Frantic, I raced through the stables, which were the only place I knew had hay in an adjoining barn at the rear. Both Inglorious and I had got Klutz’s message at the same time, and I’d not hesitated. Those bales were stacked pretty high, and they’d crush Amy. I bolted through the doors and rushed to the barn. Amy turned to see me, surprised, as I caught sight of movement behind her.
A squeal left her lips as I kept moving and tackled her. We both hit the ground hard, Amy in my arms as a haystack fell where she’d been standing. Moments later, as we watched, several more landed on top of it.
“What the fuck,” Amy exclaimed softly.
“Damn. Aurora-Victoria was right.”
“Huh?” Amy asked as she pushed herself upright. Her eyes widened when she saw the ten or so haystacks that had fallen. “Those would have crushed me!”
“Aurora-Victoria got a vision of them falling and hurting you.” I refused to say the word ‘killing’. That might fuel Amy’s fear of being stalked by death.
“Somehow I think I’m living the worst few months of my life,” Amy murmured as I climbed to my feet and helped her up. She brushed her clothes down and blew out a puff of air.
“Things will get better. I promise,” I said, and Amy sent me an uncertain glance but nodded.
“Guess I should get changed.”
“Me too,” I griped, looking down at my jeans and wincing. I wasn’t fastidious, but I hated getting dirty.
Amy offered me a wobbly grin, and we walked out of the barn. What was next? A zombie attack?
???
I shouldn’t have asked. I really shouldn’t have. Kyleah stood toe-to-toe with Nanci when Amy and I entered the clubhouse.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I exploded, my temper pushing beyond limits. Kyleah almost jumped out of her skin as I positioned myself in front of Amy to protect her from this bitch.
“Came to see you, gorgeous. Thought we might go eat,” Kyleah tittered, and I frowned. Was she for real?
“What?” I asked, unsure if I’d heard right.
“Lunch, you know, food.”
“What the fuck are you on about?” I demanded incredulously. Hadn’t this silly bitch got the message?
“Vortex, now don’t be awkward. We’ve a lot to talk about.” Kyleah regarded me like I was a wayward child.
“Vortex, I need to get cleaned up,” Amy murmured from behind me. She moved out of my protective circle, and Kyleah’s eyes latched onto her.
“Kyleah, you need to leave. Don’t know what your game is, but it’s not working,” I said.
Kyleah cocked her head, ignoring me. “Hey, I recognise you. You’ve been all over the news stations. Andy something.”
“Her name is none of your business, Kyleah, and you’ve no reason to be here. We split up months ago. Why are you here?”
Kyleah just kept up that weird expression. “Vortex, you’re testing my patience. Leave Andy and let’s go to lunch. Jesus, do I need to hold your hand, Vortex?”
“Kyleah, whatever you think is happening, isn’t. I’ve been polite, now I’m going to be blunt. Fuck off.”
“That’s no way to speak to the mother of your child,” Kyleah retorted. Amy hissed by my side and moved away.
Amused, I checked out Kyleah’s slender waist and shook my head. “Stop drinking the Kool-Aid. No way are you knocked-up.”
“Didn’t claim to be.”
“Then take a hike.”
Kyleah’s lip curled into a sneer, and she strolled towards the exit. Once she hit the swinging doors, she paused for emphasis. “Vortex, I didn’t say I was pregnant. I said I was the mother of your kid. It’s been six months since we last saw each other.”
