“Why?”
“Because if you concentrate you’ll feel the change within you.” Heather was a medical professional, she’d need proof and convincing. Her emerging ability was magic and physics, all mixed and matched, and put into a blender. “Try, for me. You’ll feel a little peace if you do.”
Heather nodded once and closed her eyes. “What is that … shaky feeling?”
“That’s your inner self, and if you look closely, she looks like you, trying to say something?” Iroida concentrated on the road, not wanting to scare Heather. If she was like the other powerful ones, she had a mirror self, attached to her soul, the one who controlled the power. She had to merge the two and learn what was happening. But driving to Montana was not the place. For now, she simply had to cover the mirror.
“Yeah, that’s freaky. I’ve had dreams like this,” her voice, light and a whisper, held a note of awe.
“See how it looks like a mirror?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Cover it with a thick blanket. Imagine one in your hands and ease it over that mirror.” Iroida hoped she’d listen and do it.
“She wants me to leave her uncovered, she’s pleading,” Heather spoke slow, enunciating each word.
“I know, but she needs to wait until you are ready. Cover the mirror, Heather. It’s only temporary.” Her words were soothing.
“Okay,” her voice small.
The power level dropped and Iroida took a deep breath. She was no longer drowning.
The sound of a siren filtered through the car, and she looked in the rear-view mirror. It was a highway trooper, lights blazing, headlights flashing. Glancing at her speedometer, she wasn’t speeding, her car was legal, or would look that way to humans. She peered around them, and found she was the only car on the interstate, at dusk. A little weird, but not altogether unusual.
Pulling over, she rolled down the window, and put her hands on the steering wheel.
He didn’t get out of his car. Frowning, she tried to figure out what was happening. Two seconds later, she gasped. Seven more cars screamed to a stop nearby, surrounding them.
“What’s happening?” Heather sat up, wincing.
“Be still, Heather, I don’t know. What we don’t want to do it appear as if we are going to do something stupid with that many armed humans.” She tapped a button on the steering wheel. It would alert the family, and they’d immediately begin looking for them, as well as a way to rescue. In the meantime, her best bet was to be calm, follow orders, and wait.
“Get out of the vehicle, slowly. Show your hands.” The voice was tinny over the speaker system.
Iroida could see at least fifteen highway patrolmen, state troopers, sheriff deputies and a few unidentified officers, all surrounding the Demon with weapons drawn. “Damn it.”
Getting out, hands first, one booted foot at a time, she eased out of the car, instructing Heather to do the same. She could only hope one of her sisters stopped Heather from going home.
She was swarmed by officers, and as she tasted gravel, the heat of the day soaking through her clothes, Iroida hoped for a miracle, because they were going to bury her deep. All of them were talking about taking down the murderer, the kidnapper, the woman that was considered armed and dangerous.
She watched as they treated Heather like crystal and took her away. Please, let her keep that mirror covered.
Chapter Nine
Boone
He woke with a hangover, headache, sensitivity to light, the whole nine yards. His mind was a little fuzzy, but nothing could be done about it at this point. He had to get up. There was too much at stake, and Iroida in danger. He didn’t know how he knew, only that a sense of urgency filled him. Whatever happened as he’d slept, she’d been put in the middle.
Taking a shower, dressing, and he packed what little was out of the truck. He returned the key to the front desk, and as he pulled the truck out of the parking space, he called Marcus.
“Brother, she was out of my reach. By the time I got close, she was surrounded by local law enforcement. I checked, and found that the Veritatis hacked into the database, and put her in the top ten. She’s in a high security jail, charged with murder, kidnapping, and about twenty trumped up charges. I downloaded her arrest video, just in case.” Marcus sounded stressed out. “I swear, I didn’t do it.”
Boone frowned, wondering why Marcus was worried. “I know, send me the address, and all information you can find. I’ll need to get her out of there.”
It was going to take a bloody miracle to rescue Iroida from the humans, plus get Heather back.
