The Lost Soul Trilogy (Primani Book 5) (48 page)

“James is here,” I announced.

“Really?” Sean breathed with anticipation.

“Whoa! What happened to not blowing things up?” I laid a calming hand on both of them and suggested we try subtlety before a full frontal assault.

I was stretching to sense James and Scott again while the guys whispered about what we should do. Finally, I said, “I think they’re in the same place. It seems like it. Maybe they’re together.”

Coming to a decision, Sean ordered softly, “Mica and I will go in from the sidewalk side and distract them. Dec, you slide up from the other side in case they try to bolt.”

With a nod, Dec vanished like a ghost into the snowy night. Sean wrapped his arm around me and led me towards the other side of the patio. There wasn’t any cover so we had to walk boldly towards them. Scott was talking to a couple of his buddies and smoking a joint. Their voices were muffled by the falling snow. Like an animal scenting prey, Scott’s head snapped up as we approached. His eyes were murderous when he recognized me. He said something to his friends, and they all turned to stare at us. My knees were shaking, but Sean kept a hard grip on my arm and sent a spike of his own
saol
zinging through me. Like a shot of adrenaline, it made me preternaturally alert and ready to fight, or run away. Unlike Sean, I wasn’t immune to the flight response.

Scott stood and slowly approached us, one hand reaching into his jacket pocket. Sean crossed his arms and waited. My own hand had a death grip on the Sig in my purse.

“You left your date inside,” I said.

He sniggered rudely, “What’s it to you? Jealous?”

“I couldn’t help noticing she looks familiar to me. Do I know her?”

He squinted and took another hit off the joint in his fingers. Laughing unevenly, he said, “Man, Mica, you used to be a nice girl. What the hell happened to you?” He waved a hand in the general direction of Sean. “Now you’re nothing but a nasty slut bangin’ those freaks of yours. What are you, their pet? Are they sharing you now?”

I smiled seductively and fondled the muscles in Sean’s shoulder. “Freaks? I wouldn’t say that, exactly. They have some…unique talents that any girl would appreciate. What’s wrong with a little fun? It’s all legal. Besides, I was a nice girl until you came along. You sort of ruined that for me. Thanks though, I’m so much freer now that morality isn’t an issue.”

His friend thought that was hilarious and broke into loud laughter. Scott’s eyes widened a bit when Sean spoke, his voice dripping with innuendo.

“Mica’s a special kind of girl. She needs a little extra something to be
content
.” He ran a hand familiarly across my back and smiled in a way that said he was getting laid later and we might have company.

There's that lack of patience again. Sean was tired of playing games with Scott. Pushing him to the breaking point seemed like a good idea at the time…

I bit my tongue and Scott’s eyes went cold as a snake’s. Then I felt him on the other side of me.

Dec.

Cocky as always, he wrapped an arm around me and leaned down to kiss my temple.

“Hey, darlin’, are you ready for me?”

Like an enraged bull, Scott lunged at Dec, and they went tumbling onto the ground. Sean and I both jumped out of the way as they rolled around in the snow. Scott was unhinged and trying to kill Dec with his bare hands. Dec was struggling to get to his feet in the slippery snow. After cracking his head against the concrete, he was motivated to kick Scott’s ass. Scott landed a few really hard punches before Dec got a good grip on him and slammed his head into the concrete-just once. He was out cold and very still.

The silence was absolute.

With a grunt of annoyance, Dec wiped a hand under his nose to catch the blood that was dripping over his lip. He leaned over and caught his breath before pushing himself to stand up. Scott wasn’t moving.

“You better see if he’s dead!” I hissed to Sean.

Dec shook his head and put a hand to his skull. After a second, he nodded and got up again. Unfortunately, Scott wasn’t dead.

Dec glanced up at the other people hovering nearby and smiled what could have been a reassuring smile if it weren’t for the blood covering his pretty white teeth. He resembled a very pretty and well-fed vampire at the moment.

He said wryly, “He’ll live, people. Shit.”

