by Lisa Kessler
“In trade for helping him disappear, Kingsley agreed to come and work for me, but he left a family behind in Savannah.” He paused. “If he has a connection to Dr. Sinclair, he could be back in town trying to find her. He’s putting his life in jeopardy if the Serpent Society finds him.”
“Still not seeing what your missing programmer has to do with me.”
“I don’t have time to play games.” Bale cursed under his breath. “He could be looking for Dr. Sinclair.”
“What do you want from me?” Keegan focused straight ahead.
Shit. Char stared up at the ceiling. She should’ve let her father finish telling her what Agent Bale knew, but one thing was certain: Her father believed his boss would want to collect her like some type of paranormal weapon.
“Dr. Sinclair seems to trust you. Mention Kingsley’s name. See if she’ll tell you their connection.”
“Fine.” Keegan met her eyes, his jaw tight. “I’ll let you know if I hear anything.”
“See you at midnight.” Agent Bale ended the call.
Keegan stuffed his phone in his pocket and shook his head. “If your father is right and Agent Bale already suspects who you are, he’ll also know what you can do.”
Charlotte rubbed her temple as more memories encroached, flashing through her mind. “I can’t do anything. And if I could, all of that is locked in that box on a boat.”
“You don’t remember any of it?”
She swallowed a lump in her throat, her pulse kicking up a notch. “I’m starting to get glimpses of that day. I was scared and angry when I heard them hit my father. I think one of them threatened to kill him, and…”
Her words drifted off as a swell of emotion choked her. All that rage and fear coiled inside her like a cobra until it… “Something dark came out of me. I wanted to protect him.”
Keegan cupped her cheek, his touch drawing her back from the abyss. His eyes searched hers. “Could you do it again?”
“I don’t know.” Her breath caught. “I’d never seen my father afraid until he lifted me out of the hiding place. He was covered in blood.”
It was all coming back now. Her father telling her not to look at the bodies. His reassurances that she would never remember, followed by a quick chant and invisible symbols he wrote in the air with his hands. It must’ve been a spell to lock the memories away in that dark box on the boat.
Acid bubbled in her stomach. “Maybe I should tell Agent Bale. What if now that I know…” She met his eyes, forcing out the words that scared her most. “What if I’m dangerous?”
“You’re no more dangerous today than you were yesterday.” Keegan took both her hands in his, his gaze locked on hers. “Every person can be pushed to cross that line. We’re all deadly when we’re threatened. Those men were going to kill your father, and they would have killed you, too. You did what anyone else in this city would have done, love.”
For a moment, staring into his eyes, she found hope and stability in the tempest of emotions swirling inside her. Her father’s drinking and her mother’s enabling all began when they got home that day.
They may have escaped from the Serpent Society alive, but she’d been on her own emotionally ever since.
Until tonight.
Tonight, there was someone with a firm grip on her hands, telling her she wasn’t alone.
Tears welled up like a rogue wave. She pulled her hands free of his and wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to Keegan like she might never let go.
His strong arms moved around her, holding her close as his lips brushed her neck. “You’re stronger than you know, Char.”
A sob racked her shoulders, and the protective wall she’d built around her heart after her mother told her that her father died in a car accident shattered. Tears ran down her cheeks as she struggled to catch her breath.
Keegan’s hold on her never faltered.
She wasn’t sure how long she ugly cried against his chest, but she was amazed he didn’t flinch when she finally pulled back. Her mascara must’ve been dripping all the way down her face.
“Sorry…I don’t know what came over me.”
He caught her chin, bringing her attention to him. “Don’t apologize. I’m not going anywhere.” Worry lined his eyes for a second, but it vanished almost as soon as it appeared. “After I find the Grail tonight, I’ll take you to meet a bloke I know who can get us the papers we need. We’ll get you another deceased father, one who isn’t working for the government.”
