Free Duck Duck Ghost by Rhys Ford

touches of Victorian styling, complete with a turret and rotunda off the side. Painted lemon yellow with a blinding white trim, it loomed out before a backdrop of hills and forest, shouting a welcome to anyone passing by, with its wraparound porch and yards of flower beds stretching out from its river-stone foundation. Its many rippled glass windows shone as best they could in the winking sunlight. The house sparkled and flirted with them as the SUV pulled up.
    A massive spread of trees climbed up the hills behind the property, and acres of cleared land stretched out on either side of the house. An enormous old-style barn, complete with hay doors and white accent beams on its crimson paint, crouched behind the yellow house, and to the right, a thick white fencing corralled a small herd of enormous shaggy red cattle. The bovines paid no attention to the SUV, although a fuzzy rust-colored calf lowed at the vehicle before scampering off to join the others.
    “Those are awesome. They’re like… bantha!” Tristan was fascinated by the cattle, and he watched them closely as he got out of the car. Peering over the roof at Wolf, he looked both alarmed and intrigued. “She doesn’t eat them, does she?”
    “No, they’re freeloaders. All of them are. We’ll get eggs from the chickens, but that’s if they’re in a good mood. Sey’s a sucker for lost causes. Things here die of old age or boredom. Last I heard there’s a camel around here too, but that was a while back. He might be gone, but you never know.” Wolf grabbed their bags and then dropped them on the ground as a slender red-haired woman rushed down the house’s broad porch. “Hey, there’s my girl!”
    Her hair was rooster bright, and while a bit on the slender side, the handsome woman had a raw-boned strength to her. And if anything, her broad smile was as brilliant as her coxcomb shock. Dressed in worn hiking boots, khaki cargo shorts, and a formfitting white tank top, Sey Kincaid was the picture of health, her long limbs tanned a dusky gold, and she moved effortlessly across the lush lawn, her arms spread wide to embrace Wolf.
    “Ah, Wolfie!” She launched herself at him, delight written all over her face.
    “Sey!” Wolf grabbed at the woman, catching her in midlaunch. She felt good in his arms, a solid piece of Kincaid, as familiar to him as his own skin. “God, it’s good to see you.”
    “Wolfie?” Tristan’s drawl dripped with amusement. “That’s cute.”
    “Ah, is that the boyfriend?” Sey whispered into his ear before slapping Wolf’s shoulder for him to release her. “God, he’s hot. Are you dying? Is he taking pity on you? Do you have consumption, Wolf Kincaid, and didn’t tell anyone? Or are you lying to the boy so he’ll sleep with you?”
    “Tristan Pryce, I want you to meet one of my favorite cousins, Sey Kincaid. Sey, this is Tris.” Wolf bent over to murmur in her ear. “Behave. I like him. Don’t scare him off.”
    “Boyfriend might be debatable but something for certain.” Tristan yelped when Sey embraced him, her sinewy arms wrapping around him tight enough to make him squeak. “Uh, hi.”
    “Ah, love, you are simply too gorgeous to be stuck with that one.” Sey winked, her eyes bright with mischief. “Tell me you like older women too.”
    “Why? Do you know one?” he managed to squeeze out as she hugged him again.
    “Oh, you I am going to like.” Letting Tristan go, she put her hands on her hips and examined the duffel bags they’d brought with them. “So, one room or two? How does someone ask that without hinting around things? I’m thinking I need to put the two of you far away from my room, or I’ll hear you through the walls, but that bed’s one of the old iron ones. It’ll probably scream up a racket the moment either one of you gets going on it.”
    Tristan’s face went red, and she burst out laughing, startling the cattle behind the stiles. The calf galloped about, bouncing through the herd, and