Tess smiled. “Nice work, partner.”
“How did he get you?” His voice reached her softly.
She sighed. “I broke in. I thought they would think I was a guest, but the guard who saw me took me straight to him. He knew I was following him. He recognised both of us at the gallery, despite the disguises.” She suddenly realised she was still wearing the wig. She slowly took it off and tossed it across the room.
“You knew it was Eric at the gallery?” His voice had grown softer. She had to strain to hear him.
“No,” she replied slowly. “He had his back to me. But I recognised a gold bracelet he was wearing. The man at the pier that night with Mr. Gee wore the same one. I put two and two together.” She paused. “And he was talking to Walker, which immediately got me suspicious.”
He didn’t reply. The silence stretched on.
“Shay? Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” he said eventually. “I was just thinking about that bracelet. I remember it. He’s had it forever. It was a gift from his mother.” He took a deep breath. “He still loves her. That was why he got angry when I mentioned her.”
She slumped wearily against the cell wall again. She had to bring it up. “Shay….is it true what he said back there? That you’ve always loved me?”
There was another long silence. She heard his breathing sharpen, but he didn’t say a word for a long time.
“Yes,” he said eventually. His voice was full of pain. “I love you, Tess. I’ve always loved you. I’ve never stopped, all these years.”
She gasped, her heart beating wildly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
She heard him sigh. “What would have been the point? You were in love with Eric. You barely noticed me. And this time around…well, there was never the right moment, was there? Even on the beach that morning, after we made love, I still wasn’t sure.”
Tears rolled down Tess’s cheeks. She wiped them away, slowly. Everything was becoming clear to her now. So very clear that she was amazed that she had been walking around with blinkers on for so long. If she wasn’t in a cell, about to be killed, she would have said it was the happiest moment of her life.
No, she thought. It was still the happiest moment of her life. Despite everything.
“I love you, too,” she declared, stroking the wall that separated them gently. “And I think that I always have, as well.”
Chapter Nineteen
Eric walked down the corridor, standing outside the room. He shouldn’t go in; she was probably sleeping. How she could sleep through all the noise of a party was beyond him, but she had never had trouble before. And he had thrown many parties in this mansion. Ivan Davies was always throwing great parties.
He hesitated. He shouldn’t. But what Shay had said to him tonight had rattled him, and he wanted to make sure that she was okay. The demon part of him despised himself for it; told him that he needed to let this go, once and for all. Turn her out on the street and harden what was left of his shrivelled heart. But he could never do it.
He knocked, softly. He heard a soft voice telling him to come in. He turned the door handle and entered.
She had her own suite. A living room and a bedroom. A kitchenette and bathroom. Even a small balcony with a table and chair, so that she could gaze over the countryside. He had made sure that it was luxuriously furnished, with every mod con conceivable. High tech stereo and television. She wanted for nothing.
The lights were still on. She wasn’t even in her night attire, yet. She had been watching a movie, which she turned off now, gazing at him.
His mother. She was smaller than when he had still been human. Hunched, and with grey hair. The passage of time. He would never grow old like her, and he knew that he would lose her one day. He could have turned her into a demon, like him, so that she could live forever. But even the thought of that made him angry for some strange reason.
She was just Mom. His sweet, gentle mother, who had loved him. The woman who had tried to protect him from his father, even while he hit her. She would make him crawl into her bedroom wardrobe when the old man started. Shielding him. And he would seethe with rage as he heard her being beaten, powerless to do anything to stop it.
Well, he had done something now. His father was still alive. He had been going to kill him, but his mother had walked in and begged him to stop. She had been shocked to see him alive, of course. So shocked that she had fainted clean away after intervening between him and his father. But he had told her a story that he had faked his death so that he could save her from his father, and she had come around eventually. He had spirited her away from that awful house and taken care of her since.
His father was contained. The old man knew that he would be killed immediately if he ever breathed a word that his dead son was actually still alive. And his mother believed that he was simply a wildly successful businessman who had saved her from the man who had made both their lives a misery.
Her eyes gleamed with love. “Eric. You didn’t have to come and say good night. I can hear you are entertaining.”
He swallowed a lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. “It’s no bother, Mom. I wanted to see that the noise wasn’t disturbing you.”
She waved a veined hand. “No more than usual. And besides, I know that you have to entertain for your job.” She beamed. “To think, my son is so wealthy and successful! I am so proud of you, Eric. You know that, don’t you?”
Eric smiled. “I know. You tell me all the time.” He glanced around the room. “Do you need anything? I’m going to be busy over the next day. I mightn’t get to see you.”
The old woman smiled. “That’s okay. I understand. What are you up to?”
Eric’s face hardened. “Just dealing with some unfinished business. You shouldn’t concern yourself with it.”
She frowned slightly. “Eric, I worry about you. You throw these great parties, but you are so alone. When are you going to start dating a nice woman and get married? I’m not getting any younger. And I would like grandchildren someday.”
Eric stared at her. His mother would never have grandchildren, but he couldn’t tell her that. It was one of the prices he had paid for giving up his humanity.
