by Kate Douglas
“If you—”
She broke off, stopping in her tracks as abruptly as if she’d hit a brick wall. “I can’t go to the hospital yet. I need to go home.”
“The hell you say. You’re not running around after your godson, and you’re not going home. We can call Luca on the way, but that’s the best you’re going to get.” He palmed his keys before propelling her toward his vehicle. “Because you’re going to the hospital, and that’s final.”
“Fine, Detective Control Freak.” She snatched the keys from his hand and slid into the driver’s seat, shutting and locking the door behind her. He blinked, but instead of standing there like an easy target while he tried to get her out of his seat, he loped around to the passenger side and climbed in. The woman had a knack for throwing him off balance that he didn’t care for at all. She started the car. “I appreciate your saving me, but my life isn’t the only important one. Put your seatbelt on.”
He growled at her, but obeyed. “Your life is important enough.”
She chirped the tires when she pulled away from the curb, quickly navigating Seattle traffic . . . and not going toward Harborview Medical Center with its Magickal ward that could treat her. “You want to tell me where you think you’re going?”
“I don’t think I’m going anywhere. I’m definitely going home. I have to go home.” Those hazel eyes were wide with pleading. They both knew in her current condition he could overpower her easily if he wanted to. The thought of scaring or hurting her more than she already had been was too much for him. He stayed on his side of the car and fumed. If possible, her eyes went even wider. “I swear I’ll go to the hospital without protest afterward.”
He sighed and kept an eye out for a tail. “Chloe—”
“It’ll take us—what?—an extra fifteen minutes? If I was going to drop dead, I would have done it by now. If you thought I was that bad off, you’d have called an ambulance instead of wanting to take me there yourself.”
She was right; he wanted her checked out, but he didn’t think she was that injured. He shifted in his seat to look at her. “There are people watching your house. And those people aren’t necessarily the good guys. Hell, at this point, we don’t even know who the good guys are except Cavalli.”
They hit Lower Queen Anne and started working their way up the hill. Even though they were already on their way, she kept trying to reason with him, which he found both amusing and annoying. She shot him a grim look, her swollen fingers tapping lightly against the steering wheel. “I understand that, but here’s how this is going to be. You can either let me go home now, and then take me to the hospital, or you can force me to go to the hospital and when I’m done there, I’ll go home without you.”
“If you think for a single fucking second I’m letting you out of my sight, you’d better think again.” The glare he gave her was sulfuric, and his voice dropped to a dangerous softness that normally made grown men back up a couple of steps.
Chloe, of course, just sniffed, and her jaw took on a stubborn tilt. “You can go with me now, or you can let Luca drag me out of your sight again, in which case you won’t even get to see if I make it home safely.”
“Luca’s not going to let you go home,” he snarled, hating that she was right. When Cavalli showed up again, she was gone. His grip on his weapon went white-knuckled.
Her eyebrows arched. “He can’t force me into protective custody, can he? I can walk away if I want to.”
“Do it, and you’ll be dead within twenty-four hours.” His blood ran ice-cold at the mere thought, and he knew if he didn’t have a hold of the gun, his hands would be shaking again. He’d already come so close to losing her. Too damn close. “Tell me what happened with Luca and Peyton. How did Cavalli end up running off to rescue your godson?”
She didn’t even smile at his obvious concession and filled him in on everything that had gone down from the moment she’d left the police department until he’d come bursting into the safe house. Luca, Alex, Peyton, the Fae torturer. What Peyton and the Fae had to do with Leonard Smith, Merek didn’t yet know, but he was going to find out. She’d just wound to a finish when she turned onto her street, which was awash with flashing lights from various law enforcement vehicles. He could pick out two patrol cars and what he’d guess were cars from some of Cavalli’s FBI team.
Chloe left the car running and was already sliding out of the vehicle before it had rocked to a full stop. She probably figured he’d stop her if she waited. She was right. And he was pissed. He should have asked her why she wanted to go home so desperately instead of assuming it had something to do with traumatic shock. “Fuck.”
