Chapter Twenty-Two
Asher
“Come see us soon, Son,” Mom crooned on the phone.
“One day,” I told her, and I swore I could feel her eyes roll. We got off the phone on nice terms while I sat at my table enjoying a cup of tea.
Going home wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. I knew they just wanted me back so they could push a wife and babies on me.
I only had one woman on my mind, and damn if she didn’t take up ninety percent of my thoughts since yesterday. The bar was busy as hell when we got back from our little nature walk, and I could barely focus past thinking about her lips and body. Meg and Darrius, my bartenders, kept picking up my slack. I’d have to give them a special bonus or something for helping their love-sick boss.
The pastor wasn’t getting in until later this evening, and Echo had texted me earlier, saying she was taking it easy, and we’d meet up at the church tonight. It would be polite to wait until the pastor settled in from his trip to talk to him, but this was a murder investigation. She wanted me to go with her to talk to him and feel out the energies around him and his wife.
Restless, I dressed in some warm running clothes and hit the sidewalks to burn off some steam.
Running was mindless for me. I could just go and feel the cold wind against my cheeks and through my hair. The buzz of Seahill in the morning was electric—everyone was getting ready for their day or they were already rushing to go somewhere.
I was just passing by the church when a familiar voice called out my name.
The pastor’s wife, Sarah, was waving at me. She was all bundled up again, a fluffy blue hat on top of her head.
“Morning.” I turned around and walked over to her, my breathing labored from the chill in my lungs.
“Good morning, Mr. Asher. Pleasant seeing you this morning.” She smiled at me like she was indeed happy to see me.
“How are you doing?” I asked, and she shrugged.
“My husband, Robert, comes back tonight. I figured I’d be seeing you and Ms. Cross later. But I am glad you’re here now.” She looked around and leaned in, speaking in a lower tone.
“I knew about Amanda’s special ability. I didn’t have a problem with it. She was one of the only friends I had. But Robert is not a fan of people with gifts, especially now that they are out in the open. I know saying this makes him look bad, but I know he didn’t do it. He’s a good man.” She was willing me to accept her words.
“I appreciate you telling me.” I couldn’t give her anything other than that. I wasn’t a cop, and she was right, it did make him look bad. But I wasn’t going to tell her that her faith may be in the wrong man.
“We’ll be popping by later. I’ve gotta get back to my run,” I told her and started to back away with a polite wave.
“He’s a good man,” she stated again, trying to drill the words into my head. Her face was serious now, that smile gone. Was she saying it out loud, hoping she would believe them herself?
As soon as I got to the bar, I called Echo to let her know about my bizarre encounter with Sarah.
Echo seemed just as confused as I was about the whole situation. It was weird.
“I need more to go on besides the smell of shoe polish to bring someone in for questioning, and right now I have nothing.” She sighed.
“We’ll get it,” I assured her, and I hoped she believed me.
“Wanna get a late breakfast?” Maybe food would cheer her up.
“I just ate some eggs, and I have some reading to do.” She sounded tired. I wondered if the nightmares about her parents came again last night.
“Fun. What are you reading?”
“Lilith unwittingly made me part of her stakeout last night. So, I didn’t get much sleep, but it was nice hanging out. Janie, a gifted woman I found a week ago who was kidnapped for her knowledge about a book, has been living at the Society HQ, and she typed out what she read in that book before it disappeared. I started it this morning, but it’s just a diary of a man. I’m not very far in. First date is in fifteen hundred. The guy liked the art of the time, and the advances in medicine.”
Sounded like an interesting diary to read.
“Think it’s a real diary or fiction?”
“I’m not sure. I guess I’ll have to keep reading and see if I can figure out why they kidnapped her over it.” She yawned as soon as she was done speaking, and I told her to get some rest.
“Give me your address, and I’ll come pick you up later. I’ll bring dinner, and then we’ll head over to the church. I’m sure Sarah has updated her husband on everything, so they’ll be waiting with the wine and bread,” I joked, and she chuckled slightly, but it also could have been a snore.