Life just got more complicated than he wanted.
He sat in the truck, outside of the Sheriff’s office. He’d seen her blue car in the impound lot, and Marcus had broken into their records, showing Heather was currently at the station being questioned. With her kidnapping and subsequent road chase, she was the only witness.
The phone vibrated in his back pocket and he pulled it out, tapping the screen. “Yeah.”
Marcus chuckled, “Always with a smile. All right, I have it all set up. Iroida is being held in the first cell, but Heather has been transferred, and I suspect that was Veritatis. She’s heading one county over.”
“Let’s get the Guardian first, then worry about the asset.” Why did he give a damn? He should be heading to the next county over, planning on getting Heather.
“A thought, Boone. Get her out and make her a partner to get Heather back. I’m almost certain there’s a plan to take her at a certain rest stop.” Marcus’s voice sounded urgent. “You’re going to need the help, mi amigo.”
“I can handle Veritatis again, and get Heather back to the safe house,” Boone didn’t want to work with Iroida. Instinct said it would be dangerous, though he wasn’t sure why that was.
“Just keep it in mind, all right?” The sound of keys tapping in the back snaked over the airwaves. “Go to the first cell, the door will pop open, take her. I’ll have control of the cameras and the doors, getting the two of you out while stalling the officers. Don’t hesitate. I won’t be able to hold control for long. You’ll have less than ninety seconds.”
“I have no idea where the first cell is!” Boone needed details.
“Go in the front door, turn to the left, down the hall, you’ll come to an open area for those being processed. Go to the other side. I’ll open the series of doors, just keep moving through. At the end you’ll find another long hall, run. At the end, I’ll have her door open.”
Boone didn’t answer. Waiting, he heard the first lock make a metallic popping sound, and the door released. He slid it open and sprinted to the next just as it popped. Six barred doors later, he stood in front of cells, several inmates watching through narrow windows. The first door swung open and he ran inside, slinging Iroida over a shoulder. Without hesitating, he turned and ran the way Marcus told him. She hadn’t said a word, nor had she struggled. He felt her breathe against his shoulder.
Waiting until he was out of the building, a big van screeched around a corner, the door opening, and Marcus throwing out a well-muscled arm. Boone moved his arm under Iroida’s ass and held her close. Grabbing the offered arm, they were pulled into the van and the door closed.
The van rocked side to side, and Boone glanced over Iroida. She sat against the back wall, and met his gaze, a small smile gracing her lips. He couldn’t read her, and it irked him. She must have read his emotions, because the small smile turned into a wide grin, and she spread her hands apart as if to say, “I don’t know.”
The van’s speed settled into something slower, and Marcus turned around, “We’re on our way to get Heather. Guardian? Where would you like to be dropped off?”
“With Heather, if you don’t mind,” she chuckled.
Marcus scoffed, “While I don’t mind rescuing you from Veritatis, I have a lot of issues allowing you to just walk away with our asset. The old men want her safely in our custody.”
Iroida laughed, a
deep, husky, infinitely sexy sound that rocked Boone to his bones. He wanted to be the reason she laughed, not Marcus. He knew, understood, she was laughing that the Iudex would have Heather, but it mattered not. Jealousy speared him and he turned away.
The driver hit the brakes, and the backend of the van swung out. Boone put his hands on the back door and wall, feet apart, adjusting as necessary to keep his balance. The van came to a rocking stop, the driver and Marcus putting their hands in the air.
“I believe the Guardian’s family is here,” Marcus spoke low.
Iroida rolled to her hands and knees, opening the side door. It slid open, a slight squeak from the wheels, and it locked in place. She stepped out, and stretched, the motion lifting her shirt and giving Boone a peek at her smooth skin and small waist. She leaned in, offering a hand to Boone.
He frowned, and thinking she wanted to shake his hand for rescuing her, he gripped her hand. She yanked him, and he fell forward a bit, and she kissed him. Her lips were soft and warm, the moment they touched electricity speared to his groin, and he couldn’t stop the reaction.
