The Daughters started entering the front hall. Cass saw Sidney walking beside a tall, enhanced blond. There was no way either the hair color or those breasts were natural. Cass had to wonder about her beauty as well. A lot of it seemed to come from the FM shoes and clothes as well as the makeup department. She was rubbing her forehead as she paused near the Native American statue.
“I can’t figure out why I have this running through my head.” She looked at Sidney, her confusion clear enough to wrinkle her otherwise perfect brow. “What is a jagger and why would I want to move like one?”
Sidney’s eyes lit with humor, but her response showed no sign of it. “I don’t know, Phoibe, why don’t you Google it?”
The blond nodded and walked away still rubbing her head. Cass’ smile was fleeting. Glad she’d given the nosy woman a headache.
Sidney smiled as the woman moved next to an Aeterni, one Cass didn’t know. She turned back to Sidney in time to see her touch the statue’s arm. When he leaned down, she whispered in his ear.
Without so much as a flicker of interest, the man turned and walked toward the dining room door, Sidney on his heels. Since he was moving her direction after Sidney talked to him, Cass could only assume he was looking for her. She stepped away from the door, out of sight before anyone could see her. Not that it mattered, the man didn’t open the door any farther than needed. For such a large man, he walked with a silent, fluent stride. Despite his boots, he didn’t make a sound as he crossed the polished wood floor.
He held out his hand and took hers in a firm handshake. “Cassandra.” His voice was as dark as the rest of him, and just as exotic. “Sidney tells me you are the lovely topic of our earlier conversation. I’m Micah Windwalker, head of security for the Circle as well as a member.”
“Uh, hi.” Cass turned to Sidney as she took her hand back from the giant of a man. What was going on? Had Sidney betrayed her?
Sidney shook her head. “Don’t worry, Cass, I’m on your side, honest. I can’t begin to tell you how appalled I am by my father’s actions. I’d love to be able to say I can’t believe he wanted you dead, but I can. He’s always been a mystery to me. He’s been around on the periphery my entire life, but I barely knew him until he insisted I move in with him when I started to work for him. Even living with him, I’ve never gotten to know him. Except for dinners, he keeps to his rooms.”
“Sidney, he doesn’t just want me dead, he was my kidnapper. I recognized his voice.”
The younger woman stared at her and the man raised a dark heavy brow in silent question.
“I swear it was him.” Cass pinched the bridge of her nose and said the one thing she’d been trying to puzzle out despite the stupid song still swirling around, refusing to let go so she could think clearly. “I don’t understand why he changed me and now he wants to kill me.”
“Did you see him?” Micah asked.
“No, Keegan told me to keep the door cracked and out of sight, but it was him. I recognized his voice. I heard it every day I was kidnapped. I’ll never forget it.”
Micah nodded and pulled his phone out of his pocket.
“I’m so sorry, Cass. I know my father’s an ass, but I never would’ve expected this of him.”
Sidney looked scared, and Cass realized she had reason to. “Have you ever felt sick, Sidney? Lost your appetite?”
She shook her head. “No, I’ve been perfectly fine. Haven’t been sick a day and I have the appetite of a horse.”
“Still, you have to be careful. Dr. Bell says this was done to me because I have all the immortal genes or something like that. You’ve got to go see Dr. Bell, have him check you out.”
Sidney’s backpack moved and she opened the top flap to let Zephyr poke his head out. She scratched his ears, and putting her face against his forehead, said in a barely audible voice. “I will, I promise. Tomorrow, I’ll go see him.”
“Thank you.” Cass hoped the other woman would be all right.
Micah must have texted Keegan because the door banged open and he came in, not making an effort to either be quiet or hide her presence.
“What the hell did that cryptic ass message mean, Micah?”
“Cassandra has identified her kidnapper.”
He looked at her, his dark eyes growing wide. “You did, someone was lyin’?”
“Everyone was lying or hiding something except you, Derian and Bastien,” Cass said with a small smile.
