by AE Jones
I huffed. “That you sound like a shrink.”
He chuckled. “A psychiatrist would charge you two hundred bucks an hour for this conversation. You’re getting off cheap.”
“You’re right. At least let me buy your coffee.”
He stood and picked up his newspaper. “Dwight doesn’t make me pay for the coffee.”
“Even better for me.” I stood as well. “Thanks.”
“Have a good trip home. I’ll see you around.”
I smiled. Running Wolf was apparently under the impression I had made my decision already.
As usual, he was right.
* * *
My packed duffels waited by my hotel door. Dwight had been his enigmatic self when I told him I needed to go home for a while. To assuage my guilt for leaving without two weeks’ notice, I’d worked a double shift. Now I was tired and hungry. It was late, so I treated myself to a chicken wrap and salad from room service.
I sat on the desk chair waiting for my food, afraid I would fall asleep if I sat on the bed. My cell rang, and I jumped. Other than the casino, I didn’t get many calls. Whoever was calling me this late better have a damn good reason. Maybe it was Griffin again.
I picked up the phone and glanced at the caller ID. The life I had been hiding from the last few months came rushing back to me in a tidal wave.
“Hello, Misha.”
“It’s so good to hear your voice, little one.”
My chest tightened. The sound of his deep, Russian-accented voice brought tears to my eyes. “You too, Mish.”
He cleared his throat, and his voice came out gravelly. “We miss you, and we need you back at work. There’s been an incident.”
I sat up straighter. “Is Jean Luc okay?”
“Yes, he’s fine. It’s the Connors.”
Oh, God, not again. “Has something happened to Trina?”
“She’s fine for now. She came home from school the other day and told her mom someone was following her.”
“Is Trina remembering anything from her kidnapping?”
“No, your memory scrub seems to be holding.”
I almost blurted out that I had her memories now, but I held my tongue. “Poor Tim and Stephanie, they don’t need any reminders of what they went through last summer.”
“They’ve asked if you will help with the investigation.”
“I’ll catch the first plane home. I won’t be able to get a flight tonight. It might take a day or so. I’ll have to drive to Vegas and fly from there.”
“I have another idea.”
“What?” A knock interrupted us. “Hold on, room service is here with my dinner.”
I opened the door to find Misha, all six foot six inches, smiling down at me with his phone pressed to his ear. “Why don’t I just come pick you up?”
* * *
I glared at Misha while he polished off every bite of the food room service delivered shortly after he showed up at my door. I ended up ordering another meal, since I wouldn’t get a bite of the first one. His demon metabolism let him eat enough food for a family of five. I didn’t bother asking him how he’d found me, since Misha was a techno-genius. He’d probably traced my phone.
As usual, his blond hair needed a trim and his perpetual razor stubble made him appear menacing. Even though his eyes were icy blue, they were warm and smiling as he reached over and ran his hand through my newly chopped hair. “Still purple, I see. I like your new haircut. I have never seen it this short before. You look like a pixie.”
I wondered if it was an offhand comment, or if there really were pixies. But I wasn’t going to let him distract me. “You’re pretty sure of yourself to just show up here.”
He took the last bite of the chicken wrap and swallowed. “No, I’m sure of you. Sure you’d come home to help Trina.”
“How did you get here?”
“Flew on a private jet to the Mesquite airport.”
I scowled. Something didn’t make sense. “Nicholas would never foot the bill for that. Where did you get the jet?”
“Griffin. Since you didn’t answer his call last night, he thought a more direct approach was in order.”
“He couldn’t just leave me a voice mail? What does he think is going on?”
“He doesn’t know what to think. Since the Connors are protected as part of his pack, he has his own people working on it as well. We think it’s possible this is linked to the group that took Trina last summer.”
“I thought the shifters killed the poacher who kidnapped her?”
“Poachers often work in teams. Only one was caught.” Misha checked his watch. “We need to get moving. I told the pilot we would be back in an hour.” He glanced at the packed duffels. “Were you already going somewhere?”
