“Edna?” Erin spoke quietly so she wouldn’t wake the children. She walked to the living room and saw the older woman sitting on the couch, snoring softly with a closed book on her lap.
Edna opened her eyes. “Oh, you’re home.” She sat up straight and smiled. “Did you have a nice time?”
Erin sat beside her and patted her arm. “Yes, a great time. How were the kids?”
“Good as always.”
Edna had been a close friend and neighbor of Erin’s grandparents years ago when they had owned Erin’s house. After Erin had inherited the house and she and William had moved in, Edna had become a generous babysitter.
Erin walked Edna the short distance home, and after returning she climbed the stairs and peeked in on the children. Matt and Gwen were sound asleep, so she went to her room and closed the door. She approached the corner of her bedroom and lit both candles on the small, cloth-covered table, and kneeling on the floor, she gazed at a photograph illuminated by the flames. The photo showed a smiling man sitting in a sailboat, a captain’s hat on his head. She touched it and whispered, “I’m so sorry, William.” She bowed her head and sank to the floor. After several minutes, she blew out the candles and climbed into bed.
*****
Erin raced over the moors, her dark hair streaming behind her as the wind and rain tried to force her back. She could hear nothing but the wind. Lightning streaked across the sky, flashing brightness across the wild land, and there, a little way ahead, she could see the shadow. A scream, and she knew she was close. She raced on, forcing her way against the storm.
Suddenly all was black. Where was that girl? Erin slowed her pace. The lightning blazed again, and she saw the precipice at her feet. She caught herself, stopping at the ledge. The sound of the waves from far below roared even louder than the wind. Leaning over the edge, she called out, “Where are you?”
“I’m here. I’m stuck,” the girl answered from below.
“I’ll help you. Look—I think the moon is rising,” Erin called.
A little moonlight gleamed through the streaming clouds showing the face of the cliff and the figure plastered against the wall below. Her wide eyes stared up at Erin, her pale face streaked with mud.
“No, look out, behind you,” screamed the girl.
Erin felt the icy darkness behind her and caught her breath. She turned and drew her sword. The mortifer loomed over her, the shape of a man shrouded in gloom. Its piercing eyes gleamed with hunger; its stench of decay nearly gagged her. She raised her sword. The shadow struck first, smashing her right arm. Erin fell, pushed down to her knees into the mud, her sword arm pinned by the dark creature’s foul blade. With her other hand she reached for the knife in her boot. It glittered in the moonlight as she pulled it from its sheath, and she thrust upward with all her strength. Her hand and arm froze as she struck, but her knife sliced through. The mortifer lurched backwards howling, and Erin leapt up, grabbing her sword.
The shadow swung its blade hard, but she dodged and it missed. She thrust her sword full force into its shrouded darkness. With her frozen hand, she struck with her knife again. The mortifer dropped its sword and collapsed into the mud. Its wail shot through the night, piercing through the sound of the wind and waves. Its cold blackness and stench poured out like vapor, faded, and were gone.
Moonlight brightened the moor, and Erin dashed to the cliff again, searching for the girl. She rubbed her cold arm and called out, “It’s gone—you can come back.”
The girl below didn’t answer, but Erin could see her form against the face of the cliff. “Try to climb. It’s gone now. You can come up.”
“I can’t climb. It’s too slippery.”
Erin stretched out her arm and rubbed it again, sensation creeping back into her fingers.
“Hold on, I’ll be down.”
She eased over the edge of the cliff. The slick rocks were muddy and treacherous, but Erin found many small handholds, and with care, she climbed to the spot where the girl clung. When she reached her, the girl asked, “What happened to that thing? What did you do?”
“It was an evil shadow, nothing more, and it’s faded away now,” Erin said. “Let me help.”
“I’m afraid to move.”
Erin took her by the hand, placing it carefully upward a little, then moved the other hand and guided her feet. They slowly made their way back to the top.
