Deadly Shadows (24 page)

Aiden sighed, relief slowly starting to trickle through him.

The doctor wasn’t finished. “Having said that, I think you should also be aware that it’s possible Ms. Black could slip into a coma. I don’t think it’s likely, but it is possible.”

Aiden’s heart dropped. No, she was not going to slip into a coma. He’d be damned if she would. He crossed his arms, chewed on the inside of his cheek. “When is the neurologist getting here?” Dr. Williams checked his watch and shrugged. “Should be anytime now. He was flying in the chopper, not driving. They flight lifted another patient earlier in the evening to St. Mary’s so he’s catching a ride back.”

“I want to see her now.”

The doctor looked at him with a raised brow. “Are you family?”

Aiden silently played through the consequences of decking the little know-it-all. He stared at the doctor. “I will be.”

The doctor nodded, smiled, “Figured it was something like that. Come on back with me.”

* * * *

The room was quiet save for the soft almost silent bleep of the heart monitor. The shuffle of feet beyond the wide door, muffled voices, and the clatter of rolling carts intruded periodically. The single floor, sprawling hospital was more modern than he had at first credited it being.Aiden stood, staring out the window. Dawn was breaking, the sky turning a brighter blue, the pink and lavender bottomed clouds a contrast to the covering slate gray otherwise. More rain dripped off the eve. He rubbed his hand through his hair again, looked back at the bed. Jessie still hadn’t woken up. She looked so small and frail in the big hospital bed, her face pale against the purple bruise peeking out from under the edge of the bandage on her head.

Her glorious hair lay lackluster on the white pillow, some of the strands still matted with mud and blood. IV’s dripped into her arm, hung from metal-curled loops on a stand by the bed and the transparent tubes glistened with slow moving liquid. Blankets were tightly tucked up under her chin, covering her from neck to toes. The fogged oxygen mask still sat over her nose and mouth. Anxiety and worry crawled through him. Aiden couldn’t sit, or stand still, and the room was too small to pace. He’d rubbed her hand through the blankets not wanting her to get the

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slightest chill. There had been whispered pleas, furious demands and silent prayers. And still she lay as quietly as when he’d walked into the room hours ago following Dr. Williams.

The neurologist had not added much past what Dr. Williams had imparted. They were all waiting on Jesslyn to open her eyes. No one knew exactly when that would be, but the sooner the better. Nurses came and went. They took her blood pressure, read the little square box on the IV

stand, turned dials, and punched buttons.

Aiden sat in the chair he’d pulled up by the bed. Tim had finally taken his parents home, but Mom sent some of his and Jessie’s things in a duffel bag. The jeans, tee and sweatshirt, were clean and dry. He was exhausted.

His brothers should be arriving soon. Mom told him that Gavin planned to come directly to the hospital--always the doctor. They’d also gotten hold of Mr. Victor Black, Jesslyn’s father.

He was going to be on the first flight that landed here in Gunnison at eight this morning.

Aiden leaned his forehead on the blanket, knew her hand was right against his head. For the hundredth time he sent a prayer up, and hoped it was heard.

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The world was white all around her. She’d been so very, very cold before. Jesslyn
couldn’t remember why, but the cold was deep within her, almost buried her beneath its claiming
fingers.She looked around, trying to figure out where she was. The air was bright, so bright she
squinted. A soft breeze carried the heady scents of flowers.

The rock Jesslyn sat on was a large slab of limestone. A butterfly flitted by her arm, a
bright yellow gossamer flutter. She looked up, tried to follow it in the enveloping light.

“It’s about time you joined me.”

Jesslyn jerked her head around. There beside her sat Jerrod, his wavy blond hair ruffled
in the wind. The light shot off the golden tresses like glinting topaz. His light eyes, forever lost
in that color where the blue sky met the grassy horizon, danced in merriment.

“What are you doing here?” she asked him.

He shrugged, dressed in a flowing white shirt, white pants, and bare feet. The smile he
gave her was so familiar she felt a tug of wistfulness for what might have been.

“Now there’s no point in that,” he told her, reading her thoughts.

She always forgot how Jerrod simply knew what she was thinking in this dream world.

“What is, is,” he said. “And what can be, can.” His leg swung back and forth from the
height of the rock.

Jesslyn glared at him. In this realm their thoughts could fly, be spoken or not, and still
be read. The fact Jerrod did the whole telepathic thing very well, aggravated her and earned a
hearty chuckle from him.

“You’re still the same Jesslyn. So impatient. Always thirsting for knowledge so you can
understand everything. Many things simply cannot be understood, just accepted.” He pulled his
other leg up and draped his arm on it.

“I hate when you do that. Can’t you at least allow me the illusion of keeping secrets
from you?” She leaned back onto her palms flattened against the cool stone
His warm smile settled over her. “There are no secrets here.”