He lowered his hand, and she reached for the glass of rum. One sip warmed her from the inside out, easing her discomfort with her moment of weakness. “One problem at a time. What if the meeting tonight is a trap?”
Keegan glanced out the window. “It probably is. I was going to get the lay of the land earlier tonight, but there were more important issues to tend to.”
“Oh God.” She set the glass down harder than she intended, her eyes locked on his. “You should have told me. I could’ve gone to my mom’s alone.”
Keegan was about to walk into a trap blind, and if his immortality was wearing off, he could die because she’d been too scared to check on her mother on her own.
She broke eye contact, shaking her head. “You can’t go tonight.”
He chuckled, focusing on her again. “They can’t kill me, love.”
“Not as far as you know, but you might not be as immortal as you were before. That’s why you need the cup back.”
He swiped his glass off the table and took a sip. “Eli was driving almost a hundred miles per hour and hit a tree. His injuries were massive. I can handle a gunshot or two.”
“What if it doesn’t work like that?” She wrapped her hands around the glass of ice, welcoming the cold sting against her palms. “I won’t be able to live with myself if something happens to you because you didn’t scope out the rendezvous point and look for a trap.”
He raised a brow. “I’ll have surprise on my side, lass. They expect they can kill me. They don’t know I’m immortal.”
“Were immortal. You have no idea if you still are.”
He knocked back the rest of his rum. “I’ll know soon enough.”
“Not funny.” She pushed the drink aside and picked up another hushpuppy. “This isn’t a game.”
Keegan straightened in his chair. “When you take death off the table, life can be an overwhelming burden. You need games to keep your head clear.” He reached over to take her hand and lifted it to his lips as he whispered against her skin, “I’ll be back tonight, and then we’ll get you a new birth certificate.” He lowered her hand, determination in his eyes. “Agent Bale will have legal proof that you’re not Pratt’s daughter.”
She squeezed his hand. “Maybe we should just tell him. It’s not like I have any powers for him to use.”
“You don’t know that, love.”
Keegan wasn’t smiling. Charlotte pulled away from his touch and leaned back in her chair. “My father said he locked it away with a spell. That’s why I get seasick. He was warding me away from the memories.”
“Aye.” He nodded. “But the octopus is out of the pickle jar now, and there’s no putting it back inside. You said the memories were returning. Makes sense that the power will come back to you, too.”
“That’s insane.” She stared at her hands. “I don’t have any superpowers other than researching.”
He stood up. “I’ve got to meet Agent Bale at the rendezvous spot, but I want you to consider something.”
“What?”
The light shone in his green eyes. “Pirates fight with whatever weapons they have at hand. If the day comes, we might need your gift.” His true accent bled into his speech. “Best you stop pretendin’ it doesn’t exist and start learnin’ to master it.”
Her jaw dropped. “According to my dad, I killed people without touching them. This isn’t a gift, Keegan. If I sift through these memories, it’s not an ability I’ll uncover, it’s a curse.”
�
��You saved your father’s life and probably your own, too.” He shook his head. “Survival is hardly a curse, love.”
“You’d better survive tonight.”
“No worries, lass. I’ll be back on yer porch soon enough…” He went to the door. When he looked over at her again, that pirate swagger was back in full force, his lips curved in a confident, knowing smile. Her car keys jangled as he pulled them from the pocket of his jeans. “I have to return your car.”
Before she could warn him to be careful with it, he was gone.
But the truth whispered through her heart.
She didn’t give a damn about her car.
Chapter Thirteen
Keegan parked Char’s car a half mile from the meeting location. He’d go the rest of the way on foot. Tough to secretly scope out the layout of the place by pulling into their driveway.
He checked the time. An hour until midnight. Plenty of time to look around, but damn he wished he had been able to scope out the barn earlier in the daylight.
This would have to be enough.
After checking in all directions, he jogged away from the car and into the darkness. A barn was lit up in the distance. It had to be the place. There were no other lights on the horizon.
