Dark Secrets: A Paranormal Romance Anthology

by Colleen Gleason

  “Shh, please,” he begged as the image she’d described nauseated him. “Help me so I can help you. What do you hear?”

  “Them,” she snarled, and for the first time showed spirit. “Arguing.”

  “What about?”

  “I don’t know, and I don’t care,” she said, her voice rising. “I just want them to end this. I can’t bear to have them touch me again. I can’t take another blow, I can’t—”

  “I know, but you have to be strong. Please, Lisa, tell me what else you can hear. I just want to be able to find you.”

  She rolled her head to the side and squeezed her eyes. “Water. It’s rushing all around us.” Her frown intensified. “Like...like it’s coming in three different directions.”

  “You’re in the woods?”

  She nodded, then froze, her eyes widening in horror.

  “What is it?”

  “They’re coming toward me. I can’t see them, but I can hear them. The leaves crunching, twigs snapping. Oh God, one of them has something on my stomach.” She twisted the lower half of her body and kicked her legs. “It’s metal, cold, flat, long and…sharp.”

  He moved to stay clear of her legs, and noticed Lloyd and Will had done the same. “Stay calm,” he ordered, and somehow managed to keep his voice from rising.

  “I can’t,” she screamed. “It’s a knife, he has a knife and he’s swiping it along my stomach like he’s buttering a piece of bread. Stop. Please stop. Please don’t...no, no, no.”

  The terrifying image caused goose bumps to race along his skin. He wanted to drag her in his arms, and put an end to this fucking nightmare. “What is it?” he asked instead, driven by the need to know the details behind this woman’s death, even as he watched the woman he loved suffer through it.

  “The other one is behind me. Has to be Gary, his beard is tickling my neck.” She cocked her head to her shoulder and cringed. “His hot breath is surrounding me. He’s—wait, they’re talking.”

  John looked between Lloyd and Will, the pain and horror in their eyes reflecting his own. Then he stared back at Celeste. “What are they saying?”

  “The one with the knife just said, ‘Here’s to a new beginning.’ I don’t know what that means,” she wailed as tears streamed down her face. “I don’t understand, I don’t—”

  Her neck arched the same time her spine bowed. She released a hoarse scream as her face grew red.

  “Make it stop,” Will shouted, then moved for Celeste.

  John shoved him out of the way. He knelt on the floor, pulled her into his arms, stroking her hair, her back, and murmuring into her ear. “Wake up, baby. Wake up. I’ve got you now. Wake up.”

  Cradled in his embrace, her body relaxed, then grew tense again as she drew in a deep gasping breath. Before he could explain, or hold her tighter like he wanted, she shoved her hands against his chest and pushed her body against the wall. She stared at him, surprise in her bright blue eyes.

  “John?” she asked, then as if realizing where she was and who was in the room, she glanced between Will and Lloyd. “Oh my God.” She snared his gaze. “Did I just have...?”

  He nodded and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Yeah, honey, you had another trance.”

  “I’m so sorry. I never wanted you to see this,” she said, as she scrambled up the wall and reached for Will.

  John moved and allowed her brother access to Celeste. He didn’t want to. He needed time to decompress, to hold her and assure himself she hadn’t been affected by the trance. But Will was her brother. Her very emotionally overwrought brother, who also needed time to accept what had just happened. As for Lloyd, while he could give a shit about him, he had been there for Celeste, and he supposed that counted for something.

  “Celeste,” Will said with relief as he hugged her. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded against her brother’s shoulder. “Yeah, just a little tired.” She rubbed the back of her head and grimaced. “And sore. Did I bang my head?”

  “Yeah, a bunch of times.” Will sifted his fingers through her hair, and winced. “You’ve already got a lump. Let’s get you some ice.”

  As Will headed toward the kitchen, his bare back tense, his hands trembling, she said, “Better grab a few ibuprofen, too. There’s a bottle next to the gnome glasses above the sink.”

  “On it,” he called over his shoulder without looking back.

  “Come on, let’s warm you up, and get you somewhere more comfortable,” John murmured as scooped her in his arms, then carried her to the sofa.

