The Twilight Before Christmas (12 page)

“I told you I didn’t need a damned psychiatrist, Jonas,” Jackson snapped, without looking at her. “Get her out of here. You think I want anyone to see me like this?” Sweat beaded on his forehead, dampened his dark, unruly hair.

“I’m not a psychiatrist, Mr. Deveau,” Kate said. “I’m simply a friend of both Jonas and Matthew. I have a gift, and they thought it might help you in some way. Neither meant to upset you.”

“Stop growling like a Neanderthal, Jackson, and let her talk,” Matthew said. “You’d think you didn’t have a civilized bone in your body.”

“How strange that you would choose that particular description when my sisters said the same thing about you, Matthew,” Kate replied. “Did you have a particularly disturbing dream, Mr. Deveau?”

Jackson whirled around and stalked toward her from across the room, his body moving like a large predatory cat’s. “What’d they tell you about me? That I’m crazy? That I have nightmares and can’t sleep? What the hell do you want me to say?”

Kate noted both Jonas and Matt were close to her, ready to defend her if necessary. In spite of the shiver of fear, she calmly looked up at the deputy. “They didn’t say anything. They’ve told me next to nothing about you. Most of the children in town seem to have had a collective nightmare. So far, none of the adults have admitted to it, but everywhere we’ve been today, there’s unexpected tension. I thought maybe you would be able to tell me about it. I’m getting garbled accounts from the children, and so far no adult has been courageous enough to admit they had the dream too.”

Jackson raked both hands through his dark hair, the muscles rippling under his thin, tight tee shirt. He looked from Jonas to Matthew as if expecting a trap. “Kids have been having nightmares?”

Kate nodded. “Last night, after the fog rolled in, something bizarre happened. This morning, children from all over town were distressed and in tears, some traumatized by a dream they all seem to have shared.”

“About what?” For the first time since she’d entered the room, Jackson sat down, his hands still gripping his head as if he had a violent headache.

“They described a skeleton man in a long coat and old hat.”

Jackson hesitated, clearly reluctant to discuss his problem with her. He looked from Jonas to Matt and finally capitulated. “The coat and hat were old-fashioned, a heavy wool, maybe. There was no real face, just white-gray bones. There was a woman and a baby and a shepherd, or at least someone with a shepherd’s staff.” He scrubbed his hand over his face. “I go after real people, real threats, but this thing, this was from a place I can’t get to, and I sense that everyone is in danger.” He looked at Kate. “More than the actual dream, it was the feeling the dream left me with that’s disturbing. The danger was real. I know it sounds crazy, but dammit, it was real!”

Matt stiffened. Jackson Deveau had never feared very much, certainly not his own mortality, yet he was deeply shaken by the nightmare.

“Then you felt it too. That the threat is real,” Kate said, leaning toward Jackson.

Jackson drew back. Matt had forgotten to tell Kate the deputy didn’t like physical contact. “I know it is.” He looked at Jonas and Matt. “You two probably think I’ve finally gone around the bend, but I swear, whatever that thing was in my dream, he’s looking for a way to walk among us.”

“He uses the fog,” Kate explained. He was no child to be soothed with Christmas stories and loving smiles. He was a grown man, a warrior, and what he needed was the naked truth. It was the only thing he would accept. He needed facts to assure him he was not losing his mind. “Whatever he or it is, he’s growing stronger. I think the earthquake cracked a seal locking him deep in the earth, and he managed to escape. Matthew and I found a broken lid in the basement of the old mill. Something came out of a crack in the form of a noxious vapor. I’ve smelled the same odor in the fog.” She met Jackson’s gaze steadily. “If you’re losing your mind, so am I. So is Matthew. And so are all the children of Sea Haven.”

Matthew heard it then, that magical note that brought absolute peace to a troubled mind. He had become attuned to it, aware of the surge of energy in the room, going from Kate to the person she was speaking with. He was also aware of her absorbing the negative energy, taking it in and holding it away from its victim.

“That’s a relief. I thought this time I was really losing my mind. I have nightmares, and I can deal with them, but this was something out of a horror film.” Jackson shook his head. “I’m not going into an institution.”

