“Who the hell do you think sent Zephron the location of this castle? Who do you think is spying on Hieronymous from the inside?”
“You?” Hale shook his head. “I’m not buying it, Mordi. I know what you’ve done, remember? I watched you help your father try to take over the world and battle Zoe. You stole Tracy. I think I know you well enough to know what to believe.”
“I had hoped that you did.” This time, Mordi sounded cool and collected, and for an instant, Hale’s resolve cracked. “Throw us against the next wall,” he said.
“What?”
“Clyde. We need to sound like we’re fighting. Throw us against the next wall.”
Hale shrugged, then, keeping a grip on Mordi, lunged across the room. It sent a few more rocks clattering to the floor as Mordi’s back impacted on the stone.
“You could be a little more gentle,” Mordi hissed.
“You’re on Probation,” Hale said, reminding himself why he couldn’t trust his cousin. “There’s a reason for that. You have a little difficulty distinguishing the good guys from the bad guys.”
“I am one of the good guys. I was going to recover the belt for the Council. Me. For once in my life I was going to manage to do something the great Hale couldn’t do. And do it by using my father.”
Hale swallowed. This was starting to sound more like the cousin he knew. “Why the hell should I believe you?”
Mordi tilted his head up, and Hale saw the intensity reflected in those vivid green eyes. “Do you think I like being on Probation? Being tested over and over again like my loyalty is in question?”
“Your loyalty is in question.” Hale kicked a few rocks down the stairs. On the off chance Mordi was telling the truth, he didn’t want Clyde’s suspicions raised. Not that Clyde was the brightest bulb, but still.
“I also considered keeping it for myself,” Mordi admitted, not meeting Hale’s eyes.
“The belt?”
A single nod. “My father thought I was getting it for him. Zephron thought I was simply a mole in my father’s organization.” A smile touched his lips. “At first I merely wanted to show you up. Me. Mordichai. Hieronymous’s son. I wanted to be the one to return the belt to the Council. But then—”
“You thought you’d just keep it and have a run at world domination yourself.”
“Why not? It’s better than being on Probation the rest of my life.”
“That’s exactly why you are on Probation.”
Mordi sighed. “Don’t I know it.” Another intense gaze. “But I didn’t try to keep it. I sent that message.”
“You also kidnapped Tracy.”
“I had to. If I hadn’t, I would have lost my usefulness as a mole. If there’s one thing my father is not, it’s stupid.” He took a deep breath. “I’m the one who got you here. So you could save Tracy and the belt. I don’t have a chance in Hades against Clyde.” He shrugged. “Hell, maybe you don’t either.”
“Okay. Help me. If you’re really on my side, help me defeat Clyde.”
“No can do, cousin.”
Hale felt annoyed. “Why am I not surprised?”
“Think, Hale. If I fight Clyde, my cover’s blown. I can’t. I’m sorry, but I can’t.”
“Convenient,” Hale said. He just couldn’t bring himself to trust his cousin.
“Dammit, Hale. What do I have to do to convince you?”
“I don’t think there’s anything you can do. You’ve cried wolf just a little too often.”
Mordi closed his eyes. “Then so be it.” Twisting violently to the right, he managed to free himself from Hale’s grip.
Hale cursed. He’d let his hold go slack as he listened to Mordi’s absurd story. Even more absurdly, he’d actually been wanting to believe his cousin. Now, Mordi was showing his true colors.
Mordi bounded back, on guard just at the edge of the stairs.
“I don’t want to fight you, Cousin,” Hale said. “Just leave. Leave, and we’ll deal with this another day.”
“No,” Mordi said.
“Then you’ve made your decision.” Hale moved forward, but as he did, a ball of fire bloomed in Mordi’s hand. Real fire, not the fake kind his cousin often summoned. Hale hesitated. He could defeat Mordi—even with fire—but that made it more difficult. And he still had Clyde to confront. The Outcast was in the cell with Tracy.
Thinking of Tracy, Hale realized he needed to just go for it. He rushed forward, planning to fall into a roll as soon as Mordi pitched the fireball. Mordi tossed. Hale crouched, rolling on the floor, but as he did he realized that the fireball had been thrown clear. It burst into a flurry of sparks on the far side of the room.
