Deep Within The Shadows (The Superstition Series Book 1) Read Free Page B

late.”
    “Yes, Ms. Templeton.”
    The two walked sedately across the commons area of the floor, then walked faster when they reached the stairs.
    Miranda waited for the tense aftereffect of disappointment and anger at the two brilliant students to dissipate. He should have more respect for her, and she should have more respect for herself. But maybe some of what she had said would stick with them.
    They’d both have brilliant careers if they could control their hormones. And if Robert lost some of his arrogant, entitled attitude.
    With a sigh, she walked across the hall, pushed open the women’s bathroom door, and took two steps into the room. She paused by the sink and looked in the mirror. She didn’t look much older than those two students, but she felt ancient in experience.
    A tingling sensation brushed along the back of her neck, like icy fingertips. She shivered and, breath catching, jerked around to look behind her. The room was empty. She could see every stall easily from where she stood. She was just feeling uneasy because of Aubrey’s warning. The thought did nothing to calm the panicked beat of her heart or ease the anxious tightness from her muscles. Rushing out, she escaped the room and the sensation.
    Once outside and in the commons area of the floor, she paused a moment to listen. The only sound was the distant beep of the bar code reader downstairs as books were checked in or out of the system.
    She was tempted to reach out and see what she sensed. It had been a long time since she’d used the skill. But, no. She’d left that part of her life behind. Did she really want to open herself again? Or was she afraid of what she might discover?
    She was allowing a few vague words of warning to spook her. Straightening her shoulders, she strode decisively to the switch for the overhead lights and flipped it off. The large security lights held the dark at bay in the central part of the floor, but cast deep shadows between the stacks.
    She caught another glimpse of Caleb from over the second floor safety glass railing; he seemed to be waiting patiently for her to finish. The eagerness to see him, be with him, tugged at her. If only her mother hadn’t brought Clay Maddox into their lives, she and Caleb might have had a chance. Regret twisted inside her, and she turned away from the railing to continue closing down the library for the night.
    A strange rustling sound caught her attention. She turned the switch back on and walked toward the end of one of the shelves. The halogen streetlights cast illumination through the eight tall windows equally spaced across the west exterior wall. Air ruffled the hair at her temples. Her tension dissipated. She sauntered forward and stopped when she found one of the windows opened six inches at the bottom. Someone must have opened it to sneak a smoke. But why hadn’t she noticed it before?
    Tiptoeing, she pulled the pane down and fastened the window. She heard the rustle again, this time from two rows to the right. Uneasiness crept across her nerve endings, leaving behind goose bumps.
    If someone was playing a prank and trying to scare her, she’d suspend them from using the library for a month. Anger pushed aside some of her fear, and she marched forward. A movement, dark gray and quick, streaked across the end row of books, lit by the streetlights. Was that someone’s shadow as they rushed away? She spun around the corner intent on cutting them off and collided with a tall, muscular body. With a startled yelp, she staggered back.
    Strong hands caught her before she could fall. “Jesus, I’m sorry, Mandy,” Caleb said. “I just got worried about you being in the dark by yourself. You’ve been up here for quite a while.”
    Miranda placed her hand over her chest, where her heart still tried to beat its way free. She leaned against him in relief, relishing the warmth and safety she found in his embrace. Realizing what she was doing, she straightened, though the