Under the Midnight Cloak

by S. Y. Thompson

  "It's not my blood."

  Lee took both hands into hers and stared into the green eyes, trying to get Jamison to connect with her. "Was there an accident? Do I need to call the police or an ambulance?"

  Jamison stared at the front of Lee's sweatshirt and didn't show any signs of answering the question. Lee shook their joined hands once, sharply, to get her attention, ignoring what had to be dried blood flaking onto the floor.

  "Jamison, talk to me. Please."

  A deep, shuddering breath shook her frame, but she finally said, "Hank...my boss. He's dead."

  Lee had to lean forward to hear the softly spoken words. "Oh my God, are you sure? Where is he? We need to call the police."

  She started to her feet when Jamison gently tugged her back down. "They already know. Sheriff Macke is there now."

  "That explains why I couldn't reach anyone," Lee mumbled under her breath.

  So many questions went through her head simultaneously, but she pushed them away. Jamison didn't need an inquisition right now.

  "I'm going to get you something to drink. Are you okay for a minute?"

  Jamison nodded and Lee quickly went to the library to retrieve the brandy she'd poured earlier. She hefted the glass, hesitated and then downed the shot. Then she poured another measure of the potent liquor and hurried back to Jamison's side. Lee knelt down in front of her again and encouraged her to drink.

  "The whole thing," she said when Jamison coughed and would have stopped.

  After the glass was empty, Lee sat it on an end table and concentrated on Jamison. She was still pale under her tan, but she had some color back in her cheeks.

  "Can you tell me what happened?"

  Slowly, haltingly Jamison described driving to Hank's house and finding the front door ajar. She spoke of the chaos she had found within and the discovery of Hank' body lying on the living room floor. Lee shivered, thinking how much the details sounded like her nightmare. Except for the monster her own twisted imagination had invented and the final detail that had awakened her from the terrible dream.

  Lee had heard of people tapping into some sort of connection across thousands of miles when a loved one was in trouble. That type of relationship hadn't formed between them yet, but they obviously had enough of one to allow her to know Jamison was in distress, if not in actual physical danger. Lee's instincts had always been strong and this was more proof that they seemed to be getting stronger.

  "I'm so sorry," Lee said gently when she finished. "Were you very close?"

  Jamison nodded. "I've known Hank all my life. He's always been there for me."

  Lee pulled the dark head onto her shoulder, content to hold Jamison for a few minutes. There was nothing she could say to make any of it right. "Do you know who did it?"

  "Not yet," Jamison answered without moving, letting Lee provide this limited physical comfort. "But I will."

  Lee pulled away. The thought of Jamison putting herself in danger terrified her. Someone had already died. What made Jamison think the killer would hesitate to make her another victim? "Please, don't tell me you're going after the killer."

  Jamison thought and finally answered, "I'm going to do everything I can to help the police find him."

  At least she hadn't said she was going after the murderer alone. Lee closed her eyes briefly. She wanted to talk Jamison out of doing anything foolish, but now wasn't the time. They both needed rest and Lee wasn't about to let her go home by herself after such a trauma. She hadn't broken down yet, but Lee knew it was coming and she wanted to be there when Jamison needed her.

  She stood and pulled gently on Jamison's hand, encouraging her to stand. "Let's get you cleaned up."

  "I...I shouldn't have bothered you. It's late. I should go."

  "Nonsense. I'm so sorry about your friend, but I'm glad you felt you could come here. And you're not going anywhere. You're staying with me tonight."

  "Why?"

  "Because you've had a terrible shock," Lee said gently, "And you shouldn't be alone."

  "I don't have any clothes."

  Lee smiled, relieved that Jamison had relented. "You can wear some of mine."

  Jamison looked down at their joined hands and hers trembled slightly. Tears brimmed in green eyes. Lee's heart broke and she wanted to pull Jamison into her arms. Instead, she led her through the house and into her bedroom. The fire had grabbed hold of the logs and burned steadily, chasing the cool night air away. The bathroom light was still on and Lee had Jamison sit in the dressing area while she got out some fresh towels and turned on the shower. She adjusted the hot water and then squatted down beside Jamison.

