Dallas...Dallas...please, respond to me. She tried to concentrate solely on making contact with the only person with whom she shared the rarest of all connections. He would be able to track her through her thoughts and find her. But only if he believed. Only if his love was strong enough.

When her captor's warm, vile s.e.m.e.n hit the valley between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, she turned her head and emptied her stomach.

Checking out the whereabouts of their three primary suspects, Jacob and Dallas found Dillon Carson still at home, sporting a ma.s.sive hangover, the results of his drunken binge the night before. And Jamie Upton was resting in bed, with his grandmother and fiancee catering to his every whim. But Royce Pierpont's antique shop was closed, and he didn't respond when they knocked on his door. Going against the law and not giving a d.a.m.n, Dallas broke into Pierpont's apartment. He and Jacob searched the place from top to bottom, but found nothing that might link him to Genny.

"Does this place have a bas.e.m.e.nt?" Dallas asked.

"Yeah, I think so. Almost all these old buildings have bas.e.m.e.nts."

"Got any idea how to find the entrance?"

Jacob shook his head. "Not really, but my guess is we'll find it somewhere in one of the back rooms of the antique shop."

"We'll try the back door. No need for anyone to see us breaking and entering." Dallas headed down the apartment stairs. By the time his feet hit the sidewalk outside, Jacob came up behind him.

"You don't have a problem breaking and entering, do you?" Jacob asked.

"I've never been a by-the-rules kind of guy," Dallas said. "And when it comes to saving Genny, I'd break every law in the books, if that's what it took."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

The two men exchanged a meaningful look, then Dallas ran down the block, rounded the corner, and headed up the alley. When Jacob caught up with him, Dallas already had the back door to the antique shop open and was going inside. As luck would have it, the stairs to the bas.e.m.e.nt were in the storage room directly off the alleyway.

Groping in the dark, Dallas sought and found a light switch. Several high-wattage bulbs came on instantly, lighting the stairs and brightening the dark, dank bas.e.m.e.nt. When he reached the foot of the rickety, wooden stairs, Dallas sniffed the air.

"I smell it too. Blood and..." Jacob's jaw clenched.

"The scent of death."

Jacob nodded.

They found Esther Stowe on an antique chaise longue that had been used as an altar. Her body had been sliced open, just like the other victims.

"It's Pierpont," Dallas said. "And he has Genny."

Leaving everything just as they'd found it, Dallas and Jacob returned to Jacob's truck. Esther Stowe wasn't going anywhere. No one would be disturbing the scene of the crime. With saving Genny their top priority, they headed out of town, following the ma.s.sive manhunt for Genny that had moved from Cherokee Pointe into the surrounding county.

They knew who the killer was. Unfortunately, that knowledge wouldn't help them find Genny. He could have taken her anywhere in the whole county.

Leaning his head back against the leather seat, Dallas closed his eyes. Genny, where are you?

Jacob turned to Dallas, a somber expression on his face. "We're going to find her. And when we do, I want Pierpont. Do you hear me? Pierpont's mine."

"No," Dallas replied, his eyes still closed, his heartbeat humming in his ears. "He's mine."

Jacob didn't respond. He had to understand that as much as he loved Genny, she was no longer his responsibility. She belonged to Dallas now, as he belonged to her. He was her protector.

Genny, reach out to me, connect with me. Help me find you.

Dallas's mind began floating free, off into another realm. Dark, swirling clouds filled his mind.

I'm here, Dallas. I'm here.

"Genny!" Dallas's eyelids popped open as he shouted her name aloud.

Jacob slammed on the brakes. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"I don't know. Nothing." Dallas gulped several times. "I think Genny just contacted me."

"Then by G.o.d, you'd better listen to her."

Dallas closed his eyes. Genny, I'm listening. Talk to me.

Come to me. He heard the words that weren't spoken, only felt with the heart. If we stay together and don't break the bond, you can find me. You'll know where I am.

Can't you tell me where he's taken you? Dallas asked her.

