Page 4 of Dark Visions (Strange Gifts #1)

Kane stared into the rich chocolate eyes that held his gaze. He gave no signs of disbelief, although if he were being honest, he wasn’t sure that Aislinn was truly recovered from her headache. He knew when people were lying as well, and this woman was telling the truth, or at least what she believed was the truth.

“What do you mean he’s going to murder someone?” asked Kane quietly.

“Listen, I can’t explain it, not here. Please, Kane, if you truly want to help me, get me out of this hospital and somewhere safe.” Aislinn watched the expressions pass like a movie over his face. She recognized each frame. Disbelief. Fear. Crazy. Honesty. But the last one, trust. Trust was not one she normally received.

“How do you know it’s him?” asked Kane. “Have you met him before?”

“Yes. No. I mean, yes, sort of. Please, Kane, please, just get me out of here,” she whispered.

He could see the fear and concern in her face, something that normally he could compartmentalize and ignore. Aislinn was not someone he could ignore, and damned if he could figure out why.

“Alright, we play it your way. But you’re coming to my apartment,” he said, waiting for the argument.

“Fine, just now, please,” she stood, shaking and unsteady. He held out his hand to her, and she gripped it firmly, reaching for her pile of clothes still held tightly in his other arm. “I… I need help with my clothes.”

He nodded and released her hand. Aislinn turned, untying the gown as she did, letting it drop to the floor. Kane knew he should look away, but she stood with her smooth, milky-white skin beckoning him to touch. Her chocolate brown waves of hair fell to the middle of her back, and she pulled it forward as she reached a hand behind her.

“Ummm, my bra, please,” she said quietly. He said nothing but handed her the soft, white cotton bra.

Kane couldn’t help but notice the full, molded cups as she took the garment from his long fingers. He watched as she expertly hooked the bra and then reached back again for her shirt. He handed her the coffee-stained sweater, the scent still pungent. She shrugged her head and shoulders into the sweater and turned, pulling the hem down as she did. Standing in only the sweater and her white cotton bikini bottoms, he swallowed hard.

“Sorry,” she said calmly, “I’m not a very modest person. I’ve had episodes before where I wake up and don’t know where I am. I’m almost always fully clothed, but there have been a few times when I’ve been half-dressed. I just can’t get worked up about showing a little skin. I’m sure you’ve seen a lot better.”

“Not really,” he said under his breath.

She jerked her head up as if to say something, a quick retort, but thought better of it. He was going to help her, or at least help her get the hell out of this hospital. If she stayed any longer, inevitably, the doctor would touch her, and the visions would come back full force. Aislinn could survive one brush with a vision maker, but two? Two might kill her.

Pulling on the slacks, she winced at the dampness of them as chills chased up her legs to her spine. Slipping into her pumps, she looked around Kane’s large body as if trying to hide from the nurses.

“We should get you signed out,” he said.

“No!” He stopped and looked back at her, the fear more evident now. “Please, Kane, just get me out of here.”

He nodded at her, eyeing her cautiously. Kane peered out into the circular nurses’ station. Two nurses were trying to hold down a crying child so that they could draw blood. A third was assisting the doctor that Aislinn had pointed out to him. He held out his hand to her and nodded.

Lacing her fingers with his, playing the part of girlfriend to the end, they casually strode from the emergency room into the evening light. Rain still fell in a steady beat, and Aislinn shivered, pulling her purse tighter to her body.

“My truck is over there,” he said, guiding her across the parking lot.

She nodded and stumbled. Kane noticed for the first time the depth of her agony and pain, the toll it took on her body, and stopped, lifting her into his arms. Her form molded against his perfectly, and she wound her arms around his neck and nestled closer to his warmth.

“Th-thank you,” she whispered against his neck.

He felt the hot flash of breath against his mangled skin. No one had ever touched him there, ever. Not since leaving the hospital. Opening the door to the truck, he sat her inside and buckled the seat belt. Stepping to the other side, he opened the driver’s side door and then heard someone yelling.

“Hey! Hey, you! She needs to be signed out!” The doctor that had so terrified Aislinn was walking towards them, his long strides moving fluidly across the parking lot.

“She just wants to go home. I’ll come back tomorrow and sign anything you want,” said Kane.

“This is highly irregular! You need to come back inside right now and sign the release papers,” he demanded.

“Look, doctor…”

“Dr. Krauss.”

“Krauss. Dr. Krauss, my girlfriend just wants to be in her own bed. I know that you can note that she left without a doctor’s permission or approval. So do it.”

Kane stared the other man down hard. He could see the other man squirming under his scrutiny. He wasn’t as tall or wide as Kane, but he was easily six feet and well-built. His dark hair, now plastered to his head, his blue eyes glaring into the truck, he tugged on his white coat and nodded.

Kane noticed that Aislinn had turned her face away from the doctor, her eyes closed in pain once again.

“We’re leaving. Here’s my card if you need me,” said Kane. He handed the doctor the business card. The tips of their fingers touched briefly, and Kane felt the familiar zing up his arm. It was so startling, so unexpected, he nearly pulled his weapon right in the parking lot. Instead, he stepped back and got into the truck driving away.

“I’m-I’m hurting,” said Aislinn quietly.

“Tell me what to do, Aislinn. What do you need?”

“Quiet, quiet and dark. Soft, soft music… anything soft…”

“Soft? Like classical?” he asked as he turned on the car radio.

“No. Like spa or yoga…”

Spa or yoga? Yea, he threw those CDs away years ago.

