by Ariana Dupre
He let the reins drop, knowing that neither animal would wander far. Lifting Angie off Thunder, he carried her to the grass beside the rocks.
"Angelina?” Jared's heart was still pounding hard in his chest. The moment she called him Clyde, he'd known.
Hadn't the same thing happened to Terri when they were kids?
She'd scared him half to death when they went to a “haunted” house, by telling him details of all the “real” spirits there. He remembered how his body shook as he'd dragged his sister outside; how it had taken her some time to come out of the trance.
Just like Angie was doing now.
She blinked several times; then looked around. “Why are we by the creek?"
"Don't you remember?"
"Yes, we were in the house, in Ruby and Clyde's room. I told you we shouldn't market it as a honeymoon suite, and now we're here.” Angie's voice went up an octave. “Why are we here instead of the house, Jared?"
Jared took Angie's hands in his. “That's all you remember?"
"Yes."
His heart plummeted. She'd never wanted him at all. Trying hard to control his bitter disappointment, he kissed the top of her hands, then released them. “I brought you here because you called me Clyde."
"I what?” Her eyes widened in surprise.
"You thought I was Clyde."
"Why on earth would I think that?” Her eyes frantically searched his face. She wanted answers that he couldn't give. Then her brows knit together.
"Unless ... oh, no ... Jared."
"What is it?” he prodded.
"You have my lipstick all over your face."
He laughed. “No doubt."
"Jared, what did I do in that house?"
"Let's just say you got a little carried away. You thought I loved you. You seemed strange, like you weren't yourself."
Angie's face flushed pink as she turned away.
Did he dare press her on this? Most of the time, he saw either fear or indifference in her eyes when she looked at him. She jerked away every time he touched too quickly, as if she thought he would hurt her. It just didn't make any sense. He had to figure out some way to get close if he wanted to convince her to sell. And more than that, he wanted to win her love. He was sure of it, now, though not so sure why. But sometimes, he had to admit, why didn't matter.
"What happened back there, Angie?"
"It was Ruby's essence,” she answered automatically, without thinking.
"I don't understand.” Was she telling him she'd become possessed by Ruby?
"I should have told you before,” she said, rubbing her face with her hands and taking a deep breath. “You'll think I'm a freak after this, but I don't see where I really have any other choice. I owe you an explanation."
"It's okay, you can tell me."
"I have empathic abilities,” said Angie, looking away from his gaze. “That means I feel the emotions of others, especially when they are strong. The love that Ruby and Clyde felt in that room was intense, so powerful that I felt Ruby's love for Clyde as much as Ruby did all those years ago."
She brushed her hands across her jeans. “It's as if the imprint of their emotions lingered in the room. I don't know how else to explain it. And from the looks of your face and shirt, I'm afraid I acted on those feelings with you.” Angie reached up and wiped some of the lipstick off his cheek. “I'm sorry, Jared."
"Sorry? Don't be sorry.” He smiled broadly at her. “I thoroughly enjoyed it. But seriously, I guess this means you don't remember kissing me?"
The pinkness crept into Angie's cheeks and she turned away. “No, I just remember feeling Ruby's love for Clyde."
As uncomfortable as it made him, he had to ask. “Were you possessed by Ruby?"
She looked back at him. “I know you think the worse because you don't understand. It's not a possession. I feel the love, pain, and fears of the person. A spirit doesn't take over my body."
"Is it always like this? I mean is the emotion the only thing you ever remember?"
Angie sighed. “No, it's rare for the feelings to overtake me the way they did back there. Usually, I remember everything because I'm feeling it just like I feel my own emotions. I don't know how to explain it so that you'll understand."
She twisted her body toward him. “Once, when I lived in Roanoke, my neighbor's kid fell out of one of those wooden play sets in his backyard and broke his leg. My leg started to hurt and I knew something was wrong. I looked out of my window and saw him lying on the ground so I went over. His baby-sitter was talking on the phone, instead of watching him. When his mother arrived and took over, my pain disappeared."
"But that wasn't a trance like today."
"No, it wasn't. In high school, I went into a trance at a football game and felt a friend's heartbreak, as if she was dying. After I came out of it, I went to her house. She was hysterical because her boyfriend had broken up with her. There have only been a few times when I went into a trance like today."
She put her head on her knees briefly. “It's weird, I know, but I've learned to deal with it. I'm really sorry if I freaked you out back there.” And from now on I'll always block my empathic abilities where you are concerned.
Jared lifted her chin, brushed her hair from her face. “You're a passionate woman, Angelina. Even if you were acting on Ruby's love for Clyde, I felt your passion."
Angie raised her eyelids to look at him.
"You are Angelina Benton right now, aren't you? Or are you still empathing Ruby?"
Angie smiled. “No, I'm myself now."
"Then what do you say we try this one more time, because I want you to remember the feelings we shared, you and I. Can you tell me again?"
"Tell you what?"
"Call me your darling and tell me you love me."
The shocked expression on Angie's face was overwhelmed only by her mouth, which fell open. Jared wasted no time but took her lips quickly with his own, caressing them softly until Angie responded and kissed him back.