“Where is here?” She looked out, saw only white, pristine and untouched except by the
occasional butterflies.

“In between,” he answered.

“In between what?” She loved seeing him in dreams, but the riddles drove her nuts.

“Everything.” Jerrod shrugged. “Sleep and awake, cold and heat, light and dark, life
and death.”

Her mind couldn’t comprehend all that.

A tingle of apprehension skittered in her stomach.

He stared at her for a moment. His eyes almost jeweled in their sparkle. Peace and
contentment spread through her. He swept his arm aside. Before them, the white wall parted,
and she saw darkness. Reds and blues flashed through the night, rain fell and the distant rumble

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of thunder echoed.

A chill ran up her spine and she looked at Jerrod. “What is this?”

“An answer to your question. A window, if you will.”

She saw people surrounding something on the ground, heard a familiar voice. Aiden.

Aiden’s voice carried to her, full of relief and something she couldn’t name. “I knew you
were here, baby. Everything’s going to be all right now. You’re safe, Jesslyn. You’re safe. I
promise. No one is ever going to hurt you again.”

That was her on the ground, she realized with shock. Aiden held her hand.

The window started to fade at the edges, blend into the surrounding white.

“No, wait,” she grabbed Jerrod’s arm. “What happened? What’s going on?”

“Right now, that isn’t as important as what you want to do.”

Again, Jesslyn looked back at the man she had loved with everything in her, the man part
of her would always love.

His head lowered a fraction, his voice softened. “That’s as it should be, Jesslyn. Love is
eternal,” he said as he read her thoughts.

Jerrod sighed, put his hand on hers. “It no longer matters what could have been, but
what can be. You’ve passed through the darkest night and found the dawn again. Are you going
to run from it? Let fear and memories keep you only in a world of limbo? Not quite day, but not
yet night?”

Her brow furrowed as she realized what he said. “Do you like him?” she asked.

His slow straight smile. “Yes, I do. He’s a good man. Honorable. Trustworthy, and it’s
killing him to see you like this.” Jerrod pointed back to the window.

Aiden sat in a room with chairs, his head hung wearily on his hands, his arms draped
over his knees. He seemed so lost.

Jesslyn glanced back at Jerrod. His bright eyes bore into hers and she felt he could see
into her very soul.

“Not quite no, only He can see into souls.”

She let out a huff. “Will you quit doing that?”

His eyes twinkled merrily, then sobered. “You must decide what you want. You asked
God ‘why’, for reasons, and for justification for so long. He left you for a reason, but now it is
your choice.”

“What do you mean my choice?”

He smiled a secret smile. “There are still rough times ahead, doubt it not. But there are
wonderful surprises in store.”

She thought for a moment. What he’d said was true. For years she’d wished she had
died in the accident with her family, but now….

“Where are Hannah and Holden?” Usually they were all together.

“This isn’t their time.”

Jesslyn felt a sort of parting at Jerrod’s words.

“This is good-bye isn’t it?” She knew it was, in some deep part of her.

“That is up to you. But since I know you’re going back, then yeah, it is.”

“But why?” She didn’t like the thought of having to let him go again.

“It’s not like that, Jesslyn. There really isn’t ‘good-bye’. Think of it as ‘I’ll see you one
day’. I’ve always been here for you, a part of you. It’s just taken you a while to realize that. But
now that you have, you don’t need me, at least not in the venue I’ve been visiting you in.”

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Jesslyn hated good-byes.

“I’ll still drop in from time to time.” He slung his arm around her shoulders. “Have to
make certain Aiden treats you right,” he said into her ear.

His words fell over her like a warm blanket.

She grinned up at him. “So Aiden and I will be together for a while?”

His smile answered her. “If you’re not afraid to hold on tight to what is given to you.”

Jesslyn sighed. Looking back towards the window, she saw herself lying in a hospital
room. Aiden stood to the side.

“Why am I in the hospital?” she asked. Jerrod didn’t answer her. Fear started to creep
into this safe sanctuary.

“The monster,” she whispered. Running from the monster … Fog clouded her memory.

But the tingle of fear remained. “Who is the monster, Jerrod?”

His solemn look deepened the lines around his mouth. He shook his head. “I don’t know.

I can’t see.”

He knew everything.

“No, I don’t.” Jerrod answered her thought. “He knows everything and only Him. We
see bits and glimpses of what He permits us or gifts us with. Only He can see both. We cannot
get close to darkness.”

“I don’t understand.” Jesslyn shook her head, tried to comprehend all he said.

“We here are light, and love, and goodness. The opposite of darkness, hatred and evil.

Rarely can we get close. I was allowed to come to you now, but I do not know the answer to
your question.” For the first time his voice held that hint of impatience that it always had.

