PROLOGUE She moved with fluid grace, an actual flowing of her body across the broken concrete edging the parking lot. Falcon watched her, his eyes narrowed in concentration. He’d watched the woman before and he couldn’t explain his continued obsession. She was a mortal and how many times had he preached to his young protégé that mortals and wizards did not mix? He knew he should turn away just as he knew he wouldn’t, couldn’t leave her alone. His eyes transfixed on her seductive curves outlined beneath the long, white dress, which flowed around her slender legs, the coppery length of her hair that kissed the round firmness of her bottom. Her face, unlined and smooth, bore traces of worry, a hint at the troubles surrounding her. Falcon knew the woman existed in turmoil. He’d sensed the agitation enveloping her the first moment he’d seen her. Fear, anger and hopelessness warred within her. The emotions were strong waves, pouring over him and Falcon resisted the urge to go to her, to offer his comfort, his assistance. He knew she wouldn’t appreciate either. She didn’t know him. A simple oversight he could correct. If only he were a mortal. Danni knew she wasn’t alone. She’d sensed someone’s presence the second she’d exited the school building. But the familiar panic didn’t stir her. The presence didn’t intend harm. A quick look over her shoulder revealed nothing but the drab gray building housing the school’s gym. For all intents and purposes, she was alone. Why then, did she feel a comforting presence? Awash in heat and curiosity, Danni inserted the key in the lock of her aging Honda and climbed behind the wheel. She started the reluctant engine and tapped the dash, willing the air conditioner to kick in, praying it would last until the next pay day. And then she’d pray for the next one after that. She imagined she was clinging to the last hope, thinking there really was light at the end of the tunnel. In all actuality, the light no longer burned. The air conditioner gurgled and coughed before finally shooting out a burst of tepid air only minutely cooler than the air outside. Danni sighed and moved the gearshift into reverse. Any air was better than no air, she supposed. The engine clicked and knocked as she guided the Prelude onto the entrance ramp to the interstate that would take her to her modest two-bedroom house on the outskirts of Mills River, North Carolina. And all the while, she felt her visitor’s presence. CHAPTER ONE “Mrs. Condrey?” Josh Baker’s small hand went up for the fifth time since class had started fifteen minutes earlier. Danni knew she should ignore him and continue with the lesson, but the boy’s pleading expression always moved her. Lowering the third-grade reader, she placed the book face down on her desk and focused her attention on the freckled face. “Yes, Josh?” “My mommy says dragons don’t really exist. What does exist mean?” Danni smiled a little. She wasn’t surprised Josh’s mother, a highly educated scientist, would doubt the existence of dragons, but a part of her wanted to disagree with the woman, to reassure her young pupils that outside the confining walls of the tiny schoolhouse existed a world where dreams were possible. The schoolteacher in her sought the easy way out. “Well, Josh, as I explained, the book we’re reading now is fiction. Remember when I told you that fiction meant the story comes from the writer’s imagination. She thought all this up.” Josh’s lips pulled down into a pout. “But you said anything is possible if we believe.” “My Daddy said that’s a load of hogwash.” Elizabeth Bertram announced importantly, peering at the class over the top of her tortoise-shell rims. “Only he didn’t say hogwash. Mommy told me I had to say hogwash if I repeated Daddy’s sentence.” That Danni could believe. Henry Bertam was a pompous, self-serving.... “Mrs. Condrey, why is there a man looking at us through the door?” Another high-pitched voice dragged Danni’s attention away from her derogatory thoughts and sent her gaze winging toward the door. Through the narrow window embedded in the paneled door, Danni caught a glimpse of straggly, white hair before the head disappeared. “Wait here, children.” She skirted her desk and darted toward the door, but, by the time she reached the hallway, the visitor was gone. Danni stood silently, listened for the metal clang of the exit doors but silence settled around her. “Did you see him, Mrs. Condrey?” “Who was he?” “My mommy says if we see somebody we don’t know in our neighborhood, we should call the police.” Danni tuned out the barrage of questions and observations and sank into the chair behind her desk. Her legs shaking, she