“Maybe. Look, how was this—package—delivered?”
“A delivery guy.”
“Like FedEx?”
Emily shook her head. “A local courier service. Lightning Couriers, I think his uniform said.”
“Okay, that’s a good lead. I imagine you signed for it?”
“Yeah.”
“He probably used a fake name and paid cash,” Clem continued. “But, it’s a lead no matter how you look at it. He might be on camera; his face might be remembered.”
“If he broke into a morgue,” Emily said, feeling Drake’s love course from him and into her, “he’ll be on a security camera.”
“True. But that may not tell us where he is. Just more evidence in the end.”
Chapter Eighteen
Emily had little appetite that evening, and nothing Drake did cheered her up or brought a smile to her face. Feeling more helpless than any other time in his life, he had no idea what to do. She sat at the kitchen table gazing into space, sipping her wine and said nothing.
Occasionally, she muttered, “It has to end,” then fell to brooding again.
“It’ll end, Emily,” Drake told her. But his worries and fears grew when she wouldn’t acknowledge that he had spoken, or even look at him. Yeah, this has to be done. Toombs must die so that he can’t do this to Emily, or anyone else, again. How to go about that, however, eluded Drake. Without knowing where Toombs was, he could do little about killing him.
Taking her hand, Drake led her into the living room and helped her to sit in her chair. It was like moving a lifelike doll. She wasn’t catatonic, for she blinked, and muttered, and grimaced, but she didn’t respond to him. He checked the street outside through a tiny opening in the curtain but saw nothing.
Emily sipped her wine, and Drake hoped she’d return to herself soon. This Emily, this stranger in Emily’s beautiful body, confused and scared him. But until she let him past this strange new wall she’d built since this afternoon, he could do nothing.
Later, Drake rose from the couch and checked the house on one of his patrols, and again looked through the thin opening in the curtain. There was a car parked outside, a shadow behind the wheel. Drake permitted his rage to rise, to fill him, the lust to kill Tombs in his soul. He planned to shred Toombs with his talons, then set the bloody remains on fire until not even ashes remained.
“You die tonight, asshole,” he growled.
Turning back from the window, he found Emily’s eyes on him. “He’s out there?”
“Yeah. I’m going to kill him right now.”
“Drake, wait.”
“Lock the door, Emily.”
“Drake!”
Not caring if the neighbors saw him go dragon, Drake mentally saw himself yanking open the car door, seize Toombs, and change forms to rend and burn. He was halfway across the yard when the engine coughed into life. He broke into a run, charging the vehicle, slapping the hood as it roared past him.
“Not this time.”
Changing into his dragon, Drake leaped into the air and chased after it, beating his wings strongly down the residential street. He flew behind the car, yet high enough to stay out of Toombs’ mirrors and unseen. The car turned right onto the main street and slowed to a more normal pace. That confused Drake, as Toombs knew he was a dragon and would have altered his form. Yet this driver acted as though he had left Drake far behind.
Soaring higher to stay out of the sight of other drivers, Drake waited for his chance. The car made a few right turns, then slowed to a stop in an alley. More baffled than ever, Drake furled his wings and dropped lightly to the asphalt without a sound. The driver opened the door and got out, glancing around with some caution, but not nearly enough.
Switching to his human form, Drake lunged forward and hit the guy on the side of his head with his fist. He pulled the punch at the last second, or the driver would have been killed instantly. As it was, he cried out in pain, and immediately, Drake knew this wasn’t Toombs.
Seizing the fellow by his shirt front, Drake slammed him against the car. “Where’s Toombs?” he bellowed, fury racing through him, and it was all he could do to not kill him. “Where’s Toombs? What were you doing watching Emily’s house?”
“Shit, man,” the man cried, cowering, bleeding from his head. “This guy paid me to sit out there.”
“Out where?”
Drake slapped him hard across the face, then backhanded him going the other way.
“Stop, don’t hit me,” the guy screamed, now bleeding from his nose and mouth. “He paid me, man, to sit out there. Outside a girl’s house. Said if a big guy came out to just drive away.”
