Tap, tap, tap.
What the hell? Straining her ears, she held her breath.
Tap, tap, click, click, click.
Swiveling around in every direction, she saw nothing but the plain white walls, but the hair on the back of her neck stood up. Again, what the hell?
The clicking grew more insistent, louder, faster, until it sounded like machine gun fire. It was coming from the walls. Before she could react, the clicking turned to scratching, horrible scratching like… like claws on a blackboard, scratching and tearing…
You can’t hide from me, Rori!
The scratching turned to pounding, a thousand sledge hammers beating away. The noise was deafening, disorienting… she clutched at her ears and tried to think. Concrete crumbled away, leaving her unsafe in the middle of her safe house. Frantically looking around, she froze when the first piece of the ceiling broke loose and light shone in.
I’m coming for you.
She bolted.
And reappeared under the stage at Woodstock… Janis sang her heart out while Rori huddled under the bleachers, ears full of bass. Oh, my God! This can’t happen! It was my safe house!
Dec drilled his eyes into Killian’s face. Something was wrong. Rori’s heart just jumped to an impossible rhythm. Killian was intense as he focused inward. He was with Rori. What the fuck was happening? Damn it, wake up! He could only watch helplessly until Killian’s eyes flew open and he shouted, “He found her!”
“Where is she? What happened?”
“Azrael. He breached her safe house.”
“Sonofabitch! Is she--”
“She’s gone.”
She huddled under the bleachers trying to breathe, trying to think. Think, Rori, think! He wants you to be scared, wants you to panic. It’s part of his game, part of his sick fucking game. You have to focus. Breathe. Think. Stop talking to yourself and move! Yes, right. She needed to move. While Janis closed her set, she hunched over to lurch out from under the platform towards the back of the stage. There were usually fewer crowds on this side. She’d been here enough she knew the entire friggin’ festival by heart. She would slip away and try to get back to her body. Dec would be worried.
No… no, not now.
The tiny boy frowned as they made eye contact. Damn it. She didn’t have time for him. The RBD would be on her ass any second. The boy raised his hand solemnly. She turned away, pretending not to see. When she turned around he was right in front of her, tears rolling down his cheeks.
“Please. You’re my only hope. Bring them to me. Bring them to me so I can rest.” His voice cut her to the quick. Pleading, begging, he cried as she was about to blow him off for her own protection.
With her heart pounding like a drum, she hesitated, the one thing she knew she shouldn’t do. She who hesitates is lost… but as she looked into his big sad eyes she knew she couldn’t walk away, couldn’t leave him to wander, lost and alone for eternity. His killer was dead, but the ending was not happy. It wouldn’t be happy until the boy was buried in holy ground. The skin on the back of her neck prickled, a shiver ran down her back… he was coming. Coming for her!
A tug on her hand dragged her attention back to the kid. He pulled to the right, determined little face set. He wasn’t taking no for an answer. Searching over her shoulder one more time, she let him lead even though her soul screamed in warning. After wending their way through heavy crowds of half-naked partiers, they ended up outside the farm near a patch of woods. The woods weren’t particularly heavy, but there was a small stream cutting through the trees that was still here in her time.
“Is this where your body is?”
He nodded soberly, moving forward. Carefully picking her way around fallen trees, tangled brush, and what was probably the largest poison ivy plant on the planet, she finally stopped next to him. He pointed to a lichen-covered boulder, left by the ice age that was long since gone, and said simply, “I’m under there.”
The lump in her throat threatened to strangle her. Poor little guy didn’t deserve this. The last thing she wanted to do was look at his rotting corpse. But she had to be sure. She studied the rock and the ground around it. She wasn’t any CSI, but even she could tell the dirt and leaves weren’t where they should be. The area at the base of the rock was definitely disturbed.
“Rori! I found you!”
“Damn it, Killian! Where is she? Where would she go? Where would she vanish to if she was totally freaked out? What would be familiar…”
Killian grabbed his shoulder, shouting, “Woodstock! Go!”
“How?” Could he find that connection to her again? The one time he’d seen her there was a fluke. He didn’t know how to consciously connect to her visions.
