by Kiel Nichols
She wiped her face. “It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have known the warehouse was going to blow up. You couldn’t ignore a tip like that, and you know it.”
“I should have gone in first. I was the team leader,” he argued.
“Then you’d be dead.” She shuddered.
He didn’t question how she knew the details of the explosion. It just seemed right that she did, as though the memory of the scars transferred to her.
When he didn’t answer, she sensed that he was not going to be open to talking anymore. “I’m going to bed,” Raina said. “Have Bryce give you the code to the alarm so you can come and go.”
She walked toward the stairs. One foot on the bottom stair, she turned again. “When will I see you again?”
“I’m going to see if I can talk to my friend in the morning. If I can, I’ll be here by afternoon.”
She just nodded and dragged herself up the stairs. She looked so defeated he wanted to go hold her. He turned his back on temptation.
* * * *
Raina had a ritual when she got ready for bed. Not being able to see didn’t change it. Just before going to sleep, she sat in the lotus position on the plush carpet. She then closed her eyes and took several long deep breaths while imagining a white wall. She’d been in the habit of meditating before bed since she was plagued with nightmares as a little girl. It was rare for anything to interfere with it. That night, however, she couldn’t concentrate on her white wall. She heard the front door twice, once, she imagined, for Bryce to get back, and once for Gideon to leave. She let out a long sigh when she thought of Gideon.
She was amazed at the connection between them. When she touched him, she could literally feel him in her head. It was more than just being able to hear his thoughts. It was as though they shared a mind. Even now, not touching in any way, she had a sense of him. She couldn’t say exactly where he was or what he was doing, but she could tell that he was as confused as she.
Giving up on the meditation, she lay down and closed her eyes. She didn’t expect to fall asleep, but did so immediately.
Hours later, she dreamed about looking into a bowl of water, a candle illuminating it, and seeing a flower, a bird, and a cup. You must find them. Suddenly she saw a face looming over the bowl. He had sharp, almost brutally handsome features. His hair was platinum blond and his eyes an ice blue. Then he smiled. His grin grew to reveal long canines dripping with blood, his face bathed in it. He picked up the bowl and threw it against the wall. The crash of the bowl sounded like a scream. Raina was once again plunged into darkness. She woke up gasping.
She knew immediately that she wasn’t alone in the room.
“Who’s there?” Her voice quivered. “Who’s there?” she demanded again with more authority.
A voice came through the darkness. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
Raina scrambled out of bed and moved to press her back against the dresser. “Who are you?”
“I’m a friend. I was just checking on you. I don’t want you to worry. Nothing’s going to hurt you.” His husky voice was low and intense.
Raina knew one thing. It was absurd, but it was true. “You’re not human.”
She sensed that she’d surprised him. “No,” he said. “I’m not.”
Raina heard footsteps in the hall. So did the stranger. “I have to go. He’s not part of this.”
“Wait!” Raina whispered. But it was too late. He was gone.
“Raina,” Bryce’s voice came from outside the door. “Are you OK? I thought I heard something.”
“I’m fine.” Raina didn’t sound fine. She didn’t feel fine either.
“Can I come in?” Raina heard the door open before she could answer.
“Come in,” she said. She sat down shakily on the side of the bed. After a moment, she felt the mattress shift as he sat next to her.
“Did you have a bad dream?” he asked.
Raina could feel the heat from Bryce’s bare leg next to hers. It made her uncomfortable. She stood and turned to face him. She couldn’t see it, but she could feel his frown.
“I had a dream, and when I woke up, I thought someone was in the room. There’s not though.” She didn’t know exactly why she was lying. The man had said that Bryce wasn’t part of this, and if that was true, she didn’t want to involve him. Of course she didn’t know what this was to know if Bryce was a part of it or not.
Bryce pulled Raina into a hug. He had only a pair of shorts on. She tightened her grip for a second then stood up and moved away. He also stood and put his hands on her shoulders. “Raina,” he began.
