by Dale Mayer
“You spoke to me in my dream once, didn’t you?”
He glanced her way. “Yes. I wasn’t sure you realized that was me.”
“I didn’t at the time because it didn’t seem real.” She leaned back and closed her eyes thinking about that dream. “It was real though, wasn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Why did you do that?” she asked, needing to understand.
“You were having a bad nightmare. I was trying to show you how to change that to a nicer dream.”
“Something about thoughts creating the atmosphere in there.”
He hesitated.
Curious, she asked, “Now what?”
“It’s not just in there. Our thoughts can affect the atmosphere everywhere. Everything is energy and with a little tweaking, everything can be made so much better.”
“But only in our own space, right?” She frowned as she considered that information. Most people would love to make their own spaces easier to live in. If one had a tense day, being able to make it happy and peaceful would be lovely. Then she realized that Stefan hadn’t answered her. “Are you saying people can affect the space around other people?”
“I did in your dream.”
She wrinkled her nose at him. “And if you could do that, then presumably you can do so much more.”
“Of course.” But he didn’t elaborate.
The engine shifted and slowed as he took a right turn, then another, and followed that with a left turn. He parked and turned off the engine.
“Where are we?”
“At the children’s hospital.”
Right. She’d forgotten about that. She exited the vehicle and as always, he was there beside her. Holding her hand as they walked across the parking lot. She could feel light raindrops hitting her face. The country needed the rain, but it wasn’t what she’d have chosen. A light chill had settled into the air too. She tugged her sweater closer.
He responded instantly by wrapping an arm around her shoulders and tucking her up close to his chest. The man radiated heat. Waves rolled off his chest even though he appeared to be wearing a cotton shirt.
“One step up.” He waited for her to step up then led her through large doors. Instantly the warmth from inside the hospital enveloped her. She smiled appreciatively. They turned to the left and kept walking.
“Stairs or elevators?” he asked. Only a bell signaled the opening of an elevator. At that moment several people brushed past her in a cloud of perfume and aftershave. And smoke. She hated the smell of smoke. At least most places were smoke-free, but the scent always took her back to her childhood. Her father and her best friend’s father had smoked, often together. She’d hated the smell then and that hadn’t improved. She stepped into the elevator, content to have him pick the floor.
At the seventh floor the doors slid open and she was enveloped in sensations she could barely recognize. It felt better than downstairs, and that had been good.
He led her into the ward. She first noticed the smell – it had a sterile cleanliness to it while missing the antiseptic bite. And the noises. Muted. Calm. Quiet. There were no voices. No laughing or crying. Hadn’t Stefan said this was a children’s ward? She couldn’t remember ever having been in one, but this didn’t seem quite right.
No one approached them or spoke to them as they walked. She wondered if that was unusual. Stefan wasn’t a doctor. How did he have the ability to come and go in a place like this?
He slowed at another door and took a moment to do something. Head tilted, she concentrated on sorting out all of the odd noises then smiled. A card reader security system. She waited as the door clicked open and they proceeded down the hallway a little farther.
The farther they got into the new space the warmer, lighter, and softer the energy. She tried to describe it, but found it difficult considering it was really unique. It was akin to the sensation she felt taking a long, hot soak in the tub after a long day. That sense of relief, of joy, of peace as she slipped into the water. The sensation of ahhh as she sank into the tub and relaxed. She didn’t know what to think about feeling a similar thing here. Obviously it was deliberate, if she considered his comment about creating the atmosphere one wanted. It did feel good. Special.
They were such inadequate words.
As they continued to walk she could visualize the hallway from other hospitals she’d seen before she lost her vision and realized there were likely wards on either side of her. Muted noises could be heard at certain spots, letting her know they were passing various rooms. Stefan stopped, and again the card swipe. Interesting.
He opened the door and ushered her in.
Instantly laughter and shrieks raced toward her. Happy sounds that made her heart light and brought a smile to her face. She loved it here already.
“Stefan!” Children screamed, laughed, and clamored in every way they could.
Celina laughed. “I can’t see what’s happening, but it sounds like a herd is racing toward us.”
“You’re seeing just fine, as that is ex – oomph.” Stefan laughed and laughed. Celina stood in one place and let the horseplay happen. Children screamed.
“Me next.”
“No – me next.”
Stefan’s laughter rolled all around her. Waves of joy, ripples of fun, invigorating energy bounced off her and around her to join the melee.
In the background she heard adult voices calling for order. Calling the children to return to their beds.
“Children, calm down. Let Stefan walk in.”
“Aww, I didn’t get a turn.” Then the same voice squealed in joy, the tenor changing as he must have been lifted high in Stefan’s arms.
Bemused and heartened by the children’s responses, Celina didn’t dare walk forward in case there were littler children underfoot. She’d hate to hurt a child. Waiting in place, she listened to the goings-on around her.
Just when she thought to clear her voice and call for Stefan, a small hand slipped into hers. She gasped softly then whispered, “Hello.”
A young male answered. “Hello. Would you like to come and sit down?”
