Finally, after they’d been waiting nearly twenty minutes, a tall, muscular man with longish dark hair sauntered into the room. An overabundance of confidence came with him.
“Anabel,” he exclaimed, arms opened wide for a hug, as though he already knew her and they were long-lost friends. “You didn’t tell me you were coming to see me today. What on earth are you doing here?”
“Cut the crap,” Anabel said sternly, ignoring Denise’s shocked gasp. “I don’t know you and you’ve never met me. Not even once. So I want to know why you’re spreading nonsense about me all around town.”
Flashing her a dazzling white smile, he held out his hand. “Why don’t you come with me to my office? We need to discuss this privately, don’t you think?”
Ignoring his outstretched hand, Anabel nodded. Every single instinct she possessed had gone on high alert.
“Come on, Denise,” she said, feeling as if she could use all the help she could get.
“No.” He uttered the single word with authority. “You come alone, or I have nothing to discuss with you.”
“I’ll wait here,” Denise piped up, sounding both thrilled and utterly terrified. “Take your time. I’m sure you two have a lot to talk about.”
Since she now had no choice, Anabel straightened her spine and nodded. Head held high, she followed Doug Polacek down the hall.
“Here we are.” Stepping aside, he gestured toward a large corner office. “Have a seat, please.”
Obstinately, she shook her head. “Thanks, but I’d rather stand.”
He cocked his head quizzically, then finally nodded and closed the door. When he went around to sit behind his massive mahogany desk, she found herself moving away, instinctively careful not to have her back to the door.
While part of her scoffed at this—what did she really think would happen?—the careful, watchful part of her wholeheartedly approved.
“Well?” she finally asked, since after Doug took a seat in his fancy leather chair, he only placed his hands on the top of his desk and looked at her. “What do you have to say for yourself?”
“I’m not sure I take your meaning.” He spoke the lie with a calm casualness that infuriated her.
“I’ve been told by several people that you’ve been going around saying horrible things about me. Accusing me of stalking you, when in fact we’ve never even met. Why are you doing this to me? I don’t even know you.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” he replied, his voice changing somehow, from oily pleasantry to sharp, ruthless steel. “We have met and you have been stalking me. I had to go public, in hopes of getting you to confront me.”
Dumbfounded, wondering if he was insane, she stared at him, at a complete loss for words. Then, as her gaze locked on his, she realized he spoke the truth. Her heart froze in her chest.
“You,” she whispered, realizing where she’d seen that particular glinting gaze before. “You’re the Drakkor.”
“I am. I should tell you, it wasn’t very difficult for me to learn your identity once you followed me and then paid me that little visit. And now you, my dear, have walked right into my trap.”
* * *
One of the supernatural abilities Tyler had as a ghost was the ability to make himself invisible. All he had to do was increase his vibratory frequency. Most people couldn’t see him anyway, but since Anabel and a few others could, he knew he could keep this ability in reserve.
And today, since his energy level was at an all-time low and Anabel had ordered him to stay away, he knew he’d need to use it. In fact, the instant he’d heard Anabel agree to meet a friend in town for lunch, he had a gut feeling he’d need to watch out for her. Especially since she’d mentioned Doug Polacek.
Not wanting to be a complete stalker, he’d followed her to the restaurant, hovering just far enough away to give her privacy, but close enough that he could zip over if she needed him. The irony of his lack of physical ability to help her didn’t escape him.
Still, he knew he’d try whatever he could should the need arise. Even magic.
When she and her friend left the restaurant and headed downtown, he rode along in the car, aware he might need to know where they were going.
The instant he heard Anabel say the name Doug Polacek, he stifled a groan. On the one hand, he admired Anabel for refusing to put up with that guy’s verbal abuse any longer; on the other, he thought this might be the worst possible time to stir things up. His sister needed to be Anabel’s primary focus right now. This was day six, and he didn’t know how much longer Dena could make it.
Still, Tyler knew he had to trust Anabel’s instincts. If she thought confronting this Polacek guy was important, then maybe it was.
Hidden, he waited in the reception area with Anabel and her friend, felt a shock of recognition when the attorney presented himself. Recognition, but from where? If he’d met Doug Polacek while in the physical form, he sure as hell didn’t remember.
Was it possible they’d met in the realm of the spirit? Not unless the lawyer had the capability to move between worlds, which seemed highly unlikely.
And then Tyler had gone along to the other man’s office, where he’d heard words he’d begun to despair of ever hearing.
“You’re the Drakkor,” Anabel said, sounding completely unafraid.
The instant Doug confirmed it, Tyler let himself become visible.
Anabel’s eyes widened slightly as she saw him, but she made no comment.
The Drakkor looked directly at Tyler and smiled. “A bit late to the party, aren’t we?”
Tyler could barely contain himself. He lifted his lip and snarled at the man. “Release my sister,” he ordered.
“You know, I just might,” Doug said pleasantly. “She turned out to be worthless. She’s of no use to me now. Of course, I definitely will want something in return.”
“I don’t have a lot of money,” Anabel put in.
“Oh, I do.” Doug continued to smile that shark’s smile, his obsidian eyes revealing only a hint of how dangerous he was. “I don’t need your money, dear.”
