Deep IsThe Night: Haunted Souls

by Denise Agnew

  She’d heard of EVP. “Electronic Voice Phenomena?”

  “Right.”

  “I thought you didn’t believe in the supernatural? At least you didn’t when we were kids.” She couldn’t help injecting that last bit.

  He winced as if she’d kicked him. “I still don’t believe in it.”

  In the wake of his continued skepticism, disappointment waged war with expectancy inside her. “So you’re here to debunk.”

  “Exactly.”

  Jim stood in the most haunted town on earth and yet he doubted. He reminded her of a tourist trying to see nine countries in seven days. He would skim the surface but never see deeper than the crust.

  Before she could speak, he asked, “How about we set a time to meet up tomorrow at the graveyard just outside town? We could do some exploring.”

  He hitched his camera bag over his shoulder, and she matched the gesture with hers. For the first time she realized she didn’t have her fanny pack.

  She groaned and slapped her forehead. “I’m a dolt. I can’t believe I’m just now noticing I don’t have my fanny pack.” She reached in her camera bag and pulled out her car keys. “I must have left it at St. Bartholomew’s. About the graveyard, I don’t think you and I could work together on the project.”

  His brow wrinkled. “Why?”

  “For obvious reasons, don’t you think? You’re a debunker and I’m not.”

  “You accept everything you read and see as authentic?”

  A legitimate question, even if she didn’t like it. “Of course not. But I prefer to work alone. I’ve got to go. See you later.”

  She left, heading out to the parking lot and her car.

  He caught her elbow in a gentle grip. “Wait. I know that you always believed in the phenomena in this town and I didn’t. But it doesn’t mean we can’t look out for each other. There’s a serial killer in Pine Forest.” He gave her a tentative smile. “We might not see eye to eye, but I’d worry about you if you were out there alone.”

  Deep in his eyes she saw the old Jim, the good-looking boy who always seemed to have her best interests at heart on the outside, but not where it counted. “I appreciate your concern, Jim—”

  “Please. You’ve got more common sense than anyone I know. It’s not like you to go out by yourself.”

  She gently pulled away from him. “It wasn’t like me twelve years ago. I’m a different person now.”

  “So am I. I’m a lot more considerate, I hope.”

  She smiled tentatively, unwilling to feed his ego by reassuring him. “Of course.”

  “At least let me go with you tonight and I’ll help you find the fanny pack, all right?”

  He sounded more than determined, and she knew after the experience with the pirate that she should be more careful. “All right. I’ll meet you at St. Bartholomew’s.”

  “I’ll be just a few minutes. Don’t get out of the car and start looking until I get there, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Clarissa turned away and walked down a row of cars near the community center entrance. She passed the side of the building when a figure appeared off to her left and not ten yards away. She gasped and put hand to her mouth. Ready to run, she took a step backwards.

  When she saw who it was she didn’t know whether to be relieved or scared.

  Ronan Kieran stood near a secluded spot between the community center and a storage shed. His black coat hung open and flapped a bit in the gentle breeze. Clarissa tried to recall the last time she’d seen anyone so lethal. She wouldn’t have needed the incident in the graveyard to understand this man took no shit off anyone. Ever.

  His gaze held her like a magnet and a strong rush of feelings pinned her to the spot. Anger. Fear. Desire.

  She’d never experienced all three emotions at once.

  Since childhood she’d used her radar, as she thought of it, to detect people she couldn’t trust. With him she couldn’t be certain of anything. This man displayed a restlessness tempered by steel resolve and determination to see through any mission. But what mission? In the graveyard he’d driven away the mugger and protected her. Yet part of her continued to be scared spitless of him.

  He lifted his hand and her fanny pack dangled from his hand. “Your pack.”

  “Oh, thank you.” Her voice sounded wimpy and she hated the breathless quality. She cleared her throat. “I was going back there to pick it up.”

  He shook his head, exasperation clear on his handsome face. “Are you mad? You would ignore my warnings?”

