Once more coffee seemed to be the great equalizer. The dark rich scent perfumed the air, calming tight nerves as two women sat waiting for the coming confrontation. Janice leaned forward in anticipation with each chime of the door. Lisa tried to become one with the wall behind her. They sat at a far table, both facing the door, a steaming mug in front of each. Neither spoke a word, their silent concentration locked on the glass door.
A rattling chime sounded one last time as Julian and Tim marched in, drawing attention from every female in the place. But they didn’t immediately join Lisa and Janice, getting their own orders after spotting them.
They took their seats, Julian opposite Lisa and Tim opposite Janice.
“So?” Julian asked, sipping his coffee black, no sugar, and collecting his thoughts before looking up at Lisa. “Are you going to tell us what happened?”
Lisa stared at him, wordless.
Seeing and feeling her confusion and insecurities warring with her need for them, Tim went for a different tactic. “You had me worried. After your attack, when you didn’t show up downstairs and we couldn’t find you I was sick thinking of what could have happened to you. You wouldn’t answer your phone or anything. If Alex hadn’t told us you were at home when he went in for installation we would’ve called the police.”
Janice stayed quiet but anger snapped in her eyes. Tim ignored her, difficult though it was with so much pent-up emotion flowing from her, focusing his attention and the force of his emotions on Lisa. “What did we do wrong?” he asked, projecting contriteness as well as concern. “I thought we had a good time, that you were comfortable with us and what happened between us. We didn’t rush you. What changed?”
Lisa didn’t meet his eyes, focusing on her mug, spinning it ‘round and ‘round, the scraping sound her only reply.
“Second thoughts,” Julian murmured.
Lisa shrugged.
Julian’s face hardened, the first time he’d showed any of the anger simmering below the surface since walking in the door. “You called us here, Lisa. If you want to talk then talk. Otherwise we’re all wasting our time.”
Lisa glanced at Janice, who gave her an encouraging nudge under the table. “I need to know some things,” she whispered.
“So ask,” Julian urged. “We’ve never denied you an explanation.”
Lisa frowned at Julian’s ready answer. But his face remained impassive, impossible to read. She had to explain on her own, no help from him. “I ran into someone as I left the apartment. She told me some things about you, things that hurt to hear. I admit I panicked. I shouldn’t have run off like that. I should’ve talked to you first.”
Julian reached for her hand. She leaned away, shaking her head, ashamed of herself and her reaction. “No, Julian, please. You know I can’t think straight when either one of you touch me. I need to say this before I chicken out and Janice has to smack me.”
Julian and Tim both glared lasers at Janice. She held her hands above her head. “Hey now, down boys. She’s exaggerating. I’m just here to prod her when she needs it, keep the words coming so we have no misunderstandings. No hitting, I swear.”
Lisa slammed her mug down. “Stop being idiots and listen to me.”
They both turned, their gazes smashing into her.
“You said something to me last night,” she blurted, trying to get the words out before she had second thoughts. “I took it at face value but if you were exaggerating I’ll understand. I just need to know where I stand in everything. If what your neighbor told me is true then I need to know. I don’t like being lied to and I won’t see you again if it continues.”
Julian and Tim looked at each other in confusion. Tim shrugged first. “I can’t think of a single lie we told last night, exaggeration, white or outright.”
“What did this person tell you?” Julian asked, reaching for her hand. “Because I can’t think of a single lie we told either.”
Lisa pulled her mug toward her, studiously avoiding Julian’s grasp. “You said I was the only woman you’d brought in to create your ménage, that I was special to you both.”
Julian leaned back, crossing his hands behind his head and rocking his chair back on its hind legs. Back and forth, back and forth. “I still don’t understand. Yes, we said that. Many times over. What’s the problem?”
“Problem is,” Janice piped in, propping herself on her elbows and staring intently at a confused Tim. “Neighbor lady disagreed. She spent a good deal of time letting Lisa here know how many women she’d seen with you and how long, or not long, they tended to last.”
Tim snorted in disbelief but Julian’s face remained impassive. Tim craned his neck at Janice and Lisa. “You can’t tell me you bought that?” he laughed.
“Why not?” she asked, face red with anger as he laughed off the fears and worries that had plagued her all day, slicing small rips in her aching heart. “You have to admit things happened real fast between us. Why should I believe I was the first?”
“Because we said so,” Julian stated matter-of-factly. “Because you are the first and only.”
Lisa stared at Julian, trying to see the truth behind his eyes. “Are you sure?”
“Hell, do you think we don’t know who we’ve slept with? Just how loose and horny do you think we are?” Tim asked with a pained scowl. “Julian and I have been a couple for two years now. I moved in right away. There hasn’t been anyone else, male or female, the entire time. With the exception of you we’re talking completely monogamous. We have guests, I told you about that. But even then it’s only for a night or two. And we don’t have sex with them.”
