"The two have always gone together for me."

Even as Lenobia's brain processed that it was the human cowboy who had spoken, and not some dire threat, her body was whirling around and crouching defensively-and there came the shril scream of a mare's battle cry from within the stable.

"Whoa, easy there," Travis said as he held his hands up, showing they were empty and took a step back from her. "I didn't mean to-" Lenobia ignored him, bowed her head, drew a deep breath, and said, "There is no danger. I am well. Sleep, my beauty." Then she lifted her head and her gray eyes skewered the man. "Remember this: do not sneak up on me. Ever."

"Yes, ma'am. Lesson learned, though I didn't mean to sneak up on you. Didn't think that there'd be a vampyre out here at this time a day."

"We don't burn up in the sunlight. That's a myth." Lenobia was thinking about whether he needed to know that red vampyres and fledglings did, but his response made her lose her train of thought.

"Yes, ma'am. I know that. I also know that sunlight is uncomfortable for you, which is why I thought I'd be alone if I came out here and, well, smoked this," Travis paused and took the slim cigar from the front pocket of his fringed leather coat, "by myself and watched the sunrise. I didn't even see you sittin' there 'till you spoke." His smile was charming and it warmed his eyes, gave them a sparkle which changed their ordinary brown to a lighter hazel color-something Lenobia hadn't noticed happening before. Seeing it now made her stomach tighten. She looked away from his eyes quickly, and had to mentally shake herself to focus on his words. "You sayin' horses and happiness made me speak without thinkin'. Next time I'll clear my throat or cough or somethin' before."

Feeling strangely disconcerted by him, Lenobia asked the first question that came to mind. "Why do you know things about vampyres? Have you been the mate of a vampyre?"

His smile grew. "No, nothin' like that. I know a little 'bout you because my momma liked you."

"Me? Your mother knows me?"

He shook his head. "No, ma'am. I didn't mean you. I meant vampyres in general. See, my momma had a friend who'd been Marked when they were kids. They stayed in touch-used to write letters-lots of letters. They kept writing up until the day my momma died."

"I'm sorry about your mother," Lenobia said, feeling awkward. Humans lived such short lives. They could be killed so easily. Strange that she'd almost forgotten that about them. Almost.

"Thank you. It was the cancer. Took her fast. She's been gone five years now." Travis looked away toward the rising sun. "Her favorite time of day was sunrise. I like to remember her then."

"That's my favorite time of day, too," Lenobia surprised herself by saying.

"That's a nice coincidence," Travis said, turning his gaze to her and smiling. "Ma'am, can I ask you a question?"

"Yes, I suppose so," Lenobia said, taken off guard more by the smile than the question request.

"Your mare called to you when I scared you."

"You didn't scare me. You startled me. There's a large difference between the two."

"You could be right, there. But as I was sayin', your mare called to you. Then you spoke and she quieted, though there's no way she could hear you from out here."

"That's not a question," Lenobia said dryly.

He raised his brows. "You're a smart lady. You know what it is I'm wonderin'."

"You want to know if Mujaji can hear my thoughts."

"I do," Travis said, studying her and nodding his head slowly.

"I'm not accustomed to talking with humans about the gifts of our Goddess."

"Nyx," Travis said. When she just stared at him he shrugged and continued, "That's your Goddess's name, isn't it?"

"It is."

"Does Nyx care if you talk to humans about her?"

Lenobia studied him closely. He didn't appear to be anything except authentically curious. "What would your mother's answer to that question be?"

"She'd say that Will ow wrote to her about Nyx a lot and the Goddess didn't seem to mind at all. 'Course Will ow and I don't write, and I haven't heard from her since she came to my momma's funeral, but then she seemed pretty healthy and definitely hadn't been smote by a goddess."

"Will ow?"

"They were children of the 1960s. My momma's given name was Rain. Are you gonna answer me or not?"