Dalakis Passion 3 - Stefan's Salvation (8 page)

truck and moved several trays of seedlings to within easy reach. She'd found that many
people liked to purchase the small herb plants when they bought the herbs and Laurel
Rose had started offering them for sale last year. So far, she'd done well with them.
Holding on to the side of the truck, she lowered herself to a seated position and
scooted off the back. The trays, filled with their green plants, made a nice backdrop
when she sat at her table. She'd sold the last of her vegetables the week before and from
here on in would mostly sell her soap and some small rugs she'd hooked over the
winter and summer months. People were already thinking ahead to Christmas and she
found that many tourists were eager to purchase handmade products as gifts. Fall was
her best time of year for selling.
Positioning her folding chair to her liking, she settled into it and waited for her first
customer. The lot was beginning to fill up even though the market didn't officially open
for another ten minutes. Most folks came early for the best selection. As Laurel Rose
was mulling over the possibility of making some biscuits and bottling jam to sell at next
week's market, a shadow fell across her table.
She barely stifled her groan of dismay when she looked up and saw him. This was
no customer. Jeremiah Stoner was pastor of one of the local churches. A real fire and
brimstone kind of preacher, he continually sermonized about the wages of sin and the
glory of salvation from the pulpit of his church. There were rumors that some members
of the congregation, including the pastor, still practiced the controversial and illegal
practice of serpent handling.
Laurel Rose didn't know if the rumors were true or false and she really didn't care.
What she did know was that she did not like Jeremiah Stoner, not one little bit. The man
always seemed to be preaching at people and never talking to them. And the fanatical
gleam in his pale blue eyes could be downright scary at times. Still, she was a live-and-
let-live kind of person and they had an unwritten agreement to stay out of each other's
way. She knew that if it were up to him, she'd have been driven out of the area long
ago. He seemed convinced that she was in league with the devil and that's where she
got her unusual talents.
Sighing inwardly, she summoned a slight smile. "Good morning, Jeremiah."
"Is it a good morning, Laurel Rose? Or is the devil lurking in the shadows just
waiting for his chance to corrupt good, decent people?" Clad in black from head to toe,
he made quite an impression as his booming voice echoed across the field. Many of the
locals just looked up and then went back to what they were doing, well used to
Jeremiah Stoner's theatrical ways. But some folks stared at him with a mixture of
curiosity, fascination and trepidation.
Even she could admit that he made a compelling figure. He was tall and slender
with a full head of blond hair that always seemed in need of a trim. But it in no way
detracted from his good looks. Laurel Rose figured that many of the women who
attended church went solely to stare at the preacher.
Knowing it would irritate him, she took her time and stared around the sunny field.
"Actually, I think it is a wonderful morning."
His light brown eyebrows drew together in the center of his forehead and his lips
pursed in a frown. "Then I feel sorry for you, child. The devil is near you. I can feel him.
You should come to church and be cleansed of your sins."
Laurel Rose could barely suppress a shudder of distaste. A quick, single picture
flashed in her mind of a cold, dark room, but she couldn't really see it clearly. The room
was filled with anger and pain, as well as a fanatical malice that chilled her. The image
filled her with utter revulsion. She stared right back into the fervent depths of Jeremiah
Stoner's pale blue eyes, knowing that the image was somehow linked to him. "Perhaps
you should take your own advice."
He gasped. At her sheer audacity in speaking to him in such a way or at her
continual refusal to pay his admonishments any heed, she didn't know. But it soon
became a test of wills between them, neither allowing him or herself to look away.
Laurel Rose summoned the power that resided within her, protecting herself with a
wall of white light to deflect the evil thoughts she felt emanating from him.
Time itself seemed to stop and the air around them stilled. Thunder rumbled off in
the distance even though the sky was clear. Laurel Rose knew that somehow Stefan
sensed her unease and the brewing storm was the result. She could sense his rising
anger at Jeremiah and was amazed at the sheer power she felt flowing from Stefan as he
helped to reinforce her protective barrier even though she sensed he was far away. That
kind of power was frightening, yet she felt no fear, only a sense of protection.
