The truck eased to a stop on the outskirts of a farm where cornstalks swayed like an emerald ocean under the golden sun. It was strange how much the scenery could change with just a few hours of driving north. Like night and day, the desert transformed into patches of grass with trees still bearing leaves, and lakes still holding puddles of water. Thankfully, the false promises luring people to the coastal states, kept the ones bordering Canada from becoming overrun. It was a tragic blessing Corbin's family was grateful for, since potable water and agriculture had become more and more difficult in their community with each passing year.

Corbin left the engine idling as he glanced at Everleigh. She'd fallen asleep with her face pressed to the window halfway through the trip. Nudging her, she bolted upright, her eyes wild, and her hands balled into fists.

"Relax," Corbin said. "It's just me."

"Why are we stopped?" She stretched and twisted to check Armis's saline supply, but found the IV drip full.

"I filled it while you were sleeping. Didn't want to wake you."

"How long was I out?"

"About four hours... maybe more," he replied.

"Maybe more? You should have woken me up!"

"It's ok." He reached over and squeezed her knee. "You needed the rest. Besides, the drive to Idaho isn't that fascinating. It's just dusty with mountains and tumbleweeds."

Her brown eyes shifted to her leg, prompting Corbin to remove his hand, an apology tumbling off his lips. When she looked at him, he smiled, but she rolled her eyes before facing the road. "Is that snow?"

"On those mountains?" Corbin pointed. "Yep. Those are the Rockies. They go all the way into Canada, and where there's snow, there's freshwater. That's why we go north. My uncle Domino lives here, and the border is just a few days' travels on horseback. He can fix your brother."

"Horseback?" Everleigh laughed.

"Horses don't require gas to keep them powered. Our ride has blessed us so far, lil lady." He winked, causing Everleigh's mouth to split into a smile for the first time in hours.

It was hard to believe she was capable of brutally killing someone when her happiness made her appear so soft. Delicate. As if she needed someone to shield her from the horrors the drought caused. He was fortunate to remember a time when no one worried about running out of water and witchers could walk around freely like anyone else.

"How old were you when the drought began?" he asked.

"Began? All I've known is the drought."

"Oh, so you were born after," Corbin concluded.

"I guess so." She shrugged. "Armis was born before it... I think. He's five years older than me, so he'd know best."

"And Armis is how old?"

"I'm not sure. Twenty-nine, thirty? After a while, it became senseless keeping track."

"I suppose you're right. So that would make you twenty-four or twenty-five."

"And you?" She tilted her head.

"I'm thirty-four." Corbin searched her face for a reaction. The last few women he'd encountered were older, and drifters like him, yet didn't mind his age when they slid inside his sleeping bag. But maybe she did? "Does that bother you?"

Everleigh straightened her head and crooked her brows. "Why would your age bother me?"

"No reason." He shrugged.

"Why are we stopped?"

"See that tower in the distance?" He leaned into her, pointing towards the object. "My uncle shoots suspicious people from up there. It's how he keeps his property safe."

"I see..." she replied, and he turned his head so his lips could graze her ear.

"Don't be scared."

The whisper sent a visible shiver down her spine, but she looked into his turquoise eyes, like a predator challenging another predator. "I'm not scared."

"You sure?" He cocked his brow.

"I don't scare easily." She stared at him, a challenge still there.

His heart rhythm quickened, but his breathing eased as he stared into her bowls of pudding-eyes that erased the memory of Sarah's grey ones. This was a moment he could steal. It would be easy to tilt his head and press his lips to hers, and it would satisfy his craving for human connection.

"Everleigh..." Armis's wheezed from the back seat. "Are we there?"

"Close," she squeaked, her confident glare replaced with a blush of embarrassment.

Corbin's shoulders drooped. Lately, his life was full of bad timing. He scooted back to his side of the truck and started the engine. "You doing alright back there?"

"As well as expected," Armis replied and adjusted himself into an upright position.

They both watched as Corbin steered the truck through the tree clearing bordering the farm when a patch of earth exploded into the air, creating a fine mist of dirt.

"What was that!" Everleigh leaned forward.

"A warning shot," Corbin replied. "I need something to use as a peace-flag, so my uncle knows our intentions are good."

"Um..." Everleigh searched at their feet.

"I've got it," Corbin said, removing his shirt, causing Everleigh's eyes to grow wide.

"What are you doing!"

"Making a peace flag." He winked, and her face turned a deeper shade of crimson as she stole a glance at his bare torso.

When he caught her looking, he grinned. She snapped her attention to the backseat where Armis was lying back, eyes closed and his face curled in pain.

"It's me, Corbin!" He waved the shirt out of the window.

Light flickered from the sniping tower as if the sun was beaming off of a shiny object. Taking it as a good sign, Corbin stepped out of the truck with hands up. From a distance, his uncle's silhouette was visible in the morning sun. The light flickered again, followed by a faint call carrying on the wind. Corbin hopped inside the truck but kept his shirt off as he steered towards his uncle's home-and very much aware of Everleigh's discomfort. His uncle made his way down the tower while the truck crawled through the field. Everleigh rolled down the window and leaned her head against the doorframe, taking in a deep breath of fresh air.

