Thane chuckled, but it sounded forced. “I’m sure that would be interesting.”
I grabbed my Pop-Tart off the coffee table and unwrapped it. “Breakfast of Champions, thanks.”
This garnered me a wide smile from him. One that reached the corners of his eyes, crinkling them the way I liked.
“I figured you’d like that,” he said.
I glanced at the book he was reading. It was my tattered paperback of The Great Gatsby. “I can’t believe you’re reading that.”
“I can’t believe you still have it. I remember seeing you read this book all the time.”
I shrugged. “It’s a classic. I love the tragic, wicked plot twist.”
Something passed through Thane’s eyes that gave me pause. I wasn’t able to pinpoint what it was before it disappeared, but I felt as though I should have. I was beginning to get the feeling something was off.
“So, what do you want to do today?” I asked. Now that I didn’t have to work for the next few days I wanted to make sure I took time to enjoy myself. Sitting around being paranoid and depriving myself of fun was what I’d done for the last few years and look where it had gotten me. Nowhere. It was time to let loose while I still could. “I can show you around town. We could go to the beach. Visit the lighthouse. Maybe even the boardwalk.”
“Sure, we could do that.” There was something off about his voice. Was he upset about something?
Unease prickled through me.
“We don’t have to. We can hang out here if you want instead.” My words came from a place of honesty. I didn’t care what we did. All that mattered was I was with him.
“We can do that too.” He grinned. The yellow of his eyes wasn’t as bright as it should be. A lump formed in my throat. There was definitely something wrong. “Let’s do both.”
He set my copy of The Great Gatsby on the coffee table.
“Okay,” I said.
“After you refuel, take me wherever you want. Then we can come back here and watch a movie or something together.”
What was he hiding? Did he somehow know this was the day the Sisters would come? Did I want him to tell me if that was the case?
My teeth sank into my bottom lip. No, I didn’t. I’d already decided to spend today as though it were my last. Him confirming it as the truth wouldn’t change anything.
“Sounds good.” I took a bite of my brown sugar Pop-Tart. Crumbs fell from my lips onto my lap. “Let me get dressed and then we can head out. Be thinking about what place you want to go to first—the beach, boardwalk, or the lighthouse.”
“All right.”
I headed to my room, leaving Thane on the couch looking as though he were lost in his head. After I pulled on a pair of jeans, I grabbed a sweater and then brushed my teeth. Once I’d pulled my hair into a high ponytail, I headed back to the living room. Thane was still on the couch. He’d picked up my copy of The Great Gatsby again. I stared at him.
There was nothing sexier than a man who enjoyed to read.
“Enjoying your view?” He asked.
“Always.” I pushed myself off the wall. “Ready?”
“If you are.” He set my book back on the table and stood.
“What did you decide you wanted to see first?”
“Whatever you feel like showing me. You’re the tour guide today.”
“Okay, um, are you hungry? I know Pop-Tarts aren’t your thing. We can get something quick from somewhere first if you want.”
“Nah, I’m good.”
I glared at him. “Are you serious? You didn’t eat much at Violet's and Hubs’s last night. I know you’ve got to be hungry. Don’t worry about the money if that’s what’s holding you back. I don’t mind paying.”
“You already did,” he said. “I grabbed money from your wallet for the coffees and picked myself up a bagel while I was there.”
“Oh. Okay.”
Something in his tone and the way he refused to meet my eyes made me think he was lying. Why though? Whatever the reason was, I had an inkling it was related to the Sisters. Part of me wanted him to say something about whatever it was—to fill me in on what he knew—while the other part hoped he’d remain mute so we could at least have today.
Maybe I was a fool, but that was the part I wanted to remain dominant the most.
I grabbed Thane’s hand and steered him toward the front door. It was time to get out of here. Fun was needed. His hand was cold to the touch as usual, but I didn’t let go. Instead, I held on tighter. Cold or not, at least he was here with me.
Since town square was closest, that’s where Thane and I went first. All the Halloween decorations caught my eye as we walked. I couldn’t believe my favorite holiday was almost here, and I hadn’t even decorated for it yet. Normally this time of year my apartment was done up in Edgar Allen Poe stuff and twinkling purple and orange lights.
Had The Dragon’s Hoard been decorated already?
Violet and Hubs always had me help with their decorations. However, I had been preoccupied lately. Had they done it without me? My gaze drifted to the shop storefront when it came into view. I frowned at the sight of jack o’lanterns on either side of the door and orange lights draped in the windows. Cutouts of witches and ghosts were taped beneath them. They’d even hung their wreath made of skeletons on the door.
When had they decorated? And how was I only noticing it now?
“I feel like this place was decorated overnight,” Thane said.
“I know what you mean.”
“It all looks great though. The people of Willow Harbor really take Halloween seriously, don’t they?”
“You have no idea.”
Halloween in Willow Harbor gave the holiday a new flare that was for sure. It was considered a major holiday here. Of course that was due to the town being predominantly supernatural creatures, but still.
“Now those are some pumpkins.” Thane paused in front of a row of pumpkins lining the sidewalk. “Man, that takes some talent.”