Killian grabbed his shoulder again and said in a tone that brooked no argument, “Let your saol find hers. It knows her. Go!”
She flew into his arms with a cry of relief. Her astral body melted into his projection, creating a weird mash up of the two of them that… itched a little. Still, he tried to hug her. He was so damn happy to see her he would’ve done a friggin’ cartwheel if there was time, and he was sure he was solid enough to not fall on his head in the middle of it. Grabbing her hand and losing it again, he said, “We have to get out of this place. He’s coming.”
“Wait! There’s someone you should meet before he goes away. Come on out, Gary. This is Declan. He’s the one who’s been trying to help you forever.”
It couldn’t be! Gary Carmichael. Killed so young; destroyed by a demon that did it for kicks. Gary Carmichael... the little boy whose mother committed suicide, succumbing to grief so overwhelming it ate her alive… Gary Carmichael. The little boy whose death he avenged with pleasure more wicked than righteous. That pleasure would scar him forever, but the boy’s death was avenged. Not one single part of him regretted his actions. Now that tiny boy watched him with an expression of such understanding, of knowing, that Dec felt tears prick his eyes. He knelt in front of the boy and tried very hard to smile. Failing mostly, he grimaced and said, “I’m so sorry for what happened to you, Gary. I promise to take care of you so you can move on. There’s a special place in Heaven for you.”
The boy nodded soberly and took Dec’s hand in his. The cool touch was odd in the heat of the projection, but he didn’t pull away. Gary searched his eyes and said, “There’s a special place in Heaven for you too, Declan Manning. Thank you.”
The slight body shimmered in the hot August sunlight and vanished forever. They would send the police an anonymous tip and make sure the bones were buried properly. It was the best ending Dec could think of. His soul finally released from the restless existence it endured for the past 40 years, Gary Carmichael would rest in peace at last.
“Let’s get back.”
He started to pull away from Rori when something caught his eye. He tensed for a fight. A shadow? No… what the hell? Who’s that?
It can’t be!
Chapter 21: A Family for Christmas
CHOCOLATE? Yes, especially when it was that time of the month. She was a peaceful sort of woman, not super comfortable with violence, though the more she hung around Dec, the more that changed. There were few things she’d consider killing over… chocolate was one of them. Another was the warm man curled up around her back. Buck naked, heavy with sleep… his arm draped over her waist, hand lying open on the sheet. The leather wristband he always wore was frayed now; even so, the brilliant blue teardrop gleamed with an inner light in the dimness of their room. It was still dark outside, but it felt like morning. The heavy blinds were closed against the night. His doing, that. He was intuitive that way. She didn’t have to ask, didn’t have to say the words; he seemed to know the dark haunted her. The reflections from the window made her jittery. He knew her better than she knew herself.
It still made her head spin. Less than six months ago, she was alone, lonely. She was afraid of her past, her present, and totally in the dark about her future. She’d been stumbling through her life, searchi
ng for answers, digging up her family tree by its gnarled and tangled roots. Now? So many things had changed. Her entire life had changed.
It was weird to have someone in her life like Dec. He hadn’t proposed or anything crazy like that, but he looked into her eyes and promised he was hers. Hers? It was more than a little vague. What did that really mean? She had no idea… and she wasn’t going to pressure him to make that crystal. He was beyond amazing, and if he turned out to be a temporary lover, well, she’d just have to deal with it. The annoying romantic voice in her silly head thought that was a stupid attitude.
Shut up, voice. It’s called self-preservation, for crying out loud. We can’t just assume that happily-ever-after will come in a fancy box gleaming under the tree. No, her long-term expectations were grounded in reality. Life wasn’t a fairy tale and happy endings weren’t guaranteed. In the meantime, though… he made her feel alive. She was going to enjoy the hell out of him until one of them died, or he stole her chocolate.
Her daydreams must’ve woken him up because he rubbed his chest against her back and nibbled his way across her shoulder blade. Now that’s better than coffee. Before she could say a word, he dragged her on top of him, her back against his chest, thighs sprawled open across his groin. Cool air crawled between her legs and sent her mind straight to the gutter.
