Beyond the Shadows

by LaVerne Clark

  There was nothing. He strained his ears, hoping to hear a whisper in his head. But it had gone silent. God had deserted him right when he needed him the most. Now he knew how Jesus had felt.

  He screwed his eyes shut tight and pleaded from the depths of his soul, his throat rasping the words. “Talk to me, please. I am your willing servant, and I need you to show me the way!”

  Still nothing. His mind remained clear and too quiet. He’d never felt so alone. Lurching to his feet, he picked up a vase from the mantelpiece wanting nothing more than to shatter the silence. As he raised it above his head, his eyes caught on a captioned photograph, picked out as if in spotlight from the light of the moon.

  Gently placing the vase back to its original position, he picked up the photograph and smiled. He drew it closer and laughed aloud. God hadn’t abandoned him. He offered a prayer for forgiveness to the Holy Father for doubting him and promised him another lashing in punishment when he returned home. The meager light winked off the glass, but even in the near dark, there was no mistaking Constable O’Leary’s direct glare. The news footage of Kelly holding her dying partner, pleading with him to hold on and telling him she loved him, replayed in his head. Suddenly, he knew exactly where Kelly would be.

  He wandered over to the beam of moonlight slanting in through the window to read the printing under the image. Constable O’Leary and his inexperienced partner were being lauded for their diligent work in unearthing the crucial evidence that caught the serial killer. Thanks to the duo, the city and their vulnerable women could stop looking over their shoulders and actually sleep at night.

  He sneered. Or so they thought. How could such supposedly intelligent people get it so wrong?

  Yeah, he’d help lay the trail. By now, he thought they would have seen through it. He shrugged his shoulders. People see what they want to see. It gave him added time to rid his city of sinners before he dealt with his current assignment. It would be more difficult with O’Leary in the picture but not impossible. And anyway, he thrived on challenges.

  Energized by the new plan, he strode purposefully into Kelly’s office and flicked on the light, no longer concerned about being noticed by the neighbors. God watched over him. The familiar feeling of right burned like a flame in his belly. He sat down at her desk and flicked through the address book beside the phone. His thumb trapped the pages on the letter, O, and he grinned.

  “Nathaniel O’Leary. I’ll be seeing you soon.”

  Rising from the chair, he walked through the house to make sure everything was as he’d found it, and let himself out into the night.

  “Ready or not—here I come.”

  ****

  Nate felt a great sense of relief as they drove home from the station. Soon, this nightmare would be over. The photo he’d taken of the killer’s face from the video footage hadn’t come up with a match on the face recognition program, but there was still manpower on their side. Copies had been made for every officer. They would all be on the lookout for him. Auckland city wasn’t the easiest place to disappear in.

  “Want to stop and get some Thai takeaway for dinner?”

  Kelly glanced over. “Sounds good, but I like it hot,” she warned with a smile. “Think you can handle that?”

  Nate’s brows rose. Was she flirting with him? Her smile turned feline the second before she turned her attention back to the road. Oh, yeah. She was all right. The fatigue that had settled heavily on his shoulders over the past couple of hours magically lifted as images roared through his brain. “Honey, I’ll happily give you all the hot you can handle.”

  Kelly slid a teasing glance at him. As her mouth opened to answer him, her face wavered and morphed before his eyes. He blinked and shook his head. What the hell was going on? Was he relapsing?

  No sooner had the thought flashed through his mind, than Kelly’s face transformed into that of the woman from the beach. He pressed himself back against his seat—horrified—but transfixed by the sight. And then she spoke. Like a child, he clapped his hands over his ears to block out what she had to say, but her voice was in his head, penetrating his flimsy attempts.

  You can’t save her. She’s already dead. Just like me—like all of us.

  “No!” he roared, “I won’t let that happen! I can’t.” He punched the door and her image flickered.

  The car screeched to a stop and he jerked forward, his seatbelt cutting across his chest, grating against the still raw wound. Hissing in pain, he closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the head support. He felt her lean over him but kept his eyes closed. The familiar vanilla scent he now associated with Kelly teased his nostrils, but he couldn’t bear facing any more ghosts of the women he should have saved. He was too exhausted, his soul too close to shattering as it was.

