A man stood on the sidewalk across the street, leaning against the exterior wall of a building and gripping his arm. Rho sprang to her feet and sheathed her remaining blade. Glancing toward both ends of the street, she rushed across. She wouldn’t be caught with her guard down. Where there was one, there could always be more. Complacency was an excellent way to get dusted in her profession.
She stopped a few feet from the man still gripping his arm and groaning. Served the bastard right. His blue jeans had been torn, the white T-shirt he’d been sporting turning a lovely shade of crimson where her blade had struck him right at the shoulder.
She took another step forward. The familiar hum of magick rubbed against her skin, and she froze. After working with Eldon, she’d come to recognize that sensation. It felt a little like the way a dentist drill sounded, tight vibrations in a shrill pattern that set her teeth on edge. Mover or fae, she wasn’t sure, but the magick was definitely there. She flexed her fingers at her sides and took another step forward with caution, prepared for anything.
The man yanked the blade from his shoulder and tossed it on the ground, then met her eyes. He was young, no older than thirty. His shaggy blond hair reflected in the sunlight, and he squinted against the rays, so she couldn’t quite make out the coloring of his eyes.
“Who are you?” Rho demanded. His skin lacked the luminescence of the fae, which told her what she’d suspected all along. This man was a mover, probably sent by Max to watch out for the team, but he hardly seemed like a hardened killer. Not the type of person sent to inflict bodily injuries—the kind sent to do recon work.
“You walk in the daylight,” the man rasped, clutching one arm.
“Sure do. Now, who are you?”
He clenched his jaw, clearly unwilling to answer the question. Blue light sparked at his hands.
Rho took a step back. Her instincts flared, setting her on high alert. “Hey, man. Play it cool. No need to resort to magick.” Getting hit wasn’t her major concern. Dissipating the energy should she get hit? Now that made her worry. Eldon wasn’t here this time to help.
His eyes grew wider as he stared at her. She took a step forward.
Blue flames erupted from his hands, closing the gap between them instantly. Rho fell to her knees, the flames hitting her like a wall of fire, splintering pain across her psyche. She hadn’t been prepared to take it all so quickly.
Accept it, she coached herself. Eldon wasn’t here to help her now. She’d have to go at this alone. She dropped her mental walls, opening herself up to the magick as it rained down on her like a monsoon of energy. Every ounce of her shouldered the weight of his power, taking it in like a spindle around her soul.
The downpour finally ceased, and Rho collapsed forward, grateful for the reprieve. She couldn’t handle much more.
But that young magick mover had made a huge mistake. She wasn’t in the business of forgiveness, not for those who kept her from helping the ones she loved, and most certainly not for those who tried to kill her.
“What are you doing?” the man asked in surprise. “How are you not dead?”
Dead? Oh, no. She wasn’t dead. Undead, sure, but not all-the-way dead. Far from it. On shaky legs, Rho rose to her feet, surveying the street for any onlookers. Her senses told her they were the only ones outside within a five-block radius.
Too bad for him. Brimming with power, she extended both hands forward. The world fell away as she focused every thought on the man. The last time she’d done this, she’d been releasing the energy back into Eldon. She’d exercised control to keep it from overwhelming him.
Yeah, not today. She tore the floodgates open in her mind, throwing every ounce of energy she’d stored back at him in one shot. The man screamed. Power blasted from her fingertips, the blue flames charging at him like a rabid animal, ripping him apart from the inside and shredding him open with his own magick. She felt the surface of his aura melt, a sensation she’d never sensed before. The energy burned like flames licking against her skin as she pressed the magick out of herself and forced it into him with her will.
When the light faded from her hands and the last of the energy dissipated, she opened her eyes. The man was curled against the brick wall, whimpering.
She stepped forward and crouched beside him before pulling a blade from the holster across her chest. With a steady hand, she pressed the business end against his throat. “Now I’m going to ask you again. Who are you?”
“Charles,” he answered, his voice weak.
“Who do you work for?”
“I don’t know.”
“Don’t play games with me, Charles.” She pressed the knife against his neck until blood trickled down his throat, and he shrieked. “Again. Who do you work for?”
“I don’t know his name, I swear!” The man’s eyes went wide, although he seemed to see nothing. “He just told me to watch the four of you. I was supposed to stay here until the three left. Someone else was supposed to come for you.”
Son of a bitch. “Did you tell anyone where I was?”
“No.”
She flicked the blade ever so slightly and he yelped. “Would you lie to me?”
“I’m going to die anyway. Lying serves no purpose.”
“Smart.” Killing him seemed like a waste, but he was far from innocent. If he could have killed her, he would have, and that was reason enough for elimination. “But not smart enough.” She slipped the blade from his throat and plunged it into his heart.
The man’s heart sputtered to a stop, his gaze turning vacant. A cloud of blue fog surrounded him, and his body melted into it, dissolving until it was nothing more than blue vapor. The vapor dispersed into the air, carrying along with the wind until it was no longer visible.
Amazing. Guess that was the mover equivalent of morphing to dust. Sure made clean up a hell of a lot easier.
