Free Lexia (The Deadwood Hunter Series) by Rachel M Raithby Page A

woods.
    “I’m really sorry about today, I was an idiot” he smiled shyly.
    Lexia pushed her anger down. It wasn’t his fault Lincoln was an arrogant bastard. “It’s fine Dan, Lincoln was more of an ass but I don’t appreciate being fought over and you just assuming we were together.” She started walking back toward the house and he followed.
    “You noticed that, eh?”
    “Bit hard to miss you kissing me, Dan.” She snapped.
    “But you kissed me back! It’s not like you to just go along with something.”
    “I think I was just shocked at seeing that side of you.”
    “Really?”
    “Don’t push your luck, Dan.” The smile fell from his face.
    “Hey, that guy, you know him well?”
    “Not really.” She didn’t like the way this conversation was going.
    “He seems a bit sketchy. I mean, I can see the appeal but Lexia he’s a lot older then you.”
    “Not that it’s any of your business, Dan, but he’s twenty-three and in a few months I will be twenty.”
    “WHAT?”
    “Dan this has nothing to do with you.”
    His face fell further. “I was kind of hoping after that kiss, it would be my business.”
    Lexia looked at him with his sad eyes and his cute surfer-boy looks; she could be happy with him. There might not be the same fire between them that she felt with Lincoln but Alice was right, there was no guarantee he’d stay in town. But then she remembered the vampires and the panther that was probably watching her right now and realized her life was just too messed up for a new relationship.
    “I did feel something Dan. But I have a few things going on at the minute... I’m sorry I just... Can we be friends?”
    “Friends? Sure” he smiled at her but Lexia could see the hurt in his eyes.
    Smiling, Lexia closed the distance between them and hugged him, whispering in his ear, “I really am sorry Dan if only you’d found me a few months ago”
    He pulled away his eyes creasing “What do you mean Lex?”
    “Nothing, it doesn’t matter.”
    “Bye, then.” Dan walked back down her drive onto the road.
    She stood there watching him go taking in his wide, well-muscled form from all the sports he played and his messy hair blowing about in the breeze. As he turned the corner he looked back one last time and flashed a cheeky, cocky grin.
    For a moment Lexia felt sad at turning him away, she could have been happy with him, only a few months ago she’d stared at him and daydreamed about the day he’d be interested but now...
    A low growl snapped Lexis out of her trance, she whipped around seeing gold eyes peering from the forest. It took her a split second to decide what to do, she ran towards the house as fast as she could, her feet crunching and sliding on the gravel. She could hear his light foot falls as the panther closed the distance between them. Her heart beat in her throat, was this it? Were they finally going to finish this game?
    Lexia raced across the grass, she felt like her lungs were on fire but adrenaline course through her veins forcing her on. The porch was nearly in sight but how was she going to get the door open before the panther got her?
    His paw caught the back of her leg. Lexia screamed, stumbling forward, but she managed to right herself and that’s when she noticed the open window to her bedroom; she’d never closed it after Saturday night. Can I make it?
    She neared the bottom of the house and jumped as high as she could; Lexia’s hands gripped tightly onto the wooden slats of the trellis and she let out a cry as her body slammed into the house momentarily knocking the wind out of her then she scrambled up, her knees banging and scraping against wood.
    But sharp panther teeth sank into her ankle as she neared the top. He pulled her down and she screamed desperately reaching out to get hold of something. She gripped wood again and kicked out with her foot. Lexia pulled with all her strength desperately trying to escape the panther’s jaws. Her foot hit his head but his