Wilma shook her head. Either she was a fool who was just sweet talked by a suave shadow walker, or Martin was genuinely smitten with Allison and wanted to help. She hoped, for all their sakes, it was the first because, if Martin was going to compete with Nick for Alison, it could ruin their plans.
After asking to speak with Martin alone, he and Wilma spent a considerable amount of time behind closed doors. During that time, Martin spoke openly and honestly about his jealousies and competitiveness where Nick was concerned. He confirmed Elsie and Beth’s fears of him coveting Alison for his own personal gain. He even admitted that, in the beginning, it was exactly why he approached her. Then, to his amazement, he discovered he genuinely had feelings for the girl. He told Wilma about his conversation with Nick and Nick’s fears of the possibility that Alison just might like him better. After all, the elders had connected their families, no
Vanessa sat at the kitchen table while she waited for Wilma to finish brewing the tea. She’d picked the housekeeper’s brain about shadow walkers until she was sure she knew as much as Wilma did about them, but it didn’t feel like it was enough. A cool breeze swept past her causing her to look around the room for the source. The windows and doors were closed.“Did you feel that?” she asked.“Feel what, child?” Wilma asked as she focus on swirling the tea bag around in the teapot to help speed up the brewing process. Nick placed his hand over hers. Although she couldn’t see him, she could feel the coolness of his touch. “Now, I feel it. There must be a draft coming from somewhere.” She placed the teapot and a tea cup and saucer set in front of Vanessa and added,” I want to go check things out. Here’s your tea. I’ll be back in a minute.”Vanessa j
Vanessa hurried outside as Martin’s McLaren 570GT pulled up in front of the grand estate house. She stopped, briefly, to admire the expensive sports car before babbling about the cold breezes in the house when it was all closed up.“You’re right about this place,” she said to Alison as Martin helped her from the car. “It’s super creepy. I’m ready to leave.”“You can’t leave me,” Alison practically screeched as she pulled away from Martin’s light embrace and firmly grabbed Vanessa’s upper arms. “Please, not yet. In two days Martin will be leaving for his retreat thing and I’ll be all alone.”“You’ll have Wilma here,” Vanessa said.“That’s not the same and you know it,” Alison said.“I have to go back tonight, or I’ll lose my job,” Vanessa said apologetically. “I told
Nick paced the palace hall as he waited for his turn to go before King Rufus. He’d rehearsed what he was going to say so many times it sounded ‘canned’ to him. He only hoped he’d chosen the correct words to get the king to understand his request. He needed to get back to Alison; not just for her safely, but to keep Martin from doing any more damage to the elder’s plan of having him be the one to be with Alison.The summons came, and he took a deep breath. It all rested on the plea he’d formulated. His palms were wet with sweat, as was his torso, as he second guessed his choice of words. After all, he wasn’t trained in public speaking. He thought how Martin would address the king. He’d be suave and convincing. Nick had no doubt that Martin’s request would be granted without a second thought. Nick knew he couldn’t be as articulate as Martin, but he hoped his efforts would be good eno
Martin paced the drive of Alison’s estate while he waited for them to return from their joyride. It was hours since they left, and he was getting concerned. If he was able to discover who she was and why she was there, then others could too. With Nick’s mundane body lying inert in her bedroom and his shadow self not available to defend it, he held that responsibility; as well as keeping watch for rogue shadow walkers wanting to destroy Alison before she could take the throne; as well as their mundane counterparts who knew about the shadow walkers and wanted to see them destroyed. There was also the recruiters for the darkness to consider. Getting their hands on someone of Alison’s station would be an enormous feather in their cap.***They were too young to get served in a bar, but the fake I.D. Vanessa produced was good enough to fool the young clerk at the liquor store i
Nick waited for Martin to leave before approaching Alison’s sleeping body. He knew very well what Martin’s plans were and he had to stop it. Placing his lips close to her ear, he called her name several times, but she was too drunk to respond. He willed himself upstairs to Wilma’s apartment and vigorously knocked on the door. Although he’d put great effort into knocking, he was barely able to manage a few thumps. Fortunately, Wilma was still awake and heard it. She opened the door and peered into the hallway.“I’m over here,” Nick whispered. “I didn’t want to just pop in there and frighten you.”“Why are you whispering?” Wilma whispered back.“I don’t want Martin to know I’m here,” he explained.“I thought you’d die if you stayed,” Wilma said worriedly.“I petitioned the king to let me come back. He h
