Haunt My Heart

by Medley, Lisa

  Sarah recoiled, thankful for the steel table between them and Agent Sykes’ quick hands on Falkner’s shoulders, which pulled him back farther to stall his advance and increase the distance from him.

  “What’s wrong, Falkner?” Agent Sykes asked.

  “He’s gone. One second I’m talking at him, and the next he’s gone. As in vanished. As in not in the goddamned room. What the hell?” Agent Falkner pointed at Sarah. “She knows something. Where is he? How he can do that? He’s not in the system. Anywhere. I ran everything back the past fifty years. Even had the guys dig through microfiche. No prints in the system either. The guy doesn’t exist.”

  Sarah’s heart kicked up, and she sucked in a shuddering breath, unsure if she were more relieved or terrified that someone else had witnessed what her mind refused to process, despite the growing evidence. At least it looked as though she’d have company in the loony bin. Agent Falkner practically checked himself in with his own crazy talk.

  Agent Sykes took a long look at Agent Falkner, and then turned to Sarah.

  “Pericula noctis.”

  Sarah hesitated, sure it was a test for which she didn’t have the answer. “I’m sorry. What?”

  “I guess we’re done here.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  The drive home in the back of the same black Suburban was lonely, and Sarah’s mind filled with questions. The ring blazed against her skin, but she resisted the urge to pull it from its concealment. She’d made it this far and was too close to home to reveal her hand now.

  There’d been no indication as to what had happened to Tanner. Perhaps Agent Falkner’s tirade had been a ruse to set her free so they could continue their surveillance and wait to learn for themselves whatever it was they thought she was hiding. They were going to be sorely disappointed.

  Sarah pulled her phone from her pocket and powered it on. It had been a quarter past five when they’d walked out of the NSA headquarters. She’d spent twelve hours at the NSA office and now had yet another two-hour drive home. Six missed calls from Ellie filled her screen, as well as six voicemail messages. At least someone in her life knew how to leave a flippin’ message.

  Paranoia filled her. The one thing the NSA was good at was electronic surveillance, and even though she didn’t have anything to hide, she was fairly certain they weren’t done with her. Or Tanner.

  Where was he? Would she ever see him again?

  A hard lump formed in her throat, and her eyes burned. Somehow in the course of a few days, she’d been attacked by one lover, found another, temporarily lost her job, been interrogated by the government and maybe lost another lover.

  How was this her life?

  She blinked back the tears. No more crying. This was bullshit. As soon as she got home, she would pack a bag and head to Ellie’s. No way did she trust that her apartment wasn’t bugged. Her next stop would be Alex’s shop. This ring could not possibly be a lucky talisman. While she didn’t believe in Alex’s supposed psychic powers, where else could she turn? Maybe her skepticism would be verified, but what if Alex could help her? Prove once and for all if the ring was a hex or lucky talisman?

  And Tanner? She couldn’t even think about him right now. Maybe she’d cracked completely. Maybe…

  It didn’t matter. He was gone, and she was alone to face whatever this was. Everything that had happened in the past two weeks was somehow tied to the damned ring that was currently burning a hole through her cleavage. She clutched her chest through her blouse and held it away from her skin as nonchalantly as she could. Two more hours until she was home.

  A hundred more miles until she took control and got some answers.

  *

  Tanner sat beside Sarah in the back of the Suburban, desperate to console her. The grim line of her lips and the worry swirling in the fine wrinkles of her forehead betrayed her inner debate. He feared she might take some drastic action before he could reassure her that everything that had happened between them was real and good.

  Still, he couldn’t blame her for her consternation or the fear playing out across her beautiful pale face. There were no logical explanations for what he was or for the dark magic behind it. It was otherworldly. Of course she couldn’t comprehend it. He was living it, and he scarcely could himself.

  His one consolation was that she retained the ring. She hadn’t exposed it during her interrogation and been forced to hand it over. It was his only link to her, and the one true way to reconnect with the Brothers of Peril and secure the grimoire once his body was restored. He refused to consider the probability of that not happening. Freedom dangled much too tantalizingly before him to concede now.

