Laif feared it was too late for that but didn’t say anything. She was right, he should get up.
He didn’t.
Instead, he turned to study Memphis’s face. Just a little too hollow, but not sunken as bad as it had been yesterday. His finger trailed gently over her cheek. “Mo shonuachar. Mo chuisle.” Could he really know just that quickly that she was his soulmate, his pulse?
Chapter 5
“Laif.”
Someone shook him awake. His eyes opened blurrily. He blinked and cleared his throat.
His mom scowled down at him. That I-will-beat-you look. “Laif, please remove your hand and get up.”
He stretched his fingers and found a soft mound underneath. Aw, crud, he must have slid his hand over Memphis’s breast while he slept next to her.
“Sorry,” he mumbled as he slipped out of the bed. He took a deep breath and stretched, “What time is it?”
“A little after six. I just finished up my shift. Your dad and Bryson dropped off your car, so go home and shower. Go to work. Your dad said he’d come sit with Memphis. We’ll keep her protected. If Kyrell and Vels are after her, they won’t get past your father.”
“Why are you here, anyway? I didn’t even think to ask last night.”
Lydia executed a perfect one-shoulder shrug and replied, “Mytesha’s husband has the flu and she asked if I could cover for her until he’s better. I figured with Memphis here, it would work out well for everyone but maybe your dad.” She grinned a Cheshire cat grin. “Poor Regan, he’s called six times tonight. Says he can’t sleep without me.”
Laif thought he could now comprehend that. Probably not a good thing since he hadn’t even made it on a date with his woman yet. His woman? Wow. Yeah, he was way ahead of the game.
“Which one’s Mytesha?” he asked to let the idea of Memphis being his woman percolate somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind. No sense letting it sit front and center for very long.
“Her husband works nights at KASE as a deejay. Since they don’t have kids, they work close to the same shifts. Works well for them for now. They’re hoping once they have kids, she can stay home, and he can switch to days.”
Laif remembered now. Young, curly black hair kept short. Beautiful dark skin. She could have been a model, he thought. Mytesha had graduated only a couple of years ago from nursing school and his mom really liked her. He hoped things worked out for the young couple.
“Go home,” Lydia said again. “Your dad is capable of watching out for her.”
“I know,” Laif mumbled. But…. He glanced down at Memphis again. She’d slept peacefully during the night, but what if she had another panic attack, or whatever it had been when she’d suffered from that nightmare? She would need him. Right? “I want to be here if she wakes up.”
Lydia frowned as she took Memphis’s wrist and felt her heartbeat. Laif could read her face; he’d had thirty years to understand the looks his mom had perfected. This one said, You have responsibilities, Laif. You have a job. Do you think it best to lose sight of everything else in your life?
Before she actually said any of that, he sunk into the chair beside her bed. “I just can’t leave her, Mom.”
Without a word, Lydia stood there and studied him for a moment. Finally, she gave him the I-know-you-are-hurting-look and nodded. “I know you want to be here. But, baby, you stink. You still have blood on your clothes. And the other nurses are going to think I didn’t teach you proper hygiene.”
He lowered his head and really looked at himself. She was right. And he probably did stink. Still, how could he leave? What if something happened while he was gone? He’d hate it if she got hurt when he wasn’t around.
“Daddy and I will sit with her. She’ll be safe, honey.”
He smiled at his mom, thankful she knew him so well and that he was loved. “Okay. But only long enough to shower and pick up some work. I’ll take a couple of personal days.”
Laif pushed his fingers through hair that desperately needed to be washed and glanced back at Memphis, the knot in his stomach tightening at the thought of leaving. But he needed to do this. If for no other reason than to prove that he could.
How in the world had she come to mean so much to him in such a short time? How had she become so important? Maybe he should go to work, let someone else sit with her. But the thought brought bile to his throat.
He took her hand in his and said near her ear, “I’ll just be gone for a little while. You’ll be safe.”
