by Jaymin Eve
Along with New Orleans.
I was not letting this tenacious bastard take this place from me.
“Are you training this afternoon?” he asked, falling into step beside me.
“No,” I replied shortly.
He just laughed. “You always say no, and yet you’re always there.”
Spinning on my heels, I swung back in his direction, startling him enough that he blinked wide eyes at me. Michaels was a good-looking guy, tall, broad shouldered, bleach-blond tousled hair, the same as I’d seen from surfers when we lived in California – but in manners and speech, he was all Southern.
“What exactly do I need to do to make you go away?”
He just shrugged, flashing me that slow smile. “You like me, I know it.” He turned to walk away, calling over his shoulder. “See you this afternoon, cher.”
I glared at his retreating back, before shaking my head and hurrying along again. After powerwalking for a block, I turned back once to make sure Michaels wasn’t following me. Leading him home would be the best way to kick Mom into flight mode. The street was empty of all tall blonds, so I felt safe in continuing – navigating the path to get me home quickest, while also being somewhat safe. We didn’t live in the best neighborhood, but during daylight hours, I hadn’t had too many issues. So far.
When I finally reached the stairs to the condo, I paused and took a deep breath. I had to prepare myself. My mom was about to lose her shit at me. Some days I was just tired of this life, of my existence.
You’re eighteen now…
The stupid voice in my head had been reminding me of this for the last few months. My birthday had been in June, not that anyone remembered or mentioned it. But I knew, because it marked the moment I no longer had to follow my mom around. I could leave, get a job – paper trail be damned – rent my own shitty apartment and live an actual, normal life. But the same part of me that continued to hold people at a distance, the part that believed her stories, wouldn’t let me make the final break.
With one more deep breath for courage, I started up the two flights, mentally bracing for the fight which was to come. As I put my key in the lock, the door pushed inwards, which didn’t surprise me. Mom was no doubt waiting right on the other side for me. But as the empty living area and kitchenette came into view, I ground to a halt.
What in the…?
Stepping forward again, my senses were firing as I catalogued everything, searching for something out of place to explain what was going on. I left the bags of food near the front door, wanting both hands free. I wished my hair wasn’t hanging loose; I didn’t like to fight with it in my face. I had at least just cut it back to my shoulders, so it shouldn’t be too much of a problem. As if to prove me wrong, strands of ashy blond fell in front of my face; a flick of my head put them back into place. The ceiling was low in here, and since I was five foot eleven, I ducked under the arched accents in the hallway. The last thing I needed was to smash my head and alert whomever was inside that I was here.
My Converse were quiet as I crossed the threadbare carpet heading toward the first small bedroom, just off the hall. The bedrooms were across from each other, the bathroom at the back. That was all there was to this place. Nowhere really to hide.
It was deathly quiet, a bad omen, because my mom played Mozart and Bach constantly. She said it helped ease the turmoil of worry that plagued her mind. I wasn’t sure how I felt about classical music – I was starting to think I was a jazz girl at heart – but I sure as hell missed it now.
Because something was wrong.
Using my foot, I nudged my door open to reveal the twin bed, white dresser, open closet – or locker as they called it here – with my few clothes spilling out onto the floor, but nothing amiss. Ducking my head inside, I looked around to double-check, but as far as I could tell, the room was empty.
I sucked in some fortifying air and crossed the hall to my mom’s room. In normal circumstances, I would never enter her domain. She was fiercely private, totally crazy, and prone to smacking me with wooden spoons. But this was no normal day. Her door was firmly shut. I twisted the handle, wincing at the telltale creak of the lever lifting. Stepping back, I swung the door wide open and waited a second for something to jump out at me. When nothing did, I peeked around the edge.
Her bed was twice the size of mine, neatly made with a faded green duvet. Her closet was closed, not a single item out of place, not even a shirt on the floor. I let my eyes run over everything, even dropping down to glance under the bed.
What was happening? Where was she?
Just as I was straightening, a creak from the living area sent a shot of adrenalin through me. I froze and unfroze almost in the same instant, crossing back to the door. I took two deep breaths, ducking my head out to look along the hall.
Holy fuck…
A man filled the doorway to the condo. I mean filled to the point where there was no space around him and he had to almost bend himself in half to fit inside. I was tall, but he had to be at least six inches taller than me. Our eyes locked across the room. Since my first step into the condo, everything had felt like it was going in fast forward. But right then, I couldn’t move.
He stepped inside, untangling himself from the doorframe, only to find that the ceiling in the rest of the place wasn’t much higher. With a scowl, his body hunched forward and he took another step toward me.
“You need to come with me. You’re in danger.”
His accented demand was low and husky. For an instant I craved to hear some sort of music or song from him, because he had a voice like an instrument, deep and rich, vibrating right through my body.
“Did you hear me?” The snap of his question knocked me out of my stupor and, managing this time to ignore the way his voice made me feel, I sent a scowl right back at him.
He took another step toward me and I straightened, shifting into a fighter stance. “Who the hell are you? Where is my mom?”
