Before she could finish her sentence he had closed the distance between them. His cool breath kissed her cheek.
“You think I don’t feel that every day?” he leaned in closer, his cheek nuzzled her neck. “Every fiber of my being wants you … all of you. I want to drown in the warmth of you, drink my fill of you and bring you more pleasure than you could ever imagine possible.”
Anna’s breath caught in her throat and her heart beat double time. Her knees began to buckle under the weight of her trembling legs. His words reverberated in her head “bring you more pleasure than you could ever imagine possible.” She wanted him as much as he wanted her but would she be willing to pay the price for his love?
“As much as it pains me to say this,” she told him, “I think we should back pedal, at least until we work out Torke’s agenda.”
Derrick mouth slowly curved into a grin. “You are as wise as you are beautiful.”
She lowered her chin to hide the color she felt rush to her cheeks. He lifted her chin with his index finger. “It’s about time we started working together instead of butting heads.”
Anna agreed. “It would make a pleasant change from arguing and, to be completely honest, I don’t think I can face Torke on my own.”
“Okay then. Tonight I’ll take you to visit the surviving witch. She’s a family friend and runs a store in town. I’m sure she’ll be willing to help.”
“Tonight? Why not now?”
Derrick lowered his chin and looked up at her through his long eyelashes. “It’s way past my bedtime, if you catch my drift.”
“Oh,” her hand shot to her mouth as she realized the implications. She had barged into his sanctuary mid-morning. The sun was directly overhead. “I guess I’d better let you get back to bed.” She turned but a tug at her wrist forced her to turn around.
“I know we promised to take things slower so I won’t ask you to join me in bed, but, would a goodnight kiss be out of the question?”
She allowed him to draw her into his arms, where she stayed, for most of the afternoon.
Chapter Thirteen
Anna sat at her desk, contemplating her next step when there was a quiet knock at the door.
“Come in.”
The instant she spoke the words, she wondered if she had lost her mind. Anyone could be waiting outside that door and “anyone” could have sharp fangs and claws. She was now well aware of the things that go bump in the night. When she recognized the blonde head, she relaxed back in her chair.
“Hey, Susie. What’s up?”
“Thought you might like to go shopping with me. I have a blind date tonight and I want to look drop dead gorgeous just in case he turns out to be Mr. Right.”
Anna shuddered at the words. Drop dead gorgeous. How would it feel to be forever young and beautiful?
“Sure. I need to get a bit of fresh air anyway.”
“It’s blowing a gale outside … is that fresh enough for you?”
Anna strolled over to the coat rack and retrieved her woolen jacket. “Let’s go shopping.”
****
The dress Susie chose for her blind date was stunning and she looked totally hot in it. They were on their way home when Anna spotted a tiny store wedged between a café and a butcher shop. Soft lights burned enticingly from the window and the faint smell of incense lured her over to inspect the shop front.
“Heavenly aspects,” she read aloud.
“Yeah, one of those New Age places.” Anna winced as Susie elbowed her rib. “Let’s go in and have a sticky beak, just for laughs.”
“I’m game if you are.”
“You never know what we might find in there and I have an hour to kill before I need to get ready. Maybe I could buy a love spell?”
“I wonder if they would give us a discount if we buy two?” Anna added half-heartedly. “Fine. Let’s get it over with.” She grabbed Susie’s arm and dragged her inside.
A little bell hanging over the door frame heralded their entrance and a small voice called out in greeting.
“I’ll be right with you.”
Anna glanced around in wonder. From the outside, the store appeared tiny but inside … it seemed much larger. There was something familiar about the fragrance burning in a long wooden incense holder. Something Anna couldn’t quite put her finger on, but she recognized the scent.
A middle-aged woman appeared between beaded curtains that divided a small room from the main store. “Good evening, young ladies. Please browse. If you would like anything explained, I’ll be more than happy to help you.”
“How about everything?” Susie giggled. “I wouldn’t know where to start with most of this stuff.” She held up a pink tear-drop shape crystal dangling from a silver chain.
“That’s a rose quartz pendulum. You use it for scrying,” Anna told her without thinking.
“How did you know that Anna?”
“I have no idea.” Anna shrugged her shoulders. “It just popped into my head. I must have read it somewhere.”
“You are correct.” The shopkeeper informed her as she made her way over to show Susie some more stones, her white cane brushing the bottom of the counter. “We have many crystals. Some clear quartz crystal or … this lovely obsidian pendulum.” She held out the crystal for Anna and Susie to inspect. They stared at each other in amazement. Scars ran across both the woman’s eyelids. Her eyes were clouded and lifeless and yet, she knew exactly what she held. Anna’s heart skipped a beat. Was this her mother’s friend?
“That’s really pretty, Anna.” Susie told her although Anna could tell from Susie’s tone that she wasn’t really interested in anything in the shop. She was barely pausing as she circumnavigated the store.
Anna took the pendulum from the middle-aged woman, her fingers casually brushing the woman’s palm.
The woman recoiled at her touch.
“Take it, you will need it.”
“Okay.”
Anna pulled a face at Susie who had covered her mouth with her hand and was trying not to laugh.
