A Ghost of a Chance (11 page)

A chill swept through the room and the pale pink candle on Gabriella’s night table almost flickered into oblivion. She turned slowly, in some measure dreading what she knew she would see. The balcony door was ajar and Samory stood in stillness on its threshold. For the first time at the sight of him, Gabriella’s heart traitorously clutched with fear. He reached out to her with his hand. “Why have you come to me like this Samory?”

“
It is time Gabriella that you become mine for all eternity.”

She stood up slowly, fighting the almost unendurable compulsion to surrender to his will. “But Samory,” she hesitated, each fiber of her being battling with every other fiber of her being. It was horrible, torturous, unbearable, until all she could truly manage to utter was, “Uh.”

There was silence, his bright red lips curled into a frown. “What was that my dearest?”

The words once again choked back deeply within her throat. “Uh,” she forced out another try, “Ahh, ug.”

He stood there quietly, almost frozen, eyeing her with a measure of irritation.

Hallie paused, “Shit.” Gabriella couldn’t stand there continuing to gurgle nonsense. She had to say something, but what?

And then suddenly, as though providence had reached in to save her, there was an intense pounding on her door. Bam, bam, bam, “Gabriella are you in there?”

She opened her mouth to reply but all that continued to come out was, “Uh, uhh.”

And then, in the flicker of a heartbeat the door violently crashed open, splinters of wood flying in disarray everywhere. And there, Jacob Mcfarin stood on the other threshold with his rapier drawn. “I sensed that you were in great danger Gabriella. So after dinner I waited in the bushes until I saw a creepy mist collect around your balcony.”

Samory was expressionless except for one eyebrow that rose in disdain, “Gabriella, who is this buffoon?”

Thank heavens she had found her voice, “Samory, ummm, this is Jacob Mcfarin. He’s a seafarer.”

“
Mcfarin,” he grimaced, “Now, where have I heard that name before?”

The reckless adventurer pointed his sword directly at Samory’s heart. Although not convinced that he possessed one, uttering with suppressed rage, “Perhaps you remember my sister, Margaret Mcfarin.”

This was the first flicker of significant emotion that evening that Gabriella had detected in Samory. She could see in his eyes that indeed he recognized the name. “Margaret, Margaret was very dear to me.”

“
Was that before or after you killed her, you scoundrel?”

Samory’s deep voice seemed to resound throughout the room. “I wanted her with me, always, but she was not strong enough.”

Gabriella was stunned and perturbed, “Samory, you truly loved her?”

“
Not as I love you my darling. There has never been another as you.”

“
What a crock of shit that is,” Jacob spat out. He continued rapidly, “How many have you said that to?” and he added with emphasis, “This week?”

Samory’s ebony eyes blazed with fury. “I have had enough of you. You insect!”

He reached his hand outward which before their eyes mutated into a hideous claw; Gabriella jumped back and screamed maniacally, “No!”

Hallie repeated, “No.”

Jack whispered next to her, “Yes a claw, an awful horrible claw.”

She shook her head, seemingly battling with herself, “No, no. He wouldn’t have a claw. He’s not some kind of bird.”

“
Of course he’s a bird. He’s a bat. That’s a bird.”

“
No, a bat is a mammal, not a bird.”

“
It has a claw.”

Emphatically, she reiterated, “No claw, something else how about hmmm.”

He frowned, women and their pickiness. “All right, then how about a paw?”

She stopped and considered, “A paw? I’m not sure that would . . .”

“
Dracula ran around like a wolf and wolves have paws.”

She clicked her fingers nervously on the keyboard. It was amazing to him how rapidly his words were reaching her. Of course, she assumed that they were her own thoughts and not planted ones. But the rapport was undeniably getting stronger.

“
A paw doesn’t sound so scary.”

He nodded, “Yes that’s right. A claw, a big nasty claw is much scarier.”

“
I suppose I could take it out in a rewrite.”

“
Absolutely.”

“
Okay, let’s give it a try.”

Gabriella screamed and Jacob jumped back just in time to avoid the swipe of Samory’s monstrously, mutated hand. “What are you doing Samory?” Gabriella pleaded with terror fracturing her voice.

“
I’m not letting you go!” The voice that came from him was not the smooth deep tones of the man that she thought she knew, but the sound of a horrid creature bellowing forth from no other source than the bowels of hell. He reached toward her with another hand that had also become the extremity of a beast, a gargoyle, a. . .

“
That’s enough Hallie we get the picture.”

She sighed deeply, and then continued.
Jacob leapt forward pushing Gabriella out of harms reach as he deliberately hacked off one of Samory’s monstrous claws with his sword.

It hit the floor of her bedroom bursting into combustive flames as it dissolved.

The monster that was once Samory bellowed, “Do you think that you can take her from me so easily? I was here long before you, and I will outlast you, you depthless coward? Relinquish her or I will destroy you both!” And then, he dissolved into the air, slipping away quietly as a light mist dissipating through the balcony door into the shadows of the night.

