by Asha King
“You,” he said slowly. “I know you.”
Addie tried to smile but knew she was failing. “Small town.”
She took a step back as the others crowded into the store. The door banged shut behind them and jarred her nerves, her shoulders jumping. Her heart rate spiked and though she tried to breathe normally, she couldn’t stop the sudden panic. Clammy fingers of warning dragged over her, urging her to run though there was nowhere to go.
More and more, though, she was certain something was off about this man.
He’s not human.
Steps sounded behind her and then she heard the voice of the store clerk. “Oh, I’m sorry, guys, but we’re closed.”
They didn’t pay any attention to him, however. No, the man in the lead was still locked on Addie as he stepped forward, his head cocked to the side, eyes raking over her in study.
She took another step back. In a minute she’d hit one of the racks, she knew—the store wasn’t that big. But every fiber of her being was telling her to flee and it was difficult to stand her ground. She crossed her arms at her chest and tried to at least keep from shivering from the rain still clinging to her.
“You can take turns using my phone, I guess,” the clerk said, his voice pitching higher with nervousness. “But...”
Mr. No-Longer-Forgettable stepped closer still until Addie’s head was tipped back to maintain eye contact with him. He wasn’t particularly tall but he stood a head above her and his reed-thin body made him seem to tower. Water dripped from his shaggily-cut brown hair, darkening it to almost black, and his dark clothes made him even more sinister in the low-light.
“Your heart is beating very, very fast.” Another step forward. He breathed in again, his nostrils flaring widely, and she didn’t think it was a normal sort of sniffing. His eyes bored into hers. “Want to explain why that is?”
Erik...help.
Chapter Fourteen
Erik all but heard Addie’s voice.
He felt the fast thrum of his heart and his own rise to answer it; felt the cold on her skin, the fear rushing through her veins.
But her voice, her words. Those were crystal clear in his brain, almost like she spoke directly to him.
Erik. Help.
He stormed through the dark house and tore open the front door. A storm was in full swing, thick dark clouds and rain having descended on the town. Fresh air hit his face as he stared out into the early night for a moment, then he slammed the door and ran.
Again that cord between them seemed to pull and he went in the direction it tugged him, racing barefoot across Addie’s lawn and onto the street. Ahead, the small town of Havelock was dark, just the lightning splitting the sky enough for him to make it out. Any remaining pain in his side or bruised muscles were forgotten, adrenaline pushing everything away. His gaze narrowed, feet hit the pavement faster.
I hear you, Addie. I hear you.
****
Angelica sat straight up in the back of the limo, her head swiveling as if listening.
Lincoln’s attention was drawn straight to her. “Angelica?”
“He’s alive.”
He hit the intercom and barked at the driver, “Stop.”
The limo came to a halt.
Angelica opened the sunroof and immediately rainwater drenched them, the sudden wild winds from outside invading their quiet space. She stood until her head was exposed to the elements, her long red hair whipping around her. From his vantage point, Lincoln saw her eyes close.
A moment later she sat back down. She didn’t smooth her hair back, the tresses hanging wildly around her, and her eyes were alight with murderous glee.
“Wherever he was, he’s out now, and he’s moving.”
Lincoln didn’t need to reach out with his own magic—he trusted her judgment. Instead he immediately reached for his phone to text his teams to be on the lookout.
The hunt was on and he’d soon have the stray’s head for his transgressions.
****
Before Addie could respond to the creepy guy before her, the man’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He eyed Addie for a moment before retrieving it, and glanced down at the message while still facing her.
“Hey,” the clerk started. “I’m sorry, but we’re closed, and if you don’t need the phone—”
“Shut up,” the man said harshly.
One of his companions peeked over his shoulder. “What is it, Rogers?”
The apparent leader, Rogers, frowned at the message for a moment, then a twisted smile curved his lips. “We’ve got him.”
Addie’s heart seized. Erik—
The front door crashed open suddenly and she expected to see the powerful, dark-haired shifter there. Instead her rescuer peeked around the trio congregating.
Her hopes sank as she recognized Robbie.
“There you are.” He smiled brightly but it was that smile she’d seen a hundred times—the one she now suspected wasn’t entirely truthful. “Got my truck around the corner. Since everything’s closing”—he gestured the store around them—“I’d better get you home.”
The weight in his words was obvious at least to her. Home.
She swallowed dryly and tipped her head down, moving around Rogers and toward Robbie’s outstretched hand. When his fingers locked on her upper arm, she took a steadying breath in. Whatever was going on, she’d be fine. Given the choice here, she’d prefer Robbie Milford, and at least—
Rogers’ hand thrust out and banged the door shut suddenly. The bell overhead jangled loudly.
Robbie went stock-still and slowly lifted his eyes to Rogers’. Tension worked up his body and prickling awareness rushed through Addie. Perhaps it was the low light but something passed through his eyes...
And whatever it was told her Robbie wasn’t human.
Rogers grasped for Robbie; her friend ducked, pushed her back. The clerk shouted something but his voice was lost in the overall noise of the men grappling. Addie backed up, away from them, and her instincts kicked in. She homed in on the clerk and rushed to him, grabbed his arm and dragged him toward the back.
