Deadly Vision

by Kris Norris

  “Fallon?” He tapped lightly on the door, hoping she’d answer it. But nothing inside the room seemed to change. “Fallon? Are you in there, baby?”

  Gil cursed the silence that answered his plea and bolted over to the other side of the door. He waited just long enough to grab his Glock, before twisting the knob open and swinging the door aside.

  * * * *

  Fallon stumbled across the pavement, finally slamming into a parked car. The images faded in and out of focus, making it hard to keep her balance. She glanced down at her hands, not surprised to see the glare of the road through them. She was trapped in the vision, but just barely.

  “Sorry, Sue, but I’m going out with Steve tonight.”

  Fallon jumped at the sudden voice, the sound harsh and loud in her head. She looked across the road, only to realise it was a parking lot. Rows of cars were stacked across the pavement, spreading out in a kaleidoscope of colour. The rain was still light, making small dark circles on the asphalt. But like her vision, it was only beginning.

  “I know Steve’s still legally married. But he’s promised me it’s over.”

  The woman laughed and Fallon looked over to her right. The girl was young and blonde, and if not for the fatigue darkening her eyes, she could have been mistaken for a model. She was wearing a dull blue nursing uniform with plain white sneakers and a dark shoulder purse. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and the makeup she’d applied this morning was smudged on her face.

  “Don’t worry, Sue. I’ll double check everything. You know me better than that. Look, I gotta run. I’m a mess and I need to stop by the apartment before I meet Steve.”

  The woman clicked her phone shut and headed for a vehicle further up the lot. It was a small red hatchback, but Fallon was too far away to see the make. The woman stopped at the back and slipped her purse off her shoulder.

  “Damn it, where are you!”

  Fallon watched the girl dig through her purse, tossing item after item back inside. She was obviously looking for something, but Fallon’s head was too fuzzy to figure anything out. The rain was getting heavier, and a sudden gust of wind made the hairs on her arms and neck prickle.

  “Salvation. Soon, it will be yours.”

  The eerie voice whispered in her head just as a dark shadow moved across her. She turned as The Priest stepped in front of her, his long black jacket blowing in the breeze. She caught his scent on the wind. A heady pine musk mixed with a hint of cigar. There was another aroma mixed in as well. A sickly sweet scent that made her stomach turn and her head spin. He was standing too far ahead to see his face, but she’d come to recognise his silhouette. How he held his arrogance in the line of his back, and the way he cocked his head to one side as if listening to some hidden voice.

  “Finally!”

  The woman held up a set of keys and shook them once in victory, still oblivious to the man flowing towards her. The Priest didn’t make a sound as he covered the wet pavement, stopping a breath away from the woman’s back. Even as the girl stepped forward, he moved with her, slipping one hand over her mouth as another snaked around her waist. The girl’s body stiffened in surprise, before slumping against The Priest’s chest. She tried to call out, but her voice was smothered by the distant sound of thunder. All she could do was watch the bastard lift the limp woman in his arms and carry her back to his car.

  “Your altar awaits. Soon, your soul will be saved.”

  He was laying her in the back and covering her beneath a blanket, smoothing his hands along her side. Fallon cringed at the sensual way he touched her, like he was her lover, not her captor.

  She pushed off the car and moved towards him, fighting the constant pitching of the scenery. Her name echoed off in the distance, but she kept moving, needing to see more, to memorise every detail. She stopped a few feet behind him, wondering what would happen if she reached out and touched his jacket. The Priest reached up for the hatch, but froze as his fingers grazed the metal. He dipped his head slightly and twisted his shoulders. A chill ran down her spine as he stood poised behind his car, waiting. Then in one smooth movement he turned.

  * * * *

  Gil slipped into the room, sweeping the small space with his gun. Fallon was sprawled on the floor, her hair covering her face. He took two steps in before toeing the door closed and clearing the space behind. As much as he wanted to go to her, he needed to make sure she was safe first.