crossed her ankles and picked up the reader. “Class, there’s nothing to worry about. I’m sure it was just a visitor who was looking for his child’s room. Now, let’s get back to our reading lesson.” Feigning a calm she didn’t feel, she flashed a bright smile around the room. Knowing the children couldn’t see past the false serenity made her feel only marginally better. Instincts told her whoever had been outside the classroom wasn’t her visitor from yesterday. This presence had carried the hint of evil. Her jaws aching from the strain to continue the smile, Danni began to read. At five in the evening, the temperature hovered around ninety-eight degrees, another hot and humid day in the Carolinas. Danni shouldered the strap of her purse, got a better grip on the grocery bag and crossed the nearly empty parking lot to her car. For a Friday night, the small town was amazingly quiet. Danni shook off the uneasiness and stuffed the bag into the back seat. Her thin, linen blouse clung to her skin, soaked with perspiration. She climbed behind the wheel, hitched her peasant skirt up to her thighs, and stuck the key in the ignition. The engine protested her attempts to start it and while she rested her head on the sticky steering wheel and did a mental count for calm, a shadow fell across the hood of her car. Danni looked up, eyes narrowed against the waning rays of the sun. She recognized the hair immediately, the same uncombed white her schoolchildren had noticed earlier this morning. Senses on alert, she slid the key from the ignition, holding it between her fingers as a weapon. She took in the man’s appearance with some trepidation. Torn jeans, a frayed t-shirt with holes across the abdomen. The craggy face bore traces of dirt. She cursed her decision to disconnect her cell phone just a few days earlier, a last ditch effort to assist with the ever-growing mound of bills stacked on her kitchen counter. “Good evening, Mrs. Condrey.” The voice held no cordiality. Danni refused to shiver beneath the chill of the man’s eyes. “Who are you?” The man bowed, a courtly gesture for such a ragged appearance. “Who I am is not important. What I am is extremely so. I believe you have something that belongs to me.” She felt the gurgle of hysterical laughter bubbling up within her chest. Like a bad mystery movie, the man placed his fingers together and looked down at her from his imperious height. “I don’t know what you’re talking about and I would appreciate it if you would leave me alone. If I see you around me or the school one more time, I’ll call the police.” She tried to inject authority into her voice, but the man didn’t seem impressed. In fact, he actually smiled. He placed one hand on the open door of her car, preventing her from closing it. “That’s not something you want to do. In fact, doing so would be detrimental to your health. Remember last week when your brakes refused to cooperate?” The white hair fell across his shoulders as the man clucked sympathetically. “It would be a shame to waste such a beautiful life when you could save yourself quite easily.” His head lowered in tune with his voice. “I want what’s mine.” Danni swallowed convulsively. “And I’m telling you I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Your husband knew.” His fingers brushed over her skin, just above her wrist. The iciness of his touch made her heart convulse. She noticed dirt underneath the lengthy fingernails. She’d always hated long fingernails on a man. Another swallow. “My husband is dead. He’s been dead for eight months.” “And I can still feel the heat of your grief.” The sarcasm stung. Not many people knew the depth of relief Danni felt upon learning of the death of her husband. But then, not many people knew the truth behind the farce of her marriage. Certainly not this man. She guessed he was bluffing. “Listen, Mr., whatever you name is. It’s hot. I’m tired and I have ice cream in the bag in the back seat which is rapidly melting. I’d like to go home. So if you would kindly remove your arm from my door....” She let the request hang. “As I said, it would be a waste.” The man stepped back, allowed his arm to fall to his side. Danni jerked the door shut and after several tries, managed to shove the key into the ignition. With luck on her side, the engine purred to life this time and she jammed the gearshift into drive and stomped on the accelerator. Falcon knew the exact moment when the woman’s life was in jeopardy. With centuries of wisdom came the illumination of which mortals could only dream. One minute he was standing in front of the mirror, adju...
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