by Judith Leger
It didn’t help.
She didn’t care for the location of her apartment but her foster parents, Bill and Annie Reynolds, had sold it to her for an excellent price. They were good to her, and she missed seeing their loving faces every day. Both had died instantly in an automobile crash a couple of years ago.
Since counting was useless, she wondered what advice Annie would give her about Shay. Caitlyn smiled, imaging her foster mother’s gentle, caring voice warning her to be careful around strangers. Annie had warned they might take advantage of her. At the memory of her foster parents, Caitlyn relaxed, rested her forearms on the banister and looked up at the sky. No stars tonight. The ever-present haze over Los Angeles prevented the light from shining through.
Yes, she needed to be careful around Evers. She had to keep that in mind during the interview. Determination pulled back her shoulders. She would succeed and move forward with her life. She’d promised Bill and Annie that they didn’t need to worry about her. She intended to fulfill her promise.
Faint music floated on the night air, bringing her gaze to the street corner. There, a man leaned against the lamppost. Dark hair fell around his broad shoulder; his slim build was hidden under a black overcoat. The sight of him shot a tingle through her stomach. Something about him seemed familiar.
Loose-limbed, he moved away from the corner to a sleek black sports car parked at the curb. He strode around the front of the car, opened the door and slipped in. The engine ignited, and the car took off.
Her gaze stayed riveted on the vehicle until it disappeared down the street. She sagged once it sped out of sight.
Rest. She needed rest. Her imagination was running away with her. The man reminded her of Shay with his shape and the way he moved, but that didn’t mean the stranger with the car was the illusionist. Right now, Evers was on board his jet, hours away from here, heading for Wales. There wasn’t any way he was still in Los Angeles, much less outside her apartment. Besides, he didn’t know where she lived.
Determined to unwind before Kramer arrived, she headed inside and grabbed the remote. She glanced at the television and froze.
On the screen, Shay Evers sat behind the wheel of a black sports car. The door opened, and he stepped out wearing a long dark coat. He stared at the camera for a second, then he grinned and winked.
The remote fell from her numb fingers, and she was unable to stop staring at the screen as the edges of the room narrowed under the onslaught of darkness.
Chapter 10
“Don’t play games with her.”
Shay shifted and opened his eyes. He stretched his legs and propped his feet on the seat across from him in an attempt to keep his body relaxed. Damn Rhys. He knew what Shay had been doing, and he had the gall to interrupt. Determined not to let the older man sense his tension, he rolled his head against the seat.
Caitlyn.
Guilt seared him. He glanced at Rhys. The tall blond radiated anger as he continued to speak, pacing back and forth in the plane’s luxurious interior.
“First the tale about the tree, and now you’re seducing her along with frightening her. Do not make the mistake of pushing me too far, my boy. I could cause the thorns to grow inward on you. I don’t believe you would care for that.” His tone sent a chill down Shay’s back. Deadly sincerity edged each word.
“You forget whose help you need,” Shay murmured. Exhausted from the constant pouring of magic into his music and illusions, he didn’t need the added distraction of Rhys’s demands. “Do your worst, it doesn’t matter. You can’t hurt me any more than I already hurt. Just remember, you need me. How else are you going to bring her home?”
Rhys crossed the distance between them in a second, gripped the sides of Shay’s chair and leaned in close. In that second, he realized he’d pushed him too far this time.
The older man spoke through clenched teeth. “My worst? You could not imagine my worst. You stole my daughter. My child. Your sentence is light compared to what I truly wished to enforce, but Myrielle insisted you were repentant for your part in Caitlyn’s kidnapping. I never believed it was true. You may have fooled my wife, but I have no doubt you were aware of your actions.”
“How many times do I have to tell you, I didn’t know what Gwyneth was going to do–”
Rhys cut him off with a foul curse. “Liar. Enough. No matter what you say, I will never believe you. I trusted you like a brother, but you betrayed me.”
