Emerald Eyes (9 page)

Chuck let out a sigh of relief when he saw Joe’s old black Ford truck parked to the side and the open sign facing out. He jumped out of his Dodge Ram and dashed into the store. Joe was behind the sporting goods counter selling some camping equipment to a young couple. With a barely detectable nod he acknowledged his friend.

“Glad you made it! I owe you, Joe.”

Joe simply held a stifled smile and handed over a paper bag of goods to the couple and wished them a good day. When they were out the door, he slowly walked over to the grocery side where Chuck was tidying things up around the register there. “I wish I could say that I am happy for you, my friend. No one deserves it more. But you know as well as I do how risky it will be if you continue seeing this woman.”

Chuck snapped his head up. “How’d you know it was a woman? I didn’t say anything.”

Joe laid a hand on Chuck’s shoulder. “I have known you for a long time. You have never been late opening up before. And apparently you weren’t murdered or deathly ill, otherwise, you wouldn’t be here right now. Only other thing it could be – a woman!”

Chuck held his friend’s gaze. “Guess I can’t keep anything from you, can I?”

Joe answered with a vague smile as he helped himself to a gun magazine where the rack was in the middle aisle. He held it up. “You have a good day, Chuck.”

“You too, Joe.”

The old Indian moseyed on out the door. He was a man of few words, but he was Chuck’s best and only real friend. Only the local Indian’s of Joe’s tribe knew who and what Chuck really was.

Things went smoothly for Madison and Chuck for over a week, but as the full moon drew near, he began to get antsy; something that was completely normal for him, but really had no way of explaining to Madison, not without telling her the truth, which she probably wouldn’t believe unless she witnessed it – something he definitely didn’t want to risk. He finally lied and told her that he was bipolar, something Joe had suggested he do.

He did take an antidepressant, for he had been depressed for years because of what he was. Of course his doctor didn’t know the truth, just thought Chuck suffered from clinical depression. Chuck told Madison that being bipolar was the secret he had not wanted her to know, as some people tended to shy away from anyone with mental problems.

After Madison thought about it, she was understanding and said that it made no difference to her in their relationship – she just wanted him to be truthful.

Then came the hard part – How he would explain being gone three nights a month?

Joe suggested that Chuck just tell her that he took a three day leave every month to get away from the pressures of running the store; that it was something he’d been doing at his doctor’s suggestion – which was kind of true, as his doctor had suggested he just get away by himself occasionally – and it was something he felt he needed to continue to do. But dreading the very possible outcome, he waited until just a couple of nights before the full moon to tell her.

She’d invited him over for supper, had cooked up a pot roast with potatoes and carrots, and they were just getting ready to put a DVD in when he let her know there was something else he needed to tell her. “All right,” she said, standing, as she’d gotten up to get the remote.

His expression revealed his anxiety. “Madison, I’m crazy about you. You know that. And you know about my problem. What I haven’t told you is that every month…Well, I take off for three days.”

“You mean work?”

“That too? Joe watches the store for me. I’ve been putting off telling you because I wasn’t sure how you’d take it…But I mean I actually leave.”

“Really?” she said, suspicious anger rising in her voice. “You mean you still intend to do it?”

“Please don’t look at me that way.”

“What? Distrustful? That sounds like a line to me, Chuck. Who on earth just splits for three days a month?”

No one had to tell him she was pissed; her face was flushed and her eyes doubting. “It’s the honest to God’s truth, Madison. You can ask Joe.”

“He’s your friend. He’d probably back up anything you say.” She angrily tossed the remote on the sofa and walked off to the kitchen.

He followed her. Her eyes glistened with tears. “Madison, babe. I need to do this! Please believe me?”

She glared at him. “My so-called ex-fiancé chose the Army over me. Now
you
tell me you take off three days a month! Why haven’t you told me before now? Before things got so intimate? Is there something wrong with me? Have I got the freakin’ plague?”

“No! No! It’s
not
you! I…I love you, Madison! I love you!”