“How much?”
“Nothing. It’s a gift.”
“Oh, no. Thank you but I couldn’t accept. Let me buy it.”
“My name is Sofie, I knew your mother,” she whispered. “We were part of the same coven.” Sofie’s face paled, her whole body trembled.
“Are you all right?” Anna located a chair and helped the woman sit. “Can I get you anything?”
“No, thank you dear. I’ll be fine in moment.” She smiled but when she patted Anna’s hand, her own hand was trembling. Her lifeless eyes seemed to gaze into Anna’s, unnerving her. Suddenly Sofie whispered, “He’s back, isn’t he?”
“Who?” Anna asked although she already knew the answer that Sofie wanted.
“I am only blind in this world child. My eyes see many things in my dreams and on the astral planes.”
“Yes,” Anna admitted. “Torke is back.”
Turning Anna’s hand, Sofie began to trace the inside of the palm with her finger.
“I remember your mother … her gift was strong. I was so envious of her talent. Torke recognized her talent too and was enamored by her beauty.” She touched Anna’s face. “You look like her.” Anna turned to Susie who shrugged and pulled a face.
“I may not have sight, but I have insight. You are the spitting image of your mother, Anna. Torke will be drawn to your beauty … and your talents.”
A ripple of fear thread its way through Anna’s body. It was a though Torke was reaching into her soul, touching her with his gnarled fingers.
“Yes. He is repulsive.” Sofie nodded. “But he wasn’t always that way. He was a handsome man once.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” Anna turned to make sure that Susie was out of earshot. “Why hasn’t he attempted to contact me before now?”
“I sense a spell. Something blocking him.” She stilled for a moment. “You blocked him Anna. You have been trying to hide your powers but, recently, you have
let your guard down and…”
“And what?”
“Ah, I see we have a mutual friend. How is Derrick?” Sofie smiled and somehow Anna knew that the blind woman had seen the meeting at Derrick’s house.
Anna looked at her watch. “By now, Derrick should be out looking for Torke. Let’s hope he finds him soon. As a matter of fact, we had planned on visiting you tonight.”
“Fate brought you here today, Anna. You must stay on guard at all times and prepare yourself for psychic attacks on you and your friends.” Sofie reached out for Anna’s arm and pulled her close to whisper, “Your friend Susie is in danger.” She reached into her pocket and took out a small crystal before grasping the arms of her chair and easing herself up. She made her way over to Susie who was browsing through New Age books on a nearby shelf and placed a crystal in her hand, closing her fingers around it.
“Keep this with you always. It will keep you safe.”
“Thanks, but I’m not really into that sort of stuff.” Susie told her before placing the crystal on the counter and heading for the door, tilting her head to motion for Anna to follow her out. “It’s getting late, Anna. Maybe we should head home?”
“Sure, we must get you ready for this date.” She needed more time with Sofie but Susie was already halfway out the door. She turned back to Sofie and asked, “Would it be all right if I came back some other time?”
The woman nodded, reached out and held tight to Anna’s hand. There was urgency in her voice when she warned Anna. “He will try to influence you by hurting your friends.” Her head inclined towards Susie. “Don’t let her meet with this man tonight.”
“Anna. Could we please leave?” Susie voice sounded agitated as she called from the door. “It’s started raining and I have to get ready for my date.”
“No date … not tonight,” Sofie pleaded as she released Anna’s hand.
“I’ll watch out for her,” Anna promised although she had no idea how she was going to stop Susie from keeping her appointment. She said her goodbyes and left the shop. Susie was waiting anxiously outside.
“Was that creepy or what?” She pulled a face and shivered. “Do you believe what she said to you … that stuff about your Mum I mean?”
“She seemed to know quite a bit about me.” Anna reasoned. “Something else, Susie.”
“What is it?”
“The man she spoke of. The evil man who she says killed my Mum…”
“Go on.”
“He is the guy who has been stalking me. You know … the creepy guy who attacked me the other night.”
Susie’s face visibly paled as she grabbed Anna’s hands.
“You have to tell Derrick.”
“I’ve told Derrick.”
“And?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Anna. What are you going to do? I’m frightened for you.”
“I’ll be all right.” Suddenly a clap of thunder rattled the windows beside them. Rain poured down, drenching them as they ran for the car. “That’s if we don’t catch pneumonia.”
****
“Are you sure I can’t talk you out of going on this blind date?” Something felt wrong. Anna was beginning to have her own reservations about Susie’s blind date. She sat on a bench in the ladies’ change room while Susie put the finishing touches on her hair and makeup.
“Are you kidding? I haven’t been out in ages and Carol said this guy is gorgeous. Six foot two, eyes of—”
“Let me guess … blue?”
“Ha, ha, very funny. His eyes are green actually or so I’ve been told.” She turned to Anna for approval. “How do I look?”
“Gorgeous. He’s going to be bowled over.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had a date. I really hope he likes me, Anna.”
“I really hope you like him.” She followed Susie to the door. “And don’t forget—”
“I know … you’ve told me ten times already. If I’m feeling anxious or I just want to get away from him, I’ll send you a text message to come and rescue me.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“Fingers crossed.”
