Shivers Box Set: Darkening Around MeLegacy of DarknessThe Devil's EyeBlack Rose (Shivers (Harlequin E))

by Barbara J. Hancock

  “I can’t breathe,” she panted. “My heart… I can’t breathe.”

  Her eyes met his, huge and wild, her face void of color. What in the hell had happened down there?

  “You’re all right,” he murmured, his own relief sweeping through him like a wave.

  “I can’t breathe.”

  “Yes, you can.” He gathered her against his chest. She trembled so hard, he was sure she’d shatter. “Relax. In and out, slowly.”

  He forced his voice to remain calm, despite fury blooming inside him, and rubbed slow circles on her back. She shuddered and leaned into him.

  “It was here. Not the ocean. Not like I thought. It was here.” Her words tumbled from her lips, shaky and breathless.

  “Easy,” he murmured. “What was here?”

  She tensed beneath his touch. “I drowned. I…I always thought it was in the sea. I didn’t know about this place.”

  “Brynn?”

  He jolted at the sound of Eleri’s voice suddenly next to him. Brynn stiffened in his arms. He didn’t know what the hell the woman had done, or what she planned to do, but he wasn’t letting her anywhere near Brynn.

  “Go, Eleri.” His voice was low and deceivingly calm.

  She ignored him.

  “I know you remembered.” She took a step toward her sister. “Tell me what happened.”

  Brynn squeezed her eyes closed, pressed her face against his chest. “I can’t.”

  Reece twisted to one side, shielding Brynn with his body. “Get away from her.”

  Eleri ignored him. Her eyes—almost black in the low light—burned with fierce intensity. “I need you to tell me what happened. What you remembered.”

  “I can’t, please.” Brynn’s breath quickened, turning shallow once more. God, she’d start hyperventilating if she didn’t bring it under control. Reece gritted his teeth and hauled himself to his feet, pulling Brynn up with him.

  “What in the hell is wrong with you?” he snarled at Eleri. “Get away from her, before I make you.”

  He’d threatened his employer, but didn’t care. In that moment, he didn’t give a shit if she sacked him, if Harding destroyed his life and tossed him in prison, he just wanted Brynn as far from Eleri as possible.

  Eleri’s gaze flicked to his, her throat bobbed up and down. She opened her mouth as if to argue, and he tensed, ready to shut her down before she even began. Her mouth snapped shut, and she hurried down the path toward the house.

  Once her footsteps faded, Reece bent his head to Brynn—face buried in his chest, fingers curled into his shirt. “She’s gone.”

  She let out a shuddery breath, something between a gasp and a sob. Good God, was she crying? Panic ballooned inside him. What should he do? Comfort, giving or receiving, wasn’t something he’d much experience with. Awkwardly, he stroked her hair.

  “You’re all right,” he said again, not sure whether he was trying to convince her or himself.

  She blew out a soft sigh, stepped back from him and turned away while wiping her cheeks with the heels of both hands.

  “Sorry,” she muttered, and sniffed. When she met his gaze, her eyes were glassy and red, but her pale face was dry. “You must think I’m a complete basket case.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t think that.”

  “No?” A weak smile pulled at her mouth. “If I were in your shoes, I would. I’m not usually like this. Before I came here, I was relatively normal.”

  “Normal’s overrated.” His hand itched to pull her back against him, to ease the slight tremble gripping her frame.

  Her gaze narrowed. She reached for him, but he shifted back. “What?”

  Her arm fell to her side. “There’s blood on your shirt.”

  His face heated. “I’m fine.”

  The ringing in his ears had receded to a barely discernible hum now that they’d moved away from the gate. He had no idea what was in that bog. In all his years he’d never been affected this way by anything. A single phone call could give him a little insight, but he’d rather his brain burst than tangle with that tosser again.

  After all, the last time he’d dealt with his uncle, he’d wound up caught in Detective Harding’s mad scheme.

  Shit, he’d threatened Eleri. He raked his fingers through his hair. She’d fire him for sure. Still, at the sight of Brynn so shaken he couldn’t work up any real regret.

