At least he never insulted her about her mother.
“Oh, Aviere.” Azazel grabbed her arm. “I’d take your stuff with you. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to your precious blood samples.”
If only they contained acid.
Falcons didn’t fly well once they were blind.
She took her time as she gathered her evidence, pocketed them inside her purse, and bit her tongue at every insult that threatened to make her situation worse. He wouldn’t care about her opinions or her insults. Hell, he’d get away with just about anything except murder around his sociopathic boss.
The half-morgue laboratory was the perfect example. It reeked of death and decay, yet he still could bring dead bodies inside for his creepy experiments.
His evil smile followed her as she left the laboratory and shivered.
Never again.
She’d return with proper supervision. For once, Travis should’ve been with her. He might get upset with her, but at least he protected her where it counted or let her try to protect herself.
The worst thing he did was let her fail and then helped her understand what she did wrong.
Once she left the room, Mye checked her phone. Another barrage of text messages awaited her. Most of them were from her bestie and from her brothers, but one caught her attention—the most recent one from Lim. He took his sweet time updating her about their case and what happened this morning at the shop. Why meet at their racing venue, though? Couldn’t he update her at the apartment?
Well, he could.
But they had practice tonight, anyway.
Thank the deities. She needed something to keep her distracted after her horrendous day with Azazel and Sanderson. For once, she looked forward to the distraction.
She texted Lim back. Fine. We’ll meet you there. Later.
Once it sent, she turned on her earpiece.
“Hey, Travis.” Mye slung her purse over her shoulder. “Mind meeting me somewhere? Lim wants to hook up at our practice site tonight. I promised him I’d meet him there.”
She couldn’t tell if Travis groaned or gurgled on the other line. “Another night of your racing shenanigans?”
“You could say that.”
“You’re gonna speed, aren’t you?”
This was racing, not Mario Kart.
“Look, I’ll take it easy on you.” She rubbed her bottom lip. “How about this? I’ll teach you how to race. I don’t offer this to just anyone, you know.”
“Thanks, but I’ll pass.”
“You’ll learn something tonight.” A mischievous tone lingered in her voice. “I can’t promise you won’t be sick, but you’ll appreciate high speeds after I’m done with you. You might even chase bad guys better by the time we’ve finished our little lesson.”
Peters snorted. “Oh, look. Even the vigilante wants you to drive, Travis.”
“He’s got his sexy Corvette.” She rounded the corner to the exit. “Why let it rot? He should test-drive that baby on a real course.”
“You have another motive for this.” Travis’s accusatory tone carried through her earpiece. “Spit it out.”
“You’re right.” She slid her glove off, then touched the keypad so the machine could scan her fingerprints. “I want to discuss what happened between you and Lim. I only heard part of the conversation.”
“You could just ask if I’m okay.”
“I could.” She stepped outside. “But then I couldn’t tell if you were lying or not.”
He grumbled, then cleared his throat. “Hurry up, slowpoke. I’m waiting beside your car.”
Well, that made things easier.
Mye skipped over to Jet. Damn, this compound was depressing as hell. No wonder everyone killed each other. It was their only excuse to stay away from Sanderson and Debbie Downer Azazel. Seriously, who wanted to work with those two nut jobs?
Not her.
She’d keep her current partners, thanks.
“So, you said you’d take it easy.” Travis leaned against Jet. “Define easy.”
She grabbed her keys. “I won’t throw you out of my car.”
He chortled. “How reassuring.”
“I won’t get you killed.”
“Don’t make a promise you can’t keep.” He pulled out his own key from his pocket. “You can barely protect yourself sometimes.”
“Fine. Then I promise you won’t get killed because of my stunts.” She crossed her fingers behind her back.
“Oh, come on.” He nudged his head toward her. “Don’t pretend with me. Once that thrill—no, the adrenaline rush kicks in—you’ll be all over the road. You’ll do stunts only civilians dream of.”
Mye held up her hands and barely contained her grin. “Aw. You got me. And here I wanted to surprise you.”
“Save the theatrics.” Travis unlocked his door. “Just tell me what to expect.”
She unlocked her door and slipped inside Jet. “Well, besides a bunch of racers trying to outdo each other? Probably an argument about whatever Lim’s news is. He wouldn’t do it at our racing venue unless I needed to process it.”
Or maybe—just maybe—he remembered to show up for practice.
Not that she would appreciate it with her recent attitude adjustment.
“Well, you knew this case would open old wounds.” His normal callous tone turned sympathetic. “Put yourself in his shoes for once.”
Shit. She didn’t like his shoes.
He always wore those damned loafers and never spent good money on a real pair of shoes. Hell, he never bought decent t-shirts, either. He always opted for those black athletic shirts as if showing off his abs would make Celene behave.
Not the point, though.
Travis had a point.
