by Davida McLea
Since their night in the back of her shop, McKenna had only seen Aidan once, and Perry had been with him. He had seemed in no hurry to be alone with her. His eyes kept drifting to the floor when she looked at him. She wasn't stupid. She knew that he wasn't in love with her. Hell, she wasn't in love with him, either, but damn it, her ego was bruised. It had been so long since she had had sex, and he was more skilled than most at that particular activity. She didn't expect moonlight and roses, but she at least expected some acknowledgment of what had passed between them.
And maybe a repeat performance.
"Hey, boss.” Josh touched her shoulder and shook her gently. “Is everything okay?"
Josh was always doing that—reading her emotions and knowing exactly when she was upset. It was one of the hazards of hanging around a witch. McKenna flashed a smile that was too big and too bright, but if Josh noticed, he didn't say anything. “Everything is fine."
"Are you still worried about what we found at the Inn?"
"A little,” McKenna lied. At that moment, she didn't care if the Hounds of Hell were haunting the place.
"Well, I'm impressed you managed to convince Aidan that there needs to be a more in-depth investigation. If you can work that miracle, any other work that we do there should be easy. We'll get to the bottom of everything. Don't worry,” Josh soothed.
His words snapped McKenna out of her momentary preoccupation with Aidan. They could conduct an investigation, but they couldn't do it with guests roaming around. She couldn't see Aidan agreeing to shut down for a week so they could all come in with EMF monitors and video cameras.
Under different circumstances, McKenna would be excited about such an unusual investigation, but she wasn't sure that she wanted to continue to work so closely with Aidan, especially if she couldn't seem to get her libido in check. She couldn't tell Josh any of that, though. Instead, she focused on concrete details. “Before we do any additional investigating, we need to do some heavy research, see if any other paranormal groups in the area have dealt with anything like this. We may need to call in reinforcements."
Josh's shoulders set and his bottom lip jutted out alarmingly. “We've never brought in outside help before."
Laughter bubbled inside McKenna's chest, but she swallowed it down. Josh was so territorial. He liked being part of the crew—after feeling like an outsider for so long, he liked the feeling of belonging. But any hint from McKenna that she was looking for new members sent him into an emotional tailspin. “I brought in outside help before you started working with me. I ran up against a lot of things that I wasn't able to handle alone. Everyone has different strengths and abilities. Sometimes we need something we haven't got. When that I happens, I look for someone to help us."
"But I...” He stopped himself and looked down at his feet.
"But you're a natural witch, I know,” McKenna whispered under her breath. Everyone in town knew she was a seer, but McKenna saw no reason to bring Josh's abilities into her shop while customers were milling around. “But first, you're untrained, and second, you're shielded and I'm not sure that you're ready to drop the shields or even make them a little weaker."
"But..."
"But nothing,” she snapped. “It's no coincidence that Julie didn't see that thing. She has absolutely no power or gifts so she was as invisible to it as it was to her. It came after me because it knows that I'm a threat, and it came after you, too. You captured it on film. Your energy is leaking through your shields. That damn thing saw you, and if I hadn't come along when I did, it would have been you that was tossed down those stairs. I can't take that kind of chance with you.
"But if it can sense me, doesn't it make sense to train me to use what I have? What good does it do me to have all of this energy if I can't direct or use it?” His voice sounded strained. It was obviously uncomfortable for him to challenge McKenna. “If I had been trained, maybe I could have kept it from hurting you. If it sees me anyway, shouldn't I be able to defend myself? What if it comes after me and I'm left defenseless?"
He was right, of course. McKenna hated to think that he had such a good grasp of a situation that she had completely overlooked. Her head had been so clouded with thoughts of Aidan until there just wasn't room for anything else. “I don't know how much I can teach you, Josh. I might be able to teach you to raise and lower your shields at will. Maybe teach you to keep your power in check.” She glanced over her shoulder at the customers browsing the shelves. No one even spared them a glance. “You just have to be prepared to draw a lot of nastiness to you when you start working. Your apartment will need shielding. That much energy is like a beacon for all sorts of spirits, good and bad. You have to be ready."
Josh's face was so pale that he glowed in the low light of The Book Shelf. “I know.” He cleared his throat nervously. “I've been doing some research on my own."
"You what?” McKenna's concern outweighed her need to keep the conversation quiet. Her voice echoed off the book stacks. Heads turned toward the two of them. McKenna gave everyone a smile. “Josh mis-shelved some books.” She shrugged casually. “I'm a slave driver, what can I say?” A few people chuckled—it was well known that McKenna was a soft touch—but everyone went back to their browsing and reading. When McKenna was satisfied that everyone had turned their attention elsewhere, she turned the full weight of her fury on Josh.
A stronger man would have withered under her glare, and Josh was no match for her. His face went from paper white to cherry red within seconds. “I know I shouldn't have,” he began to babble, “but I've been working with you for three years and you never said anything else about training me and I'm an adult now and I'm just really curious about what to do with everything I've been given.” He rattled on without taking a breath until McKenna was forced to reach out and put her hand over his mouth to stop him.
