Phantom Mischief
Page 17
A scream froze in Shanna’s throat as black, hollowed eyes peered back at her. Sections of dark, matted, stringy hair partially covered the female’s gray-colored cheeks. And when she smiled, eerie, reddish-black lips parted, exposing sharp, yellow teeth.
Dear God!
“Her blood is red.”
The smell of decaying flesh breached Shanna’s nostrils and she gagged. “Niall! I… I see her. She… She’s stand…standing in front of me.”
“Come to me, love. Slowly. Don’t take your eyes off her.”
Shanna swallowed and very carefully scooted away from the desk. After each foot of distance she gained, she paused, watching Bridget’s reaction and fearing her next move. But she didn’t move and she hovered inches above the floor in a long, white, tattered nightgown, her hollowed eyes glaring at Shanna.
Only when Shanna felt Niall’s hands on her waist and he lifted her to his lap did she realize she’d been holding her breath. And then Bridget began inching forward. “Oh God, Niall, she’s coming closer.”
“Don’t show your fear,” Niall whispered sternly in Shanna’s ear.
Too late!
“She thrives on it.”
Shanna wrapped her arms around Niall’s neck and, not knowing what to expect, held on to him for dear life. The closer Bridget narrowed the distance, the bigger Shanna’s eyes bulged. She pulled her legs onto Niall’s lap and buried her knees against her chest.
The sound of her breaths surpassed her thundering heart and as she struggled to curl closer to his body, he locked his arms tightly around her calves.
And then Bridget stopped directly in front of them, glaring and laughing wickedly as if knowing there was nothing Shanna could do to escape her wrath. Her hand shot forward and latched onto a chunk of Shanna’s hair. As Shanna tried prying the gnarly fingers free, Niall eased his grip on her legs.
“You can’t have him, Bridget,” Shanna shouted, suddenly overtaken by the urge to protect him rather than shelter herself from harm. “He’s mine.” She broke free from Niall’s arms and stood, completely shielding his body.
Bridget let go of Shanna’s hair and backhanded her hard across the face. Other than a slight jerk of her head, Shanna barely flinched. “He doesn’t love you. Go home.”
“La-la, see me cry. It’s now time for Shanna to die.”
Before Shanna could blink, Bridget grabbed her arm and flung her across the room. She crashed into the wall. The back side of her shoulders hit with searing pain and she slid to the floor.
“Bridget!”
Just then a cool draft filtered past Shanna and a dark figure emerged beside the bed.
“Get out,” it shouted. “You’ve harmed enough people.”
Sir Henry?
This was just a whole lot of unbelievable craziness.
Shanna’s mouth dropped. She snapped it shut and glanced at Niall as he stood. But as he headed toward Shanna, Bridget tripped him and he dropped, cracking his head on the desk.
Shanna’s eyes bulged and her heart lurched as he fell unconscious to the floor. She crawled across the room and laid his head on her lap. “Niall?” An ugly, large bump protruded between his temple and brow bone but he wasn’t bleeding. She lightly patted his face. Her hands trembled and tears filled her eyes while assessing his limp body. “Niall, can you hear me?”
“Bridget, you have defied me a final time. For your deceitfulness, you have been fated to everlasting darkness.”
Shanna gasped when she heard what sounded like hundreds of footsteps skittering across the carpet. The fibers caved, leaving imprints, but she couldn’t see the invisible beings running across the room.
“Daddy! Daddy, no! Don’t let them take me!”
Bridget thrashed her body to break free as her arms and legs were captured and she was dragged across the room. “Daddy, I promise I won’t hurt anyone ever again.”
“Go with the demons where you belong. You’re not welcome here.”
“Daddy, noooo,” she wailed.
As Bridget was yanked through the door, her shrill screams fading to silence, Sir Henry’s apparition followed. The cold air instantly dissipated and peacefulness filled the atmosphere. No threat of evil lingered. No keen sense of an unseen presence.
“Niall, please wake up,” Shanna begged, petting his brow. “I’ll stay in Ireland with you forever. I promise.”
His eyes popped open. “Will you now?”
“Yes.” And she meant it. She lowered her head and kissed every inch of his handsome face.
“Whoa, Shanna. I’d love to spread those sexy legs and make love to you ’til morning,” he rubbed his temple and winced, “but I’ve got a hell of a pain in my skull that may interfere with my performance. For your benefit, give me a moment.”
She sat back on her haunches and laid her hand over his heart. The strong beat thumped against her palm. Little by little she slid her finger over his chiseled muscles. His skin was so blessedly hot and it instantly warmed her blood.
Niall took her hand and placed it to his lips. Slowly he sat up and pulled her onto his lap. “Are they gone?”
She nodded. “The demons carried Bridget away. I don’t think we’ll be bothered by her anymore.”
“Sir Henry called on the demons? No, she won’t be coming back. That’s the ultimate sentence for a ghost, love.”
“Dare I ask?”
“Hell.”
“Oh.” Not that it wasn’t deserved. Bridget obviously earned that fate of her own free will. “So, should I pack my clothes?”
“Going somewhere?”
“If I’ll be living in Ireland, I need a place to stay. I can’t afford renting this room every night without a job.”
He slid his hands in the hair above her ears and brought their foreheads together. “You’re sure? That’s giving up a lot for me.”
Again she nodded. “I’m sure.”
She could very well spend the rest of her life with Niall in his cottage in the woods. He’d introduced her to a life of enchantment. A world no one would ever believe existed unless they’d experienced it themselves. She wanted to grow old with him, even if he failed to age. She had no idea what the witch’s spell entailed, but time would tell.
Maybe one day she’d wake up to discover it’d all been a dream. But as long as she woke up beside Niall, it was okay. She’d even tolerate Áine Byrne, owner extraordinaire, and her haunted hotel if Shanna and Niall encountered her during their romps to the playroom. For sure they’d be visiting and utilizing it often.
Someone or something summoned Shanna back to Tullamore for a reason. And she knew she belonged there, even if it meant enduring a little phantom mischief while falling in love with the man of her dreams.
About Jennifer LaRose
Jennifer LaRose resides in Ohio, where she was born and raised. She’s surrounded by loving family and friends whose charm and wit never cease to amaze her. They serve as the backbone, encouragement and inspiration to her writing career.
Jennifer works full-time in the healthcare field, plays the non-stop domestic role and writes during every available moment in between. She is multi-published, writes in other genres and loves to receive mail from her readers.
Jennifer welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Jennifer LaRose
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Print books by Jennifer LaRose
Trouble, Toys & Tempting Cowboys
Ellora’s Cave Publishing
www.ellorascave.com
Phantom Mischief
ISBN 9781419946806
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Phantom Mi
schief Copyright © 2013 Jennifer LaRose
Edited by Beverly Horne
Cover design and photography by Syneca
Additional cover photography by John Wollwerth, Lafotoa/Shutterstock.com
Model: DeAngelo
Electronic book publication June 2013
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