Nora Roberts - The Pagan Stone

“Unless you’re the target,” Fox pointed out. “Then it seriously sucks.”

Cybil smiled at him. “True enough. It doesn’t just feed off hate, it hates. Us especially. As far as we know, everything it’s done or been able to do since February targets one of us, or the group as a whole.”

She set her notebook on the arm of the sofa. “It’s expending a lot of energy to scare us, hurt us. That’s a thought I had today when it had me trapped in here. Well, before it went dark and I wasn’t so cocky. That it was using up energy. Maybe we can taunt it into using more. It’s stronger, yes, and it’s getter stronger yet, but anytime it puts on a big show, there’s a lull afterward. It’s still recharging. And while there might not be a way to block or weaken it, there might be a way to divert it. If it’s aiming at us, its ability to infect the Hollow may be diminished.”

“I’m pretty sure I can state categorically it’s been aimed at us plenty, and still managed to wreak havoc in the Hollow.”

Cybil nodded at Fox. “Because you’ve always been in the Hollow trying to save lives, fight it off.”

“What choice do we have?” Cal demanded. “We can’t leave people unprotected.”

“I’m suggesting they might not need as much protection if we were able to draw it away.”

“How? And where?”

“How might be a challenge,” Cybil began.

“But where would be the Pagan Stone. Tried that,” Gage continued. “Fourteen years ago.”

“Yes, I’ve read that in Quinn’s notes, but-”

“Do you remember our last trip there?” Gage asked her. “That was a walk on the beach compared to getting through Hawkins Wood anywhere close to the Seven.”

“We made it that time, two Sevens ago. Barely,” Fox added. “We thought maybe we could stop it by repeating the ritual at the same time, the same place. Midnight, our birthday-the dawn of the Seven, so to speak. Didn’t work, obviously. By the time we got back to town, it was bad. One of the worst nights of this ever.”

“Because we weren’t here to help anyone,” Cal finished. “We’d left the town unprotected. How can we risk that again?”

Cybil started to speak, then decided to let it go for now. “Well, back to the bloodstone then. That’s one of the new elements on our side of the scoreboard. I’ve got some avenues I’m exploring. And was about to push a little deeper earlier today when I was so rudely interrupted. I’ll get back on that tomorrow. I was also going to suggest, if you’re up for it, Gage, that you and I try what Cal and Quinn have, and Fox and Layla.”

“You want to have sex? Always up for it.”

“That’s so sweet, but I was staying on topic and speaking of combining abilities. We have past.” She gestured to Cal and Quinn. “We have now, with Fox and Layla. You and I see forward. Maybe it’s time to find out if we see further, or clearer, together.”

“I’m game if you are.”

“How about tomorrow then? I’ll drive out to Cal ’s, maybe about one.”

“Ah, about that.” Cal cleared his throat. “After today, I think we have to limit solo time as much as possible. Nobody should be staying here or at my place alone at night, for one thing. We can split that up, so there’s at least two-better three-in one place. And during the day, we should use the buddy system whenever possible. You shouldn’t drive out to my place alone, Cybil.”

“I’m not going to disagree about safety and strength in numbers. So, who’s going to buddy up with Fox whenever he has to drive up to Hagerstown, to the courthouse? Or with Gage when he’s zipping from here to there?”

Fox shook his head sadly at Cal. “Warned you, didn’t I?”

“For the record, I’m not the least bit insulted that you’d want to protect me and my fellow females.” Cybil smiled at Cal. “And I agree we should stick together as much as possible. But it’s not practical or feasible that we can avoid basic alone time or tasks for the duration. We’re six weeks out. I think we can all promise to be sensible and cautious. I, for one, won’t be lighting the candle and creeping down to the basement at midnight to investigate strange noises.”

“I’ll come here,” Gage told her.

“No, because now it’s a matter of principle. And I think we’d have more luck with this at Cal ’s. This house still feels…”

“Smudged,” Quinn finished. She reached over to rub Cybil’s knee. “It’ll fade.”

“Yes, it will. Well, while you all work out who’s sleeping where tonight, I’m going to bed.” Rising, she glanced at Gage. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She wanted a long hot soak in the tub, but that struck her as too close to going down into a dark basement. Both were horror-movie clichés for a reason, after all. She settled on the nightly routine of cleanser, toner, moisturizer. As she started to turn down the bed, Quinn came in.

“Cal and I are staying here tonight.”

“All right, but wouldn’t it make more sense for you two to go home, with Gage?”

“Fox and Layla are bunking at Cal ’s. I wanted to be here tonight.”

Because she understood, Cybil’s eyes stung. She sat on the side of the bed, took Quinn’s hand, laid it against her cheek as Quinn sat beside her.

“I was all right until the lights went out. More interested, even intrigued than scared. Then they went out, and I couldn’t see. Nothing was as horrible as that.”

“I know. I can sleep in here with you tonight.”

Cybil shook her head, tipped it to Quinn’s shoulder. “It’s enough to know you’re across the hall. We all felt it, didn’t we? That smudge like you said, that smear it left on the house. I was afraid it was just me, just being paranoid.”

“We all felt it. It’ll fade, Cyb. We won’t give ground.”

“It’ll never understand how we are together, or what we are together. It would never understand that you knew I’d sleep better tonight with you in the house, or that I’d be better talking to you for a few minutes alone.”

“It’s one of the ways we’ll beat it.”

“I believe that.” She sighed. “Marissa called.”

“Crap.”

“Yeah, and it was-the usual crap. ‘Can’t you do this, can’t I have that? Why are you so mean?’ It just added to an upsetting day. I dumped a good chunk of my unfortunate family history on Gage’s head.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I know, not my usual style. It was a weak moment, but he handled it well. He didn’t say much, but he said exactly the right thing. Then I kissed his brains out.”

“Well.” Quinn gave her a friendly shoulder bump. “It’s about damn time.”

“Maybe it is, I don’t know. I don’t know if it would complicate things, simplify them, or make no damn difference at all. But while I’m sure the sex would be good-in fact superior-I’m equally sure it would be as risky as going down in the basement to see what the banging’s about.”

“It could be, but since there’d be two of you involved, you wouldn’t be going down to the basement alone.”

“True.” Pursing her lips, Cybil studied her own toes. “And there would be some comfort when we were both hacked to death by the ax murderer.”

“At least you’d’ve had sex first.”

“Superior sex. I’ll sleep on it.” She gave Quinn a squeeze. “Go on, go snuggle up with your adorable guy. I’m going to do a little yoga to help me relax before I go to bed.”

“Just call if you need me.”

Cybil nodded. That was the thing, she thought when Quinn left her. That was a constant in her life. If she needed Quinn, all she had to do was call.

SHE’D BEEN IN HIS DREAMS, AND IN HIS DREAMS, she came to his bed. In his dreams her lips, soft and seeking, yielded to his. Her body, sleek and smooth, arched up, long arms, long legs wrapping him in warmth, in fragrance. In female.