“I forgot. I have something for you,” Derick pulled out a foil packet from his pocket and bashfully held it out to her.
She laughed when she saw “Breakfast Bar” written in red letters. He had brought breakfast to her. He really did want her to see her again. She felt terrible for leading him on but graciously took the bar.
Annie peeled the wrapper and nibbled on the corner, proving that she was appreciative of his thoughtfulness.
“I guess this means I’ll have to wait until tomorrow for my tour. I don’t want to interfere with your filming,” she sighed. It posed a problem since she needed to stay close to them if she was going to protect them. She didn’t want to hinder their chance for stardom, but they needed to live through the night first. She tried to sound pathetic and disappointed, hoping to be invited along while they filmed.
“What are you talking about? We told you that you could take the tour with us. Actually, it would help us if you came along. There were supposed to be six of us, but our friend backed out at the last minute due to an unfinished midterm paper. We planned on bringing a second cameraman so that Pete and I can split up to cover more territory. Josilyn volunteered to follow one of us with the other video camera, but she doesn’t have a very steady hand, which is problematic. We need to be able to see what was filmed. We try to avoid major editing in post-production unless it’s necessary. It’s expensive and Cassie has us on a tight budget,” Derick said, escorting her across the bridge.
“I don’t want to crash the party, but I wouldn’t mind holding the camera, if you show me how. I hope everyone isn’t mad at me for intruding,” she smiled shyly. She wasn’t sure if she was flirting or securing an invitation. Flirting was new territory for her so she had no idea what she was doing.
“We talked it over during breakfast. Everyone agreed that we need the extra help. It was either you or Josilyn. You won by a landslide. I ran it past Cassie and she didn’t have a problem with it since six of us were scheduled to be here. You’ll have to sign a waiver so that we can use your likeness if you appear on film and a release form for insurance purposes. I hope it’s not an issue, but Cassie said she can’t pay you because the extra funds have been allocated. Is that ok? If it’s a problem, I might be able to work something out. Oh, and I need your last name,” he asked tentatively, holding his breath, and praying that she agreed to stay.
“Derick, I’m the tourist here. I just want to see the castle and if I get to help you, then great. I don’t expect anything in return. I promise. I’ll sign whatever waiver or release Cassie wants. It’s cool. My last name is Black,” Annie replied automatically without thinking. She cringed, but didn’t see the harm in giving her real last name. She had little use for money, though she didn’t think that insurance companies would cover the Destroyer of humanity.
“Well, Annie Black, thank you for helping us,” he laughed, relieved that she had agreed to help them.
Derick was gorgeous when he laughed. For a moment, Annie forgot where she was and what she was supposed to be doing. She was surprised to find that he had dimples when he smiled sincerely. She had no idea what was going on between them, but she was completely enamored by him. She found herself leaning closer to him. The scent of his cologne caught her attention. Oddly, he hadn’t smelled of cologne in the van last night. It would have been obvious in the confined area. He must have put some on this morning. Crap. Cologne was a bad sign. She reminded herself that flirting with him was a dangerous venture, not to mention that it was cruel to toy with his emotions.
She leaned away from him and breathed in the night air to wash away his mouthwatering scent. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a spirit lingering at the bottom of the river as they crossed the bridge. She needed to get her priorities straight. If she didn’t get inside the castle and stop Alazar, all these nice people would be reduced to spirits, and possibly stuck roaming the castle grounds for eternity.
As they walked through the main entrance, a shiver passed through her. An oppressive feeling of death permeated the air, indicating that Alazar was most certainly at home.
Entering the foyer, Annie saw that the Spirit Experts had been busy in her absence. Three folding tables lined the right wall and held computer monitors, video cameras, recording devices, cables, walkie-talkies, flashlights, and various other items. Doug was sitting behind the table with his nose nearly pushed against a computer monitor. He was definitely more comfortable with his machines than with people.
