Date: 2014-03-20 04:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Anthologies; Paranormal; Paranormal Romance; Romance
Description: BLOOD WARRIOR by H.D. GordonA young girl tossed into a world of monsters, the worst of which resides inside herRIVULET by Jamie MageeCan she bend the laws of nature and fight the improbability that fire and ice could ever be one? As far as Indie is concerned, there is not a myth, spoken fate, or curse that is stronger than her stubborn desire to have it all ... including him. SWITCH by Janelle StalderLove will blossom from the ashes, but will it be enough to save them, or will it mean the end of them both? CHARMED by Cambria HebertLife or Death? Not many people would choose death. But what if

Dangerous Lovers

By

H.D. Gordon

Jamie Magee

Janelle Stalder

Cambria Hebert

A.M. Hargrove

Becca Vincenza

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2013 by H.D. Gordon, Jamie Magee,

Janelle Stalder, Cambria Hebert, A.M. Hargrove, Becca Vincenza

All Rights Reserved.

Cover Art by Emma Michaels

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the author.

Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book. This purchase allows you one legal copy for your own personal reading enjoyment on your personal computer or device. You do not have the right to resell, distribute, print or transfer this book, in whole or in part, to anyone, in any format, via methods either currently known or yet to be invented, or upload this book to a file sharing program. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

Table of Contents

BLOOD WARRIOR by H.D. Gordon

RIVULET by Jamie Magee

SWITCH by Janelle Stalder

CHARMED by Cambria Hebert

DARK WALTZ by A.M. Hargrove

DAMAGED by Becca Vincenza

BLOOD WARRIOR by H.D. Gordon

When her home is attacked by murderous vampires, 17-year-old Alexa is forced to leave her mother for dead in order to save her sister. She soon learns that she is the last known member of an elite race of supernatural Warriors, and is thrust into a world full of vampires and werewolves who all seem to regard her as some sort of savior. Meanwhile, Alexa battles a monster within herself that seeks to gain control; a monster that seeks blood.

The hidden city she finds herself in appears perfect, but Alexa's instincts tell her that all is not right within its walls. When she is asked to attend a school of fighters, whose exams consist of gladiator-style competitions, she must decide who she can trust among the smiling faces. And, when she meets Kayden, a vampire she feels undeniably drawn to, she must decide if she can trust herself.

RIVULET by Jamie Magee

Unfathomable forces have always contested Genevieve Indiana Falcon, known as Indie. The curse of her cold touch entraps her just as the grief ignited in her past torments her. Yet, her mysterious ability to dream while awake saturates her in the belief that she was not always anguished. There is hope that one day a true peace in her soul can be found.

Foolishly, Indie assumes she has contained her life in an odd balance, and she cherishes the visions she sees of the enigmatic boy that held her in a lost time, but can never reach. She grieves for a life she fears she'll never possess, and that grief is a weapon she uses against her aunt who stands between her and her inheritance.

Weeks away from her twenty-first birthday, the date where she would assume control over her family legacy, a night terror robs Indie of the balance she was clinging to. Like the dream she had before she lost her family, it predicts a fatal catastrophe on the horizon. The fight between life and death, good and evil, began the moment her thundering heart awoke her.

Everything changed after that dream. The one thing that keeps her curse at bay is stolen, and then the enigmatic boy arrives in the flesh. Face to face with her fiery born-again lover Indie realizes that the only way she can prevent the tragedy before her is to surrender everything she was, is, and could be.

Can she bend the laws of nature and fight the improbability that fire and ice could ever be one? As far as Indie is concerned, there is not a myth, spoken fate, or curse that is stronger than her stubborn desire to have it all ... including him.

SWITCH by Janelle Stalder

All’s fair in love and war.

Two thirds of the world's population has been wiped out, devastated by the worst war earth has ever seen. Still standing amongst the ruins is a mind reader who finds herself on the wrong side of the war.

Everyone does what they must to survive.

When the rebels bent on bringing down the New World leader start to rise up, it is her job to make sure they stay down where they belong. That is, until one rebel sneaks past her defences and into her heart. Love will blossom from the ashes, but will it be enough to save them, or will it mean the end of them both?

CHARMED by Cambria Hebert

Life or Death? Not many people would choose death. But what if death chooses you? What if death doesn't mean the end of your life, but the beginning?

For a Death Escort, death is life. Death is your paycheck. Death is your job.

And Charming is the best Escort the Grim Reaper has ever had.

But when you piss off the Reaper, being the best doesn't matter. So Charming is assigned a Target who is practically impossible to kill. He knows the Reaper hopes he fails--that he's counting on it. So Charming vows to prove him wrong. He vows to make the kill.

But someone else vows to get in his way. Someone with a big mouth, a sugar habit, and blond hair. Someone who makes his heart start beating again.

And so Charming is left holding more than one person's fate in the palm of his hand. He thought the choice would be easy, that there really wasn't a question at all.

He was wrong.

Life or Death?

DARK WALTZ by A.M. Hargrove

Category: ADULT Romance…NOT appropriate for young readers. (Major STEAM ahead)

Dark Waltz--A sizzling legend of loss, lust and love.

It’s the year 2030 and the human population has been annihilated by a virulent form of small pox. Liasare Davidson is desperately searching for her brother, who has been missing for three months. It’s been eighteen years since she was evacuated from Earth and she is horrified to see it’s become a cesspool of unimaginable things.

In her quest to find her brother, she meets Jurek, a powerful and enigmatic being that frightens her, yet she is unable to resist. When things begin to unfold between them, they both discover a paralyzing truth that puts Liasare at grave risk. She must make a choice to join Jurek and find her brother or fulfill a role she believes she is ill equipped to undertake.

DAMAGED by Becca Vincenza

(New Adult, contains language and sexual content. 18+) There are some beings in this world, long thought to be extinct. Some seek to protect them, others want control, but some…some are hell bent on their destruction. Audrey was taken from her father, hidden away from the world, and tortured for five years. She was rescued, but is she really safe, or is there someone else waiting to betray her? Can she trust those who saved her? Can she learn to accept who she really is? Stone was on a routine mission to extract valuable information from a rival clan of paranormals. Instead, he and his team find something much more valuable: a scarred, damaged young woman who holds many secrets, and whose power is beyond anything they could ever have imagined. There is much more to Audrey than meets the eye and Stone is determined to protect her. Audrey and Stone are about to find out it’s hard to know who to trust.

BLOOD WARRIOR

by

HD Gordon

Copyright 2011 © Heather Gordon

Cover Design by Mae I Design

ISBN-13: 978-1482302158

ISBN-10: 1482302152

As will always be, this is for my daughters, Soraya and Akira. No knight in shining armor has ever brought salvation finer than that you have given me. No love has ever been purer than that I have for you. There are no words great enough to define you.

They simply do not exist.

Chapter One

It wasn’t dead when I found it.

I’m not even sure what drew me to the window in the first place. But I went. I suppose I should have, even could have walked away at that point… let nature take its course. But, I didn’t.

Its neck was broken. Its wings outstretched and feathers splayed in a way more peacock than blackbird. I pushed open the window, having almost forgotten its deceitful boundary, though the glass was stained where the two had collided.

And then I tilted, just bent my upper body so I was leaning over it. It was in pain. No, I couldn’t be sure of this, and yet, I was. I think the eyes captured me, held me there until the option of walking away had faded, leaving me with no choice at all.

I backpedaled, reached out a calloused and cracked hand, and grabbed Capote off my desk. Returning to the window, I raised the hardcover.

My hesitation was brief, but present. The bird lay wounded beyond repair. And, somehow, I thought I knew what it wanted, what I would want were I the broken blackbird.

Or maybe I justified certain wants with inferred ones. Either way, it was the right thing. I took no pleasure in watching something suffer.

Nor would I let it.

The book fell at exactly the same moment the door opened.

Chapter Two

My mother entered the room, and I reluctantly turned to face her. I had been in a good mood. I didn’t particularly want to change that. But she there she stood, and that meant she had a reason. She never visited for a simple chat.

Her eyes flicked briefly to the window. If I hadn’t been watching, I would’ve missed it. She didn’t comment. She didn’t ask about the lone black feather sticking out from under Capote. She just gestured to the bed, and I took a seat.

She carried the makeup in her hand, and I refused to wince as she applied it none too gently to my eye.

“There,” she said, leaning back to examine her work.

I blinked a couple times to clear my vision and went to study myself in the mirror. My black eye was still visibly swollen, but at least the foundation she’d applied covered up some of the bruising. I stared at myself, almost ignoring the fact I’d become reasonably comfortable with this routine.

“Thanks,” I mumbled. It was all I ever said to her when this happened, and it occurred to me that it was strange to be thanking her for covering up an injury she had caused. Still, I had learned long ago to enjoy these moments with her. These moments when I could almost believe her when she said it was necessary for me to endure the physical pain she inflicted.

“Now go,” she said, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Or you’ll be late for school.”

I nodded and grabbed my loaded backpack off its hook as I headed out the door.

“Hey, wait!” my little sister, Nelly, called from upstairs.

I was tempted to shut the door behind me and head off without her, but I knew that would only piss my mother off. I suppose that’s why I was tempted. I felt good this morning, stronger. And, I realized much later this probably had something to do with the blackbird.

As it was, my mother shot me a warning look as I stood in the open doorway and waited impatiently for Nelly. A few moments later, she came running down the stairs with her backpack in tow. I rolled my eyes as I took in her usual perfect and prim appearance. Her goldenbrown hair hung perfectly straight across her shoulders, and her makeup was light and tasteful. We were both very pretty, but most of the time I couldn’t help but feel mildly jealous of her. I had my reasons.

Believe me.

She was wearing a baby-blue button-down blouse and lightcolored jeans. I looked down at my wrinkled T-shirt and sweatpants.

Mom always got her the good stuff. At least the pants fit me nicely.

“Well, don’t you look pretty?” I said. “Can we go now?”

This earned another glare from my mother, which I pointedly ignored by pushing the hair that had fallen out of my sloppy ponytail off my face.

Nelly just smiled genuinely and swept past me through the open door. It was childish, but I sighed and rolled my eyes again. Nelly certainly is the diplomatic one. Me? Not so much. Still, I felt bad for making fun of her this morning. It wasn’t her fault she didn’t have to “prepare”—that’s what my mother called it—like I did. And, truth be told, I was glad she didn’t get the same treatment from my mother. Nelly’s more fragile than I am, and I wasn’t sure she could take it.

Just before I closed the door, my mother called out to me. “Alexa—”

“I know, I know,” I said, cutting her off. “Don’t stop until we get there.”

Chapter Three

Nelly waited for me outside the door, and I stepped out onto the porch with her. Letting out a big breath, I steeled myself for the run ahead of us. I glanced at her, and she gave me a sympathetic smile. I smiled back because I couldn’t help it. Nelly is just that way. Her moods tend to be contagious. Also, this was one thing our mother insisted we both do, and it was hard on both of us.

“Ready?” I asked.

“As I’ll ever be,” she replied.

I gave her another smile. It was the same response she gave every day, and I admired her for her optimism. Despite the unfair treatment from our mother, I loved Nelly. She was all I had in this world and the only reason I hadn’t left long ago. Our mother was right about one thing: we needed to stay together. I had to protect Nelly. From what? I was still figuring that one out. I just knew she needed me.

“Alright,” I said. “Let’s go.”

Nelly jumped off the porch and set off at an impressive rate in the direction of our school. I let her get a few paces ahead before jumping off the porch myself and racing after her. She was fast, but I was faster.

I caught up to her, and we kept up pace as we ran down the road that would take us to Levland High School. She grinned and shook her head as I fell into step just behind her. This was another thing our mother insisted on: always keep Nelly in your line of sight.

We didn’t talk much on this run. It was hard enough, with the three-and-a-half mile trip, just to keep up a steady pace. Our heavy backpacks didn’t make it any easier.

It could have been worse, though. Our last school had been six miles from the house and the terrain had been hilly. This road was flat and hard-packed. Thank God for small favors.

My thoughts churned as I ran, and I actually took time to enjoy the scenery around me. We lived in a small town in Missouri, and springtime was just starting to set in. Another thing I was grateful for. Running in snow sucks.

Inevitably, my mind soared back to the blackbird. It was impossible not to think of, especially since the day seemed to match my good mood. I had done a good thing this morning, a humane thing, and this seemed to fuel me as my feet pounded the dirt road.

Every blooming wildflower lifted their smiling faces at me, rewarding me by wrapping their sweet scent around my body. I felt like Mother Nature was thanking me, trusting I would do the same for her if she were ever suffering. And promising me that kindness in return, should I ever need it.

The sun shone brightly in my eyes, and I was pleased I’d remembered my sunglasses this morning. Glancing over at Nelly told me she hadn’t.

I jogged up beside her, took off the sunglasses, and held them out to her. She shook her head and forced out, “It’s okay, you keep them.” I shook my head and continued holding them out to her. Finally, she took them and put them on, nodding her thanks.

Squinting the rest of the way, I fell back a few paces behind her. It was so ingrained in me to take care of her, even in the smallest of ways, I hadn’t thought twice about handing over the sunglasses.

Finally, I saw the school up ahead and Nelly and I picked up our pace. The sooner we reached it, the sooner we could stop. School buses were pulling in the lot as we reached the entrance of the school. Nelly and I entered the grounds leaned against the big oak tree near the school’s entrance. As I watched the students file out of the buses, I couldn’t help but feel a little envious. There was a bus that went right by our house, but Mother insisted that running was essential.

“Bullshit,” I said, still struggling to catch my breath. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out a pack of Marlboros and a lighter. I set fire to one as I glared at the students exiting the buses.

“Don’t swear,” Nelly chastised me. “And the run would probably be easier on you if you quit that stupid smoking.”

I smirked. “It would be easier on me if I could ride the damn bus like everyone else.”

She shook her head and smiled. “Come on, or we’ll be late for class.” I nodded and threw the cigarette to the ground, stomping it out. We entered the school and she gave me a quick hug before we parted to go to our first period class. Nelly was a sophomore and I was junior, so we had no classes together. I wished she would have been able to jump ahead into some of my classes, like she had at our last school. She was certainly smart enough.

I watched Nelly leave, mildly annoyed as a group of her friends surrounded her, as they did every morning, eager to swap rumors. Nelly was better at that than me, I guess. I was the only one she really cared about in this world, but she could pretend her ass off that she cared about other people as well. That’s not to say she wouldn’t help them if she could; that just meant she only really cared about me.

I’m sure I was just jealous, which is not something I like to admit. But I didn’t really have any friends; I was never good at pretending. And, anyhow, people tended to avoid me. They didn’t talk to me. They usually wouldn’t even meet my eyes. Sometimes I felt like the plague personified. That’s how they behaved. As if looking into my eyes would cost them dearly—as if they would lose their soul or be frozen solid like the onlookers of Medusa. People just tended to avoid me.

Well, most people.

“Hey, Alexa, wait up!” called a voice behind me.

I knew who it was before I turned around. The options were limited. Like I said, I had no friends.

Unless you counted Jackson Kane. Jackson was the only person who didn’t treat me like a deadly disease. For whatever reason, Jack got me. He understood me, possibly because people treated him the same way.

Jackson swung his arm up and over my shoulder as he walked alongside me, and my lips pulled upward in an involuntary smile. Usually, I’m not one for physical contact. I’m a “personal bubble” person. But with Jack, I didn’t mind it so much. It didn’t make me uncomfortable. And, part of me was just always amazed he was willing to get close enough to touch me.

It also didn’t hurt that Jack was rather attractive. All of the girls at school were in love with him, but most of them just seemed too intimidated by him to even begin a conversation. Like me, I suppose he just has that “back off” way about him.

“What’s up, Jack?” I said.

He spoke with his thick mid-western drawl. “Um, let’s see… the sky, the clouds, the sun…”

I laughed at his weak attempt at comedy. “And, apparently, your supply of crappy jokes.”

“Crappy? Hardly, the ladies love my jokes.”

I made a show of glancing all around us. “You’re right. They’re swarming us as we speak. Better be careful with that arm around me, I wouldn’t want to start my day by beating up some jealous, potential girlfriends.”

He laughed at that. “I have no doubt you could, and really, that would be pretty hot. Not that you need to get any hotter than you already are,” he said, flashing his teeth with a smile.

I rolled my eyes and couldn’t help another laugh. Jack had a way of making me smile, which could be quite a task. He hadn’t even mentioned my black eye. Maybe today was going to be a good day.

But then again, maybe not.

We walked into our first period class together and I was tempted to push his arm from my shoulder. I knew what was coming, and I just didn’t feel like getting into it today. Still, my pride got the best of me. I’d be damned if I’d let these kids scare me away from the only person who treated me like I wasn’t some kind of freak.

Sure enough, as soon as we walked through the door, the other students in class grew silent. Then, as I had anticipated, Riley Brockman spoke up. He was surrounded by his jock friends, and each one of them was dumber than the last.

“Look, guys,” Riley said. “Two losers in love. Hey, Kane, did you give her that black eye?”

The class erupted in snickers and giggles, and Riley sat back with a smug little smirk on his face. I felt Jackson stiffen beside me and had to keep a tight grip on his arm to keep him from going after Riley.

Riley hated Jackson. Three days ago, Riley’s girlfriend, Jenna, asked Jack if he would escort her to the girl’s choice dance this weekend. I had been right there when she’d asked him. Jackson and I had taken our lunches outside to eat so we could sneak a cigarette afterward. Or maybe just so I could sneak one. But, anyhow, Jenna walked over to where Jackson and I were eating in the shade of a large tree, and she said, shooting a rude glance at me, “Um, hi, Jackson. I was just wondering if you would like to take me to the girl’s choice dance next weekend.”

I’d raised an eyebrow at her audacity. Jackson just looked at her like she was stupid. And, eventually, after what must have been many awkward seconds for her, she’d stalked away. We’d laughed about it afterward and didn’t think much of it until we encountered Riley in class the next day. Up until this point, Jack had been letting Riley’s antagonizing slide, but Riley needed to watch what he said. I knew Jack would only take it for so long. They were both big boys, and that would not be a pretty fight.

Not only that, Riley was starting to earn ill thoughts from me. Very ill thoughts.

“Not today,” I whispered to Jack. “You can’t get any more suspensions.”

It seemed to take a minute for this to register with him, but finally, I felt him relax beside me. We took our seats on the other side of the room, with Jackson giving Riley a look of death the whole time. I could swear I saw Riley cringe a little, but he quickly recovered. I couldn’t blame him. I would’ve been scared too if Jackson had looked at me like that.

Just then, the teacher walked in, and I was thankful that Riley wouldn’t be able to continue his ridicule. It’s not like I was scared to fight, quite the contrary actually, I enjoyed it. Good thing too, with all the “preparations” my mother put me through. It’s just that I didn’t feel like it today. Things had been going pretty well.

“Miss Montgomery, would you care to enlighten us with your thoughts on Hawthorne?” my teacher said, looking at me expectantly.

Great. What book were we even talking about? I wracked my brain as the whole class waited for me to speak. What were we supposed to be reading this week? Oh, yeah, The Scarlet Letter. I had read this book before, as I had every other book she assigned us. I read a lot. It’s one of my favorite things to do. Still, it pissed me off that she always called on me first when we were discussing our readings. I don’t like being singled out.

“Not really,” I replied.

She shook her head, as if she expected no less, and marked something down in her grade book. Probably a zero. Whatever. Just add it to my list of problems.

Eventually, class ended and I headed to my second period class, gym. I received another zero for refusing to run the mile. I’m not terribly defiant. It’s just that I didn’t want to do any more running than I already had to. I still had to run the three and a half miles back home, which was more than enough physical exercise, if you asked me.

Thankfully, the rest of the day passed without incident. The final bell of the day rang, signaling it was time to go home. I was relieved, but at the same time, it’s not like I really wanted to go home. My mother would be waiting for me. That was never something I looked forward to.

Stepping outside of the school, I glanced around. Where the hell was Nelly? I hated it when she made me wait for her, but I wouldn’t dare return home without her. Scanning the area, I caught sight of her over on the other side of the parking lot. Annoyed, I started off toward her.

As I got closer, I realized she wasn’t alone. She was talking to someone. I could tell by her posture that she was uncomfortable. When she saw me, her unease grew visibly. I picked up my pace. Before I got too close, I picked up bits of the conversation they were having.

“I really can’t. I’m sorry. I just have other things to do that evening,” Nelly was saying. “Maybe some other time.”

As she started to walk away, the guy grabbed her arm. Nelly’s unease grew once more, but she didn’t resist. I was moving faster now. The guy had his back to me, but once I heard his voice, I knew who it was.

“Wait,” he said. “I wasn’t finished talking to you.”

At last I reached them. I grabbed him by the back of his jacket, jerking him away from Nelly.

“Yes, you are,” I said, stepping in between them and shoving him hard in the chest. He stumbled back several feet.

Riley’s face showed surprise, then pure hatred. “No one was talking to you, freak,” he spat.

I shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. Leave her alone. Unless you want everyone to see you get knocked out by a girl.”

My tone was casual, but my blood was boiling. Nobody touched Nelly. Nobody. Disturbing thoughts raced through my head, every one of them intriguing. Riley definitely was bigger and stronger than me, but I was pretty confident I could hurt him. That thought alone erased any possibilities of fear. I guess my mother’s training was good for something. I was no stranger to battle. I was conditioned for it. And mostly, I just wasn’t concerned with the consequences.

“Watch it,” Riley said, through gritted teeth, “unless you want to end up with two black eyes.”

I shrugged. “You are most certainly welcome to try.”

Riley lunged for me. I’d been expecting this. I’d learned long ago to anticipate attacks, and he had nowhere near the amount of combat skill my mother had. My respect for her grew a little.

I managed to side-step his attack and push Nelly out of the way in the process. This was not something he had been expecting, and he stumbled a little before regaining his footing. As he spun around to face me, the anger that had been on his face before had turned into rage. I flashed him a toothy grin, egging him on.

This time he stepped forward and swung his fist out toward my face. Again, I had been expecting it. And the fact that he would hit a girl justified my next actions. A hazy sort of anger came over me. It was so intense that I felt it thrum in my veins, like it was vibrating under my skin.

I made my decision. I wanted very much to end this circus show he was putting on. I moved so fast I don’t think he ever saw it coming. I slammed my fist so hard into his face he lifted off his feet and fell back on his butt. His head hit the pavement with a sickening thud, and I stood frozen to my spot. I knew I could fight, but the strength it must have taken to knock someone down twice my size impressed even me.

I felt myself move forward, and then I was standing over Riley. My mind snapped back to the blackbird. His nose sat at a funny angle and deep crimson flowed out of it. He was unconscious. My left eye twitched. I felt one side of my mouth pull up into a crooked smile and just barely managed to stop it before it turned full-fledged.

Then Nelly was tugging on my arm, her voice panicked. “Alexa, we have to go. Now.”

I looked up at her and finally began to take in the scene around me. Students stood around us, dumbstruck. No doubt they had just seen their all-star receiver get knocked out by a girl. A relatively small girl at that. I took one last look at Riley. My mind snapped back to the blackbird.

I heard myself say, “Run, Nell. We have to run.” We did.

Chapter Four

We were both panting and covered in sweat by the time we made it back to the house. We’d taken the long way home—through the woods instead of following the road that led past our house. I shut the door once we made it inside and slumped back against it.

Nelly stood directly in front of me, with a look on her face that I had never seen before. She looked both proud and… scared. Was she scared of me or of the trouble I was going to be in when we returned to school tomorrow? Probably both.

Still breathing heavily, I looked down at my hands to see they were trembling. Now that we had stopped running, the reality of what I had just done had caught up to me. How badly had I hurt Riley? What was wrong with me? More importantly, how badly would I have hurt him if Nelly hadn’t pulled me away? I would like to say I would’ve been able to walk away on my own, but some small part of me knew that was a lie. Another part of me was disgusted by this. And yet, another small part of me was left feeling disturbingly unsatisfied.

Glancing back at Nelly, I had the feeling she was aware of this. I’m not sure what my face looked like, though I did my best to keep it reasonably void of any expression at all. But, Nelly knew me. Sometimes, I felt like Nelly knew me better than I knew myself.

She came forward and took me into her arms. I let her hold me, and actually took comfort in the embrace. My mind seemed to relax a little.

“Girls? I’ll have dinner ready in a few minutes if you want to go wash up and—”

Upon seeing us, my mother stopped abruptly. Her eyes narrowed slightly and my back went rigid in response. I tried to prepare myself for what was to come. No point in lying to her. She would find out from the school soon enough.

“What happened?” The threat clear in her voice.

“I got into a fight.” I didn’t know what else to say. Besides, I kind of felt like I deserved whatever punishment she gave me.

My mother remained deathly still, waiting for me to elaborate. I was so shocked that I couldn’t even think past that initial thought. I honestly thought I wouldn’t have to. I had been expecting her to drag me outside right then and there.

It was Nelly who came to my rescue.

“There was this guy at school who was messing with me,” she began. “He grabbed me and Alexa yanked him off me. She tried to tell him to leave me alone, and then he attacked her… so she… stopped him.”

Okay, that may have been a little bit skewed, but it sounded better than Alexa may have just seriously injured someone with an extremely badass punch to the face. Nonetheless, I was glad she spoke up.

My mother’s gaze snapped to me. I met her eyes and nodded. And then, to my utter astonishment, she gave a small nod and… walked away.

Chapter Five

Later, I was sitting in my bedroom staring at the wall, when someone knocked on my door. Opening it up, I expected to see Nelly standing there.

Except it wasn’t Nelly.

It was my mother.

“Mom, I didn’t mean to—”

“I know, come with me.”

I grabbed my shoes and followed her without protest. I knew she wasn’t going to let something like this slide, but from her reaction earlier, I guess I was just hoping she would.

She led me out to the backyard of the house, and I knew what was coming. Time for her to teach me a lesson. I pushed my chin out and wiped my face clear of any expression, refusing to showcase any fear. The effort had me clenching my teeth.

But instead of stopping in our usual spot where we did our training, she just kept going. Oh god, I thought, maybe she’s taking me somewhere to kill me.

I laughed out loud at this morbid thought, and my mother turned her head, giving me a slightly confused look. I shook my head and mumbled an apology as I continued following her to the unknown destination.

We walked for what seemed like an hour through the woods in the back of our house. With every step my unease grew. I felt like I was on some impromptu death march. To make things even weirder, my mother kept pointing out certain markers, telling me to commit them to memory. I did. I was never sure why she did the things she did, and by this point in my life, I’d learned to just roll with whatever she threw at me.

At last, we emerged at a small clearing. It was beautiful. The ground was packed with wild honeysuckle and dandelions. And straight ahead of us was a small hill surrounded on all sides by tall trees. There also seemed to be an opening at the foot of it, as if it housed a small cave.

“Wow.” I didn’t know what else to say. I almost smiled. Maybe I’d been wrong. Maybe she just wanted to spend some time with me. As happy as that would have made me, the thought alone made me suspicious.

But, when my mother turned to face me, she had the same expression on her face that Nelly had earlier when we’d first entered the house. It was a mixture of pride and fear. A second later, it was gone, replaced by her usual serious expression. I decided I must have been mistaken. I doubted this woman even knew what fear was.

“Do you remember how to get here?” she asked.

I nodded.

“Good, it’s very important you do. This is where I want you to come if anything ever happens to me.”

“Why would anything ever happen—”

“Why is not important,” she replied. “What is important is that if anything ever happens, you run. You run and you bring Nelly with you to this spot.”

I gave her what must have been a wary look, because she was in front of me, faster than anyone should have been able to move, and she was gripping my shoulders. It was an unpleasant, tension-filled touch, much like the rub of denim on sunburned skin.

“Alexa, I need you to tell me you understand. I need you to promise me that you’ll do as I say.”

I looked her straight in the eyes, refusing to let her scare me. I wouldn’t be scared of her anymore. She had to know that. “I understand.”

What I thought looked like more pride flashed behind her eyes, and this time, I was certain I saw fear. “Good,” she said. “Let’s head back. It’s time to practice.”

Chapter Six

Nelly was sitting on the back porch when we returned. She was expecting us. This was the time of day our mother always made me “practice.”

Nelly gave me a big smile. I was surprised to feel a huge weight lift off my shoulders. I guess I hadn’t realized how worried I’d been that she might be angry with me about the fight earlier. I smiled back and then took a deep breath, preparing myself for what was to come.

Ahead of me, Nelly’s smile faltered, and I knew what that meant. I swung around fast, and just barely managed to dodge a strike from my mother.

I spun to the side and my hands went up. I met her eyes. The woman who had just led me through the forest was gone; now she was just a predator. I was used to this look on my mother, and it never failed to scare the shit out of me.

But, somehow, today was different. I was still scared, and she hadn’t changed any from yesterday or the day before that. It was me who seemed changed. I felt that maybe today, when my mother stood across from me on the beaten-down grass that served as our practice area, she might just feel that she, too, were staring down a predator.

She didn’t move again, and neither did I. We stood still for several seconds, watching each other. Looking for a weak point, an opening.

She broke first, rushing forward and swinging with power and skill. Seeing this made me think of Riley, and that seemed to release something in me. The world slowed. I dodged, moving with what felt like superhuman speed. And then I saw it.

My opening, her weak point.

Everything became a blur. Instead of slowing down, the world sped up, pulling me along with it. I remember moving as I had been trained, throwing all of my weight and strength behind my fist, the motion all too familiar. I remember it connecting, crashing hard into what seemed to be a solid surface. But I didn’t feel any pain. Not right at that moment. I didn’t feel anything.

Then my mother was on the ground, lying in much the same position as Riley had been just hours earlier. And I was standing over her, not quite sure I could get my muscles to move. Not really trusting myself to move.

So, I just stood there, until Nelly spoke from somewhere behind me. “Mom, are you okay?” Her voice was calm, maybe a little too calm.

My mother sat up and gave her head a sharp shake. A red welt was already swelling up on her face.

I finally found my voice. “Mom, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” she replied. “Well done. I can’t believe you inherited your strength.”

Beside me, Nelly nodded in agreement. I furrowed my brow in confusion. What an odd choice of words. Inherited your strength.

“Although, I do have to say I feel sorry for that Brockman boy if he took a blow like that,” she continued, pulling herself unsteadily to her feet. “You need to be careful with whom you choose to fight. Not everyone is built as sturdily as we are.” She started heading back to the house. “And be careful who sees you fight too. Your strength may seem…. unnatural to them.”

Chapter Seven

Later that night, I was sitting back in my room, staring at the wall. I wasn’t sure what to think of all the events of the day. Or maybe I was just afraid to. It was all too strange. I felt like I was missing something big here. I didn’t like that feeling.

Nelly and my mother were keeping something from me. I wasn’t sure what, but I was sure it was something. What the hell had my mother meant by inherited your strength? Even weirder than that was the secret spot in the forest where she’d taken me today. I was starting to worry about her. Maybe she was really losing it.

I’d sort of always assumed that she had some mild case of paranoid schizophrenia. Didn’t people with that condition tend to think someone was after them? I’m no doctor. I didn’t know.

But, even stronger than my worry for my mother was my worry for someone else. Me. I’d always known I was different from other people. I just tended to get angrier than most, thinking things that people probably shouldn’t be thinking—or at least would never admit to thinking. But, I’d always been able to control myself. I’d never considered myself a danger to others. I was starting to rethink that.

I glanced over at the clock sitting on my dresser. It was just past two in the morning. I wished I could get some sleep, but lately, I’d been feeling restless at night. Usually, I could read until I fell asleep. Somehow I knew that reading wasn’t going to stop my mind from turning over.

Lying back on my bed, I stared at the ceiling. At least it was a change in scenery from the wall. It was dark in my room, but I had always been able to see reasonably well in the dark. My mother said it was because she fed me lots of carrots when I was young. Knowing her, she probably had.

Just then, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye near the window. My senses went on high alert. I slipped off the bed and snuck over so I was standing beside the window, my back against the wall. My mother’s room and mine were on the first floor. Only Nelly had a bedroom upstairs. She never explained why, but I assumed it had something to do with keeping Nelly safe. I didn’t mind.

My window was open, and I immediately regretted this. My room tended to hold in heat, so I usually kept it open once the weather began to get warmer. Still, it was stupid. I doubted my mother slept with her window open.

A shadow moved across the floor. I stilled. It irritated me to think that someone might be sneaking around my house in the middle of the night. It made me nervous too, but my instincts overrode that. And, before I knew what I was doing, I’d swung around, grabbed the intruder by the front of his shirt, and hauled him through the window.

I knew it was a him because he was heavy, but the adrenaline that was coursing through me seemed to lend me super-strength, and I managed to throw him to the floor with impressive force. I drew my fist back to hit him, but he dodged the blow and grabbed my wrist. I drew my other hand back, intending to hit him again.

“Alexa! Alexa, it’s me,” he whispered fiercely.

I stopped mid-swing, recognizing the drawl of his voice. “Jackson?

What the hell are you doing here? I almost punched you in the face!” He chuckled softly. “Yeah, I noticed.”

I flopped back onto the bed and inhaled deeply. It seemed to take a minute for me to realize there was no longer a threat. Shoving my hair out of my face, I said, “I would have felt really bad if I had knocked you out, too.”

Jackson made a show of dusting himself off, then walked over and sat down next to me on the bed. It dipped with his weight. “I know, I heard about that. Wish I had been there to see it. Good thing I’m not such a weak opponent.”

I didn’t really want to get into that, so I ignored that comment. “Why are you here? How did you know where I live?”

“I wanted to come and check on you. I was worried after I’d heard what happened. I really should’ve been there for you.” His green eyes fixed on me. He looked like he was serious, and my agitation faded a little, but I didn’t miss the fact that he’d ignored my second question.

“Well, thanks, but I’m fine… Did you hear anything about how Riley is doing?”

“Yeah, I heard he’s got a broken nose and a concussion.” He shrugged like this was no big deal.

Noticing what must have been my horrified face, he said, “He’ll be fine, though. I’m sure he’ll be fine. Besides, I heard he swung at you first. He deserves what he got.”

I wasn’t sure I agreed. “What else did you hear?”

He flashed an easy smile. “That you were amazing… and fast. Some of the kids are even afraid of you. Well, more afraid of you than they were before.”

I scoffed. “People aren’t afraid of me.” Who was I kidding? I was starting to be afraid of me.

Jack stood up and walked over to the window. “’Course they are. It’s in their nature.”

My brow furrowed at that. Had everyone taken a crazy pill today?

“Well, darling,” he said. “I gotta go, but I’m glad you’re okay. He turned to the window to leave, and then stopped and turned back to me. “Don’t worry, Lexie. You did the right thing. You did what you had to.”

He was starting to sound like my mother.

Chapter Eight

At some point I must have drifted off to sleep, because when I woke up, it was morning. I squinted at the sun shining brightly through my window. What time was it? By the way the sun seemed to be up and in full force, I would have guessed it was about noon.

Oh shit. I was really late for school. Why hadn’t anyone woken me up? I jumped out of bed and rushed out of my room. And nearly collided with Nelly.

She giggled. “Morning, sleepy head.”

I rubbed my eyes. “What time is it?”

Nelly checked her watch. “Oh, almost noon.” I gaped at her, and she continued, “Don’t worry, Mom said it was cool. We needed a day off.”

I stared at her, trying pick my jaw up from the floor. “What?”

She laughed again and continued down the hall, calling back over her shoulder, “Get dressed. Lunch is ready downstairs.”

I showered, brushed my teeth, then stumbled back into my room and got dressed. Our mother didn’t give us days off. Something was up, and I was going to find out what.

Before I left my room, I stopped to look at myself in the mirror. My black eye was getting better. Today it was just a yellowish color and the swelling was almost completely gone. It always amazed me how quickly I seemed to heal from my injuries. I shrugged this off, preparing myself to find out what was going on. Even if I had to demand answers, which was never easy with my mother.

I walked into the kitchen to find Nelly and my mother sitting at the table, eating sandwiches. Nelly smiled and handed me a plate loaded with sandwiches and fresh fruit. My mother glanced up and then turned her attention back to her food. I sat down at the table.

We ate in silence for a few moments, me chewing with just a little too much vigor, before I decided I couldn’t wait any longer. “Does someone want to explain to me what’s going on?” I asked, clenching and unclenching my teeth.

The two exchanged a look that once again gave me the feeling that they were hiding something from me. Understandably, my irritation grew.

Nelly spoke first. “I just had a feeling we should stay home today.” When I just stared at her, she added, “I just… I just felt like it was important for us to stay home today.”

I struggled to maintain my cool. “Okay…”

This got no response from either of them. I hated being left out, and I felt my mood growing darker and darker. Clenching my jaws, I forcibly brought my attention back to my food. Then, rather abruptly, I decided I couldn’t take it anymore. They were going to start explaining. I was going to see to that. Consequences be damned. Anger surged through me, and I swear I could feel the strength of it in my bones.

“Alright,” I said, as calmly as I could manage. “What the hell is going on? What aren’t you telling me?” I switched my gaze slowly back and forth between them. They flinched every time I met their eyes. I didn’t blame them. I was starting to scare myself.

Seeing them cringe diffused my temper a little, though. I didn’t ever want them to be afraid of me. Especially not Nelly, though I doubted my mother was afraid, I’d probably just surprised her.

I looked down to see that my fists were clenched. What was wrong with me? Why was I so angry lately? I lowered my voice and looked at Nelly. “Look, I’m sorry. I… I’m not sure what’s wrong with me. But I do know that there’s something you’re not telling me. What is such a big secret that you can’t trust me with it?”

Again, Nelly and my mother exchanged a look that seemed to speak volumes. And, again, I got no response.

I threw my hands up, all that anger rushing back into me. “Fine,” I said, shoving my chair back and standing to leave the kitchen. I had to get away from them before I really lost it.

I took two steps before my mother stopped me. “Alexa,” she said. Her voice was surprisingly gentle.

I turned back to face her, not caring that I was openly scowling. Like I said, consequences be damned.

“It’s for the best, I promise you,” my mother continued. I opened my mouth to protest. She held up a hand. “No, I know you don’t believe me, but I swear to you that it’s better this way. Even if you don’t trust me, I know you trust her.” She nodded toward Nelly. “Please, sit down. I have something for you.”

I hesitated before moving. This had to be some kind of trick. My mother never had something for me. Unless you counted a punch to the face.

Noticing my delay, she stood up. Subconsciously, I shifted my right leg back, so that I was standing in a fighting position. She chuckled. “Fine. Just stay there. I’ll be right back.”

She left the kitchen, and I looked over at Nelly. She was staring down at her hands, avoiding my gaze. I sighed and relaxed my stance. “Nell, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m just frustrated, and I can’t help but feel like there’s something—”

My mother walked back into the kitchen and held out something wrapped in cloth. “Here.”

Warily, I took the gift and ran my fingers over the velvet encasing it. It was a deep crimson and held something heavy. “What is it?”

“Open it.”

I slowly unwrapped the cloth, revealing a silver, oval, handlethingy. It looked like the grip of a sword. It shone brilliantly and had some sort of floral design wrapping all the way around it. It was beautiful. I ran my fingers along the design, all earlier thoughts of anger forgotten.

“Um, thank you.”

She just nodded. I looked back over at Nelly to see that she was staring wide-eyed at my strange gift. I gripped it in my hand and felt a strange peace wash over me. The vines and flowers carved into it seemed to wrap around my fingers in an embrace, leaving a smooth, cool surface for a grip. I wasn’t sure what the thing was, but I felt as though I had just been handed something very important.

Wrapping it back up in the velvet cloth, I took my seat at the table. I decided to put off my questions for later. Suddenly, everything felt like it would be okay.

Or so I’d thought.

Chapter Nine

I spent the rest of the day doing nothing. Well, not nothing, but pretty close. My mother said we didn’t need to practice today. She didn’t even make Nelly and me go on a run.

We watched a couple of movies, I did a little reading, and just enjoyed their company, even my mother’s. I put away my worries over returning to school and everything else that seemed to be happening to me lately.

Nelly and I were sitting in my room after dinner. I spent most of my time at home alone or with Nelly—or “practicing” with my mother—plus she was the only person I really had to talk to.

Nelly said, “I never got a chance to thank you for what you did with Riley.”

I gave a half smile. I hadn’t expected her to thank me for that. In fact, I’d thought she might be mad at me for hurting someone so badly because Nelly was a gentle person. I should’ve known she’d understand, even if I didn’t understand it myself.

There was a sincere look in her hazel eyes. “So, thank you. I appreciate what you did.”

I gave another halfhearted smile. “What else would I have done?”

She started to say something else, but I held up my hand, cutting her short. “Shh,” I whispered.

I had heard something outside the open window near my bed. I hadn’t closed it because I wasn’t going to sleep just yet. Maybe it was just Jackson again, coming over to “check on” me. Still, I had to be sure. For whatever reason, my hackles had gone up as soon as I’d heard that indistinguishable noise outside of my window.

I stood up slowly, pulling Nelly along with me. “Go to the living room with Mom,” I whispered.

I’m not sure what my face looked like, but it must have looked serious because she immediately obeyed. I walked over to my dresser, keeping my gaze locked on the window. Picking up the gift from my mother, I removed its velvet cloth. I wasn’t sure why, but I was just suddenly drawn to it, like I needed to pick it up.

I stared down at it and was momentarily distracted from the window. I looked back up to see that someone, or rather something had entered while I’d been distracted.

It resembled a woman, except it wasn’t a woman at all. As soon as I set eyes on her, I knew something was very wrong. Alarm bells sounded off inside my head, and it took me a minute to interpret the message. This thing standing in front of me was here to kill. Not sure how I knew, but I did. The look in her almost-human eyes was one I knew all too well. A predator’s regard. I recognized it undoubtedly. It was there every time I looked in the mirror.

There were no whites to her eyes, just a deep, gleaming black like polished marble. Her skin was a translucent white, and what looked like red veins webbed her hands and her neck. Other than that, she looked like any other woman, save for the fact that she had an extraordinarily beautiful face. I felt like I could get lost in her black eyes and fall out in a different universe.

I shook my head hard, trying to clear what suddenly felt like muddled thoughts, and dragged my eyes from the woman’s face. This took more effort than it should have. I don’t remember doing it, but I was already in a fighter’s stance, and I clenched my fists tight in anticipation.

I felt a cold and tingling sensation rush up my arm, and that’s when she opened her mouth and hissed. It was a vile sound, the same I’d heard earlier, just before I’d sent Nelly from the room. Goose bumps broke out across my skin, and my chest constricted slightly. I hated that sound. I wanted to stop it.

But something other than that unbearable noise had caught my attention. In opening her mouth, lips pulling back in a manner too wide to be human, she’d revealed multiple rows of razor sharp teeth. A hissing shark, I thought. What does that make me?

She lunged for me before I could process anything else. I tried to duck out of her way, but she was fast, and I ended up getting slammed against the wall, nearly causing me to drop what was in my hand. The wind was knocked out of me, but it was a feeling I was accustomed to, and I brought my knee up hard and slammed it into her stomach.

She didn’t even flinch.

In a blink my hands were pinned to the wall. Oh, shit. Not good.

The thought might have made me laugh had fear not seized my vocals. I bucked in wild desperation, but she was as moveable as a brick building.

At that point, raw panic threatened to overcome me.

Her exquisite, chalk-white face hovered before mine, and burning cold breath seared my skin. As I stared into those endless black eyes, I became too scared to move until she opened her mouth to speak, once again revealing those very sharp-looking teeth.

“You’ve got ssssweet blood,” she hissed. “I can ssssmell it—” I head-butted her.

I hadn’t known what else to do, but it occurred to me that if I didn’t do something, and fast, she was going to kill me. Kill or be killed. The thought came to me calmly. My survival instincts kicked in, and I slammed my foot into her stomach with all my strength, forcing her back several feet.

She let out an ear-piercing shriek, and I involuntarily brought my hands up to cover my ears. As I did this, something cold and smooth brushed my right ear. I looked at my hand to see I still held my mother’s gift. It had produced a long blade, and I guess my mind had just skipped over its importance in my haste to get the shark off me. But I had returned to the here-and-now, as if the blade had cut through my mental fog.

This glance left me vulnerable though, and she lunged for me again, but this time she wasn’t fast enough. I side-stepped her attack and spun around fast, putting as much force into my swing as I could manage. I aimed for the neck. At the time, I hadn’t thought about it, but I realized later I did exactly what I’d been taught to do.

The blade stuck midway through her neck, and she was shrieking so loudly I was sure I was going to lose my hearing. Black liquid stampeded out of her wound, landing on my face and hands. I yanked the sword back out and swung it again, completely decapitating her. She fell silent.

I fell to my hands and knees. I’d never been in shock before, but I was pretty sure this was it. Everything seemed to slow down, and I couldn’t even really process what had just happened. It was all just a blur. A strong surge of what felt like pure energy ripped through me, so potent I almost vomited. I realized then that I was trembling.

Then my body went completely rigid.

Because that’s when I heard Nelly scream.

Chapter Ten

I jumped up so fast I dropped my weapon. My stomach dropped, too. Cold sweat broke over me. Scooping up the sword, I raced out of my bedroom and down the hall. My heart thundered in my chest, and every instinct told me to run in the opposite direction. I wanted to go sit in a closet and curl up into a ball—but no, I had to find Nelly.

When I reached the living room, a silent scream ripped up my throat. The living room looked as if it had been swept by a small tornado. Pieces of broken furniture lay scattered everywhere. My mother had a silver sword too, and she was currently fending off two more monsters. Nelly huddled in a corner, cowering from another one closing in on her.

It was all so surreal, so much to take in. It was as if I had walked onto the set of some horror movie and forgotten my next line. Only this was no movie. I was rooted to where I stood. I couldn’t move, couldn’t react. Until my mother snapped me back to grim reality.

“Little help here, Lex?” she said. She was calm and focused, and I knew that she was in warrior mode now. She was also losing her battle.

Talking to me had made the creature approaching Nelly stop and turn to face me. By this point, I was already charging toward her, my body insisting I do what my brain couldn’t seem to figure out. Before we collided, I brought my sword up swiftly between us, slicing her body in a vertical line. That horrible black blood spilled out, sprays and rivers of darkness gushing to open air. The creature shrieked that ear-piercing sound, and I used the time to spin around and throw all of my weight into my next swing. My blade went through her neck without any hesitation. I didn’t think I could replicate that move if I tried.

Another surge of energy racked me. I rocked back on my heels and my eyelids fluttered. It was a magnificent feeling—a terrifyingly awful, magnificent feeling that ended much too quickly for my approval. By the time I regained control over myself, I saw that my mother had taken down one of her attackers, shifting the odds in her favor. I moved to help her, but she gritted out, “No! Get Nelly out of here!”

I hesitated. I was confident she could handle her opponent, but what if more showed up?

As if on cue, three more creatures charged through the open doorway. Again, they were all women, or I guess female would be a more accurate word.

My mother decapitated her attacker and now stood in between the three new ones and Nelly and I. “Alexa! Get. Her. Out. Of. Here.”

Again, I hesitated. I could help her; I knew I could. But could I do that and protect Nelly at the same time? I had no idea. However, I did know I had very little time to decide.

My mother met my eyes for only the briefest of moments, but a whole conversation seemed to pass between us. Everything she’d ever taught or told me came slamming back into me with a force that almost made me dizzy. This was Nelly we were talking about. My little sister. My little sister’s life on the line. Really, there was no choice at all.

I picked up two heavy bookends from the mantel beside me. I threw them as hard as I could at the bay window behind Nelly. She ducked, even though they weren’t going to hit her, and I rushed over and jerked her to her feet. A couple of strong kicks at the glass cleared the remaining shards so that we could squeeze through.

I shoved Nelly through and glanced back at my mother, who was gallantly managing to keep all three creatures from reaching us. The way she fought was amazing—the most deadly, beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Her blade sliced through the air with the precision of a well-oiled machine. That’s when two more creatures rushed in, coming from seemingly nowhere.

My heart stopped. She was good, but I doubted even she could take on five of them at once. A jumble of options came tumbling through my mind as I stood there, trying to decide what to do.

I could send Nelly ahead of me and help my mother fight, but that would leave Nelly unprotected. And I was unsure if she even knew where to go, and I was sure that if she encountered one of those creatures by herself, her chances of surviving were pretty much zero. I could keep her here with me and help my mother fight, but again, that would put Nelly at risk. Or, I could run. I could take Nelly and run.

I made my decision less than a heartbeat later. I only hoped I was making the right one.

Squeezing out of the window, I found Nelly waiting for me. The sky spat thin bullets of rain and the wind whipped her hair around her face. Her hazel eyes were round and filled with shock, but there was also understanding in them. I had made the decision, and she trusted me, though it must have been heartbreaking for her, too.

So, for the second time in just as many days, I breathed, “Run,

Nell. We have to run.”

Once again, we did.

Chapter Eleven

We raced through the forest, making enough noise to rival a stampede. At least, that’s what it felt like. I cringed at the sound of every crushed leaf and snapped twig. The rain and wind had me blinking my eyes and gritting my teeth. I’d never been so afraid in my entire life.

My fear allowed my body to run, but it seized my mind so that I couldn’t really think any coherent thoughts beyond: run, Run, RUN. Nelly was running right in front of me, and we stumbled into each other a few times, scraping our skin in various places as we smashed through the trees.

I’m not sure how long we had been running. It felt like hours, although it couldn’t have been that long because we hadn’t yet reached our destination, when I heard it.

A low hissing sound and the crunch of leaves as something approached us.

Something approaching fast.

I barely had time to process these thoughts before it tackled me. I hit the ground hard enough to blur my vision. Pain shot through my head. For the second time that night, raw, unadulterated panic threatened to seize control.

The creature that had knocked me down was now on top of me. I could smell her sugary, rotting smell so strongly that bile surged into my throat. I swung my fists as hard and as fast as I could. It was like trying to shake off an enormous insect, that same feeling you get when a wasp lands on your hand. Only this was that feeling amplified by a million. I couldn’t get her off me fast enough.

One of my blows connected hard with the side of her head, and the creature jerked up. I delivered one more strong blow, and she was off me, lifted by the force of it, reminding me of Riley and my mother. My mother. Whom I had just left to die.

I pushed those thoughts aside, trying to focus on the task at hand. Afraid that if I didn’t, I might lose control and give in to the fear and anger that seemed to be stewing in my blood. I’d grieve later. First, I had to get Nelly to safety.

The damned thing leapt to her feet, and I scrambled to get on my feet before she regained her bearings. We stood across from each other, her stance mirroring my own. Part of me wondered what she was waiting for; all of the others had simply charged me. Was she afraid?

Looking into her soulless black eyes, I realized that she was not afraid. If I thought my mother was incapable of feeling fear, I clearly had never encountered a creature such as this. I got the feeling any emotion at all was beyond this thing’s capability. She was simply calculating her next move.

I clenched my fists to keep them from trembling. I wished I hadn’t dropped my sword. It seemed to lend me strength. But, I knew this: I had to either kill this monster, or she would kill me. And, if I died, Nelly was sure to follow. That could not be allowed to happen.

Easier said than done.

I had stood like this facing my mother many times in our training, but this was nothing like pairing off with her. This was like dancing with the Devil. Every time she moved, I moved. Every time I shifted, she’d shift. Round and round we went.

She grew tired of this first, rushing me when I hadn’t been expecting it and landing a painful blow to my head. The force of it knocked me down and, once again, my vision dimmed. I landed in a patch of mud and roots and sticks. A few screws must have knocked loose, because I made a quick decision and hoped it wasn’t as stupid as it sounded in my head.

I played dead.

Okay, not dead—but I pretended I’d been knocked out. This was a risky choice because I had to rely on my other senses to alert me when she got near me. If she got near me. For all I knew, she might turn on Nelly.

I didn’t get the chance to test my idea, though, because then that terrible shriek sounded in my ears like cutlery on plates. I shot up from my position on the ground. Nelly was standing nearby with her right arm wrapped around her belly and her left thumb thrust into her mouth. Whipping my head to the right, I saw that someone else was fighting with the creature. Someone I had not expected to see.

Jackson.

Jack was keeping his opponent occupied, but not for long. He was losing the battle fast. I rushed from behind, scooped my sword up from the ground, and swung it hard at her neck. She fell silent.

I doubled over, trying to catch my breath, that strong surge of energy possessing me once again. Swiping some of the creature’s black blood from my lips, I said, “Jackson… what… the… hell —?”

Nelly tugged at my arm. “Not now. We have to keep going.”

Jackson tilted his head to the side, like a dog does when it’s listening to something no one else can hear. “She’s right. More are coming.” He glanced around, eyes skipping rapidly over the headless thing at our feet. “Where do we go from here?”

It was difficult to think. I was delirious with adrenaline, sweeping my eyes frantically over the forest, trying to find something familiar. To my immense relief, I spotted one of the markers my mother had pointed out to me yesterday.

My God, how could that have just been yesterday?

“This way,” I said, waving my hand to my left.

We took off in that direction, and all too soon I got the discomfiting feeling that the sharks were catching up. It was the distinct feeling of being hunted, of running for our lives.

Nelly must have felt it too. “How far is the creek?” She panted.

“Not too much farther… I think,” I said. I wasn’t sure, but the creek had been one of the markers my mother had pointed out, so I hoped I was right.

“Good. They can’t cross over running water.”

“What—?” I began, cutting myself short when that unmistakable on-edge feeling kicked up a notch. The hunters were closing in fast.

“Run, as fast as you can. It should be just up ahead,” I shouted.

“It is,” said Jackson. “I can hear the water.”

We tore through the forest with the creatures right on our heels. I wasn’t sure how many were chasing us because I couldn’t risk glancing back, but by the sound of it, there were at least three.

Nelly reached the creek first and promptly hopped over, with Jackson and me following seconds later. I snuck a look behind me just in time to see two of the things slam right into what seemed like an invisible wall. I didn’t have time to ponder this, so I kept running, giving the others directions as needed.

At last, we reached the clearing, and I felt a wave of relief flood through me. Jackson and Nelly started to slow down, but I urged them forward. “No.” I paused, struggling to catch my breath. “I think there is an opening in the hillside. Follow me.”

I hadn’t heard anything following us since we crossed the creek, but I didn’t want to take the chance of standing still. Sure enough, there was a small space among the undergrowth, beckoning us inside the hill. The opening appeared big enough for one person to slide through at a time. It was hard to see, due to the fact that the sun had completely disappeared, but like I said, my night vision had always been pretty good.

Slipping inside, I had to crouch for a few feet, the ceiling gradually growing taller as I moved in farther. I came to what must have been a larger part of the cave, but couldn’t really tell because I’d lost what little light the moon and stars had offered outside. Even I can’t see in complete darkness.

I was just beginning to panic over my loss of sight when a small light popped on behind me. I turned to see Jack holding up his cell phone. Snatching it out of his hand, I held it out in front of me. Just as I’d thought, this part of the cave was much bigger than the opening. In fact, judging by the outside, it shouldn’t even be able to fit in here.

Glancing around, I spotted what looked like battery-operated camping lanterns. I rushed over to them, and using the phone’s light, was able to flip the switch on one of them, then the others. Light illuminated the cavern, revealing a room of hard-packed dirt on all sides.

Fearing that the light could be seen from outside, I found a neatly stacked pile of large logs near the cave’s entrance and began stacking them in front of it. Jackson and Nelly joined in my efforts, and soon, we had the cave’s entrance reasonably sealed off.

Nelly and Jack collapsed to the ground. I considered doing the same, but decided I needed to search our hiding spot first. Those logs and lanterns had been placed there purposely, undoubtedly by my mother, and I was pretty sure she had left other things for us as well.

A brief search led me to two backpacks and a plastic bag containing blankets. I tossed the blankets over to the others and rifled through the backpacks.

They contained a few items I’d expected: nonperishable food, water, two pairs of jeans, two sweatshirts and a case of long, sturdy matches.

They also contained a few things I hadn’t been expecting: a thick bundle of cash, four pints of frozen blood wrapped in cold packets, and a folded piece of paper with my name scrawled across it. Body trembling, I took a seat on the floor by the others, who were now sprawled out on the ground, and unfolded the note.

Dear Alexa,

I was hoping you would never have to read this, but the fact that you are means my greatest fear has come true. I know you must be confused and afraid about what has happened, and I regret that I wasn’t able to share these secrets with you earlier. The fact that you are reading this also means you have survived, however, and I can honestly say I expected no less. I know you will do what you must to protect your sister. I cannot tell you how important this task is, and I can only hope I have prepared you adequately for what is now ahead of you.

There are some things you must know. First, the Lamia cannot travel in the daylight; the sun is deadly to them. Use this to your advantage and try your best to only travel during the day. Second, the Lamia are not the only ones you have to worry about, so be wary of everyone you meet. Everyone has an ulterior motive. Third, trust your instincts. They are powerful and may be the only thing that can save you. Finally, trust Nelly. No matter what information you may gather, know that she loves you and would willingly trade her life for yours. You are family, sisters, and despite what others may say¸ you know this to be true.

Be careful, Alexa. For both yours and Nelly’s sake.

-Mom

P.S. Be strong and believe that you did what you had to.

There was also a phone number scrawled at the bottom of it. I looked it over and decided it wasn’t one I recognized. Glancing up, I saw that both Nelly and Jack were staring at me. Folding the note, I stuffed it into my pocket.

None of us spoke for a long time. I wasn’t sure what to say. I couldn’t even begin to process what had happened tonight, and I realized I must still be in shock. My thoughts kept shifting back to my mother and her words in the letter, trying to make sense of things that made no sense at all. I felt completely numb, like I should be crying or screaming, but my body didn’t understand the commands.

I’d left her. I’d left her to die, and now that I had time to think, I couldn’t help but feel as if there was something else I could’ve done. I felt like a coward. Like I deserved to have one of those creatures bring me my death.

At the same time, I was questioning my sanity. Hoping that maybe this was some sort of dream, and I would wake up tomorrow to find that none of this had actually happened.

“What now?” It was Nelly who snapped me out of my thoughts. Her voice was small and nearly inaudible behind the left thumb she had stuffed in her mouth. “What do we do now?”

She was shivering, her face was streaked with tears. For the first time in my life, I felt ashamed for not crying. I had always seen it as a sign of weakness and refused to let others see me in that rare state.

But now, everything was different. We’d just been dropped into some sort of nightmare, and we had more than likely just lost the only parent we’d ever known. I should be ashamed. I should be crying.

Scooting over to Nelly, I drew her into my arms and let her sob into my shoulder as I stroked her hair. If not for myself, at least I could be strong for her. “Shh, it’s okay. Everything is going to be okay,” I whispered. “We just have to wait. We just have to wait until the sun rises.”

Nelly pulled back from me, but kept hold of my right arm. Running her fingers over my wrist, she gasped. “I can’t believe this.”

I started to agree with her, until I looked down and saw what she was talking about. I shot up to my feet, causing her to topple off me as I did so.

“W-What the hell is that?” I squeaked, working hard to keep my voice down.

Jackson crawled over from where he was sitting and grabbed my arm. Running his fingers over my wrist, he repeated Nelly, “I can’t believe it.”

I darted my eyes between him and Nelly, trying to figure out what the hell they were talking about. “How many did you kill?” asked Jack.

It took me a second to grasp what he was talking about. I was still staring at my arm. “I don’t know. Three… or four.” I counted them off in my head. “Three… what the hell does that have to do with my arm?” Wrapped around my wrist was a floral design, similar to a tattoo. Except it was a brilliant silver color, and it was perfectly smooth. The silver vines crawled up and around my forearm and then disappeared under the sleeve of my shirt. Three small lilies had sprouted from the vine; one on top of my wrist and the others climbing up my forearm. Pushing up my sleeve revealed a small sun at the top of the design, near my shoulder. It was beautiful. And it freaked me out.

Taking a deep breath, so I wouldn’t start shouting, I said, “Okay, what is going on?”

Jackson cleared his throat. He still had that awed expression on his face. “It’s the Sol Liliums… the symbol of the Proeliator.”

As if sensing my confusion and growing anger, Nelly answered my next question. “It… well, it means sun lilies… and Warrior in Latin.”

I tried to add it all up. Three lilies for three dead… What had my mother called them? Lamias. One lily for each Lamia I’d killed.

I’d killed.

This thought seemed to smack me in the face. I had just killed three… whatever they were, but the point remained the same. I’d killed.

And I hadn’t even really thought about it until now.

“It matches the symbol on your Gladius,” Nelly said, saving me from falling into what could only be more horrific thoughts.

“My what?”

She reached over and picked up my sword. The blade must have retracted at some point, because now, it looked like just a pretty, silver handle again.

“This. It’s a Gladius. They were the weapon of the ancient Proeliators,” Nelly continued.

I skimmed through the small amount of Latin I knew. “Gladius. Doesn’t that mean… like… butt in Latin?”

She chuckled, but there was no humor in it. “No, that’s gluteus.

Gladius in Latin means sword.”

“Where did you get that?” asked Jackson.

I started to tell him and then stopped when another thought came to mind. “That’s not important,” I said bitterly. He looked confused at my sudden change in tone. “What is important is what you’re doing here. You seemed to pop up at a very convenient time, Jack. Tell me what you’re doing here.”

He just looked at me. I gripped my sword—I was not going to call it a Gladius—and, like before, the blade shot out from it. I got to my feet and faced him down. “Don’t make me ask again, Jackson. What are you doing here? How did you even find us? You don’t seem to be very shaken up after what just happened.”

Some part of me suspected I was overreacting, but my mother’s words came back to me: Everyone has an ulterior motive. Maybe I could trust him, but maybe I couldn’t. And, at the moment, I wasn’t really willing to take that risk.

“Whoa, whoa, calm down, Lex.” Nelly had stepped in between Jackson and me and was holding her hands up in a back off gesture. This fueled my rapidly growing anger.

But, looking into her eyes, I felt a wave of calm wash over me, and suddenly backing off sounded reasonable. I shook my head and managed to pull my gaze away with considerable effort. “No, don’t do that!”

“Don’t do wh—?”

“I don’t know what! Whatever it is that you’re doing. We have to know we can trust him! How do we know that we can trust him?” I sounded like I was pleading.

Nelly spun around to face Jackson. I couldn’t see her face, but whatever look she gave him made his eyes go wide, and then his face just went… blank.

Nelly blew out a slow breath, as if steeling herself for something. “Jackson,” her voice was calm and comforting, like she was talking to an infant. “Give me your hands, Jack.”

Jackson immediately obeyed, reaching up slowly so that his hands rested in Nelly’s. I stood, gaping. Could this night get any stranger?

Apparently, it could.

They stood there like that for several seconds, and then Jackson fell down to his knees, breathing heavily. Nelly released him and swung back around to face me.

Sweat had broken out on her face and she was breathing nearly as hard as Jackson. “He’s fine. We can trust him,” she gasped.

“But—”

“I said he’s fine.” The look she gave me was hard and unyielding. I involuntarily took a step back. I had never seen a look like that from Nelly. Sweet, calm, caring Nelly—and it scared me more than I wanted to admit.

I was about to protest when, once again, my mother’s words flooded into my head. Trust Nelly.

Finally, I slumped back against the dirt wall and rubbed my hands over my face. “Fine,” I said. “We need to rest now. I have a feeling we have a long day ahead of us, but… in the morning… in the morning, you are going to explain things to me.”

She gave me a considering look that I met with a hard expression of my own. As if making some sort of decision, she nodded and settled back down on the ground. I glanced over at Jackson, who had a look on his face like he’d just seen a ghost.

He opened his mouth to speak, and it seemed like it took considerable effort on his part. “You’re—” he started, looking at Nelly.

She shot him a pointed look. “Not now.” Her tone was unyielding. “We need to rest now.” Jackson shut up, but he still looked awed.

Leaning back against the wall, I realized how tired I really was. But my mind was too overloaded with questions, and I doubted I’d get any sleep tonight.

“You guys sleep. I’ll keep watch.”

They gave me no argument, and within minutes, I heard their breathing grow deep and steady. I picked up my sword and moved over near the cave’s entrance. For the first time in my life, I wished my mother were with me.

Chapter Twelve

Despite my efforts to stay alert, I fell into a half-asleep, half-awake state. I’m not sure how long I sat there like that. It felt like hours, jumping alternately between nightmare and awareness.

In my semi-conscious dreams, I stood in the middle of what could only be described as ruin. I stood straight-backed over what seemed like hundreds of gray lumps in a gray world. I tilted my head and focused my dry eyes until the lumps took human shape. As they formed, so did a lump in my throat.

At first I thought some of the people must be strangers, adlibs of my subconscious. But as I looked closer, the sprawled bodies morphed into people I knew: Nelly, my mother, Jackson, and random people I’ve encountered over the course of my life. Riley was there too.

Instinctively, my eyes settled on Nelly. She laid flat on her back, sightless eyes staring heavenward, golden brown hair fanned out around her like expired rays of sun. Then I was falling, crashing soundlessly down to my dream-knees. The pain I felt was so emotional that it became physical. My head snapped forward, rocked by such grief that my brain couldn’t even send the signal for tears to my eye ducts. I stared down at suspiciously blood-soaked clothes.

I woke up in a cold sweat that night so many times that it shouldn’t have been humanly possible. Or divinely allowed. Eventually, I entertained ghastly thoughts too disturbing to allow sleep.

I was a killer. I’d killed three people—well, not people—but that didn’t take away from the fact that I had killed with hardly any hesitation. I’d also left my mother to die. I ran away when she needed me. I ran like a coward. I wasn’t sure if I could ever forgive myself for that.

Some rational part of me knew that I had done what I had to. What my mother wanted me to do. But that part was easily wiped away with all of the other morbid thoughts filling my head. The whole world seemed to be sitting on my shoulders, pointing fingers and blaming me for not doing something more. Something… anything… I should have done something more.

I had never felt so lost and alone in my life. Glancing over at Nelly still sleeping peacefully, the unspeakable dream-grief enveloped me like a parka in August. I would die before I let anything happen to her. Without Nelly, I had no one. I’ve revisited my dream many times since. It still haunts me.

I reached down beside me and picked up the sword my Mother had given me. The last gift she would ever give me, I thought. Running my fingers over the carved design, I lifted my right arm to examine my strange new tattoo. Nelly was right; the designs were identical. Twisting my wrist, the silver in my arm caught a bit of light and twinkled. I glanced to my left to see sunlight peeking in through the small spaces between the logs piled at the opening of the cave.

Pulling myself off the ground, I was surprised when I felt a little light-headed. Maybe I should have tried to get some sleep, but it was too late for that now. We needed to go, though I was unsure where we would be going. I started to move the logs and then stopped when a thought struck me. What if those things were still out there? What if they were waiting to ambush us as soon as well left our hiding spot? My mother said that they couldn’t stand the sunlight, but what if she had been wrong?

No, I thought. I had never trusted her before when she’d told me that everything she did was for my own good. I would trust her now, even if it was too little too late.

My companions started to wake as I moved the logs.

“What time is it?” Nelly asked, rubbing her eyes.

“Not sure,” I said, rolling the last log out of the way. “But the sun is up.”

Jackson sat up, but didn’t look at me. I figured that he was probably mad at me for freaking out on him last night. I didn’t want to deal with it right now. I had way too much on my plate as it was.

He stood up and stretched his arms out over his head. Finally, he looked at me and gave a small smile. I smiled back, thankful that he apparently wasn’t holding any grudges.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he said, walking over and placing a small kiss on my forehead.

I considered what I must look like. I had on yesterday’s clothes, jeans and a black t-shirt, ripped and covered in mud and what I assumed was blood. I had lost my ponytail holder at some point last night, and my hair hung over my shoulders in a tangled mess. Leave it to Jack to call me beautiful.

“Not really, but thanks.”

He considered this for a moment, his bright green eyes going thoughtful. “No, it’s not really a good morning, but you are definitely still beautiful.”

I felt ashamed that he could be so nice to me after the way I’d treated him. I couldn’t seem to do anything right lately. “Jack, I’m sorry—”

He held up his hand. “Don’t be. There’s no need. You did what you—”

“—what I had to do. I know, and I think I’m getting tired of hearing that.”

He nodded and pulled me into a hug. I rested my head on his flannel shirt. I hadn’t realized how much I’d been needing some sort of comfort.

“Well, I’m happy to see you guys have kissed and made up, but we need to figure out what we’re going to do.” Nelly seemed a little embarrassed to have interrupted us.

As I considered our options, the sudden realization of what we had to do sent a shiver down my spine.

“We have… We have to go back to the house.” Nelly opened her mouth to respond, but I held up my hand, cutting her off. “We need to go and gather some things. I know we can’t stay there, but we need to get whatever we can. Pack some clothes and get the keys to mMom’s…” It was hard for me to speak of her out loud, but I had to explain my decision. “To Mom’s car,” I continued. “We also have to check… We just have to make sure.”

“Alexa,” Nelly’s voice was as soft as flower petals. “She’s… She’s not there. If she were, she would’ve come to us by now. She’s… gone.” A tear escaped her eye as she said this, and again I hated myself for not being able to cry.

“I know,” I said, my voice small. “But we have to make sure.”

Chapter Thirteen

Nelly had been right; our mother wasn’t at the house. Nor were the creatures. In fact, nothing was there except ghastly images that would be preserved behind my eyes like pieces of precious manuscript. Images of a home I’d never really felt part of. Images of a life I’d for so long despised, only to learn that I should have been counting blessings. All I found that day was the horror of hindsight.

Ruined furniture and wet-black stains—the creatures’ blood— marred the floor and many belongings. It was one of the most difficult, gut-wrenching things I’ve ever had to do. Going back there now made leaving it behind inescapable, and as much as that would have been a pleasing prospect in the past, now it was just bitterly sardonic.

I had gone back because I had to. I had to make sure she wasn’t there. I had to see for myself. And not finding anything was almost worse than finding the worst. Not finding anything left me with a twinkle of hope that she’d somehow survived. Sometimes hope can destroy you.

We had taken the keys to my mother’s SUV and we were now heading for Ohio. When I had called the number on the letter she had left me, what sounded like an older lady had answered. After very little explanation on my part, she’d given me an address and then just hung up. Jackson was still with us, despite my protests for the opposite.

“You might need me,” he had argued. “What if this turns out to be some kind of trap?”

I shot him a look in the rearview mirror, not in the best mood right then. “I seriously doubt my mother would send us to someone she didn’t trust. Besides aren’t your parents going to be looking for you?”

“Nah, I called them and told them that I was going to Vegas to elope with the love of my life.”

I rolled my eyes. Jackson chuckled. “I was just kidding, relax. I told them I was going to stay with my Aunt Marcia for a little while.” He shrugged. “They don’t really care what I do.”

We settled into silence after that. I still needed answers, but Nelly insisted that the woman we were going to meet would be able to explain things better than she could. That didn’t stop me from trying.

We had been on the road for three hours when I finally cracked. “Okay, so all this time, there really has been someone after us?” Nelly, next to me in the passenger seat, sighed and gave a slight nod. “And… and you and Mom knew about this, but decided not to tell me?” She nodded again.

“Well, that’s just wonderful,” I snapped.

“Look,” Nelly said, “I know you’re pissed off and really you have every right to be.” I snorted at this, and she pressed on. “But we didn’t tell you because we were hoping we’d never have to.”

“Well—” I stopped speaking when I got a good look at Nelly. Her skin was pale and her bangs were plastered to her forehead with sweat. Her eyelids hung at half-mast, and what I could see of her eyes showed that they were bloodshot. I swerved off the road and threw the car into park.

“What are you doing?” Nelly shouted. “We have to stay on the road or we won’t make it before sundown!”

“You’re sick,” I shot back. “We need to get you to a doctor.” “I’m fine.” She replied, folding her arms over her chest.

“You are not fine. Here, let me look at you.” I reached out to touch her forehead and she jerked back out of my reach. I took a deep breath to control my frustration and my nails bit into my fists. “This is no time to play tough, Nell. Let me—” “Blood,” she spat.

I sat back in my seat, confused for what seemed like the hundredth time on this trip. “What?”

“Blood,” she repeated, looking ashamed. “I need blood.”

I narrowed my eyes at her; no way was she suggesting what I thought she was. “What do you mean you need blood? ”

Jackson popped his head up from the backseat. “I knew it. That’s why you were able to Search me back in the cave.”

“Shut up, wolf-boy. No one was talking to you.” I had never seen Nelly so defensive. Once again, it scared me.

Then I processed what she was saying. “Wait, wolf-boy?” I took another deep breath. “Alright, explain, Nelly. Now.”

She blew out a heavy breath and pushed her hair out of her face. “Fine, I need to drink blood to survive and he’s—” She jerked her head toward Jackson. “A werewolf.”

“Better than being a blood-sucker,” Jackson mumbled.

This was just too much. “What, did I just step into the Twilight Zone?” That was funny on more than one level, but no one laughed. I pushed on.

“Nelly, do not tell me you are one of those… things.”

She gave me a hurt look that turned instantly into one of anger. “It’s not like I chose to be this way! I can’t help it. Besides, I’m only half.”

“Half what?”

Nelly threw up exasperated hands. “Alexa. I. Drink. Blood.”

“Nell, what the f—?” I stopped mid-curse as a thought came to mind. I was almost afraid to ask my next question. “Does that mean that I’m—?”

“No. You’re… Well, you’re something different.”

I considered this a moment. “Does that mean we’re not—?”

Nelly reached over and grabbed me by the shoulder, nails digging into my skin. She had a panicked look on her face. Hell, I probably had a panicked look on mine. “No! How could you even ask that? Don’t ever think that! You’re all I have left.” She was pleading now.

I didn’t want to hurt her. Ever. And she was obviously hurting now, so like always, I pushed aside my questions so I could comfort her.

I reached up and gently removed her hands from my shoulder, looking her directly in the eyes. “Okay,” I said. “Okay. Blood, you need blood.” I swiped a tear off her face with my sleeve. “Where are we going to get—?”

The backpacks. I had forgotten about the backpacks. There were four pints of blood in them, and I hadn’t really thought about it, seeing how I was fearing for my life at the time. Or rather, Nelly’s life.

“Jackson, hand me the blue backpack.”

He reached behind him into the trunk space of the SUV and passed me the bag. Rummaging through it, I pulled out one of the bags of blood.

“Here.” I handed it to Nelly.

“Where did you—? Oh, right… Mom.” She ripped it open and tilted it up. I turned my head and stared straight out the windshield. I couldn’t bring myself to watch this; my stomach was already queasy as it was.

I pulled out the other three bags of blood and handed them back to Jackson without turning my head. “Put those in the cooler, Jack. They may already be spoiled as it is.”

“They are,” Nelly said. I snuck a glance at her to see her folding the now empty bag and placing it in the plastic trash bag under her seat. “It’s okay, though it might make my stomach a little queasy”—that made two of us—“but it’s better than nothing.”

She was looking better already, having regained some color to her cheeks, and her eyes were open and alert. I nodded. “Okay, let’s go.” I checked the GPS. “We still have another six hours before we reach our destination.” The clock told me it was one p.m. “We should make it before sundown if we don’t make any more stops.”

Silence settled over us once again, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Or rather thought. Something in particular Nelly had said stood out in my mind. You’re… Well, you’re something different. I pushed my foot down a little harder on the accelerator. All that lay between me and my answers was a long stretch of highway.

Chapter Fourteen

Five and a half hours later, we parked outside of a small yellow house in a tidy little suburb of Ohio. The house was modest but well kept, and it seemed to have plants sprouting all around it. They hung from the porch, sat on window sills, lined the walkway and sat at the base of a lone tree in the yard. Not exactly what I’d been expecting, but then, I wasn’t sure what I had been expecting.

Jackson double-checked the address. “You sure this is the right place?” he asked.

I shrugged. “Guess so.”

“It’s the right place,” Nelly said.

I looked over at her and drew a deep breath. “Let’s go find out.”

We got out of the car and walked up to the front door. Nelly rang the doorbell. I wasn’t sure why, but my heart was racing and I had to wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans. I suddenly felt self-conscious. I was about to discover things that might change the world as I knew it, things about myself that I had never even known.

Looking down at my attire, I was glad that I had at least been able to change clothes. I hadn’t showered because I hadn’t wanted to spend any longer in my house than I had to. Gathering clothes and supplies had taken long enough. I was now wearing clean jeans and a light purple, long-sleeved shirt. I had pulled my hair back into a loose ponytail and brushed my teeth at a rest stop—could be worse.

Glancing over at my companions, I saw Jackson wore his usual flannel shirt and jeans, and Nelly looked beautiful, as always. Still, they appeared as nervous as I was. And tired. We all looked tired.

The door creaked open and a cute little girl poked her head out. If I had to guess, I would say that she was about five, but then, I didn’t really know much about little kids. She had big brown eyes and long, wavy brown hair, and she was wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt. I smiled involuntarily, the first time in the last two days that I had really smiled. She reminded me of a little me.

She tilted her little head to the side and studied us, concentration covering her adorable features. Her eyes passed over all three of us with the astuteness of an adult. I cleared my throat, feeling a little like I was being examined. “Um, hi. My name is—”

“Shh.” She interrupted. “I mean, sorry, just need silence for a second, okay?”

I shut my mouth and tried to hide my smile. I glanced uneasily at the rapidly sinking sun as she studied us for several more seconds. Finally, she nodded and pointed her tiny finger at Jackson. “Jackson Kane,” she proclaimed. “Jackson Kane, Wolf Son.” She swung her finger toward Nelly. “Nelliana, Omnipotent Life-Drinker.” She stumbled on omnipotent and I found myself still smiling, even though this was absolutely strange.

Her finger landed on me and I couldn’t help but hold my breath, “And Alexa… hmm… well… that’s… interesting.” She stared into my eyes and I got the strange sensation that she was staring straight through to my soul. Once again, I felt a little self-conscious.

Then, she closed her eyes and lowered her head in what looked like a bow. I shot looks at Jackson and Nelly. They just shrugged, looking just as confused as I was. Good, at least I wasn’t the only one.

A woman’s voice drifted out from inside the house. “Let them in, Akira. Don’t scare them away.”

Akira rolled her eyes and swung the door open, then gestured for us to follow her inside. We filed into the house, and she informed us that we could “sit down if we wanted.” We promptly complied. Akira plopped herself down by a large toy box in the corner of the room and began digging through toys and scattering them over the floor. She didn’t say anything else to us, all her attention on the tea party she was setting up for her stuffed animals.

As we waited, I took note of our surroundings. The front door had opened up into a cozy living room containing a beige couch and matching recliner. There were pictures and more flowers placed strategically around the room, and a tiny piano with a tiny stool sat near the toy box. It was cute and homey. Strangely, it made me miss my mother.

A few minutes later, an old-as-dirt lady emerged from the hallway connected to the living room. She walked slowly over to the recliner and sat down facing Nelly, Jackson and me on the couch. As she studied us, I studied her.

Her clothes were typical: dark blue slacks and a floral, blue, button-down shirt. Her shoes followed suit: dark-blue penny loafers with shiny pennies in them. She bore a slightly amused expression on her gravity-dominated face. Though the skin around her eyes was spotted with age, the vessels themselves were sharp as fishhooks. They seemed to snag me in much the same way.

I cleared my throat, feeling more than mildly uncomfortable. I didn’t know what to say that wouldn’t sound stupid, so I said, “Hi, I’m Alexa, and this is my sister, Nelly, and my friend, Jack. It’s nice to meet you.”

I’m sure she already knew who we were, so much for not sounding stupid. Maybe I should have just gone with my usual “What’s up?”

The old lady smiled, long-lost beauty flashing briefly across her face, and sat back in the recliner. “Hello, Alexa.” Her sharp gaze fell on the others and she nodded to them in greeting. Beside me, Jackson shifted. The woman just smiled and then turned her attention back to me.

I swallowed. “We were hoping you could help us. My mother left your number on a letter.” I had explained this over the phone, but I didn’t know what else to say to fill the silence that seemed to be suffocating me and my companions.

When she continued simply staring, I opened my mouth to try again, but she beat me to the punch. Her eyes locked on me and I had to work to hold her gaze. “So much pain… You carry so much pain.”

My tongue felt thick in my throat. It was obvious whom she was talking to.

“Yet, you don’t show it,” she continued. “That’s the Warrior in you. You carry a fire inside, even though it burns you. You refuse to let it out in fear that it may destroy others.” Her eyes flicked to Nelly, then returned to me. “You fear it may destroy you in doing so because you can’t seem to control it. Still, you try. Why, Alexa? Do you know why?”

I dropped my gaze and studied my hands, a million thoughts flying through my mind. Was this woman crazy? What was she even talking about? But as I replayed her words it occurred to me that maybe she wasn’t really that far off.

I spoke before I really knew what I was going to say. “Because… if it were up to me, I’d never let her get burned. I’d keep it as close to me as I could.”

She nodded in understanding, as if she had known what I would say even before I did. I wondered if she was some kind of witch. Honestly, at this point, I wouldn’t have been surprised if there was a unicorn tied up in the back yard.

“I’ve been called worse,” she said, as if replying to my thoughts. I must have looked shocked and embarrassed, because she waved her hand in dismissal. “But, no, I’m not a witch. I’m just good at Searching people. Not unlike our Nelliana.” She gestured toward Nelly. “Though I’m afraid her gifts surpass my own. I’m Olivia, and I believe you’ve already met my granddaughter, Akira.”

Akira’s head jerked up; she smiled and gave a shy wave. Again, my lips curved up and I waved back. Then, she hopped up off the floor and ran over to me, pulling herself into my lap. I was startled, but I repositioned myself so she could sit on my knees.

I tilted my head so that I could see Olivia. She was smiling. “I believe you have some questions for me,” she said.

That was an understatement. I didn’t know where to start. I thought for a moment, and picked the question that had been bothering me since all of this began.

“What am I?” My voice came out in a whisper, so I was surprised when Olivia answered.

“You are of ancient blood. A perfect mixture of all the physical strengths of all the races. What we once knew as Warriors. That’s what you are, the last one who carries the physiology to be called a true Warrior.”

She looked like she thought this was an honor. I wasn’t so sure. “So… there’s no one else like me? I’m the last of a dying race?”

Olivia seemed to be choosing her words carefully. “Yes and no,” she said. “There are no others who have your unique blood, but at the same time you have a little bit of all the races in you, just not enough of any one race to be categorized as one of them. But yes, you are the last known of your kind.”

Oh, wonderful, I really was a freak. I guess that explained a lot.

“Does that mean that I’m part Searcher?” I gestured to Nelly. “Part Wolf?” I glanced at Jackson. “And part… whatever else there is? And if my race is supposed to be great warriors, why am I the only one left?” I was rambling, but really, could you blame me?

“Because there are those who see your kind as a threat,” Olivia replied. “There is a hierarchy in our world, and those who head this order have never taken kindly to competition. You can see why they would see your kind as competition. Nonetheless, Warriors used to be an abundant race. Your people defended and protected all of us, and most were grateful. However, some were not. When your numbers started increasing, a council of our leaders passed a decree that your kind should be put into slavery for fear the Warriors might betray them. Not surprisingly, your people refused to take this treatment from the people they had so long protected. They revolted… and then they were hunted into near extinction. Some survived—you’re proof of that—but they retreated into hiding, living among the humans. Those who were not found by our kind were hunted by those whom they had once hunted: the Lamia. Your mother among them, but Diana was there when they came and she managed to get you to safety, though she was unable to save her sister-in-law.”

Diana was my mother’s name, so what Olivia was saying made no sense. Unless…

“She was my aunt? That’s impossible, she raised me. She was my mother!” My voice shook. My cheeks heated and fists balled. And when my left eye twitched, I dragged a trembling hand across my damp forehead.

Nelly’s voice cut in, almost inaudible. “It’s true. She’s telling the truth.”

I whipped my head to the left to face her. Tears streaked her face and for the first time ever, I refused to feel sorry for her.

“You knew about this? You knew and you never told me?” I couldn’t keep the venom from my voice. I felt instant and utter betrayal.

“I couldn’t! We just wanted to keep you safe… to let you have a bit of normalcy before you had to face a world that would try to destroy you! You have to trust me, please. Trust me, Alexa. We did what we thought was best.” She was pleading now, tears flowing freely down her cheeks, and normally, I would have forgiven her without any question. But this was not normal.

I scoffed, and my voice came out a pitch deeper than normal. “Trust you? How can you even ask me that? I’ve always trusted you, and now I find out you’ve been lying to me for my entire life! How can you expect me to trust you? How can you say that about our mother? How can you even pretend that I had some sort of normalcy when I had to train every day of my life to be a killer? And now I find out that that’s what I’m made for—killing! How can you sit there and tell me any of this is okay?”

I was seeing red. All red. Red-hot lies. Red blood spilled as a result of those lies. And Nelly’s red face as she admitted to those lies. I slammed my eyes shut, trying desperately to envision the color blue. Seeing only red, darkening and darkening into a near black—

Something warm and soft touched my cheek. A beautiful, glorious rainbow exploded behind my lids. So exquisite and lacking in only one color. I almost raised a hand in attempt to capture it. But as the colors settled over me, so did my right mind. Peeling my eyes open, I looked down to see that Akira was resting her hand on my face. I’d forgotten I was holding her. The possibilities of this fact horrified me so greatly I was almost afraid to draw in air.

Where her hand touched my face, I felt a seeping cold sensation, much like medication through an IV, and all red thoughts disappeared. Incredible calmness washed over me. Finally deciding I could move without risk of breaking her, I brought my hand up to cover hers with my own.

“Akira,” Olivia chastised, “don’t—”

“She needs it, Gram,” Akira interrupted, then looked back at me. “Let me take some of it away.”

I was still staring in stupefied wonder at the strange girl in my lap, but I assumed Olivia agreed to whatever Akira was going to do because she didn’t remove her hand from my face.

Let it go, Alexa. It was Akira’s voice in my head, and my mind felt too muddled to truly consider it. My eyes seemed involuntarily locked with hers. Let me take it. Let it go and let me take it.

I felt a cold, pulling sensation on my mind that seemed to reach all the way down to my core, like exhaling, exhaling all the way through to my soul.

I clasped her hand and removed it from my cheek. She gave me a look that said she didn’t approve, but didn’t fight me.

“No.” My voice was much stronger than I’d expected.

She smiled that adorable smile and tugged my hair so that my ear was close to her lips. “Sometimes you have to allow others to hold onto that for you,” she whispered. “You’ll be no good to anyone if you refuse to let it out when it comes so close to breaking you.”

Akira hopped off my lap and walked stiff-backed over to where a small vase of flowers rested on the window sill. She grabbed the vase and spun around in a circle, launching it at the wall. The vase shattered into pieces. Marching over to the remains, she stomped and stomped and stomped on the helpless plant until it was beyond revival or recognition. Then she returned to her toys.

I turned to look at Olivia, hoping she wouldn’t punish the little girl. As weird as it was, I felt like I understood why she’d thrown the vase. Hell, a few seconds ago, smashing a vase wouldn’t have seemed like a bad idea.

Olivia looked as if she’d been expecting this. “Feeling better?” she asked.

I nodded. “Akira?” She jerked her head up, an angry expression on her face. Then, she took a deep breath and relaxed her face.

“Yes?”

“What—what did you do? What are you?”

She giggled. “I’m a Searcher, and I took it away from you. There was too much for you… too much for even a Warrior to carry alone.”

I didn’t have to ask what it was. I knew. She’d taken away the effects that the events of the last couple of days had had upon me. She’d taken away the hurt and pain and anger I always worked so hard to keep hidden. She’d seen into my soul. I felt oddly vulnerable and… grateful.

“Thank you.”

She winked at me and returned her attention to her toys. I was starting to fall in love with this child.

Beside me, Nelly and Jackson were silent. No doubt they were confused, and I felt no need to explain things. It was petty, but I felt smug about the fact that, for once, I wasn’t the one in the dark.

Olivia was waiting for me to continue, so I took a deep breath, deciding to ask the only question that really mattered. “Okay, so the Lamia found us. They’re probably still hunting us… What do we do now?”

“Now, you rest. You look like you haven’t slept for days and you will need your strength for what is to come. Tomorrow, you head for New Jersey,” said Olivia.

“What’s in New Jersey?”

It was Jackson who answered me, the first time he’d spoken since our arrival.

“Two Rivers… Two Rivers is in New Jersey.”

Chapter Fifteen

Olivia gave me and Nelly the spare bedroom and provided Jackson with a pillow and blankets to sleep on the couch. I got to take a shower, and it was the best thing I had felt in days. Returning to the bedroom, I found Nelly waiting for me. I was hoping that she would have fallen asleep already. It was part of the reason I’d taken so long with my shower.

I pulled the towel off my head, grabbed a hairbrush from my overnight bag and began running it through my hair, pretending not to notice Nelly staring at me.

“Can… Can we talk?” she asked after a few moments.

I blew out my breath and went to sit by her on the bed. “Yes. I mean, I’m still mad at you, but I think we should talk.”

“I’m sorry, Lex.” I raised an eyebrow at this. “Really, I’m really, really sorry,” said Nelly.

Looking into her beautiful hazel eyes, I could tell she meant it. I wasn’t sure if I could completely forgive her yet, but I could recognize the fact that she needed me right now. She had been right about one thing: we were all we had left, and we needed to stick together. Honestly, I probably needed her just as much as she needed me. Besides, holding a grudge against people I love has never been something I was good at.

I should’ve known she wouldn’t go to sleep if she thought I was mad at her. I pulled her into a hug and felt her relax against me. “Just don’t lie to me again, okay? I guess I kind of understand why you did, but I have to know you’ll be truthful with me from here on out,” I told her.

She sat back and looked me straight in the eyes. “I promise. I promise I will never lie to you again.”

I gave her a skeptical look and smiled when she looked alarmed. “Okay, I believe you. Now, I have a few questions I need you to answer, and remember, you promised you’d be honest with me.” I had learned the big stuff from Olivia, but after a couple more attempts to learn it all, she’d insisted that we needed our rest. I hadn’t argued because, truth be told, I felt like I could keel over at any second.

Nelly looked like she didn’t really want to agree, but I knew she would keep to her word. She gave a small nod and I took that as my go-ahead.

“What are you, Nell?” I seemed to be asking that a lot lately.

She hesitated, then said, “I’m what’s called a Searcher. Similar to what Olivia and Akira are. I can see into people’s heads. I can touch them and know what they truly are, what they feel in their heart. That’s why we are called Searchers. We search souls.” She paused before adding, “And I can make people do things. I can force my will upon them.”

I gave a low whistle. “Oookay, well, that’s… good to know. What did you mean when you said similar to Olivia and Akira? What’s different about you?”

She looked away and I waited for an answer. When it didn’t come, I took her hand and gave it a small squeeze. “Look, Nelly, look at me. I don’t care what you are. As far as I’m concerned, you’re my little sister and there is nothing, nothing that will ever change that. Nothing you or anyone else can tell me will ever take away my love for you. Search me… or whatever, if you have to. You know I mean it.”

She drew a deep breath, and then her words seemed to tumble out of her mouth. “I don’t have to Search you. I know you’re telling the truth. Just don’t judge me, okay?” I nodded and she continued. “There are three different types of vampires, and each race has its own set of abilities. The Searchers you already know about. Then there are the Brocken Vampires. They are the soldiers of our kind, strong and fast and excellent fighters. The last kind you also already know about: the Lamias. What makes the Lamias different from the others is that they are part demon—condemned souls that chose to stay on Earth to do as much damage as they can until they meet their second and final death.” I picked my jaw up off the floor and raised my eyebrows so she would continue.

This time, she closed her eyes when she spoke. “What makes me different is that I’m half and half. Half Searcher… and half Lamia.”

This had to be some kind of joke, but as I stared at her, waiting for the punch-line, I realized she was serious. “You’re serious?” I had to ask. “How is that even possible? How can you have half of a condemned soul?”

She peeled her eyes open and looked at me as if she was surprised I hadn’t grabbed my sword and cut her head off. “I’m not entirely sure,” she said, slowly. “The closest I can figure is that my real mother was a Searcher and she died and turned Lamia while she was pregnant with me.”

“How does someone ‘turn’ Lamia?”

She looked startled that this would be my next question, but answered anyway. “Only women can turn, and it usually occurs when a young woman dies an untimely death or her soul can’t find peace. It is said that the soul then chooses to stay, reanimating the corpse. At least, that’s what the texts say. No one is really sure.”

“How did they find us? I mean, I doubt they just suddenly thought, ‘Hey, I bet they’re staying in a little podunk town in Missouri.’”

She looked ashamed and I couldn’t really figure out why. “Because Lamias are drawn to their own kind. They hunt in packs. And because even humans can become Lamia, their numbers grow much faster than that of any other supernatural race, and apparently, the blood of a supernatural is much more powerful, so naturally, we are their prey of choice. It was only a matter of time before they found us, and now that they have, they won’t stop hunting us.”

I fell back on the bed and draped an arm over my head. “Oh, okay, so just imminent death from demon-possessed bloodsuckers, an evergrowing population of the bastards, and some kind of beacon that you subconsciously put out to drawn them in. Anything else I should know?”

She shut off the light and plopped down beside me. “Oh, yeah, did I mention that Warrior blood is their favorite?”

I laughed out loud, though there was no humor in it. “No, I don’t believe you did.”

Chapter Sixteen

I fell asleep almost immediately after that, my body’s need winning out over my mind’s urge to stay up. And, much to my delight, I awoke feeling fresh and rested. I also awoke in a pretty good mood, considering the circumstances.

I took another quick shower because I was unsure as to when I would be able to again. Jackson, Nelly and I loaded our things back into the SUV as we were getting ready to leave. Olivia and Akira stepped out onto the porch, and we thanked them for their help. As I headed back to the car, Akira jumped off the porch and ran toward me. I scooped her up in my arms and gave her a hug.

“I’m going to miss you, Alexa,” she whispered.

“I’m going to miss you, too,” I replied, because I really would.

She pulled back and looked at me with those big, brown eyes. “Remember what I said, okay?” I nodded. “Will you come back and visit us sometime?” she asked.

Looking at her little face, I wasn’t sure if I could refuse this child anything. At the same time, I didn’t want to lie to her.

“I’ll try,” I told her truthfully.

She kissed my cheek and I thanked her again, then we hit the road. It would take us about nine hours to get to New Jersey from Ohio, and once again, I was anxious to get there before the sun set. The location Olivia gave us could only be found by using coordinates of longitude and latitude. Thank goodness for the GPS.

“Does anyone know what we’re walking into?” I asked, once we were on the highway.

“I’ve only ever heard stories,” Jackson said. “But don’t worry, darling. I’ll protect you.”

I laughed. I really was in a better mood. “Oh, good, now we have nothing to fear.”

In hindsight, we may have been better off facing the Lamia.

Chapter Seventeen

We reached a point where we had to turn off the main roads and follow a road that was little more than a dirt path deep into the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. We’d left Olivia’s at about nine a.m., and it was now six in the evening. We followed the road for what seemed like forever and then, it just ended.

I grabbed the GPS off the dashboard. “I guess we go on foot from here,” I said. “By the way the sun is looking, I would say we have about an hour before nightfall.”

My companions looked uneasy at this thought, but no one argued. We each filled a backpack with our essentials and headed into the trees. I kept my sword clutched in my hand, just in case.

Walking through the forest was not as simple as it sounded. More like we stumbled through the forest; the trees were dense and the ground sandy and uneven. I found out just how sharp my sword was and used it as a makeshift machete.

The terrain wasn’t the part that presented the issue, though. The greenhead flies were the problem. The little bastards seemed to swarm us like a family of angry bees. I’ve never seen so many flies in my life. They were relentless—biting, and biting, and biting. If someone had told me yesterday the most painful thing I would encounter today would be fly bites, I would have laughed. Today it was not funny. Today it sucked.

I kept getting the feeling that something was watching us, but I never spotted the source. These woods were completely foreign to me, and I couldn’t help but think they hid more than just forest creatures. Something told me this was a not great place to get lost.

By the time the trees finally thinned out, we all bled in various spots on our limbs from the fly bites. I would not be making that trip again without bug spray. We stopped to catch our breath, then the air in front of us shimmered, and something completely unexpected appeared in front of us.

We stood staring at a high stone wall that seemed to stretch on forever in both directions. That wasn’t the problem, however. The problem was that the wall was flanked by a large river.

We stood on the bank of the river, and I blew out a heavy breath. “Seriously, a moat? Is there a trapped princess and a dragon on the other side?” I checked the GPS. “Well, it says we’re right here. How are we going to get across the river?”

Jack and Nelly had no time to answer me, because seemingly out of nowhere, ten men suddenly surrounded us. They were big men too, and all of them were dressed in black. I was tempted to make a ninja joke, but thought better of it. Instead, I kicked into fighting mode, shoving Nelly behind me.

“What is your business here?” one of the men asked. He was a little shorter than the others but just as well built. His hair was shaved close to his head, and I noticed he had a long scar running from his left eyebrow down to his chin. He wasn’t ugly, but he certainly wasn’t handsome, and he scared the crap out of me. Not that I would admit it.

“We were attacked by the Accursed ones,” Nelly answered, her voice calm and authoritative. I was proud of her. “We lost our mother to them. We have nowhere else to go.”

Scar Face seemed to be considering this. “How exactly did you escape?” he asked. “Three teenagers are hardly any match for the Accursed.”

I snorted before I could stop myself, and he whipped his head toward me. He didn’t look happy. “You don’t agree, little girl? You think you could take down a Lamia?”

Little girl? Was this guy serious? He was lucky he had his buddies surrounding us. Otherwise, I might have punched him in the face. Then again, maybe I was the lucky one.

I could feel Nelly’s eyes on me, probably begging me not to do something stupid. I knew she was right. Though I knew I was good, we were seriously outnumbered. Also, these guys just screamed dangerous. I had a feeling they could kick some serious ass.

So I did what I always do when I get into bad situations. I laughed. I know it sounds stupid, but when I get nervous or uncomfortable, I laugh. Not always the most helpful impulse, let me tell you. “You think this is funny, little girl?” Scar Guy’s face was bright red now.

I laughed again. I couldn’t help it. I knew he was going to say that, and it just sounded funny hearing him actually say it. Watching his face turn beet-red didn’t help, either.

I stopped laughing when he lunged for me. I can’t say I was completely caught off-guard. I managed to step out of his reach as he grabbed for my arm. He did manage to snag the sleeve of my jacket, and I spun out of it, thankful I had left it unzipped.

I heard a collective gasp, but didn’t take the time to consider it as I tightened my grip on my sword, sending the blade shooting out. I waited for his second attack. Only, he didn’t attack again.

I stood waiting and was finally able to take in the scene around me. Every single one of the men stared at me like I’d just pulled an elephant from my rear end. Some even had their mouths hanging open, and I had to suppress the urge to laugh again. Looking at their faces, I realized that they weren’t staring at me, exactly; they were staring at my arm.

Glancing down, I saw that in removing my jacket, my right arm was completely exposed. I was wearing a black wife-beater and the silver in my tattoo shimmered brightly in the sun.

One of the men uttered, “Impossible,” and I rubbed my arm selfconsciously.

Turning back to Scar Face—he was one of the ones with his mouth hanging open—I gave a weak smile and said the first thing that came to mind. “Umm… We come in peace?”

Chapter Eighteen

My words seemed to snap Scar Face out of whatever trance the sight of my tattoo had put him in. He didn’t look angry so much anymore as he did skeptical and confused. He took his eyes off my arm long enough to ask, “Who are you?”

I gave the obvious answer. “I’m Alexa, and this is my sister, Nelly, and my friend, Jackson.”

I figured this wasn’t the answer he was looking for, and he confirmed this. “I’m not interested in your names,” he spat. “Who are you?”

I considered what to say, but everything that ran through my head seemed like a stupid answer. Luckily, Nelly spoke for me.

“I’m a Searcher,” she said. “Jackson is Wolf-born, and Alexa…” Everyone’s eyes swung back to me, and I cringed as she spoke her next words. “Alexa is a Sun Warrior.”

Everyone remained silent for what seemed like forever. Finally, Scar said, “That’s impossible, there are no more Warriors left.” He didn’t sound like he was certain.

“She’s the last,” Nelly replied.

He seemed to be considering this, though doubt still clouded his features like hot breath on cold glass. After a moment’s debate, he made his decision. “Take them back to the city,” he told his men. “We don’t have time to entertain the delusions of children.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but the deep voice of one of the men stopped me.

“Gavin,” he said.

Scar turned to his left, drawing my eyes along with him. The man who had spoken stepped forward, and I was amazed I hadn’t noticed him before. He was magnificent. I figured he must be about six feet tall, and even through his long-sleeved, black shirt I could tell he was all muscle. His hair was a dirty blond and he looked like he could use a haircut, because he pushed it out of his face as he spoke, revealing eyes as golden as daylight. He had a little more than a five-o-clock shadow on his face and spoke with a slight Scottish accent. I reached up and wiped the drool off my chin.

Much to my dismay, he didn’t even glance at me as he spoke. “Perhaps we should take them to the Council and let them decide what to do with them.” He gestured to where the sun had just sunk below the horizon. “We can’t leave them out here now that the sun has gone down. They’re just kids.”

Ouch. There went any romantic fantasies I might’ve had. I pushed aside those thoughts as we all waited for Gavin to make a decision.

After a moment, Gavin said, “Alright, take them to the guest houses and I’ll schedule them for an audience in the morning. Let’s get back over the river so we’re not sitting ducks.” He switched his gaze to me and his expression hardened. “And don’t try anything foolish. I’m not sure if you are what you say you are, but I can assure you that you will not like our methods for punishing traitors.”

I was two seconds away from giving a snippy remark when someone took my arm and gently pushed me forward. I looked up… and up to see Scottish-accent-guy was leading me toward where a bridge was being lowered over the river. The bridge seemed to be part of the huge wall and fit perfectly from bank to bank. That wasn’t what I was paying attention to, however.

His grip on my arm was light but firm, sending heat up my skin where we touched. It was strange; I felt like I wanted to hug him, to throw myself into his arms. I didn’t even know this guy but I felt drawn to him, and I figured it had something to do with his glorious appearance. Either that, or I really was losing my mind. At the same time, it pissed me off. I didn’t like being treated like a kid, especially by the person who had just called me one.

I jerked my arm, but he didn’t let go, instead he looked down at me and raised an eyebrow. “I know how to walk,” I said.

“I can see that,” he replied, his voice deep and rich. “I’m also sure you know how to talk, which is why I’m getting you away from Gavin before you say something stupid and he changes his mind.” He said this low enough so only I could hear him.

That pretty much shut me up, because as much as I didn’t like being led away like some kind of fugitive, I knew he was right. I looked back up at him to see that he was staring straight ahead with an unreadable expression on his gorgeous face.

“Thank you,” I said, feeling oddly grateful.

He looked at me out of the corner of his eye and raised his eyebrows in surprise, like he hadn’t thought me capable of being civil. After my stupid comments a few minutes ago, I couldn’t say I blamed him.

He was silent for a moment, then he gave a small nod and said, “You’re welcome.”

Just before we were led through the gates, he pulled me to a stop and looked me up and down. I felt heat flood my cheeks.

“If you take a picture, it’ll last longer,” I whispered.

He jerked his eyes away and held out my jacket. “You should put this back on,” he said, without looking at me.

I did as he said, then continued walking through the entrance, and if it weren’t for him urging me forward, I would have come to an abrupt stop at what I saw. There were houses and buildings everywhere; some looked like regular structures you could find in any suburb of America. Others looked like pieces of art. They were tall and short, colorful and well-kept. Every lawn had flowers and large trees and some of the houses were mosaic-like. All of the buildings had statues of people and large fountains in front of them, and paved roads with street names led off in every direction. Even the lampposts were elaborate; they were short and green and looked like something you’d find in an upper-class neighborhood of San Francisco. Medians split the streets and held cherry blossom trees and what seemed like thousands of multi-colored tulips. A light dusting of glitter wouldn’t have been at all out of place here. It felt oddly futuristic and ancient at the same time. It was the most beautiful place I had ever seen.

I gasped as I took it all in. I couldn’t help it. “Wow.” I glanced back up at my escort to see that he had a small smile on his face, but when he noticed me looking at him, it was quickly replaced by that inscrutable look of his.

A few people stopped and stared as we walked by, but I kept my face forward and pushed my chin up. It made me uncomfortable to be paraded around like a circus freak, but it’s not as if I had much choice. I was also grateful that I had put on my jacket. I didn’t need to be stared at any more than I already was.

We took a side street and followed it to an area with more of the same beautiful buildings. We came to one that I assumed was guest housing. It resembled an upscale apartment building. Sure enough, we climbed the stone steps to the building and entered a foyer.

To say it was opulent would be an understatement. Golden chandeliers hung from the ceilings, and more golden trim lined the walkway that led to two golden elevators. The floor was marble, covered with plush blood-red carpets. My escort released his hold on me and walked up to a young woman sitting behind a counter. When she saw him, a smile lit up her face, and I was surprised when I felt pang of jealousy. What was wrong with me? I didn’t even know this man.

He was courteous but very business-like, and I noticed her shooting looks at me and my companions as he signed us in. Then he walked back over to where I stood and led us over to the elevators. I was a little disappointed that he didn’t take hold of my arm again.

We rode the elevators to the sixth floor, and I glanced around and counted our escorts. There were three—one for each of us. I had a feeling they’d be guarding us until morning. Again, this pissed me off. It’s not like we could escape over the wall or anything. And I didn’t think my flippant behavior earlier was enough to be considered dangerous. Maybe I was wrong.

I was surprised when each of our escorts led us to separate rooms. Nelly shot me a look of alarm, and I turned to face Scottish-accent-guy.

I waved my hand toward Nelly. “We’re not staying together?”

He brought his deep, golden eyes down to mine, and I felt my heart do a little flip. Then, he shook his head. I blew out a frustrated breath. “Look, I know that you don’t owe me anything… In fact, I guess I kind of owe you, but”—I lowered my voice and glanced at Nelly—“will she be safe in there by herself? I mean, someone will be watching over her, right?”

He seemed a little shocked at my question, and for a moment I thought he wasn’t going to answer me. Then, he slowly nodded his head, as if coming to some sort of realization. “I assure you she’ll be fine. I’ve been instructed to keep watch over you all tonight, and I don’t take my duty lightly.” It was both a reassurance and a warning.

I looked him up and down as I considered his reply, and a slightly amused expression crossed his handsome face. I gave a slight nod, and he reached around me, slipping a key card into the room door and pushing it open. I stepped inside and caught the door before he closed it.

Before he could protest, I held up my hand. “I just… um… What’s your name?”

He hesitated, as if deciding whether or not to tell me. Then he said, “Kayden,” and shut the door.

I walked into the room and found it was like a small apartment. It had a small kitchen, a living room, and a bedroom with a connecting bathroom. The furniture was tasteful and comfortable. Unsurprisingly, it was decorated in gold and red. Much to my delight, it also held a large, flat-screen TV. I didn’t feel like I needed any more entertainment for the night, though, so I moved into the bedroom and threw myself across the bed, muttering, “What have I gotten myself into?”

Chapter Nineteen

I woke up early the next morning and helped myself to a shower. I pulled out a clean pair of jeans and a black V-neck, long-sleeved shirt from my backpack. It was probably a little warm for long sleeves, but I figured it was important to cover up my tattoo, considering the reaction it received last night. I found a blow dryer in the bathroom and set it to my hair. After I was reasonably presentable, I went to the small kitchen in search of food. I found Pop-Tarts and an apple and devoured them in record time. As I was throwing out my apple core, a knock sounded at the door.

I glanced toward the bedroom, where my sword was resting on the nightstand. When I didn’t feel an overwhelming urge to pick it up, I walked over to the door and threw it open.

Kayden stood outside the door, looking just as wonderful as he had the night before. And, like before, I got that strange yet wonderful feeling that his presence seemed to evoke. He must have left to change and shower at some point, because he now had on a gray T-shirt and jeans. And it looked good on him. He seemed a little tired, but alert. He was also looking at me. I was glad I decided to do my hair this morning.

I propped a hand on my hip and feigned a sigh. “You know, I’ve got a camera if you want to—”

“Just come with me,” he interrupted, shaking his head.

“Where are we go—?”

“Alexa!” Jackson and Nelly appeared down the hallway, and I stepped outside my room, shutting the door.

Nelly ran to me with a look of relief. Jackson stepped up beside me and lifted me off my feet in a hug, then kissed my forehead.

“Morning, beautiful,” he said.

I glanced over to see Kayden watching us.

“Morning, Jack.”

Jackson grabbed a lock of my hair and ran his fingers through it, stepping back so he could look at me. “Wow. You look gorgeous this morning.”

I was still looking at Kayden, who was looking at Jack. I couldn’t distinguish his expression, but for a second I thought I saw a little animosity behind his eyes. I decided I must have imagined it, because a split second later, it was gone.

“Umm… thanks,” I said, pulling my eyes away from Kayden. I gave Jack a smile, then turned to Nelly. “You okay?”

She nodded. No need to ask me what I meant. She knew I was just worried about her.

“We’re going to see the Council this morning,” Nelly said. She looked nervous, and I couldn’t say that I blamed her.

I spun around and looked at Kayden, who was staring straight ahead. “Hey, buddy, this Council, they’re not going to, like, sentence us to death or anything like that, are they?”

He raised an eyebrow and one side of his mouth pulled up ever so slightly. “No, why would you think that?” I shrugged and he continued. “They’ll bring in a Searcher to distinguish your races, and then, because you are minors, they will probably place you in one of the schools. We haven’t seen a Warrior in ages, though. I’m not sure what they’ll do about you.”

Oh, wonderful. “Great, so, no pressure then,” I replied.

He picked up on my sarcasm. “I doubt they’ll execute you,” he said dryly.

I feigned a sigh of relief, though some of it didn’t have to be faked. “Well, now that that’s settled, shall we?”

Kayden led us across the town, or city, with Jackson, Nelly and I trailing behind him. I leaned over to Nelly, panic shooting through me as a thought came to mind. “What will they do if they find out what you are?” I whispered.

She looked over at me as though she had been worrying about this, too. “They’d kill me,” she answered. When I almost choked on my saliva, she added, “Really, I’m more worried about what they’ll do with you. I think I can control what I let their Searcher see in me. I’m pretty good. I should be able to keep the Lamia part hidden from the Search.”

I gave a slow nod and steeled myself for what was ahead. “Let’s hope so,” I whispered.

A look passed between us that needed no words to interpret. I wasn’t worried about myself. I could handle whatever they threw at me.

But Nelly, well, Nelly I’d kill for. She knew this too.

She nodded. “Let’s hope so.”

Chapter Twenty

We passed what seemed like thousands of more of the same structures and flowers I had seen near the gates. I tried to allow myself to enjoy some of the beauty, but it was hard when I was so nervous about this stupid meeting. The place seemed to take on an ominous feel as we walked toward our fates. More people were out this morning, heading to whatever it was that they did with their days. A few stopped and stared like last night, but for the most part, they seemed to just be hurrying toward their destinations.

Finally, we reached a building that stood out from all the others. It kind of reminded me of a courthouse, only it looked way too rich to be a courthouse. Enormous statues of robed people lined the stone steps leading up to the building. There was a large mural of a sun painted over the tall silver-trimmed doors. I reached up and touched my shoulder. The mural looked almost exactly like the sun at the top of my tattoo.

Kayden led us into the building, and if I’d thought our apartment building was opulent, I clearly had no idea what that word meant. Unlike the apartment, everything here was decorated in silver, and somehow, it managed to look even classier than the gold décor had. The foyer was enormous, with a high ceiling made all of glass, sending in the sunlight and illuminating the room in an almost heavenly light. Two sets of curved staircases led up to a long balcony with ivory railings. I couldn’t help but stare wide-eyed all around me. Once again, I wondered what the hell we were walking into.

We headed up one of the staircases. I ran my hand over the ivory railing, its surface silky smooth. We took a left and followed the hallway down to where a bright red door waited at the end of it. All of the other doors were silver. I silently hoped we weren’t headed to that red one.

To my relief, we stopped at a silver door with another sun carved into it. Kayden punched in a code on the door’s electronic lock and ushered us inside. It was just a plain room—if you could call something that extravagant plain—with rows of chairs separated by an ivory railing where five more chairs sat behind a long table on a raised platform.

Kayden directed us to sit down in the first row of chairs, and we did as we were instructed. Nelly leaned over and whispered in my ear. “Just let me do the talking, okay?”

Normally, I would’ve made a joke about that B-movie line, but at the moment, my stomach seemed too tangled up in knots to attempt comedy. I just nodded.

Kayden took up a position by the wall, and I noticed that he wasn’t the only one doing so. Other men, including Scar—I guess his name was Gavin but Scar seemed like a better fit—were lining the walls, too. All of them, with the exception of Kayden, were wearing the same black outfits from last night, and I noticed a tiny silver sun embroidered on the shirts’ right shoulders that I hadn’t seen before. None of the men looked at us; they stared straight ahead, stone faced.

I was sitting between Jackson and Nelly, and Jackson reached over and clutched my hand in his. I gave him what I hoped was a reassuring smile and squeezed his hand. A quick glance at a clock on the wall told me that it was five minutes till ten. I hoped this meeting was scheduled on the hour, because I was starting to sweat.

Exactly five minutes later, a door behind the platform in front of us opened up and five people filed in. Three were women and two were men. They wore long silver robes and walked with an air of royalty. Sparing no glances for us, they took their seats and adjusted their robes accordingly. Not surprisingly, I had to suppress the urge to laugh.

The woman in the middle chair cleared her throat and gave me and my companions a once-over. I tried not to shift in my seat. I didn’t want to let these people see me squirm.

The middle woman had a sharp nose, beady blue eyes, and pale blond hair that was pulled tightly up into a bun. She reminded me of my English teacher. When she spoke, her sharp tone reminded me of my teacher, too.

“State your names,” she said, looking at the three of us.

Nelly spoke first. “Nelliana Montgomery.” “Jackson Kane.”

I cleared my throat. “Alexa Montgomery.”

The woman looked completely disinterested, as if she had only asked our names as some sort of formality. “And your races,” she continued.

A lump formed in my throat, and I had to swallow twice before I could speak. Luckily, Nelly had gone first.

“Searcher,” she stated.

“Wolf Son,” said Jackson.

The woman’s eyes fell on me, and I felt my heartbeat pick up in pace. Summoning up my courage, I was glad when my voice sounded clear and strong.

“Warrior,” I said.

The woman looked like she had been ready to move on to the next line of questions, but upon hearing my answer, she stopped and fixed that sharp gaze on me.

“I beg your pardon.” Her words were clipped.

Again, I cleared my throat and enunciated. “Warrior.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Miss…Montgomery.” I was right, she hadn’t been paying attention to our names. “I would advise you to take my questions seriously. We will not stand for insult in our own house.”

I was forming a response when someone spoke up for me. It was not someone I would have expected.

“She bears the marks, Your Majesty,” Gavin replied respectfully.

Her eyes snapped back to me and she waited expectantly. I nodded my head in confirmation. She sat back in her chair. “Would you be so kind as to show us, Miss Montgomery?”

I stood up slowly and reached down, pulling my right sleeve up as high as it would go and tucking it under my armpit, revealing the silver design on my arm. I heard a collective gasp and looked up to see all of the Council members were leaning forward in their chairs.

None of them spoke for several moments, and I was tempted to sit back down. The middle woman regained her voice first. “Approach, please, so that we may take a closer look.” Her voice was still sharp, but there was an uncertainty to it now. I suppressed a smile.

I approached the platform and stood before the five Council members, meeting their eyes and nodding to each one of them. I hoped I looked respectful. They leaned forward even more, and I worried that one of them might tumble out of their chair.

One of them mumbled, “Impossible,” and I almost laughed. Maybe I should consider changing my name to Ms. Impossible. It would certainly be fitting. Then again, so would freak.

The woman stood and moved to stand directly in front of me. I worked to hold her gaze. To say she was intimidating would be an understatement. She looked down at my arm, and her blue eyes widened in wonder. Reaching up slowly, she asked, “May I?”

I’m not sure why, but with her so close to me, it suddenly hit me that this was someone I should show respect to. That’s not to say that I liked her—it’s just that everything had changed recently, and if I was going to have to live in this new world I’d found myself in, I could at least respect their customs. This was not normal for me. I usually hated authority figures, but things change when your life is on the line.

Still, my words surprised me. “Certainly… Your Majesty.”

She looked up at me then and I saw a smile behind her eyes, though her mouth didn’t so much as twitch. She ran her fingers lightly over my wrist and then trailed them up my arm, stopping at the sun on my shoulder. “Sol Lilliums,” she whispered. “I haven’t seen these in a very, very long time.” She spoke so only I could hear her. “How long have you had this?”

I spoke in a hushed tone. “They just appeared. After I…”

She nodded, and again spoke only to me. “After you freed them. May I Search you?”

I hesitated, remembering the vulnerable feeling I’d had after Akira had Searched me, but I had a feeling this woman could do as she wanted, and was only asking out of courtesy. I nodded.

She stepped back a few inches and released a heavy breath. Then, she held out her hands, palms up. I reached up and placed my hands in hers. She closed her eyes and her brow furrowed. Just like last time, I felt a tingling sensation where she was touching me, and that unmistakable feeling of someone reaching deep into my soul. My mind instantly felt muddled, and I had a hard time focusing on anything but her face.

I was feeling a little light-headed by the time she released me a few moments later. Her eyes popped open and now the uncertainty that was there before was replaced with a shocked acceptance.

“How can this be?” she mumbled.

“I don’t know. I didn’t even know there were such things as Warriors until a couple of days ago,” I said in a low voice.

She considered this. “And what has brought you to us, young Warrior?”

I felt an unexpected pride well up in me at her words and decided I would think about it later. “The Lamias found us… They took my mother, but my sister and I managed to escape. We’ve come because we have nowhere else to go that’s safe.”

She stared into my eyes so long that I almost dropped my gaze. At last, she nodded, as if coming to some sort of decision. “We’ll be happy to accommodate you, young Warrior,” she whispered. Louder, she said, “You may return to your seat.”

When I was seated, the other Council members leaned together and started speaking in hushed tones. It was obvious whom they were talking about because they kept shooting confused looks my way. The woman’s eyes never left me, and finally, she held up a hand so that the others would stop their questioning.

“All right,” she said, once again taking on that sharp tone. “A Searcher, a Wolf Son and a Warrior,” she announced. I suppressed a laugh, I almost expected her to say walked into a bar. “I assume you would like to continue your schooling?” she continued.

Nelly, Jackson and I exchanged glances. We nodded.

She looked like she was pleased with this. “Good. Nelliana and Jackson, you will be attending the school that caters to your races. Alexa… since you are the only one of your kind, you have a choice as to where you attend.”

Nelly shifted beside me. I didn’t have to look at her to know what she wanted. “I would like to go to school with Nelly, if that’s okay.”

The woman shook her head. “I’m afraid that would be of no
benefit for you.”

I had to work to keep my aggravation off my face. I thought she said I’d get to choose. I should have known better. “What would you suggest, Your Majesty?” I gritted out.

She ignored my tone. “I would suggest that you attend the

Brocken school, it would help you to hone your skills.”

I thought about this for a second. “Okay, I’ll go—”

“Of course,” she continued, cutting me off. I clenched my fists. “You’ll have to be accepted into the school in order to attend.”

“Okay,” I said slowly. “I have to take some kind of test or something?”

She shrugged. The gesture looked funny on her. “Of sorts.” I narrowed my eyes, forgetting my earlier pledge to show respect.

She continued as if she didn’t notice my gaze. “If you wish to attend the school with our Warriors, you must fight for entry.”

I spoke the first words that came to mind, my mother’s words. “I only fight when I have to.”

Again, she shrugged. “Well, you can always take up a trade… or live off Nelliana. Everything comes with a price, young Warrior, and those who make it through the Brocken school are paid very well. The men you see standing in this room will testify to that. The decision is yours.”

What was she suggesting? Being paid for fighting? I wasn’t sure, but I had a feeling that whatever it was, it was one of the reasons my mother had kept us away from this place. I looked down at my arm and ran a finger over the lily on my wrist. My mother hadn’t wanted this for me, but did I want it? After all, I’d admitted that I enjoyed fighting. It was what I was made for, one of the only things that I was great at.

I looked back up, meeting her gaze. I’d made my decision. I could only hope it was the right one. “Fine. I’ll fight.”

She smiled. No doubt she’d known what I was going to say. “Good. Very good. We shall ready the arena. You’ll take your test tonight.”

Chapter Twenty-One

We walked back to our apartment building, with Kayden as our escort once again.

“What the hell?” I exclaimed, earning a few disapproving glances from passing people.

“It could be worse,” Jackson said.

“It’s easy for you to say that. You don’t have to beat anyone up to go to your school,” I snapped.

“I know,” he said. “But I don’t know why you’re so worried. You’re an awesome fighter. You kicked Riley’s ass easy enough.”

“Riley hasn’t been training his whole life to fight like these people have. It’s not the same thing.”

Jackson stopped walking and grabbed me by the shoulders, forcing me to look at him. “You’ve been training your entire life to fight, too. And you are the only one who is a true Warrior. You’ll be fine.”

“It just doesn’t seem right. Why are we fighting each other when we should be fighting the Lamia? It just doesn’t seem right.”

Kayden swung around and faced us, making all of us jump in surprise. “Miss Montgomery, Mr. Kane,” he said to Nelly and Jack. “Would you mind going on ahead and packing your things? Someone will be there shortly to escort you to your new dorms.”

Nelly shot me a look, asking if this was okay with me, and I nodded. “I’ll catch up with you guys later,” I said.

After they walked away, I raised my eyebrows at Kayden. “Got something on your mind, buddy?”

Kayden walked over to a bench that sat under a cherry blossom tree, about ten feet off our path. I followed and took a seat on the bench beside him. I felt… happy being next to him, and again, this struck me as strange.

He stayed silent for a long time, and I was just about to break the silence when he spoke.

“You don’t have to fight.” He wasn’t looking at me, just staring straight ahead.

I took time to consider this. “It sure doesn’t seem that way.”

He turned abruptly toward me, his glorious eyes looking at me for the first time since this morning. “I know. But you don’t have to. You do have a choice.”

I sighed and looked down at my hands. My voice was small when I spoke. “What else would I do? I don’t have any other skills. Besides, this is what I’m made for.” I wasn’t sure whom I was trying to convince, him or me.

He seemed to pick up on this. “Is it what you want?” he asked. “Do you want to spend your life fighting for people who look down on you? Do you want people to be afraid of you everywhere you go? Do you want to risk your life following orders from people who wouldn’t raise a finger to save your life, and watch those around you die fighting a losing battle? Is that what you want?”

I didn’t know how to answer that, so I asked a question of my own. “What exactly will I be agreeing to if I do this? What is it that you guys do that earns you such great pay?”

He seemed to be choosing his words carefully. “We’re… soldiers. We hunt the Accursed ones so that their population doesn’t reach dangerous levels, and we protect our kind when the need arises.” That didn’t seem too bad. “But that’s not how we earn most of our living. We fight against each other for the entertainment of our people.” He had a disgusted look on his face as he said that last part.

Now that was a catch I hadn’t anticipated. “What, like gladiators?”

He dipped his head. “Exactly like gladiators.”

“But… we don’t have to, right? We can just kill Lamia and not fight each other if we choose?”

He finally looked away from me and a sad expression came over his face. “Warriors, true Warriors, used to fight only out of necessity, only when those who couldn’t protect themselves needed protection. But the other races decided to enslave them, and then hunted them into extinction.” He glanced at me and gave a small smile. My heart skipped a beat. “Or near extinction. The Brocken Vampires, like me, became our warriors, and our race is not known for our intelligence. The same people who enslaved your people enslaved mine in a much more clever way. They offered us an easy way to make a living, fighting for not only our people’s safety, but for our people’s entertainment. Is that what you want, Warrior, to fight for the amusement of others?”

When I didn’t answer, he added, “I heard what you said in the Council meeting. You said you only fight if you have to, only out of necessity, like a true Warrior. Were those just words, or did you mean what you said?”

I knew that he was just trying to help me, and I appreciated it, but at the same time his words offended me. I was so sick of being told what I should and shouldn’t do. I didn’t need to be told by a stranger, a hypocritical stranger at that.

“I meant what I said,” I replied, through clenched teeth. “I don’t like to fight unless I have to, but what choice do I have here? I have no money, no family other than Nelly, and nowhere else to go. If I have to fight to live, then that’s what I’ll do. As far as I’m concerned that is fighting out of necessity. At least it’s something I’m good at.”

When he opened his mouth to speak, I cut him off, standing up, I said, “And to be honest, where do you get off telling me that I shouldn’t fight? Last time I checked, you fight for money, too. What makes you different from me? And why do you even care what I do? You don’t even know me.” It was harsh, but I really couldn’t help it. I felt so angry and so wound up that I needed to let it out somehow. And honestly, I didn’t understand why he cared.

He stood up, too, and I had to plant my feet so that I wouldn’t back up. He was so much bigger than me that he had to lean his neck down to look me in the eyes when he spoke. I crossed my arms and waited for his reply.

“Fine,” he said, that unreadable expression back on his face. “You want to fight, that’s up to you. Follow me.” He turned and walked off toward a line of trees.

I stood there, confused, before jogging to catch up with him. “Where are we going?”

He glanced back at me, but didn’t slow his pace. “You said fighting is what you’re good at, right?” I nodded slowly, still confused.

“Well, then let’s go see if you’re as good as you think you are.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Kayden led me toward the trees. We walked for about ten minutes before coming to a small clearing. I glanced around and turned to ask him what we were doing… and just barely had enough time to dodge his punch.

I sidestepped, causing his blow to glance off my shoulder. It still hurt. My body immediately reacted to the threat, drawing my right leg back so that I was standing in a fighting position.

“What the hell are you doing?” I shouted, just barely managing to escape another blow.

He didn’t miss a beat, he just kept on coming. “At least you’re fast,” he said, stepping back and mirroring my stance. “But you have to do better than just evading attacks.”

We circled each other, my body tense and ready. “Stop this. I don’t want to fight you,” I gritted out.

He raised an eyebrow at this. “Why not?”

As I was about to answer, he lunged toward me, hitting me hard in the chest and knocking me to the ground. The breath was knocked out of me, and my head spun for just a second. It was a feeling I was quite familiar with. That didn’t mean it didn’t hurt like hell.

I was back on my feet without missing a beat. I planted a hard kick to his stomach, ducked, and sent him flying over my head. He was back on his feet before I was. And after a couple more exchanges, he had me firmly pressed to the ground, face-down, my arms pinned painfully behind my back.

My breathing was harsh and sweat matted my forehead, but I was extremely aware of the way his body felt pressed up against mine. Even though I was in pain, I felt ecstatic with him so close. That fluttery feeling in my chest grew stronger than ever. He was breathing heavily too, and the scent of him surrounded me in an almost intoxicating proportion. His soft hair brushed my cheek as he leaned forward to whisper hoarsely in my ear.

“Not bad, Warrior, but not good enough.”

I bucked, but was unable to break free. “Yeah, well, a little warning would have been nice,” I said, still trying to break his hold.

He didn’t budge. Instead, he laughed deeply, causing his chest to rumble against my back. “You had your warning, Warrior, back on the bench.”

“Stop… calling… me… that.” I was still thrashing around, and even though I liked the way his Scottish accent sounded when he said “Warrior,” it also pissed me off.

“Why, that’s what you are, right? A Warrior. The last true Warrior left.”

As he started to say something else, I slammed my head back, hitting him hard in the jaw, and giving me just enough room to escape. It was short-lived, though, because after a little more sparring, I ended up pinned again, this time up against a tree.

My face scraped against the bark, and my head was still throbbing from the head-butt, but I refused to let him see my pain.

But, when I started to lose feeling in my arms, I did something that I hadn’t done since I first began my training with my mother. I surrendered.

“Fine,” I said, through clenched teeth. “I get it. You win. Now, Let. Me. Go.”

He spun me around so that I was facing him. “Do you? Do you get it?” There was a passion in his eyes, and I felt my heartbeat kick into overdrive. “Do you see what you will be facing, Warrior, do you? These people will destroy you. They will use you and use you, and then, finally, use you up. When you have nothing left, they will kick you to the side like some worthless dog! Is this what you want, Warrior? Tell me, is this what you want?”

At that moment, something in me snapped, and I was surprised when my voice came out calm. “No, this isn’t what I want,” I said slowly. Normally, I wouldn’t have taken the time to give an explanation, but being so close to him, I couldn’t seem to think straight. I wanted to explain, and I wanted to share my thoughts with him. I was beginning to worry about this wonderful feeling that tingled in my chest whenever he was near. It felt unnatural. I’m not someone who usually opens up to others. I prefer keeping my feelings to myself, but around him, I just felt… peace. How can something feel unnatural, and yet completely natural at the same time?

I should have punched him by now. Instead, I shoved him away, hoping that the distance would allow me to think normally.

It did seem to help a little. “I didn’t want any of this,” I snarled. “I don’t want to fight people to be able to live, but this is the way it is.” I stepped forward and gripped his shirt in my hands. I wanted to touch him again, and I couldn’t seem to help myself. “This, these,” I said, thrusting my hands in front of his face, “are all I have, the only things I can count on. You ask me if this is what I want as if I’ve ever had any other choice. I never wanted to be a killer, but that’s what I am—a killer.” His face remained impassive, but his eyes betrayed him. He was thinking about what I was saying. Good.

I raised my right arm and stared down at the silver tattoo covering its surface. “Everyone keeps acting like this is some kind of badge of honor, but do you want to know what I see when I look at this?” I didn’t wait for him to answer. “I see my mother. My mother telling me to run, to run and leave her to be killed by monsters. I see the three monsters I killed without a second’s hesitation. I see death and pain and bad, bad memories. Where is the honor in that? I’ll tell you, there is no honor; only death, death at my hands. So, no, I don’t want any of this. But this is what I am. A killer. This is all I know how to be, and yes, this is what I’m good at.” Though I spoke the words as matter-of-fact as I could manage, the truth in them seemed to push me to the edge.

I felt the loss of his presence as soon as I turned away. I’m not sure what his face looked like, because I didn’t look back. I just headed back the way we’d come. I didn’t stop until I reached my apartment, fearing that if I did, I might actually break down and start crying, and there was no time for that.

I needed to rest before my fight.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Nelly was waiting for me outside my room, and upon seeing me, alarm lit up her hazel eyes.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. “What happened to you? You look
like hell.”

I looked down to see that my clothes were torn and bloody. I looked like, well, I looked like I’d gotten into a fight.

I didn’t want to worry her, so I made up a small lie.

“Kayden was showing me some moves,” I replied. “He wanted to make sure I was prepared for the fight tonight.”

She still looked worried, but it faded a little as she took in what I was saying. “Who’s Kayden?”

I had forgotten that she wouldn’t know his name. “Oh, that, uh, guy who was carting us around all day.”

A small smile slowly crossed her face and her eyes widened. “No.

Way. That super-hot guy was giving you private lessons? How did that go?” I gestured toward my attire, and she nodded.

“That rough, huh? What else happened?” She wiggled her eyebrows, and I blew out a sigh.

She giggled. “Okay, okay, I won’t push it. But I think he likes you.”

That was unexpected and absolutely ridiculous. I thought back to my outburst just a few moments ago. “I seriously doubt that. Besides, he’s too old for me.”

“No he’s not. He can’t be more than twenty-five.” I raised an eyebrow. “You’ll be eighteen next month.”

I didn’t have time to respond, because Jackson stepped out of the elevator. He stopped when he took in my appearance.

“What happened? You look like hell.”

I rolled my eyes. “So I keep hearing.”

“I mean, you look beautiful, like always, but, well, what happened?”

I didn’t feel like answering any more questions. “Nothing, just training, that’s all. Look, I need to rest so that I can be ready for tonight. Where are you guys going?”

“They gave us new rooms over on campus,” Nelly said. “They’re giving us a tour in half an hour. I was waiting for you to get back to see if you wanted to come.”

“You guys go on without me. I really do need to relax.” And ice down the injuries I’d just received.

They gave me hugs, and I tried not to wince at the pain that shot up my back. Before they stepped on the elevator, I called out to them.

“You guys will be there tonight, right?” They looked at me like I had two heads.

“Of course,” Nelly said.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” replied Jackson.

Chapter Twenty-Four

I was half-asleep, lying on my bed, when someone knocked on my door. I pulled myself up, wincing as pain throbbed from tailbone to head. I hoped I was up to what I would be doing tonight.

I opened up the door to see Scar standing there. I was a little disappointed that it wasn’t Kayden, but he probably thought I was some sort of psycho after what had happened. I pushed those thoughts aside. This was no time to worry about that.

“Are you ready, Warrior?” Scar asked in that gruff voice of his. I really wished people would stop calling me that.

I shrugged and stepped out, closing the door. “Guess so.”

To my surprise, he patted me on the back. Again, I had to work to keep from wincing. “Course you are,” he said, looping his arm around my shoulder. “Don’t worry, you’ll do fine. You were born for this.”

I nodded slowly. “Yeah, I was.”

We ended up in the same building where we had had our meeting with the Council. This time, I didn’t notice any of the extravagance. All my thoughts focused on the task in front of me. We ascended the stairs and again took a left down the hallway, except now we stopped in front of the red door.

Scar turned to face me. “Clear away whatever thoughts are on your mind and focus on one thing: winning. Nothing else matters right now. Just do what you have to.”

I shut my eyes and took a deep breath, letting his words sink in.

Finally, I managed to clear my mind and really focus on my task. I peeled my eyes open to see Scar looking at me.

“Why are you being so nice to me?” I had to know. After last night, I’d thought he hated me.

He shook his head, looking slightly ashamed. “I apologize for how I treated you. But the security of our people rests on my shoulders, and I can’t afford to let just anyone through those gates. But you are a Warrior. Possibly the last true Warrior left, and for that, you deserve to be shown respect.”

I looked down at my arm. My words to Kayden came flooding back into my head. “I’m not so sure,” I mumbled.

He squinted at me for a second, and then he cupped my face with his rough hands and looked into my eyes. “I am,” he said. “Now go.”

Just before he opened the door and pushed me through, he mumbled, “Who knows, maybe you’ll be the one who will save us all.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

I stood in what looked like a dungeon. The walls were stone and the place had a cold, damp feel to it. Unlike a dungeon, however, there was an opening in the walls that led to what looked like a dirt floor. Also unlike a dungeon, beyond the opening, I could hear the cheers of a loud crowd and the muffled voice of an announcer.

My heart was beating out of my chest as I walked toward the opening. As I drew closer, I could see rows and rows of bleacher-like stone seats that were jam-packed with people. The announcer’s voice rang loud and clear, and I bent over, clutching my knees, as I heard what he was saying.

We have a new applicant for our school of Warriors. Alexa Montgomery will be facing Daniel Benson tonight in order to gain entry. If she manages to defeat him, she will be accepted in the ranks and earn Daniel’s status in the academy. Shall we meet our fighters?

I straightened up and was happy when it didn’t cause me pain. Adrenaline always did that to me. And with the amount of adrenaline that was running through me right now, I doubted I’d feel anything if a bullet hit me.

I had dressed in form-fitting sweatpants and a dark blue jacket with a black wife-beater underneath. I was sweating buckets, so I stripped off the jacket, no longer caring if people saw my marks. They would find out soon enough anyway, and the jacket would hinder my movements. I wasn’t even scared. I had only one thought in my head: kill or be killed. It was what my mother had always told me. And even though I knew she wouldn’t be proud of what I was doing, I would make her proud of how well she’d trained me. More than that, I would make myself proud. I would show these people what it really meant to be a Warrior. Because that’s what I was: a Warrior.

The announcer had already called the name of my opponent, and if the crowd’s cheers were any indication, he was already standing before them. When my name was called, I stepped through the opening.

The crowd cheered for mere seconds before emitting a collective gasp. A tense silence fell over the arena. I knew what they were looking at, but I didn’t spare them a glance: all my attention focused on the guy standing opposite me. He was about half a foot taller than me and packed with muscle. I swallowed hard. I hoped his size would give me the advantage of speed.

The announcer seemed to stumble over his words, but I’d heard the only word I needed: BEGIN!

Daniel Benson started toward me. The way he moved, so cautious and calculated, sent my mind back to the Lamia I’d killed in the woods. The images seemed to awaken something in me. Something I knew I should probably shove back, and something I didn’t.

When he charged, my heart leapt in excitement. I slid just out of reach, turning on the balls of my feet and keeping my eyes on him for every heartbeat. I moved unlawfully fast. The crowd roared in my ears.

He spun and faced me, an uncertainty on his face for the briefest of moments before years of training morphed it away. I’m not an easy person to stare down. And though his gaze never wavered, I recognized the look behind his eyes. It wasn’t quite fear—more like the look one gets immediately preceding fear, a look of extreme apprehension. The regard one acquires right before everything falls to pieces.

I’d learned that at moments my speed could be ungodly. My strength could, too. But, I don’t believe these things were the reasons my opponent had that peculiar look behind his eyes. It was something else he saw. That same something that I probably should’ve kept leashed.

Everything around me faded away as I stood staring at my opponent. The crowd melted, colors blending together and faces disappearing. I couldn’t see anything but Daniel, this boy standing between me and victory. I could hear nothing but my heartbeat pounding in my ears. I watched his every muscle for movement. Speed and power coiled inside me like an angry serpent. That other me broke straight through to the surface as Daniel rushed forward. I waited for the last possible second, then spun to the side in what I’m sure was just a blur of movement to all spectators.

Daniel stumbled over the spot that had been my position a quarter of a heartbeat earlier. I spun around him once more, loving the feel of the power in my body. Mid-turn, I backhanded him so hard my fist cracked like thunder on his skull. Instead of feeling pain in my hand from the impact, I felt a small spark of energy. Somewhere in the distance, a crowd roared.

At that moment, I lost all control. I let go of all the hate and all the pain and all the anger that seemed to be drowning me over the last few days. And I let go of it on Daniel. It felt better than I would ever admit.

I walked quickly over to where he was now laying on the ground, grabbed him by the shirt front, and punched him hard in the face. Over and over and over again. With each blow I felt a zing of energy, bits and pieces of that magnificent feeling I’d gotten after taking the Lamia’s life. I clung to it. Like the continuous draws of a chain smoker to please an insatiable need.

I felt myself departing also, as though I was slipping away, right along with Daniel. I was allowing myself to become what I’d always feared most. I didn’t care. I understood the consequences of what I was doing, and I didn’t care.

As, I drew my fist back once again, a single voice smashed into my awareness like a stone on glass.

Alexa!

Nelly.

She was screaming my name. Screaming for me to stop. I’m not even sure how I heard her over the pounding in my ears, but I did, and it captured my attention like a bright comet streaking through a blood red sky.

My hand paused mid-air. The crowd still roared. I briefly remember scanning my surroundings for Nelly, not finding her, just seeing blur after blur of unfamiliar face. I looked back down at Daniel, down at my red-stained and steady hands, back to the crowd for Nelly. She wasn’t there. Not there. My eyes fell back to Daniel. One side of my mouth slowly pulled up.

Alexa! No! Don’t do it, Alexa. YOU don’t want to do it!

Nelly again. I took one last desperate look around. Half of me begged to find her. The other half just wanted her to shut up. I stayed completely still, pulled too hard in separate directions to move.

Lex. Nelly’s voice again, no longer elevated, now just sad. I remained unmoved. The crowd’s screams continued. I know you’re stronger than this.

I hesitated, then dropped my hands to my sides. My head fell forward, chin tucked tightly to a heaving chest. After a moment, I dared to look back up at the boy lying in front of me. Reaching out a redstained, no longer steady hand, I gently turned his head so that I could see his face. Blood was dripping from his mouth and his eyes were completely closed. Absentmindedly, I ran my fingers down his cheek, then rested them on his neck. His pulse beat weakly under my touch.

The monster inside of me shoved hard, urging me to finish what it had started. I almost listened. God only knows how bad I truly wanted to listen. Nelly’s words saved Daniel’s life that day. I know you’re stronger than this. I battled the hunger with every bit of strength in me, but still, I could feel Daniel’s life force flowing into me. Sweeter than Tupelo honey. I clenched my teeth together and shoved the feeling away. It took everything in me, my energy included.

I only had time to see Daniel’s eyelids flutter before I passed out.

Chapter Twenty-Six

I awoke feeling completely drained and found it hard to move my muscles. I also woke up not knowing where I was. I assumed it was some kind of infirmary, because it looked cold and sterile.

I didn’t need to look to my right to see who was sitting there. There was no mistaking the feeling.

Kayden.

I closed my eyes, surrendering to the wonderful rush I got whenever he was near. “Where’s Nelly?” My voice came out small and weak.

I opened my eyes and tilted my head so I could look at him. He smiled then, and the sight of it was so beautiful I could’ve wept. Relief flooded his features as he spoke. “Nelly and Jackson just left. They didn’t want to, but the doctor said you’d be fine, and I told them I’d stay with you until you woke up. Jackson seemed a little more unhappy about this than Nelly, but both of them were ready to pass out. They said they’d sleep for a few hours and then come back.” He seemed pleased about the Jackson part.

I rested my head back against the pillow. “How long have I been out? What time is it?”

He glanced at his watch. “Three a.m. You’ve been out for about eight hours.”

I shot up to a sitting position with a sudden thought. Spots danced and whirled before my eyes, but I ignored them. “Where’s Daniel? Is he okay? I—I didn’t… kill him, did I?”

Kayden shook his head and gently laid me back down. “Daniel’s going to be fine.” When I gave him a look of disbelief, he added, “He’s pretty banged up, but he’ll live.”

I sat up again and swung my legs over the bed, ignoring him when he tried to protest. Burying my face in my hands, I said, “I really am a killer.”

He pulled my hands away and cupped my face, forcing me to look into his beautiful eyes. Smoothing a lock of hair behind my ear, he leaned forward so that his face was only inches from mine. His voice was soft and low when he spoke. “No. You’re not. You’re not a killer. You did what you had to do.”

I dropped my head an instant before the tears brimming my eyes spilled freely down my cheeks. He sat back in his chair, pulling me forward onto his lap and cradling me in his strong arms. It felt so right to be in his arms, but at the same time, I felt the emotions that had been burning me for the past few days burst free. I buried my face in his chest and cried. Really and truly cried.

He just held me.

And I just cried.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

A week later I was sitting on my bed in my new dorm room, staring out the small window. Not much had happened since my fight. A lot of people I didn’t know had congratulated me for my victory and asked to see my tattoo. It hadn’t taken too long before I had decided to keep to my room as much as possible. I didn’t feel like being treated like a hero for what I’d done—regarded as a freak for what marked me, labeled me— and I was angry that these people could think of it as some kind of honor.

I had been given a room in the Brocken Vampires’ dormitory. I was the only girl in the building, and the boys had been warned not to bother me. I’m not sure what they’d been threatened with, but no one came by except for Nelly and Jackson. They were worried about me. I’d been walking around like some sort of zombie since after leaving the infirmary.

After the infirmary, and after Kayden.

I hadn’t seen him since that night. I must have fallen asleep in his arms because I don’t remember getting back up. But he was gone when I’d woken up again, and Nelly and Jackson were there. I wasn’t sure if Kayden was avoiding me, but he certainly didn’t seem to be making any effort to see me. This bothered me more than I wanted to admit. He’d seen a side of me so few ever got to see, and for that reason, I felt close to him. If I was being completely honest, I missed that wonderful happy feeling he seemed to bring me. I missed him, and I found myself craving the balance his presence seemed to give me. At the same time, I was glad I hadn’t seen him because I was embarrassed about crying in front of him like I had.

Most of all, though, I missed my mother. I wished more than anything she could be here to tell me what to do. It was a little sardonic seeing as how not too long ago, I would’ve been happy to be making all my own decisions. I guess life is just funny that way.

When a knock sounded at my door, I knew who it was, so I just told them to come in. Nelly and Jackson entered the room, and I pasted a smile on my face.

Nelly wore a jade, cap-sleeved dress that hung down just past her knees. Her light-brown hair was pulled back into a loose bun and her hazel eyes looked bright and beautiful with the color of the dress. Jackson wore almost all black: black dress shirt, black dress pants and a silver tie. His reddish-brown hair was combed back neatly. I’d never seen Jack in anything other than his flannel shirts and jeans. My smile turned genuine now. They looked amazing.

“Hey, guys, you look great. What’s up?”

Nelly smiled that beautiful smile of hers. “Why aren’t you getting ready?”

A ceremony was being held for me today for my victory in the fight with Daniel. Apparently, it was some big honor because not many people were accepted into the Brocken School. I was now an official student at Two Rivers’ Academy for Warriors. Yay.

I shrugged. “I’ve got another hour. I was just about to hop in the shower.”

“Need help?” Jackson asked, with a mischievous smile on his face.

I laughed. Jack could always manage to make me smile. “I think I’ll be okay, but thanks… I guess.”

He smiled and held out a box he’d been holding. “We have something for you.”

I took it and shot a suspicious glance at Nelly. She just smiled.

“What is it?” I asked.

She shrugged. “Open it.”

I eyed her warily. “Okay, but if it’s another mystical weapon, I’m not sure that I want it.”

“Well, that depends on your definition of weapon,” said Jackson.

I pulled the top off the box and pushed aside the tissue paper inside. Gasping, I asked, “Where did you guys get this?”

It was a black dress. Well, a really, really nice black dress. Pulling it out of the box and holding it up, I saw that there was a silver, glitterlike material subtly mixed in with the black, making it shimmer when it hit the light. It looked like it would stop just above my knees and had thin straps that crossed in the back. It was the nicest piece of clothing I’d ever owned.

“We had some money left over,” Nelly said. “So we went exploring this morning and found a dress shop. You like?”

Her smile was contagious. “I love,” I said. “Thank you.”

I got up and gave them both a hug, then frowned as a thought came to mind. Nelly knew what I was thinking and stepped outside the door, returning with another smaller box.

“Come on, sis,” she said, “I wouldn’t forget something that important.”

I opened the box and found a pair of black high-heels inside. I smiled at both of them, my mood suddenly much lighter. There is nothing like new clothes and shoes to make a girl happy.

“Now go shower. I still have to do your hair and make-up,” Nelly said, pushing me toward the bathroom.

“Yeah,” Jack agreed. “If I’m going to be your escort, you have to look your best.” I shook my head and laughed.

When I got out of the shower, Nelly blow-dried my hair and set it into loose curls that hung down my back. She applied mascara and a little bronzer and handed me some lip gloss. When I was finished, I didn’t recognize the girl staring back at me in the mirror. I looked great.

I smiled and was happy when I saw it reach my eyes. The silver on my arm matched perfectly with the silver in my dress, and for the first time since it had appeared, I recognized how beautiful the design really was. I felt like a princess.

Nelly and I opened up the bathroom door and stepped back into the room. Jackson stood up from my bed, and I smiled when his jaw nearly hit the floor. The black looked good against my tan skin and the dress fit me perfectly, hugging my body in a way that showed how in shape I really was. I sent a silent thank you to my mother for making me train so hard. I was all muscle and curves, somehow managing to look strong and feminine at the same time.

I laughed at Jackson’s expression. “Think I look good enough to have the honor of being escorted by Jackson Kane?”

A smile lit up his handsome face and he gave an extravagant bow. “Yes, ma’am,” he said, with his soft country accent. “And the honor is all mine.”

We left the dorm and headed toward the Council building, where the ceremony was being held. I tried not to let thoughts of the last time I was here ruin my mood. I just wanted to enjoy being with my loved ones and being dressed up.

“Lex,” Nelly said, when we were about halfway to our destination. I leaned forward so that I could see around Jack, who had his arm looped through mine. She sounded nervous about something. “Hmm?”

“I have to tell you something,” she continued.

I pulled Jackson to a stop and turned so I could look at her. Then someone called her name, and I whipped around to see who it was.

“Nelly!”

My heart sank as I saw who was jogging toward us. I felt like laughing, since that was my usual reaction to tense situations. Daniel was striding toward us with a big smile on his face. Now that we weren’t facing each other in the Arena of Tears—that was the name I’d made up for it—I got to see how handsome he really was, even though his face was still marred with black and blue and red. He was wearing a jade-green shirt, black pants and a black tie. His eyes were so light a brown that they almost looked yellow and his brown hair was tousled in a way that made him look boyishly cute.

And he was looking at my sister like she’d hung the stars and the moon.

When he reached us, he gave Nelly a shy kiss on the forehead and Jackson one of those secret-code handshakes. I just stood there, staring. It was obvious what was happening, but I couldn’t seem to wrap my mind around it. No way was the guy who I had beaten the crap out of dating my sister. No way.

Daniel turned to me and smiled sincerely. I’m not sure what my face looked like, though I would assume shocked would just about cover it, but he laughed and held out his hand.

“Alexa,” he said, giving a small bow. I was mortified. “I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced. I’m Daniel Benson.”

I wasn’t trying to be rude, but I couldn’t seem to process what was going on. After a small nudge from Jackson, I reached up and shook his hand.

“I’m sorry,” I said, slowly, nothing else seemed appropriate, “about uh…”

Daniel waved a hand and finished for me. “Kicking my ass?” He laughed, and it made him look even cuter. “Don’t be. It’s the nature of the beast. You did what you were supposed to do. We all go through it. And now you’re one of us. Besides… you were pretty amazing. I’ve never seen anyone move so fast.”

Maybe he was right. I still felt terrible about what I’d done. We all knew that I could’ve stopped the fight when he hit the ground and didn’t get up, and I still would have won. That’s what it was, plain and simple. The reason I’d been so miserable for the last week. I could’ve stopped the fight. I could have, but I didn’t.

But if Daniel could forgive me, maybe I could forgive me, too. “It’s nice to meet you, Daniel,” I said, even though it sounded stupid. I darted my eyes between him and Nelly. “You coming with us?”

He nodded and gave a shy look. “If that’s okay.”

I began laughing uncontrollably as I took in the four of us. Not unreasonably, they stared at me as if I’d lost my mind.

“You gonna share the joke with the rest of us, darling?” drawled Jackson.

I had to take a few deep breaths before I was able to stop laughing long enough to tell them what was on my mind. Finally, I forced out,

“Whose idea was it to have us match our dates?”

Jackson flushed a little. “Mine, why?”

Nelly caught on before anyone else, and she burst out into laughter too. The guys just stood there looking at us like we were crazy. Between laughs, Nelly said, “We look like we’re going to prom.”

We all laughed until we reached our destination, and I was in a great mood by the time we made it to the Council building. But I sobered up quickly when I saw what was waiting there for us.

The inside had been decorated with what seemed like thousands of white lilies. Small tables had been set up along the walls of the foyer and held vases with the flowers. Banners of suns that matched my tattoo hung from the walls, and through the glass ceiling, I could see thousands of stars lighting the night sky. However, that’s not what caught my attention.

There had to be at least three hundred people standing in the foyer and more stood on the stairs and balcony. When we entered, they all stopped and stared, and then, as if on cue, they rushed forward and surrounded us.

Every person I met wanted to shake my hand and gawk at my tattoo. They were dressed in some of the most elaborate clothing I had ever seen. Some wore ball gowns and tuxedos. Others wore cocktail dresses and tailored suits. One man, in a bright blue suit, approached me, and when he smiled his incisors grew into fangs and his crystal blue eyes flashed with desire. It was creepy. Apparently, Jackson didn’t like it either, because I felt him stiffen beside me.

I leaned over to Daniel and whispered in his ear. “Is there always this many people for this kind of thing?”

He shook his head, looking as nervous as I felt. “No. I mean, there’s always some people, but never like this. I guess they all wanted to see the Warrior. Everyone’s been talking about you since the fight.” “Oh, wonderful,” I muttered.

He gave me a sympathetic smile just before we were mobbed by another group of people. I really hated crowds. Glancing all around me, I wondered if it was too late to escape.

To my immense relief, someone came to our rescue. Scar and a few other men wearing all black with embroidered silver suns on the shoulders parted the crowd and approached me and my companions. When people saw them coming, they stepped out of the way. I guess that’s what Kayden meant when he’d said people would be scared of you everywhere you go. I’m not sure if it was the black uniforms or if they just knew all of their warriors, but everyone kept a healthy distance from Scar and his men.

“His men” included Kayden.

As soon as I saw him, I averted my eyes. I didn’t like the way my heart always seemed to beat out of my chest and how my hands grew sweaty whenever he was near me. I also didn’t want to admit that I might have a little crush on him. If you can call non-stop-Kayden-filled thoughts a crush. It didn’t matter. I knew he didn’t feel the same way about me. In fact, I was a little pissed off that he had been avoiding me since the night in the infirmary. I decided to ignore him.

Scar reached us first, and I couldn’t help but smile when I saw him. He smiled back and gave a formal bow. I didn’t know if I should bow too and felt awkward at his gesture. I wished people would stop doing that. What was this—Japan?

“Hey, S-Gavin,” I said, catching myself before I said something rude.

The smile he gave me did wonders for his normally serious face. “Thought you could use some help getting through the crowd,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything like this.” He looked me up and down.

“You look beautiful tonight, Warrior, as do you, Miss Nelliana.” “Thank you,” Nelly and I replied in unison.

He nodded. “I hope you’re ready. If you think this is a lot of people, wait to you see the ceremony room.”

I’m not sure what my face looked like, but Scar let out a deep rumble of laughter. Then he and his men turned and started marching up the stairs with Jackson, Nelly, Daniel and I following as closely as we could. Two of his men, one being Kayden—not that I was paying attention—waited for us to pass and then brought up the rear of our group. Just like before, people tripped over themselves to get out of the way.

I couldn’t help myself, so I snuck a glance over my shoulder at Kayden, pretending to scan the room. He was staring straight ahead with an inscrutable look on his face. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought that I saw a little anger behind his eyes. I turned my head and kept my chin high as we walked. What did he have to be mad about?

I decided that I would think about it later, because we had just entered the ceremony room. Scar had been right; there had to be a thousand people packed into the large room. I clutched Jackson’s arm, and he gave me a reassuring smile.

“Don’t be nervous, darling,” he whispered. “You’ve faced much more intimidating things. You’ll be fine.”

I smiled up at him. “You always know what to say to make me feel better, Jack.”

He gave me that adorable, mischievous smile of his. “I know how to do a lot of things that would make you feel better.”

I raised an eyebrow and laughed. “Watch it. Pretty sure I could kick your ass.”

He considered this. “Yeah, pretty sure you could.”

We were ushered to the front of the room and given seats in the first row of chairs. All of the other seats in the room were filled. People were even standing in the back. In front of us was a large stage with stairs on both sides leading up to it. Scar gave my shoulder a light squeeze and then went to take up a position near the wall, where other men with the same all-black ensembles were standing. I guessed Warriors worked security for events like this.

A few minutes later, a short, chubby man entered the stage from somewhere beyond the enormous red curtain that hung along the back of it. His appearance struck me as odd for some reason, but it seemed to be just beyond my mind’s grasp. He approached the podium and cleared his throat into the microphone. The crowd grew silent, and he began speaking.

“Her Majesty, Queen Camillia Anne Monteleone,” he said in a regal tone.

Everyone in the audience rose to their feet. A heartbeat later, I followed suit.

Not surprisingly, the woman from my Council meeting entered the stage and walked gracefully over to the podium. The short man gave a small bow and stepped quickly out of her way.

“Please, be seated,” she said.

After everyone was seated, the queen began her speech. I think she said something about tradition and honor, but I couldn’t be sure. My attention was directed elsewhere. I scanned the room and saw Kayden standing by the wall near us. He looked over at me, as if he could feel me watching him. We met eyes for the briefest of moments before he jerked his gaze away, staring straight ahead once again.

Okay, what was his problem? Was he mad at me for deciding to fight? Maybe he had just been comforting me in the infirmary but was kind of freaked out when I started crying like some two-year-old. Whatever the reason, I was going to find out. After I got out of this stupid ceremony, I would confront him and ask him.

“Alexa Montgomery, please come forth.”

Jackson nudged me and I stood up, walking over to the steps leading up to the stage on autopilot. I tried to hurry without tripping in my heels. I wasn’t sure, but I doubted the queen would take kindly to being kept waiting. I tried not to look at the audience, though I knew they were all staring at me. Crowds have always made me nervous, so much so that I had never even been to a concert. Still, I held my head up and refused to let them see my discomfort.

As I approached the podium, the queen turned toward me and I bowed. It felt stupid and ridiculous, but I didn’t think it wise to show disrespect in front of all these people. It’s always better to be rude behind closed doors.

She smiled, but I didn’t miss the fact that it didn’t reach her eyes. “Young Warrior,” she said in a low voice. “You look nervous.” My eyes darted to the crowd and back. She smiled. “Oh, I see. Well, I would imagine you’ve faced things more terrifying than a crowd.”

I nodded, and she turned back to the podium. “For her victory in the arena, I present Alexa Montgomery—”

I’m not really sure what else she was saying because a strange noise caught my attention. I looked all around me to see where it was coming from. Leaning closer to the podium, it became louder. It was just a low clicking sound, the kind a clock might make. I doubt a human would have been able to hear it, and as I listened, the clicking sound gradually picked up in pace.

I’ll never be entirely sure what made me do what I did next. Maybe it was just instinct, maybe it was fate. Whatever it was, it was a good thing I acted when I did, because a second later and something really bad could’ve happened.

Grabbing the queen by the shoulders, I yanked her back from the podium. Everyone gasped, but I shoved her as hard as I could toward the rear of the stage. I just had enough time to tell her to run before the podium exploded.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The blast sent me flying into the air. I landed hard on my shoulder and hit my head on the floor. For a second, I thought I was going to black out. I pulled myself to a sitting position and shook my head, wincing as pain shot through me.

Everything in the room was eerily silent for about half a second, then chaos erupted. People started screaming and rushing for the exits. It was like watching a stampede, everyone was pushing and shoving and trampling over anyone who got in their way.

Kicking off my heels, I stood up slowly. I began searching the crowd for Nelly, but it was impossible to make out anyone in this frenzied mess. A million things ran through my mind in that moment. First, things first, though, I had to find my sister and get her to safety.

Stumbling down the steps to the main floor, I caught sight of Nelly and rushed toward her. Before I could reach her, someone tackled me to the ground. Something whooshed past my head, ruffling my hair with a breath’s worth of wind just before I fell to my back. I looked up and saw that it was Kayden who had taken me down. Turning my head to the right, I saw a silver dagger stuck in the front of the stage.

I pushed Kayden off me and stood up, heading once again toward Nelly. Kayden caught my arm and began dragging me in the opposite direction.

“What the hell are you doing?” I shouted.

“Saving your life,” he growled.

“Let me go! I have to get to Nelly!”

“You have to get out of here before whoever threw that dagger takes another shot,” he shot back.

I hesitated as his words sunk in. Someone had tried to kill me. That much was obvious… Still. “I have to protect her.”

He blew out a frustrated breath. “You can’t protect her if you’re dead!”

When I still didn’t move, he looked me in the eyes and a desperate tone took hold of his voice. “Please, Alexa, trust me.”

Hearing him call me by my name made my heart flutter. He usually just called me “Warrior.” I hadn’t even known he knew my name. I had to stop thinking so much about him. It was starting to happen at really inconvenient times.

I didn’t know what to do. I shot a look at the place where I’d last seen Nelly. She wasn’t there. My eyes scanned the crowd. I couldn’t find her. Finally, I nodded. Kayden grabbed my arm and led me around to the rear of the stage and down a long hallway that led to an exit door. He threw it open and we stepped out into the cool night air.

“Where are we going?”

“Somewhere safe.”

We headed into the trees that encased the rear of the Council building. Then we exited the forest and were in a part of the city I had never seen before. It was still beautiful, but much less opulent than the area I’d become acquainted with. We reached another line of trees and again, went straight into them. Finally, we arrived at a small cabin set back in the woods.

He opened the door and led me into a living room area. It had a small fireplace, a sofa and a big-patterned rug, but no TV. There was also a large bookshelf that took up an entire wall and was filled with books. I sat down on the couch and spots danced in front of my eyes. I guess I was more banged up than I had thought.

Kayden disappeared into another room and returned a few seconds later with a first aid kit.

“Do you live here?” I asked.

He nodded and began taking bandages and disinfectant out of the kit. When he reached up to push the hair out of my face, I caught his hand. “I’m fine.”

He gave me a stern look, and I sighed and tucked my hair behind my ear. Something wet and sticky touched my fingers. I looked down at my hand to see that it was covered in blood. “Oh.”

He shook his head and poured alcohol on some gauze. Reaching up, he touched it gently to my forehead.

“AHHH!”

His eyes widened in alarm. I laughed. “Just kidding.”

He blew out a heavy breath and shook his head again, but I saw a small smile turn up his lips. That goofy-happy feeling swelled in my chest. I liked making him smile. I liked it a lot.

He returned to cleaning my forehead, and I clenched my teeth. It actually did sting. The pain was but a token of payment for the view, though. His golden eyes examined my wound with such intensity that my breathing grew shallower and shallower as he continued his work. He was so perfect. The most glorious man I had ever seen. His dirtyblond hair hung in his face a little bit, the same color as the short whiskers covering his strong jaw. Before I knew what I was doing, I reached up and brushed his soft hair gently to the side.

His eyes met mine, and my heartbeat rivaled a hummingbird’s wings. For a moment, I thought I could see desire lurking behind his gaze, but a second later he looked away and grabbed a clean piece of gauze. Covering it in more alcohol, he returned to his work.

“Are you mad at me?” I blurted out.

His eyes met mine again, and a look of surprise came over his face. “Why would I be mad at you?”

I looked down at my hands. “I don’t know. It’s just… Why have you been avoiding me then?”

A guilty look came over his face, and my earlier anger at him returned. “See? You have been avoiding me. Why? Was it because of that day in the clearing? Because, honestly, I think I had every right to react the way I did.” Even though I still felt stupid about it.

He dropped his hand from my forehead and sat back on the coffee table in front of me. I wondered at how it held his weight.

When he just sat there, I threw up my arms. “Alright, whatever.”

Standing up, I said, “Thank you for saving my life, I appreciate it. But I’ll take it from here.”

When I went to move toward the door, he caught my arm. The touch almost made my knees go lax. “I’m sorry, Alexa. Don’t… leave.”

I eyed him warily, but if I was being honest, I didn’t really want to leave either. I really liked being around him. I really liked him. I worried that I was starting to get addicted to the way he made me feel. I sat back down on the couch.

When I opened my mouth to speak, he held up a hand. “I’m sorry about how I treated you that day. You were right. I had no right to tell you that you shouldn’t fight. It was none of my business.”

“Then why did you?”

He hesitated. I blew out a frustrated breath.

“I just wanted to give you a chance to realize what you were walking into. You’re so young. You have your whole life ahead of you. I thought you should be given a chance to choose something other than… this,” he said, gesturing to my forehead.

I looked down at my hands. “I guess I just don’t get why you would care,” I said, my voice barely a whisper.

He reached up, calloused but gentle fingers taking hold of my chin. My lips parted slightly as my breaths grew short again. “I don’t think you understand just how special you are,” he whispered.

I held his gaze for a moment. Then I looked down at my right arm. “I don’t think this makes me very special. Actually, it kind of just makes me mad.”

He ran his fingers over my wrist then trailed them up my arm. His strong hands led chill bumps as they ascended. My chest rose and fell. I was sure I’d lost my poker face.

“No, that’s not what makes you special,” he said, in a hushed, deep voice. “You’re brave and strong. You care for others more than you care for yourself. You risk your life for what you think is right, and you would willingly die for those you love. That’s what makes you special.”

I flicked my gaze back up to his, and what I saw there made my breath catch in my throat. I could tell that he was struggling with something, and if I hadn’t known better, I would say it was desire. For a moment, I thought that he might kiss me.

He didn’t.

Instead, he stood up rather abruptly. I slumped back against the couch and rubbed my hands over my face. This was all I needed, falling for a guy who obviously did not want me in that way.

I exhaled slowly. “I need a cigarette.”

He looked over from where he was now standing by the fireplace.

“You smoke?”

I nodded. “Don’t suppose you have any?”

He grew thoughtful for a second, and being the smoker that I am, my eyes lit up with hope.

He laughed at my expression. “No, I don’t. But… I guess we could go get some, even though I don’t think you should be smoking. Those things will kill you.”

I rolled my eyes. Never heard that one before. “Doubt it. I’m pretty sure that something else is going to kill me long before the cigarettes get their chance.”

He laughed at my morbid statement, and the sound of it warmed me. I loved his laugh. I loved making him laugh. I was definitely losing my mind.

When he looked back over at me, I put on what I hoped was a charming smile. “Um… please?” He narrowed his eyes and I grinned. “Oh, come on. It’s okay for me to fight men twice my size, but it’s not okay for me to have a cigarette?”

He muttered something and shook his head. “Okay, but we have
to be careful. I’m not sure if it’s safe out there yet.”

I jumped up and threw my arms up in triumph. “Yes!”

He shook his head again and laughed at my stupidity. “There’s a small store just outside of the forest. I think we can get there without being seen.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The man at the store didn’t even charge me for the cigarettes. When he saw the marks on my arm, he just gave them to me, saying something about how he was just grateful I had finally arrived.

Kayden was sitting on the back porch of his cabin with me as I smoked.

“What was that about?” I asked, blowing out a cloud of wonderful poison.

He shrugged, eyeing my cigarette with mild distaste. “There are some who believe you have come to serve as their savior.”

I thought back to Scar’s words to me just before my fight with Daniel. Who knows, you may be the one who will save us all.

“Why would they think that?”

He was silent for a moment before saying, “Who knows?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. I was pretty sure he knew something that he wasn’t telling me. His expression had turned guarded, though, so I decided that I would definitely be looking into this later.

I groped for a change in subject. “So what do we do now? Was it the queen they were trying to kill, or was it me? And why would someone try to kill me? I just got here. I doubt I pissed anyone off enough… yet, to warrant a dagger to the head.”

His expression went dark. Unsurprisingly, it made me think he was even more attractive. I was seriously deranged.

“I’m not sure,” he said. “But I’ll find out.”

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts of Kayden-filled fantasies. I needed to concentrate. This was no time for daydreaming. Alarm shot through me as I realized that I hadn’t even thought about Nelly the whole time I’d been here. This worried me. Nelly was always my biggest concern, and I hadn’t even checked to make sure she’d gotten out of the Council building safely.

“Do you have a phone I can use?” I asked.

He stood up and went into the house. A few moments later he returned and held out a cell phone. I reached out to take it, but he pulled his hand out of my reach.

I gave him a confused look. “What?”

“Who are you going to call?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Ghostbusters?”

He didn’t laugh, but I saw a smile behind his eyes. Instead, he just waited for my answer.

I sighed. “Jackson, why?”

His face went back into that unreadable expression that I was beginning to hate. I realized that I had gotten used to him being a little more open with me over the short couple of hours I’d been here. I also didn’t miss the fact that when I’d mentioned Jackson, something else flashed behind his eyes. For a brief moment, I thought it might be jealousy. Then it was gone.

“I just want to make sure he and Nelly made it out of there okay.

But, if you’d rather I just go and check on them myself…” He handed me the cell phone.

I punched in Jack’s cell number, and he answered on the first ring.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Jack, it’s me.”

“Oh, thank God! Alexa? Where the hell are you? Nelly and I have been so worried.”

I glanced over at Kayden to see that he was staring straight ahead.

What was his problem?

“I’m… somewhere safe. Where are you guys? What’s going on?”

“All the students are on lock-down in the dorms until the Warriors can sort out this mess. Everybody’s really freaked out. Here.

Nelly wants to talk to you.”

“Alexa?” Nelly’s voice was full of relief. I felt bad for not thinking to call earlier.

“What’s up, Nell?”

“Oh, thank god! I’ve been so worried. Where the heck did you go? I looked for you when we made it out of the Council building, but I couldn’t find you. Then Gavin told us to return to our rooms. He said he’d look for you, but he hasn’t come back yet. Jackson and Daniel stayed with me because I was freaking out. Where are you?”

I looked back over at Kayden, who was now staring at me. “I’m… safe. I’ll head back soon. I was checking to make sure you were okay.”

“Okay,” she said, slowly. I could never fool Nelly, she knew I was keeping something from her. But, she trusted me, and I was thankful when she didn’t push for more details. “Okay,” she repeated. “But hurry up, you’re not the only one who worries about people, you know.”

I told her I would be there soon and then hung up. Kayden was still staring at me. I looked down at the cell phone in my hand to see if it had a camera on it. I flipped it to that setting and snapped a picture of myself smiling stupidly.

I handed it back to him. “There. Now you can look at me whenever you feel the need.” When he just kept staring, I raised both eyebrows. “What? What’s your problem?” I didn’t mean to sound rude, but his gaze made me feel a little self-conscious in my form-revealing black dress. I felt somehow inadequate.

I waited for an answer that never came. I stood up and stretched, completely aware of his eyes on me the whole time. “Fine, forget it,” I said. “We need to head back to the dorms. I think it’s okay now. Apparently, they’ve got everyone on lock-down, and Gavin is looking for me.”

“Not anymore,” said a gruff voice near the side of the house.

Kayden and I both turned to see Gavin standing about twenty feet to our left. He was wearing his black warrior uniform and had an expression on his face that said he wasn’t too happy.

I broke the silence first. “Hey, Gavin. What’s up?”

His face remained unchanged. “I would ask you the same question, Warrior,” he said, darting his eyes from Kayden to me.

I propped a hand on my hip. Who did this guy think he was—my father?

“Obviously, not what you think is going on,” I replied.

Before Gavin could respond, Kayden spoke up. “Someone tried to kill her. I brought her here to make sure she was safe.” He said this very matter-of-factly.

“How noble of you, Wallace,” Gavin said, his tone dripping sarcasm. “I see you’ve taken good care of her.”

He was looking at my hand, and I glanced down to see that I was still holding my cigarette. I brought it up to my mouth and inhaled deeply. Exhaling, I said, “No one needs to ‘take care’ of me. And you can stop with the accusations because he’s telling the truth. You’ve found me, good job, but I was just heading back anyway, and I’m pretty sure I can manage the walk without getting killed.”

I knew my tone was clipped, and I had even grown to like Gavin, but I was not about to let him stand there and accuse me of something that I didn’t do. Just because I might have thought about it didn’t make me guilty. Even if I had thought about it a lot.

“I’m quite sure that you can,” Gavin replied. “Because we’ve found the assassin.”

That shut me up. That was not what I’d been expecting him to say. The pleased smirk on his face told me that he knew he’d caught me off guard. I shot a look at Kayden, who had a suspicious look on his face.

“You’re sure?” he asked.

Gavin raised an eyebrow. “Quite. He’s admitted to it.”

When I remained silent, he continued, “Your sister was quite worried about you, Warrior, so I told her I would look for you. When I noticed Wallace was missing as well, I decided to come check his cabin, on the off chance that you two might be together. Seems it wasn’t too far off.”

I gave him a smirk of my own. “Seems like.”

Beside me, Kayden whispered, “Watch it, Alexa.”

I shot him a look that I hoped conveyed my frustration. Turning back to Gavin, I asked, “Who was it?”

He grinned. “Let’s go see.”

Chapter Thirty

We headed to an area that I assumed was reserved for prisoners, because it was barren and held only one building. The building lacked all of the extravagance that seemed to drown the rest of the city. It was made of gray stone and surrounded on all sides by a black iron fence, on a hill far away from any of the other structures.

We had taken Gavin’s car to get there, and I looked over at him sitting in the driver’s seat next to me. “Is this the prison?”

“No,” he said. “That is not some place I would take you. It lies far beyond our walls. This is our Warrior headquarters, but it serves as a holding facility as well.”

“Oh.”

We parked the car and headed into the building, where we were greeted by multiple guards. They all wore the black uniforms and nodded to the three of us as we passed. We headed down a hall where four more guards stood in front of a door. Next to the door was a large window looking into a room.

We came to a stop in front of the window. The room it looked into was plain and sterile; all white with a metal table and three chairs. Two of the chairs faced away from us, and on the other side of the table, sat a man chained to the third chair.

He wore a bright blue suit and had his eyes closed. As I stared at him, his eyes popped open, and I jumped back from the glass.

Gavin laughed and patted my back. “Don’t worry, Warrior, he can’t see you. This is a one-way mirror.”

I was still staring at the man in the room, staring at his crystal blue eyes. Kayden must have sensed something was up, because he laid a gentle hand on my shoulder. I felt better having him there, but I was still pretty shocked. Not really scared, just… shocked.

“You recognize him,” said Kayden.

It wasn’t a question so much as a realization. Maybe I was spending too much time with him. He was starting to read me just as well as Nelly.

I nodded. “Yeah.”

Gavin turned me so I was facing him, forcing me to pull my eyes from the man in the room. “From where?” he asked.

I told them about how I had met him in the foyer of the Council building just before the ceremony had taken place, and how he had shown me his fangs. They didn’t like that one bit.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Kayden asked.

Gavin raised an eyebrow at Kayden. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I kind of had a lot on my mind at the moment. Besides”—I gestured at the man—“he didn’t strike me as dangerous. What’s the big deal? Don’t all of you have fangs?”

Kayden sighed. “Yes, but we don’t go baring them at young women. It’s considered highly inappropriate.” Gavin raised an eyebrow again, but Kayden continued as if he didn’t notice. “We usually only show them to someone when we are challenging them. It is considered a threat.”

I looked back at the man in the room. He still didn’t look threatening to me. Actually, he just looked kind of pathetic. If he hadn’t just tried to kill me, I would have felt sorry for him.

I shook my head slowly. “What do you mean ‘usually?’ Because I don’t think he was threatening me. I think he was expressing… other interests.”

Gavin and Kayden exchanged looks that answered my question for me. I’m not sure why I wanted to do what I suggested next, but for some reason, I felt like I had to. Maybe it was those instincts my mother had always talked about.

“Let me talk to him,” I said.

Gavin and Kayden replied almost simultaneously. “Absolutely not.”

I shot looks at both of them. “Why the hell not?” “Because it’s not safe,” Kayden replied.

“He’s dangerous,” said Gavin.

I looked at both of them like they were stupid, because really, they were being stupid. I crossed my arms. “You’re kidding me, right?” I continued before they could answer. “You think he is capable of hurting me? I’m a trained fighter and he’s all chained up. Hell, I’m more dangerous than he is right now.”

They seemed to be considering this, so before they could make a decision, I added, “I think I have a right to speak to the man who almost took my life.”

I could see Gavin’s decision written on his face before he spoke, so I had to work to keep the smile off mine. “Fine,” he said. “But Wallace is going in with you.”

I gave a small nod. I wasn’t happy about that, but I had to take what I could get. Gavin had the guards unlock the door, and Kayden and I stepped inside.

The man at the table looked up at me and smiled. Once again, his incisors elongated. Next to me, Kayden stiffened.

“It’s good to see you again, Warrior,” he said.

“I can see that,” I replied dryly. “So… you tried to kill me?”

I know that sounded stupid, but all I knew was that I wanted to talk to him, that didn’t mean I knew what I was actually going to say.

He looked down at his hands and then back up to me. “I already answered that question,” he said. “I would assume you already knew that.” “Why?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Why not?”

I grabbed Kayden’s arm so that he wouldn’t attack the man, who was lucky that I could move fast enough to catch him. I didn’t let go until I felt him relax beside me.

“Because you don’t even know me,” I replied.

He smiled that creepy smile again. “Everyone knows you, Warrior.”

“Bullshit. Why would you want me dead? Why would you want to kill your queen?”

This made him laugh, and this time, Kayden had to grab my arm. His touch made me calm down a little, but I was still pretty angry. “I don’t see what’s so funny,” I said through gritted teeth.

He stopped laughing and looked at me with those icy blue eyes. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought I saw sadness flash behind them. “No, you don’t. Because, really, none of this is very funny.”

I furrowed my brow in confusion. This guy was definitely off his rocker. “Don’t patronize me,” I said. “I don’t think you’ll like my reaction.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Warrior. You, you are a Wolf. Me? I’m just a sheep, a goat, if you will. I wouldn’t dare mock you.”

I didn’t know what else to say, so I just stared at him. He cringed a little under my gaze and I gave a smug smile. Kayden gently took my arm and began urging me toward the door. “Come on,” he said. “He’s crazy. You can’t trust anything he says.”

I nodded and turned to leave, as the door opened, the man called out to me.

“He’s right, Warrior, trust no one. Everyone has an ulterior motive.”

The door closed behind me and I walked right past Gavin and the other guards, with Kayden following on my heels.

“What did he say?” Gavin called to me down the hall.

I kept walking, but called over my shoulder, “Nothing. He’s crazy.”

I didn’t realize Kayden had followed me until I stepped out of the building. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to a stop. “What is it? What’s bothering you?”

I wanted to answer him truthfully, really, I did. I wanted to believe I could trust him more than I had ever wanted to trust anyone in my entire life. He was so magnificent, so strong and wonderful and I wanted to believe in him so much that it made my heart ache. But as I stood there considering it, the man’s words came back to me. My mother’s words came back to me. Trust no one. Everyone has an ulterior motive.

“Nothing,” I said, without looking at him. “I’m just really tired.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Kayden walked me back to the dorms and we didn’t say a word the entire way. When we got there, he pulled me to a stop once again. I knew that he knew I had lied to him about what was bothering me, and I prepared myself to do it again. Even though I felt like I was lying to myself in doing so. I had to watch myself around him, had to make sure that I didn’t let my infatuation and that wonderful feeling he brought me make me let down my guard.

To my surprise, he just pulled me into a hug. I wrapped my arms around him possessively because I couldn’t help it. My body just moved instinctively to embrace his, and the scent of him filled my senses in the most pleasant of ways. It felt so right to be in his arms, so natural. I felt like nothing in the world could hurt me when he was holding me. I felt complete and balanced. I felt happy.

I broke the embrace first. I didn’t need a man to make me happy, never had. And I wasn’t about to start now. I needed to be able to think clearly, to figure out what was making me feel like I was missing something here, and I couldn’t seem to do anything but be happy when he was around. So, what I did next was much harder than it should have been. Maybe one of the hardest things I have ever had to do, aside from leaving my mother that night.

“Thank you,” I said. “For everything.”

“You’re wel—”

“But I need you to stay away from me. I want you to stay away from me…” I swallowed hard so that my voice wouldn’t crack. “I’m safe now, so… your services are no longer required.”

Even though his face had returned to that unreadable expression, the look in his eyes when I said this was almost enough to make me eat up my words and beg him to stay. Almost. But an instant later, it was gone, replaced by what could only be immense hurt and maybe a little anger. I couldn’t blame him. I felt like a total bitch.

He gave a slight nod and said, “As you wish, Warrior.”

Then he turned and walked away. I felt like a piece of my soul walked away right along with him.

I ran up to my room and threw myself across the bed. I was not going to cry. I was absolutely not going to cry. I refused to. I knew that what I had done was for the best. That I had done the only thing I could do, the right thing.

But sometimes, the right thing can feel so very, very wrong.

Chapter Thirty-Two

A knock at my door awoke me early the next morning. Pulling myself out of the bed, I stumbled over to the door and threw it open. A very pissed off Nelly stood outside it. I wondered why for just a moment, then it hit me. I had forgotten that I was supposed to meet up with her last night. Whoops.

“Hey, Nell,” I said, weakly.

The anger on her face kicked up a notch. “Don’t hey, Nell me, Alexa. Do you know how worried I’ve been? I didn’t sleep all night. Neither did Jack or Daniel. We were all up waiting for you to come back.”

I rubbed my face. I knew she had a right to be mad at me, but I didn’t feel like dealing with it this morning. Not after everything that had happened last night. My next words came out much harsher than I intended.

“Yeah, well, I’m sorry, but I kind of had a lot going on. My world doesn’t revolve around you, you know.”

Her expression switched to one of hurt and my stomach clenched. Again with the anger. I should be ashamed. Nelly wasn’t acting any different than I would if the situation was flipped. Hell, I’d probably be a whole lot meaner than she was being. I took a deep breath and tried again.

“I’m sorry, Nell. Really. I had a lot of stuff going on. I guess I kind of just… forgot,” I said.

She brushed past me and sat down on the bed. She sighed and pushed the hair out of her face. “What’s going on, Lex? I feel like you’ve been really guarded lately. You used to tell me everything, and now I have no idea what’s going on in that head of yours.”

I sat down beside her and rested my head on her shoulder. She ran a hand through my hair and whispered, “I’m worried about you. Tell me what’s going on.”

I did. I told her everything. My feelings for Kayden, my conversation with the man in the blue suit. I ended by telling her what I had said to Kayden last night. It took a while, but like always, she just sat quietly and waited for me to finish.

“Why did you do that?” she asked when I was finished.

It took me a minute to realize she was talking about Kayden. I sighed. “I don’t know. Because I can’t seem to control myself around him. I can’t do anything but tell him everything that’s on my mind. That’s dangerous right now. I don’t know who I can trust. His presence makes me feel…”

“Happy?” she finished for me.

“Yes, but it’s not only that. It makes me feel vulnerable. I can’t trust myself around him. He makes me feel strong and weak at the same time. I don’t like feeling that way and not being able to stop it.”

She was silent for a long time, then she hugged me. I took comfort in her embrace. If nothing else, I would always have Nelly. I could always trust her to be there for me.

We broke apart and she smiled at me with that wonderful smile of hers. I smiled back because I couldn’t help it. Nelly had that way about her that made her moods contagious.

“Go shower and get dressed,” she said.

I glanced at the clock. It was seven a.m. “Why?” I asked. I was planning on just going back to bed. I was still so tired after last night.

She shook her head and smiled again. “Because you’ve got class starting in an hour. Remember?”

Oh wonderful. I had forgotten that I was scheduled to start school this morning. The ceremony last night made me official, and now I had to head to class with the other fighters. I hoped I was ready. Better yet, considering my mood, I hoped they were ready.

I showered and headed out toward the building designated for the Brocken students. Nelly and I split ways when we had to head in different directions. All of the schools were relatively close together, and I hoped that we would at least get to have lunch together.

“Good luck,” she said, giving me another hug.

“Thanks.”

I was almost to the building when a Warrior I didn’t know stopped me. He wore the all-black uniform and was handsome—in a way-too-old-for-me kind of way.

“Miss Montgomery?” he asked, stopping in front of me.

“Yes,” I said slowly.

He nodded. “The queen has requested an audience with you. I’ll escort you, if you would follow me.”

My shoulders sagged. I just wanted to go to class, slip into some sort of routine. I didn’t want to deal with any more politics right now, but really, I didn’t have much choice.

“Okay,” I said.

He seemed a little amused at my reluctance to see the queen. I decided I might like this guy.

We talked along the way as we walked, and I was grateful for this. I was sick of the older Warriors just acting like robots. I wanted some normal interaction with people. I also just wanted to take my mind off Kayden.

“What’s your name?” I asked when we reached the Council building.

He hesitated, then said, “Marcus, but I go by Mark.”

I held out my hand. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Mark. I’m Alexa.”

He smiled a full smile and shook my hand. Then Mark led me into the building and took me to the Queen’s personal office. It looked more like a sitting room—where one might have tea—than an office. Everything was decorated in silver and black, and white roses and other exotic plants I couldn’t identify lined the walls. One side of the office was a large window, stretching from floor to ceiling, overlooking a beautiful garden. There was a large oak desk near the far wall, and a daybed placed tastefully off to the side. I looked to my right to see the queen sitting in a very expensive-looking chair that was facing a very expensive-looking couch. I walked over and bowed before sitting down on the couch.

She raised her eyebrows. Was I supposed to ask to be seated? Whatever.

She was wearing a black pant-suit with a silver silk blouse underneath, and she was sipping a cup of tea. Her blue eyes studied me over her cup and I shifted a little in my seat. I was wearing black stretch pants and a black tank top. I would have dressed nicer, but I thought I was just heading to school where I would have to train. Whatever.

“It’s nice to see you, Your Majesty,” I said.

She smiled, and it made her looks a little less sharp. “It’s nice to see you as well, young Warrior.

I struggled not to roll my eyes. I really wished people would stop calling me that. I had a name, and I kind of liked it.

When she just sat there, I cleared my throat. “Um… you wanted to see me?”

She nodded. “I wanted to thank you personally,” she said.

I furrowed my brow in confusion. “Well, you’re welcome, but what for?”

She laughed, a short, high-pitched sound that grated my nerves. Shaking her head, she said, “I suppose you save the lives of monarchs every day, young Warrior?”

Oh, that. I had forgotten about pulling her away from the podium before it exploded. In my defense, I had had a lot on my mind.

“Actually, you were my first,” I said, almost grinning. “But you’re welcome.”

She nodded and again grew silent, but this time, a look of regret and sadness came over her features. I waited for a moment and then decided that she wasn’t going to speak unless I asked her to. I worked to keep the frustration off my face.

“Is there something else, Your Majesty?”

She met my eyes and nodded solemnly. “Yes, there is, and please, call me Camillia.”

Well, then, call me Alexa. “Okay,” I said instead.

“I deeply regret being the one who has to tell you this, but I think you have a right to know,” she continued.

“Okay,” I repeated, trying not to show my irritation at her reluctance to tell me.

She reached over to the small table beside her chair and picked up something shiny. My heart dropped when I realized what it was. My face must have given me away, because she nodded again, that sad expression still on her face.

She handed me a necklace. My mother’s necklace. It was silver and delicate, with a small silver sun hanging from the chain. It was the only piece of jewelry that she had ever worn. I closed my fist around it.

My tongue felt thick in my throat and my heart felt like it had just been ripped from my chest. “What are you trying to tell me?” I said, and not very nicely.

She sighed before answering, and for whatever reason, it made me want to jump out of my seat and punch her in the face. I didn’t. It wasn’t her fault. She was just the messenger. Plus, that would be just stupid.

“We sent someone to your house to do cleanup after you arrived here. It is routine for us to do so, as we don’t want to risk exposure to the humans. I asked them to search the surrounding area, in hopes that we could locate your mother for you.” She paused then, and I realized that I was breathing heavily.

“And we did find her,” she continued, not meeting my eyes. “She had been drained dry. I’m so very sorry, Alexa.”

I had known that the chances of my mother having survived were very slim, but I guess I had just been holding on to the hope that maybe, just maybe, she had. Having this woman tell me that she was dead was just too much for me. I was pretty sure I was going to cry, and I refused to do it in front of her. I stood up abruptly.

I turned to leave, and she called out to me. “If you wish to skip classes today, I will inform your instructors. Take some time for yourself.”

I stopped and opened the door. “That won’t be necessary,” I said.

I stepped out and closed the door behind me.

Mark was standing in the foyer as I came walking past. He didn’t move from his post on the wall, but he did speak to me.

“How did it go, Alexa?”

I just shook my head and kept walking. I didn’t mean to be rude, but I was afraid that if I stopped, I might start crying. I burst through the front doors and took a deep breath, fastening my mother’s necklace around my neck. Then I took off in a sprint toward the direction of my school.

Chapter Thirty-Three

I ran as fast as I could to school; it was the only thing that kept the tears at bay. When I reached it, I headed to the room number that was first on my schedule. I opened the door and stepped inside. It was more of a gym than a classroom. Other students were facing off in hand-to-hand combat, but when I entered, they all stopped and stared at me.

A man, whom I assumed was the instructor, spoke first, “How nice of you to join us, Warrior.”

I just looked at him. I couldn’t think of anything to say that didn’t involve a curse word, so I didn’t say anything at all.

“I hope you’re as good as they say,” he continued, “because the person who’s late gets to pair up with me.”

My heart jumped in excitement. This, I could handle. I’d never wanted to fight someone so bad in my life, and if he wanted to volunteer, then that was his mistake.

“I can’t wait,” I replied, and the class erupted into laughter. The teacher’s face went red.

We fought, and we both got our asses kicked. The rest of the students in the class just watched as we beat the crap out of each other. He was good, really good, and on any other day, I’m pretty sure I would have gotten taken down almost immediately. But, I was so full of anger and rage that my body seemed to act on its own accord. I was seeing red, and if the bell hadn’t rung, I doubt I would’ve stopped attacking until I passed out.

At the end, I was bloody and bruised and dripping with sweat. He was in the same condition. He dismissed the class and we all started to file out.

“Warrior,” he said as I was exiting. I was the last person to leave, seeing as how I was still trying to catch my breath. I turned to face him. He nodded his head and smiled a bloody smile. “Not bad.”

I managed to smile back, wiping some blood from my lip. “Yeah, right back at ya.”

He laughed and waved his hand for me to go. I left the room to find almost all of the students from my class waiting for me.

They all wanted to tell me how awesome I was in class. For once, I welcomed the attention. It was a pleasant distraction from everything else that was going on in my life. I realized how nice it was to be treated kindly by my peers, after being treated like a freak my entire life. But, these vampires didn’t see me as a freak. They thought I was cool. It was all pretty… cool. I realized I was smiling.

Finally, we all left to go to our next classes. I exited the building. As I reached into my backpack to retrieve my schedule, a smell wafted over to me that had me whipping my head around to find its source.

A guy was leaning against the wall, a lit cigarette dangling from his hand. His build suggested that he was a Brocken Vampire, and his clothes suggested money. He was kind of handsome, I decided, in a way that seemed effortless. My eyes darted to his cigarette. A sly smile came over his face as eyes as blue as day came up to meet mine. He reached into his pocket, eyes never leaving mine, and produced a pack of Newports. He held them out in offering.

I took one. “Thanks.”

“My pleasure,” he replied. He tossed me a lighter. I lit the cigarette, tossed it back, and turned to leave.

“You’re amazing,” he said.

I turned back to face him. I wasn’t really in the mood for small talk, but there was something about him that made me want to pay attention. “Thanks.”

He gave a small bow, sly smile still on his lips. “You’re Alexa, right?” I nodded. “I’m Tommy. I’ve never seen anyone hand it to Patterson like that. I think he was kind of surprised, too.”

I swept my arm down along my body. “I think I got it handed right back to me.”

He laughed at that. He had a cute laugh. “You didn’t get knocked out. That’s amazing in itself. That guy’s a beast.”

“Yeah, I noticed that.”

“What’s your next class?” he asked.

I glanced down at my schedule and groaned. “World History. Why do I have to take that? I thought that we just trained to fight. Why would I need to know the history of our world?”

He laughed again. “That’s my next class, too. They tell us we have to take all the normal subjects that other schools offer. Knowledge is power, you know.”

“Wonderful. Is there somewhere I can shower before I go there? I don’t want to walk in on my first day looking like this.”

His blue eyes studied me for just a moment too long. I half expected him to give some line about how I still looked good. He didn’t. “Sure, I’ll show you. Take your time. I’ll tell the teacher you had to fight Patterson. She’ll understand.”

I smiled at him. I think I liked this kid. “Thanks.”

He smiled back. “You are so very welcome.”

I showered and then headed to History. My teacher nodded to me and gave me a sympathetic look as she took in my injuries. The class was actually pretty interesting. I had never liked history, but this wasn’t the history I was accustomed to. This was vampire history, and I found myself absorbed. We even discussed Warriors, and I enjoyed learning about the people I had come from.

Tommy sat in the rear of the class. I couldn’t help but turn my head a few times to look at him. Each time I did, he was looking right back, a half-smile playing on his lips. I gradually felt my mood grow lighter. I still wasn’t happy, but I was as close to it as I could get, considering the circumstances.

Lunchtime came, and I nearly tripped over my own feet trying to get to the cafeteria. The schools all had lunch at the same time and in the same building, so I would get to see Jack and Nelly. I missed them more than I had realized.

Tommy walked with me as we headed toward the building that housed the cafeteria. When we got close, I took my mother’s necklace off and slipped it into my backpack. Tommy gave me a questioning look, but I just shrugged. I didn’t want Nelly to see it. I was planning to tell her what the queen said, but right now, around all of our friends, was not the time to do it.

Our friends, I actually had friends. That realization shocked me almost just as much as everything else that had been happening lately. I hoped it would last. I needed something to be happy about.

I came to a stop as we entered the cafeteria, taking it all in. The place was enormous. Students sat at tables and lined the areas where the food was served. My stomach growled as I took in how much food there was. They had every kind of cuisine you could imagine, from Chinese to Italian. I hadn’t eaten since before the ceremony last night, and I was starving. First, though, I wanted to find Nelly, but it seemed impossible in this crowd.

To my relief, Nelly found me. She must have been watching the entrance for me, because she hopped up from where she had been sitting and ran over to me.

“Finally,” she breathed. “I’ve been waiting for you. I got you some pizza.”

I smiled and gestured to Tommy. “Nelly, this is Tommy. Tommy
this is my sister, Nelly.”

They exchanged greetings, and Tommy told us he was going to grab some food and he would be right back. When I reached the lunch table, Jackson pulled out the chair next to him. I sat down. Daniel was also there, sitting next to Nelly.

“Hey, darling,” said Jack, leaning over to kiss my cheek.

I smiled at him and stuffed a big bite of pizza in my mouth. It was delicious, or maybe I was just that hungry. I nodded to Daniel, who smiled back at me. Then I turned toward Jackson. “Hey, Jack. I’ve missed you.”

He raised his eyebrows and pretended to choke on his soda. “Okay, who are you, and what have you done with my Alexa?”

I was about to make fun of him for that stupid line, when Tommy pulled up a chair on the other side of me. “Your Alexa?” he asked. “We’ll see about that.”

Jackson and Tommy locked eyes from both sides of me and sized each other up. Before either of them could say something else stupid, I held up my hands. “Down, boys, I don’t feel like beating up the two of you right now.”

Across from me Nelly and Daniel laughed. Daniel said, “I don’t know, I think that would be pretty entertaining.”

“Well, I don’t like fighting for entertainment,” I snapped.

Daniel’s smile slipped off his face and he looked down at his hands. “Sorry.”

Nelly was glaring at me now. I rolled my eyes. “No, I’m sorry,

Daniel. I’m just kind of wound up right now.”

He shrugged. “It’s cool.”

Everyone went silent after that and I felt bad for bringing so much tension to the table. None of what was bothering me was their fault. I didn’t want my bad mood to rub off on them, so I asked them how they liked their classes.

“They’re awesome,” said Nelly.

“Yeah,” Jack agreed. “I really like it here. I like being around so many other Wolves.”

“Have you talked to your parents?” I asked.

His expression turned sheepish. “Yeah, I guess they called my Aunt Marcia and found out I haven’t been there. They were a little mad, but I told them I would come back when I was ready.” He shrugged. “We’re Wolves. Sometimes we take off on our own for a while. They were just happy to hear I was safe.”

Conversation flowed easily after that. Everyone joked and told stories about their experiences thus far. Even Tommy and Jackson got along nicely. They all seemed to be so happy, so I pasted on a smile and tried to let myself enjoy their company. As I filled my belly with the greasiest food I could grab, I felt a little happier too. Glancing around me, I noticed that everyone here seemed to be pretty cheerful. Maybe life here wouldn’t be so bad after all. I could make something of myself and earn some money doing it. It really was a beautiful place, maybe I just hadn’t been allowing myself to see it.

Then Tommy said something that snapped me out of my thoughts. “I can’t believe that man tried to blow up Queen Camillia. He deserves to be executed.”

I almost choked on my brownie. “What are you talking about?” Tommy looked over at me, sly smile returning to his face.

“They’re going to execute him.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

The way Tommy said this pissed me off. It wasn’t his fault. He was just relaying an interesting piece of information. Still, I didn’t like hearing someone talk so lightly about execution. I remained silent after that. The guy had tried to kill me. I shouldn’t care about the punishment he would face as a result of it. So why did I?

Maybe I had just been seeing too much death lately. I still hadn’t gotten over the fact that I had taken three lives. And I definitely hadn’t gotten over the news about my mother. Death was a sore issue for me right now.

Nelly shot me a look from across the table that no one else noticed. She didn’t have to tell me what she was thinking. She knew something was wrong and wanted to know if I was going to tell her later. I gave a slight nod and she returned to her food and the conversation with the others.

When lunch ended we all headed off to separate classes. Tommy had Calculus next and I had Biology, so I guessed I would be on my own for the rest of the day.

I actually enjoyed the classes. It was like a perfect mixture of physical training and mental stimulation. In my Conditioning class, I learned that my lungs weren’t as strong as they could be because I struggled when we were made to run up fifteen flights of stairs. I figured this might have something to do with the cigarettes, but if I had to choose between smoking and being able to run up a ridiculous amount of stairs, I’d choose smoking. I just hoped that it would get easier after a couple of months.

At the end of the school day, I met up with Jackson and Nelly outside of the school building. Jack said that he had something to do and gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek before heading off in a different direction.

That left me with just Nelly. I didn’t say much as we walked back toward my dorm room. My tongue felt thick in my throat and my breathing was shallow. Nelly seemed oblivious us to this and regaled me with the tales of her day. I smiled and laughed at the appropriate times, but my heart wasn’t in it. I was so glad to see her happy and I didn’t know how to tell her about what the queen had told me. Even though Nelly had already accepted the loss of our mother, I knew that it would just break her heart all over again to hear that acceptance confirmed. I didn’t know if I could do it, but she had a right to know just as much as I did.

When we reached my room, she glided in and plopped down on my bed. I closed the door, and as soon as it was shut, Nelly’s tone changed. It was full of concern and frustration when she spoke. “Okay, Lex, you ready to tell me what’s been bothering you?”

I sat down next to her and rubbed my temples. Why did I always forget that Nelly could see right through me? Of course she knew something was wrong. She had probably known as soon as she laid eyes on me in the cafeteria. Her tone had confirmed this.

I leaned over and grabbed my backpack from the floor, steeling myself for what I was about to tell her. “I saw the queen today,” I told her. Reaching into my backpack, I scooped our mother’s necklace up so that it was concealed in my fist and set the backpack back down.

“Okay…” Nelly said.

I swallowed hard. “She wanted to thank me for saving her life. She also had some news for me.”

Nelly suddenly went very still and stared blankly into my eyes for several long moments. I got nervous and was about to start shaking her when her eyes widened and she gasped.

I leaned forward. “Nelly? Are you okay?”

She nodded her head and tears slid slowly down her cheeks.

I was baffled as a realization hit me. “You knew?”

She swiped the tears off her face quickly with her sleeve and shook her head. “No, I mean, yes, I mean, no,” she rambled. She took a deep breath that seemed to get caught in her throat. “I mean,” she continued slowly, “no, I didn’t know about what the queen told you, but yes, I know now because I just saw the memory of it in your mind.”

I sat back, shocked. I hadn’t known she could do that. “I didn’t know you could do that,” I said, echoing my thoughts.

She smiled sadly. “That’s because other Searchers can’t. And…I’ve never done it to you before. It’s kind of invasive, but I just got tired of not knowing what you’ve been keeping from me all day. I wanted to see if I could help you fix whatever it was. Don’t be mad at me.”

Leaning forward, I rested my forearms on my knees. I turned to look at Nelly. “I’m not mad at you. Actually, that’s pretty damn cool. You always know what I’m thinking without even having to Search me anyway, so I don’t really care if you do it… What else can you do that the others can’t?”

That was kind of off the main topic, but I actually really wanted to know.

“Well, other Searchers can’t force their will upon others, and they also don’t know the things that I do.”

I furrowed my brow. “What things? What do you mean?”

She sighed. “Remember the morning before the Lamia attacked us?” I nodded. How could I forget? She continued, “Well, I told you that I just thought we should stay home that day. That I just felt like it was important for us to stay home that day, remember?” I nodded again.

“Sometimes I get these feelings. Really, really strong feelings that I have to do something. Something that usually doesn’t make sense at the time; but the urge, the instinct to do it is so great that I do it anyway. And then, after something happens, I realize why I was supposed to do whatever it was that I did. Why it was important.” She paused, then added, “Does that make any sense?”

I thought back to my urge to talk to the man in the blue suit, and said, “It makes perfect sense.”

She ran a hand through her hair. “So… she’s gone, then.”

My eyes fell to the floor. “Yeah, she is.”

Opening my fingers, I let the necklace dangle from my hand. I’m sure she had seen it in the memory of my meeting with the queen.

“You want this?” I asked.

She sighed. “Nah, you keep it.”

I fastened it back on my neck and lay back on the bed. Nelly lay down beside me. We didn’t say anything else; we simply stared at the ceiling. Nelly and I were so different in so many ways, but in some, we were exactly the same. We stayed like that for a long time, until we both fell asleep. Tomorrow we would wake up to a new day, but tonight, we both had to finally accept the loss of our mother and open ourselves up to the futures that were now ahead of us.

Chapter Thirty-Five

The rest of the week passed uneventfully. I was surprised at how easily I slipped into a routine of attending my classes and hanging out with Nelly and the others in my off time. My mood grew lighter and lighter as the days passed by, and I even found myself enjoying school and the time with my friends.

I had seen Kayden a couple of times, but only in passing. He didn’t even look at me when we passed each other, and this hurt me more than I wanted to admit. He had every right to be mad at me after the way I’d treated him, and I wished there was a way for me to explain myself without sounding like an idiot. But, I had made my decision, and I still felt like it was the right one. Because, as great as things seemed to be going, I couldn’t shake that feeling that I was missing something really important here. Everyone else seemed to be really happy, though, so I just kept those thoughts to myself.

Before I knew it, it was Friday evening, meaning that I had two days off before I had to return to classes. Jackson, Nelly, Daniel and I stood in the courtyard in front of our dormitories, discussing our weekend plans.

Tommy came strolling up to us. “Hey, guys.”

“What’s up, Tommy?”

Tommy’s sly grin crept onto his face. “What are your plans for tonight?” I looked over at the others, who just shrugged. “Nothing, really. What’s up?”

His grin widened. “Because there is a party tonight over on the south side of the city.” Tommy took my hand and kissed it. “Would you like to go?”

Jackson tossed his arm over my shoulder, earning a smirk from Tommy. “What kind of party?”

“One for cool people, so obviously you’re not invited,” replied Tommy.

We all laughed, because this was the kind of exchange we had grown used to between these two. I think they had begun to consider each other friends, and even though they would never admit it, they were kind of similar in personality.

Nelly shrugged and looked at Daniel, who shrugged back. “Sure,” she said. “We’re in.”

Tommy switched his gaze to me, both eyebrows raised. “Alright,”

I said. “I’m in.”

Jackson chuckled and whispered in my ear. “Where Nelly goes…”

I elbowed him, and he laughed even harder. He was right, though, I wouldn’t have agreed if Nelly hadn’t said she was going. I’m not really a partier. I would prefer to stay home and read in my free time, but maybe that was because I had never been invited to any parties. Perhaps I could use a night of recklessness.

Tommy grinned triumphantly. “Wonderful. Meet me here at eight, then.”

We agreed and Tommy headed off. Nelly looped her arm through mine and turned to the boys. “Well, it looks like we need to go shopping—you guys coming?” Jackson and Daniel exchanged looks that answered that question. Nelly rolled her eyes. “Okay, we’ll catch up with you later, then.”

After they walked away, I looked over at Nelly. “How are we going to go shopping? We don’t have any money left.”

“Actually, it’s Friday, so our school allowances should be waiting for us in our mailboxes in the dorms.”

I looked at her like she was crazy. “Our what?”

She laughed at my expression. “I guess no one told you because there has been so much going on, but yeah, we actually get paid for going to school. It’s crazy, right?”

As awesome as being paid for attending school sounded, that feeling that I was missing something flooded into me once again. “Yeah,” I agreed. “That is crazy.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

Even if I was uneasy about receiving money for attending school, that didn’t stop me from wanting to spend it. We had stopped by our rooms, and just like Nelly had said, there was cash waiting for us in our mailboxes in the lobby. My envelope contained two hundred dollars, Nelly’s had one hundred.

“I wonder why I get more than you.” I said as we strolled up a block that held a variety of stores.

She shrugged. “I guess fighters get better pay than the rest of us. Oh, look, this place looks like it might have some good stuff.”

We entered a store filled to the brim with fashionable clothing. I picked out a couple of pairs of jeans and a few T-shirts. Nelly rolled her eyes when she saw what I had chosen.

“Oh, come on.” She sighed. “Why do you always pick boring stuff?”

I looked down at my choices. The tops were all either black or gray, but that’s what I always picked. “I like this stuff.”

“Yeah, but we’re going to a party! Our first social outing since we got here. Don’t you want to look hot?”

“Uh, I don’t really care. Besides, most of my clothes end up getting ruined. And I get stared at enough already around here.”

“Suit yourself.”

“Then let me,” I snapped.

She raised an eyebrow at that. “You okay? We don’t have to go tonight if you’re not up to it.”

I pushed the hair out of my face. I had been snapping on her a lot lately. “Sorry,” I said. “We’re going, and who knows, it might be… fun.”

Nelly nodded, but she still looked concerned. “It will be. We could use a little carefree time.”

I walked over to a rack holding some floral sundresses and picked out a couple in my size. I usually didn’t wear dresses; they’re not practical fighting attire, but these were cute and modest. And I wanted to show Nelly that I was trying.

She smiled at my choices. “Much better. Let’s go check out. I saw a shoe store across the street that I want to hit before we go.”

We headed over to the check-out counter and tossed our stuff on the counter. The lady looked up at us and smiled. Her eyes lit up with excitement.

“Oh my goodness!” she exclaimed. “It’s you, isn’t it? The Warrior I keep hearing about.”

I shifted uneasily. “Um, yeah, I guess so.”

Her eyes widened even more, and I was worried they might pop right out of her head. She leaned forward, like she was about to tell us a secret. “Can I see your marks?”

I was so tired of this routine. I struggled not to roll my eyes. Reaching down, I pushed the sleeve of my shirt up to my shoulder. I had worn long-sleeves, even though it was about seventy degrees outside, in order to avoid this.

She gasped and leaned forward even more. I shot an annoyed look at Nelly. She just smiled.

“Absolutely beautiful,” the woman murmured. “I’m so glad you’re here.” She said that last part more to herself than to me.

I cast another look at Nelly, and she shrugged. Leaning forward, I kept my voice low. “Why? Why do you say that?”

She looked up like she hadn’t meant to say that aloud and darted her gaze nervously around the store. “I didn’t say anything.” She began stuffing the clothes hastily in a bag. “Will this be all?”

I narrowed my eyes, and Nelly placed her hand on my arm. She knew I was about two seconds from shaking an answer out of this woman. I really had to get control over my temper.

“Yes, that’s all,” Nelly replied with a nervous smile of her own.

“Okay,” the woman said. “Have a nice day.”

I furrowed my brows. “But we haven’t paid for it.”

The woman smiled, and scanned the store once more. “You’ll pay for it tenfold… at least, I hope so,” she mumbled. “Have a good day.”

We left the store with our clothes and headed across the street to the shoe store.

“Well, that was… weird,” Nelly commented.

“No shit.”

She shot me a look. “Don’t curse.”

I raised an eyebrow, pulled out my pack of cigarettes, and lit one up.

“Ugh, you’re still smoking?”

I blew out a long cloud of smoke. “No.”

She sighed and shook her head. “Well, hurry up. Don’t you want some new shoes?”

“Not really. I don’t feel like getting any more free stuff.”

Her brow creased. “This happened before?”

I nodded. “Everyone keeps giving me free sh—, free stuff. I feel like some kind of mobster.” I handed her some money. “Just go on in and pick me out something.”

Two cigarettes later, she returned with two big bags in hand and an even bigger smile on her face. “I got you a new pair of tennis shoes and a pair of really cute black flats,” she informed me.

“You know the way to my heart.” I laughed. “Did they charge you?”

“Yeah, but I had enough. It’s so weird that no one is making you pay for anything.”

“You’re telling me.”

Chapter Thirty-Seven

We went back to my room so we could get ready. I put on a new pair of jeans and a black, V-neck T-shirt with my new black flats. Nelly wore a red halter-top and a cute pair of jeans. I left my hair down, and it hung down my back in long, dark waves. I even let Nelly apply a little mascara. I never wore much make-up. Not because I thought I was just that beautiful, but because it’s not practical for most of my activities.

We left the dorms and headed toward the courtyard where Tommy had said to meet him. The boys were standing around joking when we arrived. They all looked really good in different ways. Jackson had on a dark blue and black flannel shirt and jeans, Tommy wore his usual slacks and dress shirt and Daniel had on khakis and a button-up shirt.

Jackson spotted us first and his eyes lit up upon seeing me. His reddish-brown hair was messy, like always, and his green eyes shone brightly. He looked me head to toe and picked me up off my feet in a hug.

I have a personal bubble that I didn’t usually like invaded, but I would allow it from Jackson. And maybe Kayden, but I wasn’t even going to think about that tonight.

“Hey, darling,” he whispered in my ear. “You look absolutely breathtaking.”

He set me back down on my feet, and I couldn’t help a smile as I shook my head. “Always know what to say, Jack.”

Jackson just smiled. It dissolved as Tommy grabbed my hand and pulled me into a hug. “Let her greet the more important people first.” Okay so maybe Jack, Kayden and Tommy.

Jackson’s eyes lit up into a golden color and he made a noise that resembled a deep growl. Tommy responded with a crooked smile that flashed his fangs. I rolled my eyes and stepped in between them. The first time I had seen them do this, it was a little bit jarring, but I had gotten used to it over the last week.

I pushed the hair out of my face and crossed my arms. “Come on, guys, I just got these clothes.”

Nelly chimed in. “Yeah, I won’t be happy if you make her ruin them already.”

We all laughed, and Tommy led us to his where his car was parked. I stopped in my tracks when he opened the passenger door of a brand new Mercedes for me.

“This is your car?” I asked.

“Yes, ma’am.”

I hopped in the front seat, and Jack, Nelly and Daniel took the back. About fifteen minutes later, we reached our destination.

The house where the party was being held was enormous and elaborate. I leaned forward in my seat as we approached it, gawking at the sheer size of the place. I don’t think I had even seen a house that big in real life. It was more like a mansion, with multiple fountains on the plush lawn and a long driveway already packed with cars. I turned to look at Tommy. “Whose house is this?”

He turned his face toward me and gave a sly grin. “Mine.”

I just stared at him. “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” he replied with a laugh. “Well, I mean, it’s my dad’s house, but I live here, too.” He pointed to another house that was on the grounds that I assumed was a guest house. “Actually, I stay in that house. That way I can have some privacy from my dad.”

“Who’s your dad, Bill Gates?”

He laughed at that and parked the car near the entrance of the house. We all got out and headed toward the front door. Loud music and multiple voices flowed out from behind it. There had to be a lot of people in there to be making that much noise. I felt like turning around and heading back to my dorm, but I pushed my chin up as Tommy opened the door and ushered us inside.

The house was just as beautiful on the inside as it was on the outside. The foyer had a high ceiling and a large staircase wrapped around one side of the room. A gorgeous crystal chandelier hung above us, and the floor was a rich marble. I felt completely out of my element, but that seemed to be happening a lot lately.

Just as I had expected, there were people everywhere. At least they were all around my age, and seemed to be too involved with drinking and dancing to pay much attention to us. “I’ll go get us some drinks,” said Tommy, speaking loudly as to be heard over the music. “Follow me.”

Tommy led us over to a pristine living room area, then left to get our drinks. As I took note of our surroundings, I noticed something that made my heart leap in my chest.

There were Warriors here. They lined the walls, wearing their black uniforms and staring straight ahead. I noticed way too quickly that Kayden was among them. When we walked in, his eyes flicked to me for the briefest of moments before staring straight ahead again.

We walked over to a very expensive couch, and I plopped down on it. Jackson sat down beside me and put his arm over my shoulder. I suppressed the urge to push him away from me. There was nothing going on between me and Kayden, so I wasn’t going to act like there was.

Tommy returned a few minutes later, somehow balancing five drinks in his hands. He handed one to each of us, and I looked down at mine to see that it was turquoise in color.

“What is this?” I asked him.

He raised an eyebrow. “Alcohol.”

The others were already diving into theirs, so I took a deep breath and swallowed a big gulp of mine. It was actually pretty good, in a way too-sweet kind of way. I have never really liked drinking… never saw the point. I prefer smoking over drinking, but I was here to have fun, and that’s what I intended on doing. I gulped down the rest of the drink and was glad when I felt my nerves relax a little.

“Take it easy, babe,” Jackson whispered to me.

“I’ll be fine,” I told him. I turned to Tommy. “Got any more of this stuff?” I asked, gesturing to my now empty glass.

“Sure, lots. But maybe you should wait a little while before having another one.”

I stood up and was surprised when I felt a little light-headed. “I’ll just go get it myself then.”

Tommy waved his arm to someone holding a tray of more turquoise-colored drinks, and she came over and held out the tray for me to take one.

Nelly gave me a warning look to tell me I needed to slow down, and I nodded. But after another fifteen minutes, my second drink was empty, and I was feeling… well, wonderful. My friends had started to relax too. We were all laughing at jokes that I’m not sure were even funny.

A blond-haired girl stumbled toward us. She was well built, probably about three inches taller than my 5’5”, and maybe ten pounds heavier too. She had on way too much makeup and not enough clothing. Her eyeliner was thick and black, her lips painted a bright red that matched her tiny dress. She wasn’t ugly, but I figured that any beauty displayed was owed to products. I reflected for a second on my own attire and wondered what effect she would have on my friends. She smiled when she saw Jackson. My hackles went up, just a little.

“Hey, Jackson,” she said in voice that I guess was supposed to be sexy.

Beside me, Jackson shifted. “Hey, Victoria.”

Victoria’s eyes flicked to me and back to Jack. “I didn’t know you had a girlfriend,” she said, shooting another look at me.

Jack shrugged. “Well, now you do.”

On the other side of me, Tommy snorted. “How many times do I have to tell you, Kane? Alexa is my girl.”

I was mortified, but that quickly vanished when Victoria propped a hand on her hip and said, “I don’t see what’s so special.” She eyed me up and down, and I felt anger grip me.

Before I had a chance to tell this girl off, Nelly spoke up, surprising all of us. “Well, some people don’t have to be half-naked to get a guy’s attention.”

Victoria snapped her head toward Nelly. Her eyes lit up in a golden color that gave her race away. This girl was a Wolf. “Watch your mouth when you speak to me, Searcher,” she spat. “Vocal cords don’t work so well when they’re removed from the throat.”

I stood up abruptly, grabbed Jackson’s drink from his hand and splashed it right in her face. Everyone in the room turned to look at us. “There,” I said, slurring a little. “Now that you’ve cooled down, I would suggest you watch your mouth when you speak to her.”

The bitch had the nerve to try to punch me, but I stumbled out of the way and kicked her in the hard in the back, sending her face-first to the ground. The kick made me fall over too, though, and I couldn’t seem to regain my footing. Someone caught me from behind before I hit the ground and jerked me to my feet.

I looked back to see that it was Kayden. I tried to jerk out of his grasp, but he began hauling me toward the exit. Another Warrior had taken hold of Victoria and was leading her out as well.

“Guys, it’s okay,” Tommy said to the Warriors. “Let Alexa stay. She’s my date.”

Kayden shook his head. “I’m sorry, Thomas, but Lord Caslon specifically stated that there are to be no altercations. Troublemakers are to be removed.” He glanced at the drink in Tommy’s hand with barely hidden disgust. “A condition of allowing the alcohol.”

I shot a look at Kayden, who just kept dragging me toward the exit. I wasn’t the troublemaker here; she had started it. The others started to follow us outside, but I told them to stay. I wanted to have a word with Kayden. Who the hell did he think he was—my father? I was also pretty embarrassed about being tossed out, and I didn’t know exactly what I was going to do in my drunken state.

When we got outside, the Warrior escorting Victoria released her and told her to head back to her dorm. She had a few parting words for me.

“See you around, Warrior,” she spat.

I smiled, my knees going weak. If Kayden hadn’t been holding me up, I might have fallen over right there. “I look forward to it.”

I thought Kayden was going to release me, too. Instead, he led me out to a spot on the large lawn where a stone bench sat near a fountain.

“Sit,” he ordered.

“I’m not a dog,” I snapped, but I sat down anyway because I was finding it difficult to stand on my own.

I looked up at him, and he looked just a gorgeous as I remembered. Maybe even more so, but that may have had something to do with the fact that I was blasted out of my mind. His hair was pulled back from his face tonight in a short blond ponytail on the back of his head. He had shaved, I noticed, though he still had a handsome amount of facial hair covering his strong jaw and presently downturned mouth. His golden eyes were watching me with that intensity that always made my breath short.

“What?” I slurred. “The picture I gave you not satisfying your need?” I knew I sounded stupid, but the thin filter that I usually had to keep me from speaking my mind had disintegrated into nothing.

“You’re drunk,” he replied.

I rolled my eyes. “Well, aren’t we observant?” I took out a cigarette and lit it up.

He moved so fast that it took me a second to realize he was standing over me. I squared my shoulders and tilted my head back so I could look him right in the eyes, refusing to be intimidated. His gaze was so dark and serious that I had to clench my fists so that I wouldn’t flinch.

“Why?” he asked in a low voice.

“Why what?”

“Why do you insist on doing things that are destructive to you?”

I raised my eyebrows, experiencing a momentary loss of brain function with him being so close to me. I crossed my arms and returned his stare. “I am not self-destructive.”

“Oh, really? Then why are you picking fights with Wolves, smoking cigarettes, and completely drunk?”

Anger welled up in me, and I shot to my feet and glared up at him. His proximity made my frustration fade a little, but I was still very much pissed off. “How dare you stand there and throw judgments at me. You cannot possibly understand why I do the things I do.”

He gripped my arms gently, and his touch made my anger fade a little more. “Then, explain to me, Alexa. Why do you cause harm to yourself?”

I tried not to answer him. I tried really hard, but while staring straight into his golden eyes and with him touching me, I knew that was a losing battle. Maybe it was an effect of the alcohol, but I doubted it. He always made me want to pour my heart out, which was the reason I’d told him to stay away from me in the first place.

I dropped my head and took a slow breath. “Because sometimes… Sometimes I have to let it out somehow. It’s like I walk around with a fire inside of me, and the slightest spark can set me off.” I took a breath. “You saw what I did to Daniel. You’ve seen how I react to even the tiniest insult. I can’t help it. I try to control myself, but this raw anger grips me, and then I can’t seem to think straight.”

Kayden closed the distance between us and rested his chin on my head. Wrapping his arms around me, he exhaled slowly. “Oh, Alexa.”

His warmth surrounding me, I felt my anger completely dissipate. I felt happy, like I always did when he held me. I knew I had missed him, but the intensity of those feelings seemed to smack me in the face as I stood in his arms. I wanted to just close my eyes and go to sleep, because everything seemed like it was right in the world. The cigarette I’d been holding fell soundlessly to the ground.

Someone behind me cleared their throat, and Kayden and I broke apart abruptly. Just like that the moment was over. I turned around to see Nelly standing there.

She looked embarrassed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.” She gave me a significant look and jerked her chin toward the house. A few seconds later, Jackson and Daniel came out of the front door and started heading in our direction.

I smiled a thank you at her. I didn’t consider myself Jackson’s girlfriend, but I did like him. He was a wonderful guy, and I didn’t want to think about what would have happened if he would have stepped outside and seen me and Kayden in an embrace. Nelly always had my back.

When they reached us, Jackson flicked his eyes between Kayden and me, and then his gaze settled on me. “You alright, darling?” he drawled, flicking his eyes back to Kayden.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I think I just need to lie down.” Before I pass out on the very comfortable-looking grass.

Jackson came over and hooked his arm around my back. “I figured. I came to walk you back.”

“I’ll be fine. You guys shouldn’t leave because of me.”

Jackson gave me a look that said he’d have no argument. “Why would I want to stay if you’re leaving? Come on, let’s get you back.” “Where’s Tommy?” I asked.

“It’s his house, he can’t just leave. Besides, he’s obliterated.” Jack shrugged. “Who cares anyway? I’m here.”

Before we headed out, I turned to back to Kayden. He was already heading back toward the house. “See you around,” I mumbled.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

I fell into a deep sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. The next morning, I had a terrible headache, and my stomach felt like it might decide to turn itself inside-out. I showered and got dressed anyway, hoping that a nice run would help me to recover. It was funny, I had always thought I hated running. But now that my mother wasn’t here to insist that I do it, my body seemed to insist for her.

I stopped by Nelly’s dorm to see if she wanted to join me. I was surprised when I opened the door to find her lacing up her tennis shoes.

“Hey, where are you going?” I asked.

She looked me up and down. “I was just about to come see if you wanted to go for a run with me,” she said.

I smiled. “You read my mind.”

Her hazel eyes lit up. “No, I didn’t. But we haven’t gone on a run in while, and I thought maybe I could use it.”

We headed out, running to no place in particular, and I realized how much I’d missed doing this with her. It was a beautiful day outside and the sun shone brightly above us. We ran until we came to a large lake and then we both stopped to take a rest.

Sitting down in the grass, I admired the beauty around us. The sky was perfectly blue with only a few wispy clouds scattered here and there. The air felt warm and fresh, and a sweet breeze cooled us as we sat side by side.

“You seem happy this morning,” Nelly commented.

I lay back on the grass and my smile grew even more. “I am,” I told her truthfully.

Her brow creased for a moment, and I raised my eyebrows. “What?”

She shook her head and offered me one of her award-winning smiles. “Nothing.”

I sat up and looked at her, waiting for an answer.

She blew out a heavy breath. “I just can’t help but wonder if it has anything to do with seeing Kayden last night.”

I opened my mouth to tell her that that had nothing to do with it, but stopped when I considered what she was saying. I did always feel better after being with him, so maybe he had a stronger effect on my moods than I had noticed. I really liked Jackson. He made me happy, but he didn’t make the anger that was always inside of me go away the way Kayden did. Even Nelly, whom I loved more than anything, and whom I enjoyed being around more than anyone, didn’t make me happy the way Kayden did. He made me happy in a very different way, a way that made me feel balanced and complete. This realization was as shocking as it was scary.

I turned to Nelly. “Do you think that he, like, put a spell on me or something?”

It was a ridiculously crazy conclusion to jump to, but really, what wasn’t crazy about all of this? I still couldn’t get over the fact that I wasn’t human.

She considered this and then slowly shook her head. “I don’t think so. I think I would have seen that.”

“How would you have seen it?”

A guilty look came over her face. “Don’t be mad, okay?”

“I hate when you say that.”

“Well, just don’t be. I Searched him a while ago, when I first started to notice the effect he seemed to have on you.”

“How did you manage that? I thought you had to be touching someone to Search them.”

Her mouth turned up in a small smile. “It’s not easy, but it is possible. Most Searchers can only skim the surface if they aren’t making physical contact with the person—and sometimes not even then— depending on how strong the person’s walls are. Kayden keeps his walls firm, so it took a lot of concentration on my part. I’m not sure if a regular Searcher could’ve done it.”

I held up my hand. “Wait, so there is a way to keep someone from Searching you? To put up some kind of wall? Why wouldn’t you tell me that? I would’ve tried to build one, or whatever.”

“Because, your walls are already as impenetrable as they get. I think it has something to do with you being a Warrior.”

I furrowed my brow. “That’s not true, Akira Searched me, so did the queen, and you do it all the time.”

She shook her head. “You gave them permission to. You let down your walls so that they were able to. And I don’t really Search you that much. You’re my sister, and I just know you better than anyone else. The only reason I was able to access your memories the other night was because you were really vulnerable at the time. Plus, you let down your guard a little around me. Trust me, no one can Search you unless you want them to.”

I took this all in, making a mental note to do a little more research later on. Taking a deep breath, I asked, “So… what did you see?”

I didn’t have to explain, Nelly was almost always on the same page as me. She hesitated, though, and I got the feeling that she was deciding whether or not to tell me. After a few long moments, she sighed. “I’m not sure. The first time I Searched him, it was so strange because what I saw reminded me of…”

I tilted my head. “Reminded you of what?”

“Well, it reminded me of you, of when I Search you. You both carry so much pain inside of you, and it burns so bright that sometimes it’s painful just to see it. It’s like staring into the sun, glorious and impossible at the same time. And until I met Kayden, I had never seen anything like that in anyone other than you.”

I plopped back down on the grass, trying to take in what she was saying, but she continued. “Then last night, when I saw you two holding each other, I did another Search. It was easier than it usually is because both of you had your walls completely down. I’ve never seen you so open before.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “And I watched the fire that usually burns inside of you both… lessen. The burning feeling I get when I usually see it wasn’t so bad. It was like you guys took the pain from each other. Like you guys balanced each other out, just by touching. It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen… It scared me a little too.”

That made two of us. I wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so I didn’t say anything at all. I’d known that Kayden made me feel open and vulnerable. I had even known that I was always happy when he was around, but I hadn’t known that I took some of his hurt away too. I was beginning to think I may have made a very bad choice by telling him to stay away from me.

I cleared the lump that seemed to be forming in my throat. “What does that mean?”

She looked over at me, her hazel eyes bright with concern. “I’m not sure, Lex. I really don’t know.”

Nelly hopped up and held out her hand for me. I took it and stood up. “Where are we going?”

She smiled. “I’m supposed to have lunch with Daniel. You’re welcome to come if you want.”

I shook my head. “Nah, I have some things that wanted to look into today.”

She gave me a curious look, but I just shrugged. “Just a little homework.”

Nelly laughed out loud at this. “Oh, come on. At least come up with a believable lie.”

“Hey, I’ve done homework before!” She raised an eyebrow at this, and I couldn’t help a laugh. “Okay,” I said. “Let’s get back. Daniel might send out a search team if you’re late.”

Chapter Thirty-Nine

I dropped Nelly off at her dorm and headed to the library. When I got there, I asked the librarian if I could borrow a pen and some paper. She handed me some and gave me a warm smile.

“Can I help you find anything, Warrior?” she asked.

I glanced around me and leaned forward. “Yeah, actually, I wanted to do a little research on my people. Are there any books here about Warriors?”

She smiled again. “Of course, I’ll show you.”

She led me over to a section that held multiple books that claimed to be about Warriors. I took a deep breath when I saw how many there were. I guessed I was going to be there for a while. I thanked her and she scuttled off to do what I assumed was important librarian stuff. I pulled three big books off the shelf and sat down at a table near the back of the library. Cracking one open, I began my work.

Three hours later, I was frustrated and ready to give up. I had learned a lot of interesting history about Warriors, but none of the books had the answers I was looking for. Frustrated, I replaced the books and went to go return the pen to the librarian. She called out to me as I was heading out the door. “Warrior?” she whispered.

I turned back to her. “Yes?”

She waved for me to come closer. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

I was about to tell her that I did, but reconsidered. “No, I didn’t actually.”

She nodded as though she’d expected this and brought her voice down so that I had a strain to hear her words. “Stay there a moment. I may have something that will help.”

She disappeared behind a door, and I stood there waiting. A few moments later, she returned holding a very old-looking journal in her hands. She glanced all around before reaching under my jacket and stuffing the journal inside. I gave her a skeptical look, but didn’t protest.

“I trust that you’ll return this tomorrow. We can’t have anyone notice its absence,” she whispered.

I nodded and adjusted the journal so it wouldn’t fall out of my jacket. “Absolutely… thank you.”

A few other people entered the library, and her tone returned to normal. “You’re welcome, good luck with your test tomorrow.”

I furrowed my brow, and she gave me a smile that told me to go along with it. I smiled back. “Yeah, thanks again.”

I went straight back to my room, anxious to see what was in the mysterious journal I’d just been given. When I got there, however, someone was already waiting for me outside of my door.

“Hey, Jack, what’s up?”

Jackson smiled and scooped me up in a bear hug. “Hey, darling, I’ve been waiting for you to get back.”

I clutched the journal that was still hidden under my jacket. “Yeah, I noticed… I need to change clothes. You want to come in for a minute?”

His eyes lit up. “Who would say no to that?”

I slapped his arm playfully and opened the door. Once inside, I went into my bathroom and changed out of my running attire, slipping the journal in the cabinet underneath the sink. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and put on one of the sundresses I had bought on the shopping trip with Nelly. Then, I stepped back into the room with Jackson. He looked nervous about something.

“What’s on your mind, Jack?”

He shrugged. “You hungry?”

I nodded emphatically, and he laughed. I hadn’t eaten yet today, and it was almost dinnertime. “Why? You got some food?”

He laughed again, and I remembered how much I loved the sound of it. “No… actually, I came to see if you wanted to go get something to eat… with me.”

I smiled at his apprehension. Jackson was one of the most confident guys I had ever known, and it was kind of charming to see him nervous. “Jackson,” I said, feigning shock, “are you asking me out on a date?”

A smile lit up his green eyes. “That depends. Are you saying yes?”

I pretended to mull this over, and I saw his earlier nervousness return. “I am really hungry…”

“Alexa, I—”

“I would love to, Jack.”

His face lit up again, and he gripped me in another hug. “Great. I think I saw a place you’ll like. You ready?”

My stomach grumbled as if in answer. We laughed and headed into the city.

The place where Jack took me served Italian food, which is one of my favorites. It had a cute little patio area outside that had strings of lights hanging from posts. He requested a table for two, and since it was pretty warm outside, we sat on the patio. It was kind of… romantic.

He pulled out my chair and I sat down. “What’s the occasion?” I asked, once he took his seat across from me.

He shrugged. “I just wanted to spend some time with you.”

I smiled. “You always know what to say.”

He ordered me spaghetti and meatballs, and I wondered at how he knew that was my favorite. We talked and laughed, and I settled into what seemed to be like the beginning of a great evening with my best friend. Then, he went and said something that made me almost choke on my noodles.

“I want you to be my girlfriend,” he blurted out.

I took a desperate sip of my water to buy time, clearing my throat, I said, “Wow. What brought that on?”

Stupid, I know. But I didn’t really know what else to say.

He looked down at his hands, and then back up at me. “I’ve always wanted you to be my girlfriend.” He said this as if it should have been obvious, and really, it probably should have.

When I remained silent, he continued, “You don’t have to answer now. You know how I feel about you. At least… I hope you do. I just want you to know that I’m serious. I want, well, I want you to be mine.”

I stared at him for a long time. Stared into those beautiful green eyes and saw that he really was absolutely serious. I don’t know why I had never seen it before. I guess I had always thought that he was just joking when he said affectionate things to me, but looking at him now, I knew I had been wrong. Then, a thought came to mind completely unwarranted: What about Kayden? I wasn’t in love with him or anything. I had told him to leave me alone, so why was he always invading my mind at the most inconvenient of times?

I liked Jackson. I had always liked him, so what was wrong with being his girl? It might even be nice to have a boyfriend, though I wouldn’t know because I had never had one. Human boys had never liked me in that way. They had avoided me like everyone else in that world had. But Jack had always been there for me. Even before he knew that I was a Warrior. He’d always tried to protect me. He’d always loved me.

That realization hit me in the face like a ton of bricks. Jack loved me. He had loved me at a time when so few people cared if I lived or died. But, Jackson cared. Jackson had always cared.

I made my decision, pushing thoughts of Kayden out of my head, and hoping I wasn’t making a big mistake. “Okay.”

A huge smile spread across his face, and it warmed me. “Okay?”

I nodded, my stomach feeling a little more tangled than I would have liked. “Yeah, I mean, yes… yes, I would like that.”

He blew out a relieved breath. I laughed. “What? You know I like you. I’ve always liked you,” I told him.

He ran a hand through his thick hair. “I know,” I raised an eyebrow, and he continued, “I mean, I didn’t know, but… never mind.

It doesn’t matter.”

“What doesn’t matter?” I asked.

He looked like he didn’t want to say, but he told me anyway. “Well, I was starting to think you had a thing for that Kayden guy.”

I tried to put a look on my face that said ridiculous. “That’s ridiculous,” I said. “What would make you think that?”

I hoped I didn’t sound like I was lying. Was the strange connection between Kayden and me obvious to everyone? Apparently.

He sighed. “I don’t know, but I’m glad you don’t. I don’t trust that guy. The way he stares at you… It’s creepy.”

I had to snap my mouth shut so that I wouldn’t say anything stupid. I wanted to tell him that he had no reason not to like Kayden— that he was a good guy and he was definitely not creepy. I didn’t say any of those things. I said something almost as stupid.

“He doesn’t stare at me.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “Come on, Lexie. Yes he does. Every guy who sees you stares at you. But the way he does it, well, it’s just not right.”

I furrowed my brow. “They stare at me because I have these stupid marks on my arm—because they haven’t seen a Warrior in over a hundred years. Why do you think it’s any weirder when he does it?”

“That’s not why they stare at you. I realize you don’t know this, it’s part of the reason I like you, but you are truly the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. And because he’s too old to be looking at you that way,” he replied.

Again, I had to stop myself from saying something stupid.

“I don’t want to talk about him anymore.” I hoped that didn’t sound too defensive. I remembered something else I’d wanted to ask him. “How do you know that Victoria girl?”

He made a disgusted face. “I don’t. Not really. I just met her after we came here. She’s a Wolf, so she’s in a couple of my classes. I think she likes me.”

“Oh, you think?”

He smiled. “Don’t worry. She knows my heart belongs to you.”

I shifted in my seat as another question came to mind. “Jack… Remember that night in the woods? The night we were attacked by the Lamia?” He nodded. “How… how did you know where to find us?

How did you know that something was wrong?”

He took a moment before answering. “I was coming to check on you again. When you didn’t come to school that day, I was worried. I wanted to make sure everything was okay. But when I cut through the woods to get to your house, I caught your scent on the wind and followed it to where you were.”

“You caught my scent? ”

He tapped his nose. “Wolf, remember?”

I laughed. “It’s still hard for me to get used to the fact that none of us are human.”

The conversation flowed easily after that, like it always did with Jack. He got me some dessert, which I devoured, and then paid the bill. It was a school night, so he walked me back to my dorm room so I could get some rest before my class with Patterson first thing in the morning. I didn’t want to be late again. I was still healing from some of the injuries he’d given me last time.

Jackson pulled me to a stop when we reached my building and lifted me off my feet in one of his bear hugs. When he set me back down, I stood on my tip-toes and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

He smiled wide. “What was that for?”

I shrugged. “Dinner… And for always being there for me.”

He kissed my lips again, and this time it wasn’t as quick. My stomach began to feel warm and my eyes shut on their own accord. Then, a familiar sensation swept through me, and I went rigid with the realization of what it meant.

Chapter Forty

Jack pulled away from me. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to get carried away.” I just shook my head. I was still too horrified to talk. His expression turned to one of worry. “Hey, you okay?”

I nodded, finally regaining control over my vocals. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired… Thank you for dinner. Will I see you tomorrow?”

That was a stupid question, but I couldn’t seem to think straight. I was still too mortified to compose my words.

He nodded, his face still a little concerned. “Of course. Get some sleep. I’ll see you at lunch with the others.”

He kissed my forehead and told me good night, then headed off in the direction of his dorm. As soon as he was gone, I spun around in a slow circle, looking for the only person capable of making my stomach flip the way it just had.

Sure enough, Kayden was leaning against a nearby tree. It was already dark outside, and I wouldn’t even have known it was him if I hadn’t, well, known it was him.

Part of me said to run up to my room and hide under the covers, the other part whispered to go throw myself at his feet and beg for forgiveness. Both of these impulses were completely crazy, since, rationally, I had nothing to be embarrassed about. Jackson was my boyfriend, and I had no obligations to Kayden. Jack and I had kissed, and that’s what couples do, right? There was nothing wrong with what I’d done. And yet, I felt completely and utterly guilty.

I decided to approach him, and, thankfully, I didn’t fall to the ground and beg forgiveness. Instead, I propped a hand on my hip. “Hey, are you stalking me now or something?”

His face was impassive, but his eyes were full of disgust. He stared at me, and my anger flared.

I spoke my mind. “Don’t look at me like that. I’ve done nothing wrong.”

His face remained impassive, but his tone was clipped. “Like what? I didn’t say you did.”

I threw up my arms. If he wanted to play dumb, then I’d let him. “Whatever,” I said. “Why are you standing out here waiting for me, then?”

A smirk came over his face. “Who said I was waiting for you?”

My cheeks flooded with heat. How incredibly embarrassing. I didn’t know that he was here for me. Maybe I should just run up to my room, at least then I wouldn’t feel like such an idiot.

I started laughing. I was definitely embarrassed. “Whatever. Good night, then.”

I spun around and had to force myself not to run. When I made it to my room, I shut off the light and buried my face in my pillow. Maybe Patterson’s class tomorrow wouldn’t be so bad after all. There is nothing like getting your ass kicked to knock some modesty into you.

Chapter Forty-One

I didn’t sleep very well because I couldn’t get my mind off Kayden. I showered and dressed for class, remembering to throw a change of clothes in my backpack in case I got blood all over me like last time.

I made it to class fifteen minutes early, and Patterson was already there setting up. He smiled when he saw me enter. “Good morning, Warrior. You’re early,” he said with a grin.

I shrugged. “Yeah, I wanted to give you a break today.”

He laughed, and it made his brown eyes twinkle. “How considerate of you.” His face went thoughtful for a moment. “Where did you train before you came here?”

That was unexpected. I took a deep breath before answering. This was still a sore subject for me. “At home. My mother trained me.”

He looked impressed. “Really? Who is your mother, if you don’t mind me asking.”

I looked down at my hands. “Diana Montgomery.”

He went silent, and I glanced back up at him, his face was full of wonder. “You knew her?”

He nodded slowly, a smile spreading across his face. “Yes, I did. She’s one of the best. We trained together when we were children.”

I stood there, gaping. The way he had said this made me think that they may have done more than just train together. Still, talking about my mother was difficult for me.

“How is she?” he asked in a quiet voice.

I swallowed hard. “She’s… she died when the Lamia attacked our house.”

His face fell, and his expression gave him away; he had cared about her. It actually made me like him more. Anyone who genuinely cared for her couldn’t be so bad.

Along with his grief, his expression was also a little surprised. “I’m so sorry to hear that. But I guess that explains why you’re here, she would’ve never—”

Students were entering the class room by now, and he snapped his mouth shut. I was tempted to press for whatever else he was going to say. She would have never what? As we began stretching and warming up, I made a mental note to be sure to continue this conversation later.

Tommy came in and greeted me with a small bow. “Hey, beautiful.”

“Hey, Tommy.”

“Sorry about what happened the other night,” he said. “My dad doesn’t mind if I have parties, but he always makes sure Warriors are on hand in case things get violent. I should’ve warned you.”

I shrugged. “It’s cool. Actually, I’m sorry. I’m embarrassed about getting thrown out like that.”

He laughed. “Are you kidding? I would’ve paid to see Victoria knocked on her face like that. It was classic.”

I smiled. “Yeah, she kind of asked for it.”

He nodded. “She did. Besides, my father said that anyone stupid enough to taunt a Warrior deserves to get beat up.”

I was shocked. “You told your dad? That’s so… embarrassing.”

“No, it’s not. He likes you anyway, so don’t worry.”

I furrowed my brow. “How does he like me? We’ve never met.”

He smiled. “Yes you have. He’s on the Council. Lord Caslon. You met him the first day you came here.”

I thought back to my meeting with the Council. There had been three women and two men. One of the men had been blond with blue eyes, like Tommy. I assumed that was his father.

Patterson called the class to attention, and we all lined up. He began pairing us up. I was paired with Tommy, since we were standing right next to each other.

Patterson gave each group an area that was marked off by tape on the floor. The whole gym floor was marked off in large squares. We were told that we must stay within our square. Whoever got tossed out, lost. My mother had done something similar to this, so I figured it wouldn’t be so bad.

Tommy smiled as we stood opposite each other. “You ready,

Warrior?”

I snorted. “Are you ready, Brocken?”

We fought, and I learned that Tommy was a better fighter than he let on. By the end of the class, I had been tossed out of our square four times, and I managed to push him out six times. I considered this a victory.

When the bell finally rang, we were both grateful. Tommy smiled. “I won.”

I scoffed. “No you didn’t. I pushed you out more times than you did me.”

He laughed. “Doesn’t matter. I still won four out of ten times. You’re a Warrior, so that means that each time I pushed you out is equals two of yours. So, really, I won.”

I laughed at his stupid logic. “Whatever makes you feel better.”

I wanted to stay and talk to Patterson some more about my mother, but I still had to change clothes, and I didn’t want to be late to my next class. Tommy waited for me outside of the locker room, and we walked to our next class together.

“Are you going to the fight this weekend?” Tommy asked as we sat down in History class.

“What fight?”

“There’s a fight at the end of each month. Between the Warriors. I always go. It’s good to see what we will be doing once we graduate.

You want to go with me?”

I shrugged. “Maybe. I’m not sure if I want to see that.”

He gave me a charming smile. “Please?”

I smiled back, even though the idea made me sick. “We’ll see.”

Always optimistic, Tommy grinned. “Great.”

The teacher came in and began the class. I listened and took notes, trying to think about anything other than fighting. I’d always thought I’d enjoyed fighting, but that was when it was for a purpose. It just wasn’t as appealing as a sport.

Chapter Forty-Two

By lunch time, I was ready to annihilate some food. Nelly had a plate waiting for me like always, and I sat down beside Jack. A smile lit up his face when he saw me, and he gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Hey, darling.”

In front of me, Nelly’s and Daniel’s eyes widened. I had just enough time to frown in confusion before I felt a cold liquid spill all over me. I was soaked.

Victoria.

I turned around slowly. Victoria was holding an empty soda bottle over my head, shaking out the remaining drops. One landed on my already dripping nose. My left eye twitched. I brought my gaze up to Victoria’s. A satisfied smirk sat on her lips for the briefest of moments. When her eyes met mine, whatever she saw there made her smug switch swiftly to uncertainty, and immediately following that, fear.

My eyes were searing, I’m sure, right along with my blood. One side of my mouth pulled up. It was a crazed expression—some part of me knew this. Some part of me didn’t care.

Before she could react, I was up, out of the chair, gripping Victoria’s throat in my right hand and slamming her into a nearby soda machine. It rocked on its hinges.

The movement from my chair to my current position had been so swift that I hadn’t had time to contemplate it. My body just acted. Now, as I stood constricting Victoria’s vocals, realization slowly caught up to me.

Victoria’s feet weren’t touching the ground. Her face was starting to drain of color. This wasn’t in the least displeasing. Her pulse grew slower under my fingers. I watched her eyes.

Her eyes spoke volumes. Windows to the soul, that much is true. Victoria’s eyes betrayed her in the worst of ways. Fear had seized them in a careless embrace. Her pulse grew slower still. I leaned forward, placing quirked lips by her ear.

“You have no idea how easily I could kill you right now.” My lips pulled back in a toothy smile. Victoria’s eyelids fluttered. “You have no idea how bad I want to.”

I paused, the thought much too enticing to ignore. If I just closed my fist I would crush her esophagus. The urge had me tightening my grip.

“I’m not going to,” I whispered, more to convince myself than reassure her. “But,” I twisted my wrist the side, forcing her to look directly at Nelly. “If you so much as look at her wrong, I’ll kill you.” I snapped her face back to mine. “And, if you fuck with me again, I’ll make sure I leak the life out of you slowly, so I can savor each one of your last, tortured breaths.”

I shoved her back against the machine and let her drop to the ground. When I turned around, I was facing a cafeteria that had gone completely silent. No one met my eyes as I spun on my heels and walked out. My earlier hunger was forgotten, a much different hunger taking its place.

Chapter Forty-Three

I just kept walking, half-expecting every teacher or administrator I passed to haul my ass off to the office. But they didn’t. No one stopped me as I exited school grounds and continued walking.

I had no idea where I was going, but soon, when I came to a line of trees, I picked up my pace into a fast run. I have no idea why, but I just felt like I needed to run. I guess I had too much adrenaline coursing through me, and I had to let it out somehow. So I just ran. I ran, weaving by and around the trees as fast as I could go, scraping my face and arms on branches. The pain didn’t even register with me. I kept on going.

I’m not sure how long I ran. It felt like both seconds and hours. It must have been a while though, because my clothes and hair had long since dried. My sole thought was that I needed to run as fast and as far as I could. I ran until I came to a small lake. I was pretty deep in the forest by now, because there were no sounds or signs of civilization anywhere.

It was the dry-heaving that had finally stopped me. I felt like collapsing. I sat down by the edge of the lake and concentrated on the scene around me, trying to control my breathing, calm myself. The scent of pine and fresh water engulfed me. The ground where I sat was a mixture of sand and dirt. The trees loomed over me like gargoyles on an old building. They seemed to stare at me, and I stared back. The only sounds were insects swarming near the water and the shuffling of small creatures carrying out their daily tasks.

The world around me had kept moving, but my world had gone completely still. I had totally lost it back there. I’d come dangerously close to choking the life out of Victoria. Even thinking about her now made the monster inside me rear its ugly head. I always worked so hard for control, to keep the monster leashed so I wouldn’t do something I would regret later. But I’d almost lost control. I’d almost killed someone because she’d poured a drink on me. And the worst part was, I felt like it was only going to get worse.

A twig snapped off to my left, and I jerked my head in that direction. I had to be careful. It was foolish of me to just take off into the trees like I had; there were all sorts of dangers out here. Fear coiled in my stomach as I considered all the possibilities of the source of the noise. I realized now that I had been really stupid. The Pine Barrens were no place to get lost.

I stood up slowly. “Who’s there?”

My question was met with silence. I would have started laughing at my own dumb-girl-in-a-horror-movie question had I not been so scared. I’d wanted to break the silence somehow, but amazingly, hearing my own voice in the solitude of the forest seemed to freak me out even more.

I turned back in the direction from where I had come, and headed back toward the city. At least, I hoped I was heading toward the city. Then, something hit me hard in the back of the head. I spun around quickly, my body tensing for an attack.

I stood still for several moments, afraid to let my guard down. I couldn’t see anyone, but I knew someone was watching me. I could just feel the eyes on me, and I was wishing I hadn’t come this far from civilization.

When nothing made its presence known, I turned around slowly, pretending to let my guard down and head toward home. I closed my eyes and concentrated hard on my other senses. A second later, I heard it, the whoosh of an arm throwing something through the air. I spun around fast and caught the rock that had been launched at me. My eyes immediately followed the direction it had come from.

I couldn’t believe what I saw.

Chapter Forty-Four

What I saw was a little girl.

She was wearing torn clothes that were too small for her, and her face and hands were streaked with dirt. She was barefoot too, and I wondered if this was some kind of feral child; she couldn’t be much older than Akira. Though she had a harelip, her face was still very beautiful, with eyes that were a bright gold and framed by thick, dark lashes. She had curly brown hair that was so dark it almost looked black, and a skin color that suggested she spent a lot of time in the sun.

Whatever impression her appearance had on me was subdued, however, by her fierce expression, and the crudely made weapon she was holding. I took a slow step forward, and she raised the sharpened stick she was carrying.

“Don’t move,” she said in a strong voice.

I held my hands up in front of me and came to a stop. She narrowed her eyes. “Who are you? What are you doing here?”

“My name’s Alexa. I’m lost. I’m trying to get back to Two Rivers.” Her eyes dropped down to my right arm. “What are you?” “I’m a Warrior,” I told her.

Her eyes widened and she slowly lowered her stick. “Kayden’s Warrior?” she asked.

The mention of Kayden’s name gave me pause. Who the hell was this girl? And how did she know Kayden?

I shrugged. “I wouldn’t say I’m his exactly, but yes, I know him.”

In fact, I should say that I’m Jackson’s, but that was irrelevant right now.

Her tiny face scrunched up as she considered this. “If you’re a Warrior, then you are Kayden’s because there is only one Warrior, and she’s his.”

She said this with absolute certainty, and I was beginning to wonder if she was some kind of apparition. How else could some child in the woods know about Kayden and me? Either that, or I had really lost my mind this time.

She approached me slowly, cautiously, and I made sure to remain very still. I didn’t consider her a threat exactly, but who knows who else could be with her. She may have an army of cannibals waiting in the trees for her signal to attack.

When she reached me, she gripped my right arm in her tiny hand and ran a rough finger over the lily on my wrist. I stared at her adorable little face and tried not to smile at her confidence.

“Alexa, right?” she asked, releasing my arm.

“That’s right.”

She held out her hand. “I’m Soraya. It’s good to meet you. I’ve heard great things.”

I raised my eyebrows. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Soraya, but”—I glanced all around us—“Who told you about me?”

She took my hand and led me to a tree that had fallen near the bank of the lake. It made for a decent bench, and she sat down and patted the seat beside her. I did as I was told and sat down.

She stared up at me with those gleaming, golden eyes. “What has brought you all the way out here, Alexa?”

I shook my head, still very confused by this weird turn of events. “I just got lost.”

She shook her head in return, and it made her curly hair bob around her face. “Don’t lie. A Warrior should be truthful with those she trusts.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Who said I trust you?”

She shrugged. “You trust Kayden.” She said this as a statement, not a question, and I found my curiosity growing.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“I’m Soraya,” she answered simply.

I blew out a frustrated breath, and she laughed. She had a rich laugh, and the sound of it reminded me so much of… Oh, no.

I was afraid to ask, but I had to. “You’re… you’re his daughter, aren’t you?”

She was quiet a moment as she studied me, and I felt my heart beating like a drum in my chest. At last, she broke out into laughter. “No,” she said, between laughs. “I’m not his daughter. But you should have seen your face just now.”

I released a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “Oh.”

“I’m his niece.”

I looked into her golden eyes, Kayden’s golden eyes. Then, I thought of something that made me a little angry.

“What are you doing out here all alone? Where are your parents?”

She smiled. “I live out here, with my mommy. Our village is just on the other side of the lake. You want to see? I’ll show you.”

She slid off the log and held her hand out to me. I took it, and she led me around to where a rickety bridge hung over the lake. We crossed it, making it rock as we moved along.

“Is this safe?” I asked when we were about halfway across.

She giggled. “Of course, Uncle Kayden built it so that it would be easier for him to come visit me.” She looked back at me, her voice taking on a serious tone. “But don’t tell anyone, okay? He’ll get in trouble if they find out.”

I furrowed my brow, but nodded. “I promise.” This was getting stranger by the second.

Once we were across the bridge, she led me down a dirt path that wound through the trees, and after about a mile, we stopped, standing on top of a large hill.

“That’s my village. You can see my house over there. See?” she asked.

I nodded slowly, not believing what I was seeing.

The hill looked down on what was quite literally a village, and the house she had pointed out was little more than a hut. People in ragged clothing mulled around, carrying buckets and baskets. The ground was dusty brown, hard-packed earth. All of the houses were huts, and there seemed to be hundreds of them. They appeared to be made of mud and had hand-made blankets covering openings that I supposed served as windows. Some of the people lead around goats and donkeys, and a small breeze brought their fecund, animal smell to the top of the hill where we stood. It looked like something you would see on the National Geographic channel, like in some third-world country. It was a sharp contrast to the luxury of the city I had just run from. It must have still been within the walls, though, because I would have noticed if we would have had to climb over it.

Soraya sat down on the ground and pulled my hand for me to join her. I plopped down beside her, not taking my eyes off the scene in front of me. I hadn’t known places like this even existed in America.

The more I studied the place in front of me, the more my disbelief grew. None of the people had shoes on, and from what I could see, most of them had some sort of disability. But some of them seemed perfectly normal, albeit the fact that they were hideously ugly and maybe a little malnourished. These were outcasts, I realized, and the thoughts that entered my head were so horrible I found myself trembling.

Something warm and rough touched my hand, and I looked down to see that Soraya had placed her hand over mine, which was still shaking.

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” she said in a small voice. It was a complete opposite to the tone she’d used earlier in the forest.

I just shook my head and was surprised when I felt warm tears spill down my cheeks. “Who knows about this place?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never been outside of the village. Except for when I wander in the forest, but Mommy says I shouldn’t do that, so most of the time, I don’t.”

Anger flared in me as I realized something. “But Kayden does,” I said. “You said he visits you.”

Her face lit up at the mention of her Uncle. “Yeah, he brings me stuff, food and clothes and toys.” Her face fell a little. “But, he can’t come very often. He says it’s dangerous.”

I was going to have to have a word with Kayden when I got back. “What else does he say?” I asked.

“He told me about you. He worries about you a lot.”

I wanted to say he should be worried about her. Instead, I asked, “How did all these people get here?”

“Some of us, like me, were born here. But others, like Mommy, got sent here.”

“Sent here by whom?”

She shrugged again. “I don’t know. I call them the Evil Ones, but Mommy won’t speak of them. She says I’m too young right now to worry about it.”

I looked back down at all the people in the village and compared them to those at Two Rivers. Now that I thought about it, no one back in the city was really old or deformed or even over-weight. I was beginning to think my outcast theory was dead-on.

“Why are people sent here?”

“Mommy says it’s because they’ve outgrown their use or that they don’t fit the mold, whatever that means.”

I wrapped my arms around her and she snuggled into my embrace. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for this girl. She was so sweet and perfect and I just wanted to protect her. Thinking about the luxurious lifestyle back at Two Rivers made me sick. This wasn’t right. It wasn’t right at all.

“Do you want to stay here, Soraya? You could… you could come back with me.”

She shook her head. “No, I can’t. They wouldn’t allow it.” She pointed to her lip, and I felt fresh tears brim my eyes. “They wouldn’t have me… I’m damaged.”

I took her shoulders and forced her to look at me. “No. You are not. You’re perfect. One of the most perfect girls I’ve ever met in my life.” My voice was fierce and full of passion.

She gave a small smile. “He was right. You are amazing.”

“Kayden said I’m amazing?” I shook my head. “That’s not important. Look, I need to get back before someone notices I’m missing, but I promise you, I’m going to fix this.”

She gave another sad smile. “You truly are a Warrior, Alexa. Will you come back to see me?”

I looked straight into her beautiful eyes. “I promise. I’ll be back. And I meant what I said, I’m going to make things right.” I just had no idea how I was going to, but she didn’t need to know that.

She gave me a look that said she didn’t think that was possible.

I drew her into my arms once again. “Do you trust me?”

She pulled back and looked up at me. “Yes, I do.”

“Then trust me when I say I will take care of this. I’ll straighten it out. I promise.”

She gripped my hands, concern covering her little face. “You can’t tell anyone you were here, Alexa. I mean it. I don’t want them to hurt you.

“No one is going to hurt me. Don’t worry. I won’t say anything.

Can you show me the way back?”

She nodded. “You won’t forget about me, will you?”

I cupped her face in my hands. “Of course not. How could I? You’re far too important to be forgotten.”

She smiled, and my heart felt like it was breaking into a million pieces. I had to do something about this, I just had to.

“I think it’s the food,” she said, as she led me back to the other side of the lake.

“What?”

“Uncle says everyone there must know something is off about that place. But he says that they just go about their days like nothing is wrong. He says they’re happy. So, I think they must be putting something in the food to make people more… you know, easy-going, so that they’ll turn their heads to certain things.”

I smiled at her. “You’re smart and beautiful, you know that?”

She grinned and squeezed my hand. “So are you. I just hope it’s enough.”

I furrowed my brow at that, but she pointed into the trees. “Go straight from here, just keep going straight until you reach your city. You should be okay, but hurry, you don’t want to be lost in the trees come nightfall.” She reached into her shirt and held something out for me. “Take this, as long as you keep heading north, you’ll be fine.”

I looked down and saw that she was offering me a compass. I thanked her and scooped her up into another hug. “I will be back,

Soraya. I promise you. I’ll be back.”

She kissed my cheek. “I know. I know you will.”

I set her down and she headed back toward her village, giving me a small wave. I waved back and then headed toward my own destination. I had a feeling that when I got back, the city was going to take on a very ugly new light.

Chapter Forty-Five

As I stepped out of the trees at last, the sun seemed to shine brighter in my face than it had all day. It glared down on me in a way that made me feel as though the sweat running down my back might turn into steam. I stopped and stared at the glorious structures all around me, and for the first time, the sight of them disgusted me.

The cherry blossom trees that stood in the medians of the streets no longer smelled of sweet floral. Their scent had taken on the odor of an overbearing perfume. The fancy green street lights that lined the sidewalks appeared to be spitefully thrusting their noses into the air. The mosaic-like buildings no longer resembled pieces of art; now they sparkled like blood diamonds. The city I had once stared at in wonder now had me glaring in distaste.

Ahead of me, I could see the school and students filing out of the buildings. It must be the end of the school day, meaning that I had spent almost four hours out in the woods. I had no doubt that Nelly would come looking for me soon, so I stuck to the outskirts and made my way back to my dorm room.

When I got there, I was feeling mildly disoriented. I couldn’t take my mind off the village and the people who called it home. Soraya’s little face was stuck in my memory like a fly in a spider web. The shoeless people, whose faces had held no hope, haunted my mind in an almost agonizing way. I couldn’t help but feel responsible for them. I wanted so badly to do something to help them. I wanted so badly to help her. To hold her tiny body in my arms and tell her over and over how wonderful she was. Her words replayed in my head a thousand times: I’m damaged. They made me want to lash out and hit someone, to hurt anyone who dare tell her that she was anything less than perfect. I wanted blood.

I wanted to march up the steps of the Council building and demand an explanation from the queen herself. I wanted to slap the owners of the fancy cars that cruised up the streets and scream at the people living in the mansions that seemed to be on every corner of this city.

But the longer I sat on my bed and thought about the village, the less I could seem to recall. It was like trying to hold water in my hands, only to have it slip through my fingers at the last moment. I felt confused and my mind muddled, like I couldn’t think straight. I felt like I should just go to sleep, and I would wake up and find that I had imagined it all.

Instead, I pulled the small compass out of my pocket and stared at it. I took in its circular shape and studied the letters that marked the directions. Soraya had given me this, and it was no dream. I wouldn’t let myself forget her. I refused to. I would write everything I had seen down in a journal right now if that’s what it took to— The journal.

I still hadn’t looked at the journal that the librarian had given me. I glanced over at the clock on my nightstand. It was just after four; if I read quickly enough, I could still return it to the library before they closed.

As I stood to go retrieve it from the bathroom, a knock sounded at my door. I had a good idea of who it might be.

I opened the door. “Hey, Nell.”

She studied me for a moment. “What’s wrong?”

I ushered her in and closed the door. “Nothing that you’re not already aware of.”

I hated lying to her, but thought it was best to keep Soraya and the village to myself for now. At least until I could gather more information.

She looked at me like she couldn’t decide if she believed me. “Yeah,” she said slowly, “I can’t believe Victoria had the nerve to do that. Are you okay? Where did you go?”

I sat down on my bed. “I’m fine. I just went for a run to burn off some energy.”

Nelly sat down next to me. “I hope it helped. I was a little worried back there. I thought you might lose control. Your soul was burning brighter than I’d ever seen it before. It was scary… I think Victoria learned her lesson, though.”

“You Searched me again?” My tone was a little more accusing than I had intended.

She cringed a little. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. Really, I didn’t even try to, it just happened. The rage was so intense that it sent me a, like, a shock wave. It even hurt a little bit. I was afraid you were going to… I was afraid you might kill her.”

Her hazel eyes were filled with worry and what I thought was fear. I hoped it wasn’t fear of me. I took a deep breath to calm myself. Nelly wasn’t the one I was mad at. I didn’t really know who I was mad at.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound harsh. I’ve just had a long day. I don’t really care if you Search me.” I thought about Soraya and the village and corrected myself. “Just try not to, okay? Or at least tell me when you’re going to do it.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

I glanced uneasily at the clock. “Would you mind letting me rest for a little bit? I just feel like I need to sleep it off.” I hoped that sounded believable.

“Of course.” She kissed my forehead and moved toward the door, but she stopped and turned back to me. “You sure there’s nothing else you want to talk about?” I shook my head.

She opened the door. “Okay, I’ll see you later then.”

Alone at last, I retrieved the book from the bathroom and sat back on my bed. Opening it up, I found that it was indeed a hand-written journal.

The first entry was dated over three-hundred years ago:

This dream I’ve been having has haunted me in the worst of ways. I’m beginning this journal so that I may remember that which haunts me. The dream shows me things that I fear have yet to come. Why I have been plagued with this knowledge is a mystery to me as of yet. That which has been revealed is so horrible that I pray I am wrong, and these things will not come to pass.

In my dream, I am shown a world of great wonders, a world where miracles that have not yet been revealed rule over every creature. A world in which the tyrants of my own time pale in comparison to those that rule in this future time. Those who are unfit will be discarded and sent to live in horrid conditions. Though the motives are unclear to me as of yet, I do know that there will be great suffering and dear losses.

The most frightening part of this new world is that there seems to be no Warriors present. The tyrants of this time have killed them off and the race becomes extinct. Without Warriors, my race is certain to perish as well, as we depend on one another for our existence.

I have seen one thing in this new world that gives me hope. A girl, whose strength is unparalleled by those of her time. She is a fighter. The only one of her kind, and so, it will fall upon her to free the people and stop the tyrants that plague this dark future. I only pray that she will be strong enough to take on this task, for in my dream, she is all alone, a single soul who holds the lives of so many in her hands.

The worst part is that I can see the fire inside of her, a fire so similar to my own. I can see the monster she struggles to contain, and I can see that it is a losing battle. And if the pain of the fire in my dreams is any indication, I cannot see how she will possibly succeed.

I read every page of the journal, from cover to cover, and on the last page, I found the answers to many of the questions I had had since I’d first arrived here.

Today, is the last day I shall be able to write here. I have lost my beloved Susan, my Warrior. It brings me great pain to even mention her name, and the pain that is now within me, the pain that she once took away, is going to destroy me at last.

Though, I feel an obligation to finish what I have started, and so, I write my final entry. The future has constantly become clearer and clearer in my dream since I first began these writings. Things in the world of my dream have become much worse than I had at first realized. The Accursed ones are in league with those who rule in this world I see. They conduct business with one another in a way that is quite sickening. They make deals and trades that are paid for in blood. There is no honor to be found here, there is no loyalty, no love.

But this girl I have seen has honor. She knows loyalty and love. She is worthy of the task that the Gods will place before her, and she will pay dearly to right the wrongs of her time. She will struggle greatly, but in the end, she will succeed. She will give all that she has to save those who need deliverance, but it will cost her everything. It will cost her life.

Just as the loss of my Warrior will cost me mine. For we are not whole without the other, we cannot deal with the pain without the balance the other brings. So, I shall destroy myself, throw myself into the fire, before it has a chance to escape, and destroy everything in its path.

Shutting the journal, I stood up from the bed and tucked it under my jacket. I had been reading for about four hours, lost in the tales of this unknown prophet. The library would still be open for another hour, and I needed to return the book as I had promised.

As I walked toward the direction of the library, the darkness that had fallen seemed to envelope me in a way that was almost suffocating. I was trying really hard not to think about what I’d just learned. I was trying really hard not to believe it. There was no way that I was the girl that was mentioned. Absolutely no way.

When I reached the library, I found it empty. I stood by the front desk and rang the little silver bell that sat on its surface. After my third ring, the librarian I had met the other day came out of the door that stood behind the desk.

She smiled when she saw me. “Warrior, I was worried you’d forgotten.” I handed her the journal, and she slipped it in the desk drawer. “Did you find the answers you were looking for?” she asked.

I released a heavy breath. “I can’t honestly say. I… I don’t know what I found.”

“Yes, I believe you do.”

I glanced around me and lowered my voice. “You don’t… you don’t think it’s me, do you? The girl mentioned in the journal? I mean, it can’t be, right?”

“Do you think it is?” she asked.

“No. I don’t. It can’t be.”

“And why not?”

I shrugged lamely. “It just can’t.”

Her face took on a disappointed look. “Then, there is no hope for any of us.”

I turned around and left without another word. I refused to believe that just because some nutcase had a dream three hundred years ago, I was supposed to be some kind of savior. I was just a kid. I hadn’t even graduated high school yet. I was not that person. It wasn’t true. It couldn’t be.

Maybe the journal was a fake, a cruel, not-funny joke of some kind. Still, it raised a lot of questions; questions I had no answers for.

Besides, most of it made no sense. Like the parts about this other race that was dependent on Warriors for their survival, and vice-versa. I didn’t have that dependence on anyone. At least, I didn’t think I did. Also, the mentioning of the Lamias being in league with the people who ruled couldn’t be true. Everyone I had met was deathly afraid of them. They’d built an enormous wall and a city that sat between two rivers to make sure that the Accursed were kept away.

But some of it, some of it had been dead-on. Like the way he’d described the fire inside of himself, the pain—it so closely matched my own. And the part about the horrid conditions that the people who weren’t fit lived in, that was extremely close to what I’d witnessed earlier today.

But, honestly, my brain was too overloaded with information to even make any more comparisons at the moment. And truth be told, I was scared too. Because as much as I kept telling myself I didn’t believe in prophecies, part of me wondered. I was seriously afraid to listen to that part, afraid of what it meant if it was right, if the man’s dreams had been right. Hadn’t I just promised Soraya earlier today that I would make things right, just like the journal had said I would? Hadn’t I vowed to fix things for her and the people in her village? Had I been fulfilling the prophecy without even knowing about it? That was a scary thought.

But the scariest part of all had been the last entry. If it was true, if I was this girl, this savior, then I would pay for it. I would pay for it with my life. But that’s not what worried me, the truth of something else did. I knew, I knew that if I had to make a choice between my life and Soraya’s, I would choose to die. I didn’t even really know her, yet I would give my life for her. Not because I’m altruistic, but because it was who I was, who I had always been. I suppose that is what made me a true Warrior.

I just hoped like hell that the journal was wrong. I just hoped like hell.

Chapter Forty-Six

I had to pass the Council building on the walk back to my dorm. I glared up at it in disdain. The statues of the robed people that lined the steps loomed over me in way that made me want to pick up some rocks and start throwing them. The trees that littered the well manicured grounds cast shadows that seemed to be hiding secrets. Secrets of bad deeds and wrongdoings, secrets that only things like trees were privy to.

Of the all buildings I had seen in this city, the Council building was by far the most imposing. I wondered what kind of sacrifice it took to build something so opulent, so supreme. It had a way of making me feel small, insignificant. The large silver doors reminded me of enormous jaws that might reach out and swallow me whole at any moment. Even the mural of the silver sun, so much like the one on my shoulder, felt wrong being there. Its beauty shouldn’t have been placed on a structure that housed such liars and traitors.

I shook my head at those thoughts and stared up at the building. I really had no verification to feel that way. I wasn’t absolutely sure that the queen and the Council were responsible for Soraya’s village. I still wasn’t sure what to think of that at all. And I also had decided that the journal was full of crap. I’d already said that the girl it mentioned couldn’t be me, so what would make me think that the parts about the “rulers of this time” being evil were true? Still, I found myself full of ambivalence. Maybe I was just upset about something being so luxurious while there were people living in poverty so nearby. I didn’t know what I thought.

Someone came out of the large silver doors as I was continuing my walk past the Council building. I stopped when I realized who it was. There was no mistaking the hair color and flannel shirt.

“What are you doing here, Jack?”

His face looked shocked for a moment before turning into a smile.

“Actually, I was looking for you,” he said.

“In the Council building?”

He shrugged. “Well, I went by your room, and you weren’t there, so I checked Nelly’s room and you weren’t there either, so then I thought that maybe the queen had called you in for another meeting or something.”

I hadn’t told Jackson about that meeting. I narrowed my eyes a little. “Jack, I never told you about my meeting with the Queen.” He didn’t miss a beat. “I know. Nelly did.” I would be verifying that with Nelly later.

I paused for a moment, shocked that that was my first thought. Why was I acting suspicious? This was Jackson; he wouldn’t lie to me. He was my best friend. He was my boyfriend.

“Oh,” I said stupidly. “Why did you need to find me so bad? What’s wrong?”

“Because I wanted to give you this,” he replied, handing me what he was holding.

My hand flew up to my neck and I gasped as I saw what it was. “Where did you find this?” It was my mother’s necklace.

He smiled. “I turned and went for a run earlier tonight, and I found it on the ground in the forest.”

I gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. I hadn’t felt it, but it must’ve fallen off on my journey through the forest today. I was glad he’d found it, because I would have been really upset when I realized it was gone. “Thank you, Jackson.”

He took my hand. “You’re quite welcome, darling. Come on, I’ll walk you back.”

As we headed back, I felt my mood lighten a little. Jackson always made me happy, and with so much mysterious drama going on in my life at the moment, I had almost forgotten that I had a boyfriend now. Jackson was my boyfriend, and even though I was still confused about my feelings for Kayden, I liked being with Jack.

His hand was warm in mine, and I found myself enjoying the moment. Being with Jackson, holding his hand as we walked together under the stars was simple, simple and easy and even a little beautiful. In a world where everything had become so complicated and dire, this was normal; this was peaceful.

I looked over at him, and he looked down at me and smiled. It made his green eyes twinkle, and I was reminded of how handsome he was. It’s not like I’d forgotten; everyone who saw Jackson thought he was good-looking. I guess I just hadn’t been paying attention lately with so much going on, but I was paying attention right now. I was paying a lot of attention.

“You’re kind of hot, you know that?”

One corner of his mouth pulled up in a crooked smile. “You’re just noticing this?”

I laughed and slapped his arm. “Yeah, you must have gotten cuter somehow all of a sudden.”

He chuckled. “Well, I guess if I were you, it would be hard to consider anyone attractive when I got to see such beauty in the mirror in every morning. It’s hard to compete with that.”

I giggled and pulled him closer so that I could rest my head on his arm as we walked. He was too tall for me to reach his shoulder. “Do you ever run out of cheesy lines?”

His face went thoughtful as I looked up him. “No, I don’t think so. But they’re not lines if they’re true, and you like them anyway.”

I considered the fact that I was still smiling. “Yeah, I do.”

“You know,” he continued, “your scent was pretty strong in the forest today, that’s what led me to your necklace.”

I stiffened a little and my heart jumped, but I tried to play it cool. “You don’t say.” Oh, yeah, real cool.

He raised an eyebrow at that stupid line. “I do say. Why were you so far out in the trees? It can be dangerous out there.”

I tried not to sound defensive. “I was looking for Big-Foot and the Jersey Devil, and I’m pretty confident I can take care of myself.”

He let the Big-Foot comment slide. “I’m sure you can, but be careful, the Wolves turn and run in those trees. I’m not sure what I’d do if you got hurt.”

I gave his hand a light squeeze. “I will be… What’s it like when you turn into your Wolf form?” Not the most subtle change of subject, but whatever, I was curious.

He looked up and sighed. “Its… amazing. The most incredible thing I’ve ever experienced. My senses are so much sharper and I’m so much stronger and faster. I feel powerful. It also always makes me want to see you.”

“Why is that?”

“Because when I’m in my Wolf form, the animal side of me is in the most control,” he hesitated, then added, “and Wolves like to be with their mates all the time.”

I almost stopped in my tracks. “Their what?”

He gave me a nervous smile. “I guess I should have told you a long time ago… My Wolf chose you as its mate… That’s why I’ve always been so protective over you.”

If I remembered my facts correctly from my animal science class back in the human world, wolves mated for life. I swallowed hard. “How similar are werewolves to real wolves?”

He tilted his head in a very wolf-like manner. Now that I thought about it, he did things like that all the time. “Very. When we turn, we change into real wolves, not the half-man, half-beast you’ve seen in movies, and because that is always inside of us, the traits of our Wolf carry over into our human form.”

I guess that explained a lot. If Jackson’s Wolf had chosen me as its mate, it made sense that he would get into so many fights over me in school before we came here, and how he was always concerned about me. It was both flattering and a little worrisome. I liked Jack. I might even love him. But I wasn’t sure if I was ready for a lifetime commitment.

He must have sensed my unease because he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “Don’t freak out. It’s not a big deal.” “I’m not freaking out,” I lied.

He kissed my forehead. “Yes, you are, which is why I never told you before. I can smell it on you, your discomfort. Don’t worry. I’m not going to try to force you into an eternal relationship. I just want you to know that I would do anything to keep you safe, that I’ll always be here for you.”

“You can smell my emotions?”

He chuckled and shook his head. “That would be the part you comment on. But, no, not really your emotions. I just know you well enough to know what certain changes mean. Plus, your heartbeat picked up in pace.”

I gave a low whistle. “Impressive.”

We had reached my dorm, and I found myself not wanting Jackson to leave. He had a way of taking my mind off things and making me just enjoy the moment. But I needed to get some rest, because tomorrow was a school day, and I had some extracurricular activities planned after school.

Jack pulled me to him for a hug, but instead, I reached my hand behind his neck and brought my face up to his. I didn’t have much to compare it to, but it was a sweet kiss. His lips were soft and gentle, as if he were afraid of breaking me. My stomach was full of butterflies and my fingers trailed down his strong back as we stood in each other’s grasp. He pulled away first, and I stuck my bottom lip out in protest.

His eyes had lit up into that beautiful Wolf-gold, and I got the feeling he was struggling to control himself. But he took a deep breath, and then laughed at my expression. “Careful, darling, my Wolf isn’t known for his self-control.”

I smiled wickedly. “Neither is my Warrior.”

He made a sound deep in his throat that resembled a low growl. Then, he kissed my lips once more and rested his cheek on top of my head. “Good night, my love,” he whispered.

I wrapped my arms around him. “Good night, Jack.”

He kissed my forehead and gave me a small smile before turning away. I went up to my room and threw myself across the bed. I was feeling good for the first time today, but at the same time, I was conflicted. Because, while I should have gone to sleep thinking about Jackson, I fell asleep thinking of Kayden instead.

Chapter Forty-Seven

I got up early again and headed to Patterson’s class. I was feeling a little bit weak because I hadn’t really eaten anything yesterday. I was also planning on skipping my meals today. It might not be the smartest idea, but Soraya’s theory about something being in the food had kind of made me curious. I wasn’t sure how long I could go without eating, but I figured I’d give it a couple of days and see how I felt then. Waking up this morning proved that this was going to be harder than I’d thought. I was starving already.

When I walked into Patterson’s class, once again, he was already setting up. Now that I had him alone, I remembered that I’d wanted to ask him some questions about my mother.

“Early again, Warrior?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

He studied me a moment. “Is everything all right? You look a little pale.”

Nothing was all right. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just couldn’t sleep last night.”

He looked like he wasn’t sure he believed me, but he waved his hand toward the equipment he was dragging out. “Well, since you’re here, you want to give me a hand?”

“Sure.” I walked over to the supplies closet and began dragging out the heavy floor mats. Then, I took a deep breath. “How well did you know my mom?”

Patterson stopped what he was doing and turned around to face me. After a moment, he said, “Very well.”

I stared at him for a moment, trying to imagine him being involved with my mother. I supposed they would make a cute couple. Still, it was hard to picture her being interested in anything other than training. Then again, maybe they’d had that in common.

I prepared myself to be denied an answer to my next question, but asked anyway. “Yesterday, you started to say something… something about how she would’ve never… well, I don’t know. What would she never have done?”

He hesitated for so long I was pretty sure he wasn’t going to answer. But finally, he sighed and dropped the equipment he was holding. When he looked at me, I could tell it was almost as painful for him to speak about her as it was for me. Any doubt I’d had about them having been involved vanished.

“She would’ve never let you come here,” he said at last.

I thought about all that had happened since I’d arrived at Two Rivers. I thought about my fight with Daniel and my fight with Victoria. I thought about Kayden and Soraya and the village. Things were obviously not right here, but really, nothing awful had happened to me yet. Despite that, I kind of had a feeling he was right.

“Why? Why wouldn’t she want me here?” I asked.

He looked down at the floor. “I’m sure she just wanted other things for you. To… let you have an easier life than you can have here.”

He turned away then, and resumed setting up the equipment. I guessed that meant that he didn’t want to talk about it anymore. So, like always, I said something stupid.

“You loved her, didn’t you?” I whispered.

He had his back to me, but his large shoulders slumped and his head dropped down between them. He didn’t turn to face me, and when he spoke, it was barely audible. “Very much.”

I looked down at my feet, fighting unwelcome tears. “I miss her so much.”

When he turned to look at me, his face was composed, but his eyes were haunted in a way that only the loss of a loved one could cause. He still loved her, had never stopped, and as inappropriate as it may have been, I wanted to ask him about their time together. I wanted to hear tales of my mother from someone who knew a side of her that I had never known. This also made me realize how much she must have sacrificed for me. I’d never thought about what she had left behind in order to keep me safe. I just wished I knew what she’d been keeping me safe from.

We stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Neither of us said a word, but so much passed between us. I felt like we understood each other perfectly in that moment. We both felt the loss of a woman we loved very much. It was both comforting and disorienting for me. I wasn’t used to showing so much emotion in front of others, but at the same time, it was nice to know that someone else shared my grief.

As students starting entering the room, we returned to placing out the mats. But when Patterson began to call the class to attention, someone came through the door. It was Mark, the warrior I had met the other day when the queen had asked to see me. I had a feeling he was coming to retrieve me again. This was confirmed as he went over and whispered something to Patterson, who looked at me and jerked his head so that I would approach.

“Warrior,” said Mark, with a small bow. “Queen Camillia has requested an audience.”

Patterson nodded to me, and I followed Mark out the door. When we were out of the classroom, I walked alongside him. “It’s nice to see you again, Mark.”

He smiled. “And you as well, Alexa.”

“Do you know why she wants to see me?” I asked, even though I was pretty sure I knew why.

“I wouldn’t know.”

“Well… do you know if I’m in trouble?”

He shrugged casually and gave a half smile. “Did you do
something to be in trouble?”

“Not that I can recall,” I lied. I’d learned long ago not to admit to anything until I was sure of what I was being accused.

“Then you should be fine.”

I studied him for a moment, wondering if he knew about the incident with Victoria, but his face gave away nothing. Then, he reached up to adjust his collar and a red satin bracelet on his wrist caught my attention. It was small, with a red cloth was wrapped around a silver chain, and it sparkled in the sunlight. It wasn’t a delicate or a masculine piece of jewelry. It was just interesting.

“That’s pretty,” I commented, pointing at his wrist.

He looked down at his hand and snorted. “Yeah, I guess.”

My brow furrowed at his reaction. “What is it?”

“A marker. We wear them when it is our turn in the Arena.”

I thought back to when Tommy asked me to see the fight with him this weekend. He’d told me that at the end of every month, there was a fight between the Warriors. My stomach clenched as the realization settled over me. I liked Mark. I didn’t want him to get hurt over the sake of entertainment.

“You’re the one fighting this weekend,” I said, more to myself than to him.

He nodded. “We wear the bracelets so that people can observe the contestants. So that they can place their money on who they assume is the strongest fighter.”

My jaw dropped as I processed what he was saying. “People place bets on the fighters?”

He glanced at me and nodded again. “Yes.”

Everything that went through my head to say to that involved multiple curse words, so I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself.

Of course there would be bets on the fights, why wouldn’t there be?

“I’ll be rooting for you then,” I said, as we continued our walk.

He smiled. “You’re going to the fight?”

“I wasn’t going to, but if you’re fighting, then yeah, I’m coming.”

He gave a curt nod. “Want to see how it’s done, huh?”

I laughed. “No, but someone has to cheer for you.”

He laughed as we ascended the stairs of the Council building. Like always, I got nervous as we entered the enormous silver-trimmed foyer.

Just like last time, he led me to the queen’s office and gave me a small smile. “Good luck.”

I hated when people feel they have to say that to me. I thanked him and took a deep breath before opening the door. I wasn’t excited about this meeting. The last time I’d been here, she’d given me the worst news of my life. That knowledge actually comforted me, though. There wasn’t much else that could hurt me as bad as learning of my mother’s death.

I entered the room and found the queen sitting in the same chair as last time. She was drinking a cup of tea again and wearing a professional-looking grey skirt and jacket with a silver shirt underneath.

I wondered if her attire always included silver. Probably.

“Young Warrior,” she said in greeting.

I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes. “Your Majesty.”

She gestured to the couch. “Please, have a seat.”

I sat down and waited for her to speak. When I was met with silence, I remembered how she annoyingly always made me ask questions before giving answers. I bit my lip and clenched my fists. “You wanted to see me?”

She studied me over her cup for a moment, and I felt my irritation grow. Why couldn’t this woman ever just come on out and say what was on her mind? You would think a queen would have better people skills. She was just skilled at pissing me off.

Finally, she cleared her throat and said, “Is there anything you’d like to tell me?”

I shifted a little, but managed to hold her gaze. “Um, I don’t think so.”

Her sharp eyebrows shot up. “I see. So, you didn’t choke Victoria Talis yesterday in the school cafeteria?”

I swallowed hard, but mostly I was just grateful that this wasn’t about Soraya and the village. It had hit me upon walking in her office that she might be calling me in because she knew about my trip through the forest. I could handle being in trouble myself, but I would have never forgiven myself if I’d gotten Soraya in trouble.

I nodded slowly, pretending to think about it. “Oh, actually, yes, I did.” No point in lying.

She took another sip of tea. “I see.”

God, that was annoying. I wanted to tell her that she didn’t need glasses then. Instead, I asked, “Am I in trouble?”

She set her teacup down on the table beside her chair and folded her hands in her lap. “Well, that depends. Would you mind telling me why you did so?”

I took my time in answering. Because she poured a drink on me didn’t sound like a good answer, so I picked the only other one I had. “She made me mad.” Okay, that answer kind of sucked too, but it was true.

“Do you get angry often?” she asked.

I narrowed my eyes a little. I hate being patronized. “Sometimes… but only when it’s warranted,” I replied stiffly.

She pretended not to notice my tone. “And you feel Victoria deserved to be choked in front of all of her peers?”

Yes. “She deserved something,” I said. “She came looking for a fight.” As I said this, I realized I was right. I still felt like a monster for what I’d done, but at the same time, I wasn’t the one who initiated the confrontation. I just finished it.

To my utter astonishment, the queen agreed with me. “True. She should have known better than to make enemies with a Warrior.” I nodded. “But,” she continued, and I sighed—there’s always a but. “Even a Warrior should be careful as well of whom she chooses for enemies.”

I almost snorted, but caught myself. “You think Victoria could take me?” I know that sounded egotistical but… seriously?

She gave me a look that seemed to suggest a little modesty. I raised my eyebrows and waited. I wasn’t about to take lessons on being humble from a woman who sat with a silver spoon in her mouth.

“No, I don’t think she could harm you physically,” she said, her words clipped, “but because Victoria is the daughter of Lady Talis, she requires certain… finesse.”

That gave me pause. “Her mother is on the Council?”

The queen nodded gravely. “And you can imagine the outrage her mother was in yesterday when she found out her daughter was humiliated in front of the entire student population.”

I looked down at my hands, but she continued. “She wanted to have you severely punished. I told her we would do no such thing.”

My head jerked up, and I’m sure my face looked utterly surprised. I didn’t think it was the wisest thing, but I asked anyway. “Why did you do that?”

She smiled then. “Because, you are more important than a spoiled little brat like Victoria. You are the last Sun Warrior left and should be treated as such, by everyone, even the daughter of a Council member.” She paused, then added, “You also saved my life, and considering the suggestions put forth by Lady Talis for your punishment, I would say this makes us even.”

I was absolutely shocked. Not just because the queen had called Victoria a “spoiled little brat,” but because she had stuck up for me against someone on her own royal Council. Maybe I should save people’s lives more often.

“But should happen again, you will be on your own,” she added.

I nodded my understanding, still too floored to say anything.

“Also, I want you to take today off from your studies. You need to take a day to just relax and enjoy your blessings instead of dwelling on the things that have so upset you over the last couple weeks.”

I didn’t want to miss school, but I agreed. I had to take what I could get. “Thank you.”

She smiled again, and I couldn’t help a small smile of my own. She had done me a huge favor, and I wouldn’t forget it. When I stood to leave, she called out to me before I stepped through the door.

“And Warrior?” she called.

I turned back. “Yes, Your Majesty?”

“Let’s try and keep a hold on that temper, shall we?”

I nodded and left. No need to tell her that I was always trying, and that it seemed to be getting harder and harder to hold on to.

Chapter Forty-Eight

As I left the queen’s office, I found Mark standing at his post outside the door. He smiled upon seeing my completely astonished expression.

“Just a slap on the wrist then?” he asked, grinning broadly.

I shook my head. “More like a pat on the head.”

He chuckled, making his usually serious face even more
handsome. “You are one lucky little lady.”

“Guess so,” I replied. If you could call all the things that had been happening to me lately lucky. I didn’t really agree.

“The fight is on Saturday.”

I gave a reassuring smile. “I’ll be there.”

I exited the Council building, trying to decide what to do with my day. I had planned on visiting Kayden so that I could demand some answers from him, but if I had the whole day to myself, I knew where I should go if I really wanted answers.

So, I headed to my room and retrieved the compass Soraya had given me. As I went to use the bathroom before I left, I caught a glance of myself in the mirror. I looked like I felt. I hadn’t eaten for over a day now, and it was starting to show. My skin was pale, and my eyes had dark circles under them. I felt like I could devour an entire cow. I knew I required a lot of food to keep me going, but I hadn’t known that it would suck this bad. I wasn’t even sure if I was up to the trip, but I had to try.

I splashed some water on my face, pulled my hair back into a ponytail and headed out with my compass in hand. I went to the spot that I had entered the trees before and checked the compass to make sure that it pointed south. I wasn’t entirely sure if this would get me back to the village, but I figured that if I started in the same spot and headed in the opposite direction I’d taken to get back, I wouldn’t be that far off.

I tried to move quickly because I knew that it was a long trip, but the heat of the day seemed to be more suffocating than it usually was. I felt light-headed and a little nauseated as I pushed through the trees. After about an hour, I realized that I should have packed some food for this trip. It had been foolish of me to think that I could use so much energy on an empty stomach.

For some reason, I couldn’t recognize any of the forest, even though I had just been here yesterday. I was relying completely on the compass to tell me I was heading in the right direction. I kept going, though, and eventually, I came upon the lake. I sat down on the fallen tree that Soraya had led me to the other day. Resting my forearms on my knees, I bent my head between my legs and started dry-heaving.

Spots danced before my eyes, and I felt as though I might pass out.

“Alexa? Are you okay?” said a sweet voice behind me.

I turned my head to see Soraya standing there. She had on the same clothes as yesterday, but the dirt that had streaked her face had been washed away. Her big black eyes were filled with concern, and her sharpened stick was clutched in her hand.

I tried to give a smile, but it was difficult in my current condition. “I’m fine. Came to see you.”

She smiled then, a smile made a little crooked due to her harelip. She came over and wrapped her small arm around my waist, trying to lift me to my feet. “Let’s get you to the village. You look awful.”

I rose to my feet a little unsteadily. “Thanks.”

She took my arm and began leading me toward the village. “You stopped eating the food, didn’t you?”

I nodded. Talking was taking more energy than I had at the moment. Soraya was a strong little thing, because I leaned on her for support most of the way to the village. We crossed the rickety bridge, and its swaying made me want to start dry-heaving again. When we reached the hill overlooking her village, she told me to sit down. I fell to the ground and lay on my back. Closing my eyes, I took deep breaths and tried to regain some strength. Soraya ran off down the hill, calling to me that she would be right back.

A few minutes later, she returned with a woman with curly dark brown hair like Soraya’s and big light brown eyes. The woman bent down to examine me. Her stunning eyes also reminded me of the little girl. Her skin was tanned from the sun, and her hand was rough when she reached down and felt my forehead.

“Can you walk?” she asked me.

I pulled myself to a sitting position, then pushed to my hands and knees, and eventually made it to my feet. “Yes,” I said.

She studied me. “I can have someone carry you, if you’d like.”

I shook my head. I didn’t want to be carried through the village like some injured duckling. I just hoped we weren’t going very far. “I’ll be fine,” I told her.

She gave a small nod and a smile that said she’d expected me to say this. Then she wrapped an arm around my waist. “I’m Catherine, Soraya’s mother. Let’s get you to the house so you can rest.”

I let them lead me to the hut that Soraya had pointed out the other day. As we descended the hill, the people who were moving about the village stopped and stared, their faces filling with wonder. The smell of dirt and body odor was almost overwhelming this close to the people. I tried not to look at them as they stopped in their tracks and let us pass. It made me so angry to see people living this way. Silently, I renewed my vow to help them. I couldn’t believe that I had almost forgotten how horrible the conditions were here. I wouldn’t forget again.

Finally, we made it to the hut and Catherine pushed aside the dusty blanket that covered the entrance. I ducked under the doorway and found that the hut was exactly that, a hut. Straw mats lined the floor, and the only light in the room came from the holes in the sides of the mud walls, where the blankets that served as curtains had been pulled back. Against the wall, two sets of blankets were laid out neatly, and I supposed they served as beds. Catherine sat me down on a small wooden stool and left the hut.

When she returned, she held out a large piece of bread and an apple. I took them and thanked her, devouring the meal in record time. Soraya and Catherine sat silently as I ate, and I felt much better after having gotten something in my stomach.

“Thank you,” I said, wiping my mouth.

“I’m sorry we can’t offer you more,” said Catherine. “Food isn’t easy to come by around here.”

I looked down at my hands, suddenly feeling very bad that I had been as foolish as to come here in need of food. “I apologize,” I said. “Your hospitality is more than appreciated.”

She waved off my apology. “There’s no need to be sorry for anything. I wanted to meet you, anyway. Soraya here wouldn’t shut up about you yesterday.”

I smiled at Soraya, who was sitting crossed-legged on the floor, looking sheepish. “You’ve got one amazing little girl there,” I commented.

Catherine smiled, and it made me notice how lovely she was. She looked like an older version of Soraya. “That I do,” she agreed. “Would you like something to drink?”

I nodded and she went over to where a metal pitcher was sitting on a small table and poured some water into a wooden mug. Handing it to me, she said, “If you would like some blood instead, I’m sure I could scare some up for you.”

“Um, no thank you,” I said, trying not to wrinkle my nose at the offer. “Water is fine. I don’t drink blood.”

“Why not?”

I shrugged. “I’m not a vampire. I don’t need it.” At least I didn’t think I did.

“You’ve never had blood?” she asked, as if such a thing were unheard of.

“No. Actually, until recently, I didn’t even know what I was.” I still didn’t really know.

She considered this for a moment. “Why have you come here, Alexa? We are happy to have you, but I fear it’s not worth the risk you take.” It was nice to meet someone who addressed me by my name, instead of Warrior.

I thought about the question before answering, but really, I knew why I’d come. “I want answers.”

Catherine turned to Soraya. “Sweetheart, please go tend to your tasks while I speak with Alexa.” Soraya looked as though she was ready to protest, but after a sharp look from her mother, she got up and left the hut.

Turning back to me, Catherine said, “What would you like to know?”

I started with the obvious. “What is going on here? What is this place?” I hoped that didn’t sound rude.

She gazed out the window and took a deep breath. “We are here because someone has decided we are of no use to our society. We are donors.”

“What do you mean ‘donors?’”

She pulled back the sleeve of her tattered shirt and turned her arm so that I could see the inside of her elbow. I was confused until I took a closer look. Her arm was dark with bruises where the veins webbed. I gasped and my hand flew up to cover my mouth.

Shaking my head, my voice came out in nearly a whisper. “No.”

She just nodded gravely, her face full of sadness. I took a shuddering breath. “Blood donors?” I asked, even though I knew the answer. I still hoped I was mistaken.

“Yes,” she confirmed. “Blood donors.”

I felt dizzy with anger. How could anyone be so cruel? “Who is responsible for this?” I asked. “The queen and the Council?”

“That, I’m unsure of. No one here can remember their lives before coming here. Kayden has spoken of this queen and Council, but I can’t say I know of them. We are made to leave the donations by the far wall at the end of each week, and when morning arrives, the blood is gone. You are the only one other than my brother-in-law who has ever come here.”

I tried to take this all in, but the more I learned, the more I was confused. “Why not just leave? What happens if you don’t make the donations?”

Her eyes were so filled with pain now that I almost wished I hadn’t asked. “Many have tried to leave. They would be gone a day or so before they are returned to us. We never see who brings them back, but in the morning, we wake to find them drained dry and tossed out into the middle of the village. When we don’t meet our quota… our children disappear, and we find them having met the same fate.”

I felt like I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t process what she was telling me. It was almost surreal to hear of such horrid things, almost too much to hear at all. It made me feel selfish and stupid for complaining so much over my own problems. This was worse than anything I had ever endured. It was extremely humbling, and I wouldn’t forget that no matter what hand fate dealt me. There was always worse.

Most of all, though, I was infuriated. Catherine may not be sure if the queen knew about any of this, but I was certainly going to find out. After all, who else would be behind this? The village was within the walls, so didn’t that mean that the Council would know about it? The confusing thing was: Why would they need blood from other vampires? Nelly had told me that Two Rivers owned several blood banks in the human world that supplied the city with the blood they needed for survival. She would have noticed if it was blood from a supernatural, apparently there’s a difference in taste.

Catherine must have noticed my fury, because she rested her hand over mine. Her skin was as rough as Soraya’s. “Easy, Alexa,” she said softly. “You mustn’t allow the fire to engulf you. It can be more dangerous than you realize.”

I actually thought I had a pretty good idea of how dangerous I could be. I didn’t tell her that. “You said no one has ever come here, so how is Kayden able to?’

“There is magic in the woods. An ancient magic. It keeps most from being able to come or go.” She paused before adding, “I assume Kayden and you are able to because he is a Libra and you are a Warrior. Your resistance to such magic is much stronger than anyone else’s. Elite.”

I thought back to the disoriented feeling I’d had upon leaving here. It had been difficult to remember anything about the village. If it hadn’t been for Soraya and the compass she’d given me, I might not have been able to remember at all. Also, on the way here, I hadn’t been able to recall the path I’d taken the day before, even though I was sure it was the same one. I’d started and ended in the same places.

However, this wasn’t what caught my attention. “What’s a Libra?” I asked. I was almost afraid to hear the answer, but I had to know.

She raised her eyebrows. “You really don’t know about yourself, do you?” I shook my head and she continued. “Kayden should have told you, but perhaps he was unsure as to how you would react. In fact, no one other than Soraya and I know of what he is. His race is as rare as yours, I’m afraid. Warriors, like you, are made up of a certain physiology; a perfect mixture of all the races. But Libras can be any race, Life Drinkers, Wolf Sons and the like. However, Libras carry an extra trait, one that makes them similar to Warriors, as well as dependent on them, and Warriors dependent on Libras. It is called the Ignis, which means fire in Latin. I would assume you are familiar with this, though.”

Somehow, I wasn’t as shocked as I should have been, because really, that explained a lot. Like the way I always felt happy around Kayden and drawn to him in a way that was nearly undeniable. This knowledge also hurt me a little bit. I had thought that we were just attracted to each other, that he might just like me, even though I knew he’d never admit it. But now, now I wasn’t sure what to think. I couldn’t even be sure if I really liked him the way I thought I had, because it could just be the fact that our races were dependent on each other. This information shouldn’t have upset me, but it did.

“How are we dependent on each other?” I asked, in a smaller voice than I’d intended.

She smiled at me as though she could read my thoughts. “I think you know, but if it helps, Libra means balance.”

I decided that this was important, but didn’t take precedence. I was sure that I would dwell on the information about Kayden plenty later on. Right now, information on the village and its captors was more important.

I pushed my emotions aside and met her eyes. “What am I supposed to do?”

She shrugged. “Talk to Kayden about it—”

I shook my head and she stopped. “No, I mean what am I supposed to do about this?” I said, gesturing toward the door of the hut. “The village, how do I help?”

She studied me for a long moment before speaking. “Do you feel that you must?” she asked me slowly. “You are not obligated to do anything. Your race does not have to dictate your actions, Alexa. You make your own choices, especially when they concern your own life and death.”

My answer came quicker than I would have thought. It wasn’t as though I just all of a sudden believed in the prophecy that the journal had spoken of, it was Soraya who popped into my mind. Maybe it was my protective nature, the way I had grown up putting Nelly’s life before my own. Perhaps it was because I’d always had a soft spot for children. They’d always represented the only completely and absolutely innocent souls on earth in my eyes. Maybe it was just the fact that I was a Warrior. I couldn’t be sure why it was, but I felt absolutely certain that I had to help her. I had to help Soraya. I didn’t really care what the consequences may be. I had to try.

I felt the truth of the words as I spoke them. “Yes,” I replied, still holding her gaze. “If it’s in my power”—and I wasn’t sure that it was—

“I’ll do whatever I can.”

She studied my face for a few long seconds, then, she nodded. “I had a feeling you would say that, but I honestly cannot say what it is you can do. Unfortunately, the stories do not tell of how the savior is to accomplish freeing our people. They just say that she will.”

“The stories?”

She smiled sympathetically, probably at my assumed ignorance. “What do you already know?”

I told her about the journal, then added, “The people back at Two Rivers seem to think I’ll save them from something, too, but what is there to free them from? Things in the city are… much different than they are here.” I hadn’t wanted to say much better than here.

She shook her head and smiled, but didn’t say anything. I raised my eyebrows and waited for a long time before she finally told me what she was thinking. “Many people here would not agree, because really, we wouldn’t know any better. But I have considered the possibility that maybe we are not the only ones enslaved. I think that maybe the prophecy goes beyond the village, beyond even the walls of Two Rivers. Perhaps it extends across the entirety of our races. But then, what do I know?”

“How many of us live among the humans?” I asked. “And how many live in places like this, hidden cities behind walls in the middle of nowhere?”

“How many of our kind did you meet when you lived among humans?” she countered. “You would know better than I the answer to that.”

I thought about this. Jackson was the only other one I’d met in my entire seventeen years of life, before the night of the attack, that is. But then, I hadn’t even known what he was, so maybe I’d met more of our kind than I’d even realized. When I looked up to see that she was waiting for an answer, I said, “Not many. Not that I knew of, anyway.”

Soraya popped her head in the door then, causing both Catherine and I to jump in surprise. “Mommy,” she said, “the others want us to get back to work so that we finish before nightfall.”

Catherine nodded. “Okay, dear, just go on back out. We’ll be finished in a moment.”

Soraya poked out her lip and darted her eyes toward me. She started to protest. “But—”

“You may walk her back over the hill if you like,” Catherine said, holding up her hand. “Now go, we are nearly finished here.”

Soraya didn’t look happy about being kicked out again, but the fact that she would be walking me back seemed to placate her. She left, and Catherine and I stood to leave.

“Be careful, Alexa,” she told me. “The choices you make are entirely your own, but make sure you weigh the repercussions before you act. You don’t owe anyone anything. No one has the right to ask you to trade your life for theirs. You are no less important than anyone else.”

She turned to leave, but I stopped her. “Catherine, you don’t have
to answer me, and I apologize if I’m out of line in asking, but do you remember anything, anything about what your life was before coming here?”

I felt bad about asking this, but I figured that if maybe I understood the events that would land someone in a place like this, then I might be closer to figuring out who was behind it. She stayed with her back to me and didn’t speak for a long time. I had just decided she wasn’t going to answer and apologize for asking, when she finally spoke. Her voice was small and pained. “A husband,” she said. “I remember I had a husband and I loved him very much. But… I can’t remember him at all, just that I loved him.”

“Couldn’t you ask Kayden about him?” I asked, wanting to help her. “Wouldn’t he be his brother?”

She turned to face me then, and even though no tears fell from her eyes, the pain ran deep inside them. “Sometimes, certain questions are better left unanswered,” she said, and then she pushed aside the blanket and exited the hut.

Chapter Forty-Nine

I stepped out a moment later to walk back to the woods with Soraya. The villagers had more or less returned to their tasks; still, I could feel their furtive glances in my direction. Soraya jumped into my arms, and Catherine hugged me, suggesting that I hurry home. I thanked her, and she gave me a warm smile. I set Soraya down, and she began walking me back to the lake.

“How is Uncle Kayden?” she asked as we walked. “I haven’t seen him for a while, and it always worries me.”

I took her little hand in mine. “He’s fine, I’m sure.”

Her nose scrunched up in confusion. “Don’t you see him often?”

Not as often as I would like. “Well, sometimes, but usually just in passing.”

Her head tilted up to look at me, causing her curly hair to fall away from her face. “Why? Don’t you like him?”

I hesitated before answering. “Yes, I mean, I think he’s cool, but I have a boyfriend.”

She almost came to a stop at this, but glanced at the position of the sun, and kept walking. She was silent for a long time, and I figured she’d dropped the subject. Finally she blurted out, “Well, that’s stupid.”

Her tone wasn’t accusing, just very matter of fact. I smiled at her blunt statement; it was something I would say. “Why is it stupid?”

She looked at me and raised an eyebrow, the expression making her look very much like her uncle. “Because you guys are made for each other. You’re a Warrior and he’s a Libra—possibly the last of your kinds.”

