Desired by Shadow (A Shadow Walkers Novel) (11 page)

After telling Ian what she required, he stalked to the bathroom. It was steamy and smelled of a spicy shower gel he used when he wanted to feel human, and for him a shower was a very human experience. As a Walker he didn’t need to shower, didn’t sweat, didn’t smell. Strange, he never used it when he showered with one of the numerous ladies he entertained. Usually let them pick some kind of fruity-smelling wash. Well, he could think of many things Freud would have to say about that but instead he lathered up. Soaping his body, he thought of Maggie being in here before him, using his scent, washing her body, her hands running over her breasts, stomach, legs, and that lovely arse. Groaning, he finished, the towel slung low over his hips. Shaving. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d actually used a razor.

Stretching, he padded back to his cabin. Entering the room, Maggie stopped mid-motion, the teacup halfway to her lips. “What are you doing? You’re practically naked.”

He had a suggestive comment on his lips when he looked closer at her face. Great, she was afraid. Damn it to hell. “My clothes are here in the room. If you’ll turn your head away, I’ll dress quickly so as not to offend your delicate sensibilities.” Pulling out his most charming smile, he was disheartened to see her hand curled around the poker in a death grip.

Pulling on a pair of faded worn jeans and a cream V-neck sweater, he approached her as a wild animal, speaking softly. “Maggie. I’m dressed. You can look now.”

Glancing at him and then back down to her lap, she set her teacup down. Giving her a moment, he went to the sideboard, grabbed the whisky and poured a liberal amount into her cup. At her look he explained, “To help you relax, nothing more.”

Looking at him as if he were a very hungry tiger about to pounce on her, she eased back in the chair sipping her tea. Sitting in the chair opposite her, drinking a whisky he watched her. The flames warmed the room. It was almost dinnertime, the day dark and dreary, casting shadows in the corners and on the ceiling.

“Now, back to the matter at hand. Can you tell me how you know me and what led you to my ship?”

Her hesitation made him want to swear, reach across the space separating them and shake her. Instead, he gripped the arms of the chair, fingers twitching. “Maggie. I don’t know what you’ve been through—but given the state of you when you were discovered on board, I’m guessing it was bad. No matter what you’ve heard or been told, I give you my word—you are under my protection and I will aid you however I can. No harm will come to you, I give you my oath.”

Green eyes searched his face, assessing, considering. Seemingly satisfied, she squared her shoulders, tucked her feet up under her, took a fortifying swallow of tea and a deep breath.

“I’m not sure where to start.” Sitting there so still, she looked like an ancient stone goddess of old. The only thing betraying her angst was the fear reflected in her eyes and the slight trembling of her hands.

“Why don’t you start by telling me how you came to interfere in my hanging and we can go on from there?”

“Interfered? I saved your life. Though if I’d known it was you, I would have kept going. Anyway, I thought things like you couldn’t die?”

“Things? You called me a thing?” Nothing that came out of her mouth could have astonished him more. Too damn bad she didn’t let him swing. If she had, they wouldn’t be here in this predicament right now. To further deflate his ego, he guessed by her tone she didn’t care for him. Well, it made it that much funnier for the fates that she was supposed to help him.

“Excuse me. A Shadow Walker, then.”

Now she had his bleedin’ attention. “Why don’t you tell me how you know that term and what you think it means?”

Maggie shrank back into her chair as if he might strike her. Strike a woman? He was affronted. As if he’d ever strike a woman. Never. And any man who did deserved a painful and bloody death at the end of his sword, gun, blast of energy or maybe all three. Didn’t matter he was still pissed about her turning his life upside down, all he cared about was destroying whoever had laid a finger on that porcelain skin or fiery red hair. Ruining those who’d hurt her. Clenching the arms of the chair, he heard them creak in protest.
Calm the hell down, won’t do any good to scare her. Keep calm and let her talk.

“I don’t know who or what has hurt you but I would never strike a woman.” A knock on the door interrupted him. Ian came in bearing a hearty stew, freshly baked bread, tea, and fruit.

“Dinner has arrived. Do you feel up to eating something more substantial than broth?”

“Are you kidding? I’m starving. Oranges, wherever did you find them? It’s hard enough to get orange juice let alone the real thing.” Maggie looked like she was going to knock Ian over and devour the orange globes.

