by Marie Harte
Wade mumbled a half-ass apology as Gil hung up the phone and looked over at Fallon. She was lying on her side, the blanket he’d tossed over her pulled up to her shoulders. Her skin was almost as white as the sheets and just the thought of trying to rouse her filled him with dread. The last thing he wanted to do was send her back into the nightmare.
“Fallon?” He touched her shoulder, caressing her skin gently with his thumb. “Baby, are you okay?”
Fallon moaned and rolled her head. Gil’s voice was muffled, like he was speaking from another room. She felt his hand tighten on her shoulder as he called her name again. She took a deep breath and forced her eyes open, squinting from the brightness. Gil was sitting on the chair beside the bed, his face solemn, his lips pulled tight. She tried to smile, but the pounding in her head robbed her breath, and all she managed to get out was a muted whimper.
“Easy, darling. Don’t try to move yet.”
She tried to chuckle at the thought, but it only made her head hurt more. “Don’t think I could,” she said. She glanced over at the table, but couldn’t make out any of the numbers on the clock. “What time is it?”
“Five o’clock.”
“Five?” she questioned, trying to sit up only to collapse back down, her palm pressed against her forehead. “How long have I been out?”
Gil’s face paled. “About an hour.” He brushed some hair back from her face. “How do you feel?”
“About as good as I look,” she joked, hoping her small attempt at humour would ease some of the tension bunching his shoulders. “You okay?”
“Other than worrying Jane might take a contract out on me, I’m okay.”
Fallon smiled, then frowned. “Oh, God. Jane!” She covered her face in her hands. “How am I ever going to convince her I’m fine now?”
“After what I witnessed, I’d say Jane is the least of your worries.” He leant forward and she saw the fear come and go in his eyes. “Is it always like that?”
She eased back and pushed herself up, accepting the pillows he stacked behind her back. “It depends,” she began, but then stopped when he levelled his stare. “Sometimes it’s worse.”
“God, damn, Fallon.” He looked away, but not before she saw the pain in his eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
His voice was soft and there was no mistaking the hurt in it. Fallon sat up straighter, ignoring the roaring sound in her head. “Because I knew nothing short of falling on my knees in front of you would’ve been enough to convince you. And I don’t have that kind of control. At least I never did.” She looked away. “This time’s different.”
She felt Gil’s gaze on her, but she couldn’t seem to meet his stare. “How?” When she didn’t answer he reached forward and placed his finger under her chin, raising her face to his. “How is this time different?” She tried to shrug it off, but couldn’t stop a tear from tracking down her cheek. Gil wiped the drop away with his thumb. “Come on, Fallon. It’s me.” He flashed her a smile that made her heart clench. “Talk to me.”
Her bottom lip quivered and she tried to draw some strength from his touch. “It’s stronger, more intense. The colours. The smells.” She shook her head. “I still don’t know how he connects with me before he calls.”
“But I thought you said it only happened after?” She shrugged and he sighed, nodding his head. “What else?”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
He kicked half of his mouth into a sexy smile. “I mean you’re holding something back. The real reason this vision was so different.” He grazed her cheek again. “I need the truth, Fallon. Please.”
She wanted to turn away, but something in his voice stopped her. She looked into his eyes and saw more than just compassion and sincerity. She saw love. “He looked at me.”
Gil’s hand dropped from her face as he surged to his feet. “He did what?”
“He looked at me.” She sighed out a long breath. “I was standing behind him, watching him tuck the woman in the back of his hatchback, wondering what would happen if I touched his jacket, when he reached up to close the hatch and stopped. Then he cocked his head as if he could hear me breathing and spun around and looked straight at me. That’s never happened before.”
Gil took a few heavy steps away before turning back. “So you’ve seen his face?”
“Not…exactly,” she mumbled. “When he turned, his eyes locked on mine and it felt like something tossed me across the parking lot. The next thing I knew, I woke up in your arms.”
Gil moved back beside the bed. “Do you remember anything about him?”
