by Mayer, Dale
And coincidence wasn't something she was real strong on.
She returned to her spot at the table and collected her laptop and papers before escaping to her truck.
Once in the driver's seat, she leaned back and tried to relax. Uneasiness continued to niggle at her senses, weaving in under her chest, causing her breath to catch on frissons of fear.
She closed her eyes in an effort to regain her center of balance. Instantly, the inside of her car disappeared, and she found herself in a tiny, dark, enclosed space. She opened her eyes, thinking she was still inside her truck. She was wrong.
Trying to talk the bile back down into her stomach, she slowly explored her surroundings. Claustrophobia dragged at her consciousness as her arm gradually slid up the wall in front of her. Her eyes grew accustomed to the lack of light.
Her hand…? Tiny fingers wiggled at the end of a fragile hand.
Oh my God. It was tiny, the hand of a child. She was caught inside a child's body. The vision had an antique look to it, making her think this scene happened a long time ago. Not that it mattered. It was as fresh to her today as it had been to the child. She closed her tiny teary eyes and wept. Emotionally, it was brutally different. This poor child was terrified. A whole different child. Curled against the pain and terror, she'd wedged herself in a corner. Alexis felt dampness between her legs. The tiny waif had wet herself.
Pity welled from deep inside of Alexis. The poor thing. Tremors wracked the thin frame. The odd sob broke free.
Stefan had tried to teach her to back off emotionally so she could regain mental control. She sent the little girl comforting thoughts, wrapping her in a warm hug as she surveyed the small dark space. From above her head, the shadows slowly formed into the underside of multiple hangers full of clothes.
She was in a closet.
The door stood to her right. In truth, the child's body was wedged against the hinges. She knew without looking that the door would be locked. But what was on the other side?
On the heels of that thought, Alexis found herself on the other side of the door.
Free from the little girl's body, Alexis could feel her mind wanting to stretch and to shake off the human confines. She felt neither human nor dead, just caught somewhere in-between. An incredible experience – one that given different circumstances, she'd love to explore.
Glancing around, the room appeared to be a bedroom, the walls, a dull purple. The bed was too painfully neat. Tucked under the top cover slept a raggedy teddy bear, waiting for its owner's return.
The child's return.
In its sparse state, nothing about the room could bring joy to anyone.
Alexis pivoted to look to the closet. Not only was the door locked but a block of wood jammed under the door handle. The child couldn't leave until she was released.
If she were released.
The bile fought to reach the top of her throat. Alexis was slammed back to present time and the interior of her overheated car.
What an idiot. She'd parked in the sun and the windows were closed. She'd been out a long time. Too long. She squinted through the hot glare of her windshield and shrieked.
Kevin's distorted features stared at her through the glass.
He pulled open the driver's door, yelling at her. "What fool stunt are you up to now? Are you looking to get heat stroke?" All the while he tugged her arm, half pulling her out of the vehicle. "Of all the idiotic things to do! God, you need a keeper."
Leaning against the side door with the cooler air washing over her, Alexis realized just how hot and oxygen-starved she'd become. Everything blurred, even his words as they ran over her in rapid abrasive tones. And he wasn't about to give her time to rest or adjust, either. He dragged her, none-too-gently, down the street to a sidewalk café, and shoved her roughly into a white wrought iron chair.
"Stay here, I'm going to find something cool for you to drink." He stalked into the dark interior of the building, reappearing quickly with several bottles of juice.
"Here, drink this." A cold bottle of orange juice smacked into her still numb hands. "I said drink," he growled, still pissed.
She stared at him, then at the bottle. He was right, she needed this. The icy zest hit her numb taste buds, snapping them back to awareness as the cold juice flowed down her throat. Alexis shuddered.
"Much better." Kevin watched, eagle-eyed as she finished the bottle. "Isn't it?" he barked.
At her nod, he relaxed back into his chair.
