Free Shadow Touched by Erin Kellison

mouth stroked hers, a tease for a response, and she tried to give back, holding on to him, and pressing with all her might. She molded her body to his, but the kiss was still . . . not . . . quite . . .
    Ellie saw her shadow step out of the wall, a gleam of mine! in her eyes. Ellie squeezed her own eyes shut to deny her presence so that she could have this one moment to herself. One chance to kiss and be kissed. One chance before they went home.
    But her shadow would not be denied. In a burn of fury, Ellie felt her shadow occupy the same space as her flesh and blood body. Felt the dark want of her self engage in the kiss, and with it a scorching passion that made the kiss delicious, the feel of his body a torment of not quite bliss against her. His tongue rubbed hers, and she and her shadow responded with a slide of her own.
    A tight place, low down, beat with need and her body changed in his hold from a clutch to a melding that begged for sex. Sex, she got it now. Cam growled from somewhere deep in his chest, tightening his arms.
    Ellie wanted him.
    Now.
    The fever leaped, her vision blanking, her body tensing with a primal knowledge, loosening in preparation. Ready.
    Too much! Ellie drew back, gasping for air and blinking hard. She fought her way out of Cam’s grasp and stumbled backward, hitting her head on a cupboard. Stars pricked into her vision, but not so many that she didn’t see her shadow still kissing Cam.
    “Stop it!” Ellie yelled, though she didn’t know if she was yelling at herself or at him.
    Cam’s eyes opened, flicked to her, a pace from his position. He shoved her shadow away from him, stuttering, “I . . . um . . .” while keeping her shadow at arm’s length.
    It wasn’t fair. That feeling. That indescribable feeling. Her shadow got the best of everything. Absolutely everything.
    “Ellie—” Cam said.
    She cut him off. “Just don’t.” She shook her head, trying to get rid of the drugging feel of his kiss. She pulled her thoughts back together. The kiss had felt magnificent, but her shadow was just too damn strong. “That was a really good try—”
    “Better than good,” Cam corrected.
    “But you have to see how it won’t work, how she takes over.” Just look how dark, how real, her shadow had become.
    Ellie turned abruptly and fumbled for a drink of water. Anything to occupy herself.
    “But together— ”
    She pushed the faucet lever full blast. “Together I won’t be me.”
     
    Cam left Ellie to her drink, exiting the kitchen. She’d think it through and maybe come to another decision. The stunt her shadow had pulled had unnerved him too, and Ellie had had a lifetime of it. The kiss was an impulse. If discussion wasn’t going to change her mind, maybe a little demonstration would. Had it worked? Outlook, doubtful. Maybe he was rusty.
    No. He’d done a damn fine job. And so had she.
    He closed the door behind him, doubting her shadow would follow into the room occupied by the angel. After what had happened in the bedroom, Cam was pretty sure Ellie’s shadow hated the angel.
    “Valiant effort,” Laurence said from his stance at the window, a sardonic curl to his mouth.
    “Well, I try,” Cam answered back. The commentary was unnecessary.
    What to do now? If she took the angel up on his offer, then she’d be cured. She might need counseling, but the threat the shadow posed would be over. If she opted against, then what? Would she be permitted to leave Segue? Who got to decide? Marshall? The angel? Adam Thorne?
    “Or maybe you?” Laurence suggested.
    “The mind reading thing is annoying,” Cam said. “Can you cut it out?”
    “Yes, but I won’t. Not until matters are resolved.” The angel closed his eyes. “Which I think will be very soon.”
    He had to be reading Ellie’s mind. “What’s she thinking? Is she going to do it?”
    “I’m not in Ellie Russo’s mind, just now.” Laurence said. “I’m marveling at the audacity of the man intending to steal