Page 12 of Dark Flame

“That’s right, baby,” said Flip, kissing her nose, “I’m right within your grasp. You’re mine, Nat, Nadine Ellis. You and me? This is real and it will last. I’d stake my life on it.”

“Of course, it will,” she said, smiling. “We were made for each other.”

“Why do you keep saying that?” he laughed, kissing her nose.

“Easy,” she said. “I read Moore’s files on us. We were made for each other.”

“What?”

“I mean, chemistry had to be a part of it. But that sick bastard was hoping to pair us with others like us. He has someone in mind for every one of us. Somehow, there is a chemical link between certain pairs. I don’t understand it all, but it’s something in our DNA.”

“But… but you ran from me at the fire,” he said questioningly.

“I know. I was scared, and despite the way I feel now, I didn’t want to have someone in my life in that way. It’s hard to explain. I mean, it’s overwhelming. Don’t you feel it too? A few weeks ago, you were alone and happy. Then I popped onto a screen, and you knew.” He hesitated, then nodded.

“You’re right. Although I don’t think alone and happy is exactly what I was,” he said, puzzled. “Geez, does this mean there’s someone out there meant for Spook?”

“Yep,” she said, smiling.

“Tell me who,” he demanded.

“No,” she laughed. “We’ll let fate take care of that. Besides, all the records burned in the fire. I only have what’s in my memory.”

Spook stared at the tent roof and smiled. There was someone out there for him. Someone made for him. Could it be possible?

CHAPTER SIX

The cool crisp air of the early fall morning found Spook by the fire, cooking breakfast. The distant mountains of Wyoming loomed in shades of purple, pink, and gray, their peaks already dusted with snow, the mist covering the fields in a soft cloud of white.

The silence in the campground was welcome compared to the normal cacophony of noise in his head. Every day of his life, he prayed for this sort of silence. But every day, he woke up with noise ticking away, picking at his brain like a woodpecker on an elm tree. This was the closest thing to heaven he’d ever experienced, here and Wyoming.

“Good morning, Van,” said Nat, smiling.

She stood straight in her black yoga pants, hiking boots, and big gray sweatshirt. Her blonde hair braided down her back, and the fresh face, free of makeup, made her look like a college sorority girl.

“Good morning, sunshine! Was that big ape a gentleman to you last night? Or at least the kind of gentleman you want?” He wiggled his eyebrows in a teasing way and smiled at the beautiful blonde-haired woman.

“He was,” she laughed. She felt a connection to Spook like that of a brother if she had a brother.

“Fuck you, data boy. And stop flirting with my girl,” he growled with a grin.

Flip knew better than anyone that Spook would never touch his girl or any man’s girl. In fact, Flip knew that although Van liked to test the waters with any woman and certainly played the field better than anyone, he desperately wanted one woman. One woman and a family.

“Such language first thing in the morning… tsk, tsk, tsk,” he laughed. “I have breakfast ready. Eggs and bacon.”

“I’d say you have bacon! What is that? Two pounds?” said Nat, staring at the massive iron skillet.

“Actually, it is. Good guess. Do you cook, Nat?” he asked.

“I do, not a lot. But obviously, I had to learn to survive. I used to love to bake but haven’t really had a chance to do that lately either.”

“Well, you need to learn big time with the way this guy eats.”

Flip turned and gave Spook their famous one-finger salute and smiled. Damn straight, he needed to eat a lot, but truth be told, all the men needed to fuel their bodies more and faster than the average man.

“Can I ask how old you are, Nat?” said Spook, staring into the pan. He didn’t want to see her reaction.

“Sure, I’m twenty-seven. And you guys?”

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