  When had she started to matter to him? She didn’t. He’d admit to a mild attraction—more than mild if he were honest—but nothing else.

  Then why had he kissed her in his flat? But he already knew the answer. He’d been thinking of her mouth moving on his, the dull gnawing hunger clawing at him from just a taste and all the while, she’d been thinking of someone else.

  And it pissed him off. His ego had been bruised, nothing more.

  But it had been more than that. The way her skin flushed pink while she’d stammered through her apology, the way her eyes darkened when he closed the distance between them. He’d wanted to kiss her hard and deep, brand himself into her brain, so the next time she kissed someone it was his name she said.

  He hadn’t expected her to respond the way she had, like she was as hungry for him as he was for her, or that she would taste so damned good. He could have forgotten everything he’d ever done, everything he’d ever been, and lived forever in that kiss.

  If she knew what you were, she wouldn’t want you anywhere near her.

  “What were you thinking going anywhere alone with Eleri?” he asked, sharper than he intended. “You know she’s under investigation for murder.”

  She stepped away from him, red creeping into her face. “I saw her go into the woods after you did, and I wanted to make sure you were all right.”

  She’d been concerned for him. And after how he’d behaved. His irritation dissolved and dull warmth lit in his chest, but he held himself against the sensation.

  He leaned against a tree and jammed his hands into his pockets. When he spoke next, his tone softened considerably. “What happened at The Devil’s Eye?”

  “Nothing, really. I saw the water, I ran.” She drew in a shuddery breath. “I almost drowned when I was three, before they sent me away. I assumed it happened in the sea. I don’t remember much about that day, and with the ocean right there, it made sense. I was wrong. It happened there.” She swallowed hard and nodded at the gate.

  Reece frowned. The little color that had leached back into her face was gone. He kept his hands in his pockets to keep from pulling her to him again. “You remembered?”

  “Enough to know it was in that swamp.”

  “Did Eleri try to drown you? Like when you were children?”

  Brynn frowned and shook her head. “Eleri didn’t try to drown me. I remember the weight of the hands on my shoulders. They were big hands, adult hands, much too big to belong to another child.”

  She wasn’t actually defending Eleri, was she? Not after what had just happened. “You were three years old. How can you be sure?”

  Brynn’s mouth tightened and her eyes flashed with annoyance. “I know what I felt. Besides, how many kids that age do you know who could not only drown their sibling, but get away with it, too?”

  “She probably didn’t get away with it. Your father likely covered it up. Why else would he and your mother have sent you away right after? And why did she take you back there today, then?”

  “If she’d wanted to kill me, she could have. You saw me. I was a mess. But she didn’t do anything. She just kept asking me what I remembered.”

  “Maybe she wanted you to remember her nearly killing you the first time before she did it again. A full-circle moment.”

  She shot him a wry look. “It wasn’t her.”

  “I’m not convinced.”

  She snorted. “Yeah, I got that.”

  “You need to get away from this place while you still can.”

  “Not until I speak to Eleri. I should go back to the house.” She nodded at the path th
at would lead them back.

  Reece grabbed her hand and a thin fissure of invisible energy shot up his arm. “Brynn, if you don’t go now, there’s a good chance you never will.”

  Her expression turned hesitant, and she tugged her hand free of his grip. He’d seen that look before. It was the same expression people wore when they wouldn’t make eye contact, or crossed the street to avoid him.

  Weirdo.

  Freak.

  Liar.

  A dull pang sank into his chest. He stiffened. What did he care what she thought about him? He wanted her out of harm’s way. One less thing for him to think about while he baited Eleri.

  “A little melodramatic, don’t you think?” Brynn asked, the light teasing unable to hide her uncertainty.

  He shook his head. “I know you’re in danger. Someone warned me that you won’t survive if you stay.”

  Her eyes widened. “Who?”

  “No one you know.”

  “That’s not terribly helpful.”

