Blackthorne, Fiona - Moonstruck [Blue Moon 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (12 page)

“Declan,” she murmured against his lips, “we’re in a church, I’m not sure we should—”

“A church is a house built for love,” he replied, pulling just far enough apart to look into her eyes. “It’s for the love of God, and love is God’s highest commandment to us all.”

“I didn’t take you for the religious sort.” She chuckled quietly.

“I’m a sailor,” he said, grinning. “We’re a pretty superstitious lot.”

“Superstition and religion aren’t the same thing.”

“Professor Bell?”

“I’m not a prof—”

“Be quiet.” He laughed as he kissed her again, pulling her into his arms, cradling her as he stroked her cheek and pushed her wet hair back from her face.

Ava smiled as he kissed her, allowing herself to be enveloped by pure bliss. His kisses warmed her and filled her, making her want more of him. Not in a church, naturally, but somewhere they could truly be alone together.

“Ahem.”

Ava started and broke off from Declan, flushing at the thought that someone had been watching them. Even worse, it had been the priest. Declan didn’t seem the faintest bit ruffled and grinned at the man…who again looked like he could have stepped out of a fashion magazine wearing Armani instead of his black clerical garb.

“You must be Dr. Bell,” the man said, coming down the steps of the altar to sit in the pew in front of them. He held out his hand to her. “Father Eamon Edlow.”

“I’m not Dr. Bell yet,” Ava replied, smiling and shaking his hand. She immediately liked his frank, open expression. “I’m just a starving grad student working on her dissertation.”

“I’ll say a prayer that you finish it well and quickly.” Father Edlow laughed. “I’m glad you’re here, though. I’ve been very worried about you.”

“No, wait,” Ava said. “Let me guess. It’s because I’m out at White Farm.”

Father Edlow’s expression grew serious. “Demonic attacks are no laughing matter, Miss Bell.”

“It’s Ava, and I’m not laughing.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“In fact, I’m so not laughing. I’m absolutely confused is what I am. Every single person I’ve met in this town believes that all of this is real.”

“Don’t you believe it’s real?”

“I believe something is happening,” Ava admitted. “But, I’m not ready to give it a label that can’t be scientifically proven.”

She waited warily for the usual admonition that clergy always made that this was a matter of faith.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Father Edlow said, surprising her. “I like your practical, empirical outlook. It’ll stand you in good stead. Declan, how much have you told her?”

Declan’s arms tightened around her waist as he spoke. “Just the story. Nothing more.”

Father Edlow raised his eyebrows. Ava felt Declan sigh against her.

“We’re going to tell her,” Declan said.

“Tell me what when?” Ava broke in. “How about everything now?”

Father Edlow looked from Declan to her, then nodded.

“I can tell you a good deal more,” he said to Ava. “Not everything because I don’t know everything. But, I know enough to help you some.”

“Amen,” Ava said, breathing a sigh of relief.

Chapter 11

“How much do you know about demons?” Father Edlow asked.

Ava felt her heart sink a little. She didn’t want to know more about demons. She wanted to know specifically more about why the town was so crazy about White Farm, and all the things that everyone kept alluding to that she had no clue about.

“My dissertation deals with demons, demonic possession, and witchcraft in seventeenth century New England,” she said tiredly.

She felt Declan rub her back, and just the connection with him made things a little better.

“All right,” the priest replied with a smile. “So, you’re somewhat of an expert already.”

“Yes, and I was planning on getting some salt and holy water to sprinkle around the perimeter of the cottage, as well as praying,” Ava said.

Father Edlow shook his head. “That’s not going to be of any help. Maybe with other manifestations of other…unexplained scientific phenomenon, all of that might make a difference, at least in terms of bolstering a person’s psychological defense. This situation is different, Ava. These entities are focused entirely on you, and nothing will stop them.”

His words surprised her. She had interviewed enough priests, preachers, imams and even rabbis for her topic, and she had come to expect the same rote answers. Father Edlow was clearly different. She was also taken aback by the idea that the demons were focused specifically on her. She nodded for him to proceed.

“These demons were summoned specifically to serve the purposes of one woman,” Father Edlow continued. “Eve Barrows. She wanted power, and the Devil must have given her the ability to summon the demons to her. Whether they overcame her and possessed her, no one will ever be certain. However, they are rooted to the place where they were summoned, which is Blue Moon, and more specifically White Farm.”

“How can you be so sure of all this?” Ava asked.

“I can’t be sure of anything, but this is what the evidence of three centuries has shown us.”

“Oh.” Well, she couldn’t argue with evidence, even if she could argue with the interpretation of it.

“There have been no reports of demonic attacks or possessions outside of Blue Moon,” Father Edlow said. “This supports the idea that they are contained within the borders of the town. History suggests that part of Aristide Molineaux and Ezra Barrows’s bargain was that the demons could only move within the lines of Blue Moon. Again, there’s no explanation of how or why this was achieved, only that we have three hundred years of evidence to support it.”

