The Raintree Box Set: Raintree: Inferno\Raintree: Haunted\Raintree: Sanctuary Read online

  Ignoring his explanation just as she had numerous times in the past, Mercy asked, “Are you going to Reno to make sure he’s all right and see what you can do to help him?” If she didn’t have her hands full here at the Sanctuary, she could be on the next plane out of Asheville. But dealing with Judah Ansara was just about all she could handle right now.

  “Dante said for us to stay put, that he can handle things without help from either us. But he’s going to be pretty busy for the next few days, so don’t worry if he’s not in touch with us for a while.”

  “If you talk to him again, give him my love. Tell him…Gideon?”

  “What’s the matter?”

  “Nothing,” she lied. “It’s just…I worry about you and Dante.”

  “We’re big boys. We can take care of ourselves. You just keep the home fires burning and take care of Eve.”

  “I can do that.”

  “I’ve got to go.”

  “I love you,” Mercy said.

  “Yeah, me too.”

  Mercy replaced the receiver, then sighed heavily. Could she really take care of Eve now that she had to protect her from her own father? She hadn’t seen Judah since late last night and had no idea where he was this morning. He wasn’t in the house, that she knew for certain. She would have sensed his presence. For the time being Eve was safe from him. But where was he, and what was he doing? Plotting against me, Mercy thought. He’s probably making plans to take Eve.

  Or worse.

  The Ansara were not like the Raintree, but they weren’t like mere mortals, either. Given the right provocation, they could and would kill their own offspring. The evil that had taken root inside them centuries ago had altered the entire clan, making a once kindred tribe of the Raintree their sworn enemies. Judah was Ansara. He was evil. She couldn’t allow herself to believe otherwise, no matter how much she wished she could.

  During the past seven years, she had tried countless ways to erase her memories of the night she had spent in his arms, a willing pupil, giving herself to him completely, yearning to learn all that he could teach her. Thoughts of his lips on hers, of his large, strong hands tenderly caressing her body, his heated words of passion, tormented her, reminding her what a reckless young fool she had been. And far too trusting.

  But she would not make that mistake again.

  7:00 a.m.

  “What do you mean, you don’t know where he is?” Sidonia glared at Mercy. “Didn’t he stay here last night?”

  Mercy set the table for four, instinctively knowing Judah would join them. Wherever he was, he hadn’t left the sanctuary. If he had, she would know. She felt the presence of every living creature within the boundaries of their nine hundred and ninety-nine acres. Her domain. Her responsibility.

  “He didn’t stay inside the house,” Mercy replied. “But he is still here.”

  “Humph.” Sidonia busied herself with meal preparations but kept glancing toward Mercy, checking on her. As Sidonia took ingredients from the cupboards, her back to Mercy, she said, “I heard the phone ring quite early this morning…”

  “Gideon called. There was a fire at Dante’s casino. He’s fine, but apparently there was extensive damage, enough so that the fire will probably be reported on the national news.”

  Mercy sensed Judah’s presence the moment he entered the room, only seconds after she had spoken.

  “I’m surprised that one of your Raintree psychics wasn’t able to predict the fire,” he said.

  Mercy didn’t respond as she crossed the room to the pantry, removed paper napkins and laid one at each place setting. Sidonia glowered at him but also said nothing.

  “We need to talk,” Judah told Mercy. “Privately.”

  “Sidonia is preparing breakfast. Will you join us? Eve will be down soon, and I assume you would like to see her before you leave.”

  Judah’s lips curved slightly, as if he were amused with Mercy. “Interesting. A Raintree being hospitable to an Ansara.”

  “Not just any Ansara. You are, after all, Eve’s father.”

  “A fact you would prefer to forget, one that you kept secret from me and your brothers for six years.”

  “I can be reasonable if you can,” Mercy said, finally looking directly at Judah. She wished she hadn’t. He was not a man she could ignore on any level. Physical, mental…sexual…

  “And being reasonable would entail…?” he asked.

  “I am willing for you to visit Eve. We can arrange a—”

  “No.”

  “If you prefer not to see her, that’s—”

  “I prefer to take her with me.”

  “I won’t allow you to do that.”

  “I didn’t say I would take her with me, only that it’s what I’d prefer to do.”

  The kitchen door swung open. Wearing pink footed pajamas and carrying a seen-better-days stuffed lion in one hand, Eve bounded into the room. She rushed first to Mercy, who scooped her into her arms and gave her a good morning hug and kiss. With Eve on her hip, Mercy eyed Judah. “We will finish our discussion in private after breakfast.”

  “Is Daddy going to eat breakfast with us?” Eve asked.

  “Yes, he is,” Mercy replied.

  Eve squirmed until Mercy set her on her feet, at which point she walked over to Judah and looked up at him. “Good morning.”

  “Good morning.” Judah studied his daughter.

  Eve waited. Mercy knew her child expected Judah to respond to her in some fatherly way, to ruffle her hair or kiss her or begin a conversation with her. When he didn’t, Eve took matters into her own hands. She held her stuffed lion up in front of her, showing him to Judah.

  “I have lots of animals and dolls,” Eve said. “This one is my favorite. I picked him out myself when I was little, didn’t I, Mother?” She glanced at Eve, who nodded agreement. “His name is Jasper.”

  Judah’s expression hardened as if Eve had said something that upset him.

  “Are you mad at me, Daddy?” Eve asked.

  “No.”

  “What are you thinking?” Eve stared questioningly at Judah. “I can’t read your thoughts at all, but that’s okay. Mommy won’t let me read hers, either.”

  “When I was a boy, I had a pet lion—a real one,” Judah said.

  “And his name was Jasper, wasn’t it?” Eve beamed with delight, as if she had solved some important puzzle.

  “Yes” was all Judah said.

  Eve lifted her arm, reached out and grasped Judah’s hand. For an instant her eyes flickered, turning from green to gold and then back to green. Mercy’s heart stopped for a millisecond.

  I imagined it, Mercy tried to tell herself. But she knew better. Something powerful had occurred between Judah and Eve, even if neither of them was aware of it.

  Mercy knew. She felt it down to her bones.

  All during breakfast, Eve chatted away like a little magpie, filling Judah in on her likes, her dislikes, her daily routine. Basically, she told him the story of her life. Mercy picked at her food, but Judah ate heartily.

  “If you’re finished, we can go into the study now,” Mercy told Judah as she scooted back her chair and stood.

  He glanced over his shoulder at Sidonia. “The breakfast was delicious. Thank you.”

  Sidonia snarled, giving him a withering glare.

  He chuckled, then tossed down his napkin and stood. He waved his hand in a gentlemanly gesture and said, “After you.”

  Eve hopped out of her chair. “Me too.”

  “No,” Mercy said. “You stay here with Sidonia. Judah…your father and I need—”

  “You’re going to talk about me.” Eve planted her hands on her hips and frowned. “I should be there so I can tell you both what I think.”

  “No.” Mercy shook her head.

  “Yes.” Eve stomped her foot.

  “You will stay with Sidonia.”

  Eve looked at Judah. “I want to go, too. Please, Daddy.”

  Before Judah had a chance to respond,