably sparked a plume of rage within her.

In her rush to reach the end, she almost tripped. Nothing made sense. It was as if some part of her claimed him. Believed he was her mate.

But that couldn’t be. His life revolved around the trees and plants surrounding them. He had a daughter. His feet were firmly rooted to the ground. There was no way he could join her in the sky, ride the wind, or be free.

Yet that kiss had been exhilarating, almost like flying.

They reached the other side and followed a path around the side of the cliff. A cavern opened before them. Lawke ducked beneath the entrance and disappeared into the black depths. Discarding her aversion to closed in spaces, she followed.

A quiet murmur filled the cavern where water bubbled. Within the pool of dark water, soft lights illuminated a white Victorian gazebo that provided shelter for a picnic table. A small, curved bridge allowed visitors to cross to the pavilion.

Reddish-orange clay tiles with dark blue lines in the shape of North Carolina formed the base. The top appeared to be metal tiles in the shape of dragon scales. Around the base, small stalagmites acted like landscaping. A brown sign, with yellow letters that spelled “Nowhere”, hung above the gazebo entrance.

A perfect hidden retreat.

“It’s charming, the Nowhere Gazebo.”

“I like coming here after a long day during the summer. It’s a cool, peaceful respite.”

Her imagination painted a delightful scene. The knot in her stomach grew and her fingertips itched to have her camera on hand to capture the scene. “Are you ready to go?” Maybe she’d feel more like herself when the device was around her neck again.

They started down the hill and a hint of purple captured her attention. “What are those flowers?” She pointed to a mass of small flowers consisting of dark purple petals with bright yellow threads in the center.

“They’re dwarf crocuses commonly known as Dragon’s Heart. You’ll find larger yellow, white, and pink variations all around.” He glanced at her. “There’s a legend that states if you make a wish into the cone of a closed flower, Dragon’s Heart will summon a dragon to grant your desire.”

“I doubt many wishes have been bestowed recently.”

“No. A few days ago, I would’ve said dragons didn’t exist.” His blue eyes sparkled with humor. “But then I met you.”

“A few days ago, I thought dragons were extinct. Except I saw one flying ahead of a storm.”

He fought the sudden queasiness her words inspired. “How large was it?”

“Like a tiny flying house.” Her amused laughter did not reassure him.

Companionable silence accompanied their trek back to the truck. Halfway to Raleigh, his grip on the steering wheel intensified and he cursed at the other drivers. An anxiousness charged the air around them. He stayed in the vehicle while she packed a bag of clothes and grabbed her camera equipment.

The imperative to hurry intensified. Both experienced the unearthly warning. All the way back, he weaved in and out of traffic at speeds that had her clutching the ceiling handhold. The truck skidded to a stop in front of the cabin. Lawke jumped out and ran to the front door. “Zoe!”

Evelyn climbed down and a shroud of menace swamped her senses. She gasped, tried to calm the need to be sick. Something terrible had happened while they were gone.

She followed him into the cabin and watched his frantic search. She never meant to bring danger to him or his daughter.

“Where is my daughter?” His voice cracked, and his chest rose in rapid, deep breaths.

She froze, unable to meet his eyes. Torn between wanting to offer comfort and running for bringing this pain into his life. She didn’t know what to do. He wouldn’t want sympathy from her.

Tears gathered in her eyes. “I don’t know.”

He scrutinized her. “You’ve been traveling. Why?”

She hunched her shoulders and whispered, “I like seeing new things.”

He leaned into her. “And what else? What are you hiding?”

“I don’t know who they are.” His eyes bored into her. “I swear. For months, I’ve sensed that someone was watching me. I left the West Coast hoping to find a sanctuary. Some place quiet where I could work and live in peace.”

“Have they attacked like this before?”

“Never.” She shook her head. “I didn’t know your daughter would become a target.”

He scrubbed a hand along his jaw. “Why you?”

“I have no idea. My family’s dead and I make a modest living from my art.”

“Let’s hope they call with a ransom demand.” He pulled out his cell phone and slammed out of the cabin.

She looked around, unseeing, wondering what she’d do now. Her arms itched; the feathers under her skin wanted out. She desperately wanted to fly away. To flee.

But running solved nothing. It wouldn’t bring Zoe back. She had to stay, had to find out where the teenager had been taken and discover why this misery had been thrust upon her.

Afterwards, she could leave and forget how the desire in Lawke’s eyes turned to anguish.

The cabin walls closed in around her. Heartache and misery suffocated her. She escaped outside only to confront the empty lounge chair with books scattered around. Shivers wracked her, not necessarily from the chill of a late afternoon fall breeze.

