He nodded, his chiseled features expressionless. “Then you’ll go?”
“Will you come with me?”
The smile that spread across his face had his eyes crinkling and made her catch her breath. “Yes.”
Since the candlelight vigil was that night, she wondered if anyone from the church had managed to notify the media. “Media coverage would really help,” she mused out loud. “I’m going to call Pastor Tom and see if he’s taken care of that.”
She had her phone locate and dial the number for her. Pastor Jones sounded surprised to hear from her. When she outlined the reason for her call, he chuckled. “Great minds apparently think alike. I’ve sent a press release to the local NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox affiliates. Several reporters have already contacted me with requests for interviews at the vigil. So we should have more than adequate media coverage.”
“Great.” Feeling a bit self-conscious, she glanced at Tyler, who gave her the thumbs-up sign.
“Thanks for checking, Ms. Lee. Are you going to be in attendance, as well?”
Glad she and Tyler had just discussed this, she answered in the affirmative.
“Fantastic.” The warmth in his voice made her smile. “I look forward to seeing you there.” And he hung up.
Feeling slightly dazed, she put her phone back in her pocket. “I am beginning to see how he has such a high rate of conversions to his church. That man has serious charisma.”
Tyler studied her. She didn’t know if it was her imagination or not, but he seemed a bit sad. “I think he likes you,” he said.
She had to laugh. “No. He merely sees another poor soul whom he hopes to save.”
Tyler nodded. “About the vigil. When we’re there, try to continually scan the crowd. Look for anyone who seems out of place. I’ll do the same.”
“Okay.” She nodded. “Of course, you have the added benefit of being invisible.”
He gave her a fleeting smile. “Fingers crossed we learn something useful.”
Though they arrived ten minutes before the scheduled start time, the church parking lot was already packed. “Surely not all of these are members of the congregation?”
Tyler shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. This event has been pretty heavily promoted, between the flyers and the TV news and even the newspaper. I bet they did something online too. I’m sure there are a lot of outsiders here, as well.”
She thought she could look into his eyes forever. Grimacing at the thought, she parked. “Are you ready?”
“Definitely.”
She took a deep breath. “Then let’s do this.”
One thing Anabel didn’t tell Tyler was that she’d always hated crowds. More than that, too many people around her made her feel the panicked urge to flee.
She’d told herself too many times to count not only that such an irrational fear was ridiculous, but that she couldn’t allow such a foolish weakness to get in the way of her search for Tyler’s sister. Better to endure the sweaty press of people milling around in the early-evening heat than be held prisoner, trapped in some dark hole.
Thus fortified, she made her way through the crowd, most of them already holding their Dixie cups and candles, though unlit.
She saw Juliet and a few of the other women from the coven. Even her former best friend, Denise Jarvis, had come, waving at her from her position next to her mother and several older women who had to be her mother’s friends. Though Anabel hadn’t seen Denise in years, she waved back.
Pastor Jones stepped up on a smallish raised platform. A woman seated below him at a small electric keyboard hit a series of notes, and all around, the talking and other noise quieted.
“Let us bow our heads in prayer,” the pastor said. All around, everyone did exactly that. Anabel too, though she kept her eyes open and continued to scan the crowd through her lashes. While she didn’t know the majority of the people attending, she really didn’t see anyone who looked out of place.
Maybe she needed to use more than just her eyes.
As the pastor continued to pray, Anabel focused her attention inward, gathering up her scattered thoughts and silencing them one by one.
Until inside she went quiet.
And then she sent her essence outward, touching the others quietly, seeking what, she wasn’t sure. An odd vibration, maybe unquiet tension.
She couldn’t read their minds—she wasn’t a psychic. But she could feel what kind of heart beat within. Many of the people in attendance were focused on the pastor’s words and then on the hymn they’d all begun to sing.
As her essence drifted through the crowd, she found lust and anger, jealousy and irritability. Normal human emotions—nothing on the scale of what she searched for. Nothing like the furious rage consuming the Drakkor.
Finally, the sound of clapping made her blink. Instantly back in her own body, she looked around. Everyone had begun to move, talking to each other.
Juliet made a beeline over. “That was very nice. Did you learn anything?”
“No.” With a disappointed—and tired—sigh, Anabel shook her head. “Unfortunately not. If he was here, he’s really good at cloaking himself.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Juliet said. “Did you bring your friend?”
“My friend?” Mind blank, Anabel didn’t understand at first what the other woman meant. When she realized, she nodded. “You mean Tyler? Yes, he’s around here somewhere.”
“Good. I talked briefly to Pastor Jones. He seems like a good-hearted man. He’s doing everything he can think of to help.”
Anabel nodded. “I have to say, I’m sort of surprised to see you here.”
“Because we’re Wiccan?” Not waiting for Anabel’s response, Juliet looked around and shrugged. “There’s good energy being generated here. Prayers have power, no matter what religion. This is more like what we do than you realize.”
Worried she’d offended her friend, Anabel tried to apologize. Juliet instantly waved her words away. “No worries, hon.” She gave Anabel an impulsive hug. “I’m going to run now. If you hear of anything or have any questions, give me a call.”
