Bayou Heat by Georgia Tribell Page B

the smile that threatened to spread
across his face. He preferred seeing her like this, all angry with her hackles
up, rather than scared and timid. Bristles he could deal with, soft and cuddly
scared him to death. She stood in one spot and looked at him as if he were a
simpleton.
    “It’s like this. See this spot?”
    “Yes.”
    “I feel the evil here.” She took a step to her right. “But
not here.” She started walking a small circle around the spot designated as
evil. “Or here or here or here.”
    “I get the picture.”
    She stopped her pacing and flashed him a heart-stopping
smile. “Good, then you understand how confusing this is.”
    “I haven’t a clue as to why this is confusing.”
    Eris waved her hands in exasperation as the door to the
elevator opened. “It doesn’t matter, you think I’m a nutcase anyway.”
    Rob stopped her from walking into the elevator. “What I
think about your methods isn’t the issue here, it matters to you and that’s
what counts.”
    Eris gave him a look that let him know she wasn’t buying it.
    “Try to help me understand,” he continued. “Sometimes the
best thing to do is talk a problem out.”
    “Okay, I need some help. Tammie, can I borrow your scarf?”
    Rob followed Eris across the lobby to Tammie’s desk. Tammie
raised one eyebrow but untied the item from around her neck and handed it over.
    “Thank you, now would you please come around the desk and
stand in front of me? Rob, blindfold me.”
    “Sure, this sounds like fun,” Tammie said as she moved to stand
in front of Eris.
    Rob placed the material across Eris’ eyes, good and snug. He
hadn’t a clue as to what she was doing, but she did have a unique way of
explaining herself.
    “Tammie, I want you to walk quietly around the lobby while I
count to twenty. Try not to make a sound and don’t talk. When I reach twenty,
stop and stand quietly.”
    “Okay,” Tammie answered as she turned and started walking
while Eris counted.
    Rob watched as Eris stopped counting and started following
Tammie’s path. “I’m going to follow Tammie’s aura trail to her. Basically I’m
tracing her footprints without the benefit of eyesight.”
    “You don’t need eyesight to do this?” Rob questioned as he
watched Eris reach a point where the path crossed itself. It took her a couple
of seconds to determine which way to go, but she did continue to follow the
original line.
    Okay, maybe there was more to this than he thought.
    “My eyes keep me from running into things or stepping off a
curb into traffic, but they aren’t needed to follow an aura trail.”
    Rob continued to watch in amazed silence as Eris followed
the hidden trail around the room.
    “Close enough.” Tammie held out a hand to keep Eris from
running over her. “That was amazing! You walked where I had gone exactly.”
    “It wasn’t that hard, considering your path was fresh and
strong. Time weakens trails and they become diffused, like wispy trails of
fog.”
    “Does everyone leave a trail?” Tammie questioned as the two
women walked across the room.
    “Yes, everyone.”
    “What about vampires?”
    Rob stifled a groan.
    “Yes, but their signatures are different, as you can
imagine, and it takes a special talent to pick up the spirit of the undead.”
    “Really? Could you tell me what it’s like or better yet,
hook me up with a vampire chaser?”
    “I—”
    “Enough.” Rob placed a hand behind Eris’ back and started
guiding her toward the mystery spot by the elevator. “You can discuss your
vampire theories later, Tammie. We have things to do.”
    “I take it you’re a nonbeliever?” Tammie asked.
    “You got that right,” he answered over his shoulder as he
crossed the room. Stopping by the elevator, he studied the area in front of
them. “Let’s see if I’ve got this now. Each person has an aura and it trails
behind us wherever we go.”
    “Yes.”
    “But not here.” He pointed to the vacant space. “Here we have
a