by Nina Crespo
Dalir’s moved her hand away from him. “Calm down.”
She couldn’t look away from his stormy, gray eyes as his voice echoed in her mind. Like water thrown on fire, her anger flickered away to steam.
“Lauren?” Celine clutched her hand. “Something’s wrong with her.”
“Shock.” Dalir swung Lauren up into his arms and stalked to the house.
I am not in shock! Part of her silently raged in the midst of unnatural calm. She couldn’t express the thought.
Celine followed them through the living room and into the kitchen.
He put Lauren down.
The tile floors didn’t have a speck of dirt. A lone coffee maker sat on the shining marble counters. Nothing was out of place. Polished. Perfect. Surreal. She felt off balance. A wave of dizziness came over her. Celine wrapped an arm around Lauren’s shoulder.
“Sit.” Dalir pointed. Four deep brown, solid wood chairs surrounded a matching table.
Celine bristled. “Would it put a cramp in your style to say please? And take Lauren off of mute or whatever it is you did to her. You can’t just shut people up because you don’t want to hear what they have to say. She has every right to be upset.”
Lauren waited for him to zap Celine.
He snagged two mugs from the drain board and filled them with water from the faucet.
He put them in the microwave, slammed the door, and jabbed the control buttons. “Sit. Please.”
“Thank you.” Celine crossed her arms. “We will just as soon as we freshen up. Where’s the bathroom?”
Dalir pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. He pointed to the brick, arched entryway. “To the right.”
In the bathroom, Lauren washed out her mouth in the sink. Parts of her felt raw. Her head throbbed. Everywhere else ached. Her dress was trashed.
They returned to an empty kitchen and two steaming mugs on the table. Had Dalir joined the hunt for Reid? If he had it wouldn’t take long for Dalir to find him. Right?
Lauren took a sip—chamomile tea with a hint of lavender. Nausea started to fade. “How did you feel, when Thane first told you?”
“Shocked. Relieved to have an explanation.” Celine rubbed her palm over her jean-clad thigh. “I was freaked out about how fast I was falling in love with him. I didn’t tell you and Ari, but I broke up with him. He had to tell me or I would have left him.”
Lauren recalled her and Reid in the chapel. Finding out his secret had the opposite effect. “At the motel today, did you have any second thoughts about saying yes to Thane?”
Celine chuckled. “When your boyfriend tells you he’s taken an oath to save the world, that’s as close to superhero as you can get. Why not trust him?”
“I didn’t trust Reid.” The knowledge brought an uncomfortable ache. “When he did remember who he was and tried to tell me, I accused him of using his power to take advantage of sleeping with me. I pushed him away. I should have listened or at least told him I’d wait for him to explain it better when he got back. We could have figured out what we wanted.”
“Oh.” Celine paled. She slumped into the chair. “Reid didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
Celine opened her mouth to speak and hesitated. “If Reid would have gone back to the present, you wouldn’t have been able to pick up where you left off. Any time they phase months or years, they’re wiped from existence. He would have had to convince you all over again to be with him.”
“But what about you and Thane? You’re together.”
Celine fiddled with the handle of her cup. “Something bad was happening to me in the future. I don’t remember it, but Thane said I would have disappeared permanently. He saved me. One of the consequences was he had to stay with me. He can’t phase ahead or back to the present. He gave up being with the team for me.” A sad smile tugged at her lips. “I know he misses them. I could see it in his eyes when he saw Reid again.”
Anxiety sparked up. Is that what caring and love always cost? A huge sacrifice that left gaping holes for regret and doubt to fall into? But Thane’s sacrifice had saved Celine, and the two looked so happy. Spending time with them at the cabin had erased her doubts about them belonging together.
“Thane really loves you, Celine. The way he looks at you, anyone can see all he wants to do is take care of you. If that involved a fight, he won’t hesitate.”
“I know.” Celine smiled softly. “In case you haven’t noticed, Reid has that same look in his eyes. I think he’d do the same for you.”