“Then what do you want?” Anabel shifted her weight from foot to foot, almost as if she felt the need to assume a fighting stance. Tyler felt that might be a wise instinct on her part.
“Why, I would have thought that was obvious.” Doug chuckled, then stood up and stretched, his muscular arms showing his physical prowess. “I want you, Anabel Lee. With your magic and shape-shifting ability, I believe you and I can forge a powerful destiny.”
Shocked, Tyler eyed Anabel to see her reaction. Aside from a quickening of her breath, she gave no hint of what surely must be churning around inside her mind.
“Why?” she finally asked. “And you’d better tell me the honest truth.”
“A life is at stake,” Doug reminded her, appearing amused. “Yet you want to discuss trivialities?”
Anabel remained calm and appeared unimpressed. “I understand a life is at stake. First off, I don’t even have proof that Dena is still alive. Second, since you’re basically asking me to turn myself over to you, I need to know what you intend to do.”
The attorney towered over Anabel, his expression thunderous. For a split second Tyler feared he might strike her. Instead he strode to the door and yanked it open.
“You have forty-eight hours to decide. If I don’t hear from you by then, I will kill the girl and be done with it.”
Standing straight and tall, Anabel continued to face him down. “I want proof of life. Before I can even begin to consider your proposal, I need to know she is still alive.”
“Very well.” Ice coating every word, Doug swallowed. Spinning, he fixed his dark glare on Tyler. “You. Contact your sister tonight. I will not interfere. Then you can tell Anabel that Dena is not dead. Yet.”
Tyler nodded, hoping Anabel would see the wisdom of making a quick exit right away. Because maybe, just maybe, if he were permitted to interact with his sister, they could figure out a way to learn where she was being held.
* * *
Denise still waited in the lobby, apparently enthralled by a television show in which people rushed to fix up a dilapidated old house. She blinked when Anabel appeared, before going back to staring at the TV. Anabel wondered if the Drakkor had placed her under some kind of a spell.
“Hey.” Anabel touched her friend’s arm, making Denise jump. “Are you ready to leave?”
“I...uh... Yes.” Moving as if she had just woken from a deep sleep, Denise shuffled toward the office door. This time, Anabel thought it might be prudent to take the elevator.
“This way.” Taking her friend’s arm, Anabel helped her outside and into her car. Tyler had materialized again and sat silently watching from the backseat.
As each minute passed, Denise seemed to come more and more awake. Anabel felt relieved and grateful. She’d worried Doug had done something to her friend that she wouldn’t be able to reverse.
After she’d dropped Denise back at the restaurant to retrieve her own car, she glanced at Tyler. “You might as well reappear up here in the front,” she said. “We’ve got a lot to discuss.”
Instantly, he was wedged in the front passenger seat, looking both angry and worried. “I’m wondering if we can use this situation to our advantage,” he said. “Since he’s promised to back out when I contact Dena, I’m thinking maybe we could figure out where she is being held.”
Anabel nodded. “I was thinking along those lines myself. If we could free her, then I wouldn’t have to even worry about trading myself for her.”
“You’re not going to think about that, no matter what,” Tyler ordered. “I refuse to even consider such a thing.”
“You’re not in control of me,” Anabel pointed out, as gently as possible. “Your sister is young. She has much to live for. Me, I’ve lost my mate. No one around here likes or respects me. This would be a good trade.”
Tyler shook his head. “I thought you were done with feeling sorry for yourself.”
Stunned—and a tiny bit hurt—Anabel swallowed. “I’m just being realistic.”
“No. You’re not. When I came to you for help, you trading your life for hers was never on the table.”
“Really? Why not? I already see and hear ghosts. Maybe I’d like to be one.” And then she also could find David.
“This is about your husband.” As usual, Tyler intuitively understood her thoughts. “I already promised you that I’d find him and bring him to see you.”
She bit her lip. “What if that’s not enough?” she whispered.
Pain, stark and deep, flashed across his handsome face. “It’s not your time.”
Wondering at the desperation in his husky voice, she sighed. “Maybe not. Either way, I can’t just sit by and let him kill your sister.”
“You don’t have to.” Fierce determination rang in his tone. “We will get her out of there. Before the forty-eight hours are up. But first, I’m going to contact her and make sure she’s still alive.”
Chapter 13
Once upon a time, Anabel Lee had believed in fairy tales. She’d known love and happiness and had greeted every new day with delight. She’d also known sorrow, lost her confidence and had a mental breakdown. Picking herself back up from the ashes, she’d learned self-reliance. More than that, she knew she could never count on others.
Part of her still believed this. But the few days she’d spent hanging around with a ruggedly handsome ghost had shown her otherwise. Tyler and Juliet had both been essential to her learning her way around her newfound abilities.
But Tyler had taught her something else. How to feel again. He’d plucked her up from the pit of self-pity, depression and despair and forced her to care about someone other than herself. For that, she would be forever grateful.
When the sun set this evening, six days would have passed since Tyler had appeared begging for her help. Six long days while a young woman suffered, hovering at the edge of death.
If she could do one thing right in her life, Anabel knew she had to figure out a way to save her.
