The Book Waitress Series Volume One (19 page)

“There’s more to David than meets the eye. I think we need to do a little investigating into his life.”

“What are you talking about?” Derek peeked out from one of the nearby stacks.

“Come here.” He joined her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Take a look out the window. Is David still there?”

“Yeah.”

“What’s his expression?”

“Well, he seems serious at the moment. Nothing unusual.”

“When I looked out a couple of minutes ago, he had the creepiest look on his face.”

Derek frowned. “I wonder if he has any ties to Victor or any of the other cult members. It’s worth looking into.”

“That’s what I’ve been thinking. But, he’s got my money, and I’ve got the papers to this place. May he stay far away from here.”

“I agree.” She melted as he brought her hands up to his lips to nibble.

“So, can we head back and start moving my things over?”

“Sure, I’ll just go get the stuff we brought out of the car first. Why don’t you take a look around and see where you want to set up your different rooms?”

“Ooh, I like that idea. You’re so smart! I knew there was a reason I liked you.”

She grabbed his collar and pulled him in for a long, sultry, lip-smacking kiss. “A promise of things to come.” She wiggled her brows at his flustered face and released him. “See ya in a little bit.”

As she strolled away, she heard the door click closed. Finding a legal pad and pen on the circulation desk, she began planning out her living space. The basement would stay just that. A basement. But the space on the main floor needed to be repurposed into a living room, dining room, kitchen, and bedroom, with the rest of it and the lower level remaining a library. She drew a rough sketch as she walked around. Her travels led her to the back of the library and to the bottom level stairs.

Lingering by it, she pondered whether or not to go down. “I think I’ll save you for another day.” Turning, she headed back toward the front and could have sworn she heard a man’s wicked laugh. She looked around for Derek, and watched him walk in with a bunch of boxes. “Well, John, I’m back and you can’t scare me. Go find Betina and tell her I’m here, okay?”

“Who you talking to?” He placed the boxes on one of the study tables.

“I think I was talking to our resident bad boy ghost, John. I heard him laughing from the bottom floor. Don’t worry, I told him who’s boss around here.”

“I think I should do a sweep of the place. You know it’s been empty for a bit. Maybe it’s not John, but a vagrant squatting here illegally. Better safe than sorry.”

“Okay, but I really think it’s John.”

“I want you to go sit in the car, okay? I’m done bringing our work stuff in, so, to be safe, sit in the car while I take a look around and secure the place.”

“Are you serious? I should come with you. Buddy system, you know? I don’t want anything to happen to you, either. You could fall down the steps and I wouldn’t even know it. It
is
my home now. I’m responsible for the well-being of the people here.”

“You won’t give up on this, will you?”

“Nope, let’s go introduce you to John. He should get to know you, since you’ll be here a lot. At least, I’m hoping you’ll be here a lot. Am I being too presumptuous?”

“I’m happy to be the focus of your presumption.” He smiled and linked his arm in hers. “Let’s go scare away the ghosties.”

They walked like Dorothy and the Scarecrow to the back of the library and descended the stairs to the periodicals floor. They walked around the entire level, found nothing unusual, and continued on to the basement. With the lights turned on and holding on tightly to Derek, she proceeded down the narrow steps.

The scene set out before them sent her reeling back in time. It was in shambles. Nothing had been cleared away since the day Derek and the police had raided it. They’d saved a little boy and her from being sacrificed as part of a cult ritual. Chairs were strewn across the floor, the altar leaned against the wall, and robes lay haphazardly on tables. She stopped dead in her tracks on the stairs. Her legs simply wouldn’t listen to her mind’s orders to run away as flashbacks of being trussed and lowered into the well flooded her vision. Her grip on Derek’s arm dug in deeply.

“Ow. Okay, this was a really bad idea.” He peeled each finger off of his arm and held her hand firmly. “You’re going back upstairs immediately. Let’s go.”

“Yeah, I think… that’s a good idea. Next time… don’t… listen to me, okay?”

“Can I get you on record?”

“You can… and you can… get me… the hell out of here. I can’t move… and I can barely breathe.”