I ignored his question. “Give me a couple of minutes, and I’ll be ready.”
He gazed at my plate. “If you aren’t going to finish your food?”
“It’s all yours.”
We took a taxi to the local airport. As promised, the plane sat waiting for us. I had never flown on a private jet before. Griffin wouldn’t tolerate anything less than first class, and the accommodations were swanky. The cabin had leather chairs and a small galley, and the pilot met us at the door and shook my hand before closing himself inside the cockpit.
I sank down in the cushy leather seat, and Misha plunked down next to me. Within fifteen minutes, we were airborne. Misha took my hand and smiled. “I am so glad you’re coming home.”
I answered cautiously, “I don’t know how long I’m staying, so don’t get too excited.”
He patted my arm. “Of course.”
“How is everyone?”
“Good. Jean Luc is the same as always. He wanted to come get you as well but thought one of us should stay in town. Dolly is still working the front desk at the office. She misses you.”
I snorted. “Yeah, right. We weren’t exactly close.”
“Even so. She says there is too much testosterone in the office now. She’s at a disadvantage.”
“I doubt it. She’s used to dealing with you and Jean Luc.”
Misha hesitated for a second before blurting. “Jason is working with us now, too.” He watched me expectantly.
“Wow, it didn’t take long for Nicholas to find my replacement.”
Misha frowned. “No one can replace you.”
I let that go. “Nicholas trusts him?”
“I know your first exposure to Jason was not positive.”
“Not positive? He brained me with a statue. I had to get seven stitches!”
“He regrets that. He thought you were a demon trying to kill him. Since I’ve forgiven him for shooting me, you should forgive him as well.”
I shrugged. “It’s forgotten. I’m surprised Dolly wants to work with him. She’s usually suspicious of most humans.”
“I was surprised myself. She actually is quite friendly with him. She has even gone so far as to ask about his childhood and family.”
“Dolly? Are we talking about the same shifter?”
Misha chuckled. “Yes. I think she’s turned over a new leaf.”
“Obviously.” I had worked with Dolly for years, and she had never asked me about my family. Not that I had much to talk about in that department.
I avoided his eyes for a minute, and an awkward silence enveloped us before Misha spoke. “I have been watching over Joe for you.”
I jerked upright in my seat. “You talked to him?”
“No. I mean I track him through the web and through friends I have in the police department.”
I closed my eyes for a moment before turning to him. “He’s okay?”
“Yes. There seem to have been no lasting effects from his torture last summer. Erasing his memory appears to have healed him.”
I was glad it healed one of us.
Misha hesitated.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
“Apparently Jean Luc and I did a very good job covering up the truth last
summer and made Dalton into the hero who solved the serial killer case.”
“That was the plan.”
“Well, Dalton was picked to work on a special FBI task force. He’s in Chicago right now.”
“Good for him.” I didn’t volunteer I already knew it since I also had been cyber-stalking him. My stomach flipped, and it had nothing to do with air turbulence. I wanted to tell Misha about the fragmented memories I had absorbed from Dalton, about Thomas Wilson, but I didn’t know what they meant. Until I understood the ramifications, I wouldn’t tell anyone what was going on, not even Misha or Jean Luc.
The secret hung like heartburn in my throat, but I swallowed it down. Dalton had almost died last year because of the damn prophesied Key of Knowledge he absorbed. And if it was part of me now, I wouldn’t allow anyone else close enough to me to become collateral damage.
“Why don’t you find a way to introduce yourself to Dalton again? You had something special with him.”
“Not a good idea, Mish. We don’t know what would happen if I met him. It could release his memories, and he could be damaged mentally. I won’t risk it.”
“I’m sorry, little one.”
Not trusting my voice, I swallowed and turned to gaze out the dark window. I almost didn’t recognize my sad reflection in the glass.