He flipped on the blue light on his dash, shut down the engine, and caught up with Chloe before she’d reached the house. She didn’t look at him. “I’m not going to apologize.”
Getting a stranglehold on his temper, he had to remind himself of what she’d been through to stop himself from taking her over his knee and spanking her. “Do you know who broke into your house?”
“No, but I felt a breach to my warding spell, and Luca said he had people watching my house.” She slid her hands deep inside her pockets in an obvious attempt to conceal her mangled wrists.
His fingers flexed on his gun before he forced himself to relax them. “Why didn’t you let the authorities handle it then?”
“It could have been Alex.” She shrugged. “He comes over a lot, but I’ve never given him a key. I should have. I will, actually.”
He shook his head, trying to follow her train of thought. She might never get to come home again, and she was worried about giving someone else a key. He was more concerned about who was in her house right now. “Would Alex have led his pursuers to your home?”
One shoulder dipped in a little shrug. “I doubt it. He’s a smart kid, but he’s still a kid, and he’s justifiably scared.” She snorted, and he heard tears in the sound, but she glanced away from him, so he couldn’t be sure. “Hell, I’m an adult, and I’m scared.”
“You damn well should be scared.”
“Thanks for the confirmation.” Her tone was dry, and she arched a sardonic eyebrow.
They both stopped talking and pulled out ID as they approached the nearest officer, who Merek recognized as a rookie on the MTF. In seconds, they were cleared to go beyond the police barricade and approach the house. More cars with flashing lights rolled up, and the police officers did their best to move Chloe’s neighbors as far from the scene as possible. The fewer Normals they had to perform memory spells on, the better. They’d have a telepath watching the crowd to see who noticed anything magical and snag them before they could talk.
Chloe ignored the ache in her limbs, the sting in her wrists, and the burn of sexual chemistry from Merek that apparently no amount of pain could fend off.
The closer they got to her house, the more secure she felt. It wasn’t just that her home was somewhere familiar and safe for her, it was the bright lights of the police cars, the people and noise and hubbub. She wasn’t trapped alone with terrorists who hurt her. Her heart tripped at the thought, her hands trembling so hard she had to clench them.
Every light in her house was on, just the way she left it. Just the way she always liked it. Bright and safe and surrounded by a city full of people. Cities never really slept. There was always something going on. Today’s events had only reinforced a lifetime’s understanding that there were monsters in the dark. She knew from experience just how scary and dangerous it could be.
Tess stood on her front porch, her hands raised above her head, but her posture was relaxed. Chloe couldn’t hear what her friend was saying, but she watched her friend two-finger some identification out of her purse and hand it to the closest of the five officers surrounding the porch.
“Shit,” Chloe sighed.
Merek squinted to see through the flashing lights and high beams. “What? You know that woman?”
“Yeah.” Chloe tucked her hands even deeper into her pockets, not wanting
her friend to see her damaged wrists. The fabric rubbing against her skin burned like acid, but an explanation was something she couldn’t give. “My best friend, Tess Jones. She was supposed to meet me here at seven. We were supposed to have dinner.”
He grunted and jerked his chin in her direction, but his gaze swept the area, taking in every detail of the street, the houses, the people, the cars. “She looks remarkably calm for someone with a whole lot of weapons pointed her way.”
Chloe found herself following his example, discreetly checking everyone out. Her neighbors, she knew, but who else might be watching? Leonard Smith? More of his people? She usually liked being around a lot of people, but now it seemed just as dangerous as being isolated. Her belly cramped tight, and she stuffed the fear into the deepest corner of her soul, to be dealt with when she was in a safer place. “Tess’s a pathologist for the FBI. The Normal side of it. She’s a Normal.”
“Ah. So, she doesn’t know anything.” He made it a statement, but Chloe could hear the question in his words. Had Chloe told her Normal friend anything? Had she broken Magickal law?
“No, she doesn’t know anything.” Chloe had wanted to tell the truth. Many, many times. But she’d never given in to the temptation. She licked her cracked lips, wincing as her body ached as if she had run a marathon. Or been worked over by a baseball bat. Now that the adrenaline was fading, she could feel every single twinge, every screaming echo of pain.
