Into The Spirit

by Marie Harte

  “Oh my God.”

  Now she remembered why the vision had seemed different. It’d happened before the call, before The Priest had any connection to her. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the ringing sound. She wouldn’t admit what was screaming in her head. Their link was gathering strength. Her powers were emerging.

  * * * *

  Gil sat at his chair, staring down at the pictures he’d arranged on his desk. Eight women now. And if The Priest had his way, more would join their ranks. Gil cursed and pressed his head against his palms. He’d been staring at the damn things for hours, ever since he’d picked up Wade at the precinct. And the fact he hadn’t touched them in the last fifteen minutes was just another indication his mind wasn’t on his job.

  Fallon.

  Her name filled his mind, echoing through him until all he could see was the image of her face. He’d stopped on the way to station for a quick shower and a change of clothes, not wanting Wade to throw more lewd comments about his relationship, or lack of, with Fallon. And showing up with the scent of her juices clinging to his jeans and his shirt ripped down to his chest was not the sort of action that would keep Wade off his back. The man seemed relentless. Even now Gil could feel him staring at him, trying to figure out what demons Gil was fighting. Or what ravenous thoughts he was conjuring up.

  He didn’t need any help thinking about Fallon. She was all he’d thought about since she’d scurried off like a frightened rabbit. While he didn’t mind playing the part of the big, bad wolf, the least she could have done was called him to let him know she’d made it home okay.

  Yeah, like she’s going to call you. All she thinks you want from her is a quick hard fuck.

  He huffed at the thought, ignoring the way Wade’s eyes flicked in his direction. He’d never been really good at vocalising his feelings. Sure, he could toss out an ‘I love you,’ at a moment’s notice, but really telling someone how much they meant to him was about as easy as catching this bastard was turning out to be. His chest just got too tight, and the words seemed to get stuck in his throat. He’d always relied on Fallon’s sensitivity to read into his actions what he hadn’t been able to tell her.

  But all that had changed the moment he’d walked out their door and never returned, leaving only his set of keys as any explanation as to what had happened. She’d called his cell a few times after, but those had stopped quickly when he’d chosen to ignore them. Fallon might have loved him, but she’d known when to back away, and he knew she’d never show him how much he’d hurt her. She was far too stubborn and proud for that.

  He sighed, wishing to hell he knew what to do. He wanted to call her, but he knew she’d hang up on him, if she even bothered to answer the phone. And somehow dropping by her place didn’t seem like a good idea. He’d be able to smell her again, and he knew what would happen if he got even a whiff of her scent. He’d ruin another one of her shirts when he ripped it from her body, along with whatever she had on the bottom. God, he hoped she’d be bare on the bottom. Nothing would stop him from dragging her to the floor and pressing inside her soft, wet heat until the emptiness left him and he rode her until neither one of them could walk this time. He obviously hadn’t drained enough of her strength if she was able to ride her bike down the trail, though he’d noticed how shaky she was on it.

  Yeah, he’d certainly screwed things up. Now all he could do was sit there and trace the inside of his mouth with his tongue, searching for the lingering flavour of her creamy juice. He’d often dreamed of tasting her again, and now that he had, he was obsessed with having more. Always more with her. He’d never been able to get enough, and his hunger was only becoming stronger.

  “Why don’t you just call her?”

  Gil shook his head, and turned towards Wade. He’d heard the man’s voice, but hadn’t a clue what he’d said. “What?”

  Wade chuckled. “You’re not going to accomplish anything here when your mind’s a thousand miles away. Or at least thirty miles away. Why don’t you just call it a night? And call Fallon while you’re at it.”

  “Who says I’m thinking about her?” he challenged.

  “Partner. You’ve got it so bad for that girl you can see her name inscribed on your forehead.” Wade smiled and leant back in his chair. “Stop worrying about your pride and make the first move. I’m sure with a little grovelling and a lot of sweet words, she’ll be back in your bed in no time.”

  Gil snarled. She’s already been back in my bed, he thought, trying not to show Wade he’d been too close to the truth. Only it hadn’t been his bed, it’d been the damn clearing on the trail, and he couldn’t quite remember saying, ‘I’m sorry’, let alone anything remotely sweet.

