“Wow.”
He turned around and stopped. “Holy fuck.” Hanging from the ceiling was the biggest crystal chandelier Merrick had ever seen. It probably cost more than Sydney’s car.
“I think I might reconsider working for Vander.” He crept deeper into the house, eyes still on the chandelier.
“That’s not funny,” Sydney called from another room. “Now start searching.”
He found her in a room with a grand piano and a china cabinet full of more crystal. “How about a quickie on the piano first?”
Sydney looked up from where she was searching an old fashioned desk. “I’m serious.”
“So am I,” he said. “Don’t tell me the offer doesn’t appeal to you.”
Her eyes flickered to the piano then back to him. “Fine, it does appeal to me — a lot.”
His blood quickened at her admission.
“But we don’t have time. We’re being watched, remember? Regina could be standing right outside.”
The use of Regina’s name was like a bucket of cold water. She was right. What the hell was wrong with him?
It had to be the celibacy. Now that he’d had a taste of what he’d been missing he was like a sex fiend.
Or maybe it was just the woman in question. His eyes followed Sydney as she searched in the top of the grand piano. She had to bend over to look inside. His gaze fastened on her ass. He remembered the feel of her in his hands, how she felt pushed up against him as he slid inside her.
His jaw clenched. It had to be Sydney. He’d never been this consumed by a woman before. Every move she made was somehow erotic to him. He wanted to drag her beneath him and take her and screw whoever was watching. He wanted her with a longing that traveled all the way down to his soul.
He’d do anything for her, which included finding this damn journal so that Vander would leave them the hell alone. Once it was gone Vander would have no use for Merrick. And if Vander tried to kill him then he’d hide Sydney away and deal with Vander himself. He’d love nothing more than to beat the shit out of the man who’d held him in captivity for four months.
Resolved to get the job done, he strode to Sydney. “Find anything suspicious?” he asked.
She pulled her head out of the piano and shook her head. “I don’t even know what the inside of a piano is supposed to look like, so I have no idea if something is out of place.”
He took a look inside, searching for any kind of cuts in the wood. “I don’t see anything.”
He moved over to the piano bench and lifted the seat. He only found worn music sheets.
“Try pressing the keys,” Sydney suggested.
Merrick arched his brow, a smirk playing at his lips. Her time around Joel was showing. “You think there’s some kind of hidden bat cave in here?”
She looked down sheepishly. “You never know.”
“Let’s keep looking and if we don’t find anything I’ll try the piano.” Merrick methodologically started his way around the house, fingers skimming any and all surfaces for some kind of clue. Sydney trailed behind him with nothing to do but wait. She volunteered to search other rooms but with no idea where Regina was or when she’d strike he wanted Sydney close by.
Forty-five minutes later, Merrick’s brain was overloaded with pointless thoughts and visions of everyday life from when Collette used to live in her home. Her thoughts continuously circled her work, Kevin, and Felix. Sometimes he caught brief flashes of Cali in her thoughts and feelings but he never strayed long enough to get the full vision. It wasn’t until his hand was tracing the edges of her jewelry box in the master bedroom that he found something.
Sydney slammed into his back when he came to an abrupt halt. “You found something?”
He closed his eyes and watched in his mind as Collette gathered valuable necklaces to put in the safe buried beneath the carpet of her closet.
“Fuck, yes.” Merrick flew to the large walk-in. Shit, it was as big as his kitchen.
“Wow.” Sydney stood mesmerized by the shelf upon shelf of shoes.
He snapped his fingers in front of her face. “Not now. I need your help.” He dropped to the floor and crawled his hands along the carpet until he found a faint impression of Collette pulling the carpet up.
“Is that a safe?” Sydney knelt beside him and took the peeled back carpet without needing to be asked. She held it out of his way as he pressed his fingers against the keypad.
A few seconds later he typed in the code.
“I can’t believe you found it.” Sydney bounced excitedly.
