Protecting His Windflower (A Spirit Hunters Series Novel Book 1) by Temperance Dawn (best ereader for epub TXT) 📗

followed and attached itself to her. Liam was an anchor, holding her steady in a raging ocean of uncertainty.

Emotions flooded, sweeping over her in choppy waves, holding her beneath an undertow of current, and she couldn’t bring herself to the surface. Terrified, confused, and fed up, a burning need to find answers and figure out what was happening lit itself within her. In the past, Emily walked through life…numb. She wandered through time in a haze of existence, not truly feeling or being aware of her surroundings, or her wants and desires.

She was done. An evil spirit afflicted her life with fear, and she wasn’t going to allow it to continue. Wasn’t going to allow it to tear her away from a man who she felt so connected with, who she knew was just as aware of her heart's deepest desires as she was. The link she felt tethering her to Liam overwhelmed her entire being, and she refused to give in to the pressure of the haunting. She was going to fight the evil that tormented her and live her life. Free.

Twelve

Liam paced his living room while listening to Phil’s phone continue to ring without an answer once again. He left yet another message at the tone, this time not caring to hide the frustration in his voice and hung up. Sitting in the lounge chair next to the oversized sofa in his living room, Liam interlaced his fingers and rested his chin against his hands, elbows on his knees, he stared across the room toward the bathroom where Emily was taking a shower.

The kiss they shared on her sofa in her flat was everything he’d imagined it would be. Everything he’d remembered from his dream. The feel of his mouth on hers felt like heaven. Even the soft sigh that escaped her lips was familiar to him.

Liam pulled the chain on the lamp sitting on the side table, illuminating the room in a warm glow, before picking his phone back up and calling the one person in the world he knew would understand his predicament.

“Hey, son. How are you?”

At the sound of his father’s voice, Liam dropped his head and took a deep, cleansing breath, trying desperately to hide his emotions. He knew his father would know something was up otherwise. He always did. “Hey, Dad,” Liam said, his voice shaky.

“What the fuck is going on, Liam? What’s wrong?”

The sound of his father’s voice washed over Liam, and he smiled. “I’m fine, Dad. I promise.”

“You’re not fine. You’re calling way later than what is typical of you. And by the sound of your voice, you’re completely freaked out about something. Now talk.”

Clayton Wesley was not one to be messed with. He loved his family hard and did everything in his power to protect them.

“Okay. So. Let me start at the beginning.”

“That’s always a good starting point, son.”

“Yeah. So… I met a girl. She’s beautiful. Amazing. She moved into the flat below mine a couple weeks ago.”

Liam briefly filled his father in on everything that had been going on. When he got to the details about what had happened in Emily’s flat, his dad was not only concerned but also angry.

“Listen, Liam. I know what you’re feeling. When we were going through that crap in Sacramento, and we came home to find your mother at the bottom of those stairs, I wanted to kill somebody. Something that we couldn’t see touched my wife and almost killed her. So, I know the anger you’re feeling right now. But I’ll tell you something else. Back then, we didn’t know or have the information and technology and resources of today. This is what you do, son. You find the answers, and you help people. You need to keep your head straight. Don’t let the anger overtake you. That’s what the damn thing wants. It wants to ruin you. God, I wish I could’ve called someone like you guys back then. I can’t tell you how many fights your mom and I went through. Over stupid shit. The littlest things would set us off. These things feed off of fear and anger. Don’t give in to it.”

Liam knew his dad was one hundred percent right. But like most things in life, it was easier said than done.

“I know, Dad. I’m just trying to figure out why the hell all of this started when she moved in. I’m not blaming her. I’m just trying to put the pieces together. What is it about her that woke this place up?”

A moment of silence hung in the air before his dad spoke, “There’s something you’re not telling me, Liam. I can hear it in your voice. What is it?”

Of course. His father could always read him, even over the phone. He had a sixth sense for those things. Clayton always knew when any of his children were holding something back.

“Dad.” Liam paused for a moment, trying to find the right words. Realizing there wasn’t any easy way to explain, he said, “She’s the girl I’ve been dreaming about since high school. She’s the one in my nightmares.”

Another beat of silence followed. Liam heard his father blow out a breath. “Are you kidding me?”

“I’m one hundred percent positive it’s her.”

“You have Trey and Luke working on this with you?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely. They’re downstairs right now covering up Emily’s broken window, and they are staying the night in her flat.”

“Good. Where is Emily?”

“She was really freaked out, so I brought her to my flat. She’s taking a shower. And before you go there, nothing has happened between us yet.”

A roar of laughter filled Liam’s ear. “Yet, huh?” his father repeated. “Son, when are you bringing her out here to meet us?”

“Soon. I hope.” The thought of his parents meeting the woman literally from his dreams made him happy and nervous all at once. He’d only just met Emily, but he knew she was special. Everything in him screamed that they were meant to be