“My purse, on my player…” she whispered.

He reached for her music player and plugged it into the USB port of his truck. Soft sounds of nature came through his speakers. He watched her face as she concentrated on the music around her. The hard lines on her forehead began to relax, and the tightness around her mouth softened.

Weaving through traffic, Kane tried to avoid the busier streets where there might be traffic jams or honking of horns. As he pulled into the dark garage of his apartment building, Aislinn slowly opened her eyes.

“Are we here?” she asked.

“Yes, we’re at my home,” he said, opening his door. When he opened Aislinn’s door, she nearly fell into his arms. Lifting her once more, he carried her to the elevator and pushed the button for his floor.

The building was a refurbished industrial building that was once a garment factory. Each floor was a loft of its own. The only way to reach his floor was with a key code and handprint. Opening the wide dock-like doors, the interior of his apartment filled Aislinn with a sense of security and warmth.

Concrete walls and floors with exposed industrial ductwork and piping caught her eye. The enormous gray sectional sofa with iron legs matched the scene and somehow matched the man holding her. A large flat-screen television covered one wall, the massive king-sized bed against another. The floor plan was completely open, allowing the occupants to see every room except the bathroom and closet.

Kane carried her further into the apartment, pushing open the door to the large master bath.

“You need to get warm, Aislinn,” he said, holding her against his body. She nodded. “Can you shower alone?”

A single tear slid down her face, and she shook her head.

“It’s okay. I’m going to set you on the counter and take my shoes and socks off. Then I’m going to get you undressed and help you shower. Okay?” She nodded, the tears falling silently down her cheeks.

The visions had never attacked her so severely. Usually, she could gather her strength and be relatively normal within a few hours. This had been working on twelve hours now, and she felt no better than she did only a few hours before.

She watched as Kane removed his boots and socks, then unbuckling his pants, he slid the long leather belt from its loops and pulled the sweatshirt over his head. In the darkness, she couldn’t see his body clearly, but she knew before even touching him that the scars covered his torso as well.

“Okay, honey, now you,” he said softly.

He gently pulled the sweater over her head and tossed it to the floor, then unhooked her bra. Her breasts were full and soft, falling gently against her chest. He unzipped her dress pants and lifted her from the counter easily, sliding them over her hips with the panties. He turned to start the shower and then grabbed a few towels.

When the steam rose from behind the glass, he carried Aislinn’s nearly limp body into the shower, holding her against his own warm, hard body. He felt her tremble against him, knowing it was tears and cold combined.

“Sshhhh, honey, it’s okay. I’m not going anywhere, Aislinn,” he soothed as he washed her back.

She nodded against his chest, her arms wrapped around his waist, pressing her further into his skin. Kane tried not to react to her naked body against his, but he couldn’t help it. All the soft curves pressed against his ugly scars. It was almost more than he could bare.

Aislinn let her hands lay flat against his chest and felt the rough edges of scars beneath her fingers. She moved her hands in slow circles, feeling the pain that hid beneath. She knew pain, and this man had experienced more than she could comprehend. Her hands glided to his shoulders and rested there, just waiting.

“Are you warm?” he asked in a husky voice.

She nodded and looked up at him. Kane wanted to take her right there in the shower. He was an asshole when it came to women but not completely. He knew that most were only interested in a quick ride with him. Something different, something to tell the girls about. Aislinn didn’t want or need anything from him other than strength. Strength was definitely something he could give her.

Lifting her from the shower, he wrapped her in the large, plush towels and then wrapped her hair. Carrying her once more, he lay her on the bed and then turned back toward the bathroom.

Aislinn heard him remove the wet clothes and toss them in the shower. A few moments later, he walked out with a towel wrapped around his waist. The wide chest she felt beneath her fingertips looked smoother in the dim light of the bedroom. There were a few raised scars, but most of the scarring was on the left side of his shoulder, neck, and face.

“Let me get you something warm to wear,” he said. Stepping toward the large mahogany dresser, he removed a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt. “Can you put this on yourself?”

She nodded and sat up on the bed.

“I’ll put your clothes in the washer,” he said, walking across the cold concrete floor. He stopped in front of the fireplace and turned on the gas-burning logs, the flames licking the room with instant warmth.

Aislinn stood and pulled on the drawstring pants, which were easily four sizes too big for her. Nevertheless, she was grateful for the warmth. Holding the sweatshirt to her face, she smelled Kane. Spice and something else, something she couldn’t name.

When her head poked through the hole of the sweatshirt, he was standing in front of her.

“Do you need to lie down?” he asked quietly.

“No, actually, I’m really hungry. I can cook, or I can order something for us,” she said shyly.

“No need,” he said with a grin. “I’ll order some Chinese if that works for you.” She nodded her head and moved toward the beckoning warmth of the fireplace.

“I’ll be out in a minute. I just want to get some clothes on,” he said.

She nodded without turning, knowing that he would be naked directly behind her. Aislinn heard the muffled sounds of fabric against skin. She could see his long, strong body moving in her mind, his limbs deftly moving through the openings of the garments. Touching his skin in the shower, she felt his pain and knew that, in time, he would tell her where the scars came from.

The soft sounds of music filled the apartment, and Aislinn let out a long, slow breath, sinking further into the sofa. She heard the low tones of Kane’s voice on the phone ordering the food and then felt rather than heard his presence beside her. Despite the size of the sectional, he was only a few inches away from her.

“Are you ready to tell me everything?” he asked.

“If you are.”