Shadow Dancer

by Krysta Scott

  “He won’t stop looking at me with that bizzaro way.”

  “Like how?” Lori’s face went placid and her eyes widened staring at Nikki with extreme concentration. Nikki’d seen that look before when waves of warm air brushed over her. The day Parker came to her office and tried to exert his will. “Oh no.”

  “Look,” Lori peered at the doorway before continuing. “I’m not strong enough to fix my mom. She’s an adult. Even if I could, I’d never go into Daddy’s mind. But you’re strong enough.”

  Whatever Parker was capable of, his abilities appeared to have returned. Amy was being manipulated. That was not good. And he was trying to use his powers on Lori. If she could report her mother’s odd behavior, it was a sure sign he wasn’t controlling her. Yet.

  Chapter Twenty

  Nikki gazed at her reflection while preparing for bed, wondering when her life had gotten so complicated. Dark circles shaded the area beneath her eyes. Frown lines crossed her forehead in deep grooves. If she didn’t get control of the situation, she would look older than some of the mentally ill parents she dealt with.

  She shook her head and squeezed the lotion bottle. A large glob pooled in her palm. With long broad strokes, she smoothed out the frown lines. She relaxed, realizing the wrinkles weren’t as deep as they first appeared. The exaggeration was no doubt a symptom of the toll her casting was taking on her. She swiped the remainder off with a towel.

  She couldn’t quit casting until she rectified the situation.

  Nikki leaned against the sink contemplating her next move. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t characterize what the Hanover family needed.

  She stopped Parker from beating his wife, but something still remained…off. Especially since he was using his powers again. She spread toothpaste onto her toothbrush and scrubbed her teeth so hard her gums bled. Not once during the time she was mucking around in Parker’s head did she stop to consider his parents might have been right to strip him of his gifts. She’d focused on Parker’s pain, not on the reasons for his parents’ actions. She spat into the sink. She had to make this right. But where to begin?

  Parker would have his guard up. Resistance would make her task more difficult if not impossible. In truth, she wasn’t quite sure how to go about mending such egregious errors. Perhaps focusing her efforts in strengthening Amy’s defenses against Parker’s wishes would net better results. She wrapped Amy’s velvet scrunchy around her wrist, the one Lori had given her.

  Nikki glanced up in the mirror again, pressing her lips together. She wouldn’t be deterred from her mission until she fixed this situation. She stalked to the bed, crawled in, and pulled the covers to her neck. She closed her eyes and drifted into oblivion. She raised an arm toward the slip stream. Before she was caught up in its electrical surge, steel fingers wrapped around her arm and yanked her around. She looked into Garrett’s hard gaze.

  “You’ve done enough damage. I won’t let you cause anymore.”

  “And how are you going to stop me? I’ve evaded you before.” She was getting weary of his pestering. Didn’t he understand she was trying to fix her mistakes?

  “Like this.” He moved closer. The heat of his breath trailed her skin, tickling the back of her neck. He kissed her, sending shockwaves of need charging to her most private places. The smell of cinnamon and cloves drove her to a frenzy. Fire coursed through her veins. The charge sizzled on her lips. She fell into him, kissed him back. Her traitorous arms circled his neck. His hands locked against her spine, sending warm shivers through her.

  She dragged her lips from his, gasping for air. Her heart ached but she willed herself to stay put. This was all a game to him. A desperate ploy. “I know what you’re trying to do. It won’t work.” Her mind reeled.

  He smirked. “If you knew what I was trying to do, we wouldn’t be in your head. You’d be in my bed.”

  “I told you this would not happen again.” She balled her fists, refusing to give credence to the pleasure of his words. Oh, to fade into oblivion, here, with him. So easy to give in. But the bastard was only trying to distract her like she had him. Did he think her that stupid?

  “Come on, Nikki. We had so much fun the last time.”

  Rage replaced the need. She shoved at his broad chest. “Get away from me.” The words were weak and hollow, her ragged gulps sounded like cannon fire. Her lips burned from his touch. She planted her feet firmly in place. Ready for his next move.

