Possession of the Soul (7 page)

Tabitha gave thanks for her crafty friend and her nimble fingers as she slipped out the window, too. Closing it, she ran with Melody to Shane’s car.

Tabatha paused at the corner of the building. A sidewalk led to the parking area. She glanced around, making sure no one was there to stop them.

“Looks clear, so let’s go. I need to go back to my old home and think. I can’t believe they think I’ll just sit there and let them claim me!” Tabatha ran to the car door. “Hoyt and Chax have some nerve. I’m not a bimbo, but I have to admit they’re both hot! Chax’s hands are magical. My feet feel ten times better.”

The air had turned cold since they’d entered the party earlier that evening. Tabatha jumped in once Melody unlocked the car and started the engine. “We’re going to have to stop at that little grocery store on the way. It’s open all night.” Tabatha looked down at her belly dancer costume. “God, that means we’re going to have to go inside wearing our costumes. I still have clothes at my parents’ house, so we can wear some of my old things.”

Tabatha looked out the window as Melody drove. She contemplated the events of the day. Her life was in shambles, but every time she thought about Hoyt, Chax and that voice, desire roared through her. Moisture dampened her panties, and she squirmed in her seat.

“You do know they’re your mates, right? Well, at least Hoyt and Chax.” Melody laughed, glanced over at her, and then back at the road. “Shane knew right away, too. I can’t believe you get two men and maybe even three. That’s so unfair.”

“I don’t know anything anymore, Mel. My life is so topsy-turvy right now. I don’t know if I’m coming or going. Hell, I don’t even know who to trust anymore—except for you and Shannon, but she has her own troubles to deal with.” Tabatha leaned her head back against the headrest. “For the past week I’ve been thinking of my folks. Their wedding anniversary is coming up in a few days. I’ve missed them, and I need to connect with them in some way. Maybe now is the time to open the house and live there again. I guess I was afraid of the ghosts. The place is rent-free, and it gives me a means to sort out my life in quiet solitude. I need a new job, and with you getting hitched soon, a new place to live, too.

She sighed wearily. “I miss my family so much. Just imagine what Ben would say if he were here. He would flip out at me having two men, let alone three.” Tabatha laughed as tears slipped down her face.

“I miss them too,” Melody replied. “I’m just glad I’m going to be there with you when you open the house. It’s time to put the ghosts away, and while we do that, we can just relax. After tonight, I think we both need it.” She smiled and turned up the radio.

Later, the sound of the motor shutting off woke Tabatha. She opened her eyes to see the corner grocery store.

Melody shook her arm. “Come on, Tabby. Let’s grab some food and some stuff we’re going to need before we get to the cabin.”

Tabatha opened the door and inhaled the fresh mountain air.
It’s been so long.
She got of the car and stretched her limbs.

Tabatha smiled when she walked into the store. She knew the clerk would get an eye full. Sure enough, his gaze heated as he scanned them from head to toe. His jaw dropped, and Tabatha laughed, winking at the man.

“Remember in high school how if one boy looked at you the wrong way, Ben would warn everyone, scaring the shit out of the guys?” Melody stated as they piled groceries in the cart. “Shit, he even did it for me. We had to sneak out to go on our dates, remember? God, I miss him, Tabby. I always had the biggest crush on the stupid lug.”

They headed to the checkout lane as Melody’s phone rang. Tabatha looked down at Melody’s phone the same time she did.

“You had to turn it on, didn’t you? Tabatha sighed, rolled her eyes, and chuckled. “Well, at least we had a nice, peaceful ride here.” She picked up a dildo and pointed it at Melody.

Melody shrugged and answered the phone, placing it on speaker.

“Where the fuck are you two?” Shane demanded as Melody held the phone away from her ear, her expression irritated. “Hoyt and Chax are going crazy.”

“Listen, big mouth, we’re fine right now. We’re grocery shopping and picking up a few other things.” Melody elbowed Tabatha as she put her sex toy up on the counter. “Then we’re going to have our own private Halloween party with no interruptions—from anyone—and no pressure. Tabatha has things to do at the old house, and I’m going to help. We’ll call tomorrow. See ya.” Melody laughed as she hung up on Shane, who was still yelling.

