by Dora Blume
“Come on, Sloane. Even you can admit we made a mistake,” his voice pitched higher at the end.
“No, I was enjoying the few minutes I had with you alone. Yes, we were supposed to be watching the car. But how were we supposed to know that someone else was coming to pick it up? I figured they’d be inside eating for a bit. It shouldn’t have been that big of a deal. When they came out, Scott would be dispossessed anyway. I wanted to steal just one moment to ourselves. I wanted to explore the spark between us without Mike. Was that really so wrong of me? To ask for a measly few minutes in the car with you.” Her gaze lingered on his. She watched as the muscles tightened in his jaw as he spoke.
“I don’t know Sloane, this is all so new. I’ve known Mike for a long time. I just met you, and I want this thing to work between us, but you’ve got to know when to separate fun from the job we have to do.” His eyes met hers. “If you can’t do that, I’m not sure if there should be an us.”
His words struck her. Because of one little mistake, he wasn’t interested in her anymore. She wanted to be with him. He obviously didn’t feel the same. Maybe he just wanted to have sex with her and now that they had, he wanted to move on.
“Fine, maybe this whole thing was a mistake.” She kept her voice steady, but a piece of her broke at the loss of such possibility. Not long ago, she wasn’t sure she could even be with Mike for any extended amount of time. Now, she wanted both of these guys. She could see being with both of them, but maybe that was just too much to ask of the universe. Sloane couldn’t even enjoy the few days of happiness without it being destroyed. Being a Shikari had taken so much from her life. At what point was it going to be enough. She sighed heavily and focused back out the window. They had to get the device back. Once they did, they could focus on taking the archives back. She hated to admit this, but she was really starting to miss her simple life in Minnesota. What she wouldn’t give to be back in her apartment with Amy talking over what they were going to wear to the club that night. Her heart clenched.
“Sloane,” his voice was soft.
“Ely, they possessed my friend. You think I would actually do something that would jeopardize saving her and put us all in danger? If you really think that, you know nothing about me.” Her voice was fierce. There was nothing that would stop her from saving her best friend.
She felt his eyes on her. “Sloane, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…”
She cut him off, “just drive.” She kept her eyes on the car in front of them. She was definitely in the mood to fight some demons. Maybe these guys would give her a chance to kill something.
The car Mike was following pulled off into a Burger King parking lot. Mike slowed and made a right turn around the next block. Ely turned into the lot and parked in a spot across the lot from the two in the other car. Sloane glanced over and it didn’t look like they noticed them. Mike pulled in from the other side and parked in the back out of view. Sloane inched her window down.
“Hey, man you wouldn’t let me go into Roscoe’s. I want some food.” He slammed the door and strode through into the restaurant. The other guy got out of the driver's seat and lit up a smoke. He leaned back against the car and glanced in after his partner.
“Holy shit, this might be our chance.” Sloane turned to take in the guy in the driver’s seat. If they could subdue him without anyone knowing, they could grab the device. She chanced a glance at Mike. “Okay, I think I can distract the other guy. We’re in a shady part of town. Maybe I can get him more interested in me. As soon as his guard is down, I’ll knock him out.”
“Okay, let’s try it.”
Sloane looked to Ely, surprised. “Really?”
“Yeah, if you get into trouble, give some sort of signal. Something you wouldn’t normally do. I don’t know, like rub your jeans or something.” He looked to Mike. “Hold on, I’ll let him know the plan.” Ely closed his eyes and a second later his body was eerily still. She could see the outline of Ely in the car next to Mike. Sloane peered into the store. This plan was contingent on the other guy not interrupting. Mike knew what they were doing. She might as well start doing it. She looped the strap of her purse over her shoulder and got out of the car. She made sure to sashay her hips so the man could see her. She stopped next to the car.
“Hi, do you think you could help me with something?” she asked. She slid one leg behind the other and swayed her foot. She bent forward giving the guy the perfect view of her cleavage. She ran her finger over the hem of her shirt while she waited for him to answer. Biting her lip, she looked at him through her long lashes.
