“Now you can sleep.”
“Oh good.” She pressed against him, tucking her head against his chest and allowing him to lead the way.
He moved her so she couldn’t see the gleaming red eyes following them up the stairs and down the hall. The sense of malice nearly overwhelmed him. The discontented energy that hadn’t gone to Alaina to be crossed bothered him more than he could say. As much as he hated disrupting her, there was no way he planned on leaving Alaina’s side tonight. She was too vulnerable. These things wanted to hurt her despite the respect she’d gained this evening.
As he rounded the final corner, Alaina’s bedroom door visible in the dimly lit hall, frigid air blasted them from the left. The lack of windows or doors on the wall meant there was something unnatural waiting for them. He tucked Alaina closer and continued. He passed the door to the room Alaina planned to convert to an indoor greenhouse as something crashed behind him. A hand grabbed his ankle followed by sharp claws digging into his flesh through his jeans.
Chapter 6
Alaina hit the floor, realizing she was falling in enough time to break her descent to the soft carpeting. The lethargy and stupor she’d carried around since finishing the sorting process was gone. She turned to find Patrick. He struggled with something she couldn’t see.
She rushed over, grabbing his shoulder and searching for visible proof of whatever it was he fought with. Her hold on him ended when he was jerked away, his back hitting the opposite wall. Red eyes turned on her, but that was all she could see. There was no body, unless you counted the gleaming sharp fingernails now reaching for her throat.
She backed up, raising the hand with the ring in front of her while reaching to the light switch for the hall with the other hand. As the light flashed on, a guttural growl filled the space. The eyes disappeared, taking the gruesome claws with it. Patrick grabbed her as she struggled to catch her breath.
“We’re in big trouble here.” Patrick held her tight, the comfort of his touch easing her panic.
“What the hell was that?” She scanned the hall, though the change in the air probably meant it was gone. For now.
“I’m not sure. A demon probably, but what kind and why I don’t know. It’s not our boys from the wall, though I wouldn’t be surprised if they had something to do with our new friend.” He opened her bedroom door, closing it as soon as she cleared the frame.
She sat on the bed, drawing her legs underneath her and grabbing a pillow to hug close to her body. Patrick walked around the room, checking windows and breathing deep. Or maybe he hadn’t been only checking windows, she realized, as he set a container of salt on the table beside her bed.
“Salt?”
He smirked, shaking his head. “Protection.”
“Gram didn’t tell me about this whole guide business, but she did teach me how salt deters evil. The stuff with the herbs in it is in the top drawer to your left.”
He stopped closing the blinds and went to her drawer. “I forgot. Perfect.”
Alaina realized he was digging around in her underwear drawer. She hid her smile. Besides, it was totally inappropriate to get a small thrill out of him handling her undies right after he’d been attacked.
“I haven’t been able to figure out what Gram used in that. I still have some records to go over though. My laptop’s in the office downstairs.” She yawned, worried about considering sleep with what had happened in the hall.
Patrick put a hand up before she could get off the bed. “Not now. I don’t think it’s safe for us to be out of this room until morning. Whatever is stirring them up is serious about one of us getting hurt.”
“Is it because of what I did tonight?” She knew that was part of it, but couldn’t figure out the rest. Why were they so hellbent on creating havoc on a practice that went back centuries?
“Probably.”
Even if she didn’t want this burden, she could still see the importance of keeping the excess energies separated from innocent people, especially the evil ones. She was still pretty ticked Gram hadn’t prepared her. Maybe Gram had done as much as she could though, what with the passing of the ring and the talk about family legacies. Alaina was also sure there should be journals from her grandmother’s and great-grandmother’s experiences—the compulsion to keep one was strong. She’d started writing things down before she even knew what kind of crazy shit was happening in her life.
She wanted to ask Patrick if his mother and Jana had kept one, but the sourness on his face stopped her. He was jumpy and irritated, and she had no idea what to say to him—or if she should try.
“Let me see at your leg.”
“It’s fine.” He set the container on the dresser, not turning toward her.
“I said show me your leg. Pants off. Now.” She got off the bed, going to the cabinet under the bathroom sink to get out a small first aid kit.
By the time she returned, his pants were off as commanded. Now if she could keep her eyes, and hands, to the job of tending his wound. Four puncture wounds circled his ankle. It appeared as if he’d been stabbed with a small knife. Blood streaked the circumference, already clotting.
She didn’t ask if it hurt, the answer clear in his hiss when she dripped peroxide on the wounds. Wiping the areas gently with a square of gauze, she tried to ignore the emotions now swirling in her heart. They weren’t hers.
The pain, guilt, and denial were Patrick’s. From his expression there was no way he was going to open up to her and explain what was going on in his head. Fine. She had enough crap of her own to deal with without delving into Patrick’s psyche. Patrick grunted, but said nothing.
By the time she finished, it was clear there’d be no in-depth discussions tonight. Not that it mattered. She was tired, but she did care way too much about Patrick’s personal demons and pain.
