The Serpent in the Stone (The Gifted Series) (18 page)

Worse, that the man now kissing her and doing such mind-exploding things to her—and she
still
wanted it—had heard the gossip.

Ian stood, too. “Don’t even think about him. He doesn’t have a right to be in there,” he said, touching her temple.

The gesture was so close to a caress that she arched backward in surprise.
“
What do you know about him?
”

“
I know he was a punk, and he ought to have been castrated.
He and his little cronies had a bet going on girls.
One of them did the same thing to a friend of mine.
”
He touched a finger to the scar over his eyebrow.
“
That
’
s how I got this.
And as for your...
”
He sighed.
“
As for what you are, he never found out, did he?
”

She shook her head, studying him.
“
I could have used a friend like you.
”

As soon as the words were out, she pulled away.
She picked up the wildlife book from the floor.
“
Can I borrow this?
”

“
Sure.
”

She moved toward the door.

Ian bent and scooped her sweatshirt off the floor.
“
Sara…why don
’
t you stick around for dinner?
”

She smiled.
“
Okay.
”

****

Ian enjoyed Sara
’
s company, which wasn
’
t very surprising in itself.
The surprise was how
much
he enjoyed it.
They had talked about their jobs with companionable enthusiasm, and now the sun dipped lower and lower in the sky.
“
Pass the coffee, would you?
”
he asked as they finished dinner.

She handed over the pot, and he poured himself a fresh cup. He sniffed it and took a sip, rolled it critically around his tongue, then swallowed.

She wrinkled her nose at him.
“
Why do you do that?
You did the same thing at the pub.
It
’
s just coffee, and you look like you
’
re at a wine tasting.
”

He gave a lopsided smile.
“
Old habits die hard.
My mom owns Waverly
’
s Deli back home.
When she opened the shop five years ago, she was looking for the perfect blend of coffee.
I got to be the test subject.
”

“
Well, I
’
ve tasted the end result, and I think she hit the nail on the head.
I go there on my way to work.
What
’
s her secret?
”

“
I could tell you, but then I
’
d have to kill you.
”

She shot him a playful scowl, and he chuckled.
When she flung a cloth napkin at his head, he caught it and threw it back at her.

Joking with her.
Who knew?

She
’
d be returning to her camp soon.
He found himself looking for ways to stall her.
Even though he knew what she was, now.
Even though he
’
d spent twenty years believing that anyone with such abilities ought to go straight to hell.

But damn it, she made him laugh—especially when he said something that caught her off guard, and she gave him that cute smirk.
Not to mention the way his body reacted when the wind shifted, and her hair lashed around her shoulders.
Why, oh, why had he given her that sweatshirt back?
He liked the bathing suit a lot better, even though it was getting cold out and he knew if that was all she had on, her nip—

Hot coffee sloshed out of his cup and onto his hand.
“
Son of a...
”

“
What
’
s wrong?
”

“
Nothing.
Just me being—damn it—never mind.
”
He lowered the coffee cup to the ground, and sucked on a burned knuckle.
His gaze zeroed in on her lips, and he pictured them closing over his fingertips one at a time...

He shut his eyes.

More Latin.

“
Cinnamon drop?
”
she said.

He risked a look.
She dug into her pocket for a fistful of something and reached toward him, opening her palm.

Candy.
He remembered the maddening, spicy taste of her the first time he
’
d kissed her.
You
’
re really pushing my good behavior, God.
He took a piece and shucked it out of its wrapper into his mouth.
“
Thanks.
”

She did the same with another piece.
“
I should go.
Do you need help with the dishes?
”

“
No, I
’
ve got them,
”
he said, getting up.
He offered his hand.

She took it and he pulled her onto her feet.
She smiled.

A tiny, sharp pain lanced through him.

He couldn
’
t hate her.

He couldn
’
t even dislike her.

They said their goodbyes, and she walked away down the island.

A slice of sun remained visible on the ocean
’
s horizon, staining the sky with its red-orange glow.

Leaving the dishes, he strolled toward the cliff edge to watch it finish setting.

Just before the last glimmer faded, he spread his arms and let the wind rush through his fingers.

Chapter Seven

Faith sprang awake and sat bolt upright in her cot.
A pair of books slid off her chest and plopped on the floor of the tent.
She shook her head, trying to clear the fog and decipher what had disturbed her.

The air fizzed with a prickling charge that danced along her skin.
Fine hairs along her arms stood on end.

