Shadow Play: (9 page)
Authors: Erin Kellison
But it was Ms. Parson, lunging toward the waterfall. She babbled through her tears, arms outstretched.
A boy streaked into her embrace with force enough to knock the woman over.
And on the ground, Ellie’s back arched into a bow. Her eyes were wide open, mouth gaping as she drew in a huge gulp of air.
The gush of water evaporated into nothing, and her shadow stood in the murky wake, naked, glorious, her dark gaze on Cam.
CHAPTER 6
“The blood trail led to the flood waters, but we couldn’t track beyond that,” Cam said to Thorne on the phone. “It was my fault for letting him out of my sight before he was properly restrained.”
Col. Langer had expressed his displeasure eloquently and at length.
“You mean you lost sight of one of the Shadow-born in the midst of an unprecedented paranormal event? I’ll dock your pay.”
Cam laughed. Felt good. And everyone knew he wouldn’t let it happen again. “Just so long as our assignments are restricted to this world only. We had it all wrong. Ellie’s shadow
can
cross into Twilight, but it’s not worth it.”
“Agreed,” Thorne answered. “I wish I could send you to New York for a little R&R, but you need to come back to Segue so we can take some scans of your eyes. Do some tests.”
Ha. “You mean I’m going to become the rat, when I used to wear the white coat.”
“That’s exactly right,” Thorne said. “But for a little while only. I need to know the scope of your vision. And in the meantime you can get up to speed on the Order and magekind. We’ve got a situation with the wraiths, too—you’re going to have a lot of fun.”
His promotion. “And Ellie?”
“I’d like for her to mix with the staff here as well. I want to shake up those who will be bothered by her shadow, so we know who they are, and give her the opportunity to make connections as well. Maybe a few friends. She can’t always depend on you.”
More people. But, yes, it was time.
And Segue was a good place to start.
“They were the ugliest, most rabid dogs I’ve ever seen,” Ellie said.
Angie Parson had a hand over her mouth. She shook her head back and forth, disbelieving.
“No exaggeration.” Ellie grinned. “One of the beasts was poised to rip me to shreds when JT comes striding out and says, ‘Sit,’ like he’s the king of the pack.”
They leaned together on the wall just outside JT’s door. He was sleeping now, having been checked over thoroughly and fed.
Ellie had been checked over thoroughly as well. And then kissed by Cam, whose intense, black eyes were growing on her.
Sexxx!
Later,
she told herself.
“But he’s scared of dogs,” Angie said. “Since he was two and our neighbors had this really loud, jumpy Doberman.”
“Yeah, he’s not so scared now.” Ellie laughed. “I, on the other hand …”
Angie put a hand to her throat. “I just … I’m so grateful …. My boys are everything to me.”
“I’m glad I could help,” Ellie said, shrugging. “Makes my situation easier. Worth it.”
And suddenly she was enveloped in a tight hug. When Angie pulled back, Ellie was trying not to cry. No one but Cam chose to touch her.
“Um …” Ellie said to get control of herself again. “So they’ve told you he might have side effects. Have a hard time being himself for a while.”
Angie nodded. “I’ve got Dr. Kalamos’s card, and I’ve had a call from a Mr. Thorne of your Segue Institute. He said he has boys himself who are a little unusual.”
“Then everything will be fine,” Ellie said, and strangely, she believed it.
Cam dropped himself beside Ellie on the cot. He yawned widely in an old-school smooth move to get his arm around her shoulders and bring her closer. “We have been ordered directly to Segue. I’m to be studied, dissected, and tested, and I’ve decided I’m going to like it.”
Ellie snuggled in. “It’s about time it was someone else’s turn.”
She’d given up her anger during the thrill of success, but he knew things weren’t all right between them. A full reconciliation would take a little doing, but he was determined to make it happen. And he’d enjoy that, too.
“We’ve a detour to take, however, so that, among other things, I may be examined by a much higher and more exhaustive authority.”
“Uh-oh. Who? The Order?” He knew Ellie didn’t like the angelic Order at all.
“Alas, I think the Order would be gentler,” Cam said. “I’m referring to my mother.”
Ellie went still. He doubted she was breathing.
“The good news,” he continued, “is that her scrutiny will be divided. She won’t know whether to skewer her firstborn or the only woman he’s ever brought home to meet her.”
A haze of darkness trembled around Ellie, probably her panic challenging her control of her shadow. Understandable.
“We’ve got to talk about that night, sweetheart,” Cam said. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
He’d wanted Ellie to come to the same conclusion that her shadow had. He’d wanted the Big Admission to come from all of her. What he hadn’t figured was that he could say it first and wait for her to come around in her own good time. Which would most likely be years after she met his mom.
A lash of dark movement, and Ellie’s shadow, fully opaque, straddled his lap. Her perfect breasts were in his face, hips rocking back to torment him. He was glad he had a broken rib to keep his mind clear. This was not going to help his cause. “No—”
Ellie herself shifted, he thought to move away, but she settled herself into her shadow, enveloped her dark self so that only she was before him on his lap. She tipped his chin up to meet her gaze. A flush worked its way up her neck to flood her cheeks with color and add shine to her blue eyes. She wanted him. It was a good place to start.
“There’s something I wanted to tell you, too,” she said.
ZEBRA BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2012 by Clarissa Ellison
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
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ISBN: 978-1-4201-2800-0
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