I was afraid she’d say that. She must have seen it in my face, because she added, “And he likes you, really likes you. The last time he was here, I could tell something was different about him. So, I bugged him for over an hour about it until he finally told me about meeting you.”

I looked down at me feet, unable to resist my curiosity. “What did he say?”

She smiled her crooked smile. “You should ask him that,” she replied.

I smiled and narrowed my eyes, earning a laugh from her. She held a hand up in surrender. “I’m just saying, as much as you want to see him, he wants to see you.”

I chuckled. “How do you know I want to see him? Who are you—

Cupid?”

“Because, it’s almost like your soul lights up when I mention his name,” she replied. “Your eyes brighten the same way his did when he talked about you.”

I nodded slowly as a realization hit me. “You’re a Searcher, aren’t you?”

She lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “Half, but I’m also half-Brocken.”

That struck me as strange, and for a moment, I couldn’t figure out why. Then something else dawned on me. No one I had met back at Two Rivers was a mixture of races. They were all either Wolf, Brocken, or Searcher. “Is that common?” I asked.

“No, most people like to stick to their own races, but I guess that sometimes you can’t control who you fall in love with,” she replied, sounding wise beyond her years. “But most prefer to keep within their race. They say half-breeds, like me, tend to be weaker in our specialties than the full-bloods are.”

I squeezed her tiny hand. “I don’t believe that for a second. There’s no way you’re weak at anything. Actually, you’re pretty tough for a six-year-old.”

“I just turned seven.”

“Whatever, you know what I mean. Besides, look at me, I don’t even have a race. From what I understand I’m as mixed as they come, and I may be many things, but weak isn’t one of them.”

She considered this. “True, but at the same time, you’re a mixture of perfect genes, which is why you’re appealing to all the races. Having a child with a Warrior, no matter what race you are, would be like winning the genetic lottery.”

“Our races don’t dictate our actions,” I said, repeating her mother’s words. “Our choices make us who we are, and perfect genes or no, the choices we make are what really matter.”

“Wow,” she said. “Only an hour with my mom and you already sound like her.”

I laughed and picked her up into a hug because we had reached the point where we needed to part ways. She kissed my cheek and glanced at the sun. “You’ll have to move quickly,” she said. “But if night falls before you make it back, pay attention to your other senses, Alexa. You’ve lived with humans your whole life so you probably never noticed how strong your ears and nose are. Just be careful.”

Giving her one last squeeze, I set her back down on her feet.

“Thank you,” I said. “I’ll see you soon.”

She smiled broadly. “I hope so.”

I headed into the trees, the compass once again clutched in my hand. I started out at a light jog, nervous that I wouldn’t beat sundown before making it back. I had spent more time at the village than I’d intended, and probably only had about two hours before the trees blocked out the sinking sun. Even with the bread and apple in my stomach, I still felt weak. I could probably clean out a Vegas-style buffet all by myself right now. It wasn’t long before I was walking instead of jogging.

Eventually, I estimated that I was nearing the end of the trip. By now the twilight was fading. I began jogging again, checking the compass to make sure I was still going the right way. When darkness finally fell, I figured I was only about an hour out of the city. Even with my good eyesight, I could barely make out shapes of trees and branches surrounding me. I ran my finger over the edges of the compass and pushed a tiny button I found there. The face lit up, and I could see I was still heading north. This was comforting, but I was uneasy being in the dark forest all by myself.

In an attempt to take my mind off my fear, I concentrated on my sense of smell and hearing, as Soraya had suggested.

And I heard something.

Chapter Fifty

A low growl that could only come from the vocal cords of a large animal. And I had a pretty good idea of what kind of animal it was. I wished suddenly that I had brought my Gladius with me. I’d have to rely on my own abilities if the animal attacked.

I kept up my pace and sniffed the air, hoping to catch something that might give away the creature’s position. I was surprised that I was actually able to pick out a particular scent in the midst of the strong pine smell. I thought that it was a vaguely familiar scent, though I couldn’t recall how I knew it. I concentrated harder and sniffed the air again. I certainly was no pro, but I could tell that the animal was moving closer, and when I listened hard enough, I could tell that it was approaching fast.

I stopped in my tracks and clenched my fists, tensing for an attack. My heartbeat hammered and a cold sweat creased my forehead. A second later, I saw something leap through the air, straight toward my throat. I ducked just in time. The animal flew over my head. Spinning around quickly, I was face-to-face with a Wolf.

A pretty big Wolf too, with pale blond fur and glowing golden eyes. It bared its teeth at me and released a growl that sent a shiver down my spine. A realization hit me a split second before she leapt through the air again. I knew who this was, and I was pretty sure she was trying to kill me.

Waiting until the very last moment, I shut my eyes and spun to the side as quickly as I could move. Before she could leap again, a second Wolf flew out of the trees and hit the blond one hard in the side, knocking her to the ground.

The blonde, whom I was pretty sure was Victoria, gave a yelp as the two hit the ground hard, snapping jaws and wrestling to get the advantage. I fought an impulse to run as hard as I could. If I was smart at all, I probably should have. I could reach the city in no time. But as my breathing came out in harsh gasps, I caught the scent of the second Wolf and stood rooted to my spot.

It was Jackson.

And he was fighting Victoria for me. He’d probably just saved my life for the second time, and I was not about to leave him and run off like some damsel in distress.

The two stood snarling and snapping at each other. I could hardly believe what was happening in front of me. Victoria kept trying to get around Jackson to reach me, but he was much, much bigger than she was, and faster, too. In fact, now that I was just standing here, gaping like an idiot, I saw that he was bigger than any real wolf I’d ever seen. His fur was the same reddish-brown as his hair, and his eyes were glowing the same Wolf-gold as Victoria’s. His growl was deep and threatening each time she tried to make a move, and I wouldn’t admit it, but the sound of it scared me, too.

After several tense moments of circling and growling, Victoria gave one last warning growl and took off into the trees. I stayed where I was, staring at Jackson, who had his back to me, still tensed for an attack. Slowly, almost cautiously, he turned so he was facing me. Facing him in Wolf form was as intimidating as anything I’d ever encountered. It took a lot of effort, but I managed not to take a step back.

But when he began to approach me, I felt my heartbeat kick into overtime, and I clenched my fists tight to keep my hands from trembling. “Jackson?” I asked in a quiet voice, even though I knew it was him.

Yes, darling, don’t be afraid. It’s me.

It was his mid-western drawl in my head, and I felt certain that I had truly lost my mind this time. Just add hearing voices to my list of problems. Unsurprisingly, I laughed out loud at my loony thoughts. I was starting to hate that nervous habit.

In front of me, Jackson tilted his head to the side. What’s funny? Only you would laugh at a time like this.

I jumped at his reply, which was once again, just in my head. “Are you talking in my mind, or am I going nuts?” I asked out loud.

Jackson’s laughter sounded inside my head. You’re not crazy. When we’re in Wolf form, this is how we communicate.

I narrowed my eyes as a thought came to mind. “Can you read my thoughts too?”

His tongue lolled out and his lips pulled back over his teeth in an expression that I thought might just be a smile. When I propped a hand on my hip, he spoke in my head again. Relax, I can’t hear your thoughts. Only Wolves can hear each other without speaking out loud, and that’s not mindreading, it’s just like communicating without speaking. I can talk to you like this, but I can’t hear you unless you speak out loud.

“Oh,” I said. Now I was freaked out on more levels than one.

When he began walking toward me again, I couldn’t help but tense a little. Even though I knew Jackson would never hurt me, it was unnerving to have something so big and intimidating so close to me. Judging by the size of him, I would compare it to getting up close and personal with a lion.

When he was only a foot away from me, I swallowed hard and did my best to remain very, very still. Like I said, he was more than intimidating in this form.

Just don’t run, okay? He told me before closing the distance between us. If you do, it will be hard not to chase. I don’t think my Wolf would harm you, but he’s still a Wolf.

I crossed my arms and snorted. “I don’t run.” At least not usually, but then, this was not the usual.

His chuckle filled my head again and he stepped forward and pushed his muzzle into my hair. Again, I felt my heart beat out of my chest.

But you want to. I can smell it. He nuzzled my neck, and surprisingly, goose bumps broke out over my skin. Your scent is so much stronger like this.

I heard him inhale deeply, and his warm, wet nose brushed across my collarbone. Amazingly, I felt my eyelids flutter at his touch.

It’s absolutely intoxicating, Darling.

My hand seemed to reach up on its own and run my fingers through the fur on his neck. It was soft and thick, and I felt like I could fall into the warmth of it. I was seriously thrown off by this, but at the same time, it was… exciting. Taking a deep breath, I inhaled the scent of him, letting Jackson fill my lungs.

He pulled back a little and tilted his head again. It was actually really cute. His tone sounded shocked when he spoke in my head. Your eyes are glowing, Alexa.

I furrowed my brow at that. “Umm, thank you.”

Giving his head a small shake, he said, No, I mean they’re glowing. They’re glowing Wolf-gold.

That sobered me quickly, and glancing around, I found that the shapes of the forest were no longer hard to make out. In fact, I could see everything almost as well as if it were full day outside. Another discovery. By this point, I was taking everything in strides.

“Cool,” I said. “I mean, I guess it’s cool. I am part Wolf, aren’t I?” He chuckled again. That you are, and I think your Wolf likes me.

I shrugged, embarrassed that I had reacted so strongly to him while he was in this form. “What’s not to like?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

I could hear the smile in his words. Amazing. You’re amazing. I’m going to turn back. Can you wait here for a moment? It should only take a few minutes.

I nodded. “Yeah, sure.”

He turned and loped off into the trees. A few minutes later, he emerged, and I stared at him with wide eyes. He had indeed shifted back to his human form. However, that wasn’t why I was staring. It was because he was completely naked.

I jerked my gaze away. It wasn’t easy though, Jackson had the body of a gladiator. I had known that he was in good shape, but it was quite different seeing it firsthand. Also, I was mortified; it’s not every day I saw a naked man.

My cheeks flooded with heat as he approached me, and he laughed at the way I kept my gaze up at the stars. “Sorry, Darling, my clothes aren’t far from here, but I didn’t want to stay in Wolf form too long with you around. My Wolf tends to run on instincts, and you invoke some pretty strong instincts.”

I shrugged. “It’s okay… How far are your clothes?”

He laughed again. “Not far, but if you take off your shirt I can use it to cover up.”

I shook my head and couldn’t help a smile. “Nice try.”

He threw his arm over my shoulder, further embarrassing me. “Suit yourself.”

We found his clothes a few minutes later, which actually was just a pair of jeans. After he slipped them on, I gave him a big hug and a quick kiss on the lips. “Thank you,” I said.

He wrapped his arms around me, and I became acutely aware of the feel of his warm skin against mine. Pulling myself closer to him, I allowed my fingers to explore the hard muscles in his back. When he pushed the hair off my neck with his nose, the same feeling I’d had moments ago came rushing back, this time stronger. There was something enticing about standing in the middle of a dark forest with him so close to me. He inhaled deeply again and then pulled back to look at me. His eyes glowed once more, and I was pretty sure mine had lit up gold as well.

“You’re very welcome. But what were you doing out here again? I told you it can be dangerous.”

I smiled, still very much wrapped up in his proximity. “I’ve never been good at taking directions, Jack.”

He raised an eyebrow. “But apparently, you’re good at evading questions.”

I sighed and stepped out of his arms. I hated lying to him, but it’s not like I could tell the truth. “I’ve been stressing a lot lately… and the forest seems to give me some peace. I like to run out here, it helps me think.” That wasn’t a total lie.

He considered this. “Okay, but, for me, will you try to do it during the day? The Wolves usually only run at night, so you should be okay if you stick to daylight hours,” he said in a serious tone.

I nodded, understanding that he was just worried about me.

“Okay, I’ll try.”

He stared at me for a moment as if he wasn’t sure I was telling the truth. I guess he accepted my answer, though, because he took my hand. “Let’s get back in case Victoria decides to show up again. I think she was going for your throat.”

I nodded, and a little anger spiraled in my stomach. “Yeah, I think she was.”

Chapter Fifty-One

We made it back to the city, exiting the woods near the school. The sight of the building seemed to inspire a thought. “What time is it?” I asked.

Jack instinctively glanced down at his bare wrist and winced. “Not sure, but it’s probably around nine. Why?”

I didn’t know what to say so that I could get away from him. It’s not that I didn’t want to be around him, it’s just that I wanted to do this on my own. “I need to go to the library,” I said. It wasn’t a lie, mainly because I couldn’t think of one fast enough.

“Okay, I’ll walk you… I didn’t know you did homework.” I raised an eyebrow at that last part. “I read a lot.” That was true. “But it’s okay, you don’t have to come, because if I’m going to make it there before they close, I’m going to have to run.” That must have sounded cool; now all I needed was a pocket protector. I turned and looked him up and down. “And anyway, Jack, you’re half-naked.”

Jackson’s eyebrows shot up in disbelief. “You are going to ‘run’ to the library so that you can get there before it closes? Did they just get the new copy of Harry Potter or something?”

I rolled my eyes at him. “The last copy of that came out years ago.”

His expression turned a little impressed. “You do read a lot.”

“What? Everyone knows—” I shook my head. “Never mind, I just need to pick up a book I’ll need for class tomorrow.” I was lying to him more and more. I didn’t like it, but I’d promised Soraya that I wouldn’t say anything to anyone. So really, I was just keeping someone else’s secret, right?

“Okay,” he said slowly.

I hopped onto my tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “Thanks again, Jack. I won’t forget what you did for me tonight. I’ll see you at lunch tomorrow.”

I took off running. I’m absolutely positive I looked like a total idiot, but I really did want to reach the library before it closed.

As it was, I arrived at the front of the small stone building just as the librarian was locking up for the night. It was the same older lady who had given me the journal. Upon seeing me, she opened the door and ushered me inside. She locked the door behind me, and her features flooded with concern. “Warrior, is everything alright?” she asked.

I ran the back of my hand across my forehead to wipe away the sweat. I ran every day, but I didn’t run my fastest very often, and I was a little winded. I pulled in a harsh breath. “I’m fine,” I breathed. “I just wanted to catch you before you left for the night.”

She smiled, but still looked confused. “Alright, well what can I help you with, dear?”

I smiled back at her choice of an endearment term. She would remind me of my grandmother, if I’d ever had one. In fact, I think she was the only person I’d met at Two Rivers who could qualify for old, and even so, just barely. “Do you believe in what that journal said?” I asked, deciding to cut to the chase.

She nodded slowly and gave me a knowing, half smile. “Ahh, so that’s what’s got you rushing over here.” She studied me for a moment before continuing. “Yes, I do.”

“Then you know why everyone here seems to think that I am going to save them from something,” I replied.

Again, she hesitated. “I would say that I understand why they would think that, yes.”

“From what?” I asked.

Her brow furrowed. “I beg your pardon?”

“What do they think I will save them from?”

She spoke in a whisper, almost as if she was afraid to say. “From an inevitable future.”

I threw up my arms. “What are you talking about? Why does everything have to be such a mystery around here?”

She glanced around uneasily. “Please, Warrior, I would ask that you lower your voice. This is a library after all.”

I turned to leave, but she stopped me as my hand reached for the door. “Look around you, Warrior, and listen to those instincts you try so hard to ignore. You can feel that something is off,” she whispered, nearly inaudible. “Look at the people and places here, and compare them to the world that you knew outside of these walls.”

I turned my head and pushed open the door. “Yeah, thanks.”

“I understand your anger. You are a Warrior, after all, but I can say no more. I do not wish to speed up what little time I have left.” Grabbing a random book off a nearby shelf, she shoved it into my arms and gave me a slight push out the door. “Good luck with your test tomorrow, Warrior,” she said in a normal voice.

“Thank you,” I repeated, then, I stepped back out into the night.

Looked like I was going to have to get some answers on my own.

I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be all that easy.

Chapter Fifty-Two

The next morning in Patterson’s class, Tommy and I had just finished what Patterson called “boot camp.” It involved an exhausting regimen of push-ups and jumping jacks. Though I was sure my hair was a mess, Tommy’s was still neat and perfect. We spoke while we caught our breath.

“What happened to you yesterday after that Warrior came to get you?” he asked.

I shrugged. “I guess you could call it a one-day-unofficial suspension.”

His face lit up with understanding. “For the thing with Victoria?”

I nodded and searched for a change in subject. “By the way, I decided I do want to go to the fight this weekend.”

That sly smile came over his handsome face. “Really? What made you change your mind?”

“I just thought it might be… educational.”

He laughed at that. “Do you realize that will be our first date?”

I shifted my feet. “Actually, I’m with Jackson.”

He waved this off. “Only until you fall in love with me.”

I raised an eyebrow at that assumption. “Is that so?”

He looked at me like the answer was obvious. “Why, yes, it is.

Now go get changed and I’ll walk you to History class.” “Yes, sir,” I said sarcastically, giving a small salute.

He smiled and headed off to the boys’ locker room. I rolled my eyes and went to go wash up before my next class. I wasn’t annoyed with Tommy. He made me laugh. But I still found it unnerving that guys were interested in me. I’d always been told that I was beautiful, so it wasn’t that my self-esteem was low, it was just that human guys had always stayed away from me. Actually, all humans had always avoided me, but here, people didn’t avoid me at all. They wanted to be around me, they liked me. It was easy to get used to, because out of everything that had been happening, a little friendship was one thing I could welcome with open arms.

In History class, while the teacher was giving her lecture, I scribbled down a list of things I knew. If I was going to keep missing meals, I might as well try to figure out what was really going on around here. Writing things down always seemed to help me work things out in my head, but I used abbreviations for everything that I wrote so that no one would see it and raise eyebrows. Maybe I was just paranoid.

But this is what I knew: Two Rivers was an extravagant city out in the middle of nowhere, flanked on all sides by very high walls. It sat in the middle of two rivers that I assumed kept out the Lamia, who can’t cross running water. Two Rivers’ inhabitants were either Wolf or vampire, and no one I’d met had mixed blood. Everyone here was decent-looking, and very few were old enough to be a grandparent. So, basically, there were no elderly or “unfit” people here.

However, within these same walls, between the same rivers, there was a village of the greatest poverty I had ever personally been witness to. The people at this village ranged in all ages, and many were either very old or very young. As far as I knew, they had mixed races among them—Soraya was an example of that. These people were what seemed like castaways, people who wouldn’t fit in at Two Rivers—with all of its youth and beauty. People who weren’t treated like people at all, but instead, like food. They were made to give blood to an unknown tyrant source or face dire consequences. They were people who needed help. Help I wasn’t sure I could give.

But these two places, within the same walls, had similarities. They both seemed to believe that they were in need of rescue, despite their extreme differences. It was obvious that the villagers needed saving, but was it possible that both peoples were slaves in different ways?

Last, and definitely not least, they both—hoped? believed?—that I was going to deliver this freedom. They all seemed to understand things that I didn’t, and they all were afraid to speak about it. I needed to find out first what was going on at Two Rivers. I needed to find out if the people who were no longer useful were sent to live as blood slaves in poverty-stricken villages, and I needed to know why they would be milked for their blood when human blood supplied the city. But I needed to do this without drawing attention to myself, and that was the hard part.

There were a few other things I needed to figure out too. And most of them involved Kayden. I knew I should just go talk to him, but I hadn’t had time yet. I wanted to do it before the weekend, which meant that I needed to do it tomorrow.

Really, I didn’t want to seek him out at all. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answers to the questions I knew I had to ask. It made me feel cowardly, but I was afraid. Afraid to hear him confirm my greatest fear, that I held something inside of me that was similar to a ticking bomb, something that he alone could tame. It’s not that I didn’t like him; it’s that I liked him too much. I felt so vulnerable around him, so dependent. But that wasn’t the problem. The problem was that I also felt ecstatic around him. I felt like I should just wrap myself up in his arms and stay there forever, with him forever. And, now, I knew that whatever I thought he felt toward me was just a result of our genes. He only wanted to be around me to ease the fire inside of him, not because he just liked me. I was baffled at how sad that thought made me.

But at the very least, I needed to talk to him about Soraya. It may have been misplaced, but I wanted an explanation. I wanted an explanation as to why his niece was living in such horrid conditions, while he was here living a plush life. I knew that wasn’t entirely fair. Hell, I had known about the village for a couple of days now and hadn’t come up with any ideas on how to help, so what should I have expected him to do? All I knew is that something had to be done, and—whether I liked it or not—he was my best hope as to figuring out what that something was. I was going to have to talk to him. And I needed to do it before my body completely gave out from lack of food. Classes were already becoming painfully difficult for me.

“Do you know the answer, Miss Montgomery?” the teacher asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. I hadn’t even heard the question.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Redman, the answer to what?” I asked.

She smiled at me, teeth gleaming behind red lipstick. “Do you know why Warrior Basil would lead a revolt against the people he had long protected?”

I had read about this Warrior on that day I’d spent in the library doing research on my people. Basil was an infamous Warrior who had led the revolt of my race against the other races when they’d tried to enslave the Warriors. He’d given his life by taking a stand against the king of his time, and he’d died for it. He’d been the first to die, actually.

“Because he felt that no one else could do it,” I said. “And one life is worth sacrifice when it’s given for the lives of countless others. He did it for freedom, so that his people could live out of the reach of slavery.”

Mrs. Redman nodded slowly and her smile grew. “Very good,

Warrior, very good.”

Yeah, that was just great.

Chapter Fifty-Three

By lunchtime, I was unsurprisingly famished. I felt as though my feet were dragging cinder blocks, and my muscles seemed to be reluctant against the command to walk. But, I knew I was so close to figuring things out, because while my body was weak, my mind was clear and strong. If I could just keep fasting for a little longer, maybe I would find my answers. I just hoped I didn’t die of starvation first.

At the lunch table, Nelly shot me worried looks as I pushed my food around on the plate. I had lied and told her that I’d eaten already, but like always, Nelly knew something was up. I was never one to skip meals. My pale skin and drooping eyelids probably didn’t help either.

“You okay, darling?” Jackson whispered to me. “You look a little sick.”

I gave a weak smile. “I’m fine. Just been having trouble sleeping.”

Concern filled his features. “Is there anything I can do?”

I shook my head. “No, but thanks. I really am fine.”

I turned to the others, who were engulfed in conversation. “Do you guys want to go to the fight this weekend?”

Tommy leaned back in his chair and gave a sly smile. “Yeah, Alexa and I are going.”

Jackson’s eyes narrowed slightly, and I was pretty sure that was Tommy’s intention. I tried not to sigh in frustration. I didn’t have the energy for this right now.

Right on cue, Nelly came to the rescue. “Sure, we’ll go.” She looked at Daniel, who nodded and then at Jackson, who nodded as well.

“Great,” said Nelly. “I was hoping to spend some time with you this weekend.”

I smiled. “Me too.”

After lunch, Jackson walked me through the courtyard as the others split for their next class. I broke the silence first.

“What’s up, Jack?” I asked, though I had a feeling I knew what.

He ran a hand through his hair and his green eyes looked down at his feet. “I don’t want you to think that I’m the jealous boyfriend type or anything, but…”

I raised an eyebrow and gave a half smile. “But, you kinda are?”

When he didn’t respond, I placed my hand on his cheek. “You have nothing to worry about. Tommy and I are just friends.”

He smiled. Pulling me into a tight hug, he said, “Sorry, I should’ve known that. It’s just the Wolf in me. We tend to be a little territorial.”

I laughed. “Well, you don’t have to pee on me or anything.” His smile turned genuine. “I’m not interested in Tommy that way, so you have nothing to worry about,” I repeated. It was only half a lie.

He kissed my forehead and stepped back. “I better go before I’m late. See you later.”

I gave him another quick kiss and headed off to my next class, which was Conditioning. I had a feeling that it might be a little more difficult for me to keep up today. I just hoped that we weren’t running up stairs this time.

We ended up just doing a circuit of weight-lifting exercises, and I struggled through with less-than-impressive efforts. The instructor even asked me if I needed to see the nurse, but I declined, using my lack of sleep excuse. He gave me a suspicious look and told me to take it easy today. I didn’t tell him that I was taking it easy.

At the end of the day, I was cutting across school grounds to go get some sleep. I felt so drained and exhausted that I only wanted to go lay down, even though it wasn’t sleep I needed. I was starving, and it was really beginning to take its toll. I didn’t even want to smoke, so I knew I was getting sick.

As I passed around a building that I thought was home to the Wolf students, I spotted someone I wanted to have a word with. I tried to forget about my weak state as I approached Victoria, who was walking by herself, with her back to me.

There were many ways to do what I was going to do next, but I decided to take the non-violent approach, as difficult as that was for me. Just seeing her made the anger in me flare, and the heat of it warmed my stomach. Taking a deep, calming breath, I strolled up so that I was walking alongside her.

She jumped at the sight of me, and a little fear passed behind her heavily made-up eyes. She recovered quickly, though, her expression turning into a sneer. “What do you want?” she spat. Glancing all around her, she said, “I see Jackson isn’t here to come to your rescue. Lucky me.”

I had an overwhelming urge to grip her by the throat again, but I clenched my fists tight and tried to ignore it. “I came to call a truce.”

Her pale blond hair whipped to the side and her blue eyes snapped to me. Seeing I was serious, she laughed. “You’re scared, aren’t you? Well, you should be. If Jackson hadn’t jumped in, I would’ve killed you.”

My nails bit into my palms hard enough to draw blood. “Don’t flatter yourself,” I said, as calmly as I could manage. “You could never beat me at anything. I’m not suggesting friendship. I’m saying you leave me alone, and I’ll leave you alone.”

Laugher erupted from her yet again. “You’re as much a coward as that little sister of—”

I slammed my fist into her face, cutting off her words midsentence. I just couldn’t hold on to it anymore. I didn’t want to. It felt wonderful to see her hit the ground and know that I had done that to her. I didn’t even feel bad; this girl had it coming. She’d tried to kill me, and now she had the nerve to insult Nelly after I’d tried to make peace with her. I guess I hadn’t really expected this to go smoothly, but I was going to get my message across one way or another. Luckily for her, my strength wasn’t at its best, so the strike didn’t knock her unconscious. I’m sure it hurt like hell, though.

Her nose was streaming blood as I stood over her. The way her eyes lit up with fear, the rivulets of blood webbing her face made me lick my lips involuntarily. A dreaded, welcome feeling came over me. I was once again a hungry predator, that other me pushing itself to the front of my being. I held her eyes and forced the murderous beast inside of me to back down. This wasn’t who I was. It wasn’t the reason I’d approached her.

Swallowing hard, I spoke in a quiet voice. “Consider this your last warning. Don’t test me, Victoria. You have no idea what you’re provoking.”

A look of pure hatred came over her bloody face, but I turned around and walked away. It was harder than it should’ve been. Everything in me wanted to do something terrible and eliminate any future threats.

But this was the third time I’d lost it, and it confirmed my suspicion that I was indeed losing my battle for control. I wasn’t quite sure whether I’d just made a very serious mistake by letting Victoria live. She’d already proven that she was playing for blood.

My mother’s lessons flooded back to me at this thought. Never underestimate your enemy. I hoped that my message had gotten through to Victoria. Instead, I think I only managed piss her off.

Chapter Fifty-Four

I went to my room and promptly collapsed on my bed. I still planned on talking to Kayden tomorrow, but tonight, I just needed to sleep. As usual, I didn’t get what I wanted. At least it was the next best thing.

Nelly came by to visit me.

It was perfect timing, because any later and I would’ve already been asleep. As it was, I barely had the strength to tell her to just come in.

She entered my room, and her hazel eyes lit up with concern. Typical Nelly, always worried about me. She sat down beside me and pressed the back of her hand to my forehead. “Are you sick?”

I shook my head. “I don’t get sick.”

She gave me a stern look. “I know. That’s why I’m worried.”

When she kept staring at me, waiting for an answer, I decided it was time to tell her the truth—as much of the truth as I felt I could. After all, I couldn’t trust anyone if I couldn’t trust Nelly. “I may have missed one too many meals, that’s all,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Her brow furrowed in confusion, but then, she nodded, as if she’d known this all along. “I knew you were lying earlier when you said you’d already eaten. Why the heck would you stop eating, Alexa?”

I smiled at her unwavering refusal to use a curse word, and again, told the truth. “I needed to think clearly.”

“How will not eating help you think clearly?”

I made the decision quickly and told her about my theories. I told her about everything except Soraya and the village, and only because I’d promised Soraya that I wouldn’t say anything. But, I did tell her about Kayden being a Libra.

When I finished, she sat silently, giving me a look that said she was seriously worried about me. “Oh, come on,” I said. “Don’t tell me you don’t think that something strange is going on here.”

Her eyes searched mine for a moment before she spoke. “Of course it’s strange, Lex. It’s a world you never knew anything about, with people much different from the humans we grew up with. It’s supposed to be strange, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad.”

I shook my head stubbornly. “What about the fact that everyone here is virtually perfect? I mean, seriously, have you met or even seen anyone who is old or ugly or handicapped or overweight?”

She seemed to consider this, but then she just smiled one of her pretty smiles. “Well, no… But we age slower, we’re not like humans. And people here like things to look good, so obviously they’d take good care of themselves. That doesn’t mean there’s some kind of conspiracy going on.”

I balked. “Fine, but what about the way everyone here seems to believe that I’m supposed to save them? They wouldn’t need saving if there wasn’t something bad happening.”

Her brow furrowed. “Maybe they just think that because you’re a Warrior. Maybe they want you to exterminate all the Lamia in the world. Who knows? But you don’t owe them anything, and some folks are just plain crazy.”

I stared at her for a long time, unable to believe that Nelly didn’t trust me when I told her that something was definitely wrong here. Also, her arguments didn’t really make much sense, not for Nelly. She was one of the smartest people I knew, and she wouldn’t usually argue for something when so much evidence pointed to the opposite. But mostly, I was upset that she didn’t trust me enough to believe me. Nelly always trusted me.

But Nelly was still eating the food here, and if I was right—and I was beginning to believe I was—she was under the influence of the same thing everyone else was—the same thing that had kept me from seeing things clearly before. I couldn’t be mad at her for this, but it also meant that there was no point in trying to convince her.

“Look,” she added, cutting into my thoughts. “Can’t you just try to be happy here? I know we’ve been through a lot and it’s changed us both… but I’m happy. Jackson’s happy too. The only one who isn’t happy is you, Alexa. You seem to believe that you have to save the world from something, but really, you don’t have to do anything except be a teenager. Who cares what some nut-job wrote down in his diary? You decide what you make of your life.”

I nodded and she smiled, assuming that I was agreeing with her. In truth, I was confirming my thoughts that there was no way to convince her. Not as long as she was being influenced by whoever was behind this. I wasn’t going to ask her to stop drinking the blood and eating the food just so that I could have a partner in my mission. Besides, if she was happy, I wanted her to stay that way, even if it meant her remaining ignorant to what was happening around her.

“Okay,” I said. “You’re probably right. I think I’m just overreacting.”

She gave me a suspicious look. “Is there something you’re keeping from me, Lex?”

There was no point in lying, Nelly could always tell. So, I avoided the question instead. “Just trust me, Nell. I need you to just trust me. I know what I’m doing.”

She blew out a heavy breath. “Okay, but if you wait too much longer to eat, then I’m going to force feed you.”

I raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Good luck.”

She rolled her eyes. “I mean it, Alexa. You require a lot of calories to keep up with the energy you burn.” She paused, her expression turning to one of hurt, and her next words came out in a whisper. “I couldn’t take it if I lost you, too. Please, I know you’re going to do whatever it is that you’re planning no matter what I say, but be careful. I need you. Now more than ever.”

I pulled her into a hug and smoothed my hand through her hair.

“I’ll always be here, Nell. You don’t have to worry about that.” I sat back down on the bed and rubbed my eyes. “Just let me get some rest. I’m sure I’ll feel better in the morning.”

She kissed my forehead and turned to leave, but stopped when she reached the door. “Alexa?” she said. “If Kayden really does have the power to dim some of that flame in you, let him. I know how you feel about him, and I know it scares you, but remember what Akira said. You’re no good to anyone if you refuse to let it out when it comes so close to destroying you.” She opened the door. “And, Lex, it gets brighter every time I see you. Trust me when I tell you that you don’t want to lose control over it. It won’t be worth this resistance to getting hurt by Kayden.” Then she left.

I rubbed my temples and turned off the lamp next to my bed, letting the darkness engulf me and carry me under. At least when I was sleeping, I could pretend that it didn’t seriously suck to be me.

Chapter Fifty-Five

Today was the day. I was going to go to Kayden’s cabin after school and get my answers. I was going to deal with whatever he told me and jump into any action I could take to help the people who needed me. I was going to be brave and strong and independent and accept the fact that I was a Warrior and everything that went along with it. I was done feeling sorry for myself. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself as I struggled to keep up in my classes.

In Conditioning, I threw up bile after we were made to run laps. It was embarrassing, but I felt too crappy to even care what the other students thought of me. And it’s not like any of them had the balls to make fun of me to my face, so really, what did it matter?

Somehow, I made it through the day, though. And even though my classes had been grueling, the day seemed to pass by way too quickly. Now, it was time to go see Kayden, and I had no intentions of chickening out now. But as I was making my way across school grounds, someone called out to me.

“Alexa,” Mark said with a smile, which turned quickly into a frown as he took in my appearance. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I lied. “I just stayed up too late last night.” That excuse was getting old, I needed to figure things out before people started asking questions.

He nodded slowly, but his face was still wary. “Are you up for a walk to the Council building?” he asked. “If not, I could go grab my car.” I tried not to let my frustration show. “Do you think the queen would just take a rain check this time? I was kind of on my way somewhere.”

His brown eyes filled with sympathy. “The queen didn’t summon you, Alexa.”

My brow furrowed in confusion. “Oh, then why do I need to go to the Council building?”

His tone was grave when he spoke. “Because the man who tried to kill you is going to be executed today, and you have a right to be present.”

I was so shocked that I just stood there with my mouth hanging open. How could I have forgotten about this? Maybe my hunger strike was playing harder with my head than I realized. Mark placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. “You are not required to, of course. If you don’t want to see—”

“No,” I said, cutting him off. “I’m coming. Let’s go.”

Chapter Fifty-Six

When we reached the Council building, I was panting and covered in sweat. We passed through the large foyer, but didn’t go up the staircase. Instead, Mark led me to a door I’d never noticed before, tucked underneath the staircase. It looked like a janitor’s closet, but when he swiped his key card and opened it, it revealed a set of stone steps leading down.

The bottom of the staircase wasn’t visible from the top, and I hesitated before entering. Mark placed a gentle hand on my back and urged me forward. We descended the dark stairway, illuminated only by flickering candles lining the walls. When we reached the bottom, there was only one way to go: left. As we headed down that hallway, I found it more and more difficult to hide how freaked out I felt. It was just set up to be scary, resembling something you would find in medieval times.

The hallway ended at a large opening that looked into a room filled with people. Warriors, dressed in their black uniforms, lined the stone walls, and the Council members and queen sat in chairs that faced a large stone in the center of the room. Just like the staircase, the only light in the room was provided by what seemed like hundreds of candles lining the walls.

The man to be executed was wearing the same blue suit he’d had on the night of my ceremony. It was dirty, and his face was gaunt and pale, like he hadn’t eaten in a long time. For obvious reasons, I was able to sympathize with this. He was standing near an enormous stone with two warriors standing on each side of him.

When the queen saw me, she gestured for me to come take a seat beside her. I glanced at Mark, who nodded and went to take up a position on the wall. Pushing my head up, I walked as steadily as I could and took a seat beside her.

“Hello, Warrior,” she said, after I sat down.

“Hello, Your Majesty.”

She placed a hand over mine, and I tried not to flinch. Her hand was cold and smooth, much like her voice when she spoke. “You’re brave to come and bear witness to this.”

I nodded, my gaze fixed on the man in the blue suit. His face looked so defeated, and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. His head jerked up then, making me jump a little. His eyes met mine for only a moment, and a small, sad smile came over his face. Then his head fell back down onto his chest, as though it was too difficult for him to hold up the weight of it.

A man I didn’t recognize walked to stand before us and then climbed to the top of the stone. His face was hard and his size imposing. When he spoke, it was in a deep baritone, the kind of voice that can’t be ignored.

“We are here today to be witness to the execution of Henry Lavine,” he began. I swallowed hard and tried not to tremble. “He is being punished for the attempted assassination of our queen and of a citizen of Two Rivers,” he continued. “If anyone here feels that this is unjust, speak now.”

The room was silent, and I felt my heart beating out of my chest. I wished I hadn’t come here. The man on the stone hopped down and gestured to someone else, who walked up and handed him an enormous axe. Its shiny edge glinted in the flickering candlelight. The four warriors guarding Henry grabbed him and forced him to lay his head against the large stone marred with deep red splotches. The announcer gripped the axe, and Henry’s eyes widened in absolute terror. He struggled, but it was no use, he couldn’t escape the hold the Warriors had on him.

I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, and opened them just in time to see the man raise the axe high over his head. Inside me—my head or my heart, I couldn’t be sure—something shifted.

“Wait!” I shouted, jumping to my feet.

My adrenaline was running so high that I could’ve fainted right then and there. For a moment, I thought it was too late. It took me a moment to realize that everyone was staring at me. The man holding the axe slowly brought it down to his side and waited for me to speak, just like everyone else in the dimly lit room.

As crazy as it sounds, I almost started laughing. I couldn’t seem to form any thoughts for a few seconds, but finally, I said the only thing I could think of. “Don’t kill him.”

Everyone remained frozen. When no one responded, I cleared my throat and tried again. “We don’t have to kill him. Can’t we just sentence him to a life in prison?”

It was a Council member who spoke then, and if his blond hair and blue eyes were any indication, it was Tommy’s father. He looked like Tommy, only older and not quite as handsome. His voice was sharp and condescending when he spoke. “You are out of line, young lady,” he spat. “His fate has already been decided.”

The queen held up a hand to him. “Hold your tongue, Thomas. I would like to hear what Alexa has to say.” She flipped her icy blue eyes to him. “And I will not have you forget that she is a Sun Warrior, the only one in existence, and she will be addressed as such.”

Thomas looked scandalized and shot me an inscrutable look before turning his eyes to the ground. Turning her gaze back to me, the queen nodded for me to continue. For a second, I just stood there in shock, but I took a deep breath and continued. “I apologize for interrupting… but as one of the targets of his crime, I would rather see him sentenced to a life in prison, not death.”

The Queen seemed to be considering this, but it was another Council member who spoke. She had a muddy-brown hair color and plain brown eyes. She looked just plain altogether, but I remembered her from that first meeting I’d had with the Council when I’d arrived here.

“Young Warrior,” she said amiably, “our laws insist that crimes be punished within the same nature as the crime was committed. An eye for an eye, you might say.”

I nodded slowly. “But, no life was taken, so no life needs to be repaid.”

When everyone just sat silently, I repeated, “And since my life was one of the ones that were almost taken, I would prefer that it be repaid with imprisonment.”

All eyes switched to the queen, who sat quietly, staring at me for a very long time. Finally, she gave a small nod and stood up. Turning to address the others, she said, “I agree with our Warrior. Perhaps it would be wise of us to show a little mercy in our ways. Let the man live.” She paused and looked back at me. “If that is what you really want, Warrior.”

It was a question that left the fate of this man in my hands. I wasn’t sure if I was making a very stupid decision or just a very kind one. But, if it was my choice, I didn’t want to see someone decapitated. It was too barbaric, and it hit way too close to home for me. Even if he had tried to kill me, I was still alive, and maybe he should be left to be as well. That didn’t mean I didn’t want him locked up.

I was surprised at the strength in my voice. “Yes, Your Majesty, I would like to let him live.”

The queen nodded. “Then it has been decided. Warriors, you will please see to it that Mr. Lavine is transported to Dangeon immediately. He will live out the remainder of his life there.”

Henry began screaming then, begging to be killed, and I stood staring in complete shock. Not that I was really expecting him to thank me, but he would rather die than go to prison? That was unexpected.

The warriors carried him away, and the crowd began to disperse. It was all over. Thomas shot me another look as he walked by—this time I could not mistake the hatred in his stare. I decided I had somehow just earned another enemy.

When all had gone except for the queen and her personal warriors, she approached me and offered a small smile. “Your bravery continues to surprise me, Warrior.”

“What is Dangeon?” I asked.

She sighed and placed a hand on my shoulder. “It is our prison. And it is not somewhere anyone ever wants to end up.” I’m not sure what my face looked like, but she put an arm around my shoulder and began leading me out. “Don’t fret. That was a very kind thing you just did.”

I wasn’t sure I agreed. “Thanks.”

When we emerged from the staircase and arrived back in the foyer of the Council building, the queen offered me a small nod and headed off to her office. Maybe it was my exhaustion, or the mental stress I’d been dealing with over the past few days. It could’ve been the fact that I was just tired of waiting, but I decided to ask a question that I hoped wouldn’t land me in very serious trouble.

“Your Majesty?” I said. She turned back to me and raised her eyebrows. I cleared my throat and continued. “How old are you?”

Her sharp eyebrows rose even higher, and I was half expecting her to slap me in the face. Instead, she said, “Why would you ask me that, Alexa?”

I tried not to shift under her gaze. “I apologize, I know I’m out of line but… it’s just that I haven’t met anyone here who is… old.” Well, that was articulate.

She gave a slow nod. “I see, well, that is because most of the elderly stay in the assisted living area on the other side of the city.”

I looked down at my hands. I hadn’t even thought of something like that, and now I felt stupid for having asked such a rude question. “Oh,” I said. “I’m sorry.”

She offered me a smile. “Don’t be, Warrior. I know living here is an adjustment for you. And you’ve been through so much, so it is to be expected that you would question the things around you. Just remember, some questions are better left unanswered.” With that, she walked away.

Chapter Fifty-Seven

I stumbled out of the Council Building and tried not to think about everything that had just happened. It seemed that no matter how hard I tried, I never did the right thing. I had saved Henry’s life today, but in the end, it seemed like he would have rather died than go to the prison. I’d made a new enemy in one of my good friend’s fathers, and I had probably managed to insult the queen—all within the space of an hour. And to add to those wonderful events of the day, now I was going to confront Kayden.

Nelly was passing by the Council building as I descended the stone steps. She smiled when she saw me and waved me over. “So that’s where you were,” she said, glancing back at the Council building. “I was just going to the library to return a book. You want to walk with me?”

Since I still had a few hours of daylight, and maybe just because I was jumping at the chance to put off seeing Kayden, I nodded and fell into step beside her. She looked over at me and frowned. “You still haven’t eaten, have you?”

I shook my head. “I will soon.”

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a granola bar and forced it into my hands. When I began to protest, she held up a hand. “It’s not from here. It’s one of the ones Mom had left in the backpacks for us. I found it when I cleaned my room today.”

I smiled at her gratefully, tore into the package and devoured the whole thing in two bites. It tasted like Christmas morning. I was still starving, but at least it took the edge off. I felt a little energy flow into me, but mostly it just made me want to eat a whole lot more.

Satisfied that she’d finally seen me eat something, Nelly told me about her classes as we walked. “Sometimes it’s just hard,” she said, looking down at her feet. “I have to keep my guard up when we’re doing Searching exercises in class, and I have to make sure I only use a portion of my abilities. It just takes so much out of me, and at the end of the day I feel drained.”

I smiled at her, hoping to lend some comfort. I felt bad that I’d been so wrapped up in my own crazy life that I hadn’t even taken the time to ask Nelly about hers. Out of everyone, Nelly was the person who I absolutely had to keep safe. I needed to remember that no matter what happened, she took precedence.

“I know it’s hard, Nell,” I said. “But you’re strong and you can get through it. At least until we graduate.”

She sighed heavily. “Yeah, but then what? I’m so sick of hiding what I am, and it’s not like I can tell anyone. God knows what they’d do if they found out.” Nelly looked over at me and brushed the hair that had fallen from my ponytail out of my face. “Sometimes,” she continued, “I wish I were you. It’s an honor to be what you are, but to be what I am, it’s a disgrace.”

I grabbed her hand and pulled her to a stop. “Don’t you ever think that. And, trust me, you do not want to be me right now. Besides, Nell, everyone loves you, they always have. I’m the outcast and the delinquent, not you.”

She smiled that beautiful smile of hers, but a sadness stayed behind her eyes. “There’s evil inside of me, Lex. I’m part monster and we both know that. The only reason people have always liked me so much is because I have the same draw that every Lamia has. And sooner or later people are going to figure out why.”

I had a feeling that whatever monster was inside of me could make her monster run for the hills, but I didn’t say that. “We’ll deal with that when it comes. You know I would never let anything happen to you.”

She met my eyes. “I know.”

We reached the library, and Nelly returned her book. As I waited for her, I stolled up the section of mystery thrillers, hardly glancing at the titles. A woman approached me. She was probably in her mid-fifties and had strawberry-blond hair streaked with gray.

“Can I help you find anything?” she asked with a warm smile.

“Um, no thanks,” I said. When she started to walk away, I called out to her. “I don’t mean to be rude, but who are you?”

She smiled a little at what must have been my stupid question. “Oh, I’m new here. I’m the new librarian,” she said.

I had to swallow twice before I could ask my next question. “What happened to the old one?”

Her face filled with sympathy. “Oh dear, I’m afraid she’s passed on. Has no one told you?”

I shook my head in disbelief. How could she have “passed on?” She’d looked completely fine and healthy when I had just seen her the other day. I struggled to keep the suspicion off my face. “How?” I asked, more to myself than to the woman.

She must have thought I was asking her, because she sighed heavily and answered, “She had a disease, one that affects the brain, and I guess that it just finally got the best of her. Did you know her well?”

I wanted to scream at her that that was bullshit. Instead I just shook my head and walked away. I found Nelly, and we headed out of the library together. She immediately knew something was wrong.

“What happened?” she asked.

“The librarian died,” I told her.

Her face fell into a frown. “Oh, that’s terrible.”

I nodded. “Hey, I’ll see you later, okay? I need to go do something.” Her brow furrowed at my abrupt change in subject, but I was going to talk to Kayden right now. I needed the answers to my questions, and I needed them now.

Nelly’s eyes were bright with worry. “What are you going to do, Alexa?”

“Nothing, don’t worry. I’ll be fine… I’m just going to see

Kayden.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Oh, okay. Good, I guess.”

I kissed her cheek and sprinted off in the direction of Kayden’s cabin. When I got there, the cabin was dark, and no one answered my knock. I sat down on the front porch and waited. I was disappointed and also a little relieved that he wasn’t here, but I had to do this. And if that meant that I needed to wait all night, then that’s what I’d do.

I ended up waiting through most of the night, and Kayden never returned to his cabin. When the sun slowly started to peek over the horizon, I stood up stiffly and trudged back to my dorm room. I hadn’t accomplished anything other than exhausting myself, and even though I knew the feeling was misplaced, I was angry at Kayden. I knew I had no right to be, but that didn’t stop me from wondering where he’d spent the entire night. I pushed those thoughts aside as I entered my room and plopped down on my bed. I was not going to be jealous over a man who didn’t belong to me. At least, not while I was sleeping.

Chapter Fifty-Eight

I woke up later in the day when a knock sounded on my door. Pulling myself out of bed, I felt more exhausted than before I’d gone to sleep, and this worried me. I made my way groggily to the door and threw it open. Nelly stood there, wearing a blue blouse and jeans, looking just as pretty as ever.

I rubbed my eyes and ushered her inside, then fell promptly back down on my bed. “What’s up, Nell?” I asked with a yawn.

She gave me a disapproving look. “Apparently not you. Why are you sleeping? It’s five in the afternoon.”

I shrugged. “I was tired, and it’s Saturday, so who cares?”

She gave a small sigh. “I knew you wouldn’t be ready. The fight is tonight, it starts in an hour. The others are going to meet us in the courtyard in thirty minutes. Did you still want to go?”

If it weren’t for her, I would have slept right through Mark’s fight tonight, and I’d promised him that I’d be there. I shot up from the bed and gave her kiss on the cheek. “Absolutely,” I said. “Give me twentynine minutes.”

She rolled her eyes and laughed, and I headed into the bathroom to shower. I took some time with my appearance, and Nelly offered to blow-dry my hair when she saw I was struggling to get it straight. A glimpse in the mirror told me I still didn’t look my best, undoubtedly due to the lack of food, but I looked good enough. I threw on some jeans and a white V-neck t-shirt, and we headed out the door.

“Did you get to see Kayden last night?” Nelly asked, as we walked down to the courtyard.

I shook my head. “He wasn’t there.”

We shut up then because we saw the boys waiting for us. Daniel spotted us first and jogged over to give Nelly a shy kiss on the cheek. I smiled at them. They made a cute couple, both of them so sweet and innocent. Jackson and Tommy joined us, and after a few witty exchanges, the five of us made our way to the Council building, where the fight was being held.

When we reached the building, we were directed around to what I assumed was a back entrance. About halfway around the side of the building, we came to a line of people that wrapped all the way around the corner and disappeared. My companions started to come to a stop, but Tommy just kept on walking right past the line.

When he realized we weren’t following, he turned back to us.

“Come on.”

Nelly asked the obvious question. “Don’t we have to wait in line?”

Tommy smiled that easy smile of his. “You can if you want. I’m certainly not going to.”

We all exchanged looks and followed Tommy around the rear of the building. The line of people kept going until we reached a red door that was manned by two Warriors. I didn’t know either of them, but they must have recognized Tommy because they stepped aside and greeted him. Tommy informed them that we were his guests, and the rest of us filed in the red door. Both Warriors gave me a slight nod as I passed by, and I nodded in return.

As we entered the building, the roars of the crowd were almost deafening. Looking at the Arena from this point of view was drastically different from the view I’d had last time. High stone walls were on either side of us and a Plexiglas wall separated the spectators from the fighters. Tommy led us up a set of stone steps, and I glanced around to see that almost every seat in the house was full. We continued climbing up, and I still couldn’t spot an empty seat in the house. But when we reached a part that held a sectioned-off area, similar to box seats at a baseball game, Tommy stopped and opened the door to the private room. A Warrior was standing at the door and he nodded to Tommy as we entered.

The room was set up with plush chairs that were up against the railing and offered a perfect view of the Arena below. The three walls and roof of the room did little to block out the noise of the crowd, but it was still considerably better than sitting on the stone bleachers. Two large, flat-screen televisions hung on the side walls and they were showing a perfect picture of a man whom I assumed must be the announcer. Much to my dismay, I noticed that the room also held a long table packed with trays full of delectable-looking sandwiches and cookies.

“This is nice,” Nelly said, taking a seat in one of the chairs.

I nodded, ignoring the grumbling of my stomach. “Yeah, it is.

How did you get these seats, Tommy?”

“They belong to my father. Every Council member gets one.”

I swallowed hard at the mention of Tommy’s father. “Is he coming?” I asked, trying to sound like I didn’t care either way.

“Nah,” Tommy said. “He said he had some things to do tonight.”

I breathed a silent sigh of relief and took a seat next to Nelly. The others took their seats, and Jackson sat down in the one next to me before Tommy could get a chance. The announcer on the television screen stood on a podium overlooking the Arena. I looked down below and saw that he was only about thirty feet away from where we were sitting.

He began his speech, and the crowd fell silent. After a few ceremonial words, it was time to announce the fighters. Mark’s name was called first, and he stepped out of an opening in the wall that was directly below me and my companions. The crowd roared with praise, and I couldn’t help cheering along with them. I really liked Mark, and I didn’t want to see him get hurt.

I leaned forward in my seat to study him. He was wearing black shorts and a black sleeveless T-shirt. From this distance he appeared much younger, probably because this was the first time I’d seen him out of his long-sleeved warrior uniform. He seemed to be in good shape, built tall and wide and thick. But, I noticed that the skin of his bared arms was littered with previous battle scars. I wasn’t sure if this was a good thing or not.

He also held a silver sword in his hand, and the sight of it made me turn to Tommy in alarm. “What’s the sword for?” I asked. “The fighters don’t actually kill each other, do they?” I hadn’t had a sword when I’d fought Daniel.

“Either fighter can choose to surrender at any point,” said Tommy, placing a cigarette between his lips. I let out a relieved breath. “But,” he continued, “many don’t. It’s considered dishonorable, and most choose death.”

It took me more than a few seconds to process this. I let out one short, silent breath and my head fell forward a fraction on its own accord. My movement was so slight that I doubted anyone but Nelly noticed. I sat staring at my small, scarred hands for a few seconds. They were a safe spot for my eyes. In my head swam one thought. God, please let Mark win, and if not… surrender. Following that, one question. Would I surrender?

When the announcer called the name of his opponent, my heart hit the stone floor beneath my feet. I shut my eyes for the tiniest portion of a second, then I looked up.

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Kayden emerged from the opposite end of the arena, sword gleaming in his right hand. The crowd’s response was deafening. From somewhere near my lungs, an anvil came smashing down and landed in my stomach. Next to me, Nelly’s hand found mine. She gave one tight squeeze. My hand remained unmoved.

So did my eyes. Kayden. Why did it have to be Kayden? I couldn’t pull my eyes from him. I kept searching for some indication that it wasn’t really him standing down there. I couldn’t find any. And who was I kidding? There was no mistaking that man. Not for me.

He looked every inch a Greek god. He was shirtless, his hair pulled back into a tiny, sandy blond ponytail. Tan skin smoothed over stone-carved muscles. There was nothing about him that didn’t seem dangerous and deadly. Staring down at the two men that night, I felt much younger than my seventeen years.

Just before the announcer gave the word, Kayden’s eyes drifted up and met mine. I squeezed Nelly’s hand then, but remained otherwise still. It says something for her that she didn’t even flinch. Especially since I’m sure I had come close to crushing bones.

The world showed no yield to my peculiar manner, however. Seconds later, the announcer’s voice echoed in my ears. BEGIN!

The two started forward. I released Nelly’s hand for fear that she may need a cast later if I didn’t. I clutched my thighs instead, damp palms ironing the denim beneath them. Below me, Kayden’s sword sang its first note of a blocked strike. I squeezed my eyes shut, then opened them.

Of the rest of the fight, I can only recall in bits and pieces. Perhaps that’s all my mind could fathom. I remember the clangs of metal on metal, and the crowd’s reciprocating shouts following nanoseconds after. I can still see Kayden’s blade gliding through the air, with such grace it seemed divine. I remember thinking absently of Gavin and feeling like an asshole for the cruel nickname I’d given him. I couldn’t help but think of myself, as well, of how one day my own body would be riddled with such scars. Mostly, though, I remember the blood.

It flew in scarlet ribbons and sprays, painting everything within its reach. The shining blades the men wielded were now dripping and streaming red rivers. I noticed with equal relief and despair that Kayden’s sword was redder than Mark’s. Had I been able to move, I would have been peering through my fingers, my hands shielding my face. Though I wanted this to be over, no outcome appeared pleasing.

My wish was granted. Kayden delivered one final blow that sent Mark crashing to the ground. Kayden’s blade rose high, high over Mark’s neck. It came halfway down with the speed and threat of an oncoming train. Then it stopped. I sat bewildered for a moment before I realized that Kayden was waiting for Mark to surrender. The way his chest heaved told me this was more than a struggle. Kayden was fighting for his own self-control. I could almost sympathize from my helpless position.

The tiny moment lasted for an eternity. Kayden’s sword rose once more. The crowd boomed in response. My gut clenched. I pressed my eyelids together. I couldn’t watch.

The crowd’s cheers and screams switched to boos and disapproving shouts. My eyes flew open just in time for me to see Mark’s pointer and middle finger raised in surrender. Kayden’s blade fell soundlessly to the dirt. It took a moment, but I could breathe again.

The crowd’s disappointment roared around the Arena. Anger stewed wet and hot in my stomach. What was wrong with these people? How could they think that something so brutal was entertainment? How could they yell out in disapproval when a good man had fallen, lying bloodied and broken on the ground? If these vampires and Wolves believed themselves better than humans, then they had another thing coming. They were just as bad, maybe even worse.

When two attendants emerged from the sidelines to carry Mark out of the Arena, my anger flooded away, replaced with a sobering dose of fear. Mark hadn’t gotten back up. He might never get back up again.

I shot to my feet, causing my companions to jump in surprise. I think I heard Nelly call out to me as I pushed past the Warrior standing at the door of our room. I raced down the steps of the Arena. All I could think about was making sure that Mark was okay.

When I made out of the building, the line of people that had been there before was gone. The two Warriors who had greeted me upon entering were still at their posts. I raced up to them.

“Where are they taking him?” I asked them, between hitching breaths.

The two Warriors exchanged glances. “Who?” they asked almost simultaneously.

I pushed my hair out of my face and released a frustrated breath. “The Warrior who just lost in the Arena.”

The two men exchanged another look, and I had to resist the urge to slam them both against the wall and shake the information out of them. After a moment, one of them said, “Probably the infirmary, if he wasn’t hurt too bad.”

I clenched my fists tight so that I wouldn’t do something stupid. “Where would they take him if he was hurt bad?” I asked, between clenched teeth.

The same Warrior answered. “The hospital.” He paused before adding, “If he’s not there, then he didn’t survive.”

I was about to ask where the hospital was when I heard the wail of an ambulance. I sprinted toward the sound just in time to see it turn a corner. I summoned up every bit of energy and speed I had and barreled after it. I moved faster than I had ever moved before and used my ears to keep track of the ambulance. I lost sight of it but followed the sound as best I could. After about twenty blocks, I reached the front of what I assumed was the hospital. Ignoring the dizzy spell that had caught up with me after my run, I climbed the steps and entered the lobby. I only hoped that Mark was already here and being cared for.

The nurse at the front desk looked alarmed when I approached her, but she gave me the information I needed. After a few clicks on her computer, she confirmed that Mark was here, but that I couldn’t see him just yet because he was in surgery. She asked me to have a seat and told me she would tell me when I could go in.

I didn’t sit down. I paced back and forth in the lobby for the longest thirty minutes of my life, with spots dancing before my eyes the entire time. Finally, she gave me a room number, and I took off in the direction she pointed.

Mark was lying on a bed when I entered the room. He was unconscious, wrapped in an insane amount of bandages. I approached the bed slowly and felt tears trickle down my face. He looked so horrible, and I couldn’t see how anyone would recover from these injuries.

“Alexa?” said a deep, rich voice behind me.

I jumped and turned to see Kayden standing in the doorway. For the first time since we met, I couldn’t stand the sight of him. All of my earlier thoughts of the conversation we needed to have were forgotten. Swiping the tears from my face, I went to stand in front of him, ignoring the fluttery feeling in my chest as a result of his proximity.

“What have you done?” I whispered. Then, I pushed past him and left.

Once outside, I sat down on the steps and buried my face in my hands. Tears flowed freely now, and I could barely see straight between them and my dizziness. Some part of me knew I’d been wrong to say that to Kayden. He’d only done what he had to. And really, would I have rather it been him lying on that hospital bed? I had no answer for that. All I knew was that I felt sick over seeing Mark that way. And I was angry at Kayden for having put him there.

When I felt his unmistakable presence behind me, I stood up abruptly, unsteadily. Spots danced before my wet eyes. “I don’t want to talk to you right now. Leave me alone,” I said, without turning around.

Behind me, Kayden released a heavy breath. “I’ve heard this before,” he said.

“Then start paying attention.”

“How can you, of all people, pass judgment on me?”

I spun around to face him, finding it difficult to maintain my balance. I felt dizzier than ever now. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Though Kayden’s dark eyes were filled with frustration, his face betrayed nothing. “You know exactly what I mean,” he said. “You know I didn’t want to fight Mark. I had no choice, just like you had no choice with Daniel. But I never blamed you for what you did, because I knew you did what you had to. If you could get over your own emotions for a moment, you would realize that I did the same thing.”

A part of me knew he was right, but I was way too keyed up at the moment to let anything rational through. “I was wrong, then!” I shouted. “And you were wrong today. Every single one of us who steps into that arena is wrong! No one forces us to fight. We make our own choices, and we chose wrong! ”

I realized how hysterical I sounded, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself. I was just so very angry, and I needed to let it out somehow. Kayden wasn’t even the one I was mad at, not really, but he happened to be the lucky one to be around me while I had my breakdown. I still was unsure as to who was at the source of my anger, but I was starting to think it was everyone. I hated these people, all of them, and their stupid, crazy, fucked up ways. But most of all, I think I hated myself, for allowing them to drag me into this loony lifestyle.

The shouting must have taken the last of my energy, though, because I felt my knees buckle beneath me, and I blacked out before I could hear Kayden’s response.

Chapter Sixty

I felt like I was floating. Like I was floating through the air on a cloud, only the cloud wasn’t fluffy, like you’d expect a cloud to be. No, what I was floating on was smooth and warm, gentle and strong at the same time. In my weak state, it took me a moment to realize that I wasn’t floating at all. I was being carried. And if the tingling in my chest was any indication, I was being carried by Kayden.

I tried to lift my head a few times, but was unable. My muscles wouldn’t respond to any of my commands. I wanted to tell him to put me down, that I didn’t need to be carried like an infant, though I definitely did. But at the same time, I just wanted to stay in his arms like this forever. I wanted to have him hold me and to lose myself in his touch. I felt elated. Kayden carried me so close, held me tightly against his chest. I felt so wonderful that I wondered if I’d died and gone to heaven.

I know I was dipping in and out of consciousness, because I caught glimpses of things as Kayden carried me. Buildings and streetlights flashed by, then trees and bright stars overhead. When the scene changed yet again, I saw a fireplace and large bookshelf. I knew where I was.

Strangely enough, it felt like coming home, even though it was his home, not mine. When he gently laid me down on the couch, I almost whimpered at the loss of his touch. It was as if part of my soul was ripped away from me, like losing my grip on a ledge I was clinging to. It was like falling. Falling back into a fire whose heat I was so familiar with, after having been in a warm, comfortable place, a place that only Kayden could ever take me.

He returned a moment later, and I felt the couch dip with his weight as he sat beside me. I managed to crack my eyes open a little more, but the effort was painfully difficult. I just wanted to go to sleep. He leaned over me, and my chest swelled with him so close to me again. When he brushed my hair out of my face, the rough, but gentle tips of his fingers made goose bumps rise on my skin. I closed my eyes again, basking under the feel of his touch. But when I felt something warm and wet touch my lips, my eyes flew open again.

Kayden was pressing his wrist to my mouth, and when I looked up at his face, I saw that his fangs were exposed and they had a little blood at the tips of them. “You have to drink, Alexa,” he said softly.

Even though it was obvious, it took me a second to realize what he meant. Summoning what little energy I had, I managed to give my head a small shake. Even that small movement made the world go black for a second.

Kayden’s voice took on a note of urgency. “You have to try. Please. Just trust me.”

When he pushed his wrist to my mouth again, I had no choice but to taste his blood. The second it hit my tongue, I swallowed involuntarily and felt a small zing of energy, like my heart just picked up in pace. His blood was sweet and warm, and before I knew what I was doing, I latched onto his wrist with my teeth. They sank through his skin way too easily, but I was too enthralled at the moment to really consider it.

The more I drank, the better I felt. And when I say better, I mean amazing. I had never done drugs in my life, but if I had to compare drinking his blood to something, I would call it ecstasy. It made my skin tingle, and my mind cleared almost immediately, which eventually gave me a clear enough head to realize what I was doing. But it was such a potent feeling that I had grabbed his wrist with both hands and taken a long swallow of his sweet blood before I was able to stop myself.

Finally, I was able to push his wrist away, but for a moment, all I could do was stare at the ceiling in pure bliss. I blinked hard and pulled myself to a sitting position, feeling better than I had in days.

I licked the last of his blood from my lips and ran an index finger over my incisors, which were long and sharp. “Oh, lord,” I said, more to myself than to him.

I didn’t want to look up into Kayden’s eyes, especially since I could feel them watching me. But he reached up and lifted my chin, forcing me to look at him. “You’ve never had blood before?” he asked, studying what must have been my stoned-out face. I was still very much feeling the effects of his blood.

I shook my head. “They don’t exactly serve it at McDonalds.”

He looked down at my lips, causing me to run my tongue over them self-consciously. “I can’t believe you were able to stop at all then,” he said.

I stared at him for a moment, then, told the truth. “I didn’t want to.” He was still staring at my lips, and I shifted a little under his gaze. “How are you feeling?”

I blew out a slow breath and laughed a little at my euphoric state. “Like I could rule the world,” I said with what I’m sure was a goofy smile.

To my astonishment, he pulled me onto his lap and held me tightly to his chest. The feeling he always gave me combined with his blood now flowing through my body made me want to purr with absolute contentment. But when his hand brushed my knee, I felt the fabric of my jeans stick to my leg and looked down to see that it was stained with blood. He pushed my pant leg up. There was blood on my knee, but no injury.

“Did the blood heal it?” I asked.

He nodded, still staring down at my knee.

“How did that happen?”

His eyes stayed locked on my leg, and when he spoke, his voice seemed distracted. “Your knee hit the ground before I was able to catch you.”

He bit his bottom lip, still staring at the blood. I pulled myself up so that I was sitting on top of him. He looked surprised and a little apprehensive, but to my amazement, he didn’t make me move. I wasn’t entirely sure what I was doing—maybe it was because of the high I was still feeling, but I pushed my hair off my shoulder and tilted my head to the side.

His eyes shifted and focused on my neck, where I could feel my pulse racing. When he looked into my eyes I could see the struggle behind his golden ones. He wanted to drink from me, and we both knew it.

“No,” he said, almost like the word was painful for him.

His fangs were still very much exposed and he was breathing quite heavily. “Why not?”

“You’re still weak,” he gritted out.

I gave a half smile, then reached up behind his neck and pulled his head down so that his lips were just a half inch from my neck. “I’m a lot stronger than I look,” I whispered in his ear.

His body stiffened, and for a moment, I was sure he was going to push me off him. But when I felt a sharp pain in my neck, I knew I was wrong. Pulling him closer, I sighed at the feel of his soft lips on my skin. After the initial bite, there was no more pain. Actually, if I thought that drinking his blood was euphoric, I clearly had no idea what that meant. This was ecstasy.

His arms circled my waist and pulled me to him with a less-than gentle embrace. My eyelids fluttered as I stared up at the ceiling and let Kayden drink from me. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced, more wonderful than anything I could have ever imagined.

Much too soon, he pulled back and ran his tongue over his lips, which were covered with my blood. This made me find him even more attractive. This was amazing, considering the fact that I didn’t know I could find him any more attractive.

He stared into my eyes, and I could see the affection there. It made my heart swell. “Your eyes are glowing,” he said quietly.

I blinked and looked down at my hands, which were trembling with exhilaration. “Yeah, that happens, I guess.”

He tilted my chin up, once again forcing me to look into his sunrise eyes. “It’s beautiful,” he said. “Absolutely beautiful.”

I smiled at his compliment and moved to sit beside him. But he kept his arms tight around me and laid me back down on the couch, his body pressed close to mine.

Never in my life had I felt so safe. With Kayden’s powerful arms wrapped around me, his soft lips and short beard nuzzling my neck, I felt like I could weep tears of joy. I belonged in his arms. It was like they were created to hold me. Like I was created to be his.

We stayed like that for a long time, him trailing his fingers up and down my arm as I clutched his other hand in mine. He broke the silence first. “What were you doing?” he whispered into my hair. “Trying to starve yourself?”

I closed my eyes and again answered truthfully. It was just impossible to lie when he was holding me. “No, I was trying to think clearly.”

He was quiet for a moment before asking, “Where would you get the idea that not eating would help you think clearly?”

“From S—” I paused, catching myself before I said Soraya’s name. “From someone,” I said stupidly.

He sighed into my hair and a shiver ran up my spine. “Always so guarded, Warrior.”

Now I remembered the things that I had planned to talk to him about. It took more effort than I wanted to admit to pull myself from his arms. He sat up, too, and I scooted down the couch a little to put some distance between us.

He raised an eyebrow, then looked down at his hands. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to make you uncomfortable.”

I raised my eyebrows in return. “You think you make me uncomfortable?”

When he didn’t answer, I continued. “We both know exactly how you make me feel, Kayden.” I took a deep breath and added, “Considering the fact that I’m a Warrior, and you’re a Libra, I would wager I make you feel the same way.”

The look on his face was more impressed than anything else.

“When did you figure this out?”

I shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. “Someone told me.”

He looked confused for a moment, before understanding flashed behind his eyes. I knew he already knew the answer to his next question, but he asked anyway. “Who told you, Alexa?”

I tilted my head a little and asked a question of my own. “Who knows what you are?” Now his face showed surprise, but I pushed forward. “I met a little girl named Soraya.”

He stood up so abruptly that I flinched, and began pacing the room. “When did you see her?”

“I went for a run, and I wasn’t paying attention to how far I was going… Then she threw rocks at my head and threatened me with a stick.”

He shook his head and one side of his mouth pulled up in a half smile. “That’s Soraya, alright.”

“She showed me the village.”

He stopped his pacing, standing in front of me before I even had a chance to blink. “Did anyone see you?”

It was intimidating, having him stand over me like that, but I looked up and met his eyes. “Not the first time.”

He stared at me for a moment before sitting down next to me. He released a slow breath and rubbed his face with his hands. “You went back.”

It wasn’t a question, so I didn’t answer. When he just sat there, I said, “Of course I went back. Those people need help, Kayden.”

“You think I don’t know that?”

“Well, then you won’t mind answering some questions so I can figure out how to help them.”

His face was unreadable again, but there was pain behind his eyes. “There’s nothing to be done.”

I threw up my hands. “The hell there isn’t. There has to be someone behind this, and I’m going to find out who that is, so you can save me some trouble if you want. But with or without your help, I’ll get to the bottom of it.”

He remained silent, so I scooted down the couch and took his hand in mine. “Please, Kayden,” I said. “I know you want to help Soraya, and so do I. Even if it is impossible, we have to try.” He still didn’t respond, so I added, “You know she’s worth it.”

I’m not sure if it was those words, or the fact that I was touching him, but finally, he gave a small sigh and answered. “If I knew what to do,” he said quietly, “I would’ve already done it. But… what do you want to know?”

I considered my questions, and asked, “Does the queen know about the village?”

“I’m sure she does. Her rule extends everywhere within the walls, so she is bound to know what’s going on there.”

I figured this much, so I asked, “Did she put them there?”

He pushed his hair out of his face and said, “Someone in power did. But you have to understand, Alexa, the queen is not the ultimate ruler of our world. She is high up in the chain, but there are people even she has to answer to.”

That wasn’t something I had thought of. “Who?”

His eyes met mine, and his voice was fierce when he spoke. “People you do not want to question.” When I just stared at him, he continued. “There is a king, a king whose will everyone must obey. He’s considered a sort of savior of our races. After the Warriors were extinguished, he built the cities our people live in, like Two Rivers, and he stopped the reign of the Lamia, who were killing us off in devastating numbers. Everything that goes on is a result of his bidding.”

I considered this for a moment. “But people here are afraid. I know they are. I’ve seen it. Why don’t they revolt if they know that people are being sent to live as blood donors in places like the village?”

He laughed, but there was no humor in it. “Because they don’t know that is what awaits them after they’ve outgrown their use. They know that something is wrong, but they don’t know the severity of the situation. There is magic that keeps them from being able to travel to the village, and there is something that influences their thoughts and moods.” He raised an eyebrow and smirked. “But I would assume you knew this, since you almost died in your refusal to eat the food.”

I nodded slowly. “So how do you know all of this?”

He hesitated, and his golden eyes filled with so much pain I almost told him to forget about it. But this was too important, and I needed answers if I was going to try and help Soraya. “Please,” I said softly. “Tell me what happened, Kayden.”

He was silent for so long that I was pretty sure he wasn’t going to answer. But then, he pulled me to him and wrapped his arms around me, taking the comfort only I could give him.

“My brother died in the Arena,” he said. “And the day after, his pregnant wife just disappeared. I asked everyone about her, but no one even seemed to recall him having a family. I searched the entire city for her, and I almost drove myself mad obsessing over her disappearance. But after a few weeks, it became difficult to remember anything about her at all. It felt like every time I tried to picture her face, her memory stayed just out of my reach. I knew something was wrong, so I did the same thing you did. I stopped consuming the food.” He looked down at me and another smirk crossed his face. “But unlike you, I fed off the animals of the land. I got lost one day while I was hunting in the forest and felt so disoriented that I didn’t know my way back. That’s when I came upon the village.”

I laid my head against his chest and tried to will the pain from him, as Akira had done for me. I didn’t know what I was doing though, so I don’t know if it helped. “I’m so sorry,” I said.

He ran his fingers through my hair, and I closed my eyes and tried not to shiver at his touch. “It’s not your fault,” he said. He tilted my head so that I was looking into his eyes. “And it’s not your responsibility to do anything either, Alexa. I know you may feel obligated because of what you are, but that doesn’t mean you’re required to risk your life. And if you go questioning the ways of the king, that’s exactly what you’ll be doing.”

I was sick of hearing that. If no one expected me to do anything, then they wouldn’t be giving me stuff for free and treating me like I was the only one who could help them. Maybe, just maybe, I was. I turned my head so that I was looking down at my hands. “I’ve already made my decision.” Before he could argue, I asked, “Why do they need the blood?”

Kayden sighed. “That, I don’t know. Our kind owns multiple blood banks around the world that supply our cities with human blood, so I don’t know why they would need it.”

I had already figured that out too, so I moved on. “Where can I find this king?”

He gripped my hands and sat back so that he could look at me.

“You can’t.”

I pulled back a little. “Yes. I can.”

He shook his head and blew out a frustrated breath. “He moves from place to place, Alexa. And even if you could find him, these people are not ones to see reason.”

I crossed my arms. “I’ll make them.”

“And when you can’t?”

My answer came before I had a chance to really consider what I was saying. “Then, I’ll kill them. I’ll kill them all.”

Chapter Sixty-One

My response didn’t surprise him. It didn’t surprise me either. I knew what I was, what I was capable of doing. I suppose I had known a long time ago. Killing just seemed to come easy to me. My reaction to Victoria proved it. I was a killer; it was in my blood. All I had to do was make sure that I directed it to those who were worthy, and only kill when absolutely necessary. If getting this king to make things right with his people required death, then, to save Soraya and others like her, I would be the one to deliver it. If I didn’t die in my efforts, and I was beginning to think that that could be the case.

Kayden took my hand again. “Whatever you decide to do, I’ll help you.” He paused and added, “You’re important to me.”

I looked up into his golden eyes, and almost didn’t have the nerve to ask a question I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answer to. “Why?” I asked, almost in a whisper. “Because of what we are?”

He stared at my face for a long time, just studying me. Then, he ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “That may be part of it, yes.”

I tugged at a loose thread on my jeans, not wanting to meet his eyes. “And the other part?”

He spoke his next words slowly. “The other part doesn’t matter right now. What does matter is that we need each other. We need to be around each other as much as possible.” I stayed silent, not wanting to think about what he was saying. He continued, “We both know how dangerous we can be without each other. I want to help you, Alexa. I need to be around you too, so you can help me.”

I didn’t want to hear this. I didn’t want to tell him I couldn’t just hang out with him and ignore the feelings he made me have. I was almost sure now that he wasn’t attracted to me in the way that I was to him, and it broke my heart to hear him say it. So, I kept my face blank and reverted to my usual reaction to rejection—denial. “We don’t need each other,” I said. “We’ve made it this long without having the other around. I don’t see why we should develop a dependency now.”

My words seemed to hurt him, but a second later his face was unreadable again. “That’s because you’ve just recently inherited your Warrior. I’ve been struggling to control my beast for years now, and I would be willing to bet that when yours comes out, you have trouble controlling it as well.”

I thought back to my most recent fight with Victoria and my fight with Daniel. I had kind of blacked out during both of them. All I’d been able to see was red. It had ringed my vision and made me burn all the way down to my soul. I’d almost killed Daniel because I couldn’t control it. And the very sight of Victoria’s blood had made me want to stop her heart from beating. Kayden was right. I was having trouble controlling myself, and I knew it was only getting worse.

Kayden got up and left the room, returning a few minutes later with blankets and a pillow. He laid them out on the couch and laid me back so that I was resting on them. After he spread the blankets over me, he leaned down and ran his rough fingers down my cheek. “Rest now, Warrior,” he said, with that soft Scottish accent. “You can save the world tomorrow.” Then, he kissed my forehead and left me to my own thoughts.

Chapter Sixty-Two

Kayden walked me back to my dorm room the next morning. We didn’t say a word to each other the entire way. When we got there, I noticed a Warrior standing on the steps to my dorm and got the feeling that he was waiting for me. It made my chest ache that it wasn’t Mark.

As if he had read my thoughts, the Warrior came down the steps to greet us as we neared the building. He turned to Kayden with a smile. “Wallace. Didn’t expect to find you here.”

Kayden shrugged, and they shook hands. The warrior turned to me. “Warrior, your presence has been requested at the Council building.”

Kayden asked the question that was on the tip of my tongue. “What for?”

The warrior raised an eyebrow at Kayden. “Both of you have been requested. I was going to retrieve you next, but seeing as how you were together, you saved me the trip.”

Kayden and I exchanged looks. Why would the queen request both of us? I wasn’t sure, and all the possibilities that ran through my head were not good. I asked the Warrior if it was all right if I went up to my room first and changed clothes. I didn’t want to go to the queen looking like I had just been mauled by a bear. He told me to hurry, and I ran up to my room and pulled on fresh jeans and a gray T-shirt. As I reached into my dresser drawer to retrieve my brush, my hand brushed something smooth and cool. It was my Gladius, the sword my mother had given me. I’m not sure why, but I tucked it into the back of my jeans and pulled my shirt down to conceal it. After running the brush through my hair and brushing my teeth, I headed back down to meet the others.

We walked in silence to the Council building. Well, I walked in silence. Kayden and the Warrior who came to get us knew each other, and they talked along the way. The guy’s name was Sam, and he seemed to be friendly enough, but my stomach was too tied up with nerves to attempt chit-chat. Kayden was trying to play it casual, but I could tell just by looking at him that he was as nervous as I was. We had no idea what we were walking in to.

When we reached our destination, Sam told us he had other errands to run, but before he left, he asked if he could look at my arm. I pushed up my sleeve, and he stared in wonder at the silver tattoo. Reaching up, he touched his fingers to the sun on my shoulder. “Beautiful,” he said. Turning back to Kayden, he smiled widely and said, “She’s absolutely amazing.”

Kayden gave a small nod. “She is.”

Sam headed off, and Kayden and I ascended the steps of the Council building. When we reached the doors, I looked up at him and smiled. “So, I’m amazing?”

He didn’t laugh, but I could see the smile behind his eyes. Instead, he pulled open the door and waved his hand for me to go through. The queen was standing in the foyer. She was wearing an elaborate purple gown, her hair and make-up styled to perfection. Standing with her were a few men and women dressed in equally elaborate clothing.

Kayden stiffened beside me, and I leaned over to him and whispered, “What is it?”

His eyes were locked on one of the men standing with the Queen. The man wore a perfectly tailored black suit dripping with diamonds and rubies and sapphires sparkling from every drape and fold. Kayden’s lips barely moved as he spoke. “The king.”

My eyes snapped back to study the man. He didn’t look so scary to me. In fact, he was just kind of old. With gray hair and a short gray beard, he looked like someone’s rich grandfather. I wasn’t fooled, though. I don’t look dangerous either, so looks can be very deceiving.

The king’s eyes met mine, and I found that it was surprisingly difficult to hold his gaze. There was something silently intimidating about him, and I knew then that this was indeed a very dangerous man. He whispered something to the queen, and she spun around to face Kayden and me.

“Warriors,” she said. “Please, join us.”

Kayden and I approached the group of royals, and I was suddenly glad that I had changed clothes before coming here. I still wished that I had chosen something a little nicer to wear, though. These people had a look about them that just made me feel insignificant.

When we reached them, the queen placed a hand on my shoulder and introduced us. I wasn’t sure why, but I had the impression that she was just as uncomfortable as I was. “This is Kayden Wallace,” she said to the king. “The man whose victory you witnessed last night in the Arena.” Kayden gave a small bow, and the king nodded in return. “And this,” the queen continued, “Is Alexa Montgomery, the Sun Warrior you’ve heard about.”

All eyes fell on me, and I knew that they were waiting for me to bow. It was harder for me to do than it should’ve been. I didn’t want to bow to this man. I wanted to slam him against the wall and make him give me an explanation. But I’m defiant, not insane. I clenched my teeth and lowered my head a little in what probably looked like a low nod.

The king raised an eyebrow and stepped forward. Holding out his hand, he said, “Warrior, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am King William.”

I shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, too,” I lied and added, “Your Majesty.”

He kept his grip on my hand for a moment, and I felt an unmistakable tingling go up my arm. I didn’t jerk my hand away, though the impulse was certainly there. Instead, I threw up my walls. I wasn’t sure if I was doing it right, but I just focused hard on building a wall between him and me. A second later, the tingling stopped.

He didn’t release my hand immediately, and I saw small lines of concentration cross his face before he finally broke contact. I took a quiet, deep breath; that had taken more energy out of me than I’d realized.

No one else seemed to notice what had just happened, except for Kayden. I could tell he wanted to tell me to watch it, but he wouldn’t with these people around. The king smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“Where have you been all this time, Warrior?”

I shrugged. “Living among the humans.”

The queen added, “She did not know what she was until recently, Your Majesty.”

Hearing her address him with the same title that everyone else used for her made me realize that I needed to tread very carefully. This was a King of Kings indeed. If other royalty was made to grovel, I could only imagine what was expected of a lowly citizen like me.

The king gave one slow nod and turned back to me. “Are you trained?”

I wanted to say that I knew how to use the toilet if that was what he was asking, but the queen responded for me. “Absolutely,” she said. “Alexa passed her entrance exam with flying colors.”

The king seemed consider this, but I couldn’t tell by his face if he was impressed or just disappointed. Finally, he said, “Then I would like to see a demonstration.”

The queen smiled and shot me a sympathetic look. “Very well. I’ll have someone go retrieve a student from the Brocken school to—”

The king held up his hand, silencing her. “There is no need. We have a Warrior right here who can assist in the demonstration. She is a Warrior, and his skills are impressive. I will see them fight each other.”

Kayden and I stood in shocked silence as the royals discussed us as though we weren’t even there. The king’s assumption—that I would simply follow his will—made me incredibly angry, and if it weren’t for Kayden standing right next to me, I might have attacked him right then and there. But really, what choice did I have? Five Warriors stood nearby, and I had no doubt what they would do if I were to attack the king. I’d probably be dead before I could even get my hands on him.

If I’d thought the Warriors at Two Rivers were intimidating, then the King’s warriors were just downright scary. They stood only a few feet away from us, all of them perfect statues. They pretended not to hear what was being said, but I knew they focused intently on the King. Their uniforms were slightly different as well. They had on all black with what I assumed to be the king’s crest on their right shoulder, instead of a sun. To add to that, they were all enormous, reminding me yet again of how small I really was in comparison.

While I studied the king’s guards, the queen tried to convince him a demonstration was not necessary. But after one look from the king, she conceded, saying, “Allow us to prepare the Arena then, so you may have a proper showing.”

The king waved a heavily jeweled hand in dismissal. “Nonsense, nothing needs to be prepared for me. Let us go to the Arena now. I am taking leave tonight.”

Chapter Sixty-Three

God must hate me. Either that or I was the unluckiest girl in the world. Okay, that may have been a little dramatic, but really, this just sucked. As we made our way to the Arena, I stole a glance at Kayden, who stared straight ahead. It was kind of surreal, walking to fight a man I might be willing to give my life for.

Now that I was going to have to fight him, it was impossible to deny my feelings for him. I didn’t want to do this at all. Kayden meant too much to me. As much as I claimed I didn’t need him, I knew now for sure that was nothing but a lie. Even if he didn’t love me, I knew I loved him. Or, at least, I cared about him enough to want to protect him, never hurt him. And for me, that was enough. I wouldn’t fight Nelly no matter what they threatened me with, so I wasn’t going to fight Kayden. Not now, not ever. I just couldn’t do it.

We reached the Arena, and I clenched my fists tight to keep them from trembling. The great hall was deafeningly quiet—a sharp contrast to the noise that filled it the two times I’d been here. The stone bleachers and walls seemed to stand like a beast, waiting for victims to fall into its clutches. Or maybe I was just really nervous.

The royals took up positions next to the Plexiglas wall, leaving Kayden and me standing out in the middle of the Arena. A part of me was surprised that they would want to be this close to a fight, but a glance at the Warriors standing near them reminded me that they had no reason to fear for their safety.

The king nodded his head, and I cleared my throat, about to tell him that I was not going to be fighting. But, then, a flash of movement caught my eye, and my body spun out of the way on pure instinct. I stood in stupefied shock for a moment before I had to spin out of the way of another one of Kayden’s attacks.

I didn’t even have time to think. I just reacted. Fighting with Kayden was like fighting with my mother. He was obviously more skilled than I was, and I couldn’t seem to muster the anger I needed to win. This didn’t stop my body from reacting when I caught a blow to my shoulder.

I spun around yet again and threw my elbow into his back with excessive force. He stumbled, but recovered quickly, catching me with yet another blow, this time to the head. It was like being hit by a dump truck, the sheer force of it nearly making me black out. I hit the ground hard and immediately flipped to my belly and hopped to my feet.

“Stop,” said the king, causing both Kayden and me to freeze in our tracks. “Do Warriors not fight with swords?” he asked.

Two of the King’s men retrieved swords from bins near the side of the Arena and tossed them at our feet. Kayden retrieved his first, and I took an involuntary step back. This could not be happening.

When he started to advance, I felt a cool sensation run up my back and reached back and retrieved my Gladius from underneath my shirt. I tightened my grip on it, and the blade shot out, the silver gleaming in the bright lights of the Arena. Kayden met my eyes then, and I could see the remorse behind his. He didn’t want to fight me, but he was going to. It took me a second, but I resigned myself to this fact and, finally, let my body do what it did best: fight.

Our swords sang every time metal hit metal, and it became obvious that Kayden was far more skilled with his weapon than I was with mine. Soon I was on the defensive, blocking more strikes than delivering. I had just blocked a slash of his sword, our weapons locked in a test of greater strength, when he swung around a delivered a blow I still can’t remember clearly.

Kayden’s elbow connected with my face and sent me straight to the ground. I lost consciousness for what only could be a few seconds, because when I opened my eyes again, my face throbbing and covered with blood, Kayden was standing over me, his blade pressed firmly against my throat.

I only had time to tilt my head to the side and see the smirk on the king’s face before I passed out.

Chapter Sixty-Four

The last time I had blacked out, I’d woken up in Kayden’s arms. This time, I woke up in the infirmary. For a moment, I couldn’t remember how I had gotten there, but then, it all came rushing back to me. The king’s taunting grin, the coldness of Kayden’s sword as he’d held it snuggly to my throat. A whole range of emotions ran through me, ones I was completely unfamiliar with.

For one thing, I had lost. And fights were one thing that I wasn’t used to being bested in, at least, not when it really counted. This was the second time Kayden had beaten me, and as petty as it may have been, it made me feel ashamed.

But mostly, I was just so hurt. I was hurt by the fact that he’d been so willing to fight me when I was going to refuse and accept whatever consequences came to me. He’d attacked me, giving me no choice but to defend myself. I can’t say that anyone had ever hurt me so badly in my life. And I don’t mean physical pain—though I felt plenty of that too—I mean emotional pain. The ache I felt over his betrayal was much worse than the throbbing in my head.

I reached up and touched my face. My right eye was almost swollen shut. Actually, the whole right side of my face was swollen. The skin pulsed with heat under my fingertips, and I dropped my hand. Soft hands caught it before it hit the bed. I flinched with surprise.

I knew the touch, though. Nelly.

I couldn’t really see her, but I could hear the tears in her voice.

“Oh, thank God,” she said with a sniffle. “Alexa, I’m here. I’m here.” She just kept repeating that as she brushed the hair out of my face, causing me to wince.

I turned my head and felt a sharp pain shoot across my neck, but Nelly was visible now. “Why are you crying?” I asked, in a much weaker voice than I would have liked.

Nelly smiled a little, swiping tears off her cheeks. “That’s a stupid question, Alexa.”

I tried to smile back, but the effort caused me more pain. “Come on,” I said. “It would take a little more than an elbow to the face to finish me off.”

Her hazel eyes lit up with anger. “Is that what happened to you?”

That gave me pause. I don’t know why, but I guess I had expected her to know how I’d gotten here. Then, it occurred to me that no one would have told her. I asked anyway. “No one told you?”

She shook her head sharply, and I realized then that it was so rare to see Nelly as mad as she was right now. The look she had in her eyes reminded me of, well, me. It was like I could see the monster waiting behind them, the monster that so desperately wanted its revenge, its blood. It scared me to see Nelly like that, more than my own darkness had ever scared me.

“No,” she said. “No one told me. I just got a knock on my door with someone telling me that you were in the infirmary, so I rushed here. When I got here, you were unconscious on the bed with your face all swollen up, and no one would tell me what had happened.”

I tried to act like it was no big deal. “Well, it was an elbow to the face.”

She didn’t even crack a smile, her eyes were still so filled with that anger. “Whose elbow?” she asked.

When I didn’t answer, I felt a flash of ice charge through my arm where she held my hand. Before I could realize what she was doing, she released me and her hand flew up to her mouth. She gasped. “No, he wouldn’t.”

I raised an eyebrow. “That was fast. You’re amazing.” She knew I was trying to change the subject, but it really was amazing that she’d just Searched me and pulled out a single piece of information in the blink of an eye.

When she just stared at me, I sighed. “Apparently, he would.”

She looked like she just couldn’t believe it. “Why?”

I told her. I told her about the king and his insistence on a “demonstration.” I told her about how I had drunk blood from Kayden the night before. I told her everything, everything except for Soraya and the village, of course.

When I finished, she sat back and stayed silent for a long time. Finally, she took my hand and whispered, “I’m so sorry, Lex. That’s horrible.”

I laughed a little, because it was either that or crying, and I was not going to cry right now. It would probably hurt my face. “Yeah,” I said “It kinda sucks.”

Her mouth quirked up, but the anger still lurked behind her eyes. “Super sucks,” she corrected.

I pulled up just the left side of my mouth, the unbroken side, in a half smile. It probably looked more like a grimace. I opened my mouth as if to retort, then shut it. I didn’t trust my words to come out steadily. I didn’t trust the unbidden wetness in my eyes not to flow over. I knew speaking would demolish those dams. Instead, I released a shuddering breath and dropped my head between my shoulders, shaking it back and forth. It hurt, but no other position felt appropriate. Grief had set cinder blocks on my shoulders. Nelly immediately recognized my despair.

She sat down beside me, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug. It hurt, but I just gritted my teeth and pretended that I couldn’t feel a thing. When she laid her head on my shoulder and started sobbing again, I ran my fingers through her hair in a weak attempt to soothe her. This I could handle. At least I knew that no matter what, Nelly loved me. Nelly would never try to hurt me or betray my trust.

Nelly was one person I could count on to bleed, every time I was cut.

Chapter Sixty-Five

“You sure you don’t want me to stay with you tonight?” Nelly asked as we climbed the steps to my dorm building.

“I’m fine, Nell, really. I can handle a little black eye. Hell, Mom gave me more of those than I can count.”

She smiled a little at the mention of our mother. “Yeah, but—”

When she didn’t continue, I looked up to see that she was staring straight behind me, her face a stone mask. Anger radiated from her eyes like solar flares. Spinning around, I felt the fluttery feeling in my chest a split second before I saw that Kayden was walking up to us.

I tilted my face to Nelly, who was now standing beside me with her arms crossed over her chest. “I’ll see you in the morning, okay, Nell?”

She shot me a look that said she would do no such thing, but when I asked her again with my eyes, she sighed and strolled up to stand right in front of Kayden. He was so much bigger than Nelly that she had to tilt her head all the way back to look him in the eyes. It was almost comedic, because Nelly is even shorter than I am, and I’m only 5’5”.

I couldn’t see her face, but Nelly’s voice was fierce when she spoke. “If you ever hurt her again,” she said, “I’ll kill you myself.”

Kayden just nodded solemnly. To deepen my shock, Nelly nudged him hard with her shoulder, causing her to move more than him, and stomped off in the direction of her dorm.

I smiled at her gesture and switched my eyes back to Kayden, who was staring down at his feet. I propped a hand on my hip. “Got something you want to say, buddy?”

He nodded slowly and finally looked up and met my eyes. The pain in his gold ones almost made me want to comfort him. Until I remembered that he was a traitor. “Yes,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

I laughed out loud because I couldn’t help it. “Oh, okay,” I replied. “No problem then.”

“Alexa, I did it to help you.”

I laughed again—he was unbelievable—and gestured to my mangled face. “Well, thank you very much.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry. I hope you know I would never hurt you.” When I started to laugh again, he said, “If the king saw you win, he would see you as an even bigger threat. I couldn’t let you be on his radar any more than you already are. Trust me, Alexa. I did what was best.”

Something in me snapped, and as irrational as it sounded, I wanted to throw myself into his arms for comfort. But that was not about to happen. People who beat the crap out of me didn’t get to be my friends.

“You keep saying that,” I said in a quiet voice. “But, you know what? I don’t think I can trust anyone, Kayden. Especially not you.”

With that, I turned and went inside the building. Kayden didn’t follow. When I opened my door, I gently, stiffly lowered myself across the bed and lay there in the dark. Slowly, tears started to fall down my face, but I swiped them away and took a deep breath. Those would be the last tears I would shed over that man. I’d just push the pain deep down inside me and ignore it. At least it would be in good company.

Chapter Sixty-Six

It was still dark when I awoke. My bangs were plastered to my forehead with sweat, and I was breathing heavily. A glance at the clock on my dresser said it was just past three. I didn’t remember having a dream, so what had woken me up?

That’s when I felt it, a pull so insistent it reached me in my sleep. I swung my legs off the bed and hopped to my feet. It felt like I had a tether wrapped around my soul, and I had no choice but to go wherever it pulled me. I did manage to snag my Gladius off my dresser on the way out. Its pull was a polar opposite to the one I felt drag me out of bed. My mind even felt a little muddled, but I stepped out into the dark hall of my dorm and made my way outside.

The whole time I kept asking myself what the hell I was doing, but my body seemed to be moving on its own accord. My feet seemed to walk without instruction. I was dressed at least, in the same clothes I had fallen asleep in, and that meant I had shoes on. I was grateful for this when I was tugged into a line of trees and was made to walk through the forest for what seemed like several minutes. I had no idea where I was going, I just went. It was kind of like being the passenger in a car, with no control over where my body took me.

When the trees ended, I stared up at the top of the very high, south end wall. My hands reached up and grabbed the rough stone, pulling me up so I was scaling it. It wasn’t easy, and the stone bit into my hands when I gripped the surface, but my body just kept insisting that I climb to the top of it.

When I made it to the top, I jumped down on the other side, sending pain shooting through my legs. I looked up to see that I stood on the bank of the large river.

I also stood across the river from a Lamia.

For a second, I thought I was dreaming, so I rubbed my eyes again and refocused. But no matter how many times I blinked, the beautiful monster was still in front of me. I knew her facade to be misleading; her mouth hid shark teeth, her soul black ink.

I was no longer being pulled by the force that had brought me from my bed, so I just stood there, staring at the vampire across the river.

When she started laughing, that hissing sound bringing back so many terrible memories, I knew this was no dream. I studied her for a moment and realized I recognized her. Since I had only ever encountered Lamia once in my life, I knew from where.

This was one of the monsters that had killed my mother. The thought made my own beast roar to life inside me, breathing fire through my veins. I could feel the heat of it all the way down to my toes, and if the river hadn’t been so wide, I might’ve tried to leap over.

I tightened my grip on the sword, and the blade shot out from the end of it. The Lamia hissed again, and her black eyes flashed with warning. “Eassssy, Warrior,” she sneered. “There’ssss no need for violencccce.”

I stood there completely dumbstruck. What in the hell was happening? “What do you want?” I spat, finally finding my voice.

She smiled, displaying a mouth full of razor sharp fangs. “Your ssssweet blood would be nicccce.” She inhaled deeply and licked her lips. “I can ssssmell it from here.”

My fury scorched the earth beneath my feet. “Then come and get it.” She clucked her tongue and flashed another terrifying smile. “Clever little Warrior, you know that I can’t.”

I considered trying to throw my sword at her, but the thought of losing it in the river stopped me. The sword was the only gift I had left from my mother. Then I thought about trying to swim across the river, which was stupid for obvious reasons. So, I ended up just standing there.

I decided that this was pointless and turned to climb back over the wall. The Lamia hissed again behind my back. “I called you here for a reasssson, Warrior,” she said.

I spun back around to face her. “You have no control over me. You didn’t call anything.” I knew that was a lie, but I was just really pissed off now. I had to get away before I did something reckless.

She laughed again, and the sound was like nails on a chalkboard to my ears. “You have our blood in your veins. Of coursssse I can ssssummon you.” She tilted her head a little and smiled again. “So doessss that ssssister of yours.”

I wanted to scream in rage, or better yet, send my blade through this bitch’s neck. Taking a deep breath, I said, “Tell me why you came here, or I’m leaving.”

The Lamia shrugged, and the normal gesture looked very odd on her. Her black eyes stayed locked on me as she spoke. “I came to deliver a messssage.”

I clenched my fists and spoke through gritted teeth. “What message?”

She smiled again, and I got the strong urge to knock her fangs right out of her head. If I could only reach her. “A deal hassss been broken,” she hissed. “Sssso, I’ve come to break our end of the deal.”

I stood there waiting. The whole hissing thing was getting more than annoying. I was beginning to think that no matter what message she had for me, it wasn’t worth hearing another word out of her mouth.

Finally, she told me what she had come to tell me. But it was not a message that I had ever expected to hear. It was not something that I had even thought was possible.

With one more flash of her fangs, she said, “Your mother livessss,

Warrior.”

Chapter Sixty-Seven

“You’re lying.”

The Lamia rolled her black eyes. “I have no reasssson to lie to you. Do what you will with what I’ve told you.”

She turned to leave, but I called out to her. “Where is she?”

Her head whipped around, and a slow, jagged smile spread over her face. “What do I get in return for that information?”

I almost growled in frustration. I had nothing to give her that she would want, and I wasn’t even entirely sure I believed her. But was I willing to bet my mother’s life on that? No. Glancing around, I picked up a large rock, then used my sword to cut my palm open. Blood welled up on my hand. From across the river, the Lamia hissed loudly. I rubbed my palm all over the rock, covering it in my blood.

“You want this?” I asked, holding up the rock.

“Yessss,” she hissed with her eyes locked on the rock in my hand.

“Then tell me where my mother is.”

This made her laugh again. The monster raged inside me. “Clever little Warrior,” she said. “Give me the rock and I’ll tell you.”

I rolled my eyes and pretended like I was going to toss the rock in the river. She hissed again and spoke quickly. “She’ssss in Dangeon.”

My breath caught in my throat. Why would she be there? She hadn’t committed any crime. And if she was in the prison, that meant that the Lamia were not behind what had happened to her. The anger that I always kept so close to me threatened to take over at that moment. But I took a deep breath and tried to regain control over myself.

“Thanks,” I said. Then, I tossed the rock into the river.

Across the river, the Lamia screeched that ear-splitting noise, but I just climbed up the wall and swung my legs over the other side.

Before I hopped down on the other side of the wall, I heard the Lamia call out to me. “Good luck with reaching your mother, Warrior. As ssssoon as you sssstep over thissss river, I’ll kill you, and I’ll drink every last drop of your ssssweet blood.”

I jumped down and rolled my eyes again at her threat, even though she could no longer see me. Making my way back to my dorm room, I mumbled to myself, “Yeah, well, you’ll have to get in line.”

Chapter Sixty-Eight

I stuffed everything I owned—which wasn’t very much—in my backpack and headed out. It was still early, the sun just barely peeking over the horizon. I had a few stops to make before I left, and I wanted to be out of here before the rest of the city woke up.

I made my way to the Wolves’ dorms and checked the directory to find out which room was Jackson’s. When I got there, I took a deep breath and knocked on his door.

I had to knock a few times, but finally, the door swung open, and Jackson stood there, his reddish-brown hair messy from sleep. He wore only a pair of boxers, which had cowboy hats and lassos printed all over them.

“Alexa?” he said. “God, what happened to your face?”

I shrugged off his question. “Can I come in for a second?”

He stepped to the side and gestured for me to enter. “What’s going on?” he asked, once he’d closed the door behind me.

“I’m sorry I woke you up, but I need to ask you for a favor.”

He looked confused, but he nodded. “Anything.”

Taking another deep breath, I said, “I need you to keep Nelly safe while I’m gone.”

“Okay, but, where are you going?”

I sighed, wishing I could tell him, but I had to do this on my own. I wasn’t going to put anyone at risk while I went on a mission that I wasn’t even sure was real. “I have some things I need to take care of, Jack. I need you to trust me. Will you keep Nelly safe for me?”

He nodded and pulled me into a hug. “Of course I will. But, you’ll be coming back, right?”

I pulled back and kissed him on the cheek. “Of course.” At least, I hoped I would.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. When he spoke, his green eyes were full of affection. “I’ll wait for you, then.”

I smiled, and fought tears that were threatening to surface. “You might be waiting a while.”

He smiled back, but there was hurt behind his eyes. “I’d wait an eternity for you, Alexa.”

I pulled him to me and gave him a long, sweet kiss, and felt what was left of my heart break into pieces. This may be this last time I saw him. When we broke apart, his eyes were glowing Wolf-gold, and I was pretty sure mine were as well. “Thank you so much, Jackson, for everything. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, and that means more to me than I could ever tell you.”

He smiled again, and this time, it reached his beautiful eyes. I turned to go, but remembered one more favor to ask. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the note I had scribbled down in my room before I’d left. “Will you give this to Nelly for me?”

He pulled me into one last hug and kissed my forehead. “Alexa,” he whispered. “I’d kill a bear for you.”

I laughed at that. This was the reason I loved Jackson. He could always manage to make me laugh, no matter what horrible situation I found myself in. I decided then that if I was ever going to tell him, now would be the time to do it, especially since I didn’t know if I would make it back from my trip.

“I love you, Jackson.”

He brushed some hair out of my face and ran his fingers down my cheek. “Alexa…” He sighed. “I’ve always loved you.”

I left then, but I knew with absolute certainty that he really did.

Chapter Sixty-Nine

My next stop was a little farther away, and I ran to get there. I was still feeling pretty strong after drinking Kayden’s blood, but I knew that I would need to eat once I made it outside the walls.

When I reached Tommy’s house, I knocked on the front door, and to my surprise, he answered pretty quickly. He was fully dressed in his usual expensive attire, black dress pants and a blue button-down shirt that matched his eyes. He looked surprised to see me, but he immediately stepped to the side and gestured for me to enter.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, Alexa?”

I was thankful that he didn’t mention my swollen face. But Tommy was a Brocken Vampire, a fighter, so he was probably accustomed to seeing injuries among his friends.

“I need to ask for a favor,” I said, deciding to cut to the chase.

He smiled that easy smile of his. “Ah, and here I thought you just wanted to see me.” He paused, and then asked, “What do you need?”

I swallowed hard. “Your car.”

To my astonishment, he raised both eyebrows and said, “Okay, for how long?”

“I don’t know. A couple of days… or maybe a couple of months.”

He laughed at that. “Okay… Do I get to know where you will be taking it for a couple of months?’

I shook my head. “No.”

He shook his head in return and got up, disappearing into the other room. When he returned, he held out a set of keys to me. Then, he asked, “Do you have money?”

I had about four hundred dollars saved up from my school allowance. “Some,” I said.

He sighed and reached into the pocket of his slacks. Pulling out his wallet, he handed me a stack of hundred dollar bills. “Here,” he said, pushing the bills into my hands.

I hadn’t even really expected him to say yes about the car. I was almost speechless with shock and gratitude. “Um, thank you… Why are you so willing to help me, Tommy? You don’t even know what I’m going to do.”

He shrugged. “You’re my friend, Alexa. And you usually only do things that are meant to help other people, so why wouldn’t I help you?” He paused, and that sly grin appeared on his lips. “Besides, you know how I feel about you.”

I smiled and placed a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you so much, Tommy. I owe you big time, and I won’t forget that.”

He smiled again and pulled me to him, wrapping his arms around me. “Just try to bring the Mercedes back in one piece and we’ll call it even.”

I laughed. “I’ll do my best.”

I turned to go, but he called out to me. “Don’t you want to know where the exit is that will lead you to a road through the forest?”

I turned back and smiled. “Why, yes. Yes, I do.”

Chapter Seventy

I drove through the deserted streets of Two Rivers and headed to the exit in the wall where Tommy had directed me. The city was so quiet this time in the morning, and I glanced around me, taking time to acknowledge how beautiful the place really was. Each structure was unique, and every bit of lawn was manicured to perfection. The flowers and cherry blossom trees seemed to be bidding me farewell with their bright faces turned up to the sun.

Then I had to slam on the brakes, because there was someone standing in the middle of the street.

Well, not someone. Kayden.

He was staring through the windshield at me, as if he had been waiting for me to come. He walked around the side of the car and waited for me to unlock the door. I considered what to do. I could hit the gas and take off, denying him the chance to say whatever he was waiting to tell me. Or, I could unlock the door and hear what he had to say.

I unlocked the door. As much as I was still hurt by what he’d done to me, if I was being honest, I didn’t really want to leave without giving him a chance to explain himself. I supposed I could’ve just rolled down the window, and maybe my not doing so was a more of a subconscious message.

When he opened the door, though, he just folded himself into the passenger seat and sat staring straight ahead. I waited for several moments before saying, “What?”

He didn’t look at me, he just said, “Let’s go.”

I shook my head in confusion. “We’re not going anywhere.”

Kayden looked at me then, and the apology that had been in his eyes last night was still present this morning. To my astonishment he said, “You don’t want to go find your mother?”

I gasped. “What are you talking about?”

He gave me a look that said stupid question. With a sigh, he said, “We’ve shared blood, Alexa, and whether you want to accept it or not, you’re my Warrior. I felt the summons to the gate last night, just as you did.”

I hated that his words made my heart flutter, his Warrior. I rubbed my face with my hands. This could not be happening. “Then, you saw everything?”

He nodded. “And I’m not going to let you do this on your own, so you can either let me come with you, or you can make things difficult and force me to follow you the whole way.”

I stared straight out the windshield. “Get out, Kayden.”

He sat there for so long I almost thought I’d have to tell him again, but finally, he opened the door and stepped back out into the street. As I started forward again, I snuck a glance at him in the rearview mirror. He still stood there, staring at the back of Tommy’s car as I increased the distance between us. As I rounded a corner, out of sight at last, I shoved thoughts of Kayden to the back of my head, right along with everyone else.

Chapter Seventy-One

When I made it to the gate, I discovered it was guarded. I’m not sure why I hadn’t expected this, and I hoped that there wasn’t some rule that prevented citizens from leaving Two Rivers whenever they felt like it. If so, I might not be going anywhere. I could always try and knock the guard unconscious, but then I would have a short time period to figure out how to lower the gate myself to cross the river.

I pulled up to the gate and stopped at the small guard station that was positioned to the side of it. The guard leaned down as I rolled down my window. It was Gavin. I wasn’t sure if this was a good thing or not.

“Giving up already, Warrior?”

I shook my head. “I don’t give up on anything that’s important… but I need you to lower the gate for me. I have some things I have to go take care of.” I hoped that sounded convincing.

To my surprise, Gavin winked. “Will you be coming back?”

“If I’m lucky.”

“Then, good luck, Warrior. I look forward to your return.” Then he lowered the gate.

Before I could pull forward, he said, “Don’t forget what you saw here, Alexa.”

At the sound of my name, I smiled, though I’m sure there was more sadness in it than anything else. “I won’t forget what I left here.”

Gavin gave me a genuine smile then, and though it was a little lopsided due to the scar that ran down the side of his face, it was the first real smile I had seen from anyone in what seemed like weeks.

So, I left. I left Two Rivers. I left everyone behind. Everyone I loved and cared about—to go on what might be a suicide mission. It had occurred to me though, that if my mother really was alive and at Dangeon, then the queen had deliberately lied to me about her death. This made me wonder what else was a lie at Two Rivers. I could only hope that I was the one who would be in danger by leaving, not the people I’d left behind.

The End…. For now.

About H.D. Gordon

H.D. Gordon is the bestselling author of The Alexa Montgomery Saga and a paranormal thriller entitled Joe. She is a lifelong reader and writer, a true lover of words. When she is not reading or writing she is raising her two daughters, playing a little guitar and spending time with her family. She is twenty-four years old and lives in the northeastern United States..

Connect with H.D. Gordon:

Website: http://hdgordon.com/

Twitter: http://bit.ly/1qLHuIW

Facebook

Goodreads

RIVULET

By

Jamie Magee

Copyright © 2012 by Jamie Magee

Edited by Todd Barslow

Cover Art Emma Michaels

For the dear friend that showed me how passionate fire signs could be, Chancey Shae Pickard.

And to my baby brother, Joseph Brady, for teaching me to respect fire, for showing me how courageous fireman have to be. Your bravery is unprecedented.

Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable.

Bruce Lee

Other Books by Jamie Magee

All series mingle at some point creating a “web of hearts and souls”

Insight (Book 1)

Embody (Book 2)

Image (Book 3)

Image (Book 3)

Vital (Book 4)

Vindicate (Book 5)

Enflame (Book 6)

Blakeshire

See (Book 1)

Witness (Book 2)

Synergy (Book 3)

Redefined (Book 4)

Derive

Imperial

Where To Find Jamie Online:

http://authorjamiemagee.blogspot.com

Facebook

Twitter

Tumblr

News Letter

Chapter One

When death shadows your path, you only have one viable defense—adrenaline. All the rage, panic, and jealousy coursing through my veins vanished instantly. There was no room for such emotions. There was no choice between fight and flight—I’ve always been a fighter.

The light was blinding, but that was nothing compared to the piercing sound of the train’s whistle that was bellowing through my body. I braced my arms on the dash, knowing there was nowhere to turn, no way to stop.

Out of sheer instinct, Wilder turned the wheel sharply, which rapidly plowed us through the brush that surrounded the frozen lake. The ice carried the wheels of the car so far out onto the lake that turning back was not an option.

Gavin’s truck, which was just behind us, had followed our path onto the ice. The only way to go was straight ahead toward the manor, but that was a foolish mistake.

Seconds later, just before the hood of the car, I saw the darkness spider web across the pristine blue of the ice, and the frozen lake opened wide, swallowing us whole.

The shock of the cold water never registered to me as I struggled to undo my seatbelt.

Once I was free, I reached for Wilder, who was already loose. He leaned back in his seat and lunged his long legs at the windshield, trying to give us both a way out, but before he could break the glass Gavin’s truck landed on us with a sickening thud.

The added weight caused us to sink faster than before, and now the icy water was seeping over our necks. Wilder was so cold that he couldn’t think—he couldn’t move. I swam over the seat and angled myself so I could kick out the back window. It took me three tries, but finally I forced it open.

Wilder was gone, completely unconscious. I positioned my arm under his shoulders and pulled him with every ounce of my strength. He was almost too broad to fit through the window. The jagged glass scraped his arm—the pain from the gash shocked him awake. I heard him scream under the water as I thrust him forward then followed, finding air with the next beat of my heart.

After a second of thought, I realized that when I swam by Gavin’s truck it was upside down; I knew they were either hurt or trapped because no one had broken through the surface of the frozen lake. I had to go back. I had to save them.

“Indie, no!” Wilder screamed at me, but I didn’t bother to argue or even hesitate.

I dove into the water, pushing through the blocks of ice. Wilder was behind me, swimming faster than I could.

The dark color of crimson was escaping out through the windows of the overturned truck.

Wilder started to kick out the passenger side window as I swam down to the crevasse where our car met theirs. The back window was buckled. It only took one kick to break my way through.

Wilder had broken through and was pulling Cadence out; she was the one that was bleeding. Gavin was awake and struggling with Wilder to rescue her.

I wrestled with Sophia’s seatbelt; just when I got it loose, the truck began to fall to the side, losing its balance on our car. I pushed Sophie out just before the car tumbled in the water, trapping Mason and me.

The tumble knocked him out cold, but it also crumbled the windshield, giving us a faster escape than I could have hoped for. I took my scarf off and looped it under his arms, then I pulled, kicked and fought my way past the massive blocks of ice, wanting air – wanting survival, wanting death to leave me be tonight.

It was as if the lake were demanding a sacrifice, payment for breaking the peace it had before we lost control and broke through her barriers.

I climbed and climbed, pulling the weight of Mason with me, careful not to let the ice hurt him anymore. It felt like a century later, but I broke the surface and sucked in the freezing night air.

My heart was pounding so hard that it was making me shake. I knew. I just knew I was too late, that somewhere in this battle with this lake I’d lost one, if not all, of my closest friends.

Each time I pushed the weight of Mason onto the ice, more broke away. He wasn’t going to be able to handle this water much longer—there was no way. I pushed forward, knowing the bank wasn’t far, which meant the ice would be thicker, stronger.

Behind me I could hear the thrashing of the water against the ice, the sound of death itself chasing me from this lake. Adrenaline was coursing through every inch of my body. It was my weapon at the moment, and my intent was to use it fiercely.

After the seventh attempt, I found ice that was strong enough to hold Mason. He groaned as I pushed him up, coughing out water.

I was exhausted, but I had to go back. I had to get my camera. It was my proof, my only proof, and I wasn’t going to give it up without a fight.

Just as I went to dive into the freezing lake once more, a blinding light stopped me and my hell vanished instantly.

“Indie, what the hell? Get down!” Cadence said in a harsh whisper.

My eyes were wide with shock. I couldn’t understand where I was or what had just happened. I gripped the side of the wide beams above my bedroom. I’d climbed almost twenty feet in the air, and I had no idea how I had managed to do that. My room was a disaster; bookshelves were turned over and lamps were shattered on the floor.

My heart was beating so fast that I couldn’t breathe. I could not understand how I was at death’s door one instant and perched up here the next. I tried to breathe, but no air would come. I kept seeing the ice, the water, the blood…that couldn’t have been a dream—could it? The last thing I needed was for my night terrors to return.

I glanced at the beam just beneath my hand to see ice growing. I clenched my teeth and thought of every word or image that resembled fire wanting to hide this dangerous curse.

My wrist began to burn, then warmth eased through my hand, my arm, and my body. In my mind, I heard a familiar, deep whisper echo, ‘I’ve got you, Love. I’m never going to let you go.’ I clenched my wrist; the black scarf that was wrapped there, it was my magic, my defense, and most importantly at that moment it was my sanity. Tiny rivulets of water appeared where the ice once was, evaporating just as they emerged. I let out a sigh, knowing I’d talked myself down once again, which was a miracle in and of itself considering how insanely my heart was beating—how out of control my emotions were.

Echoing footsteps made their way down the hall, and that did nothing but make my alarm grow. I could see my breath and feel the ice coming back. Focusing on the fire burning within the scarf, the warm sensation, was my only hope. One beat later, the fog of my breath vanished, along with ice on the beam holding me in the air.

“Freaking A,” Cadence said under her breath as she rushed around picking up lamps and scattered books, trying to make the room look less violent.

Mrs. Rasure opened our bedroom door one beat later. She pulled her black robe tightly closed; her blazing red hair marked by lines of silver reflected the anger in her cold, dark stare that found me peering down at her.

“Genevieve Indiana Falcon, what on Earth are you doing up there?” she scolded.

“I—um—I was. Cold,” I stammered, still not completely awake.

Mrs. Rasure took in the room, along with Cadence’s obvious shock and fear. “So you chose to climb the walls?” Her tone was icy and quick, just like always.

“Hot air rises,” I mumbled, letting my legs relax along the beam I was perched on.

“I see,” she said distantly. “If you choose to carry on with your wild ways, do so in another wing; your grandmother needs her rest.”

A glare was my instant response. Now I was wide-awake. This woman was evil. I was sure of it. I turned my body so my arms were holding the beam, then swung my legs to the edge of the bookcase and climbed down.

My emotions of rage and declared vengeance caused ice to form on the wood as I climbed down. I focused on the scarf and felt the fire there once more. I let out a small breath to ensure that there was no fog there; finding nothing odd, I placed one hand over my wrist and turned sharply to face my one and only mortal enemy.

“Mrs. Rasure, I have no wild ways, and I would appreciate it if you would leave my wing, my house, my life.” My tone was beyond polite, yet dripping sarcasm.

She grinned indifferently as Cadence came to my side. “Tell me why after seven years you still choose to use my proper name. I’m your aunt, your family. Your well-being is my first priority.”

Every curse word I knew was racing through my mind as I smiled graciously at the woman who had invaded my family so long ago.

“That is how my mother introduced you to me. She never advised me to call you differently.”

Mrs. Rasure tilted her head and let her eyes smile innocently. “Considering that she was not your real mother and that she has long since passed away, I will ask you once more to call me Aunt Celia.” She let her words settle, then crossed her arms. “I received a call from the attorney. He was somewhat surprised that you listed seventy-seven siblings and that each of them had written a letter on your behalf. He asked if there was any family that was not listed that he should expect correspondence from. Of course, I told him that he was lacking seven, but considering they had passed away, I advised him not to list them…that it might damage your delicate state of mind.”

Cadence gripped my arm, trying to tell me to calm down, but I didn’t care to hear her warning.

“Listen to me,” I said flatly. “You can throw every lawsuit you want at me, you can dig up any past you want—but let me be clear: this is my house, and you are not welcome. And if you intend to dig up my past I will gladly dig up yours.”

She smirked as her dark eyes inched over me to the tattoo on my shoulder that had seven unique flowers across a vine, one to represent each of those that I’d lost, my parents and five of my sisters. Her gaze moved to my wrists, one layered with watches and handmade bracelets and the other where my scarf was. She could not stand my appearance and often let her disapproving gaze state as much. “Why on Earth would you think that I would have a past that would need to be researched?”

“You’re a gold-digger. We both know that,” I seethed.

“It breaks your uncle’s heart when you say such things…” She stepped forward and slowly circled Cadence and me. As she passed by my ear, she whispered, “A gold-digger is the least of my crimes.”

My emotions went wild, and my breath became a fog once more. I gripped my wrist, feeling the burn come back to me, feeling the courage to push my justifiable emotions deep down inside of my soul.

After she circled Cadence, she stopped in front of us and glanced at my wrist. “If you want to be an heiress, act like one. Lose your rags, your wild friends, that little coffee bar you love so much, and go to school for a real degree. Otherwise, leave my house and return when you understand what ‘class’ means. When you become the daughter your mother thought you could be.”

She turned to walk toward the doorway. At the threshold, she stopped and looked back. “Stop acting like the trash she found in her garden.” And with that, she smirked and left the room.

I stood frozen with rage. Cadence rushed to the thick oak door that led to our room and shut it. She grazed her hands through her long strawberry blonde hair, then let her head fall. “The night terrors are back,” she said in a hushed whisper.

I had more than a few odd flaws, and not being able to lie clearly was one of them. My silence has always been my lie. If I didn’t answer a direct question that meant that the truth was more than I could say or admit.

I didn’t want to admit that on the inside I was damaged, that I could never dream when I was asleep, that the only real dreams I have ever had were the terror I just had…and the one I had just before I lost my family.

When I didn’t respond, she turned and wrapped her arms around her petite body. Her faint freckles along her high cheekbones were made apparent by the blush that surfaces when she’s angry. “What else is back? Are the illusions back?”

“She’s not an illusion,” I said under my breath, knowing she was talking about my friend Skylynn, the one who’d given me this scarf, the one that had brought me back from the brink of insanity so long ago. “And she never left. I just stopped talking about her.”

I turned to walk to the edge of my bed that was centered before a massive window. I collapsed on the edge and held my head in my hands. A beat later I reached for the small pillow on the bed, the one embroidered with a flaming ‘F’; when I touched it, if I let my mind carry me away, my mother would appear. I would see her holding this pillow as she sat at the end of my bed and listen to me tell her about my day. She would smile warmly, eagerly, as I told her every secret I knew. This was a memory. A memory locked within that pillow, one that I could call forth at any time.

That was one of my other odd flaws. I never dreamed when I was asleep, but when I was awake, if I touched something that belonged to me, belonged to someone I loved, these vivid images would appear around me; ghostly images carrying an echo of a lost past. A past that was rich within the manor I was raised in, a past that I dare say I was madly in love with.

I have been told by more specialists than I could remember that I never really reached or stayed in a dreaming state at night, so my mind produced these memories, these images, as a way of locking my memories in place.

I would have believed them if it weren’t for the fact that when I touched really old items, items that this manor was filled with, I saw images from a past that I could not have possibly been old enough to witness. I have personally watched the most epic love affair of all time within these walls. A love affair that I could feel in nearly every room. The images of the past were so vivid that at times I spent more time staring into the past, to a love that could never happen again, rather than living my own life. I was obsessed with this manor. Obsessed with each memory locked away within it.

A few beats later, I felt Cadence sit down next to me. “Freaking fantastic,” she uttered under her breath.

Cadence was the last foster child my parents had the privilege of taking in and later adopting. My parents, by all means, were philanthropists. They both came from old money, money that would take centuries to spend. A year after they were married, they opened their home and became foster parents. At all times, there were no fewer than seven children in their massive home. I guess you would call them children; most them were fourteen or older, kids that just needed one break, one chance at a real life. Each of them left my parent’s nest with infinite love in their hearts, a solid education, and the means to change the world—or even create one of their own. Before my parents died, they had changed eighty-four lives…they had changed the world and had planned to save so many more.

I was the only one they adopted at birth, and that was by fate itself. On a cold winter night almost twenty-one years ago, my mother woke from a dead sleep. She thought she heard screaming. She rushed outside in the snow thinking that one of her children was hurt somewhere on the grounds.

In the snow, she found my birth mother, she found me, minutes old...the second my mother cradled me in her arms, tucking me in her coat, my birth mother breathed her last breath. She died without ID, without any evidence of who she was or even how she had made it on the grounds of this manor. It was as if she appeared only to give me life.

When I was fourteen, they adopted Cadence. She never had a chance to get to know them the way I did; they died three months later. Cadence was safe with us, though; my parents had the foresight to assign my grandmother as the primary guardian over the two of us. My uncle Jamison was the secondary, with which I had no issue. My only issue was that he married a gold-digger, and right after he did I lost my family. I’ll never forget the look on Mrs. Rasure’s face when the police escorted me in the manor, telling her that I’d survived, that I wasn’t on that boat. I saw right through her fake grief. That day, our war officially began. That was the last day I had a night terror.

Chapter Two

Flashes of the worst day of my life rushed through my thoughts. Without fail, when I wanted to feel my mother’s embrace or my father’s words of wisdom, my mind would take me back to the last time I saw them.

My parents fostered a strong belief that you must face the demons of your past in order to move on. Often, once they took in a child, broke them from their shell, and helped them find what made them special, they would set up a meeting with their birth parents, allow them to talk through the shattered memories and mend their broken hearts.

These meetings were always a surprise, and that surprise had a dual purpose for each of the Falcon children. One was to teach us that our past could surface at any given moment, and when it did we had to face it with open arms. The second was to teach us that literally anything could happen at any moment and that learning to react calmly to those unexpected moments would teach us never to fumble through life.

I’d seen the act enough times to know that when they planned a day at sea on one of my father’s boats, more than likely one of my sisters would meet someone from their past. I just didn’t think it was me.

No evidence of either my birth mother or father was ever discovered, but my mother was relentless and wanted to give me some kind of closure, some kind of peace. The morning we were to set sail, we were all at breakfast at a little restaurant near the docks. Cadence was terrified of going out on the boat and was begging not to go aboard. I was teasing her, telling her that we were all born to die, not to fear it…then I heard someone behind me say, “I’ve heard that line before.” I turned to see a young woman with long blonde hair and an innocent smile.

Turned out that a private investigator my parents had hired found her. Years before, she had filed a missing persons report on a friend of hers; she only knew her first name and offered a brief description that matched my mother.

All of my foster siblings were given the chance to see their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, but no such people could be found for me. This woman, who knew my mother for all of nine months, was the only connection I had to a sealed, and presumably lost, past.

I stared at that woman, completely speechless. I can still feel my mother’s arm go around me. “This is your day, baby,” she whispered to me.

My grandmother stayed on shore to watch over this meeting. Nerves had gotten the best of Cadence; after she got sick, Mom and Dad decided to let her stay on shore with us, too.

Side by side with my grandmother standing behind us, we waved as our perfectly flawed family boarded the boat.

I remembered thinking that I should stop them, that I should go with them, ask this lady who had come to see me to go along, too. I told myself this was the beginning of my night terrors; I was happy and safe one minute, and the next I was all alone, running from an evil that promised to destroy me.

My mother thought the night terrors meant that I was afraid a dark past would come for me one day; that was why she was so urgently insistent on finding anyone from my past, anyone who could help ease my fears and allow me to feel at home, truly at home. My father had tried to help me overcome them by telling me to stop, turn, and face my demons. He told me they may not even be as terrifying as I thought, that in my dream I could simply be running from my own fear.

I knew if I chased after them, they would both tell me to stay with that lady, that this was my only cure for the terrors that had tormented me for months before that moment.

We never saw them again. Hours later, the Coast Guard was called out to a craft in distress alarm. They found a burning boat that was halfway under water…and no survivors. I lost five sisters and two angels that I called Mom and Dad that day.

My parents were right about one thing: the terrors did stop that day—they stopped because they became my life. I was alone and running from the evil that Rasure was.

I didn’t learn much from that lady they arranged for me to meet. Her name was Megan—I think. My birth mother had leased out a studio apartment attached to her home. She’d paid in cash, leaving no paper trail. Megan said my mother never had any guests or talked about anyone. That she was quiet, beautiful, loved to read, loved music, and more than anything photography. Megan only filed the report out of curiosity. My birth mother vanished, leaving the next three months worth of rent on the nightstand next to her camera. Megan just wanted to make sure she was okay, but she never found her answer.

To this day, I will swear that Mrs. Rasure had something to do with that boating accident. She was too shocked at how Cadence and I had survived. She demanded that we have immediate counseling and fought my grandmother at every turn on how to raise us. The paperwork to add Cadence to my parent’s will was never complete, so I was the sole heir to the majority of their assets.

My inheritance was supposed to be given to me at eighteen, but my grandmother had a stroke three months before my birthday. Mrs. Rasure convinced a judge that my grandmother was not of sound mind and had him grant power of attorney over me to my Uncle Jamison. One day before my eighteenth birthday, she filed against me, stating I was too young and unbalanced to be given my inheritance. The judge enforced a clause in the will that pushed the time back until I reached the age of twenty-one, which was now weeks away.

For the past year, Mrs. Rasure had pulled every stunt in the book. She even hired a private investigator to follow me; her argument was that I was still mentally unbalanced, captivated by my grief, and that it was affecting my sleep, my judgment. She claimed I was rebellious and would not only lose my inheritance but also destroy my family name. Her goal was to freeze my trust until I was thirty or married. I was sure that the age of thirty was another clause in the will, but the marriage was all her idea. She knew that I was the last person on Earth that would be able to stomach the confinement of committing to anyone, but by proposing that compromise she managed to paint herself in the light of a concerned relative.

Cadence let out a deep breath. “Okay…I’m not going to argue that Skylynn is or is not real; just tell me about the night terror.”

I had told her more than once how my last one came true in its own way. I didn’t want to tell her that I would lose them all this time. I had to make sure this dream didn’t come true.

Maybe I could ask Skylynn to watch out for all of them, not just me. Skylynn—my phantom friend. I pulled back the scarf that was folded into a wide bracelet on my arm to see the scar that was no more than a centimeter long.

Grief was my demon when I met Skylynn. I was a lost kid who didn’t think she had the right to live, that she could possibly be the last child of the Falcons.

One dark night, I walked out in the snow, tired of fighting with my thoughts, with my odd curse…the one that caused my breath to turn to fog, that would freeze anything or anyone if I let it. I thought I was a mutant that should have died at birth, that if I did, my family would still be alive.

Just as I took the knife to my wrist, Skylynn appeared. Literally, out of thin air. I can still remember how beautiful the snow looked as it fell on her long, lavender hair, how pure her blue eyes were, her innocent, pale skin. With a glance from her, the knife in my hand flew across the woods, stabbing a distant tree. I thought I’d officially had the psychotic break that Mrs. Rasure had predicted I would have at any moment. Either that or I had touched something, unlocked some vivid memory, a ghost from the past.

Skylynn dropped to her knees in front of me, staring eye-to-eye with a wide gaze. “I know you were not about to take your life—right?” she said coolly.

“I was born here. In the snow. In death. I just want to go home,” I said with a quiver.

“Tell me why,” she said with a sternness that demanded my fourteen-year-old mind’s attention.

It took me a moment to formulate the words that I’d never spoken aloud, words that only my parents and grandmother knew to be true; they never asked me to keep it a secret, but they never forced me to face this particular demon. “I’m a freak. When I let my emotions surface, I freeze everything. Literally. I can’t hide this anymore; they think I’m insane. They want my home, and they can have it because it’s too empty for me.”

Skylynn glanced back at the manor, then to me again. “This is your home?”

I nodded once.

“Tell me when you were born—what day?” she demanded.

“Today.”

“On the winter solstice?” she questioned.

I looked at her like she was insane. “On the twenty-first of December.”

What was odd was that my birthday, where I lived, seemed to be more of a shock to her than what I just confessed.

She took my hands and stared into my eyes. “Feel.”

I shook my head no with a panic. “I’ll hurt you.”

“No, you won’t. Feel.”

I had no choice. It was as if my soul had been waiting on that command. I let it all out. All the grief I’d held in, all the emotions that I knew would give away my freakishness. I let the breathless tears flow, and it did nothing to her—no ice, and no evidence whatsoever of my curse.

That went on for hours. It was as if the weight of the world were lifted from me.

“What is your name?” she finally asked me.

“They call me Indie.”

That made her smile for some odd reason.

“What else can you do, Indie?” she whispered.

I almost told her, but I held back.

“Tell me,” she urged.

“I…sometimes if I touch something old, sometimes I see things…like memories…they look like ghosts.”

“Some might be,” she said so softly that I wasn’t sure I heard her right. “Do you want to know why?” she asked gently.

My pleading gaze begged for an answer.

“You see your memories, you see your past. That is a gift, Indie, nothing to be ashamed of. If you can see that lingering energy, those memories, then you very well may be able to see some ghosts—but do not fear it. Anyone in the glow of what you see is at peace. They are only reaching for one last goodbye.”

“You sound like my mother,” I mumbled, thinking maybe this girl was an angel sent by her. My mother used to hand me random things and ask me to tell her a story; it was her way of telling me that I should enjoy my odd trait of dreaming while awake, of seeing memories that could not all have been mine so vividly that I could never forget them.

I didn’t agree with my mother, though. Because of the way I was, I had a phobia about losing anything that belonged to me, anything that belonged in this house. I thought if I lost those items that I would forevermore lose the memories.

“If you are who I think you are, you never knew your mother. You were born in the veil. You are very special.”

“What do you know about my mother?” I said through gritted teeth, feeling the abandonment that had haunted me for as long as I could remember.

“Nothing…but I’ve heard of you.”

“You’ve heard of a freak that can freeze people?” I said with a sneer.

“That’s a side effect.”

“Of what?” I asked, brushing away the tears that were freezing to my skin.

Skylynn gazed into the distance, then slowly let her eyes meet mine. “Evil is cold, and those that stand in its presence tremble; they cannot think to fight, they cannot see their victory. You can withstand the cold, you can stand in the presence of evil and fight with a clear mind; your soul is forevermore protected by the death you were born in. You are connected to your past, and your visions will unlock a life plan for you. One way or another, your mind will unlock those memories for you…for now, it’s with a touch.”

I swallowed nervously. “Listen, you are the result of a psychotic break. You’re not real. I’m a freak. I can’t do this anymore.”

“I’m just as real as you are,” she assured me, sounding somewhat offended.

“And you just appeared here for no reason. Flung my knife with a thought. Can withstand my touch without trembling. I may be insane, but at least I’m very aware of that fact.”

She smirked. “Sane people are rather boring, if you ask me.” She hesitated then let out a sigh. She reached in her pocket and pulled out a small black scarf and placed it in my hand.

The moment it touched my skin, I felt warmth for the first time; I felt my heart pound in my chest. Two fast beats. Two beats that caused me to feel alive for the first time ever. That thrill ignited the most rapid heartbeat I’ve ever felt in my life. To this day, it is unmatched. I felt the sensation of a first kiss and thousands of other emotions that my youth could not or should not have been able to comprehend. It was a breathless surge of energy. A deep whisper echoed in my mind, ‘I’ve got you, Love. I’m never going to let you go.’

I saw flashes of my home, but the land around it was different. I heard my laugh; I felt strong arms around me as I fell in the snow. I felt bliss, I felt claimed. It was the strongest vision I’d ever seen, one I wanted to hold forever deep inside of me, never let go.

“What do you see?” she asked with a tremble. It was clear to me that she was hoping she was wrong about me, but my instant reaction had proved her theories to be on point.

“This is my home,” I whispered, unable to explain that what I felt was so much more powerful.

She nodded once. “What do you feel?”

A blushing smile came to the corners of my lips. “Warmth.”

Skylynn took in a sharp breath. “Okay,” she said as she carefully tied the scarf around my wrist. She whispered words, and a gleaming blue light surrounded it, then vanished. “This is not mine, and I will need it back one day, but for now it will keep you safe. It will keep the cold at bay, allow you to hide that side effect.”

“Who does it belong to?” I asked with a quake in my voice. I doubted I could stand in their presence. The energy was so powerful that it elevated me to a level that was out of my control. It was breaking me free from the cage I’d put my soul in, and I wasn’t sure I was brave enough to step out of that cage at the ripe old age of fourteen.

“That doesn’t matter right now…never take this off…water will bead off it. No flame will burn it. I trust this with you. I do not trust many.”

“It will hide the ice?” I asked, not caring that I was feeding into the illusion of the moment.

Her blue eyes sparkled. “Nothing is strong enough to suppress any soul’s emotions, but it will help you control them. I’ll help you with the rest. No one will ever hurt you. This is your home. You belong here.”

Over the years, Skylynn never aged a day, but I grew into the young woman I am now. She was always there, popping in and out right when I needed her.

When I was forced to face a psychologist or judge, she was at my side, feeding words into me. Thanks to her, Mrs. Rasure was never able to lock me away, take me from my home.

My only problem was that my best friend, who happened to be my foster sister Cadence, could not see her; no one could. I stopped trying to prove she was real when I was sixteen.

That was when I met Mason, my brown-eyed daredevil of a friend. The thought of him in that dream made me shiver. I could not lose him, any of them.

Cadence was waiting patiently for me to answer her question. When I didn’t, she repeated it. “What else is back besides the night terrors, besides Skylynn?”

I stood up quickly and began to pace. “I told you, she’s not back; she has always been here.”

“Is she here now?” Cadence gasped. That was her way of saying she was going to let me have my little imaginary friend for now.

“No,” I said under my breath, wishing she were.

“Night terrors are brought on by stress and anxiety. We both know Rasure has caused both. Tell me about the dream. I already know the ice is back.”

I felt my skin blush with fevered embarrassment. Cadence was one of four people beyond Skylynn that knew about that curse—that had seen it in action.

“It just showed itself because I was freaked out. I couldn’t have suppressed those emotions if I had all the will in the world.”

“No joke. One second you say, ‘Let’s go to bed early tonight and catch up on sleep,’ and an hour later you’re climbing the walls, gasping for air. Dreams are symbolic. Talk to me about it.”

Cadence was three years deep into a psychology degree and took every chance she got to exercise her relatively recently acquired wealth of knowledge. She had no dreams of unraveling troubled minds. Her minor was in theater; she wanted to be an actress, Broadway, and she was good enough to reach that dream. I envied that. I loved the theater, but I was gracefully clumsy, meaning I may stumble, but I keep walking. Instead of finding my way on stage, I would find a way to direct, and when I couldn’t do that I would capture the moment in still shots, on film.

“I don’t know. I was mad, jealous or something. Wilder was driving; you, Mason, Gavin and Sophia were behind us. A train came—we had to dodge out of the way. The next thing I knew, we were in the lake, I was pulling all of you out…”

As I spoke the dream to life, I realized how it didn’t make any sense, how unlikely it was for the lake behind our home to be frozen over in the first place.

“All right,” Cadence said to herself. “So you had a dream that you and all of your almost’s drowned.”

“Almost lovers? Seriously? You and Sophia were there.”

“Right. And Gavin and me are on the outs. I don’t ever think we were on the ins. Sophia told you she had a thing for Mason, and Wilder is back in town. The dream makes sense.”

“No, it doesn’t,” I muttered. I hated how she never let me forget that at one time I tried to be more than friends with two of my best friends. It never took us long to figure out that I could only be friends with them, that I could not or would not commit, and we went back to being best friends. At times, I thought that infuriated Cadence. She thought I should send them away, clean break. That having them around was fueling Rasure’s accusations that I was wild. She didn’t get it, though. I loved those boys. In my mind, they were a handpicked family that I didn’t think I could live without.

“You’re stressed out about how sick our grandmother is, that Rasure is up to something. You just need more rest, less caffeine. Some time alone.”

“Thanks, Mom,” I said through gritted teeth, knowing there was more to that dream. There was a game-changing danger ahead, and I knew it.

I could read that stare she was giving me without even meeting her eyes. If she was on the outs with Gavin, that meant she wanted me to keep my distance, obey some kind of girl code and take her side in a fight that I didn’t care to know about. I didn’t care because it wasn’t any of my business, and no matter what, I would still love them both.

I’d known Gavin since I was fifteen. We tried to be a couple more than a few times, mainly because we were always together, so it seemed to be the next logical step. I loved his mind, his imagination. He was a gifted writer, researcher. I would gaze into his steel blue eyes that were enhanced by his whitewashed hair and try and force myself to show him who I was deep down, but I never found the courage. Something always told me he knew the real me, though, that he knew that I was dealing with who I was the best I could and that forcing me out of my shell would be far too dramatic. Calm. Patience. That was Gavin.

Mason is my wild boy. His wavy brown hair matches his chocolate brown eyes. He has a grin that would make any girl melt.

I met him when I was sixteen. He was wild, free, had no boundaries. He was a daredevil, adrenaline junky, and talented musician. We spent our summers hiking, fishing, canoeing; anything that involved the wild outdoors, where walls didn’t exist. Mason had a way of bringing life to anything or anyone he was around. A breath of fresh air. A hint of freedom where it might not otherwise exist.

At some point, he and Gavin became best friends. I thought it was to torture me at first, but they balance each other. Mason inspires Gavin, and Gavin grounds Mason.

Wilder, he’s an entirely different story. A year and a half ago he surfaced in town. He was only passing through; he claimed he was visiting family, though I never met that family. I don’t know why, but a natural mental shield always seemed to surface when he was around. I was intrigued by him, enticed by him, but I was never real around him. Though he tried, to this day I doubt he has any clue what the real me is all about. Wilder made me forget the grief I was drowning in. The emotion would vanish when he was around. He was nothing more than a good friend and a vice for me. I hated to think that, and I doubt I would ever speak it, at least not to his face. His presence was powerful, seductive, downright alluring. I wanted to swim in those sensations, but…I didn’t want them to come from him. That doesn’t make sense; I realize that. I guess I just knew he wasn’t mine. Simple as that.

Wilder’s an artist. He can see anything once and paint it from memory. The entire left wall of my room is a mural he made for me, a scene that was the backdrop of our first kiss. The thought of that day still makes my stomach flip, and not in a good way. I’d dodged his advances for weeks and just happened to look up right when his lips were inches away. It felt wrong. So wrong. I gently pushed him away and tried to end us then, but he had a way of talking to me, a way to make me face my darkest emotion: grief. He had me convinced I felt guilty about being happy because I knew my family would never feel that way again. Slowly, he pushed us forward. Fearing that he was right about me, I let him draw me in. I’m sure he thought more than once that he was breaking through to me, but the truth was that I imagined someone else’s lips on mine. Someone that brought fire to my soul.

One time he even pulled away from me, pulling his fingers to his lips, as if he felt the burn there. The look he gave me was near anger. “You’re not here right now, are you?” he’d said.

We had the biggest fight ever on that day. He wanted me to tell him who I was seeing behind his back, wanted me to tell him why I was holding back, why I would not let him in. By the time it was over, I told him we were friends and nothing else. I stopped our relationship cold after only three kisses. They were not ordinary embraces. It was abundantly clear that Wilder had far more experience than me. Every movement of his lips was pure seduction—but once again, I wanted to feel that, just not from him.

He left town the next day. A week went by, and he texted me out of nowhere. We talked like nothing had ever happened between us and began the friendship we have now, one that is at a safe distance, so safe that I hadn’t even heard his voice in six months, only texts.

I was a coward. I knew that. But I wasn’t ready to deal with him, or anyone else in that capacity right now. I had far too much family drama to deal with.

Which meant I needed to find someone to distract Wilder for me.

“I think Sophia and Mason would make a good couple. I think he and Jewls are having issues again. Do you know anybody at school that would make sense with Wilder?” I said, sitting down next to Cadence.

“Seriously?” she said, cocking her eyebrow comically.

“What’s with that look?” I asked absentmindedly.

“You just baffle me sometimes. Wilder is not pushing himself on you. He sent one text telling you he was in town. What if he’s got a girl already?”

“Right. I bet he does,” I breathed, remembering his essence. I moved my head from side to side as my stomach flipped in the bad way again. I decided long ago that I was in love with the idea of Wilder, not Wilder himself, and that flippity-floppity feeling always proved my point.

“Why do you feel the need to match up your exes?” Cadence asked as her pale green eyes cascaded over me. She was playing the part of the psychologist again.

“I want them to be happy,” I said with a faint smile.

“To use your own words, you don’t have to be with someone to be happy. Those boys will go off and marry some girl, have a lot of kids—but Indie, they won’t forget you. You let them be themselves, helped them figure out who they are. They know you are special. They also know you are untamable.” She rolled her eyes. “No doubt, you are all going to be best friends for life.”

There was that hint again. If she and Gavin did actually split, I knew she would start dropping hints left and right that it was too hard on her to have him around. I needed to shut that idea down right now.

“I agree. I could never send Gavin out of my life, or Mason for that matter.”

“You had no issues sending Wilder away,” she rebutted.

“Nope.”

She playfully glared at me. She wanted all the juicy details about what went down between me and Wilder, but I never told her anything. And I wasn’t about to start now.

Cadence pointed to my wrist, to the scarf. “That scarf got in your way again, didn’t it? Or was it the North Wing?”

That right there was exactly why I would never tell her anything about me and any guy.

I confided in her years ago about images that I could see and whispers I could hear in my mind. Even though I was blushing with a warm excitement at the time, she managed to jerk me down into the cold reality by saying I had a crush on a ghost, someone that had been long gone and was clearly in love with another girl. She didn’t get it. And later when the images I would see in the North Wing became clearer, I kept that to myself.

I stood up. “Nope. There is no sense in making love work. It either does or it doesn’t. Two beats, or not two beats. It’s one of the few things in life that are black and white.”

“Two beats. That is your thing, not theirs,” she said so quietly that I could swear her tone was laced with jealousy. “You dodged the one guy that could have pulled you out of this grief you are fighting, for fear of what? You can’t possibly enjoy living life looking back. Like I said, you might need time alone. You dreamed of the death of everyone you hold close; that is the end of something, which means the birth of something better is coming.”

Coded conversation. She was pushing me to put distance between myself and Gavin, and I didn’t even care to know why; I was ending this banter.

Truth be told, she had commitment issues, too, but her exes didn’t set up camp in her life. Most of the time, they never spoke to her again. Not sure whose fault that was—I never pried into her life, and for the most part she did the same for me.

I briskly walked past her.

“Where are you going?”

“Darkroom.”

“It’s late.”

“I’m wide awake.”

Our room might as well have been an apartment. It was almost two thousand square feet, and it was supposed to be a study or some such thing, but we transformed it into something of our own. After we lost our family, neither of us could find the courage to sleep in separate rooms in this massive manor that was well over forty thousand square feet. Parts of the manor were over two hundred years old; others were newer. One wing was basically brand new, built ten years back by Mrs. Rasure—on my dime, I’m sure.

My darkroom was behind a bookcase in our room, down a winding stone stairway.

Photography has always held my interest, at least since that lady Megan gave me my birth mom’s camera. My only problem was that photography, if done correctly, captures emotions, and I can’t feel emotions because if I do—I freeze everything. I ruin the images.

Though I’d found several cameras that could withstand my touch, I hated the barrier I had, I hated that I needed help to bring the images to life the old fashioned way. I just wanted to feel something, someone, and not fear destroying it. I think that’s why theater was my second strongest interest. On the stage, you could be anyone for a moment, completely check out and become someone else. And when you became that person, you understood them and inevitably saw life differently from that point on. According to the guys, I was always on stage. The consummate actress.

They’d quickly figured out that the real Indie was deep inside, that when I was around them I became the girl they dreamed about—and when they acted on that, I couldn’t bear the lie anymore; I walked away in silence. They always followed, vowing to be my friend instead. At one time, I feared they were just waiting on the second act, waiting to see if the heroine would finally tell the hero who she was.

I had a few tables in here that held everything I needed to develop film, the old-fashioned way. Strings were crisscrossed throughout the room, holding the images I was working on.

On my desk was the camera that lady Megan had given me on that fateful day. I had never tried developing the film that was in it; I couldn’t bring myself to. I was sure it held images of my birth mother, but I didn’t want her image to cloud the memories of the woman who saved my life, who gave me a home.

What was even more terrifying was that I saw nothing when I touched that camera. That didn’t make sense to me because that was truly the only possession I had that connected me to my bloodline. So, it should be the only item in my life that birthed vivid images.

I knew in my dream that it was the camera I was going back for, that I was willing to die for.

I clenched my back teeth as I thought of the ice I had to swim past in that dream, how I couldn’t get Mason to the surface. I wondered why the one time I would need to create ice, I couldn’t. Why I couldn’t just dream like a normal person.

I reached for the camera, and with my touch it froze over; the entire table did. One lonely, angry tear came to the edge of my eye. I was losing control, right when I needed it.

I heard a familiar whisk of wind and turned to see Skylynn. She looked just as frazzled and confused as I did. I was starting to think she really was a figment of my imagination, a front I hid behind, and that front was crumbling like I was.

“Why are you here?” she asked in a tone that was full of bewilderment.

“This is my darkroom.”

“That is not what I mean. Why are you here? What happened?” she asked breathlessly.

I glanced back at the table. The ice was gone now, but that wasn’t odd. Usually, as soon as my touch left, the ice did, too. My gaze found hers. “I had a night terror—words with Rasure—a lot on my mind.”

“Night terror,” she said, angling her head down but letting her eyes hold my gaze. “Explain,” Skylynn said shortly, which was odd. She was usually so calm with me. I knew she had a fierce, protective temper laced with impatience, but it had never been directed at me.

“There is nothing to explain. I was in a car, a train came, and we dodged out of the way into the icy lake. I had to save my friends. I woke up in the rafters of my room after Cadence turned on a light.”

If Skylynn could have turned paler, she just did. “Listen,” she said, stepping closer. “I’m going to help you deal with this. I promise. But right now I have something else that I have to do.”

“Then why are you here?” I said as I turned away from her. She was in front of me before one beat had passed.

“I need that scarf.”

“Now? You need it now? Are you crazy? I almost froze the entire room in front of Rasure. I basically breathed out fog. She is looking for one thing to hold against me. I can’t give it to you.”

In that beat, the scarf was in her hands. I didn’t even feel her touch my skin or see her move. I did feel something, though: emptiness. I felt hollow, lost.

“I told you I needed that!” I bellowed.

“And I told you that I did, that it was not mine to give. Listen to me. I will be back. I will protect you.”

“Knock knock,” I heard Mason say from the stairwell, beats before he appeared.

When he landed on the bottom step, I was astonished to see his chocolate eyes meet Skylynn’s, then move to me. “Am…I interrupting something?” he asked with a boyish smirk as he looked over Skylynn once more.

Skylynn sighed. “Some dream you had there, Indie,” she breathed. She glanced back at me. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” And with that, she vanished.

“Skylynn!” I yelled after her, still feeling the emptiness that surfaced when she took that scarf away. I circled in place, calling her name, demanding that she appear again.

Mason was at my side instantly, pulling me to his chest.

“So that was the elusive Skylynn,” he said as he caressed my short blonde hair.

“You really did see her,” I whispered tearfully, pulling his lean body closer to me, gripping him for dear life.

Chapter Three

Mason didn’t shiver as my touch all but froze him. Instead, he pulled me closer, finally urging me to the oversized floral couch that was along the side wall, the place where I would lie and think for hours.

Besides Cadence, he was the only one I’d let down here, the only one who understood how private this room was to me.

“I don’t understand why you saw her now and never before,” I said to him, catching his gaze as his hand moved across my back.

“Maybe she didn’t want me to see her before. I caught her off guard,” he said, smoothly leaning back and inviting me into his embrace. “I never doubted she was real…” he promised with a murmur.

I reached for the blanket on the arm of the couch and pushed it between us in a vain attempt to shield him from my freezing touch.

His eyes smiled painfully at me. “I like the cold…always have.”

I let my exhausted stare fall to the floor as I leaned away from him. “I thought you and Jewls were on again?” He wasn’t coming on to me. He hadn’t dared to do that since we were sixteen. Nevertheless, I wanted to move the conversation on to him and his life instead of mine. I didn’t want to think about the reasons he never minded the cold.

He pulled me back against him. “On, off…I can’t tell the difference. I wasn’t hitting on you, Indie. I really do like the cold. It reminds me of…well, you know what it reminds me of.”

I felt a blush spread across my pale skin.

“On again, off again Jewls knows you’re here?” I asked, trying to change the subject once again.

“Maybe. She knows Gavin and I were out tonight. Your house is usually what ‘out’ means for Gavin.”

“Apparently, not lately. And don’t play coy with me. Cadence called the two of you and told you about the night terror. You’re supposed to come down here and act like you are giving them room to talk and in the meantime dig inside my head and make sure I’m okay—and if Jewls isn’t working out, Sophia told me she had a thing for you today.”

I heard him breathe a grin, and felt his arm tighten around my waist. I wanted to tell him to hold me tighter, to do something, anything, to fill the void I was feeling now that Skylynn had stripped me of the one thing that had kept me sane all these years.

“Okay, so maybe he called her, and maybe she told him you had a run-in with the queen of evil right after climbing the ceiling like a mad woman. And maybe we were only a mile away and decided to swing by for a nightcap. They still need to talk, and I still like hiding in this darkroom.”

When I didn’t respond, he leaned me back so he could look into my eyes. “Is it Wilder? Is he pushing you?”

“No, he learned the hard way about that last fall.”

“Which led to him vacating town,” he said, raising his brow to emphasize his point. “I was really rooting for the guy.” His grin spread across his deceivingly innocent face, meaning he wasn’t at all rooting for him. He always said Wilder didn’t sit well with him, but he could never tell me why. Mason kept Wilder close anyway, surely trying to figure out what it was about him that he didn’t trust.

“Yeah. He told me you gave him tips—starting with the Halloween mask,” I muttered as I thought of the day that happened.

When I’d broken it off with both Mason and Gavin, stopped it before it became too serious, they both asked me why, and I told them it was because I couldn’t feel the beats, that I wanted to feel two rapid beats in one. I wanted to feel that burn of life on the inside of me, the one I felt when Skylynn gave me my scarf, the one I felt in the North Wing. I told them that I wanted them to feel that for someone.

To be funny, when Wilder started to ask about me, when he was trying to find a way to introduce himself to me for the first time, Gavin and Mason told him to wear a mask, catch me off guard.

Of course, they were hiding outside my window, the one Wilder was perched on outside my bedroom. When the laughter stopped and I found my breath again, they asked me how many beats right as Wilder pulled his mask off. When my gaze met his, I wanted nothing more than to feel those beats. I didn’t, but like a fool I did try.

I was afraid Wilder was back in town to force me to try again. I didn’t want it to get ugly between us. I’d had enough permanent goodbyes in my life, and I had vowed not to add to that list if I could help it. I knew it would only take one word from me to cause Mason and Gavin to ask him to leave again. No doubt, Gavin shared Mason’s lack of trust when it came to Wilder. That hurt me, too. Wilder didn’t deserve to be an outsider, and that is exactly what I made him out to be.

“I heard he met someone. Not sure how solid that is,” Mason said under his breath as his hands danced across my back, reminding me of how awesome his touch had always felt. It was never forceful, and it seemed to hum to the music that was in him, the music he loved to play.

Without warning, my breath turned to fog. He leaned me back once more, pulling my chin up so my eyes were inches from his, which made my heart race.

“What?” I said in a foggy gasp.

“I just wanted to watch them change,” he whispered as his fingertips delicately traced my jawline.

My eyes were like Cadence’s, a pale green, but when my curse surfaced they turned deep blue, the color of ice.

“One day, someone is going to push past this cold, and when they do you will see that it was nothing more than a wall keeping you from being happy.”

“I am happy. I have the pleasure of calling the four most amazing people I have ever met my best friends.”

“And three of them are your exes,” he said with a smirk.

“That makes me a bad person, doesn’t it? Keeping all of you in my life?”

“‘Keeping? Good luck kicking us out.”

He held out my arm so it would catch the dim light of the room. Along my shoulder and a few spots down my arm were bruises.

“What did you do?” he said with a gasp, sitting me up so he could see my other arm.

“I don’t know. Maybe climbing the bookcase,” I muttered.

“You may walk into things or stumble now and again, but you never bruise. Not like this.”

That was an inside joke. Every dare he gave me in the great outdoors, I matched and usually not gracefully. But I would never show a mark on my body. He would joke that that was a good thing, that someone might take him as a violent boyfriend if we came out of the woods with all the bruises I should have had.

“It was a wicked dream. I’ve never fought that hard for anything,” I said under my breath. “God, I’m so selfish. I couldn’t lose you and stay sane.”

“No one is going anywhere,” he promised.

“That is what my mom said the last time I had a night terror. She was wrong. I wish she was right, but she was wrong. I’m terrified. Rasure is going to do something to me—she is going to make sure I’m utterly alone.”

“I’m not scared of her. Neither is Gavin. You’re fine. We’re not going anywhere.”

“How fair is that to you? The both of you? You have your own lives to live. I shouldn’t be so dependent on you.”

He reached for my head and moved it from side to side.

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to see if you bumped your head during that climb.”

I elbowed him. Even though he was teasing me, there was truth behind his words. I’d always told them I was independent, that I didn’t need anyone, and now I was saying the opposite. I was facing one of my many demons and being honest with myself.

He laid me down along the couch and tucked himself against me. His eyes tenderly smiled at me. “We were each other’s first,” he whispered as his hand clenched my side. “I would be a liar if I didn’t admit that in distant, random daydreams, the thought of us being each other’s last has not crossed my mind, but I’m not a fool either. I know what we had was fleeting, and in its wake I found one of the best friends I could ask for. I don’t mind the cold, Indie, and if you ever just need to be held, you call me. You’re not going to lose me. Tell your nightmare to go to hell.”

I held my breath, then said, “I’m the reason you and Jewls are having so many problems.”

He adjusted the blanket, pushing it between us and around me at the same time. “I want a girl who is sure of herself, who knows no boundaries. If Jewls is too insecure to accept our friendship, then it’s just not meant to be.”

“Like you would be okay with her cuddling on a couch with some guy.”

“Some guy, no. A best friend that only sees her that way, yes. It was just a fling, one that I don’t have the energy to keep up with.”

“Then there was Sophia,” I said with a sleepy smile.

“We’ll see. She may be too innocent for my taste.”

“That makes me feel awesome, thanks,” I said as I playfully slapped his shoulder.

He laughed under his breath. “You were always my favorite sinner.”

“I have to be a saint until my birthday,” I murmured as I reached for the guitar pick that was on his necklace and flashes of our first summer came to me. Images of us in our youthful past began to haunt the room.

Mason had a way of daring me to step outside of my boundaries. When we met, even though it had been almost two years since I lost my family, it still felt like yesterday. He was in pain, too. He’d lost half of himself, his twin, and we both blamed ourselves for the losses we experienced. We thought the pain of grief was a justifiable punishment, but we also had no sense of self-preservation. If there was a rule that said we shouldn’t do something or were too young to do something—we broke it. On that list of broken rules was drinking. I think Mason drank to dull the pain, but that wasn’t my reason. I drank for the warmth. Not mine, but his. I wanted to be able to feel his skin against mine, his hands, lips…everything. But without the alcohol, my raging hormones would cause everything I touched, everything around me, to freeze. No scarf could shield the emotions of a young teenage heart.

That wild spree didn’t last long, Gran, my grandmother, was waiting up on me one night. I remember her sitting next to me for hours that night, waiting for me to sober up. She knew the exact second I did; it was when the room froze over and I began to cry with shame.

I could never lie to anyone. It’s an odd flaw I have. I either tell the truth or say nothing at all. So when she asked me why I was choosing that dangerous path, I told her.

As she embraced me, let me cry, very tenderly, with a gentle whisper, she told me that if I could not be myself with someone, then I wasn’t meant to be with them. She said that masking who I was would do nothing but bring me an early grave and more sorrow than I was already fighting to bury.

The very next day, she took me to the North Wing, and my life was never the same again. Usually I have to touch things in order to unlock the memories, but that wing was different. I was able to stand in any room and watch, from a safe distance, the life I was yearning for.

“And on that day, we will have the wildest party that ever existed,” Mason whispered as his hand cupped mine over his necklace. For a second, I would have believed that he could see the images all around us now, my memories that were inside out.

Back then, when he asked me why all of a sudden I was following all the rules, I told him. I told him about the cold. Even showed him. He didn’t care, didn’t judge me or call me a freak. He just said, “I like the cold.” I told him the next time I wanted to drink and let loose would be when I was my own person, sure of myself. We both agreed that would be the day Rasure left my life. We’ve been planning this party for a while. Too long.

“I saw your brother, Ben. He had me worried,” Mason said as he tensed, then squeezed his hand against my back, as if he wanted to assure himself I was real, safe and sound in his arms.

“Why is that?”

Ben was one of the first children the Falcons took in. He was almost twenty years older than me and one of the best lawyers in practice. He was helping me weave through all the roadblocks Rasure was throwing at me. It was his brilliant idea to have everyone in our rather large family write letters on my behalf. Considering that each of them were well known in their fields, leaders of the communities they lived in, it was a good play. The judge would be a fool to block me this time. I’m sure that judge was not only weighing my future, but also his. The Falcon children are peaceful—that is, until you cross one of our own. Then we only know one word. Vengeance.

“He doesn’t trust Rasure any more than you do. He found an amendment that states that if you perish, she will gain all of your inheritance. He said he was hiring security for you.”

“Yeah, he told me the same thing,” I said faintly as I thought of earlier today, when Ben told me if I died Rasure got everything. The sad part is, I wouldn’t put it past her to try something like that. “I told him I just wanted the house and my things, for him to get her out of here, even if he had to pay her.”

“And she said the same, according to him.”

“Why does she want my house?” I said, almost to myself.

Rasure had been trying to destroy it from the inside out for years. Not only did she add that addition on, but she kept adding other things, small and large. I hated that because it placed voids in the rooms. Instead of everything opening up a dream for me, there was nothing. I almost thought she was trying to make me insane, that she knew I depended on the memories I unlocked and witnessed over and over, each time finding something that I’d never seen before.

“I don’t know…was your uncle Jamison always a space cadet?” Mason said with a hint of disdain.

I had to think about that for a second. When I was a kid, he traveled a lot. Even though he had homes of his own, this was the one place he always came to for month-long stays. He used to be the fun uncle, the one that would catch us sneaking ice cream, and instead of telling on us he’d make himself a bowl and tell us stories about all his travels, with added details to keep our suspense. He had a medical degree and used it in third world countries. When he wasn’t off doing that, he was building schools or raising awareness and funds for the less fortunate. Typical Falcon.

That all changed when he came home with Mrs. Rasure. Apparently, they had eloped abroad, and at that point he no longer wanted to help save the world or travel. I knew my mother and grandmother were more than furious with him, but he was family, so they accepted Rasure. He was never the same after marrying her. Cadence and I called him a puppet behind his back. Since my grandmother’s stroke, I hadn’t really seen him. He stays in his wing and only comes out when social occasions demand that he does, when Mrs. Rasure does.

“No, he’s under her spell.”

“Interesting.”

I looked up at him. “What does that mean?”

“Just odd that there is no record of her before she married him, yet she has all of this stuff in the manor that came from her imaginary family.”

“Did you guys take that stuff to the charity auction today?” I asked him.

His grin told me he did, and that he enjoyed every second of it.

I was counteracting Rasure in our silent war. I’d decided to take all of the things out of this house that were not attached to me or my family and donate them to charity. At least, I’d started to do that. Mason and Gavin took the first load of things I’d found. Rasure was going to be furious, and I could not wait to see that in her eyes.

I did have the foresight to check with my brother Ben first; the items were not on her wing, but in the area that was designated to be mine after our last war when I was eighteen. I was in the clear to give them away. I had Mason and Gavin do it so it would come as a bigger surprise. In the past, moving trucks were too easy for her to see coming. I was going to do this nice and slow. What can I say? I learned torture from the best. Rasure herself.

“Pretty old stuff, too,” I muttered, glancing to the stone wall behind us. I’d found a lot of books that made no sense, journals in another language. I decided to hide them, maybe find someone to decode them for me. Until I figured out who, or if I even wanted to, I hid them in the wall in my sacred room.

Mason yawned, then hooked his leg around me. “You’re pinned down, sleep without fear.”

“You’re just looking for an excuse for Jewls to break it off with you,” I said under my breath in a weak protest. “You should go.”

“Too tired to go,” he said as he closed his eyes and gripped me tighter.

I adjusted the blanket to ensure that it was keeping him warm and took in the sensation of the vision that I saw when I embraced this cloth. It was the blanket that rested on the couch in our playroom when we were kids. Each time I touched it, I could see my sisters, my parents, hear the laughter, the absolute bliss of our family.

I dreamed for the first time ever, but I wish I hadn’t. I must have fought that ice, that lake, a million times over. Each time, I never made it back for my camera. I never saw any of us get out of the ice water. It was so real to me. I could smell the freezing water, feel the emotions that no soul should have to.

Then all at once, the dream vibrated, my body vibrated. I woke with a gasp to find Mason’s phone that was clipped to his waist going off.

He stretched and pulled it off its clip so he could see it. “Damn, it’s like, two.”

“In the morning,” I said as I sat up and tried to wake up, to push my dreams away.

“In the afternoon.”

“What? Crap! I have a paper due in, like, now,” I said as I bolted up from the couch, then took the stone steps two at a time, stumbling more than once.

Gavin was sitting on the edge of Cadence’s bed. He had his phone in one hand and held out my laptop with the other. He must have been the one who sent the wake up call.

“Thanks,” I muttered as I took it from him and sat on the floor next to him.

At the speed of light, I opened the files I needed and then attached them to an email to my professor. While it tried to send that file, I fumbled through the calendar, making sure I was not late on anything else. Winter Break was a few weeks away. I’d managed to comp out of most of my midterms. All I really had left to do was take a few pictures for my portfolio, and that was more so for the finals.

This past summer, I’d finished my Bachelor’s in business, a basic degree I chose to appease Rasure. I was more interested in the arts and photography, a skill that Rasure thought was belittling. Nevertheless, I found classes to take and escape from her for a few hours every day. That and the coffee bar were the only time I wasn’t forced to share space with her.

“Email’s jacked up,” I muttered, seeing that my file was still sending. The laptop fell off my knee. I picked it up, only for it to drop again. That is when my dream instantly came to life around me. When everything turned to ice without warning and I felt death clawing its way to me—I lost it.

I shoved the laptop across the floor, balled my fists, squeezed my eyes closed, and thought of a raging fire, warmth. In that beat, Gavin’s strong arms were around me, holding me through the breakdown. I doubted he’d ever seen me create this much ice. I’d always had that scarf to deflect this damnable curse.

When I felt my breath and heart rate slowing down once more, I cautiously opened my eyes. The room was normal again, but I was falling apart.

Gavin whispered, “I won’t let anything hurt you. No fear.”

He pushed a small pillow into my arms, the one with the ‘F’ on it, my quick and easy vice. The visions were immediate. I saw my mom, her smile, and I felt warmth. I hugged the pillow with one arm as I leaned into Gavin and let the tension float away. With utmost care, he traced my brow with his fingertips. I glanced up to see his pensive stare. He managed to smile slightly when our eyes met. “Better?” he asked.

“I’m losing it,” I said, shifting my eyes away.

“Maybe you’re finally gripping it,” he said so quietly that I doubted I heard him right. I glanced up, but he didn’t bother to elaborate his near silent statement.

“Why can’t I dream right?” I asked, knowing I had not been right since I woke from that night terror.

“Who says you do it wrong? Maybe you are the only one who does it right,” Gavin said as his hand slowly moved up and down my arm. He’d always admired the visions I saw because of his vivid imagination, the one that allowed him to slip into untold stories. We both seemed to stare into a seemingly empty room for hours at a time.

“If you have plans to write a horror story, I may have an idea for you,” I teased. Dry humor was one of the many walls I hid behind when I tried to understand who or what I was.

“Leaning more toward the paranormal side of things,” he said, squeezing my arm. “You want to talk about it?”

“No, I want to forget it.” I moved my laptop farther away. “I want to be able to send a freaking email without going spastic.”

“It’s the storm,” Gavin said as he nodded to the window. Even though it was the afternoon, the snow was pelting down and it looked more like dusk.

“Cadence at class?” I asked, wondering where she was. If they were really on the outs, the last thing she needed to see was him consoling me.

“She tried to go. She said no one was there. I guess they cancelled. She’s taking a shower.”

I leaned away from him, knowing that if she saw me near him I would have to live through countless coded conversations that would end up making her mad in the end.

“What are you up to today?” I asked, daring to look into his eyes. There, I found the same concerned, penetrating stare that I always did in his gaze.

“You tell me.”

“Why does Cadence think you guys are on the outs?” I asked as Mason came out from behind the bookcase, looking less than awake.

“She wants to get inside my head, and I don’t want her in there.”

“She analyzes me, too. Don’t take it personally.”

“Not,” he said, squeezing my shoulder. “Just not ready to open all the doors, you know.”

“Right,” I said under my breath, thinking of his sister, the one he lost, the point in his life that he could not get past. Even after I showed her to him, after I told him that the only way I could see her, show her to him would be if she were at peace and looking for one last goodbye, he couldn’t get past it.

I understood why he felt that way. So did Mason, which is why we were allowed in and no one else.

“I need a shower. You guys want to meet at the coffee bar later?”

“If it even opens. If not, we’ll hang out here, if you’re cool with that,” Gavin said, catching Mason’s agreeing nod as he stood.

“Works for me.” Storm or no storm, I was not staying in this house all day, and they knew that.

I knew once I moved through my morning routine, I would be able to shake this night terror. I blushed as I thought of going to the North Wing. When I thought of that voice, those eyes that I knew would be there.

Chapter Four

After a long, steaming shower, I covered the bruises on my body with a bronzing lotion. I inhaled the sweet cocoa scent, craving a beach, warmth at that moment. I layered on my clothes, ripped skintight jeans that had flower patterns patched here and there, a tight tank top, then a larger one that had a sizeable skull centering it. Short combat boots, laces untied, were the perfect complement to my attire. I smirked when I looked in the mirror. I loved how my style did not match my home, or my life. I loved how independent it made me feel. And how bad it ticked off Rasure. Nearly made her apoplectic, in fact.

Still feeling empty without my scarf bracelet, I scurried around, looking for gloves, hoping that would serve as a barrier if I lost control today. I found black ones that had the fingers cut out; they were almost too small, barely reaching my wrist.

I began to pin a few layers of my short blonde hair back here and there, trying to create an on purpose, messy look. I reached for the brush and straightened, then angled my long bangs to the side. With each stroke, I brought memories to life. I’d shared this brush with my sisters when they were alive, and each time I used it visions of them would come to life around me. I would see them getting ready for school, talking about trivial stuff, nothing that really mattered. It always made me happy, gave me peace.

I had a daily routine that I’d been trying to break myself from for months. Each day I found an excuse to go, and today the absence of the scarf was the perfect justification to seek the warmth I knew I’d find.

I looked over myself once more. Smirking, you’d have thought that I wanted to make sure I looked right in case the image I was about to see would acknowledge me. A warm hum centered above my heart and started to spread through my chest as I began to walk toward the North Wing.

The first time my grandmother walked me down here, I felt the same way. You would think by now that it would just be a routine or like watching the same movie a hundred times over, but I knew that each time I came here I would see something different. Those emotions I wanted to feel in real life were going to flood me.

Gran told me that this wing was mine, that it would help me understand who I was, am, and would be. I didn’t understand why she thought that. I assumed she was just trying to get me to grasp the Falcon legacy. The North Wing is the original wing of the manor. It connects to all my favorite rooms as well, the massive three-story library along with the dome room. It was nothing less than regal. Every piece of furniture in that wing was hand-selected and handcrafted by Falcons. It was so priceless that it had been sealed for years before my grandmother gave it to me. Not surprisingly, when Rasure drew up plans to add on to the manor, she planned to tear this wing down and build it again; she claimed it needed to be restored. We went to court. I won. The wing remained untouched—well, except for my slow walks through it each morning.

Sometimes late at night, when I was all alone, I would let my imagination run wild. I would tell myself that the life behind these doors was mine, that the one I was living that was rich with dark grief was just a nightmare that I would wake from one day.

I knew those thoughts were destructive, that because I let myself become addicted to this image in the North Wing that I had shut myself off from feeling anything like it in my present life. I knew that if I never felt the way I did when I was here that I would have forced myself to try harder in the relationships I’d let fall apart. The thing is, though, you have to willingly choose to get over an addiction. It will not go away on its own, and I chose to embrace this one. I chose to watch this life instead of live mine.

My hands trembled slightly as I reached to open the door that led to the wing. My heartbeat picked up as the air carrying the aroma of warm spices washed over my face.

Soft piano music was heard instantly. Low laughter reached my ears and warmed my soul.

At sixteen, when I first came here I only heard memories in this wing; small, sweet, innocent words. As the years moved forward, as I became a young woman, I began to see the image behind that voice I always heard when I was afraid and needed something to hide behind.

His low laugh stopped me in my tracks. I felt a burning sensation spread through my body. I glanced to the open doorway to my left. He was there. All six-four of him. He was breathtaking. Broad shoulders and the lean body of a warrior. His eyes were a deep gray, and his dark auburn hair was brushed off of his face, yet a few strands reached to his high cheekbones. He was smiling, a warm, alluring smile that he only gave to…her.

For the longest time, I hated ‘her.’ I was jealous that one of my ancestors had something that I could never have: warmth. But then one day, I saw her face. I saw my face. I saw an image of me in the arms of a boy that I had fallen in love with at a distance.

As you can imagine, this entire scenario baffled me. My image was right in front of me. Standing within a memory that reflected the original Falcons, yet I was adopted. I stopped trying to analyze how impossible it was that the girl in his arms was indeed me, that my soul was in that vessel, that my soul had loved him once before. I stopped because it didn’t matter—I was in love with him now. And maybe, just maybe, I was meant to be born here. Maybe I had finally found my way home.

I never dared tell a soul about what I saw in this wing, not even Skylynn. I didn’t want anyone to rationalize it, to tell me I was creating this, that I was only seeing what I wanted to see. I needed this to be real. Even if it was two hundred years ago, I needed to know that at one time I was happy.

The image of me reached to pull him closer. “Sebastian,” she breathed as his lips met her neck. He kissed her skin slowly as they moved against each other to the sound of music playing in the distance. “They are waiting on you,” she said as she closed her eyes.

“You’re only sending me away so you have an excuse to play in the snow,” he said as he pulled away from her and traced his fingers across her jawline.

“It’s a beautiful night,” she said, looking innocently up at him. He burst into laughter, telling her he surely wasn’t buying that look. He picked her up and whirled her in the air before lifting her to his lips. Slowly, he let her down as their gazes locked. “Sometimes I think I built this manor for kicks and giggles, for the girl I love would rather spend her time out in the cold.”

She smiled. “It’s peaceful.”

“It’s peaceful because you are so cold that you cannot feel anything else,” he said, raising his brow and tilting his head slightly.

“When you are that cold, your mind drifts, like a waking dream, and in those dreams I see you, and you are warmer than any manor you could have built me.”

He grinned as if he had never heard such a declaration of devotion before. “Let me finish this meeting, and we’ll go together.” She stood on her tiptoes and let her lips meet his neck as he let out a moan and pulled her closer. “How about you just promise to keep me warm once the night has met its end?”

“Always your fire,” he said as his eyes lowered to meet hers and he kissed her lips tenderly.

Other images ran into the room, all young children circling them and calling out, “Genevieve!”

Yep, you heard right; apparently, in this past life I had the same name. That fact alone dared me to ask my grandmother about the ancestors in the line of Falcons. I never found a way to come out and ask her if she had heard of a Sebastian, if I was named after the originals. Every time I thought it was the right moment to bring it up, the conversation would change course so drastically that bringing up ancestors or if I were named after someone would have been ridiculous.

I decided that I didn’t need my grandmother to tell me this couple did exist. I knew they did. The certainty saturated my bones, which allowed me to grasp the belief that in a past life I was this girl, that boy was mine.

It took days of watching these images to discover those were not their children. Some of them didn’t even live here; they just adored who I was, who Sebastian was. They pulled my image from the room, laughing.

Sebastian only held his smile until the image of me was out of sight, then his expression turned grim. Worry consumed his eyes. I stood at attention. I never saw the same scene in this wing, so that wasn’t surprising; his mood was.

He reached in his pocket and pulled out a small box, then opened it and placed it on her pillow. It was a pearl bracelet. I found myself smiling with him as he glanced at it. He had given the same bracelet to me at least three times. Apparently, I kept managing to lose it in the manor or on the grounds.

He turned with a sigh and left their room. I followed him down the wide hallway, watching as empty vases began to mock the images of flowers that must have been in place when this happened the first time.

He walked to his study in this wing; it was just outside the library I adored.

The fire burning in the stone fireplace was bright enough to reach the vaulted ceiling, but small lamps remained on anyway.

There was an image leaning over the table, one that I almost thought of as a friend. He was Sebastian’s brother, Guardian. In my walks in this wing, I had seen more laughter than stifle between those two, but lately I could tell their relationship was strained, that Sebastian was worried about him.

See, to me this was like stepping into a movie. The memories I unlocked here always move forward, sometimes more rapidly than I would want them to. I had been feeling a climax or worse, an ending, coming to these memories for a while now which is why I had been trying to break my habit of lurking here every morning. I thought it would be easier if I ended it. That way, I could only be mad at myself, not at the fact that the life I’d been witnessing for years was officially lost in the past.

My heart started to hammer as this scene unfolded. I felt the dread creep over my skin. I was dreading what would be decided at this meeting, and I had no idea why.

Three other men were in here as well. I couldn’t make out their faces, but I could tell by their voices that at least two of them were young like Sebastian and Guardian; one of them sounded older. If I wanted to see them, I just needed to focus on them, but I didn’t want to stop gazing at Sebastian; he was worrying me.

“It’s been declared,” one of the voices said. “They are closing The Fall.”

I’ve yet to figure out what The Fall was. I heard both my image and Sebastian speak of it often. I knew for sure it was a passageway, that Guardian had vanished within it and then returned. Everything else they said about it was way over my head. I couldn’t figure out what they meant when they said ‘dark reality,’ ‘our world,’ ‘The Selected,’ or any of the other otherworldly references made. I suppose I didn’t want to figure it out because I didn’t want to accidentally discover that these images I lived for were fiction.

“That’s ludicrous,” Sebastian bit out. His warm, gray eyes filled with anger.

“Of course it is, but we very well cannot tell them why,” the older voice said.

Sebastian’s eyes met Guardian’s. “Have you even suggested to Aliyanna that speaking to the council may stop this?”

I had never focused on that girl’s image they were speaking of either. She had only surfaced recently. I knew Guardian was madly in love with her, that whenever he returned from The Fall she wasn’t with him, and it was clear he never intended for that to happen. He’d screamed at Sebastian, saying things like, “I wasn’t supposed to die. I have to go back. I can’t breathe without her.” Those words confused me. You would have thought the passage led to some other virtual reality, a game of sorts where he lost his turn and wanted to hit the reset button, get a do-over. Apparently, Aliyanna had appeared here, and the fight over whether or not Guardian should return to look for her took a back seat until this moment, it seems.

“She is not speaking to anyone,” Guardian stated evenly as his blue eyes averted from Sebastian’s stare.

“She can bear witness that the closing of The Fall is dangerous, that we need to send help and not turn our backs,” Sebastian argued.

“Bear witness?” Guardian mocked. “They will tuck her away, hide what she is from this world. They want nothing to do with darkness. They do not want to hear what we witnessed on that side. Life there is barbaric, cruel.”

“And what are you doing, brother? Are you not tucking her away?” Sebastian pushed.

“I’m protecting her!” Guardian yelled as an image moved between the brothers, urging them apart.

I was completely captivated. Though I’d walked this wing more times than I could count, seen more visions than I could explain, I had never witnessed this strife. I came here today to escape the stress of my life, and I’d somehow managed to put myself on edge.

This entire conversation was causing my insides to tighten up, making me feel nauseous. I kept glancing over my shoulder, hoping my image would walk in and calm this room down, bring the bliss back to Sebastian, but that didn’t happen.

“We have to come up with a plan. It cannot all be dark. We have to show the council light is still present there. Can you show me light?” the older voice said.

Guardian stood up, glanced at the other images that I could not make out, and nodded his head. All at once, a necklace that was lying on the table began to vibrate. It wasn’t apparent to me whose it was, but I was almost sure it didn’t belong to the image of Genevieve.

I gasped as a ball of fire emerged from the fireplace and met the necklace as some unseen force pulled it up.

This was too unreal.

The fire and necklace vanished, and a sphere of light formed. What looked like a waterfall divided the circle. One side was bright, the other dim, and sphere were present on each side. It almost looked like a comparison of two worlds side by side.

Guardian pointed to the darkest point on the dim side. “We were here at first, we moved away from there,” he said as his fingers traced white lines that led to less dark areas. “It’s not all dark, but it will be if I do not return. Evil is breeding there. People are losing hope. If we turn our backs on them, it will only be a matter of time before that evil finds the power to breach The Fall and our way of life will forevermore be changed.”

“Which is why they are insistent that they want to close The Fall,” the older man countered.

“If they close The Fall, they are going to close me in as well,” Guardian said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“You’re not returning. I already spoke to The Selected. They are aware of the damage you have seen,” Sebastian said as he stared at the sphere before him and his eyes filled with sadness.

“And what did they say about it?” the older voice asked.

“It’s been taken under consideration.”

“Meaning nothing,” Guardian said, as if he knew that it was pointless to try and reason with anyone.

“It means that they agree that engaging with darkness is not the right thing to do,” Sebastian countered.

“But ignoring it is?” Guardian shook his head, trying to calm himself down. “Look, I get it. I understand that you think that taking in the damaged souls and building them up before sending them back is going to heal that reality. It makes sense. But that is what you feel called to do, not me. I feel called to the front lines. I know the best way to end this is for me to walk right up to the bastard that is causing all this trouble and quickly ensure that he is returned to his Creator.”

“I cannot imagine what you endured there, the sacrifices you must have made. I respect that, brother. I do. And you know I will not think twice before standing at your side if you were truly threatened. But you’re not. You were born here. You’re an original. For some reason, you have developed a craving for senseless trouble.”

“It’s not senseless. I’m the way I am for a reason. I’m meant to stop this at its core, before it can spread and threaten everything.”

“At what cost? Your life?” Sebastian asked Guardian.

“I’ve died too many times to be afraid of death.”

“In that reality, not ours. Why don’t you try reaching at least one eternity of life on this side before you decide to throw your existence away?”

“I’m a Falcon. My blood demands that I bring change, balance,” Guardian spat back.

“Compromise,” a younger voice said.

“Indeed,” the older voice said. “You two have never disagreed on anything beyond this. We cannot move forward until the two of you are in agreement. Sebastian, you do not want Guardian or Aliyanna to return to the dark reality, and Guardian, you do not want to take Aliyanna to the council to bear witness. We all know that allowing Guardian to pass through The Fall with the threat of it being closed is not something we can easily accept.”

They both nodded.

“I propose that the two of you go to the council. State your case. If that fails, then we will partner with The Selected to find the safest course for Guardian to do as he feels pulled to do.”

“Father,” Sebastian stated.

“It’s the only course of reason now,” the older voice said, pointing at Guardian. “He respects you enough to let you exhaust every option, for you to do whatever you feel is necessary to keep him safe, but if it truly is his fate to be there, circumstance will demand that he return no matter what we may or may not do.” The older man paused. “The council is stating that the oracles have relayed that The Fall must close, that only the chosen can pass through. You have to convince them that you are the chosen, that your soul has stated as much. Then we will have no fear for Guardian and Aliyanna—for if they fail, they will send an army to carry them home.”

“You expect me to leave Genevieve here alone, to care for this home and all those who have sought refuge here? Without protection?”

I was so sick that I leaned forward on my knees. I kept shaking my head from side to side, knowing I did not want this to happen, that I feared this decision for reasons I could not understand.

“We’ll protect her. We’ll never leave her side,” the younger voice said.

Sebastian stared forward at the floating sphere before him. “And what are we to do if they do not listen?”

“The two of you are gifted speakers. Our name has long been respected. I have no doubt that you will prevail. If you do not, then we drop our alliances and aid The Selected. Work with them to find peace. I would believe their seers far easier than the council’s.”

“Why must we do this now?” Sebastian said with a clenched jaw.

Guardian looked away. “It feels wrong to stand here, brother. Aliyanna and I both feel that way. We started something over there, and I need to get back to it. Every minute I stand here equates to years over there. If we wait any longer, everything I began to repair will be in ruins. You don’t have to speak to anyone. I’m prepared to tell you goodbye. That alone should tell you how serious I am when I state I have to go back, with or without permission from this family, that council, The Selected, or God Himself.”

Sebastian stared in the direction of the images I could not see. “You don’t leave her side. Ever.”

Silence engulfed the room.

Sebastian said, “Dawn,” then turned to leave.

This is the end I had been dreading. I knew. I just knew. They would never return.

This must be what my night terror was forecasting: not the death of the life I did have, but the death of the life I wanted to live again.

The images vanished around me, and I stood there in cold silence, trying to understand even the smallest part of what I’d overheard. Even though it was the first time I’d overheard something like that here, it all sounded so familiar somehow.

I turned to leave the study, and at a slow stroll I made my way down the hall to the bedroom.

I heard Sebastian and Genevieve’s voices on the other side of the door, her comforting him, telling him that she would be fine. He must have heard the doubt in her voice because right then I heard him say, “Apart or together, I am always going to be right here, Love.”

As I listened to those words through the closed door, I felt a burning flame in my chest.

I opened the door, fearing I would never see his image again. I saw him with his hand on my image’s chest. “I’ve got you, Love. I’m never going to let you go,” he whispered as he pulled her lips to his.

I held my breath and closed my eyes, grieving for this moment. When I opened them again, I saw him holding my image in a passionate embrace, the pearl bracelet on her wrist as she wove her fingers through his dark auburn hair.

The grief was too much. I knew—I just knew I could not stay here and watch the next scene, the one where he would walk away from me.

All at once, the memory before me vanished and I heard a deep howl of wind coming from the direction of the dome room. Everything started to vibrate, then purple flames encased the walls.

This was too real.

I ran from that wing. I ran as fast as I could, wanting to forget everything I had heard and seen that day. The second I was off that wing, silence reigned. With my chest heaving, I turned to look over my shoulder, not seeing anything beyond a wing that no longer had life within it, past or future.

A heavy weight consumed me. I felt dreadfully alone for no reason at all. It was worse than the way I felt when I lost my family, and that says a lot. It also says that I only felt this bad because I was holding on to the past instead of living the life I was in. I needed to change that. I really did. I had to learn to dare to feel the way those memories told me I was capable of feeling. I had to figure out how to help others get past my icy shield.

I found myself racing toward Gran’s room. That was the name I’d always called my grandmother, simply because when I was little the formal word was too hard. It stuck, and now all seventy-seven of us call her that.

Since her stroke, she had been bedridden. Speech and feeding herself were acts she could no longer accomplish on her own. Of course, no expense was spared when it came to healthcare and doctors. I knew she was miserable—locked in a prison that she desperately wanted to escape. Lately, she had been slipping away, sleeping longer than usual, not eating nearly enough. Rasure had me blocked from the room for the last three days. My brother Ben came over yesterday and forced her legally to let me see Gran. By the time he told me the good news, it was late at night and I knew she was asleep.

I knew just seeing her would calm me down. A little voice in my mind told me to tell her what I’d always seen in the North Wing, how I was sure it was over. I knew she would not be able to respond, but I just needed someone to listen to me right now.

I thought it was odd that the medical desk full of all her needs was missing from outside her room. Even odder that the around-the-clock nurses were nowhere to be seen.

I knocked gently on the door before opening it. I gasped. Her bed was made, and she wasn’t in it.

Rage coursed through me. My hand that was on the door instantly froze it, then the ice spread across the walls. What the hell had she done with her? Just as I was about to storm out of the room, I heard, “Genevieve, sweetheart, come in.”

I pushed the door open wider and reached for the light to turn it on. Gran was in the center of her massive room, dressed, standing, looking years, if not decades younger.

“What—wh—you’re better,” I said with a broken gasp as the room froze even more. I was terrified she would slip on the ice and hurt herself.

I wasn’t used to being this out of control, having my curse this visible. What was even more terrifying was that Gran didn’t seem the least bit surprised by how out of control I’d become.

She smiled tenderly and nodded once as a gasp and a tear escaped me.

I walked slowly to her side, trying to push my emotions down so I could touch her. “How?”

Her wise eyes held my gaze as she reached for my arm. I flinched, still terrified for her, but either she didn’t notice or she didn’t care how cold I was. Her hand squeezed my shoulder with more strength than I’d ever known her to have. “I woke up, Genevieve.”

“Just like that? After almost four years?”

“Just like that,” she repeated in the sweetest voice I’d ever heard.

“I need to get your doctor, call everyone. They are going to be so excited. You have no idea how afraid I was that I…that I would have to say goodbye.”

“Sit, I don’t need a doctor,” she said, edging me to the bench at the end of her bed.

“I need to call everyone,” I protested, refusing to sit down like this was just another ordinary day, like this was not the most insane turn of events that I’d ever witnessed.

“They know.”

“And no one bothered to tell me?” I said as my instant anger seemed to intensify the ice that was forming. With a deep breath, I managed to make it go away.

“You need your rest, though. I understand you’ve had a troubled night.”

“She really is spying on me, isn’t she?” I muttered, knowing that Cadence or the guys hadn’t told Gran about my night terror. I would have been the first person they would have told that Gran was awake if they’d seen her.

“What is that look in your eyes, Genevieve? Why are you so distressed?”

I tried to swallow the emotions. I really did. But tears spilled down my face as I looked away. “I can’t let you wake up, only to figure out that I long ago lost my mind.”

“Why on Earth would you think such things?”

I shook my head as I harshly wiped away the tears on my cheek. “I’m in love with a past that I can’t understand how I’m linked to, and that love affair has caused me to keep everyone at arm’s length. I’m stressed, to the point that the night terrors are back, to the point where my own mind is shutting down the images I’ve come to rely on.”

“The North Wing,” she said tenderly.

I looked up at her waiting eyes to see her smiling slightly.

“Why did you tell me that wing was mine?”

“Was I wrong?” she asked, raising her brow as a half-smile emerged on her aged lips.

“It’s not of this world. I mean, most of it is, but sometimes I hear things there that make no sense, that turn reality into fantasy.”

“Nothing in that wing is fantasy. That is the beginning, Genevieve. Your beginning.”

I knew she meant that I had been adopted by the Falcons, that I was now and forevermore a Falcon, but she just didn’t understand what I was talking about.

“I’ve seen myself. I’ve…I’ve watched a life there for years now.”

“And why are you troubled by that?”

I shook my head. “Because I think it’s over now.”

She reached her arm around me. “Child, it’s not over, for your soul still thrives. It’s time to move forward now. Make a new beginning.”

“I wish I could,” I said under my breath as Wilder’s image slid through my mind. I still couldn’t do it. I still couldn’t imagine giving us another chance. “I’ve tried letting people in, but I freeze. Literally.”

“Then you have not found your fire. It will come.”

I blushed as Sebastian saturated my thoughts, as he often did each day after I left that wing.

“I wish I had your faith.” I glanced over at her. “Your will to fight.”

She laughed as if I had said something ironic. “You are fighting right now. And you need to keep fighting. Never doubt your emotions, your gut instinct. Follow your soul, and you will never go wrong.”

I nodded as I looked away. “I’ve been trying to see you for days. Rasure wouldn’t let me. Ben had to take legal action. Can you believe that?”

“You need to get that woman out of our home,” Gran said boldly to me, which was shocking; she had always had her opinions but thought it rude to display them openly.

“Working on it,” I said so quietly that I barely heard myself. I just couldn’t believe this, that she was okay, that she looked so good, the way I always remembered her to be.

“Your uncle is trapped by her, and if you are not careful you will be, too.”

“What do you mean ‘trapped’? He’s sick with grief, not trapped but that will be over now that he knows you’re okay.”

Gran moved her head from side to side slowly. “He was trapped long ago. Genevieve, I need you to fight her, get her out of our home, set my son free so I can have peace, set them all free.”

‘All?’ What did she mean by that? “Let me go get him. I’ll call Ben, too, see what we can do to speed things up.”

“I believe you have won your battle with the law, but she is not going to leave so easily,” Gran said, gripping my arm, telling me to listen to her.

“Ben told you I won? Why didn’t he tell me?”

“He didn’t have the chance.”

“OK, well, then I’ll order her out, get a court order or something.”

Gran smiled, but it was a painful smile. “Genevieve, dear, what lesson did your parents strive to teach all of you?”

The agony in my heart caused my eyes to glass over and the ice around us to thicken. “To face our demons.”

“Why have you not done that?”

I looked away, not wanting to answer the real question she was asking me. “I’ve been trying to face her. Ben has been handling the case because he knows what he’s doing.”

“Rasure is not your demon; she is the one you see, the one you focus all your energy on, and you do that so you will not have to discover who you are.”

She wanted to talk about the ice, why I was the way I was, but I wasn’t ready to go down that road just yet. I fought to forget or overcome this curse every minute of every day, the last thing I wanted to do was understand what I did to deserve this.

“Which demon shall I face first, then? The ice, the lack of normal dreams, the visions, my addiction to the memories in the North Wing—which one? What order?” I asked desperately. I wasn’t asking her to tell me what to do, I was trying to tell her that by facing Rasure I was facing the one thing I could change, the one thing I had the power to make go away.

“Your past does not emphatically state who you are, but it is a part of you, it is something you can choose to embrace or break away from. This old lady has a feeling that you will not want to so easily discard the past that is woven into your soul.”

“If the past I saw in the North Wing is truly mine, then I know life cannot get better. That is a fantasy, and in real life I’m battling Rasure, this odd curse, and my fear of commitment.”

She laughed. “You fear no such thing.”

God, you’d have thought this conversation was happening ten years ago, when she was vibrant, full of life—not today, not right after she left death’s door.

My night terror raced through my mind as I stared into her eyes. “The camera,” I said, taking in a deep breath. “In my dream, I went back for that camera. I nearly died trying to reach it. Are you telling me to develop that film, understand that past?”

She didn’t bother to tell me yes or no. She had figured me out years ago. If you wanted me to do something, really wanted me to, then you had to make it seem like it was my idea.

“I think I could have ruined that film years ago. The first time I touched it, I froze it. Over the years, I’ve bound to have washed it out. I would rather think there are images there than know that there aren’t.” That wasn’t completely a lie.

“I see,” was all she said.

“Why do I feel like you know something that you are not saying? Why does this feel like a dream or something? I was watching you die days ago.”

Gran gave me one more painful smile. “I took you to that North Wing long ago so you would understand your foundation, so it would give you the courage to face what this life would put before you. You are a Falcon, Genevieve. You always have been, and you always will be.”

She was confusing me. Everyone was made to feel like they were of lineage, but she was stating it as if it were fact. She was answering the questions I never dared to ask her: who I was named after, if I looked like the original Genevieve, if she thought it were possible that I was her, then and now. And she answered yes to each of them.

“I have no doubt I was born on these grounds or that I have seen my image in the memories this manor has, but I have never understood where I came from. How I got here. What fate is leading me to.”

“Fate brought you home,” she said as her eyes raced across mine. “You couldn’t know this, and I hated that I could not tell you for so many years, but your birth mother did say something before she died, just before your adopted mother brought you back to life.”

“Back to life? I know I would have died if Mom didn’t show up when she did, that I may have even been meant to die. What do you mean ‘back to life’?”

“You weren’t breathing,” Gran said as her eyes glistened with tears. “Your mother had to cut the cord, clear your passageway and rub warmth into you. Precious seconds, maybe even minutes passed, but you finally cried.”

“What did my birth mom say?” I asked, trying not to cry, knowing it would cause her tears to flow. She never really got over losing my parents in that boating accident. I think a part of her died that day, too.

“She said that you were one of seven, that you’re hidden by a veil.” She smiled widely. “I knew then that you were home. You had found your way home.”

I furrowed my brow at her, wondering how healed she actually was. She wasn’t making sense and I had to wonder if maybe the stroke had damaged her beyond the grasp of any overnight miracle.

“I have real, live brothers or sisters? Is that what you’re saying?”

“No,” Gran said as she caught a tear that was trying to escape her eyes.

“Then what am I one of seven of?”

Her wise eyes rapidly moved across my fearful expression. “When your birth mother said that, she was gazing at the constellation of Taurus, to the Pleiades.”

“Stars. I’m…I’m lost here, Gran.”

“I know you are, but you will find your way. I believe you are one of seven very special people that will move this universe, that will bring more change than your parents could have by adopting lost souls.”

“Gran, maybe you need to lay down. Maybe you shouldn’t be moving around this much, this soon.”

She looked down and smiled tenderly. “I’m well. I’m at peace. I finally told you what that stroke would not allow me to. Genevieve, this is your home. Defend it, hold on to the fire in your chest, and trust that it will save you from this grief, trust that you are a part of an army that will rise to bring balance in this dark world.”

My eyes grew wide as she said ‘dark world.’ It was a casual statement, but it reminded me of the conversation I’d so recently heard in the North Wing.

My head started to spin. I really did feel like I was in a dream.

A knock at the door halted me from telling her that I was in love with the boy lost in my past, of asking her how she knew that before she ever led me there so long ago.

Chapter Five

Standing on the threshold was a man I’d never seen before. He was younger and looked a lot like the images I’d seen of my grandfather, the one and only love Gran ever had.

“I have to go now,” Gran said as she squeezed my arm once more.

“Where are you going? The weather is horrible, you need your rest.”

“There are a lot of things I want to see once again, a fresh snow is one of them.”

“Who is that?” I whispered, nodding to the door.

“A welcome sight.” She cupped her hand on my cheek. “I’ll see you soon, dear, but make sure it’s not too soon. Stay safe.” She kissed my cheek, then walked past me at a speed that I’d never seen her use.

I told myself to turn around, to follow her, at least to go along with her, but I couldn’t move. Her touch had ignited visions all around me, visions of my mother telling Gran about how she found me in the snow, visions of her and my mother mulling over endless legends that surrounded those stars my birth mother pointed out. They even had mythologists from all over the world flown here to teach them about the beliefs and lore, always finding conflicting information. One man told my parents very bluntly that I was the only one that would ever know what my birth mother meant, that I would feel it in my soul.

All I felt in my soul was coldness, the cold that I was born into, the cold that was my curse. With that thought, the room I was standing in felt empty, vacant, lifeless.

Finally, I snapped out of the spell I was under and turned, but Gran was long gone. I rushed to the hallway, looking in both directions, not seeing her or her companion anywhere in sight.

I went back to my room to find my phone so I could call Ben. I was mad that he didn’t tell me Gran was better, that supposedly I’d won the case against Mrs. Rasure, that my inheritance was free and clear mine—that I could kick Rasure out.

It took me three tries to get the call out because the phone kept freezing in my hand. Skylynn better pop in soon. I couldn’t control this much longer. All I got was Ben’s voicemail, and it said for personal reasons he was taking time off and directed his calls to his partner. My message was short and sweet. “Um, personal? What’s more personal than family? I’m a bit ticked at you. Why didn’t you tell me Gran was okay? Where are we with the case?” The call ended then because the phone had turned into a block of ice. I grunted in frustration. I never realized how dependent I was on that scarf, how much it shielded this curse.

Cadence walked in our room at that moment, holding a steaming cup of coffee. “Looks like you need this more than I do.”

“Thanks for noticing,” I muttered, balling my fist. “Did you know Gran was all better?” I asked, looking up at her.

She looked at me like I was insane. “Did you hit your head when you climbed the walls last night?”

“Looks like you did. What did you do to your head?” I asked, noticing the gash on the side of her forehead. It caused a panic to rush through me, and the room turned to ice for an instant; that was the same place I saw her bleeding from in my dream.

“I slid on the ice, hit it on the side of the car door when I was getting out.”

“Looks like you need stitches,” I said with wide eyes as I moved closer to her.

“No, it’s not deep. I have that invisible Band-Aid stuff on it, but you’re starting to make me self-conscious,” she said, taking down her ponytail.

I frowned as I noticed how easily the wound was covered when she did that.

“What about Gran? Are you serious?”

“Serious. I just saw her. She’s never looked better. The nurses are even gone.”

“You’re joking,” she said as she turned to go and see for herself.

“She left, went out with an old friend,” I said to stop her.

“Indie,” she said before she turned to look at me. “You’re seriously freaking me out.”

“Fine, go look for yourself,” I said as I sucked in a deep breath and stood to go to my darkroom.

“Hiding in the dungeon again? Maybe you should head to the North Wing. You’re always in a better mood when you leave there.”

I was so not going there with her.

“Gran told me to develop the film.”

“The film.”

“Yup.”

“Are you going to?”

I smirked. “It felt so good to hear her voice again. This was basically her only wish. Who am I to deny it?”

“Do you want me to call the bar and tell them we can’t come in, that is, if they opened today? This storm is wicked.”

“No, I want to get out. This won’t take long.”

“Give me a second to check on Gran. I’ll be your hands.”

I was close to telling her no, that I’d call Mason over to help, but I didn’t feel like fighting with her about it.

I’d been staring at this camera for almost fifteen minutes before Cadence showed up. I’d already had everything else ready to go. I just needed her hands.

“Told you so,” I said absentmindedly as she came to my side.

“You don’t think this is weird?” she asked with eyes wide.

“Developing my dead mother’s film? Yes, that is weird.”

“Not that. Ben told me yesterday that he was going to start to make the calls, tell everyone to say their goodbyes, and today she is out of her bed, out on a date or something?”

“What is it with Ben lately? He didn’t tell me that either,” I seethed.

“Either? What else did he not tell you?”

“That I’d won against Rasure.”

“You won?” Cadence said with absolute disbelief.

“I’ll believe it when I hear it myself. That is what Gran said.” I peered to the side at her. “She also told me to get that woman out of our house.”

“I bet she did. Gavin told me last night that the doctor that oversaw Gran after her stroke was put in jail last week, for malpractice.”

“How did he know that?”

“Read it online. I guess you were right to have Ben fire him. Gavin thought you’d seen it online or something and that was why you were all frazzled. Apparently, that doctor was paid more than a few times to end a life and make it look natural.”

“The doctor Rasure insisted should look over Gran? Are you telling me she paid someone to kill Gran?” I fumed as the room around us turned to ice.

“I’d tell you to chill out, but that statement is apparently overrated. It doesn’t matter anyway. Gran survived her, and we will, too.”

With a soothing sigh, I managed to make the ice vanish once again.

“There are more facets to that woman than just a gold-digger. I can feel it.”

“She’ll get hers. One way or another.”

I nodded for her to go to the camera. Slowly, step-by-step I told her what to do, what chemicals to pour, and what temperature the water needed to be, and she carefully listened to every direction I gave. Before long, we were watching images come to life before us.

“Nothing…” Cadence said with a sigh as we stared at the dripping film.

“Just wait,” I said as the first one began to come to life. At first I thought it was me, but that was impossible. The figure looked like I did today, a young blonde with a scarf tied around her head. I assumed it was her, my birth mother.

“Whoa,” Cadence whispered. “You could be twins.”

I understood her awe. She had no idea what her birth mom looked like. She was raised by a reckless aunt that authorities had to rescue her from at age seven, then she bounced around in the system until she was thirteen, when our parents found her. Cadence never got her closure. I don’t really think she wanted it in the first place. She had a lot of buried hate for her birth family that no one would blame her for not facing.

The next three images were whitewashed, only shadows across them.

The fourth image made my skin boil and the room freeze again. Cadence gripped my arm, telling me to get a grip. She didn’t want me to damage the last stages of development.

The image showed Rasure, standing with all of her dominance. It was an image of an image, meaning someone took a picture of an old newspaper, a newspaper that was dated May 12, 1901. She was standing with a man that had obvious wealth, about to board a ship.

“That has to be an ancestor or something, right?” Cadence said with a gasp.

“Then they must all look alike,” I teemed as the next image came to life. It was of a painting dated with the year 1810. Rasure was there again, with another man, shrouded with wealth.

“I don’t know what I’m more freaked out about, the fact that Rasure looks just like her ancestors or the fact that your birth mom knew that.”

A beat later, I came to my senses, went to my desk, and wrote down everything I could about those images, those articles that were photographed. I knew Gavin could uncover what they meant, the story behind them. Research was his passion. I didn’t want to wait for the film to finish developing before he started.

At a second glance, I noticed the shadows on the three blank images, when pinned across the strings side by side, looked like a key; a really old key.

I turned back for the camera and started to feel around in the place behind where the film had rested for countless years. I did feel something, but my insane emotions were causing the camera to freeze. In frustration, I grunted and handed it to Cadence.

“There’s a key in there. It’s taped down or something.”

Questioning my sanity, and still unraveled by what we’d seen, she took the camera and gently dug around. She pulled a piece of tape out, then a skeleton key.

“The mystery deepens,” she mumbled, looking closely at it. “It says ‘Falcon M’ on it.”

“‘Falcon M?’” I repeated as I took it from her. How or why would my birth mother have this?

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I think your mom had every intention of having the Falcons raise you. The question is, was she for or against Rasure, and how did she know Rasure would surface years later?”

I let out a sigh, almost wishing I hadn’t listened to Gran and opened this Pandora’s Box. “It doesn’t matter either way. I’m a Falcon. And I’m against Rasure. When Gran gets back, I’ll ask her if she knows what this key might unlock.”

I stuffed the paper with the info on it along with the key in my back pocket, glanced at my image that was hanging before me, then walked up the stairs with Cadence trailing behind.

My favorite eternity scarf was on the edge of my bed. I almost didn’t put it on. I kept seeing that dream, me wrapping it around Mason so I could pull him out of the water. I put it on anyway so I would at least look like I was acknowledging the frigid weather.

Cadence had to layer on the jackets, though. She was perpetually cold, even in a room that was set at eighty degrees.

On habit and on purpose, we locked our room, eight bolts in all. We only locked three, hoping it would drive anyone who tried to break in mad, simply because they would always be locking five as they worked their way through picking the locks. We even had a pattern, a different one for each day. That alone was a testament to just how little we trusted anyone in the employment of Rasure.

Just before we reached the stairs, we both heard music coming from a room that should be vacant. We also heard girls singing, Bye bye, Miss American pie, I drove my Chevy to the levy...

We froze in place. That was our sisters’ favorite song; a song they sang on purpose each time Dad took us out on one of his boats. The song they sang all night long the day before they died.

I gripped Cadence’s arm and stormed forward. I wasn’t an idiot. Mrs. Rasure was trying to prove I was still ‘paralyzed by grief,’ as she put it. This was the lowest thing she ever could have done. These rooms were sealed, left exactly how our sisters had left them seven years ago. I had no idea where she could have found a recording of their voices, though I doubted it was hard to do; Mom filmed almost every moment of us growing up. She called them her caterpillar films because she wanted us to remember our transformation into butterflies under the Falcon name.

“Indie, NO,” Cadence said with a gasp. “I don’t want to see what sick game she is playing with us.”

“I just want to turn the music off, whatever tape recorder she has on,” I argued as she forced me to stop in the hallway.

“For all you know, she has a camera in those rooms filming your reaction. Let’s just walk away. Don’t let her do this to you—us,” Cadence pleaded.

I stared down the long hall, the one I had not walked down in years. “All right,” I said, nudging her to go down the stairs. As I went to follow her, I thought I saw someone cross the hall, then two others run out another door. I heard, “Abby, you stole my brush, give it back,” followed by, “Then give me my shirt back—fair is fair.”

I swallowed nervously, remembering that argument. Seven girls under one roof, we were always borrowing, stealing each other’s things…I missed them so much.

The banister I was holding turned to ice.

“Indie,” Cadence said, reaching back for me to come.

I followed her and said the word ‘fire’ over and over in my mind. I was going to kill Skylynn for taking my crutch. If she wanted it back, she should have found a way to wean me off it. I was mad at her for the first time ever.

“Looks like we have guests,” Cadence said with disdain as we passed the great room on the first floor. It was full of people, all dressed to the nines. I thought I recognized a few people that worked with Ben and one of my sister’s husbands, but on second glance the resemblances weren’t there. None of them even bothered to look at us, which wasn’t odd. Rasure had managed to create a disdain for us among her friends. She told them she was trying to teach us to be proper ladies and that if we were not dressed that way not to address us.

This must have been one of her fake charity luncheons. I say fake because last summer Mason and I figured out that the charity she was claiming to help didn’t exist. I was sure she was living off the donations. At that point, my brother Ben had frozen all of my assets, meaning that even though my uncle had power of attorney, he could not spend my money. That wasn’t hard to do when Ben told the judge I was twenty million dollars poorer. I still have no idea what she spent that ungodly amount of money on. I found a real charity that served the cause she was mocking and donated ten paintings that were valued at well over what money she’d claimed to have raised for the fake one. Of course, all the paintings came from her wing, which caused the next lawsuit, the one that says she stays on her side and I stay on mine, only sharing common rooms.

When we entered the kitchen, we had to dodge around the frantic wait staff that feared Rasure far more than they should have.

We’d almost made a clean escape, but low and behold there she was, lingering near the back door with Mrs. Cambridge.

“Ladies,” Mrs. Cambridge said to us with a slight bow.

“Why must you dress that way, Genevieve? At least pick one decade—either a pattern or a solid,” Rasure said to me.

Which made me smirk. “Did you not say the exact same thing to me yesterday?” I responded coolly.

“Obviously not clearly enough,” she seethed.

That made me smile.

“Oh, Celia, let the girl be. She looks absolutely exhausted,” Mrs. Cambridge said in her own condescending way.

“Yes, that is the side effect of having young men come in and out of your room all night,” Rasure replied, as if I weren’t standing in front of her.

“In and out…all night.” I glanced at Cadence. “It was just two, right? And if I recall, they left only a few hours ago.”

It took everything Cadence had not to laugh at the tone of my voice, which was mocking the ‘I’m too stuck up to be bothered with’ tone Rasure and her friends always used. I was on stage at that moment and if I do say so myself, I was playing my part beautifully.

“Mrs. Cambridge,” I continued with the same tone. “I assume you received the donations from Falcon Manor for your auction.”

“You are correct,” she replied with an all-too-polite smile. “I must say, Celia, I was surprised that you would part with such precious heirlooms. You, too, Genevieve,” she said, glancing to the three watches on my wrist. “Seems keeping time is a passion of yours.”

Watching Rasure’s complexion turn as red as her hair was pure bliss for me. I had Mason and Gavin take three grandfather clocks to the auction, along with a few smaller versions. None of them worked. Hadn’t since they’d been here, but they belonged to Rasure and I was all too eager to get those eerie pieces of time out of my house.

“Clocks never work for me. Even watches, see,” I said, raising my wrist to show her that each watch on my wrist had stopped. Gavin, Mason, and Wilder had all given me one. They joked that it was their glass slipper, that if their watches worked it would outweigh my two-heartbeat rule; they weren’t serious when they said that. It just blew their mind that the watches would work when anyone else wore them.

“Very intriguing. Then why three?” Mrs. Cambridge asked.

“They were gifts. I do hope the clocks raise the money you need. If not, I will send over something else, a painting or two perhaps.”

“I’m sure they’ll raise more than enough. The generosity of the Falcon family never ceases to amaze me.”

“Have a great luncheon, ladies,” I said with a bow.

“Don’t forget your guards,” Rasure said with disdain, nodding to two men in black suits that had come to attention the second we walked in the kitchen.

“Shame I need such things. Have you spoken with Ben?” I asked her.

“What would I have to say to Benjamin?” she responded with a fake smile.

I knew then that Gran was right: this had been resolved. My nightmare was over. First chance I had, she was going to be out in the cold. Literally.

I nodded for the men to come along, then followed Cadence outside.

“Why do you have Gavin’s truck?” I asked her.

“He thinks it’s safer. Wilder came and picked them up.”

“Really,” I said under my breath, not sure how I felt about the fact that Wilder was in my driveway and didn’t bother to come in and say hi. Then again, I was sure Gavin and Mason had no issues blocking him from doing just that.

“You guys just want to follow?” I said to the large men that Ben had obviously hired to protect me.

“As you wish, Miss Falcon,” one of them said as he opened the passenger door for me to get in Gavin’s truck.

Cadence struggled to adjust the seat and turned the heat all the way up. “You do know Mrs. Cambridge is, like, her best friend, right?”

“Yup. But the thing about women like that is that they keep just as many secrets from each other as they do from their enemies. I wanted Rasure to know where her clocks were. I gave them to Cambridge on purpose. Maybe if she is fighting with her, she’ll back off me for a beat or two.”

“Remind me never to cross you,” she said under her breath as she tried to weave through the insane amount of cars in our driveway. “You would think these people had nothing better to do on a snowy Wednesday afternoon.”

“They don’t,” I said with a sigh. “You and Gavin work things out last night?”

“There you go again, Indie.”

“What? You’re my friends. I’m curious.”

“Well, your friend Gavin is not over his sister’s death. He is deep in research, trying to find her killer. I think he wants you to do that thing again. I wanted him to talk it out like normal people do. We agreed to let it be, let him figure it out. He knows I’m here if he needs someone to talk to, but his heart is frozen. I think he’s afraid that if he lets anyone in, he’ll have to face losing them one day.”

“My advice: stop being a psychologist around him. Gavin will talk when he wants to, and what I did was not done to find her killer, it was done to show him she’s at peace.”

I don’t see many ghosts. I’m not that big of a mutant. But I’ve seen a few. Years back, Mason pushed me too far, made me feel my emotions while he held me and when that happened, he literally turned blue. I’d frozen him to the point of death. In that state, his twin, the one that had died a year before in a canoeing accident, appeared. Mason’s brush with death vanished instantly, but he could still see his brother, say his peace.

I don’t even want to know how the conversation came up, but he told Gavin about it and Gavin begged me to take him to that point, and I did. All I had to do was touch his hand and allow the emotions I wanted to feel for him to surface, and when I did he froze to the point of death and he saw his sister at peace.

Those acts were sustaining on both sides. They allowed me to push past that first wall of emotions, to discover that I was right, we were just friends, but it also gave them peace with their troubled past.

I have no doubt Gavin is still researching not only his sister’s death, but also the lore on what I can do. He thinks because I was born near death that I can see into the veil of death, that I can serve as a passageway to those who were lost to the living. I didn’t see it that way. I saw it as me almost killing them both and their family saving them.

Cadence never bothered to argue the point. She knew I was right, that grief takes time to overcome, that if she was going to force Gavin to face his past, then she would have to face hers, both the family we shared and the one that abandoned her.

“Where is everybody today?” I asked, just wanting to hear her voice.

The town looked so sad, and it wasn’t just because of the snow or the deep gray background; it literally felt sad. The people who were out and about looked like they’d just lost their best friend or something.

“Maybe they’re falling into the winter blues a little early this year,” Cadence offered, not really knowing. I was sure she was deep in her thoughts, trying to unravel Gavin.

When we reached the coffee shop, which was a bar by night, the lights were on. The only car out front was Wilder’s.

“Slow afternoon. Wonder where the poets are,” I mumbled, acting like I didn’t know that I would be face-to-face with Wilder for the first time in almost a year in a matter of minutes.

The shop was a magnet for the arts. Writers lined the tables during the day and bands played every night, but some days were reserved for poetry readings and such. Basically, any given day you could find an unbelievable talent inside the shop. Thousands of people had found their beginnings within these four walls. I started picking up shifts here just so I could be around the creativity. I’d taken thousands of images of the artists as they either created their work or shared it. My photos dominated the decor in this place.

“Huddled by a fire,” Cadence said as she parked behind Wilder’s car.

Right when I got out, I saw Abby and Lisa, two of my sisters…two of my dead sisters.

Chapter Six

I gripped Cadence’s arm as I forced my eyes closed. I knew by now the truck was a solid ice cube.

“What? What! You’re going to freeze me to death,” Cadence said with a degree of annoyance.

“Across the street. Look.”

A second later, I heard, “That’s kinda odd.”

“What!” I gasped, opening my eyes. I didn’t see my dead sisters; I saw two falcons on the sidewalk. As if they knew they were seen, they took flight.

“That’s not what I saw,” I said with a tremble.

“Okay…what’d you see?”

“Abby and Lisa.” I could not hide the ache in my voice.

Cadence pulled the mirror down so she could see the security that was parked behind us. “Freaking A. I told you, didn’t I? She’s messing with your head. And I would bet money those guards have been paid double. If you’re not careful, she’s going to break you.”

I took in a few rapid breaths. I felt like I was losing my mind. I knew I’d seen them. I was a thousand percent sure. Cadence wasn’t off base, though. More than once, Rasure had claimed that I was too mentally unbalanced, still in shock with grief; she knew exactly how to push my buttons.

“Come on,” Cadence said as she opened the truck door and slid out.

I balled my fists, then followed.

Inside the shop, Mason was at the bar with Gavin next to him. Wilder was behind it, and there was a writer in the corner. Besides that, the place was deserted.

I briskly walked the length of the bar. “Is it bar time?” I asked, not really wanting an answer.

I circled the bar, pulled out a shot glass, poured it full of whisky, and swallowed it whole, feeling the warmth slide down my throat, the harsh ease that followed it. This was the first drink I’d had since that wild summer with Mason, so only beats after that I felt a few of my uptight inhibitions slip away. The idea that I would have to lose control to find it again dared me to take another shot.

Gran’s image flashed in my thoughts. I didn’t want her to wake up only to see me go down a dark road that she steered me away from so long ago but I needed some courage right now, and I was sure it was at the bottom of the shot glass in my hand. “If not, it is now,” I said with a gasp, finally tasting how horrible the whisky was and remembering why I hated that drink of choice. I could swear razor blades were gutting my throat.

“I thought we were dry until next month?” Mason said as he twirled a toothpick in his hand and his concerned eyes rapidly danced across my face.

“Guess not. Pour me one,” Gavin said, only to catch a glare from Cadence.

I saw the guards getting out of the huge SUV. They’d parked and were making their way in. If I wanted another shot, I had to take it now. So I poured it, telling myself that I needed to face the grief that that vision in the parking lot had ignited. It felt like they died yesterday, the pain was that real.

Once the glass hit the bar, Wilder took it away. His blue eyes met mine for the first time in months. “What’s going on, D?” he whispered.

When I didn’t answer, he urged me back into the hall that was out of the common view of the shop.

I didn’t want to look up at him. I didn’t think I could handle it. He pulled my chin up as a gasp of fog that reeked of whiskey seeped from my lips.

“You’re cold…and getting colder by the second,” he murmured, looking into my eyes.

I took in a deep breath, smelling the rich scent of lilies that always seemed to linger oddly close to his skin.

“I told you I was cold hearted. Tell me you remember that.”

Instantly, he had my arms pinned over my head. “And I told you I didn’t care how cold you were.” He breathed against my neck, which made the entire hall turn to ice for an instant. “When are you going to get off this stage and let me see the real D?” Wilder always had to be different. The ‘in’ before the ‘d’ in my nickname was just too much for him to say.

One glance to his arm revealed a jagged gash. “What did you do to your arm?” I gasped as I averted my gaze, regretting those shots I took. If I was going insane, I wanted to be sober when that happened.

“Slipped on the snow, glass was on the ground.”

I broke free from him and crossed my arms. This was shaping up to be one of the weirdest days of my life. How could one dream predict two different wounds on my friends?

“I’m the reason you’re drinking,” Wilder stated. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought I heard pride in his tone.

“Don’t tell me you became cocky while you were out on the lam. I’ve had a bad day, followed by a sleepless night.”

“Sleepless, huh? You and Mason hooking up again? I heard he held you last night.”

I glared up at him. “What do you guys have—some kind of Indie survival club or something? Mason knows what we are. He was a friend when I needed one.”

“Survival club—really?” he said with that trademark smirk of his that enhanced his oh-so-kissable lips. I couldn’t help it. I breathed in again. His scent had always reminded me of the fragrance of spring, breaking warmth.

“I don’t like it when you guys talk about me. Pass tips on how to handle me.”

“Well, I don’t get why we can’t be friends. Why you treat me different than Gavin and Mason.”

“Because they’ve moved on.”

“You think I haven’t?” he asked as his blue eyes pierced through me.

I felt my insides cave in. The whisky was definitely wreaking havoc on my empty stomach and coursing directly into my bloodstream. “I heard rumors…but you never said.”

“You never asked,” he said as he tilted his head and gazed down at me with that signature wonder he always carried when he stared at me. I hated that look. In my eyes, it confirmed that I was nothing more than a challenge to him, that once I gave in, he’d make a notch on his bedpost and be gone.

“How long have you guys been hooked up?” That was my cold reminder that I wasn’t falling for his charm.

“This girl, a few weeks.”

“‘This girl,’” I repeated as I began to slide away from him.

“A few. It’s been a year, D.”

“I know,” I said, looking away, feeling somewhat betrayed. I wasn’t really surprised at the ‘few’ part. Wilder had this essence about him, one that was all man, completely seductive. That, along with his charm, that artistic flame that rippled through his piercing stare, was more than alluring to the female species. He told me once that he’d never had a relationship with anyone that lasted as long as ours, and we never even got started. I felt played. He was texting me nearly every day while hooking up with other girls.

“You never asked,” he said, as if he’d read my expression. “And whether this thing I got going on works out or not, I know this isn’t going to work the way I want it to.”

“And exactly how do you want this to work?”

“I want to be in your life the way Mason and Gavin are. You want me there, too, even if you won’t admit it.”

Wilder had always had this thought, or saying. He claimed we were destined, that I had already belonged to him. I never believed a word of it. Out of the three of them, I was always more guarded around him. I didn’t like how aware of me he seemed to be, not in a sweet way, but in a judgmental way, one that made me feel like we were not building a relationship but outlining a battlefield.

“Then learn to give me my independence.”

“Yeah, that worked well for Mason and Gavin. Those two have never said no to you. You want somebody to challenge you. Admit it.”

“I do. I want someone to push my mind, body, and soul to the limits. I want them to never let me forget how passionate every second of life is. I want someone I trust enough to follow and man enough to let me lead. Most of all, I want someone I can stand beside as we change the world. Someone who can help me ease the agony in this dark, cold world. I want a Falcon.”

I wanted Sebastian Falcon, but I wasn’t about to admit that aloud.

I never even thought about what I really wanted, and the last thing I wanted to do was admit that juicy tidbit to Wilder. There was no telling what he would do with that confession.

“Not everything that is cold is wicked, D.”

I raised my chin, cutting off his building speech that would try to convince me that I was not cursed, just different. “Friends,” I said to point out our current relationship status.

He smirked as he shook his head. “God help the man that does break the ice shield you hide behind.” His smile faded as our stares locked and that wonder filled his eyes once more. “There is no telling what’s deep down inside of you.” He let his words settle over me, then said, “Anyone I should be cheering on now?”

“No. Too focused on Rasure.”

He crossed his arms. “You are going to have to find somewhere else to place all this aggression.”

He hated Rasure as much as I did but didn’t see her as a threat. More than once, he told me I just needed to ignore her and wait it out.

“I’ll worry about that when it’s over,” I said as I remembered the info I had in my back pocket. “I gotta talk to Gavin.”

“Of course,” he bit out as I pushed past him.

Sophia had showed up for her night shift. She was tying on her apron, staring out at the bar. “You told him, didn’t you?” she whispered to me.

I knew she was talking about me mentioning her crush to Mason. “It may have come up, why? Did he say something?” I asked, glancing over this innocent girl who was more than likely too naïve to be in a relationship with my crazy summer boy.

“No, it was just the way he looked at me when I came in,” she said as her nervousness made itself apparent in her tone. “This isn’t going to be, like, weird between us, you know, if it goes anywhere? I don’t want to lose you as a friend over a crush.”

“You won’t,” I swore.

Her cheeks blushed just before she moved past me and started setting up for the night crowd.

Gavin was still sitting by Mason at the bar. Both of them were trying to read Wilder as he came out of the hall behind me.

I put the paper on the bar and slid it over to Gavin. “I need you to figure this out.”

“And this is...?” he asked with curiosity piqued.

“I developed the film.”

“Really?” Mason said as he leaned forward and tried to catch my gaze.

“Yeah. Anyway, there were pictures of Rasure on there, like, really old ones, and she looked the same. Either it’s her and I’ve officially gone mad, or everyone in her family looks the same. Regardless, my birth mother knew her.”

“Told you she was a demon,” Gavin said as he tapped the paper on the bar before sliding his seat back. He moved one space down next to Cadence, who already had her laptop open.

I glanced past Mason to the guards that were seated at the table by the door. I offered a nod. Just as I was about to ask if they wanted some coffee or something, the chime on the door introduced a new patron.

She was our age. Her hair was so blonde that it was almost white. She had it pulled back tightly, and the collar of her red pea coat was pulled up. It enhanced the fire engine red lipstick she was wearing. Everything about her was alluring. I wasn’t surprised that Gavin and Mason let their glances linger longer than they should have, but I was surprised to see Wilder walk around the bar to greet her.

I felt my stomach turn, my skin blush, and the ice form under my gloves. I reached for the coffee pot under the shelf of the bar and made my hands stay there. I couldn’t lose control, not in front of people I didn’t know.

Wilder walked right up to her, and she reached her arms around his neck and eased her body against him, whispering something in his ear as she caught my stare. He looked uncomfortable, not because of her touch, but because I was in the same room.

“Looks like somebody forgot to tell Wilder rule number one thousand and sixty,” Mason joked.

Gavin looked up from his work and smirked. “The most important one.”

“And what rule is that?” I asked, relieved I had something else to focus my attention on.

“Never bring the ‘next’ girl around Indie without warning,” Mason answered.

“But that rule is null and void if she is the one that hooked you up with her,” Gavin said, raising his hand as if he were declaring it. Cadence elbowed him, but he only vaguely acknowledged the blow. He was staring at me, trying to see if I was really upset. I shook my head no once.

“So I hear,” Mason said as his charismatic stare caught Sophie’s as she set a fresh cup of coffee in front of him. She blushed again and then walked away.

“All right. That’s enough. I’m declaring an official end to the Indie Survival Club. I can’t stand that you guys talk about me. It makes me feel cheap.”

The playfulness both Gavin and Mason had been talking with evaporated immediately. “That is the last thing you should feel like,” Mason said, leaning closer to me, reaching for my arm. “Closed club. Promise.”

Gavin moved down a seat closer to Mason. “Indie. It’s not a club. If it was, it would just be Mason and me, and we just don’t want anyone to hurt you or push you. We knew if you found out Wilder wanted to meet you and we blocked him that you would take it the wrong way, see us as obsessed or something. We just never expected you to let him in so fast. He’s not really your style.”

“I didn’t let him in. And I thought that it might work because you guys introduced me to him.”

Gavin’s eyes filled with concern. “You like him?”

I shook my head no once, knowing that was the truth. I didn’t like him the way I should. I knew that. I wasn’t jealous of him. I was jealous that another girl saw him for what I couldn’t, that she could touch him and not worry about freezing him to death.

I saw both Gavin and Mason breathe out.

“What do you guys know? I already figured out this is not the first girl that has been keeping him warm over the last few months. I let him go.”

They glanced at each other, then to me, giving me the impression that I wasn’t even close to the mark concerning what they were thinking or knew.

“What?”

“Just a gut feeling,” Gavin said under his breath as he glanced out the window to the empty snow-covered streets. “You say the word, and we’re out of here. I don’t like how she showed up out of nowhere, or that he is messing with you.”

Mason angled his phone at Gavin, as if to show him the time. He received a quick nod from Gavin before he glanced out the window again.

What was with the two of them?

“Wilder doesn’t have me rattled. I think it’s the dream I had last night. This day just feels off to me. Almost like everyone is either in place or out of place. My emotions are just on high alert.”

Gavin reached to squeeze my hand. His eyes questioned where my scarf was before he spoke. “We are going to figure this out, one way or another. I’m already on it.”

Mason nodded once to agree. I wasn’t sure what they were trying to unravel or why they didn’t seem to be hiding their protectiveness anymore. I mean, hell, if looks could kill, Cadence would have taken Gavin down the first second he moved away from her to talk to me.

“Don’t let me drag you into my hell. I think it’s almost over anyway.”

They glanced at each other before looking back at me. “It feels like it’s just starting,” Gavin said, almost to himself as he glanced over his shoulder at Wilder.

Wilder had somehow managed to get his girl to leave, but not before kissing her tenderly in front of all of us.

He avoided my stare as he walked back to the bar. The glances from the guys confirmed his fear that that was not a good thing to throw in my face. I mean, he could have at least introduced her to us.

I put up the front that I didn’t care as I acted like I was busy straightening up things. A beat or two later, I smelled the rich scent of lilies and glanced up to see Wilder just behind me. In my ear he whispered, “I didn’t plan that. Wasn’t ready for you to see it. Sorry.”

I glanced back at him and gave him a stiff nod before moving back to where Mason was. I halfway thought he was just trying to get a rise out of me. But like I said, I was more jealous of the ‘normal’ girl he’d found than the sight of her in his arms.

A familiar whisk of air swooshed through the room, producing Skylynn on the stool next to Mason. On reflex, I glanced to the guards, then to the writer in the corner to see if they noticed her sudden appearance. They gave no evidence that they did, but she’d stolen Cadence and the guys’ attention.

“Just to be clear, you see someone sitting next to Mason?” I said under my breath where only they could hear me.

“Of course they see me. They’re not blind,” Skylynn said as she pushed Gavin’s empty shot glass forward. “I’ll take one of these.”

“Everyone, Skylynn. Skylynn, everyone,” I said with insolence as I poured her a shot. Now, after all this time, she shows herself.

Wilder leaned over the bar in front of Cadence, and the two of them started a quiet conversation. I’m sure they were trying to figure out why they were now as insane as I was.

Mason wasn’t bothered by it at all. His chocolate eyes were drinking in Skylynn. Gavin’s eyes just moved between the two of us, trying to figure out why I was mad at my imaginary friend that had come to life before their eyes.

Skylynn slammed the glass down and turned sharply on her seat to face Mason. “You’re a twin.”

“Yup,” Mason said as all the allure left his eyes. She’d just called out his weakness, the loss of his brother.

“He played music, like you. Was it the drums?”

Mason smirked. “He wishes. Guitar and vocals.”

“Fanfreakingtastic,” Skylynn muttered as she asked me for another shot with the wave of her hand. I gladly poured it. I’d never seen her drink or lose her serious composure. I guess today was a day full of firsts.

She sipped this one at first, then swallowed it whole. “Tell me this,” she said, leaning into Mason. “Did anyone ever mistake you for each other? Not anyone. Did anyone special mistake you for the other?”

Mason bit his bottom lip as his gaze fell into hers. I glanced back to make sure Sophia’s attention was somewhere else, but the lavender blonde had captured her attention, too.

Mason leaned forward as he let a devious smile echo on the corners of his lips. “If anyone bothers to get close enough to a twin and looks into their eyes, they will see that the souls could not be mistaken for one another.” He leaned a little closer. “A special person would never question it, not if they knew us at all.”

Sounded like a logical answer to me, but all it did was seem to make Skylynn mad, maybe even sad, one of the two. I purposely handed the whisky bottle to Wilder, who was a few feet away from me. She’d had enough, apparently.

Skylynn locked eyes with me as she turned to face the bar. “He needs to move.”

“What?” I said with a smirk. Mason was totally not coming on to her, he was just using his charisma to hide the pain.

“Move. Over. Out. Up. Down. I don’t care. He just needs to move.”

“What has gotten into you?” I asked her with an astonished gaze.

She leaned over the bar so only I could hear her. “I’ve had a really bad day. It will only get worse if he doesn’t move. I’m not in the mood for a jealous temper tantrum.”

“He’s the most peaceful one of all of them,” I assured her, knowing he would not care what she had to say to me and wouldn’t even bother to steal my attention away from her.

“It’s not him I’m worried about. He smells like you. Make him move.” She glanced down at my wrist that was missing one very important scarf. “I’m trying to protect you. I thought that’s what you wanted. Needed.”

I couldn’t figure out why she wanted him to move, but I gave in, for Sophie’s sake. She had it bad for Mason, and now that Mason knew he was driving Skylynn mad he would continue to do so and never even know he was hurting the girl that had a crush on him.

Skylynn slid back down on her stool. I edged over in front of Mason. “Will you play me something?” I asked as sweetly as I could.

“Seriously?” he asked with a smirk, not believing I took her side.

I tilted my head in Sophia’s direction. “Don’t hurt her. She knows I told you.”

He leaned forward, holding my gaze. “I told you she was too naïve for me,” he whispered.

“Don’t be cold. I’ll forgive you for the Indie Club if you at least be nice. Tell her you’re not interested if you’re not, but don’t play with Skylynn in front of her.”

“Play?” he said in his familiar flirtatious tone.

“Go,” I insisted as I tried not to blush the way he wanted me to.

He pushed back from the bar. “Hey, Sophia. It’s slow. Do you want to learn how to play the drums?”

You would have thought that he asked her to run away with him. She beamed as she walked around the bar so she could follow him to the side of the room where the stage was.

Pretending that she needed to take Sophia’s place, Cadence edged around the bar and came to where I was standing.

“Smells like me? Really?” I muttered, looking at Skylynn.

She held up her shot glass, asking for more.

“Nope. You’re already acting weird.”

“Coffee, then. Why not?” she said with an exhausted smile. You would think it was the end of the world for Skylynn, that she saw no reason to have manners or inhibitions. It was sad, really. I wanted my friends to know the angel that had saved my life so many years ago, the angel that had kept me sane all these years.

Cadence poured her a cup. When she handed it to her, she said, “I always imagined you...I don’t know. Nicer.”

“I’m nice when I keep good company. Lately, that has not been the case,” Skylynn said as her eyes raked over Cadence.

“Do you plan on insulting all of my friends tonight?” I asked in a sharp tone.

“Definitely not talking about them,” Skylynn said, nodding in the direction of Mason and Gavin. With a sigh, her blue eyes locked with mine. I could have sworn I saw an apology there. For what, I don’t know.

“Who has you bothered?” I pushed.

“A few. But there is someone that is not thrilled that I’ve kept our friendship a secret.”

“Who?”

I glanced around the bar, noticing Wilder displaying the same disdainful glare as Cadence. Gavin had already decided she was nothing to worry about. He had pulled his laptop to him and was typing at the speed of light.

Skylynn returned their glare before she caught my stare. “You’ll see in...” she held up her hand and then slowly let her fingers count down to zero, then knocked her fist on the bar. At that moment, the chime on the door went off.

Time stopped.

I could not comprehend the warm, dominant energy that flowed through me as my eyes met this flawless being.

In the North Wing, he was never completely corporeal. None of the memories I had been able to unlock were. But now, right now, he was in the flesh. Sebastian Falcon was either standing feet from me or he had been reincarnated looking hotter than he was the first go around on the wheel of life.

His black, long sleeve T-shirt hinted to the perfection that it surely must be hiding. My eyes wanted to travel further down him, but they were pulled back to his intoxicating stare. His eyes were still a deep gray, but in the centers I could see unfathomable orange freckles, which mocked flames. He tilted his head slightly, allowing his somewhat long, dark auburn hair to fall over his high cheekbones. There was agony in his stare. It pulled me in. This. Could. Not. Be. Real.

I could swear his body relaxed all at once as his lips, perfectly shaped lips, echoed a wounded smile.

Our uncalled for stare may have relaxed him, but it had the opposite effect on me. Two beats—no, maybe three or four in one second followed by a thousand more. I had been staring at his image for years, and for some reason he was finally seeing me, too.

Almost immediately, he glanced down at the guards.

He turned to them and said something I could not hear, and as they passed what looked like short words shot back and forth. Skylynn gripped my arm. “If that doesn’t make you feel two beats, there is no hope for you,” she whispered.

I swallowed nervously as my eyes moved back to him. A flaming burn spread through my soul. I almost wanted to cry in relief, but that was foolish. In this life, right now, we were strangers. It didn’t matter that I felt like I had lived side by side with him for the past five years.

The guards had stood from their seat and left without another word. They didn’t go far, just to their SUV.

The boy walked slowly, yet confidently across the bar, catching my stare once more. This entire room should be frozen, at least twenty inches of ice by now—that was how out of control my emotions were—but no ice came. I felt my ivory skin turn crimson. It took every ounce of strength I had to stand still, not to rush to him, to welcome him home.

He sat down next to Skylynn and broke our gaze only to throw a glare to the corner the writer was working in. As if commanded to, the writer gathered his things and left without another word.

Skylynn let out a sigh as she slouched on her stool and pulled her coffee to her lips.

“Phoenix, please let me introduce you. This is Miss Genevieve Indiana Falcon,” she said with a nod to me.

Phoenix reached across the bar for my hand. As if under a spell, I gave it to him, but he didn’t shake it. Instead, he brought it to his warm lips. With his touch, I felt a slow burn ease through my body, causing my toes to curl and a gasp to escape my gently parted lips.

I had imagined this very scenario a million times over, feeling his skin, seeing his eyes meet mine, the touch of his lips against my skin. No doubt I had a very weak imagination. I had never felt anything so amazing in my life.

“Genevieve…it’s a pleasure,” Phoenix said in a deep voice that was pure silk. He said it the exact same way, the same way I heard him say it in that wing. How is that possible? How could he so clearly mock an ancestor of mine? How did Skylynn know him? How was any of this real?

“Sebastian,” I whispered before I could stop myself.

A wretched smile echoed in his hypnotic gaze. “Phoenix,” he said quietly, as if the lie was killing him. Did he realize that before this day that was the only name I knew him by? Maybe he was telling me that I was way off track, that he was not the boy in the North Wing.

“Sor—sorry,” I stuttered.

I knew the others had moved closer, that Wilder was behind me, defensive as always. Gavin had edged down the bar, curious and cautious as ever, and Mason had come back to this side of the bar, daring and protective as per his usual. But I didn’t see them. I could only see Phoenix, and oddly, in his energy I felt everything I loved about my guys. Phoenix wasn’t part of what I was looking for…he was two beats. He was the past I ached for. He barely said two words to me, and he was already the best thing that had happened to me in this life.

I held his gaze as my mind became flooded with the not-so-innocent memories I had seen in the North Wing, the ones where he passionately loved Genevieve, the ones that stole my breath, the ones I shied away from when they began. I shied away because the longing was too painful.

Phoenix glanced at Skylynn with what looked like contempt, then back to me. “My dear friend Skylynn mentioned that the two of you have been mates for a while.”

I didn’t answer him for a second. I was too caught up in my thoughts, running through my old memories. I could not figure out how any of this was real, and since I had never told anyone—not even Skylynn—about the memories I saw in the North Wing, I was alone in this questioning moment.

“Been through a lot,” I managed to say.

Phoenix pursed his lips as he looked down at the bar. A second later, his eyes moved across the wood to where my hand was still limply lying.

I heard the bar phone start to ring, but we all seemed to ignore it. We also ignored the new customers that seemed to fill the bar instantly, the loud music that came out of nowhere.

Phoenix let his long fingertips outline the snow-white skin that the scarf had covered for almost seven years. “Missing something?” he asked in a whisper that was almost drowned out by the sudden life the bar seemed to have.

I couldn’t think. Vibrating warmth was tingling the skin under his touch. I’d seen him do this in the North Wing, but that was just a visual. The memory carried no weight because I put distance between it and me, but right now—I remembered this. I remembered his touch as clearly as my name.

“Unfortunately.” I meant for that to sound sarcastic, but instead my tone brought pain to that one word.

Phoenix let his gaze rise to meet mine. “I can’t give it back…but I can give you this for now.”

Nervously, my eyes fell to my wrist. Now there was a pearl bracelet that looked utterly priceless and absolutely familiar.

I gasped as a beaming smile erased my perplexed expression. “I suppose I lost that again.” I don’t know why I said that aloud, why I was claiming that life I witnessed in the North Wing. I just knew it felt right. Everything about Phoenix felt right.

“Again?” he said, as if he did not believe I said that.

The last time I saw this bracelet was this morning, when the memories of the last night Sebastian and Genevieve spent together came to life in the North Wing.

Desire, a warm, sinful, desire swarmed through my veins as my gaze rose to meet his again, as I dared to confirm that yes, I said ‘again.’ Yes, I know you are Sebastian Falcon. Yes, I know that I was—am—your Genevieve. A war took you from me, and yes, I never forgot you. Yes, I know exactly who you are. Who I am. And no, I do not understand any of this.

Before any of that came out, Gavin’s uncle opened the bar door. “Indie, good God. I’ve been trying to call every phone you have. Doc said to call you. Your grandmother has taken a turn for the worse.”

What was odd was that he wasn’t looking at me, he was looking to the left of where I was standing.

I focused my eyes, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Gran was fine hours ago, really fine. But then I noticed that Skylynn and Phoenix had vanished and that the bar was full of people. Apparently it was an insane night here.

Grief slammed into me. Did I really just fabricate all of that? Was he not real? I didn’t have time to dwell on those thoughts. I was harshly pulled back into the life that was mine, a life that looked like it was only getting worse.

Wilder was in a corner booth with that girl, and Mason was at his drums, Sophia a few feet from him. Cadence and Gavin were at the other end of the bar, playing on a laptop.

I was now stuck in a dark world—one that I didn’t want to be in.

Chapter Seven

I climbed the bar, pushed through the people that were there, then jumped down and weaved through the crowd, glancing back to see Gavin and Cadence hurrying to follow me and Mason stopping the beat of his drums and rushing to where I was.

Wilder stood from the booth where he sat. The seductive blonde nonchalantly tried to stop him, but he ignored her.

“I’m driving,” he stated flatly, opening the door for me.

“Go back to your girl,” I demanded, trying to steal his keys, but he refused to give them to me. Instead, he opened the door and pushed me out into the parking lot.

I stood in shock. There were only a few cars here a second ago, and now it was packed and the day had turned to night. Wilder pulled me forward, thinking shock and grief were paralyzing me.

When he touched me, though, I saw that girl, and an entirely different scene played from what I’d witnessed before. Instead of her coming in and leaving moments later, he brought her in. He didn’t say a word to us. Instead, he huddled in the corner with her. A time or two, he tried to glance at me or walk over to us, but she’d pulled him into a deep kiss, distracting him from us, from me. That new memory caused rage and jealousy to erupt in my soul.

Before I could reason why I had those new memories or why one second I was given the one thing I always wanted—Sebastian in the flesh—and the next I was here, Wilder had me in his car and we were weaving through traffic, trying to get to the manor.

“D, it’s going to be okay,” he promised, reaching for my leg. I dodged away from him.

“I deserve that.”

“I don’t have the energy to figure you out. I think I’m going mad.”

“What about me do you have to figure out? You told me to move on. I did.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t tell you to act like I didn’t exist. You guys look serious. Have fun with that. She looks nice and warm.” I pulled my fist to my lips. Why did I say that? Why did it feel like I said it before? What the hell was going on?

“You all right, D? You’re acting like you just saw a ghost.”

I drew a sharp breath, knowing that there could be some truth to that.

“Weird day.”

“Too many old flames in one room?” he said with a smirk as he changed lanes at Mach speed.

There was far too much irony in his tone. I glanced back, trying to find a reason to believe that I wasn’t rushing to my grandmother’s deathbed. She was fine, and I had finally laid eyes on my two beats.

“D –”

I held up my hand to halt him. “Who’s behind us?” I asked, noticing the blinding lights in the side mirror, wondering if that was my guards but it couldn’t have been because in the reality I was in now, there were no guards.

“Gavin and the others.”

My stomach clenched with dread. “Call him. Tell him not to follow us. It’s dangerous!”

“Like they would listen.”

“You don’t understand!” I bellowed, trying to find his phone on him, feeling in his jacket, his pants.

“D! Stop it! We’re going to wreck!”

Before I could tell him truer words had never been spoken, his car slid off the road and downhill; he couldn’t stop it if he wanted to. A few feet later, he found a gravel road and managed to stay on it but he did not lose his speed. I didn’t even have to glance back to know that Gavin had followed our path.

“STOP! STOP! TRAIN!” I screamed, bracing my arms on the dash.

“There is no train!” he yelled, trying to keep control of the car. I was sure I was impairing him, my emotions were making everything freeze, the road more dangerous.

At that second, I heard the whistle. I felt adrenaline explode in my body. There was nowhere to go. He had turned to avoid the train that was quarter mile or so in the distance, and there was no way he was going to stop before then.

When he turned and plowed through the brush, I saw the lake. It wasn’t frozen until my eyes landed on it and that was when ice captured the waves and the wheels of Wilder’s car slid across it.

I was a fool, though. My relief that I’d frozen the water caused the ice to vanish, and the car that we were in was basically a frozen block of ice and began to sink immediately.

I struggled to get loose from my belt as the freezing water rose over me. Wilder was already kicking out the windshield, but he used too much energy too fast, and when the water went over our heads he passed out within seconds. I knew how to get out. I kicked out the back window and pulled him with me, cutting his arm again, waking him with a scream once again.

We swam past Gavin’s truck that had, of course, fallen on our car. After a gasp of air, I went back, ignoring Wilder’s protest.

He reached the truck before me again, but I knew where to go: to the back window.

Mason’s lips were on Sophia’s. He was trying to give her air, calm her down, a survival skill he’d learned countless summers ago. I got her belt loose, and he pushed her out but now he was out of wind.

The others were thrashing around in the front seat. I couldn’t figure out why they would not just go, what were they fighting about.

Finally, Wilder pulled Cadence and Gavin out. I looped my scarf around Mason and pulled him from the truck just after it tumbled deeper into the water.

My insane fear was causing the ice to form around us, making getting to the top near impossible. When I did finally get air, I couldn’t make the ice stay long enough to hold up Mason, who was delirious.

This was my dream, moment by agonizing moment, but when I finally reached the shore with Mason and looked back I couldn’t figure out why in the dream I would have gone back for a camera I didn’t have. That’s when I reached in my pocket to find the skeleton key gone.

I knew the current would whisk it away if I didn’t go back for it, but just as I dove back into the water a blinding light stopped me.

Breathless, I found myself perched on the beams across the top of my room, the same turned over bookcases and lamps only this time it wasn’t Cadence staring up at me. It was Skylynn.

My insane, rapid heartbeat almost made me lose my balance. I felt the ice under my hands, and on instinct I reached for my scarf, but it wasn’t there. Instead, there was the pearl bracelet. My heart ached at the sight of it. What the hell was going on!

Skylynn moved forward a few steps, holding my stare. “You want to come down from there?” she said in an exhausted tone.

“You’re a psychotic break,” I said with a gasp. “I’ve finally lost it. Maybe I never had it,” I said, trying to take in deep breaths. Though I was pulling air in, I still couldn’t breathe.

“You’ve definitely lost something, but it’s not your sanity.”

Terrified that I was going to fall, I turned my body, letting my arms support me, then swung my legs to the bookcase and climbed down. Slowly, I turned to face her.

“What did I lose, then?” I said after I swallowed nervously and saw all the bruises on my arms surface again.

Her angelic blue eyes filled with sympathy. “Your life.”

“Wh—what?”

She was in front of me in that instant and had pulled me to her, rocking me from side to side. Flashes of everything pushed through my mind.

I could smell the lake all over me. I felt the cold, the desperation, the fight for air. The fight for life.

“I’m not dead,” I stated flatly, having no choice but to believe that.

She urged me over my bed and sat me down. She reached in her pocket and pulled out a small velvet bag.

“Breathe this in,” she said, holding it near my mouth. I could smell lemon, and oddly it was bringing me a soothing calm. I took the sack from her and breathed in deeply, feeling her hand rub across my back.

“This can’t be real,” I said. After a few minutes, I let the sack fall and stared at the pearl bracelet now on my wrist. “What happened to me…?”

“I told you.”

“I’m breathing right now. I’m not dead.”

“It’s an illusion. Truth be told, where your body is, a machine is breathing for you. Right now, you’re standing at the edge of the veil. Your soul is plotting its course.”

“I’m not dead. This is a dream. I remember this dream. Cadence, Rasure, Mason holding me, talking to Gran…” I glanced down at my bracelet, feeling those two beats once more. “I remember everything.”

She reached for my hand and gripped it. “This accident happened almost two days ago. From what I gather, you were told your grandmother was dying. As you rushed to her, you had an accident…a car ran you off the road. Now you and your friends are all clinging to life. Without the machines, you would already be gone. Your brother Ben is keeping you alive, but Rasure is pushing to pull the plug. The doctors are on her side. They’re saying that all of you are clinically dead.”

“I talked to Rasure. I talked to people today,” I argued.

A protective anger masked her angelic image. “Everyone you talked to today…was not alive.”

“Gran,” I gasped.

Skylynn gripped my hand. “Her soul lingered only to tell you her peace. She’s moved on now—she is in bliss. I saw it with my own eyes.”

My eyes moved back and forth rapidly. Replaying my day, remembering that besides my friends and Gran I’d only talked to Rasure and Mrs. Cambridge.

“Rasure,” I seethed.

Skylynn let out a jagged breath. “I never wanted you to know this, any of this, not this way. You weren’t supposed to die.”

“What the hell does that mean?” I said, standing. “What are you? Did you kill me? I’m insane, just tell me that.”

A force of energy wrapped around me, and in the next beat I was sitting on the bed again. Whatever had moved me here was holding me in place.

“I,” Skylynn said, as if she didn’t notice that I was struggling against this invisible hold, “am a shadowed soul.”

“What the hell is a shadowed soul? Are you evil? Is that what you’re telling me?”

“No,” she said with a tone laced in grief. “I died before my time, and I can’t come back until everything has moved back into place. There is more to it, but that is the bottom line.”

“Is that what I am now?”

“No,” she whispered. She reached to caress my short blonde hair. “Your fate is undetermined at this moment.”

“What determines it?” Fear was all I could feel, not just for me, but for all of my friends.

“You. Whether or not you believe me, forgive me, trust me.”

“I’ve always trusted and believed you. What would I need to forgive you for?” I asked, letting my frantic stare meet hers.

“Listen, I’m in this form because my demon is impatience. I used magic—both good and bad magic—to manipulate people and circumstance, and when I died I didn’t learn my lesson. I fought against fate…the same impatience that had always cursed me.”

“You’ve manipulated me? Is that what you’re saying?”

“No, you are the only good thing I’ve done in the recent past.”

“You’re not making any sense to me.”

Skylynn faced forward and leaned across her knees. She stared into the distance before she spoke. “The night I found you…I was hunting an Escort.”

“Excuse me?”

“They’re beings that take the essence of life from others.”

“Like vampires or something?” I asked, not assuming anything was too unbelievable at this point.

“The essence of life is not blood. It’s energy,” she said sharply as her eyes met mine. It was like she was sick of explaining the difference, not to me, but to others. “They take energy from souls, which in turn dims the light of those souls. I heard a rumor in the veil that one of the prestigious Escorts was in play again. I knew if I took her down that it would set off a chain reaction. She was the mother to thousands just like her.”

“You’re not talking about Rasure,” I said with a gasp, remembering those pictures I’d developed before. That is, if I ever developed them. According to Skylynn, I was dead then.

Her eyes told me that was exactly who she was talking about. “The thing is, when I found her nest, I found you in the middle of it. At first I thought that she was not the great mother I was looking for, not if you’d managed to survive her, but then I realized who you are…one of seven.”

My eyes grew wide as I’d heard Gran say the same thing in my memories. “Seven what?”

“One of seven souls that will lead the war between light and darkness, one of the seven that will bring balance and save us from self-destruction.”

“I’m nothing more than a really janked up girl. I’m not your answer.”

The look in her eyes told me that she wanted to tell me I was right, but she could not force herself to lie. “I may have been wrong about your friends, but I’m not wrong about you.” She glanced at my wrist. “If I didn’t know that when I gave you that scarf, I knew for sure tonight.”

I felt something deep in my stomach coil with anticipation as I thought of the first time I saw Sebastian in the flesh. He looked back at me with the same ache that I knew my eyes must have carried, but he made no effort to confirm his name or his connection to me, at least not beyond this pearl bracelet. And according to Skylynn, I was dead when I laid eyes on him. What does that mean? Had he really had been haunting this manor all these years?

“What about my friends?” I asked, settling into this insanity.

“There have been many minds that have seen forward, predicted this time in our existence. I thought Mason and his brother were someone else. I learned the hard way that it was another set of twins that was meant to be at this fight, which was almost a relief because they are both still alive. I thought Gavin was another soul, too, but I have my doubts.”

“And what did you think I was?”

“The seventh sister, the one that was hidden by the veil.”

“I have far more than seven sisters.”

I almost told her that Gran had said something close to that earlier today, but I didn’t trust my recent memories as much as I should have.

“I’m not talking about bloodlines, or even bonds that make family. You are one of seven whose soul is old enough to remember its path, who will change the course of humanity.”

“I’m a Falcon,” I stated firmly, looking down at my bracelet.

Her glance followed mine. “I withheld a truth from you.”

“A truth that doesn’t make sense, so it doesn’t matter.” She needed to know I was grateful for everything she’d done for me. I was able to have some kind of life simply because I felt protected by her. She’d even made me feel invincible at times. But I couldn’t bring myself to tell her that I had been at Sebastian’s side every day for years. That he was all too real to me. That I was terrified and excited that I had crossed his path once again.

“I’m talking about Phoenix.”

“Sebastian,” I corrected her, which confused her. “He must be dead, too, then, huh? What did he do to deserve the curse you’re fighting?”

“We are not the same. Not even close.”

My fearful eyes met hers. I remembered him walking into the shop, how everyone with the exception of my friends fled—even the men that were paid to protect me.

“He’s like Rasure?” I said with a gasp. That could not be true.

She raised a velvet bag to my mouth, forcing me to breathe in and out, forcing me to calm down.

“No. Phoenix is a phoenix. An immortal that can walk on all planes, that is, as long as he has every ounce of his ashes.”

The only reason I even knew what phoenixes were was that it was the seal of the city I lived in. It was a bird or something that destroyed itself by fire, only to be reborn new. Our city had burned before, rebuilt itself.

“That’s one good looking bird,” I said with a hint of sarcasm.

“Not a bird,” Skylynn assured me. “A soul that is immortal, that can always recreate itself, very powerful allies. One that I have crossed in the worst way possible.”

“You crossed him?” I asked with a shudder, knowing that it had to have taken more than nerve to do that.

Her gaze cascaded over me, and I saw the regret she claimed to feel. “I have a hard time asking for help. I always have. I only know how to bargain, how to manipulate. I stole some of his ashes. I did that so I could call him when I needed him.”

I was seeing her through new eyes. Before this moment, I never would have thought her to be all the things she was calling herself. She wasn’t cruel or cold, she was nurturing and giving—protective.

“So you had a thing for him?” I asked as jealousy ripped through my soul.

She smirked. “Oil and water. Never a thing.”

“Maybe it’s because I’m dead or whatever, but I’m not following you. I don’t get what you’re saying.” What I wanted to say was, ‘I don’t understand how you showed up with the boy I fell in love with long ago. How I’m connected to him, even though I’m not a blood Falcon.’ I wanted to ask her if she knew anything about twin realities or something called The Fall. I wanted to hash out everything I heard in the North Wing this morning, but I held back. I held back because I felt vulnerable right then, like I was standing between a past and a present and I wasn’t sure where my future was headed.

“When I first saw you, heard you tell me about the ice, your birth, I wasn’t entirely sure of who you were, not until I placed his ashes on your wrist and you breathed so deeply that you would have thought it was your first breath. I knew then you were his.”

I closed my eyes, soaking in all the memories I had of him, realizing I had been waiting for someone to say that to me for far too long.

“You have a past with him, but darkness divided you. Instead of telling him I found you, I kept you hidden.”

“Darkness did not take him. He left to fight. He left to protect lost souls. And when he left, he was not a phoenix.”

When she didn’t say anything, I let my gaze find her. I shrugged. “He’s surfaced in memories before, memories I found in this manor,” I admitted, leaving out the bit that I was pretty much obsessed with the parts of this manor I found those memories in.

“You never said...” Her voice trailed. She felt bad. I could see it in her eyes.

“I thought he was an ancestor,” I offered.

“You’re not saying something.”

A film of tears came over my eyes. I couldn’t deal with this. I was just told my grandmother was dead, that all my friends were, that I was and to top it off, I had the biggest heartbreaker in history decide to show himself now, a second too late.

“I didn’t say anything before because I saw him with my image. There is no way for me to have a history here. I was adopted. Half the time, I thought I fabricated him, and the other, I didn’t give a damn. It gave me peace to witness those memories.”

“Indie, I swear if you had mentioned this to me before, I would have taken you to him instantly.” She was fighting back tears, too. “Maybe if I had, this would not have happened.”

“If you knew—if you knew we had a past, why did you keep him away?”

“I don’t sense time the way you do. A year to you feels like five minutes to me. I was going to wait for your birthday. Only a few more weeks. He will never forgive me for this.”

“Call me crazy, but if any of the inside out memories in my mind are right, my address hasn’t changed. He never came home. It wasn’t your job to walk him to the front door.” Could he really have been alive all this time? Lived that many lives as a phoenix? He looked exactly the same way he did in the North Wing, like not a moment had passed. The only difference was the fire I saw in his eyes and the elevated power in his essence.

She started to say something, but she caught herself. She let out a breath, then said, “He was fighting the war, all the while looking for your soul, a soul that should be bright as the sun but was dimmed by grief, self-loathing…and now…if he has his way, you will never be with him.”

Could dead people puke? Because I was pretty sure I was about to. I pushed that sensation down as I squinted my eyes. I didn’t want anyone to see me this lovesick, not even Skylynn.

“Let me guess: death is not my color or something,” I said, hoping sarcasm would mask the quake in my voice.

“He wants to let you die. He thinks that is the only way to keep you safe, out of his war. Indie, I could tell him a million times, the people who are fighting with us now could tell him, but he won’t listen—he doesn’t understand that without you the war will end in self-destruction. In his mind, you will die and he will find you again, in another form, another life.”

“I’m too pissed off to die,” I fumed, thinking of Rasure, how she’d tormented me my entire life, and how she was now set to win my family name, my inheritance. And if that wasn’t enough, she had taken my only chance of happiness away. Two weeks. If I were alive in two weeks, the manor would have been mine and Skylynn would have brought me Sebastian. Life would have been perfect.

“You need to tell him that.”

“He left, Skylynn. He left with his brother, and he never came back.” I sucked in a breath. “Eventually, Ben will lose his court battle and they will pull the plug on my body, but I’m not going anywhere. I will haunt that bitch to the end of time.”

“A vengeful spirit. Now, that is not a good color for you—and sadly something that is very possible.” She hesitated as she thought over something, then went on. “I don’t think Rasure has any idea who you really are. If she did, you would not have survived this long. Escorts feed on energy. She fed off your endless grief, the grief of your enormous family over the years. She will feed off your loss, the grief this town has, and never realize that she lived under the same roof of the one soul that could end her. You’re going to have to let go and die the way Phoenix wishes, or you are going to have to convince him to save you so you can finish your work here and move on to the real war.”

“Where are my friends?” I asked with an ache in my voice. I had to know if they’d already moved on, if I was now truly alone.

Skylynn looked down. “Phoenix and I stepped into your loop, because we did, you came out of it faster. In their minds, they are still struggling for life, clinging to that river bank.”

“What!”

“When you die without warning, you relive your last moments, sometimes day, a few times over. It’s your soul’s way of saying goodbye or understanding that life in that form cannot exist anymore. Only a few fight their way back. They will tumble through those last hours a time or two more…then it will be over.”

“Nothing is over!” I bellowed, breaking free from the hold of the energy that had been keeping me in place.

I charged out of the room, down the hall, then to the stairs. There, I found grief. The first floor of my manor was filled with all of my brothers and sisters, their spouses, children, and family friends. They were mourning my grandmother and preparing to mourn for me.

I charged through the front door and ran toward the side yard, through the snowy woods that I knew the lake I’d perished in was behind.

I gasped for air as I scraped by trees, brush, and every obstacle that could stop me from reaching the lake that had taken my life.

Finally, I reached it, and when I did I heard coughing. I saw our bodies lying on the bank, fighting the cold, fighting for air.

There were others standing over our bodies, the bodyguards that had followed me to the shop earlier and the girl in red that was with Wilder.

The men were standing over Gavin and Sophia, and what looked like fog was rising from their bodies and moving into the men. That act seemed to bring them absolute bliss. The girl was over Mason, pulling the same fog from him, smiling seductively as she did.

They were sucking the life out of us, and without a doubt Wilder, Cadence, and I were next on their list. Without fear, I charged toward the girl. My rage-filled touch froze her instantly, and she locked eyes with me as the ice consumed her. It was like I was the last person she expected to see bring on her demise. I kicked her, breaking the ice, breaking her image into a thousand pieces.

I charged for the men next. I froze the one over Sophia, but just as I went to kick him I felt the other one pin my arms behind my back and for the first time in my life I felt cold, really cold. But that didn’t last long. A burn came instantly. I turned, grateful for the warmth and just in time to see the man fall to ash.

To see Phoenix standing there, staring at me with gray eyes, which had fire in their centers.

Chapter Eight

My heart was thundering in my chest. Every emotion known within my soul was surging through me. It was enough emotion to freeze the planet, end life on this rock, but no ice came. It didn’t come because my soul was on fire. Those memories, millions of them, were flooding my mind. I relived every moment I had spent in the North Wing over the last five years in a split second. Every part of me ached to pull him to me in a warm embrace, to welcome him back into my arms in some way. I felt like the hell of my life had vanished at the sight of him. He was a game-changer. I didn’t even know him in this life but already knew I would never forget him—I would never get over him.

The images of my friends vanished instantly, and silence came to the snowy night.

“What did you do with them?” My voice quivered as I struggled to quiet my mind.

Phoenix slanted his head ever so slightly, letting his blazing gaze ease down my body. Everywhere his eyes wandered, I felt a burn—the act of breathing was more than I could manage. That look, that one right there, was one of the thousands I’d craved to see aimed in my direction. My stare grew wider, and I was unable to hide how familiar he seemed to me. I told myself I was a fool when my reaction was not met equally. He was keeping his emotions at a distance, so much so that I doubted Skylynn’s words, at least the ones that said this boy somehow thought I was his.

“Resting.”

“They’re not resting,” I said as I pulled myself back into focus. “What were those people doing to them?”

“Feeding.”

A sick feeling climbed in my throat. I charged past him, but he appeared in front of me in that instant. “Where are you going, Love?” he said with an ache in his velvety smooth voice.

“To kill Rasure. Freeze her to death.”

“That’s my place,” he said with a lethal edge to his tone. I felt my soul seize. He was making my head spin. One second he acted as if I were some chore he had to complete, and the next he acted as if it were his place to seek vengeance on any harm Rasure had brought me.

I felt both relief and anger at the same time. Part of me was grateful he was now here—I felt a weight lift. The other part of me was furious that he hadn’t been here until now. Anger won that battle just as I said, “This is not your war. That woman has tormented me for too long.”

“Longer than you know.” His eyes fell into mine, and it took everything I had not to think of all those visions that were still fluttering in my mind. “I need you to let go. Die in peace. I will avenge your death. End her.” Emotion. He finally conveyed it in its raw form, without distance. I recognized that look in his eyes. It was the same one I saw when I looked in the mirror each morning. It was full of grief, pain, and determination to stay strong, move forward, closed off from the real world. He moved closer, and against my neck he breathed, “Please.” His body trembled slightly, as if that one word had sealed his fate.

I swallowed nervously as I casually leaned my head to the side, meeting his forehead to my temple. I closed my eyes, trying to suppress the burning sensation that was waving through my soul.

“I don’t know how to live or die in peace.”

I felt him tense next to me. The air around us became lighter. I knew this sensation. It was the way I always felt when I walked the halls of the North Wing or beckoned a memory of my family forward. It was the moment where grief faded and hope began to blossom deep inside.

I pulled my shoulders back as I moved away from him. “I’m going to kill her, then I’m going to kill everyone like her.”

Instantly, he’d gently pinned my arms behind my back, pressed his firm body against mine, and let his gray eyes bore into me. “I wasn’t there to protect you before, and it has cost me more pain than I care to dwell on…let go, I’ll follow you soon enough. I promise you that.”

I gasped hearing it for myself. He did think I was his. He did remember me. He was giving truth to the memories that were flooding me.

Under his touch, I felt passion, life. I felt everything I’d thought I deserved to feel—everything I wanted to feel with my almost lovers but couldn’t because I was in love with a memory that I thought could never be relived.

“I’m not going anywhere until she is dealt with. I will not let her destroy my family name. I owe that to my parents—that is the reason fate did not let me leave this world with them. It’s my job to kill her. Let me go.”

His grip tightened. “I’m your family. We have a family.”

“Had.” I wanted to take that word back as soon as I said it because I knew that was not completely the truth, and I couldn’t bear the pain I saw reflecting back at me. I bit my lip in an effort to stop myself from apologizing, to confessing that the one thing I looked forward to every day was watching our life then and begging him to explain to me how come we have been apart, why he didn’t come back, what happened to me then.

He tilted his head ever so slightly, letting his eyes fall to my lips. “Love, have you learned to lie…after all this time?” He let my arms go and slowly reached one hand for my hip and the other for my face.

My insides caved in. This was not the first time I had witnessed him call my image out on clouded truth. I felt like I had stepped into my favorite movie or book, and I could not comprehend it. I couldn’t understand how real this dream had become. It was terrifying me. I was terrified to realize that I loved him. Not his memory, not the idea of him, or even the fantasy of him. I loved him.

Within the next beat, his lips were on mine. I held mine firmly closed at first, not wanting to fall any deeper down this dark rabbit hole.

But the warmth of his lips forced a gasp from me, giving him a way in. I was too far gone at that moment to refuse him any longer. As if his kiss were my source of air, I pulled him closer, let my hungry lips claim his. As his hands squeezed my waist then moved further south, my memories of him changed. Instead of watching this love affair at a safe distance, I was the memory. I remembered his touch. I craved it. I’d mourned it, now I was living it.

In the North Wing, we were not always kind to each other—some fairy tale lovers—we were a real couple with real arguments. The fact is, we were both stubborn and at times had to agree to disagree. A kiss like this was exactly how every argument ended.

Something wild inside of me broke loose and I found myself pulling him closer, letting my starving hands roam over every part of him that I could reach as his did the same. I felt a shield breaking away from my soul. I felt myself take in a breath of relief. I let myself feel vulnerable in his arms. I was letting him in.

I’d been touched before, but never like this. Each time his hand moved, my skin ached, wanting the humming fire of his touch to return to the abandoned spot.

Beats later, I came to my senses. I was dead. He was a phoenix, and I had people who were counting on me to save them. I didn’t have time to make out on some lakeshore. Reluctantly, I pulled away from his lips and leaned my forehead to his chin as I closed my eyes.

“I missed you,” he whispered into the night.

It was a reflex. I never would have meant to say my next words aloud. “Where have you been?”

He glanced away, as if the last thing he expected was for me to acknowledge his words.

“Lost.”

My bank of memories was cruel to me. Instead of the bliss, they showed me what I saw this morning, our last night, him leaving to try and stop a war and protect his brother at the same time. That horrible howling noise coming from the dome room, the purple fire encasing the manor. I couldn’t bring myself to imagine what happened to me after he left the last time.

I had to move away from him and stay focused on what I was doing. I couldn’t come to grips with what was going on between him and me because I was losing my mind, and I was losing my mind because supposedly I was dead. I had to fix this. I had to find a way to save us all, and the only way I could see to do that was to end Rasure’s reign.

The water from the lake lapped onto the bank, bringing my nightmares to mind. Both of those dreams never let me back into that water. The first go around, I thought I was going after a camera; the second time told me it was a key. I didn’t know what the key unlocked, but I knew I was no fool and that if my living, breathing soul wanted it, so did my dead one.

I turned to the water, but he was there blocking my way. I would be a liar if I said the power he wasn’t even trying to display was turning me on, distracting me from my anger. This was a new aspect to him, one that I liked. A lot.

“Let go.” He breathed in. “Follow your almost lovers to the grave. I’ll finish this.”

My eyes grew wide as my lips parted slightly, not believing the jealousy I saw in his eyes. Did he realize I was not in the same life he knew before? Or that they were not almost lovers, they were friends, they had become family? I knew his temperament well enough to know that he was trying to distract me. He was trying to evoke my defensive side, and in the end getting this key out of the lake would be the last thing on my mind. I had to stay focused. “Rasure is either going to die or be haunted by all of us.”

“You don’t understand death, Love. How dangerous these thoughts are.” There was concern in his hard stare. I doubt most would have seen it if he spoke to them in this manner, but I both saw and felt it, right to my very core.

He was going to give me whiplash with how rapidly his tone and stance were changing. I knew one thing, as long as I stayed angry, I stayed focused.

“You’re right. As far as I’m concerned, this is a wicked dream. I have a paper due tomorrow, a portfolio that I should be working on, and a lawsuit against Rasure that is nearly won. Dream or death, either way I will win this.”

He stepped forward and peered down at me. “Cadence does not share your rage. Lover number one—Gavin, is that his name? He has vengeance, but not for Rasure. For the man that took his sister’s life. Lover number two, now he let go of his brother’s death, thanks to you…but he’s not angry enough at Rasure to even understand what he is fighting. He, along with lover number three, no doubt will be eaten alive by her army.”

I was speechless, frozen with uncertainty.

“You’re vengeful. Rasure didn’t know what you were in life, but she knows by now, and she also knows exactly how to torment a vengeful spirit just like you. She’ll drive you to the point of insanity and force you to beg for freedom. A freedom she will never give you.”

“Lies,” I said in a timid whisper.

“I have never lied to you before, and I will not start now. Let go. Don’t drag your friends’ souls into this. They will follow you, you know they will, but they will not be able to hold on to you. They will be called to where their soul’s fight is.”

“There has to be another way.” My gaze begged him for a solution, but the only one he cared to give was for me to let go.

“There is,” I heard Skylynn say.

She’d appeared at our side.

“Don’t you dare show your face here. You’ve done enough,” Phoenix fumed, which ignited a protective instinct deep inside of me. No one talks to my friends that way.

“Your anger is going to end us all,” Skylynn replied in an almost apologetic tone.

“No, my anger is going to protect her,” he guaranteed.

“Everyone else will eventually perish without her, without the two of you. You know that.”

“I know nothing. You have weaved this web of spells so deep that no one can find their way out. I’m not going to pull her through this.”

“Fine. I will.”

“You have no say,” Phoenix seethed.

“I have a say!” I yelled, not having any clue what they were arguing about in the first place. “I don’t give a fat flying freak about what you two are arguing about. I have an Escort to kill.” I turned to go to the lake, but Skylynn held my arm as she kept her glare on Phoenix.

“We’ve got three choices here. You burn her, I find someone else to do just that, or we help her find her revenge.”

“No one will burn her against my wishes, and you know that,” Phoenix raged through a locked jaw.

Seeing that he was not giving in to her reasoning, she changed her approach, and the protective angel that had fed me every word to say to those psychiatrists and lawyers surfaced. “I wonder what your little Sunshine friend would say about this. If she would find a way to help her, send Guardian here to heal her or the others, if she would not ask her all-powerful witch to bring her back from death’s door. She is one of seven, and Sunshine, as you call her, would not let one of her sisters fall.”

Guardian! He was still with him. Those brothers were still side-by-side after all this time. That eased me for some reason. But wait—why did she think Guardian was a healer. Exactly what the hell had these boys been up to all this time?

“That is a theory. Nothing more.”

I cocked my eyebrow, knowing deep down that the seven sisters was no theory. It couldn’t have been because my grandmother, who had nothing to do with either of them, had spoken of it to me. I didn’t have a chance to reveal that or question who this Sunshine girl was.

“Genevieve is too far gone to be brought back by anyone,” Phoenix raged on, causing the reality of my situation to settle a little deeper into my mind.

“Right, so burn her. I’d hate to ask Guardian to come to her rescue.”

“You do not understand the dynamics of what you are proposing. And stay away from Guardian. They have enough to deal with right now without your conniving,” Phoenix threw back at her.

I could swear I saw shame in Skylynn’s eyes. “Guardian knows that without this girl you will perish eventually, which means she is now in his path. Your call, Phoenix. According to you, either way we’re doomed, so why die alone?” was Skylynn’s quick and all-too-smooth comeback.

He leaned into her. “You’re only dragging this out so I’ll become attached, so I’ll burn her myself.”

Attached? What am I, a puppy? I turned crimson with rage.

“Then save us some time and do it now.”

“No,” he said flatly.

“Give me one reason why,” she argued.

He looked away, refusing to answer her, like he had already said it once and didn’t care to repeat himself.

“You’re jealous, aren’t you?” Skylynn accused him. “You know if you save her that she will demand that you save them, for you to sire all of her past lovers. You would rather her die than have to look them in the eye forevermore.”

His glare met hers instantly. “There wouldn’t be past lovers if you’d told me you found her. This is your fault. Not mine.”

“She was a child, Phoenix! She never would have understood, seen you through the eyes of a woman. It would not have been the same as it was before, and you know it.”

“She hasn’t been a child for awhile. Do you honestly think I couldn’t smell her on those boys? Both Mason and Wilder reeked of her scent—you knew about that. You led them to her.” He leaned forward with a pained, lethal gaze. “What did I ever do to deserve that? What made you that cold, Skylynn? All you had to do was trust us. We would have helped you. There was never a reason for these games you play.” He let silence come to the night as he gazed at me. I didn’t see jealousy in his eyes, at least not to the degree that Skylynn was accusing him of. I saw grief. “You robbed us. I could have protected her. It’s not about any past lovers, it’s about the fact that you left her vulnerable. You’ve been killing her for years. ”

Skylynn rocked backward, as if his words had stabbed her where she stood. “I led them to her because I thought they were in our army. And I’ll admit that I was wrong about what role they were supposed to play, but I don’t regret it…she was too young.” Skylynn glanced away. “She’s real, Phoenix. Everything you have ever wanted is standing before you. Help me keep her where she belongs. With you.”

Phoenix’s eyes moved to mine, instantly losing the rage they had been spearing into Skylynn. I could see him questioning his resolve. His long fingertips beckoned me closer, but I couldn’t move even if I wanted to. I saw a fog leave my body. As it glided to him, it turned into a sphere. He studied the gray ball of what I thought might be energy for what seemed like eternity, then he sent it back to my body.

His eyes locked with mine, and the second they did a wave of hot, seething energy swarmed through me like a tidal wave, causing my toes to curl and a gasp to escape my lips. I tried to hold my breath, to tell my chest not to rise and fall rapidly. I’d never been so revealing with anyone. What was he doing to me?

My reaction caused his eyes to widen with surprise. I could swear I saw forgiveness and hope in his eyes. I was so numb, so at peace, and I had no idea why. I had to figure out how to block this boy. I could not give him control over me. What test did he just give me…and did I pass it? Those were the questions I was screaming on the inside.

Beats later, I found my focus again. “Look, I have no idea what the two of you are arguing about or why I’m in the middle of this. All I know is I was dead when I woke up this morning, and I’ll bring death before the day is over.” I pushed past Phoenix, trying to reach the lake. I didn’t know why I needed or wanted that key, but I couldn’t focus on anything else. It was like I knew it was my answer—the first step in killing Rasure.

Phoenix’s strong hand slid around my arm as I passed him and pulled me to him. Against my neck he whispered, “We end this, and you let go. You die in peace.” Even if I wanted to argue with him, his warm breath was easing down my neck and made it impossible for me to form a clear, coherent argument. For a second, I even forgot what I was trying to end.

His thumb started to trace small circles against my skin, driving me to the point of distraction. “Why are you so intent on going for a night swim?”

“There is a key. I think.”

“You think,” he repeated.

“Don’t toy with her,” Skylynn warned. “You know she’s in a fog.”

“Exactly. That is why you should not be putting ideas into her head.”

“I’m not in a fog,” I said, raising my hands to stop their bickering.

“Is that a fact?” Phoenix said as he gazed down at me. “You see, Love, when you die…your mind panics, reaches back for memories as it tries to understand how it arrived at its end, but at first the memories are like a dream. Only places are clear; the words, the objects in those places change. Emotions come into play after some time, and those emotions shape the dream into a solid memory. You’re looking for a key, but for all you know it could be a book, a jewel, or nothing at all. Minutes ago, you were prepared to charge into the manor and freeze, then shatter Rasure—now you think you need a key. Tell me that’s not odd. Tell me you do not want to dive into this lake for nothing more than kicks and giggles. That you only want to kill that woman for the same reason.”

My stare moved to the snow on the bank. I did feel like I was in a dream. Nothing made sense. I flashed back over my recent memories. I remembered developing that film clear as day. I remembered that key. It had my family name on it, along with an ‘M.’

As I focused on that, I remembered the time at the shop entirely differently. I remembered spending the afternoon at Gavin and Mason’s side, going through old newspaper clippings we found online, ones that held images of Rasure. I remembered in each one that she had a clock somewhere near her. I remembered Mason making a joke about how it must be her soul, that or the soul of the poor bastard that had married her. That remark freaked out Cadence. She took the key and shoved it in her pocket. By then, the shop was filling up and we didn’t have the time to do any more research.

I remembered something else: that key floating in the cab of Gavin’s truck, falling out of Cadence’s hand, all of them struggling to grab it as they escaped, but the lack of air didn’t give them a chance.

“Odd or not, the fog is clearing. That key unlocks something, and it’s in the cab of Gavin’s truck. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still going to freeze Rasure to death, but I want that key now.”

His gray eyes cascaded over my determined expression. A nod from him caused the water to begin to part, and within three beats the lakebed was exposed and the water was draped aside, dancing in place, waiting for permission to fall again.

Wilder’s car was on the bottom, and Gavin’s truck was on its side just behind it. With more confidence than I should have had, I walked across the rocky lakebed to the truck, fumbling over the rocks as gracefully as I could.

I looked everywhere, but I couldn’t find that stupid key. I focused on the memories of the time I was under water. I was sure that key didn’t make it out of this lake on anyone. It was still drifting downward when I left, when I had no choice but to fight for air.

The memory of that caused fog to leak from my lips. I heard the cracking of the water that was being held back. A halfhearted glance to the ice the lake was becoming revealed my key: it was frozen in place in the water.

I was screwed now. If Phoenix let this water go, it would flow to God knows where. I could try to catch it, but I had my doubts that I would be so lucky.

I felt a hot breeze and glanced to my side to find Phoenix. He reached his long fingertips to the ice, melting a small hole in it instantly. He had my key in the next beat, all the while holding my stare. “Your key, Love.”

With a trembling hand, I took it from him. He looped his arm around my waist, and in the next beat I was on the bank and the lake was falling into place.

“How do you do that? Move that fast?” I whispered, trying to understand what he was, what he had become since he left the manor.

He reached to trace the outline of my eye, sending a surge of warmth through me. “There is so much I could have shown you. Millions of places I wanted to take you…but that is lost to us now…”

“That’s a shame,” I breathed before finding my focus once again. I went to run, but he held my wrist, and when he did I felt a blazing burn. It was so painful, I screamed out in agony and fell to my knees gasping. I tried to pull away, but he was too strong. He pulled me up with little effort, and in the next beat his lips were on my wrist. The agony faded instantly, and I sighed as I imagined his lips moving up my arm, across my body.

Sanity came back to me as I pulled my wrist from him. There I saw a small bird, a falcon. It was only a centimeter or so wide and off to the side of my wrist, looking as if it were flying away. “What did you do to me?” I bellowed.

“I’m not losing you in this veil. Go fight your war. I’ll find you when it’s over. I’ll know when you’re in danger—or anything else.”

I’ve always considered myself a balanced person, someone who has control over her emotions and acts accordingly. Not at that instant. Rage ripped through me so fast that I didn’t have room for thoughts.

“You’re out of your freaking mind! You marked me! Like I’m some kind of property! You’ve got a wakeup call coming, buddy. I do not belong to anyone or anything! Take your freaking tracking device off me—NOW!”

My outburst didn’t faze him at all. In fact, I thought I saw a spark of recognition in his eyes as a sinful smile echoed on the corners of his lips.

I was in his arms the next second. His lips were near my ear, and I felt his breath slide down my neck. “That is not my mark. Trust me, Love.” His hands moved down my side to my lower waist, sending an unbelievable sensation through my body. “I want nothing more than to mark your soul…” his hands squeezed my hip bones, “but time is our enemy.” His lips brushed against my neck before he slowly moved away. “I just have to know you are safe. Grant me that one request.”

I didn’t say a word because the last thing I wanted to do was speak the truth, the truth that would beg him to stake that claim. He would surely think I was in some kind of ‘death fog’ then. What kind of person goes from rage to passion within a split second? Why was he driving me so crazy?

I just stared as I tried to get hold of what was left of my reality.

“You need to slow it down, Phoenix,” Skylynn warned. “She is intoxicated by death right now. And if I recall correctly, she was a rather violent drinker.”

His stare broke from mine, only to glare at Skylynn. “Are you admitting to me that you not only fed her lovers but let her run wild?” Phoenix said with scorn in his tone.

“Your imagination is too rich. She was never wild—or anything else. You’ve seen that for yourself now.”

I was not going to stand there and listen to them argue about me like I was not even there. I pushed past Phoenix and broke into a sprint. Rasure was my next target. I’d freeze her, all but her head, then demand that she tell me what this key went to.

A few steps into my sprint, everything around me changed.

I was running through my bedroom door. The lights were out, but I wasn’t alone in there. Cadence and Gavin were in her bed, and they weren’t sleeping. They were very, very distracted with each other.

The bookcase to my darkroom was ajar, and I saw Mason there, waving me in. In a stunned fog, I went to him.

One thing I now knew for sure: death was like a dream, an all-too-real dream.

Mason slammed the bookcase closed behind me, as if he wanted Gavin and Cadence to know we walked by them. I knew him well enough to know he was furious, but I couldn’t understand why.

“We gotta talk,” he said to me when I reached the bottom stair.

“I’ll get our revenge on Rasure,” I said quietly. I was relieved. I didn’t want to tell him that we were dead…

“We must not be talking about the same thing,” he muttered as his chocolate eyes met mine.

“Whatever you want to tell me, I promise you, my news is more important.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Trust me, Mason,” I said, reaching for him, but he dodged my touch.

“She came on to me, Indie.”

“What? Who, Sophia? That doesn’t matter right now. Nothing matters because—”

“Cadence. She came on to me, and it wasn’t the first time. I told her if she didn’t tell Gavin that I would. Obviously, she didn’t,” he said, pointing at the stairway.

“She was trying to cheat on Gavin—with you?” I asked, completely mystified. That didn’t sound like the Cadence I knew.

“You want me to really piss you off? She came on to Wilder last fall, while you were still hooked up. I don’t know what her deal is, but I’m sick of her messing with my boy’s head, playing all innocent, trying to get him to talk about his sister. He was over that. The second you helped him, he was over that, and what does she do? Dig around in his head and bring it up again, get him ticked off and sad when all the while she’s coming on to his best friends. Psychologist-wanna-be my ass. She’s a born actress, and right now Gavin is playing the part of the fool.”

I didn’t know what to say to him. I could tell he had been holding this in for a while and that he couldn’t stand it any longer.

He cursed under his breath. “I didn’t mean to throw that at you. But right now, as far as I’m concerned Cadence is a bigger threat than Rasure.”

He sat down on my couch and leaned forward, raking his fingers through his hair.

I took a breath and closed my eyes. If I were alive, I would defend Cadence, tell him she was empty, that she’d fought rejection and abandonment her entire life and this was her way of making sure she was wanted. Granted, it was a shallow way, and she needed to understand that random physical acts would not fill that emptiness inside her soul…but I was dead. So was she, and none of this mattered anymore.

I sat down next him and let my hand rest on his back. He shivered once as my emotions produced the cold I was known for. “Have you ever heard that question if this was your last day, what would matter? What would you do?”

“I knew you would defend her. You don’t understand. When she is not around you, she is a completely different person, not the Cadence you know. I think she envies you, that she has always been jealous. I’m not even sure it’s the money she’s jaded about.”

He really was mad and letting his emotions cloud his judgment. Cadence knew she would never have to worry about money. She knew that I would take care of her. I mean, yeah, she was upset that the moment she became a part of a family it vanished, but who wouldn’t be? “I’m not defending her. I’m telling you it doesn’t matter because…because our life is over.”

Sharply, he looked at me. “Indie, what the hell is going on with you?”

“With us, you mean. Mason, we’re dead. Living in a cycle of our last day until our minds figure out we’re gone.”

“Is Rasure messing with you? Did she drug you or something?”

“We were in a car crash. We ran off the road, then sank in the lake. My emotions turned it to ice. I had to fight to get you out, we all fought to save each other.”

As I spoke, his face turned white as a ghost. He knew exactly what I was talking about. I’d just turned a light on in his head.

“A car ran us off the road, you and Wilder, then us …”

“Right,” I said in a shaky voice.

He stood up immediately and began to pace back and forth, cracking his knuckles, the act he always goes through before he gets on stage or does something that takes a dose of adrenaline to get through.

“Why are we still here?” he asked after a beat or two.

“I don’t know. But I’m not walking into some peaceful light. I think our bodies are on life support or something. Rasure will pull the plug on me. I’m not sure how long your family will hold out.”

“Not long, not if they listen to me,” he said through a locked jaw. When his brother nearly drowned, hit his head on the rocks in the river years ago, his parents kept him alive for months. Mason finally convinced them to let him go and made them swear they would never do that to him.

He sat down next to me, looking exhausted all at once. “I’m not going peacefully either.” He reached his arm around me, and I let myself lean into him, knowing it could be the very last time.

“Listen, Rasure is some kind of evil. I’m going to end her. I’m mad enough to end her—to become some kind of vengeful spirit, but I don’t think you are. I think you need to let go.” Grief slammed into my soul. I’d never seen my life without Mason. He truly was one of my best friends, someone I knew I could trust.

He leaned back on the couch, having a hard time holding his eyes open. Tears dared to spill from my eyes.

“I’m mad enough,” he promised. “She killed us…I need to get that damn key,” he muttered.

“You remember the key?” I asked, glancing to the room. The film I thought I’d developed was nowhere in sight. The camera was still sitting where it always was. There was too much dust on it for me to think that it had been moved.

“Yeah, I was the one that found it. It fell out of those clocks you had us take to charity. We kept it, showed you at the bar, but by then you’d already told her who you gave them to. From the bar, we watched a truck come and load everything we dropped off across the street. That same truck ran us off the road a few hours later. She killed us over a freaking key.”

I felt my skin boil. “I have it,” I said, showing him the skeleton key I was clenching with my hand.

Sleepily, he glanced at it. “That kinda looks like it.”

“It is it. I pulled it from the lake.”

He didn’t argue. His eyes closed, and I shook him, but he didn’t move. “Mason...oh God, Mason!” I said through tears as my hands outlined his boyish face, the innocence that hid the daredevil in his soul. I screamed his name again but he refused to budge.

“He’s not gone,” I heard Skylynn say and turned to see her standing in front of me.

“Yes, he is!”

“No, he’s asleep, reliving his last day. He thinks he’s holding you right after you told him about your night terror.”

“Who sleeps in death? I told him we were dead! Why did he still fall asleep?”

“It took you a while to understand it, that is, if you even do. You are only as aware as you are because of Phoenix.”

I glanced down at the mark on my wrist, the falcon in flight. “Why did he chain me like some animal? What was that test thing he did on me?”

“He didn’t chain you, he just wanted to be able to find you again if he needs to. You’ve been lost to him for a while. I told you that your energy should be as bright as the sun, but it’s not. It’s almost as dark as his.”

“Is that what that fog test was about? He was trying to see my energy?”

She smirked. “I’m sure that was half the reason. Indie, you two have been apart for a long time, a very long time. And when he found you, your scent was saturated by Mason’s. He thought he lost you, that you had fallen in love with another, that you died with that person, and that it was his job to help you cross over. Beyond that, he was trying to see how much of your soul is still here, how much could have moved on.”

“What?”

“You are all here, Indie. Don’t worry about it. And anyone could see that you, at least your soul, has never forgotten him.”

I stood and faced her eye-to-eye. I held no emotion in my stare. “My soul? How about this life? How about the fact that he is a living fantasy that appeared in my real world? I don’t know what the hell he’s gotten himself wrapped up in, but I know that it’s changed him. I know he was happy, that he had dreams and now he doesn’t. We are not the same people, and I will be damned if I have to beg him or anyone else for my own life. Test or no test, right or wrong, he’s not going to control my future.”

A proud smile came to her expression. “Keep that resolve. We will fight this together.” She pulled her shoulders back. “Truth be told, you know him better than each of your friends…even me. That is going to help us convince him to let you live.”

“And why exactly does he get the final say?”

“His power can save you. I could find people with power close to his, but because he loves you his energy will grant that you rise from this veil.”

“Obviously, he doesn’t agree with you.”

“And I plan to figure out why. I thought it was jealousy, but he clearly showed both of us on the bank of the river that he was not fighting that emotion, but rather grief. He’s never been a quitter. I think he is just going through a lot of changes right now.”

“Changes that are more nerve-wracking than death?” I mocked, not caring to hear about some supernatural melodrama.

“In a way. People that were lost to him, you and his brother, have surfaced within days of each other—just in time to see how wickedly doomed we all are in this war of darkness.”

I swallowed nervously. The relief I had felt before, that at the very least Guardian and Sebastian had been side by side this entire time, vanished. No wonder he was not the same man anymore. Everyone that brought him laughter and happiness was taken away.

“Guardian. He hasn’t been with him.” My voice trembled.

Skylynn’s eyes grew wide for an instant, shocked that I was pulling memories and random bits of her and Phoenix’s argument together.

“They parted ways for a while, but they found their way back.”

I clenched my stomach as a sick feeling came to me. “Guardian left Phoenix to look for his girl, didn’t he?”

She nodded absently, pulling her brow together.

Maybe this was a part of death, remembering your entire existence. Though I never saw the memories that were racing through my mind in the North Wing, I knew they were real. My mind was starting to remember the very end, and I was trying to block it. I knew I would not be able to withstand it. Guardian’s girl was left in my care. Apparently, I failed my charge.

“I was the one that lost her. Is this war you two are fighting because of that?”

She stared at me for a seemingly endless moment. I had no idea what she was trying to figure out, but I was sick of her and Phoenix treating me like some wounded animal that was not of sound mind.

“This war is not your fault, and it’s not over a girl. It’s a battle of darkness and light that I cannot begin to explain to you right now. We have one sole focus: to save your life.”

“Life or no life, Rasure is going down. I have no issue with being vengeful or whatever else you and Phoenix keep warning me about. I will not convince or beg anyone to save my life. I will haunt that woman across time and space. I will exact vengeance for my family.”

“You’re right. You could haunt her. I doubt that a woman that has lived as long as she has, a woman that breeds evil, would really care that one spirit is knocking things over and tormenting her. You would be like a fly that refused to land long enough for it to be swat. Now, if you were a phoenix, you would breathe. Your family would see you, the world would see you, no one would know that you died and were reborn again. You could end her, destroy the empire she has built and so much more in that form.”

“Is that what the two of you were arguing about? You want him to turn me or something?”

“I want him to save you,” she corrected.

“So what is his problem with that?”

“My guess—that you would be at his side for all of eternity.”

I felt sick, really sick, like someone had sucked all the life out of me and set my body on fire.

“Well, you know what?” I said once I caught my breath. “I don’t want to be strapped to anyone either—not someone that doesn’t want me, that’s for sure.”

Her stare was rife with sympathy. “He’s eternally committed to you…”

I don’t know why, but her words gave me a sense of life once again. “You’re making no sense to me.”

“He is deep in this war. He knows he’s about to walk through hell. Not once, but a million times over. He doesn’t want you at his side when he does that. He wants to keep you safe, in death.”

I knew from the look in her eye that she was one hundred percent serious, but I had no idea what war they were in—I had my own to wage. I clenched the key in my fist, prepared to find every lock in this manor and turn it.

“I can call in a few favors, tell the circle we run with that Phoenix is doing something lethal. I know I’m pushing you away, but you’re a big girl now and you do not need me to be your voice. He will not be able to deny your request. That is, if it’s genuine.”

I glanced back at Mason’s sleeping body, then to her. “I’m not afraid to ask for help, but I’m most definitely not afraid to fight on my own. I unraveled something hours before my death. I’m not clear on what that was, but I plan to figure it out.”

I walked past her and up my stone stairs, but when I pushed the bookcase back I didn’t find my room.

Chapter Nine

There was a fire crackling in the massive fireplace on the center wall, reflecting its light on the endless bookshelves contained within the room. The lounging furniture was arranged comfortably around the fire, and the Oriental rugs were spread across the floor.

This was the library on the first floor of the manor, the one that was three stories high, a room I was rarely in. It had too many memories—not of my family, but of a past I’d yearned for on a daily basis for years. Most of the items in this room, with my touch, would extend the life I’d witnessed in the North Wing.

I was worried about this fog of death I had been accused of being in because the ancient memories now had both Mason and Gavin mingled within them, along with Gran, Phoenix, and other faces I wanted to remember more clearly but refused to give into. I had to stay focused, stay resolute in the task of destroying Rasure.

My brother Ben was sitting on the couch before the fire, leaning forward and swirling a short glass of whisky. He’d aged. He was in his early forties, but right now he looked closer to fifty.

I crept closer to him, wanting so badly to touch him, to tell him I was okay. As I approached, he didn’t move, but he did glance down at the coffee table in front of him. “Indie…you won…I wish I could tell you that…I wish you would tell me if I need to fight to hold on to you, or let you rest in peace.” His voice was carrying a quiver that I’d never heard before.

I looked down at the papers in front of him, and through all the legal mumbo jumbo I gathered that not only had I won my inheritance, but that I was set to receive it earlier than my birthday.

On his tablet, I could see that he was drawing up a draft to stop Rasure from pulling the plug on me. I knew that look in his eye. He was trying to figure out if that was something he was doing out of spite or because it was right.

I reached for his tablet. My emotions should have frozen it solid, but instead I felt warmth in my hands. I touched the email icon, wanting to type a message to him, but when I opened it I saw the email I sent him telling him that I had taken the clocks to Mrs. Cambridge’s charity, told Rasure, then watched her send people to retrieve them.

Reading my own words caused memories of my last living day to flood my mind.

I’d sent that email the moment I saw that truck load her things up. I guess the fog of my death had erased that memory, but Mason had brought it back a moment or two ago. In the email, I’d described the truck, the men, told him exactly when it happened.

I opened the email on his tablet and pushed it forward on the table. The force I used should have thrown it across the room, but it only made it fall to the floor. It took Ben a second to even notice it had fallen. Finally, he picked it up and read my words. I watched his skin turn red with rage. He pulled out his cell phone and made a call. “Dianne,” that was his assistant, “I want a copy of the police reports from Indie’s accident. I need a description of the vehicle that was seen running them off the road.” He stood, gathering his things. “And file the appeal immediately. Tell the judge that if he pulls that plug, he will have every Falcon child to answer to, not just one old woman.”

As he took his things and left the library, he listened to what she had to say and gave orders as to what needed to be done and how.

I smirked. Maybe I could haunt Rasure in her prison cell. If Ben figured out she had anything to do with my accident, even had the thought of bringing harm to me, he would not rest until she was six feet under the nearest jail.

I glanced around the library. Those clocks, three grandfather clocks, and one small one that sat on the mantle all came from this room. The grandfather clocks sat in the center of each wall, the small one on the mantle above the fireplace. None of them were working, and they were all sitting right back where they belonged.

I gripped the key in my hand and headed for the one on the east wall. I touched every part of it, looking for some hidden door, some place to put this key. I searched inside and out but found nothing. I wished Mason had told me which one the key had fallen out of. With a grunt, I moved to the one on the north wall, finding it the same, identical to the other.

After a fruitless search, I stood and prepared to cross the room to the small one on the mantel. Just as I passed the double doors that led out of this room, one of them opened. Rasure.

She was dressed all in black, which enhanced the blazing red hair that was only slightly highlighted with gray. I’m sure she was trying to mock-up her grief with her attire.

Unlike Ben, who could not see me, she looked right at me. “Genevieve, dear, what on Earth are you doing up at this hour?”

I found it odd that she didn’t cross the threshold, that she didn’t walk up to me with her familiar demeaning dominance.

“Dead people don’t sleep.”

She smiled slightly. “Have you had another night terror? Come, child. I’ll walk you to your room.”

“Go to hell. Why are the clocks back?”

“They never left. Why would they? They belong to this family.”

“You know they left. You know I gave them away to spite you. What’s wrong, Rasure? Are you missing something? Did something fall out of the clocks when they were moved?”

Her smile fell, and evil filled her dark eyes. “You’re confused, dear. You must have fallen off your wagon. The devil’s drink will cloud anyone’s judgment, especially someone as petite as you who often forgets to eat.”

“I’m going to freeze you—into a solid block of ice. Then I’m going to shatter you into a billion pieces, burn what’s left of you. Then I’m going to move on and destroy the kingdom you have built under my family name.”

“Awful bold words. Are you brave enough to say them standing before me?”

Right as I stepped forward, Phoenix appeared in front of me.

I’d never seen shock in Rasure’s expression, so I enjoyed watching her evil eyes expand, even if it was only for a second.

I wasn’t going to let him shield me, so I came to his side. He held out his arm. It wasn’t a request that I stay—it was a demand.

“I see,” Rasure said with a cool smile. “You have added another notch to your bed post. A fiery one at that.”

I could feel the rage and jealousy radiating off of Phoenix as he pulled his shoulders back and glared at Rasure.

“Well, now, this changes everything, doesn’t it, Genevieve?” Rasure said in her fake ‘I’m-too-rich-to-say-what-I-really-mean’ tone.

“It changes nothing. I still hate you with every ounce of my soul. I will still end you,” I seethed.

“I’m afraid the water that took your life also took the tools you would need to do such a thing…it’s a shame, though. I have grown gracious over the last century. Normally, I set a soul or two free each year. Shame.”

A glance from Phoenix slammed the door in her face and caused the old-fashioned lock that was a wooden plank to fall into place.

“What did she mean by that?” I asked, daring to look up at him. His stare was full of emotion, both grief and jealousy fighting to take control.

“She meant that if you kill her before setting the souls she has captured free that she will be able to come back through them. She means that no ice could kill her.”

“Souls? She really is a demon.”

“Escort.”

“Whatever.”

He smirked as his gray eyes melted over me. The gleam of the fireplace enhanced every flawless feature of his body. I felt my heart begin to beat violently in my chest and the air leave my lungs in a rush.

“What are you thinking right now?” he asked, letting his gaze fall into mine, allowing me to see the flame in the center of the gray.

“I’m trying to figure out how come dead people have heartbeats.”

That caused the allure in his eyes to intensify. “Your heart pounds around me?”

The real me started to surface, the one that was coolheaded, witty, straightforward, the part of me that said what I was thinking when I was thinking it. “You can smell other boys on me, but you cannot hear my heartbeat?”

His smirk turned into a beaming smile, and he glanced away as he tried to hide it. “Some scents you never forget.”

“What decade did I know you in?”

“Do you mean what century, what dimension, what reality…”

“Which one? For how long?” I asked, ignoring how insane his reply was.

Phoenix’s gaze fell to my lips, and I felt a swarm of burning energy wave though me, causing my insides to quiver with anticipation. “Time bends. As far as I’m concerned, you have been mine for an eternity.”

Mine. That one word echoed relief through me.

“This house is only two hundred years old,” I said, trying to reason with myself. Even though in the North Wing I had overheard such things as ‘alternate realities’ and ‘wars of light and dark,’ I always took it as semantics, not truth.

That made him smile, but it was a sad smile. “You remember me in this home?” he asked in a heated whisper.

How could he question that? Did he honestly think that if I didn’t remember him I would react the way I have toward him? I mean, without the memories I’m sure he would have still made my heart flutter, but were my eyes not reflecting the deep, aching emotions swarming in my soul?

I glanced at the Oriental rug before the fire and felt my heart beat out of control. That was one of the many places I had seen him love my image, one of the many memories I could not bear to watch, for they made me long for him.

“Clearly,” I said, letting my gaze rise to meet his.

“I built this home for you,” he said in a whisper. “But…I didn’t build it here, not in this reality. I have no idea how you moved it. What you have done in my absence.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have left, then,” was my honest reply. I admit it. I was bitter that he never returned. Whether it was in this life, this reality or not, he didn’t return. I’d had to take control of this home, and it had been a battle that ripped my soul into shreds each day.

“I left to defend you, our home, our beliefs. That is my only regret. I fight that demon with every breath I take.”

I moved my head from side to side in absolute astonishment.

“What?” he asked, noticing my condescending gaze.

“I don’t understand what you and Skylynn are bickering about, but it sounds to me like you are repeating your past. I’m not going to let you tuck me away again.”

“I’m not repeating anything,” he breathed, trying to hide his shock that I was using my memories to talk to him, that I was speaking to him as if it was this life I knew him in.

“At Guardian’s side, you left. Yes, you left to defend our family. I will give you that much. And yes, then I could not stand at your side because I had to care for our home, for the family we were building of lost souls. You left me well-guarded with a promise that you would return. I don’t know who to blame for this absence, but I know time has changed us both. This war of light and dark that I do not have the strength to understand right now is going to rip us apart again. I want to grieve for our past. I want to feel joy that I have found you. I want to understand who I was and who I have become, but I can’t do that right now. I have to grasp the reality I am in. I have to fight for the last twenty-one years I’ve lived. I’m not dying in peace. I’ll figure out what this key unlocks and set whatever souls she has trapped, including mine, free…and while I do that, you will be off fighting another war…one that is supposed to protect me.”

Pain caused the flames in his eyes to erupt. “Skylynn is feeding you these memories.”

He was so off-base, it wasn’t even funny.

“Do you want to know what clothes you were wearing as you walked away from me? Or do you want me to tell you how we stayed up all night, promising each other that we had no choice but to let you take Guardian to speak to our world, for you to find peace with letting him answer the call in his soul?” I let my words settle before I spoke again. “I have a million more memories fluttering around in my mind, ones that I have vividly witnessed. One touch from you brought me life in death. I’m struggling to hold on to Indie as my mind pulls back into the time I was your Genevieve.”

My words were killing him. He was frozen in place, transfixed.

“I don’t want you to be angry at Skylynn. No matter how she may have crossed you or Guardian, she saved my life. Every day, she saved me, and right now she is struggling to do that again.”

His jaw rippled. “I can’t forgive her for keeping me from you.”

“The only thing standing between me and you right now is our egos. Not Skylynn.”

