Sea Haven 02 - Spirit Bound

have done this? He can’t be here—can he? Judith pressed her face tighter against his shoulder. It’s him. I know it is. I can feel him.
    “What is it?” Frank asked, pressing a trembling hand over his heart.
    Angel, I’m here. This man is nothing. He can’t hurt you or anyone else you love, not with me standing in his way. Stefan had to find a way to calm her down before the art gallery filled with such dark horror that the elderly couple had heart attacks.
    “I don’t think it’s anything, Frank,” he assured as he tightened his hold on Judith, his arms a steel cage, his body fiercely protective. “The vandal most likely leafed through things on the desk looking for something of value. He didn’t know artwork or he would have taken your most valuable pieces.”
    He could feel Judith desperately trying to regain control. Jean-Claude was a monster from her past and he’d grown into such a demon over the last five years he wasn’t certain Judith could get a realistic perspective on him.
    “Judith.” Blythe’s voice was pitched very calm, cutting through the thick sorrow and horror. “There’s nothing we can’t face together. We’re stronger than our pasts. All of us. Thomas is here with you and so is Levi. Whatever you’re afraid of, you aren’t alone this time.”
    Stefan felt his warning radar rise. Blythe. The mystery woman. She was far more than she appeared. It took control and power to push through the surge of emotional energy Judith was throwing off. Her emotion had amplified even more as Frank and Inez reacted. He felt power coming at him in waves, battering him, like the sea, continually and without mercy pounding away at his emotions. He managed to stay above it all and at the same time, work to shield the others in the room, but Blythe, although clearly feeling Judith’s influence, remained unscathed by the surges of power.
    “Maybe it was a kid,” Inez ventured, her hands shaking, obviously trying to appease Judith. “I know most of them and I can’t think of any who would want to hurt Frank or me, but maybe I’ve had to talk sternly to one or two when they’ve come into the grocery store during their lunch break. They don’t try to steal, I’ve never had that problem, but they are smoking pot and they reek.”
    “Whoever it was,” Stefan said firmly, “he or she didn’t take anything of value and if I get Judith home, she can stretch these paintings before they’re ruined.” He held out the car keys to Blythe. “I would greatly appreciate it if you would bring Judith’s car around and then reassure her sisters that she’s fine, but needs to work.”
    Blythe’s eyes met his over Judith’s shoulder. She slowly reached for the keys, as if she hadn’t quite made up her mind about him. “Thank you for saving Judith, Inez and Frank,” she said quietly as she took the keys. “All of them said if it wasn’t for you, that killer would have probably shot them all.”
    “I don’t know about that, Blythe,” Stefan replied in the same calming, quiet voice. Already Judith was managing to pull her emotions back from the others. “But I can tell you nothing will harm Judith while I’m around.”
    Blythe nodded. “That’s good to know. She’s very loved by all of us.”
    “I can see that.” He wrapped his arms more firmly around Judith, the knots in his belly tightening.
    There was no way he wanted to have a talk with her about Jean-Claude La Roux. It would be so difficult to explain that he’d not come to Sea Haven with the sole reason of warning his brother. The sin of omission was beginning to loom large and there was nothing left to him but the truth. He dropped his head over hers, his mind racing. He’d been cornered a million times in his career, life and death, kill or be killed. It was his way of life. But this . . . this was entirely different.
    Losing Judith was unacceptable to him and he had a feeling this was one of those very important things about relationships he was only beginning to understand. She trusted him. She believed in him and she’d given him every chance for disclosure.
    We’ll be fine, moi padshii angel. I clipped your wings and put them in my kaleidoscope. I’m not going anywhere because you’re mine. He knew his murmur of reassurance was more for himself than for her.
    Judith lifted her head and blinked up at him. His heart nearly shattered at that love in her eyes. The absolute trust. I believe you, Thomas. Jean-Claude