Sacrifice of Passion (Deadly Legends) Read Online Free PDF

have Sheila sleep in your room with you?”
    There was a sharp intake of breath, then Zach blurted, “Really?”
    Vic grinned. This was a real conversation, and he heard the smile in his son’s voice. “Really. We can set up a little area all for her.”
    After a few more minutes of planning, the kid seemed less agitated and was ready to hang up. Sleep with the angels. The one-line sentiment came to Vic. His mother used to say it to him and Ray every night before bed. Then she’d lean over and give them each a kiss and a hug. He’d say it back and she’d smile.
    In a formal tone, Zach said goodnight, then severed the connection. Not the response Vic had been hoping for.
    “Sleep with the angels,” he said into the air. “Son.”
    He felt lighter, as if he’d had a breakthrough with Zach, however small. He’d take it. Baby steps.
    Mary Jane stood an arm’s length away. “Being a daddy’s tough business. He’s coming around, eh?”
    “Starting to.”
    Mary Jane, in all her sun-worshipping, wrinkled-skin glory, sidled off to serve a customer.
    The sky darkened even more and Vic grew restless. He stocked the beer, changed out one of the kegs, wiped the bar, poured drinks.
    “You okay?” Alan gave him a funny look. Vic and Alan had never been friends, but everyone in town came to El Charro. Not a lot of choice.
    “Fine.” But the brewing storm still had him uneasy.
    The door banged open and Jasper came in, making a beeline for the bar. He greeted Vic while poking one finger under the rim of his cowboy hat, inching it back on his head. “Now that Delaney West’s back in town, you see her yet?” he asked as he bellied up.
    Vic lifted his chin in greeting, took out a glass, and pulled a draft. “Yep. Had a conversation with her just yesterday.”
    Alan studied him from two stools down, his brows pinched together. “You two talking, then? I thought you hated her.”
    The ranch hand had always had a thing for Delaney and it chapped Vic’s hide that the guy was still jealous over the past.
    Alan spun his glass until the damp napkin underneath it tore.
    Thunder clapped outside. Vic folded his arms across his chest and stared out the window, waiting for more lightning to strike. It was getting closer. Through the window, movement caught his eye. He started. Esperanza appeared like an apparition, standing stone still, her papery skin illuminated by the outdoor lights. “Oh, shit,” he muttered. The curandera’s white eyes glowed intensely. And stared right at him.
    Jasper and Alan swung their heads to follow his gaze. “Whoa,” Alan exclaimed. Jasper jerked back on his stool.
    “Is she looking at you?” Jasper whispered.
    Vic stared. “Hell, no. She’s blind as a bat.” He tore his gaze away from the curandera.
    Alan spun around, jumped off his stool, and headed for the door. He stopped short just outside. “Crazy old witch! Where’d she go?”
    Vic looked back at the window. And blinked. Esperanza was gone. “Damn,” he muttered. Braido had taken her away from the ranch so quickly the morning they’d found the goat, he hadn’t had a chance to talk to her more about what she’d said about the chupacabra and Delaney. He wondered what she was doing out so late. He occasionally saw the curandera hobbling around, but never after the sun went down. She claimed the evil ones came out after dark.
    The uneasiness in the pit of his stomach mounted. Not that he believed in such things.
    Jasper frowned. “How do you think she’ll get home?”
    “Probably on her broomstick.” Alan slid back onto his stool and downed his beer, pushing his glass across the bar for a refill. “She really can’t see anything?”
    “Just light and dark,” Vic said.
    “How do you know that?” Jasper asked.
    Damn. He should have kept his mouth shut. His mother had been to see her, but he didn’t let folks know about that. People in town were used to seeing Esperanza, but the religious community in San Julio had long ago