Alison couldn’t remember when she’d ever had a head that hurt as bad as hers did when she opened her eyes the following morning. She struggled to move, but found herself weighted down by something. Still disoriented, she stretched her hand out and felt Nick’s inert body next to her. Its coolness was enough to shock her into wakefulness.Memories of her lovemaking with Nick’s shadow self were fuzzy, but there. She reached up to touch his shadow body as he lay stretched across her in a possessive manner. “Nick, wake up. Are you alive? Please be alive.”Nick nuzzled his face into her neck. “Good morning, my love.”“My head feels like tiny firecrackers are being shot off inside of it and I have to pee,” she moaned.He rolled off her and said, “Go pee.” As she inched off the bed in a way that implicated her entire body was in pain he asked, “
Martin struggled to focus on his surroundings. His head hurt from an enormous bump he’d received from an unknown source. The last thing he remembered was letting Jasper out of the car at the house he’d indicated was his.It was dark and dank. From what he could tell, he was in a basement. His wrists and ankles were tied together. His back hurt and his bottom was moist from sitting on the damp earthen floor. His first inclination was to shadow walk out of his mundane body, but he was afraid to leave it in case he’d been captured by the local mundane group that sought to annihilate the shadow walkers off the face of the earth. If he didn’t find out where he was and how to get free soon, he’d be in big trouble. In less than twenty-four hours he would have to retreat to the shadow world to rejuvenate. Failure to do it would bind him to his mundane body and he would no longer be a shadow walker with an elongated life span
Nick did his best to fold his large, semi-opaque body into the back seat of Alison’s Mini-Cooper. He would have preferred they take his SUV, but Vanessa still hadn’t fully recovered from her drunken fest, Alison didn’t know how to manipulate a standard clutch, and the great aunt’s old Cadillac wouldn’t start. Wilma was following them in her car. Unfortunately, it was a small Volkswagen Beetle that wouldn’t fit them in it and still allow for Nick to lay low in the back so that he wouldn’t be seen. Wilma’s back seat was roomier than Alison’s, but, since neither of the girls were familiar with the area, he needed to ride with them to act as a guide.For the first time since he’d returned, he was sorry for the fact that he could be seen by the naked eye.Both he and Wilma heard rumors about a house a few miles into the valley that acted as a meeting place for the mundane who sought to annih
Upon the insistence of the police, Alison and Vanessa were taken to the hospital to stitch Alison’s thumb and to be checked out for broken bones or other serious injuries. Nick, Martin, and Dennis paced the waiting room until the girls were released to their care.Nick insisted on carrying Alison from the wheel chair that took her to the exit door of the hospital into the seat of his SUV. Rather than argue, she snuggled close while apologizing for her appearance.“Vanessa and I spent hours getting our hair done, our brows waxed, and our nails done so we’d look good when you came back. I even bought this dress,” she wept into his neck. “Now, look at me.”“I am,” Nick whispered huskily as he positioned her onto the front seat of his SUV and fastened the seat belt across her torso. “What I see is the most beautiful and courageous woman in the world. I’m proud to call you mine.&rdquo
Alison put her ear against the door of the second-floor utility closet and listened for footsteps or other sounds that would clue them in on what was happening.All was quiet.“We need to get to Nick’s place to make sure they haven’t found his safe room,” Alison said as she carefully opened the door to peer out.“If they have? What do we do then?” Vanessa asked, bitterly.“Why are you so angry?” Alison asked with a sharp tone.“Maybe I’m a little pissed about Wilma getting killed and us next in line all because your man is not human?” Vanessa sneered.“Just a little reminder. I’m not either,” Alison said.Vanessa looked shocked as the realization of Alison’s statement hit home. “You’re not, are you. Shit.” She placed her fingers to her temples, took a deep breath, and added, “I’m sorry. I don&
Vanessa eyed the old Cadillac that sat idly in the carriage house as Alison pulled her Mini Cooper in next to it. She commented on what a shame it was to leave it there collecting dust and suggested that Alison have a mechanic look at it to see why it wouldn’t start.Their arms were laden with shopping bags as they struggled to pull the door to the carriage house closed. Frustrated, Vanessa set her bags onto the hood of Wilma’s Volkswagen Beetle so that she could use all of her strength to maneuver the rusty pulleys.“It looks like Wilma beat us home,” Vanessa said as she collected her bags. “She’s probably fixed us something to eat.”“I could eat again,” Alison said. “I’d rather do that than make her feel bad after rushing home to cook. I need to get a better idea of the schedules around here. I think her day off should last through the night. I wouldn’t like h