* * * *
Reid inhaled sharply as he jerked to consciousness. Nerve endings fired pain from his scalp to his bound, bare feet. Metal bit into his wrists from chains pulled over a beam above him. A faint breeze seeped through gaps in the wooden slats of the old building. It heated the sweat running down his shirtless torso. Time to phase. Whoever strung him up would have to pardon him for not sticking around. As he focused on phasing, a golden light emanated from him. He drifted, but a force pressed down on him. He couldn’t break free. Not again. He tugged on his arms. The metal chains rattled. The chair, old and rickety looking, sat feet away, but if he could get his foot on it… He rocked his torso and stretched out his legs. His wrists stung. Gaining momentum, he tried again. Shit. Too far away. As the sway subsided, he swung again. Moisture soaked the waistband of his jeans.
Footsteps approached outside. The warped door, half off its hinges, creaked open. The pungent odor of manure clung to humid air. A tall, lean man entered. His blond hair gleamed in the sunlight beaming through the cracked windows.
The magazine reader who’d sat in the hospital waiting room. The bastard who’d made Lauren scream. A throat punch would wipe that arrogant look off his face.
“Saving your energy?” Kell, unruffled in his crisp-looking suit, stood in front of him.
“Yeah, so I can kick your ass.”
A backhanded slap whipped Reid’s head to the side. Shit. The fucker had packed some power behind that one. He forced a grin through a split lip. “Was it something I said?”
Kell stepped closer. A sickly sweet cologne smell mixed with the stifling heat and the stench of manure. “Keeping your captor on the defensive with insults—a bold but risky move.” The hint of a foreign accent wove into his words.
“Critique my performance later. What do you want?”
“You couldn’t be that clueless.”
He lifted up, trying to lessen the weight straining his shoulders. Thane had mentioned Kell possibly having a fixation. Did Kell actually believe he was an angel? “It would go a lot smoother if you told me what you’re after.”
“I’ll show you.” Kell’s multicolored gaze grew stormy.
Ancient power bled into his mind. Fucking impossible. But undeniable. He strengthened mental barriers. They held.
The cold sweat of relief trickled down his spine. Phasing eluded him, but he’d blocked Kell. The last thing he needed was a twisted ancient pawing through his thoughts and memories. He’d always wondered why Dalir had trained them so hard in mind protection. Now it made sense why he’d acted like such an asshole. Another ancient. Just Kell, or did more exist?
Kell cocked his head. “So you honestly think you can handle me?”
“Focus on a familiar image. Recall how every detail stimulates the senses. Hold onto it as if it’s the most precious possession in the world.”
Dalir’s remembered words brought calmness. “Mind games. All day. Every day. They’re my specialty.”
Kell chuckled. “At least you’ll be a challenge. Xenia. You remember her, don’t you?”
The image of the dark haired researcher from the botched mission flashed in. She’d disappeared into nowhere. Kell was involved? How had Dalir missed it? “How is the twisted scientist doing? Still cooking up nasty surprises in the lab?”
“A brilliant mind with clear motivation, but I overestimated her capabilities.” As Kell slowly circled, he nudged him.
Reid swung b
ack and forth like a pendulum. Discomfort tingled down his arms. “Sounds like she messed up your day.”
“It was a disappointment when I found her crawling through the ducts of that dwelling.”
“You mean the shopping mall?”
“Yes, that’s it, the mall. I’d arrived too late to find what drew me there. The way she was scurrying away like a scared mouse, I thought she had answers.” Kell’s exhale blew on Reid’s nape. “But…”
“She didn’t.”
“Unfortunately, no.”
Volts of electricity zapped into Reid’s side. His seizing muscles crushed his chest and stole air from his lungs. The surge ended. The raw burn of pain remained. He dangled from the chains. A roundhouse kick by a mule would have hurt less.
