Paranormal Nights

by CJ Ellisson

  “How long before you’ll know anything, Doc?” Mitch asked.

  Volkmann took a deep breath. “It’s been a week since the attack, so antibodies should have begun to form in her blood. It’s still rather soon though, so we might have to grow the culture for a time in order to be sure. But it’s certain we’ll know without a doubt in a matter of days.”

  “I don’t follow?” Mitch said his face puzzled.

  Sean looked at his second-in-command, his face grim. “What the doctor means, is that in a week's time, it’ll be a full moon. If she takes on the traits of a Were and she’s infected, then the virus will most likely do to her what it did to my brother.”

  “Jesus!”

  “Don’t worry, Mitch. Once we know what we’re up against I’ll have no problem carrying out my duty.” The resolute tone of his voice seemed to satisfy his second-in-command, yet the idea of taking another life, Lily’s life, left Sean utterly hollow.

  Volkmann stood, pushing his chair back noisily. “Well, if there’s nothing else then, I bid you good day, gentleman. Sean, I’ll expect those samples as soon as possible. There’s no telling what we’ll find.”

  Chapter Five

  Sean headed out of the clinic. He had given the nurse instructions from Volkmann less than an hour ago, but it seemed the good doctor was chomping at the bit for his samples. He had gotten a stream of messages from the man on his cell phone, the last one being nothing short of a dictate. “Leighton! Check what’s taking so long. I only wanted blood samples for pity’s sake, not a biopsy!”

  “Talk about a textbook Napoleon complex,” Sean chuckled to himself reading the man’s latest text.

  Mitch caught up to him in the hallway by the elevators. “Hey, Sean, got a minute?”

  “Sure.” His phone buzzed again. Holding up one finger, he motioned for Mitch to wait as he answered the call. “Okay. I’ll be right up.” Snapping his phone shut he pressed up for the elevator and turned back toward Mitch.

  “That was the staff nurse I assigned upstairs. She’s drawing the blood samples for Volkmann. He’s such a persnickety bastard, wants me to collect them, myself. Says he wants to make sure they’re not compromised. Come on, we can talk in the elevator.”

  The lift doors opened, and Sean felt the weight of Mitch’s eyes as the doors slowly closed. “So, what’s up?”

  “Rissa.”

  “What about her?”

  “Look, I know that Jerard was your brother and all, but it’s no secret that he was, well let’s just say it’s common knowledge that he and Rissa weren’t exactly the happiest of couples. If you know what I mean.”

  Sean’s eyes narrowed, “…and.”

  “And she’s got a tough road ahead of her now with the new baby and Stephanie barely out of diapers...”

  “Get to the point Mitch. What do you want with my sister-in-law?”

  “I want to know if it would be all right with you if I started spending some time with them, you know, to get to know them better.” Mitch shrugged a little embarrassed by the question.

  Sean just looked at him. “You truly are a mutt. I should tear your head off on principle. My brother’s dead less than a week, and here you are already staking your claim.”

  “It’s not what you think, Sean,” Mitch shot back quietly.

  Not knowing what else to say, they stood in awkward silence as the elevator climbed. Glancing over, Sean could see the muscle in Mitch’s cheek working as he bit back on his wounded pride.

  “Shit,” Sean thought to himself. This was the last thing he needed right now. But Mitch was no fool. He was a good man—one he could rely on. And as much as he hated to admit it, he was right about Jerard.

  Sean cleared his throat. “Look, I’m well aware of everyone’s opinion regarding my brother. And you’re right; Jerard wasn’t exactly winning any prizes for best husband and father. Even I knew Rissa wasn’t happy. But she’s in a fragile state right now, and you know as well as I do what she’s facing if things don’t turn out the way we hope with this baby.”

  The elevator doors opened, and they stepped out into the main foyer. Mitch nodded. “I know,” he said softly. “That’s why I want to be there for her. It’s going to be rough one way or the other,

  but maybe I can help. You know, be a shoulder for her.”

  Sean smirked. “Yeah, yeah. Just make sure your shoulder is the only body part you have in mind to offer, for the time being.”