“You’re the only one who ever thinks that way,” Jonas said quietly. “So do your sisters have any ideas, Kate? This is more your field than ours.” He nodded toward the other two Rangers. “We can be your soldiers, but you’re going to have to give us a direction.”

Kate leaned back in the chair, fatigue in every line of her body. “We’re working on it. Abbey and Sarah and Damon were going through the diaries this morning. We’ll find the reference and at least have a starting point.”

“I notice you didn’t mention Hannah,” Jonas observed. There was a challenge in his voice. “Is she ill? Is that what’s wrong with her?” When Kate didn’t answer, Jonas swore. “Dammit, Kate, if she’s ill, you owe it to me to tell me. Something’s wrong with her.”

“Something’s always been wrong with her, Jonas, you just never noticed before.” Kate folded her arms. “I’m not going to be bullied into telling you something that is Hannah’s private business. Ask her.”

Jonas swore again and stormed out. Kate rolled her eyes. “His temper hasn’t improved much with age.”

“Come on, Kate, I’m taking you to dinner at my house. I’m a great cook.” Matt reached down and drew her up from the chair. “I think it’s the only sanctuary left to us.”

“I should go home and help the others.”

Jackson stood up too. “You made me feel better. How did you do it?”

Kate smiled at him and offered her hand. “It was a pleasure finally to meet you, Mr. Deveau. Jonas and Matthew speak so highly of you.”

He hesitated but took her hand. “Please call me Jackson.”

Kate felt the jolt of his heavy burden go up her arm. It was difficult to maintain her smile when she felt the brooding darkness in the man. She wasn’t Libby. She couldn’t heal the sick, and in any case, she didn’t sense that Jackson Deveau was physically ill so much as spiritually so. “I wish you peace, Jackson,” she murmured softly, and allowed Matthew to draw her from the house out into the cool air.

“He didn’t have a Christmas tree up, or any decorations at all,” she said sadly. “If anyone needs Christmas, it’s that man.”

“He’ll work it out, Kate,” Matthew assured her. “He has his demons, but the bottom line is, honor and integrity rule his life. He would never do any of the things he’s afraid he will, and, just like Jonas, he would protect this town and the people in it with his last breath.”

“I’m glad you brought him to Sea Haven. You were right about this place. There’s just something about the way the people are here—they’re welcoming to outsiders.” The interior of his car was warm after the chilling wind blowing in off the ocean.

“Did your sisters really call me a Neanderthal?”

She burst out laughing. “Well, yes, but in a good way. I think they could easily picture you beating your chest and tossing your woman over your shoulder to carry her off to somewhere private.”

He nodded. “I can understand that. I do have those urges. Often.” He looked at her, his hand still around the key. “I really want to take you back to my house, Kate.” He waited a heartbeat before starting the engine.

“Are your brothers going to be there? Because, honestly, I think I’m too tired to have them all laughing at me today. I’d probably burst into tears.”

He pressed a hand to his heart. “Don’t even say that. I think I’d rather take a bullet than see you cry. And my brothers don’t laugh at you.” He glanced at her to see if she was serious.

“They
always
laugh at me,” she said. “I’m always doing these idiotic things whenever I’m around you. Like the other day when you had that accident and you tried to get out of the truck and I was standing too close.” She looked down at her hands. “Danny just about fell out of the truck laughing.”

“At
me,
Katie, never at you. My entire family knows how I feel about you, and they think it’s a riot that I can make such a complete fool of myself every time you’re near.”

Kate sat very still, her gaze fixed on his face. “How do you feel about me?”

“I’ve made that pretty damn clear, Kate.”

“Have you? I know you’re attracted to me physically.”

He gave a small snort of derision. “Is that what you call it? I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since I looked at you when you were fifteen years old. I hate admitting that. I shouldn’t have been looking at you, but I did, and I just knew. I’ve had more dreams about you, more fantasies, than any man should admit to having.” He pulled the car into the driveway of his yard and turned off the engine before facing her. “Hell, Kate, if you didn’t know, you’re the only person in this town who didn’t. Jonas asked me last night if I was stalking you.”

“He wouldn’t do that. You’re his friend. He must have been kidding.”

“With his hand on his gun. Afraid not, and here you are, at my house, all alone with me. Are you coming in?”

“Am I supposed to be afraid now?”