“Was his name Toombs?”
“He never said his name. Paid me five hundred bucks.” He reached up and wiped the back of his hand across his nose. “I’m bleeding, man.”
“I’ll fucking kill you if you don’t answer me.”
“All right,” he cried, lifting his arm to protect his face. “He didn’t say his name, but he was a creepy little dude. Bald on top.”
“Where is he?” Drake snarled.
“I don’t know! But he said if I wanted to earn another five hundred, to go to an address in Chicago.”
“What address?”
The man reached his shaking hand into his pocket. Pulling out a piece of paper, he gave it to Drake. “That’s it.”
“What were you to do to earn another five hundred?” Drake demanded, shoving the paper into his pocket.
“He didn’t say what the job was. Just to come there tomorrow morning.”
Drake pushed him against the car once more, then let him go. “Get out of here before I kill you.”
The man fled, running down the alley, and turned a corner. Drake shifted forms, then jumped skyward. Something felt very wrong about this. He felt it in his gut, deep in his heart that something was not just wrong, but very wrong. Flying fast, fear coating his tongue, making his heart race, he beat his way across the sky to Emily’s house. Banking around to land in her yard, he saw the front door stood wide open.
Panic tasted like copper in his mouth. Lights from inside the house streamed out onto the porch and the lawn, yet he could discern no movement from inside. Landing, he changed into his human half and ran into the house.
“Emily!”
In the living room, Drake halted, staring at the overturned lamps, the armchair now lying on its side, Emily’s Glock on the carpet. “Toombs.”
His panic spread, his fear for Emily’s safety filling him, matching his growing rage. Spinning, he found Clem standing in the doorway, staring as he did. “Toombs has Emily,” Drake snarled.
“Why weren’t you here?” Clem snapped back. “Where the fuck were you?”
“There was a car parked outside. I went after the guy, chased him down, but it wasn’t Toombs.”
Clem’s cop stare sharpened on him. “You can’t drive. Emily’s car is in the garage. Just how did you chase this guy down?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Drake yelled. “The guy was paid five hundred bucks to sit out there, then run if I came out.”
“He was a decoy,” Clem said, his voice lowered. “To get you away from Emily. But where would he take her?”
Drake pulled the address from his pocket. “He said that Toombs offered him another job at this address. He was to show up tomorrow.”
“Dear God.” Clem read the address. “It’s in Chicago. Out of my jurisdiction.”
“But not mine.”
Clem’s frustration and fear coursed from him like a fever, and he paced. “I can send the Chicago PD there, and I’ll drive us. I can’t do anything while there, but I can take you.”
“I’m not waiting,” Drake said, yanking the paper back from Clem. He stalked toward the door, then through it.
“Just how the fuck do you intend to get there?”
Sirens screamed as more police approached, no doubt in response to Emily’s alarm system. Drake had to go, and right now, before they showed
up. He looked at Clem grimly. “I hope you can keep a secret.”
“What are you yapping about?”
Stepping away to give himself room, Drake shifted. Spreading his wings, he stared down at Clem, lashing his tail in his fear and anger. Clem stumbled back with a low cry and fell on his butt and back on the grass. Staring up at Drake in shock, he gasped, “I knew something was funky about you.”
Drake shifted back. “Now you know. I can get there faster than you. If you tell the Chicago police, Toombs may well kill her before they can kill him.”
“It could be a trap to murder you.” Clem climbed warily to his feet.
“I know it is. He wants to hurt Emily in front of me, kill us both. Now I have to go, and right now.”
Changing forms, the lights from the approaching cruisers just down the block, Drake lunged skyward. Even as he gained altitude, he glanced back and saw Clem staring up at him, his jaws opened. Drake shot a small burst of flame from his nostrils, then banked north. Leaving the lights and sirens behind, he flew hard for the great city of Chicago.