“I run a security agency not an escort service,” Julian growled, body vibrating with insult.
Lisa blushed. She couldn’t meet their insulted and accusing eyes. “I don’t mean to offend you. I just need to understand my place, get my footing. This is a situation not many women find themselves in.”
“Yeah, most of us aren’t that lucky,” Janice added, leering at Tim like he was the last piece of chocolate cake on the plate and she wanted to eat him all up.
Tim’s ears grew red but he ignored Lisa’s oversexed friend. “I can understand your confusion. But it does hurt. It hurts that we thought you trusted us, that we were building something solid last night. I thought we had a chance to be more to each other. I hate that I might be wrong.”
“Then you understand how I felt, why I ran.” She grimaced, folding her arms across the cool wooden tabletop. “It wasn’t mature behavior. But it hurt when I thought I was wrong about you both.”
“Then why are we here?” Julian asked.
Lisa looked at Janice. “Because a good friend of mine knocked some sense into me, convinced me I needed to talk to you first.”
“Verbally, knocked sense into her verbally,” added Janice at the men’s protective glares.
Lisa rolled her eyes but continued. “I have a problem trusting. Bad history that seems destined to repeat itself over and over. My trust gets smashed more often than not. But I’ll never get anything in life if I don’t try to believe in people.”
“So you want to try with us?” Julian asked, risking her rejection by reaching out for her hand again.
Lisa smiled at the telling tremble in his gesture before squeezing his fingers. “Yes, but I want you to realize that I’m going to have problems with this. It might get to be too much for me to handle. I don’t want to be hurt and I tend to run when it looks like I will. I don’t want to hurt you—either of you—in the process.”
Julian and Tim looked at each other, gazes heavy.
“I know, sounds stupid,” she rushed to add, pulling her hand away once more. “If you don’t think it’s worth the trouble I understand. But at least I put my cards on the table.”
Julian let her retreat physically but refused to let her go completely now that he understood her problem. “You’re more than worth it, Lisa. We’ve never done this before, despite what you might’ve heard. That should tell
you how much we feel you’re worth. We’ll put up with your doubts if you’ll put up with our own problems, whenever they come up.”
Lisa smiled and Janice tipped her chair back and whistled.
“Now how about you come home with us,” Tim pleaded with big puppy dog eyes. “Stay until you have to go to work. We can stop by your place and check your system out first and pick up some stuff you might need. After work we’ll pick you up.”
Lisa nodded. In for a penny… “Okay.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Mograith growled in frustration. Damn them. Damn them. Damn them!
Two trembling lesser demons knelt behind Mograith, heads hidden against crossed arms.
“What happened, exactly?” he growled, eyes glowing a deep blood red. “Explain to me why you failed.”
“It seemed to be working, milord,” one whimpered as it prepared for the inevitable flurry of angry blows. “A reason for doubt whispered in her ear and the Catalyst left the other two.”
“Then why are all three together again, stronger than before?” Mograith snarled, grabbing the demon by the neck and holding it with feet dangling, pedal-kicking midair.
“Another human involved herself, one we didn’t consider,” it squeaked, hands clutching at its master’s tight grip around its throat. “She managed to talk the Catalyst into speaking with the two. She was uncannily convincing.”
“So you didn’t give the Catalyst enough reason for doubt.” Mograith turned to look above his throne. The ripping, glowing tear of light spanned nearly the width of his wide shoulders. One day, two at most and he would be able to cross through it and feed on mortal terror. Four and his armies could attack. “We are running out of time. They are running out of time. If they wish to create the Pillar it will be tonight or tomorrow night. How do you plan to stop them?”
“You tell us that none can be killed, at the risk of attracting a bound Three,” the other demon spoke, trying to ingratiate itself with the master. “But what if we take her instead?”
“Take her?” he asked before throwing the first lesser demon to the ground, sitting on his throne to enjoy the warm rush of air and soft light spilling from the small portal.
“We kidnap her, hold her until the portal opens completely,” the demon explained as it crawled forward, ice tearing the leathery skin of its knees. “When nothing more can be done to stop us we can kill her. Or bring her to you, milord, to use as you will.”
Mograith thought, the image of her on her knees begging mercy putting a wide gruesome smile on his sharp face again. To have one of a Three at the mercy of his every degenerate desire and fantasy. It had been eons since such a prize presented itself to him.
“I like the sound of that,” he sneered, the sound of his awful pleasure sending shivers down the spines of the most heinous demonspawn. “Do what you must. But treat her with care. In fact, you will contact me from the mortal realm as soon as you have her in your possession. Use the portal so I can be certain you have not failed me. I want her in immaculate condition until I get her. Save the pleasure of her desecration for me.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
The evening passed in a blur of numbers accompanied by the dull throbbing of her right temple, difficulty focusing and slight nausea. Supply orders. Utility bills. Schedule sheets and employee hours. Pure migraine-worthy busywork. More than enough to keep a woman’s mind off her social life.