Perfect place for an ambush.
He made his way through the Spanish moss–covered oak trees, ducking under the low-hanging branches as he kept watch for any sign of movement. Adrenaline raced through his bloodstream, making his fingers twitch. The buzz of the cicadas made it impossible for him to hear anyone approaching.
When he got to the clearing, he froze.
Agent Bale stood facing the barn, his gun drawn. The moon cast a ghostly shadow behind him that shivered over the marsh grass as the breeze brushed through.
What the hell was he doing?
Keegan crept to the edge of the trees for a closer look. Bale’s attention was focused on the building. If the Serpent Society had scouts looking for them, the government agent was a large target.
Maybe I should leave him there. Keegan toyed with the idea. There were no loyalties between them. He started to turn, and Char’s voice whispered through his mind.
You were immortal.
What if she was right? Fate was a damn bitch, waiting until he had something worth living for before making death an option again.
He cursed under his breath, and Agent Bale spun his way.
Keegan held his hands out. “It’s me, mate. Put the gun away.”
Agent Bale lowered his weapon and came closer, his voice a hushed whisper. “The Grail isn’t here.”
“And how would you know that?” Keegan raised a brow.
He holstered his pistol. “I told you I have a man on the inside.”
“Does he know where they’ve stashed it?”
“Right now, it’s a moving target. We haven’t located it yet.”
Keegan straightened his shirt, struggling to quiet his adrenaline. He’d been ready for a fight. “Then I guess I’m not needed here. Let me know when you’ve found it, and I’ll take it from there.”
He turned to go, but Agent Bale caught his arm. Keegan glanced at his hand and then his face.
Agent Bale released his grip. “We still need to get in there. We might be able to press them for a lead on the truck where they’re transporting the Grail.”
“You want me to go inside and sweet-talk the bastards?” Keegan shook his head, his lips curving into a humorless grin. “That’s not how pirates operate, mate. If I go in there, I kill the thieves, and I take back what’s been stolen.”
A muscle clenched in Agent Bale’s cheek. “Then we may never find it.”
“Damn it.” Keegan focused on the barn in the distance. “If I go in there, will your man on the inside help me?”
“Not exactly.”
Keegan balled his fingers into tight fists. “If he doesn’t help me, he’ll end up dead with the rest of them.”
“He already is.”
Keegan frowned. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“My inside man was murdered by the Serpent Society. He wants to help me bring them down, so he’s giving information to a medium in town.” He glanced over his shoulder at the place he’d been standing. “I was using a locator spell to find him when you broke my concentration.”
“A ghost is supposed to help me in there?” Keegan clasped the back of his neck with a disgusted chuckle. “I’m done with this. We’ll find the damn Grail without you and your deceased friend.”
Keegan started in the opposite direction. He’d call Colton and John. Once they had the crew together, they could make a plan that didn’t involve depending on spirits and the government.
“And how long do you think it will take them to figure out who Dr. Sinclair really is?”
Keegan froze, grateful Agent Bale couldn’t see his face. It would have been painfully clear he cared for the historian far more than he should. Slowly he turned back, forcing his expression to remain neutral.
“Why would they give a shit about a historian?”
Agent Bale crossed his arms over his chest. “She hasn’t told you.”
“Told me what exactly?” Keegan shook his head. “Why are you so interested in her background, anyway?”
Agent Bale’s eyes darkened. “Because my alcoholic shaman is her father.”
Keegan pulled in a slow breath, keeping his voice even. “It’s nearly midnight. We don’t have time for cryptic puzzles.”
“You’re right—we don’t.” He took two steps closer. “After I helped Kingsley Pratt fake his death for the benefit of the Serpent Society, we started observing a teen in Savannah, but Charlotte Pratt never exhibited any otherworldly abilities.”
