Enchantment (41 page)

“Soun
d
s
like
a
good
plan
for
now,”
Todd
allowed
as
he
finished
his
drink.
“
I
think
I’m going
to
turn in
for
the night.
It’s
been a
long
night and
d
a
y
.
”

“You
go
ahead.
I’m
going
to
have
another
drink,
if
y
ou don’t
m
ind.”

“I
m
ost
certai
nl
y
don’t.
Threeo,
w
ould
y
ou
like
to
co
m
e
with
m
e
and
leave
Kerrigan
to
his thought
s
?
”

“Will
y
ou be
okay
if
Threeo
goes
back
to
Todd
and
Pad
d
y
?
” Threeo’s
head
tilted. “Definite
l
y
,
y
ou
go
on.
D
on’t
eat
too
m
uch.
While
I
might
have
a
headache
t
o
m
orrow,
y
ou will
certai
nl
y
have
a
tummy
ache.”

“Oka
y
, Threeo
goes
with
Todd.
Are
we
st
a
y
i
ng in
the
other
spare
room
tonight
?
” “Yes,
I’m
quite
certain
we
are,
as
my
bed
is
occupied
right
now.”

H
i
s
body
stiffened
just
at
the
thought.
He
was
doomed.
D
rinking
m
ore
would
wash
those thoughts
awa
y
.
He
got
up and
poured
hi
m
self
another
tu
m
b
ler
of
S
wish. Cloudiness
began
to
fill his
head,
dulling
his
senses.

“Goodnight,
y
o
u two. See
y
o
u
in the
m
orning.
Oh,
and Dad, just
so
y
o
u know, I’ve lifted the entrapment
s
pell
but
not
the
soundproofing
from
just
the
bedroo
m
.
When
they
are
in
that
roo
m
, they
will
not
be
able
to
hear
an
y
t
h
ing
else
in
the
house.
I
don’t
believe
they
are
a
threat
to
us,
so they
are
free
to
roam
the
house…
if
y
ou
are
okay
with
that
?
”

“I
trust
y
o
u
r
j
udg
m
ent, Kerrigan.
We’ll
see
y
ou in
the
m
or
n
ing.”

The
war
m
th
from
the
fireplace
and
strong
drink
helped
wash
a
w
a
y
his
troubles.
Kerrigan picked
up
the
glass
and
grabbed
the
bottle.
O
ut
the
door
he
w
ent,
heading
to
the
librar
y
.

Cha
p
ter
F
i
fteen

The
silence
stretched
out,
raking
over
Meeka’s
raw
nerves.
Tossing,
she
punched
the
pillow and
huffed
a
breath.
She
had
no
idea
how
long
she’d
been
l
y
i
n
g
a
wake,
and
the
s
oft
purr
of
Catz sleeping
didn’t
help
an
y
.

She
pulled
the
thick
coverlet
away
and
stood.
The
ho
u
se
s
e
e
m
ed
ve
r
y
quiet.
Meeka
gue
s
sed ever
y
o
n
e
m
ust
be asleep.
She looked down at
the beautiful
nightgown she had fallen
asleep
in.
It w
a
s
tru
l
y
the
m
ost
beautiful
gar
m
e
n
t
s
he
had
ever
w
orn.
In
the
dim
glow
of
the
lights
s
urrounding
the
per
i
m
e
t
er
of
the
ceiling
she
spied
a
robe
sitting
on
the
chair.

With
bare
feet,
s
he
softly
m
ade her
way
to
the chair and
put
the
robe on.
She
hesitated as
she sl
o
w
l
y
turned
the
doorknob,
but
it
wasn’t
locked.

Should
I
go
out?
W
hat
will
I
find
in
the
dark?
A
silly
bath
br
u
sh
sc
a
red
me
half
to
death.
W
h
a
t
other
things might
be
lurking
out
there?
Maybe
I
should
stay
here.
W
hat to
do?

She
chewed
on
her
bott
o
m
lip.

D
on’t
be
such
a
chicken.

She
opened
the
door
and
walked through
it.
O
ne
last
look
found
Catz still
asleep.

I’ll
leave
the
door
open,
in
case I
need
to
run
back
h
e
re.

Co
m
ing
out,
s
he
noticed
the
s
m
all
lights
illumina
t
ing
the
hall
leading
towards
the
kitchen. She
w
a
s unsure about opening or touching
a
n
y
t
h
i
ng.
Meeka
s
nuggled
into
the
soft
robe she
wore—co
m
p
l
iments
of
Padd
y
,
without
a
doubt.

A
soft
glow
crept
across
the
floor,
teasing
her.
S
he
inched
forward,
the
growing
sound
of r
u
shing
water
pricking
her
interest…

Her
j
a
w
dropped.
Rock
stala
g
m
i
tes
s
h
i
m
mered
in
the
light.
Foliage
wrapped
itself
around the
edges
of
the
structure,
e
m
bracing
the
waterfall.
Brillia
n
t
s
hades
danced
across
the
water’s
s
urface,
lighting the
room
and
casting
a
living
rainbow
over
her.

Her
feet
m
oved
as
if
pulled
b
y
an
invisible
touch.
Before
she
knew
it,
she
w
a
s
standing
at the
edge of
the pool with her toes
buried in the
s
oft green foliage.
U
nable
to control the urge, she pointed
her
toes
and
slow
l
y
dipped
them
in
the
water.

The
war
m
th spread
up
her
bo
d
y
, beckoning
her
to
ju
m
p
in.

W
ho’s
around to see me?

N
obo
d
y
was
awake.
Resistance
seemed
futile.
She
looked
around
one
last
t
i
m
e.
Her
decision had
been
m
ade.
Meeka
undid
the
belt
holding
the
robe
in
place. Tentative
l
y
,
she
slid
her
a
r
m
s
out of
the
robe
one
at
a
ti
m
e
and
let
it
fall
to
the
ground.
The
g
o
wn
glim
m
e
red
in
the
lights
from
the water.
She
felt
radiant.
Careful
l
y
,
she
raised
her
ar
m
s
in
the
air
and
pulled
the
gown
over
her head,
letting it
drop
at
her
side.
The
on
l
y
things
re
m
a
ining
were
the
m
a
tching bra
and
panties.

E
r
r
on
the
side
of caution.

Easing
into
the
water,
she
w
as
up
to
her
waist
in
m
o
m
e
nts.
A
wave
of
peace
w
ashed
over her,
and
closing
her
e
y
e
s,
Meeka
dove
in.
Strong
strokes
carried
her
acro
s
s
the
pool
to
the waterfall.
The
tu
m
b
l
ing
water
w
a
s
a
lulla
b
y
,
and
she
w
a
s
lost
in
a
dre
a
m
of
utter
delight,
the
s
ound
filling
her
senses
to
the
exclusion of
all
else.

* * * *

At
the edge of the lagoon, Kerrigan froze. He
thought
he’d
heard a splash, but
nothing
could have
prepared
him
for
the
vision
he
beheld.
He
stood
in
a
trance,
staring
down
at
the
g
o
wn
and robe
l
y
i
ng
at
the
edge
of
the
pool.
Tearing
his
e
y
e
s
awa
y
,
he
looked
up,
searching
for
Meeka
in the
water.
His
heart
caught
in
his
throat
at
the
sight
of
her
w
here
she
stood
graceful
l
y
under
the waterfall.
There
wasn’t
a
goddess
in
all
of
eterni
t
y
w
ho
could
m
atch her
unspeakable
beau
t
y
.