Devil Hath Come (an FBI/Romance Thriller ~book 7) (67 page)

“I’m on the bed, Christopher,” she replied, glancing up at him as he rounded the corner.

He looked exhausted and beat down.

“You have to be tired. Why don’t you grab a nice hot shower and I’ll meet you here on the bed?” she suggested.

There was no way in hell that he was going to argue with that plan. Immediately, he began dropping his things. His messenger bag was first, his medical kit with his tools and then there was a line of clothing to the bathroom door.

Once she heard the water starting, she got up to heat up his dinner. Placing it in the microwave, she then picked up all his clothes and placed them in a pile next to the closet. Gently, she moved his medical bag
. Delicately, she ran her fingers over his name engraved on the front plate. She knew he treated them reverently, much like she respected her gun. They were special to him, and now they were to her too.

The
microwave beeped just as the water shut off.

He called to her from the bathroom. “Please tell me that
is food that I smell, and I’m not hallucinating.”

Cyra laughed. “Yes Christopher. It’s your dinner. I figured
that you’d be hungry when you arrived.”

When he came to the door with just a towel wrapped around his
waist, her breath caught in her throat. His body called to Cyra as if it were made for her. The sleekness and slim hips of his sturdy frame were delicious.

She put the lustful notions away, trying to feed the man’s body, not her libido.

“I picked out something well balanced,” she said, placing it in front of him at the table.

Chris watched her in awe. The only other woman
, who ever thought to feed him was his mother. Coming home to this treatment every night was something that money could never buy. He noticed she picked up his things and moved them too. Man, it heated his body and made him want to grab her and kiss her senseless.

“You did?” he asked.

She opened the steaming foam container and placed it in front of him with a fork and knife. “I know you didn't eat all day,” she added.

Chris took a bite of his chicken and practically sighed in joy. Yeah, real food was a very good thing. “I did get some caloric consumption in,” he muttered, as she handed him a bottle of water. “I keep candy in my medical bag.”

She laughed. “That’s a really gross place to hide it.”

Cyra wasn’t the first person to tell him that, and yet no one ever looked there
. “Yeah, but it’s safe.”

Standing behind him, she ran her hands over his shoulders to release more tension. “
Is there anything new with the victim?”

Chris shook his head and continued to chew
. “No. I went extra slow too. I didn't want to risk missing anything.” When she hit a really tight muscle, he moaned. “Are you going to do this every night when I come home from work?”

Cyra kissed him on the cheek, as he looked back at her. “Well, you may beat me home some nights. So, if I’m having the long day, this is how you can make it better
too.”

“
That’s a deal.” Who was he kidding? He’d follow her with rose petals and a fan if she was so inclined. “I hope you like take out. I’m the king of dialing.”

She didn't mind. “I think I can teach you to cook. I mean you went to medical school and learned so much, I’m sure we can cram a little more into
that brain of yours.”

Chris finished eating and stood. “If you push out anything
that Elizabeth needs for me to do my job, you have to explain it to her,” he stated laughing.

She shrugged. “I’ll take my chances.”

Tossing his trash, he led her to the bathroom and they stood side by side brushing their teeth. It was really peaceful to have this moment with her.

When they finished, they slid into bed and Chris curled against the back of
Cyra, spooning his body around hers lovingly. “So exhausted,” he muttered, exploratorily running his fingers across her ass.

Cyra giggled as his body came awake
as it was pressed against hers. “I thought you were tired?”

He teased her ear with his lips
and whispered to her. “Apparently, you can wake the dead.”

She rolled into his arms.

“Yeah, well, we all have our skills.”

                                *   *   *

Callen didn't know where he was. Looking around the area, it didn't look familiar at all. As soon as the panic began, he heard the gentle tinkling of wind chimes in the air. He’d never heard them before, but then it dawned on him.

“Granddad?” he asked
, turning.

There behind him stood
the first man who ever showed him any love. He had taken him in and raised him when he’d been discarded.

“Hello
, my boy.”

Callen wasted no time rushing to him and hugging the man
. God, he missed him very much. Even though the feelings of loss tempered with time, the pain of his passing still affected Callen daily. “I miss you so much!”

Timothy hugged his grandson and offered the man peace.

“I never thought I would get this chance to see you in a dream, Granddad. I know you’ve visited Elizabeth and dad, but I’ve wanted to talk to you again.”

The older
Native man stared into his eyes. “I had to wait until the time is right. Now is when you were meant to see me, Callen.”

He
watched as two chairs appeared out of the blue, and Timothy led him to them. “I love you, Granddad. I never thought this moment would come.”

“I love you too, Callen James. I have also seen your children
, and I am proud of the father you have become.”

That touched him so much. On the day he was handed his daughter, he
had made a silent prayer to the Great Spirit that he’d follow in Timothy’s footsteps, when it came to loving and raising children. Granddad and his brother were his shining examples.