  Push inside again and bring me more of your sweet honey.

  Okay, so he’d mentioned her pussy was sweet—a number of times—but he didn’t think that held the same weight as telling her how pretty she was, or how much he’d missed her. Or better still, the truth.

  Something rattled in his coat, but Gil ignored it. He was too caught up remembering the sights and scents of Fallon’s body. How her nipples had puckered against her skin, pointing straight out from her body. Her breasts weren’t overly large, but they were firm and responsive and he never got tired of licking and suckling them. It was like sipping ripe, smooth berries into his mouth. And her skin, he’d never felt anything as soft and smooth. Every inch was creamy white and felt like fine silk beneath his fingers. Even her pussy was like that now, and he had to bite back another groan when he remembered how she’d declared no other had touched her, fucked her, since he’d left. He’d been the first to touch that smooth cunt, running his tongue up and down the plump lips until her taste was all he knew. Until his cock got so hard he’d thought the damn thing was going to explode in his pants.

  “Hey, Gil.”

  He had to have her again. Needed to know she’d wanted him as much as he’d wanted, no needed, her. Damn, Wade was right.

  “Gil!”

  Gil turned and scowled at Wade. Didn’t the man ever give up? “What?” He didn’t bother to hide his irritation. His cock was hard again—still—just thinking about Fallon, and he wasn’t quite sure how he was going to convince the little vixen she was the only one who could give him the relief he sought.

  “Aren’t you going to get that?”

  Gil’s scowl deepened. He had no idea what Wade was talking about. “Get what?”

  Wade’s expression turned slightly serious, like he was suddenly worried about Gil’s mental state. Well good, because Gil was worried too. His unexpected reunion with Fallon had knocked most of his good sense right out the window, and left nothing but the need to claim her behind.

  “Your phone. It’s rung three times already.”

  As if to prove Wade’s claim, the phone rang again. Gil cursed and stuffed his hand into his pocket, fishing the damn thing out. He couldn’t imagine who’d be calling him. He was already at work for God’s sake. It rang again and he stared at the number, feeling the air leave his lungs.

  Fallon.

  Even if it hadn’t flashed her name across the screen, he’d have recognised the number. Her number, the one they’d shared. He flipped it open, not sure how to answer the call. “So, darling, are you finally getting tired of playing hide and seek? Or were you calling to give me a hint?” He smiled as the words popped into his head. He didn’t want her to think he’d been sitting around pining for her.

  Gil listened, but could only hear her breathing on the other end. He sat up, a tingle of fear prickling down his spine. “Fallon?”

  She whispered his name, a low moan following the sad sound.

  “Fallon? What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

  “Gil.” He heard her sob once before she sighed into the phone.

  Gil stood up, his jacket grasped in his other hand. Wade scraped his chair back and Gil knew the man was already heading to the door. “Just stay put. We’re on our way.”

  “No, Gil. Wait.” She sobbed
again, but he couldn’t tell if she was in pain or just sad. “The Priest. Another woman…oh God, my head hurts.”

  “Fallon, honey, I need to know if you’re okay. Did someone hurt you?” Fear gripped him as new images sprang to life. “Oh, God. Did he hurt you?”

  “No. I’m…I’m fine. The girl…oh Gil, there was so much blood. She was alive, but then…”

  Her voice trailed off and Gil fought the urge to stomp his foot on the floor. Fallon was obviously overwhelmed by her last conversation with the creep and he needed to stay calm if he had any chance of helping her. “Just talk slowly, darling. Where is the woman?”

  “A church. Southwest side, near the river. Lots of stained glass…He killed her. I…”

  Fallon broke into another sob followed by a loud moan. Damn, Gil didn’t know what was going on. She sounded hurt, but she’d said she was fine. “Fallon. Are you okay?”

  “My head hurts. Just find her.” Her voice faded again, but she returned. “I’m fine. I have to go.”

