Spirit [New Crescent 2] (BookStrand Publishing Romance) (18 page)

She rushed out of the room and into the garden. He followed her. It was dark and the air was chilled, but this kind of cold Reggie could handle. This was the perfectly normal kind. It felt wonderful, in fact. Standing by the little iron gate, she concentrated on Constance.

“Don’t let your victory go to your head,” the obstinate ghost said in a singsong little voice.

“We won’t,” Reggie said sharply.

“He won’t be able to keep you out of the library again,” she said.

Looking around and not seeing anything, Chase spoke to the air. “Is he weaker?”

“No.”

“Why did we succeed then?” Reggie could see Constance perfectly and looked at her intently, trying to gage her reactions.

“He wants you in the library. He’s very confident that you’ll make a mistake and he can take from you. That would give him a significant edge.”

Chase said, “Well, there’s where he’s wrong. He’s not taking anything from us except a one way ticket out of here.”

Constance laughed at his fierce tone and said, “You please me, kinsman. Work together, children. Work together…” She faded away.

Reggie sighed with frustration. “I’m getting pretty sick of how she takes off just when we start to get something from her.”

“Me too,” Chase said.

Reggie cocked her head. “Chase, do you have plans for dinner? That pie just wasn’t enough. I’m thinking, Italian.”

* * * *

Sitting in a private booth at Luigi’s, the best restaurant in one hundred miles, Reggie took a long sip of her iced tea. Casting a covetous eye at Chase’s wine, she regretted promising Gillian that she’d abstain.

Correctly interpreting her gaze, Chase asked, “Do you want some?”

“No thanks. Gillian told me that I should cut out alcohol for the duration. Seems she thinks it’s not a good idea for me to dull my senses.”

He narrowed his eyes. “She didn’t say anything about me, did she?”

Laughing, she shook her head, “No. I think you’re safe, so go ahead aim for the Betty Ford clinic. I’m designated driver for the time being.”

He looked at her askance. “Uh, I don’t think so, Crash, but thanks for the offer.”

The waiter arrived with their dinners. Reggie looked up at the smiling young man and said, “You know, Dino, I’m just not appreciated around here.”

“I appreciate you. I have always appreciated you.” He smiled and bowed.

“Yeah, of course you do. I have a fondness for food, and I tip extravagantly.”

“And I appreciate it.” He laughed and walked away.

Their meals were delicious. Eyeing Reggie’s seafood pasta, Chase casually stabbed a shrimp and popped it in his mouth. Grabbing the piece of bread she’d buttered, he pointed his fork at her and said, “Very good choice.”

“That shrimp is going to cost you, Poindexter. Give me my bread back.” She swiped it out of his hand and said, “Butter your own.” As she took a bite, he stole a piece of crab meat from her plate. He smiled triumphantly.

Reggie couldn’t help but laugh at his delight. It was such a small victory. “Just you wait till dessert. That’s my best event.”

By silent consent, they kept their conversation light. They could talk on any subject. Reggie always had an opinion and was generous with it. Chase was not nearly so talkative, but when it came to facing off with Reggie, he held his own handsomely.

Stirring his coffee, Chase finally broached the subject. “You were brilliant today in the library, Reg. That last jolt you sent out was almost visible. If I didn’t know better, I would swear you threw out little lightning bolts from your fingers.”

“That’s exactly what I was going for,” she admitted. “I called on some power inside myself and threw it out like I was Storm from the X-Men.”

“Well, it worked. Have you ever done anything like that before?”

She shook her head. “Never. It’s a bit scary to think I have that in me, but I guess we’ll need it to take on Vincent.”

“Yeah. I did some more research today. It’s not good. It seems he had a thing for young Asian women.”

“Go on.” She braced herself.

“Well, he always had an Asian servant girl. They kept disappearing, and he’d find another to take her place. It would have been easy for a slave trader. I could find no record of what happened to them. They vanished.” He looked sad. “Now, it is possible that they went on to work for someone else. No one kept good records of servants and exactly who was who. They weren’t considered important enough.”

“They didn’t go anywhere else. He killed them.” She gritted her teeth. “That bastard killed them. Who knows what hell he’d put them through when they’d been in his service. Maybe death was kinder.”

“I imagine it can be sometimes.”

“Constance has to know something.”

He shook his head. “I don’t know. It seems he stayed clean once he came to America, or at least he didn’t cause any concern in that direction. He probably just learned to hide it better.”

“I can’t imagine Constance turning a blind eye to this kind of depravity no matter how infatuated she’d been.” She shook her head. “No, I’m willing to bet that she knew nothing about this. She was a Guardian. She couldn’t have ignored that kind of evil.”

“I want to agree, but she’s my ancestor, so I might be a little biased. We still need to talk to her about it though.”

“I agree. But not tonight. I’m tired. That little session in the library took a lot out of me.” Reggie rubbed a hand across her forehead.

“I’ll get the bill, and I’ll tip with outrageous abandon. How’s that?”

She laughed. “You’re so cute when you’re spending money.”

Chase was quiet on the drive back to Bennett House. Reggie didn’t mind. She enjoyed the silence. But she grew concerned when they walked into the house, and he still stayed mute. Chase wasn’t one to waste words, but this was odd even for him, given what they’d been through together.

Concerned that she’d done something wrong, she started to ask him. She didn’t get a word out because he said, “It’s been a long day. We’re both tired. Good night, Reggie.” He turned and walked into the living room. Pita waited a second, looked at her with disdain, and followed him.

Reggie ascended the grand staircase trying to puzzle out why Chase had behaved so coldly. Did he regret last night? She sure didn’t. He’d seemed pretty pleased with the situation when they’d breakfasted. In fact, he’d seemed fine throughout dinner. Their record for clear communication was not good. Damn him. She’d been looking forward to spending the night in his arms and letting nature take its course.