Micah made a sound that she would have sworn was a snort and Keegan swore long and hard.
Keegan turned to the woman beside her who was still petting the cat. “Did you hear something, Sid?”
“Nope, they were all quiet as church mice. All I heard was Cass and her song. That reminds me, it’s a good thing you were doing that because Phoibe was probing around.” She chuckled for the first time and Cass couldn’t help but smile remembering the blonde’s face. “I’d love to see her face when she finds out what “jagger” is.”
Micah looked confused. “I beg your pardon?”
Keegan’s smile was fleeting as he said, “Later. First would you please tell me who your kidnapper is, luv?”
The smile faded as she felt the fear once more try to take over what little control of her emotions she had left. “The man who wanted me dead.”
Keegan looked confused. “Erastos? That doesn’t make sense, the man never leaves—”
“No, my father.” Sidney’s fear had given way to anger if the biting way she said the last word was any indication.
“Dewhurst? Are you serious? Dewhurst doesn’t have the knowledge to do this.”
Cass’ anger surged. She’d managed to do what he wanted her to, and now he wouldn’t believe her. “I’m positive, Keegan. It was him, he kidnapped me. I recognized his voice.”
His eyes burned with rage as he turned toward the other man. Before he could say anything, Micah said, “Already done, Keegan. I’ve got a couple of men on his tail now. They’ll keep him under surveillance until a decision on how best to handle him is made.”
“I don’t understand why don’t you just pick him up?” Cass asked.
“Because, like Keegan said, Dewhurst doesn’t have the skill for this. There has to be someone else involved,” Micah said. “And we need to know who that someone is.”
***
The door opened and Derian entered saying, “They’ve all gone. Do you want to tell me what the hell’s going on in here? Why’s Cassandra down here and not tucked away safe in her room?”
Keegan looked around the group comprised of those who’d been in the earlier meeting with the addition of the women. Strange as it seemed that Dewhurst could be behind this, he believed Cassie. He didn’t think him capable of creating anything, he just didn’t have the scientific or medical background to pull off a drug that could manipulate Aeterni genes this way. That didn’t mean he wasn’t working with someone who could, it only meant he was dangerously unpredictable.
Derian needed an explanation before his temper boiled over. “It turns out Cassie has more than one ability. She has the empathic ability to recognize a lie immediately. I brought her down to listen so she could tell if any of the Aeterni were lying.”
The look Derian gave him said it all, the man didn’t even have to open his mouth. Keegan shook his head. “Yeah, I know, it was a shite idea. Of course they were all lying, or hiding something.”
He nodded toward Sidney who’d taken her cat out of the carrying case and was snuggling him for all she was worth. Her fear was almost tangible. It was apparent she understood her danger. Dewhurst was her father and she wasn’t safe with him. “I asked Sid to open her mind and see if she could read anything. Another brick wall because they were all guarded against the Oracles.”
“I could have told you that,” Althea said, not bothering to hide her irritation.
“Okay, I admit, they were neither one good ideas, but I’m gettin’ desperate. Cassie’s life’s in danger and we’re not getting any closer to the per
son who took her. Or at least we weren’t.”
“I have so many questions.” Derian said his voice tight with exasperation. “I want to know just how the hell Sidney knows anything and what the hell you mean by that last statement.”
Sidney looked up from Zephyr and sighed before saying, “I listened in on Cass’ thoughts. I know, it wasn’t right, but she didn’t know how to block me, and I really wanted to know what could have possibly gotten my father to leave his estate and come here on such short notice. I admit, in the long run, my nosiness is going to be my downfall. I always suspected that sooner or later I was going to hear something I shouldn’t. Which is precisely why I usually don’t try to listen.”
“Okay, that answers part of my question.” He looked pointedly at Keegan.
“Cassie recognized Dewhurst’s voice as her kidnapper.”
