The Awakening

"Good, I'm glad. Now, the two of you don't worry about talking—just eat! Of course, chew slowly, we don't want you choking or anything," Morwenna said.



"Look, here comes a goblin or some other wretchedly costumed thing," Joseph muttered. "You'd think they'd let you eat."



"It's all right," Megan said, jumping up. She wasn't sure how she recognized the person in the shredded dark robes and zombie mask, but she did. It was Darren Menteith.



"Darren! It's great to see you," she said, reaching out a hand as he came forward.



He stopped in his tracks. "You know it's me?" he said, tremendously disappointed.



"Yeah. Sorry."



Finn had risen as well.



"They are trying to have dinner," Joseph muttered.



"Sit, Megan, finish. I'll take Darren over for a CD. And be right back."



Megan sat back down. "Finn, I can go—"



"I can wolf down a rare steak in two seconds," Finn told her. "You take your time."



"Hey, I am sorry, I should have waited to say hello," Darren said.



"No problem, we're just glad to see you," Finn told him. "Come on, let me give you a disc."



As the two walked away, Megan noted uneasily that both Joseph and Morwenna watched them go.



"I didn't realize that you knew Darren," Morwenna said, realizing that Megan was staring at her.



"We don't really know him. We met him today in the park. I didn't know that you knew him," Megan said.



She shrugged. "Small town, that's all. Hey, come on, eat up. By the way, honey, that one number you two did—dynamite."



"Thanks."



"It's just too bad that…" Morwenna began, then broke off with a shrug, looking at Joseph.



Joseph cleared his throat. "Great number," he muttered.



Megan set her fork down. "Both of you! Pay attention. I respect everything about you. I love you both.



But I don't believe that Finn is dangerous to me. I do not believe that he is evil in any way. Get this straight—I had a nightmare the other night. A dream. And woke up screaming. And I made him look really, really, bad—especially with the way rumor seems to travel around here. And he's taken it really, really well. So don't go acting as if we're not a steady tjing, as if our marriage isn't going to work. Got it?"



Morwenna looked down at the table.



"I didn't say a thing, Megan. I know you love him."



"Right," Joseph agreed.



She wanted to hit them both. There was pity in their voices. They both believed there was something wrong with Finn, that it would come out—that she would see there was evil in him, or that he couldn't really be decent, and that in a matter of time—he would be gone.



Maybe it wasn't just pity. It might have been more.



Pity laced with…



Fear?



He'll be gone, or…



You'll be dead.



Neither of them said such a thing. Neither was speaking. They were just looking at her. And yet she felt as if someone had shouted the words in her head.



An uncomfortable silence fell between the three of them. It became unbearable. Megan cut her meat, but was afraid she wouldn't be able to chew.



"Hey, it's gone," Joseph said.



He was frowning, looking toward the stage.



"What's gone?"



"That stupid monster thing that was catching everyone's hair."



Megan looked around. It was true. Someone had removed the monster with the branch-like fingers.



"Good riddance," Morwenna said.



"I'll have to agree," Megan said, glad that the silence had been broken. "I think I have a bald patch on the back of my head."



Morwenna laughed softy. "I don't see any bald spots, but I'm glad they got rid of the thing. It really was dangerous. You got caught in it, and Finn got caught in it. Better check him out tonight—he may have a bald spot."



"The man has no patience," Joseph told her. "He didn't wait for any detangling assistance, just ripped right away."



"I'll check him out tonight," Megan said. She could chew and swallow. The world was seeming normal again.



Finn came back to the table and sat. "Steaks are delicious," she said.



"And here's my beer," Finn said, sliding one around her at the table, and lifting the bottle of Michelob in front him in the air toward Joseph. "Thanks."



"My pleasure, "Joseph acknowledged.



"You'd better eat—we've only got a few minutes left," Megan warned him.



"I'll be chewing away in two seconds, I promise," he said, setting the beer down and starting to cut his meat as well. He could eat quickly—he had learned that trick while waiting tables himself. A bad habit, actually. Megan had always heard that it was best to eat slowly. But Finn was usually a little too impatient to eat slowly.



Joseph pointed out the fact that the dangerous, hair-pulling monster was gone.