  “Nate! What the hell? What happened? Answer me. Where are you, damn it!”

  Warily, he cracked open one eye and encountered Kelly’s familiar features. Right now, they were tight with alarm. Her hands bracketed his jaw, the warmth of her palms lending strength and forcing his attention. Her clear, blue gaze held his fiercely.

  “It’s okay. I’m back.”

  “God, Nate,” her voice broke on his name and she let out a shuddering breath, dropping her hands. “I couldn’t get through to you. I was so scared. What happened?” Her eyes filled with tears. Her mouth turned down and she bit her bottom lip when it trembled, breaking his heart.

  Acting on instinct, he released their seatbelts and pulled her roughly towards him. He needed to feel her warmth, to reassure himself she was real. She gasped and he took full advantage, capturing her mouth in a devastating kiss. He needed to obliterate the dead woman’s words. He would protect her. He had to. She whimpered, and he immediately softened the pressure of his mouth, keeping a tight rein on the passion threatening to get away from him. Her hands made fists in his hair and her teeth clamped down on his tongue when he went to retreat. A deep rumble of satisfaction started in his chest, and he pulled her back tight into his body, not able to get enough.

  Restless hands roamed over her curves and found their way under her shirt to warm, bare flesh. He groaned and nuzzled the hollow at the base of her neck. God, she tasted good. It drove him to distraction. The problem was, with each taste, she burrowed further under his skin. Desperate to have his mouth on her soft flesh he pushed up the hem of her shirt.

  “Nate!” Her indrawn breath was loud in the confines of the car. She pushed at his hands and drew away. “We’re in a public place. Anyone can see us.”

  “I don’t care. I need you now,” he mumbled, the heat of desire still firing his blood, making his ears ring. Once her body became rigid, he’d realized she’d stopped participating. He glanced up and blinked. A couple of teenage girls were almost upon them, chattering excitedly to each other a million miles an hour. Their boyfriends, he assumed, slouched along behind. Their faces reflected boredom, and it was if each was trying to out-cool the other.

  “Shit.”

  “Yeah,” she agreed in a shaky voice. “Now, are you going to tell me what the hell happened back there?”

  “I’m offended,” he stalled, mock indignant. “That was called making out. Maybe I should try harder next time so there’s no confusion.”

  “Nate.”

  He glanced over at her stubborn expression and scrubbed his hand through his hair. How could he explain to her what he’d seen without scaring her even more? He heaved a sigh. Kelly deserved to hear it all. She’d already proven over and over to him that she was strong. In one breath, he described what he’d seen, his words stark and to the point. When he’d finished, he watched for her reaction, ready to offer his shoulder. He’d expected fear and even a little bit of hysteria. Anger—he wasn’t prepared for.

  “Bloody hell!” she exploded and punched her door with enough force to crack a knuckle. “I’m sick of this waiting around and afterlife bullshit. This is my life we’re talking about. I want to get some control back.” She wound down her w
indow, stuck her head out and screamed into the sky. “Let’s just get on with it shall we, Shadow-man? I’m ready for you, you bastard! Come and get me!”

  Nate curled a hand over her forearm and pulled her back into her seat, waving off the attention of the teenagers who’d stopped and glanced over their shoulders at them. “I don’t think that’s going to help. But you’ll have someone calling the cops, thinking I’ve abducted you or something.” Relief flooded him as he lip read one of the group assure the others that the lady was just crazy, before they continued on their way.

  “Well, it sure as shit made me feel better.” Her grin was just a little too wide to be genuine. Reaching back, she savagely pulled her seatbelt across and revved the engine. As the car lurched forward, he hastily clicked his own into place.

  Silence between them had always been comfortable, but this time, it spoke volumes. Fear settled thickly around her like a cloak, turning her jaw to granite and the lines of her body taut with tension. Her fingers gripped the steering wheel as though she was lost at sea, and it was a life-preserver.

