“They are safe with Logan and my brothers.” He glanced at Helena and she noted his concern.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m worried this has nothing to do with Penny and Milo and it’s all about you.”
“Okay.”
“I need you to be aware of that. Don’t take chances because you believe that Barry was only interested in Penny.”
“I won’t take chances,” she assured him.
“Good. Because I need you. Penny and Milo need you.” He gave her a half-smile. “Sorry, I had to say it.”
“I understand.” She ran her hand through her hair and rested her elbow on the door. “I’m scared that Barry has something to do with the monster in my closet.” There, she’d finally admitted it. She’d never tell Penny. Her sister worried about her enough as it was, and the idea did seem kind of crazy.
“That had crossed my mind, too.”
She gave a hollow laugh. “When I was a little girl, and I told my mom about the monster in my closet, I never understood why she never just told me it wasn’t real like other moms would.”
“She might have been trying to protect you. We just have to figure out what from.” He took out his phone and tapped the screen. “Hypothetically, at least.”
“If it’s real, what is it?” She shook her head and groaned. She was even beginning to sound like her mom. “This is crazy talk.”
“No, Helena. Crazy is pretending that the monster isn’t real. Once you know they are then all you are doing is lying. Your mom didn’t lie to you, she told you the truth and hung a talisman to keep it away.” He put his phone back in his pocket. “Do you still put a talisman in your closet?”
“Oh, I should have known that question was coming.”
“You do?”
“Yes.”
“Then deep down, you always believed your mom when she told you the monster was real.” His expression changed as he studied her.
“What are you thinking?”
“That if we really want the truth, it’s time to take down the talisman and let the monster out.”
“I had a feeling you were going to say that. And there I was thinking Barry was the worst of my problems.”
“He still might be. There’s only one way to find out.”
“I’m glad you are by my side, Dario.”
“Don’t worry, I am never going to leave. Not ever.”
Chapter Fourteen – Dario
“This is where you live?” Dario stood next to Helena, facing a door that looked just like all the other doors in the apartment building.
“No, I brought you to someone else’s apartment.” She rolled her eyes. “Sorry, I’m on edge.”
“You have every right to be.” He looked over his shoulder, pushing his senses out as he checked for danger. “I can’t sense anyone lurking in the corridors. Only the people in their apartments.”
Helena sighed. “The problem is, I have no idea if Barry lives in this apartment building. I assumed we met by accident on the street and I’m certain I’d never seen him before that day, but for all I know, I might have passed him in the corridor or stood next to him in the elevator. It’s easy to not see people. I mean see them for long enough to remember them.”
“Let’s get inside.” He glanced around one last time while Helena unlocked her door and opened the door slowly.
He could sense the tension in her body, her fight-or-flight mechanism had cut in and her nostrils flared a little as her breathing quickened and her heart rate increased.
I think she’d fight, his horse remarked.
So do I, Dario agreed. Even if the safest thing would be flight.
We would fight by her side, his horse added.
No, we would fight in front of her and shield her from whatever danger might be present. Dario’s jaw tensed as Helena stepped inside her apartment.
“I can’t smell him,” she whispered.
Dario nodded, using his senses to check for danger both inside and outside of the apartment. He was certain the apartment was empty, otherwise, he would not have let his mate enter first. However, a swift-footed shifter could spring an ambush from behind, so until the apartment door was closed, and the lock was in place, he was taking no chances.
“Definitely no smell.” She led him to the small kitchen area. “Can you smell anything?”
“I can smell coffee and bleach.” He half-smiled. “I can smell you.”
“I mean can you smell him?” She sucked in a deep breath. “It’s a spicy scent. Leathery.”
He shook his head. “I can’t smell a male cologne and I can’t smell the scent of a male who might use cologne to mask his true scent.”
Her face paled. “Is that why you think he wears a strong cologne? To mask what he is?” Her eyes flickered toward the bedroom.
She’s thinking of the closet and the monster inside, his horse told him.
That would be my guess. Dario stepped out of the kitchen and headed down the narrow hallway. “The bathroom and bedrooms are this way?” His eyes swept the living room as he opened the bathroom door first, it was empty, he knew it was empty, but he had to check anyway.
In a world filled with magic, it might be possible for someone to mask more than their scent.
“That’s my bedroom.” Helena was at his shoulder as she pointed to a closed door.
He reached out and turned the door handle, pushing the door open but not entering the room. He searched the bedroom with his senses, inhaling the scent of his mate as his eyes searched the room for anything out of place.
The head of Helena’s bed was pushed against the wall on the right, the pretty cotton sheets, decorated with delicate pink flowers were smooth as if freshly made. The floor was clear, with no scattered clothes, no traces of dirt. The furniture, a dresser, and a matching free-standing closet were against the opposite wall to the bed.
“Does anything look...wrong?”
“No,” she whispered.
He let out the breath he’d been holding and entered the room. “Everything looks exactly as you left it?”
“Exactly.” She nodded.