The rain had stopped, and they both scrambled over the ledge and lay on the muddy grass. Erin stood and helped the girl to her feet. She stood as tall as Erin, and she wiped her hands on her clothes and smoothed her hair from her eyes.
“Think of a place you love—a place where you feel safe,” Erin said.
The girl looked at her with questioning eyes. “What do you mean?”
“Do you remember a favorite place, somewhere with good memories?”
The girl nodded, and the sky slowly brightened. The sun broke through the clouds, which rolled away to the horizon. The girl’s eyes opened wide, and she looked around as the moor became a meadow. Willow trees lined a small creek. The wind softened to a light breeze, barely stirring their hair, and they heard the creek bubbling over its stony bed.
They walked to the creek and sat down on soft grass dotted with buttercups. The sunshine warmed their hair, and Erin closed her eyes and inhaled the fresh, clean air.
The girl trailed her hand in the water, and a smile crept over her face. “I know this place. This is where I came for picnics when I was small.”
“This is beautiful. It could be my safe place too. What’s your name?”
“Carolyn.”
“Remember this place, Carolyn. If you are afraid a shadow is coming, think of this place.”
Carolyn scrambled to her feet, fear in her eyes. “I thought you killed that thing. Can it come back? What will I do?”
Erin stood up beside her and put her hand on the girl’s arm. “You tell it to be gone, and it will. You think of this place, and you’ll be here, safe.”
“I just tell it to be gone? But why didn’t you do that? Why would that work for me?”
“Because this is your dream, not mine.”
Carolyn nodded and lay down on the grass, and Erin lay down beside her. When she looked toward Carolyn again she was gone, and Erin relaxed, knowing the girl had wandered into an ordinary, restful dream.
She closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of the sunshine. A breeze rustled the leaves overhead, and Erin opened her eyes again. She had left Carolyn’s place and was lying on the grass in front of the library near Aleesha’s shop. The sunshine was still bright, and the wind blew a few white clouds across the sky. The street in front of Erin was empty—no cars, no people. Not even a seagull flew overhead. All she could hear was the wind and distant waves.
The sudden approach of footfalls made her sit up straight. A man was walking along the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street. He was tall, dressed in black with a long sword hanging from his belt, and he hadn’t noticed her. Who could he be? She kept still. He walked past, and Erin relaxed. Just then he stopped and turned, looking directly at her. He brushed his dark hair from his forehead and slowly drew his sword from its scabbard.
*****
Erin jolted upright and found she was in her own bed. Closing her eyes again, she lay back down and tried to drift back into the dark dream that had awakened her, hoping she could remember some of it. She’d tried hundreds of times already, but rarely could she remember more than glimpses of cold, dark shapes in the shadows.
A vague memory reached toward her. She heard the sound of ocean waves crashing against rocks and saw the glint of a sword. Her skin grew cold, her breathing became short and shallow, but the memory soon faded away.
She climbed out of bed into the dark of the room, her feet sinking into the comfort of the thick wool rug, and slipped on her kimono. The fine blue silk was soft and light against her skin—a gift from William.
She walked barefoot downstairs in the dark. Slipp
ing out the kitchen door, she gasped at the brisk air, then ran on her toes down the narrow path over smooth, well-worn stones, through the fragrant garden to the beach.
The last stars faded with the approaching dawn, and Erin listened to the lapping of waves against the rocky shore. Her bare feet were cold on the rocks. She stooped to pick up a stone and threw it into the water, releasing some of her tension.
These dreams had been tormenting her for nearly two years, dreams that disturbed her so much they shocked her awake, but still she could barely remember them. She felt surrounded by fog, and her anger flared.
She gathered more stones and threw them hard, one by one into the water. The familiar activity soothed her, and she started skipping the stones over the water’s surface. The sun, although still hidden behind the hills, had risen, and Erin took a deep breath and gazed out over the smooth, dark water.