  Sarah’s energy rolled off her trembling body, but he dared not tap into it inside the car. The last thing he needed was to reappear beside her in a closed car with Agent Sykes feet away. He was thankful Agent Falkner hadn’t been invited on the return visit. Not surprising, after the way he’d attacked Sarah in her interrogation room. Tanner had been witness to the entire debacle and was shocked when Agent Sykes had presented the Brothers of Peril code phrase to Sarah. Of course she didn’t know the response. But Tanner did. And now knew he had at least one Brothers of Peril ally when the time came.

  But there was much to be done before that moment.

  They pulled up outside Sarah’s home, and relief filled him. He’d have to wait until her neighbors were sleeping to reenergize, then he could come to her again and try to soothe her troubled mind. Already memories of her warm, supple body beat at him, demanding he take his fill of her as well as her energy. But that wouldn’t be possible for some time. He had too much to explain. Too much to do. He had to prove to her once and for all her importance to him. Not only for his own salvation, but for the protection of the country.

  His tormented heart insisted she fulfill its needs as well.

  One problem at time.

  His patience, however, was long gone.

  Agent Sykes exited the car and walked around to Sarah’s side. He opened the door for her.

  “I’ll walk you up,” Agent Sykes said.

  “No.” Sarah pulled away from his offered escort. “I think you’ve done enough.”

  Agent Sykes pushed her door closed and narrowed his eyes. “If you see Tanner…”

  “I’ll be sure to contact you. Don’t worry. I don’t want any part of whatever is going on.”

  “Sorry for your inconvenience. We’ll be in touch if anything changes.”

  “I have no doubt.” Sarah turned and disappeared through the shared entrance and up the stairs.

  Agent Sykes stood outside, watching her go. His dark eyes took in everything. “Where are you, Tanner?”

  Tanner couldn’t resist brushing Agent Sykes’ powerful red aura. For the pure satisfaction of consternating the man, Tanner pulled the small antenna back on the rear of the car, then released it abruptly so it whipped back and forth. Agent Sykes twisted around, gun drawn before the antenna stopped bouncing. His aura transformed to a dark blue as uncertainty crossed his face. Sykes raised his face toward Sarah’s upstairs apartment, watching as she pulled her drapes closed, and Tanner’s taut leash snapped him home.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  What is he waiting for?

  Sarah peeked from the corner of her drapes as Agent Sykes remained by his car, staring at her apartment, looking perplexed. He’d actually drawn his weapon briefly, much to her dismay, nearly activating a panic attack in her. Her heart pounded in her chest as Bitly wound through her legs, pressing his vibrating body against her calves, purring his greeting and chastisement for her absence.

  She wanted to call Ellie, tell her the plan she’d formulated on the car ride home and everything that had transpired in the past few days, but she wasn’t doing that until Agent Sykes was out of sight. There was no way to be certain of visual surveillance in her apartment, but she had little doubt they’d planted some sort of listening devices. Since the laptop was now at the NSA office, she didn’t have to worry
about the webcam, but she was fairly certain the NSA had access to all manner of James Bond style spying devices. Her imagination was on overload.

  Her cell phone rang, and she jumped back from the window, nearly ripping the drape from its rod and peeing her pants in the process. God, she was coiled like a Jack in the Box. She wasn’t sure her heart could take it. Or her bladder.

  She hated to do it, but she hit decline. Missed call number seven from Ellie.

  She peeked again and finally Agent Sykes holstered the weapon and walked purposefully back around to the driver’s side. The breath she’d been holding puffed out of her in one long exhale, and she leaned against the glass.

  Pack.

  Careful not to stumble over a very needy Bitly, she pulled her overnight bag from beneath her bed and hurriedly stuffed in clothes and God only knew what else. In her panic, her mind was not tracking. She scavenged in the back of her small bathroom linen pantry for her toiletry bag and filled it with her toothbrush, paste, and the handful of makeup products she used. Ellie would have everything else she needed, and she could borrow whatever she may have forgotten.