Day one without Nick proved uneventful. Alison convinced Vanessa to call in sick for a few more days. Since she had no desire to abandon her friend after such a harrowing weekend, Vanessa agreed.They occupied their day finishing their exploration of the attic. Wilma was scheduled to take time off. She offered to stay with them, but Alison knew she was still concerned about her sister, so she insisted she go.They ate leftover barbeque for lunch and decided to grab a pizza and a movie to help them get through the evening.“It’s funny,” Vanessa said as she lowered the top of her convertible so that they could enjoy the starry night. “I can actually feel the absence of all those guys who were here yesterday. It’s like the world is emptier.”“I was thinking the same thing. It’s weird, isn’t it?” Alison said as she slid into the passenger’s seat of the
Alison cuddled with Nick on the settee in the parlor while she watched the clock with sadness. She was amazed at how close they’d gotten in such a short period of time. It was as if they’d known each other all their lives instead of one week. She would have thought it was the magic placed on them by the magicians in the shadow world, but Nick assured her that they’d removed it. He reiterated his belief that when soul mates met up with each other, they needed no time to recognize their love. He had only five more minutes before he’d have to leave her for the shadow world. She knew he’d be returning in forty-eight hours, but it didn’t make parting any easier.After Dennis and his friends moved Nick’s body to safety, they spent a few hours sharing bits and pieces about the shadow world with her. She found it fascinating. Frustration with her parent’s decision to keep her from it rose more than once before th
Nick did his best to fold his large, semi-opaque body into the back seat of Alison’s Mini-Cooper. He would have preferred they take his SUV, but Vanessa still hadn’t fully recovered from her drunken fest, Alison didn’t know how to manipulate a standard clutch, and the great aunt’s old Cadillac wouldn’t start. Wilma was following them in her car. Unfortunately, it was a small Volkswagen Beetle that wouldn’t fit them in it and still allow for Nick to lay low in the back so that he wouldn’t be seen. Wilma’s back seat was roomier than Alison’s, but, since neither of the girls were familiar with the area, he needed to ride with them to act as a guide.For the first time since he’d returned, he was sorry for the fact that he could be seen by the naked eye.Both he and Wilma heard rumors about a house a few miles into the valley that acted as a meeting place for the mundane who sought to annih
Martin struggled to focus on his surroundings. His head hurt from an enormous bump he’d received from an unknown source. The last thing he remembered was letting Jasper out of the car at the house he’d indicated was his.It was dark and dank. From what he could tell, he was in a basement. His wrists and ankles were tied together. His back hurt and his bottom was moist from sitting on the damp earthen floor. His first inclination was to shadow walk out of his mundane body, but he was afraid to leave it in case he’d been captured by the local mundane group that sought to annihilate the shadow walkers off the face of the earth. If he didn’t find out where he was and how to get free soon, he’d be in big trouble. In less than twenty-four hours he would have to retreat to the shadow world to rejuvenate. Failure to do it would bind him to his mundane body and he would no longer be a shadow walker with an elongated life span
Alison couldn’t remember when she’d ever had a head that hurt as bad as hers did when she opened her eyes the following morning. She struggled to move, but found herself weighted down by something. Still disoriented, she stretched her hand out and felt Nick’s inert body next to her. Its coolness was enough to shock her into wakefulness.Memories of her lovemaking with Nick’s shadow self were fuzzy, but there. She reached up to touch his shadow body as he lay stretched across her in a possessive manner. “Nick, wake up. Are you alive? Please be alive.”Nick nuzzled his face into her neck. “Good morning, my love.”“My head feels like tiny firecrackers are being shot off inside of it and I have to pee,” she moaned.He rolled off her and said, “Go pee.” As she inched off the bed in a way that implicated her entire body was in pain he asked, “
Nick waited for Martin to leave before approaching Alison’s sleeping body. He knew very well what Martin’s plans were and he had to stop it. Placing his lips close to her ear, he called her name several times, but she was too drunk to respond. He willed himself upstairs to Wilma’s apartment and vigorously knocked on the door. Although he’d put great effort into knocking, he was barely able to manage a few thumps. Fortunately, Wilma was still awake and heard it. She opened the door and peered into the hallway.“I’m over here,” Nick whispered. “I didn’t want to just pop in there and frighten you.”“Why are you whispering?” Wilma whispered back.“I don’t want Martin to know I’m here,” he explained.“I thought you’d die if you stayed,” Wilma said worriedly.“I petitioned the king to let me come back. He h