"It smells clean out here. Not like the desert."

"Better than the coast?" Corbin asked.

"I wouldn't know, but I know this reminds me of home. Armis will like it."

"And where is home?"

"South."

"As in...?"

"Ozarks."

"That's more Midwest, isn't it?"

"It's south from there and that's all I'm telling you."

"Fine. Suit yourself."

As Corbin guided the truck up the path, his uncle raised a hand in greeting. It had been years since seeing him and the man was aging well. His turquoise eyes were as bright as Corbin's, and he had the same ash-blonde hair to match. A stranger could confuse them for brothers. When he slowed to a stop, his uncle crouched and leaned into the window, his eyes landing on Everleigh.

"This your woman?"

The corners of Corbin's lips lifted, and he cut his eyes to her. "No, but her brother is injured." He pointed his thumb to the backseat. "We came here for help."

"You've come a long way for my help. Especially since I haven't seen you in almost fifteen years."

"Better now than never. Anyway, I came across them near the Oregon border," Corbin replied.

"Oh, so you still wander The Elephant?"

"From time to time, but more importantly, someone shot her brother twice, and we need you to fix him."

"Alright." His uncle straightened. "I'll have Sarah give me a hand."

When his uncle spun to leave, Everleigh shot her eyes at Corbin, and he gave her a nod. "Yep. The same Sarah."

"Interesting..."

"You don't know the half of it," he sighed.

Just two days ago, he would have never given the slightest acknowledgment about Sarah, but now if Everleigh probed him for information, he'd spill his guts to her. The attraction he felt for her was like the gravitational pull he experienced with water. Unlike women in his past, her mysteriousness beckoned him to dissect how she became the person sitting next to him. But he wanted her to know him as well.

They helped Armis up the steps to the house while Corbin's uncle held the door open. His four cousins were reading in the living room when they entered and glanced up in confusion. Their matching blue eyes met his, but unlike him, they had brunette hair like Sarah. The last time he visited, his cousins were small, but now the oldest boy was nineteen, the other seventeen, and the twin girls almost fifteen.

"Who's that?" asked one of the girls.

"He looks like dad," said the other, and Sarah paused from knitting in a chair, her eyes widening at the sight of him.

The last time they saw each other, he was twenty years old and grieving his grandfather's passing. Now she was in her mid-forties but still looked like the beautiful thirty-something he remembered from years ago with her long, wavy brunette hair and large grey eyes.

"Boys." She clapped at her son's. "Get up so your cousin's friend can lie down."

"He's our cousin?" The younger boy asked, scratching his messy head of curls.

"Yes!" Sarah said. "Now move!"

The boys hopped to their feet, and Sarah adjusted the pillows for Armis as they set him down. Corbin's uncle ripped open the material around Armis's wounds and examined the damage.

"Sarah, please grab the honey," he said, rubbing his chin and then pointed at his oldest son. "Boy, go grab my medical bag."

"Are you a doctor?" Everleigh knelt beside him.

"Nope. Just know enough to keep my family alive."

"But you can you help him?" Everleigh's eyes watered as she took in the swollen meat surrounding her brother's wounds. Corbin's uncle studied her for a moment and then rested his hand on her shoulder.

"Yes. And he'll be fine."

"He's lost a lot of blood..." she replied as if re-asking the question.

"Looks like it, but I'll patch him up good. Your brother will be fine."

Everleigh exhaled, and the tension in her shoulders dropped. "Thank you."

"By the way, I'm Domino. Welcome to my home."

∆∆∆

To remove the bullet lodged in Armis's shoulder, Domino had to dig deep with his fingers to locate it while Everleigh held her brother's hand. Sweat gathered across Armis's forehead, and his teeth chattered as Domino worked his fingers around. He held out his hand when he found the bullet, and Sarah placed tweezer-like tongs in his palm.

"Thank you, baby," he said and proceeded, pushing the tongs into the wound. Armis groaned and breathed rapidly, causing his cheeks to expand and contract like an accordion.

"Ease your breathing, honey," Sarah cooed over Domino's shoulder. "Or you'll pass out."

"Corbin, take my sister outside." Armis swallowed hard. "I don't want her seeing any more of this."

"What?" Everleigh wrinkled her brows at him.

"You look pale. I don't want you fainting again. So please, go outside."

"No, Armis!" she objected.

"Everleigh, come on..." Corbin touched her elbow, but she nudged him away.

"I'm not leaving your side."

"Everleigh!" Armis scolded. "Please. Go outside."

"Sweetheart," Sarah intervened. "Getting his heart rate up will worsen the bleeding. You don't want that, do you?"

"No, but-"

"Go take a breather outside with Corbin. Your brother is in excellent hands."

