Lost in Shadow (A Shadow Walkers Ghost Novel) (25 page)

Worthington had given him the code to access the internet. He could check email on his mobile but preferred the larger laptop screen if possible. He’d received intel from a source he’d dealt with before. The guy was in the import/export business, right, most likely illegal, but he hadn’t done anything yet, seemingly content to live and let live, occasionally giving Monroe a tip.

The informant pointed Monroe to an abandoned warehouse where a high-end red Ducati motorcycle had been spotted a couple of times, same color as one seen leaving a recent crime scene. He figured the guy wanted the warehouse and giving a cop the tip, might ensure the bad guy was taken out of the picture, freeing up his source to pick up the warehouse for a steal.

He’d woken early, left at first light thankful the drive had been plowed. The roads were dicey in places but steadily improved as he made his way back to his beloved Edinburgh.

The snow was much lighter in the city, only a few inches blanketed the ground. The abandoned warehouse near the water on the outskirts of town was the same location Monroe checked when Alice was killed; it couldn’t be coincidence to end up here again. The killer had to have used this place, something tied him here. All he had to go on was the expensive bike, smell, and gold dust. Hell, it was more than he’d had in the past ten years.

Being his day off, he didn’t have backup but was used to poking around the more unsavory parts of town. Entering the warehouse, it looked empty and unused. He’d search it inch by inch to be sure. Heading into the interior, the grime encrusted windows cast a dim light. His flashlight pointed the way, glinting off the metal door at the back of the building.

Slowly sweeping his beam back and forth across the floor, he moved closer to the metal door. Odd—it looked new, no rust. Trying the handle, it swung open easily, leading him into blackness.

Monroe fell to his knees, the now-familiar smell filling his nostrils, invading his lungs, choking him, clawing its way to his brain.

There was noise up ahead, the sound of metal clanging. Using the wall for leverage, he pushed up, steadying himself, and moved towards the noise.

Raised voices. He moved faster, coming into a lighted room, skidding to an abrupt halt as he gaped at two huge sonofabitches fighting.

Geez, had giants started populating Edinburgh? These guys were easily over six feet, at least seventeen stone each. Bugger me, there was a guy wearing black leathers, dressed as some badass movie reject with… swords strapped to his side. He tripped over a piece of metal, causing it to clatter to the floor, as both men stopped mid-swing, staring at the newcomer.

“Well, well, well, who do we have here?” drawled a bored voice.

“Put your hands in the air. What are you doing here?”

“This guy is funny. Though not as hysterical as that getup you’re wearing, pirate.” The guy pointed his sword at Monroe. “Back off, human.”

“Fighting with swords? I’m taking you both in to answer some questions.” Monroe sneered, wishing he had backup.

“Look cop, leave now, go on about your business, nothing to see here.” The other guy was leaning against his sword watching the scene play out. Monroe narrowed his eyes, “How do you know I’m a cop?”

“The whole ‘put your hands in the air’ thing, plus you smell like one. Really, you think you’re going to take me in for questioning or some such rot? I’m bored, you have two minutes to leave then I’m killing you because you’re interrupting my day. I already have one idiot to kill, right Robert?—easy enough to make it two.” The giant brushed dirt off his pants.

Monroe growled through clenched teeth, “You’re the same bastard who murdered my girlfriend…I’ve been looking for you for ten years. How many people have you killed and gotten away with it? No more.”

“I’ve destroyed hundreds of you pathetic humans, I certainly can’t be bothered to learn their names or remember them. I’m busy here, leave now. Last chance.” With a bored huff, the man landed a solid kick to Monroe’s chest, sending him halfway across the warehouse. Everything went black.

Robert was trying to decide how to finish the fight with Alexander without involving the human cop. It was against their code to let humans see if they could prevent it. He knew they should have gone invisi to fight, so much for keeping the human out of it. Jumping into the fray, Robert cold-cocked Alexander; the human cop looked unconscious but breathing.

