The sun had broken through the clouds by then, warming the air. The slight breeze kept them comfortable but wasn’t overpowering. And it was an immaculately clear day. The view of the Golden Gate Bridge sitting at the entrance of the bay was breathtaking. The clear blue sky against the bridge’s reddish-orange and the rolling green hills anchoring each end was a sight to behold. If Emily hadn’t known any better, she would have thought she was staring at a painting.
When they arrived back at the house later that afternoon, Emily felt amazing. Aside from hanging out with Lexi, she couldn’t remember the last time she had so much fun just talking and being with someone. She also couldn’t remember ever feeling the sensations she felt when she was around Liam. Especially when they touched.
The first time she shook his hand Emily was sure she had imagined the tingling that traveled from his palm and up her arm. Now that she had spent the day with Liam and felt the sensation every time they touched, she was sure it wasn’t her imagination playing tricks on her, and she found herself craving the effect of his skin touching hers.
When Liam walked her to her door, she wanted nothing more than to reach out and pull him close. The feeling shocked her. She had never been around anyone who made her want the affection as badly as she wanted it at that moment.
Emily thought she caught a look of hesitation on Liam’s face. He reached his hand out and brushed her cheek. The caress was a gentle graze that left her with a warm shiver, and at that moment, she was sure the fire, which had now been ignited deep within her belly, was set to explode into a roaring flame.
“I had fun today, Em,” Liam told her. His voice was deep. Deeper than she had heard it before. A raspy tone, thick with desire. His eyes were heavy, intoxicated.
“So did I.”
Liam leaned forward, his eyes focused on hers. They were calm, like a gentle sea lulling her to sleep. She was hypnotized by them. In an instant, Emily was thrown into a dream. One of herself in this very same position against the wall. The hazy image of a man stood in front of her, leaning in just as Liam was. She noticed the surrounding woodwork in the vision was the same as the woodwork in the house she now lived in. Was it the same place? How was that possible? Was the foggy image of the man in front of her Liam or someone else? Frightened by the sudden onslaught of emotions and confusion, Emily flinched, and the images she saw instantly disappeared, and she could see Liam clearly again, standing in front of her.
“You saw something?” Liam asked. His breathing increased as if he, too, had been startled.
“I—” Emily wasn’t sure how to put into words what she had just seen.
“I had a vision,” he stated after clearing his throat. “Of you and me, right here in this spot. You saw it, too, didn’t you?”
“I’m really confused.” Her mind screamed to pull away and run. But her heart refused to allow it. “I don’t know what’s happening.”
“Do you trust me?”
Emily swallowed hard and inhaled deeply, trying to slow her heart rate. “I probably shouldn’t, but I do.”
Liam’s hand moved from her cheek to the back of her neck, where he gently caressed her skin, sending more electrical pulses down her spine.
“We will figure out what is going on. Something is happening. I don’t know what it is just yet, but I’m going to find out. That being said, there is something about you. I feel this connection to you that I’ve never felt before. I can’t stop thinking about you. I don’t know what happened a minute ago, but I hope it doesn’t frighten you to the point where you pull away from me. There’s a link between us, and I’d like to explore that if you’re open to it.”
Emily stared into Liam’s ultramarine eyes, and what she saw was a gentleness she had never seen in anyone before. After what just happened, she should feel terrified. Instead, the need to be near him overtook her senses. “I’m not afraid,” she said. Her hands had found their way to his arms, and she held on to him, relishing in the feeling of him caging her between himself and the wall behind her. “I don’t know what this is either, but I’m comfortable with you. I’ve never felt that before. I feel like I’ve known you forever. I should be terrified right now by what I just saw, but I’m not.”
Liam nodded and smiled. “I’m beyond relieved to hear that.”
He continued to lean forward, and for a moment, Emily thought he was going to kiss her. Only he angled his head at the last second and placed his lips on her cheek. The moment his lips touched her skin, the energy between them increased. The voided space between their bodies pulsed and Emily thought the lights in the chandelier hanging above them flickered.