Jack looked at Hallie; she stared glassily at the screen breathing deeply. Something else had fed her Samory’s final declaration. He’d felt it. The presence had made that threat, and it had made it to him directly. It wasn’t giving up, wasn’t surrendering, and there was no way now that he could either.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Monica circled the den of Hallie’s house with deliberation. Her eyes peered at every inch of the room as though there were a hidden truth somewhere that she could penetrate. Jack was curious as to why she had popped in on her friend, although he used that word loosely. She had professed it to be a social call. But her actions, her stance, her determined expression, spoke of something else. She was without question a woman on a mission.

“
The coffee will be ready in a few minutes.” Hallie entered smiling but eyeing Monica with the fringes of suspicion. Evidently, she was getting the same vibe. Jack settled on the couch so that he could have a ringside view of whatever was about to unfold.

Sitting gingerly in the rocking chair, Hallie motioned to the recliner next to her. “Why don’t you have a seat Monica.” She added, “You look like you’re about to jump out of your skin.” Jack smiled. He did appreciate Hallie’s directness. At times it could be less then tactful, but he did find it terribly endearing.

The blonde settled herself on the very edge of the chair, poised it seemed to spring into action if the moment was called for. Hallie frowned, “I was surprised to see you in the middle of a workday. You didn’t lose your job, did you?”

“
No, I didn’t lose my job,” she snapped back with thinly suppressed irritation.

“
Okay, “ she cleared her throat. “Is it Richard? Are things not going well there?”

“
No, well yes, we broke it off. But that’s not really what’s bothering me.”

She waited for elaboration, but there was none. “Then, what is it?”

“
It’s Jack.”

“
Excuse me.”

“
Yes, I know it sounds strange.”

“
You’re not talking about the dog?”

“
No, not your dog, Hallie.”

“
You know another Jack?”

“
No, not really,” she shifted uncomfortably on her perch.

“
What about this seaman person you’re seeing Hallie?”

Hallie’s eyes had become wide with interest as she zeroed in on the target. “No, no nevermind that, tell me what you were saying about this Jack.” Then she tacked on, “I mean, you have me curious,” as an afterthought.

Monica leaned in closer to her, her well lipsticked mouth poised in hesitation, “I have to say. It just doesn’t make much sense.”

“
That’s okay,” Hallie delivered very calmly. “What is it?”

She took a deep breath, obviously finding whatever she had to say particularly troublesome. “Well, ever since you mentioned that name, I mean other than the dog, I’ve been thinking.

And it’s been bugging me, kind of irritating me actually. And then suddenly, pretty much out of nowhere I remembered why.”

“
Why?” Hallie was leaning toward her, literally on the edge of her seat, sort of feeling like she wanted to spring up and rip the words out of Monica’s throat if need be. “This is the strange part. I remembered a dream I had.”

Hallie leaned back in her chair as a measure of understanding began to flood across her face. “Tell me about it,” she said softly.

“
Usually, I don’t pay any attention to dreams.”

“
What happened?” the voice was quiet, but filled with determination.

“
In the dream we were back at this restaurant, you know the Mexican one.”

“
Ah huh,” softly.

“
And I was all dressed up and you. Well, you didn’t look so good.”

“
Go on,” with little emotion.

“
So, anyway we both had dates. And yours was this exotic dark, foreign looking man – very handsome, striking and well just compelling. And mine was this other guy.”

“
What kind of guy?”

“
Well he was nice-looking, sort of, not extraordinary like your date.” Jack bristled a bit at her evaluation. In his day, he had been highly thought of by the opposite sex.

“
He was dressed real nice and for some reason in the dream well. . .”

“
What,” she reiterated, “what happened!”

Monica looked at her with a bit of confusion. “Why is this so important to you?”

Hallie smiled forcibly trying to reestablish the appearance of composure. “I just want to know what happened. You have me on pins and needles.”

Monica continued, seeming momentarily satisfied that she had her friend’s rapt attention. “Well, in the dream I was totally nuts about this guy – my date I mean. And he’s really not my type at all.”

“
I see.”

“
But that’s not the strange part.”

“
It’s not?”

“
No, the strange part is that his name was Jack, and then you ask me if I’ve ever met someone named Jack. Isn’t that bizarre? I mean what do you make of that?”

Hallie was still for a moment. Then, she smiled and shrugged, “Sounds like an interesting dream.”

“
The name, doesn’t that mean anything?”

“
Well, it’s a common name. I wouldn’t stress too much about it Monica.”

And then her small eyes squinted smaller, “What about your Jack, Hallie. The one you were looking for?”

“
I didn’t find him.” Now intent on shifting gears. “Do you want that coffee now?”

Monica stared back at her, looking a little befuddled. “Are you sure this doesn’t mean anything?”

Hallie smiled but her thoughts were elsewhere. Jack could tell. He could feel it. She was moving closer to him. “It’s just one of those strange coincidences, nothing to worry about, nothing at all.” She murmured this to placate Monica, but her words were filled with no conviction whatsoever.

He remained on the couch in Hallie’s den after the ladies had left wondering what in blazes to do next. “Did you call?”

He glanced up; Great Aunt Marie was across the room looking out the window. “She drives a jaguar. Never liked them myself, but I suppose it suits her.” She looked at him and smiled, “Been keeping yourself busy my boy?”