“Just his eyes. They were hazel. They reminded me…” She paused not sure if she should say what she really thought.
“Reminded you of what?”
She bit at her bottom lip, wishing it didn’t have to be like this. “They reminded me of Charlie.” She looked up at Gil and saw the pain in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Gil, but it’s not just his eyes that remind me of Charlie. It’s the way he carries himself, the shape of his back, the colour of his hair. Hell, even his voice sounds similar.” She shook her head as more tears dampened her skin. “Maybe I am going crazy.”
Gil sighed and the bed dipped as he crowded the edge. “You’re not going crazy. And while we both know it can’t be Charlie, maybe there’s a connection we’re missing. I’ll check it out later.”
Fallon nodded and leant against his shoulder. “So I guess this means you haven’t had any luck finding the woman I saw?”
He shook his head. “Wade just called to inform me how daunting a task it was to narrow down the search. Apparently there’re as many churches as there are coffee shops.”
She pulled back and locked her eyes on his. Something in the way he talked about Wade’s call made her believe the man had wanted more than just to update Gil. “And that’s the only reason Wade called?” she pressed.
Gil’s head lowered and Fallon knew what was coming next. “As a matter of fact, he was wondering if you could give us more information.”
“Such as?”
“Such as where the bastard took the girl.”
Fallon snorted and pulled back, wrapping her arms around her chest. “I told you. It’s not like that. I can’t just sit down and spy on people. The other person always initiates the connection.” She looked down at her lap. “I’m just along for the ride.”
“But you said it yourself…this time’s different. Maybe the connection’s always there, but you’re able to hold it off some of the time.” He knelt beside the bed and raised her chin again. “If you don’t want to do this, darling, I’ll understand. I can’t even begin to imagine what it must be like.”
“I can try, but…”
He silenced her with a warm finger across her lips. “That’s more than I should ask.” He waved at the bed. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Just be here when I come out,” she said, then cursed the impetuousness of her tongue.
Gil merely smiled and brushed his lips softly across hers. “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere.”
* * * *
Fallon twisted the covers in her fists, staring up at the ceiling as the clock ticked in the background. Nearly fifteen minutes had passed and still no contact with The Priest. Gil had stayed by her side until the tension had finally gotten to him and he’d taken to pacing the room, watching her as if she was suddenly going to sprout another head. She huffed in frustration, and was just about to tell him the whole idea was ridiculous, when a wave of distortion rolled across the room. The ceiling wavered, faded into wooden beams, and then back. Fallon covered her mouth, trying to hold the bile down, as more of the room pitched and rolled, pulling her further into the vision. Gil called her name, but she was already too far gone to reply. A heady floral scent assaulted her senses as the darkness finally gave way to light and the images steadied.
Fallon pushed herself up and grabbed a small table when the room swayed again. She waited for the feeling to pass, then surveye
d what she could see. She was at the back of a rectangular room, by a set of large wooden doors. Off to her right was a doorway, which led to a brightly lit room. There were tall stands of roses lining the walls and a small book centred on a table by the doorway.
She moved forward, drawn to the light of the next room. She stopped just shy of the door, afraid of what she’d find, but aware of the need to keep going. The other room seemed quiet, filled only with the distant sound of water. She peeked around the door and studied the room. A long aisle stretched out in front of her, flanked on each side by rows of pews. A stand of flowers had been placed along each row, the sweet fragrance filling the room. She moved through the doorway and down the aisle, staring at the beautiful view landscaped across the far windows. Water and hills streaked with orange as the sun dipped below the horizon.
Fallon walked to the end of the aisle, wondering why the chapel looked so familiar, when a soft scraping sound penetrated her haze. She looked off to her left and noticed another door shoved up against the back wall. It was hanging slightly ajar, a sliver of light reflecting on the opposite wall. She moved over to the opening and looked inside. The Priest was hunched over the woman, a small instrument clutched in his right hand.
“So pretty,” he crooned, bending further over the woman’s chest. “Soon your soul will be beautiful too.”
