"Hell no. It's-"
Kane interrupts as he walks in holding a bag full of diner food. He stops and stares in confusion at Thad.
"Ah, the boyfriend," Thad says with an eerie, menacing grin.
"The neighbor?" Kane murmurs in bemusement. "What the hell are you doing here?"
He almost looks angry or betrayed... or both.
Oh shit. Think. Think. Think.
"Thad was apparently hired by my dad to keep an eye on me after he found out I moved away from Mom. Then, when Mom went missing, my dad had Thad start playing private investigator."
Yay! That was the best lie ever! Though it's actually the truth with some omitted sections.
I'd pat myself on the back if I wouldn't look like an idiot.
"Your dad?" Kane asks curiously, his interest in Thad dissipating.
"Um, yeah," I murmur dismissively, and then I turn back to Thad and Frankie. "Call me when you've got something."
"I'll just come see you if we run across something," Thad adds menacingly, intentionally poking at the human he could easily take. "Until then, head to Chicago. I've already gotten you a ticket. We'll be there as soon as we can be."
I just nod and accept the plane ticket he proffers, and then he gives me a wink before disappearing out the door. Frankie watches him for a minute, and then he shakes his head.
"I still don't like that guy."
I let a laugh free, and then Kane adds, "I'm with you on that."
Frankie smirks, and then he pats me on the shoulder.
"Chin up, kid. You know I'll find her."
I force a smile through tight lips and hold back the tears.
"Thanks, Frankie."
Kane's arms wrap around me, making my head press against his chest, and for the first time in my life, I fall apart in front of someone. The onslaught of tears is unexpected, and now I can't stop as they pour out harder, soaking through his shirt.
I'm so embarrassed, but I can't help it. Kane coos as his lips stroke my head. Consoling me like a scared child, he scoops me up and carries me over to the bed.
"Thanks for looking after her. Make sure she doesn't miss the flight," Frankie says with a torn tone.
I know he hates leaving me, especially since I'm breaking, but at the same time, he knows he has to. I'm too slow to be of any real help.
"Don't worry. I've got her," Kane murmurs while pulling me closer, letting me sob freely.
Frankie finally leaves. I'm completely unable to shut off the floodgates right now.
"I'm sorry," I whimper as I continue to fall apart.
"Hey, no. Don't be sorry. You have every right to be upset, Alyssa."
I try to choke back some of it, finally regaining a little composure, and then I glace down at the ticket. I sigh when I see I've only got four hours to get my stuff and board.
"I should get ready," I say through my emotion.
He takes a deep breath, and then he lets me go so I can get up. I can't look at him now that I've turned into a weeping mess. Does losing your virginity also take away your strength?
We pull up to the airport, and I turn to give Kane a soft kiss as we head in.
"Thanks for bringing me. What time's your flight?" I ask, feeling lonely already.
"One," he says with a small smile.
"Same time then. At least you don't have to wait around to get home. Will you call me later?" I ask when we reach security.
"Well, I could, but that would be a little odd," he says with a bit of a smirk.
I get a little sick, wondering why he said that.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask, sounding a little offended, and he roars out a laugh while pulling me to him.
"It would be odd since I'm going to be with you," he snickers out.
"What? You're going to Chicago?" I gasp.
"Of course. You thought I came to Canada to see you for one night? I'm here for the duration, babe," he says with a sexy tone, making me blush.
We make it through the checks, and then he walks up to take my hand in his.
"So how is it you can just pick up and fly to Canada and Chicago? What is it you do exactly?"
"We really do know very little about each other, don't we?" he asks, a smile playing on his lips.
"You know more about me than I do you. I think it's time to level the playing field."
He lets a small chuckle free as we head to the lounge in front of the terminal.
"My roommates and I invested in several different things when we were younger, and now we turn a profit from those investments. It makes it easy to come and go as we please, spend as we want, and live comfortably."
I'm jealous.
"Okay, what about your parents? Or should I ask that?"
His lips tighten, and he takes a deep breath, letting me know I've rushed the getting-to-know-him process.
"They've been gone a while, but we were close at one time."
Oh I'm such an idiot.
"Kane, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that."
He forces a smile and shakes his head while wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
"I made peace with it long ago. Your turn. I haven't asked about your dad because you've never mentioned him. Now that you have, I'm curious. Why isn't he here himself?"
Because he's a murderous son of a bitch who rarely goes anywhere, due to the fact he has more enemies than friends.
The last time my dad was in my life was the day the world almost turned to night forever. Fortunately, it was passed off as a meteor shower blocking the sun - at least that's the story the humans know. Mom got us out of there before he really lost it and endangered us both.
"He's not exactly the sort of person I want in my life. He's actually a bit of an asshole, and it's better if he doesn't get involved."
He tilts his head curiously, not really understanding my answer, and then he murmurs, "He can't be that bad if he's hired a private investigator."
He sent a blood thirsty changer and a group of night stalkers - my natural enemy - to be my aide. Yes, he's that bad.