“We’re not out of the woods yet,” he said, but still his adrenaline was pumping. Could this be it? Had they found Kevin’s journal? Was this whole ordeal finally at an end?
As soon as he lifted back the lid he knew that wasn’t the case. There was no beat up spiral notebook to be found.
“So?” Sydney tried to look over the opened door but couldn’t quite make it. “What’s in there?”
Merrick dug his hand in and came out with envelopes and jewelry.
Sydney’s nose wrinkled. “That’s it?”
An object slid out of his hand and landed back in the safe with a clank. He and Sydney looked at each other before he dived back in to retrieve the object.
“What is it?”
“It’s a key.” He closed his fingers around it. Collette’s thoughts briefly flickered through his mind. It was obvious she never really touched the key. It was something of Kevin’s. “It’s a key to a lock at a storage lot.”
“Do you know which one?” Sydney got to her feet with him.
He tucked the key into his pocket. “I think so.”
They made their way downstairs. Sydney paused by the front door.
“What is it?”
She stepped away so he could see the handle. It wasn’t locked.
Son of a bitch.
“Are you using your powers?”
“Yes.” Her eyes darted around, on the alert. There wasn’t a soul in sight.
“It must’ve been Jente,” said Sydney.
Merrick swore under his breath. “How much do you think he heard?”
“Enough. He’s gone now but just in case he tries to follow us I’ll keep my Shield up.”
He nodded. It was all they could do.
He fisted the key in his pocket. “Let’s go see where this leads us.”
• • •
The storage facility was deserted.
Merrick leaned out the driver’s window and typed in the code for the gate. It opened with an ominous rattle.
“Are you sure this is the right place?” Sydney asked as they drove through.
Merrick circled around the back, scanning the storage numbers until he found what he was looking for. “I’m positive,” he told her as he shut off the car.
The storage unit that Kevin possessed wasn’t exposed to the outside. They had to go through another door that opened into a dim lit hallway. Storage units lined both sides.
Sydney wrapped both arms around herself as if to ward off the chill. She eyed one of the broken light bulbs and swallowed. “I don’t like it in here.”
He counted down the cells until they reached Kevin’s. “We’ll be out soon enough,” he promised her and took the lock in his hand. The key slid in easy enough. He exchanged a look with Sydney and then gave a twist.
The lock popped open. Merrick flashed a grin over his shoulder. Sydney smiled right back.
He threw up the metal shutters that kept the storage unit enclosed. Boxes upon boxes were stacked everywhere. Christmas decorations were abandoned in a far corner along with a beach cruiser bike.
Merrick stepped into the dark storage cubby. He caught sight of a flashlight and clicked it on. “I think you’re going to have to drop your Shields, Syd. None of these boxes are labeled.”
She stepped in with him. “They’re down and I’ll help you move some boxes.”
He leaned over and kissed her. Her lips met his eagerly, soft and pliant.
“We’re probably going to get dusty and dirty so prepare for a shower when we get back,” he said.
Her eyes darkened with desire. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Merrick’s groin tightened. “Then what the hell are we waiting for? Let’s find this damn journal and get out of here.”
• • •
Merrick dropped a box by Sydney’s feet out in the hallway. He wiped his forehead with the sleeve of his shirt. The storage unit was now divided with boxes they’d opened and checked and boxes they hadn’t. “What are we on?” he asked. “Lucky number twenty-three?”
Sydney started in on the box lid. “No idea.”
She’d just pulled a flap free when the door at the end of the hall opened.
Merrick froze as a man he’d never seen before poked his head in. He spotted Merrick and Sydney before opening the door wider to let in more light.
“Is that your unit?” the man hollered down the hall.
Merrick squinted against the bright sun. He snatched up the lock and key from the floor and held it up.
The man nodded. “Just checking. We’ve had a couple breakins the past few weeks.” He held the door open for a few seconds longer than necessary before letting it close behind him.
