Chapter Fourteen
Pagan
Miranda had fallen asleep after episode four. I couldn’t say I wasn’t relieved. If I had to sit through one more Stephan and Elena scene I was going to scream. The angst was just a little too much for me at the moment. I turned off the television and pulled out a blanket from the ones Miranda’s mother kept rolled up under the entertainment center and spread it out over Miranda’s sleeping form. We’d left a mess in the kitchen and although I was sure her mother would just be thrilled Miranda had made cookies and actually eaten a few I didn’t want to leave the mess for her to clean up.
Picking up the large plate with the remaining cookies and our two remaining glasses of milk I made my way to the kitchen. Once I stepped inside the doorway I saw Leif sitting at the table with his elbows resting on the tabletop and his gaze fixed on me, I almost screamed and dropped everything in my hands. I managed to swallow the startled scream in my throat and keep from making an even bigger mess in the kitchen.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, trying to remain calm as I walked over to the sink and put the glasses in the soapy water then placed the plate of cookies on the bar.
“Waiting until she fell asleep so I could see you. It is Valentine’s Day, you know. I’ve been waiting years to spend it with you and have you actually remember. This was supposed to be my year. You’d have been with me eternally by now if Death hadn’t lost his head once he got a look at you.”
I rested a hand on my hip and glared at him. I wasn’t in the mood for this. Not now. Not this week especially. “Listen Leif, you know what I’ve been through this week. Can’t you respect that and just back off?” I snapped.
A look of tenderness flashed in his eyes and he lowered his gaze to his hands still resting on the table in front of him. “I’m sorry for your loss, Pagan. But if Dankmar hadn’t screwed with fate you’d have never experienced the pain of losing Wyatt. The two of you were to have been the tragedies that hit our small town this school year.”
My mind instantly went to Miranda. She’d have lost us both. Ohgod, that would have completely devastated her. She’d have crumbled. But Dank had stopped that. He may not have been able to stop Wyatt’s fate but he did change mine. I’d be here to help Miranda heal and she’d be okay. She’d make it.
“Well then, it’s a good thing Dank decided I was worth saving. Miranda could have never handled losing both of us only months apart.”
Leif sighed and leaned back in the chair letting his hands fall to his lap. “Do you always think about others first, Pagan?”
His question surprised me. Of course not. Only a selfless person thought of others first and I wasn’t selfless. When I wanted something I went after it and screw whoever stood in my way. “I only put those I love first but so do most people.”
Leif shook his head, “No, they don’t. Most humans put themselves before even those they love the most. It’s their nature.”
This conversation was getting off track. I wanted Leif gone so I could clean this kitchen and go to bed. “Just say what you came to say and leave, please. I don’t want to chat with you.”
“I told you I wanted to spend Valentine’s Day with you this year. I even brought gifts,” he flashed his crooked smile and from thin air pulled a dozen black and red roses along with an actual voodoo doll with a silver necklace around its small neck. The pendant hanging from it was a ruby cut into the shape of a moon.
I lifted my eyes to stare at him unsure what to think of this gift. “You got me a voodoo doll and black roses?” I asked incredulously.
Leif chuckled and leaned back in his chair. “I thought it would make you laugh. The necklace is your actual gift. And the roses as well. I happen to like black roses. They remind me of home.”
Backing up some until the entire bar was between me and those very odd scary gifts I watched him closely. I didn’t want him coming anywhere near me with that necklace. I knew that voodoo was big into talismans and if that was a talisman I didn’t want it anywhere near me. No spirit was going to possess me.
Leif’s amused grin fell into a frown. “You don’t think it’s funny, do you?” The voodoo doll and black roses were instantly gone and only a dozen red and pink roses remained along with the necklace that terrified me.
“Um, no, it’s the necklace I want you to get away from me,” I explained not taking my eyes off it as it lay harmlessly in his hand.
“Necklace? You’re scared of the necklace? Why?”
“Because I don’t want to be possessed by an evil spirit,” I spat, backing up some more. I wondered if I screamed for Gee if she’d hear me. But then I’d risk waking up Miranda and this was not something she needed to witness.
Understanding dawned on him and Leif once again laughed. This was not funny. Why did he have to seem so amused all the time?
“You think this necklace is a talisman?”
“Yep, I’m not stupid Leif. I hang with Death, ya know.”
Leif sighed and placed the necklace on the table. “I would never hurt you. I’ve told you that but you refuse to believe me,”
I didn’t take my eyes off him as he stood there spreading the necklace out like it was a precious piece which only convinced me more it was full of all kinds of evil. Once he had it displayed on the table to his liking he lifted his eyes to mine.
“You know Pagan, fear can turn to love.”
I stared at the necklace lying on the table unsure what to do with it. Heck, I was even afraid to touch the roses he’d left behind. Would picking them up and throwing them outside be dangerous? Maybe I should leave them there and go find Gee, or better yet, Dank.
Walking over to the doorway I peered into the living room to see Miranda still sound asleep. Good. I had time to do something about these gifts that really didn’t need to be in her house before she woke up.
Dank
Her voice stirred me the moment she called out my name. I was standing outside her house preparing myself for the confrontation I was about to have with her mother when her voice reached me.
She was standing outside Miranda’s house on the back porch when I reached her. A surprised gasp escaped her and then she smiled letting out a breath she must have been holding. “Oh, that was fast. Thank God,” she said in a rush and ran over to me and wrapped her arms around my neck.
So far this was good. I’d have been here much sooner tonight if I’d thought this was the kind of reception I would get. Pulling her tighter up against my chest I inhaled the smell of her shampoo and kissed her temple. “Mmmm, this is nice,” I muttered against her head. She sighed in my arms and then pulled back enough to see my face.
“I’m afraid it all goes downhill from here,” she explained.
Not what I wanted to hear. I was hoping the next move would be her asking me to kiss her and then maybe take her home so I could cuddle in bed with her.
“Leif was here,” she began and I tensed tearing my complete focus off her to let my senses scan the area for spirits. But I felt nothing. Except a small icy cold somewhere close by. It wasn’t strong enough to be an actual spirit but it wasn’t good either. Holding Pagan closer to me I reached further for the unwanted presence and realized it was inside the house.
“Who’s inside?” I asked placing Pagan behind me and heading to the backdoor.
“What? No, he’s gone. Miranda’s in there sleeping,” Pagan hurried to keep up behind me but at the mention of Miranda being alone I closed the distance quicker than a human could possibly travel and opened the door to find the throbbing dark essence lying on the kitchen table in the shape of a moon. The red stone almost had a pulse the evil inside it was so strong. Red and pink roses lay beside it and I stared at the items trying to figure out what it was I was seeing.
“That’s what I called you for,” Pagan huffed out after finally making it inside.
“The necklace?” I asked