“I thought my fantasies might scare you off.”

“Did you?” Kate slid out of the car. The wind whipped her hair around and tugged at her clothes. “Actually I’m intrigued.”

His entire body reacted to her sultry tone. Maybe she didn’t mean it the way it sounded, but he was going to take her words as an invitation to love her every way a man could love a woman.

Kate smiled to herself as she went up the stairs to his home. It was situated on the bluff above the ocean, his deck wrapping around the house providing a view from every direction. The house itself was obviously built for a man of Matt’s size. The ceilings were vaulted, there were few walls, so the space seemed enormous, one room running directly into the next. His furniture suited the house, casual, yet overstuffed to go with the dimensions of the house.

“It’s so beautiful, Matthew. I love all the bay windows and the alcoves and the way everything is so spacious. Did you design it?”

He felt a little glow of pleasure. “Yes, I wanted a home I was comfortable living in day in and day out. I need space. Even the doorways are wider and taller than normal, so I don’t always feel as if I might have to duck.”

“I love the open beams and the rock fireplace. This is what I had in mind for my house, or at least something very similar. I love the beams and the natural-looking fireplace in the mill.” She turned to smile at him. “We do have very similar taste.”

His heart did a curious somersault in his chest. He gripped the edge of the door. “I think so. It should be easy to come up with a design you’ll really fall in love with.” He said the words deliberately.

Kate stilled and turned her head to look at him. The movement was graceful and elegant. So Kate. He ached, just looking at her. Color swept her face. She glanced from him to the tall Christmas tree in his front room. It was a silver tip, beautiful and decorated with lights and a few ornaments. “Did you put up your tree?”

“I brought in the tree and hung the lights. Mom insisted I get ornaments. She said I was supposed to have a theme, but I just picked up ones I liked.”

Kate wandered around the tree. One of the ornaments was a wooden house carved by a local artist. She was surprised and pleased to see it was her cliff house. She didn’t comment on the ornament, but she hoped it meant he’d been thinking of her when he’d bought the miniature replica of her home.

“This is my favorite room. I spend a lot of time in here. My office is straight ahead, and I have a large library. I call it a library; Danny and Jonas call it my den.” He grinned at her. “They talked me into a pool table.”

She laughed. “Of course they did. I’ll bet they had to twist your arm.”

Matt hastily gathered up a few shirts he’d tossed aside earlier in the week. There was an old pizza box on the coffee table along with an empty doughnut box overturned beside a half-full coffee cup.

Kate grinned at him. “I see you’re into health food.”

“I actually like to cook. I used to cook all the time for the men in my unit.” He opened a door, tossed his shirts inside without looking where they landed, and hastily closed the door to gather up the dirty boxes and coffee cup. “I haven’t been home much. Dad’s running a big job, and all of us have been working to bring it in on time.”

“Matthew.” Kate put her hand lightly on his arm. “Are you nervous?”

He stood there looking down at her upturned face. Her enormous soft eyes. Her tempting mouth. Could she be any more beautiful? “Hell, yes, I’m nervous. I don’t even know what a woman like you would be doing in the same house with a man like me.”

“A woman like me?” She looked genuinely puzzled.

Matt groaned. “Come on, Kate. Are you telling me you haven’t known I’ve been wild about you for years? I can’t even have a good time with another woman. I’ve tried dating numerous women. We have one date, and I know it isn’t going to work.”

“You’re wild about me?” she echoed.

He tossed the boxes on the couch and pulled her into his arms. Hard. Possessive. Commanding Ranger style. “I can’t even think straight around you.”

There was no way to think when his mouth took hers, hot and hungry and devouring her. Her body melted into his, her arms sliding around his neck, her fingers brushing the nape of his neck intimately, creeping into his hair while she met his ravenous hunger with her own.

He couldn’t kiss her and not touch her soft, tempting skin. Without conscious thought, he slid his hand beneath her blouse to move up the soft expanse of skin. Just that slight contact brought him such deep pleasure it bordered on pain. He trembled, his hand actually shaking as he brushed the pads of his fingers over her rib cage, and up to cup the soft weight of her breast in his palm. His body went into overdrive, his heart slamming in his chest and his jeans growing uncomfortably tight.