  His gift rarely was. He could count on one hand the number of times he’d been told anything useful. Even then what rational person ever believed him?

  She nodded and backed up another step toward the path. “I really need to get back. Thank you for…everything.”

  She was leaving, dismissing him, and obviously not taking a thing he’d said seriously. And why should she? How in the hell could he explain to her what he knew, the things he saw, what he was, without sending her running? Without looking mad?

  Reece stayed where he was, tension humming through his hard frame. He jammed his hands in his pockets and started to pace. “There’s something you should know about me.”

  She didn’t speak, just stared waiting for him to continue. “I know things, see things that other people can’t.” He drew a deep breath and blurted. “I speak to the dead.”

  The minute the words left his mouth, Reece wanted to call them back. He’d only admitted his affliction to a handful of people—and for good reason.

  Weirdo.

  Freak.

  Liar.

  Brynn shook her head as though she hadn’t heard him right. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

  There was no going back now. He sighed. “I can speak to the dead. I see ghosts.”

  She nodded slowly, arched brows lifting. “Are you seeing them right now?”

  “There are no ghosts at Stonecliff,” he told her, bristling at her patronizing tone.

  Something flickered in her eyes. “Why are you telling me?”

  She didn’t believe him. He could read it in her carefully guarded expression. Disappointment settled over him like a wet blanket. She’d reacted just like everyone else.

  Still, he needed to convince her, before Harding’s ghost’s prediction came true.

  “Your father owns another property down the coast, Morehead Lodge, which he lets out. While the lodge is unoccupied, I see that it’s maintained. While I was there the last time, a boy warned me that you would die.”

  She eyed him skeptically. “A ghost boy?”

  “Right.”

  She snorted and shook her head. “You must think I’m a complete idiot.”

  “I don’t, Brynn. Believe me, if I were going to make something up, this wouldn’t be it.” He should have made something up, or kept his big mouth shut.

  “What is it with you? Every time I start to think you’re a decent guy you turn around and act like an ass.” She turned and marched away down the path. Reece had to jog to keep up.

  “I’m not a decent guy, but you need to take me seriously. You’re in danger if you stay.”

  “I don’t want to hear any more.”

  “I know you don’t, but your sister’s dangerous.”

  “Did the ghosts tell you that?” Derision dripped off her tongue. She didn’t so much as glance back, her pace never slowing. “Why not ask them what happened to Matthew Langley? Or the other men who disappeared?”

  “I would if I could. There’s nothing at Stonecliff.”

  “See, that’s how I know you’re full of crap.” Brynn whirled on him, bringing him to an abrupt halt. Anger burned in her dark eyes, pink flush crept into her cheeks. “There is something in that house. I’ve seen it.”

  He frowned. What did she think she’d seen? “Brynn, I would know if there was anything.”

  She rolled her eyes and turned away, hurrying down the path, and he followed. He couldn’t have possibly screwed this up more if he’d tried. He had to convince her though. His inability to follow her through the gate to The Devil’s Eye hammered home just how right Harding’s ghost had been. Eleri could have easily killed Brynn, and he’d been powerless to stop her.

  The trees fell away and Reece trailed after her to the courtyard.

  “Brynn, listen to me.”

  “No, thanks.” She shook her head and picked up her pace, nearly jogging up to the back door.

  He reached for her hand to stop her, but she yanked it away. She turned her head and pinned him with hot, furious eyes. “Stay away from me.”

  She pulled open the door, stormed inside and slammed it behind her so hard the windows rattled.

  Chapter Eleven

  Brynn hesitated outside her sister’s bedroom, fist poised ready to knock, but Reece’s words played in her head.

  If you stay, you won’t survive.

  A chill danced along her spine. She gave herself a mental shake. The man claimed to have received that message from a ghost. Clearly, he was deranged, or full of crap. Maybe both.

  She rapped on the smooth wood. After a long moment, hinges creaked and the door opened a few inches. Eleri’s pale face peered out from the narrow gap.

  “What is it?” Her voice was gravelly.

