He had me there. And I was more curious than ever about him. What kind of survival mechanisms?
“Is this more of the veiling you’re talking about?”
“No that isn’t veiling. Veiling is mentally blocking your whereabouts. He can’t focus in on my mind, because I’ve veiled my thoughts, so he can’t find me. It’s more like hiding. No, that’s not the word I’m looking for. We can fade. That’s the best way I can describe it. I could stand next to you, and you wouldn’t know it.”
“Trust me, I would know if you were standing next to me.”
He shook his head, slanting a grin my way.
“No, you really wouldn’t. Well, I can concede that maybe you would, because of our bond, but it is something I would like to try.”
I could imagine him just appearing out of nowhere, scaring the bejesus out of me.
“What did you mean when you said that they would see me down there by myself? Did you pull a fade, too? Because if you did, I was able to see you.” I pointed out. I skipped the next song, which was Led Zeppelin. Wasn’t sure he would like that, either.
“No, I didn’t ‘pull’ a fade. I can move faster than the human eye when I need to, as I was doing in the parking lot.”
“Gareth, you were just standing there. You didn’t move at all.”
“You saw me for a fraction of a second. Long enough for me to push you towards the door, and that was it.”
“No, I saw you, staring him down. Does that mean that I can see you?” I was getting excited. Maybe he couldn’t keep himself hidden from me.
He frowned, thinking over what I said. His gaze remained on the road, his brows together in a frown.
“Does it bother you so badly that I could see you?” I asked, my voice dry.
“No, that’s not it. I just can’t figure out the how. Once I had you in the Rover, I did fade. You shouldn’t have seen me at all.”
His voice was puzzled, and I could only gather that I really should not have been able to see him, but I had. It made me think that there was something different in me that could make me see him AND Padraigan, because apparently, from what Gareth was saying, Padraigan was in fade mode too.
“I saw Padraigan too, Gareth.”
“I know you did, it didn’t really register until this moment and I just can’t figure it out. Either what we have together is so strong that it eclipses everything else, or…” he looked at me, inspiration dawning in his eyes.
“Maybe what you saw was an imprint.”
“Come again?” I cocked an eyebrow at him, having some clue what he was talking about, but I didn’t like where he was going with it. Clairvoyance on top of everything else? I needed a vacation.
“It makes sense. In 200 years, no one has ever seen me when I was hidden, no one. It is our most basic survival mechanism, and the best. It allows us to…well to approach without…” he stopped, not sure how to continue. I took pity on him.
“It allows you to stalk prey. I get it, you’re a predator. We’ve had this conversation.”
“Only you can be so blasé about it. Anyway, yes, that’s exactly right. It helps us hunt, and it keeps our existence hidden. If you can see us, you are a very powerful sensitive. We need to explore that, Anna. God knows what you’re capable of.”
I gave a weary sigh. If it wasn’t for Gareth, I would want my old, boring life back, but he more than made up for it.
“I know. Maybe we can do something tonight with Harley and Teagan, give me some tests or something.”
“Yes, I think we should.”
We drove in silence for a bit, each of us deep in our own thoughts. Neither of us intruded on the other, and for once I was grateful to have my thoughts to myself. The hysteria was building in me again, but I tamped it down fiercely, like I was trying to put out a fire that was threatening to become out of control. I would not lose it again, confident that I was strong, I could deal with this. If he came after me again, I would fight him. Padraigan hadn’t seemed surprised that I could see him, he never even blinked twice about it, and if he was trying to be unseen, wouldn’t that have bothered him? What did he know that we didn’t?
“Do vampires have psychic abilities? Can you see into the future, or see something happening that’s not right in front of you?” I had a theory that I was constructing in my mind, one that scared the hell out of me.
“Not unless they were before the change. That’s not something that comes with the package.” He replied wryly.
“Was Padraigan one of those?”
“Not that I’m aware of, but I wasn’t with him for long after my change. What are you getting at?” he asked, frowning at me. I shook my head, not wanting to tell him until it was fully formed.
“Let me think on it a bit, ok?”
He nodded, trusting me, but he looked worried. His attention turned back to the road and I tried to make sense of what I was thinking.
If Padraigan had someone working with him, someone who was clairvoyant, or if even he was clairvoyant, that would explain the comment he made about Gareth and I being together. He had made the statement as if he was confirming something that he had been told or had seen, although at the time I thought he was working off a hunch. If this was the case, it would explain so much. A clairvoyant didn’t need to tap into thoughts, and they would know about what was going on in the lab, in Gareth’s house, in my house, albeit in the future. Just how far into the future was the question.
I thought back to when Gareth first came to Written to find me, and counted days since then. It had been on Monday and this was now Thursday. I discarded that thought. If he had a true seer working for him, they would have seen us and stopped us before it happened. Before what happened? Just that we were together as a couple, or was the two of us together as a team what he feared?
I thought about what Gareth had said about Padraigan not attacking because of jealousy. He was right, there had to be more to it than that.