  Mitch laughed. “Can’t you give me a little more credit than that?”

  “Mmmhhhm. Let’s not forget, I know you and your reputation with the ladies. Rissa’s different, Mitch, and I’m not saying that because she’s my family.”

  “Don’t you think I know that? Look, I may have been a player in the past, but Rissa…man, she deserves to be happy.”

  Sean took a long hard look at his second-in-command, wondering how Mitch would react if he decided to take a walk through the guy’s mind. After a moment, he nodded, deciding to trust his gut.

  “Okay, Mitch. If you were looking for my blessing you got it, but I hope you know, I will personally give you the beating of your life if you fuck up and hurt her. Just go easy man, okay?” Clapping Mitch on the shoulder Sean headed upstairs alone.

  Stepping onto the top landing, Sean heard the sound of muffled yelling. As he crossed the hall he recognized Lily’s voice, the tenor of her complaints gaining in volume the closer he got to her door.

  “Ouch! You know, I’m seriously starting to think you’re enjoying this!” Lily said cringing as the nurse tried tapping yet another vein.

  “And how are we feeling this afternoon?” Sean asked, closing the door behind him, but as he stepped toward the bed he could already see that Lily’s I.V. was gone, and despite the bloodletting, her color was better.

  “I don’t know about we, but I’m much better, thanks. I feel like a new woman. The bandages came off, and I was finally able to take a shower. Even Nurse Ratchet here is surprised I’m practically healed…Hey! …come on! Take it easy with that needle; I’m not a pin cushion, you know!”

  Biting his lip Sean tried not to laugh. “That’s good.”

  The nurse taped sterile gauze to the inside of Lily’s elbow “All ready for the lab, Mr. Leighton,” she said, scribbling the last of Lily’s information on the side of the glass tubes. She handed the box to Sean and ran a hand across her forehead, gathering her kit. “If there’s nothing else then, I’ll be downstairs. Just buzz if you need me.”

  Lily eyes threw daggers at the woman’s back, and Sean had to stifle another laugh. Especially when she turned her attentions to him and the little white box, with vial after vial of her blood stacked neatly inside.

  She picked at the surgical tape on her arm, shooting him a sullen look. “Twenty-four vials. Would you mind telling me why so much? What are you testing me for, Ebola?”

  Arching an amused brow, Sean smiled. “You know, you shouldn’t abuse my staff like that. It’s not polite. However, to answer your question the doctors want to run a battery of routine tests.”

  The statement wasn’t a complete lie. Still, in this situation there was no room for guilt. Sean continued to stare her down even as her eyes narrowed in suspicion. He knew she realized he wasn’t giving her the whole truth.

  Their gazes locked, and her eyes grew flinty as the first mental jab flew out at him. The second he felt her in his head he slammed down his own mental wall shutting her out this time. Did she actually think he was going to allow her to see what he wasn’t telling her?

  Eyes wide, Lily scrambled to the other side of the bed. “You!”

  “Hasn’t anyone ever told you how unattractive hysteria can be in a woman? You need to calm down. Perhaps, if you stopped trying to trespass inside my head, we could get to the truth of who you are, and what you were doing on the cliffs a week ago.”

  “I don’t need to tell you anything! And I don’t need to trespass anywhere to see you for what you are. You’re the same as that th
ing! That beast that attacked me…that killed Terry!”

  “It’s unfortunate what happened to you and your friend. I have the coroner’s report. As terrible a tragedy as it was, it still isn't anybody’s fault.”

  “Unfortunate! I lose the closest thing to family I have left and you call it unfortunate! Look, I may not have been in your head for long, but I recognize the thought patterns. Except for the fact that yours are coherent they are exactly the same. You’re a werewolf as well—a supe—a filthy, beast. A monster that preys on humans!”

  He studied her for a moment, saying nothing at first. “Is that what you think?”