“I don’t know a Charlotte Pratt.” Keegan shrugged. “Dr. Sinclair hasn’t mentioned a father, let alone an alcoholic shaman. You’ve got your wires crossed, mate.”
“You think I don’t know how simple it is to change your name?” Agent Bale chuckled. “Now who is playing games, pirate?” He slid his gun from the holster. “Whatever uncertainties I may have had about her identity were answered when I said she might be in danger and you stopped and turned back. We can talk after we finish this meeting. We need at least one of the members alive.”
Keegan didn’t move. “If your hunch about her is right, what does that mean for our historian?”
“Did her father fill your heads with my nefarious plans for her?” Bale shook his head. “If she’s dangerous to the citizens of this country, I’ll get involved. If she’s not a threat, there’s nothing to be concerned about. That’s all you need to know for now.”
Keegan drew his blade and followed Agent Bale toward the lights in the distance. He wasn’t sure if the new swell of adrenaline was for the meeting with the Serpent Society or from the realization that he would kill Agent Bale before he allowed the government to take Char from him.
How had he been so careless with his heart? He’d never met a woman like her. She’d had him from the first night she came back to his dressing room and…talked. She started out as a beautiful puzzle, but when she wept in his arms tonight, he realized she had become so much more.
A partner of sorts.
And he enjoyed it far more than he should. He might be able to protect her from Agent Bale, but nothing could save her from old age and death.
…
Charlotte flinched when a knock came at her front door. She frowned and got up to peer through the peephole. Her parents fidgeted on the porch.
“I’m not in the mood,” Charlotte called through the door.
“Please, magpie,” her mother pleaded. “Your father doesn’t have much time.”
She was going to regret this.
Charlotte unlocked the dead bolt and pulled open the door. Her parents rushed inside.
She locked her door again and followed them to the kitchen. “More secrets to share?”
Her father took a chair and met her eyes. “Have you recovered all your memories ye
t?”
“I don’t know. They’re jumbled and foggy.” She sat across from him. “I don’t feel any different.”
“I’d like to guide you through a meditation. It’s important you can control your power.”
“It’s not a ‘power.’ It’s more like a bizarre nightmare.” She massaged her forehead. “Meditating isn’t suddenly going to make my bloodthirsty spirit fly out and protect me.”
He glanced at her mother and then back to Charlotte. “It’s not just Agent Bale I’m worried about. The Serpent Society is still in Savannah. If they connect the dots like Agent Bale is doing, the government could be the last of our worries. You need to be able to protect yourself.”
“I have a gun permit and a membership at the range.” Charlotte crossed her arms. “I can protect myself without any powers.”
Her dad got up, pacing the room. “The Serpent Society isn’t just a bunch of old men collecting relics.” He stopped, focusing all his attention on her. “They’ll kill you, Charlotte. I gave up everything to stop that from happening, and I’m not going to walk out of this room without knowing you’ll be safe.”
“Fine.” She groaned, uncrossing her arms. Keegan wouldn’t be back for at least an hour or so. This would keep her from watching the clock and worrying. What could it hurt? “What do I have to do?”
“I’m going out to the car to get my supplies. You get comfortable on the couch.”
Charlotte went into the other room and lay on the sofa, staring at the ceiling, unwilling or unable to look at her mother. She wasn’t sure which.
Her mom took a seat on the smaller love seat, gnawing at her fingernail. Charlotte didn’t have to see it. The sound instantly transformed her into a rebellious teen again. “Mom, I’ll be fine.”
“I’m sorry, magpie. About everything. Your father was so scared they’d hurt you. I thought lying about the accident was the only way to—”
“I don’t want to hear your excuses.” Charlotte’s gut twisted. “You did what you thought was right. I think it was cruel.”
Her mother sniffled. “I know.”
The tears did her in. Charlotte craned her neck to see her mother. The lines on her mom’s face made her seem much older. Her shoulders bunched up like she was trying to make herself as small as possible, and Charlotte’s indignation fizzled.