Red-Line: The Shift (Volume One) (35 page)

The closet was getting warm, since there was no air circulation and no electricity. After several minutes, she finally picked her head up, even though she stared straight ahead.

He grabbed a tissue and wiped his brow. “Feeling any better?” he asked her.

She let her head fall back and let it rest against the back wall, but she didn’t answer him.

He decided to try again. “You know, I get the whole hiding-out thing, but why the closet? It’s a little stifling in here.” He swung the flashlight around the tiny area, and light bounced around them. “I would think the bathroom might be more convenient. Plus you’d have access to the facilities.”

She continued to sit without saying a word. He stopped talking and leaned back against the wall, determined to wait her out.

Finally, she acquiesced. “It’s the carpet,” she said.

“What?” he said, forgetting the question.

“It’s more comfortable to sit on, plus it muffles the sound.”

He realized then what she was talking about. “Oh. That makes sense.” He kept up the conversation. “I suppose you could rearrange your wardrobe too, while you’re in here.”

He heard her take a deep breath and release it. “Do you always make jokes?” she asked him.

He thought about it. “When it helps to lighten the mood. Or,” he reconsidered, “when I want to get on someone’s nerves.”

“So pretty much all the time, then,” she responded, with more warmth in her voice this time.

He smiled in the dark. “Did you just crack a joke?’ He imagined her smiling in return.

“I guess so.”

“Good. You must be feeling better.”

“Maybe a little.”

“One step at a time.”

She took a second before she responded. “I think I might need a lot of steps.”

He understood. “What is the saying?” he asked. “A journey of a thousand miles…”

“…begins with a single step,” she finished for him.

They sat quietly for a few minutes.

“Why do you have a flashlight?” she asked.

“What, this?” he asked, bobbing the light around. “I’m partial to darkness. Overhead lighting makes me look bad.”

“No, it doesn’t. And can you be serious, please?”

He couldn’t help but think she’d just complimented him, but he kept it to himself. “Be serious? Only because you asked. The electricity is out.”

She sighed. “Don’t tell me. Did I do that too?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. Hard to say.”

She didn’t say anything else as they remained where they were, sitting quietly.

Ramsey finally had to ask. “You ready to come out of the closet?”

Her mood finally lightened. “You’ve been waiting to say that, haven’t you?”

“It’s been on my mind.”

She didn’t make any move to leave, and he didn’t rush her. Finally, she spoke, almost whispering, “I’m scared.”

He heard her vulnerability, and it touched him. “I know.” It was all he could think to say.

“What do I do?” She sounded frail.

His mind replayed a memory from the day he brought her here. It had worked then, and he hoped it would work again. He reached out his hand to her. “Take my hand,” he said.

He could vaguely make out her profile as she turned her head toward him. She looked down, and seeing his arm extended, she reached out and put her hand in his. Instantly, the energy he’d felt from her that first day reignited; only now, it burned brighter and its intensity stunned him. He squeezed her fingers and felt the familiar warmth and tingles race up his arm and through his chest. He took a breath to control it, knowing if he didn’t, it would race wildly through him. He heard her take a breath as well.

They stayed that way for several seconds before he finally asked her, “Do you trust me?”

She squeezed his fingers. “Yes.”

He felt the sweat pop out on his brow as he warmed considerably. They were going to have to get out of this closet soon, or the energy building between them was going to need an outlet, and he didn’t want it to be the wrong one.

“Then don’t worry about it. We’ll figure it out.”

She was quiet for a moment before she spoke again. “John?” she asked. Her use of his first name rippled through him.

“Yes?” He realized he was holding his breath.

“Why are you doing this?”

He almost popped off a smart comment about it being his job, but he knew it was more than that. He owed her the truth, at least as he understood it. “Because I have to.” He finally summoned the strength to look over at her. “I told you I’m not going anywhere, and I’m not.”

“But you’re not responsible for me.”

“Oh, yes, I am. Like it or not, you’re stuck with me.”

She looked at him, her eyes filling with tears.