High in the mountains. Deep in the woods.

Has he harmed you?

When she didn't respond, a horrific ache began in Dallas's gut and spread through his entire body.

If he's hurt you, I'll- Concentrate all your energy on staying linked to me so you can find me. Don't waste your strength on anger.

Dallas tried to banish every thought from his mind except Genny. As he focused on her and her alone, a sensation of unbelievable power encompa.s.sed him. And then he knew.

"Go northeast, up the mountain, to the very top," Dallas said.

Without questioning him, Jacob headed the Dodge Ram northeastward.

"Only a few more hours to wait," Royce told her. "I've prepared the altar in the grove. Here atop the mountain is a perfect setting for you, my precious Genevieve. Your blood will spill onto the earth you love so dearly."

Genny heard the drone of Royce's voice, but she didn't even try to listen to his undistinguishable words. She kept her mind linked with Dallas's as she had for endless hours. Time had ceased to exist. All she felt was Dallas's love. All she heard was Dallas's thoughts. All she knew was that with each breath she took Dallas was drawing closer and closer.

Suddenly she felt other thoughts intruding, other minds trying to link with hers. She fought the intruders, but their voices became so strong they forced her to hear them. Precariously hanging on to her bond with Dallas, she listened and responded.

Yes, yes. Come to me. Help me. Lead Dallas to me.

The search party had combed the mountaintop, with Sally and her fully recovered bloodhounds tracking, hoping for a scent to lead them to Genny. Still linked to Genny, Dallas knew she was in this area and not far from him. But where was she? Her signals had grown weaker during the past couple of hours, as if her strength was depleted and she was struggling to hang on.

"Is this the highest point on the mountain?" Dallas asked Jacob.

"Yeah." His eyes widened with revelation. "No! Ooc.u.mma Mount is the highest elevation."

"Is it east of here?"

Jacob pointed the direction. East. "Straight up there, right into the clouds."

"That's where Genny is," Dallas said.

"There are no roads up there. He would have had to park his car and carry her."

"Then that's what he did." Dallas grabbed Jacob's shoulders. "I'm telling you she's up there. I need you to show me the way."

"Let's tell the others," Jacob said. "They can follow us."

"Time to leave our cave," Royce said. "It will be dawn shortly. I don't want to wait until the last minute and not have everything prepared perfectly." He ran his gaze over her from face to feet. "It should be a consolation to you to know your great psychic gifts will live on after you, that when you die, your power will transfer to me."

"You're wrong," Genny told him. "You will never possess my power. Do you hear me, Royce? If I die, my special gifts die with me. My talents are hereditary. They can't be transferred to anyone."

He lifted her off the ground and carried her out of the cave. She wriggled and squirmed with what little strength she had left, trying to make it as difficult as possible for him to hold her. He paused, set her on her feet, and grabbed her by the neck.

"Why aren't you afraid?" he asked her. "You're going to die, and no one can save you."

Genny could sense them nearby. They were coming to her, dozens of them, showing Dallas the way.

"You will be the one to die," Genny said, her voice utterly calm.

He tried lifting her again, but Genny dropped to her knees. Come to me. You're close. So very close.

Royce glared at her. "Either cooperate or I'll drag you from here to the altar."

Genny considered her options. Royce lifted her to her feet, then hoisted her over his shoulder. She lay there quietly, all the while summoning her rescuers.

After removing a couple of rifles from Jacob's truck and slinging the weapons over their shoulders, Dallas followed Jacob up the winding path leading to Ooc.u.mma Mount. Sally had let Peter and Paul loose as soon as they cleared the mountain spring that created a wild, flowing brook crisscrossing their path.

"I can't make it to the top," Sally said, then spit out a stream of tobacco juice. "I'll wait here and show the others the way." Suddenly Sally looked overhead at the starry night. "What the h.e.l.l?"

"What is it?" Jacob's gaze followed Sally's. "I'm be d.a.m.ned."

Dallas looked up. Dozens of owls filled the sky.

