Page 14 of Kentucky Nights
Typical.
I scoff while hopping onto his back. “You can hunt later. I need to find her, and I need us to be on the same page, or you can go back to the barn.”
“We will find her.”He turns his head and bumps his nose against my leg.“I can sense your worry. I don’t like it.”
“Yeah, me neither. Come on, head down to the riverbank. We will follow it.”
“Fast or regular pace?”
“Regular. I don’t want to miss anything.”
He neighs in response, rearing his legs into the air when lightning cracks across the sky. I grip a fistful of his mane, tightening my legs against his sides. His hooves slap on the mud, flinging it over my boots. He bolts down the cliff using his enhanced speed, stopping at the riverbank like I asked.
“Follow the current, Romeo. Let me know if you smell her or if you see anything.”
“I will. I promise, Kentucky.”
I pet his neck, giving the muscle a few light slaps.
He trots the best he can, given the circumstances. More mud flings behind us every time he lifts a leg. I scan every inch of the river, hoping I don’t see her body floating or stuck in between rocks.
I check for drag marks along the riverbed, hoping she found enough strength to pull herself to land.
I’m not seeing anything. The unique scent of her blood almost can’t be smelled anymore, and if it goes away completely, I’m worried I won’t be able to find her at all.
“It’s okay, Kentucky. We will find her. We will look all night if we have to.”
“I hope you’re right, Romeo. I hope you’re right.” The familiar feeling of hopelessness turns my stomach into knots. I’ve felt like this only a few times in my life.
When I died and when Daphne died, I never expected to feel this way again, not after everything. I keep to myself because my entire family is dead. The friends I had growing up…dead. It’s why I’m a loner. Life isn’t easy when you’re the only one left in a world that no longer makes sense.
A squirrel jumps onto a nearby rock, and Romeo’s ears perk up. He stops in his tracks, and I let out an annoyed sigh, tossing my head back to allow the rain to hit my face.
“Don’t even think about it.”
“It won’t take long. Just to hold me over,”he begs.“We have to walk right by him anyway.”
We have rules for when he hunts. No baby animals and no females, as they could be pregnant.
“Don’t kill the squirrel,” I grumble. “At least not with me. I’ll give you a few bags of blood at home. Just hold out for me.”
The squirrel is too damn cute. I have a soft spot for the tiny little creatures.
“Fine,”he growls.
We walk by the fluffy thing, and I can’t believe this, but I’m holding my breath. I watch Romeo’s head turn, eyes locked onto his prey, and he stays in that position until we are too far away.
Finally, he looks straight ahead.
“He lives to see another day.”
I chuckle at the tone of his thoughts. He is pouting.
“And so will you.”
“Barely.”
“Don’t be so dramatic. We ain’t got time for that.” We’ve been searching for hours and have come up empty-handed.