“Merry Christmas, love.” The heat of his breath on her neck promised more exotic presents to come.
Both hands were doing wonderful things to her breasts when the door flew open and slammed into the wall.
“Uncle Dec! Hurry up! Santa--”
“Michael!”
“--came. What are you doing to Rori?”
Dec practically rolled her onto the floor before dragging the sheet over his naked and very awake body.
Michael didn’t leave, nor did he close his eyes. Oh, no, the little boy gawked like he found treasure. Oh, yeah, Santa had nothing on two naked adults. There was no possible way she could turn any more red. Instead, she buried her face in the pillow. The image of her lying sprawled out, naked and open with Dec’s hands roaming over her, washed through her mind again. Oh, yeah, this is going to be Michael’s red letter Christmas. He was entirely too young to have such an eyeful. It was just so wrong…
He grinned at the pillow. Rori buried herself like an ostrich. Ah, hell, his godson just saw way more of him than he should’ve. Well, this oughta bring on some serious penis questions later… hopefully not in the middle of Christmas dinner. The boys had already compared their equipment and were pretty sure that even though they were identical everywhere else, their weenies (Mica’s choice) were clearly different sizes. The argument about who had the biggest was just about the funniest thing he’d ever heard. Killian, Jr. put him on the floor when he demanded a ruler.
Ah, yeah, good times…
“Santa came, huh? Well thanks for letting us know. How ‘bout you go check out your loot, and we’ll be down in a few minutes? Miss Rori’s got a boo boo I need to fix.”
Michael nodded soberly before lighting up like a tree bulb. “Okay, Uncle Dec! Bye!” With that, he flew out the door, slamming it hard enough to make Rori jump.
While he pondered the innocence of four-year olds, Rori slipped her hand between his legs.
“Merry Christmas, Mr. Crowley.”
The noise was deafening. It was shocking how much noise three over-stimulated young boys could make. It only got louder the closer they got to the living room. Awwww... She wouldn’t believe it if she didn’t see it with her own eyes. Bad ass Killian sat on the floor, under siege by the triplets. They were all trying to climb him at once. Identical and adorable, the boys were sturdy and strong; there was no doubt who their daddy was. They dog piled their father who collapsed under them before dragging each into some kind of daddy tickling machine game. Bloodcurdling war cries drowned out occasional grunts of pain as a knee or elbow connected with a soft spot. Rafe worked his way to the top and waved cheerfully at her before diving in again. They were a hot mess.
The real canine perched on the couch with head cocked, tongue lolling in a doggy grin. She thumped her tail as soon as she noticed Rori. The dog was a pretty, petite thing. Her delicate features were picture perfect. She was dressed up for the holiday with a soft red leather collar. At Rori’s attention, she nodded once. Dismissed.
This was the first Christmas spent with other people in more years than she could say. If you counted the few times she went to mass and the one time she spent the holiday in a homeless shelter… this was probably only the fifth time she was around people since her last foster family ditched her. She was a regular Little Match Girl for a few years until she shrugged it off as just her life. Not everyone has a Hallmark Christmas. That was just how it was.
She had no real idea what to expect, but holy shit, Mica had turned this place into a movie set. The massive tree held court a picturesque but still safe distance from the cheerfully burning fireplace. Dripping with colored lights and simple gold ornaments, it was topped with the most gorgeous angel she’d ever seen. Its wings spread wide to give it balance, its hair flowed down its white-robed back. It held a golden sword in one hand. The fierce expression looked so real it might have been alive. But the beautiful top of the tree couldn’t compete with the flash of color exploding from its bottom. The underside was bursting with piles of brightly-wrapped presents. Odds were pretty good that most of them were for the kids… but Dec had already warned her that they were going to have a ton of people here for lunch, so maybe some were for them.
She drank it all in with a huge sigh. It was magical. The gorgeous tree gleamed softly; Trans-Siberian Orchestra rocked the house; a cheery fire burned and wind howled past the windows. It was more than she could stand without getting all choked up. The tender kiss on the back of her neck sealed the deal.