Harley and Teagan would know. When we were all together I would present my hypothesis, and see what they all thought.
“Can we stop by my house? I need to get some things together if I’m going to be away for any length of time.”
“He’ll know we’re there.”
“He already knows where it is, remember? I just need to get more clothes. I have a feeling he won’t be coming after us immediately.” I don’t know how I knew that, but I did. I wanted to delve deeper into this power, but I didn’t want to do anything without the girls being with me. I trusted Gareth implicitly to get me out of trouble and with my life, but I needed guidance from them on this. He didn’t question how I knew, and the unspoken trust in me that he had, showed more than he could ever express how much I meant to him.
I hoped it was well deserved.
We got to my house, Gareth taking a moment to make sure the coast was clear. He had called off the police sometime in the past few days, and my house sat empty. I knew that it was, I couldn’t sense anyone inside, but he wanted to make sure. I let us in through the front door and when I saw what awaited me, I just wanted to break down and cry.
My house was in shreds. That’s the only way I could describe it.
Pictures were ripped off the walls, leaving gouges in the drywall, my furniture was broken into a million pieces, the cushions ripped apart. All of my electronics were destroyed.
In a daze I walked through the house, wading through destruction. All the rooms were the same; the kitchen, guest room, office, bathrooms, my bedroom. No room had remained untouched from whatever rage he was feeling when he did this. Even my closets were defiled.
My bedroom was the worst. Feathers coated everything, my down comforter and bed topper having disgorged their contents from a slashing knife, or mind. The feathers stuck to everything, including the blood-like substance that smeared the walls and dripped from shattered furniture.
I must’ve stood there only seconds, but it seemed like an eternity. What was he hoping to accomplish with this? To scar
e me? To frighten me aware from Gareth?
All it was accomplishing was to make me more incensed than I had ever been before in my life. Not the break-in at the lab, the murder attempt, the previous entrance into my home made feel like this. A terrible anger was building in me that was causing my entire body to quiver, turning my hands into fists. When I get mad, I fight to win. Padraigan had no clue what he had unearthed when he opened this can of worms.
The fury tried to consume me, and I hated more than anything to lose control. I started to breathe deeply, trying to calm anger that had no outlet, my hands still fists clenched at my sides.
“Anna!”
At the sound of Gareth’s surprised exclamation, I turned to look at him standing in the doorway, almost having forgotten he was there. He looked pointedly down at my hands, and I looked down, following his gaze. Flames were coming out of the sides of my hands, leaking around the clenched edges. I lifted them in front of me, and watched in wonder and complete fascination as twin balls of flame danced on my upturned palms. There was no pain, only gentle warmth that bathed my hands. My arms were electrified, and if I wanted to, I probably could’ve burned down the whole house with a flick of my wrists. Oh, hell yeah.
“Anna, he’s been at your Jeep too.”
I looked up sharply, fresh rage washing through me. The flames danced faster, grew brighter.
“Anna, calm down. You don’t have any idea what you’re capable of, and you don’t want to burn the place down on top of what he did to it.”
I met his eyes calmly, the concern in them helping me to put a lid on my rage. I held his gaze until the flames dwindled down to nothing and the electric charge stopped humming through my arms. He was in front of me before I knew it and had me in his arms, wrapping me protectively in their strength, but I had already calmed down. The rage had left me cleansed, and a sense of serenity envelope me. I returned his embrace, laying my cheek on the cool, hard planes of his chest. It was odd not to hear a heart beat because I knew if there had been one, it would be racing. His anxiety was almost palpable.
I could sense his anger and frustration, but it was like I could see them as colors; the bright red of anger, the deepest black of frustration. It wasn’t like seeing an aura; it was more like an impression, like the colors translated the feelings in my mind. What had my rage, and inadvertently Padraigan, unleashed?
Teagan?
I didn’t even have to concentrate, just thought her name.
Yeah? Whoa, what happened to you?
Her voice was wary; she could sense the change in me.
I’ll explain later. Are you just about done?
We’re just finishing up. Are you heading this way or should we bounce?
No, stay there. I think we all need to talk.
Okay.
Gareth held me away at arm’s length, bending his head down slightly to look in my eyes.
“You didn’t even have to try. You just did it.”
His eyes held awe in them and it made me squirm uncomfortably, but I nodded. He saw I was uncomfortable and didn’t press, just let go my arms and stepped away, moving through the mess.
“Is there anything you want from here?” His back was to me as he stood in the doorway, and I could hear from the tone of his voice he was upset.
I looked around the room, took in the destruction and chaos. That odd feeling of serenity was still with me.
“There’s nothing here for me now. This was just materials; my place is with you.”
Chapter Fourteen
On the drive to Gareth’s, I didn’t have to worry about concentrating on a wall. As naturally as breathing I knew my thoughts were Fort Knox. I did a test with Gareth. If I put him out of my mind, which was hard because he was always there, he just couldn’t get it. He pushed, poked, prodded but to no avail. He was cute in his frustration. I could feel him trying, but not like it had been; before it was like a physical thing, like a light caress. Now it was more of a feeling, like you would get when you knew someone was behind you.