One beat later, his lips were on mine, pulling me into a deep, passionate kiss. His burning kiss traveled across my jawline as my arms looped under his shoulders, pulling his chest closer to me. When his lips reached my ear, he breathed, “I need you to be real.” My nails dug into his back as his hands moved across my body, my chest, my hips, my thighs. “I never left you. You have always been in my veins. You’re my soul,” he whispered with an ache in his voice.

A warm rush of air surrounded me, and the next thing I knew I was lying on the rug in front of the fire. As his lips moved down my neck, his hands urged my shirt up. I let the key I was clenching fall to the floor, daring to give in to him, daring to be his Genevieve once more.

This was the point where I always froze when the others held me, the point where I had to hold everything in, send my mind somewhere else, focus on anything but their touch, the emotions the moment demanded. It was the point where I turned on autopilot and built a wall around my heart and soul. And more times than not, this was the point where I said no, where I stopped myself from going too far. I had to. It was a physical lie, one I could not let my body speak.

I couldn’t force myself to do that now. Even when I told myself that I would freeze him solid if I didn’t—control would not come.

When I felt his hands on my skin, on my chest, I gasped as if it were the first time I’d ever been touched. I fought to pull his shirt off, to feel the fire of his flesh against mine, to feel someone for the first time.

We both sighed as our skin touched. We wanted more. We wanted everything.

I kept telling myself that this was wrong, that in life I didn’t know him, that I wasn’t this kind of girl, but my soul told me I was an idiot, that he was the only one I’d ever really known.

All at once, I realized what all the hype about being skin-to-skin with someone was about. I realized how insanely awesome a seductive touch was.

He couldn’t get close enough to me. We rolled across the floor, both demanding control of this passionate moment, only giving in for a second when one of us found that sweet spot, that touch that made our insides crumble with expectation.

I gasped, “Sebastian,” and that word ignited him. A desire that I didn’t even know was possible between two souls erupted. A few beats later, there was nothing between us but the night itself and we still weren’t close enough to satisfy either of us.

Every touch of his hands, every movement of his body left me yearning for more, to get closer. Dead or not, I’d never felt more alive.

For the first time ever, sweat glistened across my body. I was on fire. It felt so good to be on fire, not to be paralyzed by the cold, to be touched…it was almost painful, but it was a good pain, a pain I would yearn for a thousand times over.

This war of control, to see who could make who sigh and moan and how we could do just that, went on for an eternity, long enough for the fire beside us to dwindle to nothing.

Exhausted, we laid in each other’s arms. My fingertips traced every muscle across his firm chest as his long fingertips outlined the tattoo on my arm, my seven flowers, my seven devils.

A glance from him caused the fire next to us to come to life again, and the blanket across the back of the couch to wrap around us.

He rolled to his side, pulling my body against his, wanting to feel my skin against him.

A blush that made no sense for me to have came across my skin. “I’ve never felt warmth before,” I whispered.

An aching echoed in his gray eyes. “Yes, you have,” he promised, stealing a slow, tender kiss.

“We’ve made this worse, haven’t we?” I asked timidly. After what we’d shared, it would be impossible for either of us to deny a wish, a plea from the other, but neither of us wanted the same thing. I wasn’t prepared to die, and he wasn’t prepared to save me.

He pulled my leg across him and wrapped his long arm around my waist, holding me against him as tightly as he could. “Tell me you trust me.”

I raised my fingertips to trace his dominant profile. “I’ve had to learn to trust myself.”

“What happened after I left? How did you get here?”

That was a loaded question. Twin realities. Those two words were in my memories. They are side-by-side, one light and one dark. I knew there was a divide, one we called The Fall. I knew that The Fall was what our people were trying to close, that souls were moving through it; damaged, tattered souls. Bringing darkness to light. And now, apparently, according to Phoenix I’d moved this home to the dark side. I shivered as I remembered the last scene I witnessed in the North Wing, that awful howling noise coming from the dome room, the purple fire.

“I don’t know…flames. I know there were flames,” I said as I pulled him a little closer.

“Nothing in this house has shown you that time—the details of it?”

“I tend to avoid memories that are painful.”

“You never looked for me?” he asked with a tremble of jealousy in his tone.

“I looked for two beats.”

His jaw clenched with suspicion. “How many beats did Mason give you? Wilder, and the other one, Gavin?”

His hand settled above my heart. Whatever jealousy he was considering feeling faded when he felt the thunder of my heart through my skin.

Truth be told, Gavin never made my heart race at all. Wilder did a time or two, but only when he was angry, and I definitely never went this far with him. Mason was the only one that came close, and I can’t even explain why. Maybe it was because he lived on the edge of life but never intended to...maybe it was because he was just as playful as he was dominant and the shift in his composure always caught me off guard.

“Only one boy has given me two beats. I’ve only really felt his touch…” Pain filled his eyes. “And sadly, I never knew him when I was alive.” Relief took over the fire in his gaze.

“You’re going to have to let go,” he said as his hand reached to caress my bottom lip. “She knows who you are now. She will throw everything she has at you.”

“That’s nothing new.”

“This is a different plane.”

“Same game, though. I feel more vindicated fighting over souls than I ever did fighting over money.”

“I’ll find them, I’ll set them free…let go,” he pleaded.

“You want me to die in your arms? For you to pop in, have your way with me—then send me to the grave?” I all but yelled as I sat up and started violently pulling my clothes on. “Think again. You left before, and I survived. I’ll survive again. Go fight whatever war you’re fighting. Go run with whatever circle you and Skylynn are in. Let me be.”

I was dressed and standing by the time I finished my rant. In a beat, he was, too.

“What is it with this rage?” he asked, reaching for my waist, stopping me from gathering my key and continuing my hunt to find the lock it went to. He knew just as well as I did that the mood swings I was fighting were way out of character. “What happened when I left?”

I pushed away from him. “I don’t remember that part. I can’t get past you leaving in the first place. And I would appreciate it if you would quit trying to create another sad goodbye. Let me be.”

He tensed. “That is what you see? In your mind right now. Me walking away from you?”

“No, only when you look at me like it’s the last time you are going to see me. Sebastian—Phoenix, I have a responsibility to stop this woman. I am owed vengeance. I do not need a knight in shining armor to deliver that for me.”

“Genevieve, you are not an angry soul. Stubborn, but not angry. Do not give her the victory of allowing you to turn into a vengeful soul.”

He acted as if that were the only option. As if what Skylynn proposed, him turning me into whatever he was, was not an option. That hurt. That sliced me in two. Why was he so set on walking me to the grave?

“You lived next to this demon most of your life, you survived, you won. I’ll finish it for you.”

“Newsflash: I didn’t survive her.”

“Why will you not let me do this for you?” he bellowed.

“Because you are not the one that promised my grandmother that you would set her son free, get that woman out of our house, I did. That was me. And don’t say it doesn’t matter because I was dead. We were both dead when that promise was made. She knew I was gone and still asked for that vow. I’ve never passed the buck in my life, and I’m not about to start now.”

“Pick a war, Love. One second you want to freeze her, the next you’re unlocking something. Now, now you want her out and to set some uncle free—an uncle you lost long ago.”

“I didn’t know I lost him. I thought he was whipped. I want all of the above. You cleared up the confusion, that key unlocks trapped souls—my uncle is one of those—and if Rasure is dead, then she is out of my house.” I reached down and grabbed the key. “I’m fine. You can go do whatever the hell it is you have to do. My brother Ben is not going to let them pull the plug on me. He will buy me the time I need to figure this out.”

I was in his arms before the next beat of my heart. “How many times do you think you can crash into that lake, live this day over and over? How many times can your friends withstand that? It will break you. Tear your mind into shreds. You’ll forget your ambitions, only to remember them again and twist and twist in this vicious cycle.”

I glanced at the floor to the spot we’d lost ourselves in for hours, to where I felt warmth for the first time. A vague smile played at the corners of my mouth. “You’re telling me that I will relive this day over and over, these last few hours.” My eyes rose to meet his. “I’d dive in that lake a million times over if it lands me here, and in-between those points, I’ll figure this out.”

He cupped my face with his strong hands. “Why do you have to make this so hard on me? It’s bad enough that I found you, only to lose you again.”

I reached for his hands. “I’m not the one who left, then. I’m not going to leave now. You make whatever choice you feel like you have to.”

“You’re not playing with me? You really do remember me?” he questioned.

“What kind of girl do you think I am? Do you think I would have even let you kiss my hand if I didn’t have memories of you?” I nodded to the floor. “Do you think I would let the walls I’ve always hid behind down for just anyone?”

He let his hands fall from my face and brushed his fingers through his hair as he clenched his jaw.

“Why does that make you mad?” I asked, feeling rejected, embarrassed that I’d revealed so much to him.

He let his arms fall and gazed at me. “When I found you, my plan was to ease your transition into death. It was going to be painstaking for me because I remember every breath, every poetic movement of your body…but it was supposed to be nothing for you. I would stand by your side through the cycle of your last moments, then walk you to death, send you safely on your way. You weren’t supposed to feel the pain I feel.”

I reached for his hand. “I don’t understand what war you’re fighting, but I know it has to be important, that you would have never left us if it wasn’t. Fight it. Leave me be…maybe one day we’ll both win.”

His painful stare dove into my soul. “When I left you before, it was not for the war I’m fighting today. When I returned, our home was burning. I could see you in the fire, hear you call my name. When I ran into that fire, you were not there and I became what I am today. The war I fight now was weaved from that point, every spell, every plot, every deal made with the devil had one underlying purpose: for me to find you.” He moved closer to me. “When Skylynn handed me that scarf, I felt alive again—whole. I knew that you were real, not some distant dream that I’d fabricated to give me peace. That moment was shattered when she told me you were in the veil, when I realized I was too late once again.”

“Better late than never,” I said gently. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to die, and I plan to avoid the aftermath at every cost.”

“You don’t how dangerous that is.”

I swallowed nervously. “I’m scared, Sebastian. I don’t want to die, and fighting Rasure gives me an excuse, a reason to hold on.”

“She’s the only reason you want to hold on?” he asked as anger and jealousy masked his flawless image.

I knew what he was looking for: a declaration of love, for me to tell him that I didn’t want to leave him now that I’d found him, that I couldn’t bear it…but I’d never told anyone I loved them in this life, never begged anyone to stay with me. I didn’t know how, and I was too scared to try.

I clutched the key in my hand and turned to inspect the clock on the mantle, but as I reached for it everything around me shifted and changed.

Chapter Ten

I was standing behind the bookcase that led to my room. My insides fell into a thousand pieces…I’d expected Phoenix to appear in front of me and demand that I tell him what I was too scared to say, demand it the way Mason, Wilder and Gavin had—only this time, I would be able to say such things. This anger—this quick switch in my emotions was scaring me. I’m sure it was scaring Phoenix, too. As he held me, he solidified those memories in the North Wing. I knew in the life we lived together I was the calm one. He was the one that lived on the edge, which was more than likely why he was doubting if all of me was still here. At this point, I even doubted it.

When he didn’t appear, my breath turned to fog. I felt cold and confused. I slid down the wall, holding my legs to my body, and squeezed my eyes closed as layers of ice began to appear around me. I was standing between the life I had as Phoenix’s Genevieve and the Indie I was in this life, and right now I had no idea what I was fighting for. I just knew I didn’t—I couldn’t let go.

I couldn’t figure out how one second I was living a very routine life firmly grounded in reality with nothing more than a few odd flaws and family drama to deal with, and the next I was aware of evil. I was aware of a cosmic war of light and darkness, a past that wasn’t even in this reality. Before my death, I was blind. As I perished on the lakeshore, my eyes were opened only to find myself in the hell of darkness. In the nest of a woman who bore darkness, who in some way, if only by association, had taken Phoenix away so long ago, and in this young life my family.

Rage started to boil in my soul once more. I couldn’t let her get away with this. No matter what it cost me. I could not let her bring this much pain and grief to yet another soul.

I clenched my wrist, the mark Phoenix had put on me of that small falcon in flight. The ice began to vanish, and I found the strength to push my rage away. I stood and shoved the bookcase forward, prepared to go back to the library and find the lock this key went to.

In my room, I found the guys. Gavin was leaning against my bed and had his laptop open and his tablet at his side. Wilder was pacing the floor, and Mason was reading whatever was on Gavin’s screen as he lay across the bed and peered over Gavin’s shoulder. Cadence was nowhere in sight.

I glanced back to the dark passageway. I felt like I was waking up from a dream. My life as Indie was only a few steps away, but my past was calling me home.

“Indie?” Gavin said carefully.

I raked my fingers through my short blonde hair before turning to face him. I had a fear I was going to have to break it to all of them, to Mason for the second time, that we were dead. Phoenix was right. I wasn’t going to be able to handle this cycle.

I turned to see all of them staring at me with wide eyes.

The room began to freeze over. Unconsciously, I reached for the falcon that was now on my wrist. Warmth came then, not only to me, but also to the room.

“Death looks good on you,” Wilder said with an odd disdain as the scent of lilies he always carried seemed to hover over me.

I furrowed my brow. “You know?” I whispered.

He nodded once.

“Why are you guys looking at me like that?” I asked timidly, unable to handle all of their attention at once.

“We’ve never seen you blush…you look more alive in death than you ever did before,” Mason said with a curious smirk. He was the one that could always read me like a book. In truth, he knew me better than all of them combined.

His words made me blush even more as the thought of Phoenix came to mind. “Where’s Cadence?”

They all looked at each other, agreeing not to answer me. “Did…did she move on?” I asked as tears encased my throat. I assumed that Mason had told them what happened to us, that they knew we were barely holding on to life at this moment.

“She’s at school, or at least trying to go,” Gavin answered in a nonchalant way.

“She knows we’re dead, and she went to school?”

“We didn’t tell her,” Gavin said, focusing on what he was reading. By his obvious lack of concern, I could tell he was furious with her.

I glanced at Mason, and he quickly looked away.

“She deserves to know…even if you guys are mad at her,” I mumbled.

Gavin smirked. “We figured it out on our own. Why can’t she?”

“Mason didn’t tell you?” I countered, glancing between Gavin and Wilder.

“I knew at the bar. That’s why I sent Paula away, hoping we wouldn’t crash this time.”

“Is that your girl’s name?” I said with a sneer. “I disapprove. Her diet has me bothered.” I could not get the images of her sucking the energy out of us on that bank out of my head.

That snide remark made Mason and Gavin grin.

“I was well aware of her diet long before that night,” Wilder assured me.

“What? You knew?”

He crossed his arms and let his steel blue eyes fall onto me. “Gavin emailed me. I headed back here, she followed.” Wilder’s eyes echoed a desire that had never been this intense before. “I thought you knew I was seeing her.”

“How would I know? You didn’t say.”

“Cadence set us up, told me this girl had been at a few charity events here and was new in the town I was in.” He let his stare linger for a second before he spoke again. “Cadence even sent a few emails, making sure we were getting along okay.”

If I didn’t know any better, I would swear he was trying to make me mad. But I wasn’t going there with him.

“I’m sure I forgot she told me.”

His eyes slowly raked over me. I couldn’t figure out what emotion was hiding behind them, what he was trying to say without a word. All I knew was that I felt a burning guilt when I stared at him. He was dead because of me. They all were dead because of me.

“I suppose death can mess with your head, make you forget things, even create things. Feels like a dream to me.” Wilder focused his eyes. “We need to hold on to each other and not let illusions convince us that something beyond death is happening here.” He crossed his arms. “I don’t think you going off and hiding behind a locked library door is a wise thing to do alone.”

Coded conversation, which was typical for Wilder and me. He had a way of making random remarks that would call out what my mind was struggling with. Right now, he was telling me that because we were dead my mind had fabricated Skylynn and Phoenix and I needed to steer clear of anything that wasn’t firmly grounded in my reality or mind before I died.

“I’ve never been alone, Wilder. Not once.” I heard the ice cracking as it formed against the walls. “I’m lucid and determined in this dream of death. I’m not hiding from anyone or anything.”

“Lucid enough to make you blush,” Wilder said as he raised his brow. “Your mind is creating a life you wanted but never had. Maybe you should ask yourself what is fueling the illusions you are seeing. Maybe the real deal has been in front of you the whole time and you were just too preoccupied to notice.”

This is what happens when you do not resolve arguments, when you act as if they never happened. I’d always acted like our last fight never happened and let a few text messages hold on to the friendship I thought we could have. I felt a repelling sensation in my gut. I wanted away from him, and I hate to say it, but I regretted letting him get as close to me as I did. I knew it would never work, but I pretended it could for far too long. I suppose it was because I knew he was holding back, too, and I wanted to know for sure what I was throwing away before I did.

After finding Phoenix, after having a rich past consume me to the point where I felt like I lived it yesterday, I knew this almost lover, Wilder, wasn’t even close to what I was looking for. And because of my foolishness, Wilder was now here with me for God knows how long. I’d imprisoned him and was bound to pay the price for that act.

“Back off, Wilder,” Gavin said as he waved me over to him. Thankful for the escape, I collapsed next to him on the floor.

Gavin glanced over me once more. “You good? Too much too fast?”

“If you only knew what was going on in my head, I bet you’d have enough ideas for ten books to back it up.”

“It’s only going to get weirder, Indie. Mason and I are having wicked flashbacks, too.”

I glanced up at Mason, who was lying across the bed looking over our shoulders. He gave me a nod to confirm.

“What kind of flashbacks?”

“Ones that are here, but not here,” Gavin said, catching my gaze again as he kept his voice down.

“Dual reality?” I asked.

Both he and Mason nodded.

“You guys have lost it,” Wilder bit out. “Dual what? We’re dead. Simple as that. Your minds are just on some wicked trip. We need to figure out how to get undead or move on, one or the other. We can’t stay like this.”

Ignoring him, Gavin went on. “I never told you this, but around Halloween these paranormal hunters showed up, wanting to film your house, the grounds around it. Rasure blocked them from even asking you. I only knew about it because I was at the bar and they were asking if anyone heard of any wicked stories about your property. A few people sent them to my table. I figured they were full of B.S. and were just looking for gossip on your family.”

“This house wasn’t haunted until we died,” I said as I rolled my eyes. I remembered seeing a few images when I was younger, but they never made themselves known. I figured it was just the flashes of memories that were producing them.

“Right. Well, anyway,” Gavin said, shaking off the fact that he’d seen his sister’s ghost here one night. “I asked them why they were focused on your house, and it turns out that one of them had a brother or brother-in-law, something, that was on the crew that built Rasure’s wing a few years back. He said every time they went to plow down one of the oak trees in the way, one of the guys would get hurt or sick. They even had machinery break down. They were set to burn it when a court order caused them to redraw their plans and move a hundred feet to the east. They were relieved that they didn’t have to deal with the tree anymore and shrugged it off like it was nothing.”

“That was my court order,” I stated with disdain. If Rasure had gone through with the original plans she’d had, the library, along with the North Wing, would’ve had to have been rebuilt. Not only that, but the grounds around the family’s memorial plot would have been reduced by almost half. It took an act of Congress, but I stopped her from invading my parent’s eternal rest.

“Yeah, I know,” Gavin said under his breath as he reached to squeeze my knee. He was the one that had always kept me calm when Rasure got the best of me, when I was just a girl. “Anyway, the weirdness didn’t stop there. Later, when they were building the foundation, they thought they came across some logs that were buried or something. Turned out they weren’t logs, but roots; roots that came, at least in part, from that oak tree. They had a ton of specialists come out and survey the land, and the entire crew threatened to bail if they were told to cut into that tree. Long story short, they figured out that the roots connected to four other trees as well. They estimated that the trees were well over two hundred years old, which stopped them from taking them down, even if it was from the ground up. They managed to lay the foundation higher than they first planned.”

“They wanted to check out my trees? Is that what you’re telling me?”

“That, and other things. They said they picked up on rumors or whatever saying to never go to Falcon Manor if you were an artist, that it would drain you and you would never create again.”

I threw a nasty, unbelieving glare at him, which caused him to laugh. I was a magnet for artists. Mason wrote most of his songs here, Gavin’s short stories always reminded me of my house, and Wilder’s paintings of this place would take anyone’s breath away.

“Yeah, I told them they were insane, too, then they started giving me all these new definitions of vampires, saying they took energy, not blood, and that creativity was their delicacy. Anyway, I told them they were nuts and sent them on their way, but I was curious so I asked Mason if he ever hit a wall around you or your house. Then we called Wilder.”

I glanced up at him.

“I hit a wall the day that girl came into my life,” he said with a smirk.

“You guys knew about Escorts and didn’t tell me?” I asked with wide, disbelieving eyes.

“About what?” Wilder asked in dismay.

I heard a whoosh of wind, and my stomach caved in. I didn’t want to be in the same room with Phoenix and them.

“She listens,” I heard Skylynn say. With a sigh of relief, I looked over my shoulder to see her lying on her stomach beside Mason. “Escorts, they take energy.”

“And what do you take?” Mason asked as his chocolate eyes melted over her.

“Cool it, drummer boy. Not my type.”

“What is your type?” he asked with a boyish grin.

She ignored him as she pointed her finger to the screen. “Slide your magic box down so I can see that.”

“My magic what?” Gavin said with a smirk. I elbowed him, and finally he listened.

“What do you want to see?” he asked her as he scrolled through the images he was looking at before.

“What was that drawing thing?” she asked.

“A 3D version of what they think is under the house. Cutting one tree would have killed four others.”

I felt my body tense. That 3D image looked a lot like the one I’d seen in the North Wing, the one that the necklace and fire had brought to life. It wasn’t as detailed, but there was no doubt what this image was imitating: twin realities.

On the screen, you could see a blueprint of the manor, the five trees in question. When he tilted the image, you could see the roots. They looked like a giant sphere underground. It was really beautiful the way nature had connected beneath the surface.

“Holy Hell,” Skylynn said under her breath. She reached for a pen and started to draw on the screen, but Gavin jerked it away.

“This is not a magic box. You can’t draw on it.”

She vanished from where she was and appeared at Wilder’s side with paper and marker in hand. “You. Draw that.”

Wilder’s steel blue eyes drank her in as he took the paper from her.

“Don’t look at me like that. You can do this.”

“I’ve got a block,” he said under his breath.

“Well, I’m not asking you to be creative. Copy it so I can connect the dots,” she demanded.

Wilder stretched out on the floor and used the screen to guide his hand.

“I don’t think they should be focusing on this…we need to help them move on,” I said to Skylynn.

She raised a single eyebrow. “I honestly assumed you would come out of that library with a different determination. Phoenix convinced you to move on?”

At the sound of his name, the guys looked at me and my skin turned beet red. Normally, by now the room would be a solid block of ice. They knew something was off about me, that someone had broken through my icy shields, that the idea of him was powerful enough to make me melt.

“I’m good with repeating my day. If they do, they will get more and more twisted. I don’t want them hurt.”

Skylynn’s blue eyes looked over me gently. She felt sorry for me, guilty for keeping Phoenix away from me, but I didn’t feel that way. If I knew who he was before, this would be harder. The old memories of him, along with last night, would keep me warm for years to come. If I’d known him longer, I wouldn’t be able to walk away, to boldly tell him to go on his way and leave me be.

“They are more involved in this than we first thought,” she said with a nod to Gavin and Mason. “They weren’t blind at their death. They knew what you were fighting before you did,” Skylynn said with sympathy.

“That’s not what you guys said before,” I argued.

“We are doing our best to piece together what happened before your death, and at first it looked to be an accident, but now it seems as though it was premeditated.”

“So they will not go off and fight their own losses?” I asked. I was ashamed of feeling grateful that I would not be alone in death.

Skylynn glanced at all of them. “Weeks before your death, where was your energy focused? Where did your thoughts wander when they had nothing else to think about?” She locked eyes with Mason. “Was it your brother?” She moved on to Gavin. “Your sister?” Then to Wilder. “Where?”

Their stares all seemed to scream, NO! at once.

“Where was it? Don’t lie to me. This is important,” I demanded.

“You,” they said one after the other.

“Don’t think we’re crazy,” Mason said, reaching for my shoulder. “We thought Rasure had you under some kind of demonic spell. That she was the reason for the ice and stuff. We’ve been really deep into this.”

“Cadence knows, too?” I asked in a ghost of a whisper.

“No,” Gavin said with derision.

I glanced back at Mason. “I told him about what she did, but he already knew.” He answered my unasked question, almost painfully.

“How?” I asked Gavin, reaching for his hand.

“Just did.”

“For how long?”

“Since before Halloween. We’ve been breaking up for a long time now. She blamed you for it. I wouldn’t tell her what Mason and me were working on and that drove us further apart. She thought it was about my sister, but it wasn’t. It was just easier to put up with her than to fight it out at the end.”

That didn’t make any sense to me. Gavin was one of those people that wanted all or nothing. If you didn’t want him, if he didn’t want you, or if there was any cheating going on, he was long gone. Cadence wasn’t the only girl he’d been with since me, so I knew his pattern. What didn’t make sense was why he put up with it for the better part of a month, why what I saw last night happened. That just wasn’t his style, to have friends with benefits.

I didn’t want to push him about it, so I just let it drop. By then, Wilder had finished the sketch of what was on the screen.

Without a doubt, it reminded me of what I saw this morning. There was even what I thought was The Fall centering the sphere.

Skylynn fell to her knees and crawled across the floor toward Wilder. She took the marker and connected the trees. The way she connected them created a pentagram, one that my entire home, with the exception of Rasure’s wing, sat on.

“How freaked out should I be right now?” I said with a gasp.

“This is why she could never hurt you here. This house was protected,” Skylynn said in utter astonishment.

“Not from evil—she lives here,” I argued.

“No, she lives in a wing outside of the pentagram. I bet that is why she wanted it built there. She was also hoping someone else would break this force around the home. Maybe she’s not the big fish I thought she was,” Skylynn said, almost to herself.

Her eyes rose to meet mine, and I saw an unexpected element of respect there. It was as if she were in awe of me. That didn’t make any sense, though. She was the angel, shadowed soul, whatever—not me.

“Were you born where I found you that night?” she asked me.

I shook my head no and swallowed. I’d never advertised exactly where I was born because I didn’t want it to make me out to be more of a freak. “I was born in the memorial garden.”

Every Falcon that had died over the last two hundred years was buried in that garden, most of them inside marble walls. Beautiful artwork was in there, and it was even temperature-controlled. A marble observatory with a constant burning fire was built just before the tomb. That was a sacred place for me, a place that I would go to and just stare at the stars, watch the reflections of the stained glass window dance around me.

My parents thought my birth mother was a runaway, hiding out in there for shelter or something. When they couldn’t find her family, they had her buried in our family tomb. It was their way of saying they would watch over her and the gift she gave them forevermore.

“This garden?” she asked, pointing to the one Rasure almost destroyed. It rested at the peak of where those rings of roots connected. I nodded once. It looked like the same spot.

Skylynn rolled up the paper in her hand.

“Where are you going?”

“To argue for your life. Something tells me he’s in a better mood than the last time I saw him.”

“You’re wrong there,” I said with a shaky voice, remembering how I’d left him hanging.

“We’ll see,” she said as she vanished.

“Who’s in a better mood?” Mason asked me with his familiar boyish smirk.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you guys are the last people that I could tell what’s going on in my head.”

“Why is that? We could reopen the club, pass some tips on—make sure he sticks around.”

“Not a good idea on any account…”

Gavin reached for my hand. “I never felt your skin this warm before. I have never seen you look uncertain. That’s a good thing,” he said as his fingertip traced the falcon on my wrist.

“What else were you guys looking at on here? Anything? I have to figure out where this key goes,” I said as I turned it in my hand.

“Even if you do, you’re missing half of it,” Gavin said, glancing at it.

“What?”

“Yeah. I told you it almost looked like it,” Mason said, reaching for it. He ran his finger across the other side of it. “The key I found had two sides. You’re missing half.”

“How sure are you?” I asked, knowing I wasn’t at all sure. I still thought I developed the film I’d found in the camera.

“Very,” Gavin said to agree.

“Freaking A. Which clock did it fall out of?”

“The one on the mantel,” Mason answered.

“Of course it did,” I muttered, wishing I was still in the room with Phoenix. “At least I can shatter that clock if I wanted to. I assumed the other half of the key was still inside.”

“I don’t think it’s the same clock. I think it’s a replica,” Gavin said, changing the images on his screen. When he did, I saw the images that I thought I’d developed before only this time when Gavin zoomed in, the clocks I’d moved out of this house, at least one of them, were in every image. Even the one on the docks of the ship showed the small clock strapped down on some cargo in the background.

“I analyzed these left and right. They were made by different clock makers. I think the one in the library is meant to throw you off, that if you did put that key inside of it or whatever, something that should not happen will.”

“Why would she switch out the clocks?”

“I don’t know, but she did,” Gavin said, moving the screen to another image, one that had my parents standing in front of the one on the mantel. He zoomed in and out and pointed to various parts on the clock. They were close, but not identical.

“She put a hit out on us because we had that key, not because we took the clocks. In fact, because you took the key, she knew you were onto her.”

“I’m not onto her. I have no idea what this is about, why she just won’t leave my house.”

“She thinks you know, that’s what our problem is,” Gavin said with contempt.

“No. Our problem is that we’re dead. You guys need to stop focusing on this and let go.”

“Not a chance,” Gavin muttered as he changed the screen a few more times, looking for more images. “We need to go through your pictures, the ones you took in this house, figure out when she switched it, if it was before or after that wing was added. If we get a time frame, maybe we can track down the real ones. Your parents inventoried everything that came in and out of this house. It would take some time, but we could figure it out.”

“I’ll have to ask Cadence where most of those are.”

They all looked at me at once. “What? She was helping me with my portfolio. She knew it would be hard on me to go through the old images, so she was going to weed through them.”

“Interesting,” Mason said, nudging Gavin.

“You two stop it. We’re dead. Let your grudges go already. Yeah, so maybe she has commitment issues, too. She’s damaged. Always has been.”

“Tell me this,” Gavin said, letting his gaze meet mine. “Why is she so focused on bringing up our past? Why is she so interested in getting us to work through our ‘deep down’ emotions?”

“Um...gee...I don’t know, maybe because she is majoring in psychology?”

“She has asked more since we’ve been dead than she did when we were alive,” Gavin asserted.

“We’ve been dead for all of two days. Seriously? You’re mad. You should be. But if tomorrow never comes, would it matter, I mean really and truly matter?”

“You know she’s Rasure’s pet,” Mason chimed in.

“She wasn’t her pet. She dealt with her so I didn’t have to,” I argued back.

Truth be told, if it weren’t for me Rasure surely would have manipulated the hell out of Cadence. Cadence didn’t grieve for the loss of our family the way I did. She was sad, don’t get me wrong, but it was just another loss, another almost family for Cadence to add to her list. Rasure used to try and make me jealous by giving Cadence more attention, but I didn’t care. About a year after my family died, Cadence came to me and said that Rasure wanted to know how I was dealing with things…she then asked me what she should tell her. She became my voice. I couldn’t lie, so when Rasure asked me or put me on the spot, Cadence was my voice. She had to play the devil’s advocate to protect me.

“I’ll ask her if she knows anything about the clocks. You guys are obviously not going to rest in peace, but I’ll make sure she does. After the life she’s had, the last thing she needs is a tormented afterlife.”

Gavin closed his laptop. “We are due to drop off those clocks. I’ll see if I notice anything different this time around.”

“You guys are being shifted around, too?”

They all stood. “We’re trying to stop it, but my theory is if our minds keep taking us back to the same scenes, then there is something we are missing or need to understand,” Gavin said.

“Yeah, like we’re supposed to be dead,” I said under my breath.

Mason squeezed my shoulder as he followed Gavin out, leaving me alone with Wilder.

After a second or two of awkward silence, I spoke up. “Look, I’m sorry for that crazy ex-girlfriend thing I pulled. I’m sure it aided in killing us in the long run. This sucks. I know it does. Let’s just not hurt each other anymore.”

He grinned. “The only time you ever showed any emotion toward me was when you knew I was hooking up with someone else. Why is that, D?”

“Um, listen,” I said as we both rose to our feet.

He raised his hand. “I know. Friends. Arm’s length. But D, you need to stay grounded. Don’t let the others get you riled up. Ending Rasure has become a game and addiction for them and had been long before death. This is not a game. This is our reality, and I seriously doubt stepping on the playing field with Rasure before you know all the rules is a wise thing to do.”

My breath became fog, and the room was instantly covered in ice as I took in that warm, uncalled-for scent he always carried.

“I never expected…to feel this way about you,” Wilder said under his breath, as if it were a curse. He stepped forward and pulled me against him, leaning his forehead against mine, ignoring the shiver that my touch sent through his strong body. “Fate brought us together for a reason.” He raised his fingertips to trace my jawline. “It’s so we can protect each other. I’m not going to let Rasure hurt you, no matter how bad it gets…remember that.”

Fearing that he would freeze to death, I moved slightly away from him. “I’ve been promised that if I stay on this path, it will be wicked, that I’ll become vengeful. I don’t want that for you, for any of you.”

“Wicked is my gig,” he said just before kissing my forehead, causing the room to freeze even more. He walked away then.

In frustration, I fell back on my bed and reached for the key that Mason had left there. I studied every part of it, wondering if that missing piece was still in the lake, and if so, how I would ever find it. As my hate for Rasure consumed me, the ice began to thicken.

Just as I was about to go and inspect the clock that was here, Cadence walked in the room holding a warm cup of coffee.

“Looks like you need this more than I do,” she said to me.

I smirked, remembering this exact same conversation. She really didn’t know, and I wasn’t going to tell her, either. She would be just like the guys, vow to fight at my side.

“Your head looks better,” I said, noticing that the wound on her forehead wasn’t as red and swollen as it was before. I guess her body was healing, on the outside at least.

“Crazy. I woke up with this. Gavin is becoming violent in his sleep.”

“Yeah, you guys looked pretty aggressive when I came in.”

“He’s deflecting. Every time I try and get him to talk about his past, the next thing I know my clothes are across the room—not complaining, but geez, he needs to face this. Maybe you should talk to him, like start by talking about how you handle grief.”

“He doesn’t want to talk about it, and Cadence, that is not the issue between the two of you. He knows about you coming on to Mason.”

Her skin blushed, making her strawberry blonde hair seem redder. “Mason is making up crap to come in-between us, to make you mad.”

“I don’t care who you come on to,” I said boldly, locking eyes with her, letting her know I knew she came on to Wilder, too. “But you need to make peace with that, make peace with your own past.”

“Yeah, fine, so what are we doing? School is cancelled, I guess. No one was there. You want to go to the coffee bar early, work on your portfolio—what?” she asked as she set her coffee down on the edge of the bookshelf and started to layer on another jacket that she had tied around her waist.

All at once, the room became warm, really warm, and I felt a flaming sensation of energy course through my body—two quick beats.

“Maybe I don’t need this, you’re getting control,” she said, glancing back at me. “Make that hot...hello, and where did you come from?” she said with a mischievous grin.

Nervously, I glanced over my shoulder to see Phoenix standing right behind my bed. I looked back at Cadence. “Um, the darkroom. Can we have a second? I want to work with the portfolio before we go to the bar. I want to look at all the boxes. Will you get them ready for me?”

“You sure that’s a good idea? I mean, it’s kinda cold outside,” she said, glancing from me to Phoenix, clearly not knowing if he was aware of my curse and not wanting to let my secret out if I wasn’t prepared to share it.

“I’m sure. I’ll meet you in the playroom.”

“Ok, then,” she said, blushing slightly, nervously letting her hair fall over her face before she turned to leave.

I waited for her to close the door before standing and turning to face him. Slowly, holding my gaze he walked around my bed. When he reached my side, he raised his long fingertips to my forehead and outlined the place where Wilder had kissed me goodbye. I saw the fiery jealousy in his eyes. “It was innocent. We had to close a door,” I whispered as my chest rose and fell rapidly. His touch was so seductive that it was taking away my ability to breathe.

“He had to kiss you to close that door?” he murmured as his fingertips traced the outline of my cheek, then my lips, one by one. I gasped and swallowed nervously. I had to find control.

“You know what? Whatever,” I said, looking away from him. “I don’t like repeating myself. I already told you who my beats were.”

With far too much caress, he pulled my chin up so I would have to look at him. Within that beat, his warm, inviting lips were on mine. Rapture. That was the only word I could fathom to describe how insanely awesome it felt to feel his flesh move against mine. Slowly he pulled away, but not before gently biting my bottom lip. “I’m not mad,” he whispered.

“Then get that look out of your eyes,” I said, daring to meet his sultry gaze.

That made him smile. “Never the bashful one.”

“Life is too short for that nonsense.”

“That it is, Love,” he said as his grin grew.

“You’re in a good mood all of a sudden. Did Skylynn show you what Wilder drew?”

“Why would I care what Wilder drew?” he asked as he reached his hands for my hips and slowly pulled me closer.

Guardedly, I asked, “What is it, then?”

“You know,” he said quietly as one arm held me against him and his other hand began to trace my side with his fingertips, sending warm chills through my body, “living a long life has granted me at least one lesson.”

“Hmm,” I said, tilting my head and slightly squinting my eyes. “One that mine was surely not long enough to learn, I suppose.”

“Hopefully, it will be,” he said with a ghostly grin. “You see, Love, you’ve always pushed me, known exactly how to drive me to the edge and leave me there—giving me one of two choices: to either fall for your plea, or stop and think.”

“I never begged you for my life…you have your reasons for not saving me, or whatever.”

“You can’t become what I am,” he stated with absolute certainty, a heated warning in his gaze.

“If I understood what you were, then I would be able to tell you if I agree or not. Either way, I’m not going to let go.”

“Let’s hope that was the truth,” he whispered.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

He smiled tenderly. “It means that one way or another, this choice before us will soon cease to exist.”

“Do tell,” I said as I tensed. For all I knew, he’d found a way to make me let go.

“Well…either I win the battle I’m in now and simultaneously make Rasure weak enough for you to kill her, then you move on…or I lose and I won’t have to worry about you facing death’s door alone.”

“Such grim outlooks. Call me crazy, but I kinda hope you lose.”

“No, you don’t. At least you wouldn’t if you knew what was at stake.”

I knew exactly what was at stake. I knew that people like Rasure were breeding evil, and that evil was threatening to take over every ray of light in both realities. I knew that the universe was out of balance, that only a few were even aware of this war, that this war had stolen everything from me. I was only teasing when I told him I wanted him to lose. I wanted him to win. I wanted this all to be over with. I wanted the life I started with him so long ago back.

“Maybe so. Option three: you fight your war, and I fight mine.”

“Option four: you’re healed, and we have more time to figure this out.”

I had to wonder what ‘this’ was. Was it us, or this war he seemed prepared to die in—could he even die?

“What are you?” I whispered.

“My name…an eternal soul who lives life on the edge of every wrong line to cross. When it’s too much, when the guilt, grief, and anger become too much—I destroy myself, only to be reborn, all the wiser, all the more determined…but I can choose death…at any time.”

“Your name is Sebastian,” I said with a quiver in my voice, knowing he wasn’t always what he is now, wondering which boy had actually caused my beats, the one in the past or this one before me.

“At one time, Love. You are one of two aware today that know me by that name.”

“What’s her name?” I bit out as instant jealousy consumed me.

“Guardian,” I heard a new voice say. It startled me so much that I threw myself in Phoenix’s arms. He held my head against his chest as he laughed under his breath. “I see we still share the common demon of jealousy.”

Finding my calm, I turned to see another boy. He was as tall as Phoenix, built like him. His hair was dark and wavy, and he had the bluest eyes I’d ever seen.

“Guardian,” I gasped as the memories I had of him flooded my mind, quickly leading to the end, to the point where I was supposed to watch over this manor and his lover. “I’m so sorry.”

Guardian’s eyes questioned me as Phoenix’s body tensed next to mine.

“For...?” Guardian asked as a shy smile dared to show, revealing the sweetest dimples. I vividly remembered that smile. He was the sun where Phoenix was the moon, and for every negative Phoenix ever said, Guardian had a positive. He was just as fierce as Phoenix, but he was fierce because he had no sense of self-preservation…as if he thought he could live forever, like the sun.

“I don’t know where she is. I didn’t keep her safe.”

Guardian’s eyes flipped to Phoenix, giving him a knowing glance before calmly looking back at me. “I found her, Genevieve. Long ago.” His eyes were troubled, enough to make me wonder if that girl he loved was in the same kind of trouble I was in. Guardian had changed, too. He now carried the fire that Phoenix had. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what either of them had been up to since the day I last saw them.

“How clear are the memories you have of me?” Guardian asked.

I glanced up at Phoenix to see agony in his stoic stare. “Crystal. You’re Sebastian’s younger brother. You are precognitive, at least, you dream vividly. You had passed through The Fall. You knew there was hope on that side. You didn’t want our world to seal that passage, for you knew it would rock the balance of our universe. Sebastian agreed. You left with him and promised that if you had one dream, one bad feeling, that you’d return to us.” I squinted my eyes closed. “The very end is a bit hazy.”

Guardian reached his hand for my shoulder. “We were just too far...we were too late...” He was giving his condolences to me.

“What’s going on, Mate? Shouldn’t you be doing your thing?”

Guardian sorrowfully locked eyes with Phoenix and moved his head slightly to the side as if to say no as he let his hand fall from my shoulder.

Phoenix’s hold on me tightened. “There is nothing you can do?”

“I can heal, but I can’t bring anyone back, not when they’re this far…I’m sorry. We have to find another way. I don’t like your option two very much.”

He could heal? Was he serious? I was starting to fear the supernatural path these two had walked in my absence.

“The same for all of them?” Phoenix asked, ignoring that last part Guardian had said.

Guardian slanted his head, asking Phoenix for a private word. After a warm rush of air, my eyes found them both across the room. As Guardian spoke in a whisper to Phoenix, every part of Phoenix tensed in what could only be rage.

I felt like I was waiting for the judge to decide my method of execution. I was starting to think that Phoenix was not sending me to death so he could fight a war, but because he thought what he had become was too dark and dangerous for me to become. I couldn’t figure out how that could be any worse than a vengeful spirit.

I started to take a step back, make my escape, but then all at once my lawyer arrived. Skylynn appeared next to them with the drawing she had in hand. I would never be able to repay Skylynn for always being my voice.

Both Guardian and Phoenix seemed shocked, confused, and maybe even angry at what Skylynn was showing them.

Fearing that my lawyer was losing her plea, I began to edge back to the door. One beat later, I was in Phoenix’s arms and had no idea how I’d gotten there. “Going somewhere, Love?” he asked, lacing his fingers through mine.

“I have half a key and a clock to find, and a date with a half-frozen lake.”

The nonchalant way I’d mentioned the impending repeat of my death seemed to anger him.

“Genevieve,” Guardian said gently to me. “Do you happen to remember anything about this house, how it was moved?”

My growing turmoil was this sensation of standing between a past and the present. My life as Indie told me this house was two hundred years old, had always been in this one place. My memories, however, along with my gut feeling, were telling me that that was a lie, that it was built in a different reality. I kept hearing Wilder’s voice in my head, telling me I needed to hold on to the life I had—what was real in that life.

“I was told it was built here two hundred years ago.” I glanced at Phoenix. “I don’t know how or why it is not where you left it.”

Guardian pointed to the points where the trees were on the paper. “Do you remember planting these trees, anything you could have said over these trees?”

My befuddled look told him I didn’t. “Why are you guys bothered by my trees?”

“They are very similar to something that is the center point of the war Phoenix and I are fighting. We just don’t understand why or how…you and this house are here.”

“Twin realities,” I said, crossing my arms, agitated that they were acting as if I were on the edge of sanity. Maybe I was, but I was not an idiot. “The Fall. The star that centers it. One side is dark, the other is light. We are from the light and stuck on the dark side now. I’m not an idiot. I’m not slipping away. More than half of me is here. In fact, more of me is showing up every second. I don’t know what you two have been up to since I last saw you, but it’s clear to me that both of you are more than human at this point. I would love to debate how a home built for a family I never had mimics the universal war we have been at for longer than any of my memories can stretch, but listen to me: Rasure is trying to seize this home, and I will not let her have it. All of you should be backing me up on this point, especially considering that at one time you called it home.”

Guardian raised his brow as a grin spread across his addictive visage. I could see Skylynn grinning out of the corner of my eye.

“I swore to you that I would handle her,” Phoenix said with a sigh.

I was making this hard on him. I knew far more than he thought I did.

“Listen,” I said, looking back at Guardian. “I’m not exactly the normal girl you boys left behind, either. I have odd traits that cause the space around me to freeze when my emotions get off point, and when I touch things I see memories of the past. Sometimes just standing in a room will make memories come to life. To help you understand why those trees are there, I will touch everything but them.” They all seemed to question me at once. “I try not to touch living things. I don’t want to hurt them. I’m sure in one of the libraries I can find the original plans that are said to belong to this house, but I’m not looking for that now. Not until I find what I’m on the hunt for.”

“It’s all right. We’ll figure it out,” Guardian promised. He glanced at Phoenix. “What do you need me to do?”

“You have your own thing.”

“This is in my path,” Guardian stated dominantly.

“How is it in your path—because it’s Skylynn’s fault?” Phoenix snapped.

“It’s in my path because it’s you. Nothing will be undone without you.”

“You’d fare well without me for a while, Mate.”

“You know that is a lie. For the record, I’m not a fan of option one either.” That was the plan where I kill Rasure then move on.

“Why is that?” Phoenix asked.

“You know why.”

“I need it all,” Phoenix said under his breath.

Frustrated, Guardian looked at Skylynn. “You’ve known her for awhile, is she brighter or darker?”

“Getting brighter every second. She’s more real now than ever before.”

“Um, hello,” I said, raising my hand. “Standing right here. Can you drop the third person?”

Guardian bit his lip to try and stop his smile. He knew it was only infuriating Phoenix. He tipped his head toward me. “You...um...you’re angrier. That could be a sign that you are slipping, with or without how aware you are of your past lives.” Guardian tilted his head as he furrowed his brow. “But as far as I can tell, the anger is justifiable.”

“Thanks for the insight, Mate. Don’t you have someone who is waiting on you?” Phoenix asked Guardian with a frustrated snap.

“I do,” Guardian said, letting out a sigh. “I understand if you can’t be there tonight.”

“I’ll be there.”

Guardian locked eyes with me and gave me a subtle smile, then a brisk shot of warm air took him away.

“Need a minute,” Phoenix said to Skylynn. She looked down, then vanished.

Shyly, I looked up at him. “Sounds like you are having a hard time getting votes for your options.”

“I don’t need votes. This is my life.”

“I thought my life was the only one in question?”

Seriousness took over his expression. “Listen…there is a wolf hiding within the sheep.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means you can’t trust anyone.”

“Is this your jealousy surfacing again?”

“This is me trying to protect you,” he said as he reached to trace my jaw with his fingertips. “Genevieve…it terrifies me to think how close you have lived to evil. At this point, living or not, I don’t know that you would be able to tell friend from foe.”

“I think you have forgotten how to trust me.”

“I trust you. I don’t trust this war.”

“I cannot help you debate this war if I do not know every detail. You asked me if I trusted you. I trust the boy I knew so long ago. I have no idea what time and circumstance has done to you, but I know that time has left me bitter, empty, and full of grief. We had to fight apart for this long, what is the difference now? Why can’t you just leave me be?”

I heard his sharp intake of breath and regretted saying those last few words. I said them trying to sound stronger than I was, but clearly he took them as if I saw him as some old fling that had resurfaced in my life.

“If you think I can walk away, act like I didn’t discover that you have been here, blind to me, all this time…then you have no idea how I feel about you—and you have proved me right the one time I wanted you to prove me wrong.”

I couldn’t figure out what he meant by that. I couldn’t figure out how to tell him that the memories of him that were becoming more real by the moment were life to me, an awakening, that unknowingly I’d been waiting for him and that I didn’t want him to leave. That I didn’t regret finding him now because even if I turned into a dark, vengeful spirit I would have this memory, these emotions, that they would be my anchor to my humanity.

When I didn’t say anything, he looked to his side. “I have to go. Skylynn is going to stay with you. She’ll have to leave for a bit, but it will be after the frozen lake repeat…listen to her. She’ll keep you safe.”

Chapter Eleven

The second he vanished, the room iced over and I felt my heart break in two. Maybe he was wiser than me, knew that the less time we spent around each other, the better. Maybe that’s why he was leaving Skylynn to babysit me—someone he clearly didn’t care for. One thing was for sure: my guys never would have left me like that. I was getting a bitter taste of my own medicine, watching someone walk away right after they basically said that time and reason would not allow us to be together.

I swallowed my pride, clutched the key, and began to make my way to the playroom. Just before I reached the door, Skylynn appeared.

I couldn’t look her in the eye. “Listen, I know you have better things to do than watch over me. Go help them fight or whatever.”

“You’re the only friend I have, the only best friend I’ve ever had in my existence…where else would I need to be?”

“Flattered. I don’t know, with them, I guess. Looks like you guys have your own private club or war to deal with.”

“It’s not private, and you, apparently, are very much a part of it.”

“He doesn’t want me there. He pushed me off on you, someone he clearly disagrees with.”

“Do you want to know what Phoenix’s issue is?”

“Not really. I don’t need any more Karma.”

“He thinks you’re an echo, a shell, that the real you is gone, left the night of your death. The fact that Guardian could not bring you back tells him that he is right, that you are too far gone.”

I still could not get over how much Sebastian and Guardian had changed. I felt the grief I always carried in my soul intensify. I knew that the past that was ricocheting in my mind was gone forevermore. We had all escalated to some odd supernatural level. I was grieving for lost innocence, for a past I could never get back.

Bravely, I locked stares with her. “If that boy needs any more proof that I am me—dead or not—then there is no hope for him, and I don’t have time to deal with it.”

She grinned. “You’re messing with his head. Keep doing that. I know that nothing has changed. You may be a little confused, but you are holding on. As soon as he figures that out, he’ll get past his own dark thoughts.”

“Why does he despise what he is? Why does he not want me to be that?”

“He likes being a phoenix, all too well, and therein lies the problem.”

Those words made my stomach cave in. I guess I was reading him the wrong way.

“He likes it because it’s a perfect place for his dark energy to gain strength. I haven’t figured out why he is holding back yet, but I think he doesn’t want it for you because he thinks it will stifle the light you are, that your light has already dwindled down to nothing.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Opposites attract. Soul mates come from light and dark; he was the dark, you were the light. Now you’re both bordering on the dark side. Basically, in some supernatural way you are very ill.”

“I’m dead,” I said with an odd grin on my face. “Ill? Really?”

“Only the vessel,” she said with a sigh.

“So he thinks because I lived my life in anger and grief that I’m no longer bright or whatever?”

“Somewhat. But I disagree. I think unconsciously you have hidden yourself in this life, that behind that ice wall is the boldest, brightest energy that has ever existed, that no change—whether it be death or into a phoenix—can harness it.”

“I don’t know enough to agree or disagree…he was a stranger to the life I’m clinging to.”

“He was not a stranger. You’ve screamed his name out in your sleep since the day I met you.”

“You watched me sleep?” I asked, mystified, wondering exactly which name I screamed out.

“At times, when you were scared.”

“Good to know,” I murmured.

“I’m really sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me the most. I still don’t understand why I didn’t feel that you were in pain or scared.”

“How would you have felt that anyway?”

“I spelled you to me. I have no idea what blocked me from you that night. The only thing I can think of is that you were not in pain, and you were not scared. You fought hard.”

“Still fighting. I need to figure out this key, clock, Rasure thing.”

She held her hand out, telling me to lead the way. “You can search for anything on these grounds, within the house, but you can’t go out.”

“I went out yesterday.”

“Yeah, and yesterday I didn’t know the house was protected.”

“I’m going to have to go back to that lake. I think the other half of that key is in there. This time, we will all focus on it—know where to look.”

“The second you zap out of here, I’m bringing you right back. Phoenix was not kidding. There is a wolf among you.”

I wasn’t going to argue with her about what I would or would not do. I knew she had something to do with Phoenix and Guardian later, that if I really wanted to, I would go then.

Before I went to the playroom, I wanted to go downstairs, look at that old clock, maybe see if I could find Ben or my other brothers and sisters down there. I needed to know for sure how much time I had left, and I could figure that out by listening to them. I hoped Ben had gotten his way, that a machine was giving my body life right now.

Right as I went to go down the stairs, I felt a bolt of energy stab me. It felt like razor blades were on the inside of my body, turning in place. I screamed in agony just as Skylynn pulled me back.

“What the hell!” I shrieked. As soon as I was away from the stairs, the pain stopped.

Skylynn stepped down one step. Along the creases where the next step began, she picked up a handful of white powder. “Salt.”

“That much salt hurt me?”

“No. It’s lined all the way across. Someone didn’t want you mingling with the others downstairs.”

“Salt? How worried should I be about pepper?” I asked dryly.

“Very funny. Salt and iron keep away. I don’t like the fact that you’re being corralled,” Skylynn said with disgust laced in her tone as she glared down the stairs. She must have decided that staying with me was more important than figuring out why I was being forced to stay up here. The ‘who’ was not a question. It was Rasure, no doubt about it.

“You don’t like the fact that someone else is corralling me?” I said with a snap.

She ignored me, instead scooping up what was on the floor, breaking the line of it, and causing it to vanish into thin air. “Let’s save those floors for later, when the living are sleeping.”

“Give in to Rasure, who obviously put that there? Is that what you mean?” Going down there after my brothers and sisters had left defeated the purpose.

“When someone strikes you, they expect you to strike back. You can’t be predictable right now because she’s counting on that to undermine and ultimately defeat you.”

“Fine. Then I’m going to go and figure out when she moved those clocks. You can’t come. Cadence will know something is off if my imaginary friend comes to life. I want her to pass on.”

“She won’t see me. That is why I’m here instead of Phoenix. I can hide myself. Side effect of having a shadowed soul.”

I could see the pain in her eyes. Any fool could see that she hated how invisible she was to most. If I made it out of the mess I was in, I was going to make it a personal goal to set her free from whatever this was that she was fighting. “I’m sure whatever time and reason your soul needs to come back is close.”

“We’ll see,” she said with a fake smile.

I looked down as I made my way to the playroom on this floor. It was the room that all of my sisters and I would hang out in. It had a massive flat screen TV that took up nearly an entire wall, oversized couches and chairs, tables for us to do our homework, and every gadget or electronic device known to exist. The décor in the room held relics from across time like street signs and old radios. It reminded me of a really trendy restaurant, and that could have been because of the bar stretching the length of the back wall. It never once held alcohol, but it did hold its fair share of ice cream and late night snacks in the refrigerators under it.

I didn’t spend nearly as much time in there as Cadence did. I only really went in when the guys wanted to play video games or I needed the space to lay out my work for school.

When I got there, Cadence had five white boxes beside the bar and was laying out the shots I’d taken—that wasn’t even half of the images I’d captured.

She glanced up at me when I walked in. Even though Skylynn was right next to me, she acted like she didn’t see her, which wasn’t odd. Skylynn had been by me most of my life, but a ghost to the others.

“Where are the rest?” I said, noticing these were from the last six months.

“This is everything you took for your project,” she said, straightening the piles out. Cadence was a bit neurotic about organization, everything having its place.

“I’m not working on my project. I’m trying to take an inventory of the things in the house so I know what’s mine.”

“Indie, do your project. Worry about that when your case is settled. Aggravating Rasure is not going to do anything but give her more leverage over you.”

“That woman has nothing to hold over me, she never has,” I said as I went into the enormous closet that was in the back corner of the room. I found the box from my sixteenth year, the year that the addition was finished. I had the foresight then to photograph this entire manor. I wanted proof if anything was missing after she ‘moved in’ to her own wing.

When I started to lay out the images, I quickly discovered they were the wrong ones. These were from when my family was alive: Christmas, birthdays, every special and ordinary event in our lives.

“What the hell? Where are my images?”

“I—I don’t know...maybe Rasure switched them out,” Cadence said as she focused on my painful expression. “You want to talk about this? How do those images make you feel?”

“They make me feel like someone is trying to screw with me. And they’re cold-hearted.”

“Because they are digging up these emotions?” she pressed.

“No, because all of these were cataloged into a story, books I was going to give our family—it took me years to build them—and someone just ripped them apart and stuck them in a box. For what? To hide that Rasure has taken heirlooms from this house, heirlooms that are priceless to her because the energy in them doesn’t belong to her.”

My response seemed to leave her baffled. I figured she would be angry, too. I guess it was a good thing she wasn’t.

“Is that all, Indie? You’re not upset about looking into those moments?” she asked, once more glancing to the image in my hand. It was of me when I was five, sitting on my father’s lap as my mother stood behind him.

“Why would I be upset? I feel bliss when I look at these shots. That is the glory of film. It captures the emotion,” I said with a weak smile as I remembered every moment of that day and felt warm bliss ease through my soul.

“And the glory of theater is becoming someone else. You’re on stage right now, Indie, and playing the part rather poorly. You’re upset. I know you are. You were robbed. Life was cruel to you long before they left. You were cursed with nearly killing everything you touched. For God’s sake, you were born in a graveyard—no one even bothered to claim your mother’s body. You need to face this.”

“On stage? Really? Call me crazy, but being adopted by the Falcons is hardly a bad break, and neither is having a birth mother with the foresight to deliver me into their arms. And the cold…I don’t think that was a curse anymore.”

A look of disgust came over her innocent image. “It’s isolated you.”

“No,” I said, nonchalantly glancing to where Skylynn was standing. “It shielded me, and it pointed to the one person that would give me warmth.”

“Is this about Wilder? Has he reignited an old flame in you? If so, you need to know that that is an illusion and it will fade just like it did last time. He’s been less than faithful to the memory of the two of you.”

“It’s not Wilder,” I said under my breath as flashes of Phoenix—new and old—exploded in my mind.

“You’ve been seeing someone else? That guy that was in the darkroom? Why would you not tell me?” There was an accusing pain in her tone.

“I’m not the only one keeping secrets around here,” I said as I glanced over Cadence, trying to see this different person Mason had said she was when she wasn’t around me.

“So now you’re deflecting, too. You need to face this,” Cadence said again as she crossed her arms.

“I have faced it! What is your problem? Why are you trying to get all of us to go back to our darkest days?”

“Because it’s healthy.”

“OK then, where are your pictures? Where are the images of the underfed, terrified girl my parents brought home? Where are the files that outline the abuse you went through before then?”

“Don’t go there,” she said with a glare.

“Doesn’t feel good, does it? If you can’t take it, don’t dish it out.”

“You’re mad about Mason and Wilder, and you’re taking it out on me.”

“If I was mad about that, then you would be the only person who deserved to have that anger directed at. Why would you do that to Gavin? You know how he feels about ‘all or none.’ And why would you set Wilder up with some girl and not tell me about it?”

“So you’re not over him.”

“I was never into him, not in that way,” I said, slamming the images down onto the bar. The room began to freeze over, simply because I was beyond frustrated with her. I was ready to tell her she was dead and that she needed to get over it and move on.

“You could have fooled me.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means you play that ‘I’m-broken-and-can’t-be-adored’ card to a T—quick to tell your darling interests that you’re cursed just so they will fight harder for the girl they can’t have.”

“‘Quick’ my ass. They figured it out.”

“Yeah? How’d they do that again?”

I was so furious that I violently shoved the box with my family’s images causing the pictures to fly across the room and rain down around us.

“Three boys in six years...that hardly makes me out to be what you are insinuating. How many boys have dared to get close to you? Double my number and that is just the ones I know about. I was glad when you started dating Gavin because I knew he would calm you down, allow you to see that love is not a physical act.”

“How would you know if it was, Miss ‘you-can’t-touch-me-or-I’ll-freeze-you-to-death’?”

That was the coldest blow she had ever thrown at me. At first, all I could do was stare at her as if she were nothing more than a stranger. “I’m not fighting with you anymore. Life is too short. We have different ways of seeing the world around us, and that’s fine. You were by my side through my darkest years. You were the sister God spared me. I’m grateful for that. Grateful for you. I love you.”

“Why does it feel like you are telling me goodbye? Stop trying to weasel your way out of this argument. Let’s get it all out now.”

“I told you life is short. We all have to go our own ways at certain points.”

“I see. So Rasure was right, you’re going to kick me out, too. The money and power have gone to your head, and because I’m not the sister you want me to be, because I made a few mistakes, hurt one of your ‘almosts,’ I’m not worthy enough to live in your kingdom.”

“What the hell are you talking about? I’m not kicking you out, and if you believe anything Rasure says, then you need a reality check.”

Guilt washed over her face. “Sorry.”

I looked away, fighting tears, then nodded once to tell her I wasn’t mad. She walked over to me and hugged me as tight as she could. “Let’s just go to the coffee bar. This is too hard on you right now. You’re freezing.”

“Go ahead, I’m right behind you. I want to clean up this mess first.”

“I’ll help.”

“No, I got it. I really just need a second to breathe. We’ll clean it up later,” I assured her.

She nodded once and looked down before walking away. I reached to grab her arm. As I stared forward, I said, “I really do love you. I’m grateful to have always had you.”

“The feeling is mutual. I’ll get my purse and meet you downstairs.”

I smirked, knowing she could never say the word ‘love.’ She told me once that she feared if she did, the world would have an excuse to take that person away from her. What she didn’t realize was that she had already lost us all, and I just wanted to hear that word once from her lips. If my own sister could not tell me how she felt about me, how could I expect or believe anyone else who did?

Cadence was eager to leave this room. I knew the mess was making her insane.

Just as she went to cross the threshold, she stopped. “What is this?” she said, waving her jacket over the white line that was now there. “Snow?”

I didn’t even bother to answer. She was out of danger. The wind from the waving of her jacket had broken the line. I knew she wouldn’t be shocked the way I was when I tried going down the stairs.

Within the next beat of my heart, the room was put back together and Skylynn was standing in front of me, holding a stack of photos.

“Who tried to trap us in here? Who took my pictures? Is Rasure walking by me and I can’t see her? Is that what is happening?”

“I put the salt there.”

“Why?”

“Call me cautious,” Skylynn said, raising one eyebrow.

“You think I’m going to run away from you. That I could if I wanted to.”

“Nope, not at all. You were looking for these,” she said, handing me the images.

“Did you switch out the images?”

“I have better things to do with my time, but they were easy to find.”

“How were they easy to find?”

“When you want something, your energy reaches out for it, calls it to you. I saw the path, found them in the back of the closet in a box labeled ‘scuba diving.’”

“Really,” I said under my breath as I took the images from her. “Does that energy thing work with everything, for everyone?” I asked timidly, wondering how revealing I was being.

“Yes…though it is more clearly defined when it reaches for love, the one that completes us. Oddly, though, those in love rarely see that connection.”

“Little early for the ‘L word,’” I muttered, knowing we were having a coded conversation. She was telling me that my energy was reaching for Phoenix, but he could not see it.

“If you call an eternity too early, I would hate to see what you call a substantial amount of time.”

I wasn’t listening to her. I was looking through the pictures. I was almost halfway through the boring inventory of photographs when one image stopped me in my tracks. The image showed me on my tiptoes, reaching for the clock on the mantel. I was no more than six or seven at the time. I was trying to get my Barbie doll up there, pretending that was the peak of her castle.

It didn’t make any sense that this image was stored with these, but it did clear up one thing: those clocks had been switched out. When this image was taken, that clock was mine. When I was little, my mother used to tell me that I had the most vivid imagination she’d ever seen. It wasn’t an imagination, though, it was memories. I would act out stories around the seemingly boring furniture in our home, thinking nothing of it.

“She switched them,” I said, slamming the images down on the bar and turning to leave. I was going to go with Cadence to the coffee bar if I had to fight my way there. I needed Gavin. I knew he could hack into our security files and tell me when anything left this house.

When I reached the hall, I saw Cadence walking down the stairs. I cringed, but just as I was about to tell her no, she had passed the third one and not given any reason for me to think she was in pain. I let out a gasp, grateful that Skylynn had broken that salt line moments ago. I went to follow her, but right as I stepped forward I heard the sweetest sound.

Nervously, I glanced over my shoulder. There, I saw two of my sisters, Lucy and Melody. My mom was with them. She was braiding Melody’s long blonde hair as Lucy waited her turn. They were talking about absolutely nothing that really mattered, such as what grades they got in school or what charities they were working with.

I simply couldn’t stop myself. I turned to walk toward them, but as I moved forward the blissful scene changed. Now all of them, all seven of my devils, were there, screaming in agony, but the sounds of their voices were silenced by what could only be water. Only, the water looked like flames...light blue flames.

My mother’s eyes met mine, and I saw a warning there, one that I used to see when I was about to fall or stumble when I was little. She was telling me to watch my step, to stop, but I had to get them out. I had to save them. I started to run forward, but Skylynn stopped me. I pulled my arm away from her. “They need my help!”

Right as I said that, the horrific images vanished and the innocent scene with my sisters and mom returned.

“That they do, but not this way,” Skylynn said with a sting of anger in her tone as she glared down the long hallway.

“You don’t understand,” I said as my heart broke and the hall turned to ice.

“I do. I understand that death is calling you, showing you everything you want to see, everything you don’t want to see, that it is inviting you in, but I’m not letting you go without a fight.”

“If I see them, I’ll have even more of a reason to fight,” I said as I stared at the gentle lines that indented around my mother’s eyes when she smiled.

“You were corralled on this hall because your memories are the strongest here. Rasure wants you to see this. To yearn for it. To want this more than fighting her.”

“Well, I’ll be damned. The woman was finally right about something,” I said as I went to move forward. Before I took another step, Skylynn had me pinned against the wall.

“You’re angry about your sisters, about your parents. I get that. I do. But you need to be angry about so much more than this. You’ve lost more than this family, more than I could explain to you. You give in right now, and you will not gain anything and Rasure and all those like her will not only continue to do what they are doing, but the souls they have will remain theirs.”

I locked stares with her. “What are you saying? How many souls does she have that I know?” I couldn’t bear to ask if she had my family’s souls, if that was what that image I just saw meant, if they had been in that kind of agony this whole time—it would be more than I could stomach. The grief and regret would very likely end me.

“More than you want to know about.”

I felt like I was going to puke. I leaned forward and tried to breathe, but the fog leaking from my mouth was near blinding. “Clocks, keys, souls…you’re going to have to help me understand, Skylynn.”

Before she could say a word, everything around me changed.

Chapter Twelve

I was standing at the beginning of my death, seconds before Gavin’s uncle was set to come in the door and tell me my grandmother was dying. Before I could find the guys and tell them that we needed not only to find the key but the right clocks, everything moved again and now I was sitting on the beam running across my room with Skylynn at my side.

“Tell me you fast-forwarded time, that you didn’t bring me here only for all of them to crash into the lake on their own.”

“I can’t move time, but yes, I did stop you from repeating that.”

“Why would you do that?” I fumed as the beam I was on turned to ice, nearly causing me to slip off. Skylynn gripped me by the arm before I could.

“Because if you keep reliving that moment, you will fall into it, you will give up.”

“I’m not a quitter!”

“Agreed, but you are standing at the edge of the veil, the one place every soul is tested the most.”

“I’m not with them, and now they’re going to drown.”

“If you were not with them, what reason would they have to speed down the road trying to reach your house?”

My insides caved in. “It is my fault, isn’t it?”

“No, it’s not.”

“Yes, it is. If I let those guys go, seemed stronger, found a way to lie or something, they would be long gone and not my friends, not racing toward their death at this moment.”

“Not being able to lie is a virtue to your soul. It rewards you with fewer demons to fight. And they would have stayed with you no matter what.”

“Why, because they like to be around girls who are freaks of nature and have commitment issues?”

That made her laugh. “No, because they are supposed to be with you, whether you or Phoenix like it or not.”

“And how do you know that?”

“I told you before, our soul reaches out for what it wants, what it needs, and it pulls those things to us, one way or another.”

“I don’t love them in that way.”

“No, but you need them.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I saw your soul reach out for them. They weren’t even in the same state as you and had no reason to be. At first I thought your soul was calling them because they were in pain like you, because that was your purpose: to heal those who’d been down your path. So, I altered circumstance and brought them into your life one-by-one.”

“Are you trying to tell me you did some kind of supernatural hook-up that failed miserably?”

“No. I never intended for anything on the romantic side of things to happen. I already knew where your heart belonged. I knew they were eternal friends of yours, guardians that you had chosen for one reason or another.”

“And when it became romantic, you didn’t think to tell me that? You didn’t think to stop me from hurting them?”

“You never hurt them, and it was never romantic. You were just following the path of life. You thought that loving them was logical, but love is never logical. The way you feel about them is mutual. They love you, want to be in your life, but not in the way that will complete you.”

“Well, they have a funny way of showing that—at least Wilder does.”

She sighed. “Wilder was all you. I had nothing to do with his arrival, so I’m sure it may be different with him.”

“Are you saying that you have no doubt that Mason and Gavin are supposed to be with me in death? That I pulled Wilder into this by mistake?”

“I do now.”

“Why now?”

“Because if they weren’t, they would be chasing their own demons, either mad or moved on by this point. But they’re awake and plotting. It takes strong souls to do that.”

“What do you mean ‘plotting’?”

“I mean that they know when they are going to be moved and do what they can to alter it, even change the path. They are committing to death, committing to you.”

“An army of vengeful spirits...how lucky can one girl get?”

“We have to figure a way around that.”

“Not letting go.”

“I meant what I told Phoenix—either he turns you, or I find someone else to do just that,” she assured me.

“You mean to tell me that there are souls that will cross him?” I asked, meeting her stare.

“No, at least not many. But who says they have to know the whole story?” she said, raising one brow.

Skylynn was the one person in my life that knew me to my core, that had seen my darkest hour, my bravest battles—the one person that I already owed way too much to. I could not let her risk herself for me. “Listen, it sounds like you two have enough issues between you. I’ll figure this out.”

“I know you will. We will. But I have somewhere I have to be just now. When it’s over, we’ll hunt your clocks down, or whatever else.”

“You wouldn’t happen to know how to raise the water the way Phoenix did, do you? I see a long night of diving for the missing part of my key in the future.”

“I have a few things up my sleeve, and demanding that Phoenix give me one good reason why he won’t change you is one of them,” she said with a wink just before she vanished.

I slid across the beam to where it met the wall and there was a bigger ledge. This was one of my hiding spots, a place I went to think. It almost made sense that I kept climbing up here in that night terror. I liked finding a bird’s-eye view in various rooms of my home. I never thought of it as spying when I did it in the other rooms. I saw it as a way of being everywhere and nowhere at once, a way of finding a cozy spot in this enormous home that at times felt more like a museum.

I’d stopped climbing up here years back when the beams seemed to get tinier, when my hiding place became too small.

As I pushed myself into the corner, I glanced up. When I did, I saw a bird carved out in the beam. I remembered doing that. It took me days, but what was so odd was that it looked just like the one on my wrist now: a falcon in flight.

I reached to trace the grain in the wood. Oddly, it looked like flames swirling around the bird and that it was escaping just in time. The images I’d just seen of my family flashed before my eyes as a sick feeling consumed me.

When I carved that image, I’d noticed the flames the wood grain mocked, but then I imagined a much sweeter image; warmth, fire, setting this Falcon free.

Just as I was about to climb down, my bedroom door opened. Panic consumed me and I held my breath, not wanting to feel or let the ice show itself. As I moved back into the shadows of the beams, I gripped my wrist, the bird, and felt a flame ripple through me.

I sighed when I saw Mason. His eyes moved to the corner I was in, as if he could feel me there. I went to climb down, but he held his hand up, telling me to stay.

Like the skilled rock climber he was, he made his way up the bookcases until he was able to reach the beam and pull himself up. He slid down the beam to the shadowed corner I was in.

“You know, if we’re ghosts or whatever shouldn’t we be able to zap around or something?” he said in his familiar spirited tone.

As always, he made me smile. “I’m sure all of that is a state of mind. Shouldn’t you be in a lake right now?”

“Shouldn’t you?” he asked as he perched himself beside me and stared out at the beams of the room like he was looking for something.

“House arrest.”

He grinned as he threw a quick glance at me. “Someone told you to do something, and you listened.”

“Picking my battles. Where is everyone else?”

“Not sure. We all had a plan for how we were going to leave the bar the next time. I was supposed to come to you. I appeared at your door.”

“The others?”

“Dealing with their girls.” He glanced at me. Noticing my confused expression, he stopped searching for whatever he was looking for.

“What’s up, Indie?”

I moved my head from side to side, holding his gaze and fighting the tears I felt clouding my vision.

“Talk to me,” he pleaded in a deep whisper.

“My head is spinning. I mean, I always knew I was odd with the ice, the weird way I would dream or see images when I touched stuff but this is insane.”

“Death?”

“What death allowed me to remember, or rather embrace.” I briefly closed my eyes, seeing Phoenix’s image lingering there. “Mason, I can remember a past life in detail, and it’s not a normal one. It wasn’t even in this world, or reality rather. Wilder got to me before, when he said my mind was fabricating what I wanted. I don’t want to lose what I’ve found, but I keep pulling and forcing myself to focus on who I was in life, on Indie. I want those lives to mesh, but one is close to normal and the other is straight out of a paranormal movie.

His shoulders fell a little as he held my stare. “Indie, you are not losing your mind, and you are not fabricating anything.”

“Are you saying that because you have seen Skylynn and Phoenix?”

“No,” he breathed out. “Look, I—we’ve kept something from you.”

My eyes grew wide.

“It’s not bad,” he said, raising his hand. “It just makes sense now.”

“What makes sense?”

“This manor. You. The first time I came here, I felt like I was walking into my house. I felt like I had come home. Yeah, maybe it could have been because you made sure everyone here felt like that, but still I would have dreams of this place, wild dreams that were, like you said, far from normal. In those dreams, I knew I was missing something, that this house, you, maybe even us were off, like, hidden or out of place.”

“Why didn’t you tell me any of that?”

He shrugged. “I didn’t want you to see it as a claim on you. Remember way back when we first started hooking up and Gavin showed up and it was odd at first?”

All too clearly. They didn’t know each other before then. Gavin and I had reached the ‘we can only be friends’ conclusion months before that. It felt odd introducing him to someone that was so vastly different than him.

“Well, you crashed that night in the middle of the movie, and Gavin and I talked for hours. At that point, I’d already had dreams of this place. They were like a heavy fog I was trying to uncover. He saw the way I was looking around and trying to match the room we were in with my dream, and he told me he had the same dreams, felt the same pull. We became fast friends that night.”

“Because of a few dreams? This manor?”

“It was more than that. They were lucid dreams. The fact that you could do what you could do with the ice and stuff made those unreal dreams seem more like repressed memories. We have been researching this for years, trying to figure out the connection, and death has just made those dreams turn to memories. We are getting close to figuring it out.”

“Mason, you have a family that has already lost one son. Fight for your life right now, not some connection to this house.”

“I feel it too, Indie. I know what you mean when you said you felt like you were stuck between the past and the present. Our theory is if we figure out the present, the past will make sense. At that point, we can have a future.”

“Why are you more sane about this than I am?”

He grinned. “Because I’m not struggling to grasp the one my soul has always called me to while we face this crossroad in life.”

I turned crimson. “You haven’t even officially met him yet. Those are big words.”

“We’ve met, though. I don’t think he recognizes me. Honestly, I don’t think he can see past you,” he said with a wink.

I raised my brow to question him.

“The dreams.”

I heard the echo of footsteps from the hallway, that irritating, authoritarian click that could only belong to Rasure.

Mason pushed me into the dark corner and pulled me to my feet so he could shield me behind him. You would have to be looking for us to see us up here, and even then it would be hard with the shadows.

When the door opened it wasn’t Rasure, it was Cadence. She was dressed in a black formal dress. My first thought was that she had moved on, that this was her glancing back one last time in the death shrouds her body was surely wearing now, but that thought made no sense when Rasure followed her into the room. The click of her heels amplified the anger I could see on her stone cold expression.

She reached for Cadence’s arm and spun her around. “Why did you walk away from me?”

“I walked away from Ben,” Cadence said, pulling her arm away. “He has always made me uncomfortable.”

That shocked me. I knew she and Ben were not close, but uncomfortable? That made no sense. And obviously, Ben could not see her in the first place.

“Niece. We have no choice. Either we play this role, or we are out on the streets.”

“Your master plan has failed. I’m not a fool. You have lost control. Indie has outsmarted you.”

I smirked when I heard that. Maybe death had finally afforded Cadence the tenacity she needed to stand up to Rasure. She’d always left that up to me in the past, saying it was my war and that she was just along for the ride.

Rasure’s cold expression vanished as she reached to caress Cadence’s long strawberry blonde hair. “I promised you that I would vindicate you. I never break a promise. One way or another, Benjamin will halt his fight.”

“He is a true Falcon. They never quit.”

“And you are a Cambridge. We never die.”

I felt like the wind was sucked out of my soul. The Cambridge family was very prestigious, close friends of Rasure’s. Why would she tell Cadence she belonged to that family? That she did?

“Everyone dies.”

“Do they?” Rasure said ruefully.

Cadence looked down in shame or fear, I couldn’t figure out which. “When their purpose is fulfilled.”

“Well, then,” Rasure said, smoothing out her dress, a tell of hers that said she was furious and beyond frustrated. “If that is the case, then I am sure you and I have a very long life before us, for we have barely begun.” She extended her arm, suggesting that Cadence lead the way back downstairs.

Cadence’s chest swelled with pride as she smiled slightly and then walked out of the room. Rasure’s glance surveyed the room once, then looked up, but not in our direction. She let out a sigh as a stern look of determination came across her emotionless face just before she briskly turned to leave the room, all but slamming the door behind her.

“What the hell?” I said as my chest rose and fell rapidly. I was pushing into my wrist so hard that it should have caused me to bleed. I guess dead people can’t do that.

Mason didn’t bother to answer me. Instead, he held the ceiling with his long arms as he walked across the beam to the direction that Rasure had glanced. He moved with ease and skill. I’d seen him do far more dangerous maneuvers on our epic hiking adventures.

When he reached a cross point in the beams, he reached down to the beam he was standing on and felt around. A second later, he pulled out what looked like a small black ink pen. The top of it looked like wood, something that easily blended in.

He broke the pen into several pieces, letting it fall to my bed below before he moved on to another point in the room.

I started to climb down, wanting to see what it was. By the time I reached my bed, he had thrown down four more, all broken. A second later, he fell onto my bed, causing it to move violently to the side.

“What are these?” I asked, seeing that there were wires at the core of each one.

“Cameras.”

“She was filming me! How did you know?”

“Gavin hacked into the manor’s security, found a coded file. In that file was this room, the playroom, every room you hang out in except the North Wing, darkroom, and library.”

“I’m going to kill her! Why would she do that?”

“Besides trying to see your plots against her, not sure,” he said sarcastically as he stated the obvious.

“Taking them down now is not doing us much good,” I muttered as I crossed my arms, finally figuring out how Rasure seemed to know my every move.

“Actually,” he said, raising his eyebrows and letting his warning of a smile echo on the corners of his lips surface, “you can see us, well, not all of us. It looks like a ripple across the screen. There is no sound or anything, but she can tell what room we are in, and how many of us.”

“You’re joking.”

“Nope, and guess what? When you look at older ones, you can see Skylynn. She looks like a halo of light around you, always there when you were pushed against a wall.”

“She’s always been at my side.”

He nodded once. “Gavin thinks Rasure is looking for more than that key. Those bodyguards—we saw them going into the darkroom. They were down there forever, and when they came out Rasure was waiting on them. They told her they didn’t find anything. After slapping one of them and calling them every name in the book, she sent them back down. Hours later, and still nothing.” He bit his bottom lip as his eyes moved over me. “You must have one hell of a hiding spot. Are you sure the rest of the key is not down there?”

The only thing I had hidden down there was a stack of old journals, ones I found in the floor of the sunroom by pure accident. I’d moved a rug that was not mine and saw an outline in the wood that looked like a trap door or something. The journals were in there. I flipped through all the pages, trying to understand the drawings and words. There was no key in there. I was sure of it. I was also sure that I had hidden those books days before I died, days before I even thought to move the clocks. I even left that rug in place to cover my tracks.

“Positive. Why would she not go down there? Surely, she is not scared of the dark,” I said in a faint tone, thinking she would not come into the library before either.

“Let’s just be glad that she has the boundaries she does have.”

“What game is she playing with Cadence? Did you see her messing with her head on any of that footage? She’s obviously trying to convince Cadence that I’m going to cut her off and that crossing me is the only way for her to know that she would be safe.”

I could tell he’d seen more than he wanted to tell me. “We didn’t really have time to analyze it or anything. We were in a hurry looking for the clocks.”

I turned to go to the door, but he stopped me. “Whoa, what is the plan?”

“I’m going to tell Cadence she is dead and that she needs to move on. Then we need to go for a late night swim.”

That look of his, the one that said, ‘You don’t want to know what I know,’ gave me no choice but to listen to him. “I dodged that lake for a reason. We can’t keep going back there. It makes us too mad, reminds us that we are gone.”

He wanted to say more, I could tell, but he didn’t.

“I need that key.”

“Then we need to find the clothes Cadence had on.”

“Why?”

“Look, I’m not sure what was going on in your car that night, but it was war in ours. We were bound to crash one way or another.”

“What do you mean?” I asked as a sick feeling rose in my throat.

He sighed as his dark eyes filled with a mix of sympathy and anger. “Cadence and Gavin had been fighting for days before that, so Gavin thought that her blocking him on every site he went to, every file he opened at the bar, was her way of begging for his attention. In the truck, he told her to give him the key that she took right when his uncle came in. She started yelling, telling him he needed to stop deflecting or some bullshit, and he told her she needed to stop acting like a spoiled brat, that you were in danger. She threw all kinds of crap at him, like you never cared about us, you were playing us—which we knew was B.S.—and that made her mad because we were still focused on you. Gavin jerked the wheel to the side, trying to get it out of her pocket. I yelled at him, told him to watch the road. I finally got the key, but it wasn’t all of it. I couldn’t find the other part of it. As we struggled, finally I saw her shove it in her pants, then she screamed, ‘Come and get it, you know you want it!’ as she stood in her seat and tried to climb over the back seat to get away from me. As we went down, Gavin tried to get the other half of the key off her as I fumbled for the one part we had gotten. Then I felt Sophia thrashing behind me. I turned to give her air so I could get her out. You showed up right about then. I think you found the part that was loose. The other part is in her clothes.”

“How sure are you about this?”

“Pretty damn sure. We ended up at the bar tonight, like we should have. The two of you didn’t show, so Gavin was trying to figure out why we were there again. That was when we remembered the truck, the fight.”

“Where is Sophia?” I asked in a ghost of a whisper, wishing she had not followed Mason that night. That poor, innocent girl.

“She’s gone.”

“You’re sure?”

“She didn’t show up tonight. That speaks volumes.”

I winced in an attempt to block the guilt I felt wash over me. I swallowed nervously, then said, “So we need Cadence’s clothes.”

“Yeah. So, they are either at the hospital, returned here—”

“Or in evidence. Evidence my brother would be collecting to build a case to show suffering.”

“That is what I was thinking.”

“I can figure that out if I can get to his tablet. He’s downstairs. We can get that info and give Cadence a reality check all at once.”

“You really think Rasure is playing her in death?” he said with an apprehensive echo in his voice.

It was the tone of his question that caught me off guard. It was the tone he used to tell me he didn’t think I was right but was not going to tell me that.

“I don’t know what to think. Cadence has always been broken, she could have been easily manipulated in both life and death. I don’t get why Rasure called her a Cambridge or what other crap she has obviously been feeding her.”

“Gavin is already trying to figure that out. He was going to make her face her past, so to speak…didn’t work out the way he wanted it to, though.”

“Why?” I asked as the room froze over with my dread.

Mason sighed. “He broke into the files about her adoption. There’s no issue there. The issue was that Cadence isn’t Cadence—at least, she is not the girl that was born into that abused family.”

“What?” I asked with a gasp.

“Right. He figured out that that girl died a year before your parents adopted the Cadence we know. Ironically enough, it was a car crash. Your parents were given a very real girl and a fake file.”

“How sure are you?”

“Does Cadence look Hispanic to you?”

“Um...no.”

“Right. Your parents knew something was off, too. Apparently, they investigated all the children’s families that came into their home. Gavin even dug up documents where you parents stated they would adopt her under that name but had insisted that her real family be found. It looked like they assumed it was a clerical error. They stated she was a broken child they would take in but wanted to be assured that at a later date she would not be thrust back into the system if her family came looking for her.”

“That is why she wasn’t added to the will. They were waiting until they knew she would not be taken away,” I said with wide eyes.

“They never got their answer. One week after Cadence was added to the documents that stated Gran would be her guardian if something happened to them, they died.”

“You think she was planted here. That whoever did that assumed when that was filed that she was on the will. Are you telling me that shell of a girl who could not even smile or stop trembling was a ploy?”

“We have no idea what role Cadence had in this. Your parents had psych evaluations along with physical ones done. She was abused, that was clearly stated. We just don’t know where she came from.”

“So either Cadence has always known this or Rasure has used this information to toy with her, to make her feel unwanted or unloved.”

“We’ll never know. Gavin figured that out before we died. Actually, the day we died he got an email from one of the investigators he uses. He never had a chance to get anything out of her. We were too focused on figuring out Rasure.”

“Where is Gavin?”

“He was supposed to be with her. He was hoping that he could catch her off guard.”

“Well, now we are.”

I turned to charge out of the room. When we reached the stairs and started to climb down, the shocking pain of razor blades cutting our souls in two thrust us back.

“What the f—!” Mason bellowed.

I caught my breath and crawled to the steps; the salt line was back and thicker than before.

“Rasure is keeping us up here,” I said as I rushed back to my room and started to tear through my drawers. I knew I had a mini-fan in there that I had used for white noise when I could not sleep. Thankfully, there were still batteries in it that worked.

Mason was trying to blow the salt, but not nearly enough of it would move to break the line.

“Move,” I said as I angled the fan at the line. All that did was make the fine salt fill the air. This was not the only step it was on, the fan had picked up salt on the next three. I knew it had to be on every step, and walking through this cloud would be agonizing.

“All right then...she wants to play, we’ll play,” Mason said as he reached to pull me up and back to my room.

He opened the glass doors that were basically huge windows that led to a ledge that was a few feet wide.

“Um...iron,” I said, looking at the bars that outlined the brick ledge.

“Don’t tell me that is worse than salt.”

“I haven’t tried it yet,” I said, a little apprehensively.

He looked back into the room, out past the balcony, then up. “Come on,” he said as he started to climb the bricks that were set out from the others.

“We need to go down, not up.”

“Right. We’re going to jump over this.”

“Are you crazy? We are, like, four floors up!”

He let out a laugh as he climbed to the side, giving me room to climb up. “What are you afraid of, Indie? Dying?”

That caught me off guard for a second. That was not the first time he’d said that to me. Every time he pushed me to climb higher, jump into a shallower pool of water or canoe down insane rapids, that was his battle cry. He said it was because I’d told him not long after we met that we were all born to die.

He laughed under his breath. “Born to die,” he said, edging to the side. “You had that part right.”

Accepting the challenge, I started to climb up after him, just like I always did before.

When I reached his side and looked down, my anxiety took over and everything turned to ice.

“We could use a soft landing here. Why don’t you think about who made you blush before?” he taunted in his familiar lighthearted tone.

Right when I went to slap him, he grabbed my hand and pulled me forward with his jump. For a second, we were flying. I saw flashes of when we had done this before, how he held my hands as we fell through the air. He used to cover my eyes so I would not know how far the fall was. His theory was that if I didn’t know how dangerous something was that I would be able to jump freely, that if I jumped freely I would learn that it was okay to feel the adrenaline—a rush. He always told me that that was fire, and I needed fire. When it came to cliff diving, he was right. I never turned the water we were diving for into ice, and I was usually so stoked that I just did something that insane that it would not turn frigid until the adrenaline wore off.

Seconds later, we landed on the snow.

“You are the most unpredictable predictable girl I have ever met.”

“You do realize that statement makes no sense,” I said as I stood and dusted the snow off me.

“Perfect sense—most of the time, I never know what you are going to do.”

“Exactly when am I predictable, then?” I asked, dusting him off.

He reached for my chin so I would have to look up at him. I felt my heart hammer wildly in my chest. I may be acting like I know what I’m doing, that death cannot stop me, that I’m clear and cool-headed, but when I looked into Mason’s eyes or the others, I felt grief. I didn’t want to say goodbye to them, and every second with them very well could be my last. Rasure would have officially crippled me for eternity if she managed to divide us.

“When you’re back against a wall, when there is no way out—that is when you’re predictable.”

“In the war of life, that is a weakness.”

“No,” he said, letting his hand fall and his boyish smile come alive. “You’re predicable because there is no doubt that you will win—you will find a way around what is in front of you, one loophole, and that loophole is only obvious to those who know you best, who have dared to get inside your head.”

“Are you telling me that you can see my next move all over my face?” I said with a blushing grin.

“I’m telling you that I’ve got your back, that we will get through this. I have watched every move you’ve made out on our little summer adventures. On instinct, I know what way you’re going before you do most of the time.”

“I don’t think you’re alone in that.”

“No. Gavin, too,” he assured me. We both knew that I never let Wilder in the way I let them in because Wilder and I never saw eye-to-eye. He had told Mason once that their way of getting to me didn’t work, so he was going to try his own way.

I needed to move away from this topic. “Let’s crash this mourning party,” I said with a smirk as I started to walk around the house to where I was sure everyone was gathering.

Every light in the manor was on downstairs, and through the open windows I could see people in almost every room. The issue was that when we had jumped, we had landed feet past the iron gate that outlined the garden and trees against the house, so when we reached the window outside the great room we couldn’t get close enough to see Ben, Cadence, or anyone else for that matter.

“We could always go in through the front door,” I said with a sigh, seeing my element of surprise vanishing.

Mason reached out for the iron gate, but on reflex I grabbed his arm.

“It can’t be worse than the salt, and that only lasted a second. We need to see where everyone is—how they are interacting,” he argued.

Mason always had a theory about pain, too, that it was instant and over too quickly to matter. He believed in adrenaline, that it would always come to the body’s defense.

“You don’t know that. For all we know, it could be lethal to us now,” I argued back.

“Well then, your guardian angel will show up and help us,” he said as he scaled up the gate in two huge strides. I heard him groan, swallowing the pain. He took in a few deep breaths and then turned to look at me with his unmistakable grin. “I have dealt with worse pain than that.”

“That is not saying much. How many bones have you broken?” I asked sarcastically.

“A few. I promise, it’s not bad. It burns.”

“Burns?” I questioned, knowing I was by no means afraid of warmth.

He nodded once as he gathered some snow from the bushes and rubbed it across his hands.

I held my breath, closed my eyes, and squeezed through the wrought iron bars. I felt the burn, even heard the singe of flesh as I passed through, but he was right. I felt the salt on the inside, but this was exterior pain, one I could deal with if I had to, but most definitely not for a long period of time.

“That’s my girl,” he said, reaching for my hand.

We pushed through on the bushes making our way to the window. He was taller than me, so he could see into the windows that were over my head. Not breaking his stare, he let go of my hand and held his hand out flat, a silent gesture I was used to seeing him give me. It was his subtle way of telling me to climb.

I put my foot on his hand and used his shoulder to pull myself up, then I leaned forward to grab the ledge. He didn’t even flinch under my weight. I’d used him as a ladder a thousand times before so he was used to the feel of me. When rock climbing, he would always push me up first, then take the more challenging path to get to the next level.

A beat later, he had climbed up next to me.

I felt sorry for my family as I gazed at them through the window. Every one of them looked so sad as they moved through the crowd with their little hors d'oeuvre plates and glasses of wine. As the crowd shifted, I saw Rasure against the back wall. I dove behind the brick barriers as Mason did the same on the other side.

He nodded, telling me I could look safely. He could see more from where he was.

My uncle Jamison was on one side of Rasure, and Cadence was on the other. Friends were walking by them, offering standard words of condolences and sympathy. Cadence never looked up at any of them. She looked so scared, so alone next to Rasure. I couldn’t figure out how she was standing in that room and had not heard them speak her name, mention that she was in the same boat we were all in. But then I saw Ben. I saw him staring at her from a few feet away. At first I thought it was just the angle, that he surely could not see her if he could not see me, but a second later he took a glass of wine from a tray that was passing him by and walked it over to Cadence. She looked up, and that was when she took the wine from him. Right then, a burning rage I’d never felt before consumed me, and left me feeling utter betrayal for the first time in my life.

Of course, Rasure took the glass from Cadence and said something harsh to him, something that made Ben turn bright crimson with anger.

Rasure put her arm around Cadence and led her out of the room. After quickly finishing the drink in his hand, Ben pulled out his phone and made a call as he went to leave the room through the other door, the one that led to the front foyer. I was sure he was going outside.

“Why do I get the feeling that Cadence made it out of that lake with nothing more than a bump on her head?” I seethed.

Mason didn’t seem nearly as shocked, but he was definitely just as mad. “Had my suspicions,” he said as he jumped down and held out his arms for me to jump.

“You thought this was going on and didn’t tell me?”

“I didn’t know anything for sure, but I have a pretty good memory and I know that the first go around on this loop we are in that she got her lines wrong.”

“Lines?”

“The first go around, we all did exactly what we did the first time, but she didn’t. At least once she answered a question before Gavin asked it, then took the key seconds before she had the time before. That made us think, that gave us the feeling that something was off. That’s why I didn’t flip out when you told me we were dead. That whole time your friend Skylynn and mystery man were in there, we were watching her, trying to figure out how she would play into it all. You never moved out of the spot you were in or the pattern you followed until that boy touched you. Just before he did, you should have moved to the left to pour a drink for a customer. That was where you were standing when Gavin’s uncle came in. They pulled you out of the loop, and when they did they pulled the rest of us out, too. We were able to move freely in the illusion, but Cadence kept her role, her words, and stance the same as we moved through the last part of that illusion. Even when Gavin and I were trying to ask each other if we were both seeing this the same way, she kept acting out her lines—it was ridiculous, really, watching her argue and struggle with herself.”

“A wolf among sheep,” I said under my breath. Phoenix had warned me about this. I would bet that Guardian tried to heal us, and when he did he figured out he was missing one—he was missing Cadence. That is what he was telling Phoenix. Why would he not just tell me that?

“One that has been in place for a hot minute. Here is some food for thought: how can a girl who is obviously alive and well sleep with a ghost— see ghosts?” Mason asked with a sinful grin.

“She did sleep with Gavin, didn’t she?” I said with wide eyes.

Mason nodded once. “Right on cue...well, I heard it was not right on cue, but anyway, yeah.”

I charged around the house, ready to go in and face Cadence and Rasure, let them look like idiots in front of everyone as they talked to us. Cadence had just ticked off the wrong girl.

Chapter Thirteen

Just as we rounded the corner that led to the front of the manor, we slammed right into Gavin.

“Oh my God, man—I almost knocked you the hell out!” Mason said in a harsh whisper.

“Feeling is mutual,” Gavin said, urging us around the side of the house. “Ben is walking this way,” he said in a murmur as he crouched down.

He wasn’t dodging Ben, he was dodging the phony security guards that were standing on every corner of the porch, ones that could obviously not only see the dead but talk to us.

There were police officers standing next to the guards and a few other men in suits who I would guess were detectives.

“What is going on?” I whispered as I nudged Gavin.

“Ben issued a search warrant.”

“Based on what? Looking for what?”

“The key, I hope. A witness told him that there was an obvious struggle in my truck before we ever went off the road. I think he’s trying to figure out what we were fighting over. He knows he’s missing something, and he found just cause to search for it.”

“Thinking it’s the key is a long shot, though.”

Gavin glanced back at me. “Sophia was alive when emergency workers showed up. When they asked what happened, she told them what we were fighting over.”

“She was more aware than all of us put together, and yet she’s the one that is gone?” I asked in disbelief.

Gavin let out a sigh as sorrow filled his eyes. “The accident didn’t kill her, Mason saved her life. She died because at the hospital she was given a drug she was allergic to.”

“You’re freaking kidding me. How do you know that?”

“Ben. He was talking to that detective over there, who told Ben her parents wanted an investigation opened right as he handed Sophia’s statement to him.”

“Ben will figure this out—he’s smart,” I whispered as I tried to overhear what he was saying into his phone. All I could hear was the echo of the other side, and it sounded like a radio. I kept hearing people say, “Clear,” “Over,” and then finally I heard, “I have something.”

A few seconds later, Rasure charged out the front door of the manor, walked over to Ben, and slapped him across the face. I lunged forward, but Mason and Gavin held me back.

“You cold-hearted bastard! How dare you come into my home and search for anything? Do you have no sympathy? Your sister is in agony, broken into pieces, and you have the audacity to question her involvement? Indie and her friends were wild. I have witnesses that will clearly state that they were taking shots of liquor before they ever got into that truck. If she was struggling with them, it was to take control—to save her life. You are banned from the property. I’m taking a restraining order out on you this instant.”

“It is not your property. If you wish not to see me, then you need to leave,” Ben said smoothly, with an all-too-polite grin that the Falcon children were known to have.

Before she could say another word, two police officers along with a detective walked over to Ben. On a white cloth, they were holding the cameras Mason had destroyed moments before.

“Where were these found?” Ben questioned.

“The girls’ room,” the officer answered. “We are sweeping the home for others.”

Ben looked sharply at Rasure as he spoke to the detective. “Find the feed these went to and have someone trace the purchase and work orders attached to these cameras. I want to know who was spying on my sisters.”

“In the process as we speak, sir,” the detective said, matching Ben’s stare, which was still firmly held on Rasure.

She turned briskly and called out my uncle’s name as she entered the manor again.

“We didn’t find any odd key or part of it, but it could take days for us to find something that small in a home this size,” one of the detectives said to Ben.

“Bring Cadence in for questioning. Make sure she knows we are moving forward with charges on money laundering, and…manslaughter,” Ben ordered.

“How many counts?”

“One so far,” Ben said as he nodded goodbye to the detective and went to speak to our brothers and sisters that were coming out to see why Rasure was having a meltdown.

“I guess you are not going to get anything out of her tonight,” Mason said to Gavin.

“I think it’s still on her,” Gavin said in an angry whisper.

“Would you have not figured that out, you know, the other night?” Mason asked with an audacious grin.

Gavin looked down as he thought over last night. He stood up. “I didn’t look everywhere for it,” he said, then boldly walked around the side of the house.

They were walking Cadence out. On the front steps, they stopped and began to read her rights to her. Gavin bravely walked past the guards we knew could see us and went right up behind Cadence. He whispered something in her ear as his long arms reached down and pulled up the hem of her black dress, revealing black thigh-high stockings. He moved his hands around the band as Cadence started to struggle. The officers holding her restrained her, and because of the commotion they never noticed her dress moving up.

Either Gavin found what he needed or nothing at all. He moved his hands up her dress, squeezed her hips, and then walked away shamelessly. The guards started to move after him, but Gavin was smart. He put himself right beside Ben and all but dared them to make a move for him.

“That is why that S.O.B. is my best friend,” Mason said in a proud tone.

Gavin never looked in our direction or gave the guards any reason to believe that he was not alone in this act.

Gavin stayed shoulder-to-shoulder with Ben as he watched Cadence being loaded into the cruiser. Once they were gone, Ben made another call as he walked to the side of the yard, toward the woods in front of the lake we perished in. Once Gavin was close enough to the woods, he took off in a sprint.

“What do we do now? Wait to be zapped back in that house?” I asked Mason.

“No, we go to the memorial garden. That was the plan.”

“Whose?”

“Mine and Gavin’s. He was supposed to corner Cadence, figure out what he could. I was supposed to get you and get there.”

“Where is Wilder? Why there?”

“We told him to figure out his girl, see what she knew about all of this and that we would see him when we were all zapped back to your house. The key had ‘Falcon M’ on it—you were born there, so something connects to that place without a doubt.”

Seeing he had a point about the connection, I only had one argument. “Wilder is going to have a hard time doing that. I killed that girl, and Phoenix burned what was left of her.”

“Did you?” Mason asked with a disbelieving stare. “He doesn’t know that.”

“Right. So we need to find him and tell him that,” I stressed.

“Listen, if he would stop being Mr. ‘I-know-everything,’ then maybe we could have figured that out before. But no, his plan is to charge Rasure. He needs to figure out how to be a part of a team.”

“We don’t have time to fault him for that,” I said in Wilder’s defense.

“Then ignorance will keep him safe. We were not about to let him put us in danger. He already managed to put you at the bottom of a lake.”

“He was run off the road.”

“Yep, and Gavin will swear to you that after we crashed he was more concerned about getting Cadence out than the rest of us.”

“Because he’s a gentleman. Of course he would have tried to save her.”

“I’m not arguing with you. I wasn’t paying attention. I was trying to save Sophia, and obviously I had greater forces working against me,” he said with evident disgust and guilt. Sophia followed him into the truck that night, and he was bearing the weight of that.

“Don’t we all,” I muttered as I started to follow him through the shadows. It seemed like it took us forever to reach the path that led to the gates of the massive tomb and observatory just before it. I was grateful that the iron gates were open and that we would not have to push through that pain again.

A few steps later, I was wishing for that pain. All at once, it felt like a million razor blades were coursing through my veins. I couldn’t figure out why, and every step I took made it worse. If we moved to the side or forward, the wicked pain grew exponentially. In my frantic state, I realized we were not walking on snow, but salt—a ton of it.

It was sucking the life out of me if that was even possible. We were both so disoriented that we couldn’t figure out which way was back, where the snow ended and the salt began.

As if it were the flap of an angel’s wings, I heard a swoosh of wind and then found myself inside the gates of the memorial garden, side by side with Mason. We both leaned forward on our knees, trying to catch our breath. A second later, Gavin appeared at my other side and Skylynn was in front of us with crossed arms. Behind her, leaning casually into the frame of the doorway leading into the observatory, was Phoenix.

In the center of that marble room behind him was a forevermore burning fire. The warm, reassuring glow of it made Phoenix look all the more inviting to me. I no longer felt the cold of the snow, but I most definitely felt the cold stare of disapproval.

“I told you to stay put, not move,” Skylynn said to me.

“I don’t think those were your exact words. I’m on the grounds of the manor.”

“You wouldn’t have been for much longer. Everything is salted around here. That evil wench obviously has no mercy on Mother Nature either,” Skylynn said with a degree of disdain.

“Cadence didn’t die,” I said, holding her stare, letting her know I was not some blind fool.

“Does she know that you know that?” she asked with wide eyes.

“No. But I know that the two of you knew that,” I said, nodding to where Phoenix was, “and neither of you bothered to tell me that.”

“We had our reasons.”

“Which are?”

“Which are too numerous to name—the obvious one is that you are in the veil. Your soul is inside out, and you would have acted before thinking anything through.”

“I’m not an idiot. Instead of telling her I loved her and pushing her to let go, I would have been able to get more information out of her. Now she’s gone, and so are her secrets.”

“I doubt they can hold her very long. Your brother is trying to scare her into doing something foolish. Very wise of him,” Skylynn said with contempt.

“And what would she foolishly do?”

“Attempt to save her own skin.”

“Sounds like self-preservation to me. Maybe she is a victim.” As soon as I said that, both Gavin and Mason threw a wicked glance at me.

Then Gavin handed me the part of the key we had been searching for. “She is not a victim. I don’t think you know the real her.”

With a shaky hand, I took the gold piece from his hand and connected it to the key in mine. With the new piece, it was now in the shape of star. A bolt of energy came from the metal as it found its counterpart.

“OK, then,” I said as my heart broke a little. I loved my sister, and I trusted her. Feeling a betrayal this deep was painful, and it made itself known all around me as ice began to cover the snow. “What now?”

“Now we find what it goes to,” Mason said as he reached to grab my arm to lead me to wherever they thought this key went to.

Before he could take one step or Gavin could think to follow, an unseen force held them both in place. I thought it was Phoenix and threw a glare in his direction, but as I did I saw Skylynn slowly begin to circle the three of us with nothing less than a predatory look in her eye.

“You will not be permitted to be alone with her until I deem you worthy.”

“And who are you to do that?” Gavin said with more audacity than I have ever known him to have.

“I led you to her. I did so because her energy called you, but it is clear that her soul can be fooled, at least temporarily. I need to know if I have put her in danger and if I have, I will redeem myself.”

“You’re not doing anything to them,” I seethed. “I admit that I trusted Cadence as a sister, but I did so because I am a Falcon. We love the broken, we heal the broken, and we set them free to do the same for others. I’m not shocked that she has been led astray by Rasure. I’m not shocked because I am not my parents. I was weak and wallowed in my own grief and left her alone. All the signs were there, but I ignored them because I could not bear to lose another sister. These boys have done nothing but love and support me, accept me for who I am, and allow me to live through them when my life became too cold for me to handle. They followed me to my death, and I will be damned if they must now stand in your judgment.”

Skylynn nodded her head once, and with that both Gavin and Mason moved forward a few feet. When they did, the energy that was in control of them shifted to holding me in place.

I locked eyes with Phoenix, asking him for help, but the flames staring back at me offered no sympathy.

“Shirts off,” Skylynn said to them.

She was insane. Dead or not, it was freezing out here. They listened, though, and both of them pulled their shirts over their heads, every muscle in their long, lean bodies tensing with the chill of the night air.

A ball of fire appeared in Skylynn’s hand. She shaped it carefully, whispering something over it, dividing it in two just before throwing the fire at the two of them.

I screamed and struggled to move forward, but the power around me was too strong.

The fire surrounded them for an instant. They never made a sound. In fact, it seemed to be a welcome relief to them, which stopped my screams, but not my struggle.

Along their sides, fire started to wind through them, just beneath their skin. A beat later, what looked like wings made of fire were on each of their sides.

Skylynn began to circle them as they both held their heads high. “To redeem your soul, you must pass through the line of the moons—the flaming sons of the east and the west to reach the seventh sister, whose touch will destroy the flames of evil that bind you,” she said under her breath, as if she were reciting a sacred oath.

“I bow to you,” she said as she did just that.

The flames absorbed into their bodies at the same moment the hold around me released.

Unable to handle the cold, both Mason and Gavin pulled their shirts back on.

“What did you just do to them?” I yelled as I charged forward.

“Nothing,” she said with a degree of sadness in her voice as she glanced behind her at Phoenix, who did nothing but look down before turning and walking into the observatory.

“Something just happened,” I said as I felt an ache in my soul.

Both Gavin and Mason reached for me simultaneously. It was as if they could feel my heart breaking.

“The words I just said…those are sacred...they are the words that every supernatural being knows. They are ingrained in our minds so that if or when we are taken by the forces that we fight, we will know how to redeem ourselves, escape our demise.”

“And what do they have to do with them? Why did you put fire wings on them? Did you just change them—without asking?”

“They’ve always been there,” Skylynn said with a sense of remorse. “They were intended to be your guardians, to shield you from unworthy souls that asked for your redemption.”

“Past tense,” Gavin said under his breath.

“Very much so,” Skylynn said, letting her eyes rise to meet his. “You would have to be alive to fulfill that fate.”

“But, but we are working on that, right?” I said with a tremble as I tried to understand why she seemed so upset.

“I don’t know anymore,” she said with a hopeless sigh. “I always knew you were one of the seven, that you had a remarkable power to stand within the bitter cold of the evil, but I didn’t realize that though you were born to rule the veil, your power came with life. That once life was taken, your rule was taken.” She looked down. “The veil grieves tonight.”

“I’m—we’re not going anywhere until vengeance is ours,” I swore as I struggled to grasp what she thought I was, what I was supposed to be.

“That is a very fine line you are walking there, Indie. I will find your vengeance, along with so many more at my side. Rasure had to have known that she would answer for your demise, and yet she committed this ungodly act without hesitation. She sacrificed herself for your death. Know that.”

“Well, call me crazy, but I don’t give a damn why she did it. I’m going to find some freaking clocks, set my family free, and become more of a vengeance than that red-headed demon has ever dared to fear.”

“Not tonight,” Skylynn said in a whisper. “I’ll find your clocks…” She glanced over her shoulder. “You need to say your goodbyes.”

As soon as she said the word ‘goodbye,’ I felt everything in my soul break apart. My will to breathe, to live, to fight—vanished. I sucked in a deep breath and scolded myself for acting like a fool. What was one goodbye? I’d lost him before. I’ll find him again.

What I could not figure out was why Skylynn had changed her play, why she was no longer willing to cross him—to have someone else turn us all so we could live our lives and move this world. I couldn’t figure out why she was giving up on me.

“Come on, boys.” Skylynn said. After a whisk of wind, the three of them vanished, leaving me to gape at an open doorway that led to Phoenix.

I stared at that threshold for countless moments, trying to find the courage to move forward, to understand what I could have done to lose the defense of Skylynn. I kept telling myself that it could not have been something as foolish as trusting my sister. It had to have been him. Phoenix must have convinced her that the war they are fighting was too dangerous, that I was too weak to stand at their side.

I’d never been a quitter. The two of them would have to force me to let go, and I doubted either of them knew how difficult a task that would be.

I walked forward boldly, prepared to argue this out, prepared to tell him that I didn’t care that he was leaving me again, that the universe itself had divided us for its own selfish reasons. I wasn’t giving in.

He was leaning against the pool of fire in the center of the room. His strong arms and long legs were crossed, and every muscle in his body was flexed in what could only be anger.

Around this oval room, there were stained glass windows that reflected angels at play. The ceiling was glass and amplified the stars above.

I walked over to the ledge next to the stained glass window that imitated the sun and the moon and pulled myself up, slid back, and stared at him. He held my stare for what seemed like forever.

“Well played,” I finally said.

He tilted his head, as if to question me.

“You have managed to make the cold ice I live within as warm as fire…you have managed to make me feel the agony of rejection once again. I don’t know what you said to her, how you convinced her that I should move on, but I’m not listening. I’m on the verge of uncovering something that never should have been hidden.” I looked down. “So if the lingering question in your eyes is if I will now finally let go, the answer is no. Not now. Not ever. I have seen…and felt too much to say any goodbyes.”

Like a predator, he slowly moved forward. When he was inches from me, he leisurely leaned toward me, causing me to fall against the window. He reached his fingertips for my brow, and when his skin touched mine I could swear that I felt fire course through my soul. Slowly, as if he knew how agonizingly blissful his touch was, he let his fingertips trace down my cheek, neck, shoulder, chest, waist, all the way down to my thighs just before he whispered, “The question is…if eternity with me is what you really want.” He squeezed my thigh as his smoldering eyes invaded my very being. “Or is this our next goodbye.”

He leaned into my ear, letting his warm breath slide down my neck. “I already know the answer.”

It took every ounce of willpower that has ever existed in the universe, but I pushed him back and stepped down from the marble wall. My first instinct was to run, and I made it a few steps before rapid-fire memories started to flood my mind. Some were of my childhood, words my mother used to say to comfort me when my curse was too much to bear. Others, most of them, were of him, in another life, in another time. The wounds were fresh again. The emotions were raw, and the one emotion I refused to let myself feel immersed me.

“You’re playing the devil’s advocate,” I said before turning to glare at him. “You—you know I am the one person on this planet that cannot stand commitment. You know it took the better part of a year for me to even let you speak to me, that the more you promised me, the more I refused you. It was only when you let me be, when you made it seem like it was my idea that I ran into your arms and confessed that I loved you from my first breath, that when I laid eyes on you for the first time I found purpose, life.”

He was speechless, which gave me confidence that what I was saying was not only true, but also to him—as well as me—it felt like that happened just yesterday.

I went on. “Half of you wants to believe I’m real.” His eyes grew wide with surprise. “Don’t look at me like that. I know. I know you think I’m some kind of echo of the girl that you once knew, that this is my image, my words, but that my soul, the one that has belonged to you since the beginning of time, has moved on.” I swallowed nervously. “And by the way, the next time you decide to throw me on the floor and have your way with me, you better be damn sure that this is all me. I have never—and I mean never—given that much of myself to anyone. Ever. To think that you were not all there, that you were holding back because you thought I was not the real thing, is by far the coldest thing you have ever done.”

That hurt him. I could see the agony all over his flawless image.

“But I forgive you for that…” My eyes absorbed every inch of him. “I forgive you because I would have done the same thing because in this short, pointless life I’ve lived, that is what I did every second of every day. I held back.”

I balled my fist in front of my stomach. “There is a rock right here, covered in layers and layers of ice. I pushed everything deep down inside of me. Too scared to feel. To love. To be held. Because everything I touched, I destroyed. I refused to live because I feared who I was. What I was. I found people. Good people, who were not afraid to live life, to take a passion and make something beautiful out of it…and wanting to be closer to that, to feel it firsthand, I began relationships that were doomed from day one. I would reach the edge of the cliff and refuse to jump. I refused because it was the wrong cliff. The bold, fearless girl they thought they knew didn’t exist. I refused because it wasn’t worth the dare.”

“Dare?” he questioned with a crack in his voice.

“When I would cry, break apart because of this curse, tell my mother that I could never have a real life…she would tell me that all of life is a dare, that every second of every day, life dares us to live, to make a difference, to become who we were designed to be: a perfectly flawed soul who has the choice to be as miserable or happy as we want to be.” My voice trembled. “She told me, she promised me that one day there would be a dare, a person that made me realize that who I was, curse and all, was beautiful, powerful. They would be worth every dare, every ounce of pain and I would not think twice before I let my guard down and bared my soul to them.”

I stepped forward. “I didn’t let my guard down, let you in hours after I knew you because of some fog of death. I let you in because the second I laid eyes on you, my heart gave me two beats. The second you touched my hand, I understood that I wasn’t some cursed, abandoned girl set on revenge. I was someone who once had warmth, who once felt complete, whole.” I couldn’t hold his stare any longer, so I glanced to the floor. “You can play whatever mind games you want with me, tell me I really don’t want you to save me, that I have feelings for others, that the fog of death has shadowed my true intentions. You can even tell me to let go…but I won’t. I won’t because the few moments I have spent with you have set my soul on fire, enough fire to keep the vengeful side of me at bay for an eternity.”

Within a beat, he was at my side, gently pulling my chin up so I would be forced to look him in the eye. “I didn’t hold back,” he whispered, and the pain in his eyes told me that that was nothing less than the truth. “Every second of every day, I have thought of you, searched for you, fought and bargained my way to finding you. And when I did…when I figured out I was too late again…it tore me in two.” He pulled me closer. “You looked so scared, so confused. I could see the pain in your eyes. I wanted to rip whoever had hurt you into a million pieces, scatter their remains across the universe—give them no hope of ever returning to life. I didn’t want you to feel that rage. I didn’t want you to know everything. I wanted you to think that Rasure was the darkest thing in this world and that I would end it for you, so that you could rest in peace.” His strong hands squeezed my waist. “I knew if you let me do that, that you were gone, that this life had suffocated the woman I’ve loved across time…and when you refused you gave me hope, but that is a selfish hope that I am ashamed to feel.”

“I know the world is cruel. I don’t need to be protected from reality,” I said quietly as I tried to understand why he would be ashamed to be with me…love me.

“So says the girl whose soul is guarded by the sons of the east and the west.”

I stepped back from him. “Jealousy. That was a beautiful speech you just spoke…but you could have summed it up. You could have said that it’s not the danger of the war you are fighting or the awareness of the darkness I will see that is stopping you from saving me; it’s jealousy, plain and simple. You are condemning me for relationships that existed in your absence.”

“I wish that were true,” he said with an ache in his silky voice as his gray eyes took in every part of me.

“If that is not true, then you are going to have to come up with another speech, one that I can believe. Understand.”

“To redeem your soul, you must pass through the line of the moons—the flaming sons of the east and the west—to reach the seventh sister, whose touch will destroy the flames of evil that bind you’…I am in love with a goddess.”

“I am not a goddess.”

“To the dead you are. To the supernatural death you are. Those boys are not almost lovers, they are your guards. They shield you from all that are unworthy. They never hide anything from you. They feel your soul, and when they know that you trust someone, adore them, they will let them close, even if they know they are dangerous, not because they are weak, but because they know that soon, very soon, the truth will be revealed and that they will shield and avenge you before any of your power is seized.”

“I am the last person to say something cruel about those boys, but you need a reality check. They didn’t shield me from death. Life is power.”

“I cannot tell you how or why that happened. It could have simply been because you were unaware of your power, giving them no reason to protect it. Nevertheless, you did fall, and…if you do not let go,” his jaw tightened just before he said, “…so many more will, too.”

There was nothing less than grief in his voice. He believed every word he was saying.

“I don’t understand, Sebastian,” I said in a whisper.

Saying his real name, the name I’d known him to have before, did nothing but bring more anguish to his deep gray eyes, which were laced with fire.

He was against me within the next beat of my heart, leaning his forehead to mine as his hands clenched my waist. “It means that if you choose this vengeful path that every soul who fights in the war I’m in, everyone that falls, will have no way out. Over time, enough of us will fall, and when we do, when we can no longer set ourselves free, darkness will overcome, bringing self-destruction to our universe.” He reached his hands for my face and stole one gentle kiss before he said, “I’m selfish enough to never let you go, to burn you to ashes and let you rise with me, but you’re not. You will not let innocents suffer only for the sake of loving me. You will not let this war end without balance.”

I moved my head from side to side in disbelief as I stepped back. “You can’t just show up here and tell me that not only am I a freak of nature, I am supposed to set some souls free. You have the wrong girl. I would have remembered that by now in my life. What kind of goddess of whatever can even die?”

He reached for me, and in the next beat I was standing just before the pool of flames. He extended my hand, then against my neck he whispered, “Freeze the flame.”

The feeling of his body against my back, the warmth of his breath, brought nothing but warmth to my soul. “I can’t.”

“Yes, you can. Quit holding back.”

“I’m not. I’m warm.”

He hesitated, but then in a low, deep, silky voice he said, “Genevieve, focus on those flames. Imagine they took me from you, they took your family, they took your life, they took your soul—that they are the destruction of the world you love so much.”

Within that beat, the flames froze, making one of the most extravagant ice sculptures I’d ever seen.

“Now will it to crumble.”

I had no idea what he meant by that.

“Bloody hell, will it this instant.”

I was so sick of ice, of the cold, of dealing with this day in and day out, of not understanding it. I wanted the ice to go away, and with that thought it exploded across the room. Phoenix had shielded me from the blow. When I dared to look up from his chest, I found myself against the window again, him leaning into me again, my legs wrapped around his body.

“You have the power to freeze the fire that holds lost beings. You have the power to destroy what is meant to destroy you with a thought. Now tell me I have the wrong girl. Tell me that you and I make absolutely any sense at all—we are literally fire and ice.”

“I didn’t just become this person. Tell me how this happened. If that is true, how was I the girl that held you so long ago? Tell me that.”

He looked away. “You always loved the cold, the snow. You always seemed connected with a world I could not perceive. You were this girl then, but you shielded me from it and I’ll be damned if Guardian did not lead me into becoming something that would forevermore separate us.”

“No one has ever led you anywhere. You follow your own path. You were on fire long before you became a phoenix,” I said as I remembered saying such things to him long ago. “Fire was your birthright.”

“I’d give up every ounce of power and fire to hold you forevermore...but we would both pay the price for that one day.”

“I don’t understand what you need me to do. What you are telling me. So I died, so I had some powers I never used, but what is letting go going to do to resolve this? I’m not a quitter.”

“That is why you need to let go. When you let go, you will be born again, and when you are reborn you will be protected, and when the time is right you will be told of your supremacies. You will set your course to release all who have fallen in the war to restore balance. If you don’t let go…or if I turn you…once a soul has fallen, it will have no hope. It may take thousands, maybe even a million years for that end of all of us to come, but it will come and there will be nothing that can be done to prevent it.”

“Are you offering me a thousand years with you, or a death that will lead me to life, a life you will not seek me out in?”

He looked down. “I never said that.”

“Yes, you did. Just now.”

His eyes rose to meet mine. “We have broken each other’s heart twice…a third is more than either of us could withstand.”

This couldn’t be right. There had to be another way, a loophole, something. The universe could not be this cruel. Every part of my soul, every fiber of my being was telling me that, but arguing about it without any proof was getting me nowhere. Instead, I said, “I’m not making this decision tonight, or even tomorrow. Once I have my vengeance, once I’m sure my family is safe, I’ll decide.”

“That will be tomorrow, Love. Rasure will fall tomorrow, and what choice you make in that moment will be one that you will have to live with.”

“Why are you so sure about tomorrow?”

“Guardian and I have a battle before us. The wake of it, whether we lose or win, will weaken your Rasure. It will weaken all Escorts. As soon as Guardian and his own are secured, I will be here. I will stand by you as you deliver the last blow…end the demon that stole you from me.”

“Promise me I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said as I reached for his flawless image, as I dared to say, “Promise me you’ll see me in every tomorrow.”

His gray eyes filled with a hungry desire.

Chapter Fourteen

In that beat, his lips were on mine and a warm rush of air surrounded us. The next thing I knew, I was lying on the rug in the library in front of a raging fire. The power and passion behind every movement of his lips made my toes curl and a warm anticipation boil in my core. We rolled across the floor, fighting to get skin-to-skin, soul-to-soul. The idea that it was more than likely the last time that we would ever hold each other ignited our passion and desire to a euphoric level, one that seemed to pull my soul from the body I thought I still had and raise it to another plane of existence, to a plane where no flesh was needed, to where my soul could merge with his to become truly one, something that time or reason could never divide.

Hours went by. When we became tired, we were gentle with each other, but before long we would find our second, third, fourth, and fifth wind and battle to get as close, as fast as we could…but it never seemed to be close enough. We ached for more.

Side by side, wrapped in a blanket next to a fire that was reborn with a glance from Phoenix, we stared into each other’s eyes, both questioning why the universe seemed hell bent on dividing us.

As I reached to brush a lock of dark auburn hair out of his eyes, I asked, “Why do you think Guardian led you to become someone that could never hold me? Do you think I will destroy the fire in you? Freeze it?”

“No…” he whispered as his gray eyes slowly danced over my solemn expression. “Even if you did destroy me, I could instantly recreate myself. It meant that I would destroy you, that if fire gives birth to you, the ice that gives you power will be destroyed.”

It may have been a selfish thought, but all I’d ever wanted was for this ice around me to break apart. I wanted to have control, to think and feel what I wanted to feel when I wanted to feel it. Phoenix could give me that. Everything I ever wanted and more.

I wanted to believe that these fallen souls he was telling me that I had the power to redeem meant nothing to me, that I didn’t deserve to be alone for the sake of their redemption, but the thought of Skylynn saving me when I was a girl came to mind…the thought that if there was no Skylynn or others like her to save people, those who chose the path I had would be lost…utterly alone. I was too grateful for everything Skylynn did for me to ever turn my back on those that fight the war she and Phoenix were in. I would have to find a compromise that I could live with if I chose a different path than letting go.

“I have to believe that you are fighting for souls, though. Would that not mean that I could still fight? I mean, if the souls are behind fire, could fire not walk through that, destroy that?”

His fingertips traced my lips as he spoke. “The fire that you would freeze is so hot that it’s cold. It’s a dense cold, one that only you could bear to get close to.”

There didn’t seem to be any loopholes I could slip through with this, but I had to know if that was his only reason for letting me go. “Were you looking for an excuse not to save me when you discovered what I was meant to be?”

“No,” he said with an agony in his tone as he pulled my body to him. “I was looking for a reason to save you. Skylynn pleaded with me, but the thing is, she didn’t understand that by me raising you I was condemning us all.”

“You didn’t know I was the sister before…she told you that.”

“She told me about the ice, the reasons she led those boys to you. I feared that possibility then.”

“Then what did she mean—what did Guardian mean—when they basically said you needed me for the war you are fighting? That without me you would fail? How can I be both? What changed? Why is Skylynn so eager for me to move on now?”

His hand gently caressed my back as he spoke. “She didn’t realize that you had to have life, that the life of a phoenix would end your power. She didn’t understand the transformation, that it broke you down and rebuilt your energy.” He hesitated as his gaze fell deeper into mine and the life he had without me moved through his stare.

“Guardian and I made a lot of deals, cast a lot of spells, which are nothing more than words with energy behind them. The energy we both used was the desire to find the ones that complete us. Now we have to undo those spells, undo our past, something we always knew would have to happen but we had no fear of it because once we reached the ones we sought, the energy would be stronger. Instead of the desire to find our counterparts, we would have the desire to never lose them, and having them at our side would fuel that. That energy is more powerful than the latter. Guardian still believes—as Skylynn did hours ago—that if I lose you I will have no power behind my energy to undo those spells we cast together. He thinks the loss will hinder everyone, not just those that cast the spell. He doesn’t want me to let you go or follow you into death. I told him I would fight as long as I could but that I may have to leave him. Always the optimist, he thinks we will find another way, that you belong with us.”

I remembered his brother Guardian always being the positive to Phoenix’s negative. Somehow, they were always both right. I had to believe that if Guardian had convinced Phoenix not to follow me into death that he had his reasons. Whether they were because I could be saved or not was a mystery to me. From my memories, I knew those brothers could not part for long. They empowered each other. For all I knew, my death was meant to stop their fate, not me from fulfilling mine.

“I know I was in a deep fog of death, but I could have sworn that Skylynn insinuated that you knew one of the other seven sisters—that Guardian did. Can they not help me? How am I different from them?”

“You are all said to be vastly different. There are seven, but only one is hidden by the veil. That is you. Each of you have your own path that will at some point weave into the others.’ We only have theories on who four of you are at this moment. Two walk with death, save the damned. One has the war of life, to save who is here.”

“The one with life, can she give that to me? Help us?”

He hesitated as he thought over my one and only wish: to be saved. “She would try if she knew, even plot to turn back time to avoid your death. I’m sure of that, but we can’t let her do that because every moment weaves into infinity; one moment relived could destroy a thousand victories. There is only one benevolent choice here: for you to move on and be reborn.”

“How come I hear doubt in your voice when you speak of the seven sisters?”

He stared into my eyes for countless seconds before he finally answered. “The seven sisters, what they would become, have always been myths, stories that we all believed but never thought we’d see the day when they would rise. For Guardian and me, it’s hard to grasp that the ones we share our souls with are meant to take that role. We are fighting Skylynn’s claims and theories because the idea of you and the girl Guardian loves standing up to evil alone is too much to bear. To know that once you fully rise, that you will be taken away is not an idea we can even speak of. Theories. That is what we are calling them as we fight this war.”

“You want me to die based on a theory? Mythology?”

Pain flooded into his eyes. “I don’t. I don’t want to lose you then, now, or in some future. I want us to live a normal life, the life we came to be in. I don’t understand any of this, but I know that if there is any truth at all to any of the words that have been whispered across time, I have to let you go. I know that no matter what, one day I will have to let you go.”

“What makes you so sure that these seven you speak of will walk alone? That what gives them power and protection are not the ones we share our souls with?”

“Seven. Some myths say sisters, some just say seven. Not fourteen.” He let out a shuttered breath. “All the hell Guardian and I have been through, the twists and turns that did nothing but take us further from you…I fear that it’s some higher power’s way of easing us into this painful separation, that someone always knew you would belong to the world, not me.”

“Or they could have been teaching you to make us stronger. If you had not been made into a phoenix, you would not have even had a choice to save me. You have been growing powerful during our separation, powerful enough to protect me now.”

He didn’t offer an argument. I’m sure my positive words sounded like a plea to save my life, and he was having a hard time finding the will to state all the reasons that that would be wrong.

He reached up to trace my lips. “I’m just waiting for you to ask. I know you better than my own soul. If I suggested that we tell these theories and myths to go to hell, you’d have fought me. It had to be your idea.”

“I knew it,” I said under my breath as I playfully squinted my eyes at him. This boy had learned to handle me years ago. That made him smile. It was a warm, playful smile. I was so shocked by it that my eyes grew wide, and that made him laugh out loud.

“What is that look for?”

“The old you was almost here,” I said as I traced the lines where his smile was.

“The old me?” he said, turning to his side so he could see me better.

I reached to trace a smile that I had yet to see in this reality. I was thankful that it surfaced in this dark conversation. “I remember you being so blunt that you were funny. You enjoyed teasing, laughing. Even in the darkest moments, you would find a way to lighten the mood. Your certainty was always there—you always made those around you feel safe, protected.”

He let out a sigh as his smile dimmed. “That is still me…I just don’t have much reason to tease or laugh as of late.”

“I want you to laugh, to tease, to be that protector, no matter what,” I said as my voice cracked. I needed to know that he would protect all those he was leaving me for, that our sacrifice would not be in vain.

He bit his lip as if he were choosing his words carefully. “I’m a fool for you…always have been…it never has and it never will matter what you ask me to do. The answer is yes.”

I had to tell myself to hold in the tears. I knew that between his words he was telling me that he would still change me, that if I asked we would both become the most selfish souls that had ever existed, that we’d take a thousand or so years together for the price of countless warriors.

I was still set on vengeance. And I hated to admit it, but I had some small hope that once that vengeance was met, maybe my body would find the energy it needed to heal itself, that maybe I could find a way to escape death. I wasn’t going to ask him to challenge his fears until I knew I had exhausted every measure I could.

“I know,” I whispered as I let my arm down and curled up against his warm chest. “I don’t think I can grasp what you are fighting, what you think I am, but I want you to be careful because if I’m seeing this the right way, if my life was so easily ended, if I was to only live a normal lifespan in the first place and my time to heal and save was not meant to be eternal, that can only mean that a lot of souls are about to fall.” I hesitated as I thought of the time it would take for me to die and be reborn again, the time for me to grow into a young woman. I had no idea if that was a short or long time in the span of souls. “If I let go, I just hope I’m back in time to matter.”

His arm tightened around me. “Old souls have been reunited. We are stronger now than we have been in quite some time.”

“So maybe I didn’t mess things up by dying. It is odd, though, that it was so easy to end me. I hadn’t even begun. You would think it would have been harder to kill someone who was needed for a not-so-distant victory.”

I could see him weighing each of my words. I was almost sure I saw him doubting himself, wondering if I had a point, if there was some unseen loophole we could fall through. The fading glimmer of the fire in his eyes told me that that hope left as swiftly as it arrived. I was these supernatural souls’ last hope, but no one thought to protect that asset from the unpredictable—death itself.

I lay on my back and stared at the vast ceiling. “I’m so angry. I’ll find my redemption tomorrow, but I will have lost everything in its wake. I had so many plans…”

“Tell me about them,” he said as he pulled me closer.

“I was going to do everything my parents did, and so much more.”

A glance from him beckoned a ball of fire from the fireplace. Like a ball of clay, it hovered over us, waiting for us to shape it.

“I was going to build schools.” The fire began to take the shape of a beautiful building. “Not just any school, but schools that brought out that special spark, that fire I could see in Gavin’s eyes as he wrote his stories, Mason as he played…Wilder as he painted. I wanted to find that spark in everyone, make it grow. I wanted the world to feel the warmth of it.” I watched the building expand as rooms with stages, vast libraries, and endless canvasses were shaped, as eager souls rushed in.

“I wanted to find every soul that had reached its breaking point and pull them back, show them no wish was foolish and that no matter what they had been through, it was over and now they would not only be safe and loved, but they would be the ones giving that last hope to someone. I was going to create a million Falcons.” The school turned into the manor, and the fire expanded, showing every glorious detail of our home. It was as if he remembered building every inch of this manor with his own guided hand.

The room in the center of the home, the one I adored, that held every ball or special occasion—even a few private dances—became clear. I loved that room because of the dome shape it was, for the three spiral staircases that hovered tightly against the walls, leading to every floor. I loved the red and the gold, how it seemed not only to fit a lost time, but every time. I loved how magical I felt in that room.

Phoenix did not bother to create Rasure’s wing-in-fire sculpture, but I knew where it was currently resting, that it all but assaulted the room I loved, how she was able to attach that wing to the core of the home. Only ten feet blocked that wing from connecting to my precious room, ten feet that I had to fight tooth and nail for. I only won because that was the oldest part of the house and an addition to it would rob the room of its unique character.

In Phoenix’s sculpture, there were children—too many to count—running through the halls, dancing and frolicking in that center room.

“I was going to make my parents, my family proud, but instead I crashed into a lake. The money I was going to use to free the world ended me, simply because Rasure wanted that same money for God knows what. I even tried to give her most of it. I just wanted the house and enough to maintain it. I knew at the very least I could open the doors to those who needed a home. I trusted that the money for everything else would come someway, somehow.”

“She fought you for the house?” Phoenix asked as his glance added the trees, the roots that connected beneath the surface.

“From day one, she wanted me out. She tried to have me locked away, saying I needed help with my grief, but Skylynn protected me from that. Since my parent’s death, I have spent every night under this roof. Even when I wanted to run, give in to her, I couldn’t leave. It was mine.” I squeezed his warm hand. “It was ours.”

“I still don’t understand how you moved it here,” he said in awe as the fire image spun above us.

“Is that not in the goddess handbook—moving massive homes for the hell of it?” I teased.

That made him laugh. “No, Love, I don’t think it is. I can’t imagine the energy it would have taken.”

“All for naught, apparently.”

“We have right now…” he said as he sent the fire back to its place.

“Block the doors with fire and tell the world to let us be…at least for now,” I whispered as I rolled to my side to face him.

His hand began to move across my back, ushering me into a deep sleep. “Done,” he said in a murmur. “Rest now. Your redemption and new life are mere hours away.”

“I want my old one,” I said as I closed my eyes and flashes of the life I had with him danced in my thoughts.

“I should be back before you wake.”

My eyes flew open wide. “You’re not leaving. I have never once slept without ice surrounding me in some way. You owe me at least one night of warmth.”

“By the time I leave your side, you will be so warm that no ice will invade your sleep. I don’t have to go yet. I will wait until there is no time to spare, and while you sleep I will fight your demons—only saving the last blow for you.”

“Promise me you’ll smile, tease, and protect others while you do just that,” I said with a sleepy smile as my eyelids grew heavy.

I couldn’t understand why I needed to sleep if I was dead, why I felt so tired, so weak. I was terrified that I would be taken to that lake again, relive that death once more. To fight it, I focused on this house as it was lifetimes ago.

I dreamed, for the first time ever, in Phoenix’s arms. I dreamed the right way.

I walked every floor, every room, letting the memories of my past fill the air. I never wanted to forget all that I had seen under this roof. As if I were called to it by the room itself, I kept finding my soul in the dome room, standing on the top stair, looking down to the beautiful floor.

Over and over I tried to move from that spot, but the smooth stones across the floor, the pattern they had, kept calling my attention back to it. It was a wide circle with triangles reaching out. Inside of that, a smaller one within had the triangles going the opposite way. That pattern repeated until the circles were too small to be seen, offering an optical illusion that looked like wheels turning in different directions…like the insides of a clock.

Before long, the room started to vibrate and I began to see symbols that I thought I knew but could not comprehend. In the dream, I ran down the steps as fast as I could as the pattern on the stones began to spin and a beaming light came from the center of the floor. Before I could reach that light, my eyes flew open.

I wasn’t nestled against Phoenix before an inviting fire, I was in my darkroom. Mason’s phone was vibrating once again, waking us both but the ringing was an illusion. Gavin was at my desk, writing something at the speed of light.

I sat up slowly, trying to reason my way through my dream and figure out how I’d gotten here all at once.

“Where is Wilder?” I mumbled.

Gavin looked up from his work, seeing both me and Mason wide awake now. “I haven’t seen him. It’s well past the point he should have shown up to meet us here.”

“How far past that point?” I asked with fear in my tone. I knew that somewhere Phoenix was in fierce battle right at this very moment. I was terrified I would never see him again, that I didn’t say enough, that he didn’t know that…I loved him.

“I’m starting to think that time is an illusion in death, but I know I woke some time ago, that I have been fighting with these words for what feels like an eternity,” Gavin replied, turning back to my desk.

Mason and I stood to see what he was working on. It was the creed that both Skylynn and Phoenix had recited. ‘To redeem your soul, you must pass through the line of the moons—the flaming sons of the east and the west—to reach the seventh sister, whose touch will destroy the flames of evil that bind you.’

Over the words ‘line of the moons,’ he had drawn what looked like horns, with a line…no, it looked like the symbol of the ram. “What is this?” I questioned.

“Aries. I’d written a short story about symbols that had dual meanings last winter. The Zodiac symbol of Aries means ‘two moons’—at least I think it does,” Gavin said as he drew a triangle. “An Aries is to stand in front of you, with sons of the east and west to your side—you’re in the center. Mason was born in the east, I was born in the west.”

“Was Wilder tested by Skylynn? Does he have fire wings?”

“Never found him,” Mason answered.

“He’s an Aries, though,” I said as I vaguely remembered that.

“Barely,” Gavin said. “He was born on the cusp. What I don’t get is why we died. We were all there. We should have survived.”

“No one knew to protect us. We were meant to protect them,” I said quietly as I thought over my and Phoenix’s conversation last night. All at once, I grew anxious. I wanted to know he was OK, that everyone fighting with him was.

“But you were in the center,” Gavin argued as he drew a circle around the triangle. “Half of a star; no matter where Wilder stood—whether it was to the north or south—you would have been in a pentagram. That should have kept you safe inside or outside of this house, which rests on the same mark. All of us were together. If we weren’t, it would almost make sense.”

As he traced the triangle, the symbols from my dream rushed through my mind. The floor of the dome room was moving in my thoughts. Fire was all around the staircases, the dome was open, and the stars above were spinning wildly.

I turned briskly and climbed on the couch so I could reach the large stone that hid my journals.

Mason came to my side and helped me slide it back. I reached my hand in the dark hole and felt around until I felt the one journal that I did see flashes of memories with when I found them. They were vague, though, like the journal had sat on something of mine several times but didn’t belong to me. That was half the reason I kept the others in the first place. I wanted to know why they had no memories attached to them.

I squinted my eyes closed, trying to make images appear so I could see the memories attached, but they were too weak. I barely saw any flashes in my mind, and the ones I did see were of candlelight, an inkwell, and a strong hand racing across the pages. I left the others where they were and pulled that one out just before Mason secured my hiding spot once more.

I hopped down from the couch as I started to turn the pages. Most of this book contained some kind of blueprints to the manor, but words in newer ink were added around the drawings, along with more symbols. I turned to the page that had the dome room on it as I laid it down on the desk next to Gavin and Mason came to my other side.

In this image, the marble floor was different. It almost looked more like the working parts of a clock because half of the circles were facing the other way. In the center was what looked like a girl with her legs pulled to her chest and her head down. Just before her legs were seven stars. I could not help but feel some kind of despair coming from that image, like she was trapped by some unseen force…maybe even the seven stars before her.

Just above this image, there were more, in an order that looked like transformation. When seen as one, the images showed the girl rising slowly, the seven stars moving out. Just before where the girl was standing, three birds came to her, one before her and one on each side. The ones to her side had daggers clenched in their claws. The one before her seemed fiercer than the others, without a weapon in its talons.

By the time the image showed the woman standing, the seven stars were outlining the image, the two birds had their swords crossed above the girl, and the third was so bold that it was the background. The girl now looked comfortable, confident, bold, and in control.

“I’ve seen this,” Gavin said as he reached for the words around the images, the tiny symbols.

“Where?” I asked with a gasp.

“Dream,” Gavin breathed.

“I think I have, too, brother,” Mason said. “This is ice,” he said, pointing to the faint triangle symbol around the girl in despair. “I remember the cold…” He pointed to what could only be flames, faint lines around the point where the seven stars seemed to escape into the heavens. “This is fire. This is warmth.”

“And this is both in balance,” Gavin said as he let his long fingertips trace where the girl was standing, just before a flaming bird. Fire and ice.

Gavin squinted his eyes closed like he was trying to remember something—or trying not to. Either way, his mind was clearly racing. “Son of a bitch! We were supposed to die,” he said with a gasp.

“That or we did before,” Mason said as he turned the page.

There, I saw my dream sketched out in a very primitive way. Flames were all around the staircases, and the ceiling looked open with rushes of stars flying by. The floor had more detail, almost like it was falling, and the roots under the house were there, but they looked more like detailed symbols, rings inside of each other, spheres inside of those rings, and one focal point in the center that was made to look like it was shining.

“Sirius,” Gavin said under his breath.

“We moved the house,” Mason said as he locked eyes with Gavin.

I had no idea what was going on. I didn’t like how something was clicking for them, but I was blind as a bat. All I wanted was for someone to tell me that I was that girl, that my seven devils would be set free, that I, the girl made of ice, could stand with fire.

“Explain,” I demanded as I felt my stomach tighten. Where was Phoenix? Why was he not back yet? He needed to see this.

“Does it not look like this goes down?” Mason asked, pointing to the floor that had the most detail. “Like a stairway?”

“It does go down,” Gavin agreed. “That is where they are, either the clocks or the souls—something is down there.”

“New plan, boys…we are not moving on tonight.” I wasn’t going anywhere until both Phoenix and Skylynn saw this and explained to me how what I was going through now was written forever ago. “Call me crazy, but if someone drew this they were probably drawing something they witnessed,” I tapped my finger on the book, “meaning this already happened, and obviously something didn’t pan out right. I’m not dying only to face my seven devils again.”

I gazed down at the drawing, trying to call back memories, hoping some would lead me back to what could have happened in that room. But I couldn’t manage to see the last moments, which told me they had to be agonizing, that my mind was blocking me on purpose.

“I got nothing. I have no memories of anything like this.”

“I think we do,” Mason said, still gazing down at the book.

I went to question him, but Gavin spoke up first. “Skylynn was trying to make it easier for us to remember who we are next go around,” Gavin said. “Last night, she put us in a ring of fire, covered us with some kind of water and herbs, and spoke words over us. She said it was because when we are reborn we may not have time to grow up before we are needed, that we might have to fight as children—she wanted to make that as easy on us as she could. She said whatever she did to us was meant to awaken the soul, to ensure that this life lesson was carried on to the next. All it did was make the dreams we’d had since we stepped foot in this house more real. I’m having a hard time seeing this point, though. When I try, I just see light, spinning stars.”

“It’s having a reverse effect on me, man,” Mason said as he pointed to the dome. “We moved the freaking house.” He locked eyes with me. “We had to. We had to come to help our own. We had to die—seven sacrifices. Seven that bind us until our immortality was born with our death.”

“Seven sacrifices, or seven sisters?” I questioned, gaining hope with each word they spoke.

“To get here, sacrifices. Once you were here, you would rise as one of the seven. The spell was symbolic. It was designed to get you to reach the point we knew you were meant to be at.”

“Is that why the number seven is haunting me?” It truly was. I lost seven souls I loved. I was told that because I was one of the seven sisters, I could not hold the one boy I could not stop thinking about. I could swear he was in my veins at this moment, and now I was looking at an image that had seven stars around a girl.

“No doubt,” Mason nearly fumed. He thought, like I did, that I had been destined to lose my family, that somehow it was planned for me to live through the grief I had endured. And just like me, he could not grasp a reason for anyone to live through that much pain. Something went really wrong long ago.

“There is no way I would have asked seven people to die to get me here.”

“You didn’t. It’s not the same on that side,” Gavin offered. “Time is not the same. You could move through that fall, live a full lives here, died and return, and only a few days would have passed.”

I had every reason to believe what they were saying now. Not only were they using the same words I heard in the North Wing, but they also had the same outlook on how time was perceived in this reality. I heard Guardian say that every minute he stood there, years passed on this side.

Those seven sacrifices could have helped us move here, died, and been back before dinner. Knowing that it didn’t happen that way sent a chill of foreboding down my spine.

“Right,” I breathed, letting them know my memories were catching up to them.

“We did this,” Gavin said. “Our spell,” he said as he pulled the book closer. “I wrote this on the other side.”

“The bright universe, or rather reality,” I acknowledged.

He moved the page and pointed to the roots made to look like four rings, his finger landing on the center. “This divides two realities. This is a wall now, and it should not be. Darkness wants its own rule, as does light…but there must be both, so chosen crested souls were sent to bring balance. We followed to ensure that if they had fallen that they could return home, that our home would know to send more warriors when we did send someone home.”

“You realize this is real, right?” I questioned. “This is not some book,” I glanced at Mason, “some song.” I looked down. “This is our life. Two realities. Phoenix’s. Shadowed souls. Escorts. Light. Dark. Death.” I stood up straighter. “I could never dream up anything this wicked. We need to figure out what went wrong, then. What else do you remember?”

“It’s all about that freaking number: seven,” Mason said. “Seven souls carried us here. They shielded us so the darkness would not know we had come. They were supposed to be set free to go home with our death. Our power was to be dormant until it reached its peak, then our death came, their freedom came. That should have happened forever ago.”

“But it didn’t. Something had to have gone wrong,” Gavin said as his eyes rapidly moved across the page on the journal.

“What if our shield was taken before we gained power? What do you do when you lose seven souls without warning?” I said with a tremble.

They both glanced at me. They knew my wild emotions had moved to the loss of my five sisters and parents. The ice around us was so thick that the journal had been buried. I didn’t reach to squeeze my wrist like I had a million times before. Instead, I thought of Phoenix, my Sebastian, the fire he was, the power he was. The ice vanished at that instant.

Out of habit, Mason looked to my wrist. He lifted the one that had my three watches on it.

“Count down,” he said in a ghost of a whisper.

I looked down to see two of my watches now working. According to them, it was eleven PM.

“How long have they been working?” Gavin asked in a hollow tone.

“They weren’t working just before I knew I was dead. Honestly, I haven’t looked since then.” I mean, why would I look at a watch that had never worked? Checking the time was not even in my vocabulary.

“Midnight. One hour to find the clocks, our daggers, set your seven devils free, and defeat Rasure. One hour to become who we are meant to be,” Mason declared.

“Are you telling me we never needed Phoenix or Skylynn? Is that what you’re saying? If we set my family free—which basically comes with ending Rasure—we are risen?”

“We are raised with the ram. With the fire,” Mason added as he looked at the one watch that was not working, the one Wilder had given me.

“Wilder. Where is Wilder?” I said, trying to breathe.

“He’s not getting near you until he is tested,” Mason said brashly.

“Did you do something to him?” I scorned him.

“Me? No. But Skylynn said to test him. She said any natural fire would show the wings, that we could see them because we were in the veil. She left us to look for him and we woke up here.”

“What if Phoenix is the fire? He has to be,” I said, hoping against all hope in this twisted turn of events that I had found some way for Phoenix to be in my life, found a way for time and circumstance never to divide us again, with or without the threat of this ‘seventh sister’ business carrying any truth at all.

Not to mention if Phoenix was needed to stand with me, one of the seven, that meant the others were meant to stand with who shared their souls. That meant Guardian would stand with the girl I saw him fight so hard to reach long ago.

“When he died and was risen as a phoenix, when was that?” Gavin asked as his sky blue eyes seemed to fill with hope. “For that to be true, at least one of his births has to be under Aries.”

“After we left, apparently…his birthday then was in April. There is a fearless Aries somewhere in him.”

“We left with the snow. That was your power: the cold,” Mason said.

My hope was not gone. I’d seen many cold Aprils. Either way, I was going to make this work. If Wilder were the fire, so be it. I would still not have to move on. “I guess we’ll just have to ask him, right after we show him this. Where is he, dammit?”

“We have a timeline to fight now. Whether they are back before then or not, we have to act. We need to find those daggers, and I would bet those clocks are under that floor,” Gavin stated with a bit of urgency.

“She is nuts. I’ll give you that. But hiding three little clocks under a floor is a little overboard,” I argued.

Gavin shook his head from side to side in an attempt to tell me he was right. “When I tapped into the security feed of this manor, the only room that had more cameras in it than yours was the dome room. She is waiting to see if you will go in that room. Not only that—I never found any evidence of the clocks being moved out, but I did find evidence stating that several clocks had been delivered here. She is storing them somewhere. It’s under that floor. That or the memorial garden.”

“Why the memorial garden?”

“She didn’t want us in there. I doubt this state has any salt left in it. For all we know, that floor leads to the memorial garden. You said yourself this house has more passages than you will ever discover.”

That was true. My darkroom was an example of the little hidden rooms, and others would connect one side of the manor with the other. It was almost like this manor was a manor inside of another; one elegant, one lined with stone.

“OK. Fine. What do the daggers that we need look like? There are more than a few within these walls.”

My father had owned a rather odd collection of knives, ones that he’d said were handed down to him.

“They connect. Silver, heavy, and this pattern of the triangle breaking free into a standing girl is on one side; the wings of the bird are on the other side,” Mason said as he stared forward and his fist clenched, as if he could remember holding one in some distant past.

“They connect at the tip,” I said in a haunted tone as I thought of knives that could very well be those.

“Yeah,” Gavin said, leaning forward as if he were waiting on direction.

“My father’s office, the ceiling...they mock part of an ‘F.’”

“The one by the dome?” Gavin asked.

“The one on the fifth floor that has a spiral stairway that leads to the dome beside it,” I answered as I thought of my dream, the spot I could not move from. “Why are you so sure about the time?”

“Midnight,” Gavin said. “The death of one day and the birth of a new. That is when we must rise. Skylynn said we would have to transition within the next few hours. This is our last midnight, our last chance this go around. If we fail, we’ll have to hope that Skylynn’s magic sticks with us, that we remember all of this.”

“I’m not living through what I have been through again,” I declared as if they were my last words. Silence immersed us for precious seconds. “You know what I don’t get? What is Rasure waiting for? I mean, we know we will end her. We know she has my family. But we didn’t know who or what we were until, like, now. Why would she not have taken us out the first chance she got? What is with the game, with having Cadence toy with us?”

“She must have thought we knew more than we did,” Mason said. “I mean, in a way we were playing with her. You sent those clocks out, made sure she would know you did, and we kept the key. All three of us are side by side. She may think we have already transitioned and were building up to an ultimate showdown. That or she knew we were blind and has something wicked waiting for us. There is no telling what her next play is.”

“I’ll tell you what my next move is: we are going to end this,” I asserted.

Chapter Fifteen

Before we left, we secured the journal in the stone wall. Gavin insisted that we act like we knew nothing about this if we came across anyone, that we play the part of weak souls letting go.

I thought it was a pointless warning. I mean, whom would we see besides Wilder anyway? But Gavin was proven ever the wise when we opened the darkroom door and found Cadence waiting on us.

She looked horrible: her mascara was running down her face, her eyes were red and swollen, and her lightly freckled cheeks were bright red. She was still in the dress she’d worn last night.

She looked past me at Gavin, then back to me as tears welled in her eyes. “I’m so sorry,” she said as she struggled to hold back gasping tears.

“For?” I asked.

Gavin nudged me as Candace wiped away her tears. The look in his eye was calm, but alert. He tilted his head slightly. It was a gesture he had given me a million times before, when I was trying to remember my lines, my role when I stepped on stage. It was the look that was supposed to remind me to play my part, so that was exactly what I prepared to do. Instead of ripping her into a thousand pieces and telling her to go hell like I wanted to, I acted like I was in the fog of death, confused, unaware that she had betrayed me on a sacred level.

“Indie, you died…all of you did…and I had no choice. I either became who she wanted me to be, or I would be next.”

I let fake sympathy fill my expression as I reached my arms out for her to come closer. As I held her, I said, “It’s okay. It doesn’t matter anymore…I have to let go. We all do.”

Cadence jerked her head up in shock. “You can’t! I need you.”

“No, you don’t. You have her favor. You always have.”

“You can’t, though. She has Wilder!” she tearfully insisted.

“What!” Mason and Gavin said in a disbelieving tone as the room we were in turned to ice from the fear in my emotions. For a second, I thought I saw a glimmer of happiness in Cadence’s eyes, like she was enjoying the cold, but that quickly went away as she stepped back. “She was right. You won’t save him, save our family.”

Fire boiled through my soul, and the ice vanished instantly. I forgot the part I was playing. I became who I was meant to be: a fearless girl who would bring destruction to anyone who harmed one of my own.

Fear. That was what echoed for a brief second in Cadence’s eyes. “All right, so maybe you will try,” she muttered.

“I’ll do more than that. Where is she? Where is she keeping them—all of them?”

“You need the key. It goes into the floor, more stairs will open. She’s under there.”

Before I could say or think another word, heat absorbed me. It was so thick, so dense that I couldn’t even gasp. The next beat, I was standing in my father’s old office on the top floor.

I quickly looked around for Skylynn and Phoenix, but they were nowhere in sight. Instead, I found Mason and Gavin giving each other a proud nod, laced with awe.

“You two. You did that?”

“Skylynn taught us...well, we asked how she did it. She said you focus, and you move.”

“And just like that, you got it?” I said with an exhausted wonder in my tone. Everything was becoming too real for me to comprehend.

“Wasn’t just like that. I was trying from the second we laid eyes on her,” Gavin said with disdain.

“We have to hurry. Is this the right room?” Mason said, glancing to my watches. We had just over a half-hour left if their timetable was right.

I looked up to the arched ceiling that was laced in gold and had paintings of angels at war. In the center, there were two that had their daggers connected in the shape of an ‘F.’ The only reason I knew it wasn’t part of the painting was that I used to hide in one of the corners of this ceiling and watch my father work. From that height, you could see that the daggers were raised from the painting, but I had no idea how we would reach them. There were no beams near that point, and the ceiling was at least thirty feet high.

Gavin and Mason tried to move my father’s desk over to the center of the room, but it was too heavy.

“So you guys can zap me into another room, but a ceiling is too hard for you? What is the plan—build a tower or something? If so, we are already out of time,” I said to them.

They looked at each other as they stopped their struggle with moving the desk, which weighed well over four hundred pounds.

The next instant, they vanished.

I looked up when I heard them laughing. Their backs were against the slightly arched ceiling. Mason was the one whose laugh was the most dominant. “We can’t die, man—this is too much freaking fun,” he said to Gavin.

Becoming more serious, they both reached for the daggers at the same time, and when they did fire came from the handles, moved up their arms, across their bodies, and absorbed into their skin. It happened so fast, I didn’t even have time to freak out. Then, as if they were laced with feathers, they floated down, both staring at the blades.

“Wrong ones?” I said with heavy sarcasm.

Gavin held his out. On one side of the blade I saw an extremely detailed wing. He then turned the blade, showing me the image of the girl in the triangle breaking free, the woman before one bird with two at each side, the seven stars offering a halo.

Mason was breaking into one of the cases on the wall so he could get a sheath for the blades they had. I didn’t blame him; they looked dangerously sharp.

“Here’s the thing,” I said to Gavin, “she’s got Wilder. She has one of us, the one the triangle needs. We have to set him free before we can kill her. That’s why she took him.”

“We are setting the seven free first. Your uncle, too. They bind you with grief, they bind your power. Even if we saved Wilder first, we would still die without that power to raise us.” Gavin put his hands on my shoulders so I would have to look at the intensity in his eyes. “You have to commit a selfless act in order to sacrifice your mortality to become immortal. We shield your power, but we are not your power. You are. Your soul. Your empathy. Your compassion. You have to set our seven demons free so you can move on to save others. No action can come from us without your demand, and it has to be one that we both agree on. I remember that clearly. You need to focus. Play this the right way, or not at all.”

I felt anxiety building in my gut. I felt sick. I didn’t know if I could do this. I had been so bold, so focused on this moment, and now that it was here I almost wished I would have let go, but then I remembered the images of my family that I saw in the hall, the flames around them, the agony in their eyes. No matter what, I had to set them free. After that point, I could debate if I was the girl they all thought I was.

Gavin shook my shoulders, trying to get me out of my obvious stage fright. “Listen to me: when you were weak a second ago, I saw hope in Cadence’s eyes. I know you did, too, and when you were strong she let fear emerge for a second. There is no doubt they know what you are, what you will be. Own it. Become it. Play the part like it is the last role you will ever play.”

“I don’t...” I said with a gasp as I felt my gut clench and the nausea come back. “I don’t think I can.”

The intensity in Gavin’s eyes grew. “You are going to act like you can. That is our advantage. You are going to play this role. You are going to hold your head high and make them think you have already transitioned, that you are already everything they fear.”

“When I see them, my family, I’m going to be destroyed. I will freeze us into the next Ice Age. No acting can cover that up.”

“You’ve made it go away twice since we have been awake. I know you can do it again. Whatever you thought of, hold that image in your mind. Use it as a weapon. You’re right. If they see the ice, they will know you have no control, they will know you are still weak. The transformation gives you control. They’re desperately trying to stop that.”

“They know we are weak because they have Wilder,” I argued.

“For all they know, he’s playing the part, too,” Mason said as he walked over and handed Gavin a sheath for his blade. “Listen, we know each other all too well. We don’t even need words. You just look us in the eye when you get weak, when you need direction. We have to trust each other. You’re going to have to trust us. Gavin is right, we have to follow your demands, and we all have to agree. You will not be alone for one second. I swear.”

Mason tucked his blade behind him as Gavin did the same.

“We are going on stage, Indie,” Gavin said as calmly as he could. “Play this part, and at the very least, we’ll give them something to fear when we return.”

I swallowed my nerves and tried to find adrenaline to hide behind once I thought I was close enough. I turned and went to the doorway. Just outside of it, I was standing where I was in my dream, looking down on the elegant dome room.

“I was there,” Gavin said, nodding to the other staircase.

“I was there,” Mason said, pointing to the opposite one.

“When?” I asked as I struggled with my nerves.

“When we moved the house. This room spun at the speed of light with our energy, and the floor opened and grasped our roots,” Gavin said as he clenched the rail—you’d have thought he was holding on, like the memories were too real to him right now.

“I really think someone would have noticed a house appearing two hundred years ago,” I said, almost to myself. I think I had decided to see this all as some big dream. That soon I would wake up, move through my day, my arguments with Rasure, school, walking through the North Wing, hanging out at the bar, and dream of my two beats.

“It was here before then. I have no doubt. I remember…” Mason said in a whisper that seemed painful. “You had a vision or something. We started plotting to leave as soon as…as soon as Sebastian and Guardian left.”

I looked up at him sharply. As far as I knew, I had never told him Phoenix’s real name, never told him about Guardian.

“We followed them,” Mason said. “We have been here a while. We landed here long before this country was even discovered.”

“One thing is for sure: Sebastian sure knows how to build a house,” I joked darkly. I couldn’t take in anymore of what they were saying. It was too much, and they were making it seem real. The only way I was going to get through this was by thinking it was a dream, or a really extravagant play.

“God, I wish Skylynn had opened our minds before last night,” Gavin said as he stared forward, clearly agreeing with Mason.

“Where have we been all this time?” I asked timidly.

“Trapped, lost. Something stopped us before,” Mason said as anger consumed him, as I felt fire come from his side. “And I’ll be damned if I let it stop us again.”

“Game face on, Indie,” Gavin said to me as we saw Cadence standing at one of the thresholds that led into this room floors below us. It was salted, as were the others. One thing was for sure, Rasure didn’t want us in here. In obvious anger, Cadence kicked the salt line as she rushed past it, still gasping with tears, a wrought iron bar in her hand. I couldn’t tell whether the tears were an act or not, she was just too good at playing roles.

I started to descend the spiral staircase with Mason and Gavin just behind me.

Cadence began to pry out the marble in the center of the floor, and for some reason that made me furious, like I knew she was stabbing a living, breathing thing.

“Cadence,” I said with all the dominance my role called for.

She looked up in shock, maybe relief. “You are going to help him,” she said with a tearful gasp.

“Tell me why the well-being of Wilder has brought so many tears to you?” I said as I continued my elegant descent. I mean, she wasn’t even making eye contact with Gavin, the one boy she did have a relationship with.

“She made me fool him,” she said as she moved her head from side to side in despair. She sucked in a deep breath. “She had me serve him up on a platter to be feasted on and did that because I was terrified, and now they will feast on him for an eternity if you do not stop this. It’s not his fault that he fell for you, that our family drama sucked him in. This is my demon. I killed him.”

“You killed us,” Mason said with scorn.

“Not in the same way. If I had, I would be fighting for you, too.” Her eyes moved to Gavin. “I tried to tell you I was sorry in my own way, to hold you once more, let you know that I was a victim, that she played me from the moment she arrived. She told me she knew my file had been moved, that I was really a runaway and that I had a family that was searching for me.” She locked eyes with me. “I couldn’t go back, Indie, not to that house, not after what my family did to me. I chose the lesser of two fears. The fact that Rasure was less scary than my family has to tell you that I had no choice. I was scared, and now I’m fighting back. I can’t save you, but I can set you free, all of you.”

“Put the iron down,” I demanded.

She let it fall as if my words were a command that she could not disobey.

“Why did you struggle for that key? Why did you take their lives?” I asked with a quick nod to my side. “Why did you take Sophia’s? What did she do to you?”

“How was I supposed to know we would crash?” she yelled in tearful agony. “This was your fault, not mine. They fell for you, so deep and so blindly that they could not see anyone or anything else. They were obsessed with ending Rasure, just as obsessed as you—so much so that weeks before your battle was to be won they helped you stoke the fire of her wrath. You moved the clocks, you threw that in her face. It’s your fault they had the key in the first place, that Rasure tried to kill us all.” She looked down as she raised her arms to her side, like she was being crucified. “I just wanted them to leave it be, for you to leave it be. Stick with the plan. Win your money and kick her out. The human way. The peaceful way.”

“Dear sister. I have never been human. We both know that.” I didn’t even recognize my own voice. It was powerful, confident—everything that I wasn’t.

She let her hands fall as she shamefully raised her eyes to meet mine.

“I thought you saved me, that my divine sister had spared me, but you didn’t. Fate did. I told myself that you would have if you could, that you were not moving on because you didn’t want me to be alone. Rasure told me I was a fool, that you didn’t care about me. I was disposable, damaged goods as far as you were concerned. I didn’t believe her until you proved her right.”

“Exactly how did I do that, Sister?”

Tears welled in her eyes. “You pulled them to you and pushed me away. You wouldn’t let me help you—you planned to let me go and live forever with your ‘almosts,’ the boys that will never know the real you.”

“I pushed you to safety, to peace. That is my purpose. If you knew the real me, that should not be news to you.”

“That is why I’m here. That is why I told you she had him, she had them all, and where. You may never forgive me, but I will fight for my redemption until my last breath,” she said as she balled her fists.

I glanced back to the guys. Neither of them seemed convinced, and I was divided. I didn’t have time to debate my emotions. For the first time in my existence, a clock was ticking. Counting down to my end.

I gripped the key in my hand and gracefully knelt down, thrusting the star point into the center circle.

When metal met marble and powerful volts of energy weaved through my arm, in that instance in my mind I saw this room, the staircases on fire, wind tunneling around at warp speed, the floor opening to the depths of the Earth. I felt a raw power, it was the power of desperate love, a love that had been divided and would not rest until it was rejoined.

It was a remarkable feeling, one I wanted to relish in so I could understand it, so what I felt for Phoenix would be justified, so I would know that I loved him enough to move universes to find him, that I was strong enough to bring our home to him.

But time was short. Once the energy left, the floor did not open beneath us. Instead, the three spiral staircases began to turn. As they did, the floor underneath them fell, opening the way to more stairs.

Without hesitation, I ran to the one closest to me. When I began to descend the stairs that were still appearing, I had no idea how deep I would follow them or where I was going. We turned and turned, chasing the appearing stairs, finally finding the floor.

When I raised my head and stepped forward, I quickly realized I was overwhelmed. “You have got to be freaking kidding me!”

This was a vast room, as vast as the manor itself, maybe even bigger—and in this room, all within a few feet of each other were thousands upon thousands of grandfather clocks.

In the echo of the room, I heard a bellow. I heard Wilder scream in agony. Cadence grabbed my arm and began to pull me in the direction of it, but Mason stopped her, all but jerking my arm away from her.

“Indie! Come on!” Cadence yelled.

“Not going that way,” Gavin said to her as he nodded toward the way he wanted us to go.

I listened to him, but as I walked away I heard Cadence scream, “You are everything she said you were and worse!”

I turned sharply to face her. “Choose you words carefully, Sister. My compassion is in limited supply tonight.”

“Wilder. You have to help me! I’m not strong enough,” she begged as tears spilled down her cheeks.

“I’m setting more than Wilder free tonight.”

She let a look of disgust fill her innocent image just before she turned and ran toward Wilder’s screams.

Mason turned me and began to pull me through the clocks as Gavin led us.

“Tell me you guys know what the freak you are doing,” I said through clenched teeth. The clocks around us began to creak with ice that was forming on them. I could not handle the idea that Wilder was suffering and his only crime was that he knew me, that he tried to love me.

“We are going to the memorial garden. There has to be a reason she wanted to keep us out of it,” Mason stated sternly.

“What if she was just using it as a decoy?” I argued as I looked over my shoulder at the sound of a new scream.

Gavin stopped and pointed to the key that was clenched in my hand. Now with the missing part, it clearly read ‘Falcon M Observatory.’ “I’m not focusing on her, only the signs. Now suck in those emotions and touch these clocks, as many as you can. Tell me if you see anything—any memory at all.”

“What is it with the clocks? I don’t get it,” I said, desperately glancing to the sea of them around me.

“Time. She takes time from the souls. It’s nothing more than symbolic imagery,” Gavin assured me, “and we are going to give that time back, set free what she has locked away.”

I nodded nervously as I unconsciously let my hand reach for my wrist, to the mark of a falcon under my pearl bracelet. I found my warmth and drew in a deep breath.

Mason picked up a fast-paced jog through the clocks as I let my hands run across the wood of each one we passed. Though I felt the energy of a lost past, the elegance of the piece itself, I saw nothing that said they were mine. That brought me little comfort, though. These were only the ones in our path, but thousands were all around us and the clock was still ticking.

It felt like it was forever before it happened, but we reached the end of the clocks and before us now was a stone wall and one dark tunnel.

“What now?” I asked anxiously.

Gavin and Mason reached for the torches beside the entryway; with a glance from them, fire burned through the kindling.

“Now you are really on stage,” Gavin said, nodding for us to move forward.

I could only assume we were following the path to the memorial garden. I felt my heart beating out of control, adrenaline seized my body, and my breathing fading. I kept telling myself that at any moment Phoenix would appear, that he would feel my unrest and come for me.

When he didn’t, I feared the worst. I feared that no matter the outcome of what was before me that I would live on in grief and agony.

Before long, light emerged at the end of our tunnel. As we approached, in the distance across the open room I saw another clock. A few steps later, we were at the threshold of this room. It was rather large. One clock was on the wall before us, another to the right. On the mantle of an enormous fireplace was the other. In the center of the beams that ran across the ceiling, there was a dome, no larger than five feet. The warm, flickering orange glow from it gave the room a wicked ambience, but not as wicked as the overstuffed leather chair that had Rasure proudly perched in it, with two guards behind her.

Chained from the ceiling with his arms above his head and his shirt off was Wilder. His strong, lean body was glistening with sweat, and blood from his wrist was raining down his arms.

Rasure slowly adjusted herself in her seat as a sinful smile echoed on her thin lips. “I assumed you would run to the echo of his screams. I suppose you are smarter than that runaway trash you call a sister.”

It took every ounce of my strength, but I held in my anger. I held in the cold. Every emotion I had was sucked into that ice rock that remained in my core.

“I am but a servant to my family. I have been told that they are not resting in peace, that you are the reason behind that.”

Her dark eyes gleamed with malice. “And who has been filling your head with such lies? The same souls that have convinced you that you—of all people—matter in the great scheme of things?”

“I’m not convinced. But I figured what the hell. I’d kill you for kicks and giggles, see where that gets me.”

I stepped forward but halted as she stood.

“Well, then. If we are going to play this game, let’s put all the pieces on the board, shall we,” she said coolly.

She sharply turned to her left and walked to the fireplace. With each step, with each staccato echo of her heels against the stones, I felt my heart pound, my control struggling to be set free.

Once Rasure reached the clock on the mantle, she opened the glass face, whispered something into it, and an instant later a light burst from it, connecting to lights that were now beaming from the other clocks. Rasure stepped to the side as her guards came to her and wind filled the room. The floor vanished beneath a dense fog, an intense bolt of energy exploded in the room. It was so fierce, I had to close my eyes and bow my head.

When I dared to look up again, I saw my worst nightmare: my family, my parents, my sisters, and my uncle were suspended in the air as deep blue flames surrounded them. They were silent in their screams, but Wilder wasn’t. He was now dangling, trying to keep his bare feet off the stone floor, which was causing his chains to cut deeper into his wrist. When I looked down, I saw a thin coat of salt along the stone. It almost seemed like the fog had delivered it. The stone floor was darker, almost wet where the salt was.

“You seem divided,” Rasure said confidently. “Is it the salt in the water across the floor, or this?” she said as wrought iron bars rose from the now wet stone floor and blocked my path to my family. “Or is it the fact that you are not who they have told you? Is it not true that you want to leave your adored in agony, your family to the damned—for the sake of revenge, for the sake of satisfying that self-loathing, cold, vindictive soul of yours?”

All at once, Mason and Gavin threw their torches at Wilder, but they barely landed at his feet. Wilder was at least twenty feet from us.

“If I were looking for evidence that you are only playing a part, your adored have graciously given that to me,” Rasure said smugly.

I knew Mason had an aim that was never wrong, that he had an undeniable strength and accuracy in every physical thing he did. Mason didn’t miss. He’d purposely let his torch fall along Wilder’s body, and when he did no flaming wings appeared—telling us without a doubt that he was not part of what we were. That really didn’t solve much, though. I cared about him, enough to save him, to make sure he was safe.

Wilder must not have understood what the guys were doing. He glared in their direction. It was a look I’d never seen come from him, one that was near terrifying. There was no telling what Rasure had done to him. If my Wilder even still existed.

We all knew we would not be able to withstand the salt long, that we had one of three choices: either go after Wilder, my family, or Rasure.

“Tick tock…smart move. Let the clock run out so you will not be forced to commit a sin as you perish,” Rasure taunted me.

I made it seem as if I were looking into the souls of the ones I loved as I surveyed the room, where the stone became wet, how heavy those floating bars that were around my family seemed, how I could do everything I wanted to do with one swift act.

There were only three bars, all horizontal, and there was a beam above me.

I was out of time and out of choices. The only way out of this was straight up and over.

I glanced to my side at Mason. He held his hand out flat, a common gesture between us. He agreed, and he was telling me to go up, that he was planning on thrusting me up.

I let my eyes meet Wilder’s across the room just as I used Mason’s hand to jump up and grab the beam.

There was no room above the beam for me to stand, and barely enough for my hands, so I pulled myself across until I knew I was close enough to swing my body over the iron. I only had a few feet to squeeze my body above them.

My anger, shock, and doubt caused ice to form as I fell to my feet, but that wasn’t a mistake. The ice froze the fire around the souls of my family, but they were still trapped. Before I could think of what to do next, Mason had charged forward, jumping into the air and grasping the top iron bar. He flung the bar at the chains around Wilder, and they went right through the hook. Gavin was already there, climbing up behind Wilder so he could reach the bar and turn it to set him free.

There was only one way for me to break the ice around the souls of my family: from the bottom up. I grasped another wrought iron bar, feeling the jolt of energy painfully surge through me. The bar felt guided by some other force. When I looked back, I saw that that force was Mason. He was behind me, giving power to the swing. We aimed at the floor, slicing through the ice as Mason bellowed, “Rise!” and the iron bar turned to fire in our hands.

The souls of my family struggled in unison upon hearing his command. The combined strength from their struggle caused the flaming iron bar to slice through water, not ice, triggering the flames that had bound them to wash away.

A peace, a warm peace filled my soul. I felt like I was cutting free an anchor—that everything that had bound me had finally fallen away. I watched as the faces of my mother, my father, my five beautiful sisters turned to light and vanished. My uncle seemed lost, disoriented, like he had just woken up in the middle of a nightmare.

I wanted to relish this victory, to stare at the last peaceful glimpses of my family, but this was not over. Rasure. She was still standing. And if she had done this to my family, there was no telling who else she had trapped, who those other clocks we passed led to.

I only knew one thing: she was not getting out of this room alive.

Chapter Sixteen

Rasure’s guards charged us, but the instant they moved, the instant I heard Wilder’s chains fall to the floor, I heard Mason bellow, “Betray us, cease!”

Whatever that phrase meant, it was powerful. The overgrown guards halted as their arms violently jerked back and black smoke steamed out of every opening in their bodies, finally ripping them apart as they vanished.

I stared coldly at Rasure as my chest rose and fell with adrenaline. I could feel a raw power swelling inside of me.

After a moment of hesitation, she let an evil smile come across her lips. “You have not yet transformed. You are nothing more than a vengeful spirit.”

“Is that your bet?” I seethed, daring to move slowly toward her.

“It is, dear,” she said with a smirk. “And now you never will. He perished. The flaming bird that is to guard your passage has left his existence.”

No amount of self-control in the world could have held back my emotions. Ice began to form across the stone room as she laughed. What was she saying? Phoenix had died? Let go? That because he had, because he thought that we could never be together in the form we were in, he let go? He lost his battle tonight, and at any moment I would lose mine?

“I don’t believe you,” I raged.

“It doesn’t matter if you do or not. I knew you were still vengeful the second you plotted your way around the salt and iron. Someone of your power would never fear the elements of the Earth. I knew his death was certain the moment he did not come for you. He should have arrived the moment you laid eyes on me, the moment fear came to you. I suppose he didn’t care to be another notch on your bedpost.”

I reached down for the last wrought iron rod, feeling—yet ignoring—the pain of its touch as Gavin came to my other side.

I let a deceitful smirk come to the corner of my lips. “I have yet to have fear for you, therefore, there is no reason for him to come. Whether I rise or fall is none of your concern, for tonight you will pay your debts.”

With that I charged forward, rod in hand, aiming for where her heart would be if she had one—if she were human at all. The second the iron entered her flesh, black smoke trickled out of her body.

She let a slow smile come across her face as death invaded her eyes and smoke seeped from her lips. “You are a fool. And I will have the last laugh tonight.”

Mason and Gavin both pulled their blades from where they were tucked in the back of their pants. In mid-thrust they connected, then pushed into Rasure. I pushed their arms down, causing the blade to divide her, causing thick black smoke to rush out of her body just before she turned to flames and vanished.

Breathless, I let my heart race. The ice built, I let the real, terrified me out.

Just when I thought I had control, when I let myself feel the slightest bit vindicated, iron chains wrapped around my neck. I gasped for air as I felt the strength behind them.

I knew from the cut on the arm that it was Wilder, that he was trying to end me.

“Back away, or this will be over really quick,” he said through a locked jaw to Mason and Gavin.

They only stepped forward and turned so they could see him, so they could figure out their play.

“Glad to see that I wasn’t special enough for you to save, D,” he said into my ear as he tightened the chains. I’m not mad. Not at all. I found someone that was a little more interesting than you. I’ll play with her for now.”

At that moment, I heard the echo of a clap and slanted my eyes to the doorway. There, I saw Cadence clapping slowly as she walked to where we were.

“Well done, Sister,” she said as she positioned herself in front of me.

Something happened right then. I don’t know what it was, but one second we were in this heated moment of shock, and the next a rich smell of mint and honey filled the room. I felt myself wave forward, so much so that I glanced to my side to see a massive hole in the stone wall which didn’t make any sense because I’d never heard those stones fall. What really didn’t make any sense was that the smell of lilies was absent now. Even though Wilder was there, he had no scent. To make things even odder, Cadence didn’t look the same. It was the eyes. They looked more distant, more so than what this revelation would have given them.

Oddly, it felt like this game of life had just been paused and the pieces replaced. Both Gavin and Mason glanced at me, sensing the same shift.

“That was by far the best role you have ever played,” the image of Cadence said. “Next go around, leave the picture-taking be and focus on your acting. Maybe then you’ll be able to fool the master.”

I had already forgotten about that weird, vacant moment and focused on rage. “To fool you,” I said with a gasp. “You’re beneath me.”

“Am I? Or am I the one you have been fighting from day one? The one that took your family, the betrayer that stood at your side while you grieved for them? Am I not the one that orchestrated this entire event? Kept your focus on Rasure, a mere servant to me?”

“Choose your words carefully, they are your last,” I said through broken breaths as I tried to inch my fingers between the chains around my neck.

“Stop your acting, Sister. The best lines could not cover the bruises along your arms, the ones that say you’re a weak, dying soul.” She leaned toward me. “Your eyes are still green, only flickering with a deep blue.” She let a smug grin come to her seemingly innocent face. “No acting can cover up the fact that your very own guards are the reason you are struggling now. They set Wilder free. If they were who they were meant to be, they would not have been so foolish.”

“They’re not fools,” I said with a grunt. “They were waiting for permission.” I swallowed, searching for air, then said, “Permission granted.”

At that moment, Gavin and Mason moved forward at the speed of light, took the chain from my neck, and flung it back, wrapping Wilder in it. Mason slammed Wilder into the ground, knocking him out cold. I’m sure he would have found the courage to kill him in the next breath, but Cadence’s laugh stopped him.

A wickedly sinful expression masked the guiltless person I knew my sister to be. “A fighter to the end. We have been here before. Right when you arrived, and several times since then. I have scattered the souls of your guides across this globe, and I will be damned if they did not all end up under the same roof once again.”

She glanced at my uncle, who was starting to realize who I was, who she was. With a nod, Cadence sent him flying across the room. I heard his body hit the wall and had no way of knowing if he was alive or not anymore.

“You see, Sister, my servant Rasure was correct. She will have the last laugh tonight, one that she deserves after decades of loyal service. Your adored is gone, and now it’s time for you to move on. We’ll pick this up in a hundred or so years.”

At that moment, I felt fire in my legs, in my arms. It wasn’t a good fire, it was an agonizing fire, one that Mason and Gavin must have felt, too.

Cadence began to circle us as we fell to our knees. “You see, the best way to end a vengeful soul is to salt and burn their remains. Your brother has done an extraordinary job of protecting those remains, but money is power. Right now, a nurse is injecting your body with a mix of sodium and sulfur. You will burn, slowly, from the inside out.”

I looked down to see my flesh beginning to break apart.

I was furious, terrified, and in agony, but I was not going to let her see that. I glanced to each of my sides to my guys and nodded up once. As soon as Cadence circled again, we were going to take her out—or die trying.

Right as she stood before us, right as I felt agony in every part of my soul, Phoenix appeared in front of me, us, and took the blades, the arms of Gavin and Mason, and joined them just as they lunged them into Cadence.

Black smoke didn’t come from her. Instead, she flickered like a hologram just as she vanished. I thought maybe I was hallucinating, that Phoenix wasn’t there, that I was just letting go and he was the last image I wanted to see.

I fell forward on the stone floor as the guys did. I barely noticed that Phoenix had picked me up and was cradling me in his arms, that Skylynn was standing over him, yelling something I could not hear.

“Burn,” I made my lips attempt, but there was no sound. “Burn,” I choked out. I raised my wrist with the watches on it for him to see. Seconds, that was it, seconds, and it wouldn’t matter; we would be gone.

Skylynn grabbed my wrist and yelled something at Phoenix but he wasn’t listening, he was trying to hear me.

“Save us,” I said as my eyes locked with his.

You would have thought I confessed an eternal love to him. His flaming eyes grew wide with relief. “I’ve got you, Love. I’m never going to let you go.”

I squeezed his arm with what strength I had. “Leave Wilder.”

And with that, my eyes closed.

I felt a blazing fire and jerked my eyes open, only to see flames coming from Phoenix, reaching out to Mason and Gavin, lifting their now limp bodies into the air.

The next beat, I felt ice and I saw the river. I saw the crash, I felt myself struggle to get out of the car, but I soon realized it was not the car that was holding me under the icy water—it was Phoenix.

The water felt like it weighed a thousand tons, like no matter how powerful, how supernatural Phoenix was that he would not be able to break me free from this death.

My body went limp, succumbing to frigid temperature.

I don’t know if it was an illusion or not, but I saw my family, all of them, floating around me. My gaze met the compassion of my mother, the protection of my father, the wisdom of my grandmother, the life and energy in each of my sisters’ eyes. I saw them in another time, in another world. I saw them stand at my side. I saw them sacrifice their lives to carry me here. I saw lifetimes on this side where they had been tested, divided, silently tormented, imprisoned, unable to go home.

They were free now, and they were lifting me up. They were raising me from the ice, breaking it apart. Their gazes spoke a million words, all powerful, all full of love. They were telling me goodbye. They were rejoicing that after all this time, we found each other, that we’d set each other free.

The cold was past the point of being unbearable. I was numb, disoriented. I felt Phoenix’s arms under my back, my soul soaring up. The water became warmer and warmer, and all at once it erupted into flames.

I saw Mason floating near my head, Gavin at my feet, and Phoenix holding me. The three of them were soaring through the icy lake that had turned to flames.

One. Slow. Beat.

The flames immersed us all, and the next thing I saw was the ceiling of the observatory.

I knew without a doubt that Phoenix had thrust us through that ceiling and broken into the fire pool that centered the room just before the tombs of my family.

As I rose into the air, every part of my soul broke apart. The ice in my core exploded, and what looked like diamonds surrounded us all. Fire reached out for that ice, grasping it and pulling it back to me.

I felt agony. Pain. I felt like giving in, nothing was worth this much pain, this much torment.

I was so cold, I was hot; so hot that I was cold. Billions of images rushed through my mind, ones of a powerful, determined past, ones that showed me how wicked my dear sister was.

Memories that showed me that when no one returned to our true home, our true reality, that the people there had sent the woman that became my grandmother here, my uncle here. They were sent here to assemble the Falcon legacy. Through numerous lifetimes, my grandmother had searched for and found all of us. She prepared us for this war. I was determined not to let her down, not to let any member of my family, of my world, my universe down. Too much had been sacrificed for me to give up now. I screamed at myself to become who I was meant to be—to accept this pain as my power.

With that thought, the pain increased, as if it were challenged and accepted the dare to bring me more misery.

Two slow beats later, the pain stopped and numbness came. I felt flames licking my flesh and smelled smoke, an awful, unnatural smoke.

“Genevieve!” I heard Phoenix bellow, causing me to thrust my eyes open. When I did, I had no idea where I was. Flames were all around us. Phoenix let relief come to his flaming stare—but only for a second—then he pulled me up. I was lying on a hospital bed. Ashes, a massive amount of ashes, lay where I was.

Phoenix beckoned his fingertips swiftly above them, and in that instant they rose, swirled rapidly, then vanished into his hand. He glanced across the room. Skylynn was raising Mason, calling his ashes. Phoenix pulled Gavin up with a glance and called his ashes before he turned to me. I was still out of it. I could not figure out why everything was burning. I felt like jelly. I was not solid.

“Walk out of here,” Phoenix demanded.

“Where is here?” I asked as I swayed forward.

Phoenix called the flames around us to my body, and when the fire wrapped around me I felt strength come back to me.

“The hospital. They set it on fire. The flames will give you strength. Walk through them, right out the front door. We have to get you home,” Phoenix demanded.

“Then do your whisk thing,” I said as I reasoned that moving was more than I could do at this moment.

“Your family has to know you are alive. They have to see you walk out. Skylynn and I have to get the patients out. Cadence didn’t care who she took out when she took you down,” he argued, telling me I could do this. That he was not my crutch. That I didn’t need one.

I glanced around the room, noticing that as Skylynn put her hands on a bed, the patient and every machine around that patient vanished in that instant. She appeared a second later, moving to the last patient in the room, but surely not the last one in the hospital.

“Trust me,” Phoenix said as he pulled me to his lips. The force and passion behind his warm flesh focused me once more. He pulled away from me, then led me to Mason and Gavin, placing me in the center.

“Walk through the flames—the longer, the better!” Phoenix demanded as he vanished from my side.

Mason and Gavin looked a thousand times stronger than me, and more determined. They each took one of my arms and led me out of the room, purposely walking through the flames in the hall. With each step, I felt stronger, but it wasn’t enough. It was like I’d been dying of thirst, and no matter how much I drank I was still dry.

Firemen were crawling across the floor. Mason and Gavin moved me to the side wall, hiding us behind the flames until they had passed. We slowly walked through the blaze as we descended the stairs that led to the lower floors, floors that were not on fire, which meant the strength the flames were giving me had vanished. I felt Gavin and Mason hold me up as we moved through the open lobby, as firemen came to us and ushered us out.

The parking lot was full of fire trucks, police cars, patients on beds, others standing holding oxygen over their faces. Hundreds and hundreds of people were running in every direction.

As we passed the beds where the doctors were frantically working on the people, I heard, “It was an angel. She carried me out,” and “He was so fast, so strong. He brought me here—he saved me,” from the disoriented patients.

I didn’t have the strength to smile on the outside, but on the inside I was beaming. Emergency workers tried to help us, but Mason and Gavin waved them away as they pushed us through the crowd. We had almost reached the edge of the mass of people when I heard someone scream out Mason’s name. It was his mom, and she charged though that crowd with nothing less than the sheer power of motherhood.

Gavin’s mom must have been near her, heard her cry, because Gavin’s name was screamed next.

They both kept one hand on me as they embraced their mothers. I glanced over my shoulder to see the fifth floor raging with flames, firemen courageously aiming their weapons of water at that floor—hoping against all hope that they could save lives, be the heroes they were born to be.

This was my fault. I was the target, the one that had put the weakest people in danger. I wanted to save them, save this building, and with that thought the flames breaking out through the windows froze. An eerie silence came to the crowd. The only sound was water from the hoses that were now obsolete.

I felt my knees buckle, and as they did the icy flames turned to water and washed down through the building, ending any and all further destruction that the fire could have wrought. I felt arms catch me and assumed it was the guys, but I recognized the cologne, the dark blue suit: it was Ben. He had caught me and turned me in his arms in utter disbelief.

“My God, Indie—how?” he said as his hands cupped my face.

“It was a little hot in there,” I said, trying to mock my familiar sarcasm and appear stronger than I was.

“Indie, you were clinically dead—” Ben said, tracing the lines around my mouth where the tubes that were keeping me alive must have been. “You just don’t wake up and walk out of a fire—you need a doctor!”

That instant, I felt someone turn me and say, “Genevieve, dear, bloody hell! You scared the living daylights out of me!”

It was Phoenix. My face was now nuzzled against his strong chest, which I could swear had flames just under the surface. The heat was giving me composure.

“Who the hell are you?” Ben said in his all-too-protective tone.

“My...my...boyfriend,” I said, looking back at Ben as my arms embraced Phoenix. I guess that sounded more believable than ‘lover,’ ‘soul mate,’ ‘life.’

“Since when?” Ben asked with shock.

“Since forever,” Phoenix said boldly. “We need to get you home, Love. It’s freezing out here,” Phoenix said as his hands rushed across my back, sending fiery warmth through my soul.

“Home? No. Hell no!” Ben argued. “I’m getting a doctor.”

Phoenix reached out for Ben’s arm as he went to pass us. “They have enough to heal right now, Mate. I’ve called the best doctor in the world to come for Genevieve. He is meeting us at the manor.”

“And who is this doctor of yours, boy? Do not play with me. I trust little to no one with the fate of my sister.”

“Agreed there, Mate. Jason Haywood and John Blair are waiting on us. Search their names, and you will see their skills are unrivaled. You will find that John Blair checked in to see all three of them just as the fire alarms went off and that Dr. Haywood has been advising the staff as he traveled here.”

Ben pulled out his phone.

“Call them on the way,” Phoenix said, pulling me closer. “Where is your car? Or do I need cab?”

Ben looked to Mason and Gavin’s families. “Follow us, we’ll make sure they are out of the woods. I’ll have a helicopter on standby if they need to be moved to another hospital.”

I didn’t think either of their families would let them go, but they whispered something to their mothers and came to Phoenix’s side as we followed Ben through the parking lot to one of his SUVs. His driver stepped out and opened the doors as the guys climbed in and Phoenix lifted me. I was too weak to move, and growing weaker.

Once Ben was in and gave the orders to the driver, he turned his attention to his phone, demanding that his assistant find out who Jason Haywood was, how my floor was torched, and that a chopper be sent to the manor.

“Do we have time for this?” Gavin said in a whisper to Phoenix.

I could not figure out why they were stronger than me, why they looked as if they had been through nothing at all.

“All for show, Mate,” Phoenix said as he pulled me on his lap, ensuring that every part of me was touching his body, which was so hot that I could have sworn it was on fire.

Ben turned in his seat. “So, your doctor checks out. I want to know who you are, where you came from, and how you know my sister.”

“Sebastian Falcon, though my blokes call me Phoenix. I am from everywhere and nowhere. I met your sister long ago, and I assure you I will never let another soul strike her.”

“Falcon. You’re a Falcon? A child of a past adopted member?”

That wasn’t an odd question. My grandmother and her mother had both opened their homes to lost children. There may be seventy-seven in the flock Ben and I came from, but the number of Falcons that were created by our parent’s bloodline was in the thousands, maybe beyond that. Our name was freely given to any child that crossed our threshold, and at times that was worth more than the money they left with a few years later.

“The original, Mate. One of the last originals. Genevieve sought me out. We were bonded from first glance, and together we plan to make the Falcon name one that will never be forgotten.”

The dominance in Phoenix’s tone took Ben by surprise. He let his glance move to Gavin and Mason. “You know him? He’s always been around? You trust him?”

“Always,” Mason said, locking eyes with Ben.

I couldn’t find the strength to defend Phoenix. My head flew back against the window.

“That is it. Take us to the nearest hospital,” Ben ordered the driver just as I felt a whirl of wind and a surge of newfound energy.

“Why, Mate? There is a doctor just inside,” Phoenix said, nodding for Gavin to open the door and let us out. Phoenix had moved the entire car to the manor with a thought, completely befuddling both the driver and Ben.

I was in Phoenix’s arms at the front door before I even heard Ben start to make an argument. Once out of view of Ben, Phoenix moved me again. Now he was carrying me into a room that was not mine, but I had imagined that it was more times than I could count: our bedroom in the North Wing.

It was red and black, laced with gold, and a large canopy bed centered one wall. Heavy drapes covered wall-length windows, and gently aged chairs and short couches made up a sitting area just beyond the foot of the bed, before a fireplace. A glance from Phoenix gave birth to a fire there, adding to the dim glow of the eccentric lamps that rested beside the bed. The next beat, I was lying on the bed and he was hovering over me.

“What is wrong with me?” I said in an exhausted tone.

“Your transformation is not complete. I only had seconds, whereas it should have taken hours. I’m starting to think it would not have mattered, that the ice is stopping it, that death is pulling you back,” he said with heavy grief in his silky tone.

My eyes grew heavy. As they closed, I whispered, “It was written. You saved me.”

I could not form the words to tell him that we had not committed the ultimate sin, that he was meant to break the ice around me apart, that he was meant to set my soul on fire and raise me to this existence.

Chapter Seventeen

My dreams were heavy, beyond vivid, and they solidified what I had only heard whispers of in the North Wing. I saw this manor. A lost time. My world was on the verge of a civil war. Though we were born of light, born of peace, some of us had become restless, terrified that the natural order had been broken, that darkness was on the verge of an all out siege on us. They wanted to barricade The Fall, the point where souls moved through once their time was complete on the other side. They feared The Fall because the children that were reborn were broken souls, vacant of joy and creativity. It was as if they were damaged beyond repair, as if their past lives were too dark and too damned for them to overcome.

Guardian had always been a powerful speaker. He had a gift with words and the dominance to back up everything he said, just as much as my Sebastian. People from our cause charged them with orders of restoring the peace to our world one way or another. Sebastian accepted the call without even speaking to me about it.

He promised me he would return before the next moon, leaving me with the girl that Guardian had fallen in love with, my guards, and our growing family of abandoned children.

It was the coldest winter that I had ever witnessed. The snow was heavy, imprisoning us in our home.

My dreams, which had been vivid in that life, stopped. Instead, I woke with terror, believing without a doubt that my home was burning. I was not the only one that was losing sanity. The girl that Guardian left for me to watch over began to have violent dreams. And she insisted that there was a dark world that she had to save, that had captured our lovers.

She insisted that we move through The Fall, that she would go with or without me. She said we were divided, that we had to rise. We had to restore balance.

She was vindicated when my guards, who Mason and Gavin were then, began to have visions. When my family began to have visions. At that point, the plot for me to become some kind of supernatural redeemer began to form.

Everyone but me could see some fate before us, everyone knew their roles.

Three moons passed. The snow fell on and on, and there was no sign of my beloved, no word that peace had been restored. That selfish foolishness was behind us. I began to believe the souls around me. I began to take their visions seriously.

We stood in the dome room, each on our own staircase. My family surrounded the circles on the marble floor. Guardian’s lover, Aliyanna, stood in the center chanting words, dark, commanding words. A shadowy energy surrounded her, then a force of energy caused the glass ceiling to explode, showering snow and ice around us.

A beaming glow of light came from Mason, Gavin, and me as the floor began to spin, as Aliyanna raised her hands and lightning, thunder, rain, snow, and wind whirled around us.

Everything started to spin, to turn at warp speed. It was nauseating, and when I didn’t think I could take any more, I closed my eyes and pulled myself into a ball. Several beats later, silence came. Still fearing the power that Guardian’s lover had displayed, I slowly opened my eyes and let my arms fall.

Now standing above me was Cadence. She let a malevolent smile echo in her eyes. “You. You are the one they sent to bring my fall.” She glanced at the marble floor covered in debris, with the bodies of my guards and family. “This is your army?”

Before I could utter a word or understand who she was, the bodies of the ones I loved were pulled up by some unseen force and twisted. The cracks of their bones echoed in the room just before they crashed to the floor. She knelt down to look deeper into my eyes. “You’re a bit early. Ahead of the fire, if you will, which means this is the perfect prison for you.” As she said that, I pulled my legs and arms up, wanting to shield myself, but it was all for naught, she had frozen me into a solid block of ice. I suffocated slowly as I stared into her cold eyes. I welcomed death. I welcomed it because I was sure that if my Sebastian was not here that he had failed, too, that we could only find each other in another life, another time.

Rage consumed me. I had never even come close to feeling something this violent toward Rasure. I didn’t understand who I was or what my purpose was, but I knew that I would not let my family die in vain, that I would not let this cold world that I was thrust into destroy the light I was born into, the peace I was fighting to maintain before fate divided my family, before my soul had sent me into a dark reality, one that I had yet to find my purpose in—that is, until now.

My eyes flew open as I sucked in a gasping breath of life.

A man I didn’t know was leaning over me. I wanted to get away— like, now and after a brisk, warm rush I found myself against the wall, my chest rising and falling rapidly with the beat of my heart. Before I could assure myself I was wide awake, Phoenix was in front of me, pulling me to him.

“Impressive, Love,” he said as he urged me back to the bed, where the older man was still standing. He wasn’t scary or anything. In fact, I felt nothing but peace coming from him. I found comfort in his green eyes. “This is Jason, a doctor,” Phoenix said as he gently encouraged me to sit on the edge of the bed. Jason came around to where we were.

“Do...do...do I need a doctor? Now that...” I didn’t know if was supposed to be playing a part for this man or not.

“He is a very special doctor. He fights with us. With Guardian. He knows what you are.”

“You know Guardian?” I asked weakly in an attempt to seem stronger than I was. Inside, I could feel fire and ice, both fighting for control and it was making me dizzy.

“He is my oldest daughter’s soul mate,” Jason replied.

Slowly, my eyes rose to meet his. “You’re Aliyanna’s father.”

Saying her name seemed to bring shock and joy both to him and Phoenix.

“In this life, she is called Willow.”

“Tell me she is more patient than when I knew her,” I muttered as my dream raced through my thoughts and I clearly remembered how driven that girl was, how she insisted that one way or another she was moving through The Fall. I knew Guardian would never forgive me if I let something happen to her. We all listened to her, created the most wicked spell that had ever existed, only to arrive before the fire, only to become prisoners. I didn’t remember seeing her on that floor with my family, though. Maybe she did make it to the dark world she spoke of, the one she said that she and Guardian had to free.

Jason smirked. “I am afraid not.”

“Did she redeem that world? Est…I can’t remember it.”

“In progress,” Jason said as his eyes carefully moved over me, like he was looking below the surface somehow.

“Must be a slow one. I carried her here forever ago,” I said as I felt a wave of dizziness come over me.

Jason had one hand on my shoulder before I could sway, like he saw it coming. “Nothing worth having comes instantly. It’s the fight, the drive that makes your dreams strong enough to withstand the mark of time.”

“Right, then. Well, tell your daughter I’m here. Apparently, we have a few sisters that are still in the wind and a war of balance to win.”

“Let’s get you better first,” Jason said with a proud grin. He looked down at Phoenix, who was on his knees before me. “I stand by my original advice. Her energy is but half. You gave her fire, but she must be immersed in it. Her soul has to know that you are there for her, that you are forevermore joined. Until it does, inside the ice and fire will be at war. Once her soul believes that you are true, not an illusion, the transformation will continue.” Jason smiled at me once more as he put his hand on Phoenix’s shoulder. “I’ll ensure that no one disturbs you.”

Phoenix held my stare as Jason left the room, closing the door behind him.

“I know you are here for me,” I said as I reached for his faultless image.

Pain echoed in Phoenix’s eyes. “I was shown the journal.”

I let a smile come to my eyes. “We are not the ultimate selfish sinners. Death had to come.”

“I almost let you go,” he said in a ghost of a whisper. “I convinced myself that I had done something horrid in a distant past, something that had forevermore taken you away from me.”

I moved my head to the side. “You went to bring peace, but the war was not there; it was here.”

Anger came to his eyes. “This whole time, you have been struggling to break free from your prison, and I was struggling to get home…a home you brought with you.”

“I’m not kidding. That Aliyanna girl is no joke. She insisted that we do the spell, and she was driven near insane. It was her idea.”

He smirked. “Trust me, Sunshine is easier to handle when Guardian is around.”

I leaned forward slowly as I reached for his lips. I didn’t know what Jason meant about my transformation, but I knew I wanted to feel the fire of his touch, that I had fought too long and too hard to be where I was, to let my weakness hold me back.

He moved closer, letting his lips frame mine as his arms went around me and he laid me gently across the bed.

“Do you trust me?” he whispered.

I stared into the gray of his eyes, the breaks of fire that raced through them. What I was about to do was going to take more courage, more adrenaline than any car crash, any brush with death, or even Rasure herself.

I swallowed nervously as I held his gaze. “I love you.”

A gasping smile came across his image. “Are you sure, Love? Forever is the commitment of all commitments. Rather suffocating idea to some.”

“Do you want me to say it a million times?” I said as I felt the power behind that commitment.

Phoenix could never suffocate me. We were both too independent, too full of determination, with matching flaming tempers. He would let me fight my war, he would never hold me back, and he only wanted the same in return. He only wanted to know that in-between our passions for life that we would give each other passion, that we would find a home inside of each other.

Slowly, he raised his hand over my chest. Holding my stare, he let his warm touch rest against my skin, then he whispered, “I love you” as his hand pushed through what should have been flesh.

My back bowed as I felt fire explode inside of me, as I saw fire and ice colliding into one, as I felt his soul merge completely with mine. I struggled to get closer to that flame of his soul, to completely hide myself within him.

‘Rapture’ was the only shallow word I could use to explain this rush. This empowerment, this total, absolute feeling of being whole, one with another soul. No rush of passion, no moment that was skin-to-skin could dare match the emotions coursing through us. Complete transformation took control over my very being.

It was the plane that we dared to rise to the last time he held me, that night he had only given me a glimpse of what we could create together. I fought never to leave this feeling, to forget that that world around us existed, that a war was waiting on its warriors and I won that fight for what seemed like an eternity. Hours, maybe days had passed before he slowly pulled his soul from mine, before his eyes met mine once again.

“You are forevermore mine,” he said in a heated whisper.

Words that would have suffocated the life out of me if I heard them from anyone else were now my salvation.

Finding strength and clarity for the first time in what seemed like forever, I let my hands move up his strong arms, which were holding him above me. “Dare I say that I feel sorry for you? I was rather difficult to handle as a human, and as a ghost. God only knows how difficult I will prove to be now.”

A beaming smile spread across his face as a laugh bellowed in his chest. “Bloody hell, woman—truer words have never been uttered.”

His arms were around me, and I was lying on his chest within the next beat. I dared to look up into his eyes, which were slowly taking every part of me in. “Am I cured now? Is this over?”

“It has just begun, Love,” he said as he tucked my long bangs behind my ear. “Your mind will struggle with what you are…you will shock yourself a time or two with your speed. Your emotions may toy with you, and the demons you fought in your life will become your determination, a determination that will seem far too confining to bear…but you will overcome.”

My eyes grew wide as clarity came to me. “The guys. Who’s helping them?”

“They transformed instantly. Skylynn said that must have been part of the spell you cast before, that they had to be risen to raise you, that it was all or none.”

“Why did I struggle?”

“Fire and ice. I believe the spell was cast the way it was so that you would not only have guardians throughout your war, but also as you transformed.”

I pulled myself up on one arm. “Wilder,” I said as my battle with Rasure flashed before my eyes, as I remembered that my own sister had forsaken me.

“He fooled you.”

“What?”

“He is a bigger part of this than you can understand right now.”

“I’m not a fool,” I bit out.

“I didn’t say you were. He is not to be underestimated.”

I didn’t care to think that someone else I had trusted, not right now anyway, had fooled me.

“Cadence?”

Anger engulfed his eyes.

“Did you not kill her?” I pushed.

“No,” he said with disdain. “She was not in full form. Rasure was your distraction. You ended her simply because you set your family free.”

“I don’t understand how I was fooled for so long by Cadence,” I said as I sat up and felt rage boil through me.

He leaned up as I moved, trying to catch me before I fell into my rage. “You were not a fool, you were the Trojan Horse. She had no idea who you were until you refused to die. You masked yourself amongst evil, and you protected our home and set our family free, just as you always planned to do.”

“Are the souls still in the clocks, the ones under this house?”

“Some, I’m sure, but you cannot charge down there and open them. You are going to have to find the spells that bind them, the words to open them. You are going to have to tread carefully, patiently. Evil knows no time. It counts on our impatience to end us, and more often than not we bring our own demise with that fault.”

“What do I tell my family? How do I explain how I got out of that fire? Where you came from? Where Cadence and Rasure went?”

He leaned forward and let his warm lips rest on my forehead. “Your Uncle Jamison is filing divorce papers, told your brother that Rasure and Cadence left the country. Ben found a money trail from Rasure to the people who confessed to burning your floor down at the hospital. Jason and others from Guardian’s world created a background for me, one that your brother believes. The boys are strong. They have moved into this manor with you, declaring that they need to keep you safe.”

“How long was I out?” I asked with a gaping smile.

“Not as long as you think. I promise.”

“What does my uncle remember?” I asked, wondering how I’d lost so much time.

“Nothing. He actually stated that he had no idea why he even brought Rasure here. In his mind, he’s thirty-five. His life with her was nothing more than a nightmare he woke up from.”

I looked down. “One that we all woke up from.”

“That you did, Love.” He reached to turn my chin so I would have to look him in the eye. “Next time, let your fear rise sooner. It calls me. It always has. I came to you the second I felt it, and I was almost too late. Promise me you will never be too stubborn to ask for help again.”

“The boys told me to play my part, and I did. I held the fear in until Rasure said you were gone…out of it all, that was my only fear.”

He let his fingertips move down my neck, my chest. “Now that we are one, that your power is unsealed, what was your curse will be your virtue. You will learn to guide the ice and fire, and you will always know if truth is spoken to you.”

“Truth,” I whispered, feeling the certainty behind what he said, wondering where my life would take me from this point on, which caused me to look back for an instant.

“I want to pay my respects to my grandmother,” I said under my breath, expecting ice to form with my grief, but it didn’t.

He nodded, understanding, then vanished for an instant and returned with clothes in his hands.

“Let’s say we get you out of those death shrouds,” he said with a grin.

Agreeing, and wanting to prove that I was stronger and faster than he thought, I shed the outfit I’d worn for days and pulled on the dark denim, skin tight jeans, black long sleeve top, belt, and unlaced black boots within an instant.

He moved his head from side to side as a sinful smirk came to his lips. “A little faster than I would have preferred.”

I raised one eyebrow as my eyes matched the desire in his. He reached to trace the base of my eye. “Those are the eyes I remember.”

Before I could question him, I was across the room, standing before a full-length mirror with him just behind me. I barely recognized the girl in the mirror.

My skin was flawless, the color of ivory. The slight heat in my cheeks and my flaming red lips accented the shade of my skin. But that was not what took me by surprise. It was the color of my eyes; they were a deep, rich blue. The color that often had warned that my curse of ice was surfacing was now permeated, and behind them I saw a power. I saw a girl who was determined, who had both fire and ice in her soul. A girl who was claimed by a phoenix, who was guarded by two of his sires. I saw the Indie I always wanted to be. The Indie my mother, my family had told me I was. The girl I always was beneath the surface.

I drew in a nervous breath as Phoenix’s fingertips slowly moved down my sides. His lips leaned into my ear as his stare held mine in the mirror. “Skin pure as snow, lips that breathe fire, and eyes that carry the depths of the ocean…I was bewitched the first instant I laid eyes on you. I knew then I would move Heaven and hell to hold you.”

He moved me to face him. “Your soul was frozen by evil, but now the fire is bringing forth rivulets, rivulets that will become raging rivers that enforce change. You are unstoppable, Genevieve.”

“We are unstoppable,” I whispered.

A wicked smile echoed on his lips just before they met my neck, and his arms tightened around me.

Before the moment had a chance to carry us away, there was a knock on the door.

“To be continued,” he whispered as he squeezed my hips and nodded to the door, which flung open.

Jason was there. He looked to the bed, then found us just beside him. He smiled warmly as he carefully looked over me. “I see you followed the doctor’s orders and are on the mend.”

“On, or past it?” Phoenix asked as he squeezed me closer.

“Past the troubled waters. Until you have had a chance to join your energy more times, I would take it easy on testing her powers. I’ll let her brother know she is awake and moving around, that I suggested for her to do just that.”

“Thank you,” Phoenix said as he nodded to him.

Jason looked over me once more just before he bowed his head and left the room.

“So, is that, like, the doctor for the supernatural or something?”

That made Phoenix laugh. “He’s from Chara. Several people from there have gifts that seem extraordinary to most.”

“Where is that?” I asked, wondering how far Jason had traveled to see me.

“One day at a time, Love. There is so much I plan to show you.”

When we reached the hallway before my room, I saw the oval table that always accented this hallway adorned with a breathtaking amount of red roses. Along with the roses, there was a pad of paper, a red ‘X’ taped to a line, and one of my brother’s trademark pens lying beside it.

I was at the table within a beat, and my eyes flew across the words. This was the document that I had dreamed of signing, the one that released my inheritance to me, the one that released the manor to me, the one that gave me the powers to continue my parent’s work.

I signed my name boldly as I felt the victory rush through me.

Skylynn appeared at that instant. “I promised you this day would come, Indie girl.”

“That you did,” I said as I reached my arms for her to come to me. “Thank you,” I whispered into her ear, knowing that she had saved me a million times over, that she had been the blunt voice of reason when I was spiraling out of control.

She extended her arms so she could look at me. “If you ever—and I mean ever do something as foolish—” she held out her hand to block Phoenix’s glare before continuing, “as foolishly brave as you did the other night...” she let her hands fall and bowed slightly, “I request permission to fight at your side.”

“You were there,” I said with a slight smile. “You helped me become who I am. You led me to this day, and I will repay you—one way or another.”

She smirked. “Well, you can start by telling Mason that I have my eye on another drummer and I am not amused by his banter.”

At that instant, Mason appeared at my side as if he had been called. He tilted his head slightly and let his chocolate eyes rain down over Skylynn. “I wasn’t trying to amuse you. Gavin is the funny one.”

I had to smile at that. Gavin was entirely too serious to be considered funny, and as if he were beckoned too he appeared at my other side, letting his steel blue eyes pierce into Mason. “Now I’m the one who’s not amused.”

That made me smile, really smile. I reached my arms out for them, and they both embraced me. With their touch, I felt the heat of their skin, I felt the phoenix inside of them.

“Bad news, boys. You’re now stuck in immortality with me.”

They both laughed as they let me go and glanced at Phoenix. I’d never seen so much respect in either of their eyes.

“We can handle that,” Mason said, nodding once to Phoenix.

Not knowing what else to say, I reached for a red rose and thought of the family tomb, the place where my grandmother’s remains were surely resting. After a rush of wind, I found myself there, staring at her name on the wall.

I kept hearing her last words to me, the ones she spoke when we were both in the veil.

“I did what you said…she is gone now,” I whispered as I kissed the rose and let it fall to the ground.

Silence and calm immersed me for countless minutes as I thought of the woman she was, both in this life and the visions I had of her before…I would miss her deeply.

“I’m sorry you missed the last goodbye,” I heard Ben say.

I turned to see him in the doorway of the tomb.

“I didn’t. I saw her, Ben. She told me I won. She told me to get Rasure out.”

“And you did,” he said as he stepped closer to me. “Now, how you did that I have no idea.”

“Some things shouldn’t be questioned, Ben,” I said, raising one eyebrow.

“Like the angels that the patients at the hospital swear saved them? Like the fact that your boyfriend matches one of those descriptions? Or the fact that Rasure has vanished from the face of this Earth? Or are we just talking about the fact that you came back to life, ripped the tubes from your throat and arms, dressed yourself in the clothes you drowned in, and walked through a fire, managing to not even singe your clothes? That the car I was in was no less than twenty miles from the manor one instant, and the next at the front door? The fact that not only did you do that, but Mason and Gavin did as well?”

I let my gaze fall to the stone floor. I could never explain what I went through or what I was to him, and I knew he would never force me to. We were Falcons, perfectly flawed beings that were taught to bend the laws of conformity and find our own path. I just happened to bend the laws of reality as well.

“Yeah, just like that…someone was watching out for us, Ben. Let’s be grateful for that.”

“I am,” he said as he stepped forward and hugged me tightly. “I felt you in that library. I felt you tell me you needed more time. I’m just thankful I was able to play my part, no matter how human that was.”

I smiled against his chest and squeezed him. “Dare I say you are my favorite brother?”

“I’ll take that as compliment,” he said, letting me go. “I want you to know that I am going to keep looking for Cadence and Rasure.”

“Let them go, Ben. Let the non-humans deal with that.”

His eyes questioned me, not sure how much of my wit had truth behind it. Then he reached in the breast of his jacket and pulled out a photo. “She has your mother’s camera and some wooden box, and your old friend Wilder is on her arm. She can keep your ex. As far as I’m concerned, you have upgraded your taste in companions, but that camera is yours, something Mom and Dad wanted you to have. She made this personal. Not me.” With that, he let his head fall and turned to leave, giving me time to finish my goodbyes to our grandmother.

I gripped the image in my hand, feeling rage swell deep inside of me. Cadence literally looked right at the camera as she walked by. She wanted me to know what she had taken. She was blatantly daring me to come after her.

All at once, the image erupted into flames and fear shot through me. In that beat, Phoenix was in front of me. He took the image squashing the flame as he pulled me to him.

My hands were balled into fists. I was full of rage and had no idea why. I just kept seeing that dream, her killing my family—my guardians—without remorse, her freezing me, trapping me for God-only-knows how long, only to stand at my side in this life and dare to call me a sister.

“Breathe, Love,” Phoenix said as he gently let his hands caress my back. “This is the transformation. Whatever emotions you hold right now will be the center point of this existence. You’re too lovely to live a life full of sickening rage.”

“You don’t understand what she did,” I said as his touch began to usher calm into me.

“I do. The boys told me…you give me your anger, let me carry it.”

“I don’t need you to fight my war. I’m not weak. I am not helpless,” I argued.

Within that beat, we were out of that tomb and standing in the observatory against the forevermore burning fire. He gently pinned my arms behind my back. “Listen, Love. One of us has to be of sound mind, and it is not going to be me.”

I was almost afraid of him for an instant, but then I saw a pleading in his eyes, almost a fear. Like he didn’t completely trust that what we had done was meant to be done.

“When I came home, found our home—our life—burning, rage consumed me, despair consumed me. I carried those emotions into the life of Phoenix. That blunt humor that you love so much about me barely made it into this personality. Everything was focused on finding you, seeking vengeance on whoever or whatever took you from me. It was natural for me to feel that way. My energy is as dark as the night. Yours, well yours is the sun, as bright as the first snow. You fall into vengeance, and we fall apart. The balance that gives us love, power, and passion will destroy itself. Cadence is counting on that. She knows you all too well.” He let my arms loose and put his hands around my waist as he pulled me to him. “Do you trust me to carry the weight of your rage? Do you love me enough to believe that I will never hold you back, never stand in the way of what you want, that ‘weakness’ is not a word that I would place next to you?”

I knew he was petrified, terrified that this was far from over, that I would vanish from his arms at any moment. Or worse: disappear slowly before his eyes as rage engulfed me.

I wasn’t going to let either of those things happen. “I love you. Forever.”

With that, his powerful lips met mine and his arms embraced me. I felt passion, life, and victory absorb me. I would relish in this now. I would hand my vengeance over to him, but I would not stand idly by in the war of balance. I would face the coldest evil and send the lost souls home. I would win this war of balance one way or another.

The End for now…

Where To Find Jamie Online:

http://authorjamiemagee.blogspot.com

Facebook

Twitter

Playlist

Florence The Machine – Seven Devils, Heavy In Your Arms, Never Let Me Go

Genevieve – Sugarland

Born to Die – Lana Del Ray

Almost Lover— A Fine Frenzy

The XX – Hot Like Fire

Placebo – I’ll be Yours

Breaking Benjamin – I Will Not Bow

Ellie Goulding – I Know You Care, Anything Could Happen

Imagine Dragons – Radioactive

Katie Costello – Stranger

I am still eternally grateful for every soul that encouraged me to write/ publish my debut novel Insight.... thank you once again.

I also want to thank my husband, Lem, for listening to my random thoughts and ideas as each of these stories came to life, he is not only the love of my life but the man who keeps me sane on this insane adventure. I want thank my children who inspire me to become more than I am today with a simple glance, and the echo of laughter and joy that surrounds me constantly.

I want to thank all of my wonderful beta readers : Sabrina Wells, Crystal Meyer, Alysia Kurtz, Jamie Love, Jennylynne D’Andrea, Michelle Dain, and Steffini Walker, Mallory Edwards, Carrie Porter, Amber Catlin, Elke Simmons, Elle Bautista, Heather Schad, Jennifer St Onge, Kristen Allen, Laura Shipp, Linds Kasher, Michelle Farrell, Sabrina Himebauch, Shawna Meekins, Tara Gehler, Theresa Kauffman, Cindy Alexander, and Enrique Rodriguez.

Chelsea Rafferty for suggesting the wonderful name this book is titled

Marek Purzycki has got to be the most patient, talented graphic artist I have every met, thank you for giving my series a face.

GWE along with Todd Barselow for editing my daydreams.

Most of all I want to thank every-single reader for sharing this adventure with me! I love you all and I am eternally grateful for your time and support :)!

About the Author

Jamie Magee has always believed that each of us have a defining gift that sets us apart from the rest of the world, she has always envied those who have known from their first breath what their gift was. Not knowing hers, she began a career in the fast paced world of business. Raising a young family, and competing to rise higher in that field would drive some to the point of insanity, but she always found a moment of escape in a passing daydream. Her imagination would take her to places she’d never been, introduce her to people she’s never known. Insight, her debuting novel, is a result of that powerful imagination. Today, she is grateful that not knowing what defined her, led her on a path of discovery that would always be a part of her.

The fun Bio: I’m an obsessive daydreamer. Lover of loud alternative music. Addicted to Red Bull. I love to laugh until it hurts. Fall is my favorite season. Black is my favorite ‘shade.’ Strong believer in the saying: there is a reason for everything, therefore I search for ‘marked moments’ every moment of everyday...and I find them. Life is beautiful!

SWITCH

By

Janelle Stalder

Copyright 2013 Janelle Stalder

All Rights Reserved.

ALSO BY JANELLE STALDER

EDEN SERIES

EDEN

(BOOK ONE)

EDEN-WEST

(BOOK TWO)

EDEN-SOUTH

(BOOK THREE)

EDEN-EAST

(BOOK FOUR)

NEW WORLD SERIES

SWITCH

(BOOK ONE)

MASKED

(BOOK TWO)

To all my wonderful Book Bloggers,

Your constant support and enthusiasm is what keeps me going. I am amazed by all that you do, not just for me, but for all the authors out there. You make our dream possible, and for that I am eternally grateful

This one’s for you.

Hugs and Kisses

Janelle

War makes rattling good history; but Peace is poor reading.

THOMAS HARDY, The Dynasts

Prologue

London, 2035

They were destroying everything.

Feathers floated in the air from the ripped couch cushions. Broken glass littered the floor, cracking beneath the heavy soles of the soldiers’ feet. Charlotte knelt beside her mother, her eyes trained on the floor while she watched them out of her peripheral vision. They had stormed their home, their voices shouting orders as their hands forced them roughly to the ground. Her mother had yet to say a word.

Where was her father? She hadn’t come to expect much from him over the past years, but surely he wouldn’t stand by and watch their home be torn apart in some attempt to find evidence that wouldn’t be there. She could hear the other soldiers outside, raging through the streets, destroying homes. The smell of burning lumber saturated the air. Would there be anything left of Leigh when they were done? Charlotte doubted it. When the New World army came, nothing survived.

“Where is he?” one of the soldiers asked, turning to her mother. Charlotte kept her gaze glued to the scuffed hardwood floors.

“I don’t know,” her mother said firmly. “I’m not my husband’s keeper.”

Charlotte glanced up at the man to see his reaction. He wore the customary uniform of the New World army. Black cargo pants, with tall, heavy black boots, and a tight black, long-sleeve shirt with a thick vest overtop that had a star on it, signifying he was the squad leader. Charlotte could see the definition of the man’s muscles beneath his shirt. Everyone knew that the young men of the army were well trained. This one looked not much older than her sister, Bridgette. His face reflected utter distaste as he glared at her mother.

“If you think you can hide him,” he said slowly, “think again. We know your husband is involved with the rebels. We will find proof here, and then you and your family,” he continued, nodding his head at Charlotte, “will be nothing more than dirt under my feet. I can help you and your daughter if you give me your husband’s whereabouts.” He waited, letting his offer lay between them. “I’ll tell Roman you knew nothing of his dealings.”

Rebels? That’s what this was about? Charlotte was well aware of the resistance movement – those who were bent on destroying the New World government and returning the world to its former glory. They were all idiots in her opinion. How could they possibly try to fix something that was so broken it could never be put back together? More than half the world’s population and land had been destroyed. What was there to save?

She looked over at the other two soldiers that were methodically tearing apart the room. The house she had grown up in looked nothing like it had only moments before, and yet she couldn’t bring herself to feel outraged about it. What did that say about her? This was how the world was now; you had something and then you didn’t. Charlotte had learned long ago to be prepared for this. What she wasn’t prepared for was the possibility that her father was a part of the rebels. The two of them had no love for each other; a sentiment lost a long time ago along with her sense of security in this hard, new world. As her father drifted away emotionally, so had she. What was the point anymore? Things like this happened, and when they did, it would only hurt more to care about the loss. She was done hurting. She was done watching everything be obliterated before her eyes. Nothing horrified her. At sixteen she had seen more loss than she could have ever imagined. It just didn’t register anymore.

Ludwig Tenebris and his New World order. The one man who had succeeded in bringing the world to its knees with just a flick of the switch. Communications across the ocean were non-existent, so it wasn’t known if anyone survived in other continents. There was no more television, or internet and computers. Ludwig had managed to cut off everyone’s eyes and ears to the outside world.

What did these rebels really think they could accomplish? Not only did Ludwig have his own clearly destructive army, he also had strategic ties to getting bombs and guns. He had more ammunition at his fingertips than anyone else in history. They were doomed. Charlotte understood this. She only wished everyone else did too, so situations like the one she was currently in didn’t happen.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” her mother replied, snapping Charlotte out of her thoughts. She turned to look at her mom for the first time since the soldiers arrived. She’d never met anyone as stubborn as the woman who brought her into this foul world. It was one of the things that Charlotte equally hated and respected about her. Seeing her, spine straight, chin lifted errantly as she met a soldier’s glare with one of her own, Charlotte realized that, even now when things were quite possibly at their worst, her mother had no intention of backing down. Bad idea. The New World army had the authority to kill whenever, wherever, and whoever they wanted. You didn’t piss them off – number one rule.

“Like hell you don’t, woman,” the soldier said. “If you won’t tell me, perhaps you’ll be more cooperative with Roman.”

Where the hell was her father? Could it be true? Was he a rebel and she just never realized it? Would he sit by and just watch his family be destroyed while he stayed protected? The fact that her instinctive reply to that question was ‘yes’ left a sour taste in her mouth. When was the last time he had done anything to help this family? Why start now? She needed to find out the truth.

Closing her eyes, she let her mind clear like she had done so many times before. This was her biggest secret, one her parents continually stressed to keep within the family. No one understood why Charlotte could do what she could. Her mother suggested it was a side-effect from the radiation in the atmosphere. A lot of people had gotten sick that first year after the initial waves of bombings. Babies were born with deformities and health issues. It seemed logical to assume her new ‘gift’ was caused by an outside source. Her grandmother, however, had always held that Charlotte had been touched by God.

“He gave you a special gift so you could use it to help find your path in life,” she’d say. That was right before she passed away a year ago. At that point she had been nothing but skin on bones. Charlotte hated to think of it. She always tried to remember her how she used to be before the cancer took hold. When she had been bright and vibrant. That was the last time she remembered feeling sad about anything. After, it was like nothing could touch her behind the walls she had built. It was the only way to survive now. Be strong, or be killed. She chose to be strong.

Charlotte focused on her mother, reaching forward with her mental hands stretched wide, and grasped onto the thoughts now flowing through her mind. She cringed from what she heard there. Her mother’s thoughts were frantic despite her calm exterior. Charlotte knew without a doubt her father was involved with the rebels. She tried to search deeper, to figure out the exact extent of his involvement, but hit a wall. She opened her eyes to look at her mother. She was blocking her out. She must have known Charlotte would search her, and she was intentionally keeping her thoughts hidden. Her mother turned, meeting Charlotte’s eyes, and very subtly shook her head.

Charlotte’s heart sank. Normally she would have never read her mother’s thoughts. Long ago, she promised herself and her family members that she would never invade their privacy in such a way. To be honest, she hardly ever used her unusual gift at all. Reading another person’s thoughts felt so wrong, the deepest sort of intrusion. Charlotte looked away.

Now that her mind was open, she was bombarded with the thoughts from the men around them. She flinched under the assault, trying her best to push away the vile voices and images. The bald one was already planning their deaths, the dark skinned one was acutely aware of Charlotte’s sixteen year old, blossoming body, and the other was now outside on the phone with who Charlotte assumed was Roman.

She was well aware of who Roman was. Ludwig’s second in command had made quite a name for himself over the past few years. No one messed with Roman Adamson. She actually admired that about him. If people looked at her the same way they did him she wouldn’t be in this stinking mess.

“Where’s dad?” Charlotte said.

“Shh,” her mother replied. And that was all. No explanation, no reassuring words. Nothing. The second most dangerous man in the New World was on his way to their house, and her father was completely MIA. Charlotte reached out to search her mother again but found only the wall, as if his safety was more important than their own. She was covering for him, willing to take a bullet if it meant he was safe. Charlotte fumed.

“Tie their hands and feet,” the squad leader ordered as he came back inside. “Roman is five minutes away.”

Charlotte tried to struggle as the dark skinned one grabbed her. His hands brushed the sides of her breasts then hesitated just on the top of her backside as he tied her hands together, stretching her arms painfully back. He let his own hands trail down her legs to her feet before binding them as well.

“You don’t look so smug now, do you?” the leader said, spitting on the floor in front of her mother. Charlotte kept her eyes down. There was a noise outside and then heavy boots sounded in the doorway. Charlotte glanced at those boots but not at the face they belonged to. She could hear his thoughts as he took in the scene before him. He looked over the ransacked room disinterestedly before turning his focus to them. Walking over slowly, his footsteps echoed like the gentle rhythm of impending doom. The air around them tensed, like even the house was holding its breath to see what he would do.

“Emily and Charlotte Hatcher,” he said, his voice deep and smooth. “Wife and youngest daughter of a Douglas Hatcher.” He stopped just in front of them, his boots close to their faces, the same ones all the rest wore. “There is also an older daughter, no? Bridgette Hatcher, also currently missing.” Charlotte heard him crouch down. “You’re missing half your family, Mrs. Hatcher. Care to tell me where I might find them?”

“I don’t know,” her mother maintained. “And even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”

He made a clicking noise with his tongue. “That’s unfortunate,” he said. “Am I to assume your opposition is because of your rebel affiliation?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” her mother answered. Lie. Charlotte cringed, hearing the falsehood of that statement loud and clear.

He chuckled. “I’m sure you don’t.” He stood up again. “Perhaps the daughter knows.”

“I don’t,” Charlotte said.

There was a pause before Roman spoke. “Pardon me?”

“I don’t know where he is,” she said again. Although she wished she did. Perhaps she’d have no problem telling these men where to find Douglas Hatcher. Why have a sense of loyalty to a man who had practically forgotten about her for the last decade of her life? He was cold and apparently working toward a goal that was idiotic at best. Charlotte looked up for the first time, her breath catching in her lungs. Dark eyes looked down at her curiously from a young, handsome face. Long, dark hair hung loose and damp around his face to just below his shoulders. He was huge, broad shoulders making the uniform look even more intimidating than usual. His eyes narrowed at her. She looked down again, sensing for the first time her mother’s renewed distress. Charlotte just started to turn toward her when she cried out.

“Wait,” her mother said, her voice panicked. A loud shot pulsed through the room. Charlotte fell to the side, her ears ringing. The sounds around her were muffled now as she blinked slowly, her face pressed to the hardwood floor. Two hands grabbed her roughly, placing her back on her knees. A warm wetness soaked through the knees of her pants. She looked down beside her, a chill washing over her entire body. Even if she had wanted to scream, she doubted she could against the tightness in her throat.

On the floor lay her mother, the back of her head now a gaping hole. Charlotte couldn’t see her face, and for that she was glad. Blood pooled around her. She choked back the urge to vomit. Her mother was dead. A bitter taste filled her mouth. They hadn’t been close, but no daughter should have to see this. Charlotte wasn’t even sure how to begin to process the sight before her. Emily Hatcher was gone and her lying, spineless, coward of a husband was nowhere to be found. He left them to this, and now Charlotte’s life would end before it ever really began.

“Where is he?”

Charlotte looked up, resentment filling every ounce of her body. “He’s not here,” she said. But I am, she thought. And there was no way she was leaving the way her mother had. She’d do anything to stay alive so that one day she would be able to face her father again and tell him how he had failed them all.

Roman crouched in front of her, a smile playing on his lips. “Do you realize, little girl,” he said, Charlotte instantly taking offense to the way he addressed her. Roman could be no more than twenty, not that much older than her. “That I haven’t spoken a word to you since I entered? Did you know that?”

Charlotte stilled, realization slamming into her like a wrecking ball – her mother’s sudden distress made sense. Jesus, she cursed. She had answered Roman’s questions thinking he had said them out loud, but he hadn’t. For years her parents stressed the need to keep her ability a secret. She was in deep shit. Her mouth was dry and cottony.

“Can you hear my thoughts, Charlotte?” he asked, looking closely at her.

Her eyes went to her mother’s dead body then back to him. Anger at her for letting herself die over this, and anger at her father for putting them all in danger to begin with, raced through her. Above that, the desire to stay alive pulsed loudly in her veins. “Yes,” she answered.

A pleased smiled spread across his face, taking it from scary to breathtaking in one small shift of his lips. “How interesting,” he said. “Tell me, did your mother know where your father is?”

“I don’t know,” she replied. “She was blocking me out.”

Roman watched her for a second before nodding his head slowly. “I believe you,” he said, shocking her. “And I can see the anger in your eyes. You’re mad at him, aren’t you?”

“He’s a selfish prick,” she said without thinking.

He laughed, throwing his head back. “Excellent,” he exclaimed. He stood, looking over his shoulder at the other three soldiers standing there. They suddenly looked nervous, their eyes glancing anxiously at her. They were scared of her. They knew she had heard all the things they’d been thinking since they got here. Her eyes met the one who tied her. He quickly looked away, his face paling. Never in her entire life had she felt as powerful as she did then, even as she knelt in her mother’s blood, her hands and feet bound behind her.

“Untie her,” Roman ordered. “She comes with me. You continue to look for signs of the rebels. Don’t return until this whole place has been searched and burned.”

“Yes sir,” they said together.

The squad leader stepped forward, cutting the ropes. She stood shakily, stretching out her aching limbs. Her eyes went back to her mother’s body, a mixture of anger and remorse washing over her.

“Come, Charlotte,” Roman said from the doorway. “I have someone I want you to meet.”

When Roman had entered her house, Charlotte could feel his presence. Some sort of intangible force surrounded him, demanding respect. He had nothing on Ludwig Tenebris. She was led into a large office, the floor to ceiling windows across from her bathing the room in a misleading warmth. Ludwig stood behind his desk, dark eyes watching her intently as she approached. He hadn’t said a word, and yet every hair on her arms stood on end. A shiver ran down her spine at the cold, calculated expression on his face, the power he exuberated with just the way he held himself.

“What do we have here?” he said. Charlotte swallowed against the dryness in her mouth. If surviving meant going along with whatever Roman had planned, then she was all for it. Dying was not an option. She would survive, and in time, she would grow to be strong enough to break away, find her sister, and get the hell away from London. Now, as she stood before the New World leader, she wondered if she’d ever make it out.

“A special treat,” Roman replied. “One I think you will rather enjoy.” A hand landed on her lower back, pushing her forward. She stumbled closer, her eyes locked on Ludwig.

“What’s your name, girl?”

“Charlotte Hatcher.”

Eyebrows shot up in surprise as Ludwig glanced at Roman questioningly. “Think of a number,” Roman said.

“Pardon me?” said Ludwig.

Roman laughed. “Ludwig, trust me, would you?”

The New World leader looked between the two of them doubtfully. “I’m starting to wonder if that’s such a good idea anymore,” he said.

“Humour me at the very least. You won’t be disappointed.”

“Twelve,” Charlotte said immediately. The second he had thought of it she heard it easily. His eyes shot to hers, widening in surprise. “Eighteen. Sixty two. Eighty nine.” God, Charlotte thought, how long is he going to do this? “Two thousand, five hundred and six.”

“How is she doing it?” he asked.

“She reads minds,” Roman said from behind her. Charlotte could hear the smile in his voice. Ludwig sat down behind his desk, his gaze never leaving her face.

“A girl who reads minds,” he said slowly. He leaned back in his chair, hands clasped loosely over his stomach. “My girl, I do believe you will be my greatest weapon yet.” The smile that stretched across his face made her stomach turn, but she kept her expression blank. They stared at each other in silence for a moment before he looked over at Roman. “And the father?”

“We didn’t find him.”

He nodded, looking back at her. “I bet he’ll be looking for you though, won’t he? Have a room prepared for our newest addition to the New World order.”

Her ears began to hum, their voices fading against the buzzing sound. Had she seriously just joined the New World army? It’s just to stay alive, she told herself. She could handle being around them for now. She’d been forcing herself to deal with shitty circumstances all her life. This was just simply new surroundings and different people. Her wall would stay firmly in place, and now she would have the opportunity to grow and ensure a future for herself. She would stay until she found her sister, and then she and Bridgette would leave everything and everyone behind. This was just one more stepping stone in the right direction. She could handle it. She had to.

“She needs a new name,” Ludwig was saying as she gave herself a mental shake and focused on the conversation around her.

“A new name?” she said, her voice shaky.

He nodded. “I can’t very well have everyone calling you Charlotte, now can I? Your father will know exactly where to find you if I do. A new name, a new life.”

A new name. A new life. A new identity, she thought.

He looked at her through narrowed eyes, thinking. “Dinah,” he eventually said, sitting forward. “Yes, it’s perfect. From now on you will be called Dinah.”

And just like that, Charlotte Hatcher was dead.

Chapter One

5 years later…

New Berlin, 2040

The man slumped to the floor, tears streaming down his face. Dinah looked on in disgust. She hated tears. They were a sign of weakness and served no purpose. She stood behind Ludwig’s chair, to his left, like she always did, Roman on the right. This whole scene was frustratingly familiar, as if she were living the same day over and over again. People were brought in, suspected of being rebels. More lies and, inevitably, death. She could tell from the way this one was blubbering that they wouldn’t be getting much out of him.

“Lottey,” Roman whispered.

She looked over, annoyed. “Stop calling me that,” she snapped. She hated when Roman called her by her old name. Charlotte meant free man. Her father had been molding her into a rebel right from the beginning, and she didn’t like to be reminded of that. Dinah, meaning justified, felt more natural to her now. It fit, considering she now served as Ludwig’s judge and jury. She’d been going by it for five years and yet Roman still couldn’t manage to call her by it.

She threw him a hard look, even though her mouth quirked up in a smile. He wouldn’t be able to see it anyway because of the mask she wore. Another of Ludwig’s changes for her. Dinah was required to wear a similar uniform to the men, but with a slight change – a light black shirt with a hood that went over not just her head, but her entire face. There was a thin opening for her to see through, but everything else was covered. She always thought she looked like a ninja – but way cooler, of course.

“A necessary must, I’m afraid,” Ludwig had said when he first brought the clothing to her. “If anyone realizes you are a woman, they will start to doubt your strength. We can’t have that if you are to be my third in command,” he explained. He didn’t say it, but she knew he also wanted to keep her hidden from her father. Not that she knew if he was even alive. No one had seen her father in years. He had literally dropped off the face of the earth.

Ludwig was still convinced he was alive and that if he knew where she was, her father would try and get her. Dinah doubted it, since he left her to her demise to begin with, but Ludwig wasn’t to be swayed from his belief. She didn’t mind anymore, even if the hood did get hot now and again. It added a sense of mystery to her, and she knew how unnerved it made people when they saw her. Ludwig’s “Weapon X,” they liked to call her. Of course, they had no idea she was a girl. She hadn’t been blessed with overly feminine curves, so the ruse was complete.

“X,” Ludwig said before she could find out what Roman wanted. He thought the nickname for her was funny, and adopted it himself.

She stepped forward so she was directly beside his chair. It amused her to see him sitting there like some King on his throne. The interrogation room was a large, dark room inside their main headquarters in downtown New Berlin. There were no windows – on purpose. Ludwig wanted anyone inside to feel completely disconnected from the world outside. Dark grey stones tiled the floor, stained from repeatedly spilled blood. Along the walls were sconces that lit the room in a dim glow, casting dancing shadows to unnerve the prisoners. There was no furniture except for the chair he sat in. It wasn’t necessarily a fancy chair by any means. Solid wood, carved with his crest at the top, and a red cushion for him to sit on. But still, she thought of it as his metaphorical throne.

She waited in silence for him to address her again. She never spoke out of turn. After five years of being his third in command, Dinah knew exactly where her place was.

“Is the pathetic excuse for a human telling the truth?” he said, as if asking what the weather was currently like outside.

“He knows little,” she answered. “He’s more scared of what you will do to him after. His thoughts aren’t coherent.” She kept her voice low, only loud enough for him to hear.

“Pity.” He frowned. “Nothing of use?”

Dinah turned to look at the man kneeling on the stone. He watched her nervously, visibly shaking under her cold stare. She searched deeper, shuffling through the useless crap she didn’t need to know. What is this? She thought, narrowing her eyes. Interesting. She pushed harder.

“He has a wall,” she said simply.

Ludwig leaned forward in his seat, his face hardened. “Another one?”

Dinah didn’t look away from the prisoner, but nodded in reply. This was the third this week. It hadn’t happened before then, well, except for her mother that last day. The fact that it was happening often now was concerning. Someone was teaching these men how to block her out.

“Break it down,” Ludwig ordered.

Dinah pushed forward hard, breaking down the wall as if it were nothing but sand. It crumpled in her mental fingers, revealing everything hidden there. Oh yes, she thought, there it is.

“There is a bar in the eastern ghetto,” she said. “A meeting is planned there for tomorrow at midnight.”

Ludwig snickered. “Midnight. So dramatic.” He sighed.

The man’s eyes burned, furious. “You cannot stop us all!” he shouted. “No matter how many of us you strike down, we will only rise up again – stronger!”

“I’m sure you will,” Ludwig answered dryly. “Anything else, X?”

“Nothing useful,” she said. “He’s not in the inner circle. He knows little.”

“Very well.” He nodded. “Roman.”

Dinah watched dispassionately as Roman stepped forward, pulling his gun from the holster beneath his left arm. He raised it level with the man’s head.

“You are all going to hell,” the man said, the fear in his eyes at war with his words.

Roman smiled down at the man, mercilessly. “Looks like you’re going to beat me there. Let me know how it is.” He pulled the trigger, the man’s brains splattering across the floor. The soldiers manning the periphery moved instantly, dragging the body away, and preparing to clean the mess. She didn’t envy the task.

“I want you both at that bar tomorrow night,” Ludwig said.

Dinah looked at him in surprise. “Even me?” she asked, louder now that no outsiders were around. All the soldiers in the New World army knew she was a girl so she didn’t have to be as careful around them.

“Yes, you too,” he said. “I need you there, Di. If anyone is going to be able to uncover these rats, it will be you.”

“If the meeting is going to be there, Ludwig, I’m sure me and my men can handle it,” Roman said.

“It’s not enough. I want her there. Just make sure nothing happens to her,” he said pointedly to Roman. Ludwig hardly ever let her out on these raids. He was constantly worried something would happen to her, even though she was hard to beat in a fight. The fact that she could hear her opponent’s move before they made it made beating her difficult.

The truth was, Ludwig relied on Dinah too much to risk losing her. The fact that he was letting her tagalong for this raid was surprising. She knew Roman’s reluctance was him just being overprotective as well. Between the two of them, it was a wonder she was allowed out of her room each day. Not that she really fought to get out. Over the years she’d been here, she found herself hiding within those four walls like it was the only world in her reality. Like the world outside wasn’t the same as the one she had to live. She was slipping further and further away from everything she used to be before joining the army.

“Bring me back information I can use,” he said, getting up from his chair. “These rebels are a constant thorn in my side. I want them wiped out, and I want it done now.” He stormed off, four soldiers breaking away from the rest to follow him.

Dinah stood with Roman, watching Ludwig as he retreated. “He’s getting impatient,” Roman commented.

“Gee, really? What was your first clue?” she replied. Roman turned to her with an appreciative grin.

“You’re getting mouthy in your old age.”

Dinah rolled her eyes. “I’m only twenty,” she said. “Hardly old.”

“Actually, you’re twenty-one,” he corrected. “Happy Birthday, Lottey.” He pulled out a small package from a pant-leg pocket. Dinah was speechless. It was her birthday? How did she manage to miss that? She looked up at Roman, amazed he’d actually remember a thing so trivial.

“You got me something?” she asked. He stood with the small present between them, a sardonic expression on his face.

“No, Lottey,” he answered. “I’m just standing here with a little box for no reason. Just take it”.

She narrowed her eyes, still not reaching for the box. “Stop calling me that. How many times do I have to tell you?”

“I do it because you keep telling me not to,” he said. “You should have realized that by now.”

“You’re annoying.”

“I know.” His smile stretched wider. “Are you going to take this, or am I going to hold it out all day?”

With a sigh, she reached out and took the small gift. She hesitated for a second before lifting the lid open to reveal the delicate pair of earrings inside. They were a beautiful blue stone set in white gold. Jewellery was a privilege of the upper class. Very few had such luxuries, and although she wasn’t part of the lower class by any means, Dinah had never owned anything like this. She had no idea what to say.

“They’re aquamarine,” he said. She looked up, still speechless. He shrugged uncomfortably. “They reminded me of your eyes. I always think of that stone when I look at you.” She blinked. It never occurred to her that Roman would notice anything about her. Despite the fact that she knew he was attractive, she swore to herself that she would never get too close to someone. Plus, the two had always been more like siblings. She didn’t get the sense that this was his way of hitting on her, more like a genuine observation of his that he wanted to commend in some way.

“They’re beautiful,” she finally said.

He smiled, accepting this statement as her way of saying thank you. “Perhaps when you’re alone you can put them on.”

“I will,” she replied sincerely. “I’ve never owned anything like these.”

“They’ll look even more beautiful on you than they do in that box.” They smiled awkwardly at each other before he cleared his throat. “Well, I guess I will see you tomorrow night for our big outing?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be ready.”

He took a step back. “I will see you then.” He turned and left, leaving her in the middle of the interrogation room with blood at her feet, a pair of beautiful earrings in hand, and a dumbfounded expression on her face.

Dinah entered her room, turning all three locks as soon as the door was shut. It didn’t matter how well the building was protected, she never trusted it enough to leave her door unlocked. There were enough men in the New World army with seriously questionable morals that she was often on guard, even at home. She turned and looked at the small room she occupied and frowned to herself. Home. Perhaps that was a bit much to describe the single room and bathroom – the only space she could call her own. It wasn’t a lot, but knowing how most of the population lived, it was definitely better than some. The roof didn’t leak, and there was actual heat. That alone was more than most could hope for.

She started her nightly ritual of disarming herself. Considering the amount of weapons she wore on her at all times, this was quite the exercise. She removed the two M1911 pistols from the double shoulder holsters, the desert eagle from the holster strapped around her thigh, the dagger in her boot, and the compact semi-automatic Smith and Wesson tucked in the back of her pants. She pulled her shirt off, shaking out her long, black hair. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly, enjoying the feeling of air on her face.

Sitting down on the edge of her bed, she took off her boots then headed for the shower. It was only eight, but really, what else was she going to do? She didn’t have friends, so even if she had wanted to go out, who would she go with? And where? She knew nothing of the city she lived in for five years now. It was just as unknown as it had been the day Roman brought her here. Sighing, she stripped down and got into the shower, letting the hot water wash over her. Tomorrow would be a long day anyway, she told herself. A solid night’s sleep was always a good idea before she had to deal with searching a large group of people. She just hoped they knew something worth her time.

Chapter Two

“Bridgette, you’re up!”

“Coming!” she called back, finishing the thick, black line across the lid of her left eye. She sat back, blinking at her reflection in the mirror. Fluffing up her shoulder-length, brown curls, she took one last look at herself before walking to the stage entrance.

“Go make me proud, darling,” Sebastian said with his usual drawl. Bridgette threw him a quick smile that he returned easily. Sebastian was the stage manager. His only job was to make sure the girls were on when they needed to be, and the show flowed. But he was so much more than that to all of them. Sebastian watched out for them. Any time one of the club’s patrons got a little out of hand, it was Sebastian who was there first to defend them. Not that he was a particularly threatening man. He wasn’t much taller than Bridgette’s five foot seven, and he couldn’t weigh much more than a hundred and seventy pounds, but she had caught glimpses of his arms and stomach under the shirts he wore, and knew the man worked out. He might be pushing fifty, but he had the body of a much younger man to go with his still thick, black hair.

Bridgette heard her cue and walked out to the marked spot on the lift that would bring her up to stage level. She shook out her nerves and got into her opening pose. Dancing at the Red Lounge wasn’t exactly what she had envisioned for herself when she was younger. When she had finished high school and started waitressing, she planned on saving her money to go to university and becoming a doctor. But after the city she called home was destroyed, along with most of its inhabitants, including her family, she’d been forced to move. Nineteen and alone wasn’t easy, so any means of making a buck became number one on her list of priorities. Who was she kidding? Being twenty-four and alone wasn’t any easier, and she was still doing anything necessary to earn some money.

The lift groaned and creaked as it began to rise. She repositioned her feet to keep her balance on the old, rickety metal. One day, she thought, it was going to collapse beneath her. She heard the other girls’ singing their parts and she took another deep breath. Then her head was up over the stage and the bright lights hit her eyes. She was used to this though, and managed not to squint against them. It always took her a second to adjust.

Cheers rang out when the audience saw her. She let her blood red lips turn up in a sly smile, batting her fake eyelashes at the men watching her. Things could be worse, she reminded herself. At least at the Red Lounge they got to keep their clothes on. She knew a lot of joints where the girls had to do some pretty degrading things. Red Lounge was an upscale men’s club that specialized in burlesque dancing, which meant skimpy costumes, but all the goods were covered.

She adjusted the mic around her ear, making sure it was close enough to her mouth so the audience would be able to hear her clearly over the music. Then she stepped forward and fell into the familiar routine of singing and dancing. The men continued to holler at her and the others as they danced around the stage, following their routine. Letting her voice rise high, the notes clear and in tune, she basked in the energy and adrenaline of performing. As the song came to an end, they gathered around each other for the final pose, hitting the mark taped on the floor for them. Applause followed and she smiled, controlling her breathing so she didn’t look as winded as she felt. Then the curtain fell and they all relaxed.

“Good job, ladies!” Donna called out. “Everyone take five!” She walked over to Bridgette, motioning for her to step aside privately.

“What’s up?” she asked, wiping at the sweat trickling down her face. The lights always killed her. It was no wonder she had to wear so much make-up.

“You looked good out there,” Donna said.

“Thanks.” Donna and Barry were the owners of Red Lounge. Bridgette always admired them for running this place as efficiently as they did. It was pretty difficult to keep any business going in the eastern ghetto, considering all the inhabitants were poor, but their set-up was bringing a lot of big spenders from the upper class sections. Bridgette knew it wasn’t easy; however the two of them seemed to make it work. And she knew that, deep down inside, they thought of the girls as family.

“Listen,” she said, her voice lowering. “I have a private party coming in, in about ten minutes. I need you and Michelle to perform for them. You think you can handle that?”

Bridgette shrugged. “Sure,” she answered. She’d done private parties before. It could be a bit more trouble, since they were in the rooms upstairs where there were no security guards posted inside. Barry made sure there were at least two posted out in the halls though, so if they ever got into any real trouble all they had to do was holler.

The way Donna looked at her made Bridgette think there was more to this than she was telling her. She waited for her to continue, but Donna gave her a strained smile that didn’t reach her eyes and then turned to leave. Bridgette walked back down to the dressing rooms to find Michelle. She found her sitting at her table, reapplying her lipstick. Her long, blonde hair flipped over her shoulder when she turned to look up at Bridgette.

“Hey, girl!” she said. “Good job out there. I wish I had your voice.” She pushed her lips out in a pout, her green eyes going all puppy-dog on her. Bridgette laughed and shook her head. This was a common exchange between them.

“We both know you can sing just as well as I do,” she argued.

Michelle waved her off. “Don’t lie to me, it only makes me feel worse.”

Bridgette rolled her eyes, taking a seat at the station beside her. “Donna needs us to do a private party in ten. You cool with that?”

“Sure! Who is it?”

Bridgette shrugged. “Probably some uppers, considering no one from around here could afford it.”

“Maybe I’ll meet my future husband tonight,” she said wistfully. All the girls thought this way. Bridgette was probably the only one who had no desire to marry one of the upper-class men. She hated the social system of the New World. Every time she walked home, she saw the effects of it. From the homeless on the streets, or the boarded up buildings of once beautiful, thriving businesses, it reminded her of how much damage was wrought on all of them. New Berlin was the only major city left. Ludwig and his army of teenagers had almost obliterated the entire world’s population. One man. She could hardly get her head around it. She remembered what it was like in those first few months – the bombs, the panic.

The first time communications went down, everyone was left in the dark. They soon learned they had been reduced to a third of the world’s population, and there was no stopping it. People talked about the end of the world, but it didn’t happen the way we imagined. No, it wasn’t some natural disaster, or widespread plague, it was just a plain old regular asshole. Figures. Now Ludwig ruled like some King from the history books she used to read. It was awful and she hated it, but her mother always said “you just gotta adapt.” So that’s what she’d been doing for the past five years – adapting. Living on her own and getting by.

Her thoughts went to her mother, and the same sad, empty feeling filled her. Bridgette remembered that day well. The raids, the devastation. Running home to find it burning. Waiting until dark when the rains finally put it out. Rummaging through what was left, and finding her mother’s wedding ring; her sister’s confirmation necklace. Both of them – gone.

“Hey,” Michelle said softly, touching her hand. “You okay?”

Bridgette shook herself out of old, painful memories and smiled. “Yeah, sorry. Got lost there for a second.”

Her friend smiled knowingly, giving her hand a little pat. “I get it. So what song do you want to perform?”

“Diamonds?” she suggested.

Michelle nodded. “Let’s do her proud,” she said with a wink. They both put two fingers to their lips, kissing them and then holding them out to the beat up photograph of Marilyn Monroe taped on Michelle’s mirror. They laughed, and Bridgette left to change outfits.

Bridgette adjusted the black, lace corset as they made their way to the second level. Michelle wore a white one that matched. They stopped outside the door. Deep, male voices filtered out to them from inside. Michelle reached up to fluff her hair as Bridgette did the same. They both smiled.

“There you are!” Bridgette turned to see Donna speed walking down the hall to them. Why on earth did she look so nervous? “Let me take a look at you both,” she said, stepping back to admire them. “You both look fantastic. Make me proud.”

“Don’t we always, mama bear?” Michelle asked with her signature pout. Donna rolled her eyes, but Bridgette could tell she wanted to smile. No one was completely immune to Michelle’s puppy eyes.

“Of course,” she said quickly. She opened her mouth as if to say more, but shook her head and simply shooed them in. Bridgette looked back at her one last time before the door closed. Their eyes met and she could see the anxiety in the older woman’s face, but she just smiled reassuringly and turned to walk back down the hall. The door shut with an ominous click, and Bridgette realized the room had become awkwardly silent. She turned to her audience and instantly felt her blood chill.

Shit.

There was a long platform set up in the middle of the room with a pole in the centre. A tiny stage was connected at one end. The rest of the room was filled with small, circular tables and chairs. In each chair sat a New World army soldier, dressed in their usual getup of black cargo pants and shit kicking boots. She’d seen what those boots could to do a person’s head more times than she’d like. It wasn’t as if they never had soldiers come in before, so this wasn’t what had her frozen in her spot. No, it was who sat at the table right at the end of the platform. Her mouth went dry and her breathing became laboured.

I can’t do this, she thought frantically. She glanced at Michelle and saw her friend was as shocked and terrified as she was.

“Ladies,” Ludwig Tenebris said in greeting. He motioned for them to approach him. They moved mechanically, both stiff with apprehension. Why was the leader of the New World here? They stood before him, as awkward as a new girl would be. They needed to snap out of it, but Bridgette was having a really hard time concentrating. She could feel his eyes on her, so she looked up to meet them.

Ludwig Tenebris was an enigma. On the outside, one would never think him capable of the mass genocides he’d accomplished in his measly thirty five years. There was not a wrinkle on his face; nothing to hint of stress of any kind. He looked fresh and young…and happy. A pretty exterior with a rotten inside. It made her sick. His blonde hair was slicked back from his smooth face, his dark eyes filled with mischief. She knew some girls found him attractive, but Bridgette shuddered to think about what kind of lover he’d be. Surely his sickness ran into the bedroom as well.

He was staring at her curiously, and she shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny. To avoid it she looked beside him. Bad idea. Bridgette had never met the man, but you didn’t need to be a genius to figure out who he was. That, and she’d seen him from a distance at some of Ludwig’s public speeches. He was always there, standing to one side as Ludwig’s Weapon X stood to the other. Roman Adamson, second in command. He also happened to be the most gorgeous man she’d ever laid eyes on. His face had every line and contour a sculpture could only dream about. His eyes were a dark, dark blue that shimmered with an emotion she didn’t understand as they stared at one another.

“Bridgette Hatcher, correct?” Ludwig said conversationally. Bridgette’s eyes flew to his, panicked. He knew who she was. This is not good, she thought.

“Yes…my liege,” she added hastily. Bridgette tried to keep the disgust from her face.

“Any word from your father?”

Bridgette felt the temperature in the room drop. That or it was just her. Probably just her. She could sense the soldiers’ attention on her. She was also painfully aware of Roman’s scrutiny. When she glanced at him for a second, she saw his eyes sweeping back up, unhurriedly, as if he’d been pursuing her body from head to toe. She flushed, despite the cold. Bridgette quickly looked back to Ludwig before Roman’s gaze could meet hers again.

“I-I haven’t heard from him, no,” she stuttered. “I assume he is dead. Most likely in the raid that took our home.”

Ludwig looked thoughtful for a second. “Is the rest of your family dead then?”

“Yes, sir.”

He raised his eyebrows.

“Yes, my liege,” she corrected.

“You had a mother and sister, did you not?” he asked.

She nodded.

“Both are gone?”

She nodded again. Why was he asking her this? Funny how she’d just been thinking of them tonight and now they were being brought up again. A night for bad memories, it would seem.

“Such a shame,” he said. Bridgette bit the sides of her mouth so as not to speak the rude reply on her tongue. Shame my ass, she thought angrily. It was his own men who did it, and everyone knows who gives the orders.

His gaze moved to Michelle, lighting up in interest. “Aren’t you a pretty, little thing,” he commented. She heard Michelle giggle and reply sweetly, despite her fear. Bridgette was having a hard time focusing. There were events happening right now that she didn’t understand. Her being in the same room as him was no accident. She wasn’t a fool. But what it could mean, she didn’t know. Something to do with her father? She swallowed awkwardly, distantly aware of Michelle and Ludwig speaking easily to each other. Her eyes met Roman’s, who hadn’t looked away from her the entire time. They stared at each other until Bridgette couldn’t take it anymore and looked down at the floor. Whatever he was thinking, she didn’t think it was good, and she didn’t want to see it anymore.

“Are you beautiful ladies going to dance for us?” Ludwig was asking. Michelle answered happily and then Bridgette felt her pulling her to the small stage at the other side of the room.

“Snap out of it, Bridge,” Michelle whispered urgently. “Let’s get this over with and get out.”

Bridgette nodded distractedly. She blinked a few times, trying her best to ignore the heat on her back from where she knew Roman still watched. “Right,” she said. “Let’s get this over with.”

Chapter Three

She had the same eyes. Roman watched as Charlotte’s sister stepped onto the small stage, music now filtering through the surrounding speakers. They looked similar and yet so very different. Charlotte had long, black hair that reached her waist; her sister’s hair only hit her shoulders and was a lighter shade of brown. Where Lottey was tiny, her sister was curvy and a few inches taller. But they both had those same piercing blue eyes. Roman assumed they must have gotten them from their father, because as far as he could remember, their mother hadn’t had eyes like theirs.

Lottey was definitely more beautiful than her older sister, but Roman found Bridgette more interesting. Her nose was a little larger, the lines on her face a bit harsher, and yet still quite pretty. Then she began to sing and he was lost. She moved effortlessly on stage, performing as if she was born to. He couldn’t imagine his little Lottey ever moving in such a way. Come to think of it, he’d kill her if she ever did. No one but himself and Ludwig ever saw Charlotte without her mask, so none of the other soldiers were aware of just how beautiful she really was, and Roman liked it that way. The last thing he needed was to kill off his own men for looking at her lustfully.

He shifted in his seat uncomfortably as he watched her hips move with the music. Her ample breasts bounced in the barely concealing corset she wore, teasing the men who watched. Ludwig was silent beside him. This whole situation had come as quite a surprise to Roman. He knew Ludwig was aware of Charlotte’s sister’s location, but he had never shared it with him. When he suggested they come here, Roman hadn’t really thought anything of it. Everyone knew of the Red Lounge, so he assumed his friend and leader just wanted to relax and have fun for the night.

But as soon as his eyes met hers, he knew. And then Ludwig had asked about her father and suddenly Roman could taste the danger in the air. Thankfully he didn’t think the girl knew her father’s whereabouts. That might have just saved her life – for now at least. They sat in the dark room on the upper floors of the Red Lounge, watching the two girls sing and dance together, and he found himself completely mesmerized.

Ludwig leaned over then, voice lowered, his eyes never leaving the girls. “What do you think?”

Breathtaking, he said inwardly, knowing that wasn’t what his friend was asking for. “I think she’s telling the truth,” Roman answered. As he listened to her sing he wondered if Lottey could sing as well. He’d never heard her, but perhaps she could and he just didn’t know it.

“Hmmm,” Ludwig hummed thoughtfully. “Perhaps you’re correct. To be safe, I want her watched. If her father is alive, there’s no way he’d stay away from his only living relative.”

“As far as he knows,” Roman added.

“As far as he knows,” Ludwig said, sitting back in his chair. They watched the girls until the song ended. Their skin glistened with sweat. Roman looked at it, a variety of thoughts and ideas swimming through his brain that he tried to push away. There was no way he could have her. Not just because she was Lottey’s sister, but because she was Douglas Hatcher’s daughter. That was a whole lot of trouble he wasn’t prepared to deal with.

“Do you think she has talents like Dinah?” Ludwig leaned over again to ask.

“Oh, she has talents,” Roman murmured, “but definitely not those kinds.”

They laughed together, and Roman caught the frightened look on the girls’ faces as they waited on stage. Ludwig stood, clapping his hands slowly while Roman remained seated, his heated gaze only on Bridgette. He could care less for the other girl.

“Please,” Ludwig said with a smile. “Do another for us. I think my men and I deserve it.”

The soldiers banged their glasses encouragingly on the tops of the tables, and the two girls nodded in acquiescence. He shifted again in his seat. He was going to need a long, cold shower when he got home.

Bridgette pulled off her lashes carefully, her hands still shaking from tonight’s performance. Donna had been waiting anxiously outside the room when they were done. Never once had Bridgette felt like yelling at her boss, but tonight was an exception. Before either of them could speak, Donna was apologizing profusely. Bridgette sat at her dressing table now, wiping off the last of her make-up. Sebastian came to stand behind her. She could see his sympathetic look in the mirror.

“I’m fine,” she said quickly.

“I know you are, darling,” he said. “I would never suggest otherwise. Just wanted to see if you needed someone to escort you home.”

She gave him a bland look in the mirror. “I live a block away, Sebastian,” she pointed out.

“I know,” he smiled sheepishly. “I just know who was here tonight and thought maybe you’re a little more on edge than normal.”

He had a point. She looked around, noticing most of the girls had left for the night, and suddenly she did feel a little edgy. “On second thought, yeah I’ll take that escort. Let me just change into my jeans.”

“No problem, darling. I’ll be waiting for you out by the bar.”

Bridgette dragged her feet up the stairs to her third story apartment. She felt a little like a vampire sometimes, sleeping all day and working all night. Not that she was missing much during the day, since the city was in ruins. Well, not in the upper sections, but she stood out like a sore thumb up there. She felt much more comfortable in the ghettos, even if they were broken down and dirty. Some life, she thought bitterly. Having a comfortable, loving home was a distant memory. If she didn’t know any better, she would have said her life prior to the war was nothing but a dream, a figment of her imagination. But she remembered them too clearly for it all not to have been real. Her family. If only she had been there.

No, don’t start that again, she chided herself. If she had been home she’d be dead now too. Regrets got you nowhere. She climbed the last step and stumbled down the creaky hall in fatigue, trying her best to step on all the spots she knew were quieter. Next to her apartment lived a young woman named Karen with two children, ages two and three. Their father was hardly around and she knew how tough it was on her. The last thing Bridgette needed was to wake them up at three in the morning.

She balanced her many bags awkwardly on her shoulder as she reached into her pocket to find her keys. As soon as she was inside, she decided, she was having a hot shower and sleeping for the next twelve hours straight. Not even a city bombing would be able to rouse her. Quickly entering her place, she turned to lock all four deadbolts on the door.

“Good morning!”

Bridgette screamed, turning around with her hand gripping her chest. She knew the voice, of course, she just hadn’t expected to hear it in her apartment!

“Jesus, McKay! What the heck are you doing here?”

He sat on the arm of her couch, his feet lazily crossed at the ankle. It looked like he had been patiently waiting there all night. Instead of answering, he said, “your apartment is ridiculously easy to get into.”

Her mouth fell open. “So you decided to break in?”

“How else was I supposed to show you how easy it was?” he asked as if it were clearly obvious.

“Uh, I don’t know. How about just letting me know to beef up the locks? Not break in at three in the morning and give me God damn heart attack!”

He looked at her like she was crazy. “You would have never believed me if I just said it.”

Bridgette pinched the bridge of her nose, setting her bags down on the counter in her tiny kitchen. “What are you doing here, McKay?” she asked tiredly.

He smiled, knowing full well the argument was over. The two of them had been friends since they were ten, and as hard as she might try, Bridgette could never find it in her to stay mad at him for long. He stood up, walking over to join her in the kitchen. She noticed he had shaved his head again, his dark blonde hair now just a short fuzz on his head. His jaw was clean shaven, and he wore faded jeans with a tight t-shirt that showcased tattoos covering both his arms. She could barely see the colour of his eyes in the dim lighting, but she knew them as if they were her own, a clear green like summer grass. Pete McKay, or just McKay as his friends called him, was probably one of the best looking guys she knew. No, wait, she corrected, had been…Roman Adamson was quickly rising to the top of her list. But besides the fact that he made all the girls drool, and was her closest friend, Bridgette had never felt an ounce of romantic feelings toward him.

“How was work?” he asked.

“You don’t want to know,” she replied. “Are you going to tell me why you’re here, so I can go to sleep?”

“I need you to come somewhere with me tomorrow night,” he said, turning serious.

“Oh?” she asked, eyebrows raised. It was never comforting when McKay was vague about things. Normally that meant he was up to no good. “Where would that be, exactly?”

“The Bull’s Eye.”

She laughed incredulously. “You’re kidding right?”

“I know it’s not the nicest place…”

“Not the nicest? McKay, it’s a hole in the wall. Why on earth would I go there?”

“There’s someone I need you to meet.”

Well that sounded ominous. “Does this have to do with the rebels I’ve heard you’re hanging around? Because if it does, I don’t want any part of it.”

He sighed, running his hand over his short hair. “Can you just do this for me please? It’s not like I ask you for much.”

“I’m not going to that dump. And that’s final.”

“It’s not that bad,” he argued. “I mean, you work at the Red Lounge for crying –”

“Stop right there,” she warned. “You do not want to get into this argument with me right now, Pete. I’m tired, and I want to go to sleep.”

“Geez, using my first name. You must be in a bad mood.”

She narrowed her eyes at him in response. He raised his hands defensively. “Okay, okay. I get it.” He glanced around quickly as if someone was listening. Bridgette gave him an annoyed look. “I need you to come, because it has to do with your dad.”

“My dad?”

He nodded.

“What is it with today?” she murmured.

“What’s that?”

“Nothing.” She waved him off. “Fine, I’ll see what this is all about, but I can’t go tomorrow night, I’m working.”

“What about after work?”

“Sure,” she said, giving in. “So long as it’s not at the Bull’s Eye. Meet me here instead.”

“What if you’re followed? It’s too risky.” He shook his head.

She stomped her foot, a terrible habit whenever she was really frustrated. “Why would anyone follow me?” she asked crossly.

“You never know, Bridge,” was his reply.

“Fine. You pick a place – a different place – and I will be there. Got it?”

“Yup!” He smiled, walking over to kiss her lightly on the cheek. “I’ll be in touch tomorrow.”

“Yeah, sure. Great.”

He chuckled, ruffling her hair just the way he knew she hated. “Night, Bridge!”

Then he was gone, just as quickly as he had appeared. Bridgette sighed looking at the doorway to her bathroom longingly. It was way too late now to shower. She shucked off her clothes as fast as she could and climbed into bed. The second her head hit the pillow she was out.

Chapter Four

The day had gone by slowly, much to her irritation. Dinah walked out of her room doing another mental count of the weapons she had on her. There was no such thing as being overly cautious in this day and age. She headed down the hall wondering what had happened to Ludwig all day. Normally he sent for her at least once, but she’d heard nothing. It was strange, but if anything bad had happened she would have known by now. Roman stepped out of his room as she was making her way toward the stairs. He waited outside his door for her.

“Good evening,” he said.

“Evening,” she replied. She stopped in front of him. “You ready to do this?”

“Are you?”

She narrowed her eyes at him, about two seconds away from punching that mocking smile off his face. “Watch it,” she warned.

“In a bad mood today, Lottey?”

“I will be if you don’t stop calling me that.”

The door at the far end of the hall leading to Ludwig’s quarters opened. They both turned to see a skinny girl with long, blonde hair walk out wearing hardly anything at all. Dinah’s eyebrows rose in surprise. Neither of them said a word as she made her way down the hall, head down. When she finally looked up, she noticed them. A small smile touched her face when she spotted Roman, but it instantly vanished when she noticed her. Dinah could have sworn the girl began to shake as she continued, now a little faster, toward them. They both stepped back, letting her walk past. She didn’t look at either of them again.

Dinah waited until she was out of sight before turning, questioningly, toward Roman. He shrugged. “Don’t ask me,” he said, hands raised.

She snorted, shaking her head. Like he didn’t know what that was about, she thought doubtfully. He fell into step beside her as she made her way to the stairs.

“Weapon X strikes again,” he muttered. She looked over to see him fighting off another smile.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she snapped.

“Didn’t you see her face?” He laughed out loud now. “She was terrified of you.”

Dinah rolled her eyes, descending the stairs quickly. “Sometimes I think you can learn a thing or two from people like her.” His laughter followed her down.

She hated cars. Being locked inside a cage of metal set her on edge. Especially a large one like the SUV they were currently in. There were too many people crammed inside, she could hardly breathe. Dinah looked out the window as they drove through the upper section. It wasn’t often that she got to observe like this. Normally when she went out, if she went out, she was on her bike. Speeding down the streets on a Harley-Davidson Iron 883 didn’t give her much of an opportunity to take in her surroundings. She wished she was on her bike now, not sitting in this death trap.

“Can I ask you something?” Roman said. She turned to look at him on the other side of the bench, waiting. “Do you ever think about your father? Miss him even?”

“I think he’s a selfish prick who left his family to die for his beliefs,” she answered plainly. “So no, Roman, I don’t miss him.” She turned back to look out the window.

“What about your sister? Think she’s alive?”

She looked back. “I’m sorry. Are we having a heart to heart right now?”

The two soldiers sitting up front tried to hide their snickers, but she heard them. Roman’s mouth lifted in a smile, his eyes bright with amusement.

“I was just asking,” he defended.

“I don’t think about her either,” she lied. She thought about her sister all the time, she just didn’t like to admit it. Living with Ludwig had taught her a few things over the years, and one of those was to never show anyone your weakness. Truth be told, she did wonder what happened to Bridgette. At first she had planned to find her, but as the years went by, Dinah had started to lose hope. When she looked at her reflection in the mirror, she wasn’t sure who she was looking at anymore. She had hardened more than she thought possible, and had done things, seen things she wasn’t proud of.

She closed her eyes against the light outside the window and pictured Bridgette as she was the last time she saw her. It had just been that morning before her sister had left for work, leaving like it would be any other day. Dinah was ashamed of who she was now. How could she possibly see her sister again as Weapon X? Would she look at her the same, or just see the monster Dinah had become? It hurt too much to even think about. Still, she always wondered if she was alive out there somewhere. Was she safe? Happy? Did she miss her? But they were pointless questions really. Most of the people in Leigh the day of the attack were killed. Those who got out had hopped on their boats at the docks. She doubted her sister had been one of them. She was always terrified of being out on the open water.

“She’s probably dead anyway,” she added, turning to look at him. “You said it yourself, there weren’t many survivors that day. I highly doubt she would have been one of them.” He nodded his head thoughtfully. “Why do you ask?”

He shrugged. There was more to this conversation than he was letting on, but Dinah kept quiet as she watched him school his features before answering her. If she really wanted to, she could just look in his head and find out, but she really hated doing that to those who were close to her. “Just wondering what you think about when you stare off like that.”

She looked at him pointedly. “Can you guess what I’m thinking now?” she said. “I’ll give you a clue, it rhymes with duck pew.”

His eyebrows shot up in mock horror, his hand clasping his chest. “Lottey!” he admonished jokingly. “Not here! I told you, not in front of the others.”

Dinah pushed him, not that it did any good considering he was the size of a tree. The men up front were laughing freely now, as was Roman. She kept her eyes narrowed at him, before turning to look out the window. It was a good thing she wore her mask all the time, otherwise Roman would be annoyingly aware of how often he made her smile.

“You can’t hide from me,” he whispered. She looked back to find him leaning in close, his face only inches away from hers. “Just because your face is hidden, doesn’t mean I don’t know when you’re smiling.”

“Oh?” she said stubbornly.

“I’ve spent enough years watching those pretty eyes,” he said. “I know how to read them.”

She shook her head, unable to fight the smile spreading across her face.

“Right there,” he pointed. “Got you again.”

“Yeah, well you better watch out or I’ll get you back,” she said. “And trust me, it isn’t nearly as fun.” He laughed, moving back to his side of the vehicle.

They were leaving the upper section and heading east toward the ghetto. The streets grew grimier, the buildings more run down and damaged. Dinah shivered. The place always reminded her of a ghost town. The population of the ghettos surrounding New Berlin were higher than any of the upper sections, and yet any time she drove through them it seemed desolate. She knew, logically, it had to do with the fact that the people recognized the fleet of cars travelling through their area. No one wanted to mess with the New World army. The lower class didn’t get to have cars, along with electronics of any kind.

The problem with killing off most of the world’s population, Ludwig had discovered quite quickly, was that it reduced the manufacturing workforce. It also meant less people working to build communication towers, and many other things the old world had an abundance of. Ludwig kept his eastern contacts happy enough so they were still providing him with fuel and such, but the people over here weren’t seeing it. Aside from the army, of course. And a select few of the upper class. Dinah often wondered what Africa was like now that Ludwig had given it over to his arms dealers. She shuddered to think. Was any part of this world a fraction of what it used to be?

They drove up to the large gates of the eastern ghetto. Two armed guards stepped forward, guns ready. Roman rolled his window down and they immediately stepped back, waving at another man to open the gates. The loud metal creaked in the eerie silence of this section of town. Dinah looked around wondering how the inhabitants managed to hide without her ever catching even a glimpse of them. Did they have their own people watching? Did that mean the ones meeting tonight would know they were coming ahead of time? She hoped not, or Ludwig would be seriously pissed.

Pete stepped out of his apartment, flipping the collar of his jacket up to protect himself from the drizzle. The streets shimmered in the glow from the street lamps. He walked quickly since it was already eleven thirty and everyone would already be there. Figures he’d be late – again. A vibration in his pocket had him pulling off into an alley. He looked around before reaching in and extracting the small cell phone.

“Hello?”

“Where are you?” the voice demanded.

“Easy, mate. I’m on my way,” he assured him.

“Is Bridgette with you?”

“No,” he answered, quickly reassuring him. “But not to worry, she said she’s willing to meet later tonight. She just can’t come to the pub.”

“She working?”

Pete cringed at the distaste lacing those words. “Uh, yeah.”

An angry sigh filtered through the phone. “Fine. Get your ass over there now.”

“I’ll see you in a few.” He shut the phone, stuffing it back, deep into his pocket. The amount of shit he could get in for having one was not something he liked to think about. No one, especially not one of the lower casts, were to have a cell if they weren’t in the army. His contacts made sure to drill that into his head. ‘Keep it a secret’ was one phrase he’d heard more times than he could count.

He stepped out of the alley, picking up his pace. How in the world was he going to get these guys to a meeting with Bridge? At first he had contemplated bringing them to her work, maybe getting a room upstairs so no one would see them. But after hearing the way the General just sounded he didn’t think it was such a great idea anymore. Not that he didn’t understand where he was coming from. Since Bridge had taken that job it had pissed the hell out of him. Sure there were worse places, or so she continually reminded him, but that didn’t make it any better.

Bridge had been his friend since he was young. He could hardly remember a time that he didn’t know her. For years now she’d been alone, making her own way, and even though Pete wasn’t family, he felt it was his duty to keep an eye out for her. He knew how lonely it could get without family, even though technically he still had most of his.

Her sister, Charlotte, had been three years younger than him, so he never really knew her, but he could tell it was her loss that troubled Bridge the most. They had been close, as close as sisters can be. He recoiled at the thought of losing one of his brothers, especially back when they were younger.

“How’s it goin’, McKay?” He looked up to see Tommy Boy walking toward him. He had no idea what his real name was, unless of course it was actually Tommy Boy, though he highly doubted it. Tommy was a regular scam artist, but didn’t give Pete much trouble. For some reason he liked the guy.

“Tommy, mate,” Pete greeted, grasping hands. “Where you off to this lovely evening in New Berlin? ”

Tommy smiled. “Got me some cash, so I’m headed over to the Red Lounge. Want me to say hi to Bridge for you?”

“Yeah, let her know I’ll see her later,” Pete replied.

“You snogging that yet?”

“Watch your mouth, mate.” He gave him a quick slap on the shoulder and started walking again.

“Where you headed?”

“The pub,” he called back without looking.

“Tell the boys I say hi, yeah?”

He waved his hand in the air in reply. How Tommy Boy got enough money to go to the Red Lounge wasn’t something Pete wanted to know, but he knew it couldn’t be good. Turning the corner, he sped through a back alley, coming out the other side right next to the pub. Loud voices and the clinking of glasses could be heard from the street. A few men outside smoking called out greetings as Pete made his way inside.

The pub was packed. Music played in the background, drowned out by the sound of raised voices and the clack of balls from the pool tables. The air was stuffy but at least it was dry. Pete shook out the damp cold sticking to him, pushing his way through the crowds. Greeting people as he went, he finally reached the back table where the boys all gathered.

“‘Allo, ‘Allo,” he called out.

“McKay!” a few voices hailed in return. A full pint of beer was pressed into his hand before he even sat down.

“Where you been?” Trent asked, leaning in close. His older brother was constantly worried and paranoid. Pete flashed him a carefree grin.

“Just running a bit late is all,” he said. “Not to worry.”

“Running a bit late,” laughed Seamus. “I bet. Who was it this time, Chloe? Rebecca?”

Pete shook his head, smiling from ear to ear.

“Danielle,” piped in his younger brother Garrett. Pete took a large gulp of his beer, welcoming the cool slide down his throat. His brother and best friend starting laughing as he avoided their eyes.

“Danielle?” Seamus sputtered. “Jesus, boy. I don’t know how you do it.”

Neither did he, if he was being honest. It wasn’t like he had much to offer these girls. He just hoped Danielle was smart enough to be gone before he got back. It wasn’t that he didn’t like her, because he did. Or at least, he liked her enough not to want to be a complete ass. But there was too much going on in his life to be worrying about relationships and things. Christ, he could barely keep himself out of trouble, he’d hate to bring anyone else into his life permanently.

“Next time,” Trent said low enough just for him to see, “you deal with personal shit after. Got it?”

Pete turned to meet his brother’s gaze, all humour gone. “I’m here. Everything is fine. Get off my back.” They stared at each other tensely for a moment before Trent looked away. He might be older, but they both knew who was giving orders around here, and it wasn’t him.

“Come on boys,” Seamus said, lightening the mood. “The night is still young, and we got a whole lot of fun ahead of us. Let’s not ruin it, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Pete nodded, shifting in his chair.

“Have you spoken to the General?” Garrett asked. Pete nodded once. “He still coming?”

“He’ll be here,” was all he said. More guys came to join their table and soon the conversations turned to regular things. Trent even seemed to lighten up as he laughed at some ridiculous story Seamus was telling, which Pete knew for a fact was a complete lie. His best friend was notorious for stretching the truth.

“That’s bullocks,” Garrett accused, laughing.

“You think?” Seamus shot back, sitting up straighter.

“Absolutely. There’s no way your measly little arms could lift a car all on their own,” his brother argued.

“Measly?” Seamus gasped. “I’m telling you the truth. The girl was pinned under there and I lifted the damn thing right up.”

“Sure you did,” Trent said, chuckling.

“It can happen,” he said. “They say even women can do it when their kids are trapped.”

“That’s not the same thing,” Trent argued.

“Why isn’t it?” Seamus waved him off. “You guys don’t know what you’re talking about. McKay believes me, don’t you, McKay?”

Pete shook his head with a laugh. “Seamus, you couldn’t even beat me in an arm wrestle if I challenged you. There is no way you picked up a bloody car.”

Seamus sat back, affronted. “You don’t think I could beat you in an arm wrestle? I could win in less than ten seconds.”

Laughter broke out around them. Pete kept his gaze on his best friend, fighting back his own laugh. “Oy! You reckon?”

“I’m sure of it.”

“Then it’s settled,” Garrett said happily. “The two of you, right now, right here. Arm wrestle challenge. Seamus has exactly ten seconds to beat you, or we get to beat him.”

Seamus groaned. “It’s only fair,” Trent added. “Everyone gets a shot if you lose.”

“Fine,” he said, conceding. “But no hits to the face.”

“It might do you some good,” Garrett pointed out. Seamus leaned over and punched him in the arm. Pete shucked off his jacket, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. They placed their elbows on the table, Trent holding their hands together.

“Alright boys. On three,” he said. It was on. Pete wanted to laugh as Seamus struggled to pin his arm. Around them, the others called out numbers loudly, counting down the ten seconds. Just as they yelled out eight, the front door to the pub flew open, crashing against the wall. Pete wouldn’t have thought much of it, but the entire place instantly went silent. He saw Seamus’ face tighten as he looked over his shoulder. They broke apart and Pete turned to see what was going on.

Shit.

At least fifteen New World army soldiers stepped in, their boots loud on the old, worn floors. But that wasn’t what had him concerned. It was the last two people to follow them in. Roman bloody Adamson and Weapon X.

Chapter Five

The noise stopped as soon as they entered. People froze, glasses halfway to their mouths. It was almost comical, Dinah thought. She looked around slowly, taking in the unpleasant smell and feel of the place. It was a dump. How could anyone want to drink here? She doubted the glasses were even cleaned properly. She looked distastefully at the stained floor and bar, deciding it was probably better not to touch anything. It didn’t look sanitary in the least, even though she was wearing gloves.

She kept her mind closed off for the time being. It was never smart to walk into a room with this many people with her senses open. She would be hit so hard with the thoughts of everyone at once, she’d likely get a migraine. She looked over them slowly. No one met her gaze. Each and every one of them looked down, their faces blank. But she knew they were terrified. She could practically taste their fear.

“Good evening, gentlemen,” Roman said casually, walking further into the room. His boots echoed off the floorboards. “I hope we’re not interrupting anything.”

“Not at all, mate,” someone spoke up. “What can we do for you?”

Dinah followed the voice to its owner and stilled. Her breath caught in her chest as she looked at him. Dear God, she thought, he was gorgeous. Sleeves rolled up to reveal more tattoos than she could decipher, and eyes greener than any she’d ever seen, set in a chiselled face wearing a tight smile that did not reach his eyes. His hair was buzzed short, and yet she had an unnatural urge to run her hands over it. What the heck was her problem?

To her surprise, the guy glanced her way, their eyes locking. She watched as his widened a bit as they stared at one another. She felt fidgety all of a sudden under his gaze. It was making her hot for some reason, and for the first time in a long time, she wished she could take her damn mask off so cool air could hit her face.

“We were just in the neighbourhood,” Roman replied, grabbing the guy’s attention again. Dinah let out her breath, grateful for the interruption.

“Not really your kind of neighbourhood, wouldn’t you say?” the guy said, turning slowly back toward Roman.

Roman laughed. “No, I suppose it isn’t. And yet, here we are. I wonder why that is?”

The guy looked around at his friends who were suddenly on their feet around him. Dinah sensed trouble. “I wouldn’t know, mate,” he said calmly.

“Shall I tell you? It is because we recently heard word of a meeting taking place here tonight, at midnight.”

“The only thing happening here is drinking and a poor game of arm wrestling.”

Roman and the guy stared off. For some reason she had the urge to step between them, but she remained by the front door. Roman had given her strict instructions to stay out of the way as much as possible. He wouldn’t be able to concentrate properly if he was worried about her safety. Still, the urge was there and it bothered her.

“I doubt that,” Roman said, no longer smiling.

“It’s just our regular hang out,” he held.

Roman tilted his head. “Well then you won’t mind if my colleague here has a look around, metaphorically speaking of course,” he said, donning a wolfish grin. “X!”

Dinah moved forward, letting her mind open up. It was a good thing she did, otherwise she wouldn’t have heard his intention in time. The bartender reached for the shot gun hidden underneath the bar, pointing it in her direction just as she reached for the gun at her hip. Dinah quickly pulled it and aimed, firing right at his head. The bullet entered his skull in the middle of his forehead before he could even get his finger on the trigger. The shotgun fell with a bang just as the man hit the back wall, sliding down to the floor out of sight. The soldiers around her drew their weapons, levelling them at the rest of the patrons.

Roman moved into action immediately, walking back behind the bar to retrieve the shotgun. His face was flushed with anger.

“Anyone else feel like doing something stupid?” he growled. Dinah didn’t wait to see what anyone else had planned, knowing that all of them were too scared to even move. She approached the guy as she placed her gun back in its holster. The men surrounding him looked at the floor. She stopped just in front of him. He was a lot taller than her so she had to look up to meet his eyes.

Two bright green orbs looked back at her, narrowed in suspicion. She didn’t like the funny way he was staring at her, or the way her pulse had picked up. His eyes dropped down the front of her and very slowly rose back up. Dinah’s face burned behind her mask. When they reached her face again he was looking at her knowingly. It took her a second to figure out what his problem was, but then she realized – he knew. No one else had ever figured it out, but this guy had. The problem with knowledge was that sometimes it could get you in a lot of trouble. And in this case, it would get him killed.

She pushed her senses toward him, searching. What she found there made her even more worried than the fact that he was on to her. She pushed harder. Turning her attention to the others around him, she focused on a larger guy, not as tall as the one in front of her, but thicker in the shoulders. His hair was a dark shade of blonde, reaching just below his ears in waves. They looked similar, and she wondered if perhaps the two were related. He was older though. She could tell from the lines in his face. Not by much, probably early thirties. He didn’t meet her eyes, but when she searched him the same thing happened.

Dinah cursed inwardly, moving on to the next guy. He was skinnier and a bit shorter than the green eyed guy. His hair was a reddish brown, with light freckles across his nose. His eyes were a light blue. Not as vibrant as hers, but more like the sky on a clear day. They were focused on the table before him. She pushed, gaining a bit more distance than the other two, but still coming up against the same thing. One word came through though, ‘general’. It would have to do, she decided. Dinah looked back to the green eyed boy and saw a smug smirk on his face. She narrowed her eyes, staring at him for a second before walking toward Roman. She motioned for him to follow her a little distance away from everyone.

“Well?” he said.

“Ask them about the General,” she whispered, keeping her voice low enough so no one would hear her. “Let’s see what reaction you get. I’m thinking I should search the chatty one alone. Less people around will help me concentrate more.”

Roman nodded. “Okay. We’ll take him to the bathroom then.” Dinah agreed and they both turned to face the room again. Roman walked slowly up to the guy, the shotgun held casually at his side. “Tell me,” he said. “Who is the General?”

“Shit,” someone whispered close to where she stood. Dinah grinned. The guy’s eyes widened only a fraction but she caught it. They glanced over to her. She couldn’t help herself after his smug little smirk before, she winked at him and watched as he clenched his teeth. Oh yes, she thought triumphantly, they definitely have something.

He was a she. Pete was still trying to wrap his head around that realization as he tried to keep up with the developments happening in the room. Poor Glenn was dead behind the bar and Pete wanted to make sure no one else followed. He had to put this to bed – now. The council was going to have his head.

He thought about Garrett in the washroom. When they all stood they had purposely hidden him so he could make an escape. Pete had discreetly passed him the cell, knowing he’d know what to do with it. Hopefully by now the General would know what was happening and not come here.

When Weapon X had approached him and he was able to get a closer look, he knew his suspicions were correct. How was it that he’d never noticed before? How did no one else notice? He looked around and realized that everyone else was looking down and away. So that’s how, he decided. If no one looked closely enough, they wouldn’t be able to see all the slight differences that gave her away. Well Pete noticed. He looked her over again as her attention turned to his brother and friends. There was no mistaking it.

First of all, she was tiny. Way too tiny to be a guy. But despite that, she still had curves that no man could have. The slight flare of her hips, the curve of her thighs. She wasn’t exceptionally endowed in the chest, but he could see the telltale curves there too. Weapon X was a woman. Huh, who would have thought? He almost wanted to laugh. He watched her eyes, those eyes that had caught him the second he made contact. A blue that was a shade he’d never seen before. He always thought Bridge had nice eyes, but this girl’s were amazing.

He watched as they narrowed and he wanted to shout for joy as he read the confusion and frustration in them. He couldn’t help the grin on his face when she finally looked back at him. Perhaps they’d get out of this unscathed. He was feeling pretty confident up until Roman asked him about the General. They were in deep shit.

“General?” he said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “No idea what you’re referring to, mate. Isn’t that a military term?”

Roman Adamson was not impressed. Pete hated the guy and would give anything to get him in a one-on-one fight. He’d tear the bastard to shreds.

“It is. I do wonder, though, which military you are referring to? Certainly not mine.”

Pete shrugged indifferently. “No idea. We’re all just having a pint after a hard day’s work, like us lower folk do. There ain’t no rebels here.”

Roman leaned in close. It took every ounce of will power not to slam his fist into that smug face. “Well you’ll excuse me if I don’t believe you. My colleague will have to confirm that statement.”

Pete raised his eyebrows, crossing his arms over his chest. The whole bar was so silent you could almost hear the dust settling. The two of them stared down each other before Roman stepped back.

“Bring him to the bathroom. I want the rest of you out here with weapons ready. No one is to leave or move. Got it?”

Two soldiers stepped forward, each grabbing one of his arms.

“Don’t fight,” Trent whispered. Pete rolled his eyes. Like he was going to. He might be impulsive and reckless sometimes, but he certainly didn’t have a death wish. They ushered him into the washroom to find Garrett there taking a piss.

“Get out,” one of them ordered.

Pete wanted to laugh at the expression on his brother’s face. If he didn’t know any better he would have believed the scared look there, but his brother was a little shit who didn’t scare easily. He mumbled incoherently and scurried out quickly. Pete breathed a sigh of relief that they hadn’t thought to search him first. If he was smart, that cell would be tucked inside his boot where no one would think to look.

The two soldiers pushed him inside and left without a word. A second later Roman and Weapon X walked in. The door slammed shut behind them.

“Let’s try this again,” Roman started. “Who or what is the General?”

Pete splayed his hands in front of him. “I already told you, mate. I’ve got no idea.”

Roman stepped forward but stopped when the girl put her hand on his arm. He looked back at her, eyebrows furrowed in question. She moved so her back was to Pete, her head close to Roman’s. Pete couldn’t hear what she said, but whatever it was, Roman didn’t like it. His jaw worked as he stared down at her like he wanted to argue. Resigned, he nodded once before looking back at Pete.

“Any trouble and I’ll be back in a second, and you, mate, will be dead. Understand? X, keep your gun ready.”

Pete just looked at him, unmoving. Weapon X reached for one of her pistols holstered beneath her arm, clicking off the safety loudly in the small space. Then Ludwig’s second in command turned sharply and left, leaving the two of them alone. Pete watched her back as she seemed to take a moment to collect herself. Then she turned to face him with those eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped as she held up a hand.

“Don’t,” she said. Her voice was soft and musical. Completely at odds with her appearance, and reputation. “If you tell anyone what you know,” she continued, “you’ll die. Do you understand me? If not by my hand, by another’s. This isn’t a game. There are consequences for those who know too much, and I really don’t think you’d like them.”

Pete laughed. “I get it,” he said. “Just tell me, how do you do it? I’ve never heard one rumour about you being a girl.”

“That’s because those who know, who shouldn’t know, are disposed of. It would be smart of you to remember that.”

“Noted,” he replied dryly.

She narrowed her gaze at him, silent for a moment before saying, “tell me how you’re doing it.”

“Doing what?” he asked.

She took a step closer, the hand holding the gun twitching at her side. “You know what,” she said. “Tell me how you’re doing it.”

He didn’t think about his next move, he just did it. Overthinking these things sometimes complicated it, so instead he acted on impulse. One second they were glaring at each other, and the next he had her pinned to the ground beneath him, her gun skidding across the floor. His hand instantly moved to cover her mouth as he used his bodyweight to restrain her. There was no way someone as small as she was could over power him.

“You’re not so big and bad when you don’t have your little ability, are you?” he said in her ear. He pulled back, her eyes burning into him with rage. “How easily the infamous Weapon X is taken down, and there’s no one here to save her.” He reached down with his other hand, quickly robbing her of the rest of her weapons. “No more blowing off people’s heads today.”

She struggled under him, but he just pushed her harder into the tile floor. He slid the guns to the far wall, well out of reach. “That’s better,” he said. He looked down at her furious, blue eyes and chuckled. Lifting his chest up a bit, he looked her over until he saw what he wanted. With one fast move, he ripped her hood off. She sucked in air, but his hand was covering her mouth again before she could get out a scream.

Bloody hell. She was beautiful.

He’d seen a lot of pretty girls in his life. Bridgette was often called beautiful by all the boys, and even Danielle was attractive. But this girl…she was quite possibly the most gorgeous girl he’d ever seen. Long, black hair fanned out around her head. Her skin was smooth, pale porcelain. Dark lashes framed those eyes set beneath perfectly arched brows. Pete realized he was staring at her like an idiot, mouth open and everything, as she seethed beneath him.

“I’m going to let my hand up so we can have a chat, and you are not going to scream. Deal?”

Her eyes narrowed to slits. For some reason that made him chuckle which seemed to only make her more angry.

“It’s the only way you’re going to get me to talk, so you don’t have much choice. I could kill you right now if I wanted to.” Not that he would, damn him. Part of him rationalized that it was because he’d be dead himself before he even made it out of this room. The other part knew it was for a lot more selfish reasons. Killing her would be like destroying a fine piece of art. He just couldn’t bring himself to do it. “Are you going to be a good girl?” He could have sworn she growled. He chuckled again, he couldn’t help it. This girl was all sorts of entertaining to him. Slowly he removed his hand and almost wanted to groan when he got his first look of her soft, plump lips. God must hate him, he decided.

“We both know you wouldn’t make it out of here alive if you killed me,” she said.

“Who says I care if I don’t?” he countered. Her lips pressed together angrily. “Now, tell me how you knew about the meeting tonight.”

“Tell me how you’re blocking me,” she shot back.

He shook his head. “I’m not going to do that, we both know that.”

“Everyone out there has a wall up. How?”

He rolled his eyes. “You’re wasting your time…” he tilted his head. “What’s your name?”

She opened her mouth then closed it again, as if rethinking her response. “Dinah,” she answered.

“Dinah,” he repeated. She cocked one eyebrow as if to say ‘what of it?’. He smiled at her feistiness. “Okay, Dinah, I want to know how you knew about the meeting.”

She looked away for a second, deciding. When she looked back his heart actually jumped. Not good, he thought. He could not have those sorts of reactions to her. Other parts of him were jumping to life as well just from lying on top of her, and that was really not good.

“Some old man was brought in,” she said. “I don’t know his name. He had the same sort of wall as the rest of you, but I was able to break it down enough to get that information.”

“What did he look like?”

She shrugged awkwardly. “I don’t remember.”

“Did you kill him?” For some reason he really wanted her to say no.

“No.”

He actually let out a sigh of relief. Why did it even matter?

“I don’t normally kill unless I have to,” she said. He stared at her, surprised by her honesty. “I don’t know why I told you that,” she admitted.

“Cause you don’t want me to think you’re a monster?” he suggested.

“I don’t give a shit what you think of me.” He fought the urge to smile again. His little spitting kitten. Whoa, whoa whoa. Not his. Why the hell did he just think that? It was time to wrap this up.

“I need you to get you and your men out of here, without anyone else dying. Think you can manage that?”

“What am I supposed to tell Roman?”

“I don’t know, I’ll leave that up to you. But make sure it’s good enough to convince him it’s time to leave.”

She bit her lip, drawing his attention there. Unwanted desire built in his stomach that he quickly pushed away. “Fine. What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Are you going to tell anyone about me? Not only do you know I’m a girl, but you’ve seen my face. That’s very dangerous information.”

“For now, I’ll keep it to myself. Can’t make any long term promises.”

“Fine. Neither can I.”

He looked into her eyes, knowing that she could bring a shit storm down on all of them if she wanted. “Fine.”

Something very weird had just happened to her, and it wasn’t that she had been taken off guard. To be honest, even though she was trained, she was still a lot smaller than most opponents. Without being able to hear the other person’s moves, she was pretty much SOL. The fact that he got the best of her wasn’t really all that surprising. She was more shocked she hadn’t considered that possibility before she asked Roman to leave.

No, what was weird was that when he’d asked for her name her initial reaction was to respond with Charlotte. Not once in five years had she gone to give someone her old name. What was it about him that had brought that out of her? It disturbed her, almost as much as the memory of his body on hers. And why had it thrilled her so much that he got to actually see her? This was so messed up.

They both stood as she refused his hand to help. She pulled her hood back over, making sure the end was tucked in and her face covered. Then she put her weapons back in their places. She could just turn around now and kill him, but that idea didn’t sit well with her. She could feel him watching her closely as she fixed herself, even though she refused to meet his eyes. Without a word, she opened the door to the bathroom and walked out. He followed behind her.

Roman stood outside by the front door. Dinah had known him long enough to see the tension in every line of his face and body. He did not like leaving her alone like that. His eyes flew to her as soon as she came into view. She sensed the guy behind her stop where his friends were as she continued through the room to where Roman stood.

“I have a migraine,” she said in a low voice. “I’ll explain in the car, but right now I think we should leave. There’s nothing going on here.”

“Can you prove any of them are rebels?” he asked.

She shook her head once.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“In the car,” she repeated.

He looked down at her for a moment before slowly nodding. It killed her that he trusted her and she wasn’t being one hundred percent honest with him. He called out orders to the men and they began filing out. Dinah walked through the front door, not bothering to look back.

Pete watched her leave without a backward glance. He didn’t know why that bothered him, but it did. Everyone breathed a little easier as soon as the last solider was gone.

“What the hell happened in there?” Trent asked, spinning around to glare at him.

“Nothing,” Pete said.

“Nothing,” he echoed disbelievingly.

“That’s what I said.” Pete stepped closer to his brother. Trent might be the older one, but Pete was the General’s second. He worked his ass off to get there too, and he didn’t need anyone questioning him. Trent ground his teeth together but kept silent.

“So what now?” Seamus asked, eyeing the two.

“Now, boys,” Pete said, taking a step away from his brother to turn toward the front. “We go to church.”

Chapter Six

Michelle dropped down into the chair beside her. Bridgette looked over in surprise, noting the bags under her eyes.

“You’re late,” she said.

Michelle sighed. “I know, sorry. It’s been…a long day.”

Bridgette cocked an eyebrow. “Why? Where did you – ” she stopped, looking at her. “You didn’t…” Michelle’s face scrunched up.

“Don’t ask,” she said, shaking her head. “Trust me, you do not want to know. Let’s just say, I’m happy I came out of that place alive. I literally thought he was going to wear me out – permanently.”

“Ew,” Bridgette flinched. “Please, don’t say another word. I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.”

Michelle giggled, standing up to walk over to her station. Bridgette followed, noting the time. They were both expected to be on in ten minutes. “I got to see Roman Adamson again this morning,” Michelle was saying as she sat down to put her make-up on. Bridgette stood behind her, feeling suddenly uncomfortable at the mention of him.

“Oh?” she said in her most uninterested voice.

Michelle looked at her in the mirror, a mischievous look in her eyes. “Don’t think I didn’t notice how the two of you watched each other last night. I’m mildly nearsighted, Bridge, not blind.”

Bridgette pursed her lips. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Uh huh, sure you don’t. We can play this game if you want, so long as you know that I know that you have the hots for Roman Adamson.”

“You’re also mildly delusional apparently,” she said dryly.

Michelle laughed, dabbing on her lip gloss. “I also saw Weapon X,” she said with a shudder. “He was standing with Roman. I seriously thought I was going to pee myself, I was so scared.” She dropped her hand, her eyes wide in the mirror. “Oh God, you don’t think he could hear me thinking that, do you?”

Bridgette snorted. “I doubt he was bothering to listen to your thoughts, considering where you were just coming from.” Michelle stuck her tongue out before going back to what she was doing. Everyone was scared of Ludwig’s Weapon X because it was rumoured that he could read minds. Bridgette could understand why this would frighten most people, but it didn’t scare her a bit. Her sister Charlotte had been able to do the same thing. No one understood why, but one day she started complaining about hearing voices. At first her mother thought Charlotte was schizophrenic. Their father had been adamant there was nothing wrong with her, but she continued to insist she could hear voices.

It wasn’t until the next day that they finally put two and two together. She wasn’t hearing voices, she was hearing their thoughts. It had been strange at first, and a little annoying not to have privacy, but after a while their father had figured out a way to block her out. He would make Bridgette and Charlotte practice every night with each other until finally, one night, Charlotte clapped happily that she couldn’t hear any of her thoughts. Bridgette suspected if she ever did meet this Weapon X, she’d have no problem blocking him out the same way.

“You girls are up in five,” Sebastian called out.

Bridgette snapped out of her memories, waving at him so he knew she heard.

“What are your plans after work?” Michelle asked. “You’re getting off earlier, no?”

“Yeah,” Bridgette replied. “Donna said I can leave at one. I’m meeting up with McKay.”

Michelle sighed dreamily. “Have I told you lately how hot your best friend is?”

“Yes. I’m pretty sure you say it every time his name comes up.”

“That man is something else.” She hummed. “Definitely knows how to show a girl a good time, if you know what I mean,” she added with a wink.

“Ew, no I don’t know what you mean,” Bridgette wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Michelle shook her head, giving Bridgette her patent ‘Bridgette’s nuts when it comes to Pete McKay’ face. “You are best friends with the juiciest piece of meat in the city, and you two are completely platonic. It’s insane, you do realize that right? Any other girl would be all over that like white on rice.”

“Every girl pretty much has,” Bridgette pointed out.

Michelle snickered. “Not every girl, Bridge. He’s not nearly as bad as you think. He’s just no angel, which me likey – a lot.”

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” Bridgette whined. “He’s the closest thing I have to family. Please don’t ruin it by giving me anything that can be transformed into a mental picture. I don’t think I can handle that.”

She laughed wickedly. “Fine. Where are you two going? Can I tag along?”

“Girls! You’re up,” Sebastian yelled.

“Come on, we got to get up there. And no, you can’t come.”

“Boo.” She pouted. “How did I know you were going to say that?”

Bridgette started over to the lift, calling over her shoulder, “because I say the same thing every other time you ask.”

Sebastian held out a towel as she came off stage. Bridgette took it with a smile in thanks, faltering when she saw the serious look on his face. “What’s wrong?”

“I just got a call from Garrett,” he said in a hushed voice.

“A call?” She must have heard that wrong.

“That doesn’t matter,” he said. “What matters is that the New World army busted the Bull’s Eye tonight. And not just soldiers this time.” He looked around before leaning in closer. Bridgette could smell cigar off his breath and clothes. She wondered, fleetingly, where he would possibly get cigars. She didn’t give it much further thought after his next words. “Roman and Weapon X were there too.”

“Shit,” she breathed. “McKay?”

“He was the first up and talking, of course.”

“Of course,” Bridgette sighed. Could that man ever keep his mouth shut?

“Roman and Weapon X took him into a washroom alone for interrogation.”

Bridgette gripped her chest, feeling sick to her stomach. What the hell had he gotten himself into now?

“Bridgette, listen to me,” Sebastian was saying. She met his eyes, trying desperately to focus over the panic rising inside. If anything happened to McKay…she couldn’t even go there. He was all she had that was family. There was no way she’d lose him too. “I need you to go to St. Anne’s. Now.”

She took a step back. “You want me to go to church at one in the morning?” she said incredulously.

“I don’t want you to, I need you too. Please,” he said. “Things are happening a lot faster than we expected, and right now I need you where I know you’re safe. Everything will be explained there.”

Bridgette shook her head, looking at the man who had been helping to keep her safe since she started working here. It was funny how no matter how much time you spent with a person, there was still a million things you didn’t know about them. “We,” she said with a tired laugh. “And who would this ‘we’ be, Sebastian? Or should I even bother asking?”

He gave her an apologetic look. “I know how you feel about – things. And I respect your opinion, but right now I can’t argue with you about it. I need you at St. Anne’s, tonight.”

“I guess I should just be used to the men in my life dragging me into this shit.” She stomped around him, heading to her station so she could grab her regular clothes. There was no way she was going to church is fishnets and a corset, even if Tommy Boy did just say she looked like an angel.

“Bridgette,” Sebastian called beseechingly. “Don’t do that, please. Don’t make me the enemy.”