Mordi hadn’t even aimed at him...
Had he been telling the truth after all? There wasn’t time to think about it now. And he could never be completely certain.
“I’m sorry,” Hale said, pulling his fist back. With all of his strength, he let fly. Mordi didn’t even raise a hand in defense. Only when his cousin fell to the ground unconscious did Hale decide that maybe Mordi had been telling the truth after all.
* * *
THAT CREEP CLYDE looked all too comfortable in that upholstered red chair. Especially since Tracy was so decidedly uncomfortable in her current position. She strained sideways, trying to see something—anything—through the doorway.
Nothing.
And then she saw a burst of flame as a fireball exploded.
She held her breath. Mordi conjured fire. Did that mean he’d hit Hale? Closing her eyes, she said a silent prayer. Please, no. She’d just gotten him again. She couldn’t lose him. Not now. Not ever.
The silence in the castle was deafening. There was nothing in the room except the scrape of her manacles against the wall and the sound of Clyde’s breathing. Nothing in the alcove—just a terrifying silence that sank in her stomach like a rock.
The sound of her breathing grated against her ears, and now her heartbeat seemed to echo through the room. Where was he? Her skin felt cold and clammy, and she wondered if she was in shock.
“It sounds like your little hero isn’t so much of a hero after all,” Clyde sneered, drumming his fingers on his chair’s wooden armrest.
She writhed against her manacles, wishing more than anything she could get her fingers around his neck. “He’ll win.”
“The silence would suggest otherwise. I admit I’m surprised. I certainly didn’t think Mordichai could defeat an accomplished Protector like your Hale. But it sounds like he did just that.” An awful, wide sneer crossed the thug’s face. “Of course, it doesn’t sound like he made it, either.” Clyde shrugged. “Pity.”
“Hale is fine. You’ll see. He’ll wipe that sneer off your face.”
“You have quite a mouth, young lady.” Clyde looked at his watch. “We’ll see how enthusiastic you are after a few more days with no food or water.”
Tracy swallowed. Already her mouth was parched. In a few days without water, she’d likely be unconscious. Or dead.
Suddenly, his chair lifted into the air, and the look of confused surprise on Clyde’s face almost made this whole terrible encounter worthwhile. Almost.
The chair hung there for a moment, then whizzed across the room, landing with a crash on the opposite wall. It shattered, and Clyde tumbled to the ground in a flurry of black cape and leather shoes. When he looked up, an expression of astounded horror lined his face.
“Ha!” Tracy yelled. “I told you.”
Clyde climbed to his knees. “Where are you, you invisible coward?”
No answer.
Tracy scanned the room, looking for some inkling of Hale’s whereabouts. Nothing.
Clyde twirled around, his cape fluttering, as he tried to find Hale, too. From the frustrated look on his face, Tracy assumed he wasn’t having any better luck.
A stone on the floor rose and flew straight at Clyde. The Outcast jumped sideways, but not fast enough, and it struck the side of his body.
He spun around. “Show
yourself, you miserable coward!”
“I’m right here, Clydie-boy.”
Hale, Tracy thought. His voice was so close to her. And then not just his voice, but the man himself. He materialized, leaning against the wall right next to her.
Tracy stifled a laugh. Like Clyde, she’d assumed he’d been invisible while lifting the chair and tossing the rock. He’d been invisible, all right. But he hadn’t lifted anything. He’d levitated the things while standing right next to her.
As Clyde scowled, Hale tilted his head back and looked at her. “Guess it’s time for me to do my job and rescue the fair princess from the tower.”
“Guess so.” Even under the circumstances, Tracy couldn’t keep the delighted smile off her lips.
“I love you,” he said.
Her smile grew even broader. “I know.” She nodded toward Clyde. “Now go beat the crap out of the bad guy.”
* * *
DAMNED INCONVENIENT HE had to fight Clyde. All Hale wanted to do was gather Tracy in his arms and make love to her.
It was even more inconvenient since the odds were definitely in Clyde’s favor. On pure strength alone, he was no match for the brute. Already he was exhausted from the trip here and the battle with Mordi. But his one advantage was his ability to turn invisible, and Hale intended to use it.
