“Ella!” Little Maggie leapt from her spot at the table and ran as quickly as her legs could carry her across the small, crowded dining room. She limped heavily because of her birth defect. She had been born with a crooked foot. No doctor knew what had caused it and no doctor knew how to fix it. It caused her shoes to have to be specially made and she could not keep up with the other children when they played.

It also meant no parent wanted to adopt the girl, given her daily need for pain medication.

The little girl wrapped herself around Ella’s legs and Ella patted her messy brown hair awkwardly.

“Hello, Maggie.” she replied as she stood there stiffly and looked around. Tender physical contact just wasn’t something she was familiar or comfortable with. Abuse she knew how to handle. Punches, slaps, tight grasps and cruel words were normal for her. But the tenderness this little girl always showed to her was foreign and……

Addicting. That was why she was really here risking not only her own welfare but the welfare of all of these children. Of Widow Callahan.

“I knew you’d come back! I just knew it!” Maggie said with a happy smile as she pulled away and looked up at Ella. Ella had no idea why this girl was so taken with her but the thought of breaking her fragile heart was enough to rip out her own hardened one.

“You should go back and finish your lunch now, Maggie.” she urged the girl.

“Will you come sit with me?” Maggie asked as she bounced up and down and Ella nodded.

“Of course.” Ella replied with a tip of her head. As she walked back to the young girls table she couldn’t help but notice a group of boys gathered around a table in the corner. A scent came to her as she scented the air. The scent of a man and it was familiar somehow.

Sweat, horse, soap and something alluring… Sandalwood, she realized. He smelled like sandalwood. It was the man from the day before. The one she had run into as she’d come out of the store.

She hadn’t thought about him anymore since then but now her mind was full of questions. Who was he? Why was he here? Was he following her or was she just being paranoid?

Ella took her seat beside Maggie and while she tried to concentrate on the little girls excited conversation about the loss of her newest tooth, she found her eyes kept being drawn to that group of boys. She wished she could see the man with the scent that seemed to draw her in.

She had been too distracted the day before to pay attention to what he looked like but now she wanted to know. That scent continued to tease her nostrils, awakening her curiosity and stirring her blood.

Unable to stop herself, her legs moving of their own accord, Ella rose to her feet and made her way across the dining room. She approached the table and heard the strangers voice, it was deep, accented like a true Texan outlaw and it caused a tremble to wash over her, passing down her spine and rendering her speechless with shock.

Who was he?

He was entertaining the group of boys with a story, a story about a man battling a kings army in a castle. Swordfights and near death scares had the boys avidly glued to their seats with nothing but the occasional gasp passing through their lips.

Ella knew it was the quietest and most still this particular group of rowdy boys had ever been.

She edged closer still, hoping to catch a view when one of the boys moved and suddenly she saw him.

Ella didn’t understand the increase in her pulse, the way her body was drawn toward this man and why her mind instantly said ‘mine’ when she looked at him. Ella didn’t like men. She didn’t trust men. No man had ever shown her anything other than lust, hate, pain and suffering.

This stranger gave meaning to the term tall, dark and handsome. While he was sitting now, she remembered how tall and broad he had been when she had run into him yesterday. His black hair was long beneath his black hat and grazed the collar of his black shirt.

His face was all rugged lines and masculine edges. He had been several days without shaving but the stubble only seemed to accent his firm lips. His nose had been broken at least once before but even that didn’t detract from the loveliness of his face, instead it added to it, giving it a rough and tumble quality.

Ella’s gaze went to his hands, which were animated as he told his tale. He had big hands. Strong hands. It was clear they were used to hard work and she knew that there were stories hidden in those calluses and lines. That was something Ella found relatively enjoyable, learning people’s stories.

When her eyes went back to his face, she became frozen, captivated, when she realized that he was now looking back at her. While he hadn’t stopped speaking and still held the boy’s attention, now holding them in suspense as he recounted how he had draw back his bow during the chaos of battle to defeat the bad man, his seemed to be focused on her.

