Jess laughed evilly as he stalked across the room to jerk the gun out of Bart's grasp with one hand. With his other, he grabbed him by the throat and held on so tight that Bart's eyes bulged while he knelt on the bed. Jess pulled him closer so that he could growl into his reddened face. "It was bad enough you killed me. I might have spared you for that. But you had no right to rape Matilda and kill her father in front of her, you worthless bastard. It's what you've done to her that will cost you your life. She was the only decent thing I've ever known. Damn you to hell for hurting her. You had no reason for it."
He waited until Bart was almost dead before he released him and slung him to the ground. Bart lay on the floor, wheezing while Jess went to the wooden washing stand in the corner and pulled the ceramic pitcher up and emptied it over Bart's head.
Now completely drenched, Bart sputtered and coughed.
Jess kicked him onto his back and planted his booted foot on his chest. He slammed the pitcher down on the floor, shattering it near Bart's face. Bart jerked, closing his eyes as shards rained down on him. Some of them even caught in his tousled hair.
"You didn't think I was going to kill you that easily, did you?" Jess taunted. "For what you did to her, you are going to suffer every second between now and dawn. I'm going to give you pain the likes of which my mama's people were famed for. And when I finally end your life, you will thank me for it."
"Go to hell!"
Jess scoffed. "You already sent me there. It's your turn now. Give the devil my regards."
Abigail jerked out of the memory as the sound of a horn blared. Blinking, she realized she was about to plow into an oncoming truck. She jerked the wheel and headed back into her lane.
Her breathing ragged, she rubbed at her forehead. Why was she seeing Jess's memories? And she knew that was what they were. It was too vivid to be something she created. She could still smell the fire and the stench of Bart's breath mixed with his sweat.
Jess had sold his soul not to avenge himself. He'd done it for Matilda.
Her gaze clouded as she saw another image. This one was a few years later. It was just after midnight, and Jess stood inside what appeared to be a lawyer's office. A man with a handlebar mustache and parted black hair sat behind a huge mahogany desk. He wore a dark gray suit over a bright burgundy brocade vest. Over his head was a large clock that ticked so loudly, it hurt Jess's hearing.
"I'm breaking all kinds of rules here," the man said as he passed a piece of paper across the clean desk to Jess. "But I did what you asked."
"She's happy?"
The lawyer nodded. "I transferred another half million into her account so that she could buy that house and land she wanted. She now has enough to do anything she wants for the rest of her life."
A tic worked in Jess's handsome jaw. "It's not enough. Keep adding to it every year like I said originally. I don't ever want her to have anything to worry about other than what dress looks best on her."
He inclined his head to the paper Jess held. "That's an extra photograph I talked the photographer into making of her. Thought you'd like it."
There was no missing the love in his eyes, even though he kept his features completely stoic. "Does she need anything else?"
"No. She's married to a good man who owns the local mercantile."
Jess frowned as if the lawyer had said something wrong. "But?"
"I didn't say there was a but."
"She sits at her window at night and cries." Jess's tone was hollow.
"How did you-?"
"I can read your mind." Jess swallowed hard. "Thank you, Mr. Foster. I appreciate everything you've done." He went to the door and put his hat on his head before he left.
Outside, he tucked the photo into his jacket, and it was only then that she saw the moisture in his eyes.
He quickly blinked it away, then headed for his horse.
Abigail ached as she felt his pain like it was a part of her. He really had loved his Matilda.
"Stop it!" she snapped at herself. This was ridiculous. She didn't want to see Jess. Not now. She had more important things to do.
Slapping herself on the cheek, she focused her attention on the road that led her home....
* * *
Jess cursed as he lost all trace of Abigail. The GPS literally flashed bright, then vanished altogether. It looked like something had burned it out.
What the hell?
He started to dial Ren, then remembered he was in crow mode so he wouldn't be able to answer. Instead, he rang Sasha, who picked it up immediately.
"Yell-oh?"
"I've lost her," Jess said without preamble. "Can you give me any guidance?"
Sasha snorted. "On what? A new personality? Car buying? I'm a Wolf, cowboy, not a life counselor."
That sarcasm snapped at his tolerance. "Can you track her, Scooby, or am I asking too much of you?"
"Now, that I can do. But it would leave Choo Co La Tah unguarded. Send birdbrain back, and I'll swap off."
"Fine." Jess hung up and mumbled under his breath how much he really hated shape-shifters.
Changing lanes to avoid a slow-moving Toyota, he used his powers to talk to Ren. He'd never tried to do this before when Ren was in crow form, so he had no idea if it would even work. While his powers were starting to recover from being in the house with Ren all day, they still weren't up to their usual strength.
"Talk to me, penyo. You there?"
Luckily, Ren came back fast. "I'm here."
Jess breathed a sigh of relief. "You wouldn't happen to know where Abigail got off to, would you?"
"No. I can't track her scent and I haven't had a visual on her yet."
Figured that would be too much to ask. "Then I need you to swap duties with Sasha so that he can track her down."
"Why isn't the GPS working?"
"Twenty-million-dollar question. No answer, and I have no idea who to call to get a clue. I'll keep heading in the direction she was and hope she doesn't turn off anytime soon."
"All right. I'm flashing back. Will get Sasha to you ASAP."
Jess slowed down and tried to use his own abilities to track her. He didn't really have that power, but ... At this point, he was willing to try most anything.
Why? The bad feeling in his gut that said if he didn't find her quick, something awful would happen to her. It had nothing to do with needing to get her to the Valley to save the world. This was something else entirely. Something that made him desperate to locate her.
"Hang on, Abby. I'm coming."
* * *
Abigail slowed as she reached the modest home she shared with Hannah in Henderson. She cringed a bit as she scraped the front of the car on the angle of the aggregate driveway. Hope Jess doesn't love this thing.
He might kill her after all.
She parked outside and headed for the front door. But as she neared it, a strange red haze seemed to drop down over everything. It was like she was staring out of a pair of red glasses. She heard that strange thrumming sound again-the same she'd heard when they put the demon blood in her.
Like she was listening to the heartbeat of the world.
Shaking her head, she forced herself forward.