Clyde rushed forward. Hale dematerialized, but the other man still knocked him to the ground. Over and over they rolled, Clyde grappling with a foe he couldn’t see, but still managing to keep Hale’s legs pinned down.
Finally, Hale managed to get a single strike in—at Clyde’s nose. As the Outcast recoiled, Hale hopped to his feet. His enemy followed suit, half-crouching as he slowly turned, ready to defend himself wherever the attack might appear.
Seizing the advantage, Hale rushed Clyde when his back was turned. He threw the Outcast to the ground and got a lock around his neck. The brute gasped and wheezed as he stood, thrashing about with every ounce of his inordinate strength, but Hale hung on.
Clyde threw himself backward against the wall. Since Hale was clinging to his back, that meant Hale was squashed. He kicked, pressing his heel into Clyde’s groin until the creep gasped and lurched forward, releasing Hale from his trapped state.
Hale slid off, rolling sideways as silently as possible. Clyde again circled, once more trying to find him.
“I know you’re here, little man.” A singsong voice. “Come out and play.” A pause. “Or are you afraid the big, bad Outcast will beat you to a pulp?”
Hale kept his mouth shut, not intending to let Clyde bait him into revealing his whereabouts.
Another turn of the circle, then another. Finally, when Clyde’s rear end was right there, Hale shot his leg out, catching the burly Outcast at the base of the spine. The blow sent him tumbling.
Hale had expected Clyde would immediately hop back to his feet, but the other man surprised him, lying unmoving on the floor. Hale crept forward, peering down, trying to decide if the brute was playing dead.
No signs of life.
Silently, he leaned forward. Nothing. No movement. No breathing. Nothing. He kicked him. No movement.
That was easy! The big dumb Outcast would never stand for such treatment if he were awake.
Turning visible, he went to Tracy. “I can’t tell if he’s dead or just knocked out, but right now, I don’t care.” He took a step toward her. “Let’s get out of here and get that belt to the Council before he wakes up.”
She nodded, but the look of relief on her face faded as she went pale. She screamed, her body jerking futilely as she tried to point.
He whipped around. Visible, he was one heck of a big target. Ka-choing! Clyde sprang forward, his fist catching Hale in the throat.
Choking, Hale stumbled backward, the force of the blow knocking him partially through the stone outer wall of the castle. He pulled out, throwing himself at Clyde so that the two went tumbling, landing in a heap on the mattress under the window.
“You can’t win,” Clyde sneered. “You know I’m stronger. Compared to me, you’re practically a mortal.”
“And what the hell’s wrong with that?” Hale asked, his body energized by the fury that burned in his blood.
Clyde sneered. “Why, my boy, I thought if anyone knew, you did.”
Automatically, Hale’s eyes darted to Tracy. Tight and thin, her colorless lips revealed her worry. But her eyes met his, and in them he saw trust bloom.
“Sorry, Clyde. I can’t think of a thing.” In one swift motion, he raised his legs and pushed, catching his foe at the hips and off-balancing him. The Outcast stumbled backward, toward Tracy, and Hale silently willed her to understand.
Bless her heart, she did. As Clyde approached, she grabbed onto the chains above her hands, lifted her legs, and kicked for all she was worth.
Like a puck on an air-hockey table, Clyde was thrown back toward Hale. In a flash, Hale grabbed him by the shoulders, flipped him over, and sent him crashing through the too-small window.
Bits of rock and mortar went flying and, after a few seconds, a resounding splash echoed up from the ocean below.
Hale turned to Tracy. “That’s only temporary. He’ll be back soon.” He grinned, then held up Clyde’s propulsion cloak, which he’d held onto. “Of course, he won’t be back too soon.”
“What about Mordi?”
“He’s fine. Passed out, but fine. But he’s going to have a hell of a headache—and a heck of a lot of explaining to the Council and his father.” He kissed Tracy’s nose. “Not our problem. We need to go.”
“I’m all for getting the hell out of Dodge. I mean, I’ve always wanted to see Scotland, but this isn’t really what I had in mind.”