“Yes, I would.” She squeezed the little hand. “Can you take me to a place where I won’t be in the way?”
Her arm was lifted and she was led forward. Not knowing what else to do, she followed the little person. “What’s your name?”
“David.”
Ah, maybe this was the little boy Stefan had come to see.
“Here.” Her hand was placed on the back of a chair, a little clumsy, but she appreciated the gesture. Taking her seat, she hoped to keep the boy with her. “I guess Stefan is a popular visitor.”
“Stefan is the greatest.” The little voice was so serious, so firm in that statement, there was no denying the truth in his voice.
“Does he come here often?”
“No,” he said. “We offered him a bed but he says he can’t stay here.”
The plaintive tone made her giggle. “I think he has a big house to sleep in on his own.”
“Then we should go to his house,” David piped up. “I bet it’s awesome. Maybe he has a playground too.”
“I don’t know what he has,” Celina said with laughter in her voice. “I’m supposed to go there after this visit. Maybe I’ll be lucky. Maybe he’ll have a playground big enough for me.”
“That would be awesome!”
Then her host disappeared, running in the opposite direction, laughing and screaming.
Moments later Stefan’s long fingers stroked down her cheek. “How are you doing?”
“I’m fine.” She smiled up at him. “Are you always greeted like this?”
He laughed. “More or less.”
“The place feels great. I don’t know what goes on here, but the energy is incredibly powerful.”
“Glad you can feel it. The nurses love working here.”
“I can imagine.” If she had a chance to work here, she would too. “Who is it you came to see?”
“I’m fine.” She smiled. “Go. Take care of what you need to. I’ll be fine.”
“Good. You might want to open your ghost vision and see what you see.”
He walked away. His heavy footsteps moving into the noise, his words hung heavy inside her mind. She opened her eyes hesitantly, half-expecting to see ghosts from deceased children. Instead, the room was alive with energy. Bright, vibrant energy. Laughing, bouncing, bubbling energy. She stared as the colors ran and raced and collided and bounced off each other in joy – all inside her mind.
At least that’s what it felt like. But as she stared around the room, she could see shadows of walls. Windows. Doors. Beds and so much more. All features gray and blurry, but still there for her to see. In grayness, but there nonetheless. She strained to see more and as soon as she did, the images blurred.
She closed her eyes and rested them. Then opened them again. And saw the same vibrant colors as before and the gray surroundings.
“Amazing,” she whispered and then understood.
She was seeing the color attached to the sounds the children made!
*
Stefan cast a last look back at Celina, saw the rapt look on her face, and realized she’d opened her internal vision. She’d be fine alone for a few minutes. The children, being children, hadn’t been bothered by her walking stick or her unsure steps. But he needed to see how Eric was doing. And see if Eric remembered him.
He walked through the ward to a smaller room on the other side. Eric lay there, his mother ever at his side. She glanced up, saw him and immediately stood up.
“Hi,” Stefan said gently. “I’m Stefan Kronos—”
“Oh I heard you’d be coming.” She grinned and motioned to her son. “He’s been asking for you.”
Stefan nodded absently, his gaze already on Eric’s huge, hollow-eyed stare.
“How are you doing, Eric?” he asked.
Eric’s gaze darted to his mother and back again.
Stefan switched to speaking with him telepathically. Any better? Is the monster still there?
Eric’s gaze grew rounder, but he answered readily enough. I haven’t heard him in a little bit. He hesitated and said, How can you do this?
Stefan saw the doubt and the tinge of fear on his face and immediately soothed the young boy. No, I’m not a monster. Remember, I’m a monster fighter. In order to fight them I have to be able to do some of their tricks.
Eric’s face lit up. Risking a look at his mother, Stefan realized that she was staring at the two of them, a frown on her face.
Eric said, “Mom, can you get me a treat from downstairs?”
Her face cleared and she hopped to her feet. “If you are okay here with Stefan alone, then I’m happy to go and find something. What would you like?”
“Milk and cookies, please.”
Both males waited until she’d left, then Stefan walked over and sat down on Eric’s bedside. “So no word from him?”
Eric shook his head, his face more animated than Stefan had seen yet.
“And what about bad dreams?”
“None.” Eric grinned. “Did you do that? It’s like there’s a wall keeping the bad guys out.”
“Exactly. Think of it as a castle wall that we can defend to keep you safe.”
Eric relaxed. Then a whisper of worry swept across his face. “What if he comes back and climbs the wall this time?”
“Then you are going to call out to me and I’m going to come and defend that castle wall. Right?”
Eric sank deeper into the covers. “Right. You’re my defender.”
“And together, we’ll be dragon slayers.” Stefan rose as Eric’s mother bustled back in with a carton of milk and a small package of cookies. Her gaze immediately went to her son and he watched as surprise, joy, and then gratitude filled her tired features. “My, don’t you look better,” she said as she placed the food down on the small table.
Eric grabbed the milk and had a long drink, then proceeded to tear into his cookies.
