After his shower, Darrell threw on a pair of worn jeans and had taken a cold beer from the fridge and sat out on the porch swing. He had been out there for hours. He watched the sun go down over the mountains. It was dark now and out here in the country; the only source of light was coming from inside the house. He stared up at the starry sky. He had been nursing the bottle all day. He still had half a bottle, only now it was warm.
After the sun went down, the door a few feet away opened, and Katelyn came out with a bottle of beer in her hand. She walked over to him and offered Darrell the beer. He looked at the bottle. “I thought you might like a new one,” she said. “This one is cold.”
He reached out and took it, giving her the half-empty bottle. Katelyn put the bottle on the floorboards and took the seat next to him on the porch. She rested her head on his shoulder and watched the stars with him. He actually liked having her seated next to him. It was a comfortable silence, which was nice. He had never just sat with a woman. He would have never guessed it felt so good.
Her affection was comforting. She had not runoff. She had not fought with him about the matter. Now she sat with him. She was giving him time to get over the horrible thing he had just done. She did not recoil from him, and that gave him home. “I didn’t want to have to kill him,” he spoke softly.
“I know.”
“That’s not who I am.”
“I know.”
Darrell sighed heavily. “I get it.”
“Get what?” She asked, lifting her head to look at him. “I get why you don’t want to marry me. Why would you want to marry a monster that kills your kind?”
“I don’t think you are a monster.”
“Why not? I am.”
Katelyn placed her hand on his chest, just over his heart. “I know your heart. You are a better man than Nigel ever was. You are not afraid to do the hard things if it means you can protect the people you love. Life is complicated. But I’m going to walk the path with you.”
Darrell was confused. “What?” Was she saying what he thought she was saying? Did he dare to hope?
Katelyn smiled. “I’m going to marry you.”
Darrell grinned. “Really. You think you can handle this crazy life?”
“To be with you, I will adapt.”
“You just made me a very happy man.”
***
but since they had not known each other long, they decided to tell them she was moving into his house and then after a few months, she would tell them they were getting married. Katelyn knew she was
their engagement a secret for now. The pack was not ready to accept Katelyn,
looking concerned. Her mother stood up as they came
the authorities must have found his body.
She gasped, genuinely surprised. He was alive. Katelyn looked at Darrell, who had
him. He crawled to the
look on Darrell’s face, he was thinking the same thing. She had no idea how they would get to Nigel while in a hospital. All Katelyn knew was, he had to be silenced. “Look, that’s a
life for so long. How could
sleeping with Karen.”
mother said and then glared at Darrell. “And you. He was looking for you too. After the disgraceful scene you
more tact, he did the right thing. If Karen was already cheating on Scott,
your flesh and blood. You
So is Nigel.
don’t care,” Her father snapped. “I don’t want ever to see
even now, her family preferred Nigel over him. Katelyn sighed. She was going to do the right thing and stand by her man. “I’m sorry to hear that because we are getting married. If my future
man?” Her mother
not determine or limit the love two people have for each other,” Katelyn snapped. “I love you, Mom, but you are small-minded. I’m leaving, and I’m not coming back. I’ll send someone for my things,” she said as they walked out
followed them out into the driveway. “Don’t do this, Katelyn,” her father yelled after her as she and Darrell climbed into the truck. “If you leave with that man, don’t ever speak to us again. Do you hear
her. “Last
his. “Let’s get out of
gears, and they drove off. It was hard to leave. She would miss her parents, but she was going to stand by Darrell. She loved him too much not to. As they drove,
are thinking about Nigel, aren’t
sure he was dead. I
just have to try
traffic accident or an animal attack. Killing him in a hospital in the middle of Aspen will attract the police and the media. It will be called murder, and somebody will have to pay for that. It is not as easy as walk in and walk out. I have to go to Gordon. We need to brainstorm a way of getting to this guy that won’t result in someone heading to death row,” she could appreciate his dilemma, and if there
came out of the small back office to greet them. He was smiling. “Well, isn’t this a surprise? I see you still have the
Nigel. Nervous, Derrell
his eyes flashing with
the hospital in critical care.
as he regained control of his rage. “Ok,” he said, doing his best
“I don’t know.”
“Alright. First things first. Someone has to go to the hospital and find out if he is conscious and if he is whether or not he is lucid. I want to know who he
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