"Thanks." She took another long drink and had to admit it did feel better. Curiously, she asked, "How did you happen to see me?"
He shot her a disgusted look. "You were transmitting again." He gave her all of another minute to rest and recuperate, before continuing. "Now, just what the hell were you doing?"
She studied his grim face. She could count on him saving the day, whether she liked his methods or not. Her problem lay in what to tell him.
"Don't even think about it!"
Startled, she widened her gaze. "What?"
"Don't even think about lying to me."
She glowered. "I wasn't going to."
He snorted. "Like hell, you weren't. I can see your brain checking out its options right now." Kevin leaned forward, his ire snapping to the forefront. "Spill. What the hell were you doing?"
"Research!" she snapped. "I was doing research at the library when I thought I felt him close by." Alexis wrapped her arms around her middle as the remembered sensation rushed back through her.
"Him?" He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "Where? Here?" Intent and cold, his voice sliced through her silence as his eyes skimmed the parking area.
She waved down the street in the direction they'd come. "In the library," she whispered, suddenly so tired she couldn't think. Hating the fatigue and shock threading her voice, she straightened, and infused a confidence and strength that she didn't feel into her voice. "He was in the library. I was focused on my research when this horrible sensation wafted past. It took me a moment, then …" She winced against what she knew was to come. "I went after him."
"What!" he roared. Several other customers looked over in concern. He looked around, quickly lowering his voice. "What do you mean you went after him?" he asked in an ominous voice. "Are you nuts?"
"We've already established your opinion of my mental health, thank you." She reached for the second bottle of juice and took a long drink, the sharp citrus firing straight into her brain. "Okay, so it wasn't the most sensible thing I've ever done. But I don't know who this guy is, and it's only recently come home to me that this asshole…." She paused. "Is alive and well here in Bradford."
He glared at her.
She tried again. "I believe he's on the hunt for his next victim. At least that's what I'm feeling." She took a deep breath against his next reaction. "Then he's going to come after me."
She didn't get the bellowing she was expecting. Instead, his face paled to a stark white, throwing the planes and angles of his face into harsh relief.
Kevin slumped back into his chair. "He's coming after you? When did he say that? Since when have you been communicating with him?" He studied her weary face, then added quietly, "Start at the beginning and leave nothing out."
She did, slowly and carefully, gradually bringing him up to date on the latest odd developments in her life.
"That's when I came back to hearing you pounding on the car window," she concluded.
"Are you sure about him hunting another victim?"
Alexis shuddered. "Maybe because I'm speaking with Daisy, he feels he's losing her. Maybe he's hunting for a replacement. I don't know." She took another long sip of the cold liquid. "There was an aged quality to the vision, like it happened a long time ago. I don't have any evidence of that, just a feeling. I think this killer has been operating for a very long time."
Shifting in his seat, Kevin studied the crowd walking by. After a long silence, he finally said, "We don't know if there were other victims."
&n
bsp; Rubbing her temples, she snorted in disgust. "Like hell we don't. Daisy is one and I think I've seen three other children. At least three others," she amended, thinking of all the shadowy faces in her visions."
"But that's all supposition," he said. "And I need something concrete to go on. Like a body."
"You have one child's body," she cried out. "Why can't you find out about her? Hasn't she paid enough? Haven't they all?"
"Easy," Kevin reached over and captured her hands gently, compassion and caring written on his concerned face. "We're working on it. It takes time."
Alexis clenched in fingers, unintentionally squeezing Kevin's hands. "I can't stand that she has no home."
"I know that, honey."
Honey? Rough skin rasped across her soft palms. Tingling, arousing, yet comforting at the same time. Alexis stared, mesmerized as his strong fingers evoked sensations she hadn't felt before. Who was this man that moved her so? Why had he come into her life now?
"Let's go. I'm going to take you to one of my favorite places for a couple of hours. You need to get out of town for a bit." He held up his hand to forestall her arguments. "I'm not asking you to come, I'm telling you." He stood up, holding out his hand.