Together he and Sean dragged Scott to a chair and plopped him next to his friend. Sean assured him that Scott wasn’t going to die and warned him about picking fights in bars. I suggested we go check on the girlfriend. Walking around to the front entrance, I was thinking of what I could possibly say to this girl to get her to leave without Scott.

“Damn it.” Sean’s voice was unhappy as he pulled me to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk. He was staring at something farther down the block in front of us.

“Freakin’ James!” Dec growled next to me.

He was right. There was James…leading Scott’s girlfriend by the hand and looking chummy with her. They were too far ahead of us for me to yell at them, and I looked helplessly at Sean. His mouth was set in a grim line as he watched them get into a car and drive away.

“What’s he doing?” Dec asked somewhat rhetorically.

The ride home was quiet as we were all lost in our own thoughts. Once in the house, I plopped down on a kitchen stool with my head in my hands. What was going on with James? I was so confused. Obviously we were missing something, but what?

Completely absorbed with my own thoughts, I hadn’t noticed Dec come in and wash the blood off of his face in the kitchen sink. I glanced up at him now. His white shirt was probably ruined, a casualty of the night. I was sorry to see it go.  It was my favorite. It fit him really well and the color was great with his eyes. He was such a cutie. Every now and then, I nagged at him about finding a girlfriend, but he told me to save my energy. He’d do what he wanted, when he wanted. It was a shame though. He really was adorable, and I couldn’t help thinking about his kisses earlier. They were nice, but no fireworks for me. He had a beautiful expressive mouth though and someday some girl would appreciate it.

I was rudely dragged out of my reverie by a cold shower of water. “Are you nuts? What’s the matter with you?” I snapped slapping water off of my arms.

With an expression that was a cross between disgusted and amused, he gargled with mouthwash and with an arched eyebrow, pointedly spit it into the sink with a metallic splash.

“Like kissing my sister, that was.” He gargled again. “Don’t
ever
make me do that again.” Spitting out the last mouthful, he added, “Gross.”

“What’s gross?” Sean asked as he made his way to the fridge for a glass of water.

Amused, I answered, “Kissing me.” I puckered my lips towards Sean.

Kissing me thoroughly, he smacked his lips and said thoughtfully, “Nope, not gross.”

“You’re hilarious. I’m going to bed. I can’t think any more and my brain hurts.” I gave Dec a very sisterly hug though and a kiss on the cheek. “I love you, Dec…just like a big brother.”

“Okay, babe, get some sleep. I’m going to stay up and talk to Dec. We’ll figure some things out and talk to you in the morning.”

By the next morning, the driveway was impassable. Mother Nature had been generous with her powder and we’d gotten at least 10 inches of snow. Judging by the heavy clouds skirting the treetops, she wasn’t through with us yet. Leaning against the porch railing with a steaming cup of coffee, I watched as Domino bounded through the deep snow. Apparently she woke up this morning and thought she was Bambi. Her spotted coat stood out in sharp contrast against the brilliance of the snow as she leapt up and over the bulk of it. With ears flying and tongue lolling, she had given in to her baser instincts and romped with complete abandon. Smiling at her antics, I thought about the freedom to romp.

I wanted to romp…When was the last time I romped?

Had I ever been that free? I couldn’t remember a time that I was. I wondered if I’d ever be that carefree again…

“No smile for the snow, Princess?” a soft voice interrupted my maudlin thoughts.

Turning, I smiled absently and gestured towards the winter wonderland. “I have to go to work. I don’t think I can get out of the driveway.”

He considered that for a moment and stepped closer to me. He paused several feet away, but I felt the heat from his body. Still dressed in commando gear, he loomed larger than life and I took a small step back. With a knowing frown, he turned away from me and whistled for Domino.

With head up, she came bounding over and rubbed all over him. He was clearly worthy of her attention as her big brown eyes sparkled up into his. He brushed the snow from her coat and pressed his forehead against hers affectionately. I was surprised by the depth of love it hinted at, and a small smile formed on my own lips. By now, my coffee cup was empty, and I was shivering in my blanket. The wind was picking up and fresh snow began to fall. A sudden gust found its way under my blanket, and I reluctantly went back inside.

