A Gray Area

by Amy Sumida

  Malik stared at me as if he was waiting for me to finish.

  “We're good,” I said. “I've concealed us together. The wavelengths create a shell around us, but we can still see each other.”

  “This ability of yours keeps getting better,” Mal said as he opened the door, and we headed outside; hurrying back to Cyprian's suite. Mal tried the handle but it clicked and stopped. “It's locked,” he hissed.

  “Damn it,” I muttered. “Okay, new plan. We wait here until Aura Man comes out and then we follow him.”

  “Agreed.” Malik drew us against the wall so we wouldn't be in the way of any passerby, and we settled in to wait. “We should have simply waited outside this place, to begin with. There was no point of coming in.”

  “Sure there was,” I whispered back. “We needed to know where that man was going and what he was doing here.”

  “So, we've discovered that a man with a blazing aura is visiting the Faulin owner of a sex club. How does that help us?”

  “It suggests that maybe the Faulin as a whole are a part of this. Or maybe the Aura Man is a faulin who has been mutated. There could have been more to discover if we'd been able to follow them into Cyprian's quarters. Just because we didn't get all of the information we could have, it doesn't mean this was pointless. We had to try.”

  “I see your point.” Malik nodded.

  It may not have been as much information as I'd have liked, but we had discovered enough to warrant the effort. Either way, we wouldn't have known anything if we hadn't investigated and investigating was part of our job.

  The door opened, and Malik tugged on my hand. I squeezed him back to let him know I was aware. Cyprian stepped out and headed back to the security room with an anxious look on his face. We waited a few minutes but the other man didn't appear. Cyprian, however, returned. He stormed out of the security room with a violent curse and headed back in our direction as he pulled out his walkie talkie.

  “Mimi, did you see that couple from yesterday leave the club?” He paused before his door and glanced toward the elevator as if he were contemplating giving chase.

  “No, Master.”

  “Ralph!”

  “Yes, Master!”

  “There's a Bleiten and a beautiful brunette with eyes the color of summer violets somewhere in the club. Find them!”

  “Yes, Master!”

  Malik tensed, and I squeezed his hand. Summer violets? Seriously? What was the difference between—

  “Um, Master? What's the difference between summer violets and regular violets?” Ralph asked for me.

  “They're darker!” Cyprian growled. “A rich, velvety amethyst. Just look for the most beautiful woman you've ever seen, and that will be her!”

  I nearly gasped. I considered myself to be attractive, sure, but Cyprian's compliment was so over the top that if he'd said it to my face, I would have laughed at him. I would have assumed it was meaningless flattery. As it was, I was simply stunned. Malik, however, was furious.

  “Yes, Master!”

  I was getting a little unnerved by all this “master” talk. It felt as if it were more than an S&M thing. It felt as if Cyprian were some kind of leader, not just their boss. An actual master. The way his face shifted from a sexy mask into the predatory look of a hunter and his body went from relaxed to vigilant had me thinking that my hunch was right. The playful, flirtatious Faulin was all an act; this was the real man. In my opinion, he was far more attractive and compelling than the other Cyprian.

  “Where are you, little Mara?” Cyprian murmured as his eyes narrowed. “I'm not letting you escape that easily.”

  I squeezed Malik's hand and pushed against his chest. He was leaning forward; about to give up our camouflage in favor of kicking Cyprian's ass. I finally gave up and started dragging Malik away. We could wait outside Dirty Nothings for the Aura Man, just as he'd suggested. Malik remained rooted for a second and then started reluctantly following me. As we passed by Cyprian, the Faulin froze and took a deep breath. His eyes widened, and he searched the room as if he could see past my illusion. I jerked on Malik's hand to hurry him, and he picked up his pace.

  We couldn't take the elevator; Cyprian was within view of it and would definitely see it open. So, we edged around the corner and searched for a set of stairs. Just as we heard footsteps behind us, we found the stairwell and hurried inside. It was a fire escape; metal stairs that echoed with every step we took. We padded down them carefully and when the door we'd just come through slammed open, we froze.

  Cyprian stood on the landing and stared down at us. My heartbeat raced, but his gaze didn't settle on me. He looked right through us. He took another deep sniff; his eyes closing to savor it. When Cyprian opened his eyes again, they were brighter, and he started forward triumphantly. I did the only thing I could think of; I covered him in amethyst and tried to put him to sleep.

  It took some effort; Cyprian was indeed one of those supernaturals who were more resistant to manipulation. But I wasn't trying to impose my will on his, merely put him to sleep. Cyprian swayed as he fought his own aura; his knees buckling. Finally, he dropped onto his knees and then fell sideways to land in the middle of the doorway. The fire escape door tried to close but came to a squeaky halt against Cyprian's ass.

  “Well done, Amara,” Malik took pleasure in using my full name at last. “Now, let's get the fuck out of this den of iniquity.”

