{"id":28401,"date":"2011-12-29T09:02:18","date_gmt":"2011-12-29T14:02:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shilohwalker.com\/website\/?p=28401"},"modified":"2012-01-08T09:58:48","modified_gmt":"2012-01-08T14:58:48","slug":"the-departed-giveaway-day-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shilohwalker.com\/website\/2011\/12\/the-departed-giveaway-day-5\/","title":{"rendered":"The Departed…Giveaway…Day 5"},"content":{"rendered":"

Winner to be posted shortly (upcoming week.) \u00a0At this time, the giveaways are now closed for comments. \u00a0thanks and be sure to check back to see if you were the winner!<\/em><\/p>\n

Just so ya know, today will be a little different.<\/p>\n

Next Round! (FYI, the winner must check back to claim the prize-if you think you might forget, try setting up a google alert. It\u2019s easy, I promise\u2026)<\/p>\n

So far, this is the prize stash. \u00a0It’s all for one winner\u2026
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

From The Departed<\/p>\n

They were there. Some of the departed\u00a0.\u00a0.\u00a0. not all of them rested, not all of them called for help. Some of them just lingered, their cold, dry touch like a skeletal hand on the nape of her neck. She could feel their presence and now that she\u2019d allowed herself to think about them, to focus, her mind reached out and tried to lock on one of those whispers. Tried to grasp something real\u00a0.\u00a0.\u00a0. a voice, something, somebody she could help.<\/p>\n

But their voices, they were so indistinct, like listening to dry leaves skittering down a street. There were no words, hardly any feeling left to connect to those disconnected souls.<\/p>\n

She jumped as Taylor curled his hand over her nape, his fingers digging lightly into her skin. \u201cStop it,\u201d he murmured, leaning in and speaking almost directly into her skin.<\/p>\n

\u201cStop what?\u201d she asked sourly. She would have glared at him, but the firm hold he had on her skin kept her from doing that, and she was reluctant to break that contact. Just like always, his touch made everything else fade away.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know what. You\u2019re not shielding. I can see it. Shield up or you\u2019ll be a mess before I even get you to her room.\u201d His voice lowered when she tensed and tried to pull away.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t get to boss me around anymore, Jones.\u201d<\/p>\n

She tried once more to pull away, but this time he herded her into a narrow dip in the wall. A quick glance showed that it led to the chapel. She glared up at him. To her surprise, he was glaring back, his pale blue eyes glittering at her, and his normally emotionless face was anything but. \u201cI\u2019m not trying to boss you around, damn it. You\u2019re walking around looking like you\u2019ve got death dancing on your shoulders and you\u2019re not doing shit to stop it. Should I just ignore it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does it matter to you?\u201d She shouldn\u2019t be looking at him. She told herself that, told herself to look away, to look anywhere but at him. She couldn\u2019t, though. She couldn\u2019t look away from his eyes. Swallowing, she rested her head against the wall and repeated, \u201cWhat does it matter to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

A heavy breath rushed out of him, his shoulders rising and falling. His blue eyes, so fiery hot and so unlike the cool, icy professionalism she was used to seeing, bored into hers. \u201cJust shield up, damn it.\u201d Then he shoved off the wall and stalked away.<\/p>\n

Immediately, Dez sagged a few inches and covered her face with her hands. Damn it. What in the hell\u00a0.\u00a0.\u00a0. Damn it. Her knees were shaking. Her belly felt all tight and hot and jittery, and damned if she knew why.<\/p>\n

You damn well do know\u2014<\/em><\/p>\n

No. She wasn\u2019t thinking about that\u2014<\/p>\n

She took a deep breath and lowered her hands. Then she looked up and gasped when she realized Taylor had returned, silently. One hand came, curled over the back of her neck. \u201cThis is why it matters, damn it.\u201d He hauled her against him and as his mouth crushed against hers, her brain clicked off, shut down\u00a0.\u00a0.\u00a0.<\/p>\n

Read\u00a0More<\/a>\u2026<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n

Now. \u00a0About today’s giveaway. \u00a0I’m going to give away $1 for every comment up to $50…to a charity. \u00a0You all choose from the three below and whichever has the highest picks, I’ll donate.<\/p>\n