Vision in Trust (Legends of the North #2) (3 page)

"Wow, the oak tree looks like it's doubled in size," Emma remarked, drawing his attention back to them.

"It's just because it's starting to grow its leaves again," Jess said. And then stopped abruptly before she walked into the back of Emma. "What have you stopped for?"
 

But Emma just stared at the tree, then slowly lifted her arm and pointed to it. "Has that always been there?"

Jess turned to look at what Emma was pointing at. "What, the tree?" she asked.

Emma shook her head. "No, that face. The carving."

Jess let out a little laugh, her shoulders lifting with the sound. Dimples formed beneath her cheeks, next to her mouth. Rob tried to remember the last time he'd seen or heard Jess laugh and realised she didn't do it anywhere near as much as she should.

***

"That thing? It's been carved into the tree for as long as I can remember. Something to do with a local legend, I think. James could tell you, would have ..." Jess didn't know what to say. James had always found stories like that fascinating. Loved scaring her with them, even Matt sometimes. Jess glanced in his direction, and he gave her a sad smile. She wondered if he remembered those times too.
 

Emma was still staring at it, and Jess looked at it properly for the first time since she was a teenager. It was monstrous. Sunken eyes stared down at them beneath jutting eyebrows. Its cheekbones were hollow and led to a gaping black hole of a mouth. It was an odd thing to carve into a tree.

"I saw it," Emma said.

All three of them turned to look at her, not understanding what she meant.

"We can all see it, Emma," Jess replied.

"No." Emma shook her head, finally turning her face away from the carved face. "My first day, the day I moved back. I sat at the lights, in my car. I turned to look at the river, but instead ... instead, I saw that. Saw the tree, the face coming out of the wood."

Matt put his arm around her waist when he saw how upset she was becoming. Jess was about to say something comforting when Matt spoke quietly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't even know you then, Matt," Emma said, lifting her hand to his cheek. "And then, when I did, there were other visions that seemed more important, about your family."

Matt nodded and wrapped his other arm around her waist.

"Maybe you should research that legend, Matt. It might be important," Rob offered.

Matt nodded again, glancing up at the carved face, then pulled Emma away from it towards the vault.

Jess led the way, eager to get this over with. The heavy vault door came into her sight, and she squinted at it. She stopped abruptly as she realised the door was ajar. Her gaze dropped to the floor when she saw something glinting, saw the padlock on the floor, and she gasped.
 

Rob was by her side and, at the sound of her gasp, followed her gaze. When he realised what it was, he moved so he angled himself in front of her, and for once, she was glad of his strength; his broad back blocked out most of her view of the door. She heard Matt and Emma stop behind her, but neither of them said a word. Maybe whoever had opened the door was still in there.
 

Usually, she avoided physical contact, but she acted without thought—she reached out for Rob's back, placing her palm flat on it. His muscles rippled beneath her hand as he stretched out an arm behind him, his hand brushing against her hip.
 

Matt moved in front of her, switching the torch on, and he and Rob made their way towards the door. Jess jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, but it was only Emma. Jess leaned into her, clutching her free hand.

They waited for what felt like an eternity before they heard Matt shout to them. Slowly, they headed towards the vault, and Matt and Rob were walking in their direction.

"What?" Jess asked, a hundred scenarios running through her head. All unpleasant, all involving James.

"He's gone," Matt said.

"What?" Jess asked again, sure that she must have misheard.

"He's not here. He's gone," Matt repeated, spreading his hands out in front of him.

"But how? He's dead. He can't just disappear," Jess said, looking between Matt and Rob. She grabbed the torch from Matt, aiming its beam towards the plinth as memories of her vision flashed through her mind. But, of course, they were right.
 

James was gone.

Jess stood under the spray of the shower, letting it pelt her shoulders, the heat helping to ease the tension there. Emma had said there was nothing they could do about James, but it didn't stop Jess wanting to. But she knew Emma was right when she had said they didn't even know where to start looking for him. Knew they couldn't involve the police.