Other rangers and a sheriff’s deputy arrived within half an hour of his call. They’d questioned her, taken her memory card, and then sent her into the backyard to wait. All their questions focused on Lawke. They thought he would hurt his little girl, that he was guilty.

Her resolve to stay and help only deepened. Not that she had anywhere else to go. Only a lonely, empty pseudo-apartment where she stored clothes and slept. She couldn’t let him take the blame for something she’d brought to his door.

A mockingbird landed in a tree leading to a pathway in the woods. It bobbed up and down, and its gaze bore into her. Transfixed by its haunting black stare, she couldn’t move. The bird’s cry echoed in the woods. A scornful sound full of contempt and viciousness. It propelled her back to the cabin where there were other people.

She might wander alone but knowing there was someone else to share her troubles with was priceless.

A gust of wind slammed the backdoor closed.

“Evelyn, is something wrong?” His hands rested on her shoulders as he searched her face.

Her heart ached at his concern. “No. Nothing but the sunset and a mocking bird.”

The deputy looked out with a pair of binoculars. “You’re sure? No sign of your stalker?” He sneered.

She opened her mouth to respond, but Lawke shook his head in silent warning.

The deputy got in Lawke’s face. “Tell me, Ranger, how do you lose your daughter right after your ex-wife moves to London?”

“Rachel will be gone a month. A vacation with her new boyfriend.” He met the officer’s glare. The hard edge to his voice resounded with conviction.

“My mistake.” The deputy shoved past Lawke.

“Hey.” Evelyn followed the brusque man.

Lawke captured her arm, stopped her. “Leave it alone.” His gaze followed the other officers around the cabin.

She leaned into him and whispered, “Why? They need to take an outside threat more seriously.”

“Arguing with the officer won’t help me. They can investigate all they want. There’s nothing to find. Once they’re satisfied I’m not the threat, they’ll move on.”

One of the other rangers called him over to a map stuck on the wall.

“How much time will be lost to their misguided hunt?” she muttered.

Feet curled underneath her on the couch, she watched the sky slowly darken into the deeper blues of twilight through the single picture window. She closed her eyes, tried to block everyone out and center her thoughts. To wrap a shield about her heart.

After they found Zoe, Evelyn doubted he’d want to see her again. She’d be a constant reminder of the suspicion and dread associated with the kidnapping. No matter how great the guy, something always went wrong with her love life.

She stupidly longed for a connection to someone. A connection no one could reach. She flew too high, followed her own path, and got lost in the wonders of the world.

No one would ever accompany her on wild, exuberant journeys. Least of all a ranger with his feet firmly planted on the ground.

* * *

The bark of a fox roused Lawke from restless sleep. The digital clock blazed red, indicating it was shortly after two a.m. So much had happened over the last day. His daughter was missing, his coworkers hadn’t found any trails to follow, and the police believed he had something to do with her disappearance.

The deputy hadn’t said anything outright, but Lawke felt the suspicion. Heard the words not spoken. He’d had the same training. Unfortunately, this would bring Evelyn’s life under scrutiny. While her world might be different from his, he didn’t think the general populace was ready to know creatures like shapeshifters existed.

Even after witnessing her change, he had a difficult time accepting the reality of magic. She was simply a caring person with expressive brown eyes that lit up when she was excited, who walked with a graceful confidence that appealed to him and who lived an unconventional life.

Most startling was the realization that his sex drive, which had withered when his marriage to Rachel died, was aroused. For the first time in several years, he ached with a hunger to explore every delectable curve of her body.

Lawke stretched from his cramped position on the couch and glanced around. The other officers had finally left but their mess remained. While he had an alibi for the kidnapping, Officer Edwards believed Lawke must have orchestrated the abduction.

According to the cop, that’s what a man with a new girlfriend and an estranged spouse did when faced with the sudden responsibility for his child. The officer was an idiot. Lawke wasn’t dating Evelyn and he loved Zoe. Whoever took her would face justice.

A flame burst into existence in the backyard. Still cloaked by the dark night, he could make out the silhouette of a man. Could this be the kidnapper?

“What’s going on?” Evelyn asked, her voice muddled from sleep.

“I think we’re being contacted.” His heart raced with a mixture of excitement at finally being able to do something and trepidation at the unknowns. Especially the magic.

She stood by the window and rubbed her arms.

He walked behind her and draped his coat around her shoulders. “Will you go out there with me?” He wanted her with him. To deal with any tricks the man might conjure and for his own selfish need for her company.

