Free The Banshee's Desire by Victoria Richards Page B

shivers.
    "You don't want to test me," Jacqueline said. "It wouldn't be in the best interest of your health."
    Toby swayed on his feet then. Gabe wasn't sure how much of the conversation he'd been able to keep up with, but his drunken state of mind was just the distraction they needed. He grabbed Toby and slipped an arm around his shoulder.
    "C'mon, Toby. Finn is leaving," Gabe said.
    "Damn right he is," Toby muttered.  "Damn Sparks . Haven't they caused enough trouble over the years?"
    "Spark? You're a Spark?" Jacqueline asked Finn.
    "Yes and I'd love to speak with you about a few things that might be important to you in the coming weeks. Toby's life could very well depend on it. The Brotherhood is planning to take serious action against him. I can help." Finn produced a card out of thin air. He handed it to her. "That's where I'm staying. Feel free to call me any time."
    With a nod, Finn Spark strode out of the bar.
    Jacqueline stared down at the card.
    "Do you think he's right, Gabe? Is Toby in danger?" she asked. "From who?"
    Gabe shrugged as he supported Toby.
    "The Brotherhood, maybe?" he suggested.
    "Screw those guys," Toby said. "Nothing brotherly about them. And what were you saying? You saw him at the hospital? Did that Spark asshole hurt my mother?"
    "No, honey, it was nothing like that," Jacqueline soothed.
    "Yeah? Then what was it like? What aren't you telling me?"
    "Shhh…let's get you back to the office," she soothed.
    Jacqueline tucked the card in her pants pocket. Slipping an arm around Toby, she helped support him through the bar and into his office. He fell on the couch in the corner and began to snore.
    "Poor baby," she whispered, stroking his hair.
    "Are you going to call Finn?" Gabe asked.
    "It's a risk I may have to take. He said the Brotherhood was going to take action," she said, looking down at Toby.
    "Did you really see the mark of Death on Finn?"
    "Yes," she whispered. "I just hope that I'm not the one who's supposed to cause it to come true."
    Gabe said nothing, but his mind filled with all kinds of dark thoughts.
    There were heavy decisions coming.
    And coming soon.

Chapter 6
     
    Silent, Jacqueline watched Toby sleep off the booze.
    Damn, but she was worried about him.
    She'd never seen him this messed up before. He'd always been the tough guy, the one that was there for her.  It frightened her a little, made her realize how much she'd come to depend on him to be her rock.
    Now it was her turn to be his rock.
    It gave her a little jolt to realize she wanted more than anything to be there for him, how badly she wanted to help him. The thought of watching over Toby, even though he was just in a drunken daze, made her feel stronger.
    It also eased the guilt.
    She closed her eyes.
    Don't think about it. Don't think about the spirits you're seeing now or that Derek Spark's ghost was just standing next to Gabe. Don't think about the way Death just ripped Matilda's soul away. Don't think about how you did nothing to stop it.
    But how could she have stopped it? She'd had no inkling of Death's plan. In fact, she didn't think that Death had really known what the outcome of their meeting would be. The bitch had killed Matilda on a whim. To teach a lesson. To send a warning for what she'd done to Jacob Fortensky.
    Oh, god. If Toby ever found out about that…
    If he knew that Matilda's death had been because of what Jacqueline had done…
    He would never forgive her. He would never understand. And the anger--no one had to tell Jacqueline about that. Toby would rise up against her, maybe even try to kill her. And then what? Would she be forced to use her powers to stop him? Or did she just stand there and take it? What if---
    Stop!
    Jacqueline chided herself. Toby would never kill her. He loved her and she could never hurt him, could never steal his soul.
    What a mess.
    Jacqueline took a deep breath, conscious that Gabe watched her closely.
    "Something on your mind?" Gabe asked. "You know that this