Free Wake Me When the Sun Goes Down by Lisa Olsen

unable to leave the sweet torment.
    “Bishop , please, don’t make me pay for something he did.  Let me help you find him, and if he has broken your laws… then I’ll pay the consequences.”
    How many times had another pair of blue eyes looked up at him in that same way?  And how many times had he found himself lost to their power, as he was now… 
    Enough distraction.   Bishop pulled them both to their feet, keeping careful hold of one of her wrists.  “I will take you with me to the crime scene to see what we can find, that’s it.  If we hit a dead end, I’m taking you in, deal?” 
    “Deal,” she nodded instantly, and he couldn’t believe he was even considering this.
    “And no more trying to escape.  You saw how easy it was for me to catch you.”  Though it was much harder than it should have been.
    “I und erstand, I promise I’ll be good. ” S he brightened immediately, her smile radiant.
    “I’d better not regret this.”  Bishop backed Anja up against the wall, looming close to make his point, dwarfing her petite frame.  “Up until now I’ve been fairly considerate of your unusual situation, but you wouldn’t want to make me angry,” he cautioned, wanting to make sure she absolutely understood that th e decision to alter his plans didn’t mean he was weak. 
    Her eyes widened, but he didn’t think she was afraid of him.  A slim hand pressed against his chest defensively, and he was surprised to find it offered considerably more resistance than he would have thought.  She was a strong little thing, especially against someone as old as he was. 
    “I won’t.  Thank you, Bishop.” 
    With a nod he eased back, watching her warily as they walked back to his black SUV parked up the block from her apartment. 
    * * *
    The house where she’d been found had long been abandoned.  Birds, raccoons and worse made their homes in the structure, and it smelled of mildew and soot.  More than half of the house was in disrepair, including the kitchen which had been gutted by fire.  The bedrooms at the rear of the house were still intact, though empty.   Bishop paused just inside the front door, extending his senses.  Other than a family of squirrels they were alone on the property.  
    “How do we know we’re alone ? ” An j a whispered, laying a fearful hand on his arm that brought a faint smile to his lips.
    “Can’t you tell?”  At her shake of the head, he placed both hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him.  “Close your eyes, block out all distractions but the sound of my voice .  C an you do that?”  This time she nodded and he lowered his voice, watching her expressive face as she listened.  “Listen with your whole body , in ever widening circles.  Can you hear the drip of water from the rain gutter by the front door?  Now set it aside and find the next layer of sound.  Hear the scratch of the squirrels in the next room…” 
    “I hear them,” she breathed, her eyes still closed.  “There are two… no, three of them.”
    “Good.  What else do you hear?” he prompted gently. 
    “I hear the crickets outside.”
    “What else?”
    “I hear… wings… there are birds flying overhead.  That way…” she pointed, her face expectant, craving his confirmation. 
    This must be what it was like to have a fledgling… something he’d vowed never to experience.  Overall it seemed like a pain in the ass, but some moments, it didn’t seem so bad.  “Very good.”  Bishop felt the reward of her smile and forced himself to remember they had a job to do.  He wasn’t there to play blind man’s bluff.  “See, we’re completely alone.  Come on, let’s get moving.” 
    Bi shop led An j a through the house to the room he knew she’d been held in from the police report on file.  A crudely stuffed m att ress lay in the center of the room, one corner of it liberally stained with blood. 
    “This isn’t what I expected at all,” Anja murmured,