“That’s good, right?” Kurt asked. “I mean, that’s what I wanted to know.”
Not necessarily. A king was a formidable foe, and swords meant he had a strategic plan. Sadie worried her lip and closed her eyes. Her deep, steady breaths helped her access the more psychic reaches of her mind. Kurt and Anthony remained silent, giving her the time she needed to get a vision, if one would come.
At last she was standing outside a nondescript three-story building. All seemed quiet. She didn’t recognize it or the neighborhood, so that wasn’t much help. Maybe if I astral-project to the roof, I can see a landmark.
Sadie entered a deep trance and saw out of her mind’s eye as she floated up one story, two stories, three stories. At last she found the roof and directed her spirit body to land on it. Glancing around the area, she saw more buildings but none of them familiar. She sensed she was outside Boston proper in a pretty sketchy neighborhood, but she couldn’t be sure exactly where. Cambridge? Somerville? Everything was densely packed, and taller buildings obscured her view. Additionally, she couldn’t see any street signs.
Deciding to astral-project through the roof into the building, she hoped to view its contents and discover why she had projected there.
The third story held boxes and crates. Some had been pried open, and straw was strewn about the floor. Nothing interesting there, so she continued sinking through the third floor into the ceiling of the second. She found herself in an office. It seemed like this might be an old factory. There was a wall of windows and a metal walkway just outside the office. She imagined the supervisors keeping an eye on things by gazing down at the factory floor.
That seemed like a good idea, so she floated through the wall and stood on the walkway. What she saw shocked her. Cages. Some small enough to hold a rabbit, others large enough to hold a man. Then she spotted a group cell—a very large, glassed-in area with two naked men, a naked woman, and a naked child inside. If that wasn’t upsetting enough, a few giant fish tanks stood against the opposite wall. She spotted one with a man inside…and he had a fishtail!
Sadie was about to get closer when a security guard rushed toward her from her right. Can he see me?
“You there. Halt!”
Crap! He can! How he was able to see her in astral form wasn’t important at the moment. Getting out of there was.
She shot up through the ceiling and then through the next one, willing herself to return to her body in Anthony’s apartment.
Just as she arrived on the roof, her spirit snapped itself back into her body and she fell over.
“Sadie!” Anthony was lifting her upright in a nanosecond. “Are you okay?”
Sadie took a deep breath and allowed her calm to return. “I’m fine. At least I will be. I astral-projected into an old factory and had to snap back into my body abruptly.”
“Had to?” Kurt asked.
“I was spotted.”
Kurt’s shocked expression said it all. “Who or what could have possibly seen you in astral form?”
“That’s what I’d like to know,” she said. “His speech and uniform seemed old-fashioned, and he carried a nightstick.”
“Are you thinking it might have been a spirit?” Anthony asked. “Maybe an old-time cop or security guard?”
“I can’t come up with any other plausible explanation.”
“Did he seem cognizant? Interested in what you were doing there?”
“Oh, yes. He shouted and began running toward me.”
“Great.” Kurt tossed his hands in the air. “So, even if we find the place, it’s haunted and we can’t hide from an invisible guard. Do you think the scientists know he’s there?”
“I don’t know. I’m sorry I panicked,” Sadie said.
Anthony patted her hand. “Don’t apologize. You did the right thing.”
“This has never happened to me before. Do you think he could do anything to us?”
Kurt paced. “I wish I knew.”
Just then the phone rang.
“Anthony?”
A slight hesitation on the other side of the line made Claudia wonder if she should have called. For God’s sake. I was rip-roaring drunk and passed out on him. He probably never wants to hear from me again.
“Claudia. How are you feeling?” he finally asked.
“I’m…better.” She plopped down onto her couch and set the dust rag on the end table beside her. “I just wanted to apologize.”
“Apologize? For what?”
She sighed. “Where do I start? My behavior. My parents… Thank you for covering for me, by the way.”
“Stop,” he said. “You have nothing to apologize for. I should have checked on you much sooner.”
“Why? You’re not responsible for me.”
“I…” There was that hesitation again.
“Anthony, is something wrong?”
He sighed. “No. Well, yes, but it’s being handled.”
She waited, hoping he’d offer more. When he didn’t, she debated what to do. Prod? Leave it alone? What if he needed a friend and she could return the support he’d given her?
“Anthony, tell me. I don’t want to see you suffer any more than you wanted me to.”
“I can’t.”
Simple as that? He can’t? “Whatever it is, it can’t be worse than what you saw me going through. Please, let me help.”
She heard a voice in the background, which was quickly muffled. She pictured Anthony covering the phone.
“Oh. It sounds like I’m interrupting something.”
“No. It’s fine. We were just finishing up. Kurt said to tell you hello.”
Then she heard a female voice.
“Sadie too.”
“It sounds like you’re having a reunion. Can I come?” Claudia slapped a hand over her mouth. Why did I invite myself? If he’d wanted me there, he’d have asked me. What a dumbass move.
“I—I’d like to see you, but not here. Can I meet you for a drink?”
Claudia groaned. “The last thing I need right now is a drink. Besides, I shouldn’t have invited myself.”
“No. I really want to talk to you.”
“You do?”
“Yes. Are your parents still there?”
“They opted for a hotel. I can’t say I blame them. They’re leaving after breakfast tomorrow.”
“So, you’re alone for the rest of the night?”
“Yes.”
“I can be there in an hour. Will you let me in this time?” He chuckled.
Claudia felt her face heat. Jesus, I made him beg to come in last time. Way to go, Princess Charming. “I promise to let you in, if you’ll let me make up for my rudeness.”
“What did you have in mind?” he said seductively. A fraction of a second later he said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”
After her own brief hesitation, she said. “Darn it.” Then her hand flew up to cover her big mouth.
Chapter 3
On his way to Claudia’s apartment, Anthony wondered what she’d meant by her last remark. She had hung up too quickly for him to ask her. On one level he knew. Heck, on all levels he knew. It sounded like she was feeling the same way about him as he’d always felt about her. But had she hidden her feelings for five years?
Taking public transportation was frustrating. At least he was close enough to jog to the Red Line and didn’t have to change trains. He was so preoccupied that he might just end up in the suburbs if he wasn’t careful.
At last Anthony’s car pulled into Central Square, and he was the first one off. He hadn’t taken the T to Cambridge before, so he wasn’t exactly sure where Claudia’s apartment was in relation to the stop, and the streetlights were out. Spinning around, he looked for a landmark. A bicyclist rode toward him, his DayGlo orange stripes gleaming.