After promising she would, Anabel turned to look for Tyler. As she did, she saw Pastor Jones purposely making his way toward her. Though the last thing she wanted to do was speak with him, she wanted to thank him for putting on the vigil.
Unfortunately, the poor man kept getting sidetracked by members of his own congregation. At this rate, Anabel figured it’d be at least twenty or thirty minutes before he reached her.
Taking matters into her own hands, she expertly weaved through the crowd until she reached his side. “Excuse me,” she said, interrupting the ongoing conversation. “Pastor, I just wanted to thank you for putting on this prayer vigil. It was very much appreciated.”
“Thank you.”
She could tell he wanted to say more but because of his attentive audience, couldn’t.
“Time to go,” Tyler said, his deep voice so close to her ear she jumped. Which made the pastor and his circle of friends eye her.
“Bug bite,” she said, hiding a smile. Then, thanking him again, she took off.
On the drive home, she wondered at the restless feeling making her jittery. Recognizing it, she pushed away the anger. It had been a long time since she’d craved a man this much. Correction—a ghost. All day, the craving had been building inside her, until she felt as if she might explode.
If she’d been a runner, she might have taken off and tried to outrun it. As things stood, she’d simply have to let her desire simmer inside her until it hopefully burned itself out.
Unless... She gasped out loud as a thought occurred to her. A frightening, yet delightful thought. One that energized her more than a hundred naps. Her heart began pounding as she contemplated whether or not she’d have
enough courage to carry it through. Or if such a thing would even work.
Once, just once, she wanted—no, needed—to allow herself to feel again. Her husband had died, she was alone and her actions would hurt no one but herself.
“You’re in a strange mood,” Tyler commented as they pulled up in her driveway.
“Maybe,” she allowed, parking and turning off the engine. Now or nothing. “I have a question for you. About that trick you did once before and again during the circle at the changing tree?”
“Trick?”
“Yes,” she said, trying to sound casual as she got out of the car and headed toward her front door, despite the fact that she’d begun trembling. “Becoming solid. Any idea how you did that?”
As she put her key in the lock, Tyler materialized next to her. Eyeing her as he followed her inside, he cocked his head. “That? I have no idea how that happened.”
Tossing her purse onto the counter, she faced him. Her heart now beat so fast she wondered if he could see it in the hollow of her throat.
“Are you all right?” he asked, eyeing her warily, clearly not understanding. “Why do you want to know how I became solid? All I know is one minute I was a ghost and the next I wasn’t. It didn’t last long, though.”
Again, she wondered if together they could make it last long enough.
“It seems like a form of magic,” she prompted. “Surely you must have some idea how you made it happen. Think about it, please. It’s important.”
Some of the pent-up heat in her tone must have reached him. He eyed her, his gaze going dark. “No, not really. I just was.”
“Did you think about it first? Like I have to make myself focus, the way Juliet taught me?”
“Focus.” He considered. “Maybe. Part of me wanted it, so I decided to be. And I became flesh, for a short while.”
Decided to be. Though she could barely catch her breath, she still tried to sound calm. “I have a question for you. Do you think you can do it again?”
He shrugged. Was he playing with her? Or did he truly not get her feeble innuendo?
“Maybe. Probably. Why?”
Her face heated. She’d always had this unfortunate blushing issue, despite her dark hair. Her pale complexion went from milky white to the color of a ripe tomato.
“I, uh.” Deep breath, swallow. Lifting her gaze to his, she managed to push out the words. “I wanted you to be solid because I wondered if you could kiss me again.” Even though she ached for more, she’d settle for a kiss. Or so she told herself.
There. She’d said it. She had no idea what she’d do if he said no. Deal with it and move on, as she did with everything else.
In the silence that followed, Anabel panicked. Maybe she’d just made a horrible, awful mistake. Or worse, she didn’t want him to think he had to or to feel obligated out of pity. Oh no. “Of course, it’s up to you,” she began. “Though I think it might somehow help give me back some of my missing energy.”
Where had that come from? Maybe it was true. What on earth was the matter with her?
“Shhh.” Suddenly, Tyler was right there. Eyes glowing, a few inches in front of her, looking handsome and manly and oh so alive.
He kissed her then, before she could even exhale. His mouth—solid and very unghostlike—slanted over hers, making her go weak at the knees.
Tongue mating with his, she deepened the kiss. She knew she shouldn’t have, but she had been widowed for so long, and she wanted him with every fiber of her being.
Wanted more than a kiss. Much, much more.
This so shocked her she attempted to back away. But her arms were locked around his neck, her hips molding to his in an invitation that was anything but tentative.
When he kissed her again, she forgot about her hesitation. Heck, she forgot her own name or the fact that he was a ghost. All she could think about was how badly she wanted him inside her.
Energy blazed through her. Whether his or hers or a combination of the two, she had no idea. He moved his mouth from her lips to the hollow of her throat, making her shiver.
“Anabel?” He whispered the question, his breath tickling the edge of her ear. She knew what he asked, without him having to say anything but her name.