He gathered her up in his arms and carried her up the two sets of stairs to the safety of the bright, expansive main level. “Here, sit with your head between your legs.” He unloaded her onto a chair and rubbed her back as regular breath returned, along with her sensibilities.

“What was I thinking? I should have known I’d react badly. PTSD’s a bitch, and I’m an idiot for not listening to you.”

“No, you’re not an idiot. You’re brave and, well, maybe rather impulsive and hard-headed. But
not
an idiot. I think we should go back to your place and save the rest of the move for tomorrow. What do you say? Enough excitement for one day?”

Chapter Ten

Camille awoke wondering who’d turned off the lights. Rolling over, she peered out her bedroom window and watched as gray clouds scudded across the sky. Some crashed into each other while others blended into the background. Careful not to disturb Derek, she gingerly slipped out of bed for a closer look. The ground was sopping wet, although the rain had stopped for the time being. What a day to move! She wished she could crawl back under the covers and deny the day, but avoidance would only delay the inevitable.

She stumbled to the bathroom and took one of her signature quick showers. This time, though, she used an extra couple of minutes to examine her scars. Yesterday had been tough, as the pain had increased regardless of the ice cooling her down. This ramping up had continued through the night and into the morning, leaving her in a constant state of exhaustion and irritability.
Something’s going down. I don’t know what it is, but I’m not liking it whatsoever.

She wondered if any of them had changed in their appearance, but found nothing too unusual, beyond the fact that she’d been carved into and etched like a piece of art by a madwoman. The pentagram seemed a little redder today than yesterday. Wringing out the dampness from her hair, she stood bent over, squeezing the curling tendrils with a towel. As she righted herself, she glanced at the mirror, and to her horror, the scars on her eyelids had turned black.

Leaning in for a closer inspection, she reached up with her fingers and angrily swiped at each lid. They wouldn’t smudge or blend in to her skin.
Well, shit. Now what’s happening to me?
They didn’t hurt. They usually didn’t except for when the devil reared his ugly head. But why did they turn black, like a tattoo?

A knock on the bathroom door startled her away from her scrutiny. “Hey, missy. You all right in there?”

“Uh, yeah. I guess so. I’ll be out in a minute.” She didn’t know what to do, or how Derek would react.
Just meet it head on. That’s all you can do.

She gave her hair a final shake, brushed her teeth, and zipped up her suit. Planting a smile on her face, she opened the door and hoped this latest bit of weirdness would go unnoticed. “Good morning, Sunshine. And how are you this fine, dreary morning?”

“Holy shit! What the hell happened to your eyes?”

Her smile melted to a frown. “No ‘Good morning’ chaser to follow up that lovely remark, Captain Obvious?” She pushed passed him and pulled the bed sheets from the mattress, balled it up, and slammed it into the defenseless hamper, along with the pillows and comforter. She picked it up and took it downstairs.

“Hey, hey! Wait a second!” Derek was upon her before she hit the last step, but she refused to stop. “I’m sorry.
I’m sorry
. It just took me by surprise.”

She spun around to face him and let loose with all of the anger and frustration that had been building inside her. “Oh really? Well, don’t you think it surprised me, too? Every day, every moment, is just filled with wonderful surprises for me. Here’s one. ‘You’re being transferred to another library. Surprise!’ Here’s another. ‘Satan’s got it bad for ya, girl. Gonna mark you all up pretty for him. Surprise!’ Oh, how about this? ‘You just opened up a portal to Hell, and you get to feel every evil crossing through. Surprise!’ Pain and more pain, Derek. A constant reminder that I’m marked for death, and for the Lord of the Underworld. I can’t get more than a few hours of sleep at a time. And, when I wake up, I find not only that I’m scarred and damaged, but I’m also a freak with demonic tattoos on my eyelids. So, maybe you don’t want to point out what’s fucking wrong with me. Okay? Maybe you just wanna stay quiet about it. Good fucking morning to you!”

