Shadows in the Mist: A Paranormal Anthology

by Kristine Cayne

  Her mouth went dry as his gaze perused her. From the slight press of his lips, she got the feeling that he was expecting someone else. She sighed heavily, tilted her head back and shushed the butterflies. Don’t wimp out on me now.

  Energy radiated from his body and charged the air around her. The man probed every inch of her with his penetrating eyes, made all the more resplendent by a black stripe painted on both sides of his nose from the eyes down. The smell of burning driftwood, wet sand and the sea cast a spell which made it impossible for her to look away.

  “Please, I could use your help. I think I’m lost.” She said in a breathy, yet somewhat grated voice.

  For what seemed like an eternity he did not move. He did not speak. The fire’s light wrote shadowed messages across his face, none that she could decipher.

  Not to be deterred, Elspeth continued. “I washed up on the beach…” Her voice trailed off. “Back there.” She brushed herself off as best she could, then sat with crisscrossed legs. “I can’t remember what happened.” The wind shrieked a dissonant requiem as if in agreement.

  A wave of déjà vu washed over Elspeth as she sized him up—the chiseled features, high cheekbones, and strong chin. Something about him was familiar. She let her eyes wander from his head to his toes.

  Although she felt warmer by the fire, the chill in her bones persisted. Elspeth’s teeth chattered nonstop while the shivers ran roughshod over her body. She slid closer to the fire. Looking down she realized what she must look like. Soaking wet, her now filthy jeans and white blouse clung snugly to every curve of her body. Practically see-through. Great. She crossed her hands instinctively over her chest.

  Dazzling white teeth flashed against a russet brown canvas as he spoke. “What do your people call you?”

  His emotionless voice was raspy and deep. Elspeth parted her lips to reply, but lost her voice. A tense silence resonated between them. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and exhaled. “My name is Elspeth.”

  The bonfire blazed as he outlined her mouth and the shape of her nose with his gaze then resumed his watch over the sputtering flames.

  Her mouth twisted in a sour smirk. “What do your people call you?”

  He took his sweet time before he responded, “Tahao”. Then he walked around the fire and approached her.

  With an authoritative air he circled her. Elspeth spun around and returned the scrutiny. A solemn smile twisted his mouth as his attention centered on her backside. It made her uncomfortable, the thoughts he might be thinking. He motioned for her to get up.

  “Stand, so I can see you.”

  Elspeth’s heart thumped in double time. Was that an order?

  “Please stand.” She stressed as she struggled to get up and find her balance. “Things will go a lot smoother if you’re polite.”

  He glanced upward and sighed heavily. “You wear the clothes of a man.”

  “And you were expecting?” Annoyed by the intense scrutiny, she flexed her shoulders to combat the nervous tic that arced through her.

  His eyes missed nothing and followed the revealing path it took over her body. Elspeth’s cheeks broadcast in crimson.

  As if he sensed what she was thinking, he smiled somberly. “Another.”

  She put her hands on her hips. Her voice quivered slightly as she fought to hold her emotions in check. “Next time I wash up on a beach I’ll remember to wear a dress.”

  Tahao grimaced and knelt down by the fire.

  You must build a fire by the sea and wait for her at the place of crossing. On the night of the Dead Moon, she will come to you through the Great White Smoke.

  She will be brown like honey with eyes as big as a fire cat’s. Her left arm will be marked with three sacred rings.

  You must lead her to a place where her memories will return to her; give her hope when she looks into the darkness;

  Help her find the true path, then your hearts will become one.

  This is my last gift to you.

  Red-orange flames flickered before Tahao’s eyes as he wondered about the girl who stumbled out of the Great White Smoke. She was not what he expected and he was unsure of what to make of her. She bore no resemblance to his people. He had imagined someone with beautiful mahogany skin and long coal black hair. Not a tawny fire cat with hair the same burnt umber of autumn leaves.

  The fire surged and tiny bits of ash flew into the air. He waved a trail of smoke away from his face while he studied her with his peripheral vision. This was the woman the Old One had promised him? This was the woman worthy to walk beside a great warrior? This was going to take some getting used to.