  It hurt to see her like this. His brave and optimistic warrior woman had gone. It hurt more to know he was largely to blame. If he’d only allowed her to do the right thing in the first place, they might have been focused on the real killer, and she wouldn’t be in this danger. What had he done? His actions had been the catalyst that could potentially destroy her just as he’d feared.

  With a tentative touch, he placed his hand on her knee. His fingers stroked the satiny skin of their own accord, as if they had a right. Selfish man that he was he didn’t stop. “I’m sorry Kelly. I never imagined it would come to this. If I could stick the target on my own back instead of yours, I’d gladly swap places. You don’t deserve to be trapped in this nightmare, stuck with me.”

  Her jaw unlocked and her gaze softened as she glanced over. “You really don’t get it do you, Nate?” A smile touched her mouth fleetingly before she refocused on the road. “There is nowhere else I’d rather be—whatever that entails.”

  His throat clogged. He swallowed hard but couldn’t get rid of the lump. She humbled him. Turning blindly towards the scenery whizzing past his window, he wondered what he’d done to deserve such unswerving loyalty. Sadly, he couldn’t think of a damned thing. Stealing a glance at her profile, he swore that would change—starting now. He wanted to be that man she thought he was—a man to count on.

  Dusk tumbled headlong into night as they made their way home. Traffic had lessened on the roads, the speeds people traveled at a more leisurely pace. Lights reflected off the water in the harbor and he breathed a tired sigh and forced his shoulders to relax. Home beckoned. In the confines of the car, the silence settled once more, but the tension had disappeared.

  The headlights cut a path through the gloom as they entered the underground parking. Always gloomy even during the day, night deepened the shadows, which played hide and seek as they passed concrete pillars, setting his teeth on edge. A cool bite in the late summer air prickled his skin and he shivered. Something didn’t feel right.

  Opening the glove box, he pulled out their weapons, handed Kelly hers and strapped his back on. Easing out of the car, he glanced around, taking care to seem casual but every sense on alert. The prickling sensation skittered up his spine and into his scalp. Long-honed instincts screamed at him they were being watched. While keeping a peripheral eye on their surroundings, he moved toward Kelly, keeping himself between her and the threat.

  He placed an arm around her waist, lowered his head, and pretended to nuzzle her neck. “I think we’re being watched.” Her eyes widened on his, her body rigid. If he knew her as well as he thought he did, he bet she was desperate to peer into the darkness herself. The fact she didn’t, but carried out the charade of being blissfully unaware instead, made him admire her even more. “We need to move—now.”

  She lifted her chin and smiled, giving an imperceptible nod. Placing a quick kiss on her lips, he linked her hand with his and led her to the elevators. He kept his back to the doors and stabbed the button, his eyes trained for any movement in the seemingly deserted park. It felt as if an age had passed before the ding announced the car had arrived. The doors slid open and Nate walked in backwards, Kelly’s hands trapped in his. Once the doors closed, he breathed a little easier, more so when they began their ascent.

  “Where’s your gun?” he asked gruffly while pulling his out of its holster.

  She indicated the bag over her shoulder. “Right here.” Then she patted the pocket of her shorts, her smile grim. “And my trusty Taser.”

  “Strap it on,” he ordered, his ears strained for any unusual sounds outside the enclosed box. Adrenaline pumped through him, lending him energy he’d lacked only an hour earlier. His fingers gripped the metal handle of his own weapon as the car traveled up. The familiar feel was reassuring and gave him a measure of control.

  Their ride was uninterrupted and both tensed as the door slid open on his floor. Nate kept his back to the doors preventing them from shutting and peered out both left and right. It was clear. He motioned Kelly behind him and stepped cautiously down the hallway. Fishing in his pocket for the key, he paused before his door and listened intently. With a raised hand, he signaled her to stay behind him, swiped the card, and moved swiftly inside. The door shut softly behind them. Indicating he’d take left, he waited for Kelly’s nod and watched her scour right, gun extended before her, hands rock steady.

  He moved methodically through the rooms until he met Kelly in the open-plan lounge. Only then, did he click the safety back on, lower the gun, and return it to its holster. He breathed a sigh of relief. Kelly sunk down onto the nearest chair, her face ashen.

