“Wow. You’re shaking as badly as I am.”
“Yeah. Don’t tell Ethan.”
“Can’t he pretty much hear everything we’re saying?”
“Yes. But he loves me, so he’s going to pretend he can’t. Right, sweetie?”
“Right,” Ethan said with a smile as he examined the bodies shriveling up in the bathroom and out in the hallway. “Should I call Chris?”
Aidan sighed. “Yes. Only he can clean up a mess this big. And I want Dana’s home and business to be exactly the way they were before the vampires attacked.”
“What about her neighbors?”
Aidan took a moment to listen. “The woman next door is out of town. And the elderly couple down the street fell asleep with their TV blaring and didn’t hear a thing.”
Ethan took out his cell phone and dialed network headquarters.
“Reordon,” Aidan heard Chris answer.
“It’s Ethan. We need you to send a cleanup crew over to Dana’s home.”
As Ethan gave Chris an abbreviated breakdown of the battle they had just fought, Aidan crouched down beside the sedated vamp and touched his temple.
The vamp’s thoughts and memories were cloudy from the drug and jumbled up by madness. It took Aidan several minutes to sort through it all and find the information he sought.
When he did, he swore.
Ethan ended the call and pocketed his phone. “What?”
We have a problem, Aidan told Ethan telepathically so Heather wouldn’t hear him.
Ethan’s glance went to the doorway, then returned to Aidan. He raised his eyebrows in a What’s up? expression.
Ethan’s mind was wired differently than that of humans and other immortals, leaving it mostly inaccessible to telepaths. Seth, Zach, and David could all read Ethan’s mind if they forced it, but all Aidan and other younger telepaths could do was send thoughts his way. They couldn’t read any he sent back.
I read the vampire’s mind and scoured his memories, Aidan told him, trying to ferret out who sicced him and the others on Dana.
Ethan nodded.
According to his memories, which appear to be real and not planted, Aidan told him, the vampires met with me two hours ago, at which time I instructed them to attack. Contrary to Dana’s vision, they were supposed to only scare the bejesus out of her until I gallantly showed up to rescue her.
Taking out his cell phone again, Ethan typed something on it with his thumbs and turned the screen so Aidan could read it.
Aidan smiled at the foul epithet that stood out in bold type. That’s how I feel about it, too.
Again Ethan typed, then showed Aidan the screen.
That makes you look guilty as hell.
Yes, it does. It makes it look as though I’ve upped my game, as Chris accused, to try to get a female gifted one to fall for me.
Ethan typed some more, then showed Aidan the screen.
Especially after what happened with Veronica.
Yes. And since I wasn’t where I was supposed to be tonight—with you and Heather—you can’t confirm it wasn’t me. Chris will say I could have met with the vampires as soon as Dana fell asleep.
Frustration darkened Ethan’s features. Pacing away a couple of steps, he rubbed his stubbled jaw, then stared down at the unconscious vampire.
After a moment, Ethan picked up the discarded tranq gun and opened the cartridge.
Most tranquilizer guns only held one dart, but when Melanie had begun reproducing the sedative for use against vampires, Chris’s weapons experts had created tranq guns that could hold and fire multiple darts that were also smaller than the norm.
Removing a dart, Ethan closed the cartridge and set the tranq gun back on the counter.
What are you doing? Aidan asked.
Ethan typed his response, then showed it to him.
Buying us time to prove you’re innocent.
Kneeling, he jammed the dart into the unconscious vampire an inch from the other one.
Aidan stared. On top of the other wounds the vamp had suffered, the dose delivered by the second dart would prove lethal.
As if to confirm his thought, the vampire began to shrivel up as the virus inside him devoured him from the inside out.
Ethan rose and typed some more.
If Dana says she only tranqed him once, Chris and the others will assume she was rattled by the battle and just isn’t remembering it correctly. And Seth won’t see the damning memory of you and think you’re guilty.
