Page 12 of Touched By The Shadow Creature

“He’s not a demon,” I grind out between my teeth, my hands balling into fists at my sides. “Gabriel is not from Hell, and he’s not here to hurt me. You have no right to barge into this house and–”

“He’s possessed you!” the woman shrieks, holding up her hands again, pointing her supplies in my direction. “You don’t know what you’re saying. He’s influencing you. He’scontrollingyou!”

I take a menacing step toward her, and she shrinks deeper into the couch cushions. “He’s mine, and if you come anywhere near him again, I will kill you, I swear. Now, get the hell out.”

She looks like she’s about to argue again, but then her eyes go over my shoulder, and her face goes pale. She looks like she might shit herself.

I turn to look over my shoulder, surprised when I find myself looking into a midnight cloud. Gabriel is so big that he stretches from the floor to the ceiling, his eyes like twin pieces of coal against his smoke form. He looks scary, and…well…if I’m being honest, I’m a little turned on.

But I’m sure from this lady’s perspective, he looks like the end of her life.

GET. OUT.

The woman screams so loud that I flinch. She scrambles off the couch and sprints for the door, throwing it open so hard that it hits the wall with acrack. The woman is gone.

From behind me, I hear a sort of sigh and feel Gabriel’s breath against the back of my neck. When I turn, he’s back to his normal size, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

I apologize if that was frightening,he says, and a little blush-colored shimmer goes over him.

“Not at all. In fact, I think I might need you topossessme again.”

He laughs, and it’s a beautiful sound.

Epilogue

“I’ve read a lot of books about Shadow People, but this one is by far my favorite.”

I smile up at the last person in my signing line, a woman about my age with stars in her eyes. “Thank you so much,” I tell her. “I appreciate that.”

The woman blushes and takes her book from me, signed and personalized, the book that only took me a month to write after I got back from the cabin with Gabriel in tow. “So many books paint them out to be devious little devils, but I think Shadow People are just minding their own business.”

My stomach flutters at hearing her speak this way. I can’t help but wonder if she’s met any Shadow People of her own. I think of Gabriel, of how we met, and wonder how many people would even be open to the kind of relationship I have with him. I’m guessing not many.

“Well, be careful who you invite into your life. Some Shadow Peoplearedevious little devils.” I learned that pretty quickly. Gabriel is tied to me, but he’s still able to travel as much as he wants now that he isn’t tied to a building, and that meansmeeting other Shadow People. Sometimes they’re great, and sometimes not so much.

The woman in front of me gives me a little salute and then turns to leave. The bookstore is empty now, the event over, and I gather my stuff. After thanking the event coordinators and signing a few more books for them to put on their shelf, I head out into the night. My hotel is just a short walk away, and besides, I’m not alone.

As soon as the door to the bookstore falls closed behind me, Gabriel appears, shimmering rainbow colors.How was your event?he asks as he falls into step beside me.

“You didn’t come inside at all?”

He shakes his head.I didn’t want to frighten anyone.

I think of all the people who have read my book and who come out to my events. I get the feeling they’re not the types to be easily frightened, but I decide not to say anything. Instead, I lace my arm through his as we walk down the street.

He chuckles and then turns to smoke, letting my arm fall back to my side.

We must be more careful than that, he says, and I roll my eyes, even though I know he’s right. We’ve done a good job keeping Gabriel hidden for the last year. I don’t want to blow it now.

Will you ever get tired of hiding?he asks now, reappearing in the shadows under the awnings of the shops we’re walking beside.Don’t you want to be with a man who can stroll arm-in-arm with you in the sunlight?

“I want you,” I tell him, stopping and turning to face him. “I don’t care if it’s inconvenient or strange or whatever. I just want to be with you.”

I don’t want to keep you from living a normal life.

“Never really been interested in a normal life.” I smile at him and then continue down the road with my shadow at my side.