  The ring blazed against her skin, reminding her of the urgency of her escape. She reached for the chain and spun it around, unlatching the clasp. The ring and chain pooled in her palm, searing her hand. Sarah grabbed her purse and dropped the ring inside, not wanting contact with the cursed object any longer.

  Finding that damned ring had been the beginning of this entire mess.

  Bitly meowed his disapproval loudly, reminding her to drag his crate from beneath the bed as well. He’d hate the trip, but she couldn’t leave him here alone in the apartment. It wasn’t fair to involve Adam or anyone else by asking them to feed him. She stuffed him into the crate, despite his protests. Bitly loved her unconditionally. He’d forgive her. Besides, she needed his company.

  One last look around the apartment. She grabbed her phone charger and headed out the door, not knowing when she could come home again.

  *

  Tanner’s concern was great and his heart filled with dread. Sarah’s reaction was completely unexpected. She’d packed and fled her home. On foot. Mercifully, it hadn’t been but ten or twelve blocks, but now he worried about his need to reenergize and the complete lack of able bodies with which to do so. From the photos around the home they’d entered, he’d surmised they’d taken refuge at her friend Ellie’s house. Ellie apparently lived alone, quite a distance away from the nearest neighbor. Certainly farther than his tether would reach, hindering his ability to seek out potential energy donors.

  Sarah freed Bitly from his carrier, and the cat began curiously sniffing every corner of the house. Sarah curled herself within a quilted blanket in a guest room and sobbed. It was soul crushing. He’d tested the tether boundary in every conceivable direction, yet had not succeeded. In her current state, he didn’t dare draw from her own energy. Even if he had, it wouldn’t have been enough. His efforts would only have weakened her further and added to his own frustrations. The end result was not justified by the effort.

  And so he spent several long hours in quiet observation, his heart breaking a little more with each passing moment until he could scarcely stand it any longer. Yet he couldn’t bring himself to leave her side. He curled himself against her and held her even though she couldn’t feel his touch. Sarah didn’t seem to sense his presence at all.

  Even more troublesome was the fact she’d removed the ring, which now sat in the bottom of her dark and cluttered purse. Helpless to remedy the situation, all he could do was wait to see what she would do next, wait for an opportunity to reenergize and hope for another chance to win her acceptance. And her heart.

  He prayed it wasn’t already too late.

  *

  She’d cried long enough.

  Sarah wiped her tears and went to the bathroom to splash some cold water on her face. She hadn’t even called Ellie yet to tell her she’d broken into her house. Not that Ellie would mind. She’d planted the key under the toad just for her and would have loved it if Sarah would have just moved in with her in the first place. But she hadn’t. She’d wanted her own home. And now she’d lost it. At least temporarily.

  Her body shuddered as she pulled in a deep cleansing breath, the last trembles of the ugly cry. The return call to Ellie would not be a FaceTime call.

  She scrolled down her recent calls list and hit Ellie’s number, having no idea where to even start the impending conversation.

  “Oh. My. God. Why haven’t you called me back all day? I’ve been worried sick. I was about to call the police because I was afraid Jason had gotten to you. Adam came over a dozen times today looking for you. What the hell is going on? Talk to me. Sarah? Why aren’t you talking? Are you locked in Jason’s trunk somewhere? Oh. My. God. I’m calling the police. Do not hang up your phone. We’ll track you—”

  “Ellie!”

  “I’m dialing the landline now, calling the police, I—”

  “Ellie, shut up for a minute.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’m not locked in Jason’s trunk. I’m fine. Mostly. I wasn’t talking because I couldn’t get a word in edgewise there.”

  Ellie exhaled a long sigh of relief. “Thank God. What. The. Fuck? Where are you?”

  “I’m at your house. I brought Bitly. I hope that’s okay. I couldn’t leave him at my apartment.”

  Ellie held silent for way too long, and Sarah dreaded the inevitable explanation.

  “Things must be really bad if you left your apartment. Is it Jason? No, is it this new guy, Tanner? What happened, Sarah? I’m about to come unglued over here.”

