Her eyes swept down the length of him and she nearly laughed at herself. There was nothing boy-like about this man.

His broad chest rose and fell in his sleep, drawing her eyes to the intriguing bit of dark hair visible at the opening of his shirt. The need to touch him was so overwhelming. So tempting…

Unable to stop herself, she parted his dirt-streaked shirt and laid her palm on his chest. His heartbeat thumped against her fingers, sending a frisson of warmth down to her toes. A sudden flood of tears gushed into her eyes.

"Dear God I almost failed again. I almost lost you." That frightening image of him, lying unconscious on the ground flashed through her mind. "My visions… I've always considered them nothing more than a nuisance, something that kept me from being like everyone else. But tonight I thank God for them because they helped me find you. I'll not let anything hurt you again. I swear it."

While the storm continued outside, she sat vigil, watching him sleep, stroking his face every quarter hour until his eyes flickered open, assuring her he wasn't unconscious. Dawn was approaching when she was finally satisfied that his sleep was natural. Fatigue overcame her and she allowed herself to lie down… just for a moment. The cold stone floor offered little heat, so she snuggled next to Austin's side for warmth.

I'll only rest my eyes for a moment. But in less than a minute, she was dozing off. A frown knitted her brow, pulling her back from the edge of sleep. Something… something wasn't quite right… in her vision… she'd been so certain she'd heard a gunshot…

But her tired brain couldn't figure out what was niggling at her, and exhaustion overcame her.

Chapter 9

Caroline descended the stairs just after sunrise. Normally she did not arise so early, but the birds chattering outside her bedchamber window had awakened her and her thoughts were too full to go back to sleep. A long solitary walk was exactly what she needed to clear her mind. The instant she stepped outside onto the terrace leading to the gardens, however, a voice sounded behind her.