She turned away from the beach and walked back to her house, made some coffee and went upstairs. In her room, she touched the photo of William, bowing her head. These early morning hours were when she felt the most alone. She sighed, walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower, ready to begin another day.
Chapter 3
Matt was almost finished with his breakfast. “I need some money for my school lunch account today.”
“You’re down to zero already? It seems like I just gave you forty dollars,” Erin said and sipped her coffee.
“That was a long time ago. I’ve been out for a few days, but I borrowed from Jacob. I need to pay him back, too.”
Erin wondered if she had anything left in her bank account. “I’ll give you some cash today. How about ten dollars? Then I can give you a check to take to school when I get paid Friday.”
“Okay.” Matt ran upstairs to get dressed.
Gwen pushed her cereal around in the bowl with her spoon.
“Hey, you,” Erin said. “Why don’t you eat some of that?”
Gwen put a spoonful of cereal in her mouth. After she swallowed, she said, “Can I be done?”
Erin looked at the half-empty bowl, sighed, and said, “Sure. Go get dressed, sweetie.”
She walked into the living room and looked out the window toward Puget Sound. A breeze was blowing, scattering blossoms from the trees and raising a few white caps. After finishing her coffee, she pulled her purse out of the closet. She looked at her checkbook, subtracted a few numbers, and shook her head. Only twenty-three dollars left until Friday. She counted her cash—twenty dollars. She pulled out ten for Matt and put the rest back. That would go for lunch with her friends Hannah and Aleesha today. She’d be brown bagging it for the rest of the week.
They all went out to the small carport and climbed into Erin’s white Explorer. A small plaque on the visor read, “Guardian Angel by your side, through your travels, protect and guide,” and Erin brushed her thumb across it before starting the engine. She glanced at the back seat.
“Tonight I want you two to bring your trash and water bottles inside. There’s barely room for you to sit.”
“This is mostly Matt’s mess,” Gwen said.
Matthew laughed. “Those Hello Kitty wrappers aren’t mine.”
“You both have some cleaning up to do.”
Erin dropped the children off at school and drove several miles to the music store in Anacortes where she worked. The shop smelled like polished wood and old books, the oak-framed cabinets overflowing with sheet music and instruments. Between helping customers, she sat at her tall, upright piano and played a few songs.
At noon Ed, the storeowner, arrived, and Erin left for lunch. She threw on her coat and raced down the street to the Marina Café. Hannah met her at the door, and they entered together.
Erin slid to the inside of the booth, and Hannah brushed some flour off her jeans before sitting down beside her. The restaurant hummed with chatting patrons, and the clatter from the kitchen added to the homey atmosphere. The walls were sunshine yellow, and each table had a vase holding a yellow flower. Inside, it was easy to forget the steady drizzle outside.
“What were you baking this morning?” Erin asked.
“Scones.” A strand of Hannah’s blond hair had escaped its braid, and she tucked it behind her ear. “All the tourists want scones in the afternoon these days. I made some dried cherry and hazelnut ones today.”
“Mm, sounds good,” Erin said. Hannah and her husband Carlos owned a small bakery. Erin enjoyed stopping by their shop and watching them together: Carlos with his Latin good looks, dancing around tall, blonde Hannah. Erin was glad to see Hannah today for lunch; her gentle, easygoing nature was soothing.
Aleesha pushed the door open and strolled inside. Her short dark hair was sleek and curled under, and she wore a royal blue skirt with a matching embroidered jacket. She entered the restaurant with a wave to them and blew a kiss to the owner behind the counter.
“Ladies, it’s wonderful to see you today.” Aleesha sat down and crossed her legs, then reached across the table to grasp each friend’s hand in one of her own. She looked from one to the other, smiling with her mouth closed, as if afraid her words would spill out.
“You look pleased with yourself,” Erin said, laughing. “What’s up?”
“They say good things come in threes. I just had two this morning.”
“Tell us,” Hannah said.
Aleesha grinned. “I sold the Capoeman.”