Merek’s big hand closed around her elbow when she swayed on her feet, but the touch hurt so she tugged her arm away from him. “If you know who’s here, we can take you to the hospital now. Don’t you think so, Cavalli?”
“Not just yet.” A low voice spoke from behind her, and she turned to see the vampire. A quiet and watchful Alex stood beside him, and relief so sharp she almost burst into tears sliced through her. He was safe and here. Thank the gods.
“You all right, Chloe?” His gaze searched her, his nostrils flaring as he caught her scent, using his senses to check her for damage.
Aside from the residual tension thrumming through her muscles, she wasn’t sure how much, if anything, he could sense of what had happened to her. She hoped nothing. This was something she didn’t want to talk about with anyone right now, maybe not ever. “I’m fine. You?”
“Never better.” His young voice was flat, his face blank. It hurt to see him that way. Whatever he had seen, whatever he had been through today, had already done more harm to the boy than she liked. Her heart squeezed, but she let her mind cling to Alex rather than what she’d been through herself.
Cavalli caught up with me before the werewolves did, though it was a close call. Alex sent his private thoughts to her telepathically, a gift of only the werewolf and vampire races, so Chloe couldn’t respond in public other than with a small nod of acknowledgment. She would definitely be talking to him about what happened and how he was really doing later, but this wasn’t a good time for it.
“Hey, Detective? This woman says she’s a friend of Dr. Standish’s.”
Chloe swung around to see a police officer with slightly pointed ears trailed by Tess. Keeping her hands firmly tucked in her pockets, Chloe nodded to them both. “Yeah, I know her.”
“Thanks, Patterson.” Merek jerked his chin at the onlookers gathered beyond the police line. “Let’s get everyone cleared out of here.”
The elf officer nodded, what looked almost like dazed awe on his face while he spoke to Merek. “You got it, sir.”
The group stood in silence, each staring at the others for long, strained moments. Tess propped a hand on her hip, her body language resuming that lazy, casual pose that Chloe knew was a complete sham. Tess was unhappy, and they were all about to hear about it. “So. Does someone want to tell me what the hell is going on? I’m pretty sure my supervisor is not happy to have gotten a call from the police to confirm my identity. And his level of pissed off is nothing compared to mine. So, who wants to go first, hm? Alex? Chloe? Detective Whatever? Tall, Dark, and Agently?”
Luca lifted a sculpted brow. “You can tell I’m an agent just by looking?”
Tess flipped her sheet of long auburn hair over her shoulder, her gold eyes narrowed, and she wrinkled her pert nose. “You have that stench about you, yeah.”
The big vampire’s even white teeth flashed in a smile, his eyes lighting with challenge as he looked over Tess with slow, unmistakable deliberation. “And you are?”
Her lips twitched, but her gaze cooled as she gave him just as thorough a once-over. Her expression said she wasn’t impressed with what she saw. “Dr. Tess Jones. You?”
“Special Agent Luca Cavalli. FBI.” Taking a step toward her, he held his hand out for her to shake.
She sniffed dismissively. “Never heard of you.”
“Good.” His hand remained extended, a dare to see how she’d react. “My work isn’t supposed to be broadcast on all stations.”
Her amber eyes narrowed to slits, and she shoved her hand into his grip, giving two brisk pumps and pulling back. Or she tried to. Luca’s fingers tightened, and he ran a thumb over the back of her hand. A visible shiver passed through her, and her eyes widened in what might have been alarm as she jerked her hand from his grasp.
Mating rituals for the vamp-human crossover. Chloe rolled her eyes. “Okay, focus, people. Seriously.”
“Sorry, hon.” Tess broke eye contact with Luca, and he scowled. Chloe tried not to grin. She’d bet he was trying a little vampiric mesmerizing on her friend, but the subtle stuff only worked on the weak-willed, and Tess was anything but weak, Normal or not.
“What happened, Chloe?” Alex’s gaze locked on her, and he ignored everyone else.
“Later.” She gave Tess a pointed look to remind Alex that they had a Normal in their midst, offered a weak smile, and nodded in Merek’s direction. “Everyone, this is Detective Merek Kingston, Seattle PD.”
