Timeless Vision Read Online Free Page B

provided to the driver and prayed they made it across the bridge without any more outrageous questions.

Chapter Two
     
    The cab stopped in front of a stately brownstone only a few blocks from the pub. Her family was big, with branches of O’Malleys all over New York City as well as the northeast, but this house was completely new to her. She decided it was the least of the day’s surprises, considering the things Nick had alluded to both before and after Wayne had shown up in Times Square.
    She paid the fare and climbed out of the cab on the street side, rounding the trunk to open the door for Wayne, studiously ignoring the driver’s sexist mutterings about modern women.
    “What is a feminist?” Wayne pronounced the word carefully as the taxi drove away.
    She noticed he still kept one hand on the dog. For comfort, she guessed, since the greyhound was so well trained. “Progress,” she said. Playing along with Nick’s opinion about this... situation, she rolled a hand in his direction. “I assume women were different in your time .”
    “They were.” His blue eyes found hers, held hers. “The code of chivalry demands I assist you regardless of the era.”
    She had to give the man credit for embracing his role. “If Nick isn’t teasing me about all this impending doom, it sounds like you’ll have the chance.”
    Wayne nodded, stretching his arm out to indicate she should precede him to the house. Simple common courtesy, she told herself as she pushed open the gate and aimed for the stairs. This was one of the more affluent streets in Brooklyn Heights and she marveled that anyone in her family had kept such a treasure hidden. Nick’s cop salary never could have covered this at current market value.
    “Why do the women now wear men’s clothing rather than proper dresses?”
    She laughed, thinking of the many dresses in her closet at home. Odds were good the burly stranger wouldn’t find many of those so proper either while he played this character. “It makes my work easier.”
    “What is your work?”
    Wayne and his dog flanked her on the wide top step. She felt sheltered and protected and resisted the sensation. “I run the O’Malley family pub.” And she wanted to get back to business as usual.
    “What happened to your husband?”
    “I don’t have one of those.” She pushed the key into the lock with a little more force than necessary, only to have it stick. There was no reason to get irritated. Whatever Nick might’ve told him, this guy didn’t know her and couldn’t possibly understand how often her family nagged her to marry and procreate. She wanted children and figured a husband - eventually - would make that easier. She just didn’t want to deal with any of it right now.
    The lock didn’t budge, despite her twisting and wriggling of the key. She pulled it out, turned it over and tried again. “Damn you, Nick,” she murmured.
    “Wait,” Wayne said from behind her. “Step back a moment.” He ran his fingertips lightly over a squared cross pattern at the top of the door. “I know this symbol. A protective ward is in place. Allow me.”
    She watched, impressed by his dedication to the role when he closed his eyes and pressed his palm over the symbol. A bright light shone under his hand for several seconds. His shoulders slumped a little. “Try the key now.”
    The lock cooperated with a soft clack . “Nice trick,” she admitted. Where had Nick found this guy and why bother? Her cousin had to know how bad she felt about losing the dagger. There wasn’t any need for theatrics.
    As she opened the door a light overhead flashed on, illuminating the small entryway. When Wayne and the dog joined her inside, she nudged them forward so she could lock the front door again. Wayne held his hand to the door once more and this time the light under his palm glowed in a soothing, deep blue.
    “What’s your dog’s name?” she asked, distracting herself.
    Wayne shrugged a shoulder, his eyes