  “Oh, please; you loved every second of it, Mal,” I teased him as we hurried down the stairs.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Malik and I made it past numerous faulin who were frantically searching the club for us. We slipped out of the front door behind a club member heading out. The doorman didn't even look twice at the way the door stayed open longer than it should have. Then we hurried across the street and found a place that was out of the way of foot traffic to watch for Mr. Aura.

  “You are never going into that place again,” Malik declared.

  I didn't say anything.

  “Amara?”

  “I can't make that promise,” I said reasonably. “If I have to chase a suspect inside, I will.”

  “That Faulin wants to steal you away from me.”

  “I'm not property to be stolen, Malik,” I said calmly.

  “I never said you were,” he growled. “You know what I mean. He wants to seduce you into having sex with him.”

  I sighed. “Yes; I know. But Cyprian's lust is not important. Finding the man who might be connected to the Gray is.”

  Suddenly, Cyprian came bursting out of the front door and rushed down the steps. He stared up and down the street with a furious scowl on his face.

  “How the hell did he wake up already?” I whispered.

  “Faulin are strong creatures,” Malik said grudgingly. “Nearly as powerful as Bleiten.”

  “Good to know.”

  “Master?” The doorman called out to Cyprian. “Are you still looking for the Bleiten and his woman?”

  “Did you see them?” Cyprian grabbed the doorman by the front of his shirt.

  “No, Master.”

  “Are you absolutely certain?” He shook the poor doorman like a rag doll.

  “They didn't pass me; I swear it!”

  Cyprian released the man and his scowl changed to one of confusion. He continued to scan the streets and then looked back at Dirty Nothings. He pulled his walkie talkie out as he climbed the steps.

  “They're still inside. Search the entire place from top to bottom. I want them found now!” Cyprian slammed his way into his club, and the doorman let out his breath in relief.

  “I love you, Amara, and I would undoubtedly rage in such a manner were you to ever leave me, but he barely knows you,” Malik murmured. “His reaction seems excessive.”

  “Do you think he suspects that we were there for other reasons?” I asked him. “It could have more to do with the fact that he thinks we've wronged him than my mere disappearance.”

  “Possibly,” Malik said.
“I'd almost prefer that to having him obsessed with you.”

  “Mal, I'm not interested in the Faulin,” I said gently. “I know just as little about him as he does about me, and what little I know, doesn't impress me.”

  “I know, sweetheart.” He pulled me into his arms. “It's not your feelings toward him that concerns me. Faulin can be ruthless when they want something. And that particular one strikes me as the sort who's rarely denied anything.”

  “That's it,” I said with an annoyed huff. “I told him no and it rubbed him wrong. I've become a challenge.”

  “Hopefully that's all it is,” Malik said grimly. “If so, he'll forget about you in a few days.”

  “And if it isn't?”

  “Then it might be best if you start sleeping on my ship.”

  “What? Why? Do you think he'd try to kidnap me? Surely not. That's beyond obsessive.”

  “I told you they can be ruthless.” Malik kissed the top of my head. “Cyprian seems arrogant enough to think that he could make you want him if he had enough time with you. I'm certain it's why he made that bargain with us to return.”

  I started to protest but then I thought about it. When I had turned Cyprian's aura back at him, he'd been both shocked and aroused. It was probably the first time he'd felt his own power, and I could attest to its strength. The mere fact that I could give him that might make me attractive to him. If he considered his own lust to be the best, then I'd be the greatest sexual enhancer he'd ever had. And the man clearly liked a good sex aid. Hell, people, in general, will do a lot for mind-blowing sex; even attempt to seduce a Bleiten's dvarra.

  We waited over two hours but Mr. Aura didn't show. Cyprian didn't come out again either. Malik wanted to leave, but I reminded him that if we didn't catch the Aura Man today, we'd have to return tomorrow. Malik agreed to give it another hour.

  Fifteen minutes later, Mr. Aura strolled down the steps.

  “There he is!” I hissed.

  “Finally,” Malik grumbled.

  “Come on!” I pulled on Malik's hand as I followed the Aura Man's progress down the sidewalk; keeping our cover firmly in place.

  Mr. Aura was heading in the direction of the Gray. He walked casually, in no apparent hurry. He didn't look at anyone else, but he wasn't rude to the other pedestrians either. He simply made his way with purpose. When he reached the Gray, we sped up and crossed the street so we'd be behind him. The crowd had dwindled and then disappeared altogether.

  There was a police car parked in front of the Gray and sawhorses set across the street with notices posted on them that the neighborhood was quarantined. A cop sat in the police car in utter boredom, but he was still doing his job and scanning the street. He would see Aura Man and stop him. There was no way he'd let him past.

  Sure enough, as soon as Mr. Aura came within fifteen feet of the cop car, the police officer stepped out and approached him; shaking his head and holding up his hand. The Aura Man said something to the cop, and the policeman froze. He just stood there while Mr. Aura walked by.

  “What the hell just happened?” I whispered.

