by Lisa Edmonds
“Better.” Malcolm’s disembodied voice seemed to be to my right. I lashed out, but the bolt hit me from the left, searing a welt across my side.
“Son of a bitch!” I yelled. I took a deep breath and grimaced, touching the burn. The pain felt good. “More,” I ordered. “Faster.”
“Are you sure?” He materialized in front of me, looking concerned.
“Yes. I have got to get better. My life may depend on it.”
“Okay, it’s on.” He vanished.
I waited until I sensed him to my left, then manifested my whip again and lashed out, intercepting a bolt in midair.
“Yes!” he yelled.
I laughed. “Keep ’em coming, ghost.” Zzzap. “Ow! Damn it! Again!”
5
I opened the basement door and staggered out into the living room.
“I thought you were working on spellwork. What on earth have you been doing?” Sean was sitting on the couch, his phone in one hand and a small black key fob in the other. He stared disbelievingly at my tattered clothes and the dozens of small burns and welts all over my body. Rogue looked up from his dog bed, chuffed softly, and went back to sleep.
“Sparring practice with Malcolm,” I said breathlessly, pulling the basement door closed and stumbling toward the stairs. “I really needed to blow off some steam and work on my magic defenses.”
“Do you need help?”
“Nope, I’m good.” I grabbed the banister and started dragging myself up the stairs. “I’m going to clean up and heal these burns, and then we’ll be ready to go.”
When I looked back, he was shaking his head, his attention back on his phone. I appreciated that he wasn’t fussing over me. Maybe we were making progress with that.
I was back downstairs in thirty minutes, in my Armani suit and four-inch Louboutin heels, briefcase in hand. My wounds were healed, and I’d showered, put on makeup, and pulled my hair up in a neat French twist. Simple diamond earrings and my monogram pendant completed my outfit.
Sean was waiting for me in the kitchen, wearing a Maclin Security jacket over his shoulder rig. On the counter were the bulletproof vest and a couple of key fobs.
“You look lovely,” he said, kissing me on the temple.
“Gotta look the part when you go to see Aaron Riddell or they won’t let you past the front lobby. What’s all this?”
He held up one of the key fobs. “Panic button with GPS locator, designed to look like a car remote. You can put one in your pocket, one on your keys, and stash the other two either in your house or your car.” He handed me the fob. “What looks like the ignition button is actually a very loud alarm. The lock button dials my phone directly and transmits audio one-way from you to me and the unlock disconnects the call. The trunk release sends an alarm to my phone, and the car alarm is a silent all-hands-on-deck emergency distress call. I’ve got that one set up to go to my phone, my mobile team, and the vamps. They’ll dispatch the closest pack of Hunters.”
Hunters were dhampirs—half-vampires—with abnormally sharp senses of smell, sight, and hearing. They were also notoriously unstable, violent, and single-minded in pursuit of their targets and could go for a week or more without sleep or rest. If the vamps had committed multiple packs of Hunters, I doubted Stevens would be running around for very long unless he found a place to hole up and had someone to bring him food and supplies. All it would take is for one Hunter to catch his scent and they would likely be able to follow it directly to him. I would not want to be Stevens if and when the Hunters caught up to him. There was a very good chance he would be alive but not in one piece when they delivered him back to the vamps.
I looked over the panic button. It looked exactly like a car remote and even sported a Toyota insignia for additional camouflage. “Fancy,” I said, tucking it into my jacket pocket. “I’ll put one on my keys and figure out where to keep the others.”
Sean picked up the bulletproof vest. I sighed. “I already have one.”
“What kind?”
I took him to my storage room and showed him my vest, which he immediately deemed inadequate. “It’s not designed to stop rifle rounds.”
I poked at the vest he was holding. “This one is?”
“Yes. There are ballistic plates in the front and back.”
“What about you?”
He pulled up his polo shirt and showed me his own vest. “Standard issue for everyone on the team.”
