Mystical Love (23 page)

“Don't fish for compliments! I know you own a mirror.” He pushed her toward the closed door. “And right now, your coyness is as scary as changing a flat tire on a congested freeway.”

“And obviously as popular as a tax increase.”

The tip of her shoulder was pushed roughly again.

“You're giving me a King Kong headache, Miss Kelly. Open the door!”

Janice did as she was ordered, grasping the doorknob and pressing the door with her fingertips. When it refused to open, she jiggled the handle harder.

“It's stuck.” She smacked the panel.

Strong hands thrust her roughly aside.

“Get out of the way.” Gripping the door handle, Adrian heaved his shoulder against the wood. A seam cracked, but the door remained tightly wedged. “Son of a bitch!”

Above her head, Janice felt the air stir and the hairs on the back of her neck felt the light prickle. Instant panic seized her and she muttered in Adrian's ear.

“The door, Adrian! We've got to get inside. Hurry!”

Adrian slammed his shoulder against the door more forcefully but even though the seam cracked, adding a second stitch, the door held its placement. Tucking herself into the doorframe, Janice began to pound on the wood.

“Muriel! Jasper! Open the door!”

“Save your breath,” Adrian cautioned, stepping back in a hurry. He captured Janice's hand and she realized he was experiencing a new stirring. Looking up, they both studied the cathedral ceiling overhead.

“Which one is it?” Janice asked. “Can you tell?” His guess never materialized as above their heads a purple flash ignited. “Oh, shit!”

“Right,” Adrian drawled quickly.

Jerking Janice forward, he bolted for the stairs, ignoring her pained yelp as he accidentally twisted her wrist. Before she knew it, they were barreling down the staircase like frenzied rabbits fleeing a pack of hungry foxes. Tripping onto the second level stairwell landing, Janice had no idea where they were heading. And at the moment, where didn't matter. They had to find shelter. Lisette's murderer was coming for them. She could tell by the smell and the ruptured hiss trailing down the staircase behind them.

SATURDAY — 4:40 AM

Footsteps clattering down first one flight, then a second, Adrian could only hope that Janice was hot on his heels. He didn't dare take time to look for her over his shoulder. They had to get away as far and as fast as they could from the roaring din swirling about their heads. Myriad garbled sounds, voices, murmurs, and poppings were thrumming like pigeon's feet on a roof and each second that passed, the din grew louder and closer to them.

As if in a foot race, Adrian increased his pace down the stairs, taking the last two steps to the main floor in one jump. When sure of his footing, he twisted around in search of Janice only to find himself slammed back hard as she barreled into his chest, arms flailing. Thinking fast, he managed to lock his knees and capture her waist, miraculously keeping them both from crashing to the floor.

“Which way?” she gasped, clutching his shirt front with knotted fingers.

Adrian spun her around and shoved her toward the arched columns a few yards ahead of them.

“The back staircase,” he muttered between a labored gasp.

She whirled back around, eyes wide as saucers. From the look of alarm permeating her face, Adrian knew she hated the thought of thundering down another set of staircases. Her legs probably felt as bad as his, the leg muscles cramping from the sudden, fevered use. Still, he hardened his heart. They had only one option — to keep moving until they could find a safe hiding place.

Snatching her hand, he bolted down the corridor and shot through the columns only to skid to a halt as disjointed sounds and strangled groans began to mewl and wail in the distance ahead. Out of the sounds, Adrian saw the showering sparkle of purple lights.

“Wily bastard,” he snarled. He gave a quick glance left and right, searching for any feasible bypass they could use to outfox the lights. Finding none, he whirled, hauling Janice back through the columns and into the front hall of the house again.

Reaching the southern staircase, the pair began a rapid climb back the way they had come. Hitting the second level, Adrian veered off sharply, racing down a side corridor and into the back part of the chateau. The yammering mewls were muffled from their hearing and Adrian wished he had the breath to waste on a hearty thank you. But he couldn't. They had to take advantage of their good fortune by continuing to distance themselves from the lower levels.