She ran that imaginary conversation through her mind and shook her head.
Yes, officer, we reported our brother missing last year but then we found him. He'd been locked in the family vault, was attacked—killed, actually. No, we didn't report that, but now we want to report him missing. Again.
Yeah, she couldn't see that going down too well.
 

She wrapped a towel around her as she stepped out of the shower. Her reflection moved with her across the dark window, and she knew that everything would have to wait until morning, at the earliest.
 

She pulled on her ratty old flannel pyjamas, just in case Rob was still there. He'd said he wasn't leaving, but she had been upstairs a long time. When she ventured downstairs she found him sprawled on the sofa with his eyes closed and took the opportunity to just look at him. His dark hair was sticking up, as though he had run his fingers through it, pulled at it. His forehead had slight lines across it. Clearly, he wasn't as relaxed as he looked. His mouth was pulled to one side like he was trying not to smile at something, and it gave him a dimple. His chin had started to darken with stubble, and the thought of running her hand across it flitted through her mind. Licking it. She gasped at that idea, taking a step back from him. His eyes flew open when he heard her, and he turned to look at her over the back of the sofa.

"You okay?"

She nodded and took a step towards the kitchen. "I just ... I didn't think you'd still be here."

"I told you I was staying."

"I know you did, but it's late. Don't you have to be somewhere?"

He followed her into the kitchen. "When I said I was staying, I meant the night, Jess."

She spun in surprise to look at him as he filled the kitchen doorway, arms resting on either side of the frame. "I told Matt I'd stay here, to make sure you were okay ... and that you didn't do anything stupid, like trying to find James on your own."

A smile tugged at her lips because the idea had crossed her mind. Her lips twisted at the thought of Rob and Matt planning behind her back about her. She wasn't sure she liked the idea of being there with Rob, alone. But then again, she wasn't sure she liked the idea of being there on her own either.
 

She poured herself a brandy and waved the bottle at Rob. He shook his head in answer, stuffing his hands in his jeans pockets, and her gaze followed the movement. She turned her back on him, replacing the bottle, and said, "Some of Matt's clothes are in Emma's bedroom. I'm sure he'll have something you could sleep in."

"Thanks. I'll take a look."

She curled a piece of hair around her finger and bit her lip. What else was there to say? Except how weird this was. Awkward even. When she couldn't bear the silence any longer, she said, "Okay, well, I'm going to turn in for the night. I'll see you in the morning?"

Rob nodded. "You will. Goodnight, Jess."

As she walked past him, she felt his gaze on her, felt him studying her. Leaving the kitchen, her shoulders finally dropped as she exhaled the breath she'd been holding and slowly climbed the stairs.

***

Jess screamed as she ran down the corridor, her hair flying out behind her. She could hear his feet hitting the wooden floorboards, and lengthened her stride. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw him reach out towards her. She laughed when he was still too far away to reach her.

"Laugh now, because you won't be soon."

"Ahh, promises, promises, James. You always were too slow to catch me," Jess said over her shoulder. She looked ahead of her, just in time to slide around the corner heading for her old bedroom. That was one of the benefits of Alt Hall—all that space to get lost in.
 

She looked over her shoulder once again, and as she saw him round the corner after her, she almost fell. Her heart leaped as she tried to run faster.
How the hell did Miles get in here? And where the hell is James when I need him?
From the sneer on Miles's face, she could tell he was enjoying this, and her stomach heaved in response, memories of him flooding her mind.
 

She slammed against the door, clutching at the handle, but it just twisted uselessly in her hand. She turned to see Miles stalking towards her, taking his time, enjoying the panic that was probably written across her face.

A low growl echoed around the corridor. She froze, her nails digging into the wood. There, behind Miles, mouth open to reveal shiny white teeth with its snarl, was a ... a dog? A wolf? Its jaws snapped and its amber—almost yellow—eyes narrowed. Its silver fur stood up from its skin, and its tail swished behind it.
Miles turned to face the wolf. The thought that she should run, escape while she could, crossed her mind, but her legs remained locked in place. She screamed as the wolf lifted its head. A spear suddenly appeared between its jaws, and she cried out as it pierced Miles's chest, a scream tearing from him too. 