  “That was a lousy thing you just did to me. I want an explanation. Now.”

  Eleri nodded and pushed the door open wider. Brynn entered her sister’s room—similar to her own, but larger. Cream-colored walls inlaid with pale green wallpaper, a large canopy bed and every light in the room glowing softly.

  “I shouldn’t have dragged you into this mess,” Eleri said, and gestured to one of the two couches before a low fire burning in the hearth.

  Brynn sank onto the cushion. “Why did you? The truth this time.”

  “I’m in a lot of trouble.” Eleri sat on the opposite couch. “I contacted you because you survived.”

  Brynn frowned. “Drowning?”

  Eleri nodded and turned to glowing coals crumbling in the fireplace. “And me.”

  Cold washed through Brynn. If you stay, you won’t survive. Was Reece right? Was her sister on the verge of confessing?

  “After your visit to The Iron Kettle last night, I’m sure you’ve heard all about me, and the men I supposedly killed.” Eleri met Brynn’s gaze, her eyes dark with pain. “It wasn’t me, none of it. I wasn’t even here when Matthew Langley disappeared. I’d been living in Manchester for two years, and they’re still trying to tie me to his murder.”

  A twinge pulled at Brynn’s chest. If Eleri was lying, she deserved an Academy Award for the performance. The desperate, haunted expression leaving her small features drawn and tired looked real to her. “Shouldn’t his murder clear you?”

  Eleri let out a humorless chuckle. “You would think so. When Harding turned up at my flat and told me what had happened, for a moment I was thrilled. I know that makes me sound terrible, but all I could think was finally they would see it wasn’t me. I should have known better. Stephen Paskin claims he saw me the night Langley disappeared. I was home in bed when it happened, but he blames me for his son, Griffin’s—” Her voice caught, but she cleared her throat and continued “For Griffin disappearing. I suppose he figures me getting blamed for one is as good as another, so long as I wind up in prison.”

  Slow dawning settled over Brynn. She leaned forward, holding her sister’s gaze. “You were involved with his son.”

  Eleri nodded. “I would never have hurt him.”

  “What
do you think happened to him?”

  “He left, went to France to be an artist. He hated his father, and swore he’d never speak to him again. Stephen Paskin is an awful man.”

  The man had appeared friendly enough to her, and certainly more pleasant than anyone at Stonecliff. Was her sister lying? It wouldn’t be the first time.

  “How do I fit in?”

  Eleri sighed. “The day Harding came to my flat to question me about Langley, he gave me some advice. He told me my best bet for clearing my name was to find one of the men who disappeared alive, and I tried, but I didn’t really know where to start. It was so much easier to track you down. Your grandparents hadn’t moved in twenty-five years.”

  No, they’d lived and died in the same house. The same house Brynn had been living in since she and Zack split up.

  “Most people believe I tried to drown you when we were small and that’s why Meris sent you to her parents. But it wasn’t me. Someone was with you that day. I wanted you to tell me who, but you were too young to remember Stonecliff.”

  “So you invited me, hoping that once I saw the estate I would remember, and when that didn’t work you took me to The Devil’s Eye.” A mix of anger and pity ran through Brynn. Her sister had been playing games from the start, but she couldn’t imagine the desperation driving her.

  “I just thought if you could tell people it wasn’t me, tell them who really tried to hurt you, then maybe they’d focus on someone else. I’m sorry. I should have told you from the beginning.”

  “It’s been twenty-three years. There’s no guarantee that whoever tried to drown me is the same person who killed Matthew Langley.”

  “I realize that, but if I could prove I was innocent of one crime, maybe people might consider I was innocent of the others.”

  “You should have told me the truth,” Brynn said, slowly. Did she believe Eleri? Could she?

  Eleri snorted and looked up, her dark eyes bleak. “Would you have come? Would you have stayed even this long?”

  “I don’t know,” she told her, truthfully. “But had you told me the truth from the start, I could have saved us both a lot of aggravation. I know you weren’t the one who tried to drown me.”