  Anger rose inside her at his patronizing tone. “It’s none of your business what I do, so I’d appreciate you keeping your opinion to yourself. Look, I’m not ungrateful for what you did for me.” Her cheeks flushed as she remembered he’d done more than one thing for her, all right. “But I don’t appreciate you talking to me like I’m—”

  “A silly cow who doesn’t know when to quit?”

  She gasped and took a step closer to him, indignation rising like hot lava in her gullet. “How dare you?”

  Ronan grinned, and the stunning transformation dazzled her down to her foundations and short-circuited her fury. Wide and unrepentant, his mouth curved in the most attractive, seductive male smile she’d ever seen. In the shadows she almost couldn’t see his eyes, but what she could view warmed her. Like melting dark chocolate, his gaze took her in, seducing her. His demeanor appeared receptive, and for a second she saw gentle caring and curiosity slip through the enveloping heat in his stare. It made him even more infuriatingly attractive. The man looked delicious.

  And she was certifiably insane for thinking so.

  I just want to strangle him.

  Yep, that would do it. She would walk right up and wrap her fingers around his insolent throat and wring some common courtesy into his gorgeous person.

  Teasing sparked in his eyes. “Damn, woman, but you are a stubborn one. I think I like that.”

  Unexpectedly, she wanted to hear him laugh. She wanted to know what this exasperating yet intriguing man thought, felt, and wanted.

  I am losing my mind.

  His grin returned, as if he’d heard a joke.

  Clarissa frowned in counterpoint. “Just give me my pack, please.”

  If she wanted to retrieve the pack she’d have to come closer to him, and that unsettled her in a whole new way. She forced one foot in front of the other until she could reach out and take the pack. Their fingers brushed, but thank goodness she couldn’t feel his skin through her gloved hand. She retreated, walking backwards.

  It was his turn to frown. “You’re frightened of me. Why?”

  When he shifted closer her heart did a double flip. “I’m not afraid. I didn’t expect you to be here.”

  “You saw me in the community center.”

  “Yes, but I thought you’d left already,” she said, her voice tight with apprehension. “When I looked you were gone.”

  One of his eyebrows twitched up. “You were looking for me?”

  She bit her lip and almost groaned. “No, I wasn’t. I just saw you in the doorway. What are you doing lurking around here like a phantom?”

  “I’m waiting for my friends.” His voice sounded almost bored.

  “Friends?”

  “You saw them inside. Thornton, Tavish, and their women.”

  She lifted one eyebrow. “Their women. That almost sounds like a phrase from another time.”

  “I am from another time.”

  His strange phrase lodged in her mind, but she ignored it. “You know them well?”

  “Yes.”

  She swallowed hard. Time to be cheeky. “Can you introduce me? I need their advice.”

  His eyes narrowed. “What kind of advice?”

  She shook her head. “It’s private.”

  Ronan’s skeptical expression came through in the critical shine in his eyes. “I’ll mention you to them. Where are you staying?”

  Reasonable caution made her say, “I’ll give you the p
hone number and they can call me.”

  He nodded. “Very well.”

  After strapping the fanny pack over her coat, she retrieved a pen and piece of paper from the pack and wrote down the number for the Clary Ridge Hotel. As he took it from her hand she made sure his touch didn’t linger. He stuffed the paper in his coat pocket.

  “You are more cautious now then when we met earlier this evening, Clarissa.”

  Remembering the way he’d touched her in the cemetery sent a wave of startling arousal over her skin and mixed with instant shame.

  Her throat tightened, but she pushed the words passed her lips. “Look, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone what happened.”

  “You’re making a police report? You should have gone—”

  “I know, I know. I should have made a police report right away, but I didn’t want to miss this meeting.”

  “Why?”

  “None of your business.”

  “Ah, so we’re back to that, are we?”

  “Yes, back to that.”

  He edged closer, his pace slow and certain. As he walked her heart started to pound, her skin flushing. He stopped when he stood within a few inches of her. Unwilling to be intimidated, she held her ground.