Once again, Adrian veered off sharply, ducking into yet another side corridor and new staircase. Reaching it, he started up, taking the steps two at a time. For two levels, he felt Janice shadowing him closely and then her foot must have miscalculated a step because he heard her stumble. Stopping dead in his tracks, he whirled, hoping to right her before she crashed into the banister. Miraculously, she regained her footing without his help and flashed past him, on up the staircase to the next level. Adrian overtook her at the top and began to rush them down a corridor back to the front of the house. In tune again, they tore through the second floor corridor, past the solarium into the connecting hallway. Adrian could only hope their erratic dash had confused their tracker. Jesus, forget their tracker. He was confused. He had no earthly idea where they were or where they were headed.

Rounding into the south third floor wing, Adrian felt a stabbing pain in his chest and knew his lungs were caving in. They were stressed to the max and screaming to shut down. Drawing up, he bent over and gave into a spasm of hacking coughs. The coughs elicited a sharp twinge between his shoulder blades and he shot upright again, clutching his chest. Jesus, now the muscles on the right side of his ribcage were screaming for relief. He rubbed the sore spot vigorously, feeling his heartbeat thumping erratically in his chest. Suddenly remembering Janice, he glanced over his shoulder to see how she was faring.

She was sitting on a marble bench off to the left, her hands tugging at the neckline of her sweater. Even disheveled and out of breath, she was a knock-out. Her cheeks were scarlet from the climb and her hair was a tangled web etched around her head. Thanks to their frantic dash, her colorful hair clips had literally gone with the wind. She licked her lips and swallowed hard, and Adrian fought down an urge to cross the space and sweep her into his arms. He thrust the thought away, cursing himself. Why was he thinking of kissing Janice when he should be thinking of escape?

Escape! The word triggered his adrenalin and he came alive. Though they were both exhausted, he knew they couldn't spare another moment to rest. Not now. They had only two flights left to hide in and he didn't like the absolute silence that now surrounded them. Their stalker was up to a new trick. He could feel it along the edges of his mind.

Holding out his hand, Adrian summoned Janice with a wiggle of his fingers. She took one look at his hand and shook her head.

“Leave me. I can't climb another step.”

Right, he was going to leave her. What kind of horse's ass did she think he was? He saw her cradle her head with one trembling hand and wave him away with the other. Adrian strode to the bench.

“Get up, Janice. Get up or you're going to die!” His words washed over her as if never spoken. She remained impassive, choosing to ignore the warning. Didn't she care that they got away from the stalking cloud of lights? Labeling the thought absurd, Adrian bent over, stretched his arm across her shoulder and barked a more serious warning. “Get on your feet, Janice, or that precious daughter of yours will be an orphan by morning!” She bolted from the bench immediately, all signs of exhaustion submerged. She looked to him for directions and he managed a tight smile for her. “Don't count us out yet. We have time on our side. We don't have to transform matter to get where we're going. It does.”

Grabbing her elbow, he steered her forward and they were on their way again, mind and bodies finally moving through the space together. Reaching the fifth floor columned arches, Adrian caught a whiff of a sharp, carbolic odor and drew up. The smell reminded him of sweat and piss, and he drew Janice into the protection of his arm. Ahead, through the arches, a barricade of sparkling lights stretched itself from wall to wall.

“Clever bastard!” He felt Janice's shiver of unease and encouraged softly. “Relax. We'll outsmart it.”

“I don't see how,” she stuttered. Her fingers inched up his shirt and Adrian stilled them.

“I thought you wanted to face the ghosts one on one,” he stated. “Well, here we are.”

“I never thought we'd actually have to do it.”

“Now, you tell me,” Adrian quipped. He pushed Janice from his arms. “Let's see how badly it wants to stop us. When I say go, pretend to head back to the stairs. The cloud should follow. That will open up the corridor ahead of us. The chapel's beyond. Make for it.”

Spinning on her toes, Janice swung out of his arms. Immediately, the barricade of light dissipated as Adrian hoped it would. It wanted Janice, wanted her badly. Following his instructions, Janice whirled on her toes and shot past him. The corridor had been left open but Adrian didn't discount the cloud's intelligence. It would see their ruse and be back with a vengeance. Swiveling around, he dashed after Janice. In seconds, he was tailing her closely and protecting her back.