Wish it worked.
Lisa sighed, rubbing her neck and blinking her eyes to clear her foggy vision. She reached for a bottle and popped another migraine pill before staring at the phone for the hundredth time. Maybe she should give it up and call Tim or Julian. Leave early and enjoy the rest of her day with them before her evening with Tim. But after everything else did she want to look that eager and needy?
Abandon her responsibilities? Yeah, that sounded like her. Not.
As much as spending more time with them, getting to know them in and out of bed appealed, she had too much to do. A flourishing business to grow, employees to take care of, patrons to pamper.
Lost in thought, she barely noticed the door opening. She didn’t look up to see who walked in, just assumed.
“Mike, do we have the figures from last night yet?” she asked, still glued to the paperwork in front of her.
He didn’t answer.
It wasn’t until a slender, perfectly manicured hand clasped over her shoulder that Lisa realized she was in trouble. She looked up, half expecting to see the businessman. Instead the woman in the red suit, Julian and Tim’s nosy neighbor, loomed over her.
“What are you doing here?” Lisa asked, still not grasping her danger.
The woman didn’t answer, face blank. She pulled a syringe out of her jacket, jabbing Lisa in the arm before she could react.
As Lisa’s sight went dim she saw another man walk in and smile. For a split second it looked like his eyes glowed red.
* * * * *
“What do you mean you don’t know where she is?” Julian demanded, drawing curious stares from lingering employees.
The gangly college kid she had for a manager trembled at the anger in his voice, looking around for reinforcements, but didn’t change his stance or his story. “I don’t know where she is. The last time I saw her she was doing paperwork in her office. I didn’t see her leave and she’s not there now.”
Julian’s temper soared, nearly blinding him in a cloud of rage. He trembled with the desire to hit someone, anyone. Tim stepped forward, placing a calm, if quivering, hand on his arm. “Are you certain? This is very important. Julian works for her security company and we’re concerned about her.”
The manager’s personal fear faded from his face to be replaced with worry over Lisa’s safety. “This is about the attack on her a couple of nights ago. You think she’s been hurt. I thought that was a random thing.”
“As my associate just said, I work for her security company and I wouldn’t be asking without a reason,” Julian replied, trying to keep the anger and panic from showing in his voice. Had he Tim’s powers, no one in the room would retain their sanity in the face of his emotions. “She promised to meet the two of us after work to discuss her safety. Ms. Harrington doesn’t seem to be the type to forget that meeting.”
“No,” the boy whispered, his face suddenly showing his lack of years. “She’s anything but flaky. She’s almost compulsive about being on time, not leaving someone hanging. If she said she’d be here to meet you she’d be here or she’d have called to let you know. Unless something happened. I’ll ask the staff, see if anyone saw anything. Should we call the police?”
Julian nodded, fighting a growing nausea, powerless. “It wouldn’t hurt. They can’t do anything yet. Not enough time’s passed. But it’s best to report this now.”
The manager nodded and scurried away.
Tim frowned, his hand on Julian’s arm no longer comforting. He gripped it for his own support, fear flowing from him to Julian and back again. “This isn’t good.”
“Did she change her mind?” Julian hoped for once that was the case. Hoped she lost trust in them and left. It was better than the alternative. He couldn’t survive without her somewhere in the world. “Did she run out on us again?”
“I don’t think so. She felt certain, had every intention of meeting us.” Tim faced Julian, letting him know his growing concern. “Now I don’t get any feelings from her. Nothing above a low buzz.”
“Is she dead?” Julian whispered, heart singing as he dared to give voice to both their greatest fears.
“I don’t think so.” Tim’s eyes went glassy as he reached out with other senses, searching. “I am getting that buzz, just nothing concrete. It’s like she’s asleep.”
“Or unconscious,” Julian grumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets to fight the urge to hit the wall. “Keep trying. Tell me the second you get anything.”
The heavy tread of male feet and the click of high heels signaled the return of the manager, follow
ed by a pale, shaky blonde.
“Sarah might have seen something,” he told them, pushing the young, overly thin girl forward.
“I don’t know. It might not be anything,” she hedged, her pale blue eyes looking anywhere but at him.
“Let us be the judge,” Tim replied. Julian stood back, letting Tim work his special magic.
“Well, I noticed this woman earlier,” Sarah said, staring intently at Tim as he projected a sense of calm. “Made me uneasy. Kept getting the chills around her. She wasn’t in my section so I tried to ignore her. But it was hard to do. Then I thought I saw her heading to the employee restrooms not far from Ms. Harrington’s office. I was about to tell Mike but she didn’t come back and no one said anything so I thought I was wrong, that she went in the hallway beside it. Went to the ladies’ room instead.”
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