Page 84 of The Shop on Hidden Lane

He set the weapon back down on the table. There was an icy heat in his eyes. “Time for me to find out if I can still dream.”

She was intensely aware of the energy that charged the atmosphere around him.

“Okay.” She was not sure what she was supposed to do or say next. “Are you, uh, going to get into bed?”

“I’ll just try to take a nap.” He sat on the edge of the bed and removed one low boot. “Do me a favor. Don’t suck up all my bodily essences while I’m out. I’m going to need those later.”

“We are not amused.” She frowned. “Before you sleep, why don’t we try the technique you used on me when I came out of the trance at your uncle’s cabin?”

“What?”

“I was starting to go into the ice fever but you were able to stop the process.”

He removed his other boot, rested his forearms on his thighs, and looked at her. “You’re talking about trying to get our auras to resonate.”

“Isn’t that what you did when you helped me get back to normal? Maybe a similar process could restore your other vision.”

“Your situation was different. Some of the wavelengths in your aura were in shock. All I did was use some of my energy to encourage the currents to resume normal oscillation.”

“I understand. But what if your para-vision is just in shock? I might be able to encourage the currents back into normal rhythm.”

“What the hell. It’s worth a try.”

He held out his hand. She took it, abruptly aware that she had absolutely no idea how to set up a state of resonance between their auras. On the two previous occasions with Luke it seemed to have happened more or less spontaneously. Maybe physical contact was all it took.

She was in the process of cautiously heightening her senses when Luke tightened his grip on her hand and drew her down across his thighs. Before she realized what was happening, he wrapped an arm around her and lowered his mouth to hers.

“What are you doing?” she squeaked in surprise.

“We don’t have time to waste running experiments. This is the fastest way I know for the two of us to set up resonance.”

“But—”

For a few seconds she fought to get control of the kiss; to stay in command of the situation. But he was doing the same. Their auras flared, clashed, and suddenly they were both surrendering to the excitement, the yearning, and the thrill of bone-deep recognition.

Luke fell back onto the bed, taking her with him. She tumbled across his chest, heightened her talent…

…and immediately sensed the damaged currents of his talent. She knew intuitively how to ease the wavelengths back into normal resonance. Just a little light housekeeping.

Luke looked up at her. His eyes burned. “Damn. You did it. I’ve got my night vision back.”

She pushed herself off his chest and sat up on the side of the bed. “How do you feel?”

“Good. Very, very good. Now I’m sure I can dream.”

He lay back on the pillows, straightened out on the bed, closed his eyes, and…dropped into sleep.

She watched him for a moment and then she looked at Bruce.

“That’s a handy talent he has,” she said softly.

Bruce yawned, curled up, and went to sleep, too.

“Gosh, don’t feel like you have to stay awake just to keep me company,” she said. “I’ll find something to do.”

She sank into the reading chair and picked up Tobias Harper’s journal.

Forty-Three