Leroy meowed, his standard warning, before leaping in her lap. She caught him easily, taking comfort in the strong vibration of his purr. Holding him, she suddenly remembered the old wives’ tales about witches and their familiars. Was that what Leroy was meant to be, her familiar? Was she truly a witch?
Thinking along these lines, she grabbed the phone to call Juliet and fill her in on what she’d learned. Before she could even look up the contact, her phone rang. Caller ID flashed Juliet’s name.
“Talk about ESP,” Anabel teased. “I was just about to call you. I’ve learned something about the Drakkor.”
“I’ve learned something about the Drakkor too.” Juliet sounded both excited and wary. “I think I know why he’s capturing Pack women. As a race, the Drakkors are slowly dying out. It seems their females are being born sterile.”
Appalled, Anabel grimaced. “So they’re looking for fresh breeding stock.”
“Exactly. But from what I’ve been able to learn, their seed doesn’t take root in any other races. The female, whether human or shape-shifter, sickens and eventually dies. I’m afraid that might be what’s happening to your ghost’s sister.”
Anabel glanced around the room, looking for Tyler. For once, he didn’t appear to be anywhere in sight. “Now it all makes sense,” she said. “I met the Drakkor today. He wants to trade the sister for me.”
Juliet gasped. “You met the... Please tell me you aren’t even considering this.”
“How could I not? There’s a young woman slowly dying who needs my help.”
“No. Let someone else save her.”
Anabel couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “How can you even say that?”
“Because you are the last in line of a powerful group of shape-shifter witches. You have within you magic, the kind that can change the world. If you let this Drakkor sink his claws in you, not only will your line die out, but there’s a very real chance he will be able to breed with you. If he does, any child born of such a union will be horribly deformed, both physically and mentally. You cannot allow such a thing to happen.”
Again, the weight of the world had come to rest on Anabel’s slender shoulders. On the one hand, she couldn’t let Dena die. On the other, what if Juliet spoke the truth? Would she be doing her own kind a horrible disservice by trying to help Tyler’s sister?
“Is there an alternative?” Anabel asked.
“Of course there is.” Juliet’s voice rang with certainty. “Learn to use your power and vanquish the Drakkor once and for all.”
“And I’ll help,” Tyler said, startling her. “For whatever reason, it seems when I’m with you, your power is stronger.”
She had to admit he was right. After relaying this to Juliet, she waited while the other woman considered.
“I’m not so sure about that,” Juliet finally said. “But either way, it couldn’t hurt. You say you’ve met the Drakkor. Who is he?”
“Doug Polacek.”
Juliet cursed, something she never did, which startled Anabel. “I should have known,” Juliet said. “I’ve only met him twice, but I got a bad feeling both times.”
“He’s a piece of work.”
Juliet laughed. “Yes. Yes, he is. In the meantime, I’ve located an ancient book I think you should read. There’s a lot in it about the Drakkors. I’ll run it over to you in a little while.”
After hanging up, too restless to sit still, Anabel took a quick shower, feeling the need to cleanse herself after her brief visit with Polacek. She’d just finished drying her hair when the doorbe
ll rang.
Juliet stood on the doorstep, handing over the heavy volume as if it burned her. “Sorry I can’t stay and visit,” she said, sounding breathless. “But I have errands to run. Please, my intuition is telling me you’ve got to read this book. Promise me you’ll take a look at it as soon as possible.”
Mystified, Anabel promised, standing in the doorway and watching as her friend hurried to the car and drove off. Her cell rang, making her jump. Setting the book on the end table, she grabbed her phone and answered.
It was Denise.
“Oh my God,” Denise said, first thing after Anabel answered the phone. “I’m guessing your little visit with him made him angry. You are so not going to believe what Doug Polacek is doing now.”
Since Denise had no idea who or what the attorney actually was, Anabel sighed. “Probably not. What is it?”
“He’s asking for an emergency city-council meeting. Tonight. He’s telling everyone who will listen that he feels you need to be run out of town.”
Stunned, Anabel didn’t know how to respond at first. If she hadn’t known his ulterior motive, this action would have seemed incomprehensible. But now it actually made perfect sense. Doug Polacek was merely tightening the noose. The fewer options she had available, the more likely she’d be to give in to his demands.
“Are you going?” Anabel asked. “To the city-council meeting? Are you planning to go?”
“I can.” Denise sounded grimly determined. “You need someone to speak up for you, after all.”
“Thank you.” Relieved, Anabel took a deep breath. “What time is this meeting? I’m done hiding away while total strangers malign my character. I’m going to put in an appearance myself.”
“Good for you.” Denise sounded pleased rather than afraid.
Anabel wondered how much of their visit to Doug Polacek’s office the other woman actually remembered.
“They’re going to try and hold it at seven this evening. I’ll see who else I can round up. I want you to have an entire section of supporters.”
Wishing her friend luck (and meaning it), Anabel hung up. She’d consider herself lucky if Denise could find two or three others. She turned to find Tyler watching her, arms crossed. “Did you hear that? Doug Polacek is somehow pulling enough strings to make the city council hold an emergency meeting.”
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