  Gil cursed as the phone went dead in his ear. “Damn it!” He headed for the door, pulling on his jacket as he went. “The bastard struck again. Some church over by the river. We’ll have to call dispatch and see if they can give us some possible locations.”

  “Is Fallon okay? Do you want me to have them send a unit over to her house?”

  Gil shook his head, dodging the puddles as he ran for his truck. “She insisted she’s fine. We’ll stop by after we check out the scene.” He heard a chuckle and was surprised to discover it’d come from him. “Fallon doesn’t like people codling her. She has this image that’s she bulletproof. If I send anyone over, there’ll be no reasoning with her later. And I have a feeling we need to have a long chat with her. She’s hiding something from me, and I plan on finding out what the something is.”

  Chapter Nine

  Fallon woke to a loud pounding in her head. She closed her eyes and willed the damn thing away. She needed to sleep, but the noise kept banging. Her eyes fluttered open again, adjusting to the dark when she realised she was sleeping on the kitchen floor. She sat up, feeling the room sway, as the noise sounded again.

  “Damn it, Fallon. Open the damn door!”

  She flinched and glanced at the clock. It was just past twelve. Three hours since she’d called Gil and sent him in search of the woman she’d watched die. But she felt as if she’d only been resting a few moments. The intensity of the visions was getting stronger, and she seemed to need more time to recover after each one.

  “Fallon!”

  She sighed and forced herself up, hoping she didn’t face plant onto the floor, and slowly made her way to the door. Gil was still pounding on it when she released the lock and swung it open, using its strength to hold herself up.

  “What the hell took you so long?” Gil’s voice was dark and deep, and Fallon recognised the tone. He was angry, and maybe a bit scared.

  She sighed and stepped back, knowing he’d push past her if she didn’t make any space. “I was sleeping.”

  Gil and Wade walked through the doorway, stopping several feet inside. “You were always a light sleeper, Fallon. It’s not like you to sleep through the noise.”

  She shrugged, ignoring the heavy weight of his stare. He looked hungry, but not for food. “Things change.” She swayed a bit as the room flip-flopped once and then settled. Gil grabbed her arm, but released it when she tensed in his hold. “It’s pretty late. Shouldn’t you guys be trying to get some sleep?”

  “You sounded hurt on the phone. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

  Fallon hid her surprise. Why should he care how she was when he hadn’t for the past six months? “I just have a bad headache.” It wasn’t a lie. Her head felt like someone had used it as a chopping block. “Did you find the church?”

  Gil’s face paled slightly, and Fallon felt the room sway again. She knew what he’d had to face when he’d walked inside that place. She’d already been there. “Yeah. We found it.” Gil stepped back and leaned against a small table. “We need to ask you about the call. It might help the investigation if we knew exactly what this guy says to you.”

  Her stomach dropped as she closed the door, once again leaning against it in the hopes of staying on her feet. While she didn’t feel the vision trying to pull her under anymore, the memory of seeing the girl die was still vivid in her mind. She didn’t want to remember that. “I’m really tired. And my head still hurts. Couldn’t we wait until morning?”

  Gil’s eyes narrowed as he gave her a long, slow sweep. If it’d been anyone else, she would’ve sworn he was merely assuring himself she was okay. But the way Gil did it—with half-lidded eyes and a small tilt to his lips—she felt as if he were assessing her stamina. Trying to determine if she was up to a hard night of fucking. “If we wait until morning, you might forget some of the details. And right now, we need all the help we can get.” He moved a step towards her, his eyes once again lingering on the length of her body. She watched him pause at the vee of her thighs and again at her breasts, dampening the inside of his lips as he finally looked up and met her gaze. The fire she saw in his eyes purged whatever breath was left in her chest. “It won’t take that long.”

  Fallon stared into his eyes. He’d spoken again, but she was too caught up in the way his mouth moved when he talked to really hear his words. His lips were perfect. Full and pink and she remembered how they’d felt on breasts and between her legs. God, what she wouldn’t give to feel them there again. Have them wrapped around her nipples, sucking with just the right amount of pressure she’d feel every motion mirrored in her pussy, making it weep with joy. Then he’d move lower and kiss each plump lip of her sex in worship before driving his tongue inside her and lapping away her cream.