Should she? Could she? Throwing out logic and refusing to debate, she took the plunge. “Yes,” she said, giving herself permission to let her hands explore. “Definitely yes.”
In that moment, and the ones that followed, Tyler ceased to be a ghost. He became real, and Anabel let herself delight in touching every corded muscle, thrilling at his body’s response as she skimmed her fingers against his flat stomach.
When she went to tug at his clothes, it occurred to her to simply will them away, and she did. They vanished just like that. Allowing her to feast her eyes on his massive arousal.
“What about yours?” he demanded, his voice like smoke and whiskey. “I want to see you. Every inch of you.”
What the heck—why not? Smiling seductively, she blinked and her own clothing vanished. “Here you go,” she murmured, groaning as he fastened his mouth over one erect nipple.
“You’re absolutely beautiful,” he said gruffly.
“So are you,” she replied, meaning it. Each touch, every caress and kiss and sigh made her body turn to liquid and fire. When he entered her, she gasped with stunned pleasure as the sheer breadth of him filled her completely.
“Oh,” she cried. And then again as he began to move.
Never before had lovemaking felt like this. Carnal and primitive, yet tender and full of emotion. Of love.
No. Shoving that random thought out of her head, she gave herself over to the pleasure building with each thrust of his body.
In a white-hot supernova, she let herself explode. Pulses of pleasure, rocking her body, her world and, ultimately, him.
Tyler followed her into release just as her spasms began to slow down. The brilliant flare of energy, of magic, settled into a steady glow.
As she lay in the circle of his arms, marveling, refusing to feel guilty, she sort of expected him to go all ethereal on her again, back to his ghostly form. But he remained solid, his sweat-slickened body cooling with hers. Nothing had felt as sweet as his embrace, at least not in a long time.
Now what? Deciding to worry about that another time, she let herself relax. To her amazement, she fell asleep.
Leroy’s furious yowls woke her. Sitting up, alone once more, she glanced at the clock. She’d managed to sleep past her pet’s dinnertime.
Not only that, but Tyler was nowhere in sight. If not for her soreness and the small black-and-blue bite mark just above her boob, she might have thought she’d once again dreamed the entire thing.
Except she felt blissfully, vibrantly, happy. Everything about her—from her skin to her heart to her senses—felt enhanced somehow. She recognized the feeling. After all, she’d felt it once before when she fell for David.
No. She wasn’t that stupid. She couldn’t be emotionally involved with a man who wasn’t even alive.
When her phone rang just as she’d gotten calmed down, Anabel glanced at the caller ID. “Denise Jarvis?” She wasn’t sure she wanted to answer. Denise had been her best friend in high school. After Anabel married David, Denise had taken off for parts unknown. She’d always wanted to travel, so Anabel had assumed her former friend let her wanderlust carry her wherever she wanted to go. They’d grown apart organically, leading such different lives.
She’d often wondered why Denise had never tried to keep in touch, and then had put it down to the definite possibility that she’d heard about Anabel’s actions from family members still in town and wanted nothing to do with the kind of person everyone believed Anabel had become.
So why call her now?
Deciding she’d welcome the distrac
tion—any distraction—Anabel pressed the button to take the call. “Denise,” she said cautiously. “Long time, no see. How on earth are you?”
“I’m okay. Sorry I haven’t gotten in touch, but I’ve been traveling again. I just got back in town a couple of days ago.” Denise cleared her throat. “Anyway, I wondered if you wanted to have lunch with me. I’m kind of worried about you.”
Resisting the urge to respond truthfully, Anabel sighed. “I promise you, I’m fine. I know you’ve heard about some of my actions a couple of months past, but I’m trying to move past that.”
“Are you?” Denise sounded desperate to believe her. “How do you feel?”
“I’m healing,” Anabel said, wondering if she really was. Part of her couldn’t help wondering, since apparently she’d become fixated on a dead man, one who was just barely more accessible than her deceased husband.
“I’m glad,” Denise said. “Really, really glad. But I’ve been hearing an awful lot of talk about you and this guy Doug Polacek. Mostly, I’d been putting it down to gossip, but I got a chance to meet him the other day. He’s really angry with you. What exactly did you do to him?”
Him again. First Juliet had mentioned him and now Denise. “That’s just it. I’ve never even met him.”
Silence. Anabel figured Denise was trying to decide whether or not to believe her. “Look, Denise. I really don’t care whether or not you think I’m telling the truth. I don’t know Doug Polacek and I have absolutely no idea why he’s trying to discredit me.”
“Wow.” Denise sounded shocked. “Maybe we’d better do some digging and see what we can find out.”
Surprised by the we, Anabel didn’t respond at first.
“How about we get together? We can discuss this at lunch,” Denise continued. “Are you free tomorrow?”
Though the idea of meeting an old friend for lunch in a public place made Anabel nervous, she found herself agreeing. Who knew? Maybe it would do her good to get out and get away from Tyler. And she needed to try to find out what this Doug Polacek’s problem might be. It might even be tied in to the thing with Tyler’s sister.
Shades of the Wolf Page 15