The wolf disappeared in front of her eyes, and she dropped her gaze to where Miles lay on the floor, writhing in pain. Except it wasn't him at her feet, with a spear lodged in his chest. It was Rob. His face was contorted in pain, and she dropped to her knees. "Rob!" she shouted, reaching towards his chest. "Rob, Rob, Rob." She'd started to just chant his name, as though that would help.

"It's okay. I'm here. Everything's okay."

Jess's eyes snapped open as Rob took her outstretched hand in his.

"You were ..."

"I was what?" Rob asked, stroking her hair back from her forehead.

"Oh, God." She placed her free hand on his chest. Was he hurt?

"Jess?" His hand closed over hers.

Glancing at their joined hands, she gasped and scooted back from him until she had her back against the headboard. She saw his eyebrows lower, the lines appearing across his forehead and the quick flash of hurt in his eyes. She clasped her hands around her knees, trying to stop them from shaking. The movement caught Rob's gaze, and he looked at her hands before slowly raising his own. His were just as red as hers. Both slicked with blood.

"Jess?" he asked again, lifting his gaze to hers.

"It was a dream," she said, her voice high and shaky. She cleared her throat. "It was just a dream."

Climbing off the bed, she walked to the bathroom without looking in Rob's direction. Closing the door behind her, she leaned against it, letting her head fall back as her eyes closed. But they flew open again when images from the vision flitted behind her closed eyelids. Pushing off the door, she walked over to the sink and turned the tap on. Letting the hot water run over her hands, Jess stared at the woman looking back at her in the mirror. Her eyes were wide, and her hair was wild from her tossing and turning, but other than that, she looked no different to how she had before she had gone to bed.
 

She didn't feel like the same person, though. Looking at her reflection, she had no idea how she felt. Numb, more than anything at that moment. God, she'd seen Emma have a vision, heard her talk about them, but actually having one herself? She grabbed hold of the sink and bent forward, closing her eyes. Nothing could prepare her for that. She'd thought it was a dream. A really bloody vivid one, but still, just a dream.
 

And she'd been so relieved that Rob wasn't hurt. But then she'd seen the blood—on her hands, on his. Had seen it slicked up her arm, and the image of her bent over Rob, trying to stop the blood escaping his chest from the spear. A sob escaped her mouth, and she pressed a wet—but now clean—hand over her mouth.
 

And why was Miles there? She hadn't seen him since she'd come back home to Altenchester, and she didn't intend to again. Ever.

***

Rob sat on the sofa, a whiskey glass in his hands, hanging between his legs. Just the smell of it brought back childhood memories he'd rather forget. He lifted it to his lips and swallowed it in one go. Sliding the glass back onto the coffee table, he ran a hand across his jaw, feeling the scrape across his skin.
 

What the hell? Those same three words were playing on repeat through his mind. Circling in his thoughts when he left Jess upstairs. Kept replaying as he washed off the blood smeared across his palm. Still on repeat as he poured two drinks, leaving one for Jess. And still they echoed around his head.
That was one hell of a bloody dream.
He looked up at the creak of the stairs and saw Jess standing there, looking pale and scared.

"I thought you could use a drink," he said, nodding towards the coffee table. He watched as she slowly made her way towards him, hesitated, and then sat in the empty chair rather than on the sofa next to him. She cradled the glass in her hands, her knees folded up to her chest. "Do you want to tell me what that was all about?"
 

She carried on staring into the glass, and he waited. Waited while she took a small sip, and then nursed the glass again. Her gaze slid from the glass to his eyes then back again. But still he waited.

"It was just a dream."

He rubbed his fingers across the back of his neck, pulling at the hair there, telling himself that shouting at her wouldn't help the situation. She was probably as scared as he was right then. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Jess. I'm not stupid." She looked at him properly then. "I've had my fair share of dreams, and more than enough nightmares, to know you don't wake up from them with your hands covered in blood."