“Remember Tess Nolan?” she said suddenly. “The red-haired girl? She cried at your funeral. I remember you telling me that you thought she was pretty. I wonder what became of her.”
Eric’s eyes narrowed. “Probably leading a dull life in the suburbs, I’d say.”
His mother shook her head. “No. She moved away from there.” Her eyes misted. “And what about Shay? Why don’t you see him anymore? He was your best friend from when you were little.”
“Mom,” he said patiently. “You are forgetting that I died. Shay has no idea I’m alive, and it’s better that way, remember? So that I can keep you safe…from him.”
His mother paled. “Yes, yes, of course,” she muttered. Her hand fluttered to her forehead. “I sometimes forget these things, Eric. It is all so complicated! And what is your name, again? The one you have now?”
“Ivan,” he said through gritted teeth. “I am Ivan Davies. You know this, Mom. It’s been over twelve years.”
She trembled slightly. “Please don’t get angry with me, Eric! It’s hard to remember, that’s all.”
Eric stared at her. She was getting worse lately. Forgetting things. Sometimes she even thought that she was back at that house in the suburbs. He would come in to her suite and she would be cowering in a corner, telling him that she had to get his father’s dinner ready, or else she would be in trouble. It would take him hours sometimes to convince her that time was gone.
The perils of being human. Regression and a slow slide into nothingness. Well, he had done his best for her. At least he wasn’t going to suffer the same fate.
“Such a shame,” she whispered, now. “That you can’t see Shay. Such a good friend to you! He was crushed at your funeral. He could barely talk.”
Eric felt a stab of sadness
, quickly suppressed. These human emotions reared up from time to time. He had to remember that it was fun to play with Shay and Tess like this. He couldn’t afford to remember how he had felt about them when he had still been human. Or Shay, at least. He had never been particularly fond of Tess, although he had found her sexy. He had just been using her to annoy Shay, who had mooned after her like a lovesick fool.
Eric frowned. Had he been jealous of how Shay felt about her? And jealous of how Shay’s love for Tess had taken his best friend away from him? Shay had grown increasingly distracted by her and impatient with him, in those last few months of his human life. Was that why he was still so angry with them both and wanted to destroy them?
Maybe. He stirred restlessly. He didn’t want to remember that he had once loved Shay. Shay was his enemy now, in more ways than one. He was a wolf shapeshifter, for starters. A lowly dog who sought to destroy the demons. Shay’s fate was always to be his enemy. It had been written in the stars.
The wolf and the demon had come out to play. The showdown was about to commence. And only one of them was going to walk away from it alive.
***
The door was opening. Tess raised her head, confused. She must have fallen asleep briefly.
Her arm was dead. She looked down at it, seeing that she had reached through the cell’s grates towards Shay’s cell next to hers. He had also snaked his hand through his cell, to reach her. Their hands were still clasped.
She remembered. That she loved him. And that he had always loved her. The thought of it warmed her so strongly that even the frigid air down here couldn’t possibly touch her. And even through the thought of what was still to come.
If they were going to die, then she was content that they would be together. It all had to count for something.
It was a guard, carrying two buckets. Tess grinned. Eric had forgotten to install toilets in these cells. How often did he have cause to throw people in here? Obviously not often enough. She unclasped Shay’s hand as the guard approached her cell, standing up.
“Back away,” barked the guard, unlocking the cell door.
She did what she was told. He came in, placing the bucket down. He glanced at her briefly then started to walk out.
This was her chance. She kicked him hard in the back, sending him sprawling across the corridor. She was on him before he had a chance to draw another breath.
He was strong and put up a good fight. But she was better trained. She pinned him to the ground, punching him so hard that his head fell against the cement floor like a dead weight. Quickly, she grabbed his keys and his gun, tossing him like a rag doll to the floor.
“You are the best,” gasped Shay, staring at her. “Have I ever told you that you are one hell of a woman?”
Tess grinned. “You can keep telling me all you like.”
She unlocked his cell, and he was free. They stared at each other for a minute. Then he grabbed her, kissing her fiercely. It was all she could do to stop herself dropping the gun and the keys and throwing her arms around his neck.
He pulled back, his eyes glittering. “There’s more of that to come, Tess Nolan.”
“Is that a promise?” Her voice was squeaky.
“It’s a vow,” he growled. He took her hand. “Come on. We’re getting out of here.”
They ran towards the door, elated. The corridor beyond was empty.
“Which way?” Tess was frowning.
Shay hesitated. “We must get out of the house as quickly as possible and into the grounds.”
Tess nodded. “I know where there is a hole in the fence. It’s how I got in.”
“Then that’s where we are headed.” His eyes narrowed as he swung his head around. “Did you see any other exits when Eric took you through the house, after he captured you?”
“Yes.” She was thinking quickly, now. “The guard that caught me brought me through a back entrance. It led straight into this underground section.”
“Lead the way,” he said.
She grinned, running ahead. He raised the gun they had taken from the guard and sprinted after her. He knew that escape was all that they could do for now, although the thought of not confronting Eric angered him. He wanted to kill him, once and for all. His former best friend who had betrayed them all in such a spectacular way.