Sydney shot him a worried glance. “That was a little weird.”
He returned to the box and ripped it the rest of the way open. “We should hurry. I don’t trust him. I couldn’t tell if he was wearing a uniform or not. He could have been putting on an act for all we know.”
“Merrick … ” Sydney’s voice drew his attention back to the box and he blinked as notebook upon notebook stared him in the face. “We found it.”
“No shit.” He picked up a worn red spiral and closed his eyes. Kevin’s thoughts and emotions bombarded him. He dropped the journal and held onto the box. He frowned.
Someone else knew about this box. Had been —
The door at the end of the hall flew open. Merrick shot to his feet.
A faint click came from his left. Jente appeared a second later, gun raised. “Don’t move.”
“How the hell — ?” Merrick started to ask but he stopped. He remembered the man holding the door open as if for no reason. Now it looked like he did have a reason — he’d been holding it open to allow Jente in. And with Sydney not using her Shields so he could get readings off the boxes it was the perfect plan.
He cursed under his breath.
Regina and gang strode down the hall toward them. Regina smiled seductively at him. Merrick’s stomach turned. He eyed the box of notebooks then glanced at Sydney. Her green eyes were wide. Her gaze darted down to the box as if to ask, “What do we do? The box is right there.”
He held his hand out and gestured for them to stay put. If they wanted any kind of chance to get away without being shot they needed to wait until everyone was within grabbing distance. Human shields were a wondrous thing. He’d grab Regina the first chance he got. She could use a few more holes in her.
Sydney carefully got to her feet.
Jente pointed the gun at her. “Don’t even think about using your powers.”
She nodded shakily.
Merrick growled protectively. If Jente so much as harmed one hair on Sydney’s head he’d kill him.
“Well, well,” Regina cooed. “I didn’t think you went for the ones built like children.” She raked her gaze over Sydney’s petite frame, sneering.
Sydney glared at her.
“Cut the bullshit, Regina, and get the damn box,” Jente said, bored. “I’ve got more important things to do than take care of your assignments.”
Regina’s face darkened. She motioned with her hand and a few unknowns from the back of the group came forward to get the box. Regina stared down at all the notebooks. “What kind of grown man keeps this many journals?”
“One on the brink of insanity,” Sydney snapped at her.
Regina shrugged. “You’d think if he could look into the future he’d write down winning lottery numbers or something.”
“Hurry the fuck up,” Jente said, exacerbated.
Merrick watched his gun hand. The men bent down to lift the box. His gaze locked with Sydney’s. He looked from her to the metal bat they’d unearthed in the storage unit then back to her. She gave the smallest nod.
With the box in their hands the two men couldn’t do anything. Merrick lunged for Regina. He grasped her around the shoulders and swung her into Jente. The two collided. A shot went off. A light bulb exploded. Sydney yelped and grabbed the bat. She swung for the nearest man and hit him in the knee.
He fell, and the box of notebooks tipped. Journals went everywhere.
Regina screamed. “Pick them up.”
Light burst into the hallway once more as the door was wrenched open. More hired muscle funneled in. They were going to run out of space fast. Merrick scrambled for where Jente was getting to his feet. He tried to surprise him from the back but the kid was fast on his feet. As if he sensed Merrick behind him, he spun and smacked him across the face with the butt of the gun.
Pain exploded along his jaw but he ignored it as he grabbed Jente’s wrist and twisted.
Jente hissed in pain.
Merrick twisted harder.
Jente grit his teeth but eventually he dropped the gun.
Merrick dropped to get it and received a knee to the stomach. He did his best to push the pain away. With one hand clutching his abdomen he grabbed the gun and pitched it into the far corner of Kevin’s storage unit where it fell behind a mountain of boxes.
Hands grabbed him from behind and nearly pulled him off his feet. He relaxed his body and dropped like dead weight. The men staggered. Merrick kicked back and heard a grunt.
