Now the torch had passed to him, and he would succeed. He’d stop the travesty. He’d be the one to save the world. It was a heavy weight to bear, but he was an excellent soldier, a cunning warrior, born specifically for this monumental task.
****
Overhead clouds greeted Claire as the plane landed in Seattle. She would have preferred a brilliant sun heating the afternoon, but something soft and welcoming hovered in the air despite the gray day.
“I hate flying,” said the older woman sitting in the seat next to her. “It’s always a relief when we’re back on the ground.”
Claire smiled. She’d been cool when the plump grandmotherly-type had squeezed into the seat next to her back in Chicago, meaning to exchange pleasantries and then promptly tune her out with a pair of headphones. Social graces were not her forte. But Mrs. Sandra Howington kept right on talking until Claire realized they were halfway to Seattle. The sweet, older lady was on her way home to her loving husband after visiting her daughter and newest grandchild.
“Flying doesn’t bother me,” she said to Sandy. She’d never thought much about dying. There would be no family or friends to mourn her. In some aspects, it might be a relief to be released from the solitary life that had been forced upon her.
“You’re lucky then. It terrifies me.”
Claire stood along with the other passengers. “I’d say you’re the lucky one, finding a man like Dennis.”
Sandy followed her off the plane, and they walked together to retrieve their luggage. “You know, we have never had a serious fight in the forty years we’ve been married,” she said as she struggled to pull a tapestry suitcase from the conveyor belt.
Claire couldn’t imagine loving someone that long, let alone never having an argument. “That’s amazing,” she said as she helped the woman wrangle her suitcase to an upright position.
As Claire straightened, her inner alarm fired, sending a tremble racing through her. She glanced across the carousel to find a man with intense, midnight eyes watching her as though he expected her to make a sudden, lethal move. Her pulse leapt as a feeling of unease washed over her. She was used to men looking at her with lust-filled eyes, but their gazes never left her feeling this naked.
Dark, military-short hair covered his head, and a hint of a beard outlined his hard, chiseled face. A long-sleeved black t-shirt stretched across his massive chest and displayed biceps the size of her thighs. Olive green khakis covered the rest of his impressive body. The blood from many battles tainted the air around him, and only a fool would mistake his ferocity.
A soldier returning from the Middle East perhaps?
He didn’t break eye contact as he retrieved a long, slender case and a camouflage duffel bag from the carousel in front of him, and she wondered how he could possibly know what he’d grabbed without looking.
“Dennis will be waiting for me outside,” Sandy said, forcing Claire to break the connection. “I wish we were headed toward Port Townsend, and we could give you a ride.”
“No. Don’t even think about it. I’ll rent a car and be there in no time.”
“I bet your family will be surprised to see you.” Sandy’s smile beamed.
“I’m sure they will.” Whoever they were. Claire only hoped Sandy had been correct when she’d showed her the drawing she’d created from the images in her mind of a little Victorian seaport. Otherwise, she’d come all this way only to find herself lost again.
Sandy gave her an awkward hug and then waved as she headed outside where her dear husband awaited. Claire turned back and gave the area a quick scan, looking for the man who’d somehow chilled and heated her blood at the same time, but he’d disappeared.
She grabbed her suitcases from the few that remained and moved toward the exit where she’d catch a shuttle to the car rental facility. Thick emissions from noisy cars assaulted her as she stepped into the humid air. Shouting from a short distance away drew her attention, and she was shocked to find a scrawny, older man standing next to a white sedan screaming up a storm at the sweet lady she’d just befriended.
“I don’t have all goddamn day to sit and wait for you to get your fat ass outside.” He lifted her suitcase toward the trunk, but before he completed his mission, the top burst open, spilling underwear and toiletries to the pavement.
“You did that on purpose.” Anger contorted her kind face. “I can’t believe I’ve been married to you all these years and never realized you’re such a jackass.”
Claire put a hand to her mouth as sadness and disbelief cascaded through her. She’d only met Sandy on the plane, but she hadn’t sensed any dishonesty when Sandy had talked about her lovely husband. People wandered closer to watch the spectacle, the hum of their energy growing louder.
She stepped forward to intervene, if only to help pick up Sandy’s belongings. As she moved closer to them, a powerful current of energy slammed her from behind, and she glanced over her shoulder to find the soldier watching the scene with a smirk on his engaging face.
She sensed he had a part in the spectacle playing out before them, and that enraged her more than she’d expected. She swiveled on her heels and marched in his direction.
The second his dark gaze met hers, the soldier picked up his bags and strode away. The fact that he’d turned his back on her made her even angrier, and she quickened her stride. A quick glance behind her proved her assumptions were correct. The older couple was no longer fighting, but hugging instead.
“Hey!” Her heels clipped on the sidewalk as she tried to catch him, but his legs were long, and he moved with the ease of a predator. “Come back here! I want to talk to you.”
A shuttle bus pulled up just as he reached the stop, and he stepped onto it without missing a stride. If he thought that would stop her, he had another thing coming. All he’d done was manage to corner himself. That he was a dangerous man wouldn’t deter her. She’d held her own on more than one occasion.