Which explained why Ethan was typing his responses instead of speaking them aloud—so Heather wouldn’t hear them and be forced to either lie for Aidan (something Seth would see if he read her thoughts) or tell the truth and condemn him.
Why would you do this for me? Aidan asked, astonished that Ethan would risk Seth’s wrath for him like this.
Ethan typed again, then showed Aidan the screen.
You gave me Heather.
Thank you, Aidan said, touched that the younger immortal would risk so much for him.
Smiling, Ethan nodded.
A ripple of power made the hair on the back of Aidan’s neck stand up. “Up here, Seth,” he directed the Immortal Guardians’ leader who was down on the first floor.
Ethan blanked the screen of his phone and tucked it back in his pocket.
Seth’s heavy boots sounded on the stairs and heralded his appearance in the hallway outside the bathroom. “Well,” he said, looking all around. “This is going to throw a wrench into the works. Is Dana all right?”
“Yes,” Aidan, Ethan, and Heather all chorused.
“That isn’t the giant with the really long hair, is it?” Dana whispered.
“If you mean Seth,” Heather answered, amusement entering her voice, “the leader of the Immortal Guardians, then yes.”
“Crap.”
Seth smiled. “I suppose I did make a rather bad impression earlier.” He looked to Aidan. “I’m guessing you ignored my orders and remained here alone with her?”
“Yes. While Dana and I were sleeping, she had a vision that vampires were about to attack. I didn’t want the vampires to prey upon her neighbors, so I teleported to Ethan’s and brought him and Heather here to help us defeat them.”
Seth looked toward the bedroom for a long moment.
Long enough for Aidan to guess he was reading the minds of both Dana and Heather.
Seth’s eyes flashed golden. “Had Ethan and Heather not joined you, the vamps would’ve taken your head.”
“Apparently.”
Seth nodded to the vampire shriveling up on the floor. “That’s the vamp she tranqed?”
Aidan nodded.
Seth sighed. “It would’ve been nice to have read his thoughts and found out who is behind all this.”
Not so much, in this instance, since those thoughts would’ve implicated Aidan.
“Did you read the thoughts of the other vampires?” Seth asked.
Aidan shook his head. “My attention was already divided between killing as many vampires as I could and reading Dana’s mind so I’d know if she needed my help up here.”
“Heather, did you read any of the vampires’ minds?” he asked, looking toward the bedroom.
“No. I was too busy fighting them.”
Seth accepted the bad news with a nod. “Well, let’s hope no more gifted ones disappeared while you were unsupervised, Aidan. Your openly defying my orders, combined with another gifted one’s disappearance, would instantly reinstate Chris’s original assumptions.”
Guilt suffused Aidan. Seth had defended his credibility and Aidan was repaying him with lies. “I’m sorry I defied you, Seth.”
He shrugged. “I defied the Others to be with the woman I loved. I won’t fault you for doing the same.” He cast Aidan a warning look. “This time.”
Message received: don’t fuck up again.
Seth turned away.
Aidan glanced at Ethan, the gravity of their deception weighing on him.
Chap
ter Eleven
Seated on the bed beside Heather, Dana congratulated herself on finally getting her hands to stop shaking.
Until Seth entered the room.
Her heart thumping with nerves, she rose.
Heather rose as well and stood shoulder to shoulder with her, the light contact comforting even though Dana scarcely knew her.
Dana guessed Seth must be at least six feet eight inches tall. He was garbed in the same clothing he’d worn earlier: black pants, a black shirt, and a long black coat. Hair, equally dark, was pulled back with a leather tie, the thick mass dangling down his back to his hips in a ponytail.
Aidan and Ethan entered behind him.
Dana eyed Seth with dread. This man would one day try to kill Aidan. She had seen as much in her vision and was not comfortable having him in her home.