Sean was still asleep. Not wanting to wake him yet, I held my breath and watched him sleep from the doorway. With one arm flung above him, he was sprawled on his stomach with most of his back bare. His face was turned towards me, and my heart swelled as my eyes soaked in the features I knew so well. The turn of his cheek, the feathering of his brows, the fullness of his mouth…I knew and loved every inch of him. Breathing in a steadying breath, I had to still my pounding heart. Telling myself that he was really here and I wasn’t dreaming again, I closed my eyes against the heat building behind them. So close…so close to losing him forever.  What would I have done if he’d never come back to me? Unable to stop the panic, I let the tears come…and turned towards the window to hide them from the one who should see them the most.

“Tears so early, baby?” He wrapped his arms around me and gently turned me against his chest. With a feeling of relief, I clung to him as an anchor in the storm.

“I wanted to watch you sleep…but…I wanted you to wake up and look at me. I wanted you to be real.” Leaning away, I said fiercely, “Don’t ever leave me again!”

Puzzled by my outburst, he nodded seriously and held me tightly against him. “I’m not going anywhere. You’re my world now.” He kissed me with exaggerated tenderness, and the panic in my heart quieted down again.

It was after noon and still snowing. The drifts were piling up against the house and the weather report called for another six inches today. My boss wasn't thrilled that I didn’t show up for work, but couldn’t really argue the fact that I couldn’t get out of my driveway. Still haunted by a disturbingly maudlin mood, I drifted around the house like a ghost. Everyone else settled in to wait out the snow. Dec built a huge fire in the living room and Domino curled up in front of it watching him play. He dragged out his guitar and plucked a wistful song that summoned visions of Irish maidens and dead highwaymen. Leaning against the cold window, I closed my eyes and listened to him play. As clear as a memory, I watched the handsome highwayman gunned down by the king's soldiers. The screams of the landlord’s daughter echoed through the night.  I had to shake my head to clear the images from an old story I’d heard somewhere along the way. Dec’s fingers tugged on my heartstrings as he plucked out the melody. I sighed and thought of Scott’s girlfriend. Every instinct told me he was a killer, but something in his eyes was different when he was with her. The cynicism was gone; they seemed warmer when he looked at her. Could we be wrong about him? I hoped we were. Sean watched me for a bit and finally handed me a cup of hot tea.

“Talk to me. I’ve never seen you like this,” he said with concern in his voice. Killian glanced up from his laptop.

Sighing heavily, I accepted the cup and touched his hand in thanks. “I’m not sure what’s wrong. I just feel…heavy, somehow. Maybe it’s just the weather, or maybe just my hormones.” I tried to lighten up a little.

Alarmed, he gripped my hand in his. “Explain that to me.”

“I don’t know, Sean. Maybe I’m pregnant?”

Dec missed a string. The discordant note hung in the air for endless seconds. All three males stared at me with undisguised horror. Sean actually sat down on the arm of the couch.

Taking pity on him, I clarified, “I’m not pregnant. I was trying to make a joke…” The severe expressions around me told me they didn’t find that even a little bit funny. “Sorry, guess that’s not funny right now.”

Cautiously, Sean said, “Is there a chance you could be pregnant?” His eyes were round with something like astonishment. Didn’t he realize that happens when you have sex? Geez.

Rolling my eyes, I said, “Well, you tell me. Can you get me pregnant? Do you, uh…have um, you know…sperm?”

No one said a word for so long that I got nervous. Sean finally shook his head and said, “I hadn’t thought of that…but I don’t think it’s possible…I don’t know. The condoms should work though.” He shrugged helplessly and glanced at Killian for help.

Killian scowled at the both of us and snorted with impatience. “There’s always a chance. I have hunting to do. I’ve been here too long.”

Without another word, he left.

Dec raised his eyebrows at that and picked up his guitar. Who knew what went on in Killian’s mind? He was an enigma on the best of days. We spent the rest of the afternoon in strained silence. Dec kept looking at my stomach until I snapped at him and threatened to break his nose if he didn’t stop.