"I wish I could say something nice about him, but the truth is, I barely know him,. What I do know isn't exactly flattering. Let's just say there's a reason I don't talk about him very much."
"I hate to say this, but I don't even know your mom's name," he murmurs shamefully.
"Oh. It's... Callie. At least that's what most everyone calls her."
The humans anyway.
Calypso is a bit too unique to try and explain.
They start boarding our flight so we start walking up to hand in our tickets to the smiling woman happy to send us on our way.
"Any siblings?" I ask curiously.
"No. Deke and Zee are like my brothers though, and Sierra is like my sister."
A slight scowl spreads over my face as we find our seats, and he lets me have the window while climbing in beside me.
"And where does Amy fit in?"
He lets out a laugh while shaking his head.
"Amy was... well... is Sierra's fault. She took her in when Amy was struggling to find her way. She needed help, and Sierra has a lot in common with her."
I'm not crazy about the vague answer, but I won't press the issue.
"So are all those people you hang out with your roommates?"
He swats at the air as if he's batting down my question.
"Hell no. We've got a lot of friends, but it's just Zee, Deke, Amy, Sierra, and myself in the cabin. As you've seen, it's plenty big enough for more. It gets lonely living by yourself after a while."
"You're only twenty-five," I chuckle out.
He shrugs. "I don't like living by myself. What about you? How do you like it?"
It's not exactly as thrilling as I originally thought it would be, but it's better than living with a coven before I have to.
"It's creepy, but I won't ever tell my mom that... if we find her that is," I murmur on a sour note, my eyes watering again.
"We'll find her. Did the p
olice ever find any sign of foul play?" he asks while running his fingers through my hair in an affectionate motion.
No, because they're not the ones looking for her.
"No. I'm sure she's just off being stupid. I still worry though."
He smiles and pulls my hand to his lips.
"I guess you didn't get to spend too much time home alone. I started stalking you almost as soon as you moved in," he says to return to our previous conversation, keeping me from crying.
I laugh, my tears fading, and then I lean into him.
"You're one stalker I look forward to seeing."
"Good, because I plan on seeing you as much as I can for as long as I can."
Butterflies ruffle my stomach, and his hand slides down my back.
"I like the sound of that," I murmur as I nestle into him.
"I hope so," he says as if to himself, and then my eyes become too heavy to hold open any longer.
Chapter Nine
"Any word?" I ask while rocking back and forth on the bed, wondering where Kane has been for so long.
"No. We're still looking. Are you in Arizona?" Frankie asks.
"Yeah, I've been to Chicago, Memphis, New York, and now Phoenix within five days. What's going on? Why am I changing locations so much?"
He exhales heavily, and then finally he murmurs, "I should have told you, but Thad worried you already had too much on your plate. Your house was ransacked, your work was trashed, and we're worried whoever has Calypso is after you, too."
My heart sinks to the floor and my head begins pounding, searching aimlessly for answers.
"Who would want me and why? I haven't lived long enough to have enemies."
"No, but your mom has. And let's not even get started about your dad's long list of enemies. The point is, we're trying to keep you safe. Is Kane still with you?"
I glance out the window, still seeing no sign of my human.
"Yeah, but I'm not sure how long he's going to want to stay with me if I'm constantly on the move. I've already told him he could go home, but he swears he's not leaving until I can go home."
"Well, I'm not sure how long that will be. Just sit tight. We'll figure this all out soon enough."
"I hope so," I mumble.
"Look, I've got to go. Thad says it's too dangerous to keep our cells on with so many dark users nearby. He's gone off with two of the night stalkers right now to speak in private with his contact. If they're looking for you, my calls could point them in the right direction. I'll try to call when I can."
I hang up, doing my best not to cry, and then I pace around the rental house Thad just happen to have handy, wondering where in the hell Kane has been for so long.
Great. I'm a nagging housewife.
The door opens, and I turn to see him walking in, his eyes seeming... off.
"You okay?" I ask curiously, but he doesn't answer.
Instead, he grabs me at the waist and tosses me to the bed, his lips pinning mine as his tongue invades.
Oh damn.
My greedy hands readily return the spontaneous gesture, but he doesn't taste right.
Then it hits me, and I get sick just before throwing my arms out, tossing the imposter across the room, using my magic.
"Who the hell are you?!" I blare, my whole body trembling as I force out my strength to hold him down.
He starts laughing ferociously loud, and then he releases his mask to reveal himself.
Thad.
"You asshole. I could have killed you!"
I drop my hold on him, and he laughs harder while rising to his feet.
"Chill out. It was just a spot of fun."
"A spot of fun?" I scoff. "I'll turn you into a smear of pain if you do that to me again."
He gives me a carefree wink and then stands to his feet, pretending to dust himself off.
"What are you doing here?" I grumble as my body continues to tremble from the adrenaline high.
"I came to show you these. I need you to tell me if you recognize any of these people."
He hands me a handful of pictures - surveillance type shots - and I carefully study the strangers' faces.
"No. Why?" I ask while handing them back to him.