“What? What is it?” he asked, concerned as her emotions overtook her again.

Her voice caught. “What if I fail?”

“Fail?”

“What if I can’t do what you want? What if I can’t help you?” A tear rained down her cheek, and she wiped it away with her free hand.

He steeled himself, watching her battle new fears and insecurities. He imagined how difficult this must be for her. He deliberately cleared his mind, knowing that she could feel him through their connection, and he had to show her that he didn’t share her fear.

“Sarah, we’ve got a long way to go before we have to worry about that. We’re only on step two. Let’s try not to think about step nine hundred and four. A lot can happen between now and then.”

She shook her head and wiped her cheek again with her free hand.

“How about we focus on just getting you adjusted to your new abilities and figuring out what happens next. When it’s time for you to save the world, I’ll let you know.”

She took a deep breath and let it out fast, expelling some of the heavy energy she’d been carrying. “Okay,” she said with some relief. “We’ll save the world for later.” She grabbed a tissue and dabbed her eyes.

He liked how she said “we,” glad that she saw the two of them as a team. The energy moving through her and into him lightened.

She took another lungful of air and expelled it. Still holding his hand, she met his eyes again and managed a smile. “You ready to come out of the closet?”

He couldn’t help but chuckle. “You’ve been waiting to say that, haven’t you?”

She continued to smile back at him, and he let his mind wander while her gaze, despite her puffy eyes and the lack of light, fluttered through him. He knew she felt it too as she held his look and rubbed her thumb against the back of his hand. “Unless you’d rather stay.”

Her touch on his skin sent electricity through him, but her comment finally kick-started him and yanked him out of his thoughts. If he stayed put, he didn’t trust himself to keep it innocent. Tempted as he was to continue her flirtation, he knew it wasn’t the time or place.

He cleared his throat. “It’s getting a little hot in here.”

“Yes, it is.”

“I’ll go first.”

“Chicken.”

He released her hand reluctantly and made his way out of the closet. When he got through the door, he stood and held his hand out to her, and she took it again before climbing out and standing next to him. The air in the bedroom felt much lighter, now that they weren’t so enclosed. He kept the flashlight pointed at the wall as the darkness wrapped them in privacy. Still holding his hand, she stood in front of him.

“Feeling better now?” he asked her.

She acted hesitant. “A little.”

“What?”

“I’m worried.”

“About what?”

“What happened to Declan. I hurt him, and I don’t even know how I did it.”

“Don’t worry about it. He’s fine. Just remember, if your temper flares, make sure I’m not in the room.”

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

She made a face at him.

“Okay, okay,” he replied with a smile, although he felt her frustration. “So you know now to pay attention to your energy when your emotions run high. If it gets to feeling erratic, you need to rein it in. It’s just a matter of paying attention to how you feel and learning to focus and maintain control. You’ll get the hang of it. I promise.”

She looked doubtful in the minimal light, but eventually she nodded her head.

“You want to go join the group? We can all sit in the dark together, maybe play hide and seek.”

She took him by surprise when she moved closer to him and, letting go of his hand, brought her arms up and around him in a hug. He froze for a second with the unexpectedness of it, but then he returned it by wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close. Her cheek pressed against his own, and her arms encircled him. He felt the warmth of her body against his and his senses tuned completely in to her. If the hand-holding felt like a water hose, then this felt like a geyser. He didn’t want to let her go.

Suddenly, the room electrified with the humming of the air through the vents, and the digital clock in the room began to blink. A faint light from beyond the hallway lit the room softly.

From another area of the house, Ramsey could hear Leroy yell, “Lights are on!”

Ignoring the resumption of power as they generated their own, they continued to stand there, embracing, neither saying a word. He felt their connection heighten as their collective energy magnified and enveloped them.

A few seconds later, the lights flicked on in the room. “Hey, Sherlock.” With his hand on the light switch, Leroy poked his head in. “The electricity is…” He caught sight of the two of them. “Oops. Sorry to interrupt.” He flipped the light back off and left the room.