"Come on." Corbin retook her elbow.

At first, she didn't move, so he gave her another nudge, and she stepped towards the door but kept her eyes on Armis as they exited. Outside, Everleigh raced down the porch steps with Corbin on her heels, trying to catch up. When he was close enough, he clasped his fingers around her arm, but she whipped around, causing their bodies to thud.

"It's nice here. It's not too hot or cold," she said, taking a step back and tucking some hair behind her ear.

"What?" He raised his brows in confusion.

"And there are trees," she continued, her gaze rolling over the scenery. "Looks like your uncle and his family have plenty to eat too. This is a good place."

Corbin stepped closer and cupped her face. "Everleigh, your brother will be ok."

Shrugging away, she wiped her cheeks and closed her eyes tight. Tiny beads of moisture gathered at the corners of her eyes as if they'd do anything to escape. Corbin brushed loose strands of hair from her face and used his thumbs to wipe the tears away.

"Everleigh..." he whispered, the urge to kiss her swelling in his chest, and this time he wouldn't pass up the opportunity. "Look at me."

Squeezing her eyes tighter, she shook her head from side to side, which caused the corners of Corbin's mouth to curl. She was cute when she was nervous, and he could feel the rapid pulse in her neck drumming against his fingers. Deciding to just go for it, he planted his lips on hers and applied gentle pressure at first. Just as he imagined, her soft lips felt like silky flower petals, and he needed more. He tilted his head the other way, and this time, she kissed back.

She kissed back.

However, mid-way she pushed his chest, breaking contact and leaving him with his mouth open. He blinked at her-the moment ripped away like a crusted bandage taking skin with it.

"What's wrong?"

"Why would you do that?" she whispered, her eyes scanning the ground with fingers pressed to her lips.

"I think you're asking me a question you already know the answer to."

She nodded, her eyes still scanning the ground. "I think I do..."

Corbin weaved his fingers through hers and squeezed her hand. "You don't have to fear me. Or be nervous."

"I'm not." Her eyes flashed to him.

"Then what is it?"

"I don't have time for this." She motioned her finger back and forth between them.

"For kissing?" he chuckled.

"For whatever game you're trying to pull." She glared and yanked her hand from his.

"Game?" His brows shot to his hairline.

"I'm not a conquest. Don't expect to get into my pants." She brushed past him.

"Am I missing something? Because I could have sworn, you've been giving me vibes since we've met."

"I know what men like you want!"

"Enlighten me." He folded his arms.

"You want one thing, but you won't get it from me. So, get used to your hand."

"You're a piece of work," he snorted. "You put on a tough act, but you enjoyed that kiss."

The storm door swung open, freezing Everleigh before she could reply, as Domino stepped out. He leaned against the railing of the porch and shaded his eyes from the afternoon sun.

"Got your brother patched up, but the wounds need to air out overnight. I gave him more pain meds, so he's passed out in the girls' room, but we ought to get the two of you situated. We'll put you in the boys' room, so you each have a bed."

"You mean, me and him?" Everleigh motioned to Corbin. "In the same room?"

Domino gave a sly smile. "Would you prefer the girls' room? They share a queen-sized bed."

"No!" she barked.

"It's fine, Everleigh," Corbin laughed. "I'll be a gentleman."

"You wouldn't know the meaning of it!" She scowled.

"Your woman is funny," Domino chuckled.

"I'm not... we're not..." Everleigh struggled to explain, her face turning crimson. When Corbin laughed, she arched her brow at him and stomped her foot with a huff.

"Come inside so Sarah can fill your bellies. Neither of you looks healthy."

Smiling, Domino held the door open for them and motioned with his hand as Everleigh marched up the porch steps. However, as soon as Corbin reached his uncle, the man's smile dropped. He released the storm door, allowing it to clang shut, and stepped in front of the entrance, blocking it.

"What's up?" Corbin asked.

Without a reply, his uncle gripped a fist-full of Corbin's shirt collar and looked him square in the eyes. "Don't think I'm naïve about what happened between you and my wife."

Corbin swallowed and tried thinking of an explanation that could satisfy his uncle. But how could he explain? An apology wouldn't remedy such a betrayal.

"You're my blood, so I'll forgive it, once." Domino held up his index finger, emphasizing the point. "And, she was going through one of her sad spells, so I forgive her, but don't think for one second that I'll forget how you crossed that line."

"I'm... I'm sorry," Corbin sputtered.

"I know. I just won't forget it."

"If you want me to leave, I'll understand."

"Don't be foolish." Domino smoothed down the front of Corbin's shirt, adjusting the collar. "You're my brother's kid, and you're the only blood I have left, aside from my family in there. Now let's have dinner."

As soon as Domino disappeared inside the house, Corbin released a silent curse. Sleeping under the same roof as Sarah was going to be hell.

Dragging his hands down his face, he sighed. It was time to confront his past.

So, he stepped through the door.