Fallon inched her way inside, slowly pushing the door aside. The room was dark and cluttered with boxes, but she needed to see if the girl was still alive. She slid over to her left, hoping to get a better look, when he stopped and straightened. Fear punched through her stomach and she had to fight the urge to run.
He can’t see you. You’re not really here.
The argument sounded good in her head, but it did little to soothe her fears when The Priest cocked his head and sighed.
“I know you’re there, Angel. I can feel you.”
Fallon pressed her back against the wall, unsure of her next move. Would he hear her if she spoke to him?
“You’ve been with me before, haven’t you? I knew there was a reason you answered my call.”
He chuckled and Fallon cringed at the sound.
“What’s the matter, Angel? Are you scared? Hoping to get a better look at my work?” He kept his back to her, but shimmed sideways. “I’m not quite done, but then you already know what it’s going to look like.” He laughed again. “Aren’t you going to talk to me, Angel?”
“Please. Don’t do this,” she whispered, edging back towards the door. How the hell did he know she was there?
“What’s wrong? Don’t you believe in me anymore? Aren’t you here to watch me cleanse her soul?”
His voice was strong and laced with anger. Fallon braced for what she knew was coming. “You don’t have to do this. I can help you. Please. Just let her go and call me.”
His roar pierced the silence. Fallon screamed and backed up slamming against the door. His anger vibrated the air as he threw a box of tools across the room.
“I thought you understood!” he shouted, turning partway towards her. “I thought I could trust you!” He looked back at the woman lying on the table. “You were the only one who stayed the demons. You made me feel…human again.”
His shoulders slumped and Fallon felt the world shift. “No. Wait! I can help you. I…”
He turned, his eyes locking with hers. She saw his pain, felt his regret, as his face disappeared on the whispered breath of her name.
“No!” Her voice cracked and she lurched forward, slamming hard into Gil’s chest. His arms tightened around her back as she slumped against him, her body completely drained.
“Fallon. Damn it, baby, are you okay?”
She mumbled something into his shirt, wanting nothing more than to sleep, when he eased her back and lifted her face to his.
“What happened? You just zoned out on me. Then you screamed and I swear you aged me ten years.” He shook his head. “Fuck. I never should’ve asked you to try…”
Fallon placed a trembling finger over his lips and flashed him a warm smile. “It’s okay,” she rasped.
”Do you know where we need to go?”
Fallon nodded, moaning at the increased pain in her head. “A chapel. Over by the ocean.” She waved her hand in the air. “There were flowers and decorations. I think I’ve been there before.”
“You’ve been to the church?”
“Not a church. A chapel. Where couples get married.” She sighed and palmed her forehead. “Damn my head hurts.”
“Do you need to go to the hospital?”
Fallon laughed. “Only if you plan on committing me,” she replied. “Don’t worry. It’ll go away once I rest.” Her eyes fluttered shut and for a moment she felt her body drift.
“Whoa, darling. Is there anything else you can tell me? The colour of the chapel? An address?”
Fallon shook her head and forced her eyes open one last time. “I only saw the inside of it…” she started then gasped as an image flashed in her head. She was back in the chapel, only it was full of people. “Jane,” she yelled.
“Jane what?”
“Jane’s wedding. We went there when Jane got married two years ago.” She grabbed her head as the pain flared. “He’s in the back.”
Gil nodded, already dialling his phone. “Wade. We’ve got a location. It’s a little chapel down by Redondo. I can’t remember the name, but it’s right by the ocean.”
“I know the place. A friend of mine got married there a few years back. I’m on my way.” Gil heard him flip on the siren.
“Call Trevor and wait for backup.”
“There’s no time for backup. Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”
“Damn it, Wade! You’ll wait for backup or I’ll kick the shit outta ya the next time I see you.”
“Go with him.”
Gil turned and stared at Fallon. She was barely awake. “I’m not leaving you.”