“Ah, yeah sure, what can I help you with, darlin’” His smile was wide as his eyes raked over her body. At least she was wearing something that showed off all her assets.
“I’m not from around here. I was wondering if you could give me directions to Pine street?” Sloane gave him her best damsel in distress look.
He pulled in a long drag from his cigarette as he appraised her. “Yeah, I can help you with that.”
“Oh, thank you so much,” she blinked again.
“Don’t you have a phone or something that can help you with that?” he asked as he bent over to get his own phone out of the seat. Sloane took advantage, she pulled the gun out of her purse and smacked him over the head. He slumped forward, his hand rose to his temple.
“Ugh,” she hit him again and this time he was out cold. She shoved him into the car as Mike and Ely raced to the trunk. She reached into the car to hit the trunk release. Mike and Ely’s head dipped below the lid. Sloane focused her attention on the door. The man was standing toward the drinking fountain.
“We’ve got maybe thirty seconds to a minute. He’s filling up his drink.” Sloane looked down to the trunk. The device wasn’t even that big. She was expecting a huge nuclear bomb or missile. What she was looking at wasn’t any larger than a textbook. There were two tubes with different colored liquid and wires running to a smaller silver box. It didn’t look all that dangerous or menacing. Mike closed the box and shut the lid to the trunk.
“Time to make a run for it.” He nodded to Sloane and Ely before bolting toward the car.
Sloane followed behind him. “We’ll meet you back at the house,” she called to Ely.
“Be careful.” he yelled back and ran to the other car. Mike handed her the device as he went for the driver’s seat. She slid in carefully, gripping the box in her lap. She wasn’t sure how careful she had to be with this thing. She held it with both hands as Mike whipped the car out of the lot. He floored it as he swung onto the side street.
“We should be good to go once we get to the highway.” Sloane braced herself as Mike took another turn. “Do you think you could be a bit more careful? I’m not entirely sure what’s going to happen if this thing breaks. My power hasn’t been great, but it’d really suck to lose it because you whipped around a turn too fast.” Sloane looked at Mike through narrowed eyes.
“Oh, yeah, sorry.” Mike slowed the car. “We should be in the clear. The other guy wouldn’t have noticed right away. Plus, he probably didn’t even see the car.” Mike glanced over to Sloane. “Any idea who would know about this thing?”
“No, but we need to keep it away from everyone for now. I’m not even sure it’s a good idea to take it to the house. We don’t know who we can trust.” Sloane tightened her hands around the box.
“So, what’s the plan? I can hear the wheels turning over there.”
“We need to take it somewhere it won’t be stumbled upon by others,” Sloane thought aloud. “I don’t know, is there some woods we could go bury it in or something?”
“Do you think burying it would be enough to keep others from getting it?” Mike asked.
“If we were far enough from others, maybe. Where else could we lock it up? I don’t want a demon to find it.” Sloane leaned back in the seat.
“Why don’t you see if there’s another place we can rent? We can stash it at a house we rent, so we don’t have to worry about anyone
stumbling on it. Plus we would have quick access if we needed to.” Mike tightened his grip on the wheel. Sloane could tell he was nervous about having it in the car. There were so many things that could go wrong on the road.
“That’s a good idea.” Sloane set the box on the floor between her legs. She began scrolling. “Hey, I think I have something. It’s on the Northwest side. I’ll call and see if we can pick up keys and rent it out for the week. That should be enough time to figure out who’s the traitor. We would also have another place to go if we wanted a little privacy.” Sloane ran her hand up Mike’s arm squeezing before turning back to make the call. When she was finished, she smiled at Mike. “The place is open for the next three weeks. We can pick up the keys right now. The owners have a bar on the same side of town not far from the house.”
“All right, will the others wonder about how long we’re gone? Should we call Ely?” Mike asked. Sloane tensed and Mike cocked his head to the side. “What’s going on with you and Ely?” he asked.
“Nothing,” Sloane answered quickly.