Reluctantly, I took the vest from him. “Holy crap, this is heavy.”
“Compared to the lightweight one you have, it is, but it’s not nearly as heavy as it could be.”
We went back to the kitchen and I took off my suit jacket and blouse. Sean unfastened one side of the vest and helped me put it on over my head. With practiced ease, he adjusted the Velcro fasteners on the sides and shoulders until the vest was snug. Without the ballistic plates, it might not have been too bad, but with them, it was far from comfortable. At least my posture would improve, I supposed.
I grimaced as I put my blouse and suit jacket back on. “Anything else?”
He kissed my forehead. “Not right now. Thank you for putting on the vest.”
“If it makes you feel better, I suppose it’s worth it.”
He smiled and squeezed my hand. “I put Rogue out in the yard. Ready to go?”
“Yep.” I picked up my briefcase and headed for the front door.
He pulled a small walkie-talkie radio from his belt. “Mobile team, we’re heading out now. Are we clear? Over.”
My stomach roiled. I wasn’t sure why until I realized that on the rare occasions that I left Moses’s compound in Baltimore, our security escort had gone through the same routine with the guards outside the gate. I pretended to check something inside my briefcase so Sean couldn’t see my eyes.
A short pause, then the male voice replied, “Clear to go. Over.”
“Ten-four.” He stuck the radio back on his belt and moved to the door. “Stay between me and the house and let me open your car door for you. Once you’re in, I’ll go around to the driver’s side.”
“Okay. Ready when you are.”
Sean opened the door, looked around, then stepped out onto the porch. I followed him, allowing him to shield my body with his as we stepped outside.
I didn’t like the feeling of being guarded, for a lot of reasons, but my rational side knew that I would be safer with extra eyes watching my back. At least two of those eyes belonged to Sean, and that helped. It was the first time I’d seen him in professional bodyguard mode. As much as it rankled me to do so, I had to follow his instructions and let him do his job. I locked the door and hurried down the steps and over to his SUV, staying in his shadow. I felt furtive and jumpy, and I hated it.
Sean had the SUV unlocked and already running when we got to it. He opened the door, I climbed in, and he shut it firmly. As he was walking around to the driver’s side, I closed my eyes and blew out a breath, feeling squashed inside the tight-fitting vest. I thought of the packs of Hunters combing the city for Stevens and wished they would hurry up. I hadn’t been under Sean’s protection for six hours and already I felt smothered.
Sean climbed into the SUV and buckled in. I followed suit and he backed out of my driveway. Another black SUV followed as we headed down the street. “That your mobile team?” I asked.
“Team One, the eight a.m. to four p.m. shift. Jack and Karen.”
I remembered that he’d said some members of his pack worked for him at the security company. “Is that the same Jack who’s your beta?”
He glanced at me. “Yes.”
“How many of your employees are members of your pack?”
“Just four in the field: Jack, Karen, Karen’s brother Patrick, and Phillip. Ben Cooper is my installation manager.”
We drove for a while in silence. Finally, Sean said, “Adri told me if you wanted to take a vacation, there’s a jet waiting at the airport to take us anywhere you want to go. First-class travel and accommo
dations for two, courtesy of the Court.”
“I’m not running. If I want to take a vacation, I’ll take one, but it won’t be because of Kent Stevens.”
“I figured you’d say that,” he said wryly. “I thought I’d ask anyway.”
“We have work,” I reminded him. “Esther Aldridge, namesake of the Aldridge Art Museum, the Aldridge Concert Hall, and a half-dozen other buildings in town, has a problem that needs fixing.”
“Can’t wait to find out what it is.” Sean’s eyes moved constantly, checking his mirrors and scanning around the vehicle as we drove toward downtown and the offices of Riddell, Ives, and McAllen.
I was relieved and eager to be back at work after being on the bombing case for so long. It felt like one more step toward normalcy, even if I had a security detail.