“I’m fine. Thanks for checking on me.” She didn’t want him to say anything. She had known for awhile that he was interested in her, but she had never considered him more than a friend.
Before he could say anything else, they heard the front door open and close. Bryce stiffened. “Get under the bed,” he said.
“It’s Gideon,” Raina answered. “It’s OK.”
“How do you know?” Bryce asked.
“I can feel him,” Raina answered honestly.
“Well, just in case you’re wrong...” Before he could say anything else, they heard heavy footsteps on the stairs.
“Raina,” Gideon called. He sounded worried, but also like he didn’t want to be too loud.
“In here,” Raina called back. Bryce moved away from her.
Gideon burst into the room. “Are you all right?” he asked. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into a hug, much rougher than Bryce’s and a lot more comforting. She knew the second Gideon had seen Bryce, because she saw him through Gideon’s eyes. Bryce was standing off to the side wearing only boxers, arms akimbo, a fierce expression on his face. She could feel Gideon’s disgust as he stiffened and thrust her away from him.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Gideon said angrily.
Bryce didn’t say anything.
“You didn’t interrupt anything,” Raina tried to reassure him. “I had a bad dream and woke Bryce up.”
“You’re in good hands then.” Gideon’s voice was strained as he turned for the door.
“Gid, what are you doing here?” Bryce also sounded angry.
“I-I woke up thinking something was wrong over here and came over to make sure everything was OK.” He shrugged his shoulders, looking awkward.
Raina took a step forward and touched Gideon’s arm. She felt the link again. This time she couldn’t see through him, but she felt his presence in her mind.
It’s not what you think, she said.
It’s none of my business, he replied. I didn’t mean to barge in here and interrupt.
He turned to go, but she wouldn’t let go of him. There was someone in the house when I woke up.
“What?” Gideon made the exclamation out loud.
We can’t talk about this in front of Bryce. I’ll meet you in the kitchen in a half hour. She dropped his arm. “Everything is fine. I’m sorry to bother you both.” She walked to the nightstand to check the braille clock on her bedside table. It took her awhile to read it since braille was new to her. “Since it’s past five o’clock, why don’t you just crash on the couch for a couple of hours, Gideon. Bryce can go back to his room and sleep for a few more hours, too.”
She emphasized Bryce going back to his room both to establish that she hadn’t slept with him and to make sure that he went so that she could sneak downstairs to speak with Gideon.
“That’s a good idea,” Gideon quickly agreed.
Bryce’s agreement was more reluctant. “OK. Raina, if you get scared, just shout for me. I’ll come running.”
Raina rubbed Bryce’s arm. “Thanks, honey. I appreciate it.” She let out a huge, fake yawn. “OK, boys, fun’s fun, but it’s time for some more shut-eye.”
She walked to the door and opened it. Gideon quickly left the room while Bryce followed more slowly.
Raina closed the door behind them and let out a long breath. Something strange was going on, and s
he’d be damned if she knew what it was.
As soon as she thought it, she let out a shiver. She had no intention of being damned.
Chapter 3
Bryce went back to his room, furious at his brother. He’d been trying for over a year to make Raina notice him as a man. She seemed to see him as a little brother, even though he was only two years younger than her. He finally had her in a place where he could make his feelings known, and his brother showed up!
Bryce paced the floor of his room. He had hoped that bringing Gid into the picture would get her help and ensure that he could spend more time with her, but things had been weird since the beginning. He had a feeling that he was missing something. She and Gideon kept talking, but he couldn’t follow what they were talking about. Maybe he should consider telling Gideon how he felt about her. That’s what he’d do.
Decision made, he crawled back into his bed and fell asleep almost instantly.