  Sarah paced through the house, finding herself in the kitchen, and sat at the table.

  “Ellie, I…I don’t even know where to begin. Everything is crazy. There’s so much I haven’t been able to tell you and now the NSA has my house bugged. Maybe even this phone. Crap, I should have called you from your phone instead.” Sarah’s hand began to shake, and she pressed her cell phone closer to her face to stay the trembling.

  “Do it, Sarah. Hang up. I’ll call you on the landline.”

  Sarah complied and, even though she was expecting it, jumped when the home phone rang. Ellie’s landline was a twisty corded number, which hung on the wall in all its retro glory. She removed the receiver and pressed her back against the wall to steady herself when she answered.

  “Sarah, start talking, or I’m getting on a plane tonight to come home. I’ll rent a car. I can be home in four and a half hours.”

  “No. Don’t do that. I’m fine.”

  “Then tell me. Everything. From the beginning.”

  “Oh, Ellie. Do you believe in ghosts? Really believe?”

  Sarah spent the next two hours filling Ellie in on every detail of the past two weeks, and especially of the past few days they’d been apart. Somehow Ellie had even managed to make her laugh a few times. Bitly curled in her lap and kneaded her thigh, almost as a sign of reassurance and encouragement.

  When Ellie had been silent too long on the other end of the line, Sarah’s courage failed again.

  “I’m going to call Alex, Sarah. I’ll call her tonight. I’ll be home day after tomorrow. If you will stay at my place and lay low, we’ll take that damned ring to Alex and figure out a way to unhex you or whatever the hell has happened. I’m sorry I ever dragged you to Chatham. We’ll fix this.”

  “It wasn’t all bad.” Sarah smiled, hoping it came through in her tone, although it didn’t feel that way.

  “One night of good sex doesn’t make this all okay. I can’t believe those words just came out of my mouth. We’re clearly in uncharted territory here. Do you feel safe now? At the house? You don’t think anyone…or…thing…followed you?”

  “I feel safe.”

  “Where’s the ring now?”

  “In my purse.”

  “Good. Don’t put it back on until we have Alex take a look. I’m so sorry, Sarah. I hate that I’m not there for you.”
>
  “You’re here and there for me. You’re helping to save my job.”

  “Yeah, what a mess. You don’t even want to know about it now. We’re going to be okay. Just hang on until Thursday.”

  “Okay. Thanks, Ellie. For letting me stay here. For believing me. Believing in me.” A lump formed in Sarah’s throat, and she couldn’t go on.

  “Always. Day after tomorrow. Promise.”

  *

  Tanner had done his best to listen in on the conversation, but he’d only heard Sarah’s side clearly. The gist of their plan was evident. Sarah was prepared to jettison the ring and him along with it. He had until Thursday to accomplish his mission. One day until Ellie would return, and they would take the ring to some mystic.

  What fresh hell would she employ upon him?

  Without access to energy, he was helpless. He’d tried for hours and couldn’t even manipulate a piece of paper, let alone materialize enough to speak with her. Time was running out. Sarah’s exhaustion beat at him. Tanner was torn. If she’d never found the ring, he’d have never been freed from his prison, never gotten to know her in her quiet hours alone. The real Sarah. She was strong and smart and clever. And he couldn’t fault her for the fear and uncertainty in her eyes.

  While people had faith in the unseen, the unknown, there was a line some minds couldn’t cross. The unseen needed to remain unseen for faith to continue. Cross the line of a person’s known reality for a glimpse to the other side and all bets were off. The human mind couldn’t process it. Perhaps it was a failsafe in itself, built into humankind’s very essence to keep man from prying beyond the curtain, getting too close to the other side.

  Sylvia and the witches employed by the Brothers of Peril had a foot in both realms, manipulating both the natural and unnatural worlds for their personal gain and indulgence. Were Brothers of Peril any better? While they professed to be working toward a worthy cause, Tanner now knew the true price of the power they had wielded. Perhaps it was best that the code had died with him.