Both crossed their fingers and giggled. Susie gave Anna a kiss on the cheek and dashed out to her car as the wind and rain threatened to ruin her outfit. Anna watched as her best friend drove down the street. She wished she could feel enthusiastic but the knot in her stomach warned her of impending danger. She closed her eyes and sent up a silent prayer. Please keep her safe.
Chapter Fourteen
Anna found sleeping difficult that night. She missed Derrick and wished she could tell him about the conversation with Sofie but he had insisted she remain sequestered at home. Several times she reached for her mobile phone to check for messages from Susie but there were none, so she assumed that all was well, despite her feelings to the contrary. The next morning, she came in to work early, anxious to check in on her friend. Susie had skipped their morning run without even a phone call to cancel. It was uncharacteristic but, not surprising. She probably slept in after a big night and headed straight to work. As Anna opened the front door of the gym, she caught the tail end of a conversation between the receptionist and a patron.
“What do you mean Susie didn’t come in this morning? We had an appointment at 9 a.m.”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Livingstone. It’s not like Susie to not call if she going to be late. We can reschedule if you like, unless you would like to wait for Stephen?” Carol glanced in Anna’s direction and rolled her eyes.
“Last time I worked with Stephen he left me aching all over,” the obese, middle-aged woman complained. “It took me a week to get over it.”
“In that case, we should throw in a complimentary massage and beauty treatment,” Anna interrupted. “If that’s all right with you, Mrs. Livingstone?”
“Well, all right Anna. Seeing as how I’m already in my workout clothes.” She waddled into the cardio room to wait for the substitute trainer.
“Thanks.” Carol fake wiped her brow and smiled as she let out a sigh. “She’s not our easiest customer.”
“No problem. Did I hear you say that Susie hasn’t called in?”
“Yeah and it’s not like her. I called her mobile a couple of times and it went straight to voicemail. She’s not answering her landline either.”
“She blew off our run this morning too.” Bile rose in her throat. Something was very wrong with this situation. “I’ll call around to her house, just in case she’s under the weather.”
“Maybe you should take some chicken soup?”
Carol’s suggestion was thoughtful but Anna knew in her heart that Susie wasn’t ill. Silently she prayed her friend was still alive.
“Good idea. I’ll buy some on the way.”
****
The drive to Susie’s small flat seemed agonizingly slow despite the fact Anna drove over the speed limit for the whole journey. Not surprisingly, there was no answer as she pounded on the door calling out her friend’s name. She sat down on the stoop and waited for over an hour before deciding to call Derrick.
“Good morning. Corel residence.”
“Evan, its Anna Derwent. I need to speak with Mr. Corel. It’s urgent.”
“Hello, Miss Derwent. I’ll see if he’s available.”
Anna heard the click off the phone being put down on a table and the scuffling of old slippers on tiled floor. It felt like an eternity before she heard the receiver being lifted.
“Anna?”
“Derrick. Something terrible has happened and I didn’t know who else to—”
“It’s all right honey. Tell me what’s happened.”
She started her story but her words dissolved into sobs. Please god, don’t let it be too late.
“Anna. Take a deep breath and tell me what has happened. Are you hurt?”
“No. Not me.” She took a few cleansing breaths and started again. “My friend Susie, from the gym. She went on a blind date last night an
d hasn’t returned.”
“The little blonde fitness instructor?”
“Yes, that’s her. I’m afraid she might be dead.”
“That’s a bit drastic don’t you think? Maybe she just got lucky.”
“How dare you insinuate such things about a sweet person like Susie.”
“I’m sorry, Anna. I didn’t mean anything by it. My way of trying to ease the tension.”
“Well it’s not funny.”
“At least it stopped you from going hysterical. Do you think you can tell me now why you are presuming the worst?”
“If you make fun of me I’ll—”
“Go on. I promise to behave.”
“I spoke with Sofie yesterday and she was able to tell me things about my family that make sense. She warned me to stop Susie from going on the blind date. I wish I had listened.”
“You met Sofie? How did you know where to find her?”
“Purely by accident. Susie and I were shopping and we stumbled across her store. Derrick. She knew that Torke was back.”
“Okay, now I understand your concern. You have my full attention. What did she say about Torke?”
“She warned me that he would come after me through my friends. She tried to convince Sofie to cancel her date.” Anna waited for a response. “Derrick, are you still there?”
“Yes, Anna. Listen to me. Torke is a very dangerous man. Where are you?”
“Sitting on Susie’s porch.”
“It’s getting late and I don’t want you to go out after dark. As a matter of fact, go straight home now and lock the doors and windows.”
“What about Susie?”
“I will look into the disappearance of your friend. I give you my word.”
“Derrick?”
“Yes, Anna.”
“Please find her.”
****
Derrick shouted down the telephone line at his brother. “It’s been two days since Susie’s disappearance. Haven’t you heard anything?”
“If I had, Derrick, I would have come straight to you with the information. I have ears and eyes everywhere, figuratively speaking of course. As soon as I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”
Kiss of Death (Blood Brothers Book 1) Page 15