His eyes were green. A dark green that seemed to beckon to her. They were sharp and intense just like the rest of him.

Then he smiled, his cheeks crinkling around his mouth and his eyes sparkling with good nature.

“Would you like to join us, ma’am?” his voice snapped Ella back to reality and she quickly shook her head. Without a word, she turned and forced her feet to carry her back to Maggie’s table. As she took her seat beside the small girl, Ella wondered what exactly was wrong with her and who this man was.

She shouldn’t be attracted to any man given the experiences she had had but there was something about this stranger. It spoke to the vampire inside and caused Ella to be drawn to him and Ella did not like it. Not one bit.

***

“I have to go now, Little Maggie.” Ella told the girl several hours later as they finished up working on arithmetic in the much smaller day room. It was drafty, the walls were cracked and children of different ages were crowded inside the room. Some practicing arithmetic, other writing and some simply playing with toys or napping.

Maggie’s bottom lip stuck out in a pout and her brown eyes looked up at Ella pleadingly from behind her glasses as they stood beside the doorway that led back into the larger eating area.

“Tell me you’ll come back, Miss Ella!” she begged. Ella felt that familiar tugging in her heart that came whenever she had to leave this little girl. And this time she knew she had to leave her forever. She couldn’t keep putting the orphanage in danger by coming like this. Warren would kill these children and he would laugh at Ella while doing it.

“I don’t think I can, Maggie.” Ella answered. “I just came today because I wanted to tell you goodbye properly.”

“But you can’t!” Maggie cried out as she wrapped herself around Ella’s legs, burying her face in the rough brown wool of her skirt. “You’re my only friend!”

Friend. There was that word again. Oh how simple life could be if friends were real and could solve all her problems. Unfortunately friends was something Ella had never had and now, because of Warren, they were something she would never have. Being friends with Ella was as good as taking your own life.

“Maggie, there are plenty of other children here for you to be friends with.” Ella reminded her, while peeling the girl off her legs.

“But they don’t like me.” Maggie insisted, as she wiped her tiny hands across her tear streaked, freckled cheeks. Ella just stared down at her, unsure of what to say. Comforting someone was not something she knew how to do. As a matter of fact the sight of Maggie’s tears and the sound of her pleading voice had Ella wanting to run away and lock herself back in her dark, drafty home.

“How could anyone not like you?” Ella’s spine stiffened, her nostrils flared and she defenses instantly raised. It was him. The stranger. He was right behind her.

“Because I walk funny.” Maggie replied as she picked at her homemade feed sack dress and moved closer to Ella.

“I don’t believe that.” The stranger replied and he moved around Ella to stand to the side and Ella was unable to stop herself from looking at him. He had a smile on his face that crinkled his cheeks and lit up his eyes. He seemed so….

Good.

But that was impossible. Men were not good. No one was really. Deep down everyone was evil and everyone had hidden agenda, bad intentions and cared only for their own wants and desires. Ella had learned that lesson the hard way and she counted herself among the evil.

For a split second, the strangers eyes connected with hers and Ella felt a stirring in her soul. It was as if a string was connected from she to him and he was pulling her in closer and closer.

Ella quickly looked away and focused on Maggie. The girl was eyeing the stranger with curiosity.

“Who are you?” she asked.

‘Good question.’

Ella added silently. The man crouched down, bending his long legs and resting his elbows on his thighs. Ella noticed the gun belt and revolver slung low on his hips along with a bone handled knife that looked close to ten or twelve inches long.

Mortal men and their weapons… as if those would truly keep them safe if the right creature wanted them dead; if she wanted them dead.

“My name is Brendon.” he replied, his voice almost like a song as it washed over Ella’s ears… Ella barely held back her hiss. What was wrong with her? She did not even know this man and yet somehow she felt as if she trusted him. As if he was safe.

Hadn’t life taught her that no one was safe? That no one could be trusted?

“I like your eyes.” Maggie admitted shyly. “Green is my favorite color.”

“Well I like your eyes.” Brendon countered. “Brown is the color of chocolate. Have you ever had chocolate?”