  “I can walk, you know.”

  “I know. Just let me pamper you.” He gently set her on the couch. “That was the worst of the three,” he said as he covered her with an afghan.

  She grimaced and looked to Lloyd. “Thanks for being here for me. I’m so sorry you and Will had to see that.”

  He moved toward her, then took her hand. “You know I’d do anything for you.”

  “I know.”

  “And I’m sorry for last night. I shouldn’t have interfered. It’s just—”

  Will approached with an ice pack, ibuprofen and bottled water. “Here you go.”

  While she chased the ibuprofen down with water, John turned off the recording device on his cell phone, then shoved it in his pocket. He wished they were alone, as he sat next to her on the sofa and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. After watching her relive the brutal last moments of another victim, all he wanted to do was hold her.

  “So,” she began, then pursed her lips. “Anybody interested in telling me what happened?”

  He squeezed her to his chest and kissed her temple. “I recorded everything. Keep the ice on your head, and let the ibuprofen kick in, okay? You can listen later. Right now isn’t the time.”

  “Much later.” She sent her brother and Lloyd a worried look. “Are you guys okay? I mean, this is the third time John’s seen me this way, and I know it still bothers him.”

  “No, I’m not okay,” Will said. “I just watched my sister...” He shook his head, drew in a deep breath and looked to the ceiling. Will was fighting back the tears, and John understood. Watching someone you love go through something that traumatic didn’t settle well on the soul. At all.

  “Hey.” She dropped the ice pack, stood and kept the afghan wrapped around her as she moved to him. “I’m okay. Seriously,” she added when he refused to look at her. “I still have all my pinkies and toes, and—”

  “It doesn’t matter, Celeste,” Lloyd interrupted. “When we finally unlocked the front door and saw you…” He shook his head. “Well, it’s an image I won’t ever forget.”

  “I’m sorry,” she repeated again. “I honestly don’t even know how it happened. After I talked with you through my bedroom window right when you got here, I laid down for a quick nap. The last thing I remember was staring at my ceiling fan...” She frowned, then shook her head. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter how it happened, as you can see I’m okay. So why don’t you two steal some bakery from the basement, and head back to the apartment.”

  “I take it you don’t need me to stay in the guest room?” Will asked.

  She looked over her shoulder at him. “I plan on staying the night,” John said. When he’d left his motel room earlier, he’d planned on the evening going in a completely different direction, too. Either way, it would end the same...with Celeste in his arms.

  “See.” She moved back to the sofa. “John will be here if I need anything. So grab what you want from the basement. You can even take a few bottles of wine if you want to.”

  “None for me, thanks.” Lloyd pushed off the fireplace and unfolded his arms. “Kain, I just need to grab my things from Will’s place, then I’ll need you to move your car.”

  Will stared at the Viking as if he’d lost his mind. “You’re leaving? Why?”

  Lloyd darted his gaze between him and Will. “I think it’s best, don’t you?”

  “No.” Will ran a hand through his hair. “I think it sucks,�
�� he muttered. “And typical.”

  “Sorry, Will, I’m not taking the bait,” Lloyd said, as he moved toward the foyer.

  “Fine. If what I’m dangling doesn’t interest you, don’t bother coming back.”

  “Will,” Celeste gasped. “You don’t mean that.”

  “The hell I don’t. I’m so sick of his bullshit attitude.”

  “Mine?” Lloyd shouted as he swiveled on Will.

  “Yeah, yours. For years I’ve kept quiet. For years I’ve suffered to protect you. I’m so fucking tired of living a lie because you’re worried about your reputation. I’m so tired of you being ashamed of me.” Will turned to him. “John, go ahead and move your car. Lloyd’s leaving.”

  “I never said I was ashamed of you,” Lloyd said through clenched teeth.

  “Actions speak louder than words. Now just go.”

  Lloyd turned his back on them, but when he reached the door, instead of walking out, he slammed it shut. “Fuck it,” he said, then stomped back into the living room. Every muscle in his arms and chest flexed as he moved toward Will.