He straightened, his features cooling into the royal mask he often wore, and took a step backward. “Right now, I have ordered you to perform the simple task of opening Caitlyn’s magic enough to allow her entry into our home dimension. This does not include frightening her, nor does it give you the right to seduce her. You take the chance of closing her heart completely, and we will never reach her. Do you wish that?”
Shay eyed his old friend. The pain still remained in his blue gaze. Rhys would never forgive him, and the agony caused by the loss of such a lasting friendship coursed through Shay. The older man had been the same as a brother to him.
“No. I want to bring her home, even if it means I will spend eternity within the confines of the blackthorn. I have to do this as penance for my conscience.”
“I suggest you open her awareness slowly. The dream was all right until you allowed her to kiss you. I don’t want her falling in love with you. Her heart will be broken once she is delivered from the curse. Also, the game you played afterward was foolish and dangerous. Don’t make that mistake again.”
Shay refused to respond. Caitlyn wasn’t a fool. He had sensed a realistic attitude in her, and this added strength to her disbelief. A little mental anguish on her part would be worthwhile if she was to believe in magic. Her system needed jarring, either through fear or seduction, which emotion it took didn’t matter to him as long as her power was awakened. It was obvious Rhys would never agree to him seducing her, yet the older man didn’t seem to understand there were cracks in the spell surrounding her. He doubted Rhys would change his mind if he told him.
He glanced at his watch. Two weeks. All the time she had left in this and every other world. He had to make headway with her so she could cope once she returned to her home dimension in the Sidhe.
Time. He needed more time, yet there was no more. Unless he found a better way to reveal the magic in her, she would die. The spell the bitch had placed on the newborn had a limit to it. If Caitlyn didn’t return to the Sidhe and solve a riddle by her twenty-fifth birthday, she would fade into oblivion. He refused to allow that to happen. He silently went through a windstorm of melodies and lyrics in an effort to find a surer way to save her.
Shay cut a glance at the blond who now sat at the other end of the plane. Rhys had told him not to allow her to fall in love with him. Perhaps, passion was the key to unlock the magic in her heart. He allowed the conscious level of his mind to speed through his music, while his darker consciousness planned a method of seducing Caitlyn. He just hoped he didn’t fall under the same spell he wove for her.
* * * *
Hammering vibrated in Caitlyn’s head. She forced a crack in her eyelids and stared at the fabric strands in the area rug under her sofa. The pounding increased in volume and someone shouted her name.
Disoriented, groaning, she rose up on one arm and shook her head, trying to clear her mind. Was her foster father building something again?
The noise continued. She glanced at the door. In a second, the present snapped into place. Kramer beat on her door, not Bill Reynolds, her last foster father, but her boss. The clock on the DVD player displayed three thirty. She was late. Legs trembling, she stood and crossed the room to fight with the bolts and lock. Constraints gone, the door opened without a sound.
“You overslept.” Kramer’s frowning face wavered in front of her for a bare second. She blinked to clear her vision and stepped out of the way to let her boss enter.
“Sorry,” she muttered. “I couldn’t sleep earlier. I must have dozed off. Give m
e a few minutes to get ready.”
“Hurry up. The plane’s ready to leave at four thirty. You don’t want to screw this up by being late. It’s a good thing I told Blake to meet us there. That’ll save some time.” Kramer propelled her away from the door. He shut it before heading into the kitchen, while she climbed to her bedroom loft.
The stairs swam before her eyes. She gripped the handrail and forced her body up, too tired to race to the second floor like usual.
A suitcase lay open on the full size bed in the same spot she’d left it last night. Only a few minor items and she could close the lid. The deep green linen pantsuit she decided last night to wear lay next to the suitcase.
She looked around the room. She fought to weave through the sleep-induced haze in her mind, trying to understand what had happened last night. Her memory after she’d sat down to watch the DVD no longer came to her. The time prior to her waking up remained a void, much like dreamless sleep.
