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CHAPTER7
“They call her the Woman of the Woods. The Lady of Lake Haven. Wild hair, black as night. Skin, translucent as an angel’s…” Gash spoke in a low, wary tone. He wasn’t animated like you’d expect him to be, telling a group gathered around the blazing fire a ghost story. Which actually made it all the more scarier. Made it seem real. “Or a demon’s,” he said, peering distractedly off into the darkness of the trees.
Eagan leaned against the trunk of an oak and crossed his arms over his chest. The man was good. He’d give him that. The jagged claw mark down Gash’s left cheek made him the perfect person for the job of story teller. But every time he described the woman who supposedly haunted the woods of the lake, Eagan couldn’t help thinking of his thief.
“By way of magic, she can sneak into any house, through any locked door or window.” He lowered his voice to a dead whisper. “Nothing can keep her out. Not an ADT special. Not even the prayers of your great Aunt Susie who’s tight with Jesus, like this.” Gash held up his hand, two fingers crossed, for emphasis. “And when she doesn’t want to be seen, she won’t. And when she does… well, you should watch out, because the lady will be the last thing you ever see.”
Murmurs sifted through the crowd, eyes darting to the dark trees and back to the fire as Gash continued.
“She takes what she wants from you and then, when she has it all, when you have nothing else to offer, when your very existence is the only thing left…” He closed his eyes, his voice going monotone with dread. “She takes yoursoul. Right to hell with her. Where she keeps it forever and ever.”
Goddamn.
Eagan looked around, hoping the kids didn’t have nightmares tonight.
“Alright,” Magic boomed, clapping his hands together. “We have hot chocolate and cookies, right over there. Help yourselves.”
“But don’t go too close to the woods,” Gash warned, never breaking character.
Eagan watched over the drink and cookie supply in case they needed refilling, barely restraining himself from throwing the cookies at people so they’d leave faster.
Gash came to stand beside him, his eyes trained on Bailey as she served hot chocolate.
“Good story,” Eagan murmured.
Gash smirked. “You like that? It’s a modified version of the truth.”
“What truth?”
Gash stared at him. “Don’t tell me you’ve never heard about the Woman of the Woods.”
Eagan raised an impatient eyebrow.
The cat shook his head, exasperated. “I keep telling Magic, but he won’t listen. She’s haunting the lodge.”
Eagan let out a skeptical chortle. “You believe in all that?”
Gash blinked like he was stupid. “No, asshole, not the soul stealing shit. The Woman in the Woods is a legend. Not of the supernatural variety either. She’s a thief known for being practically invisible. There’s hardly a home or business in the lake area that hasn’t been her victim, but she’s uncatchable. Nobody’s ever seen her. Only felt the fear she instills. Some actually believe she’s a ghost.”
Eagan went cold. Mother of fuck, his woman was a legend. And not the good kind.
“A woman, huh?”
“The only reason the locals believe she’s a woman is because she’s taken beauty supplies and shit. I personally think it’s a couple. A man and a woman.”
Eagan jerked his head. “What makes you think that?”
Did his female have a man? Shit. Fucking shit.
Hellllll no. That would not stand.
Gash shrugged and Eagan struggled not to take him by the throat and wrangle all his secrets from him. “I dunno. Just seems like too much for one person to pull off.”
“But why do you think it’s a man?” Eagan ground out.
Gash frowned, staring at him with narrowed eyes. Then he laughed. “A woman couldn’t go that long without getting caught. No fucking way.”
Eagan caught Bailey’s glare. If Gash kept talking like that, he wouldn’t last long in their clan. There were too many strong females. And too many males that respected them.