"Probably a good thing," Finn said, washing down his food with another swig of beer. "The hotel probably saw a few hairless customers walking by and got frightened of a lawsuit."



"Could be," Morwenna agreed cheerfully.



Break time was up. Finn thanked Morwenna and Joseph as he drew Megan from her chair. They both nodded happily.



On stage, Finn slid into another of their own songs, a dance number, and their last set of the evening, then proceeded to pack up quickly. Most of the tables were still filled when they finished. Finn gave Megan a thumbs-up sign as he immediately started to cover their equipment for the night and following day.



She was going to help him but Morwenna and Joseph came over to say good night.



Morwenna whispered to her, "You know… your husband really is quite incredible." Despite her words, she sounded hesitant.



She whispered back, though Finn was at some distance. "That's not what you said when you did the reading."



Morwenna stared at Finn, and looked uneasy. "I know… I don't understand. He's wicked good-looking.



Sexy, talented… and he dotes on you. But according to the Tarot, he's… I don't know, cards can be interpreted differently. It looked as if he offered you some terrible danger, but then… maybe it's just that you're so in love with him, your heart or soul is at risk, or something. I should do another reading."



"No! Thank you. I do adore him, and our marriage is going to work. Your cards would have me offing him in the middle of the night or something!"



"Never!" Morwenna protested.



There was a tap on her shoulder. She jumped and turned around. But it wasn't Finn, only Darren, minus most of his costume's headgear. He had come to thank her for the CD and offer his enthusiasm for the evening's entertainment. She thanked him for his support.



When she finished speaking with him, she saw that Morwenna and Joseph had gone on out, heading home, she assumed.



Finn was almost done with the equipment, and the room was clearing out. When she would have stepped forward to give token assistance, he smiled and waved a hand, telling her to relax, he'd be ready in a



minute.



She stood at the foot of the stage, waiting. Something drew her eyes to one of the balcony exits.



Andy Markham was there.



Staring at her.



His gaze was unnerving. Not because he looked at her in any manner that might be construed as dangerous.



But because he seemed to be watching her with pity, as if a great danger was headed her way, and he was powerless to stop it.



As if he knew that she was…



Doomed.



A cold trembling seized her. Ice raced through her veins. She might have been standing atop a ragged tor in the October wind, naked, entirely vulnerable, with the wind bringing shadows of whipping, screaming, darkness closer and closer…



He nodded to her gravely and turned, disappearing out the balcony door.



Chapter 5



"Ready?"



She nearly jumped a mile when Finn's hand landed on her shoulder.



"Ready," she assured him, forcing a smile.



Finn frowned. "What's wrong?"



"Nothing," she said quickly, and knew how false she sounded. She shrugged. "I don't know. Something silly. I just had shivers, you know, like the expression—someone walking over your grave. But I'm fine.



Really."



"You sure?" He seemed skeptical.



"Yep. Just tired." It was late. Nearly two in the morning.



She must have assured him at last. He offered her a slow smile, and his suggestive whisper caressed her ear-lobe. "How tired?"



An honest grin replaced her forced smile.



"Tired enough to get out of here—and into a closed room. Alone. Well, alone with you, of course."



With an arm around her shoulder, he led her toward the main exit, thanking the fellow who had manned the cashier's station for selling their CDs. A few minutes later, they were in the car, and heading out.



Despite the shift between them, Megan moved close and rested her head against his shoulder. "It was a really great night, huh?" she said.



"Fantastic. Everything went well," he agreed.



"So it was smart to come here," she said, and wondered if she was trying to convince him, or herself.



"Well, great until now," he murmured.



"What's the matter?"



"No parking spaces," he said.



"That is a problem, once you get into town. You know, Huntington House is a big place. They should have spots right on the property, and not make their 'guests' have to park out on the street."



"Right—especially if they're going to have a Mr. Fallon on the property," Finn said lightly.



"We should have stayed at the hotel—they offered us a decent rate," Megan murmured.



"Ah, but Huntington House sounded so much more intriguing," Finn said.



"There's a lot around the corner with extra parking. Mr. Fallon did tell me about it. I'd forgotten. It says that it's a tow-away zone, but that's because the property belongs to Huntington House."