“Be careful, Jesslyn. The night isn’t over for you yet. You must be strong and brave.”

All she could see were his eyes. “The darkness is very close to you. I tried to get to you earlier,
but I couldn’t get through.”

“That’s why Hannah and Holden aren’t here isn’t it?” she waved a hand towards the
window of the world. “This is too … dark for them?”

His smile brightened her spirit. “The little ones are treasured above all others. Though
Hannah still has a mind of her own.”

Jesslyn thought for a moment. “God is all knowing. So why did He let Hannah warn
me?” “I don’t question Him. Though perhaps for that very reason--to warn you. Now,” he
said as he gave her a hug, kissed her cheek. “It’s time for you to head back. You can’t stay here
forever. Unless, of course, that is your wish.”

She felt the gentle brush of his hand as it pushed her hair back. Jesslyn shook her head
at him. It was peaceful here. So very peaceful. Yet, the thought of Aiden worried, of her father
finding out what happened to her, swirled within her.

“I love you, Jesslyn. I always will,” he whispered.

“I know. I love you too, Jerrod.” She cupped her hand to his jaw, felt warmth flood
through her like a soft golden light.

He smiled softly and nodded. “I know. Now go. Be careful.”

Jerrod started to fade, the white darkened. Fear slithered through her nerves. His voice
came through the graying light. “Look up.”

The butterfly, a small dot of sunshine flitted about. Up and down, around and around.

Jesslyn focused on the little yellow wings. Happiness and hope.

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Her vision narrowed and saw only the butterfly. Blackness swirled around her faster and
faster. A vortex of darkness and fear pulled at her, sucked her down. Down. Down….

* * * *

Jesslyn fought against the void pulling at her. The darkness became tighter and fiercer the more she tried to fight it.

Then, through it, came his voice, soft and echoed as if he spoke in a tunnel. Pleading with her.“Come back to me, Jessie girl. Come back. Please, open your eyes.”

Aiden.

With supreme effort her eye lids barely rose, the darkness of her lashes obscured her view. Jesslyn tried again, forced her eyes to open all the way.

The world was blurry. She could make out shapes, colors, images, but everything melded together.Her head hurt and she closed her eyes against the pain, hoped it would go away.

It didn’t. She’d kill for some aspirin. What the hell? Did she get roaring drunk and pass out? Hadn’t she heard Aiden? Where was he? It felt like a hundred trolls beat at the inside of her brain with picks and sledgehammers. Aspirin. Water.

A familiar scent tingled her nose. What was it? Where was she? A clatter rolled by somewhere. The beep of a machine intruded. Realization slammed into her. A hospital!

Jesslyn’s eyes flew open. What the hell was she doing in a damn hospital? Had there been another accident?

Try as she might, she couldn’t focus on a single thing. She was so tired. But she wouldn’t give into the beckoning exhaustion. When you went to sleep in hospitals you only awoke to horrible nightmares. Children dying. Funerals to plan.

She licked her lips, fought to control her breathing.

As panic started to grab her by the throat, she heard his whisper again. “Please wake up, baby. Please.”

Something lolled on her hand. She tried to move it.

“Aiden?” Her whisper was lost behind her mask. Jesslyn took a deep breath and tried again, tried to focus on the black blob that could be his head.

“Aiden?” The blackness moved, swift and sharp. Glasses. She needed her glasses.

Then he was above her, leaning over her. She tried to lift her hand to remove the offensive mask. But her hand wouldn’t move. She felt trapped.

“Oh, thank God. You’re awake. Shh … Don’t try to talk. Let me get the doctor.” His voice sounded strained and excited. He pressed something, she heard it click.

Then a voice from behind and above her. “Yes?”

“She’s awake.”

Jesslyn was too tired to care. If Aiden were here, things were fine. Everything was fine.

But what had happened? She muttered her question to him.

He leaned close to her. “Shh. Jessie. Everything’s okay. You’re safe.”

Safe? Where had that come from? Safe from what, she drowsily wondered.

“Well, I see you’re right, Mr. Kinncaid,” came the same voice she’d heard behind her, now across the room.

Intercom, the fuzzy thought floated to her.

“You’ve had us all worried, Ms. Black, though none more so than Mr. Kinncaid here.”

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Jesslyn listened to woman’s voice, chattery and chirpy, and it grated against the pounding in her head. Something vised on her arm, making the tips of her fingers tingle. The hiss of air and slow loosened grip told her--blood pressure. Why wouldn’t her mind work?

“BP’s good. Though your heart rate jumped a little bit ago. Now we know why.

Normal. Perfectly normal.” Someone quickly patted her right hand. The nurse, the pat wasn’t Aiden’s style.