Seth offered her a smile that was startlingly kind. “Hello, Dana. I’m Seth, leader of the Immortal Guardians.” He spoke with an accent that sounded almost British but had a hint of something else in there, too. “I’m sorry we keep meeting under such unpleasant circumstances. I’m sorry, too, that your entrance into our world has been fraught with violence. The difficulties we immortals and our colleagues are currently facing are unprecedented. And it appears you’ve been caught in the middle of it.”
Dana didn’t know how to respond to that, so she opted to remain silent.
Aidan sidestepped Seth and crossed to stand beside her. Giving her a reassuring smile, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
Dana curled an arm around his waist and leaned into his side.
Ethan moved to stand beside Heather.
Seth kept his gaze on Dana. “We’re still trying to understand the most recent problems that have arisen. Until we have sorted things out, I would like you and Aidan to stay with Ethan and Heather.”
Dana straightened. “What?”
Seth motioned to the disintegrating vampires in the hallway. “These vampires targeted you for a reason. Until we determine what that reason may be and eliminate the threat, we must operate on the assumption that more attacks will follow. You and Aidan will not be safe on your own. Your vision showed you as much. Had Ethan and Heather not aided you tonight, you both would’ve been slain. So I’ve asked them to serve as your guard until all is resolved.”
They wanted her to leave her home? Her business?
Dana glanced around. Both were currently riddled with carnage and might have sustained structural damage. Still… “I really have to leave?”
“You don’t have to,” Aidan said gently. “But it would be best if you did. You’ll be safer if we stay with Ethan and Heather.” He brushed her disheveled hair back from her face. “And I need you to be safe, Dana.”
She didn’t doubt his concern for her.
“Please, sweetheart,” he continued. “It’s just temporary until we can defeat the one stirring up all this trouble.”
Nodding slowly, she turned back to Seth. “All right.”
He smiled. “Thank you.”
It was weird. Seth seemed almost nice. Trustworthy. Not at all like someone who would one day try to kill Aidan. She would have to keep her guard up around him.
Then another thought occurred. “Oh crap,” she blurted.
Aidan frowned. “What?”
Heat crept into her cheeks. “I just realized I’m standing here in front of all of you, practically naked.”
Seth and Ethan dropped their gazes to her thin tank top that revealed a lot of cleavage and molded itself to hardened nipples, her short shorts, then hastily looked up at the ceiling.
Aidan stepped in front of her, blocking their view. “Heather, would you grab her something to wear, please?”
Heather dashed over to Dana’s closet, then returned with a button-down shirt and a pair of jeans.
Once Dana finished donning them, she stepped to Aidan’s side and took his hand.
Seth motioned to the broken glass, splintered furniture, and damage around them. “The network of humans who aid us will clean this up and restore your home and business to their original state while you’re away. The network will also compensate you for whatever financial losses you will face by not being able to conduct business until you can return. Whatever you expect to earn during that time, we will pay you tenfold to make up for the inconvenience and for any difficulties you may face in pacifying your customers.”
Dana stared at him. “Seriously?”
He nodded.
Skillet’s “Monster” suddenly began to play. Seth dug a cell phone out of his pocket and raised it to his ear. Dana didn’t recognize the language he spoke before he tucked the phone away again.
“I have to go,” he said, striding forward. “I’m needed in Zimbabwe.”
Dana tightened her hold on Aidan’s hand, still not trusting Seth.
“You’ll have to release him for a moment,” Seth informed her gently.
When Aidan nodded for her to let him go, she did so with great reluctance.
Seth rested a hand on Aidan’s chest.
Aidan hissed in a breath.
Dana frowned as the moment stretched.
Then Seth withdrew his touch and stepped back.
“Thank you,” Aidan said.
Seth nodded with a faint smile. “Don’t drive to Ethan and Heather’s place. Teleport. And do so as soon as Dana finishes packing a bag.”
“We will.”
Seth vanished.
Dana gasped.
“I so wish I could do that,” Heather proclaimed with a broad grin.
Ethan smiled. “Me, too.”
Dana turned to Aidan. “What did he do to you when he put his hand on you?”