  It was more than just the blood in her veins that was different. It was the expression in her eyes--puzzling and peculiar. Eyes that hinted of a strange world far away from the one he had known. But it was the dimples in her chin and cheeks and beautifully shaped mouth that fascinated him. His gaze lingered there then eventually made its way to the smooth hollow of her throat and onto her prominent breasts before settling on her ample hips. With a little work and much patience, he could make it work.

  Elspeth never let her eyes leave him as she continued to warm herself by the fire. Suddenly she felt faint. Her vision blurred. Black shades dropped down over her eyes and what was up became down. Her foot brushed a burning ember when she swayed too close to the fire. She cried out.

  Elspeth sensed a blur of movement. Then two large hands grabbed her shoulders and a warm palm cupped her cheek. Slowly her vision cleared. Tahao held her in his arms.

  Up close, his features were even more impressive—the striking bone structure, full and sharply-defined mouth, smooth sienna brown skin. She held his dark gaze and shuddered with every hypnotic sweep of his long sable eyelashes.

  “Thanks. I guess I’m weaker than I thought.”

  His jaw muscle twitched as he watched the movement of her mouth. He nodded and set her upright then bent back down and picked up the blanket. He shook it out and placed it around her shoulders.

  “Are you from around here?” Elspeth clutched the blanket to her chin. She flared her nostrils as the concentrated scent of smoke and cedar wafted from it.

  He sat back on his heels resting his muscled forearms on his knee. Glancing up at her he said, “My world is far away.”

  Above his head, she noticed a faint beam of light. It lit an eerie pathway through the thick fog. Her breath caught. “Would you look at that?”

  Tahao rose in one fluid movement and glanced over his shoulder. His expression tensed as he turned his head back and nodded at her.

  “Maybe someone is there who knows what happened to me,” she said. A tiny beacon of hope gave a shout out.

  Tahao’s lips pressed together and his eyes narrowed. “Is it your wish to go there?”

  “Well, I can’t just stay here… with you.”

  Then a veil fell over his eyes and he moved towards her, and reached for her wrists. She yanked loose and jumped back. The blanket fell as she folded her arms to hide her hands.

  Tahao growled something she did not understand and forced her wrists loose. She trembled as he slid the sleeve of her blouse up her left arm. His fingers traced a line from the center of her palm to the crook in her elbow and left a trail of goose bumps on her skin. By the time she understood what happened, it was over.

  Elspeth kicked the blanket at him. “Wait, let me guess, on top of everything else, you’ve got a mole fetish!” She yanked her sleeve back down and backed away from him. “Let’s just call it even. Thanks for the fire. I’ll be on my way.” She pivoted and lost her balance.

  With a condescending smirk, Tahao pulled her up.

  “Fate has brought you here, Falling One.” he said. “We will make the journey together.”

  Elspeth glared at him. Did he just give me a nickname? Her jaw muscle tensed.

  “Don’t call me that. I have a name, and it’s the one thing I do remember.” She wrestled from his grip. “You’re sure we don’t know each other?”
>
  “No, we do not.” He said softly.

  Elspeth watched his face, but his expression remained blank. Then he slipped his arms around her waist. She felt completely breathless pressed against the length of him. She splayed her hands across his rock-solid chest to keep a barrier between them.

  “That’s funny because that kind of felt like we do.” She felt his heart pounding beneath her palms.

  Tahao took a deep breath. “Your memories will come back to you.”

  Elspeth clasped her hands together and backed away. “Hopefully sooner than later.”

  “No more talk.” He tried to cover her with the blanket but she shrugged it off.

  “Agreed. And no more of this either.” She ran her finger along the path he had previously traced on her arm.

  Tahao rolled the blanket under his arm.

  “Your ways are new to me, but I learn quickly.” He held out his hand to her. “We will learn from each other.”

  Elspeth hesitated and stared at his wide palm and strong fingers.