“Come with me, Boone.” Her voice, that deep husky voice, reminiscent of fifties bombshells, slid over him, making his blood pool low in his body.
“We will only come to blows.” His mind wanted to do the right thing. His body had other ideas.
“We can do this together, Boone, and after, we’ll decide. I need your help.” She was so close, he could see the fine hairs on her face, the long lashes, the way her pupils dilated as she stared at him.
That was the deciding factor. She really did want him to go with her, not to get rid of the competition, but because he’d sparked her interest. It went both ways, and wasn’t something he could refuse easily. He noted she held her breath, waiting for his answer.
Offering an expression of apology to Marcus as he watched via the rearview mirror, Boone followed Iroida.
Chapter Ten
Iroida
The moment Boone had snagged her from the jail cell, she knew. It was the look of relief on his features the minute he stormed into her cell, the way he held her as if she was fine china, and how he’d ensured her safety in the van. Every move to protect her, to minimize the pain.
And it wasn’t one sided. Her attraction to the big Cajun was heavy duty and bewildering with all of the strange sensations. Handling them all created a lot of warring ideas in her head, and her heart. But for now, the truth was the Cajun could help. If her family didn’t kill him first.
He took her hand, and she yanked hard enough he flew out the door. She caught him by the waist, going under his arm, a hand around his waist, and easily making it look like they were a happy couple.
It was her sister, Regiis, who sat in the big SUV behind the women holding the van with loaded weapons, that smiled and winked at her. She revved the engine, and the doors popped open. The women backed in concise steps, as Iroida slipped from under Boone, taking his hand and jogging for the back of the truck. The tailgate opened, and she pushed his shoulders, reaching down to lift his knee until he rolled into the back, stopping only when he hit the back of the seat. As she joined him, the tailgate closed, and the truck reversed, pushing her harder into him. She felt every inch of him, as she fell to the side, and ended face to face with his arms around her back and pulled into a tight embrace. He slung his leg over her, and she was effectively trapped. The intimacy of it made her blink, as her mind went blank.
“I’ve got you,” he whispered, his lips close, his breath fanning across her cheeks. His eyes held her, and the world disappeared. She could only see and feel Boone, his heartbeat against her breasts, the smell of man, soap, and aftershave, the heat of his body, the strength in his arms and legs. The heat behind his blue eyes, burning a path to her groin.
Using his body to protect hers, she didn’t know what to say, what to do. Unfamiliar instincts warred with training, and her mind shut down the screaming at each other for dominance.
The driver turned a corner, and they rolled. He took the hit into the tailgate, releasing a small grunt. “Who taught you to drive,” he yelled at the driver, as he pulled Iroida’s head into his chest, cradling her.
Damn it, she had to stop this. It was too good. It was … right. As if they were made to fit together perfectly. And that made it a distraction from her assignment. Putting both hands on his chest, she meant to push him away, to sit up, move away from Boone and the distraction he posed. The hard muscles under her fingertips twitched, and she lay both palms against him, feeling the boom of heartbeats, the way they gained speed, and she made the big mistake. She gazed into his eyes, and didn’t move when he made the move to bring their lips together.
Electricity lit her nerves, raising goosebumps, and she had no control over both arms wrapping around his neck, and pulling him to cover her.
“Iroida, damn woman, can’t you wait until we get to the hotel? I’ll even put you in the same room,” Ferox, the sister who appeared bored, average and klutzy to those who didn’t know her. She was cunning, deadly and sarcastic.
“Ferry, I’m going to steal all your pink shit when we get home,” Iroida laughed, unashamed as she gazed into Boone’s blue eyes.
“I’ll cut a bitch for that shit.” Ferox claimed, and the sound of her sliding against the leather to turn around filled the back of the cabin.