Pete and Josilyn were chatting with an older woman, undoubtedly the terrified Mrs. Pavel. The woman looked around the room as if she expected something to jump out and eat her. Annie suddenly felt sorry for the woman. It was obvious that she didn’t want to be there and was ready to run screaming from the building at any moment. Pete was trying to calm her as he took a protective stance close to her. He towered over her slight frame and patted her arm trying to comfort her while asking her questions about the castle’s history.
Annie noticed that Morgan was off by himself recording the main hall, zooming in and out on the antiques and tapestries. He slowly walked around the room paying attention to all that the room had to offer.
Josilyn and Pete turned in unison to smile and wave at her and Derick. Pete’s welcome was warmer than yesterday. It was clear that Derick had somehow convinced everyone that Annie would be the best camerawoman in the world, either that or they were hopeful that he would get laid. She figured they had probably grilled Derick about the van ride.
Josilyn raised her eyebrows at their interlocked arms and nodded her approval to Annie. She was certainly on board with the “let’s get Derick laid” plan, though Pete didn’t seem to notice their close proximity.
Josilyn left Mrs. Pavel in Pete’s hands and made her way over to Annie and Derick. “It’s nice to see that you haven’t run screaming from this town. We were a little concerned when you didn’t surface for breakfast, or lunch. Derick said that you seemed pretty tired last night, so I told him that you had probably slept in. I had trouble waking up myself. I’ve had to down at least five coffees and two pastries just to stay awake today. If I’m talking really fast, please ignore me, it’s the caffeine and sugar,” Josilyn rambled quickly. “Anyway, I’m glad to see that the Grim Reaper everyone keeps talking about didn’t gobble you up. The way they talk around here, you’d think that Lucifer himself had come to town to snatch their children. Superstitious nut bags! I swear they all need a Valium,” Josilyn pointed over her shoulder to Mrs. Pavel.
“Oh, I’ve seen some scary things in my life. I don’t think their Grim Reaper is going to make me run,” Annie smirked knowing that it was true. If needed, she would kill their Grim Reaper, though she hoped it wouldn’t come to that.
Mrs. Pavel muttered to herself in Romanian, though no one else seemed to understand her. Annie translated her muttering. Stupid children, you have no idea what prowls inside this cursed place. Annie nearly responded in Romanian, but decided it was best not to reveal that she knew the language.
Josilyn nodded. “Good. Now let’s get you geared up and ready to go. I’ve been standing in the cold for too long and I need something to do. I’m afraid that my fingers are going to fall off if I don’t get moving,” Josilyn turned to Derick and playfully pushed him towards the equipment table.
Annie tucked the rest of the breakfast bar in her coat pocket and stood awkwardly waiting to see what was required of her.
Derick chuckled at Josilyn’s impatience. He watched her run over to the tables to inspect their gear. He took a deep breath and turned to face Annie.
Annie was surprised to see Derick’s somber expression when he looked at her. He put his hands on her arms and sank down to her eye level. His hands shook at a little when he touched her. It nearly broke her heart to see him like this. She knew he was about to give her a choice, a last chance to back out.
“I’m not sure if I really explained what we do when we film. Pete and I are the investigators and we try to make contact w
ith the spirits. We look for evidence with our video cameras, voice recorders, and our 35mm cameras. A cameraman walks behind us to document what we are doing. Annie, we do this in the pitch black. I should have mentioned this before I asked you to help us. Keep in mind that all the equipment has a night vision mode so that you can see what you’re filming, but aside from that, it’s nearly impossible to see anything. The flashlights are only for emergencies. We have to use the video cameras to see where we’re going. Things can get very serious, very fast. Pete and I have seen some crazy things, things that still give us cold sweats at night. Every sound is magnified in the dark and all your senses are heightened. Fear can be a real issue once you get further into the investigation and you start getting tired. Standing in the castle with the lights on, it’s not scary; it’s easy to see what’s in front of you. As soon as it goes dark, everything changes. People instinctively don’t like the dark and it can make them uncomfortable, it can make them see things that aren’t really there. I’ll understand if you don’t want to do this. You came here for a tour in the daylight, when it’s safe. Coming with us, you might experience something you weren’t ready for. Know that you can tell me you want to turn back at any time. I don’t expect you to be able to do this. It’ll be wonderful if you can help me, but I won’t be angry with you if you can’t do it. Just say the word, I’ll turn on the flashlights, and get you back to this point. Understand?” Derick looked directly into her eyes, while speaking calmly. He didn’t want to frighten her, but she needed to understand how difficult it might be if she stayed.