She hurried inside the bus, lugging her awkward suitcases with her. He sat in the back corner, using the crowd of people for cover, hiding like a sniper on the hillside.
“Please stow your bags in the luggage area, ma’am,” the driver called to her.
She lowered the handles and stuffed them with the rest of the passengers’ bags as the bus began to move forward. Instead of choosing the closest seat, she walked to the back of the bus, heading straight for the soldier.
Chapter Three
An unsettling current of attraction curled around Claire as she walked toward the soldier, forming a sultry haze around her thoughts. He watched her with dark, lust-filled eyes that reached into her soul. She took a deep breath, taking a second to savor the feeling before she shoved her way through it and claimed the seat next to him. “I saw what you did back there.”
The soldier didn’t answer. Instead, he dropped his dark gaze to her mouth, then her breasts, and finally to her legs. He only looked, but the sensation of him touching her was very real. Worse, her body responded. Hot blood pulsated through her veins as her breaths came faster. Tingles spiked in her breasts, and her core contracted in response.
“Stop it,” she hissed, knowing if he continued, she’d embarrass herself in front of a bus full of people.
More than that, he needed to answer for what he’d done. “I saw what you did to Sandy and her husband.”
“Really? And what was that?” His voice rumbled when he spoke, a deep, coarse sound that vibrated her senses, making her want to scoot closer.
She glanced at the people now watching them with expectant eyes, waiting for some sort of juicy response. Before she could reply, the bus jerked to a stop as an automated voice announced they were now at the first station.
He arched a sexy brow as one side of his mouth lifted in a grin. “My stop.” He stood, his muscular thighs brushing her bare legs as he pushed past her.
Oh, hell no. She stood as people around them began to whisper.
He was off the bus and halfway down an aisle of
cars when she dragged her suitcases down the steps and hurried after him. She’d have an answer before she let him leave.
He stopped next to a shiny red Hummer, his well-defined pecs flexing as he tossed his duffel bag in the back, stealing her focus. If she wasn’t so angry, she’d relish the time she might spend fixing him, stealing some of that formidable energy. Luckily, her cab driver in Bali had proven she hadn’t forever lost her capability to take from others.
Claire parked her suitcases behind his SUV as he placed the long case in next. Maddening irritation swirled through her veins like fiery acid from chasing him down. “You’re not leaving until you tell me what you did to Sandy and her husband.”
He gave her a sideways glance, his lips turning into a self-satisfied smirk. Without hesitating, he grabbed both of her suitcases and tossed them in after his, slamming the back closed.
His actions stunned her. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She stepped forward, meaning to open the hatch again, but he caught her hands. Rage ignited inside her, and she jerked free, pushing against his chest.
The jolt of energy that shot from her into him surprised them both. He stumbled back, but quickly regained his footing, grabbing her by the shoulders and turning her until he had her pinned against the back of his Hummer.
Her breath came in gasps.
His dark eyes bored into her like minions of the devil himself. “I didn’t expect you to be so pretty.”
His reply caught her off guard, setting off all kinds of internal alarms. “What do you mean? You don’t know me, don’t know anything about me.” She pushed against him again, but he didn’t budge.
“But I do.” His voice was a low whisper, and there was no mistaking the threat behind it. “I know exactly who you are and where you’re going.”
She gasped. “How? Who are you?” The vibes radiating off him proved he was beyond ordinary, and she was well aware that he came equipped with more power than his heated good looks and overwhelming physical presence. That didn’t mean she was without her own defenses.
He lifted a finger and drew it down her cheek, leaving a warm frisson in his wake. “Let’s just say I know who called you home.”
Home? The word plucked at the tenuous ties drawing her to Port Townsend. “Tell me who.”
He studied her, the cocky look in his gaze filled with self-assured domination. “No. The only way to find out is to hop into my truck and allow me to drive you there.”
The condescending way he spoke raised her ire. She lifted a perfectly-sculpted brow, ignoring the way her breaths grew deeper the longer she looked into his eyes. “Excuse me? I don’t hop for any man.”
“There’s always a first time, sweetheart.” Her irritation didn’t seem to affect him in the least, leaving her scrambling for another tactic.
She settled for something familiar and let her smile turn sultry as she inhaled a deep breath, pressing her breasts against his chest. His lips curved in a similar grin, as though he was certain he’d won this battle. The man certainly had no self-esteem issues. “I bet you have women fighting for a chance to climb on up into that big ol’ Hummer with you.”
He gave an almost imperceptible shrug, a satisfied look gleaming in his ever-attractive eyes. “It’s happened a time or two.”
“Then this might come as a shock to you, but…no.”
Her answer flipped his annoying smile, revealing the darker side of him she’d sensed all along. “I don’t want to force you.”
“As if you could.”
His smile returned. “Trust me. I can and will.”
“I don’t think so.” Using the anger he ignited inside her, she lifted her knee with a swift, spiteful force, landing it squarely in his groin. A thick grunt echoed from his massive chest as he bent forward, and she used the opportunity to slip from his grasp.