Lydia Craig turned to her husband and smiled. “My poor little man’s got it bad. He’s worse than you were when we met.”
Regan kissed his wife on each cheek and then softly on the lips. “I dunno believe he can have it worse than me. Impossible.” He shook his head as he spoke. “Knew you were mo shonuachar the first time me eyes fell on you.” His Irish accent dominated when he spoke lovingly to his wife, even after living in Austin, Texas for the past thirty-five years.
Lydia smiled. “I knew my life would never be the same again. That beautiful smile of yours. Those gorgeous blue, gypsy eyes.”
She traced his nose with her fingertip. “The intense look you’d get on your face when you fought the attraction you felt.”
Her finger moved to his bottom lip. “The way you held me, stroking my back as you kissed me senseless.”
She placed her hands square on his chest and shoved. “The way you spat curses at me and called me a witch because you wanted me; you insufferable ogre.”
Regan laughed and bent his knees, coming eye to eye with her. “Heavens, you frustrated and confused me, muddling my mind every time I got within seeing distance of you. I thought for sure I’d explode before you agreed to marry me.”
“You claimed to fight demons in your spare time. I came from a normal Texas family who knew better than to believe demons had bodies you could fight.” She grinned. “Nope, you were some fabulously sexy, crazy man.”
“Well, it seems like Memphis knows what she’s in for with the Oíche Scáthanna. Though I wonder how long she’s been fighting them. And who taught her. We need to find out a little more about our mystery girl.” Regan pulled his MacBook out of its carrying case.
Regan Craig was an architect who had retired from MacGregor, Wallace, and Craig five years earlier, after Lydia’s brutal rape on a trip to Spain. He still worked from home on special projects and sat on the board of trustees at the firm.
“Isn’t Tiegan looking into this for us?”
With his nod, he added, “He gave me a bit to go on, but hasn’t found much about Miss McLoughlin yet. Thought we’d do some snooping on a site a PI friend of mine gave me. Said I can find just about anything about anyone, and since I have her social, we should be able to find something.” He grinned conspiratorially at his wife. “Wanna snoop with me?”
She rubbed her hands together like a gleeful child. “But of course.”
After thirty interesting minutes, they didn’t have much to go on. Seemed as if Miss McLoughlin didn’t want anyone finding her, most of her records were “lost” according to the site. A hometown and a mother. That’s all they had.
With a gargled moan, Memphis began to thrash. Lydia jumped to her side. “Shhh. It’s okay. You’re not alone.”
“Don’t touch me. I don’t want to do this, Gary.” Memphis’s voice was weak, yet it shook with fear. Her hands flew up to protect her face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.” Her head jerked as if it had been punched.
Lydia watched as silent tears streamed down Memphis’s cheeks, but she didn’t say another word. Her eyes never opened.
Lydia turned back to Regan with a determined look on her face. “We have to find out who this Gary is. This isn’t the first time she’s begged someone not to hurt her.”
Regan took his wife’s hand. “I fear our son’s in for a hard time with this lass.”
Lydia’s lips pursed together. “You handled it. He will too.”
“Is tú mo ghrá, mo chuisle,” Reg
an Craig replied.
Memphis fought through the thick fog. If she could claw her way out, she could escape Gary. But there was no evading him. Memphis knew that. She would never get away.
“You shouldn’t be so purtee, sweet-thang. Makes a man want… real bad. I know you’re a witch, like your momma. Beautiful and temptin’ I know you put a spell on me. Makin’ me dream about touchin’ you. You don’t have to pretend with me. I know you want me to touch you. I know you want to touch me.” Gary rubbed his fat hands over her cheek and moved closer. She was going to throw up. Memphis tried hard not to cry, otherwise, Gary would hit her. Praying hard, she closed her eyes and wished her momma would come home soon.
Scared she wouldn’t make it time.
She would be brave, Memphis told herself. Shaking, she pushed his hand away and said, “Don’t touch me!”