The sight of her dark trench coat draped over the back of a nearby chair stopped her. Memories flooded through her.
Shay Evers.
In an instant, the image of his tall figure dressed in the dark overcoat appeared. He grinned. And the memory of his touch, the kiss–heat rushed to her face.
Had she imagined the man or had it been nothing but a dream? She rubbed her temple with trembling fingers. What was happening to her? Doubts poured through her. Was this interview really a good idea?
“Hurry up, Reiley.” Kramer’s commanding voice held a steely note.
She couldn’t let him down, let the station down. Everyone there needed the financial and emotional boost this interview promised. No one, especially Kramer, would ever understand about a small problem like her unstable sanity.
It was just her imagination. She repeated the word under her breath while she dressed and finished packing. Calmer now, she grabbed the coat and suitcase. She refused to believe the events of the night before. She wouldn’t allow anything to affect her decision to continue with the interview. Head up and jaw clenched, she hurried down the stairs.
“You ready?” Kramer stood on the other side of the counter separating the living area from the kitchen. Steam escaped the cup he cradled in his hand.
“Just about. Pour me one, will you? I have to grab my computer and extra thumb drives.”
Relieved her voice didn’t reveal any signs of the tension occupying her thoughts, Caitlyn set the bag next to the door. She glanced at the television and hesitated. She wasn’t sure if she should take the DVDs with her. They were supposed to help her understand Shay as an illusionist. Most artists allowed their emotions and inner desires to seep through their work, which was why she’d tried to watch one last night. Her throat constricted with unease at the idea of viewing them again.
She needed to watch and listen to them without a repeat of last night. This needed to stop. All of it was her imagination. She steeled her muscles and strode to the player, pressed the button, removed the DVD, and snatched the other two off the player.
“Here you go,” Kramer spoke from behind her.
She pivoted. The angry glower in his eyes forced her to take step back, her body stiffened in defense. He had every right to be upset at her for not being ready, but the look on his face along with the glare in his eyes sent stronger, threatening messages.
“Thanks.” She held out the DVDs with one hand while she took the coffee in her other. “Would you put these in my carry-on? I’ll watch them on the flight over.”
“Sure. I turned the pot off and rinsed it. Finish and let’s go.” He turned away and headed to the door.
Caitlyn studied him for a second, confounded with his abrupt actions and words. She shook her head. A sip from the cup perked her up a little. She had to stop this sudden paranoia. Kramer was Kramer. He was as abrupt as always.
After one last check around the apartment, she drained the cup and hurried to the door, her laptop case hanging from its strap over her shoulder. She breezed past Kramer and waited for him to step out. She inserted and turned her key in the lock.
No looking back. This interview provided her ticket to the big time, and she wouldn’t allow her insecurities to stand in her way. She followed Kramer to the elevator, determined to fight the new and sudden emotions flooding her.
On the way to the airport, she stared at the scenery flying by with blind eyes. A road leading to the private planes veered to the right past the main entrance. Kramer accelerated on the stretch from the gate to the hanger with a huge E stenciled on the door. He screeched to a halt just past the open doors. The internal lights reflected off the chrome and white paint on the plane.
“There it is. Not bad, huh?” He threw the shift into park and opened his door. “You’re traveling first class, Reiley.”
She stared at the sleek jet. Hanger lights cast illuminating shades across the plane’s sides, giving it the appearance of silvery flames shooting away from the wings and sides.
She sat still, hand gripping the car’s door handle. This was it. All she had to do was pull the handle. The door would open. She’d get out, go to the plane. Get in. The skin on her forehead and her palms dampened. Shay Evers waited at the end of this flight. He caused her uneasiness, and yet, he was her chance for advancement. Her chin lifted. She wanted this.
A quick tap on the window jerked her from her thoughts. Blake Myers, her photographer, opened the door and squatted in the opening.
“Moving too fast? We’ll be in Wales in no time on that baby.”