Tabatha just shook her head and paid for the groceries. Melody helped her load the bags into the car. “I can’t believe you bought a dildo. Did you see the look the clerk gave you when you put it on the counter? I thought I was going to have to club him over the head or something.” Melody giggled, shutting the trunk.

Pausing, Tabatha glanced up at the clear night sky. “It’s my business, plus Hoyt has gotten me so wound up I need something to take the edge off.”

Stars twinkled in the dark, and the moon shone brightly. It would be a cold night, maybe one with snow. She loved snow, but she just hoped it would hold off until they got to the cabin. She moved to the passenger door and thought about the long, two-hour drive ahead of them.

Chapter Seven

Melody pulled up to the cedar A-frame cabin. For the last 15 minutes Tabatha had watched out the window looking for any changes to the property. Trees were bigger, and paths were grown over from lack of use. The cabin sat on over 50 acres without a neighbor in sight except for across the lake where a few family vacation cottages stood. A small family-owned store resided about 15 miles through the woods from her property. Over the last ten years, Frank, the owner, had kept the Spinnings’ grounds and always made sure there was gas in the tank for the generator in case she decided to make a last-minute trip back. But nothing inside should have been touched except for knocking down cobwebs and other upkeep to the house.

Tabatha looked over at her friend, and a silent communication passed between them. Sitting quietly, she shared a long moment of contemplation with Melody. The sun rose behind the main house and the outlying visitors’ cabins, its rays outlining the structures. Each abode still sat intact, waiting for holiday occupants.

“You know, the only thing missing is Shannon. I wish she were here. She always liked coming here whenever her mom would let her. My mother always believed that there was something special about Shannon,” Tabatha whispered, almost afraid to speak normally.

It looked surreal, like a long ago dream. A vision of her brother as he chased her out the front door, laughing all the way to the lake, ran through her mind. The door slammed shut as their mother yelled at them to stop fooling around while she hid her smile and watched.

“I missed this place more than I realized. I stayed here as much as I could, just to get away from my mom.” Melody got out of the car and grabbed two bags of groceries from the trunk.

Tabatha restrained her tears and shook her head to clear the haunting memories. “I know. I missed it, too.” She looked up at the front door. “Hey, I know you and Shane are having your ceremony next week, but why don’t we just stay here until then?” Tabatha picked up a bag and headed up the stairs. “You took off work for your ceremony anyway, right? You can help me open up the house, and we can both relax. We can also relive the old days for a little while. I really think I’m going to move back in the old house. I love it here.” Tabatha dug through her purse, pulled out the old set of keys, and unlocked the door, opening it. “Melody, would you go turn on the generator? Here, give me those bags.” Tabatha placed the bags in the hallway. “We’ll have to use the generator for the bare necessities until I can get the power turned back on.”

As she walked into the living room, she could’ve sworn she’d stepped back in time. Outlining the huge stone fireplace, her father’s handmade shelves greeted her. Trophies lined the shelves, her brother’s outnumbering hers. However, despite her having so few, her father always made sure to show her how proud he was of them.

She could almost see her mom standing in the living room, smiling at her. The musty smell of the closed-up cabin reached Tabatha, bringing a deep sadness to her. Tabatha gulped as more memories flashed across her mind’s eye. She reached for the light switch in hopes that Melody had managed to start the generator. In the light, only dust and furniture covered by white sheets greeted her. Tabatha turned, grabbed the bags from the hallway, and moved into the kitchen. She set them on the huge wooden table where she’d spent many holidays baking with her mom.

Melody came in behind her. “You know, I think I’ll take you up on that offer of staying here for a few days.” She walked back into the living room, pulled off the sheets, and shook them out. “We can dig through the photo albums and video tapes, have some good laughs.” Dust floated around the room, and she sneezed.

“Bless you,” said Tabatha. “Let’s change into some sweats, and afterward, we can start opening things in here.”

As she made her way down the hallway, Tabatha traced her finger along the wallpaper she and her mother had put up the summer before the accident. Her father had always kept a drawer full of sweat suits. She stood before her parents’ bedroom and stared through the doorway. Although darkness shrouded the room, she could just make out the furniture in the little light spilling from the living room.