“Go take a nap. I’ll see you soon, kitten.”
“Thanks, Asher,” her sleepy voice mumbled.
“My pleasure.”
“Thanks for not giving up on me, either. House cat and woman, both. Talk to you later,” she whispered, and then ended the call.
She was warming up to me, and thank fuck for that. I needed the woman like I needed the next chapter of a good book.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Echo
I’d slept most of the day, and the few minutes I was awake I ate and read more from the drive Janie had given me.
There was no name in the journal entries, just tales of a time long ago. The Renaissance period, if I remembered correctly from history class. Draco would have been better suited for this than I, but maybe I would see something different than him who remembered the time personally. Unbiased was usually best.
I’d texted Asher my address and rolled over in the bed to look at the small clock on my nightstand.
Ten minutes after eight. He’d be here soon.
Rolling out of bed, I felt like I could have used at least eight more hours of sleep to feel completely refreshed. Being around people like I had been lately was exhausting me.
I threw on some warm clothes and had just put on my jacket and boots when a knock vibrated my door.
“Found the place okay?” I started to say but was knocked back with a hard hit to my chest, knocking the wind right out of me. Instantly, I braced myself and lifted my head to see who attacked me, but he was already on me. A pinching feeling in my neck made me hyperaware of what was happening right now.
The attacker was covered in protective gear from head to toe. I couldn’t get anything, not even if the person was male or female.
Shit.
I fought back even as I felt my body turn sluggish.
The change happened swiftly, though, and before the attacker could do his worst he was confronted by a lion with sharp teeth.
I lunged, and the person kicked out toward my face, hitting me right in the nose, then taking off toward the stairs.
I growled and ran after him, but the drugs really took effect. My legs gave out first, just as the person’s body disappeared beyond the doors and into the night.
Growling again in anger, I lay there, helpless to move.
“Holy shit, Echo!” Asher’s voice hit my ears from the direction of the elevator.
I couldn’t even acknowledge his words.
A door opened across the hall, and Kevin’s annoying voice echoed in the hallway.
“I knew that bitch was a freak. Parking spot will be permanently mine after they kick you out.”
Asher lunged at Kevin the asshole, who wisely went back into his apartment without another word.
“The killer was here?” Asher’s soft hands stroked my fur, feeling my lungs lift my torso up and back down with every exhale.
I wanted to say something to him, anything, to let him know that the killer was probably still close by, and that I was okay, just paralyzed. But I couldn’t.
“I’m going to get the meds out of you, all right? It’s probably going to hurt, since I’m going to use your body’s own metabolism to do it.” His voice was laced with concern.
His hands moved over my fur, and then I felt the current in the air shift. My animal senses were sensitive to everything around me.
My blood felt like it was burning, but I was stuck, unmoving, as what felt like lava moved through my veins.
What seemed like hours later, I began to feel like myself again. I started moving my paws, and then I knew I was able to change back into my human self again. The shift happened a bit slower than usual, but none of the complications I had before of being stuck in one form.
“Nice rack, Echo,” Kevin exclaimed from his cracked door, and I felt my cheeks flame.
Suddenly I heard a yelp and then “Fuck!” as his door slammed into his nose that was peeking out, hopefully breaking it. Asher was staring at the door, a vicious gleam in his eye.
Fuck Kevin. He deserved it.
Asher’s strong arms scooped me up and carried me back into my apartment. He laid my body down on my couch and covered me up with one of my throw blankets. I watched as he looked around my small kitchen for a glass. I tried telling him where they were, but my voice was so hoarse that it barely came out louder than a whisper.
“What happened?” He handed me some water, and I guzzled the cold liquid, hoping it would help with my voice.
“I heard a knock. Thought it was you, but then had the wind knocked out of me by someone concealed in head-to-toe gear. I couldn’t see if it was a man or a woman, but if it was a woman, she is strong as shit for knocking me down. I felt a pinch in my neck then the drugs started spreading. I changed into a lion to fight back. The bigger body gave me a little longer, because it took longer for the drugs to take effect, but whoever it was ran off, and I got stuck in the hall until you got here.”