But she wasn’t alone anymore. She glanced around the sidewalk at the approaching heartbeat and rose to her feet, sheathing her weapon and pulling the edges of her coat closed. A little old lady hobbled around the corner, and Rho gave her a polite nod before starting toward the metro. Someone was still coming for her, and she needed to disappear fast. That setback had taken entirely too much time. She pulled the phone out of her pocket and checked it again.
Noon.
Shit. She was already too late.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Rho gripped the metal pole inside the train for balance and tapped her fingers anxiously against her leather pants. Artificial lights streaked across the windows as the carriage bumped and jarred along the dark tunnels of the Paris metro, forcing her to hold on tighter. An occasional burst of sunshine appeared as the train emerged from the dark to run along at street level, only to plunge back into the cavernous earth again.
The copper and glass pendant was heavy against her chest, that tiny piece of metal the only thing keeping her from turning to ash at every exposure to those rays. She would’ve loved to take the time to appreciate the sunny, great outdoors had she not been so focused on the people she’d left waiting. What if she was already too late?
It was nearly a quarter after twelve, at least ten minutes later than her teammates had expected her to arrive. Only two more stops before she reached her destination.
Unease flittered across her senses, setting her instincts into overdrive. This entire situation felt wrong. She prayed her anxious nerves were to blame and not bad omens pressing against the horizon. Daywalking without Eldon was unnerving enough. She didn’t need anything more to worry about.
Finally, her exit was up next. The moment the doors opened, she stepped off the train and rushed up the stairs to her left. She wasn’t sure where her teammates would be by now. If she could just get to the iconic glass pyramids, she’d be able to track Eldon’s scent.
Pushing past the tourists surrounding her, she barreled out of the station and emerged into the daylight. Well, it wasn’t really bright anymore. The sun was hidden behind the clouds
, giving the sky a gray, dreary feel.
She closed her jacket and picked up the pace, moving as fast as she dared without drawing attention to herself. No good could come from standing out in the crowd, which was becoming denser by the step.
There were the pyramids. The metal and glass structures stood at the center of the courtyard, a stark contrast to the delicate French architecture wrapping around them. She ducked behind one of the dozens of arched columns.
This was close enough. Without knowing exactly where Eldon was, she couldn’t determine which entrance she needed to take. The main one was already starting to accumulate quite a line, despite it being a dreary day in the off-season.
Rho pressed her back against the wall and closed her eyes. He was here. Somewhere. Now how could she find him? She’d never tried to track him by scent before, so she wasn’t sure exactly how to do it. But it could be done. Vamps did it all the time when they used a limited feeding pool of preferred donors. Not her, though. She’d always liked to keep things anonymous. Until Eldon.
Rho focused on her mental connection to him and her knowledge of his blood. Those had to be the keys.
His taste from the day before was fresh in her mind—as if she could ever forget. The metallic spice of his life source sprang to the forefront of her mind, forcing her fangs into extension.
She captured the memory of him in her thoughts, not allowing it to fade as she tried to create a connection to him. They’d never truly tried to force their mental link before, but she had to now. Their lives depended on it.
With a deep breath, she cleared her mind of every thought that didn’t pertain to Eldon. His blood. His mind. His body. Those were the only things that mattered now. Her fangs throbbed as her focus narrowed to his unique flavor on her tongue. The taste of his kiss. The feel of his mind when he wrapped himself around her, protecting her from invisible dangers.
Come on, Eldon. Where are you? A dull headache started at the base of her skull, but she refused to allow any other thoughts to enter. He was all that mattered now. She had to find the man who loved her. Whom she loved.
Rho? a male voice echoed into her mind.
Relief swamped her instantly. Eldon! Had she truly just connected to him? No tears or life-threatening injuries—or sex—required?
Where are you? Are you hurt? he asked.
No, I’m fine. Of course he’d think that. She’d never been able to reach him like this before. I think I connected to you on my own.
We’re not doing so well over here.
Her relief was immediately replaced by fear. What’s wrong?
It’s Max. He’s placed us in some sort of magickal choke hold. I don’t know how he’s doing it, but I can’t tap a line.
Shit. If he couldn’t tap a line, then his only true defense mechanism was gone. Where are Tim and Preshea?
Right here with me.
Double shit. If Tim and Preshea were out of commission, that left only one person to get them out of there. I’m coming. Tell me where you are exactly.
Head toward the rear right corner of the Louvre. You should see it on the map.
Ignoring the dozens of questions climbing in her throat, she focused on Eldon’s location. She couldn’t help him if she couldn’t find them. And she couldn’t find them if she didn’t have a ticket inside this place.
She opened her eyes and headed for a back entrance of the Louvre. The line at the main entrance was entirely too long. She’d have to find some other entry that the average tourist wouldn’t have a clue about. From what she’d read online, there were a couple of them and they were the way to go if you wanted to avoid the crowds.
She was getting closer now. With every step she took, the link in her mind grew stronger, her vision of him more clear. She rushed past the fancy shops and directly toward an empty ticket counter.
“Une, s’il vous plaît,” Rho said, offering the man behind the booth twenty euros.
The man nodded, punched some numbers into the register then handed her back her change and a map. “Merci.”
