Meadow's Keep (The Gatekeepers Series) (38 page)

The
n, everything happened at once. She moved her hand forward with the knife and John’s gun went off. A neat hole appeared in Morna’s forehead and a splash of red hit the wall behind her. Lily fell off the side of the bed with the knife.

Jasmine’s shoved passed Eryk and John with a force neither man expected.
She bounded around the bed. Morna was slumped on the floor, wedged between the wall and a dresser, her body having smeared blood and gray matter in its wake.

Jasmine knelt beside Lily who lay on her s
ide, the knife beside her. Blood was running across her leg. “Get me a towel. Call 9-1-1,” Jasmine yelled.

John
was issuing directions into the phone as Eryk handed Jasmine a towel. Jasmine was working to get the duct tape from around Lily’s wrist. Lily’s mouth had pink welts where the tape had been on her mouth. Eryk handed Jasmine his knife to cut the tape and watched Lily wince at the sight of it.

“We’re not going to hurt you. Let me get thi
s off. Lie still, sweetie.”

“Get me out of here,” Lily screamed.

“The paramedics will be here in a moment. No! Don’t look back there.”

Jasmine positioned herself between Lily and Morna’s dead body.

“She tried to kill me,” Lily cried.

“
You’re safe now. I promise.”

Two paramedics stepped into the room following by
a policeman. John stopped the policeman and they stepped to the other side. Jasmine eased herself back, still blocking Lily’s view, but let a paramedic near her.

Lily grabbed Jasmine’s ankle, “Don’t leave me,” the young girl begged.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Jasmine promised.

Lily winced as the paramedic pushed around Lily’s leg, talking into a headset at the same time. They placed a tourniquet
above the gash, and injected something to numb the area. He reached over and placed the knife in a plastic bag. They applied something to the wound and slowly loosened the tourniquet. Blood seeped but didn’t run. He bound the wound and, with the other EMT, they lifted her onto a gurney. Jasmine followed them out, glancing back once at the dead woman, whose dull green eyes stared vacantly into hell.

Eryk caught
Jasmine’s gaze as she passed him. It was one he couldn’t fathom. Yet, he hoped it was one that was not long lasting. It tore at his soul.

Even with all that Rob had done, Jasmine ha
dn’t felt the hatred and vehemence that she’d felt when she saw Morna holding Lily by the hair, her body beaten, her eyes full of fear. At that moment, she wanted to send every ounce of energy she possessed into the woman, wiping her from the face of the earth. In fact, the only thing that had stopped her was Lily, and knowing that residual energy would travel into her as well.

Then Eryk
had stepped forward and when Jasmine saw the look change in Morna’s eyes, Jasmine felt the rage of jealousy whip through her. She’d seen that look—the one that changed Morna’s green facets into swirls—in the man who stood between her and that bitch. That was a mating look.
Well, tough shit. He’s mine.
She knew those words had to have gone through her mind at least once or she wouldn’t be remembering them now.

“Jasmine,” a weak voice brought her back
, “are you all right?” Lily’s hand clasped her arm.

“I’m fine. Put that oxygen back on. I was just wool gathering.” She gave Lily a smile and brushed the soft brown hair away from her face as the ambulance sped to the hospital.

“I’m sorry.”

“No. Don’t say that. You have nothing to be sorry
about. You did nothing wrong.” She repeated the very words Dorian had said to her a year ago, outside a deserted mine shaft.

****

With Jasmine heading to the hospital and John directing, or misdirecting, the crime scene, Eryk felt a bit at odds. He knew they’d passed some major milestone, but he’d be damned if he could figure out what it was. The look he saw on Jasmine’s face kept nagging at him. He hadn’t been able to read it. Not like her other ones.

“Bask wants to talk to you.” John held out the phone that had been plastered to his ear since the police arrived.