Protect. The word blared over and over in her brain. Protect. She had to keep the kid out of harm’s way.
Chip bags crunched and racks of food rattled as the men fought at her back. Addie thrust the kid ahead of her, through the back room. Her eyes settled on the back door only to find it sealed with a padlock.
“Isn’t that a fire hazard?” she asked with dismay.
“My boss says—”
No matter, they didn’t have time. She urged him instead down the stairs. “Is there a room down here you can hide in?”
“Yeah, but—”
“Seal yourself in there and phone the police.”
He paused on the bottom step, staring up at her with huge, fearful eyes. “What about you?”
If I head down there and they get past Robbie, they’ll come for us both. “I’ll be fine. Just get down there and do it.”
The clerk nodded and ran, stumbling down the last few steps and disappearing into the dark basement.
Addie raced back up to the sounds of scuffles and crashes. Racks were knocked over and popped bags of chips and candy bars were scattered across the floor. Her eyes tracked the fight—it was Robbie facing off against the other three.
And Robbie was losing.
Three to one, there was nothing he could do, not for long, no matter what besides human DNA was in his body. Rogers punched him while the other two held him in place. Robbie’s head snapped to the side and bloody spittle fell.
Addie looked around in vain for something—anything—to help with, but this wasn’t the sort of town where shop owners kept guns behind the counter. If she could diffuse the situation until the police—
Glass shattered across the room suddenly as something flew through one of the front windows. The large dark shape hit the ground, rolled once, and drew into a crouch.
Erik.
Rain and cold wind flew
into the space, tousling his soaked hair. Water twisted down his bare chest, twining with fresh blood from where the glass had cut him, but if he was in any pain, he didn’t show it. His head dipped down, amber eyes flashing gold as he stared down his opponents.
A slow smile rose on Rogers’ face, his eyes darkening. “If it isn’t the cat, come out to play.”
His men shifted restlessly, loosening their grips on Robbie, and that was enough—Robbie elbowed one and twisted, grasped the head of the other and smashed his face on his knee.
Rogers and Erik both leapt for one another and clothes tore, fur poured from flesh. Erik changed instantly into the orange and black striped tiger she’d seen that first night, except now without his injuries he was all grace and strength.
Rogers collided with him, his clothes in a shredded pile on the floor. The hair that sprouted from his skin was brown, grey, and black, with a thick bushy tail—a long snout shot from his nose and tall pointed ears stuck straight up. He was a jackal, or at least an oversized one, and vicious teeth snapped Erik’s way.
The tiger’s paw slashed, claws bared and sliding over jackal flesh. Rogers yelped but countered with a bite, quick and brutal as he snapped and fought.
Blood peppered the floor and glass crunched under paws.
Robbie was faring better with two than he had with one. His eyes went dark gold but he didn’t change, keeping at bay whatever else was in him. He moved like she’d never seen him before, ducking, twisting, punching with a strength she hadn’t realized he’d had.
A shelf of canned goods rattled under the combined weight of Erik and Rogers. The tiger howled as the jackal bit again, and Addie’s heart seized. She’d never felt so powerless, so useless, in all her life.
One of Rogers’ men grew brutal, jerking out a knife which he slashed at Robbie. If it was his intention to distract, it worked, as Robbie turned his focus and left the other bloody-nosed man alone.
And that man turned toward the tiger-jackal fight in progress.
Addie scanned the store, her eyes settled on crates of large soda bottles nearby. She pulled out one, hefted it for a moment in both hands, and then tossed it at the third man.
The bottle struck him in the shoulder and his dark eyes shot for her.
She grabbed another bottle and threw it again; this time he swiped it away but was headed straight for her.
Addie backed up, nearly tripping on cans of food and chip bags crunched under her feet. She stepped behind the soda bottle display and thrust her shoulder into it, knocking it forward. Bottles flew, striking the man who still pursued her. She scrambled back, hit the glass refrigerator doors and had nowhere to run.
Granmama...help. She knew, more than anything, that if she’d been raised differently, she could defend herself, but whatever knowledge was buried in her head from childhood, none of it was rising to the surface.
He crowded her space, breathing her in and staring down at her. Her heart leapt into her throat and she bit back a whimper as he leaned forward. She could smell his breath and terror rushed through her.
Again, he sniffed, a bemused look crossing his face. “What are you, girl?”
Addie braced.
He crashed to the side suddenly and blood painted the tile floor. A tiger crouched on his back with a roar and teeth sank into the man’s head, powerful jaws snapping. Flesh tore and the man’s body shook, twisting in final death throes before going still.
The tiger released his bloody head and fur melted away into flesh until a human was crouched there instead, staring down at the broken, dead body of a man who had threatened her.
“She’s mine,” Erik said in a low whisper. His amber eyes glowed, pure rage in their depths.
Addie’s heart hadn’t stopped hammering.
Her eyes moved past him, over the carnage. Rain soaked part of the floor and the wind howled outside. The jackal had turned back into Rogers and he shuddered and jerked on the floor, bloody and near the end of his life. Robbie dripped blood but was alive, standing over the body of the other man.