“
What?”
She was obviously more than incredulous. “You tell me you want to leave for three days and – I’m assuming nights – a month. And I’m guessing you have no intentions of taking me with you? Right?”

He sucked in air and exhaled. “Right.” There was no way he could take her with him.

“…
Get out!”

“Madison! Please! Please try to understand. I have to do this.”

“You have a secret wife you see once a month or something?”

“No! Nothing like that! It’s like I said.”

“Just get out, Chuck!” she said, visibly shaken.

“
Madison! Please!”
A tear escaped down his cheek. He could tell by her stance that she wasn’t about to believe anything he said at that point. “All right.” He bobbed his head. “If that’s what you really want?”

“
Yes!
That’s what I really want.”

He stared at her for several seconds, loathing what he was at this moment, understanding fully her distrust. Yet, he had no choice.
He couldn’t tell her the truth!
It was painful for him to speak with the lump that had formed in his throat, “You’re making a mistake.” He swung around on his heels, scrambled out the door and slammed it, jumping into his truck and peeling out of the drive, crying all the way home. He had known from the beginning that it wasn’t going to work, but he had wanted it so much. Had wanted to be with Madison like no one else in a very long time. “Should have never tried it,” he said to himself. “Dammit!” He pounded the steering wheel. “I should have listened to Indian Joe. He told me it wasn’t going to work out…Dammit!” But he had hoped. Now it was probably over. He was sure of one thing; he’d never try it again. Never! This was the last time he’d ever risk his heart to anyone. The pain just wasn’t worth it.

Devin Knight had more than suspected it was coming. With the full moon so close, Chuck would have to give Madison some kind of excuse; and, as he had hoped, she hadn’t bought it. In his raven form, he had listened from the front porch railing and watched as Chuck left in a fury. Satisfied that they’d broken up, he flew down the road, turned back into human form and, with a leisurely stride, began walking back towards Madison’s, as he was picking up on her distress very clearly.

She was going to take a walk in spite of the fact that it was good dark. He didn’t want her out alone, even though they were in the country. Things could still happen. Someone could come along and grab her. He’d been around long enough to know that basically anything could happen, and especially when people least suspected it. Madison was much too valuable to him, and with Chuck out of the way, the proverbial road was clear for him to move in.

Crying bitterly and not caring that it was pitch dark outside, Madison grabbed her jacket out of the closet and ran out the front door, quickly locked it and dashed down the steps, across the driveway and to the road.

There were few cars out this time of night, as it was a side road. She figured she’d be safe enough. Hoped that she would be anyway. Tonight she was upset and was willing to take a chance. She just needed to walk, needed to think, and figured the fresh air would help soothe her frayed nerves. She felt so betrayed! Again!

The gravel on the brim crunched as she briskly walked along, letting the cool air hit her cheeks that were wet from crying so hard. In some ways, she was even more devastated over breaking up with Chuck than she had been with Jake. It hadn’t been easy for her to take on a relationship again, afraid of disappointment. Now this! He was lying. Covering up something. But what? The only thing she could think of would be someone he didn’t want her to know about and that had to be another woman – or man. Surely that wasn’t it! But the more she thought about it, she wondered. Maybe he was gay? As far as she knew, Indian Joe was his only close friend. Just how close were they? The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. What the hell was it he didn’t want her to know? But why had he taken the time to be with her if he was gay? “Shit!” she sputtered and walked faster.

Headlights appeared in the distance. She moved further over on the side of the road, even though it was coming from the opposing direction. It passed her at a good speed, and she thought it was going to continue, but it suddenly stopped. Red taillights flashed ahead and it began backing up.

“Oh crap!” she didn’t know whether to just keep walking or to run off into the woods. She decided to remain where she was.

The car backed up alongside of her, and the man – fortyish – let the passenger window down. “Everything…all right, pretty lady?”

She didn’t like the inflection in his voice.

“I’m fine. My boyfriend lives right down the road. Going to see him.”

“Boyfriend…eh? Not much of a boyfriend if he lets you wander around in the dark alone.” He was skeptical. “How’s about I give ya a lift?”

“No thank you!” She began walking faster.