Annie appreciated the warning, though it wasn’t necessary. Derick was being professional, and very sweet to give her a chance to back out. If she freaked out and wanted to quit, it would interfere with his filming. It would cost him time and money, yet he was willing to make sure she was safe. She nearly laughed as she imagined Lucifer warning her that Hell might be scary. If only he had been as thoughtful and considerate as Derick. Lucifer had welcomed her to Hell by telling her that she was his servant for eternity and making her wear the slave girl dress.
She put her hands on Derick’s arms and whispered, “You are very kind to explain everything to me and while I appreciate the warning, know that I’m not one to frighten easily. I can handle the dark. It doesn’t scare me. If we do come across something, I’m more likely to kick its ass than run away screaming like a girl. I know we just met, but understand, I don’t back down in the face of fear.”
Derick’s mind was foggy as he watched the girl of his dreams lean in close and tell him that she had his back. He tried to contain the stupid grin that was making its way to the surface, afraid that she would think he’d lost his mind. A jolt ran through him when she talked about kicking someone’s ass. Despite being nearly a foot shorter than him, she was confident and strong, making her a force to be reckoned with. Normally women her height and build would look cute while saying that they would fight someone, but Annie looked deadly when she said it.
He didn’t care what it took, he was going to find a way to get to know this woman better and keep her by his side. He’d waited his whole life to find someone that made him burn with desire, piqued his curiosity, and held his interest completely. If he had to move to Romania or go backpacking through Europe to stay with her, then so be it. His uncle would understand, maybe. Perhaps she could accompany him back to Tulsa, if he didn’t screw things up.
“Then it’s settled. Wedge, show her how to use the video camera while I gear up,” Derick winked at her and walked over to the tables to begin preparing for the investigation.
Doug rustled in his chair. He picked up a number of items and moved toward Annie. She had no idea why Derick had referred to Doug as Wedge, but she let it slide. Doug quickly gave her a handheld video camera that was smaller than Morgan’s shoulder mounted camera. He ran through the tutorial and made her practice while the others mulled about checking the 35mm cameras for film and batteries. When she was done learning all that there was to know about her video camera, she watched the others check and test their recording devices and flashlights.
She glanced down at her coat and decided it was best to leave it behind. She didn’t want to hinder her range of motion if they encountered any trouble. Placing her coat over the back of a folding chair, she noticed from the corner of her eye that Derick was openly staring at her. She looked down to figure out what was wrong with her appearance when she saw that her tight low-cut T-shirt was now showing off her cleavage. Typically, she didn’t care if men gawked at her plunging V-neck dress. It sometimes gave her an advantage if she wanted to sucker punch them, yet she felt self-conscious when Derick looked at her. She debated whether or not she should keep the coat, but decided she would rather deal with the stares than get attacked because she couldn’t move fast enough under its bulk. She was just happy that she had remembered to act like a mortal and wear a bra.
Derick approached her with a strange look on his face. He looked deep in thought, yet disturbed by something. Perhaps he was having second thoughts about her accompanying him.
“Here, you’re going to need this,” he showed her a black belt with compartments on it.
She shrugged, not knowing what it was. “Utility belt?” she chuckled.
“Sort of, yeah. You won’t be able to carry anything because of the camera, so I loaded it with all the extra accessories we might need,” he looked at her waist and fumbled around trying to figure out how to best to put it on her.