We arrived at the office building at one forty-five and turned into the parking garage. Mobile Team One—Jack and Karen—pulled in behind us as Sean headed up the ramp. He found two empty spots on the second level near the elevators. The mobile team parked next to us, on my side.
“Same drill as before, in reverse,” Sean said. “I’ll come around to open your door. Stay next to me. I’m going to introduce you to Jack and Karen and then Karen will stay here while Jack comes with us.” He touched my hand. “Don’t look Jack in the eye for more than a few seconds. His wolf is very dominant and aggressive. Karen’s more submissive.”
“Got it.”
Sean got out of the vehicle and moved around to my side. When he opened the door, I stepped out with my briefcase.
The doors of the other SUV opened. The man who got out of the driver’s seat was enormous, taller even than Sean, with a larger physique. His hair was blond, his eyes bright blue.
“Alice Worth, this is Jack Hastings,” Sean said.
I shook hands with Sean’s beta. “Nice to meet you,” I said, my eyes fixed on his chin.
“Glad to meet you, Ms. Worth,” Jack said gruffly. “We’ve all been anxious to meet the woman who’s caught the eye of our alpha.”
Was I imagining it, or was there a distinctive note of disapproval in his tone? I felt the weight of his appraising stare. I resisted the urge to meet his gaze, even though avoiding eye contact made me feel submissive and I didn’t like it.
Jack’s companion came around the back of the SUV. Karen was about my height and looked to be my age, with short dark hair and green eyes. I instinctively liked her.
Smiling, she held out her hand. “I’m Karen Williams. It’s great to meet you, finally.”
“Do we have any idea how long this meeting will last?” Jack asked.
I shrugged. “An initial client consultation usually takes forty-five minutes to an hour, but it’s hard to say for sure. Once I talk with my client, I’ll know more about what I’ll need to do from there.” I glanced at my phone. “We need to get moving.”
“I’ll keep an eye on our vehicles,” Karen said. “See you in a bit.”
Sean headed for the elevators and Jack gestured for me to walk between them. Having the beta at my back made me itch between my shoulder blades.
At the elevators, I hit the up button and we waited, Sean at my side as Jack guarded us. When the elevator arrived, we stepped inside and they maneuvered me to the back, blocking me in with four hundred pounds of werewolf.
“What floor?” Sean asked as the doors closed.
“Twenty.”
Sean hit the button. As the elevator rose, he said, “Don’t sit or stand near any windows. If I tell you to hit the floor or run, do it.”
I blew out a breath. “Okay.”
When the doors opened at the twentieth floor, we stepped out into the posh lobby of Riddell, Ives, and McAllen. I approached the reception desk, flanked by Sean and Jack.
The receptionist’s gaze lingered on my entourage for a few extra beats before she looked at me. “Can I help you?”
I gave her a quick smile. “I have a two o’clock appointment with Aaron Riddell.”
She checked her computer. “Ms. Worth and Mr. Maclin?”
“Yes.”
“Follow me.”
Jack took a seat in the reception area while Sean and I followed the receptionist down a long hallway. She stopped at a pair of doors and knocked twice.
“Come in,” Aaron called.
The receptionist opened the door and ushered us inside, then closed the door behind us.
The conference room was enormous, with thick carpet, a long oval table ringed by eight leather chairs, a complete audio/visual system, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking downtown on two sides.
I could tell immediately that Sean did not like those windows. He moved slightly in front of me to block any shots from the building next to ours.
Three people rose as we entered the room: Aaron, his assistant, and a slim, gray-haired woman in a light blue designer pantsuit.
The woman and the assistant waited while Aaron came around the table to greet us with a smile. The tall African-American lawyer wore his usual tailored suit. He took my hand and kissed me lightly on the cheek. Next to me, Sean tensed.
“Alice, it’s so good to see you,” Aaron said. “You look lovely, as always.”
“Good to see you, too, Aaron. It’s been a while.”
“Too long.” Aaron and Sean shook hands. “Mr. Maclin, a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard many good reports about your company.”