Chapter 4
Misha and I got off the plane and hurried across the tarmac at Cleveland Hopkins. We had flown overnight, and it was ungodly early in the morning. I started shivering immediately, and after a couple of breaths, the inside of my nose froze. Oh, the joys of winter in Cleveland. We climbed the stairs into the terminal and merged with the crowds walking to the arrivals area. Bypassing baggage claim, we stepped outside, and within seconds, a black van came screeching to a halt in front of us, barely missing a car rental bus.
Jean Luc emerged and sauntered around the front of the van with his arms outstretched. He grabbed my face and kissed me on both cheeks.
“Ma petite. It is so good to see you. And you look beautiful.”
I grinned. Jean Luc was one of the few people who could get away with saying mushy stuff to me. It didn’t hurt that he was gorgeous, with shoulder-length black hair and big brown eyes. Plus, he was a four-hundred-year-old vampire. I cut him some slack. “What’s cookin’, Frenchie?”
He smiled, flashing a little fang. “I have missed your wit.”
“I’ll remind you of that later when you tell me to stop talking.”
Once we were loaded, Jean Luc merged with traffic and drove toward the airport exit. “It is good you made it home when you did. We are going straight to the Connors’ house. The family is moving to Griffin’s estate for the time being. Security is much better there.”
“How are they being transported?” I asked.
“Griffin is sending a security detail. They should be there shortly.”
Twenty minutes later, we arrived at the Connors’ home in Lakewood. The two-story Tudor looked deceptively serene in the light snowfall. A very large shifter opened their door and acknowledged both Jean Luc and Misha before letting us in.
The house looked the same as it had this summer, but the anxiety level was palpable. Over by the staircase, a number of suitcases were lined up. At the end of the line sat a small Dora the Explorer suitcase with a tattered purple teddy bear perched on top. Probably Trina’s little sister Molly’s bag. I walked down the hall toward voices coming from the living room and found the Connors. Tim stood next to the fireplace, and Stephanie sat on the couch with Molly in her lap. Trina perched on the floor, watching her parents’ tense faces closely.
When I entered the room, Trina gasped and jumped up. She ran over to me. “Kyle! You came!”
I hugged her close. “Of course I came.” I smiled. She was small for twelve, with long, beautiful brown hair and big, doe-shaped brown eyes. She had on blue leggings and a long blue and white striped sweater.
She let me go and pushed back away from me. “Your hair is still purple, but you cut it off!”
I laughed. “I wanted a change.”
“It looks good.”
“Thanks.” I smiled at Tim. “Hello.”
He stepped closer. “Thanks for coming, Kyle.”
“Anything to help.” I turned toward Stephanie. A terror like what I’d seen this past summer was back in her eyes, one I’d hoped to never see again. “Stephanie.”
She nodded and held Molly tighter, until the little girl squirmed in protest. “Mommy, let go!”
“Sorry, baby. Why don’t you go play with your dollhouse? Trina, would you help her, please?”
If I remembered correctly, Molly was four. She looked a lot like Stephanie—blond, curly hair, and blue eyes. Trina held Molly’s hand and led her across the room to the toys. I sat down on the couch and reached out to hold Stephanie’s hand. “I’m sorry this is happening again.”
Stephanie eyes filled with tears. “I don’t understand why they won’t leave us alone.”
“We’re going to figure out who is doing this, but first we need to get you to a safe place.”
Tim spoke up. “Griffin feels we would be safer at his home, since it’s secured.”
“I agree. Hopefully it’ll only be for a short time.” I looked across the room. Trina was watching us closely.
The doorbell rang and Stephanie flinched. I patted her hand and then went into the hall to see who else had joined the party. Jason stood in the entryway and tensed when he saw me, but came down the hall and stopped directly in front of me anyway. He had let his buzz cut grow out, and his brown hair was long enough now to have waves. His face had also filled out a bit more. He looked better than he had last summer. Of course, back then he had been on the run from a pack of killer vamps.
