Read Online Secret Paradise (Kimani Romance) by Dara Girard - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Dara Girard
Ads: Link
night.”
Nikki glared at her. “And I’ll lose my temper if you don’t stop talking.”
Kay folded her arms.
“She’s still here in the house,” Callia said. “I see her roaming the halls. I smell her when I sleep and the music plays.”
“There’s no music playing. It’s just us.” Nikki stroked Callia’s forehead. “Everyone is safe. Callia, wake up.”
Slowly realization descended and Callia became awake. She stared at Nikki for a long moment, then said, “Did I cry out?”
“Yes.”
“What did I say?”
“Nothing,” Kay said.
“You were talking about Alana,” Nikki told her.
“Oh, yes…she’s here. I can feel that she’s here and I think I see her.”
“But you know that’s impossible,” Kay said.
Nikki patted Callia’s leg. “No one is here but us.”
“I’m so afraid,” Callia said in a small voice.
“Then I’ll be strong for you. I won’t leave until you fall back asleep,” Nikki promised.
Callia’s eyes filled with tears. Then she collapsed in Nikki’s arms. “People think I’m crazy, but I’m not.”
“I know you’re not,” Nikki said in a soothing voice. “You just sense things people don’t see.”
Callia raised her head and nodded. “Yes, that’s right. That night, when we flew to the mainland, I knew something was wrong and I told Basilio, but he just ignored me, as always. I’d wished I could be with Uncle Lucian and then suddenly I was. I don’t know how I got back here. I don’t remember much else about that night, just that she was there and she was evil. And people think she’s gone because she died in the fire. But she’s still here.”
Nikki didn’t quite know what to say. Was the child crazy? What could account for the blank parts of her memory and her colorful imagination? She gently touched the girl’s cheek. “You will keep him safe. Don’t be fearful. Your gift will come in handy one day.”
“You think it’s a gift, not a curse?”
Nikki wasn’t sure what it was. “No, you’re not cursed.”
“How do you know?”
Nikki hesitated, wondering how much to reveal. Should she tell her about the women in her family? About the one who used herbs to both kill and heal and another who could see spirits in the wind and read stones? “Let’s just say that the women in my family have special gifts.”
“What’s your gift?”
“Helping young girls go back to sleep.”
“The dark doesn’t frighten you?”
“No.” Nikki bit her lip. “Sometimes darkness can be beautiful.”
Callia hugged her. “I’m so glad you’re here. You understand me. No one else does.”
“Yes,” Nikki said in a low voice and looked over at Kay. “We’re fine now. You can go get some rest.”
Kay gave a terse nod, then left the room.
Sensing the mood shift, Pauline crept out from under the bed and brushed up against Nikki’s leg. Nikki picked the kitten up and placed her on Callia’s lap.
“See, nothing to fear,” she said as Pauline began to purr.
“You’ll stay longer than ten days,” Callia said with certainty.
“I haven’t even begun yet.”
“But you will stay longer. I know you will. This house needs you.” Callia leaned against the headboard. “For the first time I feel okay. Almost happy.”
“Good. That’s because we’re going on the yacht tomorrow. Now, get under the covers. You have to sleep so that you’ll be rested for our journey.” Nikki stood and straightened the bedclothes as Callia slipped down into them.
Callia looked up at her. “I’m really glad you’re here.”
“Me too.” She tucked in the sheets, then sat in a soft armchair over by the window. “Sleep tight,” she said, then waited for Callia’s even breathing before she tiptoed out of the room and gently closed the door.
In the hallway the sleek, dark figure of the cat, Lethe, strolled past her, giving her goose bumps as his golden eyes briefly regarded her. He brushed up against her leg. She remained still, not bending to pet
Nikki glared at her. “And I’ll lose my temper if you don’t stop talking.”
Kay folded her arms.
“She’s still here in the house,” Callia said. “I see her roaming the halls. I smell her when I sleep and the music plays.”
“There’s no music playing. It’s just us.” Nikki stroked Callia’s forehead. “Everyone is safe. Callia, wake up.”
Slowly realization descended and Callia became awake. She stared at Nikki for a long moment, then said, “Did I cry out?”
“Yes.”
“What did I say?”
“Nothing,” Kay said.
“You were talking about Alana,” Nikki told her.
“Oh, yes…she’s here. I can feel that she’s here and I think I see her.”
“But you know that’s impossible,” Kay said.
Nikki patted Callia’s leg. “No one is here but us.”
“I’m so afraid,” Callia said in a small voice.
“Then I’ll be strong for you. I won’t leave until you fall back asleep,” Nikki promised.
Callia’s eyes filled with tears. Then she collapsed in Nikki’s arms. “People think I’m crazy, but I’m not.”
“I know you’re not,” Nikki said in a soothing voice. “You just sense things people don’t see.”
Callia raised her head and nodded. “Yes, that’s right. That night, when we flew to the mainland, I knew something was wrong and I told Basilio, but he just ignored me, as always. I’d wished I could be with Uncle Lucian and then suddenly I was. I don’t know how I got back here. I don’t remember much else about that night, just that she was there and she was evil. And people think she’s gone because she died in the fire. But she’s still here.”
Nikki didn’t quite know what to say. Was the child crazy? What could account for the blank parts of her memory and her colorful imagination? She gently touched the girl’s cheek. “You will keep him safe. Don’t be fearful. Your gift will come in handy one day.”
“You think it’s a gift, not a curse?”
Nikki wasn’t sure what it was. “No, you’re not cursed.”
“How do you know?”
Nikki hesitated, wondering how much to reveal. Should she tell her about the women in her family? About the one who used herbs to both kill and heal and another who could see spirits in the wind and read stones? “Let’s just say that the women in my family have special gifts.”
“What’s your gift?”
“Helping young girls go back to sleep.”
“The dark doesn’t frighten you?”
“No.” Nikki bit her lip. “Sometimes darkness can be beautiful.”
Callia hugged her. “I’m so glad you’re here. You understand me. No one else does.”
“Yes,” Nikki said in a low voice and looked over at Kay. “We’re fine now. You can go get some rest.”
Kay gave a terse nod, then left the room.
Sensing the mood shift, Pauline crept out from under the bed and brushed up against Nikki’s leg. Nikki picked the kitten up and placed her on Callia’s lap.
“See, nothing to fear,” she said as Pauline began to purr.
“You’ll stay longer than ten days,” Callia said with certainty.
“I haven’t even begun yet.”
“But you will stay longer. I know you will. This house needs you.” Callia leaned against the headboard. “For the first time I feel okay. Almost happy.”
“Good. That’s because we’re going on the yacht tomorrow. Now, get under the covers. You have to sleep so that you’ll be rested for our journey.” Nikki stood and straightened the bedclothes as Callia slipped down into them.
Callia looked up at her. “I’m really glad you’re here.”
“Me too.” She tucked in the sheets, then sat in a soft armchair over by the window. “Sleep tight,” she said, then waited for Callia’s even breathing before she tiptoed out of the room and gently closed the door.
In the hallway the sleek, dark figure of the cat, Lethe, strolled past her, giving her goose bumps as his golden eyes briefly regarded her. He brushed up against her leg. She remained still, not bending to pet
Similar Books