"Because," he sighs, "supposedly these people were seen with your mother a few hours before she disappeared. From what I gather, your council isn't being very forthcoming with you either."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
He gives me a devilish grin before propping up on the back of the couch.
"I'll tell you if you kiss me like that again."
I really hate the fact I'm grinning right now, and I do my best to wipe it from my face.
"You're incorrigible."
"This I know. Now, the kiss?" he muses, playfully feigning impatience.
I walk over to him, and then I almost put my lips to his before shoving him over the couch, making him fall in a toppling motion. He starts laughing again as his back slaps the floor, and then he shakes his head while propping up.
"That's not a good way to ask for information."
"Perhaps I should call my dad and tell him you're trying to exploit me for sex."
He narrows his eyes, his smile lighter now. "Firstly, don't call your dad. He's fucking crazy. Secondly, it's a kiss... not sex... not yet, anyway."
I accidentally laugh, and he stands up to walk back around to where I am before he starts his explanation.
"The council sent you to Washington, where the dark users hold the root of their power. I found it suspicious to begin with, and then on top of that, they didn't tell you your mom had been receiving threats."
"Threats?" I prompt, expecting him to elaborate.
"Nothing deadly, they just kept saying she would get what was coming to her if she didn't return what was theirs."
That sounds deadly enough to me.
"What did she have?"
He shrugs, plopping down on the arm of my chair, and then he pulls out a bottle of red liquid I dare not watch him drink.
Blood.
"I don't know. I haven't found out that much. One thing is for certain though, your council is holding out." I hear the swishing of the liquid going from the bottle to his mouth, and I shiver in response.
"Not a fan of blood, love?" he teases.
"Not a fan of blood meals."
"Well, I need less blood than night stalkers if it makes you feel any better." Not really. "So I take it you have no idea what your mother was holding either?" he asks almost rhetorically.
"No. She didn't tell me anything about the politics or even the reality of our world. She always tried to bring out the sunny side of my fate, since I'm constantly at odds with magic. What about Frankie? Does he know anything?"
I just talked to him. Why didn't he tell me any of this?
"I haven't spoken with him yet. He's not exactly very honest with me, given the fact I'm a changer. I wanted to speak with you before he could coach you up. It's hard to help someone when they're holding back."
True, but I don't blame Frankie for not trusting any of them.
"Well, I'm not holding back. Apparently I know very little about my mother's life."
He sighs, frowning slightly, and then he stands up to walk to the door.
"If you think of anything, let me know. Also, watch your back. If anything goes wrong, head to your next safe house. No more hotels."
I glance at the heavy book of procedures he has drawn up. It's resting on my dresser, making me smile.
"Thanks for the long list of places to go, by the way. How the hell do you have so many houses?"
He lets a laugh free, and then he shrugs.
"I've been around a while. One tends to accumulate. So, where's loverboy?"
"Out. I'm sure he's tired of changing places all the time."
"Then tell him to go home," he says with a devious grin. "If you don't like being alone, I can swing by and keep you company."
His boy-next-door persona was washed away the day
I met him - well, since I met the real Thad. Now he's the wolfish bad boy who loves to tease me.
"I can't believe I thought you were such a sweet guy," I huff out with a bit of a grin.
"I'm a changer, baby. I can look like anyone... including a sweet guy," he teases, his menacing grin emphasizing his mischievous eyes.
"Change into someone leaving," I mumble playfully while ushering him out the door.
"It's been a long time since a girl kicked me out of one of my houses."
I laugh loudly, and he jerks me by the back of the head to push his lips against mine before disappearing out the door, leaving me scowling at his quickly fading back as he blurs out of sight.
Obviously he was watching me to know Kane is gone, so I quickly go to draw the curtains shut.
The door opens again, and Kane walks in, carrying... nothing. Thad?
"Hey," I murmur softly, not sure if this is Kane or Thad. "You've been gone a while."
He smiles as he walks over to me, and his arms slide around my waist as his lips find mine. He tastes so damn good, and I smile.
Mmm. Definitely Kane.
"Yeah," he says pulling back. "I decided to go for a run after I went into town. I was going to bring you back something nice to eat, but I thought we could go out instead."
"Like a date?" I say too excitedly, quickly masking my giddiness with a more respectable composure.
"Yes," he snickers out while pulling me closer. "Like a date. Judging by your reaction, I'm assuming you've been wanting a date for a while."
I blush lightly while feigning nonchalance, making him laugh a little more.
"Go get ready, and I'll make us some reservations."
I tug at his hand, suddenly a little too turned on to simply walk away. I've never been this enthralled by anyone. At the same time, I feel guilty for dragging him around the country.
"Do you want to go home? I know you weren't expecting to be gone for so long, and I'm sure you didn't plan on living on the move."
He strums my lips with his, and then he shakes his head.
"I'm not leaving you. I'm perfectly fine bouncing around. Now, get ready, I'm taking you out."
I tug at his hand again, and he looks at me curiously.
"Actually, I sort of feel like ordering in now," I seductively release while leading him to the bed.
Immortal Dreams Page 10