Christmas Wishes--Annie's Outlaw

{Sapphire Palace Series, Book 2}

by Nancy Pirri (Dame Sapphire)

Chapter One

September 1865
Butte, Montana

A premonition struck her and Annie Callahan shivered. A man’s big, dark shadow stood over her and she fought to remain conscious; fought to ascertain the man’s identity.

No! She didn’t want to identify him! Pull yourself out of it, Annie!

The man disappeared and sanity returned. Breathing easier she turned back to grading her students’ papers.

She sat behind her desk in the school house and tugged her shawl close around her shoulders in an effort to stave off the cold. She hadn’t started the coal stove since the temperature had been tolerable during the day, while school had been in session. But with the lowering of the sun, there was a distinct chill in the air.

Concentrating on grading the tests she’d given her students, in order to place them in the correct grade for school work for the year took great effort. Suddenly, she lost the battle again when a searing pain pierced her skull. She slammed her eyes shut and collapsed against the back of her chair, her breathing growing shallow.
The premonition returned, full force this time.

A man with a muscular build stood over her as she clutched her brother, Mark, in her arms. She widened her eyes in horror, unable to make out his face features. He drew closer and she saw the steel color of his eyes and dark blonde hair, still she couldn’t make out his features. He reached for Mark, big hands, fingers clawed. Screams tore from her throat. She tried running away, but her feet seemed to be locked in place. Then the man wrestled Mark from her arms and fled, Mark’s screams piercing the air. Annie ran after the man but tripped and fell. She lay on the ground, sobbing inconsolably as Mark’s shouts faded away in the distance.

Annie’s breathing calmed as the premonition faded away, still she kept her eyes closed. She had no desire to look into the future, no desire to feel any pride or satisfaction in the ‘gift’ God had given her. Why he’d chosen her she had no idea. As far back as she could remember she’d had premonitions, or second sight as her father called it. When she’d first experienced ‘the sight’ she’d been frightened. As a girl, she’d foolishly flaunted her abilities. Due to skepticism from sore, fear and suspicion from others, she learned to keep them to herself.

She guessed if hunting witches was in fashion she would be gone from this earth by now. Sighing in relief, she breathed easier as she thought about the new school year. Her students had been filled with excitement this day, the first day of school. She had twenty students this year, three more than the last, and looked forward to providing them with a good education. She smiled as she thought about how her four-year-old brother, Mark, had cried this morning, wanting to come to school, too. She’d sympathized with him, then informed him that next year he would begin school, that now was the time for him to play.

The schoolhouse was seven miles from her home on the Moonstruck Ranch. On her way to the schoolhouse this morning, she’d left Mark off in town at Marion Mathers’ house before continuing on to the schoolhouse. Marion had children about the same age as Mark.
A door creaked and Annie looked up to find the door wide open. With the sun low in the sky behind him, she saw a man’s silhouette in the doorway. Heavens, she thought as chills slithered up her spine, could this be the man she’d just seen in her mind? Then he moved forward, into a patch of light. Relief flooded through her. This man was blessed with inky black, not blonde hair. Yet, her ease diminished again as she thought how she’d need to make sure Mark was never left out of Marion’s sight. Her premonitions always turned true.

“Miss Annie Callahan?”

Annie heard the low raspy voice as she rose to her feet. “Yes.” Her voice trembled when she hesitantly added, “Are you here for a student? I’m afraid they’ve all left for the day.”

Moving around her desk she stopped in front of it, facing the man, trying to conceal her nerves as she pulled her shawl close once more.

He strode toward her, his Stetson in his hand. “I’m here for my son.”

“As I said, they’ve all left for the day.”

Annie’s eyes widened on the man as he drew closer, finally stopping a few feet short of her. Her heart stalled at the handsome, square-jawed face, his brown eyes hard and searching. His lips were finely chiseled and she wondered what they would feel like on hers. But she also caught the weariness in his face, and the dark hair that bristled along his jaw and on his chin told her he needed a shave. He could use a haircut, too, since it touched his shirt collar.

She swept him another look from head to toe. Never had she seen such a tall man, except for her neighbor, Jed Porter. She compared the two men, noting decided differences. She felt nothing for Jed but a neighborly regard, though lately he’d gotten pushy about trying to court her, forcing her to be firmer in declining his suit. And she couldn’t ignore the dark feelings emanating from the man whenever he came near her, especially if another man was in her vicinity.

Though she’d never known Jed to harm anyone, it seemed he exuded the potential to do so.

“Who are you?” Somehow she knew this man was not violent and would do her no harm for no evil thoughts entered her mind—no premonitions of this man filled her heart and soul.

“My name is Cane Smith and I’ve come for my son.”

She frowned. “What’s his name?”

“Your father named him Mark.”

 

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