The killer had been here and had tried to take me out. Probably because I was close to finding them.
“Did you break Kevin’s nose?” I looked up at his face and saw a man in a rage. Asher had been so happy and carefree since I’d met him, but now that man was missing. His jaw was locked tight, and his body tense.
“I should have kicked his ass the good old-fashioned way.” His voice was harsh, and I had no doubt that he was still very much debating on storming over to Kevin’s door and doing as he wished.
My hand reached out and touched the hardness in his face. His eyes had been looking everywhere else but at me, maybe not wanting to see that I’d been hurt, or maybe it was something else. But once my hand touched his, that soothing current between us melted in him, calming him.
“Thank you again for being there for me. For always rescuing me.” I tried to make his smile appear, but he was still fighting his swirling emotions. His head tilted, leaning into my touch more, as if it was a lifeline.
“You’re mine. Someone tried to hurt what’s mine.” He leaned in and pressed a soft but passionate kiss against my lips.
I wanted to stay there, kissing him on the couch, but we had a job to do.
“Then help me get dressed, and let’s go to the church. The killer attacked because I’m on to him.” I pulled back and saw Asher’s hardness had eased slightly.
He went into my room and picked out my normal clothes, even my spare leather jacket, since the other one was now shredded.
I knew he wanted to protest, and thought I should wait until I was one hundred percent healed before going to the church, but there just wasn’t any time to waste. The killer might get crazy if he knew his time was limited.
Of course, the night just got worse. The landlord stopped me on my way out. Thanks to Kevin’s fat mouth and the cameras in the halls, I was being evicted. The apartment I lived in didn’t allow animals, and I apparently fell into that category now. An animal.
Animals were better than people, so I guess I should have taken it as a compliment.
“You can live with me, or you know the Hero Society has plenty of room.” Asher was trying to give me a run-through of my options as we drove to the church.
I looked out the window and continued to see madness brewing.
Sarah greeted us as soon as we walked through the door. Her energy was a little shaken, and it made me on edge. Something was up here, and I was in no mood to deal with any more charades.
“Where’s your husband?” I asked, no hint of niceness in my voice.
“He just got in about an hour ago. He’s been in his office.” She smiled at me, and it was certifiably fake.
“Ms. Cross, Mr. Asher! Robert Burke. Sarah told me about Amanda while I was away. How can I help?” A tall man in his forties walked toward us. He had on a dress shirt and pants, with polished shoes that emitted that odd, waxy odor. He was in decent shape but had some wrinkles around his blue eyes. His brown hair was a bit messy, but he just looked tired from traveling. We exchanged handshakes.
“Shall we go to my office?” The pastor gestured for us to follow him and we did. Once in the room, the scent of shoe polish hit me stronger this time.
“Mr. Burke, where were you three days ago?” I was getting straight to the point. His face didn’t change one bit from the kind pastor facade he had going on.
“My mother was ill; I flew right away to see her in California.”
Asher coughed, and my attention went to him. Something was up. He knew it, and I did too.
“Were you aware that Amanda had special powers?” I tried a different route. If he had issues with people with gifts, then he would give me some sign.
“I was aware. God welcomes all into his house.”
He joined his wife in the fake smiling act, but I saw her stance straighten slightly. My extra instincts were kicking in.
“But she could have been dangerous; she could have hurt everyone you loved here if she felt like it.”
In truth, I still didn’t know what her powers were, but I had a feeling it had something to do with the calming feelings she gave the patients. Amanda was a good woman. I don’t think she could have hurt anyone, even if she’d been emotional.
Relief flashed across the pastor’s face but only for a moment. He indeed was not a fan of people with gifts and was glad I felt the same way.
If only he knew.
“I have faith in the Lord, and that is all the protection I need.”