  "Just drop your clothes outside the door before you get in the shower. I'll get you something to wear."

  Jamison nodded mutely.

  Lee pushed dark hair back from Jamison's forehead, enjoying the full thickness under her fingers. "I'll be right outside if you need me."

  AS SOON AS the bathroom door closed, Jamison buried her face in her hands. The smell of Hank's blood was strong, but it didn't call to her jaguar. Her head felt stuffed with cotton. Her limbs were heavy and, though the desire for vengeance should have been driving her, all she wanted was to lie down and sleep. Lee's compassion comforted her, soothed the anger and made her long to be closer. But that couldn't happen while she was covered in gore.

  She stood and took off her shirt. It was a spare she carried in the truck. Sheriff Macke had taken her blood soaked garment to check for forensic evidence. Jamison still remembered how heavily stained it was and knew the police would match it to Hank's blood type. Shuddering, she quickly undressed and dropped her clothes onto the ground outside the door as Lee had instructed and then she got into the shower. She let the water pound over her head, gratefully absorbing the almost scalding heat. Red tinted the water that drained away and after a time Jamison took a loofa and bar of soap from the shelf at her side and scrubbed until her skin was sore.

  Her breathing hitched as she shampooed and rinsed, but she refused to let go of her emotions; frightened that if she did she wouldn't be able to regain control. Jamison shoved all thoughts and feelings away and finished her shower. When she climbed out, she discovered a pile of clothing on the sink edge. Lee had come and gone. Even with her enhanced senses Jamison hadn't heard, a testament to how distraught she was.

  She picked up an oversized blue t-shirt and looked at it for a second before holding it to her nose. It smelled like Lee's shampoo, lavender and blackberries, and the warmth of her body. She put it on and was surrounded by Lee's essence. Somehow, being in Lee's presence made everything tonight bearable. Lee was quickly finding her way into places inside where Jamison had never allowed anyone else.

  She dressed in the t-shirt and a pair of sweat pants, and then hung the towel over the bar before leaving the bathroom. Jamison stopped short as soon as she walked into the bedroom, an attack of nerves causing goose bumps to break out over her arms. The scene she walked into was one of seduction on the surface. A fire raged in the hearth and Lee lay in bed with the covers up to her waist. She sat propped up on several pillows and a single lamp burned next to her on the nightstand.

  Cleo barked once and broke the spell. She stood at the foot of the bed and wagged her tail. Jamison smiled at the dog's efforts to welcome her. Cleo remained wary of her, sensing danger but wanting to be friends.

  "Hey, Cleo. How are you, girl?"

  She gently stroked the dog's hard cranium, ignoring it when Cleo flinched a bit. After a few seconds, the beagle yawned and moved over to the corner of the bed where she lay down.

  "Does she always sleep with you?"

  "Yes." Lee frowned. "Is that a problem?"

  "No. Not at all."

  Jamison appreciated that Lee treated the dog as a family member, someone she loved rather than as just an animal. It spoke of the kindness in her heart and acceptance for other living creatures.

  Lee smiled and flipped back the covers on the empty side. "Come on. Let's get some rest." />
  Swallowing against a suddenly dry throat, Jamison walked over to the side of the bed and slid under the covers. She felt the heat from Lee's body as soon as she did and tried not to groan at the arousal that coursed through her.

  She knew humans would consider her reaction unseemly, but she was Panthera, her blood ran hot and she had been withholding her emotions all evening. She had been forced to curb her desire for Lee earlier during dinner and then she had been forced to abandon pursuit of the monster changeling after having partially shifted into her jaguar. Later, rage had surged through her veins when she found Hank. All of that conspired to set her animal instincts ablaze and it was hard to ignore them now.

  Lee turned toward her and Jamison jumped, nervous eyes shifted toward her. "What are you doing?"

  "Getting comfortable." Lee tossed a few pillows onto the floor and lay back with only one under her head. "Are you all right?"

  "Yes," Jamison said, deliberately misunderstanding the question. "I feel a lot better, thank you."