She stormed out the back door to the covered patio where she found Mallory’s half-smoked cigarette butt on the ground and a forgotten lighter on the table. Never having smoked before, she figured, why not try now. If she liked it, it would just be another surprise. She picked it up, lit it, and took a long drag like she saw Mallory do. A tingly sensation crept through her lungs and she immediately choked and coughed. Tears smarted at the corners of her eyes.
So much for that little experiment.
She tossed the butt to the ground and stomped on it, grounding it into the cement.

Derek watched her through the back door window. She could tell he was there. Good. He could stay and watch her stomp through the lingering puddles, as she imagined it to be all the evil people in the world. A light drizzle had turned to a steady rain, but she didn’t care. Her suit was made for wet, and the dreariness matched her mood perfectly.

She heard the scrape of the door and figured he was coming out. “Leave me alone, Derek. Relationship experts say that one or both partners need some time alone for a relationship to function. So, give me my space.”

“No.”

“No?”
Shock mixed with fury, and she shook her head in disbelief.
Men are all the same.
“You respect me
that little?”

“No, I love you
that much.”
He crossed over to where she stood, smack dab in the middle of the yard, in a huge puddle, and grabbed her in a fierce embrace. “I love you, Camille, and the mistakes I make, well, I want to be forgiven for them. Mistakes you make, I’ll forgive you. As for the way things have taken a turn right now, I’m here beside you to face down those demons. I will not give you your space or your time alone while they still threaten your life.” He held her away from him. “Forgive me my lack of social grace. I have a lot to learn.”

She leaned her head against his chest, utterly defeated. “I forgive you, if you’ll forgive me. I’m just so
tired
. So sick and tired of the whole damn thing.” She pounded lightly on his chest with her fists and let her frustration pour out of her unabated.

“I know, I know. Just let it out. It’s okay.” Derek’s low-timbered voice soothed her as she listened to him say over and over again that things would be okay, that he wasn’t going anywhere, and that they’ll be successful fighting down Evil.

As she calmed, she tipped her head back to peer at her champion. He met her gaze with one of devotion and concern. “I don’t know how I’d get through all of this without you. You’re my hero, you know? I care so very deeply for you, more than I thought I’d be capable of feeling for anyone. I cherish you, and thank God that you’re not bailing on me, even when I thought I wanted you to.”

“You’re welcome.” He kissed her lightly on her nose. “Now, can we go back inside? I believe we’re sufficiently drenched, don’t you?”

She thought for a moment. “Not quite. I think there’s still a dry spot on you, right….there.” As she pointed to his stomach, she swiped her foot through the puddle and splashed him. She’d only meant for it to get on his shirt, but water flew up into his face and hair.

“Oh, crap!” A giggle welled up in her belly and she exploded in laughter.

“Whoa!” He sputtered and shook his dripping locks. “You did not just go there.”

“I think I did,” she wheezed out.

“Well, you better run your ass off, lady, because your ass is grass!”

She squealed and took off further into the back yard. She wished her emotions wouldn’t play Jekyll and Hyde with her. How was it that she could be so filled with rage one minute, but giggle with the very man who’d just infuriated her in the next? Derek chased after her and caught her quickly around her waist. They spun around and landed on the ground, with Derek pinning her to the soft grass.

He leaned in, nose to nose. “I told you your ass is grass. And, what a fine ass it is, by the way.” He winked mischievously, and moved in to capture her lips with his for another one of his toe-curling kisses she was convinced he’d patented.

“Mmm.” She grabbed him closer, even though she wouldn’t feel anything more. Not with the neoprene suit in the way. “Wish we could continue this inside, but, you know….”

“Yup, we haven’t reached thirteen yet.” He chuckled ruefully and eased himself off of her, helping her up off the ground in the process. They walked hand in hand back to the house. “Let’s get washed up and you moved out. Mallory and Arnie will be here tomorrow, and I do believe you need furniture and some semblance of a kitchen, right?”

“I need everything for a new home, basically. I believe there’s an antique shop on this island. I just might clear the place out.”

“We can go on over after we drop your few boxes off.”

“Perfect.”

After another quick shower and a session of taping up boxes, she left the rental house behind and started her new, more complicated life, near the very place that wanted to claim it.