When she turns thirty, everything changes. This box comes with a name. As soon as Lydia utters it out
aloud, she disappears from her ordinary LA life and wakes up in the care of the man responsible for the
annual gifts. The only catch is...she's in Montana. In 1894. With a man who has magic at his fingertips.
It takes little time for her to grow comfortable with her temporary host, but in spite of his gentle
nature, Del Wessner is a man with a past he's determined to shield Lydia from. Together, they'll weather
mysterious attacks on his home, not-so-mysterious attacks on his Kootenai friends, and the fact that in
less than a month, Lydia will return to Los Angeles and her own time. Alone.
EXCERPT
She saw his eyes first. In spite of the lack of light, they seemed to gleam as they honed in on where she
rested. The moment they saw her, however, they softened with what looked like relief, and the rest of his
features came into view at the same time a grateful smile ghosted over his mouth. He had taken the time to
put his coat on before coming after her, and the afghan he’d tucked around her legs dangled from his
fingers.
Keeping his pace slow and measured, Del approached as if she were some kind of wild animal he was trying
to catch, and Lydia had to stifle the hysterical giggle that rose in her throat at the irony of her
situation. She was the city girl, dropped into the middle of rural America. She was the furthest thing from
wild that could possibly exist.
Yet…here she was. Still fighting the desire to run.
He stopped a foot away, able to touch her but, for whatever reason, choosing not to. “If you stay out
here…” His voice was low and measured. Gentle. It soothed some of her nerves even though logic told her it
shouldn’t. “You will not survive the night. I’m not the only one who calls this forest home.”
She hadn’t seen nor heard any other animals, but she didn’t doubt his assertions. It didn’t change her
mind, though. “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me why I’m here. And no more stalling or excuses to
wait until we get back to your house.” She swallowed. “Are you going to kill me?”
Del jerked back at her question, a look of horror on his face. She almost felt guilty for asking.
Almost.
“I didn’t even think you were real until you arrived at the offering,” he said. “Why would I want to hurt
you? Have I done anything that would make you think I mean you harm?”
“Well…no, but…”
“Did you ever consider my gifts as anything but that? There was never ill intent, Lydia. I’ve done
everything I could to protect you. From…everything. But if you choose, I can take you into town in the
morning, and you never have to see me again until it’s time for you to leave. I won’t keep you against your
will.”
Her head ached. It felt like she’d been dropped into the middle of a movie without knowing what the hell
had happened in the first half. Questions too many to number fought to make themselves heard, about what
he’d been doing at the fire, about how he could protect her—and from what—if they’d never met before, but
all she could manage to say was, “You chased after me. If you mean what you say, you’ll take me to town
tonight.”
“And if that were possible, I would. But town is a five-mile trek by foot. It’s too dangerous to do at
night, and you’re not strong enough to walk that distance yet.” His lashes ducked, as if in embarrassment.
“The offering always saps my strength, otherwise I would submit that. But five miles is too far for me to
give you what you would need.”
Considering how he’d carried her from the fire to his cabin, Lydia didn’t doubt Del was capable of doing
the same with the journey into town. What was more frightening than that realization, though, was feeling
her worries crumble. Everything about him seemed so genuine, and he had a point. He hadn’t done a single
thing since she’d woken up that could be construed as malevolent.
And he had yet to touch her now.