Shay took a deep breath. Eric would keep. He would find a way. But first, it was imperative that he get Tess to safety. He didn’t know what he was capable of if Eric hurt her. And he knew that his former best friend would have some trick up his sleeve regarding them. Some twisted way to make them suffer more.
His face darkened. Eric was a demon, but still…why did he hate them both so much? All of this was so personal. Watching them and setting them both up. Playing with them like a cat plays with a mouse. He had obviously never had any feelings for Tess, but Shay had sincerely believed that Eric had loved him. Once they had been as close as brothers. And now he was bent on destroying him, in the most vicious way he could.
He watched Tess sprinting ahead of him, her auburn hair flying behind her. They were getting close to the exit. He had to stop thinking about Eric, for now anyway.
He would keep. He felt a guttural growl spring up his throat at the very thought.
***
They found the back door and sprinted out into the night.
“This way,” breathed Tess, straining to get ahead. Then she stopped, abruptly. “Shay, what’s that?”
He pulled up beside her, panting. She was pointing just ahead of them.
Shay stared. It seemed to be an old woman. She was wearing a long, white nightgown, but her feet were bare on the grass. Her grey hair was wild and unkempt, and she was standing still. Looking around as if she couldn’t remember how she had got there.
He stared harder. She looked vaguely familiar. She turned her head, and then he knew.
“Mrs Thurston?” he breathed, approaching her.
The old woman stared at him with bleary eyes that seemed to grow more confused by the second.
“Oh!” she said, clapping her hands to her mouth. “I seem to have gotten lost. Can you show me the way back to my rooms?”
Shay kept staring at her. Tess had walked up, standing beside him. She was frowning.
“Shay,” she whispered. “We have to go. We don’t have time for this.” Her frown deepened. “Who is she?”
Shay sighed. “Don’t you recognise her? It’s Mrs Thurston. Eric’s mother.”
Tess’s eyes widened. “His mother? He scooped up his mother and brought her here?”
Shay nodded. “I told you he still loved her,” he whispered. “I could tell. His last link to his humanity.”
“What’s wrong with her?” Tess stared at the confused old woman, who stared back.
Shay shrugged. “She’s gotten old,” he said. “She must have wandered out of her room.” He frowned. “She’s freezing. She doesn’t even have slippers on. I have to bring her back inside, at least.”
“Are you joking?” Tess’s eyes were as wide as saucers. “We have to get out of here! He might already know that we’ve escaped. We don’t have time to be doing boy scout duties!”
Shay shook his head. “The grounds are huge, Tess. She could fall and hurt herself.” He took a deep breath. “Just because she’s his mother doesn’t mean we can leave her here like this. She’s a frail old woman who could hurt herself. And I remember her. She was like a second mom to me.”
The old woman stepped forward. “Shay? Is that you?”
He smiled, but his eyes were glimmering with tears. “Yes, Mrs. Thurston,” he said, slowly. “It’s Shay. How are you?”
She bit her lip. “I don’t know, Shay! I can’t remember how I got here, and Eric is going to be angry with me. Can you bring me back inside?”
Shay’s face softened. “Yes, of course I can.” He turned to Tess. “You go on without me. I’ll catch up with you.”
Tess gazed at him. “I’m not going anywhere without you, mist
er. If you are taking her back inside, then I am coming with you.” She took a deep breath. “I love you, Shay Sullivan. And I love you more in this moment than I ever dreamed possible. If you are going back into that lion’s den, then I am by your side.”
He shook his head. “Don’t be silly, Tess. I’m telling you to go!”
She frowned. “You don’t get to order me around,” she whispered, staring up at him fiercely. “We are equal partners, remember? Wild Keeper and Federal Agent. Equals.”
“You are officially off this case,” he said, smiling. “But okay, let’s do it.”
Shay took the old woman’s arm, staring down at her. “This way, Mrs. Thurston. Everything is going to be alright.”
Her face collapsed in gratitude, staring up at him. The three of them walked back towards the house, and once again, they entered the mansion.
***
They were almost to the old woman’s room when they heard a noise behind them. They stopped and turned.
Eric was standing there, glowering.
“Throw the gun down and get away from her,” he growled, raising his own gun. “This is low for you, Shay. Stooping to kidnapping. Did you already know that she was here, before you came? Is this your ace card that you were hiding from me the whole time?”
Shay stared at him, throwing the gun across the floor. “I had no idea that you brought your mother here,” he said slowly. “We had escaped, but we found her wandering the grounds, cold and lost. I’m bringing her back.”
Eric’s eyes flickered. “You’re lying.”
“No, he’s not,” said Mrs Thurston, in a thready voice. “He found me, Eric! It’s Shay! He knows you’re alive, and you two can be friends again!” She stopped, abruptly, frowning. “Eric, why do you have a gun? It’s not nice to point weapons at people, especially friends.”
“Mother,” said Eric slowly. “You go back into your room, now. Let me and Shay have a chat, like old times.”
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