“Did you see that?” Emily asked, needing confirmation that she hadn’t imagined the phenomenon.
“I did,” Liam answered, not moving his gaze from her.
She inhaled his spicy, musky scent, sending shock waves through her. “Liam?”
His gaze met hers, eyes crystal blue and intense as if they were begging for an answer to his already unasked question. “Yes, Em?” his voice was a half-whisper.
“Would you like to stay for dinner?”
Liam pressed himself against her slightly. She wasn’t scared of him. In fact, she welcomed the heat of his body.
Liam leaned down, looking directly into her eyes. “You want me to stay for dinner?”
“Y-yes. I’m asking you if you would like to stay for dinner. It’s nothing fancy. But if you—”
“Emily,” he said, placing his finger on her lips to stop her.
She stared up at him, their bodies now so close her chest was touching his. Vibrations of electrical currents flew between them, and her breath escaped her in short waves that made her head spin with lust.
“I would love to stay for dinner.”
“Oh. Okay. Good,” Emily said on a long breath.
“What are we having?”
“I was going to roast some chicken.”
“Good,” Liam shifted his hand and touched his knuckles to her cheek, tracing her jawline and tucking some of her hair behind her ear. “I love roasted chicken.”
Not sure why, perhaps it was the closeness, but deep down, she knew it was because it was Liam. Emily’s heart rate quickened, and her cheeks burned. Her stomach fluttered, and girly parts tingled. She hated to admit it, but Lexi had been right. She was going to fall hard and fast for this man. And if she was being completely honest with herself, that’s exactly what she wanted.
“Do you need any help with cooking?”
“Uh, no. It won’t take me long to prep it.”
“Okay, do you mind if I run upstairs real quick?” He took a step back, stealing the delicious sensation coursing through her body. She instantly missed the warmth radiating off of him.
“No, of course not. I’ll leave the door unlocked for you,” she told him.
“Okay. I’ll be back.”
She nodded at him, and he turned to head upstairs. She stepped into her flat, kicked off her shoes, hung her sweater and purse on the hook near the door, and grabbed her phone. Emily hurried to the kitchen to start dinner. But first things first, she swiped open the text app and began typing. Lexi was going to die when she heard how her date went.
***
The shadow lurked at the end of the hallway, seething as Liam touched his treasured gem. It watched as his darling gazed into another’s eye, becoming lost in a lust he wished was for him. She was supposed to be his. He should have been the axis on which her world revolved upon. Not the other man’s. What was it about his rival that had his beloved seduced? His plans had been perfect. Everything had been set. He could have given her everything she desired, yet she still gravitated towards the one man he despised.
Memories of his demise floated forth, tormenting him, of how he left the physical world before fully being able to enjoy the riches he had collected. Reminding him of the deeds he’d done.
Eight
Of course he wanted to stay. The thought of leaving her tonight was killing him. She
caught him off guard. He assumed maybe she’d need some space and time to think about the vision they had both shared. Liam couldn’t decide if he would bring up what he had discussed with his friends the previous day. He knew he should, especially after their linked visions. Knew she deserved to know why he felt so connected to her. But, the thought of laying all of that information on her weighed on him.
Liam pulled his phone from his back pocket and typed.
Liam: She asked me over for dinner.
Trey: No shit! You said yes, right?
Liam: Yeah. I said yes.
Luke: You’re one lucky SOB.
Trey: I’ve been thinking about our past cases. Remember the Walters case from 2006?
Luke: Oh shit! I forgot about that!
Liam: Yeah. I remember. I know where you’re going and to tell you the truth, I don’t even want to think about it right now.
Liam rubbed his hands across his face. The Walters case had been one of the toughest cases they had investigated to date. The couple had been tormented by an entity for decades. It wasn’t until Liam and his team stepped in when they uncovered the truth about a gruesome murder that was linked to the Walters from decades earlier.