She didn’t mention he was on the Magickal Task Force—Alex would already have guessed, and Tess didn’t need to know. A few more men joined their group, and the way they looked at Luca said he was speaking to them telepathically and that they were on his team.
Chloe shifted her weight to try to get more comfortable, but instead sent a sharp throb of agony ricocheting through her body. She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, and when she finally refocused, she found that Luca had introduced the agents to everyone.
Alex shoved a hand through his dark hair and offered Merek and the new agents a solemn nod. His nostrils flared a bit as he caught their scent, his brilliant green gaze moving from one to the next as if marking their faces and scents in his memory. A few of the men shifted uncomfortably, and Chloe tried not to smirk.
A small smile crossed Luca’s face, but before he could say anything, Tess ignored all the law enforcement officials and made an impatient gesture at Chloe. “So. Forget the ‘later’ business. Tell us what happened. Why are all these people here? That’s a hell of a lot bigger response than someone gets for setting off a home alarm.” She waved a vague hand in Luca’s direction. “FBI agents don’t make house calls.” She flapped the same hand at Merek. “Detectives aren’t usually first responders either.”
Chloe sighed, shifted on her sore feet—and why the hell were her feet sore?—and bit back a gasp of pain. As much as she wanted to be in denial about what had happened, her body was going to make that impossible very soon. “Damien and his fiancée were murdered. They thought I did it, then they realized Ivan was missing, and it may have had more to do with stuff at work.”
Tess tilted her head, keen intelligence transforming her face from merely beautiful to stunning. “Industrial espionage?”
“Yeah.” Chloe scrunched her shoulders in a short shrug that still managed to make pain shoot up her neck and down her back. She fisted her shaking hands in her pockets. Beads of sweat began to form under her hair. “You know how product development can be. That stuff is guarded like Fort Knox.”
Tess took a step toward her, and it
was all Chloe could do not to cringe away from possible physical contact. “If Damien and Ivan—”
“Yeah, I’m in danger.” She tilted her head at the silent teen, who watched her far too closely for her peace of mind. “Alex, too, since they don’t seem to have a problem hurting family members.” Damien’s pregnant fiancée came to mind, and Chloe’s gorge rose. Yes, family members were definitely in danger, and she was suddenly grateful Aunt Millie kept a personal bodyguard.
“We’ll take good care of them.” Luca gave Tess his most engaging smile. She arched an eyebrow and gave him another dismissive sniff.
They’d take good care of her? Chloe snorted, tears burning her eyes. Yeah, right. She felt totally safe with the FBI. Merek’s body was a rigid line of rage as he moved closer to wrap a protective arm around her waist, and she hated that she did feel safer, even if the touch hurt. A lot. Three sets of eyes took in the gesture. Luca’s gaze narrowed, Tess’s mouth quirked, and Alex’s eyebrows rose.
A wave of exhaustion she couldn’t hold off any longer crashed through her system. The entire day swirled through her mind, and the street in front of her cartwheeled before her eyes. She closed them tight and set her hand on Merek’s brawny forearm. “Will you do something for me?”
“Anything.” His warm breath brushed against her temple, and she shuddered.
“Keep an eye on my godson.” She swallowed, feeling unconsciousness creeping in to claim her. She welcomed it, letting her breath sigh out. “And catch me.”
Then her knees buckled, and she was caught, safe in his embrace.
4
“Water,” she said softly.
Her desperate thirst, and the croaky sound of her own voice, startled her awake.
A straw touched her lips, and she sucked down the cool liquid until she was replete. She was shaking a little when she relaxed back, the intensity of her thirst a shock to her system. A soothing murmur of voices in her head told her all was well. It looked like now that her clairaudience had woken up, it wasn’t going dormant again. Before now, she could have counted on one hand the number of times her precognition had piped up. Every Magickal had different skills he or she excelled at, and this had never been one of hers. The last time she’d had a clairaudient episode had been almost ten years ago when she’d almost been mugged by a couple of Fae. Unseelie asshats.