"I know that you want to learn, but that was so careless,” she said. “That's why that thing was able to see you. When you did your research your mental energy caused your power to surge. That's why it was able to see past your shields. It didn't see how much power you have, but it sensed something."
Why now? McKenna thought. He had always been a good kid who followed instructions. Why did he have to get a mind of his own when she was dealing with a potentially dangerous entity and Aidan Campbell to boot? She wanted to shove him back in his little box to keep him safe. He had become too much like a little brother to her and his safety was her major concern. But he was right. He was a grown man and he should have the ability to explore his gifts and he would do it with or without her cooperation.
"Okay, here's what we'll do. We're going to shield your apartment and we're going to try and strengthen your personal shields. I need you at the Inn and I can't take another chance of you being too visible. Then, I'm going to ask around to some contacts I have and see if I can find someone who can train you."
Disappointment stained Josh's face. “You're not going to teach me? You know so much."
"I actually know very little,” she smiled. “I can chase ghosts and even get rid of them sometimes. I can erect a shield. My grandma made sure all of us knew how to shield, but I can't handle power like yours. You're the strongest I've ever seen, stronger than any woman I've ever known and you know that magic runs stronger in females. I can't even begin to imagine what your grandmother was like."
"You would have liked her.” Josh's eyes turned misty. “I miss her."
"I'm sure you do,” McKenna whispered. For the thousandth time she cursed Josh's parents for taking him from the one person that should have trained him. She could find someone to help him learn, but no training would be as good as the training he would have received from someone of his blood that shared the same powers.
* * * *
"Knock, knock.” McKenna's voice cut through the quiet of Aidan's office. “Got a minute?"
Aidan frowned at the stack of paperwork in front of him. Bills were coming due, and with the drop in reservations, he was struggl
ing to find a way to pay everything on time. “I might be able to spare a few."
He had tried not to think about her. He had kept his distance from the coffee shop and that bookstore of hers, tried to give her room. McKenna had kept her distance, too. It was obvious that McKenna had been alone a long time, and it was natural that she was a little disconcerted by their impromptu sex session, but he had hoped that she would settle down and they could work on whatever it was between them. But she had only stopped by when Perry was in the office. From the serious look on her face, carnal thoughts weren't foremost in her mind. He banked his disappointment. A heavy leather bound volume was tucked under her arm. With her thick red hair in a high ponytail she looked like a high school senior going to class. He had the ridiculous idea to offer to carry her book. “What do you have?"
"I think I might know what's haunting your hotel.” There was no trace of softness in her face. The gentle curves of her face seemed to have shifted and settled into sharp angles and lines. She dropped into the chair in front of his desk. “It's not good."
"Like any haunting is good?” He tried to lighten the mood with levity, but she didn't respond.
"If I'm right, and I hope I'm not, this is as bad as bad can get.” It was then that he noticed how wan and drawn she looked. Her eyes were heavily shadowed and showed none of their usual spark. Sitting in his oversized leather chair, covered in a heavy black sweatshirt, she looked as ethereal and wispy as the ghosts that she captured on film. A faint spiral of alarm spread through Aidan. McKenna looked like hell, so different from her normal self. He didn't know if he wanted to hear what made her look so terrible.
"Can I get you a cup of coffee? Water? You don't look so hot.” It was an understatement.
"Coffee,” she croaked. “I could use a cup of coffee.” She looked like she could use a hell of a lot more than a cup of coffee, but it was all he had to offer.
"I'll be right back,” he said as he tore out of the room. As he hit the kitchen, he felt like he could breathe for the first time. He hadn't noticed how heavy the atmosphere in his office had become until he walked out. He poured her a cup of strong coffee and on impulse loaded it down with sugar. McKenna looked like she could use the jolt.
A sense of dread overtook him as he walked back to his office. He didn't want to go back in and hear what the shell that was supposed to pass for McKenna Murphy had to say.
"Are you going to bring me my coffee or stand there gawking all day?” McKenna tossed him a look over her shoulder.
"How did you know I was back here?” The rug was thick and he had walked up slowly. There was no way she could have heard him.
"I'm my mother's daughter, remember? I don't have to see you to know that you're there.” She reached out and took the coffee from him and wrapped her hands around it, as if savoring the warmth. She took a long pull and made a face. “Did you get it sweet enough?"
"You looked like you needed the sugar.” He was relieved to see a light wash of color come back into her cheeks. He watched her as she drained half the cup. “Better?"
She nodded. “Much."
"You want to tell me what's in that book?"
The volume sat in her lap and she looked at it as though it were a snake about to strike. The coffee cup sat on the floor, forgotten, as she opened the book to a page dense with tiny black type. What little color the coffee had lent her face faded as she stared at the words in front of her. Aidan wanted to close the book and take her in his arms and kiss her until she forgot whatever it was that was affecting her. The tenderness he felt for her surprised him, but he told himself that anyone would be concerned by such obvious suffering.
"I think you have a non-human entity in your hotel,” she said softly. “It's the only thing it could be."
Aidan didn't know what he was expecting, but that wasn't it. “A non-human entity?” He wasn't sure what it was, but it sounded distinctly non-dramatic. “Could you put that in normal speak for me?"
