Fallen Grace (The Grace Series) by M. Lauryl Lewis Read Free Book Online Page B

the piece of furniture. The photo was of a pretty woman maybe in her forties with long black hair and dark skin. She was smiling shyly and held a sunflower in her hands.
    “Found a lighter,” I mumbled.
    “Let’s cover the window before we try to light it.”
    “I left a soup pot next to the sink,” said Bobby, reappearing from her potty break.
    “Thanks,” said Gus. “We were just talking about covering the window before lighting the candle. Go ahead and try to sleep and Zoe and I’ll take care of it before full-on dark.”
    Bobby, not worried about modesty, stripped out of her clothes down to her bra and panties before climbing into the small bed. I noted that Gus had politely averted his eyes.
    “Sweet dreams, Bobby,” I whispered.
    “Keep us safe,” she grumbled. Moments later she was snoring softly.
    “Ok, let’s block off that window,” I said with a sigh. “Light might show through fabric. How about we move something solid in front of it then drape a blanket around the edges?”
    “Good thinkin’. If we had a door we could take off the hinges that’d work. Nothing else up here is big enough except for the bed mattress.”
    I began looking around the room for something else suitable. “The area rug might work. It’s thick enough.”
    “Perfect.”
    “How will we hang it?”
    “Nails.”
    “You brought some?”
    “Ayup.”
    “You sound tired, Gus. Maybe you should sleep and I’ll stay up.”
    “Not a chance. I want to sleep with you in my arms.”
    “Ok. Will you need tools this time?” I asked snarkily.
    “Why yes I will,” he said with a chuckle. “I want to keep the noise down, so I’ll make it quick.”
    He walked to the corner where his pack sat and retrieved a hammer and some rather large nails. I watched as he pushed the nails through the corners of the area rug.
    “Help me hold it up while I pound the nails?”
    “Uh huh. Sure”
    I helped hold the thick rug up to the wall. “Think it’s wool?” I asked absently.
    “Feels like it. Nice and heavy.”
    It took about five minutes to hammer the nails. Gus made sure he stretched the rug to avoid pockets of light from escaping.
    “Think that’ll be good?” I asked.
    “I do. Let’s go sit by the candle light?”
    “Sounds good.”
    I walked quietly to the nightstand and lit the can dle. The small room filled with flickering and shadows. He took my hand in his and led me to the oversized bean bag. I waited for him to sit, and then situated myself just below his lap, between his legs.
    “We haven’t talked about your heart.”
    “I’m not really sure what to say about it.”
    His strong fingers began kneading the muscles between my shoulders and my neck. I groaned, not realizing how tense they had become.
    “Be careful what noises you make, Missy.”
    He worked his magic just a bit harder, daring me to groan again.
    “That hunter, Gus. I didn’t mention it to the others, but it saw things with colors around them. Living things were white. Dead were…red. You were…”
    “Red?”
    “Ya.”
    I heard him sigh and his fingers stopped kneading.
    “Zoe, turn around and look at me.”
    I resituated myself onto my knees so that I faced him. His rugged face was aglow from the small candle we hat lit, exaggerating the angle of his strong jaw. I lifted a hand to his cheek and touched him.
    “Your skin is warm,” I whispered.
    I trailed my thumb slowly and lightly over his bottom lip.
    He took my other hand in his and placed it over the left side of his chest. He breathed deeply.
    “You’re breathing,” I said.
    “I’m not dead, Zoe. I’m very much alive.”
    “I know.”
    “Then why do you look so sad, darlin’?”
    “Because I’m afraid you’ll slip to the other side at any time.”
    “No. Whatever is inside of us, it’s doing strange things. Rest assured that I would fight the other side with my entire being to stay here with you.”
    “Make love to me?” I asked quietly while looking into the depths of