“I knew you’d like it,” the kisser teased before turning her in his arms. “Are you all right? You look like you’re going to cry.”
“It’s just… so much! I’ve always wanted a family. I’ve always wanted to have Christmas. It’s too bad it’s my last one.”
“Look at me. Do you see these people? This is your family now. We’re here for you, Rori. You’re part of us now. We accept you for who you are, for what you are.”
She gave up on swallowing the lump in her throat. It was trying its best to strangle her. Instead of shoving it away, she drew in a ragged breath. With tears in her eyes, she said, “It’s too good to be true. All of this is more than I’ve ever dreamed. You… you have to know how hard it is for me to believe in a happy ending. I… I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, let alone next year or forever. I’m trying to live one day at a time. It’s the best I can do.”
Lowering his voice, he pulled her against him, pleading in her ear, “Don’t walk away from me, Rori! When this is over, I swear we have a life together. Give me a chance to show you what your life could be. You deserve a life without fear, without pain. Let me give it to you. We’ll start fresh; start from the beginning. A man meets a beautiful woman and magic happens. No more nightmares. No more demons. Just you and me… You and me. Give me a chance to love you.”
Her voice was gone. She didn’t trust herself to say a word. Instead, she nodded and buried her face in his shirt. He wanted a chance? She wanted what he offered so badly she could taste it. But was that kind of happiness really possible? God’s truth? She didn’t know.
Dropping a sweet kiss on her forehead, he lifted her chin and said, “I’m actually insulted by your lack of faith in me. I’ll have you know my track record with saving damsels is almost 100 percent. I haven’t lost a woman in over 1,000 years. So the odds are in your favor.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes, really.” All joking stopped. A few seconds drifted by before he spoke again. “There is no way in hell I’m letting that demon take you. It’s not going to happen. Period. We’re already working on a way out of this. I swear on my life to keep you and your pretty little so
ul safe. Do you believe me?”
“It’ll take a miracle.”
He shrugged and grinned down at her. “Oh, is that all?”
Mica poked her head out of the kitchen. Wearing flowing black pants and a silky ruby blouse with diamond-shaped cutouts around the neck, she looked more elegant than Rori had ever dreamed of being. Her heavy chestnut hair was piled on the top of her head in a messy, yet somehow still artful pile. Her cheeks bloomed, and her eyes glittered with more firepower than that tree. Clearly she was a Christmas person. The decorations, the music, the smell of cookies… but there was something else lurking behind the grin on her face and the twinkle in her eyes. She had a secret.
“Hey, lovebirds!” She shot Rori a knowing glance and winked. “There’s coffee if you’re tired.”
Pulling Dec into a hug, she rubbed her nails over the scruff on his jaw before saying, “I’m so happy for you both. Come in and relax while we open presents.” Ignoring the chaos in the middle of the floor, she gestured for Rori to follow, yelling, “Boys! Let Daddy up so he can play Santa!”
The herd of children magically rose from their prey, stampeding to the living room where they waited with absolutely no patience. The noise level hit a high note as they argued over who got to go first and who got the biggest present. Killian dusted off his butt and grinned at Rori’s shocked expression. “Yeah, yeah, I know. Loud.”
“Hey! There’s Sean!” Rafe announced before throwing himself between his two brothers.
Sean had come in so quietly Rori missed it. He didn’t look happy. His jaw was set like he was grinding his teeth. His usually mesmerizing eyes were glowing, literally glowing with a faint blue fire. Dec followed him into the kitchen. She strained to hear, but that was pretty much impossible.
“It’s Aisling.” Mica caught her expression and filled her in. “She’s pissed at Sean again and wouldn’t commit to bringing Sean Michael here for his visitation. She’s in London. Sean traveled to see them, but she wouldn’t let him bring the little guy back with him.” She frowned and added in a harder tone, “She can be such a bitch sometimes. It wouldn’t kill her to give Sean a break once in a while. He’s done right by her in more ways than she knows.”
Broken Souls (Primani Book 4) Page 32