He was still standing there, talking to Giselle whose back was to the door.However, he kept glancing at Lainie’s door as if he knew she was watching him.
He was tall, but not as tall as Christien.Light to Christien’s dark.How weird that she was comparing this man to Christien, but something about him reminded her of Christien.Maybe it was the way the stranger carried himself with that inexplicable presence that turned everyone’s heads.
Giselle moved out of Lainie’s sight, leaving the man standing in the middle of the hall.He studied her door for a moment before stepping closer and looking directly at the peephole.Directly at her with eyes so dark they appeared black.Bottomless.Soulless.Lainie’s breath caught in her throat.
He smiled and winked, then sauntered to Giselle’s apartment.
Lainie pulled herself from the door and stumbled to the wall to brace herself.She couldn’t breathe.The air stuck in her lungs and her heart raced.Fear spread through her, making her legs and arms numb.She desperately tried to pull in a breath but all she could manage was a gasp.She closed her eyes and pictured those eyes staring at her, expressionless.Almost…demonic.
A sob caught in her throat, tore through her body, making her tremble so hard she slid down the wall, wrapping her arms around bent knees.Evil.She sensed evil surrounding her.Pressing in on her.Touching her.She scrubbed her arms, trying to rid herself of it.To push it away.
She had to get out of here.She didn’t question the overwhelming urge to run, but obeyed it.It was a struggle to stand.Her legs wouldn’t cooperate.The fear invaded everything, leaving her weak.She gathered up her purse, her cell phone and keys and reached for the door.Her gaze locked on the trashcan.Quickly she dropped to her knees and dumped it out.She swept up Christien’s card and with trembling fingers dialed the number written on the back.
Get out, get out, get out.Her mind screamed the warning.Hands shaking she put the phone to her ear and bit her lip, glancing at the locked door.
She leaned against the wall, fighting for each breath.The room tilted, swayed.Her vision dimmed.If she didn’t get help soon she would pass out.
“This is Christien Chevalier—”
“Christien, help.I can’t—”
“—I am unable to take your call at the moment, but please leave a message—”
Etienne was crouched between Giselle’s parted legs, preparing to tear the scarlet thong off her when he heard Madelaine’s door slam shut and footsteps pound down the hall.His head jerked up.Giselle made a small sound of frustration.
He pushed away from her, pulled his pants up and headed for the door.
“Where are you going?”On hands and knees Giselle scrambled off the bed, naked from the waist down except for the red thong.She slid off the bed and grabbed his arm, her fingernails biting into his skin.
He tried to shake free of her bruising hold, but she held tight.
“You are not leaving me to go toher.Do you hear me?”Her face was twisted in fury, her lips turned back into a snarl and her golden eyes snapping flames of fire.
“I’ll be right back.”
She stepped in front of him, hands on his chest.“I forbid it.You will not leave my bed to run after that woman.I’ve taken all I can.You follow her everywhere and I’ve had enough.”
His startled gaze met her determined one.So she knew he followed Madelaine.He couldn’t think of the implications of that right now.Not when he needed to discover where Madelaine was going.He stepped around Giselle and headed for the door.As soon as he closed it, she let out a banshee wail that rattled his eardrums.A large object shattered against the door, shaking it on its hinges.He jogged down the steps, ignoring the burst of fury following him.
He found Madelaine weaving in and out of the crowd on the River Walk.Her movements were jerky, almost frantic.
Chapter Five
Lainie raced down the River Walk, past the busy restaurants hugging the walkway, skirting the crowds of people taking advantage of the warm Saturday night.She tried to act normal, tried to act as if the breath wasn’t being squeezed from her.Mentally she knew the air was making it into her lungs, but physically she still felt as if she were being strangled.
Strangled.She stopped abruptly, her hand going to her throat.The wave of people washed around her.Above, on the balconies overlooking the river, a party was going on, but the noise and the people began to fade.
I can’t breathe!I can’t breathe!Help me!Mon Dieu,please, someone help me.She grabbed at the fingers digging into her neck, her feet kicking out.She tried to buck the person off her but the world began to fade.Please.Pleasepleasepleaseplease.
“Hey, lady, you okay?”
Lainie blinked, bringing the real world back in focus.A man stood in front of her, dreadlocks poking out of a knit hat, scraggly beard and kind eyes.His girlfriend was tucked beneath his arm, looking up at her in concern.
“You okay?”The girl repeated her boyfriend’s question, reaching out a tentative hand to touch Lainie’s sleeve.
Lainie took a deep breath, forcing more air into her lungs, willing her heart to stop pounding.“Fine,” she mumbled.“I’m fine.”
“You sure?”