“Call me Sean. It’s good to meet you as well. Can we close these blinds?”
Aaron didn’t hesitate. “Absolutely. Alex, if you would?”
Aaron’s assistant did something on his tablet. The blinds closed with a quiet whir and the lights turned up.
Aaron gestured behind him. “I’d like to introduce my client, Ms. Esther Aldridge.”
Esther was in her late sixties, with platinum hair in a neat twist and sharp blue eyes that raked me from head to foot as I approached her with my hand outstretched.
“Ms. Aldridge, it’s an honor to meet you,” I said. “The new exhibit hall in the museum is beautiful.”
“I’m very proud of it,” she said, shaking my hand with a surprisingly firm grip. “I’ve wanted to expand our collection of African art for years. I’m very pleased with our curator’s work.” She turned to Sean with narrowed eyes. “Mr. Maclin, I understand you’re providing security for Ms. Worth.”
“Yes, we are.”
“Mr. Riddell has confidentiality agreements for both of you to sign, but I’m a bit old-fashioned. I would like your word as a gentleman that everything we discuss here today will remain confidential and that your employees will be required to maintain that same level of discretion.”
“You have my word,” Sean told her.
She studied him, then nodded briskly. “Fine. Let’s get down to business.”
We moved to the conference table. Esther sat on one side, with Aaron on her right and Alex next to him. Sean and I sat across from them.
Alex slid confidentiality agreements over to us. I scanned mine. It appeared identical to ones I had signed previously and I signed, initialed, and dated as required. Sean read his thoroughly, then signed and handed it back.
I took out a notepad and pen from my briefcase as Sean poured us each a glass of water from the pitcher on the table. Aaron’s assistant poured water for his boss and Esther.
Aaron folded his hands on the table. “Ms. Aldridge has asked to meet you because she was recently the victim of a burglary that resulted in the theft of cash, jewelry, and several magical objects.”
“When did the burglary take place?” I asked.
“Two nights ago, I believe,” Esther said. “I was out of town for a few days and returned last night to discover I had been robbed. I called Mr. Riddell this morning and asked his advice on how to proceed. It was he who suggested I employ the services of a private investigator with experience in tracking magical objects—and whose discretion could be counted upon.”
I nodded. “I understand. What can you tell
me about the burglary itself?”
“My home has always had top-notch security and I’ve never had any problems. A few months ago, a friend told me he had recently added a different type of home security—one that utilized magic. I was skeptical, but wished to learn more.”
Magic could certainly be used for home security; wards provided varying levels of protection and defense. While electronic systems could be circumvented or manipulated, wards were difficult to penetrate or break without causing serious harm to the interloper. I was somewhat surprised Esther had never considered their use before; her own art museum used wards to help protect its most valuable pieces.
Esther sipped her water and continued. “My friend showed me the protections at his home. It was a system of wards, ‘anchored’—I believe that is the word—by a magical object provided by a mage. I saw for myself how effective the wards were and made an appointment to speak to the mage in question. He visited my home, assessed my needs, and recommended a similar system. I had it installed about six weeks ago and had no issues with its use. I believed my home to be secure until two nights ago, when someone, or perhaps a group of people, waltzed in right past the wards and my security system and robbed me blind.”
“They broke the wards?”
“No, they simply passed through them, which I was led to believe was impossible.”
I shook my head. “You were misled, unfortunately. The mage who set the wards could cross them. Also, there are ‘passkey’ spells that allow someone passage through a ward, but they have to be made by whoever created the wards in the first place.”
“So this mage who set up the system has to be involved in the burglary?” Aaron interjected.
“More than likely. It’s possible he had passkey spells on hand for some other reason, I suppose, and these thieves got hold of them, but the more likely scenario is that you were deliberately targeted and the mage who set your wards is in league with whoever burgled your house.”
Esther’s mouth compressed into an angry line. “I have attempted to call the mage several times and there was no answer.”