Page 44 of Scout’s Honor

After some time, he pulled away. He gently got out from under the covers and out of bed. Bonhi watched him through her lashes, feeling almost asleep.

He pulled on his pants, then sat in the chair and put on his shoes, then he took a position at the window, watching over her.

Bonhi fell asleep, feeling perfectly safe and taken care of.

23—Big-Butt Baby, Where are You?

Bonhi sat in the passenger seat of Dallas’ car, with him driving. She had her laptop open, figuring out what work she could cancel or rearrange, to give her the next few days to figure things out with Dallas. She pushed back all her appointments, and she didn’t have a case in court until Vernon’s in two days, so she was okay, as long as she could carve out a little time each day to tie up loose ends, and as long as she could get someone out to take pictures of Vernon’s cabin. She closed her laptop, sent one more text to a client, then put everything away.

Dallas had stayed awake all night, then dozed for an hour that morning while she’d eaten breakfast with Aven and Dakota, but he didn’t look tired. She studied his strong jaw as he drove. He looked at her and held out his hand. She took it, and they held hands over the center console.

Aven had gone to watch over some doctor as an eagle, and Dakota was driving behind them, going with them to the magical house.

They drove across the gorge created by the Nantahala River. The land dropped far below the bridge they were on, making Bonhi’s stomach swoop as she looked down. They reached the far side of the bridge and Dallas followed the road into the deepest part of the forest. They started up a dirt road that led into the foothills of a larger peak, which was tall and rounded, like a dome.

Dallas smiled at Bonhi. “Let’s take the scenic route.”

Bonhi smiled back, not knowing what that meant. Dallas followed the road as it wound alongside the field then curved back toward the other side of the rocky dome.

Bonhi’s mouth dropped open. The dome was split in half! Somehow half the rock had sheared away to create a flat, perfectly vertical face. The exposed rock was a riot of color, every shade of the rainbow scattered across the surface, like one enormous opal had been split in two. Growing right up the middle of the split dome was one tall, strong tree.

“Beautiful,” she breathed.

A field of sunflowers came up quickly, until they were driving through it. Bonhi watched the bright flowers fly by with a smile on her face. It was like a fairy tale. The road ended and they rolled to a stop. Bonhi got out and went to the sunflowers, touching several. They were so tall and strong and there were so many of them.

Dallas came close and put his arm around her shoulders. She took his hand and they walked through the meadow along a thin path that led straight toward the mountain. At the end of the path, was a wide clearing of grass that reached all the way from the sunflowers to the sheer face of the rainbow-infused mountain.

It was beautiful, and she couldn’t help but smile… until she saw Jameson in his ranger uniform, arms crossed, scowl on his face, eyes on her.

“I don’t understand it,” Dallas said, the uncertainty in his tone making Bonhi stop and look at him. “Where’s the big-bu—where’s the house?”

Dallas shook his head, charging past Jameson onto the dirt spot where the magical house should be. Where was the big-butt baby?

Jameson got in front of him, pointing at Bonhi. “What in the hell do you think you’re doing, bringing her out here?”

“She glows,” Dallas said. “I brought her to see if she had a room, and also because she needs protection. Another charmed human tried to kidnap her last night.”

Jameson crossed his arms over his chest. “Charmed, huh. You saw vampires, too?”

“No vampires, but they must be sniffing around Bonhi, that’s why she needs protection. Ask Aven and Dakota. Ask Maze, he was there last night.”

Jameson shook his head and fumed, his nostrils flaring.

Dallas set his feet and crossed his arms, staring Jameson down.

Dakota came running up the road, yelling, “Where’s Credence?”

Jameson pointed at Dallas. “Ask your brother. Credence must be pissed off because he’s bringing any-damn-body he wants to the house without permission.”

Dakota held up a hand. “Hold on, Jameson, I think Dallas is right about Bonhi.”

Jameson didn’t say a word. He just stared and fumed.

“She feels like a switch to me,” Dakota said.

“She can do magic then?” Jameson asked, clear hostility in his tone. His gaze landed on Bonhi, who was hugging herself and standing back. Jameson raised his hand weakly. “Hi, Bonhi. No offense.”

Bonhi only stared.