Sweat beaded on Jeremiah Stoner's forehead and his face paled, but still he kept his
gaze locked with hers. She could sense him focusing all his willpower on her,
commanding her to follow his instructions. Wanting her to bend to his will.
"How are you both doing today?" The innocent question from Cyril Jenkins broke
the silent war between her and Jeremiah. Cyril was the mayor of Salvation and he
enjoyed his position of power and his high standing in the community. Laurel Rose
liked him well enough because, although he could be a tad pompous at times, he
honestly seemed to want what was best for the community and its inhabitants.
Jeremiah blinked and looked around as if not quite sure where he was. Then he
shook himself and straightened his shoulders as he turned to face Cyril. "Good
morning, Mayor Jenkins. I'm doing just fine myself. How are you this beautiful day?"
Laurel Rose was amazed at how quickly Jeremiah could change. He hid his darker
nature easily, showing his benevolent façade to the world. And the strange thing was
that people believed him, seeing only what he wanted them to see.
"I'm fine, Pastor Stoner." The mayor turned his attention to her. "And how are you
today, Laurel Rose?"
Now that the tense moment had passed and she was relaxing, she noticed that the
thunder had ceased to rumble and once again the sun was shining and the breeze was
kicking up the colored leaves that had fallen from the surrounding trees. "I'm fine,
Cyril," she offered with a smile. He was one of the few people of Salvation who always
spoke to her. She suspected that it wasn't because he particularly liked her, but that he
considered it one of his duties as mayor, which he took very seriously. He was a short
man with a round face and belly and a ruddy complexion, but he had a smile and a
kind word for everyone.
"That's good, that's good." She could tell that he'd already dismissed her now that
his duty was done. He turned to Jeremiah and motioned him toward a group of men at
the far end of the field. "Wanted to ask your opinion about a few things..." He trailed
off as he sent a furtive glance toward Laurel Rose.
She knew then that the men were talking about the possibility of development in
the area and didn't want to discuss it in front of her. She also knew that the mayor and a
large section of the townspeople thought she was holding up progress and should sell
her land. Not only would that mean jobs for the area, but they'd get rid of her as well.
Fine. She'd find out what she needed to know later at the diner.
Jeremiah drew himself up and puffed his chest out even further than Laurel Rose
had thought possible. Full of his own self-importance, he allowed the mayor to lead him
away. But at the last second he turned back to her and smiled. Like a snake getting
ready to strike, he clapped his beady eyes on her. She was surprised he didn't hiss.
"We're not finished."
"I didn't expect we were," she calmly replied, although her apprehension was
growing. This man meant her harm. She only hoped she got warning enough to protect
herself when the time came.
A group of women who had just gotten off a tourist bus bustled up to her table and
began to ooh and ahh over her selection of homemade soaps. "Oh look, Missy," one of
the women said to her friend. "Lavender soap, and mint, and lemon." She laughed and
smiled at Laurel Rose. "Did you make these yourself?"
Dismissing both men from her thoughts, she turned her attention to the women
who wanted to shop. After all, they provided her living and that's what was really
important.
By the time she dropped into a booth in the corner of Kathy's Kitchen, the local
diner, later that afternoon, Laurel Rose was exhausted. She'd had a very successful day,
selling out all her soaps and herbs and a good portion of her plants. She'd even sold
two of her hooked rugs for two hundred dollars apiece to the ladies on the tour bus.
Tucking her purse into the corner of the booth, she leaned back against the seat and
heaved a sigh of relief. She was tired, but it was a good tired. The money she banked
this time of year helped her get through the winter months. She owned the house and
the land and grew many of her own vegetables, but she still had to have gas for the
truck, heat for the house and there were some things she just had to buy from the store.
It was a challenge to keep her budget balanced through the winter when there were no
weekly markets or tourists to sell her goods to. But after her stop at the bank on her way
to the diner, her bank account was looking even healthier.