“Now don’t be that way, darling’. I can make you feel real nice.” When Memphis tried to get out of his way, Gary grabbed her hair and yanked. “You think I don’t know that you want me? You practically beg for my touch. I see the way you look at me when your momma’s not lookin’. Don’t think I’m not gonna take what’s offered, little filly.”
If she flinched, it would just make it worse. Then he’d get angry and start hitting, but she couldn’t help it. Her skinny little body started shaking harder. “I don’t want anything but to be left alone,” she said with as much force as she could.
He slapped her. “You think you’re too good for me? Think I don’t know that you told your momma I tried to touch you? Trying to get your momma to leave me. But she don’t believe you, does she?” He laughed meanly. “The only way you and your momma will get away from me is if you’re both dead. You understand that, little girl?” His eyes looked mean and kind of blank like they always did when he was drunk.
“Please,” was all Memphis could say.
He pushed her back into the couch cushions and sat on her chest. “You can make things right ‘twinx us the way your momma does.” He started to pull down his already unbuttoned and unzipped pants.
She bucked and kicked her legs, bringing her small, knobby knees up, and landed them weakly against his back. This was it. Even at eight, Memphis knew what he wanted her to do. Brand new tears burned her eyes as she begged God to save her from this hell.
A slamming car door stopped Gary from showing himself to her. With a vicious curse, he stood and zipped up his pants. “Lucky for you your mama’s home. But she won’t always be here to save you. Remember that.” He kicked her leg. “Now go to your room. And you better not be tellin’ anybody about our little talk.”
Memphis ran to her room and hid under the bed, shaking uncontrollably. How could he call that, a “talk”? Not ten minutes later she heard Gary and her mom going at it in the living room. I hate you, she screamed in her head. I hate you both!
Memphis’s body trembled as sweat beaded on her face. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t escape the thick, dark fog. She couldn’t escape Gary.
It took longer to settle things at work than Laif had anticipated. Four and a half hours after he’d left, he pulled back into the hospital’s parking garage. His blood seemed cold and slow through his veins away from Memphis’s presence. The need to see her seemed tangible. A physical pull to hurry back to her tugged his feet into an urgent run.
“Did she wake up while I was gone?” he asked as soon as he entered her room, out of breath.
“No,” Lydia murmured, her eyes darkened, her face became pained, “but she did act out again. Fighting someone named Gary. I’m afraid her past wasn’t at all pleasant.”
“So, what, Mom? Do you expect me to abandon her because she may be broken?” Laif’s voice continued to rise. He couldn’t seem to control it. “I’m not a child and won’t tire so easily. Is that what you think? She’s just some stupid project?”
Regan jammed a finger in Laif’s chest. “You bloody weel won’t talk to my wife li’ that. Never again! I can and will take it ou’ of yer hide, boyo!”
Laif took a step back and shoved his hands in his pockets. He had known her past wouldn’t be pleasant. Yet hearing she’d had another nightmare had scared him to his toes. Even before he’d opened his mouth, he’d known he was acting like an idiot. For some reason, that hadn’t stopped the words from flowing, or the accusation that came with them.
Regardless, his dad was right. He didn’t talk to his mother that way. And when he saw the hurt in her eyes, his knees almost buckled. “I’m sorry, Mom.” He wouldn’t use fatigue or fear as an excuse. There wasn’t one.
When his mom touched his cheek, his knees gave out and he sat heavily in the bedside chair. Reagan, obviously in control again, grabbed another chair and sat, pulling Lydia onto his lap and wrapping his arms around her. In love and protection, Laif thought.
In a calm, business-like voice, Reagan said, nodding toward his laptop, “We’ve found out a little about her, but not much.”
Laif had to touch Memphis. He needed the contact to keep himself in control, so he took her hand. When he did, she intertwined her fingers through his and opened her eyes. “Dark angel. You… still here.”
Filled with relief, he kissed her knuckles. “I’m here.”
“Knew… would be. Wish you… real.” And her eyes closed again.