  “Shit. I’m sorry to scare you like that.” He shook his head and perched on the coffee table across from her. Their knees gently kissed. She gazed up at him, her eyes bruised. Too much fear and not enough sleep had leached the brilliance from them and smudged them with shadows. His chest tightened. Picking up a limp hand where it rested on her lap, he rubbed it between his own. “It was probably nothing. I’m becoming paranoid. Seeing ghosts does that to you. You’re safe, Kelly.”

  “I know,” she whispered and squeezed his hand before pulling it away. “I think I just need food and an early night.”

  Nate groaned. “Food. My fault—sorry. Actually,” he grinned wickedly at her, “That’s a lie. I’m not really sorry. Making out with you was worth it.” The furrows disappeared from her forehead when she smiled back and rolled her eyes. His grin widened. “How about I order that Thai we meant to get over the phone? It’ll be ready in around half an hour. I don’t think either of us are up to cooking, are we?”

  She smiled tiredly at him. “Sounds like a plan. I might have a soak in the bath while you’re gone. Read the book I’ve been trying to finish for the past few days. I noticed you have some lovely bath salts there. You don’t mind me using them do you?”

  “Throw in as much as you like. I don’t know how old they are though. They’ve been sitting there since I bought the place.”

  “I’m disappointed, O’Leary,” she teased. “Here I was thinking you were hiding your North Shore metro-sexuality under a gruff exterior to throw everyone off.”

  He barked out a laugh. “Sorry to disappoint you. This was one of the show apartments. It came with furniture, accessories included.”

  “Hmm, I’m not sure I buy your story.” She cocked her head to the side—her eyes alight with mischief. “You do have suspiciously smooth skin.”

  “How dare you!” he mock-growled. “I’m all man. Guess I’ll just have to prove it to you again.” Without warning, he pulled her out of the chair and into his arms, startling a squeak from her. Wrapped around her, he trapped her arms against her sides and rubbed his roughened cheek against her temple. He grinned as she struggled ineffectively against him, her shrieks of laughter punctuating the air.

  “Okay, okay. Stop! I give in,” she pleaded and he loosened his hold. “I wa
s wrong. You’re all man. The hair alone proves it! You’re strong, vital, and potent.” She gazed up at him with a wide grin, her eyes shining and his gut clenched.

  Time froze as he looked down at her. With flushed cheeks and parted lips, she mesmerized him. His breath caught in his throat. She was beautiful. And she was everything. Realization hit him hard almost doubling him over. This was the woman he’d been waiting for all his life. His life had been on hold, had no meaning until now. He’d just been going through the motions, the days black and white. She’d injected color into his days—and it scared him shitless.

  He shook his head. How stupid could he get? They’d been working side-by-side for weeks and he’d fought against the attraction from day one. Why?

  The answer, when it came, sucker-punched him.

  She made him feel, and it frightened him. He’d spent so many painful years learning to deal with loss so when love threatened, he’d done everything in his power to deflect it. She had no idea how right she was when earlier, she’d called him a coward.

  He lowered his head and breathed her in. As his mouth claimed hers, he closed his eyes and gave himself up to the sensation, his arms tightening around her waist, pulling her hard up against him. The emotions clouding his brain and squeezing his chest were overwhelming. How did he start to verbalize them?

  He endeavored to show her instead.

  His hands lifted from her back and cradled her jaw, thumbs stroking the downy softness of her cheeks. Her body remained snug against his length and she lifted her own arms, wrapping them loosely around his neck. Her sigh of contentment against his mouth brought a lump to his throat.

  He broke off the kiss and smiled softly into her upturned face.

  “You look exhausted. Go run that bath. I won’t be long.”

  “I’m not that tired,” she smiled back. “I’ll be waiting for you.” She pivoted, hips swaying enticingly from side to side.

  He groaned under his breath as her sweet little ass sashayed down the hallway and disappeared into the bathroom. The sound of rushing water and steam soon escaped, drowning out the sound of the extractor fan. When she reappeared to collect her bathrobe and gave him a saucy wink, he started. Riveted in place, he still stood there like some horny teenager staring after the hottest chick walking down the school corridor.