She walked over to Stefan. “Thank you. I don’t know what you did, but…” she glanced back at her son, now completely focused on his food, “I’ve been so worried.”
“With any luck he has turned a corner and will start to heal.” Stefan cast another long look at the black shadow on Eric’s knee and knew it wouldn’t be that easy. Somehow that bone either needed to be replaced, a horrific, costly, and dangerous process, or they had to cleanse it of whatever energy was poisoning it. And given the difficulty of that, he’d likely have to bring in Dr. Maddy and have Eric actively participate when they went to take the dragon out forever.
First, they needed to know how the dragon had managed to get into this child. Then they could figure out what he wanted and how to get rid of him permanently.
*
Brandt turned the phone over in his hand. There were no identifying names or tags on it. Figured. He turned it on, leaning on the reception desk, the rest of Jacob’s personal effects in front of him.
The phone didn’t appear to be badly damaged. It was scratched up some but turned on immediately. He checked the last texts. Sure enough, they were from the dead man before he crashed.
Jacob, man, I’m not feeling good.
Ha. No deal. You wanted to meet her, you get over here.
I’m on the way. Then a second text from him. My chest is killing me. Horrible burning. I think something is wrong.
No.
I don’t feel right. Angry. So angry. Something is wrong. No choice. I think this is it.
That was the last text. A phone call had come through just minutes before the crash, so Owen Dugar had been texting while driving, given the time frame. But what had been said in the phone call? There’d be no way to get that information, but forensics would be able to get the length of the call. That would only tell him if Jacob received it and answered it and spoke to his friend.
Would it tell him why the man had driven into the pub?
Unless like the texts implied he hadn’t been feeling good and had a heart attack at the time and lost control of the car.
Nothing sinister there.
Except for that line: Angry. So angry. And of course the burning.
*
Key. She was the key. And he needed to figure out how to turn that damn lock. He needed to find out what made her tick. He couldn’t believe she was proving to be so difficult. He didn’t want much. But he needed that one thing from her and she wouldn’t give it to him. He hated her for that. For having power over him. He was the one that was gaining in power now. She was failing him.
He’d turn the tables soon. He just had to stay strong enough to do it. Strong enough to finally beat her. And he would. It was the one thing he was focusing on. Gaining strength for. He knew it would be the last thing he’d do, and that was fine by him as long as he got her too.
Bitch.
How dare she be stronger, better than him? Well, she could gloat for now. He’d make sure to have the last laugh – when she couldn’t laugh anymore.
Chapter 22
Celina walked into Stefan’s house almost two hours after entering the hospital. She’d been lost in a rapt daze for the bulk of the afternoon. “Thank you for showing me the children’s energies. They were the brightest, happiest things I think I have ever seen.”
“I didn’t show them to you. You saw them yourself.”
“True. Thank you then for taking me there and suggesting I look. I was afraid initially that I’d see too many ghosts. And that would have been horrible.”
“And did you?” he asked, unlocking the front door and pushing it open.
“Ghosts? Yes, a few, but they were all distant.”
“As in old ghosts,” he said. He led her inside and over to a place to sit, and gently pressed her into the chair. Only it was a couch made of buttery-soft leather. She couldn’t r
esist running her fingers along the smooth cushions, almost humming with pleasure. She eased back and sighed at the fresh smell and the sunshine that drifted into the window. “Did the rain just stop?”
“Must have.” But his voice held an odd note. She turned her head fully into the sun and let it bathe her eyes in the warmth and sense of peace. “Something funny?”
“No, I just find that there isn’t much rain around my place all that often. The gardens need every drop, but there’s something special about this location in that I get mostly sunshine here.”
“Sounds like a good way to have it. You must have a wall of glass here for the sun to come inside so strong and bright.”
“I do, but I also have a large deck outside and three sets of French doors along this wall opening up to the outside.”
“Three sets? Most people only have one.”
“I’m not most people,” he said, a tinge of self-mockery in his voice.
“I believe that.” She opened her eyes, wondering if she could see many energy trails here as she had at the children’s ward. But it was all gray, no bright lights dancing or moving around. Disappointed, she let her gaze wander the room aimlessly until it landed on a bright pink spot somewhere in the vicinity of Stefan, but she didn’t think it was him. At least it wasn’t the same color energy that she’d come to associate with him. “Stefan,” she said in wonderment. “I can see a big pink ball beside you.”
“Ah, Lissa, say hi to Celina.”
Immediately the pink ball focused into a teenager with her hair in a long ponytail, who walked over. “Hi, Celina. I love it when Stefan brings over people that can see me.”
“Hi,” Celina said, studying the fresh-faced girl, wondering who and what she was.
“I’m Lissa, and Stefan is a friend of my sister’s and now my friend. I live here when I’m not bombing around visiting other places.”
“You can travel to other places?” Celina had never met a ghost capable of even speaking the way Lissa was. Her ghosts had limited capabilities. Most lived tiny windows of experience, and most were limited to her apartment. This young girl was unlike any ghost she’d ever seen.