Alexis glanced up at him, more than a little surprised at this sudden development. "I just want to go home and rest."
"I know. But this is a special place and just what the doctor ordered." He smiled smugly.
"Now you practice medicine, I suppose?" Her sarcasm had no effect on him.
He pulled her to her feet and tugged in the direction of his truck. "Part of the job description. Let's go."
Scant minutes later, they were in his truck, heading out of town. The miles of suburbia gave way to miles of green forest. Alexis couldn't remember the last time she'd gone in this direction. Maybe never.
Listlessly, she watched the rapidly disappearing miles. They'd turned onto a well-traveled dirt road heading into a deeply wooded area, with second growth trees and long meadows. She'd heard there was a chain of small lakes in the area, but hadn't taken the time to check them out.
The truck bounced over a rise and the whole vista changed. Alexis gasped as blue sparkling water opened up in front of her.
"This is gorgeous."
Kevin smiled at her. "You haven't seen anything yet."
And he was right.
A large stream flowed down the mountain behind them through a series of small glistening pools. It resembled a blue, sunlit necklace winding down to feed the incandescent jewel in the valley.
"Oh, my God." Alexis exited the truck and raced to the water's edge.
The musical laugh of the moving water refreshed her soul. Fresh air refreshed her senses as nothing else could have.
"What is this place?"
"It's actually private property." Kevin came to stand beside her. "I'm building a house back here in a grove of trees."
It took a moment for his words to sink in. "You mean you own this piece of heaven?" At his complacent grin, she shook her head in disbelief. "I didn't even know that something like this existed." Alexis turned slowly, trying to take it all in.
"This has been in my family for generations. Everyone enjoyed coming here, but I'm the first to want to live here." They walked upstream a few hundred yards. Kevin showed her rock steps leading into one of the pools. "I have many happy memories from here."
"I believe you. It's spectacular." In fact, she was deeply shocked that someone could own this and yet not find a way to be here every available minute.
"Construction has gotten much easier with the times. I'll be bringing power down here. The foundation is complete, as is the well. Do you want to see?"
"Do I ever!"
They walked over to the deserted site.
"Have you got a contractor building this for you?" There were signs someone had been working. Tools were neatly stacked off to one side. Yards of lumber for framing sat ready under the trees. The much-needed generator in plain view, but tucked further underneath the branches.
"Yes, but it's a buddy of mine, so he works on this when he doesn't have other work. He's putting up a double garage for someone else today."
Good. Alexis was glad to not have noises marring the silent beauty of this place.
"Do you want to go for a swim?" he asked, smiling broadly.
Crestfallen, she looked over at him. "I didn't bring a suit."
Despite the words, the water drew her back to its side. She wanted to immerse herself in the cool crisp ripples. Did she dare?
"I'm going in. You make up your own mind."
Startled by his words, she turned to face him, only to stop in shock at the sight of his beautifully muscled behind. Dear God, Mother Nature at her best. A moan of delighted surprise escaped – the sound brought his head around sharply.
He grinned. "Like what you see, do you?"
Raw heat washed over her face, but she refused to look away. Keeping her eyes on him, she admitted softly, "Oh yes."
"Enjoy," he tossed back cheerfully, taking care as he stepped on the stone stairs and descended into the rippling water. "But wouldn't you prefer to come in yourself?"
"I'm thinking about it." In this setting, with just the two of them, alone in nature, it seemed natural to be nude. As it was, she felt overdressed, hot and decidedly uncomfortable. Without allowing herself to think of the consequences, she stripped off her clothing. The cool air instantly soothed her overheated skin. She sighed in relief. She glanced over at Kevin but he rested against a large flat rock with his eyes closed.