“Do you think that the intensity of the emotion you were feeling somehow unlocked the power in you?” Gareth asked at one point on the drive home. We were both trying to figure it out, but this was the best we could come up with.
“Well, it makes sense. In a poltergeist haunting, it usually is centered on a young person going through puberty, feeling all kinds of emotions and turbulent thoughts.”
“You’re a long way from puberty.”
“Thank you for reminding me of my advanced age.” I cast him a wry glance.
“Yes, because you’re so old.” He gave my glance back to me.
“Touché.” I conceded.
“Well, it is a theory. I’m not quite sure it’s a viable theory, but it’s worth looking into.”
I nodded, watching the scenery go by in flashes, and I finally could make out where he lived. Whereas I lived north of Manchester, almost in the Concord city limits, he lived to the west in Weare, and I could finally look and appreciate the outside of the house. It was a big New England farm house, complete with huge front porch, mud room, and converted barn, all attached to form one long structure.
As we drove up the driveway, I could see Harley’s smart little convertible Cooper tucked next to the big garage, and the two of them were coming out of the woods, Harley dressed in a long Oriental tunic and leggings, Teagan in her staple of jeans, short-sleeved t-shirt over long-sleeved t-shirt and ever present hoodie, the hood pulled over her head to keep warm. They weren’t very warmly dressed considering the near freezing temperatures outside.
Seeing them walking towards us was like a fog had lifted, letting in warm sunshine and a sense of well-being. It warmed my heart to see them, and my shoulders felt lighter. The four of us together should be able to find some answers to at least some questions.
Teagan lifted a hand in greeting, and I waved back as we drove past and into the garage, Gareth waiting until they had ducked in before he shut the big overhead garage door. I got out of the Rover and was immediately enveloped in hugs, which for once didn’t make me uncomfortable, and I saw Gareth standing a little apart, a slight smile on his glorious face. I tipped him a wink.
“Shall we, ladies?” He said as he held open the house door for us, and we went in ahead of him, Harley bestowing a smile in his direction and Teagan clapping him on the arm. As I passed him, he slipped his arm around my waist and I reciprocated, needing his strength. Although I was still feeling the effects of the serenity that had filled me after the rage had left me, I was tired to the bone, and my legs were like jelly, barely holding me up.
Harley and Teagan moved through the mudroom and into the kitchen to stand at the big island, and Gareth pretty much carried me over to one of the stools and plopped me down on it. We were silent for a moment and I realized that this was the first time we were all together in the same place. It had to be a good thing.
Harley broke the silence with a flippant, “Isn’t this nice?”
I looked around me, at my friends that came to my aid without even asking why, at Gareth, my reason for living, the best thing about this new life, and new strength flowed into me. Harley was smiling serenely, Teagan’s expression was full of curiosity, and Gareth stood next to me, one hand on my shoulder. Three might be magickal, but four had to be stronger.
“It’s amazing. I can’t get one thought off her. What happened? Tell us everything that’s happened since you left us on Monday.” Harley started the conversation rolling with those excited words, and I smiled to myself, thinking that I would give them the PG-13 version that included nothing about what had gone on between Gareth and me.
I filled them in, covering from this morning only, and neither one of them missed that I excluded Monday through Wednesday night. Teagan gave me a nod and a wink, and I appreciated the attempt to perk up the atmosphere.
They both listened raptly, and I wouldn’t have needed this new power of seeing and feeling emotions from people to gauge their reactions
; their faces were as open as books. When I got to the part about the pain of Padraigan’s attack on my mind, twin blooms of bright red for anger and dark burgundy, which I took to be indignation from the look on their faces, flowered in my head. Their worry for me was a stormy dark blue under the bright colors. My head was fogging up from all of them, so I tried to see if I could shut off the flood of emotions, and didn’t find it difficult at all. Wow.
“That’s it.” I finished after what seemed like hours, my throat a dry desert. Gareth moved without speaking to one of the big refrigerators and took out a bottle of water and brought it back to me. I took it gratefully and drank deep, eyeing the girls, who were watching Gareth with something akin to devotion.
He was paying no attention and dropped a kiss on the top of my head, then bent to whisper, “I’ll be right back,” in my ear. His cool breath sent shivers down my spine. Apparently nothing could dampen the desire for him that ran hot in my blood. His mind was open to me, and I nodded as he let me know he was going hunting.
They watched him leave the room, both pairs of eyes following the lithe form of his body as he slipped out the French doors into the gathering dusk.
Teagan turned back to me and said one word. “Nice.”
“Get your own vampire.” I shot back, my voice teasing.
“I think you got the only one like him.” Harley said, her eyes still trained to the outside where Gareth could no longer be seen. “He guards you, like it’s the only purpose he has in this world. And the way he looks at you…well, we can tell you what you’ve spent the past three days doing without being able to read your thoughts.”
Eternity Page 18