Dario went to the window and looked out on the streets below. They were busy, rush-hour traffic filled the roads while people walked the streets to catch buses and trains to take them home.
He turned his back on the urban streets and went to the closet. “Can I open it?”
She swallowed hard. “Yes, of course.”
He flicked the door open to reveal neatly arranged clothes. “No monsters in there.”
“It’s the wrong sort of closet,” she answered as naturally as if she were talking about the rain.
“The wrong sort of closet?” His forehead creased.
“Yes.” She gave a short laugh.
“What is the right sort of closet?” He had to ask.
“The one in the other bedroom.” She left the room and went along the hallway. “It’s in there.”
He opened the door and went inside. There was a double bed and a small single bed, both made. The double bed had similar pretty covers, while the smaller bed had a train bedspread. “This was where Penny and Milo were going to sleep?”
“Yes, it’s the bigger of the two rooms. Most other occupants use it as their main bedroom.” She held her hand out to indicate the built-in closet, but she didn’t directly look at it. “I wouldn’t be able to sleep.”
“Okay.” He strode toward the closet. “May I?”
She nodded, chewing her bottom lip and hugging herself as he reached for the small doorknob and turned it. The door creaked as it opened, revealing an empty space. “I never use it.”
Dario stepped forward to inspect the closet. “It’s empty, there’s nothing in here.”
“I know.” She gave a low laugh. “Monsters only come out of closets when it’s dark.”
“Of course.” He checked the closet once more. He was wrong, the closet wasn’t empty. Hanging on the empty rail was a small talisman, a ward agains
t monsters.
“My mom used to hang one up in the closets. I was sure she only did it to make me feel better. Of course, I know different now.” She stepped closer but not too close. “When I moved here, I hung it there.”
“Does it help?”
She shrugged. “I’ve never had the dream but that doesn’t mean it helps. I might just have grown out of my dreams.”
“But you’ve never taken it down.” He closed the door and turned to face her.
“Why would I?” She took another step forward. “Whether it works or not, I have had no bad dreams with it hanging there. If it’s a placebo, it works; if it’s real, it works.”
“Good answer.” He grinned and slipped his arm around her shoulders. “I don’t know about you, but I could really do with a cup of coffee and something to eat. Then we figure out what we’re going to do.”
“I suppose that’s something we could have done on the drive here.” She led him back to the kitchen area where he made coffee while she checked the scant contents of her fridge. “I have some pasta and tomatoes in the cupboard. I make a mean garlic and tomato sauce.”
“That sounds good.” His stomach rumbled in anticipation. “My stomach agrees.”
“I’m afraid it won’t be anywhere near as good as Ivan’s food.”
“I’m used to a simpler life and simpler food.” He placed a cup of coffee down on the counter next to her food preparation area. “Is there anything else I can do to help?”
“No, thanks. The kitchen is small, and I’m used to working here on my own.” She filled a pan with water.
“If Penny and Milo had come here, you’d have learned to cook and live together.” He sat down and stretched his legs out in front of him. He hated sitting around so much, first the car and now the apartment.
“We both knew them moving here would have been temporary. Either they would have moved out on their own when Penny got a job, or we would have needed to find a bigger place together.” She waved a spoon toward the bedrooms. “You saw their room, there’s no way they could have shared a bedroom for long. It’s not right.”
“And children need outdoor space. Especially active kids like Milo.”
She chuckled. “You are not wrong there. I think he’d have gone stir crazy living here. It all worked out for the best really, didn’t it?”
“The best any of us could have hoped for,” Dario agreed. He sipped his coffee and watched his mate work. “What about you?”
“Me?” She glanced over her shoulder.
“Yes, what do you see yourself doing?”
“Translated to, am I expecting you to go stir crazy in this apartment?”
“We should discuss our future.” He sat up straight. “But first let’s concentrate on the present. There’s no use complicating things any further. We need to find Barry and find out if he is a danger to you or Penny.”
“I agree.” She wiped her hands. “Why don’t I text him and see if he’ll reply?”
“Have you spoken to him since you thought he’d been in here?” Dario’s shoulders tensed and he forced himself not to ball his hands into fists as he thought of Barry being in his mate’s apartment.
“No. I didn’t want to let him know I thought he’d been in the apartment. I certainly didn’t want him to know I was leaving town for a few days to visit Penny. I was scared he might follow me.” Her mouth tightened into a thin line. “Honestly, if I never saw or heard from him again, that would be fine with me. I have no idea what I saw in the guy.” She brushed her hair back from her face.
“Understandable. Now you’ve found the real thing.” He smiled and she picked up a dish towel and threw it at him. “I guess I deserved that.”
“You did. Although, you are probably right. I was chasing a dream when I started dating Barry. He came along and made me feel better about myself. He was interested in me.” Her fingers paused as they typed out a message.
“What’s wrong?” Dario sprang out of his seat and went to her side, guiding her into a chair.
“He was really interested in me.” She placed the phone down on the table and stared at the screen.
“Isn’t that usual, when people start dating?” Dario had little experience of normal human dating but when he did go out with a woman, he was always interested in getting to know her. He liked making a connection with people.