  “All right, I’ll accept that for now.” His strong voice held a seductive purr even when he spoke of inconsequential things, and it sent a deep stirring straight into her loins. “I saw you with that man a few moments ago. He’s a friend?”

  The contempt in his voice gave her pause. It sounded like Ronan was jealous.

  No, that’s ridiculous. Ronan barely knows me. “From back in high school when I lived here. Why?”

  “Even old friends can be deadly sometimes. How well did you know him?”

  She made a disgruntled noise. “He was my high school sweetheart, not that it’s any of your concern.”

  His hands clenched into fists, and she wondered how he kept his hands warm in this brittle weather. She thought she detected regret in his penetrating eyes. Then the hesitation retreated, overlaid by an anger she didn’t understand.

  “Everyone is suspect in this town. Even some women, perhaps,” he said.

  “Well, given that criteria, I could be the serial killer.”

  “But you’re not. You could never hurt someone unless it was to save your life or someone you love.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” she said dryly.

  The hard edge in his eyes melted to a passionate, golden glow. The blazing fire froze her to the spot with a primitive, aching sensation that stirred from fear to desire in a heartbeat.

  Caught up in the intensity, she couldn’t look away. “Goodnight, Mr. Kieran. There’s a nice, warm bed waiting for me.”

  His face etched with something that almost appeared like pain, and he closed his eyes. Free from his mesmerizing attention, she turned and walked the last few feet to her car. After unlocking the vehicle and sliding inside quickly, she relocked the doors. When she looked, he was gone.

  Clarissa stopped by the cemetery at St. Bartholomew’s waited for Jim to show up. Sighing wearily, she remembered that Jim had a habit of being late to everything. It didn’t look like he’d changed much. Surprise, surprise.

  The back of her neck felt tight, and she rubbed it in order to ease the strain. Damn, but she would be tired as hell before this night finished. To while away the time, she thought back to the cemetery and the set of stupid moves that brought her to this point in the first place.

  She thought back to Ronan’s warnings, his incredible strength and sexual energy flowing from him into her as he’d touched her in ways no man touched her before.

  How can that be?

  His incredible gentleness mixed with overwhelming strength, a powerful alpha presence she’d never encountered in another man. Thinking back on what happened, she realized a sort of daze had clouded her judgment. She could chalk it up to the pirate’s attack. She’d been attacked and maybe felt a little grateful to Ronan for rescuing her.

  Um, no. That wasn’t it either. With a horrifying sense of reality hitting her over the head, she knew if Ronan had caressed her more intimately, that would have been it. She would have had sex with the man right there in the graveyard. Frightened by the idea, she cursed her insanity. Had she lost all sense? What the hell had she been thinking?

  Her cheeks flushed as mortification and incredible shame made her feel weak.

  Frustrated by her thoughts and Jim’s tardiness, she finally gave up and left the graveyard.

  Chapter Three

  The next morning Erin Greenway heard a screech, something between a banshee and an irritated bird, coming from her living room. Her skin prickled.

  She turned to Lachlan, who stood in front of the bathroom mirror. “What on earth was that?”

  “Sounds like the one and only Sorley Dubhe.” A smile tilted the corners of his finely carved handsome mouth. “He’s up early.”

  She glanced at the digital clock on the bedside table. “For a vampire, I’d say so. It’s seven thirty in the morning.”

  Bright sun hit the snow outside the bedroom window, a blinding tribute to the morning. They’d have to keep the shades pulled so the vampires wouldn’t be irritated by too much sunlight.

  Her heartbeat returned to normal. She came up behind Lachlan and circled the big Scot’s waist with her arms. She peeked over his shoulder and ogled him in the mirror. God, he was…a god. She grinned. The man didn’t understand how drop-dead, one hundred percent absolutely handsome he was. More than that, he’d stood by her every step of the way in the fight against the ancient one. He’d brought her love, security, and endless strength. With him by her side, she could face anything, no matter how horrible.

  “For a minute there I thought a brand-new creature from hell invaded my house,” she said.