She spun around, hands fisted at her side. “I don’t make anyone anything. You are the ones who do this to yourselves. And somehow I just keep getting caught up in the mess.”

“Fighting for a better life, and to save lives is not a bad thing, Bridge. Can’t you see that?”

She stepped closer, her voice lowered so no one else would know what they were arguing about. The last thing she needed was someone reporting them. “All I see is a bunch of men fighting an impossible fight, and while doing so, putting innocents in danger. What the hell makes you any better than Ludwig Tenebris? ‘Cause from where I’m standing, there’s not much.”

“Your mother would have given her life willingly for our cause.”

“Oh yeah? And my sister, Sebastian? What about her? Do you think she was so willing to give her life at sixteen?” Sebastian looked away silently. Bridgette turned without waiting for him to speak again. She grabbed her clothes and headed to the change rooms at the back of the building. She had decided a long time ago that some things were just not worth it. She’d listen to whatever McKay and the others had to say, but she wasn’t getting involved. She lost everyone to this war, she wasn’t losing herself too.

Roman was exhausted. Often it felt as if his days never ended. It was a wonder he didn’t collapse from lack of sleep. Walking through the halls of the New World army’s main headquarters, he thought about what Lottey had told him in the car and wondered what it could mean for them. How strong was the resistance getting?

“Ah, there you are.” Roman looked up to see Ludwig walking toward him.

“I’ve been looking for you,” Roman said.

“And I you,” Ludwig replied. “We need to talk – now. Get Dinah and come to my private rooms.”

Roman cocked a brow. “Will there be any more dancers hiding in there?”

Ludwig laughed. “Not tonight, I’m afraid.”

“I’m just glad you didn’t take home the other one.”

Ludwig screwed up his face in disgust. “I would never bag Dinah’s sister. For one, I wouldn’t want her here should they happen to see each other. And for another, I care too much for Di to do that behind her back.”

Guilt and shame slammed into Roman. Had he not been thinking about Bridgette constantly since last night? What did that say about him?

“Well, well, well,” Ludwig said slowly, grinning from ear to ear. “Does someone have a crush on someone’s sister?”

“What? No,” Roman denied instantly.

“Don’t lie to me. I can see it written all over your face.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Roman held, pushing past him. “I’ll go get Lottey and we’ll meet you in your rooms in five.” Ludwig’s laughter followed him down the hall.

“Better make sure she doesn’t read your mind,” Ludwig yelled. Roman ignored him.

Dinah pulled on her boots with a sigh. Just as she had lay down on her bed for the night, Roman appeared at her door insisting she join them for a meeting. Who meets at two in the morning? She needed sleep. Trying to push into a bunch of heavily guarded minds had wiped her out. If she didn’t get rest soon, she really was going to have a migraine.

She closed and locked her door, heading down the hall, her steps muted by the plush carpet. There were other soldiers milling about, but most of them ignored her. All except one, who sped up to fall into step with her. Dinah looked over questioningly.

“Hey, Dinah,” he said easily.

She knew this one. What was his name again? She stared at him, trying to remember. Bobby? Christian? Jacob?

“Xavier,” he offered.

Way off. “I know that,” she lied. “What’s up, Xavier?”

“Just wondered if you wanted to join me and some of the other guys tomorrow night? We’re going to celebrate Ludwig’s birthday.”

Shit. It was Ludwig’s birthday tomorrow. Also now a national holiday. There was no end to that man’s vanity. She stopped abruptly, Xavier tripping to follow suit. “You’re asking me to go out with you and a group of people?” she asked, clarifying.

“Yeah,” he nodded.

How strange, she thought. This was the first time any of the men had invited her along. She literally had no idea what to say. They stared at each other awkwardly, until he cleared his throat, offering her a weak smile.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” he said. “Just know the invitation is out there.” She nodded. He turned and headed back the way they had come. Dinah looked at the red carpet beneath her feet, realizing how remarkably strange her life really was. Someone asks her to hang out one night and she’s shocked into silence. When she was younger she was always going out with her friends. Now she did absolutely nothing. It was sad really, if she let herself dwell on it, but she didn’t. Shaking off those thoughts, she started walking again, deciding there was no way she was going out with Bobby and his friends.

“Come in,” Ludwig called out after she knocked. Dinah stepped into the room to find him and Roman sitting before a blazing fire. She had no idea what this building was used for before the war, but whatever it was, she found this room very strange. She didn’t think Ludwig had changed it at all. The walls were a dark burgundy with white paneled trim. Massive windows looked down on the street, draped in curtains of forest green. The floors were a deep brown hardwood, as were the floor-to-ceiling bookcases lining one wall. Everything was dark and manly, right down to the large, wingback leather chairs they sat in. Through the door to her right was his bedroom, but she had never been in there and didn’t ever plan to.

“Sit down, dearest.” Ludwig motioned to a seat across from him.

“Did Roman tell you?” she asked as she took the seat.

“Not yet, he was waiting for you. What happened tonight?”

“I was blocked out,” she told him.

“Blocked out? By all of them?” he said, disbelievingly.

She nodded. “I don’t know how, but I couldn’t get in. One let a name slip, the General, but that’s about it.”

Ludwig sat back, looking at her closely. “How?” was all he said, but she knew what he meant. How could a group of people manage to guard themselves against her abilities? She really didn’t have an answer for him, unfortunately.

“We’ll need to look into it,” Roman said. “They knew she wouldn’t be able to break their walls. Someone must be teaching them how to do it.”

Ludwig looked thoughtful. “This ‘General’, perhaps?”

Roman shrugged. “It’s possible.”

“We’ll need to find out more. But how?” He stared into the fire pensively. “There’s one more thing,” he said without looking at either of them. “It’s why I wanted to meet with you. One of our arms trucks was hijacked on the way to the city tonight.”

Roman sat forward. “Hijacked how?”

“The driver was found dead on the side of the road, so we couldn’t exactly ask. The truck is gone.”

Roman cursed, standing up to pace behind the chair he had just been seated in. “What do we do now?”

“We figure out what these rebels are up to, and then we make an example of them. Somehow they’ve figured out our delivery schedules, and successfully stole what is mine. This happens again, and there will be a lot of trouble for the people in this city.”

“It’s not like we’re short on weapons,” Dinah said dryly. They both looked to her.

“These are our enemies, hiding in our midst. Any advantage to them is a disadvantage to us. It’s unacceptable.”

“I know.” She hated when he lectured her like she was a child. Like she didn’t know they were in deep shit if the rebels had more weapons in their hands. She wasn’t an idiot.

“This needs to be stopped,” Ludwig said. He rubbed his chin. “What if you spent more time with them?”

She and Roman exchanged confused looks.

“Spent more time with whom?” Roman asked.

“Not you, her,” he pointed at Dinah. “What if you spent time with these lowers? Do you think you could slowly break down their walls after increased exposure?”

“I don’t know,” she answered honestly.

“What are you going to do, just arrest them all and keep them here until she can find her way in? They’ll never break that way,” Roman argued.

“Not exactly,” Ludwig said. “I’m talking about spending time in a familiar environment, not here.”

“Wait,” Dinah sat up straighter. “You want me to go hang out in the ghettos, so I can be exposed to them longer?”

Ludwig smiled at her like she was a child who finally got the right answer. “Make friends, Di,” he said. “Surely you can manage that. Go down there and pretend you’re just one of them. Sit amongst them, laugh, talk, do whatever it is they do. All the while, work away at their walls.”

“I don’t know if this is such a good idea,” Roman said with a shake of his head.

“Of course it is,” Ludwig maintained. “We need to know what they’re up to and how they got a hold of the information about my trucks. I’m hesitant to get another one here until we know how they managed to hijack the last. I won’t keep losing product to those scavengers. Di is our best bet. No one will know who she is.”

“No one?” Roman asked, looking at him pointedly.

“You will watch over her from the shadows,” he answered.

Dinah didn’t know what Roman was suggesting with that question, but her thoughts immediately flew to the guy from the pub. He’d know who she was the second she walked in. Crap. Should she say something? But if she did, that would mean his immediate death, and for some reason that didn’t sit well with her. Would he know? Could she play it off like she was there on her own terms, and not as some spy? Either way he’d never let his guard down around her. Unless she tried to avoid him, but that wasn’t really possible since she had a gut feeling he knew more than any of the others. His walls were the strongest. Someone who needed to protect their mind that strongly was likely a source of very valuable information.

“She’ll be fine,” Ludwig said, holding Roman’s eyes for a second. There was some sort of silent conversation happening between them. Dinah had no idea what, but she knew for sure Roman wasn’t supporting this new plan.

“Fine,” she agreed. “I’ll do it.”

“That’s my girl,” Ludwig smiled.

She got up and stretched before heading to the door. “I’ll start tomorrow,” she said over her shoulder.

“Just make sure you play nice now, X,” Ludwig called teasingly. “We need you to be charming.”

She flipped him off as she walked out. “I’m always charming.”

Chapter Seven

Bridgette hurried through the dark, empty streets. Sebastian was somewhere behind her, but she wasn’t slowing down for him. Most people thought the resistance was a good thing. She understood the desire for change. Their world had become a shadow of its former self, and people were not living prosperous lives. Heck, she was struggling herself. It wasn’t that she didn’t get it. It was that she didn’t agree with the idea that the end justified the means. It was easy for people to think that way when it wasn’t their family being torn apart.

Sebastian didn’t seem to understand that. He might think or says he does, but Bridgette didn’t think he truly did. Charlotte had only been sixteen. Sixteen. That is a fraction of a lifespan, and it was cut off so quickly. Bridgette would never be able to get over it.

As she turned the corner, St. Anne’s Cathedral stood in the distance. The towers of the church rose into the sky, reaching up to whatever heavens were above them. Bridgette often wondered if there even was such a thing as heaven. She knew there was hell; she was living it. But heaven? She wasn’t so sure. The street the church was on looked to be completely deserted. She wasn’t fooled by the outward appearance of the empty, destroyed buildings, and litter blowing across the streets. She knew the rebels made their home in this area, which was exactly why she avoided it. McKay’s place was around here somewhere. She’d been there only once. The silence in this area freaked her out and she hadn’t been back since.

The buildings were destroyed from the bombings. The once beautiful, historic facades now nothing but crumbling brick and stone. It was such a shame. Bridgette couldn’t even remember what New Berlin had looked like when it was called London. A name no one used anymore. A group of men stood in front of the church. Bridgette could see the bright red of their cigarettes lighting up in the dark whenever they inhaled. Even though she couldn’t see them clearly, she knew which one was McKay. He had a certain cockiness to the way he stood that made him easy to spot.

She picked up speed. As she neared, she saw one of the others nod in her direction and then McKay was turning to face her.

“Are you okay?” she asked, cupping his face so she could turn it from side to side. He rolled his eyes, standing still while she checked him over. The guy had no mother, so sometimes she took it upon herself to be a little maternal.

“I’m fine,” he said, shrugging her off. “Nothing happened.”

“Sebastian said Roman Adamson and that Weapon X guy showed up,” she argued.

“They did,” he shrugged like it was no big deal. It was definitely a big deal.

“Pete!” she yelled, slapping his arm. “Stop acting like this was nothing. What happened?”

“Would you calm down,” he said, rubbing his arm. “They came in, took a look around, and then left.”

She crossed her arms, lifting her eyebrows, unconvinced. “They just left?”

He splayed his hands in front of him. “I’m still here, aren’t I? They didn’t find anything, Bridge. We’re all okay.”

“Yeah, Bridge,” Seamus called out. “We’re all fine. Thanks for asking.”

Bridgette looked over McKay’s shoulder at his best friend. Seamus Flanagan was one of those good looking guys who didn’t seem to know it. That was probably why most of her friends were always in love with him growing up. McKay was hot, and he knew it. He walked around, head held high like he was the king of the world. Always had. If he wasn’t so nice she would have hated him, but despite the way he presented himself, McKay was one of the most thoughtful, trustworthy people she knew.

Seamus on the other hand was hot, but he had absolutely no idea. He didn’t seem to notice when girls threw themselves at him. It was one of the things Bridgette liked most about him. He was that guy who was always happy and made sure everyone was having a good time, and not solely looking for his next lay. He was also the only other person Bridgette could count on to watch over McKay when she wasn’t around.

“I know you’re okay,” she said to him, “because you probably weren’t the one opening your big mouth around two of the most dangerous people in the city.” She turned her gaze to McKay. “You, on the other hand...”

McKay smiled smugly. “Guilty as charged,” he said.

Bridgette growled. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”

He swung his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side. “Come on, Bridge. Let’s get you inside where it’s warm.”

“I have a feeling that, no matter what happens tonight, the last thing I’m going to be feeling is warm.”

He gave her shoulder a squeeze, but didn’t respond as he ushered her inside the cathedral.

The interior of the church was just as creepy as the exterior. Shadows hid most of the outer circle, only a few moonlit streams lighting isolated spots amongst the pews. Candles were lit up by the alter. No one was there except them. Their breathing and footsteps echoed off the stone walls. Goose bumps rose on her arms as McKay steered her around the west side of the building. Two confessionals stood against the wall. They stopped just before them.

“I’m not really in the mood for confessing,” she commented wryly.

“Hopefully you don’t have that many sins to confess,” came a deep voice from within one of the booths. Bridgette jumped, taking a step back. McKay’s hands landed on her shoulders, keeping her steady. A figure stepped out from behind the curtain, dressed in the robes of a priest. When he looked up to meet her eyes she almost screamed. It got lodged in her throat, however, so all that came out was a squeak of disbelief and confusion. “Or perhaps you do, what with your new profession.”

She went rigid, looking at the man before her. This stranger who stood there, looking down his nose at her. Her hands were starting to shake. Whether it be from the shock or anger, she wasn’t sure, but she was leaning more toward anger.

“General,” McKay greeted him respectfully. His hands still rested on her, holding her back.

He nodded in return. “Quite the surprise visit we had tonight, boys. Want to tell me what happened?”

“They came in, said they knew about the meeting planned there for tonight. Weapon X tried to search us, but he didn’t get anything,” Trent explained.

“Nothing?” he asked. The way he said it brought shivers to her spine. She could hear the implication and danger in just that one word.

“They got the word ‘General’ from one of us, but we don’t know who,” McKay admitted.

“We also don’t know who they got the meeting information from,” Garrett added. “No one has seen Benny though, so we sort of assume it could be him.”

He slowly nodded his head. “How unfortunate,” he said softly. “But I don’t think that will be their biggest worry tonight. While you boys were entertaining our guests, we were busy working.”

Bridgette sensed McKay tense behind her, standing up straighter. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“By now, Ludwig Tenebris will have been informed that his latest shipment of weapons has been successfully hijacked.”

There was a moment of silence before she heard someone start to chuckle. McKay remained tense behind her.

“You hijacked one of their shipments?” he asked.

“That we did.”

“While we distracted them? So all of that tonight was a set-up?”

He nodded, his face expressionless. McKay tore away from her, his hands gripping the back of his head. He was frustrated and angry. By now she knew his mannerisms well enough to tell. When he turned back to face them she saw the familiar glint in his eyes he always got when he was upset.

“Do you know what could have happened tonight if it didn’t go the way it had? Don’t you understand the danger you put us all in by making us your diversion? For God sakes, Glenn is dead because of all this. Any one of us, if not all, could have been arrested based strictly on suspicion.”

The man didn’t respond for a moment. When he did, it was in the same detached voice, unmoved by McKay’s distress. “Glenn died for a cause he believed in. There is no shame in that.”

Bridgette starting laughing. It bubbled up and out of her mouth before she had time to cover it. This was quite possibly one of the worst moments in her life. There were many, but this one definitely ranked up there. And all because she saw, truly saw, for the first time, just how horrible this all was. This resistance against a tyrant, while they kill their own in the name of good. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing, and yet, she could. It totally made sense with everything else that had happened in the past. This man, disguised as a priest, didn’t give a crap about anyone, only the end game. How was he any different than Ludwig Tenebris? He didn’t even care about his own family.

“Did your daughter die for a cause she believed in?” she challenged, no longer laughing. “How many people will die for this cause before you realize you’re not any better than those you’re fighting against?”

“We’re not anywhere near the same,” he argued. “We are fighting to help people, not destroy them.”

“Oh? But a couple people here and there are fine, right? I’m guessing good old Benny was also offered up. What was it? Did you know he had weaker walls? Was he sent in there specifically to let them know of this so-called meeting?” His mouth flattened into a straight line. They both knew she was right. Bridgette wasn’t stupid; she could read between the lines.

“We didn’t destroy two thirds of the world’s population.”

“Is that how you justify it? Well you certainly destroyed half of your own family because of all this. How do you justify that, father?”

“Your mother and sister are a tragedy.”

“Yeah, you look really broken up about it.” A hand gripped her upper arm. She looked up to see McKay giving her a warning look. “Is this why you asked me here? To reunite dad and daughter?” Uncertainty flashed in his eyes. “I could have told you this was a waste of time. Did you honestly think I didn’t know he was still alive somewhere? Do you honestly think I’m that stupid? I might not have known he was the ‘General’ but I knew he was still breathing while the rest of our family isn’t. And guess what?” she stepped closer. “Not once have I ever even thought of looking for him. And you know what else?” McKay continued to look at her. She could see sympathy in his eyes now, and that only made her angrier. “He never came looking for me either. Right there, that should have told you this was a useless idea.”

She spun around, ripping her arm out of McKay’s grasp. She hurried toward the front door, her loud footsteps echoing out into the darkness. She hated this place, she decided. She also officially hated her father.

Pete watched her storm out, still shocked that it had turned out this way. He had decided in his head before today that their first meeting would go way different than it had. He thought Bridgette missed her family, but apparently he was wrong. Or at least, not the family still alive. He turned to the General, apologetically.

“I didn’t think she’d react that way,” he said.

Douglas Hatcher simply shrugged it off. “She’ll be back after she’s had time to cool down.”

Pete looked at him, baffled. This man had lost his wife and daughter, and not seen his only living child for five years, and yet he didn’t seem to care in the least. For the first time since Pete had signed up with the rebels, he started to question his leader’s integrity. Why wasn’t he chasing after her? Begging for her forgiveness? Even Pete himself felt a strong urge to do just that, and he wasn’t her father.

He always thought the General’s cold demeanor was put on around the men – something to make them see how serious he took their cause. But now he saw that was just how Douglas Hatcher was. He was a cold, emotionless, driven man. And he didn’t care who or what got in his way. Pete was still fuming about tonight. The fact that he put his second in such high danger, and didn’t even bother letting him know the plan ahead of time, really pissed him off. This wasn’t how things should go. If Pete was the General’s second, he should know everything that was going down.

“You boys go on down, get some rest,” the General said. “Pete and I need to discuss some things.”

He watched the others enter the confessional on the right, disappearing behind the curtain through the hidden door. The resistance’s base was underneath the cathedral in the catacombs there. As soon as his younger brother, the last one to leave, was out of sight, he turned to face his leader.

“You should have told me,” he said accusingly.

Douglas held up his hands. “I know. We got the intel late. There wasn’t enough time to fill you in.”

“All it takes is a phone call.”

“We couldn’t risk you knowing.”

“Because you set me up,” he stated. Douglas hesitated before nodding. “You didn’t know if I would actually be able to withstand Weapon X, so you didn’t want me knowing all the details of your plan. Have I got it about right?”

“We didn’t know Weapon X would be there.”

“Oh! So you assumed Roman would come by and torture me for hours, and at least I wouldn’t have any pertinent info to give him. How’s that?”

Douglas sighed, dragging his hand over his mouth. “I’m sorry you’re upset about this.”

“You’re sorry? Oh, well that just makes it all better, doesn’t it?” Pete laughed humourlessly. “You’re unbelievable, you know that? It’s like you’re completely unaware of how your actions affect those around you. I lost a friend today because of this crap. And you lost another daughter. Looks like we’re even, huh?”

“Watch it,” he warned.

Pete stepped closer, bringing himself nose to nose with the General. “I am. I’m watching every bloody thing that’s happening around me. Trust me. You named me second in command, and to me that means something. Next time there’s a plan going on, I need to know about it. No excuses.”

“The council –”

“I don’t give a shit about the council, Douglas. They’re a bunch of old, bitter politicians who are only invested in this so they can get their cozy mansions back. They’re not the real rebels here, and you know it.”

“Those old, bitter politicians are what’s funding this resistance.”

“I know. Which is why I tolerate them. But they don’t get to make decisions on who gets to know certain details, and who doesn’t. Got it?”

They stared at each other for a moment before the General nodded his head stiffly.

“Good,” Pete said flatly. “Now I’m going to go make sure my best friend is okay.” He didn’t wait for the other man to reply. With quick steps he was out of the church and on his way to Bridge’s place.

Chapter Eight

This was a bad idea. It had been five days since Ludwig told her to get in with the rebels. She had been pretty sure of herself up until the moment she left her room. Then she chickened out and claimed to have a migraine. By the fourth day of the same excuse Ludwig started to get suspicious. There was no putting it off, and so here she was, standing outside the same rundown pub she had been in before. This time she was alone, unmasked, and scared shitless.

She couldn’t remember being this nervous in years. She wiped her palms on her black tights for the tenth time since she got off her bike. The motorcycle was stashed in the alley across from the pub where she was currently hiding like the wimp she was. What the hell is wrong with her? Normally she wasn’t afraid of anything, but for some reason the thought of walking in there with no mask and no army backing her up had her freaked right out. That, and she knew there was a high probability the green eyed guy would be in there.

The place was a lot more crowded than it had been five nights ago. She could hear the voices from inside all the way from where she stood. You can do this, she told herself. Just walk in there and act like you’re one of them. How difficult can that be? These people are like the same ones she’d grown up with. It couldn’t be that hard to act like a lower again. Sure she had a phone in the inside pocket of her leather jacket, and a pistol tucked in the back of her pants, but that was beside the point.

A few men stumbled out, the sound from inside growing louder while the door was open. She shrank back into the shadows. This was a bad idea, she thought again. Someone was going to say something or do something to piss her off, and everything was just going to go to shit. It was inevitable. Her hot temper always got her in trouble. She’d blow her cover and never be able to show her face amongst the rebels again. Ludwig’s whole plan would be ruined and it would be all her fault. She leaned her head back on the brick wall behind her, looking up at the cloudy sky above. At least it wasn’t raining, she thought positively.

Time to get a hold of myself, she thought. She wasn’t some silly girl who couldn’t handle herself in tough situations. She was Weapon X for crying out loud. Dinah stood up, straightening her jacket and hair. She let the long, dark locks fall in natural waves to her waist. She even bothered to put on make-up, which was saying a lot. She still wore her signature boots with black tights, but hopefully no one would be looking too closely at her footwear.

Dinah crossed the street, avoiding the looks from the men standing outside. She could feel their eyes on her as she approached the front door of the pub. Taking a deep breath, she yanked the door open and walked inside. The place was packed, even more so than she had expected. Loud rock music was playing in the background, barely audible over the sound of voices. She stood awkwardly just inside the doorway, her eyes surveying the crowd. Then, as if drawn by some unseen force, her eyes collided with those familiar green ones that had been haunting her dreams. Over the tops of everyone’s heads their gazes met and locked. This is such a bad idea, she decided.

It couldn’t be. Pete froze in the middle of his story. He was standing behind the table, the dark wood almost invisible beneath all the glasses strewn about. They’d been drinking steadily since six, making him wonder if his vision was now impaired. There was no way who he thought had just walked in was really here. He couldn’t look away from her amazing blue eyes, their colour clear even from this distance.

His friends must have noticed something was up, as they looked over to where she was standing in unison.

“Bloody hell,” Seamus said. “I think I’m in love.”

“Who is that?” Garrett asked, leaning back in his chair as far as he could to see her clearly. Pete wished for a second that he’d fall. He also had a sudden urge to slap his best friend upside the head.

“You know her, Pete?” Tent asked curiously.

Seamus’ head whipped around. “Please tell me that glorious thing over there is not here for you.”

She still hadn’t moved from her spot, or looked away. How many times in the last week had he dreamt of this happening? Ever since their meeting he had secretly hoped he’d get to see her again. And now there she stood, a normal girl walking in off the street. He knew better though, and because of that, unease mixed with his initial excitement to see her.

Without answering, Pete moved out from behind the table and pushed his way through the crowd to where she stood. As he drew closer he noticed her long dark hair gently flowing down her back, her pink lips trapped between her teeth nervously, and those dark framed blue eyes wide with apprehension. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. But that didn’t change the fact that she was the enemy.

He reached her, towering over her small frame. He’d forgotten how tiny she was compared to him. He reached out without thinking, and gripped her arm firmly. Those eyes widened in surprise.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded, quietly.

“Whoa there, McKay,” Seamus’ voice called out. He turned to see his friend walk up and stand beside him. He’d been so focused on getting to her, he hadn’t noticed him following. Seamus was looking worriedly at Pete’s hand holding her arm. “Ease up a little. That’s no way to treat a lady.” His eyes were asking questions even though his voice was light and playful.

Pete released her arm reluctantly. So far this wasn’t going the way he’d dreamed it would. He hesitated to look back at her, but when he did he saw the barely contained anger there. There was no way he was apologizing.

“Sorry.” Apparently he was. He sighed inwardly. Figures his mouth wouldn’t listen to his brain.

“Care to introduce us?” Seamus prompted, looking at her intently.

She turned her gaze from Pete to Seamus and smiled at him, literally knocking the air right out of Pete. She held out her hand for his friend to take.

“I’m Dinah,” she introduced.

“Seamus,” he said, shaking her hand. “How do you know McKay here?” he asked, still holding her hand in his.

“Oh…uh…well…”

“We met on that trip I took last year to Glasgow,” Pete jumped in. He eyed their hands, still entwined in a shake, and decided that he might actually end up punching his best friend tonight.

“Glasgow, huh? That’s a rough place for someone like you.”

Dinah lifted one brow elegantly. “Someone like me?”

Pete fought back his laugh. Seamus had no idea who he was dealing with. Pete didn’t know her either, but from what he’d seen, she would be able to hold her own. He folded his arms over his chest, watching his friend try to recover.

“Oh, I just meant…” Seamus gulped at the now ice blue eyes staring at him expectantly. “Never mind,” he laughed. “Let’s get you a drink, yeah?”

Pete rolled his eyes. His friend was hopeless when it came to girls. It was actually painful to watch. He finally let go of her hand, and Pete found he could breathe a little easier.

“Mate, why don’t you go order us another pitcher and get an extra glass for Dinah. I’ll take her to the table,” Pete suggested. Seamus nodded and veered off toward the bar. Pete grabbed her arm again, not as firmly as before, and pulled her back through the crowd. Everyone was throwing appreciative glances her way, but when he looked back, her eyes were focused on the floor. She was completely oblivious to the effect she was having.

“Want to tell me what you’re doing here before I bring you around my friends?” he whispered in her ear. He got a whiff of her perfume and almost groaned at the scent. She smelled amazing.

“I’m just here for a drink,” she replied, looking up at him.

He gave her a dubious look. “You really expect me to believe that?”

She shrugged. “It’s the truth.”

They had reached the back by then, their table just a few feet away. He stopped and turned to face her, blocking her from the other guys. “I swear, if you’re here to start trouble I won’t hesitate to kill you.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I’m here for a drink. That’s all.” They stared at each other challengingly. “Does this mean your friends don’t know…?”

Pete hesitated for a second, then shook his head no.

“You didn’t tell anyone?”

She sounded surprised, which made him both happy and offended. Didn’t he say he’d keep it to himself? Before he could answer, Seamus appeared with a pitcher in one hand and a glass in the other.

“Drinks are up!” he announced happily.

Dinah didn’t think she had ever laughed so much in her life. She actually felt, sort of…normal. The beer that was poured for her a couple of hours ago still sat in front of her, warm now. She’d taken small sips and decided she didn’t like beer. It was the first time she ever had alcohol. Surprisingly she was enjoying herself with McKay’s friends, even though McKay himself had hardly said a word to her. He joined in some of the conversations, but never directed anything to her specifically. He was a silent, brooding presence beside her. Despite that, she was still painfully aware of him. Every time he shifted in his seat, his arm or thigh brushing against her, or every time he’d laugh or say something, her heart would pick up speed.

The others included her as much as possible, but for the most part, she simply listened and laughed along with them. It was a strange night for sure. She got up, excusing herself to go to the washroom. A few men smiled at her as she made her way to the ladies sign and she smiled back, finding it easier to be friendly the longer she stayed.

The bathroom itself was as rundown as the bar. Only one stall had a working toilet, but no lock on the door. She did her business quickly before anyone else came in. As she washed her hands, the door behind her opened and two girls around her age walked in. She met their glances in the mirror for a second before looking back down at her hands under the running water.

“You new around here?” one of them asked. Dinah looked up in surprise. Both were staring at her.

“Yeah, I just got into town,” she lied.

“How do you know McKay?” the other asked.

Dinah turned to face them, letting her hands drip water onto the worn, linoleum floor. Both were wearing way more revealing outfits than her tights and blouse. Four inch heels gave them enough height that she was forced to slightly look up at them. The brunette had dark red lips set in a sneer, while the blonde’s bright pink lips were in a full-on frown. Neither looked impressed. Figures she’d make enemies without meaning to, it was sort of her ‘thing’.

“We met last year,” she answered, continuing with the lie he’d made up initially.

“Are you two dating?” said the blonde.

Ah, now she understood. If she’d hung out with normal people more often it probably would have come to her quicker, but considering she had no female friends to name, it hadn’t occurred to her this was some sort of jealousy thing.

“No,” she answered. “We’re just….friends.”

They both looked at each other and snickered. “No one is ‘just friends’ with Pete McKay,” the brunette argued.

Pete? That was his first name? Dinah looked them over with a confused face. What were they expecting her to say exactly?

“Look,” said the blonde, stepping closer. “I get that you’re new, so you don’t know how things are around here, but let me make it clear for you. We don’t like new people, especially around our boys.” Dinah bit back her laugh and retort. Our boys indeed, she thought wryly. “So I suggest you call it a night and take off.”

The reply, ‘or what’, hung on the tip of her tongue. It was really hard not to fire, but Dinah was trying to be on her best behaviour. It wouldn’t do her any good to get in a hair pulling contest in the bathroom of some hole-in-the-wall bar. Biting her tongue, she nodded and said, “I’m pretty tired anyway.”

“I bet you are,” the brunette said mockingly.

She deserved a medal for the amount of control she was exercising right now. Forcing out a smile, she moved around them and walked back into the stuffy bar. The guys were laughing when she walked up. Grabbing her leather jacket from the back of her chair, she gave them all a quick wave.

“I’m heading home,” she said.

“What?” Seamus exclaimed. “Why?”

The door to the washroom slammed behind her. Dinah took a quick look over her shoulder at the two women staring at her. If looks could kill…Well, my gun certainly can, she thought with a mental chuckle. No, Dinah. Be good.

She turned back to the boys. “I’m tired, so…” Her eyes glanced to McKay who was looking at the other two girls behind her. He met her gaze and she could see questions there. Maybe he knew, but it didn’t matter. She really was tired. Plus, she had survived the night so far with no one being killed. There was no point in pushing her luck by staying any longer. Now that she had established herself with these people it would be easy to come back.

“It was nice meeting you all,” she added.

“You too, Di,” Garrett said with a lopsided smile. She liked McKay’s younger brother. He was much more baby faced than his brothers, but still had a certain charm to him. Plus he was much nicer. Trent had spoken to her more than McKay did, but she didn’t think he was much of a talker in general. Most of the night’s conversation was monopolized by Seamus and Garrett.

She turned and walked back to the entrance. It wasn’t until she was outside that she realized she wasn’t alone. Dinah turned to see McKay just behind her.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Walking you out,” he said as if it were obvious.

She balked. “Why?”

He shrugged, pulling out a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket. “Did you have fun?” he asked, ignoring her question.

“I did actually,” she admitted.

“You going to tell me why you came here?”

Dinah sighed. “I’ve already told you why. Is it so hard to believe I just came out for the fun of it?”

“Yeah, actually, it is.”

“McKay!” a voice called out. They both turned as a man came walking up the sidewalk.

“Tommy Boy,” McKay greeted.

“What’s this?” the other man, Tommy, said looking her up and down. “Got yourself a new girl, McKay?”

“Mate,” he said with a shake of his head. “Not now.”

Tommy nodded, giving Dinah a wink. “I’ll just go in and sit with the boys then.” He walked between them, entering the bar. As soon as the door shut they were surrounded by an awkward silence.

“Well, I’m going to take off,” Dinah said. “It was nice seeing you again, McKay.”

He took a pull on his cigarette, narrowing his eyes at her. The tattoos covering the bottom half of his arm caught her attention for a second while he pinched the smoke between his thumb and forefinger. She wondered how far those tattoos went, and then shook that thought right out of her head. What did it matter? Clearly he wasn’t going to say anything, so she just turned and started across the street to where her bike was hidden.

“How are you getting back to headquarters?” he asked, the word ‘headquarters’ dripping with disgust.

She looked back to see him following her again. What was with this guy? He acted like she was the plague incarnate, and yet he wouldn’t leave her alone.

“I’m driving,” she answered. She reached the spot where her bike was hidden and quickly pulled out her helmet from where she stashed it.

“Holy shit,” he said with a low whistle. “That’s what you’re riding?”

She nodded, watching him as he walked around the bike slowly.

“You just got even hotter,” he said absently, running his hand along the bike. Her breathing stopped, and her face burned. Thankfully it was dark. He just said ‘even hotter’ as if to imply he thought she was hot to begin with. Why did she suddenly feel like squealing and jumping around like an idiot? Note to self, wait until you’re back in your room before doing any such thing, she thought.

She just started putting on her helmet when he spoke. She froze. “What are you doing tomorrow night?”

She stared at him, wide eyed. “Tomorrow night?” Her stomach rolled and she couldn’t understand why. Words also seemed to have fled from her brain, making speech impossible.

“Yeah,” he said easily, looking up at her now. His eyes roamed her face, but his expression was neutral.

“Uh, nothing I don’t think.”

He nodded like he had expected that. “Meet me here tomorrow around ten.”

“Why?”

McKay flicked the butt on the ground and walked back across the street, not bothering to answer her question. She shoved her helmet on a little harder than she needed to, and straddled her bike. The sound of the engine purring was like music to her soul. Driving around on the bike was the only time she felt truly free. She gave the pub one last look before taking off down the street. McKay had already disappeared inside. If he thought she was going to show up tomorrow just because he said so, he was sorely mistaken.

Who was she kidding? She was so going to be there.

Chapter Nine

Pete stood by the front door just long enough to hear her bike drive down the street. Danielle and her friend Raven were standing by the bar talking to two guys he saw around often, but didn`t know too well. He walked over and waited for them to notice.

“McKay,” Danielle said sweetly, tossing her blonde hair over one shoulder. She walked up, resting her hands on his chest as she batted her eyelashes up at him. He hated when she used that fake, high voice. It was like nails on a chalkboard. “I haven’t seen you in days,” she continued, pushing her bottom lip out in a pout. Ugh. How had he ever considered her attractive? Right now she was nothing but annoying.

He took a step back so her hands fell away. “You wouldn’t happen to have said something to my new friend that just left, did you?”

Her arms crossed over her chest, the fake pout now gone. “Did she say I did?”

Well there was his answer. “No, she didn’t actually. I was just wondering.”

She flipped her hair over her shoulder again. “Then no, I didn’t say a word. Why? What does it matter?”

He stepped closer to her, watching as her eyes filled with excitement then quickly changed to fear when she read the anger in his own eyes. “Trust me when I say, for your own good, I wouldn’t be saying anything else to her. You got me?”

She huffed, stomping her foot like a child. Seriously, what had he been thinking? “I thought you didn’t do relations –”

He held up his hand, cutting her off. “This isn’t about me. You don’t say another word to her,” he pressed. “Got it?”

She looked away sullenly saying, “Yeah, I got it.”

He walked around her, heading back to the boys. The clock on the wall said it was one in the morning, which meant he had a couple of hours before he needed to go see Bridge. He always liked to make sure she got home safe, even if she didn’t know he was there.

“You sure found yourself a prize,” Tommy Boy said the second Pete sat down.

“Her name is Dinaaaah,” Seamus said, nudging Pete.

“You guys are so lame,” Pete said, taking a sip of his drink.

“Did you see the eyes on that girl?” Tommy Boy whistled. “What I wouldn’t do for a night along with that g–”

“Enough,” Pete interrupted.

Trent chuckled deeply. “I think Petey here has a bit of a crush.”

“I know,” Garrett laughed, slapping the top of the table. “Did you see how stiff he was all night? It was like he was nervous. I’ve never seen him nervous around a girl.”

Pete shook his head, taking a big swig of his beer this time. If they understood who she really was, they’d know why he had been a little stiff. The whole night he was partly waiting for her to do something nefarious, and partly obsessing over her nearness. It just about drove him nuts. The sound of her laughter was musical, and every time she did it at whatever her brother or Seamus said, he wanted to groan in frustration. Being around her was messing with his head, and then he’d gone and invited her out again tomorrow night. Masochist, he chided himself.

“I think he actually likes this one,” Seamus teased.

“Okay, okay, enough about Dinah. She’s just a girl, nothing more to it. And don’t be mentioning anything around the General. You all know how he is when it comes to newcomers,” Pete said.

“He doesn’t just like her, he looooves her,” Garrett said, making kissy faces at him.

“You’re all a bunch of idiots. I’m out.” He stood up, throwing on his jacket.

“Where you off to?” Trent asked. His older brother didn’t like Pete out and about on his own.

“Bridge’s and then home. Have a nice night, boys.” He threw some money on the table and walked out, lighting another cigarette as he made his way out of the bar.

The streets were empty as he walked, his footsteps echoing in the night. He turned the corner, ducking just as a beer bottle flew past his head, shattering against the brick wall of the building beside him. He cursed, jumping out of the way of the glass shards. He looked around, spotting the culprits walking slowly toward him from the shadows across the street. Two of the three held steel bars in their hand. The middle sported brass knuckles on his right hand.

“Well that got your attention,” the middle one sneered.

“Mate, are you insane?” Pete replied, bracing his feet apart. This was just what he needed – a good fight to wind down the day.

They walked closer, practically twitching with energy. Pete took in their plain clothing of jeans and sweaters and knew these weren’t soldiers. None of the New World army boys went out without their black outfits. This lot were from around here, which meant they would know who he was and who he’s involved with.

“Do you know who you’re dealing with, mate?”

“Oh yeah,” the middle one said, laughing. The other two goons joined in. “The big, bad Pete McKay. We know exactly who you are.”

“Then you should know this is a really stupid idea,” Pete said calmly.

“Considering there’s three of us, and only one of you, I’d say it’s not that stupid.”

“Debatable.”

They stopped ten feet away from him. “We also know that you met with Weapon X – alone. Seems the General ain’t too happy you neglected to tell him about that.”

Pete covered his shock with a bland look. Jesus Christ, he thought. The General sent these idiots? Genuine anger burned through him. This was the second betrayal in a week from Douglas Hatcher, and he was not going to stand for it.

“So he sent the three stooges to get me?” he asked drolly.

“Watch it McKay,” the one on the left warned. “We’re supposed to just rough you up, but accidents can always happen.”

“I’m terrified,” he replied dryly as he took off his jacket. “Why don’t we just get on with it then, yeah?”

There was no warning before the three attacked. Pete blocked the one who had just spoken, grabbing his wrist and twisting it until he dropped the bar. Then he sent a punch right into the man’s gut. He fell, gasping for breath. Pete turned and ducked just as the other man swung his bar. He felt the air whizz by his ear. If that had hit him he would have been out cold. He brought his fist up into the guy’s jaw, followed by an elbow to his nose. A nasty crunching sounded on impact. Blood gushed from the guy’s face as he held both hands to it.

Pete turned to the last guy, jumping back as his metal-covered knuckles breezed by his nose. He blocked another punch before landing one of his own. He went for another hook when hands gripped his arms from behind, pulling them painfully back. The nose bleeder held him as the other two righted themselves.

“Your head always was too big, McKay,” brass knuckles spat.

“I’ve been told I’m exceptionally proportioned,” Pete replied with a wink.

A blow hit him right in the gut, air expelling from his body. Bloody nose kept him upright as more blows hit him, one right on the left side of his face. He could feel the skin break beneath the brass knuckles. The two guys switched so the other one could get in his shots. Pete braced for it, but before he could attack there were hollers from behind them, and the pounding of running feet. Pete knew those shouts well.

Trent came into view first, like a raging bull plowing toward brass knuckles. Garrett came next, fists swinging. Seamus pulled bloody nose from Pete, freeing him. This is what Pete loved most. The high of a fight. The adrenaline pumping through his veins. The sickening feeling of flesh being pummelled under his bones, empowering him in some volatile way. His father always said Pete enjoyed fighting too much. Apparently he had an ‘anger problem’. They’d laugh about it, because every man in their family knew they were all the same. His father was just as likely to start slamming his fist into another’s face as Pete, Trent or Garrett were. That’s what it was to be a McKay. You didn’t take shit from anyone, and you especially didn’t let one of your own get beaten up without stepping in to help.

Pete took a moment to refocus before joining in the fray. Somehow Garrett had gotten hold of the brass knuckles, and was giving the former owner his due. If he didn’t stop, the guy wouldn’t be walking away from this. Pete grabbed his brother pulling him back.

“Enough,” he gritted. “Enough!” he called louder to the others. The three men scampered away, their movements stiff. He looked around at his boys proudly. “Good of you to make it.”

“Should have known you couldn’t go five minutes without getting into trouble,” Trent said, spitting out a mouthful of blood on the sidewalk.

“I wouldn’t want to disappoint you,” Pete said cheekily.

“Any idea who those wankers were?” Seamus asked.

“Apparently the General sent them.”

“You’re shitting me,” Trent said in disbelief.

“I wish I was,” Pete replied, running a hand down his face. He walked over to the curb and sat down. This was not going to fly. The General might be running things, but everyone knew Pete pulled more than his weight when it came to the rebellion. The guys looked up to him and respected him. The General hardly had direct contact with anyone outside of the council and main inner circle. He had always been a bit of a snob. It was Pete who got the boys ramped up and kept them organized. The fact that Douglas Hatcher had the nerve to send three morons out to try and rough Pete up would have been laughable if it weren’t such a bloody piss off.

“We should go see Michael,” Trent said. Pete nodded. He knew that was the most reasonable thing to do at this point, but the dark place inside him that loved a good fight was just itching to go find the General and show him why no one messes with a McKay.

“I know what you’re thinking, Pete,” Trent said, standing in front of him. “I want to go beat that asshole myself, but he’s the General. There are consequences that we don’t want to deal with. Michael will know what to do. He’s the closest with the General. He’ll know how to handle this.”

“Yeah,” Garrett laughed. “If he doesn’t beat the General himself first.”

“Trent’s right,” Seamus agreed. “We can’t retaliate, McKay. We need to do the smart thing for once. Not that I’m not all for a good fight, but even I can see how stupid this would be. And that’s saying something.”

Pete looked up at his family and nodded. “I know you’re right. But I swear to God, that arse better watch it. That’s twice now he’s pissed me off. I don’t give people very many chances before I bloody well show them what I’m capable of.”

“Yeah, yeah, we all know how big and bad you are, McKay,” Seamus laughed, reaching out a hand to help him out. “Keep the ego in check for a while longer though, yeah? Let’s go see good ol’ Mickey.”

“What in the name of Mary happened to you lot?”

Pete looked into the lined face of the one person who could instantly put him at ease. Michael stepped back, letting them all file into the small front room of his cottage. The fire was blazing like always, lending a scent of burning lumber to the room. Pete loved that smell. A kettle was whistling from the kitchen, and an open book lay on its face on his chair where Michael must have been sitting. Nothing ever changed here. That was probably why he loved it so much. The whole world did nothing but change constantly. The only thing you could do was try and keep up, adapting to whatever shit the universe decided to throw at you. But here, in this tiny cottage outside the city, time seemed to stand still. Nothing outside that door could touch it.

“We ran into a little of trouble,” Pete said.

“More like the trouble ran into us,” Seamus corrected, sitting down on the sofa beside the fire. Trent disappeared into the kitchen to make the tea.

Michael snorted. “Ran into you, my arse. What have you done now?”

“Geez, Mickey,” Seamus said, affronted. “Where’s the faith?”

“In the Lord above, boy,” Michael replied. “Not in a group of hooligans like yourselves.”

“May I remind you, da,” Garrett spoke for the first time since they arrived, “that you’re the one who raised us.”

“Ack, not that one,” he nodded at Seamus.

“Pretty much,” Pete said, tired. He sank into one of the large chairs, stretching out his legs. He wasn’t sure what time it was, but sleep was sounding real good right about now. Coming down off the adrenaline high of a fight always wore him right out.

“Michael,” Trent called from the kitchen doorway, “where’s your sugar?”

“Top cupboard over the stove, on your left,” he answered, moving his book to take a seat. “And would it kill you to call me dad?”

“Nope,” Trent called back. Pete couldn’t remember the last time his older brother had called their da anything but his first name. He wasn’t sure if it was just Trent’s way of asserting that he was older and more mature, but by now Pete was used to it. He’d even gotten around to calling him the same, although now and again he’d actually call him da.

“Are you going to tell me what happened here?”

“The General sent three guys to…have some words with me,” Pete explained, staring up at the ceiling.

“The General?” his father sputtered. “Impossible.”

Something landed on Pete’s stomach. He looked down at the package of frozen vegetables Trent had just plopped down. “It’s all he has,” he said to Pete before turning to answer their father. “And it’s definitely possible considering we just had to save his ass from looking even worse than he does now.”

“Oh he’ll still look worse than he does now,” Garrett said. “Wait until the morning.” He smirked. Pete sighed, placing the frozen bag gingerly over his left eye.

“Why?” Michael asked, confused. “You’re his second.”

“Roman Adamson and Weapon X arrived at our meeting last night,” Pete told him.

“I know, I heard.” Of course he did, thought Pete. His father always knew things faster than anyone else he knew. His father was taking more of a backseat approach to the rebellion, only offering his advice now and again. For the most part he stayed out of any of the major action. After their mother ran off it was rare to even see him out of the house.

“Well, Weapon X brought me into the washroom to have a private chat, and I neglected to tell him about it. Seems he didn’t appreciate that.”

He looked over with his one good eye to find his father watching him closely. He wasn’t judging Pete at all, he’d never do that, but he was trying to figure out what he was missing. His father was quick. Probably the smartest guy Pete knew. If anyone were to see that there was something Pete wasn’t saying, it would be his da. But Pete also knew there was no way he would say anything, at least not in front of the others. At some point when they were alone, Pete was sure his da would get it out of him. They stared at each other for a moment before his father sat back a bit. Pete could see that he had decided there was definitely more, but Pete wouldn’t be elaborating.

“Why didn’t you tell him?” was all he asked.

Pete shrugged, looking back up at the ceiling. God he was exhausted. “Honestly, I just forgot,” he admitted, only half lying. He did in fact forget about it during his meeting with Douglas, considering he was more pissed at being left out of the loop. But there was also the fact that he didn’t want anyone finding out Weapon X was Dinah. Why? He really didn’t know. Whenever he tried to really dissect it, he stopped himself, unable to face whatever truth was there. It was probably the same thing that had made him ask her out tomorrow night.

“I’ll have a talk with him,” Michael said, with a note of finality. That was his way of saying none of them were to retaliate. The senior McKay had taken over, and that meant they were to step back.

“He’s insulted me twice, this week alone,” Pete argued.

“I’ll talk to him,” he repeated. “For now, you boys stay here and rest for the night. No point in you travelling back into the city at this hour. I can see how exhausted you are.” A loud snore filled the air as if on cue. Pete looked over to see Seamus passed out cold, his head resting on the back of the sofa in a way that Pete knew he’d be sore in the morning. “Need I say more?” his father chuckled.

Michael got up and headed back to his bedroom in the rear of the house. He told them where to find blankets, as if they didn’t already know, and disappeared for the night. Pete didn’t move from the chair, too tired to do even that. He closed his eyes and when he opened them next the sun was already bright in the blue sky.

Sitting up, he stretched out the kinks in his back while taking in the scene before him. Seamus was curled into a ball on the sofa; Garrett sprawled on the coffee table, with only a pillow cushioning his head, and Trent nowhere to be seen. He yawned loudly before kicking a leg of the coffee table. His brother shot upright, muttering something unintelligible.

“Rise and shine, boys,” Pete called out.

Seamus mumbled, sitting up slowly. “My neck is killing me,” he moaned.

“Michael’s gone,” Trent announced, walking out of the kitchen.

“Figures,” Pete said.

“I don’t know how Mickey does it,” Seamus said with a shake of his head. “He gets up earlier than any other human being I know.”

“He also doesn’t drink a barrel’s worth of Guinness every night,” Trent pointed out.

“Touché,” Seamus nodded.

“He probably wanted to get a jump start on the General before any of us got a hold of him,” Garrett said.

“Yeah, well we got other important things to do today anyway,” Pete replied, standing up. “Target practice today, mates. Let’s head out.”

They all moaned and groaned as they headed to the front door. “You ready for tonight?” Garrett asked as they stepped out into the clear morning. There was nothing better than a sunny day in these parts. Pete soaked it in, letting the warm rays hit the back of his closed eyelids.

He thought about his brother’s question, knowing what he meant, but thinking about a petite blue eyed girl instead. He still couldn’t decide what made him invite her, letting her see another side to his life, but he’d done it anyway. Maybe he should just not show up at their meeting place. It would definitely be the smart thing to do. Whatever they were doing was stupid. It’s not like it could go anywhere, even if they were just friends. Enemies could not be friends. It was just the way the world worked.

Who was he kidding? He’d meet her there for the same reason he had invited her in the first place. It didn’t matter how many times he told himself it was stupid, he couldn’t fight the desire to see her again. Was he ready? He didn’t really know.

“Of course I’m ready,” he answered, focusing on his brother’s meaning rather than the multitude of thoughts running through his head.

“Of course he is,” Seamus reinforced. “He’s a Jack of all trades, my Pete!” He swung his arm around Pete’s shoulders giving him a brotherly squeeze.

“Alright,” Pete said, brushing him off. “Let’s go test out our new stock and see if any of you can hit your targets better than me.”

“You’re on,” Trent smiled.

Chapter Ten

She was bored. For the first time since she’d joined Ludwig here in New Berlin, Dinah actually found herself wishing she were somewhere else. Normally she enjoyed watching him deal with all the idiots he seemed to surround himself with – herself and Roman excluded, of course. But today her mind drifted more than once. It had nothing to do with the fact that she was anxious for night to come, she assured herself. Certainly not because she was going to see McKay again.

The men started to pack up their things, snapping her attention back. The food production managers from Rome had flown in that morning to go over the latest information on crops. Food had become increasingly difficult due to the drastic change in the earth’s atmosphere. Surprise, surprise, nuclear bombs had that effect. Go figure. Because of that, they had to grow most of the produce inside strictly monitored facilities where the climates were designed to replicate ideal conditions for the crops. They might have found a way around their problem, but the newest issue was that they couldn’t produce nearly enough this way as they could back when farmers were growing food in their own fields. Here in New Berlin, everything was still readily available. She knew the same couldn’t be said for some of the smaller cities.

Despite that, she still found herself not caring. She didn’t want to stand around listening to a bunch of men discuss new world problems, and the mask covering her face was really starting to bother her. Funny, considering she always found her mask a sort of security. Having her face hidden gave her a certain power around others. And even though she still felt that power, she also felt the urge to be able to show her face, and just be free and open.

Later, she reminded herself. The men all left, filing out with their heads down, and shoulders hunched. They looked like the equivalent of a group of kids leaving the principal’s office after getting in trouble. Ludwig had been hard on them all morning, his patience at an abnormal low. Even she’d found herself flinching a couple of times when he snapped at them. It really wasn’t their faults, but Ludwig didn’t care. Someone needed to be accountable for the lower production rates, and apparently he had decided it would be them. Dinah almost felt sorry for them – almost.

The door shut with a resounding bang, leaving the three of them alone. Roman sighed, finally moving from his spot behind Ludwig’s chair to take a seat at their leader’s right. Dinah followed suit, sitting on his left.

“They’re all a bunch of idiots,” Ludwig said.

“In their defence, this really isn’t their fault,” Dinah said. They both looked at her in surprise. She was a little taken off guard herself. She didn’t normally stick up for anyone. Meeting their gazes, she kept her expression neutral.

“Are you feeling okay?” Roman asked.

“Shut up.”

“I don’t care if it’s not their fault,” Ludwig went on, ignoring them. “They had better find a way to make more food, or they’ll all be fired.” Translation; they’d be killed on spot. Fired was just another way of saying ‘they’ll all get a bullet in the head’. Dinah was pretty sure they were aware of this as well.

“I’m sure they’ll manage,” Roman said.

His face was red with anger as he turned his stare to Dinah. “How did last night go?”

Her heart rate increased at just the mention of it, but she kept an outward calm. “Fine,” she answered. “They accepted me in. Told them I was new to the city. I stayed for a couple of hours and then left, so it didn’t look too suspicious. Figured I’d just establish a presence before I integrate further.”

Ludwig nodded. “Good,” he said. “When will you go back?”

“Tonight,” she said, flinching slightly at how quickly it came out. Did it sound too eager? She hoped not. “I’ll try to hang around them a bit longer, see if I can start breaking down some of their defences,” she continued in a more bored voice.

He turned slightly in his chair so he was facing her more, capturing her eyes with his. “Get me the information I need, Di,” he said. “I’m counting on you.”

Dinah nodded, swallowing awkwardly against the dryness in her mouth. In order to keep Ludwig happy she was going to have to betray McKay and his friends, and suddenly that just didn’t feel right.

Two hours. It had actually taken her two hours to get ready tonight. She was slightly disgusted with herself for acting like such a girl. She had taken a long shower, dried her hair so it was super straight, and put on make-up again. She even went as far as to find and wear the black sparkly tank top Roman had bought for her one year for her birthday. She remembered thinking there was no way in hell she’d ever wear it. And yet, now she stood in front of her mirror watching the way the light sparkled off the sequins covering the shirt. She was like a dark disco ball.

Pulling on her boots, she took another look at her watch and decided it was late enough. She didn’t want to be right on time, but she didn’t want to be too late either, otherwise he might think she wasn’t coming.

The ride through the upper section and into the ghetto was as calming as always when she rode her bike. She parked it a little further from the pub than she had the night before, in case there were people outside smoking again. If anyone saw her riding a motorcycle they’d know she was some sort of upper. She walked the couple of blocks, enjoying the mild temperature of the night. As she neared the pub she slowed her steps, her nerves getting the best of her.

What if he wasn’t there? What if this was some cruel joke? It would make sense, considering he knew exactly who and what she was. Maybe he would find it funny getting her to show up when he has no intention of doing the same. The sick feeling in her stomach was getting worse the closer she got. But when she turned the corner and instantly recognized his tall frame out of the others standing around him, she breathed a little easier. That is, until someone nodded in her direction and he turned to meet her gaze. Then breathing became a little difficult again.

McKay flicked his cigarette on the ground, speaking to the others before breaking away from the group and walking toward her. They met in the middle, awkwardly.

“I wasn’t sure you’d come,” he said, taking her in slowly. She pulled her leather jacket tighter around her body, suddenly feeling stupid for wearing the fancy shirt beneath it.

She shrugged, looking around instead of at him. “I didn’t have much else to do, so I figured why not.” He snorted, but didn’t reply. She stood there, waiting for him to speak. When he still didn’t, she gave in and looked up at him. His face was unreadable as he looked at her. “What?” she snapped, irritated. She hated when people watched her closely, especially him. Those green eyes did funny things to her and she didn’t like it.

“I’m just trying to figure you out,” he replied.

“Why?”

Now it was his turn to shrug. He looked away finally, glancing down at his watch. “We should go, or I’ll be late.”

“Go where?” she asked curiously. They were going somewhere other than the pub? He had already turned to walk, with her following, when her steps faltered. She stopped, watching his back as he took a few more steps before realizing she was no longer moving. Where could he be taking her? Was it some sort of trap? What had she really expected? He was involved with the same group set on destroying Ludwig, plus everyone and everything associated with him. Didn’t that include her? What would his people think if they knew who she really was? She’d be dead for sure.

Her thoughts were going a mile a minute. She looked around her, wondering if even now they were watching her. Would they want to make sure McKay followed through with delivering the enemy? She was so preoccupied that she hadn’t noticed McKay move until he stood toe to toe with her, and his hand was gently lifting her chin until they were looking into each other’s eyes.

“Hey,” he said gently. “Calm down. I’m not going to hurt you.” He must have read the question on her face, because he added, “or let anyone else hurt you. There’s just this thing I have to do tonight…somewhere I need to be, and I wanted you to come with me.”

Dinah let that soak in, watching him carefully to see if he was lying. She was so used to being able to just look inside a person to tell whether or not they were telling her the truth that she was having trouble deciphering it from facial expressions alone. From the way he was looking at her though, she knew he was being honest.

“I promise,” he assured her. The tension in her shoulders eased away. She nodded. McKay dropped his hand and took a step back. Her skin tingled where he had touched her, and she found herself wanting him to move closer again. There was something seriously wrong with her head, she decided.

McKay reached out and laced his fingers through hers, pulling her along with him as he began to walk again. Dinah looked down at their joined hands and a thrill ran through her. His hand was warm, the skin rough and callused against her softness. No one, well aside from her parents when she was younger, had ever held her hand like this. Her father had always been so strict growing up that, at sixteen, she still hadn’t had a boyfriend. She’d had boys that were friends, but never in the romantic sense. Even Bridgette hadn’t really done the relationship thing when they were younger. This was all so new to her.

When she looked back up she noticed McKay was watching her again, a small smile tugging at his lips. “You really are a hard girl to figure out,” he said.

Dinah shrugged. “I’d get used to it if I were you.”

McKay chuckled, looking forward again. They passed by the group in front of the pub, no one that Dinah knew, and continued walking through the empty streets. The heat and pressure of his hand holding hers was distracting. Neither spoke, but for some reason she didn’t find it at all awkward. It was a comfortable silence that one might find with someone they’ve known for a long time. This couldn’t be said for the two of them, and yet it really wasn’t awkward at all. And McKay seemed either unaware or completely content to continue holding her hand.

Dinah wondered if it was normal to overanalyze things like this when it came to the opposite sex? Maybe that was why the girls in her school when she was younger always seemed like idiots to her when it came to boys they liked. Was she just as bad as them now? God, she hoped not or she’d have to slap herself.

They were walking down a new street where more people were about, when she heard the distant notes of music. McKay led them to another pub, the sign overhead reading Jack’s Beanstalk in red lettering. A few people outside called out greetings to McKay, their eyes roving over to her interestedly. Inside, the pub was a lot different than the Bull’s Eye. This one didn’t seem nearly as rundown. Where the other pub was long and narrow, making it a little crowded, this one was wide and open, despite all the people inside. The entrance and bar were a level higher than the seating area below. Square tables were strewn about, already full of patrons. At the far end of the room was a small stage where a band was playing country music from years back. The lighting was lowered, except on the stage, where they were illuminated for the crowd to see.

There was a welcoming and comfortable feeling about it. Everyone was smiling, some talking to each other, most watching the band. A few couples were dancing in the small, open area right in front of the stage. Dinah watched the musicians play, smiling to herself. Her father used to play the guitar for her. She remembered listening to him as she fell asleep, loving the acoustic sound of the old melodies he’d play.

Listening to live music always soothed her soul. She was extremely glad she had decided to join McKay tonight, otherwise she would have never known this place existed. Maybe she could even come back here on her own some nights. She tore her eyes from the stage and met McKay’s amused look. Her smile turned into a frown instantly.

“What?” she asked defensively, raising her voice to be heard over the music.

McKay laughed, leaning in closer so he could speak into her ear. She breathed in deeply, loving the smell of him, a mixture of whatever shampoo he used, cigarettes, and what she assumed was just McKay. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so happy,” he said.

She pulled back to glare at him. “You’ve hardly seen me at all,” she pointed out, making him laugh again.

“I guess not,” he conceded. “But I’m betting you don’t normally look like that too often.” He was bang on and it bothered her. She wanted to argue that there wasn’t much to be happy about in this world, but decided she didn’t want to ruin the night by fighting with him. Her silence seemed to be a confirmation to him. He squeezed her hand, offering her a small smile, before motioning with his head for her to follow. They moved through the crowd, heading toward the bar. An older man behind it broke out into a huge grin when he spotted McKay. He wiped his hands on a dirty looking hand towel before lifting a section of the bar to come out and meet them.

“There you are,” he said happily. “I was wondering if you’d make it tonight. I never know with you.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” McKay apologized. “Sometimes…well, things just come up.”

The man nodded, a certain understanding crossing his face. “Well I’m glad you made it tonight. Everyone has been asking about you for weeks.” Dinah had no idea what they were talking about so she stood silently by his side. The man looked at her, his eyebrows rising in surprise. “And who is this?” he asked.

McKay tugged on her hand so she stepped forward a bit. “This is Dinah,” he introduced. “A new…friend of mine. Dinah, this is Jack, of Jack’s Beanstalk.”

The man smiled meeting her eyes. She offered him a smile of her own, pulling her hand from McKay’s so she could shake his. “It’s nice to meet you,” she yelled over the noise. He held her hand, shaking it slowly, his gaze roaming over her face.

“What did you say your name was?”

“Dinah,” she supplied again.

“Dinah?” He nodded slowly, narrowing his look. “You remind me of someone I knew a long time ago.” What was she supposed to say to that? There was an awkward silence before he let go of her hand and took on an easy grin again. “Well it’s nice to meet a friend of Pete’s here. I hope you enjoy your night with us.”

“Thank you,” she said.

“I’ll get you two some drinks. Why don’t you go down and take your usual table,” Jack suggested. McKay reached out and took her hand again as if it was the most natural thing to do and led her down the steps to the lower area. Dinah noticed how people looked up and recognized him with a level of excitement. They walked around the tables to a small one just left of the stage, the only one still empty for some reason.

“This is my table,” McKay said.

Dinah cocked a brow. “So no one can sit here but you?”

McKay laughed with a slight hint of embarrassment. “I never said that, but I guess they usually leave it empty in case I come by.”

That was strange, she decided. He pulled out a chair and motioned for her to sit. That was also strange. It was like they were on an actual date, which they weren’t. Enemies didn’t date. And yet, McKay was being considerably nicer to her than he had the night before after practically ignoring her the entire time. Was it because his friends weren’t there to see it?

He pulled out the chair beside her, letting his long legs stretch out. A waitress arrived just then to place two pints of beer on the table. She smiled shyly at McKay before walking away.

“What do you think?” McKay asked, his voice near her ear. Dinah turned to find his face inches from hers.

She let her eyes roam over his face slowly. “Amazing,” she answered. Was that breathy voice hers? She should have been mortified, but the way his entire body tensed and his eyes heated had her pulse racing, and all she could do was stare back. She had been referring to the bar – hadn’t she? Maybe she should clarify that. She licked her lips, the air suddenly overly warm and dry, but whatever she was about to say froze in her lungs as she watched his eyes follow the trail of her tongue. She cleared her throat. “How did you get the black eye?” she asked, changing the topic. The energy between them was more than she could handle. It felt like she was about to combust at any moment, and yet she couldn’t look away to break the connection.

“I had a bit of a disagreement last night,” he answered in a low voice.

She failed at her attempt to smile lightly. Licking her lips again, his eyes glued to the motion, she said, “I bet you get in a lot of disagreements.”

He chuckled, his voice husky. “I bet the same could be said for you.”

“I don’t walk away from my disagreements with a black eye,” she countered.

“That would definitely be a shame.”

Her face felt like it had burst into flames. Was that some sort of round about compliment? Were they flirting? Oh God! She didn’t even know! How utterly lame was that?

“Were they soldiers?” she asked. Wrong question apparently. McKay sat up straighter, moving his gaze to the stage, effectively breaking their connection. She felt the loss immediately, while at the same time finally felt like she could take a decent breath.

“No,” he answered stiffly. Okay…she had no idea what she said wrong or why his mood changed, but she wasn’t about to press the subject. She didn’t know McKay, and wasn’t about to test his limits. She really wanted the night to go well so he’d welcome her back. So you can do your job, she reminded herself. Not so you can just hang out with him more. Right.

“I really love live music,” she said, changing the subject again. She looked up at the band playing. If only she could play an instrument. Maybe if she had learned, she wouldn’t be so bored in her room back at headquarters all the time. Dinah could feel McKay looking at her again, so she turned her head slightly. He was smiling appreciatively, his face and body relaxing once more.

“I’m glad you said that,” he said.

“Oh? Why?”

He winked, picking up his glass to take a sip of beer. “You’ll see,” was his only answer.

They watched the band play while they drank, him taking gulps, her tiny sips. She really did not enjoy the taste of beer. When the song ended everyone cheered and then the singer looked right at their table, his face split into a smile.

“We got a real treat for you all tonight,” the singer announced. “Mr. Pete McKay is here with us.” Everyone clapped and hollered. She looked over to find Pete grinning from ear to ear. He lifted his hand in a quick wave at everyone as they continued to whistle and cheer. His eyes met hers and he sent her another wink before getting up and walking to the stage.

What the…? Dinah watched, stupefied, as McKay grabbed an acoustic guitar from the side of the stage and strode confidently up to the mic.

“Ah! We made it just in time.”

Dinah jumped at the voice. Seamus plopped down in the seat McKay had just vacated. Garrett and Trent dragged two more chairs to the table, each settling in like this was a normal thing for them.

“And how are we, this fine evening?” Seamus said to her.

“Fine, thank you,” she answered.

“Drinking like a fish again, I see,” Seamus commented, looking at her barely touched drink. Garrett laughed while Dinah smiled sheepishly. Apparently they noticed her dislike for the stuff. She reached for the glass, taking a larger gulp than normal just to prove a point, keeping her face neutral as she swallowed the bitter liquid.

“You almost managed to do that without looking like you want to spit it out,” Trent chuckled. “Nice try.”

Dinah laughed and shrugged. “The stuff is awful, what can I say?”

“You get used to it,” Seamus said.

The strumming of a guitar caught her attention again, and she looked back at the stage to see McKay sitting on a stool that had suddenly appeared, the guitar resting on his knee. Their eyes met, the room and everyone in it disappearing for that brief moment. He looked down at the guitar and started to play.

She knew the song instantly. It was an old song from the early two thousands, but one she was familiar with. She couldn’t remember the name, something about a scientist perhaps? Something like that, she knew. McKay’s voice started the first verse, and all her breath left her. His eyes were closed as he played an acoustic version, his voice hitting the high notes effortlessly. Goose bumps rose along her arms. Sitting there, watching him play in front of a captured audience, Dinah would never have suspected he’d be a part of the resistance. He didn’t look like a rebel. He looked like a young man losing himself in a piece of music, cut off from the horrors of today’s world. Save for the black eye.

Her eyes watched his fingers move over the strings, moving up to look at the tattoos covering his thick arms. She was lost in his every movement and sound, and didn’t snap out of it, even when he finished the song, until the room finally broke out into applause. He gave one of his quick waves before starting a new song, another familiar one. She knew this one well, her father being a huge fan of the Beatles like most Londoners. McKay sang the lyrics to ‘I’ve Just Seen A Face’, some people singing along with him, a few getting up to dance to it, but all Dinah could do was stare.

When he spoke of dreaming of her, his eyes met Dinah’s before looking away again. Every word in the song had her head spinning. Had he picked this song for her? Was there meaning behind it? Or was she completely off her rocker? What if McKay had absolutely no interest in her at all, while she was sitting here dissecting his performance like he was singing it just to her? Geez, she could possibly be a bigger loser than she thought, she realized.

The song ended and he went straight into another one, this time with the band playing behind him. Seamus stood and walked around the table to stand in front of her with his hand out. She looked at it curiously before lifting her gaze to his.

“Well come on,” he urged. “Let’s go dance.”

He wanted to dance? She had never danced with anyone before. This night was slowly taking a dive for the worse. She must have hesitated too long, because Seamus growled in frustration and simply yanked her out of the seat, dragging her to the dance floor. She found it funny that he treated her so casually. If he knew who she really was, he’d probably be terrified. What a difference a mask can make. She stood awkwardly in front of him, crowded by the other dancers.

“Uh…Seamus?”

“What’s the matter?” he asked, wrapping his arm around her waist and grabbing her right hand.

“I’ve never…” She couldn’t even say it, it was so embarrassing. Seamus seemed to get it though, and his face morphed into a look of understanding.

“You’re never danced before?” he filled in. Dinah nodded, biting her bottom lip nervously. “Well you’re in luck then, because you’re looking at the best dance instructor on this side of the ocean.”

That got a smile out of her and she relaxed fractionally in his hold. “Is that so? Says who?”

“Says me.” He smiled proudly. “Just follow my lead.”

They danced to three songs, McKay’s voice filling the bar with its smooth, husky tone. Dinah laughed so much her stomach actually started to hurt. Seamus twirled her around, completely oblivious to anyone else around them. Garrett even joined them during the second song, cutting in to drag her through the moves. She felt completely uncoordinated and awkward and yet she was having more fun than she could ever remember having.

A new voice took over, starting another country song that had more people moving to the dance floor. Garrett had moved on to another partner while Seamus continued to swing her around. Sweat dripped down her back, but she hardly noticed.

“My turn,” a familiar voice demanded behind her. Seamus stepped back as McKay took his spot, his hands moving to the spots where Seamus’ had been. It felt completely different when McKay held her waist and hand. He pulled her right up against his body and she felt herself flush even more. They didn’t speak as he led them into the dance. Dinah followed his lead, trying her best to ignore the heat coming off of him. “Having fun?” he whispered in her ear. She nodded. “Good,” was his only reply as he continued to hold her throughout the song.

When it was over, they joined the rest of them back at the table and finished their drinks before deciding it was time to leave. Dinah followed them out, pushing her way through the crowd. McKay reached back and grabbed her hand like he had at the beginning of the night. It was starting to feel normal to her, and that was a little scary. You can’t keep him, she reminded herself. This was just a job. A job that was getting increasingly difficult.

Chapter Eleven

Jack watched the group leave, his eyes following the girl closely. The similarities between her and the young girl he used to know were staggering. But her name hadn’t been Dinah. That’s what was making him second guess himself. If it was her, why would she give a different name? And how would Pete not recognize her? He was close with that family, there was no way he wouldn’t see it too.

Maybe he was wrong then, he thought. It was possible the two just looked a lot alike. It was just…it nagged at him. He always trusted his gut, and right now his gut was telling him something was definitely off. He tried ignoring it the whole night, but every time he looked at her it was there. He needed to find out if it was possible. He didn’t know the implications if it was her, but he knew it couldn’t be good.

“I’m going to step out for a sec,” he told Tracey, the other bartender working. He walked outside and stepped into the darkened doorway of the bakery next door. Taking a quick look around, just to be sure, he pulled out the cell phone hidden in his pocket and keyed in the General’s number. Jack wasn’t technically part of the resistance. Not that he wasn’t a rebel at heart, but his son, Xavier, was a New World army soldier, and because of that, Jack could never be part of the inner circle. But he and Douglas Hatcher had been friends for years. Their homes used to be across the street from each other, and their kids had grown up together.

It was Jack who had gotten Douglas on his boat in time, before the army raided. Because of that, Douglas had always promised to be a phone call away, despite Xavier’s choices. The thought of Xavier hurt just like it always did. It was why Jack tried not to think of his son at all. They’d been estranged for years now, and every day was as fresh and painful as the last. After three rings a voice picked up.

“Is Douglas there?” Jack said.

“He’s unavailable at the moment,” the voice replied. “I’ll have him call you back. Name?”

“Tell him it’s Jack,” he answered. “And tell him it’s important he calls me as soon as he can.”

“Will do.” The line clicked off. Jack shoved the phone back into his pocket and went back into his bar. He’d talk to his old friend and figure out what’s going on, because his gut told him it was Charlotte he’d just seen, and he had no idea how she was still alive five years later, hooked on the arm of Pete McKay.

How was it, something so wrong, for many reasons, could feel so completely right? Pete held Dinah’s tiny hand in his as he followed his brothers and Seamus out of Jack’s Beanstalk. It felt right having her there with him, holding onto her like he had when they danced, looking out at the crowd while he sung, seeing her sitting there listening to him. Everything felt – complete. Did he believe in love at first sight? No. He was no hopeless romantic. But he did believe in there being one person out there meant for you, and crazy or not, he was starting to wonder if Dinah might be it for him.

They hardly knew each other. This was the third time he’d seen her, but it just felt so natural. It was frightening really. If his friends knew how he was feeling they’d laugh at him for it. Pete was not a sentimental man by any means. The fact that he was even spending a second night with Dinah was already at odds with his usual behaviour. He needed to sort this out, and fast, before someone got hurt. Because as much as things felt right, he knew the chance of them being together wasn’t possible.

The group of them walked down the empty streets, the air much cooler than it had been inside the pub. Dinah walked beside him, talking to Garrett, her hand still in his. None of the guys said anything about them holding hands, and she hadn’t made a move to remove it. Who knew holding a girl’s hand would have him so messed up in the head. Dinah’s laughter was mixing with Trent’s over what Garrett had said, Seamus was lost in his own world, and Pete was too focused on the sound of her laughter than anything so he didn’t notice the group that stepped out from an alley at first until he heard one clear their throat.

Soldiers.

Pete stopped, forcing Dinah to follow suit. The others noticed the group of five New World army soldiers all at the same time.

“Shit,” Garret, “Great,” Seamus, “Crap,” Trent. Dinah remained quiet.

“Where are you lot heading off to then?” one of them called out.

“Home,” Trent answered. “What’s it to you?”

The soldiers all looked at each other, grinning wolfishly. “What’s it to me? I’m protecting the streets, don’t you know? It’s our job to make sure none of you lowers cause any problems.”

“Mate,” Pete scoffed. “The only problem in this street right now is you.” Dinah squeezed his hand in warning. He squeezed back, keeping his focus on the soldiers.

“Is that so? Well I think we need to do a search. Make sure none of you hooligans are carrying any illegal weapons.”

Crap. Pete guessed all of them were carrying guns.

“How about you just let us go home, and save us all the trouble?” Seamus suggested.

“It’s no trouble for us,” another one answered.

“It will be,” Garrett said. “Trust me.”

Dinah turned to him, pressing into his arm. He was standing in front of five of his enemies, darkness all around them, danger an almost guarantee, and yet he was still extremely aware of the feeling of her body pressed to his. He had problems.

“McKay,” she hissed softly. “Don’t do this, please. Isn’t there a way we can just turn and leave?”

He looked down at her. She had no idea what it was like on their streets “Dinah, they’re not just going to let us turn and go. This is how they are.” He leaned in closer. “And I’m guessing all of us are packing heat, so this is only going to get uglier.”

“Something wrong with your pet?” the first speaker called out. “Why don’t you come over here, darling, and I’ll keep you safe.”

Pete actually laughed, genuinely amused. He didn’t even need to look at Dinah’s face to know this guy was about to get what was coming to him. “Mate,” he shook his head, “you have no idea who you’re talking to.”

Dinah let go of his hand, and walked slowly toward the soldiers. Trent made a move to stop her but Pete shook his head subtly. She didn’t need their help. The soldiers all smiled as she approached, watching her. It took every ounce of discipline for Pete not to shoot them right then. She stopped just before the speaker. Pete couldn’t hear what was being said, but when her hand flew up, the heel of her palm smashing into the man’s nose, all he could do was laugh. The man fell to his knees clutching his face.

The four other soldiers drew their guns, Pete and the boys following. The New World assholes were alternating their barrels between Dinah and them.

“Stop!” Pete yelled. “Nobody shoot!” His heart was pounding. If one of them pressed the trigger he was too far to help her.

The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. Dinah, however, stood calmly amongst the chaos, her back straight, hands loose at her side. She hadn’t even bothered to pull her weapon, which he knew she had tucked away somewhere. She wasn’t the type to go out without one. She crouched down in front of the man still moaning and groaning about his face. Pete hated whiners.

“What should we do?” Seamus hissed.

“Wait,” Pete said. “Let her handle this.”

“This is not good, Petey,” Trent murmured. “I don’t like where this is headed.”

“Trust me,” Pete assured him. “Just let her do her thing.” Inwardly he prayed she actually did know what she was doing, because if she didn’t this night was going to get really bloody.

“What’s your name?” Dinah asked, keeping her voice low.

“Screw you, bitch,” he snapped, removing his hands from his face. Dinah clicked her tongue disapprovingly.

“Fine,” she said calmly. “I’ll find out for myself.” She pushed into his head, finding the information as easy as picking a stone up off the street. “Gregory is it?”

The man stilled, his eyes going wide. The others began to shift uncomfortably around her. She could hear their thoughts, all of them confused and anxious. Seems the boys had been drinking on the job, and were seriously starting to question this whole plan. Looks like beating up lowers wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, Dinah mused.

“How did you…?”

Dinah looked him in the eye. “Take a good long look at my eyes, Gregory, and you tell me how I did it. Think really hard.”

Understanding dawned, his features taking on the look of realization and fear. “X?”

She smiled thinly. “You and your boys need to turn around and leave. And,” she added, “I better not hear of you guys drinking on the job again, or I’ll make sure Roman is very much aware of the situation. Understood?”

His eyes looked over her shoulder questioningly.

“Look at me,” she ordered. He did so immediately. “Roman and Ludwig are well aware of my whereabouts, got it? This is none of your concern. Now, get up and get going. Probably best to just head back to headquarters so you can get patched up.”

He nodded, scrambling to get up. The others put their guns away hesitantly, their eyes flittering between her and McKay’s crew behind her.

“And Gregory?”

“Yes, X?”

“Don’t ever call me a bitch again, or I just might show you how much of one I can be.”

She turned her back on them and walked to where the others stood. She could hear the soldiers retreating back down the alley they had appeared from. None of McKay’s guys, including himself, had put their guns away, their eyes watching the soldiers carefully. Only when they were out of sight did they lower them.

“How the hell did you do that?” Garrett said in amazement.

“Must be my feminine charm,” she said, smiling tightly.

“Seriously, what did you say to them?” Trent asked, his eyes narrowed on her suspiciously.

“McKay!” called out a new voice. Dinah sent a quick prayer upwards for that prime interruption. She hadn’t thought about what she was going to say and Trent didn’t look like he was going to let it go without an explanation. Crap, she thought.

“What’s up, Tommy Boy?” McKay said. Dinah turned to see the guy from the other night come running up.

“You’re needed,” he said, catching his breath. “Sorry to interrupt your night off,” he continued, looking at Dinah quickly. “But it’s – important.”

McKay turned to Dinah apologetically but she waved him off. “Don’t worry about me, I can find my way back. You guys go do what you have to.”

“I can always walk with her, just to be safe,” Seamus offered.

“No, you come with us. She’ll be fine,” Pete said before she could, his eyes still on her. “You guys start walking and I’ll catch up.”

They all waved goodbye to her, Trent still looking at her curiously, before walking away with the new boy, Tommy. McKay moved to stand in front of her, cutting off her view of the others.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, sure. Everything’s fine,” she said easily.

“You positive?”

She sighed, meeting his hard gaze. “Yes, McKay.”

“Pete.”

She looked up at him questioningly. “Pardon?”

“Call me Pete. McKay is what everyone else calls me.”

What was that supposed to mean? That only his friends could call him McKay? Did he not consider her one now? From how the night had been going, she figured they’d reached some sort of middle ground, but now she wasn’t so sure. Pete’s chuckle grabbed her attention right as he placed a palm on either side of her face, holding it gently.

“You know, for a tough ass girl, you sure show every emotion on this beautiful face of yours. I thought you were supposed to be all mysterious?” He said, smiling.

Dinah tried to jerk her face away, but he wouldn’t let her. “I’m only mysterious when my face is hidden.”

He let his eyes look her over slowly, pausing on her lips. Her stomach rolled just has her heart picked up speed. It was crazy how this boy affected her body. “I’m glad your face isn’t hidden from me. Now, to correct whatever thoughts I just saw running through your head, it’s not that I don’t want you to call me McKay because you’re not a friend or anything. I’d just prefer you call me something most people don’t. Make it’s a little more…special.”

He looked slightly embarrassed, his cheeks flushing as he finished. That was why? Dinah felt herself start to smile like an idiot, even though she really want to keep it cool. Too late. “Okay,” she said softly. She really needed to stop sounding like such a girl. It was pretty hard to do that with Pete though.

“I need to run. You’re going to be okay, right?”

She nodded.

“When will I get to see you again?”

“I’m not sure,” she said.

He looked over her head where the soldiers disappeared, thoughtfully. “Is that going to be a problem for you?” he asked.

“No. They won’t say anything. I think I scare them too much,” she replied. Pete could not know that Roman and others knew of what she was doing, otherwise he’d realize it was because they planted her here. Suddenly she didn’t feel so good.

“Okay, well I’ll see you around then.” He leaned in and kissed her forehead before dropping his hands and stepping away. Another quick grin and he was running after his friends, leaving her standing there, frozen speechless and alone. Why hadn’t he kissed her? Did she want him to kiss her? Yeah, that was a big, fat yes. Even she couldn’t deny that. Dinah started walking back toward the area where she parked her bike, all the while thinking she’d gotten way in over her head with all this. She just hoped she would make it out with all of herself intact, including her heart.

Chapter Twelve

Why didn’t he kiss her? Pete wanted to seriously smack himself in the face. It would only complicate an already complicated situation, his smarter self answered. Still, he was going to be regretting that decision for days.

“I’m going to leave you here,” Tommy Boy said. “I’m off to the Red Lounge again.” He winked.

“How does someone like you have enough money to go to a place like that?” Garrett asked, baffled.

Tommy Boy smiled. “I got me a job now.”

“You have a job?” Seamus gasped.

Garrett snickered. “You mean, aside from playing messenger boy?”

“Do we even want to know what it is?” Pete said.

“Don’t ask, don’t tell,” Tommy Boy answered. “Trust me, boys, some things are better left in the dark. I’ll catch you all later.”

They waved goodbye as they headed toward St. Anne’s. Trent fell into step with Pete as the other two walked up ahead.

“You want to tell me what’s going on with Dinah?” Trent asked in a lowered voice.

Pete looked over in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“Well for starters, what the hell was that back there? I’ve never seen New World army soldiers back down for anyone. Why would they do it for some tiny girl?”

“And what else?” Pete said, avoiding his brother’s questions.

Trent’s mouth thinned out like it always did when he wasn’t happy. “And what’s going on between the two of you? All of a sudden there’s some strange girl hanging around, and you’re acting like some schoolboy with a crush. What’s up with that?”

“I am not,” he defended.

Trent gave him a bland look. “Bro, I’ve seen you with girls my entire life. Not one has ever really interested you. The only girl you’ve spent more than a week with is Bridge, and that’s only because you think of her as a sister. From the way you look at Dinah, I’d say you’re not having brotherly thoughts about her. And if you are, you have way more issues than I thought.”

Pete laughed, shaking his head. “I definitely have more issues than you think, let’s just leave it at that.”

“You’re not going to tell me what’s really going on? I’m not stupid, Pete. I can tell there’s more to all of this than what either of you are telling us.”

Sometimes he really hated how observant his older brother was. He trusted Trent explicitly, but there was no way Pete could tell him who Dinah really was. He would freak out and rightly so. The whole situation with them was dangerous. Pete wasn’t even sure why she was hanging out with them, but that didn’t mean he would stop it. God, you’re such a masochist, he thought.

“I need you to trust me,” Pete told him. “I’ll explain it all, just not now.” Was that a lie? Maybe, maybe not. If he could get Dinah to leave Ludwig and join them then he could be honest about her. But until then, there was no way he was saying anything. Was that what he wanted? For her to join them instead? Because of her value, or because he just wanted her with him?

“Fine,” Trent said, interrupting his thoughts. “But I’m holding you to that. Eventually you need to come clean, because I’m not the only one who’s going to pick up on this.”

Pete nodded, keeping his features calm. They entered the church and headed to the confessionals. Pete walked through the hidden door and down the stairs to the rebel’s main hideout. The General and several of the council members were already there, sitting around the large, round table set up in the middle of the room. Pete hated being down here. It was cold and damp all the time, the stone walls offering no heat of any kind. And it smelled musty. The sconces on the walls barely lit the wide, open room, and the ceiling was too low for him to stand upright comfortably. He always felt the need to hunch a little.

He also hated the usual disregarding looks from the council members. A bunch of old men who looked down on them, and yet who did they think did all their dirty work out on the streets? Pete was so sick of this shit. He cast them all a hard smile before plopping down in a seat.

“Good of you to join us,” the General said dryly.

“It’s always a pleasure chattin’ with you lot,” Pete replied sarcastically. “What can we do ya for?”

“We’ve received some interesting intel,” he informed them, cutting to the chase.

“Of what variety?” Pete asked.

“Of the interesting kind.”

“So you’ve said.”

“In three weeks’ time, Ludwig Tenebris will be sitting down with his main artillery suppliers,” one of the councilmen provided.

Pete sat back in his chair, his fingers drumming lazily on the table. This was interesting news. “Where?”

“Here,” Douglas answered, “in New Berlin.”

He sat forward again. “Are you sure? How are they getting here?”

“Flying in. This is our chance to finally hit the New World government where it hurts,” the same councilman said.

“They’re staying at the headquarters up town?”

The General nodded.

“What do you have planned?”

Douglas smiled the kind of smile that gave Pete chills. “We bomb them. All of them.”

“You’ve been requested,” Donna said, placing a hand on Bridgette’s shoulder. Bridgette smiled at her boss through the mirror and gave her a tiny nod. Donna walked away, her face pinched with worry. Bridgette wasn’t sure why, but she’d seen that look on her employer’s face more often as of late.

Finishing up with her hair, she stood and headed toward the door that led to the back stairwell. Sebastian was watching her from across the room, but she ignored him. Ever since her glorious reunion with her father, Bridgette had been pissed at Sebastian. He knew how she felt about her father and his stupid rebellion. It wasn’t like she ever hid her distaste for the whole thing. McKay was even aware of it. The fact that the two of them had thought it was a good idea to bring her to that cold, empty church just to meet a man of the same variety boggled her mind. Did anyone know her at all?

She stomped up the stairs, the familiar jabs of anger in every step. She was so sick of everyone thinking they were doing the right thing when really it only ever made things worse. The whole stupid rebellion was only going to get them killed faster. Why couldn’t they just deal with life as it was like the rest of them? Why did they have to feel the need to fight against something that would destroy them? Bridgette swore to herself that she was never, ever going to get involved in anything the rebels were doing. She was going to live her life the way she wanted, and deal with whatever crap was thrown her way. The rebels and their misguided ideals could suck it.

Room four was the only room occupied, the red light above the door turned on. Any time one of the girls were requested for a private dance, it was up on the second level. No one did it out in the main room. Bridgette fixed her red and black corset before stepping into the dimly lit room.

She froze.

“Shut the door,” he commanded. It took her a moment to do as she was told. Her hands shook as she pressed it shut, turning around slowly to meet the man who had consumed her dreams for the past week. Roman Adamson sat in a chair, casually leaning back as he observed her. They looked at each other intently before he finally spoke, breaking the silence. “Are you going to dance for me, Bridgette?”

The sound of her name on his tongue did funny things to her head. She nodded, tripping in her haste to get up on the mini stage. Keep it cool, Bridge, she scolded herself. She took a deep breath as she set up the music. How was she going to sing with him watching her? And only her? This was like her own worse nightmare come to life. Alone in a room with Roman Adamson.

Bridgette waited for the music to start and began singing, her movements slightly less fluid than normal. Oh man, she was doing a horrible job. Her face felt like it was on fire from the embarrassment. And it didn’t help that he just sat there, watching her with those big, dark blue eyes, his face completely expressionless. What if he went and complained to Donna about how horrible she was? Was it possible to die from humiliation? Because it might actually happen to her.

She continued to perform the song mechanically, looking anywhere but at him.

“Stop.” His voice was deep and smooth, and the sound of it had her full attention the second he said anything.

She froze mid-step, her voice faltering. He sat forward, his hands hanging loosely between his bent legs. He had huge legs, she noted. Everything about him was huge. Her face flamed even more at the wonder of just how much of him was big. She unconsciously fanned herself with her hand. This was going worse than she had ever imagined.

“Come closer,” he said, one corner of his mouth lifting. She took a step forward and stopped. He shook his head. “Closer.” He pointed to the spot right before him. Bridgette swallowed nervously, forcing herself to move. She stepped off the stage, stopping where his finger was still indicating. He stood up slowly, his large frame towering over hers. She felt extremely small and feminine next to him. Bridgette kept her eyes down, looking at the middle of his chest.

His hands lifted, landing on her hips. He gripped her there, and every thought in her head fled with his touch. Only a thin layer of lace and satin sat between his skin and hers. The thought of that had her blood boiling.

“Bridgette, look at me.”

She lifted her gaze to meet his. He watched her face as he slowly glided his hands up her sides, his thumbs brushing the sides of her breasts, until he removed them to grip her upper arms.

“Look at me,” he urged. Bridgette’s eyes popped open. When had she closed them? She looked back up, mortified at her reaction to his touch. “I’ve seen you perform before, and you are incredibly amazing to watch. What is it about performing in front of just me that has you so nervous?”

She licked her dry lips. “Who says I’m nervous?” she challenged. He might make her feel like a puddle of goo, but she sure as heck wasn’t going to show it. The Hatcher women were always stubborn and strong-willed. He smiled, which only made her want to melt more.

“You’re stumbling around that stage like this is the first time you’ve done it. Which, we both know isn’t true. Do I make you nervous, Bridgette?”

Did he need to keep saying her name? Seriously, it was making thinking very difficult. Bridgette shook her head. “Just having an off night, I suppose,” she offered. He chuckled, his laugh as rich as his voice, but huskier. A ringing sound interrupted them. Roman dropped his hands and reached into one of the pockets on his pants. Bridgette stepped back, sucking in air while he answered his phone.

“Yeah?” His brows lowered as he listened, his face serious. “Okay, I’ll be there in ten.” He snapped the phone closed and gave her an apologetic smile. “Looks like our time is cut short. It was nice seeing you again, Bridgette.” He walked out of the room, her watching after him. She breathed a sigh of relief. Roman Adamson might look and sound like the man of her dreams, but she knew he was more trouble than she was prepared to deal with. She wasn’t sure what it meant that he came back here to see her, but she was equal parts terrified and excited about it.

Chapter Thirteen

Dinah was brushing out her hair when the knock came. Roman stood out in the hall, his features changing to amused when he took in her wet hair and pajamas.

“Getting ready for bed?” he asked, fighting back a smile.

“You do realize it’s like two in the morning, right?” she said. “Just because I can read minds, Roman, doesn’t mean I don’t have to sleep at some point.”

He chuckled like he always did when she snapped at him. “May I come in for a minute?”

She stepped back motioning him in with her hand. Roman always looked ridiculous to her when he was in her room. Like the tiny space couldn’t hold such an overwhelming figure. Dinah leaned against the back of her door, waiting for him to get to why he was here.

“How’s the undercover work going?” he asked conversationally.

She shrugged. “Not that good,” she admitted. “I haven’t been able to break down their walls yet.” Probably because you haven’t really tried, she reproached.

“Is there any point to it then?”

“I think it will work, with time. Is that what you’ve come to talk about?”

He shook his head. “No. I came to let you know that your nightlife is going to have to be put on hold for a couple of days.”

She straightened. “Why?”

He raised an eyebrow.

“What?” she balked.

“You seem disappointed by that.”

“No I’m not,” she defended. “I could care less about hanging out with a bunch of lowers. I just want to know what I’ll be doing instead.”

He narrowed his eyes at her for a moment, before nodding once. “Okay. I just spoke with Ludwig, there’s a shipment of food leaving Rome tomorrow night. They rushed it so anyone who has knowledge of our normal scheduling won’t be prepared. The last thing we need is our food deliveries hijacked too. Ludwig wants us escorting it for the last half of the trip, just to be safe. We’ll be out of town for a couple of days.”

“When do we leave?”

“Now,” he answered with a grin. “So you’ll have to get your beauty rest in the backseat of the truck.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. “We can cuddle.”

“You are such a creep,” she murmured. “Let me get changed then and I’ll meet you out front.”

Dinah sat in the black SUV, staring out the passenger side window as Roman drove them back to New Berlin. The transport truck was behind them, safe and sound. Dinah had been responsible for scouring the countryside as they drove. Keeping her mind open to any nefarious thoughts being directed their way. Nothing happened, except for the pounding headache she’d had for the past two days from keeping herself open. It wasn’t easy, and now that they were almost back to the city all she wanted to do was sleep in her own bed and close herself off to everyone’s thoughts.

Of course, sleeping was only one of the things she really wanted to do. The other she kept denying to herself, but it was hard to when his face kept popping into her head during the past two days she hadn’t seen him. Every time it happened she got a funny feeling in her stomach. What was it about him? She couldn’t put her finger on it. Now that she’d had some time away from him, she found herself analyzing their sudden and bizarre relationship – if you could even call it that.

There was no such thing as love at first sight. Maybe lust at first sight, she debated. When she looked at Pete there was definite lust going on inside her. She wouldn’t deny that, at least not to herself. Was that all it was though, lust? Did one think about a person constantly when they just lusted them? She wasn’t sure. Despite being in her twenties, Dinah had to admit that she really didn’t have much experience when it came to boys. And not just in the physical sense.

It would help to know what he was thinking, but there was no way she could just come out and ask him. He hadn’t really shown any serious feelings for her, other than asking her out that one night. And if she was being honest, he could have just done that to keep a closer eye on her. Similar to what she was doing to them, except her motives were even worse than just watching them. Not that she had actually done what she was set out to do, but still, the intention was there. What would he think of her if he knew? Could she really betray him in the end? God, she was starting to wonder who the hell she was anymore. One night amongst the lowers and she was getting all soft. Or are you just starting to see beyond your walls? She didn’t know what was going on with her, but after getting to know McKay and his friends, she was finding it harder and harder to even contemplate betraying them.

Maybe she would never break down their walls, she reasoned. If that happened then she wouldn’t have to betray them. She’d just tell Ludwig she tried and couldn’t do it, and he’d have to find some other way to destroy the rebels. She sighed out loud, resting her head on the window. It was cold from the early morning temperature and felt amazing against her skin. She closed her eyes. Why did life have to be so difficult? From the moment she watched her mother die, by the hand of the man sitting beside her, everything had just gotten more and more screwed up. Her anger had swelled to something that made her think she wasn’t even close to the same person she was five years ago. Anger could do that to a person. Tear them up and morph them into a completely new, bitter person.

Was that it? Was she just bitter? Was she still just some sixteen year old teenager pissed off at her parents for letting her down? Wouldn’t that be sad, she mused. She definitely didn’t feel like the same person any more. Part of her was happy about that, because now she was much stronger than she had been when she was younger. The other part missed the innocence and simplicity of that former life. The things she’d done…they couldn’t easily be undone. Pete probably knew this, knowing who and what she was, and yet he still treated her well. Her stomach did that flipping thing again it had been doing a lot lately. It was really starting to piss her off.

The idea that maybe her feelings ran deeper than just lust scared her. Pete saw her – just her. Not some masked weapon or scared little girl in a torn apart house with a dead mother by her side. He saw Dinah for who she was now, and from the looks of it, actually liked her.

“You’re thinking awfully hard over there,” Roman said. “Care to share?”

“Do I ever?” she replied, keeping her eyes closed.

“No,” he admitted. “But it’s never too late to try.”

“I’m just tired,” she lied. “My head is killing me and I want my bed.” And I miss Pete. Crap. She really did miss him and it had only been two days. How pathetic. Or maybe it was normal. The fact that she didn’t know was really annoying. If only Bridgette was still around. Her eyes popped open, looking at the grey skies of early dawn. Thinking about her always hurt her chest, like the wind had been knocked out of her. If she still had her sister she’d have someone else to talk to. Another girl who could help her with these kinds of things. Bridgette was always good at giving her advice. Not that they had ever really talked about boys, but Dinah was sure her older sister would have been good at it.

They passed through the gates of the city, the soldiers waving them through. Dinah was suddenly surrounded by buildings rebuilt and undamaged by the bombings. Nothing like the broken, rundown ones in the ghettos. This area was back to its former glory, however not quite the same. The life, the very essence of what had made this city come alive and be vibrant, was no longer there. Just a shell of what it had been. All cosmetics and no substance.

They pulled up to headquarters where two soldiers waited.

“Great,” she sighed.

“You think they’re waiting for us?” Roman asked, eyeing the men through the windshield.

“Who else would they be waiting for?” she said. “Looks like I’m not getting sleep after all.”

“He might just want a quick update.” He opened the door and got out, leaning down so he could look at her where she was still sitting. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he doesn’t keep us long.”

“I need you two to go take care of an issue for me,” Ludwig said as soon as they sat down in front of his desk. He sat across from them looking as prim and proper as always, despite it being five in the morning. Sometimes Dinah wondered if he was actually human. Vampire maybe? Honestly, she wouldn’t be surprised.

“What do you need us to do?” Roman asked.

“We got word that the rebels are bringing in reinforcements from up north. Things are happening in their camps. I’m not sure what exactly, but I’m in the process of finding out,” he answered.

“And how are you doing that?” Dinah said.

Ludwig winked at her. “Don’t worry, my dear. I’ve got it covered.”

“You have someone on the inside?” Roman asked, sitting forward in his chair.

“Sort of,” he replied ambiguously. “They’re bringing the men in on some truck, through the countryside. I’d like you two to intercept it. No deaths. I just want them to know that we’re aware of what they’re doing. We don’t want them getting too comfortable.”

“I can handle it alone,” Roman said. “Let Lottey get some rest. She’s been worked hard the last two days.”

Dinah hated when people treated her like she was fragile, but for once she was actually thankful to Roman. However, her hopes and dreams of soft mattresses and hours of sleep were dashed by Ludwig’s reply. “I need her there. If these men are coming in from out of town, it’s possible they don’t have the same training as the ones based here in the city. I’m hoping Di can get some information off them. Arrest anyone we can use. Let the rest go.”

Roman glanced at her, apologetically. “When do we leave?”

“Now. My informant gave me the time and location of where the truck will be entering the city. I’d like there to be a welcome committee waiting by the time they arrive.”

Dinah sighed inwardly. Guess there really is no such thing as rest for the wicked, she thought miserably.

Something nudged at him. Pete brushed it away, but whatever it was, it was persistent. He murmured unintelligibly, curling in on himself further.

“McKay, get up,” a voice urged. Pete opened his eyes, blinking at the navy fabric in front of his face. Where the hell was he? He turned his head slightly to see Bridgette glaring at him, hands on her hips. “You sleep like the dead,” she said.

He sat up slowly, looking around her small apartment. Slowly the night before came back to him and he remembered coming here around two to make sure she was home. He must have crashed on her couch, because that was all he remembered.

“What time is it?” he asked in a hoarse voice, rubbing his eyes.

“Five,” she answered.

“Jesus, Bridge,” he groaned. “I’ve only been asleep for three hours. Are you trying to torture me?”

She huffed, walking away to the kitchen. Cupboard doors started banging as she began to prepare coffee. “You specifically instructed me to wake you up at five,” she said.

“I did?” He did? Why did he need to be up so damn early? Then he remembered his meeting with the General last night. They were bringing in more men from up north today. Douglas wanted more of their men in the city for the attack in a few weeks. Shit. He needed to get going. “I need to take a piss.”

“And I didn’t need to know that,” she shot back.

Pete shut the door to her tiny bathroom and did his morning ritual. He splashed some water on his face, looking at the bags under his eyes in the mirror above the sink. Not looking too good, McKay. He’d had too much to drink the night before and it was showing. He was pretty sure he still smelled like stale alcohol. Probably leaking out of his pores. The fact that he had let himself get that drunk just to forget the reason why he was strung so tight was even more pathetic than how he was feeling now.

Dinah had been missing for two days. It was ridiculous really, but Pete was actually concerned. He had no way of getting in touch with her to make sure she was safe, and the last time they had seen each other was when those other soldiers saw her with them. What if Ludwig found out and killed her? The possibility had been driving him insane the last couple of days. He’d been way more surly and miserable than usual and all because of a girl.

What was she doing to him?

Bridgette banged on the door. “Move it or lose it.”

“Look who decided to show up.” Pete walked over and gave the man a hug.

“How are you, Uncle Carl?” he asked, stepping back to look at the man who was closer to his father than anyone else he knew.

“Been alright,” he smiled. “Me ulcer is acting up again, but that’s about it.”

“Probably not a good thing to be drinking as much whiskey as you do, mate,” Pete pointed out.

He laughed, waving him off. “Boy, with the way the world is nowadays, I probably won’t be around much longer anyway. No sense in giving up the things I love.”

Pete nodded, slapping him on the back. There were five other guys waiting outside of St. Anne’s. “Is this it then?” They nodded. “Let’s go.”

The early morning air was chilly as they made their way through the empty streets to the outskirts of the city. Cars were not allowed in the eastern ghetto, or any of the ghettos for that matter, so they were forced to walk the trek. If there were any vehicles, it was always one of the New World army. Although the rebels did have a few illegal vehicles stored away for emergencies. They weren’t taken out often. Pete missed the days of mobility. The men from the north were coming in a small truck disguised as bakery supplies. Some of the merchants got to use them for shipping in or out of the city.

By the time they reached the meeting point it had warmed up a bit. Pete pulled out a smoke, and leaned against the chain-link fence separating the ghetto from the country roads. This particular gate was hardly used or monitored by the army, so it was always used by the rebels. He wasn’t sure if the army even knew about it. No one spoke as they waited around, keeping an eye open for anything suspicious. It wasn’t long before the sound of wheels behind him could be heard approaching. Finally, he thought. Now he could go back to his own apartment and actually sleep for a few hours in a bed.

“Open the gates,” he called out, tossing his butt.

The beat up, green truck made its way slowly toward them. Uncle Carl was pulling the gates open just as they reached them. The driver jumped out, walking over to Pete. He was a man in his late forties, black hair highlighted with streaks of grey and a huge beard that reached his chest.

“McKay,” he greeted, holding out his hand. “Ollie.”

“Ollie,” Pete said, shaking the man’s hand. “Nice to meet you, mate. How was the journey?”

Ollie smiled. “Not bad for me, but I’m not sure I can say the same for the lads in the back. A bit bumpy that road.”

Pete laughed. “A few pints and they won’t be feeling too sore anymore.”

“Sounds about right,” he nodded. “I don’t want to open it up here, just to be safe. The General mentioned you guys have a garage where you’ve hidden another truck. Think we can park it there?”

“Absolutely,” Pete answered. “I’ll jump in with you and give you directions while these guys lock everything back up.”

“Sounds good.”

Pete turned to call out his orders when the sound of more wheels had him spinning back around. Three black SUVs pulled up, surrounding them. The back door of one popped open and out stepped Roman Adamson.

“Shit,” he cursed. Ollie straightened, keeping his eyes on the vehicles as more New World army soldiers began exiting the trucks.

“We got a problem?” Ollie whispered.

The door on the opposite side of the SUV Roman stepped out of opened just then, revealing an achingly familiar body dressed in black.

“Yeah, mate. Yeah we do.”

Chapter Fourteen

Dinah tried her best to keep her eyes from going to him, but it was becoming impossible. She glanced his way again for what felt like the hundredth time since she stepped out of the SUV, and just like every other time he was staring back.

“Well what do we have here?” Roman said casually. “Out for a morning stroll, boys? Or do you all work for a bakery?”

“We gotta make a living somehow,” Pete answered. Roman’s head snapped in his direction, recognition washing over his face.

“Ah, my mate,” Roman chuckled. “You do tend to be in a lot of places we happen across.”

Pete smirked. “What can I say? I’m a popular guy.”

“So it would seem,” he replied dryly. Pete glanced at Dinah, his green eyes burning. She had a crazy urge to just go up to him and wrap her arms around his neck. Stupid. Thank God her face was hidden, otherwise she’d have a hard time explaining the flush now covering her cheeks to Roman. “Shipping in lots of flour are we?”

Pete looked away, focusing on Roman again. “One can never have enough flour.”

“I bet.” Roman motioned to two soldiers. “Bring this through the gates and park it by those buildings. You lot, line up against the fence and don’t move.” He turned to face Pete and the older man beside him. “You two can come with us over by the buildings.”

“Can’t get enough of me, mate?” Pete asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Roman snorted. “That mouth of yours will get you killed one day. I’d watch it if I were you. Now move.”

Dinah followed them over to the buildings. Roman had the van parked between two of them so it was trapped. They weren’t sure how many guys were in there. Dinah hoped whoever Ludwig’s informant was, he knew what he was talking about. There wouldn’t be any room for them to run out in the alley, especially with the soldiers blocking the area, weapons ready. Dinah stood back, beside the SUV. She would wait until they had the men out and subdued before she went over to search them.

Pete and the other man stood between her and where Roman was, their backs to her. A soldier stood beside them, gun pointed. She really wished he’d look back at her, but knew it wasn’t a good idea with everyone else around. What was he thinking right now? He was probably pissed, she realized. Here she was, spending her morning ruining his and the rebels’ plans, while at night she became just another friend of his. Or, at least, she hoped they were friends. It really didn’t work. This was the first time they saw each other in their enemy forms again. Maybe he’d realize after this how impossible it was to be anything but enemies.

Her heart hurt at the loss of what she barely even had. It was for the best though, she reassured herself. They both knew it wouldn’t work, and this situation would just reinforce that truth.

“Which one of you has the key to unlock the back?” Roman called out, appearing from inside the alley. Neither Pete nor the older man spoke. “Either one of you has the key, and is going to bring it here to me, or I’m going to shoot off the lock, and possibly anything else inside that truck. I’d hate to get holes in your flour bags.”

Dinah smirked behind her mask. Roman and his sarcasm, like peanut butter and jelly it just went well together.

“I’ve got it,” the older man spoke up. Dinah saw Pete stiffen, but for once he didn’t open his big mouth.

“Bring him here,” Roman ordered. “Dinah, watch the other one. Careful, he’s chatty.”

She wanted to laugh, but instead she moved forward, drawing one of her pistols just for show. It wasn’t like she’d use it on Pete. The realization that she meant that was slightly shocking to her. The soldier walked the older man forward, nudging him with the barrel of his gun. When they disappeared around the corner, Pete turned slowly to face her. Now that they were alone, she wasn’t sure what to do or say. His face was hard to read. The way he was staring at her had her mouth going dry.

She felt like a mouse being stalked by a lion. His green eyes were narrowed, his strong jaw firm as he clenched his teeth. Okay, so either he was super pissed, which was likely, or he wanted to eat her whole. It could go either way at this point, she decided. As they looked at each other, neither one of them said a word. What could they really say at this point? It wasn’t like she could apologize for being there, considering it was technically her job. That awful, gaudy proverbial pink elephant always hanging around them. Stupid elephant.

The silence was killing her. She opened her mouth to speak, but just as she did so he moved. It happened so fast, she barely had time to suck in her breath before she found herself crushed against his chest, her feet off the ground and being moved backward. He walked them to the back of the SUV, out of sight, where she was effectively pinned between it and his body. She actually squeaked like a mouse, rather embarrassingly. She went to speak again when he moved in his super-fast way, his left hand coming up to rip off her mask.

Her hair whipped around her face as the fresh air hit her exposed skin. Pete lifted both hands, smoothing it away as he cupped her cheeks. Without pausing, he brought his mouth down on hers, kissing her forcibly once, lingering for only a moment before pulling back to soak her in with his eyes.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for two days now,” he said softly.

“Just two?” she breathed.

He smirked. “Possibly since the first time I met you.”

“You thought I was a guy when you first met me.”

“I know. I have issues when it comes to you in general.”

She smiled, feeling herself relax for the first time since she stepped out of the truck she was now pinned against. Which was funny, considering this position was much more compromising and dangerous than anything else she’d done this morning. If anyone were to see them, there would be a whole load of problems. And yet she couldn’t have cared less. Her hands gripped the fabric of his shirt tightly, keeping him close.

“Where have you been?” he asked.

“Ludwig sent me out of town. I had to escort a food truck, because our last shipment that had weapons in it was hijacked. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?” she raised an eyebrow.

His eyes widened innocently. “Me? I would never be involved in such illegal activities.”

She laughed loudly then cringed looking over her shoulder. “We should probably move,” she suggested, looking back at him.

“Probably,” he said. “I can’t seem to make myself though.” He looked down pointedly where her hands gripped him. “And you don’t seem too eager to either.”

Right. She should let go, she rationalized. But she didn’t. “So after two days of wanting to kiss me, is that all you got?” Oh. My. God. Did she seriously just say that? Had someone taken over her body and forced her to sound like a stupid girl? From the wide grin on Pete’s face, he was up for the challenge.

“I have so much to show you, Dinah, I’m not even sure where to start.”

“How about with one more kiss?”

His grin slipped, replaced by that hungry expression that had her blood boiling. This time she met him halfway, slamming their mouths together. His hand gripped her hair as his tongue slowly snaked its way across her lower lip. She opened her mouth tentatively letting his tongue slip into hers. A moan escaped her at the feeling and she gripped him tighter pulling them even closer. A strangled noise came from him as he deepened the kiss, sucking her tongue into his mouth. They explored each other frantically until he finally pulled back, nipping at her lower lip as he did.

“I missed you,” he whispered. They both paused, Pete looking as surprised that he said that as she was. He held his breath, the air between them tense until she spoke.

“I missed you too.”

He sighed like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders, letting his forehead drop to rest against hers. “What are we doing, Dinah?”

“I don’t know,” she said honestly. They stood like that for a moment before he stood up and stepped back, letting her pull her mask back into place. She looked around for her pistol, spotting it forgotten on the ground back where they originally stood. This man seriously clouded her senses. By the time anyone came back out of the alley, they were back in their original positions, Dinah pointing the gun at him like he was her enemy once again. The tingling on her lips told her otherwise.

“We have them all out,” Roman said, walking up to her. “I need you to come in now. We’ve disarmed them.”

The men were lined up along the wall on their knees. “Your bags of flour look suspiciously like men,” Roman turned to Pete to say.

“A little family reunion is all,” he replied with a smirk. “I guess they thought they’d just catch a ride to save on time.”

Roman raised an eyebrow and looked over at the dark skinned man kneeling at the far end.

“We’re a multicultural family,” Pete said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

When Dinah stood before them, no one looked up. She was used to this. As if not looking at her would make it harder for her to read their minds. She reached out, aware that Pete stood just behind her.

They all had walls too, but one was weaker than the others. She narrowed her mind on his and found a part where she could get through. She’d need to sit down to do it. Reading a person’s mind with no defences was like opening a book. It took no effort on her part. But people like this, who had clearly been taught by someone to exercise their mental muscles and protect themselves… well, these took a bit out of her. She’d have to take him back to headquarters and work there.

She turned to Roman and nodded at the man second from the left. He understood right away. “Looks like your family reunion will need to be one short,” he commented. Motioning with two fingers, he called over two soldiers and point at the man she needed. “He’s coming with us. The rest can go.”

The soldiers pulled the man roughly to his feet. “You can’t do this,” he growled.

Roman tilted his head to the side. “No, I’m pretty sure we can. X here just needs to get a little one-on-one time with you.”

The man’s furious gaze flew to hers and she saw panic there. The thing about fear is that it tends to make some people do stupid things. Like this guy. He shouted as he tore away from the two soldiers beside him and lunged at her. One of his hands flew to her throat, gripping it tightly, while the other landed on her chest to steady himself. He was ripped off of her just as quickly. Not by Roman. Pete pushed the guy back, sending him crashing into the others still kneeling.

“Enough,” Pete yelled. Dinah had never seen Pete look so angry, and by God he was even hotter. He breathed in deeply through his nose. The man’s eyes looked between them, wide in shock.

When they landed on her and stayed, she saw an understanding there that left her cold. The hand he had placed on her chest had been right over her breast. There was no way he hadn’t felt them, and she knew he knew. He opened his mouth. “He’s a g –” The gun shot echoed off the brick walls surrounding them, amplifying it. Dinah cringed, her ears ringing. Roman stood with his gun still pointing at the spot the man had been. He now lay crumpled on the floor, a gaping hole between his eyes. So much for no deaths.

Roman looked over the other men slowly. “Anyone else have any bright ideas?”

Dinah sat in the back of the SUV looking down at her fist. Inside was a tiny piece of paper Pete had slipped her. She was going to wait until she got back to her room to look at it, but the suspense was killing her. Just knowing it was there was making her giddy with excitement. She never got giddy.

“What was that?” Roman asked, turning in his seat to face her. She looked up, confused.

“What was what? The guy felt my boob, Roman. Doesn’t take a genius to figure that one out,” she replied.

“Not that,” he waved off. “What was with chatty Cathy defending you like that?”

Her face bloomed with heat. Masks really did come in handy in certain situations. “I have no idea,” she said with a shrug. He looked at her closely for a moment before grunting and turning back to stare at the road. She didn’t care what Roman thought. All she wanted to do was finally get some time alone and read whatever Pete had given her.

Chapter Fifteen

They had to walk back to St. Anne’s since the soldiers had, of course, taken the truck with them. Thankfully the only weapons confiscated were those each man had on him. It could have been worse had there been a whole shipment hidden in those bags of flour. Pete was shocked they actually let them leave – alive. He didn’t know why, and that scared him. Ludwig was up to something.

They walked in silence, too upset over losing Bob. Pete’s ears were still ringing from that. He also noticed the narrowed glances being thrown his way. He really didn’t feel like dealing with this right now, but it didn’t look like he would get much choice. Trent and the General stood outside the cathedral when they turned the corner.

Knowing Dinah was alive and well was all that mattered right now. He’d had a taste of her, not caring where they were or who was around. He thought she was dead for the past two days. There was no way he was letting another chance go by without kissing her once. And now that he had, it wasn’t enough. He needed more.

“Where’s Bob?” the General asked, looking them over.

“Long story,” Pete answered tiredly. “Can we go inside and get some coffee first?”

“Maybe if you didn’t stay out all night, son, you wouldn’t be so tired.”

Pete chuckled humourlessly, stepping closer. “Listen, mate. First, don’t call me son. I’m not your son. Second, what I do on my own time is my business. Best to remember that.”

The General narrowed his eyes. “Your head’s getting a little too big for that body, Pete.”

He laughed louder now. “Well if that ain’t the pot calling the kettle black, I don’t know what is.” Pete didn’t know what was happening between them, but the trust he once felt toward the leader of the rebels was gone, and he was having a hard time dealing with the man’s ego.

“Why don’t you tell the General how you protected that disgrace, Weapon X, from Bob? Right before he got shot,” Ollie interrupted. Pete turned his head slowly to glare at the man. He watched as Ollie took an involuntary step away from him.

“Is that true?” Douglas asked firmly.

“I wasn’t protecting Weapon X,” Pete said. “I was protecting the rest of you. What do you think would have happened a second later if I hadn’t intervened?” He tilted his head to the side. “Hmmm? No answer? Probably not, since you lot can’t seem to think two seconds ahead of yourselves.”

He stepped closer. “I’ll tell you what, Ollie. Those soldiers holding those big ass guns levelled at your heads would have shot each and every one of us. We were trapped in a fucking alley with nowhere to run. Bob was a bloody idiot for putting the rest of us at risk. You should be smart enough to realize that.”

“Alright, that’s enough,” Douglas said sternly. “Let’s go inside and discuss this privately.”

“You know what? I’m beat,” Pete replied. “I’m going home and getting some sleep. Give me a call if anything important comes up. I’m done for the day.”

He turned and started walking toward home, not bothering to wait for a reply. He was so sick of idiots. All he wanted to do was get away from everyone. Everyone except Dinah. He just hoped she read his note.

The building was just like all the others in this area; broken, damaged, and devoid of any signs of life. Dinah looked down at the slip of paper Pete had given her. This was definitely the address he’d written there. She looked back up, confused. The building was completely dark. Why would Pete want her to go to some abandoned building? She took a quick look around making sure no one else was there. Then she walked to the boarded up front door and gave it an experimental tug. The board swung open on hidden hinges.

She smiled to herself. This had to be the right place. Pete must have gone through a lot of trouble to keep this place empty-looking. She guessed he’d have the windows all blacked out too just to be safe. The inside of the building was dusty and completely ransacked. It was so destroyed Dinah couldn’t tell what the place had originally been before the bombings.

She walked through the main floor, picking her way over the debris littering the ground. At the back was a small staircase hidden behind the only wall that didn’t seem to have holes in it. Looking up the stairs at the dark second floor, she hesitated, her foot hovering over the first step. Should she go up? What if this was some sort of trap? But he kissed you, she argued. Of course, that could have just been a ruse to get her here. It didn’t feel like it though, she countered. Her foot fell on the first step, and then the next on the second until she found herself standing on the upper landing.

Things seemed in better shape on this level. The walls were intact, and although the air was still musty and floating with dust, there wasn’t nearly as much destruction. There were three doors on each side of the hallway, and one at the end. Walking slowly, Dinah tried each door, one after another, only to find them all locked. She stopped just in front of the last one and reached for the handle before pausing. Pulling her hand back, she looked at the door, conflicted. If this was his place, she didn’t really want to just walk in. You only did something like that with someone you were really close with. And even though they’d spent two nights together, and shared a kiss, that didn’t really count as knowing each other well.

She knocked lightly on the door and waited. The silence around her was only making her more anxious. She hated feeling this way. Long seconds went by and she decided either she’d been stood up, or this wasn’t the right place. As she turned to leave she heard the door open behind her. Looking over her shoulder, she met Pete’s eyes for a second before hers dropped to his shirtless chest. Well that’s one way to answer the door, she thought appreciatively. She also saw that his tattoos did indeed go up his entire arms. There was also one over his heart.

“I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed being ogled as much as I am now,” he said, leaning against the doorframe.

She scoffed. “I’m not ogling.”

He chuckled. “Are you just going to stand out there, or do you want to come in?”

Dinah moved like she was on autopilot, walking by Pete as she entered his home. He made sure not to move as she did, their bodies brushing in the process. The door clicked shut behind her as she looked around the place. The windows were blacked out as she predicted. It would have made the room unnaturally dark, but Pete had candles lit around the entire space. The cathedral ceiling made it feel bigger than it actually was. One long couch sat in the middle, with a few chairs, all with different fabrics and styles. Dinah guessed he had just taken whatever furniture he could find in the abandoned buildings that were still in decent shape.

A small kitchen was to her left, consisting of just one section of counter, a wood stove, and an ice box. She wondered how often he had to restock it, in order to keep his food cold enough. They had electricity at headquarters, so she didn’t have to worry about those things. There was a tiny island in the middle with two stools against it. To her right was a doorway that she assumed led to his bedroom, which made her face flush at the thought.

“What do you think?” Pete asked, walking over to the kitchen. He must have been watching her the entire time from just behind her. Dinah walked over to the couch, stripping off her leather jacket and laying it over the arm.

“I like it,” she replied honestly. “It’s got character.”

“Yeah, it does. Do you want something to drink?”

Her dry mouth was begging for it. “Okay,” she said. Now that she was here she wasn’t feeling nearly as confident as she usually did. Being in a room, alone, with a half-naked, gorgeous guy made acting cool and collected difficult.

Pete placed two glasses on the island and filled them with what looked like wine. She cocked an eyebrow questioningly at it.

“Don’t ask,” he said. Wine was pretty much impossible to get these days. “Are you going to come here, or do I need to bring it to you?”

Dinah laughed, embarrassed. She walked over to him and picked up her glasses. “Thanks.”

“You don’t need to be so nervous, Dinah,” he said. “I don’t bite.”

She smiled sweetly before saying, “yes, but I do,” then took a sip of her wine, watching over the rim as his eyes widened.

“You’re trouble, you know that?”

“You’re one to talk,” she snorted. “Why are you always antagonizing Roman?”

“Please!” he gasped. “That guy antagonizes me. Not the other way around.” She gave him an unconvinced look, eliciting a sly grin from him. “Okay, maybe I do a bit. But I can’t stand that guy. He think he’s the shit and it bothers me.”

“He’s really not that bad,” she defended. Well, maybe he was, but she was used to it by now.

“I don’t want to talk about our lives outside of this room right now,” he said, walking around the island to stop in front of her. He slowly took her glass from her hand and placed it down.

“Oh? What do you want to talk about?”

“Us,” he answered, before gripping her waist and lifting her up onto the island. He stepped in between her legs, keeping his hands where they were. Not knowing what else to do, she placed hers on his biceps, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath her palms.

“What about us?”

“Hmmm,” he murmured, leaning in. Dinah held her breath as he skimmed his nose just under her jaw. He nipped at her earlobe lightly before placing a kiss just beneath. “Yes, what about us?” His voice was so soft she almost didn’t hear him over the pounding of her heart. Her hands slid up his arms and over his shoulders, gripping him there. He continued his path down the side of her throat, over her collarbone, and up the other side. “What are we doing Dinah?” he whispered.

“I don’t know,” she whispered back. “I just know that I want you.” His hands gripped her waist tighter at her words, pulling her forward so their bodies touched.

“How much?”

She knew what he meant. How much did she want him? The question and all the tiny kisses he was peppering over her neck made the answer easier to say than she thought it would be.

“A lot.”

He pulled back, straightening so he could look at her. His hands moved to hold either side of her head, his fingertips lacing through her hair. “You’re so beautiful,” he said, his lips curving up into a smile. “The prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.”

She snorted. “I doubt that. Is that the only reason you like me?”

His smile widened and he shook his head. “Nope. That’s only part of it.”

“Do enlighten me then.”

“I also like the fact that you might be, a little bit, kind of…bad ass.”

She laughed. “Just a little bit, huh?”

He removed one of his hands to pinch his forefinger and thumb together, with only a miniscule amount of distance between them. “A very little bit bad ass.”

“Well I only like you because you have tattoos.”

He threw his head back and laughed loudly. When he looked at her again his eyes burned with desire, making her mouth go dry.

“What about you?” His eyes roamed up and down her body. “Maybe I should check to see if you have any tattoos hidden somewhere.”

She did, actually. She had a small, blue orchid on her lower hip. Her sister’s favourite flower had been orchids so Dinah got it when she turned nineteen. She had the guy put it somewhere no one would see so she wouldn’t have to explain it. Ludwig wasn’t a fan of discussing her past or family.

“Your silence is very telling,” he all but growled. She couldn’t stop the stupid, wide grin that spread across her face. He made some strangled noise at the back of his throat a second before his lips crashed into hers for the second time that day. As soon as their lips met, it was like she could breathe again. Like everything was suddenly just right because they were together – connected.

She pulled him closer, running one hand up the back of his shaved head, loving the soft, fuzzy feeling of it. A moan escaped her when his tongue met hers and they all but devoured each other. His hands dropped to her thighs, gripping them urgently as he lifted her off the island. She wrapped her legs around his waist, letting him take her wherever he wanted.

They knocked into a stool, tripping over it as they made their way across the room. They didn’t separate to even see the damage. Dinah didn’t think she’d ever get enough of Pete McKay if this was what it felt like to have him. She wanted more. Suddenly she was dropping and then she bounced on his mattress as he followed her down, covering his body with hers.

“First,” he said, dropping a line of kisses along her neck and then down toward her chest. “I’m going to make sure you’re nice and tired.” He’d pulled down the edge of her top to find she wasn’t wearing a bra beneath it. He growled appreciatively. “Woman, you just keep surprising me,” he murmured. Then his hot, wet mouth surrounded her nipple and pulled it roughly into his mouth. Dinah cried out, gripping the sheets.

“I don’t think that’s going to make me tired,” she breathed.

His mouth released her with a pop, and then he was grinning up at her. “Don’t worry, when I’m done, you’ll be plenty tired. Then we’re going to take a nap, because I haven’t slept much today.”

Neither had she, but she didn’t say anything as she watched him pull down the other side of her shirt and do the same thing to the other nipple. Dear God. She couldn’t even describe the feeling as his mouth caressed her and his hand played with the other. He let go again, rising to his knees.

“And then?” she asked, her voice husky and not at all like her normal one.

“And then when we wake up, I’m really going to make you tired.” What did that mean? His hand gripped the edge of her shirt and pulled it over her head in one quick movement. Then he all but tore her pants off so that she lay there, propped up on her elbows, with just her blue panties on. Her boots and gun made a loud clank as they hit the floor along with her tights.

“I’m really starting to like the colour blue,” he commented. Her answering smile quickly changed to a gasp of shock as he ripped off her underwear, throwing them to the side. “But those had to go.” His body covered hers again, forcing her to lie back as his mouth covered hers. She felt extremely vulnerable, considering he was still wearing jeans and she was naked, but as his hands travelled over her body, their rough texture against her smooth skin, she decided she didn’t care.

His fingers burned a light trail across her hip, setting wherever they touched on fire. She arched her back, asking for something, but she wasn’t sure what. They moved lower, his palm landing flat on the inside of her thigh, and then he was pushing her gently, urging her legs open more. Her fingers gripped his shoulders tight has his finger found her nub. He massaged it slowly, applying just enough pressure for her to squirm with pleasure, but not enough to make her climb.

“Please,” she begged against his mouth. She just needed it harder, and faster. She wanted to feel him bring her to that brink where everything just let go in a wave of euphoria. His finger slipped down between her lips to find her already wet with need. Then he entered and she threw her head back, crying out. His mouth sucked on her neck as his finger pumped inside her, his thumb rubbing circles over her.

“More, please,” she cried.

“Not yet,” he said against her skin. “First, I want to taste you.”

She almost came right then. Pete’s voice had become deeper, gravelly with desire. He moved down her body slowly, placing kisses between her breasts and along her stomach. When he reached the apex of her thighs she squirmed in anticipation. His hands spread her further before his tongue slid against her in a slow glaze. She bucked her hips against him, gasping. She knew this was something men did to women, but she had never had it done to her before. He did it again, this time adding a bit more pressure.

“Oh God!” she cried out. His mouth latched on to her bundle of nerves and sucked hard. Dinah tried to grasp onto something with her hands, anything to latch to as he worked her with his mouth. The low hum in the pit of her stomach grew stronger, spreading up her body and down to her toes. She was reaching for it, desperate to fall over the edge. “Please,” she whimpered.

“Just let go, Dinah. I’ve got you,” he said deeply before his mouth returned to her. His tongue pressed on that sensitive part of her in just the right way to bring her to climax. She screamed out with the force of it. As she rode out her orgasm he inserted two fingers inside her and she came again on the heels of her last one.

Pete lifted off her body, his face intense as their eyes met. “I was going to wait, but I don’t think I can,” he confessed. Even though she felt limp and boneless, Dinah pushed herself up and frantically worked at the button on his jeans at the same time he did. They both managed to get them down his thighs and then he reached over to his night table, pulling out a condom package.

Dinah lay back, opening herself to him, ready. She always wondered what her first time would be like, never thinking it would be like this. But it felt right with Pete. She wasn’t nervous at all, just anxious to have him inside her. She felt empty and knew he could ease away that feeling. He positioned himself at her entrance, holding himself up above her as he looked down.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said. He didn’t give her time to respond as he entered her in one fluid movement. She let out a squeak, freezing. Pete did the same. “Uh, Dinah? Was there something you wanted to tell me?”

“Not really,” she replied in a strained voice, fighting back the tears in her eyes. It burned, and she felt stretched beyond comfort.

“You’re a virgin,” he said in shocked voice.

“Wrong. I was a virgin,” she corrected.

“Jesus, Dinah. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t think it was important. Just give me a second and it will be fine.”

He dropped his head down, his face strained as he stayed motionless inside her. The burning was starting to ease. “You’re so tight,” he moaned. “It’s killing me not to move.” She wiggled her hips, urging him on. Pete pulled back slowly then forward again a couple of times before pleasure started to build again. Her eyes rolled back in her head as he began to move faster.

Another orgasm built slowly until she thought she might burst, and then she came, screaming his name just as he did the same. He collapsed on top of her, his face buried in her hair. His warm breath spread over her neck while he stayed like that. Dinah wrapped her arms around him and they just lay there for a few minutes. Pete pulled out slowly and she moaned. She was sore, but she didn’t regret it.

Pete got up and walked to the bathroom, disposing of the condom before crawling back in bed beside her, pulling the covers up over them as he did. Dinah turned on her side, letting him curl around her from the back, his arm wrapping around her waist, yanking her close.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he said softly in her ear.

She shrugged. “There was never really a time where I thought to,” she replied honestly. “I spend most of my days in a mask around men who think I’m one too. It’s not like I’ve had very many opportunities.”

He was silent for a moment and then she felt him burrow into her hair again. “Is it weird that I’m happy I was your first?” he asked, his voice muffled.

A smile spread across her face. “No, it’s not weird.”

He chuckled. “First and last. I like it.”

Dinah stiffened, looking over her shoulder at him as he lifted his head to look back. “Last? Does that mean you won’t be sleeping with anyone else either?” she asked, clarifying. The idea made her extremely happy, but she kept a calm façade. She’d like to know that they were together, exclusively, but only if that’s what he wanted too. Everything was moving so quickly, she wasn’t sure how he viewed this thing between them.

“Dinah,” he sighed her name. “I’m pretty certain you’ve ruined every other woman for me.”

She couldn’t stop the smile that broke out over her face even if she wanted to. Turning back around, she cuddled in closer and said, “good.” They fell asleep in each other’s arms, completely exhausted, just like he promised.

Chapter Sixteen

Feather light kisses trailed across her bare shoulder, bringing her back to consciousness. Dinah blinked, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness in the room. She had no idea how long they’d been asleep. It was definitely late. On the ceiling of his bedroom was a skylight she hadn’t noticed until now. Beyond it laid a sky of twinkling stars.

Strong hands wrapped around her, one reaching between her thighs and lifting her leg over his hips. Then he was entering her slowly from behind, his face pressed into her neck. She was sore, but as soon as he was sated inside her and rocking slowly, the soreness gave way to more pleasure. He nipped at her shoulder, placing hot, wet kisses up the side of her neck, his tongue tasting the skin beneath her ear. He stilled his movements inside her, reaching around with one hand to draw slow circles over her core. She squirmed, pushing back against him as he continued to torture her bundle of nerves. She needed him to move, desperately.

As if reading her thoughts, he started to pull out slowly, pushing back in languid strokes. She tried to urge him on faster but he seemed intent on driving her mad with his gentle rhythm. The finger on her pressed down harder, stroking her higher until she felt her climax building. Her inside walls tightened around him, eliciting a deep groan from him. She dug her nails into his forearm, crying out as her orgasm took hold. His rhythm picked up, hitting her just right when he was fully inside, dragging her climax out. He moaned her name after pumping into her twice before stilling. When they both came down from their climaxes he held her tightly against his body, slick with sweat.

“I think I could wake up like this all the time,” he murmured.

Dinah laughed softly. “I’m thinking I could too.” A loud bang at the front door had them both stilling. A voice called out and she instantly recognized it.

“Why did I give him a key,” Pete sighed, resting his forehead on her back. He kissed her neck one more time before getting out of bed and pulling on a pair of plaid pajama pants. Dinah sat up, keeping the covers wrapped around her. “You might as well get dressed. He won’t be leaving unless we’re with him.”

She looked around for her clothes, remembering how he tore her panties. “I don’t have underwear,” she pointed out.

He threw her a wolfish smile. “Then my night will be that much more interesting.” He winked, walking out of the room and closing the door behind him. She could hear Seamus talking loudly. Great, she thought miserably. The infamous walk of shame, and she had to do it in front of his best friend, with no underwear. Awful.

When she walked out, Seamus stopped midsentence, his eyes widening comically. She offered him an awkward wave.

“You lucky bastard,” he breathed. “No wonder you’ve spent all day in bed.”

“I just hired her for maid service,” Pete said, popping a grape in his mouth as he smirked at her. “She was just making my bed.”

“Really?” Seamus replied dryly. “Then you won’t mind if I hire her to make my bed too?” he asked, sending Dinah a wink.

“Yeah, actually, I would mind.”

“You’re a bit touchy when it comes to your maid,” Seamus pouted.

“You have no idea,” Pete said.

“You’re lucky I don’t smack the both of you upside the head,” she said, walking over to the kitchen to grab a glass and fill it with water. “And don’t ever talk about me like I’m not standing right there.”

“You must not be tipping her enough,” Seamus commented. “She seems a bit hostile.”

Pete chuckled. Dinah sent Seamus a death glare, but he just smiled in return. “So, what are we doing tonight?” he asked, changing subjects.

“Bull’s Eye?” Pete suggested.

“Great. Trent and Garrett were already heading over there. You two ready to go out?”

“I should probably shower,” Pete said.

Seamus looked at her then back to Pete. “I’m sure your shower needs cleaning too, but I think it would be best if she stayed here with me, or we’ll never get out of here.”

Dinah’s face flamed. Pete laughed loudly. “Fine, you can keep her here, but if you value your balls at all, you’ll stop teasing her. I can’t be responsible for anything that happens while I’m gone.” The door shut behind him. She turned to look at Seamus who was wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at her.

“I hate you right now,” she muttered, taking a gulp of wine from earlier instead of water. Seamus laughed.

Dinah pulled her jacket tighter around her when they finally stepped outside of Pete’s place. The air was damp and cold. Not quite raining, but still wet. It was that kind of air that left you feeling cold and wet right down to your bones. She hated it. An arm draped around her shoulders, pulling her close. She looked up in surprise. Pete was talking to Seamus, oblivious to her reaction. Were they really a couple now? It was hard to wrap her head around that. Even though they sort of hinted at it inside, she hadn’t expected for it to bleed out into the public like this.

But the longer they walked this way, the more she started to really like it. She was Pete’s. That thought made her all warm and fuzzy inside. It was because she was so absorbed in her own thoughts, not listening to the two boys’ conversation that she heard their intent before it happened. Her mind had been relaxed and therefore more sensitive to other, unguarded minds.

The person fired their gun at the same time Dinah threw all her bodyweight into Pete, crashing him into the ground. Her upper arm burned instantly where the bullet grazed her shoulder. She heard Seamus curse, but her mind was still too focused on the assailants. She pulled out her pistol, firing at the open window in the building just across the street from them. They were on the move now, running down the stairwell. She had to stay close if she was going to keep tracing their thoughts.

“Shit.” She ran toward the building, trying the boarded up door with no success. They were still descending the stairs, their thoughts frantic. Footsteps ran up behind her. “They’re coming down,” she told them. “We need to find a way into this building. There must be another entrance.”

“Around back,” Seamus said, running off to the side of it.

“I can’t hear them if I don’t stay close,” she told Pete under her breath.

Pete nodded, his face grim. “Can you tell where they’re headed?”

She searched. “They have a car stowed away behind a dumpster in the back. If they get in there we’ll lose them.”

“Shit. Come on.” They ran after Seamus, heading between the two buildings. The sounds of their feet slapping against the street, and their heavy breathing filled the air, echoing off the walls. All three skidded to a stop at the same time. A brick wall stood before them, blocking their path. Dinah closed her eyes, reaching out again. They were on the main floor, headed toward the back door.

“We need a vehicle,” she said, looking pointedly at Pete. She had one, she just couldn’t get it with Seamus there. Her bike would be able to keep up with these guys, no problem.

“The wagon,” Seamus shouted, holding up a finger excitedly.

“The station wagon couldn’t keep up with a four year old on a tricycle,” Pete argued. “There’s no way it will be able to keep up with another car.”

“It’s better than nothing,” Dinah said. “Is it close?”

“Pete keeps it hidden behind his building,” Seamus answered. Pete reached into his pocket, throwing a ring of keys at his best friend.

“Hurry,” he said.

Seamus nodded, running off. Pete and Dinah followed closely behind. “They’re getting into the car,” Dinah informed him, panicked.

“Do you know who their target was?”

She looked at him meaningfully. “Who the hell did I knock to the floor?”

Pete cursed. “Do you know why?”

“Me,” she said, running out of the alley. Seamus wasn’t there yet and she was getting antsy.

“What do you mean, you?” Pete asked, twirling her around so they faced each other.

“Well, not me, me. Me as in Weapon X. Someone isn’t too happy you defended me this morning.”

“Bloody hell!” Dinah jumped. He spun, crashing his fist into the building behind him. She flinched, wondering how much that must have hurt. “I’m going to kill him,” he said, breathing deeply.

“Who?”

“The fucking General,” he growled.

Dinah didn’t have time to ask more as Seamus rolled up beside them. She jumped into the back while Pete took the passenger side.

“Go,” she ordered. Seamus slammed on the gas. The two shooters were driving just north of them. No one drove in the ghettos, so they were keeping a low profile by driving slowly. Good for Dinah, bad for them. They also didn’t know who Pete had with him. Another point for her, she thought happily. Her shoulder was throbbing, her sleeve wet and already a bit stiff with blood. She hadn’t looked at it yet, but it felt like she might need stitches. How on earth was she going to explain this to Ludwig and Roman?

“Turn left,” she called out. Seamus obeyed, the other car coming into view right away. Unlike them, Seamus was definitely not being discreet with his driving. “Faster,” she told him. She rolled down her window, the wind blowing her hair back, tears instantly filling her eyes. She blinked them away, lining her gun up with their tires. She sensed when they spotted them, and the other car picked up speed. The tires were just in line when the car drove over a pothole. Dinah bounced in her seat, her shot ruined.

“Damn it, Seamus. Keep this thing steady!”

“It’s not my fault,” he defended. “The roads are horrible.”

“They’re picking up speed,” Pete said. “You got to go faster, mate.”

“I’m trying! This thing doesn’t go faster!”

Dinah popped her head out of the car again and lined up the shot. She pulled the trigger, and the left, back tire of the other car burst. Pete was hanging out his window, trying to take out the other back tire. Dinah heard the thoughts of the passenger in the other car as he got ready to shoot back at them. They were confused how Pete and Seamus even knew to find them. One was thinking of Weapon X and connecting him to the long, dark haired girl that’s with them. Dinah knew these two had to go. No one could make those sorts of connections. It was too dangerous for both her and Pete.

She slid over to the other side of the car and rolled the window down with her bad arm. She groaned, but pushed through the pain. Pete glanced over the back of the seat at her.

“Are you okay?” he yelled over the sound of rushing wind and engine.

“I’m fine.”

Seamus was glancing in the mirror at her. “You look a little pale, Dinah,” he said, worried.

“I said I’m fine. Just worry about the road and keeping this thing steady.” She leaned out the window, gritting her teeth against the throbbing in her arm. Her hand shook. Shit, how much blood had she lost? Her forehead was slick with sweat, and her teeth were chattering slightly. Just the cold, she told herself. She was fine. Pushing everything else to the back of her mind, she focused her sight on the other tire, aiming.

The guy up front leaned out the window, gun ready. “Watch out, Pete,” she warned.

“Me?” he shouted. “You’re the one with your head out the God damn window, woman. Get back inside before you get yourself killed.”

Ignoring him, she fired twice but the car ahead swerved, avoiding the bullets. They turned sharply, wheels squealing, sparks shooting up from the blown tire as the rim scraped against the street. Seamus followed, the car tipping dangerously on Dinah’s side. She gripped the door tightly as the car levelled out again.

“You need to get closer,” she shouted.

“I can’t!” Seamus argued.

“If you can’t, I will. Move!” She tugged on his shirt. “Pete, take the wheel!”

“Are you nuts?” Seamus gasped.

“No. Now get your ass back here and switch with me. Quickly.”

He looked at Pete for help. “Just do it,” Pete said, resigned.

They made the switch, with some difficulty, while Pete kept the car relatively straight. Their speed was dropping, so she maneuvered into the driver’s seat as fast as she could. When the wheel was gripped in her hands, she floored it.

“Oh shit!” Seamus yelled. She heard him scrambling in the back, and then the sound of the seatbelt clicking. “The engine is going to explode!”

Dinah pushed it faster, gaining on them quickly. With one hand on the wheel, she stuck the other out the window and aimed it across the windshield at the right tire. She pushed the car faster, the whole thing making a rattling sound that made her nervous. Just a little closer, she told herself. BANG. She pulled the trigger, the tire exploding like the other one.

The car in front of them did a tailspin, the driver losing control. She could hear them, and then nothing as the car hit the side of a building at full speed. The sound of crushed metal set her teeth on edge. She drove past the wreckage then turned the wheel, pulling the e-brake so the car spun.

They came to a jolting stop, all of them breathing loudly in the small confines of the vehicle. Dinah was the first to get out, running to see if either of the men had made it. She didn’t think they had, but they could just be unconscious. One look told her there was no way either of them would survive. Pete and Seamus came up behind her. The three of them stood in silence for a moment.

“Where the hell did you learn to drive like that?” Seamus asked, not taking his eyes off the totalled car.

“That was my first time driving a car,” she said.

She felt him turn to look at her, aghast. He might have said more, but the ringing in her ears had gotten louder and her vision started to dot with black. Suddenly her legs gave out beneath her and she was falling. Pete cried out, and then two arms were holding her. It was the last thing she was aware of before everything went black.

Chapter Seventeen

“Get in the car, now!” Pete shouted, holding Dinah’s limp body close. He ran over to the wagon and waited for Seamus to open the door for him.

“What the hell is going on, McKay?” Seamus asked, helping him position Dinah over his lap in the back. He closed the door, getting into the driver’s seat.

“I’ll explain it later. Right now, I need you to take me to my da’s.”

Seamus nodded without further questions. They’d been friends a long time, and Seamus knew when Pete had reached his limit. Now was one of those times. So many emotions were racing through his body, he was having a hard time sitting still. The fact that Dinah was pale and unconscious on him helped. He was worried about her, furious at how reckless she had been, grateful to her for saving his life and taking a bullet for him, but mostly in awe at how amazing she truly was. He was also barely containing his anger toward the General for pulling this crap again.

They drove in silence, taking all the back roads they knew weren’t patrolled as regularly in hopes they wouldn’t get caught by New World army soldiers. When they reached the city limits, Seamus sped up, driving through the countryside. Normally they walked to Michael’s, which took a couple of hours, but in the car they were there in no time. Michael came out of the house as they parked, his face already lined with worry.

“What are you blokes doing here, in a car no less?” Michael asked. When Pete stepped out, holding Dinah his father cursed. “Get her in the house, boy,” he ordered. “Back room.”

Pete walked through to the spare room and laid her gently on the twin sized bed. Seamus stood anxiously by the door.

Without looking at him, Pete said, “Go get my brothers and bring them here. We need to talk.”

Seamus obeyed without protest, just like he always did. Michael came in with his first aid kit and sat down beside Dinah. “What happened?” he asked.

“I think a bullet grazed her right arm,” Pete said.

“I can see that, boy, I’m not blind. I mean, why does this poor thing have a bullet wound in her arm?”

“I’ll tell you about it later. Just make sure she’s alright first.”

“I am. In the meantime you can tell me what happened.”

“Da,” Pete pleaded. “I really just want her patched up before we get into it.”

Michael looked up at him and must have seen the anxiety there because he didn’t argue further. He turned back to his work, and began cutting up the sleeve that was now stiff with blood.

“Who is she to you?” he asked.

“I’m not sure,” Pete admitted.

“Someone special?”

Pete looked down at her pale face. Her long hair was spread around her, her lush lips blue and slightly parted. He knew she probably just passed out from blood loss, but seeing her like this did something funny to him. He’d never felt this panicked over someone being hurt. “Yeah, da. She’s special.”

Pete rubbed his head, pacing the room.

“How can we be sure it was the General?” Trent said, his face dark and pensive.

Pete didn’t stop moving as he answered, exhausted from the entire day. “Because Dinah and I heard them talking about it from inside the alley,” he lied.

Seamus stood by the doorway leading to the bedroom Dinah was still sleeping in. He looked just as beat as Pete felt.

“This is so messed up,” Seamus muttered. “Those guys were aiming right for him.” He looked into the room thoughtfully. “Good thing Dinah has some cat-like reflexes.”

His dad humphed. “I can’t see Douglas doing this.”

Pete stopped to look at the man who raised him. “Michael, he is not the same man you once knew. He’s not even the same man I knew. He’s becoming everything he hates about Ludwig. If we let him take over, we’ll just be replacing one tyrant with another.”

“He can’t be that bad,” he argued.

“Things have been a mess for a while,” Trent said, supporting Pete. “The whole council is on this power trip. We’re shedding more blood these days than the damn New World army.”

“You need to talk some sense into him,” Pete said to his father.

“He’s not going to listen to me,” he replied. “I was never part of the council, you know that.”

“Maybe not officially, but we both know you have a certain influence in all this. They respect you, da. If you got out of the damn house once in a while, you’d realize that.”

His father stiffened. “Even if I were to talk to him, do you honestly think he’d admit to me that he’s tried to have my son killed? Think, boy. He’s not going to be telling me anything. He’s a lot more likely to kill me along with ya.”

“Talk to the other council members then. Get them to see reason. We’re fighting to release our people from repression, not put them into another one with a different man at the head of it all.”

“The reason he’s after you, son, is he knows you’re a threat. If anyone could rally the rebels and have them looking at things differently, it would be you. Maybe that’s exactly what you need to do. I’m not going to be of any help outside of here.”

And there it was, the end of the conversation like always. Him urging his dad to actually get out and have a life, and his dad refusing to leave. Pete kicked at the small chess table sitting in the corner. “God damn it!” He swirled around to glare at him. “Staying here won’t change a thing. Don’t you get that? She’s not coming home, Michael. She never was.”

“Enough, Pete,” Trent said calmly. Garrett was red in the face. Pete knew that out of the three of them, Garrett had always been more sensitive to their father. Trent had zero patience, Pete had some up to a point. Well, he reached that point, and he was sick of this crap. Their mother had left when Garrett was two, and their father still had it in his head she’d just show up again one day. It was pathetic and sad. They’d spent their lives watching their father become more and more of shadow.

“I need you, da,” Pete said hoarsely. “Everything is crumbling down around us. And not just our family, but everywhere out there,” he continued, pointing to the outside. “Sitting in this cottage and ignoring it can’t last forever. Not when your sons, the only family you’ve got, are out there fighting to get our lives back. You’re the only man I know with enough brains and wisdom to see things clearly and make the right choices.”

His father grunted, taking a sip of his tea as he stared into the fire. Another typical conversation ender from Michael McKay. Pete looked at his profile for a moment before turning.

“I’m going to check on Dinah,” he said to no one in particular, and walked away.

Dinah woke up slowly, her mind fuzzy and disoriented. The inside of her mouth was dry and cottony. Where the hell was she? Looking around, the room was a small bedroom painted a bright yellow, or white that had just aged horribly. She couldn’t really tell in the dim lighting. A border of daisies ran along the top. The bed was small and springy, the blanket draped over her just a knitted afghan in orange and brown. It smelled like it hadn’t been used in years.

“Good morning,” came a voice beside her. Dinah turned her head slowly to find Seamus walking toward the side of the bed. “I was just keeping an eye on you from the door,” he said, motioning behind him with his head. “How ya feeling?”

“I’ve felt better,” she answered, her voice rough. “I’ve also felt worse, so not too bad.”

He laughed. “Can I get you anything?”

“Water?”

He reached over to a night table beside the bed and handed her a small cup. She propped herself up and took it graciously. “Where am I?” she asked.

“Micky’s,” he replied. She raised her brows in question. “Pete’s da.”

She nodded slowly. She looked down at the stitch job on her arm. It was clean and neat looking. “He a doctor or something?”

He smiled. “Nope. Just used to a bunch of boys always coming home with injuries.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” she muttered, taking another sip.

He looked back toward the door hesitantly, before meeting her eyes. “It sounds like it’s getting pretty heated out there, so I’m sure Pete will be in soon. I just wanted a moment alone with you to say thank you.”

“For what?”

“For saving him. Pete’s the closet thing I have to family. We’ve been friends since we were little, and I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to him. I don’t know how you did it, but I’m thankful.”

She gave his hand a pat, feeling slightly awkward. She wasn’t used to sharing feelings with someone. “Seamus,” she hesitated, picking at the blanket absently, “do you know why the General would want to hurt Pete?”

“Did Pete tell you about the General?” he asked instantly.

She shook her head. “No,” she replied. “Not at all. I just heard about him and wondered.”

Seamus stared at the beige carpet for a few moments before replying. “I don’t really know, to be honest. None of this makes sense. Pete’s the General’s second, so why he’d want him dead is beyond me.” He looked up to meet her gaze. “I don’t get politics.”

She pulled her mouth up into a strained smile, her mind repeating his words ‘the General’s second’ like a record skipping. “I don’t either,” she managed. Holy shit. Pete was the second in command for the resistance? How the hell hadn’t she known that? Because he wouldn’t just come out and tell you, her common sense pointed out. Unlike poor Seamus, Pete was well aware of how dangerous that sort of information could be in her hands. But that was before, wasn’t it? He trusted her, didn’t he?

As if conjured by her thoughts, Pete’s body filled the open doorway, his eyes widening in surprise when he saw her awake and sitting up. “Hey,” he said, walking in.

She smiled weakly. “Hey.”

Seamus cleared his throat loudly. “Well, I’ll just let you two love birds talk. I’ll be outside if you need me.”

“We won’t,” Pete replied wryly. He waited until Seamus was gone before walking over and sitting next to her on the bed. “How are you feeling?”

“Fine. Thanks for catching me and not letting me crash on the pavement.”

He smirked. “It’s what I’m here for.”

“So? What are you going to do about all this?”

He rubbed a hand down his face, looking extremely tired. She reached out to wrap her hand around his resting on the bed. He looked down at them, thoughtfully. “I don’t really know,” he said. He shifted so their fingers were linked, his thumb drawing slow, lazy circles on the inside of her wrist. “Everything is so messed up, Dinah. I don’t know what to do.”

She snorted. “Welcome to my life. Here’s a sad bit of truth for you, it never gets any less messed up. My advice? Keep what you know to yourself, and keep this General as close as possible until you’re ready to make your move. Don’t let him know you’re on to him. There’s no way he’ll know we figured it out.”

He looked into her eyes. “You know, sometimes I wonder if it’s possible to have someone lead a country who’s not corrupt. What ever happened to honor and truth?”

Dinah didn’t know what to say to that. She figured honor was lost along with innocence. There was no such thing in this New World Ludwig had created. Too many people had been touched by death and despair, only to be given a life that was miserable and repressed.

“I should probably be heading back,” she said. Back where she belonged, she thought sadly. Not with these people who fight for each other, and wish for better things. She wasn’t one of them, hadn’t been for years now. A hand lifted her chin, forcing her to look up and meet Pete’s concerned look.

“You’re not like them,” he said.

A tear escaped the corner of her eye, leaving a wet trail down her cheek. “I’m exactly like them,” she replied, her voice cracking.

Pete shook his head adamantly. “No. I see you, Dinah. The real you. And I know you’re not cruel or mean. You’re just caught up in this mess like the rest of us.”

“But on the wrong side of it, right?”

He sighed. “Who even knows what the right and wrong sides are anymore. I sure as hell don’t.”

“You’re the right side,” she told him. “You look out for others, not yourself. It’s admirable.”

He smiled sadly. “Well admirable or not, it doesn’t get me anywhere fast.”

“It will,” she assured him, praying she was right. “I really do need to get back though. Roman will have noticed I’ve been gone all day and he’ll worry.”

Pete didn’t look happy about that. “It’s already four in the morning,” he said. “You might as well stay with me and head back after you’ve gotten some sleep.”

She shook her head. “I can’t. I need to get back before they’re all up. But I’ll come back to your place this evening.”

“Promise?”

She grinned. “Absolutely.”

Pete leaned in and kissed each corner of her lips before covering her mouth with his. She grabbed his neck, pulling him closer, soaking him in. He shifted closer on the bed, wrapping his hands in her hair tightly. He pulled away slightly, their noses still touching. “Are you sure I can’t convince you to stay?”

Yes, she thought. But she knew she needed to get back before anyone started to suspect what was really going on. The last thing she wanted was to bring Pete and his friends any more trouble than they already had. If only she had known then that some things were impossible to avoid, especially those already set in motion.

Chapter Eighteen

The bar had been closed for a couple of hours already, but it always took him a long time to clean up. He never got out of here before four. Jack could hardly remember what it was like to work a normal nine to five job. Sleeping throughout the day and working all night had become his norm. When Xavier had been younger, he remembered feeling like he was missing out on life, especially one with his son. Things had been much harder back then. Now, with Xavier older and gone, Jack didn’t feel any obligations to anyone. If he slept the day away, it wouldn’t matter. No one was relying on him. He couldn’t decide if that was a good thing, or just terribly sad.

“Hey boss,” Frank yelled out. Jack liked to keep the kid around until the cleaning was done. Having a bouncer his size was a smart thing in this area of town. Or any area, for that matter. Frank was only eighteen, but he was the size of a house. Six four, and over three hundred pounds – no one was messing with him. “Someone’s at the door.”

Jack dropped his cloth, and looked over in unease. “Tell them we’re closed,” he said.

“He insists you see him,” he answered with a shrug. “Says it’s important.”

“Did he give you a name?”

“Yeah, Doug.”

Doug? Who the heck did he know named Doug? Jack froze. Douglas. It had to be. He told Frank to let him in, and quickly walked around the bar, letting himself out. Douglas Hatcher walked in, his dark hair slicked back off his face, those blue eyes taking everything in like they always did.

“Old friend,” he greeted with a smile, embracing Jack with a quick slap on the back. “How have you been holding up?”

“Good,” Jack answered. “Can’t really complain.”

“The new place is doing well then?”

“Oh yeah, we’re pretty busy every night.”

“Good to hear. It looks nice in here,” he commented, taking another look around. Jack was pretty proud of his establishment. It wasn’t fancy like the Red Lounge, but it wasn’t as bad as some of the other pubs in the area. “I’m sorry I haven’t been by earlier, but you know how things get.”

“Oh sure, yeah. I’m know how busy you are.”

He nodded. “What was it you wanted to speak to me about?”

Jack had known Douglas a long time, never once did he feel like he couldn’t trust the guy. But there was something about his demeanour and the cold glint in his eyes that made Jack wonder if this was a good idea. He must have hesitated too long, because Douglas put what should have been a reassuring hand on his shoulder, saying, “whatever it is, you can tell me”.

Jack took a deep breath, praying what he was doing was right. “Pete was in here not too long ago,” he said.

“I know. He performs here, no?”

Jack nodded. “Yeah. Well, he was in with a girl. Some new little thing from out of town. He introduced us, and I’m telling you, Douglas…” he trailed off.

“What?”

“She looks a lot like Charlotte.”

Douglas froze. “Charlotte? My Charlotte?”

Jack nodded. “I can’t be sure. I mean, she said her name was something else. Started with a D I think. I can’t remember. But it could have been her twin, I swear. Just older now.”

Douglas stared off, thinking. “You said she told you her name was something else?” Jack nodded. “And she was from out of town?” He nodded again. Douglas looked down, rubbing his chin. When he looked back up he smiled, but it didn’t reach those cold eyes. “I’ll look into it. Thank you for letting me know.”

“You’re welcome,” Jack replied. “You think it could be her?”

“I have no idea.”

Jack walked him to the door and they embraced again before Douglas disappeared into the night. His nerves were shot, his hands shaking slightly. He walked back to the bar, immediately pouring himself a shot of bourbon. Why did he feel like he just sealed the fates of those two kids? And not in a good way.

Dinah donned her mask and headed out to meet with Ludwig. She only had time for a quick shower once she got back, but thankfully she wasn’t too tired. Pete’s father had given her some pills to take, some sort of vitamins he said would help with her energy levels after losing so much blood. He was a nice man even though she could tell there was tension between him and his sons. He had smiled at her with enough sincerity that she decided she liked him.

“There you are,” Roman said, walking up to meet her in the hall. “Where have you been?”

“I was just taking a shower,” she replied.

She continued to walk, but he grabbed her arm to stop her. Dinah flinched. His grip was right over her wound, and it was incredibly sore. Roman raised his brows, looking at her arm where he held on.

“You okay?”

“Just a scratch,” she said.

“Just a scratch, huh? From what?”

“A bullet.”

His face darkened. “How the hell did that happen?” he demanded.

Dinah sighed. “Just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“That seems to be a common thing with you. Who did it?”

“Don’t worry, he’s dead.”

He searched her face for a moment, judging whether or not she was lying. She rarely ever lied to him though, and he knew it. He snorted, his lips pulling up on one side into a crooked grin. “Of course they are. I would expect nothing less. Was this because of our little mate?”

She fought the anger at his tone when referring to Pete. Her instincts were to defend him and tell Roman off, but that would only get her in more trouble. She just gave him a look, as if to say ‘what do you think?’.

“Is this even getting you anywhere?” he asked, looking exceptionally displeased.

Dinah nodded and started walking, Roman falling in step with her. She knew she was going to have to give them something; otherwise they’d call off this whole thing. She couldn’t let that happen. Not that she couldn’t still sneak out to see him, but it was a lot easier if they knew where she was going, thinking she was doing it for them. But what could she give them without getting Pete and the guys in trouble? She thought about it as they walked to Ludwig’s office in companionable silence. When they entered the room, Ludwig was sitting behind his desk, the entire surface covered in papers.

“It’s about time,” he said, motioning to the chairs in front of him. “Sit.”

They did as they were told. Dinah looked at the paperwork surrounding him. “What’s all this?” she asked.

“New weapon details. Our suppliers are going to be paying us a visit in a few weeks. They’re bringing some samples and prototypes. I’m just going over all the details now so I have a better idea of what I’m looking at when they’re here.”

Their weapons suppliers were coming to New Berlin? This was news to her. “What do we need more weapons for?”

Ludwig looked up at her and laughed. “My dear, we always need more weapons. Now, tell me, how is your undercover work going?”

Dinah shifted in her seat nervously. “Well…I haven’t been able to get any reads off them yet. But they’re getting more comfortable around me, so things are slipping out slowly.”

Ludwig leaned forward, eyes bright. “What have you learned?”

She cleared her throat, ignoring Roman’s burning gaze beside her. “Just that the General is the leader of the rebels, which I’m sure you already assumed. There’s a lot of talk though that things aren’t going well in the rebel camp. It seems the General might be getting ahead of himself a bit, and some of the other rebels aren’t liking it.”

Ludwig laughed happily. “This is excellent,” he said. “For all we know they’ll end up destroying each other and doing our work for us.”

“I highly doubt that will happen,” Roman said.

Ludwig waved him off. “It doesn’t matter. If they’re fighting amongst themselves it just means they won’t be as organized. This is good news for us. Keep on them, Di. If you can get them talking more, maybe you won’t even need to break down their walls.”

Dinah nodded. “Maybe,” she agreed. Her stomach suddenly didn’t feel too good, and there was a nasty feeling in her chest, right over her heart. She rubbed at it absently. Why did she feel like she was betraying Pete? Uh, because you are, her inner voice pointed out. Dinah hardly heard another word during their meeting, and when it was over she hurried out, practically running to her bedroom. As soon as the door was shut she tore her mask off and sucked in huge gulps of air. When had life become so difficult? When you decided to play both sides of the game, she told herself. And those who teeter on the edge always fall off.

Pete walked into the church, getting sick pleasure from seeing the surprise in the General’s eyes. That’s right, you wanker, he thought. Your little minions didn’t kill me. Instead he just grinned, pretending nothing was wrong.

“’Allo, ‘Allo, boys,” he greeted. “Nice day we’re having, isn’t it?”

The General narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Indeed. Where have you been?” he asked.

Chasing down my would-be killers, he answered inwardly. “At Michael’s,” he said out loud. “Gotta make sure the old man is still eating, you know?”

The General nodded. “How is your father?”

Pete shrugged. “The same.” Everyone knew he was recluse. Nothing ever changed with him, sadly. If only Pete could make him wake up and see the world clearly again. Sometimes he was just resigned to the fact his father was a lost cause.

Ollie walked up, giving Pete a quick, hard stare. Turning to the General, he said, “we have everything we need.”

“Perfect, bring it down.”

Pete watched him leave. “Everything you need for what?”

“The bomb,” he answered.

Pete nodded. “Any idea how you’re going to get it in the building?”

A slow, knowing smile spread across the other man’s face. Pete didn’t like it one bit. “I think I’ve got it worked out. Just need to figure out some last minute details.”

That was way too ambiguous for his comfort. “What kind of details?”

“I’ll let you know in good time,” the General answered, slapping him on the back. “Why don’t you just head home and get some rest? You look beat. I’d hate for my second to drop dead from exhaustion.” He gave him a quick smile, and then turned to walk into the confessional.

I bet you would, Pete thought.

When he opened the door to find Dinah standing out in the hall, all the anger and anxiety he had been feeling evaporated. Having her near him seemed to do that. He never felt that way with anyone before. Without speaking, he grabbed her arm, yanking her inside and pressed her up against the back of the door. She opened her mouth to speak, but he stopped her with his own. When they finally came up for air, he noticed her flushed cheeks and bright eyes, and he instantly wanted her.

“Hello to you too,” she said, her voice sounding all breathy like it always did when she was turned on. He loved it.

“Hey,” he grinned. “How was your day?” He still had her pinned, which he rather liked. Her tiny body was pressed against his in all the right places.

She looked up, seeming to think about it before saying, “boring.”

“Until now, right?”

She laughed. “Yes, until now. You’re certainly not boring. And no one else threw me up against a door and kissed me like that, so I’d say you’re much more exciting than most.”

He furrowed his brows. “I should hope no one else does this to you.” She laughed again, a sound he could listen to for the rest of his life. He finally stepped back, letting her loose. “You hungry?”

“Starving,” she said, wandering over to his kitchen. He watched her make herself at home as she stood before the stove, lifting the lids to see what was inside the pots. A warm feeling spread through his chest. She looked good in his space. “Did you make this?” she asked, looking back at him questioningly. She cocked her head to the side. “What are you doing?”

He smiled, shoving his hands in his jean pockets and rocking back on his heels. “Watching you.”

A blush spread over her cheeks. “Why?”

Because you are beautiful and I can’t help it, he answered silently. “Yes, I made that,” he answered, ignoring her question. “I happen to be a very good cook,” he continued, walking into the kitchen to remove the sauce from the burner.

Dinah sat down at the island and instantly started filling her plate with salad and pasta. “You, Pete McKay, are just full of surprises.”

“I try,” he said.

“So what’s for dessert?” she asked, smiling around her fork.

“Guess,” he answered, looking at her intensely until another blush reddened her cheeks and she looked away. He chuckled.

Chapter Nineteen

Dessert had been put on hold due to Seamus and Garrett’s arrival not long after they started eating. The two boys grabbed plates and started filling them with food without even asking. Dinah laughed at Pete’s stunned face. He looked over at her, rolling his eyes.

“Sometimes I feel more like their father than their friend,” he murmured.

“And we love ya for it, pops,” Seamus said. “How’s the arm, Dinah?”

“Fine,” she answered, moving it gingerly.

“I wish you could have seen this girl, Garrett,” Seamus said, eyes wide. He went into a dramatic enactment of the car chase and Dinah hanging out the window. By the time he was done, she had tears in her eyes from laughing so hard. His retelling was slightly exaggerated, but she let him have his fun. Garrett seemed genuinely impressed. When they were done they headed over to the Bull’s Eye. Trent was already there with that Tommy Boy guy and a few others she didn’t know. Pete ordered them a pitcher and the rest of the night was spent drinking and trying to shout over each other.

At one point, Pete leaned over and asked her if she wanted to play some pool. She’d never played before, but she agreed. By the end she decided she liked pool – a lot. Pete had molded his body around hers to help line up shots, his breath tickling her neck, and every once in a while his lips would brush the tip of her ear. It was driving her nuts.

When they sat back down, he draped his arm across the back of her chair, his fingertips playing idly with a strand of hair, or drawing slow circles on the back of her neck. The entire time he seemed oblivious to what he was doing to her. She was aware of every touch, every graze, every caress, to the point where she thought she might spontaneously combust from how tightly wound she was.

Finally, when she’d had enough, she leaned over, letting her lips brush against his ear. His whole body stiffened in reaction. Letting her hand glide over his thigh slowly, she heard him let out a whoosh of breath, and she decided maybe he wasn’t so oblivious after all.

“I think it’s time to go home,” she whispered.

He turned his head, their faces only inches apart, staring into each other’s eyes. The entire pub melted away around her. “Home? As in…”

“Your place,” she said. Understanding and a need so intense it had her insides clenching, filled his bright, green eyes.

“Aw! Look at you two,” Seamus hollered. Dinah turned her head to see everyone at the table watching them. Seamus wiped at a fake tear under his eye.

“I think it’s definitely time to go home,” Pete said. He gripped her hand on his thigh and pulled her up. “We’re off, mates.”

“You want me to come by later? Make sure you got home okay?” Seamus asked, smiling widely.

“If you come by later, I will personally beat the shit out of you,” Pete said, throwing some money down on the table. He turned and pulled Dinah along behind him. Seamus’ voice called out after them.

“A simple no would have sufficed!”

The door was barely shut before they were on each other. Pete had her up, legs wrapped around him, back against the wall, in a matter of seconds. Dinah’s hands were frantic, smoothing over his shoulders, arms, head, neck, anywhere she could touch. His mouth left hers as he kissed and sucked at her neck. She leaned her head to the side, giving him full access as she caught her breath. Then his hands were pulling at her shirt, and hers at his. He let her down on her feet so they could undress each other, neither of them saying a word as they did so. The only sound was their harsh breathing, and moans when their bare skin met.

He cupped her face, teasing her bottom lip with his tongue and teeth as he walked her backwards. The back of her knees hit the arm of the couch. Pete spun her around, his hands splaying over her stomach as he kissed her shoulders. One hand moved to unhook her bra. She wiggled it off until it was discarded and forgotten on the floor.

His lips trailed down her back, stopping just at the base of her spine. He knelt behind her, his fingers gripping the sides of her panties, and pulled them down her thighs. He placed two light kisses on either side of her buttocks before biting it. She gasped in surprise, looking down at him to see him grinning widely.

“Did you seriously just bite my ass?” she asked, shocked.

“Yup,” he answered happily. Then leaned in to bite it again. “And yes, I just bit it again.”

She laughed. “You’re nuts.”

He stood up, pushing her panties the rest of the way to the floor with his foot until she had to step out of them. “Only when it comes to you,” he whispered in her ear, letting his tongue trace the outside of it.

Her breathing picked up, and she let herself fall back into him. His hand slid over her hip, burning its way across her stomach and down to her most sensitive part. He pressed firmly, rubbing slow circles. “Bend forward,” he ordered, nipping her earlobe.

Dinah let her upper body drop over the arm of the couch, propping herself up on her elbows. Pete widened her legs, grabbing onto her hips. Then he entered her slowly. He felt bigger in this position, making her feel fuller. She moaned at the sensation, resting her forehead against the cushion beneath her. Then he began moving in a hard rhythm, causing her to cry out every time his hips smacked against her backside. She felt the familiar stirrings of her climax start to increase rapidly. When he angled himself differently, rubbing on a particularly sensitive spot, her legs began to shake and she moaned louder. He continued rubbing it until she burst, screaming his name. His climax followed shortly after, and then they were both left breathless.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you,” he breathed.

Pete blinked a couple of times, his face smothered in Dinah’s hair. She lay fast asleep in his arms, her breathing even. Need instantly stirred in him, feeling her naked body pressed to his. Then the knock that woke him up came again at his front door. He slipped out, careful not to wake her, and grabbed the first pair of pants he could find.

He opened the door, expecting one of the guys, but was surprised to see Bridgette standing there instead. “Hey,” he said sleepily, yawning. She pushed past him, her face grim. He always knew when Bridge was pissed. “What’s up?”

She looked around, spotting the discarded clothes everywhere, her eyes moving to the bedroom door. “Got company?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he answered. “So keep your voice down.”

She snorted. “Since when do you let them sleep over?”

He titled his head to the side, crossing his arms over his chest. “Since now. What’s up, Bridge?”

She shoved a folded piece of paper at him. “I found this under my door when I got home tonight.”

He opened the note slowly, reading the single sentence and signature beneath it.

“Why the hell is my father contacting me, McKay? Did I not make it clear enough that I’m not interested in being a part of whatever the hell you guys are planning?”

“I don’t know why he’s asking you to see him,” he replied. “He knows how you feel.”

“Well I want him to stop. I don’t want him to contact me, I don’t want to see him, and I certainly don’t want him leaving me notes where I live,” she said. “You tell him to leave me alone. Got it?”

“Yeah, I got it,” he stated. “Whatever this is, I have nothing to do with it.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Fine. Just make sure you let him know I said stop.”

“Will do,” he said. “Anything else?”

She took a deep breath. “No, that’s it. How have you been anyway? I haven’t seen much of you lately.”

His eyes glanced at his bedroom door then back to her. “I’ve been busy.”

She smirked. “I bet.”

“You want me to walk you out?”

She nodded. Pete walked her down to the street, holding the door open for her while he looked around quickly. “You shouldn’t be walking around this late on your own,” he told her.

Bridgette rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “I’m fine, McKay. No one bothers me.”

“Just be careful, would you?” He leaned in and kissed her forehead, wrapping an arm around her for a quick hug.

“You too,” she replied poking him in the stomach. He watched her walk down the street until she turned out of sight, and then went back up to crawl in beside Dinah.

“Who was that?” she asked, her eyes still closed.

He kissed her shoulder, pulling her close again. “Just a friend.”

Roman had spent the last couple of nights watching Bridgette leave the Red Lounge and following her home. He knew it wasn’t right, but he was only doing it to make sure her father didn’t try and contact her. And to make sure she didn’t go anywhere near Lottey. Or so he told himself. Something inside him felt the need to ensure nothing happened to her. It was foreign and strange, and yet he couldn’t seem to help himself.

Tonight she had walked in a different direction. He followed like always, and stood across the street when she entered what looked like an empty, forgotten building. She wasn’t in there long when he saw the door open again, and none other than Chatty Cathy come out with her. Jealously and rage instantly boiled inside him. They smiled at each other, and the guy even kissed her on her forehead before she walked off.

He wasn’t even wearing a shirt. What had they been doing in there? Was she sleeping with him? He didn’t like the guy to begin with, but now he absolutely hated him. For whatever reason, his mind and body had decided that Bridgette was his. Even if Roman knew it couldn’t happen, for so many reasons he couldn’t even begin to list them, it still didn’t change the fact that he wanted her. Bad. The thought of someone else getting to be with her, touch her, feel her, had his head spinning.

He watched as the other guy stood outside until she turned a corner and then he went back in. Roman looked at the building for another moment before turning and heading back to headquarters. Dinah was working hard to get information from these guys, that one included. Unfortunately for her, she was going to have one less source to work with, because Roman was going to kill him the next chance he got.

Pete was having the best dream of his life. Warmth covered the right side of his body. Whatever it was, it felt right. Something tightened around his chest, pushing that warm feeling closer. Blinking against the morning light, his eyes opened to stare at the ceiling above him. The sky was a clear blue through the skylight, not a cloud in sight. He looked down to find his dream was reality. Dinah was tucked against him, her cheek resting on his bare chest. She looked younger like this, peaceful and relaxed.

He felt her smile against his skin, pressing her body closer to his. “What are you staring at?” she murmured.

“How do you know I’m staring at you?” he asked, biting back a laugh.

Her eyes opened, revealing the blue that always amazed him. How could anyone have such beautiful eyes?

“Sweetheart, you sure know how to make my morning a good one.”

“And how do I do that?” she said, her voice husky from just waking up.

“Just by being here in my arms,” he admitted, pulling her up to mouth. He kissed her, branding her as his. “What you do to me,” he said against her lips, resting his forehead against hers.

Lifting his head, he swept back the strands of hair sticking to her face and smiled. “How about some breakfast?”

Chapter Twenty

Two days of utter bliss had gone by. Dinah spent the mornings at headquarters, sitting in on meetings with Ludwig and Roman, only half listening most of the time. Ludwig didn’t seem to notice, but she got the sense Roman did. They were going over the usual stuff – food, weapons, reconstruction of certain parts of the city – all the things she didn’t care about anymore.

As soon as they were done she would leave and head over to Pete’s. Walking into his apartment and seeing his bright smile light up his face was like coming home. They’d spend the afternoons together, sometimes just talking, other times not talking at all, just enjoying each other. He had begun to mean so much to her, Dinah wasn’t sure how to deal with it. The idea that she could be falling in love with him seemed so ludicrous. But then he’d say or do something extra sweet, and her insides would melt, and suddenly the idea of love didn’t seem so silly after all.

She hadn’t said the words though. To put herself out on the line like that, her heart offered up for another person, was just too difficult. There had been many times when he was inside her, and their passion was at its highest, that the urge to say those three little words was almost unbearable, but she could never quite do it. What if he didn’t say them back? Or worse, what if he laughed at her, or looked at her with pity. The possibility was too gut-wrenching.

Now she was making her way to his place again, all the moments they shared together were flashing through her head like some movie. Pete would look at her sometimes, and she could see so many emotions in his eyes that her hopes would rise that he felt the same, but she just didn’t know. Technically they were still enemies, both in important positions on opposite sides of the war. What kind of love could possibly bloom from their situation? A love that would stand against all else? A love stronger than sides and alliances? Was it possible?

Dinah walked up the stairs to his place. As soon as she reached the top floor she could hear a number of voices inside. Pete didn’t expect her to knock anymore, so she simply opened the door and walked in. Trent, Garret, and Seamus sat around his living room, all leaning forward as they talked. The conversation stopped as soon as they saw her standing in the doorway. Looking at them, she remembered that the only reason she knew them was because she had been sent there to spy. What if Pete ever found out? Would he believe her if she told him everything had changed? That she wasn’t there for that anymore, but because of her feelings for him?

“There you are,” his smooth voice said from the kitchen. She turned to look at him just as he walked up and wrapped his hands around her waist. He kissed her gently on the lips, smiling down. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his brows scrunching up.

Dinah forced a smile. “Nothing,” she said.

“You sure?” he pushed, keeping his voice low.

Dinah nodded, popping up on the tips of her toes to plant another chaste kiss on his mouth. “Absolutely.”

“How’s it going, Dinah?” Seamus said.

She smiled over at them, dropping her jacket on a kitchen stool. “Just fine, Seamus,” she answered. Pete was busy cooking what looked to be a large meal. Pots and pans were out, the island scattered with chopped veggies. “What’s all this?”

“This is a special dinner for Trent,” Pete explained. “It’s his birthday.”

Dinah looked over at Pete’s older brother in surprise. “I didn’t know it was your birthday.”

Trent grinned modestly. “I don’t like to announce it otherwise I’ll have every man in the vicinity shoving shots down my throat.”

Seamus barked out a laugh. “My friend, as soon as we hit the pub, you better believe you’re getting shots shoved down your throat.”

“Really,” Garret said with a shake of his head. “If Seamus knows that’s pretty much the worst it could get. It doesn’t matter about anyone else. He’s the one who will kill you with alcohol.”

Seamus gave Trent a cheeky grin and a wink, lifting his cup up in a salute.

“Well, Happy Birthday, Trent,” Dinah said. “I hope you can remember it tomorrow.”

“I don’t,” said Seamus.

“Sometimes I wonder why we’re friends,” Trent muttered.

“It’s McKay’s fault,” Seamus pointed at Pete. “Blame him.”

Dinner was delicious, just like everything Pete made. Dinah wasn’t sure how the man had learned to cook so well, but she was grateful. When they were done they headed out to Jack’s Beanstalk. Pete was going to perform tonight while the rest of them tried to give Trent alcohol poisoning. When they walked in, a number of people greeted Pete happily. Now that Dinah had the chance to see him sing, she understood why everyone loved when he performed. Not only was he nice to listen to, he wasn’t too bad to look at either.

“Happy Birthday, lad,” Jack, the owner, said as he came up to Trent with a shot already poured. “Bet you thought I forgot, didn’t you?”

Trent took the shot from his hand. “I was hoping,” he replied, tossing the drink back. His face made a grossed out look as he swallowed. “Terrible.”

The guys laughed, slapping him on the back. “Get used to it,” Seamus said gleefully. “There’s a lot more where that came from. Keep ‘em coming, Jack!”

The pub owner laughed. “Will do.” He turned to Pete. “You ready to play?” He glanced at Dinah then quickly back to Pete. What was that about? There was a strange expression in his eyes when he looked at her that she didn’t understand. They’d met before and he seemed nice enough to her. Maybe she was imagining things, she decided. Pete spoke to him for a bit and then they headed to their usual table. The man singing on stage nodded his head at Pete as they walked through the tables, not missing a lyric.

“What can I get you, since I think we’ve established you don’t like beer?” Pete asked in her ear.

“How about some wine?” she suggested.

“Coming right up.” He kissed her cheek and walked off. Dinah looked at Trent who still had that look on his face.

“It’s going to be a long night for you,” she said sympathetically.

“You have no idea,” he replied. “Will I get a dance for my birthday?”

She smiled. “Of course.”

Trent leaned in close. “You know, I never thought I’d say this, but I think my brother’s got it really bad for you.”

Dinah raised both eyebrows, surprised. “Oh yeah?”

Trent nodded. “He doesn’t normally hang on to girls for very long. I think it has to do with our mother stepping out when he was little. We’ve all had to watch Michael deal with it for our entire lives, but for some reason it was always harder on Petey.”

Dinah looked over her shoulder, finding Pete in the crowd by the bar. He hadn’t told her any of this before. Come to think of it, she couldn’t remember him mentioning his mother – ever. It hadn’t seemed strange to her, because she didn’t talk about her family either, but now that she was hearing this she was interested. “Why do you think that is?” she asked, turning back to Trent.

He shrugged. “I stopped caring a long time ago. Me and my dad aren’t that close because of it. I don’t have patience for people who won’t wake up and smell the coffee. Garrett just makes excuses for him, probably because he’s the baby, and Michael is the only parent he really knows. He was too young to remember our mom. Pete, I think he just tries to be the peace keeper in the family. The glue that holds us all together. He’s always been that way, but when it came to relationships of his own, he always ran from them.”

“Huh,” was the only response she could muster, looking back over the crowd. Pete was making his way toward them now, greeting people as he went.

Trent’s voice was closer to her when he spoke, his voice low enough so only she could hear. “I hope things work out for you two. Pete deserves to be happy.”

Dinah turned to look at him and smiled weakly. She hoped for the same. A glass of red wine landed on the table in front of her, making her jump.

“I hope you’re not whispering sweet nothings into my girl’s ear,” Pete said to Trent as he plopped down in the chair beside her.

“Absolutely,” Trent said with a smile.

The night was a blast. Pete was amazing, again. The guys all took turns dancing with her. At one point she begged to go back and sit down, and they finally agreed. Her feet were killing her, and her shirt was sticking to her back with sweat. While she sat and watched Pete, seeing how much he loved singing from the way his whole face lit up, and the way he’d interact with the audience, she decided that she was most certainly in love with the man. Well damn, she thought. Now what? Pete chose that moment to look over at her and smiled. She couldn’t even manage to return it as she panicked over the magnitude of feelings she had for him. Pete’s smile faltered a bit, hesitating before looking away from her. By the time he got off stage she had her anxiety under control and pushed deep down so she could enjoy the rest of their evening.

Trent was completely wasted when they left the bar. Dinah had never seen the usually collected and mature brother so loose and carefree. Seamus and Garrett struggled to keep him up as they walked back through the city streets. When she and Pete parted ways with them, heading toward his place, she was pretty sure Trent wouldn’t remember a thing after his tenth shot. He was going to feel sorry in the morning.

“Everything okay?” Pete asked, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as they walked.

She let her head lean on his shoulder, breathing in his familiar scent. “Everything’s fine,” she said.

They got home and headed to his bedroom without speaking. Both undressed and climbed into bed, instantly moving close. This wasn’t like their frenzied coupling, but a much slower, intimate one. Pete kissed every inch of her, her eyelids, nose, chin, corners of her lips, jaw, neck, everything he could. He took his time, worshipping her body.

Dinah let her hands run along his muscles, loving the feeling of his skin beneath her palms. The short, soft strands of hair tickled her hands as she reached up and grabbed his head, forcing him to come back up and kiss her mouth. They explored each other, their tongues not fighting like usual, but tangling gently in an intricate dance. She wasn’t sure what was happening between them, but in the back of her mind she wondered if this was what making love was like.

Afterwards, Dinah let her head rest on his chest, listening to the sound of his heart beating. Her finger tips trailed over his chest and stomach languidly while he did the same on her arm. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling.

“Can I ask you something?” he said.

“Hmm?”

He paused a moment, his hand still stroking her slowly. “Were you always an upper?”

Her eyes popped open. Sharing her past wasn’t really something she wanted to do, but on the other hand, if she really did love him she was going to have to be honest. The question was, just how honest?

“No,” she answered.

“You were a lower?” She nodded. He paused again. “Why did you join up with Ludwig?”

She shifted so her body was closer and started running her hand over his stomach again. What would he think of her if he knew the reasoning behind what she did? He deserves to know, she told herself.

“One day,” she said slowly, “the army came to the city where I lived and started tearing it to pieces. They came to my house, looking for my dad. I guess they’d heard from someone that he was part of the rebels, so they were coming to take him in. It was just my mother and I home at the time.” She took a deep breath. “Roman came in, asking my mom about my dad. I never knew he was a part of anything, so at first I thought they must just have it wrong. But I could tell from the way my mom was acting that there was definitely something going on.

She kept telling me to be quiet. I thought my dad would come, but he didn’t. He never showed up. I was so angry that I looked into my mom’s mind, trying to find the truth. I never did that to my family. I always respected their privacy, but the longer I knelt there, scared out of my mind with no sign of my father, the angrier I got. Sure enough, I found out he was part of the rebels. And even my mom knew he wouldn’t be coming back. He’d left. Saved himself, knowing damn well his family would be in danger.”

Pete squeezed her arm. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice hoarse.

“Don’t be, it’s not your fault. It’s his.” She sighed and rolled over onto her belly so she could see him better, propping herself up on her elbows. He laced his fingers through her hair, brushing it off her face and behind her ear. She closed her eyes, leaning into his touch. “Roman had asked if I knew anything and I answered, not realizing he’d just thought it, not spoken it out loud.”

“Shit,” Pete breathed. Dinah opened her eyes to meet his.

“I know,” she said. “My gift, as my family liked to call it, was our big secret and I had gone and let it slip to the worst person possible. Roman shot my mother and brought me to Ludwig that same day. I knew it was the only way I was getting out of that house alive. I’ve been with them ever since.”

Pete stiffened. “He shot your mom right in front of you?”

Dinah nodded. “You know what the sad thing is? I didn’t even care at the time. I’m not even sure I care now. A part of me misses her, but I’m still so angry that she was willing to let me die for the sake of my father. Neither of them cared about anything else but themselves. I still hate them both for it.”

“Is that why you stayed with Ludwig? Out of anger?”

Dinah hesitated then nodded. “The best way I could get back at my father and everything he stood for was to be the greatest weapon to his enemy. I wasn’t ready to die that day, and Roman saved me from it. I guess I’ve always felt like I owed him for it.”

Pete angled his head so he could kiss her gently on the lips. “I’m sorry all that happened to you.”

Dinah looked at him in surprise. “I’ve spent the last five years hurting your cause – why are you apologizing?” she asked.

“Because sometimes our hardest decisions are made for us. I don’t think you’re fully accountable for the things you did back then. You were only what, sixteen?”

She nodded.

“You were a sixteen year old girl who just saw her mother die and was betrayed by her father. I’d be angry and bitter too. Who knows what I would have done if I had been in the same position.”

“Really? You really believe that? You don’t hate me?”

He shook his head. “No, I don’t think I could ever hate you. I just think it’s sad.”

She scrunched up her nose. “I don’t want you to feel pity for me.”

Pete laughed. “I don’t. I would never pity you, for fear of my life.”

She grinned. “Good. At least you know.”

She laid her head back down, cuddling in to his side.

“Just so you know,” he said softly, “if it were me, I would have done anything and everything to come back and save you. I would never stop.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’ll never let anyone hurt you.”

Roman waited outside the apartment. He had followed Bridgette home the night before. Thankfully she hadn’t come back here, or he probably would have followed her up and killed the guy right then. The sun was just rising now as he stood across the street, keeping an eye on the front door. Hopefully the son of a bitch wasn’t a late riser. He really didn’t feel like waiting around all day for him.

As if answered by some unspoken command, the door opened and out he walked, wearing those same pajama pants and no shirt. A dark haired figure was behind him, and Roman’s gut instantly turned. Had Bridgette come here after all? How had he missed it? Then the person stepped out fully and Roman froze in disbelief. Lottey stood on the street, her hair piled on the top of her head like she just woke up and threw it into a bun. She smiled up at the guy and Roman literally thought he was going to be sick.

Even from where he stood, there was no question that Lottey had feelings for the guy. Roman wasn’t sure just how deep they were, but from the way she was looking at him, he guessed they were pretty strong. The guy was looking at her like she was the only thing in the world. It made Roman want to break something. They kissed, the guy’s hands gripping her waist firmly as she went up on her toes to meet him. When they finally broke apart, Lottey waved at him saying she’d see him later.

Roman didn’t hear all of the guy’s response, but what he did make out chilled his blood. He called her ‘his little X’. Did he know who she really was? Roman’s heart raced. Had she told him? How long had he known? He watched the guy watch Lottey until she was gone and he went back inside. Roman didn’t know what to do, but he was pretty sure Lottey hadn’t been getting information from him like she was supposed to. There was no way she was faking her feelings just to get intel. That was obvious enough from the look on his face. Well, Roman told himself, looks like you need to take matters into your own hands. He flipped open his cell and made the call. This was getting settled – today.

Chapter Twenty-One

Pete stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist. When he walked out of the bedroom to get another cup of coffee, he stopped in surprise.

“I gave you that key for emergencies,” he said. “Not so you could just let yourself in whenever you felt like it.”

“In my defense,” Seamus said, taking a sip out of the mug he was holding, “I did knock first.”

Pete shook his head, walking again. He went over to grab the pot off the wood stove and saw it was now empty. He looked over at Seamus. “Seriously, mate?”

Seamus smiled widely, taking another sip. Pete growled, slamming the pot back down. He leaned back on the counter, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Nice towel,” Seamus commented dryly. “You planning on getting dressed anytime soon?”

“I wanted to have a cup of coffee first, but I guess that’s not going to happen now, is it?”

“It will if you make more.”

Pete rolled his eyes.

“What are we doing today?”

Pete shrugged, pushing off and heading toward the bedroom as he talked. “No idea. We should probably head over to St. Anne’s. See what the good ol’ General has up his sleeves now. I don’t want to give that man too much space. He’s up to no good.”

“You mean more than usual?”

Pete put on some jeans and walked back out as he pulled a t-shirt over his head. “He’s definitely got something in the works. He won’t tell me, which makes me think he knows I’m not going to like it.”

“That guy has serious–” BANG. The front door slammed against the wall as ten armed soldiers filed into the room, guns pointed at them. Pete looked around quickly for his gun.

“I wouldn’t, if I were you,” an amused voice came from the hall. Roman Adamson walked in slowly, watching Pete. “Well look what we found here, boys. A rat’s nest.”

Pete clenched his jaw, his hands fisted at his side. “What are you doing here, Adamson?”

“Take a wild guess,” he replied wryly. “I hope you two didn’t have much planned for the day, because you’re about to go on a little trip. Cuff them.”

Pete stood still as a solider approached him, wrenching his arms back painfully. He made the cuffs too tight, which Pete was sure wasn’t an accident.

“How did you know where I live?” Pete asked, ignoring the other soldier that was pushing him forward. They stopped so Pete was just in front of Roman.

He smiled slowly. “A little birdie told me.”

Dinah. No way. Pete didn’t believe it for a second. She wouldn’t do this to him. The solider pushed him out the door roughly, and down the stairs to a waiting SUV parked along the curb. Seamus was thrown in after him. He looked to Pete, eyes wide with fear.

“We’re in deep shit,” Seamus whispered.

“Looks like it,” Pete said, looking out the window.

Pete was watching where they were going and it didn’t take long for him to realize they weren’t heading toward headquarters. He was both relieved and sad about that. As much as he didn’t want Dinah to know or see what was happening to him, he was also kind of hoping they’d go there so he could see her once more. He didn’t believe Roman. Dinah would never have told him willingly where Pete lived. The only reason Roman said that was to make him doubt her, and Pete refused to.

The SUV turned and headed out to a deserted part of town. Not encouraging, Pete thought. A large warehouse came into view, its windows broken behind the bars on the outside, the grey stone crumbing in certain parts. The buildings around it were also empty. Destroyed even more so than the warehouse. The perfect place to bring two people one plans to torture. Unease slithered up his spine as he shifted in his seat. The possibility of seeing the end of this day seemed less and less likely as they went.

The driver stopped the SUV in front of two steel doors and exited the vehicle. Roman followed from the passenger side. Pete’s door opened and hands yanked him out. He blinked against the bright sunlight. “Time to night-night,” the solider said. Pain erupted from the back of his head. Black spots dotted his vision and then everything went dark.

His wrists ached and he couldn’t feel his hands. Pete groaned, rolling his head back. A cold splash of water hit his face a second before a hand slapped his cheek three quick times.

“Wake up,” a voice commanded.

Pete blinked his eyes open and tried to move his hands. His arms were lifted above him, resting against the sides of his head. When he tried to move them, the sound of metal clanging together had him looking up. He was chained to the ceiling, his hands lifted over his head. His feet weren’t chained down, but he couldn’t move far. He looked around, taking stock.

They were inside the warehouse now. It was empty, aside from a few forgotten chairs and empty boxes. Trash littered the floor as if everyone ran out so fast, they didn’t even have time to pick up their papers as they went. Soldiers stood around them, their faces expressionless, guns held ready at their sides. When he looked forward he sucked in a quick breath. Seamus sat on a chair, his hands and feet bound. From the way his head was fallen forward, Pete guessed he was still passed out.

“Welcome back,” Roman’s voice spoke from behind him. Pete listened to his footsteps before he came into view.

“What do you want?” Pete gritted.

Roman tilted his head to the side, observing him. “Our sources tell us that there is a main location where your kind gathers.”

“What kind? Regular working, blue collared folk? ‘Cause yeah we do, it’s called the pub. You’ve been there, remember?”

Roman clicked his tongue, annoyed. “Always the smart ass.” He shook his head. “You know what kind I mean. And you’re going to tell me where I can find it, or your friend here is going to pay the price of your silence.”

Pete smiled. “Mate, even if I had something to tell you, I wouldn’t.” He spat at his feet. “Go to hell.”

“I wonder if your friend will appreciate your stubbornness as much as I do.” Roman turned his back, signalling to one of the soldiers who stepped forward and woke Seamus up the same way they had him. Pete watched as his best friend struggled to move then realization set in. Their eyes met. Pete felt sick at what he saw there.

“Tell me,” Roman said to Seamus. “Your friend here seems to have lost his memory, but perhaps yours is a little clearer.” He crouched down in front of the chair, his hands clasped loosely in front of him. “Where is the rebel headquarters?”

Seamus glanced at Pete quickly before looking back at him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Roman grunted. “I was hoping you’d say that.” He motioned with his head. Two soldiers walked up, flexing their hands. Pete struggled against his chains to no avail. The first one landed a punch right in Seamus’ stomach. His friend bent over as much as he could from the way he was tied up, air rushing out of his lungs. The next hit was right to the kidneys. They took turns, each hitting vulnerable spots on Seamus’ torso. Never once did he cry out.

“Your memory getting any better?” Roman asked.

Seamus looked up and smiled. “Nope.”

A fist hit him right across his left cheek. His head whipped to the side violently. Blood oozed from a cut along his cheekbone, and another on his lip. Another hit from the right side had his head whipping the other way, both sides bleeding. Roman turned to Pete.

“What about you?”

Pete looked at Seamus, dread filling him. They couldn’t talk. It was the number one rule. No matter what, you didn’t talk. His best friend was sitting there taking a beating, both eyes now closed and puffy, and there was nothing he could do about it. Pete looked at Roman and just shook his head. He didn’t trust his voice right now. Hate so strong was burning in his gut. Roman Adamson was a dead man if he lived through this.

The soldiers continued their beating. The sound of flesh on flesh was the only noise in the warehouse, aside from Seamus’ grunts and the clanging of Pete’s chains. He paced in the small area allowed to him, his breathing coming out harsh and fast.

Seamus’ head lolled forward like he no longer had the strength to keep it up on his own. A distressed whine escaped Pete’s mouth, a sound he had never made in his life. Wet, hot tears leaked out the corner of his eyes.

Roman stopped them, turning to Pete quizzically. “How about now?”

Pete looked at Roman, pleading silently with his eyes. The man just lifted his eyebrows in question. Pete looked back at his friend, a heavy weight in his chest. Was he going to have to stand here and watch his best friend be beaten to death? There would be no recovering from that. How could he ever move on knowing he did nothing to save him? But what the rebels fought for was bigger than the two of them. There was no way he could rat them out. He looked back at Roman and shook his head once.

“Knuckles, I think,” Roman said. Pete’s head snapped back to the soldiers around Seamus, and saw them slip brass knuckles onto their first.

“No!” Pete screamed, charging forward only to be pulled back by the chains. “You fucking bastards! I’ll kill you all, I swear it, I’ll kill you all.”

Roman laughed. “Go on,” he told them.

Seamus lifted his head, meeting his gaze across the small space.

“Please,” Pete said in a whisper. They couldn’t do this. Not to Seamus. The first hit split the skin on his right cheek right open. Pete pulled at the chains harder, feeling the metal cut into his skin. “DAMN YOU!” He strained forward, tearing at his skin more, but he didn’t care. Each hit to Seamus was killing a part of him. “DAMN YOU!” he cried out.

Seamus was crying now. Pete wasn’t sure if he was trying to speak. If he was, it was unintelligible around the blood and swollen lips. It felt like his heart was being ripped from his body. Pete looked to Roman. “Please,” he said. “Put me in that chair. I’ll take the beating. Just let him go before he’s dead. Please.” Roman’s face was expressionless. Pete looked back to Seamus, another whimper escaping him. “Seamus?” he called out. “Seamus?”

Slowly, his best friend lifted his head and met his gaze. Tears were pouring down Pete’s face now. He tried to move closer even though he knew there was no point. His mouth opened, but no words came out. What could he say? Nothing could express what this was doing to him. One of the soldiers hit upward, landing square on his jaw. Seamus’ head snapped backward and stayed there.

“NO!” Pete screamed. A sob broke out. “Seamus? Oh God. Seamus?” He didn’t move. Pete tried to see if he was breathing, but he couldn’t tell from there. A phone rang suddenly, cutting into the eerie silence of the room. Roman held up his hand to stop the two soldiers. He walked away, his voice low as he spoke to whoever was on the other line.

Pete’s blood roared in his ears as he kept his eyes on Seamus. He barely acknowledged it when Roman came back to stand in front of him – until he spoke. “St. Anne’s Cathedral,” he said.

Pete’s eyes met his. They stared at each other for what felt like a long time, until a slow smile spread across the other man’s face. “Looks like I didn’t need you two after all,” he said. “Here’s a tip, mate. Never befriend a mind reader.”

His head was shaking before he even realized he was doing it. This was not Dinah. It couldn’t be.

Roman stepped closer, his voice dropping so only Pete could hear it. “You didn’t think I knew, did you? Here’s a secret for you, I always know what she’s up to. Who do you think sent her to you?” They looked at each other. “The only reason she was there was to find out information. That’s all it was ever about.”

“You don’t know shit,” Pete spat.

“I know a lot more than you do. Tell me, did she ever tell you her real name?” Pete pressed his lips together. This was just a game, he told himself. He was just trying to fill his head with lies so he’d turn against her. “I’m betting she didn’t. All those nights together, and you never knew. What about Bridgette? Did she know?”

Pete’s head snapped back. “What do you know about Bridgette?”

“I know your sorry ass doesn’t deserve her,” he said. “How does it feel knowing you were doing sisters? Does that make you feel like a bigger man?”

Sisters? Pete’s mind raced to keep up. What was he talking about? “I can see the confusion on your face. Didn’t she tell you? Dinah’s real name is Charlotte,” he said, his eyes searching his face. “Charlotte Hatcher.”

Everything around him seemed to freeze. Seamus, the soldiers, everything blurred in the background as he focused on Roman. Dinah was Charlotte Hatcher? That was impossible. Charlotte had died with her mother…Pete’s heart sank. Dinah’s story came back, her voice echoing in his head. Of course. The army was looking for Douglas that day, and she had said he father was a rebel. Oh my God, Pete thought. Did Douglas know?

“You make me sick,” Roman said, his voice filled with venom. Pete looked back up to meet his eyes. “Both of those girls deserve better.”

“I don’t know what you think you know,” Pete said. “But Bridgette is my friend. I’m the only family she has left. I’ve never done a thing with her, except make sure she was safe and alive.” Pete watched as his words sank in. He thought he saw a flash of horror in the other man’s eyes, but he couldn’t be sure.

Neither of them said anything until Roman stepped back and told his men to pack up. “Stay away from Lottey,” he said to Pete, his eyes hard. Pete wanted to laugh. As if he needed that warning. Dinah wasn’t even Dinah. She was some other girl he didn’t even know. This whole time, everything between them, it had all been a lie – she was just there to spy on him. As far as Pete was concerned, she was dead to him. No one else could have given them St. Anne’s but her. She was able to read his mind now, and never once had she let on. Did she know what was being done to them right now? Had she played a part in this too? Was that why she had to leave so early this morning? He felt sicker than he had in his entire life. “I’ll let you live so you can watch everything you’ve built crumble to pieces. Consider it a gift. Next time we’re alone, you might not be so lucky,” Roman continued.

Before he could say anything back, pain erupted just behind his ear again and everything went blissfully to black. The last thing he thought was what a fool he had been, because he was pretty sure he had fallen in love with her. He had fallen in love with a lie.

Chapter Twenty-Two

It was eight in the morning when she started home. Bridgette had decided to go out for Michelle’s birthday the night before, and ended up crashing at her place. As she walked toward her apartment, head pounding, eyes narrowed against the bright sunlight, she decided she was no longer going out to celebrate birthdays. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt this crappy. Not that she hadn’t been drunk before, she had, but every time she felt like this she swore she’d never do it again – this time she meant it.

As she climbed the stairs to her apartment, she heard tiny footsteps on the landing above. Smiling to herself, she crouched low, coming up quieter than before. She waited, just at the top, pressing her body close to the wall. Counting to three, she threw her upper body forward with a “Ah ha!” causing the tiny boy waiting there to erupt into giddy screams.

“You thought you had me, didn’t you?” she laughed, walking up the rest of the way and scooping him up. “How are you this morning Mr. Timothy, my favourite little three year old?”

“Fine,” he said smiling, one of his front teeth missing. She mussed his strawberry blonde hair and set him down in front of the open door to his apartment. Bridgette poked her head inside.

“Hey Karen,” she called out. Timothy’s mother stood in the kitchen, her back turned. She looked over her shoulder and smiled at Bridgette.

“Hey you,” she said. “How was work?”

Bridgette shrugged. “Same as always.”

“Why are you just getting home now?” she asked, wiping her hands on her apron. Timothy squealed as his little sister, Stella, chased him.

Turning back to their mom, Bridgette replied, “It was my friend’s birthday so I crashed at her place.”

“Well you’ve been a pretty popular girl this morning.”

Bridgette looked at her, confused. “Popular?”

Karen nodded. “Two guys came by here this morning looking for you. Timothy’s been in and out all morning, so I saw both of them.”

Probably McKay, Bridgette thought. He was always checking up on her.

“One of them said he’s your father,” she said.

Bridgette’s whole body heated in anger. Why couldn’t he just leave her alone? Had she not made herself clear? She wanted nothing to do with him.

“I’ve never even heard of you mentioning your father, so I assumed he was lying.”

Bridgette smiled tightly. “We’re not close,” she said.

“Oh. So he was your dad? Well now I feel bad for being so rude,” she said with a laugh. “I just figured he was an admirer from the club.”

“Don’t worry, I would have been rude had I been here.”

Karen frowned, but didn’t comment. Bridgette waved goodbye, wishing them a good day and turned to go to her apartment.

“Wait,” Karen called out. “The other guy,” she hesitated. “I’m not sure, but I think he was that Roman Adamson fellow. Don’t take my word for it,” she quickly said as Bridgette’s mouth dropped open. “I’ve only seen him a couple of times, so I can’t be sure. But I don’t know too many men with long, dark hair like that, and so…built,” she said, blushing.

Roman? That didn’t make sense. Bridgette’s head swirled. Why on earth would Roman come to her place? And how would he know where she lived? He’s the second in command, she reminded herself. He probably knew where everyone lived, or could easily find out. It should make her nervous that he’d seek her out, and yet her stomach rolled with excitement instead. Bridgette muttered something about it probably being someone else and hurried over to her apartment. As soon as she walked in the door she spotted the folded note on the floor. Her father’s handwriting was unmistakable across the front.

That’s it, she growled inwardly. Grabbing the piece of paper off the floor, she slammed the door behind her and headed back down the stairs.

As soon as McKay answered after the third knock she knew something was wrong. Not just from the bruises on him, because really that was normal for McKay, but from the panicked look in his eyes and the paleness of his skin.

“What’s wrong?” she asked immediately.

He reached out and pulled her in, not saying a word. Dragging her behind him, they headed to his bedroom where a figure lay covered up in his bed. Bridgette stepped up beside it and looked down to see Seamus passed out. His face was almost unrecognizable from all the cuts and bruises. There was a deep, open wound bleeding on his right cheek that she could tell immediately would never heal without scarring. And from the angle of his nose, she guessed that was broken. Both eyes were swollen, his lips bleeding. All in all, he was a mess.

“What happened?” she asked, her voice hoarse.

“Roman Adamson happened,” he replied, his voice robotic. She looked back in shock, her blood cold. “And Weapon X.”

Dinah patted down her skin with her towel. Her uniform and mask lay on the bed in front of her. She stared down at it, hating that she needed to hide herself once again. Every time she left Pete’s and came here to take on the persona of Weapon X, she hated it a little more. Being with Pete was freeing. Her life here had become suffocating in a way, and didn’t feel as right anymore. Maybe it was never right, she argued.

Someone banged on her door. “What?” she called out.

“We’re suiting up and heading out in ten,” a male voice said through the door. “Ludwig wants you ready to move.”

Heading out where? Dinah dressed quickly and started for his office. She wasn’t aware of them going anywhere today. Mind you, it wasn’t like she had been paying close attention these days. Most of their meetings she spent daydreaming about her time with Pete. He was addictive and she was both scared and excited at the fact that she was in love with him. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever have the guts to say it to him, especially not first. But she knew it was true, and it was real. The first real thing she felt in a long time.

When she rounded the corner, she spotted Roman pacing outside Ludwig’s office. He stopped and stared at her when he saw her approaching. Something was wrong. She’d known Roman long enough to know when he was genuinely upset. His hair lay loosely around his shoulders, a little messier than usual. Probably from his running his hands through it, which he only did when he was agitated. His mouth was set in a grim line, and she could see his hands flexing at his sides.

“What’s going on?” she asked when she reached him. “Where are we supposed to be going?”

“Can I ask you something?” he said, ignoring her questions.

Okay, this was weird. “Sure,” she replied hesitantly.

“Do you ever have regrets?”

“What kind of regrets?”

“Over the things we do or have done. Do you ever look back on them and regret having done those things?”

She looked at him searchingly. Where was this coming from? He stared back, his face emotionless except for his eyes that were just brimming with things she couldn’t decipher. “I guess I don’t really let myself think about it too much,” she admitted. “I don’t like living with regrets.”

“There must be something,” he pushed. She shrugged. This wasn’t the type of conversation she wanted to be having with him, otherwise she might let it slip that she regretted coming back here every day instead of staying with their enemy. Who she just happened to be in love with. Yeah, no, there was no way she was telling him that.

“Why? What do you regret?” she asked.

His eyes roamed over her slowly, making her shift nervously under his stare. “You,” he said, his voice dropping lower.

“Me? What about me?”

“I regret you,” he said. “I regret dragging you into this mess and giving you this life.” He shook his head, looking off into nothing. When he looked back she could see the anger in his eyes. Not at her, but at himself. “You deserve better than this.”

She really didn’t know what to say to that, and didn’t have the chance to when the door to Ludwig’s office swung open and a young guy came walking out. His head was bent as he counted a stack of bills in his hand. When he looked up at them, meeting her eyes, she sucked in a low breath. He gave them both a smile and continued walking down the hall. Dinah turned to watch him leave, her eyes never leaving him, until he got into the elevator and the doors closed, blocking her vision. What. The. Hell.

She turned back to Roman who was watching her carefully.

“Who was that?” she asked.

“That,” Roman said, “is Ludwig’s informant.”

Holy shit. Her breath whooshed out of her like she’d just been punched in the stomach. Tommy Boy was Ludwig’s informant. Pete needed to know. She had to go tell him.

“He just gave us the location of the rebel headquarters,” Roman continued speaking. Her head snapped back to look at him. “St. Anne’s Cathedral,” he said. “We’re heading over there now to destroy it and anyone who’s in there.”

The way he was looking at her and telling her the information was putting her on edge. Like he knew she wanted to know, not because she was Weapon X, but for another reason she thought he was unaware of. She should have known better than to think she could hide her feelings from Roman. She took an unconscious step back toward the elevators. She needed to warn Pete before the army got there.

“I wouldn’t,” he said, halting her steps. “If I were you. I don’t think you’ll find him as receptive.”

“What are you talking about?” she asked, her voice cold. Worry slithered up her spine.

Roman looked away and when he looked back it was with sad eyes now, pleading. “I made a mistake,” he said. “I can see that now.”

“What did you do?” she said as calmly as she could muster, when every fiber in her body wanted to yell and scream at him.

“I told him who you really are.”

She let out a breath. He didn’t know Pete was already aware of the fact that she was Weapon X. It was okay. Relief swam over her.

“Not Weapon X,” he said. And just like that, her relief was gone. “I told him who you really are, Charlotte Hatcher. I also told him why you were sent to befriend him.”

“Why?” she asked, her voice coming out rough, almost a whisper.

He shook his head again, sucking in a deep breath. “I told you, it was a mistake. I thought…it doesn’t matter what I thought. I was angry at him, and I thought I could hurt him by telling him the truth. I saw the two of you together, and the way you looked at him, and I thought he didn’t feel the same way, so I wanted to hurt him.” No words. She had nothing to describe the feeling she felt right then. Her stomach felt sick. Would Pete believe him and think everything between them was a lie? She closed her eyes, blocking out Roman, and prayed that Pete knew her better than that. Please, she begged.

“I let him believe that it was you who told us about the church,” he continued. Her eyes snapped open again.

“You did what?” she said sharply.

He flinched. “I’m sorry, Lottey. When I saw his face, I knew…whatever you feel for him, he felt it too, and…I don’t know how much damage I’ve done, Lottey. I’m so sorry. Truly.”

It felt like a part of her inside broke. She rushed forward with all her bodyweight, shoving him up against the wall. He just stood there as she continued to push at him, tears falling from her eyes. “You just ruined the first good thing that’s happened to me in years,” she accused, still attacking him. Finally she stepped back, breathing hard. “How could you? I’ve given you everything I had since the day we met. This was the only thing I had for myself. It made me happy – he made me happy. And now you’ve ruined it. Haven’t you taken enough from me?”

He opened his mouth to speak, but she had no interest in hearing what he had to say anymore. Dinah whipped out her pistol, pointing it at him. “Stop,” she ordered. “I don’t want to hear it.”

“Lottey,” he warned. “Don’t do this.”

“Then don’t make me,” she countered. “I’m leaving here, and you’re not going to stop me, or I swear to God I will kill as many people as I need to on my way out.”

“He believed it, Lottey,” he said. “I could tell. If you go there he might just shoot you before you can even explain it. I can’t let you do that.”

“You are no longer in charge of what I do or don’t do,” she bit out slowly. “Don’t try to stop me, Roman. Please. If our friendship meant anything to you over the years, you’ll let me go and do this.”

“And just stand back, knowing you could be killed?” he argued, eyes bright with fury.

“I need to warn him. Don’t you get it? I don’t care if I might be killed. I’ve been in countless situations where I could have been killed and it never stopped me before. I care about him, Roman. If he’s there, I need to warn him. I can’t let him be killed.”

“You would put his life before your own?”

“Absolutely.” She turned and walked away, her gun held ready at her side. But Roman didn’t follow or try to stop her. When she turned around in the elevator and looked down the hall at him, he was still in the exact same position. Their eyes met and held until the doors closed. The sense of loss and betrayal broke her heart. If there had been anyone she counted on over the past five years, it had been him. And now he proved to her she couldn’t trust him. That realization killed.

Dinah had never ridden her bike as fast or recklessly as she did on her way to Pete’s. The whole time, all she could do was pray he’d be there. If he was at the church, she wasn’t sure how she was going to get in and get him out in time. She parked the bike beside his building and bolted for the doors. By the time she raced up the stairs and stood in front of his door, she was out of breath and sweating. She hadn’t even bothered to change before she left, except to pull her mask and hood down. When he saw her, all he’d see is his enemy. It hurt to think that way, but it was the truth. If all she could do here was warn him, at least she’d know she did that much. It was better than nothing.

The door was locked, which was abnormal. He locked it when they were in there, but otherwise he usually had it open. Unease ripped through her stomach. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door and waited. When it opened and Pete filled the doorway, she just stood there like a deer caught in headlights. She was completely frozen to the point where it took her a couple of seconds to even realize it when the door was slammed shut again, and he was outside in the hall with her, her back pressed to the wall, her front pressed against his, and a knife at her throat. All she could do was blink up at him.

He. Was. Furious. But what hurt even more than the fact that his anger was directed toward her, was the pain she saw mixed with it.

“What are you doing here?” he gritted through clenched teeth.

“I’ve come to warn you,” she said weakly.

He laughed humourlessly. “Warn me? That what, you’ve given away my secrets?” The knife pressed a little closer breaking the skin. Dinah could feel a drop of blood slide down her neck.

She shook her head slightly, too afraid to move. “It wasn’t me, Pete. Please believe me. I would never betray you.”

“Bullshit,” he spat. “Roman told me everything. I know why you suddenly came around.”

“Okay,” she said. “I admit that they were the ones who sent me, but I never got any information from you. I can’t break your walls, I never have. And even if that was why I was there initially, it’s not why I stayed.”

“I don’t believe one fucking word that comes out of that pretty little mouth of yours.”

Sweat trickled down her temples. She tried to arch away from the blade, but it was useless, he had her pinned too tightly. “I’m not lying, I swear. It’s Tommy Boy. I saw him leaving Ludwig’s office today with a stack of money. I knew he had an informant, but I had no idea who it was until today. It was Tommy who told him about the church. Not me. I swear it, Pete. I didn’t even know about the church until Roman told me only a short while ago. Please. You have to believe me.”

His eyes searched hers, still full of anger. He didn’t believe her. The truth of that was just as sharp as if he had slid the knife he held right through her heart. “Tommy?” he asked. She nodded carefully. “He doesn’t know about the church. Tommy’s not in the inner circle. You’re lying.”

“I don’t know how he knows, but I’m telling you it was Tommy. I didn’t know, Pete. How could I have told them? I haven’t been able to read any of your minds.”

He pressed his lips together. Then he leaned in, his breath hot on her ear. “You know what pisses me off the most,” he whispered. Dinah held her breath. “That even though I know you’re a liar and a traitor, I still want you more than I’ve wanted anyone else in my life.” He pressed his body closer and Dinah could feel his hard length against her stomach. “See what just being near you does to me? You’ve ruined me. But perhaps that was your goal all along.” He pulled back, staring coldly into her eyes.

Dinah shook her head, no longer worried about the blade against her skin. Tears fell from the corners or her eye. “I wouldn’t betray you, Pete. He was lying to you.”

He scoffed. “And why should I believe you over him?”

“Because it’s me,” she urged. “You know me.”

“Do I? Charlotte.”

Dinah flinched. She swallowed awkwardly around the lump in her throat. “I would have told you about that eventually. It’s a difficult thing for me to talk about. That doesn’t mean that you don’t still know me. You can’t take Roman’s word over mine.”

“And why not?”

“Because I love you!” She sucked in a quick breath, her body stiffening again in shock. She hadn’t meant to say that, and she could tell from Pete’s stunned expression he wasn’t expecting it either.

The door beside them opened and she heard a girl’s voice call out Pete’s name. Dinah snapped out of her shock and turned toward the voice, jealously instantly filling her. When her eyes collided with the other woman she thought she might actually pass out. Standing inside Pete’s doorway was one of two people Dinah never thought she’d see again. Bridgette looked exactly the same. Lighter brown hair falling just beneath her shoulders, bright blue eyes looking back in a mirrored shock, same features like their mother. Pete had moved off her at some point. She could sense him watching them, his eyes darting from one to another.

Dinah stayed pressed against the wall, too afraid to move. Until her sister spoke, “Charlotte?” Just the sound of her voice saying her name, her real name, was all it took to snap her out of it. Then she was moving, and a second later she had her arms wrapped around her sister’s waist, her face buried in her shoulder. One of Bridgette’s arms was holding her tightly while the other stroked her hair like she always used to do. “Charlotte,” she said again, tears filling her voice even as she smiled. Then her tears came, and Dinah just stood there, letting her sister hold her.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Bridgette held on tightly. Her sister. She couldn’t believe it. She leaned back, taking a closer look at her. Tears streamed down Charlotte’s face. Bridgette noticed the small cut bleeding on her sister’s neck. McKay stood in the hallway, a knife held in his hand.

“What the hell is going on?” she asked. “You cut her!” Bridgette wiped at the blood as Charlotte tried to wave her off.

“I’m fine,” she assured her.

Bridgette cupped her face gently, drinking her in. “Look at you,” she said, smiling. “You’re even more beautiful now that you’re all grown up.” She pulled her into another tight hug, glaring at McKay over her shoulder. “Why were you attacking her?” she asked. Charlotte tried to break free, but she just tightened her hold. She thought her sister was dead, only to have her here in her arms. No one was going to take her again. And she certainly wasn’t going to let anyone hurt her.

“Bridge,” McKay said roughly, “there’s a lot you don’t understand.”

“I know that if you come near her with that knife again, we’re going to have some serious problems,” she shot back. Bridgette turned with her arm still wrapped protectively around her little sister and brought her inside the apartment. She heard McKay follow but didn’t take her attention off Charlotte. She grabbed a towel off the island and held it to her neck.

“I’m fine, Bridgette,” Charlotte insisted. “Pete’s right, there’s a lot going on you don’t know about.”

“I don’t give a damn,” she replied firmly. She cleaned up the cut with a wet towel then stepped back to look at her again, as if she would suddenly change to someone else. She just couldn’t believe it was really Charlotte. Her little Charlotte. Bridgette took in her outfit: black boots, cargo pants, black, hooded shirt – realization slowly dawning. When she met her sister’s eyes, she could see the apology and remorse there. “You’re Weapon X, aren’t you?” she breathed.

Charlotte hesitated before nodding slowly. Bridgette knew the common outfit for New World army soldiers. She also knew what Weapon X wore so it wasn’t too difficult to put two and two together. “I should have known,” she said. “I just figured someone else had your talents.”

“I wouldn’t really call it a talent,” Charlotte murmured.

“I thought you were dead.”

Her sister gulped audibly, tears brimming in her eyes again. “I know. I’m sorry.”

Bridgette shook her head, forcing a smile. “It doesn’t matter. You’re here now. That’s what’s important.”

A moan from the bedroom caught their attention. “Go check on Seamus,” she told McKay.

“What’s wrong with Seamus?” Charlotte asked.

“Your friend beat him within an inch of his life,” he answered. Bridgette saw her sister physically flinch from his words. She watched the way Charlotte looked at him and she knew there was something between them. From the glimmer in her sister’s eyes, she’d say it was strong. It made her even more protective, especially from the way McKay was speaking to her.

“Watch it,” Bridgette said. McKay growled in frustration.

“Bridge, you need to stay out of this. You have no idea what she’s done.”

“I haven’t done anything,” her sister defended. “I’m telling you it was Tommy. I’m not lying, Pete. You need to believe me. And you need to warn them at the church. The army could already be there.”

“Warning received,” came a deep voice from the doorway. Bridgette recognized it instantly, her whole body stiffening. She grabbed Charlotte instinctively, placing her behind her. Five men entered before him, all with their weapons drawn. She quickly glanced over at McKay to see his face had gone ashen.

“Hands up, McKay,” one of them ordered.

Douglas Hatcher walked in last, his gaze stuck on them. “Well, well,” he said. “Look how perfectly this worked out.” He smiled.

Bridgette felt Charlotte stiffen behind her. “Dad?” she gasped.

Their father’s eyes looked directly at Charlotte, no warmth in them at all. “Charlotte,” he said. “I always wondered what happened to you. Imagine my surprise when I found out. Did they force you to join with them, or did you do it just for spite?”

Bridgette didn’t need to look back at her sister to know she was pulsing with anger. “You left us to die,” she said. “You’re damn right I did it for spite.”

Douglas smirked. “Figures. I think you’re more like me than I care to admit.” It was a typical verbal slap in the face by their father. He was good at that – being a grade A ass. “But, not to worry, we will make this right now. They’re coming with us,” he said to the others, pointing at them. “Leave him.”

Two men walked toward them. Bridgette braced herself. She felt Charlotte move, and suddenly all guns were pointed at them, even her father’s.

“Don’t, Charlotte,” he warned. “You reach for that gun and I will not hesitate to put a bullet in you.”

Bridgette looked back at her sister, seeing the fury sparking in her bright, blue eyes. She raised her hands slowly to her sides as one of the men stepped forward and disarmed her.

“Let me guess,” Charlotte said wryly, “you’re the General.” Douglas nodded once. “I’m assuming you’re also the one who taught them all how to block me out.”

He smirked. “I’m surprised you didn’t put that together sooner.”

“I guess I was just hoping you were dead.” She smiled back unemotionally.

“Not yet, my dear. Not yet.” He turned and started to walk back out of the apartment, calling over his shoulder, “Bring them.”

They were pushed forward. Bridgette looked to McKay who was still being held at gunpoint, his hands raised. He wasn’t looking back at her though. His eyes were glued to her sister, filled with panic. Bridgette reached back and grabbed Charlotte’s hand, squeezing it. Then they walked out of the apartment, together.

As soon as the girls were out the door, Ollie stepped forward and landed a punch in his stomach. Pete bent over, his breath rushing out of him.

“That’s what you get for sleeping with the enemy,” he said, before turning and leaving, slamming the door behind him. Pete’s heart raced as he straightened, looking around his place frantically.

Every curse word known to man swam through his head. What was he supposed to do now? Douglas had them both. He was so worked up that his hands were shaking. Pete ran to his bedroom and found the gun hidden in his bedside drawer. Seamus still lay unconscious in his bed. What the hell was he going to do? His best friend was dying, his other best friend just got taken by her sadistic father to God knows where, as did the woman he loved.

Oh God. He just watched her get taken and never once did he express how he felt about her. She probably thought he hated her. She stood there and told him she loved him, and he never said it back. His anger clouded his sense of judgement, and now he royally screwed up. If he hadn’t had to watch Seamus be beaten like that, he would have known better than to listen to what Roman said. Even when he first saw her standing there, all he could see was red. He wasn’t thinking clearly, and now he had let her get abducted, thinking that he hated her.

The front door opened again. Pete cocked the gun and walked out with it raised to shoot. He pulled up short when he saw his brothers there.

“You need to go get dad,” were the first words out of his mouth.

“What?” Trent said brows furrowed.

“Dad. I need him. Now.”

“What’s wrong with you?” Garrett asked. “Where’s Seamus?” he looked around as he asked.

“Seamus is in my bed, half dead. Bridgette just walked out of here at gunpoint with her crazy father. Oh, and Dinah, who is actually Charlotte, Bridgette’s sister, was also taken at gunpoint. And she also happens to be Weapon X, which her father seems to be aware of, so I’m really not sure what he has planned. So once again, I need dad.”

All hell broke loose at once. Pete wasn’t even sure what either of them were saying, but they were talking at the same time and moving toward the bedroom. Pete stood in the living room, his thoughts a blur. He needed to come up with a plan, but he had no idea where to start. Where would Douglas take the girls? Obviously not the church. Where else? He started going over all the buildings he knew the rebels used.

Two hands were shaking him roughly when he finally snapped back to reality.

“Damn it, Pete,” Trent cursed. “Are you listening?”

“What? No,” he answered. “What did you say?”

“I said, what the hell happened to Seamus?”

“He needs medical help.”

Trent growled in frustration. “Garrett, we’re going to Michael’s. Stay here and make sure he drinks some water.” Trent grabbed Pete roughly and started dragging him toward the front door. “You’re with me,” he said. “You can explain to me what in God’s name is going on, on the way over. This time, slower.”

The cottage looked as it always did, but for Pete everything had changed. It could no longer be his father’s escape. He needed Michael McKay to get off his ass and get involved. On the way over, after explaining everything to Trent, twice, Pete had decided that it was his dad who could make all the difference.

Michael was on the front step before they even stepped out of the car. One look at his sons was all he needed to know something was wrong. He turned and stepped back in without a word, knowing they’d follow. As soon as Pete got inside, he walked over to where his father sat in his favourite chair, and collapsed to the floor in front of him. His father’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“Da,” he choked. “I don’t ask you for much. I know you’ve always had to deal with us and all the crap we create, but I’ve never really asked you for anything. This time, I’m asking – no, I’m begging, for you to come out and help us. I need you.”

Michael looked up at Trent. “What’s going on?”

“Douglas has overstepped his boundaries, that’s what,” Trent all but growled. Even though Pete had been honest and told him who Dinah – no, Charlotte – was, his brother didn’t seem to mind. He was furious that the girls had been taken, and was just as eager to get them back as Pete was. Trent knew right away that Roman had been lying when Pete told him the story. He said he saw the way Charlotte was with him, and that there was no doubt in his mind that she wouldn’t betray any of them, much less Pete. “She loves you, Pete,” Trent had said in the car. “Can’t you see that?”

His heart had never felt this fragile. How stupid and blind could he be? How could he ignore everything that happened between them the instant someone put it into question? He didn’t give her the benefit of the doubt, and then he just stood there while she was led away from him. He was the lowest of the low. It made him sick.

“You’re going to need to explain more than that,” their father replied.

“He’s taken her, da. Douglas came and took Dinah and Bridgette. I don’t know what he has planned, but it can’t be good. And Seamus is badly injured.”

“First, where is Seamus?”

“My place.”

His father nodded. “Trent, go get my first aid kit and some extra bandages.” Pete heard his brother move to gather the things. “Now, why would Douglas take your girls?”

“Because Dinah is really his youngest daughter, Charlotte.”

Michael nodded slowly. “I thought she looked familiar. She has his eyes.”

Pete instantly shook his head. “No, her eyes are bright and beautiful, and full of life. Douglas’ are cold and calculating. She is nothing like him.”

“Okay, son,” he said gently. “If he took his daughters, I’m sure he means them no harm.”

Pete laughed, sounding slightly hysterical. He explained the rest, some of it while they sat there, the remainder while they packed up the car and left. His father agreed to go to his house, which was the first step. Now he just needed to convince him about everything else that was happening.

When they got in, Michael went directly to Pete’s bedroom to check on Seamus. Garrett walked out looking tired.

“How is he?” Trent asked.

“He just moans,” Garret said. “He hasn’t opened his eyes once.”

“He probably can’t,” Pete said. “They’re too swollen.”

The three brothers stood around his island.

“What do we do now?” Garrett asked.

“We need to figure out where the General has taken the girls, and then we need to figure out what the hell he has planned and stop him.”

“Just the three of us?” Garrett looked unconvinced.

Pete shook his head. “I know there are others who think Douglas is out of line. We just need to contact the right people.”

“We get rid of Douglas, and then what?” Trent said.

“Then we get da to take over,” Pete answered.

Both boys snorted. “He’s not going to agree to that,” Garrett pointed out.

“Then we’ll just have to convince him. In the meantime, we need to start making some phone calls to whoever has phones, and paying some visits to those who don’t. Anyone you can think of who will be ready and willing to stand by us. We also have to figure out where he’d take them.”

“There’s another church,” their dad said, walking out of the bedroom. “A small little chapel in the upper section. Douglas had a way to get to it from the ghetto. It’s most likely where he’ll go now.”

Pete nodded gratefully. “Can you describe what it looks like?”

His father smiled. “Even better. I can draw you a map.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Out of all the scenarios she had come up with in her head on the way over to Pete’s, not one of them had been remotely close to this. To say Charlotte was shocked would have been the understatement of her life. She got back, not one family member, but two. Although one she could seriously do without, she decided, watching her father as he spoke softly to his goons. Bridgette wasn’t in the same room as her, and for that Charlotte was thankful. She just prayed Bridgette wasn’t in the same sort of situation that she currently was.

Charlotte shifted in the chair slightly, the ropes cutting into her exposed wrists. She had no idea where they were, but from the look of things, she’d say a basement. The walls were rough, old stone, sparkling with moisture. The air had a musty, dirt smell. She had no idea what the floors were made of, but they looked worn, uneven, and slick.

The room was just a small ten by ten with a mirror on one wall. It didn’t take a genius to guess that it was a two-way mirror. It made her wonder what in the hell her father used this place for. And how long had he had it? If she’d learned one thing so far during this short and painful reunion with her father, it was that she was no longer interested in knowing what it was he did. No wonder her mother had kept it from them. Charlotte had a sneaking suspicion, when looked at closely, Douglas Hatcher was not that far removed from Ludwig Tenebris. Both men had blood on their hands, and apparently Douglas Hatcher didn’t care if that blood was related to him.

One of the soldiers stood with his gun aimed at her. She wasn’t exactly sure why, considering she was tied to a chair. She had mental powers, not super strength powers. The only way she was bursting out of these restraints was if she had a knife and a little bit of privacy. The soldier stared at her, his eyes never leaving. She flicked her gaze to his briefly now and again, and every time he would be looking back. It was making her downright nervous. From the pinched look of his eyes, she guessed he was wondering just how strong her mind reading capabilities were. She’d seen that look many times before. Like if they concentrated on her hard enough she’d speak to them telepathically and reveal all their inner, darkest secrets. Or that somehow staring at her would increase their defence against her. Fools.

She slowly turned her head to meet his stare straight on, this time not looking away. “Take a picture,” she said dryly. “It lasts longer.”

His mouth turned down in a look of disgust. “You’re a traitor to your people,” he said.

“Oh? My people who currently have me tied to a chair? Those people? Are those the people you’re talking about? Because I got to tell you, from this standpoint, I’m not really sure why I wouldn’t be a traitor.”

“Enough,” her father said, walking into the room. “Don’t speak to her,” he scolded the man. He turned to her, that familiar crease between his eyebrows appearing. She remembered it from whenever he was upset with her. It hadn’t been often, but it was a key indication that she was in shit. For the most part, current circumstances aside, she had always been a good, obedient daughter. Her father had never been the overly loving type, but she still looked for his approval growing up. Now she couldn’t fathom why.

“You mother is probably spinning in her grave at what you’ve become,” he said.

“The grave you helped put her in?” she replied with a sweet smile. His face hardened. “What do you want from me, dad? If you’re going to kill me then go ahead. What are you waiting for?”

He smiled, not the kind one she had memories of, but one that left her with chills. “Oh I’m not going to kill you, Charlotte. You’re my bartering piece – assurance that everything will get done exactly the way I want it to.” He walked closer to her, crouching down two feet away from the chair. “Your sister is very adamant that no harm comes to you. She’s rather – protective.”

Charlotte narrowed her eyes. “What does Bridgette have to do with this? I only just found her before you arrived. She has nothing to do with me and my affiliations.”

“I’m well aware,” he said. “However, I need her help with this.”

“Help with what?” she asked, tentatively.

He stood back up. “Not your problem. What I need from you is a little bit of information.”

“Fuck you.” Pain exploded in her left cheek as her head whipped to the side. Blood filled her mouth from a cut on the inside of her cheek. She blinked back the stars dotting her vision as she wiggled her jaw back and forth gingerly. “So much for no harm,” she said, spitting a mouthful of blood on the floor.

“I promised no serious harm would befall you, but I can’t guarantee you won’t sustain some injuries if you continue to be difficult.”

Charlotte looked up at the soldier who just struck. She made a quick mental note to introduce his balls to her foot if she ever got out of this.

“Now,” her father said, grabbing her attention again. “Let’s try this once more, shall we? I’m sure you will have no problem giving me the information I need from now on, correct?”

Charlotte spat another mouthful on the floor, glaring up at him. “I believe my previous statement still stands.”

“A pity,” he said, frowning. Charlotte heard the rustle of fabric a second before the soldier’s fist hit. With each blow, she realized that the physical pain was no match to the hurt from Pete’s rejection. She had told him she loved him. What had he done? Absolutely nothing. Nada. Not a thing. She wondered if he ever felt anything for her in the short time they had been together. Maybe he hadn’t, she considered. Maybe it was all just fun for him, so when Roman told him lies he was quick to believe it. Perhaps it had been easy for him to completely disregard her and write her out of his life. Those possibilities killed, a thousand times more than the blows she was suffering.

Her responses were becoming more gargled as she fought to find her voice around the pain. She was pretty sure one of her ribs were cracked, and her lip had split open to the point that whenever she dared to move it to form words, her mouth would fill with fresh blood. The entire time her father stood back and watched. He’d insist on her cooperation, she’d answer with an offensive reply, and the beating would ensue. This continued on until the door next to the mirror burst open, her sister standing there chalk white, eyes wide with horror. Charlotte tried to smile so she would see she was still okay – well, relatively. Except as soon as she did so, her lips split and blood choked her again. She gagged and spat, looking up to see Bridgette was quite possibly even paler. Whoops, she thought. So much for making her feel better.

“Are you insane?” Bridgette yelled, taking a step into the room. Her father was leaning against the mirror, arms crossed over his chest. There wasn’t a speck of regret on his face as he stood there watching his youngest child get beaten while tied to a chair. “You promised,” she said, pointing an angry finger in his face.

“I promised she wouldn’t be seriously harmed,” he replied. “I can’t promise she won’t be harmed at all if she doesn’t cooperate with us.”

Bridgette looked over at her sister hunched in the chair. “This isn’t right,” she said. “I won’t help you if this is how you’ll treat her.”

Her father splayed his hands in front of him like there was nothing he could do. “Then, by all means, you convince her to start talking. Otherwise I’ll have to do it my way.”

Bridgette walked over to Charlotte and knelt in front of her. She gently stroked the strands of hair sticking to her face, peering into her eyes. Eyes so much like her own, and yet so incredibly different. Charlotte always had so much more strength than Bridgette ever had. You could see it in her eyes. They had that spark to them that said she wasn’t going to let anyone push her around. And even tied up and beaten it shone through. That ever present gleam of rebellion.

“Charlie,” she whispered, calling her the nickname she used when they were younger. “I need you to tell dad what he wants to know so we can stop all this. If we just do as he says, we can walk away from all of this and put it behind us.”

Her sister snorted, glaring over her shoulder at their father. She spat out a mouthful of blood. “You’re a fool if you believe that. He’ll never just let us walk way. Especially me,” she choked.

“He will,” she said. “He promised.”

Their eyes met, her sister’s unconvinced. “I don’t trust him and neither should you.”

“At this point I don’t have any other choice.”

They stared at each other for what felt like hours, until Charlotte finally dropped her head with a great sigh. Charlotte looked at their father as Bridgette kept her focus on her sister. “What do you need to know?”

“How you operate on the inside,” he said.

“What do you mean?”

“Do you wear your mask at all times?”

Her sister hesitated, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Yes,” she replied slowly.

“Excellent. What do they call you in there?”

“Why?”

A fist hit her in the stomach, doubling her over. Bridgette cried out, wrapping her arms protectively around her. “John, I swear to God if you hit her one more time I’ll kill you myself,” Bridgette said.

“She needs to answer the question, not ask her own,” he said.

“She’s my sister, John! For crying out loud you grew up down the street from her. And she’s a girl.”

The man spat on the floor, his lip curled up in disgust. “From where I stand she looks a whole lot like the enemy to me.”

Bridgette shook her head in disbelief. These men were just as brainwashed as the New World army soldiers. “I’m fine, Bridge,” Charlotte said against her shoulder. She backed up, looking at her closely. So much strength, she thought admiringly. She was starting to wonder just how far her sister would have pushed them had she not barged in. The soldiers in the other room had kept her out while she watched through the window, but she’d had enough. And she was glad for it, otherwise who knew what shape Charlotte would have been in.

Her father was very upfront about his plan and the role Bridgette would play. She’d always promised herself she wouldn’t get involved in this rebellion, but sometimes there was just no way around it. When he threatened her sister’s life if she didn’t agree she knew she had no choice. She only just got her sister back; there was no way she was losing her again. Anything was worth keeping her family alive and close.

“Just answer their questions,” she said. “I need you to do this. For me. I can’t watch them hit you again.”

Charlotte nodded. “Ludwig calls me Dinah, or Di,” she answered, only looking at Bridgette now. Her voice was hoarse, laced with pain. “Roman calls me Lottey all the time, and I give him shit for it. Everyone else calls me X.” Bridgette smiled encouragingly at her.

“Where is your room?”

“Fourth floor, room two-o-eight.” Still she only looked at her, even though it was their father asking the questions.

“What is your normal schedule?”

“I wake up and meet them at Ludwig’s office in the morning.”

“What time?”

“Seven.”

“Where’s the office.”

“Second floor, directly across from the elevators down the hall. Two large double doors. You can’t miss it.”

“Do you speak to them?”

She looked over at her father now, one eyebrow cocked. “Of course I speak. I’m masked, not mute.”

“Do you speak to them like this?” he asked, his voice dripping with scorn.

She smiled, the cut on her lips opening with the movement. “They’re well aware I’m a bitch.”

Douglas snorted. “What happens in these meetings?”

She shrugged. “I sit and listen to whatever Ludwig wants to discuss. They’re always different things.”

“Are his weapon providers still coming here in a week and a half?”

She stilled. “How do you know that?” Bridgette saw John step closer from the corner of her eye. She held out her hand to stop him.

“Don’t,” she warned.

“It doesn’t matter how I know,” Douglas said. “Just answer the question.”

“As far as I know, yes.”

“Excellent. I think that’s all I need from her. John, transfer her to one of the holding cells until this is all complete.”

Bridgette looked over her shoulder at him. “Promise me she won’t be hurt while I’m gone. Promise.”

“Nothing will happen to her. When you’ve done what you’ve agreed to do, you can come right back here and pick her up.”

“Bridge?” Charlotte said, her voice panicked. Bridgette looked back at her to see her face paled. “What have you agreed to do? Where are you going?”

“I’m doing what I must in order to get us both away from all of this. Don’t worry. I won’t leave you here long.”

She shook her head adamantly. “No. Please don’t go. Don’t do whatever he’s asking you to do.”

“I have to, Charlie. If I don’t, he’ll hurt you.”

“So let him,” she cried. “Who cares? It’s not worth it to get in bed with the devil.”

Bridgette shook her head sadly. “I can’t let them take you away from me again.” She stood up slowly and backed away. Charlotte struggled in her bindings, her eyes wild.

“I need someone on the inside for a little while,” said their father. She could hear the cockiness in his voice and it made her sick. “I can’t very well just send in someone random. But if it is someone they expect to see, someone who blends in, there won’t be any problems.”

Charlotte looked between them.

“The only person who is on the inside, close enough to the source of my problems, is you.” He walked closer, coming to stand beside Bridgette. “But obviously I can’t trust you, now can I? So I’ll need someone to take your place.” His hand landed heavily on her shoulder.

“No,” Charlotte whispered.

“She’s the only girl I know with eyes similar to yours. Hopefully no one will see the subtle differences, but so long as she keeps that mask on, I don’t see a problem.”

“Bridge, no,” Charlotte said. “They’ll figure it out. If they discover you, they’ll kill you.”

“Well then she’ll just have to make sure that doesn’t happen. Won’t you, Bridgette?”

Bridgette nodded, swallowing around the lump in her throat as she read the horror in her sister’s eyes. You can do this, she told herself. She’d been telling herself that ever since her father explained the plan to her. It still sounded as weak to her as it did the first time she said it. You just need to keep your head down, and focused, she chanted. If she kept out of the way, no one would notice. At least, she hoped so.

“You’re going to get her killed!” Charlotte yelled.

Douglas Hatcher shook his head. “This is the perfect plan. Simple, easy, and effective. Just a quick switch, and it will all be over.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Twenty guys crowded into his apartment. Pete looked around, grateful for those who had chosen to stick by him, but nervous at the low number. Twenty wasn’t really a lot when going up against the hundreds Douglas had backing him. It would have to do though.

His father was still in the bedroom with Seamus, who had yet to regain consciousness. Things were so tense he really wasn’t sure what to do with himself. All he knew was that he needed to get Di…Charlotte back. The whole day had taken its toll on him. His nerves were shot. His body hummed with energy and no outlet. People were talking to him and he was responding without really hearing a word they said to him. It was all just a blur of activity. The whole time all he could really think about was that she loved him and he let her go.

“We’re ready to move when you are,” Trent said, coming up to stand beside him. Pete nodded absently. “Hey,” he said, nudging him. “Wake up, bro. We’ve got men, weapons, and a shit load of testosterone. Let’s go get your girls.”

“Yeah, okay,” he said, his voice rough. “I’m just going to let da know. You get everyone outside.”

Pete turned and headed to the bedroom. His father was sitting on the bed beside Seamus.

“How is he?” he asked.

“His breathing is stable,” Michael said. “He has a pretty bad concussion, but I’ll keep an eye on him. What about you?”

“What about me?”

“How are you?” he asked meaningfully.

“I’m…I’ve been better.”

He got up and walked closer. “I think you might have a concussion yourself, boy. How hard were you hit on the head?”

Pete reached back and fingered the egg sized lump on the back of his skull. “Hard enough to be knocked out, twice.”

“You need rest.”

“I’ll get it when I have Bridgette and Charlotte back.”

Michael grunted. “You love her?”

“Charlotte?” He nodded. “I think so,” he admitted.

“You think?”

“I know,” he said. “I’m going crazy not knowing what’s happening to her.”

His father smiled tenderly. “You’ve got that same look in your eyes when you talk about her that I used to when your mother was around. I know how hard it is to love someone that much. You never want anything to happen to them. You want to keep them close.”

“Da…”

He held up a hand to stop him. “I know, son. I know how you all feel about me holding on to her and the past. I’m not blind. I might be stupid, but I’m not blind. Perhaps now that you’ve found someone to love, you’ll understand how hard it is to just let that feeling go. You keep a good hold on her, boy. When you give someone a piece of your heart and they take it away with them, you never feel quite whole again.” Pete clamped a hand on his shoulder, squeezing him gently. “I’ve wasted a lot of years, but that’s going to change now. I’ve buried my head in the sand too long. Douglas and his council are overstepping their boundaries. We didn’t start the rebellion so we could become our enemies. We wanted a better, peaceful life for our people. Douglas has lost sight of that.”

“Will you help us stop him now?” Pete asked, excitement and pride engulfing him.

Michael nodded. “I’m going to help any way I can. Now go get your girl and we’ll figure out our next steps. I’m going to take Seamus back to my place. It doesn’t feel right to stay here in the city. Meet me there when you’re done.”

Pete agreed, turning to leave. He stopped in the doorway, looking back as his dad sat back in his spot beside his best friend. “Da?” He looked up. “I love you.”

He nodded. “I love you too, son.”

The map led them through the old underground metro lines. Most of the tunnels had collapsed during the bombings, but it appeared some had been cleared enough for passage. Another one of Douglas’ secrets. Thankfully no one was posted inside them since twenty men walking through wasn’t exactly a quiet affair. They made their way to the spot his father had indicated – an emergency exit that lead them up to the streets, right in front of the church.

Pete was practically shaking when they found the place. All he wanted to do was rush in there, guns blazing, but he knew that wouldn’t be wise. Douglas didn’t go anywhere without a team of men. And even though they were all technically on the same side, he wouldn’t put it past them to shoot first. The lines now drawn were exceptionally blurry.

“What now?” Trent whispered. Garrett stood beside him, his face unusually grim.

“We walk in there like nothing is wrong,” he said, looking at each one of them. “If we come up to someone, don’t act like anything is off. Greet them how we normally would then secure them quickly. No killing. Just knock them out.”

“What if they’re not against us?” someone asked.

Pete shook his head. “We can’t stop to find out. It will only waste time, and we need to get in and out before they catch on to why we’re here.”

“What if the General is there?” Garrett said.

“He won’t be,” Tyler answered. Pete looked over at him. They had known each other for years, and there had been no doubt in his mind that Tyler would side with him if he asked. Pete trusted him. The man was only in his late twenties, but he had the confidence of someone much older. He wore his hair shaved close at the sides, longer on top. One side of his head was tattooed, as was most of his body. His eyes were green like Pete’s, but lighter and cold when he stared at you. The lower half of his face was covered in a thick beard that he’d been growing since they met. He moved from Scotland during the beginning of the war, and had been with them ever since. “He has a meeting with the council,” he said. “I heard them talking about it last night.”

“Good,” Pete said. “That’s one thing off our plate.” Even though all he really wanted to do was slam his fist into the man’s face, he thought silently. It would have to wait. The game was bigger now, and his moves had to be smart. “Let’s move.”

They entered the church from the side, heading directly toward the back door beside the alter where Michael had told them to go. The inside was full of dust and debris. From all outward appearances, completely abandoned. A small staircase led them underground to a low tunnel. Two guys stood halfway down, their bodies straightening when they heard their footsteps.

“Hey Rich,” Tyler called out. Pete kept to the back, in case they were on the lookout for him in particular. Pete saw them hesitate.

“Oh, hey man,” he said. “What are you doing here?”

“Douglas asked us to come by and relieve you guys from guard duty,” he said easily. “Figured you might get tired of watching the wee lasses.”

“He didn’t say anything to us about it,” said the other guy, Patrick.

“Well I guess it’s a surprise then,” he said, before moving swiftly to knock Patrick out. Rich started to lift his gun when Garrett stepped forward and hit him in the temple, knocking him out. “Surprise.”

“Good job,” Pete said. “Keep moving.”

They moved forward, meeting only two more guys before reaching the end of the hall. There was a door to the left that led into a small observation room. The window looked into another tiny room that held a single chair.

“Shit,” Garret said under his breath. Pete stepped closer, looking in. Dried blood splattered the ground around the chair, restraints hanging loosely from the arms and legs. “You don’t think…”

“No,” he said firmly. He could not believe the girls were killed. He would not believe it. “Search around for more rooms,” he said, turning around to look at the grim faces staring back at him. This was the only door they had found, but there had to be more. “We’re missing something. Everyone spread out and keep your eyes open.”

The thing that pissed her off the most right now, besides that she was locked in some dark, dank cell, was that they had taken her shoes. Who does that? Her feet were freezing as she paced the small confines. The stone was cold and slimy, and all she wanted was some sort of barrier between it and her soles. It was like some sort of evil torture practice. She was just wearing a bra and panties – that she could deal with. But her shoes?

The one guy they left to watch her, John stood against the door, his face blank as he watched her. She guessed he was chosen to stay since clearly he didn’t have a problem with hitting a girl. Asshole. Her body ached from his fists and she was pretty sure one of her ribs was bruised.

The good thing was she could actually move still. She needed to get out of here – fast. Bridgette was already on her way to headquarters dressed in Charlotte’s clothes. She couldn’t just stand by and let her sister take this risk. If Ludwig figured it out…she didn’t even want to think about it. Wrapping her arms around her shivering body, she kept up her pacing. Think, she ordered herself. She needed to find a way out of here. Her first problem was the manacle around her ankle that was chained to the wall. That was just the first. Then there was getting around fisticuffs over there, finding her way out of the building, possibly finding clothes, and then getting to headquarters before Bridge. Yeah…she was screwed.

“Do you think I could get a sweater?” she said, stopping to face him.

“Nope,” he said.

“Seriously?”

He gave her a bland look. “Seriously.”

She growled and started walking again, jumping a bit when she reached the end of the room just to keep moving, and then turning to walk back the other way. How long was she supposed to keep this up? By the time Bridge did whatever their father had forced her into, Charlotte was likely to die of pneumonia. That’s probably what he’s hoping for, she realized. The sounds of footsteps outside had her looking toward the exit. John’s brows drew together as he reached for his gun and opened the door to walk out into the hall. It shut behind him, muffling his voice as he spoke to whoever was there.

The next thing she heard was a gunshot, curses, more muffled voices, a distinct scuffle, and then silence. Charlotte backed up until her bare skin hit the wall. Who the hell was out there? Could it be Pete? No, she instantly brushed that thought away. He was done with her, he made that pretty clear. Roman? Could be, she decided. He could have followed her when she left this morning and saw her being dragged away later. Maybe he just waited until Douglas left before coming in for her. She was relieved at the thought she might be saved, but the ache in her chest told her she would have much rather it be the former man than the latter.

At this point, she rationalized, anyone will do. She just needed to get to Bridge. The door opened and a complete stranger walked in. Okay…not what she was expecting. He was large, filling the doorway, his eyes landing on her, taking her in slowly. She became very aware of the fact she was practically nude.

“Are you Charlotte?” he asked in his Scottish brogue. She nodded. He turned around and yelled, his voice echoing down the hall. “I found her!”

What the heck? She didn’t dare move. Okay, maybe she couldn’t…actually…move. She was cold, scared, and confused. Suddenly staying in this tiny room didn’t seem so bad. There were loud footsteps as someone ran to her room and then suddenly there he was. She made herself blink a few times just to be sure she was seeing things correctly. Pete’s eyes landed on hers and a burst of fire ignited in her stomach. One second he was across the room and the next he had her pressed up against him, his face in her hair.

“Jesus,” he said, his voice muffled. “I’m so glad I found you.”

He was? Her heart raced with his nearness and the warmth coming off him as he held her. She had no idea why he was there, but she was just so happy to see him that she didn’t think twice about throwing her arms around his neck and clinging to him. She breathed in deeply, loving the familiar smell and feel of him. He pulled her tighter, his arm squeezed her waist and a pained yelp escaped her before she could hide it. He instantly let go and she frowned at the loss.

“Look at you,” he said, his green eyes growing brighter with anger. “What the fuck did they do to you?”

“I’m fine,” she said.

“No you’re not.” He dropped to his knees in front of her, his head coming right to her breast. His hands ran over her body, probing and searching every bruise marking her pale skin. He forced her to turn around, even when she protested, so he could look at her back too. Then he spun her back, his fingers gently touching the cut on her lip.

“Who did this?” he asked.

“The guy that was in here with me,” she said. “I’m fine though.”

His mouth pressed into a firm line and he stood up. Both hands cupped her face gently as his eyes bore into hers. “Charlotte Hatcher, I love you. More than I can express. And this,” he said, motioning to her injuries before placing his hand back on her face, “this will never happen again. I won’t let it. You’re mine now. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

The burning sensation at the back of her throat choked her as tears welled in her eyes. “I thought you hated me,” she said, her voice cracking.

“I’m an idiot, Charlotte. I should have never listened to a word that dick said to me. I’ll never doubt you – ever. I’m so in love with you, sweetheart, I don’t even know what to do with myself when you’re not near me.” She felt the hot tears spill over and run down her cheeks just as he grabbed her and pulled her mouth to his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, drinking him in. He loved her. And she loved him. She didn’t even know how to process that right now.

Someone cleared their throat behind Pete. “Uh, sorry to interrupt,” he said. They pulled apart, and Charlotte looked over at Trent’s amused face smiling at them. “Hey Din – uh, Charlotte.”

She laughed. “Hey.”

“You’re looking good,” he said, his eyes scanning her slowly, one side of his mouth lifting in a smirk.

“You better stop that, or I swear I’ll punch you in the throat,” Pete said, wrapping himself around her so she was hidden. “Here,” he said, letting her go so he could pull his sweater over his head. “Wear this.”

She took his shirt thankfully. It was still warm and smelled like him. The sleeves fell just below her finger tips, the hem reaching almost to her knees. Pete made a weird growl noise from the back of his throat. She looked up to see him watching her appreciatively.

“I like you in my clothes,” he said with heated eyes.

“Seriously,” Trent said, exasperated. “We need to go – like, now.”

Pete looked down at the manacle around her ankle. “We need to get this off of her first.”

“Tyler!” Trent called out into the hall. “We need your expertise.”

The Scottish man came back in, walking over to them with an air of confidence. He was bearded, tatted, and rather intimidating that she found herself just watching him closely. His hands were warm against her cold skin as he circled her ankle easily, checking out the lock. He reached into his back pocket, pulling out small tools that she couldn’t see clearly as he bent over her foot to work. In what felt like seconds she heard the lock click and the pressure around her ankle released. Charlotte breathed a sigh of relief, rotating her foot in slow circles.

“Thank you,” she said, gratefully.

“No problem, Lass,” he said with a smile.

“Great, now let’s move,” Trent said urgently.

“What about Bridgette?” Pete said, grabbing her hand. Charlotte pulled him to a stop.

“She’s gone,” she said.

Both of them looked at her, confused. “Gone where?” asked Pete.

“To headquarters. In my clothes.”

She watched as they both put it together at the same time. Curses flew from their mouths. Before she knew it, Pete had her hand again and was pulling her quickly through a dark hallway. Trent was talking about going to Michael’s, while Pete just kept cursing. Charlotte had no idea what was going to happen now, but she knew they needed to get to Bridge somehow and get her out, before anyone there realized they’d been switched.

Chapter Twenty-Six

When they reached Pete’s father’s place, everyone started talking at once and it became utter chaos. His dad took one look at her and demanded she be put to bed. Now Charlotte lay in one of the spare bedrooms, Seamus asleep in the other, and waited. Michael had already bandaged her up, and gently checked out her ribs. Nothing was broken, thankfully. She could hear the murmur of voices from the living room down the hall, but she couldn’t make out exactly what they were saying. She would have got up and gone to listen, but Michael gave her strict instructions not to move.

She was bored. With nothing better to do, she found herself falling asleep even though it was still light outside. She figured she’d just close her eyes for a few minutes, but the next thing she knew she was out.

Gentle fingers stroked through her hair as she slowly regained consciousness. Soft lips traced the outline of her ear, placing a small kiss just behind it. She lay still, enjoying the feel of him as he continued his exploration down the side of her neck to the sensitive part between it and her shoulder. Unable to sit still any longer, she mumbled incoherently like she was just waking up, blinking her eyes as she looked over her shoulder.

“Trent,” she said, making her voice sound groggy with sleep. Pete’s entire body stiffened behind hers. She rolled onto her back and started laughing the second she saw his stunned expression. It slowly turned dark, his eyes narrowing, as she continued to laugh, holding on to her sore stomach.

“You think that’s funny?” he said, growling his words.

“You should have seen your face,” she said, wiping at her eyes. “That was priceless.”

“Woman, you will pay for that.” He rolled on top of her, the weight of him sinking her into the mattress. This two hands pinned hers above her head on the pillow while he snuggled his hips between her legs.

“I don’t mean to burst your bubble,” she said, blowing a piece of hair out of her face since she currently had no use of her hands. “But this isn’t really much of a payback.”

“Fine. You’ll pay later…when I’ve thought up an appropriate retaliation.”

She shook her head, smiling. “You suck.”

“You’re mean,” he said, his voice teasing.

She raised her eyebrows in mock offense. “I’ll have you know, I am actually quite nice to you. You should see me with other people. You have no idea how much of a bitch I can be.”

He gasped, making her giggle. “You mean to say you’re even bitchier to others? I feel terrible for the general population that they should have to endure such a horror.”

“You should. It’s awful.” He laughed, dipping his head to run his nose over her collarbone lightly. “You really do bring out the weaker side of me. I’m not sure if I should be happy or pissed off about that.”

“Weaker like you don’t feel the need to kick ass anymore?” he asked, running his lips up the opposite side of her neck now.

“No,” she said, her voice breathy. “More like all I do is think about you and act like some stupid girl in love.”

He lifted his head, his mouth stretched in a silly grin. “You are some stupid girl in love.”

“Doesn’t mean I should act like it.”

He nipped her bottom lip, pulling away quickly. “Well, for the record, as long as you still want to kick ass, I think it’s okay for me to be your one weakness.”

“So long as you’re the only one?”

“Absolutely.” He kissed each side of her mouth, before finally planting one fully on her lips. He lingered there, nipping at her lightly and then kissing it again, before pulling back to stare down at her. “I love you, Charlotte. I know we have a long road ahead of us, but there’s no one else I’d rather walk it with than you.”

“Ditto.”

“Ditto? That’s the best you could do? I just spent the last hour thinking up that line.”

“If it took you a whole hour to think up one line I wouldn’t be bragging about it.”

He growled, lowering his head to take her lips again, this time opening hers with a brush of his tongue before plunging in and completely stealing her breath. Their tongues tangled in frantic need. He let go of her hands to hold the sides of her face, angling their heads to deepen the kiss even further. Charlotte gripped his shoulders tightly, pressing herself closer. She wanted to feel every inch of him against her.

“I need you,” she whispered against his lips. He moaned, pulling away, his breath coming out fast.

“There is a room full of people just down the hall, one of them being my da,” he said.

“So?”

He looked at her, his eyes bright with desire, his lips swollen and red from their kisses. Then he shrugged and said, “yeah, you’re right.” His mouth devoured hers, sucking her tongue into his mouth, licking and tasting her until he pulled back with one final lick over the cut on her lower lip. “Are you sure you’re okay to do this?”

She huffed, pushing at his chest to give her room so she could pull his shirt off him. “I could be half dead and I’d still be okay to do this.”

“That’s my girl.” He helped rip the sweater off then went to work on pulling down her panties. As he pulled them over her feet, he stood up at the end of the bed and quickly undressed, almost tripping in his haste to get out of his pants. He slipped a condom on before placing his knee on the bed, his hands gripping her thighs, widening them.

He crept up her body, taking one nipple into his mouth on the way then switching to the other as cool air hit the one he’d just left. By the time he reached her mouth she was practically begging him to enter her. He kissed her mouth slowly as he positioned himself before thrusting forward until his hips rubbed against her. He swallowed her cry, continuing his assault on her mouth as he moved in a slow, agonizing rhythm.

She lifted her hips whenever he pushed forward, urging him silently to move quicker, harder. Separating their mouths, he lifted himself up on his hands, the muscles in his arms and shoulders straining above her. She let her hands drift over his skin, committing every dip and rise to memory. He started to move faster, pounding against her. Her orgasm hit unexpectedly and she opened her mouth to cry out. One of his hands covered her mouth as she climaxed around him, her inside walls gripping him tightly. He followed soon after, dropping his face into her neck, moaning her name.

Charlotte held onto him tightly as they both regained their breaths. When he pulled out slowly they moaned together. She instantly felt the loss of him. She loved being connected to him in that most intimate way. She didn’t think she’d ever get tired of it. Pete collapsed beside her, drawing her into his arms and covering them with the blanket. She rested her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

“What are we going to do about Bridgette?” she asked after they lay there in silence for a while.

He shifted so one hand was stroking her arm softly. “I sent a few guys to check things out. She was already inside.”

“If they figure out what my father has done, they’ll kill her.”

“I know,” he said quietly. “We’ll get her back, Charlotte. I promise.”

She traced her fingers down his chest. “What about my father?”

He sighed. “Your dad has lost sight of what’s important. We’re going to need to take control from him. I don’t want to be a part of his movement if he’s going to be spilling blood as easily as Tenebris does.”

“I’d like to say he’s changed a lot since I knew him, but I’m not sure that would be the truth. I think my dad was always as callous as he is now.”

“Well he certainly didn’t show it. He’s showing his true colours, and a lot of us aren’t happy about it. We need to figure out our next steps in saving this rebellion so that there’s actually a population left when it’s all done. First we need to get Bridge.”

She nodded against him. “I can’t lose her again.”

He kissed the top of her head. “You won’t.”

The door opened a fraction, his father’s head popping in to look at them with raised eyebrows. “I told you she needed to rest,” he said accusingly.

“She is resting,” Pete said, pulling her closer.

“Uh huh.” The door shut again and they both started to laugh. Charlotte dug her face into the side of his chest.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look him in the eye again.”

Pete chuckled, patting her ass. “He’s probably secretly proud of me.” She slapped his chest before settling down again. “Get some rest,” he said. “Tomorrow will be a whole new day of shit to overcome.”

Charlotte closed her eyes, snuggling in closer. He was right, tomorrow would bring a new set of problems, but at least they’d be able to take them on together. She’d found someone that made her happy, gave her a new life and a sense of belonging. The past five years she had spent walking around in a haze of detachment. Nothing and no one touched her, her walls intact. But Pete McKay had come and bulldozed them down, and she was so thankful he had.

The fabric across the bottom part of her face was suffocating. How had Charlotte worn this for so long? Bridgette pulled at the fabric, wishing she could just take it off and let the air hit her skin. She walked through the building, remembering where Charlotte had said her room would be. She prayed her sister was okay back at the church. She didn’t trust her father as far as she could throw him, but really, what choice did she have? If it was between doing this, or losing her sister again, she’d do this and anything else he asked of her.

Her chest itched where she had strapped her breasts down, considering she was a hell of a lot more curvy than Charlotte. The boots pinched her toes and a blister was already forming on her left heel. She was miserable. Her physical discomfort was not helping her overall nerves about this whole thing.

A few men nodded her way as she walked toward the elevator. She nodded back, not speaking. None of them seemed to mind or consider this abnormal, so she rolled with it. As soon as the elevator reached the fourth floor she was practically running down the hall. All she needed to do was get to her room so she could compose herself and prepare for tomorrow. She had to be here for a week and a half. That wasn’t too bad…okay, it was awful. That gave her plenty of opportunities to screw up. She just hoped that her sister wasn’t lying about being moody all the time around them, so no one would think it odd if she was quiet.

The room was just up ahead. Almost there, she thought gratefully. She wanted out of this outfit so she could breathe normally.

“Lottey,” a deep voice came from behind.

Bridgette turned slowly, and froze. The room was just a few steps away. Her sanctuary. Her place of refuge. Just a few steps, and yet it seemed like miles as she faced the last person she wanted to see right now. This next week and a half was going to be the longest ten days of her life. That is, if she even made it that long. Because one of her biggest fears was walking toward her, a worried look on his face. Roman Adamson. God help her.

WATCH OUT FOR BRIDGETTE AND ROMAN’S STORY

FEBRUARY 25, 2014

Readers, I hope you enjoyed Pete and Charlotte’s story! Thank you for purchasing the Dangerous Lovers Box Set and supporting all the authors I’m privileged enough to be in this set with If you want to contact me, my email is jmstalder@gmail.com, or you can find me on facebook and twitter, @jmstalder.

Thank you again!

xoxo

Janelle

CHARMED

A Death Escorts Novel

By Cambria Hebert

Copyright © 2013 CAMBRIA HEBERT

http://www.cambriahebert.com

Cover design by MAE I DESIGN

Edited by Cassie McCown

eBook ISBN: 978-1-938857-22-5

Other books by Cambria Hebert

Heven and Hell Series

Before

Masquerade

Between

Charade

Bewitched

Tirade

Beneath

Renegade

Heven & Hell Anthology

Death Escorts

Recalled

Dedication

To anyone who’s ever been charmed.

“I’m selfish, impatient, and a little insecure. I make mistakes,

I am out of control, and at times hard to handle,
but if you can’t handle me at my worst,
then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.”

—Marilyn Monroe

Prologue

“Boxing - the act, activity, or sport of fighting with the fists, especially according to rules requiring the use of boxing gloves and limiting legal blows to those striking above the waist and on the front or sides of the opponent.”

Charming

1920 New York

The moment when the course of your life will be defined forever.

I was in that moment.

The pungent odor of sweat and adrenaline permeated the air around me. The crowd, sizeable and energized, bellowed. It was an all-encompassing sound, the many individual voices creating a singular roar that echoed through the warehouse we occupied.

In just a few moments, my life was going to change forever. And damn, it was going to be sweet. Everyone here was going to know my name. After tonight they would say it with reverence, with awe. I would go down in the history books as the unknown scrapper who literally fought his way to the top and beat out the reigning champion.

The managers I couldn’t get, the representatives who looked at me and sneered, were going to eat every last you’ll never make it they ever said. I felt a few gazes from across the room and I glanced their way. They were from the reigning champ’s camp. They looked at me with a mix of surprise and disbelief—like they still couldn’t figure out how I made it this far without anyone to help me.

The answer was simple.

Determination.

I jerked my chin in acknowledgement of their stare, and their looks changed.

To arrogance, to pity.

I rolled my head on my shoulders, enjoying the sound of the cracks and pops in my muscles. The arrogance, that was to be expected, but the pity… that was something else entirely. It was fuel. Fuel to my fire, fuel to succeed. They thought I was going to get my ass beat in front of a sold-out crowd, in front of anyone who mattered in the boxing world.

They were wrong.

The announcer stepped into the ring, ducking between the ropes and straightening to his full height—which was still a full head shorter than me—and began to introduce the reigning king of boxing and then me, the unexpected, no name challenger.

I didn’t bother to listen. Instead, I made sure the laces on my gloves were tight. I concentrated on the familiar rush of power into my limbs and I called up an image in my head, the reason I did any of this at all.

The crowd roared as the champ took his place in the ring. As I walked to my place, I picked out a few voices in the onslaught of noise. They were betting against me. Wagering I wouldn’t make it past round one. Without thinking, I stopped my steady progress to the ring, halted where I stood and then pivoted back around. A hush fell over the crowd; they waited to see what I would do… if I was going to chicken out and leave without trying.

I walked to where the men were betting against me. They looked up, one of them visibly swallowing.

“Add me to that roster,” I told the man with the paper and pencil.

“Excuse me?” he said.

“I want to place a bet.” I said it extra slow like he was stupid.

His face flushed red. “I… boxers don’t usually bet.”

“My money isn’t good enough?” I lifted a single brow.

“Of course,” he said, recovering. “What’s the bet?”

“I’ll win in the third round. A complete knockout.”

There were gasps all around me.

“Are you sure you want to do that, kid?” the man with the pencil asked.

I grinned. “Twenty dollars.”

His eyes bulged. “That’s a lot of money…”

“I’m a sure thing,” I replied and turned around to walk away.

Someone behind me laughed. “That kid has balls.”

The murmurs of “what’s his name again?” did not escape my ears.

I climbed in the ring, my eyes going directly to my opponent’s corner. He sat there with his team around him and a white towel draped over his shoulder. I made it a point to meet his eyes. I did it every fight. I wanted whoever I fought that night to know that I wasn’t intimidated by their backers, their titles, and their name.

I was here to take it all away.

The clamor of a bell signaled the start of the match. We came out of our corners, circling each other a few times, sizing each other up, looking for weaknesses, for patterns, for anything that might give us the edge.

He threw the first punch. I dodged it; spinning away and then coming right back. He threw another and I blocked it, hitting away his glove like it was a gnat and I was annoyed.

The more blows I blocked, the more flustered he became. Halfway through the first round and I hadn’t even taken a shot. I hadn’t been hit either.

He drew back to attempt another shot when I struck out, the uppercut snapping his head on his shoulders. The crowd went nuts as he stumbled back.

His eyes locked on mine and like a freight train he came at me, knocking into me, back against the ropes, and I used their momentum to push him backward and hit him again.

After that, the fight got real. Fast.

I took several slams that made my vision go blurry, but I stayed on my feet and delivered a few vision robbers of my own. By the end of the second round, we were both breathing heavy, pouring sweat, and bleeding. I fumbled around with the water in my corner, trying to get it in my mouth. It was hard with gloves on and no one to help me.

Someone appeared next to me, standing outside the ring. He grabbed the water and squirted it in my face. I opened my mouth automatically to get some of the cool liquid.

“That’s some good fighting, kid,” the man said. “You just might win.”

I glanced at my helper, not really seeing him because everything was blurry. All I knew was that he wasn’t that big and he had dark hair. “Thanks,” I said, opening my mouth for more water.

“The other side looks pissed. Word is they got a lot riding on this fight. They thought it was going to be cake. You’re making it harder.”

I grunted. “I’m going to win.”

“My money’s on you.”

The announcer called out and I turned back.

“Keep an eye out, kid,” the man behind me whispered. “Some people like to win dirty.”

I didn’t really hear his words because the bell rang and we moved out of our corners. My eyes went to my opponent’s. There was a glint in them that hadn’t been there before. A sort of clarity that could only come from confidence.

I shot my fist out to wipe the look off his face. He dodged me.

We locked arms, our upper bodies colliding as we tried to muscle the other toward the ground. “Give it up, kid,” the guy whispered. “I’m not giving up this title.”

I shoved my fist into his ribs and the crowd roared.

He collapsed a little farther against me, my body taking on more of his weight. “Give up now, or else.”

I wanted to laugh, would have if I wasn’t busy punching him again.

This time he fell over onto the floor. I bounced from foot to foot, waiting for him to pick himself up.

He lifted onto his hands and knees, his back heaving with heavy breaths.

Everything seemed to slow down then—like in a car accident when you know you’re about to die and every last second is painfully drawn out so you know exactly what is about to happen.

My opponent glanced to his corner. His handler nodded once and then slid his cold eyes to me. The boxer got up and turned, looking at me with a hard expression. I saw his glove coming, but I didn’t move fast enough. It hit me square in the face and I fell back, down onto my butt.

The guy was on me then, straddling my waist and hammering his glove into my face. My vision went dark. I’d taken thousands of hits like that before and not one of them ever took away my vision.

His glove. It was weighted.

He hit me again and warmth rushed from my nose. He must have put on a new glove, one with brass sewn inside. He was dirty.

I tried to get up, to hit him again.

“I told you I wasn’t going to lose,” the man rasped.

I heard the ref calling out for him to get off me, that he was supposed to back off. I heard the hush that fell over the crowd.

I looked up at him. He saw it in my eyes.

I wasn’t giving up. This title, the money that came with it, was mine.

He reared back one last time, the ref screaming for him to stop.

He drove his glove into my face, up under my nose, driving the bones straight into my brain.

I collapsed beneath him.

As life faded from my limbs, a single flicker of emotion was felt.

For her. She needed me and I failed. What would happen to her now?

Death swallowed me then, taking what was left of my thoughts, my life. Turns out the moment in which my life was defined forever was not what I expected.

In fact, it seemed that my life was now defined by death.

* * *

Red. It’s all I could see. It was all around me, everywhere. At this rate I wouldn’t have one drop of blood left in my body. How long did it take someone to bleed out? How long until their organs, their heart had nothing left to fuel them? A minute? Five?

What I couldn’t understand is why I wasn’t in pain. Surely with this much blood pouring out of my skin I would feel some kind of raw pain. But there was nothing.

Nothing but red.

Why was it suddenly so quiet? I could hear nothing—not even the sound of my own breathing. Then I realized. The hush in the air was because everyone was watching me die. They were likely wondering the same thing I had been moments before: How long? I needed to get up, to prove to them that I wasn’t going down like this. I wasn’t going to die in a fight I should have won—a fight that was rightfully mine.

I stopped thinking completely when I practically flew up off the ground. An overwhelming dizziness overcame me, so disorienting and unsettling that my insides buzzed with discomfort.

I was upright, my body springing up so fast that I hadn’t even consciously tried to move it. Still, all I saw was red. How could someone bleed so much and move so fast?

I looked down at myself, taking stock, mentally preparing for the sight of my blood-drenched body…

Only I wasn’t bleeding.

And my body… it wasn’t there.

In the place of skin and bone was nothing but a fine red mist—a red cloud that was shaped like a man—like me.

Tentatively, I reached out my arm (was it really still my arm?) and watched the red mist dissipate like smoke from a cigar.

I must already be dead.

This cloud—this red—was all that was left of me, left of my life?

I looked up, beyond myself, and saw that I wasn’t in the ring anymore. I was in a room. An office. It was large, uncluttered and had a huge row of floor-to-ceiling closets lining the wall behind a massive desk.

It was clear this wasn’t heaven. But it didn’t seem like hell either.

I watched as the large leather chair behind the desk began to swivel around, slowly turning, and if I had a throat I would have swallowed thickly.

There was something ominous about the way that chair turned, something final. I knew it down to my core.

A boney man with a wide forehead and shrewd eyes appeared, steepling his fingers beneath his chin and regarding me in a way that did nothing to soothe my confusion.

“You’re dead,” the man said simply. “But you don’t have to be for very long.”

“I don’t?” I replied, surprised when my voice echoed through the room. How does one speak without a mouth?

He smiled. It was the kind of smile that I’d seen before. The kind the boxer gave me right before he killed me in that dirty fight.

“I have a proposition for you,” he began, pulling his hands down from under his chin and pushing out of the chair. “One that you won’t be able to refuse.”

And so just minutes after I lived the moment that defined my life forever… I also lived the moment that would forever define my death.

Chapter One

“Death Escort - an assassin employed by the Grim Reaper. Will kill a target by any means necessary. Including charm.”

Charming

Present day

You would think being a Death Escort—a killer by trade—would make a man above getting a lecture from his boss. Apparently when you work for the Grim Reaper, the ultimate death dealer, it doesn’t matter who you are, how many times you’ve killed, or how ruthless you might be because he is better.

After over ninety years of working for him, it’s still annoying as hell.

And so are his lectures.

The fact is it gets old working for someone who is the be-all, end-all in life and death. So when I saw the chance to allow someone to get the best of him, I took it. I mean, it isn’t every day when someone manages to get around the iron-clad rules of the Grim Reaper himself.

So yeah, I talked and wasted time. I “forgot” to mention that one of his new Escorts had figured out a way to break the call of death that was placed on a Target. Turns out in the eyes of the Reaper (who strangely looked a lot like Mr. Burns from that cartoon The Simpsons), that made me an accessory.

And now, after weeks of delaying the inevitable, I was getting my punishment.

Goody gumdrops.

Instead of listening to what a disappointment I was, how he should just Recall me right now and let me twist away in an eternity far worse than hell, blah, blah, blah, I turned my attention instead toward the floor-to-ceiling row of closets that lined the wall behind his massive desk.

The closets where he kept his bodies.

Some people collect coins, artifacts, or tools. G.R. collects bodies.

The doors were open, making me think he was displaying his collection to me for a certain reason. Shock value maybe? Though he must know that seeing a bunch of bodies wasn’t something that would shock me. These bodies were all groomed and hanging in perfect rows. I was used to seeing bodies in… less than perfect condition.

Maybe it was to make me think that the very body I inhabited at this moment might end up back with the others and I would be nothing but the red mist that makes up my soul.

I scanned the bodies, my eyes looking for one that probably should have been familiar, but after so many years I wondered if it would be. I had done this occasionally through the years, but just like today, I didn’t see it. I wondered what had become of my original body, the one I was born in. The one I died in. I couldn’t imagine G.R. got rid of it; I mean, he was practically a body hoarder, yet in all my years of working as an escort, of rotating bodies, I hadn’t seen it.

And I wasn’t about to ask. Because asking would let him know I wondered; it would give him even more power over me… something he didn’t need more of.

“I have a new Target for you,” G.R. announced, effectively ending my thinking.

“A Target?” I asked, surprised, wondering if I somehow missed the punishment I was supposed to get.

“That is your job, is it not?” he mused, staring at me through narrowed eyes. His cheekbones jutted out and his wide forehead was further widened by the way he combed his dark hair back and away from his face. He wasn’t a big man, but I guess when the merest touch could kill, muscles didn’t really matter.

“I thought we were here to discuss the status of my job,” I replied, looking right at him. I was careful to keep my posture bordering on lazy to give off the impression I could care less about whatever he dished out.

“Active,” he said, irritation flashing through his eyes. “That’s the status of your job. Like it or not, you’re one of the best escorts I have.”

I flashed a smile. I wasn’t one of the best. I was the best. We both knew it. I guess that was the reason my punishment was lacking.

“Here,” he said, holding out a file. I got up and took the folder, opening it up and staring down at the picture clipped to the front of the page. It was a young woman, in her twenties—long dark hair, brown eyes, and full lips. She was gorgeous, which could be considered a bonus. She had the bone structure of fine breeding and about four names, which spoke of old money.

She’d be dead by the end of the week.

I scanned the information, looking for her address, looking for the place I’d be flying off to next. Hopefully it was somewhere warm, with miles of beaches. Or perhaps the dessert where it seemed the sun always shined. I didn’t really care as long as it wasn’t here. Alaska sucked. I hoped I never came here again.

My eyes found the zip code and I stiffened. “Is this right?” I asked, turning to look at G.R.

“Have I ever given you faulty information?”

Here. The woman was here, in this godforsaken, cold, and dark town.

Something niggled at the back of my brain. I looked at her name again. Rosalyn Elizabeth Kennedy Sinclair. Her last name… I’d heard it before. I glanced down at the short paragraph on known information about the Target.

Daughter of Senator Jack Sinclair.

The file slapped my thigh when I jerked and spun around to look at G.R. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

“I don’t joke about business.”

“She’s the daughter of Jack Sinclair, the Alaskan senator. He’s practically a celebrity around here,” I said, thinking of all the times I watched the news or some show on TV. The press here loved him. They practically camped out on his lawn, just hoping for a glimpse of him.

“Yes. He is. His daughter is worth thirty million dollars.”

“Money. So this Target is all about money,” I said. I don’t know why this irritated me, but it did. It certainly wasn’t the first time I’d killed for money. It wouldn’t be the last. In fact, I killed for money more than I killed for abilities because finding people with some sort of ability wasn’t as easy as finding one with money.

“You have something against money, Charming?”

“No. But you have to know this girl has got to have security practically feeding her breakfast. Not to mention she probably has fifteen financial advisors and lawyers that will make actually getting to her money impossible.”

“So are you saying you can’t do this job? That you refuse?”

Ahhhh. And here it was.

Understanding dawned like the sun of a new day.

He was dolling out my punishment in the form of a job. He assigned me a Target that would practically guarantee failure. Failure would get me Recalled, would get my soul pulled out of my body and sent into an empty vast space of nothingness for all eternity. A place where I could hear the tortured wails of those lost around me, a place where I could think but feel nothing but pain, and a place where I would know no peace ever.

And if I refused this job?

Same thing. So here was an interesting dilemma. I could refuse and get Recalled. I could fail and get Recalled. Or I could pull off the most impossible kill in the history of escorting and I could make Mr. Death himself finally realize who he was attempting to mess with.

Really, there was no dilemma at all.

“You know this job is going to take longer. To infiltrate the camp of this woman, of this family… it isn’t something I can do overnight.”

G.R.’s eyes gleamed. “Yes, I’m aware. I’ll give you six months.”

I kept my face smooth, my posture relaxed as his timeline sucker punched me in the gut. Six months? That was insane. A job of this magnitude would take a year. I underestimated just how angry I had made him.

My eyes slid to the bowl of light-colored stones that sat on the corner of his desk. The stones that he always left in exchange for a life that he took. Once a stone was placed, the death—the end of a life—was sealed. There was no getting out of it.

Except for once.

Turns out if you can manage to break the stone, then you break the claim of the Grim Reaper. One of the new Escorts figured it out. It got him Recalled. It got me into this predicament.

“I want more than my usual cut,” I said. Punishment or not, if I pulled this off I wanted what I earned. “Ten million.”

“That’s a lot of money,” G.R. replied, leaning back in his chair as he appraised me. “You’re in no position to be making demands.”

I shrugged. “You’re convinced I’ll fail anyway. Who cares how much I ask for?”

Again, he rested chin atop his fingers. “Fine. Ten million.”

I resisted the urge to smile.

“You get six months. Get into her life. Get into her bank accounts. Make sure when she is dead, it’s all yours. And if you succeed…” He paused and looked at me. “Then I’ll overlook your betrayal.”

My betrayal? He acted like I was the one who broke his claim, who bested him. All I did was keep my mouth shut. If I had known I was going to be punished like this, then I would’ve made it worth it.

“Fine. I’ll take the job.” Like I really had a choice.

G.R. clapped his hands like a kid on Christmas morning. “Wonderful.”

Yeah, great. Not only was I given the most impossible Target ever, but I was also being sentenced to this icy, dark prison that was Alaska.

I gripped the file and headed for the door. I was ready to go.

“Oh, Charming,” G.R. called behind me.

I turned.

“You remember the rules. You fail, you get Recalled. You get caught or put in jail, I won’t come get you. I’ll let you rot in a cell until your body dies or you get out, and then I’ll come get you… to Recall you. Basically, if you do anything but complete the job, life as you know it is over.”

I left the room, closing the massive double wooden doors behind me. I took a moment to lean against them, sagging under the weight of this new assignment. I allowed myself maybe thirty seconds of wallowing before pushing away from the door and straightening.

He thought he had me. He thought he had a way—a reason—to finally get the best of me.

He was wrong.

Game on.

Chapter Two

“Hate - to feel hostility or animosity toward.”

Frankie

Sugar. I needed more of it if I was going to make it through this day. The chocolate croissant and caramel latte I had this morning wasn’t near enough to combat the massive lines, the noise, and disgruntled people that filled the DMV. Whatever in hell made me think that working at the Department of Motor Vehicles, here in Alaska, was a good idea?

Maybe it was the good pay. Maybe it was because I got weekends off.

Or maybe it was because I had a moment of temporary insanity that unfortunately coincided with me saying, “I accept,” when I got offered this job.

Besides the fact that the lines were permanently out the door, the computer systems were temperamental at best, and my boss was a complete broom rider, my stash of chocolate and Sour Patch Kids was empty.

That meant someone was going to die today.

I glanced back up at the ninety-year-old woman whose head barely cleared the insanely high counters we stood behind and tried to hold on to my patience. “Mrs. Eldridge,” I said extremely loudly. “Like I told you last week, you have to go and get new glasses before I can renew your driver’s license.”

“I have new glasses,” she insisted.

Lord, save me now.

“You got those ten years ago. You need some from this year.” Or decade I finished silently.

She shuffled out of the line like a turtle and I took her slowness as a chance to really search beneath my station and chair for a long-lost piece of sugar. Anything. Even a stray jellybean would likely find its way into my blood stream at this point. Of course there was nothing. I briefly considered hiding beneath my desk until five o’clock. My car. I had an emergency stash in my car. I glanced at my watch. I had another hour until I was able to take a fifteen-minute break.

A pair of black pumps appeared before me and I inwardly groaned. Just what I needed—a run-in with the witch. But instead of being greeted by her condescending, screechy tone, an icy-cold red can appeared before me.

Hallelujah, praise the Lord, it was caffeine and sugar!

I snatched the Coke out of her hand and popped the top, taking a large, satisfying chug. The bubbles crowded down my throat, slightly burning, and I took another swallow.

“I love you,” I murmured to Lela, the girl who worked right beside me.

She laughed. “I know that look when I see it.” Then she straightened and whispered. “Witch alert.”

I shot up, my head bumping into the counter on the way. I wanted to shout out in pain, but I clamped my mouth shut, not wanting to draw the attention of my boss, Satan’s assistant.

I turned back to my line, my eyes colliding with a broad chest. I looked up, and the can slid out of my hand, hitting the floor with a thud while fizzy liquid poured over my favorite boots.

I didn’t even notice.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I growled as I looked around for something sharp I could stab him with.

A thick brow arched. “So is this where you spend your days? As if the DMV isn’t a horrible enough place to visit without the poor people of Alaska having to tolerate you.”

There wasn’t enough sugar on this planet that would save him. I reached out and picked up the black phone. If I couldn’t bludgeon him to death here at my place of employment, then I could at least call the cops. I began dialing, but he reached over and cut the connection.

I slammed the phone down on his hand, which was still pressed on the hang-up button. Breath hissed between his teeth and his green eyes shot to mine. “Careful, George, you’re pissing off the wrong man.”

“My name isn’t George.”

He shrugged, pulling his hand away from the phone. “When you have a man’s name, does it really matter?”

Forget the police; I was going to kill him. “I do not—" I began, but then I stopped. I didn’t have to explain my name to him.

He seemed to take my silence as some sort of victory and smirked.

I rolled my eyes. “Please, like you’re one to talk about names. Charming,” I spat. “You have got to be the least charming person I’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting.”

Of course Hagatha the Great chose that exact minute to walk up behind me. “Frankie, did I just hear you disrespect one of the citizens in this building?”

I held back my wince. Charming snickered. I will not lose it. I will not lose it. I need my job, I told myself as I slowly pivoted around to face my boss from hell.

“Ms. Toth,” I began, trying to think up some excuse for why I was treating this douche like, well, a douche.

To my surprise he cleared his throat and spoke. “That scarf is beautiful. It brings out the blue of your eyes,” he said, his voice smooth as butter. “You must have exquisite taste to be able to pair it with that blouse.”

Ms. Toth completely forgot I was standing there and her body practically slid into a puddle as she leaned forward closer to him. Then she giggled.

I tried not to gag.

I turned around and saw Charming leaning across the counter, his right elbow planted wide, causing his black leather jacket to fall open to reveal a cerulean dress shirt stretched across his chest. He flashed his perfectly straight, perfectly white teeth at her, and I swear I heard her stutter.

“You’ll have to forgive me,” he said. “I was giving your employee a hard time. I guess I was feeling a little temperamental for being in such a long line.”

“Oh, well.” Her hand fluttered to her neck. “The lines are very long today. End of the month and all,” she explained. He flashed his teeth again and she stopped talking to stare.

Very artfully, he pushed off the counter and ran his very long fingers through his cleverly messy hair, and I swear it made it look even more perfect. If I didn’t know what a complete and utter loser he was, I might fall prey to his… well…. his charm. Damn it.

“I promise to behave,” he said solemnly, pulling a paper from the inside of his jacket.

She was still staring, completely dumbstruck. Thankfully, Lela called out her name for assistance with her computer and Ms. Toth managed to tear her eyes away from the oversized Ken doll and walk away.

His eyes, full of smugness, found mine. “What was it you were saying again? That I wasn’t deserving of my name?”

“What the hell are you doing here?” I hissed.

He stretched the paper on the counter before me. “I need to get the registration for my car renewed.”

I smiled sweetly. “I’m so sorry, sir. I’m afraid you’ve been standing in the wrong line. Registration renewals are in that line over there,” I pointed to the longest line in the building and I felt myself grin with evil glee. Who needed a sugar rush when you could torture the people you hated?

“You’re lying,” he growled.

“Nope.” I waved a couple fingers in his direction. “Buh-bye now,”

He leaned over the counter once more, all trace of his fake charm gone. “I know you can do whatever needs done on that ancient-ass computer in front of you.”

I gasped prudently. “Sir, I take offense to your tone. I can assure you that if I could help you with what you need I would.” I batted my eyes at him.

His perfect teeth formed a grimace and he was about to say something very un-charming, I was sure, when an older man with a cane stepped up behind him. “You heard the lady,” he said, “Now quit holding up the line.”

Before he could shove away, he leaned closer, his eyes narrowing. Gone was the charming air he used on my boss. Replacing it was something cold and calculating, more in line with the man I remembered who came into my best friend’s apartment not too long ago with a gun and kidnapped her. I reached for the phone again, fully intending to call the police and turn in his ass.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he said low. “You know exactly what I’m capable of.”

Unease slithered down my spine. I tossed the blond curls away from my face and held his stare. “But you have no idea what I am capable of. Get the hell outta my line.”

I watched him go to the other line and insert himself at the end. My heart was beating so fast that I had to gasp for breath. I wanted to demand an early break, to leave this room, which now felt contaminated by his very presence.

I didn’t do any of those things. I picked up my half-empty Coke, took a swig, and called for the next person in line. I worked on autopilot all the while keeping an eye on him as he moved up the line. I should have just bypassed the system and did what he needed. Then he would’ve been gone. And I wouldn’t be stuck in this room, which now felt entirely too small, with a Death Escort.

When he finally made it through and got his stupid little sticker for his license plate, he walked toward the exit, and I swear every single female in the place turned and watched him go. If they only knew what I did—that he was an assassin for the most deadly person on the planet.

Before disappearing into the cold Alaskan spring, he stopped and turned, his eyes spearing mine, and then he smiled, a cocky, arrogant grin. Fury spiked through my limbs, making me shake. I hated guys like him. Guys that thought nothing could touch them. Guys that thought they were God’s gift to the world.

He was right about one thing, though. I couldn’t call the police. Turning him in would only backfire on me and further hurt Piper, who lost too much at the hands of Charming and his boss. But there were other ways to pay someone back for the wrongs they committed.

I felt a smile tug my lips.

Payback was a bitch.

Chapter Three

“Steam shower - a type of bathing where a humidifying steam generator produces water vapor that is dispersed around a person's body.”

Charming

Rosalyn Elizabeth Kennedy Sinclair wasn’t a woman I could just “bump” into at the local grocery store in town. She wasn’t the kind of girl that went to the same coffee place every morning for some frou-frou no calorie coffee drink, either. She had people that got that for her. She wasn’t insecure, unpopular, or isolated—all the things that would make her an easy Target. In fact, she was overly popular, beautiful, and had probably been trained since birth to be cautious of people that weren’t in her immediate circle of friends.

For a regular con man, stalker, or assassin, she was practically untouchable.

I wasn’t a regular kind of guy. I was an Escort.

Still, setting up the perfect way to “meet” someone like her took some creative thinking. I needed an in that wouldn’t raise suspicion or look even slightly contrived.

I clicked through another link on the computer and then sat back, rubbing my eye with the palm of my hand. This was the part of the job I hated. Research, learning… work. Rarely did I have to actually try hard on a job. Usually my charm, looks, and money got me to the finish line. Usually I could skate on what I saw and could figure out the rest. It was rare I had to do this amount of research on someone whose days were numbered. It really never made sense. Why bother learning the favorite color, food, and movie of someone I would never really know anyway? It was all about time management. It seemed like a more effective use of my time was to charm my way in and finish the job.

Maybe that’s why the last couple jobs weren’t complete successes, an annoying voice in the back of my mind whispered.

“I got the job done,” I muttered, arguing with my inner conscience.

I was still here, after all. And it was abundantly clear that if I’d actually failed a job, I would have been Recalled on the spot. Yes, all the Targets I’ve ever been assigned (I lost count over fifty years ago) were dead. Their souls were gone (I had yet to figure out what exactly G.R. did with them), and most of the bodies had become a collector’s item for Mr. Death himself. But… I hated when there was a but. As of late, a few of the jobs… I wasn’t able to collect the money. Paperwork fell through, was lost, or loopholes were found.

Maybe you’re getting sloppy, the voice taunted. Maybe you’re losing your charm.

My growl cut through the silence of the kitchen, a firm denial and warning for that voice to shut the hell up. Something on the screen caught my eye and I leaned forward, scanning the information provided, taking in the list of attendees and the guest speaker. I grinned and slapped my hand down on the file and scattered papers across the tabletop.

Bingo.

Research might suck, but it usually paid off. I clicked through a few more links and then picked up my iPhone and made a call.

He answered on the third ring.

“Make sure my background is in place. Make sure it’s good. You know who we’re dealing with.”

“I’ve done my part. When you fail, the only person you will have to blame is yourself,” G.R. said, his voice calm in my ear.

The fact he was underestimating me made me very, very angry. “You remember that when you’re cutting me a check for ten million dollars.”

He chuckled. “Yes, well, all your documents and IDs will be there in the morning.”

I didn’t bother to point out that it took him three days to deliver the documents I usually got mere hours after every assignment. I knew it was on purpose, and so, I purposely acted like I had all the time in the world.

I pulled the phone away from my ear to end the call and the echo of his smug laughter when he spoke again. Even though his words were muffled, I heard them clear as a bell.

“Overconfidence isn’t always a good thing. Even if you have the skills for a job—for a fight—it doesn’t mean you’re going to win.” His words touched a part of me that I hadn’t felt in so long I was mildly surprised it was still there. “I would think that you of all people would know this.”

“Was that a reference to my past?” I asked, amusement clear in my tone. “Only people scared of their present drudge up the past.” I lowered my voice, pulling the phone close to my mouth. “Tell me, G.R., are you scared I’ll prove you wrong?”

“Death is scared of nothing,” he intoned and hung up the phone. The cut connection rang with finality.

I stared at the computer screen for long minutes before a slow smile curved my lips. I pushed away from the table and headed for the stairs.

Death might not be scared of anything, but perhaps this time he should be.

* * *

Searing, thick steam rolled through the air, creating a cloudlike effect around me. The humid heat that it carried wrapped around my limbs and turned my tense muscles languid. All the extra energy coiled within me, waiting to be expended, evaporated, leaving me with a feeling that was quite close to relaxed.

This is exactly why I had a steam shower installed in this house. If I had to spend time in this godforsaken place, then I was going to make myself very comfortable. I knew the next six months of my life were going to be as close to hell as I ever wanted to be, so if there was a chance for me to steal any kind of peace—if even only during my shower—then I was going to take it.

I leaned back against the stone tiles and closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath of the fog-like vapor. Research? Check. A plan for a first meeting? Check. Background story, IDs, a home, car, and bank accounts all in my name? Check, check, and check. All I had to do now was go buy a brand new tux (if I could even find one in this town) and the biggest kill I’ve ever attempted would begin.

Energy slammed into me hard and fast, causing my eyes to snap open and my body to shove away from the tiles. I swatted at the steam like I could push it away, and when it didn’t obey, I hit a few buttons on the control panel on the side of the wall.

Someone was in this house.

Not only were they not invited, but they’d also just cut short the only enjoyable thing about my day.

I might not be allowed to kill someone other than a Target, but I could damn sure make them regret they chose this house to creep into.

I opened the glass door to the stall and stepped out, reaching for a towel and slinging it around my hips as I went. I crept, not making a sound, light on my feet from years of practice. I inhaled, taking in the chaotic energy that buzzed through the house. It was a woman, had to be. A man’s energy was more stable, less all over the place. But a woman… a woman’s energy was exactly like the gender it inhabited: irrational and all over the place.

And this lady in particular must be crazy because her energy was practically shoving into me. I’d only felt this kind of forceful, bossy kind of vibe a couple times before.

Shit.

It better not be who I thought it was.

A sadistic smile curved my lips and I crept to the top of the stairs where I paused to listen to the sounds of papers being rustled, heavy breathing, and the erratic pounding of a heart.

Pulling another deep breath of her energy, I let it expand within me and then I took off, moving at the speed of light—so fast no one would hear or see me until I wanted them to.

I rushed toward the table where a figure dressed completely in black from head to toe was standing, peering at the screen of my laptop. On my way past, I snapped the lid closed and the force of my speed blew several papers up and away, sending them fluttering to the floor.

The woman gasped—turning around, her back going up against the edge of the table. Her eyes searched the room for me, but I wasn’t done bouncing around. I went from one end of the room to the other, flipping on and off the lamps, turning on the flat screen hanging above the fireplace, and then hitting a button causing the logs in the hearth to burst into flames.

The woman pushed away from the table, rushing toward the set of French doors that led outside, but I caught her around the waist before she took three steps and yanked her back so she was firmly against me, pinned between my arms.

She didn’t miss a beat and stomped down on my bare foot with her stiletto heal, causing me to howl in pain and release her. She ran forward as I recovered, reaching out and grabbing at her, only coming away with the black knit cap she’d stuffed over her head.

A flash of blond filled my vision before I caught her arm and yanked her back against me once more. Her chest was heaving and her nails dug into my arms, but I ignored it all.

“Who are you and what the hell are you doing in my house?” I growled into her ear.

“How did you move that fast?” She gasped.

Her voice. I knew that voice. It grated on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. So much for it not being the infuriating girl with a man’s name.

“You better have a damn good explanation for why I found you in my house, going through my things, George.”

She stiffened and I felt her retort rise up inside her.

“Ah—ah—ah,” I sang in her ear. “Now is not the time to piss me off any more than you already have,” I warned.

Wisely, her mouth snapped shut as I spun her around to face me.

Chapter Four

“Cat suit - a close-fitting one-piece garment that covers the torso and the legs and frequently the arms.”

Frankie

Once my shift from hell at work was over I drove straight to the closest gas station and filled my arms with enough sugary goodness to get me through the next week, or maybe just tonight, and dumped it all on the counter in front of the cashier who took in my haul with his usual disdain. I ignored him and went to grab some Dr. Pepper, Cherry Coke, and Yoo-hoo and added that to my pile.

At the last minute, I added a pack of pink bubblegum and winked when I got a glare in return.

Once inside my Jeep Wrangler, I cranked up the heat and tore into a bag of Sour Patch Kids, popping about five into my mouth at once. I enjoyed the way the sour coating on the outside burned my tongue. I backed out of the lot and drove the short drive to my apartment, with the radio too loud and too much candy in my mouth.

I let myself into my apartment, flipping on the light as I shut the door, and then leaned back against the painted-wood finish and sighed. Peace at last. I wasn’t a loner, I wasn’t a quiet person who enjoyed staying in rather than going out, but after the day I had… it was nice to be alone.

I took in the Tiffany-blue walls (hey, every girl need’s a little Tiffany’s in her life, even if it is only paint), the cream-colored sofa, mirrored coffee table, and the scattered magazines around the room. It wasn’t much, but it was all mine. I dropped my bag of goodies on the floor beside the couch and shrugged out of my coat as I walked to the wall of posters all hung in vintage frames.

All the posters were of the same person. The woman I respected, was intrigued by, and yeah, maybe slightly obsessed with: Marilyn Monroe. She died before I was born, but even still her class, beauty, and the way she took life by the horns was still quite evident.

“Marilyn,” I said to her, “what would you do if there was someone hanging around—someone that you just knew was up to no good?”

I smiled. She hadn’t answered (if she had, I would probably check myself into a mental ward), but I found my answer anyway.

“This calls for a good old-fashioned cat burglary.” I spun away from the pictures, grabbed a Dr. Pepper and the rest of my Sour Patch Kids, and went into my bedroom.

I opened up the closet doors to my very packed, too-small closet and several articles of clothing fell out and buried my feet. I ignored them and started pulling out all the black items I could find.

A knock on my front door echoed into my room and I began pawing my way out of the closet, tripping on a few items and spilling some of the soda over onto my hand. Now that was just a waste of perfectly good sugar.

“Come in!” I yelled, giving up trying to break free of the clothes.

A few seconds later Piper, my best friend, appeared in the doorway. “What the heck are you doing?”

“Inventory,” I said, sipping the soda and scrutinizing her appearance. She looked tired, but that wasn’t anything new. Going to school, working, and volunteering at a health clinic would do that to anyone. I looked past her lack of energy for something more, for the grief that she seemed to wear like a second skin. It was there, but it wasn’t any worse than before—if anything, it seemed just a little lighter. “What are you doing?”

She held up a sack. “I brought Chinese.”

“Well, why didn’t you say so?” I said, holding out my can so she could take it. “Here, take this. I’m about to go ninja style on all these clothes holding me hostage.”

Then I winced at my word choice. Good one, Frankie, remind her all about the time she was kidnapped at gunpoint and thrown in a trunk and held hostage by a killer. A killer who walked into the DMV today like he wasn’t a criminal.

I snuck a peak at her to see if what I said caused some horrible flashback, but she was grinning, no doubt wondering how I was going to escape my closet.

I began kicking at the shirts and pants, but all that did was wind them further around my feet. I took a step forward and toppled over, right into the giant pile of black that I’d made. I squealed, landing face first, and pushed myself up onto hands and knees and proceeded to crawl out of the mess. On my way, I found the knit black cap I’d been searching for.

“Score!” I exclaimed and paused to pull it over my head.

“What’s with all the black?” Piper asked as we left the mess behind and went into my galley-style kitchen.

“Guess I’m feeling moody,” I said non-committedly. I still wasn’t sure what I should tell her about today.

“What happened in here?!” Piper exclaimed, staring at the explosion that was my counters. Bowls, spatulas, and several appliances with awry cords cluttered the countertop. Cupcake liners were scattered about and there were multicolored sprinkles making a rainbow in the sink.

“I did some baking last night,” I said. “I was hoping the maid would come by today while I was at work. Good help is so hard to find these days.” I sighed.

“You don’t have a maid, Frankie.”

“Shh! Don’t ruin my fantasy.”

“Well, where are the cupcakes?” Piper asked, snooping through the cupboards.

“I threw them away.”

“That’s a crime against sugar!” she said and then gasped.

I laughed. “Actually, the crime was the way they tasted.”

“Everything you make tastes great. You’re just too hard on yourself.”

“Yeah, well, when there’s a place like the Iced Princess to compare yourself to, standards are high.”

Piper made a tsking sound as she pulled out the Chinese from her bag. I grabbed some plates and we loaded up on noodles, veggies, and chicken. We ate in silence at the tiny table on the far end of the kitchen for a few minutes before I brought up the hard stuff.

“So how ya doing?” I asked.

She knew it wasn’t a general question. She set down her fork and looked at me. “Better, I think. I still miss him. It helps, you know, knowing that he’s not somewhere suffering.”

I nodded. Piper fell in love with a Death Escort, a guy who worked for the Grim Reaper, and was assigned the job of killing her. But in the end he couldn’t kill her, and it cost him his life. He somehow got a message to her that he wasn’t suffering in death, but he was still dead. And she was alive, but left to deal with everything that happened alone.

I wasn’t sure if I should tell her who I saw today or not. I thought she had a right to know that Charming was here, but I also didn’t want to disrupt any kind of healing she was doing.

“Out with it,” Piper said, cutting into my mental ping-pong.

“With what?” I asked, batting my eyes at her.

“Uh-uh.” She shook her head. “That won’t work on me. I know you are far from innocent.”

I pushed away from the table and went to the living room to grab my bag of stash, stopping at the fridge to put away the Yoo-hoo and Cherry Coke. Then I grabbed a pack of Junior Mints from the back and carried them back to the table.

This conversation required chocolate.

“I saw Charming today.” I didn’t bother beating around the bush. It wouldn’t make the news any less hard.

Her fork clattered against her plate and her skin paled a little. “Where?”

“He came into the DMV. He was registering his car in this state.”

“He’s staying here?” she whispered.

“I don’t really know. Seems that way.”

She nodded. “Thanks for telling me.”

My eyes about fell out of my head. “That’s it? That’s all you’re going to say about the guy who stuffed you in a trunk and tried to kill you?”

“What else am I gonna say, Frank?” She pushed away from the table and stood. “That I hate him? That I blame him for Dex’s death? That we should call the cops and have him arrested?” She sank back down in the chair and looked at me. “What’s the point? We can’t fight him. We can’t fight the Grim Reaper. I’m tired. I just want to move on.”

I pushed the Junior Mints toward her. “Have some candy.”

She snorted. But she picked up the box and dug out a piece. “You got his address, didn’t you?” she asked me quietly.

I helped myself to a piece of minty goodness. “Yep.”

She moved fast, faster than I expected, her hand shooting out to grab my wrist, and she pinned me with serious brown eyes. “Stay away from him, Frankie. Promise me.”

How did a girl get around making promises she had no intention of keeping?

I used my free hand to shove a couple more candies in my mouth. “It’s not polite to speak with a full mouth,” I mumbled.

“I’m serious. These people… they live by their own rules. I almost died. Dex did die. Going around them, it’s like lighting a match in a room full of gasoline. Stay away from them before you become death’s next Target.”

“Piper,” I protested, but she shook her head vehemently and squeezed my wrist.

“Promise me, Frankie. I don’t know what I would do if I lost you too.”

She looked down at where she held me and let go like I burned her skin.

“What did you see?” I asked, watching her face. Piper had this ability to see visions of the future. All she had to do was touch someone.

“Nothing,” she said. “I’d like to keep it that way.” She cleared her throat. “I’ve had enough visions to last me a lifetime.”

“Come on,” I said, abandoning my plate and grabbing up the box of candy. “Let’s go watch something completely trashy on TV. I’m sure there’s some reality show on that will make us feel better about ourselves.”

She laughed but pinned me with a serious gaze. “Promise me, Frankie.”

“I promise,” I agreed.

That seemed to make her feel better, her steps lighter as we walked toward the TV. I wondered what she would say if she knew the promise I made wasn’t the one she’d exactly asked for.

I had no intention of staying away from Charming. I fully intended to find out what the hell he was up to. I just promised not to die while doing it.