She swiveled around and rushed to the only available flight of stairs. The crowds were minimal on this side of the building, which made it easier to navigate, but she wasn’t sure exactly where she was going. When she reached the top of the stairs, she opened her map.
He had to be somewhere close. Her connection to Eldon was strong, but there were too many variables. They didn’t have the time for her to get lost. Where are you exactly?
Beneath the Egyptian exhibit.
Egypt. In Paris. She shook her head and focused on the map. The little colored boxes were laid out neatly on the map, divided by floor and room.
Egypt, right there in blue, in the far wing on the negative first floor. Negative first floor? What the hell was that? Like a basement? Rho glanced at the number on the wall. They were on ground zero, which could only mean that she needed to go downstairs.
Something flickered in her mind, like a light switch going dim. Her link to Eldon waivered. What’s going on? Rho asked. She could still feel his mind wrapped around hers, but the connection wasn’t quite as clear.
Hurry, Eldon answered.
Right. Like she was slow-playing this on purpose. Where is Max? Is he with you? She turned the corner and found a set of stairs, then headed downward.
No. His magick is here, but he isn’t.
Crap. Where could he be? How do you know it’s his magick? She stopped at the base of the stairs and glanced at the map. Which way was right, and which way was left? They’d translated the thing into English, but it might as well have been written in French, for all the good it was doing her. She spotted a man sporting a nametag and headed toward him.
I’ve never felt a neutralizer spell like this. It’s tight. I can’t even feel the lines.
This wasn’t going to work. Rho was physically stronger than Max, but he’d never let her get close enough to touch him. If he was smart enough to capture her teammates, he was way too smart for that. And no way was he acting alone.
“Monsieur?” Rho asked the name-tagged man politely. Her French was limited to phrases about bathrooms and wine, so she pointed to the map instead. “Egypt?”
He pointed to her right.
“Merci.” She nodded and took off down the hall.
I’m close, Rho said into Eldon’s mind.
Be careful. I don’t know where he is or how you’re going to be able to get to him.
She skidded to a stop. How was she going to get to him? If he wasn’t with Eldon, where the hell was he? Time to slow down and think this thing through.
Max would never give her the opportunity to fight with magick. That had to be why he’d neutralized Eldon to begin with. Max knew what she was and what she could do. He knew that if she got close enough to Eldon, he’d lob some magick in her direction, and then it would be two against one. Even if Max wasn’t alone, the power Eldon could summon had to be nearly equal to Max’s capabilities. They were both privy to magickal intel by virtue of the Council, so they weren’t magickally weak.
Which could only mean that if Rho rushed in there now, Max would kill her. That was what she would do, anyway. The first rule of combat was to always be prepared. The second was to pick off the most formidable opponents first. Neutralize the threats.
With her physical strength practically out the window, her only option was to turn to magick. Tim and Preshea couldn’t give her any magick to use, and Eldon had been neutralized. There had to be another source of energy.
A thought struck her, instantly putting the pieces together. No, she couldn’t do this alone. But there was one person she trusted who she knew she could count on if absolutely necessary. Someone almost as good as Eldon himself.
Eldon would hate it, but given their current situation, she saw no other choice. She couldn’t allow her teammates to die if there was anything she could do to prevent it. And if Eldon got mad at her? Then so be it. She’d accept those consequences later.
She reached
into her back pocket and pulled out her cell phone, grateful she’d brought it. Whether they traced the call at this point was irrelevant. It was the only option she had left.
She punched the number into the phone and hit the send button. The receiver rang loudly in her ear for several seconds before a deep voice came across the line. “Hello?”
“Nick? It’s Rho. I need you.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Rho gripped the phone in her hand as if it were the only lifeline she had left. In many ways, it probably was.
“Rho?” Nick’s voice lifted in confusion.
“We have an emergency. I need you to come—”
“Whoa, slow down. What’s going on?”
“Max has Eldon.” Every instinct in her body screamed with the need to barge into that room and get him back, but she held her ground. Going in without backup would be a stupid move. The way she played this could mean the difference between life and certain death.
“Where are the others?” Nick asked.
“They’re with him. Listen, I can’t tap a line by myself.”
“Tap a—why are you trying to tap a line?”
“I’m not. Er, I can’t. Not by myself. Max has some sort of…magickal net over Eldon. It’s blocking his ability to connect with the lines.”
“How can you know that if you’re not with him?”
Shit. “That’s not important right now. What is important is that I need you.” She hadn’t meant to impart that little gem of information on anyone other than her teammates just yet, but it was too late. Nick might as well know anyway, but now wasn’t the time to explain. “You’ve got to help me.”
A loud sigh sounded over the phone. “Where are you?”
“The Louvre. Eldon, Tim, and Preshea are being held in a room beneath the Egyptian exhibit. I’m just outside of it, but I can’t go in without you.” Rho sent up a silent prayer that Nick would say yes. He didn’t have to. He wasn’t a part of this team, and this wasn’t his mission, but she’d seen the brotherhood between him and Eldon. What she wasn’t sure of was whether he’d trust a vampire enough to believe her.
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