A ghost.
She felt it clear as day, urgent, almost frantic.
She threw aside the covers and stood up.
“
You,
”
she whispered, realizing it was the same ghost who
’
d been trying to contact her since her arrival at Hvitmar.
“
What is it?
Show me.
”

Barefoot, she followed the current toward the tent door.
The moment she stepped outside, it felt as if someone had jammed an ice pick into her gut.
She gasped and doubled over in agony.

The island was breathing.

Faith sank to her knees with a moan, holding her belly, fighting against the currents of energy in the air.
The ghost hovered near, now on one side, then on the other.
She sensed it moving, but couldn
’
t concentrate.

An icy chill settled on her shoulder.
She gasped again and jerked away from the contact, her skin crawling.
She
’
d communicated with dozens of ghosts in her thirty years, but never had one touched her.
Her shoulder stung with the sensation of frostbite.
She sucked in a breath and struggled to her feet.

Vibrating with impatience, the spirit drove her to the dig site.
She approached the markers at the edge of the ruin, terrified to go on, but dreading the ghost
’
s touch.
The very air trembled around her.
She stopped, heaving for breath.
“
I don
’
t want to do this.
”

The spirit impelled her forward.
The air heated behind her with its urgency.
Shrinking away from it, Faith stepped toward the first marker.

Buzzing roared in her ears.
A lighting bolt of pain ripped through her body.
Her breath whooshed out and she crumpled to the ground.
Disjointed voices screamed around her. Nausea twisted in her gut.

The ghost touched her shoulder again.
Its chill anchored her senses.
For a moment, the touch became a single point of stillness in the maelstrom around her.
It wants...help.

The other voices screeched again, and the storm of energy swallowed her connection with the ghost.
Faith cried out, but could not move.
The world spun and went black.

****

A shout tore Sara from her sleep.

Faith.

Sara sprang out of bed and bolted from her tent, ready to annihilate someone with telekinesis.
Seeing her sister sprawled on the ground, she rushed forward.
“
Faith!
”

“
Sara, no!
”

She had a split second to register Ian
’
s shout before he tackled her.
His arm snaked around her midsection, and he hauled her back from the dig.

“
What are you doing?
Let go!
”
she shrieked, thrashing in his grip.
She tried to shapeshift, but he threw his other arm around her and crushed her against him.
She wheezed, distracted, unable to force the change.

Ian
’
s heartbeat pounded against her back, and his breath churned in her ear.
He reached up to her throat, clawing at the neckline of her tank top.
She squirmed, but couldn
’
t break his hold.
Grasping the leather lace of her amulet, he jerked, and it broke loose.
He released her and staggered back.

Freed, Sara charged toward her sister, then dropped to the ground beside her.
“
Faith.
Faith!
”

Dustin and Thomas skidded to a halt before her tent.
Dustin drew a rifle on Ian.
“
Get back!
”

Ian stood his ground, clutching his ribs and panting.
The amulet swung from his fingers.
He eyed the rifle, then looked back toward Sara, his posture rigid.

Dustin cocked the rifle, then trained it again on Ian
’
s figure.
“
God damn it, I
’
ll shoot!
”

Sara turned back to Faith, shaking her shoulder with no effect.
Near panic, she tried again with the same result.
“
Faith.
Come on, please, wake up!
”

Thomas moved toward her.
“
Sara.
”

She spun to her feet and lunged without thinking, reactive, just able to stop her power from surfacing.
Thomas caught her.
“
Get off me!
”
She struggled, but he grabbed her and held on until she gave up fighting him.
Ian
’
s expression remained unreadable in the near-darkness.
Sara wrestled away from Thomas to crouch beside Faith
’
s body again, stricken.

Clearly calmer than any of them, Thomas bent over Faith, checking her for wounds.
He glanced back over his shoulder.
“
Dustin, put the gun down.
”

“
The hell I will!
What did you do to Faith, you son of a bitch?
”

Sara divided a desperate look among Faith
’
s body, Dustin, and Ian.
There was no time, no time for this!

Still catching his breath, Ian crossed his arms and hid the amulet in the crook of his elbow.
“
I didn
’
t touch her.
”

Thomas gathered Faith into his arms and stood up.
“
Dustin, I said put the gun down.
”

Dustin watched Ian as if daring him to move, then lowered the rifle.

Thomas carried Faith to Sara
’
s tent.
Sara hurried after him, shaking, then burst into the tent right on his heels.
Her patience snapped.
“
Put her on my cot and get out.
”