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your breathing. Inhale slowly, deeply. Your heart is beating too fast.
Charlee spun around in a circle.  Who are you? Where are you? She
staggered, feeling faint, the lack of oxygen taking its toll. She was going to be
sick. She bent at the waist and prayed for some semblance of control.
 First, your breathing, then we talk.
Her head bobbed up, eyes agape.  You re a figment of my imagination! she
screeched. In one frantic leap, she lunged for the door, twisting and pulling at
the knob. Gut wrenching sobs tore from the back of her throat.
Locked! She was a prisoner. She had traded a coffin for a bedroom, elegant
in its furnishings, but she was still confined. Helplessness surged through her,
taking her under as if she were drowning in a pool of nothingness.
 Charlene! Desist! The clear, sharp command, given by a being used to
instant obedience, thundered through her mind. She stilled and obeyed, not
understanding why.
Bewildered, she shivered as a cool breeze brushed her spine. She could feel
his presence, sense his frustration, as she readied herself to confront him the
devil.
But was he? He had rescued her, spoken comforting words.
When warm, invisible fingers stroked her cheek, she gasped, distracted
from her mental struggle. The feather-soft touch trailed a path down her neck
and paused at the throbbing vein in her throat. Hunger desire unbridled
need flashed in her mind. As quickly as the emotions appeared, they vanished,
and the light sensation continued, urging her compliance.
Charlee felt the compulsion to obey and stumbled back toward the bed.
 Stop! she screamed as her legs voluntarily did his bidding.
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Six Feet Under
 Then do as you are told, the voice snapped, patience gone.  I will not allow
you to harm yourself. Now, dammit, Charlene, breathe! I am too far away from
the house to come to you.
Her breath wheezed in her lungs as she sucked in air.
Charlee flinched when he firmly said,  Slower& deeper.
Now the disembodied voice was making her mad. Nevertheless, she
complied with slow, deep inhales followed by long exhales. They repeated the
process several times until her breathing became normal and her pulse
gradually leveled out.
His presence was all around her, within her, as if he controlled her
breathing, steady and even, matching their heartbeats. An intimate sensation
that made her tremble with awareness.
 Good. His approval hummed in her head.  Now, ma cherie, a bath awaits
you in the adjoining bathroom. Millie has placed one of my shirts on the sink for
you to wear. When you are through with your ministrations, I shall join you and
we will dine.
Holding on to her sensibilities by a mere strand, Charlee thought to refuse.
A sharp retort stood perched on her tongue. Unsure of the situation, she
decided it might be wiser to play along with the disembodied voice that
promised to add a body to its existence.
Again, that irritating, all-knowing chuckle filled her head.
 Oh, shut up, you you& ghost! she spat. No response. Good. The damn
being was gone.
Ghost? Yeah, sure, she didn t believe in ghosts. She also didn t believe in
chance meetings, like the man who just happened to be strolling through a
cemetery after midnight and graciously rescued a damsel in distress, buried six
feet under.
And what was up with the controlling mind games he insisted on playing
with her?
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Mackenzie McKade
She was a logical woman. There was a valid explanation for him traipsing
through her head. She d read about individuals who came into psychic powers
after a near-death experience.
 Being buried alive is as close to death as one could get without biting the
big one, she rationalized.  Maybe there s more to this near-death thing than
what meets the eye.
Deep, full-body laughter permeated her head.
Hands on hips, she growled,  Eavesdropping is rude. Didn t your mother
teach you any manners?
 She did the best she could. Millie has taken over the daunting task since I
left home. His boyish response was issued lightheartedly.
Charlee snorted.  She s failing, too. Again, she felt his touch gentle against
her face.  Stop doing that! She fought the stirring emotion that surfaced and
swatted the air. How could she be attracted to a voice, a fleeting touch that
wasn t real?
 I m very real, little one. Flesh and blood. His throaty growl hinted of danger
and seduction.
Once, again her pulse leaped to life, but this time not from fear.
 Now go. Relax and enjoy your bath. The night is young and I wish to share
it with you.
In disbelief, she shook her head, wondering if Alice felt like this when she
tumbled down the rabbit hole in that old childhood fairytale.
As Charlee moved toward the bathroom, she glanced through the partial
opening in the curtains that draped the French doors and looked into the
darkness. She had slept the entire day away.
What awaited her in the bathroom was indeed heaven. The scent of jasmine
wafted from the numerous glowing candles spread throughout, providing soft
light and an undeniable romantic atmosphere. A tub the size of a small Jacuzzi
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Six Feet Under
brimmed with bubbles. Along the marble countertop sat a bottle of champagne
and a flute already filled with the golden liquid.
Charlee shimmied out of her nightgown. The satin material slipped easily
through her fingers and onto the wooden floor. Her eyes flared with surprise to
see the nightgown not her nightgown puddle at her feet. And just when did
someone dress her? Her eyes widened more. She was naked beneath. She tried
to recall what happened. Obviously, she wasn t dead. But nothing was making
sense, especially the part about the voice in her head.
Quickly, Charlee scanned the bathroom. Where were her clothes? More [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]