A lump formed in her throat. Could she do this? With resolve, she flipped on the light switch. Her dad’s office shoes still sat in front of the chair, and his pipe rested in the ashtray next to it.

Melody wrapped her arm around her. “You know, I’m sure we can find something to wear in your old room. We don’t need to go in there if it’s too hard for you.”

Turning, she smiled at Melody, “No, it’s time.” Tabatha strode to the drawer and pulled out two pairs of sweat pants and matching shirts. “I’ll have to go through their clothes this weekend anyway and send them to the Salvation Army. Mom would have wanted that. But I want you to take anything you want. Mom always did think of you as her daughter, too.” She threw one of the outfits to Melody, who caught it.

“Maybe tomorrow. I think right now some good music and cleaning in the living room, kitchen, and bathroom will be enough for tonight.” Tears slipped down Melody’s cheeks. “Even after all these years it’s like we’ve stepped into the Twilight Zone. I keep expecting your dad to come out and yell at us to get out of their room.”

Tabatha hugged Melody. “I know. I was thinking the exact same thing. But you’re right. This room is too much right now. Tomorrow we’ll go through it.” She stepped back and turned off the light, putting a hold on that part of her pain.

 
Tomorrow, Daddy, I’ll say goodbye.

“You aren’t with your mates? Why? And why so sad? It’s tearing my heart apart,
Wol-itelm said.

A warm sensation of arms surrounding her and giving her comfort almost made it seem real.
Please stop. I need to think straight, and I can’t do it with you popping into my mind whenever you feel like it.
Tabatha shook her head and closed the door. Tabatha went into the bathroom, stripped out of her costume, folded it, and placed it on the counter for later.

Pulling the sweatshirt over her head, Tabatha could still smell her father’s scent just like it was yesterday.
Okay, why can I smell this? Shouldn’t it have faded by now?

“Hey, Melody? Can you smell Dad’s scent on the clothes?” She stepped into the hallway and frowned at her friend.

Melody sniffed her sweatshirt. “I can’t smell anything except a musty odor. Why?” She followed her into the living room.

“It’s weird. It’s like in the club’s bathroom when I was actually growling, and now I can smell my dad’s scent. It’s like my body is changing or something.” Moving into the living room, Tabatha dug through a box and tried to put that thought behind her, but she knew something was wrong. She sensed her body was changing, somehow, and it scared the hell out of her.

 
“There is nothing for you to fear. You’re just recognizing things more now, and yes, your body will be changing now that your mates have come into your life,”
Wol-itelm informed her.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. It might be your body telling you enough is enough. I mean come on, in the last 24 hours you’ve gone through hell. You need to rest. “ Melody’s words jarred her from Wol-itelm’s telepathic voice.

Tabatha found some old records next to the stereo and laughed as she picked up her favorite one. “Maybe.”

After putting away the supplies they’d picked up at the store, they worked on cleaning up the living room and kitchen, sorting things to keep and things she would donate. Melody opened up the windows to let air inside the stuffy cabin. Tabatha wiped down the fireplace mantle and looked up at the clock. Two hours had passed.

“Let’s take a break. We can make a cup of instant coffee, have some muffins, and sit out on the deck,” Tabatha said and walked into the kitchen, getting two mugs down from the cupboard and cleaning them while Melody dug out the coffee they’d bought at the store. “We’ll have to go buy more groceries tomorrow. So we’ve decided we’ll be up here for a bit? We’ll have to call Doug and see if he’ll take care of Boots for us while we’re here. We’ll probably need clothes, too, from the apartment.” She leaned against the counter as she waited for the water to heat in the microwave. “I should have called Frank on our way up here. He would have loaded the fridge and freezer for me. I owe him and his son big time for taking such good care of the place.”

Melody removed the coffee mugs from the microwave. “I wonder what his son looks like. He was huge ten years ago and he was only 15 then. Imagine how tall he is now. I remember in school he had so many of the younger girls following him around—even at 15.” Melody handed her the coffee mug and they both stepped out onto the back deck.

The mountain view always took Tabatha’s breath away. She set her coffee down on the table and unfolded two patio chairs.