  Cheeks flushed, eyes wild and heated with anger, John thought for sure Lloyd was going to knock Will flat on his ass. Ready to defend Celeste’s brother, he stood.

  “Actions speak louder than words, huh?” Lloyd snarled. “How’s this for action?”

  Instead of clocking Will in the jaw as John had expected, Lloyd cupped the other man’s head and...

  Oh. My. God.

  …kissed him.

  Chapter 21

  CELESTE LOCKED THE deadbolt on the front door, then rested her forehead against the wood. Even though Will and Lloyd had left, the tension within the house remained.

  “That was interesting,” she said, trying to lighten the mood as she turned to face John.

  He leaned against the banister, arms folded across his chest. With his face impassive, he nodded. “That’s putting it mildly.”

  Was he mad? At her? She hadn’t exactly planned on going under tonight. As for Lloyd and Will, she thought John had handled that shock quite well.

  Other than turning beet red when Lloyd lip locked her brother, he’d showed no reaction. Even when Lloyd threatened to kick John’s ass if he breathed a word about them being gay, he hadn’t flinched. Instead, he’d told Lloyd he didn’t care about his and Will’s relationship, and that the only one John did care about was the one he had with her.

  At that point, she’d been anxious for Will and Lloyd to leave. She’d wanted to be alone with John. The trance had left her more exhausted than she’d been when she’d lain down earlier for a nap. And after the day she’d had, all she wanted was to curl up against him and absorb his warmth and strength.

  She glanced at the clock. “I guess dinner’s out,” she said, still trying to keep her tone light, and hoping she was misreading him. That he wasn’t angry with her, but maybe the situation.

  Another nod.

  “Look, I’m sorry about tonight,” she blurted and tossed the afghan she’d had wrapped around her, on the floor. “I need to get dressed.” She needed to distance herself from his probing gaze. “If you still plan on sticking around, I’ll make us some sandwiches.”

  In two strides, he had her pinned to the door. “You better believe I plan on sticking around. And quit apologizing. Nothing that happened here tonight was your fault.”

  “Really? Lloyd would never have outed himself and Will if it wasn’t for me.”

  He ran a finger along her cheek. “It seems to me like it was a long time coming. Maybe tonight was just what they needed. A little push in the right direction.”

  His soothing voice, the trail of heat his finger left on her cheek, and the assurance in his eyes made her smile.

  “Besides,” he said. “Now I know Lloyd doesn’t have a thing for you.”

  “What?” she half-laughed. “You thought Lloyd had the hots for me? That’s just gross. He’s like a brother to me.”

  “I see that now. But you’re so gorgeous, fun, and smart, I couldn’t help being jealous every time he was around you.”

  “So you’re not mad about tonight? Because you were kinda giving off that vibe.”

  “Is reading my aura part of your talents, too?” he asked with a wry grin, then tilted her chin with his finger. “I’m not mad, at least not at you, more like at myself.”

  “What are you talking about? You didn’t do anything wrong. Actually, I’d say you were in the right place at the right time.”

  “It’s more than that. Honey, I...need to be honest about something.”

  Her breath hitched at the regret in his dark eyes, and the guilt lining his face. Confused, she asked, “Was it something I did during the trance?”

  “No, it was something I did, or rather assumed.” He released a deep breath, the warmth of it brushing against her lips like a caress. “When I got here tonight, with the way the door had been left open, at first I thought you were in trouble. Then, when I caught your and Lloyd’s reflection in the mirror, with the way you were on the floor, and the way Lloyd was over you, I instantly thought...” He looked over her shoulder.

  “You thought Lloyd and I were having sex.”

  He moved his gaze to hers. “I’m sorry I didn’t trust you, and that I assumed the worst.”

  She settled her hands around his neck. “You’re human, John. I don’t blame you for how you reacted. You’ve been betrayed in the past, and trust is new to you. If the situation were turned around, I might have assumed the same thing.”

  He ran his palms along her arms. “How is it you know me better than I know myself.”

  She shrugged. “Didn’t I tell you I was a mind reader, too?” She gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “Now let me go change, and then I’ll make us something to eat.”