“Goddamn,” he whispered before he sucked in a large breath and straightened, not giving her enough time to reclaim her suitcases. Dark, angry eyes met hers, speaking to the fire burning inside her. His instinct would be to retaliate, she realized, but he’d kept it in check. For now.
“Do you really want to do this the hard way?” he asked.
****
Claire’s leather jacket scrunched as she folded her arms beneath her breasts, sizing up the mountain of molten steel standing between her and her suitcases. She had two choices. First, she could leave. Let the prick keep her belongings. He’d probably get off sniffing through her panties and bras. It might mean running, but he wasn’t the only one in top form.
Second, she could concede to his threats, but she’d never been one to back down from a fight. And the man seriously pissed her off. He might know who had called her to this place, but she was positive he hadn’t been sent to collect her.
Her summons had come from a familiar energy, something warm and earthy, not this hulking man who reeked of power and violence as old as time. Even if something inside her responded to his force, he wasn’t to be trusted.
She toed off her stilettos, knowing she’d miss them. She couldn’t consider the precious daggers waiting inside her luggage, or she’d cry. Too bad she didn’t have one in her hand now.
He sent her a warning look, obviously well aware of her intentions. That was okay. He might be upright once again, but she’d nailed him hard. She only needed a slight advantage to make it to a more open area where others would see if he tried to take her. Even if he caught her, he’d have to drag her back to his Hummer, and she’d go kicking and screaming the whole way. Certainly, someone would intervene.
“You know what?” She turned her red lips into her own version of a smug smile. “Fuck you.”
She was off, her bare feet hitting the rough asphalt surface as she raced back toward the shuttle station. She smiled when she realized two businessmen waited at the stop. Eyewitnesses whose presence would protect her. The soldier had picked the wrong girl to mess with.
Both of the men grinned as she approached, the usual reaction she received when she went looking for it. “Evening,” she said when she’d joined them. Neither of them seemed to notice her lack of footwear or suitcases.
“How long until the next shuttle? I’m late for a flight.” She glanced behind her, searching for, and panicking slightly when she couldn’t see her powerful assailant.
The balding man in a blue suit checked his watch. “Should be here in a couple of minutes. What time does your flight leave?”
“What the fuck do you care?” the other man asked, his bushy salt and pepper brows coming together in an angry clash on his forehead. “Do you seriously think this hot piece of ass needs your consideration?”
Claire widened her eyes and took a step back, avoiding the sudden flood of testosterone.
“Oh yeah?” the first guy responded. “How about I show you some special consideration?” He dropped his briefcase and lunged at his companion, knocking him to the ground.
The older man tried to push off his attacker, but failed as numerous blows landed on his jaw and temples.
“Stop it!” Claire screamed, more than a little frightened by the scene unfolding in front of her. She’d seen a similar display of emotions less than thirty minutes ago, and she couldn’t help but wonder if the same jerk fostered their brutality.
If the fighting men heard her exclamation, it didn’t register with them. She turned, searching for the lethal source of energy. The dark-haired military hotshot had to be close.
A movement to her left startled her, but it was only a young couple exiting their silver sedan. As they walked toward the shuttle stop, they grew wary of the men tussling on the ground. The man pushed his wife behind him as he approached.
“Hey!” He grabbed the bald-headed man’s fist before he could strike again. “You’ve done enough damage.”
The bald-headed man stopped his attack, seeming stunned and then genuinely shocked as he looked between the man who’d intervened and his victim. “My God. I didn’t….”
“We
need to call for help,” Claire said, even as two more men and an elderly woman also approached the group. If nothing else, the increased number gave her more security. If hotshot had expected the fighting men to leave her vulnerable, his plan had certainly backfired.
The young woman pulled out her phone as others crowded around trying to help the beaten man.
“Claire?”
Claire turned at the sound of her name, surprised to see Sandy and her husband sitting in their car, stopped only feet from the scene. “What are you doing here, Sandy?” They should have been well on their way home.
“Dennis took the wrong turn, and we ended up in long-term parking. We were just circling around when we saw you. What’s going on? Why are you out here? I thought you were renting a car.”
Warm relief rushed through her. “I was. I am. It’s a long story. Could I catch a ride back to the terminal with you?” That would get her out of harm’s way faster than anything would.
“Sure, honey.” Sandy exited the car and opened the door to the back seat for her. “Maybe you could help me with something on the short drive around.”
“Of course.” Claire sat in the backseat as Sandy dropped a massive tangle of red yarn on her lap. Claire frowned at the mess, uncertain of her friend’s intentions.
“My eyesight isn’t the best anymore. If you could dig around in there and try to find an end, I’m sure I can get it untangled.”
“Uh, okay.” Claire started picking through layers, not comfortable manipulating something so…homey.
“Yes, like that.” Sandy reached in and pulled several strings up over Claire’s wrists. “You really have to dig in there.”
The tangled strands seemed to take on a life of their own, growing more twisted as they wrapped around her hands. She tried to pull free of the mess, but the yarn held tight.
“That’ll work,” a man’s voice replied instead.
Which Witch is Which? (The Witches of Port Townsend) Page 10