The Greek rubbed his eyes. “Shit, that really complicates things, especially now that he’s made his desire to kill her clear.” He started to pace. “Damn, and we were trying to keep the kidnapper from knowing she was still alive, instead we handed her to him on a platter. Even telling him that Keegan had found her.” He stopped and looked at Cass. Keegan moved over to her and put his arm around her waist. “Shit,” Derian said through clenched teeth.
“Everyone, please have a seat and we will figure this out, yes?” Bastien put words to action as he took a seat at the table. Hannah, Althea and Jasmine took the plates to the kitchen and the men took chairs as well, bodyguards included.
Keegan held the chair out for Cass and then sat next to her taking her hand and holding on to it. “I find it interesting he’s gone from kidnapping her and changing her to now wantin’ her dead. Why? None of it has ever made sense. We found evidence at Cassie’s home that he might have known her mother. We’re not sure if he took a picture of her because he knew her or because he thought the picture was of Cassie. But Cassie doesn’t, or rather didn’t, know him.” He turned to her and continued, “Did you see Dewhurst, Cassie?”
Cass shook her head. “No, I didn’t open the door, I just heard him.”
“Okay, we’ll find a picture you can look at.”
“I don’t think that’ll make a difference, I don’t remember what he looked like. Most of the time it was too dark to see him clearly, or I was too out of it.”
Bastien rubbed his clean-shaven chin. “Perhaps he wants her dead because we know of her. If he did go behind someone’s back to change her, and I do believe this is true, then it is very important for him to dispose of her before that person becomes aware of her existence, n’est-ce pas?”
Keegan nodded, squeezing Cassie’s hand in reassurance. “I agree. That would lead me to think it’s not a Circle member or Dewhurst wouldn’t be trying to get rid of her before knowledge of what he did reached the proper party. So, that would mean someone who’s a recluse, then.”
Derian nodded. “Someone who doesn’t mingle with Aeterni on a regular basis.” He looked at Micah. “Who can you think of like that? Keegan keeps track of who’s born and who dies, but he doesn’t watch their actions or keep tabs on them.”
Micah looked out the window into the softly lit enclosed garden for a long moment before answering. “I know of no one. Not many Aeterni are like Erastos, most enjoy interacting with mortals because keeping to themselves is boring and tiresome. Hiding from the world doesn’t make the years go by quicker nor is it enjoyable.”
Derian looked more and more distraught. Keegan knew he’d hoped the Circle meeting would solve some of their problems. Instead it had just made them ten-fold worse. “So, are you saying we’re looking for someone we don’t know?”
Micah nodded. “That’s a very distinct possibility, Derian, yes. We all know there are Aeterni who’ve gone missing over the years. We also speculate there are many, many Aeterni we’ve never known about. Oracles are only able to locate an Aeterni when and if she has a vision concerning one. That leaves a very large hole in our database.”
“Micah’s right,” Keegan said. “Our database consists of about ten thousand Aeterni, give or take. But those are just the ones we know of or have been reported to us. There’s no mandate for an Aeterni to let us know when one is born. Most do because they’re proud to have fathered a new Aeterni and unless they know the art themselves, they have to call the Circle artist to tattoo their son.”
“I know,” Derian said sighing. “It’s an impossible task. To simplify things, let’s start with the Aeterni we do know. Everyone here agrees Dewhurst doesn’t have the required skill to create a drug that will manipulate genes to this extent.”
Keegan looked around the table. They all agreed.
Micah’s phone must have vibrated, because he moved away from the table and pulled it out. “Yeah? Damn. All right, you did the best you could. Someone must’ve called him and told him you were following. Just head on out to his house. Don’t bring him in, just watch him. Now he knows we’re watching him, hopefully he’ll think it’s just because he walked out on the meeting. Regardless, do your best not to be spotted.”
Derian looked at the head of security. “They lost Dewhurst?”
“Yeah, I’ll check on my men following Erastos and Li Zhao, but I’m going to guess they haven’t lost our guys.”