After cleaning up the mess and washing her hands, she returned to sit on the bed, suddenly unsure of herself. Her eyelids drooped. She struggled not to give into the urge to crawl under the covers. Patrick gave her no choice when he gently pushed her against the pillows and slid the blankets over her shoulder. She fought the sludge taking over her brain, but the need for sleep won.
When she opened her eyes, the room was full of bright sunlight. Patrick was gone. The memory of sleeping in his arms comforted her. Before she could get out of bed, Patrick opened the door. He carried a tray piled with breakfast items, his smile melting her major organs. He closed the door with his foot.
“What’s all this?” She arranged the pillows behind her head, accepting the tray on her lap. “I hope you’re eating, too; there’s no way I can force all this down.”
“I am, but most of it’s for you. You need the extra calories.” He snagged a piece of bacon off one of the two plates and winked.
“Hell, I’m not eating for two.” The comment slipped out before she had a chance to think about how terrible that was to say to him. She couldn’t take the words back now and judging by his face she should have never allowed them out of her mouth. “I’m sorry. That was majorly insensitive.” Heat moved up her neck, and the coffee tasted bitter on her tongue.
“No. It’s okay. You shouldn’t have to watch what you say because of what happened to me.” He didn’t meet her eyes.
“I shouldn’t have to, but I don’t want to hurt you more than you’re already hurting.” That sounded stupid too. God, did she just dream up new ways to make an ass out of herself?
Patrick shrugged but didn’t comment. She felt like even more of a jerk. He glared at her when she stopped eating, so she picked up the fork, dropping it on the plate when he told her to drink her milk.
“I don’t like milk. Why do I have to eat so much? This is more than I eat for breakfast in a week—okay, three days. What aren’t you telling me?” She picked up the fork, tapping it against the plate to keep his attention
.
“Jana made that mistake. She refused to increase her calorie intake to cover the spent energy. When she got pregnant, she tried, but she only ate enough to meet the baby’s needs. I could never get her to understand how much these things take from you physically. She was so weak she could barely walk down the stairs and she got every germ going around. Part of doing this job is taking extra care of yourself.” He shook his head, glaring at her until she finally quit playing with her fork. His eyes were hard, and a little portion of her heart shriveled at his tone.
After eating more than she thought she’d be able to, she moved the tray from her lap and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Gram had always eaten way more than Alaina thought was possible. Now she knew why. “Thanks for breakfast. I guess I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”
She stood, realizing too late she was naked. Uncertainty filled her as she picked up her robe. Turning her back to Patrick, she put it on before going into the bathroom for a shower. She started the water, dropping the robe as strong sadness filled her.
The tears came from deep inside. Alaina couldn’t have stopped them if she tried. Resting her head against the tile wall she tried to keep her sobs quiet. The last thing she wanted was for Patrick to rush in to find out what was wrong. She wasn’t really sure what brought the outburst on, but was certain Patrick was a part of it. His sadness, bitterness, and anger warred against the gentle man she knew he was inside. To go from believing she hated him to this tentative friendship, great sex included, was more emotion than she could contain.
Being with him was wrong despite the strength he gave her without even trying. He helped her to focus and accept the changes happening in her life. But he didn’t want her as his burden. He was still in love with his dead wife. Sucking in a deep breath, she scrubbed her face under the warm spray. Her eyes would give away her tears, and she had no idea how she would explain it to Patrick. If he even cared.
Patrick was gone when she opened the bathroom door. The bed was made and all traces of breakfast had been cleared away. Her laptop bag sat next to her pillow. Tears threatened again at his consideration. She swiped at the fat drop trailing down her cheek and dressed, worrying about what the day would bring.
She dreaded leaving her room, so she turned on her computer and booted up her email program. After checking the status of her online orders, reviewing the receipts from Lavender’s, checking emails, and scheduling the staff Christmas planning luncheon for next Friday, Alaina couldn’t stall any longer. Her business was doing fine, but she only had a limited time before her absence would become a problem. Browsing her grandmother’s herb purchases, she printed out a list so she could investigate their deeper properties.
A knock sounded on her door as she exited her sales log. Her nerves knotted until she realized demons and shadows weren’t likely to knock. She called a quick “Come in,” closing her laptop and retrieving her list from the printer docked on the small table in the corner.
Patrick poked his head around the door. “Are you decent?”
“Never.” She didn’t know where her sudden shyness came from. She glanced at her reflection, pleased to find she wasn’t as horrid as she figured she would be.
“Busy?” He stepped in, allowing the door to swing wide.
“Not anymore. What’s up?”
“I have something that might help. Mick picked it up for me this morning.” He handed her a book covered in red fabric, a black ribbon threaded through the center pages.
Alaina took it as he continued, “It was Jana’s. Maybe if you read it you won’t feel so alone. I know she felt lonely a lot and there was never anything I could do to help her.”
“Thanks, Patrick.” She smoothed her hand over the cover.
“I’ll be in the office. Things are calm right now. No reason to worry. I wouldn’t have left you by yourself if we had activity.” He swallowed. “The guys will be here soon to go over the recordings from last night.”