  “I don't know,” Malik muttered back. “Keep going.”

  As we passed him, the cop shook his head, looked around as if he couldn't figure out how he'd gotten there, and then went back into his vehicle. I spotted the Aura Man up ahead and kept my eyes on him. I wasn't letting him get away this time.

  Then he turned, headed toward a building, and disappeared.

  “No!” I growled and started running.

  I let go of Malik in my haste, and he popped into view. But it didn't matter; we were out of the cop's line of sight and even if he did see us, we were cleared to go into the Gray. As far as Mr. Aura; he had walked straight into a cement wall. Not down the alley between the condos but straight into the side of one.

  I ran forward and smacked my hands against the cement in confused frustration. Malik stood behind me and stared at the wall thoughtfully.

  “What race can do that?” I asked him.

  Malik shook his head. “I don't see a transporter. Unless its camouflaged.” He started patting the wall and the surrounding area. “There would have to be at least three, if not four components, and I've never seen them attached directly to a wall in this manner; where you'd have to walk into the wall itself. In fact, a transporter shouldn't work like that; the process involves the body being completely surrounded in a smooth flow. A stationary object blocking the end would impede that flow.”

  I helped Malik look as I zoned out on his technical explanations, but we didn't find anything. Not on the wall or the ground.

  “He transported himself without a device,” I finally said. “It has to be a supernatural power.”

  “I can't think of any race who can do that.” Malik frowned. “Unless he simply went invisible to evade us. You can do that and there are also devices that create shields to hide individuals from sight.”

  “There would be no reason for him to go invisible unless he knew he was being pursued,” I pointed out.

  “And he didn't appear to know,” Malik murmured.

  “Maybe a mutated faulin can transport himself,” I mused. “Maybe this is just another new supe ability.”

  We shared a dark look. Transformed Supes were tricky. New powers emerged in maturing supernaturals all the time. Usually, they were twists on old ones but sometimes there was something altogether unique. Like being able to leech colors from neighborhoods and walk through walls.

  “Walk through walls,” I whispered. “He may have simply gone inside the building.”

  I hurried up to the front door but it was locked. Malik came up behind me and shouldered the door open with barely any effort at all. We hurried into the apartment building and searched every floor. Thoroughly.

  The Aura Man wasn't there.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Is my bar going to be FEAR headquarters?” Landry teased me as we all settled at our usual table.

  “Is this not appropriate?” Mr. Connolly asked in concern. “I'd thought it would be more comfortable for the team and less hassle for all involved if I just came here instead of making them all tromp over to the DHS building.”

  “It's fine.” Landry set Connolly's usual coke down before him. “I'd rather have Amara here, and it's very considerate of you to come here. I was just giving her a hard time.”

  “Oh, well, you may want to ease up on her,” Connolly said. “Because things just got worse.”

  I had called Connolly to give him an update on the man we had followed; where he'd gone and how he'd disappeared. He said he had some news for me as well and asked me to gather the team. So, there we were.

  “First”—Connolly opened his briefcase and started removing papers and photographs—“going by your description and timeline, we were able to find you on our traffic cameras and then catch some images of the man you were following. Is this the man?”

  He showed me a photograph, and I nodded.

  “That's him.”

  “He's not in any database,” Connolly said.

  “That's not surprising,” Malik said. “He's probably an alien.”

  “Yes; that's what we assumed,” Connolly agreed. “We tried his picture in our alien databases and came up with nothing there as well. We can't even attribute his features to any known races. In short, we have no idea who or what this man is. The fact that he can vanish at will is even more troubling. Are you two certain that no alien technology was involved?” He looked at Malik and me.

  “Not absolutely certain.” Malik scowled. “But we didn't find any transporters. I suppose it's possible that he had a handheld transporter.”

  “No one has that kind of technology,” Kyrian scoffed. “To send a body from one place to another requires—”

  “I know,” Malik cut him off. “But anything is possible. Technology advances; that's its nature.”

  Kyrian nodded but looked disturbed.

  “Well, we've set up a watch on Dirty Nothing
s,” Connolly added. “If the man returns, we'll know. I've also pulled up everything we have on the business and its owner.” He passed some papers around. “Dirty Nothings is listed as a private club, owned and operated by a Mr. Cyprian Alexander. It has been in business for eighty-six years and—”

  “Eighty-six years?” I interrupted. “That long?”

  “That's only in its present incarnation. We have evidence that Cyprian Alexander has been operating this type of establishment for far longer than that. First, in England and then here,” Connolly said. “But I'm more concerned about the present. There have never been any complaints or legal issues with Dirty Nothings; not even a fight among members. The owner is just as squeaky clean; no arrests, no complaints, the guy doesn't even cheat on his taxes. And his employees are the same. They are all registered with our government as alien-immigrants; race noted as Faulin. Despite each of their files being flagged simply for their race, there have been no deaths or even missing person cases connected with any of them.”