Inexplicably, she was miffed. To hell with it. She strode, with a confidence she didn't feel, to the water's edge, gasping in shock at the temperature of the water as she slipped in. Cool waves lapped at her skin as she sank down to settle against a smooth rock, grateful to close her eyes and relax.
CHAPTER 13
He was no angel, for heaven's sake, and she'd test the strength of a saint. Although he'd hoped she'd follow his lead and loosen up enough to join him in the water, Kevin hadn't dared to believe it would happen. For all her wholesome, natural look, she held herself in tight control, as if fearful of letting go.
He couldn't resist sneaking a quick glance.
God, she was beautiful! Long and lean from many hours of physical work, tan marks highlighted the secret areas of her body she kept hidden from public view. Gentle waves reached up to caress her heated skin as she slowly sank, inch by inch into the water. But her nipples, oh God. His eyes slammed shut and he focused on controlling his breathing.
No force on earth could stop him from opening his eyes for a quick second look.
Damn him for looking in the first place, and damn him for not looking sooner. The water already lapped at her breasts, lifting their delicate weight to float on the gentle waves. Kevin shuddered, grateful for the swift current that would at least distort her view of his arousal. His eyes slid closed once again, taking with him the incredible erotic memory of her face when she'd first felt the cool water enveloping, caressing, and cooling her skin. That look would feed his fantasies for a long time.
He'd love to have Alexis be more at ease with him. She needed to relax more, smooth away the constant pinched look she always carried – a look he presumed had been there since her sister's death, if not before. She'd isolated herself inside a tower of pain, refusing to rejoin the world.
Now that she was taking her first tentative steps, he really wanted her to enjoy her life…and he wanted to be in it in some capacity. He didn't know in what capacity or where he wanted a relationship to go, just that he wanted a chance for them to move forward together.
***
Alexis stretched out. The gentle current washed away the many layers of stress that had built up slowly over the last few weeks. With the blue sky, hot sunlight and incredible water vistas surrounding her, nothing resembling ghosts or evil was allowed.
She was thankful for the respite.
She was also getting cold.
They'd
been resting in companionable silence for several minutes, maybe even longer, but without any movement to warm her up, the chill had started to settle in.
"Had enough?" Kevin called to her.
"I think maybe. I'm almost numb," she answered, not opening her eyes. Splashing sounds warned her of his approach. Casually, she shifted, allowing the water to hide most of her. She was no prude, but the energy between them already hovered at flashpoint. It didn't need any starter fluid.
"Can't have that." He stood in front of her, concern written on his face. "Let's warm up in the sun."
He held out his hand.
Alexis looked at his outstretched hand carefully. It was such an innocent gesture, but fraught with hidden implications. Shivers raced down her spine.
He waited, his palm still outstretched.
Why was she making such a big deal out of this? Because it was a big deal – at least it was for her. Her hand moved on its own accord, sliding into his much bigger one, mocking her indecisiveness. She watched, shocked, as her fingers nestled contentedly into his. How dare they?
Easy. They'd bypassed her mind, and followed her heart.
Shit!
He tugged her gently to her feet and into his arms.
Ice met fire. Heat seared her cool body, igniting flames of scorching passion. Kevin held her snug against him from chest to thigh, wet skin to wet skin, causing heat to smolder inside. Her breath caught as her nipples shifted against his lightly haired chest.
"Are you all right?" he whispered against her hair.
"I think so, but I'm getting cold," she answered, slightly out of breath.
"Impossible. I'm burning up." He laughed lightly only it slid quickly into a groan.
Startled, she searched his face. Color flushed over his high cheeks, tension pulled at his very skin. But his eyes, oh, Dear God. Deep, metallic and mesmerizing, she felt them reach inside her soul, searching, seeking, asking something of her.
Kevin lowered his head, sealing her mouth with his. Flames ignited her, warmed her from the inside out. A moan escaped on a breathless sigh when he lifted his head ever so slightly, before dropping once more to take her mouth in a blazingly passionate kiss.