Blaze of Secrets (Asylums for Magical Threats)

by Donovan, Jessie

  Marco straightened with an exaggerated look of heartbreak on his face and said, “Our time together has been too short, but rest assured that I will keep an ear out for both you and your sister, just to make sure you’re both safe. The world can’t afford to lose two smart, sexy beauties such as yourselves.”

  Cam looked bored and the expression made Kiarra smile. She may not know Marco that well, but he had a natural talent for lightening a situation. “I think Cam can take care of herself. I’m more worried about you.”

  “Me?”

  Kiarra’s smile widened. She’d heard that Cam and Marco were being sent to the jungles of Latin America, on separate missions. “I think that without a challenge like my sister, your ego will inflate to uncontrollable proportions. And smart, sexy women don’t like that.”

  Marco laughed. “I really hope Jaxton doesn’t scare you off.”

  Kiarra heard a grunt behind her before Jaxton said, “Hurry it up. Do you want to waste your time saying goodbye to Marco or to your sister? You have three minutes until we leave.”

  A quick glance and Kiarra saw Jaxton was grumpy. Or irritated. Either way, she wasn’t going to let it ruin her time with her sister. “We’ll leave when I’m done, not before.”

  Before Jaxton could reply, Cam touched Kiarra’s elbow, garnering her attention. “No, he’s right. Taka left a few hours ago to try and draw away any nearby AMT enforcers, but the longer you stick around, the greater the chance they’ll figure out Taka was a decoy.”

  “Cam…”

  Cam shook her head. “Save it. We’ll see each other soon enough. Just remember what I taught you, and try not to get captured. I don’t want to wait another fifteen years to see my sister.”

  Kiarra nodded, afraid that if she opened her mouth, she’d start to cry.

  She started to turn away but Cam grabbed her hand and squeezed. She murmured, “Be safe, Kiarra,” before letting go and heading up the stairs.

  Willing herself not to think about Cam, Kiarra focused on putting her things into the car and helping Jaxton and Marco load Garrett into the back seat. They’d drugged Garrett unconscious again, and Kiarra could tell Jaxton didn’t like it—he was being terse and disagreeable with her.

  When they finally drove away, she stared out the window, watching the green forest go by in a blur, pointedly ignoring Jaxton.

  Yet her thoughts kept drifting to what Cam had told her about their brother. She shouldn’t feel guilty about it, but for some reason, she felt awful about withholding the information about Gio from Jaxton.

  Cam had said nothing about keeping the information a secret, but Kiarra’s gut told her to wait. If she told Jaxton about her brother now, he would mostly likely order her to forget about Gio until they’d finished their mission with James Sinclair. But by then, it might be too late. The longer it took to find Sinclair and get the information Jaxton was looking for, the higher the chance that Gio would be heavily involved with Sinclair’s operations. Especially since Cam had said that Sinclair treated Gio as his heir.

  If there was any chance of Kiarra persuading her brother to change sides, it had to be sooner rather than later.

  Kiarra felt Jaxton’s eyes on her and she looked over to see him staring. “What?” she asked.

  He focused his eyes back on the road and said nothing. He checked the rearview mirror, and again. Kiarra looked over her shoulder at Garrett, slumped in his seat, and felt her heart constrict a little. The sight couldn’t be an easy one for Jaxton.

  After being reunited with Cam, Kiarra had an inkling of what it was like to want to protect a sibling. “It must be killing you to give up your brother so soon, after all the time you spent looking for him.”

  Jaxton’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. “I have complete faith in Amma.”

  “But?”

  “But I wish I could help him, especially since it was my fault that he was captured.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Giovanni Sinclair walked past his adopted father’s assistant and knocked on the door. A muffled reply bid him to enter.

  His father had requested his presence, and when James Sinclair called, you came. Those who disobeyed him were ruined. Sometimes they even disappeared. Or so went the rumors.

