Brush of Shade by Jan Harman

palm. When
he was done, we sat in the dark with him leaning forward, scrutinizing everyone
who walked near the truck. Five minutes became ten. I turned on the radio; he
flicked it off.
    Silence pressed
on my nerves, magnifying the tension. “Maybe we could wait by one of the
bonfires,” I suggested.
    “No.”
    I flipped the
visor down then back up. “How long have you been friends with Mason?”
    “I need you to
be quiet. Do you think you could do that?” he said, reverting back to his usual
charming self. “About time.” He pointed towards Trent
and Officer Mason heading across the lot. I opened the door to get out. Shadow
leaned across me and pulled it closed.
    “Stay in the
truck,” he ordered.
    “Why?”
    His annoyed gaze
swept the parking lot, pausing briefly when a group of guys strolled past the
minivan parked two cars down from us. “Because you can barely
put weight on your leg.”
    “Olivia,” Trent
shouted, jogging over to the truck. He opened my door and gave me a quick kiss.
“Don’t scare me like that.”
    “I thought you
were right behind me. I kept shouting your name. Why didn’t you answer? You
know how hard it was for me to go in there,” I replied.
    Officer Mason
squeezed in next to him and nodded to Shadow. “Now don’t be mad. It’s easy to
get all turned around in the maze. Happens all the time.”
    Trent pulled on
the seatbelt, his expression unhappy.
    “No big deal,” I
said, giving him a sympathetic smile.
    He picked up my
bandaged hand. “I’m sorry that jerk scared you. He—”
    “Was over
exuberant in his role,” Officer Mason cut in.
    Trent’s eyes
narrowed.
    “Glad to see
everyone is in one piece,” Shade announced from across the cab, outside
Shadow’s door. He circled around the truck, nudged a rather subdued Trent to
the side, and placed my crutch across my lap. “A staffer found it and was
taking it to lost and found. I checked with the guys directing parking. They
think your zombie employee went off duty,” he said to Mason, holding his gaze
for a fraction of a second.
     “Every
once in a while we get one that can’t balance that delicate line between
harmless, scary fun and real fear. I’d offer you a free pass, but I don’t think
you’re interested in spending more time in the maze tonight. I’ll see you get a
refund, Trent,” Officer Mason said, attempting to keep his voice light and
easy, but missing the mark.
    “Halloween
night, the guy probably wanted to get one really good scare in,” Shadow said,
sounding far from convincing.
    I stared at his
stiff profile and replayed our conversation in my head. Shadow was steamed. All
three men were, but didn’t want Trent and me to know.
    “Trent, take
Olivia straight home,” Shade said, his tone uncompromising.
    “We’re expected
at Bradley’s party. I said we’d get there around nine,” Trent argued.
    “Home,” three
male voices said firmly.
    Trent’s
shoulders slumped. He held out his hand to help me out of the truck. “Since
this was just a scare gone too far, we’re going to the party,” I said, testing
a theory. Trent’s expression brightened then fell flat as he looked past me.
    “Mason, call
Claire and tell her they’re coming,” Shade ordered as though he had the
authority to do so.
    “Tell Claire she
is having trouble putting weight on her leg. The knee might be swollen,” Shadow
said, betraying the extent of my injury.
    “Miss Olivia,
I’m sure everything is fine. But I’d be remiss in my duties if I don’t make
sure you get your leg checked out. I know your aunt would feel better if you
were safe at home,” Officer Mason said, employing his professional voice.
    I opened my
mouth to tell them to stop interfering. Shade spoke first. “Discussion
over. Shadow and I should be heading out. They can follow us to the
manor.”
    “But I’m already
late for . . . fine,” Shadow grumbled.
    I expected an
argument out of Trent. Instead, he waited silently while I steadied