  He didn’t budge. His eyes raked her over, searing every inch with the promise of an expertise she had never encountered before she met him. Her body hungered for his skilled fingers to graze her skin. The kindled blaze of intimacy. For…No she refused to succumb to the aching throb of desire. Rain now!

  Cold water poured down, jolting her senses to reason. Wind howled. Sodden hair clung to her face and neck. Her clothes drenched. But her mind was clear.

  “In need of a cold shower?’ Garrett laughed.

  “Look.” Nikki gulped down embarrassment. “I’m trying to help this family.”

  “You know, sometimes things are best left alone.”

  Water dripped from his hair, down his nose. His flattened hair plastered to his head like a helmet. Wind blew his shirt, stretched by the pelting drops, against a chest accentuating well-defined muscles.

  Rather than the water cooling her ardor, however, she found herself wanting to lick away the moisture. His eyes held the embers of their kiss. Her heart lurched. Heat scorched a trail down her limbs. Damn him. Even drenched with ice water she craved him.

  “I’m making progress,” she insisted. “They’ve asked for a counselor. They want to work on their problems.”

  Garrett shook his head, never taking his eyes from her. “Don’t be so sure. A leopard’s spots don’t change, you know.”

  “A leopard is born with spots. People aren’t born bad.” She edged around him, looking for the slip stream. The blue glow shimmered above. She jumped, ready to sail through to Amy’s mind.

  “Oh, no you don’t.” Garrett leapt and grabbed hold of her leg. The sheer weight of his body dragged her to the ground. They landed with a thud inches from one another. His shirt had come unbuttoned, revealing evenly tanned skin. Her fingers itched to trail across his chest. “A woman doesn’t kiss like that without wanting more. Why not give into what you want?” He tugged her into his body, his words a seductive stream of its own.

  Her gaze fixated on his biceps. Strong. Powerful. She longed for them to enfold her. To lay her head against his broad chest. It would be intoxicating. A few minutes. Just a little time. Forget what was truly important. She pulled away before she succumbed to the temptation.

  “Quit messing with my head.”

  A slow smile curved his lips. “You should take your own advice. Messing in the heads of others is dangerous when you don’t know what you are doing, and you don’t, Nikki.” His finger trailed her jawline, sending more delicious shivers into those forgotten parts of her body. He leaned in. “You remember how nice astral sex can be. I promise you’ll enjoy yourself.”

  “Stop.” She jumped again. This time success. Unfortunately, not quick enough to keep him from following. He soared through the air beside her.

  “Think about what you’re doing.”

  “I have,” she shouted.

  They tumbled into Amy’s mind. Wind lashed at her face. A mass of dark clouds hung overhead. Flashes of light skittered across the surface though not enough to illuminate the area. She couldn’t see two inches in front of her, let alone any doors. “What happened?” she whispered.

  “You happened.”

  A dull ache settled in the pit of her stomach, tears pricked the backs of her lids. She shook her head and looked around. She hadn’t been there before but she could guess who had. Garrett was right, this was her doing. She winced. “I can fix this.”

  “Haven’t you done enough?” He prodded gently. “Without expert training, there is nothing else you can do.”

 
A hot volcanic heat rushed through her. She clenched her fists. “You’re right, I haven’t been traditionally trained. But at least I’m trying to make a difference. What has all your training done for you? You’re paralyzed.”

  “No, I’m cautious.”

  She cringed at the venom in his voice. “Caution has no place when people are in crisis.”

  “Because of you.”

  She faced him, limbs trembling, but she stood firm. “Fine. You’re right, this is my fault. Now watch me fix it.”

  She focused her attention inward. Light. Amy’s mind cleared. Happy. Brightness surrounded them. Good choices. A sigh resounded. Nikki poised, prepared to jump back into the slip stream.

  Garrett pushed up his sleeves and crouched ready to follow. “Be careful, I’m not the most dangerous thing out here.”

