Page 31 of Shamrocked
“Maclin, Taz,” Aidan called, and two of the motorcycle guys came over, one of them handing over the backpack carrying my statue. “Watch our backs and keep a close eye on the water. We don’t want that fucking kelpie sneaking up on us. Keane, Smith, take point again.”
Vivi came close, gave me a hard hug, and then looped her arm through mine. “That was scary.”
“Yeah, tell me about it.” Even though she was walking beside me, she kept looking off to her right, where the biker dude strode a few paces away. He kept casting furtive glances her way too. I lowered my voice. “So what’s his name?”
“Hammer. I know, it’s stupid, but I kind of like it. I kind of like him.”
For the first time in my life, I heard anxiety in her voice. Like she was afraid of upsetting me, or disappointing me. Or worse, that I would judge her choice and think less of her. When she’d done nothing but blindly and faithfully support me through all my mistakes and missteps my entire life. My throat ached, but I forced a lightly teasing tone to my voice. “I like him too. He reminds me of a big teddy bear.”
Her breath sighed out and she patted my hand on her arm. “Yeah, that’s the perfect metaphor. He is like a cuddly teddy bear, though he can be a grizzly when he wants to be.”
“With a name like Hammer, who’s a member of the Demon Hunters Motorcycle Club, he’s going to whip some serious ass to protect you.”
“And bring all his friends over to drink beer and play poker and watch sports on television.”
I laughed. “Sounds fun. When do I get invited?”
“Oh, honey, you’re already invited. Unless you’re too busy trying to beat five guys off you with a giant stick.”
“About that giant stick—” Ivarr said, way too loudly, making all the guys laugh.
My face burned so hot even my ears crisped. “Don’t even go there.”
16
“This can’t be it,” Vivi whispered beside me.
I didn’t say anything aloud, though I agreed. This church was one of those mega-churches with soaring steel-beam construction, big enough to house a couple of gymnasiums, shopping center, and probably a couple of coffee shops and delis too. I couldn’t imagine any of the old stone from the quaint little country church we’d just left being reused in such an ultra-modern facility. Let alone would I expect to find a giant stone gargoyle inside.
Disgusted with myself, I started to turn away, but the smaller gargoyle on Aidan’s back caught my attention. Just as he had that first night in the pub, the statue stared at me and wouldn’t let me go. Aidan backed closer to me, and I reached out and laid my fingers on top of the gargoyle’s head.
My vision flickered and I wasn’t seeing the gargoyle in the backpack any longer. It was dark. Silent.
“Doran?” I whispered, straining to feel him. “Where are you?”
“Can you hear him?” Aidan asked.
“No.” It came out closer to wail than I cared to admit. “I can’t see anything. Wherever he is, it’s dark.”
“Then he’s not outside. Do you hear anything? Listen for the smallest sound. A ticking clock. Anything.”
I closed my eyes and tried to sink deeper into the stone, putting myself wherever he was. “No voices. No music.”
“How about a heater or fan? Anything man-made?”
I held my breath, waiting. There was a faint scratching sound. Not rhythmic or consistent. I listened a few more minutes and then realized what it was. I’d heard that sound often enough as a kid. “A mouse. It’s either in the walls, or making a bed in something.”
“Right, now that’s something, sure,” Ivarr said. “I can’t imagine this brand-new fancy church having a mouse problem. Maybe an outdoor building then. Do you smell anything? Can you smell through the connection?”
I took a deep breath, but all I smelled was the lush, fruity flowers of Warwick’s scent.
He chuckled. “Backing out of the nose zone.”
I waited, trying to breathe normally as I filtered through the various smells around us. My eyes still saw darkness—but my nose was smelling Aidan’s leather jacket and a hint of Vivi’s perfume. I closed my other hand on the statue and leaned closer, until my forehead touched the stone. I concentrated on the cold stone against my skin. The intricate carvings of vein and muscle in his straining shoulders and forearms. The more delicate structure of his wings. I ran my finger over the bump in his nose and I was there. In that dark room. With a mouse. And the smell of gasoline, oil, and hay. Old cut grass.
My eyes flew open and I let go of the statue so I could see. “An outbuilding for lawn mowers.”
Without waiting for a signal, Keane and the other scout raced ahead of us looking for anything like that. Aidan strode after them, so rapidly that I had to jog to keep up.