Those intense eyes remained on my face. I couldn’t even tell what color they were; the lighting was shit in here, but they looked dark and … somehow also light at the same time. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen a man like him before. He looked to be a few years older than me. A shaved head. A crap-ton of ink – from what I could see. Very well-toned biceps and chest muscles. This dude was ripped, and yet, despite his bulk and height, he moved smoothly, which was the most worrying thing so far. Every now and then, there’d be a fighter like him in the gym. They were lethal: strong, athletic, able to kick ass without breaking a sweat.
I needed to get out of here.
We were only a few feet apart now and I remained outwardly calm, hoping to distract him enough that he would be unprepared for my sudden breakaway. “Where is my mom?” I repeated, mostly to keep him talking. I did not expect an honest answer. He clearly hadn’t been in the apartment when I first entered – no way could I miss him – but he might have already taken my mom and was back now for me.
“I have no idea. I got here just after you did.”
My stomach clenched at that voice again. On top of that he had the sort of raw masculine beauty that I generally thought existed only in Hollywood. Why was it always the physically-perfect men who were deranged psychopaths?
“You need to leave. Now!” I was slowly edging to the right, aiming for a clear path to the door. “Or I’m going to call the police.”
I would never call them, of course. We didn’t trust police. They were corrupt, blah, blah, blah. Even when my mom wasn’t here, her voice was still in my head.
Tall, dark, and deadly paused, tilting his head to the side. “You’re caught up in a world you have no idea of. The police can’t help you, Human. I’m your only hope. Right now, I don’t have time to enlighten you, so you’re just going to have to trust me.”
Panic like nothing I’d ever felt before hit me, so hard that my knees went weak and I almost dropped to the ground.
A world I have no idea about…
Oh, he
was wrong. So very wrong. I reacted then without another thought.
Dive-rolling forward, I popped up right before him. As I rose, I slammed my fist into his groin and he let out an angry rumble. I continued rising, smashing my fist into his gut with a power hit, and then finally into the side of his head. I was fast; it was my greatest asset, and I knew exactly what angle to use and how hard to hit for maximum impact.
He let out a low groan, dropping to his knees, eyes wide as he cupped himself, blinking at me. The shock on his face was almost laughable; he had definitely not seen that coming.
Never underestimate a woman. You’ll end up on your knees holding your balls.
His eyes, only inches from mine now, locked on to my face and it felt like I’d been the one punched. They were even more beautiful than he was, and that was saying something. The color was an unusual light brown, cinnamon dusted with gold. These gilded circles cut through the deep amber color. They were also framed by ridiculously dark and thick lashes.
Focus, Callie…
I called on my years of training – this was what Mom had been preparing me for. The only reason she allowed me to fight and train was because one day I would have to deal with this other world. One day the Daelighters would come for me.
Looked like today was that day.
And no stunning-eyed musical-voiced angel face was going to stop me from escaping.
I made it past him with ease, sprinting for the door he had left open. I had only the clothes on my back; my cash was still in the bottom of the grocery bags. I’d just have to figure it all out later. For now the immediate danger was far worse than having no money.
Rushing down the stairs, I jumped the final few, landing softly and taking off. I decided that heading back to Jackson Square was my best chance. There were always people there, crowds to lose him in. More than likely he wouldn’t attack in public, which was a double advantage. These Daelighters liked to stay under the radar, or so my mom had told me. I was going to have to recall everything she’d ever said in her lectures. I wished I’d paid better attention. Most of the time I’d been internally rolling my eyes and counting dust bunnies. It all seemed so crazy and farfetched. Nothing had happened in the first eighteen years of my life.
But she had been telling me the truth. They really did exist.
My breathing grew harsh, and even though I was fit from all the Muay Thai cardio – I was trained in multiple martial arts disciplines – I was going to tire out quickly. Running in New Orleans’ weather was not advisable, especially with the huge storm brewing on the horizon – those thick, dark clouds were definitely adding the right sort of ominous feel to my afternoon.
After a few minutes, I glanced back and there were no immediate signs of a scary, sex-on-legs guy behind me. Turning back, my breaths coming out in harsh puffs, I berated myself for not guessing immediately that he was one of these aliens. What human dude looked like that? My mom could have added dangerously attractive to her list of things to look out for. All she had told me was that they were taller than average, with a scary aura … but she had missed so much else.
Mom…
What the hell happened to her? In most cities we had a contingency plan. If one of us went missing or was hurt, we generally had a clear course of action to follow. But for some reason neither of us had worked out a strategy for New Orleans. We’d grown complacent. Stupid. So freaking stupid. I’d just have to lie low for a few days, then double back to the condo to see if she had returned. Or maybe left me a note. I hadn’t had a chance to check for anything like that, mostly because I’d been looking for a rapist with a gun, not a note stuck to the fridge.
I almost sobbed as a large group of rowdy people came into sight dressed in full Halloween getup, even though it was still a week until the 31st of October. No doubt they were heading for a witchy tour, maybe toward Lafayette Cemetery. Wherever they were going, they looked excited as they loudly chatted.
“Saw a ghost in my hotel room. It was hovering in the corner…”
“Less than ten bucks to buy a voodoo doll – she swore it would work on my ex.”