Fallon shook her head and closed her eyes. “I’ll be fine. The Priest can’t get to me now. Wade needs you and I need to sleep.” She flicked a hand at him before tucking it beneath her head. “Go. You can wake me when you get back.”
Gil watched her drift off to sleep, dark rings rimming her eyes. His heart flip-flopped in his chest and he knew he’d never be the same again. “I’m on my way.” He glanced at his watch. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes. And you’d damn well better be waiting for me.”
“There’s no need…”
“I said I’m on my way. Now you’ll wait for me or I’ll find myself a new partner, got it?”
Wade chuckled. “Guess we couldn’t have that. Drive fast old man and I’ll see you there.”
Chapter Nineteen
Gil tiptoed into the room, his fatigue weighing heavy on his shoulders. It’d been nearly three hours since he’d left to meet Wade, but it felt like a lifetime ago since he’d seen Fallon’s face. She was still sleeping on the bed, her hands tucked beneath her head, the blanket pooled at her feet. She looked like an angel lying on the sheets, her long dark eyelashes brushing the pale skin of her cheek and her hair fanned out across the pillow. He did his best to ignore the dark circles rimming her eyes. A testament to all she’d done to try and save the woman.
His chest tightened. She wasn’t going to take the news lightly.
He walked over to the bed, unable to stop his hand from reaching out and caressing her shoulder. She looked so fragile, so innocent curled up on the bed, he couldn’t fight the need to shelter her. She sighed as he slid his fingers down her side, smoothing out the fabric covering her hips. Damn, she still looked hot, and it was no surprise when he felt the firm press of his jeans against the hard length of his cock.
“Gil?”
Her voice was soft, husky with the sound of sleep. He leant closer, inhaling her warm, womanly scent as he dropped a gentle kiss on the top of her head. “Shhh, darling. Go back to sleep.”
Fallon shook her head and he watched her fight to open her eyes. It was then he
realised how exhausted she looked. “What happened?” she asked, licking her lips as if speaking had dried them. “Did you find her?”
Gil sighed and sat back in the chair he’d left beside the bed. “Yeah, baby. We found her.”
Tears glistened in Fallon’s eyes as she pushed herself up and met his gaze. “And…” she prompted.
“And she’s still alive,” he answered, careful to keep his voice steady.
“But?”
He looked away. She knew him too damn well to fall for anything less than the truth. “He’d already done the damage.” He returned his gaze to hers. “We found her in the back, just like you said.”
Fallon’s face paled as she threw herself off the bed and stumbled over to the window, her body trembling in the pale moonlight. She braced one hand against the wall as she turned to face him. “The cross?”
“Carved into her left breast, just like the others. It wasn’t quite as intricate. I think he knew we were coming.”
“Did he rape her?” she whispered, as if the sound of the words might change the outcome.
He could only nod as more tears slipped down her cheek.
“At least she has a chance to recover,” he added, hoping to give her a reason to release the guilt he saw coiling up inside her.
“Recover?” she repeated, a hysterical cackle trembling across her lips. “How is she going to recover? Every time she looks in the mirror she’ll see what he did to her.”
“She’s alive. That’s more than any of his other victims can say.”
Fallon merely shrugged, adding, “They were luckier,” under her breath.
Gil growled and stalked across the room, grabbing her firmly by the shoulders. “This isn’t your fault, so stop the guilty act. He’s sick. And if it weren’t for you, she’d be nothing more than a picture in a file right now.” He pulled her closer, needing her to see the honesty in his face. “And despite what happened, alive beats dead any day of the week.” He eased his grip slightly. “One day, she’ll see that.”
Fallon pulled herself free and pushed past him, making her way over to the bed. When she turned to face him, her eyes gleamed with her pent up anger. “When, Gil? When will she see how lucky she was?” She threw her hands up in the air. “When she’s pushed everyone who means anything to her out of her life? When she’s spent the better part of the next several years just existing, hiding from the world?” She shook her head. “No. She won’t see the luck in her life until it’s too late.”