Read Online The Dream Thief by Kerry Schafer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kerry Schafer
Tags: Literary, Psychological, Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery, supernatural, Dreams, love, bestselling author, Interstitial Fiction, pacific northwest, redemption, weird fiction, Kerry Schafer
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help her." His voice had steadied and there was a note of pride in it now.
"You? What could you possibly do? Stir the cauldron by full moonlight for the Witch Chemist in charge? Dance naked around a fire?"
He drew himself up straight. "I contributed, Jesse. Saundra said my memories were perfect and she'll give me 50% of the take when we sell them. Afternoon Seduction. That's one of mine. And the Tavern Brawl is, too."
"They stole your memories?"
"Nobody stole anything. I volunteered." He smirked. "Not like I can't afford to forget a sexual encounter or two. So many women are forgettable anyway."
"And when exactly did you have time to do this?"
"Stop it, Jesse. I see what you're trying to do. That's close enough. Not another step."
"Marshâthey took more than you meant to give them. Like the memory of the dream I spilled on youâgone."
His jaws clamped tight. "Just shut up! No more talking. I think I'll just shoot you now and get it over with."
"You can't shoot me."
"Why not?"
The indecision had cleared from his face. I figured he'd talked himself around the empty spaces in his head. That made him outright dangerous. If he truly believed the lines he'd been programmed with, he would pull that trigger and Will and I would both be dead.
"Because I have something Saundra will want, and if I'm dead I can't give it to you."
"Nice bluff, but I'm not stupid." He aimed at my chest. No more hesitation in his movements.
"Listen to me! My mother left me a little something in a safe deposit box. Don't you think Saundra would be interested in that? What do you think she'll do to you if you kill me and it turns out to be important?"
Marsh grinned. "Fine. Then I shoot him."
My heart lurched as he aimed at Will. "Same difference," I said, knowing as the words left my lips that they were true. "If you shoot him, you kill me."
"Aw, are we in love? Will it break your poor little heart if I kill your boyfriend?"
"Our hearts beat as one," I said. "It's a literal thing. We've been fused."
"That's bullshit."
I could feel Will's consciousness coming back into his body. A sympathy headache pulsed over my left temple, and even though I wasn't looking at him I knew the minute his eyes opened. I needed to keep Marsh from looking at him. So I took another step forward, barely breathing.
"Not so long ago I would have thought this dream business was bullshit, too. LookâI'm tired. Will needs a doctor. How about if we go get the stuff my mom left me, and you go home. Everybody lives and it's a total win. Okay?"
Will was up on hands and knees. Blood matted his hair, but his movements were smooth and purposeful and I hoped to all the gods he had the plan that I was lacking. All I could do was try to keep Marsh distracted and focused on me.
"Come on," I coaxed, taking a step toward the door. "It's not in here. Let's go."
He took a step after me, and then I ducked as Will lunged upright, jamming his shoulder into Marsh's ribs and knocking him sideways.
A shot reverberated through the barn, a thunderclap that made my ears ring. Dust sifted down from a floorboard above my head.
Will laid Marsh out flat with a blow to the jaw and had his hands on the gun in a heartbeat. Since he seemed to have things under control, I went off on my own to tackle the other problem.
Chapter Nine
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E vil isn't always obvious . It likes to show up with a halo and shiny wings and insinuate all sorts of good intentions. Before I opened the door of the tack room I was clear on what I had to do. But when I looked in on all of those little glass jars and the array of experiences they represented, temptation up and smacked me in the face. Maybe they didn't really need to be destroyed, after all.
 Maybe I could restore Will's dad to himself, or fix what was done to Marsh. Maybe there was even something here that would override what I'd done to the house, or make Will love me again.
I ran my fingers over the bottles, looking at the labels,
"You? What could you possibly do? Stir the cauldron by full moonlight for the Witch Chemist in charge? Dance naked around a fire?"
He drew himself up straight. "I contributed, Jesse. Saundra said my memories were perfect and she'll give me 50% of the take when we sell them. Afternoon Seduction. That's one of mine. And the Tavern Brawl is, too."
"They stole your memories?"
"Nobody stole anything. I volunteered." He smirked. "Not like I can't afford to forget a sexual encounter or two. So many women are forgettable anyway."
"And when exactly did you have time to do this?"
"Stop it, Jesse. I see what you're trying to do. That's close enough. Not another step."
"Marshâthey took more than you meant to give them. Like the memory of the dream I spilled on youâgone."
His jaws clamped tight. "Just shut up! No more talking. I think I'll just shoot you now and get it over with."
"You can't shoot me."
"Why not?"
The indecision had cleared from his face. I figured he'd talked himself around the empty spaces in his head. That made him outright dangerous. If he truly believed the lines he'd been programmed with, he would pull that trigger and Will and I would both be dead.
"Because I have something Saundra will want, and if I'm dead I can't give it to you."
"Nice bluff, but I'm not stupid." He aimed at my chest. No more hesitation in his movements.
"Listen to me! My mother left me a little something in a safe deposit box. Don't you think Saundra would be interested in that? What do you think she'll do to you if you kill me and it turns out to be important?"
Marsh grinned. "Fine. Then I shoot him."
My heart lurched as he aimed at Will. "Same difference," I said, knowing as the words left my lips that they were true. "If you shoot him, you kill me."
"Aw, are we in love? Will it break your poor little heart if I kill your boyfriend?"
"Our hearts beat as one," I said. "It's a literal thing. We've been fused."
"That's bullshit."
I could feel Will's consciousness coming back into his body. A sympathy headache pulsed over my left temple, and even though I wasn't looking at him I knew the minute his eyes opened. I needed to keep Marsh from looking at him. So I took another step forward, barely breathing.
"Not so long ago I would have thought this dream business was bullshit, too. LookâI'm tired. Will needs a doctor. How about if we go get the stuff my mom left me, and you go home. Everybody lives and it's a total win. Okay?"
Will was up on hands and knees. Blood matted his hair, but his movements were smooth and purposeful and I hoped to all the gods he had the plan that I was lacking. All I could do was try to keep Marsh distracted and focused on me.
"Come on," I coaxed, taking a step toward the door. "It's not in here. Let's go."
He took a step after me, and then I ducked as Will lunged upright, jamming his shoulder into Marsh's ribs and knocking him sideways.
A shot reverberated through the barn, a thunderclap that made my ears ring. Dust sifted down from a floorboard above my head.
Will laid Marsh out flat with a blow to the jaw and had his hands on the gun in a heartbeat. Since he seemed to have things under control, I went off on my own to tackle the other problem.
Chapter Nine
Â
Â
E vil isn't always obvious . It likes to show up with a halo and shiny wings and insinuate all sorts of good intentions. Before I opened the door of the tack room I was clear on what I had to do. But when I looked in on all of those little glass jars and the array of experiences they represented, temptation up and smacked me in the face. Maybe they didn't really need to be destroyed, after all.
 Maybe I could restore Will's dad to himself, or fix what was done to Marsh. Maybe there was even something here that would override what I'd done to the house, or make Will love me again.
I ran my fingers over the bottles, looking at the labels,
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