Suddenly, three more Day Walkers flashed into the cavernous room. “Look, more girls come to the tea party. Well come on then.” Robert jeered. He’d faced worse odds. Ducking, he narrowly avoided his head being severed from his body. At least no one had guns out. Well, not yet, it would draw too much attention from the surrounding buildings, someone might get curious, call the cops. Right, the cop was already here.

He managed to take one Walker out, slicing his hamstrings, bringing the guy crashing down to the floor. Robert cut out his heart. One down, three to go. Pulling out his second sword he came up from a kneeling position, slashing, cutting the heads off the two Day Walkers. They could wait before he took their hearts, as it was a bit hard to recover from losing your head. You’d be dead. But to make sure, you still took the hearts ensuring Dayne would have to make new Day Walkers and couldn’t piece his toys back together.

Taking a dagger to the thigh from Alexander, Robert stood wincing, and taunted him. “Have to have your girlfriends’ help you fight eh? What, can’t do it on your own?”

Enraged, Alexander dematerialized, appearing behind him, swinging his sword and meeting air. He had flashed to the other side of the building in the nick of time. Laughing at the expression on Alexander’s face, reveling in the fight, Robert missed the warning sign.

“Look out,” Monroe bellowed, pushing Robert out of the way, taking the energy blast meant for Robert in his gut. Robert manifested an ice dagger, threw it at Alexander, hitting him in the shoulder at the same time that Monroe picked up a gun from the floor and emptied the clip into the bastard, hitting him in the chest, and in the heart.

Robert had another ice dagger ready to finish the Day Walker off, when he felt a hand on his arm. “Wait, let me do it. This needs to end now. I know it was him.”

“Cop, you don’t know…” Robert was interrupted.

“It is. Look at his ear, the earring with the ‘A’ on it. If it belonged to Alice it will have ‘Love M’ carved on the back. I gave them to her for her birthday…check.” Pulling the earring out, Robert turned it over; it was as the cop said. Why had the Day Walker kept it? He was usually never sentimental over any human, never took trophies. There must have been something about her or some reason they’d never know. Robert knelt down, handing the earring to the cop. Monroe was badly injured, bleeding like a sieve from the gut wound.

Grunting, Monroe grabbed a piece of rebar lying close by and used it to lever his body up. Handing the cop a dagger, Robert said quietly, “To finish it you have to cut out the heart and stab it.”

He watched as the Monroe gathered his strength to finish Alexander off. He saw understanding dawning on the guys face as the Day Walker turned to gold dust and was no more. The cop had encountered their kind before, interesting. Before Monroe could ask a million annoying questions, he was horizontal, looking up at Robert not knowing how he got there.

“Now you have closure; you’re lucky. Most of us don’t get that luxury. Hold on cop,” He told him, pulling out his mobile and dialing emergency services for an ambulance.

“Quit calling me cop, it’s Monroe.”

“Right.” The guy was losing a lot of blood, Robert wasn’t sure he’d live but Monroe showed strength and honor so he’d do him a favor and make the call.

“You’re wasting your time; I’m dying, won’t get here in time.” Monroe rasped, blood leaking out of his mouth.

He was taking a chance, the cop would get nosy and dig around if he survived. Looking into Monroe’s eyes, “You can’t tell anyone about us; anyway who would believe people disappearing or turning into dust? Tell them you were passing by, heard a noise, encountered a drug deal gone bad. Trying to stop it, you were stabbed with a knife and must have been electrocuted, the men got away.”

Hearing sirens, Robert vanished with the cop’s blood on his shirt. A human saved his life, which had never happened in all the years he’d walked these streets as a Shadow Walker. The cop held his own against Alexander for a bit, right proud work.

Thorne was going to be pissed. He didn’t like loose ends. The god had a fearsome temper and while he didn’t show up often, all the Shadow Walkers knew he could obliterate them on the spot if he was in a mood.

Thursday, November 5th

Dressing for dinner, Colin could have punched himself in the face. Idiot. Had the perfect opportunity but no. What a lame thing to say, should have told her you care, bloody wanker, instead you tell her it’s good to go back, to forget everything here. Tell her you’re crazy about her, want her to stay…dolt. He wasn’t ready to say it out loud; if he did it would be out there for all to see, for him to try again, to let her betray him as Abigail had done. He knew she wasn’t like Abigail—still he carried the fear deep within the blackness of his heart, that as soon as he opened up, she’d gut him like a fish, leave him gasping for air, flopping on the wooden dock, trying to breathe as the life drained out of him. Throwing his whisky glass against the fireplace, gratified to hear it shatter, he made his way down to dinner…a condemned man marching to the gallows.

