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He started to laugh

For Texas…

She fought against his hold She raised herself, clutching his shoulders, and for one ain Orin the sky, still absurdly beautiful crescents

Then the moons all disappeared Yet as her world faded to black, Rose could feel the geht knot of hair

Meyer, these men, didn’t even know she had the diamond, but it had already destroyed her life

Chapter One

San Antonio, Texas

April

Logan Raintree had just left his house and alking toward his car when the ht that see what the hell he was seeing at first

Then he saw it The thing was a bird, and he quickly noted that it was a span eon

The pigeon was far beyond help The falcon had already ripped the left wing from the creature and, mercifully, had broken the san stood there, the falcon stared at him He stared back at the falcon

He’d seen attacks by such birds before; they had the tenacity of jays and the power of a bobcat

They also had the beaks and talons of their distant ancestors--the raptors, who’d once ravaged land and sea This kind of bird could blind a an stood dead still,his position as he continued to return the bird’s cold, speculative stare There seeht exist in the eyes of the eneral, the most ruthless ruler Touch an didn’t back away; he didn’t move at all

He knew birds, as he knew the temperament of most animals If he ran away, the bird would think he should be attacked, just to et away froht to protect it He had to stay still, calround The falcon would respect that stance, take its prey and leave

But the bird didn’t leave It watched Logan for anothercry It took a step toward hian decided his best ht with you, brother," he said quietly

The bird let out another cry It hopped back to the pigeon, looked at Logan and willfully ripped the second wing off, then spat it out and stared at Logan again

This was ridiculous, he thought He’d never seen a peregrine falcon so ht with hiun belt and the Colt 45 holstered there; he had no desire to harm any creature, but neither would he be blinded by a bird that see an overabundance of testosterone

As if the bird had knohat the gun was, it leaped back

Logan had the gun aimed "I don’t want to hurt you, brother bird," he said "But if you force my hand, I will"

The bird seeave yet another raucous cry, ju its prey Logan watched as the bird disappeared into the western sky

Curious about the encounter and very surprised by it, he shook his head and turned toward his car again

He took one step and paused, frowning

It suddenly looked as if he’d stepped into an Alfred Hitchcock movie