“Sloane, love, I know you. Something’s going on.” Mike squeezed her thigh.
“It’s not a big deal. He was bringing up what happened at Roscoe’s. I’m not sure you have to worry about me being with him anymore.” Sloane turned toward the window.
“What do you mean? What happened at Roscoe’s?” his voice piqued.
“We got distracted. That’s how they were able to get the device.” Sloane moved to angle away from Mike.
“I was wondering about that. It’s not like you to get sidetracked. There’s no way you would have let the demons go if you saw them. You enjoy the fight too much.” Mike rubbed Sloane’s shoulder. “What’s really bothering you?”
“You’re right, it’s not like me. I don’t know what I was thinking. In the moment, it was a rush, kissing Ely. Now, I feel like crap for it. We got the device back but that’s because of you. If we didn’t have you, we’d be screwed.” Sloane turned back toward Mike. She rested her hand on his leg. “Thank you for saving my ass, yet again.”
“Love, it’s what couples do for each other. I love you. I will always have your back.” He rested his hand over hers.
“I love you, too. You really are amazing. You put up with all of my shit and still love me. I don’t know how you do it.” Sloane shook her head.
“Well, from where I’m sitting, you’re the amazing one.” Mike pulled up to the bar. “We’re here.”
“Great, I’ll run in and get the keys. You stay here and keep an eye on this thing.” She patted his leg and jumped out of the car.
The bar smelled like stale cigarettes and beer. Sloane strode straight to the bartender. He was a handsome dark-haired man. He turned, swinging a towel over his shoulder. When he smiled, she noticed the crook in his nose. “Well, hey there darlin’. What can I get for ya?”
“Hi, I’m Sloane. We spoke on the phone about renting the house.” She sidled up to the bar and slipped onto a stool.
“Ah, I figured a hot number like you didn’t stumble into this old dump accidentally. I’ll just need you to sign some papers. I’ll also need a credit card.” He turned to a computer along the far wall. Sloane drummed her fingers on the bar before glancing around. There were a few pool tables to the side. Two younger-looking men were squaring off to a game. One was standing along the wall while the other bent to take his shot. She couldn’t help but notice the long lean muscles of the man lining up his shot. His brown hair reminded her of Ely. She didn’t want to think about Ely. The things he’d said struck a nerve.
Yet, he crept back in with the slightest memory. Sloane had to admit, he wasn’t wrong. She was impulsive. They were on a mission, and she’d taken advantage of being alone with Ely. She was the reason they’d had to go after the two guys. They hadn’t even dispossessed the two guys before they left them. She’d stared at the two a little longer than she realized.
“Is there something you want to talk about darlin?” the bartender asked.
“No, I’m good,” Sloane spun back around to the bar.
“I know I’m just a bartender, but I’m pretty good at reading people. Right now, I would guess that you’ve got something heavy on your mind. I promise I’m a good listener.” He gave her a warm smile.
“No, I’m fine really. My boyfriend and I just want to get settled in for the night. It’s been a long drive.” She smiled.
“Okay, I understand.” He set the paper down on the bar. “I need you to sign here,” he pointed to the bottom line. “And initial here.” he pointed to another smaller line. “It’s just saying you won’t trash the place, and if you do, we can charge you for the damages.” He tipped his head to the side.
“Sounds good,” Sloane signed the paper. She wasn’t sure what it was about this guy, but she felt good in his presence. It made her almost want to talk to him about her problems.
“All right, everything looks in order. Here’s the key.” She held out her hand, and he dropped the key into her palm. She closed her hand around it.
“Thank you.” She slid off the stool. “I like your bar. We may have to come down here to play a few rounds of pool.”
“I’d love to see you back. The house isn’t far from here, just around the bend. I hope you get the relaxation you’re looking for.” He gave her a crooked smile and cocked his head to watch her leave.