His familiar grin brought her a measure of calmness. She didn’t try to hide the slight tremble in her voice. “Much too fast. I think I’m losing it.”
“No. Just nerves. That’s all. Don’t worry, sugar, I’ll be with you the whole way. I won’t let the boogie man eat you.”
Caitlyn smiled. Blake thought in terms of Shay Evers, but what would he say if she told him about what happened during the night?
“I’ll hold you to that promise.” She let him help her out of the car and followed him to the stairs leading into the jet.
“This is it, Reiley,” Kramer said from behind her. “Call me when you arrive. Here, take this.” He handed her a white plastic bag containing a cellphone and accessories. Reaching inside, she removed the phone while he continued. “It has full coverage. Don’t worry about the charges.”
“Right,” Caitlyn said. The phone was solid in her hand, a firm reminder of what she needed to accomplish. “Well, guess we’d better go. The plane won’t wait.”
She climbed the steps and entered the open hatch. A low gasp escaped from her as she stared around at the rich interior. With Shay’s wealth, she shouldn’t have been surprised, but she’d never flown on such luxurious plane. Was that a wet bar over there? Yes, the bar seats matched the passenger ones. The natural hue of the beige leather seats, positioned on cream colored carpet, eased her rattled nerves. Two occupants sitting close to the cockpit turned to face her. Caitlyn’s eyes widened when she looked at one of them.
Marcy stood and met her in the aisle. With a confused expression on her face, she asked. “What are you doing here?”
Caitlyn stared, speechless.
“Catey. Hey, are you home or what?” Marcy waved a hand in front of her eyes.
She blinked. “The interview. Remember? I told you I had an important interview.”
Her friend’s eyes rounded, and her mouth fell open. “The interview is with Evers?”
Caitlyn fidgeted.
“You never said a word last night. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I didn’t want you to become all excited. Something might have happened to cause the deal to fall through.” Caitlyn brushed past and set her small bag on the floor near one of the other seats. “What are you doing here?”
“Dafydd asked me to go with him.”
Caitlyn frowned.
“Shay’s music tech. Hello–the one I went home with last night. I thought, what the heck? I called my boss, woke him a
nd told him I quit,” Marcy said with a wicked grin.
“Why did you quit? You liked that job.” Caitlyn wasn’t really surprised by her friend’s actions. She flitted from one position to the next like a butterfly among flowers. The woman didn’t know the meaning of job security.
“Waitress jobs are a dime a dozen. I’m not worried,” Marcy said. “I’ll find something else when I get back.”
“When are you going to settle down? You can’t keep going through life without a solid purpose.” At times, she felt older and more mature than her friend even though they were the same age.
Marcy’s expression froze. After a second, she grinned. “I don’t have any intention of growing up. It’s what keeps me young. Come on, Catey, lighten up. You must be really stressed over this interview. Is that what you and Evers were talking about last night?”
Caitlyn sighed. Marcy was impossible. She saw only what she wanted to see. Good times were important to her and to heck with the future. “Yes, among other things.”
A restless movement from the front caught her attention. “Uh, your guy seems impatient. Go keep him company. I need to start taking notes on the interview. We’ll talk about all this later.”
Marcy glanced over her shoulder. Caitlyn followed her gaze to look at the good-looking blond stretched out in his seat with a foot tapping the seat back. Marcy squeezed her forearm. “Sure. Don’t get too weighed down by this assignment. I’d hate to lose my best friend because she can’t handle a man like Shay Evers.”
Caitlyn’s brows shot up. “What’s that supposed to mean? You make it sound like I’m going to die or something.”
“No, not that. He just seems like someone who isn’t showing his true face. I don’t know, call it a gut instinct. Be careful around him. There’s more to him than he’s letting on.” Dafydd called to her. Marcy groaned. “Come over in a little while and I’ll introduce you, but hands off. This one is all mine,” she said, twirling around and grinning at the music tech.