Their conversations went on and on, loud even when I was well past their group. The closer I got to Jackson Square, the more I was forced to slow down, weaving in and out of the people that filled the area. I remained on high alert, scanning the early evening crowd, and realized that while I was going to be able to hide in the throng filling the square, he would be hidden, too. I’d have to remain doubly alert.
Café Du Monde came into sight, famous for its chicory coffee – which I’d never tried – and beignets – which I’d had just that one time. It was always open, always full, and way too obvious a place for me to hide in. Not to mention, I didn’t even have a dollar on me. My eyes fell to the line of homeless I could see just outside the square, like they’d been swept to the side in an attempt to keep them out of sight. Would I end up there with them? Right now my situation was looking pretty grim. All of my money and possessions were back at the condo.
Joining the homeless would be better than the alternative. I didn’t fancy being an experiment or play-thing for some supernatural race of beings who secretly controlled Earth.
Damn that stupid Daelighter. What did he want with me? All I knew was that my dad was part of some special sector of humans who knew about these beings. He had made a deal with them long ago, before I was born, and it had affected us for the rest of our lives.
Moving cautiously, I let the street music calm me, still jazz, but unlike earlier today it was mostly upbeat numbers, more swing and less blues. A few couples nearby started to dance, and I edged in close to the crowd, watching them, hiding myself in the masses. The scary dude would be a foot taller than most of this crowd, which would help in spotting him. Since he’d also have a height advantage to spot me, I crouched down. Usually, I liked being tall; the extra reach was very useful with fighting. But right now I’d give anything to be five foot nothing.
Pushing my way forward, I decided to head toward St. Louis Cathedral, which was next to Jackson Square, facing the river. It would be closed at this time of night, but I felt like there were quite a few places for me to hide out in its grounds. I hated this feeling of being out in the open, like prey waiting for the eagle to dive from the sky and snatch me up.
Ducking my head even lower, I stepped away from the main group I’d been hiding in, but before I made it more than a few feet, someone grabbed my arm. The gasp slipped out first, then my instincts took over. I yanked myself free, almost overbalancing and smashing into a nearby light pole.
“Callie?”
The low voice shook me from my panic and I focused enough to see Jason standing before me for the second time that day. With him were four or five guys, all similar in build and clothing. They were clearly heading out for dinner or something like that, dressed nicely.
“Are you okay?” he asked, stepping closer, concern creasing his features. “You don’t look so well.”
I swallowed roughly, ragged breaths escaping my lips. Pull it together, I silently berated myself, because even though this was the first time in my life I’d had to face the truth of my mom’s warnings, I should be handling it better than I was. Panic attacks and scattered focus was not going to get me out of this situation.
“Totally fine,” I said as casually as I could manage. “Just got a little spooked. You know how it is, always someone in costume jumping out at you here.”
He crossed his arms, staring me down. Maybe it was that my mom’s suspicions had been confirmed, and I was now suspecting everyone, that I had to ask him: “Why am I always running into you, Michaels?”
Seriously, I ran into him multiple times a week, and considering I almost never left my house, it was … odd. I hadn’t stopped to think about it until now, but everything was different today. Today, I had all but confirmed the fact that supernatural beings existed side by side with me.
When he remained silent, I took a step back, letting my gaze run fro
m his feet up to his surfer locks. “You’re one of them, aren’t you?” My whisper was tinged with anger and worry. It wasn’t as immediately obvious as with the inked guy – who was just so far beyond human – but the more I stared, the clearer it was to see the special touches that Michaels had.
His expression grew serious. He flicked a look toward his friends. Without a word, they started to close in on me, moving as a unit.
Shit. Dammit, I was in trouble. I knew his interest in me had been abnormal. From the moment he introduced himself a month ago I’d had a feeling about him. Not good or bad, more cautious. I should have paid better attention.
Backpedaling, I tried to keep all of them in sight. Which grew steadily harder as they fanned out to surround me. “You don’t have to run, Callie,” Michaels said. “I’m not going to hurt you. We’re the good guys in this situation.”
I snorted but didn’t stop backing away. “I don’t believe a single word which comes out of your lying mouth. You’ve been playing me this entire time. What the hell were you waiting for…?” I broke off before a hard laugh escaped. “Of course, you were waiting for the inked Adonis from my condo.”
No one denied it and I congratulated myself on finally putting the pieces together. Five minutes too late, as always.
“We’re here to keep you safe,” Michaels tried again, but I was done listening.
Spinning on my heels, I took off zipping between stalls and groups of tourists, ducking in and out wherever I could. There wasn’t much outside of white noise in my head, my body struggling to deal with the shock. I took a sharp right, but because I wasn’t paying close enough attention, I missed the horse and cart turning at the same time. Pain shot through my face as I plowed headfirst into the side of the white carriage, bouncing back and landing on the street. Stars burst before my eyes as my head slammed onto the pavement; the world went dark around the edges as my mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood.
Everything after that was pretty blurry, the pain pounding incessantly in my head, random thoughts and voices confusing me over and over until I was finally released into blessed darkness.