John pulled a small notepad out of his front pocket and scribbled on it. "This is my sister Janet's number. If you have any more questions, give her a call. She loves to talk about this sort of stuff so I know she'd be more than happy to talk to you. In fact, she told me to tell you that."
I slipped the paper into the back pocket of my jeans. "Okay. Thanks, John."
He gave a nod and shook Kade's hand. "Good luck." He then turned and yelled for the guys to get in the truck. "You folks be careful." He swung up into the front cab and gave a final wave before slamming the door.
Kade and I watched the truck pull away and once it disappeared completely from view, we both heaved a sigh and turned to look at the house. "It's going to be interesting around here for a while, isn't it?"
I nodded in agreement then added for emphasis, "Yeah. I think so."
Chapter 4
We decided to get the kitchen and bedroom done first and the rest of the house as we got to it. Though we set right to work unpacking boxes, it wasn't long before our growling stomachs had us stop to eat the Chinese take-out Kade had the foresight to pick up for dinner. While we ate, we made our plans for how we wanted to put the kitchen together and then tackled the task with a vengeance once we'd satisfied our hunger. It was my hope to have at least this one room done before we turned in for the night and judging on the progress we were making, that was not going to be a problem.
We worked in companionable silence, speaking only when needing direction or assistance. Kade was a quick, efficient and companionable worker. I was more than glad for his company, especially when the sun faded from sight and the night took over. No doubt about it, spirit activity is more prevalent during the dark hours and I could feel the increase in energy as the evening wore on. We were going to be in for it. In what way and to what extent, I had no idea but I was mentally preparing myself for anything.
My psyche obviously was on alert for I felt super sensitive to the very air currents around me. More than once I experienced the wisp of something brush close and I can't even say how many times I thought Kade had tapped my shoulder only to turn around and find him across the room and occupied with a task. I even caught him glancing back a time or two as if checking for the same thing. Now and then our eyes would meet and he'd wiggle his brows at me in exaggerated suggestiveness. Silly as it was, it eased some of the tension building with increasing intensity within us.
It wasn't until we climbed the stairs to work on the master bedroom that things got awkward. By tacit agreement, we prepared the room knowing that both of us would be sharing it later that night. My stomach began to quiver with the furious flutter of butterflies as we made the bed together. Once the task was completed, we stood on opposite sides of the mattress and stared at each other for a long quiet moment. I knew his thoughts were chasing down the same gutter as mine. Why were we bothering to make a bed we would soon be climbing into? And as to that, why weren't we in it already?
"Tess, if you want..."
Whatever he was about to say, I'll never know because at that precise moment the bedroom door slammed closed with such force it shook the rafters. I always thought that a cliché statement but it's exactly what happened. Filled with apprehension, we moved at the same time, heading for the door and praying it would open. It didn't.
"What the hell? We can't get ourselves locked in rooms every time we enter one." Kade gave the door another hard, ineffectual tug and looked at me with one dark brow raised in question. "So what do we do?"
Darn if I knew. Even though things like this have happened before, there was no specific guideline on what to do about it. In fact, this very thing happened at Sea Willow Haven, the resort that first lured me to Maine. The spirits there, though, weren't quite so active as this. Certainly not as vindictive. "I'm not sure what to do."
Kade ran an agitated hand through his hair. "We might have to disable the locks on all the doors. At least the ones inside the house."
"Yes, I think that's a good idea." But what to do now?
As we stood there contemplating the situation, the silence stretched between us. I think it began to sink into our thoughts at about the same time as to where it was that we were trapped. In the bedroom. At what point our minds started worrying less about the locked door and became more preoccupied with the fact that we were alone in a bedroom with no more excuses between us, I'm not sure. But it happened pretty fast considering it took us two months to get here.
It’s been two years since I last slept with a man and that seemed like another lifetime ago. I was twenty-five years old and had gone long enough without physical affection. Every nerve ending in my body had suddenly become highly sensitized to the man standing so close I felt his body heat. Anticipation trilled across my skin and when I lifted my eyes to meet Kade's, his were nearly black, his face shadowed with the growing passion springing to life between us.
"Tess..." Kade stepped forward and then we were both wrapped in each other's arms before we even realized our intent. Kade's mouth sought mine and I lifted it to him eagerly, meeting his tongue in a sensual dance that only increased our sudden desperate need for each other. I slid my arms around his neck and pulled him closer, molding my body to his and loving the feel of his hard strength. This was going to be good and I could hardly wait another moment for it to happen.
Kade moved against me, backing me towards the bed as his lips left mine to scorch a trail across my cheek and down along my neck. His warm mouth and hot breath felt so good that I let my head fall back to give him better access. When the back of my legs touched the mattress, we both tumbled upon it and I immediately arched into his body, reveling in the feel of his weight pressing against me.
Kade's large artistic hands slipped inside my sweater and glided across my skin, making me twist and turn into his touch and want more, so very much more. My breathing became labored as my body reacted to the sensual excitement he was causing and his masculine scent filled my nose. I drew it in deeply and groaned my appreciation. He smelled so good, his cologne not overpowering but subtle and mixing deliciously with his body chemistry. I kissed along his strong jaw toward his ear, loving it when he shuddered in response.
