Shifters in the Shadows(189)

"Don't think about Mark, not when I've got my fingers inside you."

Cole's voice teased my ears as his fingers teased my pussy.

How did you know I was thinking about him? Can you hear my thoughts?

"You haven't slept with him yet, have you? I've been watching you. You've been saving yourself."

He didn't answer my questions but I didn't know if it was because he couldn't hear my thoughts or if he didn't want to answer them.

How is this possible? I thought. Maybe he'd answer that one.

"How is what possible? That I've been watching you? That's a long story."

Actually, I meant how was it possible to hear him when Dr. Greene obviously couldn't, and how was it possible to feel him like he was really here?

"When I died, I saw all the things you hear about. The white light, the tunnel, the whole bit. But I felt more drawn to you. I went to you. I was there when you found out about the accident.

I couldn't resist the pull of the light forever though, so I went through it. I had my life review, I asked about you."

I was torn between giving my body up to what his fingers were still doing, slowly teasing as he talked, and listening to his story. I wanted to know though, so I tried really hard to concentrate on his words.

"They told me that you wouldn't be long behind me," he said. "That we'd see each other soon. I wanted to be there for you when it happened, when you died from eating that Hazelnut in the mix."

So it was the nuts? Wait, I was supposed to really die? Am I dead now?

"No, and that's my fault. I'm sorry. I was supposed to just be there to welcome you, to go through the tunnel with you, but I knew what you were planning to do. You were finally going to have the night we were supposed to have, only with him.

I wanted you to have that night, our night, but I wanted it to be with me. So when you collapsed in the hallway, instead of leading you toward the tunnel, I led you away.

You didn't know you'd left your body behind, that we were the same.

Once we finished, and we left that room and headed back toward your body and the tunnel, I was going to tell you and guide you then, only…"

Only Mark showed up.

"Yeah. Since you hadn't crossed over, he and the medics were able to bring you back. To save you. Only that wasn't how it was supposed to go."

Are you in trouble?

"A bit, but not for why you'd think. Lives have a couple of exit points set up ahead of time. We set them up before we're born, kind of like exits on the freeway. Depending on how your trip is going, so-to-speak, you can take the exit ramp, or decide you aren't quite ready to get off yet. So I'm not in trouble for you missing your exit, as there will be others, but it was supposed to be by your choice, not my interference, and I'm not supposed to still be here, doing this."

His fingers danced over me, pulling out of me to slip toward my clit and circle it, just to slide down and fill me again.

So, why are you still here? Doing that? Not that I'm complaining, mind you.

"I can't leave you again, not now that I know that it's possible to touch you, like this. To kiss you again. To finally be one with you; just once wasn't nearly enough. I want more.

I have no idea if it is only possible to still be here because it's the day that the veil is thinnest or if we're connected now and this could always be."

So come tomorrow, you could be gone again?

"It's very likely. You'll recover, get stronger, the veil will thicken. I could be back to just watching, waiting until your next exit ramp."

"Here's another one," Dr. Greene said, pulling my focus to him again.

I'd forgotten he was even there. Obediently I took the little cup and ate the nut, in a hurry to get back to talking to Cole.

I settled back onto my hands again, and took advantage of the movement to make crossing my legs in front of me look like a comfort decision, like they were getting tired of hanging off the edge. Of course I knew, and so would Cole, that the move had way more to do with widening my thighs than getting more comfortable.

As I settled in for fifteen more minutes of glorious attention from Cole's ghost, I could almost feel him beside me. He seemed more solid now that I was open to him.

I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply, and for a second I could've almost sworn I could smell the cologne he wore. I sighed, and inhaled him again, trying to breathe him in as I waited for his fingers to move.

"Hannah?"

Hmmm?

"Hannah! Open your eyes!"

Why? I thought as I did what Cole ordered.

Hey! I can see you! Kind of. Almost.

"That's not good, babe. That means…"

"What kind of nut was that one?" I asked Dr. Greene.

"That was a Hazelnut. Well, a small sliver of one. Why?"

Isn't that what you said… I aimed my thoughts at Cole.