  “Nope. You’ve had a rough night, even if you don’t remember half of it.” He gently sifted his fingers through her hair until he found the small lump at the back of her scalp. “How does your head feel?”

  “Better.”

  “Good, but I still want you to take it easy, not wait on me. Why don’t you go upstairs?” He turned her toward the steps. “And relax in the tub. I’ll bring you up a glass of wine and then I’ll make us something to eat.”

  Not willing to fight such a tempting offer, she headed upstairs, then paused and looked over her shoulder as a thought occurred to her. “You know I don’t remember my trances or anything that’s happening around me during them. Why did you tell me about how you’d assumed Lloyd and I were...ya know?”

  “Because I don’t want any lies, half-truths or misunderstandings between us. Ever.”

  Her heart melted. “Thank you,” she managed as she wondered if he could be any more perfect. She’d never met a man like him, and doubted any others would compare.

  When he slid his gaze to her bare legs, the heat in his eyes sent a wave of desire straight between her thighs. He cleared his throat, and quickly looked away. “Head upstairs,” he said, his tone now rough and husky. “I’ll be up in bit with your wine.”

  She took a few steps, the sexual tension thick between them, even as she began distancing herself. Swearing she could feel his hot gaze still on her, she looked over her shoulder again and caught him staring at her ass. “I thought you were heading to the kitchen.”

  “It’s pretty tough to move with a view like this.”

  “How about now?” she asked, and shimmied out of her panties.

  With a groan, he said, “You’re killing me.” Then he disappeared around the corner.

  Smiling at the promise of what was to come, and pleased the night would be salvaged after all, she turned on the faucet and finished undressing. After several minutes, she added a couple drops of scented oil to the bath water, then stepped into the tub. She sloshed the few inches that had accumulated over the cold porcelain, then relaxed into the tub, lying back and letting her toes receive a massage from the forceful spray gushing from the faucet.

  As the water rose, the f
ragrance of vanilla and hazelnut mingled with the steam filling the small bathroom. The heat from the lapping water, the scent from the bath oil, and the memory of John’s hot gaze had her primed and ready to explode with sexual need. Yet she couldn’t stop her mind from wandering. She couldn’t stop the guilt from interfering with what her body and heart wanted.

  John had admitted to assuming the worst when he’d arrived tonight. He’d apologized for believing she’d cheat on him, and for not trusting her.

  Because I don’t want any lies, half-truths or misunderstandings between us. Ever.

  His words echoed in her mind. She wanted to dunk her head in the water and drown them out. While she hadn’t lied or told any half-truths, Ian’s secret, make that her secret, might fall somewhere in between.

  From the moment Ian had revealed the truth, she’d wanted to talk to John. He had a logical spin on everything, and she valued his opinion. But she’d promised Ian she wouldn’t confide in John, and while she owed the man nothing, he could hold a valuable key to her future. Not necessarily the job offer at CORE, but more importantly, information about her mother that only he knew.

  Although he’d given her better insight into her gift today, he’d told her there was so much more for her to learn. So much more he could teach her about the trances, the visions, and how to handle being a medium. She needed to know these things, especially after what had happened tonight.

  As the bath water lapped against her breasts, she thought back to when she’d lain down for a nap. She suspected she’d slipped into the trance when she’d cleared her mind and had stared at the ceiling fan as it made hypnotic, lazy circles.

  She frowned. She’d stared at that ceiling fan before, and had never had a trance because of it. Maybe it had been her state of exhaustion. Or maybe something else had been the trigger. Either way, she needed to know how to control her gift. She needed to know the true capacity of its power.

  In order to obtain this knowledge from Ian, she had to keep the secret of her parentage from John. A condition she didn’t like, but would endure, even if she suspected Ian’s reasons for keeping John in the dark were more than he’d described. Sure, she understood, Ian didn’t want John distracted from the investigation, or worried about the boss’s daughter’s involvement. Still, after how upfront and honest John had been, not only tonight, but last night when he’d told her about Renee, she wished she could be just as honest.