  Lachlan chuckled, and the rich, husky sound sent her heart into overdrive. “The creature from hell part is still accurate.”

  “I don’t know whether to be surprised or disturbed by the fact you actually recognized his scream. Does he do that often?”

  He turned in her arms and gathered her close, then pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Aye. When he’s pissed he has a whole repertoire of sounds.”

  She sighed and tunneled her hands through his luxuriously thick, long, dark hair. “Uh-huh. I guess I should have known that, considering how long he’s been in our house.”

  Two vampires occupying her house took a toll on her as a mortal. Sorley, a thin, weasel-faced vampire and Ronan, a devilishly gorgeous vampire with a killer smile.

  “Shouldn’t he be sleeping?” she asked.

  “He’s got insomnia, probably.”

  “I know he’s your friend, Lachlan, but I can’t wait until Jekyl’s reopens. That way he can have his own place to scream.”

  Lachlan’s wide grin made her heart flutter, and she wondered if this besotted feeling would leave her.

  He kissed her lips softly. “I know what you mean. With Ronan, I don’t mind. Sorley…well…he’s just Sorley.”

  “Then again, maybe they shouldn’t go back to Jekyl’s. You know how Danny Fortesque is out for blood.”

  He released her, a worried frown marring his features. “They should keep a low profile until this is all over.”

  This was something that didn’t seem to have an end in sight, and Erin wondered how much longer they could battle the ancient one and survive. “They should stay here until this is all over. Of course, Ronan is hardly ever here anyway.”

  Lachlan nodded. “Something is on his mind, but I’ll be damned if he’ll tell me what it is.”

  “I’m worried, Lachlan. I can’t believe they’re still having the Halloween party. It’s suicide if the ancient one regains enough power by that night.”

  Lachlan’s thoughtful expression showed true concern. “I know.” He released her and headed for the closed bedroom door. “Let’s see what Sorley is up to.”

  Sorley sat in an easy chair in t
he living room and rubbed his stocking-clad foot. “Feckin’ hell!” He gestured to a chest near the fireplace. “What’s this chest made out of anyway, feckin’ stone?”

  Lachlan chuckled. “Try pine.”

  Sorley’s thin face creased into an unexpected smile filled with mischief. “Sure, then I guess it doesn’t hurt that badly.”

  Erin laughed as she started toward the kitchen. “Have you seen Ronan around, Sorley?”

  Sorley trailed behind and almost bumped into her when she stopped at the kitchen counter. “Didn’t see him all day yesterday.”

  “Well, we saw him at the community center meeting, then he just disappeared,” Erin said.

  “Vampires have a way of doin’ that, you know.” Sorley grinned.

  “No shit,” Lachlan said.

  As the coffee perked, Lachlan made breakfast with Erin’s help.

  “Maybe he’s found the woman he’s lookin’ for. The one he doesn’t mind havin’ sex with to help save the world,” Sorley said.

  The irreverent tone in his voice made Erin smile. A few days ago, she couldn’t imagine finding anything about this situation entertaining. Now the black humor eased her tension.

  “What makes you think that?” Lachlan asked.

  Sorley put his hands on his skinny hips. “Wishful thinkin’ actually.” Sorley bumped into Erin and Lachlan as he searched for a glass in the cupboard. He snorted a laugh. “Though I have a hard time imaginin’ Ronan giddy over a woman.”

  “Giddy?” a deep, almost scornful voice said behind the thin vampire. “I don’t do giddy.”

  Ronan’s chest felt tight as he materialized in Erin’s kitchen. He’d felt out of it since the ancient one terrorized them all in the tunnels under Micky Gunn’s establishment.

  Erin scowled while Sorley gave a laugh. Although she trusted him now, Ronan remembered a time not so long ago where the sight of him frightened Erin. He couldn’t really blame her considering all she’d been through with the ancient one.

  Ronan slid the cape off his head and shoulders and tossed the garment on a dinette chair. He glared at Sorley. “Now what were you saying about giddiness?”