“No.” Maggie replied, her brow furrowing. “What is chocolate?” Brendon’s smile broadened.

“How about I bring you some tomorrow?”

“You’re coming back tomorrow?” Maggie asked and Brendon nodded as he glanced at Ella. “Will you come too, Ella?!” Maggie exclaimed hopefully. “You have to try the chocolate!”

“Maggie…” Ella started to scold and Brendon stood straight and looked down at her. Ella felt exposed somehow. Bare.

“You really shouldn’t miss the chance to have some chocolate ma’am.” Brendon assured her.

“Please, Ella!” Maggie bagged, taking Ella by the hand and yanking her as she jumped up and down. Ella was about to scold the girl for jumping on her foot when suddenly Maggie cried out with pain and fell. Her hand slid from Ella’s and Ella was about to grab for her when Brendon suddenly moved. He was a blur of black as he caught Maggie and scooped the girl up into his arms.

Tears were running down Maggie’s cheeks as she whimpered with pain and clung to Brendon.

“What happened?” Brendon asked with apprehension as his eyes pleaded with Ella to fix things.

“She has a bad foot.” Ella replied, confused at the swiftness with which Brendon had moved. He smelled mortal as far as she could tell and yet he had moved more swiftly than even she had been able to. “She’s not supposed to jump around like that.”

“Mr. Brendon, is she okay?” A young boy named Benjamin, with giant freckles and bright orange hair asked nervously as he stepped forward. The entire room at gone silent at the sound of Maggie’s pain filled sobs.

“I’m sure she will.” Brendon assured the boy. “Ms. Callahan will make sure she’s seen too.” he added as the old woman came forward and took the trembling young girl into her arms gently. Brendon crouched down.

“You seem to be a big strong boy.” he stated and Ella raised a brow but said nothing. She was sure it was the first time Benjamin had ever been called big or strong. Small for his age, skinny and quiet, the boy didn’t have many friends.

“I guess so.” Benjamin replied, his thin chest puffing out a bit. Brendon nodded.

“I thought so. Why don’t you go help Widow Callahan. Maggie might need somebody to hold her hand, you know, just in case it hurts too bad.”

“I can do that!” Benjamin stated with pride. Widow Callahan smiled her thanks at Brendon and then headed up the stairs to the flat loft that Ella knew was filled with tiny cots and sleeping rolls for the children. Benjamin smiled one more time at Brendon and then followed after her.

Brendon stood and smiled at Ella and she quickly turned and left the room, heading through the dining area and toward the door to the outside and the freedom she needed.

Brendon was something she didn’t understand and she did not want to be near him for a single second longer. Then he grabbed her wrist in a gentle grip to stop her from walking out into the sunlight and she stopped dead in her tracks.

Her entire body seemed to go liquid at he feel of his skin on hers. It was instant. It was heat. And yet it was also comforting.

“I don’t like to be touched.” she ground out through clenched teeth as she jerked her arm away. Brendon held his hands up apologetically and then stuck his thumbs through his belt loops.

He looked so at ease. So relaxed. How long had it been since Ella had felt that way? Not since that terrible day when she had taken the lives of her family.

“Could I interest you in a late lunch, Ella?” he asked and Ella shook her head.

“I don’t think so.” she replied quickly. Brendon nodded.

“Early dinner then?”

“No. I have to go.” Ella turned and walked away quickly, wondering what in the world was wrong with her and what exactly Brendon was doing in this town, following her around.

He was everything she knew men weren’t, or at least he seemed to be from what she’d seen today at the orphanage. He was kind. Gentle. Entertaining. Sweet. Charming. Handsome……

No man was those things. Men were evil evil creatures that used and humiliated women.

Then Ella suddenly pictured her fathers face. It had been a long long time since she’d pictured his face. He had been all those things that Brendon seemed to be.

But he was dead and Ella had killed him. He and her mother had somehow created her and that just showed that there was evil in them because they had created the evil in her.

Ella made her way quickly to her home and locked herself inside her room, deciding that she would not leave anymore today. Her thoughts were too jumbled.