  Blue eyes softened and Lee held out an arm. "Come here."

  "Wh...what? Why?"

  "It's okay; I just want to hold you while you sleep. Sometimes just the touch of another person can make us feel better."

  "Oh."

  Lee was providing reassurance, not making a proposition. Jamison should have moved away. She should have climbed out of bed, dressed and gone home, but she was weak. She snuggled up to Lee and rested her head against a warm breast. Lee's heart beat strong under her ear and she tried to let the sound comfort her. Jamison pulled a deep breath in through her nose, reaching for calm. It was a mistake. Emotions hammered through her defenses, knocking down walls she wasn't aware had been erected. She moved in Lee's arms, rubbing her face against satin skin.

  Lee reacted by embracing her, strong fingers threading through Jamison's dark hair. Jamison pressed closer and nuzzled Lee's neck before sucking the corded muscles into her mouth. She grazed the skin lightly with her teeth and Lee arched into her. Jamison felt Lee's body tighten and hard nipples prodded into her chest through the cotton t-shirt. She resisted the drive to bite by the thinnest of margins.

  "What are you doing?" Lee gasped, but she moaned and her arms tightened.

  Jamison didn't answer, her need so strong she couldn't speak. She quickly rose up and kissed Lee. Full lips parted under the assault in heated welcome and Lee's tongue eagerly engaged her own. Like earlier, desire rose between them, a furious inferno that threatened to burn out of control.

  Lee's breasts were soft against her and very slowly the fire in Jamison began to lessen, tempered by the tenderness she felt. She released Lee's lips and leaned away, but only by a few inches. Her pulse raced when she looked into blue eyes and found her own desire reflected there. She leaned down to kiss Lee again, but was surprised when Lee pulled away.

  "Don't you want to be with me?" Jamison asked, caught off guard by the hurt that seared through her.

  "Of course I do, Jami." Lee's palm stroked her cheek. "I know you can feel that."

  Relieved, Jamison started to kiss her, but again Lee pulled away. "What is it?"

  Lee's palm clasped the back of her neck and Jamison laid her head against her chest. "I've wanted you since I saw you on Blue Mountain Road and if this had happened earlier, I wouldn't have wanted to stop."

  "So what's different now?"

  "Nothing," Lee said, stroking her hair in such a way that Jamison felt her body begin to relax. "I still want to be with you, but it won't happen tonight. When we do finally make love, I want to know it's because of how we feel for each other. I don't want to face the possibility that you might regret it in the morning. Does that make sense?"

  Jamison nodded and she knew Lee was right. She did want to make love, but her desires were intermingled with her animal instincts. As a jaguar, passion was often combined with violence, but now wasn't the time.

  As the passion faded, grief gathered like a storm. Tears pooled in her eyes and slipped down her nose before dropping onto Lee's breast. Lee held her close and spoke gentle words of reassurance as the tempest broke. Sobs tore from Jamison's chest and she huddled closer, drawing what solace she could from Lee's strong embrace.

  Eventually, the torrent passed and Jamison slept. In her dreams, she traveled the path between justice and vengeance. Each was enticing, but revenge called out to her most loudly. Her guilt fueled that desire. Then both slid away and for a time, she slept peacefully.

  Chapter Sixteen

  LEE AWAKENED WITH sunlight streaming through the window and over the surface of the queen-sized bed. Instinctively, she reached out for Jamison's warm body. Instead, she encountered cold sheets. Groggy from the lack of quality sleep, she forced one eye open and surveyed the quiet room. She was alone.

  She sighed heavily and rubbed her face with both hands in an attempt to wake. Cleo took her movement as an invitation. She yelped excitedly and tried to bathe Lee's face through her parted fingers.

  "Yeah, yeah, I got it," Lee groused. She threw back the cover and padded toward the bathroom, scratching her side. "One doggy breakfast coming up as soon as I make a pitstop. Would you like bacon and eggs, your majesty?"

  Cleo wagged her tail and barked before she jumped off the bed and followed.

  "In your dreams," she mumbled absently, her thoughts centered on life-giving coffee.