The last fifty yards to the chapel door were the longest thirty seconds of his life. At every step, Adrian expected to be showered with sparkling lights and knocked unconscious. Or worse, killed outright. When he reached the chapel doors unharmed, he thrust out his arms, slammed the door open and barreled inside. Janice sailed in on his heels, and as one, they spun and slammed the doors closed with a heavy swipe. The resounding clang echoed unbelievably loud in the silence of the sanctuary, causing Adrian to grind his bottom teeth into his lower lip. Next to him, Janice gave an involuntary shudder and collapsed against the door.

Following suit, Adrian leaned his forehead on the wooden frame, grateful for their good luck. Behind him, he could hear Janice's sudden wracking coughs. They were winded but they were alive. At least for the moment. Hoisting himself around, he found Janice staring at him between coughs.

“Why the chapel?” she stammered.

Adrian flushed, wondering if he dared tell her the truth. Why not? He couldn't appear any more foolish to her than he already did.

“Let's just say, I foolishly believe that the devil won't set foot in God's house.”

To his amazement, she seemed impressed with that answer and nodded at him with complete understanding. She followed the nod with a flashing smile.

“If there's a joke in all this, I sure would like to hear it,” he said.

He hands arced up and swept toward the pew, altar and crucifix.

“God's house … marriage … vows … Lisette … the baron … you … me.” She began to laugh then and her laughter held a sharp edge. Adrian caught the irony immediately. They had exchanged one danger for another just as likely to take their lives. He didn't find the irony amusing in any way. Her laughter changed abruptly into an unexpected sob and Adrian darted across the space and gathered her close to him. He shook her shoulders in a firm warning.

“Don't fall apart on me now, Janice. I need you. It's going to take both our minds to outwit the ghosts.”

She sobered at his warning and pushed herself from his arms. Her fingernails tapped his chest.

“I'm not going to crack. At least I think I'm not. I hope I'm not.” She wiped her eyes with the back of her hands and there was a trace of laughter in her voice once more as she teased. “I hope you're taking notes on the spirit's performance. The illusion is simply spectacular. You could probably use parts of it in your act.”

“Bite your tongue.”

“No, I mean it. That barricade of light was simply smashing. Think of it under stage lights. The effect would be mesmerizing.”

“Thanks for the advice but my act already has a finale with laser lights.”

“Erotic and sexy, I'll bet,” Janice added lightly.

“And all of it done with the use of satin sheets,” Adrian remarked. He let his glance become lazily seductive as it traveled up and down her long-legged, slender form. His scorching gaze brought a fresh flush of color to her cheeks and he saw her shiver at the husky tone of his voice. Had that been a trembling thrill he noticed? Was she hungry for his touch and unaware of it? He stilled an impulse to reach out and gather her in his arms again, this time to do more than calm her fraying nerves.

Turning his gaze to the avant-garde crucifix over the altar, he wondered if he found Janice so desirable because she was so unattainable. No. His need for her ran deeper than that.

It was more compelling than sexual fulfillment. It crossed more barriers than just the flesh. And because it did, it stabbed his heart to know that when this hell was over she would leave him. Carefully, he blocked his mind from the cutting edge of loneliness that thought brought and tried to concentrate on the Stations of the Cross along the chapel wall.

Janice's laugh was like a whinny when it came, her smile singularly sweet.

“Muriel is right. Your jaded wit can be highly entertaining.” She left him then, sliding into the back pew closest to the door. Quickly, her fingers shot to her hair, attempting to restore the curls to some semblance of sanity. Working out the kinks, she shot Adrian a serious glance.

“What do we do now?”

He moved to the pew opposite her, dropping down with a groan. He offered her a wry smile and a shrug.

“We wait.”

SATURDAY — 4:50 AM

Stroking his chin, Jasper carefully regarded the gold doorknob. Why he thought that the door would budge under his forceful prodding this time when it had refused to budge the last five times was a mystery to him. The door was firmly sealed from the outside and they were very cleverly trapped on the inside. No use lamenting, no use pushing or prodding it. The ghosts had tired of waiting on them. They now had every intention of ending the cat and mouse game currently underway. Janice's prediction showed every sign of coming true. They would be shut down one by one in the next few minutes.