The mournful wail of a wolf echoed through the hills, then several reciprocal cries began an animal chorus. A rumble of hooves was added to the whoosh of winged creatures. All around them the forest awakened, bursting into life. As if being herded in one direction-or summoned to one place-deer and elk joined bobcats, mountain lions, coyotes and red wolves.

"It's Genny," Dallas said, more certain than he'd ever been in his life.

"Yeah, it's Genny." Jacob slapped Dallas on the back. "Follow them. They'll lead us straight to her."

Royce had constructed a crude altar of stones and covered it with a folded white sheet. He laid Genny on the altar and pulled her bound hands over her head so that her b.r.e.a.s.t.s lifted. After checking the sky, he knelt down and picked up a wooden box from the ground beside the altar.

The frigid air chilled Genny. She was so cold she was almost numb. Raised off the ground, with the winter wind tormenting her naked body, she prayed.

She could feel her prayer leaving the earthly realm and entering the spiritual region. She gave herself over completely to the power of goodness. Love surrounded her. Dallas's pa.s.sionate love. Jacob's brotherly love. Jazzy's sisterly love. The love of all the kind souls who knew her. And the pure, devoted love of G.o.d's creatures.

A dog's howl blended with those of the wolves. Genny continued praying, sending out positive energy into the world.

Royce removed the sword from its velvet bed and brandished it over Genny's head.

He bent down and whispered in her ear, "Soon, my little lamb. Soon."

"Yes, soon."

He dipped the sword toward her, letting it almost touch her as he slid the blade along the chosen path. "Why aren't you screaming, Genny? They always scream in the end. You will, too."

"You will be the one screaming," she told him.

Genny glanced to the east. A hint of pale pink crept over the dark horizon.

"The moment the sun touches this sword, everything I've ever wanted will be mine," Royce said triumphantly.

"Look around you," Genny said. "See the fate that awaits you."

"What are you talking-" Royce squinted, trying to make out the shadows surrounding them. "What's going on? What are they-"

The sky grew lighter as dawn arrived. Royce stared at the array of wild animals that formed a circle around the altar, only a few feet away. A pack of wolves formed the inner circle. Genny's Drudwyn was with them, along with Sally's Peter and Paul. At least a dozen deer stood off in the distance, watching and waiting. And enormous wolves lumbered toward the altar from east, west, north, and south. Owls and various birds filled the trees and circled overhead.

"What's happening?" Royce's voice quivered with fear.

"Don't you know?"

Royce shook his head.

"Can't you guess?" Genny taunted him. "I called Drudwyn and he summoned the mountain's predators and woodland creatures to protect me."

Royce lifted his sword into the air. The first faint rays of sunlight reflected off the metal.

"You will die. Your power will be mine," Royce shouted. "Then I will control these beasts!"

He swung the sword backward, then brought it forward, but before it could touch Genny, a rifle shot rang out. The bullet from Dallas's weapon whizzed past the congregation of animals to hit its mark-Royce Pierpont. He screamed with pain, then fell to the ground.

Dallas and Jacob rushed toward the altar. Tears of thankfulness filled Genny's eyes. Working fast and furious, they untied Genny's bound hands and feet, then Dallas lifted her into a sitting position, removed his coat and wrapped it around her.

"I knew you would come to me," Genny told him, her voice barely audible.

"Don't try to talk, sweetheart," Dallas said. "We need to get you to the hospital right away."

"I'll be fine. Don't worry." She glanced toward the ground where Royce had fallen, but he wasn't there. "Where's-" Her heart stopped beating for an instant when she realized that two wolves-under Drudwyn's directions-were dragging Royce's body by his arms.

"I'm not shooting any wolves just to retrieve that monster's body," Jacob said.

"Let them have him." Dallas coc.o.o.ned Genny in his strong embrace and headed away from the clearing on Ooc.u.mma Mount.

While the wolves provided nature's justice, the woodland animals dispersed, disappearing into the forest, and the owls and other birds flew away, clearing the morning sky.