They’d won. Somehow.
Erik stood tall, his eyes finding hers. He moved to her cautiously, reached for her, and she was so relieved he was safe, she nearly crashed in his arms. But he held her back, studied her, gaze scanning her for wounds. “Are you okay?”
Weakly, she nodded.
For a moment, he held her eyes fiercely, then abruptly looked away. He and Robbie moved toward Rogers, who flopped and gasped like a fish on land.
“Lincoln,” Erik said. “Where is he?”
“On his way,” Rogers managed.
“Are there more of you here?”
“Spread...spread out.” He choked, blood spilling past his lips.
Erik knelt and reached for his head, likely to end his life.
“Wait,” Robbie cut in. “Do they know who she,” he gestured to Addie, “is?”
Rogers managed to shake his head.
Robbie looked at Erik and nodded.
The cat shifter gave Rogers’ head a sudden twist, snapping his neck.
Both men surveyed the carnage and Addie felt briefly forgotten as they conferred.
“The bodies need to be taken care of,” Erik said.
“I know places. And I’ll make up a story for the police about the store.”
Hiding bodies and lying to the police—Jesus, when had everything gotten so messed up?
Addie swallowed a lump in her throat. “You’re both bleeding. You need help.”
The men met her gaze and nodded. “Bodies first. Then we’ll head back to your place.”
****
Addie sat on the sofa, patching up Robbie’s wounds while Erik paced.
Erik had claw and tooth marks down his back and more bruises than she could count, but she didn’t think he’d sit still long enough for her to check him over. She just shook her head and let him pace while she tended to Robbie.
She was at least glad to be back in her own home and get dried off, but she’d been patient with their silence long enough. “So who is going to tell me what the hell is going on? Who are you really, Robbie?”
“I’m your guardian,” he said quietly.
“My what now?”
“I watch the house and I watch you. I keep you safe.”
“Or you’re supposed to,” Erik said darkly.
Robbie said nothing but she felt him tense.
She twisted the cap back on the bottle of disinfectant, wiped her hands off on a cloth, and sighed. “So I need a guardian because I’m like my grandmother.”
Robbie slipped his shirt back on and winced; he was badly bruised and she figured it hurt like hell. “Your home is a Sanctuary, Addie.”
A tingle rushed along her flesh, one that seemed to whisper yes. But she kept her voice cool and doubtful. “Which means what?”
“You hide people like us,” Erik said, still pacing. “You offer not just protection but cloaking.”
“Your grandmother did it with conjure but there are many forms of magic that can do it,” Robbie said.
Addie’s eyes trailed to the front doorway. She remembered, didn’t she, the way Granmama would sprinkle dust there? “The brick dust or whatever that I found...”
“Your grandmother had a lot in place to not just keep unwanted visitors out but keep hidden anyone inside.”
She chewed on this for a moment. It made sense, after all, but... “Why are both of you only telling me this now?” She eyed Robbie and then Erik. The former looked away but the latter held her eyes so she directed the inquiry to him. “What don’t I know?”
“The man who was after me—who is still after me—will take you if he finds you,” Erik said simply.
“Take me?” she repeated.
“You haven’t even begun to understand what you can do,” Robbie said. “People like you were wiped out. First they started with the guardians—that’s why there’s just me instead of an entire army at your disposal. Then they come for those like you.”
<
br /> “So people like Erik have nowhere to hide,” she filled in.
“No.” Erik stopped suddenly. Candlelight flickered sinisterly on his bare chest. “So people like Lincoln have nowhere to hide. He’s a fucking killer, Addie. He’s a sociopath. He’s powerful but he’s exposed and if—if—someday there was someone strong enough to challenge him, they could at least find him. But not if he got you first. You would make him invisible and then he’d be completely unstoppable.”
And if Erik was as terrified of this man as he was, she was too. His fear enveloped her—fear for her safety, for all the possible things that could happen to her if she was found. She looked in his eyes and she saw it all there as well.
This was bad.
“The shifter,” Robbie gestured in Erik’s direction, “was drawn to you because he was near death—that triggers something. Otherwise they can’t find you, and he’s stayed hidden here because of you and the Sanctuary your grandmother left in place. Except if this guy Lincoln finds out...” He shook his head. “Your mother thought keeping you ignorant would protect you but it just left you unprepared.”
She had her grandmother’s things still, though, didn’t she? Enough instinct to fumble her way through things.
Maybe.
She leaned her elbows on her knees and buried her head in her hands. Goddamn it, this was too much. A week ago she’d been...
No, you weren’t normal. You were never normal. You were an idiot in the dark about everything.
“He won’t stop,” Robbie said.
Addie looked up but found he addressed Erik. The two men stared at one another, some sort of silent discussion passing between them. Her eyes darted back and forth and little by little it began to dawn on her.
Robbie meant Erik had to leave.
“But he’s safe here,” she whispered.
Still, neither man would meet her eyes.
He was safe here but for how long? She couldn’t keep him cooped up in her house for the rest of his life, could she?
Her heart sank at the look on Erik’s face. He knew. He knew and he’d already decided. Her lower lip trembled, wanting to say something, but...