  Lily stepped away from the bed. “Give me a break! Do you have any idea who I am or what I do for a living? You already know that I’m psychic, but what you don’t know is that I also investigate murders for the police! There’s no way in hell you’re going to stand there and hand me a load of crap. I know what you are! And you can forget trying to sell me on how innocent you supes are when I’ve seen your handiwork up close and personal!”

  From her scent, Sean tasted her adrenaline flowing fast and furious. She was sweating and panicked. “Okay, so you work with the police. I’m sure you must have investigated plenty of cases that didn’t involve the supernatural. So just for argument’s sake, tell me, what’s the difference between a supe, or whatever you call us, committing a murder and a regular murder?”

  “Are you kidding me? I was there when that thing killed my best friend! And in case you’ve conveniently forgotten, it attacked me, as well! I’ve seen the ravaged bodies in the morgue—bloodless, torn to shreds or worse! There is no way in hell a human could defend themselves against any of you! At least with a human perp, they’ve got half a chance,” she yelled.

  Lily’s hospital gown was open to the back, and she clutched it closed, tearing around the room pulling open drawers and closets. “Where the hell are my clothes?”

  “What are you doing? I told you before, your clothes were ruined. Stop this before you reinjure yourself!” Grabbing her by the wrist, he tried to make her sit down.

  She whirled around, kneeing him in the stomach, driving her elbow into his face as he hunched over. “I’m getting the hell out of here! You and your kind are all the same—vile, unnatural beasts!”

  He struggled to hold her, curbing his own strength so as not to hurt her as she continued to fight. With blood trickling from his nose, he grabbed her other wrist and held them locked together.

  Lily screamed in fury trying to break his grip. She fought him, trying to twist herself around, but only managed to wind herself further into his grasp. She struggled, but with his arms locked around her she was trapped. Sean felt his body tense and cock grow hard.

  “I’m sorry Lily, but leaving is out of the question. You probably feel as if you’re being held against your will, but trust me, it is for your own good. If you want, you may walk the grounds with an escort, but I warn you, if you try to leave the Compound you’ll like it even less when I have you restrained.”

  Her chest heaved. Bottled up rage and despair rose to the surface and was spilling over onto him. Screaming turned to crying, her whole body shaking with grief and anger.

  The room was saturated with her grief, and the taste of her pain washed through him. His own anger mounted as he listened to her sobs. She shouldn’t be here. None of this should have happened. However, there was no way he was going to share his personal grief with a woman who’d just as soon shoot him as look at him. No. The Compound’s safety and their secrets came first, regardless of how attracted he was to this hellcat.

  Clearing his throat he helped her to the edge of the bed. He picked up his cell phone, and as she crawled beneath the covers, he instructed the nurse to come back up and bring a sedative.

  “Is drugging me truly necessary? Or am I that much of a threat?” She sniffed coldly.

  “I don’t know, are you?”

  “You could have transferred me to the hospital in Portland by now. You’re hiding something. I deserve to know what it is, why you insist on holding me hostage.”

  “You are not a hostage, Lily, you are my guest. An injured one at that. The purpose of the sedative is to help you sleep, and nothing more. It’s for your own good, same as trying to keep you put. You’re just going to have to trust me.”

  “And why is that?”

  Sean didn’t answer, they were at a stalemate. Finally, he looked right at her. “Because you have no other choice.”

  Lily looked at herself in the mirror brushing her teeth. No one would believe she’d been a hairbreadth away from death only two weeks ago. Impossible as it seemed, she was entirely healed. Truth be told, she felt terrific. That is except for the fact she was being held against her will and hadn’t seen or heard from Terry since that night on the cliffs.

  Rinsing her mouth, she dried her hands and face and put the toothbrush back in its fancy holder, along with the other toiletries Sean had sent up. He was certainly going out of his way to prove she was a guest, and not a prisoner. But she wasn’t buying it. Guests didn’t need big, burly guards following them about, and they could leave whenever they wanted.

  Sean could sugar coat the situation anyway he wished. She was still a prisoner, regardless of how gilded the cage.