  He inched past her, peeking into the shower stall and closet before holstering his gun and kneeling down beside her. She was panting, gasping, her body twitching. She moaned and he wasn’t sure if touching her would hurt her or bring her out of whatever she was going through.

  “Look out! Behind you. Run!”

  Her words were pushed out with a groan as she rolled on the floor. Gil reached out and gently brushed the hair back from her face. Sweat beaded her brow and her eyes were open, but dull. She looked scared, but didn’t react when he waved his hand in front of her.

  “Fallon?”

  “No. Don’t. Stop.”

  Gil pulled his hand back when she flinched and gasped, breaking free from her trance as she bolted up with a soundless scream. He grabbed her shoulders, catching her before she fell back to the floor, her face white, her body shaking. Gil cradled her against his chest, smoothing her hair with his hands as she collapsed against him, her eyes drifting shut.

  “Fallon?” She mumbled a reply, whispering his name as she drifted off again. Gil clenched his jaw to stave off a curse. He had no idea what to do next. “Fallon? Can you hear me?”

  Her eyes fluttered and she rolled her head back, swiping her lips with her tongue. “Help. Gil.”

  Gil nodded, though he knew she wasn’t watching him. “Sure, baby. Just tell me how to help you,”

  Fallon coughed and whimpered. She shook her head. “No. Her.”

  Gil fought the helpless feeling surging through him. He hadn’t felt this out of control since Charlie had died. “Fallon. You’re not making any sense. Who’s ‘her’?”

  She moaned again and slowly opened her eyes. “The woman…in the parking lot.” She grimaced and grabbed her head. “Oh, God.”

  “What woman?” He gave her a small shake when she started to fade again. “Fallon. What woman?”

  She squinted up at him and he cringed. She looked so weak he wondered how she managed to stay conscious. “A nurse…Harborview…he took her…black SUV…Mercedes I think.” She pressed her palm against her head, but he could tell it wasn’t helping. “I tried to warn her…” She shook her head and sighed. “Couldn’t help her…never…”

  Her voice faded off as she slumped against his chest. Even unconscious she looked as if the images and pain were still with her. Gil hugged her close and reached for his phone. Wade answered on the third ring.

  “What’s wrong, Gil? Fallon decide I was her dream man after all?”

  “He’s struck again.” Gil grunted as he tucked the phone under his chin and scooped Fallon off the floor. “Fallon says he took a nurse from the parking lot at Harborview and put her in the back of a black SUV. She thinks it was a Mercedes.” He moved over to the door and nudged it open with his foot. “He’s only got ten minutes on us. We need to move.”

  He heard Wade swear and a chair screech across the floor. “I’m on it…hey? What do you mean ‘Fallon says’? How does she know The Priest took another woman?”

  “I don’t have time to explain right now. Besides, I’m not sure I understand it all myself. Just get dispatch on it. We need a list of all the churches around the hospital.” He stepped into the hall and cursed when he saw Jane peek around the corner.

  “Do you have any idea how many churches there are in this town?”

  “Lots. But he’ll be going to one that’s vacant. And since it’s Sunday, that must narrow things down a little.” He rolled his eyes as Jane stormed down the hall, Brad at her heels. “Do the best you can, and call me as soon as you’ve got anything.”

  “You
’re not coming in?”

  He could hear the uncertainty in Wade’s voice, but he didn’t have time to give a damn right now. Jane looked ready to tear more than a strip off him and Fallon’s limp weight was a constant reminder of all he had to lose. “I need to take care of Fallon. I’ll call you as soon as she’s safe.”

  Gil balanced Fallon’s body with one leg as he snapped the phone shut and shoved it in his pocket, Wade’s voice still chattering on the other end. There wasn’t time to explain. He needed to get Fallon out before he ended up fighting the entire house.

  “Fallon! Damn it, Gil, what the hell have you done to her?”

  Gil bit back a curse and turned to face Jane. “Fallon’s fine. She just needs to rest. Now if you’ll just calm down and lower your voice…”

  “Calm down? She’s unconscious! How the hell is that ‘fine’?” Jane reached out and brushed a finger down Fallon’s cheek. “What’s wrong with her?”