  “I offer it to you, Elspeth, in friendship.”

  For several seconds she stared at him, a look of doubt in her eyes.

  “It is truth I speak.”

  Elspeth looked beyond Tahao towards the beam of light—she had to be more than just a name. She shivered inwardly as all sorts of questions rummaged through her head. One thing she knew for sure—she wanted off this beach. She was going to make it to that lighthouse, if it was the last thing she did. There’d be time to worry about what was true and what wasn’t later.

  She muttered a soft curse under her breath and grabbed hold of one exquisitely muscled arm. He lifted her up effortlessly beside him and off into the fog they went.

  Chapter 2

  Tahao kept to the outcroppings of rock as he made his way along the beach. His strong legs moved quickly and Elspeth struggled to keep up. A few times he’d glance down at her, a stern and serious look on his face. By the third time, she feigned wide-eyed innocence and grabbed hold of his arm with both hands. The rippling cords flexed at the contact and sent her thumping heart into overdrive.

  They hadn’t been walking long when a great bellowing sound rose from the sea then trailed off into a whimpering wail. The hair rose on the back of her neck. Something inside her realized she’d heard that sound before.

  A wave of sorrow, soul deep, swept over her. Elspeth pulled Tahao’s arm around her shoulders. The murmur lingered then died in the distance. Her legs shook uncontrollably. Was someone out there?

  “It is just the wind.”

  “Sounded a little human to me,” she muttered.

  Elspeth gaped as something floated down the beach towards them. A chill ran down her spine.

  “What’s that?” She stammered and twisted her neck to see, then froze as a shadow moved on her left.

  Tahao looked down at her, a troubled expression darkened his face. “They are the ones that do not see.”

  Elspeth did a double take. “Say that again.”

  He locked eyes with her. “They are all around us. Look.”

  Her eyes strained to focus. He was right. A faint gossamer procession slithered about—silent passersby in varying shades of shroud—nondescript, undefined—but nonetheless there.

  She reached out to touch a ghostly figure. The apparition dispersed around her fingertips only to resume its form and move on. She opened her mouth to scream but her throat constricted. A choked sob came out instead.

  Tahao drew her to him so her chin rested on his shoulder.

  “Do not fear this.” He calmed.

  She buried her face in his chest. “I can’t help it!”

  Elspeth felt his hands slide down her arms until his fingers found her own. He grasped them and tugged gently.

  “I am strong. I will protect you.” He pointed towards the beam of light. “I promise to get you there safely.”

  She pulled free. “I don’t understand what’s happening. Is this real? Am I dreaming?”

  Something flashed across his face. What was the big secret? It took everything she had to remain calm and not lose it.

  Elspeth inhaled deeply to get back to center. She’d known the risk when she agreed to venture into the unknown with a complete stranger. It was what it was. She couldn’t turn back now. She had to trust him. What other choice did she have?

  “Look at me” Tahao said in a low voice as he brought his face close to hers. His fingertips drew a heart-shattering trail along her jawline ending at the cleft in her chin. He applied a sensual, circular pressure there with his thumb as if stamping her with his personal imprint.

  “I am real.” he whispered. Elspeth met his gaze.

  “I am here.” His hand softly cupped her cheek.

  “Trust me.” Tahao pulled her back towards him. He tightened his hold on her and crushed her against his warm chest. “You will find the answers you seek when your memories return to you.”

  For a split second, Elspeth closed her eyes then reopened them. The deep timbre of his voice bewitched her. She leaned against Tahao and tried to reassure herself. Right now, girl, he’s all you’ve got.

  “I think my feet are frozen.” Elspeth looked down. She could no longer feel her toes.

  He sighed and before she knew it, he’d wrapped the blanket around her and lifted her up in his arms. “Good?”

  Her lips curled into a shaky smile as she let her arms go around his neck. The shock of his body heat took her breath away. He smelled of musk, and cedar and the sea, a strong masculine smell that comforted her. Slowly her fear subsided and she relaxed. Right before she drifted off she thought she felt his breath on her hair. Did he kiss her? She couldn’t be sure. But what did it matter? Her intuition told her she was safe. There was nothing to fear. Or was that her heart?