He moved the car up and in front of her. She turned and went to run the other way, but he jumped out and headed after her.
“Shit!”
she took off running, but he was hot on her heels.

Then something passed her so quickly it was just a blur. The next thing she knew, the man was dangling in the air – just like Jerry in the bar – but pleading to be put down. She stood there speechless. Devin Knight had once more come to her rescue.

“Please! I’m sorry. Won’t do it again!”

“Don’t apologize to me,” he said, and it sounded kind of like an animal snarl.

“Gawd! Okay!” he sputtered. “I’m sorry, lady. Really sorry. I won’t do it again!”

“Damn right you won’t!” Devin hissed and threw him into the side of his car.

Madison thought she heard bones crack. “Oh my God!”

Devin turned to her. “He’s okay. Maybe a broken rib or two. But he won’t mess with you again.”

She didn’t know whether to thank him or fear him. His emerald eyes
were
glowing! Her focus went back to the man, who was obviously hurt. “Maybe we should call him an ambulance?” she shyly suggested.

Devin moved up to her, peering into her eyes. Now she saw only tenderness there. “Would it make
you
feel better if we did?’

She wriggled her head yes.

“For you, Madison, I’ll call. But not for him.”

“Thank you! I think.”

The man glanced appreciatively at Madison, but he didn’t speak.

Devin pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and called for an ambulance, snapped his phone shut, put it back in his pocket. “They’ll be here in a few minutes,” he said to Madison. Then he stepped up to the man. “You should be okay!”

The man bobbed his head.

Madison watched, mesmerized, as Devin stared into the man’s eyes. “You never saw Madison here,” he said.

“What the—?”

He smiled askance at her. Then met eyes with the man again. “And you never saw me. A couple of jocks from the local high school came along and beat you up and robbed you.” He then took the man’s wallet out of his pocket, pulled out all the bills and credit cards, and stuffed the man’s wallet back in his pocket.

“What are you doing?”

He tilted his head slightly, peering at Madison in such a way that she decided not to question his intent any further.

“I was robbed,” the man said.

“Good! Now, Madison and I will be on our way. You take care now.”

Madison almost wanted to run, even though he had rescued her again. Though he was a gentleman on one hand, he was more than frightening on the other.

He knew the fear in her. Gently put out a hand for hers. “Come. I’ll walk you home.”

She gulped.

“You don’t have to fear me, Madison. I will never hurt you. You are Mattie’s granddaughter. I could never hurt you!”

“You’re…You’re so strong! And fast!” was all she could think to say.

“That I am.” With an assuring smile, he took her hand anyway.

Her eyes went to the man, who wasn’t saying a word, just watching them, confused.

“Come,” Devin said. “The ambulance will be here soon. Called the closest one. The fire station up the road.”

“Okay,” she said, now walking with him, understanding that she really didn’t have much choice.

He looped an arm through hers and they headed back for her cottage.

Something about him was different. Really different. His unusual strength and speed was only part of it. She began to get flashes of memory too. Flashes from the past, remembered seeing Devin’s grandfather move very fast too.

Once when she, Aunt Mattie and her Devin were all taking a walk along the trail, a dead tree began to fall. Now she remembered – he caught the tree! And he sat it down as though it were nothing to him. It had been a full grown conifer! Suddenly she stopped walking.

An eyebrow hiked as he stopped with her. “Yes? You have a question?”

“You’re Devin Knight!”

He smiled, seemingly amused. “Yes I am.”

“I don’t mean his grandson,” she dared to say. “I don’t know how it’s possible, but you
are
Aunt Mattie’s Devin knight! Aren’t you?”

His glowing eyes fixed on her as he studied her face intently. A gentle hand reached up and carefully pushed aside loose strands of hair from her face. “I always knew you were bright like your Aunt Mattie.”

She gulped, now shaking.
“How
is it possible? You don’t look any older than you did when I was little?”

He sniffed the cool night air. “Exhilarating, isn’t it?” Still appearing somewhat amused and grinning cat-like, he added, “But I so miss the sunshine!”