“Kyle, it’s good to see you.”
“Jason.”
He hesitated for a moment. “Listen, I didn’t get a chance before you left town to apologize for before.”
“You mean when you knocked me over the head? Or when you tried to run me over with your truck?”
He cringed. “Both. I have no excuse. Other than I thought you were going to kill me.”
I stared at him for a few seconds without responding, and to his credit, he didn’t break eye contact. In truth, I had already forgiven him, but it didn’t hurt to make him sweat for a minute. After a few more seconds, I nodded. “We’re good, Jason. Don’t worry about it.”
He let out a hard breath. “Good, I just wanted to make sure we’re okay.”
“No problem. I hear you’re working for Team Nicholas now.”
His eyes narrowed on me for a second. “Yes, but I’m not your replacement. Misha and Jean Luc would take you back in a heartbeat. I’m just helping out.”
I held up my hands. “I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m fine with whatever you guys work out.”
Before Jason could answer, the shifters guarding the front door went outside.
Jean Luc called down the hall to us. “The transport is here.”
Jason responded. “I’m going to sweep the cars before we leave.”
Tim joined me in the hallway, and then Misha walked up to us and began explaining the plan. “Jason is going to do a quick check of the vehicles, and then we’ll be leaving. There are two SUVs. We’ll be splitting you into groups.”
Tim stiffened. “No. We’re not splitting up.”
Misha spoke softly. “Tim, it’s not safe for you all to be in the same vehicle. It will be easier to have several men in each unit protecting you. If you’re in the same car, we have less coverage.”
Tim’s jaw clenched, and I was sure he was going to protest, until Trina’s voice chimed in from behind us. “Dad, he’s right.”
Tim turned to her in surprise.
She walked over and took her father’s hand. “These men are after me. We should go in two cars so you, Mommy, and Molly are safe.”
I gaped at her. How could a twelve-year-old be so wise?
“I will not leave you alone, Trina
,” Tim said. “It’s my job to protect you.”
“Kyle will protect me, Daddy. Please, I want you to be with Mommy and Molly. They’re scared and need you.”
“Go back into the living room for a minute, Trina, while I discuss this with Kyle and Misha.”
She nodded and walked away.
“You have an amazing daughter,” I said.
“I know.”
Before he could even ask, I blurted. “I’ll protect her with my life.”
“As will I,” Misha said.
* * *
Ten minutes later, we were ready to leave in a four-car motorcade. The shifters who had been guarding the house when we arrived were in the front car. Tim, Stephanie, and Molly were in the SUV in front of us with several shifter guards, and Trina was in the second SUV with me, Misha, Jason, and a shifter who was driving. Jean Luc brought up the rear in the van. He would run interference if we ran into any trouble along the way.
The drive to Chesterland on the east side of Cleveland was going to take at least forty-five minutes, which meant dealing with traffic and vulnerable spots along the way. The last part of the trip would be through a secluded area, which presented its own set of challenges.
I smiled at Trina, who sat sandwiched between Jason and me. Misha was in the front seat with his electronic gadgets, watching for anything strange. Trina clutched my hand and smiled back at me, but her lips trembled slightly. Anger surged through me until it threatened to erupt. How dare this child be forced to feel terror of any kind? When I found out who or what was after her, I would hunt them down myself.
Trina turned to me. “What’s his name?”
“I’m sorry I didn’t introduce you earlier. Trina this is Jason.”
Jason grinned. “Nice to meet you, Trina.”
Trina nodded back and then leaned toward me and whispered, “What is he?”
“He’s human like me.”
For a second, I thought she was going to protest, but she shrugged and settled back into her seat without saying anything.
When we finally reached the road leading to Griffin’s estate, some of the tension in my shoulders eased. Especially when the driver announced we should be there in less than five minutes.
Trina sat forward a bit to see where we were, but I gently pushed her back so Jason and I blocked her body. A rustling sound from Misha got my attention as he adjusted his sensors.