* * *

It was after ten by the time Piper left for her apartment. She stayed later than she usually did, and I wasn’t sure if it was because she needed the company or if she was afraid that the minute she left I’d be up to no good.

She was right, of course.

The minute she left, I ran into my bedroom and ransacked the pile of black clothing lying on the floor. I pulled out a pair of black leggings and a long-sleeved black T-shirt and quickly pulled them on. The clothes felt like a second skin against me. I checked myself out in the floor-to-ceiling mirror, leaning against my bedroom wall, and smiled with satisfaction.

I wasn’t a girl that suffered from low self-esteem.

I liked the way I looked and I worked hard to maintain the curves that shaped my body. I wasn’t fat, though by today’s standards (which basically said you should look like a stick with a head), some people probably thought I was, but I didn’t really care what those people thought. In my opinion, a woman should have a shape; she should be a body of swells and valleys. She should have something for a man to grab on to in bed—a solid form to hold on to in the night—not some twig that he couldn’t even find between the sheets.

I stood at average height, 5’5”, and had a classic hourglass shape (just like Marilyn Monroe) with full hips that gave way to a waist that dipped in on each side and rose up to meet an ample chest and a strong set of shoulders. My thighs rubbed together when I walked and someone once compared my booty to an onion (he said it made a brother want to cry).

I wore my golden-blond hair short (just past my chin), and I liked to style it in messy curls or waves that framed blue eyes and a creamy complexion.

To finish off the body-hugging outfit, I pulled on a pair of high-heeled black boots and the black cap I’d found earlier. Cat Woman could eat her heart out. On my way out the door, I grabbed a black coat and my bag that contained the address I got illegally out of the DMV computer system. What? What’s the point in working at a job you hate if you can’t benefit from it sometimes?

It took about forty-five minutes to get to his house. Of course he lived in some ritzy part of town. What was surprising and to my advantage was that his house sat apart from everyone else’s. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that he would value privacy—I mean, he was a killer.

The house was dark and instead of parking close to the yard, I turned around and went back the way I came, parking near a cluster of houses just down the road. Making sure there wasn’t anyone else lurking around (besides me), I walked the rest of the way to his property.

I wasn’t about to knock on the door so I went around the side of the house, peaking into darkened windows and snooping through the bushes. The house was large, made of some kind of stone, and had a lot of wide windows. When I came around to the back, I noticed there was a light on in what appeared to be a family room with an adjoining kitchen.

I tiptoed up onto the back deck, creeping closer to a nearby window. I pressed myself up against the side of the house and then stealthily peaked around and into the house. There was a really tall dining table with four leather chairs sitting in the center, acting as a divider between the spaces. On it was an open laptop and papers scattered all around.

There was no one there. I heard no sounds, even after I stood there for a good ten minutes. No other lights went on or off. The back of the yard remained dark; not even a neighbor’s dog barked.

Maybe he wasn’t home.

I wanted to know what was written on all those papers.

I pushed off the stone and stepped up to the French doors, pulling out a credit card from my coat pocket. Before I attempted to jimmy open the door with my plastic, I had a twinge of doubt… This guy was a Death Escort—an assassin. His house was probably wired to the max with some high-tech security to keep out the crazies.

Then again… wasn’t he one of the crazies?

Besides, Charming practically had a God complex. He probably hadn’t bothered with an alarm because he thought he was invincible.

I snorted in amusement but then froze, afraid someone heard me.

Seconds ticked by and no one yelled, “Hey, you!” or “Freeze!” so I figured I was good to go. I had the door open in seconds, grinning to myself about my expert use of a credit card as I slid it back into my pocket.

The door closed soundlessly and I crept over to the table, my heart pounding so hard that I actually looked over my shoulder, thinking someone else was there.

I was still alone.

I reached out and touched one of the keys on the computer and it sprang to life out of slumber. It was some sort of confirmation for something purchased. A ticket of some kind. I hit back a couple times and was redirected to a website advertising some sort of charity ball.

Interesting.

Charming didn’t really seem like the charitable type.

Next I looked through the papers that were scattered out of a vanilla-colored folder. It was all facts and information about a woman… I came across her photo and recognized her immediately. It was the senator’s daughter.

What was he up to?

I looked back at the screen and I was hit in the face with a gust of wind. The laptop’s lid slammed closed and the papers blew, some of them falling onto the floor.

Startled, I gasped, drawing back away from the table and spinning around to run for the door. But the weird just kept on coming.

The lights flickered off and on, the TV roared to life, and flames exploded out of the fireplace.

I almost peed my pants.

Was this place haunted? Is that why he didn’t have a security system? It would be just like him to buy some creepy place filled with ghosts—ghosts of people he probably killed—and use it to scare the crap out of anyone who stopped by.

The door was just steps away, the darkness like a beacon. It promised concealment if I could just get there… Someone or something grabbed me from behind, locking their arms around me like a set of vices.

A scream caught in my throat and I swallowed it. I wasn’t going down like this. I stomped down, using the heel on my booth as a weapon. When the man howled in pain, I took off again. He grabbed at me and the cap on my head was ripped away, but I kept going. I could buy a new hat… but the rest of me…

Piper’s words echoed through my head. I don’t know what I would do if I lost you too. And I bit back a cry. I’m so sorry, Piper, I thought.

He caught me again, this time around the waist, and hauled me backward up against his chest, which was solid and much wider than me. I will not scream, I will not scream, I ordered myself.

“Who are you and what the hell are you doing in my house?” he growled into my ear.

Are you freaking kidding me? That was him? Forget peeing my pants. I was going to give him a black eye for scaring me like that! “How did you move that fast?” I demanded.

I caught his heavy sigh once he heard my voice. I hope I was irritating the hell out of him right now. “You better have a damn good explanation for why I found you in my house, going through my things, George.”

George! He called me that just to drive me insane. Clearly, I hadn’t done enough damage the first time I stomped on his foot, so I prepared to do it again.

“Ah—ah—ah,” he warned. “Now is not the time to piss me off any more than you already have.”

Before I could do anything, he spun me around, his fingers digging into my arms, but I barely noticed the pain. I barely thought about the way he’d scared me—the way he moved so fast.

He wasn’t wearing any clothes.

His skin was bare and carried the sheen of being slightly damp. His muscles… Dear Lord… He was wearing a towel. A towel that was dipping dangerously low on his narrow hips…

Why! someone inside me demanded. Why is it fair for someone so damn deadly to look so damn good?

The thought shook me and I squeezed my eyes shut. Man candy or not, this guy was not made of sugar.

So I kept my eyes closed and began to scream.

Chapter Five

“Infuriating - to make furious; enrage.”

Charming

“I’m blind!” she screeched. “My eyes!” She began to struggle against my hold and I gladly let her go, giving her a little shove away from me.

“I think I’m scarred for life now!” she said, bringing her hands up to cover her eyes. “Get some clothes!”

“You break into my house and then demand I get dressed?” I growled.

“I see now why you don’t have an alarm. You just walk around half naked. That’s enough to keep anyone out.” She lowered her hands but kept her eyes trained on the floor.

“I was taking a shower,” I ground out, so annoyed that I explained myself without even thinking about it. Then I stopped. I didn’t have to explain myself to anyone.

I took a step toward her, watching as she took a step back. I did it again, angling myself away from the door so she would have to do the same.

I kept prowling closer, reducing the space between us, and she kept scrambling backward trying to gain it back.

And then she came up against the back of the couch.

I saw her swallow thickly, her gaze traveling up my body, past my shoulders, until her eyes collided with mine. “You don’t have the look of a woman scarred for life. If anything, you look like a woman who likes what she sees.”

She snorted and opened her mouth for another of her sarcastic comebacks, but whatever she was about to say died on her lips when I took one last step forward, closing the little space left between us.

I reached out, resting my hands on both sides of the back of the couch, caging her between my arms. She made a sound and brought her hands up to push me back but then dropped them before actually touching me. “What’s a matter, love?” I whispered. “Are you afraid if you touch me you won’t be able to stop?”

“Oh my God!” she burst out, ducking beneath my arm and trying to get away. “You are so gross.”

I caught her arm and yanked her around. “How did you find me? What the hell are you doing here?”

She pulled herself free and glared at me. “How did you move so fast before?”

“Answering a question with a question. I’m not the one who owes any answers.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “You broke into my house.”

She rolled her eyes dramatically. “Please, your back door opened with a credit card. With locks like that you were practically asking for it.”

“I don’t need locks. I’m an Escort.”

She snorted. It was a habit I found very unbecoming. “I knew you’d say that,” she muttered to herself. “Arrogant, pigheaded…”

“Excuse me?” I lifted a brow.

“What’s up with all those papers?” she asked, hitching a chin toward where they had fallen to the floor. “Why are you so interested in the senator’s daughter?”

“I suddenly don’t care why you’re here or what you want. It’s time for you to go. Don’t even think about coming back here again,” I threatened, shoving her toward the French doors.

“Or what?” she taunted. “You’ll kill me?”

I didn’t have time to reply because she gasped and stopped in her tracks. I had to move fast to avoid bumping into her. She spun around and pinned me with a hard blue stare.

“You’re going to kill her, aren’t you?”

I just stared at her.

“I knew you were up to something!” she burst out. “Is she your Target? Or is she just for fun?”

“I do not kill for fun,” I said mildly.

“Well, you must not hate doing it because you do it all the time.”

Her words struck something inside me that I hadn’t felt in a long time, and I pushed it back, I didn’t think about those kinds of things anymore. I didn’t feel.

“What I do is none of your business.”

“It is when you burst into my friend’s house and pull out a gun, then kidnap her.”

I sighed. She was exhausting. “So we’re back to that, are we? Your friend is still alive. I am no threat to her anymore,” I said and then pinned her with a stare. “Which is more than I can say about you.”

“Go ahead and try,” she shot out, leaning toward me and narrowing her eyes.

“So you aren’t afraid of me at all?” I asked slyly. I reached out and brushed a wild lock of blond hair from her cheek and then slowly let my fingertips travel down her face, making a path all the way down her neck. I felt her heartbeat speed up and I smiled. I shifted, angling my body toward hers and leaning down so that my lips were near her ear.

“You’re not afraid to be alone with a man without a conscience? With someone who kills for money and power? Who possesses more strength in one hand than you have in your entire body?” As I spoke I splayed my fingers out along her neck.

Her breath hitched and I moved fast, slamming her body up against the door, wrapping my hand around her throat and applying just enough pressure to make her eyes widen in surprise.

“There is nothing stopping me from killing you right here, right now,” I growled.

Her hands came up to grab at where I squeezed her neck. “Please, don’t.” she said. It was a soft plea that I might not have heard if I hadn’t been so close.

I pushed away from her, putting several feet between us. I heard her gasp from behind and imagined her sinking back against the door and bringing her hands up to her tight throat.

But that isn’t what she was doing.

She shoved me hard from behind, sending me forward, tripping a little, and then she shoved me again. “You jerk!” she spat as I caught myself on the edge of the kitchen island and spun around.

I couldn’t help it. I laughed.

“I’m not going to let you kill her!”

That wiped the smile off my face. “Don’t get in my way.”

She smiled a flat, unfriendly smile. “Oh, I’m already there.”

* * *

I don’t know how long we stood there glaring at each other across the room, but when the start of some bad infomercial came on the TV, it snapped me out of it and I flew across the room at her. It made me extremely satisfied when she flinched like she was afraid.

As much as I wanted to ring her neck, I wanted her gone more. She was officially the most infuriating person I’d ever met. I tossed her off the deck and into the dark yard and then stalked back into the house and slammed the door, locking the lock she made fun of.

Then I snatched up the remote on the coffee table and hit a button, lowering all the blinds on the windows. I ran upstairs and threw on a pair of jeans and then stood in the darkened window that faced the street and watched as she made her way down the road toward a red Jeep Wrangler.

I stood there long after she was out of sight, watching to be sure she didn’t come back.

Tonight was a first for me.

The first time anyone ever dared to break into my house. The first time anyone ever snooped in my business. The first time the sight of my naked chest didn’t turn a woman into a puddle at my feet.

But most of all…

The first time I ever felt anything other than death in a very, very long time.

Chapter Six

“Vending machine - a coin-operated machine that dispenses merchandise.”

Frankie

Okay, so maybe breaking into his house wasn’t the smartest thing I’ve ever done. But I did accomplish something. Besides getting scared to death, annoyed, and slightly turned on (just because he’s good-looking doesn’t mean I have to turn into some obsessive groupie)…

I learned what he was up to.

I should have known it wasn’t going to be something as simple as wanting to set up a legitimate residence.

He had a new Target.

A high-profile one.

My hands curled around the steering wheel and squeezed until my joints ached. What was it with this guy? How could he be so casual about killing—about robbing someone of their life?

I should have listened to Piper. I should have stayed away from him.

But I didn’t.

Now I knew.

I couldn’t just let him kill her.

The Jeep slowed as I pulled into the parking lot of a place I didn’t even realize I was driving to. It was one of my most favorite places ever. The Iced Princess. The Iced Princess was this completely posh, over-the-top bakery. They were famous here in Alaska for their cupcakes and all pink decor. Everything inside was pink—pink rugs, pink couches, and pink chairs sitting at pink tables.

They had a bakery counter that would make anyone drool. The cupcakes were piled high with homemade icing and usually with some sort of edible decoration. Not every cupcake was pink, but they did always have their signature treat: Princess for a Day. It was a white cupcake in a hot-pink wrapper, piped high with pastel-pink icing and an edible sugar tiara balanced on top.

They also had a coffee bar where even the paper cups were pink. The coffee was so good that not even the most macho of men cared to be seen with a pink cup.

Charming probably wouldn’t be caught dead drinking from a pink cup.

I pushed him out of my mind. I was taking a brain break from the killer.

My sugar stores were running low and I needed an emergency pick-me-up. The Iced Princess was closed—they didn’t open until six a.m. for the coffee crowd, but I didn’t have to resort to breaking and entering again that night just to get what I wanted.

I left the Jeep running and went toward the giant pink machine topped with a glittery tiara sitting by the front entrance. I checked out the electronic menu for my choices and couldn’t decide. I swiped my card and hit a button. Seconds later, I lifted the door on the front and withdrew a pink box. Inside was a chocolate cupcake. Then I repeated the process twice more and collected another two cupcakes. This time selecting the classic Princess for a Day and a Rock Me Raspberry flavors.

I mean seriously.

A vending machine filled with the best cupcakes on the planet? If I could figure out a way to tow this thing home, I would so do it.

I stacked the boxes and climbed back into the Jeep, not bothering to wait until I got home. I needed sugar now. I opened up the Choc-o-holic cupcake and dug in.

It was filled with fudge sauce.

I groaned with joy. “Thank you, Jesus,” I prayed.

After licking all the chocolate off my fingers, I backed out of the lot and drove home, eyeing the other two boxes the entire way. If that place was closer to my apartment, my fine balance between curvy and fat might be in danger.

My brain break lasted until I arrived in the safety of my home, where I ate another cupcake. But it couldn’t last forever. I had a decision to make.

I could forget I ever saw Charming today, forget I knew what he was planning.

Or…

I could make it my life’s mission to stop him.

Who was I kidding? There was no choice here. I wasn’t about the let him charm someone to death.

It was about time his charm ran out.

Chapter Seven

“Charity ball - an event where the practice of benevolent giving
is carried out.”

Charming

I might consider Alaska a boring place, a forgotten and cold bare landscape where nothing interesting resided. But the upper class, the high-society of the state, seemed to know how to party.

The charity ball that was being held for land conservation and historic preservation drew quite the crowd of upper-crust socialites. It was being held in one of said socialite’s homes—practically a mansion—that sat away from everything else on the edge of a wide piece of land. We were in what only could be described as a ballroom, with gleaming marble floors, soaring ceilings, and what appeared to be hand-painted murals on the walls. On the end of the room was a wall of windows and in the center were wide glass doors that led out onto a stone balcony with a rounded edge and stone railings. Beyond the balcony was a view that could draw the eye for hours and still leave more to see. It wasn’t of a cityscape or a body of water. It was endless land covered in trees and foliage. In the distance were mountains that seemed to rise up into the dark sky and were capped with white—snow that probably never melted.

Even though it was spring, there was still some snow on the ground. I was beginning to wonder if the snow down here ever melted. I mean, what was the point of having a huge balcony if one could never open the doors, let in the night air, and enjoy the view?

I turned away from the sight; it was making me want to go home.

Six months, I reminded myself. Do this job and then you can get the hell out of here.

A waiter in a perfectly tailored suit walked by and I snagged a flute of champagne from his golden tray and took a long drink. What I wouldn’t give to just drain the glass and then another. But I had to restrain myself. Appearances were everything. And while it might not seem that anyone was paying any attention to me, they could be.

An Escort could never afford to forget his place. His job.

A job was why I was here.

I looked around the room—servers with trays, a man at a piano playing some boring ballad, and people dressed in gowns and tuxedos. The women dripped in jewels and perfume, laughing their fake laughs and sipping champagne without a care in the world. Security was placed discreetly at all the exits, the windows, and near the staircase at the far end of the room.

I knew the senator must be here already and it wasn’t hard to spot him in the crowd. People surrounded him, laughing and talking. I gazed through his friends, his followers, and the wannabe’s looking for Rosalyn, his daughter. I didn’t see her and I figured perhaps she wasn’t here yet, waiting for a time to walk in and be fashionably late to draw the stares of everyone already in the room.

I suppressed a sigh at the thought. Dealing with a diva was never fun.

I set down my empty glass and snagged another from a passing tray and then worked the room, introducing myself and pretending to be interested in the charity.

As far as events went this one was pretty good. Over my many years of being an Escort, I had grown accustomed to nice things. I liked money. I liked being in places where everyone around me had money too.

Across the room there were a few paintings on display, and I went and stood in front of one and stared at it. It was a decent piece, especially considering the art scene here must be dismal.

Someone came up beside me, stopping to stare at the same painting. I turned my head just a fraction to see who it was.

It was her. Rosalyn.

I turned back to the painting, pretending to study it some more while sipping the champagne. I could feel her eyes on me, but I still didn’t acknowledge her.

“It’s a beautiful painting,” she said finally.

I glanced at her. She was wearing a black gown, the fabric close to her tall, willowy frame. Her dark hair was pulled up away from her face and she wore a necklace that probably cost three million dollars. Vaguely, my mind started running scenarios of how I could snatch it without being caught. If sold on the right market, I could make quite a little profit on a piece like that.

I met her eyes—they were brown—and saw she was waiting for my reply. She expected me to say something vague and non-committal about the art. She thought I was just another one of these rich airheads here tonight to throw around my excessive money.

I looked back at the painting, taking another slow sip of my drink. “I think it’s very sorrowful,” I said. “The lines seem heavy. The shadows there”—I pointed—“behind the man seem to come forward as if to consume him, surround him.” Then I looked back at her. She was watching me with interest and I held back my smile. Gotcha. “But you’re right; it is a beautiful piece of art. Sometimes there is beauty in sorrow.”

And then I walked away.

I didn’t look back.

I didn’t pause.

I stopped beside the piano and dropped a twenty into the glass fishbowl sitting on the top and asked him to play something a little less monotonous.

I felt her eyes follow me as I moved around the room. She watched me with interest. I was the man who gave her an unexpected answer. The man who didn’t seem to care or even know who she was. And then I just walked away without so much as a backward glance.

I knew her type.

I was driving her crazy.

Good. Let her think it was her idea to come to me. Let her think she was the cat who got the mouse.

When really… it was exactly what I wanted.

* * *

I was speaking with the mayor when she approached. I saw her out of the corner of my eye. The mayor, of course, stopped talking the minute she arrived and he turned to her and smiled. “Rosalyn, you look beautiful tonight.”

“Thank you, Mayor Hayes,” she said, her eyes sliding to me.

“Rosalyn, this is…” He began to introduce me only to realize he never bothered to learn my name.

I smiled. “I could bore you with all four of my stodgy names or you could just call me what my friends do.”

“And what is that?” she asked.

“If you’ll excuse me a moment,” the mayor said, already pulling away.

“Of course,” Rosalyn said and I shook his hand before he walked off to no doubt try to secure another sizeable donation.

“You were saying?” Rosalyn asked when he was gone.

“Charming. Everyone calls me Charming.”

She lifted a delicately shaped brow.

I grinned my best devilish grin. “I left my white horse with the valet.”

She laughed. “That’s probably for the best. Whatever would they say if you brought a horse into the ballroom?”

“Want to find out?” I grinned again.

“Funny and art savvy,” she mused. “I haven’t seen you at any of these functions before.”

“I just arrived in town not too long ago. I’m in real estate. Thought I would come and see if there were any opportunities to grow my business here in Fairbanks.”

“And what do you think of Fairbanks so far?”

“It’s very cold.”

She laughed again. I noticed she hadn’t sipped her drink once since arriving at my side. I caught the eye of a nearby waiter and he came over, clearing his throat. I gently took her half-empty glass from her fingers and then slid a fresh one in place.

“How did you know I wanted a new one?” she asked.

“You just seemed like the kind of woman who enjoyed her champagne chilled.”

She smiled and took a sip, stepping just a fraction closer to me than before.

Got her.

Maybe getting this job done in six months wouldn’t be so hard after all.

I smiled down at the Target when a flash of red caught my eye. I looked up and saw a woman in a red silk dress enter the room.

Red was my color.

It was powerful, unforgettable… and it stood out in this room among the people who were all dressed in black.

The woman wearing it didn’t look like anyone else here. She filled that dress out in a way that made every man in the room turn to look. The dress was low-cut and instead of just showing off her skin, she wore a very long strand of pearls that looped around her throat and then draped all the way to her navel.

Her throat…

There was something familiar about it.

I tore my eyes away from the gown and looked up. Blond hair. Curls. Blue eyes.

What the hell was she doing here?

Just as I was about to turn away, she caught my eye and I swear a sadistic smile curved her lips. Her steps picked up and before I knew it she was at my side, slipping her hand around my elbow and inserting herself into my job.

“There you are,” she said like she’d been searching the entire room for me. “I swear the ladies room must be half a mile away.” She batted her eyes at me and I thought about dumping my drink down her chest.

“Is this your girlfriend?” the Target asked, a closed look coming over her face.

No, no, no. I didn’t have time for this!

I opened my mouth to vehemently deny that accusation, but she beat me to it.

“His girlfriend?!” she asked, horrified. “Good Lord, no.”

Rosalyn smiled and I breathed a sigh of relief.

But George wasn’t done talking. “I’m his sister.”

I choked on my champagne.

George started pounding on my back, like that would somehow help. “Go easy on the booze there, brother.”

Then she looked at Rosalyn and whispered conspiratorially. “This one likes the bottle.”

She. Was. Dead.

“Does he now?” Rosalyn said, glancing at me with a smile.

“Ignore her. She doesn’t get out much,” I replied.

“It’s true,” George sighed. “It’s why I tag along with Charming here”—she hitched her thumb at me—“to all his events.” She released me and turned to Rosalyn. “He told you we call him Charming, right?”

She nodded and smiled. “Yes, and I can certainly see why.”

Ha! Take that! I thought smugly.

“When I saw him talking to you, I said to myself, Frankie get yourself over there and save that poor girl.”

“So your name is Frankie?” Rosalyn asked.

“Francesca,” she said and held out her hand.

Francesca. She would take a name like that and butcher it all to hell.

“What a beautiful name.”

“Thank you. Rosalyn is beautiful as well,” Frankie said and I took a long drink of champagne, wishing it were scotch. Neat.

When I got Francesca alone, I was going to ring her neck for real this time.

The two women stood there and ran their mouths about everything they could think of. It was annoying as hell and my patience was wearing very thin. I excused myself, ignoring the glint in Frankie’s eye, and went off in search of that scotch.

There was a bar near the front entrance and I got in the back of the line behind a bunch of men who were also no doubt looking for something that would help them put up with the women in the room.

After I collected my scotch in a crystal decanter, I moved off to the side and took a swallow. I was still feeling murderous so I figured I needed a few more minutes to chill.

I lifted the liquid to my lips again and through the clear glass someone caught my eye. I swallowed so quickly that the alcohol felt like a hard knot going down my throat. It was painful, but I didn’t notice.

I blinked, staring at the woman who practically glided by just feet away.

It couldn’t be.

I blinked and looked again. She was wearing a golden dress that caught the light when she walked. It was the kind of dress that women wore… a long time ago. Back then. The kind that hugged a woman’s chest but then flared out into a full skirt that went all the way to the floor. She was tall and thin, the natural kind of thin that no amount of eating would add any weight to her frame. Pale-blond hair fell perfectly straight over her shoulders and down her back.

My throat went dry. My vision seemed to blur.

It wasn’t her. I knew it wasn’t.

But, my God, she was so familiar.

The woman turned to go up the stairs, pausing as if she sensed my stare. She looked over her shoulder. Her green eyes met mine.

The glass in my hand slid to the floor and shattered on impact.

Chapter Eight

“Ghost - the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living.”

Frankie

Priceless. The look on Charming’s face when he saw me in that ballroom was priceless. It took everything I had inside me not to laugh out loud at the horror on his face when I declared I was his sister.

Of course, horror wasn’t all I saw…

When he first looked up, when he saw me in this sinful red dress, he liked it. I could tell the way his eyes roamed over the silk, the way he took in every curve. It gave me a funny feeling in my stomach… one I couldn’t really describe. It wasn’t the first time; it was just the first time I actually acknowledged it was he that made me feel that way.

But then he looked at my face.

And that’s when the fun began.

I knew when he excused himself from our conversation that he was angry. A little warning bell went off in my head, telling me maybe I was pushing him too far. But it was too late to turn back. I was in this.

Rosalyn was actually a pretty down-to-earth girl for being a senator’s daughter. I actually liked talking to her. I saw the way she watched him as he walked away, her eyes following him until he was out of sight. He probably had, what, fifteen minutes tops with her? How in the hell did he manage to wrap her around his finger that fast?

Something had to be done about that.

Of course there were other people there vying for her attention. When her father called her name, she looked at me apologetically and I smiled. “Duty calls.”

She sighed. “I suppose so. I enjoyed talking with you tonight. I thought this event would be like every other one I get dragged to.” She stuck out her tongue. “But this one turned out to be pretty entertaining.”

I smiled again and turned to go when she caught my hand and pressed a business card into it. “Maybe we can have lunch soon?”

I guess I looked surprised because she made a face and said, “Most people I spend time with are, like, over fifty.”

I laughed. “I’m sorry. Sure, lunch would be fun.”

“Bring your brother, too.”

Oh, yay. She wanted me to bring Charming.

“Are you sure about that?” I asked, wondering if what I told her had fallen on deaf ears.

“A girl can never have too many friends,” Rosalyn replied. “Especially young ones.”

I gave her a wave and went off to see who Charming was torturing with his presence now. I rounded the corner in time to see him standing off by himself with this weird look on his face. Almost as if he’d seen a ghost.

And then the glass he held fell from his hand and shattered everywhere, causing everyone near him to flinch at the sound.

Waiters rushed to clean up the mess and Charming just stood there pale and staring at the staircase, unmoving.

I walked up to him and grabbed his arm. “What’s the matter with you?” I demanded. “Did you need some extra attention?”

He blinked and looked at me, his expression clearing a bit. “Did you see her?” he asked.

“Who?”

“The blonde in the gold dress…” He glanced at the stairs again. Without another word he took off, rushing up the stairs and out of sight.

A woman dressed in a black beaded lace gown came rushing over. “All guests are to remain downstairs,” she said, then looked down at the half-cleaned-up mess. “What happened?”

I don’t know why I tried to smooth things over. I wasn’t here to help him. But the words just came out anyway. “I’m sorry. I startled him and he dropped the glass.” One of the waiters looked up at me sharply. He knew I was lying. I gave him the evil eye and turned back to the woman who was likely hosting the party.

“I think he was embarrassed and just wanted a moment alone to compose himself.”

As if on cue, Charming descended the stairs, looking unruffled and polished as ever.

“I didn’t mean to cause a commotion,” I said, drawing away her stare. “This is a lovely event, one of the best I’ve ever attended. And your gown is just stunning. I bet that beading was all hand sewn.”

She straightened under the compliments and was about to reply when Charming arrived at my side. “Madam,” he said ultra smoothly. “Please allow me to pay for the broken glass.”

“That isn’t necessary. Accidents happen.”

He grinned, showing off his perfect white teeth. “Well, then allow me to make a second donation this evening. Would you care to lead the way?”

He held out his arm and she all but tripped, wrapping her wrist and arm around him. They began to walk away toward the donation table when he glanced over his shoulder. “Sister, dear,” he said, his voice sickeningly sweet. “Don’t go anywhere just yet.”

And that was my cue to leave.

I dug my coat check ticket out of my clutch and turned it in, wondering after several minutes if the guy decided to go to the store and buy me a new one because it took so long for him to bring it back. When he did arrive, I snatched it out of his hand and didn’t bother to put it on but went out the great double doors and onto the porch (if you could even call it that. It was bigger than my entire apartment).

On my way to the stairs, I wondered how long the valet would take to find my Jeep.

Charming appeared out of nowhere, taking me by the elbow and pulling me around. “Where do you think you’re going?” he growled.

“Away from you.”

Someone passed by and glanced at us. Charming dropped my arm and smiled. “You shouldn’t be out here without your coat. You’ll catch a cold.” He took my coat and held it out like any gentleman would.

The passerby smiled and moved out of earshot.

“Wouldn’t want you to die,” Charming intoned when I slipped my arms into the sleeves.

“Gee, how thoughtful of you to be concerned,” I said dryly.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he said low.

“I’m here for charity,” I said innocently.

“What’s the cause and how much did you donate?” he asked, rocking back on his heels and slipping his hands into his slacks.

Even when he was acting like a pompous ass, he looked like a perfect Ken doll. Idiot.

“It’s called the save-an-innocent-woman fund. And thankfully, screwing up your plans didn’t cost me a thing.”

“You can show up here tonight, try and make me look like an idiot, ruin my chance of getting to know the Target—”

“Her name is Rosalyn,” I interjected.

He talked right over me.

“But there is always tomorrow. And the next day. I’m not going to give up.”

“I told her you were gay.”

That got his attention.

He stood there for long moments, his perfect jaw practically unhinged from his face. “You did what?” he finally asked, shocked.

“I admit, you’re good. You managed to impress her already. I had to do something to lessen the blow of that charm that seems to work on everyone but me.”

The look—the anger—that crossed his face made me take a step back. Again, I wondered if I was acting like a fool by baiting the wrong man.

I certainly didn’t stand around and wait to see what he would do. I rushed down the stairs and gave my ticket to the valet and prayed he would hurry the hell up and that my Jeep wasn’t parked in the nosebleed section of this property.

The valet went off in search of my car and then I was alone. Outside. In the dark.

“She couldn’t possibly have believed you,” he said from behind. His voice was low and calm. Something about that made that feeling in my stomach start up all over again. Full force.

I looked over my shoulder, tossing my curls, and I moved my head. I might feel jumbled up on the inside, but damned if I would show it. “Why is that? All I am is a very concerned sister about her extremely charming brother who just doesn’t understand the effect he has on the opposite sex.” I put my hand on my hip. “Why wouldn’t she believe me?”

His chin dropped down and he pinned me with an aggressive green gaze. The muscles in the side of his jaw worked and I glanced around for the valet. He was nowhere in sight.

Charming’s perfectly polished black dress shoes made a hollow sound when he stepped forward. I turned fully around to face him, standing my ground.

I pretended not to notice the way my knees began to shake as he prowled toward me.

“The valet is going to be right back.” I reminded him we weren’t alone.

He said nothing, just took another step closer, his eyes not once leaving my face.

“Someone could come out here at any moment.”

He stopped in front of me, so close I could feel the body heat he emanated, and his shoulders were wide enough that I could see nothing but him.

He reached out, his hand delving inside my open coat and sliding over my hip, his fingers digging in just slightly. “I like that dress,” he growled. “Red is my color.”

“Is it?” I lifted a brow and ignored the heat searing my body. “I hadn’t realized you’d staked your claim over a color.”

He took another step forward and I had no choice but to step back. He was like a solid wall that bulldozed me wherever he wanted.

“From now on,” he said low, “you aren’t allowed to wear this color.” As he spoke, his other hand also found its way beneath my coat and curved around the other side of my hip.

“I don’t take orders from you.” Damn my breathless voice!

“No?” he asked, amused, the corner of his lips tilting slightly. “What will you take from me?”

My back hit the nearby brick retaining wall. And I was completely surrounded. One of his hands crawled around to the small of my back and grabbed a handful of the red silk.

I didn’t have time to say anything. To declare I couldn’t even stand his presence. I wouldn’t have been able to form a sentence anyway because he yanked me forward and his mouth covered mine.

Aggressive. That’s how he kissed. Like he was staking a claim, not only on my lips, but my entire body.

I couldn’t think.

I couldn’t breathe.

I didn’t care.

I only wanted his lips to never leave mine.

He kissed continuously, endlessly. His lips moved over mine over and over again with the perfect amount of demand. And his hands… Oh mother, his hands.

They had minds of their own. They started out at my hips and around my waist, but they didn’t stay there long. They smoothed out the silk he’d bunched at my back and then cupped my body, sliding up my sides and around until my breasts were filling his very large, very warm hands. He squeezed—not enough so it would cause me pain, but enough that my body arched forward begging for more.

And boy did he give it. His mouth pulled away from mine and my head fell back, my hair sticking to the rough brick wall as he dropped kisses down the hollow of my neck, sucking and licking until I thought I would melt into a puddle right there on the street. His hands fell lower so he could draw lazy circles over my belly, the repeated movement almost making me mad as his lips dropped even lower into the exposed cleavage on my chest.

My hands found his hair and pushed in, ruffling the perfect style and tangling at the base of his head.

I might have moaned.

It was all a blur.

My body was on overdrive and he was the one in control.

And then his hands cupped my face, anchoring it, holding it hostage as his lips ravaged mine some more. I met him kiss for kiss, and when his tongue tangled with mine, every muscle inside my body went lax.

Finally, he ripped his mouth free of mine.

His chest heaved, and with every deep draw of breath he took, he brushed against my chest, which felt swollen and sensitive. I bit my lip to keep from making a sound.

He gazed down at me, and even in the darkness I saw the intensity in those very green eyes. He looked completely and utterly satisfied with himself.

He reached out and ran his thumb along the bottom of my lower lip. The lip I knew without a doubt was swollen and pink.

“Tell me,” he murmured, caressing the fragile flesh of my mouth one last time. “If I kiss her like that, will she still believe you?”

His words penetrated the cloud around my head, the heavy fuzz of being extremely, thoroughly kissed.

It was all to prove a point.

He did this to me, revved my engine, made a complete and utter fool of me to prove a point.

And what was worse?

It worked.

I kicked him in the shin.

He groaned and bent forward.

“How freaking dare you!” I hissed. “Don’t you ever…” I paused to suck in a much-needed gulp of air. “Ever come near me with that lizard-like tongue of yours, ever again.”

He laughed.

He actually started laughing.

I kicked him again.

He groaned but then lunged at me, grabbing my arm and yanking me up against his chest.

My freaking body was a traitor and it shifted toward him. He chuckled knowingly.

I was about to scream bloody murder and create the scene to end all scenes when the valet cleared his throat behind us.

Charming stiffened and released me, spinning around so fast that I wobbled on my feet.

“Your car, ma’am,” he said.

I stepped around Charming, avoiding any and all contact with him. Touching him again was the last thing I wanted. I stopped in front of the valet with my chin held high. “Thank you,” I said and jerked my head in Charming’s direction. “The gentleman there has your tip.”

Charming made a sound and I smiled at the young valet. “He’s loaded. Don’t take less than a twenty.”

Then I walked, very steadily I might add, over to my Jeep, climbed in, and slammed the door. I didn’t look back as I drove away.

I didn’t need to.

I knew exactly what I was leaving behind.

And I was very afraid that this time I was in way over my head.

Chapter Nine

“Pizza - an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese (usually mozzarella), and various toppings, depending on the culture.”

Charming

I handed the valet a twenty as the taillights of her Jeep disappeared around the corner. She was a piece of work. Showing up here tonight, hell-bent on screwing up my plans, telling everyone she was my sister.

I made a sound of disgust in the back of my throat as I headed up the stairs, back into the ball, where hopefully I could reverse whatever damage she had done.

Gay. She freaking told my Target I was gay.

I should have strangled her for that.

But I had my revenge. I got her curvy, sassy body all turned on. It must suck to be so turned on by someone you hate.

There was some movement off to my right, over in the darkened part of the huge stone patio that wrapped itself around the entire front of the home. It was a shadow within a shadow.

A low curse fell off my lips. As if this night hadn’t been screwed up enough.

Making sure that no one outside paid me any attention, I made my way over into the darkness, away from prying eyes. I leaned up against the side of the house and looked around for more movement. He was there to my left, trying, I would guess, not to be seen.

“I thought Ghost Escorts were supposed to be invisible,” I said flat. Ghost Escorts were another version of a Death Escort. Except they didn’t kill. Their job was to stay in their “ghost” form—meaning G.R. wouldn’t let them have a body—and they used their “ghost” status to follow Targets around and watch them. They also watched the Death Escorts and reported everything they saw back to G.R.

A very colorful twist on a curse word came out of the dark, and I was impressed. But I didn’t show it. He was following me. If I wasn’t already on G.R.’s shit list, I would have killed him right then, but killing another Escort is definitely against company policy.

“Why are you following me?”

“Shit, man. You saw me?”

“I think that much is obvious.”

“Not again,” he muttered and I glanced in his direction.

“You mean this isn’t the first time you got caught spying on someone?”

“For the record, it isn’t spying when you’re being paid to do it. It’s surveillance. And yeah… I got caught before. On my last job.”

“Which one are you?” It annoyed me that all the Ghost Escorts were black. I knew being so dark was what made them blend so well into the shadows, but it also made it very hard to tell them apart.

“Storm.”

“You were the Ghost assigned to Dex,” I said, my interest perking a bit.

“Yeah. He was cool. We were gonna chill on a beach once his job was done. But then you screwed it all up for him and he got Recalled.”

“I screwed it all up for him?”

“Maybe if you hadn’t been so hardcore after his Target, he wouldn’t have felt the need to protect her instead of kill her.”

“I wouldn’t have been so hardcore if he’d just done his damn job.” I growled.

“Guess it doesn’t really matter now.”

“Why are you following me?”

“Man, I don’t know what the hell you did, but G.R. is hating on you hard right now. So hard I didn’t even get a vacation between jobs. He wants you watched twenty-four-seven.”

First he gives me a lecture, assigns me an impossible Target, stations me in this godforsaken iceberg, and now he’s having me followed? I was really beginning to hate that guy.

“Yeah, well, I don’t want or need a babysitter. So you can just go on and spy on someone else.”

“I don’t take orders from you,” Storm said, his voice going cold.

“You’ll be taking something if I see you creeping around me again.” To prove my point, I shot my hand out toward the darkness where I could see just enough of where he was.

When my hand didn’t go through him, but rather connected, we both froze.

“What the hell?” I muttered. I hadn’t expected that at all. All I was trying to do was scatter around some of the mist that made up his form. It would only annoy him, but it was the only thing that you could really do to a guy with no body. But that was exactly my point. He didn’t have a body…

So how did I just touch him?

“Care to explain how a guy with no body is partially solid?” I asked dryly.

“Nope.”

“Really. I wonder what G.R. would say if he knew he was employing a Ghost Escort who is lacking the actual ghost qualities.”

Another one of those colorful words slipped out and I grinned. This guy was pretty entertaining. “Where’d you learn to cuss like that?”

“I grew up in Brooklyn.”

“I’m from New York, too,” I said, thinking that things from my past just kept coming up tonight.

“Yeah? Well, then you must be good people.”

I was about to make a sarcastic remark, but he started telling me things I wanted to know so I bit back my comments.

“At first, not having a body wasn’t too bad. I mean, without a body, I never really got hungry. I never had to take a bathroom break or worry about taking a shower. I liked watching people when they didn’t know they were being watched—I actually still like that part. You learn a lot about the human population by what they do when no one’s looking.”

He paused and I could feel his gaze, so I nodded. “Go on.”

“But the thing about being a ghost is that no one ever sees you. It’s like you don’t even exist. All my thoughts, my feelings, my opinions… they’re all unheard. Without the mundane things like showering, sleeping, and eating, every day just stretches out before you like a one long endless event. And man, sometimes a dude just wants to eat a slice of pizza.”

“Hear that,” I said, and without thinking I held up my fist for a fist bump. When I realized what I’d done, I went to lower it, but he stopped me by saying, “Wait.”

So I stopped and held my fist in the air.

I watched as a dark shadow, a black shape in the form of a fist came forward and bumped mine. The force of the impact caused some of his form to slip and spread out like smoke, but some of his shape held and I felt the impact.

“Sitting around and watching people all day gets kind of boring. So I started experimenting, seeing if I could figure out a way to make myself solid. It started working. Now when I try, I can hold a cell phone, make a call. Or sometimes if I’m really bored, I can manage to play a game on it for a while. It just started out as something I wanted to see if I could do. I was kind of shocked when it worked… Then it became an obsession. Only, now…” His voice trailed away.

“Now, what?”

“Only now my body doesn’t seem to ever go all the way back to being a ghost. It makes it harder to do my job. Dex saw me. You saw me… If I keep getting caught, word is gonna get back to G.R., and if that happens…”

“You’ll get Recalled.”

“Being a ghost might not be ideal, but it’s better than that.”

“Maybe we can turn this less into a ‘you spy on me’ job and more into a partnership,” I suggested.

“What do you mean?”

“Meaning, I won’t tell G.R. about your, uh, problem and instead of watching me all the time, you can watch the Target and tell me what she says about me when I’m not around. It will give me an edge if I know what she’s thinking, if I know what angle to play.”

“I can get on board that train,” Storm said thoughtfully.

I didn’t point out I wasn’t giving him a choice. “Just don’t get caught. The last thing I need is another person hanging around and messing up my job.”

He snorted. “That blonde is a piece of work, isn’t she?”

Something short of irritation flashed through me. “You’ve been watching Frankie?”

“She’s kind of hard to miss.”

“She’s not part of the job.”

“Seems to me she made herself part of it when she announced to your Target that she was your sister.” He was silent a moment, then laughed. “She told her you’re gay.”

Maybe this “partnership” wasn’t such a good idea. I felt like I was surrounded by idiots.

“I’m not gay,” I growled.

“Hey, dude, it’s cool.”

“Forget it,” I said and turned to walk away. The last thing I needed right now was to be seen having an argument with myself in a darkened corner of the terrace.

“If it makes you feel any better, I’m not sure your Target believed her.”

I swung back around. “Why do you say that?”

“Because right before the blonde came to find you, the Target asked her to have lunch. Then she mentioned she should bring you along.”

Frankie, the little brat, didn’t mention that to me. “Interesting,” I said, feeling suddenly better about tonight. Maybe all the progress I made with the Target hadn’t been lost after all.

“Thanks for the info,” I told Storm.

“Does that mean you won’t say anything to G.R.?”

“No, I won’t. He’s been nothing but a colossal pain in my ass since Dex got around his claim on Piper, so not telling him something he might be interested in is the least I can do to pay him back.”

“Thanks,” Storm said, relieved.

“Don’t thank me just yet. Don’t forget the deal. You keep an eye on my Target.”

“Will do.”

I started to walk away, but then I realized he probably knew something else I needed. “Before I go, I’m gonna need to get an address.”

And just like that, I got what I wanted.

Chapter Ten

“Breakfast - The English word derives from the concept that sleep prevents eating, thus an involuntary fast occurs during sleep; this fast is broken by the first meal.”

Frankie

The incessant knocking on my door far too early the next morning dragged me out of the steamy bathroom and through my chilled apartment. I hated the morning. I hated getting out of bed at some ungodly hour when humans were meant to be sleeping. But noooo, I had to drag my still half-asleep butt into the DMV where the lines never went away and my boss was likely in her office sticking needles in her voodoo dolls that looked exactly like all of us poor unfortunate employees.

And oh happy day, it was also Monday.

The knocking just wouldn’t stop, and it was beginning to give me a headache, so I rushed a little faster toward the door, tripping over the striped rug and almost doing a face plant into the sofa.

“Hold your freakin’ horses, Piper!” I yelled. “Gheesh. I know I didn’t call you back last night—” My words died off midsentence when I flung open the door and saw it was not my best friend trying to give me hell for a missed phone call.

It was Charming.

I slammed the door in his face and headed back to my bathroom where likely all the nice warm steam from my shower had now evaporated and I would have to finish getting ready in a cold room. Perhaps I would ask my boss if she had any extra dolls so I could pretend one was him and stab it repeatedly with a needle.

The door opened and closed behind me and I stopped, pivoted around, and stared at the man who just let himself into my apartment. Damn, I should have thrown the lock. It was just too early to think of such details.

“I’m sorry, but did you not understand the way I slammed the door in your face?” I said coldly. “It means I don’t want you here.”

“Charming place you have here,” he said, ignoring me completely and walking around my house, looking at all of my things.

“Get out,” I said, flat.

He stopped in front of my wall of Marilyn Monroe and stood looking up at her for long moments. “She was even prettier in person,” he said, still staring at one of the posters.

“You met Marilyn Monroe?” I asked, partially in awe.

He shrugged. “We used to run in the same circles.”

I snorted. “I highly doubt she would go anywhere near you.”

He turned and looked at me. “She liked men. Charming ones at that.”

“You are not charming.”

“Your idol thought so.”

The headache that had been forming since the pounding on my door started erupted full force. “It’s far too early to deal with you.” I went to the door, opened it, and then stared at him pointedly.

“Have breakfast with me.”

I looked at him like he had fifteen heads and not one of those fifteen had a brain. “Are you on drugs?”

His white teeth flashed when he smiled. “Get your coat.”

I looked at myself. “I’m still wearing my pajamas.”

He looked at my sleep pants and T-shirt pointedly. “Oh, is that what those are? I can’t tell the difference between your day clothes and these. Both are equally ridiculous.”

My mouth fell open. Then snapped shut. Then fell open again. “What did you just say to me?” I growled.

“Time’s a wasting. Wouldn’t want you to be late for work,” he said, pointing at the insanely expensive watch on his wrist.

Of course even at six a.m. he looked completely put together wearing dark trousers, black shoes, and a navy-colored crewneck sweater (probably cashmere) with a white T-shirt beneath it, and topping it all off was a black wool coat. Even his hair was perfectly styled to look effortlessly messy.

“You’re completely insane if you think I’m going anywhere with you,” I said, still holding the door.

He came over, and just when I thought he’d finally gotten the hint and was taking his sorry butt out the door, he stopped, grabbed the door from my grasp, and slammed it closed.

“We can do this the easy way or we can do it the hard way,” he said softly. There was a dangerous note to his voice. “You can come willingly or I can drag you out of this apartment by that blond hair of yours.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” I seethed.

“Try me.” He glared back.

We stood there glaring daggers at one another until I sighed. “Fine. But you’re buying me a coffee with caramel. And whipped cream.”

He smiled; it wasn’t a pleasant sight.

“Ugh! Put those white teeth away. It’s too early for me to have to see that.”

I swore I heard him laughing when I walked away. I didn’t bother to look back on my way to my closet, but I did yell over my shoulder, “Oh, and I’m going to need a donut! A big one.”

* * *

He took me to the Dunkin Donuts not far from the DMV. He wouldn’t let me drive, saying he knew the minute I got into my Jeep I would speed off into the morning and he didn’t feel like having to hunt me down.

Of course I was angry and hurled insults at him the entire time he was shoving me into his car. But once he shut the door behind me and I sank back against the buttery soft leather of the seat, I decided that maybe riding with him wouldn’t be that bad.

He was driving a Porsche Cayenne, a crossover SUV that I knew probably set him back at least one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. It was white with a butter-colored leather interior and boasted upgrades such as heated seats (in the front and the back), navigation, surround sound, satellite radio, interior ambient light (which was actually rather soothing to my headache), and a freaking heated windshield. I didn’t even know you could heat a windshield.

I stopped checking out everything the minute he opened his door and slid in. The last thing I wanted him to see was that I actually liked his car. Then he might start thinking I liked him. Which was never gonna happen.

“Do me a favor and say nothing,” I said as he turned the car on and the seat warmer began to spread heat throughout my back. I wanted to sigh in pleasure.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved my Jeep and it was great in the snow, but it wasn’t luxurious at all. I mean my windows zipped open and closed. This car was just pure luxury.

To my surprise he actually did as requested. The ride to the Dunkin Donuts was just too short. I actually found myself wishing it were further away so I could sit here longer, in the heat and leather with the soft hum of classical music playing in the background. Even after he parked and climbed out, I sat there, not ready to deal with whatever reason he dragged me out to breakfast.

In truth, I was exhausted. I didn’t get to bed until late because I’d been at that stupid charity ball and it took me an hour to get home. Then I tossed and turned half the night. I kept dreaming he was putting his hands all over me, and his lips… His lips were in places I actually never wanted them to be. So I would wake up frustrated and annoyed only to fall back asleep and have it happen all over again.

I was still committed to ruining his plans and hopefully run him out of Alaska to never be seen again, but I was also hoping for a little space, a little time to get over my embarrassment over how my body responded to him last night.

He opened the car door and leaned in, his face just inches from mine. “Did you plan on getting out?”

“Ugh!” I said, pushing his face away with my hand. “I was trying to avoid you for as long as humanly possible.”

I followed him inside where amazingly the line wasn’t that long. I usually avoided coming inside on the way to work (I opted for the drive-thru) because it was usually insanely busy. I went ahead of him in the line and ordered the biggest caramel coffee they had and one of the giant coffee rolls that looked fresh out of the oven. I didn’t bother to stand with him while he ordered but left him to pay and wandered down the line where an incredibly fast barista handed me my coffee. “Bless you,” I told her.

I took my coffee and went to sit by the window, hoping I could people watch instead of listen to whatever it is he dragged me here for. A few minutes later he came over and dropped a paper sack in front of me, along with several napkins. He sat down and popped the lid off his black coffee (gross) and then unwrapped a sandwich that appeared to be made on wheat toast and consisted of egg whites and ham.

“Are you one of those freaks that counts every calorie they put in their mouth?” I asked as I dug out the giant coffee roll and took a huge bite.

“Clearly, you are not.”

“My breakfast tastes better than yours,” I sang and took another bite.

“Food is fuel. Not… enjoyment.”

I ignored him and savored my sugar.

“When were you going to tell me we were invited to lunch?” he said after a few minutes.

I choked on my coffee. “How did you know about that?”

He gave me one of those looks that would cause lesser, healthy-eating girls, to run away screaming. I just sat there and waited for him to get to the point.

“Call her. Make the date for this week sometime,” he demanded.

“If you think I’m going to help you—” I began, sitting up a little straighter.

“I wouldn’t need your help if you hadn’t involved yourself in my business, befriended my Target, and told her I was gay!” he growled over the rim of his coffee.

“You know what they say,” I told him. “When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Maybe you should take that as your cue and leave.”

“What part of this is my job do you not understand?” he ground out. “Do you think I want to be here in this reject of a place? Do you think I want to be sitting here with you? I don’t have a choice. I do this job or…” His words fell away and I leaned forward.

“Or what?”

“Are you finished?” he asked, looking around at a few of the other tables. Apparently we were drawing an audience.

“Yeah,” I said, dropping my half-eaten donut in the sack and rolling down the top. I stood up and grabbed my coffee and the bag while he threw everything away except for his coffee, which now had its lid.

I followed him out of the shop and sank back into the leather of his Porsche. The seats were still warm.

He turned on the engine but didn’t put the care into drive. He just sat there staring out over the dashboard. “Make the date or I’ll kill you.”

“You will not.” I rolled my eyes.

He turned hard, cold green eyes on me and stared me down. I stared back, refusing to buckle under the pressure of his threat.

“All it would take,” he said softly, “is one little call to the Grim Reaper himself. All I would have to do is tell him that you were getting in my way and I wouldn’t have to kill you. I think you know once the Reaper makes a claim, there’s no going back.”

I thought about Piper. I thought about the price she would pay if he actually made good on his threat and sent the Reaper after me.

“I can’t do it until Saturday. I only get an hour for lunch during the week.”

“Good. Make it a weekday. Then you won’t have to stay the entire time.”

“Fine. Now take me to work. I can’t stand to be in your presence any longer.” I felt defeated, in over my head, and it was barely eight a.m. I didn’t even feel like hurling insults at him anymore; it was all just too much for the moment.

He didn’t say anything the rest of the drive and when he pulled up to my building, I climbed out of the car, not even caring I was early (usually, I liked to be there right at eight so I didn’t have to spend any extra time here).

He grabbed my arm, stopping me from getting out completely. “Make the call today, Frankie. I’ll be checking in to see that you did.”

I jerked my arm free and got out of the car, slamming the door behind me. I didn’t look back but went straight inside and to my spot behind the counters. It was only then I realized I left my coffee and the rest of my breakfast in his car.

I sighed.

Headache + Charming - Sugar = one very bad day.

Chapter Eleven

“Haunted - to come to the mind of continually; obsess.”

Charming

I dreamt about her last night. I heard her voice calling my name. I heard her laughter and then I heard her cry. I pushed the covers off before daybreak and the air was still frigid due to lack of the sun. I went to make coffee, thinking the brew would help chase away my thoughts (and yeah, maybe the brandy I was going to pour in), but I found myself staring at the coffee maker and wondering what she would have thought about all these modern day appliances.

I couldn’t stay here. I couldn’t be alone. The minute I left Storm last night and climbed into my Porsche, I’d thought of little else other than her. I needed a distraction. A face to look at other than the one that haunted me.

I pulled up the address on my phone, got dressed, and drove to her apartment. I knew she would be pissed; I was actually looking forward to her hideous attitude and screechy voice. Anything to drown out my own memories.

Her apartment had been a little bit of a surprise. It wasn’t gaudy and over the top like I thought it would be. It was almost classy. And the posters of Marilyn Monroe reminded me of old Hollywood. She, however, had been over the top.

She pushed me so far with her attitude that I threatened her with G.R.’s wrath. That was the first time I ever threatened to sic him on someone. Usually I fought my own fights. She just knew how to push all my buttons and piss me off like no one else could.

Still, the way she climbed out of my car, without looking back, leaving her precious sugar behind, had made me feel… bad.

I told myself it was because of who I thought I’d seen last night. The reason I was feeling things. The reason I was so on edge.

So now instead of being haunted by one woman, I was being haunted by two.

I wasn’t good with idle time to fill. I was used to working… on pursuing a Target, a job, until it was complete. But this one was different. I couldn’t pursue the senator’s daughter like I would any other woman. I had to wait. I had to be patient. Building up trust wasn’t something I could do overnight.

I went to a gym in the bad part of town. Pulled my Porsche into the alley next to the entrance. There was a bum sitting near the dumpster, reading a tattered paper. He eyed my car and my clothes when I got out.

I fished a couple twenties from my pocket and extended them to him. “Watch my car. Don’t let anyone touch it. If you have problems, come get me. If it’s still here and undamaged when I come out, I’ll give you two hundred bucks.”

He eyed the cash in my hand.

“This now. Two hundred after. Got me?”

He nodded and took the cash.

I went toward the back door.

“You know there are better gyms on the other side of town. Gyms for your kind of folk,” he said.

“Yeah,” I replied and went through the door.

There were better gyms. But he was wrong about my kind of folk. I might look the part of a high-society man. I might have the money and the connections. But deep down beneath it all… I was a fighter.

The gym was one large square and smelled like no one had cleaned it since it was built. I walked past the free weights, the heavy bags hanging from the ceiling, and the many jump ropes hanging on the wall and into the tiny locker room where I kept a locker. I undid the lock and pulled out my gym clothes, stripping away the high-society man and putting on the one I was born as. When my wifebeater, shorts, and shoes were on, I went out to the ring.

There was a guy there, a little bigger than me, and I made eye contact with him. We both laced up some gloves and got in the ring.

I didn’t hold back. The mood I was in wouldn’t have allowed me to anyway. Even after all these years, after all the bodies I’d been through, I still remembered how to box. There wasn’t anything like it. Just two guys and their fists. Back in my days of boxing, I used to think that sheer will was what won fights. I still believed that. But I also learned that those who didn’t have enough will to win cheated.

I took a glove to the eye, felt the skin around it split and the warm trickle of blood down my face. The cut stung instantly because my salty sweat mixed in with the blood. The guy that hit me backed off, figuring I would get out of the ring.

I wasn’t getting out of the ring.

I sprang forward and delivered a series of rapid hits that had him shaking his head to clear his vision. I pounced again, dropping him to the mat but still punching, still delivering blows. It took two guys to pull me off. It wasn’t until they literally tossed me out of the ring that I snapped back to reality. I stood up, wiping at the blood on my face and peering into the ring.

The guy was unconscious. He had a split lip and it looked like a broken nose. The way he lay so still, I wondered if he was dead. Is that what I looked like the night I died? Was I that still and pale with blood on my face?

I realized the room was entirely too quiet. I glanced around. People were staring. Everyone was staring. Except for the men who were bent over the man I pummeled.

I hadn’t been trying to kill him. I was just trying to forget.

And then I realized if he were dead, I would have broken yet another one of G.R.’s rules: kill no one but a Target.

I’d gotten away with it once… many years ago. Something else I really didn’t want to remember. Afterward I’d walked around in a state of panic thinking G.R. would find out and Recall me. But he never did.

I didn’t think I would get that lucky twice.

The man in the ring moaned and relief poured through me. He wasn’t dead. It wasn’t really that I valued his life so much—I had no value for life at all.

I just didn’t want to make this job any harder than it already was.

Chapter Twelve

“Bandage - a strip of material such as gauze used to protect, immobilize, compress, or support a wound or injured body part.”

Frankie

The best part about today? It was almost over. The lines at the DMV today had been longer and more hellacious than usual. Or maybe my mood was just more hellacious that usual. Starting my day with a demanding, self-important moron banging on my door at the crack of dawn just set me off on the wrong path.

On my way out the door, I rummaged through my endless bag of things I might need but never actually used, searching for my keys. When I couldn’t find them, a little tingle of panic shot through me, the kind of panic I always felt when I thought I lost something important.

Except I didn’t lose my keys.

I didn’t have them because I didn’t drive to work today.

“Ugh!” I burst out, stomping my foot on the pavement, and turned to go back into the building. A flash of red caught my eye. I did a double take over my shoulder and sure enough, my Jeep was sitting in the parking lot.

I had no idea how it got there, but I wasn’t about to complain. Now I didn’t have to call a cab. I hurried over to the driver’s side and opened the door; my keys were in the ignition.

Charming had to have done this. He’s the only one that knew I hadn’t driven to work. He’s also the only idiot I knew that would park my Jeep in the parking lot and leave the keys in the ignition.

“Well, I guess that’s better than him actually walking inside. Then I would’ve had to see him again,” I said out loud, disgust lacing my tone.

“Are you referring to me?” someone said from the back seat.

“Agh!” I practically fell out of the Jeep as I was climbing in.

“What are you doing?” I demanded, swinging my purse behind me to whack him on the leg.

He dodged the blow and sat up. “Well, I’ll tell you what I’m not doing and that’s being comfortable. The back seat in this thing is worse than a Porta Potty on a hot day.”

I snorted. “Like you ever use a Porta Potty.”

“I brought your Jeep here because I knew you didn’t have a way home. I was trying to be nice.”

“Please. You aren’t nice. What do you want?”

“Can we go now?” he asked, sitting up from his reclined position. “I left my car at your apartment.”

I turned around to glare at him, but my glare fell away. “What happened to your face?”

“Nothing.”

It wasn’t nothing. He had an angry red gash on his eye that was starting to blacken. “You need to put some ice on that.”

“I’ll do that. Just as soon as I get out of this torture chamber.”

I started up the Jeep and pulled out of the parking lot. “Let me guess, you treated someone else to your winning personality and they punched you in the face?”

He grunted but otherwise said nothing else.

At my apartment, I pulled up behind his Porsche and parked, moving the seat so he could climb out of the back. I started to walk away but then stopped. “Thanks for bringing my Jeep. The cabs around here take forever.”

“Did you make that phone call yet?”

Ahh, and there it was. The real reason he brought my Jeep. It was just an excuse to check up on me.

I sighed. “No.”

“I’m not leaving until you make the call.”

“Fine. Come upstairs. I’ll call her inside.”

At my door, I used my keys to unlock it and let us in, pausing once the door was open. “You left the door unlocked this morning when we left.”

“You locked it when you left, then?”

He nodded. “Leaving your doors unlocked isn’t safe.”

I almost made a quip about him not caring about whether or not I was safe, but I didn’t bother. I was tired.

He sat down in the nearby club chair and dabbed at his eye.

I went in the kitchen and grabbed an icepack and towel. “Here,” I said, jabbing it in front of his face. “That looks like it hurts.”

“I’ve had worse.”

I leaned in and looked at it. It was still oozing. “Did you even clean it?”

“I rinsed it out. You gonna make that call?” he asked, holding the ice up to his face. He didn’t even wince when the pack made contact with his wound.

I grabbed up my phone and dialed Rosalyn’s number. I was aware of Charming’s brooding stare as the phone rang. Rosalyn answered on the third ring.

“Hello?” Her voice was a little questioning, probably because my number was new.

“Hi, Rosalyn. This is Frankie. We met the other night…”

“Oh, yes! How are you?”

“I’m great. How are you?”

“Nothing wrong that a greasy slice of pizza can’t fix.”

I laughed. “I don’t think there is anything pizza can’t fix.”

“Hey, you wouldn’t want to grab some in a bit would you?”

“Oh. Well…” Charming appeared next to me and nodded. “I’m just getting off work—” Before I could finish my sentence, he snatched the phone out of my hand.

“Rosalyn,” he purred into the line. “This is Charming. We met the other night.” He grinned at whatever she was saying. “Yes, I’m here with Frankie. She was having some car trouble so I picked her up from work.”

I wondered if he would like a gash on his left eye to match the one on his right.

“Pizza?” he was saying. “Sure, we’d love to.” His eyes slid to mine and he smirked. I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a soda out of the fridge and sat down at the table. This day just kept on getting better.

A few minutes later he pulled out a chair across from me and sat down. “Hope you like pizza, sister dear, because we have plans.”

“Can’t you just tell her I’m sick?”

He shook his head. “Nope.”

“I don’t want to go.”

“Too bad. You’re the one who told her we were related. Then you told her I was gay. You’re going to come tonight and tell her I’m not. That you were just being an overprotective sister and didn’t want your only brother to get hurt.”

“And why would I do that?”

“Because once she knows I’m not gay, I can start dating her and then I won’t have to use my ‘sister’ as an excuse to see her.”

Well, at least then I wouldn’t have to see him every five minutes. Maybe once he wasn’t watching my every move, I could actually come up with a plan to get rid of him.

I got up and pulled out a small first-aid kit near the sink and returned to the table, pulling my chair directly in front of his. “At least let me clean up that eye. I don’t want to have to look at it while I’m eating.”

When he didn’t protest or make some nasty comment, I tore open a small cleansing wipe and reached up to dab at the corner of his eye. I expected him to wince or suck in a breath, but he didn’t do either. He just sat there staring at me without blinking as I worked.

“It really does look like someone punched you.”

He grunted.

“Was that a yes?”

“It was a ‘you should have seen the other guy.’”

I paused, wondering if he was being serious and deciding I really didn’t want to know, then finished dabbing at the cut and dropped the wipe on the table. “So, the other night… when I was in your apartment—”

“You mean the night you broke into my house?” he interrupted.

“Yeah, that one.” I said, opening up a butterfly bandage and reaching for the antibiotic cream. “You moved really fast. How’d you do that?”

I dabbed a little ointment around the edges of the cut. His shoulder’s tightened, but he made no other acknowledgement about my movements.

“It’s one of my abilities.”

“Moving fast?”

“Sort of. It’s called kinetic absorption. It’s the ability to absorb energy from other people and things around me. My body then can use the extra power by converting it to extra strength, super speed, or even sometimes using it to create power blasts.”

“Like from your hands?” I asked, forgetting I was cleaning his eye and just sitting there listening to him.

He nodded.

“Wow. I never heard of that before.” It might even be unbelievable if I hadn’t seen him do it. Or if I didn’t know the Grim Reaper existed.

“So is that all you can do?”

“I have super hearing too.”

“So that’s how you knew I was in the house.”

He shook his head. “The energy level in the house changed. You have lots of energy.”

I glared at him. “You used my energy that night?”

He shrugged.

“But I didn’t feel tired.”

“It doesn’t work that way. I take the extra energy; I don’t suck all of yours away.”

“Oh.” I picked up the bandage.

“Actually, that ability pretty much is the only one I have beyond the hearing. But it allows me to do a lot. It pretty much turns me into a super-powered human.”

“Human is debatable,” I muttered.

His shoulders began to shake with his laugh.

“Hold still,” I commanded and leaned closer to apply the bandage.

He smelled good. Like really expensive cologne. I knew it was expensive because all the cheap ones were overpowering; they smelled too strong. But this one wasn’t like that. It was light and clean with just a hint of spice.

I cleared my throat and sat back. “It’s actually not that bad. The cut, I mean. Those kinds of things always look worse than they are. The swelling will probably be gone in the morning.”

I began gathering up the supplies and wrappers. When I turned from the trashcan, he was inches from me. I gasped. “Just because you can move that fast and apparently silently doesn’t mean you should.”

“Frankie,” he said. He leaned down close, so close I could see the different shades of green that all worked together to create the vibrant shade that made up his eyes. I swallowed; my stupid heart began to race with his closeness.

“What?”

“Don’t forget what you’re supposed to do tonight. At dinner.”

I made a sound of disgust and shoved him away. I swear he laughed beneath his breath. “Oh, I won’t forget.” I promised, leaving the room.

At this point I would tell her anything he wanted just so I could get a little space.

Chapter Thirteen

“Fiber - the parts of grains, fruits, and vegetables that contain cellulose and are not digested by the body. Fiber helps the intestines absorb water, which increases the bulk of the stool and causes it to move more quickly through the colon.”

Charming

We met at a small local pizza place that specialized in wood-fired pizza. Frankie refused to ride with me and I wasn’t going to argue. I had enough of her already to last me an entire lifetime.

I don’t know what I’d been thinking telling her about my abilities. Talk about giving away the home court advantage. One minute she was putting that shit that burned like hell on my face and the next I was answering her questions without even thinking about it.

It had to be the head injury.

It was making me behave foolishly.

But after tonight I wouldn’t have to see her as much. My sister could just be a topic of conversation between the Target and me while we were out on dates. I wasn’t fool enough to think that the minute I announced I wasn’t actually gay she would jump into my wholly available and waiting arms.

I had no doubt that her people would be running background check after background check on me. It didn’t matter. They wouldn’t find anything other than what I wanted them to see. To her I was just a businessman who worked in real estate and property development. I went to an Ivy League college and worked my way up to the self-made millionaire that I was today. I was divorced (because a guy like me would have to be damaged goods to never have been married before) and I had no kids.

In fact, on paper I looked like the perfect guy for a senator’s daughter to date. I would even look good in the family photo.

It was going to be tricky to insert myself in her life so quickly, but I knew I could do it. The key was to move slowly at first, gain her trust, pass all the checks they wanted to do, and appear uninterested in the fact that she was a senator’s daughter and worth a lot of money.

Acting uninterested in her money wouldn’t be hard at all. They would never know it, but I had way more money that she would ever have.

I parked my car in a spot in the back of the lot beneath a streetlight and cut the engine. I sat there and watched as Frankie pulled in and parked that tin can of a Jeep on the other side of the lot. That thing was hideous. It had vinyl seats a basic interior.

I frowned.

It probably wasn’t safe at all.

I shook off the stray thought (I wasn’t hit that hard, but my brain sure was acting scrambled) and got back to business. The hardest thing about this job was going to be acting interested in the Target. She was attractive and I was sure she was well educated and all, but she wasn’t my type. She was one of those girls that people built a glass house around because everyone thought she was important. She probably never had an ounce of fun because of the duties that had been bestowed upon her just because her father chose the career he did.

Maybe that was it. Maybe the key to getting to her heart fast wasn’t romance. Maybe it was fun. Excitement. Maybe I should break down that glass house and show her what life on the outside was all about.

I sighed. I didn’t really know what life was about either. All I did was plot and kill.

I watched Frankie walk across the parking lot. She was wearing a pair of loose-fitting black cotton pants and a pair of heels. The red pea coat she wore flared out around her waist and swung around as she stepped. She would know all about how to have fun. Like I told her before, she was brimming with energy.

But I wasn’t going to involve her any more than necessary. Not like she would cooperate anyway. She was more stubborn than a mule’s ass.

A black BMW pulled into the lot and parked in the row right in front of me. I caught a flash of long dark hair and knew it was the Target. Time to get to work.

I waited until she pushed open her door, and then got out of my car, pressing the lock button on my key fob. The SUV beeped and just like I hoped, she looked over her shoulder at me.

I smiled and held up my hand. “Fancy meeting you here.”

“Charming, glad you could make it.” Her eyes swept over me quickly and then settled on my face, or rather the injury that was unnoticeable.

“What on earth happened to you?” she asked just as I fell into step beside her.

“I was at the grocery store earlier and I saw this little old lady trying to reach onto the top shelf for the last box of cereal. I reached up to get it for her and would you believe she thought I was taking it for myself and she clobbered me.”

She laughed. “Actually, I don’t believe that.”

I shook my head. “I had no idea how serious old people were about their fiber.”

She laughed again as we approached the entrance. I stepped ahead to pull open the door and hold it for her. The scent of wood-fired pizza and bread wafted out onto the sidewalk.

“That smells so good,” she said.

We stepped in and my eyes found Frankie immediately. She was sitting in a booth toward the back. She saw us and waved.

When we arrived at the table, the Target slid into the booth, opposite of Frankie, and I wasn’t sure what she would think if I slid in next to her so I gave Frankie a light shove and sat down beside her.

“So that’s your story, huh?” the Target asked, picking up her menu. “Black eye by old lady?”

Frankie gave me a look.

I smiled sheepishly at the Target. “Actually, no. I was at the gym earlier. I do some boxing and some guy got in a lucky shot.”

“You box?” Frankie said, surprised.

“Been boxing since I was a kid. You know that,” I told her. She was a lousy con.

“Right. Sorry. I didn’t realize you still did it.”

I nodded. “When work allows me to get away.”

“Oh, I know how that is. I was in meetings all day.”

“What do you do, Rosalyn?” Frankie asked.

“Mostly I just head up some of my father’s foundations and causes. I wanted to go to law school, but my father needed me.” She shrugged.

“Not me. I hated school. College sounded like torture. Of course, now I’m stuck in a job that’s like torture so I guess I traded one for the other.”

“There has to be something you want to do that wouldn’t be torture. What is it?”

I knew I should interrupt their conversation, swing it in my favor, captivate the Target’s attention, but I kind of wanted to hear the answer.

Frankie’s cheeks turned pink. “I kind of like to bake.”

I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. I should have known it involved sugar.

“Yum, what’s your favorite thing to make?”

“Cupcakes,” she replied. “But it’s just a hobby.”

“Have you ever been to the Iced Princess?” Rosalyn asked.

Frankie’s eyes lit up. “That is my favorite place ever.”

“What’s the Iced Princess?” I asked.

“This ultra-fabulous cupcakery about an hour or so away.”

Frankie nodded. “There’s nowhere else like it.”

The two ladies launched into some discussion about cupcakes and pink and I totally tuned out. I was about to change the subject when someone walked in front of the window by our table.

All the air in my lungs seemed to disappear.

It was the same girl from the other night. From the charity ball.

Long blond hair, willowy figure. She was alone, her hands stuffed into a royal-blue coat. As I watched, she stopped walking, directly in front of our window and pulled a beeping phone out of her pocket. She glanced at the screen and smiled—I knew that smile—and glanced up.

Our eyes connected.

Hers were green.

My body jerked like it had been shocked and my mouth went bone dry.

The woman turned away and started walking again. I craned my neck to watch her until she disappeared from sight.

“Charming, are you okay?” Frankie was looking at me with a funny look on her face.

I cleared my throat, glancing at her hand, which was resting on my forearm. The Target was watching me as well. “I’m fine. I thought I recognized that woman, but then I realized I was wrong.”

“Some people just have those faces,” the Target was saying. “You know the kind that everyone thinks they know.”

Frankie agreed with her and removed her hand from my arm. I kind of wished she’d left it there another moment. It made me feel grounded. That looked just like her.

It wasn’t. And I wasn’t going to do this. Not now. Not here. I finally had my chance to get in with the Target and I wasn’t going to let anything blow it for me.

The waiter came around and took out orders and then came back with drinks all around. After that I tried to keep the conversation about the Target, figuring it wouldn’t hurt to appear interested but also maybe learn something about her that could be useful.

Frankie kept butting her big mouth in to talk about shoes, celebrities, and TV shows.

“Speaking of clothes,” Rosalyn said, turning away from me to look directly at Frankie. “I loved the gown you were wearing at the ball. Where did you get it?”

“Oh, there is this great little vintage shop downtown. Not many people know about it.”

“We should go!” the Target exclaimed.

The two made plans to go shopping that weekend and I couldn’t help but feel like Frankie was trying to move in on my Target.

When Rosalyn got up to use the ladies room, I leaned in close. “Quit being nice,” I growled in her ear.

She made a face. “Not everyone has the disposition of a turd like you do.”

“When she comes back to the table, we’re going to tell her that I am not gay. You’re going to play the worried sister.”

“And if I don’t?” she challenged.

“I’m going to show up at your apartment every day at six a.m. and pound on your door.”

Her eyes narrowed.

Rosalyn slid back into the booth. “Hey, so what did I miss?”

We both looked up and smiled. “Actually, Frankie here had something she wanted to tell you.”

The Target turned to Frankie.

Just then the waiter appeared with our pizzas. Talk about the worst timing ever. He handed out the food and then picked up a pitcher of water to refill our glasses.

As he reached for my glass, someone bumped him from behind and about half the pitcher went pouring into my lap.

I jerked up immediately, brushing the ice and water off my pants. But it didn’t matter. They were soaked.

Frankie sat there and giggled while Rosalyn handed me her napkin, her lips twitching.

“Very funny,” I said, trying to control my temper and not verbally assault the waiter who stood there staring at me open mouthed.

“Oh, dude, I am so sorry. I must have slipped,” he said. Dude? What kind of talk was that for a waiter to use?

“Don’t worry about it,” I said, then excused myself and went to the men’s room where I would, oh, I don’t know, punch something.

As soon as I went into the bathroom, the door burst open behind me. I turned around to see the waiter drag the huge trashcan in front of the door.

What the hell?

“Ah, man you should have seen the look on your face!” he said.

“What?”

“Sorry about your pants,” he said, looking down at the huge stain that made it look like I peed myself. A laugh slipped from between his lips. “Dex would have loved to see that.”

Dex? How did he know about Dex?

“It’s me, man. Storm.”

“Storm?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I really needed to talk to you and I didn’t know how else to get your attention in the middle of the restaurant.”

“You have a body now?” I asked, trying to understand. “And why don’t you have a black ring around yourself?”

“I don’t have a body, so I borrowed this one.”

“You borrowed a body?”

“Yeah. It’s ah… something else I’m not supposed to be doing.”

So he was able to get into other people’s bodies and control them? That was really scary… but also really cool. “If you ever get in my body, I will kill you.”

He snorted. “Being in your body would hurt too much anyway. I have a feeling you take up every last inch of real estate you got inside there.”

“What?”

“It can get kind of crowded, you know? Two souls instead of one. The bigger the soul, the more painful it is.”

“Does it hurt now?”

“Not much. This guy’s not too bright.”

“You are so going to owe me for keeping all this to myself.”

“That’s why I’m here,” he explained. “I know you’re getting ready to tell your Target you aren’t gay. You shouldn’t do that.”

“What? Why?” Telling the Target I was gay was exactly what I needed to do.

“I’ve been watching her like you said. Turns out she just went through a bad breakup. I heard her telling her friend she didn’t want to date anyone.”

Great. Could this job get any worse?

“So if you stay gay, you won’t be a threat, you know? She won’t have to worry about you hitting on her all the time.”

“We could be friends?” I said, trying to work it out in my mind. I was so used to dating the Targets I never really tried to be their friend.

“Exactly. Her very gay, nonthreatening, and unavailable friend.”

It wasn’t a bad idea. I was already unenthusiastic about trying to romance her anyway. At least this way I would only have to pretend to like her as a friend.

“Are you sure about this?” I asked.

He made a face like he was uncomfortable and shifted. “Yeah, I’m sure.” He shifted again. “Oh, and I heard her making plans today for some fundraiser. The person who was helping her put it together bailed. You should offer to help.”

I liked it. “Okay, I will. Thanks, man.”

“Sure thing. Now I gotta get out of here, drop this body. He’s starting to get annoyed.”

“Where are you going to do that?” I asked, still amazed he could take over someone’s body.

“Probably outside behind the building. If he doesn’t come back to refill your water anytime soon, it’s because he’s still waking up.”

“You mean that puts them to sleep?”

“Yeah, kind of. It wears off fast though.”

I glanced toward the door. I needed to get back out there. “I’ll talk to you later,” I said as he pushed the trashcan away from the door.

We both exited the bathroom, him going in one direction and me in the other. I wasn’t looking forward to sitting around with wet pants the rest of the night, but I couldn’t leave. I had too much to accomplish. My plans had changed. I was no longer going to try and date the Target. Instead, I was going to be the fun, gay friend who offers to help organize fundraisers.

This might actually work out better than I originally hoped.

Frankie and Rosalyn were laughing when I rejoined them at the table. “Ladies, sorry about that.”

“You look like you peed yourself,” Frankie said.

“My sister, the joker,” I said, trying to sound affectionate, and pulled on a strand of her hair. She looked at me like I lost my mind.

Maybe I had.

“So what did you want to tell me before?” the Target said.

For once I was thankful Frankie didn’t do what I told her to do.

I put my hand under the table on her thigh and squeezed. “Actually, I should be the one to tell you. After all, I was the one embarrassed.”

“Embarrassed about what?”

“My sister told me that she confided my secret to you.”

“Your secret?” she asked. A second ticked by and realization dawned in her eyes. “So it’s true. You’re gay?”

I squeezed Frankie’s thigh again just to be sure she got the message. I nodded. “Yes, it’s true. I don’t normally go around telling everyone, though. I know it can make some people uncomfortable.”

“Oh.” Understanding came into her eyes and she reached her hand across the table for the one that was lying next to my plate. “I assure you it doesn’t make me uncomfortable in the least. And for anyone that it does… who needs them anyway?”

I smiled and released Frankie’s thigh. I could feel her questioning gaze on my face, but I ignored her and focused on the Target. “I’m relieved to hear you say that. A guy can never have too many friends.”

She smiled. “Absolutely.”

Score.

After a few minutes of small talk, I mentioned I was looking for a few charities and fundraising organizations to get involved with to help me and my business get established in the community since I was fairly new in town.

What a surprise that the Target needed help with one she was planning.

Score again.

I was feeling quite pleased with myself when dinner came to an end. I was also feeling confident that this job might not be as hard as I originally thought.

On the way out of the restaurant, Frankie leaned in close and hissed, “What are you up to?”

I just smiled and continued on my merry way.

It was none of her damn business.

Chapter Fourteen

“Question – an expression of inquiry that invites or calls for a reply.”

Frankie

I went shopping with Rosalyn. She called me about a week after our pizza dinner and asked me to take her to that vintage store I told her about. I almost said no, but I hadn’t seen Charming either since that night; he was being quiet. Too quiet. I wanted to know what he was up to.

So I said yes and we went shopping. It was actually really fun. Until she started talking about Charming. Apparently, the reason he’d been leaving me alone was because he was devoting all his time to annoying her. Only she didn’t think he was annoying. She liked him. At one point she actually sighed and wished he wasn’t gay.

I actually threw up in my mouth when she said that.

But then she went on about how sweet and fun he was. About how he took her to the local ice arena to go ice-skating and then they went to a fondue restaurant for chocolate.

I had to act all happy and make noises about how fabulous my brother was. I could have spoken up and admitted to all my lies right then and made him look bad. But I would have made myself look bad too. I didn’t want to look bad to her; I liked her.

Ahhh, the tangled web I weaved.

But the worst part? The fact that he ate sugar. That’s right, he who said food was merely fuel. It made me so angry my stomach began to churn. But when I went into the fitting room and looked in the mirror, I saw it.

It was right there in my eyes.

I wasn’t angry about the stupid chocolate.

I was jealous.

And now here I was two hours after our shopping trip and I was still driving around trying to figure out why I had that look in my eye. How could I possibly be jealous about Rosalyn spending time with someone who literally wanted to kill her?

My mind was swirling; it felt like I was on the Internet with about twenty different tabs open and running all at once. And about seventeen of those tabs all had something to do with a positively hideous man with really striking green eyes.

Why, oh why were all the best-looking guys the ones who were the worst kind of trouble?

Frankie, I told myself, what you need to do is forget about him and go back to the original plan. Meet a doctor. A rich one who is average looking. Get married. Be spoiled.

Yep, that was my plan. Had been my plan since before I graduated high school and decided I would rather eat glass than go to college. My parents didn’t like that idea and I quickly became the world’s worst daughter. So I moved across the state to put my plan into action. Funny, I hadn’t thought about my plan much lately. And now that I was, those plans seemed… unappealing.

“Oh no,” I scolded myself and turned the Jeep in the opposite direction from home. “Don’t even go there.” This kind of thoughts called for a special kind of sugar. And I needed it before my brain joined sides with my body. The next thing I knew, I would be giggling like a vapid airhead and hanging on Charming’s every word.

Not. Going. To. Happen.

I turned the radio up too loud, hoping to drown out my thoughts, and drove to the Iced Princess. When I got there, the girl inside was just locking the doors and flipping over the closed sign. Figures I would be too late. At least I could still raid the vending machine.

I turned off the engine and sat there in the quiet, leaning my head back against the seat. I stared out through the windshield at the girl behind the counter. She was wiping everything down and taking all the days’ leftover cupcakes out of the display case in the front. I could tell she had the music turned up by the way she moved to the beat.

She looked happy. Like she didn’t have a care in the world and wasn’t in a very big hurry to get home. By the time my shift was over at the DMV, I wanted to run screaming from the building every day. It must be nice to be able to do something you love every day.

I sighed and leaned down to pull my wallet out of my bag, getting ready to raid the cupcake machine. When I sat back up and turned toward the window, there was someone standing there, watching me.

I screamed and my wallet flew out of my hands and onto the floor by my feet.

“Geeze!” I cried, putting my hands to my racing heart. “You about scared me to death!”

He smirked.

I rolled my eyes and popped open the door, hitting him with it. “What are you even doing here?” I said, ignoring his grunt of pain. “Are you stalking me now?”

“I’m not a stalker.”

“Right. Because that’s so much more offensive than your actual line of work.” I had to practically climb under my front seat to get my wallet. I swear it was trying to hide from him.

When I finally found it and pulled myself out, I nearly slammed into him. In my attempt not to touch him, I stumbled backward and he reached out and caught my arm, steadying me.

I glanced up, my eyes connecting with his. They were slightly heavy lidded. “Oh my gosh!” I said, pulling my arm free. “You were totally checking out my ass.”

He smirked.

I suddenly felt like I was standing too close to a flame. Heat seared my skin. I made a rude noise and left him standing there while I headed across the parking lot toward the cupcake machine. Clearly my body was still malfunctioning where he was concerned. I would have thought the time I spent away from him would have helped. Judging from the way I felt right now, it hadn’t helped at all.

Unfortunately, he followed.

“What is that thing?” he asked when I stuck my card in the slot and pushed a button.

“It has cupcakes inside.”

“Why not just go into the bakery?”

“They’re closed,” I said. “I never make it here before they close,” I muttered.

The next thing I knew he was knocking on the glass door and the girl inside pulled it open. “I’m sorry, we’re already closed,” she said.

He gave her that megawatt smiled of his and ran his hand through his hair. “Yeah, I see that. I know you’re probably busy cleaning up, but do you think we could come in just for a few minutes? I’ll pay double for whatever you have left over from the day and take it all off your hands.”

“That’s like fifty cupcakes,” the girl said.

He smiled again. “My sister here”—he motioned to me and I wanted to smack him—“had a really rough day.” He leaned in close to her and whispered, “Man troubles. I think fifty cupcakes should make her feel better.”

The girl’s eyes slid to me. “That’s your sister?” Then she looked back at him, eyeing his designer coat and good looks all over again. “You’re so sweet to do that for her.” And then she was holding open the door and we were being invited inside.

Really.

He just charmed his way inside my favorite cupcake shop.

Of course I went inside. I was getting free cupcakes out of this.

Before I knew it, we were sitting at the table by the window with two coffees and a huge pink box filled with cupcakes in front of us.

“I hate you,” I told him around a bite of a sinfully good chocolate cake. “But I love these.”

He smiled. This smile wasn’t the kind filled with ego. It was a nice smile.

“Aren’t you going to eat one?” I asked him, setting it down and picking up my bright-pink cup filled with coffee. Somehow he managed to get his coffee in a plain white cup. I didn’t even know they had those here.

He shook his head. “I’ll leave the sugar consumption to you.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing.”

“Maybe not,” he said, watching me. I swear his pupils dilated when I poked my tongue out to lick away some frosting from my lips.

I took another bite, purposely leaving frosting behind, and then used my tongue once again to get it.

His eyes narrowed. “Are you doing that on purpose?”

“What?” I asked innocently while inside I did a little happy dance. It thrilled me to no end to know he wasn’t as unaffected by me as I previously thought. I felt less horrified by the way my body reacted to him.

“What kind of game are you trying to play, love?” he asked, leaning over the table and lowering his voice. Desire spiked within me.

I swallowed, knowing if I tried to make some smart reply, I would only end up babbling or making a fool out of myself. I looked at him, telling myself there was a lot more to him than a pair of green eyes and a sexy body.

It worked.

I sat back in my chair and set down the treat. “Can I ask you something?”

His eyes widened a little when he realized I wasn’t going to be falling all over him like the girl behind the counter.

“What?” he asked warily.

“Is it hard?” I began. “You know… what you do?”

His face and eyes seemed to close up. That little peak of genuineness I saw in his smile earlier completely disappeared. “I’ve been doing my job for a very long time.”

“How long?” I asked, remembering the time he said he knew Marilyn Monroe.

“Ninety or so years.”

Surprise had me sitting up a little straighter. I hadn’t really expected him to answer and I sure as sugar didn’t expect that amount of time.

“Ninety years,” I whispered to myself. Then I looked back up at him. “So, that body… your body… that’s not yours?”

“It’s mine, has been for a while. But it wasn’t my first one.”

Wow. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to wake up one day in a completely different body. Seems like it would be hard to know who you were.

I cleared my throat, wanting to get back to my original question. It was one of the thoughts that sent me here tonight, one of the thoughts that seemed to eat away at me.

“So is it?”

“Is it what?” he asked, picking up his coffee.

He knew what I was asking. Was he avoiding the question?

“Is it hard to kill people?” I lowered my voice, leaning in.

“No.”

Just like that.

I didn’t believe him. A man couldn’t kill for over ninety years and it never bother him. That just wasn’t natural… It wasn’t human. “I don’t believe you.”

His eyes snapped to my face and he set his coffee between us on the table. “Believe it. Killing isn’t as hard as you think. Most of the time it’s over in seconds, before the person even knows what’s happening. It’s not something I drag out.”

It’s not something I drag out. His statement was more telling than he realized. It was like he was saying he did it quickly to get it over with because it was something he didn’t enjoy.

“But what about the ones like Rosalyn?” I said, my stomach tightening at her name. “The ones you have to spend time with, the ones you get to know. Doesn’t it bother you then? Don’t you feel bad for all the things—all the life—you’re robbing from them?”

“It’s getting to you,” he said softly.

“What?”

“You’ve gone out to lunch and off shopping. You’ve inserted yourself into her life. You’ve made her your friend. And now you feel guilty.”

It didn’t surprise me that he knew I spent a little time with her on my own. I shrugged and picked at the top of a cupcake. “Why don’t you?”

He leaned forward even farther, a snarl curling his lips. “She isn’t my friend. Yes, I smile and make jokes, I pretend to listen to the words that fall from her lips, but I’m not really hearing. She’s not a person to me. She’s a job. A means to an end. It’s her or me.”

“She’s a person,” I said, not knowing what to feel or think about his words.

He shook his head. “She’s an assignment and if I don’t finish my assignment then I’m the one who gets Recalled. Death isn’t a place for a girl like you,” he said, his words taking on an angry tone. “Death is cold. It’s mean and it’s unforgiving. It’s every man for himself in my world and if I don’t do the job, someone else will.”

And that’s when I realized.

He really meant it when he said it wasn’t hard to kill. But the reason it wasn’t hard wasn’t because he’d done it so many times. It was because he wasn’t completely human. Yes, I joked about it before, but I never really considered that it might be true. This was a man who should have been dead. This was a man who walked around in a body that really wasn’t his. The reason he seemed so detached sometimes was because he was… Charming was completely detached from life, from living. All he knew was death.

I stood up from the table abruptly. My chair would have fallen back onto the floor, but I caught it, sliding it beneath the table and gripping the back with both my hands. I didn’t know what to say to him. All sarcastic remarks had completely faded from my brain.

“I have to go,” I said.

And then I rushed out into the night.

Chapter Fifteen

“Kiss - to engage in mutual touching or caressing with the lips.”

Charming

I finally said something that got to her. Yeah, I said stuff constantly that drove her crazy or made her mad, but I don’t think I ever said something that got this far under her skin so fast.

I watched her go, thinking I finally found the thing that would drive her away.

Maybe now I could finish this job without issue.

Funny, I thought I would be happier. I thought I’d feel lighter without having to worry about what she was up to that might ruin me.

I didn’t feel lighter.

I didn’t feel satisfied at all.

I dropped a five on the table, picked up the huge box, the coffee, and waved good-bye to the girl who let us in. She told me her name, but I wasn’t listening. I pointed to my cup where she’d scrawled her phone number and I grinned, making her think I was eager to call her. I wasn’t ever going to call her.

She blushed and disappeared into the back. I took the opportunity to increase my speed, stopping just behind Frankie who was fumbling to get inside her Jeep.

“You forgot your cupcakes,” I said, shifting the load to one arm and reaching around her with the other to open her door.

She didn’t turn around.

“Why are you here?” Her voice was slightly hoarse and my body tightened.

I set the box and coffee on the hood of her car, not bothering to say a word. I really didn’t have an answer anyway.

When my hands cupped her shoulders, she flinched. I told myself it didn’t bother me. That I knew she didn’t like me. It didn’t matter if she liked me or not. I was used to taking what I wanted.

I turned her around, my grip never leaving her shoulders, and pulled her closer so the space between us was maybe an inch at best. She looked up, her blue eyes confused and slightly hurt. My right hand found its way up to the back of her neck while the left tipped back her chin.

“Don’t,” she whispered.

I had to.

I lowered my lips to hers, wrapping my arm around her back and pulling her so close that there wasn’t even room for air between us. She never appeared short, but when she was up against me like this, she felt it. My body had to hunch itself around her so I could taste her the way I really wanted to.

The last time I kissed her was to prove a point.

This time it was because I couldn’t not kiss her.

There was no resistance where I expected. It was almost as if she hadn’t just said, “don’t,” but instead murmured “please.” Her mouth was soft and pliable, warm and adept. She kissed like she had nowhere else to be but right here in my arms. It made me hold her tighter. It made me groan in the back of my throat and when I did, her tongue delved inside my mouth like it was trying to capture that sound, capture it and swallow it away so she would be the only one to have heard it.

Adrenaline poured through my limbs and they began to shake, a fine tremor that I would have denied if she called me on it. But thankfully, she didn’t. Because she was too busy kissing me back. I wanted to tear my mouth from hers, to kiss more than just one place on her body, but her lips were like a drug. A lethal drug that claimed me with a single dose.

I ran my hands down her sides and across her back, dipping lower so they cupped the roundness of her bottom. She made a sound, stretching up on tiptoes, wrapping her arms around my neck, trying to get closer. I kissed her harder, with more intent. My lips finally broke free of hers and blazed a path across her cheekbone toward her ear. Her chin tipped back, giving me greater access, and I sucked her earlobe into my mouth and kneaded it with my tongue. She made a sound that caused me to smile, and I pulled back to look down.

Her cheeks were flushed, her lips were swollen, and her eyes were unfocused like she had one too many drinks.

I kissed her again, a series of four short rapid kisses that blended into one.

This time when I pulled away, she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and held it there. I told myself it was because she wanted every last taste of my kiss.

“Why did you do that?” she asked, her voice husky and low. “Why are you even here?”

“Do you need a reason for everything I do?” The truth was I didn’t know why I was here. I was out driving and the next thing I knew I was here.

“I think I do.”

I pulled the cupcakes and the coffee off her hood and held them out. When she took them, I lifted my cup off the top. “Because I wanted to.”

“You wanted to kiss me?” she stuttered out.

I wanted to wipe that look off her face—the one of contempt and disdain. The way she looked at me before leaving the bakery… had been like I was a complete and utter stranger. I didn’t want to be a stranger to her. I wanted to know I could make her feel something other than death.

By the look on her face, by the way her body hummed against mine, I would say I was successful. Which really wasn’t a surprise.

What I hadn’t expected was, for the first time in a very long time, I felt something other than death too.

Chapter Sixteen

“Human - subject to or indicative of the weaknesses, imperfections, and fragility associated with humans: a mistake that shows he's only human; human frailty.”

Frankie

I baked about one hundred cupcakes. My little kitchen had never seen so much icing and batter. When the cupcakes were done, I started on cookies and then moved on to sticky buns with a vanilla glaze.

I called in sick to work. The thought of facing that depressing place was too much to bear. I couldn’t be trapped like that. Not today. Not after.

When the phone rang, I ignored it. When Piper texted, I put my phone on silent. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I didn’t want to think. I had flour in my hair, batter on my apron, and cinnamon under my nails.

But it didn’t matter how filled up my kitchen got with desserts because my mind was still filled up with him.

Damn it.

How dare he kiss me like that? How dare he make me feel something for him other than hatred? His heart might beat like mine. His lungs might fill with air. He might walk and talk like everyone else out on the streets, but he was different. He wasn’t really human.

He was a machine.

A robot.

A killer.

He looked me in the eye and told me it didn’t bother him. He told me that he killed over and over again without regret.

But, really, I guess the problem wasn’t him. The problem was me. Because even knowing all those things, even knowing that he would kill again, I still felt things for him. Things I didn’t want to feel.

Death isn’t a place for a girl like you.

His words haunted me. He was right. And so I was going to stay away from death—from him. I was going to bake until I ran out of flour and move on with my life. I never should have gotten involved with him; it was stupid to think I could stop him, that I could chase him out of town.

No more.

From here on out, Charming could be someone else’s problem.

But what about Rosalyn? a voice inside me whispered. She deserved some kind of warning that Charming wasn’t who she thought. She’d become my friend and I couldn’t just let her walk right into her own death.

I was going to have to talk with her. But after that I couldn’t be friends with her anymore. It was too complicated and it made me feel guilty. Every time I was around her I felt like a liar. I didn’t like feeling that way.

I glanced at my phone, then away again. Not today. I couldn’t deal with this—with her today. Maybe later this week I would feel less shaky and more like myself. Then I would call her.

Then I would somehow tell her the truth about Charming.

Chapter Seventeen

“Socialite - a person who is or seeks to be prominent in fashionable society.”

Charming

I liked money. I liked cars and clothes. I liked having nice things and the ability to buy whatever I wanted. But sometimes the things I had to do to earn my money really sucked. And I didn’t mean the killing. Killing didn’t require much talking or much listening.

But spending time with a Target—specifically Rosalyn—required both.

I was starting to think that eventually going to hell wasn’t my punishment for murder—it was spending time with her.

It was a Saturday, a day most socialites would be lounging in bed, playing golf, or sitting by a pool. Not Rosalyn. No, she would rather drag me all over Fairbanks to scout locations for the fundraiser that I offered to help her chair.

What surprised me was that there were so many viable locations for such an event. I didn’t think this town consisted of much more than snow.

“Are you even listening to a word I’m saying?” she said, wrapping her hand around my elbow and looking up.

“I’m sorry, my brain’s starting to shut down from lack of caffeine,” I said and gave her my best smile.

“It has been a long morning. Let’s get some lunch and caffeine,” she said.

“Now you’re talking.”

“It will give us a chance to discuss all the venues and pick one.”

Internally, I groaned.

Her phone rang inside the designer bag she wore over her shoulder and she pulled it out. “Oh, it’s your sister!” she said, smiling.

My sister…

“Frankie, hi!” the Target said enthusiastically when she answered the phone.

Oh, yes. My sister.

I hadn’t seen or heard from her in over a week. Since I kissed her. Ever since that night, I went out of my way to avoid her. As much as I hated to admit it to myself, that kiss had shaken me. It made me feel things I didn’t want to feel.

After several days, I started to get the feeling I wasn’t the only one avoiding someone. She never showed up when I had plans with the Target, she didn’t show up to snoop around my house, and she never once tried to call.

Frankie was avoiding me too. Her avoidance irritated me for reasons I didn’t understand. I should be happy she was finally backing off. It’s what I wanted.

Even still, I had Storm check up on her. She could have been up to something that I needed to know about. He said she wasn’t. He said the only place she ever went was work except for two trips to a soup kitchen in the bad part of town where she delivered boxes of cupcakes and cookies.

It didn’t seem like her to give away all that sugar.

“It’s been too long,” the Target was saying into the phone. “You’ve been a stranger!”

I listened closely to hear what Frankie would say.

“I was hoping we could meet? I would really like to explain why I haven’t called.”

What exactly did Frankie plan on explaining to my Target? A feeling of alarm washed over me and I knew Frankie was going to somehow rat me out.

“I was just about to go have lunch with…” The Target looked up, about to tell my sister I was with her. I caught her eye and shook my head, placing a finger over my lips. “Umm, would you like to meet now?”

I nodded and she smiled.

Frankie suggested a nearby café and the Target agreed.

“What was that all about?” she said after she ended the call and was stuffing her phone back into her bag.

“I haven’t seen her in a while either. I thought I would surprise her.”

“You’re sweet,” she said, taking my arm again. “What’s it like to have a sister?”

“It definitely keeps me on my toes,” I replied, guiding her down the street toward the café. I couldn’t help but wonder what Frankie would do when she walked in and saw me at the table.

I would know in seconds if she really were planning on somehow turning the Target against me. I didn’t think she would go so far as telling her I was a Death Escort. I mean, that would only make her sound insane. But even just the slightest hint that I wasn’t exactly who I said I was would make this Target suspicious.

It seemed that my very boring day with the socialite was about to become a lot more interesting.

Chapter Eighteen

“Stranger - one who is neither a friend nor an acquaintance.”

Frankie

This was it. The moment I would warn Rosalyn about Charming. And then I could wash my hands completely of the both of them. It took me longer than I thought to make this call, but I did and that was all that mattered.

I lied and told Piper I was sick, that all I wanted to do was sleep after work. It wasn’t really a lie. Physically, I was fine, but mentally… I still felt kind of sick.

But the past few days had been better. I finally stopped baking, I cleaned up my kitchen, and I was ready to get on with it. There was just one more thing I had to do.

I took a deep breath, reaching out for the door, and stepped into the café. It was pretty busy inside; almost all the tables were full of people. The servers were moving about the room, trying to keep up with their sections, and the hostess at the door smiled warmly at me.

“I’m meeting someone… Rosalyn,” I said, knowing the hostess would know who Rosalyn was.

The hostess nodded and weaved her way toward the back of the room. I saw the discreet security guard sitting at the end of the bar, a water with lemon and a menu in front of him. I wondered if he really was going to eat or if he just wanted it to look like he was. What would his reaction be if he knew Rosalyn was spending time with a murderer right under his nose?

He caught me looking at him so I looked away, toward the table where the hostess was gesturing me. My feet stopped, almost as if I’d stepped in a giant puddle of glue and they were now permanently rooted to that spot.

He was here.

My eyes swept over his dark hair, green eyes, and perfect clothes. He looked exactly the same as he always did. How had he known? He couldn’t possibly have figured out I was going to try to advise Rosalyn away from him.

The way his eyes narrowed on my face told me that he definitely suspected it.

I tore my eyes away from him and looked at Rosalyn, giving her a genuine smile. If he thought his presence could scare me away, then he was wrong.

I yanked my feet out of the glue and covered the remaining steps to the table, pulling out a chair across from him and Rosalyn.

“You didn’t tell me you were with my brother,” I said.

“He wanted to surprise you.” She smiled. “Apparently, I’m not the only one who hasn’t seen you lately.”

“I admit, I’ve been very busy.” Maybe I should kick him under the table.

“Well, now we can all catch up!” Rosalyn said, glancing at Charming. I wondered if she realized it was awkward he had yet to say a word.

“You look well, Frankie. I’ve been wondering what you’ve been up to.” He said the words casually, but I caught their underlying meaning.

“You know me,” I said. “Always planning something.”

His eyes narrowed.

The waitress brought over waters for everyone and then took our order. I pointed to the first thing I saw on the menu. The last thing I wanted to think about was food. Maybe I should just pretend I had an emergency and leave. When the waitress walked off, I laid my cell on the table, hoping that any kind of text would come through and I could play it off and go.

Charming reached across the table and snatched it away, sticking it into his trouser pocket. “No phones today, sis. We want your complete attention.”

That’s it. When I left this café, I was finding his car and slashing his tires.

“Brothers can be so annoying,” I said to Rosalyn and then rolled my eyes.

She laughed and her shoulders seemed to relax slightly. I really didn’t want to make her uncomfortable with all the undercurrents between Charming and me. I decided I was just going to ignore him.

“So what have you two been up to this morning?”

“Scouting venues for the fundraiser that Charming is helping me with. I’m sure he told you.”

“Actually, he didn’t.” Yes, I knew they were doing charity work together, but since then I tried to know as little as possible.

Rosalyn began explaining everything in great detail. I did my best to pretend I was interested and even asked a few questions here and there. But the truth was I could barely pay attention. I couldn’t think about anything with him sitting right there staring at me.

The waitress brought our food, thankfully giving me a moment to compose myself. ‘Course the minute she walked away, he had to open his mouth and speak.

“Are you on a diet?” he asked, looking at my salad.

“No. I like salad.” Okay, I didn’t really like salad.

“You look too thin.”

I tried not to gape. “I do not!”

“You look tired too. You have bags under your eyes.” He turned to Rosalyn. “Does she look tired to you?”

Rosalyn glanced at me. “I think you look beautiful but maybe a little tired.” She shrugged her shoulders apologetically.

“I’ve been busy,” I mumbled, then turned to Rosalyn. “Show me some of those places you were looking at.” I pointed to a stack of papers near her elbow.

I listened politely while she rattled on while I tried not to look at Charming. I couldn’t believe he would insult me like that. Okay, I could believe it, but it still made me mad.

A woman in a nearby booth laughed and Charming’s fork clattered against his plate. He looked up, his cheeks losing some of their color, staring in the direction of the laugh. I snuck a glance over my shoulder to see a young woman, with pale-blond hair, standing up from her seat. She looked over at Charming, a flash of something I didn’t understand in her eyes.

He made a sound, a faint one that no one else seemed to hear. But I heard. I watched as all the color left in his face completely drained away. His eyes never left the woman and as she began to walk away, he stood abruptly, knocking over his chair.

“Charming?” Rosalyn said, looking up from her papers.

“I think I see someone I know. I’ll be right back.” He didn’t give her a chance to reply but followed the woman, bumping into servers and pushing his way through the crowd. When she turned the corner toward the ladies’ room, he seemed desperate to catch up, desperate not to lose sight of her.

I saw his lips move, like he called out a name, but what he said I couldn’t hear. But the look on his face… it did something to me.

“Would you excuse me?” I said to Rosalyn. “I need to use the ladies’ room.”

“Of course.”

Charming was just outside the ladies’ room, leaning against the wall with his head down, looking utterly defeated, when I saw him.

“Charming?”

His head snapped up and he grabbed my arm. “She went in there.”

“Who? The girl with blond hair?”

He nodded. “Go in there and get her. Make her come out.”

Okay, this was weird. Even for him. “You want me to go in there and yank some stranger out here?”

“She isn’t a stranger,” he ground out. “Please.”

“Why didn’t you just go in after her?” I highly doubted he had a problem with storming the ladies’ bathroom.

He glanced back the way we came.

“Oh. Right. Wouldn’t want the Target to think you’re a weirdo.”

“Please,” he pleaded again.

There was something in his voice. Something that made me do what he asked. The inside of the bathroom wasn’t very large. There were only four stalls and four sinks. The first two stalls were empty; the last one had a little girl in it who was singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” at the top of her lungs. The stall in the center had its door closed, but I walked over to it anyway, prepared for the “someone’s in here!” so I could apologize and wait for her to come out.

But the stall was empty.

When my hand pushed on it, the door swung all the way open.

I glanced back at the only other stall with someone in it. Did that woman have a little girl with her that I hadn’t seen? I washed my hands at the sink until the little girl finished her song and they came out to wash her hands. I smiled at the mother through the mirror.

She had dark hair.

The blonde wasn’t in here.

Charming straightened away from the wall when I came out, his eyes searching all around me, hopeful for a glance at her face. When he realized I was alone, a flash of pain shot through his eyes, so real that I actually felt it.

“She wasn’t in there,” I said, my voice hushed.

The mother and daughter came out behind me and disappeared around the corner.

“You’re lying.” He snarled and pushed past me and rushed into the bathroom.

After several minutes, he still hadn’t come out, so I went in quietly behind him.

He was standing in the center, staring at an open window on the far side of the room. He didn’t say anything, not a word, when I stopped beside him.

There was something about his silence that was tangible. It wrapped around us both, pressing in until I couldn’t be silent anymore.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s him,” he said, almost like he was talking to himself. “He’s messing with me.”

Who was he talking about? The Grim Reaper?

“Charming, who was that?” I asked. I didn’t actually think he would tell me.

He turned abruptly and stared down into my face. Stark. That’s the only word that came to mind when I looked at him just then. There was no mask of perfection, no look of arrogance, no hint of a lie.

“My sister.” It was a whisper, a barely there confession.

Shock rippled through me. Charming had a sister? A real one?

Before I could say or do anything, he left, making excuses to Rosalyn about something that just couldn’t wait and promising to call her later.

After he had gone, I realized my opportunity to warn her away had presented itself. His odd behavior just now would help back up whatever I said.

I opened my mouth to tell her, to ruin everything for Charming.

Only the words that came out had nothing to do with Charming at all.

The more I talked, the more I realized I wasn’t going to be confessing anything today.

I couldn’t do it.

Chapter Nineteen

“Exhume - to revive or restore after neglect or a period of forgetting; bring to light.”

Charming

I drove straight to his house. That bastard had gone too far this time. I knew he was doing this. He had to be. There was no other explanation.

He opened the front door before I even knocked. He was wearing a long, black trench coat and his hand was clutched around something I couldn’t see.

I didn’t care what it was anyway.

I wasn’t leaving here until I got some answers.

“Charming. How nice of you to come unannounced, but I am on my way out.” He flipped up the collar of his coat and I saw that his hand was full of stones.

“Your killing spree is going to wait. We need to talk.”

“I suppose I have a few minutes.” He dropped the stones back into the bowl sitting on the table near the door.

I had a notion to reach out and shove them all to the ground, just to see his face when I did.

“Come along, then,” he called like I was some sort of dog.

In his office, he took a seat in the black chair he likely thought of as his throne and looked at me expectantly.

“Playing games with me isn’t going to work,” I said, not bothering to veil the anger in my tone.

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean,” he replied, but his eyes shined with glee.

I stepped forward and slammed both my palms onto the surface of his desk. The bowl of stones sitting nearby rattled. “Don’t play stupid with me!” I yelled.

He looked at his disturbed stones and then back at me, anger igniting in his eyes. “I will do whatever I want. I can see that my games are doing exactly what they are meant to.”

So he was admitting it.

I had known it was him. But knowing it didn’t stop the lance of pain that whipped over me. I couldn’t help but hope that maybe he wouldn’t know what I was talking about. That maybe somehow… no. It wasn’t possible without him.

“Where is she?” I demanded, pushing away from his desk to pace the room.

“Who?”

I snapped. I came here for answers and was met with this. With a roar, I lunged forward, sweeping my arm across his desk with only one thing in my aim.

The glass bowl of stones went flying into the air and dropping onto the floor like a lead weight. The bowl shattered into millions of tiny glass shards and the stones went everywhere.

G.R. jumped out of his chair with an enraged cry and rushed to the mess, staring down at it like his children had all been murdered. “How dare you!” he screamed.

“How dare you!” I shot back. “I want to know where she is. I want to know what you’ve been doing with her all this time!”

“I don’t have to tell you a thing.” He snarled, reaching down to pick up the stones. “You answer to me!”

I pounced on him, moving so fast it took him off guard. I wrapped my hand around his neck and lifted, holding him up so his feet dangled in the air. He eyes bulged in surprise. I don’t think he was shocked I was able to lift him like this—he knew I had abilities. I think he was shocked that I would dare touch him this way.

“Where is my sister?” I roared.

His office door flung open and two men rushed in. They grabbed me from behind, hauling me backward, but not before I could toss the Reaper against the wall. I smiled at the sickening thud his body made when it hit.

His minions wrenched me back, shoving me up against the wall and pinning me there. They were stupid if they thought they could pin me down. Using my super strength once again, I brought my arms around with great force and smashed the two men together. They collapsed onto the floor at my feet.

The Reaper was standing amongst his scattered stones, watching me, when I stepped forward.

He began to laugh. A deep laugh that started in his belly and reverberated outward until his entire body was rolling with sick pleasure. “You’re starting to crack,” he goaded. “I barely had to do a thing. A few sightings, the exhuming of the past. Why, Charming, I never knew how easy it would be to take you down.”

“Do I look down to you?” I growled.

“Perhaps not,” he replied. “But soon. It’s going to eat you alive, you know. The wondering. Where is she? How is she? Is she frightened? Does she need me? After all, that is why you took this job in the first place, isn’t it? Because she needed you.”

I ground my teeth together so hard that pain radiated up my behind my eyes. Damn him. How did he even know about her? I never talked about anything personal with him. Not once. Not ever.

He laughed again when I said nothing. Then to the guys who finally picked themselves up off the ground, he ordered, “Get him out of here.”

One of them had the balls to grab my arm. I swung around and decked him, busting open his lip and knocking him to the floor. The other one made a move like he would charge me, and I used the energy welling up inside me and released it from my palm, hitting him in the center of his chest.

He flew back and hit the wall, sliding down until he was nothing but a ragdoll sprawled on the floor.

I turned back to G.R. “This isn’t over.”

“We’ll see,” was all he said.

Yes. Yes, we would.

Chapter Twenty

“Talk - to speak of or discuss (something).”

Frankie

It was late when I heard a single knock on my front door. Late as in the hours that I am no longer decent looking. I wasn’t asleep. I stopped trying to even pretend I was going to about an hour before. I figured Piper was no longer was buying the “I’m sick” story and since my cell phone was still in Charming’s pants, I was guessing I’d missed a couple more texts or calls.

I tossed the TV remote down on the coffee table and padded to the door, swinging it open wide, not caring if Piper saw me at my most unattractive.

Only it wasn’t Piper.

“Charming.” I practically gasped his name. It was almost as if I had thought of him so much since lunch that my subconscious somehow conjured him here on my doorstep.

I wanted to cross my arms over my threadbare oversized T-shirt, to cringe from his stare and get a comeback ready for whatever insult he was sure to throw my way about the state of my appearance. But he didn’t say a word. In fact, he acted like he didn’t even notice my old as the hills shirt and holey sweats.

He was leaning on the doorjamb, like he was so tired he couldn’t hold all his weight. My mind automatically went to the possibility that he was somehow injured or hurt and I looked him over for some kind of confirmation. But he looked perfect as always. Except of course for his heavy posture and silent tongue.

“Can we talk?” he asked, quietly.

“Uh, yeah,” I replied, stepping back from the door while resisting the urge to ask him if he was playing some kind of joke on me.

He came inside, shutting the door, and trailed behind me as I went over to the couch and settled into the corner, draping a blanket over myself and tucking it around my bare feet.

He surprised me some more by sinking down on the opposite end of the couch. “I’ve never really had anyone to talk to before,” he said, not looking at me.

“Is this about what happened today at the café?”

He rubbed a hand down his face. “Seeing her got to me.”

“I didn’t know you had a sister.”

“I don’t. Not anymore.”

I wasn’t used to seeing him like this. Morose and quiet. “I don’t really understand what you’re saying.” Just from how well this conversation was going, I would have known he never actually talked to someone about this before even if he hadn’t told me.

“I had a sister a long time ago. Before I died. Before I became an Escort.”

A million questions sprang into my head. A million things I would love to know. I never really thought about Charming’s story, but of course he had one. And looking at him now, it seemed his story was the key to who he really was.

You know all you need to know. I reminded myself. You’re supposed to be washing your hands of him.

“He wants me to fail. I didn’t really realize how much.”

This time I didn’t say anything. I figured he was having enough trouble saying whatever it was he wanted to say without me interrupting and asking questions.

“He knew the one thing, the one thing that could throw me off. He found my weakness and he used it against me.”

“Now you know how it feels,” I said. The words were just a thought, something I hadn’t meant to say out loud.

He glanced up, his green stare pinning me in place. “What did you say?”

I swallowed and shook my head.

“Say it again,” he insisted.

“I said now you know what it feels like. For someone to use your weakness against you. For someone to basically be working against you.” He just kept staring, almost as if he were looking right through me. “Whatever he did to you… it sounds a lot like what you do to other people.”

“You’re right,” he said, realization dawning on his features. “I’m the Target this time.”

“So, the Grim Reaper wants you dead?”

He stared off into space. “I’m already dead. He just wants to Recall me.”

“Do you want a beer?”

The side of his mouth pulled up. “Yeah.”

I took the blanket with me into the kitchen, tiptoeing across the cold linoleum, and took out two bottles from the fridge and popped the tops. I juggled them with the blanket back into the living room where Charming had propped up his feet on the coffee table and had taken control of the remote.

“You’re watching an old movie?”

“I like old movies,” I defended.

“Yeah, me too.”

I tried not to gape at him. He actually said he liked something. It was a miracle. I handed him a beer and set the other one by his feet.

“Is that one for me too?”

“I didn’t think one was going to cut it.”

“You trying to get me drunk so you can take advantage of me?” he said, tilting the bottle to his lips and taking a long pull. His throat worked as he swallowed and I noticed he unbuttoned the top few buttons of his button-down.

“Two beers will get you drunk?” I scoffed. “Lightweight.”

I sat back down on the couch, squishing myself into the corner. He seemed to be taking up a lot of space.

“Why did you let me in tonight?” His serious tone caught me off guard.

So did his question.

“You looked kind of lonely,” I replied, my voice hushed.

He took another long pull of the beer and turned up the TV. We sat there watching while he finished off both beers. He didn’t talk anymore and I didn’t ask him if he wanted to. I figured that the very little he said was more than he’d ever told anyone.

That knowledge changed something for me. It made me less angry with him, less appalled. It was hard to tell yourself that you shouldn’t care about someone when that someone desperately needed you to care.

At some point I dozed off. I don’t know how long I slept, but when I awoke, it was to the sounds of an infomercial for some kind of booty shaking workout. Charming was still beside me. He’d fallen asleep too. His arms were crossed over his chest as it rose and fell with every breath he took. He looked more relaxed than I’d ever seen him. Funny, I never realized how “on” he always looked until I caught a glimpse of him “off.”

I decided not to wake him. Instead, I turned off the TV and used the blanket in my lap to cover him. As the cover settled over him, he wiggled a little deeper into the cushions. I resisted the urge to stroke his cheek, settling instead for taking advantage of his slumber to stare at him.

“You know what I think?” I whispered, knowing he couldn’t hear me. “You aren’t dead. You just don’t remember how to live.”

I turned the lock on the front door as I went past and then climbed into bed. I fell asleep almost instantly and slept more soundly than I had in weeks. I woke to the sun streaming through my curtains, but I didn’t think about the weather or how I could languish in bed because it was Sunday. My first thought was of Charming. I wondered if he would still be here. Of what I would say to him if he was.

One way to find out.

In the living room, I noted the door was still locked. My stomach began to flutter around as I peeked over the back of the couch. I expected him to still be there.

He wasn’t.

But my cell phone was sitting on the coffee table beside his empty bottles.

I glanced back at the door, which was definitely locked. How had he gotten out and locked the door behind him?

I sighed and went to make coffee. It was just one more thing I could add to the very long list of things about Charming I wanted to know.

Chapter Twenty-One

“Weakness - something of which one is excessively fond or desirous.”

Charming

You aren’t dead. You just don’t remember how to live.

I pretended not to hear her words. But I did. I lay there long after she’d gone to bed, half awake and half asleep. I couldn’t seem to pass the threshold of being truly unconscious so in my half in, half out state I thought about her words.

She was wrong.

I remembered what it was like to live. To feel. To worry.

Living was too hard. Death was easy by comparison. With death, the only considerations were the when and the how. In some ways what I did was doing people a favor. I was taking them out of a world that most likely was making them miserable and sending them off somewhere that had to be better than this.

I still wasn’t sure what exactly possessed me to go over there last night. The confrontation with G.R. had left me rattled. Then I saw the text on her phone… The next thing I knew I was standing on her doorstep, hoping she would let me in.

Chewing off my own arm would have been easier than my attempt at talking. For some reason I thought I would be able to spill everything, to lay out everything that happened like it was no big deal. Because it wasn’t a big deal. Only I couldn’t. What I did manage to say probably made no sense to her at all. But that was good because I shouldn’t have gone there. I wasn’t the kind of guy who could “talk” anyway. I lived the last ninety or so years without anyone and I would live the next ninety or so the same way.

For some reason that thought made my shoulders sag with exhaustion.

Of course after seeing G.R. yesterday, maybe I wouldn’t live another ninety years at all. Maybe these last few months were all I was going to get.

Ah, hell, maybe it was time anyway. It wasn’t like I got into this for some long-lasting career. Shit, I had no clue what I was getting myself into. I had only done it— I cut the thought off. I wasn’t going to think about that. Those thoughts were too close to life. Too close to feeling. Besides, it didn’t matter why I got into this; it only mattered that I did.

And fuck my previous thoughts. I wasn’t going to let G.R. tell me when my time as an Escort was over. He wasn’t going to get the best of me.

I stared up at the ceiling from the center of my California king bed and remembered a few more of Frankie’s words. Whatever he did to you… it sounds a lot like what you do to other people.

She was right. He was doing exactly what I did to other people. Using my weaknesses against me. So he figured out my one weakness. Now that I knew what he was doing, it took away his advantage. But what about me? What were my advantages?

If a guy like me had a weakness, then that meant anyone could have one. Including the Grim Reaper. Crap, he’d been alive so long his closet was probably full of skeletons.

The thought had me sitting up straight.

That was it. All I had to do was find G.R.’s weakness and use it against him. And where did an Escort start when he was looking for dirt on his boss? A small smile curved my lips.

Why, of course, in his closet.

* * *

“Nice place you got here,” said a voice from behind.

I spun around, catching the plate in my hand just before it crashed onto the floor. Storm was there, filling up my house with his black cloudlike self. “Seriously, man, don’t you knock?”

“You called. I came.”

“I called you hours ago.”

“Well, spying on the boss isn’t something that can be done in five minutes.”

“What did you find out?” I said as I finished putting away the last of my dinner dishes.

“I really thought you would have a maid.”

“You of all people know that I can’t have some bonbon eating, phone gossiping woman snooping through my house and my life at all hours of the day and night.”

“I didn’t really mean a live-in maid… although, if that’s your type.” The black shape that was Storm shrugged his shoulders.

“Maids are not my type,” I ground out. What was with this conversation? We were supposed to be talking business.

“No. What’s your type, then?”

Frankie, the voice in the back of my head whispered. I told it to shut up. “Whoever’s my assigned Target.”

“C’mon, you can’t honestly expect me to believe a guy like you survives with no nookie.”

“What the hell is nookie?”

“If I didn’t know better I would have thought you lived in a cave. A celibate cave.”

Okay, so nookie was what he called sex. With language like that, I was sure he never got any. “I have sex.”

“With women other than Targets?”

“I’m not going to discuss my sex life with you,” I said, pulling a bottle of water out of the stainless-steel fridge.

“That’s code for yes.” He sighed. “You’re wasting that body.”

I grinned. “I guess not having a body makes getting some pretty hard.”

“Yeah, well, I make up for it when he lets me have a body for a while.”

Speaking of G.R. “What did you find?”

“Nothing. It was business as usual at his place, Escorts coming and going, security guards patrolling. The most exciting part was when the chef cooked his steak wrong and he ordered pizza.”

“How was that exciting?”

“I haven’t had pizza in a while, either,” he mumbled.

“Was he still home when you left?”

“Yeah, but he was getting ready to go out. He was going to some dinner with the rich people. I don’t know how he manages to never accidentally touch someone.”

“Maybe he doesn’t,” I replied.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean maybe if he does accidentally kill someone, he just covers it up. I mean, it’s the perfect crime scene—if you could even call it that. The cops certainly wouldn’t with no fingerprints, no blood, and no sign of a struggle. They would likely call it a heart attack and drag the poor dead sap off to the morgue.”

“Yeah, well, I guess that wouldn’t be too hard of a stretch considering I don’t have a body and you kill people professionally.”

“Touché.”

“Anyway, he was going to be gone most of the night.”

“Good, let’s go.”

“Go where?”

“To his house. I’m assuming you can get us in?” The way he just let himself in here minutes ago must mean he was good at picking locks. I was too, but I wasn’t practically invisible.

“What the hell do you want to go to his house for?”

“To search it. You know a man like him has got to have some skeletons mixed in with all those bodies in his closet.”

“Man, you don’t really think that someone like the Reaper is just going to leave his business out for anyone to find, do you?”

“Nope, but I don’t mind digging around until I find it.” I pinned him with a hard stare. “And you’re going to help me.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“For starters, you don’t want him to know about your little visibility problem.” I reminded him. “But also because you need a body and he has a hoarding problem.”

“Okay, I’ll help. I don’t have anything better to do anyway.”

“Good. Let’s go.”

* * *

You would think the home of the Grim Reaper would be a dark and creepy place. That it would be shrouded in shadows with winding trees draping the property and ominous-sounding nightlife to warn you away if you dare get to close.

Nope.

The Grim Reaper I knew and hated had his house lit up like the fourth of July on a hot summer night. It’s like he stuck lights in every possible crevice and corner of his home. You would think he was scared of the dark. Of course he wasn’t because whatever else went bump in the night had never met a man that could kill with a single touch.

“There’s more security here now than earlier. And what is up with all these lights? This ain’t New York City,” Storm said from beside me.

“It’s because he’s not home. He’s expecting me to pull something after last night.”

“What the hell happened last night?”

“We had a little confrontation.”

“Geez, man, we need to go. You should have known better than to come here.”

I stood against the side of a four-car garage on the neighbor’s property across the street. This house wasn’t filled with light so the yard was dark, creating a lot of concealment. “No, that’s exactly the reason we should stay.”

“What?”

“He knows I’m pissed and won’t go down without a fight. He expects me to try and pull something. So I do it now, while he thinks everything is on lockdown and I can’t get in. I won’t get caught and he’ll never know I was here. Hell, if I’m lucky, he won’t even notice anything’s missing until I’m long gone.” I paused and then added. “Besides, it has to be tonight. He’s sending me out of town tomorrow on another job.”

“Damn, a double?” Storm said, I looked in the direction of his voice, but I couldn’t make him out in the night. He completely blended in.

“Yeah, so let’s do this.”

“What exactly do you think you’re going to find?” The skepticism in his voice made the challenge of what we were about to do even more appealing.

“A weakness,” I murmured.

He made a non-committal sound.

“Here’s how this is going to work. You’re going to go first, unlock the front door from the inside. On your way through the foyer, flick the porch light off and count to three, then flick it back on. Then get to G.R.’s office. I’ll meet you there.”

“You think you’re going to walk through the front door?” He scoffed. “And if you think three seconds of darkness out there will be enough, you’re a few chips shy of a Pringle can.”

“Just do it.”

“Fine. But if you get caught, I’m not going to play Cinderella to your Prince Charming.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“I’m not really sure,” he muttered.

“Can we just do this please?”

“Fine. Be ready.”

He didn’t say anything else and I didn’t see him move. I didn’t hear the rustle of grass or feel the ripple in the air from a body cutting through it.

“Storm?” I whispered, but he wasn’t there.

When he was in complete ghost form, he was pretty good.

I pushed away from the side of the garage and watched the house, looking for signs of Storm, waiting to see if he would get caught. Even though the yard and house was bright, I didn’t see him once.

I really hoped he didn’t screw this up.

I took a deep breath.

The lights over the front door went out.

One. I took off running, zipping across the street way faster than any human could go.

Two. I took advantage of all the excess kinetic energy around the house, courtesy of the guards, and propelled myself even faster.

Three. I opened the front door just wide enough to get through and rushed inside. I heard the shouts from a guard at the corner of the house as the door closed soundlessly behind me.

The light outside came back on.

I pressed myself up against the back of the front door and zeroed in on the guards who had just managed to rush to the other side. If they opened it…

“What the hell was that?” one of them asked.

“Probably a short in the breaker. All these damn lights,” the other muttered.

They both moved away from the door and I let out a breath, pushing away and moving down the hall just as quickly as I got into the house. As I reached for the office door, it opened soundlessly, and my heart skipped a beat as I waited for G.R. to appear.

But he didn’t.

From inside, Storm said, “Hurry up!”

Letting out the breath, I went in, the door pushing shut behind me. This room wasn’t lit up like the outside. The only lighting in here was from a small lamp on the desk across the room.

“How the hell did you get in here so fast?”

“Fast is a talent of mine. Kind of like becoming solid is yours.”

“Well, let’s see how fast you can find some dirt on the Reaper.”

“Where are you?” I asked, searching all the corners of the room.

He moved so he was closer to the desk, so I could make out a shadow near the lamp.

“How did you manage to go ghost all the way? Where are the solid parts of you?”

“They’re still there. I’m just using the non-solid parts to kind of cloak them.”

“Right,” I said, still not completely understanding, but realizing I probably never would unless I spent all my time without a body.

I didn’t have time to think about it anyway. I had an office to search.

Chapter Twenty-Two

“Addict - to occupy (oneself) with or involve (oneself) in something habitually or compulsively.”

Frankie

I had come to the conclusion that I was an addict. It didn’t matter how many times I told myself to stop thinking about him, I couldn’t. My emotions were wide open, ranging from flat-out wanting to kick him all the way to daydreaming about the way he kissed.

I went from scheming up ways to get out of the situation I found myself in, which was between him and Rosalyn, to lecturing myself about getting involved in the first place, and then it seemed I always circled back to the way it felt to be in his arms.

Up until last night, I was determined to stay away from him. I made up my mind. He was no good for me and he was driving me insane. But then he showed up on my doorstep, looking wounded. His pathetic attempt at talking was… well, it was pathetic.

Yet also endearing.

Endearing because he’d been genuinely shaken and that seemed to confuse him. It’s like he had no idea what to do or where to go and somehow he ended up at my door. I could see him try—try to express what he was thinking, what was going on, but he couldn’t.

Just like I couldn’t come clean to Rosalyn at lunch.

It’s like he and I were stuck on a carousel—destined to go round and round but never actually getting anywhere.

I could vow to myself that I wouldn’t see him again, that I was just going to wash my hands of the situation. But I wasn’t going to do that. Because I wasn’t a liar and if I said that, I would be lying to myself.

I blew out a breath. I needed a break. A brain break. I needed to stop thinking and stop worrying. I needed my best friend.

I was likely in hot water with her too. Because like any good addict would tell you, addicts pushed away the people who cared about them. Addicts isolated themselves so they only had one thing in their life and that was whatever they were addicted to.

I needed a twelve-step program.

No. That was too much work.

I settled for Chinese food instead. There wasn’t anything some good Chinese food couldn’t fix.

I called and placed an order for too much, making sure I got plenty of the vegetable lo mein Piper liked so much. I knew she would be home. It was Sunday night and the diner she worked at closed early.

When I knocked on her door with food and movies in hand, I actually felt a little nervous. I wondered if she would be upset with me for the way I’d been acting. I wasn’t being a very good friend. I practically fell off the face of the earth and ignored a lot of her texts and calls. When I did answer, the replies were short and not at all the way they used to be.

She seemed a little surprised when she opened the door, but she smiled. “I’m starving!” she said, eyeing the bag in my arms.

“I got your favorite,” I sang, going inside.

“I’ll get some plates!” She dashed into the kitchen and rattled around and returned in record time with everything we needed to stuff our faces.

“You must really be hungry.”

“I really am,” she said, reaching into the bag. “But I also want to hang with you. Long time no see.”

“I know. I’m sorry. Work’s been busy.” It wasn’t a lie. Work’s always busy. It just wasn’t the reason I hadn’t been around.

“Oh? I thought maybe there was a new man in your life.”

I choked on the soda she’d given me when she came out of the kitchen. “A man?” I croaked.

She nodded, dumping a pile of lo mein onto her plate. Then she reached into the bag and pulled out the crab rangoon and added a few of those onto her plate as well.

“Nope, no man in my life worth talking about.” Again, that wasn’t really a lie. Charming wasn’t worth talking about. I was trying to have a break from thinking about him anyway.

“Are you sure?” Piper said, pinning me with a stare. “Is everything okay with you?”

“Yep. Everything’s fine. I just figured we were overdue for some girl time.”

She didn’t really seem convinced, but she let it go.

“So I brought us a movie.” I put down my plate and reached into my bag. “It’s about zombies.”

“Warm Bodies?”

I nodded. “Any movie that combines brain eating with romance is a must see.”

She laughed. “That’s gross.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, Piper,” I said seriously, “but if I was a zombie, I would totally eat your brains.”

“Of course you would. My brains are delicious.”

“So what do you think? Should we watch and see how a zombie falls in love?”

“Let’s do it.”

We popped in the movie and settled back to watch it, chowing down on our food. I felt a little guilty because I had ulterior motives for choosing this movie. I wasn’t interested so much in how a zombie fell in love but rather how a girl could fall in love with a zombie. Zombies were killers.

Like Charming.

Except Charming didn’t eat brains (thank God).

Charming told me he wasn’t really living. Zombies were dead.

Maybe if I could somehow see how a girl could love a zombie, I would be able to figure out why I couldn’t get Charming out of my mind. I could understand why I didn’t run screaming in the other direction.

Because really, the only direction I seemed to be going was toward him.

Chapter Twenty-Three

“Booby trap - an explosive device designed to be triggered when an unsuspecting victim touches or disturbs a seemingly harmless object.”

Charming

The tricky thing about searching someone’s personal space was making it appear it hadn’t been searched at all. Just the slightest disturbance of something that seemed like it would go unnoticed is the one thing that could cause everything to blow up in my face.

“Look over there,” I said in hushed tones, pointing to the bookcases across the room from the desk.

We searched in silence, not wanting to alert any of the staff that might be in the house. It was amazing to me that the Grim Reaper was able to employ so many people and never get caught. If I were him, I would want all the privacy I could get. Hell, I wasn’t him and I still wanted that.

I started with his desk. I looked through the neat stack of papers that lay in the center, but it was all just stupid paperwork. Utility bills, invitations to events, and some spreadsheets and invoices for the legitimate business that he owned, which was luxury car sales. He had dealerships in Anchorage, Los Angeles, and New York.

I restacked the papers and moved on, looking over the surface of the desk. There wasn’t anything else to search. My eyes settled briefly on the bowl of stones that sat on the corner and then moved away. I wasn’t going to touch those things. His stones were his calling card, the only thing he left in place of a life he took. My luck, I would pick up one and alarms everywhere would start wailing.

I went through the contents of his desk drawers, looked through his calendar, his pens, and the roster of names that I knew were Death Escorts. The business was growing. He had more Escorts than I realized. Maybe that was one of the reasons he thought I was expendable. He thought he could replace me. I smirked. I wasn’t replaceable.

“There’s nothing here,” Storm complained about ten minutes into the search.

I glanced up. “Did you look in those books?”

“All one hundred of them?” He moaned. “Yeah. Nothing but a bunch of words.”

“Keep looking.”

“I’m telling you, you aren’t going to find anything.”

I reached under the desk and pressed a button. All the closet doors containing his collection of bodies opened soundlessly. They all hung there in perfect, neat rows. Not a hair was out of place on any of them.

G.R. was definitely a neat freak, which made searching a pain for many reasons. One, I had to be sure everything was back exactly the way I found it. And two, everything was so decluttered that I was starting to think Storm was right, that there wasn’t anything to find.

“We’re going to have to search his bedroom after this.”

“You wanna do what?” Storm said, disbelief crowding his tone.

I began looking through the bodies, sliding them back and forth on the rods. “I’m not leaving here until I have something I can use against him.”

Storm came over beside me, stopping and I would assume staring at me, but I ignored him. I got down and searched under the bodies’ feet, looking for anything that might be of use. But all the bottoms of the closets were completely empty. There wasn’t even a speck of dust.

I stood up and looked up, above the racks, thinking there might be shelves with boxes for storage. Nope. The only thing in these closets were bodies. Lots of them, all hanging single file.

“Which one of these is yours?” I asked Storm, looking through one of the bodies pant pockets.

Storm was quiet a moment, moving all the way down to the last closet on the wall, and hovered near the center. “This one.”

I reached out, pulled the hanger off the rack, and held up the body. He looked to be in his early twenties. He had skin the color of coffee mixed with cream, a smooth complexion, and all its hair was buzzed off. Storm had been a fairly tall guy, probably reaching at least six feet because when I held the body up, his feet about reached mine.

“I don’t understand why he dresses all the bodies like we’re students at prep school. Does anyone even wear khakis anymore? Where the hell are the jeans?”

I grinned. “I guess death doesn’t come with fashion sense.”

“Which one’s yours?” Storm asked.

“It’s not here.”

“Where is it?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen it since I died.”

“You mean he’s never let you use it?”

“I don’t even think he has it.” The only thing I could think of was that it was too damaged to save.

“That man has everyone’s body. It isn’t right that yours isn’t here.”

I shrugged, like it didn’t bother me. It really never had before. But now… now I kind of wondered where it was. I kind of wondered what it would be like to see it again. Would it feel familiar to me? Would it feel like home?

I pushed away those thoughts. They were stupid. “Want to take yours for a spin?” I asked, holding his body out to him. Even to me it seemed weird that I was offering someone a chance to use their own body.

“Hell no. If he noticed that body missing, the first place he would look was for me.”

“Well, then, take your pick,” I said, hanging Storm’s body back in the closet and making sure it was equally spaced between the others.

“You want me to take a body?”

“Why the hell not? He’s got so many he won’t even notice. I’ve been listening to you whine about wanting one since we met.”

He was quiet a long time. I knew he was tempted. I know I would have been.

Finally, he said, “No, I’ll just stick with borrowing.”

“Why borrow someone else’s body and deal with their spirit when you could have your own.”

“Because if I took one of these bodies, I would barely get to use it. I would have a black cloud around me that would point to me like a beacon. If one Escort saw me, they would know I shouldn’t have it.”

“So tell them you’re on vacation.”

“It’s too risky. A borrowed body covers up my spirit.”

“How?”

“Best I can figure is that their spirit cancels mine out.”

“How did you figure that out?”

“Like everything else. Practice.”

“And you’re the only Ghost Escort that can do that?”

“As far as I know.”

I finished searching through the length of closets, patting down pockets and peering under feet, looking for anything I could use.

But I found absolutely nothing.

After rechecking that all the bodies were hung exactly as they had been, I pressed the button and closed the doors. I sat down in G.R.’s leather desk chair and let out a sigh.

“There’s nothing here. Let’s go to his room.”

“You’re crazy.”

I wasn’t crazy, but I was starting to feel a little desperate. Both my hands gripped the seat of the chair, my fingers curling underneath it and squeezing the leather. I was so sure that I would find something. So sure he would be hiding some sort of secret.

I went to push myself up, but when I dragged my hand along the bottom of the chair, I felt something. Some sort of small round knob on the bottom of the seat. I ran my finger over it several times. It felt like a button. I pressed it.

There was a soft sound across the room. Both Storm and I whipped around, thinking we were somehow caught. But we weren’t. The sound came from a secret door. A secret sliding door in the bookcase. It opened, the doorway wide enough for a man to fit through.

Excitement pounded through me. Got you, I thought.

I glanced at Storm. “I thought you searched over there.”

“Shit, you expected me to find some kind of secret door? It’s probably a booby trap that’s going to suck us into the depths of hell.”

“I’ll say hello to the devil for you,” I said, returning G.R’s chair to the exact place it had been in and going over to the entrance and peering inside.

“Well?” Storm asked from close behind.

“No trips to hell today. It’s just more closets.” Three doors all in a row.

“What could he possibly keep in there?”

I wasn’t about to wait to find out. When I stepped into the narrow hallway, I half expected an alarm to go off, but nothing happened so I took another small step and then another.

My heart was pounding in my ears, drowning out the quiet and making me more nervous. I told myself to calm down, that it was stupid to get this nervous. I mean, I didn’t even act like this when I killed people. Guess my body was more afraid of the Reaper than my brain realized.

But fear of the Reaper was why I had to keep going. Being scared of him was unacceptable. I stopped in front of the first door I came to, staring at its cherry finish.

I was surprised when I opened the door.

I don’t know what I was expecting. Something sinister and twisted.

I was a little let down when all I saw was more bodies. “It’s just bodies,” I said, irritation lining my tone.

Storm finally got over his fear this was a portal to hell and came inside. “What’s so special about these bodies?”

What, indeed?

I looked closer, having to squint a little because the lighting in here was so dim. My eyes first went to a contrast in the dark. A body with blond hair. Overly long, messy blond hair.

I grabbed the body, gripping its shoulder and yanking it out so I could see it.

Like a freight train, recognition slammed into me.

It was me.

Memories of looking in the mirror when I was alive crashed over me. Wave after wave of broken clips of memories… of me brushing my teeth, combing my hair, studying a black eye or a busted lip.

This was the body I was born in. The body that carried me through my life. The body that used to laugh and eat cookies. The body that used to hug… them.

“Uh, Charming?”

I shook myself but still kept hold of my body. Of my past. “It’s me,” I said, then cleared my throat. “This is my body.”

He let out a low whistle. “Why’s it in here?”

I shook my head and carefully put it back where it was. Then I looked at the one beside it. It was a man I’d never seen before. He had dark hair parted on the side and combed over. It was an old hairstyle from a very long time ago. There wasn’t anything remarkable or special about him so I moved on to the next body.

It was a woman.

I reached out and pulled her out for Storm to see. “Check her out.”

She was wearing a long gown made of rich woven fabric. I couldn’t tell exactly, but her hair looked like it was a shade of red and it was done up in a style of many curls all piled on her head. She had pale skin and what appeared to be freckles splattered across her cheeks. She was pretty attractive, if you liked redheads.

“When’s the last time you saw a girl in G.R.’s closet?” I asked Storm, not taking my eyes off her.

“Um, never?”

“Exactly. He doesn’t use women as Escorts. He thinks they’re too soft to kill.”

“Well, he hasn’t met my ex,” Storm quipped.

It was something I didn’t agree with the Reaper about, though I never said anything. Who he chose to make an Escort wasn’t something I cared about. I wasn’t going to make friends with them and I worked alone so it didn’t matter in terms of my job either. But if you asked me, a woman had the potential to be the perfect Escort. Because of a woman’s softness, their girly-like qualities, they were often underestimated. They were too often thought of as innocent. Many Targets wouldn’t see their death coming until it was already delivered.

“What’s in the next one?” Storm asked.

It took me a second to close the door of the closet I was standing in front of. It was surprisingly hard to shut away the body I’d just found.

But I did. Because I knew I wasn’t going to leave it there.

I pulled open the next door.

There was a single body.

I sucked in a breath.

It was her. My sister.

Sadness overcame me. Sadness for her… about a life cut way too short. A life lost that was all my fault. And now there she was, hanging in a secret, dark closet like she was someone’s shirt. Like she wasn’t once brimming with life with her own set of dreams and wants. She had been a person… a beautiful and innocent person. And now she was here. Held hostage by a man who shouldn’t even have her. I should have known she was here. I should have done something.

Her light hair was around her shoulders and she was dressed in the same clothes she was wearing the last time I saw her.

“Another woman?” Storm said. “She’s hot.”

I spun around and snarled. “Watch your mouth.”

“Whoa. I didn’t mean nothing.” He backtracked. After a short pause, he said, “I take it you know this one too?”

“Yeah,” I said, my voice hoarse. “Yeah, I do.”

But really, there wasn’t anything here to know. Yes, I recognized the body, but it was merely a shell of the person who lived inside. It was she who I missed. I didn’t think she was here. I would have known. After all these years of working for the Reaper, of butting heads with him, there was no way he could have kept the fact that my sister was still alive a secret.

Besides. I knew she was dead.

I was the one who killed her.

“I don’t mean to interrupt your… uh, reunion,” Storm said over my shoulder. “But we need to hurry.”

He was right.

There was still one more closet to look in. Gently, I closed the closet containing my sister and faced the final door.

“If there isn’t something besides bodies in that one, I’m going to be very disappointed,” Storm told me. “I mean, really, what kind of Grim Reaper doesn’t have at least one sinister thing in his secret stash?”

I was ready to go. For some reason I felt like I’d been in a ten-round boxing match and my body took most the hits.

I opened the door.

There was no body hanging inside. It wasn’t a closet.

It was a room.

“It’s a secret lair,” Storm whispered.

I rolled my eyes and walked forward into the room. It looked like a mini apartment. The room was a large rectangle and off to the right was a couch, two upholstered chairs, and a round coffee table. On the wall was the hugest flat-screen TV I’d ever seen.

Off to the left was a small kitchenette, but it looked like it was never used. Everything was brand new and looked untouched.

But it wasn’t dusty.

If this was a place he never used, then it would be dusty; it would smell stale and vacant.

It didn’t.

“Ugh, Charming, You might want to look at this.”

There was a small door leading out of the space. Presumably to a bedroom. But I wasn’t concerned with how the room was used or decorated, but rather what was coming out of it.

It was a soul.

It looked just like Storm. Except it was bright pink.

The soul stopped just inside the room—just hovering there like it was shocked to see us.

Hell, it couldn’t have been as shocked as we were.

Now this was interesting. In all my years, this was the first time I ever saw a soul wandering around—besides a Ghost Escort.

“Is it a Ghost Escort?” I asked Storm.

“Couldn’t be. All of us are black and that is clearly not black.”

“You’re just like me,” the soul said, floating a little closer to Storm. It had the voice of a woman. She seemed surprised to see someone like her.

Clearly she could talk. I guess that wasn’t a surprise, considering the rest of us could talk when we weren’t inside a body.

“No body here either,” Storm agreed.

“Are you here to bring me a body?”

I glanced at Storm. She was waiting for a body?

“Uh,” I began, for once not being able to come up with a rapid reply.

“Not that it matters,” she said. “I probably won’t be able to get inside that one either.”

This just kept getting better and better.

The Grim Reaper was harboring the soul of a woman who, of her own admission, couldn’t manage to get into a body.

“You can’t get into a body?” Storm said, intrigued. “That’s like G.R.’s specialty. He can take souls in and out of bodies in his sleep.”

“Who are you?” she asked, suddenly realizing maybe she should be suspicious.

“We work with G.R.,” I told her. “Why are you in here? Who are you to him?”

“This room was secret. How did you find it?” As she spoke she went backward, moving away from us.

“G.R. told us about it,” I said, taking a step closer.

“I don’t believe you.”

And then she started to scream.

“Shhh!” Storm and I both exclaimed, looking back the way we came. Her screams weren’t that loud. I guess she couldn’t project her sound, but I knew if she yelled long enough, someone would hear and then shit would hit the fan.

“Shut her up!” I growled at Storm while I ran into the kitchenette to see if there was anything I could use to make her be quiet. But there are no real weapons you can use against someone that doesn’t have a body.

Except another soul.

Storm tackled her, the black cloud that made up his form wrapping around her pink form, and the two colors began mixing together. A burst of pink would explode from the center of the black and Storm would make a grunting sound, but then the black would cover up the pink once more and he would swirl around her like an angry thundercloud just waiting to unleash its wrath. Her screams turned to strangled sounds and then died off completely.

“A little help here,” Storm called as he struggled.

“What do you want me to do?” I asked, wondering if he was somehow killing her.

“Find something to put her in!”

That I could do. I reached into the cabinet where I saw a jar earlier and grabbed it, rushing across the room while I unscrewed the lid and held it out. Storm started circling her, like a spinning cyclone. Round and round he went, whipping up the air around us and creating what could only be described as a tornado inside the tiny apartment.

“Hold it steady,” he called, and then like a baseball bat, he smacked the pink soul into the jar.

I stood there stunned that he actually made the shot on the first try. Pink funneled out around the jar and floated around my hand. I waited for it all to gather in on itself and follow the rest of the soul into the jar, praying it hurried up before she came to and tried to get out.

She didn’t. Whatever Storm did seemed to put her down for the count. When all the pink went inside the jar, I jammed the lid on and screwed it shut, tight.

“What the hell was that?” I asked Storm.

“Spending time with the other Ghost Escorts can get a little… irritating. Sometimes we wrestle.”

“That was wrestling?”

“Soul style.”

Soul-style wrestling? Okay, then.

“We gotta get out of here,” I said, glancing through the door. We were lucky no one heard her and came running.

“I can’t believe he has a soul,” Storm said. “What’s he going to do with it?”

“I don’t know, but I know what I’m going to do with it.”

“Tell me you aren’t,” Storm said, his voice flat.

“You don’t actually think I would leave this here? A soul in a jar?”

He let out a few more of those really artful swear words.

“It won’t be easy to get out of here,” I said thoughtfully. “The bodies are going to be more of a challenge.”

“You’re taking the bodies too? ”

“Why do you keep acting so surprised?” I asked, irritated. “This is what we came for.”

He mumbled something I didn’t hear.

“Are you in or are you out?” I said coldly. I didn’t have time for his pansy-ass ways. I had bodies and a soul to steal.

“I’m in,” he said, not even stopping to think about it. Good thing too because I was starting to think he was turning into a woman, what with all his questions, incessant chattering, and gasping about my nefarious plans. Geez, next time I went on a mission I would just hire Barbie. She’d be easier to work with.

“Good. Let’s get to it,” I said, stuffing the jar containing the soul inside my jacket. “We have some bodies to steal.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

“Vacation - a period of time devoted to pleasure, rest, or relaxation, especially one with pay granted to an employee.”

Frankie

I was pretty sure Mondays were invented to remind the poor schmucks who had to work for a living at jobs they hated that the weekend had been nothing but a tease and now they had five long days of torture to look forward to.

Although really, my weekend hadn’t been all puppies and rainbows anyway. Today the torture was just being moved to another place: the DMV. Although at least here at work, I could get a break from my personal life. I snorted inwardly. The day I started looking at my job as a vacation from life, I had a problem.

Between lunch with Rosalyn and Charming, him showing up at my apartment wanting to talk and falling asleep on the couch only to disappear the next morning, to being interrogated by Piper on Sunday, I guess I could understand why I wanted to escape.

It was just too bad my escape had to be screening old people’s eyes for driver’s license renewal and listening to Hagatha tell me I was the worst employee ever, but she wasn’t going to bother to fire me because that would mean she would actually have to work and train someone new.

Ahhh, to be on a tropical beach somewhere.

I threw myself into my work all day and ignored my thoughts and the scathing remarks from the witch. I even stayed late to enter some data into the computer that one of the other girls forgot to do. By the time I left, it was almost six and everyone but me and my boss was gone. She was shut into her office and I wasn’t about to go pretend I liked her and say good-bye. Who knows what I would catch her doing in there anyway. Likely sharpening her claws on a dagger.

I walked out to the parking lot, digging through my bag for my keys. I didn’t notice a white Porsche was parked next to me until I was standing beside it. I was sandwiched between his car and my Jeep when the passenger window rolled down.

“You stayed late,” he said, leaning over so he could look through the window.

“What can I say? I love my job.”

He smirked. “You hate this place and you know it.”

I gasped in mock disdain. “Is it that obvious?”

“I just read you well.”

I snorted. “If you read me at all, you wouldn’t come around me. Go away,” I said and turned to let myself into my car.

“I am going away.”

My head snapped up and I turned around. “You’re leaving town?”

He nodded. “On my way to the airport.”

I was finally getting my wish. He was leaving. I would never have to look at his face again. Why did I not feel happy about this? “Well, I’d say I was sorry to see you go…” I shrugged, leaving the rest of my sentence dangling in the air.

He ignored my sarcasm. “Go home. Pack a bag.”

“What?”

“You’re coming with me.”

I laughed. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“It’s not a request.” His eyes narrowed.

“I don’t take kindly to orders.”

He opened his door and got out, coming around the back of his SUV. “I knew you were going to be difficult. That’s why I took the liberty of packing a bag for you.” He reached inside the back and pulled out a purple duffle bag. My purple duffle bag.

My mouth fell open. “You went to my house. You went through my things?”

“You need to clean out your closet.”

“How the hell do you get in and out of my apartment?”

He smirked. “I have friends.”

“You have friends? How much do you have to pay them to keep them around?”

“Very funny,” he replied. “I don’t have time to argue with you. I’ll follow you home. Park your Jeep. Then we’re going to the airport.”

The depth of his idiocy was incredible. “I’m. Not. Going.”

His green eyes flashed with impatience and he stalked toward me, burying both his hands into his jean pockets. He was wearing jeans. Not dress pants or trousers. Honest to God jeans. They were low slung, worn, and faded with a rip in one of the knees. I looked at his shirt. It was a plain, long-sleeved cotton tee with half the hem tucked into the front of said jeans.

Holy hell, could he wear a pair of jeans. If I looked like that in jeans, I would sleep in them. I certainly wouldn’t wear dress pants.

He snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Earth to Frankie.” When I looked at him, he continued. “I don’t have time to argue with you. The plane is ready. I’m not leaving you here to wreak havoc on my life while I’m gone.” He brought his jean-wearing self even closer, the toe of his Nike bumping into the toe of my heel. “Don’t think I didn’t know what you were up to at lunch the other day, what you were going to do.”

I batted my eyes at him all innocent-like.

“Please,” he muttered. “There isn’t an innocent bone in your entire body.”

I scowled. “You are so rude.”

“If I was as rude as you think, I would have killed you for all the stuff you’ve pulled. Instead, I’m hauling you off on vacation and you’re stupid enough to argue about it.”

Wait a minute. Vacation?

A sly smile slipped over his features when he saw the interest in my eyes. Gah! I was so stupid. I should have acted like I was still annoyed.

“Have you ever been to California?” he asked, dangling a carrot in front of a very hungry rabbit (me). “The palm trees, the beaches…”

Act like you don’t care. Act like you don’t care, I repeated over and over in my head.

“Rodeo Drive…” he added.

A rabbit couldn’t resist a carrot. How was I supposed to resist all that? “You’re going to California?”

“No, we are.”

“I can’t go to California. I have to work. I have a life.”

He rolled his eyes. “Please. You hate your life.”

“I do not!” I burst out.

He raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over that sexy body of his.

“Just my job and everything currently going on in my personal life… which is all your fault.”

“Well then, take advantage of a free vacation to Los Angeles. I’ll even give you my American Express card to go shopping.”

I pursed my lips. “You really think I’m going to screw everything up, don’t you?”

“Oh, I know you will, and I have enough to deal with already. Get in your car.” He glanced at his watch. “We’re already late.”

“Oh, shucks. We’ll miss the plane.”

He grinned. “Private jets don’t take off without their passengers, love.”

I don’t know if it was the “private jet” part or the “love” part that had me agreeing and climbing into my Jeep and driving home. But before I knew it, I was sitting in his Porsche heading toward the airport.

It was only then that I realized I hated flying. Planes made me extremely nervous. So obviously it hadn’t been the “private jet” that got me here. It was the fact that the endearment “love” sometimes fell so naturally off his tongue.

Oh, and the way he looked in those jeans…

I never even stood a chance.

Chapter Twenty-Five

“Aviophobia - the fear of flying.”

Charming

You could learn a lot from someone just by watching them. Really watching them. It was something I never realized when I was alive. If I had, I might not have died the way I did. Now, I had a lot of practice at watching people and I knew fear when I saw it.

I’ve witnessed a broad range of emotion from Frankie, but fear wasn’t one of them. Unease? Yes. Nervousness? Yes. Flustered, annoyed, angry… Yes, yes, and yes. Desire? Desire was my favorite.

She was literally a kaleidoscope of feeling. You never knew which feelings of hers might blend together and what would happen when they did. I was shocked when she agreed to come with me so easily. I wondered if the dark circles beneath her eyes were part of the reason. That and the fact I hadn’t seen her consume sugar at all the last few times I saw her. She was looking a little thin; I realized I liked her better filled out.

“Are you scared of flying?” I asked. Amusement sparked through me like a sparkler on the fourth of July as I watched her grip the armrests of her seat.

“No,” she said harshly. Then she looked at the floor. “Maybe.”

I grinned.

“Wipe that smile off your face before I do it for you,” she growled.

“There’s a stash of candy over there by the mini bar.” I pointed to the other side of the plane where all the drinks were kept chilled.

The jet lurched forward as it began to taxi to the runway. Her skin turned green. I saw her swallow thickly.

I sighed. Watching her misery wasn’t as entertaining as I thought it might be. I went to the mini bar and pulled out some clear rum and a can of sprite. I combined them both over ice in a crystal glass and took it over to her.

“Here, how about some sugar poured over liquor?”

“Thanks,” she said, looking at the glass, but she made no move to loosen her death grip on the armrest so she could take it.

I sat down in the seat beside hers. “You ever been to L.A.?”

“No.”

“Never? Wow. I think you’ll like it. It’s warm and sunny. The sun always shines. The people are tan and beautiful. The palm trees are taller than a lot of the buildings here and the beach—”

“I’ve never been to the beach.” She interrupted.

That surprised me. “You’ve never seen the ocean?”

“Just on television.”

“I think you’re going to love it.”

“How do you know?” she asked. I noticed her skin was now back to its original complexion. Her fingers seemed to be getting a little more circulation as well.

“Because,” I said, leaning in closer to her, “it’s a lot like you. Larger than life. It fills up the space in front of you as far as you can see. And it can be temperamental.” I smiled when she made a face. “One minute it’s crashing onto the sand with great ferocity, but the next moment the waves become gentle and it laps at your ankles like a soft caress.”

She let go of the armrests completely and leaned a little closer. “Sounds like you’re the one who really loves the ocean.”

I stared at her for long minutes, her words not really penetrating my brain. All I could think about was how pretty she was sitting there with those loose blond curls framing her face and her nervous pink cheeks. But then the word love broke through the haze in my brain. I shook my head. “I don’t love anything.”

She sat back. I handed her the drink, which she took and downed about half in one great slurp. “We’re in the air,” she said.

“You didn’t even notice we were taking off.” I got up and moved across the plane to sit on a small couch over by a few small windows.

“It’s those damn jeans,” she murmured.

“What about my jeans?”

“Stupid superpower hearing,” she muttered, taking another drink.

“You like my jeans, huh?” Smug satisfaction filled my chest.

“I’d like them better if you took them into another room and stayed there.”

“You keep up that attitude, this is going to be a very long flight.”

“How long is it anyway?”

“About nine hours.”

She gaped at me. “Nine hours stuck on a plane with you?”

I grinned.

“What are we going to do for nine hours?”

“I can think of a few things.” I wagged my eyebrows. “Want to see how my jeans look on the floor?”

She spit her drink halfway across the room and the back of her hand flew to her mouth. “Ew! You are so gross!”

I scowled. “That’s not what you were saying the other night when I kissed you.”

“Do not remind me.”

“Why? Afraid you’ll want to do it again?”

Her shoulders slumped a little and she swiveled her chair toward the window. “If I get fired for this little trip, you owe me a million dollars.”

I would take her silence on the kissing subject as a yes. “A million dollars? I didn’t realize DMV employees made so much money.”

“They don’t. Most of it would be for the mental abuse I’m suffering at your hands.”

I laughed.

“I think a shopping spree on Rodeo drive will change your mind.”

“I’m not going shopping on Rodeo drive.”

“No?” I figured that was the first place she would go.

“No. I’m not spending your money.”

“But you’ll take a million?”

She looked around the back of her chair at me and rolled her eyes.

“So what’s the first thing you’re going to do?”

“Find the beach.”

“We’re staying on the beach. I have a house right on the sand.”

Her chair spun back around to face me. “Are you serious?”

“Views from every room.”

“How much money do you have?” she wondered.

More than she or I could ever spend. More money than some small countries. Killing paid well. Killing for over ninety years made a man very, very rich. I opened my mouth to answer and she held up her hand.

“Don’t answer. It doesn’t matter.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because of the way you earned it.”

Irritation slammed through me. Figures she’d say that. “Money is just paper. It really doesn’t have anything to do with the job.”

“You do the job for the money,” she spat.

“I do the job because I have to,” I snapped, getting up and going to the bar. Shit, this was going to be a long plane ride. I should have just left her in Alaska and done damage control when I got home. It probably would have done me good to get away from her. She drove me mad. I poured half a glass of brandy and took a swallow.

“Because you’ll get Recalled,” she said softly.

“Yeah, and I’m in no hurry for that to happen.”

“It’s pretty terrible?” she asked.

“Don’t worry about it, love,” I said, wincing when the endearment slipped out. Again. I had no idea why I kept doing that. Calling people by anything other than their name was something I never did. “You won’t feel a thing.”

“But you will,” she whispered. I figured I wasn’t meant to hear that either so I didn’t bother to reply. I wasn’t naïve enough to think she actually cared.

“What’s the purpose of this trip anyway? I thought you were all about your Target,” she said with mock seriousness.

I didn’t bother to sit back down, but paced the cabin instead. This jet was feeling smaller than usual.

“I am all about my Target. That’s why you’re here.”

“Well, then?”

I took another drink of the alcohol and hoped it would numb my brain. She asked too many questions. “Work.”

“Is Rosalyn traveling to L.A.?” she wondered out loud. Then she said, “Couldn’t be, then you wouldn’t have cared if I was there.”

I stayed silent. I was tired of talking.

“If you’re not going for Rosalyn, but it’s still work…” She gasped. “You’re going to kill someone. Aren’t you?”

I closed my eyes. How did she make everything I did sound so awful? “It’s really not any of your business.”

“Are you kidding me?” she shouted. “You’re making me an accessory to murder!”

“Keep your voice down,” I said, glancing at the cockpit. “And you can’t be an accessory to something you know nothing about.”

She drained the rest of her drink, set the glass on a nearby table, and then spun her chair back toward the window. I guess that meant she was done bitching at me. Thank God.

We sat in silence for a long time. I finished my drink and had another, watched the sports highlights on the mini flat screen, and stared out the window into the dark. Flying didn’t bother me—I did it all the time—but sitting here left me feeling restless. She still hadn’t turned that chair around. She hadn’t uttered a word.

It made me mad that I was sitting here even thinking about her pouting. I took my empty glass over to the bar and then grabbed her chair and turned it around. She was sitting with her knees pulled up and her chin resting on top. Her arms were wrapped around her legs and she tilted her head back and looked at me. “What?”

“Are you going move in the next eight hours?”

She sighed and unfolded herself from the chair. “Where’s my bag?” she asked.

I motioned to the back of the cabin to the large closet where I put our bags. She pulled open the door and yanked out her bag so it was practically on top of her feet. Then she glanced at me and pointed to the garment bag hanging inside the closet. “Seriously? You put your clothes in a garment bag? How many pairs of trousers did you bring?”

I wondered what she would say if she knew there was a body in that bag and not my trousers. A body I stole from the Grim Reaper. And what the hell was wrong with trousers? They were classy. The way she said it, you would think I was running around in sweatpants. “If I had known you liked me in jeans so much, I would have brought more of those instead.”

Her cheeks turned pink and she bent down to rummage through her bag. After a few minutes, she made a sound. “Didn’t you bring me a sweatshirt?”

“We’re going to California. It’s hot there.”

“But this plane is freezing.”

“There’s some blankets in the cabinet over here.”

She abandoned the duffle and walked over to where I was pulling several blankets out of the cabinet. When she reached out for one, I noticed the goose bumps prickling her arms. I guess I should have packed her a sweater or something. Packing for a woman wasn’t something I ever had to do. I snatched the blanket away and her eyes widened.

“Hey,” she started, but she fell silent when I yanked the shirt I was wearing over my head. Then I swiftly pulled it down over her.

“You’ll warm up faster this way,” I said.

“I’m not going to freeze to death,” she protested even as she pushed her arms through and fixed the hem. The white fabric fell mid-thigh. “How come men get all the good body heat?” she mumbled, reaching around me for the blanket and taking it over to her chair.

“What do you know about men and body heat?” I felt my eyes narrow as I watched her shapely behind move beneath my shirt.

“That they have more of it.”

She yawned loudly and wrapped the blanket around herself.

“You might as well get some sleep. I have a feeling once you see the beach you won’t want to go in the house.”

“Good idea.” She leaned her head back against the chair. If she slept like that she was going to get a neck cramp.

“Here, this would be more comfortable.” I told her, grabbing a remote and pressing a button. The couch I sat on earlier slid out of the wall, widening so it was the size of a double bed.

She stared at me for a few minutes before getting up and going to the bed. I handed her a pillow. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. I just didn’t want to hear you whine about your neck from sleeping in a chair.”

She made a rude noise and lay down, draping herself with the blanket and rolling away from me.

I hesitated a minute before dropping down so I crouched right beside her. “At first it was hard,” I said softly. She would know I was talking about the killing.

She rolled over to look at me. The blanket was pulled up to her chin and her face was just inches from mine. “How come it stopped being hard?”

I glanced at her lips, distracted by their pink fullness. “Because I stopped living.”

Her blue eyes stared at me as something danced between us. It was completely invisible to the eye, but it was impossible not to feel. I think the word for what I felt was chemistry. It was equal parts push and pull and it created a charge in the air surrounding us. I wanted to touch her. I wondered if she would pull away if I did.

Slowly, I reached out, and I watched her face as my hand drew closer. She stopped breathing for a moment. Everything about her paused, except for that unseen energy around her. That energy seemed to hum.

I skimmed the back of my knuckles down her cheek and then rolled my hand over and cupped her face with my palm. My thumb made lazy circles around the apple of her cheek.

Her eyes fluttered closed.

She drew in a deep breath.

Without opening her eyes, she replied, “Maybe it’s time you started living again.”

Her words caused something inside my chest to splinter apart. Kind of like a mini explosion that only I could feel. I crouched there beside her for a long time, my thumb still brushing over her skin. She fell asleep like that, her breathing turning even and deep.

Only after my legs and feet had gone numb from my awkward position did I get up to go sit down. All I could think about was what she said.

All I could think was that maybe she was right.

Chapter Twenty-Six

“Ocean - the entire body of salt water that covers more than seventy percent of the earth's surface.”

Frankie

The sun was just lifting into the sky when Charming slid his cherry-red Audi R8 Spyder convertible through the security gates of what looked to be a super exclusive beach neighborhood. It was already so warm here that we were able to put the top down as soon as we left the airport. (Apparently, when you have your own plane, you get a mini hanger to put it in, and that’s where his car was). We drove for about a mile when he slowed, turning into the driveway of a large modern house that was literally right on the beach.

I tried not to gape at the clean lines, large glass windows, and tropical landscaping. I admit it had always been my hope to snag a rich doctor and have a nice lifestyle, but not even I could fathom Charming’s world. It was overfull with crazy expensive cars, private planes, houses on the beach… and that was just the stuff I knew about.

But he was alone. He didn’t have anyone to enjoy it with. I don’t think all the money in the world could make up for that.

He parked in the garage next to a fancy-looking motorcycle and climbed out. I yanked my bag from where I jammed it beneath my feet and slung it over my shoulder while he gathered his bags (I thought it was amusing that I was the girl, but he had more bags than me).

I knew the inside was going to be spectacular. But when we walked in, I barely saw any of the walls, the furnishings, or the type of countertops in the kitchen because my eyes went straight to the view.

The entire back of the house was glass. The bag thudded to my feet as the view sucked me closer, beckoning me like a fresh donut hot out of the fryer. It was the most breathtaking sight I’d ever seen. Nothing could compare to the way the ocean, an endless deep blue, stretched out for miles and miles. There were no trees, no buildings, nothing to block the sight.

I stopped just short of the thick window, resisting the urge to put my hand on the glass so as not to leave a print behind to get in the way of such perfection.

The waves never stopped, rising up and rolling in, crashing over one another and then hurrying up onto the shoreline, which was nothing but billions and billions of tiny grains of sand.

“It’s a lot better than looking at snow, isn’t it?”

I wanted to argue and tell him that Alaska, my home, was better, but that would be a lie. To me, this view was more beautiful than any view I’d seen in Alaska.

“I’ve never seen anything like it.” I glanced at him. “Can I go outside?”

“You can do whatever you want here.”

I stepped through the glass door and onto a wide deck that ran the entire length of the house. There was no overhang, no columns, nothing but a railing also made of glass. The wind immediately pulled at my hair, sending it this way and that way. The air smelled like the sea, salty and thick. There wasn’t a single cloud in the perfectly blue sky.

I don’t know how long I stood at the railing, just gazing out at it all, but eventually I pulled up one of the lounge chairs as close to the edge as I could get and sat down.

The sun was much higher in the sky and it was getting hot when a plate appeared under my nose. It was filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, and ruby-red strawberries.

“Please tell me you have a chef inside,” I said, taking the plate and staring down at the food. If he told me he cooked, I might fling myself off the side of the balcony. Really. Being rich, good-looking, and sexy as hell wasn’t enough for him?

“That’s the thing about eating. It required learning how to cook.”

I groaned and stuck a piece of bacon in my mouth. It was really good. I put my plans for taking a dive off the balcony on hold.

“I’m surprised you aren’t already down there,” he said, hitching his chin toward the beach.

“I can get down there from here?”

“Steps are over there.” He pointed.

I started to get up, to abandon the food, but he reached out and pushed me back down. “Eat first. The water isn’t going anywhere.”

I felt like I was seven again and my mother told me I had to eat all my vegetables before I could go outside to play. I wanted to shove them all into my mouth and then rush out the door. I scowled at him.

“You slept the entire flight. When’s the last time you ate?”

“Lunch. Yesterday.”

He shook his head like my answer made him angry. I inhaled the food, which, dammit, was really good, and then picked up my plate to carry it in the house.

He’d already finished his plate as well, so I followed him inside where we abandoned the dishes in the sink. I looked for my bag, but I didn’t see it anywhere.

“I put it upstairs in your room,” he said, seeing me search. “First door on the right.”

I wandered up the wide-open staircase, stumbling because I still couldn’t tear my eyes away from the view, and then took the door he instructed.

Of course the room was gorgeous. It was all white—white walls, white bed, white canopy, white curtains billowing in the breeze because the sliding glass doors were open letting in the sound of the waves. The only color was from the dark hardwood floors and the view. I peaked briefly into the bathroom, which was all white marble and chrome fixtures. Not wanting to waste another minute, I dumped the contents of my bag onto the bed, scattering the clothes all around, and found a pair of loose white linen shorts and a fitted black T-shirt.

I changed quickly, only pausing for a second when I pulled off Charming’s shirt to replace it with mine, and then I left the room barefoot, padding down the hall to another bedroom, the master, and pushed open the partially closed door.

The room was almost all white too, but his bed was much bigger and the trim on his bedding was black. I didn’t bother to snoop around, I just tossed his shirt onto the bed and then hightailed it back downstairs so I could get outside.

Charming was standing by the back door, a new pair of jeans riding his hips and making his ass look like he should be an underwear model. Apparently it wasn’t just one pair of jeans he looked good in, but all jeans.

He turned when I stopped behind him. He was wearing a Lucky Brand T-shirt the same vibrant green as his eyes. A pair of aviator sunglasses were pushed up on his head and he was rocking a five o’clock shadow.

His eyes started at my toes and raked up, lingering on my legs and then settling on my face. “Where are your sunglasses?”

“I guess my butler didn’t grab them.” I sighed. “Good help is so hard to find.”

He rolled his eyes and pulled the aviators off his head and handed them over. “Here, you’re going to go blind in that sun.”

“What will you wear?”

“I have more than one pair of sunglasses.”

Well, of course he did.

“Thank you,” I said, taking the glasses. I barely knew how to act when he behaved so, so… nice. If I wasn’t careful, I would fool myself into thinking he was someone other than exactly who he was.

“I have to go out. I have stuff to do,” he said, watching me closely.

Well, there went my previous thoughts. “I have stuff to do” was code for “I’m going off to murder someone.” I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him.

“I don’t know when I’ll be back. Make yourself at home. I’ll leave the keys to the convertible on the counter.”

“You’d let me drive your car?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

I shrugged. He didn’t really seem like the kind of guy who liked to share.

“If you wreck it, you owe me a million dollars,” he said, winking.

I wasn’t charmed. I wasn’t.

“Don’t turn into a lobster while I’m gone.” He stepped away from the back door.

The reason he was leaving crashed over me all over again. Sharp pains cut through my middle. “As long as no one comes to murder me, I’ll be just fine,” I snapped coldly.

He stopped in his path but didn’t turn around. I saw him flex his hands at his sides. “I wouldn’t worry about that. All you’d have to do is open your mouth and anyone coming near you would run away as fast as they could.”

He started walking again, but I didn’t stand there to see if he looked back. I went out the back door, slamming it behind me. I wasn’t going to think about him. I wasn’t going to think about what he could be doing. I was going to take advantage of this beautiful place and not think at all. With any luck, the waves would carry away every single thought I had.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

“Kill - to deprive of life.”

Charming

The Target was a man. I didn’t get a huge folder of background information on him. Just his name, his whereabouts, and the fact that he was supposed to die. Frankly, I welcomed the fact that I didn’t have to learn anything about him. It seemed like such a waste of time to get to know someone who was practically already dead.

I didn’t even know why G.R. wanted him dead. It wasn’t for money or the job wouldn’t be an in-and-out type of thing. If he had an ability G.R. wanted for someone, he didn’t say. All I was supposed to do was complete the job and then call him so he could come collect.

Although, I really wouldn’t be surprised if this man had anything G.R. wanted. He was probably just some lame excuse to get me out of town and away from my real Target for a couple days.

I wasn’t even sure what he did with the bodies, with the souls of the Targets. Once we called and he came, our part was through and we left. I never asked him and he never volunteered the information. I never really cared. Until now.

Robert “Bobby” Salzman worked in the entertainment industry. In Hollywood, that could mean anything from blockbuster movies to adult films. Whatever he did paid him pretty well, judging from the size of his house and cherry-red Dodge Viper sitting in the driveway.

But he should have spent his money on better security. I pulled the motorcycle I “borrowed” into his driveway, leaving my helmet on but flipping up the visor so it only looked like I was too lazy to pull it off and not like I was trying to hide. I kept the leather jacket and gloves on and then unstrapped the pizza that I picked up from the local pizza joint on the way and carried it toward the door.

To any wandering eye, it would appear I was just the pizza guy delivering lunch. I made it to the front door and rang the bell. From what I knew, he lived alone, but I wasn’t sure if he was alone today, so ringing the bell would give me a chance to figure it out before I actually finished the job. It was never good when you realized there was a witness that you didn’t know about. Then your single Target became two. Yes, the rules were you killed no one but the Target, but when the job was compromised, exceptions were made.

He answered the door. I checked a housekeeper off my list of potential witnesses. He was wearing a bathing suit and no shirt. He smelled like tanning lotion and his skin was slick with the stuff. “What?” he demanded.

“Pizza delivery,” I said, holding up the pizza.

“I didn’t order a pizza.”

I read off the address—his address—on the order form attached to the pie.

“That’s me, but I didn’t order a pizza.”

“Well, I’m already here and no more orders to fill. Here,” I said, holding out the box, “on the house.”

He grunted. “Yeah, okay. Thanks, kid.”

I handed him the box and he went inside, shutting the door on my face. What? No tip? I stepped away from the door, but instead of getting on the bike, I zipped around the side of the house (super speed really comes in handy) and into the back yard. There were lots of foliage and tropical plants back here and the neighbor’s house wasn’t even visible, so it made the job even easier.

He was sitting in a patio chair with the open pizza box beside him. I stepped into his line of sight and he stiffened, standing up immediately. “What the hell are you doing, kid?”

He came over; his body language said he was ready for a fight. I kicked his legs out from under him and he fell back, hitting his head on the concrete. He lay there unmoving. I used my foot and pushed him into the pool.

If the body was found, it would appear that he slipped, hit his head, and fell into the pool and drowned.

When I was sure he was dead, I dialed G.R. “It’s done,” I said into the phone. Then I hung up.

He appeared two seconds later, stepping through the door/portal he created, and looked at the body floating in the pool.

“Job complete.”

I started to walk away, but then I stopped. I had to ask. Even if he didn’t answer. “Why this one?”

“That Viper in his driveway came from my lot. He hasn’t paid his lease in six months.”

Revenge, then. I nodded and walked away. I ignored the sick feeling in my stomach. When I stepped around the house and into the foliage, I heard the water in the pool ripple. Curious, I turned around, keeping myself concealed behind a large palm. I watched as the Reaper waded through the shallow end toward the body. He didn’t touch him but hovered his palm over the man’s back.

I watched, waiting to see what would happen. Just a few seconds ticked by and then the man’s spirit began to rise up out of his body. It was green. I thought G.R. was going to talk to him—maybe recruit another Escort.

He wasn’t looking for another Escort.

When the green spirit hovered over the Reaper’s head, he raised up his arms, looked up toward the sky, and then he proceeded to eat the spirit.

He literally opened his mouth as wide as it would go and began to suck the spirit into his mouth. But the spirit didn’t just go into his mouth; it seeped into his ears and up his nose. The spirit didn’t struggle; it didn’t try to get away. I wasn’t even sure if it knew what was going on.

I wasn’t sure if I knew what was going on.

Was this what he did to all the people he killed—that the Escorts killed?

This was some disturbing shit.

When he was done chowing down on spirit, he waded out of the pool, leaving the body right where it floated. Then with a single wave of his hand, the portal opened and he stepped through, leaving the scene of the crime—of his meal—behind.

I didn’t loiter on the property. I zipped around the house and forced myself to jog to my bike like a guy who just delivered a pizza and who didn’t witness the Grim Reaper eating the green spirit of a man he’d just killed.

I put the bike back in the parking garage where I found it (but kept the helmet—since my hair and therefore DNA was now in it) and climbed on the closest bus. I rode that and got off after three stops. I got on another bus, rode that for two stops. Then I got off and walked three blocks, passing a city garbage truck on the sidewalk. I tossed the helmet into the back and it was immediately crushed into the already huge pile of trash. Another block passed and I ducked into a parking garage. I went up three flights of stairs and climbed onto another motorcycle—this one mine. It was completely different than the one I borrowed earlier. This one was a bike built for speed—something flashy that rich people drove. If you wanted to blend in around Beverly Hills, then you drove something expensive.

I pointed the bike toward my beach house. Toward Frankie. I pictured her sitting on the beach, her toes buried in the sand. I wondered if she would talk to me when I got home. I probably didn’t deserve it. I still hoped she would. Right then, I would have loved to hear her yell at me, to see her roll her eyes. Hell, I would’ve even listened to her insult me.

Anything to drown out my own thoughts.

Because right now I was thinking I didn’t like myself.

Right now I was feeling guilty. Guilty about what I just did. And I was also feeling slightly freaked out that I kind of fed my boss.

Why would he eat a spirit? There was perfectly good pizza right there if he was hungry.

Something told me pizza wouldn’t have conquered his kind of hunger.

It didn’t matter anyway. This whole thing started out as being about getting the best of him and doing the job. And now… now I wasn’t sure what anything was about.

The only thing I really knew for sure was that I wanted to see Frankie.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

“Sand - small, loose grains of worn or disintegrated rock.”

Frankie

I came to the conclusion that I would never get tired of staring at the ocean. It didn’t matter how long I sat here or how long I stared because the sights were forever changing. There was always a new wave to look at, a boat, a bird, or a person.

The ocean had a way of making a person feel small, but not in a bad way. In a way that made you feel like you were part of something bigger. It was humbling, but it was also inspiring.

Even though Charming left me here while he was off committing a crime, I couldn’t feel sorry about experiencing this. I still felt thankful that I hadn’t gone another day without seeing something outside the walls of Alaska.

The sun was beginning to sink behind the water when I felt his presence behind me. I didn’t have to look to know it was him. My body had a way of knowing when he was near. He approached slowly and I stiffened. He didn’t tell me where he was going today or what he was doing, but I knew.

I hated it.

“There enough sand here for the both of us?” he asked, standing just slightly behind me.

The insecurity in his voice had me patting the empty space beside me.

“You’ve been down here all day, haven’t you?”

I glanced over. He was still wearing those jeans, but that was all. No shirt and no shoes. He stretched his legs out in front of him and propped himself up with the heel of each hand just slightly behind his back. I wondered if he was doing it on purpose, displaying his perfectly cut abs just to throw me off. It didn’t matter because it wasn’t going to work.

“I sat on the deck for a while,” I answered. “But yeah, mostly I was down here all day.”

“I knew you’d like it.”

“I do.”

We watched the sun slip lower and lower until it completely disappeared behind the endless sea. The breeze off the ocean turned cooler and the shoreline grew quiet except for the crashing of the waves against the sand.

“Rough day?” I asked him.

“I’ve had better.”

I could have made a biting remark about why his day had been so shitty. Several scathing comments rose up in my mind, but even just thinking them made me tired. And there was something about him tonight, something about the air that surrounded him, that told me it didn’t matter how many mean things I said because he was already saying worse things to himself. Part of me was glad. Part of me thought he deserved all those mean things and more. But there was this other part of me that felt sorry for him. In the end, it was the softer side of me that won out.

“Well, the sun will be up tomorrow and with it comes a new day. A fresh one.”

“What if the day that comes before the fresh one is so full of clouds and they cast shadows that follow you all the way into the new day?”

“Usually even on the cloudiest day, the sun will find a way to peek through at least once.”

His hand wrapped around mine. His fingers found their way in between mine and curled closed, pressing his palm against mine. My heart began to beat a little harder; nerves began to tingle throughout my body.

“I know I’ll never be able to make up for the things I’ve done,” he said. I had to lean a little closer so I would catch his words before the wind carried them away. “And I doubt I ever try. Feeling better isn’t really something I deserve, and it seems that living with those things is part of the punishment.”

I wondered if he realized he said the word living. Up until this point, he’d been adamant about the fact that he was dead.

“But when I’m around you, I feel like there might be some hope.”

My heart lodged itself in my throat. I could barely swallow past it. “Hope for what?” I asked, my voice almost drowned out by the sound of the waves.

His fingers tightened around mine. “For a little more sunshine instead of just clouds.”

Oh my God, what he did to me. I felt like a dishrag that had been used to mop up far too many spills and then rung out again and again. I felt twisted and damp, like I wasn’t as clean as I was in the beginning.

He was right. There was no excuse for his actions. There was no excuse for him. But I still wanted to sit here with him. I still wanted to feel his hand hold mine. Nothing about Charming would ever be simple. And it also became quite clear that nothing was going to change the way I felt about him.

I guess the real question I had to ask myself was if I was going to feel all these things beside him or if I was going to feel them at home, alone. Because even if I walked away from him right now and didn’t see him again for a year or ten, I would still get the lightheaded, slightly shaky, fluttery feeling that washed over me when he walked into a room.

It was a choice that wouldn’t come easy. When you were so drawn to someone the way I was drawn to him, it was almost impossible to think about walking away. But that didn’t mean I wouldn’t do it because if he wasn’t good for me, then I couldn’t stay.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked.

“You.”

He pushed me down in the sand, his body coming over mine and blocking out the stars that glistened like jewels in the night sky above us. “I’m going to kiss you now,” he murmured, already brushing his lips across mine. “Don’t bother to try to fight it. It’s a fight you won’t win.”

“What if I want to lose?”

He groaned and crushed his mouth over mine. His lips were hot against my wind-chilled skin. My body began to shake all over, and I reached up, curving my hand around his waist and pulling him down so our bodies were tangled together. His skin tasted salty like the ocean air and his toes were chilly as they ran up my calf. He moved his body against mine, the roughness of his jeans brushing against the bare skin on my legs. Without thought, I opened my legs for him, so he could settle even closer. The moment he did, pressure began to build in my center and he kissed me more fiercely than before.

I was going to burn up, burn up from the inside out. Every time he touched me, ran his hand up my inner thigh, or teased the skin on my stomach, it was like he lit yet another match and added it to the fire.

He murmured my name against my lips and I ran my hand along the rough stubble lining his jaw. If we didn’t slow down, he was going to take me right here.

Sleeping with him would only make things harder.

But it was hard to listen to your head when your body wanted something so badly that it shut off all thought.

He pulled away abruptly, coming up onto his knees and staring down at me lying in the sand. Grabbing a fistful of my shirt, he pulled me up and ripped the cotton fabric up over my head and threw it onto the sand. The sand was cool and rough against my back, but I barely noticed because my eyes couldn’t get enough of his chiseled body leaning closer.

I was wearing a bra, but it must have been in his way because he yanked the cups down so they were bunched beneath my breasts and pushing upward so the sensitive and aching flesh was closer to his hands.

But he didn’t touch them.

He latched onto them with his mouth. His lips were warm and moist as they trailed across each peak. My fingernails found his biceps and dug in as little shivers raced up and down my spine. When his tongue flicked over a very erect nipple, I arched up off the sand toward him and cried out. He looked up at me and smiled, then repeated the movement again.

My hands moved to his head and kneaded his scalp, silently begging for more. The wind off the waves carried away his throaty chuckle as his mouth covered my nipple completely, sucking it fully into his mouth.

Moisture pooled between my legs and I titled my hips closer to him, closer to the hardness pressing against the front of his jeans.

His mouth left my breast as he trailed kisses down my stomach, toward the top of my shorts. My hands fell on either side of me and pushed down into the sand as I stretched myself like a cat, trying to become longer so there was more of me for his lips to touch.

Just as he slipped several fingers beneath my waistband, a swell of water rushed up around us, making me squeal. Charming came back over me, laughing, and buried his face in my neck as the water began to recede. “Hold on,” he said, kissing me below my ear and pinning me a little closer to the beach.

As the water receded, it pulled at us, making me dizzier than I already was. Before the wave could completely pull away, another one surrounded us and I squealed again. The water was cold without the sun to warm it, and I snuggled in a little closer to his heat. Once again, the water pulled away, going back into the sea where it belonged, and once again, it pulled at us, trying to claim us for its own.

But I was already taken.

By the man anchoring me to the sand.

Even if I forever remained single, my heart would never be free.

Once the water was gone, he pressed his forehead against mine and stared down into my eyes for a few silent moments before sighing and pulling away. Part of me was sorely disappointed. My body still tingled for his touch as he adjusted my bra and stood. Then he reached for me and my forgotten shirt and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. My body fit perfectly into his side and we walked together up to his half-glass beach house where he rinsed off my feet with the hose before pulling me close and kissing me senseless once more. Just when I was sure we would end up tangled in bed, he growled and pulled away, tucking his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

His whispered goodnight was lifted away by the wind as he disappeared into the house.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“Text - to communicate by text message.”

Charming

I woke as the sun was rising, lying there in my king-sized bed, watching the sky turn a peachy-pink as day broke over the water. I bought this house for the view, for the location. I didn’t really expect to like it here as much as I did, but the house was comfortable and there was something calming and steady about the ocean.

Out of all my houses throughout the world, this one probably felt most like home, aside from the first one I ever purchased. That home was the biggest, the most private, and was the only place I’ve ever been where I could fully be myself. It’s where the old me and the current me could blend together to create a total person. When I went there, I didn’t have to be all about the job. I didn’t have to think about the way I looked, the way I acted, or the impression I was giving someone else. I hadn’t been there in a long time and thinking about it now made me realize how much I missed it.

I made a sound and rolled away from the view. Missing a place was stupid. I didn’t have time to miss anything because I had a job to do and thanks to G.R., I was losing a couple days because I was here and not there.

It didn’t matter though. We could leave tonight and I would be back to work tomorrow. It was time I stepped it up a bit. The Target was familiar with me now; she seemed to feel safe in my presence and no longer suspicious. It was time to come up with a plan to get to her money. When a Target was a lonely person, when they didn’t have a large family or a network of people around them, it usually wasn’t very hard, but this time was different.

I needed an angle. Maybe I could somehow get into her bank account through the fundraiser I was supposed to be helping her with. A dull ache began behind my eyes and I knew it was going to be a long day.

I would rather eat a bucket of nails and wash them down with a glass of bleach than go back to Alaska tomorrow and spend time with the Target.

Flinging the down-filled covers off me, I got out of bed and snatched my cell off the nightstand. I should send her a text, something just to keep myself in her thoughts, to endear her to me a little more. Maybe a picture of the empty morning beach.

Everything in my body rebelled at the idea of sharing any part of this place with her. If I could smack some sense into myself I probably would have because my body and my mind needed to get with the program. I’d never had a problem faking my feelings for any Target before. Hell, this Target should be even easier because I didn’t have to pretend to have romantic feelings for her because she thought I was gay.

Maybe the pressure G.R. was putting on was getting to me. The impossible assignment, the extra job, my sister…

I was starting to crack under the pressure. I mean, I was feeling things for the love of God.

I walked to the wall of windows to snap the picture. Like it or not, I was going to do this job. When this was done and the Reaper understood that I wasn’t someone he could yank around, then I would go home, take a break, and get back to normal.

Before I could lift the phone, something caught my eye. A person walking at the edge of the water. It was Frankie. She was already down there, slowly walking along the shore as the waves rushed in soaking her feet.

The ocean wind was pulling at the hem of the cotton dress she wore, pulling it back and molding the fabric to the curves of her body. A body that my hands had been all over last night.

My muscles tightened at the memory of how she felt beneath me. Sinful. It was the only word that could capture how it felt to have her in my arms. That woman was a ball of passion, a pot of bubbling water about to boil over. Her kind of passion wasn’t something a person found every day.

I knew she felt something for me. I saw it in her eyes. I felt it crackle between us. But I also saw her disgust for me, the hatred of who I was and what I did. As I watched her bend down to pick up a few seashells in the sand, I wondered which side was bigger, the hate or the desire.

A text came through my phone and it beeped in my hand. Irritation cracked through me at the disruption. It was the irritation that gave me clarity. All these feelings I’d been having, the lack of interest in my job… the guilt. I wasn’t cracking under the pressure from G.R.

It was her.

She was the reason I was changing. She was the reason I was losing focus on my goals.

Feeling disgusted with myself, I looked down at the text.

Don’t think he’s noticed yet. Everything go as planned?

It was from Storm. He was keeping an eye on G.R. so we would know when he noticed his secret collection was gone. It hadn’t been easy getting those bodies and the soul out of there the other night, but we did it. Instead of keeping everything together in one place, we split up the bodies, Storm hiding two of them and me taking the girl and the jar with the soul in it.

I glanced inside my closet, making sure she was still there, and then looked under the bathroom sink at the jar.

All went as planned. Will be home tomorrow , I typed back.

Target is getting on a plane , he replied.

When?

First thing in the morning . It wasn’t morning yet in Alaska.

Thanks for the heads up .

Ugh. Where was she going? How long was she going to be gone? I didn’t remember her mentioning a trip to me, yet I hadn’t really talked to her since that day in the café when I rushed out of there. Ever since then I’d been too busy trying to find something to use against G.R. And too busy thinking about Frankie, the voice in my head whispered.

Damn. I was getting sloppy. Exactly what G.R. wanted. Shit, I wouldn’t be surprised if he knew she was going out of town and he sent me here just so I would miss that much more time with her.

With a growl, I punched a button on my phone and dialed her. She answered on the first ring.

“Charming, this is a surprise,” she said. Her voice was friendly yet slightly reserved. My weird behavior at lunch the other day clearly left an impression on her. And now here I was calling her at a very late hour (for her).

“Rosalyn,” I began, interjecting warmth that I wasn’t feeling into my tone. “It has been a few days, sorry about that. I had an unexpected business meeting and had to fly to Los Angeles.”

“You don’t have to explain, Charming,” she replied. “It isn’t as if your every move is my business.”

I shut my eyes in frustration. See, this was the bad part about being “gay” because if we had some sort of romantic connection, she would feel entitled to knowing every move I made and I could likely romance her into forgiving the way I acted.

Still, the way I was feeling lately being her friend was hard enough, let alone trying to act like her boyfriend. My eyes strayed down onto the beach to look for Frankie. She was still picking up shells, using her dress as a bucket to hold them.

I laughed. “Well, of course not. But I figured since we were friends and also working on the fundraiser together, I should keep you informed.”

“About the fundraiser,” she began, and a ball of ice formed in my gut. If she told me she didn’t need my help anymore I was going to freaking kill her just to be done with her and forget about the damn money. “We will have to postpone our planning for a few days. I’m actually at the airport now. I must go out of town.”

The air in my lungs expelled. “That’s no problem at all,” I replied. “I can work on a few things on my end and then when you get back we can regroup.”

I wanted to ask her where she was going. I wanted to ask her why, but I wasn’t about to. Appearing too interested right now could be the nail in my coffin. She was already sounding a little distant and cool, and giving her any other reason to doubt my motives for hanging around her would be stupid on my part.

“Well, yes, that would be great,” she replied, her tone losing some of its coolness.

“Just let me know when you arrive back in Alaska and have a safe flight.”

“Thank you,” she said. I thought she would hang up then and after a second I pulled the phone away from my ear, but when she began to speak again, I yanked it back up.

“Charming, is there another reason you called so early?”

“Not at all. I was just sitting here watching the sun rise and I realized the last time I saw you was kind of rushed. I figured I would take a chance and see if you were still up.”

“Oh. Well, I’m sure the view there is much nicer than the one here.”

“I don’t want to make you jealous,” I teased.

She laughed. “Yes, I would think so. Okay, well, as long as everything is okay with you…” Her words died off.

“Absolutely. The other day I’d gotten up to go talk with a business acquaintance and then I received a call that there was a fire at one of the properties I own. Naturally, I rushed over, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as the man on the phone made it seem.”

After that, I was glad most of her reserve had melted away and I hoped I managed to stay in her good graces. When we finally hung up the phone, the ache in my head had turned into a pounding.

Looks like the job was delayed for… well, for I didn’t know how long. I was going to have to have Storm find out where she was going and when she was returning.

I glanced at the clock. Not even eight a.m. and I was exhausted.

Frankie appeared on the deck below, dumping a huge pile of shells onto the floor by her feet. Sand scattered everywhere. Then she picked up the hose and started spraying them off creating puddles and globs of wet sand. I shook my head. This place had never seen such a mess. Not only was there sand and shells everywhere, but her towels were draped over the chairs, and her flip-flops lay forgotten near the stairs.

It looked like a home.

Like a place where people could be happy.

I thought again about the place I was missing earlier.

Without a second thought, I tore downstairs and out onto the deck, startling Frankie, who was still using the hose. She jumped, spun around, bringing the hose with her, and splattered me right across the chest.

I flinched and growled her name.

She burst out laughing. “That’s what you get for scaring me.”

I snatched her towel off the chair and began drying myself. “I came down here to tell you to pack up.”

“You want to leave?” I didn’t miss the disappointment clouding her tone.

“Yes, but we aren’t going back to Alaska just yet.”

“Where are we going?” she said, instantly suspicious. “Do you have another job?”

“No.” The relief in my voice made me want to mentally kick myself. “I want to go home.”

“I thought this was your house?”

“I have a lot of houses,” I answered, hoping she would get my meaning. I didn’t want to explain the way I was feeling right then. It was bad enough I was feeling it.

She nodded. “Where is home?”

“Scotland.”

Chapter Thirty

“Majestic - having or displaying majesty or great dignity; grand; lofty.”

Frankie

I was so getting fired. There was no way the dragon lady was going to let me call off sick the rest of the week from work without demanding pictures of me at the hospital, unconscious and with an IV sticking out of my arm.

But I got the impression Charming wasn’t ready to go back to Alaska yet, and to be honest, neither was I. This was my chance to see places I’d never seen before, to be spontaneous and do something exciting. If I got fired from the job I hated, then I guess I would get another one. I mean there had to be tons of crappy jobs just waiting to suck away my soul when I got back.

And then there was Charming.

He was as bossy and demanding as ever, hogging the remote on the plane, slinging insults about everything I did, and generally annoying the crap out of me, but even still, there was something different about him.

I couldn’t quite put my finger on what I was sensing other than… something about him was changing.

His insults weren’t quite as nasty, he handed me a blanket on the plane before I even asked for it, and on the way to the airport he stopped and bought a box of donuts and ordered me a coffee loaded with sugar. And he hadn’t once put on a pair of trousers.

It seemed that our time on the beach had created some kind of tumultuous truce between us. It was kind of nice.

Of course, Charming had yet another crazy expensive car waiting at the hangar when we touched down at the airport. This time it was a black Ferrari. But not even a car as nice as a Ferrari could steal my attention from the sights of Scotland.

It was majestic.

No other word could even come close to the rolling hills that seemed to be carpeted in a grass so thick and green it almost looked made up. I really only thought that places like this existed in books. But here I was breathing in the incredibly fresh air and looking out over miles of green.

After we left the airport, Charming drove to this tiny market where he picked up a few essentials for the fridge, explaining it was easier to get those things here than where we were going. Not too much later, he was pulling the Ferrari onto a ferry of all things and we were setting out across the sea toward the Shetland Islands. I didn’t know Scotland consisted of islands. I thought it was just a big lump of land like every other country, but oh my, was it so much more. The Shetland Islands were comprised of many islands, the largest one simply called Mainland. Charming explained that this was where his home was.

Once we were able to disembark the ferry, we drove in silence (I had my face plastered to the window) down a two-lane winding road. We passed sheep farms, more endless rolling hills, and sea views that were incredible. The farms all had stone cottages plopped down in the center, with grass all around. It was the most peaceful place I’d ever been.

And I wasn’t the only one affected by this place.

If I had thought Charming was changing before, I knew it now. It was almost like night and day. I kept sneaking glances at him out of the corner of my eye as he drove, wondering what side of him I would see next.

“Aren’t the sights to your liking?” he said, glancing at me, then looking back to the curving road.

“Are you kidding? This place is amazing. I won’t even make you pay me a million dollars when I get fired. This place is worth it.”

He flashed his teeth. “Then why do you keep looking over here?”

I paused. I thought about making a smart-ass crack. I decided I would try being real. “Because of the way you look here.”

“And how do I look?”

“Like you’re finally somewhere you can breathe.”

He didn’t say anything for a long time, and then all he said was, “We’re almost there.”

Not too much longer, he pulled down a long and private road that took us around a wide curve. When the Ferrari made it around the bend, a house came into view. It wasn’t what I was expecting after seeing the modern glass place on the beach.

But it was so much better.

It looked like an old giant farmhouse that was built nestled into the side of one of those sweeping hills and hadn’t been touched since. It was all white brick, painted and worn. The windows were small, but there were many and they lined the house in rows, each with its own pair of painted black shutters. Those were pealing and chipped as well. The roof was a traditional roof with black shingles (those actually looked fairly new) and it was in the traditional shape (kind of like a big triangle perched on top of many boxes). The grass around the building itself was trimmed, but everything else around the property was long and shaggy; the tall green blades swayed back and forth with a gentle breeze.

As we drove along the narrow road toward the house, I looked over toward Charming, but my eyes didn’t see him. They went directly to the sweeping view of the sea that sat miles away, facing the house. Calm, dark-blue water met a rugged and rocky coastline, and I instantly wished I had a pair of boots to go exploring on the stones.

“How long have you owned this place?” I asked, my voice an awed whisper.

“Longer than you’ve been alive.”

That was… wow. I didn’t know whether to be amazed or creeped out.

The driveway wasn’t paved and I was partially shocked when he drove the Ferrari right across the dirt road and pushed a button, lifting a black barn-style door. Clearly, he had modernized the house in some ways.

“I had the interior of the place gutted. It’s completely new inside. When I bought the house, it wasn’t livable.”

“By whose standards?” I scoffed.

“Well, not even the wayward sheep who had found their way inside appreciated the leaky roof.” When he looked at me, his eyes twinkled and I realized the green in his irises matched the green that surrounded us here.

I smiled. “Well, give me the grand tour,” I exclaimed and scrambled out of the car to meet him eagerly at the door.

I could tell he was excited to show me his home, the only place he truly loved to be. I think it was his excitement that made me so excited because I knew this place had to be special if it elicited this kind of reaction from someone like him.

The home was… It was everything anyone could ever want but never dream up. Exposed beams, floors made of old barn wood, and accent walls of the same white brick as the outside filled this house. Hand-braided rugs, richly upholstered furniture, and rooms without the boundaries of walls made it feel like more than a refurbished building, more like a place that someone loved. Of course, mixed in with all the old elements were all the new ones—a huge stone fireplace, a huge open kitchen with granite surfaces and stainless-steel appliances, and the amenities of remodeled bathrooms and a home theater. The house was so large that he didn’t even show me the entire place.

The last stop on his tour was my room, which had a view of the sea. It was a large room with a queen-sized bed, luxurious bedding, and an adjoining bath that was made up of natural stone and contemporary fixtures.

“Well, what do you think?” he said, watching me gaze around the room.

“It’s the most beautiful place I’ll ever see.”

He grinned. “How do you know?”

“I know.”

“It took me years to get this place like this.”

“Most people wouldn’t have had the time and the money,” I said, running my hand over the ultra-soft and thick comforter.

“I guess being a Death Escort has some advantages.”

The coldness in his tone had me looking up. He thought I was insulting him. In truth, I’d been thinking out loud.

“I wasn’t trying to insult you.”

“What, then? Were you trying to remind me what you think about my money and how I earned it?”

“No.” I defended. “I—” I stopped trying to explain myself and sighed. “It was just a comment, a slip of the tongue. I don’t have to remind you what you do. You remind yourself enough on your own.”

His eyes narrowed.

“The truth is you’re a Death Escort. You kill people. Repeatedly. I’m just trying to figure out if that’s something I can live with.”

“Something you can live with?” he repeated. “Are you saying you thought of me and you… together?”

“I—well—” Words failed me. I felt like a complete idiot. Maybe I was suffering from a major case of jetlag. I have no idea what would possess me to say that stuff out loud.

Well, no. I did know what it was. It was the pull, the attraction that was always there between us. It was the swirl of energy that seemed to only encompass him and me when we were in the same room. It was the beat of butterfly wings inside my stomach and the way my skin vibrated beneath his touch. Hadn’t he felt those things too?

The way he kissed me, the way his fingers reached for mine… the way he sometimes whispered the truths that lay deep inside him. I wasn’t making those things up. The electricity between us was so thick I could almost scoop it out of the air. Why would he pretend it wasn’t there?

“So is it?” he said. His tone sounded weird and it broke through my inner monologue of panic. “Is what I do something you could live with?”

I wanted to say yes. I wanted to know without a doubt that I could look him in the eyes every day when he came home and not wonder about who he killed that day, who he plotted against. I wish I wouldn’t have to think about the person he was taking away from loved ones, tearing an entire family apart with a senseless death.

I looked up. “I don’t know,” I whispered.

“Don’t look so upset,” he replied, his voice even. “It isn’t like we have a future together anyway. There is no happily ever after for someone like me. There is only death.”

He turned and left the room then, exiting so quietly and quickly that it was almost like he’d never been there at all.

But even if my eyes and ears were fooled by his departure, the rest of me wasn’t. My heart would bear the marks from those words, the echo of finality in them, forever.

Chapter Thirty-One

“Storm - an atmospheric disturbance manifested in strong winds accompanied by rain, snow, or other precipitation and often by thunder and lightning.”

Charming

The minute we drove onto the Mainland, here on the Shetland Islands, I felt like a weight the size of a walrus was lifted off my chest. I wasn’t sure how long it was since I visited here last—a year, maybe two? But even after all that time, it still felt like home to me. It felt that way from the very first time I came here on some job for G.R. to escort a Target. After the job was done, I stayed on and bought a house, a house that took me years and years to remodel. It was probably the only thing I’ve done in the past ninety years that gave me any pleasure.

The pull to come here had been stronger than ever before. I wanted to feel linked to something, something other than the job—something other than death. Something that was mine and no one else’s. That was why I should have stayed away. It was an assault to my already confused senses. My only excuse was that being around Frankie was seriously messing with my head.

And with my heart.

I reached up and rubbed the spot in the center of my chest where the organ that pumped blood throughout my body lay just below my ribs. It felt weird. Almost like it hurt.

I dropped my hand and rummaged around through the kitchen cabinets, looking for the antacid tablets. It was probably just heartburn.

Crunching on the chalky tablets, I glanced at the clock. It was afternoon, still too early for dinner, which was a good thing because I wasn’t hungry and I didn’t feel like cooking. Frankie was still out of sight, likely off snooping through the house. I hadn’t seen her since she told me she thought about us beyond a temporary annoying relationship.

The words caught me off guard. I knew she was attracted to me; her body responded every time I touched her and the pounding of her heart did not fall on deaf ears. Still, hearing she even considered anything more was just unsettling.

She wasn’t the first girl to ever have feelings for me or imagine a future together. It happened all the time, because I wanted it to. Making a woman fall in love with me or so close to it was my job. It’s what I did. Hell, a couple times I’d gone so far as to propose marriage. But those times were different. This was different.

I never tried to make Frankie feel anything other than hate for me.

But she did. She admitted as much.

I was just too charming for my own good.

I moved away from the kitchen and into the great room, where I knelt in front of the stone fireplace and lit the kindling already laid out in the hearth. It wasn’t cold here, but it was chilly, and after coming from L.A. the extra warmth was needed.

I didn’t want feelings between Frankie and me. I didn’t want anything from her other than for her to stay out of my business.

That’s not true, something inside me whispered.

I rubbed at my chest again. Those damn pills weren’t helping.

I accepted my solitary existence. It suited me. Trying for anything more would just end badly.

I heard her soft footfalls coming toward me and the muscles in my body tightened, getting ready to face her anger.

“Is there a path or road that will lead down toward the coast?”

She was asking me about a walking path? She didn’t want to yell at me? I stood away from the fire and looked at her. She wasn’t scowling. She didn’t look like she was going to throw something at my head. She was calm.

Well, this was different.

“Yeah, it might be a bit overgrown. It’s a couple miles, though, to get down by the water.”

“That’s okay. I feel like walking.”

“I should probably go with you. The ground is a bit uneven and if the path is overgrown, you might get lost.”

She looked slightly alarmed at the mention of me tagging along, but she covered up the look very quickly. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

“I don’t want to have to come looking for you when you get lost,” I growled, irritation running rampant through my veins. Was I that easy to get over, then? Did my rebuff not affect her at all?

“I won’t get lost with this giant house to use as my reference.”

“Fine. Go.” Time away from her would likely do me some good anyway. “The path starts behind the house.”

She nodded and left without another word.

I picked up a book written by Mark Twain and sat down, determined not to think about her anymore.

An hour later, a heavy rainstorm seemed to appear out of nowhere. The blue in the sky was taken over by angry dark clouds and swirling winds.

I smirked at the idea of her getting rained on even as my ears listened for her retreat back into the house.

Not too much later, thunder rolled overhead and the rain began to fall in a downpour. She still wasn’t back. Worry crept into me, and I put the book down and looked out the window, overlooking the direction the path would have taken her.

Through the heavy rain, I saw her, a moving spot maybe half a mile from the house. She was moving quickly, trying to get out of the storm.

And then she fell, her body disappearing completely from sight.

A low swear tripped out of my mouth and before I knew it, I was grabbing a slicker off the hook by the door and racing out into the storm. As I went, lightning lit up the sky, creating an angry electric streak that bolted toward the ground. The crack of thunder that followed left a hollow ringing in my ears.

I picked up my pace, worrying she was hurt and lying there out in the open, vulnerable to the elements.

“Frankie!” I yelled, my voice cutting through the gusting wind. My shirt and jeans were soaked in minutes, my shoes were saturated, and I felt like I was walking in a puddle. Wet grass slapped against my legs and water dripped into my eyes.

I heard her call my name, the wind carrying the sound over to my ears. I ran faster, tapping into the reserve of energy my body always had, zipping over the wet grass across the slopping ground.

I stopped when I saw her. She was trudging up one of the slight hills, mud and rain soaking her hair and body. She looked like a drowned cat.

She was a few yards away when she saw me, her feet quickening their pace, but in her haste she slipped again.

She flung out her arms, trying to steady herself, to catch some balance and not fall, but there was no use. The ground was too slick and the mud too slippery.

I caught her around the waist just before she landed in a heap.

“I told you not to come out here alone,” I snapped, pulling her back onto her feet.

“I thought you said you weren’t going to come after me!”

“Shut up!” I yelled, yanking the slicker down over her head and putting up the hood. My heart was still beating too fast from watching her fall before.

“I’m already soaked,” she yelled over another rumble of thunder.

I didn’t bother to reply. I knew she was soaked—we both were—but I felt like I had to do something. I tugged her hand to pull her along behind me, and she made a soft whimper in the back of her throat.

I spun around, my eyes sweeping over her. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine,” she lied. Her lips were turning an ugly shade of blue.

“Don’t lie to me!” I yelled, grabbing her by the shoulders. Rain was pelting us from every angle and it felt like a million tiny needles against my skin.

“I twisted my ankle.” Her shoulders sagged, like admitting she was hurt was somehow giving in and letting me win.

Which it was. She should have listened to me in the first place.

I turned around and crouched down, giving her my back. “Let’s go,” I called out.

She hesitated only a moment before climbing onto my back and wrapping her arms and legs around me. “Hold on!”

Even though I kind of liked having her wrapped around me, I moved quickly, trying to get us away from a storm that was far too violent.

I let us into the mudroom, setting her on a wooden bench by the door and pushing the wet hair off my forehead.

“Going off alone like that was stupid!” I burst out, anger ripping through me. Now that we were out of the rain and she was safe, I was going to let her have it.

“I didn’t know it was going to downpour!” she yelled back.

“You should have been more careful!”

“Why are you yelling at me?” she shouted, yanking off the slicker and throwing it on the floor. She was streaked with mud and dirt and her teeth were beginning to chatter.

My anger drained away like water in a sink. I knelt down and unlaced her ruined sneakers. “It’s hard not to yell at you,” I said gently.

She snorted but then made a sound when I slipped her shoe away from the ankle that she twisted. It was red and slightly puffy, but it didn’t look too bad. I used a nearby towel to gingerly pat the water and mud off the sore part. “It doesn’t look that bad. Should be fine by morning. We’ll get some ice on it.”

She didn’t say anything and when I looked up, I caught her staring at me, watching me with this strained look on her face.

“Are you hurt somewhere else? Did you hit your head?” I reached up and fingered her scalp, searching for cuts.

“I’m fine.” She caught my wrists and pulled them away from her head. “Why is it whenever I try to get away from you, I end up in your arms instead?”

“Because you’re clumsy and pigheaded?” I offered.

She rolled her eyes.

“You went out there to get away from me?” I asked seriously. Something in my stomach churned and that feeling in my chest was back.

She pushed at her wet hair. “It’s easier that way, you know?” she said quietly. “Like you said, there is no future for us.”

That’s why she went outside. Why she didn’t want me to go with her. I hurt her. Telling her that I didn’t want her actually hurt her feelings.

Having power over another person’s emotions was always something I reveled in. But not now. Not this. It seemed like an awful lot to bear… I didn’t want the responsibility of knowing I could hurt her. Hell, I just ran out into a raging, angry storm after her to keep her from getting hurt. Now she tells me she was out there in the first place because of me.

I dealt with her feelings the best way I knew how. Not at all.

“Are you hungry?” I asked.

If the change in topic surprised her, she didn’t show it. “Yeah.”

“Let’s get changed and I’ll make some spaghetti and you can ice that ankle.” I helped her up the stairs and into her room where she assured me she could manage, and so I left her, going to change into a dry pair of jeans and shirt.

The fire was almost out so I added some more wood to it and then went to boil the water for the noodles. Frankie appeared when I was pulling a jar of sauce out of the cupboard. She grabbed some ice out of the freezer and hobbled over to the table and sat down, propping up her foot.

“I don’t think it’s that bad. Barely hurts anymore.”

I made a sound and added the noodles to the boiling water.

We made small talk. Mostly she asked me about Scotland and I answered. The conversation stayed the same while we ate and the storm still raged outside. Underneath the light conversation, a tension was building. I didn’t know if she felt it too or if it was purely my own frustrations starting to come to a head, but it made me feel restless and moody.

There was so much between us that wasn’t said, and the hurt I was responsible for would flash in her eyes every so often, there only long enough for me to recognize it before it was gone again. It was a relief when she went to bed, saying the events of the day had made her tired.

I thought once she was gone and I was alone, the tension coiled inside me would lessen, that it would go away. It didn’t. It got worse. It was like being away from her made my body want to search for her.

Maybe I should just admit it.

I wanted her.

I had feelings for her.

Frankie made me feel.

I growled in frustration. But even still, what I said earlier held true. There was no future for us; there couldn’t be.

The next thing I knew I was standing in her doorway, peering into her dark room at the bed, wondering if she was asleep yet. She wasn’t in the bed. She was standing at the window, looking out at the moon. She was wearing a pair of boxer shorts and a tank top, an outfit that left little to the imagination.

Lust slammed into me so quickly that I almost stumbled. The need to touch her, to claim her, almost had me across the room and pushing her onto the bed.

But I held back, needing to tell her.

“I’ve thought about it too.”

She jumped, my voice startling her, and she turned, glancing at me over her shoulder through the dark.

“Since the other night on the beach, I’ve thought of little else.” The more I did this talking thing, the easier it became. And when she looked at me like that, with her blue eyes wide like I was doing something extraordinary by just telling her what I was thinking, it made me want to make things up to say just so she would keep on looking at me.

“Charming, I—”

I held up my hand and she stopped. “I just wanted you to know that. I didn’t want you to think that I hadn’t thought of you at all. Because I have. You make me… feel. I thought I had bypassed that a long time ago. And that’s why we—why I can’t be with you. I can’t even think about being with you. Because it’s selfish. Because if I let you close to me, I would do what I do best. I would kill you.”

“Charming, you would never kill me.”

“Yes, I would. Just not the kind of killing I usually do. This kind would be slow. It would start with you pretending you were okay with who I am. I would take away pieces of you one by one until you were just like me: dead.”

“Charming,” she whispered, taking a step toward me.

“For the first time since becoming an Escort, I care if someone lives or dies,” I whispered. “I won’t kill you. I won’t take the only life I value on this earth away.”

“If you had wanted to push me away, you should have told me I was fat, thrown me out of the house, or left me out there today in that storm. But what you just said… those words… all they did was pull me closer to you.”

See, this is what happens when a guy tries to talk.

It backfires.

“I should have known you were crazy enough to twist what I said into something romantic.”

“Ahh, now you try the insults,” she said, a smile creeping into her voice.

“If I was insulting you, you would feel insulted,” I muttered.

“Hmmm,” she said, taking a step toward me.

“I’m not trying to pull you closer.”

She took another step and another. “What if I want to be closer?”

“Didn’t you hear anything I just said?”

“I heard.” She stopped directly in front of me, tipped her chin back, and looked up. “So you do this noble thing, you stay away from me, and you ‘save my life’ by not being with me.”

She hooked her fingers in the belt loops on the front of my jeans and tugged, bringing me that much closer. “But what about you?”

“Me?” How was I supposed to think with her hands in such close proximity to the fly of my jeans?

She made a sound of agreement and released my belt loops, but instead of pulling back, she ran her hands along my sides and across my lower back.

It was the first time she ever touched me… well, touched me first. Usually she didn’t touch me until my lips were devouring hers. Most of the blood flow left my brain and all rushed downward… into my jeans. I knew once the brain downstairs took over, I wouldn’t be leaving this room. It took everything in me to reach around and pull her hands away, to gently return them to her sides.

I didn’t look back as I left the room because if I had, I wouldn’t have left it at all.

It occurred me then the reason I spent so much time doing the wrong thing was because doing the right thing was too damn hard.

Chapter Thirty-Two

“Butterfly - any of various insects of the order Lepidoptera, characteristically having slender bodies, knobbed antennae, and four broad, usually colorful wings.”

Frankie

I couldn’t sleep. I felt restless and hot, like someone left the oven door open in the house on a hot day. I gave up on the bed and left my room, wandering down the hall and stopping at Charming’s door. It was open and a small lamp beside the bed showed me he wasn’t in bed either.

The past two days had been like a rollercoaster ride. And the things he said, the words he whispered… it was official. He was it for me. That was the only thing I knew for sure right now. Well, that and I wanted him. Badly.

I wandered through the house, not finding him in the places I thought he would be. So I went down the stairs toward a part of the house I hadn’t seen yet. As soon as my feet hit the floor, I knew he was down there. The sound of his heavy breathing and swift movements beckoned me onward until I was standing in the open door of the most impressive home gym I’d ever seen.

It was huge. But it would have to be because sitting in the center of the all-white room was a full-sized boxing ring.

Charming was in the center of the ring, going through movements that up until now I had only watched on TV.

I stood in the doorway a long time. Watching him move was mesmerizing. His body was so fluid, so strong. It’s like he was exactly sure about every punch and jab he made. His skin glistened with the sheen of sweat and his usually perfect hair was ruffled and damp around his ears and forehead. The gloves on his hands were big. They looked heavy, but somehow strapped onto the ends of his arms, they seemed small.

He was in his element; that much was clear. The breath that whooshed and wheezed out of him as he practically danced around the ring created an odd sort of cadence that was like music as I stared.

I felt like a voyeur, like someone seeing something they weren’t meant to see… Yet the idea of turning away, of leaving him to his privacy, was more than I could bear.

I needed to see him like this. I wanted to.

The changes in him, the changes that started in L.A. and followed us here… I finally knew what exactly I was feeling. He was becoming human. Where he once seemed cold and shutdown, he now looked more alive than half the people I knew.

Butterflies with razorblade wings.

That’s how he made me feel. It was the feeling that plagued me since we had met, the feeling that took me so long to acknowledge and even longer to identify. It’s exactly what he did to me.

Because the way I felt about him…

It hurt, but like a butterfly, it was beautiful. He made me feel like I was walking on the edge of a cliff. Like at any moment the bottom could fall out of my stomach. At any moment, the cliff’s edge could tumble away and I would be left falling… plunging toward the unknown.

The fluttering in my belly was never gentle. It was as if a million wings were in there beating, making me breathless, but then the wings would come into contact with me and slice me open. Being with him hurt. Being without him… I wasn’t sure, but I thought it might be worse.

I noticed he was no longer moving. He was standing in the center of the ring, watching me.

I pushed out of the doorframe, the heavy door swinging shut behind me and banging with an ominous finality.

When I got closer, he grabbed the ropes around the ring and created an opening, holding them while I ducked inside, straightening to face him.

“I couldn’t sleep,” I said, staring at his chest, following a rivulet of sweat that made a path all the way down his six-pack and disappeared beneath the thick waistband of the silver gym shorts hanging low on his hips.

“Me either.”

It wasn’t lost on me that the only thing separating me from him was the very flimsy fabric that made up those shorts.

“I didn’t know you had a boxing ring,” I said, my voice going hoarse.

“There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me.”

I was beginning to understand that. There were so many layers to him. I was beginning to wonder if I would ever uncover them all.

One of those butterfly wings nipped at my belly, causing a stinging sensation inside me.

I wanted to uncover every single part of him.

My eyes locked on his. Without looking away, I grabbed his arm, pulling the glove up between us. My fingers tugged on the string that kept the laces tight. It unraveled, loosening the hold the glove had on his hand. I brought my other hand up and gently, slowly yanked the glove off and dropped it onto the mat.

He watched me, his eyes heavy, as a thick cloud of desire grew between us.

I repeated the same process with his other hand until both of his hands were free. He reached for me, but I shook my head and laced my fingers through his. We stood there for a long time, hands clasped, staring at each other without saying a single word.

Maybe I was waiting for my conscience. Maybe I was waiting for him to turn me away. Maybe I was drawing out the anticipation until everything inside me was pulled so taut that I was sure I would snap apart.

None of that mattered anymore. All that mattered was the here, the now.

I released his hands and reached out, laying my palm against his stomach. His muscles rippled beneath my touch and my skin instantly became slick with his perspiration.

I stepped forward, done with waiting, and slid both my hands into the waistband of his shorts.

“Frankie,” he rasped, his voice stilling my movements.

Another one of those razorblades nicked me. If he turned me away right now, I would likely bleed to death. I raised my eyes, waiting for his decision.

“My name…” he began. “My real name is Oliver.”

Everything beneath my skin vibrated. I felt like I couldn’t stand still a second longer because all of the energy—all the emotion that was building inside me—was dying for release.

“Olly,” I said, trying the name out on my tongue. I liked it.

He must have liked it too because he made a sound in the back of his throat and nodded.

The damn broke. Whatever thin barrier had lain between us until this point was now completely broken. I pulled my hands up and leapt at him, jumping up and wrapping my legs around his waist.

He caught me, stumbled back a bit, but the ropes were there to steady us as our lips finally met.

I’d been kissed by many men in my life before I met him, but I couldn’t recall one of them now. It was like he was my first, my only.

“Say it again,” he said as he trailed kisses down my neck.

“Olly,” I purred and he sank to his knees.

He pulled back, robbing me of his lips, robbing me of the sensation of them upon me. His green eyes were practically electrified; they were so intense.

“Don’t ever stop calling me that. No one has called me that—” His words dropped away and he shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. Just don’t stop.”

I don’t know why, but tears filled my eyes. I whispered his name again and he lowered me backward so I was sprawled out in the ring and he was on his knees between my thighs, staring down at me with lust in his eyes.

He reached out, grasping the hem of my boxers, and yanked them down. I lifted my foot as he slid them off one leg and then I kicked them away, over beside his discarded gloves. I was still wearing a pair of white lace panties and a white tank top, but by the look on his face you would think I was completely exposed.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone as perfect as you.”

I sat up, my face directly in line with his hard abs, and I hooked my hands into his waistband and pulled.

He wasn’t wearing any boxers.

All the breath whooshed from my body and I was left with a dull buzzing sound in my head. He wanted me; that much was very clear.

I looked up, expecting to see the Charming I always saw, the Charming with the arrogant grin, the gleam in his eye… but that man was gone.

In his place was someone who was vulnerable, whose feelings were laid bare in his eyes and looked like he’d been alone far, far too long.

No, I wasn’t seeing Charming. I was seeing the real man beneath the carefully built exterior. I was seeing Olly.

“I want you,” I told him, reaching out my hand and grabbing the evidence of his want, wrapping my hand around it.

He closed his eyes and swallowed.

I leaned forward and placed my tongue at the base of his erection, licking upward like he was a giant lollipop that I couldn’t get enough of. He jerked and all his muscles went tense as I wrapped my lips around him, taking every ounce of him inside me that I could. His fingers dug into my shoulder and I smiled as I pulled back, using my teeth to gently rake upward, across the sensitive skin, before pulling away and looking up.

He groaned my name and pushed me back, coming over me, fitting his body along mine. I wiggled, trying to get him even closer. He chuckled in my ear and pressed a kiss on the side of my neck.

“Patience, love,” he murmured as his hand found the hem of my tank and traveled upward to cup the very sensitive flesh of my breast.

I groaned and leaned up to kiss his shoulder.

The next thing I knew, my tank was gone and the only thing between us was the lace panties I was starting to hate.

His mouth made me forget, though, and his tongue was like a magician who did things to my skin that I didn’t know were possible. It danced across my cheekbone, trailed down my arm, and then he picked up my hand, bringing it to his lips where he pressed single kisses to each one of my fingers.

When he was done with my hand, he placed it on my knee, lowering his lips to that sensitive skin just behind, and then nibbled all the way down. “Do you always wear panties that look like this?” he asked, glancing up from the inside of my thigh.

I nodded. It was all I could manage.

“Sexy,” he said and then licked right up my center, my swollen, damp flesh being teased by the snippets of his tongue that I felt through the lace.

My back arched up off the floor and I groaned. I wasn’t sure how much more of his sweet torture I could take. He did it again, his fingertips playing with the edges of my panties, slipping just inside and then pulling back out and trailing down my thigh.

Every part of my body began to tremble until I couldn’t even hold myself still. I lay there under his gaze, beneath his feather-light teasing touch, and did nothing but shake and thrust myself closer to him.

He pulled up, placing an open palm on each knee, and spread my legs as wide as they would go, holding them there before lowering himself between me, pressing his very hard erection right at my core.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed him.

“Olly,” I said, knowing it was exactly the right word to say to get what I wanted.

He didn’t even pause to remove the lace. Instead, he pushed it aside and entered me.

My mouth opened, but no sound came out. I’m pretty sure everything inside me splintered apart and then found its way back together again. All I could do was hold on. I wrapped my hands around his biceps and let sensation after sensation take me for a ride.

The contrast of the lace against the smoothness of his flesh was almost my undoing. But what truly pushed me over the edge was when he stopped. He pulled back slightly and looked down. Dark hair fell into his eyes and his arms trembled slightly.

I thought he might say something, but no words left his lips and then suddenly he pushed forward, filling me so deep that my eyes fluttered closed. He lowered himself so every inch of our bodies was in contact and he brought his lips to my ear.

It was then he whispered.

“I’ve been dead for so long that I forgot what it was like to live. I forgot what it was like to feel. Even still, I’m pretty sure nothing I had experienced was ever like this. You brought me back to life, Frankie. You make me want to live.”

I whispered his name again, gripped his butt, and pulled him closer, pushing him as far inside me as he could possibly go. And then I ground myself down on him, grinding so deep that not even air could come between us. A low groan ripped from his throat as he hunched down over me, his body going stiff and convulsing over mine. All at once I felt like a firecracker went off inside me. Bright white pleasure burst in my center and spread out until my limbs were completely boneless and I collapsed against the floor, unable to move. I felt the beads of sweat slipping over my skin and I heard the rasping breaths he sucked in as he leveraged himself over me on shaking limbs, but beyond that I was completely senseless.

I knew being with him would be incredible. My body never reacted to anyone like this ever before. But damn, I hadn’t known. I hadn’t known it was possible to get so completely lost in another person. For a moment there I wouldn’t have been able to tell where I ended and he began. It was amazing. And terrifying. Like it or not, Olly was now completely and utterly inside my heart.

Chapter Thirty-Three

“Truth - a statement proven to be or accepted as true.”

Charming

My skin was tingling. My lungs expanded with air. I could feel the erratic beating of my heart against my ribs. I was lying on my back, collapsed on the mat, feeling things I hadn’t felt in so long, things I thought for sure I would never feel again.

I turned my head to the side, looking at the person who started it all. Looking at the girl who practically dared me to live. Her blond hair was wild, her skin flushed, and every inch of her dangerously soft curves was exposed.

Something inside me yawned.

Something stretched and moved…

I was waking up.

Over ninety years of being dead—of being consumed by death… I was waking up.

Nothing had done it before. Not money, not power, not killing or having no consequences for anything I did or took. Up until now, I was asleep; I was completely dead.

But then Frankie came along. This woman who never shut up, annoyed the hell out of me, and ate way too much candy.

I loved her.

I loved her completely.

And it was because of her I wanted more. I was tired of death. I wanted to live.

“You told me your name,” she said from beside me, her voice slipping into my thoughts and wrapping around my mind.

I’m not quite sure what possessed me to tell her the one thing I guarded so close. I had many names over the years, more than I could count, more than I cared to remember. But only one had meant anything. The one I was born with. The one that my mother gave me, the one that someone truly wanted me to have. My name was the only connection I had left of my past, of my life. It was the only part of me that I thought I had left.

I turned my head, looking over at her once more. She was watching me tentatively, almost warily… like she wasn’t sure what to expect. She probably wondered if I’d even told her the truth and now that we’d slept together, if I was going to morph back into the man I’d always been with her.

I walked my fingers between the space between us, and her laugh was throaty as my fingers neared hers. Instead of linking them together, I wrapped my hand around her wrist and tugged, pulling her closer.

She came willingly, fitting herself against my side and resting her cheek on my shoulder. The toes on her right foot found their way between my calves and I smiled up at the ceiling.

“You’re the first person I’ve ever told my real name since I’ve been dead.”

“How did you die?” she asked quietly.

This was something I’d never told anyone either.

“I was a boxer. I died in a dirty fight.”

“Did it hurt?” she asked, sorrow lacing her voice.

“I don’t really remember,” I lied, but I was tired of lying so I told her the truth. “Yeah, for a moment, but it didn’t hurt very long.”

“And then what happened? He came for you?”

He being the Grim Reaper.

I nodded. The movement of my head caused a couple strands of her blond hair to stick in my stubble and tickle my chin. I reached up to untangle the silky strands and smooth my palm over them. “Next thing I knew I was in his office. Nothing but a cloud of red—basically just a soul—and he was offering me a job as an Escort.”

“Did you know what an Escort was when you took the job?”

I knew eventually she would ask me this. It was a natural question—did you know you were going to be a killer? Did you actually choose it?

“Yes,” I answered. “He told me what I would be doing.”

We both lay there for long moments, quiet. I wasn’t sure what she was thinking, if the realization—the knowledge that I actually chose this life—would be something she could ever accept.

And if she didn’t? my brain asked me.

But I think the real question was What if she did?

Because if she didn’t, I would understand. I could go on exactly as I had been before. Okay, not exactly as before because this had changed me—she had changed me. But I would go on, and I would continue to do exactly what I’d been doing for over ninety years.

But if she did… if she somehow found a way to accept me, I knew things—life—as it was now would have to change. Irrevocably and forever.

She lifted her head off my shoulder and propped her arm and chin on top my chest. Her blue eyes studied me and her wild hair was tangled around her chin. “So how come you agreed? Why do any of you agree?”

“I can’t say for sure about the others, but I do know that when you’ve just suffered some kind of violent or sudden death, you’re in shock. You find yourself basically a cloud of color standing in a room with a man and his closets full of bodies.” At this she lifted both her eyebrows and stared at me in disbelief, but she said nothing else as I continued.

“It isn’t really much of a choice. You can stay dead and be tossed into some kind of void that is a fate worse than hell for all of eternity, or you can take his offer, get a new body, a new life, and a shit-ton of money. Considering most people are still shocked that they’re actually dead, choosing to live isn’t that hard.”

“But it’s not living,” she said softly.

“No. It’s not.” I took a minute to brush some of the wayward hair out her face. “But usually by the time you realize that, it’s much too late. Once you make the deal, once you take on the title of Death Escort, there is no getting out.”

“Like Dex,” she whispered.

“Yeah, like Dex. You do the job or get Recalled, sent off to a place worse than hell.”

“When did you realize you weren’t really living?”

I brushed my thumb along the bare skin of her collarbone, back and forth, back and forth. Goosebumps broke out along her skin and I smiled. “Today.”

I caught the skepticism in her eyes. “Don’t try that charm on me,” she warned.

“Are you saying you’re immune to my charm?” I lifted a single brow.

“Oh yes,” she said, her lips curving secretly. “It’s your other, shall I say, gifts that I’m partial too.” As she spoke her finger trailed across my chest and down my stomach.

I laughed. But then I sobered up. I wanted her to know this stuff. “For several months now I’ve been feeling restless. I always completed the jobs I was assigned, but sometimes things fell through the cracks.”

“Money, you mean,” she replied.

“Mostly,” I rasped and rubbed a hand over my face. “It gets old… working for a man who can be as ruthless and cunning as he wants. He can play with your life, make threats, and withhold things that are rightfully yours.” I paused and glanced at her. She nodded and so I went on. “And then Dex came along… He figured out a way to get around G.R.’s game. I did nothing to stop him.”

“You helped Dex?” she said, her eyes going wide and her shoulders straightening.

“I didn’t save your friend.” I could see in her eyes that she was trying to make me into the hero. I wasn’t a hero. I never would be. I was the bad guy. The killer. “All I did was look the other way and maybe keep G.R. busy while Dex did his thing.”

She shivered.

“Are you cold?”

“A little.”

“Come on,” I said, starting to rise, but she made a sound deep in her throat.

“In a minute.” She pushed me back down and pressed herself closer against me. “There’s something else I want to know.”

“Hmmm?” I asked, paying more attention to the way her body felt against mine than what she was saying.

“Did you take the job because you were angry you died?”

“You ask the hard questions,” I murmured.

“Because those are the ones that tell me the most.”

“Does it really matter?” I asked then. “The reason I became what I am? The reason I became a killer? Because it won’t change the fact that I’ve killed over and over again for over ninety years.”

“It matters to me.”

I hesitated again. Was I really ready after all these years to tell my story to someone?

“Olly,” she whispered.

I wasn’t sure that I would ever get used to hearing her call me that. It brought a rush of emotion every single time she said it. “My sister used to call me that.”

“Tell me about her.”

I nodded. “Her name was Sarah.” It was another name, another emotion… another blast from the past.

And then it was like I couldn’t hold it in anymore. The words, the past came tumbling out of me.

“I died in nineteen twenty. The world was different back then. It wasn’t as free—as liberal as it is now. Women’s rights were on their way, but even still, women weren’t regarded the way they are now. They still needed the protection of a man, the income of a man. They were vulnerable, easily exploited and taken advantage of.”

I was aware of Frankie’s fingers moving lightly over my chest, giving me courage to talk.

“My father wasn’t much of a man. He left us when I was ten years old. Sarah was only five. A baby. My mother did what she could for us. She worked herself until she had circles beneath her eyes and holes in the bottom of her shoes. Still, she always smiled at us, always told us how much we meant to her. It would have been easy, I think, to blame us, to be angry and make us the target for that anger. But she never once let us see her cry. I heard her sometimes, at night, when I was supposed to be in bed.”

Instead of saying she was sorry for what obviously had been something hard, she still said nothing. Instead, she kissed me just beneath my jaw and then pressed her face in the crook of my neck.

“I got my first job when I was twelve. I was bigger than most boys that age, so I lied and took on as many jobs as I could. It helped some and gave my mother more time with Sarah. When I was fifteen, I quit school to work fulltime. I brought home enough for us to live, but I wanted more for them. Mother was always there for us, and Sarah… Sarah was…” I swallowed past the lump that had formed in my throat. Thinking about my sister was something I tried to never do.

“She was important, huh?” Frankie said, sensing the emotion that welled up inside me.

“Yeah, she was,” I replied. My sister meant everything to me. “So I started boxing. I got beat up a lot the first couple years. It seemed I always had some sort of injury—a black eye, a busted rib. But I didn’t give up. I kept fighting. I liked it. I think I got all the anger my mother never seemed to carry. After a couple years, I started winning. You got a lot more money for winning than you did for losing. The night I died, I was fighting for the championship title. A title that could have made me over ten thousand dollars. I was naive to think someone wouldn’t kill to keep their title.”

“You took the job, you became an Escort for your family, didn’t you?”

“Without me, without my income, they would have ended up in poverty or my mother would have married herself off to someone that didn’t deserve her. So, yeah, I took the job. I killed and I sent almost all the money I made to my mother and my sister anonymously.”

“Thank you for telling me. I probably would have done the exact same thing in your shoes.”

She thought that was all there was to my story. That the killing machine I was today was solely based on the fact my family needed to survive. It definitely was what made me an Escort… but the emotionless killer… that took something else entirely to create.

“Is your sister a Death Escort too?”

“No,” I denied. The thought of my sister, of someone so pure as her doing what I do made me sick.

“Well, that day at the café when you said you saw her… wouldn’t she be…?” Her words trailed away.

“Dead. Sarah is dead.”

“But you said you saw her…”

“The Reaper has her body. I have no idea how he got it or why, but he does and he was using it to throw me off, to mess with my head.”

“You said before he doesn’t want you to complete this job.”

“He wants me gone. For good. If I don’t do this job, he’s going to use it as an excuse to Recall me.”

Her arms tightened around me, and her face buried against my neck. “I’ve been trying to mess it up for you too.”

“You didn’t know any better,” I soothed, rubbing my hand over her back.

“I don’t want you to get Recalled.”

“That’s not going to happen. I have a plan.”

“What kind of plan?”

I shook my head. “The less you know the better. I don’t want you involved in this.”

“Charming?”

“Hmmm?”

“If your sister’s body looks as young as it does, then…”

I swallowed against the memory of that day. Of the day I killed my sister. “She died a couple years after I became an Escort. She was barely eighteen.”

I felt the breath she sucked in, but I was so lost in the memory of that day that I didn’t hear if she said anything.

“After I died, the boys started coming around. And I say boys because none of the guys that showed interest in my sister were man enough to have her. It drove me crazy, seeing her with guys that didn’t deserve her, that couldn’t give her the life I wanted her to have. But once I was gone…”

“She was trying to find someone to fill the hole you left behind.”

Yeah. Maybe. “She and my mother cried for weeks after I died,” I recalled softly.

“We don’t have to talk about this if it’s too hard.”

“No. I want you to know.” I blew out a breath and finished the story. “Sarah got serious with this guy. When he wasn’t around her, he gambled, he drank… he cheated. I couldn’t just knock on the front door and warn her away. I mean, she didn’t even know me. One night he showed up at the house after he’d been at the bar. Sarah told him she didn’t like his drinking. He hit her.”

I clenched my fist at the memory. I could still hear the slap against her skin. I could hear her cry.

“I killed him.”

“You were protecting your sister.”

“Yes, I was. But killing him is no different from killing anyone else. Except he wasn’t a Target. One of the Reaper’s rules is to never kill anyone but a Target. I walked around for days, terrified he would find out, that he would Recall me. But he never did. He never said a word. And so I went on killing and sending the money to my family.”

“And then Sarah died.”

“She didn’t just die. She killed herself.”

Frankie sucked in a breath. “But why?”

“Because I killed her boyfriend. I heard my mother talking to one of her friend’s right after the funeral. Seems that losing me and then losing the only other man she ever loved sent her over the edge.” Why she loved that jerk was beyond me. I thought she had better taste than that. Maybe I didn’t know her as well as I thought. I was silent for a few minutes. “Because of me, my sister killed herself.”

Frankie pushed up against my chest to stare down into my eyes. “You are not responsible for what your sister did.”

There was no point in arguing what I knew to be true. “After that, I stopped caring. I figured out a way to shut down my feelings and just focus on my job. On death.”

“What about your mother?”

“I sent money every week right up until the day she died at age eighty-five.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, stroking my cheek. I liked when she touched me.

“Don’t be sorry. Everyone dies sooner or later. My mother lived longer than most.” I wasn’t about to let this conversation turn to pity. I wanted Frankie to know my story, but I didn’t want her to pity me for it. I realized my life hadn’t been easy, but it certainly could be worse.

“Come on, love,” I said, reaching down and patting the side of her ass. “We’re naked and you’re cold. Why don’t we take this conversation to the kitchen where the coffee is?”

She made no attempt to get up.

“Frankie?”

“I’m afraid the minute we step out of this ring that Olly is going to disappear. That Charming is going to come back.”

Her words caused something inside me to tighten. “A part of me is always going to be Charming. I’ve spent more time as him than I ever spent as Olly.”

“I know,” she said softly, “and I’m sure you’re going to drive me insane.” She flashed her teeth at me. “Just promise me you won’t let Olly run away from Charming.”

I laughed and got to my feet, pulling her up alongside me.

“I’ll make you a deal. You walk around naked all the time, and I’ll forget Charming ever existed.”

“Spoken like a true man,” she said with a sigh. “I need coffee. With sugar.”

I jumped out of the ring first, landing like a cat, and held open the ropes for her to step through, and then I lifted her off the platform, letting her body slide down mine. Just before her feet hit the ground, I caught her and captured her lips with mine.

She had full lips and she kissed like she did everything else, with passion and attitude.

It turned me on.

Her laugh caused me to break away and look down.

“You keep kissing me like that and we’re never gonna leave this room.”

I growled and bit her bottom lip. She returned the bite with one of her own.

I sat her down and grabbed her hand. “C’mon.” I held the door open and she went ahead of me into the hall. Before stepping through, I looked back.

Our clothing and my gloves still lay scattered in the ring.

I lost my life in a ring a lot like that one.

It somehow seemed appropriate that was where I got it back.

Chapter Thirty-Four

“Gone - being away from a place; absent or having departed.”

Frankie

My legs were still trembling and every other part of me tingled with pleasure. The butterflies in my belly were still fluttering wildly, but now their wings no longer felt sharp. I knew sex with him would be amazing. My body practically screamed out for him whenever he was near, but I had no idea it would be like that. If I never had sex with Olly again, I would spend my entire life trying to find someone who would make me feel the way he did.

And I would fail.

There was no one else on this earth like him (which probably was a good thing).

I groaned and stuck my head under the insanely large waterfall showerhead that was raining water from the ceiling. I was in so much trouble.

He was completely maddening. He was selfish, spoiled, looked like a Ken doll, didn’t like sugar, and constantly had to have his way. Not to mention he worked for the Grim Reaper, killed for a living, and kidnapped my best friend at gunpoint. He was practically the poster guy for guys a girl shouldn’t bring home to Mom.

I grabbed the shampoo (which smelled insanely good and probably cost a hundred dollars a bottle) and started washing my hair.

He was all of those bad things and more. But there were other parts too.

Parts that he hid from most of the world because they made him vulnerable. Parts of him that if he allowed out would slowly kill him. I had a feeling that when Olly hurt, he didn’t just hurt. He bled. If he allowed himself to feel everything that everyone else felt, his entire world would come crashing down. A Death Escort couldn’t afford to feel—to live.

He made my heart race. He made me feel challenged, like every day wouldn’t just be the same as the last. And he confided in me.

He told me things about his life, his family, that he hadn’t told anyone. I realized that he could be lying, but I didn’t think he was. It would have been easier to make up something simple or to say nothing at all. I couldn’t imagine what it must have been like to die and then trap himself into a job that would never end to be able to take care of the women he left behind. And his sister… God, he’d walked around for years and years thinking she died because of something he did. And if that wasn’t enough, the Reaper was using her against him, bringing it all back up, taunting him.

Not to mention he was completely loaded and kissed me like there was no tomorrow. I guess when you see death constantly, you learn to realize maybe there won’t be a tomorrow.

Hell.

I didn’t hate him.

I didn’t just kind of like him.

I freaking loved him.

Like, no holds barred, give up donuts forever kind of love.

I hurried to finish my shower, partially bummed that he hadn’t come to join me, and shut off the water. I wanted to see him. I wanted to know if he would look any different to me now that I admitted to myself how in love with him I really was. Mostly I wanted to assure myself that he was still Olly, still the same guy I left in the kitchen making coffee.

Once dried, I quickly blow-dried my hair, leaving it straight because he didn’t pack my curling iron (he probably didn’t even know what that was). When it was straight like this, it was longer than it usually appeared and it hung past my chin, falling into a messy bob. When I left the bathroom and entered my room, I smiled because there was a pile of clean clothes lying across my bed. They were Olly’s. They were more casual than the other things I’d seen him wear—a pair of dark-gray Nike gym shorts and a white T-shirt with the Nike logo across the front. I picked up the shirt because it appeared well worn. It smelled like him. Like the expensive designer cologne he always wore.

I pulled on my bra, a tank top, another pair of lace panties and then stole his tee, sweeping it over my head. I wasn’t a small girl, but his shirt was still big. I didn’t bother with a pair of shorts and went off in search of Olly.

I looked in his room, his adjoining bathroom, and his office at the end of the hall. On the way downstairs, I looked in the family room, the library, and then finally wandered into the kitchen. The rich smell of coffee had me groaning.

“Want me to make some eggs?” I asked, expecting to see him at the table.

He wasn’t there.

“Olly?” I turned, looking toward the fridge and then wandered into the giant pantry.

He wasn’t anywhere.

I went the last place I thought he would be… downstairs in the ring. I smiled thinking of a repeat of this morning.

He wasn’t there either, but our clothes still were.

A feeling of dread enveloped me as I made my way back to the kitchen to pour a cup of coffee. I staved it off as best as I could, but every second, every minute that passed without him bounding into the room to annoy me made the facts harder to ignore.

By the time my second cup of coffee was drained, the razorblades were back in my belly. He wasn’t here. He left. He literally made it impossible not to love him and then he did the one thing he said he wasn’t going to do: he let Olly run away.

Where he went I didn’t know.

All I knew was that he was gone.

Chapter Thirty-Five

“Taunt - to reproach in a mocking, insulting, or contemptuous manner.”

Charming

I got all of an entire hour of living before I was reminded that I wasn’t allowed to live. That my life was over and technically it belonged to someone else.

Someone who just happened to be Death.

But I was done taking orders from him.

As soon as the coffee began brewing, I took the stairs two at a time, thinking I would slip into the shower with Frankie and have a little fun…

But I never made it that far.

I got close. Close enough that I was able to toss some clothes onto her bed.

But then I was yanked right out of my body. It dropped onto the thick carpeting like a stone and I was left—nothing but a red cloud—hovering above it.

“The state of your undress and the fact there is a woman in the shower makes me think you have other priorities besides your job,” said an all too familiar voice from behind.

How in the hell did he find this place? The one place I thought I was actually free of him.

I turned. “I don’t really think you care about me completing this job.”

“You don’t think I care about thirty million dollars?”

“I think you knew from the very beginning… The only reason you chose the senator’s daughter as a Target was because the only thing you cared about was seeing me fail.”

He smiled. “That’s right. I knew you would fail. Just like I knew you were here. Did you think I didn’t know about this house? Where you spend your time off? You should know by now that I know everything.”

“You don’t know where your secret bodies are.”

That wiped every ounce of smugness right off his boney old face. I resisted the urge to look toward the bathroom, not wanting to show that I was worried for Frankie. If she came out here…

No. I wasn’t going to let her get caught up in this. It was the reason I brought her here in the first place. Yes, I wanted to keep an eye on her, but not for the reasons she thought. I wanted to make sure she was safe from him.

“And what bodies would that be?” he asked like he was bored, but I saw the flicker in his eye… the fear.

“The ones you keep hidden. The ones you didn’t want anyone to know about,” I said casually.

“What do you know about those?” he demanded, his eyes narrowing into barely there slits.

“I know where they are. But otherwise, not as much as I want to. Unfortunately, the soul you have wandering around your house wouldn’t tell me a thing.”

“You little—” He snarled, lunging at me, but his hands went right through, making the red puff out around him.

“Bodily harm requires a body,” I taunted.

And just like that I was back in my body and being dragged up from the floor. “You better hope those bodies are where they’re supposed to be,” he said, jutting his face up close to mine.

The water to the shower shut off.

“Better go see,” I said, injecting a dare behind my words. There was a huge chunk of ice in my gut. Get him the hell out of here! the voice inside me was screaming. I looked at the bathroom door. Stay in there.

With a wave of his hand, a doorway appeared right beside the bed. The Reaper started forward, grabbing me and pulling me along with him. I didn’t put up a fight. I wanted him out of here and as far away from Frankie as he could be. And it seemed the fastest way for that to happen was for me to go with him.

And so I went, the door he created snapping shut behind us like it hadn’t been there at all.

Chapter Thirty-Six

“Therapy - the treatment of physical, mental, or social disorders or disease.”

Frankie

I drove his Ferrari to the airport and left it in the long-term parking lot. If it got stolen or damaged, it was his fault for being a wimp and disappearing on me like that.

I mean, really. Did he not know me well enough by now to know I wouldn’t have dissolved in a puddle of simpering tears if he told me he only said those things because he was high on sex? Or maybe he was just trying to keep his precious face intact because he did know me and he knew I would have rearranged it.

At the ticket counter, I maxed out my credit card buying a flight back to Alaska and sat there at the gate, praying I wouldn’t get sandwiched between someone who liked to talk and someone that smelled like bacon and sweat. Never mind that my eyes kept straying to the crowd and I hoped to see him pushing through, trying to stop me from leaving.

This wasn’t some movie like Pretty Woman where the rich guy comes riding up in his limo with roses and begs the girl to take him back after he acted like an idiot.

After all, Charming hadn’t acted like an idiot. He was an idiot.

And I certainly wasn’t going to forgive him.

The flight was endless and far less comfortable than the private jet we took to get to Scotland. I kept praying that I wouldn’t have a panic attack from all the turbulence I felt sitting on the very last seat on the plane. I knew if I started barfing I wouldn’t stop and it would all likely be blood because those razorblade wings were back and they were making mincemeat out of my belly.

When we finally landed, I pulled my cell phone out of my purse and powered it on. I wasn’t looking to see if he called. I knew he hadn’t. It didn’t stop my heart from plummeting when the only missed calls were from Piper.

Piper. That was a whole other huge mistake. I had four missed calls and four texts from her. We’d barely talked in weeks. I was not only stupid for giving away my heart to the wrong man, but I also ruined a friendship while doing it.

I sent her a quick text: Just getting back into town. We’ll talk soon. And then I threw my phone back into the bottom of my bag.

I took a cab home, spending the last of my cash, and trudged up to my apartment. I dumped my bag on the floor and fell face first into the couch.

That’s when I started crying.

Whoever said “big girls don’t cry” never got their heart broken. It hurt. A lot. I wished I could just eat a box on donuts, go shopping and watch a bunch of movies where guys got the shaft and get over him, but I couldn’t do that. I was too busy wondering where he was. If he was okay and if he knew I left.

I turned my head and caught a familiar scent that made me ache all over again. I looked down. I was still wearing his T-shirt. I forgot to take it off.

I should’ve taken it off and lit it on fire. I should’ve run into the kitchen and stick it in the garbage disposal.

I pulled it closer around me.

I was pathetic.

I looked at the posters of Marilyn. She understood heartbreak. She knew how shitty men were.

There was a knock at my door.

“Go away!” I groaned.

The knocking grew louder.

“I said go away!” I yelled.

“I will not go away!” Piper yelled through the wood. “I’m not leaving until you open this door!”

I dragged my pathetic self off the couch and opened the door, then went back to the sofa and did another faceplant. I heard the door shut, but I didn’t bother to see if she took one look at me and hightailed it to safety.

“What happened to you?” she said, coming to stand beside the sofa.

I pushed myself up and swiped the hair out of my face to look at her. Her eyes widened when she looked at me. “Have you been crying?”

I sniffled.

She sighed. “You didn’t stay away from him, did you?”

I shook my head.

She sighed again.

“You fell in love with him.”

I groaned and fell sideways. “I’m so stupid!”

She sat down on the edge, where I wasn’t completely taking up all the space, and patted my back. “Not stupid. I know how easy it is to fall in love with someone like him.”

I blinked back the tears in my eyes. “I didn’t know Dex, but I do know that he wasn’t like Olly.”

“Who?”

“Charming,” I corrected and ignored her look of curiosity.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Of course it does.”

“I thought you would hate me. I was so scared to tell you about him.”

“I could never hate you. But you shouldn’t have been scared to tell me. I thought we were best friends. Friends tell each other stuff. Even the hard stuff.”

“Yeah, I know,” I said, my voice hoarse. I wanted to cry all over again. “But you told me to stay away from him. I promised.”

She half-smiled. “That was selfish of me to make you promise. I knew by the look in your eye that day it was too late.”

“What?” I said, incredulous. “I hated him back then. I never hated someone so much.”

“There’s a thin line between love and hate, Frank.”

She was right. Aside from the fact he was completely horrible, I think part of me knew he had the capability of hurting me this way. That he would hurt me this way. I hated him for that too.

“He tried to kill you. How could I fall for someone like that?”

“Dex tried to kill me more than once. I loved him anyway. I still love him.”

“We need therapy,” I said.

She laughed. “Yeah, we really do.”

“Maybe we should start a support group for women who love killers. Just think of all the women who love inmates across America…”

We both laughed.

“I’m really sorry,” I confessed after our laughter died away.

“Aww, Frank, it’s okay. I understand. But don’t ever cut me off like that again. We’re family. Even if I think you’re being an idiot, I’ll still love you.”

“So you do think I’m an idiot,” I said, trying not to get all emotional over her understanding.

“What happened?” she asked.

I got up and scooted over, making more room for her on the couch. Then I pulled the Tiffany-blue throw off the back and wrapped it around my shoulders. I didn’t know where to start. I didn’t know how much to say… Piper was my best friend, my family, but some of the things I shared with Charming had felt so private… so mine that I didn’t really want to share them.

She must have sensed my hesitation because she got up and went into the kitchen, and I heard her opening and shutting cabinets and filling the kettle with water. A few minutes later she came back with two mugs of steaming hot tea. It was the Ginger Twist kind she loved and I kept here for her. She handed me a mug and I wrapped my hands around it. The warmth that radiated into my hands reminded me of riding in his Porsche with the heated seats. A sob caught in the back of my throat and I took a sip of tea to push it down. The tea had honey in it. A lot of honey. Just the way I liked it. I gave Piper a watery smile.

“He drove me nuts. From the minute I first laid eyes on him, he got under my skin. And then he kidnapped you. When he walked into the DMV that day, all I could think of was calling the cops. But I couldn’t.”

Piper nodded and sipped her tea.

“Instead, I vowed that I would get in his way. Stop him from doing to anyone else what he did to you.” I took a breath and finally admitted the truth. “But that was just an excuse. An excuse to be near him.”

“You loved him even then,” Piper said and I shook my head in vehement denial.

“No. Maybe.” I sighed. “I don’t know.”

“But the more I saw him… the more I saw. You know? There are so many layers to him… so much he hides.”

“He was like a puzzle that you wanted to figure out. Pieces that you just had to align.”

“Yes,” I said, the butterflies in my stomach acting up again. She did get it. She knew exactly what I meant. “I could never make excuses for what he does, what he’s done. I hate it, but…”

“But you don’t hate him.”

“No. I don’t.”

“Maybe he is just as much a victim in all of this as everyone else,” she said quietly, shocking the crap out of me.

“How can you say that?” I asked, fortifying myself with more honey with tea.

“I don’t know why Charming became an Escort, but if he was in any kind of position like Dex was, then he probably didn’t have a choice. Sometimes people get caught up in things and then they don’t know how to get out.”

“Dex did,” I said, the words falling from my lips before I could stop them.

“Yes, he did. And it cost him his life.” Her eyelashes swept down, hiding her hurt. I started to apologize, but her quiet words shocked me, cutting off whatever I was about to say. “Sometimes I wish he hadn’t found a way out because then he’d still be here. With me.”

Her words sank into me, squeezing my heart and making it hard to breath. “Piper,” I whispered.

“I know. For him to still be here would mean I would have to be dead. But sometimes I still think…” She shook her head.

What it must be costing her sitting here talking to me about this. She’d already been through so much. I let the subject drop, not wanting her to have to relive anymore. As hurt as I was by Charming, I knew that it was nothing compared to what I would be feeling if he were dead.

“Did he try to kill you?” she asked.

I laughed. “No.” That probably would be easier than this. “He… he showed me the person he was beneath the charm. I thought it was the real him. And then he disappeared. It was all just to get me into bed.”

She gasped. “You slept with him?!”

I looked at her. “Well, I never claimed to be a nun!”

She grinned. “Well?”

“Well, what?”

She rolled her eyes. “How was it?”

I sighed. “He totally rocked my world.”

She grinned again.

“He used to be a boxer. He has these boxing gloves…” I felt heat pooling between my legs and I clamped my lips shut. Reliving sex with Charming wasn’t going to make this any easier.

“You know what we need?” Piper declared.

“What?”

“Pizza. Soda. Candy. And a bunch of horror movies where the dumb virgins run up the stairs instead of out the front door. It will make us feel better about ourselves for not being that stupid and for not being virgins.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “Who you getting it on with?”

“Please. It’s been so long I might as well be a virgin.”

I laughed. “Someday, sista, someday.”

“Not anytime soon,” she said, getting up and grabbing the phone, but not before I caught yet another flash of hurt in her eyes. “I’ll order the pizza. Go raid the stash of candy you have hidden in your underwear drawer.”

I made a sound of mock surprise. “I do not have candy in there.” Then I went off to get it because that’s exactly where I kept it.

In my room, I pushed past the lace panties knowing they were all gonna have to go in the trash. I would never be able to wear another pair of those again without thinking about the things I did with Charming while wearing a pair. I loaded up on candy and then I remembered my emergency stash. The box of truffles I kept hidden in my closet.

I dumped what I was holding on my bed and went to my closet, pulling open the door.

My eye caught something it didn’t recognize.

I looked.

I looked again.

I forgot all about the truffles, stood there, and stared.

At the body hanging in my closet.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

“Joke - something said or done to evoke laughter or amusement, especially an amusing story with a punch line.”

Charming

He took me to his office, but he could have taken me to the depths of hell and I wouldn’t have cared. I was just glad we left before he could take his shitty mood out on Frankie.

I didn’t know what she would think when I wasn’t there, but I was hoping I could get back without being gone too long. And then I could explain. I wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to explain the fact that I pissed off the Grim Reaper even more than I already had by stealing some of his favorite bodies and jamming his pet soul into a jar.

G.R. didn’t waste any time but instead went behind his desk, reaching under the chair for the secret button. I expected the wall to open immediately and when it didn’t, I looked up.

“How do I know you just aren’t playing more games?”

“You should know by now I don’t play games when it comes to a job.”

He just stared at me and I realized he was trying to decide if I was just grasping at straws, if I was trying to find out his secrets by saying I already knew them. Because the minute he pressed that button, I would know for sure that he did have a secret stash of bodies and a wayward soul. He would know that I found his weakness.

“You gonna push that button?” I said. “The wall isn’t going to open itself.”

And just like that he knew. Cold seemed to seep into the room around me, the kind of cold that stiffened your limbs, the kind of cold that crept over bodies when they died.

He pressed the button and the section of the bookcase opened, just as silently as it had the first time. He walked past me and into the narrow hallway that led to his closet-sized safe and stopped. “Get in here,” he commanded.

I walked over to the door but didn’t go any farther.

He drew a key out of his pocket, unlocked the door where the bodies wouldn’t be, and opened it wide.

The silence that surrounded us was so thick you couldn’t even cut it with a knife. He pivoted around to stare at me, his eyes glowing an odd shade of violet. Then he turned away again, opening the second door, the door to the secret apartment.

He called out for the soul, not calling her by name, and I wondered if that was on purpose or if she just didn’t have one. I stepped forward, looking toward the entrance, and I knew when he realized she was gone because a chair flew by and hit the wall, smacking whatever was there and shattering some glass.

I prepared myself for his wrath as he faced me.

“How did you manage to pull this off?” His voice was deadly calm.

“You’d be surprised what a man can pull off when he’s aptly motivated.”

“Where is she!” he roared. His anger was so intense that it was palpable energy that flew off him and barreled toward me.

It slammed into me, sending me backward, my feet dragging across the floor as it pulled me. It would have yanked anyone else off their feet. It would have flattened them into the wall and knocked them unconscious.

I wasn’t just anyone. I had a few abilities that I could use to my advantage.

My body absorbed most of the energy he threw, using it to fuel my cells and pump me up for a fight. I might not win against G.R., but I could do some damage.

I dug my feet into the large area rug that covered most of his office, planting them solidly apart. What was left of the energy kept going, pulling at my hair and my clothes until it snapped away, crackling behind me and knocking over everything that sat on his desk.

My body was overfull with energy, so much so that my fingertips crackled with it, so I flung my hands out, sending back some of what he gave me. The energy had a red glow about it, and it moved so fast it looked like the retreating taillights of a car speeding along the highway at night.

The Reaper moved, but not fast enough. Speed was my specialty. It hit him in the shoulder, singeing a hole in his perfectly tailored shirt and knocking him to the side. He didn’t fall down because he caught himself on the edge of a nearby club chair, but watching him stumble was pure pleasure.

His eyes flashed violet again, a color I never thought of as threatening until now. Thinking fast, I picked up one of the chairs that sat in front of his desk, the same chair I used for many of the lectures I was made to endure, and I threw it at him. It moved slower than the energy so he was able to dodge it, but it landed on the edge of his sleek glass coffee table, shattering the entire sheet of glass.

A few of his security guards came rushing into the room. They all had the telltale ring of their souls around them, marking them as Escorts. These must be new ones because I didn’t recognize any of their faces.

“Take. Him. Down,” the Reaper growled, pointing at me.

All three of them rushed me. I sucked in some of their eager energy and cracked my neck, ready to take them on.

The first one lunged and I kicked him in the thigh, crippling his leg and making him go down. I used the surprise of his fall to grab the next one closest to me, and I punched him right in the jaw, snapping the head on his shoulders. He came back for more and I instinctively dropped into a boxing position and began bouncing on my feet. The lighter I was on my feet, the harder I would punch.

The way my stance and body position changed, the Escort knew I wasn’t some inexperienced kid—like him. I saw the doubt in his eyes when he lashed out and I smacked his arm away and nailed him again, right in the eye. Then I put him in a headlock and slammed his body into the other one, who was climbing up from the floor. Both of them went down in a heap.

I turned to the final Escort, the one who’d been silently watching. This one had an orange ring around him, and he decided he was going to use a weapon instead of his fists. He reached over and grabbed a letter opener off the desk, brandishing it like a knife.

I laughed.

“You know,” I said as I kicked, sweeping both his legs out from under him and watching him fall hard onto his back, “most people who try to defend themselves with a weapon end up having it used against them.” And with that I snatched it out of his hand and stabbed him in the upper thigh.

He howled in pain.

I swiped my arm across my forehead, breathing heavily, and looked over at G.R. “You got any more kids you want to send in here?”

His eyes narrowed. “So smug,” he spat. “Do you think the way out of getting Recalled is by trashing my office and taking what’s mine?”

“I think a little extra insurance never hurt anyone.”

“I ought to Recall you right now,” he spat.

“Go ahead. You’ll never see those bodies or that pretty pink soul again.” It was a direct challenge. A skittering of fear actually moved down my back. I didn’t want to be Recalled. Only now it wasn’t for the same reasons as when I took those bodies.

Before, I just wanted to win, to prove I was the best Escort there was. To get the best of G.R.

But now, now it was because of Frankie.

I wanted to be with her. In any way she would have me (hopefully whatever that way was included sex).

He lifted his hand and once again, my soul began to pull out of my body. “We have a deal,” I reminded him. “My job isn’t over. You can’t Recall me unless I fail.”

Like a rubber band, my soul snapped back into my body.

“I don’t go back on my word.”

It was something I’d counted on, something that throughout the years I knew to be true. The Grim Reaper always kept his word. He never went back on a deal. I was beginning to think he was going to prove me wrong this time, but thankfully, it appeared he wasn’t.

“However, I never said I couldn’t make the job impossible. I never said I couldn’t make your life a living hell.”

He lunged across the room and grabbed my arm, his hand wrapping around my arm.

The pain was severe, an instant searing sensation that started where he touched me and worked its way up my arm, like a spreading infection, a growing disease. My veins began to turn black and they showed through my skin, which was now completely white.

I couldn’t say anything. I just stood there, caught between life and death, as the pain spread throughout my entire body. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. The pain was so intense that it robbed me completely of sound.

And then my eyesight began to go. Dark spots started swimming in my vision until there were so many everything went completely dark and I could see nothing.

Is this what it was like to be touched by the Grim Reaper? I thought death by him was instantaneous, that it was swift and final. Where was this pain coming from? Why did it hurt so incredibly bad?

When my insides were completely obliterated, I slid to the floor, dead. Only I wasn’t dead. Just the body I’d been using for the past twenty years. I was hovering above my body, staring down at what a mess it was. The pain of what happened still vibrated in my soul. It almost looked like I’d been electrocuted to death. Kind of felt that way too.

And just like that, I no longer had a body. Not one that I could actually live in.

“I hope that didn’t hurt too bad,” G.R. said, sounding rather thrilled with himself.

“I thought when you touched someone, they died instantly.”

“Humans, yes. For them it is pain free and blissfully quick. But for Escorts, it’s entirely different. My bodies are different. To truly destroy one of my creations, it’s much harder.”

One of his creations? Did he think he was Frankenstein? The guy collected bodies, bodies he stole from other people. He didn’t create them.

“And what a waste this one was.” He frowned. “It was a good one.” He looked at me. “But you certainly didn’t deserve it.”

“That body was more mine that yours,” I spat.

He looked at me and lifted an eyebrow that seemed to reach halfway up his wide forehead. “That body was never yours. It was on loan to you. I am the one who collected it. I am the one who prepared it for a soul that was not its own, and I am the one who made it possible it didn’t rot like a body is supposed to. The reason that body served you so well is because I was the one who made it possible.”

You know, it kind of pissed me off that he was standing there trying to take away my claim to the body I wore for twenty years.

It also occurred to me that since my body was completely unlivable, I was now in a very tough position with the Target. Basically, I was going to have to start over.

Score for the Reaper.

“Tell me, do souls need air to breathe?”

“No.”

“Oh well, that’s good, because I forgot to poke holes in the lid of the jar I stuffed your soul in.”

“You did what?”

“I know,” I said. “I was surprised she wasn’t willing to go with me either. I mean you would think any woman would choose me over you. When she refused to come along, I had to take matters into my own hands.”

“Do you think I won’t find her? Find the bodies?”

“That’s another thing… What was my body doing in your secret stash? You haven’t been using it, have you?”

“You don’t have a body. Not anymore.”

“Well, if you want your thirty million dollars, you’re going to have to give me one.”

“I thought we already determined that I never really cared about the money.” There was a gleam in his eye that I wasn’t liking.

“So?”

“So, I think I have better things to do than spend my day arguing with you.”

He raised his hand and pushed me backward toward the opening in the wall. I tried to steer away, to wiggle from the control he seemed to have over my soul.

He laughed—a happy and joyous sound. “Fight all you want, but I am the Grim Reaper. I own your soul. I control it.”

I was pushed through the tiny hallway, past the closet where the bodies once hung, and right into the small secret apartment. He appeared in the doorway, blocking the only exit.

“Let me tell you how this is going to go,” he said smoothly, happily. He actually kind of reminded me of the Grinch after the green guy stole all the gifts from the town and he was so jolly and thrilled.

“On my word, I cannot Recall you until you fail to kill the Target. So you will remain here, in this makeshift prison, without a body, without contact to the outside world. When the six-month time limit I gave you is up, I will let you out. And then I will Recall you.”

“And what about the bodies I took. The soul I stuffed into a jar? Do they mean nothing to you?”

“On the contrary. But while you whittle away your last few months on Earth here, alone, no doubt replaying everything you did that brought you to this unfortunate end over and over again…”

Was it just me or was he a bit dramatic?

“I will be searching. And you should know by now, I always get what I want. So when I at long last open that door to send you off into the void for your final exile, you will not only see me, but the possessions that you dared to steal.”

“I’ll be looking forward to that day.” I quipped.

“You joke. You’re funny.”

The joke was on him if he thought I was just going to sit in here and wait for my punishment.

He began to pull the door closed behind him. I rushed forward, thinking I could at least try to slip by except my soul didn’t move the way I wanted it to. Instead, it moved sideways.

“Oh, and might I suggest while you are in here that you think about your weaknesses. The things you’re leaving behind.”

“You already played that card. You can’t use my sister against me anymore.”

“Actually, I can,” he corrected. “However, I have discovered that your sister is not your only weakness.”

Everything in me stilled.

He smiled.

“I was always partial to blondes, too.”

“Don’t you go near her,” I growled.

“Perhaps it’s time I started adding some of the female variety to my collection,” he said, his voice turning thoughtful and mean.

I tried to rush him again. This time I flew backward, hitting the wall with a poof.

He laughed and shut the door.

I didn’t think it was funny.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

“Doorbell - a bell, chime, or buzzer outside a door that is rung to announce the presence of a visitor or caller.”

Frankie

What does one do when they find a body hanging in their closet? Scream? Run? Try it on?

I didn’t do any of those things. Instead, I walked out of the bedroom and directly into the living room where I grabbed a Cherry Coke, popped the top, and took a huge drink. Piper watched me with an amused expression on her face.

Finally, I pulled the can away from my lips. “There’s a body hanging in my closet.”

Her mouth opened and closed. I walked back into my room and she followed and we both stood there just staring at it. It was on a hanger, like a dress or a nice shirt. It was a guy who had shaggy blond hair that fell well over his forehead. He was dressed in a pair khakis, a white button-down shirt, and an ass-ugly sweater vest. His chin lay against his chest and his eyes were closed. The body itself was flat and lifeless.

It didn’t move.

It didn’t jump out and yell, “Boo!”

It might have been less creepy if it had.

“Where did it come from?” Piper asked.

“Is there a body store in Alaska I didn’t know about?” I quipped.

She took the can out of my hand and gulped a long drink. “It isn’t a coincidence that your boyfriend works for the Grim Reaper and now you have a body in your closet.”

“Charming isn’t my boyfriend,” I argued. Though she was right about one thing. This was not a coincidence. But after what happened, I couldn’t exactly call him up and say, “Did you happen to leave something at my house?” Charming slept with me and then disappeared. He left me. I wasn’t going to call him for help the first minute a body turned up.

“Why is it here?” Piper asked.

I shrugged. Then I leaned forward and poked it. The hanger swung back and forth on the rod. Piper smacked me in the arm. “Don’t poke it!”

I couldn’t stop staring at it. But not because it was morbid. Because there was something familiar about it. I’d never seen this person (or whatever you wanted to call it), but there was still something about it that felt recognizable. “He’s actually not bad looking.”

Piper gasped. “First you poke it and now you’re hitting on it!”

“I am not hitting on it,” I grumbled. “Give me my soda.” I snatched the can back and drained it. “It seems to me that we should be much more traumatized about finding a body in my closet.”

“Well, we already decided we needed therapy.”

“What should we do with it?”

“Guess we can’t call the cops.”

“Not without looking like we put it there.”

“You could call—”

“No.” I interjected. “I am not calling him. He made his choice.”

“So it’s over between you two?” She seemed a little sad at the thought.

The pain that sliced through me was swift and strong. But I didn’t flinch; I might as well get used to it. “Yeah, it’s over.”

And then the doorbell rang.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

“Message - a usually short communication transmitted by words, signals, or other means from one person, station, or group to another.”

Charming

I wished the Reaper’s last words didn’t bother me. But they did.

I wasn’t used to worrying about someone. I wasn’t used to caring. But I did.

All I could think about was Frankie. What if he wasn’t just making idle threats? What if he really did go after her? What if he touched her? My God, would she feel the pain that I felt when my body was killed while I was in it? Would that searing pain seize her veins and bloom outward until it stopped the beating of her heart?

The questions were relentless. The worry was indescribable. And what made it worse was that I had no body to expel the extra energy. I couldn’t do pushups or punch a wall; I literally just had to hang there and do nothing but hope she was safe.

I wasn’t good at doing nothing. I needed a plan, a way out of here. If I had to kill that Target without a body, then I was going to figure out a way to do it.

I hadn’t lost yet. I was still in the game.

A game that now involved Frankie.

I wanted her safe more than I wanted anything, including not being Recalled. A memory flashed over me from the day Dex lost it in G.R.’s office and threw a couple well-placed punches to my face. I’d taunted him about Piper, about trying to save her, about being weak and caring about someone else over himself.

Is this how he felt that day? Desperate and willing to do anything to save the woman he loved? I couldn’t understand it then, but now… now I understood all too well. I was wrong to think of him as weak because it seemed to me that putting someone else above myself was the strongest thing I could do.

Well played, Dex. Well played.

“Dude, I saw your body. Did that hurt?” said a voice from behind me.

I turned, red scattering everywhere, and faced at a cloud that looked just like me, only this one was black. “Storm! How the hell did you get in here?”

“Dude, you don’t have a body. You can go right through the wall. You’ve seen me do it more than once. Why are you still here?”

“Are you serious?” Sure, I’d seen Storm go through walls and borrow bodies, but I thought those were abilities unique to him. It never occurred to me that I might be able to do those things too.

He snickered low and I watched as he pushed half his form through the wall and then pulled it back in.

“Why didn’t I think of that?” I muttered, feeling like a complete idiot for the little bit of panic I felt when he locked me in here and threw away the key.

“Because up until now you’ve spent maybe an hour out of your body in your entire life,” Storm suggested. “And because G.R. doesn’t want you to know that stuff. He wants you to think you’re stuck here.”

But Storm spent most of his life as a ghost and unbeknownst to G.R., he used a lot of that time to learn to do things he wasn’t supposed to be able to do.

“So I can just walk, or whatever it is souls do, right out of here?” Excited, I looked at the wall and moved toward it, thinking I would go right through like the ghosts I’d seen on TV.

I went sideways instead of forward, but I was heading toward a wall so I went with it. Only I didn’t go through. Once my form touched the wall, it puffed out like I was a chalkboard eraser being banged against the side of a building. “Uh, I’m thinking not all souls can go through walls.”

“Operating as a ghost isn’t as easy as I make it look,” Storm replied smugly.

“What?”

“You’re going to have some control issues. Operating a soul isn’t like operating a body. Your body has weight. It obeys the laws of gravity. A soul doesn’t.”

“Shit,” I muttered. Then I thought of something. “How is it you aren’t completely ghost anymore, yet you’re still able to get through a wall?”

“It ain’t easy. Sometimes I get stuck. That’s a real pain. Half in and half out of a wall? I wouldn’t recommend it.”

“Then why do you keep doing it?”

“Because it’s convenient. Because if I didn’t, you would still think you were trapped here. And because it’s cool.”

Yeah, okay. It was cool.

“C’mon, I’ll show you what to do,” Storm said.

“How long is that going to take?”

“Don’t know. Depends on you I guess.”

Judging from the way I’d been moving around so far, it wasn’t going to be something I got the hang of in five minutes.

“How long have I been here?”

“Not quite a full day, but a while. I waited until G.R. left to come in.”

That long? Why is it time always passed so quickly whenever you really wanted it to slow down, yet when you wanted something over and done with, it seemed to take forever?

“Do you know where Frankie is?”

“She’s here, at her apartment.”

“Did you see her? How did she look?”

“I didn’t really notice. I was just there to, uh… make sure her and her apartment was secure.”

That was kind of an odd response for someone whose life was spent observing the details about other people. But I didn’t have time to ask him about his weirdness. I had enough to worry about.

“G.R. is on the hunt for the bodies. You need to move the two you hid. Put them in separate places. Make sure they’re where no one would think to look,” I stressed. I left the female body in L.A. and hid the soul in Scotland. I was hoping the fact they weren’t here in Alaska would buy me a little bit of time to get there and move them before they realized the bodies might not be here.

“Well, let’s get you out of here so I can do that.”

“No. There isn’t enough time,” I said. “Go move the bodies first. And check on Frankie. Make sure she’s safe. Tell her…” My voice trailed away. There was so much I wanted to say to her. So many things I wanted to apologize for. But those were all things I needed to tell her myself.

“What about you?” Storm asked.

“After you move the bodies and check on Frankie come back, that should buy us some time for you to show me how to get out of here.” I thought about telling him to warn Frankie about the Reaper and possibly tell her to get out of town. But I didn’t want to scare her. And I really didn’t think her leaving town would protect her. The Reaper would find her. Besides, I was hoping G.R. would be too busy searching to bother with her. The safest place for her was with me; I would keep her safe. “I need to get out of here,” I whispered to myself.

“I’ll hurry,” Storm promised as he moved toward a wall. I was envious at how easy he made it look. So envious that I tried to follow him, trying again to have some control. I ended up floating upward and getting stuck against the ceiling. I felt like a stupid balloon.

“Keep practicing,” Storm said, watching me. “Concentrate on giving yourself the feeling of weight.”

“Give Frankie a message for me,” I called as he slid halfway through the wall. The words rushed out of me quickly and then he was completely gone. I didn’t know if he heard what I said, but I hoped he did and I hoped she understood the message when she heard it.

Don’t give up on me yet, I thought.

Then I started concentrating.

Chapter Forty

“Borrow - to adopt or use as one's own.”

Frankie

I almost expected it to be the cops. That they somehow figured out I was harboring a body in my house and they had come to drag Piper and me off to jail.

I stood behind the door, wishing I had a peephole so I could at least prepare myself for whatever I was about to be accused of. I cast a glance at Piper who was standing behind me, a worried look on her face.

The person banged on the door again and I jumped. “I know you’re in there, Frankie. Open the door!”

I frowned at the unfamiliar voice calling my name.

That settled it. The only strangers that could know my name were cops. “Go hide,” I whispered to Piper.

“Yeah, ‘cause that’s not suspicious,” she retorted.

This time when he banged on the door, he didn’t stop, just kept on hammering.

I took a breath and yanked it open, trying to look surprised as to why a group of cops would be on my doorstep.

There was no group. There were no cops. Just a man, a lone man standing there with a look of impatience (and constipation?) on his face.

“Can I help you?” I asked tentatively.

“Me?” he said. “No. But I’ve come with a message from Charming. And to collect… what I left here.”

It wasn’t often someone rendered me speechless. I don’t think a complete stranger ever managed it, until now. I stood there staring at him, trying to decide the best way to answer him. He let out a sigh and walked in the apartment, his gaze going directly to Piper and holding for long moments.

“Excuse me?” I managed, drawing his attention away from her.

“You might want to shut the door,” he said, glancing at me.

I did and walked farther into the room, not once taking my eyes off of him. I searched my mind for any kind of recollection, some kind of memory of meeting him or seeing him somewhere.

He was tall, well over six feet. He was lanky, not at all that muscular, and was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt. He had sneakers on his feet and sandy-colored hair. There wasn’t anything remarkable about his appearance, but the words that came out of his mouth were.

“My name is Storm. I work with Charming.”

“You’re a Death Escort?” I asked, taking in the look of pain on his face. He didn’t look like a killer. He looked like he needed to sit down.

“Sort of,” he said. “Listen, do you mind if I drop the body?”

I glanced at Piper who shrugged and then I looked back at him. “Ummm, sure?”

He let out a great sigh and then dropped his head onto his chest and closed his eyes. I was about to tell him this wasn’t the best time for yoga or meditation, but then something weird happened.

Black smoke started leaking from his ears. It puffed out, curling up around his head where it formed a dark cloud. Then it began curling out his nose, in great long tendrils that rose up to join the growing mass of black.

“What the hell?” I said, reaching for Piper and pulling her over toward me and the door. We weren’t going to be like those idiot virgins who ran farther into their house when a killer was after them. We’d be going out the door.

The black cloud kept growing, until it pretty much surrounded the body, swirling around like smoke. And then the man dropped to the floor. He fell in a heap, landing in a tangle of limbs, right there beside my couch.

Now not only was there a body in my closet, but one in my living room, right next to a black cloud thingy.

“Let’s get the hell out of here,” I whispered to Piper and yanked her to the door. As my hand closed around the handle, the man/cloud thingy spoke.

“Whew, thanks. That guy did not like to share.”

I glanced down at the body and then back up. “You have exactly two seconds to explain before I start screaming my head off.”

“If you were gonna scream, you would already be doing it.”

“You said you work with Charming?” I asked, not acknowledging he was right. “And how is it you can talk?”

“I’m a Ghost Escort. An Escort who doesn’t have a body. I don’t kill people. I just watch them for the Reaper. And I have no idea how my voice works. It just does.”

“You watch people,” I repeated.

“Yes. Not having a body and being black makes it easy to stick to the shadows and remain unseen.”

“But we can see you,” I pointed out.

“That’s because I’m letting you.”

“What about him?” I said, gesturing to the body. “Is he dead?”

“Nah, just out of it. We should probably put him outside. He’s probably going to wake up soon.”

“We?” I said.

“Well, I don’t exactly have arms to move him.”

“Right.” I went over and grabbed the man by his arms and dragged his body toward the front door. Piper was there to open it and then took one of his arms and helped me pull him the rest of the way out into the hall, where we left him, and went back into my apartment and closed the door.

“You’re sure he isn’t dead?” I asked again, picturing one of my neighbors coming home and screaming at his body lying there.

“Positive. Borrowing doesn’t kill people. It just makes them tired and disoriented.”

“Borrowing?” Piper asked. It was the first time she’d spoken since he walked into my place, and although I couldn’t exactly see him staring at her, I did see his cloudlike form turn toward her.

“It’s something I can do,” he replied. “Get in someone else’s body and borrow it. I don’t do it that often,” he explained. “It’s kind of painful depending on the size of the personality inside the body. That guy was bigger than most. Felt like I was a sardine jammed in one of those tiny cans.”

Piper laughed.

I looked at her like she had ten heads. “This isn’t funny,” I reminded them. “Why are you here?”

“Actually, I just came to pick up something I left here,” the cloud replied.

“You’re the one who put the body in my closet?” I asked.

“You saw that, huh?”

“Well, it’s kind of hard to miss,”

“You were supposed to be in Scotland.”

“I wasn’t about to stay there after he left me without a word,” I snapped.

“Your boyfriend didn’t leave you. He was taken. By the Reaper, who he has managed to piss off in every way possible.”

“He is not my boyfriend,” I replied automatically, but then the rest of his words caught up to me. “And isn’t the fact he pissed the Reaper off old news?”

“He pissed him off some more. In new ways.”

“The level of idiocy that man displays is beyond me,” I muttered, thinking that the next time I saw him I was going to smack him upside the head.

But then my thoughts caused everything in me to still.

I really thought I would never see him again. I really thought it was over.

But it might not be.

Amongst the stillness, the butterflies erupted.

Maybe he really hadn’t meant to leave me. I looked down at his T-shirt that I was still wearing, the T-shirt he’d put on my bed to presumably put on after he joined me in the shower. Someone who was going to leave wouldn’t have bothered to do that. Would they?

“What did he do?” Piper asked, drawing me out of my thoughts.

“The Reaper had a secret stash of bodies kept under lock and key because they were important to him.”

“Okay,” Piper said, urging him to finish.

“Charming stole them and I helped him. I put one here. One at your house,” he said, gesturing toward Piper, who made a choking sound. “And he took one out of town with him. Not sure where he left that one.”

The garment bag. The one on the plane I teased him about. It hadn’t been a suit at all. It had been a body.

I was so out of my league.

“You put a body at my house?” Piper said, her voice hollow.

“Yeah,” he answered, sheepish. “I needed somewhere the Reaper wouldn’t look.”

“How do you even know where I live?” she asked.

There was a very heavy, drawn-out pause. “I knew Dex,” he finally replied.

My eyes shot to Piper, whose face went white. “You knew Dex?”

“Um, yeah. I was assigned to watch him and sorta you too.”

“Oh,” was all she managed to say.

I gave him a dirty look for upsetting her. “The body is still where you left it.” I was hoping he would take the hint and leave.

He nodded. “I’ll get it out of here.”

“Where are you going to take it?”

“It’s needed,” was all he said. Then he turned to Piper. “I’ll get the one at your place when I leave here.”

“I’m supposed to work later.”

“You don’t need to be there. I can let myself in.”

“That’s how he’s been getting into my apartment!” I burst out. “You’ve been helping him!”

“I make a pretty good key,” he said smugly.

Escorts were weird. They bragged about being criminals.

“I’ll just get the body and get out of here.” He moved off toward the hall.

“Wait, you said you had a message from Charming?” Maybe I should have acted like I didn’t care, but I did.

“Oh yeah. He wanted me to tell you he was working on making room for the sun and he’d see you later.”

Piper looked at me with a question in her eyes, wondering if I understood what he meant.

I smiled. I knew exactly what he meant. It meant he was coming back.

“Why couldn’t he tell me that himself?” I asked.

“About that,” he explained. “The Reaper took his body away. Right now he looks like me, except he’s red.”

Awww, he thought that would be a sufficient reply.

“That’s not going to cut it. I need more info. Pronto.”

Cloud guy sighed heavily, and with his sigh some of his body (or whatever) puffed out like breath on a winter’s day. “G.R. took away Charming’s body and locked him up at his mansion. He can’t Recall him because the only way an Escort gets Recalled is if they don’t finish a job. Charming still has a few months left to the job he was assigned, but the Reaper wants him gone. So he took his body and trapped him. He’s going to keep him there until time runs out for the job and then he’ll be able to Recall him.”

Some people might say he was getting what he deserved after all these years of killing people who didn’t deserve to die. But somewhere along the line, I stopped thinking about him as a killer and started thinking about him as a man, a man trapped in an impossible situation. And thinking about him being Recalled—or truly never seeing him again—made me want to go to the Reaper’s house myself and start ripping stuff apart.

“But what about the bodies he took?” Piper said. “Won’t that keep him from getting Recalled?”

“Yeah, but the Reaper already has guys searching. Eventually he’s going to find them. That’s exactly why I need to start moving everything. The more I move it, the harder it will be to find.”

“What’s your name, anyway?” I asked.

“Storm.”

Huh. It fit him perfectly. “All right, Storm, go jump in that body and let’s go.”

“Oh, uh-uh. No. You are not coming with me.”

“The hell I’m not.”

“Do you have any idea what Charming would do to me if I let you go anywhere near the Reaper’s house?”

“Do you have any idea what I will do if you don’t?” I ground out.

“Sorry, but he’s scarier than you are.”

I crossed my arms over my chest.

He sighed. “Look, I don’t have time to argue with you. Getting this body to him is already hard enough with having to worry about you two.”

“Why is it so hard?” Piper asked.

“Because the body is empty. There’s no one in it and because of that I’ll have a black cloud around me that every Escort would see. If I get caught, they’re going to know it’s me before I even say a word.”

“There was no cloud around you when you got here,” I observed.

“That’s because there was someone else in the body. Best I can figure it, their soul hides mine.”

I glanced at Piper to see if she thought this conversation was as unreal as I did. She seemed to be having about the same reaction.

“Look, I gotta go. Time is of the essence. He’s gonna flip when he finds out I hid his body here at your place.”

“What do you mean his body?”

“That’s Charming’s original body. The one he died in. He seemed pretty shocked when he saw it.”

Is that why it seemed so familiar to me? Did something inside me recognize it immediately?

I rushed toward the bedroom, wanting to look at him again. I wanted to take in every detail about that body. I stopped just shy of touching it. It was so different from the way he looked now… so unpolished, so… flawed. But yet when I looked at him, at the overly long blond hair and full lips, it seemed perfect for him. For Olly.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” I told Storm.

“Some privacy might be nice,” he muttered. “Can’t a guy get dressed in peace?”

Piper giggled. What was with her? Geez, he was not funny.

I was about to point out his un-funniness when there was a noise in the living room. It sounded like the front door opening and closing.

All three of us froze, listening for more sounds.

“Honey, I’m home!” called a voice I didn’t know.

“Holy shit!” Storm whispered.

“Who is it?” I demanded.

“It’s the Reaper.”

Chapter Forty-One

“Balloon - a flexible bag designed to be inflated with hot air or with a gas, such as helium, that is lighter than the surrounding air, causing it to rise and float in the atmosphere.”

Charming

Not having a body was weird. I couldn’t really sit or stand… or do anything other than sort of hover over the floor. It was like existing but not existing. It made me think about Storm and I suddenly understood why he started trying to learn how to be more solid. I understood why he figured out how to borrow other people’s bodies. Because not having a shape of your own was like being caught between life and death.

It also had a way of making a man feel very small and very out of control. And the more I concentrated, the harder it seemed to be. The second I moved or tried to go across the room, my body kind of dissipated away from itself. It didn’t hurt, but it was kind of alarming to watch what was left of you drift out and away.

After a while I was so frustrated that I gave up and settled for just kind of floating there.

I thought about Frankie, about what she was doing right then. If she was angry with me or if she was hurt. I wondered if she was eating a pound of candy and cursing the day I ever walked into her life. I hoped Storm was there by now. I hoped she at least knew I didn’t just abandon her.

Of its own accord, my form started drifting down, moving toward the floor. I tried not to get excited that I was going down instead of up. Figured the minute I stopped trying to do something was the minute my damn body did it.

I wished there was a clock in here. I wished I knew how long ago Storm had left. That’s the other thing about not having a body. There’s no internal clock to keep you posted on time.

“Hey,” Storm whispered, coming right through the wall beside me.

“Did you get to the bodies before he did?”

“Yeah. I brought yours with me. It’s outside in the trees that border his property. You might as well use it.”

“That’s one way to keep it on the move.”

“Yeah. But you gotta stay out of sight, man. For many obvious reasons, including the red ring you’ll be sporting.

I highly doubted I would be strolling down the street.

“Let’s get the hell out of here,” I said, trying to rush toward the wall. I ended up going in the opposite direction with a trail of red following behind. I made a frustrated sound. “How in the hell do you control yourself?”

“It’s not that hard. You just have to concentrate.”

“All I’ve been doing is concentrating. My freaking brain hurts.” Wait. Did I even have a brain? Not having a body was so weird. I took a deep breath and tried again. I got the same results as before. A few colorful swear words slipped between my lips.

“I told you it wasn’t easy,” Storm said. “It’s a good thing I brought the body here.”

“Where was it anyway?”

“I stashed it at Frankie’s.”

“You stashed it at Frankie’s!” I growled, mad that he would involve her more than she already was.

“You said to put it somewhere it wouldn’t be found.”

The guy was an idiot. When I got my body back, I was going to deck him. Maybe she hadn’t seen it. I didn’t notice I was drifting down to the floor.

“She’s something else,” Storm said, watching me. “She didn’t even freak out when she found it.”

Well, shit. “She saw it,” I said, flat. Drifting even closer.

“Yeah, and I also sort of borrowed a body in front of her.”

Double shit. “Where is she now?” I growled, wondering how I was ever going to make this up to her. I wondered if I could. Then I noticed I was right beside Storm.

“I’m on the ground,” I said, shocked. I hadn’t even been trying. I was too busy wanting to deck him in the eye.

“Yeah, apparently pissing you off about your lady is like an anchor for you.”

Huh.

“You ready? We need to get your body out of the woods.”

“Let’s do this.”

Storm moved over toward the far wall. “This wall is an exterior wall. Once you’re through it, we’ll be outside. You’re not going to be able to blend into the shadows as good as me so once we’re out there, we gotta move fast. Just stick with me. Follow me.”

Yeah, moving fast was a lot better in theory. Trying to cram a body, or non-body as it was, through a wall and outside wasn’t exactly easy. It took me four tries to get half my body out of the house and then another three tries to get the rest out.

By the time I made it out and across the open yard and into the trees, I was pissed off and in a very foul mood. It didn’t help that I was staring down at my body—a body that was still kind of shocking to see. I wasn’t sure what it was going to be like to literally be back to my old self again.

“I swear the next time you get your ghost ass in a body, I’m going to give you a black eye.” I threatened Storm. Threatening him made me feel better. And it kept my anger at the surface, giving my body a little bit of weight. If I started flying up here, there would be no ceiling to catch me.

“Promises, promises,” Storm taunted. “Focus on the nose or the ears,” he instructed. “Aim for that and once you’re in, it will be a lot easier because it’ll be like going into a tunnel. There won’t be anywhere for your soul to go but inside.”

My feet (or what would be my feet) were already close to the ears of my body so instead of trying to bend down and go in headfirst, I kicked out my foot, aiming for the ear. As I thought, some red went out and around the head, but some of it made it inside, creating a red trail leading inside and so I kicked again, shoving even more of myself in.

Then something happened.

Something I hadn’t expected.

It was almost like the inside of my body was a vacuum and I was being sucked up through the hose. “Storm,” I whispered, trying not to sound as freaked as I was. “It’s sucking me in.”

“Well, that’s a first,” he said, sounding a little surprised. It didn’t make me feel any better. “Just go with it. You want to get in there. This will just make it easier.”

And so I went (like I had a choice). My body seemed to know exactly what to do with my soul and I began to move faster and faster. The body, which had been lying flat and lifeless on the ground, began to plump up and fill out. It became less like a piece of clothing and more like a living, breathing man.

And then the red was gone.

I was completely inside a body I thought I would never be in again.

I stood up, looking down at my arms and legs, tossing the light-colored hair out of my eyes. I wasn’t really sure how I felt in that moment. I wanted to rush to a mirror, to look in and see if I recognized what I saw. I wanted to stand there in the yard and take stock of every part of me—to know if I felt any different, or if I felt the same…

“Maybe it’s because it’s your body,” Storm was muttering to himself.

“What?”

“I was thinking that maybe the reason your soul went right in was because that was the body it actually belongs in.”

We didn’t have time for theories on bodies and souls.

“Let’s go to Frankie’s,” I said, my eyes darting around to make sure none of G.R.’s staff was lurking. “We can talk there.”

The silence that came from Storm was anything but silent.

“What?” I demanded.

“Well…” he began, drawing out the word. “There’s something about Frankie you should know.”

She didn’t want to see me again. She was pissed I left her, pissed Storm stashed a body at her house, and he didn’t want to tell me back there. “Just tell me.”

“When I was there getting the body,” he said, pausing.

“Spit it out already!” I barked.

“G.R. showed up,” he rushed out.

“What?! ” If I hadn’t already been inside a body, I knew all the red that made up my soul would have scattered for miles. The thought of Frankie and G.R. in a room together made my skin crawl.

“He walked in like he owned the place.”

“How did you get him out of there?”

He didn’t say anything.

“Tell me you did not leave her there with him,” I ground out.

“We didn’t want him to find your body!”

Screw him not having a body. I reached out and punched the air where he floated. Then I stuck my other hand inside of him and shook it, scattering him all around.

“What the hell, man!”

“You deserve so much more than that,” I spat. I didn’t even wait for him to reply or come back into some kind of shape. I took off, racing along the edge of the neighbor’s property, drawing in every last ounce of kinetic energy I could and using it to propel me right out of the fancy neighborhood without being seen once.

I was supposed to be lying low, to not let G.R. know I was out, that I had a body.

Screw that.

He was messing with my girl.

Chapter Forty-Two

“I Love Lucy - an American television sitcom starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance and William Frawley. The black-and-white series originally ran from October 15, 1951 to May 6, 1957.”

Frankie

The Grim Reaper was in my house. He just walked in like this was some episode of I Love Lucy and he was Ricardo telling Lucy he was home and ready for his supper.

But this wasn’t a sitcom. This was real life.

And he was the ultimate life stealer.

All three of us were frozen, staring at the closed bedroom door like it was a bomb about to explode. I clutched my stomach so hard it hurt, but I was afraid if I let go I would hurl all over the floor.

“Come out, come out wherever you are,” the Reaper called in a morbid singsong voice.

It was his voice that spurred me into action. “Storm, get that body and get the hell out of here. Do not let him see you.”

“What about you?” he said, sounding unsure.

“I can take care of myself. Charming needs you. Use the fire escape.” I pointed to the window next to the bed.

“Piper, go with him,” I ordered quietly and rushed toward the door.

“You can’t go out there,” Piper insisted. “Come with us.”

If I didn’t go out there, he was going to barge in here and find all three of us sneaking out the window. He’ll see Charming’s body—the one that wasn’t supposed to be here—and he would likely take it and do who knows what with us.

I couldn’t risk them all. I couldn’t risk Charming’s body.

I had to do this.

I mean how bad could the Grim Reaper really be?

I glanced at Piper and shook my head. Her eyes widened, but before she could yell at me and give away the fact I wasn’t in here alone, I opened the door, slipped out, and closed it directly behind me.

An older-looking man who oddly looked a lot like Mr. Burns from The Simpsons was just coming down the hall.

I jumped, putting my hand to my chest like he startled me (okay, maybe he did even though I knew he was there. This guy was just creepy) and said, “Holy crap! Who are you? Why are you in my apartment?”

“We have a mutual acquaintance,” he replied, looking me over.

“We do?”

“Yes, and I think you know exactly who I am. Why are you pretending you don’t?”

I thought about my friends just on the other side of the door. “Could we go talk in the living room? The hallway is kind of close quarters.”

He pursed his lips. “Okay.”

I breathed a sigh of relief when he walked out into the living room. I followed, watching his every move.

“Marilyn Monroe,” he said, staring at the wall of posters of my idol. “She was very full of life.” He turned to look at me. “Until I killed her.”

I gasped. “You didn’t kill her. She died of an overdose.”

“Did she?” he asked, lifting a brow.

“If you killed her, why didn’t you take her body? I hear you have a little problem with hoarding.” In truth, I had no idea how many bodies he did or did not have. Charming and I hadn’t spent our time talking about him. Now I kind of wished I knew more. I felt very unprepared for a confrontation with him.

He laughed. A real laugh. “I don’t usually collect female bodies. But I’m thinking maybe it’s time for a change.”

Oh, that’s great, Frankie. Inspire the body collector to start collecting women, starting with you.

“Why are you here?” I asked, hoping to steer him away from the idea of hanging my body in his closet.

“I seemed to have misplaced something. I was wondering if you had it?”

I almost told him this wasn’t the lost and found, but I bit my tongue. I didn’t think he would appreciate my sarcasm. “What did you lose?”

“You don’t know?”

I shook my head.

“I don’t like liars.”

“I’m not lying. I don’t have whatever it is you’re looking for.”

“Then you won’t mind if I take a look around.”

Oh, I minded all right. “No,” I burst out and his eyes narrowed. I took a breath. “I mean, now isn’t really a good time.”

“Really? What were you doing in your bedroom when I got here?”

I put my hands on my hips. “I don’t really think that’s any of your business.”

He smiled, then came across the room, holding out his hands. “Step aside,” he warned. “Wouldn’t want me to accidentally touch you.”

I jumped out of the way like he was a speeding car and I was a squirrel.

He went down the hallway and yanked open the door and went inside. “Well, what do we have here?” he said.

They didn’t get out. I didn’t stall him long enough. Now he was going to take Charming’s body and kill us all.

I ran down the hallway, skidding to a stop just inside the doorway, ready to beg for our lives. But Storm was gone. So was Charming’s body.

Piper, however, was still here. She was standing beside the bed, staring daggers at the Reaper.

“Ahhh, the one that got away,” he said, looking at her. “How are you enjoying life knowing I will never be able to come for you?”

“Why are you here?” Piper asked, her voice completely calm.

He ignored her question, going over to my closet and going through all the hangers and clothes.

“Did you want to borrow an outfit?” I quipped. “I don’t think I’m your size.”

Piper gave me a shut up look.

“They aren’t here,” he murmured.

“What’s not?” I said, still playing dumb.

“My bodies!” he yelled. Piper and I both flinched. “Where are they!”

“I don’t know,” I replied, backing up as he stalked toward me. “I really don’t know.”

“Hey! Get away from her,” Piper called, moving across the room toward us.

“I wonder,” the Reaper mused, “if Charming would be a little more forthcoming if I brought him your dead body.”

Oh, this wasn’t going well. Not at all. “I don’t really think that would help.”

“I think it might be worth a try.” He yanked his hand out of his pocket and reached for me, all five of his fingers waving about like they were snakes trying to slither away.

I shuddered and backed up some more, coming up against the wall.

I was trapped.

He came closer, his hand just inches from my face. I squeezed my eyes closed.

“I said Leave. Her. Alone.” Piper cried, her voice so close that I opened my eyes to tell her to run.

But it was too late.

Piper grabbed the Reaper by his wrist, yanking his deadly touch away from me.

“Piper, no!” I yelled, my chest seizing up so hard that I fell backward against the wall. If it hadn’t been there for support, I would have crumpled to the floor. “No!” I cried again, staring at where her slender fingers wrapped around his wrist. She was dead. She was going to die. She went and wasted a perfectly good death pardon from the Grim Reaper by touching him.

I waited for her body to fall to the floor.

I waited for her to die.

Nothing happened.

I blinked, trying to clear my eyes of the tears that filled my vision, thinking I was just seeing things.

I wasn’t.

She was still breathing. Moving. Living.

And her hand was still wrapped around his wrist.

She was staring down at where they touched, frozen in shock.

I looked at the Reaper, thinking maybe he knew what was happening, that he wouldn’t be surprised. But he looked just as shocked as the rest of us.

“You’re touching me,” he said in awe.

Piper snapped back to reality and snatched her hand away. She backed up, pulling the ends of her sweater down over her hands.

“You didn’t die,” he said, looking at her with a creepy sort of reverence.

“Still breathing,” Piper said, like she still couldn’t believe it herself.

“Wait. You didn’t know that was going to happen?” I burst out. “What the hell were you thinking!”

“That I didn’t want you to die,” she said quietly.

“You shouldn’t have done that!” I rushed over to her side, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her. “That was officially the stupidest thing anyone has ever done.”

“You’re welcome?” she said, a hysterical laugh bubbling out of her throat. I pulled her against me and crushed her in a hug.

“If you had died I would have been so pissed.” I pulled back and looked at the Reaper. “Why didn’t she die?”

He shook his head, still staring at Piper.

“He lost his claim to me when Dex broke that stone. You heard him just now. He can never come for me.”

“I guess I just thought that meant he would never kill you, not that he couldn’t.”

“I kind of thought that too,” she whispered.

We both looked at the man who should have all the answers. He looked rattled. Like he couldn’t even form a sentence. “I… I didn’t know,” he muttered to himself and I had to strain to hear.

“Are you saying you didn’t know that was going to happen?” I asked.

He looked up at me. His eyes were still a little glassy and vacant. Beside me, Piper shifted and his eyes fastened on her once again.

“No.”

It was a simple word, a single response. But the weight behind it was immense.

“I have to go,” he said, shaking himself and walking back through the apartment and toward the front door.

We rushed after him, watching to see what he would do. On his way past the coffee table, he stopped and looked down at the vase of white carnations I put there just before I went away with Charming.

Without saying a word, he reached out and fingered the snowy petals of one of the flowers. It died instantly, turning an ugly shade of brown as the petals dried out and curled in on themselves. He looked down at his hand and then back at Piper again before walking quietly out the door.

We stood there for a long time. The only sound was the ticking of the clock on the nearby wall. Finally, I snapped out of it and rushed forward to throw the lock on the front door, turning around and collapsing against it.

Piper sat down on the couch, staring at the single dead flower in a vase full of living ones.

“I touched the Grim Reaper,” she said.

“You saved my life.”

“I didn’t die.”

I pushed away from the door and joined her on the couch. “You’re badass.”

She looked at me and grinned. “Yeah, I guess I am badass.”

I nodded. “But never do it again.”

“Definitely not. I hope I never see him again.”

I hoped that, too. Still, I couldn’t help but think that he was trying to kill me. The Grim Reaper wanted me dead. He wanted to use me to get to Charming. I was lucky and got a reprieve from death because my BFF seemed to be the Reaper Whisperer.

I just wondered how long my reprieve was going to last.

Chapter Forty-Three

“Freedom - liberty of the person from slavery, detention, or oppression.”

Charming

I ran for about a mile after leaving G.R.’s upscale neighborhood. I knew I could keep on running to Frankie’s apartment, that I would likely be able to keep pulling in energy, but it still would have taken me longer than I wanted. I wanted to be there with her now. I couldn’t even call because I was afraid he might still be there and I didn’t want him to even think I might have figured out I wasn’t as trapped as he wanted me to think.

So I stole a car.

A plain four-door sedan that I wouldn’t have normally driven to save my own life. Yet it appeared I was willing to do just about anything to save Frankie. I was just about to pull out of the back of the parking lot when Storm appeared in the backseat.

“Man, you would have lost it and I never would have gotten you out of the house if I had told you that shit before you got into your body.”

“I’m still going to deck you if you ever get a body.”

“Don’t hate the playa. Hate the game.”

I glanced in the review mirror as I drove. “Did you seriously just say that?”

“Just keepin’ it real.”

I focused back on driving and trying not to speed too noticeably. Now would not be a good time to get pulled over by the cops. The drive seemed to take forever and with every passing minute, I grew more worried I would be too late.

About a block from her apartment, I pulled the hotwired car over and parked it in a parking garage. I hurried to use a napkin that was in the glove compartment to wipe down all the surfaces I touched. I knew my fingerprints weren’t in the criminal system, but I wasn’t taking any chances. I had a feeling if I managed to get out from under the G.R., this was the body I’d be keeping.

The thought drew me up short and I stood outside the car, staring down, doing nothing but thinking.