Once again, the man seemed to be in mid-sentence when he put the phone to his ear. Eryk listened, trying to catch up. “…did what you asked. Talked with your attorney. He said he’ll take care of everything.”

Eryk smiled.
“Thanks. That means a lot to me.”

“Means something to me, too.” Bask said. “Give Jasmine my love.”

Was that a lilt he heard in the old man’s voice? “I sure will. We’re heading to the hospital as soon as things here are squared away.”

Bask actually laughed. “Son, you will discover, whe
re descendants are involved, nothing’s ever squared away.”

Eryk
handed John the disconnected phone.

One of the police officers gave the two men a ride back to the cabin,
hemmed and hawed before asking Eryk for his autograph. Eryk pulled out one of his business cards wrote on the back and handed it to the officer.

The man read it and grinned, his eyes crinkling. “Hey, thanks.
My wife and kids will love it.”

“Free pass?” John asked as they walked into the dark cabin.

“The least I could do,” he said and went about gathering their bags.

John popped the top on a Coke and handed
it to Eryk, opening one for himself as well. “They stopped Beverly Greeson at the airport. Seems she suddenly had an urge to travel to Argentina. Interpol is also interested in her. Apparently, they’ve been tossing a “black widow” theory around for some time. Three dead men. Suddenly, she’s singing like a canary and letting her daughter take the rap. There’ll be some tree shaking, that’s for sure. With the daughter dead, we might never know. Bask is working on getting the body released to Abbott House. That could get sticky. There are a lot of agencies wanting those remains.”

They walked out to the vehicles
. John threw his bag into the back. “I’m sure I’ll hear more about it later. I’ll keep you informed.”

“Thanks.”

“I’ll check out. You go on to the hospital. I’m assuming that’s where you’re headed. I’m heading back to Safe Harbor.”

Eryk stuck out his hand. “Thanks. For everything.”

“Not a problem. Welcome to the family.” His eyes crinkled. “Never a dull moment.”

****

Why was it all hospitals felt the same? Jasmine shoved the bill and coins into the vending machine and pulled out a Coke. The walls here were the same off-shade of green as the one she’d been in after the attack on her. Same florescent lights. Same antiseptic smell. She popped the top and headed back to the ER where the nurse had to buzz her in.

She
walked down the hall to the cubicle where Lily lay on the bed. Luckily, the leg wound was minimal. The bruises on her face would heal, as would the cracked rib. The woman who’d inflicted those, and probably others, was dead. Part of Jasmine wished she was alive so she could have the satisfaction of killing Morna herself. No, neither Bask nor Dr. Browne would approve of that. Well, Dr. Browne definitely wouldn’t. Bask might understand. At least she was being honest. Dr. Browne would approve of the honesty.

She plastered a smile on her face and stepped
into the cubicle. The fragility of the young woman lying on the bed startled her. The face was bright blotches of purple and one eye was swollen shut. But, it was the far away, almost vacant look that worried Jasmine. She reached over and pulled the straw out of the water cup and slipped it into the can. Easing up Lily’s head, she put the straw to her lips. Lily had trouble closing her swollen lips around the straw, but managed a small sip.

“How ya doing?”
Jasmine eased her back onto her pillow and made a pretense of looking at the monitors beeping in the background and the fluid dripping into the IV.

“Been better.” The voice was flat.

Jasmine reached down and took hold of the hand not stuck with a needle. She looked deep into Lily’s eyes. “I’m going to try to give you a little help with the healing. Mind you, I’m still new at this, but I’d like to give it a try.”

Lily’s eyes widened.

“I can wait for Eryk. He’s probably better at it.”

“He’s definitely cuter.” The chipped tooth grin appeared when she lifted the one side of her lips that wasn’t split.

“Hmmm. So you prefer beauty over brains.” As she said it, she let her energy flow, trying to not push too much.

“Male beauty—that male beauty, definitely. Ow!”

“Oops.” Jasmine laughed and squeezed Lily’s hand before letting go.