Dinner was stilted. Colin didn’t know how to tell her he wanted her to stay, couldn’t find the words. Emily was quiet, picking at her food. He’d come to bed late, knowing she feigned sleep. He felt her tossing and turning through the night.

Getting up early, he knew he was a coward avoiding her. But if he allowed her some distance maybe he could figure out what to say to her. Find a way to make it right, get rid of the hollow feeling in his gut. Leaving the bedroom, he looked back over his shoulder. Her body was a straight line, rigid, the tension swirling around her. Closing the door quietly, he ran down the stairs. Needed hard work to take his mind off a certain southern belle in his bed.

After spending the early morning, visiting tenants, making sure they were OK in the snow; he’d stopped by to see Mrs. Burns. She was a widow, both her sons worked for Colin and they lived in a cottage on the estate. Her cow was stuck in a deep snowdrift and both boys were on a ship bound for France to deliver a shipment of wine. The cow was mooing, frantically trying to get out. It would have been hilarious if the woman wasn’t so upset. Colin freed the beast, slipping in the muck, cursing. Washing up inside, he accepted a cup of tea before leaving. As he was heading back to the castle, Mrs. Burns threw her arms around Colin, hugging him tight, kissing him on the cheek. “Thank you, milord, I don’t know what I would have done if ye hadn’t gotten Bessie free, thank you.”

He went in to breakfast, determined to fix things with Emily. “Meg, where’s Emily?”

“Milord, she’s already eaten, said she was going to explore the castle and grounds today. She’ll be back in time for lunch. She was awful quiet this morn. Everything all right between you two?”

Colin didn’t answer as he headed outside to check on the horses. He’d talk to her over lunch, clear the air.

Waking, Emily slowly turned over…yep he’d already left. Disappointment washed over her. Frowning, she got out of bed, jumped in the shower and got dressed. She’d go exploring to take her mind off things. Maybe Colin would be waiting in the dining room and they could clear the air. Right, cause the big guy was all about sharing his feelings. Not bloody likely to use his words. OK, get over yourself, be a grown up and talk to him during breakfast. Heading down the stairs trailing her fingers along the rough stone walls, she followed her nose to the dining room. Empty. He wasn’t there.

“Emily dear, come in and eat.” Meg bustled around bringing her breakfast.

“Has Colin already eaten?”

“No, he hasn’t been in yet. I would’ve thought he’d come in with you. Everything OK?” Emily felt her face growing warm with embarrassment. Was it obvious they weren’t speaking? “Oh, everything’s fine. He must of told me and I forgot. Thought I’d explore the rest of the castle today.” Finishing, she grabbed a banana for a snack and hoped her mood would improve by lunch. Men. Gah, how was it possible to be sad and angry at Colin at the same time? “Meg, I’ll be back around lunch. Taking a banana in case I get hungry. Thanks for breakfast.”

“Have fun lass but be careful, the west wing is haunted.” Meg shivered. “You would think a wee ghostie wouldn’t bother me knowing about Colin but there’s something verra strange wandering those halls.”

Ravensmore was truly amazing. As Emily explored the unused wings, marveling at the furnishings, the weaponry laid out as if waiting for its owner to come in from a long day, she let her thoughts wander. Approaching the west wing, she meandered down the hall until she came to what must have been the lady of the manor’s room. She was drawn to a large window with an inviting window seat, filled with pillows—covered in dust but still lovely. Climbing onto the window seat, she peered out. Wow, what a view. As she admired the landscape, she noticed a man coming out of one of the adorable cottages, a woman followed, throwing herself into the man’s arms, hugging him, kissing him. Smiling at the couple, she watched them, wishing she knew how to fix things with Colin. Starting to turn away, a voice stopped her cold.