Get out from under the Reaper? Where did that thought come from? The way I thought it just now seemed like it was something that had already been decided—like my head knew something it didn’t inform the rest of me about.

Was it even possible?

Could I somehow manage to get completely free of him?

I didn’t mean I could pull of this job, kill the Target, and use those bodies to get myself out of being Recalled. Because even if I managed to do that, G.R. would just keep assigning me impossible jobs until I failed. I would spend the rest of my existence scrambling around trying to do his bidding.

I didn’t want that.

I wanted a life. A real life. One that meant I didn’t have to kill anymore. One where I didn’t have to switch bodies and identities, one where I was the only person in charge of what I did.

It wasn’t possible. Was it?

Could I somehow trade everything I had of his for true freedom?

Frankie wouldn’t have to make peace with me killing because I wouldn’t have to kill. We could live without looking over our shoulders. I could love her the way she deserved to be loved.

I’d never had such thoughts before—such hope.

“Dude, how long you gonna stand next to the car you stole?”

I jerked up, reality crashing back in. My feet started moving; I jogged away from the car and toward Frankie’s apartment.

“Okay, yeah,” Storm called from behind. “I’ll just meet you there.”

I finally figured out what I wanted and I was going to get it. I just had to figure out how to get there. But before I did any of that, I had to see her. I had to make sure she was okay.

When her apartment building came into sight, I wanted to rush down the sidewalk and barge right in. But I couldn’t. G.R. might be watching the building. I ducked into an empty stairwell across the street and watched for signs that someone else might be out here watching or waiting.

After a few minutes of seeing nothing suspicious, I had enough and decided to just use my speed and zip inside. Just as I was preparing to run, the door to her building opened and a man stepped out.

It was G.R.

My breath hissed out between my teeth and I ducked back into the opening when what I really wanted to do was beat his ass. But then my anger dissolved and fear spiked through me. He had been upstairs, inside that apartment with her for a long time.

What if she was hurt?

What if she was dead?

His car pulled down the road and I flew across the pavement. I don’t even know if my feet touched the ground. I stopped only when I came to her door. I tried turning the handle to just barge right in, but it was locked.

I pounded on it. “Frankie!” I yelled. “Frankie, open the door.”

Storm appeared behind me.

“You need to go in there, unlock the door.”

The lock on the door slid free and the door swung wide.

“Frankie,” I said, relief making my voice weak.

“Olly?” she said, her eyes going wide as she stared at me.

I nodded. “I know I look different, but it’s me.”

“You look…” Her voice trailed away as she just stood there and stared.

I wanted to snatch her up, to crush her against me, but I wasn’t sure if she would want that. I finally knew exactly what I wanted, but I had no idea if she wanted the same.

“Can we come in?” Storm said.

Frankie stepped back, allowing us in and then closing the door. I stopped short seeing Piper was here. There were too many people here… too many eyes.

I turned my back on them and looked at Frankie. “I saw the Reaper leaving. Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

“Your eyes are still green,” she murmured, staring at me.

I smiled.

“He tried to kill her,” Piper announced. I spun around. “What?”

“He was going to touch her. Got a couple inches from her face.”

Bile rose up in my throat and my hands fisted at my sides.

“But he didn’t touch me. Piper stopped him.”

“How could Piper stop him?” Storm asked.

“She touched him first.”

I swung my head in the direction of her words. “Come again?”

Frankie nodded. “Piper touched the Grim Reaper and she didn’t die.”

Everyone stared at Piper. Her cheeks turned pink. “I really need to be going. I have to work.”

“You mean to tell me G.R.’s touch didn’t kill you?” Storm said.

Piper nodded. “It’s because he already promised not to kill me.”

I wasn’t sure that was entirely it, but I wasn’t about to start an hour-long discussion. I wanted to be with Frankie. Alone.

Piper grabbed up her bag off the floor and went to the door where Frankie hugged her. “Thank you. Why don’t you stay here tonight after work? You probably shouldn’t be alone.”

Instead of answering, Piper glanced at me.

I nodded. “Thank you. For saving her life.”

Her cheeks bloomed pink again and she hurried out the door.

“Is she safe?” Frankie asked when Piper was gone. “I mean, obviously the Reaper can’t kill her, but I mean… that’s kind of rare, isn’t it?”

“I’ve never seen this happen my entire career as an Escort,” I replied.

“Won’t that kind of make her… I don’t know… interesting to certain people?”

I had no idea what it meant. I could barely think about it with her standing so close yet so far away.

“How about I keep an eye on her while she’s at work?” Storm volunteered.

Frankie expelled a breath. “Would you?”

“Yeah.” Storm looked at me. “You got my number.”

I nodded.

He didn’t wait for someone to open the door. He just went right through it.

And then we were finally alone.

Chapter Forty-Four

“Suspenders - fabric or leather straps worn over the shoulders to hold up trousers.”

Frankie

His eyes were green.

The same exact green they were before. The same green that matched the rolling hills of Scotland.

I didn’t know what it was going to be like the first time I saw him in his body, but it was better than I thought it would be. Seeing a body on a hanger was nothing compared to seeing it alive and breathing in front of me.

“Are you okay?” he asked, concern darkening the eyes I was so glad hadn’t changed.

“Yeah.”

My answer must not have been very convincing because in three great steps he was standing before me, gripping my shoulders and bending down so we were eye to eye. “Are you really okay? Did he hurt you?”

I shook my head. “No. I—” I lost my train of thought. “You’re taller.”

The corner of his mouth pulled up and he stepped away. “I’ll give you one minute to get used to this new body.”

“Only one?”

He grinned.

“What’s with the khakis?” I laughed as my eyes perused his body.

He scowled. “I didn’t dress myself today.”

I watched as he glanced down at his body, like he was just seeing it for the first time, and make a face. Then he yanked the sweater vest up over his head and tossed it onto the floor.

Holy hot suspenders.

I never ever in a million years would have dreamed that I would ever think a guy in suspenders was attractive.

Apparently, Olly was attractive in anything he wore.

They were pulled taut across his wide shoulders and hugged his body all the way down the sides of his chest until they stopped at the waistband of his pants, which encircled a narrow, trim waist. I couldn’t look away. I wanted to slide my hands beneath them, starting at that waist, and move up his solid chest until my hands wrapped around his neck and buried in his blond hair.

“I’ll find a pair of jeans later,” he muttered. I suppressed a smile.

“What about you?” I asked seriously. “Are you okay? What happened?”

He blew out a breath and sat down on the couch, leaning back against it lazily. “It’s a long story.”

“I’ve got time for you.”

“Do you?”

“Yes.”

“Come here.”

I really had no clue how he could be so calm after everything that happened. My heart was still pounding just a little bit too fast. Of course when he looked at me like that it didn’t help.

As I stood there and tried to figure him out, he crooked a finger at me and curled it toward him as if I were on a string and he could pull me closer. Maybe I was because my body obeyed the command of his finger and I found myself directly in front of him.

He moved swiftly, taking me by the waist and pulling me down onto his lap. I wrapped my legs around him, my feet sandwiched between the softness of the sofa and the solidness of his back. He rested his hands between us, his fingers playing idly with the hem of my T-shirt—his T-shirt.

“Whatcha got there?” he said. His voice was deep and slightly raspy. It wasn’t the smooth-talking voice he used to have. Shivers raced up my back.

“You left it on my bed.”

“You thought I left you.”

I bit my lip, looking down at his hands. “You kind of did.”

“Was it easy for you?” he asked. “Leaving my house, thinking you might not see me again?”

I glanced up. I didn’t really want to answer. It felt like he was asking me to bare my soul to him—to tell him my most secret feelings. I wasn’t sure I could trust him with those things.

He seemed to perceive my reluctance to reply, so he said, “Is that why you took my shirt? Because it made it a little less harder to leave?”

“I took your Ferrari, too. I left it at the airport.”

He smiled. It was a crooked smile and he had a dimple in his chin. I wanted to reach out and touch it. So I did.

“I didn’t like that car anyway. So pretentious.” He caught the fingers that were tracing his dimple and pressed a kiss to the palm of my hand. “What if I told you it was just as hard for me to leave as it was for you?”

“I didn’t say it was hard.”

“You didn’t have to.”

I felt like an ice cube outside on a hot summer day… slowly melting…

“There’s something I need to know,” he said, taking a fistful of my shirt and towing me closer.

“What?” I have no idea if he even heard the word because it sounded like a sigh.

His lips didn’t just touch me; they didn’t just brush against mine… They captured me. I couldn’t even be considered their hostage because even if he pulled back and offered freedom, I would have stayed. I would have begged for more.

He kissed me like he’d never kissed me before. Slow. Soft. Gentle. He was so utterly and agonizingly slow, tilting his head one way and then the other. The friction of his lips meeting mine again and again filled every part of me with something warm and liquid, until I was so overfull with longing I couldn’t sit still.

My body started to move, a slow rocking motion in his lap, like we were lost at sea and our boat just followed the waves. Too soon, he pulled back gently, dropping a kiss to the tip of my nose before leaning his head against the back of the couch to stare at me with heavy-lidded eyes.

What did you say to someone when they kissed you so good you couldn’t even remember your own name?

Nothing. You said nothing.

You sat there and prayed they would kiss you again.

The side of his mouth curved upward and a lock of blond hair fell into his eye. “That answers that.”

“What?” I said, my voice sounding far away to my own ears.

“I wondered if you would still be attracted to this new body, to me.”

I pushed my fingers through the hair falling over his eye, gripping it on top of his head. “There’s something I need to know,” I told him.

He lifted one of his blond brows and stared at me.

I reached for the buttons on his shirt and began at his throat slowly unfastening them one by one. He watched me with his arms at his sides, not trying to help me. Not trying to stop me. Just watching. I left the ends of his shirt tucked into his pants and the suspenders where they were. My hands slipped inside the opening of his shirt, pushing it open wider, and I looked down.

Washboard abs.

I ran my fingertip down the center and they contracted, the separate muscles rippling at my touch.

“Well, that answers that,” I said, looking at him mischievously.

“What?”

“I like this body a lot better.”

He grinned, flashing his teeth. One of them had a tiny chip in the corner. “My other body had abs too.”

“True. And Charming was very hot,” I said, running my palm across his stomach. “But Oliver… he’s my guy.”

His eyes darkened to the color of thick moss that grew under a tree. “You know I didn’t leave you behind. I only went to protect you. I don’t want him near you.”

I didn’t bother to point out that it didn’t matter because the Reaper had me in his sights. I liked this conversation far too much to bring that up again. “I know that now.”

“Listen to me,” he said, moving quickly, speaking fiercely. He captured my head between his hands and sat up so he was staring directly into my eyes. “I’m going to get us out of this. Both of us. And when I do, you’re never going to have to worry about me leaving again.”

Yep. There I went. I melted completely into a puddle.

“Are you trying to charm me?” I said, though my voice was too watery to hold the sarcastic tone I meant to have.

“I don’t have to charm you,” he said.

“No?”

He released me and shook his head slowly. “No. Because you’ve already charmed me. Completely.”

“Ahhh, so the charmer has finally been charmed?”

“What can I say? You look good in my shirt.”

I pulled it up over my head and tossed it beside him. “What about when I’m not wearing your shirt?”

His hands were on my chest instantly, cupping it and massaging. It didn’t take him long to see the closure was in the front, and with a single movement of his hand, it burst open, spilling out everything I had for his waiting eyes to see.

“I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want you,” he confided. I made a sound in the back of my throat and moved a little closer, inviting his touch.

But he didn’t touch me.

“Tell me, Frankie,” he demanded.

“Tell you what?”

“Tell me you’re mine. Tell me you didn’t bring my heart back from the dead only to make it die all over again.”

And there it was. My choice. But I’d already made it. I made it a long time ago. It just wasn’t until today that I admitted it to myself.

I pushed the hair in his eyes up and away from his face. I wanted him to see me clearly. I wanted him to know without a doubt he was who I chose.

“I’m yours,” I whispered.

I didn’t know what it said about me that I could love someone like him. That I could love a killer. The worst parts of him were really bad. But looking at him now, vulnerability shining from the depths of his eyes and the feeling of him beneath me, I knew—I knew without a doubt—that even his darkest parts could never compare to his best ones.

His kiss started on my lips but didn’t stay there very long. His mouth slid down my neck and across my collarbone where he nipped along the line of it, making me laugh. Finally, I got to do what I’d been imagining since he took off that ugly sweater. I slid both my hands beneath the suspenders, running my hands along the thick muscles in his chest, and then gently pushed them over his shoulders, sliding them all the way down his arms.

His hands caught mine when they drifted over his, but I shook my head and pulled the hem of his button-down out of his pants. It joined the sweater on the floor.

This body was bigger than the one I knew before. This one had a few scars here and there marring its perfection. But to me it was those imperfections that made him perfect.

I traced along the outline of a circular-shaped scar on his chest. “What happened here?”

“I got it in the ring.”

I leaned down and kissed it and ran my tongue over its surface. He groaned and kissed me again. This time it was more demanding and not so slow. His arousal pressed between my legs, making me impatient, turning me into some sex-starved harlot, and I began to make small noises in the back of my throat.

His long fingers found the button of my jeans, releasing it, and then delved down into my waistband, cupping my butt. He tore his mouth from mine. “Your pants are in my way.”

I rocked against him one last time, smiling at his intake of breath, and then climbed off his lap. Before I could do anything, he swiped the jeans and my panties down my legs. The cool air brushed against my skin and I shivered slightly as I stood there completely bare before him. It was a good kind of shiver.

His green eyes heated as they took in my every curve and then his khakis were flying over the back of the couch, disappearing from sight. I thought he would pull me beneath him right there on the couch, but he didn’t. He settled back against the cushions just as he had been before and pulled me back into his lap.

His arousal jutted up between us, his hard length practically begging for my attention, and I was only too happy to oblige. His skin was smooth as satin and I wrapped my hand around him and slid upward, watching his eyes lose all focus. This was something I could definitely get used to—being in the driver’s seat, being the one in control. Olly was such a strong and willful man; he always seemed to be in control, to know exactly what he was doing. But right now, as I stroked him, he was completely under my spell.

Letting go, I rocked forward, bringing our bare chests together, skin touching skin, and teased his arousal with mine. He groaned when my slick warmth slid against him.

His hands splayed around my rib cage, lifting me so I was poised just above him, but I didn’t slide down. I didn’t connect our bodies just yet. Instead, I let the tip of him flirt with my opening as his mouth drew in one of my rock-hard nipples and rolled it around on his tongue. My head fell back at the sheer bliss—the sheer anticipation of being with him—and I moaned.

Never in a million years did I ever think anyone would ever make me feel like this.

When he released my nipple and placed a kiss between my breasts, I looked at him. I watched him as I slowly lowered myself onto him.

His fingers dug into my ribs to the point of almost being painful, but it was the kind of pain I would ask for again and again because there was nothing as sweet as welcoming him inside me.

When I was completely surrounding him, I began to move. At first my movements were slow, but they began to take on a more feverish insistence, and I moved faster and faster, searching for that release just out of reach.

I must have made a sound because he caught my face and looked into my eyes. “What’s the matter, love?”

“Can’t get close enough,” I whispered as I moved.

In one fell swoop he wrapped his arms around me and moved, spinning so I was lying on the couch and he was over me. He did it so fluidly that our bodies never lost contact.

The weight of him pressed me farther into the couch and I wrapped my legs around his waist to pull him even closer. He was in me. Around me. Over me. He was the only thing I could see. He was the only thing I could feel.

It was exactly what I wanted.

He pulled himself out but just as quickly pushed back in, repeating the motion over and over again until the only word I could murmur was his name.

When I thought I couldn’t possibly take anymore and I was surely going to die with need, he pressed his forehead against mine and whispered, “I want you to come with me,” and pushed in deep. So blissfully deep that a tidal wave of pure ecstasy rolled over me. It was so strong my entire body surrendered, going limp and boneless against the couch.

Olly collapsed against me, his chest slick with sweat, as he sucked in lungfuls of air. We didn’t say anything for a long time… The chemistry swirling between us said more than any words ever could. When he finally shifted, removing some of his weight from me, I grabbed on to him, trying to keep him close.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he murmured as he fitted himself between the couch and me, coercing my body to spoon against his, and he wrapped his arm around my waist, securing me firmly beside him.

I turned my head so I was looking up at him. “Olly?”

He made a sound in the back of his throat.

“Everything’s going to be okay, isn’t it?” Even the passion swirling inside me, the feeling of being safely in his arms, couldn’t keep away all the fear. If anything, those things made the fear worse because I knew how much I had to lose.

I couldn’t lose this. I couldn’t lose him.

But we were up against death and the odds were stacked against us.

He brushed the hair away from my face, his touch so tender that my heart ached anew. “Everything’s going to be fine. I’m not going to let anything take this away from us.”

I nodded, snuggling in even closer. Part of me felt better because I knew he meant what he said. But the other part of me…

The other part of me whispered that Death didn’t care.

Chapter Forty-Five

“Tears - a drop of the clear salty liquid that is secreted by the lachrymal gland of the eye to lubricate the surface between the eyeball and eyelid and to wash away irritants.”

Charming

She was asleep when I slid out from beneath her and went into the bathroom. I flicked on the light and smiled down at the sink. There were bottles of product and hairbrushes scattered everywhere. She was an utter disaster. Clothes all over the floor in her room, her closet looked like it exploded, and her bathroom was clearly no better.

I loved it.

I hoped she never changed.

I looked in the mirror, the first time I actually looked at myself since taking back my body. Frankie never changed, but I sure as hell did.

It was startling to look in the mirror and see someone you didn’t expect to see. Kind of like being out in public and seeing a person you hadn’t seen in a long time. At first glance you don’t recognize them so you do a double take. The second time you look it clicks, and you realize you know who it is.

I knew this face. I knew this body. I was familiar with it. There was a scar on my knee from when I fell off my bike when I was five. I got the blond hair from my grandfather who worked in a factory all his life and brought me a lollipop every time he visited. This was the body I grew up in. I had history here.

And now I had a future here too.

Two arms appeared from behind, wrapping themselves around my waist and hugging tight. Frankie pressed her cheek against my back and let out a small sigh of contentment. “I forgot to mention how much I like that tattoo.”

I turned so I could stare at the black scroll design that stretched across the side of my shoulder. I got it when I turned eighteen.

“I forgot to mention that I like when you don’t wear clothes.”

Her laugh was throaty. “Oh, I think that came up.”

“Want it to come up again?”

“I think you better tell me what’s going on first.”

Reality had a way of getting in the way. “You have any coffee?”

I watched her put on my shirt—and nothing else—and go out to the kitchen to make coffee.

I looked down at the khakis and boxer briefs on the floor. I hated those pants. So I threw on the boxers and went to the living room.

“Do you always hang out in your underwear?” Frankie asked as she was cracking eggs into a large bowl. Coffee was already starting to brew.

“When my only clothes are dorky? Yes.”

She snickered. “I like those suspenders.”

I poured some coffee and sat down at the round table in the small kitchen. “Better than my jeans?”

“I haven’t seen this new body in a pair of jeans.”

I raised an eyebrow over the rim of the mug and looked at her. “Are you saying this body won’t look good in a pair of jeans?”

She smiled slyly. “That remains to be determined.”

I grunted and drank more coffee. She was going to eat those words later.

“So… how bad is it, Olly?” she asked after a few moments of silence.

“Not so bad.”

She gave me a withering look and I shrugged. “He locked me in a room and told me he would let me out the day the time limit on the job runs out. Then he was going to Recall me.”

“How long do you think until he realizes you’re gone?”

“Hopefully a couple months.”

“So what? You’re just going to lurk around Alaska and hope he doesn’t see you?”

“That and kill the Target.”

Her shoulders sagged as she scrambled the eggs over the stove. “You really have to kill her, don’t you?”

“If I want a shot at getting out, yes.”

“Getting out?” She glanced at me. “Like out out?

“Yes.”

She abandoned the spatula to the pan and turned around to look at me. “You’re going to quit being an Escort?”

The look on her face made my insides go hot. “I’m going to try. Don’t get your hopes up. No one’s ever walked away from the Grim Reaper before.”

She squealed and threw herself into my lap and rained kisses over my face. “I can’t believe you’re going to give it all up.”

I caught her chin in my hand. “What I’m walking away from is nothing compared to what I’m walking toward.”

“I love you.”

My heart skipped a beat. Then it skipped some more.

“Say it again.”

“I love you, Oliver.”

If I hadn’t been sure about walking away before, I was now.

“I love you, too.”

Her eyes rounded like she was shocked and then she jumped off my lap. “My eggs!” she cried and ran over to take the pan off the stove.

“That’s what you say to a guy who hasn’t told anyone he loves them in over ninety years? You worry about your eggs?”

She laughed and launched herself at me again. “Well, it’s a good thing you told me before I demonstrated my cooking skills.”

I kissed her nose. “I hear you make some good cupcakes.”

“You don’t eat sugar.”

“Hmmmm. I don’t need sugar. I have you.”

“Olly?” she said. Her smile faded away and she looked at me seriously.

“What?”

“Are you sure? Like, sure about this? You’re going to give up a life of living forever, money, and power.”

“I have enough money to last us both our entire lives and then some. I don’t need power. And living without you isn’t living at all.”

Her eyes softened. “Well, when you put it that way.”

“I need to know what the Reaper said when he came here.”

The softness left her eyes, replaced by wariness.

“It’s okay. I’m going to keep you safe.” I assured her. Even if that was the only thing I did.

“He was looking for the bodies. And a soul?”

I nodded. “I took a soul he had hidden away too.”

“I told him I didn’t know where they were.” She bit her lip and looked at me. “Then he said he was going to start adding women to his collection and he tried to touch me.”

My arms encircled her waist and I pulled her tighter against me. The pain of being touched by him still lingered in my memory, and while he said it wasn’t like that for a person who wasn’t an Escort, I didn’t tend to believe everything he said. If he touched her, if he even so much as thought about killing her again, I was going to find a way to make his life a living hell.

“But Piper grabbed him.” Her eyes filled with unexpected tears. I wasn’t prepared for tears. “I thought she was going to die.”

I pressed her head against my shoulder and brushed my lips over the top of her head. “It’s okay. Piper’s fine.” Which truthfully shocked the shit out of me. She had to be the first person ever that didn’t keel over from coming into contact with G.R.

“She’s the only family I have.” She glanced up. “Well, I guess I have you now too.”

Warmth spread throughout my chest. “Yeah. Yeah, you have me now too.”

“My parents live on the other side of the state. We don’t talk. I wasn’t the kind of daughter they wanted and they weren’t happy when I refused to change. Piper doesn’t have any family either. It’s just us.”

“Shhh,” I told her, wanting the tears to stop. I could feel them falling onto my chest and sliding down my skin.

“You should have seen the Reaper’s face, Olly. He was shocked. Just as shocked as we were. I don’t think something like that ever happened to him before.” She sniffled. “He looked at Piper… like she was some kind of miracle.”

A shiver ran up her spine and she shook in my lap. I stroked her hair and made her a promise. “I won’t let anything happen to Piper, either.”

She nodded against me, the words actually seeming to make her feel better. It amazed me how just months ago I was completely alone and now here I was vowing to take care of these women. It didn’t work out so well the first time I tried to take responsibility for two women. My sister paid the ultimate price. And the guilt from that would haunt me for the rest of my life. I wasn’t going to make those mistakes again. This time was going to be different. This time we were all going to walk away with our lives.

Frankie’s tears turned to hiccups as I held her, rubbing her back while all the coffee went cold before we could drink it.

And as she quieted, I began to plan.

Chapter Forty-Six

“Money - assets and property considered in terms of monetary value; wealth.”

Frankie

Just as suspected, I got fired from my job. I called in to tell them I was better and coming back and the witch cackled and told me not to bother.

I couldn’t really say I was disappointed. In fact, I kind of felt relieved. Okay, not kind of. Totally. I was surprised by how much relief I actually felt. I used to joke that place was sucking away my soul, but now that I didn’t have to go back, I realized it hadn’t really been a joke.

Lost in thought, I wandered over to the window, looking down to the street. Olly’s Porsche was still sitting at the curb where he left it before we went to Los Angeles. He wasn’t going to be able to drive it around for a while; the expensive car wasn’t exactly made for blending in, and since he was supposed to be locked up in a room without a body, taking it for a spin wasn’t on the to-do list.

He came out of the bedroom, dressed in the khakis, white button-down, and suspenders. I noticed he styled his hair so it wasn’t in his eyes anymore and resembled the way he wore it in his other body, though it was longer now.

“I need to go get some clothes and my laptop. You’re coming with me. I’m not leaving you here alone in case G.R. comes back.”

I nodded. “We can take my Jeep.” I went to grab my coat and noticed I was still holding the phone, so I sat it on the coffee table next to the vase of flowers. My eye caught the single brown one, and I was reminded all over again of Piper’s brush with death.

“I didn’t hear the phone ring,” Olly said.

“It didn’t. I called work. I got fired.”

“Saves you from having to quit,” he said, not in the least sorry.

“I guess so,” I said, rather non-committal. Yes, I was glad I didn’t have to go back there, but on the other hand, I kind of felt like my life was unraveling at the seams. Not too long ago I had a steady job, a normal routine, a best friend I told everything to, and a weekly habit of going to the donut shop. Now, I had no job, my routine was non-existent, I was dating a Death Escort, and the Grim Reaper wanted to kill me. Not to mention my best friend almost gave up her life for me after I all but ignored her for weeks.

Oh, and the donut shop was probably wondering if I fell off the face of the earth.

“You know you don’t have to worry about money anymore, right?” he said, catching my hand and towing me against him.

“I know,” I said. “But I can’t just let you support me.”

“Why not?” He frowned.

“Because it’s not your job.”

“Yes, it is.”

“No. Your job is to love me. And to put up with me. Not to be my sugar daddy.”

He chuckled. “Putting up with you is a challenge sometimes.”

I scowled.

“But loving you… that’s a lot easier than I ever thought possible.”

“I’m so irresistible.”

“How about you don’t worry about money until all this is over and we can finally move on. Then if it will make you feel better, you can find a job.”

“Sounds good to me.” I moved to the door. “On the way back from your place, can we swing by the diner and get Piper? I don’t want her to be at her apartment alone tonight.”

“Yeah,” he replied, but he seemed distracted, still standing in the center of the room, making no attempt to leave.

“Olly?”

He glanced up swiftly.

“What were you thinking?”

“Nothing. Let’s go.”

He ushered me out and we went down to the street where the Jeep was parked. I walked out alone and got in, reaching over to unlock the passenger door and then starting up the vehicle and putting on my seatbelt. A few moments later, Olly climbed in, ducking a little lower in his seat.

I didn’t waste time and pulled away from the curb. The entire way Olly kept a lookout for following cars and gave me directions for a route that took us half across town. Then we doubled back before finally turning into his neighborhood.

“Shit,” he swore when I pulled up on the darkened end of his street.

“What?” My eyes immediately went outside onto the street, thinking the Reaper had somehow found us.

“I don’t have my keys. They’re still in Scotland.”

“Oh, that’s okay.” I fished around in my bag and pulled out a credit card. “I’ll let us in.”

His teeth flashed in the dark and I took that as a “You’re brilliant, Frankie” and climbed out of the Jeep. I took great pride in letting us into the house while he stood by and looked pretty.

But once we stepped inside, much of my amusement and lightheartedness evaporated. He didn’t want to turn on any lights because he didn’t want anyone to know we were there. So we stood there in the dark (which, frankly, was creepy) while he listened or felt or whatever he did for signs that anyone was in the house, waiting for us.

“All clear,” he said, moving into the kitchen a few moments later.

“Where are you going? Aren’t your clothes upstairs?”

I heard the opening and closing of a drawer.

“Olly, now is not the time for a snack break.”

He appeared beside me soundlessly, causing a strangled sound to erupt from the back of my throat. “Seriously!” I demanded as he ushered me up the steps toward what I assumed was his bedroom. The whole way up he kept one hand on my lower back and the other straight down against his side.

When we made it to the top of the stairs, he went first, rounding the corner and disappearing into the first room on the left. A light came on, sending light out into the hallway and making it much easier to see.

“I thought you said no lights?” I stepped into the doorway of the lit room. It was a bathroom. A very nice, upgraded bathroom with granite countertops and tile floors.

“There are no windows in this room. It will give us a little light to get my stuff from the bedroom.” He turned around. And that’s when I noticed it.

He was carrying a gun.

I felt my eyes round as I stared at the lethal weapon clutched in his hand. “What’s that for?”

“Protection.”

“Do you really think we need it?”

“I think I would rather have it than not.”

“Get your stuff so we can go.”

I followed him into his bedroom where he moved quickly, packing a black duffle bag with stuff while I sat on his giant king-sized bed. From what I could see, the room was really nice. But all my attention on the room was lost when he started taking off his clothes.

“I hope I never see another pair of khakis again,” he muttered, throwing them on the floor. Everything else soon joined the pants.

“I agree they look better on the floor.”

He spun in my direction and prowled to the end of the bed. He grabbed my ankle and slowly towed me down the bed until he was standing between my legs. “If we weren’t in a hurry…” he said, letting the words dangle suggestively. My skin heated from just the hint of seduction in his voice.

I extended my fingers so I could trail them down his torso, but he pulled back, saying, “Oh no you don’t. One touch from you is all it would take.”

He pulled on a pair of jeans and with his back to me, reached for a dark-colored long-sleeved shirt. Even in the dim lighting, I knew even in this body he could totally rock a pair of jeans.

After he was fully dressed and his bag was zipped, I assumed he was ready to go so I hopped off the bed and moved toward the door.

“Frankie, I want to give you something.”

“What?”

He tucked the gun in the waistband of his jeans, slung the bag over his shoulder, and came forward with something clutched in his hand. “Here,” he said, holding it out.

It was a credit card. “I already have one of those,” I said, patting my pocket.

“It’s an ATM card to one of my accounts. I want you to hold on to it in case you need it.”

“Why would I need to hold on to it? Why can’t—” The answer slapped me hard and I flinched. “You don’t think you’re going to make it out.”

He stared at me without blinking for a long time. It’s like he was weighing his words, not sure of what he should and should not say. Finally, he spoke.

“Take it, Frankie,” he said, thrusting the card at me. “I just want to know you’re going to be taken care of.” I opened my mouth to argue with him, but he held up his hand and continued on. “I know you don’t want my money, but I want you to have it. If something happens and I get Recalled, you go to the nearest ATM and pull out everything you can. The pin is nineteen twenty-two. Then you transfer the rest into another bank account in your name.”

I took the card and slid it into my pocket. “Tell me you’re going to make it out.”

“I’m going to make it out.”

“Well, don’t say it if you don’t mean it!” I snapped. Oh God, my eyes were filling with tears. I hardly ever cried and now here I was trying for number two today. I couldn’t help it. The idea of never seeing him again… it was incredibly overwhelming. It was the kind of hurt that had the power to crush everything inside me. There wasn’t enough money in the world that would ever take away the kind of pain I would feel if he somehow got Recalled.

He rolled his eyes and grabbed my chin. “Listen to me. Even before I fell in love with you, I was determined to not let G.R. get the best of me. But now I have you. I have even more reason to fight. I’m not going anywhere, Frankie. Just take the damn money. You can give it back when this is over.”

I sniffled.

He yanked me against him. His shirt was really soft and I snuggled against it. “And stop crying, would you? I really don’t like it.”

A laugh broke through my tears, but it sounded kind of like a sob. His arms around me tightened. I took a deep breath and straightened. I didn’t like crying either. “C’mon, it’s probably about time to pick up Piper.”

He took my hand and pulled me behind him down the hallway, reaching into the bathroom to shut off the light.

“So what’s the plan anyway?”

He glanced over his shoulder at me. “Kill the Target and trade the soul and the bodies for my freedom.”

“And you think the Reaper will go for it?”

“I’m not going to give him a choice.”

We were halfway down the stairs when Olly stopped moving and in one quick move pulled the gun out and used his arm to usher me behind his body. I was afraid to talk, to ask him what he thought was going on; because it was clear he thought we were no longer alone.

My body went on high alert, listening for every little sound that could mean something. I watched the bottom of the stairs like a cat about to pounce on my dinner, but I still didn’t seem to hear what he did.

After several very tense moments, his shoulders seemed to relax and he started moving again down the stairs, keeping the gun at his side.

We made it all the way downstairs and into the yard.

The Grim Reaper seemed to appear out of nowhere. I couldn’t understand how one minute we were walking along with nothing in our path and then there he was, standing in front of us with electric-blue energy crackling from his fingertips.

Olly’s muscles bunched beneath his clothes and he turned, shoving the gun at me. “Safety is off. If he takes one step toward you, shoot his ass and don’t stop.”

“You cannot kill Death,” the Reaper intoned. I don’t know if it was because I was scared or because it was dark out, but his voice was much more ominous and frightening than it had been at my apartment.

“No. But she sure as hell would slow you down.” Olly pinned me with a stare. “Shoot and then run.”

“What about you?” I whispered, clutching the gun.

“Don’t you worry about him,” the Reaper called. “He knows when Death has someone in its sights, it always gets what it wants.”

Without warning or any kind of pause, he threw out his arms and tossed some of that electric-blue energy at us. Olly didn’t seem surprised. He didn’t duck. He didn’t run. He planted himself directly in front of me and he absorbed most of what came our way.

“Go to the Jeep,” Olly said. Then he threw out his hands, tossing back more of the same energy.

Did he think I could just leave him there?

“Go!” he yelled when I just stood there debating.

Apparently he did.

“I won’t leave you here!” I argued.

The Reaper laughed and raised his hand, pulling like he was holding an invisible rope. A red cloud appeared around Charming, half in, half out of his body.

“Come along, Charming,” G.R. called. “You’re supposed to be locked up tight until the clock runs out!”

I watched as Olly seemed to stumble forward like his body was following his soul. I reached out and grabbed his hand, holding on like I could keep him right there with me.

The Reaper laughed again and pulled harder. Olly’s hand ripped from mine and he fell forward onto his knees. Red was a giant cloud around him, growing bigger every second, and the more red I saw, the more limp his body became.

I wanted to scream. To scream and never stop. I’d never seen such a thing before. Is this what everyone looked like inside? Could the Reaper just rip out my soul right here and now?

I didn’t scream.

Instead, I raised the gun, pointing it at the Reaper.

I didn’t hesitate.

I pulled the trigger.

The bullet slammed into his shoulder, knocking him backward, but not hard enough to knock him off his feet. The shock was enough to get him to stop doing whatever he was doing to Olly, and his soul snapped back into his body, the red disappearing from sight.

He scrambled to his feet, pushing me backward, toward the side of the house. “Get the hell out of here, Frankie. Go, now!”

Over his shoulder I saw the Reaper recover. I saw him look up at us and smile. He released more of that energy from his fingers and sent it spiraling right at Olly.

“Look out!” I yelled.

But it was too late. Just as Olly turned, the energy hit him directly in the chest. He flew backward, hit the ground, and slid into a large shrub that lined the property. I rushed over and fell to my knees beside him. Blue energy glowed around him before fading away into the darkness.

“Olly,” I worried, leaning over his body so I could see his face.

“Find Storm.” He said the words so low I barely heard them, and then he leapt up so fast that I fell backward from surprise. The Reaper had been closing in, taking advantage of my preoccupation over Olly. When our eyes connected he smiled. He was going to kill me.

I lifted the gun once more.

But I never got the chance to shoot it.

Olly was there, throwing himself between us and plowing into the Reaper like a bulldozer. I screamed, watching the man I love come into contact with the man whose touch kills.

Olly made a sound of pain and he shoved the Reaper away, but then he jumped back and stayed steady on his feet. “I’ll go with you now if you leave her be,” he said, out of breath.

“No!” I protested, panic taking hold.

“How about I kill her now and take you after?”

“If you kill her, I’ll make sure those bodies are burned and that soul is dropped to the bottom of one of the many oceans on this planet.”

The Reaper’s eyes flashed violet. His eyes flicked to mine and then back to Olly. Then he waved his arm and a doorway appeared out of nowhere. “Come along, Charming. It seems locking you up in the body you stole will make it more convenient to keep you contained.”

Olly walked toward the door; he didn’t look back. Just as I was about to rush forward, to do something, anything that would keep him here with me, he turned, looking at me over his shoulder. He shook his head slightly. “Remember what I said.”

He stepped into the makeshift doorway and it closed instantly. I was left standing there all alone with trembling hands.

I didn’t completely understand what happened in Scotland, how Olly had disappeared without a trace so easily. I understood now.

The only difference was this time I understood what was happening. This time I wasn’t going to go home and cry. Olly left because it was the only way he knew how to make me one hundred percent safe. He became an Escort because it was the only way he knew how to keep his mother and his sister safe. Olly had been fighting for a long time… fighting for his family, then for his job, and now for me.

Who had ever fought for Olly?

No one.

Until now.

Chapter Forty-Seven

“Making plans - stupid.” *Definition provided by Charming.

Charming

Making plans was stupid. That’s why I was the kind of guy who liked to wing it. I liked to make decisions based on the here and now and not before things happen. Because things always change and a man needs to be flexible.

I should have spent less time making plans and more time thinking things through. Like going back to my house. I shouldn’t have gone there, but really, what were my other options? My wallet and all my credit cards and keys were in Scotland. I needed access to money and I really needed to get out of those hideous khaki pants.

So now in an attempt to keep G.R. away from Frankie again, I was back here in his office again. “I see you got the place put back together from my last visit.”

“Don’t even think about making a mess,” he said. “You’re just passing through on your way back into confinement.”

“As much as I’d love to stay and be locked up by you, I think I’ll pass.” I walked toward the door. I wasn’t staying here. I came to buy Frankie some time to get away. That was accomplished and now I was leaving.

If he wanted to try and stop me he could. I was up for a fight.

“I was there the night you died.” His voice was calm, almost conversational.

Something in my stomach hardened, but I kept walking, knowing he was just playing games. “I think that’s obvious.” I wouldn’t be in this fun position now if he hadn’t been there.

“I was in the crowd, watching the fight. My money was on you.”

My steps faltered. Those words… My money’s on you. I knew those words. Someone said them to me right before… right before I died.

“It was you,” I murmured, pushing through the ninety years of memories to bring back the night I spent a lot of time trying to forget. “There was a man. He came up to the ring, helped me with my water.” He had dark hair and a wide forehead. “It was you.”

“Ahh, you do remember,” G.R. said. “I knew you would make a good Escort. I could see it in your face. Your determination. Your stubbornness. Your unwillingness to back down from someone who desperately wanted to hold on to his title.”

“I should have won that fight.”

“Yes. You should have.”

I glanced up swiftly. Had he somehow interfered with the fight? Had he somehow made me lose?

“That was your downfall, you know. You underestimated your opponent. You let your human side get in the way. You didn’t expect someone to cheat—someone to kill for what they wanted.”

He was right. That was my downfall. I hadn’t been expecting a dirty fight. My entire life I’d been honest; I’d worked hard. I thought that was the way to get the things I wanted. The respect and recognition I deserved.

But there were people out there who didn’t care about hard work or integrity. There were people out there who wanted to take the shortcut to success and their shortcut involved knocking down the people in their way.

“Your loss was my gain that night,” G.R. said. “I knew you would become my greatest Escort. I was right. All you needed was a little push.”

“A little push?”

He smiled slyly. “All I had to do was get rid of the humanity that seemed to hold you back.”

Dread began to build within in me. My humanity? After I died, the only humanity I had was…

My sister.

“You son of a…” My words trailed away as the knowledge of just how bad he played me was born. “You killed her. You killed my sister.”

“I thought maybe as time went on, your preoccupation with her would diminish, but then you killed that boy. You broke my rules and you killed someone who wasn’t a Target.”

“You knew?”

“I know everything. I knew the minute you killed him. But I wasn’t ready to Recall you. I knew your potential, but in order for it to be realized, she had to go.”

Fury burned through me. It swept over my entire body like a forest fire in a bone-dry mountain of trees. He killed my sister. He robbed her of her life. He robbed my mother of her daughter. If I hadn’t hated him before, I hated him now.

“It worked,” he taunted. “As soon as she was gone, you became the perfect killer. So quick and precise. You never strayed from a job and the charm you exuded was the perfect bait for just about any Target.”

I thought she killed herself. I thought what I had done made her end her life. All these years I carried around guilt that some days threatened to crush me when all along I hadn’t killed her at all. It was him.

My sister lost her life so he could create the perfect Escort.

I flew across the room, leaping over his desk and grabbing the chair he sat in like it was his throne. Moving fast, I grabbed the chair and hurled it, sending him and the black leather monster spiraling against the wall of closets behind him.

The chair crashed to the floor, half pinning him to the ground, and one of the closet doors sprang open, revealing the row of neat bodies.

G.R. tossed the chair away and stood, swiping at a rivulet of blood that trailed from the corner of his lip, and faced me. I sent a swirling ball of white-hot energy at his chest, making him leap to the side out of its path. The energy hit the bodies, blowing them off the racks and scattering them on the floor. I went over and snatched one up, snarling at the ugly-ass khakis and threw it at him. “Better pick a new body now because when I’m done with the one you’re wearing, it won’t be worth salvaging.”

He caught the body and lowered it to the ground like it was delicate and then turned his eyes to the other bodies that lay around my feet.

He barreled toward me, and I knew he was going to try and touch me. From the last time, I understood just a simple touch from him wouldn’t kill me like a regular human, but any longer contact would completely kill the body I was in. This was my body and I wasn’t about to lose it.

I rushed around the end of the desk and lifted, using it as a shield against him. All the contents that sat on top slid down and rushed across the floor, making the Reaper dodge the falling office supplies.

I shoved the table away, pushing it toward him, and it teetered on its one side before falling over, crashing toward him. He narrowly missed being crushed, and the desk landed on the floor with a hard smack.

His office door flew open and several of the Escorts rushed in, looking at G.R., the mess, and then settling on me.

I smirked and looked at G.R. “You didn’t fire them after the ass kicking I served them last time?” I shook my head. “Your business is going to hell.”

His response was to shoot more of that electric-blue energy that crackled from his fingertips. This time it connected.

I flew backward, hitting the sofa in the center of the room and knocking it over. I landed behind it on the floor and lay there stunned for a few minutes.

One of the Escorts (the blue one) hauled me up and drew back his fist to punch me, but I kicked him, sending him sprawling into the one behind him.

All three of them went down like dominoes. It’s like they were the three stooges of death.

I faced the Reaper once more, my brain rapidly running through ideas of how I could cause him extreme pain.

But my thoughts were stalled when I heard the telltale cocking of guns behind me.

I looked over my shoulder to see the three stooges hadn’t come alone this time. They’d brought some friends. Friends that were much more lethal than they were. And right now all three of their friends were pointed at my head.

Well, damn.

My options just got a lot more limited. I could (and would) fight back, but the odds were at least one of them would get off a good shot. If this body died, the chances of getting G.R. to give me another one were slim to none. Not to mention not having a body made moving around a real pain in the ass. I didn’t have time to get shot.

G.R. smiled like he knew he won and made his way through the mess to dig out his chair and press the button underneath of it. The secret wall slid open, revealing the doors inside.

“Your new home awaits,” he said, gesturing toward the room.

I wasn’t going back in there. I glanced at the closets, at the closed doors lining the small hideaway. Keep him talking, the voice in my head told me.

“Why did you keep my body? My sister’s body?” As I talked, I moved slightly toward the wall, pretending I was going to do what he wanted. All three guns followed my movements.

“After she was gone, I decided to put her body away for safe keeping, your body too. In case I ever needed something to control you. In case that humanity reared its ugly head again. I never thought it would end like this, Charming. But you’re becoming a liability. And that is why I must Recall you.”

His words angered me all over again. He had taken so much away from me, so much more than I ever realized. He’s the reason I was who I became, and now he wanted to punish me for being too good at exactly who he wanted me to be.

“You’re not Recalling me because I’m a liability.” I snarled. “You’re trying to get rid of me because you’re scared. You created me a little too perfectly and now that I’ve decided I won’t be your puppet anymore, you know you won’t be able to control me. That was your mistake. You gave me too much power.”

I saw the truth in his eyes. The acknowledgement of my words. I was right. He was scared of me. I wasn’t being punished because I overlooked what Dex had done. That was just an excuse. If it hadn’t been that, he would have found something else. I was being punished because he saw me as a threat.

I took my opportunity and grabbed the closest gun that was pointed at me. I ripped it out of the Escort’s hand, snapping his wrist in the process. He howled in pain but didn’t go down like I thought he would. Instead, he plowed into me low, catching me around the legs and sending me forward to fall over his back. I fired the gun, but the shot went wild, the bullet burying into the wall.

“Get him!” G.R. demanded.

I fell onto my stomach and rolled, trying to bring up the gun from beneath me to fire again. But before I could get a shot off, one of the Escorts was there, using the butt of his gun and slamming it into my temple. I collapsed back onto the floor.

Everything went black.

Chapter Forty-Eight

“Sinister - suggesting or threatening evil.”

Frankie

The diner was closing just as I pulled up to the curb. I rushed inside, ignoring the dirty look of the waitress who thought I was there to order, and hurried over to the counter where Piper was standing, refilling a napkin dispenser.

“Hey,” she said, looking up, her eyes traveling behind me. I knew she was looking for Olly.

“Is Storm here?” I said, lowering my voice so our conversation would remain private.

“I’m not sure. He said he would be around. Whatever that means.”

I glanced outside toward the sidewalk. “Meet me outside when you’re done here. Hurry.”

“What’s wrong, Frankie?”

“I’ll explain later,” I said, halfway out the door.

The sidewalk outside was vacant, the hour late enough that most people were already home for the day. I looked around, trying to see Storm and then giving up with an irritated groan when I realized there were just too many dark places here from him to hide.

“Storm!” I whisper-yelled.

A few seconds ticked by and I opened my mouth to yell louder this time when I heard him up ahead. “Here.”

I moved up the sidewalk, looking for the source of his voice, and when I passed by a darkened eave for a shop, he said, “I’m here.”

“Get in the car!” I whisper-yelled again. I went around to my side and climbed in, leaving my door open so he would be able to get inside.

A few minutes later, black fog filled up the back seat.

“That is seriously sinister,” I said, looking in the rearview mirror.

“You’re dating an Escort,” he pointed out dryly. “I would say that’s worse.”

It was the first time I didn’t bother to correct someone when they said I was dating Olly. I wasn’t really sure if that was our official title, but since we both confessed to love and I was ready to do anything to get him back, I figured dating wasn’t too far of a stretch.

Piper climbed into the passenger seat, her eyes going to the black cloud in the back and then doing a double take on the gun I clutched in my lap.

“Where is Charming and why do you have a gun?”

“He’s with the Reaper. I’m going to get him out,” I said, pulling away from the curb.

“You’re going the wrong way,” Storm pointed out.

“No, I’m not. I’m taking Piper home.”

“What!” she exclaimed. “No, you are not.”

I gave her a look. “Yes, I am. You’re my best friend. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

She snorted. “I’m the only person in this car who is safe from the Reaper.”

We all sat there silently, realizing she was right.

“That’s exactly why you should go home,” I pointed out, using her reasoning against her. “You’ve already suffered enough at the hands of the Reaper.”

“I agree,” Storm said.

“You don’t get a vote,” she snapped over her shoulder.

I grinned. “Tell him!”

“You don’t get a vote, either.”

The grin I was sporting vanished. “Excuse me?”

“This is my decision. I’m not going to go sit at home while you rush off to do God knows what without me.”

“She’s just going to sit in the car,” Storm put in from behind.

“Be quiet!” we said at the same time.

She looked at me and I sighed. “Fine.” I didn’t have any right to make her stay home. No one could keep me from being involved if this was about Piper.

The tires screeched as I did a U-turn in the center of the road.

“Tell me where to go,” I told Storm.

“Oh, am I allowed to talk now?” he quipped.

“You may give directions,” Piper told him, glancing over her shoulder.

“Women,” he muttered.

“Tell us what happened,” Piper said when we were headed in the right direction.

As I drove, I explained what happened at Olly’s house. The whole time I had to keep reminding myself not to speed, that a speeding ticket would only make things worse. When I was done explaining, I thought for sure they would tell me I was crazy, that we couldn’t just go to the Reaper’s house and expect to get him out.

But they didn’t bother to tell me it was a stupid idea or that Olly wouldn’t want me to go there. Maybe they saw the determination in my face. Maybe they knew it would be a waste of breath. I didn’t really care what they were thinking because it didn’t matter.

“We’re here,” Storm said quietly.

My attention went beyond my thoughts to the homes of the upper class. Every home here had lush, sprawling lawns, winding driveways, and homes that belonged on the cover of magazines. So this was where Death lived.

It didn’t seem fair he got to live here and I had to stand behind the counter at the DMV every day for little more than minimum wage. Well, technically I didn’t do that anymore.

“Slow down and then stop here at the curb,” Storm instructed and I did as he asked, stopping the Jeep between houses, hoping no one would notice there was a car that looked like it didn’t quite belong.

“G.R.’s house is that one,” he said, pointing at the one just ahead. It was just as nice as the others with its stone façade and big windows. “I’ll see what I can find out. I’ll be right back.”

“I’m coming with you,” I said, shocked he thought I was going to sit in the car.

“Are you kidding me?” he said. “The whole idea is to not draw attention. You’re like a freaking red flag waving in the wind.”

“Excuse me?” I said. “Was that some kind of fat joke?”

He let out a frustrated sigh. “What is it with women? Always thinking men are insulting you…”

I glared at him.

“No, I was not calling you fat,” he explained. “I was saying that you aren’t exactly unnoticeable. You’ve got a happening body, bright blond hair, and you have a problem keeping your mouth closed.”

I’m pretty sure that last part was an insult. I let it go because he complimented my body.

“Look, just sit in the car. Arguing with you is wasting time.”

“Fine.” I sniffed.

I unzipped the window and he didn’t waste any time disappearing into the night. I let out a nervous sigh. Waiting around sucked.

I lasted for about five minutes.

Then I popped open the door and jumped out.

“Frankie, what are you doing?” Piper whispered.

“If he thinks I’m sitting in this car, he’s nuts.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know yet,” I said. “Wait here.”

I got no more than four steps down the street when she appeared at my side and we both made our way to the house silently.

“What the hell are you two doing?” Storm demanded from a dark area at the edge of the Reaper’s yard.

Both of us let out a little squeal. “Seriously! That was mean!” I pressed a hand to my chest to hopefully keep it from beating right out.

“You deserve it. I told you to stay in the car.”

“You took too long!”

“I was gone five minutes.”

Felt like a lifetime to me.

“What did you find out?” Piper asked, grabbing my hand and pulling me closer to wherever Storm was.

“Charming’s here. Getting him out isn’t an option this time.” His voice sounded a little funny.

“Why not!” I demanded.

“Well, because he’s still in his body. He won’t be going through walls anytime soon.”

“So let’s create a distraction. He’ll know it’s us and he can escape.” It was a perfectly reasonable plan.

“Uh, that’s not going to work.”

“Why not?” I demanded again.

“Because he’s unconscious.”

If that wasn’t a bucket of ice-cold water right in my face. I sucked in a breath. “What happened to him?”

“I don’t know. He doesn’t look bad, just unconscious.”

If he was unconscious, then it was bad. A person didn’t just pass out for no good reason. My worry over him increased tenfold. I really thought we would be able to find a way to get him out of there. Now I was starting to worry it wasn’t going to happen at all. Olly would sit there for months, only to be Recalled. The ATM card he gave me felt like a twenty-pound weight in my pocket. Had he known this was going to happen all along? Had his confidence been just so I wouldn’t worry?

“No.” I said, “This isn’t how this is going to go.”

“Let’s just go back to your place and we can come up with some sort of plan,” Storm said reasonably.

I was done with being reasonable.

I marched ahead, stepping onto the Reaper’s property and toward the front door.

“Frankie!” Piper called, running after me. “What are you doing?”

A man came around the side of the house and stopped short, seeing us approach. “This is private property,” he said.

“I know exactly whose property it is,” I spat. “Now step aside.”

“I’m afraid I can’t let you go any farther.”

I snorted and walked around him. “Fine, then. Come along.”

He raced after us as I walked up to the front door and banged on the solid wood with my fist. He probably had a doorbell, but I felt like hitting something.

The door swung open a few seconds later. “Oh, well, isn’t this a surprise?” The Reaper smiled. “I’m afraid your boyfriend can’t come to the door. He’s indisposed.”

Piper stepped up behind me and all his attention zeroed in on her. Again, that weird look of reverence overcame his features and it made me wrinkle my nose in disgust.

“She’s only here because of me,” I said, trying to take the attention away from her.

He blinked, his stare coming back to me, only for it to wander right back to Piper.

I slapped my hand against the partially open door. “Hey!” I snapped.

Irritation crossed over his features until I spoke. Once the words had left my mouth, I had his complete and utter attention.

“I came to make a deal.”

“You came to make a deal with me?” he said, interest clouding his eyes.

I nodded.

“Come in.” He held open the door as Piper and I went inside, both of us sticking very close together.

In his office, he sat in a massive black chair behind a desk that was completely bare, and my eye caught a few shards of broken glass lying on the rug beneath it. It made me wonder what happened and if it had anything to do with Olly.

The Reaper steepled his fingers beneath his chin and pinned me with a cold stare. “What’s the deal?”

I swallowed, not really believing what I was about to do. Yet I’d seen too much to simply ignore or deny anything that had happened recently. I could no longer just tell myself there was a way out of this that didn’t require anyone to die. In the world of the Reaper, death was king. Death was the be all and end all of everything.

If there was one thing I learned through all of this, it was that death wasn’t fair. No one wanted to die. No one wanted to simply cease to exist.

Yet there wasn’t a choice.

At least not for me.

“If I kill the Target for Charming, will you consider the job complete?”

Beside me, Piper gasped. “Frankie! Do you know what you’re saying? You want to kill someone?”

No, I didn’t. Killing Rosalyn was the very last thing I wanted to do. But it was her or Olly. I suppose it was selfish to choose Olly because I wasn’t just doing it for him. I was doing it for me too because I couldn’t fathom living in a world that he wasn’t in.

“You—a human—want to take on the duties of a Death Escort?” the Reaper asked.

“Not all the duties. One kill. One Target. I kill her for you, and you agree to let Charming go.”

He sighed. “I really did want to Recall him. However, this is just too fun to pass up.”

So he was going to accept. And I was going to agree to murder.

“But first, let’s see what Charming has to say about this.”

“No!” I said, not wanting him involved. I already knew what he would say to this. But it was too late. He wasn’t going to stop me.

“Send him in!” the Reaper yelled and the door opened and Olly was thrust into the room. He stumbled a bit, like he was out of it, but when he saw me his eyes widened and cleared. He had a gash on his temple, one that was red and swollen.

“Frankie?” He looked at the Reaper. “I told you to stay away from her!”

“Apparently you forgot to tell her the same. She came to me.”

He looked at me like I was insane and rushed across the room to grab me by the shoulders and give me a hard shake. “What the hell were you thinking?”

“I was thinking it was about time someone fought for you.”

Something behind his eyes shifted. His hard grasp on my arms gentled. “Frankie—”

The Reaper interrupted whatever he was going to say.

“Your lady here has offered me a deal.”

Olly’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “No.”

“She has agreed to kill your Target in exchange for me not Recalling you.”

“No.”

“I was just as shocked as you.” The Reaper went on. He was totally enjoying torturing Olly. “But it made me realize perhaps I was being too harsh. You are, after all, the best Escort I have. I thought maybe you were losing your touch. But this is the first time you’ve ever charmed anyone into killing for you.”

“She’s not killing anyone!” Olly ground out. He grabbed me again. “You are not doing this.”

“Ah, but she’s already agreed.”

I looked at Olly and nodded. Anguish filled his eyes. “You can’t do this. I won’t let you.”

“You don’t have a choice.”

“Just Recall me!” he burst out, turning toward the Reaper, stepping up in front of me. “Recall me right now.”

“No!” I cried, pulling Olly back.

“As tempting as that offer is, I’m going to have to pass. It’s clear the best way to punish you for everything you’ve done is by letting her sacrifice herself for you.”

His shoulders slumped. That single gesture did more to me than any denial he could have made with his lips. “Frankie,” he whispered, hoarse.

“So, then. We have a deal?” The Reaper looked at me with glee in his eyes. “You will kill the Target and I will agree to let Charming live.”

Olly looked at me, a plea in his eyes. I looked away. “Yes.”

And so it was done.

I just hoped Olly could forgive me for what I was doing.

I also hoped I would be able to forgive myself.

Chapter Forty-Nine

“Hotwire - to start the engine (an automobile, for example) without a key by short-circuiting the ignition system.”

Charming

She made a deal with the Grim Reaper. After everything I’d done to keep her away from this, to keep her safe.

She freaking comes here to his house and makes a deal.

Was it really too much to ask for a guy to be allowed to protect the woman he loves without her going and ruining it all?

When I got out of here, I was going to kill her. G.R. would be the least of her worries.

And I was getting out of here.

All I needed was for the opportunity to present itself.

It took forever. I waited hours, keyed up and pacing the room. The longer I waited the more afraid I became that I was going to be too late to stop her. If she killed someone for me, I would never forgive myself.

I knew what it was like to carry around guilt like that. I carried it around longer than Frankie had been alive. All these years… all these years I thought my sister killed herself because of me. Because I killed the man she loved. But she didn’t kill herself.

She was murdered, by my boss, in an attempt to control me. And then he stuffed her body in a secret closet in case he ever needed to control me again.

The worst part was it worked. He managed to turn me into a cold-hearted killing machine. Whatever he saw in me when I was in that ring, he’d been right because with a little manipulation, I turned into exactly what he wanted.

I was done being manipulated and controlled by him. I wasn’t a puppet whose strings could be pulled for a desired effect. My sister was gone… and while I realized I wasn’t directly responsible for her death, I was still involved. If I hadn’t taken the job as an Escort, the Reaper never would have killed her. There was nothing I could do for my sister now, but Frankie was here. I could actually save her. History didn’t have to repeat itself.

I heard footsteps drawing closer so I put my back up against the wall, the same wall with the door.

Seconds later the door cracked open.

Someone swore. “He’s not in here.”

“What! How the hell did he get out this time? Let me see.” The door swung all the way open and one of the newer Escorts stepped inside.

I rushed him from behind, taking him by surprise and putting him into a headlock and ramming him straight into the wall. He fell out of my grip, unconscious.

“That’s for earlier,” I spat, reaching up to finger the knot where they hit me with the gun and then turned to leave.

Stooge #2 was waiting. I used all the anger and frustration built up inside me to power out a burst of pure energy, which struck the man and sent him back out into the hallway, slamming him into the wall.

I made it through the house in seconds and out into the driveway. I planned on running, but as I passed by his BMW Roadster, I changed my mind. Using the heel of my foot, I kicked out the driver-side window and let myself in.

Hotwiring it didn’t take me very long. Ninety years of practice made a guy pretty good at getting a car to go when you wanted it to.

G.R. rushed out into the driveway as I sped away. In his car. Before I pulled out onto the street, I stuck my hand out the window and gave him the finger.

Chapter Fifty

“Gun - a weapon consisting of a metal tube from which a projectile is fired at high velocity into a relatively flat trajectory.”

Frankie

I called Rosalyn to see if she was back in town, remembering that Olly told me she had to go away on business. She was just arriving back—her trip being cut short by a few cancelled meetings. I told myself her cancellation was good luck for me. Then I told myself it was wrong to have good luck when you were trying to murder someone.

I lied and told her Charming was still out of town and that he felt guilty about leaving her to do all the work and he asked me to step in and help plan the fundraiser. We agreed to meet at her house tomorrow for lunch where we could tackle what remained on her to-do list.

I was basically a basket full of nerves.

The moment I left the Reaper’s house, the reality of what I agreed to do sank in.

How was I going to do this? How was I going to look someone I considered a friend in the eye and then rob them of their future? The weight of it was crippling. How did Olly live with this weight? How did he live knowing he took countless lives?

He turned it off.

He turned off his emotions—his humanity. That’s how he survived all these years. His cold exterior when we first met made so much more sense now.

“What the hell happened in there?” Storm said as we drove toward my apartment.

I didn’t answer. All I could do was stare out the windshield, like I was on autopilot and going through the motions of driving the car.

I heard Piper explaining. I heard him exclaiming about how messed up it was. But I tuned them out. I didn’t need to hear how messed up it was. I already knew.

It’s true I had a choice here.

I could have walked away. I could have let Olly figure this out himself.

But he wouldn’t have walked away from me.

I knew what I was doing was wrong. But I was going to do it anyway.

I didn’t know what time it was when we walked into my apartment. It was very late and all I wanted to do was go to sleep.

But I couldn’t. I lay there and stared at the ceiling, contemplating things I never contemplated before. Like how to execute a murder.

I thought about all the movies I watched where there was a killer on the loose. I thought about all the crime shows on TV I never watched because it was too gruesome to bear. I was no shrinking violet, but there were some things not even the strongest of people should have to endure.

I heard Storm and Piper whispering out in the living room, but I didn’t bother to join their conversation. Piper had been relentless in trying to make me see I couldn’t do this.

I asked her what she would have done if it were Dex.

She didn’t say anything else after that.

It didn’t matter anyway. I made a deal. I made a deal with the Grim Reaper. There was no going back. If I didn’t do this, Olly would get Recalled and I would get killed. Yet I couldn’t bring myself to feel like a victim because the only real victim here was Rosalyn.

After a while I fell asleep, but it was fitful and I woke feeling more tired than when I lay down.

Piper and Storm were already in the kitchen when I surfaced for some coffee. Piper stared at me as I poured a mug full of the stuff, black, and took a big gulp.

I pinned her with a stare over the rim of the mug. “I haven’t changed my mind.”

She nodded.

We didn’t talk after that. I basically stared at the clock and counted the minutes until finally dragging myself off to shower and get dressed.

When it was time to go, I stared down at the gun that Charming had given me. If he had known what I would end up doing with it, he never would have given it to me. But it was the only way I knew to do this. It would be quick and hopefully relatively painless. I didn’t think I had it in me to do it any other way.

I picked up the gun and shoved it into my bag.

Piper was standing beside the couch when I went to the door. She couldn’t come with me. I had to do this alone.

And then I left. I didn’t look back.

Chapter Fifty-One

“Deal - to do business; trade.”

Charming

Please don’t let me be too late.

It was the mantra that repeated over and over again in my head the entire way to Frankie’s apartment. I knew I didn’t have long, that G.R. would be coming for me yet again, but it didn’t matter. I wasn’t going back into confinement.

Confinement was stupid.

Besides, I tried it twice, all in the name of keeping Frankie out of this mess, and that worked about as well as using leaves for toilet paper.

There was no way in hell I was going to let her kill someone for me. That kind of thing would ruin her life. The guilt would swallow her whole until she was just a mere shell of herself.

I illegally parked the stolen Roadster and ran as fast as I could up to her apartment and flung open the unlocked door. It hit the wall with a bang.

Piper jumped off the couch and Storm shot across the room to put himself in front of her. “Charming! How did you get out?”

“Where’s Frankie?” I demanded.

“She left,” Piper replied.

“The Target is here?” I’d been hoping she was still out of town.

“She got back last night. Frankie’s going over to her house now.”

“How long ago did she leave?”

“There’s still time,” Storm said.

Relief made my limbs weak. “Good, let’s go.”

The entire drive over, Storm argued with Piper about why she should have stayed behind. It annoyed the hell out of me. “Would you two shut up?!” I demanded, pulling up as close to her gated property as I could.

I was nervous because it took so long to get here. I prayed Frankie was having an attack of the nerves and wasn’t able to do what she came here for.

“It doesn’t matter if she came or not. We’re here and I’m sure as hell not driving her home.”

The pair fell silent.

“Piper, sit in the car,” I ordered. “Storm, you’re coming with me.”

Once we were out of earshot from Piper, I said, “This probably isn’t going to end well for me. Will you watch out for Frankie?”

“Yeah, I’ll watch out for her.”

“Thank you.”

He hesitated like he wanted to say more, but there was no time. I had to get inside. Her property was gated, but otherwise, it didn’t have any extra security other than a regular alarm system (this is why learning background information about a Target is crucial. It’s a real timesaver later). So once we got past the gate, it wasn’t any trouble to make it up to the house. I knew the security system was likely off because it was afternoon, so I didn’t hesitate to walk up to the front door and try to open it.

It opened.

I ran into the house, yelling Frankie’s name, praying all over again that I wasn’t too late to stop her from making the biggest mistake of her life.

“Olly?” she called, coming around the corner and stopping in the wide archway that led into the large kitchen.

“Please tell me you didn’t…” I rushed forward.

Her face went pale and the bottom fell out of my stomach. No. Please. No.

Rosalyn walked around the corner behind Frankie. “Who’s this?”

All the air whooshed out of my lungs and I felt myself smiling. I grabbed Frankie and pulled her against me, crushing her into a hard hug. “Thank God I made it in time.”

“How are you here?” she asked me, her voice muffled against my chest.

“It doesn’t matter. We need to leave.”

“What’s going on?” Rosalyn asked. “Frankie, is everything okay?”

I released Frankie so we could make up some lame excuse and get the hell out of there, when a black cloud rose up behind Rosalyn. It looked like one of those heavy rain clouds that blow over entire towns quickly and unexpectedly just before dumping a ton of hard rain over everything.

He acted fast, holding out what I assumed was both his arms, and then placed his hands over both her ears. His soul worked fast, funneling itself inside the Target, slipping into her head in seconds before she even knew what was happening.

She lifted a hand to her head to wipe her brow like she had a headache, and when she looked up, Storm had taken over.

“I figured it would be easier this way,” Storm said, his voice now the voice of the Target. “Plus, now you won’t have to hear her ask a bunch of questions.”

“Thanks, man.”

Then I swiftly snapped her neck.

She fell to the floor instantly. Dead.

Yes, it was that quick. I wasn’t about to draw it out and make things harder than they already were.

And this was hard.

This wasn’t something anyone wanted. Least of all me. I was weary of killing. Weary of death.

“Oh,” Frankie gasped. “Is she…?”

I stepped aside so she could look down at the body. So she could fully understand what she was getting into when she said she wanted a life with me.

No, I didn’t want her to change her mind, but I didn’t want her to one day look in the mirror and wonder who the hell she had become. I understood that feeling well.

“She’s dead,” I said, flat. “Give me your cell phone.”

She pulled it out of her pocket and handed it to me. I dialed G.R. and handed the phone back. “Tell him it’s done and then hang up.”

He answered a few seconds later.

Frankie did as I told her and then stared down at the body. So did I, but not because of the incredible guilt I felt (though, I admit I did feel guilt), but because I was wondering where Storm was. Why was he still in that body?

I didn’t try to comfort her because there was no comfort in this and coming from the man who just murdered someone without blinking, the comfort probably wouldn’t be that good anyway.

The Reaper appeared like he always did and Frankie looked at me swiftly, fear in her face.

“He already knows I’m out. I’m not leaving you alone with him.”

“Well done!” G.R. said, looking at Frankie. I hoped she realized she was going to be taking the credit for this. She was the one that had the deal to fulfill.

“Don’t congratulate me on her death like it’s some sort of sport. You make me sick,” Frankie said.

It appeared that whatever kind of shock she was in from all of this was now gone.

“I like you,” the Reaper said, smiling. “Such spunk. You would make a wonderful Escort.”

I stiffened and stepped a little closer to her.

“Tell me, though…” he began. “I’m surprised you were able to snap her neck like that. Is it something you’ve done before?”

“No,” Frankie replied.

His eyes speared me. “You, on the other hand, know how to snap a neck quite well.”

“Can’t take the credit for this kill,” I said, shrugging.

“We had a deal,” Frankie reminded him.

“Did you think I was stupid!?” he spat. “Charming is the one who made the kill, not you! We had a deal. A deal that you would finish the job in exchange for his freedom! The deal has been broken!”

“No, it was me!” she exclaimed, rushing forward, but I yanked her back, angling myself in front of her.

I could have told her to run, but really, what good would it have done? You can’t outrun Death.

“You can’t protect her, Charming. Not anymore.”

He started coming closer, wiggling his fingers in anticipation for his touch. I began to build up energy in the palm of my hand, knowing it would only slow him down but wanting to do everything I possibly could to help her.

Just then Storm began to rise up out of the Target. He was making a weird sound like he was struggling to get out. All three of us turned to look at the black smoke that trailed out the Target’s ears and nose as he groaned as if he were in pain.

The mist seemed to surround the body, filling up the space around her, until he came together, creating more of a shape.

“Damn. I didn’t know being in a body when it died was going to be like that,” he said. Then he realized the Reaper was standing there watching him. “Uhhhh…”

“How did you get in that body?” the Reaper hissed.

“It’s something I know how to do.”

“You mean to tell me that one of my Ghost Escorts knows how to take over a body and use it as their own?” He seemed more intrigued than angry.

This could be good… I nudged Frankie toward the exit.

“Yeah, but sometimes it hurts.”

“But you can do it. And what about the soul already in the body?”

“It’s still in there. I just take over.”

“What else have you been doing without me realizing?” he said shrewdly.

“I was just bored. I was gonna tell you,” Storm said. I could hear the nerves in his voice.

“Of course you were,” he replied. “What else can you do?”

“Well… I’ve sorta been becoming more solid.”

“But you can still get into another person’s body?”

What was his obsession with getting into another person’s body?

And then I knew.

The soul in a jar. She said she needed a body.

“That soul, the one I took? She said she needed a body, that she couldn’t get into any of the ones you tried.”

“That’s none of your business,” he snapped.

“No. But it seems to me that Storm might be able to teach her how to borrow a body. You know, one that isn’t empty. Maybe that’s the kind of body she needs.”

I saw it in his face, the intrigue, the desire. And here was where his weakness lay.

“The Target is dead,” I told him. “That’s what you wanted. Does it really matter who killed her?”

G.R. looked at me.

“Let me out. Completely out, free of being an Escort and free of being Recalled. I’ll give you back the soul I took.” I looked up at Storm.

“And I’ll teach her how to borrow a body,” he added.

It was then that Piper rushed into the house, calling out for Frankie. She dashed around the corner and stopped, staring at us all standing there over a dead body. “You were gone a long time. I was worried.”

“I’m fine,” Frankie told her. “Go back out to the car.”

“Wait,” the reaper called, stopping her.

He was looking at Piper like she was some sort of miracle or something, like he was enthralled with her.

“I’ll agree to this. If she lets me touch her again.”

“No!” Frankie shouted immediately. “Kill us all now because that isn’t going to happen.”

The Reaper shrugged. “Fine.” He stepped toward Frankie.

“Wait!” Piper cried, rushing over. “If I let you touch me, you won’t kill them? Any of them?”

He stared at her, taking in all of her face, scrutinizing every detail about her as if he were committing it to memory. “I will not kill or Recall any of them.”

He lifted his fingers, looking at her again.

“Piper, no,” Frankie insisted.

“He’s already touched me once, Frankie.”

“But what if it was just a fluke?”

Piper bit her lip. “Guess we’ll find out.”

The Reaper chuckled eagerly. “Can I touch you now?”

“Wait,” I said and he looked at me, annoyed. “I want your word that Frankie and I will be completely free of you.”

“You have my word,” he said, looking back at Piper.

“She can’t do this,” Frankie argued. “I won’t let her.”

Piper looked at me. “Hold her.” I wrapped my arms around Frankie, locking them into place, and she struggled against me, begging Piper not to do this and telling me she would never forgive me if I let her best friend die.

It was a risk I was willing to take. This was it. We were down to no other options. If this didn’t work, we would all be dead in minutes.

“Do it,” Piper said, looking directly at the Grim Reaper.

While Frankie continued to struggle, G.R. reached out tentatively, extending his hand like he was touching something so delicate it might shatter with the merest hint of a touch. He drew closer and Frankie began to cry.

Piper just stood there, stock still, waiting, and then the tips of his fingers brushed her cheek.

She blinked.

She drew in a deep breath and smiled, looking over at Frankie, who practically collapsed in my arms.

“It’s been so long,” he murmured, becoming braver and cupping the side of her face with his palm.

Piper stiffened at his caress and lifted her foot like she wanted to step away, but she didn’t. She glanced at me instead.

“You got what you wanted,” I told him.

It’s like he didn’t even hear me speak at all. He was so entranced by her that it was like he saw nothing else. He began stroking the side of her cheek like she was a treasure he had searched out for hundreds of years. “You’re soft. And warm. I forgot how warm live skin could be.”

Okay, he was just being creepy now.

“We had a deal.” I reminded him, my voice hard.

He drew away from her slowly, like he didn’t want to let go. Maybe he didn’t. I would think that never being able to touch anyone ever would make a man feel a certain hunger—the kind of hunger that never really went away. It was the kind of hunger that not even Death would be able to get away from.

When he stepped away, Piper let out a huge sigh of relief and stepped back.

The Reaper looked at me. “Charming, I release you from the employ of myself, the Grim Reaper. From here on out, you will no longer possess immortality. You will no longer have the abilities that were bestowed upon you during your work. You will live and die like any other human who walks this earth. You have my word that I will not come for you or the girl.”

I was free.

Free from death. Free to live. Free to love.

It was something I never once thought was even possible and now it was mine.

Frankie wrapped her arms around me and squeezed. Her laughter made me smile and then my smile turned into a laugh.

I am free.

“Now I want what’s mine,” G.R. said, cutting into my happiness.

I nodded. “We can go right now.” I pulled away from Frankie. “Go wait in the car. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

She bit her lip and glanced over at the Reaper. I couldn’t really blame her.

“I do not go back on my word,” G.R. said. Then he looked at Piper. “Perhaps we will meet again.”

That got Frankie moving. She grabbed Piper’s hand and towed her toward the door. G.R. watched Piper until she was out of sight. Once they were gone, he turned abruptly, pinning Storm with a hard stare. “You’ve been very busy.”

Storm didn’t say anything, but his cloudlike body shifted.

“You’re going to make it up to me.”

“Yes, I’ll show your soul how to borrow a body.”

G.R. smiled and gazed back to the door Piper and Frankie just went through. “Yes, how to borrow indeed.”

I glanced at Storm. It was one of the times I really wished he had a face so I could read his expression. Because what G.R. said just now… it sounded kind of ominous.

Before anyone could ask him what he meant, he was ushering us off through his insta-doors so we could give him back what we stole. It didn’t take long and once he had gotten exactly that, he sent us back to the Target’s house where he said we were responsible for the body. Apparently he wasn’t interested in keeping it or eating it (I certainly didn’t ask him about that).

He didn’t even say good-bye to me.

I didn’t care.

When his doorway closed for the final time, all I felt was relief. I was never going to have to kill again. And maybe, somehow, with the life I had left, I could try to make up for some of the lives I had taken.

But first I had a body to dispose of.

“What the hell are we gonna do with her?” Storm complained. “Why does she have to be the senator’s daughter?”

“It doesn’t really matter who she was,” I said. “Because even if she had been a nobody, someone would have loved her and that someone’s entire world would be over.”

“If I had a face, I would be crying right now,” Storm said.

I laughed. “Smartass.”

He made a heavy groaning sound and I rolled my eyes.

“What I said wasn’t that bad,” I replied.

“That was not me.”

Someone groaned again. I looked down at the Target. It was her.

“Dude, I thought she was dead,” Storm said.

“She was. Wasn’t she?”

“I-I don’t know. When you snapped her neck, everything went black. It was like I was unconscious. The next thing I remembered was trying to get out. I was so disoriented though, it was hard.”

She moaned again. This time her head moved back and forth.

“Can someone survive getting their neck snapped?” Storm asked.

“No.” But she wasn’t dead. Clearly.

“Maybe you didn’t do it right?”

She groaned again; this time her hands moved.

“Is it possible that somehow having your soul inside her protected her from dying?” It was a crazy thought. Wasn’t it?

“I don’t know. I’ve never been in someone’s body when they died before.”

“Olly?” Frankie whispered, stepping in from the other room. I jumped a little, surprised at her appearance. Then I realized she hadn’t just appeared; she walked into the room like any normal human would do. Except this time I couldn’t hear or feel her coming.

I was completely human now.

I smiled.

“Is she alive?” Frankie said, completely ignoring the fact that I was having a moment. It was likely the first of many private moments I would be having due to my newfound freedom.

“I think so,” I answered.

She gave a great shout of joy and pulled out her phone. “I’m going to call for help.”

“What will G.R. say if he hears about this?” Storm worried. Frankie lowered her phone and frowned.

“It doesn’t matter. He’s already made the deal. He can’t go back now.”

Frankie grinned.

“You guys get out of here. I’ll wait and tell the ambulance I found her like this when I showed up for lunch.”

“I don’t want to leave you here alone.”

She caught my hand and smiled. “I’ll be fine. See you at home.”

Home.

I liked the sound of that.

Chapter Fifty-Two

“Marilyn Monroe - (June 1, 1926 - August 5, 1962) was an American actress, singer, and model.”

Frankie

3 days later…

We had one perfect day. One perfect day of freedom and happiness.

Then I started worrying.

When I woke up and reached for him, he wasn’t there. I sat up, pushing the hair out of my eyes, and called out his name. I thought he was in the kitchen, making coffee, or would come bounding in from the bathroom.

He didn’t.

I wandered through the apartment, noting he wasn’t there.

The familiar ache from the day in Scotland tried to make an appearance. I shut it down. I wasn’t going to go there. I knew he wouldn’t leave me. Not after everything. Not even the parts of him that made up Charming could ever make him leave.

Still, something was off.

He was gone already today and yesterday… yesterday he’d been gone most of the day as well. When he returned home (looking mighty lickable in those jeans he wore so well), he acted like everything was fine. He grabbed me up and kissed me senseless, almost making me forget to ask where he’d been.

But I didn’t forget.

I asked.

He was shady.

And now he was gone again.

I really thought the honeymoon period of my happily ever after would last a little longer.

I decided to give him hell when he got home. But in order to properly give a man hell, a lady had to make sure she looked hot. Hot as in you better watch it because if you don’t treat me right someone else will kind of hot. My heart would never belong to another man, not even if Olly never came back today, but he didn’t need to know all my secrets.

I rushed into the bathroom and took a hot shower. I shaved, I exfoliated, and I did things to my body a man would never even dream of doing to his. Then I lotioned and potioned and styled until I stepped out of the bathroom in a way that if I walked down the street, every man would turn his head. Some would probably even follow.

And then I waited.

I heard the key in the door not too much later, and I smiled, sitting sideways in the armchair with my legs flung over the side and an open magazine in front of my face.

When he walked in, I flipped down one corner and looked at him. “Oh, hey,” I said casually.

He raised an eyebrow at me. “That’s quite the dress.”

“This old thing?” I scoffed and stood, tossing the magazine onto the coffee table. I gestured toward the red body-hugging dress I wore. “I found it in the back of my closet.”

“I’m surprised you found your way out of your closet.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“I’m guessing all this is because I’m in trouble,” he said, waving his finger at me.

Damn. “All what?”

He smirked. “Before you give me a lecture—I hate lectures, by the way—why don’t you open your present?”

“Present?” I perked up. Oh, he was good. He got me a present before he got in trouble.

He handed me a white envelope. “What’s this?” I stared down at it.

“The million dollars I owe you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Olly, that was a joke. I hated that job anyway, which you well knew.”

He rolled his eyes. “Just open it.”

I ripped open the seal and slid out a stack of papers. I read the first document, looked up, and reread it again. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. My eyes had to be playing tricks on me. “Are you— Is this for real?”

He grinned. “Yep. You now are the new owner of the Iced Princess.”

“Holy pink cupcakes!” I exclaimed and threw myself into his arms. I couldn’t believe he bought my favorite place ever. My job was now literally playing with sugar all day long. “Is this why you’ve been acting all shady the past couple days?” I said, bouncing around in his arms. I was just too excited to stand still.

“I was not acting shady. I was acting secretive.”

I pulled back. “But my cupcakes aren’t as good as the ones at the Iced Princess.”

He kissed my cheek. “Yours are better.”

I squealed and hugged him again. “I love you.”

“I know.”

He pulled me back. “Now about that lecture…”

“What lecture?” I batted my eyes.

He scowled. “You thought I was already changing my mind, didn’t you?”

“No. I know you want to be here with me, but I thought maybe you were having second thoughts… maybe a couple regrets. Losing all your abilities and your immortality can be a lot on a guy.”

“A friend once told me something I didn’t really understand until I met you. ‘We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid. So are regrets.’”

“Marilyn Monroe said that.”

He smiled. “She was right. You don’t have to worry about me having second thoughts. I’m not going backward. I’m only going forward. With you.”

I kissed him.

But then I pulled back once more. “You know you really need to tell me what happened with Marilyn Monroe. I want the truth.”

“I can’t tell you all my secrets at once,” he said slyly.

“Well, then it’s a good thing we have an entire lifetime. I have a feeling you’re going to keep me very well entertained.”

This time he kissed me.

Epilogue

“Icing - a sweet glaze made of sugar, butter, water, and egg whites or milk, often flavored and cooked and used to cover or decorate baked goods, such as cakes or cookies.”

Olly

The pink cup slid across the counter toward me and I gave it a dubious stare.

“What’s the matter, Olly?” Frankie taunted from the other side. “Is pink not your color?”

I grinned. “You tell me,” I said and picked it up and took a drink. “Does it match my eyes,” I asked, batting them.

“I knew you were gay,” she muttered.

“That’s not what you said last night.” I wagged my eyebrows at her and a feeling of smugness came over me when her cheeks turned pink.

“Olly, I’m at work,” she hissed.

“Just like last night,” I drawled, pointedly looking behind the counter toward the floor where all the naughty events took place after closing.

“That’s the last time I let you sample my new icing recipe.” She sniffed, her cheeks still pink.

“Give me a cupcake, woman.”

She gave me a surprised look. “You want a cupcake. Something filled with sugar?”

“Someone once told me food should be enjoyed.”

She reached in to pull out the Iced Princess’s signature cupcake. “Oh no you don’t,” I said. “I want one of your creations.”

Her hand moved past the signature one and grabbed up a pink cupcake piled high with white frosting and sprinkles that looked like pearls. Frankie called it “The Marilyn.” She handed it over on a very pink plate and shooed me away from the counter. “You’re holding up my line.”

I took the very girly cupcake, the pink plate, and the pink cup and went to sit at the empty pink table near the back. If a guy wasn’t careful, he might find himself turning into a pansy in this place.

One bite of the cupcake and I forgot about all the pink. My God, she was good at baking. And she was right; food was a lot better when you actually enjoyed it.

I could get used to this living thing.

The chair across the table pulled out and Piper dropped herself into it. We regarded each other for long, silent moments. She was the first one to break the silence. “You bought this place for her,” she said. “She looks really happy. Happier than I’ve ever seen her.”

I glanced over at Frankie. She was putting several cupcakes into a large pink box and she was laughing. “About what I did to you…” I said, not really knowing what to say. Apologizing seemed stupid, especially when I wasn’t really sorry. I’d been doing what I had to do. I knew I had to say something, though, because this was Frankie’s best friend, her family, and Frankie was, well… my life.

Piper held up her hand. “That’s not what I want to talk about. That’s in the past.”

“Then what?” I asked, setting the cupcake down and giving her my full attention.

She took a deep breath. “Give me your hand.”

“My—” I stopped because I knew exactly what she wanted to do. There was only one reason she would want to touch me.

She wanted to see what my future entailed. She wanted to be guaranteed that I wasn’t going to do something awful to Frankie.

I actually wanted to know too.

Slowly, I stretched my hand across the table. She looked at it for long moments, no doubt deciding if this was really what she wanted. We both knew whatever she saw might not be good.

I heard something clatter to the floor and we both looked. Frankie was staring at us with a pale face and round eyes.

I was about to pull away, to change my mind, when her hand covered mine.

Maybe I would get lucky and she wouldn’t have a vision. Maybe nothing would happen.

I knew from the look on her face the instant a vision overwhelmed her.

Her hand covered mine for several minutes and then she pulled away, her eyes coming back into focus and looking at me.

I couldn’t read her. Her face was closed off, tight. I knew it was bad.

I swallowed. “How bad is it?” Maybe there was a way to somehow change whatever she saw.

Her face softened and a small smile played on her lips. “Well, that depends. How do you feel about kids?”

Kids?

I stared at her dumbly. Was she saying Frankie and I were going to have kids?

She nodded. “With green eyes just like his daddy.”

A boy. I was going to have a son.

A huge grin broke over my face. It hurt my cheeks because I was positive I had never smiled so big in my entire life. After everything—after the fighting, the killing, the heartache—I was finally going to get a chance to live.

And damn, living was so much better than death.

The End

About The Author

Cambria Hebert is the author of the young adult paranormal Heven and Hell series and the new adult Death Escorts series. Watch for her upcoming new adult series, the Take it Off series, debuting in late summer 2013. She loves a caramel latte, hates math and is afraid of chickens (yes, chickens). She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband and children (both human and furry) where she is plotting her next book. You can find out more about Cambria and her work by visiting http://www.cambriahebert.com

DARK WALTZ

A Praestani Novel

by

A. M. Hargrove

Dark Waltz 2nd Edition

Copyright © 2014 A.M. Hargrove

All Rights Reserved

For more information about A.M. Hargrove and her upcoming book releases, please visit her at:

www.amhargrove.com
www.twitter.com/amhargrove1
www.facebook.com/amhargroveauthor
www.goodreads.com/amhargrove1

You can contact her at annie@amhargrove.com

Dark Waltz

Music Written and composed by

Matteo Saggese, Umberto Morasca and Frank Musker ©

We are the lucky ones

We shine like a thousand suns

When all of the color runs together

I’ll keep you company

In one glorious harmony

Waltzing with destiny forever

Dance me into the night

Underneath the moon shining so bright

Turning me into the light

Time dances whirling past

I gaze through the looking glass

And feel just beyond my grasp is heaven

Sacred geometry

Where movement is poetry

Visions of you and me forever

Dance me into the night

Underneath the moon shining so bright

Turning me into the light

Let the dark waltz begin

Oh let me wheel - let me spin

Let it take me again

Turning me into the light

Chapter One

The Planet Vesturon, 2030

Sarah turned her head as she heard footsteps approach.

“Well?” she asked the Guardian as he came to a halt in front of her.

“I think you may have something here.”

“Go on.”

“I have accessed all of Thomas’ Guardian records via the official CompSys and they’ve been wiped clean. It’s as if your brother never existed.”

“What? That’s impossible!” Sarah jumped to her feet and came nose to nose with Shandro Tellus.

“Please Sarah, you need to remain calm. If you can’t, I’ll be compelled to use my Power of Tranquility on you. I, more than anyone, realize the disappearance of his documents is highly irregular.”

“Don’t you dare use any of your Vesturion Powers on me, including Tranquility! I do not need to be lulled into a false sense of security right now. And you call this ‘irregular?’ You have got to be kidding me Shandro. People don’t just disappear out of the CompSys. I knew it. I just knew it!” Sarah began pacing, her mind spinning with all sorts of horrific scenarios.

Shandro reached out for her arm, but she snatched it out of his grasp.

“So help me, Shandro. Don’t you dare put me under your spell! You damn Vesturions and your supernatural Powers,” she spat, giving him a nasty look. “For months I’ve had my suspicions but no one would give me any answers. I knew Tommy wouldn’t just disappear and not say anything to me. But why the cover-up? What do you think is going on?”

Shandro shook his head and massaged the back of his neck.

“I can’t say. I can’t even hazard a guess. Whatever it is, it goes all the way to the top.” He looked at me knowingly.

“Are you saying, ‘The top,’ as in The Yarristers? Rowan Yarrister, and his sons, Rayn, Rykerian, Xarrid and Tesslar? The Great Leader, Rowan Yarrister, of the planet Vesturon, kind of top? The Leader of the Universal Free Rule kind of top?” The Universal Free Rule, or UFR, was the ruling entity of the universe, the one that maintained order and ensured freedom for all life forms everywhere.

Sarah narrowed her eyes as she fumed, “What the hell are you trying to tell me Shandro? Are you saying that my brother-in-law, Rykerian’s family is involved in Tommy’s disappearance? And that my sister January probably knows something about this? Because if that’s the case, I’m marching my ass over there right now and we’re going to have a come to Jesus meeting over all of this!”

“Calm down Sarah or I’m leaving here and not coming back. I’ve risked my position over this and possibly compromised the safety of several of the Guardians who report to me to get this information. If you confront your sister and her husband, this whole thing will blow up in our faces and we’ll never find out anything. Do you honestly think they will admit to knowing anything? Think about it! Use your bloody head!”

Sarah fidgeted with the buttons on her jacket and realized Shandro had a valid point. As a Guardian of Vesturon himself, he had risked a great deal to help her. She had been to Rykerian and January’s several times over Tommy’s disappearance to no avail. What made her think they would tell her anything now?

“You’re right...as usual. So what now?”

Shandro was by her side in a flash. Of course, he was a Vesturion, and aside from being impossibly good looking, they had all sorts of supernatural Powers, one of them being Speed. Yeah, he was an alien and all, but he was a fine specimen of one, if she did say so herself. He put his hands on her shoulders and said, “Let me think about this for a day or so. See what I can come up with. Perhaps I can find something they didn’t wipe out. We know where he was before he disappeared. Maybe there’s a link to someone who saw him last.”

He moved his fingers and lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. For as long as he could remember, he had loved her. She was his best friend’s sister, so he had said nothing, but had harbored his feelings in silence. It pained him to see her hurting the way she had been these last months. He knew how close Tommy and Sarah were. He would stop at nothing to help her find him.

Sarah promised herself that she wasn’t going to cry. It was so hard to hold back all the tears, but when Shandro smiled at her she couldn’t help but smile back. She knew that what he felt for her was far deeper than what she felt for him. As much as she wished she could return those feelings she knew she would only ever love him as a brother.

“So what’s next?” she asked.

“Wait to hear back from me. I’ll let you know something as soon as I can. And please, say nothing to your sister or her husband. Not a word Sarah.”

“Thanks Shandro. I know how you feel about Tommy. I know you miss him too.”

Shandro nodded and walked away.

***

Sarah replayed the last few months in her head. Her last conversation with Tommy had been normal. He was on Earth with his team of Guardians, where he’d been stationed for six months. They were trying to wrest Earth out of the hands of the Xanthians. Those nasty Xanthians…that parasitic species had ruined everything. Eighteen years ago they’d hired a team of terrorists and unleashed a deadly disease on humanity that had wiped out over sixty-five percent of the human population. Then the Xanthians had invaded Earth with the sole intention of assuming leadership and relocating their entire species there. They wanted Earth’s natural resources because they had depleted the ones on their home planet of Xantha. It hadn’t worked out exactly like they had planned, Sarah thought with a smirk.

Many of the surviving humans had banded together to fight back and the rebels had gained ground, with the help of the Guardians of Vesturon. The Xanthians, not to be outdone, had enlisted the aid of several other unsavory species to combat the rebels, and war was still underway. Sarah had grave doubts of whether Earth would ever be returned to its rightful inhabitants again.

She remembered the dirt hole that their dad dug under the house. She and Tommy lived in that hole with their parents until January and Rykerian had come and taken them to Vesturon. They’d been so young then, and it was such a scary time. They had very little food and water and they lived in fear that someone would discover their hiding place and try to kill them while they slept. That was eighteen years ago, but even now she had nightmares about those days.

Where could Tommy be? Her mind kept replaying their last conversation for hints or clues of any kind. He said things had been busy lately with more fighting than usual. The Xanthians had several teams of mercenaries that were causing skirmishes everywhere, but nothing extraordinary.

In a blazing moment of clarity, Sarah knew what she had to do.

Her mission began to unfold in her mind. She knew that Shandro would fight her every step of the way, but if he didn’t assist her she would just find someone else who would.

***

“You’re insane Sarah Liana St. Davis. And not just a little.”

“Shandro, there is no other way. It’s a sound plan.”

“Sound? What part of this plan has any semblance of ‘sound’ to it? It’s insane, exactly like you!”

“It’s the only way. I have to go to Earth to find him.”

“You have no idea what you are saying. You claim to have nightmares of the Earth you remember, but that was Eden compared to the Earth of today! I’m not exaggerating. It’s completely out of the question. If you go there, you’ll never come back here,” Shandro insisted.

“You don’t seem to understand Shandro. That’s exactly the point. I go to find him or die trying. That’s what he means to me. The Tommy I know would do the same for me and you know damn well that’s the truth.”

“Sarah,” Shandro said, his voice edged with pain, “the Thomas I know would gut me alive if he knew I consented to this ridiculous scheme of yours.”

Sarah chewed her bottom lip before launching into her rebuttal. “It doesn’t matter what the Thomas you know would do because he’s not here to do anything, is he? Shandro, I have to do this. You, of all people, should understand this.” Her eyes darkened with pain as she pleaded with him for his understanding.

He squeezed his eyes shut as he felt his belly clench. “Sweet Deity Sarah, the thought of you on Earth with all those barbarians, sickens me.”

She stood before him and cupped his cheeks with her hands. “I know Shandro. But I can’t sit here anymore, thinking there might be something I could do. Please help me. You know he’s everything to me. I’d gladly give my life for his.”

“He feels the same for you. He still bears great guilt you know.”

Sarah nodded. “I wish he didn’t. We were stupid kids. Please help me Shandro.”

“You know I will but I’ll do it against my better judgment. Sarah, I swear if you don’t come back to me alive, I will go down to Earth, hunt you down and make you pay somehow.”

The corners of her mouth turned up in the barest hint of a smile as they began their preparations for her journey to Earth.

Chapter Two

Darkness fell quickly on Vesturon this time of year. Sarah waited impatiently for Shandro near the space dock, but far enough away to avoid suspicion. They had repeatedly gone over every detail and by now she knew everything by heart and could recite it in her sleep. As of today, she would lose her identity. Shandro would supply her with her papers, identification and everything else she would need to travel inconspicuously to Earth.

A shadow fell across her and she glanced up to see her co-conspirator. She’d always thought he looked dashing when he was in full uniform, and he did not disappoint tonight. Dressed in black from head to toe, including knee-high boots, Shandro was perfection that most women would die to get their hands on. She wished she were one of them. He was handsome in every way, from his dark hair to his smoldering eyes. It was unfortunate she never felt anything but brotherly affection for him.

“Do you have everything?”

He nodded as he handed her a packet. She opened it up to see the identifying documents she would need for passage once she arrived on Earth. It contained a scan of her fingerprints, along with her DNA and an imprinted pictogram of her retina scan. It also listed her as Liasare Davidson. She chuckled when she saw it; she thought it was a clever twist of her birth name, Sarah Liana St. Davis. Shandro wanted her to dye her hair, but Sarah hadn’t thought it necessary. It was a nondescript shade of brown and her eyes were your everyday average hazel, neither of them being extraordinary enough to draw attention. He actually agreed with her for a change.

“I realize we have been over this, but your life is at stake so it bears repeating. The first thing you must do when you awaken from your sleep is...”

“I’ll inject myself with the drug to reverse the effect of what you’re giving me here and I’ll immediately eat and get the hell out of wherever I am at the time.”

“Correct and then...”

“I plan to seek out a place to set up as a base. I sleep during the day and never at night. Nighttime is the death zone. I’ll be on my guard at all times. I’ll never act shy or demure but bold and aggressive and will always look others directly in the eye.”

“Very good Liasare. What else?” Shandro asked.

“Never sleep in a vulnerable spot and always wear my boots in case I have to leave in a hurry. I won’t ever travel alone down a dark street or alley, but stay in crowds. I won’t leave my food or drink unattended and I won’t trust anyone. I’ll stay clear of any Guardians unless my life’s in danger. If necessary, I’ll go to them then, but not tell them who I am. I won’t try to contact you and I think, perhaps, that will be the most difficult of all.”

He lifted a gloved hand to her cheek and said, “For me as well Liasare. The name fits you well. Remember it is okay to be afraid. Fear may save you; it will keep your senses on high alert. And Liasare, always trust your instincts. They will guide you. There is something else. Your brother was very fond of the ladies. Er, what I mean is that...”

Sarah laughed, “You won’t offend me Shandro. Go ahead and say it.”

“He was very popular with the opposite sex. You may want to check with them before you ask anyone else. My suggestion is you show his picture in clubs because I am sure he made quite a name for himself.”

“Great! Please tell me he wasn’t an ass about it.”

“I am sorry to say I cannot answer that. All I know is that he was never short on female companions.”

Sarah rolled her eyes at him. All she needed was a group of Tommy-haters that wanted to kill her at the mere mention of his name.

“Let’s get this show on the road Shandro. The Star Freighter leaves in two hours. I’d like to be in place and sleeping comfortably an hour from now.”

He took her hand and led her toward the dock from which she would be departing. Right before they arrived, he removed his officer’s insignia from his Guardian’s uniform. It wouldn’t do for a Commander to be seen doing tasks that a first class Guardian should be performing.

When they arrived at the dock, they came to an area that held rows and rows of oblong containers. Shandro lifted the lid of one and indicated to her that she should get inside.

“Is this what I think it is?”

He nodded. “Try not to think about it.”

“Yeah, right,” she uttered, looking at the coffins.

“Your pack is filled with enough nutrition and water for five days?

“Yeah and then some.”

“Good. Your weapons?”

“Two daggers in each of my boots and I have five throwing stars in my jacket.”

“Excellent. Here is your teleporter. Remember to set it when you’re out. Have it set to a safe location. It can save your life. Don’t teleport to the same place twice unless you are with someone you trust. Don’t ever teleport to where you sleep. You know your energy trail can be traced. Anyone who wishes to follow it could kill you. Are we clear on all of this?”

Sarah nodded.

“If for some reason you do not feel safe, get the fuck out of there. Fast. Do you hear me?”

“Sweet baby bunnies! Did you just use the word fuck? I have never heard you say that before! I am shocked Shandro!” Sarah grinned.

“The time for humor has passed and yes I said fuck. I mean it Liasare. Get the bloody fuck out of there. Do you understand?”

She stared at him wide-eyed and nodded.

Shandro ached with his urgent need to hold her. He clenched his fists and spoke before he lost his nerve.

“Look, I know this is an inappropriate time but I cannot send you off without saying this. I have loved you for the longest time. And I will love you until...”

Sarah reached out and put her fingers on his mouth, stopping him from saying any more.

“Please Shandro. I’ve always known how you’ve felt about me and I love you too, just not in the way you want. I will always love you, like I love Tommy. But I’m afraid if I let you keep talking, the trip to Earth will be unbearable and I won’t be able to think clearly when I arrive. You’ll always have a place in my heart and if there were one person in the universe I wish I could love with all my heart and soul, it would be you.” She kissed him on his cheek as the tears she had valiantly tried to stem finally spilled.

He swiped the wetness from her face and hugged her.

“Ready then?” he asked gruffly.

She nodded.

“Here is your antidote.” He handed her a syringe. “Keep this in your pocket so you know exactly where it is when you awaken. It will be dark so you won’t be able to see. Pop the cap and just hold it against your thigh and apply some pressure to it. It will work within seconds. As soon as you can swallow, eat your bar and drink some water. Again, have them within reach because it will be dark in there. Once you finish, your energy will have returned and you should feel physically normal. Then get the hell out of there. Understand?”

“Yep. I’m ready.”

She jumped into the box and lay down. Shandro whispered something to her. She recognized it as the ancient tongue of Vesturon.

“I hope that was a good luck prayer,” she said.

“Among other things. Remember, Sarah is no more. You are now Liasare Davidson.”

He made a fist with his right hand and brought it to his heart, and then extended his arm out toward her in a salute that was common to Vesturions. He injected her and within seconds she was asleep. It was a sleep that mimicked death so if anyone were scanning the coffins on board, they wouldn’t register much of anything. The noise of all the other equipment on board the freighter would easily drown out the sound of her shallow breathing, heartbeat and pulse.

Shandro pushed his cargo onto the freighter and supplied the ship’s master with the necessary information. As he walked away, he couldn’t dispel the sense of dread the permeated his soul. He prayed to the Deity for her safety and for the safety of his friend Tommy.

Chapter Three

Planet Earth

Liasare awoke, her mouth dry from the drug-induced sleep. She forced herself to blink, though her lids remained heavy as if they were glued. Shandro was right. It was pitch black in her box. She couldn’t see her fingers in front of her face. She fumbled in her pocket and located the syringe, listening for any sounds. Making sure there were no voices nearby, she quickly injected herself and waited for the antidote to take effect. In minutes, she felt her head clearing. Next, her fingers felt along her body until they stumbled upon her backpack. On the outside pocket she had placed an energy bar and bottle of water. She greedily guzzled her water and gobbled up her bar.

Running her fingers along the lid of the box, she found the latch, popped it and lifted the lid. Her eyes needed to adjust to the light. Luckily, Shandro had thought of this and recommended she bring sunglasses. She slipped them on as she jumped out of the coffin and dashed out of the warehouse. Once outside, she headed for a group of buildings in the distance. Her goal was to get a safe distance from here so she could come up with a plan. The first order of business was to find a place to call home. What a joke, she thought.

Making her way through the streets, Shandro’s words kept coming back to her. He was right; Earth was a mess. This place was worse than any nightmare she had ever had. Buildings were crumbling. Kudzu and ivy vines had grown up everywhere, choking out streets and sidewalks, and devouring any structure that dared to venture in their paths.

Liasare was in the former city of Charlotte, North Carolina. There were no states anymore. Those had been abandoned long ago. Charlotte was now known as Center City of The Carolinas. Everything had either been renamed or had disappeared into crumbling ruins.

The downtown area of Charlotte had always been an updated, beautiful city, filled with modern buildings and green spaces. Who could have guessed that twenty years ago, this burned out dystopia was filled with beautiful parks, playful fountains, and lovely restaurants?

Liasare made her way to an area formerly known as Dillsworth. She erroneously thought she might find a safe place to live, but was shocked when she found nothing but burned out shells of what used to be beautiful old stately homes covered with masses of weeds and kudzu vines. Dillsworth had been filled with lovely old neighborhoods and was the place everyone wanted to live. Her mother always talked about this place with envy.

As she looked around, a thought began to form in her mind. Maybe this would be a good place to live after all. Since it was so unforgiving and frightening, it may be a place no one would care to venture. She pushed her way through the neighborhood; her main goal was to find an old home with a garage.

Eventually, her target came into view and it was perfect for what she needed. A garage with two windows and a side entrance. Easy exits if necessary. Like everything else in the vicinity, it was vine-covered and nondescript, but absolutely perfect. She scoped out the interior. Inside were a couple of old SUV’s that she remembered from her youth--a Chevy Tahoe and a Toyota Land Cruiser. Cars had been obsolete for years as fuel quickly became nonexistent after the pandemic. Both were covered in thick layers of dust indicating they hadn’t been disturbed in years. That was another good sign. Liasare didn’t dare touch them for she wanted the dust to remain intact. To the casual observer, it would prove that this place hadn’t been touched in years. In the rear of the garage were a series of shelves. The corner would be the greatest place for cover. She could make a pallet underneath them and sleep during the day. They were behind the vehicle so if anyone looked in the windows, they would only catch a glimpse of the cars and shelves. Their eyes could never reach the corner. Pulling out the tracking device that Shandro had given her, she entered her current location. She would only keep it stored in there until it was committed to memory. Then it would be erased.

Carefully opening the side door, she looked both ways before she hastily exited and hurried down the street back toward the city.

***

Night was falling and the change in the numbers of people on the streets was astonishing. They seemed to quadruple in minutes. People seemed to dart out of alleyways and entrances, like cockroaches, scurrying along the streets, frantic to get places. She suddenly found herself surrounded by a crush of people, being jostled in every direction as the swarm moved toward the entrance of the club. At last she was at the door where a burly, foul smelling man asked for her creds, as he called them.

When she didn’t respond, he growled, “No creds, no entry.” He shoved her out of the way to make room for the next customer.

“Wait!” She fumbled through her bag until she found her papers and she handed them to him.

He scowled at her and snatched them out of her hand. After a minute, he jerked his head, allowing her to enter. She’d have to remember that from now on.

She walked in the club and was assailed by a series of nasty odors and a sea of disgusting creatures. She wasn’t prepared for how many Xanthians were in the club; they seemed to be everywhere. They were flirting, groping, kissing and doing other horrific things to humans. It was disgusting to her that any human would allow this type of behavior.

“Close your mouth or you’ll be their next target,” a voice hissed in her ear.

She spun around to see an attractive blonde haired, blue-eyed woman.

“Why are they allowing that?”

“Do you think they want that? They’re doing it for the money you fool. They’re doing it to survive! And the Xanthian saliva makes them vulnerable.”

“What do you mean? Xanthian saliva?”

“What? Did you just fall out of the sky? Everyone knows about Xanthian saliva...or the Xanthian Kiss. It’s like a drug. It first makes you numb to their presence and then it makes you crave their sex. One taste of them and you’ll be begging for it.”

Liasare felt like puking on the spot. She wanted to bolt out of there and never come back. Shandro’s words kept repeating themselves over and over in her head. He was so right and she hadn’t prepared herself at all.

“Take that look off your face right now or get the hell out of here. You’re putting yourself in danger. They’ll tear you apart, piece by piece, and love every minute of it. What are you doing here anyway? You look like you’d be more at home in a church than in this place.”

“I’m looking for someone,” Liasare said.

“Aren’t we all?”

“I’m looking for my brother.” She reached in her coat and pulled a picture out and handed it to the blonde. “Have you seen him?”

The blonde widened her eyes and the blood drained from her face. “Who are you?” she asked as she handed the picture back to Liasare, her hand shaking.

“You know him don’t you?”

“No! I’ve never seen him before in my life.”

“That’s a lie.”

“Listen, you need to get out of here and don’t come back. I don’t know where you came from, but go home and pretend you never came here. This is a dangerous place and if you keep asking questions, you may not live to see the light of day.”

Liasare took the picture and put it back in her coat. When she lifted her head to respond, the blonde was gone. She searched through the crowd, all over the dance floor, at the bar and even in the bathroom. The blonde was nowhere to be seen; she had just vanished.

Liasare elbowed her way to the bar and ordered a beer. She sipped on it and eyed the crowd a little longer. The music was loud and people seemed to have lost their humanity. It wasn’t so much they were desperate; they seemed to be enjoying themselves. Maybe the blonde was right and they were doing it for self-preservation; or maybe it was the Xanthian Kiss. She didn’t know nor did she want to find out. She drained her bottle and headed for the door.

Once outside, she took a deep breath of fresh air. That place reeked inside of unwashed human bodies, stinking Xanthians, and God only knows what else. Liasare walked down the street, thinking about Blonde’s reaction. She knew Tommy. She also knew something about what happened. Liasare had to find her. Damn, the first person she talks to and she takes off like a frightened bird.

“What do we have here?”

Liasare stopped and looked up. Oh hell! She had been so focused on the blonde, she hadn’t paid attention to where she was going and had wandered into a deserted part of the street.

Xanthians...holy fuck!

They formed a circle around her and began taunting her. To put it mildly, Xanthians were most unattractive. Liasare had seen them at a distance, but never had she been this close to them before. They had large stumpy bodies with scale like formations protruding from the tops of their enormous heads. Thin, scraggly hair sprouted out around the scales and their unfortunate faces were disfigured with huge bulbous noses and large misshapen teeth. If their bodies were disgusting to look at, it was nothing compared to their body odor. Their smell alone was so putrid and disgusting she felt herself gag. They saw her throat convulse and they all began to laugh. Xanthians thought it comical to see other species react to their odor. It was one of the defense mechanisms that served them well.

They moved in closer, knowing they had a newbie on their hands.

“Where have you come from my pretty one?” The one who spoke expelled a giant gob of spittle that shot out of his mouth and landed on her sleeve. He still had a disgusting rope of saliva hanging from his slimy, blubbery lips.

Liasare looked at him and heaved. The contents of her stomach, mostly beer, came spewing forth and landed on Mr. Ugly’s shirt.

They all laughed at that. She wondered how they could think being thrown up on was humorous. They scooted in closer. The one on her right started rubbing her arm. She jerked it out of his pudgy grey hand but he clamped down on it until she screamed. The thing about Xanthians, besides their inherent cruelty, was that they were strong...incredibly strong. Their stumpy bodies made them appear awkward and uncoordinated, but they were anything but that. They possessed quick reflexes, tremendous strength, speed and agility. And they were cunning.

“Are you going to play nice with us now?” he sneered.

She nodded and he eased his grip. Suddenly, she found herself backed against a wall, with a stinking body pressed against hers. She heard loud snorting and grunting in her ear and then a searing pain at the junction of her neck and shoulder. The Xanthian backed away then, smiling and licking his lips.

“Yum yum, you taste good human.”

That son of a bitch bit me! That’s it.

Liasare bent down and slowly withdrew a dagger from her boot. They were all so busy patting the biter on the back, they didn’t notice her movement. She slowly stood back up and in one swift movement shoved the knife blade directly into the center of his chest, giving it a hard twist, before pulling it out.

“Fuck you, you look good dying, Xanthian,” she said.

One by one they turned to her, growling. She moved to escape, but they blocked her exit. The one she stabbed dropped to his knees, blood gurgling in his throat. Then he face planted on the ground and was silent.

“You’ll pay for this with your life, human.”

The one closest to her reached out for her neck but suddenly there were two streaks of light that zinged through the circle, leaving all the Xanthians dead at Liasare’s feet.

“Get out of here now.”

She distinctly heard the words in her head. She shook it, trying to bring some sense back into it. She wasn’t telepathic so she must have been hearing things.

“You were not hearing things. Get the fuck out of here now, before someone finds you and charges you with the death of six Xanthians. Now.”

She knew she had to move quickly. She did something distasteful; she searched the one closest to her for his weapon. She could make good use of an annihilator. It would come in handy, especially if she needed to stun someone to get away.

When she found it she got the hell out of there. She ran several blocks, until she felt she was a safe enough distance away from the pile of dead. Quickly ducking into a sheltered doorway, she checked her clothing for blood and the only thing she found was blood from where that cretin had bitten her. In her bag she found the healing wand that Shandro had given her. She quickly waved it over the wound and it disappeared, leaving only a faint mark behind.

Standing there, gathering her wits about her, she forced herself to calm down. Her heart was thumping so loud in her throat, she swore the whole town would hear it if she didn’t calm down soon. After taking several deep breaths, eventually she felt her raw nerves begin to back down.

The last thing she wanted to do was to go back to another club, but she didn’t have anywhere else to go, and honest to God, she could use an ice cold drink about now.

Back to her original plan. The next nightclub she entered wasn’t quite as bad as the first. It was called Cosmic. It was still disgusting, but there weren’t as many Xanthians. She quickly nabbed the only empty seat at the bar.

“What can I get you lovely lady?”

“I’ll have a beer please.”

“Earth or Xanthian?

“Earth please.”

The bartender placed the bottle on the bar. “You’re new here.”

“Yeah, it’s my first visit.”

“What brings you here then?”

“Something different.”

He nodded. Attractive, curly blonde hair, soft grey eyes, friendly smile.

“Have you worked here long?” Liasare asked.

“A couple of years.”

“Have you ever seen him?” she asked, handing him the picture of Tommy.

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Really? Do you remember when?”

“Now that I can’t say. I see so many people. I don’t think I’ve seen him in a while though. I think I would recall if it had been fairly recent. Are you from around here then?”

“Well, kind of. I just got back from being away for quite a long time. We left after the big small pox pandemic. What about you?”

“Born and bred. What’s your name lovely lady?”

“Liasare, yours?”

“Gerard.”

“Nice to meet you Gerard. Hey if you remember anything at all about this guy, will you let me know the next time I’m here?”

“Sure. Is that your boyfriend or something?”

“No! He’s my brother.”

“Oh, okay. In that case, would you like to get a drink sometime?”

“Maybe. Ask me again in a few weeks, okay?”

“You got it Liasare,” he smiled.

She finished off her beer and headed out the door. It was getting late and she wished so badly she could find that damn blonde girl. She’d like to go back to the first club, Raunch, but she didn’t think the girl would take a chance and go back there. Besides, that really was a loathsome place.

Chapter Four

Liasare checked out two more bars before she decided that the next would be her last for the night. She plopped down on the first available seat with an oomph and ordered yet another beer.

What an interesting night. Met a blonde girl who obviously knew Tommy, got bitten by a Xanthian, stabbed and killed a Xanthian, almost got myself killed by a Xanthian, was rescued by some awesomeness that then spoke into my mind, snagged an annihilator, got asked out on a date...what next?

The hairs on the back of her neck promptly stood at attention, followed by the rest of her body hair. The room seemed to take on an intense heated electrical charge. She wondered if it was just her, or did everyone else feel it? Her eyes gazed around the room, trying to locate the source of her discomfort. No one else appeared to be affected by this strange phenomenon. She gave her head a firm shake and turned her focus back to her beer. While beer had never been one of her favorite beverages, the iciness of it as it slid down her throat seemed to ease the discomfort caused by the strange sensations she was experiencing. The bottle was quickly emptied as she sought to put out the fire that had erupted within her.

The bartender raised his brows and she nodded, indicating her desire for another. Seconds later, another bottle was in her hands and its liquid contents were making their way down her parched throat.

Liasare began inspecting the patrons of the nightclub, hunting for whatever could possibly be making her feel so uncomfortable. As her eyes scanned the room, they came to rest on a man who was intently staring at her. He stood still as a marble statue, not so much as blinking an eye. Dressed in snug black leather pants that sat low on his hips, his chest was bare, with the exception of an unbuttoned black leather vest. He wore no shirt, nor did he need one; his sculpted muscles seemed to defy the presence of something so offensive. His arms bore a myriad of black tattoos, which were perfectly symmetrical in their swirling yet angular beauty. They looked perfectly delicious against his smooth tawny skin and Liasare had an irrepressible urge to touch and inspect them. His face wasn’t beautiful in the classical sense, though from her vantage point, she could see he was compellingly attractive, so much so that she found herself craning her neck to get a better look at him.

What the hell am I thinking? He could be a serial killer or something.

Jerking her gaze away from him, she forced herself to focus on drinking the rest of her beer.

As Liasare sat there, she couldn’t stop thinking about the strange man. Turning her bar stool to get another look at him, she was disappointed to see he had left his place against the wall. Her instincts and body told her he was still there. It was in the air...hot, electrifying. It wasn’t painful, yet it wasn’t comfortable either as she found herself squirming on her perch at the bar. She took another long pull off her beer.

“Looking for me?” his warm breath cascaded over her ear and down her neck, sending currents of heat throughout every molecule, centering on that very spot at the pinnacle of her thighs she didn’t want to think about. She choked on her beer and spit it out on the bar as she felt his lips leave of trail of molten kisses down the side of her neck.

The bartender, noticing her distress, immediately came to her aid with a towel. He mopped up the mess and handed her a bunch of napkins.

“Are you all right?”

“Yeah, thanks,” she squeaked.

Her face was most likely the color of a tomato; it felt like it had gone up in flames when that husky voice whispered in her ear. She knew he was gone for her nerve endings told her so. She swiped her hand across her sweaty brow. In her twenty-seven years of life, never had a man affected her like this. It would be her luck, she thought, that something like this would happen on a night like tonight.

***

Jurek Herdekian leaned against the wall and eyed the chestnut haired human as she drank her beer. His mere presence affected her, which surprised him since he was always careful to mute his powers. The human’s extreme sensitivity to him was an aberration. He was also disturbed by the fact that he had felt her distress when she had been surrounded by the Xanthians earlier in the night. He had no doubt that they had planned to kill her. That she had managed to kill one of them, impressed him beyond measure. He must find out who she worked for and what she was after.

As she drank, she turned to examine the crowd. When her gaze landed on him, it wasn’t a quick look, but a thorough inspection. She liked what she saw and wanted to get a closer look. Had Jurek been in a different setting, he might have thrown his head back and laughed at her audacity. He opted for the next best thing.

Jurek moved stealthily through the crowd until he was directly behind her, whispered something, kissed her, and then left. He would keep her in his sights now that he knew her scent as well as her thoughts.

He waited outside the bar and watched as the sky lightened with the morning sun. The chestnut haired human left the bar and headed south toward the old Dillsworth area. Jurek followed her at a safe distance. When he found out where she was going, he would assign a man to her. She was fairly smart, this one. She took all kinds of turns and cut through yards, to lose anyone following her. She kept a constant check behind her; of course it would have been impossible to notice him, for he was traveling in his energy form which was undetectable to the human eye, or any eye for that matter.

She arrived at a garage and made her way inside. He followed her and saw where she was staying. Satisfied that she would be safe for the near future, he departed and headed back to Lare-Stell Base.

Chapter Five

Lare-Stell Base

“Did you follow Brownie?” Tak asked. Tak was Jurek’s second in command. Although he could be the biggest pain in the ass, he was loyal and had been a member of his team as long as he could remember.

“I did. I found her in one of the bars. She appeared to be fine.”

“Who’s she working for?”

“I don’t know, but I know where she’s hiding out during the day, so I want someone assigned to her. I want her every move followed. I don’t know anyone bold enough to kill a Xanthian outright. Well, besides us that is. In front of five of his comrades no less.”

“No shit. That was a damn ballsy move, wasn’t it? So who do you think it could be? The Guardians of Vesturon?”

“The Guardians of Vesturon? Come on Tak. Have you been flashing too close to a solar flare? Your brain seems a bit fried.”

“Yeah,” Tak snorted. “What the hell was I thinking? They would never put a female up to doing something like that.”

“Damn right. They’re too straight for that.”

“Those bloody fools drive me bat shit crazy.”

“Yeah, I know. Well, everyone except for Xarrid Yarrister. At least he doesn’t walk around with his head up his ass all the time, like his brother Rykerian. It still puzzles me over how January could have fallen for a male such as him.”

Jurek thought about January Yarrister for a moment. It had been awhile since he had seen her. He missed their conversations. He was closer to her than he’d ever been to anybody other than Larensa. He loved January like a sister, but he still questioned her choice of Rykerian for a mate. Jurek loved to start fights with Rykerian and he knew exactly how to do it. He had eased up for January’s sake, but it still gave him a good laugh every now and then.

Now Xarrid...he was a different story. Xarrid and Jurek were a team. They had worked together on a number of cases, ever since Jurek had assisted Xarrid in rescuing his mate from the hands of the Xanthians. They saw eye-to-eye on nearly everything and were so much alike. Jurek would be proud to call him “brother.”

“So Jurek, what do you think about Brownie Girl?”

Jurek rubbed his jaw and sighed. “There’s something there, but I’m not sure what it is. Keep someone on her Tak, day and night.”

Tak informed Jurek of some business issues with LS Enterprises. They had smuggling operations all over the universe. Lare-Stell Base was a space station that served as the headquarters for LSE, who supplied weapons to many of the smaller planets that had been taken over by the Unified SuperPower. The USP were tyrannical rulers (that included the Xanthians) who wanted to control the universe. Their goal was to get as many rebels armed as possible so that one day soon, they could all rise up as one and battle the USP. LSE was known for hijacking USP freighters filled with supplies headed for colonies where they were trying to establish strongholds. LSE’s goals were to undermine these operations and confiscate weapons and anything else that could hinder the USP.

“Anything else to report?”

“Yeah, and you won’t like it. There’ve been more disappearances in Center City, Atlantic Central and East Coast Mid.”

“How many?” Jurek wanted to know. “Be specific before you answer. I want names if you have them, places of residence, sex and age.”

“Don’t have any of that yet. Just the number twenty-seven.”

“Damn. Populate the data stream as soon as you have the specifics. Make sure Naroo has all the information she needs. What’s the number up to now?”

“It’s well over fifteen thousand.”

“Where the hell are these people disappearing to? They aren’t just vanishing into thin air. Something evil is happening out there,” Jurek shouted as he slammed his hand into the wall. “I can feel it in the energy flow when I travel.”

“We all do. I don’t have an answer for you Jurek. It’s rampant now with reports streaming in with disappearances from everywhere. Does Xarrid know anything?”

“If he does, he isn’t saying. I’m going to bed,” Jurek growled as he rubbed his eyes. “When I awaken, I’m going back to Center City. I know damn well that’s where we’ll find the answer. I’ll be down there in the warehouse if you need me. Keep your eyes and ears open. Meet me at ten tomorrow night.” Jurek turned and headed to his quarters.

***

Liasare awoke with a start. Her ears were tuned in to the noises around her. Not sure of what may have interrupted her sleep, she did a quick search of her surroundings until she was satisfied she wasn’t in any danger. She reached for her pack just as her stomach let out a rumble and she realized how hungry she really was. Biting into a bar, her thoughts went back to the strange man she had seen at the club last night.

Who was he, she wondered? She had been disappointed when she felt him leave. And why did he have that effect on her? How could his presence make her body respond like that? She pushed those uncomfortable thoughts to the back of her mind.

Liasare began to devise some kind of plan in her mind. If only she could find the blonde girl again, she thought. Liasare was sure this girl had known Tommy, or in the very least had some information about him. Why else would she have scurried off so fast?

Liasare’s first order of business would be to locate all of Tommy’s hangouts. Since Shandro said he had been so popular with the ladies, he had to have left some kind of trail. Liasare had an old address he had given her that she planned to investigate today during daylight hours. Looking at her watch, she was surprised to find it was already five in the afternoon. She’d best get a move on for it would be getting dark soon and she didn’t need to be caught leaving Dillsworth at night.

When she arrived at the address, her heart plummeted. It looked like some kind of warehouse and she wondered why Tommy had chosen to live in a place like this. Liasare pulled the annihilator out of her coat and set it to stun. Wiping her sweaty palm on her pants, she inched the door open, cringing as it made a loud creak. When the opening was large enough, she slipped inside and silently moved forward.

The warehouse was dingy with a few small windows that allowed only a meager bit of light to eke its way through. Boxes and crates were scattered everywhere and pallets were tossed here and there, making it obvious that people still slept here. Liasare wondered who these individuals were that Tommy had associated with and whether she could be so bold as to approach them with questions.

Her instincts told her it wasn’t a good idea to be here. When she moved to leave, she heard the sound of a door creaking, followed by several voices. She darted behind the closest stack of crates and prayed she wouldn’t be discovered. Several men walked in the warehouse. They were talking in low tones, making it difficult for her to pick up anything they said. She could hear words such as “Leader,” “Recruits,” and “Orders,” but nothing more than that. As she watched, she noticed something odd about the behavior of two of the men. Their eyes looked glazed, as if they had been drugged, and they were only speaking in monosyllabic responses.

Minutes later, the two odd men lay down on the pallets and the other men left. Liasare waited a few minutes and decided to leave too. She tiptoed out to make her escape and was rounding the corner of the building when she felt that familiar heated electric response surge within her body.

“Going somewhere?” that husky voice asked.

Crapitty crap!

She sucked in her breath and dropped her annihilator, as his voice startled her. Before her brain could comprehend what was happening, she felt her body swirling through a vortex. She finally came to rest in another place.

Disoriented and dizzy, she tried to focus on her surroundings, but everything seemed to tilt sideways. She reached out her hand to stop herself from falling, but only succeeded in grabbing a fistful of air. Not knowing which way was up or down, she tried, unsuccessfully, to break her fall. Instead, she felt her breath leave her body in a whoosh as she slammed into the ground.

Fighting for oxygen, her diaphragm wouldn’t cooperate with her brain’s commands. Worse yet, she felt a pair of hands latch onto her waist, drag her to her feet and ram her back into a wall. Her head hung down as she fought to draw in precious oxygen, yet found she was still unable to do so. Then the asshole had the nerve to jam his arm straight into her diaphragm and start demanding things of her.

“Tell me who you work for!”

Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly, like a poor fish that had been hauled out of the water, desperate to be thrown back in.

“I’ll ask you this time. Who do you work for?” he bit out each word with precision.

Things began to turn grey and hazy as the lack of air finally took its toll on her brain. She knew she was going to pass out.

Double crapitty crap!

Her head lolled to the side and ... Blink, lights out.

Jurek looked at her and cursed, “What the fuck?”

He hadn’t realized she was so close to losing it. He laid her out on the floor and looked at her for a moment. She wasn’t beautiful in that traditional, cookie-cutter sense, but there was something about her that enticed him. Her chestnut mane for one, and Jurek had always been a sucker for women with beautiful hair, but those hazel eyes of hers were something else. Her full lips were kissably soft, he thought, as he ran his thumb along her mouth. He finally placed his hand on her forehead and in seconds, she came to, moaning.

Her eyes fluttered open and when the recognition in them flickered, those hazel eyes shot sparks of gold. Hovering before her was the dark haired man from the bar. She wouldn’t have had to open her eyes to know it was him since every cell in her body was on fire with his power.

Soft black hair hung close to his shoulders and he wore it brushed back off his face. Liasare briefly wondered if it would feel as soft as it looked. He had a bit of scruff on his face; he obviously hadn’t bothered to shave in the last couple of days. His lips were full and sensuous and definitely made for kissing. In fact, Liasare could imagine running her tongue along that lower lip of his, tugging on it and gently sucking it. What made her nearly lose it were his eyes. They were extraordinary. Lavender, rimmed in indigo with flecks of silver swirling within their depths, Liasare had never seen anything so stunning in her life.

Regaining her senses, Liasare flew to her feet and threw a right uppercut that connected beneath Jurek’s jaw. Had he been a lesser man, it would have laid him out. Then she spun on her heel and began the motion for an intended groin kick, but his quick reflexes caught her leg before it connected and he flicked it off with his hand.

“You flaming asshole. Who do you think you are? You fucking knock the wind out of me and then you do it again for shits and giggles? Who the hell do you think you are?”

“Watch your language and I’m the one asking the questions here.”

“Not anymore,” Liasare hissed as she turned to head out of the building.

Before she could take another step, an arm snaked out and grabbed her around the waist. He pulled her tightly against his chest and whispered huskily into her ear, “I asked you a question. I want to know who you’re working for and I don’t intend to let you go until I get an answer.”

His voice washed over her with that electrifying intense heat. She felt her skin erupt in a million goose bumps as every hair on her body stood at attention.

Damn him, she thought. How can he have this kind of power over me? Fuck!

“You have no idea Brownie.”

“Brownie?

“Mmm. Brownie. For that glorious mane of hair you have.” His hand spanned across her stomach and she felt a million butterflies suddenly erupt as he hugged her tightly against him.

“I’ll bet you taste better than one too.” If she could have turned around she would have seen the corners of his mouth turn up as he baited her.

Seriously? Brownie?

“Well you certainly have a way with words,” Liasare said sourly. “Okay, that’s it. Get your hands off of me, Romeo.”

“Not until you tell me who you work for,” he purred as he rubbed his cheek against her ear right before he released her.

“Myself.”

“Liar.”

“Fuck you,” she growled, her eyes blazing.

“Gladly. Just tell me when and where.”

“Oh! You are such an asshat!”

“I’ve been called worse.”

“Who do you work for?”

“Myself!”

“Have you ever been tortured?”

“No. Why?”

“Because if you don’t start telling me the truth, you’ll be answering that differently.”

“I don’t work for anyone, dammit!”

“What were you doing in that warehouse?”

“I was checking it out!”

“Oh really? I find that very interesting because it’s a well known Xanthian base.”

Liasare’s jaw dropped to the floor and the blood drained from her face.

“Wh-what did you just say?”

“I think you heard me the first time.”

“Could you please repeat it?”

Jurek told her that it was a known Xanthian base. If that were true, why would Tommy have used it as his address, she wondered? Or what would he have been doing there?

She dropped to her knees and clenched her hands into fists. Jurek didn’t know what he said that had upset her so much. Liasare didn’t know what she should do at this point. She still needed to find her brother, but at what cost? Now she wondered if Tommy had defected to the other side.

“So what’s the deal Brownie?”

“Stop calling me that!” She raised her head to look at him and he could see the doubt clouding in her eyes. “My name is S...er...Liasare Davidson.”

“Fair enough Liasare Davidson, but you still haven’t answered me.”

“I was looking for someone.”

“Who?”

“My brother.”

She pulled his picture out of her jacket and handed it to him. “Have you seen him?” The picture shook slightly as she handed it to him.

Jurek looked at the picture, but he had never seen the human before that he could recall. As he handed the photo back to her, he saw such hope in her eyes, he literally hated to tell her the truth.

“I’m sorry but I’ve not seen him before. What does he have to do with the Xanthian base?”

Liasare rose to her feet saying, “I’m not sure, but I intend to find out. The warehouse was an address he had given me. Three months ago he disappeared, but no one seems to be able to tell me anything. Last night I showed his picture to this blonde girl at a club called Raunch and she freaked out and left the club. I tried to follow her but lost her somewhere in the crowd. Then I ended up on a deserted street when...well never mind. Anyway, I have to find my brother. Something weird is going on here and I intend to find out what it is.”

“Listen Davidson, you need to pack it up and go home. This is a dangerous place and you don’t need to be snooping around in places you don’t know anything about.”

She whipped her head around, her eyes, once again, blazing gold fire, and said, “And you don’t have any right to tell me what I can and can’t do,” as she angrily stomped off.

Liasare made it as far as the door when she realized she was stonewalled. The bloody ass had her at a loss because she had no idea where he had taken her. She stomped back to where he was standing and came to a stop a few inches from him. She could feel his surge of power all around her.

Before she could stop herself, she blurted out, “What are you?”

Jurek cocked his head at an odd angle, cluing her into the fact that he wasn’t human.

“Well, you just answered one question. Since we know you’re not human, then what the hell are you?”

“What I am is none of your business. My name, however, is Jurek Herdekian. If you desire to leave, I can return you to the city. I suggest, however, you return home, wherever that may be. Go back to your mother and father where you are safe.”

Liasare looked at him and started laughing. “Oh that’s rich. Safe with my parents. Uh huh, right!”

This human had Jurek confused. He couldn’t understand why she was laughing.

“Long story. Listen, I just want to be on my way, so can you point me in the right direction?”

“I’m heading to town too, so I’ll go with you.”

She followed him to the door. They were only a few blocks from the city but it was already dark now. Liasare was actually glad he was with her.

“You really shouldn’t be out alone at night. This is a danger zone.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “What do you take me for? A moron? I’d rather not be here at all but I have to find my brother.”

“Have you notified the authorities?”

“Of course!” She gave him another eye roll.

“What about the Guardians?”

“What about them?” she bristled.

“Have they been notified?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“And nothing. Nobody can tell me anything. Look, I have exhausted all avenues. I spent three months trying to dig up something, anything to give me some kind of sign. But nothing. The Guardians aren’t saying a thing.”

“Do you want me to ask around there for you?”

“No! I would prefer you not say anything to any of them,” she adamantly said.

“But I may know someone relatively high up who can help.”

“No! Absolutely not! I mean it. I have my own connections and if they failed, so will yours and you could cause me more trouble that I can even begin to tell you.”

“There is the possibility that he is no longer alive.”

“I’ve thought of that too, but then his tracer would have shown that.”

“Your brother was a Guardian?” he asked incredulously.

Shitfuck! I wasn’t supposed to let that one slip.

“Sort of.”

“What do you mean ‘sort of?’ Either he was or he wasn’t! What aren’t you telling me?” he demanded.

Before she knew what was happening, he had pulled her onto a deserted street and forced her up against a wall, pressing her against it with his body, his hips grinding into hers.

Double-decker shit! Here we go again! That power and heat.

He bent his head to her ear and whispered, “You don’t want to fuck with me Davidson, because I can make your life every bit as painful and horrific as the Xanthians can. What aren’t you telling me?”

His warm breath and electrifying touch left her breathless, and every nerve ending was crying out for more. She inhaled his essence, and he smelled of exotic spices, and far-away things she had never experienced before. Heady, fragrant and very sexy.

“I’m waiting Liasare Davidson,” he purred.

Her throat convulsed as she swallowed, her mouth having gone bone dry as his heat consumed her.

“I...I,” she began, when he lifted his head and looked into her eyes. What had been a mixture of lavender and silver before, were now complete swirling orbs of silver, reflected in the moonlight. Liasare gasped at their beauty, for never before had she seen such magnificence.

He dipped his head toward her neck and inhaled deeply and ran his tongue along the length of it. “Tell me Liasare or I shall have to invade your mind and find it for myself,” he said hoarsely.

“Yes. Yes, my brother was a Guardian. He worked here on Earth for six months before his disappearance. I didn’t want to say anything because the Guardians have been less than forthcoming about his disappearance and I’m not sure whom I can trust here.”

“How did you come here Liasare?” The way he said her name made it sound like a lovely song, like the wind when it softly rustled through the trees.

“A friend assisted me.”

“I see. Why is it so important to find your brother, other than the obvious reason?”

“He means everything to me. He is my only family. He took care of me my whole life and he would do no less for me.”

Jurek lifted his head again and looked at Liasare before stepping away from her. She felt cold and empty when he moved away.

“You can trust me. I will not betray you, but you must follow my orders,” he instructed, brusquely.

“What do you mean, ‘follow my orders?’”

Jurek cocked his head at that odd angle again and looked at her as if she had suddenly grown a third eye.

“I mean exactly as it sounds. If you are to work with me, you must follow my orders.”

“I work with no one.”

“Oh yes you do.”

“Oh no I don’t”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Enough already. You work with me and you will do as I say!”

“Good-bye.” Liasare stomped off.

Jurek threw his hands up in the air and followed her at a distance. She was certainly a handful.

Chapter Six

Liasare sat at the bar and finished off her third beer, hoping it would calm her down. So far, no such luck. By the time she had arrived, she’d been seething. She’d felt him the whole way behind her and she knew he was still around here somewhere. She was going to need something stronger. Signaling the bartender, she placed her order for a bourbon, straight up. He brought her drink and she emptied the contents of the glass in several gulps. Making her way to the restroom, she stopped a brunette along the way to see if she recognized Tommy. No luck on that one.

She left the restroom and rounded the corner to see two Xanthians cornering a tiny female. She was wide-eyed with fear and whimpering.

“Don’t worry, little girl, we’ll take you some place where you’ll be well cared for.” The one who spoke laughed, as if he’d made a silly joke. The girl was trembling and shaking her head back and forth. The Xanthian’s girth made it almost impossible to see her, but you could still hear her terrified whines.

It was most likely the alcohol that made Liasare bold, or perhaps it was the fear radiating off the girl. Whichever the case, Liasare moved behind the disgusting cretins and tapped one of them on the shoulder, “Hey, are you an idiot or something? Can you not read body language? This girl isn’t interested.”

The Xanthians turned their attention to Liasare and when they did, she motioned to the girl with her head to get the hell out of there. The girl wasted no time in scurrying away.

“This is not your business, bitch.”

“Yeah, well too bad I made it my business.”

“Then perhaps you’d like to come with us instead?”

“Perhaps I wouldn’t.”

Liasare started backing away toward the busy part of the bar. She needed to get out of there because she knew she was in a danger zone.

“She thinks she’s going to get away from us Zarg.” The thug on the left spat out as he laughed.

Zarg started to laugh along with him as he clamped a wide pudgy paw on Liasare’s shoulder and squeezed.

“Ugh,” she groaned as she tried to pull away from him. His friend got behind her and threw a meaty arm around her waist, biting into her rib cage, bruising her. He clenched her against his body and the smell of him made her gag. He glued his nasty face next to hers, stuck his tongue out and began to lick her cheek. His slobber ran down her face, but when she tried to scream, she gagged and threw up. That put a halt to any sound from emerging, other than the noise of her heaving. Zarg laughed at her as he came up in front of her and slid his beefy hand down her pants.

Liasare began to squirm and fight in earnest. The thought of one of these animals trying to rape her made her want to kill herself. She tried to free an elbow, but meaty arm had a vise grip on her. She raised her knee in a last ditch effort to jab Zarg in the groin, but when she did, he just chuckled at her. He seemed to be enjoying her fight. A different tactic was in order, her frantic mind decided. She suddenly went limp in their arms. Zarg was attempting to unzip her pants, but her dead weight threw him off balance and he pitched forward onto Liasare who ended up sandwiched between the two putrid Xanthians.

About the time she felt she had drawn her last breath, a streak of light flashed directly toward her, leaving two dead Xanthians in its path. Suddenly she found herself swirling through a vortex for the second time that night.

When the world stopped spinning, she pitched forward and threw up again just before blackness enveloped her.

***

Jurek looked at the heap of female lying at his feet. He was still trying to figure out what the hell happened. He was standing in the bar one minute and the next he could feel and smell Liasare’s terror. He flashed to her location and he saw her sandwiched between those two fuckers. He hoped no one saw her with them, or she would be blamed for their deaths. She was such a mess that he didn’t have time to properly dispose of their bodies.

He gently placed his hand on her forehead and waited the few seconds it would take for his technique to revive her.

Liasare’s eyelids fluttered open and she saw Jurek kneeling next to her with his hand on her forehead.

“How do you feel?” he asked.

“Gross and nasty. Ugh, they’re so disgusting. Oh God, I think I’m gonna be sick.” She rolled to her side just in time to vomit again.

Jurek handed her a cloth to wipe her face.

“I’m so sorry. This is really embarrassing. I don’t usually get sick like this,” she said, her eyes looking down at her hands.

“What happened back there?”

Liasare shook her head. “They had this itty-bitty girl cornered by the restroom. She was freaking out. I felt so sorry for her.” She paused and swallowed the lump in her throat. No way was she going to cry in front of him. She rubbed her face and continued, “She didn’t know what to do. You should have seen her eyes Jurek. They looked like a trapped animal’s. It pissed me off the way they were picking on her and laughing about it. I thought I’d distract them so she could get away. It worked, but when I tried to back my way towards the bar, they pinned me between them and they...” her throat convulsed, in a valiant effort to stave off her tears. She dropped her head into her hands and silently cried.

“Emotions are a waste of time and will be the death of you if you can’t either hide them or control them,” Jurek said curtly. “If you must cry, do so alone, where no one can see your weakness.”

Liasare lifted her tear-streaked face and stared at him with narrowed eyes. “Go to hell. Excuse me for being human. I was nearly raped by two of the most vile creatures and you have a hell of a lot of nerve telling me that crying makes me look weak.”

“You should have thought about all of this before you volunteered to travel to Earth to rescue your brother. This was a harebrained scheme and you know it. Your life is in danger and while rape is not a desirable thing to endure, at least it’s better than death. Now go to the back of the warehouse where you’ll find a shower. You reek of Xanthians ... and other nasty things. While you’re back there, find a change of clothing and get rid of what you are wearing. You’ll need to destroy your clothes otherwise people will recognize you. Now go.”

Jurek walked away, leaving her gaping at him. What an asshole!

Clenching her fists and pushing herself to her feet, she slowly made her way on shaking legs to the rear of the building, in search of a shower. In truth, she couldn’t wait to get the stink washed off of her.

Locating a locker room of sorts, she found stacks of neatly folded clothing. Everything was black and nondescript. There were form fitting pants, shirts and jackets. She searched through the piles and found what she thought would fit and headed for the shower stall. Stripping down, she ripped everything off until she got to the elastic layer that covered her right leg from thigh to ankle. Carefully rolling it down, she stepped out of it and limped to the shower.

Turning the water on hot, she let it cascade over her head and down her body. Fumbling around for the body wash, she squeezed a generous amount into the palm of her hand and made a sudsy lather, vigorously rubbing herself with the bubbles. She repeated the process. When she was satisfied that the offensive odor had been rinsed away, she began to unbraid her thick hair. As the water fell over her, she massaged shampoo into her hair and washed the grime of the last few days away. As she was finishing, the tears she had pushed away forced their way through. What a mess her life had become!

Tommy, where the fuck are you? You better not have pulled anything stupid because if you have, I’ll kill you myself when I find you, I swear to God!

Liasare dried herself with a fluffy towel she had found and then wrapped her hair in it. She then began the painstaking process of putting the wrap back on her leg. As she did it, she reminded herself why she was here, of what Tommy had done for her after the accident.

Grabbing her pack, she found her toothbrush and scrubbed her teeth twice. Now she felt like a human again. It took her a few long minutes to brush the tangled mass hanging down her back. She wanted to braid it, but would have to wait until it was dry.

As Liasare made her way back toward the front of the building, she heard voices. One, she knew, belonged to Jurek. She’d recognize that deep, rich voice anywhere. Not wanting to be the center of attention, she stood on the outskirts of the group.

Her wish held no ground where Jurek was concerned.

“Come here Davidson,” he commanded.

She raised her brow at him but before she could comment, another man standing next to Jurek said, “Welcome Brownie. Nice of you to join us.”

“I have a name and it’s not Brownie,” Liasare sputtered.

“Davidson!” Jurek flicked his fingers at her, indicating she go to him.

She huffed and headed his way. “What?”

Jurek leaned in to her and sniffed!

“Much better,” he declared, his lips turning up.

“Uh! You are so rude!”

“You have no idea,” he smirked.

“Jurek, does Brownie smell bad?”

“Stop calling me that. My name is Liasare Davidson and I expect you to call me by my name dammit.” She crossed her arms and tapped her toe on the floor.

“Well, I like the name Brownie and I shall continue to call you that.”

“Like hell you will!” Without thinking she spun around and fully intended to jab her elbow into the solar plexus of the asshat who goaded her.

There was one huge problem with this scenario, however. Liasare was unaware of the power Jurek and Tak wielded. Their mere touch could cause blinding pain in an individual and send them into a cascade of events ranging from seizures to painful spasms that would render the individual incapable of anything. Tak, caught off guard by her movement, didn’t have time to mute his powers.

When Liasare’s elbow connected with him, she felt an intense wave of burning heat hit her arm and then surge through her body, discharging like a bolt of lightning. She let out a blood-curdling scream as the currents raced through her but she couldn’t pull herself free of the tortuous thing that bound her. Her body was on fire, scorching from within, tied to this vicious inferno that gripped her within its talons.

In the distance she heard voices yelling when suddenly the pain ceased and she lost all muscle control and dropped to the ground like a useless rag doll.

Liasare’s body was twisted at an awkward angle, but try as she might, she was powerless to move a muscle. She tried to swallow, but she couldn’t even manage that. As she thought the worst of the pain had passed, her body began violently seizing, as her muscles appeared to rebel over what they had recently experienced. The spasms eventually passed, leaving her nauseous and trembling. She curled up into a ball, hoping against hope that she wouldn’t hurl again. Luckily for her, only bile remained in her stomach, as she heaved.

She felt a hand on her arm and looked to see Jurek next to her. She cringed and tried to pull away from him, fearing a repeat of what she had just endured.

“Am I a-b-about to d-d-die?” she stuttered.

“No. Be still and it will pass.”

“C-c-can’t,” she said, still shivering severely.

Jurek reached for her again and she tried to crawl from him.

“P-p-please d-d-don’t.”

“I won’t hurt you,” he growled.

He turned toward the others in the room and commanded them to leave.

Turning back to Liasare, he picked her up and carried her to the back where he laid her down on a cot. Then he placed his hand on her forehead. Immediately she felt a soothing warmth spreading throughout her body. It began at her head and traveled down to her core. The pain dissolved and a peace settled over her. She took several deep breaths but the warmth began to take on a different edge, more like a burning. Liasare felt Jurek’s breath against her cheek and the warmth began to move lower and eventually centered on the apex of her thighs. It began to intensify as she looked into his eyes and she saw them change again to that magnificent silver. Her breath quickened and she placed her hand over his, locking it in place, daring him to move it. The silver in his eyes brightened as the warmth between her legs began to burn until it burst forth, shattering into brilliance.

She moaned and closed her eyes as she tried to understand what had just happened to her. Jurek tried to move his hand but she still tightly gripped it.

Sweet mother of all sex gods, I’m pretty sure I just had my first orgasm.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing to me?” She tried to cover her embarrassment.

“Your language is deplorable and if I recall correctly, you quite enjoyed it,” he replied smugly.

“Oh, you would say that, asshat. What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t talk much less move. You all but forced yourself on me!”

“Excuse me? You’re the one who clamped down on my hand. As a matter of fact, you still have a death grip on me. I couldn’t move if I wanted to. Afraid I’ll take it away from you Davidson?”

“Of all the...” Liasare realized he was right. She was squeezing the hell out of his hand, and had been for quite some time. Her face immediately flamed with heat as she released him and turned away. She jerked herself away from his reach.

“What the hell are you? How was that even possible? What even happened anyway?”

“You had an orgasm Liasare.”

She swung her fist at him saying, “I realize that. But I’ve never had an orgasm from someone touching my forehead, Jurek! And what happened to me when I hit that jerk who kept calling me ‘Brownie?’”

“Our touch is different from other’s Liasare. It can cause pain, as you experienced when you hit Tak, or it can cause pleasure of varying degrees. I did not intend for you to climax from my touch, although I’m not sorry you did. You appear to be unusually sensitive to our touch. Your reaction to Tak was quite extraordinary.”

“I would call it something completely different and I hope to never experience it again.”

“Each time you touch one of us, it will become easier. It won’t necessarily be pleasant, but your body will not react as harshly.”

“What are you?”

“I’ve already told you...none of your business.”

“Oh, that’s really nice. I’m supposed to sit back and allow you to blindly lead me around and be satisfied with that answer?”

“Let me just say that we are all very powerful. We are next to impossible to destroy.”

“Great! That’s just excellent,” Liasare said sarcastically.

“I have saved your life twice now. Why the sarcasm?”

“Twice?”

“Yes, the night you stabbed the Xanthian. That was me.”

“Shit.”

“Quit swearing so much. It isn’t ladylike.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously.”

“Great! Not only is he bossy as hell, he’s a damn prude.” Liasare shook her head and looked away.

“Okay, this is a tad awkward here now.”

“How so?”

“Are you for real? Did you not just see me spaz out, throw up again, and then have a fucking orgasm by you putting your hand on my head. What part of this whole situation isn’t awkward?”

Jurek shrugged. “It could be worse. You could be dead right now. If we don’t do something about your looks, you may end up that way.”

“What are you talking about?”

He extended his hand to her and helped her off the cot.

“Those Xanthians I killed in the club were last seen with you. There are security cameras all over the place. People saw you. Those vids will be scanned and they’ll be looking for you. So now, you need to alter your appearance.”

“Fuck me!”

“And for the love of the gods would you stop using such foul language?”

“What are you? The language police? Forget it. I’ll use whatever language I want. Get used to it!”

Jurek groaned and gave her a hard look. “I believe you’re going to be more trouble than you’re worth. It’s late. Get some sleep. We’ll talk about this in the morning.”

Liasare started to give him a nasty retort, but he flashed out of the room, robbing her of the opportunity. She dropped onto the cot and lost the urge to argue for she was fast asleep in less than a minute.

***

Liasare slipped out of the warehouse early the next morning. She made her way into town and then headed back to the old Dillsworth area to hang out for the rest of the day. Getting away from Jurek was high on her list of priorities. While she felt he afforded her some kind of protection, he and his men also scared the living crap out of her. She felt every bit as unsafe around them as she did on the streets of Center City. What kind of power did they wield if their mere touch could send her into painful spasms, like the ones she experienced yesterday? Geez, with those kinds of friends, who needed enemies?

Time crept by so slowly; Liasare felt like a month had passed by the time the afternoon sun began making its descent across the sky. It was early fall and soon the nights would be getting longer. She wasn’t sure if this was a good or a bad thing. Gathering her things together, she headed to town.

Not having eaten since yesterday, she found the first diner she could score a seat in and grabbed a quick bite to eat. Her funds were diminishing so she was going to have to figure a way to come up with some lunch money, and the sooner the better.

“What’ll it be hon?” the waitress asked.

“I’ll have the BLT on toast and some ice water please.”

Liasare spied a plate of saltines on the table, so she snatched a handful and stuffed them in her bag.

Her food arrived and she downed it in several bites. She wasn’t sure if what she had just eaten was truly bacon, lettuce and tomato, for it tasted nothing like it, but she was ravenous and didn’t care. Her stomach wasn’t really satisfied, but it would have to do for now. Scrimping on money was the only way she could stretch her dollars.

Another tour of the clubs was on her agenda for tonight. Gah, this was lonely. How she wished she could find Tommy and get out of this hellhole. Shandro was right. This place was disgusting. If she survived this ordeal, she’d be thrilled never to have to set foot in another club for the rest of her life.

***

Shoving her way through the crowd, she reached the bar and got in line to order her drink. The music was pulsing in her ears, and bodies were gyrating on the dance floor. She did a quick eye scan of the crowd, locating the Xanthians. She wanted to avoid them and she wasn’t taking any chances tonight.

“What can I get you?” the bartender yelled.

“Beer please,” she yelled back.

“Xanthian or Earth?”

“Earth.”

He handed it to her and she hunted a place to perch. Luckily, someone got up from the end of the bar so she dashed to snatch the empty seat. Propping herself up, she inspected the crowd. A young woman came up next to her and Liasare struck up a conversation.

“Do you come here a lot?”

“Yeah, it’s my usual hangout. You’re new here aren’t you?”

“Yeah, it’s my first time.”

“Welcome. It’s a pretty cool place, good music, good crowd.”

“Hey, have you ever seen him?” Liasare pulled out the picture of Tommy and handed it to the girl.

“Oh, that’s Tommy. He used to come in here all the time. Before...”

“Before what?”

“Before...” she stopped talking and her eyes did a quick dart around the room.

“Yes?”

“Nothing. Before nothing. Forget I said anything.”

“No! Please, you have to tell me. I’ve been looking for him. He’s my brother and he’s disappeared.”

She gave me a sad look and nodded. “He won’t be coming back. I’m sorry.”

“What do you mean?”

“Look, I gotta go,” she headed out the door. Liasare tried to follow her, but had no success. “Damn!” she cursed aloud.

Turning around, Liasare headed back to the bar. Her seat had been taken and her beer cleared away. She elbowed her way through the throng of people, her mood sour. She wanted one little break. She couldn’t understand how her brother could vanish and no one could tell her a thing.

Lost as she was in her thoughts, a vile smell invaded her nostrils. She felt her arms being clasped and then a voice said, “Well, look who we have here. Isn’t this the girl from the security vids, Brot?”

“I believe it is.”

The urge to violently puke hit Liasare, but she forced it back down. She couldn’t afford to lose her lunch because she didn’t have the money to replace it.

“Let’s go,” they said as they started dragging her toward the door. Her teleporter was in her pocket so she would have to get her hand in there. She tried to jerk away, which gave her enough leeway to reach her teleporter. She tapped the control panel and dematerialized out of their grasp.

When she regained form, she was on a dark deserted street, but she had no idea where she was. Her eyes darted about maniacally and her skin grew clammy. She knew she was not safe, and needed to leave this place. Growling suddenly erupted behind her, followed by a series of guttural screams. Her hands shook so fiercely she could barely touch the screen of her teleporter. When she did, she ended up back at the bar, and took off running.

Now in full-blown panic mode, Liasare’s blood pounded in her throat. She only knew one thing and that was she must get away from this place. Not knowing or caring if she’d been followed, she ran to the only place she knew she would be safe and that was back to Jurek’s warehouse.

Liasare couldn’t bring herself to walk through the door. Still furiously gulping air, she attempted unsuccessfully to calm herself. She stared at the obscure, darkened entrance and backed away, losing her nerve. How had she ever thought she could waltz in there? He’d probably kill her.

Darting back across the street, she hid behind a large trashcan, eyeing the entrance. Simply being close to it brought her a sense of security. She couldn’t say why, it just did. At last her breathing eased and the panic that overwhelmed her began to subside. What a fool she had been. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her teleporter and programmed it for a safe location. Wherever she had gone, she had no desire to return there. There was something deadly there, and it was killing people. She remembered the sounds of those screams and she shuddered.

Lying back against the building, she closed her eyes for a brief moment, trying to get the burning sensation from unshed tears to cease.

“Get up,” he said, kicking her foot.

Shit! She never heard him approaching. What were these people?

Grabbing her arm, he jerked her to her feet. “Spying on us now, Brownie?”

“No, I uh, I...” she couldn’t finish as he dragged her inside.

“Look who I found nosing around outside,” Tak announced to everyone and he pulled her along behind him.

All eyes were upon her as her cheeks burned with shame.

“What the hell were you doing out there Davidson?” Jurek barked.

“Nothing! I wasn’t nosing around. I was across the street.”

“Why?” he demanded.

“Because I ... er ... I ...”

“You what? Do tell. And it better be good.”

“I didn’t have anywhere else to go,” she mumbled.

Jurek came forward and walked a circle around her, sniffing. “You smell like Xanthians. I swear if you’ve led them here, you will die.”

“I ... I ... they were trying to take me away and I broke away from them.” Her heart jumped into her throat and her mouth was suddenly dry, making it impossible to swallow.

“That’s impossible. You couldn’t escape them. Humans are too slow.”

“I teleported.” She fisted her hands so tightly her nails cut into her palms.

“Fine. Then what brings you here?” he growled.

“I ... something scared me out there. I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”

“Whoop-tee-fucking-do. You got scared. Get used to it. This is Earth. Year 2030. Occupied by Xanthians and other undesirables. Get over it already or go home,” he scowled.

“I teleported someplace by accident and there was something there that was killing people. I heard awful screaming,” her voice was bordering on hysteria.

“Like I said, get over it Davidson or go home.”

“When I hit my teleporter I ended up back at the club and I ran here. I didn’t know where else to go. Please let me stay here tonight. Then I won’t bother you anymore. I swear. I don’t want to go back out there. I’m really scared.” She was trembling and had wrapped her arms tightly around her stomach, her eyes staring at the floor.

The men chuckled at her, and Jurek shook his head.

“Such a marvelous show of bravado from one who slinks away without so much as a word of thanks.” He raked his eyes over her, trying to discern if she were telling the truth. He could detect the metallic smell of fear radiating off of her and could hear her blood racing through her veins. Satisfied she was being honest with him, he said, “You stay here tonight, you play by my rules, you got it?”

She nodded.

“Take that back room with the cot, the one you slept in last night. And Davidson, I don’t give many second chances. Are we clear?”

***

“Tak, Ludo, Marik! In here now!” Jurek bellowed. Turning to Liasare, he growled, “You’ll do as I say. Do you want to die?”

“No, of course not! But I will not bleach my hair blonde. That’s it. Any color but that. End of discussion.”

“I think she needs to be a red head,” Tak interjected as he entered the room.

Liasare rolled her eyes at him.

“I’ll go red. Black. Purple. Anything but blonde.”

“Do it then,” Jurek instructed. “And cut it too.”

“Whoa! Wait a minute. No one ever said anything about cutting my hair. I’m drawing the line at that.”

“Not up for discussion. If you value your hide, you’ll cut your hair. Now!”

“What if I refuse?”

“Davidson, there are no bars on the windows here. You are free to leave at any time and crawl back to your garage in Dillsworth so you can sleep alone in the daytime, waiting for those vile creatures to discover your whereabouts. Just know this: if you leave this time, there is no coming back. I meant what I said last night. No second chances. And when those vile creatures discover your whereabouts, they will tear you apart, limb by limb ... that is after they rape you several dozen times. Enjoy the Xanthian Kiss. It was nice knowing you.”

Liasare stared at her feet knowing damn well he was right.

“Okay. You win.”

“This isn’t a contest Davidson. It’s the way it is. It’s survival of the fittest. If you want to survive, you’ll listen to me and follow orders. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand.”

Chapter Seven

Liasare went about the business of cutting her hair to shoulder length and dying it black. She refused to be a blonde. The general consensus was that red was also too noticeable. Black was the only other option.

“That’s not short enough Davidson,” Jurek complained. “It looks too much like it did before.”

“No, it doesn’t. It’s completely different.”

“Come with me,” he said, grabbing her arm.

“Where?”

Not answering her, he escorted her out of the warehouse toward town. They walked for about fifteen minutes, with Liasare babbling the whole way, trying to find out where he was taking her. They finally stopped in front of a discreet shop, where Liasare noticed the words, “Jaylen’s Escort Service.”

“Wait a minute! You’re taking me to an escort service?”

“I have a friend that will help you with your hair. She is the owner of this place.”

“I will not go in there,” Liasare said disdainfully.

“Oh yes you will.”

“I will not.”

“Why? Because you think you are better than Jaylen? Is that it?”

“Yes! I wouldn’t stoop to the level she has.”

Jurek’s lips thinned and his eyes had become hardened orbs of black granite. “Oh, I see. So when your sweet little ass was tucked away safely on Vesturon and everyone back on Earth was praying for a miracle, watching loved ones die, starving to death or getting killed by Xanthians, did you ever stop and think what people like Jaylen were forced to do to survive? What are you? Twelve? Grow up Davidson. Life isn’t black and white. Shades of grey exist in every part, every aspect. It’s not good versus bad, or dark versus light. There are varying degrees of everything in all of us. Get used to it. Your little goody two shoes life is over and if you think it’s not, you better get the hell back to Vesturon. Now change your attitude and fast or you can get out of my sight.”

Liasare was shocked by his outburst. She had never given much thought to the plight of others, truth be told, and she felt ashamed for that now. She bowed her head and stared at her feet for Jurek was right. Liasare and her family didn’t know what it had been like to go through the pandemic on Earth. Her sister had gotten them out before things deteriorated to the hopeless state it had become. She still had nightmares about that, so she could not begin to imagine what someone like Jaylen had endured to stay alive.

Jurek, having heard Liasare’s thoughts, decided to enlighten her.

“Jaylen was fourteen when the pandemic hit. Everyone in her family perished except for her. She lived on the streets to survive. She became a Xanthian whore, her words, not mine. I would never refer to her as that. She is one of the most beautiful people I have ever known. She lived among them for seven years, until they tired of her. They released her after that and that’s when she opened her own business. She is good to her employees and doesn’t allow her clients to abuse any of her women. Because of her past relationship with the Xanthians, she has their protection. Make no mistake; she has no love for them. If you treat her with anything other than the respect she deserves, you will pay for it. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, and I feel terrible for what she went through.”

“Do not tell her you know of this. She wouldn’t be pleased I shared this with you. Come.”

When Liasare met Jaylen, she knew why Jurek thought so highly of her. She was a slightly built brunette but her personality packed a punch and left you reeling. She was thirty going on a hundred and her eyes betrayed her life’s experiences.

“Woohoo,” she screamed as she opened the door when she saw who was standing there. “Get in here right now!” She grabbed Jurek by the arm and pulled him through the door. “What in the world do I owe this surprise to?” she asked as Jurek embraced her, lifting her up in the air as he did.

Liasare felt a tinge of envy, but tried to deny it--as if. She looked at the two of them together, and that envy grew until she had to squash it down.

“It’s been too long Jaylen,” Jurek lamented as he kissed her cheek.

“And whose fault is that? My God, a girl has to be dying, or close to it, to get you to come and visit. Now, since I’m neither and I see you’re not alone, what’s going on? And stop being so damn rude and introduce me to your friend here Jurek.” Jaylen looked at Liasare and winked, and then under her breath said, “Men, they have no manners, do they?”

“Jaylen, this is Liasare Davidson and she is in need of some of your famous beauty tips. We need to alter her identity a bit. She was a brunette with long hair. I think it needs to be shorter so she is less recognizable. Any suggestions?”

“Well, just cut right to the chase why don’t cha? Gah! Dang, Jurek, why don’t you give the poor girl a break? How about, let’s chitchat a little before you break into all of that? Tell you what, why don’t you leave us alone for a bit and we’ll get this all figured out?” Turning to Liasare, she asked, “How do you feel about chin length?”

“Perfect!” Jurek decided.

“No fucking way!” Liasare shouted.

“Well, I’m glad we are all in agreement here. Jurek, why don’t you get lost for a bit and pick Liasare up in say, three hours.”

***

Jaylen was quite the persuasive one. By the time she was finished with Liasare’s new hairstyle, no one would’ve recognized her.

Liasare now sported a bob that brushed the tops of her shoulders. She was adamant about not going as short as her chin, so Jaylen had compromised. They decided black was the perfect color, but they added some deep burgundy highlights. Under ordinary circumstances, Liasare would have scoffed at putting highlights like these in her hair, but these times were anything but ordinary. Thinking the highlights would be garish and slightly on the goth side, they were both surprised to find how they softened the harsh look of the black against Liasare’s fair skin. They also emphasized the golden flecks in her hazel eyes, giving them a radiance that had gone unnoticed before...well, unnoticed by everyone except for Jurek.

“Uh oh. I don’t know if Jurek will be pleased or pissed,” Jaylen mused.

“What do you mean?”

“Look at you. You were attractive before. You’re downright gorgeous now! Hey, do you need a job?” she laughed.

They both laughed, but Liasare said something that puzzled Jaylen. “If you hired me, you’d go broke in six weeks. I’d run everyone off in no time flat.”

“Yeah, right. We never talked about it but what are you doing here?”

“I’m looking for my brother,” Liasare said as she reached in her shirt for his picture. “By the way, have you seen him?”

Jaylen took the picture and gasped. “Oh no! This is your brother?”

“Yeah it is and please tell me everything you know.”

“He is a Xanthian minion.”

“I don’t know what that is. And he can’t be anything Xanthian. He hates them.”

“A Xanthian minion is one who follows and adheres to everything Xanthian. He’s like one of their puppets. It’s like they drug them or something.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Maybe we should wait to discuss this when Jurek gets back,” Jaylen decided.

“No! I need to know this now. I’ve been looking for him. I have to know!”

Jaylen shook her head and said, “I’m really sorry. I knew Thomas. He was a customer here. The girls liked him for his kindness and...well, other things too, if you get my drift. He suddenly stopped coming. I didn’t think much about it until I ran into him on the street one day and he acted like he didn’t recognize me. He was with a group of Xanthian leaders. They all knew me and stopped to chat, but he stood there like he was in a daze. That’s when I knew he’d become a minion.”

***

“Is that it?” Jurek demanded.

“That’s all I know. I didn’t dare act like I knew him and I wouldn’t think of asking the Xanthians about him,” Jaylen added.

“But I don’t understand,” Liasare protested. “Thomas abhorred the Xanthians for as long as I can remember. He always talked about coming back here to regain control of the planet. He can’t have done this willfully.”

“How else can it be explained?” Jurek asked.

“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out. Maybe they kidnapped him and drugged him. I need to find him and confront him,” Liasare insisted.

“How do you plan to do that? Start asking every Xanthian you see?” Jurek’s voice dripped sarcasm.

Liasare threw Jurek a disgusted look and retorted, “Am I wearing a shirt that says, ‘Moron?’”

“No, you’re wearing one that says, ‘Trouble.’”

“Not funny.”

“Hey, stop it you two. You’re not accomplishing anything by bickering,” Jaylen interrrupted. “Besides, I have an idea.”

“Let’s hear it. It has to be better than anything Liasare has to say.”

That brought a huge grunt from Liasare and a sour look from Jaylen.

“Okay, there’s this soiree that’s being sponsored by the Xanthian’s and all the Who’s Who will be there. Maybe I could scrounge up a couple of extra tickets for the two of you.”

“Brilliant idea Jaylen!” Jurek exclaimed.

“No. I don’t do those things.”

“Well, make yourself do those things Liasare. If you want to get information about your brother, you’re going to have to suck it up,” Jurek added drily.

“I don’t have the proper clothing for something like that.”

“No problem. That’s where I can help,” Jaylen added.

“What would I have to wear?” Liasare wondered.

“It’s a fairly dressy event. Not formal mind you, but close. There will be everything from cocktail attire to black tie.”

“No way. I can’t do that.”

“Why ever not? You’d look great in a sexy cocktail dress. I’m sure I could find a pretty dress for you to borrow.”

Liasare felt the panic beginning to consume her. She could never wear anything that would expose her skin. She had to have everything covered. And then there was the issue of her leg so normal shoes were out of the question as well. She felt the beginnings of a full on panic attack approaching. She glanced around uneasily, looking for an escape, as her body began to tremble.

“Liasare, what is it?” she heard Jaylen ask.

Jurek cocked his head and stared at her in his odd way.

She made it as far as the door when she felt his arm snake around her waist. His breath was warm against her ear as he whispered, “Tell me what has you so upset.”

She shook her head, trying to dispel the question, refusing to answer. She felt him release her, but his words stopped her.

“If finding your brother is important to you, then going to this soiree may be the answer you are seeking. The decision is yours, but I find it odd that you balk at attending a simple party. It’s apparent you are hiding something. Will you make it necessary for me to reach into your mind to find out what it is?”

She shoved his arm away and ran out the door.

Chapter Eight

Liasare wandered through the streets, thinking about Tommy and what happened at Jaylen’s. Maybe she should just tell Jurek why she didn’t want to go to the party. She thought about the day she and Tommy had that stupid accident. It wasn’t like it was a big secret or anything. She simply didn’t like to talk about it because it made her so uncomfortable.

As she walked, she inspected the people on the streets. She noticed a couple of things that triggered a memory. That day she’d gone to the warehouse where she thought Tommy lived, she’d seen those two men that looked drugged. Maybe that’s what they’d done to Tommy too. Maybe that’s why she couldn’t find him. She dashed back to Jurek’s to share that tidbit of information with him.

When she ran inside, he was there with Tak discussing the soiree that Jaylen had mentioned.

“Nice hairdo Brownie. So, why don’t you like parties? Are you that bad of a dancer?” he snorted.

“This is the last time I’m telling you that my name is not Brownie. If you can’t call me by my real name, then I refuse to answer any of your questions.”

Both men began laughing at her response.

“You forget something Brownie. One tiny command from us and we’ll have you spilling all of your secrets in no time,” Tak taunted.

She looked at them laughing, wishing like hell the knotted mass in her gut would disappear and that she wasn’t so self-conscious about why she couldn’t go to that damn party. Realizing what Tak said was the truth, she thought back to the few times Jurek had used that trick on her. She’d fallen under his spell and was unable to deny any of his requests. Hating the fact that she had to share something so personal and humiliating, she decided to dodge the true answer.

“The truth is, I don’t know how to dance,” she quietly said as she looked at the floor.

“Hah, I thought all girls were taught to dance,” Jurek responded.

“Yeah, well, obviously you thought wrong. My mother taught me very little.”

“Sounds like a real nice lady,” Tak said.

“Yeah, I think you two would be besties,” she said sourly.

Both men cocked their heads at her in those weird angles, indicating they weren’t sure of the meaning of her statement.

“My mother’s a bitch. Get it? She’s mean and spiteful and from the time I was thirteen, she didn’t have another nice thing to say to me. Why the hell would she teach me how to dance?”

“Why thirteen?” Jurek wanted to know.

“Long story.” She kicked her toe on the floor.

“Is that the only reason you have an aversion to parties?”

Damn he’s perceptive.

“Liasare, come with me.”

When Jurek spoke in those tones, there was no use in denying him, so she followed him. She was surprised when they entered an area she hadn’t been to before. Passing through a set of double doors, her eyes widened when she realized they had just walked into his private quarters. Having not been to them before, she was quite astonished to see how finely appointed they were. Liasare felt like she had stepped into another world. Her boots immediately sunk into thick carpeting making her itch to take them off. His bed was enormous. It was made up in black silken linens, which didn’t surprise her in the least. The furniture looked to be hand carved, extremely expensive and most likely ancient. The corner was fitted with a black leather couch and chair that looked so comfortable she just wanted to throw herself into it. It was all decadently tasteful right down to the exotic art lining the walls.

“Have a seat,” he indicated she should sit in the chair.

She sat on the leather sofa and watched him shrug.

“You can trust me with whatever it is that upset you back at Jaylen’s.”

“Why would I ever believe I could trust you? It’s not like you’ve exactly rolled out the welcome mat.”

Liasare felt the current of power increase in the room as she saw his eyes darken. His mouth pressed into a thin line and he snapped, “I’ve saved your bloody ass more than once and I’ve given you safe haven. What more proof do you need?”

Wincing at his words, a pained expression crossed over her face. Remorse and regret instantly washed over her, yet she couldn’t bring herself to bare her soul to him. It wasn’t trust that was holding her back. It was pride, shame and embarrassment. She was grotesque looking and the last thing she wanted to do was to share that vulnerable part of herself. Bowing her head, she stared at her feet, trying to decide what to do.

“Look, the truth is I need you to go to that soiree with me. Not only for your brother but for other things we are working on. Let me explain Liasare. There have been many disappearances. Thousands and everyday there are more. We are trying to find where, why and how. Our leads have been minimal. Earth isn’t the only place this is happening. This soiree may be one place we can pick up some information. Go with me. I’ll behave. I promise not to act like an ass. I’ll be a gentleman.”

She lifted her head and exhaled. Not going would seem petty and selfish, childish even. Her decision made, she began, “I can’t go, not because I don’t want to, but because of this.” She pulled up her sleeves and showed him her arms. The scars were horrific. Her skin was an angry red twisted mass of fibrous tissue that was the result of severe burns.

“My entire body is like this, except for my hands, neck and face. So now you know the real reason.” She knotted her fingers as she dropped her head and stared at her feet again.

Silence descended on the room like an enormous grey elephant. She began to fidget and decided it was time for her to get out of there before she said something really stupid.

“How did it happen?” he eventually asked, reaching for her arm.

Oh crap! I never imagined that he’d want to know about it!

“It was a stupid accident. I was thirteen and my brother was fifteen. Our neighbor left his Speedster out so we decided to take it for a spin. We’d been fascinated by the thing. I guess since we were human, that flying motorcycle was something we couldn’t keep our eyes off of. Thomas had a friend who taught him how to fly one, so being the young fools we were, off we went. Thomas made me wear the helmet. It pissed me off but he said if I didn’t wear it, we couldn’t go. We’d never been anywhere so I finally relented. Up we flew and it was the most amazing thing I’d ever felt in my life.” She lifted her eyes to Jurek and grinned as she remembered that feeling of absolute freedom.

“Thomas flew us toward the mountains and as we crested them we got our first glimpse of the sea. We were so shocked it had been right on the other side of those mountains and we never knew it! I can’t begin to tell you how excited we were. I still remember those feelings exactly like it was yesterday. The beauty of the coastline … the smell of the salty air … the wind against my body. We were laughing and having the biggest damn thrill of our lives ... that is until the alarms starting ringing. We were almost out of fuel. In our excitement, we never thought to pay attention to the fuel gage. Thomas turned the Speedster back toward home but we never made it. We crashed just on the other side of the mountains. Thomas was thrown but I landed beneath the Speedster as it exploded. They didn’t think I was alive, because I was so badly burnt. The helmet saved me; my head would’ve been crushed otherwise. I also had on gloves, which is why my hands aren’t scarred. My right leg and pelvis were shattered. My leg is about one and a half inches shorter than my left, which is why I can’t dance. I have to wear special shoes. I have boots made to accommodate the difference in leg lengths. I’ve had twenty-three surgeries to fix everything. They did the best they could, but it was never quite enough. I’m lucky; if it would have happened here, I’m sure I would have died from the injuries. Thomas took care of me. He did everything for me. My mother did nothing. She told me afterward that I was worthless and would never amount to anything. She didn’t even want them to try to save me because she said I’d be so disfigured no one would be able to stand to look at me. She was right about that. So now you know.” Liasare started to stand when his words halted her.

“Do they pain you?”

“Huh?” Her eyes were on his muscular shoulders as his shirt stretched tightly across them when he reached for her other arm.

“Your wounds. Do they pain you?”

“Sometimes, but I’ve had them longer than I haven’t so I guess I’m used to it.”

“Would you rather not have them?”

“What kind of a stupid question is that?” she asked, bristling as she snatched her arms out of his grasp.

“It’s not a stupid question. If you had the choice, would you rather not have them?” he persisted.

“Of course! How can you ask that? I have to be covered from head to toe all the time. I’m hideous Jurek. I ... yeah, I would rather not have them,” she answered glumly.

“I can take them away if you’d like.”

“That’s not possible.”

“Yes, it is. Give me your arm and I’ll show you.”

He took her arm and pulled the sleeve up higher. He held it between his hands and slid his hands up and down around it. Liasare felt the heat begin and grow, then it intensified, not quite to the point of pain but it wasn’t exactly comfortable either.

When he pulled his hands away, she looked down at her arm and her skin was as smooth as ever with not so much as a blemish in sight. Her hand trembled as she reached to touch it, hardly allowing herself to believe what she was seeing. She held up her arm and looked at it from different angles, trying to understand what she was seeing.

Liasare lifted her eyes to him saying, “I don’t understand. How could you do that?”

“It’s one of my gifts,” he stated.

“Thank you,” she whispered, still not believing her eyes, pinching her skin.

“Would you want me to take all of your scars away?”

“You would do that?”

“Only if you consent to go to the soiree with me! I want you to think about something else. It would be prudent for you to allow me to remove them. If someone would see them, there is no doubt they could identify you by them. Without them, you would be less noticeable.”

She nodded, agreeing. “When can we do this?”

“Now if you’d like. But afterward, you and I will both have to recuperate because the healing on you will drain you and using so much power will drain me.”

“How long?”

“Only a day or two.”

“Okay. But I have to ask. Is there a catch?”

“I’ve already told you. First, I want you to trust me enough to listen to my orders when I give them. Second, you must attend the soiree with me.”

She thought for a second and nodded her head in agreement.

“I need to go and take care of a few things before we do this and then we need to eat. There is a robe on the back of the bathroom door. You’ll need to remove all of your clothing and undergarments. You can wear the robe.”

“What? Why do I have to do that?” She was shocked because she never thought she would have to bare herself to him.

He approached her, placed his hands on her shoulders and softly said, “I realize this will be uncomfortable for you, but in order for me to heal you, I have to touch your skin. I’m sorry but that’s the only way. You witnessed what I did with your arm. That’s exactly what I must do to the rest of you. You need to trust me Liasare.”

His voice was soft and deep and she felt her head nodding. She knew she would agree to anything at this moment here with him. She inhaled deeply as his fragrance infused her, washing over her. She closed her eyes, wanting this moment to go on forever. She was calm and relaxed, but she had no earthly idea why. When she opened her eyes, she was standing in the room, all alone.

She walked into the bathroom and, true to his word, hanging on the door, was a luxurious black satin robe. She quickly stripped off her clothing, including her leg wrap and wrapped herself in its soft folds. His scent was all around her now.

Liasare limped back to the couch and curled her legs beneath her. As she huddled in one corner, she thought of Jurek and how much sexuality the man oozed. He was a walking, talking desire magnet. Every time she was near him, her temperature spiked, she felt a current of electricity zoom through her and that place between her legs heated up like a sultry August day in the South. She was completely inexperienced where men were concerned. Hell, she’d never even been kissed for Christ’s sake. Liasare compared the way she felt around Jurek to the way Shandro made her feel and it was like comparing being stunned by an Annihilator versus getting hit with a wet noodle. She was certain of one thing though--she could tell the difference between “You light my fire” and “There ain’t a damn thing there bud.” What was it about him that did that to her, she wondered? Yes, he was attractive, but so was Shandro. In fact, Shandro may even have been better looking. They both had damn fine bodies ... chiseled, cut, six-packs and the V to heaven. Not that she knew what that heaven was since she was a damn virgin for Christ’s sake. Who in their right mind would have ever wanted to see her naked with all her scars? She would’ve sent them running faster than any form of Vesturion supernatural Power of Speed could ever do.

As her mind took her down that road, she began to wonder what Jurek’s reaction was going to be when he saw what her body looked like when she was naked. She was positive she would disgust him. Hell, she disgusted herself. That was one reason why she never pursued any kind of a social life. It was easier to stay away from it altogether than to avoid those kinds of awkward situations.

The door swung open and Jurek strode in carrying a tray laden with an assortment of food.

“Hungry?”

“Yes, thanks.”

“Here,” he said setting the tray down. “Help yourself. I’m going to shower and change. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Liasare’s eyes followed him as he made his way to the bathroom. He moved like a panther, gliding and stalking. He didn’t simply walk and he barely made a sound when he moved. She loved to watch his ass move as he walked. It was quite a sight to behold, since he was always seemed to be wearing snug fitting pants.

“I take it you like the view,” he said as he shut the door. Liasare felt her face flame as it turned ten shades of red.

***

Thirty minutes later, they’d finished eating and Jurek left the room with the tray. He returned with a pitcher of iced lemon water, a bucket of ice and several glasses.

He poured Liasare and himself a glass of lemon water.

“Are you ready?”

“Will it hurt?”

“About the same as last time, but keep in mind we’ll be doing your entire body, so you’ll feel a bit more uncomfortable. If necessary, I can calm you with my touch. It will ease your pain as well.”

“Okay. Thank you. I know you don’t have to do this. I want you to know how much I appreciate it.”

He cocked his head to the side and looked at her. His eyes penetrated hers and he mumbled, “There’s something...”

“What?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Yes, I heard you say the word ‘something.’”

“You’re mistaken. Come, let’s get started.” He took her hand and pulled her to her feet.

“Jurek, I’m so ashamed of the way I look. It makes me really uncomfortable.” She stared at the floor, unable to look at him. She squeezed her hands in a fist to prevent them from shaking.

“I understand you’re uncomfortable, but you should never be ashamed Liasare.” Her words tugged at his heart. This confused him because women normally didn’t affect him this way. She was different though. He’d felt something unusual from the first moment he was near her ... and he knew she felt it too.

He took her chin in his hand and lifted her head.

“Look at me please.”

She opened her eyes to him.

“I will do my best to make this as comfortable for you as I can, but never be ashamed of something that you had no control over. Do you understand me? Now relax.”

A soothing feeling washed over her. It removed her inhibitions and made her forget that she was ever anxious at all.

He slid his hands to the tie of the robe and carefully undid it and then he slipped the robe off her shoulders. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. He hissed when he got his first glimpse of the multitude of scars that covered all of her body.

He pulled his shirt over his head and said, “Come into me,” as he held his arms open. Their bodies pressed closely together as his arms wrapped around her. She placed her arms around his waist and could feel his energy humming beneath her hands.

“I’ll start with your back,” he murmured. She felt the warmth of his hands as they made circular motions across her skin. The heat became intense as his hands moved faster and faster, spanning the entirety of her back.

When his hands came to a rest, he asked, “How do you feel?”

“I’m okay,” she mumbled.

“I’m going to turn you around now.”

“Why?”

“It will be easier for you if I heal the front of your body without looking at you since my hands will be touching your...”

“Oh, I see. Okay then,” she stammered as she quickly turned around, covering herself with her hands.

Jurek placed his cheek next to hers and whispered, “Liasare, there is no need to cover yourself. Even with your scars, you are lovely.”

“Don’t say that please.”

“I only speak the truth.”

He brushed her hands out of the way, replacing them with his. He began to touch her everywhere, moving slowly at first and then picking up speed, the heat increasing with the intensity of his touch. Liasare found she did not feel ashamed or uncomfortable in the least. In fact, though she couldn’t remember doing it, somehow she turned during the whole process and was facing him when he finished, her arms resting on his shoulders.

“No, not just lovely, gorgeous,” Jurek whispered under his breath.

Looking into his eyes, she saw breathtaking swirling orbs of silver. She leaned into him with parted lips and touched hers to his. She heard him suck in his breath right before he returned her kiss. It began soft and sweet, but something fierce erupted between them and he lifted her up, taking possession of her mouth. He burned, as he tasted every inch of her mouth, coaxing her with his lips and tongue. Hesitating in her movements, she felt clumsy as she ran her tongue along his lip, exploring his mouth in much the same way he was hers. Wanting to taste more of him, she awkwardly mimicked him. This was her first true kiss and she didn’t know what she was supposed to do. Having been the object of ridicule for the scars she bore, she felt like she wore her inexperience like a neon sign.

“Mmmm, you taste so sweet. Just keep doing what you’re doing, and don’t worry about anything else,” he whispered into her mouth.

She ran her fingers through his hair and loved its silkiness as it slid through her fingers. That fire between her legs had erupted and was now roaring and turning into a full-fledged five alarm number. Either they were going to move this thing over to the bed, or she was going to combust in his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist and that little movement brought a bit of sanity back to both of them.

“Liasare, we still have some work to do,” he said as he set her back on the floor and stepped back.

Now she was embarrassed. Jurek immediately began to move his hands over her hips and buttocks, continuing the healing process. It was about this time when Liasare began to feel herself becoming very tired. It was also becoming more difficult to stand on her one good leg. Jurek had her lift her arms so he could heal her sides and midway through she felt herself falling.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were feeling so weak?” he asked as he carried her to the bed.

She shook her head, unable to respond.

He continued to move his hands over her body, and she watched him now, amazed at how they moved. Though she was exhausted, and her skin was tingling and beginning to scream, Liasare was mesmerized by Jurek’s healing hands. They skimmed her skin, barely touching, yet holding her so firmly she was sure he touched her soul. Every cell vibrated with his energy. He cradled each of her legs like they were precious porcelain, easily broken by the merest of harsh touches. When he was finished, her skin glowed like she had been kissed by the sun.

“Your leg, would you like for me to make it complete again?”

“You are able to do that too?” she asked.

“It will be painful since your bones will be regenerating.”

She nodded. While he gripped her leg, it dawned on her that she had been lying there, stark naked, while he worked. Now her shyness nearly incapacitated her. She struggled to cover herself.

“Stop squirming Liasare. Is it painful already?”

“No, it’s just that I’m ...” her voice trailed off and she swallowed the rest of her words.

Her eyes found his and they were all but devouring her.

“I rather like you this way,” he said hoarsely. “Stop interrupting me. Relax.”

Again, that soothing calm washed over her and her shyness vanished. He resumed his business of healing her leg, grasping it tightly. Suddenly, the pain gripped her, and she moaned. She stuck her fist in her mouth, hoping to stem any other noise she might make. She never wanted to appear weak in front of Jurek. He made it clear to her from the beginning that it was something he didn’t tolerate so it was the last thing she wanted to show him.

Her leg began to burn and then it felt like her bones were breaking.

“Awww,” she cried out.

Jurek took one of his hands and placed it on her forehead, and it immediately relieved some of her pain, making it tolerable. Her bones continued to make awful sounds but then, mercifully, the pain ebbed and then stopped altogether.

When Jurek looked at her, he noticed her forehead was damp with sweat. He wiped his hand across it and ran it through her hair. He lifted the sheet and gently dabbed the sweat from her face.

“I think perhaps we are finished. Do you think you can stand? I would like to make sure your legs are the same length,” he said examining her leg for any flaws.

Liasare slid off the bed and was thrilled to see the results of his powers. She expected to feel some pain, but was surprised to find none. She no longer was forced to limp and her skin was perfect. Every inch of her was completely scarless. She kept staring at her legs and her stomach and suddenly she broke down and cried. She dropped to the floor and sobbed.

Jurek lifted her and placed her back in the bed, wrapping her in the covers.

She tried to speak but she made no sense at all so she just let herself cry. Never in a million years did she think she would ever look like this. She always thought she’d go through life alone because of her scars. Now they were gone and she was amazed at how beautiful her skin looked. Thinking about how she had looked and what she was now made her emotions explode and that brought around another river of tears. She wanted Tommy to see her so he could stop blaming himself for that stupid accident. She wrapped her fists in the sheet and sobbed some more.

Jurek shook his head for he was at a loss. He thought she should be happy, but here she was, bawling. He’d always had a difficult time with women, but this one was beginning to wrap herself around his heart. There was something about her that seemed to stir him. She was different than the others he had been with. She was beautiful, to be sure, but it wasn't just about that or sex. There was more to it with her, some connection that he couldn’t quite name. Yes, he’d love nothing more than to sleep with her, but he knew deep down that with her even that wouldn’t be enough. He’d best push himself away from her. They had a big job to do and there was some bad shit going down. He didn’t have time to be getting involved with Brownie here.

“Hey, I thought you’d like this! What’s going on here?” he playfully nudged her.

“I do like it. In fact, I love it. I guess I’m getting a bit emo on you. Sorry about that, but I keep thinking about my brother. He always blamed himself for the way I looked. If he could only see me now,” she sniffed. “Then I started thinking about all those times he had to come to my rescue, saving me from all the ridicule and hateful things the kids said to me. I would tell him it didn’t matter, when it really did. I hated it. I hated school; I hated facing them and having to deal with them every day. I tried to avoid them as best I could, but my mother would force me to do things that would put me in the middle of them. I think she enjoyed seeing my feelings get hurt all the time, like she was blaming me for taking that stupid ride and because I survived. Anyway, sorry for going on and on about this. I didn’t mean to get all sloppy on you.” She wiped her eyes for the hundredth time with the sheet, sniffing again.

“It’s okay Liasare. I’m sorry you had to go through all of that.” His eyes softened when they looked at her and he reached out his hand and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Look, I think we’re both exhausted and need some sleep. Can I get you some water?”

She nodded and he went and poured them a couple of glasses. She watched his muscles ripple as he moved when he handed her the glass. Then he stripped off his pants and Liasare noticed he was commando. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes almost bugged out of her head.

Holy crap! So this is what I’ve been missing my whole life? God, what a body! Those muscles, that ass and that ... that ... oh gawd!

She couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. On his hip was a black tattoo similar to the ones he wore on his arms. It hugged his hipbone, wrapping and twisting around it. She wanted to crawl over to him and slowly trace the markings with her fingers and tongue. Her hand automatically went to her mouth, wiping it. She could’ve sworn there was drool running down her chin.

Bringing the glass of water to her lips, her hand trembled and she spilled some of its contents on the sheets. Jurek tossed her a glance and gave her a cocky grin, indicating he knew what kind of effect his nudity had on her. Eventually she let loose a long breath, set the glass on the nightstand and lay her head on the pillow. Her exhaustion had disappeared, leaving in its wake a deep unsatisfied ache between her legs. She wondered how his nudity could have such an effect on her. This man was an enigma to be certain, but he was also a sexual magnet for her. Sleep eluded her for a long time, and when it finally came, it was fitful and filled with unpleasant dreams.

Chapter Nine

Liasare was surrounded by them as they closed off her only exit. The one closest to her began to laugh, causing chills to run up and down her spine. Her heart pounded as she broke into a sweat and her eyes darted around to assess her situation, which she knew was not good. It was five against one. Fuck. She had one annihilator, one knife and two throwing stars. Before she had a chance to grab any of her weapons, the one nearest her had his arm up against her throat, cutting off her supply of air. Double fuck.

“Not so fun now, is it? Not to worry, after you’ve had a taste of me, you’ll be begging for all of us,” the Xanthian said as he leaned in to her, with his putrid mouth dripping its toxic saliva.

Knowing she was trapped as the beast held her in his ironclad grip, she screamed as nauseating spurts of adrenaline coursed through her veins. As she struggled to escape she heard her name in the distance. It was coming to her from somewhere unknown almost as if it were traveling through a foggy haze.

“Liasare, wake up. You’re dreaming.”

Her senses became aware of the intoxicating exotic scent that washed over her, instantly calming her. She clung to him as his arms gently massaged her back.

“It’s okay. You’re safe.”

She was trembling as she remembered the Xanthian as he came to her and the way he smelled. She tightened her hold on Jurek.

“Sshh. It was only a bad dream. Whoever it was can’t hurt you here.”

She clutched him and twisted her arms and legs around him like ivy, burying her face in his neck. His scent soothed her and his strength comforted her.

“That must have been some bad dream for you to be this upset.” His arms hugged her body close to his, making her feel safe within them.

“They chased me, had me cornered and the butt-ugly motherfucker was getting ready to kiss me. The saliva was dripping from his mouth. Ugh, they’re so repulsive.”

She felt his chest rumble with laughter.

“It’s not funny Jurek. Their smell makes me throw up. How can you laugh at me?”

“I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing at your description of the Xanthian.”

“Ew, they’re so foul.”

“You need to learn how to defend yourself.”

“I know how to defend myself. I want to learn how to fight.”

“You don’t need to know how to fight. Only to defend. And you don’t know how to do it. You only think you know. Tak will train you how to truly defend yourself. You’re about a quarter of the way there now, but you have a great deal to learn. Now go back to sleep. We have a lot to do in the days ahead.”

“I still think I need to learn to fight. I want to learn. Knowing how to defend is only half the battle.”

“It’s the one that will save your life. We will protect you and fight for you. You only need to defend yourself long enough for one of us to arrive. That’s all you need to learn. And if you’re excellent at defense, no offense will score against you.”

“I still think...”

“Hush Liasare. You said you would obey me and this is when I must insist. Now go to sleep.”

She groaned and turned away from him in frustration.

He pulled her against him as they both rested on their sides, her back against his front. His arms were wrapped around her as if it were the most natural thing in the world. It puzzled him greatly for he never allowed a woman to stay the entire night in his bed. They had been in bed together for over fourteen hours now and he knew he could lay here with her for hours on end. He pushed the thoughts from his mind. He knew when she woke again, she would find this situation awkward, and if he were honest with himself, so would he. Before he drifted back to sleep, he bent his head and inhaled her scent, letting it flow over him. He would miss this tomorrow night.

***

Liasare stretched as she came awake. Her arms reached out and she noticed she was alone. Sitting up, she looked around the room. There were no windows in Jurek’s quarters, but the walls were decorated with sconces that had been turned on low. Tossing the covers off, Liasare slid out of bed and padded to the bathroom. She turned on the light and made her way to the mirror, only to stop dead in her tracks as she got her first total body view of herself. Jurek must have added an extra heaping dose of his super special mojo because her skin was extraordinary. There wasn’t so much as even the tiniest blemish on her. Before this transformation, everything about her had been misshapen from her scarring. Her breasts, while not small, had always looked malformed and her abdomen looked full. Not so anymore. She spun around to examine her backside and she had the same reaction. She looked firmer, like she was in good physical shape. With a huge smile on her face, she hopped in the shower and began to bathe. Humming to herself, she didn’t hear the door open.

“From the sounds of things, I take it you are pleased with the results?”

“Ahhhh!” she screamed. “You scared the hell out of me! Don’t you know how to knock?”

“And it also appears that our old Liasare has returned,” Jurek added, chuckling.

“Holy shit! You seriously gave me a heart attack.”

Jurek opened the shower door and ... stood there staring, mesmerized, only Liasare was unaware of it as her eyes were closed for she was rinsing the shampoo out of her hair. The water sluiced down her body, making her skin glisten. Her back was arched and her arms were raised over her head as she ran her fingers through her hair. The white foam gently coursed down her neck and then made its way to her breasts, lingering for a moment, making Jurek envious of where it was headed next. He swallowed the lump in his throat that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, and caught himself reaching out to follow that lovely streak of white with his fingers. At the last second, he snatched his hand back, regaining his senses, just as Liasare opened her eyes.

Those hazel orbs widened in surprise and the flecks of gold in them seemed to leap out at Jurek. She sucked in her breath as she caught the look on his face. His lips were slightly parted and he ran his tongue across the lower one, causing her to lean slightly forward. He reached out and cupped her cheek and ran his thumb along her lower lip.

In a hoarse whisper, he told her, “I wanted you to know I left a tray of food for you by the bed. After you eat, you can begin your training with Tak.” He released her face, and was gone so quickly, she could barely discern his movements. She did, however, feel as if he took all the warmth from the room when he left.

***

Liasare entered the training area, dressed in what she thought would be appropriate attire. She saw Jurek and Tak and as she approached, Tak yelled at her and told her to head to the locker room where there were some training clothes laid out for her. She diverted her course and when she got there, she almost choked when she saw what they wanted her to wear.

You have got to be kidding me.

She grabbed the two scraps of clothing and decided they would be more appropriate for a day at the beach than a training session in the gym. The top was a skimpy black stretchy bra that would barely cover her ample breasts, and the bottoms were boy shorts that hit her just above her pubic bone. Really, she had underwear that covered more of her than this get-up did.

Quickly slipping the things on, she looked in the mirror and her eyes popped out of her head. No way was she walking out in this. Her boobs wouldn’t last a minute in this top before they’d bust right out of here, making an escape to who knows where. What the hell were they thinking?

Then it hit her and she started laughing.

Uh huh, it’ll serve both of you just right!

Sashaying out of there with her head held high and chest thrust out, by the time she made it to where Jurek and Tak were standing, their tongues were all but hanging out of their mouths.

“Are you ready?” her voice dripped honey as she put her hand on her hip and thrust her chest forward.

Jurek’s throat worked several times while Liasare watched his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed. Tak was silent for the first time since she met him, his jaw slack and his eyes bugging out.

“Well, are you gonna stand there all day or are we gonna train? What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue, boys?” she chuckled.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Jurek growled.

“What do you mean?”

“Why are you wearing that?”

“This is what was laying out in the locker room when I went in there.”

Jurek was on Tak before Liasare knew it and had him against the wall, his hand around his throat. Tak flashed into light, followed by Jurek and all Liasare could see were streaks of light blazing across the room. Liasare crouched down on the floor, curling up into a tight ball and covered her head for she was frightened by what was happening around her. Confusion clouded her mind; she didn’t understand any of this. She knew they could move like this but she never thought they could do it at will, for anything other than transportation. She wanted to run and hide, but she knew if any of those streaks hit her, she would surely die.

She felt Jurek’s energy as they streaked by her, causing her body to heat up with that current of electrical charge as he zoomed across the room. Her heart thrummed in her ears as she huddled close against the floor, praying they would leave so she could run to a place where she would feel safe. She wanted to scream but she was afraid it would only draw them toward her so she stuffed her fist in her mouth instead, biting down on her knuckles.

Unsure of how long she stayed in that position, she realized the room had become silent, emptied of the sound of their energy beams. She became aware of his presence when his exotic spiciness filled her senses. Warm arms encircled her, lifting her, as he carried her to his quarters. Kicking the door shut, he tossed her down on the bed.

It took her a moment for her panic to subside. When it did, she leaped to her feet, demanding, “You owe me some explanations. What the hell is going on here? What are you? You expect me to tell you my life story, yet you tell me nothing. You have this miraculous ability to remove scars I’ve had for over a decade, scars that the best surgeons on Vesturon could do nothing for, and you do it with your hands! Jurek, what the hell are you? And then you and Tak flash into--well fuck, I don’t know what it was--and scare me half to death.” She was panting by the time she finished with her tirade, but she was desperate for answers.

“It’s not necessary for you to know what we are.”

“Well, I call bullshit on that! You don’t want to tell me. That’s the real answer. So now the question becomes ‘why?’”

“It’s complicated.”

“Complicated because you think I’m too stupid to follow, or complicated because you don’t want to tell me?”

He ran his hand straight through his hair from his forehead to his neck and then started rubbing it to try to massage some of the tension out of it.

“You know I don’t think you’re stupid and you insult me by even saying that.”

“Well, you insult me by keeping me in the dark. You tell me you want me to trust you. How can I trust you when you don’t tell me anything?”

“I don’t tell you for your own safety.”

Her anger spurred her on. She shook her head saying, “That’s ridiculous and makes no sense. ‘Trust me Liasare. I can’t tell you anything in order to keep you safe.’ Do you know how crazy you sound?”

“Yes, I do. Do me a favor and ask yourself this. Who has saved your life more than once? Now let me tell you this, I would do it again. As many times as necessary. Trust me Liasare. If I tell you anything about us, your life will be in danger.”

“Ugh! This whole thing is driving me bat shit crazy.”

“You have a choice you know.”

“Oh? And what, pray tell is that?”

“You can go back to Vesturon, where it’s safe. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about you.”

She opened her mouth, surprised by his statement. “Worry about me? You worry about me? Why?”

Liasare looked at him, and he quickly looked away, almost as if he were embarrassed. Jurek wasn’t the type to get embarrassed about anything, so she must have been imagining things.

“Go change your clothes. That outfit was Tak’s idea of a joke, which, by the way, he has paid dearly for. He will apologize for it. There are other clothes in the locker room you can wear.”

“Jurek, I rather enjoyed the look on his face when I showed up out there.” For once, he was speechless. “By the way, this discussion isn’t over. I’ll drop it for now, but I won’t forget it.” She laughed as she left the room. He watched her go, wondering how and when he would tell her his whole story. He was sure she would hate him when she found him out.

Chapter Ten

“Not again!” Liasare complained.

“Yes, again,” Tak demanded.

They faced each other. Jurek stood to the side, observing.

“Now watch my eyes. They are the signals to any movement your enemies will make. You are weaker than your opponent, unless you are fighting another human female. Your goal is to stay out of their reach. Stay on the defense at all times.”

Liasare watched Tak as he moved. Every time he did so, his eyes would flick, ever so slightly. When they did, she would react.

“Good, you are starting to get the hang of it.”

Every time he would attempt a strike, she would respond and move out of his way.

“I don’t understand how this will ever end though. If I can’t fight to win, this could go on forever. I still think I need to learn to attack too.”

“No Davidson. We’ve been through this. Get it through your thick skull. You’ll do this our way or no way,” Jurek thundered.

“You’ve heard the saying that the best defense is a good offense, right?” Tak explained. “Eventually, your opponent will either tire or weaken, or not expect you to strike, and that’s when you’ll make your move. But, you can’t do that unless you are strong, in top physical shape and able to outlast him. Stay light on your feet Brownie, like a dancer.”

“Oh, that’s real funny Tak. You know I don’t dance. And stop calling me Brownie, dammit!” Just then, she made a crucial error and didn’t move fast enough before Tak’s leg came out and slammed into her hip, knocking her down.

Liasare smashed into the floor with a crack, the air leaving her body in a whoosh. She rolled on her side but couldn’t get a good breath into her lungs. Finally, her diaphragm relaxed a bit and she inhaled, trying to suck in some air, only to find it caused excruciating pain in her ribs. Then she eked out, “Ribs. Broken.”

Jurek flashed to her side and healed her with his hands. In seconds, the pain melted away and she was able to breathe with ease.

“Damn, Tak, can you at least remember for a second I’m a human when you plow into me? Shit, that hurt like a motherfucker!”

“Liasare, please! Can you not use such vulgar language?” Jurek asked.

She flashed him a dirty look and said, “Right, why don’t you get knocked around for a few weeks and get your bones broken a few times a day, and then ask me that? And besides, it’s okay for you to swear, but I can’t. Asshat.”

Jurek shook his head at her and walked away.

“I think we can call it a day then,” Tak said. “Tomorrow is strength training Brownie. Come prepared to sweat.”

“Yes, Master.”

“I see I have trained you well, Grasshopper,” Tak retorted.

“Liasare, my quarters. Now,” Jurek yelled from across the room.

She pushed herself off the floor and dragged herself to his quarters. Sweat rolled down her neck and back and her hair clung to her cheek as she wiped her face with the back of her hand. She slipped off her shoes before she entered Jurek’s quarters for she loved the feel of his carpet around her feet as they sank into it.

“Did you want something?”

“Have a seat.”

“No, I’m too sweaty. I’ll mess up your furniture.”

He rolled his eyes at her. Then he flicked his eyes toward the bathroom and said, “Go shower.”

Not one to refuse a shower after a hard workout, Liasare headed to his bathroom. She took her time bathing because she loved using his shower; it was much larger than the one she normally used. Wrapping herself in his black satin robe, she towel dried her hair and ran her fingers through it. She loved wearing his robe. It was infused with his scent and that wonderful aroma did things to her she didn’t want to think about.

“So, what’s up?” she asked, rejoining him.

“The soiree is the day after tomorrow. I have some things for you.”

On his bed were a garment bag and another shopping bag.

“Go on, you can look.”

She hesitated. Liasare had never attended an event such as a soiree. She had never even gone on a date. She wasn’t sure of what to expect.

“Christ, they won’t bite you Liasare. Look at the damn things,” Jurek bit out. He so wanted her to like what he’d chosen for her to wear, but she was suddenly acting like a frightened mouse.

“Sorry! I wasn’t expecting this is all.”

What the hell! Her hands shook as she unzipped the garment bag and she couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped from her mouth. She’d never seen anything so lovely. It was a burgundy silk dress and it was beautiful. She glanced at Jurek and he was staring at her, unblinking and unmoving.

“Try it on,” he commanded.

“Right now?”

“Yes, right now.”

She picked up the dress and started to head to the bathroom when his words stopped her.

“I see no need for modesty Liasare. I have seen you naked and I have touched and held every inch of your lovely body. Take off the robe and try the damn dress on.”

Sweet God in heaven, get me through this one! His words mortified her and filled her with anxiety. Why, she couldn’t say. He was right, of course. She had lain in his arms, naked, for hours, and he had seen her bathing, yet now she felt completely stripped of everything and wanted to run and hide.

Her hands shook as she untied the sash on the robe and let it fall from her shoulders. They shook so badly, she couldn’t get the dress unzipped. She chewed her lip and fumbled with the zipper until her vision blurred. The current of electricity that was always present when he was near amplified as she felt his arms come around her and undo the zipper. Then his breath fanned the back of her neck as he whispered, “Someone as beautiful as you should never be covered in clothing.”

Holy fuck! Combustion time. She sucked in her breath at his words as goose bumps formed all over her body. She took the dress in her hands and turning around, she stared into his eyes as he brushed his thumb across her lower lip. His eyes raked her from head to toe and she felt the temperature rise in her body. That place between her legs turned to molten heat as her arousal flared. Her cheeks grew hot as she thought of what she’d like for him to do to her and she unconsciously parted her lips in anticipation. His lips were so close she wanted to pull him into her so he could kiss her. Before she knew what she was doing, her hand was reaching for his neck, bringing those lips closer to hers.

“I think you should try on the dress to see if it fits properly,” he murmured, breaking the spell.

She quickly stepped back, mentally scolding herself. Her cheeks now flamed with embarrassment. Turning her back to him, she slipped the dress on and struggled to zip it.

“Allow me,” he said as his warm fingers brushed hers aside. When he finished, he spun her around and gazed at her.

“You’ll be quite the distraction, Liasare,” he said huskily. He was sure he’d never seen anything so lovely in his life.

Her eyes dropped to the floor. She’d never been complimented before so she wasn’t quite sure how to handle it. In fact, his words made her feel rather awkward.

Shit! Why does he have to say crap like that? I can’t handle that stuff, dammit.

“What is it?”

“It’s nothing,” she shook her head.

“Tell me. You look extraordinary. Do you not like it?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t looked in a mirror.”

“Forgive me.” He dragged her to the corner where there stood a floor length mirror and her mouth formed a huge O when she saw her reflection.

“Oh holy shit. Is that really me?”

Jurek laughed. “You do have a way with words Davidson!”

The dress was amazing. It was a one shoulder that draped to the side, but was tastefully bare. Her creamy skin was displayed everywhere. The dress hit thigh high and, of course, her shoulder and back were bared. She was absolute perfection in it.

“Oh, and there’s more.” He went and retrieved the shopping bag. Inside was a lovely pair of black strappy stilettos and a matching clutch. But the shocker was the jewelry. There was the most incredible diamond choker and earrings to match with a series of delicate gold filigreed bangles and a matching ring. She never wore jewelry before, nothing, not a ring, earrings or a bracelet. And here she was, holding a number of ungodly priceless treasures in the palms of her hands.

Oh dear God! NO! No no no no no! Fuck no! I can’t do this. Huh uh. No way.

Liasare stared at everything and then shook her head, an extreme case of anxiety hitting her. “Huh uh, I can’t accept this. This is way too much. I won’t be able to walk in those shoes either. Seriously, that jewelry is beautiful, but I would be afraid to wear something as valuable as that. It’s completely out of my league. Honestly Jurek. I don’t have to wear any jewelry. I mean the dress is pretty enough as it is and I can fix my hair. Maybe I can get Jaylen to help me with some kind of an updo. I don’t really know how, but she can do anything. Yeah, that’s exactly what I’ll do. Maybe Jaylen can lend me some flats or something because I wouldn’t want to wear these shoes and face plant and embarrass you or anything because I’ve never worn shoes like these. I’ve only ever worn those boots. And well, yeah, that’s what I’ll do. But I swear, I’ll try my best not to embarrass you. I know I probably will though, because I’ve never been to anywhere like this but if I do, I swear to God it’s not because I did it on purpose.” Her hand was clenched on her chest and she took a deep breath because she had run out of air she had rambled on so long. “Damn, I’m such a loser. Sorry I got diarrhea of the mouth, it’s just, well crap.” She raised her hand to her forehead and stared at her feet.

For the love of God, please don’t let me cry. I’m making a stupid fool out of myself here. Come on, get your shit together now!

Try as she might, she couldn’t stop them. The tears oozed out of the corners of her eyes and she squeezed them as tight as she could, trying to force them back. She kept her head down and her eyes glued to the floor, hoping to God he wouldn’t see them.

“Are you finally finished?” he asked, with a hint of laughter lacing his voice.

“Yeah,” she cleared her throat.

“Look at me.”

No no no no noooooooo!

She shook her head. If she did, she’d be found out, and that wouldn’t do.

He took her chin in his hand and lifted it. When he saw the tears he pulled her into his arms.

“Christ Davidson, I didn’t mean for any of this to make you cry. First off, the jewelry is for me, not for you. I need for you to have a certain look about you, and the jewelry accomplishes that. Second, try the shoes before you condemn them. If they don’t work, we’ll figure something out. Third, you won’t embarrass me. And what the hell happened to you to make you act this way?”

I’m a fucking L-O-S-E-R...that’s what!

Talking into his chest she answered, “Nothing happened. I’m just such a loser. I’ve never been to a party or a dance. I’ve never even worn a dress, or shoes other than those stupid boots for as long as I can remember. I’m not playing the sympathy card here, but that was my life. I don’t know how to dance. That’s why I’m worried about embarrassing you. All those people there will be so refined and then there will be me ... making a total fool out of myself. I may look okay, but I’ll still be a loser. I won’t know how to act in that setting. I don’t know what to even expect.”

“Okay, fair enough. I can teach you all of that. But will you at least agree to try the damn shoes on?”

She sniffed first, then laughed and said, “Yeah, I guess so.”

“Come.”

She sat on the coffee table and he knelt in front of her and helped her with the shoes. They had a platform so they weren’t as bad as she’d initially thought they would be.

“Well?” he asked.

Pretend Liasare. Act!

“Not too bad. I’m a tad wobbly though.”

He observed as she walked around the room. Gods, the woman is exquisite, he thought. Everything about her is perfect. She is incredibly sexy in those shoes.

Jurek had a smile on his face as he stared at her. He wasn’t one to smile often, so this was certainly a rare occasion. Liasare looked at him for his opinion.

“How do I look?”

“Do you really have to ask?”

“What I mean is when I walk. Do I look like I’m about to crash and burn? I’ve seen women wearing these contraptions before that had no business wearing them and they looked like hell. I don’t want anyone thinking that about me.”

“No worries there,” he said curtly. There won’t be anyone looking at you thinking you look like hell. Quite the opposite Davidson ... they’ll be thinking you’re an angel from heaven. Most likely I’ll have to beat them off with sticks all night.

“Really?”

“What do you want me to say? That you look like a graceful ballerina doing a fouette en tournant?”

“Very funny.”

“I’m not trying to be funny. You should know that by now. I’m not known for my robust sense of humor.”

“Right you are. So what should I expect?”

Chapter Eleven

Two nights later, Liasare and Jurek arrived at the soiree dressed to the nines--she in her burgundy dress, platforms and diamonds and he in his black pants, black sport coat and crisp white linen shirt, unbuttoned halfway down his chest. He had let her use his quarters to get ready as Jaylen had come to prepare Liasare’s hair. Liasare’s tiny room in which she slept, located off the locker room wouldn’t have suited; it was barely large enough to hold her cot. When she walked out to meet him, it was difficult to tell which one was more unnerved.

Liasare was instantly aroused when she looked at him.

Holy cannoli, I’m gonna have to go change my panties. Look at the man!

He oozed sexuality. She wanted to run her hands inside his shirt right before she tore it off of him. He was clean-shaven and his soft black hair was brushed back and had been neatly trimmed. It was still long, almost brushing his shoulders, and she was happy because she loved it like that. It made her want to tangle her fingers in it as she drew his face to hers. With those thoughts, his scent seemed to increase and envelop her. He lifted her hand to his mouth, but right before it reached his lips, he turned it over and placed a kiss on her palm and then on the inside of her wrist.

“You look more beautiful than I ever imagined,” he whispered.

Not as beautiful as you. Damn! That voice, that scent. Combustion time.

“Thanks,” she replied shyly. “Just don’t let me do a face plant.” She kept stealing glances beneath her lashes at him. He was so damned attractive it was difficult to tear her eyes away.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you. Ready?” he asked, his lips curving into a smile.

“As I’ll ever be.” And then some, she thought as she felt her damp panties between her legs when she began walking.

The place was packed with strange beings from places Liasare was unfamiliar with. Jurek would either whisper or send her telepathic messages of what she needed to know about who may be important. She would be his eyes and ears for the evening, concentrating on things he would be unable to. His arm was firmly around her waist and remained there for almost the entire evening. They mingled with Xanthians, which Liasare found most distasteful. Several times, Jurek squeezed her waist, indicating his displeasure at her actions or remarks.

“You must put these feelings aside and be a better performer Liasare. This is not a game,” he whispered harshly in her ear. Then he kissed her neck, intending to cover up their heated words as a lover’s quarrel.

“I’m trying dammit. It’s hard when those fuckers stink worse than...”

“Don’t say it. We need to come up with some other colorful metaphors for you. Shit, fuck and those other nasty words you employ shouldn’t come from such an exquisite mouth.”

“Okay, how about I call them McStinkies?”

His lips crashed into hers before she barely finished speaking and caught her off guard. Roughly pulling her into his arms, he kissed her mercilessly, showing no tenderness. Moving them behind a curtain and out of the view of everyone, he continued exploring her mouth. Liasare wasn’t expecting this, but the moment his lips touched hers, all bets were off. His lips were controlling, demanding. And that damn scent of his was making her nearly drunk with its exotic spiciness. She wrapped her arms around his neck and slid her fingers into his hair. If she were anywhere else, she would be unbuttoning his shirt too.

Liasare suddenly felt her feet leave the floor as he moved his hands beneath her ass and lifted her up in his arms, groaning into her mouth. Her lips felt swollen and bruised, but she couldn’t have cared less. She wanted more, and if it had to be here and now, then so be it. She was on fire for him, her skin burning from his touch, and all sane thoughts had fled her mind. The current that ran between them had burst into lethal flames and Liasare heard herself tell him, “I want more Jurek. Now.”

Her words brought him back to reality, to the present and to what he was about to do. He released her and gently pushed her away from him saying, “We have business to attend to.”

“Yeah, I guess we do,” she said, dropping her gaze to the floor.

Shit, how can he do this? Hot one minute, cold the next. What an asshole!

She wanted to be away from this place. She needed to save face, unfortunately right now, the only thing she wanted was to suck face...his face, all night long.

Why does he have to be so damn hot?

“Here.” He ran his thumb along her lip, wiping her lipstick so it wasn’t smeared. Then he straightened her hair. He took her clutch out of her hand and retrieved her lipstick and handed it to her so she could reapply it. Her hand was shaking so badly he grabbed it from her and did it for her. He grabbed a tissue out of her clutch and wiped his mouth. “Did I get it all?” he asked gruffly. She nodded as she reached out to brush his hair back into place with her hands. Thinking the better of it, she jerked her hands back to her sides. Touching him again would only add to her misery.

As she turned to walk away, he pulled her to him saying, “You and I are, well, it’s complicated Liasare.”

“Everything with you is complicated Jurek. Why don’t we just go back to being trainee and trainer? That way I understand the boundaries. No misconceptions. It’s less confusing then.” She headed back to the party.

***

An hour had passed when Liasare excused herself to use the restroom.

When she was walking back to the party, she saw two men in the corridor walking toward her. They were wearing nondescript clothing and as she got closer she gasped. One of them was her brother.

“Tommy!” He had no reaction, but continued to move forward.

“Thomas, stop!” Still, no reaction. She ran after him and pulled his arm, still eliciting no reaction from him. “Tommy stop. It’s me, your sister,” she shouted. They were close enough to the party that people were now turning to look. Instead of moving into the party room, the two men turned down another corridor and continued to walk.

Liasare ran ahead of them and turned to face them, walking backwards, reaching out to grab Tommy’s arm. As she did so, he stopped, pulled a weapon from his belt and said in a monotone, “Cease or I will fire.”

“Tommy, it’s me, your sister. Look at me dammit.”

She looked at his eyes to see nothing but dark emptiness. There was no recognition, nothing.

She moved to grab him again and he discharged his weapon.

The bullet entered her chest on the left side, but she was so shocked she simply stood there and stared at him as he stepped around her and kept walking. She sensed Jurek’s presence before she saw him and then her legs folded under her.

***

Voices, screaming, pain, fire, softness, warmth, comfort. Sleep now.

Liasare awoke in Jurek’s bed. He was still sleeping. She needed to get up because she had to use the restroom...now. She slid out of bed and on the way gingerly felt her chest to find, no surprise there, the wound was healed. Her muscles felt slightly sore, but that was about it. It was handy to have a supernatural healer as a friend, she guessed. At least he was good for that.

When she was finished, she headed back to the bedroom to find Jurek sitting up.

“Care to enlighten me on what happened last night?”

“I was shot.”

“I do realize that. I am the one who healed you,” sarcasm lacing his words.

“I came out of the restroom and I saw these two men that had that vacant look in their eyes. Do you remember that day you saw me at the warehouse? I saw these two guys there that acted like they were drugged, like zombies. That’s exactly how these two men acted when I saw them. Vacant eyes. But Jurek, one of the men was my brother.”

“What? And you didn’t come to get me? Bloody fucking hell Davidson! Can’t you follow orders one fucking time? We’ve been over this a dozen times. And what’s the first thing you do? You abso-fucking-lutely screw it up! Goddammit!”

She’d never seen him this furious. Things started flying across the room, large things and small things. The violence in the room was near to exploding. She was terribly frightened by this side of him and she didn’t know what to do. Dodging the flying objects, she darted back into the bathroom, trying to escape him. The door crashed open behind her, ripped from its hinges, and he stood there as the room vibrated around him.

“You know what you are Davidson? You’re a massive fucking disaster waiting to happen. For the life of me, I don’t have a bloody damn idea of why I’m keeping you here because you’re about to fuck up everything I’ve done to smithereens.” The bathroom mirror came hurling off the wall and crashed to the floor in front of them into a hundred pieces, glass flying everywhere as Liasare screamed.

“I’m giving you one last chance. You screw up one more thing and you’re out. You got it? One more thing!”

Something in her mind finally snapped. Her eyes narrowed as a red haze began to form and her fear was replaced by rage so fierce she barely recognized her own voice as she fumed, “Yeah? Well, fuck you Jurek Herdekian. I didn’t even want to go to that damn fucking SWARAYYY. YOU’RE the one who begged me to go. ‘I promise I won’t act like an ass. I’ll be the perfect gentleman.’ Blah, blah, blah. Well, fuck you and your promises. You didn’t keep them either. If I recall correctly, a gentleman doesn’t exactly seduce his date in the middle of a party behind a curtain and then suddenly call it off saying, ‘It’s complicated.’ So I’d say we’re even.”

“Seduce you? I kissed you Davidson. That’s it. I didn’t fucking seduce you. Christ! Why don’t you grow up already and quit acting like a little brat who wants her own way and start following my orders dammit?”

The shower door flew off the hinges and crashed to the floor behind them, making her jump.

“STOP THAT! That’s so wrong, on so many levels, for you to do that. You’re the one that’s acting like a little kid throwing a fucking temper tantrum.”

She marched out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, which was a huge mess. She was headed out the door when she realized she was wearing a pair of thong underwear and nothing else. Now she was furious.

Liasare headed for Jurek’s closet, in search of something to wear. She was so angry she was yanking items out of drawers, looking for something, anything she could put on that would fit. Sweats, shorts, even boxers...but she came up short. She headed back to the bathroom to get his robe. He stood there in his boxers, legs spread and arms crossed, watching her.

She had intended to grab the robe behind the door, but looked in dismay as the door lay on the floor, the robe lying beneath it. She turned to leave, but Jurek grabbed her wrist before she could take another step.

“Not so fast. We have unsettled business between us.” He dragged her back into the bedroom and pushed her down on the couch.

“I’d like something to put on, dammit.”

“I like you just the way you are.” His eyes raked over her and he didn’t miss one tiny detail. He ran his tongue along his bottom lip as he put his hand behind his neck. She watched as every muscle in his body leaped out at her, almost as if they were taunting her.

Liasare wished he didn’t have this effect on her but every time he did that little thing with his tongue on his lip, she wanted to grab his head and start kissing him, taking up where his tongue left off. Her lips parted as thoughts of that kept swirling through her mind and, dammit all, she looked down to see her nipples standing at full attention.

Fuck shit hell damn!

She lifted her eyes to his and saw that he wore a smug expression on his face. Her face began to burn with embarrassment and she scowled. She had no doubt he knew exactly where her thoughts had been as his eyes dropped to her chest.

“Oh, rest assured Liasare, you have quite the same effect on me.” His eyes glanced down to his groin and hers followed and she sucked in her breath as she clearly saw the outline of his ample erection through the flimsy boxers he wore.

“So, what did you want to discuss?” she squeaked.

“I want to know all the details of exactly what happened last night.”

“Why? So you can throw more things around and scare me again? Does that make you feel strong? Let me know you’re my superior?” Every word dripped acid, and Jurek flinched, feeling ashamed of how he’d lost control.

“I need to know for safety purposes. And I won’t apologize for my loss of control. You disobeyed me and made a fuck-up out of everything.”

“Look, it seems to me that you want me to trust you with my life, yet you don’t think I’m capable of anything except for fucking things up. Tell you what. Let’s pretend none of this ever happened. I’ll go my way, and you go yours. I know where my brother is. I don’t know what’s happened to him. I know he’s not himself, but I’ll figure it out. I’ll become a Xanthian sex slave if I must.”

Jurek reacted to her words as if he’d been struck and before she could utter one more thing, he growled, “You’ll do no such thing. You will never be slave to a Xanthian. I will kill any Xanthian who so much as touches you.”

Liasare was shocked by the vehemence in his voice.

“Jurek, I can’t stay here anymore. You don’t think I’m smart enough, or worthy enough, or strong enough, or whatever to be trusted with what you’re not telling me. The ‘it’s complicated’ thing keeps getting in our way. We always fight. This attraction, or whatever it is between us, clouds our judgment but it also seems it can’t be ignored either. Last night, when I saw my brother, I touched him.”

“Oh gods, please tell me you didn’t,” he threw back his head and moaned.

“Why?”

“Just tell me!”

“I touched him Jurek! I touched him last night because I had to.”

“Fuck! This is not good.”

“That was my brother Jurek! I don’t expect you to understand this, but he was the one who nursed me back to health after my accident. He blamed himself for it every day of his life. He took care of me after every surgery I had. He was the one that clapped for me when I graduated from the Academy of Sciences. He was the one who kept me company when I didn’t have any friends, when they all called me names because I was so scarred. He was the one who wiped my tears when they made fun of me. It was never my mother it was my brother. That’s why I had to touch him. He didn’t even know me Jurek. And then he put a fucking bullet in me,” she finished, dropping her head into her hands.

Jurek was on his feet yelling, “Tak, Ludo, Marik! In my quarters! NOW!” The walls shook with his voice and Liasare felt it penetrate to the very depths of her bones. She thought she would have heard him if she’d been in the next county.

Beams of energy streaked in the room seconds later and the three men appeared.

“All plans to abandon the warehouse are now in effect. Teleport everything of importance...data files, our Praestani weapons cache and so forth. I’ll handle the security equipment in here. Everything that has a Praestani footprint goes to Lare-Stell. We have--on the very outside--thirty minutes. Set security and shields and then set for self-destruct. I don’t want those bastards to find anything, got it?”

“Yes. Like your outfit, Brownie,” Tak said right before he flashed out of the room. Liasare and Jurek had forgotten she was all but naked.

“Christ!” Jurek snapped. “Davidson, go to my closet and put on a goddamn shirt. We have to get out of here.”

Liasare grabbed the first shirt she could put her hands on. Meanwhile, Jurek had opened a hidden door on the wall in the bedroom that led to the security room and was in there teleporting equipment. When she entered, he tossed her a teleporter saying, “It’s set for Lare-Stell. Just point and tap. Everything goes.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I’ll explain later. If I tell you to go, teleport yourself. Everything’s set. Just tap the teleporter and get out of here. You got it?”

“Yes,” she said, her head spinning.

Twenty minutes later, the room was empty. She looked at Jurek and he grabbed her arm at about the time they heard banging on the outside doors. “Let’s go.”

Chapter Twelve

Lare-Stell Base

Jurek, Liasare, Ludo, Marik and Naroo sat around the conference table discussing their options.

“I told you already. I didn’t know their bullets had tracers in them. I didn’t know if I touched them they could track me. Maybe if you would bring me in the loop and tell me these things, I wouldn’t have made such a mess, dammit. You blame me for the fuck-up. If you ask me, it’s your fault. How the hell was I supposed to know this? Osmosis?”

“Osmosis?” Tak echoed.

“Yes, osmosis dammit! It’s a metaphor, Tak.”

“You’re funny Brownie. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but she makes a good point Jurek. We never told her any of that.”

Jurek gave Tak a withering look and snarled, “It doesn’t matter. She was instructed to get me if anything unusual happened. Seeing her brother would certainly be classified as unusual. I could have brought him to the warehouse for questioning.”

“Ugh! Why don’t you put me in jail then? Or ground me? Or maybe take away my dessert for a week? You have the maturity of a damn twelve year old, or at least that’s the way you’re behaving,” Liasare ground out.

Jurek glared at her as she slouched in her chair. She was exhausted. Mentally and physically. Inwardly she was fuming though. She was still wearing his shirt and those damn thong panties because he hadn’t allowed her to change clothes.

They’d arrived at Lare-Stell, Jurek’s space station, which was his main base for his business operations, LS Enterprises. There was so much about this man Liasare didn’t know. For instance, everyone at Lare-Stell revered him, as if he were some type of regal entity. They literally bowed to him. Liasare laughed when she first saw it.

Jurek, noticing Liasare’s exhaustion motioned to Naroo, another female, to escort her to her quarters. Though Liasare left Earth as a young girl, she had traveled by means of a teleporter. The only other time she traveled through space was when she came back to Earth to find Tommy. She was in a deep sleep then so in reality, this was her first time in space. Naroo noticed how Liasare’s eyes grew bigger each time they passed a viewing station.

“You will have ample opportunity to star gaze from your quarters. You have a large viewing deck there for your pleasure.”

“Really?” Liasare asked, intrigued. Naroo also intrigued her. She was quite stunning in a most unusual way. She was completely bald. In fact, all of the women Liasare had seen here were bald. She made a mental note to ask Jurek about that...that is if she ever spoke to him again. Naroo also had tattoos that covered the side of her neck, face and head. They were the same markings that Jurek had on his arms. Her eyes were the same as Jurek’s--lavender, rimmed in indigo with silver swirls in their depths. Tall and golden skinned, she was truly beautiful. Exotic was how Liasare thought of her.

“Oh yes, and there are many other things at your disposal. I will show you.”

Naroo gave her a brief tour of the station en route. She also gave Liasare some additional items of clothing. Liasare was very grateful and was sure to thank Naroo for her kindness.

When they reached her quarters, Naroo gave Liasare brief instructions. Her quarters looked tiny. They consisted of a small bathroom and another small room sparsely furnished with a bed, side table and the viewing platform as promised. There was a built-in seat that ran the length of the platform, which Liasare immediately thought would be an ideal spot to curl up and read a book.

“Don’t let the size of your quarters fool you my lady, the transmuters on the wall can alter this room into anything you wish for it to be,” Naroo said.

“Huh?”

“My lord Jurek will explain this to you later. I can see you are in need of sleep so I bid you good night.”

“Thank you Naroo.”

Liasare felt her eyes drifting shut before she made it to her bed.

***

The tawny-skinned man grabbed her and pulled her to him, kissing her and running his hands over her body. She sighed as she leaned into him, wanting more. Even though she felt something was missing, she didn’t want him to stop. She couldn’t see his face, so she asked him to turn to the light.

“I want to see you. Reveal yourself, please.”

No response, yet his hands didn’t stop what they were doing to her. They pulled her shirt from her body, sliding it sensually along the way, and when it was gone, she felt the cool air brush across her skin, teasing her nipples into hardened buttons. His mouth dropped to her breasts as his tongue made tiny circles on her skin, growing closer and closer to her sensitive nubs. Suddenly, he took one of her nipples into his mouth, sucking on it, sending tingling waves of pleasure down to that place between her legs. She moaned and arched her back.

“Do you intend to sleep away the week?” a husky voice breathed in her ear. Instinctively, she reached out her arms and entwined them around his neck, pulling him against her.

That scent she had come to love filled her nostrils and she inhaled deeply. Heady exotic spices permeated her head as she rubbed herself against him. “Why do you have to smell so damn good?” she murmured. She opened her eyes, and felt like she had been doused with a bucket of ice cold water.

“What the hell?” she yelled, pushing him away and scrambling around in her bed, getting tangled in her sheets.

“Must’ve been one hell of a dream you were having Davidson,” he remarked dryly.

“Is nothing sacred around here? Can I not sleep in private? Do you ever knock or announce yourself? You are so rude!” she yelled, trying to hide her mortification.

“So I’ve been told! But tell me Davidson, what were you dreaming about that had you moaning so?” His eyes raked her over, lingering on her hardened peaks, still aroused from the sensuous dream he had interrupted.

Liasare, finally untangling herself from the sheets, rolled out of bed, red faced, and headed to the bathroom saying, “It’s none of your damn business Jurek!”

His laughter followed her. She prayed he would be gone by the time she finished her morning routine. That wasn’t the case.

“We need to have a talk,” he announced as she came out of the bathroom.

“Is that so?”

“I think it’s time I shared some things about myself with you.”

Liasare’s jaw hit the floor as she looked at him like a deer in the headlights. “Wait a minute. You look like Jurek and you even sound like him, but there has to be a mistake. Where’s the real Jurek?”

“Funny, Davidson. I’m trying to open up here and you’re making a joke,” he snapped.

“I’m not making a joke.” Okay, maybe she was. Dammit, the man constantly messed with her head. She never knew what to expect from him--flying furniture or compliments. She narrowed her eyes and perused him from head to toe.

“I hope you like what you see because you’re spending a hell of a lot of time checking me out.”

“You think you’re so damn hilarious, don’t you?”

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. My charming sense of humor has never gained me any friends or influenced anyone. It would do you well to remember that.”

“Well, go on then. Tell me what you feel is so pressing about yourself now, when before I was an inconsequential nonentity unworthy of hearing any details of your great existence.”

Jurek’s eyes immediately darkened and she briefly wondered if she had erred, as her words left a sour taste in her mouth.

“If it’s so troublesome to hear about me, perhaps I should leave,” he said acidly.

“Wait. I do want to know. I think I’ve been around you too long because now I’m starting to act like you.”

His head whipped toward her and he was standing next to her in a flash, grabbing her arms.

“Stop with the humor Liasare. I’m not in the mood. We’ve had to destroy a carefully planned warehouse and are now in the process of having to go to the damn trouble of setting up another one. I’ve not had the luxury of sleep for a few days now. First I healed you from the bullet that you took, and then I had to deal with the aftermath. Healing, as you know, takes a bit out of me, so spare me your sarcasm.”

“Right.” She should have felt chastised, but instead, she felt like she’d scored some points with him. Was this a concession? Was he recognizing that perhaps she had some brains inside her thick skull? Whatever...she’d take it when she could get it. “So talk Jurek.”

He looked at her long and hard and then said, “My people are known as Praestani. We are shape shifters. Unlike the shifters you may be familiar with, we don’t shift into another animal or mass form. Our true form is pure energy, but we are comfortable in either mass or energy. We travel as energy and are gifted with the ability to heal ourselves and others. We are very powerful Liasare, nearly indestructible.”

“How have I never heard of your species?” she wanted to know.

“We have kept ourselves unknown for many reasons, mostly for our healing powers. There are those that would try to harness and steal that from us.”

“But if you are so powerful, wouldn’t it be impossible?”

“There are always ways around things Liasare. You must know that.”

They stood facing each other, and she began to look at him closely, inspecting him, searching for something, anything to refute what he was telling her. He was energy and he was mass. He could remain in either state. He was indestructible and ultra powerful. Liasare felt the icy fingers of fear prick her skin and goose pimples erupted all over her body.

“Don’t fear me Davidson. The time for that has passed.”

“Can you die?” she wondered aloud.

He sliced his head one time, quickly and briefly.

“Never?”

Once again, he repeated the motion.

“But how?”

He narrowed his eyes but didn’t respond.

Liasare paced to the viewing platform and stared at nothing, trying to fathom what Jurek just told her. “Is that why the first time I touched Tak I had that awful reaction?”

“Yes, he was unprepared and didn’t have time to mute his powers. Normally when we are around humans or other species, we stay in a muted state. For some reason, Tak wasn’t that day.”

Liasare shook her head and shivered. “I thought I was dying.”

“Our touch can kill Liasare. But it can also bring the greatest of pleasure.”

Holy hot hands, don’t I know it!

She turned then as his eyes locked onto hers and she remembered back to that day. Yes, his touch certainly could bring pleasure, and waves of it. Her cheeks burned as the memories rushed back.

“Don’t be ashamed of it.” He was in front of her in a flash and he reached out and rubbed his thumb along her bottom lip.

“Why do you always do that?” she whispered. She wished more than anything he didn’t have this effect on her.

“Do what?”

“Rub my lip?”

“Because I imagine my lips and tongue are there instead, licking you, tasting you,” he whispered.

She shivered again, as the sound of his voice sent a wave of heat straight to her belly. “So why don’t you then? And please don’t say, ‘it’s complicated.’”

He sighed and nodded. “But it is. There are things Liasare that I would like to share with you but I can’t ... so many things. My life is ...” he released another long sigh.

“What Jurek? Your life is what?” she nudged him.

“It’s not my own to give.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Neither do I.”

“Now you’re speaking in riddles.”

“Yes, it would seem that way, I suppose. This is difficult for me to answer as I am trying to understand it all myself. What I can tell you is that in my five hundred years, I...”

“Wait! What? Five hundred years? You’re five hundred years old?”

“Yes, I am.” She began inspecting him again, wanting to feel him beneath her fingers, to see if he felt that old. She knew he didn’t, but her mind was taking her in a thousand different directions right now.

“Did Naroo teach you to use the transmuters?”

“Are you changing the subject?” she countered.

“No. You need to know how to use them. Come.” He walked her to the wall and explained how the flat glass squares could be accessed for food or to change the room into anything one desired. Jurek gave her a demonstration and ordered her a cup of coffee.

“So, you were changing the subject, but I’m not sure if it was because I thought you were old or because I was trying to figure you out.” She looked at him again, running her eyes up and down the length of him. They stopped when they reached the point where his snug pants molded to his hips, outlining what lay beneath. Liasare unconsciously licked her lips as she thought of that luscious tattoo, and...other things she’d like to get her hands on. Her face heated up with flames as she shook her head slightly trying to get her mind out of the gutter it had somehow fallen in.

What the hell Liasare! Get your shit together. You’re about to go up in flames.

The corners of his mouth tipped up but he never said a word. He cleared his throat, bringing her back to the moment and continued, “There is a prophecy I am supposed to fulfill. My mother has imparted this to me in my dreams. For years I didn’t believe her, but everything she’s told me has come to pass. Here’s the strange part. I think somehow you are a piece of the prophecy too, Liasare.”

“Whoa. What do you mean? Your mother told you this in your dreams? How can I be a part of this?”

“I’m not sure of it all except that the Prophecy of Thul predicts the end of the universe unless one can step in and prevent the turn of events. There is true evil out there and the Dark threatens to unfold. It’s upon us Liasare. I can feel it. My dreams would speak of this but I didn’t believe it until about twenty years ago. That’s when things began to shift. There’s been a disruption of the normal flow of energy. The Praestani can feel it when we travel. It is as if there is friction upon us that shouldn’t be there, and it’s increasing.”

“What does it mean?”

Jurek shook his head. “We think the disappearance of the thousands of humans and other beings is part of this. We suspect someone or something is creating an army of sorts. There are other things too. Creatures that haven’t shown themselves for centuries are resurfacing.”

“What do you mean?

Jurek rubbed his face before he spoke. He walked in a circle, and then turned to face Liasare. His brow was furrowed and his eyes were nearly black as they focused on her.

“You’re scaring me Jurek.”

“I want you to see something. Earth has become a breeding ground for...for things that should have been left to the Darkness.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Liasare, look into my eyes and I’ll show you. Don’t be frightened. What you’ll see is only a memory of mine. It can’t harm you. Do you understand?”

She nodded. She stared at his eyes as they enlarged and the pupils dilated, creating black orbs where all the whites disappeared. Her body was pulled through the dark orbs and she felt herself being dragged through murky liquid before she emerged on the other side.

It was night and she was standing next to Tak. They were looking at an old, two-story dilapidated building, somewhere on a street on Earth. Her vision was crisp, even though it was night and her skin tingled with the sharpness of her power. She felt so... alive. Her nostrils flared as they picked up a scent...a scent that shouldn’t be there. It was death. She recognized it by its sickly sweet odor. Not decay, not old, but recent. Someone had either died in the last hour, or they were near death. Her sense of hearing was intensely acute, and it was then she realized she had Jurek’s abilities. A hint of something metallic landed on her tongue. It was in the air. Blood...lots of it. She tasted rust and moist dirt. Her body was assaulted with a barrage of human emotions...fear...lost hope...hatred...disgust. Something else drifted over her olfactory nerves...Xanthians...but another odor that was unfamiliar to her. Her power flared and danced down her arms and legs. She glanced at Tak and he nodded. He felt it too.

They silently entered the rear of the building and Jurek flicked his eyes to Tak, motioning him to go down the stairs on their left. They walked through the arched doorway at the bottom and Liasare wanted to scream...and would have if she hadn’t been in Jurek’s memory. Bodies were scattered everywhere, butchered beyond recognition. Worse yet, there were monstrous creatures eating the flesh off the bodies. Living humans hung in chains attached to the walls, some of them conscious, others not; some were barely alive. It was obvious some had been tortured, eviscerated and beaten.

One of the creatures looked up at Jurek and Tak and hissed. It had fangs that elongated and when it unfolded itself, it stood nearly seven feet tall. It had appendages on its back resembling wings, yet when folded in, they were completely hidden. Blood and human tissue dangled and dripped from its gruesome mouth and it moved so fast Liasare lost track of it. Jurek and Tak altered forms and destroyed everything in the room, including the humans that were barely alive.

Liasare felt herself shoved out of the murky water and she opened her eyes to see Jurek’s face. She screamed, and tried to run from her room. He pulled her into his embrace and placed his hand on her head allowing his soothing flow of energy to wash over her and ease her panic, leaving her chest heaving for air, but allowing her mind to accept she was safe.

Her hands grabbed fistfuls of his shirt and pulled him close to her, needing to feel his body next to hers. Her gut was knotted up and her body was invaded with a foreign iciness that shook her to its core.

“W-h-h-a-a-t were those th-h-h-in-g-gs?” she stuttered as she shivered.

He nestled her head in his neck, holding it there, saying, “We’re not sure, but we know they are creatures of the Dark.”

“I d-d-on’t u-und-ders-stand.”

“Neither do we. In my five hundred years, I’ve never run across anything like it. Tak has been investigating them but we think the Xanthians, or whoever is controlling them, are breeding them.”

“F-f-f-fuck.”

Jurek lifted his head and saw how pale Liasare’s face had become. “Hell, I didn’t think this would have such a negative effect on you.”

“C-c-c-can’t g-get w-warm.”

The iciness had crawled into her body like a serpent twisting its way around in her that didn’t want to release its grip on her. Jurek picked her up and took her to the bed, placing her upon it. He tugged up the covers and wrapped them around her and put his flow of energy into her. The current raced through her, tingling all of her nerve endings.

“W-whoa, w-what’s th-that?”

“Me ... my energy. I’m trying to warm you up.”

“I-if y-you k-keep that up, y-you’re going to have a d-dif-f-ferent k-kind of w-warm on your h-hands, if you g-get my d-drift.”

“Oh, I get your drift all right,” he said as he rotated his hips into her. She felt the bulge of his erection hit her close to that spot that started to burn, making her gasp.

“D-don’t! N-n-not unless you m-mean it. I d-don’t w-want you to s-start something you r-refuse to f-finish.”

Why does he have to be so damn sexy? His voice, his hands, his body, his hair, his mouth. Can’t there be one thing on him that repels me?

His lips twitched in the beginnings of a smile. She narrowed her eyes at him, realizing he’d read her mind.

“I’m not sorry I heard that. And one day, I would love to have your tongue trace the tattoo on my hip.”

She sucked in her breath on that one.

“Is th-there n-nothing s-sacred around you?” she murmured as she lowered her eyes.

“Fraid not,” he smirked. “But I’m extremely flattered. How can I not be? I’m holding a beautiful woman in my arms who thinks I’m damn sexy and wants to lick my tattoo. Believe me, if you could read my mind, you’d be equally flattered.”

“Do sh-share. It’s only f-fair,” she demanded, looking up at him, still shivering slightly.

He rubbed her lower lip with the pad of his thumb again before answering, his voice low and husky. “I’d like to make you climax again Liasare, but this time with my mouth. Only I’d spend time licking other delicious parts of your body before I made my way to personally pay homage to that special spot of yours.”

Oh holy mother of all mouths! Stop talking and start doing!

Her eyes nearly popped out of her head and she felt her cheeks burn as she immediately turned an undiscovered shade of red. Jurek chuckled and gave her a look that said, “You asked.”

“Okay,” she squeaked, “I wouldn’t say I’m flattered...embarrassed is more like it, among other things. Well, maybe flattered. Shocked, hell, I don’t know what I am. I think we need to change the topic here. Besides, I’ve finally warmed up. I think you’ve just split a few thousand atoms in me.”

“Here,” he asked as he felt her forehead, “or here?” as he slipped his hand between her legs.

“Get out of there. You’re not playing fair!” she said as she slapped at his hand.

“I never said I played fair Liasare and you’d best get used to it,” he breathed as he ran his tongue down her neck. Before she could react, he moved out of the bed and extended a hand to her.

“It’s time to resume your training.”

“Wait! What about the rest of the prophecy and all?”

“You’ve heard and seen enough for today. We’ll talk more about it tomorrow. Now change.”

“Turn around.”

“Why?”

“Because you’ve seen me naked way more than you deserve. And so have your men, especially Tak. Not anymore. There’s a new sheriff in town and she says, ‘no more nudity.’”

“Liasare,” his voice picked up that hypnotic quality and sounded like water gently tripping over stones, “I’m the sheriff here and I always get my way. Change your clothes now and take your time so I can enjoy the view.”

Without another thought or any hesitation, she slipped out of her shorts and cami that she had slept in and stood before him in all her naked glory. He never took his eyes off of her, nor did he blink. He held her clothes in his hands and handed her each item individually, devouring her with his eyes as she donned them. When she was done, he pulled her to him and bent his head into her neck, inhaling her fragrance.

“Are you ready?” he asked, reaching for her hand.

“In more ways than one,” she answered. He was going to cause a meltdown in her one day, of that she was sure.

Chapter Thirteen

“Do we have to listen to this stuff?” Liasare complained. “I hate Trent Reznor.”

“What would you prefer, Mozart, or maybe Justin Beiber?” he mocked.

“You’re kidding, right? He was popular like, what? Fifteen years ago. I was an adolescent. And I never even liked him back then. So what...was he your favorite?” she smirked.

“I think you know the answer to that,” Jurek retorted as he reached for a few weapons hanging on the wall. “I want fighting music Liasare, not cheerleading music. Got it? It’s Nine Inch Nails for today. Get used to it.”

Liasare gave him an obscene gesture behind his back as he pulled some other things off the wall.

“I saw that and you’ll pay for that later.”

Did the man have eyes in the back of his head? What the hell!

He spun around and was on top of her before her mind could register his movements.

“I can hear, see and feel things before you can even begin to understand them Liasare. It would be wise of you to remember that,” he said as he released her.

“You’re really creepy sometimes.”

“You have...”

“No idea,” she mimicked him.

He cocked his head and stared at her and then broke into a hearty laugh. When he could speak again, he began to teach her the art of fencing.

“I still don’t understand how this will help me. Those creatures were super fast...fast like you.”

“Nothing, Liasare, is as fast as I am.”

“Oh, get over yourself already Mr. High and Mighty. The point is, I’ll never be able to out-fence one of these things. I saw how fast they move. I don’t see how these moves will help me.” They had come to a halt in their movements.

“You will have the added protection of your weapons.”

“What if they can’t be killed though? What good will these do?” she asked in total frustration as she raised her epee in the air.

Jurek slammed her into the wall, his body trapping her tightly against it, and he breathed, “Listen to me and don’t be a bloody fool. I’m teaching you this for a reason. The weapons you will be given are made of silver and have been forged using Prasetani energy. They are deadly to any creature. If you so much as wound them, it will buy you precious time, but a stab directly in the heart will kill anything. Decapitation is also highly effective. I am trying to teach you how to use these. Yes, the creatures are faster, but if you wound them enough to slow them down, Liasare, you can then kill them. Do you understand?”

“Why didn’t you just say so in the first place?”

“Because you won’t listen long enough to learn anything, dammit. You’re so bloody stubborn and negative about everything. And you think you know it all. You’ve only learned about these damn creatures a few hours ago and yet you’ve already convinced yourself there’s no hope and there’s no way you can beat them. You won’t fucking listen to me!” He was staring at her as his chest rose and fell with his rapid breathing.

“That was a little harsh, don’t you think?”

“If I had thought that, I wouldn’t have said it. Now light on your feet and lunge. Use your blade when you feint. You can’t injure me. I will heal immediately. If you wound me significantly, I will alter forms. Now come on Liasare. Give me everything you’ve got!”

They kept at it for hours. When Liasare felt like she was about to drop from exhaustion, Jurek would infuse her with his energy, and they would get right back to it. Hours later, he finally let her stop. He flashed them back to her room and ordered them food from the transmuter. He tried to explain how to use it, but she was so tired and hungry, she told him to go to hell.

“Can you just please put your hand on my forehead and give me some of your super mojo? I can’t even think right now.”

He touched her head and that wonderful warmth seeped into her, filling her with exactly what she needed.

“Better?”

“Yeah,” she said as she tore into her dinner. She ate everything she could get her hands on and then some, as Jurek leaned back in his chair and watched her.

“When was the last time you ate?”

“Don’t remember,” she answered between bites.

He let out his breath, saying, “You have to keep better track of that Liasare. You can’t go without food. No wonder you were about to drop.”

She looked up at him as she wiped her mouth with her napkin and raised her brow. “Tell me you’re kidding me? You don’t think the way you repeatedly kicked my ass for hours on end had anything to do with it? Unbelievable. Why are men such morons? I’m taking a shower,” she announced as she headed to the bathroom.

Jurek scratched his head as his eyes followed her. She was complicated to say the least.

***

Jurek, Tak, Marik, Ludo and Naroo sat around the conference table discussing their strategies for returning to Earth and trying to reestablish a new headquarters. Tak was insistent on using Liasare to lure in the Xanthians so they could uncover information that could lead them to the missing humans.

Jurek’s hostility toward this suggestion became more evident when his eyes turned into orbs of onyx and his lips hardened into a thin line. He narrowed his eyes as he looked at Tak and refused to speak about it. Tak’s exasperation pushed him beyond his normal limits and he threw his hands up in the air.

“She’s a fucking liability Jurek! You’re just too damn blind to see it,” Tak said with frustration. “You won’t even consider letting her be used as bait for a trap. You’re not thinking clearly around her. You know you can’t get involved with her. It’s dangerous to us and to her. If you want to fuck her, then fuck her and get it over with. But do it now and send her back. She’s clouding your judgment.”

The room exploded in violent waves as Jurek rose to his feet. The conference table disintegrated, as did the chair he’d been sitting on.

He seethed with violence as he spoke. “I’ve never played this trump card in all our years together, but I’m throwing it down now. You forget yourself Tak. One, you are in my employ at LSE. I am the sole owner of that business as well as Lare-Stell. You can leave any time you like and I can ask you to leave any time I like. Two, I am your Ruler, your Leader. I can order you to shut your fucking mouth whenever and wherever I choose. I will fuck whomever and whenever I choose and you can keep your opinions of Liasare and me to yourself. I make the decisions where she is concerned. Have I made myself clear?”

Tak gave Jurek a single nod but his eyes frosted over, conveying his anger.

“I am charging you with finding a new headquarters for us on Earth. Are you up to the task, or do I need to assign it to another?” Jurek said tightly.

“I will do it.”

“Take Marik, secure the location and outfit it. I want it move-in ready ASAP ... as in yesterday.” Jurek flashed out of the room, leaving the remaining occupants staring at each other.

***

The day had started out badly. Liasare entered the training facility and Jurek barely said a word to her. She tried some light banter, but was only answered with a few grunts here and there. Eventually, she gave up and they trained in silence, except for his remarks about her inadequacies. The tension between them was ridiculous, but she tried to figure out what had put him in such a foul mood. He kept rattling off one instruction after another, like he expected her mind to work like some kind of a Compsys.

“That was sloppy Davidson. Lunge. Again. When I come at you, immediately parry. Then don’t wait for your remise. We are not following the good rules of fencing here. There are no disqualifications. You are fighting for your life and don’t forget it,” Jurek ordered.

She shook her head in frustration because she didn’t even know what the good rules of fencing were. “Stop! All these instructions are making me crazy. Your expectations are way over the top. I don’t have any superpowers. I’m not fast or strong. I’m just a damn stupid human.” Liasare yanked off her mask and protective gear, slung them on the floor and stomped out of the room. She turned left and marched down the corridor, fuming. Five minutes later, after making her way through the winding passageways, she realized she was ridiculously lost. She pictured Jurek having a good laugh at her expense. That notched her anger up even higher.

She heard a popping sound and felt that charge of energy. “Don’t you dare say a word. Not a word Jurek. So help me I’ll smack the crap out of you if you do.” She fisted her hands feeling the urge to punch him.

His ridiculously sexy hands came into view from behind and wrapped around her waist pulling her against him.

Who the hell has sexy hands? What is it with him?

He took one arm and placed his hand on her forehead, immediately defusing her anger and replacing it with a sense of calm. “Better?”

She sighed and nodded.

“I’m glad you think my hands are sexy, but they’re not nearly as sexy as yours,” he purred in her ear. “Someday, I want to feel them all over my body Liasare.” She melted into him.

“Holy fuck! It’s so not fair that you have this effect on me,” frustration rolling off of her.

“Please don’t use such nasty language. Your beautiful mouth wasn’t meant for such ugly words.”

“Why...”

“Stop asking me questions you know I won’t answer and start trusting me. I’m trying to teach you the art of defense. You must understand that when we go back to Earth we go back to fight. As part of our team, you will be in great danger. The Xanthians also have your DNA now and can easily trace you. You are high risk and a target so you must know how to defend yourself. I can sense when you’re in danger, but I’m not willing to take any chances where your life is concerned.”

***

After several weeks of training, even with Jurek’s healing powers, every muscle in her body screamed when she rolled out of bed each morning. She shuddered when she thought how she would have felt without Jurek’s magic mojo. Liasare stretched and hit the transmuter up for some breakfast. One thing about all this training ... it made her eat like a horse. She guzzled down a large glass of OJ, ate two pieces of buttered toast, hash browns, three scrambled eggs and four slices of perfectly cooked bacon.

Swallowing that last bit of crispy bacon, she slipped into her workout clothes, which were form fitting shorts and a sleeveless shirt that emphasized every bump and curve on her body, and headed to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. Knowing Jurek derived great pleasure in her workout wardrobe, if she had the means, she wished she could show up in the indecent outfit Tak had given her that day. Liasare also wished she could get rid of some of her bumps and curves, but whatever.

It had taken her awhile, but she finally figured out how to get from her quarters to the training facility. This place was confusing as hell. She took an elevator that didn’t just go up and down, it went backwards, forwards and sideways. She was so discombobulated when she got off the damn thing, she could never figure out if she had to go left or right. After days of wandering around in no man’s land, she began trail blazing. Wrapping elastic hair ties everywhere, she was finally able to find her way around.

What she didn’t know was that Tak and Jurek found out about this and early this morning, they changed the location of all her hair ties. They were spying on her as she wandered around, and unbeknown to her, she was walking around in a large circle. Everything looked the same on the space station...white, white and more white. There were no signs anywhere...well, none that she could read. There were symbols everywhere, similar to the tattoos that Jurek bore on his arms and that sexy one on his hip. Her mind drifted to that work of art and its location and how she wanted to run her fingers across it.

Whoa ... where the hell am I? I should have been there by now!

Liasare turned around and backtracked, but dammit all, everything looked the same to her. She wondered why these Praestani had such a penchant for white and monotony. She felt like taking some spray paint and livening up this place.

Tak and Jurek were howling as they watched her. “Do you think we need to rescue her,” Tak asked.

“I suppose that would be the nice thing to do,” Jurek laughed.

“She has provided us with some badly needed amusement, hasn’t she?”

“And no doubt we will pay for it later.”

Liasare stood there, trying to decide what her next move would be. She was damned if she’d call out to Jurek. As her bad luck would have it, she looked up to see Tak approaching her.

“Hey there Brownie. What are you doing all the way over here?”

“Oh, I thought I would go for a stroll. What the hell does it look like?” she snapped.

“You’re late, and the lord of the manor is not happy.”

“The lord of the manor can kiss my ass. Do you Praestani not believe in any color besides white?”

“What do you mean?” Tak wondered, truly puzzled by her odd question.

“Open your eyes, fool. Every-fucking-thing is white. Is that the only paint choice you have where you hail from?”

Tak burst out in laughter and didn’t stop for a long time.

They entered the training facility and Jurek raised his brows at Tak.

“Brownie was asking if we had other colors on Praestan.”

“What?”

“Everything here is white. White walls, white furniture, white clothing. I could stand next to the wall and you wouldn’t even notice me.”

“Oh, I would definitely notice you Liasare,” Jurek said in a throaty whisper.

Liasare’s stomach immediately turned into a handful of twisted knots. Okay, change of subject here.

“Sorry I’m late. I got a tad lost.”

“You’re fighting Tak today. Gear up,” Jurek said curtly.

Hmmm, insta-change-a-mood, she thought.

She looked at Jurek beneath her lashes and saw him staring intently at her. Her cheeks grew hot as she flushed and she could barely tear her eyes away from him. She sighed deeply as she put on her protective gear.

Jurek instructed her every move while she fought Tak. As the day progressed, so did her technique. Immensely. Her improvement was so great, he commented on it at the end of the day, surprising her.

“I think you want to hurt Tak. You fight him like a warrior. Excellent job Liasare. Meet us in the dining facility in one hour for dinner tonight. We discuss our return to Earth.”

They both popped out of the room, leaving her standing there, her mouth forming a huge O.

Chapter Fourteen

Dining facility? Return to Earth? WTF!

Liasare fumbled her way back to her room. It took her quite a while to get there, having to stop and ask directions several times. That left her little time to get ready so she took a brief shower and hurriedly dressed in a pair of white (no surprise there) form fitting pants with a matching long sleeved shirt. Then she wondered how the heck she was supposed to get to the dining facility, wherever that might be. About that time, her viewing platform lit up and Naroo’s face appeared.

“My lady...”

“Ahhh,” Liasare screamed as she spun around. “Crap Naroo, you scared me to death!”

“Forgive me, my lady. My intent was not to frighten you. I wanted to ask if you were ready. I was told to escort you to the dining facility.”

“Yes,” Liasare sighed, her heart pounding a million beats a second. “Thanks, I think.”

She heard a pop and there stood Naroo.

“Why didn’t someone tell me that window could do that?”

“I apologize, my lady. I suppose we all forgot,” Naroo said, bowing. She was dressed in a white flowing robe that tied at the waist.

“Whew, you really scared the crap out of me. And Naroo, please call me Liasare.” Liasare rubbed her chest as she spoke.

“Oh, that I can’t do, my lady. As a guest of my lord Jurek, I must address you appropriately.”

“May I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Why do you call Jurek, ‘My lord?’”

“Because that is what he is. He is our lord and ruler.”

“Oh.” This really puzzled Liasare. Lord and ruler of what, she wondered? “May I ask you something else?” Naroo nodded. “Why is everything white?”

“White is the color of power and Praestani equates it to power. It is Light or the opposite of Dark. It is the true meaning of our species my lady.” Naroo’s beautiful eyes were wide and glowing when she spoke and her lips had curved into a soft smile, making her even more beautiful. Liasare decided she liked this woman very much.

“Thank you for sharing that Naroo. Please don’t think I’m hitting on you or anything, but you are very beautiful. I’ve never met a woman without hair and you are the loveliest thing I’ve ever seen. You’re tattoos are amazing.”

Naroo face flushed. “Why, thank you my lady. The Praestani women have no hair. Some hate it but I don’t mind it. Less time in the shower I say,” she laughed. Liasare joined her in laughter.

“Okay, this is going to sound really strange but I find myself drawn to you. As in friendship. I’ve never had a girlfriend before. When I was young, all the kids made fun of me because I’d been in an accident that left me covered in horrible scars. So I never hung out with any of them. Anyway, I hope you don’t think I’m geeky or anything,” Liasare ended, as she reached for Naroo’s hand and gave it a slight squeeze.

“What happened to your scars, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Oh, Jurek healed me,” Liasare informed her.

Naroo’s eyes widened. “My lady, this is true?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“My lord Jurek normally doesn’t heal humans. You must be special to him indeed.”

Liasare’s heart tripped at Naroo’s words. The simple thought of that man did strange things to her body. “I don’t think so. I think he barely tolerates me.”

“You don’t truly believe that. Your mind is telling me quite a different story. My lord Jurek is a difficult man, yes, but a great man, to be sure. My lady, he will guard you and protect you. This I can say with certainty.”

Liasare grabbed Naroo’s arms. “Why? Why does he do this?”

“Who is to say? He has his reasons. Come, we must go before we are late.”

***

When they entered the dining hall, all the men were already seated. Jurek sat at the head of the table, with Tak to his left. Sitting next to Tak was Ludo. Across from Ludo was Marik. There was an empty seat that was suspiciously empty on Jurek’s right. His eyes motioned to Liasare to have a seat there. Naroo sat at the end opposite from Jurek.

Liasare eyed Jurek as she took her seat. He was dressed entirely in black, which contrasted with the lightness of his lavender eyes.

The men were drinking some sort of golden liquid and Jurek reached to fill Liasare’s glass. She watched the muscles of his shoulders shift as his shirt stretched across them when he poured the liquid into her glass. She briefly wondered if he dressed like this to entice her, or if wore tight shirts just to emphasize his beautiful physique.

“Go easy on this. It’s Praestani wine. It’s much more potent than what you’re used to.”

Liasare took a sip and the wine slid down her throat with ease. It was the most delicious wine she had ever tasted.

“This is wonderful!” she exclaimed. Jurek lips curved into a sexy smile that she would have liked to stare at all night, except Tak interrupted her thoughts.

“So Brownie likes our wine, does she?”

“Yes, she does. Are you going to be pleasant tonight Tak or are you going to be a big pain in my ass?”

The others at the table chuckled, but Jurek reached over and grabbed Liasare’s hand and asked, “I would ask that you both behave tonight. We have some important matters that need to be discussed.” He leaned back in his chair, but failed to release her hand.

“So, what’s on the agenda?” Liasare asked.

“We will go back to Earth in two weeks time. Tak and Marik have found us new headquarters and are nearly done outfitting them. Then we need to continue our work. Marik has some information you may have some interest in Liasare.”

Liasare’s eyes swung to Marik. Generally the quiet one, he wasn’t comfortable speaking in front of the group. Possessing the same dark hair, lavender eyes and tattoos on his arms, his facial features were harsher, giving him a more frightening appearance.

“I have more information on the Xanthian minions. The warehouse your brother used as an address is where some of them live. There are others just like it dotted across the city. The Xanthians use the minions for their dirty work. They take orders and are expendable. We’ve tracked some of them through their DNA and they match some of the missing persons that have been reported. The problem is that there are so many missing now, it would be virtually impossible to track every single person. What we want to do is use you to help us find your brother so we can bring him in for questioning. If that fails, then we will need to employ our mind reading capabilities.”

Tightening his hold on her hand Jurek leaned forward and asked, “Are you up to this task Liasare? This would mean another confrontation. You will have to put your feelings aside and deal with him as you would someone you had no connection to. Can you do this?”

Without pausing to think, she instantly answered, “Yes. Absolutely. I want to know what’s going on and I want to help in any way I can. I definitely want to help Thomas. So yes, count me in.” She looked around the table to see them all, except for Jurek, regarding her skeptically.

Tak eyed her for a moment and then said, “No fuck-ups this time Brownie. That last one set us back big time. I don’t care if you come face to face with that POS brother of yours a dozen times. No reaction. Got it? Or I’ll personally kick your ass back to Vesturon. Are we clear?”

“Yes, I hear you loud and clear asshat. And for the record, my brother is not a piece of shit. You got that? Something’s going on. I know it. Thomas wouldn’t do this because he wanted to become a Xanthian. You don’t know him like I do.”

When she finished, her hands were trembling. Jurek took her chin in his hand, turning her head toward him. He lowered his voice to almost a whisper. As usual, it sent shivers down her spine. “Tak’s right Liasare. We can’t afford any more mishaps. If you don’t think you can handle this, let us know tonight. I do not judge. I only seek to move this mission forward.” He was lightly drawing circles on the inside of her wrist with his thumb, making it difficult to concentrate.

“Look at me Liasare.” She knew he was using his Praestani mojo on her because her will fled and she did as he commanded. “Are you able to assist us without becoming emotionally entangled?”

“I am. I swear I won’t mess things up.” She felt his power flee as he released her.

“Good. Tak, what are our plans?”

“Excuse me...are we going to eat soon. I’m starving,” Liasare interrupted.

“Humans,” Tak said under his breath.

Liasare flipped him off and Marik laughed.

Jurek snapped his fingers and servers surrounded the table with platters of food. Some of it smelled delicious and then there were things that, well, smelled a bit sketchy to Liasare.

Jurek picked up Liasare’s plate and filled it with all sorts of things.

“Hey, what is that stuff?” she wanted to know.

“Things you will like. One day, you will learn to trust me,” he informed her.

She eyed the food suspiciously, but she was so ravenous, she tried the first bite and it was so tasty her plate was wiped clean before she was aware of it.

“Brownie eats like a pig,” Tak announced.

They all gaped at her as her face flamed. “I, er, I was really hungry. I’m sorry. I usually have better manners,” she stammered. Jurek was leaning back in his chair, eyeing her. The others were staring at her. None of them had even taken the first bite.

“Liasare, come here.”

“Why? I’m right next to you.” She wondered where he was going with this.

“No, come here.” There it was, that hypnotic voice again. He angled his chair and patted his lap.

As much as she didn’t want to, she was helpless to avoid it. Her legs pushed the chair out as she stood and moved in front of him. He turned her around and pulled her onto his lap.

“I want to feed you.”

“What? No!” She struggled to get up but he held her firmly, wrapping his arms around her.

Whispering in her ear, he murmured, “I can make you Liasare. Be still for me.”

Her stomach turned into a wad of knots and she swallowed as her throat suddenly became dry as a bone. “May I have a sip of wine?” her voice quivering.

Placing her glass at her lips, he tilted it and she swallowed, feeling the contents slipping down her throat. “Better?” She nodded.

He brought a forkful of food to her mouth, and she automatically opened it and he placed it inside. As she chewed, he began to trace the circles on her wrist once again. It was becoming increasingly difficult to swallow. Her desire for him was growing to an inferno of epic proportions. She squirmed on his lap, feeling the heat intensify in her belly and move between her legs. She reached out for her wine glass, but he stopped her with his hand.

He brought her glass to her lips and she emptied the glass. She felt his chest rumble. “I’m no longer hungry,” she declared.

“Oh, I would disagree,” Jurek said. “I would say you’re starved.” She looked at him with raised brows when his full lips curved into a smile. His meaning hit her full on and she turned a bright shade of pink. “Blushing becomes you Liasare.”

“Um, yeah. This is a tad embarrassing Jurek. Can you choose to humiliate me some place private?” She lowered her eyes and clenched her fists. She’d never felt this embarrassed before. Well, maybe that time she was naked and Tak and Marik saw her, but that was an emergency. Jurek was doing this on purpose, in front of an audience, and to her surprise, it truly hurt. She was helpless where he was concerned, in every possible way. There was nothing fair about this.

She felt the vibrations and heard the scraping of Jurek’s chair sliding back and then his voice boomed, “Tak, make our final plans for our return to Earth. Inform me tomorrow. Marik, keep tabs on the numbers of disappearances and update the databases. Ludo, you are in charge of the next mission to intercept Xanthian weapons. Keep me abreast. Naroo, keep Lare-Stell running in the perfect order you always do. Good night.”

He lifted Liasare in his arms, strode out of the room, and flashed to his quarters. They were a much larger version of hers, but also contained an entire security station. He set her down and she walked around, not trusting herself to speak.

“You are angry with me.”

She turned on him and threw a punch at him. “No Jurek, I am beyond angry. I’m furious. I’m livid. I want to hit you again.”

“Go ahead. Hit me all you want.”

And she did...four more times to be exact. She flew at him, knocking him down. She landed on top of him and landed a blow to his chin and solar plexus. Naturally, they did absolutely nothing, but allowed her to burn steam. When she finished, she was breathing hard, and straddling him.

“You’re impossible...an arrogant ass...you intentionally made a fool out of me and that hurts. Worst of all, I can’t fight you back. You are SO goddamn unfair. I fucking hate you!”

He grabbed her hands then and clasped them tightly in his. “No, you don’t. You only wish you did. There is a fine line between love and hate Liasare, and sometimes it’s easy to confuse the two.”

“Wait! Are you telling me that I love you? Because I hate to inform you, Mr. High and Mightyship, you’re sadly mistaken. You play with me like I’m a fucking toy. You treat me like a piece of shit...something for your amusement, to humiliate in front of your friends. And you think I love you? I want to fuck you Jurek. There’s a big difference. Figure it out.”

She stood up and said, “Take me back to my room. There’s something distasteful here that I need to get away from.”

Violence rolled off of him in waves and hit her with the force of a jolt of electricity. Everything in his room began to vibrate.

In an instant, he was standing in front of her. “I don’t treat you like a fucking toy nor did I make a fool out of you. I saved you from making a bigger fool out of yourself. All of them watched you wolf down your food. It is not proper to eat like that ... it is not the Praestani custom to eat in front of others so you were insulting them. Didn’t you notice everyone staring at you? I suppose you didn’t, since you were only focused on shoveling your food into your mouth. I made an exception for us to dine together tonight, but then you ate like a barbarian. I put you on my lap to save face ... your own. To sit with me is an honor and for me to feed you is an even bigger one. Don’t you realize that to feed someone is one of the most caring and affectionate things you can do for them? Think about it Liasare! Children can’t survive without being fed ... they are totally dependent on others. I was honoring you, not humiliating you. You don’t understand our customs so don’t you dare pass judgment on me like that. Now it is you being unfair. And for your information, if I had wanted to, I could have fucked you dozens of times already. You of all people know that to be the truth. I have chosen not to, because I hold you in higher regard than a mere fuck.”

Liasare winced, staring at him, speechless. Now she was humiliated for a completely different reason. She bowed her head and wondered how she could have made such a mess of things again.

Rubbing the back of her neck, she looked at the floor saying, “Once again I seemed to have made a huge mess of things. Why don’t you ever tell me any of these things?” The back of her throat tightened and her eyes burned with unshed tears. No one, except her brother, had ever done much for her. Jurek had gone out of his way on several occasions to help her, even saved her life, and she still hadn’t given him her complete trust. She was a bloody idiot. She walked to the door to leave but then realized she didn’t know how to get back to her quarters. What did it really matter though? She knew he wouldn’t want her around, and who could blame him?

“It seems like I’m always making such an ass and a fool out of myself.” She shook her head, as if to get rid of the awful stuff swirling around in it. Then she walked out the door.

Walking down one passageway after another, she passed things that all looked the same. Liasare had to stop a few times because the tears that had threatened to spill finally had their way, and took over, blinding and choking her. She sat down in a small recessed doorway, hoping no one would see her. Hugging her knees to her chest, she sobbed. What the hell had gone wrong? Just about everything. She’d never learned to trust anyone, except her brother. With good reason, she thought. When you never had any friends because all the kids made fun of you, who were you supposed to trust? She never learned how.

She was going to have to learn and fast, she decided, if she was going to survive in this new world.

She heard that familiar pop, felt the rush of energy and opened her eyes to see a hand in front of her face. She looked up to see Jurek.

“Come, I’ll take you back to your quarters.”

She gave him a pitiful watery smile and said, “Great exit, huh? I couldn’t even make it back to my room without getting lost.”

The corners of his mouth lifted and he said, “You’ll figure it out Liasare. Lare-Stell can be quite confusing.”

“Do you think? I should like to think I will.” She wasn’t thinking about Lare-Stell. She was thinking about him. She was desperately trying to figure him out at every turn and failing miserably. It seemed to her that the harder she tried, the more lost she became and the worst she failed.

“You will.”

They reached her quarters and unable to stop himself, he drew her inside and into his arms. His lips found hers and she melted into him. Her arms went around his neck as she pulled him closer. He tangled his fingers in her hair and lifted her in his arms, deepening the kiss. His tongue traced her lower lip and he pulled it in between his lips and nibbled on it as she moaned. He gently coaxed her tongue to slowly dance with his, as his thumbs curved over her tense jaw, willing it to relax. Liasare never tasted anything so exotic as Jurek. If his smell enticed her, his kiss did so even more.

“You are like no other Liasare,” he whispered into her mouth.

“Don’t stop kissing me Jurek. I know what you said back there but I don’t want you to stop. Please don’t stop. I’m sorry for all the stuff I said back there.”

He backed them into her bed and they tumbled down upon it. He kissed her again and pressed himself into her. She felt the length of his erection as he rotated his hips into her. She moaned into his mouth as she ran her hand beneath his shirt, tracing the planes of his muscles. She straddled him as she kissed him, but sat up to pull her shirt over her head.

Jurek placed his hands on her, but she stopped him, tugging at his shirt. “Take your shirt off Jurek. I need to touch you.” It wasn’t a request, but a command.

He sat up and his shirt was off so swiftly, Liasare hardly saw him do it. He smiled at her reaction as they faced each other. Glancing down at his chest, she placed her hands where her gaze had been, feeling his strength beneath her fingers as they grazed along his smooth tawny skin. He reached out and cupped her breast in his hand, rolling her firm peak between his fingers until she moaned.

“I’m going to make you come for me.” As he moved his hands over her breasts, she felt the energy flowing out of him and into her and her hardened buds responded by sending waves of pleasure pulsating throughout her body. Her nerve endings suddenly fired and the feelings began to intensify, like they did the first time with him. Her breasts tingled, but the sensations went directly to her core, heating her up, building and then fracturing into a million pieces, sending impulses shooting along every nerve ending in her body. She screamed his name as she came, squeezing his shoulders. When the sensations subsided, she pulled him to her and kissed him, invading his mouth with her tongue. Then she pushed him back down on the bed and began a journey with her tongue on his body, ending at the tattoo on his hip. Touching it lightly with her fingers, she followed its lines with her tongue; then she was sucking it with her lips and finally, nibbling it with her teeth, and as she did, Jurek’s moans were like a symphony to her.

When she moved to unzip his pants, he put his hands on hers, stopping her. He pulled her up next to him and held her.

“No.”

“Please Jurek. I don’t want to stop.” She cupped his cheek.

“Neither do I, but we must,” he insisted.

“It’s not like you’re forcing me. I want this Jurek.”

He smiled, “As do I. But there’s much more to consider than what we want.”

“More riddles. This is so frustrating,” she groaned.

He rolled on his side and grinned, “Be glad you’re not in my pants right now.”

“But I’d love get in your pants right now. That’s exactly where I want to be.”

He roared with laughter. “And I’d love for you to be in my pants.”

“Then tell me why you keep shutting me down.”

“Liasare, you and I are connected, somehow. That’s the piece of the puzzle I haven’t quite figured out yet. We can’t just...hmm...for lack of a better term, we can’t just have sex and move on. It doesn’t work that way. Not when there’s a connection. Especially when one considers the prophecy.”

“So it’s not me.”

“No, it is you. That’s exactly it.”

“That’s not what I meant. I meant ... well, you want me, right?” She suddenly felt awkward and self-conscious asking him that. Her eyes dropped to her hands as she twisted them together.

“Give me your hand, love.” He took her hand and placed it gently on the front of his pants. She could feel his arousal beneath her fingers and there was no denying that she affected him just as much and he did her. “Do you seriously think I would be in this condition, which by the way is very uncomfortable, if I didn’t want you? Damn Liasare, I want you every waking moment, with every fucking breath I take. When we’re fighting, arguing, eating, talking, breathing. My body vibrates for you. It’s painful. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone or anything. Promise me something Liasare.”

“What?” she asked, picking up his hand and tracing the lines of the tattoos on his arm with her thumb.

“Promise me you’ll be patient and I promise you it will be worth the wait.”

“I’ll hold you to that Mister,” she smiled, leaning in to kiss him.

“Sleep with me tonight. In my quarters, wearing nothing.”

“Can you stand it?” she asked, rolling on top of him.

“Probably not. Call it self-torture, but I want you naked, in my bed.”

“Okay...” before she could finish the sentence, Jurek flashed them to his quarters, to his bed. “Oh, you think you’re really cool, don’t you?”

He gave her that look and said, “Nope, I know I’m cool!”

Chapter Fifteen

Four days later, Liasare made her way to the training facility, but was intercepted by Naroo, who gave her a message from Jurek. He had been called away and wouldn’t be there, but he would return as soon as he could. That was all the message said.

Naroo told Liasare she had access to anything she wanted, including Jurek’s quarters. Liasare figured she would work on strength training as usual and then perhaps read a book later on.

Pushing herself to the limits, she forgot what it was like not to have Jurek’s special mojo around. Her muscles screamed obscenities at her and as she hobbled back to her quarters. Grabbing a few items, she tapped the window and asked to speak to Naroo. Naroo’s face popped on the screen and Liasare asked her for some assistance in finding Jurek’s quarters.

Once there, Liasare hopped in the shower. It was odd how she missed him. When she stepped in his bathroom, just seeing his belongings brought her comfort. She liked the technology on Lare-Stell, which included the awesome showers. They had built in dryers that dried the body as well as the hair. It saved so much time that she wondered if Jurek could bring one of these to Earth when they went back.

She quickly pulled on a pair of comfy pants and shirt and headed for the seat by the viewing platform. On her way there, she picked up her reading device, as she planned to relax and finish the book she’d been working on for a while. Her eyes kept wandering to the stars in the distance, distracting her with their sparkling beauty. Tommy always told her she would love space travel if she ever had the opportunity to try it. He was right. She could barely pull her eyes off the view and back to her book. Soon, she relaxed and felt her eyes closing.

***

Jurek’s emotions were out of control. He’d been called away to Vesturon to assist a close friend, but instead he’d been dealt the worst kind of blow he’d ever received, one so fierce he felt his heart had been wrenched from his chest. He never thought Liasare could have deceived him, and as effectively as she had. He’d been forced to pretend it all was fine, for he didn’t want to give his feelings away to his friend, but all the while he was dying inside. Then the pain of realizing what she’d done, turned to anger. He seethed inside, feeling the heat build to a blaze within his core. He needed to get back to Lare-Stell before he had a meltdown, so he’d made some flimsy excuse about his behavior after making a promise to his friend and quickly got the hell out of there.

Vacillating between anguish and rage, he was a roller coaster of emotions. He kept flexing his fists, but the urge to punch something finally overruled and that’s how he ended up in the training facility. He didn’t even bother to put on the gloves, but went after the punching bag with everything he had. When there was nothing left to the bag but the rope from which it had hung, he still felt the need to let off more steam. He couldn’t understand why she made him feel this way. Or could he? Was he hiding from the truth? Did he not want to face it, because he was afraid of opening himself up to her, or was it because he was afraid of rejection? The confrontation wasn’t going to be pretty, but he knew he needed to get it over with. He headed to the locker room, showered and changed before making his way to his quarters. His belly churned and his muscles tensed at the thought of what was to come.

Jurek entered his quarters and saw her sleeping at the platform. He was angry with her, very angry, but he couldn’t pull his eyes away from her as she slumbered. She had such a softness about her when she slept...he loved to gaze at her then. There was no worry or anger or sadness about her. He released a sigh, contemplating how he would handle this. Talk about complications. What he learned today just threw another damn monkey wrench into the fucking cogwheel.

Feeling his anger surge again, Jurek slammed his fist into his palm. The noise awakened Liasare.

“What’s happened?” she asked, startled.

Rubbing his jaw, he gave her a hard look before responding.

“I almost don’t know where to begin, Sarah Liana St. Davis.”

She sucked in her breath and her face drained of color upon hearing her birth name roll off his tongue.

“I’ll ask you this one time and I’ll know if you lie. Why did you use an alias with me?” His eyes drilled into hers.

She knew she had to be completely honest here or she was toast. Her voice quaked as she answered, “When I decided to come and search for my brother, I did it without my family’s knowledge. My sister is married to someone very high up on Vesturon. They wouldn’t tell me anything. The Guardians wouldn’t tell me anything. I finally found someone who discovered that all of my brother’s records had been wiped out. Someone is hiding something and my sister and her husband’s family has to know. So I had to assume an alias. I also did it for protection and so they couldn’t find me. And I know this is kind of trite, but I always hated my birth name, I really like my new name.” She bowed her head before she continued, “After I met you, I knew I could never go back to being Sarah. When you say, ‘Liasare,’ it sounds so sexy and does something magical to me.”

“Dammit Liasare, don’t you dare change the subject!”

“I’m not! You asked for the truth and I’m giving it to you,” her voice cracking. He looked into her eyes for any untruths, but could find none. His mind searched hers, but could only find honesty.

He let out his breath before he asked, “How high up on Vesturon is your family? And don’t lie.”

“Not my family. My sister’s...”

“Answer the question, dammit!”

“The top banana! The Yarristers! I’m sure you’ve heard of them. Everyone has.”

“Give me your hand,” he said through gritted teeth. She placed her hand in his and they popped into another room on Lare-Stell. It was a huge suite containing several rooms. One was filled with a baby crib, and two other beds. Pictures were scattered everywhere and Jurek pulled Liasare closer so she could see them. She gasped when she recognized her sister, brother-in-law, Jurek and her nieces and nephews.

“What is this?” she turned to him asking.

“These are January’s quarters. Rykerian comes sometimes too. That’s where I’ve been today. Vesturon. She called to me. She’s been worried about you because you left without telling anyone. Then she showed me your picture, so I could assist in your search. And what do you know? Little sister is Liasare! Fuck it all! How do you think I felt when I found out you’ve been lying to me from the start?”

He grabbed her arm and they flashed back to his quarters.

“Don’t worry little girl. Your secret is safe. I told her you were with me. You can imagine her shock. I’ve smoothed things over, but I was shocked as hell, when I found out I had been deceived...by you.”

“You know January? And Rykerian? How?” Liasare was shocked too, and confused as hell.

“That’s a long story and I’m asking the questions here. Remember on Earth when I told you I wanted the truth? Why didn’t you give it to me?”

“Because I was protecting myself. If they had found out I was here, the person that helped me get here would also be in deep shit. I was protecting him too. They also would have stormed Earth to find me and take me home.”

“Is he your lover?” His eyes were deadly now and his mouth was nothing but a thin line.

“What? No! Not that it’s any of your business,” she fumed.

“Oh, that’s where you’re so very wrong Liasare. Everything about you is my business,” Jurek taunted, his voice edged in steel. “You would be wise to remember that.”

“Yes Master.”

Moving quicker than lightening, he unleashed part of his power as he latched onto her arm, causing a jolt of pain to explode up her arm.

“Aww,” she screamed, “Let me go! You’re hurting me!”

“Not until you agree, no more lies or omissions of truth between us.”

“O-Okay! Please stop,” she whimpered, agreeing to anything to get rid of the pain. He released her and she dropped to her hands and knees, moaning. The pain resonated up her arm and she rubbed it, trying to ease the sensation. Instead of abating, it worsened, moving from her arm to the rest of her body. She fell to her side with a wail and pulled her legs to her chest, trying to breathe. Then the seizures began. Soon she was writhing in agony. Jurek looked on and was immediately sickened by his actions.

“Dammit,” he said reaching for her. Her eyes were nearly rolling back in her head by this time and he pulled her into his arms, placing his hand on her head. Initially, there was no response, but then the calm invaded her senses and took away the effects of his power. She was still panting when suddenly she rolled to the side and threw up violently, several times. He ran his hand along her face and neck, trying to continue to sooth her. Placing her on his bed, he went to the bathroom and came back with a damp cloth to clean her face.

He wiped her cheeks and mouth and kept running his hands from her face to her forehead, continuing to calm her. He knew he was going to face a fierce storm, but dammit, he was pissed. He felt great remorse, when her lovely hazel eyes looked at him accusingly, and she rolled away from him and lay on her side, unspeaking.

He stood next to the bed and began, “You may not want to hear this story right now, but I will tell it nonetheless. About nineteen years ago, my father and half-sister were taken prisoner by the Xanthians. The Xanthians wanted me to do something--something I’ve regretted and will regret for the rest of my life--in return for their lives. I agreed. I did what they asked but the Xanthians reneged. I came to the Guardians for help because they were the only ones who had been successful in breaking someone out of the Xanthian prison. I knew how airtight the prison was because I designed the security for it myself. At first they wouldn’t agree so I sort of kidnapped January in order to get them to do what I wanted. I knew it was underhanded and I was an asshole, but they finally agreed. My father was killed saving my sister. In retrospect, I should have backed away from the whole thing, but I was doing the family love and duty thing. Thing is, my father never gave a shit about me and my sister is the most selfish thing alive.” He laughed derisively. “Anyway, during this whole process, January and I made this connection. Not as in lovers, but as in brother-sister. We are still extremely close, but neither of us could figure out why. The answer has become abundantly clear to me now. It’s you Liasare. You are what binds us. Rykerian hates me. Well, not so much anymore, but he did at first. I’m close to Xarrid, but the other Yarristers are luke-warm. I gave January away at her wedding and I love her more than I’ll ever love my own sister. I was there at the birth of all her children. So now you know the story.” He paused for a minute and looked at her back, waiting for her to speak. “I am so angry with you right now I don’t know what to do.”

She moved slightly and said, “I never knew all of that. Why does January never speak of you?” she sniffed.

“I’ve asked her to keep our existence a secret. None of the Yarristers speak of us. It is the Praestani way. I will ask the same of you.”

“Why did you unleash your power on me? I thought I was going to die. You hurt me Jurek. You know what your power does to me yet you still did it,” she said as she dissolved into tears once more. The truth was her heart hurt more than her body did, for when he purposely injured her, the knife that wounded her spirit hurt far worse than any physical pain she felt.

He placed his hand on her back and began to rub a pattern of circles on it. “I will never let you die. I will always be there to save you, do you hear me? But dammit, I was so angry with you. I wanted your commitment not to lie and I wanted to punish you for lying to me.”

“You can’t punish me Jurek. I’m not your child. And I only lied to protect my friend and myself. I didn’t want him to lose his position with the Guardians for helping me. I haven’t lied to you for any other reason.” She swiped the back of her hand across her face, trying to wipe the tears away.

“I promised January and Rykerian I would keep you safe. Now I am doubting my plans to allow you to go back to Earth.”

Liasare looked at Jurek and he knew there would be resistance here. “You don’t seriously think you can keep me here now, do you?”

“I suppose not. I’m sure you would make Naroo’s life a living hell.” Liasare mentally agreed with him.

She wondered if her sister suspected anything was going on between Jurek and her. She herself wondered if anything was going on between the two of them. After tonight, she wasn’t sure.

“You don’t honestly think that do you?”

“Please don’t do that. I hate it when you read my mind. It puts me at an unfair advantage. My life is so full of them right now where you’re concerned, can’t you just concede to me this one thing?” Liasare was so frustrated right now.

“Unfair? Do you think you’ve been fair with me? You don’t trust me and you lie to me? How fair does that sound to you?”

She knew he was holding back his anger; she could sense it right beneath the surface, trying to burst forth.

“You have all those powers and I have nothing. I can never win against you. Even a simple touch from you can destroy me.”

He nodded once to her, “You make a fair point Liasare. But why do you think it’s me versus you? Why can’t you look at it as a joint venture? As a team? If you go back to Earth with us, you must work as a team. If you don’t trust us, you better bloody damn well act like you do, or all bets are off. Do you understand? And so help me, if you ever lie to me again, you’d better run for your life!”

Liasare thought for a moment. What were her real options? She couldn’t stay here; she’d feel trapped like an animal. At least on Earth, though small, she’d feel she was making some contribution. Jurek’s behavior did freak her out. His power freaked her out. She wished he would spill it all and get it out in the open, but from the looks of things, her super powered revved up alien wasn’t in any kind of hurry to share his innermost thoughts or his background. Well, suck it up she would. She hated herself for caving into him, but as long as she could wheedle out one of those amazing orgasms from him, maybe she could be happy...a little. Who was she kidding? She wanted the real thing...and soon. She wondered if it were possible to get him drunk and seduce him.

Her eyes must have betrayed her because next thing she knew, his face was next to hers and that damn sexy voice of his was whispering to her that she needed to clear her head of such naughty thoughts. Busted!

“You naughty girl. Get your head out of the gutter, sweetheart. You have one week to hone your skills. It’ll be with me because Tak’s already left for Earth. Be prepared, love for a tough daily workout. Now, you can sleep with me, if you’d still like, or you can return to your room. I want you here with me, but after everything you’ve been through, I understand if you want some privacy.”

She cocked her head at him and said, “Privacy my ass! I want a full on body massage with your super duper mojo and then right before lights out, you’re going to make me come once more. After that, I’m going to sleep and you’re going to lie awake a very frustrated man!”

He looked at her intently for a minute, and then in a flash, he was gone.

***

She’s going to be the death of me yet!

He had to get away from her...the sooner the better. He was ready to drop to his knees and profess his love for her. What the hell was he thinking? He couldn’t afford to do that now. That could put her in serious danger. He was no fool. He could tell how she felt about him and the last thing he wanted was to exploit those feelings. His emotions were so tangled up in her right now he was losing his steely control he always prided himself in.

How can one woman be capable of bringing me to my knees like Liasare does? Christ, I look at her and I fall apart at the seams. And then I’m such a shit; I go and zap her with my fucking power. The look in her eyes made me want to die. The only person in the universe that means something to me and there I go acting like a dick and actually hurt her...physically hurt her. I should be strung up by my balls for that. I should be worshipping her and what do I do instead? I cause her pain.

He was so disgusted with himself he found himself in a bathroom, becoming violently ill over what he had done to her.

Chapter Sixteen

Liasare was surprised to find herself alone in Jurek’s bed in the morning. She fully expected him to be there. He must still be totally pissed at her.

“Oh hell no! Shandro!” she suddenly screamed.

If January and Rykerian knew she was on Earth, it wouldn’t take them long to put two and two together and figure out how she got there.

She flew out of bed and headed out the door when she realized she was butt ass naked.

“Crap! Jurek, get in here!” she shouted.

No response.

“Jurek! I need you now. Please! Help me! Jurek!”

Still nothing. On to plan B. She needed to get dressed. She quickly pulled on what she was wearing last night and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth. Since there was only one toothbrush, she grabbed it and went to town on her pearly whites. Dashing to the transmuter, she ordered up a ginormous cup of coffee and headed out the door. She was clueless to where she was headed, but she had to find someone that could help her communicate with Shandro. She had to warn him.

“Jurek,” she called out periodically. Finally, someone told her he was not on Lare-Stell.

“Is Tak around?”

“No, my lady. He is gone as well.”

“Shit,” she muttered to herself. “What about Naroo. Is she here?”

“Yes, my lady. May I tell her why you’re seeking her?”

“Yes.” Before he could even move, Liasare shouted, “Naroo! Help me!”

Naroo flashed before her.

“My lady, Liasare. Is there something wrong?”

“Yes. I need your help. I must contact someone on Vesturon. How can I do that?”

“That’s not possible. We only contact others through our use of telepathy from Lare-Stell Base. It’s for security reasons.”

“Damn! Holy moly mother of all! Triple crap!” Liasare shouted as she slammed her fist into the wall. “Bloody hell,” she yelped as she grabbed her hand, bending forward. “Ah, fucking A. I think I broke my damn hand.”

She fell to her knees at about the same time she heard a pop and felt the hairs raise on the back of her neck. She was in too much pain to care, so when she was flashed to his room, she was still writhing, cradling her hand to her chest.

“Un-fucking-believable! I’m gone for less than twenty-four hours and you bring the bloody space station down. Give me your damn hand,” he seethed.

Liasare looked at him, feeling the anger pouring out of him. She feared him now, much the same as when he destroyed his quarters after discovering she had touched Tommy. She shook her head. She’d rather suffer a broken hand than his wrath.

He narrowed his eyes and snarled, “I’m not playing games Liasare. Give me your fucking hand, NOW!” Everything in his room began pulsating. Glass cracked, plastic split, chairs moved.

She stretched her arm out and watched it quiver. He snatched it and she cried out in pain, as he looked at her in annoyance. Moments later the pain had disappeared and her hand felt as good as new. The rest of her, unfortunately, felt like she had been cracked in half.

“Now what, pray tell, is so fucking important that you’ve felt it necessary to cause a major disruption in the universe?”

Suddenly it became unbearably difficult for Liasare to swallow and the back of her throat began to ache. Her eyes filled with water, making it next to impossible to focus. Crossing her arms over her stomach and willing herself not to cry, she dropped her head and stared at her feet. Why did he always have this effect on her, making her feel like a misbehaving child?

“I’m waiting Liasare,” he snarled, “and this better be fucking worth the interruption.”

“I ... I ...”

“Goddammit speak,” he thundered. Unexpectedly, she found herself up against the wall, his arm beneath her throat, cutting off her air. Her face turned ashen and she repeatedly blinked her eyes, in a feeble attempt to stem the flow of tears.

Jurek slipped into his mind control method and commanded, “Liasare, explain.”

When he eased the pressure on her throat, the urge to speak compelled the words from her mouth. Even though her throat burned and constricted with the pain of her emotions, her forced words told him how she needed to warn Shandro while her tears scalded her cheeks.

When he heard that name, his name, Jurek wanted to tear Lare-Stell to pieces. Jealousy raged through him, making him burn with anger. He was unfamiliar with these feelings, but they consumed him, leaving his belly filled with a fire he was ill equipped to deal with. One thing he knew with certainty, if Shandro were standing here right now, Jurek would have killed him.

Stepping away from her, his voice laced with sarcasm he asked icily, “Are you fucking with me? Are you telling me that you’re raising all kinds of hell because you wanted to warn your lover that January might figure out who helped you get to Earth? I thought you were in trouble Liasare. I thought you were ill. Then I arrive here to see you have Naroo in a quandary because of this?”

Breathing heavily, like he’d run a marathon, Liasare watched his face become a mask of fury. Cowering in the corner, she was truly afraid of him now.

Jurek was beyond angry. Somehow, Liasare tended to push all the wrong buttons on him and this was the final straw. He crossed the threshold of his power and was about to let loose.

Liasare watched as his eyes went from lavender to solid silver, to black and was horrified to see a beam of light shoot out and disintegrate half the furniture in his room. He turned toward her and said, “You bring new meaning to the word anger.”

“Fuck! Are you going to kill me?” she whimpered.

“You manage to make me lose every last shred of sanity Liasare. I don’t know what I’m going to do with you,” he seethed.

Something snapped in her brain again, much like the last time when he went all psycho on her. Her anger took over as she stood up and hissed, “I only wanted to help Shandro. He helped me and he’s not my lover. He was Tommy’s best friend. You saw me naked for fuck’s sake. You saw what I looked like before you took away my scars. Did I look like someone that would have a hoard of lovers? You can be such a fucking moron sometimes. For as powerful and advanced as you claim your species is, how the fuck do you get off by not having a solid means of communications?” When she finished speaking, her chest was heaving, her forehead was damp with sweat and her heart was pounding.

“I get off by fucking women Liasare, that’s how. And just for the record, Praestani don’t need communication devices. We are telepaths and can communicate with anyone without them. They are useless pieces of shit to us. To answer your question regarding the number of lovers you’ve had, that’s not something I ask a woman because I don’t care to know.”

“Well, good for you Jurek. Why don’t you go and fuck some women then? And while you’re in the neighborhood, go fuck yourself too. Asshole!”

He stomped up to her and narrowed his eyes, acting like he was debating on whether he was going to say something. He must have thought the better of it because he flashed out of the room. Unfortunately for Liasare, at that very second, she reached out to smack him, but her hand came into contact with his pure energy form instead. He never felt or saw it, his anger ran so deep.

Liasare dropped to the floor like she’d been dosed with a short burst of five hundred volts. Her heart beat erratically and then she went into a series of seizures. When they finally subsided, the pain began. She screamed as it intensified until she finally lost consciousness. Eventually she woke up, but she was so weakened from her ordeal, she couldn’t move or call out for help. She threw up and then a pool of saliva formed beneath her mouth and her hands and feet grew numb. Her arms and legs were riddled with pins and needles so she could only assume numbness would soon follow in them as well. She wondered if she were dying. In the past whenever she had touched Tak or Jurek, Jurek always had said it would pass. For her, it seemed it only kept getting worse. She made every effort to move, but only succeeded in passing out again.

***

Jurek flashed back to Earth. He was on the hunt...on the hunt to destroy something. The idea of Liasare wanting to protect that Vesturion made him want to scream.

Doesn’t she know I’m the only one I want her to think about? Doesn’t she know she has me so on edge every day I can barely think straight anymore? How can she want to protect that Guardian when it’s me I want her to be thinking about?

Jurek only had one thing on his mind now and that was destruction. He had to take his vengeance out on something and he knew exactly who.

He went straight to one of the known Xanthian warehouses and annihilated it. Next, he flew to the alleyways behind the clubs in town, searching for more Xanthians to destroy and lucky for him, he found what he was looking for. Continuing on this killing spree, he didn’t stop until the sun began to rise. The last vestiges of his anger had finally subsided, so he headed for Lare-Stell to rest for a few hours.

When he entered his quarters he knew there was something terribly wrong. What he saw lying on the floor, nearly made his heart stop. He had her wrapped in his arms in a millisecond.

Christ! What the hell happened here? Liasare ...

“Liasare! Stay with me Liasare!”

He didn’t understand how Liasare had gotten into this condition. He called out to Naroo and she was there instantly. Naroo couldn’t answer any questions because she hadn’t seen Liasare all day. As far as she knew, she had been in Jurek’s quarters the entire time.

The two of them bathed her with their healing power and after a long while, she began to come around.

Naroo quietly slipped out, while Jurek watched Liasare as her eyes opened at last.

“I’m not dead, am I?” she weakly asked.

He shook his head. “What happened?” he asked, his voice gruff with emotion.

“I touched you as you flashed out,” her voice was hoarse and her throat felt like saw dust.

“Christ Liasare. Why would you do that?” he asked, a pained expression in his eyes.

“I didn’t know you were going to leave. I was going to smack you for being such an asshat, but you left at the same time. You didn’t know I touched you, did you?”

“No, I can’t feel it if I’m in my energy form. Shit! So you were lying here like this all night?” he asked, incredulously.

“Yeah, I thought I was ...” she swallowed, trying to relieve the constriction in her throat as tears rained down her cheeks. Jurek reached for her when her words stopped him. “Please don’t. I can’t bear for you to touch me right now. I,” a lump the size of an egg had stubbornly lodged in her throat and her heart felt like it was fracturing into a million tiny pieces. “I think I need to gather my wits about me,” she said woodenly. She absently rubbed her chest in an effort to make the pain go away.

Jurek stepped away for a minute. Liasare pulled her shirt over her hand and wiped her tears away. She felt physically and mentally beaten.

“Here,” Jurek said, handing her a glass of water.

Reaching out, she took the glass and her fingers brushed against his, sending a current of heat down her hand and arm. She jerked in reaction and spilled the contents of the glass down the front of her shirt. Bursting into tears, he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the window seat, where he held her as she sobbed.

When at last he felt the storm had passed, without uttering a word, he moved her from his lap and set her on the seat. Walking to the transmuter, he ordered something to eat and drink. Carrying it to her, he set the tray down and went to fetch a blanket to wrap around her. Once done, he began to feed her. He had ordered some wine and he made her drink two glasses. When she was finished with the second, he returned the tray for disposal.

When he rejoined her she said, “Thank you.”

“For what? For nearly killing you and having the good grace to save you and feed you?”

“I ... I ...” she stammered. She didn’t how to respond to him.

“You don’t have to respond Liasare.” He rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands, trying the ease the tension within them.

“You didn’t know I touched you. You can’t blame yourself for that.”

“It doesn’t matter. I nearly killed you. If I hadn’t returned to Lare-Stell, you could have died.”

It was true, and it frightened her. He frightened her. His power frightened her. Everything about him frightened her. But what frightened her the most was the way he made her feel. She wanted him like she’d never wanted anything in her life. She had tried to deny it. She had tried to avoid the truth, but it was there all the same. She was attracted to him like a moth to a flame and she was afraid to admit what else she was feeling for him. He always said he’d be the one to save her life, but now she wasn’t so sure of that. It didn’t matter though. She wanted to be as close to him as she could and she’d take him however she could. She wanted to touch him, his face, his hair, his mouth, his skin ... all of him or just a part. Whatever he was willing to share with her. She’d take it. If he’d only allow touching, well she’d settle for it. He was in her blood, running through her veins like that current she felt whenever they touched. He was the heat in her body ... the beating of her heart ... and she felt him everywhere in her.

Liasare lifted her eyes to see him watching her. Unable to stop herself, she put her arms around him and said, “I don’t know the why’s of all of this, but there is something between us Jurek. I can’t deny this anymore. You can if you want and that’s fine. I’ll settle for whatever you want to dole out, but right now, what I want is to kiss you, like I’ve never kissed you before. So if you’re going to stop me, you’d better do it now.”

Not another word passed between them before Jurek’s lips claimed hers in a kiss that rocked her world. Everything that had gone wrong between them over the last two days was forgotten as his velvety tongue danced with hers and discovered new ways of pleasing her. She became bolder, as she learned more about the art of kissing, again mimicking him and pleasing him as she did so. She ran her tongue along his lips, teasing and biting them, while he coaxed her along, asking for more and more. His tongue blazed a trail of heat from her ear to her shoulder, and circled her pulse point, making her beg for more. He focused on all her erogenous zones bringing her to orgasm, while she marveled that they still hadn’t even had sex.

“I want you Jurek. I know you’ve said no, but I’m asking again.”

“Liasare, there’s something you need to know. My power may be dangerous if we make love. A transfer of power between us can take place and if that happens, I’m afraid it could put you at risk of being harmed.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I’m not sure I can adequately explain it other than when I fully unite with you or when our bodies join together, my power can take over and if your body isn’t accepting of it, it can harm you. After what just happened to you, I’m afraid of hurting you further.” He ran his fingers through her hair, tucking a stray piece behind her ear.

“Is there any way to test it?”

“Not that I’m aware of.”

“What about your past relationships with other women?”

“I’d rather not talk about that Liasare,” he said, shifting his eyes away.

“Hey, Jurek, I’m not asking because I want to know what went on between the two of you, I want to know if the women involved got injured.”

He nodded, saying, “Oh, I see, and no. None of them did. You, however, seem to be an anomaly. You are extremely sensitive to the presence of a Praestani. Do you recall the first time you saw me in that club? You shouldn’t have been able to detect my presence. Yet, you knew I was there. I saw you squirming around on your seat. I was muted to the max, Liasare. There’s something different about you. We are somehow drawn to each other. And I agree with you. You and I are connected some way. That’s why I also believe you play a part in the prophecy.”

“Does this mean you’re not even willing to try? Is there no one we can ask?”

Jurek snorted, “We don’t have sex therapists on Praestan, or physicians for that matter. We don’t suffer from illnesses. We heal Liasare.”

“Well, you have your answer then. If anything happens to me, heal me!”

“Damn you’re persistent!” he laughed.

“No, I’m sexually frustrated because you’ve put me off for too long!”

He pulled her shirt off and stared at her. “If you think you’re frustrated, you ought to be in my pants.”

“I’ve said it before, I’d love to be in your pants, but every time I try, you stop me. Please. I never thought it would come to the point where I had to beg a man. Damn you Jurek!”

“Apart from what we just discussed, we have more than our share of unfinished business between us Liasare,” he said pointedly.

She nodded. “That doesn’t make me want you any less.”

He slid his hands beneath the hem of her shirt and brushed his thumbs across her breasts, instantly causing that current to race through her body and make it hum in arousal. When she felt her body’s response, she put her hands over his and she stopped him. “Are we going to take this to the next step, or are we both going to remain two frustrated people that get pissed off at each other for stupid stuff?”

Wrapping his hands in her hair, he drew her into him and put his mouth on hers, cutting off her words. Running his tongue along her lips, he spoke softly into her mouth, murmuring, “You drive a hard bargain, Liasare. Are you sure you won’t have any regrets about this?”

Right as she began to respond to him, Naroo’s face filled the viewing screen. “My lord, please accept my apologies for the interruption, but we’ve just been scanned by a Xanthian probe, only this one has very unusual markings and its origins are different from the others.”

Jurek swore under his breath, and turned to the screen.

“Thank you Naroo. Did you strip the data?”

“Yes, my lord. What would you like me to replace it with Wile E. Coyote or Elmer Fudd?”

“Your choice Naroo. Make sure you program its next destination as its home base and give them enough time to get data for about five minutes of either Wile E. or Elmer before the damn thing self-destructs. Add a little extra fire power on it, will you?”

“As you wish my lord.”

Turning back to Liasare, Jurek said, “Sorry for the detour love, but get dressed. We have some business to attend to.”

Chapter Seventeen

Naroo and Ludo were evaluating the data from the probe when Jurek and Liasare popped into the security center.

“Naroo, prepare to relocate Lare-Stell. I don’t want to take any risks where LSE is involved. We have disrupted too many Xanthian plans and the last thing I want is for them to uncover the existence of Lare-Stell.”

“On it, my lord.”

Liasare was poking around the station, trying to figure out what was going on. The last thing she wanted was to be kept in the dark and right now they were communicating on various levels...verbal, mental, and physical and she was having problems tracking.

Jurek finally noticed and motioned for her to come to him. “Normally when we get probed, they are simple bots that scan space and record whatever they come into contact with. We strip them of the data they have stored and then Tak came up with the idea to replace it with the Roadrunner or Bugs Bunny cartoons. Just another way for Tak to frustrate the Xanthians. This bot was different and Ludo is analyzing it now.”

“My lord, there is some disturbing information on the probe. It would appear the Xanthians are seeking a place to set up a colony of sorts. There is also data here referring to their army of minions.”

Liasare was at Ludo’s side before he could utter another word. “Go on,” she urged.

There isn’t much else, but there is a mention of ‘dark creatures.’”

Jurek’s brow creased and Liasare had a sense of uneasiness come over her, quickly followed by the inability to breathe. For a long moment, the choking sensation seized her, until Jurek, noticing her discomfort, placed his hand on her forehead, and eased her discomfort. Looking at him wide-eyed, she blurted out, “Jurek, will you take me to Vesturon? I need to talk with January and Rykerian about Tommy and all of this. This thing with the Xanthians and their minions is starting to freak me out.” Her eyes darted about as she thought about what had been happening, not quite knowing what to say.

“Tell me. What is it?” he asked.

“This whole thing is nuts! I need answers and they know something. I can feel it.” She shook her head and rubbed the place between her eyes.

Jurek eyed her warily. He wasn’t too keen on getting in the middle of whatever was going to happen between Liasare and January. “When would you like to go?”

“Now if we can.”

He let out his breath, thinking he understood where Liasare was coming from.

“Ludo, hit me with anything you find out of the ordinary.” Looking at Liasare, Jurek decided, “I may regret this in the morning, but...” his voice trailed off as he put his arm around her.

She stopped him before he had a chance to shift them to energy. “Wait! I want to change my clothes first.”

He lifted his brows, wondering where this was headed.

“I don’t want them to get derailed by my lack of scars. That would be the first thing January would notice and that’s not what we’re going there for.”

“I understand.”

He flashed them to her quarters and waited while she quickly changed into a long sleeved shirt that hid her arms and covered her neck. Pulling on a pair of boots, she was now ready and they popped off of Lare-Stell.