He pointed to one that featured a castle with so much detail there was no way magic hadn’t been involved.
“Yeah, I guess so. Do you want to vote? There’s a table with cards and pens over there.” I pointed to a wooden table tucked near the door to Ida’s Bakery.
It looked as though Ida and her granddaughter Gwen were running the pumpkin carving contest this year. There was a stack of index cards on the table and a mason jar filled with pens beside it. A black cardboard box with a cutout on top was beside both.
“Sure. It’s gonna be hard to choose only one though. They’re all good.” Thane hunkered down so he could get a better look at each. “Which do you think you’re going with?”
“Hmm, I’m not sure.” I shifted my gaze from one pumpkin to the next.
“Vote for the one with the triton,” someone shouted from behind us.
I glanced over my shoulder to see Nik and Eva walking hand in hand further down the sidewalk. They looked as though they might be coming from the Dark Horse Diner.
“I’m guessing he’s the one who made it,” Thane said. “I’m getting an ocean creature vibe from him.”
“Yep.” I glanced back to the pumpkins. One stuck out to me more than the others. It was simple, nothing more than a traditional jack-o’-lantern, but at least it was made without the help of magic. “I think I’m going with this one.”
I pointed to it. Thane lifted a brow.
“That one? Really?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“Why? It’s so plain. I was thinking of voting for this one.”
He pointed to the castle pumpkin I’d noticed earlier.
I folded my arms over my chest and glared at him. “You’re going with one clearly made by magic? At least vote for one that looks like someone did it by hand. Be fair.”
“How do you know it was done with the help of magic? Don’t you have any artists in town who would have made something like this by hand?”
A few popped into my head
but still...
“There are some good artists in town, but I still don’t think they could pull off something like that without the use of magic.” It was too perfect looking.
Thane’s lips twisted into a frown. “You’re probably right. All right, little jack o’lantern gets my vote too then.”
We stepped to the table. After we cast our votes we continued walking around Main Street and town square, checking out the shop decorations before heading to the beach.
The weather was good, but it was chilly near the ocean. The cool, salty breeze caused goose bumps to prickle across my skin. Still, I bent at the waist to remove my boots and socks. Even if my toes would freeze, I still wanted them in the sand. Thane did the same.
“I don’t think the feel of sand beneath my toes ever gets old,” he said.
“Me neither.” I wiggled my toes deeper.
Thane reached for my boots and then linked his fingers with mine. We started walking and after a few steps, I glanced at him. I could tell he was lost in thought again about whatever had been bothering him earlier. My stomach rolled as my heartbeat grew sluggish. I didn’t want him to tell me what had his mind light years away. I wanted to stay in the present.
A seashell the size of a baseball caught my eye. I picked it up. It wasn’t fully intact. There was a large chunk of it missing on one side which caused it to have a razor sharp edge.
“Here.” I picked it up and held it out to him. “Throw it at me. Let’s practice.”
“Right now?” He glanced around. So did I. We weren’t the only people on the beach. There were a couple of men fishing further down, a woman with her three little kids making a castle in the sand, and an elderly couple walking their large dog. “Aren’t you worried someone might see?”
I stepped in front of him and put my hands out in front of me being sure I spread my fingers wide like I did last night when I’d finally tapped into my shield.
“It’s Willow Harbor,” I said. “I doubt me using my ability out in the open is going to be anything they haven’t seen before. Besides, no one is even paying attention to us.”
Thane scratched the back of his neck. “You’re probably right. Sorry, I just can’t seem to get used to the fact that you don’t have to hide who or what you are here.”
I smiled at him but didn’t respond to what he’d said because that's how I’d spent my time here in Willow Harbor—hiding who and what I am.
Until now.
Until he came back into my life. I guessed I had him to thank for that, even though his being here was going to lead the Sisters to me.
“Throw it.” I nodded to the shell in his hand.
I was ready. With my fingers splayed wide and my stance firm, I called to my shield. The warm fuzzy sensation I’d felt coursing beneath my skin last night ignited and within seconds purple sparked from my fingertips. At first, it was barely visible but I knew it was there. I could feel it. My pulse quickened as adrenaline rushed through me. When I focused harder, the shield expanded, forming a thick purple wall in front of me I could still see Thane through.
“That’s so cool. You have a faint purple color to you.”
I glanced down at myself while still trying to hold onto my shield. It ebbed and flowed like a river, causing me to lose my hold on it for a moment. When I glanced back at Thane and focused on deflecting the seashell again my hold tightened.
“Ready?” he asked.
I nodded since I was afraid speaking might cause me to lose focus again. Thane tossed the shell underhanded. It hit my shield and was deflected without issue. A satisfied smile twisted at my lips.
“Yes!” I shouted. “I think I’m ready. The Sisters had better watch out!”
“That was good.” Thane laughed. “I think you’ve got this whole shield thing down now.”
“Let’s be sure. Toss another one at me.”
I held my hands up in preparation and all it took was me to think of my shield for it to project from me again and form a thick purple wall between us.
Thane picked up another shell from the sand. He didn’t wait until he was standing upright again before he chucked it at me. It bounced off my shield and fell to the sand in front of me.