Luke: Alright. Let us know how dinner goes.
Liam: I will
Liam headed back downstairs. Emily had done what she said and left her front door unlocked for him. At first, the idea of her leaving her door unlocked made him nervous, but with the front door to the building always being locked and him being the only other resident in the house, he figured there wasn’t too much to worry about.
Knocking as he opened the door, he peeked his head in and entered. Emily was standing in the kitchen, seasoning some chicken leg quarters and placing them on a baking pan. There was a loaf of bread sitting on the counter and a bowl of chopped potatoes and onions.
She looked gorgeous standing there. She had put her hair in a loose bun on top of her head, and golden curls framed her face. She sniffled and blinked rapidly, allowing a tear to escape the corner of her eye. He strode to her, placing his finger under her chin, forcing her to look up at him. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“What?” Confusion swept across her face. Blinking again, more tears fell down her cheek. “Oh! I’m okay. I was slicing those onions. Onions always make me cry like this.”
Liam let out a breath and stepped back. His gut still wrenched from seeing the kaleidoscopes play in her eyes, he watched as Emily continued to prepare dinner. “I’ve never seen roasted chicken prepared that way,” he said as Emily spread the chopped onions and potatoes next to the chicken on the pan before placing everything in the waiting hot oven. Then she went to wash her hands.
Laughing, she answered, “Well. It’s normally just me. This is a lot easier than roasting a whole chicken. And it’s just as good.’
A buzzing sounded on the opposite counter. “Oh, that’s just my best friend, Lexi. I told her you were staying for dinner and she’s worried.”
Liam grinned. “It sounds like she’s looking out for you.”
Emily scrunched her nose while staring at her phone, and her brows drew together.
“What is it?”
“Oh. She’s paranoid. I love her to death, though. She’s worried that I’m alone with you in my apartment. So, I told her I would call her a little later to check in.”
“Give her a call now.” Liam casually leaned against the counter opposite of her, resting his hands behind him.
“What?” Emily asked.
“Call her. Tell her I’m happy to answer any of her questions.”
Emily raised her eyebrows. “Okay, but I’m warning you now, she’s a firecracker.” Emily pressed the call button on her phone and briefly spoke to her friend before holding her hand out to Liam. “Here you go,” she said with a sexy smirk.
He took the phone. “Hello, this is Liam Wesley,” he said as he gave Emily a wink. “I know Emily is your best friend. She’s very lucky to have you. I can assure you that you have nothing to worry about.” Pause. “No, I haven’t dated in quite a while.”
“Oh my God! Alexis. Knock it off!” Emily shouted.
Liam took her hand and led her into the living room, where they both sat down on her sofa. Liam placed both of their hands on his knee. He hadn’t meant for the affectionate gesture to happen, and for a second considered letting go. But when he felt Emily relax and give his hand a slight squeeze, he decided to leave them where they were and continued with Lexi. “I completely understand. I would never do anything to hurt Em.” Pause. “I have every intention of taking her on a dinner date. In fact, I was planning on asking her out tomorrow night for dinner, but she beat me to it.” Pause. “Oh yeah, she’s blushing real hard. She’s as red as a beef-steak tomato.”
Emily jumped up and tried to grab the phone from Liam, but he pulled her back down, this time onto his lap. He laughed and said his goodbye to Lexi before hanging up.
“What the fuck did she say?”
“Easy, Em.” He couldn’t control his laughter. She was right. Lexi was definitely a firecracker. “Lexi just had some advice for me. Mostly along the lines of if I dared hurt you in any way, she’d be on the first plane down here and rip my throat out. She also knew you’ve been wanting to get to know me better, and she’s glad you worked up the nerve to ask me over for dinner. When she asked if I was planning on taking you out to dinner, she knew you were blushing and asked for confirmation. I can’t lie to your best friend, babe.”