His heart fell. “What does that mean? I’m real, Memphis. Hey.” Laif rose and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. “I’m real. And I’m not going anywhere.” He sank back into the chair and turned to his parents. He needed whatever they could tell him. “What’ve you got?”
“She was born Memphis Jo McLoughlin, July sixteenth, nineteen-ninety-one to Ruth Abigail McLoughlin in Crawfordsville, Arkansas. There is no record of a father. Her mother married a Gary Fellows in nineteen-ninety-seven and then was killed by him almost three years later.
“He’s in Tucker Maximum Security Correctional Facility in Jefferson County doing twenty-five to life. Then Memphis’s maternal grandmother came and took her. That’s where the trail ends.”
Laif kissed Memphis’s hand and fought his temper. What have you lived through?
“We have an old address in West Memphis for her grandmother, but they were there less than a year. As for now, Tiegan spoke with her boss, who swears he remembers drinking one beer the night she was shot, but nothing else until he staggered through his back door, which he doesn’t remember ever going out of, and having a warm gun in his hand.
“He swore he would never hurt Memphis, that he loves her. Anyway, that’s not the point, he said that she lives nearby, but refused to give the police any more information about Memphis, saying she’d rather die than let the wrong people find her and he’s not going to help.
“There are no other records of her living in the city. His address, which is above his tattoo parlor, is listed as her place of residence on everything Tiegan found.”
“I wonder who she’s hiding from.” Laif scrubbed his hand over his face, rested his elbow on the side of the bed, and stared at his dad.
“Do you think it’s Kyrell and Vels? I know where she lives. The night we met, and I drove her home, the place was a bike shop with apartments on the second and third floors. She didn’t let me walk her up, but said she lived on the second floor, and I saw a light go on in the apartment she said was hers.”
His dad nodded. “Write down the address and I’ll pass it on to Tiegan. He can go check it out.”
“And if some demons waiting around? We should go first, or at least with him.”
His dad nodded, took Lydia’s hand. “I’ll take your mother home, call your brothers, and we’ll go.”
“Thanks, Dad,” Laif said, tired beyond belief. He wanted her safe and protected, and at home. With him. “Call me if you find anything.”
Regan dipped his head and led his wife from the room. At the door, he looked back to Laif. “Get some sleep, you look like death. I’ll call you after. No matter what we find.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“You sure this is the right apartment? The big guy who works at the bike shop said it belonged to an older couple. I don’t want to break into an apartment that turns out to not be our girl’s.”
Tiegan Murray wiped his palms on his jeans. He knew that Laif was concerned for Memphis and her safety, but he still had to keep them from compromising a possible crime scene. And, of course, to keep them all from getting arrested.
Tiegan stared at the heavy oak door, not a usual apartment door, and the carvings, much like the ones of protection on his own home and that of every member of his family. The door was probably a dead giveaway. Although, the one across the hall was the exact same. Or maybe the guy that owned the apartment liked old, hand-carved doors. At his father-in-law’s nod, Tiegan used the small tools to pick the lock. “Okay, y’all stay out here.”
“Um, the whole reason we’re here is so you don’t get yourself killed because of those nasty ol’ Night Shadows. I don’t think our sister would appreciate it much if you died, ya know?”
Tiegan looked over at the smug face of Fisher Craig and wanted to smack the smirk off. “You do understand that I’ve been a cop since before you graduated from high school, smart-aleck.”
Fisher grinned. “Yep. But I’ve been fighting demons for longer than you’ve been a cop. Sorry dude, but that trumps your cop any day.”
“Har-har. You’re just a laugh a minute, junior.”
“What does my sister see in you anyway?”
Tiegan broke out in a huge grin. “You really want me to answer that for you?”
Fisher scowled. “Heck no. What you two do behind closed doors needs to stay behind closed doors.”
Regan Craig raised his hand to silence the childish dispute. “I’ll go inside. Everyone else will wait at the front door. We will not invade this lass’s privacy any more than necessary.” He looked at his sons and son-in-law. “Understood?”
In The Dark Page 6