Bastien nodded looking at his watch. “Ça va, it is late. Perhaps everyone would like to go to their rooms and get some rest. We can meet back here in the morning for breakfast and see what our people have found out then. After, I will shut myself in my study and see what I can learn. I would do so tonight, but I was up early this morning and find I am too tired to be of much help.”
Derian nodded. “I agree. So, everyone, off to your rooms we’ll meet back here at seven.”
Keegan took Cassie’s hand to lead her out as Bastien said, “Sidney, I will have Hannah get a guest room ready for you.”
“Good idea, Bastien,” Derian said. “Would it be possible to keep her here for a while? I don’t think she should be going back to her father’s house.”
Keegan wasn’t surprised to see Sidney’s look of relief.
“No, most certainly she should not return to Dewhurst’s home. Sidney you are most welcome to stay for as long as you need. Someone will get your and Zephyr’s things when we can. Until then, we will buy for you what you both need.”
“Thank you, Bastien, I really appreciate it,” Sidney said as she followed Bastien through the kitchen door, presumably to get Hannah.
“Keegan can I see you for a moment?” Derian said.
Giving Cassie’s hand a squeeze before dropping it, Keegan said, “Go on, luv, back to our room, I’ll be along in a minute.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
As Keegan closed their bedroom door, Cassie walked from the bathroom brushing her waist-length hair. He was amazed at how natural it all seemed. How right. How had this small slip of a woman worked her way so completely into his life? He might not want to admit it, either to himself and most definitely not to her, but sooner or later he would have to face it. Not now, not today. Perhaps not even this decade because if there was one thing he was sure of, she would be thirty centuries to come.
She caught him watching her and lowered her arm to look down at her clothing. Hannah had supplied her with a pair of dark blue sweat pants that bunched around her ankles, she’d used the tie to cinch in the waist, and a dark blue sweatshirt that was too big for her. “My clothes are still on the plane since we didn’t expect to be staying the night. I know I look a little lost in this, but I don’t think I look that bad.”
Christ, bad? She couldn’t look bad no matter how hard she tried, she’d always be lovely and desirable. Keegan thrust his hand through his hair. He couldn’t afford to touch her again, he’d already lost too much of himself in her, he couldn’t afford to lose more. Not now, not when her safety and the safety of Aeterni and Daughters were at risk.
She moved closer to him, her hips swaying even in the baggy clothes as she crossed the room to where he stood with his ba
ck against the door. With each step she took, every reason he had for why this shouldn’t happen was blown full of holes. The closer she got, the more he had to have her.
She stopped short of where he was standing, a look of insecurity filling her emerald eyes. He knew his pulling back confused her, but instead of pursuing it she asked something else altogether. “Keegan, what’s the matter? What did Derian want to talk to you about?”
He shook his head trying to clear his thoughts as she got closer to him. The desire to touch her, to feel her softness overwhelmed him.
“Keegan?”
Her soft hand touched his arm and he looked at how delicate it was, just like the rest of her. She’d become his official responsibility. A responsibility he wanted. More than he wanted to take his next breath he wanted to keep this beautiful, innocent woman alive. Every resolve he’d made after leaving Derian vanished like smoke the moment her insecurities became clear. He’d done that to her and he wanted to take the look away and never let it return.
Looking into her uncertain eyes, he knew exactly where and how he wanted the rest of his life to go. Never had he been so sure. But before any of that could happen, he had to keep her safe, keep her alive. For the first time since he’d been thrown away like a piece of garbage by his mother, he wanted to care about someone else. No one had ever brought out this need to care for, protect, and be with someone for the rest of his life.
“Keegan, what aren’t you telling me?”
Brought back to the moment by the fear in her quiet, flowing voice, he pulled her to him and rubbed his hand along her back. “It’s nothing, luv, at least not what you’re thinking. Derian merely wanted to go over some of the precautions he wants me to take once we get back to the mountain tomorrow.”
Forever Love (Circle of Ghadan Book 1) Page 17