* * * *
"I don't believe your arrogance!” Angie stormed through the kitchen, moving a sponge around on the counter, trying hard to control her embarrassment with a show of temper. “I did not say that I love you!"
"Yes, you did. And you kissed me back when you were yourself. Before you realized what you were doing and bolted away on Whisper.” Jared wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, and leaned close to her ear. “I'm gonna hold you to both your words and actions, Ms. Benton."
Angie moved out of his grasp and across the room. She turned and glared at him even as he grinned at her. Funny how she lost all fear of this man when he behaved like a typical, arrogant male. But now, the anger she pretended was real. She flung the wet sponge at him. Jared ducked and it hit the wall behind him, leaving a dark stain. His boisterous laugh echoed through the room.
"Just drop it, Jared. You're nothing but a womanizer! If, and I mean if I said those words, they were an expression of Ruby's feelings for Clyde. Not my feelings toward you."
Jared just stood there, grinning at her. She sure was beautiful when her temper got the best of her. “I don't believe you."
"Ugghhh! I don't have any feelings for you. Get it through that thick skull of yours. We're here to do a job and we agreed to keep it just business.” Angie backed away, glaring at him. “And with that thought in mind, I suggest you wipe that stupid grin off your face and let's both get back to work."
Angie moved further away, stared at him. She had to increase the distance to settle her stomach, her temper, and her heart.
"If that's what you want.” Jared rubbed his chin, his features suddenly serious. “We'll see how long it takes you to realize the truth."
"You're impossible. I am not having this conversation with you any more.” She turned her back to him as if to dismiss him.
Jared closed the distance to stand right behind Angie. He turned her rigid body to face him, caressed her upper arms. “You, Ms. Benton, are the only one wh
o agreed to keep this business.” He had every intention of making this relationship much more personal. Starting now.
He bent down and lightly brushed his lips against hers, then studied her face as anger set her lips into a thin line, drew her brows together, and blazed through her narrowed eyes.
"To use your own words, you would do well to remember that from now on.” Releasing her, Jared walked out of the kitchen, through the porch, and headed toward the stables, whistling Zip A Dee Do Da.
Angie watched through the window while his sauntering strides carried him across the yard. The mix of emotions this man aroused in her was frightening. But whatever else she felt, this much was true—I'm afraid of what you'll do to me, Jared, so how could I possibly love you?
* * * *
Chapter 6
A bead of sweat trickled down the center of Angie's back. The sun dipped low in the west, but the heat of the day still clung in the air. Even at dusk, it was sweltering hot.
Angie slipped the bridle off Whisper's nose, releasing her into the pasture, where she ran across the field, circled Thunder and raced through the tall pines toward the creek. The stallion reared against the tranquil sky then bolted after her.
Walking back to the stable, Angie wiped her brow with the back of her hand. After placing the bridle back on its hook, she threw a shovel into the wheelbarrow and pushed it to Whisper's stall. She knew she didn't have to clean the small cubicle, but the rhythm of the task would relax her. Maybe she could sort through her conflicting emotions about Jared.
Yes, I like his teasing, she thought as she began mucking out the stall. But all it takes is a glint in his eye, a curt remark, or an unexpected touch, to remind me of that awful dream. How could she trust him until the nightmare played itself out?
Confusion made her stomach knot. When he was near, she fantasized about touching him, kissing him. I've always pushed men away, but now the “virtuous Angelina Benton” is thinking about sharing Jared's bed.
Shaking her head ruefully, Angie leaned the shovel against the wooden wall. If Mrs. Turner finds out that I want a man, she'll spread it around town faster than the time she overheard my conversation with Kimmie and dubbed me “Dansburg's oldest virgin," she thought. The townspeople sure got a kick out of that one. I'll never live it down.
She rolled the wheelbarrow out across the field and emptied the soiled hay into the compost pit. On the way back, she stopped by the hay barn for the three bales needed to bed down Whisper's stall. As she pulled the flat metal bar off the half circle loop, it occurred to her that, after the break-in the other night, she should call Alan and order a lock for the latch.
Leaving the door open, Angie crossed through the dim light to the hay bales at the back of the room. The lack of electricity was a necessity. Should the wiring malfunction, the results would be devastating. The building would go up like a torch.
The low light from the sun streaked in through the open doorway. Angie slid her fingers under the twine rope and lifted a bale. She needed to hurry before it was completely dark outside.
The door slammed shut.
Damn wind! She lugged the scratchy rectangle across the dark room then kicked the door.
It didn't budge.
"Great! Just great!” she muttered, dropping the hay bale on the floor. She pushed against the wooden door. It still didn't move. “What the..."
"Bye, bye, Angie baby,” a gravely voice threatened eerily from outside.
Angie jumped back, and then stood motionless. “What's going on? Who are you?"
"You don't remember?” the voice mocked. “Now you'll never forget!"
"Tell me who you are!” she shouted, pounding her fists against the wood. “What do you want with me?"
The only answer was the man's deep guttural laugh. A shiver of fear shot up Angie's spine.
Suddenly she smelled gasoline. Good God! He wasn't going to set the barn on fire, was he? “No!” she cried out in terror. “No, please! I'll do whatever you want! Let me out!"