“I suppose exorcisms have been tried?”

“Many times.” Father Edlow shook his head sadly. “My predecessors have brought in Catholic priests, Pentecostal ministers, Muslim imams and even pagan practitioners. We’ve all tried, but in the end, we all stopped trying.”

“Why?”

“Because it only made things worse. Every time we tried to exorcise the demons from White Farm, they seemed to become enraged, and they wreaked havoc upon the town. People died as a result. In the end, no risk to the living could ever be worth the chance of getting rid of these demons.”

“So…people just live with them?” Ava asked, astounded.

“Yes, and the main threat is to our children here, because children are so much more open to things outside the normal adult range of comprehension and perception. We take great care to nurture and protect them spiritually. We are blessed in that we have not had an incident for about ten years now.”

“Knock wood,” Declan added, rapping his knuckles against the pew. Father Edlow smiled sadly.

“You said the demons are focused on me,” Ava said. “How can you know that? What does that mean?”

“I can feel it,” Father Edlow replied simply. “I sense it through my prayers for you.”

“You’re praying for me?”

“I am, since the moment I heard you were staying at White Farm.”

“So, what does it mean?”

“For some reason, Ava, you are special to them. They will want to either possess you or destroy you. There is no compromise, no middle ground.”

Ava thought for a moment, chewing her bottom lip pensively. “So, if I go by what you’re telling me, all I would have to do to be safe is to leave Blue Moon.”

“Yes,” Father Edlow agreed. “They could not follow you outside of our borders.”

Silence fell on the three of them as Ava leaned back against Declan. He buried his face in her hair and tightened his arms around her waist. It was a simple, logical solution. So, why did she have this terrible feeling that she was going to be stupid and not take the one chance she had to escape.

“What happens if I stay?” she asked finally.

“That’s not for me to say,” Father Edlow replied. “I’ve told you the risks. What you choose is up to you. And now,” he added, getting to his feet. “You’ll excuse me, but I have a few things that need doing before I head over to the hospital.”

“The hospital?” Ava asked.

“I serve as their chaplain on Tuesdays and Fridays,” he said, smiling. “But, you should know this church is always open. I never lock the doors. If you need shelter or protection, St. Mary’s is always here for you.”

“Thank you, Father,” Ava said, standing up and shaking his hand. She watched him disappear through a door to the side of the altar then turned to Declan. “So what else do I need to know? I know there’s something about the wolves you need to tell me, and I need to see Grace, whoever that is.”

Declan nuzzled her ear, dropping little kisses along the shell of it and nearly making her forget that she had any questions at all. She was melting against him, her heart racing as his rough fingers traced her jaw.

“Grace is our librarian,” he whispered. “She’s sick with some bad migraines right now and isn’t at work. We’ll go see her when she gets well.”

He brushed his lips against hers, the lightest of kisses that left her practically ready to pounce him for more. He chuckled against her mouth.

“As for the wolves,” he said softly. “Well, you’ll find out all about that soon enough.”

“Not now?” Ava asked in a voice strangled by the surges of heat and desire she felt.

“Now, there’s something I’d like to show you.”

She felt a thrill of anticipation run through her body at the dark pleasure his words promised. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet.

“Give me your keys,” he said.

“What? Why?”

“Because we’re taking your car, unless you want to leave it at the General Store all day, and maybe all night.”

She shivered at the implication, her need for him rising and rearing. Together, they ran through the rain to her car, and they laughed as Declan had to scoot the driver’s seat all the way back to fit in. He pulled out and drove back down Long Road, then turned off onto an unmarked driveway just before West Road.

“Wait, is this the road to your house?” she asked, feeling like she recognized the drive a little bit.

“Yes,” he replied, smiling. “But, we’re not going to the house.”

“We’re not?”

“What I want to show you isn’t there.”

Ava sat back, mystified and intrigued, wondering exactly where they were going to go and what he was going to show her.

“Your car needs a wheel alignment,” he said, pulling up to a huge, long, wooden barn.

“Poor Mimi,” Ava said. “All the Boston potholes have taken their toll.”

“Sean will take care of this for you in his shop. Stay here a minute.”

She watched as he parked the car then got out in the rain and ran over to the huge barn doors. The building had to be at least four hundred feet long, and it looked like it was divided into two. He pulled open one of the barn doors just wide enough for them to squeeze through then came back over to the car and helped her out. She was so touched as she realized that he had done this to protect her from getting more wet from the rain, and her heart warmed and expanded.

Unfortunately, her warm heart wasn’t enough to keep the rest of her warm, and she shivered as she stepped into the dark barn. The floor was packed dirt, and the barn itself smelled of pine and sawdust. Chinks of daylight came through cracks between the wooden planks. In the dim light, she saw a tractor, a riding mower, and a huge boat.