* * * *
It was more than an hour before Gideon heard Raina’s soft footsteps on the stairs. He did as she instructed and sprawled out on the couch, but he couldn’t sleep. He could feel the unfamiliar beast of rage beating against his chest. He had figured that Raina and Bryce had a physical relationship, but he really didn’t need to see it. When he saw Bryce in Raina’s bedroom with almost nothing on, he wanted to go for his throat. Gideon knew he had no right to be possessive of her, but his heart seemed to beat with the primitive message mine, mine, mine. It didn’t matter that he was older than she or that his brother had a prior claim.
The reason he came over to begin with was because he had a dream about Raina. She was looking into a bowl of water when she was attacked by what looked like a vampire. It was absurd. There is no such thing as vampires, but he could swear that the man had blood in his mouth, clinging to his long canines. The man threw the bowl and attacked Raina. Gideon woke up abruptly and knew he had to make sure that Raina was OK. Calling wasn’t good enough. He had to see her in person. He couldn’t believe it when he found Bryce in her bedroom almost naked. She was wearing only a tank top that hung down to the tops of her thighs. Her bare legs and the curve of her bottom were exposed to the night and to Bryce’s gaze. A low growl crawled up Gideon’s throat at the thought.
He’d barely pulled his emotions in when he heard the soft footfalls on the stairs.
“Gideon?” Raina asked as she came into the room. “Are you in here?”
“Yes,” he responded.
“Can we go into the kitchen?” She didn’t wait for a response but moved toward the door to the kitchen. She had thrown sweat pants on, but didn’t put anything on over the tank top. From the way her breasts swayed as she walked, Gideon guessed she didn’t bother with a bra either. He groaned as he went spike hard, making his jeans uncomfortable.
In the kitchen, Raina put water in a teapot and put it on the stove. She left the spout open so that it wouldn’t whistle when the water boiled and wake Bryce up.
Gideon sat down and splayed his legs out straight. He also surreptitiously unbuttoned and slightly unzipped his pants to give himself some relief. The head of his cock was peeking out of the top of his boxers, but he knew she couldn’t see it.
“What did you dream?” she asked.
“That’s not important. Why do you think someone was in your room?” Gideon was trying to keep his voice even.
“I know someone was in my room because I talked to him, and I think the dream was important.” Raina pulled out a cup and paused with her hand on another. “Do you want tea? I don’t want to start the coffeepot yet and wake Bryce.”
Gideon shrugged then realized that she couldn’t see him. “Sure, thanks.”
“The dream?” she repeated.
“You were looking into a bowl and talking to me when you were attacked by something.”
“Something?” she asked, turning her head toward him as though she could see him, “or someone?”
“Neither,” he said, running his hands over his smooth dome. “Or maybe both.”
“Was it a man?” Her voice was calm, but her hands quivered slightly when she set up the mugs.
“It looked like a man,” Gideon replied. “He had a short, narrow face, thin nose, blue eyes, and he had...” He trailed off.
“Yes?” Raina turned back to the stove when she heard the kettle begin to bubble.
“Big teeth, ‘the better to eat you with, my dear.’” He finished in his best “Big Bad Wolf” voice.
Raina didn’t laugh. “Long canines? Like a vampire.”
Gideon’s laughter cut off. “Yes.” He sat up straighter in his seat as she turned to him. He was finally able to sit up without causing himself pain. “There was blood on his mouth.”
Raina placed the mugs on the table. “He attacked me, you said?” She shuddered and sat down.
Gideon laid his hand over hers. He ignored the sharpening of his senses. Every time it happened, it seemed less intrusive than the time before. “It was only a dream,” he said.
“I don’t think it was just a dream. I had nearly the same dream. I think it was a warning.” She thought about the dream, and the images flashed through his head.
A candle, a bird, a cup, a flower? What the hell kind of warning is that anyhow? Gideon thought.
“I was told to find them,” Raina told him.
“By whom?” Gideon asked.
I don’t know.
Gideon responded to her fear and despair by sending warmth and reassurance through her. We can’t do anything with a warning or a request that we don’t understand. Put it aside for now. “We have real threats to deal with. Let’s leave the hocus-pocus, mumbo jumbo out of it.”