"What can I get you?" The short blonde cracked her gum as she stared with
undisguised interest at the scar on Laurel Rose's face. The nametag on her pink
polyester uniform said that her name was Karen and she looked to be somewhere in her
twenties.
Laurel Rose didn't recognize the waitress. Not that she should--she didn't come
into the diner often. But she did recognize the look of dawning awareness and almost
morbid interest that crossed the other woman's face as Karen figured out who she must
be. Laurel Rose knew that people talked about her and speculated about what she did
up on the mountain by herself. And their gossip was not always kind.
"What kind of pie do you have today?" She smiled at the waitress as she waited for
her to reply. Whenever she came to town, she always tried to act as normal and polite
as possible, not wanting to fan the flames of gossip any higher than they already were.
Karen seemed startled by her smile, but then she smiled back. Laurel Rose thought
how pretty the other woman looked, even though she hid it under heavy makeup that
made her appear much harder and older than she was. "We have cherry and pumpkin
pie." She leaned in a little closer. "But the cook just took an apple pie out of the oven
and it smells delicious. I could get you a piece of that if you wanted."
The other woman's unexpected kindness touched Laurel Rose. "Thank you. I'd like
that very much. Oh, and a cup of tea as well, please," she added as the waitress started
to hurry away.
"Be right back," Karen called over her shoulder as she bustled back toward the
kitchen, sharing a smile and a kind word with many of the customers seated around the
diner.
Laurel Rose rubbed her forehead, fighting the onset of a tension headache. She
always found it difficult to be around so many people. She couldn't read their thoughts,
but she did pick up random images and emotions. It was much better now than it was
when she was a child. Then, it had been almost impossible for her to be around other
people. Her first year in school had been a nightmare. The headaches she'd gotten had
been excruciating and debilitating. It had been her grandpa who'd finally figured out
what was going on. His mama had apparently been the same as Laurel Rose. From that
day forth, she'd been home-schooled.
It had gotten easier over the years as she'd gained better control over her gifts and
learned to block other people's thoughts and feelings. But on days when she was
already dealing with too much stress, it was much harder to do. Then the headaches
came.
Knowing that most of the folks were watching her, she tried to be discreet as she
took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Then she took another. That helped sometimes.
If she were home, she'd brew herself a cup of chamomile tea and sit out on her porch to
absorb the peace and calm of the surrounding nature. But she couldn't leave. Not yet.
Not until she'd gotten what she'd come for. She concentrated on staying calm and
fading into the booth. She wanted people to forget she was here and start talking again
so she could eavesdrop on the conversations around her and find out the latest gossip.
The waitress worked her way back across the room, depositing plates and refilling
coffee as she went. Laurel Rose admired the ease with which she carried her large tray
and the fluidity of her gait as she moved. Those simple things were beyond her, but she
wasn't jealous of the other woman because she sensed that, like most people, this
woman had troubles of her own.
"Here you go." The waitress balanced the tray on the table and slid a plate with a
large, steaming piece of pie in front of Laurel Rose. Then she deposited a cup and a
small metal pot of tea next to it. Cutlery and napkins followed. "Fresh out of the oven,
like I promised."
Laurel Rose reached out to move the teapot closer just as Karen shifted her grip on
her tray. Their fingers brushed for the briefest of seconds. Laurel Rose gasped, her hand
flying to her throat as she stared at the other woman. Stefan. She could sense Stefan's
presence around this woman. Sense the intimacy enveloping them. Just the thought of
him possibly touching this other woman the same way he'd touched her made her feel
slightly ill. Had last night meant nothing to him? Was she just one of many women he
seduced? What were the odds of her just happening to sense his presence around
another woman? It wasn't as if she came in contact with many people. Maybe that's
what Stefan was counting on.
"Are you okay?" Karen leaned over and laid her hand on Laurel Rose's arm. In
spite of her growing anger and pain, she wanted to know more. Wanted to know what
had happened between the two of them.
Opening her mind, she concentrated on getting whatever information she could
from the other woman. But what she got only confused her more. She sensed that Stefan