For a brief moment he stilled, and then groaning low in his throat, Kade lifted his head and looked at me. The need burning in his gaze only increased my own and I tugged at him in the effort to bring that delightful mouth of his back to mine. "Tess ... we won't have an audience will we?"
"What?" The question was so unexpected that it threw me at first. And then I realized what he meant and let my head fall back against the mattress. The laughter that bubbled up was as much amusement as it was growing sensual excitement. "I don't think people turn into voyeurs when they die. Their perception of our world isn't quite the same as ours. They can't see what we are doing per se."
It was hard to talk about spirits when my mind was preoccupied with his body but I tried to focus and give him the reassurance he seemed to need. I did not, however, stop my explorations of his broad chest as I did so. "They can detect our presence but I don't think they can actually see us or what we are doing. Sort of like us with them." I gave him a teasing smile before planting small kisses along his jawline. "Why? Does it bother you to have a room full of spirits while you are engaged in ... private activities?"
Kade's mouth returned to plunder mine for a few thrilling moments then he let up enough to mumble against my lips. "Let them watch if that's their kick. I don't care."
The kiss we shared after that was hot and demanding and hungry with sensual need. The heat generating between us soon had us panting for air and seeking to eliminate the hindrance of clothing. While Kade struggled to pull his t-shirt over his head, I explored all that beautiful, exposed skin. He let out a low appreciative groan and the sound of it sent thrills of answering passion rippling through me. When he tossed aside his shirt then tugged on my sweater, I quickly helped in the shedding of it. Suddenly it was all taking too long and our impatience grew as we eager
ly and somewhat awkwardly set to the task of unclothing each other.
Though our sensual enjoyment filled our thoughts and created quite an all-consuming thrill, it finally began to register that our twisting and twining bodies wasn't the only thing going on. Kade had just released the clasp to my bra and was pulling it impatiently out of his way when I suddenly realized what else was happening.
The bed was shaking.
I think he realized it at the same time because his head was dipping toward my breasts, which I might add were moving along with the bed, when he suddenly went very still, then pushed himself up on his forearms. After giving me only the briefest of glances, his eyes hot and burning with passion, he turned his head in an effort to focus on what was happening beyond our twined bodies.
Now that we were no longer squirming against each other, the bed's intermittent shaking became more noticeable.
"What's going on now?" Kade's voice was rough and deep and I loved the sound of it. More than anything I wanted to reach for him again but the wary look entering his eyes told me our passionate interlude had just come to an end.
Before I could formulate some sort of answer, the bed shook again, hard, making the headboard knock against the wall in its intensity. Naked from the waste up and not in the best mental or physical state to deal with this, we both looked at each other in dismay. Even with the bed shaking becoming more pronounced, the sexual intensity between us was flared high and just looking at him made me weak with need. One part of me wanted to ignore the bed and get back to business ... another part, the more reasonable part, told me I needed to take care of this or the other wasn't going to happen at all.
"Can you detect them, Tess?" Though he waited for my reply and was obviously interested in hearing it, his hot gaze roamed over my exposed body and increased my impatience to get rid of this unwanted problem. It was just so unfair. Why were they doing this?
Though it was hard to concentrate with Kade's body draped over mine, his hips pressing against me so intimately I could feel his erection in a most delicious way, I closed my eyes and cast out my psychic feelers. With my senses heightened from our sensual activities, it didn't take me long to realize that the energy in the room was swirling around us like crazy.
"Oh yes, we definitely have company." It was a strong energy and I didn't get a warm fuzzy about it. Perhaps my acknowledgment of its presence made it stronger because the front end of the bed suddenly lifted off the floor then crashed back down with a bone-jarring thump.
Kade made a noise and when I looked at him, I was at once wary of the strange look on his face. It was a dark look and it made me shiver in response and not in a good way. Though I expected him to make a comment about the bed lifting off the floor, he did not. Instead he brought his head down and kissed me hard. There was something off about the way he did it. He wasn't as gentle as he'd been before.
His hands moved to capture mine and once he had them in his grip, he pressed them firmly to the bed on either side of my head. At first, briefly, I thought his aggressiveness somewhat exciting but when his hands tightened painfully, I wrenched away from his kiss in protest.
"Kade, your grip is too tight." But he acted as if he didn't even hear me and his kisses grew a little rougher. I tried quite ineffectually to twist away as fear began to take hold within me, killing the eager passion of only moments before. "Kade, stop."
He stilled at once then lifted his head to look at me and I gasped in dismay to see how dark his eyes had become. Without saying a word, he brought his mouth back down to mine and delivered a bruising kiss that was not pleasurable in any way. Something was really wrong here!
When he lifted his head to change the angle of his kisses, I pressed as far away from him as I could get and turned my head. He let go of one of my hands so he could grasp a handful of my hair and tug me back to his mouth. At first I cooperated in hopes that it would ease his aggressiveness but it only encouraged it. Glad to have one hand free, I pushed at his shoulder and managed to break free of his mouth.