  “Like I haven’t heard that before.” They plunged back into Nikki’s head. Unable to resist any longer, she jumped into his arms and all but dared him to knock her socks off.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Nikki paced the width of her grandfather’s overly ornate living room. The mahogany and oriental carpets she’d stood in awe of mere days ago now stifled her movement. Every glint off the gold edged, fine china mocked how far her adoptive family had fallen. The Angeluses would have lived in a house such as this if it hadn’t been for her grandfather’s interference. She swallowed the burning regret. If it hadn’t been for her.

  “Those rugs are antiques, dear. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t wear a groove in them.” Her grandfather sat in his favorite chair sipping tea. But there the routine stopped. Instead of a costly suit and polished shoes, he wore striped pajamas and slippers. As he lifted the cup to his mouth, his gnarled hand shook. His thin neck didn’t appear capable of holding his head that had become too large for the rest of his slight body. Even in this frail state, arrogance oozed off him like lava flow.

  She paused. “The Hanovers are a mess. No matter what I try things get worse. This is all my fault.” Her legs shook. If her knees locked, she would fall. He still believed she could save them all. Her insides trembled and rocked like an angry sea. Her limitations gnawed and nipped at her heels. If he couldn’t help her she would be adrift. Alone, without recourse.

  He watched her with a sharp, piercing gaze. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Look at all you’ve accomplished in this short time. I’m very proud.” His voice sounded his actual age. Like a very weary grandfather.

  She cringed. “I’ve made a bigger mess. The Hanovers are reconciling, but their marriage doesn’t seem to have improved. I’ve tried to fortify Amy’s mind, but it doesn’t seem to have done much. No matter how hard I’ve tried, nothing is making them better parents.”

  “Ha!” He leaned forward, tea cup leading the way. Dark liquid trembled over the side as the cup barely made it to the saucer on the table. He leaned too far for a second before inching his way back in his chair. Nikki raised her hand to assist him, but he waved her off. He huffed, grasping the armrests. His chest rose and fell quickly.

  “Are you sure you should be out of the hospital?”

  “There’s nothing they can do for me that I can’t get right here.” His index finger tapped the armrest. The touch was so light, it didn’t make much sound. Guilt challenged her constitution.

  “Maybe I should come back later.”

  He crooked an eyebrow. “I’m fine. We’re fine. Tell me what you need.”

  “I have to fix this. Parker has powers I haven’t seen before.”

  A hard edge glittered beneath the surface of his expression returning a bit of his command. Her words hadn’t surprised him. They were expected. He must have realized Parker would regain his abilities and what that entailed.

  Hope bubbled up from the well of her mistakes. For a moment, she could believe her grandfather hadn’t suffered a heart attack. That he would always be there for her. That he would always be able to assist her.

  “He’s not as strong as you think.” He smiled slyly. “And he doesn’t know what you can do. Keep working on it. You’ll see.”

  With that statement, hope fled. His teeth bared like a dog marking his territory over a juicy bone. He wasn’t going to help. He was tossing her into the abyss with no safety net.

  “But I don’t know what I’m doing.” She hated the edge in her voice knowing she was repeating the very words Garrett uttered frequently. She was so out of her depth. No matter how hard she tried things just kept getting worse. Things had gotten too out of control and her grandfather was abandoning her. Again. She couldn’t do this alone.

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” His soft tone belied the intensity of his raw-boned face, frozen in that sardonic grin. The strain of his belief reddened his features. He grasped the arms of his chair, knuckles turning white.

  Just what did he want from her? What did he believe about her abilities?

  “The more he comes at you, the more you will learn and adapt. You’re more powerful than them all. That’s why they seek to destroy you. But you won’t let them will you?”

  “You’re using me,” she accused. How could he? His granddaughter. His own flesh and blood. Nikki’s toes curled and a sinking weight pulled at her insides—tugging and tearing her apart. Ready to hurl her into a dark pit. There was no one on her side. Except maybe Garrett. And that didn’t sit so well. She wasn’t sure he had her best interests at heart. Her grandfather didn’t contradict her. No amount of familial affection encouraged him to deny her accusation.

