For there wasnt a doubt in her mind that the dream would come true. All of her dreams did.
Cassie didnt know how old shed been before shed become aware of that inexplicable ability shed been born with. The first instance she could recall shed been about four and had dreamed every detail of the colt her favorite mare would give birth to. The events in the dreams that had followed over the years had never failed to materialize. But tonights nightmare had occurred with the most frequency.
With a hand that still shook she reached up, wiped her clammy forehead. It was easy to guess what had sparked it this timethe room in the bed-and-breakfast where shed just returned from spending two days with her lover.
Shane had arranged the weekend away as a surprise for her, but her pleasure at his thoughtfulness had died abruptly once theyd walked into their room. When shed viewed the turn-of-the-century furnishings her blood had run thick and cold. Although not identical to those in the dream, they had been similar enough to cause her a sleepless weekend. Shed tried, but she knew she hadnt been able to completely hide the strain it had taken. Which hadnt done a thing to heal the rift that was forming between Shane and herself.
Resting her forehead against the cool pane of glass, she closed her eyes. She shouldnt have to struggle to hide who she was, what she was, from the only man shed ever allowed herself to love. Lovereal lovemeant acceptance, didnt it? But Shane hadnt reacted as shed hoped when shed tried to explain to him a few weeks ago about the dreams that sometimes came, unbidden. And he was nowhere close to believing that her precognitionor any psychic abilitywas real. Especially not when she told him what shed dreamed about him and his upcoming assignment for Doctors Without Borders.
Her twin brother, Hawk, would frown disapprovingly if he knew shed been honest with Shane, but she couldnt fathom a future with a man she had to keep secrets from. And Shane hadnt rejected her when shed told him about her ability. She opened her eyes to stare blindly out into the night, taking a measure of comfort from the thought. As dismayed as hed been by her revelation, he hadnt walked away. But neither was he anywhere close to believing in it.
The weekend had been a chance for them to repair a relationship that had recently become more tenuous. Appreciation of Shanes gesture had kept her from suggesting a different place to stay. Had kept her from falling into a deep sleep while there, lest tonights nightmare make an appearance. But all shed managed, in the end, was to delay it.
She gave a little sigh, her breath fogging the window. Rubbing at the condensation absently, she pushed aside the trepidation filling her. The two of them would work through this. They would. What they had was too rare to give up on so easily. He just needed time to adjust, and she could grant him that time. As long as he reached some sort of acceptance in the end.
Turning back toward the room, she stared at the rumpled bedcovers with a renewed sense of dread. She wasnt ready to crawl back in that bed again. Not while it still took such effort to keep the mental door closed tightly against those all-too familiar images.
But like sneaky fingers of fog, remnants of the dream filtered through her memory, leaving an icy wake. Her bedroom should be a haven. Certainly it couldnt have been further removed from the one in the nightmare. Shed always deliberately embraced more contemporary furnishings, and the ranch bore her stamp of Southwestern decor. There was nothing fussy or overtly feminine about her bedroom trappings, or her wardrobe. Her clothing favored function and tailoring over frills and ruffles. There wasnt a hint of the softly feminine touches apparent in the room from the dream.
But despite the effort shed taken to avoid such similarities, she knew that her efforts would be in vain. Over the years shed learned to accept the inevitability of the dreams. She could no more prevent them than she could change their events from coming true. There was no doubt that the woman in tonights nightmare would eventually die a violent, hideous death. There could be no evading it.
She hugged herself with her arms, in an attempt to control the shudders that worked through her. A familiar sense of fatalism filled her. Because although Cassie couldnt identify the setting or the time in the dream, the womans face was all too familiar. She saw it every time she looked in the mirror.
For as long as she could remember, shed been dreaming of her own inescapable murder.
Dr. Shane Farhold shifted on his bench seat in the stadium, his gaze flicking over his surroundings idly. Jean-clad men and casually dressed women packed the outdoor arena. Regardless of gender, a full half of the occupants wore Stetsons, and most carried beers afforded by the vendors in the place. It would be hard to imagine a scene further removed from those in his former home in Boston, and the differences were satisfying. After his mothers death there had seemed little reason to stay in the city. And once his only remaining family had found him again, hed had every reason to leave.
With an ease born of long practice he shoved that memory aside and concentrated on the voice on the loudspeaker announcing the next contestant in the Bareback Bronc contest. Cassie was up next. As if on cue, his stomach clenched in tight knots. He could use a scalpel to slice open a mans chest without a moments hesitation, but the sight of Cassie on a huge unbroken horse always had the power to turn his blood to ice. He knew all too well just how many bones could break if a person hit the ground with just the right amount of force. Hed pointed that out to her once and shed only laughed and said that was why she preferred to stay on the back of the horse.
The gate on the chute swung open. There was a split second of stillness, as if the huge roan was trans-fixed by the crowd. Then it exploded out of the chute, a whirling dervish of clashing hooves.
Relax, Doc, said the bearded man beside Shane. She marked out just fine. Always does.
He didnt bother to correct the man. His concern was hardly on whether or not Cassies feet had been placed above the break of the horses shoulder on its first jump out of the chute. Her dainty form atop the furious horse looked spectacularly out of place. The eight-second clock crawled with excruciating slowness, a marked contrast to the frenzied movements of the animal.
Cassie was smiling widely, looking as though she was having the time of her life. The rigging grasped in one hand, her other was raised in the air to avoid accidentally touching the horse or her equipment, an automatic disqualification. The animal reared then spun, engaging in a series of staccato, teeth-jarring sideways jumps.
She looked, to Shane, to be spurring in perfect rhythm with the horses movements. If the crowds roar of approval was any indication, they agreed. The final couple seconds were a blur, with the animal spinning and bucking wildly. When the buzzer sounded, however, Cassie was still seated, her smile still bright as the pickup men rode out to secure the horse.
Releasing the rigging, she reached over to one of the pickup horses and transferred to it. The horse veered free of the bronc and Cassie slid off its back, turned in Shanes direction and blew him a kiss before running out of the arena.
Relief mingled with a sort of amused irritation. The man next to Shane guffawed and elbowed him. Whatd I tell you? Cassie knows what shes doin. Theres no one knows horses bettern her and Hawk Donovan. He then fell silent, listening intently as the announcer stated her scores and the crowd applauded once again.