Chapter Eighteen

The Planet Vesturon

Jurek and Liasare materialized in the main hall of the Yarrister residence when the two youngest children of Rykerian and January came flying around the corner screaming and laughing. Not expecting anyone to be standing there, they both skidded to a halt. When they saw who it was, they screeched, “Aunt Sarah, Uncle Jurek,” and flew into Jurek and Sarah’s arms. The adults picked the two children up and tickled them, causing them both to erupt in a series of giggles.

“What in the world?”

Liasare spun around to see January standing there. The grin fled from her face, as did the laughter emanating from her.

As far as sisters went, the two women looked like night and day. January was petite with hair that was an unusual mix of silver and gold and eyes that were ice blue. Liasare had a good six inches in height on her and the contrast in their hair and eyes made them look like complete opposites.

“Sarah, Jurek. What are you two doing here?”

Before Jurek could answer, Liasare retorted, “We need to talk January. About something important. Now.”

January glanced at Jurek and he shook his head.

“Is Rykerian here?” Liasare asked.

“Yes, he’s upstairs.”

“You may want to ask him to join us.”

Let’s go in the study then,” January suggested. “Elysia, Marko, go outside with your brother Therron. He’s out in the back. Tell him I said he’s to watch you two for a while. Now go sweeties.”

The two young children scurried off while the adults made their way to the study. Moments later they were joined by January’s husband.

“I want to know everything you know about Tommy. And don’t try to lie to me. You’re holding something back and I want to know exactly what it is,” Liasare demanded.

“Sarah,” Rykerian began, “It’s complicated.”

Liasare looked at Jurek and rolled her eyes. He could only shrug. “I swear to all the gods that exist for everyone that has ever lived, if I hear that ‘it’s complicated’ one more time, I’m going to go ballistic and psycho all at once. Do you think I’m a moron Rykerian? I don’t give a flying fuck how complicated it is. I can follow. I want to know where my brother is goddammit! Now tell me!”

Both Rykerian and January flinched at Liasare’s choice of words, for she had never spoken to them like that before.

January looked at Jurek again, but he only shook his head again. He was adamant about staying out of this one.

“Sarah, you don’t understand,” January said.

“Okay, first of all, your sister, Sarah Liana St. Davis is dead. She died when her brother disappeared and no one would bother to tell her what the fuck happened to him. In her place, Liasare Davidson was born. Liasare is headstrong and won’t give up when her mind is made up about something. Let me fill you in on a bit of information about her. She is dead set on figuring out what happened to her brother. You see, she saw him at a party one night and he acted like he had no idea who she was. She forced him to stop and tried to talk to him and do you know what he did? He put a bullet in her. That’s right, her only brother put a fucking bullet in her. Now, stop stalling and tell me what the hell happened to Tommy. I’m not kidding January. I’m not leaving here until you tell me the truth.”

Rykerian ran a hand through his hair and for most people that action alone would have stopped them dead in their tracks, but Liasare was immune to his looks. Tall and beautiful, Rykerian had bronze hair and cobalt blue eyes and his stature as both a Yarrister and a Guardian gave him his authoritative nature.

“Sarah, please listen.”

“No, you listen Rykerian and stop calling me Sarah. I don’t use that name anymore. Start calling me Liasare. Again, I want to know everything.”

“We can’t tell you everything.”

“Can’t or won’t.”

“Can’t.”

“So do you know where Tommy is?” Liasare asked.

“Not exactly,” Rykerian hedged.

“Dammit Rykerian. Stop playing cat and mouse with me.”

“I’m not. There is a lot at stake here.”

“Don’t I know! My brother’s life is at stake. If it wouldn’t have been for Jurek, I wouldn’t be standing here right now. What aren’t you telling me?”

“January, you know where he is don’t you?” Jurek questioned softly.

All eyes swung to them. January looked at Jurek and then at Rykerian and finally at Liasare.

“Rykerian.”

“January, stop. You know how this works. You can’t do this.”

“Rykerian, it’s Sarah and Jurek. They won’t betray him.”

“If it’s any comfort to the two of you, we already know some things about him. We’ve been tracking him and we know he’s a Xanthian minion. If you don’t tell us, we’ll get close enough to bring him in for questioning,” Jurek informed them.

“No! You can’t do that! Promise you won’t do that!” January shouted. “Rykerian, you must tell them. If you don’t, I will!”

Liasare was shocked at January’s reaction. Her eyes moved between Rykerian and her sister, trying to uncover what was being communicated between the two of them. When it finally seemed like Rykerian was going to speak, the sound of a teleporter was heard and Xarrid, Rykerian’s younger brother, materialized into the room.

Now it was Liasare’s turn to be further shocked. Jurek and Xarrid embraced, as if they were long lost friends.

Like most Vesturions, Xarrid was impossibly handsome. While the resemblance between him and Rykerian was strong, Xarrid’s actions were more in line with Jurek’s. He was less refined and was dressed in snug fitting pants that hugged his hips and a white shirt that was unbuttoned halfway down his chest, showing off a perfectly sculpted set of muscles. Eyes the color of Rykerian’s, with hair as black as Jurek’s, he would make any warm-blooded woman stop and take a second or third look.

“Don’t tell me you are in on this too,” Jurek said.

Xarrid turned and nodded in Liasare’s direction, “Hello Sarah.”

Before Liasare could comment, Jurek said, “Xarrid, don’t call her that if you want to keep your head. She goes by Liasare now and she is not very happy at the moment. Her brother’s been missing for months and no one is willing to fill her in.”

Xarrid looked at Liasare, assessing her and then commented, “So this is what the ruckus is all about.”

“Don’t you dare look at me all squinty eyed and judge me. If your brother had been missing and no one would tell you anything, don’t you even hint that you wouldn’t go to the ends of the universe to find him.”

“Told you,” Jurek said.

“Can’t say that I blame her,” Xarrid responded. He turned to Rykerian and said, “Look, we know we can trust Jurek. Jurek obviously trusts Sar ... er ... Liasare, so why don’t you put the poor girl out of her misery and tell her what’s going on?”

“I’m waiting,” Liasare said, tapping her foot.

Rykerian released a sigh and January gave him a nod. “Tommy volunteered for this. We had been trying to find out more about the disappearances. There were so many. Thousands of humans every day ... gone.”

“I hate to break this to you, but it’s not just humans. This is happening all over the universe to almost every species we know of,” Jurek dropped that item of news on them. They all turned to him wide-eyed. “You mean it’s not happening on Vesturon?” he asked.

Xarrid answered, “Not that we’re aware of. We didn’t know it was happening everywhere. We hadn’t heard anything about that. How is that possible?”

“Whoever is responsible is covering it up somehow.”

“Let’s get back to Tommy,” Liasare demanded.

Rykerian gave her a hard look but January squeezed his arm, encouraging him to continue. “Tommy was on Earth, monitoring the situation. Some of his friends had disappeared, so he came to us and told us his plan. At first we said no, but the more he talked about it, the more it made sense.”

Liasare felt her stomach twisting into a giant bowl of knots as a sense of dread crept over her. “He volunteered to become a minion, didn’t he?” she quietly asked. Her chest suddenly felt like there was a thousand pounds of steel binding itself around her and she found it nearly impossible to breathe.

Jurek flashed to her side, sensing her distress, and pulled her to him, placing his hand on her head to relieve her discomfort. “Breathe, Liasare,” he whispered. Feeling her breathing return to normal, he asked, “Better?”

She nodded. All eyes in the room were on them, but Liasare just ignored them.

“Tell me. Why did you let him do this?”

Rkyerian moved to Liasare, reaching for her hand, which she moved away from. “He insisted. We begged him. We tried everything we knew to change his mind. We even used you. We told him we’d tell you. That almost worked, but in the end, he said there were too many lives being lost and he felt useless. He had to do something.”

Rykerian looked at January and she nodded. There was more and Liasare knew the worst was yet to come. “Oh no. What is it?” she asked.

“The Xanthians are using their famous nanochips to create their minions.”

“What are you saying?” Liasare asked, her voice trembling.

“Sit down Liasare.” It was Jurek who spoke and he didn’t suggest it, he demanded it. She obeyed him without hesitation. Oddly enough, even though the Yarristers and January were her family, now she felt they had betrayed her and Jurek was more family to her than they were.

January knelt in front of her and told her how Tommy had instigated the whole thing. The Xanthians were implanting nanochips into the brains of the captives in order to create minions. Once the chips were implanted, the person would do whatever they were ordered. That’s why Tommy didn’t recognize Liasare when he saw her and it’s also why he shot her. The nanochip had taken over his brain. Tommy had uncovered this information and decided he would become an implant. The information he could attain this way would be invaluable to the Guardians in stopping the Xanthians.

“But how are you going to retrieve this information?” Liasare wanted to know. “It would seem impossible once his brain is taken over.”

“I implanted a recording device inside his body that sends us a constant stream of information.”

“What if they kill him?”

“We argued with him over that too, but he said it was a chance he was willing to take. I’ve been monitoring his brain activity and it’s similar to when a human is in a coma. Honestly, Liasare, if he were to die, he wouldn’t know it,” January explained. “It’s as if he is already dead.” Liasare trusted January’s knowledge here because she was a healer, or a Vesturion physician.

“Don’t ever say that again and I would know, dammit! This is wrong on so many levels. Why wouldn’t you tell me any of this? How could you do this?”

“We didn’t do it. He did. We tried and tried to talk him out of it. When he said he would do it with or without our blessing, we had no choice. No one, except Rykerian’s brothers know about this. The Guardians don’t know, Shandro doesn’t know, no one Liasare. Tommy wanted it that way.”

“I’m going to tell Shandro. He helped me get to Earth and he’s been as troubled over all of this as I have. Tommy’s his best friend and it’s not fair that he should suffer as I have. Get him here right now,” Liasare insisted. She rubbed her arms and hugged them around herself, trying to dispel the ache in her stomach.

January was still kneeling in front of her when Jurek came and took a seat next to her. “Come here,” he said as he pulled her to him again. Placing his hands on her head, she instantly felt relief. “Better?”

“Yeah. Thanks, I needed that.”

January kept eyeing them. Jurek wasn’t one to avoid an issue so he looked at her and their eyes met.

“January, do you remember that day on Lare-Stell when neither of us could figure out why we had that strange connection?”

January nodded, thinking back to that day, almost nineteen years ago. They had been arguing but for some reason, even though she was being held as a hostage, a bargaining tool really, they both liked each other … felt connected in some way. “Yeah ... seems like yesterday, doesn’t it?”

He nodded, agreeing with her. “It’s Liasare. That’s the connection,” Jurek said. “And before you ask me anything else, don’t bother because I don’t have any answers for you. When I do, I’ll let you know.”

She stared at him with a puzzled look on her face. His posturing, his stance toward Liasare, the way he hovered over her spoke volumes to January. She wondered how deeply involved they were with each other.

Very, he answered her in her mind.

Seconds later, the sounds of a teleporter were heard again and there stood Shandro. Liasare flew into his arms and let him hold her. He pressed her tightly to him, as Jurek sat and stared. His eyes narrowed and his mouth pressed into a thin line. Liasare felt his current of power notch up and she lifted her head to look at him. She immediately felt his anger; it created serious static charge in the air around her. Every hair on her body stood at attention.

“Are you okay?” Shandro wanted to know.

“Yes, I’m fine. I wanted you here so we could tell you what’s happened to Tommy.”

“Is he ...?”

“No! He’s alive, but you need to hear the whole story.” She stepped away from him then and returned to Jurek’s side. Her emotions were out of control, see sawing every which way. Shandro stared at her, then at Jurek and raised his brows. Jurek stood and angled his body in front of Liasare, partially blocking Shandro’s view of her.

Jurek looked at Shandro and narrowed his eyes. You’d better keep your bloody hands and eyes off of her you little fucker.

Liasare watched Jurek’s reaction and knew this was not going to be good. Oh great, just what I need now ... a testosterone showdown between Shandro and Jurek. And, lucky me, I know who the winner will be.

Liasare grabbed Jurek’s arm and squeezed it, forcing him to look at her. “Not here, not now,” she whispered sternly.

“What do you mean?” he asked innocently.

“Ugh. You know exactly what I mean and don’t be such an ass,” she hissed.

“Will someone tell me what’s going on?” Shandro asked.

“Why don’t you fill lover boy in,” Jurek hissed back to Liasare.

She cut him a withering look. “Stop it! This isn’t why we’re here! I need your support, not your annoying adolescent behavior.” Turning away from Jurek, she said, “Shandro, I think it’s best that you hear it from January. Her details are impeccable,” she said sarcastically.

“Before this turns into a battle of the wills,” Xarrid interrupted, “let’s all remain calm here and let January speak.”

When she finished telling the story, Shandro was livid...not only with her, but also with Tommy and himself, for not seeing what was happening. “So what are your next plans?” he asked Liasare.

Turning to Jurek, she asked, “What are we going to do?”

Jurek eyed Shandro before answering. “We are going back to Earth to continue with our plans, but we will no longer be looking for Thomas. We will try to shut down every warehouse the Xanthians have set up. My men will continue to intercept cargo vessels containing weapons and we will track all disappearances.” Then he turned to Xarrid and asked, “What are the Guardians’ plans?”

“We want to uncover where they are taking all the abductees. They must have some sort of training base they are sending them to for further assimilation. The warehouses aren’t the answer.”

Jurek rubbed his neck and said, “I agree. Right before we came here, Lare-Stell had been probed by a Xanthian bot and Ludo was analyzing the data. He came across some unusual things. I’ll find out what they were when I get back. There have been other disturbing things happening in the universe. There is a disruption of the normal flow of things. The Praestani feel it when we travel. We think it goes way beyond the Xanthians.”

“Explain,” Xarrid demanded.

Jurek raised his brow for he wasn’t used to being addressed in that manner. Xarrid snorted, “Sorry man, you know how it is when you’re used to giving the orders.”

“If it were anyone else Xarrid.”

Xarrid laughed.

“To your, er demand, we think they are amassing an army of sorts. And worse than that, we think it’s more than just the Xanthians.”

Xarrid, Rykerian, Shandro and January looked at Jurek in alarm. “Jurek, can you please explain that to us?” It was Rykerian asking this time.

Jurek began to pace and dragged his hands through his hair. “That’s the thing. That’s what’s so bloody irritating about all of this. We haven’t been able to figure it out. We know they’re taking people. We know they’re building an army. We also know there are creatures from the Dark reappearing.”

“Stop! Please repeat that last bit,” Xarrid requested, in a deadly calm tone.

“Listen, I know what you’re thinking, but hear me out. Liasare can attest to this because I shared a memory with her. We’ve seen the creatures of the Dark. I’ve personally taken out dozens. I have a hunch that they’re back, and it’s one hunch I hope I’m wrong about.”

Rykerian pulled January into his arms. They looked at each other, communicating their fears. “Tell us about these creatures Jurek,” January asked.

Liasare sat down on the sofa and hugged her knees to her chest. The thought of those creatures made her skin turn to ice, like a million frosty needles were piercing her everywhere. She shivered when she remembered the vision of Jurek’s memory. Shandro noticing her distress, made his way toward her when Jurek cut him off.

“Don’t you dare touch her, Guardian,” he said, his voice laced with steel. “She’s off limits to you.”

Shandro stopped dead in his tracks, looking at Jurek and then at Liasare. She couldn’t bring herself to look at Shandro. All eyes were on them again. It was evident Jurek was staking a claim, boldly and in front of everyone she cared about.

Liasare looked at Jurek and he stared at her, daring her to say something. She wisely held her tongue, because she knew if she said anything, the silent battle between the three of them would erupt into something ugly and that was the last thing they needed.

January and Rykerian watched their mental exchange curiously.

“The Dark creatures are something you don’t ever wish to encounter. They are fast, faster than even you, and they feed on the flesh of living beings,” Jurek explained

“Great Deity! I have never heard of such!” Xarrid exclaimed.

“I have. But we thought they were a thing of the past and I had never seen them before. Supposedly their numbers had been diminished to the point of near extinction. I am beginning to think we were sorely mistaken. We’ve killed dozens already, and will continue to do so when we find them. They are only vulnerable to Praestani power or silver, when it has been forged with Praestani power. Your Vesturion Powers are useless against them.”

“Bloody hell!” Rykerian yelled.

“Exactly,” Jurek said. “They are the epitome of hell. Born and bred.”

Liasare was trembling with the vision she remembered as she said, “He’s right. They’re disgusting and they’re huge. They have giant fangs and wings, so I assume they can fly. And I’ve never seen anything move so fast. They tear the flesh right off the body as they eat it. They’re so horrific, you can’t even imagine.” Her body violently shook as she spoke. “Jurek, I...”

Before she could finish, he was next to her, passing on his energy again. She was freezing and couldn’t seem to get warm. The iciness invaded every cell as she shivered.

“January, do you have a blanket? She has an unusually strong reaction to these creatures when she remembers the vision.”

Minutes later, January returned with a blanket and he wrapped it around Liasare.

“What do you propose we do about them?” Rykerian asked.

“Monitor everywhere your Guardians patrol for sightings. We need to uncover where they are coming from. At first I thought Earth was the only place, but now I’m not so sure. What have you learned from Tommy?”

Xarrid was the first to offer information. “You’re right about how the Xanthians want to build an army. Our understanding is that they are working on it, but we were under the impression they weren’t even close. From what you’re saying, it’s possible they’ve accomplished more than what even Tommy has learned.”

“What else have you learned from Tommy?” Liasare asked.

“Not as much as we’ve liked. We know where he hangs out mostly. What he does on a daily basis and what the immediate future is for the minions he’s with, but nothing more. It’s been a big disappointment,” Xarrid admitted.

“Can we get him out?” Liasare questioned.

The Yarristers looked at each other and uncomfortable looks passed between them.

Jumping to her feet, Liasare yelled, “Oh my God! Don’t tell me you didn’t plan to get him out. You didn’t, did you?”

Liasare was met with dead silence.

“Somebody better say something before I go psycho here!”

“We thought we could pull him out but he doesn’t respond to any of our stimuli,” January admitted.

“Of course not because he’s basically brain dead! Are you a bunch of damn idiots? What were you thinking? Dammit!” Liasare kicked the edge of the couch and stormed out of the room.

Shandro started to follow her when Jurek cut him off saying, “Take one more step toward her and you’re one dead Guardian.”

“And I suppose you’re the one who’ll kill me? Because right now, I doubt you could if you wanted to.”

Jurek narrowed his eyes and snarled, “Care to test that theory Guardian?”

“Jurek, stop it.” It was Xarrid who spoke. “Shandro and Liasare have been friends for years. He’s only trying to protect her.”

“She needs no protection when I am around,” Jurek snarled.

“Whoa buddy, calm down there,” Xarrid said.

“Tell your Guardian he is to keep his grubby paws to himself and he is never to lay a hand upon her again. Is that clear? And Xarrid, explain to him the ramifications if he doesn’t follow my orders.”

“Shandro, you heard Jurek. And for the record, you can’t begin to compete with his power so don’t even try.”

Jurek stormed outside, in search of Liasare. He found her in front of the house, walking in a circle, flexing her fingers. Her eyes were all but shooting sparks and her mouth tightened as she sputtered, “I have to get out of here. I can’t take any more of this idiocy. Ugh! This is insane. What kind of people make these plans and don’t have a follow up or back-up strategy to get him out? He’s stuck in there, brain dead, and no use to anyone for fuck’s sake. And now isn’t the time to tell me to watch my language.” She turned to the side of the house and slammed her fist into it. The second she did it, she heard the crunching of her bone and she screamed, dropping to her knees.

Without saying a word, Jurek gently picked her up, and walked back in the house informing everyone they were going back to Lare-Stell.

Chapter Nineteen

Lare-Stell Base

Liasare walked into the training facility and all the men were already there. She flexed her hand, testing to see if there was any residual pain remaining. All was good. Jurek was right about one thing. She needed to learn control. She’d been so angry yesterday with all the Vesturions. Tommy’s life had pretty much been sacrificed, in her opinion. Even if they got him back, there was the matter of getting that nanochip out of his brain before the Xanthians descended on them. That was if they could get it out without killing him first.

Jurek had shared the story of Xarrid and his mate Saylan. She had been a Xanthian captive and had a chip planted in her brain. Liasare didn’t even want to think about the outcome of what Jurek had told her regarding that. It made Liasare’s skin crawl.

“Ready to play, Brownie?”

Liasare stuck out her tongue at Tak and both he and Jurek roared with laughter.

“Uh, guys, it wasn’t that funny.”

Jurek tossed Liasare her protective gear saying, “That’s not what we were laughing at. You looked just like January when you did that. She used to stick her tongue out at us all the time.”

“How nice. Do me a favor and keep her name out of the conversation for a while, okay?” she said sourly.

“Right then. Let’s go Brownie.”

They trained all day and Tak busted her ass more than once. He had her doing things she never thought she was capable of achieving. When the day was done, Jurek stood to the side and motioned her over.

“These are for you. You are never ever to go anywhere without them. Do I make myself clear?”

Liasare nodded, reaching for the cache of weapons Jurek had laid out beside him. She picked up the first one, which was the largest of them all.

“That one is your colichemarde...well it’s a slight variation of one anyway. The blade is diamond shaped and you’ll notice it tapers as you move further down, which makes it an excellent attack weapon. Remember, the interior of the blade is steel but its exterior is thickly layered in silver and it’s forged using Praestani power so you don’t want to injure yourself with it. You’ll wear this one strapped to your back. The next one is a dagger you’ll wear on your side. There is another shorter one here you’ll wear inside your boots. And yes, Liasare, I’ve had boots made for you. They’ll protect your legs. You’ll also wear leather pants for the same reason and don’t look at me like that. We go out to fight, not to a fashion show. Leather protects you from getting abrasions and lacerations, so you can keep fighting and I won’t have to stop to heal you every five minutes. And these,” he handed her several throwing stars, “you’re already familiar with, except now, your arm will be stronger and your aim will be more accurate. You’ll have a pocket on each pant leg, in which to store them, and the rest you’ll keep in your jacket, which stays on you at all times. Any questions?”

Liasare picked up each of her weapons, testing the weight. She held the sword, moving it around, measuring the response of it. She lunged, thrust and parried. She spun and then saluted Jurek with it.

His lips curved as he said, “I take it you approve?”

“Oh abso-fucking-lutely! This is amazing, Jurek! Thank you!” she said as she gave him a quick hug.

She continued to dance around moving with the sword, stabbing the air, fighting imaginary enemies and laughing the entire time.

Jurek leaned against the table and eyed her, a satisfied smile on his face.

“Hey Prancer, would you care to see your clothes?”

“Huh?”

“Your leathers...are you interested in seeing them?”

He tossed her a pair of pants and she snagged them out of the air.

Black and tight...hmm.

“Care to try them on?”

“Not now. I want to shower first.”

He gathered her gear, including weapons and clothing and they popped into her room. “We’re meeting in the dining room again in one hour for dinner. Liasare, remember our culture and the way in which we eat, okay?”

Before she could answer, he was gone. She hurried to the shower and finished her routine. Checking her hair, she decided she was in need of a trip to Jaylen’s. Her roots were in bad shape since her hair had grown in the two and a half months since she’d had it cut.

Deciding to brave it, she quickly pulled on her new leather pants and top. She glanced at herself in the mirror and gasped. She looked like an assassin ... or maybe a hooker in leather. She couldn’t decide which. The pants were so tight her ass looked like it was wedged in a black rubber inner tube getting ready to explode. She bent down to test them, just to see if they’d stay intact. It was at that very moment that Jurek flashed in.

“What in all the gods’ name are you doing?” he asked. She was bent in half, her knees almost in a full on squat and her head was as close to being up her ass as it could possibly be.

Holy shit on a stick! Why does this stuff always happen to me?

“Um...I’m looking for love in all the wrong places?”

Jurek let loose a howl of laughter, the likes of which she’d never heard from him before.

The whole scene was too funny not to laugh at so she joined in and they both were now bursting with laughter.

Finally, Jurek asked, “Seriously Davidson, what the hell were you doing?”

Still chuckling, she told him, “These damn things are so tight I was testing whether they’d fly off of me if I were in a compromising position. I wanted to make sure I could trust the motherfuckers.”

“Yeah, well, do us all a favor and don’t pose like that in public, okay?”

“No worries on that one. But damn these are tight.”

“Davidson, they’re leather, they’ll stretch. Give them a little time.” He looked at her again and his eyes darkened. “I think you’d better change or we’ll be late for dinner,” he said, his voice husky.

***

Dinner passed without any issues. The food and wine were tasty, even if Liasare did drink a bit too much. They were headed back to Earth in the morning. Then they’d be on the hunt for anything and everything they could get their hands on regarding this new army of minions. They had to find out where they were keeping these beings because these abductions had to stop.

Jurek walked Liasare back to her room and when they got there she told him she was frightened. “What if we don’t find what we’re looking for? What do we do then?”

“We broaden our search beyond Earth.”

“But isn’t that like looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack?”

“It’s better than doing nothing at all. Something will show up. Ludo thinks the Xanthians are searching for a place to house a colony and that’s why so many bots have been sent out this far in space. He thinks that’s why we keep getting scanned and why they’re using a different type of bot now.”

Liasare kept staring at his mouth as he spoke. The wine had gone to her head and the only thing she seemed to be able to focus on were his lips.

Why does his mouth have to be so sexy? His lips are so enticing. I want to taste them again...gawd, it’s been far too long.

Without another thought, she leaned into him and kissed him with everything she had.

He always tastes so damn good...and smells so yummy. I wish...I wish...

She still wasn’t sure if she was doing it right or if he liked it this way, but what the hell. She didn’t care because all she wanted was to feel his lips and tongue beneath hers. And God help her, he was kissing her back, completely undoing her.

Wrapping her hands in his hair, she moaned in his mouth. “You feel so right Jurek. Don’t stop kissing me...ever.”

He didn’t...for a few more moments, but then he broke it off, moving his lips to her cheeks and finally her forehead.

“We have a busy day tomorrow so I must say good night.” And just like that he was gone, once again leaving her in a frustrated mess.

Chapter Twenty

Their new headquarters were similar to the old ones but this was an old dilapidated looking building. Looks can be deceiving and they were in this instance, because the interior of the building was incredible. It was outfitted with the latest and the greatest of everything. The other big change was that Jurek made sure Liasare had her own quarters. While they weren’t as elegant as his, she had her own fancy bed, along with a nicely decorated room, plush carpeting and her own bathroom. She felt spoiled since she’d never lived in anything so extravagant before. Even her own bedroom on Vesturon had never been this fancy.

Their first night out was a disaster. They went to the club Cosmos. Everything was great until Liasare was accosted by a group of Xanthians. They’d recognized her from the night she’d rescued the girl ... only it hadn’t been a rescue after all. The girl had been a decoy, for she was actually a Xanthian sex slave. They had used her to entrap Liasare. The girl was back at Cosmos and had pointed her to them.

Liasare suddenly found herself swarmed by Xanthians. With her adrenaline surging, she desperately tried to reach her teleporter, as their plan dictated. Going on a massive killing spree in the club would only bring unwanted attention, so she had the idea of letting them escort her outside where she thought she would be able to escape. That was a huge mistake because as soon as they left the building, they teleported to a Xanthian warehouse.

Now in a full-blown panic, she fought and struggled as they put her in restraints and began interrogating her.

“Who are you?”

She refused to answer them.

When they kept asking and didn’t get a response, they started beating her. They didn't play nicey-nice either. They beat her from every angle, punching and kicking her, and she fought back, though to them she was nothing more than a rag doll. Then they started hammering away on her face. She would have screamed when they broke her jaw, but she’d already lost her voice. Her throat had become raw and felt like it was in flames from all the wailing she already done. When her nose and mouth spurted blood, she was sure everything on her face was busted up too. The worst was when they broke her arm. One of them took his meaty paws and just snapped it in his hands, like a skinny pencil. She had clenched her fists so tightly that her nails had gouged out pieces of flesh from her palms, which was pretty bad because she didn’t have any nails to speak of. She was nothing but a broken and bloody mess by the time Jurek and his men got to her.

She had been recuperating for several days when Jurek finally came to see her. His eyes were dark and hard as flint.

“Why didn’t you follow the plan? It was there for a reason ... to prevent this,” he swept his arm across her, “from happening.”

“I tried, but ...” her voice was still hoarse from her ordeal.

He cut her off, “I want a team member that can follow directions. Can you do that?”

“Yes, I ...”

He cut her off again. “You didn’t show up at the meeting site and then we had to switch gears to hunt you down,” he snapped. A vein pulsed in his temple and Liasare could feel his power notching up. “Do you have any idea how ...” he stopped, turned away from her and rubbed the back of his neck. When he continued, his voice was edged with roughness, “You have to follow orders.”

“I know. I’m sorry, but I ...”

Still facing away from her, he interrupted her again. “This won’t happen again. Why didn’t you teleport?”

“My teleporter was in my pocket and I couldn’t reach it. I tried, dammit! I didn’t want them to beat me. You act like I wanted this. They hurt me goddammit!” Her eyes stung and she forced back tears she refused to let him see.

Jurek was at her side in a flash. He clenched his fists and stared at her. His eyes told her a million things his mouth didn’t and he stood there as he drank in the sight of her. He wanted to pull her into his arms and feel her skin against his. He wanted to slide his fingers through her hair and wrap the satiny strands around his hands binding her to him. Instead, he whispered, “Never! Never would I want this Liasare. Never would I want to see you injured like this. I would rather it had been me.”

Then he boomed, “Marik, in here, NOW!”

Marik popped in. “Yes, my lord.”

“I don’t care what you do or how you do it but I want you to come up with some kind of contraption where her teleporter is strapped to her wrist. I don’t care if you have to use duct tape. Make it happen. The next time she goes out, that teleporter is on her wrist within a finger’s reach, you got it?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“And you,” he said, turning to Liasare, “are not to go anywhere without me by your side, until I am comfortable that you are capable of fighting alone. Understand?”

“Yes, master.”

“This isn’t a damn joke,” he growled and flashed out of the room.

***

“I need to have my hair done and I know you don’t want me out and about alone. So how do you want to do this?”

“They know who you are. The hair doesn’t help anymore, unless you want to go blonde. Do you?”

“No. I don’t.”

“Then grow it out.”

“I don’t want to have half of my head brown and the other half black and red. It looks terrible.”

He sighed. “I’ll take you.”

Jurek left her at Jaylen’s and they decided to make her a brunette again so she wouldn’t have to keep up with the coloring.

Putting the last bit of color on her hair, Jaylen mentioned, “Jurek sure is a grump today.”

“He’s always a grump.”

“Interesting. I think it’s you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think he’s playing Mister Protector.”

“I know that. Here’s the strange thing. I probably shouldn’t even be talking about this but it’s driving me nuts. I ... we ... well, I want to have sex with him.”

“And?”

“He won’t do it!”

“Oh please Liasare. You expect me to believe that? I know that man and he’s not one to go without. He’s been around here plenty of times so I know what kind of sexual appetite that man has.” When she noticed Liasare’s widened eyes, she said regrettably, “I probably shouldn’t have said that. Me and my big mouth.”

Liasare ran her hand across her face and replied, “No, it’s okay. I figured that out. But I swear what I’m telling you is the truth. The man hasn’t touched me. Well, not in that way. He gives me really lame excuses but nothing understandable or concrete. I’m about to combust too.”

Jaylen chuckled. “I can only imagine. Gee, I’m really amazed at that. It doesn’t sound like the Jurek I know.”

“Maybe it’s me.”

“Oh it’s you all right. He looks at you like he’s going to devour you right here and now. And I know what I’m talking about. I make my living dealing with men, honey. The way he looks at you ... it’s like you’re his. I pity any man who tries to even so much as talk to you. Jurek will take them out. I swear Liasare. I know the man.”

“Hmmm. I wonder what his deal is then. Ugh, now I’m running my mouth and I need to shut up. Thanks for listening though.”

***

That evening, they were assembled in the meeting area getting ready to hit the streets. Jurek and Liasare were going to Raunch. She wasn’t pleased about that, because it was her least favorite club in Center City. At least Jurek would be with her. They would go out around ten and then after one, they would start hitting the streets, taking out Xanthians and looking for information, hopefully leading to clues to the whereabouts of some of the missing people.

Liasare had just finished dinner when Marik came to her with a teleporter. “I had this designed to strap onto your wrist.”

He showed her how to wear it so it would be on the top of her left hand so it wouldn’t interfere with her fighting. She’d only have to tap it with one finger, as it was preprogrammed to take her to the meeting place where someone would join her to bring her back here.

“Thank you Marik. This will be great.”

At ten, Jurek joined her and they left for Raunch.

“I hate this place,” she said as he flashed them to the alley behind the club.

“Not your kind of place is it?”

“Ugh, no. Those stinking ...”

“Don’t say it. I don’t want to hear your tirade. It’s enough we have to smell them, but to listen to you only makes it worse.”

“You really think so?”

He grabbed her arm and turned her to him. He adjusted her collar and straightened her jacket. “Yes, I do or I wouldn’t have said it. I hate them as much as you, but complaining about it only makes it worse. Doing something about it is what helps. Now come on and let’s give it a go.”

Raunch was filled with people. All sorts of people from the lowest of the low to the upper echelon of society. Liasare marveled at how such a blend of people could be squished in a club, all sweaty and half drunk from liquor. That was most likely the ticket, she thought. They had to be liquored up to endure this.

She tensed as she saw how many Xanthians were in the joint.

“Relax. You’re safe with me. Remember that. Try to look like you haven’t a care in the world while I trance some of the women to see if they know anything. Stay close to my side.”

That was easier said than done. The place was so packed, she felt herself being constantly swept up by the crowd. It was a constant effort to stay within Jurek’s reach. What was even worse was when they were surrounded by women. Not just a couple of them, but a dozen. They crawled out of the woodwork like mice, and came from all corners of the room.

What the hell is this? If he thinks I’m just going to stand here while he lets these women drape themselves around him, he has another thing coming.

She started to walk away from him and his hoard of chicks when she felt his fingers clamp around her wrist, sending a tingling current of heat straight up her arm and directly to that place between her legs.

I’m going to kill him. How the hell can he do this to me, and every damn time too? One touch and I turn into one of those women who are panting after him. I probably have drool running down my chin right now.

Liasare had been so focused on her inner turmoil, she hadn’t been paying attention to Jurek and his harem. Her anger had taken her mind off her task at hand and she hadn’t noticed the group of Xanthians that were about fifteen feet away from her, staring.

Suddenly, she felt his arm reach around her and pull her into him and he abruptly began kissing her.

Don’t stiffen up. Melt into me and act like you’re enjoying this. A whole group of Xanthians is watching us and I want to keep your face hidden.

Her arms went around his waist and she tucked her hands into the back pockets of his pants, grabbing his ass as she did.

I hope you’re enjoying yourself, you naughty girl.

She rubbed herself against him, grinding her hips into him. She felt his response and heard him groan.

Liasare, you’re playing with fire. Now stop that!

Enjoying herself too much, and paying him back for her earlier discomfort, she moved one of her hands from his pocket and slipped it down the back of his pants. Much to her satisfaction, she found he was commando, giving her free access to his glorious ass.

That’s it, and don’t say I didn’t warn you.

He hoisted her up, still kissing her and backed her into the closest wall, where he rammed himself against her. Placing his knee between her legs, he slid his hand up her shirt where he found exactly what he was looking for. As he began to roll her hardened nipple between his fingers, she moaned into his mouth.

Do you want more, little girl? Here in this bar?

He took his hand and cupped the apex of her thighs and began rubbing her there in sync with his hand.

Do you want me to make you climax in front of all these people?

That snapped her mind back to the present and she opened her eyes to see the corners of his mouth turned up. “I thought that might bring some sanity back to you.”

When she tried to move, he wouldn’t release her. “Not so fast, tease. Do you think you can rev me all up, put your hand down my pants and then hop off this train?” he whispered in his throaty, sexy voice. She was nearly melting in his arms, her breath coming in short puffs as she listened to him breathe the words in her ear.

“Now that I have your attention, let’s get one thing straight. Don’t you ever pull this kind of shit on me again little girl,” he growled in her ear. “We’re here to do a job and you start getting all sexed up on me, throwing yourself at me like some tramp. Who the fuck do you think you’re playing with here? And don’t answer that. I kissed you for a damn good reason. Those Xanthians were checking you out like a dog looks at a hunk of meat. I was trying to hide you from them and what do you do? You make a fucking spectacle out of yourself. Christ Liasare, what do you want? Do you want them to take you captive? Is that your goal, because you’re doing a damn good job of heading in that direction?”

His eyes were nearly glowing, the silver in them was so bright.

“I ... I’m sorry. I don’t know why I did that. No, that’s not entirely true. I do know why I did it. I did it because I wanted to. I was pissed off at you.”

“Why?”

“Because every time I looked at you, all those women were ...”

He stopped her before she could finish her. “I told you what I was going to do. I tranced them into giving me information. You knew what was going to happen here.”

“I didn’t think they’d come out by the dozens!”

“There weren’t dozens, dammit!”

“Yes, there were. Okay, maybe not dozens, but they had their hands all over you and I was just standing there looking like a loser.”

“I was trying to get information out of them,” he insisted. Then he looked at her and said, his lips curving slightly, “You’re jealous.”

“I am not. I just didn’t want to be around all those skanky women. They had their hands all over you. Besides, I wanted to ... to touch you Jurek.”

“Well, la-tee-fucking-da. Pick another place to do it Liasare, not while we’re working and we have a troop of bloody Xanthians breathing down our necks. Godammit I have a mind to send you back to Vesturon. You drive me bat shit crazy! We need to make a hasty exit. Every fucking eye in this place is glued to your ass right now and jonesing for a piece of it.”

He grabbed her hand and dragged her from the club. He didn’t stop until they were several blocks away and the street was all but deserted.

“Go ahead,” she said.

“Go ahead and what?”

“Yell at me some more about how I fucked it all up.”

“You certainly did a spectacular job of it.”

“I know. It seems that’s my specialty. Look, maybe I should work on my own. I can’t do anything right where you’re concerned. I ruin everything and make a total mess of things. You’d be better off without me around.”

“You’re right Liasare, I would.”

She didn’t expect him to say that and when he did, it felt like he drove a knife straight through her heart. Stumbling back a step, she pressed her hand to her throat, for it had become impossible to breathe. She never imagined his words could hurt her so badly. She spun away from him and began walking, then running down the street.

She should have expected as much, but she didn’t get very far before he was in front of her, grabbing her and flashing them to his room in the new headquarters.

“You can’t run from me Liasare and you didn’t let me finish. You were right. My life would be easier, but you play a role in it somehow. I’m not quite sure how, but I know you do. I can’t, nor will I let you leave. I can keep you here against your will or you can stay willingly, whichever you choose. I’d like for it to be the latter, but I’m willing to do it either way. I’ll figure the why out eventually and we’ll go from there, but you’re not going anywhere. Now dry your damn tears because we have a job to do.”

“You expect me to work? After this?”

He gave her a long hard look. “I expect a lot more than mere work from you. You’ve been trained to kill and that’s what I expect. You had the opportunity to go home, many times I might add. That’s gone now. You’re armed and dangerous and a killer. Do what you’ve learned. Take back what they’ve stolen from your brother, or have you already forgotten that?”

She narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips together, nodding. “Let’s go.”

Her head spun from all the clubs they hit, until it was finally two in the morning. They began searching the alleys and came upon several groups of Xanthians trying to abduct women. Liasare cut them all down, while Jurek stood by and observed. He was impressed with how she fearlessly fought them, quickly taking them down one by one. He didn’t tell her that; instead, he pointed out her errors and how one slip could have ended her life. He reminded her of things she had forgotten, especially focusing on eye movements and how she let down her guard a few times, which could have been very costly for her. Her speed and agility with her sword is what saved her in the end.

The last group they came upon made Liasare the angriest. The five Xanthians were lewd and gang raping two women. Liasare heard their whimpers and when she saw what was happening, her blood ran cold. Two Xanthians held each of the women, locking their arms behind them, while the men took turns raping them. They had torn off their clothing and Liasare could tell by their swollen and bloodied faces, as well as the bruises forming on their bodies, that they must have beaten the women before they began raping them.

Taking them by surprise, Liasare descended on them like one of the Furies. Instead of causing madness, vengeance was her goal. Sword slicing through muscle and bone, she dropped every one of her enemies, until they lay slain at her feet.

Dripping in their blood, her body was sagging from exhaustion by the time the sun began its ascent. Jurek flashed them back to headquarters and stripped her clothing off. Running the shower until it was steaming hot, he helped her inside. She scrubbed herself clean and was half asleep by the time she was finished. Jurek carried her to her bed and tucked her in.

Chapter Twenty-One

Liasare entered the kitchen, where she started rooting around for something to eat for breakfast. She wished she had a transmuter in her room. She was beginning to miss Lare-Stell more and more every day.

“Good morning Brownie. I heard you gave a pretty good show last night at Raunch,” Tak taunted her.

Liasare rubbed her face. Is nothing sacred anywhere here?

“No, not sacred anywhere close to here, and I’m surprised you haven’t figured that one out yet,” he chuckled. “What are you doing, by the way?”

“I’m starving. I miss the transmuters. I’m trying to find something to eat,” she grumbled.

“Why are you looking in there? That’s where we store lab specimens.”

“Ew! That’s so gross. Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

“Because we don’t tear through the kitchen like you do, prowling around for food. You’re like an animal that doesn’t think it will eat again for several weeks.”

Liasare’s jaw hit the floor. “I am not. I can’t help it I get so hungry. Don’t you ever get hungry?”

“Apparently not like you. I’ve never seen anyone with quite the appetite as you have.”

“Thanks Tak. That’s what every girl wants to hear ... that she eats like a sow. Speaking of food, why isn’t there anything to eat around here?”

“There is. You just have to know where to look.” He pointed her in the right direction where there was a plethora of things to choose from. Liasare felt like a kid in a candy shop. She started to grab things, her actions becoming frenetic.

“Whoa there Nellie. No one’s going to steal it from you.” Tak angled his head in that odd way of his and scrutinized her.

“Like I said, I’m starving. Now quit bugging me.” She began stuffing items of food into her mouth, like she couldn’t get enough, fast enough. After polishing off several bagels smothered with gobs of peanut butter, two bananas and two containers of yogurt, she leaned back with a sated smile on her face.

Tak gave her a puzzled look and shook his head. “Are you having, what’s it called? Oh yes, your period?”

“What? No! Not that it’s any of your business. And stop staring at me like that, dammit!”

“I can’t. With everything you just stuffed your face with, you should weigh five hundred pounds!”

“Well, you obviously don’t know what you’re talking about. I must have a super high metabolism. I’m telling you I was starving. Can’t we just leave at that? Why do you have to analyze my appetite?”

“Because it’s not normal, Brownie. You should eat maybe a bagel and a banana, tops. You just ate enough for four! Are you pregnant?”

“Okay, that does it! You know what? You’re an asshole Tak so why don’t you go screw yourself!”

She stomped out of the room.

Of all the things. Pregnant! Huh! Hell, I can barely get Jurek to first base, let alone that! Fuck!

Liasare headed back to her room to shower, now in a rotten mood from her little chat with Tak. Damn those men. They always seemed to put her in a bad mood. She wished she had a girl to hang out with on a regular basis, someone she could share her troubles with.

She turned the shower on, hopped in and lathered up when she realized she’d forgotten to grab her shampoo. This day was not exactly starting out great. Cracking the door open she reached out her arm to try to grab the shampoo when the bottle suddenly flew from the sink into the shower, crashing into the wall and hitting her on the shoulder.

“What the hell was that?” she yelled.

Did that shampoo bottle just fly over here, or am I now starting to hallucinate?

Bending down, she picked up the bottle and rubbed her shoulder. There was a red mark where the bottle had smacked into her. Well, at least she hadn’t imagined it. Now what the heck was going on? She finished showering and dried off, while she tried to figure out what happened.

Her best course of action, she decided, was to forget it ever happened. It was probably just a fluke, a one time occurrence. She quickly dressed and went to hunt down Jurek.

He was in the main area, chatting with Tak, and she almost decided to avoid both of them. She wasn’t up for any more of Tak’s comments about her huge appetite, but before she could retrace her steps, Jurek called her name.

“Davidson, how much food are you consuming each day?”

Crapitty crap! Can’t that pain in the ass called Tak keep his big mouth shut for one minute?

“I don’t know. I don’t keep a running log of what I eat.”

“Then I suggest you start.”

“Why?”

“Because I said so.”

Liasare decided to bite her tongue on that one.

“Can you take me to Jaylen’s?”

“I thought you just had your hair done?”

“I did,” she answered, crossing her arms, preparing for battle.

“Then why do you need to go there?”

“Because I want to.”

Jurek cocked his head as he stared at her. Whenever he did that, she could almost feel his mind waves searching her innermost sacred thoughts. She stiffened her spine and he raised his brow.

“What are you hiding?”

“Huh?” she asked in confusion.

“Why Jaylen’s? Answer me now!”

Before she knew it, she was plastered against the wall, his body pressing into hers. Her breath was cut off as he held his hand against his throat.

“No lies Liasare. I mean it,” he growled.

“I ... I...” she couldn’t speak for his hold on her had cut off her air supply. Her mouth opened and closed like a stupid fish out of water and she was pissed. As her anger built, the urge to push him away overwhelmed her, but his strength prevented her from moving. She wanted nothing more than to punch his lights out, but if he didn’t let her go soon, her lights were going to go out. Everything started to go grey when he released her. She immediately dropped to her knees, gulping in as much air as she could. When she regained her senses, she slowly pushed herself to her feet and her hazel eyes shot sparks of golden fire.

“You flaming asshole.” Then she flew at him and punched him wherever she could land one, his face, his neck, his belly, his chest. She kept at it until she lost the ability to swing anymore.

Her chest heaved from exertion and she dripped sweat.

“Are you quite through?”

“No! For your fucking information, not that you deserve an explanation after what you just did to me, I wanted to go to Jaylen’s because I like her. I think she’s cool and she’s a friend. I’ve never had any female friends before I met her or Naroo and after a morning of being told I eat like an animal, I wanted to go somewhere where I would feel comfortable, where I wouldn’t be judged, or where I wouldn’t be questioned, or attacked.”

She whirled away and stomped back to her room, slamming the door.

Damn stupid men! Nothing but trouble and a major pain in my ass!

Turning around, she didn’t know what to do with herself. She was so angry, she really didn’t want to stay in her room, but she didn’t want to go out there with them. Pacing, she thought about reading a book, when she looked up and saw her reading device flying toward her.

“What the hell?”

Good thing she had quick reflexes or the thing would have hit her in the head.

Okay, maybe this stuff wasn’t a coincidence. Well, it had only happened twice. Nothing to be totally alarmed about, right?

“Liasare let me in.” Jurek was knocking on her door.

“No!”

“Either let me in or I’m coming in anyway.”

“Whatever.”

Jurek flashed in and stood before her. “I apologize for that little incident out there. I overreacted.”

“Is that what you call it? Because in my book, it’s called psycho. You ask me a question, and then you give me an opportunity to answer, and maybe after I answer you get angry. That’s overreacting. Asking me a question, not giving me a chance to respond, then putting me in a fucking body lock and cutting off my air supply and making it impossible to respond—that’s psycho.”

“You’re right and I apologize. I wasn’t expecting you to request to go to Jaylen’s. It caught me off guard.”

“Oh, so every time I catch you off guard, I can expect that kind of reaction from you? Thanks for the warning, Rambo on psycho-steroids. What the fuck Jurek? What do you want from me? Tell me. Or better yet, write down a list that I can follow so I know when to expect my neck to get broken, okay?”

He was in front of her before she finished the sentence, surprising her once again. Her breath caught in her throat, and her mouth turned to sawdust, making it impossible to swallow.

Why, oh why does he have this effect on me?

He grabbed her chin and gruffly said, “Liasare, your neck was never in danger. Your neck will never be in danger around me. Other things perhaps, but not your neck. I will always keep you safe. Remember that.” And he was gone.

***

Marik escorted Liasare to Jaylen’s where she’d spent the afternoon. She had a relaxing time and enjoyed Jaylen’s company.

“Why won’t Jurek let you come here on your own?”

“Because I’m a walking disaster. Trouble follows me around Jaylen. I’m a magnet for it.”

“Well, if you ask me, you’re a magnet for Jurek and he doesn’t want you out of his sight. Any luck in that area, by the way?”

“Hardly. I’m not expecting any either. Besides, I disagree with you. I think he has plans for me, but I’m not sure what they are.”

“I’m not following you.”

“You know, I don’t know if I’m following me either. That man confuses the hell out of me. He’s so mysterious.”

“I know, right? But that’s why he’s so sexy. Don’t you think?”

“Oh he’s sexy all right. Too sexy, if you ask me.”

“Why don’t you just seduce him? Quit waiting for him to make the move?”

“It won’t happen,” Liasare said. “Can we change the subject? This is depressing me. Rejection isn’t fun, you know.”

“Sure honey. Did you ever find anything else out about your brother?” Jaylen asked. She was straightening up the parlor, with Liasare’s help.

“Other than he’s a minion, no. I wish I could get him out of there. I haven’t seen him since the night he shot me.”

“Yeah, you were lucky that bullet just grazed you. You could’ve been killed!” Jaylen didn’t know about Jurek ... what he was or his healing powers, so they had told her the bullet didn’t do much damage.

“I know. The most damage I sustained was the knowledge that my own brother didn’t even know me. You haven’t heard anything else have you?”

“No. When the FX come in here, they don’t ever talk about anything but sex. Sometimes, the girls will get them drunk out of their minds and they might slip, but that doesn’t happen very often.”

“Jaylen, what’s an FX?”

“Oh, sorry hon. That’s my lingo for the fucking Xanthians.”

They both laughed. “I’ll remember that,” Liasare decided.

“You know, I did hear something though. There’s talk about this club called Down. I’ve never heard of it before but some of the FX’s were running their mouths, laughing about it. I think it’s one of those edgy places where anything goes. They were commenting about it being the place where they were getting their supplies from.”

“Hmmm. Interesting. I’ll have to share that with Jurek. If you hear anything else like that, would you mind sharing it with me?”

“Sure thing.”

***

Jurek was in the kitchen when Liasare returned from Jaylen’s. “Have you ever heard of a club called Down?”

He looked pensive for a moment and answered, “No. Why?”

“Jaylen mentioned we may need to check it out because the Xanthians said they were getting their ‘supplies’ there, whatever that means.”

“Well, isn’t that interesting?”

“My exact thoughts.”

“Marik!” Jurek shouted suddenly, making Liasare jump. He looked at her and shook his head.

Seconds later, Marik showed up.

“Marik, I need all the information you can get on a club called Down. ASAP.” Turning to Liasare, he asked, “So how was your afternoon?”

“Very good, thanks. And yours?”

“Fine. I was going to recommend a night off for everyone tonight.”

She nodded. “Probably a good idea. If this club pans out, maybe we can hit it tomorrow.”

Jurek stared at her for what seemed like a very long time. “Have dinner with me tonight. In my quarters, please.”

What the hell? In his quarters? Like a date?

“Yes, Liasare, like a date.”

“O-Okay,” she stammered.

“Come at seven.” He turned around and walked away, leaving her there staring after him.

***

Marik found that Club Down was a sex club where anything went. You could get anything and everything, anyone’s choice. Jurek didn’t like the idea of Liasare going there. The last thing he wanted was to have Liasare exposed to that kind of club.

“What do you mean I can’t go? I’m the one that found out about it. And besides, I’ll be with all of you. It’s not like anything can happen to me with you around.”

After lots of arguing, Jurek promised to give it some thought.

Liasare couldn’t decide what to wear to dinner. Should she wear a dress or go casual? She changed her clothes twenty-one times, or at least it felt like that many times to her, going from casual black pants and a black blouse to a dressy green silk strapless top with a knee length black skirt.

It would be nice if she had a female roommate to ask. Too bad she couldn’t be like Jurek and just pop on over to Jaylen’s and get her opinion. It was so frustrating trying to figure this all out. She didn’t want to dress too fancy, nor did she want to dress too casually. She decided on a simple black knit dress that was fitted, sleeveless and hit her mid thigh. It showed off her curves and her legs, but wasn’t overly dressy. She wore flats and let hair do its own thing. Of course, it wasn’t like she had a choice in that regard, because she didn’t really know how to fix it anyway. She wished her nails looked better; they were cut to the quick and not exactly what one would call smooth. She never took care of things like that, never indulged in manicures or salon services.

Her stomach was an army of fluttering butterflies as she knocked on Jurek’s door. She heard him calling for her to enter.

“I’m sorry. I’m running a bit late. I had to take care of some business that took longer than I expected. I’ll be out in a minute,” he called from the other room.

Liasare walked around his sitting room, admiring his exquisite furnishings. She wondered how he could procure such finery, and on such short notice. Either they were miracle workers at locating these things, or he had some kind of connections with certain people at high levels.

She was inspecting a painting when he joined her. “It’s one of my favorites. I’ve had it for years. An artist from Vesturon actually painted it. Vesturon has such scenic places that its artwork often reflects it beauty. I fell in love with this one long ago.”

Liasare stared at it and it reminded her of the view she and Tommy had seen the day they flew on the speedster. It was a painting of the coastline where it met the mountains. The artist did a remarkable job of capturing the colors of the setting sun as it made its descent over the sea. She thought back to that day and how the view had amazed her. She had never known anything so beautiful had existed.

“What are you thinking about? You have a pensive look on your face.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. The painting only reminded me of the coastline of Vesturon. It’s very beautiful.”

“Would you care for some wine?” he asked as he headed toward the small refrigerator. She noticed what he was wearing then: snug black pants, hanging low on his hips and a crisp white shirt that was unbuttoned halfway down his chest, exposing his sculpted muscles. His sleeves were turned up, baring his muscular forearms, and Liasare couldn’t tear her eyes off of him as he moved across the room to fill the glasses with wine.

“Please.”

He handed her a glass and they took seats on the couch and chair. She started fidgeting, for she didn’t know what to do or where to look. What she truly wanted to do was simply ogle the man, but that wouldn’t do. The silence was unnerving so she thought to make some small talk.

“So are you cooking tonight?”

“No, although I enjoy cooking occasionally. I thought it best if I had someone else do the work.”

She gave him a questioning look.

“It’s being sent from Lare-Stell. I’m cheating Liasare.”

She giggled and admitted, “I really miss the transmuters. I didn’t realize how much I depended on them. They spoiled me.”

Jurek smiled. “I’ll remember to make sure I send you back there every now and then to get your fix.”

Hmmm, I’d rather get my fix of you.

It became very quiet in the room again. She sipped her wine and flicked an imaginary piece of lint off her dress.

“Am I making you nervous?” The sound of his voice was like a gentle breeze against her skin, causing goose bumps to sprout up all over her body.

“No,” she blurted out too quickly. She sighed deeply and looked him in the eye. “Yes.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know,” she glanced down and stared at her ugly fingernails.

“Yes, you do.”

Still staring at her hands, she admitted, “I, um, you’re intimidating. I don’t know anything about you other than you’re very powerful and you frighten me sometimes. Well, a lot actually. I know you want me to follow your orders or directions or whatever, but I worry about fucking things up. I want to fight and I want to be strong, but I worry I can’t meet your expectations.”

“Is that all?”

“Yeah,” she lifted her eyes again to his. The swirling silver in them always seemed to take her breath away with their uncommon beauty. “No, there’s a lot more, but I’m sure you don’t want to hear it all.”

“Tell me.”

“No,” she shook her head, looking away.

“Liasare, you know I always get my way. Tell me.” His rich voice resonated within her, making her belly tighten as she squirmed on the couch.

“Well, you don’t know anything about me.”

“I know a lot about you.”

“Like what? You don’t know what my favorite color is, or my favorite book. You don’t know what my favorite movie is or where I’d love to go if I could go anywhere in the universe. You don’t even know my favorite food.”

“Those things are of no consequence to me Liasare.” He flicked his hand through the air.

“But they are to me!” she insisted.

“Why? Why are they so important?”

She sat up straighter and said, “Because some of those things make me happy.”

“You know what Liasare, you’re right. I don’t know what your favorite color is, or if you’d like to have a manicure, or if you prefer your fingernails to be pink or red. I don’t have a fucking clue if you like ruffles better than lace, or if you have a favorite flower, or whether you’d rather get flowers or chocolates on your birthday. I also don’t know if you have a desire for a grand wedding and a fancy white gown and a cake that’s ten feet tall or if you’d prefer an intimate affair with only your closest family and friends present. I don’t know if you like to go to a spa and have a massage and be pampered, or if you prefer the outdoors and sit in the sun and feel its warmth on your skin. But I do know this. I do know the most important thing about you. And that is you’d die for someone you love. You’d give up your life for your brother. That, little girl, is more important to me that all that other bullshit you’re so hell bent on pointing out I don’t fucking know about you. Open your eyes Liasare. The world you once knew is dying a rapid death. Those things you seem to think are important may not exist in another six months. What will exist is the fact that I’ll be by your side, fighting and protecting you. And that I chose you, a warrior, to stand by my side.”

“That’s all fine and good and all of that may be important, but Jurek, sometimes I need chocolate and flowers to make me happy,” she insisted. “What makes you happy? Do you even know?” she whispered.

“I don’t have a fucking clue,” he snapped. “I can’t even remember the last time I was happy. When was the last time you were happy? You don’t seem to talk about having much happiness in your life as I recall.”

She whipped her head around to him, narrowed her eyes and reminisced. “Oh, I remember it well,” she softly said with a smile. “It was when Tommy and I stole that stupid speedster. Whoever would have thought that a flying motorcycle could have made two dumb kids so ecstatic? I remember every blasted thing about that flight and I swear I’ve never felt that happy since. I never knew that feeling even existed. It was incredible. We laughed about it because we felt so free. We wanted the feeling to last forever. Everyone needs to feel that feeling sometime and I believe it’s within each of us.”

Jurek was quiet for a moment as he watched her. He noticed how her eyes lit up like a beacon in middle of the darkest night. They glowed with her happiness; he didn’t think he’d ever seen anything like it.

“Don’t be going all Pollyanna on me now,” his voice was dripping sarcasm.

“Polly who?”

“Christ! You don’t know who Pollyanna is and you act like her half the time. It’s the optimistic principle based on a character from a book.”

“Oh. Well, maybe you should read the book Jurek.”

“Very funny Liasare.”

“I wasn’t trying to be funny. I’m just saying that every now and again I need to have things around that maybe, on some small level, can make me happy. Or maybe if not happy, make me think happy thoughts, at least for a few minutes anyway.” She stood up, straightened her dress just because, and walked over to the refrigerator to get the bottle of wine.

“Why, so you can go out and kill a bunch of Xanthians with a smile on your face?” his sarcasm lacing his words.

His words stopped her in her tracks and she thought about what he said. “Yeah, I guess so. Maybe I do need something to put a smile on my face. Even though they’re disgusting, killing Xanthians is so brutal that maybe a little something to cheer me up on occasion would make the job a bit easier to stomach.”

He snorted, “Maybe I should get you a gas mask. Then you’d stop bitching about the nasty smell of them.”

“Look, never mind. I just thought that ...” She stopped and waved her hand through the air, dismissing her thought. “No, forget it. It doesn’t matter. However, just for the record, I don’t like pink at all. In fact, I hate it. It reminds me of the color of my scars. I’ve never had a manicure, see,” she held up her hands and wiggled her fingers so he could have a look at her ugly fingernails, “and I’ve never even been in a salon so I don’t have any idea about what a massage would be like. I prefer the outdoors over anything. Waterfalls are my favorites, although I’ve only ever seen one. I adore chocolate, but I was only allowed to have it on the rarest of occasions, so I look at it as a very special treat. I dislike both lace and ruffles; they’re just not my type,” she said, wrinkling her nose. “I’m not very refined as you’ve probably already figured out by my deplorable table manners. I was never taught about all the different forks and spoons and such and all that kind of stuff makes me extremely uncomfortable. I actually find it quite intimidating. As for the wedding thing, I never allowed myself to indulge in those kinds of thoughts because you saw what I looked like. Who in his right mind would’ve wanted to marry someone who looked like me? I never filled my head with impossible things that could never be. Oh, and I adore the feeling of the sun on my face. Now that my scars are gone I guess I could find out what it would be to actually put on a bathing suit and feel the warmth of it on my entire body. That’s something I’ve never experienced before. That’s also why I’m so disgustingly pale. And finally, if there were one thing I could have every day of my life, it would be a fresh bouquet of flowers. Flowers are a gift from God and should be treasured for their beauty and luscious scents. Now, if I die tomorrow, you can say you knew what my favorite things were. Good night Jurek.” She turned and headed for the door.

Jurek felt like she had sliced him open and poured acid on his wounds, and he deserved every ounce of it, and then some. He’d never been so ashamed of how he’d treated anyone in his life. She’d stripped herself bare and exposed her inner feelings for him to see. She been thrown into something she hadn’t asked for. Her goal in coming to Earth was to find the only person who’d ever shown her kindness and instead she had been introduced to one tragedy after another. Then when she tries to have a simple conversation with him, he acts like a fucking condescending asshole and tells her what makes her happy doesn’t mean a goddamn thing to anyone but her.

I’m such a fucking worthless piece of shit. How could I treat her like that?

“Liasare, stop. Please don’t leave.” He stared at her, his eyes filled with remorse. “You can’t go without eating. Our food will be arriving any minute, and I’m not letting this go to waste. Take it back to your room if you must, but wait.”

She eyed him for a moment and said, “I seem to have lost my appetite.”

“I didn’t mean to piss you off. I’m sorry. I don’t know why I said those things. I guess I just thought a reality check was in order.”

“No shit Jurek. Some reality check. Everything with you is like a bucket of ice cold water in the face.”

Before she knew what hit her, he was holding her and kissing her. And it was one of his knock your socks off kinds of kisses. He was all over her, hands, mouth, taking, demanding and her head was spinning with the ferocity of it. She was on the couch, flat on her back, with him on top. He ran his hand beneath her dress, sliding it along her thigh, massaging it, while he ran his tongue along her neck from her ear to the base of her throat. He spread her legs and began to massage the inside of her thigh, sliding her dress up even further.

Gliding down her body, his mouth took over where his hand had been, kissing, licking and nibbling the inside of her thigh until she thought she would go crazy. He groaned, as if he was in pain, from holding himself in check for so long.

Liasare threaded her fingers through Jurek’s hair, feeling its thick waves as she drew him even closer to her. She knew she wanted more, needed more. His exotic scent fueled her desire, as he continued to push her toward the brink of ultimate pleasure.

Jurek was lost in his passion, tasting Liasare’s pleasure as it built in her. He could feel it surrounding him, and it urged him to go further. Pushing her dress up higher, he slid his fingers under the elastic of her thong and with a quick snap, popped the thing right off of her.

When she felt her panties give way, Liasare sucked in her breath. Raising herself to her elbows, their eyes locked.

Last chance, his thought assailed her.

Was this a challenge, she wondered? Because if so, she was definitely up to it. Reaching for his head, she guided him to her and moaned when his tongue found her, and began its sweet torture. Jurek’s current flowed through her, sending a wave of molten heat coursing through her veins, waking every cell, every nerve ending in her body. She arched her back and called his name. Every angry word that had been shared between them faded away. Just when she thought nothing could feel sweeter, he ran his hands along her hips and back around beneath her, lifting her closer to him, bringing her to climax. Her world shattered into a million stars. She wanted to feel him next to her, his skin on hers, but their clothing was in the way. Suddenly it was gone, ripped away like magic. She smiled knowing Jurek had read her mind. Now she wanted him on top of her so she could feel his heart beating, she wanted his lips on hers; she wanted her hands on him everywhere and his scent on her. Before she could finish the thought, he was there, looming over her, his mouth crushing hers, possessing her, filling her, tasting her.

“You unman me Liasare,” he muttered into her mouth. “You reduce me to a mass of weakened, helpless flesh. I can’t think straight when I’m near you.” He kissed her again, not gently, but aggressively, as if he were marking her as his own. He drew back his head and stared at her for a long moment, his eyes half hidden under a heavy fringe of inky lashes, “Don’t ever think about leaving here. I won’t allow it. Ever. Under any circumstance.”

He rolled off of her, stood and stared at her. “How did you remove our clothes Liasare?”

Standing there naked, he was the most magnificent thing Liasare had ever seen. Not hesitating a second, she moved before him and touched him. Her shyness was absent for a change, and she had always wanted this, nothing but this. She dipped her fingers along the steps of the muscles on his abdomen, feeling the indentations and planes, reveling in the tautness of them. Running her hands from his abs to his chest, she felt the sculpted muscles flex beneath her hands as he moved. She didn’t stop there. Walking around until she was directly behind him, she traced the muscles of his shoulders, back and finally his spectacular ass. When she was finished inspecting and touching him, she faced him again, leaned into him and wrapped her arms around him.

“You didn’t answer me. How did you remove our clothes?” he asked as he enfolded her within his arms.

“I didn’t; you did.”

“No, Liasare. I certainly did not. Although I’ll confess the thought crossed my mind, I was too busy with ... other things.”

She looked up at him, her face turning a vivid shade of pink and she blurted out, “What? You mean you didn’t do that?”

He sliced his head once to the left and then back again.

Her brow furrowed, and she tried to back out of his hold.

“Oh no you don’t. Tell me what’s going on here. The truth Liasare because if you don’t, you know damn well I’ll get it out of you anyway.”

“When you were ... when your tongue was ... oh God this is embarrassing.”

“Now you’re embarrassed? Liasare, my tongue has traveled over nearly every inch of your body, and in places I would venture to guess you rarely touch yourself, and now you get embarrassed?”

“Stop! I can’t help it, okay? I’m sorry I’m this way. I just am. I don’t normally have men’s tongues lapping at my innermost sacred places.”

“I should hope not and don’t you ever think of allowing any other man to do that, do you understand me?”

“Oh, cut the macho crap already will you? If you haven’t figured out by now that I’m not that kind of girl, then you are an idiot!”

Their eyes bored into each other and an unspoken battle erupted. He seemed to tell her that she would find out exactly what kind of idiot he was if she thought to test him in that arena. She seemed to challenge his authority, as he stood in front of her with his hackles raised.

“Answer me then. How the fuck did you do it?”

“I’m not sure. Like I said, when you were, ah, yeah, down there,” she dropped her eyes, but he quickly halted her movement.

“Look at me when you speak,” he purred.

She opened her eyes and felt her face spike with heat. Clearing her throat, she continued, “When you were ... when I was ... why are you doing this to me?”

“I’m trying to find out how you did this, dammit. Quit squirming and answer the fucking question.”

She tried to twist out of his grasp, but it was ironclad. Her eyes shot back to his and she decided to be brutally honest. “When your tongue was bringing me the most unbelievable ecstasy I had ever experienced, the only thing I could think of was that I wanted to feel you next to me, to feel your skin on mine. Not our stupid clothes. As soon as the thought entered my head, the clothes flew off so I assumed you’d read my mind. I didn’t think I did it.”

“What about my body?”

“What do you mean?” she asked, now truly puzzled.

“When our clothes disappeared there was a force that pulled me over you, on top of you. Was that something you wanted as well?”

If Liasare could have looked in a mirror, she was sure her face would have been a mottled shade of purple. Of course she had wanted him on top of her, but she didn’t think she had actually made him move there.

“Yes,” she mumbled, “I did. And I wanted to feel your heart beat next to mine, I wanted you to kiss me and if I could have, I would have crawled inside of you and somehow cradled your heart within my hands. Now that I’ve bared my soul to you, do you plan on mocking me, humiliating me or yelling at me?” Standing tall as a soldier, head held high, she waited for his response.

Bending down, he picked up her dress and said, “I would never mock or humiliate you for sharing those feelings with me. I think you need to get dressed. Our dinner is probably here and we need to have a talk. Something is happening that I’m not sure even I can explain.”

Her feelings were so muddled right now, for she was exhausted, physically and mentally, she was frightened of a role she’d been chosen to fulfill but was uncertain she’d be able to do it with any success, and she was also emotionally attached to the man who stood next to her and had every nerve ending in her body rising in anticipation of his touch.

“That’s it? Get dressed because our dinner is here?” now she was pissed. “I think you can go and have a lovely dinner by your own self, Jurek.”

“Liasare, please get dressed. We have things we need to discuss.”

“I don’t think so. I think we’re done discussing. You’re an ass, you know that?” Frustration lacing her words, she finally said, “Look, I can’t do this anymore. I’m tired, scared, and quite honestly, you do things to me that sometimes I’m ill equipped to deal with. My body responds to you in ways that, well, I can’t even explain it to myself. I’m in a constant state of denial and it’s making me crazy.”

“What do you mean denial?”

“Seriously? For God’s sake Jurek, every time you’re near me, I’m in a heightened state of arousal, and then you deny me any satisfaction. I’m like an explosive, getting ready to go off at any second.”

“I never deny you satisfaction.”

“What? You always deny me satisfaction. You refuse to have sex with me.”

“That’s because I’m protecting you. But I do other things to satisfy you.”

“I know, but I want you. Among those other things. I like those other things too. But Jurek, I. Want. You!” her eyes held his and he felt them touching his soul. Her lips parted and he could hear her breaths as it came out in short puffs.

The dress he held in his hand was gone in a flash. “Did you do that?” Liasare asked him.

He shook his head to the left one time, right before he all but pounced on her. He was kissing her all over, licking her, trailing his tongue along her hipbones. He slid down her body and kissed each leg, all the way to the bottoms of each of her feet, massaging them and then returning to her inner thighs, where he nibbled a path to the juncture of her legs. Spreading them wide, he ran his tongue along her and she moaned as she grabbed his head, pulling him closer. His tongue swirled and delved into her, hitting that perfect spot until she cried out his name again and again. When her climax finally faded, he moved up and pulled her on top of him and began a slow, sensual dance with his tongue and hers. He tasted her sweetness and ran his tongue along her lower lip, as she kissed him back, nibbling on his lip in return. “I can’t get enough of your taste Liasare.”

She moved over him and twisted her fingers in his hair, as she pulled her mouth from him. “I love the way you smell and the way your tongue makes me feel Jurek. But I still want you. Inside of me.”

She slid down his body and began kissing his chest, his abs and she spent quite a long time tracing the outline of that gorgeous tattoo on his hip with her tongue. She used her teeth and lips until she had him groaning and making those sexy sounds in the back of his throat that turned her on so much. Then she inched her way down his body.

“Liasare,” he rasped. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing I don’t want to do,” she said as she took him into her mouth, sliding her tongue over his velvety skin as he groaned her name. His breathing accelerated which spurred her on, taking her strokes to a rhythm that matched it. She lifted her eyes to look at him and just as she did, he moaned in pleasure seeing her watching him. Liasare felt her sex respond as he withdrew from her mouth right before he climaxed. He grabbed her arms pulling her on top of him, and they shared a wet, wild and lush kiss. Holding her tightly, he flipped them and began kissing her cheeks, lips and then nuzzling her neck.

“Oh Liasare,” he said, breathing into her neck. “I want to be inside of you more than I can say.” His words were spoken so quietly, she didn’t think she heard him correctly.

“What did you say?”

He lifted himself up to his elbows and whispered, “I want to be inside of you more than I can say.”

“Jurek, I don’t understand.”

“If we do this there are things that can happen, things that could put you at great risk. Part of my power could shift to you and that could kill you. If by some miracle it didn’t, you could also be vulnerable to my enemies. Once we bind together, and my power is fused in you, my enemies can track me through you. I’m immortal and you aren’t. I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you because of me. The risks are too great for something such as this ... a night of pleasure Liasare.”

She cupped his faced between her hands. “Don’t you think it’s only fair that I have a say in this? It’s my life after all.”

“Yes, but I already know what you’re going to say. And I’m not willing to take that chance when we can have nights like this, beautiful nights together with you naked in my arms, allowing me to pleasure you. And if the day arrives when the universe is safe again, then we’ll move to the next step.”

“I won’t feel like you’re mine though.”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“If we don’t make love, I won’t feel like we belong to each other.”

“Oh Liasare. Don’t ever make that mistake. You are one hundred and fifty percent mine. And if anyone tries to take you away from me, I’ll kill them,” he swore.

“What about me? Do I have those same rights where you’re concerned?”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “So you think I’m out picking up other women? Is that what you’re asking me?” He was out of bed in a flash, eyes blazing silver, anger rolling off of him.

“Let’s get one thing straight right now. You and me, nothing and no one comes between us. I don’t sleep around on my women. And I expect the same. If I find out differently, you’ll regret it, understand?”

“Jurek, I had to ask.”

“Why? I’m here every night, or on Lare-Stell. Or Vesturon. You always know where I am. You don’t trust me yet. I know. I get that. But dammit Liasare, when have I given you cause to think for one second that I’d fuck around on you?”

Liasare didn’t have a good answer for that. “I’m always confused around you. I can’t help it!”

“You’re confused because of you, not because of me. I’ve been straight up with you from the start.”

“What? How so? You’ve sent me mixed signals from day one!”

“No, I haven’t. That’s where you’re wrong. I told you we couldn’t have sex. Yes, we’ve played around and I’ve made you feel good, or I’ve tried anyway. I’m sorry we haven’t done the final deed, but I’ve been up front about that from the start. But I have not hidden the fact that I’ve desired you from the first time I laid eyes on you. I’m sorry you’re confused, but that wasn’t my fault. And why didn’t you come to me and ask me?”

Again, she didn’t have a good response.

“I don’t know. Maybe I was shy. I’m inexperienced with men. I don’t know how I’m supposed to act. I’m inexperienced with every damn thing. You ought to know that by now. I screw everything up. And my body has such a weird reaction to you. Like it knows when you’re around. My nerve endings perk up like you wouldn’t believe, I can barely think straight. Sometimes I think I want to have sex with you just to help me think properly again.”

She looked at him and he was smiling. “I do that to your body?”

“Yes! No wonder I’m always so discombobulated.”

He looked like that cat that swallowed the canary. The ass was actually gloating! She should never have told him that, dammit.

“Has another man ever made you feel this way?”

“No!”

“Not even your Shandro?”

“No, and he’s not my Shandro!”

He got a smug look about him, tossed her the dress and said, “We’re definitely going to be eating a cold dinner, although I’ll admit it was worth every bite.”

Liasare watched him as he bent down, retrieved his clothing and headed to the bathroom. She quickly put her dress on and spied her torn panties on the floor. Picking them up, she tossed them on the sofa with a smirk and headed out the door.

Chapter Twenty-Two

A few minutes later, Jurek strode out of the bathroom, fully dressed, into an empty room. He was about to go looking for Liasare when Tak entered his room.

“I’m not in the mood for an interruption right now,” Jurek told him.

“I can see why,” Tak replied as he eyed the torn panties lying on the sofa.

Following Tak’s gaze, Jurek gave a snort of disgust as he shook his head, picked up the scrap of cloth and tossed it on his bed.

“What do you want?” he asked in frustration.

“We’ve found something. A colony on Trakstar 27. It looks like our suspicions are correct. There is a base there with approximately thirty thousand life forms. We’ve sent some men to investigate and they should be back to Lare-Stell in a few hours. I think this is where they’re sending all the abductees Jurek. It all is making sense. We think there are more than just the Xanthians involved here too.”

“Okay, slow down. Trakstar 27 is in the Omega quadrant. That’s nowhere near Earth. We’re talking BFE for Christ’s sake. What the fuck are they doing all the way out there?”

“Trying to stay unnoticed. And it’s worked until now. All those probes have the Trakstar 27 marking on them. They were making sure no one was on to them.”

Jurek began pacing and he ran his hand through his hair. “Damn. Meet me in the kitchen. I need to get Liasare and we need to eat dinner. You can fill us in on all the details while we eat.” Jurek flashed out of the room.

Liasare was in her room, stepping into a replacement thong when Jurek popped in. She screamed when she heard him and her hairbrush went soaring through the air toward his head.

It was difficult to tell who was more shocked, Liasare because of Jurek flashing into her room while she was standing there bare-assed, or Jurek because of Liasare’s hairbrush headed toward his head.

“What the hell!” he yelled.

“Don’t you ever knock?” she screamed.

“No and how often is this happening?” he wanted to know.

“You scared me and not very often.”

“Quantify that.”

“This is the third time.”

“Are you including the incident when you removed our clothing?”

Her face turned beet red, as she answered sheepishly, “No Jurek, I’m scared. What’s happening to me?”

She didn’t finish speaking when other things, such as a hand mirror and a pair of shoes flew across the room. Liasare’s hands started shaking so she rubbed them together in an effort get them to stop.

Noticing her distress, Jurek was in front of her taking hold of her hands. He put them both in one of his and put his other hand on her head, turning her around in his arms so her back was flush against his chest. “Breathe Liasare. Let my power wash over you and calm you.”

Soon, he felt her trembling subside. He was reluctant to release her so he bent his head to her ear and whispered, “Let’s go eat dinner and discuss this. We need to tell Tak and perhaps he can help. He also has some news. They’ve found the Xanthian colony and he’s sent some men to investigate. They should be back on Lare-Stell in a few hours. Come, let’s eat.” He took her hand and walked her to the kitchen.

Tak was there when they both entered.

“Brownie, are you feeling okay? You don’t look so well,” Tak mentioned.

“No, she’s not well Tak. Thanks for noticing,” Jurek commented dryly.

“I need to eat. I’m really hungry,” Liasare decided.

“Sit. I’ll serve you,” Jurek told her.

He filled two plates and sat down. Handing her a set of silverware and a napkin, he brought her a glass of iced lemon water. She emptied her plate of food almost before Jurek had a chance to swallow his first bite of food.

“Liasare, um, I am quite astounded. I don’t quite know what to say.”

“I told you she ate like a horse, Jurek. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“I’m sorry, but is there any more? I’m still really hungry.”

Jurek and Tak looked at each other and Liasare knew they were communicating. Tak left the kitchen and Jurek refilled Liasare’s plate.

Jurek took a few more bites of his food as Liasare sat there with an empty plate. There was a container of food on the counter that suddenly ended up on Liasare’s lap. It had been filled with their dinner.

“Oh God, I’m sorry,” Liasare exclaimed as she jumped to her feet. She was dripping in brown sauce, and some sort of unidentified tasty vegetables. “Oh hell!” she said as she ran, tripping, out of the room.

Jurek decided to follow her. When Liasare got to her room, she yanked off her dress and was so exasperated; things began flying across her room. Pillows, clothing and shoes were randomly soaring through the air. Jurek pulled her to him, talking to her, calming her down.

“It’s okay, Liasare. We’ll figure this out, but it seems to intensify when you’re emotions are involved. Let’s get you calmed down, okay?’’ He held her to him, rubbing circles on her back. When things settled down, he found something for her to wear and helped her into her clothing.

“Let’s go back to the kitchen. I want to get you a glass of wine.”

She followed him and sipped the wine after he poured her a glass. Tak and Jurek wanted to know when all this started, its frequency and duration. They seemed to think her voracious appetite had something to do with it. They also thought that the fact that she had always been extra sensitive to the Praestani touch might be a factor too.

They decided they would monitor these events more closely, but in the meantime, the situation with the Xanthians had become paramount. The initial reports coming in were disturbing. The colony was being trained for military exercises. They were taking the abductees, implanting nanochips into their brains and creating an army of minions. These minions would do exactly as they were told; it was as if they didn’t have a mind of their own. They were one hundred percent expendable. Not only were adult men and women being used. They had found evidence that adolescents were there too. The news got worse. Humans weren’t the only ones; beings from all over the universe were there. The reports also indicated that this was only one of many of these colonies. The question was, where were the other bases or colonies? They had to locate them and quickly.

Jurek knew he needed to go to Vesturon to discuss this with Xarrid, Rykerian and the other Yarristers. As the ruling entity of the Universal Free Rule, or UFR, they needed to be apprised of the situation. It would be urgent for them to know of this. Maybe Jurek could enlist the aid of the Guardians of Vesturon, to help search out these other bases. They needed to be found and destroyed before these armies were launched and could take over the universe.

“I’ll go with you,” Liasare stated.

“No, I want you to stay here. I also don’t want you out. I don’t want you on Vesturon because I know you’re still angry at your sister. With everything that’s going on with your body right now, I’d rather not put you in that situation. And the same goes for you fighting. I’d be more comfortable if you’d stay here and when I get back, we’ll fight together. Can you do that?”

She thought for a moment.

“I’ll be a waste just sitting here.”

“No, you won’t. Tak will put you to work on the Compsys. You can help him search for signals coming out of the space waves. It can give us a direction to search for other bases or colonies.”

“Okay, I guess.”

“I should be back in a day, two at the most. Promise me you’ll stay here and not do anything rash.”

“Yes, I’ll stay here. And when you get back we fight?”

“Yes, we’ll fight. We’ll kill if you’re up to it.”

“I’m up to it,” she vowed.

They looked at each other, as if there were a million thoughts and words they wanted to share but none fell from either of their lips.

“So help me Liasare, if you do anything stupid, I’ll make you regret it.” The light flared momentarily and he was gone.

***

Liasare kept hearing the voice calling her name. Realizing it wouldn’t cease, she got up at last, just so she could tell whoever was annoying the crap out of her to shut the hell up. She padded across the room and into the main area of the warehouse and there stood a woman...a lovely bald headed woman. Her face and neck had Praestani tattoos, similar to Naroo’s. She was draped in a white Grecian-styled gown and it pooled at her bare feet. She was so beautiful Liasare wanted to touch her.

Blinking several times, not trusting what her eyes were seeing, she asked, “Did you want something, because I don’t know you and I’m super tired and would love to go back to sleep. So can we make this quick?”

“Be patient with him Liasare, for he is headstrong, much like yourself.”

“Who are you talking about?”

“You know of whom which I speak. Please be patient with him. He has your best interests at heart. In fact, he has you inside of his heart. He doesn’t know it yet, but he will soon. Very soon. You must be strong my dear for soon you will be tested. They will try to destroy you but do not let them. You are the Key. Remember that Liasare. You are the Key.”

“The key to what?”

“Everything depends on you Liasare. Tell him that. It says so in the prophecy.”

“Wait! Tell me more! Please don’t go!” The bald woman faded away.

Liasare sat up in bed with a start. What a strange dream, she thought. It had been so real, she had thought for a moment she was in the middle of the warehouse instead of her bed. Lying back down, she was fast asleep in minutes.

***

The warm glow of the sun streaming through the window woke Liasare up in the morning. She stretched and rolled on her side. Opening her eyes, she spied a small bouquet of lovely flowers on the pillow beside her, along with a box of chocolates. Very expensive chocolates. There was a thick creamy envelope with her name on it. She opened it and pulled out a card that read:

You should be greeted every day with both of these. Enjoy.

J H

She looked at the card and reread it, just to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating. She opened the box of chocolates and lifted the bouquet to her nose. It was a lovely mix of unusual flowers she had never seen and they smelled heavenly.

What in the hell has happened to him? This man is going to be my undoing, physically and mentally.

Smelling the flowers brought a memory to surface, one that she kept in a tightly locked box. It was from the time after her accident, when she was recovering in the medical facility. Her mother would come into her room every day, pinched faced and scowling, while she lay there unable to move. Bandages covered her body while her pelvis and limbs were encased in immobilizers. Her memory was so vivid she could feel her nose itching unbearably, but this time she was able to reach up and vigorously scratch it, unlike when her arms were trapped in those awful immobilizers. She hated those memories, how she would shut down completely, unable to stand the constant rantings and ravings of her selfish mother.

Mornings were her favorite times then, because she would awaken every day to find a tiny bouquet of freshly picked flowers resting next to her face on her pillow. Tommy knew how much she loved them so every morning he would bring her some. Their scent would freshen her room, chasing away the medicinal smell of the facility. Her mother would arrive every afternoon and toss them into the trash, complaining bitterly about their presence in her bed.

She looked at the bouquet she firmly grasped within her hands, her memories of Tommy and all his kindness during those dreadful months, filling her heart with love. He had always been her rock, her beacon during the storms. He was the one who steadied her when she felt she was crumbling and didn’t want to go on; he gave her courage to climb the mountain and learn how to walk again. God, how she missed him! If only she could talk to him one more time.

Tommy, why didn’t you at least give me a chance to say good-bye?

She put her hands in her face and cried. She knew if she ever did see him, if they ever did get him back, he would never be her Tommy again.

***

Tak was teaching Liasare the ins and outs of searching for signs of activity in the omega quadrant of the universe. Each of the quadrants was vast, with life forms on multiple solar systems. There were also asteroids to consider. They traveled through space, never stationary, and could be a location for a colony as well...a very strategic location, if the asteroid were stable and large enough.

She was on her second day of searching and her back was screaming from the inactivity. “I don’t know how you can sit here all day like this. This is killing me.”

“You don’t like this Brownie?”

“No, my back muscles are going into spasms. I need some exercise. Desk work makes me crazy.”

“You are impatient,” Tak remarked.

“No, I’m not. I don’t like to sit still is all.”

“That’s impatience, Brownie.”

“Whatever. I think I’m going out to get some fresh air.”

“No.”

“What do you mean, ‘no?’”

“No, means no.”

“Gah, you are so annoying, Tak.”

“So are you Brownie. Jurek says you cannot leave,” he explained.

“I’m not leaving. I’m just going for a walk. I need some exercise. I promise I won’t be long. I’ll go around the block or two, stretch my legs and be back.”

Tak examined her, and then nodded. Take your weapons, all of them Brownie. Every single one. And you have one hour.”

She wasted no time in gearing up and heading out. She was going to enjoy being outdoors. It was a crisp December day, late in the afternoon and she exited the building and started walking. She had no destination in mind, only exercise. As was her tendency, her mind wandered and when it did, she lost sight of her surroundings. Jurek occupied her thoughts, especially the bouquet and chocolates he had sent her. She’d never received gifts from the opposite sex before and was surprised how special they made her feel. Of course, Jurek had a habit of making her feel special. He also had a tendency to piss her off, put her in a rage, fill her with unbearable desire and make her want to tear all her clothes off and run naked through fire for him.

Liasare heard something growling behind her and she swore under her breath. Damn, why can’t I keep my mind where it needs to be? Darkness had fallen and she had been so preoccupied with Jurek, she hadn’t been paying attention to her surroundings.

Turning around, she saw two green eyes glowing in the dark. The hairs on her body stood at attention and her breath seemed to have vanished, stuck somewhere between her ribs and throat. Her head didn’t move, but her eyes did a quick scan of the area surrounding the creature in front of her. It growled again, then stood up to its full height. Liasare felt her panic begin to take over as she realized this was one of the creatures she saw from Jurek’s memory.

It opened its mouth and its teeth elongated, dripping saliva as it unfolded its large bat-like wings. Liasare looked into its eyes and saw her image reflected in them. Her feet became mired in concrete, unable to move. Her mind screamed at her to run, but she stood there, staring into the black creature’s eyes, unable to look away. It stepped toward her and enfolded her within its large leathery wings and took off running.

Its arms hung at her sides, not holding her, as if it were afraid to touch her. Liasare tried to move her hands, to wiggle her fingers, but nothing. She was frozen, like a block of ice.

Her eyes stung from the cool air as the creature sped through the night. She wanted to see where it was taking her, but it was so large, her view was obscured. If only she could get to her weapons, but her body was in some kind of mind-lock.

It finally released its hold on her, dropping her is if she burned it. It crouched over her growling, its saliva running down her face and arms. She still was trying to break loose of its hold on her mind, but she couldn’t budge, when all of a sudden, it flew backwards and slammed into a wall, howling.

“That’s enough. Release her,” another voice hissed.

Liasare moved her arms and legs and quickly sat up, moving into a squatted position. She reached for her weapons to find all of them missing.

“Do you take me for a fool?” the voice said harshly. A figure moved partially out of the darkness, yet she still couldn’t see his face, as his head was covered by a black hooded cloak that he wore. She looked around and she found herself in a room that looked like a dungeon. She cringed when she saw there were men and women hanging from chains in cages along the wall. It was exactly like Jurek’s memory. In the center of the room was a table. At each end were shackles and chains. She knew exactly who the table was intended for.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“I was about to ask you the same question. Matter of fact, we want to know who you are working with and what information you have on us.” With every word he said he inched closer and closer to Liasare. She sensed something very disturbing about this man. Something she couldn’t explain, but she was becoming intensely nauseated and her head was beginning to pound, unmercifully. She still couldn’t see his face, but his eyes were glowing red, causing her body to break out in a mass of chills. Ice ran through her veins and her head continued to pound with a piercing pain behind her eyes.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“I think you do.” He waved his hands and she found her body stretched across the table with her wrists and ankles in steel shackles and chains. She wasn’t sure how he did it, but she was on the floor one minute and the next, she was on her back upon the table, nearly naked except for her bra and panties.

“I’ll ask you again, what do you know of us?”

“Nothing. I swear.”

He snapped his fingers and three of those horrid black creatures appeared around her, growling and hissing, claws bared, teeth snapping.

“We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. The choice is yours.”

“I don’t know anything, I swear!” she screamed.

The hooded man looked at the creatures and nodded, but when they went to claw her, a strange blue light appeared around her body, jolting them as they tried to touch her. They screeched in pain.

The man narrowed his eyes and asked, “What are you?”

“I’m human,” Liasare cried. “Let me go! I don’t know anything.”

“Oh no. And you’re no human. I’ve been around for eons little girl and I’ve never seen any kind of reaction like that. Use the chains on her!” he ordered.

One of the creatures picked up a heavy chain and swung it at her, its thick links cutting across her hips and abdomen. Liasare screamed.

“What are you?”

“I don’t know!” she cried.

The man nodded to the creature and he swung the chain at her again, only this time it landed across her shoulders and chest, tearing into her flesh. She screamed again.

“What are you?” he asked again.

Her throat became so raw from her screams, she could barely answer. The torture worsened when the dark creature began beating the bottoms of her feet. Eventually she passed out.

She wasn’t sure how long she’d been unconscious, but the hooded man was there when she woke.

“I’m a very patient man, young lady. We can play this game for hours and hours. I won’t tire of it, but I know you will. I can already see how it has affected you. Your mind is slipping, but this is nothing compared to when I let them rape you. You’ll be left with half of your mind, and believe me, you’ll wish you didn’t even have that. So tell me. What are you and what do you know of us?” he growled.

“Go to hell you motherfucker!”

“I’m already there, and it seems you’re getting ready to join me.”

He clicked his fingers and one of the creatures was between her legs. He ripped her panties off and spread her legs apart, but Liasare’s mind snapped into place, reaching for something she knew was there, yet now knowing how to access it. He grabbed himself, intending to force himself into her when a blinding light erupted from her and threw him back, frying him in the process.

“Well, well, well. Aren’t you the interesting one? What other tricks might you have for us tonight?” He slashed his hand toward another of the creatures and he began to whip her with the chain again. She didn’t last long before everything went to black.

***

“You were supposed to keep watch over her Tak. I gave you strict orders dammit!” Jurek screamed. His face was a mask of fury as he stormed through the headquarters.

“She said she wanted to walk around the block to stretch her legs. I didn’t think anything of it!”

“You know damn well trouble follows her around like a magnet. I want all of Team One down here NOW!” Jurek yelled as he made his way to his quarters.

Moments later, twenty Praestani showed up, ready to search for Liasare.

“Jurek, do you not sense her anywhere?” Naroo asked, as she was part of Team One.

Jurek paced and ran his hand through his hair. “I sense her, yes, I feel her energy, but I can’t find her source. It’s unusual, almost as if there’s a shield blocking it. I know that’s not possible, but that’s how I’m reading it.” The room was vibrating with Jurek’s power.

His nerves were shot. He couldn’t ever remember feeling like this. Raw. Everything was intensified. His senses were his enemy now. They pained him, physically, in every way. He felt like he’d just been flayed and left bloodied and broken. His emotions were unstable and his men looked at him like he was losing it. That’s exactly what was happening to him. He was losing control of himself and only Liasare could bring that control back. He had to find her; there was no other option for him.

“How do you want to work this?” Ludo asked.

“I’m going out now, and I’ll search the area, sector by sector. I’ll take Naroo and Marik. Divide the team up into three’s and each team will do the same. We start here and work our way out, increasing our spread as we go. As soon as I feel something, anything, I’ll let you know and you come to me. Clear?”

***

Liasare awakened and found herself hanging by her shackled wrists from the ceiling. Her arms were stretched so tightly the shackles bit into her with even so much as the slightest of movement. She looked around her, trying to get the attention of someone nearby. No one was talking; the ones who were awake all had a dazed look about them and the others looked to be unconscious.

“Pssst. Hey, anyone. Can any of you hear me?” she whispered.

One girl looked her way and then looked around to make sure no one was near.

“If you talk, they’ll beat you harder and longer. So shut up,” she said harshly.

“How long have you been here?”

No one answered and everyone ignored her. Liasare lost track of time. Her arms had gone numb long ago and the ache in her shoulders had become almost unbearable. She tried to move them to relieve her pain, but it only made it worse. Her mind drifted to Jurek. She wondered if he could feel her or sense she was in pain. Her stomach, chest and shoulders throbbed incessantly. The only consolation was the fact that she was hanging took some of the pressure off her feet. Otherwise, she was sure she wouldn’t have been able to bear that pain.

Something startled her, and she jerked herself awake. She must’ve dozed off, but when she realized what had awakened her, she started shaking. The creatures came for her. Pulling the chains, she left the floor and thought her arms were being torn from their sockets. They dragged her back to the table of torture, where they chained her again.

The hooded man was there waiting for her, his red eyes glowing. Piercing pain gripped her head and she screamed, thrashing it back and forth.

“I thought that might get your attention. That was a mere demonstration of what I have in store for you today. Now, I’m going to be generous first. I’ll ask you again. What are you and what do you know of us?”

“I don’t know anything, I swear. I’m human and I don’t know what you’re talking about. Please, you have to believe me,” she begged. “If I knew anything, I’d tell you, I swear it!”

He looked at her and her head suddenly felt like it was bursting in a million pieces. She screamed and that was when he gave his creatures the order to feast. They fell upon her and began tearing into her flesh on her arms, shoulders, abdomen, thighs and Liasare screamed until she had a voice no longer.

“That’s enough. I said feast, not kill!” The creatures immediately stopped and left her writhing in agony. Liasare wanted to die, more than anything. She’d experienced pain, more than her fair share, in her life, but nothing came close to the horrific things she was dealing with now. Her sanity was slipping away, an inch at a time; she recognized if she didn’t get out of here fast, she would go insane or die. She hoped for death first.

“Are you ready to talk now or are you ready for more fun?”

Liasare opened her mouth to speak but only blood and air came out in a whistling hiss. Swallowing was impossible; talking out of the question. Her stomach felt like it was split wide open; her arms felt like acid had been poured on them. Her vision was fading. Is this what it felt like to die, she wondered? She always heard death wasn’t painful, so maybe her pain would end soon.

“No? Not ready then I see.”

The creatures were back again, ripping her to shreds. Her arms and legs, everywhere on her body was open season. They didn’t touch her neck though, so a small part of her mind recognized that they weren’t going to kill her yet. Thankfully, darkness claimed her mind again, bringing her temporary peace.

Liasare was hanging from the chains again, only this time, her head lolled for she didn’t have the strength to hold it up. Blood was dripping everywhere from her torn and shredded flesh. Muscles and bones were visible on her arms and legs, but she didn’t dare look at her stomach for fear of what she would see. Even if she had been able to, she doubted she could have withstood touching herself. She wondered if she would survive another trip to that table. She doubted it.

Jurek, where are you? If you can hear me, please come and get me out of here. I can’t live through another day of this.

***

Jurek’s energy form streaked throughout the city for the next two days without stopping. He could feel her; he knew she was near, yet he couldn’t pinpoint her location. By this time, Team One had ruled out half of the city with Jurek’s directives. He knew where she wasn’t. He could feel her pulse of energy, but he began to become frantic as it started to weaken on the third day.

“We don’t have much time left. She’s becoming very weak.”

“Jurek, I have an idea,” Naroo said. “Can we link our power together and send out a beam, using your sense to guide it? Maybe with the increase in strength, it can hone in on her source better.”

“I’ll try anything at this point.” His weariness was taking over his ability to think clearly, but he knew if they didn’t find her within the next few hours, she would not survive.

Jurek summoned the team to their headquarters and that’s exactly what they did. He felt her presence shortly after that and gave the command to follow him.

Ten Praestani arrived at an old mansion about thirty miles south of Center City. In the basement of the house, they found Liasare, chained to a table, naked and barely alive. Jurek’s power erupted from him and almost singlehandedly destroyed everything in the place before Naroo could get him calm enough to go to Liasare.

His heart cracked into a million pieces when he saw her shackled to that table. He screamed in agony when he saw the ragged and torn flesh of her beautiful body. His body was betraying him by becoming physically ill as he looked at her. Knowing he had no time for that, he forced his nausea back and swallowed the acid that was threatening to explode from his stomach. Suddenly his cheeks began to feel cold and he moved his hand to touch his face. He was surprised when his fingers touched moisture, for he never realized tears were raining from his eyes. Forcing himself to remain steady, he reined in his anguish and approached her with tenderness.

“Liasare, I’m here. You’re going to be fine. We’ve got you now,” he bent his head and gently rubbed his cheek against hers. Her body was so ravaged by what had been done to her, he was afraid to touch her for fear of causing pain.

“Jurek,” she whispered. A mixture of blood and foam bubbled out of her mouth as she spoke. Her chest rattled as she tried to breathe. “Please take me out of here. I want to feel the sunshine warm my face one more time before I die. I don’t want to die in this hell. Please take me in the sun,” she begged, in a broken, garbled whisper he could barely hear or understand.

Wiping the blood off her lips with his fingers, he said, “I’m not going to let you die. Do you hear me?” His voice croaked and his throat was thick with fear. Her life force was seeping out of her and he knew he didn’t have much time.

“It’s not your choice. I can’t see or feel anything. They say dying doesn’t hurt and the pain is gone Jurek. Please get me away from this place,” she rasped, the words jumbled and so quiet Jurek had to strain to hear.

His energy popped the bindings that held her ankles and wrists, and he lifted her in his arms. “We’re going now, but I’ll not let you die,” his gut tightened in fear for he hoped like hell he was right.

“Tak, Naroo, I need you on Lare-Stell, stat!” he yelled as he flashed them to the space station.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Liasare was unconscious, lying on the table on Lare-Stell with Jurek, Naroo and Tak standing around her.

“Jurek, are you crazy? Do you have any idea what you are about to do?”

“Stop asking such foolish questions. Of course I know. I have no other choice. If I don’t do this she will die.”

“Then let her die!”

Jurek’s eyes swam with silver and his rage was palpable. Naroo, sensing a war was getting ready to break out, stepped in saying, “Tak, you forget yourself and your place. This is your ruler, your leader. You overstep your bounds!”

Tak threw a nasty look at Naroo and said, “This is none of your fucking business. I would suggest you stay out of this.”

“Excuse me! This is as much my business as it is yours. While Jurek is your friend, he is first and foremost your ruler, and if you cannot follow his orders, get the hell out of here now!”

Jurek nodded toward Naroo and turned to Tak saying, “She’s right. If you refuse to do this, than get the fuck out of here Tak.”

“You’re making a mistake. What if she doesn’t want the responsibility?” he countered.

“It doesn’t matter. As I said, there is no choice.”

Tak stared at Jurek and at last he said, “You love her. You’re in love with the human, aren’t you?”

“That isn’t your concern. Will you help or not? If not, get the fuck out of here because we are running out of time.”

Jurek looked at Naroo and asked, “Are you ready?”

She nodded. They all looked at Tak and he said, “Yes, I’m ready.”

Two hours later, Liasare was in her old quarters on Lare-Stell, sleeping, recovering from the healing process her body had just experienced. Jurek was also sleeping as was Naroo and Tak. The healing of Liasare had taken its toll on all of them so they would need at least two days of sleep to fully recover.

***

Liasare felt strange when she opened her eyes. It wasn’t anything she could name, she just felt different. Her mind was fuzzy and she tried to recall what had happened. Did she have too much to drink the night before? Her tongue felt like sandpaper and her head hurt. She sat up and a wave of dizziness smacked her in the face, sending her straight back to her pillow, moaning. Someone rushed to her side.

“My lady, may I assist you with something?” a musical voice asked.

“Argh, I feel terrible,” Liasare groaned. “What happened? My head is killing me.”

“It is the effects of the healing.” The woman glided out of the room and returned with a cool cloth scented with herbs of some sort. She placed it on Liasare’s forehead, and soon its effects began to drift over her.

“Ahhh, that feels so nice,” she sighed. “May I please have something to drink?”

The woman handed her a glass of iced lemon water, which Liasare guzzled down.

“Where am I?”

“You are on Lare-Stell my lady. My lord will be here shortly.”

“Why am I here?”

“I am not at liberty to speak my lady. My lord will answer your questions.”

Liasare’s mind was churning with questions, but her eyes were so heavy, she drifted off to sleep again. When she awoke later that day, she found Jurek sitting by her side.

“What the hell did I drink last night? This is one horrible hangover.”

Jurek wiped the dampness from her forehead and gave her a half smile. “Your memory will return in a few hours, and I’m afraid you’ll wish it hadn’t.”

She reached for his arm and laid her hand on it. “What happened?”

He looked about her tiny room, and suddenly asked, “Are you hungry?”

“Oh no. That bad, huh? I know your diversion tactics, Jurek. Tell me.”

Jurek leaned forward, resting his arm on his legs. He briefly looked at her and then rubbed the back of his neck. Her stomach was instantly filled with twisting knots. She recognized this action of his, because it was something he did when he was troubled. “You were held captive. Does that ring a bell?”

Her eyes narrowed, as the wheels spun in her mind. “Held captive? I don’t remember anything, but my head is killing me.”

He sat next to her and grabbed her hands. He began sliding his thumbs back and forth across her knuckles. “The memories will come back Liasare, and you won’t like it. I wish I could stop them but I can’t. We couldn’t find you for three days.”

“Three days? I was gone for three days?” She furrowed her brow, trying to remember.

Jurek nodded. “I thought I was going to lose you.” That’s when she noticed his haggard appearance. The lines around his eyes that hadn’t been there before. His unshaven face, his uncombed hair. He’d always had a sort of wild look about him, but never stressed. And he looked totally frazzled now.

She sat up but was assailed by a wave of dizziness again. She put a hand to her head and tried to steady herself.

“Whoa, what are you doing?” Jurek halted her with his hand.

“I really need to pee. I have to get up.”

“Well, then, let me help you.” He lifted her up and set her on her feet, but she let out a yelp and would’ve fallen if he hadn’t been holding her.

“Ahh, my feet,” she screamed. He set her down on the bed and lifted her feet and the bottoms were a mass of black bruises. Jurek’s anger immediately consumed him as Liasare rolled to her side, pulling her feet close to her body.

The memories rushed in then, assaulting her mind like a torrent and she began hyperventilating. She was lost to them, back in that evil dungeon, filled with monsters as they ripped her apart. Her eyes filled with terror and her hoarse whimpers echoed in the room as she frantically scrambled off the bed, seeking a safe place to hide. There was none, so she ended up huddled in the corner, tucked into a tight ball, trembling.

Jurek thought his mind would shatter with the sounds she was making, pitiful sounds of abject terror.

Her feet! How could we have overlooked her damn feet? They are nothing but a mass of black and purple flesh. The pain she must’ve endured. And now, she’s reduced to a quivering mess, hiding in the corner, pummeled by her memories. What did those fuckers do to her?

He gently spoke to her then, soothing words and sounds, anything just so she knew it was him. He ran his hands along her body, her back, and arms, massaging her lightly, letting her know he would not hurt her. Then he lifted her into his arms, pressing her close to his heart, so she could feel it beating against her. He tucked her head into his neck, wanting her to feel him and recognize his scent as it washed over her. He sat down on her favorite perch and held her for what seemed like hours, rocking her, and using his hands to keep her calm.

The words finally came from her lips, rapidly tumbling forth; she was frantic in her urgency to release them, as if they burned her from within. “They were the dark beasts, the ones from your memory, and they ... they bit into me with their teeth. They gouged and ripped me with their claws. They beat me with heavy chains. He wanted to know what I was and what we knew about them. I didn’t know what he was talking about. I begged him to stop. He didn’t believe me. They’d chain me to a table and ...” she stopped and took a deep breath. “I’d pass out and when I’d wake up, I’d be hanging from chains, and they’d start all over again. They beat my feet. I never knew something could hurt so badly. They ate my flesh. I finally went blind. That’s when I knew I was dying. I lost all my sensory perception too ... the pain finally stopped. I didn’t hurt anymore. He knew it too. I think he was going to let them finish me off then. I knew it was you when you came.” She touched his face then and put her cheek next to his, holding herself next to him there.

The terror seemed to flow out of her then, releasing her from its talons, and he felt her tension dissolving. “I couldn’t see and I could barely hear, but I could smell you. Your scent ... I would dream about it every time I slept.” She grabbed fistfuls of his shirt in each of her hands, closed her eyes and she drifted off to sleep, feeling safe in his arms.

Jurek was sickened by what she’d described to him. If he hadn’t already killed everything in that room, he’d be down there right now avenging Liasare for what they did to her. He’d never been so physically affected by something, the way this had torn into him, ravaging his body and tearing his heart to pieces. If it were possible, he would have turned back the hands of time and traded places with her in a second. As she lay in his arms, he gazed at her, his heart aching for what she’d endured. He resolved at that moment that he would do anything for her, anything to bring her back to her happy place and make her whole again, even if he had to shelter her in his arms forever.

***

Fifteen minutes later, she awoke, screaming. Her breath was coming out in gasps, and her arms were flailing, trying to get away from the invisible creatures that were tearing her apart.

“Liasare, wake up, it’s a dream,” Jurek shouted.

“Make them stop!” she screamed. She flew out of his arms, only to land on her bruised feet, screaming again.

“Holy fuck! Liasare, sit still for a minute and I’ll heal your feet. Christ.” He was so agitated; he spun around, directionless, like an out of control vehicle, destined to crash. He had never faced anything like this before; he thought he had, but this was so different from his past life. Liasare did something to his emotions that he couldn’t explain; didn’t even dare to try.

Gaining control of his actions, he held her saying, “I’m so damn sorry. I don’t know how the hell we missed your feet when we healed you. I don’t know how we could have possibly missed them!” His frustration was pouring out of him.

Her high keening was more than he could bear. “Dear God Liasare, I’m so sorry, love. Please, please let me hold you and take this pain away,” he cried. His eyes were filled with anguish and his gut was a boiling vat of acid, churning inside of him.

He was finally able to calm her down enough to heal her feet, but his insides were still on fire and his nerves felt like they were completely raw and getting doused with alcohol. He was burning up from the inside out. Sweat dripped off his forehead and he wiped his face with his forearm. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he asked her if she felt any better.

When she nodded, he began to feel slightly relieved

“I’m so sorry. I thought we had healed everything. I swear I don’t know how we could have missed your poor feet.” He couldn’t stop apologizing.

“Stop Jurek, it’s okay. They’re fine now. What do you mean ‘we?’” she asked, sniffing, her voice shaking.

“Can we talk about this later? I think your frame of mind needs to be a bit more ... well we both need to be in a better state of mind before you hear all the details, okay?”

She nodded. He finished healing her feet and had her stand, just to make sure they felt okay.

“Thank you Jurek. For everything, but especially for getting me out of that hell. I thought I would die down there. I wanted to feel the sun on my face again.”

“Would you like to take a walk? Around Lare-Stell?”

Why did I just ask her that? What the hell was I thinking?

“Thanks, but I don’t think so. Not right now anyway. I would like a shower though.”

He was concerned about whether she was okay on her own. “Do you need help? I can help you, or I could get Naroo to help.”

She gave him a tiny smile. “I think I’ve got this.”

He nodded and left to give her some privacy.

Liasare got in the shower and the first thing she did was vigorously scrub her body. She wanted to wash the feel of those monsters off of her. She scrubbed and scrubbed, but no matter how hard she tried, she could still feel their teeth and claws all over her skin. She barely made it to the toilet before she violently heaved. She brushed her teeth over and over, trying to get the taste and smell of that dungeon out of her mouth. Then she went to the window seat at the viewing platform and watched the stars.

This became her daily routine. She shut everyone out, including Jurek. Not knowing how to cope with this horrid ordeal, she withdrew into herself. Somewhere along the way, she decided she had screwed up so she blamed herself for the whole dreadful experience, and then wouldn’t talk about it to anyone. She should have paid attention to where she was walking that day, been on closer alert for changes, instead of lost in her thoughts. Then, to make matters worse, sleep became an impossibility. Every time she closed her eyes, the dark monsters came to take her, tearing into her body again and again with their teeth and claws, torturing her. Her exhaustion was now clouding her mind, and making even the simplest of tasks, like eating or drinking, impossibly difficult. Curling up into a tight ball, hugging her knees to her chest, she would stare out at the stars with a vacant look in her eyes.

“How’s Brownie doing,” Tak asked Jurek one day.

“Not good. I don’t think she’s slept since she woke up from the healing,” Jurek explained.

Tak shook his head. “That bad, huh? Have you tried some Praestani brandy? That might help.”

“Maybe so. She’s all but shut me out. Maybe I’ll take her some tonight. She hasn’t eaten much either.”

“That is bad, considering Brownie’s appetite.” Noticing Jurek’s haggard appearance, Tak commented, “You don’t look much better yourself. Is there anything I can do?”

“I don’t think so, but if I come up with anything, I’ll let you know.”

***

“Knock, knock,” Jurek said from outside her door, before he entered.

Liasare sat curled up on her perch at the viewing platform. Her eyes were shaded with dark purple crescents and her eyes themselves were clouded with fear. Jurek’s heart ached to see the golden sparks in her hazel orbs had all but disappeared.

“I’ve brought you something.” Jurek held a tumbler of amber liquid out to her. “You haven’t slept in twelve days Liasare, so I’ve brought you some Praestani brandy. Guaranteed to help even the worst cases of insomnia,” he said with a soft smile.

She reached out a trembling hand and took the glass, spilling some of the contents as she held it. His eyes searched her room for something in which to dab up the drops she had spilled on herself. Spying some tissues, he grabbed a handful and started blotting up the splashes of brandy.

“Go ahead and drink it. It’ll help you sleep. I promise.”

She gave him a watery smile and nodded. She put the quivering glass to her lips and swallowed its contents. Several moments later, it made a return visit as she threw it up and made a mess on the floor.

“God, I’m sorry,” she said, her voice so weak he had to strain to hear her.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said as he went to the bathroom and came back with a couple of towels, one for her to clean herself and the other for the floor.

“Come here.” He extended his hand. She grasped it and he escorted her to the bathroom. He fixed up her toothbrush with toothpaste and when she was finished, he wiped her face with a cool cloth. “Better?” he asked. She nodded her thanks.

He took her hand and led her back to her favorite seat. When she was curled back up on her perch, he crouched down in front of her and said, “Liasare, please talk to me. I’m your friend; I know I act like an ass most of the time, but I promise you can trust me. Please tell me what’s bothering you. You haven’t slept in nearly two weeks. You hardly eat. You can’t continue like this. It’s taking a severe toll on you. What is it?” He took her hands in his and held them.

She stared at his beautiful hands and wanted to cry. All the bravery she had tried to show him over the past months vanished, and in its place was a frightened girl, one who was afraid of the dark. “I don’t want to sleep. I can’t sleep because I’m afraid. They come for me at night, when I close my eyes.”

Jurek rubbed his neck and asked, “Who comes for you?”

“The dark monsters. They come and take me and it starts all over. And then I think about how I failed you, Tak, Naroo and the rest of the team. I didn’t follow orders. I fucked up Jurek. All of this is my fault.”

He squeezed her hands and held them tightly in his. “Okay, hold on a minute. First of all, you didn’t fuck up. They took you Liasare ... took you and tortured you and you survived.” He moved his hands to her face and gently held it as he stroked her cheeks. “Do you remember that night you and I had that argument because you said I didn’t know anything about you? I told you I chose you because I knew the most important thing about you and that was that you would die for someone you love. I also told you that you were a warrior and I wanted you to fight by my side. I was right. You are a warrior, the bravest warrior I know. You proved that by staying alive. I don’t know anyone that could have done what you did. So stop thinking you failed us because you didn’t.”

“Second,” he ran his hands through her hair, pushing it off her forehead, and asked her softly, “Why haven’t you told me about the dreams? I could have helped you with that! I can protect you while you sleep and keep the monsters away. Oh Liasare, don’t you know I won’t let anything hurt you?” His eyes had lightened to the softest shade of lavender with slivers of sterling gently swirling within their depths, telling her things his words weren’t coming close to saying.

She didn’t want to believe what her heart was telling her. “Where were you when I was chained up down there? I called out to you, I screamed your name, but you didn’t come? Why did you leave me down there? I begged you to come and get me out of there. And you never came.” Her voice rose to a level that was edged with hysteria.

The idea that she thought he’d abandoned her tore through him like a tsunami. His eyes, his heart, his mouth pleaded with her. “I did come Liasare! I came for you! I searched for three days but I couldn’t find you at first. Something was interfering with your energy path. I could feel it but I couldn’t find your source. I searched and searched and didn’t stop, not for one second, until I found you dammit. Don’t you even think for one fucking minute I wasn’t losing my mind, not knowing what was happening to you. I knew you were alive, but barely. Dammit Liasare, don’t you get it? Don’t you understand what I’m telling you? Do I have to strip myself bare to you?

“Oh God Jurek, this whole thing has fucked me up so much. I don’t know if I’ll ever be normal again.”

“When were you ever normal? We don’t live in a normal universe anymore Liasare. I’ve tried to tell you that.” He pushed the hair off of her face and kissed her. “Dear God, I was so close to losing you. I don’t ever want to feel that way again,” he said right before he stood up and lifted her up with him.

He walked with her until her back was up against the wall and he ground himself against her until she moaned. He tore the buttons apart on her shirt in his eagerness to feel her skin beneath in hands. When he looked down, he sucked in his breath, for her chest and belly was nothing but a mass of raw and chafed flesh.

“What the fuck?” His belly seized up when he saw her abraded skin. Liasare dropped her head and pulled her shirt together. “What’s happened to you? Who did this to you? Answer me Liasare.”

“No one!” she shouted. Then she added in a broken whisper, “I did it to myself,” her face bent in shame.

“Why?” he asked, shocked that she could hurt herself like that.

She began to sob. “Because I wanted to cleanse my body of their nasty touch. I wanted to wash their smell off of me. I still feel their hands, their teeth and their claws ripping into me, shredding me to pieces. And I want to forget. Is that so terrible?” She covered her face with her hands.

He took her face into his hands and answered “No, it’s not terrible at all, but I hate that you’re hurting yourself because of it. Please, don’t do it anymore.” He placed his hands on her tummy and chest and healed the abrasions. He lifted the sleeves to make sure there were no other places that needed healing. Then he lifted her face and asked, “Let me help you. I’m begging you. What can I do for you Liasare? Tell me please.” He wiped the tears from her cheeks. “God Liasare, your pain, your tears pierce my spirit and soul.”

She kissed him and pulled back. “Jurek, make love to me. Please. I know what you’ve always said, but erase my memories and replace them with new ones, ones that I can cherish. Make me forget them, please. I don’t want to beg but I will.”

He looked at her through half-closed eyes. He released her and walked to her closet. He came out holding another button down shirt. Tossing it to her, he said, “Put this on. I’m taking you somewhere.”

“Where?”

“Somewhere very near and dear to my heart. Now put this on. But Liasare, if we do this, this won’t be a one-night stand. A one-night stand could never be possible between us. This will be forever. I know what you think about me and my past, and my relationships with other women. You and I are different. Do you understand what I’m saying to you?”

Looking into his eyes, she realized then what he was trying to tell her. That his feelings for her went far deeper than he was willing to put into words. She put the shirt on and walked up to him, holding his face between her hands. “One night stands don’t exist in my life Jurek, never have, never will. Do you understand me?”

“If we cross this threshold, there’s no going back, you know. Ever. You will be mine Liasare, forever, and forever is a very long time. Just so we’re clear.” He grabbed her hands as she moved to button the shirt. Sliding his hands underneath the fabric, he lightly ran his thumbs over her breasts, eliciting a moan from her.

“I won’t want to go back, I promise,” she gasped.

He looked at her long and hard. “Put your arms around my neck then, love, we’re going for a ride.”

She did as he told her and he lifted her up, wrapping her legs around him and he flashed her to another world.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Praestan

They materialized in a place Liasare couldn’t have conjured up in her wildest dreams. Colors so vivid, she squinted her eyes against the onslaught of sensation. Her head rested against Jurek’s shoulder, as he strode through a flower filled garden.

“Welcome home, my lord. We didn’t expect you.”

“It’s an unplanned visit, Brinna. I will be spending some time in the sanctuary, along with my guest, Liasare Davidson. Please see that we have some fruit, cheese and beverages delivered right away.” Jurek spoke as he walked, never breaking his stride.

“Yes, my lord,” Brinna answered, as she bowed.

Liasare kept her head tucked into Jurek’s neck. She was quite embarrassed, considering the manner in which he was carrying her and the way she was dressed.

“Where are we?” she whispered.

“Some place very special Liasare. You’ll soon see.” He walked through a grove of trees and rounded a curve where she heard a waterfall in the distance. As he continued to walk, the sound of the water grew closer and Liasare craned her neck, hoping to get a glimpse.

“Don’t worry, Liasare, I won’t deny you one of your pleasures. I haven’t forgotten that you love waterfalls,” he said in a husky voice.

She leaned back to look at him and found he was smiling at her. It was rare to see him smile.

“You know I’m fully capable of walking.”

“Uh huh. But then I’d deny myself the pleasure of feeling your lovely legs wrapped around me.”

Her body was on fire for him. She leaned toward his mouth but he backed away saying, “Not yet.”

Her brow furrowed, but the corners of his mouth lifted in a smile yet again. He rounded a curve and turned so Liasare could have a look at what he had intended for her to see. She gasped at the scenic beauty. It was not only a waterfall, but a series of them, leading into a pool of the greenest water. It was extraordinary. She wanted to dive in and frolic under the spray, letting the water roll over her. Jurek broke out into a hearty laugh. The sound startled Liasare, for it wasn’t often he did that.

“You can play in there all you want, after you promise to sleep for me.”

“Is that the catch?”

“Yes, and I mean it Liasare. I won’t let you play until you sleep.”

“What about us?”

“What about us?” he asked

“I thought we were going to, you know,” she said, her face turning pink.

“Hmm, yes. I see you still get embarrassed, Liasare, at the mere mention of the word sex,” he said with a grin. “Maybe one day, I’ll change that. But to your question, yes, but not until after you sleep. Then, I’m all yours, to do with as you please.”

Her throat suddenly became thick with desire as she looked at him. She attempted to swallow, but succeeded only after several attempts. Her nerve endings were on fire for him and he expected her to sleep?

“Yes, I do expect that. In fact, I demand it.”

She stuck her tongue out at him and then gave him a perfectly obscene human gesture. He threw back his head and laughed.

***

“Welcome to my sanctuary, Liasare.” He put her on her feet, but not before he let her slide down his body. Then he wrapped his hand around her nape and kissed her, long, hard and passionately, making her forget that air was a necessary part of her existence.

When he released her, she stumbled back, but he steadied her with his arm. She looked around and sucked in her breath as her eyes widened in amazement.

She was standing in the most beautiful room she’d ever seen. A huge platform bed took up the center of the room, while two of the walls were nothing but glass doors that opened up to terraces. They overlooked the flower gardens and waterfalls they had recently passed through. The views were outstanding. There was a hanging fireplace, suspended from the ceiling in one corner and on the opposite wall was a table laden with food and drinks. Around the corner was a gigantic bathroom equipped with a sunken bathtub in which one could most likely swim, and a separate shower that could fit a half dozen people. Everything was decorated in white, but it was so peaceful and calming that Liasare fell in love with it immediately.

“I take it you like it here?” he asked.

She wouldn’t be able to say why she responded this way, but she said, “Yeah, quite the bachelor pad it is. I’m sure all your ladies must love it here.”

Liasare felt her body vibrate as his anger released from him before he spoke. The room shuddered with his violence and in a blink, her body was slammed up against the wall, and he was caging her in. His eyes were black and her nerve endings were tingling, like she was being pricked by dozens of tiny needles.

“I wouldn’t know Liasare since I’ve only ever shared this place with one lady, and I’m looking at her now.” Liasare’s mouth formed a huge O, right before his mouth claimed hers. His tongue forced its way inside, tasting every bit of her, leaving her begging for more. He ground his hips into her, his pants biting into the tender skin of her hips, but she didn’t care. She wanted him now, more than ever. She burned for him, had burned for him since the first time she laid eyes on him. She’d dreamt about him, longed for him, thought about him constantly and now he was here, with her, and soon he would be inside of her where she had wanted him for God knows how long.

She ripped his shirt apart, tearing his buttons off, eager to have access to him. “You just ruined my favorite shirt,” he breathed into her.

“I don’t care. You can get another one,” she replied. “I want you.”

“Not now. You must sleep first.” He still kissed her. Then he took his hand and slipped it between her legs. She could feel the energy emanating from him, as it burst from his hand, sending currents of heat racing through her veins. It intensified, flowing through her body and centered on that one spot, until she felt she would erupt into flames. She cried out his name when she climaxed, and threw back her head, clasping on to him tightly.

He carried her to the bed and lay down beside her, pulling her into his arms.

“Sleep Liasare. I promise no monsters will invade your dreams. I’ll protect you from them and keep them at bay. When you awaken, we’ll make love, for days on end, if that’s what you want.”

“Jurek, I...” she stammered.

“What is it?”

“I’m sorry I made that crummy comment about this place. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. Thank you for bringing me here.” She kissed him and snuggled into the crook of his neck, inhaling his exotic scent. She drifted off to sleep for the first time in days.

The monsters came, but true to his word, Jurek was there to chase them away. Liasare slept dream free for fourteen hours straight. When she opened her eyes, she was staring at Jurek’s perfect chest. Her head was in the middle of it, her arms were wrapped tightly around his torso and her legs were straddling him. Had she slept this way the entire night? She was also very naked.

Lifting her head, she looked at him and found he was staring at her under heavy-lidded eyes. She didn’t think he had ever looked so sexy.

“My clothes?” she wondered out loud.

Shaking his head, he answered, “You’ll have to ask yourself that.”

“Hmmm,” she murmured as she began to stretch.

His raspy voice halted her actions. “I would ask that you please hold still for a few moments.”

Liasare was confused for a second until she realized why. Jurek was naked, except for his boxers and she was straddling him. She could feel the outline of his erection directly between her legs.

She stared at him for the briefest of moments and then grinned as she began to slowly slide up and down against him, feeling him lengthening between her thighs.

“Liasare, what are you doing? You have to stop! I’ve been lying here for hours, with you straddling me. This is going to create an embarrassing situation for both of us.”

“I hardly think so, Jurek,” she said, as she bent her head to lick his chest. Her mouth suddenly clamped around his nipple, sucking and nipping at it.

She heard him suck in his breath, and she continued to slide up and down, doing her tortuous dance upon him.

“Liasare, if you don’t stop, I can guarantee I’m going to come,” he growled, grabbing her shoulders, a part of him wanting this to continue but another part knowing he should stop her.

“Exactly,” she smiled wickedly as she ran her tongue along her lips. It was his undoing. He made a ragged groan in the back of his throat as he clamped his hands on her hips. She could feel the pulsing of his orgasm against her thighs, as she continued to move upon him.

“Ah, Liasare,” he moaned. “You don’t play fair,” he said, as he took her hand and kissed each of her fingers.

“Says he who’s been torturing me for months,” she retorted as she crawled off of him.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, reluctant to release her hand.

“I have to tinkle. I’ll be right back.”

“Tinkle? That’s a new one for me. I’ll allow you that one reprieve for the day,” he smiled, a sensuous gleam in his eyes.

When she returned minutes later, he was gone. Then she was suddenly hit from behind and startled as he grabbed her and threw her down on the bed.

He began kissing the arches of her feet, nibbling and sucking them. He worked his way up to her calves where he took his tongue and traced the curve of her perfectly shaped muscle. Moving to the inside of her leg, he scraped his teeth from her knee to the peak of her thigh, nipping and licking his way to that most sensitive spot of hers. Liasare was writhing as he released his energy in pulses and her orgasm blew her away in a million sparks.

He left the bed for a moment, only to return with a pitcher of iced lemon water and some glasses. When she raised her brows in question, he just grinned, gave her a scorching look, and lay back down. Pulling a silk napkin from a bedside tray, he instructed her to lie back as he tied the scarf around her head, blindfolding her.

“What are you doing?” she asked, feeling slightly anxious.

“Patience,” he whispered.

Moving to her abdomen, he began leaving a trail of hot kisses, followed by his sizzling touch. She gasped in shock when she felt his touch followed by the feel of ice cold water, as it dripped down her belly and ran between her thighs.

“Ah, Jurek!” she exclaimed.

He repeated the process over her chest and when he got to her breasts, instead of just kissing them, he latched on to each nipple, sucking them until they hardened into firm points. Then she felt him put an ice cube on each one, as she sucked in her breath. He ran the sliver of ice from her nipples down to that pink place between her legs, inserting it there, making her gasp again, but this time with pleasure. Then he followed it with his tongue, licking and swirling, delving inside of her and bringing her to another orgasm.

Liasare went to remove the blindfold, only to be stopped by Jurek. “Not so fast. I’m not through playing yet, love.”

“I want you Jurek, now!” she said as she tugged his face to hers.

He chuckled, “I don’t think so. There’s plenty of time for that. Right now, I want to please you.”

He rolled her onto her belly and continued his sweet torture of her body. Running his hands along her back, he dipped them between her legs, letting his energy flow into her.

“Yes,” she cried.

“Tell me what you want Liasare.”

“You. I want you Jurek.”

“Tell me where to touch you.”

“Between my legs. Inside of me. Everywhere.”

He pushed out his energy so everywhere he touched her, she would feel the ultimate pleasure. He started at her neck and he lay over her, kissing her. Moving down her back, he ran his tongue along the length of her spine. He picked up the glass of water and poured a slow steady stream along the center of her back all the way down to the crease of her buttocks. She couldn’t stop moaning. The heat within her was building to an unbelievable inferno, her recent orgasm nearly forgotten.

“More, Jurek. More,” she begged.

“Oh, there’ll be much more, Liasare.”

Running his hand between her legs, he spread them and cupped her sex, letting his energy flow into her.

“Oh gawd,” she nearly flew off the bed, as she climaxed. Her breathing was out of control, but she only had one thing on her mind now. She tore the blindfold off and pulled him to her, “Now Jurek. Dammit, don’t make me wait any longer. I burn for you.”

His lips sought hers as he spread her legs and in one swift move, he pushed himself inside of her. Liasare screamed and Jurek realized too late, that the resistance he felt was her virginity.

“Bloody hell, Liasare,” he swore.

She squirmed beneath him, trying to get away from the pain he’d just inflicted upon her.

“Stop fidgeting, love, so I can take away the pain.” He spoke to her softly yet firmly, while he held her tightly in his arms.

Her eyes were clenched shut and her fists were twisted up in the sheets. She was panting like she’d just run a marathon, shaking her head from side to side.

“Liasare. Look at me please,” he commanded.

She opened her eyes.

“Hold still for me, love. I’m going to make you stop hurting, but I can’t do it unless you’re still for a second. Okay?”

She nodded and was finally still. Jurek concentrated his energy on her and within a few seconds, she felt the soothing relief. He could feel her relax.

“Better?” he asked. She nodded. “Liasare, why didn’t you tell me you were a virgin?”

She closed her eyes and told him, “I meant to. I really did. But then whenever it started to come up, the subject would get switched and I’d forget. And then I started to figure you’d know because, I mean, hell Jurek, remember what I looked like? What guy would have wanted to sleep with me the way I looked back then? Gah, this is so embarrassing. I’m probably the oldest virgin alive.” Her face burned with heat as she remembered how awful she looked.

He held her face in his hands. “Please don’t be embarrassed about this. Look at me Liasare.” She opened her eyes and fell into the beauty of his. “You sell yourself short. Your Shandro would have slept with you in a second. I saw the way he looked at you. I really thought you had been lovers. I wanted to sleep with you. I wanted to the moment I saw you.” Jurek ran his thumb along her bottom lip. It had become impossibly difficult for him to keep his fingers off her luscious mouth.

“But I saw your face when you saw what I looked like,” she mumbled.

“Yes, it sickened me to think how much pain you must have endured and how many surgeries you had to correct the damage. I didn’t care about the scars. They were on the outside of you Liasare. I only cared about what was on the inside.” He placed his hand over her heart, feeling the rhythm of it beating beneath his palm.

“But they were awful to look at. I was awful to look at.”

“You’re exactly like your sister. You have so little self-esteem. I’d like to kill that bitch of a woman that raised you.”

“Well, you’re right about that. She is a bitch.”

“I’m so sorry I hurt you. Had I known you were a virgin, I would have taken it very slowly, started you out by gently using only my hand, made you comfortable until you were ready for me. I feel terrible Liasare. I bring you here to ease your pain, and then I tear you apart like that.”

“It’s all my fault for not telling you Jurek. Can you just stop talking and move a little?” She was beginning to feel a burning within her again. “I still want you to...”

“Like this?” he interrupted her. “And this?” He rotated his hips and slid in and out a bit, not much but enough to make her moan in pleasure.

Her breath caught in her throat at the new sensations she was experiencing. “Ah yes please...more Jurek. Faster.” He was happy to comply. He wrapped his arms around her and flipped them over, bringing her on top.

“What are you doing?” she asked surprised and suddenly shy. She looked down at where they were joined and her face heated up and turned as red as a tomato as she noticed the streaks of blood on her thighs and on him too.

“Don’t be timid Liasare. Your blood is nothing to be ashamed of and you look quite ravishing right there,” he said as he ran his fingers along the place where he was inside of her. Then he began to rub that tiny sensitive spot until she moaned. “This is why I want you on top. I want you in control. Your moves, your pleasure. This is for you Liasare. You control the way you want this to work and find what pleases you the most. I also have access to all your pleasure points. Here, put your hands on my chest and find your rhythm, love.” She did as he instructed and began to discover what she liked and how best to achieve the most pleasure. Jurek watched her and had great difficulty holding himself back. He thought she was the most amazing woman he’d ever seen and his heart twisted around her, as they loved each other.

Liasare felt timid at first, but it wasn’t long before she found her pace. Using Jurek as her anchor, she moved her pelvis back and forth, found the exact amount of pressure, the perfect angle and let loose with wild abandon. Then Jurek touched her in the naughtiest ways and releasing his energy into her, set her off on a whirlwind of a climax.

After a bit of time, when they had both caught their breath, Jurek flipped her over and piled several pillows beneath her hips. Slipping inside of her, he began to move again.

“Liasare, you are so lovely...so breathtaking.” The way he said her name sounded like a breeze whispering through the trees. His words sent chills up her spine as they resonated with her. His exotic scent enveloped her, heightening her arousal. She turned her head to look at him and she caught her breath as she glimpsed his eyes. Solid orbs of heated silver stared back at her under heavy lids fringed in onyx. She’d never seen anything so sexy, so hypnotic in her life. She couldn’t have looked away had she tried.

“I could say the same for you,” she whispered back to him.

His tawny skin glowed in the early evening light, and his muscles rippled as he gripped her hips. He bent over her and put his arm around her waist, bringing her against him, rubbing his cheek against hers.

“Come for me again Liasare. Let me hear you moan with pleasure. I want to hear you call out my name and beg for more. It pleases me so.” It was all she needed to push her over the edge and he was right there with her. She could feel his length pulsating within her as he climaxed.

“Yes, Liasare, yes,” he called out to her.

When they were finally sated, they lay enfolded in each other’s arms, not wanting to move.

Jurek finally asked, “Tell me, was it everything you wished for?”

Liasare released a bubble of laughter and rolled on top of him. “What do you think Jurek?” she asked as she nuzzled into his neck.

He lifted his head, gave her a smile and stuck his tongue between his teeth as if to say, I know I am one badass lover.

She punched him in the shoulder.

“Ouch! What was that for?”

“For holding out on me so damn long and torturing me so! And besides, I could punch you all day and you’d not feel a thing.”

He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment and said, “Punch me like that again.”

“Huh?”

“Just do it, Liasare,” he commanded.

She did as he asked, and he narrowed his eyes in consternation.

“What?” she asked.

“You’re stronger. Much stronger.”

“Really?” she asked, smiling.

“Yeah,” he nodded. He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. That should have worried her, but she pushed the thought away. She was too blissful and she didn’t want anything killing her buzz.

“Kiss me please,” she begged.

“You don’t ever have to ask for a kiss. You can just take,” he said, flipping her on her back and dipping his head down to shower her with tiny kisses on her face, neck, shoulders and chest.

“Jurek, I don’t want you to go all freaky on me, but I have to say something to you. Promise me you won’t turn dark and bust things up in here.”

“Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like this?”

“Because you’re not the warm and fuzzy kind of guy.”

“Hmmm. So?”

She fiddled with the sheet, looked at her crummy fingernails, and then quickly hid them.

“I wanted to tell you that I love you.”

“Oh that. Well, I know that,” he said is if he’d known it forever.

She looked at him and said, “You know that? Is that all you’re going to say?”

“Am I supposed to say something else?”

“Yes! I think something like, I love you too Liasare, would be nice,” she said, sticking her lower lip out.

He gazed at her then and something shifted in his eyes...something she couldn’t quite define, but it was there nonetheless. He brushed her hair off her face and tucked a loose strand behind her ears. “Hmmm. I suppose you would think that. I’m not an emotionally verbose kind of man Liasare. If you want me to say those things to you, then of course I will. I will tell you this though. When I found you in that dungeon, my heart bled for you as I felt it fracture into a million pieces. When I saw what your body had endured, my mind nearly cracked,” he swallowed the thick burning that had quickly formed in his throat, making it impossible for him to speak. Moments passed before he was able to go on. Taking a deep breath, he continued, “When you didn’t eat or sleep for days, neither did I. I was dying on the inside, not understanding why you wouldn’t talk to me. Liasare, you hold my heart in the palm of your hand and my soul is right there with it. They’ve been with you for quite some time, only I was a fool and wouldn’t admit it. I may not praise you with flowery phrases, but what I feel for you cannot be described by a single word. That I would give everything I own for you, including my life, goes without saying. No one could ever feel for you what I do Liasare.” He kissed her lips then and tasted the salt of her tears.

“Why don’t you ever say those things to me?” she asked as she put her forehead against his.

“Because I believe that actions speak much louder than words...I know, a very cliché saying but a truer one has never existed. I very much intend to show you how I feel every day of our lives. So my love, if you want me to say those words to you, I will, but I may need to be poked as a reminder every now and then, because they don’t come easy for me.”

He kissed her then and she felt something different, something entering her mind and soul. It was fulfilling, like he was pouring himself into her, sharing a part of himself that he’d kept buried beneath layers of protected armor, not ever allowing to surface. Liasare felt it empowering her, lighting her up from within her depths. She pulled away from him, gazing into his eyes, seeing herself mirrored in them. Understanding crashed into her, making her reel from what she now knew to be true.

“It was never fear for me if we made love. It was fear that you wouldn’t be able to disguise your true feelings, wasn’t it?”

“Partially,” he whispered. “I knew I wouldn’t be able to prevent my love from pouring into you, but the element of power was the other concern at the time. You were so sensitive to my touch, I feared for your safety Liasare. But I still fear for you because of my enemies too.”

“I’m not following.”

Jurek closed his eyes and she immediately felt their connection had been severed. He felt the same loss of feeling, for his eyes opened in surprise. The corners of his mouth slightly curved, as he let out a faint huff. “There is a lot I have to learn it seems. I have so much to tell you Liasare. Some of it you may not like, I’m afraid.”

He lifted her off of him and stood, extending his hand to her.

“Come with me.”

“Where?” she asked curiously.

“You wanted to frolic in the waterfall, didn’t you?”

“Well, yeah. But right now?”

He laughed, “Why not?”

“Weren’t we talking?”

“We can talk anywhere.”

Okay, she knew he had a point there. “But wait! I don’t have any clothes,” she worried.

“Liasare, this is my sanctuary...our sanctuary. No one comes here unless I summon them. You don’t need clothing anywhere here. Ever.” He flashed her a heated sexy grin. Her body instantly responded, flushing with heat as her heart thrummed in rhythm.

She placed her hand in his and followed him across the terrace and down the stone path to the series of waterfalls. It was heaven for Liasare as she stepped into the cool water, letting it slide across her skin. He pulled her beneath the shower of the first waterfall, and she laughed as the water spilled down her head, shoulders and back, sensuously kneading her muscles and relaxing her. Jurek watched as her skin glistened with the water sluicing down her body and found it was impossible to keep from touching her. His fingers traced the path the flow created from her neck, to her breasts, across her abdomen and hips and then followed it with his mouth, sucking and nibbling along the way.

Liasare was burning for him and even the cool spray of the waterfall couldn’t dampen the heat that had built within her. Jurek knelt before her, trailing kisses along her abdomen, until he reached the surface of the water. Standing, he lifted her up, settled her on his length and in one thrust he buried himself within her depths.

“Yes, Jurek,” she moaned as she pressed herself tightly against him, wrapping her legs firmly around his hips. “I’d always wondered how it would be with you, but I never thought it could possibly be like this,” she said breathlessly.

“Ah, Liasare, neither did I. You make the universe disappear before my very eyes. Tell me you want me.”

“I want you Jurek,” she answered him. “Tell me you love me. Now, while you’re inside of me.”

“Ah Liasare, I love you, so much more than I can say,” he said. “I need you more than anything I’ve ever known. I never knew how much I needed you until I thought I’d lost you. I’m half a man without you. I’m going to make you come for me now Liasare. I want to watch you. Please look at me. You’re so lovely when you climax.”

“Yes, please, Jurek.” He rotated his hips and then there was that flow of energy, that current of power that surged from him into her, hitting her on that very spot, making everything separate and break apart as each nerve ending caught fire with the explosion of her orgasm. She wasn’t sure, but she thought she might have screamed.

Jurek was definitely sure, because when she screamed his name, he cried out hers in return and followed her down that path to ecstasy.

Afterward, they floated in the pools under the waterfalls, relaxing. Liasare felt her body and soul healing in the waters. Under Jurek’s touch she began to feel the pieces of herself knit together again, only this time not only was her body stronger, but her mind was becoming more fierce and she knew her life now had direction, something that had been missing until she met Jurek. She still feared the unknown, and there were many questions Jurek had yet to answer, but her trust in him began to grow and take root that night, giving her faith in herself, their love for each other and their relationship.

Chapter Twenty-Five

“Liasare, come with me please. Liasare.” The voice was calling to her again. This was becoming a frequent thing, the beautiful woman of her dreams.

“What is it now?”

“Your time is nearing. You must be prepared.”

“For what?”

“You are the Key,” the beautiful Praestani woman said.

“Please. For God’s sake, would you just tell me what key? How am I supposed to know how to prepare if I don’t know what to prepare for?”

“Jurek will show you the way. Trust him. You must trust him. He will not fail you. He holds your heart within him. Let yourself go and trust him.”

“Tell him to trust me. He’s the one with trust issues, not me!”

Yeesh, this woman and her trust thing are driving me nuts!

“Hey, who are you anyway?”

“Someone who cares for both you and Jurek. Some who cares about the prophecy.”

“Okay, well, come back to me when you can tell me more. Right now I have to go back to sleep.”

“Liasare, what are you doing?”

“I told you to come back when you can tell me what this key is. Quit wasting my time. I’m tired of all of this already.”

“Liasare, wake up. What are you dreaming about?”

Liasare opened her eyes to see Jurek leaning over her. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and blinked several times.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“You were yelling in your sleep, something about a key and trust. What were you dreaming about?”

Liasare sat up and scratched her head. “I’ve been having this weird dream. This lady, and she has to be Praestani from her bald head and tattoos, keeps telling me I’m the key to something and I need to be prepared. Then she tells me to trust you.”

“What the fuck Liasare!” Jurek yelled as he flew out of bed and began pacing.

“Okay, what the hell is going on? Now you’re weirding me out!”

“How long has this been going on?”

“I don’t know. It’s happened another time I think.”

Jurek was at her side in a flash. “No guessing Liasare. I need exacts.”

“Hell Jurek. I don’t know. What is this?”

“What did she look like?”

“Like Naroo!”

He rolled his eyes at her. “Specifics, dammit.”

“I don’t know. It was a fucking dream! I didn’t know I was going to get interrogated over it. She was beautiful, like all the Praestani women I’ve seen. Bald with those lovely tattoos and those absolutely stunning eyes like yours. What else can I tell you?”

“Was she tall, short, thin, heavy?”

“She was perfect. Tall, and slender. Someone I would kill to look like. Her face was utter perfection...it was so beautiful I wanted to touch it. She glowed.”

“Dear gods, you saw my mother.”

“What the hell are you talking about and why would I dream about your mother?” she asked, unconvinced.

“It wasn’t exactly a dream. My mother’s dead and has been dead since shortly after my birth. She came to you Liasare in a vision.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I know you don’t. Let me explain,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Jurek told her more about himself and the Praestani’s that night than ever before. The Praestani race was kept secret for several reasons, some of which he’d already shared with her. But there was another one and that was because the race was beginning to die out. The main reason for this was when Praestani’s gave birth, the infants could only maintain their forms as energy, and as infants, they were at their ultimate in power, uncontrollable and dangerous. The mothers, while wanting and needing to care for their children often faced death at the very hands of the infants they recently birthed.

Horrified by what he’d just told her, she just stared at him. “So you’re telling me that the women of your race are killed by their own babies? I thought the Praestani were immortal?” Liasare asked in shock.

“We are, but we can be destroyed by another Praestani. Only we have the power to destroy each other.”

“My God, how horrific for those poor mothers.”

“It is. And now many of them opt not to have children because the mortality rate is so high for both mother and child.”

“Can the child not be taught to change forms?”

He shook his head and softly said, “Liasare, imagine teaching a newborn to read. It would be much the same. It’s impossible. They revert to energy because early in life it is what’s most comforting to them. They don’t know any different. They often starve and can’t be fed because they are in such a powerful state. It’s why I never met my mother. She died when I was only a day old. She wouldn’t let me out of her arms and I destroyed her.”

Liasare looked at him and her eyes filled with tears. “Don’t shed them for me, because I survived. Shed them for the woman who comes to you in your visions. She never got to hold her own child, for he killed his own mother,” he said.

She walked to him until she stood before him and took his hands. “You may have killed your mother, but you did it because you were unaware of what you were doing. The man who stands before me would never consciously do such a thing. I’m sorry for the tragic thing your race faces, but I can’t help but think there is an answer to change this somewhere.”

“Perhaps, but we have bigger things on our hands right now. I think my mother is visiting you because of your role in the prophecy.”

Liasare brightened and said, “Yes, she mentioned the prophecy, but wouldn’t tell me anything about it. I tried to press her, but she wouldn’t budge.”

Jurek squeezed her hands. “Don’t feel bad. She won’t tell me either. The only thing I know is what it says and that’s not much. And that I’m supposed to play a part. Liasare, do you believe in hell?”

“Yeah, I do. I visited hell Jurek and don’t ever care to go back.”

“Not that I’m trying to belittle what you experienced, because that certainly was hell, but I mean the real hell as in demons and all.”

“Yeah, I believe in it. Why?”

“Because I think that’s what the prophecy is all about and I believe hell is getting ready to break loose on the universe.”

“Oh my God!” Liasare said, tuning ashen as she began remembering something.

“What? What is it?”

“When I was in that dungeon, the man who controlled those vile creatures told me I had one last chance to tell him what I was, but I told him to go to hell. His response was that he was already there. Could he have been the devil?”

Jurek went back to the bed, taking Liasare with him. “Not likely. Lucifer would never waste his time doing the dirty work. He’ll always send one of his flunkies to do it for him. He wouldn’t waste his time getting his hands dirty in the messy parts.”

“Well, I think he was there on behalf of the big L then. And there’s one other thing.”

“What’s that?”

Liasare looked at her hands as they twisted the bed sheet.

Jurek stared at her and finally asked, “Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like what you’re about to tell me?”

“I think I have super mojo powers,” she declared as she looked at him.

He furrowed his brow and asked, “Elaborate.” He got up and poured them both a glass of water.

She knew when he used one word demands, she was headed for a bumpy road.

“When I was in chains, the creepy guy who controlled those nasty creatures gave the order for me to be raped. One of them attempted it, but when he tried, as soon as he touched me, I fried him...literally. Extra crispy Jurek. And the first time they tried to bite me, a light came over me and protected me.

Jurek stared intently at her. “Pull it forth. Now. I want to see it.”

“I don’t know if I can.”

“Oh yes you can and you will. You will learn to harness it and use it to the best of your ability so it can serve you Liasare. That’s what it’s there for, why you were gifted with it. Do you understand?”

Liasare closed her eyes for a moment, and tried to feel it within her but there wasn’t anything she could grab onto. She searched her mind for anything, but it felt like a blank compartment. She shook her head.

“My power is a part of me Liasare. I don’t seek it out; it’s there at my disposal, always waiting on me. Treat it as such and perhaps you will see it. Let it find you.”

Frustrated, she said in a raised voice, “But I don’t know what I’m seeking. I pulled it out when I thought I was dying. I don’t remember how.”

“Come here,” he pulled her into his arms, on top of his lap, as he lay back amongst the pillows. His legs and arms cocooned her as he began to talk to her. “Lay back on me, love and relax. Close your eyes.” She felt his breath fan across her cheek as he spoke softly in her ear. “Now think back on what you saw that night...not your surroundings, not what was happening to you. I want you to block all of that from your mind. Now concentrate solely on what you saw when the light came forth. From where did it emanate? What color was it? Did it erupt from a single part of your body or was it a diffusion that covered all of you? Think about it all Liasare before you answer. Reach into the depths of your mind to remember.”

He was quiet then, letting her think about what thoughts he put in her head.

Moments went by when she answered, “The first time, it was an eerie blue light that covered my entire body. I didn’t realize what it was until they went to touch me. It was like the light burned them. They screeched in pain when they tried to touch me. The second time it must’ve been way more intense. When that disgusting animal tried to shove his ... his thing into me,” she shuddered and Jurek hugged himself around her, trying to shield her from those gruesome memories, “my light burst forth, but this time it was so bright, it was almost painful to look at, and it literally fried that monster.”

“Can you remember how you felt when that happened?”

“No!” she cried. “I was so freaked by the whole situation, I wasn’t thinking properly Jurek.

Sliding his hands up and down her arms, he asked, “Liasare, do you want me to trance it out of you?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

He shifted her slightly, took her chin, turned her head toward him and said, “Look at me, sweetheart. You know I have the power to reach into your mind and discover what we need to know, right? Like when I would ask you something and you wouldn’t answer, but then suddenly you’d find yourself compelled to answer me, even though you didn’t really want to?”

“Yeah, you’d hypnotize me and it would really piss me off.”

Jurek gave her a crooked smile. “Guilty as charged, but it wasn’t hypnosis, per se, it was trancing. I can do that now, if you’d like. When I trance you, you’ll remember things from your subconscious.”

“Well, then do it. If it will help me harness that power, then yes.”

He slid his hand through her hair and then ran his thumb across her bottom lip. He couldn’t seem to keep himself from touching her beautiful mouth. He took a very deep breath, released it then said, “Liasare, it may bring unpleasant memories to the surface ... terrible things you don’t want to remember. You’ve been to hell and back and I don’t want you to revisit that place. I’m not keen on doing it unless you really want to. I want you to think about it love.”

Liasare chewed her lip for a moment, images running rampant through her mind. The thought of revisiting that dungeon was almost too much to think of, so she wasn’t sure if she could bear going back there in her mind. Jurek could feel her tension as she lay in his arms. He slid them both down in the bed and moved so she was nestled tightly against him.

“Tell you what, why don’t we both go back to sleep and talk more about this in the morning, okay?” he whispered and he rubbed tiny circles across her back.

She snuggled into him and fell asleep.

Chapter Twenty-Six

“Liasare, you must come with me. Please, I have to show you some things.”

Not again. Will these people not let me sleep?

“Here, take my hand.”

Liasare kept hearing a baby crying, but couldn’t see where it was coming from.

“Who are you and where are we going?” she asked and she took the stranger’s hand.

“My name is Larensa and we are going to the other side of the stream. You’ll see.”

Liasare followed the woman, holding on to her hand, walking down a grassy hill, until they came to a bubbling brook. As they got closer to the brook, the cries from the baby grew louder and louder.

“There’s a baby crying,” Liasare said in alarm.

“Yes, don’t be worried, it is my son and he is fine. Come.”

Liasare followed the strange woman and knew she was Praestani by her bald head and tattoos. She was lovely, but not nearly as beautiful as Jurek’s mother, Liasare thought. Her tattoos were not as intricate nor were they as bold.

Larensa leaped over the brook and Liasare followed. She stopped when she came to a bundle of blankets on the ground. Liasare knew it was the infant she heard crying, for when Larensa reached it, the crying ceased.

“Liasare, you are bound to Alaricus and you must tell him that the prophecy stands. His mother was correct. You are the Key to everything. He will protect and guide you, but only you can do it.”

“I don’t understand. The key to what? And who is Alaricus?”

“The Key to the Light and to the Dark. And Alaricus is the one to which you have bound yourself. You have his power now. Look.”

Larensa pointed to the inside of Liasare’s arms and she was beginning to develop markings similar to Jurek’s.

“Dear God! What’s happening?”

“It is the power of Alaricus unfolding.”

“Who is Alaricus?

“He is your King, your Ruler, your mate.”

What was this woman saying? She wasn’t making the least bit of sense. Right then, the baby started crying. Larensa bent down and picked it up. She started cooing at it, and the crying stopped again. Liasare was looking over Larensa’s shoulder, trying to get a peek of the little one.

Spinning around, Larensa held the infant out and asked, “Would you care to hold him?”

Liasare took him into his arms and felt a surge of power flow between them. Larensa smiled. “You recognize each other,” she said knowingly.

“I don’t understand,” Liasare said.

“This is little Stellan. Isn’t he beautiful?”

And he was...the most beautiful baby Liasare had ever seen. But his eyes, those lovely Praestani eyes melted her on the spot.

“He likes you,” Larensa decided. Stellan giggled.

“I must go now. Remember what I’ve told you. Liasare, you are the Key to the Light. Only you. Alaricus will guide you.”

“Wait,” Liasare called, but they faded away.

She woke up, confused by the strange dream. She needed to examine her diet, because these strange dreams she was having were getting a bit over the top for her. She got up and went to use the restroom. When she was finished, she was washing her hands and something on her arms caught her eye.

Flipping on the bright light, she looked and said, “Oh hell no!” The insides of her arms were covered with markings, like she saw in her dreams. They were the same as Jurek’s only lighter. She began pacing and ran through the details of everything she’d dreamed. Pieces of the puzzle slowly formed the greater picture, as her heart thrummed in her chest.

She walked on silent feet back to the bedroom and looked at Jurek’s sleeping form. Backing up against the wall, she slid to the floor, and brought her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them. Sleep was as intangible as getting Tommy back now. So she sat there and admired Jurek, his breathing even, his thick hair falling across his eye, in all his naked magnificence. She stared at his tattoos and looked at the way they swirled in some areas, yet had angular designs in others. Her eyes automatically drifted to the one that hugged his hip. They were all truly astonishing works of art, and perfectly matched. Why hadn’t she noticed this before? Did he know about hers, she wondered? Was he withholding this information from her? If so, why? And what else wasn’t he sharing with her? It wouldn’t be long before she had her answers.

***

Jurek stretched and immediately felt the absence of her warmth and energy. He extended his arm, thinking she had rolled to the other side of the bed. When the only thing his hand found were the cold silk sheets, he was out of bed in one swift movement.

Liasare admired how his body moved in perfect symmetry, how it seemed to flow like water over smooth rocks, no jilted actions, but pure grace and rippling athleticism. She became instantly aroused by simply looking at him.

“Why are you sitting on the floor like that?” he asked, gliding toward her. Nothing about him was human, she noticed. He oozed power and sexuality, and she felt her body respond to it, connect to it, as if she were tethered to him by some unseen cord.

When he crouched in front of her, as she knew he would, she held out her arms to him and he saw the tattoos.

“Did you know?”

“Yes,” he murmured as he bent his head to the markings and kissed them. They burned when he touched them with his lips...not a painful burn, but the kind that indicated recognition ... a sweet sensation. His scent flared then and washed over her. She was nearly overcome by its potency, so aromatic it was.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was going to but we did other things instead,” he said as he slowly inched his tongue up her arm.

“Stop Jurek, I can’t think when you do that. You know what kind of effect you have on me.”

“Oh, Liasare, I should hope so, because I can assure you, I am overwhelmed by you right now. Look at me. I can’t be this near you and not touch you. Please don’t deny me.”

She did look at him. How could she not? He was truly an amazing sight when he was aroused. And to think she did that to him, had that kind of effect on him. Her lips parted slightly in anticipation and she nodded. That was all he needed as he pulled her down on the floor and spread her legs. He slipped his fingers inside of her and she gasped as he said, “Oh Liasare, you’re so wet for me.” He moved his hand around, sliding it in and out and teasing her until she was almost bursting with pleasure. Then his hand was gone and was replaced by him as he entered her, slowly, teasingly. He was inside of her, kissing her, moving within her and she was in heaven. He slid his hands beneath her and brought her closer to him, moving in and out of her, as she begged him to move faster.

“What do you want Liasare? Tell me now.”

“I want you Jurek, right where you are, harder and faster.”

He was only happy to accommodate her. “Is this what you need?”

“Yes! Oh, yes.”

“Open your eyes for me Liasare. I want to look at your beautiful face as you come for me. Now, Liasare.”

“Yes, Jurek, ah,” she sighed, as she willingly complied with his demands. It wasn’t but seconds later when he was right behind her, calling out her name in that rich sexy voice of his.

Liasare ran her hands through his hair and pulled his face to hers so she could kiss him. “Will it always be this way for us?”

“I can’t say, but I’d like to think so. I want to lay like this all day, inside of you.”

She smiled, “I think I should like that, but I need some answers from you. Jurek, I held Stellan.”

He was so startled his breath left him in a whoosh. She held his face between his hands. “He’s your son isn’t he?” she whispered. He could only nod. “I knew it from his eyes. They were so much like yours. He was so beautiful and I felt a connection between us. That’s how I finally figured out he was yours. I met Larensa too,” she smiled. She watched the myriad of emotions as they played across his face. “Did you love her then?”

Jurek closed his eyes, nodded and swallowed. He turned away, remembering Larensa. “I thought I loved her more than anything in the universe.” Looking back at Liasare, he whispered, “That is until I met you. I wandered for four hundred years, never believing anything else existed, until that day I saw you surrounded by those Xanthians and I felt something stir within me. I’d never felt anything like it before. Liasare, I think we are polar opposites that need to be together. When I’m near you, my power flares. I feel it within my soul. I believe that’s why you’re part of the prophecy.”

She threaded her hands in his hair and pulled his mouth to hers, pressing her lips against his. “I know you said it doesn’t adequately describe how you feel and I agree, but I love you Jurek. There’s something else. Larensa also told me I was the Key to the Light. Do you know what that means? And who’s Alaricus?”

He rolled over, careful not disengage himself from her, and moved her on top of him so he wouldn’t crush her.

He smiled as he answered, “Me.”

“What?”

“I’m Alaricus. My full name is Alaricus Jurganus. For years I went by Alaric. Larensa always called me Alaricus. When she died, I stopped using the name altogether and started using Jurek.” He took her arm and kissed her markings again.

Liasare held Jurek’s arm and examined his tattoos. “These aren’t tattoos, are they?”

He shook his head. “They are the markings of a Praestani.”

“Is that why mine look like yours?”

Jurek looked away from her for a moment, and then sighed. Rolling onto his side, he asked her, “Can we get back into bed, where it’s a bit more comfortable?”

“You’re not dodging my question are you?”

“No, I promise. This may take awhile and I thought we might as well be some place a bit softer than on this hard floor,” he smiled.

“Okay, then.”

Standing, he lifted her in his arms, and carried her back to bed. “Promise me something, Liasare. Promise me you won’t bolt out that door when I explain things to you.”

“Okay, but you’re freaking me out Jurek. Is it that bad?”

“Not in my eyes, but it may be in yours.” He took her hands in his and began. “When we got you out of that fucking dungeon, I took you straight to Lare-Stell. You were dying, Liasare. I didn’t think I had gotten to you in time. Naroo and Tak joined powers with mine, but it still wouldn’t have been enough to heal you. I did something I’ve never done before. I should have asked you, but obviously, it was impossible because you were unconscious and at death’s door. I transferred some of my power to you in order for you to live. With that came immortality, but more importantly, life. I refused to let you die Liasare. Hate me if you must, but I would do it again if faced with the same circumstances.”

He was met with silence. He hadn’t expected this. Anger, rage, sadness, perhaps, but not silence. He was perplexed and wasn’t sure how to deal with this.

“Please say something Liasare.”

“What would you like for me to say? I’m confused and trying to sort this out in my mind.” She lifted her eyes to him and he saw the consternation reflected in their depths.

“That’s a start. Are you angry?”

“No, of course not. Why would I be angry?” she asked, taking his face and pressing another kiss to his mouth.

“Because I did it without your permission.”

“Jurek, don’t be a fool. I would have done the same, a million times over, to save you. I would do anything, and I mean anything to save you. I don’t want to exist without you, so I get why you did it.” When she stopped talking, he was on her like a man who’d been dying of thirst and had just been given the gift of water. He kissed her like he’d never kissed her before, without reservation, spilling his love into her, filling her mind and soul with it. She pulled away from him and furrowed her brows. “Did you doubt how much I love you?”

His voice hoarse with emotion, he answered, “It was never your love I doubted. I was afraid that what I have done to you would scare the ever loving fuck out of you Liasare. You are now filled with the power of the Praestani. While you’ll never have power as one born with it, you’ll be able to wield it to protect you and those around you. But what puzzles me is that you had some of it before I even transferred mine into you. I’m thinking that now, you’ll be even that much more powerful. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

“Probably not. I guess I don’t see why I should fear something that has the potential to protect me and those I care about.” She closed her eyes for a moment, her mind churning with thoughts of what lie ahead of them. “I believe there is a lot I need to learn. Jurek, as much as I hate to say this, we need to go back to Earth, so I can kick some ass. If I have all this extra power now, I want to take down some of those motherfuckers that tried to destroy me. And then I want to figure out what this key thing is. We have a lot of work to do and as much as I adore laying around making love to you all day, it isn’t going to provide us with answers, or help us get any work done.”

She looked at him when she was finished talking and he had a really stupid grin on his face. “What?”

“Well, you’re exactly right of course. However, I won’t let you return to Earth quite yet. I want you healed in body and spirit before you do that. But damn, you turn me on!”

“Oh no you don’t,” she squealed as she hopped out of bed and made a mad dash for the shower. As one might expect, he was already there, body wash in hand, ready to do his duty. It was the longest shower she had ever taken and well worth the time spent there.

The sanctuary turned out to be exactly that for her, as well as him. She found peace and comfort there and her body healed and her mind became stronger than it had ever been. Liasare’s mother had been cruel to her after her accident, so during her stay at the sanctuary, Jurek did his best to wash away those memories too. By the time they were ready to return to Lare-Stell, Liasare was a new person, one whose life had love and meaning like it never had before.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Lare-Stell Base

“Well, look who’s decided to show up. Where the hell have you two been?” Tak asked, without bothering to hide his irritation.

“That’s none of your damn business,” Jurek snapped.

“Excuse me? We’re in the middle of trying to plan some sort of offensive move against an entity we know very little about, other than what Brownie here can tell us, and you two disappear to do what? Have some kind of romantic interlude? Look at her. She’s glowing. Did you tell her Jurek? Does she know everything?” Tak taunted.

Liasare looked between the men, sensing an impending testosterone eruption of a volcanic magnitude, and decided to step in.

“Whoa! Calm down you two. First off, maybe we should have told you where we were but...”

“Liasare, please go to my quarters, now love,” Jurek said, cutting her off.

“Hey, wait a minute Jurek,” she began.

“Liasare, you misunderstand me,” Jurek said, his voice laced with menace, though she recognized it wasn’t directed toward her. “Tak has severely overstepped his bounds. As his Liege, he has no right to question me, or you for that matter. Please go to our quarters,” he finished, emphasizing the word ‘our.’

The second Liasare was out of sight, Jurek was on Tak like lightening. Their energy forms streaked throughout Lare-Stell as they mentally sparred, Jurek chastising Tak for his insubordination and Tak for Jurek’s disregard of his men.

When they returned to their mass forms, they began to physically fight. They kicked and threw punches, knocking each other around and beat each other until Jurek was the victor, as they both always knew he would be.

“Don’t ever tell me what I should or should not do again. I do what is necessary, at all times. Liasare will always come first with me and you need to get that through your thick skull, right here, right now. Are you quite finished?”

Tak nodded.

“Liasare and I will be back here in one hour. I expect you to be on your best behavior. Have the team assembled so we can begin to make our plans.” Jurek flashed to his quarters.

***

“What the hell!” Liasare exclaimed when she saw the cuts and bruises on Jurek. She ran to him, gently touching his face.

“No worries sweetheart. It will be gone in moments. Tak wasn’t very happy about our little disappearing act.”

“I could see that. Why wouldn’t you let me explain?”

“He is my subject Liasare. An explanation wasn’t necessary.”

“Whoa, what do you mean, your subject?” she asked, in confusion.

“Sit.”

When he used that tone of voice, she knew he was getting ready to drop some kind of a bomb on her. She plopped her bottom on the nearest chair. He pulled another one up and faced her.

“There’s one thing I may have failed to mention,” he said sheepishly.

“Oh boy. This is gonna be big, isn’t it? You don’t ever sound like that unless it’s something really big.”

“Depends on how you look at it. I’m the Lord of the Praestani,” he blurted out without preamble.

Liasare looked at him and then at her hands and then back at Jurek. He could see the wheels spinning in her brain.

She scraped her teeth across her lower lip and then asked, “Is that why everyone is always bowing to you?”

He nodded.

She bobbed her head saying, “I always thought that was kind of weird. So you’re what...like royalty or something?”

He nodded again. He wouldn’t take his eyes off of her, even a second. He was gauging every tiny reaction, seeing if she was going to smile, cry, scream or bolt.

Her eyes drilled into his as she asked, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

He shrugged, still not saying a word.

“How many more secrets do you have?”

“A few.”

“Are you ever going to tell me everything?”

“Some day perhaps.”

Liasare scooted forward in her chair, and took his face into her hands, holding it tenderly. She would never stop being amazed by his power, for right before her eyes, she watched his lacerations and bruises disappearing. She lightly touched his wounds and leaned forward briefly kissing the corner of his mouth.

“I don’t understand your reticence, but you must have your reasons. I love you Jurek, no matter what. So whenever you’re ready to tell me what it is that you haven’t yet, I’ll be here, waiting.” Then she kissed him, and not just lightly this time. She poured everything she had into that kiss, letting him know exactly where her heart was and that it was locked inside of his body.

He stood and pulled her into his arms, lifting her so they were eye to eye. “I was lost until I found you Liasare.” He carried her to the bed and they stayed there until they had five minutes to meet the team.

***

The team didn’t have much of anything. There were no details, except what Liasare shared, and what they found when they came to get her.

“What about going to Club Down? Have we given up on that?” Liasare asked.

“We haven’t even gone down that road since all this happened. Maybe we need to revisit that,” Tak said.

“Not for you Liasare! There’ll be no going to Club Down for you.” Jurek looked at Liasare and his eyes were dark and his mouth had hardened into a thin line.

“Why not? I’m more powerful than ever. We were willing to chance it before and that was when I was weak.”

All eyes turned to Jurek. “I’m taking zero chances where your safety is concerned.”

Liasare groaned. “Okay, why don’t we test my power and strength then. I need to find out exactly how strong I am anyway and what it is I can do, right?”

Jurek eyed her for a moment, and then nodded, “Okay. Get changed.”

Thirty minutes later they were assembled in the training room. It was Liasare versus Tak. She still had an aversion to fighting Jurek and held back for fear of injuring him. It was a mental issue with her. Everyone thought it was comical that she didn’t have that issue with Tak.

Tak and Liasare faced each other and he went to strike her, but she threw a surge of energy at him, defending herself. She grinned from ear to ear.

“Liasare, don’t use your energy. I want to see your physical strength,” Jurek yelled from the side.

“Okay,” she said with skepticism. She had no doubt Tak would take great pleasure in kicking her ass, especially since he was still brooding over their disappearing act.

Tak went at her again and she put up an arm block, spun and threw a kick that knocked him flat on his ass. He was up in a blur of motion, going at her again, but she watched his movements, exactly as he’d taught her and was ready for him. She blocked every move and fired back with either a kick or a punch and he couldn’t get a good knock in.

Liasare finally said, “Okay Tak, you can quit holding back. Give me everything you’ve got.”

Through gritted teeth, he snapped, “I have been giving you everything I’ve got.”

Liasare turned to stone. “What did you say?”

“You heard me Brownie. I haven’t been holding back a bit. You are fucking strong!”

Jurek stood on the side with the biggest grin on his face. She swung toward him, as if to say, “Did you hear that?”

But Tak, taking that opportunity to hit, struck her with a kick to her thigh. The crack was heard, followed by her scream.

“Fuck!” screamed Tak.

Jurek was at her side in a flash, as was Tak for she was in pure agony. It was clear that Tak had fractured her femur.

In moments, Jurek had healed her and when he was satisfied she was fine, he turned on Tak with a vengeance.

“Are you crazy! She was looking at me for fuck’s sake!”

“I didn’t realize it. I was already engaging into the kick when I saw her attention was on you. I didn’t mean it. You have to know I wouldn’t do that to Brownie on purpose!” his voice edged with urgency.

Jurek’s hand was around Tak’s throat, lifting his body into the air and cutting off his oxygen. Tak arms hung limply at his sides. Jurek released him and he crashed to the floor.

“Don’t. Call. Her. Brownie,” Jurek snarled.

Liasare had risen to her feet by this time and was at Jurek’s side, letting him see she was okay. “I’m fine. It was an accident, a hazard of training Jurek. And I don’t mind Tak calling me Brownie. I’ve kind of gotten used to it.” She wanted to defray the tension in the room.

Jurek ran his hand down her arm and nodded. She turned and walked slowly to Tak, where he still lay on the floor.

“Tak, are you okay.”

He looked up at her and said curtly, “Yes, I’m fine Liasare.” He rose to his feet.

“I liked it better when you called me Brownie.”

Tak looked at Jurek and he nodded stiffly.

They resumed working on Liasare’s abilities. Not only was she strong and able to throw out energy to stop her enemies, she could also envelop herself in it, making it impossible for others to touch her. She wasn’t able to maintain an energy form, nor could she travel as such, but Jurek was satisfied that she could protect herself if the need arose.

It was decided they would pay a visit to Club Down and Jurek reluctantly agreed Liasare would accompany them. They didn’t have much else to go on and maybe this would open up a few more clues.

***

The Planet Earth

Two days later they were back on Earth. Liasare had moved into Jurek’s quarters, at his suggestion, not hers. Actually, he demanded it and refused to even let her go into her old room. He sent Marik and Ludo in to retrieve all of her items, and had her moved in before she knew what had happened.

“Are you sure you’ll still respect me in the morning?”

He looked at her and laughed. “Where do you come up with this crap?”

“I dunno. I was serious though. What if these close quarters have us hating each other in a few weeks? You and I are both so damn hardheaded. I couldn’t bear it if that happened.”

He stood before her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Have you ever heard of compromising?”

“Well, yeah.”

“We’ll learn how to do it Liasare. I won’t live without you near me. I clearly need you by my side and I hope you feel the same.”

She nudged him with her shoulder and asked, “What do you think Jurek? Shall I push some of your buttons for you? Or would you rather I do something else with your buttons?” she whispered as she dragged her tongue down the side of his neck. Her fingers were on the front of his shirt when his hands pressed them into his chest.

“Insatiable is what you are,” he said against her mouth right before he pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. “Unfortunately, we have to meet the team to make some plans. But we can pick back up here later on.” He wrapped his hands around her bottom and gave her a squeeze and tugged her out of the room.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Jurek was strung as tight as a drum. Every time he looked at Liasare, he wanted to drag her ass straight back to headquarters and lock her in their room, never letting her out again. He tugged on his pants, adjusting himself again. Damn her for talking him into allowing her to wear that outfit. She looked like every man’s wet dream.

He decided it was the boots. Those damn sexy boots. Up to her knees, black leather stilettos almost sent him over the cliff. Yeah that was it. Well, that and that strip of black leather she called a skirt. It barely reached her pubic bone and then hardly even covered her ass. With her belly bared for everyone to see, Jurek felt like he was going to go ape shit. Okay, maybe it was the leather bra that really did him in. That silver studded leather choker she wore around her neck didn’t help either. Fuck, she was so damn hot he wanted to slam her against the wall and take her right there. He didn’t care who was looking either. She was his and he wanted to show the world. She whipped her head around, stared at him and ran her tongue across her lower lip. There was no way he was going to apologize to her, or anyone else, for growling. He couldn’t help it, bottom line. His eyes told it all to her. And gods help him, she loved it and wanted him too!

How the hell am I going to pay attention to what’s going on around me when I can’t keep my eyes off of her? That damn outfit of hers is driving me bat shit crazy. I am so jonesing for her right now, I can barely think straight.

They entered Club Down and his skin lit up like lightening. By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes. He grinned at the little ditty. He and his team were ready for what was in store here. Liasare was the bait and the gods knew she would reel anything in, dressed as she was. She was to be surrounded by them constantly, either in their mass or energy form. Even though she was strong and infused with Praestani power, and armed to the teeth with daggers in her boots, Jurek wasn’t taking any chances with his precious cargo.

Down lived up to its name except they left off the other half. They should have called it Down and Dirty, because that’s what it was. There was anything and everything taking place out in the open for all to see.

In the middle of the room was a huge table where several couples were engaged in all sorts of sexual activity. Against the wall were dozens of manacles and other bondage contraptions. Some were occupied while others eagerly awaited their next visitors. Liasare had great difficulty hiding her shock. Jurek slid beside her and pulled her into his embrace, lewdly groping her, intending to get her to focus on the job instead of the scenery.

Stop gawking Liasare. You’re dressed like a pro but you’re acting like a virgin.

She looked at his full lips and kissed him them, hard, wet and lush. Then she grabbed his ass, grinding herself against him and returned his crude fondling. Sliding herself up and down his body, she felt his response as he hardened against her.

Good girl, but perhaps a little too good. God you’re sexy. I might have to make use of that wall over there if you don’t take it down a notch.

She smiled seductively at him and whispered in his ear, “Wait until we get home.” Her breath fanned his neck causing a tightening in his groin that only intensified as she ran her tongue along her lips and then blew him a kiss.

He swallowed down his desire and they continued their exploration of the club heading to the bar to grab a drink. The place was crawling with all sorts of vermin, from Xanthians to every kind of foul creature imaginable. Liasare’s skin began to prick, like tiny icicles hitting her skin.

“Something’s going on here,” she said in Jurek’s ear.

“I agree.”

“My body’s reacting.”

“Explain. Telepathically.”

She relayed what was happening to her.

Is it familiar to you? Have you ever felt this way before? he asked.

Yes, but only slightly. This is seriously intense. It’s coming from somewhere inside this place.

I’ll let the others know. Don’t let go of my hand. Understand?

She gave him the slightest of nods as they picked up their drinks. Right before Liasare tipped her drink to her mouth, Jurek stopped her and took it out of her hand. He brought it to his nose and slammed it down on the bar. The bartender looked at him and stared. Jurek tranced him and the bartender walked over.

“Did you put something in her drink?”

“Yes.”

“Who instructed you to do that?”

“I don’t know.”

Jurek looked around, but didn’t see anyone suspicious. He knew the man was telling the truth because when someone was tranced, they couldn’t lie.

“Bring the lady a beer, with nothing in it but beer. Got it?”

The bartender complied and Jurek hit him with more questions.

“So tell me about Club Down, my friend. My lady and I enjoy a colorful lifestyle, if you get my meaning, and we want to do a bit of exploring. What might we discover here?” Jurek asked.

“Ah, well, you’ve already seen what’s available above deck. But down below is where the specials take place.”

“Specials?”

“Yeah. Shows, fun and more! Do you and your lady split up or only play together?”

“We only play together.”

“Pity, because you’ll miss out on a lot then. Below deck you have to agree to anything and everything and that includes letting your lady go. So...sorry friend, it’s above deck only for you then.”

“What about singles?” Jurek asked.

“You asking for yourself?”

“No, for a friend.”

“Well then, for singles, it’s open season,” he said laughing.

Jurek turned to Liasare saying, “Drink up love. We’re getting the hell out of here. I’ll let the men handle that. They can go in their energy forms and no one will be the wiser. I want to get you out of this disgusting hole.”

He grabbed her arm to escort her out when there was a commotion from the back of the room. A woman started screaming and Liasare took off in that direction. Jurek followed her, but lost her in the crush. The crowd swarmed toward the screamer and Liasare tried to get to her. When she did, she realized she was witnessing a woman being raped by three men.

Her first instincts were to stop the whole process and she jumped on the back of the first man she could reach. He yelled when her fist connected with his lower back as she kidney punched him. He swung around, trying to bat Liasare away, but missed. She took him out with a pop to his rib cage, and an uppercut to his jaw and he flapped on the ground like a fish out of water.

The other two men looked at her like she’d gone crazy. They lunged at her, thinking she was a mere woman, nothing more than a pesky gnat. They couldn’t have been more wrong.

By this time, Jurek had made it to the periphery of the ring and decided to let Liasare have her day. Across the crowd he eyed Tak and Marik and they both shook their heads. They left, in search of what they had originally come to find.

Liasare was in a face-off with two huge dudes. All her training with Tak was paying off because these losers didn’t know the first thing about true defense. She watched their eye movements and could tell what they intended, before they even moved. They were both knocked out before they knew what hit them.

Jurek looked at his avenging angel, standing above the three unconscious men, decked out in black leather, with barely a hair out of place. He wanted to throw back his head and howl with laughter and would have done exactly that if they’d been in another place. But now wasn’t the time because there was a team of thugs headed her way and Liasare was their target. Not giving her time to notice a thing, he flashed them both back to headquarters and to the safety of their room.

Not expecting the ride, Liasare was a bit dizzy.

“You okay?” he asking, feeling her hands and arms for any signs of injury. When he could find none, he relaxed.

“Yeah. Why did we come back here?”

He explained and told her Tak and the rest of the team remained behind to see if they could find anything on the lower levels.

“That place was the ultimate in creepy. Maybe that’s why my skin felt like ice needles were sticking it everywhere.”

Rubbing her arms, he agreed, “Perhaps. There’s some bad evil shit in there Liasare. I could feel it everywhere on my energy field, scraping itself against me. We have to get to the source of this. I have a feeling if we do, we’ll uncover a whole lot of nastiness.”

“Jurek, what if we find stuff that’s more than what we can handle.”

“We can’t think that way. If it’s beyond us, Liasare, that means, the universe is headed for destruction.” He lowered his eyes then, and drank in the sight of her. Placing his hands on her hips, he bent his head to her neck and ran his tongue from her ear to her clavicle. Her breathing kicked up a dozen notches, followed by her heart rate. “Now, isn’t there something you said you wanted to finish when we got home?”

She regarded him provocatively and breathed, “Let me slip out of these clothes first.”

“Oh no you don’t. I’ve been devouring you all night with my eyes, feasting on you and now I want to remove them myself, very possibly with my teeth. You have distracted me to the point of sheer lunacy, so I think payback is only fair.”

He sent her a scorching look and that familiar current swept through Liasare, warming her belly and turning her blood into liquid flames. He discarded his clothing as she watched him with hungry eyes. Lord, that man set her on fire, she thought. That golden skin, jet black hair, along with his perfect symmetry of muscles, she would never get enough of him. Jurek lifted her and carried her to their bed.

He moved over her and rubbed himself across her body. Then his hand skated over her torso and ended at her skirt, where he unzipped and tugged it free from her body. Next he slowly removed her bra, sliding it over her breasts, teasing her nipples and making them tingle and ache for his touch. He sat back and admired her as she lay there in nothing but her studded choker, thong and stiletto boots.

“Oh what a sight before my eyes, Liasare. Where shall I begin? Your inner thighs, your neck, your stomach or your mouth? I want to suck every inch of your delicious skin and taste your sweetness in my mouth. Tell me, where shall I begin?”

Liasare was nearly writhing in pleasure with the mere sound of his voice and that exotic scent of him. Her heart hammered and she felt herself dissolving at his touch. Her brain wasn’t cooperating with her demands for her mouth to speak. The only sounds she could produce were moans.

Jurek chuckled. “Hmm, since you’re not answering, I guess that must mean anywhere I choose.” Running his finger beneath the elastic of her thong, he twisted it and with a pop, he snapped the thing right off of her. He bent his head then to the inside of her thigh and bit down, not hard, but enough to make her gasp. Then he sucked her tender skin and his tongue traced intricate patterns straight up to her core, delving into her, not wasting any time. Liasare’s back arched, and Jurek’s arm slid beneath her, pulling her close, concentrating on pleasuring her. When he knew she was close, he withdrew, but she tried to pull him back down.

“Not so fast love. You need to learn a bit of patience.”

“You’re cruel,” she panted.

“No, never cruel. I just like to tease you a bit first.”

He moved over her body and scraped his teeth along her hip, above her pelvis and across to her belly button, where he began his sweet, tortuous tongue tracing again. She was writhing, fisting the sheets in her hands, and calling his name.

He moved over her and claimed her mouth, not gently, but possessively. He sought everything she had to give, and slid up and down the length of her body, rubbing himself against her. He ran his tongue along the length of her neck, concentrating on the beating point of her pulse, moving to the hollow of her throat. Then his journey took him to her breasts where he lightly licked them, then clamped down on each of them, bringing a gasp from her lips.

Rolling on his side, he put Liasare on hers, her back up against his chest, and entered her from behind. Holding her tightly against him, he began to move within her, slowly at first, taking his cues from her.

“Is this okay, Liasare? Do you like this?”

“Oh yeah, Jurek. Faster.”

He complied, and taking his hand he reached around and dipped it between her legs. He pressed down on that most sensitive spot and then began sliding his thumb back and forth across it, matching the rhythm of his body as he thrust into her. He kissed the back of her neck and clasped her against him. She circled her arm around his neck, bringing him as close to her as possible.

Her breathy sighs were so erotic they were nearly his undoing. It wasn’t long before they were both shattering apart in each other’s arms.

“Is it possible to stay like this forever?” she asked.

“In my sweetest dreams.” He turned her on her back so he could look at her. “Tell me, did you like that?”

“Yeah...couldn’t you tell?”

“I sometimes wonder when I can’t see your face. Looking at you when we make love Liasare...the sounds you make send me reeling right over the edge. I want to see your eyes and watch those beautiful golden sparks light up when you come for me.”

“Damn Jurek, if you don’t stop talking, you’re going to have to do it again,” she said as she climbed on top of him and started kissing him. “Are you up for a repeat?”

“Only if I can watch you on top.”

She was only too happy to grant him that wish.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Liasare woke the next morning to the smell of fresh flowers. She looked around and saw a bouquet on the pillow next to her.

Hope your dreams were as pleasant as mine...

Yours forever,

J

Next to the flowers was a box of very expensive chocolates from some far away planet and on his bed side table was a tray with a glass of iced lemon water, a glass of orange juice and another note.

Breakfast is awaiting you whenever you awaken...

Yours always,

J

Liasare drank the water first, then the orange juice and lay back down and brought the bouquet of flowers up to her face. She shouldn’t have done that because she felt the tears streaking down her face before she could force them back. She cursed that damn mother of hers and then Tommy.

Where the hell are you Tommy? Why’d you have to go off and do such a stupid thing like you did?

The door opened and she was instantly cradled in his arms, being soothed by him as he pushed her hair off her face and swept her tears away.

“What’s happened?”

“Just a memory. Nothing else.”

“Will you share?”

She sniffed, “It’s one from my days back in the medical facility. You know how they say when you’re in a coma and they think you can hear? Well, you can. I heard everything my mother said. She and January would argue about me. My mother wanted them to euthanize me...there was nothing wrong with my brain mind you. She just didn’t want a disfigured daughter. I heard her tell January she wouldn’t be able to stand to look at me with my disgusting skin, as she liked to call it. Later on when I was recovering, every morning Tommy would place a fresh bouquet of flowers on my pillow. I couldn’t move my arms because they were in immobilizers. Tommy knew how much I hated the smell of that place, so he would sneak in before academy each morning and place flowers next to my face to chase away that horrible medicinal odor. I would wake up to see lovely flowers next to me and smile. Then, every afternoon the she-devil would walk in the door, pick up the bouquet and throw it in the trash. Just like that. She would see the look on my face and smile. I never could figure out why she hated me so much. I still don’t know what I ever did to her. Anyway, this morning when I saw the flowers, it reminded me of how sweet Tommy had been.”

“I’d like to squeeze that woman’s neck.”

“Get in line. Thanks for these. They’re perfectly beautiful.” She brought the flowers to her nose and inhaled their lovely fragrance.

Jurek took her face in his hand, “I didn’t mean for them to make you cry.”

“I know. It’s just a memory. I have a lot of crummy childhood ones, Jurek. Hey, would you rather I called you Alaric?”

“I will answer to either. It’s whatever you prefer. Alaric is something that would distinguish you from everyone else. No one has called me that in quite a long time.”

“How do you feel about it? What is your preference?”

“I quite like hearing Alaric from your lips. It signifies the importance of my rank, but I’ll let you choose. I will say I’ve never been very fond of Alaricus though.”

“Then I won’t call you that. I do like Alaric. It’s very sexy, but I like Jurek too. Hmmm...maybe I’ll call you both.”

“Would you like for me to call you Sarah?”

“Never!” she said vehemently. “She’s dead and I never want to be known as her again. Besides, I meant what I said before. When you say, ‘Liasare,’ you make chills erupt all over my body. Your voice sings my name to me Alaric.”

He smiled at the way she said his name. “Very well. Come, let me fix you breakfast and we can talk with the team about what happened last night.”

***

When they entered the kitchen, all eyes turned to them. Liasare took a seat at the table while Jurek began gathering some breakfast items for her to eat.

“So, what happened after we left,” she asked.

Tak was the first, as usual to comment. “They weren’t happy with the three dusted piles of shit they had to drag out of the place Brownie. That was some kind of hurtin’ you put on them.”

“Yeah, well, they deserved it.”

All the men started laughing at her.

“Okay, I’m missing the humor here.”

“It was part of their show, Brownie,” Tak added, laughing.

“Huh? Show?”

“It’s a sex club. They do all kinds of kinky stuff. They were acting out a rape scene. You wiped out their act.”

Marik and Ludo were slapping their knees and howling. Jurek walked up with coffee, croissants and an assortment of fruit for her. She glanced at him and he was grinning.

“You knew?”

He nodded and kept grinning.

“Well, thanks a lot Alaric.”

The room became shrouded in silence. Tak, Marik and Ludo stood up so fast their chairs went flying. Liasare thought something had happened so she flew to her feet too. But then the oddest thing happened. She found herself surrounded by the three men as they fell to one knee and bowed their heads.

“I give you my allegiance and protection, my lady,” they said in unison.

“Er...okay.” She looked quickly to Jurek, unsure of what was happening, but he only smiled and nodded.

Finally, Jurek said, “You may rise.” The men rose and sat back down. They all looked at Liasare in the same revering manner they usually reserved for Jurek.

“Why didn’t you tell me about the scene?” Liasare asked, feeling a bit uncomfortable and not understanding what had just happened.

“You just started kicking ass and by the time I reached you, you had already taken out two of the dumb asses. There was no point in telling you then. By the time you knocked out number three, Down’s group of thugs were headed your way to take you out, so I had to get you the hell out of there,” Jurek finished.

“My lady, you sure...”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! What’s up with this ‘my lady’ crap?”

Marik, Ludo and Tak all looked at Jurek and they all started laughing.

Jurek rubbed his eyes and said, “Liasare, would you care for me to explain this all to you here, in front of the men, or would you rather hear it in private?”

“Here is fine,” she said curtly.

What Jurek failed to mention to Liasare is that if she called him Alaric, it would indicate to others that he had taken her as his mate, his queen, and now she would serve by his side as his lady.

“Well, it would have been nice if you had mentioned that to me earlier,” she huffed as she elbowed him in the ribs. She knew he felt that way; she just was a tad miffed he hadn’t informed her of it.

“So what happened after we left?” Jurek asked, wisely using the question as a diversionary tactic.

Tak, Marik and Ludo made it below deck and they, too, felt the presence of something horrific nearby. They never saw anything, other than all kinds of sexual activity, but knew there was something nearby. It was also disturbing that they all felt this evil presence recognized them as well. They had remained in their mass forms, which made Liasare cringe, because she knew what that meant, so she tried not to think of it. Jurek decided the four of them would return in a few days in their energy forms to seek out what they didn’t see last night.

“But I want to go too,” she protested.

“No! Absolutely not!”

“Why not?”

“My lady, we...”

“Stop calling me that! If you can call him Jurek, you can still call me Brownie!”

Tak’s lips twitched as he looked at her. “I think I quite like ‘my lady,’ now that I’m getting used to it.” He so enjoyed teasing her. She punched him in the shoulder as hard as she could. “Ouch! That really hurt!”

“Good,” she said with satisfaction. Turning to Jurek she begged, “Please let me go too.”

“Liasare, you can’t. We go in energy forms. I won’t risk you going back in there anyway. If they see you, they’ll chain you up and do all sorts of heinous things to you.”

“They won’t be able to touch me Jurek.”

“No! That’s my final decision and I’ll send you back to Lare-Stell if I must to keep you safe.”

***

Two nights later Jurek and his men went back to Club Down. Liasare pouted the entire day and had tried everything she could imagine to persuade Jurek to take her with him. He refused and things escalated to the point of a full blown fight between them. They were both so angry, they destroyed furniture, art, dishes and many other items that weren’t nailed down or permanently attached to the walls or floors. After the men left, Liasare decided she couldn’t sit around, so she headed out for the night. She wanted to get her mind off of Jurek and the fact she couldn’t be out there with him.

She went to Cosmos, feeling it was the safest of all the clubs she’d visited. Xanthians were there, but she didn’t fear them anymore. Not since her brush with the death creatures anyway. Those things brought a whole new level of fear into her mind.

Liasare’s eyes scanned the place, hunting anything that might appear unusual or out of the ordinary. She was excited when she saw Jaylen standing at the bar, so she headed that way.

“Boy am I glad to see you here!” Liasare yelled, over the blaring music.

“Liasare!” Jaylen threw her arms around her and hugged her. “What’s up? Where’s your body guard?” she asked with a wink.

“He’s occupied tonight so I thought I’d sneak out. Any news?”

“Nothing worth repeating.”

The two girls chatted for a while until two men approached them and asked them to dance. Jaylen grabbed Liasare’s arm and dragged her along and they all ended up on the dance floor.

They were having a grand time until the moron Liasare was dancing with decided to start groping her.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” she shouted over the thunder of the beat of the music.

“Oh, come on baby. You know you want it.”

“No, I don’t. Get your hands off of me. Now,” she seethed.

Instead of releasing her, he did the opposite and pressed himself into her. Liasare’s power flared into him, sending him flying across the floor on his ass. It was a good thing no one had been paying attention, for questions would have been raised.

Liasare headed straight for Jaylen and told her she needed to get out of there fast. Jaylen asked no questions, but was on her heels. When they were out the door, she wanted to know what happened and Liasare simply explained that her Romeo had gotten too frisky and she had taught him a tiny lesson.

“So, do you want to come over and hang out?”

“No, I’d better be getting back.”

“Is everything okay between you and Jurek?”

“Yeah,” she grinned. “We had a fight tonight, but we’re okay.”

“Have you ...?”

“Oh yeah. We’ve ... yeah, well, it’s, um, yeah, we’re great Jaylen.” She felt her cheeks growing hot at the mere thought of him.

Jaylen tilted her head and looked at her for a long minute before saying anything. “You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”

“That would be a big yeah,” she grinned like a schoolgirl.

“And what does Jurek think about all this? He’s not the type to fall for a girl Liasare.”

“Jaylen, he has this time.”

“Are you sure, because I would hate to see you get hurt?” Jaylen had grabbed her hands and was squeezing them. “He’s not the type to give his heart to anyone.”

“I know. But I own his heart Jaylen and if anyone tries to come between us or tries to hurt him, I swear I’ll kill them.”

Jaylen’s jaw dropped. “Wow! This is real, isn’t it?”

Liasare looked Jaylen in the eye and said, “Have you ever felt like half of you was missing? Like a part of you weren’t there?”

“Nope. I’ve never been lucky enough to care for someone that way.”

“Before I met Jurek, I never felt whole. I always felt there was a piece of me that hadn’t quite made it, like I had been born without a crucial part of my soul or something. I think it’s because he’s carried it with him all these years.”

“Okay, double wow. I’ve never known anyone that’s ever put it that way. And with Jurek of all people. Don’t take this the wrong way Liasare. I’ve known Jurek for a while now and he’s quite a player. I’ve seen dozens of women destroyed by men over the years, so I’ll reserve judgment until I see the two of you together. When I can see his reaction to you, I’ll know for sure whether his feelings for you are true.”

Liasare hugged Jaylen and said, “I swear you won’t be disappointed in him. You’re a true friend Jaylen. You may be surprised, but you’ll see what I’m telling you is the truth.”

The two women parted, promising to catch up with each other again soon. Liasare walked through the darkened streets, not nearly as frightened as she used to be. As she neared the headquarters, she began to feel a sense of unease. That icy feeling crawled across her skin again. Soon she recognized the evil that had surrounded her before.

She quickly scanned the area as her heart began to race. That sensation of a million ice needles pricking her skin intensified and began to get extremely painful, like fire ants stinging her body everywhere. Voices drifted into her mind, but at first they were indistinct.

Turning her head on either side, she saw first one, then two and then a half dozen pairs of eerie green eyes staring at her. The voices merged into one and reverberated in her brain.

“We want you. You cannot resist us for long. You can run, but you cannot stay away from us forever. He can’t protect you. You will be ours one day.”

The dark creatures surrounded her, cutting off any exit she may have. “Join us or die.”

“Never!” she spat. Liasare pulled her dagger from her right boot. With her left hand, she grabbed a throwing star and flung it at the dark creature in front of her, hitting him in the heart. He emitted an ear splitting screech before he collapsed and turned into dust. She repeated the same motion two more times, leaving three versus one. Now it was time to use her daggers.

The creatures behind her tried to move in, but she was fast, much faster than they had anticipated. Every time they tried to touch her, her power would erupt and send them flying. It didn’t kill them. Only her Praestani weapons would do that. On she fought until the last one finally turned to dust. When the final bits of it were blown away by the night breeze, that evil voice reverberated in her mind once again.

“We will be back, again and again. We will take all that you love and destroy it until we have you Sarah Liana St. Davis. You belong to us.”

“NOOOO!” she screamed into the empty sky.

Chapter Thirty

Jurek and his men returned in the early morning hours to find every light in the headquarters on. Liasare was sitting on the floor in the middle of the room, ashen faced, trembling and freezing cold.

Her lips were blue and when Jurek tried to get her to speak, her teeth were chattering so badly, he feared they would chip.

“Christ, Liasare, what the fuck happened?”

“I-I-I w-w-went t-t-to C-c-c-cos-s-sm-m-m-m...”

“Sshh. Never mind. Don’t try to speak.”

He gathered her frigid body in his arms and carried her to their room. Stripping her clothes off and then his, he took her into the bathroom and ran the shower on hot until it filled the room with steam, then he stepped into the shower with her in his arms. Standing beneath the spray, he let the heat warm her until he finally felt her shivering disappear.

“Now can you tell me what happened?”

Liasare went through the process of her vile episode with the dark creatures. She knew Jurek would be furious with her, but the voice in her mind had shaken her up so badly she didn’t care.

“He knew my name! Oh God, Jurek, he knows me, my background. He said he would take all that I love. That means you!” She started to tremble again.

Jurek’s mouth hardened and eyes grew dark. “Liasare, no one will touch me. It’s you I’m concerned about. Why do you leave and put yourself in vulnerable situations like this?”

“Are you not listening to me? Forget about that! That fucking voice was in my head, Jurek. He wasn’t there speaking to me. He was in my fucking head. This thing, whatever it is, is powerful! I have a feeling it sent those creatures to test my abilities. It doesn’t give a flying fuck about their existence; they’re there to serve him. He’s going to hurt you, or do his damnedest, just to get to me!” Tears streaked down her cheeks as she grabbed his face, trying to get him to understand.

“Okay, okay. I’ve got you love. He won’t get me; not tonight anyway. I’m here with you.” He held her tightly to him.

“I swear to God, Alaric, if anything happens to you, I’ll destroy the universe and anything that gets in my way. And hunt down whoever hurt you.”

The way she said his name and the intensity of her voice reached into to his soul and for the first time in his life, he felt true fear … fear because he was fighting an unknown enemy who had its sights on his one true love. “Hey, Liasare. No talk of that. We’ll find this thing, whatever it is, and destroy it, before it can get to any of us.”

They stood there, letting the hot water wash over them, as they held each other.

***

The evil presence in the hooded cloak was in their headquarters, beckoning for her to follow him. He promised Jurek would not be harmed if she would come peacefully. Liasare slipped out of bed and tiptoed on silent feet. Someone kept screaming her name, pulling her arm, but she was afraid the evil presence would kill Jurek so she shrugged her arm loose from whoever it was. When she neared the exit, a swirling wind and streaks of lightning infused the room, making it look like a summer storm was taking place indoors. Liasare’s hair stood on end from the static charge in the room. In the midst of the wind and electrical activity, she finally recognized Jurek’s mother.

Standing tall with her arms spread wide and her power emanating from her, she was a fearsome sight as she screamed at the hooded being, “Get away from her! Keep your filthy hands off Liasare! You have no right to her!”

The room took on a life of its own then, filling with Praestani power. Liasare was drawn to it, just like she was drawn to Jurek. Her body began to tingle with the current that had become so familiar to her. The cloaked figure stared at her, its red eyes glowing, and then its ghastly mouth opened to reveal a set of blackened fangs. “This won’t end until she is mine,” he snarled. “She belongs to me. You stole her and I want her back.”

Jurek’s mother spread her arms up to the sky, increasing her power as it cascaded from her, and shouted at the evil presence, “She was never yours. She has chosen her path, Abaddon. She has my protection and that of my son!”

Abaddon spat, his mouth dripping saliva, “You can’t protect her forever. She will soon be mine; you shall see. Then we shall see how powerful you are.”

The cloaked figure disappeared and the energy faded in the room. Liasare looked to Jurek’s mother and begged, “Please give me some answers!” But she was already fading away.

“Don’t leave me! Please don’t leave me!” she screamed.

Lights flicked on, voices were heard as Liasare fell to her knees.

“What the hell? Liasare? What’s going on?”

“He came for me! The voice in my head! He was here,” she kept screaming. Jurek looked at his men, and they all shared a thought between them. They were in for some seriously bad shit.

Jurek led her to the couch and Tak handed her a glass of brandy. She gave them explicit details of what she had seen.

“Why do you think Lexus only shows herself in Liasare’s dreams?” Tak asked.

Jurek was now pacing and continually running his hand through his hair in frustration. “I don’t know. She hasn’t come to me in weeks now. It’s as if she’s transferred everything to Liasare.”

Liasare sat on the couch clenching the glass in her hand. She clutched her arm to her stomach, pale and scared out of her wits.

“If she hadn’t come when she did, I would have followed him. I was under his spell or something. She saved me.” She brought the glass to her lips, or tried to anyway. Her hand was trembling so badly that the contents sloshed around and never quite made it to her mouth. Tak, seeing her difficulties, gently pried the glass out of her stiff fingers and went to refill it. He returned with a fresh one, along with a towel so she could wipe herself off. Jurek was oblivious to her brandy issues.

“I need to get you out of here,” Jurek said to Liasare. “It’s not safe anymore.”

Liasare was making another attempt at drinking from her glass and spilling half of it again, when Jurek noticed what was going on. He was at her side, removing the glass and putting it to her lips, letting her sip from it. “More please,” she begged.

“Tak, Marik, Ludo, opinions. Now.”

“Praestan.” All three concurred.

Liasare piped in. “Nowhere is safe. He’s supernatural. Do any of you know who Abaddon is?”

All heads whipped around to look at her. Jurek was the only one who spoke. “What did you say?” The tone of his voice sent a chill down her spine.

“Abaddon.”

“Where did you hear that?” he asked her.

“That’s the name your mother called him. She said, ‘She has chosen her path, Abaddon,’ and I quote.”

“Oh, holy fuck!”

The men stared at each other collectively.

“Well?” Liasare wanted to know. “Tell me because now I’m even more freaked out.”

“Abaddon is the devil, Satan, Lucifer, Apollyon, The Destroyer, or whatever else you want to call him.”

Liasare felt the blood draining from her face. The room began to spin, voices faded and she slumped forward.

When she woke up, she was lying across Jurek’s lap with a cool cloth on her forehead. He was holding her hand, sliding his thumb back and forth across her knuckles. His other hand rested against her face as he passed his power into her.

“Are you back with us?”

She gave him a weak smile. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared Alaric.” She used his ruling name for emphasis, and he squeezed her hand in return.

“Nor have I.”

“That’s quite an admission coming from you, I suppose,” she said weakly.

Jurek glanced at his men before answering her. “Liasare, I’m frightened for your safety, not mine. Abaddon had always been after us. It’s the Dark versus the Light. He has always coveted our strength and power and for centuries has tried to find ways to harness it for himself. It’s never worked before, but now I’m wondering if the prophecy has something to do with all this. And you fit in as the key to both sides, Dark and Light.”

Liasare grabbed Jurek’s hand with both of hers, squeezing it so hard, her knuckles became white.

“Easy there, love.”

“Sorry, but if what you just told me was supposed to make me feel better, you just had an epic fail.”

“I only want you to know the truth.”

“He’s in my mind Jurek. I’m not safe anywhere. What worries me most is that I’m endangering all of you too.”

They looked at each other and the men came to an agreement.

“We are going to tell you everything we know about Abaddon and how he has tried to tap into Praestani power. Then the information highway will be shut down. Do you understand? I know this will be particularly difficult for you, but the less you know the better it will be for everyone. Are we clear? We’ll move you every day and you won’t know where you are until you get there. Sometimes you won’t even know then. Liasare, I need your agreement on this because you’re going to feel like a prisoner and knowing you, you’re not going to like it.”

“Okay. I know I may act like an asshat, but I agree.”

When they finished telling their story of Abaddon, Liasare felt like she barely knew more than before they told her anything. Other than being the devil, Satan, or whatever, he wanted their power. He wanted to be the top dog and was tired of taking second place to God. He kept getting pushed back down into the world below, the realm of hell, and he wanted to rule everything, power hungry creep that he was.

“Um, Alaric,” Liasare began, reaching for him, fisting his shirt in her hands and pulling him to her so only he could hear her, “are you like God or something? Because if you are, I’m not so sure if you and I are...”

“Hush, Liasare.” He wrapped his arms around her. “Look, I understand all this is freaking you out and I get that. I am not God, nor do I pretend to be anything like Him. I make no claim such as that. I represent the Light, but not that Light. Yes, we are the opposite of the Dark, the antithesis of that kind of evil. But we are not God or any god for that matter. We are powerful, very powerful beings, that have been graced with this gift and use it to control evil in the universe. There was a time in my life I did things, terrible things, and I’ll spend the rest of my life repenting those sins. But I don’t claim to be something I’m not.”

“What kinds of sins?”

He squeezed his eyes closed for a moment. He knew the time was here where he would have to confess his sins to her and he was dreading that day. He had put it off because he knew he would lose her when she learned the truth of his evil deeds. “I’ll tell you all about them someday, and then you’ll despise me for the hateful creature that I am. For the present, I want to focus on keeping you safe. If Abaddon wants you, he’ll be persistent, and we need to put him back in his realm. Only then will you be safe.”

Liasare gazed into Jurek’s beautiful eyes of lavender and silver and wrapped her hands in his lovely black silken strands. Putting her lips on his, she softly kissed him and said, “I could never despise you Alaric, no matter what you’ve done. I love you with everything I have. I shelter your heart within me. You are my life, my reason for breathing.” She kissed him again.

“And I love you. I only pray you still feel that way when you learn the truth. Let’s get you out of here.”

“I need to change first.”

“No you don’t...you’re fine.” He bundled her in his arms and they were gone.

Chapter Thirty-One

The whole team traveled with them. Liasare had no idea where they were. No one told her either and she didn’t even bother to ask. She was shown to a room, quite an opulent one, with a huge inviting bed draped in white chiffon. She was so weary that she crawled in and fell fast asleep.

Her dreams were mired in horror. Dark winged creatures, small and large with huge fangs chased her. The grim reaper waited for her at the end of a wooded path. Abaddon was also there, but he didn’t speak to her. She kept asking questions about the key but no one would answer her. She ran and ran, but the harder she ran, the slower she went. Her legs felt trapped in quick sand and the more she struggled to escape, the further she sank within its depths. She tried to cry out, but her cries became stuck in her throat. Instead of a scream, she only ended up emitting a tiny croak. She whimpered in frustration, wanting help, but finding none. Suddenly she found herself moving through a forest where branches tore her clothing and scratched her skin, feeling like claws ripping at her. It reminded her of the dungeon and she was instantly transported back to that chamber of horrors, screaming and thrashing, fighting every step of the way.

“NOOOO!” she cried. Her face was wet from the tears she was shedding. When the huge door scraped open, her worst nightmare came to life. Jurek was chained from the ceiling, each arm extended until his shoulders appeared as if they would snap. Abaddon was draining his power from him, while Jurek screamed in agony.

“NOOOO! PLEASE STOP! NOOOO!” Her throat was raw from her screams, as she tried to run to him. Arms banded across her abdomen and chest, dragging her away from him. She fought her captor, trying to escape to get to Jurek.

“Liasare! Liasare wake up!” That spicy scent came floating into her being, bringing her to her senses and waking her. Her eyes fluttered open to find herself in the corner of the room, lying in Jurek’s lap as he clutched her tightly to him.

The memory of the nightmare came crashing into her and she screamed his name and held him tightly to her, stroking his hair, his back, his arms, anywhere her hands could make contact.

“Oh dear God, Jurek. Don’t leave me. Don’t leave my side ever.” She touched his mouth with her fingers, not letting him speak. Running her hands all over his body, she inspected every inch of him to satisfy herself that he was unharmed. He didn’t interrupt her or try to stop her in any way because he somehow knew she needed to do this. When she finally exhausted every section of his perfect body and realized he was fine, she exhaled and sagged for a moment within his arms. Then, lifting her body until she straddled him, she took his head and holding it between her hands, she kissed him, passionately, demanding, letting him know he was hers.

“Hey, what’s going on? Talk to me Liasare.”

“The worst nightmare ever. He was stealing your power and you were screaming.” She shuddered.

“It was a dream Liasare. I’m here and I’m fine.” He massaged her back, infusing his comforting energy into her.

“He has that kind of control over me.”

“Now, but we’re going to teach you how to mind block. Then he won’t.”

“You can do that?”

“Yes, but it takes time. Right now I want you back in bed, in my arms, getting some sleep.”

“I don’t think...”

“I do. Come.”

He coaxed her back into bed and with his help she was able to fall back asleep. Jurek lay awake for hours. He was more worried than he’d let on. Abaddon had never been this bold before. This could only mean one thing. He really thought he had a chance at getting Liasare, which was not good at all. Being the key to the either powering hell or keeping hell from becoming more powerful was a crapster of a place to be. And worse yet, how the fuck was he supposed to protect her, the love of his life, from the clutches of Abaddon, the most powerful creature other than God? Keeping up this facade of not being afraid was going to be tough, because the truth of it was he was scared shitless.

***

The longer Liasare thought about it, the more she wondered if they could somehow trap Tommy and get him off Earth and somewhere safe. Maybe they could deprogram that chip or do some kind of extraction and pull the data off it. There had to be some kind of connection between Abaddon and the disappearances or the army of minions. She wasn’t one to believe in coincidences.

Voicing this opinion at breakfast the next morning, everyone seemed to concur. Jurek gave Ludo the order to find out everything he could about those nanochips. In the interim, Jurek and Liasare would meet with January and Rykerian later in the week, although Liasare wasn’t aware of this.

Several hours later, Tak was attempting to teach Liasare mind blocking.

After thirty minutes, Tak groaned in frustration as he rose to his feet. “You cannot just think it will happen and expect it to. You have to work at it, dammit,” he yelled at her.

Liasare threw him a nasty look. “Do you think I’m an idiot? I thought we’d gotten way beyond that point. I do realize that I have to work at it. It’s just that I don’t know what it is I’m supposed to do. Can you not even give me so much as a freaking hint, Tak?”

Tak let loose a long sigh. “Imagine your mind is a large window. It’s open for all the light to enter. What you’re aiming to do is lower the blinds so you can block the light from entering. Close the curtains, so you can take a nap. Is that a better metaphor? Now close your eyes and try to picture that.” He didn’t try to hide the sarcasm.

She closed her eyes, but she was so angry with Tak for his brusque manner and for always assuming she knew everything when she knew nothing. Rising to her feet, she walked to where he stood.

“Why do you always deliberately go out of your way to try to make me angry?”

Liasare had taken him by surprise. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Of course you do. You act as if I’m omniscient, when you know damn well I know nothing about this stuff. And then you have the nerve to be pissed at me. What’s your problem Tak?”

“I don’t have a problem.”

She eyed him, unwilling to let it go. Her eyes had frosted over and her nostrils flared as she unleashed her rage. “That’s bullshit Tak. I want to find out what it is you suddenly have against me. I aim to find out right here and now. I’m tired of this little game you’ve been playing with me. Ever since Jurek and I came back from Praestan, you’ve acted completely different toward me and I want to know why.”

Tak turned away from her and walked to the other side of the room.

“I asked you a question and I expect an answer!” The walls reverberated from her rage. Tak spun around, a look of shock spreading across his face.

“You want to know what my problem is? I’ll tell you. You are interfering in our lives. That’s what my problem is!” he shouted without thinking.

If he would have told her he hated her, Liasare could have handled that. However, she hadn’t expected this and it had taken her completely off guard. His accusation had rattled her to the core. She felt she’d been helping, or at least trying, and here he was accusing her of interfering. The more she thought about it, the more she realized he was right. She was preventing them from doing their jobs. Because of her, they had to move every day, going from place to place, interrupting their operations and delaying their searches. All because of her, because that damn Abaddon wanted her.

Shit, fuck, hell and everything else. Why does the bad crap have to happen to me? Tak’s right. I need to go somewhere where no one can find me, so these guys can do their jobs. Unfortunately, that fucker Abaddon would find me and wreak havoc on the universe. I am so screwed.

She dropped her head towards the floor and squeezed her eyes, trying to shut out the world around her, if only for a few seconds. She leaned against the wall and slid to the floor, putting her chin on her knees, trying to come up with a solution. Maybe she should just give herself to Big Bad Abaddon. Maybe that would put a stop to the disappearances and set the universe back on track.

“You don’t really think that, do you? If you give yourself to him, you supply him with the power he seeks and then we’re all fucked.”

Liasare squinted at Tak, not really wanting to discuss this with him right now.

“Our best course of action is to continue to let me teach you to effectively use mind blocking. You have to admit I have a point.”

She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. “You had a point about my interfering too. Not something I particularly wanted to hear, but nevertheless you stated the truth. I am in the way, but as I sit here and think about it, I can’t come up with a way to remove myself from your midst without causing greater harm to not only you, but the rest of the universe. Quite a dilemma I would say.”

“Well then, shall we continue?”

Liasare looked up at him and wondered why he felt so strongly about her. “Is it only that Tak, or is there something else you’re not telling me? I get the feeling you really dislike me now. Is it something I’ve done? Tell me what it is so we can move forward. I don’t like what’s become of our relationship. I liked it the way it used to be, when you teased me and gave me a hard time about things.”

He turned away from her, shaking his head. “It’s nothing other than what I’ve told you. Now are you going to try to learn this or not?” He started tapping his toe against the floor, so she knew she needed to drop it for now. She decided she would get to the bottom of this eventually.

They worked for several hours, until Liasare complained of a headache. She’d made zero progress, became frustrated and developed quite a nasty attitude. Deciding a relaxing bath was in order, she headed back to her room.

After she’d bathed, she crawled up on the bed and dozed off. Red glowing eyes greeted her, as the hooded figure beckoned to her. The voice wasn’t in her head this time, but he gestured for her to follow him. She backed away from him, trying to push him away. Soon, he was joined by his force of dark monsters, as they tried to pull her toward them. Stretching out her arms, she directed her power at them, forcing them to retreat.

Sensing her distress, Jurek flashed to their room to find her in the midst of her nightmare. Liasare was thrashing about the bed, so he attempted to grab her arms in order to calm her down. Instead, she doused him with her power, sending him crashing into the wall. The racket pulled her out of her hell, and she opened her eyes to see Jurek in a heap on the floor.

Flying to his side, she screamed his name. “Jurek! What happened?” She ran her hands along his body, inspecting him for injury.

He started to laugh, which confused the heck out of her.

“What’s going on? You startled me!”

Sitting up, he rubbed his shoulder and chest. “You think you were startled? You should’ve been in my shoes when you scorched my ass!” Then he shared with her what happened.

“I blasted you across the room? Wow! I didn’t think I could overpower you.”

He looked at her in awe. “In all my years, I’ve never felt that kind of force, Liasare. I don’t think your power has fully developed. I think it’s gaining strength every day. Let me see your arms.”

She pushed back her sleeves to reveal her markings. They had become more defined and elaborate since he’d examined them last.

“Were you even aware of how your markings have changed?”

Liasare looked at them closely and added, “Not really. I haven’t paid much attention to them.”

Jurek lifted up her shirt and pulled it off of her, revealing her upper body. He raised her arms and noticed the markings beginning to appear down the sides of her body, stopping at her hips. “And these?” he asked, softly tracing them with fingers.

“They weren’t there when I took a bath earlier this afternoon. What do they mean?”

His eyes softened as he smiled and said, “Only one thing. Immense power.”

“I don’t understand.”

He bent his head to kiss her shoulder and told her, “Liasare, I wish I could tell you that I knew, but I don’t. I only know that the more deeply colored the markings and the more profuse they are, the more powerful the Praestani. You, my love, have more markings than anyone I’ve ever known or heard of.”

She laced her fingers with his, drew in a long breath and then released it. “I’m frightened by this and what it may mean. Am I going to turn into some kind of freak? Some kind of anti-Satan or something because if I am, I’m not sure I’m up to that kind of task.”

Jurek cupped her face in his hands and replied, “Look, I don’t know. I only know that for some reason, you were given a gift of awesome power. We are going to have to figure out why and to what purpose it needs to be used. I won’t let you make the same mistakes I made Liasare. I refuse to let you go through life, living with regrets for sins you committed. But you can’t let your fear of this power stop you from doing what you were put here to do. You are a part of the prophecy, or maybe the prophecy is about you and I only play a small part. Whatever the case may be, we’re in this together. I’ll not leave your side. I told you from the start I’ll protect you and that’s a promise I plan to keep. Now I would like to extract a promise from you.”

She nodded and he continued. “I want you to promise that you won’t let fear control your destiny. I want you to let your power of Light guide you. Remember that Praestani power belongs to the Light, not the Dark. Let it guide you and don’t fear it. It will shape you and teach you what it wants you to become. In the meantime, I’ll try to teach you everything I can or I’ll get Tak to do it.”

Liasare pulled away from Jurek and picked up her shirt, intending to put it on, when he put his hands on her, stopping her.

“Tell me,” he demanded.

She looked at him and then back down at her shirt. “I would rather you teach me.”

His mouth pressed into a firm line. “What happened?”

Shaking her head, she answered, “Nothing. I just think I would get more out of it from you.” Refusing to look at him, she picked at an imaginary speck on her shirt.

“Look at me,” he demanded.

“Can you never ask, Mr. Bossy?”

“Please?”

She was hoping to throw him off, but it didn’t work.

She lifted her eyes and he saw the conflict in them. “Liasare, I can read your mind. It is but a simple thing for me to do. Please tell me.”

“No way. You’ll be angry and then all hell will break loose and I don’t want that.”

Jurek bristled, but said nothing for a few moments. “If that’s your preference, then I’ll be happy to teach you.”

“Good. Can I ask you something without you getting all bent out of shape?” Liasare wondered if she wasn’t making a mistake by this.

When he nodded, she told him how she wondered if it would be better if she were sent away from everyone, perhaps isolated somewhere, so they would be more effective in doing their jobs.

Jurek was on his feet in a blur of motion, standing in front of her, radiating fury. “Have you lost your mind? That’s the exact thing Abaddon wants … to get you alone, with no protection so he can trap you in hell and steal your powers. Then he will take over the universe. Liasare, how did you come up this crazy idea?” His mouth had hardened to a thin line and his eyes were darkened orbs fired with silver sparks.

“I … I thought it would be best because I feel I’m interfering with everything.”

Jurek’s fisted his hands until his knuckles were nearly bursting through his skin. “Interfering? Interfering with what? We need you here. I need you here. You’re the Key to everything. Don’t you understand any of this yet, Liasare? Because tell me now and I’ll spend however much time it takes to clarify things for you.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Shit Liasare, you’re it! The dreams, the visions when my mother came to you. When Larensa came to you. You’re it. Have you ever heard of Apollyon, The Destroyer?”

“Yeah, but...”

He held out his hand, his palm facing her. “Stop! Let me explain before you go off interrupting and getting your panties in a wad.”

“Excuse me? Tell me you did not just say that!” Liasare was on her feet as fast as she had ever moved. It momentarily shocked both of them, but she was so irked at him, she had a one-track mind. “Don’t you start getting all alpha on me now. I won’t put up with that crap.”

He got right in her face and growled, “Then we’re going to have a problem, because where you’re concerned, I’m nothing but alpha, sweetheart.”

They glared at each other, chests expanding and contracting with their heaving breaths, until finally they both backed down.

“You need to get one thing clear, Liasare. You are mine. I don’t share you with anyone. I demand things from you, but when I do, it’s usually for your own good. It’s my nature. I rule, as will you when we return to Praestan one day. Whether you like this or not, you agreed to this.”

“When? When did I agree to this?”

“When you became my mate.”

“Come again?” she asked, for she was sure she was mistaken.

“I told you when you agreed to be with me, before we ever crossed that threshold, that there was no going back.”

“Oh, and I was supposed to translate that to mean, ‘Liasare, if you sleep with me, you will become my mate and rule Praestan with me?’”

“Yes, dammit!”

Turning her back to him, she brought her hands to her head and rubbed her eyes. Then she gave her head a vigorous shake. Jurek gave her a puzzled look and cocked his head at that odd angle as he sometimes did.

Taking a long deep breath, she said, “Jurek, that doesn’t make any sense to me.”

“Well, it should.”

He was like arguing with a brick wall and her frustrations were skyrocketing with every second that passed.

“Well, it doesn’t. How can that possibly make sense? I had no idea you were even the fucking king! For the love of God, someone help me knock some sense into this man! Ugh!” Liasare noticed her arms had begun to tingle so she started to rub her hands against them, and something caught the corner of her eye. Glancing down, she realized the tips of her fingers were glowing and turning a pale shade of violet.

“Oh, holy shit! What the hell is happening to me now?” she yelped as she extended her hands. Long thin bolts of violet light began to shoot out from the tips of her fingers.

In a soft, calm voice, Jurek suggested, “Sweetheart, close your hands very gently. Curl your fingers within your palms. That’s right. Don’t be afraid because it’s your power and it can’t hurt you, only others. It won’t hurt me either, because it recognizes me. Let’s test it. Give me your hand, love.”

“No! I don’t want to hurt you,” she cried.

“You won’t hurt me, love. I promise. That’s what I want to show you. It’s my power that’s within you. It will recognize me and will come to me if you hold out your hand. Please Liasare. Do this for me.”

She opened her hand and Jurek saw it quivering. The streaks of light shot forth, almost like they were searching for something. He held his hand out and the light headed straight for it and entered him. As it recognized him, Jurek’s power rose from him and met Liasare’s and the two streaks joined right above his palm, where they danced and merged as one.

“Oh my God! Aren’t they beautiful?” she asked in amazement. Their colors swirled within each of them, blue and green for him and violet and rose for her. Then the tendrils of power blended together, creating a masterpiece of indescribable beauty.

“Hold out your other hand,” Jurek told her. She did as he asked, and the second bolt of energy shot directly toward Jurek, hovering around him, waiting for him to offer himself to it. He finally held out his other hand and the second streak mimicked the first, doing a beautiful dance as their powers played together.

“Liasare, what do you feel?” he asked, his voice deep and husky.

“My arms tingle and it sort of tickles.”

Jurek turned his palms outward so they faced her and the power from him seemed to increase. She sucked in her breath at the sensation it began to create in her body. “Look at your markings now, love.”

She looked at her arms and her markings were nearly glowing. Instead of being black, they had taken on an iridescence, picking up blue, green and violet hues, shining bright as the stars in an inky sky.

“Gods, you’re so beautiful. This sharing of power ... we can do this sexually too. All over our bodies, Liasare.”

“Can I kiss you?” she whispered.

His voice raw with emotion, he answered, “Since when have you had to ask for permission?”

Still joined by their power, she touched her lips to his, and their energy erupted between them as they kissed. The current soared through their bodies, leaving them desperate with need for each other. She was naked and in his arms before she could even form the thought.

“Slowly, Liasare. I want you to see as much as feel this. It’s an amazing thing, much like the first time when you gave yourself to me. Everywhere our bodies meet, our power will be visible. It will waltz together, as if it has done this a thousand times before. See?” He motioned with his eyes and when she looked to where their torsos touched, light erupted between them, making them glow.

“Alaric...” and as soon as she said his name, his power flared all the brighter. “Whoa!”

“It’s obvious I like when you call me that,” he smiled. And then he said, “Liasare, I love you, with all my being.”

When the words left his lips, her energy filled the room with a brightness that nearly blinded them.

“Oops!” she laughed. “Alaric, I love you too. Will it always be like this, with our energy?”

“I suppose so. As long as we live.” He lifted her then and entered her, swiftly, without any hesitation, and their bodies became more alive than either of them ever thought possible. The sensations coursing through their veins, their nerve endings, every cell, were astounding. Their breaths mingled as every possible inch of them pressed against each other, wanting to merge themselves as much as physically and metaphysically possible.

“Liasare, open your eyes for me. I want you to look at me when we share our love like this. I want you to see what happens.” She did as he asked and was stunned by the exquisite beauty of his silver eyes and the color of their merged energy. Moments later as they climaxed together their power emerged from their bodies, surrounding them in its rainbow of colors until finally everything receded, leaving them breathless and damp with sweat.

Still joined, Jurek walked to the bed where he lay down and placed Liasare on top of him, unwilling to release her. She nestled her head into his neck, inhaling his spiciness, and tangled her fingers in his hair.

“I thought the first time we made love was the greatest moment of my life, but I’m going to have to move it down a notch. This was epic Alaric.”

Jurek shifted her so he could look at her. Smoothing her hair back and running his thumb across her lower lip, he said, “I have to tell you a thing or two. I will agree with you. I have always thought that making love with you was an extremely pleasurable act. This transcended everything I have ever experienced before. This was spectacular. Liasare, I am deeply in love with you.” He rolled over so he was on top of her. “I loved you from afar at first, and then, well, you know the rest. Today moved my soul, Liasare. You are a part of me. When you said my name, I could feel my energy surge from me, almost as if it wanted to hold you itself. And I want you to call me Alaric. It brought me such pleasure hearing my name roll off your tongue. But perhaps, only on special occasions, or behind closed doors. I’m afraid of what my reaction to your use of my name will be in front of others.” He laughed.

“Damn Alaric, for such a hard ass, you sure have become a softie.”

“Only where your heart is concerned, but Liasare, I can assure you there’s nothing soft about me,” he said as he started moving his hips.

She had to agree with him on that.

Chapter Thirty-Two

They were naked, sitting in bed facing each other and she was going over everything he had just told her.

“So what you’re telling me is that Apollyon, or The Destroyer is Abaddon and I’m the one that’s supposed to take him out, right?”

Jurek sliced his head up and down once.

“I’m outta here.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Liasare scraped her teeth across her bottom lip and bit it for a minute. “Do you remember when we first met and I acted like I was all brave and everything?”

“Yes, and I thought it was so sexy of you too.” He reached out to caress her breast, circling it with the pad of his thumb.

“If you keep that up, I’ll never tell you my story.”

“I find I can’t be near you without touching you, Liasare.”

“I understand,” she agreed, as her hand rested on the markings on his hip. “Well, I was shaking in my boots. Literally. I was scared to death. I pretty much have been since day one. Do you remember that night Tak found me outside the warehouse?”

“How could I forget? I was pleasantly surprised to see you again, but I didn’t want you to know that,” he confessed. He moved his hand from her breast and began brushing the backs of his fingers across her ribs.

“I was so scared, I didn’t even have the nerve to come inside. I had gotten chased, and I still don’t know how I lost those stinking Xanthians, but the only place I knew to run was back to you. You scared the crap out of me too. When I got back to the warehouse, I paced outside the door, too chicken to open it or to even knock. So I hid across the street, behind those trashcans, seriously frightened to death. For some reason, being that close to you made me feel safe. It was like you frightened the crap out of me, but made me feel safe at the same time. It confused the hell out of me. Anyway, then Tak found me and hauled my ass inside and you accused me of spying. I thought I was going to die.”

“I remember.” He cupped her face and was sliding his thumb back and forth across her cheek. “Your face looked as white as a sheet.”

“What I’m trying to tell you here is that I’m nothing but a chicken shit. I always have been, ever since all the kids made fun of me when I was a bundle of scars. I’ve tried to put on a brave face, but it’s nothing but a facade. Hell, why do you think my language is so nasty? That’s all part of my facade too. I don’t have what it takes to do this. I’m nothing but a clump of nerves as it is, but being expected to kill Satan, or whoever the hell he is, is way out of my league.” She clutched her hands together, trying not to look like the huge ninny she knew she was, but it was too late. Jurek had already seen her hands trembling.

He gave her a long hard look and then asked, “Do you think I’d send you in there alone or expect you to do this by yourself? You’ll have a team of Praestani at your disposal, including myself. I’ll not let anything happen to you.”

“We’re talking about the anti-Christ here Jurek. Get real. How strong is this dude? We need God and his army of archangels or something like that! Not a team of Praestani. No offense, but we’re not enough,” she argued.

“Okay. First things first. I need to teach you mind control. That’s our priority now. Once you have that mastered, we can move around freely, without worrying about Mr. A showing up and trancing you into following him in your sleep. He’s nothing but a mindfuck anyway.”

Liasare flew out of the bed and jumped up and down doing some sort of a jig.

“What the hell’s wrong with you?” Jurek wanted to know, chuckling. “I didn’t think you liked to dance.”

“I didn’t think you had a sense of humor,” she sassed. “I just remembered something,” she shouted as she slapped herself in the head. “Ouch! That hurt!” She hit herself a little too hard.

He rolled his eyes. “So what did you remember?”

“My dream. He came again and tried to get me, but I pushed him and the monsters away.”

“Good girl! How’d you do it?”

So she explained in detail and concluded with finding Jurek on the floor. He coaxed her into trying it again, but this time in her mind. The block for her, it seemed, didn’t come in the form of a window shade. It came as a fence or a shield. She had to imagine pushing it out with her hands and it seemed to work that way. They practiced for several hours, until her head started to pound.

“Tomorrow, we’ll try this with the others. We’ll see if Tak, Ludo and Marik can get to your thoughts. Liasare, I’m going to tell them to put you through an endurance test of the mind. You won’t like it and your head will be throbbing at the end of each day. We’re going to do this for at least three days. Then I’ll bring in Naroo. She’s an expert in mind control. When you can block Naroo, I’ll feel comfortable in going back to the way things were, but not until then. Okay?”

Liasare nodded, although she was not looking forward to it.

***

As promised, the next three days were torture. Tak was especially brutal. For some reason, their relationship had deteriorated to the point of open hostility. Everyone noticed it. When Jurek questioned her about it, she shrugged it off and wouldn’t give him a clear response. Tak did the same when Jurek questioned him.

There hadn’t been any opportunity for Liasare to question Tak, but she fully intended to find out what was going on in that mind of his. The following day, Tak, Ludo and Marik put her through the steps again. Her mind felt like it was stretched, pulled, torn, shredded and everything in between. At the end of the day, she crawled into bed with a cold cloth on her pounding skull. She didn’t even want to converse with Jurek.

He brought her a tray of food and she tried to refuse to eat.

“Liasare, I’ll force you to eat if you don’t do this on your own. Your strength is extremely important and you can’t afford to skip any meals. So what’s it going to be?”

She ate, albeit begrudgingly. After the first few bites, her appetite soared and she felt so much better when she finished. She sheepishly thanked Jurek, and actually had the decency to blush. He grinned and preened like a silly peacock.

Men! Can’t they ever be humble?

Two days later Naroo made her appearance. Under any other circumstance, Liasare would have been overjoyed to see her. Today, however, she was shaking like a stupid leaf flapping in the wind. She tried not to show her nervousness, but it was no use. Tak made several snide remarks, which she chose to ignore. That was unusual, but her anxiety level was sky high and her heart was hammering so loudly, she couldn’t think clearly enough to come up with an adequate riposte.

Once Naroo began, she understood what Jurek had been talking about. She was powerful. Liasare’s mind felt raped and pillaged when they’d finished. She was certain every secret, every emotion she had safely locked away in her box of unshared memories had been discovered by Naroo. Her mind felt like it had been flayed, dissected and left open to bleed to death.

Liasare was an emotional wreck. She trudged to her room and didn’t even get to the bed. She slid down the wall and sat there with her head lying on her arms, as they rested on her raised knees. She’d never felt so battered in her life.

She didn’t hear him enter; she only smelled his presence and felt the fan of his breath as he knelt before her. “That bad, huh?”

“Ugh, the absolute worst.” She didn’t even move her head.

“What can I do for you? Can I run you a bath? Bring you some wine? Or some brandy perhaps?”

“A bath, some wine and you, please.”

“Anything to please you.”

A few minutes later, he lifted her up and carried her into the bathroom. Stripping off her clothes, and then his, he sat her in the large tub in front of him between his legs and let her lay back against him. Handing her a glass of wine, she relaxed as he massaged her neck and head.

“Mmmm. That feels so good. Thanks for taking such good care of me.”

“I aim to please. Besides, Naroo put you through hell today. I’m sorry it was so horrible. I couldn’t bear to watch. I know you weren’t aware of it but I was only in there for a short period of time. I could feel your anguish tearing at me. Liasare, she couldn’t get through.”

That brought Liasare out of her exhausted stupor and she sat up so quickly, she knocked Jurek’s wine out of his hand that he was about to raise to his lips.

“What did you say?” she asked, twirling around to face him.

He beamed and said, “I think you heard me. Naroo couldn’t get in. Even when she had you at your worst, when you were so drained, she couldn’t breach your shield. She told me she was extremely impressed.”

“You’re not screwing around with me are you?”

“Not yet, but I’d like to be shortly,” he said smirking.

“Jurek!” she splashed him. “I’m serious!”

“I am too, on both accounts. She couldn’t get through your shields Liasare. You’re good; actually, you’re epic. I trust her abilities more than anyone’s. If Naroo thinks you’re good, I think you’re good.”

Liasare just stared at him.

“You doubt my words?” he asked incredulously.

“Oh please. Don’t go all kingly on me here. I’m surprised because I totally felt like Naroo shredded my mind, chewed it up into tiny pieces and spit it back out at me. I could barely walk back here and honestly, I don’t know how I made it. I was positive she’d uncovered my deepest darkest secrets and it was killing me.”

He cocked his head at that odd angle and narrowed his eyes. “What kind of deep dark secrets might you have?”

She squiggled around so her back was facing him again and his arms snatched her and spun her back to where she was.

“Oh no you don’t. Spill it Liasare.”

“Most of them you know Jurek. They’re things that are of no consequence, things I don’t care to talk about. Unhappy memories, that sort of thing.”

He let out a long breath. “I don’t like the fact that you have unhappy memories. Why won’t you tell me about them?”

“Because they’re a part of Sarah St. Davis who is no more. I want a life filled with better memories with you. Richer memories. That’s why I want to be Liasare from now on. And besides, you know the worst ones anyway.”

“Come here,” he said, pulling her into his lap. “I hope to make a lot of great memories with you Liasare Davidson, mate of Alaric Herdekian. There’s something I’d like to ask you.”

“Yeah, what is it?”

“I know on Vesturon, wedding ceremonies are important, so I was wondering if you would like to have one?”

“Are you asking me to marry you?”

“I suppose I am.”

“But according to your laws, or whatever, aren’t we considered married already?”

“Well, yes, but...”

“Then that’s good enough for me.”

Jurek looked at Liasare as she looked at her hands beneath the surface of the water. He wasn’t really buying it, but he’d let her have this say for now.

“If you’re sure about that, but I would love to do it your way as well.”

“No, I’m good.” He nodded, but he couldn’t help feeling disappointed either.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Praestan

They were back on Praestan. Liasare thought it unwise for them to go to Vesturon. She decided she would take no chances where her nieces’ and nephews’ safety were concerned.

They went directly to Jurek’s home this time and not the sanctuary. Liasare was in awe; his home was magnificent.

“Er, a little warning would have been nice.” She looked around at the stunning views from every window. They were standing in the private living area that was right off their bedroom. It was a large room filled with furniture that was nothing but wide flat bench like sofas filled with tons of cushions. The floors were made of smooth stone and there were water features built into one on the walls. The room was soft, the lighting, the furniture, everything about it oozed comfort and softness. Liasare fell in love with it at first sight.

Jurek watched her every expression and smiled every time she saw something new. The icing on the cake was when he showed her their bedroom suite. Every bit as grand as the sanctuary, Liasare gasped when she entered the room. It was lush, soft and extravagant. Silken bed linens, plush carpeting, gorgeous paintings and wonderful views combined to create a perfect place to nest. The bathroom was exactly like the one in the sanctuary and Liasare was eager to use the shower and bathtub. She grinned at Jurek when she saw it.

When she walked in the huge closet, she was astonished to see stacks and rows of clothing for her. Jurek smiled and shrugged when she opened her mouth to speak.

“You needed clothing so I took the liberty of taking care of that small task. Are you tired, hungry? Can I get you anything? I need to attend to some things before Rykerian and January arrive later this afternoon.”

“No, I’ll take a short nap and maybe read a little. Go ahead and do what you need to do.”

They kissed and he was gone.

Liasare sat on one of the comfy sofas and started thinking about the beautiful series of waterfalls and pools of sparkling emerald green water she and Jurek had dipped in when they had been here last. Those waterfalls she loved so much were simply amazing and she wished she knew the way there so she could check them out again. The next thing she knew, she was standing next to them.

“Oh sweet baby bunnies! How the hell did I do that? Where am I and how the hell am I going to get back?” she said out loud. She threw her hands up in the air and started pacing.

“Jurek! Jurek!” she screamed. And then she yelled, “Alaric!”

She heard a popping noise and she flew in his arms. She was trembling and having a total freak out. Her heart was in her throat and her palms had turned to sweat. “Oh, thank God you’re here.”

“Calm down. It’s okay Liasare. You just transported yourself here. You’ve advanced another degree,” he laughed.

“Holy shit! Someone needs to give me a fucking manual because this is making me mental, I’m telling you. Crap!”

Jurek laughed even harder. “Damn Liasare, you do have a way with words, but I would prefer less colorful language coming from that beautiful mouth. In fact, I would prefer this instead.” He proceeded to kiss her, passionately, making her forget everything but his demanding lips, velvety tongue and sinful taste.

When he eventually ended the kiss, she felt like he’d stolen some valuable treasure from her. Sensing her loss, he breathed, “It’s only temporary, Liasare. There’s always more where that came from.”

“Hmmm, I guess I’ll always feel like that when you end a kiss. They’re like heaven to me,” she smiled as she traced his brows with her thumbs. “I was serious about the manual Jurek. This really is driving me nuts. One minute my butt is sitting on the sofa and the next I’m standing by the waterfalls wondering how the hell I got here! This is making me psycho!”

“I get it. Listen, now that we know you can do this, which is epically impressive by the way, what you need to do is never wish you were somewhere. That’s the trick, love. When you think about it and wish it, that’s the key to shifting into your energy form and traveling there.”

“Like I’m gonna remember all this stuff. I don’t know how you do it.”

He pulled her into his arms and laughed again. “I’ve had five hundred years to practice.”

“Oh, well gee, that makes me feel so much better. So by the year 2530, I should be pretty much set then, right?”

“No promises here,” he smirked. He was making fun of her so she drew back and punched him in the shoulder. “Damn, Liasare. That hurt!”

“Serves you right for poking fun.”

“Yeah, speaking of poking.”

“You have a one track mind buddy.”

“What’s your point?”

She rolled her eyes. “Okay, I’m going to try this thing and hopefully get us back to the house. Hold my hand just in case.”

She concentrated on wanting to be back there and wishing she was there, but somehow they ended up in a broom closet.

***

Jurek and Liasare were standing in one of the many living areas. He had given her the grand tour of his home, which was more like a mansion, and she decided it would take days before she had this place figured out. They had wandered through room after room filled with beautiful artwork, gorgeous furnishings, priceless artifacts and so many other things Liasare couldn’t wrap her brain around them all. Her mind was addled with everything that was Jurek and he eventually pulled her aside and calmed her, assuring her these things were meaningless compared to her. At some point, she came to terms with what it meant to be Jurek’s mate.

January and Rykerian were shown in a few minutes later. Liasare still was angry with them for the way they handled the Tommy issue. What she hadn’t expected was their reaction to her appearance. She hadn’t noticed much of a change, other than the absence of her scars. Jurek told her constantly how beautiful she was, but she just thought it was because he was emotionally tied to her. Apparently her physical appearance had undergone quite an alteration.

“Sarah? Oh my God! I’m not sure I would have recognized you,” January gushed as she moved to embrace her. “What happened to your scars? My God, you were beautiful before, but now you’re, you’re perfect!”

“I’m sorry January, but if you call me Sarah, one more time, I’m going to beat you. And Rykerian, take that look off your face because I’ll beat you too. That girl you once knew is gone. My name is Liasare and I would ask you to remember that.”

Jurek stepped to Liasare’s side saying, “She means business too.” Then he gave January a hug. “To answer your question, I took her scars away for her.”

“I wasn’t even aware you were capable of doing that Jurek.” January gave them both a very long intense look. “Are you two together, as in...?”

“Yes,” they both answered together. Jurek went on to say, “She is the queen of the manor and my mate.”

January narrowed her eyes at Jurek, staring at him for a long moment. “You know I love you as a brother. I also know you well Jurek and know how you are with the women.”

“January, Liasare has my heart and soul. I used to question why Rykerian acted like a lovesick fool around you, but now I know the answer. Put your fears to rest where she’s concerned.”

“If you ever hurt her, I’ll...”

Liasare interrupted her by saying, “Don’t worry January, if he ever hurts me, I’ll kill him myself. But you don’t have to be concerned about that.” She looked at Jurek and her eyes softened. “We are bound together by a force that transcends anything you can even imagine.”

January and Rykerian stared at them for a moment and then they both grinned. “I can see you two together,” Rykerian said as he laughed.

“You need to know something else about her,” Jurek said. “She shares my power.”

They looked at him and he explained all the details.

“So you mean she has your extraordinary strength, as in energy?”

He nodded, saying, “I think she will eventually be even stronger than I am. Her powers will be unmatched by any. But there is more, which is why we needed to speak with you both.”

They took turns telling their complete story. January and Rykerian were stunned. They didn’t know what to think. They worried for Liasare’s safety, but were astonished by what had become of her. January still couldn’t believe Liasare’s scars were completely gone. Rykerian kept asking to see power demonstrations. Liasare finally told him to stop asking or she was going zap his ass.

“Can you at least show us a tiny demonstration?” Rykerian begged.

Liasare looked at Jurek and he nodded. They faced each other and held out their hands. Suddenly, Liasare’s light emerged, dancing from her fingertips to her palms. She turned her palms toward Jurek’s and her power leaped onto his hands where his erupted and joined hers. Before long, they were both engulfed in the blue, green and violet light as it flowed around them, waltzing and twisting into beautiful forms. Liasare tilted her hands then, and her power withdrew into her body, while Jurek’s flowed back into his.

January and Rykerian were amazed at the stunning display they had just witnessed. “That was extraordinary,” Rykerian exclaimed. “I’ve never seen anything like it!”

They oohed and aahed over it for a while until January started to question the prophecy. She wondered how they could be so sure Liasare was the Key. She didn’t want to let that go. It freaked her out to the point that she cried and Jurek had to calm her down by putting his hand on her head.

“Thanks for that. I’ve missed the hand on the forehead thingy,” she said.

Jurek smirked and said, “Well, ever since you stopped having thousands of children, I haven’t had to use it on you.”

January stuck her tongue out at him. “Thousands of children, my bohonkas!”

Liasare watched the interplay between them and it reminded her of two teenaged siblings. She chuckled to herself. “Gawd, you two are sort of annoying together. You really do act like brother and sister, you know.”

“Tell me about it. I’ve had to put up with it for years. So what can we do?” It was Rykerian who spoke.

Liasare brought up the Tommy issue and how they wanted to extract the nanochip.

“The Xanthians have to be linked to Abaddon. We think he’s the one directing them to create this army. He probably thinks he’ll send them after me or something like that. Or maybe use them to take me to him. Whatever the case, if we can analyze the data off that chip, maybe we can find out everything the Xanthians have so far. January, do you think it would be possible to suspend Tommy’s brain, remove the chip, get the data and get Tommy away from Earth before the Xanthians could discover his location?”

January and Rykerian shared a mental conversation before she spoke. “Yes, it’s possible but highly risky. We could teleport him to a Star Avenger with a team of robo-medics and they could do the chip removal. They are much faster and more precise than any Vesturion surgeon is. The data extraction from the chip would only take a few moments.”

Liasare looked at Jurek and then she asked, “What if we used our power on him to get the chip out? How risky would it be for Tommy?”

“Could you do that? Use your power I mean?”

“Yeah, but how risky would it be?”

“Well, there’s always a risk, but you’d only need to remove the original chip. Even though it’s grown and taken over his brain, once the original chip is gone, the part that remains behind will be deactivated,” January explained.

“With the assistance of the robo-medics, I don’t see why we can’t remove it then. We are healers, January. We can mend nearly everything in most cases,” Jurek said. He looked pointedly at Liasare before continuing. “If they can make the incision, suspend his brain activity long enough for us to get the chip out, we can then repair any damage the damn thing has done, including removing the rest of the crap it created in there. We can have our team on the Star Avenger. Then he can be flashed to wherever we need to send him so he can recover. We can even send him to Lare-Stell. Without the chip, they won’t be able to track him. Once we have the data removed from it, we can launch it into space somewhere and send those motherfuckers on a wild goose chase.”

They all had huge grins on their faces as they began to make their plans. It was decided they would position a Star Avenger a reasonable distance from Earth and have it standing by, so if they found Tommy, they could flash him there to begin the process. January would be prepared to go at a moment’s notice as well.

As January and Rykerian were preparing to leave, Liasare warned them of Abaddon again. “Don’t leave any of your children unprotected. He’ll try to lure them away. Make sure an adult is present with them. Don’t let them sleep alone. Keep someone in there to watch over them while they sleep. Get a Guardian to do it. I’m serious. He’s true evil. I’ve been to hell and back and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Finding Tommy was another matter. It took days of combing through the streets of Center City, hunting the clubs at night and visiting all the Xanthian hangouts. Liasare’s frustrations began to emerge in the form of things unexpectedly flying across their room, forcing both of them to duck and dodge at random times. Jurek thought it was quite humorous, telling Liasare it was a true test of her reflexes, but she would just grunt in her response.

Jurek and Liasare decided to pay a visit to Jaylen’s to see if they could enlist her to help. After two minutes in their company Jaylen did two things. She agreed to do everything she could to find Tommy. And then she hugged both Jurek and Liasare and beamed at them. They looked at her, Jurek with his head at that odd angle and Liasare with squinted eyes.

“Well, gah, just look at the two of you. You can hardly keep your hands off each other. I don’t know what happened between now and the last time I saw the two of you together, but whatever it was, it must have been really something. Of all the men I’ve ever known, you’re the last one, Jurek, that I ever expected to give your heart away with such complete abandon. And before you try to deny it, it’s written all over your face. I must say I’m quite shocked, but in a very good way,” she finished, still grinning.

Jurek actually blushed and found he was incapable of speech. Not knowing what else to do, he awkwardly thanked her, lightly kissed Liasare and told her he’d see her back at their headquarters.

Jaylen watched him leave and finally commented, “Well I’ll be. That night I saw you I was sure you’d be in here a week later, crying your eyes out over a broken heart. I was so wrong. He’s way over the top for you. I’ve never seen a man so in love before. His eyes bleed for you Liasare. Every word that comes from your lips, every move you make, he watches you like an avenger, waiting to strike the first thing that so much as threatens you. I’m amazed. You’re a part of him you know.”

“I know. I tried to tell you that. We are...I can’t explain it. But it’s beyond anything I thought existed.”

“There’s something different about you two than any others I’ve seen together. I can’t explain it or put my finger on it. Mind you, I’m not asking you for any explanations. I’m simply telling you that you two ooze sensuality toward each other. It’s like there’s this magnetism between the two of you. I’ll be damned! I’m super envious, you know.”

Liasare smiled, thinking about what she shared with Jurek. She knew what they had would be difficult to replicate, so she decided to keep quiet.

The two women hugged and Liasare decided she’d better head on home. After getting Jaylen’s promise to let her know anything at all about Tommy, she exited the building.

She knew he was waiting for her. Her body could sense him, now more so than ever. They smiled when they saw each other and they walked together holding hands.

“Sorry she embarrassed you.”

“I’m just not used to that kind of attention,” he said gruffly.

“You’re very sexy when you blush.”

He grunted. “I’d rather show you sexy in a different way.”

“Oh, you have and many times. Trust me.”

Without warning, he yanked her down a side street and crushed his mouth against hers. The kiss was all about the alpha dominance thing, but she held nothing back in her response. She moaned into his mouth, as their tongues waltzed together, teasing, then boldly facing off with each other. Slipping his hands beneath her shirt, she moaned as their energy began to unfold between them.

Pulling his mouth from hers, he whispered against her, “We’d best stop now before we begin to put on a show.”

She gave him a shaky laugh, and rubbed her cheek against his chest, humming. “One more please.” She fisted her hands in his shirt, pulling him toward her, hearing the tearing sound as the fabric gave way under her fingers.

He lifted her against him and slid his knee between her legs, “So you want it a bit rough then?” he asked, right before his teeth found that place where her neck and shoulder came together. He scraped them along until he found that exact spot that drove her crazy. She wrapped her hands in his hair and released a husky moan, but they were suddenly interrupted by the shuffling of feet and the sound of laughter.

“Isn’t this a cozy sight?”

They turned to find themselves surrounded by a team of five Xanthians.

“Jealous?” Liasare snarled.

The one who spoke had been smirking, but her question wiped it right off his face and it was replaced with a scowl.

“What do you want you ugly bastard?” Jurek squeezed her waist when she spoke. She’d never learn to keep her mouth shut.

“You.” As he spoke, he pulled his annihilator out of his coat.

Stay perfectly still love and I’ll handle this. I don’t trust your abilities to shift yet so please don’t move. He squeezed her waist again for extra emphasis.

Don’t take that one down. Maybe he knows something.

Jurek blinked, indicating he understood. He turned into a streak of energy leaving four dead Xanthians in his wake. The fifth Xanthian found himself disarmed and lying on the ground, with Liasare crushing his hand.

“Who wants me and why?” she asked.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” he said, slobber spraying through his gritted teeth.

Liasare was still repulsed by their smell and felt herself beginning to heave. Jurek shoved her out of the way and touched the vile creature, making him scream in agony.

“Answer her or I will take what we desire from you,” he seethed with unbridled rage.

The Xanthian still refused to talk, so Jurek put his hands on the fool’s head, extracting the information he deemed necessary, right before he killed him. Turning to Liasare, he commanded her to get them out of there.

When they arrived at headquarters, instead of materializing in a closet, they ended up in their bed. He lifted his brow as if to say, “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

“It’s better than the closet and,” she put her arms around him and grabbed and squeezed his perfectly formed glutes, “I’m kind of wanting to finish what we started back there, before we were so rudely interrupted by that bunch of nastiness.”

“Oh, is that a fact? What exactly did you have in mind?” he asked as his lids half closed and his eyes began to smolder.

“I’d like for you to fuck me Alaric,” she purred.

The room suddenly dropped in temperature and the rage began to build in him. He was off the bed, with her in his grasp, and had her slammed up against the wall as she stared at him in confusion.

“When have I ever fucked you Liasare?” he snarled. “I have worshipped your body with mine, loved you with my heart and soul, bound you with my energy, but never have I ever fucked you. Animals fuck Liasare. We don’t. Don’t you ever call the beautiful thing that happens between us, that horrible name again. Have I made myself clear?”

She was stricken with horror by what she had said. “Oh God, Jurek, I didn’t mean anything by that. I just...”

“Stop Liasare. I don’t want excuses. That word will never be used to describe what happens between us because I can assure you, what we do is not fucking.”

He released her then and stepped away from her. “Oh God, don’t walk away from me. Please,” she begged as she grabbed him by his shirt. Her eyes burned with unshed tears.

“I am so furious right now. Your words have pierced my heart.” She had seen him angry before, but this time, it was different. He wasn’t just angry; she had injured him with her words.

“It was not intentional and I won’t ever make that mistake again. I never meant to hurt you Alaric. You must know that everything that has taken place between us has meant more to me than I can ever put into words. I know you’ve worshipped my body. I’ve felt you...I’ve received you. And I, too, have loved you with all my heart and soul and bound you with my energy. You must know I would never injure you intentionally.” She placed her hand over his heart and waited for what seemed like eternity. He finally put his hand over hers and touched his forehead to hers.

“I can’t bear the thought of you in that way Liasare. You are mine and you are so unworthy of that word.” His voice was ragged with anguish.

“I won’t ever say it again in reference to us and what we have between us. I swear this to you Alaric.” She raised his hand to her lips and kissed his knuckles. “Kiss me Alaric and make me yours.”

He lifted her in his arms and tossed her on the bed. “You’ll always be mine, whether we’re doing this, or anything else. Don’t ever forget that Liasare.” His mouth met hers and all other thoughts flew out of her head as he took possession of her body, soul and spirit and their powers merged together bringing them both unforgettable pleasure.

Afterward, they lay in each other’s arms, sketching each other’s markings with their fingers when he said, “The Xanthian had some information to share.

That perked her up. “And?”

“There’s an all out call to search for you. You are the number one priority for them right now. My guess is Abaddon is pissed off because he can’t find you. I think your theory is right about him and his connection to the Xanthians.”

“Well, no surprise there. I mean I knew it would come to that. At least now we know it for a fact.”

“It doesn’t make me any happier,” he scowled. “They’d better keep their fucking hands off you.”

She ran her hand through his hair. There was something about his hair that was pure magic to her. She loved to feel it slide through her fingers, like the finest threads of silk. She knew he loved it too, because every time her hands got tangled up in it, his exotic scent intensified, filling the room with his luscious aroma.

“Alaric,” she whispered, “you are so...well, I think you’re so beautiful.”

She looked at him and noticed his lips were twitching.

“Are you laughing?”

“No, not at all,” he said in a squeaky voice as he bit his lips.

“Jurek! How can you laugh at me?”

And then the dam burst and he threw back his head and howled with laughter. She stared at him, poking him in the ribs, waiting.

After what seemed like hours, his laughing slowed down to a chuckle, every now and then.

“Are you quite finished?” she fumed.

He nodded, looking like he was holding back another round of guffaws.

“I can’t believe you. Here I am, pouring my heart out and you laugh at me.”

“I wasn’t laughing at you, I was laughing at what you said. Liasare, I’m a big hulk of...well, I am anything but beautiful. I’ve been called so many things in my five hundred years, but I’ve never been called beautiful. That’s what I was laughing at. Not you.”

She eyed him with great doubt before she said, “Hmm. When I look at you I see raw beauty, from your face, to your chest, down to your gorgeous V to heaven. Do you know I always heard about the infamous V and never knew what it was? Well now I do and I must say yours is quite heavenly. So, I don’t care what you think about yourself, I happen to think you’re gorgeous. And if you ever laugh at me again when I say that, I’m going to kick you in the ass...your very beautiful ass. Just saying.” His lips curved into a smile, a very sexy smile, so to make her point, she slipped her hands behind him and cupped his very beautiful ass in her hands and gave it a tight squeeze. That sexy grin was still aimed her way so she continued, “Let’s get back to Mr. Bad then. What do you think we need to do?”

Jurek rubbed his chin, all humor gone from him. “I’m still not comfortable with you roaming about on your own. I don’t doubt your power, but I’ll be more comfortable when I’ve seen you transport yourself to specific points. I also want to see you be able to shift and flash to Lare-Stell or Praestan. Then I’ll know you’ll be able to get away from anything, at any time.”

“Then you’re going to have to teach me, because right now, the best I can do is the bed or a broom closet,” she said, scrunching up her face.

Suddenly they heard a loud commotion from the main area. Things were being tossed around and crashing into the walls and they heard voices and a man’s screams. They quickly dressed and headed over there to investigate.

Liasare cried out as she saw Tommy in restraints, surrounded by Ludo, Marik and Tak.

“Notify Rykerian and January. We need to get Tommy on the Star Avenger right away. We don’t have much time,” Tak yelled.

Tommy was trying to tear his restraints off like a mad man, growling and screeching.

“Are they in range of us?” Liasare asked.

Jurek looked at her and answered, trying to calm her. “Liasare, Praestani don’t have a range, remember?”

She smacked herself in the head, saying, “Damn! I forgot.” She gave him a bleak smile, trying to hide her fears for her brother. He was acting insane, didn’t care that he was injuring himself.

Jurek gave Tak the go ahead and they all departed for the Star Avenger, where the team of robo-medics was standing by to get the nanochip out of Tommy’s brain.

Chapter Thirty-Five

They injected Tommy with some sort of drug that knocked him out cold. Then the robo-medics put his brain into a suspended state, allowing enough oxygen and blood to sustain it, but all brain activity was slowed to a bare minimum. His body was artificially kept alive. January was right. The robomedics worked with the utmost efficiency, extracting the chip in what seemed like only minutes.

Rykerian and Ludo promptly removed all the bits of data that were stored on it. Then they placed it on an ejector beam and jettisoned it out a million light years away from them, setting it for self-destruct upon its arrival. By the time the Xanthians located it, they would wonder how the hell it had gotten that far. They wouldn’t have a single thing to trace because it would be destroyed and all traces of it would be nothing but dust.

The viewing screen suddenly lit up with flashing alarms.

“We’ve got company!” Rykerian yelled.

“Who?” Jurek wanted to know.

“Guess.” Rykerian responded.

“How the hell did the Xanthians find us so quickly?”

“I don’t know, but we only have minutes.”

“Is the ship expendable?”

“Yes.”

“The robo-medics?”

“Yes.”

“Then we’re out of here.”

Jurek grabbed Liasare, Marik grabbed Rykerian, Tak took January and Ludo took Tommy and they all flashed to Lare-Stell.

***

Lare-Stell Base

Once they all arrived, complete mayhem ensued with everyone yelling over each other.

Jurek finally commanded, “Quiet! We have a patient here that needs our attention and then we can analyze what happened.”

Tommy was set up in a med unit that had been created especially for him. Naroo was standing by to complete the healing on his brain, while January prepared all the supplies he would need upon awakening.

Liasare paced outside the unit, worried about his state of mind. They were uncertain how much of his brain had been damaged and just how much could be repaired to the point of normal functionality. Naroo would do her best, but time would bear the true test.

Jurek, Ludo and Rykerian were in the lab analyzing the data that had been stripped off the chip.

“Anything yet on the chip or how the Xanthians found us?” Jurek asked.

“I don’t have anything on how they found us. My guess is they tracked the chip in the human. As for the chip itself, I’m getting the prelim stuff, but nothing we don’t already know. Basic info on warehouses on Earth, names of their commanding officers, etc. I’m getting ready to extrapolate all the data now. Hold on.”

Images were flashing across the screen, so fast the eye couldn’t comprehend anything concrete. Once all the information was in the system, they would review it for any red flags.

“I think I may have something here. There’s something about Club Down and the Master, whoever he is. Apparently, the Master has ties to that place, maybe even lives there. That could be why we all felt that source of power when we got there. Maybe the Master has ties to Abaddon.”

Rykerian thoughtfully rubbed his chin, then asked, “You don’t think they’re one and the same, do you?”

“Abaddon usually doesn’t do his own dirty work. He always sends someone in to do it for him. Although, there’s always a first. We need Liasare in here.”

“Why?” Rykerian queried.

“She’s had first hand experience with both of them.”

Rykerian didn’t like that answer at all.

Jurek flashed to the med unit to check on Tommy and try to persuade Liasare to come with him. Tommy was still unconscious so Liasare accompanied him back to the lab.

“I know you hate this, but we need to know something. Do you remember if the hooded man from the dungeon and Abaddon from your dreams are one and the same?”

“No, definitely not. Abaddon has black fangs and the man from the dungeon didn’t.” Liasare shook as she answered. Jurek enfolded her in his arms.

He bent his head and whispered in her ear, “I’m sorry to bring up the bad memory, love, but we’re trying to piece some things together here.” He rubbed her arms up and down, warming her with his energy. She put her arms around him and rested her cheek against his chest, letting his energy flow into her. It always made her feel calmer, stronger.

“Do you remember when we walked into Club Down and how we both felt?”

“Yes, and it was very disturbing,” she answered.

“We’ve found that the Xanthians call this person Master and he’s associated with Club Down. We’re wondering if he lives there. We think he may be the hooded guy that held you captive.”

“Have you found anything else?”

“Not yet, but we may need to pay another visit to Club Down. At least we know there’s a definite connection now.”

“I’m heading back to the med unit then. Let me know if you find anything else, okay?”

Jurek walked her back, just so she wouldn’t get lost. “Are you doing okay?”

She grabbed his hand and squeezed. “I wish he’d wake up and look at us and give us one of his stupid grins and ask what we’re all doing in there.” She smiled sadly.

“Hey, you never know. Naroo is a miracle worker of sorts. He’s resting now because that’s what his brain needs to do to recover. Don’t give up hope Liasare. That’s not like you.”

Turning to him, she hugged him and said, “Thanks, I needed that. I need to ask you something and I don’t think you’re going to like it. I think Shandro needs to be here.”

Jurek looked at Liasare, staring into her eyes. A million feelings passed between them, love mainly, but she was taken off guard when she felt his questions about her feelings toward Shandro.

“Do you have any doubt of my feelings toward you?”

His eyes, those gorgeous swirling orbs of lavender and silver, reached into her heart and spoke to her.

I’ve laid my heart and soul at your feet; they are yours forever. I’ve given you my power and my body is yours as well. I would die for you Liasare.

She walked up to him and touched his cheek, her power lighting it up.

I’ve told you this before and I’ll tell you every day if I have to. I would crawl inside of you and cradle your heart within my hands. I would wrap my soul around yours and protect it forever. I could never love anyone as I love you. You are mine Alaric.

“I don’t like the way he looks at you. He invades my space when he does.”

“He’s Tommy’s best friend. He needs to be here. He’s been sick with worry about him.”

“I’ll be sick with worry about you if he comes.”

“Why? I’m secure in my love for you and yours for me.”

“He’ll see you as you are now and not as you were.”

“Oh Jurek. I don’t mind when you’re around January. It’s the same kind of thing.”

He rubbed his eyes and said, “No it’s not. January never loved me in that way. Shandro looks at you with longing in his eyes. He loves you Liasare. There’s a huge difference.”

“You’re right, he does. But I’ve never given him any indication that my feelings for him were anything other than that of a brother-sister relationship. He knows that. And if it will make you feel better, I’ll tell him again, in your presence. I’ll tell him that we’re married, that I’m your queen. I’ll do whatever you want me to do. But Shandro’s my friend and he’s Tommy’s friend. Please, Jurek. I don’t ask this for myself. I ask it for my brother.”

He jerked his head up and down one time. She understood how much he was giving up to extend an invitation to Shandro. “Thank you.”

“When it comes to most things, I find it impossible to deny you anything.”

“I’ll make it worth your while,” she said with a seductive grin.

“Oh, I’ll see that you do,” he responded in that throaty whisper that drove her crazy.

***

Shandro arrived on Lare-Stell two days later. As Jurek predicted, he was amazed at Liasare’s appearance and could barely tear his eyes off of her. Jurek began to growl every few minutes until Liasare, as promised, explained to Shandro her relationship to him. They both agreed that Shandro could be brought into the fold on how Liasare had been given Jurek’s power and so her story was passed to him.

Shandro felt his heart plummet to his feet and he was unable to hide his disappointment. Of course he stammered out his thanks to Jurek repeatedly for saving her life, but he had always held onto hope, albeit tiny, that someday, he and Liasare would find themselves together. He was so crushed by her news that he excused himself and remained in his quarters for the rest of the day.

Three days later Tommy woke up. He wasn’t grinning as Liasare had prayed he would be, but instead he was screaming. He tore around his room like a mad man, yanking at his hair, yelling at the ceiling and banging on the walls. He had to be sedated because they were afraid he would injure himself. Liasare was a complete mess. Her stomach was a twisted mass of knots and she wondered over and over whether they had done the right thing.

“So you would have rather left him with those stinking fuckers? Come on Liasare, how many times did you say you would do anything to get him out of there? His brain is damaged. It’s been traumatized. His neurons have to calm down. That nanochip was invasive. It was like a cancer, taking over. Now that it’s gone, his brain has to adjust to it not being there. Even January predicted this. You have to give it time, love.” He held her while he spoke, calming her frayed nerves.

“It kills me to see him like this. It was like his eyes were dead. There were no sparks of life in them.”

Jurek pulled back so he could look at her. Pushing her hair back he said, “Remember when he shot you? You said his eyes didn’t look like they belonged to him then.” He massaged her back, trying to ease the tension in her shoulders.

“I remember. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that. I was hoping against hope, I guess.”

“No, you love him and you want the best for him. Give him time Liasare. He’s just now woken up. His brain needs time. Don’t ever stop hoping.” He continued to hold her and move his hands across her back, warming her with his energy. “Recognition will return. The healing will do that. Be patient, my love. It will happen.” He turned her to face him and placed his hand on her forehead, infusing her with his energy.

“That’s exactly what I needed. That really feels wonderful, you know. Thank you. You always seem to know exactly what I need.” She leaned in to place a kiss on his lips.

He smiled and got a mischievous gleam in his eye. “If you really want me to, I can think of something that will take your mind off things.”

She squinted her eyes at him. “Hmm. Whatever did you have in mind?”

Smiling suggestively, he ran his tongue along his lower lip. She immediately felt a rush of heat in her belly. “I’d rather show you than tell you,” he breathed, as his scent bathed her in its exotic essence.

She was always amazed at how little it took for her body to respond to him. Reading her mind, he said, his voice low and husky, “It’s our energy, Liasare. It has bound us together. It recognizes itself in each of us. And please don’t feel guilty for feeling pleasure in the midst of all this madness. It’s the only thing that can keep us sane.” He kissed her then, his mouth erasing further questions and replacing them with thoughts of where she wanted his tongue next. She felt his lips curve into a smile as he read her thoughts.

Jurek knelt in front of her and tugged her pants off. Tracing her markings with his tongue, he veered across her hip and slightly nipped at her tender flesh, until she moaned unabashedly. He moved across her body, repeating the same motions across her other hipbone, sucking and biting, until she cried out his name.

“Jurek, I want you now!” she demanded.

“Bossy, aren’t you?”

“Yes! Now!”

Standing, he undid his pants, picked her up and slid into her in one fluid motion.

“Liasare,” he cried her name, as he moved within her. “Say it! Now!” It was the one thing he loved to hear coming from her lips, other than the signs of her pleasure.

“I love you Alaric!”

“As I love you Liasare,” he said as they both felt their energy buzzing them into ecstasy.

He was still holding her as he fell onto their bed. “You want me to call you Alaric, don’t you?”

“When we are loving each other, yes. I love hearing you say my name.”

“I can call you that all the time. I call you Jurek out of habit, but I think Alaric is a beautiful name. I do think your middle name should have been Jurgasmic though.” She said it with a straight face, but when he looked at her, she exploded with laughter. “In fact, I’m going to start calling them Jurgasms.”

“You think you’re pretty comical, don’t you?” he smirked. “Let’s just see how many more Jurgasms I can give you today.”

He was very gracious with his gifts of several more.

As they lay together in their aftermath, she said, “I wish we could stop the world from spinning, if only for a few days. Stop all of the worries so we could enjoy this without anything clouding the backs of our minds.”

“Well, let me give you something to think about then. Hopefully, it’s something pleasant that will take your mind off the worries.”

“What is it?”

“Marry me Liasare. I know I broached this subject with you before and you told me that what we have is good enough for you. It’s not good enough for me. I want to have you as my wife, my true mate, the way things are done in your world. I want to show your family how much I adore you. Marry me.”

Her eyes filled with unshed tears and her throat burned, making it difficult to swallow. Her mind sped back to her nasty mother and to comments she would make about how she’d never find a husband. The tears that threatened spilled down her cheeks and she blinked repeatedly, trying to clear her vision.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize this would upset you so.”

“You misunderstand Alaric.” She threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in that place she had come to love, her own special nook that offered her comfort and security.

“Talk to me sweetheart. Your tears hurt my heart, as much as they hurt your own.”

She explained, “I wasn’t expecting that from you and it took me back to my mother and her comments about how I’d never find anyone to marry me.”

“Ah, I see. Well, then, I guess that means you’ll have to marry me after all. Just to spite her.”

“No! I’ll marry you because I can’t live without you Alaric and for no other reason. My mother can go to hell!”

“That’s my girl,” he said, laughing, and kissing away her tears.

“Do you really want to do a wedding thing? Because I meant what I said. I’m with you now and I feel as if we’re already married.”

“I know, but I want to make it right and I want to show your world how right it is.”

“I’ll be proud and honored to be your wife Alaric. I love you.” She kissed him then.

They lay together and she started to think about all the obstacles they had to face.

Noticing her change of expression, he said, “Tell me, why the deep, troubled look?”

“The usual. Reality. I was thinking how great it would be to stay like this forever, but then reality busted in. Everything we have to do and our rosy future.”

He rubbed her lower lip with his thumb and said, “Reality. That filthy word. Yes, it would be nice not to have to worry about the state of the universe, wouldn’t it? I suppose I need to get back to the lab before they send out a search party for me. Care to accompany me?”

***

Ludo had worked nonstop to unlock all the information from the chip. He had uncovered a lot, although not as much as they’d hoped for. There were ten colonies scattered throughout the universe that were being used to build armies. They were using the abductees, as they’d suspected, and all of them had chips implanted in their brains. They were living automatons, trained to follow all orders, without question. Many of the humans were given drugs to enhance their physiques, making them much stronger than they normally were.

The non-humans were separated by their abilities and placed in special units designed for each specific ability. For example, if they had the power of speed, they would be placed in a unit where speed would be used for certain tasks. Or if they were gifted with telepathy, they would be placed in a unit where they would be trained to gather intelligence.

What the chip didn’t tell them was what the final goal of the armies would be. They knew the Xanthians wanted complete and total control of the universe through the Universal Super Power. However, where did Abaddon fit in? Was he using the Xanthians to get what he wanted? Was he telling them he was helping them achieve their goals? Or was he simply controlling their every move?

Liasare wondered what would happen to Tommy. Would he ever be normal again, or would he be faced with life filled with unknowns. How did she fit into this puzzle? Abaddon wanted her, but to what end? She was becoming more powerful, but was she powerful enough to fight him off and save the universe? She was supposedly the Key to the Light, but in reality, what the heck did that mean? She was frightened. Having to defend the universe from Satan was a bit much, more than she thought she was capable of doing. Jurek was convinced her powers weren’t developed yet, and she hoped he was right, because they were going to have to be a hell of a lot stronger in order to defeat Abaddon, the Prince of Darkness.

The End ... for now

Coming Soon

Death Waltz

DAMAGED

A Rebirth Novel

By Becca Vincenza

ISBN: 9781311101655

Copyright © 2014 Becca Vincenza

Cover done by: Airicka Mystical Creations

Dedication:

To my family and friends - my friends who are more family than anything else.

Acknowledgments

I have to be frank, this is going to be hardest part of the whole damn book. There are a ton of people that I have to thank. And I don’t want to offend anyone if you aren’t part of this but felt like you were a huge part of it. So sorry if I forgot you.

First and foremost I have to thank Sammie my amazing, amazing, editor who worked her amazing magic to make the re-edit happen and make it BEAUTIFUL. Also for being a totally amazing friend and PA. Love you bunches sweets.

I have to thank both Andrea and Anna for being my girls, and being my support in person, and helping me through the very beginning stages of this book. Well actually they were there when I was writing in High school, reading my stuff, and even editing me then. You ladies are my friends from home, and my life-perseveres.

I have to send a special – so very special – thank you to Stephanie Constante. A friend that I met and emailed for a month or two until we moved over to Facebook and chat at least once a day. You my dear are one of the biggest reasons I decided to do this. And I can never thank you enough for being there during the beginning of Damaged, when I would message you giving you only bits and pieces but helped me all the same.

To Hannah Pole, my love, who I instantly clicked with, though you weren’t there for the very beginning you support me the moment you found out, and have gone over and beyond with keeping me sane.

My beta readers: Melissa Haag – I cannot thank you enough, you really went over and beyond what I was ever expecting and really helped the final draft of Damaged to shape up. Nanette Del Valle Bradford, Crystal Allmon, Janelle Stalder, Nellysa, which all of you ladies contributed so much to Damaged, and so much support to me, thank you all, you are all my personal heroes, and I love you so much. Jaime Radalyac another beta who I adore and who helped do the final, final, final read through. She is my life line at times, and I adore her with all my heart.

My awesome support system, my girls I am more than certain you know who you are; I can’t thank you ladies enough. Airicka Phoenix, Kimberly Schaaf, Terri Dion, Kathy Pegg Eccleston, Mary Unterstab, and there are so many I could make a book of people I want to thank.

And lastly thank you, yup you who is reading this right now. Thank you for picking up this book and thinking to yourself, this sounds kinda awesome, so yes I do want to read this. I hope this does what reading does for me for you. I hope this takes you away from the world for just a bit, and lets you experience something truly unique.

Prologue

The paranormal world was ruled by a council of the Elder races. This was a time of peace, where true mates were abundant, and harmony ruled. There was the movement to reveal the hidden world to the humans, certain races refused.

An uprising occurred in attempts to wipe out the ruling Elder races. Once all the Elder Races were thought to be destroyed the paranormal world split into clans, these clans were ruled by powerful families and rivalries began. The paranormal world had been unrest since creation of the clans.

Chapter One

Audrey

365 days in a year.

Multiply that by four.

Add by one—the leap year.

One thousand four hundred and sixty one days.

In four minutes, minus 30 seconds, it will be one thousand four hundred and sixty two.

I did not sigh. I did not cry. I did wonder, though, how I could miss something so completely, like a hole in my heart when I never had it before.

The first year, I craved a touch as if it were food. The second year, I knew without a doubt I would die without it, as if a touch itself was water. The third year, I tried to convince myself it wasn’t worth it. The fourth year, I had accepted my lies. But, lying to yourself is easier if you don’t clasp your arms around your once full, now sunken form. So this year, I would not fold into myself, close my eyes, and pretend. I looked at the clock.

Ten seconds. I’m fine.

Nine. I don’t need comfort.

Eight. Another year—whatever.

Seven. Another year.

Six. My hands had a will of their own.

Five. No, they didn’t.

Four. I am fi—

A wailing noise pierced the air, forcing my hands to my ears. It wouldn’t stop. They were playing with me now. My fifth year was beginning very cruelly. Maybe this year I’d surrender. It might be worth it for a handshake, even a lingering stare. No, not a stare. I flinched at the thought. Anything but a stare.

The noise wouldn’t stop. I touched my cheek. Tears that I’d thought had dried up long ago poured down my face. That’s when the door burst open. I shrieked and folded into myself pushing closer to the white walls surrounding me. Getting smaller meant less places they could attack. Less places they could stare.

He invaded the white. The room that was blank of color, of life, of anything. He filled it with colors and life. Color. I felt myself yearning for the color, but he was only specks of black. His black clothing covered him completely. Even his head was an emotionless, black void.

“Holy shit.” I wasn’t sure who said it— me or the faceless being. “Jacobs, we got one,” he said into his shirt. I watched him closely not sure what he had intended. He stepped closer and I flinched. I couldn’t see his eyes, I sensed his curious gaze. He couldn’t fully see me. He wasn’t scared yet. Maybe if I didn’t move he’d touch me without seeing me. I wondered what his human touch would feel like. I could live off that touch for years to come. I had made it this far with only violent touches. A light touch might help me survive for the rest of my life.

Another man rushed by, stopped, and then backtracked. He was hidden in the same clothing. The first man who entered turned and looked at the similar clad man. The new guy shrugged his shoulders. These, I knew, were not guards who lived here. The guards who worked here knew me. They didn’t hide their faces. They didn’t hide their eyes.

“What? Um… What should—” the first one said.

His voice traveled through my ears, making my body hum with pleasure. I closed my eyes, savoring it. Another human’s voice. I sighed, hating that I did. More footsteps and still the alarms sounded. I wasn’t scared. Death would be a gift for me, but these two strangers didn’t know this hell.

“You should go.” I whispered. I didn’t know how to say, “Save yourselves.” I knew if I said “save,” it would be followed by “me.” What hope I did have would disappear with them. The first stranger tilted his head. The second stifled a laugh. A laugh! I’d save that memory for the endless days.

“What’s your name?” the first one asked, ignoring the heavy footsteps drawing closer to my cell. I retreated from the scene that would erupt in a few moments. The steps stopped. All was silent, besides the blaring alarm, and in those moments of silence I clung to his question.

He moved a step closer and I moved away, hiding in the corner. I didn’t know him, but I knew his fate well enough. I knew what would happen once the men with faces came. The guards. The ones with the hateful stares and the snarls of disgust.

“Back off.” It was still the first one speaking. His voice was imprinted in my mind but this time, his voice had an edge. His steps were closer now. It was funny how ultra-sensitive I had become.

I tried to force myself into the wall, to become part of it. Funny, since part of me still craved the touch of another human, his touch, which was getting closer. I heard a strange rustling but didn’t move. He must have been inches away. I turned around suddenly, my whole face now exposed, as was his. The no longer faceless man looked at me in horror, in shock. I knew why he looked that way but I checked the room. Five other faceless men stood in the doorway. I saw them in enhanced color, and I tried to focus. Some of their heartbeats were irregular and intense.

The no longer faceless man moved toward me. I moved my eyes to him again. He was the first man I’d seen in four years and ten minutes who didn’t look at me with pure hatred. He was handsome. He had a flawless tanned face with a clean cut jaw, and dark black hair that took away all the colors again. I couldn’t force myself to meet his eyes. I turned away. My tangled hair, hid one side of my face. The side that made no longer faceless man look at me like I was a monster.

“What’s your name?” he asked again, his perfectly full lips no longer muffled.

“Stone, grab her and let’s go. We don’t have time,” the second man spoke again.

I pulled every part of my body close, trying to escape their words. Out of the corner of my eye I saw his movements, his arms outstretched. I didn’t realize that I whimpered.

“Hey, I’m not going to hurt you,” he whispered.

I know you won’t. It’s not you I’m worried about, I thought to myself. He reached for me. My clothes covered me preventing the skin to skin contact that I craved. I hated that I wanted it. My back tightened, and I tried to move. The only escape would be if I could become part of the wall.

“I promise you are safe now.” Then, he touched me. Four years and five minutes of never touching or seeing another human. The closer he moved, fear coated my body like a warm blanket. The moment his hands touched me the fear became overwhelming. It took over and pulled me into darkness.

“Stone’s got the fucking magic touch!” Someone joked loudly, jarring me from unconsciousness. I flinched, but didn’t open my eyes. I still felt scrunched up and I was rocking. There was something under my legs, around my back. Something I hadn’t felt in years. Arms.

“Watch your mouth.” An older voice shouted. “Now what happened? Other than grabbing their greatest hidden secret, what else have we learned?” The old voice sounded almost triumphant but it was gruff and slightly tortured.

While he spoke I felt movements near my head, but I didn’t open my eyes. That’s when I felt the warming touch of another human. The hand, that was soft and smooth, moved a piece of hair from the left side of my face. I tried to act as if I wasn’t escaping his touch. His hand stopped. The hovered movement created a new heated sensation.

“Jacobs, I think she might be waking up.” The voice was close, so close.

“Blindfold and gag her.” The old gruff voice sounded again.

“But-”

“Do it. We don’t know what she knows. We don’t know anything about her.”

“They kept her captive, and you saw her face.” His voice-no longer faceless man’s - was strained. And all I could think was he thought I was a monster.

“I don’t care. Do it.”

I tried not to freak out, but my fear won. I felt my fear take over when the light from behind my eyelids completely vanished. I tried to pull away the blindfold, but someone grabbed my wrist in a painful hold. I whimpered, again unable to speak. Fear clawed my stomach. I felt screams tearing at my throat. Once they covered my eyes, they added a gag. It pulled the corners of my lips into an unnatural smile.

“Please,” I muttered, but it came out distorted. Tears slipped down my face. Cold metal closed over my wrist. I didn’t know which way was up but I wanted to be right-side up. Freedom was a vain dream, but freedom in death was not. I didn’t think - even after these moments of rough contact – I could go back to solitude. I didn’t think it would be fair to even have their voices and words rolling in my head, taking place of the old memories I had originally clung to.

“Don’t cry. You’re safe,” he whispered, his breath tickled my cheek creating pure agony.

“How can she be scared? She can’t see your face, Stone,” another voice said from the right side of my body.

I recoiled, but in doing so, my body touched the one he referred to as Stone. I pulled away, but not quickly enough. His heat seeped into my body. I threw myself forward. I was trying to force myself to be small, untouchable. Why would they torture me like this? His hand touched my shoulder. I screamed, pulling away.

“I’m sorry,” Stone whispered. He removed his hand.

“What the hell was that about?” The one on the right said quietly but not quietly enough.

Chapter Two

Stone

Seeing her fold into herself again reminded me of when I found her. I don’t know why the Vedenin Clan had her, but the moment I saw her, I knew she was trapped. Jacobs didn’t believe me, but why would he? He doesn’t believe anyone. As I moved to make her more comfortable, I felt sick to my stomach. I touched her shoulder and she let out a mangled scream.

When Jacobs, the team leader, said they were hiding something in their facility, I assumed he meant files, and possibly, random data. The alarms screamed as we took down their meager patrols. With so few guards, how valuable could the information be? Then, I ran past a locked door. I smashed the door in, assuming maybe she was part of their cleaning crew. Then she flinched away. Her long hair was tangled around her slim shoulders. The color of her hair was a rich maroon, it was quite stunning. Yet, the way that the pieces were twisted, and grease clung to almost every strain, I wanted to call it ugly. Gods, she was too tiny.

I knew what it all meant. Her unwashed body, the way she had clung to the wall as if it could absorb her, and her small frame, she wasn’t a worker here.

Dallas ran up behind me after I called it in to Jacobs. I turned to him, wondering if he knew anything about this. Dallas was Jacobs’ son after all. I didn’t know what to say. Did Jacobs know why we were really here? Or did only the higher-ups know? Was I supposed to kill her? Grab her? I couldn’t fathom either. She looked so scared. Her body moved farther into her prison, as if trying to escape into the wall. Whoever she was- she was not a threat. But when I spoke to her, her tense body relaxed just a little.

“You should go.” Her voice cracked and stalled and she flinched at the sound. Dallas stifled a laugh. I had seen some bad things, but nothing prepared me for this girl. I was so intrigued but confused. Was she trying to save us?

“What’s your name?” My voice was muffled and distorted and she seemed even more scared. She got smaller and closer to the wall. I heard Dallas move in, followed by two others. We didn’t know anything about her.

“Back off,” I growled. I knew logically she wouldn’t attack, but that wasn’t the instinct that forced the words from my throat. Something more primal did. We didn’t even know what kind of paranormal she was.

I moved closer, taking my mask off. I was only inches away when she finally turned to face me. The world stopped. I couldn’t get over the shock. The left side of her face had been hidden, until now.

Jagged, destroyed skin. Three distinct claw marks dragged from the middle of her forehead, past her dead eye, to the edge of her jaw. The skin was puckered and damaged. They were old scars, very old scars. Her stare lingered on me, but not for long.

I stared at the rest of her face. Her skin was unnaturally pale from the lack of sun. Her other eye, the one that wasn’t clouded over, was a stunning, almost transparent, blue. I had never seen someone who looked so wild, yet so utterly and completely sad. I asked her name again. She didn’t say anything. Dallas was getting impatient and rightfully so.

I couldn’t hear Jacobs’ command. Dallas told me what I needed to know, which was we needed to get our asses going. I moved to grab her and my hand made contact.

The fear in her eyes before she passed out was indescribable. I knew I shouldn’t worry about her. Yet I had to save this girl. I knew that now. I had to save her.

The team ran out of the building when Jacobs informed us that the cops were five miles away. Jacobs said New Year’s Eve was the best night to do this with everyone out getting drunk and having a good time. Cops were on the search for drunk drivers and were otherwise occupied. There were only the four of us that were on Jacobs’ normal special ops team, the rest were guards that had been unlucky enough to piss off Jacobs. The others had pissed and moaned that they wouldn’t be at the compound having drinks with everyone else. Personally, I had wanted a bottle of Jack in my room away from the festivities. Even now I could use a strong drink.

Carrying her in my arms, she felt as if she weighed barely anything. Arriving to the first van, Jacobs shoved the doors opened, and his eyes went to the girl in my arms. Quickly looking back up at me he simply nudged his head toward the backseat. We moved in.

• • •

I looked at her again, now. I could see her shaking. I thought she’d fall back to sleep. We’d been on the road for almost seven hours. We had about five more to go. I leaned down next to her. She moved away, but not enough to touch Dallas.

“You should sleep. You’re safe.” I paused. “For now.” She flinched and I saw tears slip from her right eye first, followed by the left. I swallowed. She whimpered. Gods, she was so broken.

“We havin’ a party down here?” Dallas’s loud voice boomed as he bent closer to us. The girl shrieked through her gag and start squirming.

“Hey…easy.” I moved to touch her shoulder, but pulled away knowing she didn’t want to be touched. But shit, did I want to touch her. Something in my body demanded I comfort her, to do something for her.

I gestured to Dallas, who had taken his helmet off the moment we got into the van, cheering of a job well done. No casualties on our side. His light blonde hair was longer than usual and messed up from the helmet. His brown eyes bore down on the girl until he turned his stare on me. I knew he was thinking what I was thinking. Who the hell was she?

Chapter Three

Audrey

Stone and the loud one moved away from me. They muttered to each other. I used their distraction to move my hands to my face. I had convinced myself long ago that facing death would be easier. Just shut your eyes and let it happen. But this wasn’t death. This was a new prison. A new hell. I wanted to face it head on. The men behind me were wrapped up in their hushed conversation. I slipped the blindfold off and looked around. My dead eye saw more than anyone knew. I forced my movements to match that of the car, I didn’t want to be detected by those around me.

I didn’t know what I was looking for. For approximately four years, thirty days, and ten hours, before I arrived in that room, I only had memories of uncaring hands. They were painful touches. At the time, I’d wished it all away. A year after that, I wished for the violent hands. The harsh words. The uncaring, hateful stares. Anything would have been better than nothing. Now I had it all. Sight, sound, touch…

There were no windows in the back of the van where I was sandwiched between Stone and the loud one. I was waiting for a well-planned jarring bump. I could lunge forward, in order to get to the sunlight. That would be my way out. Suddenly the van started to lose speed. I wanted freedom, not another prison. I felt it in every fiber of my being. There was only one way out. The car kept slowing.

“Damn traffic jam!” a new voice shouted.

Maybe if I ran, they would kill me. It was wishful thinking, but enough to jar my hands and legs awake. I pulled down the gag and ripped the blindfold off, no longer trying to be stealthy.

I threw myself into the loud man. He smacked into the metal wall and I leaped forward. I managed to grab the door handle before heavy arms wrapped themselves around my waist.

It was violent touching but touching nonetheless. I didn’t want to squirm away, but I somehow twisted from his grasp. I pulled the handle, but it wouldn’t move. A new sound came through the grunts and protest.

It was a click.

I stopped and turned, so only my left eye could see in painstaking detail as the gun pointed at me. Not at my heart, but my shoulder. He wasn’t aiming to kill. He would cause pain. I didn’t want that. Death is what I wanted. I would survive that wound. My breath was shaky, but I let go of the handle.

“Ah, so you can see with your left eye. I thought you could. Sit down, my dear. Right here will be fine.” It was the much older man who spoke, gun aimed and ready. His hair was more grey than blonde. His eyes were a deep brown, wise. I sat with my chained hands still up.

“Don’t fear death, do you, child?” I didn’t speak or breathe. “Dallas, do me the favor of moving her hands behind her back.” His eyes never left mine.

I didn’t want to look away, but I didn’t want whomever Dallas was to touch me. I already had too many encounters, I would grow weak and long for the forgotten warmth. If I wanted them to kill me, I had to provoke them. Dallas was the one on my right - blonde hair, same eyes as the older man. He unclasped the handcuffs, not touching me at first. He grabbed my wrist and forced it behind me. His hand left a searing pain of forgotten memories.

“Now, will you speak?” The older man forced my attention to him. I didn’t answer. “Now, what could they have done to you that was so bad you’d want me to kill you?” His voice laced with malice.

I saw the one called Stone – the one I tried to save - tense. I dropped my gaze immediately. I saw a hand move toward my face. I backed away, heart slamming against my chest in an unnatural rhythm.

“Interesting. Do you know how you got those scars?”

I shook my head ever so slightly. Liar, liar.

“You don’t remember anything but that room, do you?”

Again, so subtle were my movements. Pants. On. Fire.

“Hm, well, I am sorry about this.” A quick prick and the world went black.

Chapter Four

Stone

Jacobs held her shoulders as she slumped forward. When Jacobs spoke to her, I gauged her reaction. She had remained silent though I knew she could speak. I wondered briefly if she thought it gave her power. She had only said one thing to me, a warning. Yet, when Jacobs blatantly threatened to kill her with the gun, she hadn’t even flinched. She didn’t like to be touched but had no problem knocking Dallas on his ass. Dallas was in a sour mood because she caught him by surprise. I could hear his labored breathing.

“Dallas, you all right?” I asked. I knew she hadn’t hurt him. It took a lot more to hurt a werewolf. There was no way in hell that I wanted to be in the same car as him if he started to shift. Werewolf shifts are nasty to be around. The idea of sharing a car with an overgrown wolf was not one I relished. Dallas should have been better at controlling his shifts, considering his age, but even a startled, pissed off wolf couldn’t control themselves at times.

“Yeah.” It was more a grunt than an actual answer. When Jacobs looked at his son, he shook his head.

“What is she?” Marcus called from the front. He was fey, and he couldn’t catch her scent like the rest of them. I couldn’t smell her either. All I could smell was the stench of shifting werewolf and the regular, overpowering smell of wolf with Jacobs in the car as well. Dallas leaned toward her. I’d never seen Jacobs lose his poker face, but his expression shifted for just a moment. Puzzlement. Then back to team leader, never showing emotion.

“She will have to tell us,” Jacobs whispered, he kept his head forward, but would occasionally glance at the strange girl.

“What should we call 'er?” Marcus again. The fey are always interested in names. But this time it made sense.

“Scars,” Dallas grunted next to me.

I didn’t like it, but Marcus was testing it out and Jacobs said nothing. Elijah, who was sitting next to Marcus, finally turned to the girl. I didn’t see any emotion on his face or in his black eyes. Elijah, one of our best, scared the shit out of me. Wraiths were scary like that though. The coldness in their completely black eyes and their touch made them almost impossible to be around. And to be honest, I was happy as hell when he turned away.

“Ye jist wan' tae call 'er that because she caught ye off guard, Mongrel.” Marcus had moments when his Scottish accent would come out. From what I knew of him, he was almost two hundred years old. Fey were a strange race. I didn’t try to understand them.

“Marcus, how long?” Jacobs called out, obviously done with us younger folk. I knew he was about as old as Marcus himself. The difference was that Jacobs acted his age. Then again, while werewolves live two life spans, they don’t live forever like the fey claim to.

“Less than an hour.”

Jacobs mumbled “good” about three times.

“So, who is watching Scars? I thought we could celebrate New Year’s tonight.” Dallas apparently wasn’t going to let the nickname go. I ignored them and instead, watched her. The scars were not from a werewolf or any animal I had ever encountered. They were more than an inch wide. The claw that was used to make them would have been pointed to a sharp tip; it was too small and clean for either a large cat or wolf. A bird’s would have more of a hooked ending. The skin wasn’t newly healed, but it was a scar that would remain angry for the rest of her life. I wondered how old she was when she got them. Is that why she warned me?

“Stone? You all right?” Dallas looked at me, concerned. I realized I was clutching the armrest and I shook my head trying to reassure him I was fine.

“Can’t wait for tonight. Who is taking first shift?” My voice was gruff with my lie. I was too caught up in my own thoughts.

“Elijah has generously offered to take over our duties,” Jacobs answered, not looking at me as we parked. The wraith turned around not to acknowledge his name, but instead, his completely black eyes landed on the girl. I swallowed hard. Maybe I wouldn’t go out tonight. Getting home though, made me relax slightly. We lived in a hotel that was converted into apartments. Though the building on the outside was hideous, the inside thrived. We had thrived.

“Marcus and Dallas, you’re going to debrief. Elijah, Stone, you’re going to take her to room 640.” Room 640? Damn.

I moved and grabbed the girl again. I climbed out, ignoring Elijah standing there. He didn’t look as if he was willing to take her and I wasn’t willing to give her up. We headed inside going in the back way so that no one ran into us. She was a bit taller than average, but unbelievably skinny, in a sick way. I released her handcuffs and threw her left arm around my neck while keeping the left side of her face hidden against my chest. Elijah and I took the elevator up. I didn’t spend much time with Elijah; well, no one spent much time with him. I knew he was quiet and observant, unlike the others on our team.

“She's stronger than she realizes.” Elijah said without looking at me or her, but I felt his attention on us.

“She's probably scared.” God, I was a dumbass. Of course she was scared.

“Yes.”

I wondered for a moment if Elijah was replying to my own thoughts, but he didn’t say anymore as the doors opened. This floor, meant for “special guests,” was barely used but I knew 640 was one of the most spacious, reinforced rooms. The special guest was usually not a prisoner, just someone who needed more protection. I guess that was what we were pretending she was. Elijah opened the door; the room was set up like mine and everyone else’s. A small kitchen and living room area; off to the right, a bathroom; and to the left, a bedroom. This room was filled with the best furniture in the building, though.

There was a huge plasma TV, which would have excited the others on the team, but Elijah and I barely gave it a second glance. I was too concerned with the girl in my arms. There were two couches, a love seat, and a three person couch; the other rooms had a different layout.

I headed to put the girl down on the bed. For some reason, my hand was itching to move the hair that covered her scars. Elijah stayed by the door. I didn’t really want to leave, but I had other things that needed to be done. I left her alone with Elijah standing outside the door of the apartment.

Chapter Five

Audrey

I dreamt of hands on me. I thought that I had longed for this contact, but the hands were where they shouldn’t be. They touched and pulled, tore me apart. Dissected me. Then, suddenly, it all stopped.

“Don’t you wish for solitude?” A dark laugh filled my head.

I was alone again. I was alone. I was alone with mirrors. I saw my face as it was when I was eight. Flawless. A monster came and marked me. I watched in the mirrors as it happened over and over again. A scream always rose.

I screamed myself awake.

I usually didn’t remember my dreams, just woke up scared. This time was different. Why? I looked at the pale white walls of my room, no sharp edges or tight corners. The bed was too soft. I pulled away and hit a wooden board. I moved to the edge of the bed and stood shifting my weight. My exposed feet touched too soft ground, the feeling was too alien. I wasn’t in my room.

I needed a room with a door. I ran to the bathroom. I didn’t look inside. I just shoved the door shut and locked it. The cold hard tile was familiar. It felt safe.

I couldn’t trust the softness, I wouldn’t. I stared at the door for a long time until I turned. A mirror. Staring back at me was a gaunt faced girl. Scars from claws that pulled apart the skin, and separated muscles. I cringed the memory of the pain. I moved my eyes back to the ones staring back at me. Her one eye was a beautiful pale color I moved to touch it, instead I pulled away. The girl in the mirror’s eyes had widened and her body started to shake. I grabbed the first thing I could find and shattered the mirror. I wasn’t watching my footing and I stepped on multiple shards. I tried not to scream, and fell back against a wall.

A door slammed open. Footsteps followed. I held in my whimpers of pain, hoping the newcomer would leave.

“Where the hell is she?”

I knew that voice…Stone. That’s what they called him.

“I smell blood. Bathroom.”

That voice, too. Dallas – the too loud one. I pressed my hands over my ears. The footsteps sounded again. Then, there was a timid knock.

“Are you okay?” Stone asked.

I liked his voice, but not enough to believe he actually cared. This was a trick. I remained silent. I scooted back, grazing my hand on a shattered piece of mirror. I sucked in a sharp breath. The knock was louder and demanding now.

“Open the door!” He sounded angry and I folded into myself. I was safer here. I was safer here. I was safer here.

“You want to do the honor?”

I looked at the door for a moment, not understanding. I didn’t know this new voice. It was musical and too calming. It was unnerving me.

“My pleasure. Back away from the door, Scars.” Dallas said. Seconds later, the door exploded open. A large figure stood in the doorway, staring at the mirror. I curled tightly into myself. Don’t notice me. Please don’t touch me. Don’t torture me. Please.

“What the hell happened?” the musical voice said, sounding closer than before. “Did ya do this, ya idiot?”

“Move.” Stone said.

I didn’t look anywhere; my small, safe room was crowded and dangerous. It was infected.

“Whose blood…” I felt Stone’s eyes on me as he moved toward me. “Hey, where are you hurt?” His voice was calmer than before. I didn’t trust it. I shook my head. “If you don’t tell me, I’ll look.” Hands, touching everywhere.

“Why?” I whispered too quietly.

“We only want to help you.” He paused like the words were hard to say. Like they weren’t natural. “I want to help you.” There was a lingering silence that was waiting to be filled with the rest of his statement, but he wouldn’t finish. I noticed just a slight tremor in his voice. Fear.

“Feet. Hand,” I whispered, not looking at him. I looked at the white. The comforting whiteness of the tiles. The sanctuary I didn’t know I had.

“Can…” He cleared his throat. “May I touch you?” His voice taking on more of that timid, scared tone. Now I wondered if I scared him so badly. Was I really that hideous to look at, to touch? Maybe that was why I was alone for so many years. I remembered…once I grew out of being little, or being small and somewhat approachable, I was locked away. Hands didn’t touch…they hurt.

I nodded, tears falling. I shut my eyes. Hopefully the memories could be shut out so easily. He touched me gently, trying his best to avoid skin to skin contact and lifted me.

“Move.” His command was followed by a growl. He set me down on something that was soft and cradled my body. I tried to move, but his hand found my shoulder. I opened my eyes then.

“Don’t move.” I had never noticed his eyes before, such an unusual brown, they almost appeared red. A deep crimson red. But they were beautiful. He didn’t take his eyes off of me. “Dale, Marcus, go find some doctors and Jacobs.”

“Why?” My voice was unbelievably quiet.

Stone turned to me viciously.

“What?” His once crimson eyes now burned red, but that was impossible.

“Why are you doing this?” Tears slipped down. This was a new type of torture. I knew it would end. I wanted it to end. The pain of this kindness was too much. A false seed of hope could be more damaging than anything else. The shards may as well have been stabbing my heart. Stone glared at me, and I flinched away.

“She thinks we are toying with her. Pain is all she knows. Give her kindness as you are now and you are attacking her.” This was another new voice. It was flat, unemotional, but it understood.

I closed in on myself, this sterile voice was what I needed. Before I could retreat too far, Stone’s hands pulled me apart again.

“Elijah, leave.” Stone’s voice was quiet but demanding.

“As you wish.” His last word came out as a hiss, and I physically recoiled this time. Too close…too close to past memories.

“Hey, I know wraiths are hard to be around at first, but you get used to it.” Now he was trying to be conversational.

“What is -” Before I could ask, the door exploded open. The wood snapped, new voices started, footsteps. All the sounds surrounded my head, demanding to be heard. It was too much, far too much. I wrapped my arms around my head painfully tight, whimpering against the pain. Suddenly, an unfamiliar hand touched me. The skin radiated, way too much heat. I screamed, pulling away. Heat, I remembered. Heat burned. Heat…

“I told you not to touch her.” Stone’s voice came through the clearest. I held onto his voice. Footsteps retreated, and then came forward again. “Hey, we need you to show us your feet.” His voice again.

“Audrey.” It came out so quiet even I didn’t hear it.

“Audrey,” he said slowly as if savoring it on his tongue. “Please, your feet.” I passed out when they took out the first shard.

Chapter Six

Stone

For some reason, I kept her name a secret. But, I felt bad for only a moment as I savored it like the fey do. One of the human doctors attended to her. I watched them sedate her again. Since we didn’t know what she was, we didn’t want to take any risks. Some of the other doctors used strange herbs. Those could be poisonous to certain paranormals, but damn, they were a lot better than seeing her in pain.

“What did she say tae you?” Marcus said. I wouldn’t–couldn’t–tell him her name.

“Not much. She kept asking me why. Elijah thinks she’s so abused that our kindness is her torture.” I could still see the pleading in her eyes. The fear.

“Maybe th' wraith is right,” Marcus said, watching her closely. “Damn shame about those scars. Probably what fucked 'er up so much.” He leaned closer. “It looks like 'er skin grew around th' scars.” Marcus paused, his iridescent yellow eyes studying her. “What’s yer name, sweetheart?”

Though I had the satisfaction of knowing her name, and knowing I was the only one that she trusted enough to share it with, I hated how much I savored that exclusive knowledge.

“Stone.” Jacobs barked my name, breaking my attention away from Marcus and Audrey. “What the hell happened?” Each word clipped.

“I came to switch with Elijah when we heard a crash. We came in to find the bathroom door locked. She had smashed the mirror.” Jacobs looked at his son, then at Elijah.

“Doc, how long will she be out?”

“Maybe another hour or two.”

“We need to move her somewhere more confined and secure.” Jacobs started to pace. It was a werewolf trait to be restless under stress but Jacobs took it to a whole new level. He glared at Audrey.

Jacobs ran his hand through his light strands of hair. He kept muttering, “But where?”

“The cells.” Elijah was still watching her with dark, pitiless eyes. I felt a growl deep down, but didn’t release it. Jacobs stopped at the sound of the wraith’s voice.

“No.” There was such finality in it.

“That’s where she’d be most at ease. She wouldn’t be able to harm herself there.”

She would feel like a prisoner again. I thought for a moment Elijah was giving in to his dark side. That he wanted to taste her fear and feast on her pain. The contract he’d formed with the Braden clan–our clan-said he would abstain from feeding too much. Feeding could become an addiction for them. Marcus laid his hand on my shoulder, and I realized how close I was to attacking Elijah. That primal instinct kicking in again. Protect.

“I said no.” Jacobs wasn’t an Alpha. Alpha’s had packs. Jacobs only had us. But he had the voice of an Alpha. I saw Dallas flinch just slightly. Damn, I was glad I had no ties to Jacob like he did. No fey knew my real name, and I was no werewolf.

“We could put her in one of the overnight rooms,” Dallas said as he stood in alone off to the side. He’d spent time with his own kind last night, and I could tell he wanted to be on a team with more werewolves. They were social creatures that liked to be around their own kind. Jacobs wanted the best and he was unique. Jacobs may not be “the highest ranking,” but he was well-liked and highly respected. He usually got what he wanted. I watched Jacobs as he stopped pacing and appeared to actually consider Dallas’s idea.

The overnight rooms were small, containing only a bed and a small dresser. There was one problem with the rooms, though. They didn’t lock. The rooms were meant for anyone passing through who needed a place to stay. Most would stay for the night and leave. Some would stay for a week but no more than that.

Jacobs started to pace again, probably thinking about the lockless rooms. The doctor finished pulling the glass out and started to wrap her feet. I looked at her as a sound of pure fear tore from her lips. I knew she was just dreaming, but I wanted to help her.

“Stone.” Marcus nudged me.

“What?” I pulled my gaze away from her.

“I asked if you still had that padlock from when you were so damn concerned about Dallas taking your bike out.” Jacobs growled.

I wanted to laugh. Jacobs didn’t want his son driving my motorcycle as much as I didn’t want him to. I nodded.

“Good. Dallas, go install it. Marcus, best go with him.” Apparently he caught onto his son’s mood. As Jacobs’s special team, we left on a lot of missions. “Stone, you and Elijah take her to the room. Don’t leave until the lock is installed.”

The doctor finished with her hand and I picked her up, again hating how light she felt in my arms. We headed down the elevator to the main floor. I saw another fault in the room and figured that Jacobs was probably considering it as well. It was an easy escape. The elevators could take her right to the entrance. Though the main floor tended to be busy with people coming and going, she would stand out to say the least. If she somehow managed to get out of her room, she wouldn’t get far. Someone would see her and grab her before she got too far.

Elijah opened the farthest door, and I set her on the bed. As I moved away, her eyes started to flutter open. Apparently they were wrong about the sedative. What was she?

Chapter Seven

Audrey

My face was in unexplainable agony. Ripping. Tearing. My attacker was faceless, but I knew him. I’d always known him. I didn’t scream. I never screamed outside of my dreams. Before I could recall forgotten memories, my eyes were opening of their own accord. Stone stood over me. Why had I told him my name? That was the first time I had said it out loud in five years and…I’d lost days, hours… This room was different, smaller and safer. Too small with two strange people in it with me. I tried to pull my feet in, but stopped abruptly. They were strangely wrapped and sore.

“Hey, you’re okay, now. Your feet didn’t need any stitches.” His voice was the same. His features were as I remembered, but not his eyes. A calming blue had replaced the red. I looked to the one they called a wraith. He had black, black hair that dropped right above his eyes. His skin was sickly pale. He didn’t quite reach Stone’s height and he wasn’t as broad as Stone, but I could see his defined muscles. That was when I looked at his eyes. They were completely black, bottomless pits as if black ink had seeped into the white of his eyes and took over. My breath caught. I couldn’t look away from those eyes.

“Hey.” Stone moved closer. “Audrey? Are you okay? I told you before, Elijah is a wraith, but you’re safe.” There was that word again. I shook my head. Elijah tilted his head. A small knowing smile appeared on his lips. It was small, barely noticeable at all. I tried to breathe, but I couldn’t. I saw this strange person perfectly. Most people’s eyes had different shifts of color, like different hues. His were blacker than black, voids.

“You won’t find any color there.” No emotion heightened or strained his voice. Dead.

Stone glanced at the wraith as if he realized once more that he was still there.

“She knows more than she thinks. The more color, or hues, in one’s eyes, the more she can tell about them. But of course, you haven’t used that skill in years.”