  Lee walked into the kitchen after she left the bathroom, ready to brew a pot only to discover that Jamison had done it before she left.

  "Bless you."

  She filled Cleo's bowl with dry kibble, blowing off the indignant look in favor of pouring a cup of Kona blend. After a scalding sip, she sighed in contentment.

  With the first jolt of caffeine, her brain started to function once more. Lee walked out onto the back porch and left the door open behind her. The sounds of Cleo chomping her food and birds singing filled the air as she thought about everything that had happened in the two weeks since moving to Harmon. It definitely hadn't been dull.

  Just meeting Jamison had been an eye-opening experience, not to mention everything else. Lee frowned. Too bad most of what she'd encountered wasn't nearly as pleasant. A memory of the first night in town came to her and the frown deepened.

  Something weird had occurred in the grocery store with the townspeople staring at her like a particularly intriguing insect under a microscope. The incident definitely seemed strange at the time, but she quickly dismissed it. Now, Lee thought about the other small occurrences that had happened and things took on a more interesting slant.

  She'd encountered a possible homeless man in the woods who was a pretty good mechanic as well as a raccoon with a penchant for petting beagles. A troop of trespassers had been holding some kind of ritual in the woods half a mile from the house and something in the barrels downstairs smelled like it had been belched out of the sewers from hell.

  What could Aunt Chris possibly have stored that would smell so bad?

  In addition to all that, Jamison received a phone call last night and went directly to a crime scene where a friend of hers had just been murdered. Lee's heart clenched again in sympathy, but she pushed her feelings away for the moment to concentrate on the logic of the situation.

  Why would the police call Jami to come to such a site instead of calling the man's immediate family? That is, if it was the police who had phoned. Jamison never said and Lee hadn't asked, but she didn't see how it could be anyone else. Still, none of it made any sense.

  Come to think of it, there were a lot of things about Jamison Kessler that didn't add up.

  The woman was a park ranger who just happened to work directly for the City Council? Lee hadn't given it a lot of thought when Jami mentioned it, but now she had to wonder. Being part of the forest service at Adirondack Park would be a full-time job and Jami would be assigned to a day or night shift. Yet, she seemed to be on duty 24/7.

  Lee stared into her cold coffee, but didn't really see it.

  She had never liked se
crets, they tended to come back and bite her in the butt. On top of that, she really cared for Jamison and didn't want anything to stand between them. If she had learned anything from her latest disaster of a relationship, it was to question potential problems before they blew up in her face. In order to do that, she had to find out what Jamison was hiding before it had a chance to ruin the feelings growing between them. But how?

  Lee pondered the question as she walked inside the house and poured a fresh cup of coffee. She had to think about how to approach the situation, but right now there were other things demanding her attention.

  While living at Mafdet, she spent her free time taking photos, learning the area and getting to know a certain dark-haired ranger. Since Jamison would no doubt be busy the next several days with her friend's funeral, Lee needed to get some of her aunt's personal belongings sorted. She needed to go through the closets and figure out what to keep and what she could donate to various charities.

  Unfortunately, a quick look in the attic right after arriving had so overwhelmed her that Lee had put off the chores. She hadn't given them a second thought, but she finally had to stop procrastinating. Just the memory of cobwebs, a few dozen cardboard boxes, a couple of wooden chests and a ton of junk that looked at least a century old, was enough to make her groan.

  All right, it's time to get it over with and maybe I can decide how to talk with Jami somewhere along the way. I just have to convince her she can trust me with...whatever it is.

  "ORDER! ORDER IN these chambers." Darlene Kessler's shout overpowered all the other voices that were speaking at once. Her voice was loud so she could be heard, but was the only one not raised in anger.

  Jamison stood quietly before the assembled elders, more impressed with her mother than she ever would have admitted aloud. Standing in the center of the long, raised dais where the remaining five Council elders sat, Darlene was quite the sight.

  Regardless of how Jamison felt seeing the woman in action, one empty seat beckoned to her. She refused to look at it or the man behind her who had caused this uproar.