“I am also proud of the husband you have become. I never expected you and your brother to follow in the footsteps of our ancestors and love one woman together. I should have known better that you two would do it your way. Whenever you
came together, there was chaos. How my poor Elizabeth manages you two scoundrels is beyond me.”

Callen laughed. “I love her so much, Granddad. My heart is so full of emotion when it comes to her. She healed me and
gave me a chance in life.”

“And now she’s in danger.”

“We’re so damn scared that we won’t be able to save her this time. It has Ethan on eggshells and ready to crack.”

Timothy understood.

“Elizabeth once said you came to her in a dream and told her how to solve the killings we were working on in Cypress Grove. Tell me who this maniac is and I’ll stop him from touching our woman.”

Timothy patted his shoulder. “My boy, if I could I would. I can only give you a direction. In life
, we have to adhere to what is coming. Fate has control and we must accept that.”

Callen didn't want to hear that. “Tell me anything.”

A stick appeared in the man’s hand, and he began drawing in the dirt at their feet.

“You three are about to be tested, and if you stand true, you’re more than ready for what is to come. Let love lead the way.”

Callen didn't like the way that sounded at all. “I need something a little more than that, please!”

Timothy pointed at the ground
and drew a five pointed star in the dirt. “Look for the star and the truth will be in the center.”

“What does that mean?”

He stood and waited for his youngest grandson to stand with him. “It means that you have the ability to solve this. Where there is weakness, you will need to be strength. Where normally you follow, you must be ready to lead.”

“Are you leaving me already?” he asked, grabbing the man’s hand tightly. He’d missed the feel of his skin and scent of his herbs
that coated Timothy’s clothing.

He touched Callen’s
cheek. “All of me lives inside you, my boy. You’re a good, kind, smart man, Callen James. You can do this. This is exactly where you’re supposed to be in life at this point.”

He grabbed his grandfather
and tried to hold onto him. “Please stay with us!”

“
Callen, we’re always here for you,” came the female voice, as she stepped out from behind Timothy.

“Grandma, please stay. I need you both. I’m not as strong as Ethan or intuitive as Elizabeth. I’m just Callen!”

They began moving backwards, as their time had come to leave. “You are going to need to be you, Callen, and not them. It’s not Elizabeth or Ethan that can figure this it out. It has to be you. All of this will be carried on your shoulders, before the day is done.”

“We love you, Callen,” Naomi said, linking her hands with her husband.

He noticed the wedding rings on their fingers, and stared down at his empty finger. “I love you both!” The dream wavered and reality came crashing back.

Timothy was gone.

It was only a dream.

Sitting up with a start, Callen listened to the silence of the room. Ethan was on his back
and breathing deeply with Elizabeth curled into his side. He tried to rationalize his grandfather’s words as he moved towards his family in bed. He placed his larger frame against the back of Elizabeth and placed his arm over her body protectively. Resting his hand on his brother’s chest, he could feel the slow rhythmic beat of Ethan’s heart.

The only thing that went through his mind
, the entire time, was that he prayed his grandfather was right.

That he woul
d be enough.

His family’s life depended on it.

~ Chapter Seventeen ~

   Sunday Morning

One day until Halloween

Elizabeth slowly opened her eyes. Sometime in the night, she
had reversed her position and turned into Callen’s body. How she did it, she would never know, since she was sandwiched by two men and now a dog at her feet.

Callen was already awake and staring at the ceiling. The look on his face spoke volumes, and she hoped
that it wasn’t going to set the tone for the day.

Out of the three of them, Callen had a harder time adjusting to certain things. It took a long time for him to believe and trust that his family wouldn’t be ripped out from beneath him.
After having his kids, he had mellowed and believed life was finally on track. For a long time, Callen was always waiting for the bad to sneak back up and catch him off guard.

It
all stemmed from his childhood and honestly, Elizabeth couldn’t blame him in the least. If her mother had been an addict and neglectful, she would probably be just as skittish too. Callen had survived and fought so hard to find peace, and he deserved it.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, playing with some of his hair that was wrapped around her arm.

“I finally had my granddad dream, and it really wasn’t what I expected, that’s all.”

Regardless, s
he was happy for him. Since Elizabeth and Wyler already had them, she knew he’d felt left out by not sharing in that moment. “Did you tell him I said hi?” she asked, smiling softly.

Ethan’s head appeared over her shoulder. “Or did you have to justify the sex?” he asked, laughing and trying to lighten his brother’s mood. Ethan saw the storm clouds brewing
and knew what was on the horizon.

Callen didn't even laugh and that was
very telling. “It wasn’t what I thought it would be. I asked him who was committing these crimes, and he told me that we had to figure that out and fate was in control. I don’t like fate. In my life, it generally ends badly.”

Elizabeth tried to not let those words hurt her personally. “I’m a product of fate for you, Callen. Do you view me that way too?”
God, she hoped they weren’t going to revert back to his nervous months where she had to worry he was planning on bolting.