Page 221 of Savior
“What is that?” I groan, reaching over in the bed to shake Dean awake. His cellphone is blaring some alarm on the night table beside him. The clock says it’s a little after midnight.
“Huh?” Drowsy for only a second, Dean shoots straight up in bed. “Oh shit!” He grabs his cellphone, thumb swiping the screen.
“What is it?” I ask, pushing myself upright as I watch Dean jump out of bed and start pulling on his clothes.
“The shops on fire.”
“What?!” I jump out of bed and rush to the dresser for some quick clothes to throw on as well. “Viking stays in his room behind the Twisted Throttle, did he call the police? Is this Legion? Are the Demons attacking because of what Axel and Viking did?” I rapid fire questions at him.
Dean gives me a regretful look as he buckles his belt. “Not my shop, doll… The witch place.”
My hand automatically flies to my mouth. Laura is going to be devastated… I always make certain every candle and every incense stick is completely out before we lock up for the night. I triple check.
“How did this happen?” I ask, but Dean’s cell rings and he answers it.
“Yes, thank you. I’m on my way. Have you contacted Laura Percy? She’s the shop owner.” I listen to Dean say into the phone. “Alright, I’ll meet her there.” He hangs up and looks back at me. “Vanna, baby, maybe you should stay here… I can handle this with Laura, doll.”
“No, I’m coming with you.” I insist. “Laura is going to be a wreck… She loves that place.” So did I...
He lets out a long sigh, dragging his fingers through the top of his hair. “I’m concerned about you and the baby. The smoke, Love. The toxic fumes from that old house.”
He’s right. But she’s going to be so upset. I should be there for her. “We can take your truck. Park it across the street in the church parking lot. I’ll stay with the truck.” I promise. His hand drops from the back of his neck to hook his thumb in the front pocket of his jeans. I can see him warring with himself, wanting to give me what I’m asking, but also wanting to keep me and our baby safe. “Please.” I push, approaching him to gently grip his arm. “She’s my friend.”
“You stay in the truck, Vanna… If I have to carry you back to it, so help me God, I will. This goes against every one of my strong inclinations to-”
“Protect me.” I finish his sentence for him, arching up on my tippytoes to kiss him briskly on the lips. “I believe you. Let’s go.”
By the time we make the forty-minute drive to what was, The Ametrine Cauldron, it’s burned down to the foundation. Fire trucks and police cars congest the street. We pull into the large church parking lot across the way from the smoldering wreckage. Laura is standing with her husband, talking to a few of the firemen.
Dean places a hand on my thigh and gives me a gentle squeeze. “Stay inside.” He reminds me again. “I’ll let her know you’re here.”
All I can do is nod as I stare at the scene before me. What was once a beautiful, century old purple Victorian house, is now blackened, broken boards and rubble, still smoking in the night. I barely hear Dean exit the truck, but my eyes shift to watch him jog across the street up to Laura, placing a hand on her upper back. Probably offering her his condolences, and asking what happened. I find myself hoping it was faulty wiring to blame. After all, it was an old place…
The other two alternative possibilities, make my heart flutter with an impending feeling of doom.
After a few minutes, Laura glances over her shoulder and gives me a little half-hearted wave. I wave back through the windshield. But she doesn’t come over. After a few minutes, Dean returns to the truck. He has the faint smell of smoke on him, but I don’t say anything about it.
“Is she okay?” I ask, wondering why she didn’t come over.
“She’s got insurance. She’ll be okay.” Dean replies.
“Do they know what happened?”
“They can tell the fire started in the foyer.” Dean says. I turn from the windshield to look at him.
“The foyer? Not the blessing candle…”
Dean’s lips press into a hard line, his brows pitching upward slightly. He doesn’t say anything, but his expression tells me anyway.
“It couldn’t have been the blessing candle.” I insist. “I made sure it was out before I left.” There’s no way I left that candle burning. I always check it multiple times before we leave. Oh my God, does Laura think I burned her shop down? Is that why she didn’t come over? Why she’s leaving without even calling me?
I reach across Dean for the horn as Laura and her husband walk towards his truck parked on the side street. She doesn’t look back.
“She thinks this is my fault...” I say in disbelief.
“It’s not, doll. She’s just in shock.” Dean says, trying to be comforting. He takes my hand, rubbing the back of it. “Shit happens, sweetheart. That’s what insurance is for.”
I turn from watching Laura and her husband ride off, to look back at Dean, expecting to find a sympathetic look on his face. But he’s almost hard eyeing their truck as it drives off.
