Betrayed by My Wife, I Became the Serpent Lord

Chapter 007

Vicky Pitt kept telling herself there was nothing unusual about bringing Nick a meal. He'd left far too much money at her diner, and he'd probably done it because he wanted food delivered. She would drop off his dinner and leave. Even if someone saw her, what could they possibly say?

Still, she couldn't quite shake her nerves.

The Pugh Family Burial Plot stood near the edge of Cedar Hollow, and few people ventured out there on a winter evening. Vicky checked that no one was around before approaching the shrine.

She started to knock, then worried that standing outside for too long might attract attention. Instead, she pushed open the door and slipped inside.

Nick was sitting on the bed, his eyes closed.

Vicky froze for a moment. She hadn't expected to find him like this, looking so strong and striking. It had been a long time since she'd been this close to a handsome man, and she felt her cheeks grow warm.

She quickly set the basket beside the bed.

"Nick, I know it's hard to cook out here, and you left more than enough money at the diner. If you're too busy to come by over the next few days, I can bring your meals here. Just tell me what you'd like."

She waited for an answer, but Nick didn't move. His eyes remained firmly shut.

Concerned, Vicky stepped closer.

"Nick? Can you hear me? Nick... oh!"

Without opening his eyes, Nick suddenly wrapped his arms around her.

Vicky's face went scarlet.

"Nick, you... you need to let me go," she murmured, pushing lightly against his chest.

His skin was burning hot, and her heart pounded so hard she could feel it in her throat. She had no idea what had come over him. The strangest part was that she didn't find his touch entirely unpleasant. If she had, she would've slapped him already.

At this distance, she couldn't help noticing how handsome he really was. For one foolish moment, she wondered what life might have been like if she'd married someone like Nick instead.

Nick, meanwhile, had been struggling with the strange energy surging through his chest. The moment Joseph left, he'd begun meditating to bring it under control. The techniques he'd inherited seemed to awaken on their own, guiding that force through his body until the discomfort gave way to a warm, almost intoxicating calm.

Somewhere in that half-conscious state, he'd sensed a beautiful woman close to him and reached out without thinking. He was still a young man, after all. Fortunately, enough of his judgment remained for him to stop himself from going any further.

When Nick finally opened his eyes, he found Vicky blushing in his arms.

He cleared his throat awkwardly.

The sound snapped her out of her daze. She pushed him away.

"I... I brought your dinner," she stammered. "You should eat while it's hot. I really ought to go."

She turned and hurried toward the exit, only to catch her foot on the raised threshold. She landed on the floor with a thud.

Nick jumped down from the bed and rushed to help her.

"Are you all right?"

Too embarrassed to meet his eyes, Vicky nodded. "I'm fine."

But when she tried to take a step, a sharp pain shot through her ankle and she nearly fell again.

"Let me look at your foot. Don't put weight on it until we know what you've hurt."

Nick started to help her walk back, then saw how pale she'd become. Instead, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed.

Once he'd removed her shoe, he could see the swelling. She'd twisted something badly, and the top of her foot had puffed up into an alarming lump.

"This might hurt for a second," Nick warned. "I should be able to set it right."

Before she could ask him to wait, he pressed firmly against the injured area.

Vicky cried out and immediately clapped a hand over her mouth. The muffled sound only made her blush harder.

Nick's hands moved quickly and precisely. After adjusting the strained tissue, he massaged the swelling a few times. To Vicky's surprise, the sharp pain disappeared, leaving only a faint tingling sensation.

"There," he said with a reassuring smile. "That should be better."

There were tears in her eyes. Seeing them made Nick feel a pang of sympathy.

Vicky fought to hold the tears back. She knew the pain wasn't the only reason she felt so overwhelmed, but she couldn't have explained the rest even to herself.

"I'd better go," she said.

She tested her foot carefully. It was still tender, but she could walk. She slipped off the bed and hurried out as though she couldn't get away fast enough.

The cold air helped clear her head.

What had she been thinking? She was three years older than Nick. Even if neither of them cared about that, the people of Cedar Hollow would gossip about them until the end of time.

Lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice Joseph hiding behind a nearby woodpile. He watched her flushed face with narrowed eyes, then turned to study the shrine.

Inside, Nick slowly straightened and sighed. Vicky was a genuinely kind woman. Life simply hadn't been very kind to her. He resolved to look after her when he could.

He opened the containers she'd brought. The food was still warm. After a couple of bites, an unexpected ache rose in his chest. He couldn't remember the last time someone had made him a simple, comforting home-cooked meal.

But he had more important things to do than dwell on his feelings.

His meditation had revealed a little more about the spirit arts. If he kept training, he believed he could become the most powerful practitioner in the entire region.

He was partway through his meal when the copperhead poked its head out from beneath the covers. Apparently, it had sensed that Vicky meant no harm and hidden itself so it wouldn't frighten her.

"How about I call you Ruby?"

Nick reached out to stroke its head. Ruby responded with a sharp flick of its tongue, and he quickly withdrew his hand.

"You're not after my dinner, are you? This isn't really snake food."

But before he could finish, Ruby lunged toward the containers and began swallowing pieces of meat.

Nick shook his head in amusement. The snake must have been alive for a very long time to understand people as well as it did.

He let Ruby eat, finished his own meal, and tidied the room. When he got the chance, he thought, he should rebuild the outer wall as well.

He slept soundly and rose early, planning to drive into town for bricks and other supplies. But the moment he opened the door, he spotted an elderly man pacing outside the courtyard, his hands clasped behind his back.

It was Mr. Carter, Cedar Hollow's former mayor.

The old man clearly wanted to speak to him, but for some reason hadn't come inside.

Nick walked over with a respectful smile.

"Mr. Carter, you should've come in. Why don't you sit down for a while?"

Mr. Carter studied him, then waved the invitation away.

"Not today, Nick. I came to warn you. Pack whatever you can carry and leave Cedar Hollow while you still have the chance."