Walking out, she sighed. If only they could come down for a few drinks, Sloane wanted nothing more than a few normal hours with Mike. She was grateful for the trust and love he’d shown her lately, but she also wanted to enjoy time with him. Maybe they could sneak a few hours to themselves before they had to rejoin the others. Sloane wanted to show Mike just how much she appreciated him saving her ass, yet again.
“You got everything?” Mike asked as she dipped into the car.
“Yeah, the house isn’t far from here. We can hide the device out there. I’m going to call Erik and let him know that we have the device. I figure I can let him know we’ll be back in a few hours.” Her hand slipped over Mike’s arm.
“A few hours?” Mike’s eyebrow rose.
“Well, I know I was a little distracted at Roscoe’s. I want to spend some time alone with you without having to worry about the demon stuff.” Sloane shifted in her seat so her knees were facing Mike. She leaned forward to rub her hand over Mike’s taut chest.
“Sloane, you know we’re still going to worry about the demon stuff. We need to get back to help with saving the archives. We need to help figure out what we’re going to do.” Mike rested his hand over hers on his chest.
“I know, it’s only a few hours. We’re allowed a little time for ourselves.” Sloane curled her fingers to scratch at his chest. He inhaled sharply.
“Sloane, can we at least get the device someplace safe? We can talk about what we’re doing next when we’re there.” Mike moved his hand back to the wheel and took the next right.
“Fine,” Sloane sat back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest.
“You know, you’re cute when you’re pouting.” Mike’s voice was playful.
“Yeah, well, you’re no fun when you’re being rational.” She let out a “hmph” and turned toward the passenger window. Mike let out a low chuckle. They pulled up to a quaint gray house with white shutters. The box planters outside the windows with purple flowers were a nice touch. Sloane got out as soon as the car stopped, slamming the door behind her. She just wanted some time with Mike before they went back into the fray. Mike didn’t seem to be on the same page.
“I’ll unlock the door. Will you grab the device? We should find someplace to hide it, so we can rush back into demon hunting. I wouldn’t want to waste a single second on our lives.” Sloane squared her shoulders and strode to the door.
“Sloane, please, you know we have to go back. Lives are at stake.” Mike’s voice was apologetic but firm.
Sloane paused. “Don’t worry, you will never let me forget it.” She unlocked the door a
nd held it, tapping her foot impatiently as he made his way from the car. She narrowed her eyes as she watched Mike carry the box through the door. Mike slid the device onto the counter and turned to face her. Her hand rested on her hip and she stared daggers at him.
“Should we look around to find a place to hide this better. It’d be nice to have a few obstacles for anyone who comes looking for it.” Mike glanced around the room.
“Yeah, maybe we could bury it in the backyard or something. That way no one would see it right away.” Sloane walked to the window to look at the possibility.
“Okay, don’t you think someone might notice the fresh-turned dirt in the yard?” Mike stood next to her at the window.
“Fine, let’s look around.” Sloane turned and began searching the house. It would be good if there was a basement or attic to hide it in. She looked to the ceilings. If there was a hidden attic, there would be some indication in the ceiling. She found the entrance above the middle of the hallway. There was a latch. Sloane pulled at the latch and a ladder dropped down from the ceiling. “I think I found something.”
Sloane heard Mike’s footsteps on the wood floors. He stopped behind her. “That’ll work.” He went back to the kitchen. Sloane clambered up the ladder. She turned and held herself over the hole.
“I could have carried it up there,” Mike said as he looked up at Sloane’s waiting arms.
“I thought this would be easier. Here, hand it up and I’ll find a spot to keep it.” She dropped her arms to take the device. Mike climbed up two steps and handed it off to Sloane. She turned and glanced around. Spiderwebs lined the corners and a thick layer of dust covered every surface. Ducking, she went to set it in the farthest corner from the opening. There was some leftover insulation which she wrapped around the device so no one would see it if they popped their head up here. It would simply look like the insulation had fallen in this spot. It would hide the device well enough.
Sloane descended the ladder. Mike was waiting with his arms crossed watching her. He smirked as she wiped the dust off her pants. “You just had to do it yourself,” Mike commented.