The feeling of Emily in his lap was both soothing and unbearable. He wrapped his arm around her, holding her. Her legs draped over the side of his, and he savored the feel of her.
Emily sighed heavily. “She can be so nosy.”
“She’s a good friend and is looking out for you.”
“That was embarrassing.”
Liam pulled Emily closer. Their faces were almost close enough for him to place a kiss on her lips. Her sweet scent combined with the sight of her rosy lips made his mouth water. Liam reached a hand up and cupped the back of her head while his other arm held her firmly around her waist. “That was adorable.” Liam tugged her head toward him slightly, and Emily responded willingly, lowering her head farther. Their lips met in a soft brush. A delicate kiss that sparked a current of pleasure through Liam’s body. His hand found its way under her shirt, where he touched the bare skin of her back.
Emily pulled back, her eyes closed. The beautiful smile and dusty pink hue across her chest faded, and she drew in a shaky breath. She opened her eyes and glanced down the hallway. Liam felt small tremors under his fingers that were at her back. She was shaking and had gone pale.
“Liam,” she said hesitantly.
“What is it?” Emily’s eyes stayed fixated down the hall. Liam followed her gaze.
What he saw was enough to cause the blood to leave his own face too. The feeling in the room grew heavy with oppression. The air was ice cold. Like a blanket of dread had come down on them.
Standing halfway in the bedroom doorway and halfway in the hallway was a large shadow figure of a man. Devoid of any features, standing there. Watching them.
Not breaking eye contact with the apparition, he tightened his hold around Emily and whispered, “Em, grab your phone and pull up the camera. Now.”
With extremely shaky hands, she reached down and picked up her phone sitting next to him. “You have a better angle than I do. Take pictures of it.”
She did. She probably took a hundred pictures. Liam could hear the shutter click continuously. Fuck, she was smart. He knew she held her thumb on the shutter button in an attempt to catch the figure on one of the photos.
Then, it was gone, vanishing before their eyes as it took a step back into the bedroom. The air was still frigidly cold and felt charged, like when a lightning storm is passing through. Liam turned to Emily. “Did you get a good shot?”
“I think so.” Hands still shaking, she flipped through the images. “Here. Here it is.”
Half
of a black, featureless figure stood in the doorway down the hall on the screen.
“Will you send that one to me? I’m going to send it to my team.”
Without answering, Emily did as he asked. In seconds, his phone chimed at the successful delivery of the text message containing the image. He helped Emily scoot on to the sofa. When he stood up, he bent over her, hugging her head and whispered in her ear, “You wait here, okay? I’m going to go take a look.”
She nodded her head, and before walking to the hallway, he sent his friends a message with the image:
Liam: Get to my place, now! Bring equipment.
While he slowly made his way down the hall, he heard his phone chime twice. His friends were on their way.
Nine
Other than a lingering chill and slight prickling sensation, causing the hairs on Liam’s arms to stand on end, there was no sign of the shadow he and Emily had just seen. He thought about doing an EVP session, where he would attempt to capture disembodied voices on a recording device, only he didn’t have his recorder on him. There had never been a reason for him to carry it when he wasn’t investigating. Though now, he thought maybe it would be a good idea to keep it on him.
When he stepped into the kitchen, a bottle of wine sitting on the counter caught his eye. Emily must have planned on opening it for dinner as she had set up the wine key and two wine glasses next to it. Liam walked over and removed the foil from around the opening. He inserted the worm of the corkscrew, twisting it until it was fully inserted. He folded the lever end down over the bottle and used the leverage to pull the cork free. Then, he poured a generous amount into the glasses.
Carrying a glass in each hand, Liam found Emily still sitting on the sofa where he had left her in the living room. With fingers frantically moving across the screen of her phone, Liam assumed she was texting Lexi to let her know what had just happened. “Em? I’m having my team head over here right now.”
Protecting His Windflower (A Spirit Hunters Series Novel Book 1) Page 5