Free Shadow Lover (Siren Publishing Allure) by Audrey Godwin Page B

teeth and staring at that pathetic little road, still wondering what's up there."
    "Give it a rest Tallulah. I've got to go to bed. Goodbye."
    Chyna chuckled when she heard a resigned "Hrumph," then the dial tone. Hanging up the phone she turned and crawled into bed, lay down quietly, and waited for the dream to begin.
    But nothing.
    She frowned and opened her eyes. Why wasn’t the dream coming? Why wasn’t she being swept up into a swiftly moving current, then pushed back into a pile of large, plush pillows with her dream man gazing into her eyes? Just when she decided she wanted it, demanded it even, the dreams were gone. She’d had it all planned. She was going to confront her dream man and ask him to explain. But now it was over. Now, all she was left with were two tormented, glowing eyes peering out of a dim, haunting shadow.
     
    * * * *
     
    Quinn slammed into the mansion yelling for Elaine.
    "In the kitchen!"
    He walked in and leaned on the doorframe. "I'm back."
    "I see that. Hey, you should have been here this afternoon. We had a visitor."
    "Oh yeah?" he said, looking into the refrigerator. "Way up here? Who was it? Someone got lost, no doubt."
    "Very good. She was lost as a matter of fact."
    He twisted open the cold beer, threw the top aside, then looked down to his watch. “Aren’t you doing that kind of late?”
    “I’m almost through. Got started late, that’s why I’m still at it.”
    "Well, are you going to tell me who this person was, or is this some kind of game you’re playing?"
    She looked at him and grinned. "It was none other than the nasty, dirty, little erotica writer herself, Chyna Marsh."
    Quinn spewed the beer right out of his mouth. While choking on the suds, he picked up a towel and wiped himself off.
    Elaine looked down at the spewed beer, and said, "My God, Quinn, I expected you to get excited, but this is ridiculous. Look at the mess you’ve made.”
    “Sorry,” he said and slammed down his beer. “I’ll be back.” He quickly turned and burst out of the mansion and trudged up to Cat's Paw. Once there, his searching eyes anchored on the widow's window and saw the candle. He had learned that when the candle was burning, the widow was open for business. Pushing himself through the wind, he made his way down a path that led to the beach, then made fading footsteps through the tide toward the lighthouse where he pounded on the rattling door.
    He needed the old widow's services—now!
    Quinn had been in the widow’s house for quite a while, but when he came slamming back into the mansion, an evil smile tugged at his lips. Everything was going along as planned. First he had managed to get Chyna to Mystic Islands, then he had made her want him through her dreams. Then, just when the time was right, he took them away.
    It’s just as well, he thought, the dreams were too fragile. They had served their purpose, but now he had to go on to the next step.
    After changing clothes, Quinn went back out again and circled the mansion, securing windows and examining doors, siding, and anything else that needed attention. After everything was done, he settled in his study—and waited.
     
    * * * *
     
    Elaine looked at her watch. It was getting late, and she wondered if she should go down and get Kirk's dinner tray. She hesitated, thinking since she had left him so angry, maybe it would be better to wait until morning for him to cool off. Shaking her head, she decided she had better get it since Kirk didn't like her to leave it overnight. She certainly didn't want to make him any angrier than he already was, so she opened the creaking door and crept down the stone stairway very quietly.
    Approaching the barred metal door, she didn't hear anything, so she peeked in thinking he was already asleep. Again she considered going back up, but since she was already there she decided to just go ahead and get it without waking him. She opened the door as quietly as possible, allowing her eyes to adjust to