  “It’s hard to explain. Let’s just say she’s having a few side-effects from the case.” He looked up at Brad and nodded towards the man’s wife. “I’m sure Fallon can fill you in on everything once she’s regained her strength. But for now, I need to get her home.”

  With that he brushed past the couple, pleased to see Brad settle his hands on Jane’s shoulders when the woman went to follow him. Now if he could just get out the side door before anyone else showed up.

  “Hey, Jane? Have you seen Fallon? She hasn’t…” Jackson’s voice wavered into a strangled growl as he rounded the doorway and nearly collided with Gil. Gil snorted and tried to push past the man, but Jackson stepped forward and blocked his way. “What the hell’s going on?” he demanded.

  Gil all but stomped his foot on the floor as he sighed out his frustration and shifted Fallon in his arms. “I’m taking Fallon home. In case you haven’t noticed, she’s suffering from exhaustion and the sooner I can put her to bed, the better.”

  Jackson sneered at him and took another step forward, forcing Gil back a step. “She was fine just a few minutes ago.” He gave Gil the once over. “I don’t suppose you had anything to do with her sudden illness?”

  “You know, I’m getting awfully tired of being the scapegoat.” Gil moved forward, this time forcing Jackson to backup. “Now as I see it, we can play this two ways. Either you get out of my way, and I walk out of here with Fallon, or I can put her down and we can take our differences outside.” He drew himself up. “But either way, she’s leaving here with me.”

  Jackson glanced over Gil’s shoulder at Brad, but didn’t get out of the way. “And who are you to make decisions for Fallon?”

  “I’m the guy she’s going to be spending the rest of her life with,” he bit out, making Jackson flinch. “So do us both a favour and get the hell out of my way.”

  Jackson looked at Fallon before stepping aside, his lips pulled into a thin line. Gil nodded as he walked out the door and headed for his truck.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Gil sat in the chair, watching Fallon twist and turn on the bed. She’d been unconscious since Jane’s house, and he’d made the twenty minute drive in ten, placing her on the bed while he paced the floor waiting for the men Trevor had agreed to send over. They’d pulled up fifteen minutes later and had stayed parked on the other side of the road ever since. And while that had eased some of the tension, Gil still couldn’t seem to relax. Not until Fallon woke up and explained exactly what the hell was going on.

  A jingle of music shattered his concentration.

  “Talk to me, Wade.”

  “How’s Fallon?”

  “Unconscious. Any leads on our man?”

  Wade sighed and Gil knew the answer before the man spoke. “It’s harder than trying to find a virgin at a frat party. Do you have any idea the numbers we’re up against?”

  “There can’t be that many once you eliminate all the churches having mass or Sunday school today,” countered Gil.

  “Apparently you’re not up on all the various religious sects in our fine city. Over half of them don’t hold traditional services, not to mention the ones that don’t associate anything with Sunday.” Wade paused and Gil felt a shiver run down his spine.

  “What?” he demanded.

  “You know how much I like your girl, Gil…”

  “But,” he interrupted.

  “We need more if we’re going to stop this guy before he kills the woman.” Wade sighed into the phone again. “I don’t suppose she can connect or materialise or whatever she does again and tell us where the bastard is now?”

  “She’s fucking passed out on the bed. Exactly how do you expect me to get more information out of her?” He raked a shaky hand through his hair as he tried to calm his nerves. Shouting at Wade wasn’t going to help anything. “I’m sorry. I just don’t know what to do. I’ve never…let me see if I can wake her up. I’ll call you back.”

  Wade mumbled a half-ass apology as Gil hung up the phone and looked over at Fallon. She was lying on her side, the blanket he’d tossed over her pulled up to her shoulders. Her skin was almost as white as the sheets and just the thought of trying to rouse her filled him with dread. The last thing he wanted to do was send her back into the nightmare.

  “Fallon?” He touched her shoulder, caressing her skin gently with his thumb. “Baby, are you okay?”