  His classmates had always given him a wide berth because of the rumors about his father, seldom inviting him out to the pub or to play sports, but over the years, Gio had learned to accept it. Few knew the truth of his father’s hard work and sacrifice to ensure that all Feiru had the same rights and opportunities as humans. Only in the last few years had his father’s quest to repeal Article I started to gain traction.

  Gio himself believed in the importance of changing the antiquated Feiru law, but despite his best efforts to prove he could be an asset to his father’s work, Sinclair had never tapped him to help in his plans. Sinclair rarely visited London, and Gio saw him even less. Not even his undergraduate work at Oxford or his recent acceptance into the law program at University College London had been enough to attract his father’s attention.

  Which made today’s call to meet all the more mysterious.

  Stepping inside his father’s office, Gio kept his face blank, aware that his father saw emotion as a weakness. “You wanted to see me?”

  James Sinclair nodded. “Yes, son, take a seat.”

  Gio settled into the large cushioned chair in front of his father’s desk and Sinclair got right to the point. “Over the last few years, I’ve allowed you to dabble in university and the law, but you need to put all of that on hiatus. I have other plans for you.”

  He kept his face impassive, not wanting to get his hopes up. “What kind of plans?”

  “We’ll get to that in a minute.” Sinclair leaned back in his chair. “First, tell me what you know of my work.”

  Gio suspected that this was some kind of test, but while some would opt to brown-nose, Gio knew his father appreciated honesty. “You support the repeal of Article I and wish to contain all elemental abilities. I know you’re using politics to achieve the first aim, but I’m not entirely certain how you plan to reach the second.”

  Sinclair nodded. “And how do you feel about those aims?”

  After he finished his schooling, Gio wanted to become a member of Parliament. As things stood now, two things prevented that: Article I and first-born abilities. “I would do anything I could to repeal Article I. You know I want to be an MP, but that’s impossible until the law changes.”

  Sinclair nodded. “And what about the first-borns? What do you think should be done with them?”

  He shrugged his shoulder. “As long as they’re treated well inside the AMT compounds, I care little what else happens to them.”

  “What if there was a way to erase their elemental abilities? Would you think it ethical to make the treatment mandatory, without exception?”

  Gio blinked. “Does such a treatment exist?”

  “Answer my question.”

  Gio didn’t like giving an answer without all the facts, but he knew that if he refused to answer, his father might dismiss him and he would lose his chance.

  Still, if there was one thing he’d learned from his father, it was how to give an answer without committing to anything specific. “If all Feiru were free of elemental abilities, then the reasons for keeping Article I become null and void. Who wouldn’t benefit from that, especially in the case of first-borns? Not only could they re-enter society, but the High Council could close most, if not all, of the AMT compounds and save tremendous amounts of money.”

  His father nodded. “Exactly.” Sinclair leaned forward, riffled through some papers until he found the right folder, and slid it across the desk. “Now, what I’m about to tell you can’t be discussed outside of these walls, except to a pre-approved circle of people. Do you understand?”

  Hope flitted inside Gio’s chest. His father was finally going to trust him.

  Gio nodded and his father continued. “There’s a formula about to go into produc
tion that plays with a Feiru’s genetics, and it erases their ability to feel and direct elemental energy.”

  He couldn’t stop from asking his question. “How long has this been available?”

  “It was only proved successful very recently. However, the key person we need to finish the replication process, a patient that’s been undergoing treatment, has escaped—and I need you to find her.”

  While he wanted to immediately jump at the chance to include himself, Gio knew there were others more qualified for the job. “Why me?”

  Sinclair said nothing, and Gio wondered if he’d made a mistake questioning his father. But then his father smiled and said, “Always question everything, no matter who does the asking. Remember that.” Gio nodded, relieved that he’d done something right. His father continued, “But you have an advantage over most, son, and I hope it’s enough.”

  Without knowing the specifics, Gio couldn’t decode his father’s words. “Who’s the patient? How did she escape? I thought it was impossible to break out of an AMT compound.”

  Sinclair remained silent, studying him. Gio had passed his father’s first test, but maybe he’d just failed the second. Either way, he knew not to speak again until his father did.