“Okay. I’ll be there in a few.” She watched him leave, fighting the swell of emotion at his gift.
Opening the journal, she read of Jana’s deep love for Patrick. Jealousy rose and she pushed it away. It wasn’t right to feel jealous of a dead woman. When she got to the pages of distraught, repetitive entries where she complained about her life, there was no connection for her. Sure, she hadn’t been burdened with this guide thing for too long, but the overwhelming loneliness Jana wrote of wasn’t inside Alaina. And from what she read in the journal, Jana had felt it from the time she found out what fate held for her.
No wonder Patrick carried such a tremendous burden on his shoulders. He probably felt like he’d failed his wife by not being able to fill the voids in her life. That would be like him. Alaina couldn’t read any more. She dropped the book on the bed in disgust. It shouldn’t have been Patrick’s job to read his wife’s mind. How terrible he must have felt when reading the journal. The truth of her writing must have ripped him apart. No wonder he was so bitter. No matter what he did, it was never enough. He didn’t think there was anything he could have done to save her.
He had deserved more than how Jana had treated him. He still did. Only it seemed he didn’t believe it.
~ ~ ~
Patrick had to use all his strength not to slam the door as he left Alaina’s room. He had no idea what happened to his logic. One minute he did everything he could to push her away, and the next he offered her precious pieces of his past as clues and comfort during a difficult time.
What the hell was wrong with him?
As he rounded the corner to return to the den, the hair on the back of his neck prickled and distrust filled him. Damn. So much for things being clean. He’d hoped that because she’d started doing her job, things would stay calm. He backtracked, going through the sitting room and approaching the area from the opposite direction. The misty figure wasn’t what he expected. He stepped into the room and faced the female shape. As it turned toward him, he realized who now stood before him.
Jana.
“Patrick. I’ve been searching for you.” She reached an arm toward him. Despite the urge to go to her and wrap his arms around her, he backed up.
“Jana. How?” He waited for guilt to hit him for being with Alaina when his heart should still want Jana, but it didn’t come.
“You’re in danger. You can’t stay with her. Get out of here before they kill you.” Her voice hardened as she spoke.
“I can’t leave. She needs my help.” He studied the wispy form, uneasy.
“You never loved me.” The voice turned into a high-pitched screech. “You were only waiting for me to die so you could screw her. You’re probably glad I’m gone, and our baby too.”
“You’re not Jana. At least not the Jana I loved.” He watched as the figure morphed into a dark cloud with red, glowing eyes.
“You will die. You will both die.” It dissipated, leaving a cold breeze and a foul odor.
Damn, and what the hell?
Alaina rushed into the room behind him, nearly crashing into his back. “Eww. What happened in here?” She waved her hand over her face, the smell lingering.
He told her, encouraging her out of the stench and into the office.
“Those bastards. How dare they use her against you?” She dropped onto the couch.
The fact that she was so outraged for him did something to the knot in his stomach. “Well, they dared.”
“How do we stop them? I’m done. I can’t do this anymore. If I have to I’ll walk away from this guide thing if it means no one gets hurt.”
She was serious, and even though she was wrong, he admired her spirit.
“You can’t walk away. The only way out of this is death. If you stop guiding them, the bad ones will gain your powers and be able to manipulate not only the spirits, but the other guides as well. The entire
world will change and not for the best. I don’t even know how to explain how terrible it would be.”
“Even if I didn’t know? If it hadn’t been for you I’d still be clueless.”
“I think Alona was betting I’d pick up on the signs. She knew my mother, so it makes sense, though I didn’t realize it until very recently. If I hadn’t been here, you’d probably already be dead. Or crazy. Alona passed you the ring before she died. If she hadn’t, the shadows would have eventually moved on.” He didn’t want to think too hard about what might have happened if he hadn’t figured things out. Since she’d put the ring on, there was no stopping what came next.
“Why haven’t I ever heard of guides before?”
“Look how much trouble you’re having when deep in your heart you know it’s the truth. You’ve seen them. You’ve dealt with the evil of the uncrossed souls. What do you think would happen if the entire world knew unsettled energies moved among them when they’re at their most vulnerable?” He resisted the urge to sit by her, choosing the desk chair instead.
“You’ve got a point.” She crossed her legs and it took everything he had to focus on the conversation.
“You can’t quit.”
“I already know that. I don’t have to like any of this though.” She didn’t exactly glare at him, but it was close.
“Acceptance makes the job easier and keeps you from getting burned out.” He hated the censure he tried to keep out of his voice, but had a feeling more than he would have liked shown through. Maybe it was because the thing posing as Jana had messed with his head and his heart.
The burn in his chest had decreased a fraction. He realized maybe he’d partially healed from the tragedy of Jana and their son’s death. He’d always miss her and the child that never had a chance to be, despite how difficult things had gotten before her death. He didn’t know if he could really move on, though. He’d had fantastic sex with Alaina, but what if he’d only used her to help cleanse Jana’s memory?
The Shadow Guide (Challenging the Fates) Page 10
