bad this time. I guess everything’s right with the world.” Liz sighed as the lovely image of a green field with daffodils faded from her mind. “I guess the good Lord gave me a break tonight.”
The fur ball offered a meow, and Liz laughed. “Oh, maybe it wasn’t Him—maybe you deserve the credit, huh?” The small knowing eyes looked back at her and she could swear, for just a moment, that the cat had actually smiled.
Walking slowly to the bar, she stopped to search the mirror on the wall for any signs of wounds or bruising to her face. People would certainly think this was strange, but Liz had gotten to the point where this was a natural morning occurrence for her. In fact, she’d grown used to the sight of her own blood.
Even Faith had gotten used to her unexplained injuries. She’d wake up in the middle of the night to see Liz’s skin transformed into a canvas of bruised flesh. She had stopped questioning Liz, preferring to sweep her friend’s supernatural batterings under the rug.
After one such incident, Liz was up in the loft and overheard Daniel tell Faith the story of how he’d met Liz on a rainy night. Later that evening, Faith told her that she’d come to the conclusion that Liz was some kind of fairy who entered another realm at night to kill dragons, roast demons and save kingdoms from destruction. And Faith was absolutely fine with that.
For eons, the Irish people had thought up mystical tales for what Liz had no explanation for. She knew that the angels were most likely punishing her by sending her into other people’s nightmares, but she definitely liked Faith’s explanation a whole lot better. Loosening the super tight ribbon, Liz let her thick mass of curls tumble over the kitten’s head like an auburn veil. In the kitchen, she took two small wooden bowls off the shelf and placed a few bits of cured beef into one, filling the other with milk.
Placing the kitten on the floor, she watched it devour the food as if there was a lion’s stomach that needed to be filled trapped inside the small feline body. “Slow down,” Liz laughed. “You don’t want it coming back up on ya.”
Once again a rumble of thunder shook the cabin and sent the cat scrambling under a wooden cupboard. Liz giggled. “It’s okay,” she spoke softly. “It’s just a storm.”
After trying to coax the small, scared creature from its hiding place, Liz backed away to glance out the window. Her sudden scream sent the cat once again racing for cover.
A flash of lightning illuminated the face of a man staring back through the glass. Trying to collect herself and slow her beating heart, Liz shouted at the stranger, “We’re closed!”
As the figure withdrew from the window, Liz heard a loud knock then muffled conversation behind the door. However, the incessant thunder made it impossible to decipher what was being said.
Her heart was beating faster than the raindrops slamming against the cabin, but she slowly inched closer to the door.
“Please,” a voice begged. “We’re lost. I’m begging you, miss. Please let us in until the storm dies down.”
Liz let out another scream as she was suddenly tugged backward.
“Are you crazy?” Faith snarled.
Liz grasped her heart. “Saint Mary! You scared me!”
“Do not open that door!”
Liz’s fear was quickly turning to anger. “Faith, you can’t refuse a person in need.”
“I can,” she shouted. “Believe me, Liz, I know better than you about the temptations of a man. Not to mention, if we do cry for help, no one will ever hear us screaming in this storm.”
“Please, miss. I beg you,” the voice yelled from outside.
Liz swatted Faith’s shoulder. “I can’t refuse. You know that.”
“I’ll remember to carve that on your headstone when you’re left for dead.”
“You’re terrible. Maybe you should try living up to your name,” Liz said as she weighed the decision in her head before opening the door.
The wind raged as Liz struggled
The fur ball offered a meow, and Liz laughed. “Oh, maybe it wasn’t Him—maybe you deserve the credit, huh?” The small knowing eyes looked back at her and she could swear, for just a moment, that the cat had actually smiled.
Walking slowly to the bar, she stopped to search the mirror on the wall for any signs of wounds or bruising to her face. People would certainly think this was strange, but Liz had gotten to the point where this was a natural morning occurrence for her. In fact, she’d grown used to the sight of her own blood.
Even Faith had gotten used to her unexplained injuries. She’d wake up in the middle of the night to see Liz’s skin transformed into a canvas of bruised flesh. She had stopped questioning Liz, preferring to sweep her friend’s supernatural batterings under the rug.
After one such incident, Liz was up in the loft and overheard Daniel tell Faith the story of how he’d met Liz on a rainy night. Later that evening, Faith told her that she’d come to the conclusion that Liz was some kind of fairy who entered another realm at night to kill dragons, roast demons and save kingdoms from destruction. And Faith was absolutely fine with that.
For eons, the Irish people had thought up mystical tales for what Liz had no explanation for. She knew that the angels were most likely punishing her by sending her into other people’s nightmares, but she definitely liked Faith’s explanation a whole lot better. Loosening the super tight ribbon, Liz let her thick mass of curls tumble over the kitten’s head like an auburn veil. In the kitchen, she took two small wooden bowls off the shelf and placed a few bits of cured beef into one, filling the other with milk.
Placing the kitten on the floor, she watched it devour the food as if there was a lion’s stomach that needed to be filled trapped inside the small feline body. “Slow down,” Liz laughed. “You don’t want it coming back up on ya.”
Once again a rumble of thunder shook the cabin and sent the cat scrambling under a wooden cupboard. Liz giggled. “It’s okay,” she spoke softly. “It’s just a storm.”
After trying to coax the small, scared creature from its hiding place, Liz backed away to glance out the window. Her sudden scream sent the cat once again racing for cover.
A flash of lightning illuminated the face of a man staring back through the glass. Trying to collect herself and slow her beating heart, Liz shouted at the stranger, “We’re closed!”
As the figure withdrew from the window, Liz heard a loud knock then muffled conversation behind the door. However, the incessant thunder made it impossible to decipher what was being said.
Her heart was beating faster than the raindrops slamming against the cabin, but she slowly inched closer to the door.
“Please,” a voice begged. “We’re lost. I’m begging you, miss. Please let us in until the storm dies down.”
Liz let out another scream as she was suddenly tugged backward.
“Are you crazy?” Faith snarled.
Liz grasped her heart. “Saint Mary! You scared me!”
“Do not open that door!”
Liz’s fear was quickly turning to anger. “Faith, you can’t refuse a person in need.”
“I can,” she shouted. “Believe me, Liz, I know better than you about the temptations of a man. Not to mention, if we do cry for help, no one will ever hear us screaming in this storm.”
“Please, miss. I beg you,” the voice yelled from outside.
Liz swatted Faith’s shoulder. “I can’t refuse. You know that.”
“I’ll remember to carve that on your headstone when you’re left for dead.”
“You’re terrible. Maybe you should try living up to your name,” Liz said as she weighed the decision in her head before opening the door.
The wind raged as Liz struggled
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