“Elijah.” Stone’s voice held a warning.

I turned to him. His eyes were that amber-red color again. I was feeling overwhelmed. I still couldn’t breathe right. I wanted my isolation back. I wanted my white walls. I started to mumble, holding myself closer. I hadn’t held on this tightly and desperately for years. I was hoping for comfort. The one with the dead voice and black eyes watched me uncaringly. I couldn’t look at the other one.

“Are you enjoying her pain?” Stone asked. There was a growl behind his words.

“What’s a wraith?” I couldn’t believe my mouth betrayed me, forming words of my deep thoughts. Stone turned toward me and I winced away. His eyes were too expressive. It was too much to process. He turned back to Elijah, who still had that tiny knowing smile. I knew that smile, because nameless men who had come for me four years ago gave me that smile. I remembered that because the four years that followed had nothing, but the same torturous day repeated.

“Elijah.” Another warning. Stone pulled the wraith out of the room. Two others were out there as well.

I was left alone again. It should have been a relief, but all I felt was the sudden pain of loneliness. This was what they were planning all along. To tease me with their voices, their touch, and then abandon me again. I had known it would come. Yes I’d known. Still, I silently begged for their unfamiliar presence. I took in shaky, uneven breaths. Tears fell. Cruelty was their specialty.

Chapter Eight

Stone

Audrey kept glancing over at Elijah. She looked comfortable in her fear.

“What’s a wraith?”

When she regarded me, I could tell that she couldn’t believe she actually spoke. I stared at Elijah and realized he wasn’t savoring her fear; he was speaking to her as if he knew her or knew something about her. For some reason that pissed me off to no end. I could barely control myself. My skin itched, and my muscles expanded.

“Elijah.” I wanted his attention off of her so badly that I didn’t even notice my voice came out as more of a growl. Marcus and Dallas were still fixing the lock when I forced Elijah out of the room by his shoulder.

Pushing past them, I called out, “Marcus, Dallas. One of you should go in there and keep an eye on her.” Dallas moved past us, but I kept my eyes on the wraith in front of me. He wasn’t looking toward the door, only at me.

“You don’t know, do you?” Elijah rarely smiled, but when he did, it honestly scared the hell out of me.

I was used to Elijah’s cryptic words, but his game was starting to piss me off. He might have caught on something from her mind, but why not tell us? My fist had tightened over my knuckles. My teeth bared as another growl rumbled from my chest. Marcus noticed and stood up. A fierce fey, brimming with power…for once appearing his actual age.

“What’s going on?” His usually musical voice held no warmth.

I was losing control. The growl still lingered in my voice. The muscles I tried so hard to control were shifting, my bones were expanding. I needed to get a grip. Confronting Elijah would do no good. There was still so much about wraiths none of us knew. “She doesn’t know what a wraith is.”

“Well, I would call 'er lucky.” Marcus’ attempt at lighthearted, fell short.

Elijah finally looked away from me.

“No, Marcus. She doesn’t know anything.” His words felt like a snake coiling around us. Marcus became utterly still.

“Is she human?” Marcus asked.

“Jacobs and Dallas would have been able to tell if she was human when we found her.” Not only that but Jacobs hadn’t sounded surprised when I had called my find in. He had to know something more. We were silent for a moment then Dallas came out.

“What the hell doesn’t she know?” Dallas asked as he shut the door behind him.

“Anything. This is why I ordered you not to talk to her.” Jacobs strode down the hall in one of his many suits. All of us came to attention except Elijah, he turned his focus to the door. The small smile slipped from his face.

“She is curious.” Elijah concentrated on the door as if he could see through it, and maybe he could.

“The best of the best, my ass. Get out of here, all of you, before you ruin everything.” Jacobs appeared restless again. “Elijah, stay.”

I almost stopped in fear. The higher-ups wouldn’t command Jacobs to use a wraith on her, would they? I stayed with the others, hoping I’d be able to find other friends of mine who would know.

Chapter Nine

Audrey

After Dallas, the old one and the one with pitiless eyes came in, I had tipped the bed on its side and pushed it toward the door to use it as a sort of barrier. Behind its protection, I curled against the wall. Why wouldn’t they leave me alone? None of them had tried to hurt me yet and the waiting, the expecting…it was a new type of torture.

Jacobs looked at me with sad brown eyes that were the same odd amber color that Dallas had. There was too much to see in those eyes. They were older than the body they lived in.

“Will you say your name?” The old one, Jacobs, asked. I shook my head once. “Audrey, right?”

My head shot up. Stone had told them. I shouldn’t have trusted him. He told them. No one else knew it, no one else had muttered in years. Four years, three days, and about 6 hours. I had been referred to as “the little monster”, “creature”, or “it” when I first arrived. Those bodiless voices. A sad smile spread across his face.

“Yes, that is what we thought.”

I wanted to ask who “we” were. I wanted to ask if they knew. Did they know I was a monster? But something else came out instead.

“When am I going to die?”

The older one gasped. Jacobs’ watched me as he spoke.

“You are a rarity, my dear. We are not going to kill you.”

I feared that the most. My body started to quake. Tremors shook me to my very core.

“Audrey, we won’t hurt you. You have nothing to fear from us. Unfortunately, you do have a lot to learn.”

I wouldn’t meet his eyes. He was a liar. All of them were.

“What was the one pleasure they gave you?” the black eyed one, Elijah, asked, his voice still utterly flat. How could he know that? How could anyone know that? And yet, I found myself willing to answer.

“I got to shower.” Once a month, they came and took me, blindfolded, to a shower. They washed me, dried me, and combed the tangles from my hair. My skin would be pink and clean, my legs smooth. I would touch them forever. These people took me before my next day.

Elijah stepped closer to me. He sat on the bed only three feet away. He didn’t seem to be looking at me.

“How?” I couldn’t understand how he knew that they had given me one kindness.

He turned to me and smiled, revealing dangerously sharp teeth.

“Magic.” It was the first time I heard a semblance of emotion in his voice. I almost forgot about the older one, who paced the room.

“You’re the loud one’s father,” I stated, watching him. He stopped pacing and looked at me.

“Yes, Dallas is my son. My name is Jacobs.” There was a hint of a lie in his eyes. I was comfortable with lies. “If we allowed you to shower, would you try to hurt yourself?”

“No. I’d probably try to kill myself.” Another smile lifed Elijah’s lips. “A razor’s too slow. Your gun would be faster, but I don’t suppose I would shower with that. No more cutting.”

The idea of being clean, the idea I could do it without foreign hands, gave me something I hadn’t had in years. Hope. I did not like this.

Jacobs seemed stunned by my explanation, but he continued to pace.

“Would you mind? I need to read your intentions; the best way is physical contact.” Elijah held his hand out, this time facing me. His offered hand was a great temptation. If it was being offered, how could I possibly refuse? I was already hoping to be clean, why not hope for contact? I gave him my hand. He closed his eyes. His hand was cold and held no tenderness, but it was real. It made me feel alive. For once I wasn’t scared of someone’s touch. Suddenly images flashed in my mind. I gasped.

I was looking at myself from Elijah’s point of view. Then, I was in the hallway with Stone, whose eyes kept changing. Then, I was in darkness, Elijah was in there, and he knew we weren’t alone. Words were coming at him, but I didn’t understand them. These weren’t my thoughts, they weren’t my memories. Elijah pulled his hand from mine, and I realized I was crying. I started to feel his pain.

“How did you do that?” Anger clipped his words short and his face twisted into a scowl.

“I don’t know.” That had never happened when I touched another person before. I recalled slight touches from Dallas and Stone. Nothing had happened with them. I could feel his black eyes on me as I stared at the ground. I waited for his next question, the one when he would ask me what kind of thing I was. I was a monster.

“Jacobs, she won’t hurt herself if you allow her to shower.” With that, Elijah stood and left.

“I’m sorry I had him invade your thoughts, but I needed to be certain you wouldn’t harm yourself. I’ll send down one of the girls. She’ll help you.” Jacobs left as well.

I could tell he felt uncomfortable, but my mind was stuck on the invasion of my memories. Maybe I’d done the same to Elijah, but then different information attacked my mind. Jacobs was sending someone new. I cringed, folding closer to myself and closed my eyes, trying to find a moment’s peace.

• • •

I don’t know how long I slept in my corner, but I felt eyes on me. I jerked my eyes open and scooted to the wall. Dallas leaned casually on the door, looking bored, but his eyes weren’t on me. An unnaturally beautiful girl with deep seaweed-green hair sat on the bed. Her eyes were a shade of coral and her skin had a hint of green in its otherwise pale complexion. I swallowed at her closeness. She was only two feet from me, but her long legs almost touched me. There was something odd about her legs when I looked at them - like the air around them wavered. It looked like a ripple of water in the air. She clapped her hands when she saw me awake.

“Hello!” Her voice sounded more like liquid. It was hauntingly exquisite. “I love, LOVE meeting new people. I am Nixie. What’s your name?” Nixie practically squirmed in her seat, which made me feel very uncomfortable.

“Nixie, she doesn’t talk much. We’ve been calling her Scars.” Dallas motioned to me when saying the name Scars. I reached my hand to my scars and turned away slightly. They were…

“Dallas you are such a … a …a blowfish!” Nixie turned her strange eyes to him.

“Call me an ass, Nixie It’s what you wanted to call me.” A note of playfulness carried in his voice, but before I could read more into it, I turned my left eye away.

“Leave, Dallas.” Nixie’s voice turned shrill like she was really hurt by his words. She turned away from him.

“I’ll be back later.” He slipped through the door. Silence followed the light click of the door closing.

“Now, what’s your name?”

I felt uncomfortable with the weight of her stare and the falsetto of her tone. She tried to sound upbeat and calming, but I could hear the slight wavering, the undeniable fear.

“Audrey.” It felt so strange coming from my lips. The green haired girl shrieked excitedly but it just made me want to run and hide. Instead, I cringed away from her slightly.

She barely even noticed. “Your voice is so pretty. I wouldn’t be shocked if you are a cousin of mine. Now come on. Shower time! I love the water.” All fear that undercoated her words had disappeared completely.

I was still reeling from her exuberance and didn’t realize that she grabbed for me. She was incredibly strong…or I was weaker than I realized. I tried to reclaim the hand she had taken, but she held tight, either ignoring my pulling or not noticing it. Though I fought it, I relished her soft, silky hold on me but only for a moment before the fear overrode any other feelings. They wanted something, something I didn’t have. Once they realized that, they would lock me away, alone forever. Again.

She pulled me down a narrow hallway lined with doors. I didn’t want to know what was hiding behind them. Were there more scarred, lonely people? Were there more beautiful people like Nixie? Memories I thought forgotten tried to surface, but I focused on my feet. They slapped against the wood floor, wood that wasn’t spattered by blood. I whimpered and closed my eyes, hoping the dream wouldn’t manifest. She continued to pull me along.

We stopped. The floor hitched and jerked then we were moving without moving. I opened my eyes and saw Nixie watching me closely. Her eyes kept going back to my scars and to my seemingly dead eye. I watched her eyes closely. There were a million shades of coral, making it seem as if I was underwater, looking at a reef. She didn’t know I was studying the colors shifting in her eyes; there was no curiosity in her gaze. The colors closer to the surface were darker and shiny. Lament and sympathy ran deep, to the point that I had to look away. She wanted to cry for me but kept up the bubbly appearance. The small box we were in stopped and dinged. I remembered the name now, but it had been more than four years since I had been in one, an elevator.

“Come on.” She pulled me through more hallways with fewer doors. She stopped and pulled out a key. “Sorry, my room is a complete mess. When I heard there was fellow girl in need of a shower, I practically jumped up and down volunteering.” She opened the door to reveal a much smaller version of the first room I’d been in. Two rooms split from the one. This was lived in. It was a home.

The couch and floor were littered with clothes. The couch looked maybe as old and beat up as I felt. Pictures and paintings cascaded down the walls. I looked at it all, feeling overwhelmed. Every color enhanced and held more to it. A memory, a thought, an emotion. I turned my gaze downward.

“I’ll show you to the bathroom, then see if I can find some clothes for you to wear. That whole old, dingy, hobo look isn’t going to work.” Nixie focused on the outfit that I had lived in for the past five years. Dragging me toward the bathroom, she paused at the door. “One second.” She ran in and I was left alone. I started to panic, my hands were twisting together, my weight kept shifting. The door suddenly opened wide. Nixie appeared with another bright smile.

“Well, come in!”

I stepped into her bathroom; it was much bigger than the other one that I had been allowed to use before. She had a huge tub, along with a shower. “Sorry, time for awkwardness. I know about your circumstances, but don’t worry. Only the members of Jacobs’ team know about your true background. Jacobs is playing you as a random pick up. Anyways, did you, do you um…well isn’t this awkward? Fine, okay. I can do this! Do you know how this works?”

“I was put in there when I was 16 years old.” Thank you, though. It was on the tip of my tongue. I wasn’t sure, though, if it was the right thing to say. Those words were as foreign to me as the idea of magic. It cost me more than I would have liked to have even told her what I did.

“Oh! Good! I’m going to go shoot myself in the face, I can die quicker that way than from embarrassment! Then I’ll find you some clothes! There are all the shampoos, conditioners, and soaps you’ll ever need in there. I left a brush out for you to use. Take all the time you need. Sorry to mention this but… the plumbing in the tub is really special and a bit temperamental so if you touch it and break it, I might have to kill you.” She said it all with a smile, and I kept moving farther and farther back into the room. She closed the door with a slight wave. I noticed right away that there were no locks on the door.

I stripped down, feeling exposed. Forgotten scars littered my body. While the others had allowed me to shower, I would never look at my monstrous self. Showering blindly was an easy concept. I had done it for years. It had become the place I hated myself the most. Showering was a double edge sword, it made me feel slightly human afterwards, but during…it was a nightmare come to life. I could feel their eyes always watching, always leering. That was the first year. Soon they showed their disgust. It couldn’t be hidden, the scars that riddled my body. As the years went on, I found new scars added to the others. Before bleeding could take me to a blissful world of nothingness, my body would react. I was always brought back. Always saved by my traitorous body. Freedom was not so easily won. And the hatred of my skin, of the thing I lived in, continued.

If I pretended my skin didn’t exist, for just a few minutes under the spray of water, I would pretend the water would sweep me away. I’d be lost in the liquid. The freedom I could have. The luxury of that idea is what allowed me to exist once more once I stepped out of my blind haven. I could ignore the map of horrors upon my skin. I bore a set of three on my right ribs, and another set on my left thigh. Three claw marks running from the top of my right shoulder to the back part of my left hip. The thumb and pinkie were curled in. My body was more fragile when I received the scars and didn’t react the way it does now. It looked foreign to me; it was a form that belonged to a child, something that I avoided looking at. Something that I feared to look at.

I walked into the shower and never looked too closely at my body in fear of what I would see. I remembered books where characters mentioned that showers were their safe places - their places to think, to be at peace. But what if that sanctuary turned on them, as it did for me? I didn’t want to spend any more time in there than I had to. I didn’t want to look down as I scrubbed myself clean. I didn’t want to be alone with my nakedness. I wanted so badly to crawl out of my own skin and belong to something different, to someone less…me. I don’t know how long I stayed in there, but Nixie knocked. I came out noticing a towel with a note on top.

“The best of the best of my collection! Enjoy!”

Wrapped in the towel, the scars on my thigh peeked out just a little. I attacked my hair, brushing it ruthlessly. Loving and hating every moment.

“Hey! Coming in, ready or not!” Nixie yelled as she opened the door. She had her hand over her eyes at first, but pulled it away. “Oh wow! You look so much better.” She looked me up and down with a satisfied smile until she saw my other scars. She stepped closer and pulled the towel up to look at the scar on my thigh. Then she looked up at me. “Oh my Gods. How many more do you have?” Her voice was a squeak.

I swallowed.

“Four more.”

One set on my face, one set on my ribs, one set on my thigh, one set on my back, one on my heart. She pulled away, looking like she might cry. The one on my thigh was probably the worst. It almost reached all the way around when I was a child…when I got them. Nixie took a moment to gather herself as I shifted uncomfortably.

“Let me blow dry your hair, then we’ll get you some clothes.” I stood as she played and touched the ends of my hair. I kept my gaze down, not wanting to look into her coral eyes as she moved around me. When I peeked up, the mirror was gone. She must have taken it down, which I was grateful for. My hair was much longer than I thought, coming half way down my back. I noticed it was in loose curls.

“Clothes time! You’re shorter and smaller than me, so you’ll have to deal with a couple different styles…” Nixie stopped there and turned back with all types of clothes. “Sorry about the personal items. The best I can do is a sports bra. And I got my small friend to give you some of her undies.” She winked and laughed. “Anyways, put these on.” She shoved more clothes at me. I took the clothes back to the bathroom. The top, a slightly over-sized t-shirt, had a lacy back and made me uncomfortable. She gave me black skinny jeans. I put on all the clothes.

“Oh! You look good!” She grabbed my hand and pulled us out of the bathroom before she stopped. “Stupid me. You need shoes.” She pulled out flip-flops and instructed me to slip them on before we walked out. “Well I am absolutely starving! Let’s go get some food.”

She pulled me along, and we went into the elevator again. This time, I remembered the reason I didn’t remember using these often. I was afraid of them. No, not me, someone else. My memories before my white room were barely there. I couldn’t remember names or faces. People swirled together. I didn’t realize we were moving again until the new sounds hit me. I stopped.

“Come on. Got to go to the cafeteria if you want to eat.”

I shook my head. That much noise meant there were people, a lot of them. “Oh, come on! They won’t bite. Well, most of them won’t.” She laughed at her joke, but I was scared. I felt like I was in a whole new hell.

“No, please.” I was too quiet, and Nixie pulled me in. The noise didn’t stop, but it decreased. I couldn’t look up. I was too scared.

Chapter Ten

Stone

I went to find out more about Audrey. The rest of the team split to do their own things. Charlie wasn’t in his room like I expected, so I went to search for him in the cafeteria. I’d just entered the cafeteria when Dallas came in behind me.

“Hey. She’s with Nixie before you ask. Elijah’s watching over them.” Dallas was quiet as he spoke. I guessed Nixie was still ignoring him. I was surprised Nixie was taking his rejection so personally, she was usually okay with little flings, I understood. In the end, Dallas would probably leave to be part of a pack. I couldn’t blame him either for wanting to be with his own kind. It was in his nature.

“Stone!” Charlie jumped up from the table as we made our way toward him. He was a tall, skinny guy with dirt-blonde hair. His eyes lit up yellow when he saw me. “You missed our New Year’s party.” We clasped hands. I laughed, shaking my head.

“You know me, always working.”

“You got something on you.” Charlie smiled.

“What?”

“Bullshit!” Our friends erupted with laughter. I sat and started talking to the group. It had been awhile since we caught up. Before I could ask Charlie anything about Audrey the room grew quiet.

I looked up and saw Nixie. Someone stood behind her. Audrey. People noticed, but tried to be inconspicuous about it.

Audrey looked completely different, yet the same. I could see though that the shower gave her some life. Her hair, no longer in a tangled mess, dropped down far and flowing. She had a wild sort of beauty that made her look as dangerous as a wolf and as elegant as a dancing ballerina. Before I realized what I was doing, I stood and walked toward them. Elijah followed Audrey in. I couldn’t seem to focus on him too long though. Audrey was all I cared about at the moment. Nixie smiled at me, but it didn’t reach her eyes. I wondered if Audrey had revealed anything about herself to Nixie.

“Stone-boy!” Nixie hugged me, which wasn’t something she normally did. It made me uncomfortable. “We need to chat later.” she whispered while she started to pull away from the hug.

I nodded, not taking my eyes off of Audrey. She still looked uncomfortable and tried to hide in her dark maroon tresses. It covered most of the left side of her face, the scars couldn’t be seen through them. I knew what was there. What I wouldn’t give to take away her pain. I touched my right arm. Her too skinny form was slumped over slightly.

“Audrey?” She finally looked at me, a small smile lighting up her face.

“Oh! You already know her name! Maybe she’ll even-” I gave Nixie a warning glance. I didn’t want to push Audrey to talk until she was ready. We had to be careful with her; something so broken took time to heal. Audrey needed to do it on her own, not because of the pressure from another.

Nixie dropped the subject. “I’m going to get us food. Audrey, you go with Stone and find a table.” Nixie floated away, whistling.

“Want to find somewhere quieter?” I asked.

She nodded then opened her mouth hesitantly to speak. “Please.”

I smiled at her. We headed toward a corner in the back. Nixie was probably nitpicking everything so it would just be us for a while.

“Are you feeling better?” I leaned in toward her, unable to stop myself. She let out a shaky breath.

“I don’t know what you want.” She wouldn’t look at me.

“Have you ever thought we are just trying to help you?” I asked, trying to look her in the eye. She shook her head, avoiding my eye contact.

“Why would you?” She looked at me, and I saw all the sadness in the world caught in her eyes. The tears in her eyes made me want to hug her and hide her away forever. I wondered what it would feel like to have her face buried in the crook of my neck, how it would feel to have those hands touch my back. I swallowed hard, refusing to think about it more.

“There are good people in the world,” I tried to reason with her. Before I could say anything else, Nixie appeared, carrying trays piled with food. Audrey looked almost scared.

“Here.” She tried shoving a tray toward Audrey, but I took it and set in front of her. Nixie’s tray was filled with seafood, which made me scoot another inch closer to Audrey. I had always hated the smell of seafood, and since Nixie ate most things raw, I wanted to be even further away.

“Eat. We need to put weight back on you, you guppy!” Nixie announced loudly.

I waited for her to dig in but Audrey just stared at the food. I couldn’t understand her hesitation when it was clear she was underfed. Then I realized she didn’t know if she could trust us, trust the food. It was obvious from her scars that kindness and trust were not normal occurrences.

“Mind if I have some?” I whispered in Audrey’s ear, my lips brushing the outer rim of it. I took in her scent again. It loosened some muscles while others started to stiffen slightly. My hand fisted so I wouldn’t be tempted to touch her. She jerked away, staring at me, eyes wide chest heaving. “Unless you want it all?”

She gave an uneasy smile.

“This is…too much.”

I grabbed a grape, popped it in my mouth, and noted Audrey watched the movements. After I swallowed, I leaned in toward her once more, still not touching her.

“Well, to be honest, if you won’t eat it, I will…or it will be thrown out.” That sparked her interest. I handed her a grape. “They are really good.”

She smiled just a little again and then she popped it in her mouth. She closed her eyes and chewed slowly, looking like she never wanted to stop.

“There are more,” I whispered which seemed to shock her out of her daze. She opened her eyes and gave me shy smile.

“Thank you.” It came out hesitatingly and unsure. The way she said it made me think that it was the first time she said “thank you.”

“Gods! Eat already! Protein!” Nixie broke me out of my trance.

I looked at her with confusion. That was when I noticed Charlie heading over. I moved away, feeling agitated suddenly, like he would know what I was thinking. It was as if he knew I couldn’t get the image of her out of my mind. Even for a moment. Audrey started to pick at certain things, but never ate anything. Nothing, but the grapes.

“Maybe it’s best if Charlie doesn’t come over here.” Nixie said with a glance at Audrey.

She was right. No one but the team and Nixie knew how we found Audrey. The rest thought she was a lonely, lost paranormal. Not that she wasn’t a prisoner here. Her reactions weren’t those of a starved paranormal though and Charlie would notice that. He always noticed too much.

“Right. I’ll be back.” I stood and I felt Audrey’s eyes on me. I didn’t look back.

Chapter Eleven

Audrey

There was far too much food, more than I’d seen in years. It overwhelmed me, but when Stone started to eat, I felt slightly more at ease. He hadn’t passed out. Nor did he look like he was in any type of pain. It seemed odd how that last thought affected me slightly. The twinge of regret that I let him eat first. He smiled at me, his eyes now bright yellow. I looked away when I started to see the worry in his eyes. I kept my left side completely covered with my hair, which stopped me from knowing what exactly he might be feeling.

I picked up another grape, bit down and didn’t want to swallow. I hadn’t had food like this in years. Something whole, something real, something I could recognize. I was afraid that I would start to cry. Before it was mystery slop, mixed meats that couldn’t be defined.

When Stone spoke to me again, I was on such a high that I actually smiled. Nixie said something but I wasn’t paying attention.

“Right. I’ll be back.” Stone got up and didn’t look back. The grape I was about to eat suddenly seemed a little less appetizing. I set the grape down and stared at the table, feeling unbelievably exposed without Stone’s tall form blocking me from everyone else’s eyes. The sounds of the room were no longer muffled. Too many eyes exploring. Too many words being thrown around. It was too much. Too much. Too much. I pulled my knees to my chest when I felt a hand on my back.

“Are you okay, Audrey?” Nixie’s singsong voice wrapped around me along with her arms. Nixie didn’t make me feel as safe as Stone, though she lessened the stares…the noise. Her touch was so calming and friendly. But when she let go, I’d be in a world of pain. If only she wouldn’t torture me so. She didn’t understand. When I didn’t reply, she removed her hand. I tried to hold back the tearing sound of pain, but I’d only managed to muffle the cry.

It was unnaturally cold where her hand was. Illogical thoughts consumed my mind. I’ll never be touched again. Why would someone want to touch a creature like me? She knows, she knows, she knows. Enjoy the heat now, alone forever. My need to be touched felt like an animalistic instinct. I shrank away from Nixie. Their kindness was all a farce. None of it was real. Fakes, liars, torturers. A new voice drifted in, but the world was closing around me. Dark, dark, dark. It was so dark.

“Nixie! What the hell did you do?” Stone’s words were clipped, his tone angry.

I tried to move away from his voice. Why would anyone want a monster like you? They’re not here to help you. Every touch should be like fire on your scar-ridden body.

“Step away.” Elijah moved around Nixie, ignoring her completely. He pressed his cold fingers under my chin, forcing me to look at him. “Well, isn’t that …interesting.” I wanted to pull away. I whimpered at his icy touch. I inwardly pleaded for him to let go.

“Elijah, I’m warning you. Get away from her.” Elijah looked toward Stone.

“Calm down.” His voice had a new icy edge. He looked back at me.

“Please-” I begged. Let go. He kept his hand on my chin. I wanted to look away. I wanted his hands off of me.

“Interesting…” Finally he released me, and I folded tightly into myself. Nixie moved in and touched my shoulder before Elijah and Stone’s warning.

I passed out after it. It felt like a thousand volts of lightning went coursing through my veins.

Chapter Twelve

Stone

“Don’t touch her.” The warning was too late.

“Sorry,” Nixie muttered regretfully. I felt Charlie behind me, looking at Audrey, whose face was now hidden behind her hair.

“No need to apologize, siren. She was going to pass out anyway.” Nixie never took shit from anyone–well anyone but Elijah, who was still looking at Audrey with an interested gaze. I saw Nixie grind her teeth and shot her a warning glance.

“Elijah.” I knew he was keeping something from us.

“Yes, Stone?” His voice purposefully lifted a slight octave. I ground my teeth, trying to stop my body from shuddering.

“What aren’t you telling us?” It was demanding and dangerous. We had the right to know. I had the right to know.

“I saw something within her. The Vedenins had a wraith put in her as a failsafe. It will take time, but I will be able to get it out.” Elijah turned and left. The Vedenins were the clan we had taken Audrey from, a rival clan. Everyone in the cafeteria was openly looking now at the mystery girl who had passed out. I moved over to her and Nixie.

“Nixie, I need to take her back. You should report to Jacobs.” Nixie flinched at my cold voice. She was as much a part of Jacobs’s special ops team as I was and someone had to inform him what was happening. Nixie looked at me with wet coral eyes.

“It’s the way it has to be.”

She nodded. As I gently removed Audrey from Nixie’s arms, I reminded myself that we knew nothing about this girl. I knew nothing about her, and yet, I couldn’t help to hold her gently.

I wanted to tell Nixie that she could visit because in their short time together, Nixie had formed a type of bond. I could see it. Nixie, as a siren so far from a water well, tended to become slightly possessive and obsessive. Dallas made the mistake of breaking that bond. As I turned away, Charlie moved out of my way, heading back to the table with our other friends.

• • •

I set Audrey down on the bed. Hair covered her scarred face and I wanted to brush it away. The shirt Nixie gave Audrey was too big for her and fell off her right shoulder displaying three claw marks - jagged, uneven, saw-like tears in her flesh.

Anger so deep engulfed me. I shut the door, barely remembering to lock it. Marcus was coming down the hall.

“Ye alright?” he asked, watching me closely.

“She’s got a wraith in her or something, so be careful what you say if you talk to her,” I explained as I walked past him. My muscles tightened in anger. How many more scars did Audrey have? I couldn’t bring myself to look…but someone else might know. I knew who I had to find. I left her in the cafeteria, but when I got there, she was gone. I told her to report to Jacobs. I was considering punching something. Instead I marched to Jacobs’s office.

Most of the team was already there. I guessed that Jacobs had called them in when Nixie went to report what happened. Dallas stood far away from Nixie who was sitting with a carefree look plastered on her face. Elijah stood rigid next to Jacobs’s desk.

Cole, the Dawon, which was just a bigger, Asian descent were-tiger, was present as well. They were almost always albino tigers. Cole was different, his mother was a witch and he was known to have some of her powers. I noticed not only was Marcus missing, but Anane as well. Jacobs was at his desk, looking twitchy and thoughtful. He kept shifting his weight slightly and his eyes were unfocused. I moved toward Nixie, as Dallas bent down to talk to Cole.

“Is Anane still pissed that she didn’t get to come?” I whispered.

“Of course. How is…” Dallas looked up at me to answer, but as he started to bring up Audrey, my mind became one tracked. Audrey. I was reminded of her other scars. The ones that reached over her shoulder. My stomach turned violently. The pain she must have went through. I turned to Nixie.

“How many scars does she have besides the one on her face?”

Nixie was giving Dallas the evil eye before, but now her eyes were on me.

“Which one…” Nixie’s voice was unusually timid.

“On her shoulder,” I managed through clenched teeth.

“She says four.” We were silent while the others whispered. My body shook. I wanted to roar, instead I tried to breathe. “I can’t … I wonder how young she was when she got them.”

No, I didn’t want to think about that. I didn’t want to think about how old the scars looked. How comfortable she seemed with them. As if it was natural. I knew I would lose control if I did. Luckily, Jacobs cleared his throat as Anane walked in.

“Nice of you to join us, Anane.” Jacobs’s gaze swung to me. “Is Marcus with her?” I nodded. “Good. Elijah already informed me of our guest’s situation.” He paused. Both Anane and Cole looked at him in confusion. “I wasn’t clear about the reason for our mission. Cole, you told me yourself there was something very important there. It was a girl.” I noticed Cole’s jaw tensed. I wasn’t sure why he reacted that way but I let it go to listen to Jacobs.

“Elijah just informed me there is a wraith trapped in her mind. The Vedenins must have implanted one in her long ago. It would have stayed dormant as long as she was with them. She will be pushed to do things she doesn’t want to do. The wraith won’t take over completely, not to the extent that it will kill her, but it would have complete control of her cognition and motor skills. It’s important that, while Elijah works to get the wraith out, we be cautious of what you say around her. And on that note, she has no idea of the extents of the supernatural world-our world.”

“So, she is human?” Anane asked.

I turned to look at her. Her straight blonde hair looked brighter in this lighting. Her face had a natural tan, and her metallic silver eyes watched me closely. Her gaze moved back to Jacobs, and I saw her nose scrunch. The nephilim were as bad as fey when it came to elitism. They especially didn’t care for humans, who they considered the lowest of the low.

“No. We don’t know what she is. And as expected, the Vedenins are now looking for her.”

That caught us all by surprise; even Elijah cocked his head just slightly. As team leader, Jacobs had contact with the head of our clan, Cain Braden, so it wasn’t too odd he would know this. It was more shocking he took so long to inform us.

“They thought we only took insignificant things because of the mess Dallas made on the other side of the building and they hadn’t bothered to do a full sweep. But once the wraith was activated, they not only realized she was gone but they know she is in another clan’s hands. Elijah, how long will it take to extract the wraith?”

“Well, if I could extract my way, five hours. Your way five days.”

I think we all shivered, expect for Jacobs. Elijah’s way meant he’d go inside her and she probably wouldn’t survive.

“Five days it is.” Jacobs said, looking at no one.

The meeting was over. We all knew it, but none of us moved.

“Why would the Vedenins want her in the first place?” Cole mused, not looking at anyone just asking what was on all of our minds.

I didn’t wait to hear if there was a reply. When Elijah left, I followed. But when he got to Audrey’s room, he stated that he had to work alone and in silence.

Chapter Thirteen

Audrey

The dream-memory was always the same, yet different from reality. We were in the kitchen. No, not “the” kitchen, a kitchen. He was mad at me. Really mad. I was – no - I am wrong. I had done something wrong. Dark, dark eyes…face set in that scowl. I whimpered. I was a child and naïve. A ten year old who wanted to trust her father. No, not my father. I wanted to trust this stranger. He was shrouded in darkness. All but the claws he raked down my face, marking me forever. I cried out. I shouldn’t have.

I woke from the familiar hellish dream-memories quietly as I always did. I wasn’t in whiteness. No, I wasn’t there anymore. They had come. Taken me. A new prison. At least here I didn’t remember the dream in striking detail. White and black was all I had. Tears slipped down silently when I realized that I wasn’t alone. The strangely beautiful one with unsettling yellow eyes that usually sat outside was watching me closely. Strange colors hung closely to him. His whole self made me shift uncomfortably, but his eyes scared me. They were so old, but he was not.

“What’s got ye cryin'?” His voice had a different, very slight accent. “Oh, nae talkin' again. Aw right, I’ll respect that. I’ll try tae ask you yes or nae questions.” He winked at me, which was alarming all on its own. I moved as far from him as I could get and I avoided looking at him. “Dae ye know how ye got those?” He pointed at my scars. I didn’t move my head. “Nae answer? Okay. Dae ye enjoy futbol?”

My eyebrows pinched together for a moment in my confusion as my mouth settled into a grim line. My eyes narrowed slightly. I could almost recall what football was, but not entirely. I did know it wasn’t something I’d experienced often before my time in the white cells. The white was void of everything, but the memories. Horrible, painful memories that screamed at me, even now.

“Mah word, scars! Ye don’t even know what that is. I would nae min' takin' a peek at those memories of yours.”

“You may think you have seen it all Marcus, but you would not want to see in her memories.” Elijah’s cold, flat voice slipped in the small room from the doorway.

“Aye, I suppose ye might be right.” He paused, stroking his hair-covered chin. “But naethin', I fear, could scare me. Nae in ‘er bonnie wee head.”

“You would not be able to handle what horrors invade her mind. That I promise.” I looked at Elijah as he spoke, hints of emotion surged into some of his words. Somehow he knew. He knew my pain. His pitiless, completely black eyes held mine. I didn’t react as they got closer, trapping me, making me uneasy. “Do you know what hides in the deepest corners of your mind?” The question was directed at me, but not really. It was almost as if he was airing his curious thoughts and I was hearing them.

Before I realized what he was doing, he grabbed my head in his far too large and far too uncomfortable hands. Pressure was applied. This wasn’t a loving gesture, nor was it an extremely painful one. “Hmm, it’s been there for years. More of a residue, but dangerous all the same.”

The buzzing started then. Any instinct to react rocketed through my body. No, that wasn’t quite right. My body wasn’t under my control. My head looked up into the boy named Elijah, but his face was blank, unsurprised. He raised an eyebrow ever so slightly. I could see an almost amused look cross his always blank face.

“You stupid fool. You, wraith, are out of your league. I wouldn’t mess with this child’s fragile mind.” It was coming from my mouth, but I wasn’t saying it. I didn’t understand it. Then Elijah did the scariest thing he’d done since I had met him. He smiled. His teeth were sharp and pointed, all of them. His tongue that he ran over his teeth was black and unsettling.

“Apparently you don’t realize whom you are dealing with.” Elijah looked at me with an air of calm, but I was shaking.

I tried to move, to speak, but I was trapped in my own body. I remember this had happened before, when…but it was from fear. That time was fear. This time was different.

“Oh, yes, the great Elijah. I know who you are. You are nothing,” I sneered back. My voice was different, deeper, and it scared me.

“This will be a fun few days,” Elijah hissed before he touched his other hand to my hand.

Pain blinded me to the point that I knew nothing but darkness.

Chapter Fourteen

Stone

The next few days were torture. Elijah was at her side most of the time. Both of them deathly silent until Audrey would scream, whimper, and pass out again. I was stretched to the limit on the third day. I had been staying right outside the door. Elijah had stated when he went in that the chances of the wraith jumping bodies would be higher if another body was available. Nixie would join me, but I could tell she was uncomfortable with Elijah so close. She had bigger issues with wraiths than the rest of us.

I looked over at my siren friend and hoped that she would find peace one day, but I could see that she wanted to go into the room and rip Elijah away. She kept pacing in front of the door. She would stare at it while she moved as if willing it to open. I knew I wanted it to. My muscles shifted, strained, and burned for me to do something. I shifted a lot from my stance, my skin feeling too tight for my body.

“You need to go for a run or something.” Charlie watched as I paced in the hallway outside of Audrey’s room. Elijah had kicked us all out again after the wraith had started to break. I turned to Charlie with a snarl. His teeth lengthened, and he growled right back, eyes flashing red. “Don’t take your anger out on me.”

“Back off, Charlie,” I replied with the same amount of venom in my voice. My body buzzed with energy, just waiting for me to make even the slightest of moves. I shook off the anxiety the best that I could. “Fuck! I don’t know what is wrong with me.”

“I do. You haven’t moved from this spot other than for essentials for a few days. You need to move. You need to get out. You need to run, stretch your muscles.” Charlie calmed down, his eyes returning to their natural, mellow blue state.

I released a strangled breath; I needed to get out of this building.

“Call me if anything changes. Anything, Charlie.”

He nodded, waving me off.

I headed toward the elevator. I knew that I should go grab running clothes and run in my human form, but at this point I needed a better release. My body felt strained and tight. When I got outside, I was glad for the acres that we owned. There was a forest behind the hotel with a lake near the edge of the property line. The hotel was built in a small city that didn’t garner enough tourists. Most outsiders would drive straight through to get to the next city twenty miles away.

There was plenty of room for all of us to roam. I took off my clothes at the edge of the forest, where a Dryad had created cubby holes in the trees for this exact reason, and placed the bundle inside. I let my body relax, then it began to transform, stretching, the cells shifting, bones extending. My hands came down with a loud slap on the hard ground. They were twice as big and twice as hairy. I took the form of a black leopard and began my descent into the woods.

I didn’t take my cat form very often because the sensitivity that the whiskers offered was hell if it wasn’t needed. I took this form because my legs felt stronger, more power going into every stride. In this form, I could get the run I needed without having to go too far. I caught the scent of wolves out and about a little too late.

The werewolves weren’t too bad when they knew other shifters were out here, but caught off guard, their animal instincts took over. I saw a massive blonde wolf with yellow eyes running to my side. I knew more were going to follow, so I started to focus my mind. I thought of longer legs. I thought of a slightly shorter tail. I thought of pointed ears. I shifted to a black wolf, my eyes probably an ugly shade of brown at my annoyance. The blonde wolf howled and turned away.

I didn’t realize how far I had made it out until I noticed the start of the cabins. Some of the creatures that lived on the base couldn’t live within the metal walls. Not that I blamed them. I didn’t enjoy people being able to get into my mind and hearing my thoughts. Their houses were at least five miles out so that they were out of range. I shook my now longer snout and turned back toward the hotel.

As I ran, I tried to reason out why I felt this an undeniable need to protect Audrey. It wasn’t a shape-shifter thing. We didn’t have quite the same instincts as the Weres did. They were part animal down to their cores, and shape-shifters were not. We didn’t react the same way as them. The protective instincts weren’t so ingrained in us. We acted much like a human would with bonds. Of course, ours were intensified but only after time. I didn’t know Audrey. I didn’t feel a sense of family with her, but I felt something. I just had to figure out what that something was.

“Stone! Stone-y boy! Stone! Stone, Stone, Stone!”

I let out a growl when I heard Nixie call out to me, her voice managed to carry through the forest. I didn’t want to deal with the six foot, green-haired siren at the moment. She looked so out of place in her high heels and short skirt. All sirens had problems with hiding their legs, saying pants were too constricting. “Hey! Stone!” Now she was dragging my name out with far too many syllables. Her voice started to change into a song, and I knew she would not be denied. I came out, shifting as I walked toward my clothes. I gave her my backside while I searched for the tree that I had stuffed my clothes into.

“What do you want, Nixie?” I asked as I pulled on my boxers. I looked at her when she didn’t answer. She was staring intently at my ass. I pulled myself up to my full six foot, three inches height and stared at her. “Are you finished?” I growled, getting more annoyed. She shook her head.

“Sorry, what was I saying?” Usually sirens were much more composed than she was. After all, their first calling was to call sailors into the rocks in order to kill or mate with them. The lucky ones were the ones that were killed.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at her.

“I don’t know, Nixie. You were going to tell me.” My jaw was clenched so tightly that my words came out strained.

“Oh right, I demand that you help me get in to see Audrey.” She set her legs shoulder width apart, and her jaw jutted out.

“Nixie, I have no control over that. Elijah hasn’t let anyone into that room since he entered it three days ago. You know why we can’t go in there.” I pulled my plain black shirt over my head as I spoke. When my head poked through, Nixie was looking at the ground defeated. I wasn’t sure why, but sirens had strong bonds with people that only seemed to grow the longer they were away from water. “Nix, when was the last time you went to the lake?”

“I don’t know…a week. Maybe a month and half…” she whispered the last part, but she knew I could hear her.

“What the hell, Nixie?” Sirens needed the water at least every two weeks in order to remain healthy.

“Look, going back to that lake is not an option. I spend a little extra time in the bath or in the pool. I am fine!” Her coral eyes flashed a deep seaweed color.

“Obviously. Look, go to the lake for an hour or two. Keep your cell phone close by, and I will call you if there are any changes. You need real water, not the pool, and certainly not a bath.” My voice turned gruff, and I knew that this was how Charlie must have felt when he had been dealing with me earlier.

“You don’t understand!” Nixie screamed at me. She was losing her temper, which wasn’t too shocking. Normally, I could deal with the shorter-tempered creatures, but at the moment, I was on edge myself. The run had only helped so much.

“Don’t you dare yell at me, siren,” I growled, my voice coming out strangled and distorted. I knew at this point my wolf fangs were out and my eyes had shifted a deep red color. Nixie dragged her hands down her face.

“Whatever, this is getting out of hand. Look, I will go to the fucking lake. Call me if anything changes with her or if Dallas decides to go with the pack to the other territory.” She flipped her deep green hair and headed toward the lake. I didn’t know what had happened between Dallas and her, but I was glad I didn’t know. I headed back upstairs.

When I arrived on the floor Audrey was on, I could hear her screams. I tore through the hallways to get to her room. I tried to push her door open but it was still locked. Charlie stood there wide-eyed. I gave him a questioning look, and he just shrugged.

“Elijah! Let me in!” I slammed my hands on the door. “Audrey!”

Chapter Fifteen

Audrey

White surrounded me. It felt like safety. It felt like home. Someone was calling my name.

But this wasn’t home. Suddenly the whiteness melted away, and my old home took its place. Home was a worn down one story, three-room house. A living room with a stained, hole-ridden couch with the stuffing overflowing and a small, mostly broken TV that only received a couple channels. It was a kitchen with broken tiles that were littered with unrecognizable stains. It was a closet that someone had converted into a bedroom by tossing in a mattress and an old pile of clothes. And his room, my father’s room. I never went in there.

I stood in the kitchen, not moving as he added new scars to join the others. I was being punished. I’d forgotten what I had done this time, but this one was the newest of scars. The set that wrapped around my thigh.

“You belong to me. Do you understand that? I am branding you as mine. If anyone else tries to use you, I will kill them. I might even force you to kill them. You understand me?” His voice had a slight hiss to it. His tongue was always slimmer than other people’s. His pupils were slits.

I nodded as I cried and screamed on the inside. He took his time, letting the claws do their work. I heard it all. I heard my skin rip apart, and then felt the blood run down my entire leg. I heard muscle rip. I tried to shift my weight so that I wouldn’t fall forward and make it worse.

Make it stop, make it stop, please make it stop. My only relief from the memory was when he had finished. He carefully wrapped my leg in gauze and set me down in my bed. He then told me not to move for a couple of days and he would bring food to me. He wasn’t a horrible father all the time. His instincts ran deep into his blood. He believed that by marking me with his claws, he was doing the right thing every time, except when he scarred my face. He meant to do that as a punishment. He meant to hurt me.

I was thrown into my next memory with no transitioning, no warning.

My body closed in on itself, trying to be small. The smaller the body, the less they could attack. Attacks from every side-punches, kicks, unwanted touches. All of it, never ending. I cried for it to end. They demanded things I couldn’t give them. They demanded that I do things I would never do. I’d rather claw out my own eyes than use them for these people. I wanted to…something. I couldn’t remember what. It was hidden there deep in my blood but I could never remember. The attacks continued.

“Audrey!”

I knew that voice, a voice that gave me a small sense of comfort. Another memory tried to swamp me but that held me for a moment more.

“Audrey, the wraith is weakening. You must awaken now.” This voice was colder, cut off from any emotion, but it was still a voice that wasn’t connected to painful memories.

My head throbbed. My mouth was dry, but somehow I managed to strangle out a “no”. I wanted the peace of the white room, the safety that the room offered.

“It’s safer here,” a voice whispered in my head. The voice was a slight hiss, a promise of what I wanted, what I needed. Safety. Safety in my room.

I shut my eyes even tighter in order to make myself stay asleep. I was forcing my brain off. I was forcing so hard it hurt. “Please, please, please.” I could feel the mattress beneath me; I could sense eyes watching me, waiting patiently.

“You must not listen to the wraith in your head. If you wake now, you will break his hold. That safety you think you feel is false. Let go.” The unemotional voice was back. He was asking the impossible. How could anything be safer than the evil I knew? I was safe here because it was familiar.

“Audrey!” I liked this voice. I savored how it made me feel. For a second, I felt…safe. This voice promised me things. This voice belonged to someone who’d… saved me. “Audrey!” the voice roared again. I twitched.

“Wake, Audrey,” Elijah urged once more.

I was scared to open my eyes. Something held me back. In here was safety, and out there was the unknown.

“The wraith is influencing your thoughts. Safety is not in sleep, but in waking, so that you can break free from his hold. Now, wake.” The voice sounded almost angry. I reacted to anger. I obeyed it. My eyes cracked open. The walls weren’t white. I wanted to shut them against the pale blue.

I took a shaky breath. I opened my eyes again to the pretty walls, the too comfortable mattress, and the soft, unbelievably soft, blankets. And cold black eyes. Those, I hung onto. Those I clung to as if I would fall out of existence if I didn’t watch them. Those cold black eyes watched back. No, a shade different from pure black stared back at me. I could stare forever and I knew that those eyes would never change color. It was unnatural. It should have been unnerving, but for me, it was calming. It was safe. Safe as the white walls of my old prison.

“Wh - ” Oh, that hurt. My throat was bone dry, and suddenly, it became hard to breathe.

“Here.” Elijah handed me a cup with a straw.

I wanted to throw the straw aside and gulp down the water, but I knew that would only cause me to cough it back up. This wasn’t my first time feeling this way. It wouldn’t be the last, I was sure of it. The water was room temperature. I stared at the strange creature next to me as I drank. His emotionless eyes and voice clashed with his actions, and I didn’t do well with conflicting personalities.

“A wraith had a trap door of sorts in your mind. If you were ever taken, the wraith would be activated. The Vedenins had just realized you were taken. We had to remove it or they would have had the wraith use you as eyes and ears for a while until they got the information they needed and took you back.” Elijah stood abruptly and headed out the door to the small living room.

There was a loud crash followed by some type of growling. I knew the noise well, and I knew it meant to hide. I tried to pull myself up, but I could barely move. Instead, I rolled myself off the bed. Taking the too soft blanket with me, I pulled myself together into a ball. All the while, there was screaming in the other room. Too much noise, too much anger. I counted. One, two, three. I am safe. I am safe.

“What the hell were you doing to her?” Stone’s voice was distorted and rough…forty, forty-one…

“I did nothing. Now, remove your hand.” Elijah’s voice turned different, darker. The air went cold around me and I pulled in tighter. There was another crashing sort of noise, followed by feet stomping into my room.

“Audrey.” His voice was quiet now, as if he coaxed a small frightened animal. I suppose that was what I was. A small, frightened animal. “Audrey…”

“She is wraith-free now.” Elijah’s words floated through the door as he retreated. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to look up. There would be nothing for me to hold onto. There would be no solid safety.

“Audrey,” a whisper of my name came again. I knew I couldn’t look, even for a second. Stone smelled different. Like woods and fresh air. His hair was a tangled mess, and his eyes were a strange yellow-like color. He let out a long breath when I looked into his eyes. The color showed that he was worried, a strange kind of worried, a sort of happy worried.

I tried to hide, but he moved, pulling my blanket away from my face. His hand stroked my cheek in the briefest of touches. My eyes closed involuntarily. A long breath slipped from my slightly parted lips. I felt something touch them, but when I opened my eyes, Stone was frighteningly close, yet painfully too far. He searched my eyes as he pushed my hair away from my face, his hand grazing my scars. I flinched for him.

“Don’t.” Stone’s voice pleaded; I looked at him, not understanding. “Don’t flinch when I touch you.”

“But…”

“These are beautiful.” He glanced at the scars.

I didn’t understand. They were a brand, a punishment. They were meant to keep others away. They were meant to make me belong only to my father. I would never belong to another because of these brands.

Stone cleared his throat and pulled away. I didn’t realize how much of his weight I had been taking until he pulled away and I could breathe properly again.

“Elijah says the wraith is gone. I suppose that means we should feed you. And if you want, I can get Nixie, and she can help you shower.” Stone held out his hand.

I looked up at him. His eyes turned to a deep blue color. Before I could read anymore, I shifted my eyes back to the hand he offered me. I raised my shaky hand to his, and he pulled me up. He tucked me under his arm and directed me out of the pale blue room.

Chapter Sixteen

Stone

Gods, she looked like a fragile, broken bird. I didn’t know whether to touch her or let her remain where she was. I was afraid that if I so much as breathed on her, she would crack into a million pieces and I would never be able to put her back together. But those thoughts confused me. When did I decide it was my job to make sure she wouldn’t break? When did I decide that I would be the one to put her back together? Probably when her eyes fluttered shut, she sighed at my touch, and I pressed my lips ever so softly against hers for only a moment. A moment that I would relive for the next few nights. I couldn’t help but remember how even though the right side of her mouth was slightly rigid and malformed from her scars, the scars had tasted the sweetest.

She looked at me like I was an oddity she could never understand. I knew that she was wondering how I was able to touch her scars without a hint of disgust or pity. I understood the scars that littered her skin, and I hoped one day that she would allow me to show her my scars. That thought made me recompose myself. A shape-shifter like me would never show off their true forms, not to anyone. So why would I suddenly have the urge to show myself to the magnificent creature in front of me?

“Don’t,” I whispered. “Don’t flinch when I touch you.”

“But…” She tried to urge me away, but I couldn’t.

“These are beautiful.” I traced her scars with my eyes. “Elijah says the wraith is gone. I suppose that means we should feed you, and if you want, I can get Nixie and she can help you shower.”

She took my hand and stood. In this form, I always chose to be taller, but not excessively tall. I didn’t want to draw too much attention to myself. Six feet three inches worked well for me. Her head reached my collarbone and I realized that she was not a tiny little thing at all. I thought that maybe in a different life, in a different place, she would have been a fierce warrior.

We didn’t make it far before Nixie came rushing toward us. I wondered if the wraith had erased some of Audrey’s memories, because she hid behind me as Nixie approached. Nixie took it in stride and continued forward with a smile still plastered on her face.

“Audrey!”

I felt Audrey jump, and possibly flinch at her name, but then she edged out around me and moved a little closer to Nixie. Nixie threw her arms around Audrey and hugged her enthusiastically. I wanted to shout at Nixie not to be so rough with Audrey, since somehow the girl looked even smaller than when she had first arrived. Nixie turned around and glared at me.

“I told you to call me. Now you don’t get to come with us. You may trail behind, but you are not with us.” Nixie stuck out her green tongue at me.

I just rolled my eyes, hating the fact that I wasn’t the one holding Audrey. Nixie started to talk to Audrey about random things but my thoughts drowned out their conversation.

I wondered where Elijah went. After I had busted through the door, I’d caught Elijah by the throat. Still in a blind rage, I’d ignored the instinct against treating him that way. He had snarled in response, his sharp teeth clenched. I had never seen him so angry and the fear that should have been overpowering me was surprisingly absent. My instinct to challenge him wasn’t though. Thankfully, common sense had pierced my rage before it had gotten worse. I had pulled away from him before I could say anything, and he had left the room looking distracted.

We headed toward the cafeteria and I started wondering if maybe we should have allowed Audrey to eat in private. But the cafeteria was mostly deserted. A few people lingered but not many. I let out the breath I didn’t realize I held as Nixie led Audrey to the back in a dark corner. I stayed with Audrey when Nixie left to grab food.

“I hope you told her that you didn’t want seafood.” I tried to make my voice light, but I knew that tense, stiff muscles, fisted hands, and rapidly changing eye color, off put any jokes I tried to make. Audrey looked up at me with worry in her eyes. “I was trying to make a joke. I didn’t realize I was that bad at making them.” I tried again to give her a smile, but she shrunk into herself some more.

“Here we go, sweetie.” The plate was filled with a mixture of food, small portions of pretty much everything. Nixie had her own tray of seafood. I about gagged when I looked at her food, so I focused on Audrey. My heart broke looking at her because she just stared at the food as if it would eat her.

“Eat,” I growled before I realized how that word came out of my mouth. Audrey’s eyes shot up to me, and I could see the fear there. She would eat but only because she was afraid of what would happen if she didn’t. I needed to leave. I needed to give her space, yet I couldn’t move. I couldn’t force myself to even look away from her. She looked like she was about to grab some of the fruit, but I knew she needed protein. She needed meat. Goddammit, if she got any skinner she would be pushed over by a gust of wind. I controlled the growl that wanted to force its way out of my throat. I didn’t like to think about how weak she really was, how the Vedenins made her that way.

“Hey, Stone, how about you go find out where Elijah went?” Nixie muttered through clenched teeth.

I knew she was mad but at this point, I didn’t care. I wanted to force the food down Audrey’s throat.

“Hey, Stone, look at me.”

I finally turned and made the stupid mistake of looking her in the eyes. They glowed a bright coral color. Her green hair seemed darker, turning an almost purple color.

“Can you go find Elijah for me?” Her voice was a song. A song that I would never be able to resist. There was something digging in my brain, trying to get me to focus, but all I could feel was the silky feel of her hand touching mine. I leaned closer. A song played in my head, all piano, starting out low moving to an easy beat. I closed my eyes to hear the song better, to let it wrap around me, and I started to move. I had no care in the world other than to find where the song originated.

When the song ended, I was at the doorway of Jacobs’s office, and I knew Nixie had used her siren song to get me here. She was too attached to what was mine. Wait. I meant she was just too attached to my charge. To the team’s charge. Nixie wasn’t a real fighter. She was a seductress, a torturer of the mind, body, and soul, but she was part of our team. Audrey was mine to protect, ours to protect.

I didn’t bother knocking on Jacobs’ door since I knew he caught my scent in the hall.

When I entered, Elijah, Dallas, and Marcus were already there. Marcus was draped over the couch, looking relaxed as always, but Dallas was pacing. Wolves could never seem to stay still for long. Even Jacobs looked like he wanted to join his son. Elijah remained motionless next to Jacobs’s desk. Instead of watching our team leader, he was watching my progress into the room. I felt unnerved by his attention. No one really wanted a wraith’s attention on them and that included me.

“We need to get her informed and quickly. If what Elijah tells me is true, then we have a bigger issue on our hands here.” All of us looked Elijah’s way. I wanted to know what Jacobs wasn’t telling us.

“Are ye going to elaborate there?” Marcus called casually from the couch. He looked at the walls with a blasé amusement.

“First all you need to know is that Elijah seems to believe that she can read emotions through your eyes. Not aura readings, something different. You need to be careful around her. We can’t trust her not to play on your emotions. When the whole team is here I will tell you the rest. I don’t like to repeat myself. Anane and Cole left late last night on a mission. They should be back in a couple hours. Until then, try to get her situated, make her feel comfortable amongst our clan. Marcus, you and Stone go. Dallas, stay here. I need to talk to you. Is Nixie still with her?” Jacobs watched us with eyes that slowly faded to yellow.

Apparently, whatever he had told Elijah was making him stressed. I didn’t care. I wanted to get back to Audrey, and I was pissed off that that Nixie had used her song on me.

“Come along, pal. Wouldn’t want tae leave the bonnie lasses unattended.” Marcus wasn’t looking at me. He glared at Dallas. Dallas growled. Apparently, more had happened before I arrived.

Honestly, I didn’t care. Shape-shifters tended to stick with our own; we tried not to get too involved. Many paranormals did in fact, even though we were in mixed clans we didn’t trust easily.

By the time we arrived back to the cafeteria, my skin itched. I felt restless like I needed to change forms, as if an animal had taken over. I didn’t realize that my pace increased until I noticed Marcus was no longer next to me.

In his glamour as a human, Marcus wasn’t short by any means, he was about six foot tall, a slightly broader build than most fey. They, as a race, tended to be slimmer in build and much taller. Marcus had a deep red head of hair with scruff lining his jaw, which annoyed all the other fey to no end; they were a classier group of paranormals. I had always felt they had their noses a little too high in the air for my taste. The fey acted as if they were better than other paranormals and lived in their veil. Marcus wasn’t like normal fey most of the time.

“Mate! The lassie isn’t leavin’. Nae need tae run to get to ‘er,” Marcus called out, laughing slightly. His darker mood had vanished.

“I wasn’t running,” I muttered as I tried to control my pace. That made Marcus laugh all the more. When I walked in, Charlie and some other shifters surrounded Audrey and Nixie, and one of the younger shifters touched Audrey’s arm. Shit. I saw red. I felt possessed, and I couldn’t control what happened next.

Chapter Seventeen

Audrey

Stone’s intense gaze made me shift uncomfortably. I couldn’t focus with him watching me. I couldn’t even think about eating.

When Stone left, I felt only slightly more relaxed. That unsettled feeling in my stomach didn’t really go away. It just morphed into something else. Something I couldn’t really identify. I didn’t try to for very long because Nixie started encouraging me to eat again. Nixie was nice enough about it, but I could tell that she was worried. Instead of looking into her strange coral eyes, I looked at the plate. Eight grapes. Three pieces of broccoli…The food looked good, but I was scared. At any moment, it could be taken from me. Did they really want to feed me? I wasn’t sure anymore.

My eyes finally roamed over the meat. Meat…meat filled the fridge in my father’s kitchen. With the blood. With the scars. With the tiles stained. With…

“Calm down. Breathe sweetie, breathe.” Nixie’s voice was soothing, it much different than her normal, bubbly voice.

I didn’t like the unnatural feeling of calm that filled me. I started to fidget, feeling worse than before, trying to escape the calm.

“Hey…easy.” A new song started to fill my head.

“You’re okay, here. I promise nothing will hurt you here. You’re safe.” Nixie was rubbing her hand up and down my arm. The need to shove it away - to shy away from her touch - was there, but muted. My body had been taken over by the calm.

Nixie and I sat together that way for a while. She coaxed me into eating some more. After a little while, more people filtered into the cafeteria. Nixie said hello to one named Charlie. His eyes shifted colors much like Stone’s did. It unnerved me. The eyes of the people with him, shifted colors as well, but theirs were much more limited to one or two other colors.

They talked, while I shrank away. I didn’t like the crowd forming around us. The calm that overpowered me before, had faded to a light dull feeling. One of the men who had joined us put his hand on my arm. I flinched away, then suddenly Stone stood between us, growing bigger with each breath. His eyes were a horrible red color. He shifted so all I saw was his back. His voice was a deep rumble, and I couldn’t understand what he was saying.

“Right, lads, time tae head off! Charlie, ye probably could stay.” Marcus came over by Nixie and I. His hand rested on Nixie, but he made no move to touch me. I released a relieved sigh.

The crowd left. The one that had touched me looked scared and practically ran for the doors. When Stone turned back around, I hid as much as I could. I didn’t want his anger pointed at me; I didn’t want to see the punishment that would follow. Father got possessive when others touched me. He wasn’t as bad as Stone was now, and that could only mean the punishment would be that much worse.

I shut my eyes tightly, held them closed and put a lock on my vocal cords. If I screamed, it would only be worse. He would only think I wasn’t accepting that I did something wrong. I couldn’t upset him like that. I didn’t want to have more scars. My breath was hitched and I hoped he would do something soon.

Instead of a punch, which I could endure, I felt the lightest of touches on my scars. I opened my eyes.

Stone stared at my scars. There wasn’t revulsion, and there was none of that murky brown in his rapidly shifting eye color. Of anger, obsessive possessiveness, and disgust, there was none of that. Instead, there was worry, a hint of fear, and many colors I couldn’t decipher, as well as something I wasn’t sure if I wanted to recognize.

“Hey, are you all right?” Stone moved to cup his hand around my face, but I turned away from his gentle touch. A punch, I could handle. This, I had no idea what to do with. I couldn’t answer him, so I just nodded my head. He looked slightly hurt with his eyebrows pinched and his lips tight across his face, but he took the seat next to me.

After a few more moments of silence, Marcus cleared his throat.

“Lassie, there are some things we need tae be discussin'.”

I turned toward him but his unusual yellow eyes scared me to no end so I looked away. He sat close to Nixie. I saw how he caressed her arm. She didn’t flinch. She didn’t even look bothered. In fact, she looked like she enjoyed it. She turned to Marcus and smiled faintly before grabbing his other hand and squeezing it lightly. I glanced again at Marcus, who smiled weakly. Marcus’ whole body sort of looked out of sorts, like there was something underneath his skin wanting to break free.

“There are things we need tae tell ye, Audrey.”

I looked back to Stone who suddenly looked completely different. Moments before, he was sitting tall and seemed like a mountain, unmovable and impenetrable. Now, he slumped, his shoulders sagging, his hair messy as if he had just run his hand through it. He looked twitchier than I felt.

Chapter Eighteen

Stone

I didn’t know how to tell her that supernatural creatures were real, that she might be one herself. Just looking at her, the way she looked at me when I turned back around, I had never felt lower in my long life than I had right then. She had looked at me like I was going to punish her, like I was the enemy. I didn’t even know what I had done wrong. Yet when she turned her face a fraction to the right, eyes closed tight and lips, those perfect lips, tightened. She had been preparing for someone to hit her. I could never do that. Instead, my hand had moved and touched her scars. Those beautiful scars. Gods, I had wanted to kiss them so badly. Marcus had said something, but I couldn’t take my focus off of Audrey. His words finally broke through.

“There are things we need tae tell ye, Audrey,” Marcus announced, while looking at me pointedly.

I felt the weight of the world fall on my shoulders as she looked up at me with her eyes wide. While the one was milky and would be considered ugly, I knew that she was seeing all my emotions, even the ones I wanted to hide. No sorcerer or witch I knew could do that. There was no supernatural out that there that I knew of that could do that actually. When Jacobs had told me about her power, I didn’t believe him. The other was a bright blue that unnerved me. What could I tell her? How could I tell her?

“There is more in this world than humans,” I started off lightly. I watched her face waiting for her to shut down, waiting for her to break. “Normal isn’t really all that normal. There are creatures that you probably only thought existed in your nightmares.” She flinched at that and I realized I picked a horrible choice of words. “Shit…” I rubbed my hand through my long hair. “Okay, there are creatures. Creatures such as vampires, werewolves, fey, and so many more.” She looked at the table. Her brow scrunched as if she was remembered something. I wanted to give her time, so I looked over at Nixie who looked like she was ready to kill me. Shit, as if I wasn’t ready to do that myself. Not only did I make a complete ass out of myself, but I had to bring up her memories. Smooth, real, smooth.

“I know,” she whispered, so quietly that I was sure she didn’t say it and I had imagined it. Then she looked up at me. She looked like a different type of scared than when I first saw her, but it was still an all-consuming fear that shook me. I wanted to pull her into my arms, and never let go. She was too fragile. She didn’t need to be in the center of all this.

“What?” Nixie asked, moving toward Audrey. Audrey was still hunched over in her seat, but I saw how her eyes shifted to Nixie, accusing. I started to admire that she felt comfortable enough around Nixie that she would show some type of reaction. I was also pissed off, because I wanted to know what exactly had Audrey looking like that.

She swallowed so hard that I thought perhaps she had something stuck in her throat. “I believe you. Tell me more.” she paused and looked at me. I relaxed and Audrey’s eyes swept over me. Gods I loved it when she looked at me like that. Right now, in this moment she wasn’t afraid of me. She was calm, stable, safe. When she looked into my eyes, though, I saw her move back just a bit, and I knew my eyes gave me away. I said too much without saying anything at all.

“All right lassie. Weel, I’m what ye would call a fey. I don’t hae wings so don't ask. I can shed mah glamour if ye want.” Without waiting for permission, Marcus’s glamour melted away. It unnerved me. His short hair grew in length, going well past his shoulders. His body shape remained about the same, but he grew about four inches. Watching him I knew why humans fell for a fey’s trap, his eyes before were an odd shade of yellow, but now they were a deeper yellow resembling summer flowers. Audrey’s eyes widened and I heard her suck in a breath.

“I miss your human form already,” Nixie whispered, sighing loudly. Sirens and fey usually could get along pretty well, but once fey started to take over the spotlight, sirens got a tad jealous.

Audrey didn’t say anything, so Marcus continued to explain how the fey worked. They had their own realm. Most of them stayed within their world, but some, like Marcus, enjoyed the human world much more. He told her that fey couldn’t technically lie, but they could spin a person around with avoiding telling the truth so much that the person forgot what they were asking in the first place. He kept some of their darker secrets to himself, and for some reason, I felt thankful for that.

Nixie told Audrey a bit more about sirens and the differences between them and mermaids. She had explained that mermaids couldn’t leave water, and had different forms while in water. I wasn’t as well versed with mermaids. I had never lived close to the sea. Nixie explained the siren’s song and how it was used to persuade humans into doing anything really, but Nixie could also do it to paranormals as well. Siren’s had a tendency to form a sort of magic bond. It was an instinctual thing and breaking a bond was painful for the siren.

I watched Audrey the whole time. She remained quiet, her body as small as she could get it without completely disappearing. She would look up at Marcus, though, when he told her all about the fey, and she watched Nixie as she spoke, her eyes roaming over her hair and eyes. When Nixie finished telling Audrey about her race, Audrey looked at me.

“And what are you?” she asked hesitantly. She looked up at me, and I couldn’t help but wonder what she saw.

“I am a shape-shifter.” I said, having a hard time keeping eye contact with her. I looked down for a moment, not wanting to see the rejection in her eyes, but when I looked at her again, she only appeared curious with her head slightly tilted, her lovely lips parted in an unspoken question. “I can change my form, human or animal.” I showed her by changing my form to one that looked exactly like Marcus’s human form. I didn’t like to take fey form if I could help it. It was uncomfortable and drained a lot of energy. Audrey’s mouth popped open, along with her eyes. She looked frantically from Marcus back to me. I changed back to the skin that I usually lived in. “There are three different types of shifters. There are shape-shifters like me, the rarer of the three, who can change both our human and an animal forms. There are human-shifters that can only change into any human form, and animal-shifters that have one human form and can change into any animal. We don’t have the limitations of living by animal instincts. Well, besides the animal-shifters. They tend to have a more animalistic behavior, and human-shifters tend to be very charismatic but they don’t have strong loyalties, except to their own race.” Audrey was watching me even closer.

“Why does your eye color change?” It was probably the first time I had heard her ask a question without any fear. I was pleased. I sat a little taller, knowing that she was interested, that she wasn’t terrified about what she had learned about me.

“With shape or human-shifters we can automatically change our eye color, but a lot of the time, our eye color changes unconsciously to reflect our emotions. If I was in a human populated place, I would control it, but here, it’s safe to be myself.” I looked at her pointedly now.

“Were-creatures are different from shape-shifters though. Weres are people who had an animal spirit in them as well, like Dallas and Jacobs, they are both werewolves. They can only change into wolves, but they don’t just shift into wolves. Part of who they are, are wolves. They have the same instincts as their animal spirit.”

She didn’t look at me, though; instead, she was twisting her hands. I wanted to know what was going through her head right now.

Chapter Nineteen

Audrey

We stayed in the cafeteria until people started to filter in for dinner. Then, Nixie and Stone allowed me to take food back to Nixie’s room, who I would be staying with for the time being. Nixie told me that she had formed a bond with me, and since I was the only girl, other than someone named Anane, that she had formed a bond with, she’d rather keep me close so she could sleep easier. I thought over all the information I had learned.

The only reason I believed, besides the truth I read in their eyes, was because I knew of the paranormal world. Not as extensive as they made it, but I knew my father was not entirely human. He had shown me that. He had punished me for not being like him. He demanded many times when I was growing up to change into something. The something was lost deep within me somewhere; I knew that. I was too scared to say anything. If I were to remember what it was, would Nixie and Stone try to force me to be something that my father had been? Would they punish me as well for not doing as they asked?

Marcus had told me about wraiths after I had asked Stone to tell me, and his face turned angry. They all seemed cautious about telling me about wraiths. I kept remembering Elijah’s cold eyes when I had first met him. They had told me wraiths were a sort of mystery in heritage, and they kept mostly to themselves, so what people knew was from experience. Marcus told me in a very animated voice how it was rumored that wraiths came straight from hell. They were technically the regrets of hell. In their true forms, they were just spirits that could enter any body they wanted. If the wraith stayed long enough, it would slowly kill the person within. Marcus said it was rumored also to be the worst pain imaginable but no one really survived to tell the tale. That got Stone growling, and we all turned to look at him. The conversation about wraiths ended then.

We talked about other paranormals, but we didn’t get very far because of the dinner crowd. Stone and Marcus said that we would continue tomorrow, but I wasn’t sure if I was prepared to learn more. What I had learned so far was overwhelming as it was. I wondered what it all had to do with me, though. I tried to push it all to the back of my mind and tried to sleep.

That night I dreamt of the last time I saw my father. In the dream, I was in bed when it happened, but in my memory, I knew I was in the kitchen. I just felt safer in my small room. I could hear the noises muffled through the door that were amplified when I was standing in the middle of it. I was only fifteen years old when they came. I was in no way a child, even then, but I felt small and brittle.

The crashing became louder, stomping feet came to my room. The door was thrown open. My father’s slitted eyes watched me. Get up! He growled, his voice deeper when he was angry. I threw away my covers. He grabbed my arm and started to pull me from the room. I tried to reach out for my only companion - my stuffed dragon. He was missing an eye and worn out, but he was mine. He was my only friend. I needed him. As I tugged my arm from my father, he pulled me harder.

“You fool! We have to leave now!” But I was irrational. I needed my dragon. I had named him Aiden, and I loved him. I couldn’t leave without him; he was my only source of comfort. Pulling away from my father was my mistake. Ripping my arm from him only resulted in my arm ripping from its socket. As he dragged me along, I was blinded by agony. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t focus, and I couldn’t breathe. He tried to lift me, I think. I remember a blinding pain that caused me to scream until my throat was raw. In the dream, I moved seamlessly from that night to the next moment I could remember.

I preferred the dreams of the white room. Not this room. Any room but this one. No. No. No. Not this room. The room that was carved from stone. It hurt to sit, it hurt to lie down. It was meant to hurt, hurt, hurt. I stayed there a year. Each day visited by creatures from my nightmares. Men with soulless eyes, not ones like Elijah. No, these men had no excuses besides their desire to inflict pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. So much pain. Each day it became harder to be. Each day it became a struggle to exist. Each day, I became less. At least with my father, I had his love, even as twisted as it was.

They beat me until my skin resembled the ashen ground I lay on; they touched my developing body roughly and without bounds. They screamed at me. They would destroy me and put me back together again. Over and over. I lost track of time in there. I was then moved to the white room. I was moved because I couldn’t tell them where my father was. Because I could not be what they demanded I be. One of the guards let it slip what the year was; I had lived in that hell for one year. He became my favorite. He hit a little less hard, and he screamed a little less loud. He touched my face with a loving caress. The side without the scars. He’d tell me what a shame it was. I couldn’t remember if this guard was a dream or if he was real. He might have been real to an extent and, romanticized by my hope for something, or someone better. In such a dark place, it worked. I had survived. . .almost.

The touch still lingered. This time it was on the wrong side of my face. That was what I remembered the most-his soft touch. Now it was as if I could still feel it. I moved my face so that the feeling wouldn’t stop. I wanted more of it. I breathed in, the air tasting different. It tasted of sandalwood and hints of forest pine. My eyes opened to soft, violet-colored eyes. They changed rapidly from the violet to an ocean blue. My hand moved on its own to push Stone’s hair from his eyes. He watched me, schooling his shock, as if not to scare me away.

“How did you sleep?” he asked, as I pulled my hand away.

“I slept.” With nightmares and memories mixed together so much that I wasn’t sure what was reality and what was fiction anymore. He smiled, and I saw the emerging of light yellow in his eyes. He was truly laughing.

“Come on. We have a lot more to teach you today, and so very little time before Jacobs decides to throw you into the mix.” Stone left me alone so that I could dress in different clothing. I hadn’t had the choice of so many different outfits in so long that I had tried to sleep in what I was wearing. Nixie had laughed so hard about my attempt to wear my nightclothes that tears formed in her coral eyes.

When I came out of the room, I was wearing a dress with a sweater on the top part of it. It reached well below my knees, but I still felt exposed. Unfortunately, it was the only thing I had been given that fit properly. I looked up at Stone’s sharp intake of breath. My eyes widened with fear, and I frantically looked to see what had caused his shock. There was nothing else in the room but us. When I looked at him, his eyes roamed the length of my body. The look made me feel uncomfortable, but not in the way I expected. This was a different kind of uncomfortable. While other stares made me shrink in fear, his made me squirm with embarrassment. I felt as if I had something to hide.

“I can change.” I started to turn away but Stone grabbed me before I could get too far.

“No. Gods no. You look…amazing.” His voice was almost breathless.

He stood so close, too close. Yet somehow farther than I wanted him to be. I didn’t dare look past his chest, which was level with my eyes. His hands, Gods they were the softest things I had ever felt on my skin. I closed my eyes against the assault. I felt him lift my chin, and my entire body followed. I didn’t want to let his touch go. For once, the touch of another, besides my Aiden, had made me feel safe. I didn’t know why.

“You should stand tall. Stop hiding.”

His breath feathered over the sensitive skin of my lids. I couldn’t have kept my eyes open even if I tried.

“Audrey.” His voice was so, so, so close. I felt his hands move through my thick hair, the strands wrapping around his fingers, knotting and refusing to let him go.

“Audrey! Are you-? Well, if this isn’t the most awkward time to walk in,” Nixie practically sang as Stone and I jumped away from each other. My heart was racing to the point I thought I would collapse. I looked away from Stone, feeling too horrified to look into his eyes. He looked beyond irritated. I wasn’t sure if he was angry with me or something else.

“Yes, Nixie, a horrible time to come in. But now that you are here, I suppose we can head down for breakfast.” Stone stomped out of the room.

“Well, what fish swam up his ass this morning?” Nixie looked at me with a bright smile. “Look at you! You are practically glowing! You are looking very alive this morning.” She offered me a huge wink.

I moved my hair in front of my face, in front of my scars, in front of where he touched me so tenderly. My skin felt branded by the heat that was left behind.

“Well come on. You can tell me all about your steamy moment I interrupted while we head down to the cafeteria.” Nixie grabbed my hand, the contact with her was becoming oddly normal. On the way down, Nixie started to tell me more about the siren song as the elevator started to move.

“Really sirens can use it on humans only. I think I am one of the only existing sirens that has managed to use it on paranormals. But don’t tell anyone,” She winked at me with a large smile spreading across her face, “Well, almost all paranormals. I can’t on wraiths, or a few others. Mostly the spirit element paranormals, like wraiths, Djinns and creatures of that nature. And, well, the legendary dragon shifters as well but I think it’s because they are so iron willed. No one actually believes in the dragons anymore. They became extinct, I think it was over three hundred years ago or so. Shame, they were dangerous, beautiful folks. Of course it is not like I met one before but man they had to be the most possessive creatures out there. I heard the males were like a pack of Alpha werewolves mixed with leprechauns.” I wanted to ask what kind of element the dragons had lived under, what elemental God did they belong to? My …someone from my past had told me about the Gods, I could remember that. I could remember that the dragons had three out of the five elements of the paranormal world. Nixie broke my train of thought as she moved on.

“Oh and if you think leprechauns are possessive, you should have met this gargoyle I went out with once. Hot, especially with that tail! Gods the things that man could do with his tail… Of course they are only playful with their tails when they really like you.” Nixie drifted off as we entered the cafeteria. Stone was already sitting at the table in the back corner. I felt a pang of something deep in my heart. He was being considerate. The thought almost put tears in my eyes.

“I will grab your food. Is there something you want in particular?” Nixie asked.

I started to shake my head, but I did have a request.

“Grapes, please.” My voice was still barely a whisper, but I noticed how it was getting stronger with more use. It sounded less rustic and more musical. Nixie’s face broke out into a shining smile, her matching coral lips spread wide and thinned. She squeaked and wrapped her arms around me in a quick hug before she disappeared. Stone saw and made a move to get up. I headed in his direction.

Chapter Twenty

Stone

Gods, seeing her in that dress. Those long narrow legs, granted skinnier than I liked, but it was the most skin I had seen on her since I had met her. I wanted to touch every exposed piece of skin I could find. My skin practically itched for me to do so.

Standing so close to her, I could smell her unique scent of jasmine and lavender. I moved closer, I couldn’t seem to stop myself. Gor once, she didn’t move back or flinch, but she wouldn’t look at me. She wouldn’t stand to her full height. I wanted her to be proud of who she was. I wanted her to know how beautiful I saw her. How the world saw her.

I touched her scars again. I knew how they felt; raised, leathery, and tight. When one grew into scars, the skin around didn’t grow quite right.

I forced her to look at me, seconds from pressing my lips against hers. Then Nixie came and stole her away.

I broke free from the memory of our almost kiss when I heard Nixie’s delighted squeal. Looking up, I saw Audrey looking slightly lost, but heading in my direction. Our last kiss lingered on my lips. The next time I kissed her, she would know it was me, and I would take more. I could not settle for less. I would not. I started to stand, the black sweater she wore over her dark green dress made her hair all the more prominent. I thought back to when my fingers had tangled around her locks. Her hair looked coarse and almost dry but touching it was like touching silk.

“What were you two discussing?” I asked as she arrived. She sat next to me, at least a foot away from me, too far for my liking, but I knew she needed to come to me, not the other way around. I didn’t want to push her.

“Mermaids versus sirens. It was…enlightening. Is there more you could tell me about?” She looked up at me with those eyes, almost as if she could trust me, and I felt my entire insides tighten.

“There is so much to tell you, I don’t even know where to start. I guess I should explain the paranormal world to you. We used to be split by races, and we kept to ourselves. Some had rivalries, like angels and wraiths. They can’t be near each other. Ever. That’s just asking for disaster. Witches and wraiths as well. Never a good combination. About four hundred years ago, humans started learning about the paranormal world. It didn’t end well for us. Humans played on our rivalries and pretty much had us destroying ourselves. Some races became extinct because of that. Some became endangered and extremely rare.”

“Like dragon shifters?” Audrey gave me a strange look. I couldn’t understand the look, but more importantly, I was baffled that she knew about dragon shifters. It must have shown, because she said, “Nixie told me a little about them.”

“Yes, like the dragon shifters. They were a proud, powerful race that a lot of paranormals feared. They became a target, especially for their hearts.” Audrey gave me a look of utter horror. “If someone possessed half of a dragon shifter’s heart, they not only controlled the shifter, but could tap into the dragon’s power. Anyway after that, powerful families within the community decided to take it upon themselves to offer protection to certain races.” I gave her a wink to try and lighten the mood again. “The paranormal world is no longer divided by race but divided by name. The family you belong with says a lot about you. Some families, steal and force you into their clans. Like the Vedenins who held you captive.” She flinched away, but there was nothing I could do about that. She needed to know the truth about our world. We weren’t safe, or happy or anything quite like that. Paranormals, much like humans, were greedy for power and willing to do almost anything to get what they wanted.

Nixie set a tray down in front of Audrey, who looked at it with enthusiasm. Then I saw what she looked at. Grapes. Something changed in me at that moment. A simple fruit made her seem more alive than anything else. When I looked at Audrey, she became much more than the mystery we had to solve. She belonged to me. I stopped that train of thought before they could reach any other part of my mind or body. She couldn’t be mine. She would never be mine.

Nixie started to tell Audrey stories of the time she lived in the sea. Audrey seemed fascinated, but at the same time, she held back. I wondered if she would always hold back.

“Audrey.” Elijah’s detached voice came from behind us.

She turned to look at him; she was the only person I knew that would look a wraith in the eye for that long. Her shoulders sagged slightly as if in relief, and I wondered what it was about him that made her feel relaxed.

“Jacobs would like to have a word.” He turned away and headed toward Jacobs’ office. We all knew he probably wanted this to be a one-on-one meeting. That wouldn’t stop me though. Things had changed. She…I wanted her to need me there.

When Audrey didn’t automatically go after Elijah, my heart swelled. I stood and motioned her to follow, barely containing my smile. I wanted to hold out my hand, take her waist in my arm, and lead her, but I knew even offering her a hand would probably scare her. She took one last longing glance at the grapes and stood. It was as if she was expecting this to happen. Nixie looked like she wanted to follow.

“You can come back and eat when you’re finished, Audrey.”

She looked up at me with those big frightened eyes, and I didn’t know what else to say. I didn’t know if the look rooted from fear of punishment or fear of hope. Either forced the need to protect her more. What had those cruel bastards done to her? Elijah waited at the elevators for us, and his gaze shifted to me.

“You can stay. Jacobs needs to speak with her alone.”

As soon as the doors opened, Elijah turned on his heel, marched in, and waited for Audrey to follow. She looked back at me, tucked her head in and her shoulders slumped from her former taller position, and she followed.

Shit, I wanted to follow her. I wanted to hold her in my arms and tell her that she was fine, that she was safe here. But I didn’t know that for sure, did I? There had to be a reason Jacobs wanted to see her. He knew more than he said. I turned, heading toward Nixie. Hopefully, she knew more than she let on, too.

Chapter Twenty-One

Audrey

The doors shut. I remembered that my father hated elevators. I hated them too. They were small, too small. The air left my body only to return seconds later. I tasted the same air. The same. The same. The same. The walls that seemed too close before, now grew even closer. The space was suffocating, and Elijah stood still, a stone statue, safe in his unbreakable skin. I was fragile in my easy to slice through skin and breakable bones. Pieces of me could be ripped off. Breakable. I was so very…breakable. The doors opened suddenly, and Elijah pushed me out of the enclosed space.

“We will take the stairs.” He moved to the door next to the elevators, and we started upwards.

For a moment I felt grateful of Elijah’s actions. I didn’t know how to express it, other than to remain silent and keep my head down.

“Your fear was stifling. Are you claustrophobic?”

My head shot up before I could stop it. He had sounded different when he asked me that, almost perplexed. I had to see. But his eyes remained the same endless black.

“To be claustrophobic means to have a phobia or fear of enclosed spaces.” Back to the logical, unexpressive voice.

“I suppose. I-I don’t know.” It was true. I didn’t know. Most of the time I felt safe in small spaces. I felt a comfort there, but in that metal box, I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

“This way.” He opened the door and I stepped out into a familiar looking hallway.

This floor was decorated in a soft green and I couldn’t get enough of the color. I stopped and stared. In the color, I saw the lust, the hate, and every other emotion experienced within the hall. The color remembered it all. I realized this wasn’t the first time I felt memories from colors. It was a strange, new sensation that I had been noticing more and more since I had arrived. Since white was the absence of color, in my white room I was safe from anything like this. In my stone room there were rarely times my eyes were open or not swollen shut.

When we arrived in Jacobs’ office, my eyes immediately went to the floor. Submission to males like Jacobs’ was the safest. They could always smell your fear but at least I could hide it in my eyes this way. Elijah left me in front of Jacobs' desk but I heard the door click shut. My body trembled slightly. Four years was a long time not to be beaten and I had grown accustomed to unbruised and unbeaten skin. Jacobs’ cleared his throat and began.

“No more games, Audrey. Elijah informed me that your memories were unlocked when the wraith was extracted. I demand to know what you know.” Jacobs’ voice was pounding into me, forcing a flinch through my body. He was holding back his anger though. I knew when someone held back. It was in the way they held back the bite in their words.

I shifted. I didn’t want to remember those memories. I didn’t want to talk about them. I knew what the Vedenins had wanted. I remembered the moment I woke up. I had pushed them away. I pushed them all away. Jacobs wanted the same. He wanted to know more about my father. Keeping my eyes lowered and my stance vulnerable, I waited. It didn’t take long. Jacobs’ fist came down on the desk with a loud crash.

“Goddammit, speak. Do you know how much I risked coming for you?” Jacobs let his anger go, he was yelling now. I shrunk into myself, waiting for the blow.

“Jacobs.” Elijah spoke up. His voice only slightly more raised than normal. Jacobs ignored him.

“I am done tip-toeing around. I told you, Elijah to look into her mind while you were in there. I needed that information. Cain wants it now. I know she is hiding something. Either you will tell me or I will make her tell me. The Vedenin aren’t stupid, they know who took her and are attacking our smaller facilities looking for her. Somehow, the York Clan also found out about her. There is no way Cain wants the York Coan breathing down our necks as well. I will not put our clan in danger because of this girl.”

I hadn’t realized that Jacobs had been moving around the desk. He was in front of me. His polished, black shoes touching my barely covered feet. He grabbed my chin roughly and forced me to look into his eyes. I only saw pure determination and the need to protect in his glowing yellow eyes. The force of his emotions were too much. His grip was too tight. I tried to pull away but he held too tightly, too roughly. I had let out a whimper.

“Jacobs, I will only tell you once. Release her.” Elijah’s voice was the most demanding that I had ever heard from him.

“You don’t give me orders, Elijah. You may be a wraith, but I am still your superior, and this girl is going to tell me what I need to know. By any means.” Jacobs’ eyes shifted from me to look at Elijah. His hold of my jaw tightened, extracting a whimper out of me.

My stomach hollowed out and tears started to form before I could hold them back. One hell to another. This was worse. This was much worse. They had lied. All those touches. All those looks. All those kind words. Fake. Fake. Fake.

“Release her.”

I felt the air around me drop. I didn’t even see Elijah’s hand move, but I did feel the release of Jacobs’ hand from my face. I backed away as I watched Elijah take my former spot in front of Jacobs. “I do not repeat myself Jacobs. Do not touch her, again. I decide what I do. Not you.”

I wanted to run from the room but my body seemed to be frozen, forced to watch the scene in front of me unfold. Elijah had Jacobs on his knees just by his hold on his wrist. Elijah’s voice had changed, deepened, darkened to the point it was hardly recognizable. My breathing had turned erratic and I couldn’t seem to get my eyes to focus anymore. My heart was beating too fast. Pound-pound-pounding away. I lost the feeling in my legs and started to go down. Before I could meet the floor, Elijah was there catching me.

“Come.” He picked me up with ease and I made no movement of protest. I couldn’t focus enough to react to his hold. My mind kept on with its broken record. Fake, fake, fake. I craved the contact of another being. Fake, fake, fake. I craved the friendship. Fake, fake, fake. The comfort they offered. Fake, fake, fake. The most heartbreaking of all, the looks I refused to see. Fake. Fake. Fake.

Elijah placed me onto an unknown bed. The room was different shades of black. While white was the absence of color, black was all colors. It was slightly overwhelming, but only at first. Until I closed my eyes to the only darkness that was truly colorless.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Stone

“Find her,” Jacobs said, dismissing some of the guards.

I waited for them to leave. I wanted to know who he was talking about, and the sinking feeling in my gut told me all I needed to know.

“Are you coming in, Stone?” I rounded the corner into his office. Jacobs’s eyes were a deep yellow and his voice gruff.

“Maybe it would be a good time for you to go for a run, Jacobs.” I was only somewhat joking.

“Where the hell is she?” His Alpha voice rang out in those words, but I wasn’t going to back down. Shape-shifters didn’t listen to any Alpha and definitely not a werewolf Alpha without a pack.

“You are overstepping yourself, Jacobs. You’ve been keeping us in the dark, and we’re pretty damn sick of it.” I stood a couple inches taller than Jacobs. Looking down at the werewolf, and the wrinkles lining his skin, I thought he was getting too old for this job, but I could also see the fierce look in his eyes.

“Audrey’s location, Stone. I will tell you what you need to know when it’s time and not just because you are throwing around your weight and acting like an overgrown pup.” That did piss me off. My eyes flashed a bright red and I knew Jacobs saw that he had pushed me a little too far. I needed to find out exactly what the hell was going on and got into his space.

“Look mutt, I respected your decisions because I thought you had the best interests of the clan, but Audrey is now mine to protect. So, trust me when I say I will not listen to you unless it is in her best interest.” I had him by the front of his shirt, and it ripped under the strain of my grasp. His thick nails were bit into my skin, but I didn’t dare give up the eye contact we had. The first to look away submitted. I wasn’t submitting this time.

“Dad!” Dallas came between us, shoving me away. Dallas took a protective stance in front of his father, who fixed his shirt and composed himself.

“Back down, Dallas. Stone is letting his emotions get the best of him. Dallas, let the guards know that she is unstable and needs to be brought directly back to me.” Jacobs didn’t take his yellow eyes off of me. I knew that smirk he was giving me though. He thought he won this round. I swore to myself I would protect. Even against Jacobs.

I needed help though. Nixie wanted to protect Audrey too. Together, we could find her faster. Maybe even before Jacobs. I turned to walk out.

“Dallas, go with Stone.” Jacobs walked back to his desk. Dallas glanced at me, and then at his father.

“I don’t need a babysitter.” Dallas let out a low growl. I ignored it as I turned away and started out of the room. I heard Dallas mutter something to his father, then he followed me out of the door. I needed him away from me as I looked for Audrey, she would never believe that I was trying to keep her away from Jacobs if I had Dallas with me.

“Dallas can you sniff out Nixie and tell her to meet me back at her room. I will look for Audrey.”

When I looked at the hot-headed werewolf, instead of making some argument, he just nodded and headed the other way.

I had no idea where to look, but I was going to find her. I had to.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Audrey

“Audrey.” I turned away, I preferred to stare at the wall than at the open, empty space around me. More than ever, I missed my white walls with their colorless feelings.

Finally, I looked up at Elijah. He remained unwavering in his dispassionate state.

“Why are you helping me?” I didn’t back away from his black eyes.

“I do not know. For once, fear did not taste that sweet.” He looked away for only a second. “Stone is at the door. Would you prefer to be kept a secret or would you like to hear what he has to offer you?” Hearing Stone’s name made my heart pound a little harder, from fear or something else, I was not certain, but it had been a very long time since my heart pounded in fear. What would he offer? Would he tell me I needed to go back? I felt helpless and for some reason the idea of losing this place, that started to feel like home, felt like too much. Who did I truly belong to? I had no one to run to, no clan, and I was no longer safe in the place that I thought would keep me safe.

“I suppose let him in.” There was a knock at the door as soon as I answered. Elijah disappeared and I heard grunts, sickening smacks, and finally heavy footfalls.

“Audrey.” Stone’s longer black hair looked totally disheveled and his eyes looked slightly wild. “I’ve been looking for you all night. Jacobs is demanding answers and we need to get you out of here.” Stone looked at the doorway and Elijah stood watching us.

“Elijah, I swear I will kill you if you try to stop me.”

“What is your decision, Audrey?” Elijah’s eyes met mine.

Stone had sounded frantic and slightly deranged, but he offered an out, while Jacobs offered more imprisonment. Something that I wasn’t sure I could survive again.

“I would very much like to be…free.”

“Then I shall help you.” Elijah moved past Stone who was standing with his mouth agape, and brows furrowed.

“Excuse me? You’re going to help us?” Stone moved a little closer to me, I didn’t think he even realized he had picked up my hand and now clutched it. It started to feel reassuring.

“Not you. I will help her. There are things you do not know about her. Things that I will not share with you. And she needs more protection than just you.” While Elijah spoke, Stone’s grip got tighter.

“Is that why Jacobs wanted to see her?” Stone growled.

“Calm yourself shape-shifter. Yes, but it is too dangerous to allow anyone to know her secrets, before she knows them herself.” Elijah moved around his room picking up seemingly random objects and placing them in a duffle bag.

“I would recommend you get an overnight bag. We may be gone for a while. Her memories will return at their own pace. I will not allow anyone to push her. Meet me in the garage. I will be waiting.” Elijah’s words were monotone and uncaring, but his eyes watched Stone for a reaction. I was too scared to look into Stone’s eyes and read what he might be feeling.

“She is mine to protect.” He held out a hand to me. I peeked up at him, his jaw was tight and his eyes were locked with Elijah’s. I slipped my hand into his. He nodded once and started to pull me from the room.

When we left Elijah’s room, he continued to drag me along the building, stopping every so often to listen or check around a wall. I remained quiet and tried to be as small as possible. When we arrived at his room, he pulled me in, but as soon as he shut the door, he pushed me against it. It wasn’t a rough move, but it scared me. He moved close so that our bodies were barely touching. His strong muscles tensed against my soft skin. He pressed his forehead to mine. I looked up at him.

“I thought…”

His eyes were shut tightly and his hand moved to tangle in my hair behind my neck. I don’t know why, but I couldn’t stop myself from bringing my hand up and smoothing the tight lines around his eyes.

He relaxed under my touch and opened his eyes. They were a stormy grey color that I had never seen before. His hand left my hair to touch my face. He ran his thumb across my lips.

“I…” He straightened suddenly. “I need to get some stuff then we will head down to Nixie’s.” He pushed off from the door and headed to his bedroom. I remained where I was, trembling.

Stone grabbed the things he needed while I waited on the couch. My heart still raced when he came out, his hair was shorter than before, his eyes were a calm grey now. My heart moved faster again.

Stone and I carefully made our way through the hallways and we made it to Nixie’s room without any problems. When we arrived though we heard shouting from inside.

Stone stopped me and listened for a moment.

“It’s Dallas.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me to the next corner. Within a few seconds the door opened and Nixie’s voice screamed out.

“You’re an asshole Dallas! Fuck you!”

Then the door slammed shut. We heard Dallas growl a few things under his breath as he headed in the other direction. Stone looked down at me with a smile.

“If Nixie hadn’t had him all riled up he would have scented us. Come on.” Stone grabbed my hand and I realized how okay I was with the contact now. He somehow made it bearable to be touched. To almost feel like I was safe.

“Nixie. Get a bag ready for yourself and for Audrey. I am not letting Jacobs have her.” Nixie came out of her room already holding two of her bags.

“What? Do you think I am stupid? Why do you think I was fighting with Dallas? I would have thrown his ass out of my room the moment he walked in here if I wasn’t trying to get more information from him. Hi, sweetie.” She rushed over to me and gave me one of her quick hugs, but quickly backed away knowing that I didn’t like to be touched that much. I think she understood that her attempt at comforting me might hurt me more in the end.

“Audrey, you need to tell us exactly what Jacobs said.” Stone turned to me. I told them what Jacobs had said. I knew his intentions. I saw the look in his eyes, he would be willing to do anything, go to any lengths.

“Nixie, did Dallas give you any information?”

“No the blowhole just came in here acting like he owned the place. Demanding this, demanding that. Blah, blah, blah. Said something about Audrey being unstable. Then I of course replied, ‘Well aren’t we all bit crazy?’ then he went all wolfy on me and started to growl. I threatened him with a newspaper to the nose.” Nixie was getting geared up to talk some more before Stone cleared his throat.

“Alright. Well, being that I know exactly what Jacobs will plan if he gets his hands on her, we need to move.”

“Let me grab one more bag.” Nixie disappeared back into her bedroom.

“I want you to know that I don’t agree with what Jacobs wants to do.” Stone was watching me. I could read the slight guilt in his eyes, the murky green swamp color, and the light red of being ashamed.

“Have you done this before? Tortured to get answers.”

“Never with someone who hasn’t deserved it.” His eyes were now a cold distant silver. “No one innocent.” He added.

“Not everyone is innocent.” I answered looking away from him.

“No I suppose not. But there are better people out there than me, and there are better people out there that I have tortured. And you are one of those people.” Stone started to move around in this kitchen space. I didn’t look at him.

“No. I really am not.” I whispered, thinking of everything that I had done. My biggest crime was leaving behind Aiden. He’d never forgive me. I would never forgive myself. I stared at my hands, while I waited for Stone. He appeared in front of me in his black jeans. I slowly looked up. His eyes were a beautiful shade of violet.

“You should not think so little of yourself. Your crimes may not be as horrible as you assume.” He pulled me up, his eyes drifted down to my lips. I felt the need to both move forward and away. We did neither, just stared at each other for a while longer. “You will be safe.”

I looked at Stone, his eyes had shifted to a light grey almost blue color. I could tell that he was calming down yet his hold on my hand hadn’t changed. It remained as tight as before, but not tight enough to hurt.

“Why would you do this for me?” I watched as Stone’s back tensed.

He didn’t turn toward me, though. “I already told you. No one innocent deserves to be tortured.”

“And who is to say that I am anymore innocent than the people you claim are deserving of being tortured?” It was the first time I felt fearless talking to him. To anyone. I wanted to understand completely why he believed this. I did not mean to challenge him, but when he turned to me, his eyes blazing red, I knew that I had.

“Would you look at me so differently if you knew that deep down I was as bad as the ones who tortured you? The one who put those scars on you? To think of me like them and find reasoning in your fear?”

“I want to know if they thought I was truly evil as well.” I whispered. I looked away from Stone. He moved closer and pushed my chin up so I looked him in the eyes. Flecks of the stormy grey swam in their depths, telling me he was both angry and disappointed. I wasn’t sure who he was disappointed or angry with.

“You are not evil. You were not deserving of any of the torture that you got. You have done nothing wrong.” He moved closer to me. My eyes tighten with the threat of tears, so I shut them. His breath fanned my cheeks.

“All right I got the last bag!” Nixie announced. Stone looked at Nixie with both anger and annoyance.

“Five bags? Are you kidding?”

“A girl, paranormal or not, can never be too prepared. Actually, paranormal girls tend to be the most prepared.” She started to grab her bags, on the fifth one she looked up at Stone. “Well, get a move on catfish I can only carry so much.”

“Ever heard of being discreet?” Stone asked as he lifted the last bag off the ground.

“Ever heard of, I’m a siren and if we run into anyone I will just sing them away?” Nixie danced around him and pulled me up from the couch. “Come my little guppy, we are going on a vacation. Hopefully somewhere by a lake!”

Nixie headed for the door.

We only had a few incidents where Nixie walked right up to someone, stared into their eyes, and they simply walked away.

I was nervous at the exit doors thinking we’d be going outside. I hadn’t been outside in years. Instead we were inside another dark, stone, grey building. I tried to recall the name of the structure; it was on the tip of my tongue.

In the parking garage, Elijah waited with an undistinguished car. It was a black number with slightly tinted windows. Elijah said nothing as Nixie and I slipped in the back. Stone slammed the trunk and I jumped. I twisted, looking around feeling oddly exposed and trapped. Nixie tried to hum a tone near my ear, but I felt uncomfortable and uncertain.

I felt the stitching of the seats. I closed my eyes. I touched the stitching again. One. Two. Three.

The car rumbled and we moved, my hand remained steady to my count. Twenty. Light exploded before my tightly shut eyes. I pulled my eyelids closer. I pulled everything closer, but my counting hand. Thirty-nine. The breeze I could taste it, smell it, feel it. Forty-three. I was safe. I was free. No more concrete cages. Fifty-seven.

“Audrey…” Nixie’s humming was interrupted by a masculine voice. Not his. Never this again. Eight-two. “Audrey…” Eighty-seven. “Don’t you want to look outside?” Ninety-six. It’s a trick, the breeze–the smell of it, the feel of it, the taste. The flashlight. I knew all their tricks. One hundred and twenty-one. I knew them all. But the heat touching my eyelids, the unwavering truth in his voice. One hundred and thirty-four. How could I not believe him? I opened my eyes and lost count.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Stone

It was like a newborn opening its eyes for the very first time. Untainted and eager. Even her seemingly dead eye shone bright. Her wild maroon hair flew around her head by the gust of the cracked window. Finally her lips twitched, before I knew it, her entire face lit up with a full smile. I didn’t think I’d ever seen anything as painfully beautiful. She wasn’t even aware she was unfolding and stretching her long lithe body.

“Beautiful.” The word slipped out before I knew I said it. Nixie heard me, giggled and punched the back of my seat. I had the urge to turn around and snarl at her but refrained from doing it. Audrey remained next to the window. When her eyes weren’t rapidly taking in the sights, she would close her eyes and let the breeze brush against her face. In those moments she looked truly free.

A few times during the drive, she flickered back to the scared, damaged, woman we just rescued. Then, she would touch the stitching in the seats and her lips would move. I knew she was counting. Watching her during those moments was like watching a beautiful piece of art melt away.

I wanted her to be able to hold onto the free, majestically natural and open woman she was becoming. Not the broken, dangerous, harsh girl she was. I couldn’t stand to see her so broken.

Thinking of her that way only reminded me of my own sins. How many times had I killed in the name of Braden, my clan’s family name? How many times had I tortured men and women alike to get a simple answer?

I looked forward, feeling wholly unworthy to look upon Audrey, an innocent to me, guilty to another only because she had no answers to give.

“She is no saint. And if you keep painting her in that light she will not thank you.” Elijah’s head was tilted toward me slightly, but with his eyes completely black it was hard to tell where he was really looking.

“No one is a saint. Some of us are just better than others.” I answered, watching as we passed another state line. We were headed north on the coast, I wasn’t sure where Elijah would take us, but I hoped it wasn’t near the York’s land. The York’s were one of the biggest, strongest families in the world, with a bit of marked land on each continent. They weren’t too fond of the Braden clan and on occasion worked with the Vedenins.

Hours later, after Nixie, Audrey and I had fallen asleep at least once, and after two stops for food, gas, and bathroom breaks, we arrived. I’d fallen asleep three hours before and I wasn’t sure what state we were in. We’d all ditched our phones and Nixie reluctantly parted with her iPod knowing Jacobs had tracking devices in all of them. Since I’d never seen this car before, I was guessing Elijah obtained it somehow. I wasn’t going to ask and I knew he wasn’t going to tell.

“This is my cabin. Only one other person knew about it and he is dead now.” Elijah rarely ever smiled and I was glad for it, cause he was smiling at me now, his sharp dagger like teeth made him look deranged. “There are two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a living room with a couch. You can all take the rooms.” Elijah didn’t even look at any of us.

I suppressed a growl and got out. The forest spread out around me felt like heaven, plenty of space to run, to stretch my tight muscles. I looked over at Audrey. Her mouth popped open as she took in all the sights. She looked almost natural. Standing within the trees, she looked at peace.

Nixie joined Audrey and touched her shoulder. Audrey noticeably flinched at the contact but she relaxed when she saw it was only Nixie. While they headed in, I took the bags from the trunk.

“How safe are we here?” I asked hoping he’d give me a good answer.

“I made our scent untraceable, but the magic will fade. If we are found, it will be because of a stray shifter stumbling upon us. This remote, I estimate at least a month before that happens.” I nodded, better than I thought originally.

“Could you get me an extra few things?” This time Elijah looked at me with his head barely tilted. I knew wraiths weren’t easily surprised, but he looked at me with their equivalent of surprise. I gave him a list and he just nodded.

“I will be a couple of hours. But I will return.”

I turned back to the wraith’s secret cabin.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Audrey

Waking up, all I could recall was how I had been outside. I had touched the ground with my toes. I had felt the fresh air all around me. In the car was different, it zipped by as if eager to pass by. This air was different; it was stiller, patient.

Nixie had urged me into the house too soon. She was asleep on the bed keeping as much distance between us as she could. She wasn’t the reason I couldn’t sleep though. I was just too eager to go back outside. I was starved for four years, I needed this.

I closed my eyes, I could hear everything. A cricket northwest, a frog southeast, and a deer to the west. Leaves were rustling. I dreamt of these sounds, longed for them. Now being able to hear them myself again – nothing compared.

The temptation was too much. I practically ran out the door. My bare feet touched the damp ground. I didn’t care, I soaked up the moisture like a plant. The further away I moved, the more extreme the colors became. This place was so full of life. Colors exploded, new colors formed. I should have felt overwhelmed, but instead I felt at ease. I ran over to a tree eager to look at the bark and see every slight shade of brown or green it had to offer. I was utterly fascinated by it all.

“Audrey!” Nixie’s musical voice came out strained and broken from the direction of the cabin.

I looked up at the sky. Had I been out here that long? It had been littered with stars but now was clear and light blue. I turned to head back to Nixie when I saw a black panther step out behind a tree. Its murky brown eyes changed to a bright yellow. Stone. He walked over to me and placed his large head under my hand.

He grabbed the edge of my shirt with his teeth and started to pull me back toward the cabin. I smiled slightly at him, but he just flicked his tail at me and walked in front of me. A couple of times, when I stopped to smell a flower or inspect something closer, he had to turn around and nudge me onwards. The fifth time he got so annoyed he growled at me. I almost laughed. Deep down I knew that I should be scared that Jacobs would find us eventually but I couldn’t bring myself to worry about that. Not yet. Not when I felt content. Almost happy.

As soon as we got into the clearing, Stone bounded off into the house. Nixie rushed over and bent down a little so that we were eye to eye.

“Are you all right?” Nixon's coral eyes flashed her worry.

“I am the happiest I’ve been in many years…” Since I lost my companion, Aiden. But even with that, I hadn’t fully been able to ease the pain in my heart. Now it was less noticeable.

“You had tears in your eyes, I was worried about you.” Nixie smoothed my hair back. “I am sorry I got scared. When I woke up, you were gone.” Nixie pulled me into a hug. She took in a long shaky breath.

I couldn’t find it in myself to pull away, or even be uncomfortable at her touch. Instead it felt almost soothing, like finding a lost family member.

“I can’t believe a wraith would offer up his totally top secret cabin for us. Are you working your womanly charms on him?” Nixie moved to my side tapping me with her hip, laughing.

“My womanly charms?” I asked, but my mind was more on the idea that Elijah had given up this place. For me?

“Yes, sweetie, womanly charms.” She leaned forward, exaggerating her already well-endowed chest. Her voice took a deep, seductive tone. “Elijah may be a wraith, but he is still a male. A male with creepy ass eyes, but eyes nonetheless.” She winked at me and ran her green tongue over her teeth.

“If you’re talking about creepy eyes, apparently you’ve never met a weresnake. Creepy. Especially when their eye shields blink. I know snakes don’t have eyelids so when a weresnake is in its human form their eyes don’t quite adjust right, they still have eyelids like humans but they rarely use them, it’s more of a conscious thought for them.” Stone added as he pulled on his shirt.

“I haven’t met a weresnake before! I wonder how creepy that would be…” Nixie stopped and looked us both with a sly smile. “Never mind. Anyways what is the plan cuttlefish?”

“I know you have been enjoying the outdoors Audrey, but you need to be more careful. Also, we need to start teaching you as much about our world as we can. Hopefully something will help trigger a memory. Sooner or later Jacobs will find us, and he will be more than determined to find out whatever your secret is. And for all of our sakes, I hope by that time you can give him something.” Stone became very serious after that. He led us both back to the house and into the kitchen. While he started to cook, Nixie told me more about aquatic paranormal creatures.

“I know we told you about dragon shifters and how they are extinct now, well we lost a few creatures as well in the ocean. We lost the water nymphs, now that was a tragedy. They were the most beautiful of the aquatic creatures, highly sought after by not only mermen, but male sirens, and even land based creatures. It’s rumored that they could live both underwater or on land in either of their forms. They were a lot like sirens in that aspect. I suppose with two forms, though you know a siren from a mermaid because sirens don’t have tails, and we look much like a human but with gills. I will have to show you sometime. Easier to show then tell. I had this one friend, oh she was gorgeous in her blue hues. Anyways, nymphs usually kept to themselves and they had control over the seas. Again, all rumored here, but it was said nymphs were the sons and daughters of the water Gods. Now I think those bastards actually had the krakens, now what we wouldn’t give to get rid of those!” Nixie started to laugh.

“Nixie, maybe we should stop with the aquatic lessons, it’s not like she is an aquatic paranormal anyway.” Stone interrupted while Nixie finally took a breath. She pouted, but there was a twinkle in her eye.

“We never finished telling you about all the different kinds of Weres!” Nixie practically jumped up and down. “So there are Weres for almost very kind of animal out there, and really they take on the instincts and characteristics of their animal spirit even in their human forms. Like a weresloth,” She paused looking over at Stone, “Yeah I met a weresloth, you can be jealous now! Anyways, so he was really slow and when he talked it took him forever to get out a sentence. Oh, I met a wereraccoon once. Gross! Don’t ever hang around them too often, they smell horrible and they are super possessive of their food. One hissed at me once. Moving on…So that is pretty much the jist of Weres. They are pretty simple creatures to understand.” Stone set some food on the table, it was soupy noodles and smelled of beef.

“Ramen noodles, it was all he had that was still okay to eat. I think he should be back soon. And he is going to be bringing better food.” Stone explained as he handed another bowl to Nixie who immediately wrinkled her nose. Stone had told me before that Elijah had gone to shop far from the cabin in fear that some type of tracking paranormal might catch his scent.

“I am guessing he won’t be bringing me my seaweed salad. He is bringing fish right?” She looked up at Stone who moved to the other side of the table.

“Yeah, I told him.”

“Whew, for a second there I was really worried. Thanks, Stone. You are a guppy!” Nixie smiled, looking back down at her food. “I know it says shrimp flavored, but this does not smell like shrimp.” She sighed, and started to eat it despite her reluctance.

“What are some paranormal creatures?” I asked quietly.

“Well, there are nature based ones like the Dryads, elves, fey, fairies and pixies. Those are usually the most common ones you will find. Elves are not small little things. Those are gnomes. And my advice is to stay far away from gnomes, the bastards drive people insane. There are a lot of paranormals but we really need to start educating you on the families. Now, there are ten major families and forty minors ones that branch off the top ten families. The Bradens, who we belong with, will not be the only ones looking for us.” They both got really quiet after that. I watched them both, waiting for them to explain.

Stone looked at Nixie who swallowed hard. “Elijah mentioned we were near the York’s land.”

“The Yorks?” Nixie’s usually pale green-tinted skin looked even whiter.

“I am sorry, Nixie.” Stone reached over to touch Nixie but for once I saw her shy away. She stood so abruptly that her chair fell backwards.

“I think I smelled a lake nearby.” Nixie’s words were stiff and lacking the normal musical tone I was so used to hearing in her voice. The door slammed on her exit. I stirred my food. Stone touched my hand bringing my eyes to his.

“There is history there. Something she’ll have to tell you but for now how about I take you for a walk in the woods. I know you weren’t done this morning, we were just hoping you would eat.”

I nodded and followed him to the front door. We went in the opposite direction Nixie had headed.

“Would you be willing to tell me about your past? Anything that you remember?”

I stiffened at his words. Was this just another elaborate trick, if this didn’t work out for a day then would they send me back to Jacobs? I didn’t want to be sent back to Jacobs. Stone touched my elbow and trailed his hand down my arm. My eyes closed against the sweet assault. He cupped his hand around mine, his fingers twitched as if they wanted to be closer.

“I am not asking for them. I want to know about you.”

I looked up at Stone.

“I don’t know what you want me to tell you…” I whispered looking away from his forest green eyes.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Stone

“Tell me anything.” I said watching her.

She looked down at the ground as if she was ashamed to even think about her past. I wanted to know everything about her, a need I couldn’t quite understand. Usually I was happy enough to be uninvolved. It was easier that way. But looking down at her, I wanted to know everything about her. I waited a long time as we walked, but I knew I had to wait for her to come to me.

“I had a stuffed animal. He had a name. Aiden. He was my only friend for so long that when I lost him, I felt like I lost the only good thing in this world. It was just a small little thing I remember that my father gave me.” I saw her lips twitch for a moment but when she looked up at me, her eye was impossibly sad. She had lost her one and only friend.

“How did you lose him?” I asked before I realized that it was the wrong thing to say. “Wait you don’t…”

“I was in my room that morning holding Aiden. I held him so tight because I had been crying. My dad had knocked on the door. I let go. I let go of him. When I got to the door, my father looked worried and tried to pull me out of the room. I told him I had to go back for Aiden. All I remember was turning back to grab him. It was the last time I ever saw him.” She held onto my hand even tighter as if I was her life-line.

“I am so sorry, Audrey.” What could I say? I understood the pain of loss and didn’t want the world to come after her anymore. Hadn’t she suffered enough? I stopped walking and turned toward her. All I wanted to do was wrap her in my arms and never let go.

I didn’t realize that my hands were on her hips guiding her back to a tree. I looked down at her eyes. I saw a hint of fear, uncertainty, and something more. I knew what I was seeing. Desire. Even though I could see she didn’t completely understand, she still leaned forward, pressing against me. Her soft body pressed against mine. I closed my eyes, savoring the feeling for only a moment before I opened them again.

I couldn’t wait any longer. Her plump lips invited me in, and I had to have a taste. I leaned down and she leaned back, just a little out of fear, but the tree wouldn’t let her escape. One hand remained firmly on her hip, the other migrated to the back her head, both to keep her in place. I couldn’t wait to tangle my hands in her hair again. As if her hair had a mind of its own, it twisted around my hand. I savored the feel of the silky strands.

I needed to feel her entire body against me. My body moved without my permission, getting as close to her as I could. Then, I pressed my lips against hers. They were as soft as I imagined them to be. She tasted like she smelled, wild, untamed, and sweet. She remained stiff for a moment then followed my lead. When I ran my tongue on her bottom lip, she gasped and I moved in. She froze for a moment. Then her tongue followed mine. Kissing her made me feel lighter. A burden that I had been carrying suddenly lifted and I was free. It was an odd sensation. I knew we needed to come up for air, but I didn’t want to leave her lips, I didn’t want to ever part from her again which was the thought that pulled me away from her.

My forehead pressed against hers. She breathed heavily, eyes downcast.

Gods, I needed to know what she was feeling. I needed to know if I had destroyed her.

“Audrey.” I needed her to look up at me. When she did, her eyes were starting to tear. It felt like a stab to the heart seeing the tears in her eyes. Shit…“Did I hurt you?”

“No…it was…nice.” She looked down, her cheeks reddened to a beautiful scarlet color. Her skin was still unnaturally pale from lack of sunlight but she looked absolutely stunning standing in front of me now.

“I have never been kissed before.” Looking down at her, my heart started to pound. I was beyond happy that I was the first and only man to claim those lips as my own. I wondered if she was…I stopped my thoughts there. I wanted more but needed to be patient. I stepped back and allowed her to decide what to do. She moved away from the tree and started to walk again.

“I used to go to school. Once, when I was about seven, my class was going to go on a visit to the zoo. I had begged my father to let me go. He said I could, he wasn’t a bad man…but-” She stopped. I watched as her eyes darkened. My own instincts kicking in, telling me she needed to be protected. From what I had no idea. “There was a boy there…he was nice to me. He told me that I could be his buddy. I never got along well with the other kids because…” again she paused as if debating what she could say, “I was different. But he braved it and we spent the whole day together. I think it was one of the happiest days of my life. When I came home that day, I was smiling ear to ear. But…” She stopped and swallowed hard. I watched the movement; I watched the tears form in her eyes. Her hand moved to touch her scar on her face. My own hand moved to my arm. Watching her live her pain made me fight off my own memories. “My father had asked me why I was so happy. I told him I had a friend, a friend that was a boy. I’d never seen my father so angry. He punished me before. But I had deserved that one.”

“After that I didn’t get to go to school anymore. My father took care of me, though. That was when he gave me the stuffed dragon. I had named him secretly because if my father had known I named him after my very first and last friend, I was scared he would take him away as well. Aiden promised me he would hold my hand again, but I never went back. I wasn’t there for him.” Audrey looked away from me. Seeing the tortured look in her eyes made me want to hold her more than anything else.

I knew I couldn’t just tell her that the small boy she named her dragon after, her only living, breathing friend, probably forgot about her within the week. I couldn’t spoil her thoughts of him, but I also couldn’t allow her to believe that he would hate her either.

“Audrey, I am sure that he didn’t feel like you betrayed him.” She wouldn’t look at me so I grabbed her hand. I brought it to my lips and, when she finally turned her eyes on me, I pulled away. “You can promise me to never let me go, especially when I need you, and I promise I will always be there for you, especially when you need me.”

I searched her eyes waiting for her to react in some way and those eyes finally gave in. I saw complete trust there. It felt almost wrong to ask so much of her when I wouldn’t even offer her the same.

With her hand in mine, we continued our walk. We didn’t talk much about her past anymore. I told her some more about the world that we belonged to and tried to guess what she might be, but she kept a tightlipped smile. Even though she trusted me to protect her, she wasn’t ready to tell me everything.

Elijah returned around midday, he brought an old Impala LT, a deep blue color, that had tinted windows. It smelled clean and new. Either he bought it off the lot or took it. I didn’t care to ask. Along with that he brought real food with him, special seafood for Nixie and mouthwatering red meats.

The next few days went almost the same. Nixie usually joined us on our walks so I didn’t get a chance to get Audrey alone. Part of me longed to kiss her lips again, to feel her skin so close, but I knew it was better this way. It had to be this way. Yet…I dreamed of more than a kiss with her. I wanted her much more than I had realized. I ran daily in different forms hoping that it would shake the feeling in my bones that I needed more of her.

One night, I pulled out one of the games I had Elijah get when he was out. We were setting up to play at the dinner table when Elijah walked in.

“Tomorrow I will have to go get more supplies. If anyone needs something, add it to the list.” Always to the point and completely unemotional. Even after spending so much time with him, I still felt uncomfortable in his presence.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Audrey

Nixie and Stone started to put together the game. It was hard cardboard that flattened out to a square. Lining the sides were names of cities and states that were color-coded. And there were special boxes on the corners. I tried to pay attention to what the boxes said or represented, but I couldn’t help but to keep peeking up at Stone. It had been more than a couple of days since he had kissed me in the woods. I had never felt anything quite like it. When his tongue touched my bottom lip, I lost all sense.

Looking at him and thinking about that kiss, I missed the closeness we had shared even if it was for a small bit of time. Nixie placed colorful paper in front of me, and when I looked up at her, she winked. I hadn’t told her what happened between me and Stone because I felt that it was our own personal private moment. It belonged entirely to us, which was a new feeling for me. To have something completely private.

As they continued to set up the game, I noticed Elijah standing alone. I stood up and walked over to him.

“Could I speak with you for a moment?” I asked quietly. I knew that Stone watched, his eye color changing rapidly. Nixie looked at us with open curiosity. But looking up at Elijah, he was staring at me. His head slightly tilted. Finally he nodded.

We headed outside and I noticed that Nixie held back Stone while talking to him softly. His attention was on me though. I offered him a small smile.

“What is it that you wanted?” Elijah asked.

“Why did you offer this place to us?” I couldn’t let the thought go, the whole week we had been here. While Elijah was distant and unfeeling most of the time, there were moments like now when he would join us, when I could feel him watching me.

“You intrigue me.” I heard something in his tone that made him almost sound like he was curious of his own answer.

We were standing on the deck, Elijah stood away from the railing, but I was pressed against it, silently counting the poles. I found myself counting less and less, but I still couldn’t help myself at times.

“Do…” My courage failed for a moment. “Do you remember anything from…”

“From when I entered your mind to extract the wraith? Yes. I remember everything. Do not mistake my intrigue for compassion, Audrey. I am more likely to steal your soul and devour every last piece of it before I would try to comfort you. Your soul has been darkened and I would find it a feast for kings. Yet, I have not even tried to take any of your pain as food. Again, you intrigue me.” I nodded accepting his blunt answer. I didn’t expect him to give me a heartfelt answer as to why he would help us, but I was hoping he would know more about my past.

“Is there anything…”

“I will not tell you about your past. As I told Jacobs, when it is time for you to know your past, and the secrets concealed in there, then you will know.” With that Elijah turned and walked back into the cabin.

I sighed, I had hoped for too much, I was becoming too comfortable with the idea of hope.

“It will come back to you.” Nixie whispered as she came next to me. She offered me a large smile. “Sorry didn’t mean to intrude but Stone was getting nervous. And I offered to come out otherwise he would be all overbearing-man on you, and I don’t think you need that right now.”

I didn’t say anything but continued to stare out at the night. It would be so much easier if Elijah just told me what he’d seen.

Nixie seemed to guess my thoughts. “Sometimes Audrey, it is better to let the past go. Let it rest and move on with your life.” Nixie’s coral eyes were downcast and looked like they were almost tearing up. But she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and smiled at me, all her sadness vanished. “Come on, sweetie. Let’s go play a board game!” Nixie skipped back into the cabin dragging me along.

That night we stayed up late. Elijah and I learned how to play. Elijah turned out to be very good at it. When we finally started to wrap up the game, it was almost two o’clock in the morning. It was fun, Nixie and Stone had managed to get me to smile for most of the night. At one point, I almost laughed. I’d forgotten what it felt like to do that. It filled my heart with a sort of lightness and my muscles felt lax and unnaturally loose.

As I started to head to the room I shared with Nixie, Stone stopped me. He jerked his head toward the door, and I knew that he probably wanted to talk about what I had talked to Elijah about. Stone had taken his promise seriously. He stayed with me when he could and calmed me when I was unmanageable. He was a constant. He made things easier. Bearable.

When we stepped outside, Stone pulled me around to the side of the building without warning and without any hesitation, he claimed my lips. I moved quicker this time, reacting faster and understanding the movements. It felt like forever, but still not long enough before he ripped his lips away from mine.

My heart constricted, other parts of my body reacted so violently to his touch that I was scared that I would explode into a million different pieces. His hands moved up and down my back. He set my skin on fire with a touch. His forehead was pressed against mine. While my brain wanted to protest the feeling of him touching me so intimately, I couldn’t move away from him. I wouldn’t. But the sensations still scared me. My breathing became harsher.

“Stone…” His eyes snapped up to mine.

“Gods, I don’t even want you to call me that.” Stone was rubbing his forehead against mine. His eyes were shut, and his smooth hands were running up and down my arms.

I shivered under the assault. I swallowed, watched his chest rise and fall, then I looked up at his softly shaded red eyes.

“Audrey… my real name is Gabriel.”

“Gabriel?” When I said his name, his eyes shut as if he was savoring it. There was a new color emerging that was quickly shifted before it could truly form. Instead his eyes turned a deep purple color, desire shading his eyes into new colors.

“It’s been years since I have heard someone call me by my real name. Hearing you say it though…” He opened his eyes again and kissed me. This time it was short, it was sweet, and it almost felt tender.

“Why do people call you Stone?”

“Because I am unmoving in my feelings. I am as hard as a rock when I need to be,” he replied. His hand moved to my face, touching my cheek, my lips, everything he could touch.

“No. Why not use your real name?” I asked.

“Don’t you even care a little how I got my nickname? How can you just stand there and let me kiss you. Let me touch you when I am no better than the men who attacked you? Who would torture you?” And yet he still touched me. His hand moved to trace the lines of my hair. The soft touch of his fingertips left fiery trails on my skin. I wanted to close my eyes, but I wanted to watch him as well.

“No. Why do you insist on having people call you Stone?” I asked again.

“Shape-shifters, whether they are animal, human, or like me, will never tell you their real name. We are very much like the fey in that sense. The fey hold names in great regard because they have the power to control people with the knowledge of their real names. Some paranormals are safe from the feys control over names, some are not. Shape-shifters are too human; while sirens are creatures of the water they are safe. Weres are safe because they have animal spirits.” Gabriel stepped back a little but his hands never left me. His hand that played with my hair moved down to my hips.

“But you trust me enough to tell me your name?” Instead of answering me, he tilted my head back and kissed me again. It was meant to be quick but as he pulled away, I followed. My heart raced as I got more comfortable with kissing him.

“Gods help me. But I trust you.” After that he pulled me back into the cabin, brought me to my door, and kissed me one more time. This one was a fleeting kiss but something I savored. So many touches in one night. My fingers drifted to my lips in wonder. I hoped that my dreams would be as kind.

• • •

As the days passed, old memories started to arise. Some I could relish, others I wish that I didn’t have to relive them. I had been missing a year before the white walls. A year missing between the last time I saw my father and my solitude. Loneliness seemed more favorable than the memories.

Stone walls. Grey, grey, grey. The constant drip-drip. Drip-drip, drip-drip, drip-drip. I pressed my swollen cheek closer to the uneven surface, hoping for relief. The tears stopped. All the water in my system was missing. I didn’t even have enough spit to wet my aching throat. Drip-drip. My body shook with fear and pain. My legs involuntarily pressed closer together. I had been mistaken that my tears were dried up. More flowed down. Drip-drip.

I must have passed out. I wasn’t shocked. My whole body was exhausted with pain. They – the guards, the ones who looked so human but were anything but, broke three bones this time. It was a blessing, honestly. Only three. Drip-drip. Three. Drip-drip. Cracks. Drip-drip. Snaps. Drip-drip. Agonizing screams. Drip-drip. No relief.

I shuddered at the memory. The feeling of the bones breaking still lingered. I tried not to let my mind wander to what happened before they broke my bones. I tried not to remember what the drip-drip was.

I managed to get my mind off the memory, off the lingering pain and fell back to sleep. I don’t know how long I got a reprieve from my memories since they attacked at an unexpected pattern. It didn’t feel long until the next one attacked. I was spared another nightmare and was rewarded later in the same night with a much more pleasant memory.

I was five.

He lifted me up and placed me on his shoulders. I always liked this view; he was so tall that I felt as if I could touch the clouds. I was giggling; the sound was foreign to me now but seemed so natural then. My dad touched my exposed toes pretending to try to bite them. I giggled more.

“My little survivor.” His voice was much less gruff then my last memory of him. He sounded care-free, happy.

I smiled holding on to his hair. He was taking me out to our spot, as he called it. Our little safe haven. It was just past the woods behind our house. It was an open meadow where long grass grew. I used to run around and my father would search for me. It was never quite hide and seek because he never let me out of his sight for too long and whenever he did catch me he would place me back in the area where the grass was all pushed down from our many visits. I got jostled when my father started to run, he got about as excited as I was when we came out here. I was about to ask him if he was going to change when a growl rumbled through his chest.

My father pulled me down from my perch around his neck and placed me on the ground. His blue eyes stared back at me with urgency.

“If I say run, you run back to the house as fast as you can, don’t look back and don’t stop no matter what.” Instead of answering, shooting fear ran my blood cold. I whimpered trying to pull away from his stare and his tightening hold. “Promise me, Audrey.”

“Okay daddy.”

He nodded once and adjusted his grip as he straightened up. We walked slowly to our circle where a man that was as tall as my father waited. He had stone colored grey skin and wings. I couldn’t stop looking at them, but when I sensed his gaze on me I looked at his eyes. They were black. I hid behind my father’s leg as he pressed his hand on my head.

“What do you want?”

“You know what I want. You have always known.”

“This isn’t a good time. She only passed away five years ago.” My father’s voice turned into a growl. The other man didn’t even flinch away but his stare lingered on me for a moment when he offered a sweet smile, but it disappeared as he looked back at my father.

“And I told you years ago…”

The memory faded out as new voices started to filter in.

• • •

Stone had taken me out on a picnic. We walked until we hit the edge of the lake that Nixie had found when we first arrived. We had been at the cabin for two weeks. Nixie seemed content here and when not spending time with me, she would go to the lake. Stone would only take off once in a while to go for a run. He usually took the form of a wolf and disappeared. Elijah would disappear but I never knew where he went. I didn’t have the courage to ask.

The night started to settle in around us. The sun had set only moments before. I enjoyed the darkness, in light you could see every attack, every moment. In darkness you were blind. I moved closer to Stone. Over the past two weeks I had grown much more comfortable with him. We didn’t speak, just enjoyed the lapping water and the forest sounds. Stone started to trail his hand on my arm moving up to my shoulder. My eyes fluttered shut.

“When they first took me, I just remember hands everywhere. Pulling and tugging on my clothes, skin, and hair.” Stone stiffened and his movements became a little more rigid. “I don’t know where they took me but when I was finally allowed to look again, the room was made of stone. It was so uneven, each piece felt like a sharp knife to exposed skin. The first few days they left me in there as I was. No one came; I wasn’t given food or water. My throat was raw from screaming. I had given up and collapsed. It felt like every day they would stop and torture me. I had fought for a while. They had tied my hands together after I started trying to claw them. I,” I shifted. “I wrapped the loose rope around one of the guards necks. The others tried to pull me off, but I managed to…” I stopped again. I wasn’t sure I could say it. How would he look at me? He knew without a doubt now that I was a monster.

“You killed him which is more than he deserved.” Stone whispered in my ear. I turned and he was sitting right next to me, his eyes were a murky red color.

“I killed,”

“And I would have tortured him. I would have made sure that he suffered longer than what you had done.” Stone held me tighter.

The rest of the time we were at the lake, we were silent. I remained trapped in my memories, and Stone didn’t stop the subtle movements.

• • •

We took many walks in the forest the next few days. I was eager to get out and taste the air. Sometimes it was only Gabriel and I, sometimes Nixie would come as well. Gabriel told me that I had to call him Stone when there were other people around and as much as my friendship with Nixie had grown, I still felt hesitant with her. Trusting Gabriel was hard enough. At times I would still shy away from him without realizing it. He always took his time with me though. He was careful and understanding. At times I could see the frustration set in, his jaw would tighten, and his eyes would flash.

Elijah remained distant even though he would join our nightly games. I think we all knew that he could beat us no problem but he would stare at the board and make silly mistakes. I got better at some of the games but I still didn’t understand the first one we played.

It was the middle of the week when Elijah commented that we needed more supplies and Gabriel said that we would be going with him.

“Nixie said she is okay with staying here and holding down the fort. Come on.” Gabriel pulled me outside.

Elijah already waited inside the car, looking forward. He never acknowledged our company. I wondered if I had crossed a line when I had asked him to tell me about my past, but I felt like I had done something wrong. I looked down and started to count without realizing that I was. Stone turned around in his seat and grabbed my hand to kiss it. Stone had told me before that we had to shop far from the cabin in fear that a paranormal might be by and catch our scent if it was a werewolf or some type of tracking was paranormal. When I looked up at his eyes, I could see he was trying to calm me, always doing so much for me. It felt selfish, but I couldn’t bring myself to want to stop it because I never had anything. Nothing that was purely mine since Aiden. I wasn’t even sure if Stone was entirely mine. I had memories of times my father would take Aiden as a less harsh punishment.

On the drive into town, I stared out the window. I couldn’t get enough of the outside world. I wanted to feel the air; I wanted it flying through my hair so fast that it felt like I was flying. I dreamed of that sometimes. Those were the good dreams. Drewms of flying high above the world, looking down at it and seeing how small it was compared to me. I wanted to be so much more, but more than that, in the skies I was safe. I was truly free.

I was jarred from my thoughts when the car hit the highway. Elijah drove for another two hours before stopping.

“I will pick you up in four hours.” Elijah said as he stopped the car. Stone got out and opened the door for me.

“I have a surprise for you.” I opened my door and waited with him on the sidewalk. I didn’t ask what the surprise was because I had mixed feelings about whether it would be a good surprise, or a bad one. I had only bad memories of surprises. Surprises meant punishments, brandings; it meant pain and white rooms. Stone grabbed my hand and started to pull me toward a building.

“What - what is it?” My teeth chattered as fear wrapped its cold fist around my heart. I promised myself that he wouldn’t hurt me, he wouldn’t lie to me, and he wanted to protect me. He wanted to protect me. He was lying to me. I started to shake my head violently. No. No. No… Liar. Liar. Liar. Whether I called him or myself a liar, I wasn’t sure.

“Easy, hey easy Audrey. Look at me.”

I heard his voice over my internal chatter, but I hadn’t realized that I was saying it out loud. When I looked up at Stone, his eyes were a cloudy grey color.

“It’s okay, I would never hurt you. I was going to take you to a movie. I promise. You will be okay. I will always make sure you are safe.” Stone grabbed my hand and brushed his thumb over my knuckles. “Okay?”

I nodded. He asked again.

“Okay.” It came out quick and shaky.

He accepted it though. He led me along into the building. Inside, there was a salty, buttery aroma that muted the building’s stale air. The room had posters and a counter.

“What would you like to see? Romance? Horror? Action? Comedy?” Stone looked down at me and smiled.

A movie? I remembered those. So long ago…I bit the inside of my lip. I held back a smile. His eyes remained a steady blue color while in public, but I could see the subtle changes in them.

“I think a comedy.” I replied timidly.

He purchased the tickets and other treats as he called them and asked if I was ready. I nodded and let him take me into the theatre. When we sat, he handed me a tub of popcorn and a drink.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Stone

Watching as her lips parted into a smile, I knew this was a good idea. I could see the positive changes in her. Her hollowed out cheeks were filling in, her once too skinny form was becoming more curvaceous. She stood just a little taller each day, and her eyes would shine at times. Sometimes, when we arrived, she would revert and become the girl I first met, hiding in herself, and fearing everything around her. But when I saw her struggling, I would step in and remind her she was safe.

“Ready?” I asked.

She nodded and I hid my disappointment. I was trying to get her to become more vocal. Since she started to use her voice more often, I realized how beautiful it really was. It wasn’t light and musical like Nixie’s, and it wasn’t hesitant and quiet like when I first met her. It was deep, sultry and damn sexy.

We headed into our screen and I felt her hold tighten around my hand. I knew that she felt more comfortable in dark places, her body had always relaxed. She had told me a few things but the way she shifted and talked, I could tell she would rather avoid her past. I could understand after all. It wasn’t as if I had told her all about my past. She did tell me about the white room, about her experiences since she left. I was fascinated by her in every way. She was stronger than she realized, and watching her grow within the short time we broke free from Jacobs had done her well.

When we sat down, I saw her look around and take everything in. Her thick hair covered the scarred side of her face, and all I wanted to do was push it away. On the scarred side of her face was the jagged part of her lips. I always made sure to kiss it lightly to remind her how gorgeous she was. She would blush, yet she never said anything about her disfigured face. I could see people staring, but she didn’t seem to notice. She continued taking in the sights of the new world around her. A world she was just discovering.

As she settled into her seat, I held out the popcorn to her. She looked down at it; she had been careful about the food we offered her so I grabbed some and popped it in my mouth. I’d hoped she’d watch me and think of my mouth as much as I thought of hers. Though she let me kiss her, I waited for the time that she would come to me.

As the movie started, I saw Audrey move her hair out of the way of her covered eye. She never usually did it. Audrey had confirmed what Jacobs said was true about her eye. Somehow she could see out of her dead eye. Looking at it now, I couldn’t help but wonder how it was possible. I knew around others she wanted to hide her scars, humans didn’t have scars like we did. Other paranormals would look for a second and look away understanding that our world was ugly and scars were a constant, though they weren’t as large as Audrey’s. They also didn’t know the extent of her scars. Humans though would see it as a disfigurement; they were disgusted and would shy away. I, on the other hand, was glad that I could see her entire face. I resisted the urge to trace the furthest scar. It was the smallest but also looked the most jagged.

I couldn’t focus on the movie. My mind kept taking me back to times when I had been the one inflicting pain. When I had left scars that would never fully heal. One of my first missions, one that I wish that I could forget, still haunted me.

There was screaming. Children cried out for their mothers, and mother’s cried out for their lost children. That didn’t matter, what mattered was finding the paranormal Jacobs wanted. I was determined to find them, to be the one who would catch them. I still felt the need to prove myself, even though I had already done that. I wouldn’t be on the team if I hadn’t. It didn’t matter to me, I had to be the best.

Jacobs had described the paranormal to us, a young woman, fiery red hair. She wasn’t a normal paranormal, there was something…wrong about her. Jacobs had mentioned that she was a Werebird that was mentally disturbed and walked around half-shifted.

I saw her, she was herding children into the house that was already searched. I ran in after her, but she was gone. All that was left were three children and a mother hunched over them, trying to protect them. I called out the warning. That day those children and mother were taken from their home and tortured for days until Jacobs was convinced they had no new information to give us. We never caught the red-headed paranormal, but we had destroyed innocent people’s lives.

I pulled myself from the memory and focused on the movie, on Audrey, anything but my own horrid past.

The movie progressed and I couldn’t help but watch Audrey’s reaction for the most of it. Her smile grew bigger and bigger as the movie went on. She stared wide-eyed at the screen. She was near the edge of her seat when it happened.

I didn’t think that anything could sound as beautiful as her voice, but I was wrong. For the first time since I met her, she laughed. Laughing was a freedom offered to those who could feel completely free from all worries and enjoy a moment completely stress free. A real laugh was a small piece of freedom. And that is what Audrey was doing. She was laughing. She let out a second laugh, before she stopped as if shocked by her reaction, then she continued to laugh. She turned to me and smiled widely. She looked completely open at that moment. My breath halted. Gods there was nothing more stunning than her at this moment.

Audrey moved to hold my hand. She leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Thank you, Gabriel,” she whispered and went back to her previous position.

The rest of the movie didn’t even register for me. I couldn’t get over how she was acting so free with me. My body reacted uncomfortably. This wasn’t something I could rush. This wasn’t just a one-night romance. This was different.

A new feeling that had been building started to show itself, and I felt the natural reaction of fear swamping my body. I couldn’t love this girl, I wouldn’t do that to her. Then I remembered how it felt for her to say my name. There was something so right about it and that made me think of different times she would say it. Lost in my fantasies for the last ten minutes I didn’t realize that the credits were rolling and Audrey was still smiling.

“That was…it was amazing. Thank you, Gabriel. Thank you!” She threw her arms around my neck and hugged me tight. Pulling back slightly, her eyes watched mine as if waiting for the colors to change as they did when we were surrounded by paranormals, but in the human world they would remain blue, only not to her. She told me that she could see the different flakes of colors in people’s eyes when their moods shifted. Audrey said that she did that as long as she could remember. I knew when she said that she was holding back. There was something that she remembered. Something she was scared to share yet. But then her eyes shifted to my lips and all other thoughts vanished. I waited. I wouldn’t kiss her unless she kissed me first.

She moved tentatively as if I was the scared animal. She was centimeters away and it was taking all my self-control not to force my lips on hers like a starved man. She made feel that way though. Like I couldn’t get enough of her. Her quiet strength, her broken spirit that was slowly repairing, she was damaged, but she wasn’t shattered. There was time for her to repair. Finally she moved in. She barely touched my lips with her own. Then, she became a little braver.

My hands clutched tightly at the arm rest, even though all I wanted to do was pull her closer and kiss her deeply. But I knew this was a step she needed to take. A moment she needed to own. I resisted and closed my eyes against the beating she was doing to my mind. Finally, she scooted a little closer. I knew this part would be difficult for her, so I slowly opened my mouth for her, allowing her the option. She moved for it slowly at first, then moved a little quicker. Soon we were kissing the way that I had wanted to kiss her what seemed like hours ago, but I knew was only a few moments. I didn’t hold her as I wanted to because I wanted her to have the option to move away when she wanted to. I didn’t want her to feel trapped, not right now, not when she was in control. I didn’t want to see the fear of her being trapped in her eyes again.

When she pulled away, she was blushing and her swollen lips made me want to pull her back. I licked my lips grabbing the last taste of her. She looked away for a moment and she looked like she was about to say something. I knew that she was going to try and apologize so I moved in before she could.

“Thank you, Audrey.” I grabbed her hand and kissed it, my lips not moving until she looked into my eyes. She smiled slightly, not the smile I was hoping for, but it was more than enough at the same time. This was all new to her, and I had to remember that. I had to remember that she wasn’t like another girl off the street. “You ready?” She nodded. I was about to let go of her hand, but she tightened her hold on me. As we walked out, she told me again about some of her favorite parts. She had told me that it was her very first experience at a movie theater. She allowed me some more insight of her past telling me how, while they had a small TV in their house, she never watched all that much. She got a bit quiet after that.

“Audrey, you know you can tell me about your past.” She looked up at me. I could see the fear coursing through her. The past that she could remember scared her.

“I … I’m scared.” She whispered, I thought that she would deny it. Deny that she remembered anything that she didn’t want to tell me. The way she had been for the past week. When we left the theater we still had about an hour before Elijah would show up. I placed my hand on the small of Audrey’s back. I felt her breathing shift slightly. It became deeper, and I felt a shiver shake her body.

“Audrey, I promise you are safe. I will not hate you because of your past.” I pulled her a little closer to me. Her hair was falling back into her face, it was on the closest side to me and as much as I wanted to push away the strands, I knew she preferred them there. She wanted to still hide them, hide from the world. She thought herself a monster, I knew that much, but looking down at her I couldn’t see it. I kissed the top of her head which she wasn’t expecting. I wasn’t expecting it. My nose filled with her enticing scent. She looked up at me and I controlled my expression.

“I would hide in my room most of the time. My father wasn’t a bad man; he would spend time with me when he wasn’t busy. I loved him.” She tripped over the word loved, and I knew that she wanted to say that she still loved him. He was her father and even after her horrible past, she still loved him. “He didn’t mean to hurt me so much, it was the only way he knew how to punish. Most times I deserved it. I understood the rules and yet.” She paused, biting the inside of her lip, which was a new bad-habit she picked up from Nixie, who bit her lip when nervous.

“You wanted more.” I understood. She sheepishly nodded trying not to look up at me again and I realized it wasn’t out of fear this time, she was ashamed. She was ashamed that she wanted more than what her father would allow her to have. I didn’t realize how much her father’s approval meant to her. How much he meant to her. “What happened to your mother?”

“I killed her.” Audrey looked me straight in the eye when she said it. She didn’t look like she felt sad or remorse, the only thing I could see from her was acceptance. “My father reminded me every birthday. She didn’t survive, but I did. I think he hated me a little bit for it. Yet he always called me his little survivor.” Audrey never seemed to talk about her family in such a carefree manner before. I didn’t know why but this apparently was a safe topic for her. I didn’t know what to say. I wanted to tell her that her father was wrong. That so many things I knew from her father, he was abusive and obviously didn’t love her in a healthy way. I couldn’t tell her these things though, even if they had my blood boiling and my vision turning red.

“What about your father?” Her question snapped me out of my cloud of rage. I looked down at her and she was watching me expectedly.

“I had one.” She looked down disappointed; I knew that she was still working on the courage to ask questions when the conversation seemed to have ended. I waited a little longer. She looked back up at me and laughed a little. She stopped as soon as she started as if unsure of herself.

“That was a joke right?” She looked up at me so hopeful that I didn’t have the heart tell her that I wasn’t really joking. I knew how hard it was for her to deluge information about her past, how could I not do the same for her?

“Yes.” I leaned down and kissed her head once again. “My father was also a shape-shifter, he was strict. He demanded the best from me while he was around. He believed that paranormal creatures should stick with their own kind. He didn’t really like the clan ideas, but since there was no real way to reverse the way the paranormal world was set up, he tried to keep me around our own kind as much as he could. It was easier then since the clans were still forming.”

“How old are you?” Audrey blurted, her cheeks reddened to the point that she looked like an overripe tomato. I wanted to laugh at her expression.

“Shape-shifters, like many paranormals, have longer life spans. Ours, much like the weres, range up toward seven hundred years. I would be twenty-six years old in human years, actual years…130.” Her jaw had dropped. I lifted my finger up under her chin and closed it. “I am considered to be quite young. Especially with the position that I hold, but with a father who demanded only the best from me, it was hard not accomplishing everything he wanted. He wanted a son who would be a killer and that is what I am.”

“I don’t think that you are a killer.” Audrey bravely moved her arm around my waist and pulled me into a timid sideways hug. Gods it felt wrong to have her hold me like this. I felt like I didn’t deserve her, but I wouldn’t give her up for anything. Not now.

“That’s because you don’t know the real me. This person now, I don’t know who he is but I am starting to like him more than the real me. You make me better Audrey.” I didn’t look at her. Instead, I pulled her to my chest and held her close.

I don’t know how long we stood there when Elijah came to a screeching halt next to us.

“Fools! Did you not notice the Were that has been on your trail for the past half hour?” The wraith actually sounded mad. He remained in the car and rolled up the window he had just yelled through.

I opened the door for Audrey. Looking around, I couldn’t see any people that looked like a paranormal. Paranormals were easy to spot if you were one yourself, or if you knew what to look for.

Audrey slid in, trying to hide the fear in her body, but she failed with her stiff movements and her right hand moved to touch the stitching. I didn’t try to grab her hand to stop her from counting, she needed to do it to calm down.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Audrey

When we arrived back at the cabin I had counted the stitching three times. Stone didn’t turn around and try to comfort me. I was disappointed yet I could also see that he was trying to look around. He would open his window a crack and take deep breathes. Elijah would shoot him a look and the window would go back up. It was as if they were having silent conversations that I wasn’t privy to. I wanted so badly to ask, but Elijah’s face was in a fierce, dangerous scowl. I was scared to look into his eyes because I was scared that I would finally see something in them. I was scared that I would see that the anger had Increased tenfold in his eyes.

I climbed out of the car. Nixie waited by the cabin door. She nervously wrang her hands together, but seeing us, she let out a long breath.

“Gods, I was so worried about you guys!” She rushed over and hugged me.

“Elijah…” Stone started but when Elijah got out of the car his eyes were focused on the woods.

“We don’t have time.” He looked back at us. His voice never changed from its expressionless tone but the words sent shivers down my spine.

“Can we at least…” Nixie started, but when Elijah’s black eyes turned to her, she stopped talking.

“No. At best we have an hour before York descends on us.” Elijah said.

Nixie tightened her hold on me. I couldn’t tell, but I was sure that we were both shaking now.

“There is a lake nearby I am sure that I could hide us. At least sing them away.” She offered sounding smaller and quieter than the so alive and bubbly Nixie I knew.

“There are too many.” Elijah stated. Then he turned his gaze on Stone. They stared at each other for several moments. Stone abruptly looked away.

“So what, you want us to stand for an hour and wait for them to attack? We wait for our deaths? No thank you!” Nixie let go of me and started to pace.

I felt hopeless. I didn’t know the past between the York clan and Nixie, or Stone for that matter. They both looked nervous, and Stone hadn’t moved. His jaw ticked as he looked out toward the woods. Elijah watched me now. I didn’t know what to do. The world started to feel too open, too free, too much space. Too much space. Too much space. My breathing hitched and became irregular.

Stone moved quickly to my side. He caught me in his arms before my legs could give away. I wanted somewhere small, I needed somewhere small. The world was safer when it was smaller. It was manageable.

“Audrey…” Stone was trying to hold me up. My eyes were going out of focus. “Pay close attention. You will be safe. I won’t let anything hurt you ever again. I promise.” He stopped, looked up at Elijah, then back at me. “I need you to trust me,” he whispered as he kissed my head. Then, his arms were gone.

Elijah walked over to him and nodded. I was barely holding myself up with the help of the car. The Stone I knew melted away. He transformed into a small squirrel and ran up to a tree.

Elijah took Stone’s place and grabbed my arm to help me keep steady. But all I could focus on was that Stone was leaving us. He was leaving me. He could slip away; the rest of us would have to wait out our fates. I wasn’t sure if I could entirely blame him, but my heart felt like the tentative pieces that were forming back, were cracking all over again. It hurt.

“Stand strong, Audrey.” Elijah watched Nixie who had the same look of acceptance on her face about Stone’s disappearance as Elijah. She remained calm and came to stand closer to us.

“I’m so sorry, Audrey.” Nixie whispered.

Something rustled in the nearby trees. That’s when I felt a prick in my neck. Nixie and I both fell to the ground and everything went black.

Chapter Thirty

Stone

The moment Elijah met my eyes he started speaking to me…in my mind. His voice took up too much space, it was painful, but I kept a straight face. He told me what I already knew I should do. I didn’t want to leave Audrey though. Though our alliance to Braden clan would protect us, Audrey had no such protection. The York clan might try to force an alliance on her. She’d survived the Vedenin clan’s attempt, but a second round…it might break her. I couldn’t leave her, I wouldn’t. But Elijah interrupted those thoughts.

You must abandon her for now. Change forms. Wait. Take out a guard and assume his form. I can hide your scent. Logic ruled his cause and I knew his plan was the only way to save us all, but I wasn’t sure if I could do it. I wanted to protect her, I needed to be there. Looking down at her and seeing how fragile she was in this state of fear, how could I walk away? And yet I did.

Somehow I had managed to change my form and watched as the Yorks knocked out Nixie and Audrey with darts.

Elijah wouldn’t be affected by the sleeping poison, but even the host form he held couldn’t fight off a full-blooded witch. Witches held the power to wield lightning and ,from past experiences, I knew that Elijah could be knocked out with lightning.

Two goblins and a weresnake moved in. Elijah moved fast taking out the goblins by snapping their necks by appearing behind them. The weresnake kept up with Elijah for a while but Elijah slipped out of his path and slammed the weresnake’s head into a tree. These were just grunts and I knew that more would arrive.

I would have to wait until other main players showed their faces. I could take out the witch, but if she was asked to do a spell I wouldn’t be able to do it. No, I would have to wait for a were or another animal paranormal.

I was surprised when a male Zana came out. Zana’s were normally peaceful creatures that lived in the forest in Romania, where they originate from. I knew it was a Zana by the way its skin was a tree bark brown color, and his eyes were leafy green. What really confused me, was how built the Zana was. It was rare to find a male Zana, but to find a male Zana that was bigger than five foot five was unheard of. This one though was at least five nine, and while he wasn’t as built as I was, I could tell he would be a handful for Audrey, which he was heading for. There was witch who was a short little thing with long black hair; her entire body seemed to be marked by tattoos of some sort. I could see some were runes which meant that she wasn’t a naturally powerful witch, but needed the enhancements of runes to increase her power. Elijah went down last after her first attack with lightning.

Two long legged, skinny were-cheetahs headed toward Nixie. They looked like brothers, and I knew I couldn’t assume one of their forms. I needed a loner paranormal. Someone the others were less likely to talk to.

Finally, a dwarf came out. They were known for their hostility and exclusiveness. I watched the dwarf go over to Elijah. I memorized his form and rushed after him as he left the clearing. The witch walked ahead of him, starting to outpace him. As I stretched and reformed my cells into the form of a dwarf, I moved in. I waited until the witch put more distance between them. I needed to be quick, at the moment I was completely naked, and I would have to steal the dwarf’s clothes.

I silently moved up behind the dwarf and twisted his neck. I took his weight combined with Elijah’s and set them on the ground. I quickly stripped his clothes, dressed and lifted Elijah onto my shoulder. I picked up my pace to catch up with the witch.

The walk to their vehicles wasn’t a long one, and they had three separate vehicles. One was a family looking van, but I knew the back would have been gutted and changed into a sort of prison on wheels. There were also two black SUVs with tinted windows. The Zana carrying Audrey in his arms, bride style, moved to the last SUV. I wanted to growl and tell him to get his hands off of her, but I knew that wouldn’t make any sense, not as a dwarf who didn’t even know her.

“Come along, Grumpy! That one has a special little cage!” The witch was dancing around, proud of her conquest even though I could feel Elijah’s muscles’ tensing, he was faking being as out as he seemed.

I followed the witch and made my steps a little bit louder. When I took over another person’s place I normally watched the creature and figured out how they acted. Since this was a spontaneous change, I would have to go off what I knew from dwarves. They typically walked heavy.

It had been a very long time since I had been a dwarf and getting used to doing all my movements felt unnatural. The witch and I placed Elijah in chains in the back of the van. He was strapped in so that he couldn’t move at all. The witch started to do another spell. I recognized the words. She was trying to bind Elijah to his current body. I wasn’t sure that her spell would work, but I stood to the side watching as the Zana lightly placed Audrey on the seat. When his hand touched her waist as he locked her in with the seatbelt, I felt a snarl pass my lips. Luckily no one heard it.

Nixie was placed between the were-cheetahs who I noticed wore ear-plugs. Clever, but I wasn’t sure that would work with Nixie. She looked safe for the most part. They had handcuffed her, but left Audrey alone, which confused me. The witch jumped out from the back of the car.

“Zeke!” She called out to the Zana, who was closing Audrey’s door. “I think that the wraith might be waking up!” She sounded worried now.

Zeke, the Zana, moved over to the van checking the inside.

“It is fine. Grumpy you can ride with Imogen,” he said.

I nodded keeping a blank face. Maybe his name really was Grumpy, or maybe he tolerated the nickname because neither Zeke nor Imogen reacted to my acceptance of the name.

The group moved out. Imogen drove the van and I sat next to her. We drove for three hours straight. Elijah remained quiet as if still knocked out. When I turned and checked on him per-Imogen’s request, I saw how stiffly he was sitting. I nodded when I turned back and she accepted it.

We arrived at their facility. The single story building had a big domed glass ceiling at one end. The York clan was rather large. I didn’t see how this facility could house them all…unless there were more levels underground. Imogen pulled into a large added on garage, following the rest of the vehicles. I watched the doors of the SUV holding Nixie open as Imogen parked.

The cheetahs flanked Nixie, who stood on her own. I saw they had gotten rid of the earplugs and had attempted to gag her. I saw that Nixie was chewing her way through the cloth they used. I didn’t think that sirens could take even a partial form on land yet it seemed that Nixie had a lot of secrets.

Mermaids and sirens had dangerously sharp teeth, sirens only when they were in the water. It was more of an evolution thing. For food they needed the sharp teeth. Now their teeth didn’t look like Elijah’s sharp shark teeth, they were more barbed at the ends, tiny little needles. I watched for the car that had Audrey.

Finally, the last SUV pulled in. When the door opened, Zeke lifted Audrey out and set her down, I almost made a move to go to her but Nixie’s eyes snapped toward me. Her eyes narrowed. It seemed that she finally figured out whose form I took because she slowly, barely shook her head at me. She knew what I was planning. I put my foot back down on the ground. No one else had noticed the movement.

Audrey started to stir. She had a bag over her head but she was reaching out. Her arms still free from any constraints along with her legs. Watching her reach out made my body shake with anger. She was looking for a comforting touch. For me. Gods, I hoped it was for me.

Zeke helped her up. She flinched away from his touch and it made me almost shift forms right then. I was going to get myself captured as well, if not killed, if I couldn’t control myself. Thankfully, Imogen started squealing about something.

“Zeke! Grumpy! He is awake! I don’t know if the spell will work again! Can’t we just knock him out with a bat or something? Gods those eyes!”

I pushed her aside and jumped into the van. I removed most of the chains holding Elijah, but kept the reinforced manacles on his wrists. He didn’t even look at me, he was still staring at the witch. A strange expression was on Elijah’s face. It was absolutely terrifying. His lips were pulled back in a snarl showing off his jagged teeth, and his eyes narrowed.

“Damn witch! I will kill you!” Elijah rasped. His voice sounded hoarse and different from the monotone wraith I knew. I wasn’t expecting Elijah to push me away, but he tried to.

I held him back and looked at him, trying to get him to see me. But that is when we both heard Audrey. She called out for Nixie. His expression changed back to the drone, blank look that it always had and his muscles relaxed just slightly.

It should have been my name. By leaving her in the clearing, I might have destroyed her trust and affection toward me. It was a risk that I had to take and I would do it again to make sure that we got out of this mess alive and hopefully unharmed for the most part.

Nixie started to tell off the weres and I knew she had managed to get through her gag. She could to sing the weres into helping her. Zeke called out for us to take Nixie and Elijah to the dungeons using their Romanian names from his birth country, but I didn’t catch what he had called Audrey. I knew that he was speaking to her, but I couldn’t hear. Damn dwarf ears weren’t even average.

By the time I reformed the internal works of the dwarf ears so that I could hear better, it was too late. Audrey was being taken away and Imogen was screeching at me.

I moved to pull Elijah out of the van when he started to step out. Imogen led the way. Nixie started to whisper things to both the were-cheetahs. I knew in no time she would have them under her spell. I saw one of their grasp slacken a little, the other took a bit longer, but he finally caved as well. Now, with the cheetahs on our side as well, it was our team. Imogen stopped talking and just marched forward. I was thankful because my ears were still sensitive to the change that I had put them through and her voice grated on my nerves.

We all knew we needed to make a move until I found Audrey again. That meant both Elijah and Nixie would need to go to the prison cells…but with the doors unlocked. I would come back for them after I found Audrey. The problem was finding her. I was fearful that they might take her to exchange her with the Vedenins. The Yorks had been working closely with the Vedenins for a while and if their partnership was still intact then I had to get Audrey out sooner. The Vedenins would be expecting the Bradens to come after her again because we knew she existed…whatever she might be. That didn’t matter to me anymore. All that mattered was saving her.

We moved farther into the building and stopped at a pair of industrial elevators. The buttons showed two subfloors. Imogen handled all the security, telling the guards on duty which floor we needed. She told the cheetah brothers which cells to use, then left. I watched as she walked away thinking that York had gone soft, and was seriously lacking on the security they used to have. But when the doors to the elevator opened, inside stood a Valkyrie and a Stone Giant, and I realized that we were in trouble. Stone Giants were rare at best and seemed to be the only thing immune to a siren’s song. Valkyries were fierce warriors. This was going to be harder than I had originally thought.

Chapter Thirty-One

Audrey

My head was shrouded in darkness. I couldn’t breathe regularly. I remembered this feeling before. The last night I’d seen my father…I struggled to recall it all, but couldn’t. I was desperate to feel a comforting hand in mine. I hadn’t realized how addicted I had become to those small touches that Gabriel had given me. At times, I wasn’t even sure he was aware of how his hand skimmed along the edges of my arms, or how his hands would play with my hair. Now I missed them. I needed them. And they were gone again. I tried to reach out to Nixie whose touch also offered a sense of comfort, but I couldn’t find anyone in my dark world.

“Stop moving your head, Balaur.” An accented voice demanded. He was dangerously close to my head, but I didn’t know how close to me he was. Then I felt his touch, a hand on my upper arm. “We are standing now. Walk.” His words were clipped. We paused after a few steps. “Take the sirena and the fantoma to the prison cells. We will question them later.” He started to move again dragging me with him.

“Nixie?” I called out quietly.

“Get your filthy paws off of me you mother-fishing Were!” I recognized Nixie’s voice and I tried to move toward it. It was going the opposite direction of me. The accented man didn’t like that; he pulled me roughly back in the direction we were going. I walked blindly for what seemed like forever. When we stopped there were muttered words.

“Well Balaur it’s time for a family reunion I think.” The accented man tugged the cloth from my head. I blinked. The room was bright and big. There was a lot to look at, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the creature in the middle of the room.

Its eyes were shut, body curled in on itself. Its steady even breathing told me it slept. Scales were an iridescent red, as smooth as a ruby.

I recognized the coloring. My breathing became hollow. My heart rammed into my chest. His spikes looked more deadly than ever, sharp to the point that simply brushing a hand over them could leave a person bleeding. I forgot how beautiful he was in this form, he took it so rarely when I was around.

His breathing changed slightly and I knew he picked up on my scent. I had never felt so afraid in my life. My hands started to shake. His slit eyes opened and stared at me, then he got on all fours. Sharp, long talons bit into the ground. I remembered those claws well, in his half human form they were smaller, and more needle like, now they were thick and heavier.

My body shook with fear. He let out a great roar that echoed in the room. Zeke held onto me a little tighter. I hadn’t realized that I started to move backwards. It was the roar, it reminded me of past incidents, and I still feared his punishments. What would I get this time? He gave me the scar on my face for being friends with someone. What would he do to me for going missing for five years? All because I wanted to go back for Aiden.

The dragon that stood in front of me shifted back to his human form. My father stood at a shocking six feet seven inches. His body was built thick, sturdy, the body of a real dragon shifter. He always told me that I was too small even for a girl; I wasn’t a real dragon shifter. I never had shifted, even before I was taken away from him, though he tried to force me too many times.

The memories of half attempts, the blows that I would receive when I couldn’t do it were flooding in. The nights I spent whispering to Aiden how I wished I could be a dragon like him. All those memories attacked me, followed by all the moments I had with my father when he was loving, when he cared. Moments like now when he stared at me like I was the only thing that mattered in this world. I was his reason for trying so hard, even though his beloved wife had died in childbirth because of me.

“Audrey…” His voice was deeper than I remembered. Maybe it was thicker because of the emotions he was trying to hide. Maybe it was because my ears no longer belonged to a frightened child.

I flinched as he moved toward us, though he was wearing no clothes, I was used to it with my father.

His deep red hair was longer than I remembered it ever being. He’d once said I was fortunate to inherit his hair. I mostly inherited my mother’s softer looks and her height. Looking at his strong, square jaw, I realized how much we didn’t look alike. We had the same blue eyes and the same smile. At least that was what some people used to say when they would see us out. I didn’t know if that would be true now. I rarely smiled and when I did, it felt wrong. A little too tight, a little too scarred. I stared at my father’s chest, afraid to look in his eyes and see the anger waiting to be unleashed.

“Audrey.” His voice was rough this time, he was getting annoyed. I was still too afraid to move. He nudged my head up with his knuckles, a bit too forcefully and made my jaw ache.

He still didn’t know his strength very well. At least, not when dealing with weaker creatures. It reminded me of the first time he had grabbed my arm in order to stop me from moving. He almost broke it. That was when he decided he had to watch his strength around his "supposed to be strong dragon-shifting daughter". I was weak compared to him, weak compared to many paranormals. That was the day he also told me we wouldn’t be living with paranormals ever again. They were too dangerous to our kind. To me.

“What do I always say?” He demanded.

“Heads stay up,” I answered and meet his eyes.

He nodded his approval and pulled me into a hug. I knew that he held back.

“My little babe is all grown now.” He pulled back and inspected his scar. I could see a glimmer of approval in his eye. Dragons were possessive. I belonged to no one else but him, I was his property and the scar on my face would be a reminder for all.

I looked away ashamed. The scar was a lie. I no longer belonged to him. I belonged to Stone.

“Zeke could you grab me some clothes?”

Zeke nodded and went to go get my father his clothes.

“I’ve missed you.” He cupped my cheek gently, his blue eyes showing the depth of his sadness. When Zeke arrived back in a few minutes with clothes for my father, my father took the clothes behind a close by pillar.

His absence of attention gave me a moment to take in the room. The entire ceiling was made of glass; it was a dome shape that made the sky look like it was made of jewels. It was quite beautiful and the sun shined right down onto the white marble, black-veined floors. The edge of the wide room was overcast by a concrete ceiling which was shrouded in shadows. From across the room, I could see a bed set up, along with furniture. The dressers looked familiar.

Wearing dark colored jeans with a black shirt and a black leather jacket, my father stepped out from behind the foundation pillar. He came over, grabbed my upper arm, and steered me toward a door on the other side of the room, which led to a hallway.

We took so many turns that it started to feel like a maze. Finally, we arrived to a dark wood door with small, intricate designs. I couldn’t look at them for long because my father took his place in front of me. It was his way of protecting me and keeping me hidden until he was ready to let someone see me. He knocked on the door and a gruff, distorted voice answered.

“What do you want Drake?” My father opened the door. When he walked in I got a glimpse of who was on the other side. Before I could get a better glimpse my father moved again. He didn’t have to tell me where to stand because I knew. I would stand behind him until he said otherwise. “Look Drake I don’t want to fight with you…”

“Xavier, I would like to introduce you to my daughter Audrey.” My father moved only a step out of the way; he pulled me close, tucking me under his arm.

Looking up I realized that my first glimpse of the man behind the desk was real. His skin was a deep grey color. It wasn’t as if he was sick, his skin looked more like a rock than actual skin. His eyes were a deep purple color and showed shock, but his face remained passive, and almost blank. A small smile curled the end of his very dark lips.

“You found her.” It was almost a question. But he moved on before anyone could answer. “I am so sorry, where are my manners? I am Xavier York. Head of the York Clan.” He offered a hand that had sharp clawed nails. I saw a swish of a tail behind him and, pressed to his back, but not completely hidden, were huge bat like wings. I didn’t take his hand but stared at him.

“Are you going to kill my…my friends?” My voice wasn’t as strong as I would have wished.

I felt my father’s hold tighten to the point of pain that I winced. Xavier gave my father a look of annoyance, bordering on anger. My father released his too tight of hold on me, but his arm remained around my shoulders. I had never seen my father back down from anyone before...

“No my dear. We would never do that.” Xavier flashed a sharp-toothed grin at me. His incisors were longer than normal human's were but the teeth next to them were normal sized incisors.

“There is much-” Before he could finish, the door behind us crashed open. All hell broke loose after that.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Stone

Staring at the Stone Giant, I realized freeing Elijah and Nixie later would be harder than I thought. The Stone Giant was the second endangered species hidden in the York clan. I had thought that the York clan was primarily Middle Eastern American paranormals. I eyed the Valkyrie wondering how old she really was. The older they were the more impossible it would be to beat, even young ones would be a difficult fight.

Nixie looked happy and calm now that she had both the cheetah shifters under her spell. Elijah remained motionless as was his custom. When the elevator hit the ground floor and I started to step out, I knew our plan wouldn’t work. In order to leave this floor we needed to be able to work a voice recognition lock. Even if I could form my vocal cords to something different it still wouldn’t work, I would never be able to get the exact tone. I looked at Nixie and nodded. She gave me a huge smile and nodded back.

I put my hands over my ears as Nixie started to open her mouth. Not only could sirens make the most enchanting noise, but they could burst a person’s eardrums. Nixie started to screech; the Valkyrie went down, the cheetahs followed. The only one that remained standing was the Stone Giant. It looked down at the Valkyrie not really understanding what was happening.

I let go of Elijah and started to shift into the form of a Stone Giant. The Giant caught the movement and before I could complete the change it threw me against a wall. I hit it hard, struggled back to my feet and continued to work on changing my cells, expanding and reforming.

Elijah started to fight with the Stone Giant. Watching a wraith fight was strange. He was attacking with hid fist. Yet, there was something so unnatural about it. The movements were a little too fluid. The attacks were a little too violent. Elijah would disappear and reappear in different spots in a blink of an eye. His fist knocked off more stone than I would think a fist could do. I tore my eyes from their fight.

Nixie was singing to the cheetahs to keep their attention on helping us, while the Valkyrie was parrying attacks at her. Nixie moved swiftly as she was trained from a young age to fight. I got up and started walking to the Valkyrie, while she might be a skilled fighter, she couldn’t do anything about the bulk of a Stone Giant. When I crashed into her she knocked her head on the wall. While normally I would have finished her off, I felt we had bigger issues. I turned back to Elijah, he was going for the killing blow and I roared. He stopped, watching me. I took my own form again.

“Don’t kill it.” My voice was still gruff like a dwarf’s, I tried clearing my throat. “Don’t kill it Elijah.” I yelled again when he moved to attack it.

“Why not?” Elijah’s black eyes were focused on me as he prepared to shove his hand into the Giant’s chest.

“It’s an endangered species.” Really all paranormals were, but some of us were more abundant than others. “Just lock him up with the others.”

Elijah didn’t move for a while and I thought for sure that he would destroy the Giant. Instead, he stood, grabbed the Giants arm, and pulled the creature into the first cell. Nixie sang the cheetahs into the cell next to the Giant, and I moved the Valkyrie with the cheetahs.

The doors were still open for the elevators so the others followed me in. Elijah pushed the button for the floor we needed. I knew that Elijah could sense other paranormals. We had used that ability many times while on missions, and I assumed he knew where Audrey was. I started to pace, feeling the adrenaline still in my system making me feel edgy and restless. Nixie watched me, her eyes going back and forth following my movements.

“What?” I snapped at Nixie.

“You just seemed a bit more geared up than you usually are after a fight. Usually you are about as stoic as Elijah. Dal- never-mind.” She gave me a dirty look when I just glared at her.

“Look, I am just feeling a little on edge right now. Adrenaline and all that shit.” I muttered and continued to pace the small room.

“It is not adrenaline you dumb oaf, you are worried about Audrey. And so am I, but you needed to calm the fuck down before I screech at you!” Nixie looked like she was at the edge of her rope as well. Her entire body was tense and her lips were pressed tightly together.

I tried to remain still, but felt it uncomfortable, like my skin was crawling in anticipation of a change. It wasn’t that though. Nixie was right. I rubbed the back of my neck.

Finally the elevator doors opened. I wanted to rush out and find her as quickly as possible, but we didn’t know what would be waiting for us. Nixie was plastered to the left side, while I was on the right. Elijah stood in the middle, stepped forward and walked out of the elevator. I heard the undeniable crack of a neck and stepped out.

“Do not worry, it was only a vampire. Easy enough to replace,” Elijah said.

I didn’t feel sorry for the vampire at all. Honestly, I probably would have done the same thing. But I still believed in my decision to spare the Stone Giant. While the York and Braden clan might fight each other, there were still unspoken rules about destroying the last few of certain races. It wasn’t something we did.

Nixie looked a little sick when she glanced down at the vampire whose head had twisted at an unnatural direction. She usually didn’t go on kill missions, but we needed to get Audrey back and I didn’t care what the consequences would be at this point. I only wanted Audrey safe.

We moved silently through the building. Elijah and I killed a few guards and Nixie knocked out a few that we didn’t have time to stop and finish off. I don’t know what it was that was leading me, but I felt something tugging me toward the middle of the building. It was maze-like and Nixie followed me, I think her own bond led her forward. Elijah didn’t question us, but moved with us, waiting for any other guards to appear. Finally we stopped.

“She is here. Somewhere.” Nixie closed her eyes as if she was going to go off of feeling alone.

I agreed with her, but there was nothing. It was driving me insane. I started to pace, a growl forming in the back of my throat.

“There is a hidden door.” Elijah stepped up and pushed at a white wall.

I waited for something to happen, but nothing did. Elijah stepped back and kicked his leg out unexpectedly. Nixie yelped at the sound of splintering wood. We were now staring into a small office. Bookshelves lined the wall, and two elegant chairs sat in front of a large mahogany desk. I couldn’t focus on the furniture though. My eyes focused on Audrey’s scared face.

A tall, dark haired man held onto her arm. His eyes matched Audrey’s. She must not have realized that she had stepped closer to me because she looked surprised when he pulled her back. He bared his teeth at me with a snarl, long sharp canines that were much different than a vampire’s. They were shaped like a serpent’s teeth, but much bigger. He was big, but so was the Gargoyle behind him.

“Stone.” Audrey barely whispered my name, but the man holding her heard it. He turned his eyes down to her.

“Who is this?” He growled down at her.

Audrey flinched and shrank back into herself.

I stepped toward Audrey. The man pushed her behind his back, defensively. The Gargoyle hissed at me and stepped forward, but Elijah met his attack. The man lashed out at me. An easily anticipated strike that I dodged. Nixie started to ease around the pair, but the Gargoyle’s tail wrapped around her neck.

“Stop!” It was the first time I heard her voice so strong.

“Stop, Drake.”

I didn’t realize that the other paranormal had moved. He was inches from me. I snarled back at him wanting nothing more than to attack him.

“So it seems that you have escaped the cells, and I am assuming you left a trail of dead bodies behind you. All for the sake of Audrey. Done like a true Braden. Tell me, did you also kill Tom the Stone Giant? You know there are only about twenty Stone Giants left in the world. I know how much Cain would enjoy completely irradiating them from the face of this earth.” The Gargoyle snarled at us. His hold on Nixie tightened slightly and I saw her eyes widen and her breath stop. Audrey fell backwards a little clutching her heart watching Nixie.

“Stop! Stop choking her!” I roared. The Gargoyle snarled at me.

“And why the hell should I?” He yelled back at me.

“You’re killing them both. Nixie is bonded to her.” Elijah stated looking at Audrey as well. The man I was toe to toe with turned to look at her. He rushed to her side and held her up. I knew that people bonded to sirens could feel their pain if the siren left the bond open.

“Xavier.” Drake called out. The Gargoyle released his tightened hold on Nixie.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Audrey

I was so scared seeing Nixie like that, a pain was filling my heart as I gasped and backed away clutching my heart. Her pain reflected back into me. I could feel the tightening around the throat. The loss of breath. She was my best friend and I couldn’t face the fact that she was in pain because of me. Because she was trying to save me. Finally Xavier loosened his hold on her and she slumped a little forward. I let out a struggled whine. Xavier lifted the unconscious Nixie in his arms and gently placed her in his chair. I moved to go to her, but my father held me back.

“What did you do to Audrey?” My father growled watching Stone.

Stone who was here, he was here, though he was taller, and bigger than the Stone I knew him to be. I tried to move from behind my father again, but he moved with me as if knowing the direction that I was headed. Stone’s eyes flashed a dangerous red color and I knew that he was beyond pissed with my father.

“I did nothing. What did you do to her?” He growled back. Looking at Stone made me realize how much his almost betrayal had affected me. While moments before my heart was hurting from the pain I saw Nixie in, it was so full now seeing Stone there. He had come for me. He was here.

“Nothing, I am her father, I would never hurt her.”

“You left her! You left her and she was tortured for years!” Stone’s eyes flashed as he looked at me then back at my father. His eyes did something I never seen before, they turned a cold hard black. One second Stone stood across the room, the next he held my father up against a wall, choking him. I flinched at the loud bang they made colliding with each other.

“How can you live with yourself? You’re a bastard. She was tortured for years.” Stone’s form kept shifting but his eyes remained the same, completely black. Xavier moved faster than I could follow and tried to pull Stone off, but Stone pushed Xavier away. I moved next to Stone.

“Stone?” I touched the arm that was keeping my father captive.

Stone didn’t take his eyes off my father, but I felt his arm relax slightly under my touch.

“Please don’t hurt him.”

Stone looked at me and let go of my father. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me so close that I could barely breathe. I felt Stone push his face into my hair, burying himself further into it. He was touching where he could, as if to reassure himself that I was there. But I was touching him as well, I couldn’t stop touching him. He was here, he came for me. Xavier held back my father when Stone finally let me go.

“We’re leaving. Now.” Stone looked at Elijah, who nodded and went to pick up Nixie who was still unconscious on the chair.

“Not with my daughter,” my father roared.

“Calm down Drake.” Xavier grabbed my father’s face and stared at him waiting for him to calm down. I watched with rapt interest. I had never seen anyone calm my father down like that.

Finally my father’s slit eyes returned to his human blue eyes.

“He is not going to take her away.” My father snarled quietly to Xavier.

Stone growled and started to speak again, when I pressed my forehead into his chest and shook my head no.

“None of you will be leaving.”

Fear snaked its way down my spine.

“You can’t keep us here.” Stone growled, pulling me toward Elijah who had picked up Nixie and stood closer to the door.

“Stupid shape-shifter, do you really think I would let you leave with her? I will not allow the Bradens to destroy her.” That only seemed to piss Stone off more. He let go of me, turning so that I was pressed behind his back and he was a step closer to Xavier.

“I would never harm her, Gargoyle. We know about what the Vedenins did to her. I won’t allow you to send her back.” Stone answered.

“Send her back? I am a York and no friend to the Vedenins or the Bradens. Your clan seeks to use her.”

Stone’s face grew rigid. “So you have her best interest at heart?” He gave a sharp laugh. “You would use her just like they did.” Stone started to push me backwards.

“We would never do that her. We are trying to save her!” My father tried to push past Xavier again.

“We know about the alliance between your clan and the Vedenin clan.” Stone replied still shielding me. Elijah stood next to him with Nixie in his arms. She was starting to stir a little. I tried to reach out and touch her arm, but Stone quickly pushed down my arm to keep me hidden from sight.

“We have no alliance with the Vedenin clan. Your information is wrong.” My father was still struggling against his friend. Xavier touched my father’s cheek gently, which seemed to calm him down slightly. Then he turned to face us.

“I guess that you received a lot of false information. Though you, wraith…I am shocked that you would go along with the façade that your precious Jacobs has been flaunting around for Cain.” Xavier looked smug and Stone stiffed. His head turned toward Elijah.

“What is he talking about?” Stone snarled.

“Jacobs was not honest with you. He was planning on destroying her.” Elijah’s black eyes were on me, watching for my reaction. He knew all along. I was it, I was to be destroyed. Nixie must have woke up during the conversation because a loud crack rented the air.

“You asshole! Put me down now before I bust your damn eardrums!” Nixie started to twist her way out of Elijah’s arms who, instead of trying to hold on, simply dropped his arms. She almost fell on her back, but twisted just in time. “You fat whale.” Nixie said as she pushed herself off her knees into a standing position. “Well, you boys sure know how to yell and be all caveman like, but how about you tell us straight out what the hell is going on?” Nixie stood with her hands on her hips and looked like she was ready for business.

“Cain wants to kill off the returning paranormals.” My father growled. His voice was becoming unrecognizable again.

“Sorry I don’t understand deep throat? What?” Nixie asked looking curious, but cautious of Xavier.

“Thought to be extinct paranormals are resurfacing. We are calling them the rebirths. Cain wants to kill them off, and the Vedenin clan are planning to control them. Simple enough? So if you leave, and take her back to your clan, you are ensuring her death,” Xavier announced staring at Stone.

After that, things got a little hazy for me. Stone didn’t say anything, but he radiated anger. I could feel it pouring off him. Nixie’s eyes were filled with infinite sadness. I knew she had no idea about this, that she would never try to kill me. Elijah, who never showed emotion anyways, made no indication of not knowing or even feeling slightly remorseful if he did.

Elijah agreed to stay as long as we were staying. Xavier promised them that if the others wanted to leave within a couple days after learning everything he had to tell them they could. I was another story. I was not allowed to leave. My father made sure everyone knew that. He tried to grab me away from Gabriel, but I was kept hidden behind the strong back of the man that I was starting to completely trust. Xavier took my father aside and talked to him in hushed tones. Finally my father agreed that I could stay in my own room.

Xavier offered to show to their rooms. I walked next to Gabriel.

Nixie looked deathly pale when Xavier almost touched her. It was the only time she did talk since waking up in Elijah’s arms.

“Do not ever touch me, York. Ever,” she hissed. She moved past him and went into the room, slamming the door firmly behind her.

My father walked behind us. When we arrived at my room, he grabbed me into a hug. It felt…normal to have his arms around me again. A piece of my past that I longed for. Gabriel watched the interaction, and said nothing. As they headed away to show the boys their room, I walked into the small room. It was simple with a bed and dresser. I curled up on the bed and tried to breathe.

I hadn’t realized that I started to count the stitching in the quilt. It thrummed in my head. Four-hundred seventy-seven. Then I started to count a new sound of pounding. One. Two. Three. Four-five-six. Seven.

“Audrey?”

I went back to counting the quilt. Four-hundred seventy-eight.

“Audrey?” Something moved me away from the quilt. I couldn’t count it if I couldn’t touch it.

I looked at the face that was forcing its way into my view. Beautiful green eyes, worry. That is what I was seeing in his eyes, a sort of empathy with worry.

“Hey you are safe. I will never let anyone hurt you. I promised didn’t I?” Stone whispered in my ear as he pulled me closer. I could feel his intake of breath and the slow exhale.

“My father promised no one would ever hurt me either. But he has. So many times.” I whispered. I was scared. I was so scared that Stone was going to take me back to his family, his clan.

“What do you mean he has hurt you?” Stone asked quietly. His lips touched the side of my face. My eyes closed involuntarily.

“I deserved most of these scars. But,” My hand went instinctively to touch the one on my face, but Stone’s hand was already there, touching unflinchingly at the puckered, revolting scars.

“No, you didn’t deserve any of these scars. Especially these.” He leaned down and kissed each scar length for length.

I closed my eyes against the sweet attack. Though he had held me earlier, he laid me down now, his body lightly touching mine, but never pressing on me. When I opened my eyes, his were a deep purple looking back at me.

“You are the most stunning woman I have ever met.” He leaned down and kissed my lips this time.

I lifted my head slightly when it felt like he was going to pull away.

My hands moved to his hair. I now understood why his hands had always sought out my hair, even when I don’t think he realized he was doing it. At the cabin, which felt like weeks before, we would be on the deck and his hand would touch and lightly tug strains of my hair. I never complained because it set me into this relaxed feeling. Now touching his hair, feeling how it slipped past my fingers, leaving trails of strange tingling feelings, I couldn’t stop.

Stone groaned and his body pushed lightly onto mine. His lips left mine. When I tried to follow, he nudged my head back into place and moved to kiss my scars again. He touched the damaged part of my lips, and I felt his tongue touch every ridge. I shivered violently. I moved my head slightly so that I could kiss him back. He let me this time, allowing me to control the kiss, to take it at my speed. I was nervous. I touched his lips with my tongue and he opened for me with another groan. I practically sighed when the taste of him flooded in. I pulled away first, trying to get air.

“Gods, I don’t ever want to stop kissing you.” Stone’s hand drifted from my waist moving upward. I squirmed lightly, feeling uncomfortable memories surfacing. I tried to push them away to remind myself who I was with.

“Gabriel,” I whispered his real name. It stopped his hand. He looked at me. His eyes flashed a light red for only a second before flashing back to purple.

“Say it again.” He whispered, his forehead touching mine.

“Gabriel.” His eyes shut, and I was cut off from his emotions. I felt uncertain, scared. But when his other hand came to touch my hair, I felt surprisingly safe again. His other hand wandered up to touched the hem of my shirt. When I didn’t push him away or fidget, he moved it to my skin. His hand left a fiery trail behind. One hand moved closer to the scar on my ribs. I didn’t move. I waited for him to jerk away, to be as disgusted. Instead when he touched it, he sprawled his hand out so that he could feel the whole thing. My lungs expanded under the open hand. His fingers tightened slightly when I breathed in and loosened when I exhaled. Time slowly passed as he traced my scars. His eyebrows pinched together.

“Tell me why he did this.” His voice was strained like it hurt him to ask. “Please.” His voice was so desperate I wasn’t sure I could ever deny him anything. So I started to talk.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Stone

“He branded me to remind those around us that I was his daughter, his to protect. My mom died bringing me into the world. I think after losing her, he was afraid of losing me too.” She looked down as if she was ashamed to tell me this. I lifted her chin forcing her to see me, to look into my eyes and see that all I had for her was sympathy, there was no pity. A new feeling was forming, but I refused to acknowledge it. Not now. Not when things were so crazy. It was the heightened emotions, and the need to protect her.

“You did not kill your mother. If she were here, I am certain that is not how she would see it. A mother, a true mother, would give her life for her child no matter what the circumstances. You did nothing wrong. It was her time and the best you can do is accept it and live your life as she would have wanted you to.” She wasn’t looking at me when I spoke, but out across the room. When she brought her gaze toward me, there were tears in her eyes.

“How could she ever forgive me? How could I ever forgive myself?” She asked quietly.

“She wouldn’t expect you to ask for forgiveness because there is nothing to forgive. To forgive yourself is a burden only you can deal with. One day you will know it is okay to live.”

I touched her hair again and watched her eyes, waiting for her to accept what I said. She finally did and nodded her head. I wanted to push her, to have her tell me more about her past, but I knew this was the first time all night that she was really able to relax. She curled into my side and closed her eyes.

I couldn’t stop thinking about what Xavier York had said. I knew that the head of the York family was someone powerful, but I hadn’t expected a Gargoyle. While they were one of the best warriors in the paranormal world, many paranormals knew about their weakness. They had a human form, which made them vulnerable enough to kill. Some gargoyles chose to live in their weakened, human state, which made them targets. That is what I didn’t understand.

How was this gargoyle holding a position as head of this family? More than that, what if what he said was true? Why would Jacobs be hiding this from us? From his team? His team of elite paranormals? Weren’t we those rare anomalies? I had too many questions and not enough time or trust. I knew the one person that probably would tell me the cold hard facts flat out, but I wasn’t ready to leave Audrey. Talking to Elijah would have to wait. For now, all I wanted to do was sleep with Audrey in my arms.

I stroked her hair for a long time before sleep started to take me. My thoughts still raced even in my sleep.

• • •

When I woke, Audrey was still curled in toward me. I had moved so both my arms wrapped around her. My leg tucked over hers as if I couldn’t handle not touching her at all. I leaned my head down in her hair. She smelled like lavender and smoke.

I closed my eyes again, finally allowing myself to think about this new emotion building in my chest. She had shared something with me last night; something painful from her past. It was killing her. Protectiveness wasn’t what I was feeling now. This new feeling wasn’t pity, I could never pity her. While I knew she struggled, she was getting better, she was trying. It was also more than simple sympathy. It was an understanding.

There were things I couldn’t say to her while she was awake, but I could tell her while she slept.

“My mother was a beautiful creature. She was only an animal shifter, but still my father fell head over heels for her. He was always a bit of an elitist. She had an affinity for tigers. I rarely ever shift to that form now, but when she was alive, I wanted to be like her. When she went off for a run, she would be a tiger and I would be her tiger cub, following after. She would turn back to her human form, laugh, and tell me that I was the cutest little cub she had ever seen. She told me I had great control over such a powerful creature. I was only six years old."

“I'll never forget the last time we went out as tigers. We weren’t living with a clan at the time. My father was away talking to the Braden clan that day trying to find the clan with the most influx of shape-shifters, really any type of shifters. My mother took me out because I kept complaining about how my skin felt itchy. When shape-shifters are young, we can’t control our bodies as well and the need to switch forms is stronger. If we don’t change forms often enough, our skin feels constricted and our muscles too tight.”

“I could have just changed my human form, but I wanted to venture with my mom. I wanted to run with her and play. I didn’t know it was a full moon that night. Werewolves tend to give up to their animal spirits during the full moon. Wolves, especially the Were, will attack if they feel threatened. We didn’t know they were out in our forest. We didn’t know that as going out as tigers, we would trigger an attack."

“My mother protected me the best that she could. They tore her to pieces, and while we can regenerate our cells and heal quicker, there were too many wolves. They attacked too swiftly. I tried to fend a smaller wolf off, but he got my right front leg. The attack caused me to start losing a lot of blood. While she was fighting, I ran. It was the first time I had ever changed while moving. I shifted into a wolf, and they left me be. When they left, I went back to my mother and howled. They didn’t return, though."

“My father found us in the morning. She had reverted back to her human form and I was curled in her arms as a baby tiger again."

“The look on his face that morning…it was as if the world had ended. I think even though he knew I was alive, he was so terrified of ever losing me, that he pushed me hard. He forced me to be better than all the others. He wanted me to be able to protect myself. He demanded that I be more. I cut off the ties to my heart the day I lost my mother, so I did as he asked. I became a killer. You unfortunately, my beautiful girl, are making me feels things I haven’t felt in over a century. That I chose not to feel.”

I sighed and pressed my face a little closer to the top of her head. I pulled her tighter not wanting to let her go. She was making me better, I understood that, but yet I was scared of everything I could lose when I would eventually have to let her go.

“You make me so much more than I am.”

I must have fallen asleep again because, when I woke up, Audrey had her chin on my chest, staring at me. I blinked a couple times making sure I was seeing right. She smiled, her lips pulled tightly across her face, her scars bunching together, her other flawless side pushed up. Her clear eyes sparkled in the light sunlight.

“Beautiful,” I whispered, my eyes searching her face closely. Her smile turned shy and she hid her face in my chest. Her body shook and I realized she was giggling.

“What? What is it?” I asked wanting to laugh along with her, feeling the heavy weight of the past rolling off my shoulders.

“Nothing.” She peeked up at me, her voice muffled as her lips were still on my chest. What I wouldn’t give to have my shirt ripped off at that moment so I could feel her lips on my bare skin. I swallowed and pushed the thought away. I moved my hand to touch her face, I couldn’t help myself anymore. I found myself touching her all the time.

We remained silent for a long time. Audrey looked as if she was almost drifting again. Seeing her now, I knew that she had always known what she was. I didn’t understand why she would keep it a secret.

“You know what you are, don’t you?” I didn’t look at her eyes; I was too focused on my hand running through her long locks, the strands slipping between my fingers. I kept combing and watching.

“I am nothing special. I never have been.”

“Why do you say that?” I asked.

“I could never be what he wanted me to be.” Her voice was strangled. I looked at her and I saw the fine sheen of tears building in her eyes.

“You are more than I could have ever hoped for.” The words slipped out, without warning, without hesitation. She moved up my chest, her hand over my heart. I wondered if she could feel how hard it was beating. She made no indication that she did though.

Her slim, long leg nudged mine apart. My breathing grew heavy and seeing her like this, I wasn’t sure how I was controlling myself. I couldn’t control certain parts of my body. I knew that I couldn’t force beyond where she was willing to go. I wouldn’t do that to her. Her long hair created a curtain around us, in this place we were in our own world. Nothing could harm her, and nothing could harm me.

“I find you unimaginable. How can such a delicate, sweet creature as you be scarred, tortured, and still look at me like that.” With so much trust and hints of something more, I added silently. She leaned down, her whole body pushing on mine. I loved her weight, loved feeling her so close.

“You make me feel like I am something more,” she whispered as she pulled away. I wanted to jerk away from her touch, wondering if she had heard me this morning. I remained still, my body tensed. I hoped that she wouldn’t notice.

“I should go; I wouldn’t want your father to find me in here.” My eyes slid half way shut. I couldn’t help but think that I wanted to stay. I wanted her father to know that I spent the night with her. That she was mine.

• • •

The Valkyrie who we attacked in the cells knocked on my door an hour later and escorted me to the large conference room that was already filled with paranormals. My eyes immediately looked for my maroon haired beauty.

When we were at the cabin, Audrey had stopped hiding behind a curtain of her hair. Now, as my eyes settled on her, she was hiding once again. She didn’t even hide from me last night, or this morning when I woke up. Watching Audrey conceal herself once more, made my gut tighten with dread and my skin feel itchy. It didn’t escape my attention either that she was placed between her father and York who sat at the head of the table.

Nixie was a couple empty chairs away from York on the other side of Audrey. One of the cheetah-shifters from the day before was sitting next to her. Though she looked smug, I noticed a shining gleam coming from her wrist. When she jerked her hand up to wave at me, I saw she had been handcuffed to the cheetah next to her.

The cheetah gave Nixie an annoyed glance then turned pleading eyes at York. I almost laughed at her situation when I heard the light giggle of Audrey. Nixie’s coral eyes turned to her friend and they softened as she watched her. I knew that Nixie cared for Audrey like a little sister and I could now see how Nixie noticed the change in Audrey. She was reverting back to the girl we had first met.

I moved to sit next to Nixie, blocking her from York’s eyes. She visibly relaxed with me sitting between them. I looked at York from the corner of my eyes. He watched Drake, who in turn whispered something to Audrey. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her; I think I misinterpreted the look on her face earlier. While yes she was still hiding in her hair, her eyes showed a sign of defiance.

The moment was broken when Elijah entered. He wasn’t being lead, but followed by the male Zana again.

“Good, now that we are all here, I think it is time to get down to business.” York’s voice was booming in the small space and I saw Audrey flinch. Her father grabbed her hand and held on. But her eyes sought out mine. I wore a blank mask, but watching her look for me made me sit just a little taller.

“How are we supposed to believe that these paranormals are coming back?” I demanded, tearing my eyes from Audrey. I wasn’t convinced by what York was saying about these rebirthed paranormals we thought to be dead. When I looked back at Drake, I could only wonder again what kind of paranormal he was. Gargoyles were built huge, and the only other paranormal I could think that still was in existence that was built like that was a Minotaur.

“They are. You have already met Tom, you see Zeke right there, and Frea the Valkyrie who brought you in here today. You are no fool. You know all these were rare if not extinct races. Paranormals that we thought were killed in the last great battle have been hidden away, safely, until we could try and bring them out. The York clan has been keeping this a secret for more than a century. And with even more rare paranormals emerging, we have to get them before Cain finds out about them or Abram finds them first. Cain wants to destroy them while Abram would use them for his own gain. You need to be informed. The whole paranormal world should be.”

“And what’s in it for you, York?” I growled, my eyes drifting to Audrey.

“Nothing. You should know that even Gargoyle’s aren’t as abundant as we used to be. Most of us still in existence live under my care. I will take care of the rare and dying races, while other clans are joining to destroy them or to control them.” York was practically yelling at us.

“Where is your proof?” Nixie demanded, sounding very defensive. I didn’t blame her, after all York was attacking our clan, our family.

“There is proof enough siren.” He threw down a file and pushed it toward us. “If paper documents aren’t enough for you, you could always ask your wraith friend right there.” York’s purple eyes met Elijah’s and refused to move. All heads seemed to turn toward Elijah then, even Drake.

“What the fin is he talking about Elijah?” Nixie demanded.

“It was both parts weakening the Vedenin group and to further erase her kind.” It struck me as odd that no one, not even Audrey had mentioned to Nixie and I what she was. Now Elijah was watching Audrey who looked sick. I wanted to go to her but I remained in my seat. I turned back to Elijah.

“You knew about this?” I demanded.

“Of course. Jacobs wasn’t planning on killing her right away as she never showed any promise while captive with Abram. Jacobs was ordered by Cain Braden to have our team gain her trust to find out where her father was in hiding. We were right behind the Vedenin group all these years, but they arrived before our old team could at Audrey’s childhood home.” Elijah’s black eyes moved to Drake. “You were waiting for us and destroyed half the team. Then York arrived on the scene and took you away.”

“My father died on that trip,” Nixie whispered, looking up at Drake who held no sympathy for her. She had tears in her eyes.

“When Cain found out where they were keeping Audrey, he had Jacobs go in to find her. The real mission was always to retrieve Audrey. It was just a happy accident that you and Dallas found her first and decided to take her. When Jacobs realized that gaining her trust through you and Nixie wasn’t going to work, he decided to raise the bar a little. The next step was torture.”

Audrey made a strangled noise and my eyes turned to her. She was looking at both Nixie and I like we were her torturers. She looked so betrayed. I think she wasn’t processing everything that Elijah was saying.

“Oh no, little guppy! We weren’t in on this! We had no idea!” Nixie sounded desperate. Audrey looked at Nixie for a moment before turning her deep blue eyes on me.

“Audrey…”

She got up and left the room. I didn’t care what more Xavier had to say, I was done with this meeting. I transformed into a cheetah and dashed out of the door before it shut.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Audrey

I knew that Nixie and Gabriel weren’t lying, I knew that. I could see the confusion and the pain in their eyes. I could see it, I could practically feel it myself, but I couldn’t wrap my head around that idea. All I heard was that they betrayed me. I thought they cared about me. I had only so many good things left in my life. So little things I wanted to hold dear and hope they would never hurt me. My father tried to grab me before I ran off and I dodged his hold.

“Audrey!” Stone’s voice was more gruff than usual.

I didn’t stop though, I kept walking away, not sure where I was going, but knowing I wouldn’t be able to stand up to him. I was shocked to find out that his clan wanted to kill my father and myself just because of what we were. I thought of all people he understood. Stone who had held me so tightly last night. Who had told me the story of his mother without realizing that I was awake. I kept that to myself because I knew that he would tell me when he was ready. It was something that I could completely understand. Trusting someone was difficult; to give them a piece of your heart in such a way was dangerous. And yet I had.

“Audrey, please!” He caught up to me, I don’t know if it was because I had started to slow down without realizing it, or he quickened his steps. Either way he had my arm in his hand now.

“Audrey, look at me and tell me that I wasn’t telling you the truth. Tell me that I was lying when I said that we had no idea. I would have never done that to you.” I looked up into his stormy grey eyes and saw regret, hatred, and obviously disappointment. I think the disappointment hurt the most. I wasn’t sure if it was directed at me or directed at his clan.

“You promised you would never hurt me,” I whispered, looking away from his eyes. He had me pressed against a wall and I couldn’t struggle out from under him. He grabbed my chin gently and forced my eyes back to his.

“And I meant that.” His voice was strong with conviction.

“If you see me so innocent now, what was stopping you from seeing me as guilty as others. Can you tell me that you would have seen me as anything else but another guilty person unwilling to answer questions?” His eyes, turned a murky brown color. Total disgust. “You would have done to me what you would have done to all those people you told me about. To your clan, I am nothing more than a monster among beasts.”

“No. Not to me. To me you are an angel among devils.” He pressed his forehead against mine; his eyes squeezed shut as he shook his head back and forth. “I don’t deserve you. I knew that. I knew that I would never get to keep you. But I don’t want you to ever think that I hate you. Gods how could I? You who survived so much and kept this.” His hand was on my heart. He opened his teal eyes to me “If I regret anything in my life, it was becoming so unfeeling that it took a scarred, broken girl who tried to save me to wake me up.”

I didn’t know what to say to him. What could I say? That in that moment when I first saw him, I was saving myself as much as I was trying to save him? That I was being selfish and hoping all along he would take me with him? Instead of telling him the truth I gripped the back of his head and pulled him close.

I pressed my lips against his. It was a painful kiss, one where I branded him and he branded me. For me, there was no going back after this kiss. How could there be anything better than this? He took over the kiss and his hands went to my hips, under my bum and lifted me up. Automatically my legs went around his waist. My hands ran through his hair as if I couldn’t get enough. His tongue invading my mouth while his hips… Gods his hips were moving in only a fashion that could be described as instinctual. My body responded.

He moved, I don’t think he knew where he was going, but at this moment I didn’t care where we ended up. We still hadn’t really separated, one of our lips always touching the other, whether it was on the lips, cheek, neck, it didn’t matter, as long as I could touch him. Feel him. Everything else was forgotten. He fumbled for a doorknob with me still in his arms. I laughed lightly against his neck as I kissed it and a light feeling filled my heart. I had never felt so … free before.

The door open and I recognized the room that I had been staying in. He shut the door with his foot and placed me gently on the bed. My body hummed with a whole new feeling. It was like I was floating, but completely grounded at the same time.

When he crawled over me, I didn’t think my heart could race any faster. My breath caught in my throat. He gently pushed my legs apart and placed his body there. I bit my lip without realizing it. He groaned as he pressed his entire body onto mine and kissed me again with a ferocity that was shocking.

I breathed him in.

Taking all of these new emotions, I felt my body building to a whole new level. His hand skimmed the edge of my shirt; I knew that he was waiting for permission, to make sure that it was okay. I grabbed his hand and pushed it under my shirt. He groaned once more and I sighed. The heat of his skin burned into mine, leaving trails of heat behind. I never realized how cold my skin was until he touched me.

As his hand moved up, I squirmed. He was coming close to more scars, scars he didn’t know about. Then he touched the edge of them.

He didn’t pull away or look at me with disgust. Instead, his hand kept moving, touching the uglier parts. The parts that felt ugly. There was nothing there that was redeeming, but he pulled away from my lips and bent down to kiss the scars. He tasted them, letting his tongue run along the edges and ridges.

I was breathing hard trying to keep up with the sensations running through me. His other hand had moved to my breast, and nothing felt as unnerving as having his hand there. It seemed like his entire hand covered it. He brushed over the most sensitive parts. My body jerked.

“What-what are you doing to me?” I stuttered. My entire body was humming. A feeling I was quite enjoying. My voice came out breathy and barely even there. I felt his chest rumble with laughter and he placed my hand over his heart. It was beating at the pace of my own.

“More like what are you doing to me?” he whispered, trailing kisses over my shirt back up to my face. “I don’t want you to feel like we have to go any farther than this right now. I hope you know that. I want to take things slow with you.” Understanding filled his eyes.

While I didn’t exactly tell him what happened in the dark room, he knew of it. He coaxed many things out of me during our time at the cabin. While I hadn’t learned a lot about his early past, I knew about many stories and ticks of his own.

I bit my lip looking away for a moment. Feeling his body on top of my own wasn’t the same as with those guards. They didn’t want to touch me like Stone did. He wouldn’t throw his weight into the first thrust. He wasn’t shoving, he was coaxing.

“I am okay.” I whispered. I wasn’t okay, I was terrified. I was scared in a good way this time. This time felt different, it would be different. Stone looked down at me though and while I knew his eyes were a deep purple color of desire, I was hoping to see a different color. A color I was almost certain would be showing in my own eyes.

“Audrey. I want this,” He looked at me when he said it, “More than anything. But I think that we should wait. I think there are still things that need to be discussed.” He left it open, almost as if there was something else he wanted to say. I wanted him to say more. Instead, he placed a lingering kiss on my lips and pulled off his own shirt that I hadn’t realized I was hiking up until now. I looked away from him feeling ashamed. But he quickly nudged my jaw so I faced him again.

“Please don’t think that you should be ashamed. Because what would have happened here would have been beautiful, it would have been passionate, and it would have made you feel like you never have before.” I started to blush, and twist uncomfortably. “I would have not only had sex with you, but I would have made love to you. You wouldn’t remember the scars of the past ever again. You’d only think of me.”

He placed a small kiss on my lips and pulled away, putting on his Stone face. The moments we had alone, the moments he made me feel like nothing else mattered, and that I was beautiful, he was Gabriel. He was open and loving. At times like now, he was Stone, unmoving and unfeeling. Though yes, he would joke around, there was still this distance between him and the others. He was so unlike Nixie, who was in the open, and willing to let people in with an easy smile and a kind heart.

Stone grabbed my hand and we headed back to the conference room. I was surprised how easily he found it; I’d felt lost as soon as we left my room.

When we got back in the meeting, Nixie was screaming at Elijah who sat unflinching, taking it. Xavier was sitting watching them, but his eyes flashed over to Stone and me. I could see the unpleased look in his eyes. I could still see the flux of colors, still read his feelings. My father was nowhere to be seen.

“Good, you’re back. Your father went looking for you.” Xavier gave me a pointed look, but I didn’t shrink under it. I felt Stone’s hand tighten around mine. I didn’t think he even knew that he did it, but it gave me a bit of extra courage. I moved to sit with Stone instead of the seat that I had been sitting in, the seat I was expected to take. Stone sat me between him and Nixie who looked particularly proud and came to resume her seat. The guard that was handcuffed to her looked momentarily at ease since she looked almost calm. I tried to stifle a laugh knowing that it probably wasn’t the easiest thing to be chained with Nixie. She grabbed me into a hug pulling the guard with her. He looked annoyed again but accepted it.

“Oh my little guppy! I was so worried about you!” She kissed my cheek. She pulled away her coral eyes that were shining brightly. While this was happening Stone started to flip through the file that York had provided before.

“Two of your team members, Anane and Cole, were sent on a mission to find a rumored Griffin-shifter. Something that we were sure had become extinct during the last battle. They were powerful creatures and it would only make sense to send a nephilim and a Dawon, who has the powers of a wizard, after him. Especially since your Cole is gifted with fore-sight.” Stone looked up at York with such a cold look that I thought York might actually have flinched a little. Instead he narrowed his eyes at Stone. “Yes, we are well aware of all the Bradens movements. What kind of enemy would we be if we didn’t know?”

“If you know so much, please tell me more about how my clan is trying to destroy almost extinct creatures? What is the gain in it?” Stone asked.

“Power, what else? Right now the York clan is at the head of the top families, closely followed by the Braden clan and Long clan. The Longs keep to their Asian countries, but the States are becoming a bit too crowded for the Braden clan. The Braden clan has always taken in the most…prejudiced of people. While the York family does not discriminate.”

“What are you trying to say York? That we Braden’s are a bunch of stuck up racist paranormals? Because let me tell you something, my father…the man your friend Drake killed, was anything but. He loved all paranormals; he judged people based on their character.” Nixie’s voice was dangerously quiet, like a calm before the storm. I looked over at her and her face was completely guarded. She wasn’t looking at me, but digging holes into York.

“No, siren. What I was saying is that there are a higher majority because they are narrowed minded and scared paranormals within the Braden clan that would rather not see old, powerful, paranormals return to existence. How human some of us act sometimes.” York said the words as if an afterthought, but Nixie looked like she took that to heart. She looked like it was an insult.

“How human some of us act?” Nixie ran her tongue between her teeth. She looked aggravated. “You know what? I think it’s time for me to leave.” Stone looked up at her.

“Nixie that isn’t what he meant. You know that. But there is some concrete evidence in here. We need to at least hear him out. What if Cain is getting out of hand? You know how supreme the were-eagles can be. They are a proud race. All the Weres are. You know this. And what if…” Stone didn’t look like he was winning an argument with Nixie though.

“You don’t get to speak up shape-shifter.” Nixie’s jaw tightened. As she started to move she reached between her and her guard and snapped the metal on her wrist. “I will escort myself out, thank you.”

I looked desperately at Stone trying to understand, but I gave up and decided to go after her myself. Nixie was turning a corner when I finally got out of the door.

“Nixie!” I called. It seemed strange that I was the one doing the chasing now when only an hour ago I was being chased.

“You will never understand my little guppy so don’t try to ask. I am not going to tell you. And if you want me to go back into that room with that clam-head you are sadly mistaken.” She didn’t even turn toward me, she just kept walking away. She was wearing flip-flops that clacked rather hard every time her foot connected to the ground, showing her intense anger.

“Please…you are my best friend.” I whispered. She stopped. I could see her fist tighten and her back stiffen.

“Why did you say that? Why? Why? Why?” She muttered as she turned on her heel and headed back toward me. She hugged me tight. “I am letting that blowhole know that I am only coming back for you.”

Nixie was back to being her normal happy self, but I could see in her eyes she was still being haunted by something. I wanted to ask, but I knew that past memories were more painful if someone forced you to talk about them. Like ripping off a Band-Aid that wasn’t ready to come off. It pulled on your skin, brought unnecessary tears to your eyes and made it all the more painful to watch.

“If you are done leaving, we can finally finish this meeting.” Xavier said. His tail twitched.

“If you stopped saying such insulting things, we would,” Nixie replied with a big smile. It looked like Xavier was going to reply, but stopped short when Elijah stood up.

“I would like to continue my tale if possible.” It was a rare time to see such emotion on his face, but if I was guessing, he looked annoyed.

Nixie and I took our seats over by Stone. Xavier put his hand out as to indicate for Elijah to go on. Stone sat rigidly. I tried to grab his hand, but it was balled into a fist. Instead I was brave and placed my hand on his thigh. He seemed to relax a little under my touch, which brought a small smile to my face.

“After that incident-” Nixie straightened like she was about to say something, but when Elijah turned his cold glare on her she shut her mouth with a bit of a pout. I thought I heard her mumble under her breath how he was a blowhole.

“Cain dedicated a whole team to finding and destroying these rare paranormals, but when rumors started saying the old paranormal races were coming back, he decided to step it up a notch. He needed to find Audrey, and find out what she knew.” Elijah was leaving a lot out. I knew that he had most of my memories from when he pushed the other wraith from my head, but no one mentioned it so I didn’t say anything.

“So will you stay or will you go?” Xavier turned his eyes onto Nixie and Stone.

“You know what you are asking us right? You want us to turn our backs on our clan? The clan that has been a family to us for our entire lives?” Nixie asked paling. Stone’s jaw had started to twitch.

“Maybe they could think about it.” I offered, looking at Xavier. It was strange, but his eyes softened when they looked at me. A small smile formed on his lips.

“Yes, they can think about it.” He turned his attention to my friends. “You have a week, after that I must ask that you leave if you decide that is what you want to do.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

Stone

A week wasn’t a very long time to decide whether or not I wanted to leave the people I thought to be my family.

After the meeting, I went with Audrey back to her room, where she curled up next to me and fell asleep. I knew that things were taking their toll on her. She wasn’t used to all this excitement. Five years in isolation didn’t warrant a lot of action. Just thinking about that made me grind my teeth together.

Things felt like they were crashing down around me. I knew the loyal decision was to take her from here and back to my family, back to my clan. How can I do that with the evidence York showed me? When I wasn't even sure if I was falling for her? I thought about earlier today when we were in this very room, and I was so close from ripping off all of her clothes.

When she wrapped her legs around my waist, instinct took over. My hips moved into her. I couldn’t control myself. I was starved for anything I could have from her. I don’t think she realized that she let out a gasp. I didn’t care; I succumbed to my tunnel vision. I wanted her. We arrived though. Gods her skin was so smooth, and when I touched more scars, the scars that Nixie had warned me about, I wanted nothing more than to rip the person apart who had done this to her. Feeling those scars reminded me of our time together at the cabin. She had told me some about the “dark room” as she called it, but I could easily tell what she wasn’t telling me. A year of being abused in the worst ways. I almost stopped then, but my body wouldn’t have it. Not only was I painfully hard, but touching her skin was like the ocean on a hot summer’s day.

Touching her scars was painful in several ways. I wanted to destroy who would ever mar her skin, but I didn’t think less of her. She was beautiful on the inside and out. I didn’t flinch or jerk away. No, I had to taste her. I kissed each inch I could. But I knew soon I’d lose all control. Looking down at her, her lips parted and her chest was rising and falling hard. Audrey’s eyes were half-lidded, but so intelligent. Searching, I knew, even though all I wanted to do was be with her at that moment, it wouldn’t be right. I watched her and realized I wanted more than her body. I wouldn’t take any less than all of her.

Looking down at her now, I wondered if this is what love felt like. This odd sense of belonging, my heart racing at the sight of her. She made me want to be so much more than what I was. She made me want to be better. I thought back to the years before. There were endless people, faceless, voiceless people that all pleaded for me to stop. The great thing about being a shape-shifter is if you knew a person’s fear it was easy to use it against them. Hearing the shrieks, calls for help, and they would promise you anything as long as you gave them peace because it was a living nightmare. Nothing was safe from me. I thought strongly about what Audrey had said during our first few days together. It was hard to believe how much and little time had passed since I met her.

She had told me that she wanted to know if those people were innocent. The ones I attacked. They were guilty for being from a different clan, for knowing things that Jacobs and Cain wanted to know. I knew that I would have made my father proud. I had become untouchable. Nothing could break me. The other shape-shifters nicknamed me Stone not only so that fey couldn’t control me with my name, but also because of my unbreakable nature, even under the most drastic of circumstances. At first I thought they were referring to the amount of torture I had endured myself, but now I wonder if they meant something else. Maybe those second glances I got weren’t from admiration, but because I was a monster among beasts. I was another soulless creature created by Jacobs.

I pulled Audrey closer. She made me better. She made me want to be good. She reminded me that even though people weren’t always innocent, there were lines to be drawn and lines that shouldn’t be crossed. What gave Cain the right to want to torture her for information about her only living family? I understood that. Isn’t that what I had to be debating at the moment? Whether or not I wanted to stay with the people I considered my family for most of my life or should I remain here with this magnificent creature in my arms.

She moaned a little, twisting in her sleep. Gods I wanted to take her nightmares away. But instead of a tear falling from her closed eyes, I saw a small smile form. I looked at her and realized she wasn’t having a nightmare. No, she was having a good dream. Something she deserved. Then, for whatever reason I decided to sing to her. I sang her the lullaby my mother used to sing to me.

• • •

The next day was less eventful, but Elijah had come by Audrey’s room and was speaking with her privately. I knew that I needed to talk to Nixie. I left Audrey’s room where we had been before Elijah came. I didn’t know how long they would be gone but I figured that Audrey would find the note I left telling her I went to get some air. On my way to find Nixie I couldn’t help but think about old memories I’d rather forget.

My father treated me like nothing more than a trophy. I was the thing he paraded around, so proud to call me son. He lost his real love and affection for me when I was only seven years old. I think it would have hurt less if I knew that he was truly proud. In the end I could have always been better. I could have been a step faster than I was. I could have been slightly stronger than the others. He demanded perfection, and that is what I gave him. Nothing less. If there was more, he would have demanded that of me as well. I would have gladly striven for it.

I pushed myself to my limits neither for him nor for me. I had done them for her. Always for her. My mother was the only person I hadn’t been able to save. If it meant I had to destroy others to save the ones close to me, I would do it. My heart had blackened to the point that when the blood splattered on my face, all I could do was wipe it away and move on. I had no remorse for what I had done.

She used to sing to me. I remember the song. It was a sweet little tune that was also a little sad for her. She would sing it to me when she would give me bath, or tuck me into bed. At times, I could hear her singing it while she thought she was alone. I knew that she wanted another child but after having me, there were compilations. In the end, it was another thing that I took away from her.

I would find myself singing the song to myself when my father would pull me along showing me off. The proudest day of my father’s life was when I was admitted into the Braden Clan’s protective services and admitted into Jacobs’ special ops team.

That night I was pulled around by my father. He would slap me on the back and tell everyone how proud he was. How proud my mother would be if she were still alive. He would still call me his survivor. I hated when he called me that. My teeth would grind, my whole body would tense, and I would sing in my head. I sang the song my mother used to sing to me.

I would never do that to someone. I took. I could never give.

I shook myself free from the memory and continued my search for Nixie. While I walked around, I ran into the Zeke and asked if he saw Nixie around. I assumed she was free from the were-cheetah. He had mentioned that he saw her head out on the north-wing deck. I headed that way hoping to find her still there.

Outside she leaned against the railing. The wind was blowing softly. She looked at peace even if her coral eyes reflected an endless sadness.

“Will you leave?” I asked, moving next to her, my forearms draped over the railing.

“So many reasons to stay, so many to leave.” Nixie paused and straightened a little. “So she is rubbing off on you, isn’t she Stone?” Nixie looked away sighing not even able to hold her own joke. We were silent for a long time, the weight of our decision weighing heavily on us. Nixie let out a heavy sigh. “End of the week to decide right?” She started to leave.

“Nixie wait, you partially shifted…have you always been able to do that?”

“No I haven’t.” She didn’t turn back to tell me, but marched forward.

• • •

Audrey and I were headed toward the kitchen when Drake appeared. I felt Audrey twitch as if she wanted to hide behind me, but she stayed where she was. My thoughts of Drake had been far and few between in light of the problems I was faced with. But seeing him now stomping toward his daughter, I couldn’t help but wonder what supposedly extinct creature he was…what Audrey was.

“We will start your training in the morning,” Drake growled. His eyes flicked between us, showing his obvious dislike for our physical contact. “If it wasn’t for Xavier, I would kill you for touching her.”

“She is not yours to command,” I ground out standing tall.

“Careful what you say, boy.” With a final glance at Audrey, who still hadn’t cowarded behind me, he pushed past me.

“You shouldn’t have said that,” Audrey whispered.

“Why? It’s true, he isn’t your keeper. You’re not his.” You’re mine, I added with a silent growl.

“You don’t understand what he is like. You just… don’t understand.” She sounded so defeated. I could see her right hand start to twitch like she did when she started to count something.

“Then tell me,” I whispered. Grabbing the hand that twitched, I placed a kiss on her knuckles.

“He-he, well we, we are,”

I could see this was difficult for her. She swallowed hard looking around as if she wanted to escape. I tightened my hold on her hand.

“We are dragon-shifters.” She looked up at me through her eyelashes. I could see the fear in her eyes.

“That explains a lot,” I said, hopefully sounding light enough to make it seem like a joke. Inside I was shocked. It made sense for Drake. I could imagine a dragon-shifter having such a build. Audrey though…

I eyed her as I started to lead us toward the kitchen. Audrey was small for a dragon woman.

“What did your father mean by your training?” I asked, stilling mulling over the fact that she was a dragon. No wonder Abram had kept her locked up tight.

“I have never been able to transform…” She looked away. “I gave up believing that I had a dragon form.”

I grabbed her hand. Dragon-shifters weren’t the same as Weres–none of the elder races were. Dragon-shifters lived in harmony with their animal spirit, not entirely human in their human form, but not entirely dragon in their dragon form. While were-creatures held most of their animal’s habits and traits even in their human forms, the elder races weren’t like that.

From what I remember about tales involving the elder races, they held a certain relationship with their animal spirits that even were-creatures couldn’t quite understand. Looking at her now, I realized how deeply her pain ran. She didn’t have that connection. I pulled her close and she buried her face into my chest.

“What do you know about dragons, Audrey?”

“Only that they are hoarders. Their possessions are sacred, and to steal from them is almost certain death. I never knew about their hearts until you told me about them. My father never talked about our heritage much, seeing as I might not ever…” She trailed off and buried her face a little deeper.

“There is this tale about the first dragon-shifter and how it came to be. Would you like to hear it?”

She nodded.

“He was a dragon, black as the unforgiving night sky, and just as cruel. He would protect his hoard fiercer than any other dragon and would even kill another dragon if they got too close. He would attack the human villages that would build too close to his hoard. One human village decided that if they would send a virgin offering that he would leave them alone."

“Though this great, black dragon was known for killing a human without blinking an eye, he didn’t kill the woman. Instead he instantly fell in love with her long blonde locks, and her pale brown eyes. He had never seen someone so beautiful and decided to keep her as a gem as he did with other precious jewels. But she was sad, and broken."

“Overtime the dragon started to feel the same way, and didn’t understand why. He thought for sure that someone had stolen something from him. While he searched out for the jewel he was convinced went missing, he destroyed even more towns, and killing livestock and the men who would try to attack him."

“While he was out, the woman he had stolen for his own, left the caves and saw her old home destroyed. Hurt by the dragon’s betrayal of his promise to not hurt her family, she sought the dragon out. When she found him, he looked down at her and realized he had found his missing jewel. She cried and told him that she never wanted to see him again. His heart broke. He didn’t understand that he loved her in a different way than his jewels. Watching her cry, he let her go and flew away into his cave. For years, he mourned the loss of his most precious possession. He pleaded with the Gods to let him talk to her, human to human. The Gods granted him the gift to shift. He flew down from his caves leaving his jewels unprotected, and forgotten, and went after his love. When he found her, she had aged but he didn’t care."

“He told her that she would always be the rarest of gems in his eyes. He told her how he had never attacked her family after the day she came to him. She forgave him before he even said anything because she had heard it was a red dragon that had attacked her old home."

“They lived many years together, he never aged, but she grew older every day. He told her everyday how beautiful she was, and she always believed him. But the day came when it was her time to leave this world, and he didn’t want to give her up. He shifted into his dragon form ready to rip out his own heart in order to die with her. Instead, when he pulled out his heart, he only had half, and he offered it to his beloved. Years melted away, and she became the same age as the day they met. They lived happily ever after.”

I had sat Audrey down and started to search around the kitchen for food. Xavier had told us that we could take anything we wanted, so I started to grab food to make a meal for Audrey. Looking over at her while I started making something, I could see tears in her eyes.

“What’s the matter?” I asked, staying on the other side of the counter, even though all I wanted to do was wrap her in my arms and never let her go.

“It’s a beautiful story,” she whispered. “I wonder…” She looked down.

I hoped I wouldn’t have to coax it out of her.

“I wonder if my father felt the same way about my mother.” Now she looked up at me with hope in her eyes.

This time I did move away from the counter. I went around and grabbed her hands in mine and brought them to my lips. Her tears washed away into something close to desire. My body reacted.

“I am positive your father loved her more than anything,” I whispered, pulling her head into my chest and stroking the back of her head. I could only hope my words were true and, if they weren’t, that she would never know the truth.

“I never asked him about her…does that make me a bad daughter?” Audrey asked me a while later after I had moved back to my spot in front of the stove. I looked up at her. She nervously touched the kitchen tiles as if she wanted to start counting them but instead she was focusing on her question.

“Never.” I had the urge to tell her about my mother’s death. Instead I decided to tell her a different story. “When I was about five years old my mother would tell me that the best way to a girl’s heart was to make her a special dinner. That very night,” I looked up at her, she was smiling, leaning forward as if excited to see what I had to say, “I made her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. With the crust cut off, just the way I liked it.” I looked back down to the sauce that I was stirring and heard her huff a little.

“That’s all? How did she react?” Her voice was so light, so free that I couldn’t stop myself from looking up at her. There was a wistful smile on her face and she looked so eager.

“She looked down at me, smiled and she pulled me onto her lap. Then she explained that what I had done was a selfless and a wonderful thing to do. The problem was though I had made the sandwich the way I liked it. I hadn’t thought of what she would like. She assured me that the girl would always like that I had made the effort in the first place, but going that extra mile, doing that extra little thing would make her fall in love with me.”

I swallowed, wishing I had listened to my mother more, but wishing for the past to be different is useless. There was no point in it.

“So I ran back to where I had left the crust and grabbed it all in my hands and offered it to her. She laughed for what seemed like years. I miss her laugh.” I didn’t look up from stirring for a long time.

I felt small hands move around my waist. Looking down I recognized the lightly tanned skin. She was looking so much better since we left the compound at the Braden’s land. Thinking back to that reminded me that she had been talking to Elijah, I wanted to know what they had talked about. What it is that had the wraith acting so out of character around her?

When I turned, I had a spoon ready for her to try the sauce. She looked down at it then looked up at me as if she was unsure. I snickered a little.

“Open up.” I watched as her beautiful lips opened. I watched the scarred part wondering if, even after all these years, if it hurt to move. And if it did, if it even had the slightest indication that it hurt, I would kiss the pain away, every time she had to move her lips. I hadn’t realized that I started to lick my own lips when I looked at her placing the edge of the spoon in her mouth.

She had her eyes closed, which thank Gods she did because I knew my eyes were flashing a dangerous color. I shut my own eyes, but it was worse because now I could hear the slight moan that slipped from her lips, and the way she started to say yum. I couldn’t resist.

I moved on instinct, as if I knew right where her lips would be. I could taste the sauce I had made still on her tongue, and I moved a little closer grabbing her hips with my hands.

When she finally pulled away for air, I moved from her lips to the corner of her mouth…to the scarred part. I kissed there then moved down to her neck. She stretched her neck so that I could get better access, I don’t know if she meant to or if it was pure instinct. Her breathing was heavy.

“I really liked the sauce.” She laughed a little.

My lips stopped against her smooth skin, and I let a laugh rumble down in my chest. She shivered slightly, and I knew that my closeness was affecting her. When I looked up at her, she was biting her lips and making parts of my body demand so much more from her.

“I am glad you like it,” I whispered, my lips moving to her ear. She shuddered again. I stepped back. I knew if I kept touching her, if I thought about how I just told her about the one memory I had of my mother that wasn’t stained with the memory of her dying, I would not let her go.

It was a simple spaghetti dinner, but Audrey ate it faster than she had any other meal. She ate more than she usually did as well.

“What did Elijah want?” I asked before taking a bite of my own food.

She stopped and looked down at her plate.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Audrey

I wasn’t sure what to say. I thought back to earlier in the day when Elijah had asked me if he could speak to me. Stone had looked upset, but didn’t stop me from going to talk with Elijah.

We had wandered the halls for a while, both of us silent. I didn’t know what he had wanted in the first place, and while I grew braver in the presence of Stone and Nixie, Elijah was completely different. My father was someone I knew not to cross. Elijah was cold, hard, and completely unfeeling. He was a new type of danger that I knew instinctively never to push.

“I have decided to stay.” Elijah was looking down at me and spoke in his completely monotone voice.

I swallowed. I didn’t know what he wanted me to say. I was curious about his involvement in all of this and why he would stay. If he was there all those years ago when I was first taken, he had known what Jacobs was up to the entire time. Why was he helping me now?

“You can ask me,” Elijah stated looking forward, clasping his hands behind his back. He kept his pace steady, as if he had said nothing at all.

“I don’t understand…” I moved next to him. I was ready to finish the statement when he actually sighed.

“There is…something about you.” It was strange but his words, the way his body tightened ever so slightly. It seemed like he was…frustrated. “I find you completely aggravating. I can’t quite decide whether I would kill you for making me…” He stopped his thought but didn’t stop his walk. “I find that being in your mind was enlightening.”

With that Elijah stopped turned to me and nodded. He walked away without another word and I was left wondering what was so enlightening about me. But with his dismissal, I turned back toward my room.

Stone cleared his throat and pulled me back to the present. Looking up at him, I could see the worry painting the irises of his eyes.

I told Stone of the whole encounter. The hand that held his fork tightened so much that the skin on his fist looked dangerously white. I wished I could tell him that my encounter with Elijah made sense, that I understood why the wraith would want to stay, but I was more confused than ever.

“I wanted you to know that I will leave with you. If that is what you want,” I whispered, looking at my plate, afraid of what he would say.

When I felt the softness of his hand, my stomach tightened. I knew this would be it, he would tell me that he was done with me. I pulled my lip into my mouth biting down hard. How could I ever be allowed to keep a beautiful creature such as him?

“What I want is to be with you.”

My heart hammered in my chest at his words, and I couldn’t breathe right.

I looked up at him, seeing his eyes flash that light pink color that I had longed to see. It wasn’t very long, but it was there. My stomach tightened for a different reason. He was towering over me, him standing, me sitting. I wished I could find the strength to speak. Instead his hand moved to touch the scarred side of my face, tucking the hair that was loose behind my ear. I leaned into his warm hand, loving his touch more than anything.

“I wish you wouldn’t hide.”

I hadn’t realized I had closed my eyes until I had to pry them open to look into his. He watched me steadily and unmoving. I searched desperately looking for something. I didn’t know what until I saw it. His eyes were a dark purple maroon. Desire mixed with something entirely different. He leaned his head a little closer, placing a small kiss on my lips.

“I want you more than I have ever wanted anything else in my life.” Stone whispered.

I don’t know what had possessed me to, but my arms moved. They pulled him down so hard that I was sure I bruised our lips. The kiss, while frantic, was passionate; it was more telling than his words. More telling than his hands, which had moved to my legs. He wrapped his huge hands under my thighs and lifted me up. This wasn’t like before when he pushed his hips almost immediately. He was cradling me against his body, making me feel cherished.

“Gods help me, Audrey. I have fallen in love with you.”

I didn’t even know how, but we were moving. We made it back to my room with no problems, still embracing each other. Giving each other small feather light kisses here and there. This wasn’t about an uncontrollable desire. Closing off the door, closed us off to the world. Nothing could disrupt us.

He set me down gently, he was always so gentle with me, on the bed. His hands were going for my shirt, pulling it off. Before I was scared, now I was excited. As his hands touched every exposed piece of skin that he could, his eyes took more of me in. I was glad for the protection of the bra I was wearing but I knew with the heat in his eyes, it wouldn’t remain on me for much longer.

His right hand ran up the cliffs and basins of my scars. He bent down and kissed me again. I took his shirt in my hands and pulled it off of him. It seemed wholly unfair; such a beautiful creature would ever want to lay with me. My hands moved up the ridges of his body, wonderfully sculpted, it brought tears to my eyes that I couldn’t be as unblemished as he.

Pulling away from my neck, he looked me right in the eye.

“Is this too much too fast?” His voice was breathless, gruff.

I wanted to bite my lip at the reaction it was causing through my body. I shook my head.

“What? What is it?” He brushed his lips against mine as he spoke.

“I am so…damaged.” I whispered.

“But repairable. Always repairable,” he whispered, pushing a stronger kiss on my lips. I felt his body move. “You are so much more than that first girl I met. You wouldn’t even look me in the eyes then. You would shudder in fear when someone got too close. You are so much more than you could ever realize.”

My arms went around his wide shoulders needing to feel his skin against mine. I took in a shaky breath.

“But you are perfect.” I whispered. It took all my courage and he laughed at me. It wasn’t a full out belly laugh, but a snickering.

“No one is perfect, especially not me.” This time he was nibbling on my ear lobe.

My eyes shut half way as the sensations of his teeth on my ear forced my body to react. I didn’t speak thinking on my own thoughts. His lips made a trail back to my lips, and while I kissed him back, and while my body tingled with his heat mixed with mine, my mind wasn’t quite in the moment.

He noticed. “What if I told you, that even though your skin is marred, even if it had been branded by another, violently, you were the most exquisite being I have ever laid my eyes on?”

I didn’t think. I reacted once more pulling his body fully on top of mine. My hands moved down to his dark, black jeans. I fumbled with the button at the top, while he continued to caress my skin with his lips and tongue.

“Gabriel…I think,” I paused, the words getting caught in my throat. I knew that he told me he was falling in love with me, but how could I be sure? He looked up at me now, completely ignoring the bra cup he was slowly, torturously, removing with his teeth. When he looked up at me, his eyes were an even lighter maroon color, it was more of a light red color.

“I think that I am in love with you.” The color in his eyes changed dramatically. Before they were a light red, now they were a shining shade of pink. He watched me closely.

“I love you, Audrey.” I started to smile when he placed his forehead between my breasts.

“Can we have a moment to savor this?” I made it sound light, airy but I was scared that he was lying about what he said, that his eye color had changed without his knowledge. That he was controlling it. But he told me at the cabin he never did that, never around me unless absolutely necessary.

“There is something I need to show you.” He looked up at me, while mostly his eye color was pink it was mixed with deep blue of sadness.

I bit the inside of my cheek, worried at what he would show me.

“I can’t believe I am going to do this.” He took a deep breath. Suddenly his form changed. It didn’t shrink too much in size, maybe a little less full in the shoulders, a little less height than before. His dark black hair was a lighter black, borderline brown. But his eyes remained the same.

The biggest change was his skin. Once tan and smooth, it was now riddled with all types of scars. Small, cut like ones, bullet shaped ones, longer deadlier looking ones like claw marks. Like mine. I touched the skin in front of me, a scar that looked so much like my own, but mine were unique to my father’s claws. He flinched slightly.

“Does it hurt?” I whispered. I knew from experience that sometimes even though the pain was long gone, the memories of the pain were still fresh, still right there in your mind.

“Not anymore.” His voice was a little rawer in this form. I looked up at him, hoping he wasn’t putting on a fake skin in order to make me feel comfortable with him. “I know what you are thinking, but this…this,” He looked down at his maimed skin, “This is the real me. Completely and utterly. Shifters, animal, human, shape, we all have one solid form, the real us. This is where we show how we age, the wounds that we heal.

“Shifters have the power to control the cells in our bodies to reform new ones, to heal faster, or heal at a normal rate, but it will always leave a scar on our real skin if severe enough. That is how we change forms. Never do shifters show their true form to another person. You are the only person that I know of that even knows about this outside the shape-shifting community. Even the families don’t know. Sometimes there are just secrets that aren’t meant to be shared.” He looked up at me then, his eyes were a steel grey color.

“You must think…”

“You are gorgeous,” I whispered before he could finish his statement.

The scars on his skin showed an intricate map of his life. I couldn’t stop staring at it. His hand touched my face and I leaned into it, loving the raised skin of calluses. I looked into his eyes, and so many emotions were in them, I had to turn away. His lips touched mine and we fell back into our original positions.

Finally, I managed to get the button undone. He kissed my breasts, and I couldn’t stop the sounds escaping my throat. My body tightened in anticipation. His hands moved to my jeans and he slid them down. At this point, I was more than ready for anything. I swallowed hard when his skin touched the sides of my bare hips.

I bit my lip, holding in the sounds of pleasure that wanted out. That needed out. His hands moved all the way down my legs, from hips to the tips of my toes and back up again, but this time going for the inside. He didn’t waste time with the panties I wore. He ripped the seams and threw them. I wiggled, but I wasn’t sure what my body wanted. It just started to react on its own.

I had never done this before. I had never made love with someone. I had been forced to sleep with people, violent acts of deep rage. Nothing like this. It never felt like this.

He touched me gently and I shivered, my head going back. My whole body tingled with a strange sensation. My stomach ached with the need to fill it with something…not with anything, but for him. I needed him.

We didn’t speak as he moved back up my body, placing kisses everywhere. I was completely open to him. And he to me. I touched where I could reach, wanting more of his skin on my tongue. I wanted to taste him as he got to taste me. Finally his eyes were locked on mine, his lips right above.

“I promise…” he started.

I nodded and waited. It had been many years since I was abused; my muscles hadn’t forgotten the pain of it. And I clenched without meaning too. Gabriel looked down at me again. “I would never hurt you.”

My body relaxed. He moved. I closed my eyes feeling full, feeling right. I whispered something, I wasn’t even sure I was saying words at this point. He moved, I moved with him.

I didn’t know who was who, and who was doing what. All I knew was that he held me close and kissed my shoulders, my neck, my lips. I did as much as I could between gasps and pants. Then it happened, a whole new sensation that had been building in my lower abdomen exploded. I came apart in his arms and he held me close as I screamed his name. He followed right after and turned us over holding me close. He told me how he would never let me break again.

• • •

In the morning, I woke up to feather light kisses all across my face, down my neck and exposed shoulders. I didn’t want to open my eyes. I didn’t want the kisses to stop.

The night was scorned into my mind, forever. I would see it as my first time. He was my first, and I was afraid for me, my only love. I knew it deep in my soul that I loved him with all my heart. I didn’t know if I would be able to keep him. I pushed away those thoughts hoping they would never come to be. When I opened my eyes, Gabriel was still feathering my skin with light kisses.

“Good morning, beautiful.” He pulled himself up and kissed me on the lips. Our bodies were still entwined. I didn’t want to ever leave his arms, but I knew that we had to get moving so that my father wouldn’t come looking for me.

I still hadn’t been able to talk to Nixie alone about the situation, but I hoped that I could soon. I decided I would talk to her after my father was finished trying to train me to shift again.

His eyes never left me as we got ready. I felt self-conscious, but I made no moved to hide from him. I met his deep purple eyes and smiled tentatively. I pulled on the dress that I’d picked out from the clothes Xavier had provided. For once in my life I felt … sexy. I bit my lip and looked down.

He walked around me and I felt his still callused hand touching my scar on my back. I shivered, loving the touch of his real skin on mine. He brushed his lips across my skin. I moved my neck letting him nuzzle me, loving the feeling of his scarred skin against my own. I closed my eyes.

“Gods, I love you, Audrey. I don’t think I could ever get enough of you.” His hands slid over the fabric of the dress. I moved my body into his. “You might have been broken once before, but I promise I will never let you break again.”

“Gabriel…”

“I love when you say my name.” he moaned.

I turned around and ran my fingers through his hair, slipping my arms around his shoulders.

“Say it again.” It was a demand.

“Gabriel…” I whispered.

“Again,” he growled, moving his hand under the hem of my dress to touch my thigh.

I shivered moving closer. I needed his touch.

“Gabriel…” He touched me again his hand moving up my thigh and back down again in the lightest of caresses. I licked my lips and waited for him to move again.

“You know what I want, and I won’t do anything without it.” He taunted.

I smiled slightly.

“Gabr-”

It was cut off when there was a knock at the door. Nixie walked in still looking down at something in her hands.

“Hey little guppy, I was wondering if…” Nixie looked up at Stone and I standing there. Thankfully, his hand was on my hip, over my clothes this time. His hair was ruffled from where I had been running my fingers through it.

“I had no idea you had company. Hello there, Stone.”

I looked at him. His skin was back to normal-flawless. I already mourned the loss of Gabriel, of the man who made love to me last night, who had completely opened himself to me.

“Why is it that I am always finding you two together? You two aren’t doing the dirty deedy-deed are you?” Her eyes narrowed, and then she laughed. “Of course not cause if you were, Audrey would have told me!”

“What were you looking for, Nixie?” I asked moving away from Stone.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Stone

In the morning, the only thing I could think of was how her slim legs had wrapped around mine, and how she’d called out my name. My real name. Something I never thought I’d hear again. I wanted to kiss her somewhere entirely different this morning yet I didn’t want to push her too far, too soon.

Then she had to say my name again this morning. All thoughts of leaving the room fled as I watched her perfect lips form each letter. I hadn’t even noticed someone getting close to the door. I guess I should have been happy that it was Nixie and not someone else.

The girls talked while I tried to calm my body down. All it could seem to think was that Audrey was close, so very close. I excused myself to the bathroom where I noticed my hair was still disheveled from Audrey’s fingers. I tried to get any image of her out my head for two seconds so that I could control my body. I heard Nixie’s laugh and I decided I could handle going back out there knowing there was someone else.

When I came out, Nixie held some of the clothes York had provided. Looking at Nixie, I wondered what she would do. With her father’s death on York’s head, I wondered if she would be able to stay with us. Watching at how she interacted with Audrey, I hoped for that precious woman’s sake, Nixie would consider it.

“Oh, Guppy, you are beautiful in that dress, I could never take it away!” Nixie announced.

She was right. Audrey’s lightly tanned skin was glowing more than ever, and her eyes shined brightly. Her hair was still slightly untamed, but I knew now that was just how it was. I thought briefly what it would be like to see her as a shining, scaled dragon. I shut down the image almost immediately. She may never have that and it felt almost like a betrayal even thinking about her in a form she may never achieve. I was okay with her never transforming. I would always be okay with whatever she might be as long as she was with me. I told her the truth last night; I loved her. Right then, it felt like it was finally sinking in for me.

“What do you think, Stone?” Nixie asked giving me with a slightly murderous look and I realized that she probably had asked me a few times.

“I think it looks perfect on her.” I answered, my eyes never leaving Audrey’s, even when she looked down and a light blush coated her cheeks. I remembered that blush and suddenly all my hard work to forget those moments from last night vanished.

“Yeah, well duh clam-head! What I meant was what do you think about her training in it? It will totally ruin the dress and we can’t have that. I have been dying to see what you look like as a dragon! I was doing some snooping around and found out what your Dad is…” Nixie trailed off.

I moved toward Audrey. She looked so sad without trying to show the emotion, it wasn’t working. She tried to take in a hesitant breath but I knew that it was hurting her deep down. She wanted too much to be able to feel that other side of her, the part that was missing, the part that I could never heal. I understood Nixie’s decision. I couldn’t disagree with her reasoning knowing that if it was my mother or father who was killed by someone in this clan, I wouldn’t be able to stay. I didn’t think that Audrey would be able to see it that way. I ran my fingers on the edge of her hairline.

“You will never be less than perfect for me,” I whispered, kissing her forehead.

“How can you say that…I am not perfect?”

“Perfectly imperfect.” I paused and wrapped my arms around her, binding her in an unbreakable hug. “Perfect for me in every way.”

“Sorry to break this lovely moment you two are having but your father is probably wondering where you are, Audrey, and I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble with him.” She gave Audrey a pointed look, in which Audrey nodded. She grabbed the clothes that Nixie was holding and moved to the bathroom to change.

“Have you given it anymore thought? About staying?” I asked the green-haired siren. Her coral eyes flashed in annoyance.

“You make it sound like such a simple decision. If it were an easy one to make, I could give you an answer. You think you are the only one who cares about her? I know that if I leave I would potentially hurt her, that I would probably hurt her. This isn’t only about her Stone. She needs to start standing on her own two feet and learning that the tough decisions need to be made. Do you think it is easy for me being in the same place as the person who killed my father? To find out that he is actually related to the one person I could truly call my best friend? So think long and hard the next time you decide to ask me that question.” With a happy-go-lucky smile plastered on her face, Nixie turned back to the bathroom door. Her eyes completely void of any anger.

“Come on, my little guppy!” Nixie pretty much skipped over to Audrey and hooked her arm around her friend. I followed behind, watching the two girls interact.

While Nixie had been on the team for as long as I could remember, I had never grown close to her. I was never close with anyone on the team. My father made it clear that the only paranormals I should spend time with were my own. I lived by those rules for a very long time and old habits die hard.

I wondered about some of the things Nixie said, but I also knew that I would probably not get the answers from her. Audrey led us to the room I recognized from the outside. The doors were the only ones that were arched and had small details. It was the dome room. The ceiling was made of glass, and the middle of the room was lit up by the sunlight.

It really was a spectacular sight to see, but my eyes weren’t looking at the crystal, clear dome, they focused on the two men in the middle of the room. York waited patiently as Drake yelled at him. When I saw York’s tail wrap around Drake’s arm, and his hand touch Drake lightly, I knew immediately what I was seeing. Gargoyles weren’t intimate creatures by nature, but the people they did touch in such a possessive way showed how much York cared for Drake. Drake and York stood close to each other, closer than friends, the way Drake’s eyes softened on York.

I looked at Audrey hoping she wouldn’t notice them. I knew she wasn’t ready for this kind of revelation. Not right now. Not so soon after her finding the courage to admit how she truly felt about her mother. She didn’t make any comment or noise that indicated that she understood the significance of their light touches.

“Drake, we will talk about this…but later.” York gave a pointed look in our direction, and I could see that Drake hadn’t even realized that we walked in. When he turned to us, he looked back at York with an almost pleading look. York nodded and headed toward Nixie and I. Audrey had separated herself from Nixie, and was standing as if waiting to see what her father wanted.

“Could you two come with me, please? Drake requested that we allow him time with his daughter.”

I looked at York with a murderous glare, I would not leave Audrey.

“I promise he won’t harm her,” he whispered to me as he started to walk past.

I looked up at her, and while she looked slightly nervous, wringing her hands together, she nodded, as if accepting that I had to leave. In that moment, I was so damn proud of her, she was being incredibly brave.

Nixie huffed, but followed York out of the room and I followed suit.

“York.” I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say, but I found myself demanding that he listen. We had got a couple of doorways away from where Drake and Audrey were, but he motioned me a little farther.

“Look, I understand why you would feel nervous leaving her alone with him, but things have changed,” York whispered sharply.

“What are you talking about?” I demanded gritting my teeth. York’s eyes widened.

“You don’t know?” He sounded more like he was talking to himself at that point.

“Know what?”

“When Drake couldn’t save his lover, Audrey’s mother, all those years ago, he went a little mad with grief. The dragon took over more than the man that day, and he never quite reverted back to the Drake I knew from years and years ago. Losing Coy, Audrey’s mother, in child-birth, after they had been together for almost ten years, the grief was too much. His dragon had always been a bit overbearing, and that day Drake lost a little more of his personality. He became obsessed with keeping his tiny little jewel safe from anything or anyone. He had deemed Audrey his possession, not just his daughter and branded her.” York grew quiet, but the blood was rushing to my ears. All she had wanted was a friend, and when she finally had that as well, he took it away because she was nothing but a gem to him. I saw red.

“Wait…Stone you don’t understand!” York was behind me. I didn’t know how he got behind me. Apparently I had moved.

Drake had scarred his daughter, forced her into a life of solitude, even before she was taken by Cain. Nothing could stop me from bursting through those doors. I had never attempted the form of a Minotaur, but I was the best shape-shifter in the Braden clan and my mate would be avenged. My body began to reshape into the deadly beast’s form. Drake was talking to Audrey, but I didn’t see anything but him. I charged.

“Stone, no!” York yelled at me, or maybe it was Audrey, I was too far gone to know who was who.

I hit Drake, who wasn’t paying attention to me, and he flew backwards. I snarled. Drake got to his feet, his teeth growing a dangerous size. I moved to charge him again, when he roared loudly. His form began to change, thicken, stretch and new appendages grew.

“Fuck, Stone move!” York screamed, speeding toward us. But the dragon had already taken form.

Drake stood before me as a giant monster I couldn’t hope to beat in this form. I knew that shifters couldn’t transform into the elder races, but anger was still rushing through my system. I still wanted to fight.

Drake roared again setting his sights on me.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Audrey

Seeing my father transform and go after Stone made something in me snap. I don’t know what it was. I just broke free.

My body began to burn, forcing something. I didn’t understand. I was terrified for me, for Stone, and for what was about to happen. My skin felt too tight, like my bones were growing too large. The pain was unbearable, but when my eyes fell on Stone again, the thought of losing him hurt more. My body shook, then exploded.

One second I was too far away, the next I was in front of my father, in front of Stone shielding him. When I tried to get words out, only growls came. I tried to scream, but it echoed around the room like a roar.

My father stepped back as if in shock, his long talons clicking on the beautiful stone floor. I tried to scream again, and again all that came out was a deafening roar. When I tried to move back, my body wasn’t moving normally. I hadn’t realized before that my arms were touching the ground. Moments before all I was concerned about was protecting Stone. Now looking down, I realized what had shocked my father.

I looked down and saw deep purple-maroon scales, shiny, new and beautiful, covering legs about 6 feet long. I tested one, it moved when I tried to move my arm. Connected to those were claws like my father’s. I turned my neck some more looking at the curve of my spine, which continued onto a long, delicate tail. My father’s tail had spikes, I had none. But I had a tail.

A presence started to fill my mind, a piece of me that I thought could never exist. She had been what controlled our body at first. She had acted on instinct. I felt a cool hand touch my leg. I turned to see Stone staring at me in awe. I tried not to bite my lip as I would normally do because I knew I would only hurt myself.

“Audrey,” Stone whispered, coming around to my front.

I asked the ever-growing presence if she would allow us to lay down, she didn’t really want to. After eyeing my father for a moment, she moved our legs. Stone moved close and I moved my long neck to bring my enormous head to meet him. I made small noises trying to get his attention, but he kept smoothing his hand over my scales. It felt like heaven, even though his form was small compared to mine, having his hand on me had a calming effect. A deep rumble built in my throat.

“You’re gorgeous,” he whispered. I wanted to smile but my body began to shake. My vision blurred. I thought I heard a screaming warning, but the multi-colored world around me was turning black.

• • •

The first thing I noticed was a hand holding mine. A tight callus grip that brought memories of those hands moving on my body. I smiled, but it quickly faded as I rememebered my dream of being a dragon. My heart cried out mourning the loss of something I never had.

“Audrey, if you can hear me, please wake up.”

Gabriel’s voice was so close. Maybe my time with him was a dream too.

“I know you are scared. But it was real Audrey. It was real.” Awe filled his voice.

I opened my eyes and looked at him. My throat clogged with tears, and my eyes burned with the buildup.

“I transformed?” The words were broken and quiet.

“Yes. You are the most stunning dragon I have ever seen.” His eyes were light and I could see the yellow flecks, he was happy.

“The only other dragon you have ever seen is my father.” Then I realized what I said. I felt a smile jump on my face followed by a choked laugh. “I transformed!” It was still sinking in.

I could feel the slight, subtle essence of the dragon spirit I had thought was completely lost to me. Then, the memories from after I had transformed flooded my mind.

“What happened?” I searched Stone looking for any damage, but I knew there wouldn’t be any on this skin.

“I am fine. The transformation was too much for your system at once so you passed out. Your father calmed down, and I calmed down,” though I could still see that he wasn’t. His fists were tight and his jaw clenched. “Why didn’t you ever tell me it was your father? I mean I always suspected, but until York confirmed it…” He trailed off his eyes looking sad.

“It is in his nature,” I whispered.

How was I supposed to tell him that even after all that he did to me, I still forgave him? That I never once blamed him?

“Before you came in he was telling me about my mother,” I added looking up at him.

He sighed and pushed me over a little so that he could fit on the narrow bed with me.

“Where are we?” I asked quietly.

He wrapped his arms around me.

“The hospital wing.” His voice was muffled as he pressed his face into my hair. “Tell me what he said.”

I turned around and Stone kept his face in my neck. He didn’t kiss me, just laid there while I ran my fingers through his hair.

“She was a were-chameleon. He told me that she was small, much like I am. He fell for her big attitude. He said that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. They were together for over ten years. He wanted to save her the night that I was born but there were…complications.” My voice hitched and Stone placed a small delicate kiss on my neck. “The choice was to save me or to save her. They hadn’t had time to get a doctor. He saw the cord wrapped around my neck. While he tried to free me, she was bleeding out. If he had stopped to save her, to give her half his heart, I would have died.”

I cried. Stone switched our positions so my face was buried in his neck and he brushed his fingers through my hair. We stayed that way for a long time. He told me about his mother, it wasn’t as long as the first time he told it, but I felt honored that he finally decided he could tell me. We fell asleep like that.

• • •

When we woke up a little later it was to two voices arguing outside the room. When I listened closer, I could hear that it was Xavier and my father. I looked at Stone who was also listening, but he didn’t seem to be having a problem understanding them. His lips were pressed tight and a line creased between his brows. I wanted to smooth it away.

“Drake she isn’t a possession, you know this. Try to understand that he does care for her. And she obviously cares for him.” I heard Xavier tell my father. My father growled something but it was distorted so I couldn’t understand what he was saying. Stone climbed off the bed giving me one last kiss. When my father and Xavier walked in, I noticed how Xavier’s tail was wrapped around my father’s leg.

“How are you feeling Audrey?” Xavier asked, his eyes softening when they swept over me.

“Fine.”

“That is good. We were worried about you. That was an amazing transformation you did. We were wondering if…” Xavier paused looking at my father.

“We were wondering if you could still feel her.” My father said, watching me closely.

I looked at Stone, hoping that he would give me the courage to speak openly to my father about this. I knew it was what he wanted for me for such a very long time, but at the same time, if I was truly a dragon shifter…I looked at Stone…I could never leave. I knew that my father wouldn’t let me go.

“I can,” I wished that I couldn’t though, I didn’t think I would be able to survive without Stone. I knew he had to be missing his clan. How could I ever ask someone I love to forget all that? To forget his family? Wouldn’t that make me just another form of a torturer?

“Wonderful! That is wonderful, Audrey!” Xavier exclaimed moving away from my father to embrace me.

It was strange how caring he was toward me and it instantly put me on edge. I tried to grab a hold of Stone’s hand, but I couldn’t reach it. I touched the blanket, counted the ripples. Xavier let go. My father stood unmoving watching how Xavier and I interacted. I wanted to ask why, but thought better of it.

“If you are feeling up to it, we will all sit down and have dinner tonight. In say about three hours?” Xavier didn’t make it seem like a request so I just nodded my head.

Stone watched the two leave, but offered no expression. His eyes were a steely grey color though. I wanted to ask what was bothering him but before I could, he stood, kissed my forehead, then walked out the door. I was left alone.

The thought of Stone leaving led to the thought of Nixie. I hadn’t been able to see a whole lot of her. I knew I needed to give her space to decide what was best for her, just like Stone.

I wanted to find Nixie immediately, but how does one apologize for their father’s sins? Truthfully, I had been avoiding Nixie as much as I had been trying to give her space. Usually Nixie kept our talks light, fun, nothing too heavy. Would she even accept my apology? I had to find out. I left the room and went in search of her. I knew her room was close by mine so I headed in that direction. I raised my hand to knock on the door when it opened.

“I know you have been standing out there for a while so I thought I would just let you in myself.” Nixie offered a bright smile. Her coral eyes were tinted orange and I knew that she was annoyed. I bent my head feeling bad that I had annoyed her. I didn’t want that.

“I literally hate this show! It’s a total misrepresentation of ocean life! I mean, come on, talking sponges! Ridiculous! Plus, I know for a fact that star-fish are very intelligent beings.” Nixie complained as I sat down next to her. On the TV was an animated show that I had never seen.

“Are there sirens?” I asked. I wondered if she was homesick for her own kind, perhaps annoyed she was stuck here, in this building, not annoyed with me. I hoped at least that was the case and that things hadn’t changed completely between us.

“No. This show is worthless. What brings you, guppy?”

“I wanted to tell you…I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“Well it is not like you forced him to do it. And I mean you had to grow up with the clown-fish, not me.”

Nixie was still trying to sound light, but looking into her eyes I could see the flecks of a deep blue. We watched the colorful images on the television for a few moments.

“I am sorry, that was a bit rude of me. But there is something you need to understand Audrey.” She paused for a long time, looking down at her hands.

“I understand you couldn’t possibly want to be friends with me anymore.” I moved to get up but she grabbed my arm and pulled me back down.

“No, that is not what I was going to say. Look this is not going to be easy for me so please don’t look at me with your bright blue eye all sad and stuff.” She seemed to be psyching herself up because she sat a little straighter and cleared her throat. “I have decided that I cannot go back to the Bradens, partially because I do care for you-you are probably the closest thing I have had to a best friend in many years-but mostly because what they are doing is wrong. I will not be part of a clan that wants to destroy dying races. I have some other reasons, but that’s beside the point.”

I was about to tell her how happy I was that she decided to stay, but she put up her hand. She still wasn’t looking at me, but I saw how hard she was swallowing and I knew that she still had more to tell. The easy part was done. Now it was time for the hard part.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think that I would be able to stay here either. I understand that I should let the past go, that your father was in the right to attack the people attacking him, but your father killed the only real family I had left. I can’t just forgive that. I can’t just live in the same place as that man.” She looked at me, her eyes filled with shimmering tears. “I think the best decision is for me to go back to the sea. I will talk to York, tell him if he demands that I claim my loyalty to his family so be it, but I will never be a York. And I don’t think I would ever be able to live with Drake.” Nixie’s words caught when she said my father’s name.

I nodded accepting her answer.

“I never wanted to hurt you Audrey. I never wanted to do that.” She whispered grabbing my hand. I bit my lip to stop it from trembling.

We continued to watch the show, laughing at the right points and joking frequently. She never let go of my hand, and by the end of the third episode, she stopped trying to hold back her tears and let them fall. I hoped that we weren’t saying goodbye forever, but I knew that I had to respect that this was not easy for her. Could I blame her for wanting to leave for the same exact reason I thought Stone should leave me for? I couldn’t find it in my heart to be angry with her. I kissed her cheek as I stood to leave.

“Thank you for everything, Nixie.”

“This isn’t goodbye, little guppy. For right now, it’s see ya later.”

I nodded, tightening my lips.

Chapter Forty

Stone

I had to know if York and Drake were ever going to tell Audrey about whatever it was that was going on between them. York was way too comfortable around Audrey and I saw how uncomfortable it made her. She still wasn’t used to strangers touching her, hugging her. I wanted to protect her more than ever.

“York!” He stopped, turning to look at me. Drake didn’t turn, I think he was hoping I would have a quick word then disappear. “What exactly is happening between you two, and when the hell are you planning on tell Audrey?” That is when Drake turned around. York touched his arm lightly.

“Maybe this is something we should discuss in private.” York moved toward another conference room.

I followed looking back at Audrey’s room, hoping she crawled back into bed to rest a while longer. I didn’t want this to last very long, but I needed to know. I had to find out for Audrey’s sake.

“Drake maybe you should…”

Drake gave York a dirty look and York just nodded in return. They sat next to each other, tilted slightly in. York continued.

“Well everyone in our clan already knows this…it’s sort of strange explaining it. As I told you before, when Drake lost his….” York looked over to Drake for some sort of answer or support.

“Chosen mate.” And instantly I knew. Chosen mates were people we decided to spend our lives with, the ones that we fell for, but not our true mates. True mates were rare, and paranormals often spent their whole lives looking for theirs. True mates were destined by the elemental Gods, they were to be our perfect match, they had started to disappear the same time the elder races were thought to be destroyed

“Coy was…” York started.

“I loved her.” Drake stared at me hard. “I loved her with all my heart, and if I could have saved her, I would have. But I had to choose.” Drake’s voice was a deep rumbling noise. I could tell that it pained him to talk about Audrey’s mom. York patted his hand and whispered something in Drake’s ear. Drake then nodded and gave him a tight-lipped smile.

“All those years ago, when I found Drake again, I warned him that the Bradens and Vedenin were coming for him and his child. Unfortunately, Audrey was still at home so he went back for her while I was waiting with transportation. That is when the Vedenins attacked. They knew a dragon’s weaknesses, so Drake made the difficult decision and left. When he came back to me, I promised we would get her back.” York paused. But I didn’t understand something.

“Why did you go back then, Drake?”

“She just wanted that damn stuffed dragon I bought her. If I had let her grab it we would have both been safe…” Drake looked away from me as if …ashamed.

“Drake went back to get the stuffed animal, but instead saw Cain’s clan members torching the place. What little control Drake had left was gone. He still hadn’t gotten over losing Coy then he had to lose his daughter and home all in one day…” York took Drake’s hand under the table and looked at him once again.

“I came in because I knew he would have destroyed everyone on that team. We had evidence to show that not every team member knew about the attacks on the elder races. We had been trying to recruit some people. Some were already on our team, and working undercover. Unfortunately Kai, Nixie’s father, was on our team. We got there too late to save him. Drake had lost all control of his dragon. He had lost his hold on his sanity. The only way to have saved them all was…” York paused.

“By giving Xavier part of my heart,” Drake finished.

I was so shocked that I don’t think that I covered it well enough. A dragon giving up their heart to someone meant they were tied for life. There was no going back on the bond. I didn’t know exactly how it worked; the one thing I did know though was that they shared a psychological bond as well as physical. Drake sort of growled at me. I narrowed my eyes.

“What…”

“By giving him half of my heart it tamed my dragon. I was losing myself to it. Not only that but Xavier and I found out many years ago that we were…true mates. I…I wasn’t ready to accept it then.” Drake looked over at Xavier sheepishly. Xavier sat strong and tall.

I knew that he wasn’t ashamed of who he was, of who his true mate was. True mates were rare yet always were treated as a treasure. I knew that for some paranormals it was as easy as looking at their true mate to know, others it was a little more difficult. Instincts took over when one found their true mates.

Drake sat slumped a little. I couldn’t be sure if it was because it took him so long to accept it, or he still hadn’t fully accepted it.

“The only way a dragon spirit will back off is in the presence of their true mate. I knew that I couldn’t always be around Xavier since I had to find my…” He paused looking again at his mate. “Our daughter.”

“Drake made the difficult decision to do it, what we hadn’t planned on was that fact that our hearts now can’t be separated for more than a couple of months at a time.”

“It made looking for Audrey difficult.”

We were silent for a while.

“Were you planning on telling her?” I didn’t know how to feel. I still felt anger toward the man who scarred and abandoned his daughter. But looking at him now, telling me this story, I could see that he was mortified by what he had done.

“We were. Tonight. We wanted to let her get used to me. She still seems too uncomfortable.” Xavier watched me with dark eyes.

“Do you know what happened to her?” Drake asked his voice sounding so strained and broken.

“Yes.” I answered unemotionally.

“Could…could you tell us?” Drake asked again sounding like he was trying to be careful. It was strange seeing this overbearing dragon act so tame and nervous.

“No.” I answered, turning my own cold eyes on Drake. “She will tell you when she is ready. If ever.”

• • •

I didn’t find Audrey in the room after I left the meeting so I went back to her room to wait for her. When she came back, her eyes were red and puffy. I pulled her close and she cried some more. I tried asking her what was wrong. I knew already. Audrey had finally talked to Nixie. Nixie hated the York Clan for years for what they had done to her father. What she thought they had done. It reminded me of what Drake and York had said about the uncover team in the Braden clan. I wondered who was on that team. While I held Audrey, I wondered if I should tell Nixie about it.

“Audrey…” She looked up at me, her destroyed eye even redder than normal, and her good eye completely blood shot. “I will tell your father and York that we will hold off on dinner with them tonight.” I kissed her forehead and went to go find Drake and York.

Leaving the room my body felt tight, uncomfortable. I didn’t know why, but I assumed it was because I hadn’t changed into an animal form for a while.

Heading toward the kitchen I felt pins in my neck and tried to rub them away. The building seemed eerily quiet but it also seemed emptier than when we first arrived. Most likely York’s doing. Until we gave him a definite answer he probably wanted to keep our knowledge limited. If we decided on the Braden clan, the witch who had attacked Elijah that night at the cabin would likely erase our memories of this place and replace them with something else. But the less details we knew, the easier it was for the witch to erase.

While I mused on these thoughts I didn’t realize how far I had gotten. The kitchen was on the other side of the building from the rooms which was inconvenient, but I figured it was also because we were in the guest rooms. The glorified prison rooms really. I didn’t complain because it was better than being in the dungeon far away from Audrey. I thought about our night together, and it was hard to believe how it was only a short while ago. I could still feel her skin, taste her, and unfortunately my body remembered just as well. I wanted to get back to her as soon as possible. I wasn’t sure if she would be up for anything tonight. The encounter with Nixie seemed to leave her pretty exhausted.

I’d almost reached the kitchen when, with no warning, lights started to flash and a piercing shriek rented the air. I looked around, waiting to see what would happen next. Then it hit me, the alarms were going off meant that someone was trying to break in. The kitchen door slammed open. Drake stood there chest heaving.

“Audrey,” I whispered. I turned and ran as fast as I could, my skin melting away into the form of a cheetah. I heard Drake running behind me, but I was losing him. I didn’t care. I needed to get to her.

When I got to the room, the door was kicked down. She wasn’t there. The reeking stench of fear clouded the air. Her fear. I recognized some of the other scents. I didn’t waste any time, I ran. I thought my heart was going to punch out of my chest.

The smell brought me to Drake’s room. I burst through the broken doors only to see a black clad figure holding an unconscious Audrey over its shoulder. A cord connected them to the helicopter hovering above the broken glass dome. They were already half way in the air being pulled up. All I could see, all I could process was Audrey being taken from me. I shifted forms again.

I turned into a massive eagle and took flight. Something struck me in the neck. I fell back to the ground falling on my wing, breaking it. I shifted back to my human form trying to repair my broken arm. Everything felt slow. I couldn’t command my body to do anything. My last sight was of my Audrey disappearing into the night sky.

Chapter Forty-One

Audrey

When Stone left, I was desperate to go after him, but it wasn’t because I didn’t feel like I couldn’t be without him. I felt a weird restlessness. I rolled over and closed my eyes, listening to the light taps of Stone’s feet retreating. Then, there was another noise. Not matter how hard I tried to concentrate I couldn’t figure out what the noise was. When I did, the door crashed in.

I tried screaming for Stone, but before I could finish getting his name out, a body slammed into mine, crushing me. I grunted trying to push the body off, but I couldn’t get enough leverage; it was too heavy.

My eyes grew wide seeing the syringe that the person held. “Help! Nixie! El-” A hard slap cut off my screams. My teeth had cracked together so hard that I was sure they were all chipped. Hot tears flooded my eyes, doing nothing but irritating the already burning skin.

Nixie’s scream tore through the air. “Oh my fucking Gods! Eli-” I wrenched myself up enough to see Nixie. Something pinched my skin and the world started to go fuzzy.

"Nix…” The world went black. I had never been so afraid of the darkness before.

• • •

My wrists were cold. Not only were my wrists cold, but my whole body shivered at once. I shivered a great powerful shake that forced my eyes to a dark grey world. Rock surrounded me. I was in a small cave-like room, a barred caged made of metal was the door. Memories shook my body until my whimpers echoed off the walls. I tried to bring my arms in closer. I couldn’t. I couldn’t get smaller. My arms were chained to the wall. I was open. I was so very open. The world was so cold around me. Rocks pressed into my back. My heart beat so hard it threatened to break free and run away without me. My breath hitched. I started to pull, I needed to become small. I needed to be small. Small meant less to hit. Small meant less to notice. Small. Small. Small. I looked around. There. Cracks.

One. Two. Three. Four. A sound distracted me. No, don’t stop. Ten. Eleven. It grew closer, a dragging of metal on metal. It’s a sharp piercing noise to the ears. Twenty-four. Please make it stop. Please make it stop. My eyes lost their place. Start over. The noise was overwhelming. Don’t look. Please, please, please don’t look. I looked.

Standing in the doorway was a beautiful blonde man. His downcast eyes were hidden behind a fall of hair. He was large, bigger than me. Fear was running through my body so intensely I was amazed it wasn't oozing against the fear coated walls, feeding them. He looked up as soon as the door made a click.

Horrid, beautiful eyes stared back at me. Such a strange hazel color, rings of light brown, green, and grey. All separate, but connected. The hatred, the cold unfeeling colors behind them made me cringe into the wall. It was safer. I wanted to be part of the wall. His feet slammed and echoed around the room as he approached.

“Right where you belong.”

His smooth, inviting voice terrified me. I swallowed. He watched. He gripped my neck in his hand pressing lightly. He cocked his head, watching for my reaction. I forced my face blank. Blank like Stone’s. Stone. I would think of him and find strength. He thought I was much braver than I actually was. I was scared that he would notice one day. That day he would no longer look at me with those sunset eyes. I had to prove him right. I had to prove that I was brave.

“I wanted you dead.” His lips curled into a snarl.

“And yet, I breathe.” Did I just say that? How was my voice so strong? His hand tightened. I felt that. I felt each finger press just a little tighter into my skin.

“Yes, because I ordered it to be so. If I wanted you dead, you would be. Yet, I find myself wondering why three of my best agents are leaving their clan for you. And better yet, my little treasure, will bring an even better hoard my way. I will be the one who destroys the dragons, once and for all.”

“You’re Cain.” The Braden clan leader. His smile confirmed it.

“Ah, yes I did forget to introduce myself. I suppose it would be considered bad manners but seeing as you will be dead soon, I will not fret over it. Now, tell me Audrey…how did you manage to get a wraith on your side? That is what I am the most curious about.” He pressed his mouth to my ear. He was uncomfortably close. His other hand moved on my body in ways that only Stone could do without making me feel ill. I squirmed my legs trying to move away from his touch. He gripped my neck tighter. I couldn’t breathe.

“Oh, quit your moving. I don’t want you. I was just wondering if you offered your body to the wraith. I think he would have feasted quite nicely on your fear. You reek of it.”

His words bit into me. I still couldn’t breathe. I was gasping now, desperately wanting air. Not to feel relief for my lungs because I realized that I wanted to live. For the first time in a very long time, I felt the need to survive. He let go as soon as the darkness started to sink in.

“If you won’t talk, then you will simply be destroyed.” With that, Cain turned on his heel and walked away. The door remained open and someone else stepped in. I recognized the werewolf.

He looked a little older since I had last seen him, but I suppose he would have been under a lot stress considering his prized capture had escaped. He looked at me with a glint of madness in his eyes. I wished that I had passed out from the assault that Cain inflicted.

Now, the real torture would begin…

Time slowed. Minutes felt like years. Each second dragged against my skin like a jagged old knife. Only it wasn’t time that was cutting deep into my flesh and forcing the rushing blood out, to part with it forever. His claws pulled an endless amount of screams from me, and a limitless amount of pain. One set of claws would dig in and stay there, while the other found old scars and forced them to reopen. Reopening the wound doubled the already too intense pain. When I would start to fade, the moving hand would stop, the other would come out, forcing a hard gasp from my throat. And it would begin again. And again. And again.

He didn’t ask me questions. This wasn’t torture for the answers I had. This wasn’t meant to be a torture device. This was meant to be revenge, to show me who was in charge. He was the Alpha here. I was nothing compared to those claws.

So much blood. It puddled and formed a river that moved around his feet, and soaked his shoes, I hoped it soaked his socks, too. Nothing was quite as bad as wet socks. If I didn’t learn how to stifle my laughs all those years ago, the thought would have cost me another rip of skin, probably over the ribs. Screaming was the easy part; not screaming and holding in the tears was the hardest. They knew you were in pain when you screamed, but when you stopped it became too much. When it became too much they stopped. They allowed you to rest. They would start again.

When our time together was up, he left looking satisfied with his work. My head fell forward, I could finally rest now. Darkness was a comfort once more. How I missed it.

• • •

I lost track of time. I fell asleep and woke up so many times I wasn’t sure if it was the same day, different month, or minutes separated by minute nightmares. Nightmares haunted me even in the waking world. My throat was raw. There were no screams left. That is what I feared the most. When the screams stopped. The blood had stopped leaking from my open wounds, I was barely holding on.

I rolled my eyes so I could look down. My poor skin. New angry lines, slimmer and shorter, joined the long thick scars I already wore. But the new wounds were healing quicker.

The dragon was there, I felt her stirring when I first woke, but now, with less blood, no sleep, and fear shaking my body, she hid. I needed her, but could barely feel her. I wanted her strength. I tried to breathe properly.

I think I fell asleep again. When I woke, my hands were numb, and my body slumped forward, putting pressure on my wrist, cutting off the circulation. My legs were weak and could barely hold me up. With the blood loss, and my lack of food, I was too weak to try to solve the problem of numb hands. I tried staying still instead. My mind started to take me places I did not dare visit.

I couldn’t help but wonder if they had taken Nixie as well? Was she safe because she belonged with the Braden clan or was she being tortured and beaten? I couldn’t bear the thought of her going through the same pain as me.

Then, my mind wandered to Stone, his eyes shifting to a pink color that showed his love for me, his beautiful scar-mapped skin, and callused hands touching my face. I leaned toward the phantom feeling, wishing that I could have felt his touch one more time. I felt something brush down my cheek. I thought for sure they were Stone’s fingers, that he was trying to wipe away the grime coating my face. But when I looked up, there was no one there. The feeling came again, and I realized that I was crying. I couldn’t understand how it was possible that I had tears left.

Later that day, after a period of suffocating silence, a new noise came. I didn’t realize how much I had become accustomed to noises since I had been freed from the white room. I didn’t realize how much I missed it. Not the echoing screams, but the small mutterings of Stone while we slept, the creaking of the bed, walls, and floors. Everything. Those small noises joined to make a symphony. The noise that I heard now did not bring comfort. Just steady footsteps. They stopped outside my door. I hoped they would move on.

“Oh, wee lass.”

I looked up. Marcus stood there. His shocking red hair, and strange yellow eyes looked so unnatural in such a dark, dirty place. He came into the room, barely making a noise. I tried to flinch away, but my body barely could move.

“Lass, I would ne'er hurt ye.” His words soothed me and spread over my skin like a balm. I knew I shouldn’t believe him, but I wanted to believe him so much. I wanted to be safe from violent hands.

“Can ye lift yer head for me, Audrey?”

I lifted my head up as much as I could, and he helped support it with a gentle hand as he poured small amounts of water into my mouth. It felt so good for a second, then it too became a torture of its own. I tried to cough, but it took too much energy. I wanted to slump back down and give up but Marcus wouldn’t have it.

“Nae, lass, stay with me. We will have ye out of here soon. Waitin' for reinforcements.” He winked at me.

I didn’t understand and tried to tell him, but he just gave me a reassuring smile.

“Th' less ye know th' better.” Marcus winked and tried to feed me some more water. He did this a couple more times until my throat actually felt less raw and I was able to get the water down without coughing it back up.

He left, promising to be back soon. When he left, I was hoping for sleep, my stomach felt like it was caving in on itself. The water went through me absorbing into my dehydrated system. I needed food. I tried to keep my mind off of it, but the pains were getting worse. I was tempted to slam my head against the wall behind me hoping it would knock me out. Instead, I hung on by a thread, waiting for my sanity to snap.

A light noise woke me. It was funny how before I was craving the small noises but not if they forcibly tried to pull me out of sleep. My heart started to race. I couldn’t handle another round of torture. When I looked up, there was nothing there. I tried to go back to sleep, but I felt another presence.

I opened my eyes there still was no one. That is when I felt the stirring in my mind. It was my dragon, she was waking. I could feel her. It should have been an amazing feeling but I was so scared that even this couldn’t save me. She pushed at my mind as if trying to take over. I didn’t think I had the strength to stop her, but I also didn’t think I had the strength to shift. She pushed again, I let go and passed out once more.

I woke up again, the room was silent, but I was in a different position. I lay with my belly on the ground, arms underneath my head. When I opened my eyes I didn’t see my arms. I started to panic. The noises I made were rougher, more animalistic. That is when I heard more footsteps, I crawled into myself. It seemed like my shape had shrunk incredibly. The footsteps stopped in front of my door.

“Where the hell is she?” Jacobs roared.

His voice echoed in my ears causing me to flinch. He was looking at me and yet he didn’t see me. Marcus and Dallas stood there as well. Marcus was actually seeing me, and for a second, I saw the awe pass over his eyes. Dallas, like his father, scanned the room. Marcus kept his face blank when Jacobs glanced at him.

I started to move to get up, Marcus made a stay there motion very briefly. I didn’t move.

“Dallas, go inform the guards. Marcus, check around down here and see if she is hiding somewhere. And someone tell me who was on guard last night!” Jacobs continued to yell as he moved through the dungeon. I didn’t dare move until Marcus came back to the cell I was being kept in.

“Wow lass, ye look like a mini-dragon. I knew yer father was a dragon, but I was under th' impression ye couldn’t shift.” Marcus moved closer to me. I backed away, confused by what he was saying. “Ah, they did nae tell ye yet did they? You’re lookin' at their greatest kept secret.” Marcus winked at me with a bright smile.

“No, hen, we have tae get ye out of here. Stay as ye are though, I am nae quite sure what is gonnae on, but ye are invisible tae everyone else. Weel everyone but fey, we can see through all glamours. Come along lass.”

I watched him closely. I wasn’t sure if I could trust him. Then, I remembered what Stone and Nixie had told me about fey. They couldn’t lie, granted they would twist their words to the truth enough to make it sound like what you wanted to hear, but he flat out told me that he was going to help me out of here. I followed, crawling in my new body.

Marcus looked back at me a couple of times. “Amazin'.”

I looked up at him, not understanding what he was so amazed about, but in this form I couldn’t speak. I would have to wait. I was going to be free.

Chapter Forty-Two

Stone

As soon as my body became aware of itself again, I was up. I couldn’t stop pacing. Nixie tried talking me down, I just snarled at her. She had been right there. She could have saved Audrey. I knew deep down I shouldn’t blame her that she had been attacked as well, but this was Audrey. My Audrey. Drake wasn’t any better than me; York had to take him away to calm him down.

We waited while York gathered information.

In a logical part of my mind, I knew that we were waiting to find a track to follow, getting a plan together. Important things that I would have normally been a part of. Right now, though, I couldn’t think past the black suited man that had taken her. The same black suits I used to wear doing exactly this. Stealing what wasn’t mine but what I thought would be better. I thought this would be for the best. I slammed my hand against the wall. Audrey might have never looked at me like a monster, but damn did I ever prove her wrong.

“Time to head out,” York announced, standing in the doorway. He looked almost as angry as Drake, I understood that he was taking his position as Audrey’s new parent figure seriously and while I respected his decision to treat her like kin, she was mine now. I was protective of that fact that she didn’t know. She hadn’t accepted him yet. I wanted to brush past him; I wanted to prove that she was mine. I held in the instinct. At this point he was my only way to her, I had to play nice. For now.

• • •

The team that assembled took a helicopter in. I wanted to fly; I wanted to be out where Drake and York were in the sky so I wouldn’t feel so trapped. I could get there faster. But they said that if I didn’t stay in the helicopter they would force me to stay back.

I twitched in my seat, watching the ground below. The forest beneath us seemed never ending. I felt as if the Eurocopter EC155, which I didn’t even think was open for public sale, couldn’t have been going fast enough. My skin felt tight as if I needed to change forms immediately. I straightened my back trying to get more comfortable. I knew nothing would help.

Nixie looked mildly sick and kept her eyes shut tight, muttering how she hated the sky. Normally flying with her would make me feel slightly at ease, the rest of the team and I would always get a good kick out of her hatred for the sky. Even the familiar memory couldn’t break my concentration. I used to be one of the torturers; I knew what they would be doing to her. I could feel it on my skin as if it was happening to me. How could I have ever let them take her? I would never be able to forgive myself. I promised I would protect her.

The Valkyrie, Elijah, and Imogen the witch, were with Nixie and I in the first helicopter. Elijah kept giving Imogen the coldest looks I had ever seen him give and she just smiled back at him. I think there was a loose screw in her head because she was looking death in the face and smiling.

I kept shifting in my seat. It had been a day since she went missing. A lot could happen in a day, but one thing I knew, I knew she was alive. Drake told me before we left that Marcus was their last surviving undercover agent, and this wasn’t only a mission to save Audrey, but to retract him as well. I nodded understanding, hoping that he would be able to help Audrey. I started to recognize the air, the trees. We were getting closer. It felt like an old piece of home, but it would never be my home again. It didn’t matter, my home was with Audrey.

We set down a few miles from the Braden headquarters. I paced restlessly, and watched as Drake had chose to stay in his dragon form. York walked over him looking a little grim. His tail twitched, and wings fluttered. I noticed his fists were as clenched tight.

“We haven’t heard from Marcus. We thought he would have contacted us the moment that Audrey stepped into that building. Drake wants to attack. Gods dammit Stone would you stop that infuriating pacing?” York snarled at me.

I wasn’t going to let that slide. I moved close to the tall Gargoyle, I didn’t realize that I started to add inches to my height until I was eye to eye to the six foot six inch Gargoyle. My face was set in a snarl.

“Do not tell me how to act when my mate is in there.” I paused and quieted down, “What if it was Drake?” I tried to keep my voice low not knowing if that their mating was a secret to both Elijah and Nixie. Though knowing them, they probably picked up on their relationship the first time they saw the two together.

York looked down and he stepped back.

“We didn’t…”

I growled not letting him finish. I started to pace again. My gut was telling me something was wrong. I had to move, I had to do something, anything. Drake blew a bit of smoke toward York who headed over to talk to his own mate.

Night started to fall and I was going mad. I needed to go after her. I started to head out. I couldn’t stand there knowing that every minute her skin was being torn apart only to repair itself and the process repeated. I knew the other types of torture would happen, I had perfected the art of Braden warfare. We didn’t take prisoners to let them live, we extracted information and destroyed every fiber of their being.

Drake’s head popped up. I watched him closely. His nostrils flared and his slit, reptile eyes narrowed. I expanded my senses as far as they could go and the lightly burnt scent of lavender. My eyes popped opened, and I ran through the familiar trees toward her scent. I avoided any underbrush not allowing anything to get in my way. My heart pounded in my chest, and all I could think was that she was close.

Marcus’ voice rang out in the forest.

“Pal, turn th' other way. They are right behin' us.” Then, I saw him. He moved gracefully. The trees bending to his will. I didn’t see Audrey though I could smell her. I wondered for a brief moment if Marcus had been with her then left her behind. I couldn’t think straight. I acted on instinct and tackled Marcus shoving him into a tree.

“Where is she?” I roared.

“Pal, she is right behin' me,” He pointed to an open space where there were only plants. Nothing.

I punched him in the face. “Where is she?”

Marcus disappeared as he willed the tree to wrap him in an embrace. I knew my attacks barely put a dent in his thick skin, so I didn’t register another thought.

I couldn’t ask anything else, my breathing erratic. I felt as if I was sinking into a black hole. Nothing else mattered, not the crushing of the underbrush by boots coming from the other direction. I didn’t care that Drake’s roars were filling the air or York was making demands of his people.

“Gabriel…” Only her voice could soothe me. My eyes shut involuntarily.

I turned Audrey stood there completely naked as if she had just shifted. New scars covered her body, along with dried blood. I tore off my shirt, shoving it over her shivering form.

“Where the hell did you come from?” I didn’t wait for her answer. I ran my hands over her hair and pulled her in for a kiss. I touched her lips and I felt my whole body sigh. She was safe. I pulled Audrey closer, barely registering the other noises.

“Stone, come 'en. We have tae goin’, pal.” Marcus had reemerged and started off toward the others. All the cracking in the woods and then what Marcus said came crashing in. The Braden had brought in their own witch who was shooting off spells in our direction.

Our real reunion would have to wait. I pulled Audrey along. When a bolt of lightning flew past our heads, I flinched. A bolt that strong could do serious damage. We were getting closer to the clearing. Audrey was keeping up but barely, I knew she was tired. I saw Drake’s tail in the clearing as he fought on the other side of the helicopter.

Nixie hugged Marcus quickly before shoving him into the helicopter that whirred to life again. The noise was deafening and disorienting. I shoved Audrey ahead of me, looking back at the witch throwing bolts, she locked eyes with me. All I could think was that I had to protect my mate. I saw the witch’s line of fire I knew who she would be aiming for next with a bolt that could kill.

I stepped right behind Audrey, protecting her. I knew in that moment that this might be the end for us. If I let that bolt hit her she wouldn’t survive. She was still weak. Time slowed as she looked back at me for only a moment to make sure I was there with her. Her eyes widened to the size of saucers, and her mouth started to form a shrieking scream.

A shock ran through my entire body, but I stayed on my feet, blocking Audrey. The witch sent another attack following right after the first. It felt like a million bolts of lightning raced through my body. My organs felt as if they had been burnt to a crisp. My skin felt raw. I tried to hold my form, but the blast was too much and I reverted to my original form. I couldn’t breathe as I fell.

Chapter Forty-Three

Audrey

A phantom shock went through me when the first bolt hit Stone. It tingled my nerves yet I felt no pain. When the second bolt hit him, it struck me right in the heart. I stumbled, losing my breath.

I looked back and a scream ripped from my throat. Gabriel lay on the ground in his true form. I ran back to him, not sure what to do, yet also feeling desperate to do something. Sobs ripped from me and my tears touch his scarred chest. A gaping hole was opened under his right ribs. His chest heaved and I could see him struggle to breathe. I felt his pain in my own heart, a small glimmer of the pain.

“No, no, no…Gabriel!” My heart was breaking. I couldn’t breathe. He wasn’t looking at me, but looking up at the sky, his eyes pain-glazed. Blood poured from his wound and I waited for him to repair himself.

I didn’t hear the others move around us. Someone shouted to take me away. I turned toward the hands that reached for me, I didn’t even register who was trying to touch me, but I growled loudly. I reacted and became his shield. The world around us that was erupting into chaos didn’t seem real. I couldn’t even begin to think it was.

I looked down at him again. I pressed my lips against his cool ones. Dark stubble on his cheeks, and chin. Even dying, in his real form he was the most beautiful man. I couldn’t stop myself. I touched his scruff wanting to remember the feel of it. I couldn’t let him go. I wouldn’t. Tears filled my eyes as I shook my head.

My body reacted. My form shook and broke apart, to only reform back into a dragon. My dragon spirit guided me through the actions. My hand found the cabinet where my heart was locked away. I screamed as I reached in and grabbing a piece of it. It was the most painful thing I had yet experienced, besides the thought of losing Gabriel after just finding him.

I held the bloody, beating piece in my dark talons. I didn’t know if I had expected it to look different, maybe more glowing but it was like any other heart. Besides, the heart in my chest was trying to beat at a different pace now that half of it was missing. I placed the piece over his heart and whispered to him even in my dragon form.

“I love you.”

He looked at me then, and smiled. He brought his hand up to touch my scales and I leaned in. I knew my words were lost in a grumble of noises, but I hoped he understood. I pushed the piece of my heart into his chest with as much force as I could muster. His eyes went wide as the heart dug deep into his chest. My heart touched his, sinking in, twisting into something new. A bridge was being built, connecting us. I had never felt as peaceful as I did in that moment. It wouldn’t last, I knew that because the pain came then. The battle still waging around us and spells were hitting my sensitive scales. None of it mattered though. Stone was safe.

I pulled away, I couldn’t focus. My body was already too weak. I reverted to my human form and lay next to Stone. I hadn’t realized how exhausting this process would be. Gabriel had passed out during the binding, but still held my hand. I looked at him, bringing my free hand to touch his cheek. I smiled slightly as tears spilled from my eyes. I still couldn’t focus. I was ready to say goodbye then. I had to be ready. He would live with my heart beating strong inside of him. I could die peacefully knowing I had saved him. I couldn’t save anyone else; I could at least save him. My love.

“I am so sorry.” I whispered. “I just wanted you forever.”

Chapter Forty-Four

Stone

I wish that I could have answered her that day. I wish I could have told her that she could have kept me. I didn’t ever plan on letting her go. I was barely conscious when she shoved her heart into mine, the pain shocked me again but I remember hearing her words. I wanted to reassure her. I was hers. I was hers the moment I saw her trying to disappear into the wall. I would always be hers. I reached over wanting to pull her close, but she wasn’t there. My eyes shot open. I looked around the room still not seeing her. My heart was pounding, threatening to bust through my chest.

“Easy there warrior.” York’s voice came from the other side of me. When I turned he was sitting watching out the window.

“We had to separate you two. She had to recover. You were half conscious and keeping people away from her.”

The breath I was holding rushed out my lungs. She was safe.

“And you needed to recover as well after that bolt went through you. Do you remember what happened?”

My heartbeat felt strange and I went to touch my chest noticing that my skin was scarred, I looked up at York who looked at me.

“Everyone has conveniently forgotten about your skin being so…marked. Marcus put up a glamour around you as soon as he could, but Nixie, Drake and I saw. I had Nixie and Drake’s minds wiped and I will have Imogen wipe mine as well. She knows where the memory is located, but she doesn’t know what it’s about I promise you that.” I stared at the leader of one of the most powerful clans confused. This was valuable information.

“I respect all paranormals. I also respect that we all have our own secrets, and I will not use that against them.” York paused, still looking out the window.

I respected him then, I also knew that he spoke from experience. Too many people knew about the Gargoyles’ secrets.

“It isn’t easy.” He sighed heavily. “Being their mates, having a piece of them in your heart.”

“I would never want easy. Especially not with her.” It came out low, but I wasn’t angry. I wasn’t trying to challenge, I was telling him the truth.

“You don’t understand, yet. To have a piece of their heart is to have their strength, their power, and their emotions. They are as much as piece of you as you are of them. Her heart is yours to protect now.”

With that York left. If I was being honest, I still didn’t completely trust the man. While I was grateful that he said he would have his memories erased, it wasn’t the most efficient way, nor was it always long-lasting. I would have to watch York closely. For now, I wanted to find Audrey.

Finding her was the easy part. Drake was stationed outside of her door not allowing anyone in. When I arrived I waited for him to move. He stared down at me, I was still taller than usual, but I thought the height might just become my new normal.

“Maybe it is best if you came back later.” I didn’t say anything just pushed him out of my way and walked into her room. I closed my eyes as her scent wrapped its way around me. Before I could open my eyes, I felt a light touch of lips, and heard a small giggle. She never giggled before. It was a beautiful sound; a sound that I would cherish.

I took her hips in my hands without even opening my eyes and kissed her harder. We’d almost lost each other. Just thinking about that made me lock the door behind me. I quickly moved into her. She gasped slightly not expecting the sudden movement. I didn’t care. All I knew was that I had her now and I wasn’t letting her go.

“You said you wanted to keep me forever,” I whispered, pulling away from her lips.

She nodded against my cheek. There was stubble there, I remembered her touching it, and I remembered how much I liked it. She brought her hand up to do it again, and I groaned, moving my head into her hand. Such delicate hands. This stopped me short. Her lips were moving up my neck.

“Audrey…” My voice wasn’t recognizable.

“Hmm….”

“Did,” Gods I couldn’t even get it out, “did someone…” She stopped.

“No.” She whispered, not like she was ashamed, just scared that if she voiced it somehow her answer would change. All it changed was me. I couldn’t stop myself; I had to touch her skin. I had to know that she belonged to me as much as I belonged to her.

My hand moved under her thigh, wrapping it around my waist. I could almost feel the heat from her core. I tried to move closer. I didn’t realize that she was trying to take off my shirt because I was too busy kissing every part of her that I could touch. This was different from our first time. This was a desperate, unquenchable thirst for her.

I helped her take my shirt the rest of the way off, and wanted her shirt gone just as quickly. Instead of pulling it over her head, I ripped it in half. Thank the Gods she was not wearing a bra, it wouldn’t have survived. I moved quickly to her breast. My one hand that had remained behind her neck moved with her as she slanted it backwards. I moaned, it was all becoming too much. All I could think was that I needed her.

I put her leg back down and backed us to the bed. She fell, with her pant-clad legs slightly spread as if inviting me to rip them from her skin. Instead I started from the top. Slowly, very slowly, my fingers brushed her soft skin as I pulled her pants down. I meant it to be torture for her, a sensual torture, but it was turning out as more of an assault for me. I pressed my lips against the skin as I exposed it, leaving a new trail behind. She squirmed slightly making small noises.

I finally got the pants off, and saw her panties needed to go. They were stopping me from what was mine. I licked my lips just thinking about what lay underneath. Audrey started to sit up, I knew she felt uncomfortable and scared being so open to me when I still had my pants on.

I let my go-to form drop, opting for my real form. There was a new scar, a rather nasty looking one, where the bolt had gone through me. She didn’t look at me with disgust though. She looked at the newest scar and moved closer to it. Her lips touched me there, on the new leathery skin. When her tongue touched it, I lost all sense. Her hands moved over my back, touching old scars and making me shiver.

I moved her back so that she was laying flat again. I kissed her lips thinking of everywhere I wanted to kiss her. I moved down her body, but I could still feel that nagging sensation in the back of my head. She was uncomfortable with her nakedness and I was still mostly covered. She was nervous to remove them from me. I was being too dominant for her at the moment. This had to be a partnership. I moved so that I could pull off my own pants and, Gods, she licked her full lips. The nervousness melted away from her. We moved together. Our bodies knowing each other better than our minds.

• • •

I didn’t wake up this time wondering where she was. She was in my arms. I hugged her tighter and buried my nose in her hair. I never wanted to leave. I was perfectly happy in this place with her. When I kissed the top of her head, I felt her stir. I looked down and saw her eyes were open. Her fingers started tracing my heart…our heart.

“Do you regret it?” I wanted to make it a joke, but the truth hung in the air. This was a sacred thing. Not something to take as lightly as I fear Audrey had done.

“I could never regret it.” She bit her lip, and I waited for her to speak. “That first day you met me. When you said that I tried to save you, it was a lie.”

I shifted trying to catch her eye, but she didn’t want to look at me.

“What do you mean?” I drew lazy designs in her skin with my fingers.

“I was hoping you would take me with you. I couldn’t say save yourself, without saying save me, too. And you did Gabriel. You saved me.”

We were quiet for the rest of the morning. Her words ringing in my head loud and clear. I had saved her. Far from the truth really. She had saved me. I wouldn’t be half the man I was now if it hadn’t been for her looking at me with such big eyes that day. I knew she thought she was a monster then and now at times. She was the least beastly of us all.

“I love you, Audrey.”

She had fallen asleep in my arms once again.

Chapter Forty-Five

Audrey

A few weeks had passed and we had no word or attacks from the Braden clan or the Vedenins. It was too easy to believe that they had given up, but for now we had time to rest and adjust. My father was trying hard to accept Stone in my life. Xavier was there every step of the way

A week after they rescued me, they told me they were true mates, that Xavier held a piece of my father’s heart in his own. Stone held me tighter that night than any other previous. I mourned the loss of my mother and the love that they had shared. I didn’t doubt my father when he told me that he truly did love my mother and that he would have saved her if he could, but his love for Xavier was still hard to accept.

My father continued to tell me more about my mother, from who I’d inherited some of her abilities that Marcus and I discovered that night at the Braden’s headquarters. Apparently I was the first ever dragon-were combination.

I continued to work on gaining control over my other form, and it turned out that when Stone got a piece of my heart his shifter DNA could take the dragon DNA and he was able to shift into a dragon as well. He was a midnight black dragon with ever shifting colored eyes. It was funny trying to see him fly, it wasn’t quite like any other animal he had been before and he had a lot more weight to deal with. I caught on fairly quickly.

• • •

“Audrey, could I have a word with you?” My father stood tall looking slightly annoyed that he had to ask permission to whisk me away.

It wasn’t dangerous for Stone and I to be separated, but it was somewhat painful. Our hearts were still getting used to being combined. It was both an amazing and uncomfortable experience. His heart, which was now part of mine, and the other way around, were working to beat together rather than separate. Being closer seemed to help.

“Okay.” I answered quietly and started to pull away from Stone but he snagged me back.

He watched my father over my head for a moment as if trying to decide what my father would do with me. I knew he would never hurt me.

“It’s okay, Stone.” I touched his cheek, bringing his attention back to me. His eyes softened to a light pink color when he looked at me. I smiled.

“Come back soon.” He kissed me lightly and let me go.

I felt his eyes on us the entire time we walked away. I wanted to stay with him, but I wanted to know what my father had to say. We hadn’t talked much since I had returned to the York facility. We headed toward the dome room, which had been repaired.

“I have something for you, wait here.” He left me at the edge of the living area while disappearing behind one of the columns.

The dome room was meant for those air paranormals who wanted a safe place to take flight for a while. Since my father still had problems with his dragon, it was easier for him and Xavier to stay in the dome room.

I waited, feeling uncomfortable without Stone nearby. I knew our separation wasn’t forever, but I couldn’t breathe properly.

“Audrey…” Xavier stood in front of me and touched my shoulder lightly.

I backed away, still not comfortable with him. No one’s touch but Stone’s had felt comfortable since I had arrived back.

“I…I was…waiting for-”

My father came out with his hands behind his back. He gave Xavier a loving glance.

“I have something for you, Audrey,”

Xavier smiled at my father as if he knew what was about to happen. When my father stood in front of me my stomached knotted.

“It’s a little later than I was hoping, but…” From behind his back my father pulled a black, raggedy looking stuffed dragon. Aiden. He was missing the same eye, and his face was scratched up.

My hands moved and I didn’t realize I was stepping forward until my fingers brushed the soft fabric. I looked up at my father with tears in my eyes.

“You,” I couldn’t get the words out, “You saved him.”

“For you. Always.” My father pulled me close and kissed my forehead as he pressed my old friend into my hands. The men in front of me looked as if they were slightly uncomfortable.

A door slammed open and I turned to see Stone taking huge strides toward us. He started to slow when he realized I wasn’t in distress.

“Stone, he saved Aiden,” I whispered. Stone pulled me into his chest, the only thing blocking me from his heartbeat was Aiden who was snuggled between us.

“Thank you, Drake,” Stone said reluctantly.

He pulled me away a little later and took us back to our room. I never let my grip of Aiden loosen. Aiden became a constant companion of mine in my room. He was safe. My father had saved him.

• • •

After the rescue mission, Elijah remained distant, but worked closely with Xavier. When I tried to ask what they were working on, Xavier would change the subject. I knew they didn’t quite trust me. I didn’t mind.

I spent most of my days with Stone and Nixie learning about the world that I had been a part of, but also separate and shielded from. I knew that Nixie still didn’t know about her father, and I had only learned about it through Stone. I wanted to tell her, but I knew that I couldn’t say anything. When it came to fathers, there was an unwritten rule between us. In the end, it was best for us to forget that we had fathers.

After learning about what the Braden and Vedenin clans were up to, I knew that we had to try and protect other elder races. When I told Stone that I wanted to stay and help, he just nodded and kissed my forehead. He told me he understood. We were called true mates. I didn’t care what kind of label was on it. All I knew for sure was that I loved him.

We were sitting outside, my head on his shoulder, his hand entwined with mine. He sang me his song again, the one that he sang when he thought I was sound asleep. And I fell asleep there. I was content. For now all was right in my world. For once, I felt completely free.

Epilogue

Elijah

I watched from the edge of the forest. They never noticed me. She never noticed me. I did not know what made me so interested in her, but I couldn’t seem to stop thinking about her. She was going to be my downfall. It was a foolish mistake to wander in her mind for so long, to allow myself to become attached to certain memories. Granted they were memories she would be better without, but instead of stealing them as my source of food, I watched them. I lived them with her. I enjoyed every dark moment of her mind, and feasted on her agony. At times, I think, as she relived the memories, she would notice my spirit form lingering in her memories. She had clung to me at times. It was an odd feeling. One I cannot say that I enjoyed.

I couldn’t seem to get the feeling of her nails biting into my less than intangible form, off my mind. I would stare and think of how her slight frame touched every part of my body. How I wanted my form to curl around her and take in her shivering frame. I could not warm her. I did not radiate warmth but to feel that type of fear against my entire body was the most pleasurable experience.

And yet when I watched her trying to learn how to shift with her shape-shifter I couldn’t help but wish that her eyes didn’t sparkle quite so bright. I was entranced by the damaged woman. The one I watched now, while not completely undamaged, was not the same. She would not shiver in my arms as she once did. But I couldn’t tear myself away from the scene. I did not know what was wrong with me.

“I knew I would find you here.”

“You have been staring for a while yourself Xavier.” I stated, not turning toward him. I knew that his reason for watching were much different than my own.

“Yes, but I am still trying to find out your interest in Audrey.” Xavier moved a little closer, watching me with narrowed eyes. His form spoke volumes of his discomfort. His wings were folded tightly, his back tense, fist clenched, jaw biting.

“You disapprove?” I asked, watching Audrey and Stone.

“No. He is a good match for her. What I do disapprove of, is the way you watch her. You look as if you want to steal her and break her all over again.”

“Who says I don’t?” I answered, looking at him from the corner of my eye. I heard a growl slip from his tightly shut mouth. “You came here for a reason I suppose?”

“Yes. I have a mission for you. Far from here.” His voice was more gruff than moments before. I could tell that he was resisting certain instincts.

“She is not yours,” I said looking back at Audrey.

“No. And she is not yours either. Now, do you want the mission or not?”

“I will take it.”

The End of Book One

Appendix

Clan Names

Vedenin: Russian family that had captured Audrey - the clan that wants more power and to control the new emerging paranormals.

York Clan: One of the most powerful families – also where Audrey’s father is now – trying to protect the new paranormals, and wants to eventually reform the paranormal world again so it’s not so divided.

Braden: Stone’s family - the Clan that is trying to destroy the emerging paranormals in order to make the paranormal world’s power shift to the were clans.

Long Clan: Primarily Asian clans – one of the top families ranking next to Braden but still beneath York

Paranormals:

Dawon: A fancier term for a were-tiger – originally from Hindu mythology – they are slightly bigger than other were-tigers from different heritages. (earth)

Djinn: Genies, they have unlimited power, unless they are captured, and the line “Grant me Three” – then they become servants to their “master” until the three uses are used up. (spirit)

Dryad: Wood creatures who live in trees, and protect the forest, they can manipulate the element of Earth but rarely do. These creatures are nonviolent. (earth)

Dwarf: Short sturdy creatures that once lived in the base of the mountains, tend to be hairy, and silent. (earth)

Nepilim: Half angel- half human or Half demon-half human, stronger more agile than a human – live longer – wings that either are feathered or bat – depending on origins. (Air)

Gargoyles: Grey-toned skin creatures, wings, and fierce warriors. Once were the guards to the council. (air/earth)

Mermaids: Water creatures that cannot ever leave the water, with strange toned hair colors – usually ranges for dark blues, to coral like colors. (water)

Sirens: Water creatures that use their siren song to persuade people. They can live on land for extended periods of time but must go back to the water in order to regain their strength – usually their hair colors range from dark blues to blondes. (Green is a rare color) They have both a human form and a water form. Their skin turns scaly, fins grow from their feet, and their hands become webbed, and clawed. Eyes get bigger, and gills grow. (Water)

Shape-shifters: There are three categories. (earth)

Human-shifter: They can change into any type of human form.

Animal-shifter: They have one human form and can change into any animal.

Shape-Shifter: They can change into any human or animal form.

Stone Giant: A-senee-ki-wakw - a race of stone giants, the first people Gluskab created but then destroyed because they crushed other animals and injured the earth with their great size. From Eastern Canada: Torngat Mountains. Legends from: Abenaki. (Earth)

Valkyries: Norse God warriors who are fierce human warriors that can strategize in seconds flat. (Earth)

Werecreatures: This is all type of animals. Werewolves, werecats, etc. These are humans with animal spirits entwined with theirs. They have more animal like instincts and characteristics. (earth)

Witches/Wizards-Warlocks – Witches are the female version of people who use magic – witches have the power to summon or force wraiths from their bodies. Wizard – male version of people who can use magic – they do not have power over wraiths. Warlocks – same as wizards but do have the power over wraiths – much more rare. (earth)

Wraiths: Demonic spirits that can take over a human body – their human forms take on completely black eyes, and all canine teeth. They are heartless, emotionless. Rare but are dangerous – full powers unknown. (spirit)

Zanas: Zana are characters in fairy-tales that are basically fairies that protect children who are in the woods and other good people that need their help. They are also known for while the baby is in the womb, they give it the gifts of dancing, beauty, kindness, and luck. (earth)

Rebirth Creatures:

Dragon-Shifters: A human and a dragon spirit separate from each other, don’t tend to influence each other in each other’s skin. A thought to be extinct. (earth, fire, air)

Water Nymphs: have the powers of both a mermaid and siren, and can control water – only water nymphs can do this, and partial shift. (water)

Phoenixes: They don’t have a bird form, but instead have feathers on the back of their necks and extending down, if someone was to take a full grown feather from a Phoenix would be insured to survive any type of death, once. Life = one feather. It takes five years for a new full grown feather to grow. Extremely painful for the Phoenix if they did not willingly give the feather – also maybe they feel the pain of the death of the person holding their feather. (fire)

Unicorn-shifters: When in their unicorn form they can escape any trap, nothing can lock them in, while in human form they are trapped. They can heal anything while in their human form, while in their unicorn form if one was to take the blood of a unicorn they would become immortal. (spirit, earth)

Griffins - shifters: They are the King of all beasts – in other words they can control most were-creatures and animals. Extremely powerful in their human forms even more powerful in their beast form. (spirit, earth)

Table of Contents

- BLOOD WARRIOR by H.D. Gordon
- RIVULET by Jamie Magee
- SWITCH by Janelle Stalder
- CHARMED by Cambria Hebert
- DARK WALTZ by A.M. Hargrove
- DAMAGED by Becca Vincenza