While he hoped he might beat Toombs and Emily there, Drake had no illusions about accomplishing that. He would be forced to stop and ask someone for directions. Or perhaps ask a taxi to take him. He speculated as he flew, the bright city lights straight ahead of him, the towering skyscrapers impossibly tall in his limited experience.
Toombs has to drive. Keep to the speed limit. I have no idea where this place is, but it has to be a vacant structure large enough to hold me. He knows I will come in dragon form. Still thinking he might get there before Toombs, he put on a burst of speed and banked hard left before the spotlight of a helicopter caught him in its glare.
Spotting a dark area with fewer lights and traffic, Drake dove down toward it and circled a few times to see if anyone watched him. Few pedestrians walked the sidewalk, and he landed on the street in between sets of traffic. Furling his wings, he switched to human form just as headlights struck him.
Trotting out of the middle of the avenue, Drake glanced around for a taxi. His luck must have been with him, for a yellow car with the taxi light on its top drove around the corner, then headed toward him. Drake whistled sharply and waved. The cab pulled obediently to the curb.
Fishing the address from his pocket, Drake handed it to the driver. “Can you take me to this place?”
The driver, a middle-aged woman, glanced at it. “Sure, handsome. Get in.”
Drake ducked into the rear seat. “How far away is it?”
“Just a few miles.”
She started out, driving into the thin traffic, and Drake added, “There will be a huge tip if you speed there.”
“I like the sound of that, handsome.”
Settling back into the seat, Drake watched the buildings and people flow smoothly past as the driver speeded up. She passed slower-moving cars like they were standing still, and Drake wondered if he might yet beat Toombs to the place.
“How long would it take to get from the suburbs to this address?” he asked.
“Which suburb?”
He named the town Emily lived in. “While driving at normal speeds.”
His driver pondered. “Probably thirty minutes, give or take.”
“Thanks.”
Speculating that his flight took less than ten and adding in the five or so minutes he was at Emily’s house, he thought he might beat Toombs there by perhaps five minutes or less. Or arrive at the same time as he does. “Drop me off a half-block short of the place.”
“You got it, handsome.”
A few minutes later, she pulled the cab to the curb. As he dug cash from his pocket, he asked, “Which building is it?”
“It’s that old apartment building right down there on the right.”
Reading the meter, Drake added a hundred-dollar bill to it and handed it to her. “Thanks.”
She eyed the money, smiling. “No, thank you, handsome.”
Stepping out, he watched her drive away, then looked around for witnesses. Seeing no one, he suspected Toombs picked a very empty area to kill both Emily and Drake. He doesn’t want witnesses any more than I do. Taking flight, Drake circled over the apartment building the driver pointed out, seeking any sign of Toombs or Emily. He saw no movement, no lights, saw no vehicles parked anywhere near it.
Alighting on the roof, he peered over the edge, gazing down, and tried to put himself in Toombs’ place. What will he do? Use Emily as bait, draw me in, try to chain me. Drake walked to the other edges of the rooftop to look around, wondering if Toombs would anticipate Drake getting here first.
Where would I fit into this place? Maybe he plans for me to walk in as a human, then, holding Emily hostage, order me to, what? Handcuff myself? Speculating as to just how Toombs might try to control both Drake and Emily, he knew he couldn’t give Toombs that opportunity. No cars passed below him on the street, leaving Drake to hope that he had come to the right place.
And worry that he got everything wrong.
A car pulled around the corner and drove slowly toward the apartment building. Drake ducked down low, flattening his bulk behind the roof’s lip, then only permitted his head to show over the edge. Narrowing his eyes to mere slits, knowing they’d be seen if Toombs looked up, he watched as the car stopped at the apartment.
Toombs got out and carefully looked around. He stared straight up at Drake, then without displaying any alarm, ambled around to the rear of his car. Opening the trunk, he pulled Emily out. Drake almost flamed in his rage at the sight of her bound with silver tape, more stuck across her mouth.
Even hampered, Emily fought him. She kicked and struck at him, but Toombs calmly backhanded her across her face. That’s it; you’re my bitch now. Emily’s muffled shriek of pain behind the tape sent Drake over the edge.