Erin gasped. “The original? The one of the raven?”
“Yes. The buyer has been eyeing the painting for weeks, and he finally came through.”
“Leesh, that’s wonderful.”
The waitress came with glasses of water and took their orders.
“What was the second thing?” Hannah asked.
Aleesha glanced at Erin. “I had a call from Kenneth.”
Erin explained to Hannah, “He’s the gallery owner who had the exhibit we went to last night. What did he want?”
“It was kind of surprising. The man you were talking to last night—the one who knew William? He’s one of Kenneth’s friends. I’ve met him a couple times before, too. Anyway, he called Kenneth today. He wants to get in touch with you, Erin. He wants to see you again, and he didn’t know how to reach you.”
“Really?” Erin picked up her water glass and took a long drink. “What did you say?”
“I told Kenneth that I was already planning a dinner party next Saturday and you were coming, and I’d be happy to invite Gary too.”
Hannah looked from one friend to the other. “Who is this Gary?”
Erin felt her face turn red. “He’s an old friend of William’s who was at the gallery last night.”
Aleesha continued, “He’s single, attractive, and has a great business. And from what Kenneth says, he was quite taken with you last night, Erin.”
Erin shook her head.
The waitress brought their food, and they started eating.
“Do you want to see him again?” Hannah asked.
“He seems very nice, and he was William’s friend,” Erin said.
A smile spread across Aleesha’s face. “Then it’s settled. Dinner at my house Saturday. I’ll invite a few more people, and we can have a party. What fun!”
Erin took another bite, wondering if she really wanted to see Gary again. She knew she’d retreated into her own quiet part of the world after William had died, but her friends kept pushing her to socialize more. Maybe she should. Gary’s face darted into her mind, his blue eyes shimmering with laughter. He had certainly intrigued her. Despite the nervous flutter in her stomach, she suddenly found herself looking forward to Aleesha’s party.
Chapter 4
The doorbell pulled Michael away from his writing, and he walked down the stairs and opened the front door. “You made it,” he said.
“I almost didn’t think I would, after all the traffic. I-5 was stop and go almost all the way from Portland,” Bruce said as he stepped inside and dropped his suitcase to the floor.
“Well, t
his is it. My new castle,” Michael said as he looked around with satisfaction. “What do you think?”
The deep burgundy and forest green of his overstuffed furniture along with the dark oak tables and Persian rugs made the rooms feel plush and warm. Several antique weapons hung above the fireplace: a halberd and Celtic spear, and two Claymore swords. On the far wall were a double-headed war axe crossed with another spear. A full suit of armor stood in the corner. Sunshine streamed through the open curtains, highlighting a large gargoyle standing guard on one side of the oak mantel.
“I think you’re nuts,” Bruce said. “It’s a nice house, but I still don’t know why you moved all the way out to this godforsaken town.”
Michael shrugged. “I told you. I need a change of scenery. Besides, this place has been in my dreams lately.”
The men walked through the house to the kitchen. Michael pulled two beers from the fridge and handed one to Bruce.
“You know, Elizabeth thinks you’re sinking into one of your dark spells,” Bruce said.
“She always worries. That’s what sisters do.” Michael grinned.
Bruce took a long drink. “You’re already settled. You’ve made good use of the last two weeks.” He scanned the weapons. “This place suits you.”
He walked into the living room where several photographs sat on top of the piano and picked up one of a small boy. After studying it, he set it back down and turned toward Michael. “You’re doing all right?”
Michael nodded. “Yeah. I am.”
Bruce sat down in the overstuffed chair and took another swallow. “I saw Marie last week.”
Michael coughed. “Where did you see her?”
“I ran into her on campus. She’s taking a couple of classes. We got together for lunch the next day.”
Michael nodded and sat down on the sofa. “She always did like you. You would have made her happier than I ever did. So, how is she?”
Viator (The Viator Chronicles Book 1) Page 2