Knock, knock... (28 page)

Shay laughed delightedly.

His head swiveled in her direction.

His jaw dropped, and when he could, he said, incredulously, "He's in my head?"

"Not really. But he is speaking to you telepathically."

Roman's gaze narrowed. "Stefan? Can't you appear in the living room or do something not so...private?"

Shay laughed. "It's amazing, isn't it?" She looked for Stefan's form to materialize. Her gaze switched from chair to chair, and then she realized that Stefan had sat down beside her. She switched over to look at Roman. He was looking around the room.

"Can you see him, Roman?" she asked curiously. "He's sitting beside me."

Roman studied the couch. "No. I can't."

"Too bad. It would provide the proof you seem to need."

"Or he could tell me something that no one else would know. That could be convincing proof," he challenged.

It was impossible not to chuckle. "Really? Like, do a reading?" She turned to face Stefan.

"Stefan? What about it?"

I feel like a circus show.
There was a moment of silence, then Stefan sighed and said,
Sure. What the hell.

***

Roman settled back in his chair to see what would happen next. He couldn't believe what he'd felt so far. Then he felt that weird inner sense of connectedness again. He straightened.

Stefan's voice floated through his mind, warm and mocking.
This time and this time only I will be nice. I chose this method of providing proof for one reason only – that is to save Shay the embarrassment of finding out what I'm going to tell you. You want to know something personal that no one else would know, as proof I'm not a charlatan?

"No. Actually I believe in you, but I'm not sure about this whole woowoo business. It's a little tough on the uninitiated."

He could see laughter flit across Shay's face.
Was she tuned in too?
He wanted to ask her a mess of questions but Stefan was speaking again.

No. She isn't 'tuned' in. Although I know why you'd be worried. You don't want Shay to know that she is your model. That she is your passion. That you have been drawing her body, in intimate detail, for two years? Or how about this? The real reason you can't paint her face is because you can't face her? You feel that there is something deceitful in your creating her likeness without her permission. I also know why there is blue in your earlier paintings and just a skim of it in your later ones. But that revelation will have to wait a bit.

"Oh shit." Roman leaned back and closed his eyes. Now he was in really deep shit. "I'm sorry. What do I need to do to get out of this with my dignity?"

Apologize? I presume you're convinced by now.

"Yes. Sorry," he muttered. How had he gotten into this shit anyway?

By being you. Shay needs you. You need her. Why am I the only one that sees this?

Roman cast a wary glance at Shay, who appeared to be enjoying this. He wasn't. He didn't want to insult Stefan any more than he had already but…

I'm gone.

And just like that Roman's mind emptied, cooled. Stefan was gone.

Thank God.

But would Stefan keep Roman's secret?

***

Tabitha floated on the peaceful clouds of the ethers. She walked here often, but normally she could return when she wanted to. She didn't understand what the problem was this time.

Something had happened. Something painful.

She wasn't what anyone would call soft or delicate, but even with her abilities, she felt vulnerable out there. She could hide in here. Not something she did well. Or often.

So why was she hiding now?

Danger.

She was in danger. So was someone else.
Who?
She tried to concentrate. To focus on the problem. But that was the problem with the ethers – real life problems weren't tangible parts of this reality. They felt distant. Unreal. Hard to care about.

And with that thought, Tabitha floated off again.

***

Knock, knock…

Ah Shay.

You don't even know that I had your grandfather. That I led him away like a puppy on a leash. Now how wrong is that? I should have left a note in his pocket. Let you know that he'd been targeted.

Or maybe I should have just killed him outright.

But then you wouldn't have spent the day and evening worrying. Maybe I should visit him again in the hospital? No. I think I'll send you a more serious message. One of those other family members maybe.

Or a close friend.

Maybe, if they turn up dead, you'll get the message this time?

I have another targeted charity to take care of too. Isn't that new wing at the children's hospital completed now? I heard how much you love that project. Sounds like my next stop.

'Cause I'd like to up the stakes a little. And hitting the children's hospital sounds like maximum pain. Too bad you don't have any pets left to torture.

I'll have to pick off your friends instead.

And, of course, your family.

S
hay sat back on her plush leather couch and watched the expressions cross Roman's face. He was a strong man and taking a hit like this wouldn't be easy. It's not that Stefan would be harder on him than anyone else, but more than likely Roman had secrets, deep ones, ones he wouldn't appreciate anyone accessing. So far, she'd yet to see anything Stefan couldn't find out within a person's psyche.

Thank God she trusted Stefan implicitly or it would be incredibly unnerving to have him in her head. By asking for proof, Roman had opened himself up to a new reality. A scary one.

And that loss of innocence was tough for everyone…even traumatic for some.

She watched him blink several times.

Stefan? Isn't that enough?

I'm not in there anymore. He has a few new truths to deal with. That's all.

But you trust him? You didn't find anything in there that concerned you? That I should be concerned about?

He cares about you. He's confused about it, but there's no doubt he'd be devastated if something happened to you.