He leaped from the rear of the structure, and, wings folded tight, Drake banked around the building next door to come up behind Toombs and Emily. The light breeze wafted into his face as he flew into the street, meaning it swept into Toombs’ face as well. Thus, he wouldn’t hear the whisper of Drake’s wings until it was too late.
Toombs dragged Emily toward the entrance of the apartment, both of their backs to him. Making certain his talons did not click on the cement walk, Drake landed only a yard behind them. Toombs had two yards to walk to get inside the building. If it was locked, it would take him a few extra seconds to break in.
Furling his wings silently over his back, making certain they didn’t rustle, Drake crept up behind them. Perhaps Emily sensed something, for she shot a fast glance over her shoulder. Her eyes widened slightly. She instantly faced forward once more, leaning her weight back against Toombs’ strong grasp on her arm.
Toombs apparently sensed nothing.
He continued his steady walk toward the door, a gun stuck into the waistband of his pants at the small of his back.
When Toombs walked within three feet from the door, Drake reached out and seized Emily around her waist. He yanked her back, tearing her arm from Toombs’ grip. Wrenched more easily from Toombs’ hand than he expected, he let her go. Emily fell to the pavement, sprawling on her back.
But safely between Drake’s front legs.
Toombs spun around, reaching for the gun.
Like Emily’s, his eyes widened upon seeing Drake looming not three feet away from him. Drake parted his jaws in a grin, showing Toombs his razor-sharp teeth. Under him, Emily scrambled to her feet, but Drake dared not look away from Toombs to check on her.
As Toombs pointed his gun at Drake, Drake heard the ripping of tape as Emily pulled it from her face. “Kill him, Drake,” she snarled. “Burn his ass.”
“Drake can’t possibly flame me before I pull this trigger,” Toombs said, his voice, like his eyes, empty of emotion. He didn’t even pretend to feel any. “He knows that. While I might die, he most certainly will.”
Drake lowered his head so his eyes were on level with his. His expression never changed, and absently Drake wondered if Emi
ly would be the only one to survive this. Drawing in his breath, ready to flame Toombs to ash, he focused all his attention on the hand holding the gun. If I were to survive, I need to flame before he pulls the trigger.
Toombs’ face would not reveal his intention. Only his hand would.
“Perhaps we can make a bargain, Drake,” Toombs commented. “How about we both walk away, and I promise to leave Emily alone. What do you say?”
No way, you asshole. You tormented my mate, my chosen love, then kidnapped her, hit her, and would have done much worse had I not intervened. You die right here, right now, even if I die with you.
“You pissed off a dragon, Jonas,” Emily said, her tone as conversational as his. “Now you think he’s going to let you walk? There’s no fireproof suit to protect you now.”
“I don’t need one,” Toombs replied, yet sweat slid down from his bald head to his cheek. “My bullet will put him down like a rabid dog. Remember that cute line, Emily.”
“I’d attend your funeral, you dumb schmuck, except there won’t be enough of you to bury. You’ll be a black smear on the sidewalk in a minute or two.”
Drake knew Emily taunted him into acting rashly, and it had worked before. Toombs’ eyes never left his, and Drake’s never left his hand. Almost as though Drake were in his mind, he felt his thoughts ticking through it. Fire can’t melt a bullet before it hits him. I might be burned, but I’ll live. I’ll have Emily before I kill her.
His hand flexed on his gun. His lips tightened a fraction. His index finger shifted slightly on the trigger.
Drake blasted everything he had at Toombs.
His superheated fire fully engulfed Toombs, and Drake expected the explosion as he fired the gun at the same time. Whether he hesitated that fraction of a second, or Drake’s flames melted the gun as well as the bullets the instant he fired, no one would never really know.
Emily cried out, and Drake felt her running back between his rear legs, fighting to get away from the terrible heat before she, too, caught fire. Drake drew enough breath to blast more flames at the spot where Toombs had stood, then a third time.
Dragon Fever: Limited Edition Holiday Romance Boxset Page 51