  As Tahao carried her towards the lighthouse, time ceased to exist. Elspeth floated in a dream that teetered on the precipice of remembering. Afraid to look over the edge—afraid to recognize the persuasive voice that spoke to her from the dark void, she dangerously dangled her legs over the edge. Slowly it invaded her whole being with a hypnotic pulsation. She felt memories echoing towards her.

  Grandmother, I cannot find you. Do you no longer want to be my Grandmother? I would be a good Granddaughter. Tell me again of your Grandson. Is he truly the best Grandson in the whole world? If so, I would like to meet him. I would like that very much.

  An elusive name swirled around in her subconscious like a powerful cyclone. She dreamed it was written on brilliantly colored banners that streamed across cerulean skies. These disintegrated on the wind which blew down a dark tunnel where a beating heart took her breath away. She repeated the name over and over but the memory of it remained evasive. The dream rendered memories and the memories rendered more dreams. Everything spun together until in a confusing blur she resumed consciousness.

  Elspeth awoke from the gray cloak of sleep and discovered Tahao’s warm hand beneath her thighs, while the other clutched the curve beneath her breast. She imagined what it would feel like to be pressed against the length of him au naturel and her insides liquefied.

  “Elspeth,” Tahao’s lips brushed her forehead lightly.

  She snuggled against him fully engrossed in her fantasy. “Mmmm?”

  “We are here.” He shook her gently.

  Elspeth opened her eyes to massive stone walls that soared skyward into the mist. She tilted her head higher, gazing in awe at the colossal structure. Somewhere up there, she hoped, was somebody with answers. Tahao set her down gently.

  “Thanks.” She looked at him out the corner of her eye then smiled shyly and smoothed out her wrinkled clothes.

  Tahao dropped the blanket from his back and rapped forcefully on the heavy iron-studded door. Suddenly the wind stopped and there was an unnatural stillness. Her own breath sounded loud enough to wake the dead.

  It took a few moments for someone to come. When Tahao was about to knock again, a man’s raspy voice rife with irritation ca
lled out. “Who’s there?”

  “Please, we need your help.” Elspeth nervously shuffled her feet from side to side.

  Suddenly heavy hinges squeaked as the door cracked and a blinding white light perforated the fog. Elspeth shielded her eyes as a small man with a swarthy complexion stuck his head out. He had a mash of stubby white whiskers. His eyes rolled back and forth several times before one settled on her.

  “Sorry to disturb you.” She said in an even tone. Don’t sound desperate, Desperada,

  “How’s that?” The man opened the door slightly wider and slipped the rest of his scrawny body out. He turned one side of his face towards her like he was hard of hearing. “Don’t get many visitors this way.”

  Elspeth took the hint and spoke louder.

  “I woke up on the beach and I’ve lost my memory. I’m trying to find out what happened.”

  The man looked her up and down then glanced at Tahao.

  “Lost your memory you say? Never heard of that happening to anyone before.” The man squinted up at her and scratched his head.

  “Have you heard of any accidents in the area?”

  “Can’t say that I have.” The man closed the door behind him and looked around like he was about to reveal a secret.

  “Folks don’t usually come here looking for answers. Most just passing through. But if you washed up on the beach tweren’t no accident.”

  Meaning? Elspeth frowned, took a step back and ran her fingers through her hair. “Could we maybe come inside and get out of this godforsaken fog?”

  “Can’t allow you inside. It’s forbidden.”

  Elspeth sucked in a quick breath “Well, is there anywhere close we could dry our clothes and maybe wait out the fog?”

  The man wrinkled his nose then fingered his whiskers and thought it over.

  “Don’t usually do this, but if you continue on the path that brought you here, you’ll come to a small cabin.” He pointed past Tahao on the right. “Use it sometimes, but won’t tonight. You’re welcome to it. Not much but should meet your needs.”