Ramsey smiled, and Sarah lifted her head. She pulled away, looking at him, holding his gaze. After a few seconds passed, she broke the moment. “Guess that means it’s time to get started,” she said.

He looked back at her, admiring her courage and fortitude. He wanted to pull her back in, but he stopped himself. “Yes, I guess so,” he said. “No time like the present.”

Reluctantly, they released each other, and the energy generated between them slowly dissipated. Taking her hand back and confirming her readiness with an assuring nod, he turned and led her from the room.

I’d like to recognize the following people for their help in this endeavor:

Cathy – My sister and my biggest cheerleader. You never thought twice about me doing this and you’re always there for me. I love you! You were my first reader and my first reviewer. Your support never wavered. This book wouldn’t be here without you.

Nick – You always offer me the best gift ever - laughter. Thank you for that. I love you and I’m blessed to have you as a brother.

Gwen and Crissy - my soul sisters and initial editors. I asked you for your help and you jumped right in. Gwen, our stories in high school were the seed that led to this. Who knew? Your encouragement made all the difference. I thank you for your never ending support and friendship. Crissy – You have been hanging in there with me through thick and thin. You pushed me to believe in myself and have been my biggest promoter. You have no idea how much you helped me see this through. Thank God for your support (and our hot tub talks. )

To the rest of my amazing family – Jessica, Alex, Jack, Suzzie, Anne and Fay – Outing myself as a writer was tough, but you guys never blinked an eye. Your encouragement made a big difference and helped me to keep going. Thank you for never doubting me.

Thanks to Jillian (
http://firstlookforauthors.com
) for her editing skills and Peter (
BespokeBookCovers.com
) for his cover design. The book looks great thanks to both of you. Thanks also to Mayza Clark at Mayza Clark photography for creating a beautiful author pic.

And to Taylor, Alex, Sydney, Colson and Leighton. Every one of you inspire me and I hope if nothing else, that this book inspires you, too. Believe in your dreams. Do what makes you happy. Every day. It’s your compass to joy.

J.T. Bishop decided in late 2012 to sit down and start writing. Two years later, she had a trilogy on her hands. Writing became a passion and she’s still going – writing the books she loves to read.

She also loves to travel, hang out with family and friends, read or write on a rainy day, and spend time in nature. Good food and good movies are a plus, too.

She lives in Plano, TX.

Connect with J.T. Bishop:

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/JT-Bishop/1475487032702148

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/jtbishopauthor

Or visit
http://www.jtbishopauthor.com

Other Titles by J. T. Bishop

Red-Line: Mirrors (Part Two of the Red-Line trilogy) –
http://amzn.com/B00VMN2FMK

Red-Line: Trust Destiny (Part Three of the Red-Line trilogy) – available Fall of 2015

Enjoy an excerpt from “Mirrors”:

SARAH, AGITATED BY the evening’s events, strode into her room, closing the door behind her. Three days had passed since her shopping spree. She’d given Ramsey ample time to recover from his shock in the dressing room, but getting antsy again, she’d asked him to take her to dinner. Begrudgingly, he’d agreed. Now, dinner over, she reviewed the incidents from the past hour. The evening had gone smoothly up until the end of the meal, but getting up to leave, they realized the restaurant had gown busy with the dinner crowd. Outside, valet parkers had appeared and a row of vehicles idled out front, waiting to be parked. His car blocked, Ramsey attempted to work with the valet service to free it, while Sarah waited inside at the bar.

She’d been standing there, watching the restaurant fill as the room’s energy buzzed with the increasing volume of conversation, and wondering if she’d ever again be able to enjoy the simple freedom of coming to dinner without ever having to look over her shoulder.

Remembering what happened next, she replayed the conversation in her mind as she changed out of her clothes and threw on a pair of sweatpants.

- - -

“ARE YOU LOOKING for someone?”

Startled out of her thoughts as she perused the crowd, Sarah looked over to see a man about her age, holding a drink and looking slightly inebriated.