"Kade, can you hear me?" A sick feeling quivered in my stomach as I realized I wasn't dealing with the man I loved but with something else. Somehow I had to get through to him. Praying for some divine assistance, I pressed my hand to his cheek and forced him to look at me, meeting his dark, unblinking gaze head on. "Kade, look at me. Look ... at ... me!"
Some sort of emotion stirred in his eyes and then he blinked. The tension in his body eased up and then he relaxed against me, closing his eyes and giving his head a hard shake. His grip on my hand gentled and then his fingers entwined with mine as if seeking support.
When he finally opened his eyes and looked at me, the warmth he always had there was back but so was confusion. "Christ almighty, Tess, what the hell just happened?"
Tears blurred my vision of his handsome face and the confused scowl marring it. I blinked them away as I tugged my other hand from his and put my arms around his neck, hugging him close. "I'm not sure."
Feeling responsible for letting the negative entity take advantage of Kade like that, I kissed his cheek then buried my face against him. All I wanted to do was hold him close and keep him safe from the evil I was beginning to realize was much more than I expected. That it managed to take control of Kade was frightening. And it wasn't gone.
"Listen to me. Whatever entity is here, it's not a good one. We need to clear this room."
"What just happened to me? One minute I'm looking at you and the next thing I know I am kissing you. Only I don't feel like I had any control over what I was doing."
He wasn't going to like my answer and so I hesitated in giving it. But that only increased his growing displeasure over the whole thing. Oh God. What if this drove him away? What would I do then?
"Tess?"
I felt him emotionally withdrawing from me and more tears filled my eyes. Kade brushed them away with his thumbs before pushing himself up away from me and off the bed. He snatched his shirt from the floor and yanked it on then retrieved mine and handed it to me.
More tears trickled down my face as I pulled the sweater over my head then pressed it to my eyes. Kade sank down beside me and gently tugged on it until my face came into view. He offered me a reassuring smile and used a corner of the sheet to wipe away the tears. Once he saw that I was no longer crying, he continued to tug my sweater back into place. Upset as I was, I couldn't help but give a wobbly smile as his fingers brushed against my breasts as he did so.
"Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" The agony of that worry was all over his face and I quickly rushed to dispel it.
"No, Kade. No you didn't hurt me." I leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his mouth. "It was over quickly."
"What was over, Tess?" His voice was grave, his eyes guarded as they met and held mine.
"I think the entity was influencing you for a short time."
His mouth pressed together with displeasure and he pushed up from the bed to pace the room, running his hands through his hair and tugging at it with agitation. "I was possessed?"
"Not really, no. It was influencing you but I don't think it had full possession of you."
"What's the damned difference if I'm doing something with my body against my own will?" His anger grew with each passing second and the room grew cold right along with his increased agitation. "How did that happen? How do I stop it from happening again?"
I stared at him helplessly for I had no idea. This was beyond my understanding. "It took us by surprise and that was how it got ... in ... I think. We were pondering the bed, focused on that, and with our thoughts directed elsewhere, it managed to ... to influence you."
"Influence me? What did I do?" Kade came back to stand in front of me, his stance somewhat aggressive, and wary tension escalated within me that it was happening again.
My stomach knotting with apprehension, I slid off the bed on the opposite side to where he stood. I did not want to be vulnerable to him should he become influenced once again. It dawned on me that the door w
as locked and I had no way of getting away should that need arise. It was a scary situation and I never would have believed I'd be dealing with something like this.
"You didn't really do anything, Kade. You held my hands against the bed and you kissed me."
"But you didn't like it did you? I could feel your tension when I became aware of what was happening." He moved quickly, coming around the bed and grabbing my shoulders, his gaze blazing with the intensity of his feelings. "Did I hurt you?"
"No. You were a little rough but you didn't hurt me. I don't believe the entity could influence you to hurt me." Oh how I wanted to believe that. But I didn't and that scared the hell out of me.
"You're lying. I can see it in your eyes." He scowled and squeezed my shoulders and when his eyes began to darken I pushed at his chest, snapping him out of it.
"Kade, listen to me. There's something here ... a male spirit and he's not a nice one. He's using you right now ... feeding off your anger. Please be calm so we can figure this out."
Kade let me go and stepped back. "Christ, Tess, tell me what to do."
I never thought I'd see him as panicked as this but he was afraid of hurting me and suddenly I wasn't. My fear evaporated as I wound my arms around his neck and when I couldn't get him to dip his head so I could kiss his mouth, I kissed his chin instead. "We combat his anger with love, Kade. I love you."
His gaze immediately softened in response, his eyes flaring with emotion as he quickly responded to my declaration with one of his own. "I love you too, Tess. I fell in love with you at Sea Willow Haven."
The cold receded and I knew the entity was gone. Thank God. "I've been falling in love with you from the moment I set eyes on you. I fought it pretty hard but you are quite irresistible."
Kade smiled and pulled me against me, hugging me tight but not uncomfortably so. "Tess, you are an amazing woman and I swear I'll do anything to keep you safe." He pulled away just enough to look at me, his expression solemn. "Even if that means I have to leave."
Vanquishing Ghosts (Tess Schafer-Medium) Page 5