“Not really. Most men I’ve dated tend to be more interested in talking about themselves, especially to begin with. It’s like they are trying to impress you.” She covered her mouth with her hand. “Barry asked about my family, about my childhood. Where we’d lived. He was interested in Penny, concerned when I told him she was at the end of a messy divorce. That’s how come he knew she was coming to town.”
“There’s nothing wrong in being open about yourself,” Dario assured her.
“I fell for him because I liked that he was attentive. When really he was just digging for information.” She shook her head and clenched her hand around her phone.
“We still don’t know that,” he reminded her. “He sounds like any other obsessed stalker.”
She tapped out her message and pressed send. “Whichever way I look at it, I’m a poor judge of character. The guy is a jerk.”
“You’re lucky you have a sure thing in your life now.” He hunkered down beside her chair and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m the real deal, Helena.”
“I know. In my heart, I know.” She cupped his face in her hands and leaned forward, her lips an inch away from his. “And in answer to your earlier question. I’m happy to live wherever you are. Even if that’s in a tent in the middle of a grassy plain.”
He gave her a lopsided smile. “I love you.”
Her eyes widened but he claimed her lips before she had a chance to answer.
Chapter Fifteen – Helena
“Can you think of anywhere else he might be?” Dario’s attempt to hide his frustration failed.
“No, we’ve been all across town looking for him. We checked out all the places we ever met and all the places he ever mentioned.” Helena pressed the button for the elevator and stepped back. She’d gone over every conversation she’d had with Barry in minute detail several times since she suspected him of breaking into her apartment. “I’m absolutely certain.”
“What about work?” Dario stared up at the numbers as they counted down.
“He told me he worked from home. He never mentioned who he worked for. I, stupidly, never asked.” She shook her head and rubbed her forehead as the elevator doors pinged open. “I’m sorry. I should have questioned him more.”
Dario slipped his arm around her shoulders as they stepped into the elevator. “It doesn’t matter, he would only have told you what he wanted you to know.”
“Right now it’s looking as if he sure didn’t want me to be able to find him.” She jabbed the button for the fifth floor and the doors closed.
“I suppose, if we can’t find him and he doesn’t answer your texts, we can assume he got what he wanted and now he’ll leave you alone.”
“Do you really believe that?” She hugged herself as the elevator climbed to her floor.
“Yes, I do. Maybe when he broke into your apartment, he got what he wanted or realized that he’d made a mistake. We might never know his motives. And that’s okay. If he leaves you alone then we just move on.” The doors opened and they stepped out into the hallway.
Dario paused, his eyes out of focus. Helena had learned through the afternoon searching for Barry that this meant Dario was pushing his senses outward. He could see more than any normal human, he could smell more and sense more. He truly was supernatural.
How could she ever have thought her mom crazy to believe in something so incredible? Helena had anchored herself in the mundane world when tiny miracles were happening all around her every day. While they had been out, Dario had sensed at least five other shifters in the area they covered.
Five. How many more were there out there?
/> “Is it safe?” She looked right and left, her eyes on her apartment door. Since the break-in each time she approached the door, her stomach tied in knots as her head filled with all kinds of crazy ideas of what might be behind the slab of wood.
Her nightmares were no longer contained to what might be in the closet.
“It’s safe,” he assured her, and she believed him. The more time she spent with Dario, the more she appreciated his hidden talents and the more she depended on him.
And the more she wished she had shifter powers, too.
Helena took out her key as they reached her apartment door and inserted it in the lock. She took a breath before turning it and pushing the door open. “In here?”
“There’s no one in your apartment,” he assured her as he followed her inside. “Do you want me to check each room?”
She shook her head. “Before I went to Wishing Moon Bay, I wasn’t this jumpy. I figured if Barry was in here, I’d be able to deal with him. Now, well, I have no idea what exactly Barry might be.”
“I can upgrade the security locks on your door,” he offered.
“I already had the locks changed.” She glanced at the closed front door. “I have no idea how he got hold of my keys and made a copy.”
“You might have left your purse unattended while you went to the bathroom. If this guy is good, he could have gotten what he needed in less than a minute.” Dario smiled sympathetically. “But that’s not going to happen again.”
“I guess I could get a second lock and keep the keys in separate compartments of my purse.”
“Now you’re thinking.” He kissed her cheek and moved past her, heading toward the front door. “Why don’t I go back out and grab some takeout?”
“I can order in?” she offered.
“No, I’ll go out. It’ll give me a chance to take a look around.” He opened the door and let himself out. “Stay here, don’t go out without telling me. Please.”
“I won’t, I promise.” She closed the door behind him and checked that it was locked before she went to the kitchen and made a fresh pot of coffee, more to give herself something to do than because she needed caffeine. Her nerves were already on edge, which was ridiculous since she was safe here in her apartment with the door locked.
The Horse Shifter's Mate: A Wishing Moon Bay Shifter Romance (The Bond of Brothers Book 2) Page 11