Derick was shaking as he tried to force his brain and hands to work. What was he thinking? He had originally planned on putting the belt on her and fastening it due to the tricky catch that was a little broken, but realized it was a mistake being so close to her. His whole world had exploded when she took her coat off. She was stunning and sexy in her tight black T-shirt. Forget the Mortal Kombat T-shirt, this was now and forever his favorite shirt. Words and actions collided in his mind, rendering him dumbfounded. He finally closed his eyes and, by the grace of God, got the belt around her. He opened his eyes and compelled himself to look at the catch and nothing else. Her splendid breasts were mere inches from his face and he felt dizzy. What he would give to kiss her there and explore them without his new favorite shirt.
He swiftly stood once the task was complete and ran to grab his gear. “Are you sure you won’t be cold without your coat?” Derick asked, begging for a reprieve from the sight of her curvy body.
“I’m good,” she smiled. Weren’t all mortals perfectly comfortable in thirty-degree weather wearing only a short-sleeved T-shirt?
Derick needed to get his mind back on the investigation and away from the fact that his hands had been close to the button and zipper on her pants. Pete had been right at breakfast, she was a distraction that he didn’t need. He had stupidly ignored his best friend and told him that she would be an asset, not a complication. His twitching erection told him the truth. If he were going to ask her leave the investigation, now would be the time.
He picked up his video camera and steadied himself. Could he walk beside her in the dark and keep his mind focused on searching for spirits? Probably not, but he would regret making her leave for the rest of his life. He needed to find a way to make this work. If he stayed ahead of her and didn’t have to see her, he could get through the night. This was his job. He had to make this work.
“Let me see if you’re set,” Josilyn looked over Annie’s gear and double-checked everything.
“How do we know where we’re going?” Annie asked what seemed like an important question given that she had supposedly had never been in the castle before. She knew every nook and cranny of the place from earlier, but she reminded herself to look befuddled and lost.
“Cassie gave us maps of the castle before we left Tulsa. We read up on the place and planned where we wanted to investigate. Mrs. Pavel gave us a sprinting tour while she made the sign of the cross at every doorway. She’s crazy, but informative, when she isn’t trailing off in Romanian. Derick has th
e basic idea of where he’s going. Stay with him and you’ll be fine. It’s the best tour you’re going to get. Most visitors aren’t allowed in the dungeon. Mrs. Overactive Imagination won’t go into the dungeon. She told us that we could go, but she doesn’t expect us to return alive. It’s possible that I misunderstood her. Regardless, the woman needs a new job,” Josilyn shook her head and finished looking over the utility belt.
Annie understood Mrs. Pavel’s cryptic warning, which made her think Mrs. Pavel knew about Alazar hiding in the dungeon. It would certainly explain her no-show last night.
“Where’s Cassie? We’re just about ready to start.” Derick asked Josilyn as he looked around.
“She had a phone meeting with the bigwigs,” Josilyn said to Derick. She leaned in closer to Annie and whispered, “She told me she would be right back so that she could oversee everything. That was two hours ago. I’m sure when everything is done, she’ll swoop in and pretend that she’s the reason it’s going smoothly. I can’t stand her.”
Annie chuckled.
Cassie entered the foyer, her heels clacking across the stone floor. “Oh good, I see that you are just about ready. Does everyone know the plan?”
Annie heard Josilyn mutter something to herself, but silently nodded to Cassie.
Pete turned to greet Cassie. “Glad you made it. I was just about to do the final rundown,” he said authoritatively as he stood in front of the tables. It was clear that he wanted to remind Cassie that he ran the show, not her. “Listen up guys, tonight and tomorrow night is all about investigating. Tomorrow morning, Josilyn will film the intro for the show and interview Derick and me. Then she will interview Mrs. Pavel, as well as some of the locals who’ve had experiences in the castle. We’re hoping to be done by sunset tomorrow. Then we will have all day Saturday to review the footage to see if we made contact with any spirits. We’ll take care of any reshoots on Sunday morning. After that, we’re headed back to Tulsa where we can edit and record the voice-overs in post-production,” he explained while the group gathered around him.
The Third Throne: Angel of Death Page 18