She heard a faint crackle and turned around. In the darkness behind her was a small amber glow.
Oh my God!
Driven by panic, she threw the weight of her body against the door. It didn't budge. “Help! Somebody help me!"
"There's no one to help you this time.” The man laughed, shining a flashlight through a knothole in the door.
Angie moved into the light, looked through the hole and begged for her life. “Please ... please ... let me out!"
"Since you don't remember me, here's a little hint. You can think about this on your way to hell."
Angie stared out of the small opening, but the man was standing so close that she could only see the torch beam as it flashed upward and illuminated one blue eye.
"See ya, Bitch Benton.” He laughed again and disappeared.
Angie spun around to see flames licking from bale to bale.
She couldn't wait for help to arrive. She'd be a shishkabob by then.
There has to be another way out. Think, Angie, think!
The building used to be a stable. She tried to picture the outside of it. The entrance she'd used was in the center of the building. She'd seen another door to an old stall on one end.
But which end?
Climbing over the stack of bales to the left of her, she felt along the wall for the metal door hinges. She coughed as dense smoke filled her lungs, choking her. The flames were getting hotter...
Pulling the neck of her shirt over her nose, she scooted along the top of the stored hay. There was little more than a crawl space between the hay and the roof. Her fingers moved along the rough edges. No hinges.
Damn! She had the wrong side.
She quickly pushed herself backwards to the middle of the barn. The section where the man had started the fire was burning furiously.
She ran across the room to the other side, staying close to the wall, and climbed up by grabbing the twine ropes around the hay bales. Maneuvering along, she searched for the hinges.
The eerie glow of the flames lit her way. Please let it be here, please, she silently prayed. Coughing, she rubbed at her eyes, which were stinging from the smoke.
Sliding her hand across the wooden wall, she touched the smooth hardness of metal. The hinge! She slid into a narrow space between the hay bales and the old stable door.
And pushed.
"No!"
Throwing all of her weight into the door, she pushed repeatedly. Nothing happened.
I'm going to die. Angie leaned against the door and laid her forehead against the back of her hands.
So this is my fate. To die at the hands of a maniac in a burning building, to never know the wonder of love or the joy of children.
Something tickled her arm and she lifted her head. A spider crawled swiftly across her skin. Knocking the insect to the ground, Angie shuddered. She despised spiders. And now I'm going to die with, what ... thousands of them? Go figure.
Angie slammed her body against the door again.
I am not giving up! This isn't the dream. I'm supposed to die by gunshot, not in a fire.
The fragrance of roses and jasmine suddenly filled the air, overpowering the smell of gasoline flames. A brilliant light blue glow shone through the cracks of the door from outside the barn. Angie stared at it.
"Look down, Angelina,” a voice whispered.
Angie immediately looked at her feet and the iridescent glow sifted up to her knees. The wood at the bottom of the door was worn away. An animal had dug out the earth underneath.
She could fit. Oh God—she had to fit!
The heat of the fire was right behind her now. The flames licked closer as the fire roared to life.
Dropping to the ground she got down on her belly and stuck her head under the doorway.
Yes! She pushed and pulled with every ounce of energy, scrambling to get free. Halfway through, her belt loop caught on something—she couldn't see behind herself and she couldn't get free.
I wil
l not die here.
Kicking off her shoes and unzipping her jeans, she wiggled free of her pants. Crawling a few feet and then standing, she ran across the field toward the safety of the stables.
At the sound of cracking wood she turned to look back at the hay barn. Fully engulfed in a roaring fire, half of it collapsed as the searing flames licked toward the treetops.
I barely made it out alive. If the voice of that blue glow hadn't told me to look down, I would be dying a horrible death right now.
Shaking, Angie sat on the ground. In a shocked daze, she watched the rest of the barn collapse before her eyes.
* * * *
Jared and his construction superintendent, Burt Emerson, ran toward the burning barn.
They were too late.
Jared saw the smoke just as Burt had nailed in the last board on the roof of the Davis house. Even driving the tractor at full throttle, the trip still took ten minutes.
"Damn. How could this have happened, Burt?"
"I don't know, Boss. Seems strange to me.” Burt said. Looking around, he walked past him. “Oh, God!"
Jared turned. Burt was already running across the field toward someone lying on the ground.
With darkness almost upon them, it was hard to see who it was.
"Angelina?” Jared whispered. Breaking into a sprint he quickly passed the older man.
"Angelina!” Jared knelt down beside her. “Come on, baby, talk to me."
No response. She just stared at the barn, her face darkened with soot.
"Burt, go to the house and call Doc Martin. Get him over here fast."
"I'm on my way, Boss.” Burt said then ran in the direction of the house.
"Angie? Are you all right?"
* * * *
Why is she sitting in the middle of the field in just a T-shirt and pink lace panties? And how did the hay barn catch on fire?
Jared picked her up and took her to the house. Answers to his questions would have to wait.
Burt waited by the open door, a blanket in his hand.
Jared carried Angie into the living room, laid her on the couch as Burt laid the blanket over her.
Easing down to the edge of the sofa, Jared gently took her hand in his.