  She shifted, vaguely aware of the slick slide of her lips against her pants. She’d thrown on a pair of sweats after her shower, and the lack of panties was brushing the soft fabric against her engorged cunt, sending sparks of pleasure into her core. She still had on Gil’s T-shirt, having grabbed it instead of the ripped tank, and could feel her nipples pushing against the thin lace of her bra. They were hard and thick and she knew the men could see them pressed against the thin cotton.

  Fallon took a deep breath, startled by the way Gil watched her chest rise and fall. His breathing seemed laboured and she couldn’t help but notice the way his hands were fisted at his side. She chanced a glance at his groin, but his shirt was loose around his jeans, hiding any evidence he was as aroused as she was. But just the thought of his cock hard and thick beneath the denim made her mouth water. He hadn’t allowed her to taste him, or hell, even touch him, and she wanted nothing more than to slip her lips around his shaft, feeling it pulse and thicken in her mouth. It’d seemed like an eternity since she’d savoured the sweet salty musk of his cum, and had the sudden urge to drop to her knees and take what she’d been denied. He’d always loved the way she’d sucked him, and she was confident she’d have his instant attention once her mouth was wrapped around his flesh.

  “Fallon?”

  She gave herself a mental shake. He’d asked to talk and was waiting for her answer. But she knew she had to put off his questions until tomorrow. If he stayed any longer, she’d just as soon push him to the floor and ride him into oblivion as give him the answers he sought. Even the thought of Wade watching her didn’t stem the need building inside.

  She sighed and walked past the two men, stopping near the kitchen door. She really was tired, and her head still throbbed from her vision. Surely Gil wouldn’t insist on staying if she made him understand how bad she felt. “I’d love to help you guys out, and I promise I won’t forget a single detail, but I really am tired and I think I’ll be able to give you a better account of the conversation once my head clears. So if you don’t mind…”

  She waved at the door, hoping they’d get the hint. Wade glanced over at Gil, and then back at her. “I understand how disturbing this must have been for you, but…” Wade didn’t get
to finish as Gil stepped forward, his arms crossed over his chest.

  “All right, Fallon. What’s going on?”

  Fallon flashed him her best innocent smile. “What do mean? Nothing’s going on. I’m just tired and would like to get rid of this headache before we talk.”

  Gil shook his head taking another step closer. “Nice try, darling, but I’m not buying it. You’re way too stubborn to use an excuse as lame as being tired. And pain’s never stopped you before. So why don’t you cut the act and just tell us what’s going on?” He narrowed his eyes on her. “I know you’re hiding something.”

  Fallon felt her face flush, but ignored it. Why the hell he’d chosen now to be so damn observant she had no idea, but two could play the game. “I’m not hiding anything. What gives you the right to question my motives?” She crossed her arms beneath her breasts and straightened her shoulders. She was several inches shorter than both men, but she wasn’t about to let them intimidate her. “Now if you don’t mind…” She turned to go.

  “Running away again?” taunted Gil.

  Fallon stopped and spun around. “Running away? You actually have the audacity to stand there and accuse me of running away? This from a man who left his keys on the table and took all his stuff while I was at work all because you didn’t want to have to talk to me!” Her voice had risen into a yell, but she didn’t care. If Gil wanted to fight, she was more than up for it. “At least I answered the damn door, which is more than I can say for you!”

  Gil clenched his jaw and stuffed his hands in his pockets. She could tell he was holding himself back, but it didn’t matter. She’d crossed the line and there was no turning back. He took one step towards her. “Okay. I get your point. You’re angry. But do you really want to talk about this now? It’s not exactly the best time.” He nodded towards Wade, making the man shuffle his feet.

  Fallon ignored Wade and faced Gil head-on. “That’s the problem, Gil. It was never a good time to discuss anything with you. Every time I tried all you ever did was pull back and hide behind your job.” She took a deep breath, and said what she’d been thinking for six months. “Charlie died, Gil. But it might as well have been you, because you’ve been dead to the world ever since.”