McKenna sighed and Aidan could tell that she was frustrated with him. “A demonic spirit. An evil entity."
Aidan threw back his head and laughed. “You're kidding,” he gasped in between great guffaws. “I have a-a-a-demon—in my hotel?"
McKenna gave him a look that could freeze the sun. “There isn't anything humorous in this situation. These are dangerous beings, Aidan. You don't have any idea what we're dealing with. I'm not even sure how to deal with these. People can die from dealing with demons, Aidan."
That got his attention. If it was something that McKenna Murphy couldn't handle, then it definitely deserved his attention and respect. “You're serious,” he said when he finally got himself under control.
"Absolutely. I've been up for days, looking on the Internet and borrowing books from everyone I know. I finally found it in an old book that belonged to my great-grandmother,” she said.
"Imagine that,” Aidan drawled.
"You know, I can leave you to handle this yourself."
Aidan blanched. “No. No. I'm sorry. It just seems like that was the first place you should have looked. I mean, if I were looking for some obscure paranormal information and I came from a family like yours, I wouldn't look outside first."
"Believe it or not, we don't keep Eye of Newt and Belly of Toad in our kitchen cabinets.” There was no humor in her voice, just dead earnestness.
"Really?” She never really talked about her family, even in high school. He wondered what it must have been like to grow up in such a family.
"Of course not,” she said. “When we need Eye of Newt we order it from the Internet."
"Okay, you got me,” he laughed. He didn't mind being the butt of her joke, as long as it kept the haunted look from her eyes. “What did you find?"
She dropped her eyes and read from the book. “The Demon appears to many to be a dark shadow, but it can take on human form. It is never helpful and is frequently dangerous, although it may masquerade as a helpful spirit. Unlike human ghosts, it is able to cause great physical harm to human beings. It is not uncommon for the Demon to scratch or choke a person. The Demon may also push people and cause them to fall. The Demon can attach itself to a person or a place and once attached, it can be difficult to banish. Banishment should only be undertaken by those trained in such matters, such as a Catholic Priest. The Demon can become agitated and cause harm to property and life during banishment and if the banishment is unsuccessful, the activity often becomes worse.” She closed the book and lifted worried eyes to him. “I don't know how to banish it. I need to bring in help."
"A priest?” The whole thing was turning into a nightmare. Visions of The Exorcist were floating through his head. She wanted to exorcise his hotel. He closed his eyes and shook his head.
"Not a priest, not at first. I know a woman who has dealt with these things before, and I need her help with another project, so she has agreed to come and bring her group. It will take all of us to handle this."
"How many are you talking about?” Visions of hordes of ghost busters invading his hotel flooded his mind. He knew he must be crazy to believe some of the stuff she was spouting, but he couldn't forget the video of McKenna being pushed down the stairs by that thing.
"Well, with me, Josh and Julie and Lorena and her crew, we'll have six people. And Lorena says that it will take a week, and we'll need to stay on premises."
"Why?” he groaned. “Why is this happening to me?” All he wanted was to restore a piece of history and make a living in his hometown. He didn't want to deal with spirits and ghosts and paranormal investigators and redheaded wenches that made it hard for him to concentrate.
"I don't know,” McKenna soothed. She reached out and laid a hand on his knee. A shock went from his knee straight to his groin. He cursed his body for responding at inappropriate times. “Most of the time, ghosts have some tie to a place, but with a demon, who knows? Murphy's Corner has always attracted odd occurrences. It's possible that this is a new entity that was attracted to the building by
all of the activity."
"Do you trust this woman, this Lorena?” He stood and walked to the window and peered out at the town square, where it was sunny and bright and everyone was leading a normal life devoid of ghosts and demons.
"With my life,” McKenna said solemnly.
"I have to talk to Perry,” he said, “but it shouldn't be a problem to get his approval. If he agrees, then we'll close for a week and turn it over to you.” He turned and pierced her with a gaze. “But I'm staying here, too.” He was useless against wispy apparitions, but he couldn't let McKenna face danger without him.
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Chapter Five
"I really appreciate you coming to bail my butt out of this, Lorena.” McKenna dropped Lorena's bag of supplies just inside her apartment door. “I'm not ashamed to tell you that this has me scared out of my mind."
Lorena plunked her suitcase down next to her equipment bag and shot McKenna a crooked grin. “I wouldn't trust you if you said you weren't. I'm a little nervous myself, and I've dealt with a fair few of these nasties.” Lorena stretched her long limbs high over her head and groaned loudly. “I'm so stiff. I hate flying."
"We put man on the moon but we can't find a way to make comfortable coach seating, I know,” McKenna said as she moved into the kitchen. “Have a seat and I'll get you a Coke or something. We can put your bags in the guest room later.” McKenna could hear a soft whoomp as Lorena settled herself on the oversized fuchsia beanbag.
"Do you have anything any stronger?” Lorena called.
"Just beer."
"That'll work."
McKenna pulled out two cans and walked back into the living room to find Lorena in a backbend, her head touching the floor, over the beanbag chair that had once been in her teenage bedroom. “Feel better?"