Getting ready for bed, Reggie reviewed their dinner conversation. Nothing in it would have driven him away, not that she could see. Slipping between the sheets of the enormous bed, Reggie turned and looked at the empty space beside her and felt lonely for the first time in her life. Tomorrow. She’d give him the night to get over his mysterious sulk, but come morning, she’d confront him and demand an explanation.

* * * *

Downstairs on the couch, Chase stared up at the ceiling. He’d abandoned the hope of sleep. It was no use. She’d hit a soft spot when she’d made that comment about him spending money. He knew she’d been joking, but in that one sentence, she’d pierced his balloon. He knew what it was like to sweat for every penny. She did not. In a way, Reggie took money for granted. She never spoke about it because it was never a concern for her. Her family’s fortune was intact, and so was their reputation. Chase still struggled with the taint his stepfather had left on his family name. Robert Adams had owed everyone in town. He’d stolen from some and conned others. He had used his wife’s good name to gain the trust of the people of New Crescent and had left Chase to make it right. He’d felt he owed it to his ancestors. Over the years they’d amassed a fortune and he’d let it slip through his fingers, taking it for granted.

Working like a madman, Chase had made amends with every single one of Adams’s victims, but it had taken time. During that time, his self-confidence had taken a severe blow. It was hard to get it back no matter how hard he worked or how much money he made.

Last night with Reggie had been like a dream. It had felt so right. They’d fit together perfectly, like interlocking pieces created solely for one another. Now lying in the dark, he felt a deep despair. Would he ever make it right with her? He sighed. Pita meowed and slapped at him like he’d stepped on his tail.

Surprised, Chase sat up and looked about the dark living room. Pita crouched nearby, hissing at something he could not see. The room felt colder than it should. He sniffed. It was extremely faint, but Chase had a keen sense of smell, and he recognized the odor. Somehow, that thing in the library had slithered out in the darkness and was playing with his tormented thoughts. It would have been so easy. He’d felt drained to begin with. All that thing had to do was help him along. A strategic nudge in the right direction, and Chase could have slipped into a full fledged pit of despair.

He shook his head to clear it of Vincent’s insidious manipulations. He laughed. “Nice try. But now I know your tricks. I won’t be fooled again.”

He stood and walked to the staircase with speed. He took the stairs two at time, hurrying to get to Reggie. Nonchalantly, Pita curled up on the warm spot he’d left behind on the couch.

* * * *

The soft sound of knocking surprised Reggie, but since she knew it could be no one but Chase, she welcomed it with anticipation. She didn’t have to tell him to come in because he was already there. He moved to the bed with a grace Reggie envied. God, she loved to watch him move. He didn’t say a word, and neither did she. He sat on the edge of the bed and leaned his head down. Apology, passion, and reverence were in his kiss. Luckily he’d never been one much for night clothes. He dispatched his pajama bottoms in one smooth motion.

It thrilled her to see that he was hard and ready. He didn’t waste time, and for that, she was grateful. He paused only long enough to make sure she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He entered her in one sure thrust. She cried out with pleasure. He took the last of her cry with his kiss then groaned a reply. Their lovemaking this time was fast and hard and thoroughly thrilling. His voice joined hers when they found release. It had never been so easy.

When Chase rolled off of her, she immediately missed his weight. He pulled her close to him and sighed when she wrapped a long leg over his hip. They held each other for a long time simply enjoying the sensation of moist skin against skin.

Reggie looked up at him with a question in her eyes. When she started to speak, he put a finger to her lips, then replaced the finger with his mouth. He started all over again. This time, he stopped to enjoy the view along the way. Reggie felt like she was being worshipped and longed to return the favor, but he wouldn’t let her. He needed her too much. She laughed out loud this time when she felt that wonderful pressure then release. He looked at her, puzzled for a split second, and then joined her.

He looked up at the ceiling and addressed no one in particular. “She laughs. I think I’m insulted.”

She looked up at the same spot on the ceiling and said, “Who are we taking to?”

She started to laugh again, and Chase pounced. Straddling her, he trapped both her hands in one of his. “So you think this is funny huh? Well, I’ll show you funny.”

Damned if he didn’t start tickling her. She fought back. The room was filled with their shared laughter.

Exhausted, she finally dropped down beside him on the bed. He slid her closer to him and spooned behind her.

“I’m sorry about earlier tonight.” He was out of breath.

She was gentle. “Care to explain it?”

“Do I have to?” Over her shoulder, he looked down at her like a seven year old trying to get out of going to the dentist.

She surprised both of them by saying, “Not tonight.”

He sighed. “Thanks. I think I had some help with my black mood.”

She turned in his arms and looked up at him in inquiry. She rested a hand and her chin on his chest and said, “Now, this time, I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to explain.”

“I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t stop my mind from racing. I started to feel an overwhelming sadness. I know what you meant when you described it as getting the hope sucked out of you. At first I let it get to me and I did some weapons-grade brooding. Thankfully, Pita chose that moment to smack me across the face. I snapped out of it. Vincent had paid me a visit. The entire room was unnaturally cold, and I recognized the foul stench.”

“Oh my God, he is getting stronger. If he can move freely about the house, I’m afraid it might be too late to stop him.”

Chase shook his head. “I don’t think so.” She looked confused, and he explained. “You see, I learned something from my late-night visitor. I was able to shake him off pretty easily once I realized what was happening. He’d like us to think he’s all powerful. I think he took advantage of my distance from you and gambled that I’d be too wrapped up in myself to notice his role in it all.” Chase kissed the top of her head. “I was actually able to laugh at him. He retreated immediately, as if he’d been burned. Venturing out of the library, away from his energy supply, weakened him, and he had to slither back to his hole.”