  Fallon moaned and rolled her head. Gil’s voice was muffled, like he was speaking from another room. She felt his hand tighten on her shoulder as he called her name again. She took a deep breath and forced her eyes open, squinting from the brightness. Gil was sitting on the chair beside the bed, his face solemn, his lips pulled tight. She tried to smile, but the pounding in her head robbed her breath, and all she managed to get out was a muted whimper.

  “Easy, darling. Don’t try to move yet.”

  She tried to chuckle at the thought, but it only made her head hurt more. “Don’t think I could,” she said. She glanced over at the table, but couldn’t make out any of the numbers on the clock. “What time is it?”

  “Five o’clock.”

  “Five?” she questioned, trying to sit up only to collapse back down, her palm pressed against her forehead. “How long have I been out?”

  Gil’s face paled. “About an hour.” He brushed some hair back from her face. “How do you feel?”

  “About as good as I look,” she joked, hoping her small attempt at humour would ease some of the tension bunching his shoulders. “You okay?”

  “Other than worrying Jane might take a contract out on me, I’m okay.”

  Fallon smiled, then frowned. “Oh, God. Jane!” She covered her face in her hands. “How am I ever going to convince her I’m fine now?”

  “After what I witnessed, I’d say Jane is the least of your worries.” He leant forward and she saw the fear come and go in his eyes. “Is it always like that?”

  She eased back and pushed herself up, accepting the pillows he stacked behind her back. “It depends,” she began, but then stopped when he levelled his stare. “Sometimes it’s worse.”

  “God, damn, Fallon.” He looked away, but not before she saw the pain in his eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  His voice was soft and there was no mistaking the hurt in it. Fallon sat up straighter, ignoring the roaring sound in her head. “Because I knew nothing short of falling on my knees in front of you would’ve been enough to convince you. And I don’t have that kind of control. At least I never did.” She looked away. “This time’s different.”

  She felt Gil’s gaze on her, but she couldn’t seem to meet his stare. “How?” When she didn’t answer he reached forward and placed his finger under her chin, raising her face to his. “How is this time different?” She tried to shrug it off, but couldn’t stop a tear from tracking down her cheek. Gil wiped the drop away with his thumb. “Come on, Fallon. It’s me.” He flashed her a smile that made her heart clench. “Talk to me.”

  Her bottom lip quivered and she tried to draw some strength from his touc
h. “It’s stronger, more intense. The colours. The smells.” She shook her head. “I still don’t know how he connects with me before he calls.”

  “But I thought you said it only happened after?” She shrugged and he sighed, nodding his head. “What else?”

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  He kicked half of his mouth into a sexy smile. “I mean you’re holding something back. The real reason this vision was so different.” He grazed her cheek again. “I need the truth, Fallon. Please.”

  She wanted to turn away, but something in his voice stopped her. She looked into his eyes and saw more than just compassion and sincerity. She saw love. “He looked at me.”

  Gil’s hand dropped from her face as he surged to his feet. “He did what?”

  “He looked at me.” She sighed out a long breath. “I was standing behind him, watching him tuck the woman in the back of his hatchback, wondering what would happen if I touched his jacket, when he reached up to close the hatch and stopped. Then he cocked his head as if he could hear me breathing and spun around and looked straight at me. That’s never happened before.”

  Gil took a few heavy steps away before turning back. “So you’ve seen his face?”

  “Not…exactly,” she mumbled. “When he turned, his eyes locked on mine and it felt like something tossed me across the parking lot. The next thing I knew, I woke up in your arms.”

  Gil moved back beside the bed. “Do you remember anything about him?”

  “Just his eyes. They were hazel. They reminded me…” She paused not sure if she should say what she really thought.

  “Reminded you of what?”

  She bit at her bottom lip, wishing it didn’t have to be like this. “They reminded me of Charlie.” She looked up at Gil and saw the pain in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Gil, but it’s not just his eyes that remind me of Charlie. It’s the way he carries himself, the shape of his back, the colour of his hair. Hell, even his voice sounds similar.” She shook her head as more tears dampened her skin. “Maybe I am going crazy.”