“Ha! Did it again!” I shouted.
“You’re good,” he grinned. His gaze drifted to something behind me. “So, what’s up with this lighthouse? Do you go there a lot? I remember how you used to love all sorts of creepy stuff.”
A fluttering sensation shifted through my stomach. I loved how he seemed to remember little things about me like that. It made me feel like less of a creeper for remembering so much about him.
“I do visit it quite a bit,” I said.
“Figured.”
“But only because it’s haunted.”
“Haunted?” He cleared his throat. Was he afraid of a little ghost? “Yeah, right.”
“Well, I guess no one really knows for sure there’s an actual ghost residing there, but it’s how people explain the light turning on and off randomly all the time.”
“Couldn’t that just be faulty wiring? I mean the thing does look ancient.” Thane’s gaze drifted over my shoulder to the grey-stone lighthouse.
“It is ancient. It’s one of the few things that have been around since this town’s founding.”
Thane’s eyes darkened as he continued to stare at it. Was he freaked out or intrigued? I couldn’t tell.
“He’s a good ghost though,” I said just in case he was scared. “Don’t worry, no one’s ever been hurt.” Not that I knew of anyway.
I’d been there more times than I could count and nothing bad had happened to me. Maybe the ghost, if there was one, liked me though.
Thane’s gaze met mine and he frowned. “I’m not afraid. Let’s go meet this ghost friend of yours.”
“Really?”
He shrugged. “Why not?”
“Okay then. Let’s go.”
I started toward the lighthouse with Thane following close behind. He was uneasy, I could sense it, but once he stepped inside the lighthouse and realized there wasn’t anything to be scared of he’d be okay. The place was creepy yes, but it had an amazing view of the ocean.
We maneuvered our way over the slick black rocks slowly before making our way to the door. It was locked, same as always, but I had a key.
“You have a key to this place?” Thane asked. “How?”
“A guy who always comes here, Pierce, noticed me staring at it a few times and made me one.”
I swung the door open, its creaking adding to the already creepy vibe the place gave off, and stepped inside. Thane followed so close behind me I could almost feel him brushing against me. Was he worried about the ghost I’d mentioned hurting me? He didn’t need to be. For all I knew, the light coming on and off by itself could be because of faulty wiring like he’d suggested.
“It’s dark in here. Can you see?” he asked. “Why are all the windows boarded up?”
“Probably not as good as you.” I pulled out my cell and switched the flashlight on, illuminating the spiral staircase before us. “And, because of some bad storms and stupid teenagers over the years busting them out. They’re not all boarded up. Just these lower ones are.”
I climbed the iron steps, using my flashlight to guide me. The sound of Thane following me up them echoed through the place. He wasn’t as light on his feet as me. When I reached the first landing, I stepped off the stairs. Light filtered in through the sole porthole window, and I moved to it.
“Come take a look,” I said, motioning for Thane to follow.
“Is this it?”
“No. There’s more up top, but this is the first non-boarded up window to look through. Don’t you want to see the view?”
He glanced around the empty landing as though searching for something. My lips curved into a smirk.
“Don’t worry. I doubt the chill in the air is from the ghost. It’s just drafty in here,” I teased.
“Ha ha. Funny.”
He made his way to the tiny window and glanced out. The view from here was good, but it wasn’t amazing. Still, I wanted to give him something to compare to the spectacular view that awaited us at the top of the steps.
“It’s nice,” he said.
I reached for his forearm, my fingers gripping his cool to the touch wrist. He should seriously wear more clothing. He didn’t seem to be cut out for this sort of weather. Had it been hot as hell in the compass? Or was his body still growing accustomed to being outside it?
“Let’s head upstairs.”
I pulled him toward the spiral staircase and began climbing them again. It never failed that I always forgot how high up the lantern room was. There had to be at least eighty steps to climb. I didn’t care though because the view was worth it.
When we reached the top of the steps, I switched off my flashlight and allowed my eyes to become accustomed to the natural light filtering in through the walls of windows surrounding us.
“And, this is the lantern room,” I said. “What do you think? Beautiful, isn’t it?”
My gaze drifted to the wall of windows nearest me. You could see forever up here, especially when the lantern was off like it was now.
“Wow, this is amazing.” His eyes widened as he stepped closer to the windows. “I can see why this is one of your favorite places.”
“This isn’t even the best part.”
I crossed to the door that led out to the balcony and opened it. The instant I did, the lantern switched on by itself. I glanced at Thane with a shit-eating grin plastered on my face ready to tease him some more about the supposed ghost who haunted the place being here, but the expression twisted on his face had me forgetting about it.
He looked terrified and on guard, like he was waiting to fight.
“Step out here with me. Don’t worry about the lantern,” I said in a soft tone, hoping to ease his sudden tension away.
Thane smoothed a hand through his hair and headed toward me. I noticed how he refused to glance at the lantern as though he expected a ghost to be standing there, glaring at him. It was funny, but at the same time it wasn’t. I hated seeing him so uneasy.
[Willow Harbor 08.0] Raven's Sight Page 11