  Eventually Sinclair said, “Do I have your loyalty, Giovanni?”

  Gio didn’t hesitate. “You took me in when nobody else would. You will always have my loyalty, father.”

  A corner of James Sinclair’s mouth lifted. “That’s good to hear, because this won’t be easy for you.”

  Gio felt a sense of unease at that statement, although he was careful not to show it. “Why not?”

  “Because the patient we need in order to replicate and mass produce the formula is your eldest sister, Kiarra Melini.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Fuck. Jaxton never slipped, giving out ‘private’’ information about himself, but something about Kiarra kept affecting him. First invading his dreams, then causing jealousy when Marco made her laugh. He was used to being in control and didn’t understand how a tiny woman with a temper was capable of fracturing his previously ironclad authority.

  Maybe traveling alone with her to Scotland was a bad idea.

  Kiarra finally spoke up. “How were you responsible for his capture? Judging from what Garrett said, he was betrayed by a person named Marzina.”

  Jaxton froze and dared a look at Kiarra. “What do you know about Marzina?”

  She shrugged. “Not much, but enough to know that she hurt your brother deeply. He still calls for her in his sleep.”

  Garrett had never mumbled or said anything on Jaxton’s watch, and part of him was jealous that Kiarra knew something about his brother that he hadn’t.

  Kiarra poked him in the arm and he felt the same awareness from before, when he’d stroked her cheek. “Tell me about Marzina.”

  “She’s no one you need to worry about.” She pinched him and Jaxton flinched. “Bloody hell, woman, do you want to cause a collision?”

  The instant he said it, Jaxton regretted it. Taka had told him about Kiarra’s conversation with Cam, and knew their parents had died in a staged car accident. A quick glance showed that Kiarra didn’t look distressed on the outside, but he could only imagine what was going on inside her head.

  Kiarra cleared her throat. “All right, if you won’t tell me about her, then tell me about your brother’s capture—because I have a hard time believing you handed Garrett over to the AMT.”

  He didn’t have to answer her. Jaxton could say nothing and keep it all strictly business. Yet he knew they’d be meeting his sister in Edinburgh, and Millie would probably spin some outrageous tale of Garrett’s capture. It would be better for Kiarra to hear the truth from him.

  Besides, it would distract her from thinking about car accidents and her parents.

  Trying not to think of how easily he’d convinced himself to tell her, Jaxton said, “I was in charge of my family after my father died. Garrett is the eldest, but since we faked his death at age twelve to keep him out of the AMT, the responsibility to look after everyone fell to me.

  “Garrett was going to uni in Manchester when he met a human girl from Poland named Marzina. They fell in love, got engaged, and Garrett shared the secret of his elemental fire abilities. She didn’t believe him at first, but after a quick demonstration, Marzina went mental and ran to the human authorities, which was how the AMT enforcement team heard about it.”

  “And he was captured.”

  “Yes. I was responsible for him and should’ve convinced Garrett to wait before telling Marzina about his abilities. But instead I focused solely on my career and ignored him when he needed me the most.”

  He’d seen how love blinded people and how easily someone could break your trust. From that day forward, Jaxton had become overcautious, trusting only those who had proven themselves time and again. Kiarra had yet to do so, and he needed to remember that.

  Kiarra touched his thigh and he felt a flutter in his lower belly, his body unwilling to listen to his mind. He took a deep breath and focused on the road, the cans and bottles lining the side, part of an old tire near the median divider; anything to distract him from Kiarra’s hand on his leg.

  Kiarra’s voice broke through his thoughts. “You should know by now that you can’t control people just because you want to. Just look at me. Have you been able to make me do whatever you wanted? No, because ultimately I control my own actions.”

  He gave her a dry look. “I think you just want to raise my blood pressure.”

  Kiarra poked his arm. “Be serious, Jaxton. The AMT tried for years to break me, and while they came close, I managed to remain sane. If a multibillion-dollar enforcement system couldn’t succeed in directing me like a puppet, you sure as hell don’t have a chance.”