If he had to protect her, he wouldn’t risk his life on a stupid mistake. Like attempting to kill the man who stole his daughter.

Her jaw clenched and she gazed at him with fire in her eyes. “Yes. I want to know why this is happening.”

He took her hand and led the way outside. They stepped into the light of a flame hovering above a small square stone with some type of powder in a small heap.

“Where is my daughter?” Blood pounded in his ears. A cool breeze rustled the dead leaves on the trees around them. Reminded him he needed to keep calm.

The man stepped into the light, which reflected the bright colors, reds, blues, greens, and yellows of his feathered outfit. But the strangest aspect of him was the coal-black color of his skin. There were a few smudges around his ankles, where brush must have scraped off whatever he had put on.

“I am Ichtaca, a priest of the Aztec. Your daughter is nearby. Come closer. We have much to discuss.”

The priest stared at Evelyn. A deep hatred emanated from him. Despite being acquainted with the worst in people as a ranger, he’d never seen such fury in another human. Yet Evelyn remained oblivious to the other man’s scrutiny.

She truly didn’t know who or what the priest wanted.

“Why have you done this?” she asked.

“Because you have no consideration for the harm you cause others with your art.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Even after all these years, you carry the devil box everywhere. Capturing the lives of anyone you see and stealing the splendor of the Gods.” Each word he spoke dripped with loathing vehemence.

She took a step back and angled herself behind Lawke. A layer of protection between her and the priest. Almost like she was afraid of the malicious red glint smoldering from the priest’s eyes. As if the red flames lived inside him and were not a reflection of the flame before them.

“But why take my daughter?” Despite an attraction to Evelyn, they had no connection.

The priest shrugged. “Everyone has a weakness.” He pointed to her. “She likes to tell young girls they have an inner strength and the willpower to do anything.” He laughed, and the shadows from the trees danced. “Your daughter happened to be the closest available sacrifice. If you don’t want to see her broken, you will follow my commands.”

Lawke took a step forward, but Evelyn placed a hand on his shoulder. Her touch kept him sane. Kept him from diving across the fire and trying to strangle the priest. He couldn’t help his little girl if he acted rashly.

“What do you want from us?” Defeat and acceptance grew heavy as her words hung in the air.

The priest threw powder into the campfire. “It’s simple. I want you to retrieve this photo.” Pale yellow smoke swirled into the air. It expanded into a nebulous rectangle with brownish-black lines burned across the open space, creating a cityscape.

In the foreground stood a family of four. Twin teenage boys with their parents. In the background, leaning over two crumpled bodies beneath the rubble of a house, stood a man and a woman dressed in early 1900’s garb but the woman had feathers woven into her hair.

“I remember that.” Evelyn whispered. “I took that in San Francisco right after the earthquake of 1906.”

“Good. There will be no problem recovering it.”

“The plates were destroyed years ago. I have no idea where it would be. If it even exists today.”

The priest sneered. “It’s in one piece. Otherwise my love would have been released. It was purchased by them.” He pointed to the family. “The boys keep it as a remembrance of the kin they’ve lost. They are in a place I cannot reach.” His eyes glowed with a menacing power. “But you can go where I cannot.”

“And where is this place?”

“It’s a town called Willows Haven, and it is protected by magic. I cannot cross its boundaries.”

“I’ve never heard of the place.”

“Based on the look of the ranger’s face, he has.” He threw something across the clearing. “There is a map to the refuge. The wind carries tales of the cursed twins. They own the town newspaper.” He smirked. “I’m sure you’re smart enough to find them.”

Lawke squinted at the man. “You’re well informed for someone who hasn’t been in the town. Even I haven’t discovered much beyond the state records.” Unease traveled along his spine like a squirrel scampering along the top of a fence.

“I’ve had plenty of time to probe how my kin lost their souls. The picture was shown as part of a special on the one hundred and tenth anniversary. I’ve plotted its return ever since.”

“If we gain access to your photo, what happens next?

“You will meet me at the clearing to the east of the Hidden Falls. And I will exchange your daughter for the picture.”

“Just like that?”

“It’s very simple: the girl for the picture.” A bright ball exploded into the sky from the fire. “Don’t take too long. I’m not known for patience, and I’m always looking for another offering for my gods.” The priest’s voice echoed, and he no longer stood across the clearing from them.

Evelyn rubbed her arms. “I’m sorry. Your family shouldn’t have been dragged into this.”

“Nothing we can do about that now.” They’d have to do something totally against his nature. “But we are going to retrieve that picture and get my daughter back.”

If they were caught, he’d lose his job and his family. But Zoe couldn’t be left in the hands of a crazy man.