The Gazing Globe by Candace Sams

go afterAfton, to tell her that Rhiannon hadn't even entered his mind. But that was a he.
    He had been comparing them almost from the moment he set eyes onAfton. What kind of man did such a thing? He knew it was wrong, but he kept doing it anyway.Aftonprobably thought he was the worst kind of bastard for craving two women at the same time. Despite any woman's opinion, some men would see that as a very desirable position. Blain didn't. His confusion about his behavior left a bitter taste in his mouth. It made him feel like he was using people
    He ran a hand through his hair and watchedAftonwalk away with the animals, realizing that he'd never wanted anyone so badly. His relationship with Rhiannon didn't even come close to what he was feeling forAfton. His desire for her wasn't just based on sex. It was something deeper. There was such a connection between them. It was as if the Fates were pushing them together, finding things they both loved and emphasizing those similarities.
    But Blain remembered there were things aboutAftonthat weren't normal, and the abnormalities weren't anything he could sensibly articulate. He was sure she was keeping secrets, and for some unknown reason, that scared the hell out of him.
    And with the fear came that strange, bloodcurdling feeling about the future. Every single time he got close to feeling all right emotionally, that dark premonition raised it's head. And it came back now with a vengeance. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and he felt rage over his helplessness. In frustration, he walked to a fence and drove his fist into the top rail, snapping it in two. What the hell was wrong with him? Why, when he reached out for a small measure of true happiness, did this awful presentiment of impending darkness reappear? Instead of finding a way to go afterAftonand work things out with her, his escalating fear made him suspect her of something nefarious. It was almost as if someone was conjuring a way to keep him unhappy and off balance.
    He backed away from the fence and silently cursed. Whatever this feeling was, it was constantly coming between him and all he wanted. But like a terrible omen, he knew that whatever was frightening him was closer than ever. It was taking on an actual life and a presence. It was becoming as real as the rail he had just broken. And he believed this dark entity wanted more than just his life. It craved the last bit of his sanity. What was it, and why wouldn't it leave him alone? And how could he stop it?
    Five
    Blain threw hay into the mare's stall and kept his mind on that one task. There were plenty of chores that always kept him busy. But they became lifelines now. Each of them kept him from thinking about his desire for Afton, his guilt over Rhiannon, and the blackness in the future If his body wasn't failing any longer, his mind surely was The chores became a way of keeping his sanity. They were endless physical preoccupations that kept his brain functioning in a productive way And though more work than ever was getting done, his emotional state was becoming more precarious Something was wrong, but it wasn't His visitors were up to something, but they weren't. Nothing was right, but everything seemed fine. It was like living in a dream or a nightmare, depending upon what was happening at any given moment. By focusing on one chore at a time, he thought and felt nothing more than what was necessary to finish the job at hand. But it was tearing up his nerves.
    "Ah, lad, here you are," Hugh said.
    Blain jumped and quickly turned when he heard his uncle's voice. Forcing himself to calm down, he set his pitch fork aside and picked up a curry comb to groom his mare "What's up''"
    "I wanted to ask a great favor of you." When Blain paused in his work to look up, Hugh continued, "I thought it might be a nice gesture if we were to invite some of the townsfolk over to the farm this Friday evening This is Afton's first visit to the States, and I thought she and