“Oh, I like this!” Kell held up a stun gun. “Your woman was carrying it. If I would have had this at my disposal, Xenia may have lasted. She died before she could tell me what I needed to know.”
The grimy, peeling tile framing Kell’s polished shoes came into focus. Understanding settled in Reid. Kell had ripped into Xenia’s thoughts, mining for information. He’d tortured her to death. Why? What could she have possibly known?
“I learned my lesson with Xenia. I forgot how fragile humans are. Pry too hard or deeply into your mind, and you’ll pop like an egg. I have to sprinkle in a few rudimentary techniques in with my power. Like salt in a dish, I have to make sure I find the right balance.” Kell laid the stun gun on the chair. He took off his jacket and arranged it over the back. You’ll last much longer than she did.” He smiled peacefully as he rolled up his sleeves. “Mind or body. I can’t wait to see which one crumbles first.”
Lauren. Reid let the image of her emerge. When she smiled, he wanted to discover a million ways to keep her happy. He lifted his head. One more detail before he let Lauren completely sweep him away. “What did you expect Xenia to tell you?”
“What you will. Eventually.” Kell’s blue-eyed, brown-eyed gaze grew cold. “Where to find Dalir.”
Chapter 17
Lauren slipped out the door of the house. She hastened across the expansive front lawn surrounded by trees and ornamental shrubs. Celine had been doting on her like a mother hen. After running her a hot bath, Celine had practically dressed her in the blouse and jeans she’d let her borrow. Complaining wasn’t fair. If Thane hadn’t retrieved Celine’s luggage, she’d be stuck in her grimy dress, remembering Kell’s hands on her. She didn’t want to sleep, eat, or wait for news any longer. If she didn’t get fresh air, she’d combust. Too many hours had passed.
A bad feeling kept hounding her. Where was Reid? Why hadn’t Thane returned? What was Dalir doing to find Reid?
She veered down a stone path lined with neatly squared bushes and colorful flowers. Further in, taller shrubs shielded her from view. Along the way, the path curved right then left. She followed it through a series of turns to a dead end. A maze? Lauren traced her steps back. Everything looked the same. After several wrong turns, she grew more intrigued than annoyed. Finally, she emerged. Water flowed down a beige stone shaped like a triangle in the center of a circular pool. An infinity symbol was etched on one side of it. The soothing scents of orchids, roses, and green foliage lulled her into closing her eyes.
Leaves rustled.
Lauren whipped around.
Dalir broke through the bushes. His expression morphed from troubled to surprise in seeing her.
She sat on a marble bench and braced for the worst. “Any word from Reid or Thane?”
“No.”
She averted her eyes from Dalir’s steady gray gaze. Didn’t people throw coins in fountains for luck? Where was a quarter when she needed one? If she had a coin, she’d wish for Reid’s safe return and a chance to beg for his forgiveness.
The ancient stared at her, and then he looked to the fountain. The same scowl she’d witnessed since they’d arrived deepened.
“Being angry at the guys or us isn’t helping.”
“They inspire frustration, not anger. They don’t listen.”
“You trust them to use their power for good. Why don’t you trust their judgment in telling us?”
“Trusting anyone outside of their brotherhood leaves room for errors. It exposes weaknesses.” His gaze bore into hers. “It gets people hurt.”
Lauren curled her fingers around the cool edge of the seat. Celine had said what would make her feel better. Dalir wasn’t afraid to tell her the truth. “I know I’m to blame. Don’t hold it against Reid. Please, just find him.”
Dalir brusquely waved her off. “Confessions and assigning blame won’t find Reid. Information will. Tell me about the man who took you. What did he look like?”
“Almost as tall as you but thinner. Short blond hair and his eyes…”
The ancient stood in front of her. “What about his eyes?”
Lauren recalled the image of her captor telling her what he’d do to Reid. She shivered. “Harsh, cold, like he didn’t have a heart.”
“Describe them. What color were his eyes?”
“Two colors. One brown. One violet blue.”