  She didn’t know how he’d acted back then, before Garrett’s capture. Jaxton had spent all of his efforts on investing his family’s money, thinking more money would mean more happiness. Only after Garrett had been locked inside the AMT had Jaxton realized that he’d been a fool and taken the importance of family for granted.

  Not even his sister Millie knew about Jaxton’s selfish actions before Garrett’s capture—she had been quite young and sheltered.

  He’d had enough of talking about his past and decided to change the subject. “Where did you learn to swear?”

  He stole a glance and saw Kiarra’s raised chin. “Why is it such a big deal? You swear.”

  “Yes, but I wasn’t locked away when I was thirteen years old.”

  She removed her hand from his leg and crossed her arms over her chest. “Between my guards and my researcher, I could make your ears bleed with what I learned.”

  Her researcher. Jaxton gripped the steering wheel again at the image of Kiarra being used as a test subject, little different from a rat or mouse.

  Kiarra fidgeted in her seat for a good ten seconds before she blurted out, “Why did you rescue me from the AMT?”

  Usually he would just tell her that it’d been an order, but for some reason, he wanted to tell her the whole truth. Maybe knowing she’d been part of a bargain would help put distance back between them. That would make his work in Edinburgh easier. “Neena would only tell me the location of my brother if I agreed to rescue one other inmate.” He glanced over. “That was you.”

  Kiarra’s brow furrowed. “Why would she want me?”

  Because you’re a Fire Talent. But they’d gone down that road before. “You’ll just have to ask her.”

  Kiarra crossed her arms over her chest. “Ask Neena this, ask Neena that. The woman needs to learn how to delegate. What if something happened to her?”

  The corner of his mouth twitched and he was about to tell Kiarra that she try and suggest that the next time she saw Neena, but as he checked the rearview mirror out of habit, he realized that the rest of this conversation would have to wait. “Hold on tight. We’re being followed and I’m going to try and lose them.”

  Jaxton
swerved onto the motorway exit at the last possible moment, earning a few honks in the process.

  A dark blue SUV had been tailing them for the last hour, shadowing every movement, and were either bloody awful or assumed Jaxton wouldn’t know how to spot a tail. He hadn’t wanted to alarm the SUV too early, so he’d been keeping an eye on it. But not only had he seen the glint of a gun in the rearview mirror, they had just entered Seattle, where he could easily hide in a parking garage and contact Amma. The tricky part would be losing the tail; Garrett would not be easy to move.

  Seattle was full of one-way streets, which irritated the hell out of Jaxton. It took so damn long to get to another turn, but he soon reached the Seattle Center and turned back around, heading south. He finally turned down the right street and parked in a garage on Spring Street.

  Kiarra turned and looked out the back window. “Do you think they’ll find us?”

  “Possibly.” Jaxton took out a brand new prepaid phone and waited for it to turn on. “Amma will have to meet us here, and we’ll hop on the Amtrak to Vancouver, getting off and back on along the way until we reach Squamish Airport in BC.”

  “How do you know the area so well? Your accent isn’t even American.”

  Jaxton wished the bloody phone would turn on quicker. “My mother is American.” The phone had one bar, so he dialed Amma’s number. “I’ve been here before, and even if I hadn’t, I always scout the location where I’ll be working.”

  Amma finally answered and Jaxton quickly explained the new plan. He pushed the end button on the phone and turned toward the back seat, for once grateful that Garrett was still unconscious.

  “He’ll be all right,” Kiarra said and Jaxton turned to face her, “I’m sure he’ll forgive you later.”

  Jaxton kept silent and pulled out his Glock. He noticed Kiarra pull out her own small gun. “Where the hell did you get that?”

  “Cam gave it to me. She gave me some lessons.”

  Jaxton shook his head. “Just don’t shoot yourself in the foot. Or anyone else, for that matter, unless they’re trying to kill you.” He unlocked the doors. “I’m going to check out the area. Stay in the car and use the gun as a last resort. The on-duty car park staff works with DEFEND, but he can only do so much tinkering with the security feeds.”