Sharon’s Wolves(82)

“Maybe shifting will help.”

“Maybe.” Melinda’s voice was weak.

Sharon knew her words weren’t penetrating. Her friend was scared. And rightfully so. She was also tired. When they got to the house, she needed to nap no matter what. If they could get Mimi to shift, she would need hours of resting in wolf form. The perfect time for Melinda to sleep also.

»»•««

Two hours later, Sharon sat in a chair in Mimi’s bedroom staring across the room at the spirit that had taken up residence.

Mimi had managed to shift with very little difficulty and rested peacefully now. Laurie and Joyce had been up all night with Mimi. Melinda had been up all night saving biologists and hikers. All three women needed rest, and Sharon had insisted she would keep watch over Mimi while they did so in the guest room and on the living room couch.

For over an hour, Sharon had sat vigil on this chair. Not once had she felt too tired to keep her eyes open because not for a second had the aura gone away. It presented itself the second the rest of the family had gone to sleep, and it hadn’t moved more than to shimmer in place since then.

To the best of Sharon’s knowledge, no spirit had hung around this long. Unless Cooper was staring at the same scene up on the mountain, which was also likely.

What did it want? Was it here to protect Mimi? Or perhaps to take her to the other side?

A shiver shook Sharon’s frame for the millionth time.

And still she didn’t move. She knew instinctively she wasn’t meant to awaken the others. Though the aura had no distinct features—no face, no eyes, no mouth—it did have a presence that insinuated it was more than an apparition.

It calmed her. The longer she sat in its presence, the more she relaxed. She prayed for Melinda’s sake this black cloud of smoke was feeding life into Mimi. Sharon wasn’t altogether sure Melinda could handle the pressure of her grandmother dying on top of everything else.

“You okay, babe?” Cooper communicated.

“Yeah. I’m with Mimi. Melinda and her family are napping.”

“Good. It will keep your mind occupied.”

“Hey. Are there any spirits hanging around you?”

“Yep. Several. They’ve been here all night. Some are lighter than others. Odd looking. And they give off a totally different vibe.” He chuckled. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say the black ones are wolf spirits, and the brown ones are those of another species.”

“That could be. Like Wyatt and Isaiah perhaps?”

“Hadn’t thought of that. You’re probably right. Did Melinda say anything about them?”

“Not yet. She’s preoccupied. I’ll ask her when the time is right. She did say she had tales to tell from last night, but nothing else yet.”

“Why don’t you get some rest, baby?”

“I slept some this morning at the sheriff’s office. What about you? Aren’t you a walking zombie by now?”

“Nah. Too much adrenaline. I’ll be fine.”

“For how long? You said yourself just because there are fissures in the Earth’s surface doesn’t mean there will definitively be a volcano any time soon, or even ever.”

“Yeah, but for now this is where I belong. I can’t explain it. I just know I’m needed here. I can’t leave.”

“Okay. But be careful. I’ve grown rather fond of you.” She giggled into his head.

“And I you, Sharon. Believe me.”





Chapter Thirty-One


Sharon jumped to her feet when Mimi moved on the bed. The older woman hadn’t shown a sign of life besides the rise and fall of her chest for hours. It was good for Sharon. It gave her a task. She needed this. Something to keep her occupied while Cooper risked his life in the mountains.

The wolf that was Mimi lifted her head and slowly sat up until she was on her haunches. She glanced at Sharon but then turned her attention to the spirit still hovering nearby.

Sharon watched, mesmerized, as Mimi cocked her head to one side and the spirit floated closer. If wolves could smile, Mimi did so. And if black auras could caress someone, this spirit did so.

Sharon shivered. It was as if Mimi knew the spirit. Could it be someone who’d already passed? Perhaps Mimi’s mate?

A gasp behind Sharon alerted her that she was no longer alone. She turned her head to find Melinda in the doorway. “Mimi. You’re awake.” She entered the room and headed directly to the bed.

When Melinda lowered her frame onto the mattress and stroked a hand through Mimi’s fur, Sharon got the distinct impression Melinda hadn’t seen the spirit. In fact, Sharon glanced around the room. The aura was gone.