His broad shoulders dropped as if burdened by a weight. “It really is him.” He looked at the sky. “How?”
The bad feeling she’d struggled with earlier crystallized. “You know him?”
“Yes.” His skin glowed silver swirling in gold. His clothes morphed into high black boots with dark pants tucked into them. Leather strips crisscrossed his bare muscular chest.
Awe and twinges of inferiority almost made her bow her head as a curved sword formed in his hands.
Dalir’s gaze hardened. A hint of sadness intertwined with the anger in his eyes. “He’s my brother.”
* * * *
The stun gun shocked Reid’s thigh. Spasms clenched his muscles from his hips to his toes.
Kell removed it. “It doesn’t have to be this way. Just tell me.”
Lauren’s laugh. It was as if he could hear her light, flirty chuckle. She made him want to follow her into the happiness that inspired it.
“Fine.” Kell snarled. “Have it your way.”
Continuous shocks formed an endless wave of pain. Kell searched for weaknesses, hammering relentlessly on the mental blockade. When the stun gun quit working, he threw it against the wall. Kell grabbed a chain from the floor. “As much as I’d like to, I can’t smash your pretty face. You still have to be able to talk.” He wound part of the chain around his hand and slashed it through the air like a sword.
Reid envisioned every gouging strike and merciless punch as Lauren’s kisses. He buried himself in recollections of caressing her, holding her, loving her.
Breathing heavily, Kell stopped. Sweat trickled from his brow. Dalir never broke a sweat. He always remained cool.
Reid spit a metallic taste from his mouth. Blood flowed freely with the agony of ripped skin torn to the muscle and broken bones. When he made love to Lauren, he never wanted it to end. But everything would, here and now. He couldn’t absorb much more of Kell’s rage.
Kell’s eyes darkened. “You find this amusing?”
“It must have sucked growing up with a brother who’s better than you.”
“Better than me? Dalir is a disgrace to his kind. A coward. He took what he didn’t deserve. Destroyed what was mine.” Kell grabbed Reid’s throat. “And you’re stupid enough to protect him.”
“You’re the one who’s stupid.” Reid swallowed against tightness of Kell’s grip. “You’re weak. If you were half of Dalir, you’d find him yourself.”
Fury lit up in Kell’s eyes. His face flushed as more of his power seeped in.
Reid’s heart sped up. He’d found Kell’s weakness. Now it was time to break him and bring it all to an end. “But you can’t find your brother because, compared to him, you’re nothing.”
Kell yelled in fury.
A fierce energy struck into Reid like a coiled snake held back too long. Kell stopped toying with him and delivered deadly strikes.
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Reid’s wounds tore wider, joints stretched out of place, bones cracked. It felt as if his heart was exploding, catapulting him beyond agony. He could let go and die. His last breath fueled a final thought. Lauren smiling up at him. She faded and he welcomed the darkness.
“You must live.”
The whispered words expanded inside of him like the air refilling his lungs. But he couldn’t live. He didn’t have enough strength to shield his thoughts from Kell.
Darkness gave way to the blinding sun. He stood in the desert wearing gear from his army recon days. Shimmering heat dissolved, revealing Thane and the team, also dressed in desert camouflage, yards ahead. They beckoned him to join them. He took a step and stopped. The day Dalir had saved them. That’s what his was reminiscent of. It was an illusion, a trick. Kell had gotten inside.
The vision of the desert disappeared. The dusty wood building replaced it. Strong energy vibrated in the air.
A hazy image of Kell facing off with Dalir emerged. No longer in refined modern clothes, Kell sported dark pants tucked into boots. Golden armor formed to his torso. Kell lunged at Dalir with a sword in his hand.
Dalir dressed similarly to Kell countered the stab but did not move out of the way quick enough. A line of crimson appeared on his bicep. He sliced his blade down.
The tip scraped over Kell’s armor.
Dalir’s cool, calm expression remained. “You can’t win.”