“Easy now, there’s plenty. I’ve a hothouse at my home in Wales and they’re grown there. We keep oranges along with lemon and limes stocked on the ship. Would milady like a glass of lemonade?” The poor woman was ready to start salivating. Hmm, fresh fruit seemed to be the way to get Maggie to drop her guard. He made a mental note.

“Ian, if you would be so kind? That will be all.”

The boy left them to their supper. “Shall we continue our conversation? I am most interested in your tale. Eat as many oranges as you want. We’ve plenty onboard and can restock when we reach Wales in a few hours.”

With a wary eye on him, she stood and fixed a heaping bowl of stew, two heavily buttered slices of bread, three oranges and refilled her tea. A good strategy was half the battle. His was simple…he’d ply her with food to get her to drop her guard and open up.

Waiting until she settled back in to her chair, he stood and with deliberate slow movements, made his own plate of food. What would it be like to serve her? To feed her piece by piece, watching the pleasure fill her face? A groan of pleasure filled the room as Maggie dug into her food.

“Take care, lass. Your stomach may not handle the food so well.”

With a mouth full of bread, she mumbled, “No, I’m used to not having food for a few days and then eating. I think my stomach is made of cast iron.”

It was stated so matter of fact. In this day and age to think someone wouldn’t have enough food, it was unacceptable. Schooling his face into a pleasant expression, he nodded around a bite of stew, motioning for her to continue.

“I don’t actually know you, I’d never laid eyes on you until Edinburgh Castle but I knew your name and what you looked like. The people I…worked for, were very interested in you and those like you.”

Spoon dangling from his fingers, he nodded, leaning forward in the chair. “Solien?”

“Yes. What a horrible creature. And when I heard him talking to Bruce and Rawlins about you. Well, they sounded afraid. So naturally I thought if they were worried, you had to be terrifying.” That lovely full mouth of hers formed an O of surprise as if she realized what words had left her mouth and she shrank back into her chair almost spilling the stew.

He stayed his hand before he reached out to her knowing she’d take it as aggression not concern. “Maggie, ‘tis fine. Do you know what the people you work for are?”

“Some of them are human, like Bruce and his men. They report to what I used to call super ghosts but now I know they’re called Day Walkers. The Day Walkers answer to the most frightening creature I’ve ever encountered. His name is Solien and he’s something more than even the Day Walkers.” Composing herself, she went back to eating her stew. After finishing the bowl, she ate the bread, saving the precious fruit for last.

“Tell me the rest. I’m guessing it has something to do with how you ended up on my ship?” He was careful not to look at her except for stealing glances. Instead he directed his attention to the meal and ate, looking down at the plate to put her at ease.

Sighing, she broke off a piece of bread, heavily buttered, stuffed it in her mouth and chewed. The lass was stalling.

“Maggie, I shall say it until you stop shrinking away from me. Nothing has hurt you since you’ve set foot on my ship and I will not hurt you. Confide in me. I can help you.”

“There are others like me, still at the house. Bruce and his men—they can’t see you or your kind…but…we can.”

Based on their auspicious meeting at Edinburgh Castle, he knew that. But others? This was interesting. “You are unusual, but I’ve encountered others like you. Those who have wandered into shadow and back. This Bruce character, he uses you to see us. Then what?” It was brilliant he thought, leaning back in his chair. Recruiting those who had the ability to see the enemy so the minions could try to kill them. Grudgingly he admitted to himself—they had something.

“The men take us out and when we see someone like you we write up a description or sometimes we tell them where you are standing and they shoot at you.”

At his look she paused. “Solien told us Shadow Walkers are trying to destroy the world, killing humans and bringing creatures to live in our cities and eat the children.” She shuddered.

This was really too ridiculous for words. They were the bloody heroes. “Allow me to set the record straight, may I?” She nodded, peeling an orange and he continued. “We, Shadow Walkers, that is, are the good guys. Solien is a demon and Rawlins is a Day Walker. They are allied in the quest to destroy humanity. On the other hand, we protect all of you. And unlike the enemy, we’re forbidden to drain humans dry.” Pausing, he let her take it in, watching the emotions play across her face. Had to admit, it was easier talking to someone who already knew about them and the “other” creatures. Not like she’d run shrieking from the news.