Followed closely by the outright laughter of the other sisters. Seven of them in the SUV, and Iroida could hear the curiosity, and jealousy, in the noises they made. Millennia living with them, she could tell all their moods by the way they breathed, sat, sighed, even blinked. She knew their tells, their fears, what they wanted most. And right now, every one of them had a little jealousy going on. RomComs and romance novels were rampant in their homes and apartments.
Iroida kind of felt sorry for Boone. The poor man was just dropped into the middle of the estrogen war zone, with no real weaponry but that smile and what she hoped was a healthy respect for all women.
“Regiis, woman, slow down, ease around the corners, let me sit up, will ya?” Iroida yelled.
“You’ll thank me for driving later,” Regiis muttered, and every sister laughed.
Rolling away, Iroida sat up, and squeezed into a corner, giving Boone room to move his big body into a sitting position. When he was settled, he lifted her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her.
“Um,” she raised her eyebrows at him.
“Your comfort is my priority.” He grinned down at her.
Shaking her head, she sat up, remaining between his thighs, but no longer against his chest. It was too distracting, and she had things to do.
“Ferox, what do know about Heather?” Iroida refused to look at Boone. She was going to have to get her shit together, and quickly.
“We have her location, and we are working on a plan to get her back. For now, we’ve been ordered to Showtime.” She turned and started at Boone for a fraction of a second.
Iroida offered a slow blink. It was going to be a hard meeting for her, since she was the one who’d brought Boone with her. Her parents weren’t going to be happy, and she was certain her … discipline … wasn’t going to be pretty. She hoped he was worth it.
They drove for into Kansas City, and the SUV was left at a safehouse. It was registered to a fictional person from Showtime, MT, and would be fine until they sent someone to pick it up. As they tumbled out of the truck, Iroida stood, stretching the kinks out of her legs and back. Her ass was numb, and she was ready to run a few miles to get the blood flowing.
She moved forward, offering a hand to Boone as he unfolded his lanky frame from the cramped space. He’d never complained the entire time she’d been in his lap. Nor had he let go of her.
Iroida wasn’t sure what to do with that.
Shaking off the thoughts, she strode forward, gesturing for Boone to follow. Her sisters were jogging into the private wing of the airport, waving off security. She ran to keep up, and Boone remaining two steps behind.
As they wound through the corridors of the airport, she noted he remained the same distance behind, and on several occasions had slowed to look at something. He was well trained in security and protection, she’d give him that. She wondered by whom, but it was a question for later.
They boarded a corporate jet, and each of the women fell into a chair, buckling and closing their eyes. She led Boone to the back and pointed to a window seat. Her sisters were still in gear, but the ride to Showtime would be less than thirty minutes. The jet looked normal, but it was a bit more technologically advanced than the human versions.
Once the plane was in the air, she unbuckled, making a quick trip into the small kitchenette. She took a fruit tray and water, taking it to Boone, offering the small snack to help bring up his blood sugar. If he used energy like she did, he’d need more than this soon. The small snack would tide him over for the half hour.
He devoured all but a few grapes and an orange, which Iroida ate. He took her hand, and kissed her fingertips. She started, eyes wide. He took the index finger, and slid it into his mouth, sucking the last of the sweet juice.
Iroida melted in her seat, blinking rapidly, and unsure of what to do. Something heavy, and needy, settled deep in her groin. Pulling away, she swallowed, and looked at the plane aisle, realizing her breathing was rapid and harsh.
“Sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t know you were a complete innocent. I won’t do it again.”
Iroida gaped at him. “How…”
“I’m flirting, Iroida. I want more than kisses and holding you. I want many things, none of which I’ll speak of on a plane filled with sisters more than willing to throw my head into the trash and push my body out the door.”
Three of her sisters burst into laughter, turning in their seats to watch her. Iroida, for the first time since she was a teenager in ancient Rome, burned a bright red. She wasn’t sure what to do with the flustered feeling, or that when he hinted at more than the flirting, how her body had caught fire.
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