“I think you did that on purpose because you’re jealous.”
Lily’s eyes twinkled. “You like him, don’t you?” She asked, teasing in her tone.

Jasmine felt her face flush.

“Like who?” Eryk said, smiling that megawatt showman smile as he stepped into the cubicle.

Lily took down at her hands. “Nobody...
,” she whispered.

“She finds me irresistible.” He walked over and put his arm around Jasmine’s waist and gave a tug.

“In your dreams.” But the sarcasm failed when her black eyes twinkled and she smiled at him.

Eryk turned his attention to Lily. “How’s my other best girl doing?”

Lily blushed and played with the lightweight blanket they’d covered her with. She spoke without looking up, “I’m sorry I ran away.”

“And heisted my car,” Eryk said
jokingly and felt Jasmine’s elbow impact sharply with his side. He let out an oomph.

“I’m sorry about that, too.” Her voice was barely audible.

“Lily,” Eryk reached over and gently lifted her chin, until she was looking in his brilliant green eyes. “I’m teasing you.” At the same time, he gave a gentle push and felt his energy flow softly into the wounded girl. Her eyes did a slow blink. Her mouth slackened. “Why don’t you rest now, sweetie? We aren’t going anywhere. We’ll be right here when you wake up.” He maintained contact until her eyes closed completely.

“Did you…?” Jasmine whispered and stopped when he put his finger to his lips.

“…and he did it better…” Lily’s voice was a teasing whisper as she drifted off.

Eryk took
Jasmine’s arm and led her outside the cubicle. Once outside, he looked into  her eyes, studying her. “Are you all right?” He could feel the tension.

Jasmine pulled he
r arm away. “Don’t.”

“I can relieve some of that tension.”

“Maybe I don’t want you to. Did that ever occur to you?” Jasmine could feel the agitation moving through her and knew he was just a convenient target. “You walk a fine line between helping and controlling.”

“Okay. Point taken.” He stepped back one step and his voice became modulated and even.
“I talked with Bask on the way over here. Arrangements are being made for Lily to return to Safe Harbor. Her father is being transferred to a facility not too far from there.”

Jasmine
’s body froze. Yet, she tried not to show any emotion. She knew, just by the feeling in her gut, that Lily’s father was being taken to the same facility that housed Rob. Her gaze slid back to the young girl in the bed. If she wants to go see her father, she’d go with her. It’s a large facility. There’d be no reason for her to run into Rob at all.

Eryk knew the moment Jasmine’s attention was no longer on him. He didn’
t know what was distracting her, but he’d figure it out.

“Jasmine…,” the voice was plaintive
, coming from the bed.

Jasmine
put her smile back in place and moved to Lily’s bedside.

“Are you hungry? I know they’ve approved food.”

Lily slowly shook her head. “Not really. Have you heard anything about my dad?”

“Yes. In fact, he’s on his way to a place near Safe Harbor
. You are going back with us when they release you. You’ll get to see him before you know it.” She had no clue as to his condition so, for right now, she’d keep everything positive.

“The police said they arrested Beverly.
Is Morna dead?”

Jasmine sat on the side of the bed and wished with every fiber of her being that Dr. Browne was here instead of her. With all the insight Jenn had given her about handl
ing new clients, she wasn’t sure what to say or do at this moment. She settled on the truth.

“Yes. Morna’s dead. I’m sorry.”

“Why?” she asked and pushed herself up on the hard mattress. “She was going to kill me. She was really crazy, you know.”

“I kind of figured she was.”

Eryk stepped up to the bed. “Lily, had Morna hurt you before?” He’d talked with the police downstairs. They’d said Lily hadn’t said much to them, or was unable to. They were concerned that without something, Beverly would be released and, at this point, they didn’t know if she was the mastermind, a conspirator, or just another victim.

Lily looked down at the bed, then up at Jasmine. “Miss Jenn said you’d been hurt
before.”