Raina laughed. “Tell me how you really feel.” Her joke broke the tension. Gideon started to pull his hand away, and Raina tightened her grip. Not yet.
“You can see through me again, can’t you?”
“Yes,” she said. “It’s easier now. At first everything was darker and the connection was a little disorienting. Now it seems almost natural.”
“For me, too,” he said. Gideon watched Raina quietly, trying to give her time to enjoy this short respite from the darkness.
Raina took her free hand up and ran it over her face. Gideon watched her and knew she was seeing herself as he saw her.
“I’ve changed. I don’t look like this.” When she ran her fingertip over her bottom lip, Gideon’s body tightened again.
Shit, he thought, forgetting that she could hear inside his head. I’m going to break something if I keep getting hard like this.
He saw her nipples tighten and a flush went up her face. “You heard that, didn’t you?”
She answered in his head, Yes.
It turned you on. It wasn’t a question, but a statement.
Her blush got darker. “Yes,” she said. It didn’t occur to her that their conversation was half in their heads and half out loud.
“And you can see yourself right now, through my eyes.” Again, it wasn’t a question.
“Yes, but something isn’t right. I don’t look the same.”
The blush was fading, but her nipples were still hard through her tank top. “I don’t know what to tell you. Maybe you just forgot what you look like?”
“No,” she said. It’s just that I look beautiful. She hadn’t meant to say it.
Gideon’s hand tightened on hers. You are beautiful.
I’m seeing myself the way you see me rather than the way I really am, aren’t I?
I don’t know. But he did. She was exquisite to him, and he couldn’t see how she could not know that looking through his eyes.
“Back to the issue,” he said, not letting go of her hand. He could feel her pulse beating rapidly in her wrist. “You said there was someone in your room? Who? What happened, exactly?”
“I woke up from my dream, and I knew someone was there. I talked to him for a minute, but when he heard Bryce’s footsteps he said, ‘He’s not part of this,’ and disappeared.”
/> “Disappeared?” Gideon asked sharply. “What do you mean by that? People don’t just disappear. Did he go out the window? Out the door?” Gideon sat up straighter as though a thought just occurred to him. “Could he have slipped into the closet?”
He started to stand, but Raina grasped his hand more tightly. “No, he’s gone. I felt him leave.”
“But how? The alarm was set when I got here. Could he have the codes?” Gideon tried to settle in his seat, but a large part of him needed to get up and do something.
“I think he just disappeared. I don’t think he’s human.”
When she dropped that little bombshell, Gideon just stood up and let go of her hand. Raina noticed that her vision remained for a few seconds after he let her go.
Gideon started to pace. “I’m not crazy,” Raina said.
“I didn’t say you were,” he said, but she could feel his doubt.
“What did he say?” Gideon asked calmly.
“He said that I was safe, that he would protect me.”
Gideon growled low in his throat. His possessive instincts were kicking in again. “You are safe. Maybe you were reading my thoughts?” He was grasping at anything to explain what she was saying.
“No, he was there. I asked him if he was human, and he said no.” She frowned. “I know it sounds crazy, but is any of this realistic? I mean, I can see in the water, I can hear your thoughts, I can see through your eyes, we’re sharing dreams. Is any of that normal?”
Gideon sat down with a hard thump. He didn’t reach for her hand. “OK, let’s suspend some disbelief, shall we? Could he be the man in the dream?”
“No way,” Raina answered emphatically. “The man in the dream was cruel and wanted to hurt me. This man didn’t.” She moved her mug around on the table. “He’s not going to hurt me.”
“How can you be sure the man in your room wasn’t the same guy as from your dream?” Gideon asked. It seemed like a reasonable question.
“It may not be rational, but I’m sure he won’t hurt me. Maybe he’s a ghost or something, but he’s not a vampire or anything else like that.” Raina tapped a beat out on the table with her fingers.