“He healed my wounds and infused me with energy so I’ll be able to teleport you all to Ethan’s without difficulty.”
“So your wounds are gone now?”
“Yes.”
She eyed him curiously and noted the gash along his jawline had disappeared. “What does the energy part feel like?”
Aidan looked thoughtful for a moment. “I suppose it’s similar to a mortal downing a hell of a lot of caffeine.”
Unbelievably, amusement trickled through her. “So you’re going to start bouncing off the walls now?” She glanced around and grimaced. “Or what’s left of them.”
“I’m sorry, Dana.”
She shook her head, not liking the remorse that haunted his features. “It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t tell them to attack. And you saved my life.” She glanced at the others. “You all did. Thank you.”
Heather smiled. “Why don’t I help you get some things together to take to our place?”
Dana liked Heather and was a little surprised that the woman being an immortal didn’t bother her anymore. She just seemed so normal. Except for the killing-vampires thing. “Thank you. I’d appreciate that. My mind is all over the place right now, so I’ll probably forget something if I pack alone.”
Aidan touched her arm. “Don’t forget your computer or whatever you store your client information and schedule on. You’ll have to cancel all your upcoming appointments and reschedule them later.”
Great. “I should call Marietta, too.”
“Your neighbor?”
“Yes. She’s going to freak out when she gets back and sees the damage done over here. I was actually supposed to be watching her place.” Eyes widening, she looked up at Aidan. “Oh crap. Did the vampires trash her place, too?”
“No. Just yours. But don’t worry. Everything will be repaired by week’s end and I’ll have the network guards watch both places for you.”
“Thank you.”
It didn’t take long for Dana and Heather to pack a bag. The immortals seemed to harbor some doubt that all this would be resolved swiftly. So Dana packed a week’s worth of clothes, her laptop, cell phone, iPad, iPod, toothbrush, hairbrush, and comb.
“I don’t know what else to take,” she admitted. “I’m not sure what I’ll be doing there.”
He
ather smiled and motioned to the bag. “This is fine. If you need anything we don’t have at our place, Ed can get it for you.” She turned to Aidan. “Will Brodie be joining us?”
“Most likely,” Aidan replied.
Dana zipped the bag closed. “Who are Ed and Brodie?”
“Our Seconds,” Aidan explained. “Seth assigns every Immortal Guardian a Second, or human guard, to protect him or her during the day and lend some semblance of normalcy so nosy neighbors won’t ask too many questions when they only see us at night.”
Dana studied him. “So Seconds are like Dracula’s Renfield or Blade’s Whistler?”
He smiled. “Yes.”
Heather grimaced. “Only they don’t eat bugs.”
Aidan regarded her with surprise. “What?”
Heather shrugged. “In some of the Dracula movies I’ve seen, the Renfields were rancid guys who ate bugs.”
Aidan looked at Dana with something akin to alarm. “Brodie isn’t like that,” he insisted, as though he feared she’d think the worst. “Ed isn’t either. They’re like Sheldon.”
Ethan laughed. “Only older, wiser and much more competent.”
Heather grinned. “In other words, they’re like Tracy.”
The immortals all laughed.
Dana smiled. “Well, I guess I’m ready then.”
Aidan grasped the handle of her bag, then wrapped his arm around her and drew her up against his side.
Ethan did the same with Heather.
Then Aidan rested his free hand on Ethan’s shoulder.
Dana looked up at him, a little nervous about the whole teleportation thing. What exactly did that entail? Disassembling all their molecules, then reassembling them somewhere else?
That sounded pretty terrifying.
Aidan dipped his head and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Teleportation is fun. Once you get used to it, I think you’ll like it.”
“If you say so,” she responded and forced a smile.
His eyes crinkled at the corners.
Darkness abruptly swallowed her. The floor seemed to fall away beneath her feet as an odd feeling of weightlessness struck, much like that she sometimes experienced in an elevator. A second later, she found herself standing in a large, brightly lit, tastefully decorated living room.
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