“Merrick!” Sydney shouted.
He looked up and saw her holding the bat like she was ready to hit a home run. Jente and Regina were fleeing with the box, the man Sydney had nailed in the knee hobbling after them.
As if noticing the others making a run for it, the men holding Merrick threw him into Sydney. He caught her in his arms and together they crashed into the box towers.
“Are you hurt?” he asked her immediately.
She pushed herself up. “I’m okay. Merrick, we have to get that box back.” She started to run after them.
He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back. “Easy. No we don’t.”
She frowned at his calm expression. “What do you mean ‘no we don’t’? They have Kevin’s journals.”
“True, but they don’t have the journal.” He smiled. “Now come on, we should leave. We got what we needed.”
“We did?”
He ushered her out and locked up. There was no sign of Regina and their thugs. Good riddance.
“Merrick, I’m confused,” Sydney said as they made their way back to her car.
“I’ll explain everything, I promise, but first call Felix and see if he’s home. We need to plan and we don’t have that much time. I don’t know how long it’ll take for Vander to realize the journal he’s looking for isn’t in the box.”
“What do you mean it’s not in the box? There were tons of journals in that box.”
He pulled out of the storage facility. “I know, but the one Vander’s looking for isn’t among them. I saw someone else get to the box before we did. I think Felix was right. Whatever Kevin saw he didn’t want Vander to get his hands on his Mirror Mate. A trusted friend of Kevin’s took the journal. He’s the one who has it. His name is Greg Kelley.”
• • •
Sydney sat back and watched as Merrick told Felix and Luke what had transpired at the storage facility and Collette’s home. They were still waiting for Niella and Cali, but Merrick didn’t want to wait. Time was limited. The longer Vander believed he had the right journal the more time they had to find the real one without having to look over their shoulders.
Sydney had to admit it was nice to not have to worry about Shielding because Jente was hiding out in the bushes. She doubted any Krato
s Guild member was within a ten mile radius of them.
She pulled out her phone and checked it. She’d texted Joel to meet at Felix’s as soon as possible but she hadn’t heard back.
Cali and Niella burst through the front door as if someone was hot on their tail. They both instantly sought her out. “Where’s your idiot boyfriend?” Niella demanded.
Sydney’s eyes went to Merrick before she realized it.
“Not your Mirror Mate, I mean Joel. Where is he? Have you heard from him?”
“What’s a Mirror Mate?” she heard Luke whisper to Felix.
Felix shushed him.
“I haven’t heard from Joel.” Her stomach started to sink. “Why? Did you Dream about him?”
Cali swore.
It was all the answer she needed.
Niella expression looked pained. “Vander has him,” she said gently.
Felix exploded. “What? When the fuck did this happen?”
Niella looked lost; it was a rare show of vulnerability on her part. “I don’t know. All I know is that he’s about to be in pain. At first I thought it was emotional pain — that you finally grew a pair and broke it off with him, but you haven’t heard from him.” She looked ill. “Which means the pain I saw was physical.”
Chapter 23
Joel awoke groggily to the swaying sensation of being in the back of a car. “Fucking hell.” He grabbed his head as it throbbed. What the hell had happened?
He remembered the café, the interview, being given the job, and shaking his employer’s hand. They’d walked out together when he’d started stumbling.
His coffee.
They’d drugged his coffee.
Motherfuckers.
How long had he been out?
He couldn’t see anything in the back of the van. There were no windows and his phone was missing.
His eyes felt dried out and he went to rub them before remembering the contacts. He pulled them out, his eyes tearing up. He rubbed his eyes. His hands weren’t tied together. Neither were his feet.
He didn’t know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. On the one hand it could be a good thing because he could fight his way out of there. On the other hand he might not be tied up because whoever was holding him had powers and could easily take him out — thus he wasn’t a threat and there was no need to tie him up.
Guild of Truth 02 - Shield from the Heart Page 21