  “Hate me all you want but it’s too late to walk away now. Parker is out there and you’re the only one who can stop him.” His index finger punched the chair arm. This time louder and harder. Where was he finding the strength? “And when you do, it will be as I predicted. You may not want to now, but rest assured you will give me what I want.” A shrewd gleam lit his eyes, a tinge of madness colored his voice. Did he even think of her as his granddaughter or was she merely a pawn in his crazy game?

  Nikki’s mouth went dry. She couldn’t swallow. All she could do was stand there like a piece of artwork, peppering the living room of his already overpopulated mausoleum. That’s all she was to him. A thing used for his own purposes. But he was right, damn it, someone had to stop Parker.

  He pulled his Guild ring out of the drawer of his end table and held it out. “You’ll need this to complete your task.” The tremors were back. An insidious worm of guilt curled in her gut. He might be obsessed with his own need but he was her grandfather and she needed him. She snatched the ring from his trembling fingers and rushed out.

  ****

  Nikki slipped beneath the bed covers, no longer feeling the sense of comfort and security, when she sank into the cocoon and the soft cushion of her pillow. Those days were long gone. She was on alert all the time now. Her dreams didn’t integrate the day’s events. They were stuffed with nightmares where anyone could toy with the inner workings of the mind. Lost in a world to which she now belonged, she was part of it—like it or not.

  She closed her eyes and entered Parker Hanover’s head. Wind swept across a barren foundation. No doors. Nothing. Just an inky fog hurled with wrath at her intrusion. Tendrils struck her arms and legs, leaving black burns across her skin.

  Stop this. Her voice rose above the cacophony. The wind roared and the tendrils snapped back before striking her again, shoving her backward. Blood oozed from the slash marks. She chewed the inside of her cheek knowing she had created the monster.

  Forging on, she surveyed the area for an access point.

  Again, nothing. Parker seemed to have shielded his mind from the poor saps who entered—locked in some sort of solitude or anger.

  The attacks grew more aggressive, but Nikki accepted her due. Bloody gash after bloody gash appeared, the burns searing pain. You can’t want this. I can heal you. Make you whole.

  Leave me be or I will destroy you.

  I can’t do that.

  Then suffer the consequences. A large flash of light darted
from the clouds, landing just inches from her feet. She dodged the bolt. The ground blazed orange on the surface beneath her feet. Hot spikes pricked her soles. She screamed, jumping back. The relief was an instant cooling.

  Reasoning with him wouldn’t to work. Parker’s sanity was too far gone. She looked around. There must be a way through.

  Another flare flew in her direction. A flaming ball racing through a sky of nothingness. She hit the ground just as it whizzed by her ear. A crackle of singed hair and it was gone. Nikki stumbled from the onslaught as more fire balls were launched.

  She ran. Sweat dripped from her forehead into her eyes. The salt stung but she did not stop. Flames crashed on either side of her. Licked her heels. Her heart thundered in her ears. She dodged flames left and right.

  The temptation to wake was overwhelming. But that wasn’t a permanent solution. She was committed. Parker would hurt others. From a sadistic kid, his dark mind found pleasure in picking on those weaker than himself.

  He laughed, a maniacal chuckle. An image flashed in her head so fast she wasn’t sure she understood. A young Parker on the playground, goading and beating another kid. No matter how hard the child wailed his pitiful sobs, and they were heart-wrenching, Parker punched and laughed.

  Nikki choked back a scream with such force she almost wretched. This child’s anguish was her fault. If only she could step into his place. Could she?

  She’d found her way in. Holding on to the scene, she pushed further in. Parker stared, shocked—punch frozen in midair. “What… What…”

  Nikki grabbed his fist and bent it back. She held her position until he screamed. A high-pitch shrill. More soulful than the boy he’d used as a punching bag. You’re a pathetic loser.

  “The problem with you bad guys is you always want witnesses. I won’t let you hurt anyone ever again,” she said. She didn’t even recognize her own voice, it was so deadly calm, cold.

  “How are you going to stop me?” His eyes narrowed sending the same pressure he’d used in her office.