  Lily hadn’t seen him much over the last couple of days. She knew there was something going on, and she knew that was one of the reasons he was making himself scarce. It was all connected. Her, Terry and what he was doing that night on the cliffs.

  For a psychic, it should have been a piece of cake. A quick peek into any one of the minds around her and she’d have her answers. But it was as if someone had raised a smoke screen. She’d been cut off. Being in seclusion didn’t help matters either.

  Nonetheless, today she was venturing out, and it didn’t seem plausible Sean could cloak everyone. She’d try her luck again, outside.

  Lily pulled on a pair of cotton, drawstring pants and a matching pullover. Running a hand over the heather blue fleece, she reveled in its softness. They, along with a set of lacy undergarments had been waiting for her on the vanity this morning. Pulling her hair back into a knot, she had to admit it felt good to be out of the hospital drab.

  Her guard was waiting for her by the window. “Ready?” he asked as she came out of the bathroom.

  Lily gave him an answering shrug, but the truth was she couldn’t wait to get outside. From her bedroom window, the grounds seemed enormous. It had finally snowed, and despite her circumstances, she wanted to enjoy its pristine beauty.

  The young man stood waiting near the door, his expressionless face as cold as ice. Lily sighed. Did they seriously consider her that much of a threat?

  Squelching the urge to throw her arms up and yell “boo!” She cleared her throat. “What’s your name, soldier?”

  “Lieutenant Jack Cochran, ma’am. I’ve been assigned as your escort.”

  Lily snapped her mouth shut. She may have been dripping with sarcasm when she called him “soldier”, but it was obvious he wasn’t playing the part, regardless of his jeans and cowboy boots.

  “In that case, Lieutenant, I’d like you to escort me home.”

  “Negative, ma’am. I can take you anywhere you wish, as long as it’s within the Compound boundaries.”

  “Do you work for Mr. Leighton, Lieutenant?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Then may I call you Jack, Lieutenant?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Okay then, and will you please stop with the ma’am business. It’s Lily, got it?”

  “Got it, ma’am.”

  Grumbling, Lily picked up the jacket Sean had also sent up. She glanced at the Lieutenant and frowned. The boy’s stance was so rigid he looked as if he would snap in the wind. Were all Weres that obstinate or just the ones connected to their pigheaded leader? Annoyed, she jammed her arms into the jacket’s sleeves. Like everything else, it was a perfect fit, but that only added to her irritation. “Are you coming, o
r do I have to say heel first?”

  Face impassive, the Lieutenant walked to the door and held it open. He let her pass, but growled a deep, loud, rumble as she went by. Lily shot him a dirty look, but caught his stifled chuckle.

  “Yuck it up, Lassie,” she answered before turning on her heel, mumbling something about choke collars and obedience school as she stalked down the hall.

  The Lieutenant caught up to her on the stairs and took her arm. Lily slid her eyes sideways. The young man’s face held an amused smirk, but at least it was no longer cold and hard.

  She didn’t know why, but she felt sorry for the guy. You didn’t need to be a psychic to know the last thing he wanted to do was act as her babysitter.

  “Look, Jack, I don’t know why Sean is keeping me here, and I know you wouldn’t tell me even if you knew. But as you can see, I’m fine. I’m perfectly healed, and I’d like to go home.”

  “Again, I’m sorry, but that just isn’t possible.”

  They stepped into the foyer and Lily turned, exasperated, throwing her hands up. “Why then? I think I deserve an explanation, don’t you? Sean had me just about convinced it was because of my injuries, but now that I’m healed there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be permitted to leave. Someone better start explaining and fast, or I’m going to find out myself. And you all know I have ways of doing that!”

  “You’re absolutely, right,” Sean’s voice answered from across the main hall. The Lieutenant snapped to attention as Lily whirled in the direction of the voice.

  “At ease, Jack.” Sean said offhandedly, his eyes traveling over Lily. A single glance told him what she said was true. She radiated health. A wash of dusky rose colored her cheeks as a result of her temper, and her scent was intoxicating. She was beautiful.

  “I’m glad to see that you were able to make use of the things I sent earlier. You look wonderful.”