“You both profess to be the good guys. I’ll make up my own mind, thank you. I’ve seen what Solien and the others do. Cruel, awful things.” Voice breaking, she reached for the cup of tea. “Robert? Are all Day Walkers demons like Solien?”

What the hell had they done to her? It was appalling.

“No. Only Solien. Day Walkers are like us in the sense we were all mortal at one time. Then we died and some of us took one path to protect. Others took the road to destruction and embraced a different existence. Have you met Dayne? Solien reports to him.”

“No. If Solien answers to him, I don’t want to. So you’re what, some kind of ghost?”

“An apt enough description. How did you come to work for them?”

Did she have to bite her lip? It made him think of bedding her. He wasn’t supposed to be thinking of sex, well not until after he found out about her and helped her. Or maybe found out, then sex thoughts, then help her, then more pleasurable thoughts. Glad she couldn’t hear what he was thinking, he grinned inside.

Maggie squirmed in her chair clearly uncomfortable with telling him. He’d wait. The silence stretched. “I guess it doesn’t matter if I tell you. My supposed best friend told Bruce about me in exchange for three hundred quid. I was kidnapped on my way home from work over a year ago. It wasn’t just me; there were others in similar situations though now there’s only a few left. Some tried to escape and were killed. I thought I’d die there.”

“I’m sorry, Maggie. What happened to make you risk your life escaping?”

She exhaled hard, unconsciously hugging herself. To give her a moment, he got up to pour tea. At that moment, a knock sounded on the door. Ian had brought chocolate brownies and lemonade.

“We’ll be docking in an hour, Cap.”

“Much appreciated, lad.”

Instead of pouring her more tea, he served them, making sure to put two of the chocolaty goodies on her plate. Yep, she was watching him like a hawk.

“Don’t worry, you can have more.”

“Sorry. It’s been so long since I’ve had food like this.” A crumb caught in the corner of her lip when she took a bite of the brownie. Before he realized what he was doing, he reached over and wiped it away with his thumb. Green eyes dilated and stared up at him. She was frozen in time; the moment seemed to expand, no past, no present, only now. His body leaned in, meeting her in the briefest kiss before she pulled back looking interested yet distressed. Idiot. Here she’s ailing and you try and snog her. Nice. “There was something on your face. It’s gone now.” Lame. So lame. He mentally scolded himself.

“Um, Anyway, I’d been out spotting for them. I didn’t see anyone but there was trouble at the club and I was blamed. Getting ready for bed, I heard Bruce talking. They said I’d been lying to them or my ability had worn off…that I was no longer useful and I’d be killed in the morning.”

Robert handed her another brownie and refilled her glass of lemonade, staying silent to encourage her to keep talking.

“I realized they meant to kill me. Escape was my only option. I ran into Ned. I knew him from before when I’d stayed at a hostel he worked for. That’s how I found out about the tunnels. Guess I didn’t realize the sewage would be quite so awful.” A corner of her mouth lifted in what for her would be a full-on belly laugh for anyone else.

“Indeed. I’m afraid you did rather reek. Though it was brilliant to use the tunnels to escape.” He hid his anger at her captors. Would only scare Maggie to show it. But he’d take care of each and every one; especially the one who’d betrayed her. Thorne needed to be informed along with the others.

“And that’s where I found you, being hanged. Of course I didn’t know it was you until I freed you and you introduced yourself.”

“I imagine I gave you rather a fright. I’m sorry. I was perplexed as to why you’d run away after risking yourself to help me?”

Fidgeting in the chair, she wouldn’t meet his eyes. “You’re legend.”

He wanted to know more.
Legend
. But Maggie had run out of steam and fallen asleep in her chair, the teacup sliding off her lap. Catching it, he set it on the sideboard and carried her to bed kissing her on the forehead. Summoning Ian, he gave orders to drop anchor in the harbor and spend the night. Would be safer. They’d dock in the morning.

Instinct made him reach for the coverlet to climb in beside her and hold her tight…but she’d be terrified if she woke and found him there. Instead, he made himself as comfortable as possible in the bloody chair…again.