He headed toward her, ready to rip her free from the chains, when he realized what she’d said. “Scotland?”
“Well, yeah. I just assumed. Is this Ireland or England?”
He laughed. “Try Los Angeles, sweetheart. Clyde’s taking a swim in the cold waters of the Pacific.”
Her shoulders sagged and she looked somewhat disappointed. “No way. And here I thought I’d finally had the chance to be the heroine in one of your romance novels.”
Stifling a grin, he kissed the tip of her nose. “You are, Tracy. With the belt, without the belt, you’re the only woman for me. The only heroine for me. And I love you.”
The corner of her mouth twitched. “The only one?”
Hale shrugged, embarrassed at how stupid he’d acted before. “Well, from here on out anyway. I can’t change the past, but I promise I won’t ever repeat it.”
A single tear trickled down Tracy’s cheek. “I love you,” she whispered.
“I know.” He ripped the manacles open, freeing one of her wrists and then the other. “Time to fly back?”
She looked dazed. “Where?”
He kissed her on the nose, wanting to kiss her everywhere. But there was plenty of time for that later. “Our home. I just moved in, remember? You’re not getting rid of me this easily. In fact, I think I might be there to stay.”
“Yeah?”
He nodded. “Yeah. If you’ll have me.”
She beamed. “Let’s get home. The sooner the better.”
Hale hopped up to the window, then held out an arm for her, not feeling completely whole until he’d lifted her up and wrapped her in his embrace. “I hope you don’t mind flying economy,” he said.
“I think I can handle it.” She kissed his cheek. “Just one thing, though.” Reaching down she unhooked the belt, then pressed the cool metal into his hand. “We need to deliver this to your Council on the way.” Her smile went straight to his heart. “I don’t need it anymore.”
* * *
TRACY HELD ON tight to Hale’s hand as they delivered Aphrodite’s girdle to Zephron. Any tighter, actually, and Hale would have wondered if she’d somehow absorbed a portion of his super strength. She might have spent her youth around celebrities, but apparently that didn’t mean Tracy was comfortable with super
hero leaders—no matter how grandfatherly they might look.
“Thank you, Miss Tannin,” Zephron said with a smile. “I assure you, the Council will keep your grandmother’s belt safe.”
She exhaled, and Hale silently thanked Zephron for putting her at ease. “I know you will,” she said. “I’m just happy it’s away from the bad guys.” She frowned. “Speaking of…”
Zephron nodded. “Yes. Clyde and Mordichai.”
“What’s going to happen to them?” Tracy asked.
“Clyde has disappeared. We will find him, of course. The moment he uses his powers, we will be able to hone in on him.” Zephron shrugged. “And until then... well, he’ll have a chance to see how mortals live.”
“What about Mordi?” Hale asked.
“Your cousin. That is trickier. Despite what he told you in the castle, we still do not know his true intentions. Did he intend to acquire the belt to return it to us? Was he truly working for his father? Or did our young Mordichai plan to use the belt for his own purposes?” The Elder shook his head. “We don’t know. But the Council is investigating.”
“He was kind to me,” Tracy put in. “He could have tried to drive a wedge between me and Hale, but instead he told me Hale cared about me.” That was news to Hale, and he silently thanked his cousin. “If he needs a character witness,” Tracy continued, “you can call me.”
Zephron smiled at her. “You are a special woman, Tracy Tannin. I hope you realize that.”
Tracy didn’t answer, but when Hale squeezed her hand, she squeezed back. Zephron was right, of course, and Hale intended to remind her how special she was every day for the rest of their lives.
The Elder turned to him. “And you, Hale. You are due to be congratulated for your successful mission.” A small smile twitched on his lips, and Hale had the impression that Zephron was holding something back. He’d thought that once before—the day the Elder had assigned him this mission. He hadn’t asked then, but now he needed to know. “What? Am I missing something?”
Zephron fingered the belt. “Let’s just say that I was certain you were the appropriate Protector to give this task.”
At that, Hale had to laugh. “I was the most inappropriate Protector. Heck, we’re lucky Hieronymous didn’t prevail. You sent me—a guy who had some pretty hefty mortal issues—on a mission to befriend a mortal.”
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