She didn't know what to say. It pretty well matched her impression.
I don't know that I want to fight a ghost.

A ghost?

Yes, his model. If I'm in a relationship with him, I want him to be passionate about me. How can I know he's thinking about me and not her?

Humor threaded Stefan's voice as he answered,
I don't think that will be a problem. Trust him.

Says you,
she muttered.

He laughed.
I'm going to bed now.

Wait, what about tonight? What did you find out about my attacker from this evening?

Nothing concrete. I'm going to do some research. Something odd is going on in the ethers. Not sure just what.

With that she had to be satisfied.

"Were you just talking to Stefan?" Roman asked in an odd voice. "Did he say anything to you?"

She understood his wariness and didn't pretend to misunderstand. "No he didn't share your secrets. He wouldn't. Stefan is all about principles and morals."

The relief on Roman's face made her laugh, but inside she didn't find much to laugh about. What concerned him so?

"You don't have to look so relieved," she said. "If he can see it, you can bet someone else can find out your secret."

He frowned. "That's the problem with secrets, isn't it? They can always come to light and hurt people."

Now she really had to wonder what he was hiding.

He sat down beside her. "If there's one thing Stefan's little demonstration showed me, it's that you two have a closeness I can't imagine. I might have dreamed of such a thing a long time ago, but to actually be able to communicate without speaking like you two do, well, that's impressive. And…I'm jealous. I'd love to have something similar," he admitted.

"Yes. It’s comforting, reassuring, and also damn irritating at times. See, Stefan doesn't just get to see the stuff I want him to see, but he can see stuff I hadn't considered that anyone would ever know about." She shook her head, and continued, "No, I'm not talking about secrets, although he obviously could know about all those if he cared to look… I’m talking more about casual thoughts." She laughed. "For example I was looking in a store window at some women's clothing and I saw a pair of stilettos that I loved. At the same time I was thinking that they looked like hooker shoes. And I thought that I'd probably come off looking like a tart if I tried to wear them."

Her grin widened. "Stefan immediately laughed and added that he'd have said a high-priced call girl instead."

Roman's gaze widened. "So he's there all the time?"

"Not always, but we often leave the door open between us. I was involved in a bad scenario a while back, and I almost died." She swallowed hard. "Without Stefan, there's no way I'd have survived. Since then, that door between us is rarely closed. I don't always hear his thoughts, but every once in a while I'll hear and answer him the same as he did for me."

Roman grinned. "You are blessed to have him that close. Is this something I could learn?"

She looked surprised. "I imagine. Stefan mentors all kinds of people with various abilities. I don't know if you have any psychic gifts, but I'm sure he'd say you do even if you don't actively use them." And she'd seen for herself the power was there, sleeping.

"I'm not sure I'd want to ask Stefan for very much after tonight."

"Telepathic communication is very personal. But I like it. I never feel alone."

"And you used to?"

She thought about that. "Yes, I guess I did. Even with my fiancé, there was a sense of not being connected the same as I am with Stefan."

Just then her phone rang. She stared at it. Then at her clock. "It's two in the morning."

"I hope it's not Pappy." Then she snatched up the phone.

It wasn't. But it was the hospital. One of her relatives. A cousin, who she hadn't seen in years, had been admitted to the hospital. She'd had a note in her pocket to call Shay if anything happened to her.

Shay, after saying she'd be right down, hung up the phone slowly.

"Shay? What's wrong? Is it your grandfather?"

He had his own phone out, as if ready to call Gerard.

"No." She shook her head. "I don't get it." She explained what the hospital had said. "But I barely know this woman. I've had nothing to do with her for years."

He stood up, held out a hand to her, and said, "Then we'd better go down there and see what we can find out."

We
? She eyed the hand he extended to her. It offered her more than help from the chair. The gesture seemed symbolic as it waited for her to respond.

Intrigued, yet wary, she placed her hand in his and let him help her up.

What bond had she just sealed?

Because that's what it felt like.

A bond, an agreement of some kind, that he had a place in her world.

Whether she was ready or not. Whether he loved another…or not.

***

Stefan lay in his bed staring up at the ceiling. With Shay heading into a deep relationship, he had to admit to being slightly off-color himself. He had their privacy to respect as well as concerns about how her relationship with Roman, once it moved to the intimate level – and given what he'd seen of Roman's emotions, that wouldn't take long – would change his relationship with Shay.

And Roman was holding a time bomb by holding onto his secret about his paintings. And once Shay made that connection...

There were going to be fireworks.

Only Stefan knew Shay had to work this out herself. With Roman.

Still he'd need to watch her because of other dangers he hadn’t identified, though he’d try to keep their connecting door closed more from now on. Shay wasn't out of danger from her attacker. Indeed, with the undercurrents moving on the ethers, she was mixed up with something nasty.

He could only hope her doors were open to
him
when it all went to hell. It was dangerous for her to stay too focused on Roman. Someone could take advantage…She could make a mistake that could cost her life. Yet he understood Shay’s lack of focus…