“It’s hard.” The answer bordered on a whiny child, but she said it anyway. “I mean I’ve never abused drugs. No one in our family abused them either. So, why him? Why couldn’t he just—”
“Sometimes, siblings have their own burdens to bear.” Peters snapped his fingers to a country song in the background. “Don’t you hide shit from your brother, too?”
Mye frowned. “Maybe.”
“Be honest with me.” He turned serious. “I mean, I hid secrets from Lyssa all the time. And my opinions. Man, that was hard. I didn’t approve of most of her boyfriends.”
Her frown turned into disgust.
Agent Neuro’s stuffy opinion didn’t count.
“He’s right though.” Travis snatched her keys and put them in the ignition. “I don’t talk about my family often, but I have two older brothers. We’re estranged now, but they shielded me from a lot of the cruel punishments my father did when I was younger.”
She leaned her head toward him. “Who is your father?”
“That’s not important.” He turned the key until Jet started. “Just drive. Try not to kill me tonight, okay?”
“Not until you tell me about your parents.” The corners of her lips turned upward until she reached a half-smirk. “You know about me. Tell me something about you.”
“Spare me.” Peters made a puking noise. “You’re past the “getting to know me phase’. Just go on your first date already.”
Her version of a first date and theirs were completely different.
For one, it’d involve a sexy set of wheels and a lot of high speed.
“Okay.” Travis shifted toward her. “My father is kind of like yours. He started off strict until my mother died. Then he went off his rocker. I couldn’t wait until I turned eighteen so I could get out of dodge. I lived with friends until I got a job, found my own place, and enrolled in the police academy.”
“You could’ve said he’s a jerk.”
“Jerks bully people.” His eyes turned stormy while his hand rested on her knee. “He’s beyond anything you could ever imagine. The man is evil incarnate. I knew it the day I called him Dad. I stopped when I turned fifteen, but he still stalks me. I can’t get away from him.”
Some first
date this turned out to be. First dates usually didn’t talk about gloomy subjects like abusers or stalkers.
No. No. This wasn’t a date, right?
Oh, hell. She knew they crossed the line a while ago.
They resisted the inevitable.
Mye pulled out of the parking lot. A group of people yelled in her direction as she drove off.
She rolled down the window, then blew them a kiss.
One of them flipped her off.
“Wow.” Travis put on his seat belt. “Even when you’re nice, you still piss people off.”
“I’m glad.” Her hand rested on his. “You may want to move your hand, though. This place is hell if you’re not paying attention.”
The shifter sped down the road. They had two hours to make it near the Maryland-Pennsylvania line. If she counted rush hour traffic, they’d cut it close.
No matter how fast she sped, Mye still couldn’t shake the cold chill that rocked through her body. Something would happen soon. Maybe tonight.
She just didn’t know when.
The ride to Falling Branch proved uneventful because Mye discussed safe topics like their case. She conveniently left out the part about her mutated blood as one of the key ingredients, but she shared the rest of her newfound information. However, it took longer because she had to dumb down her explanations.
It was a miracle they graduated.
Peters couldn’t follow basic math.
Okay, basic stretched it. She used formulas beyond calculus and regular science. Some of her calculations bordered on magical teachings thanks to Lim, but they couldn’t even follow the basic concept of her explanation. After she dumbed down the comparisons four times, Travis finally had a moment of brilliance. Once he explained it to Peters, she continued—a half hour later.
Holy moly. Talk about slowpokes.
Everyone said she was dense.
How did they pass school without calculus or basic chemistry? Didn’t everyone have to take those courses? Her and Lim did. Reese—well, maybe he did. She wasn’t sure. As for her friends, she didn’t remember their classes anymore.
One thing was certain. They needed remedial classes.
They’d never understand her at this rate.
By the time they reached Falling Branch, Mye’s frustration simmered to the surface. No matter how fast she sped, her worries didn’t die down. They grew. Each mile they crossed furthered her anxiety until butterflies fluttered in her stomach.
She couldn’t handle another setback today.
“Mye.” Travis patted her thigh. “You’re nervous, aren’t you?”
If he meant about her feelings, yes. They already danced between the fine of professionalism and other things. She didn’t need any more distractions than she already had.
Still, she relaxed. His touch…well, felt nice.
No one had wanted her for a long time.
Her feelings—whatever they were—would have to wait. Lim bordered on another relapse again with his flighty behavior. Her partner pretended to be okay for her sake. As for Peters… Well, he was Peters. There wasn’t a real explanation for the pencil-pusher other than he was a pretentious asshole who almost set them up for a date.
How could she comfort them?
Drat. No matter what she did, she’d have to revisit her feelings.
Why couldn’t she keep them buried?
“I’m more worried about you.” She shifted in her seat and faced him. “I heard part of your exchange with Angelique. She did a number on you. But then you cut out. I figured Lim’s keeping secrets from me again.”
“I’ll tell him what I told you. I’m not a mediator for your problems.”
“Oh, I don’t expect that.” Her arms flew up in defense. “It’s just if he’s going to train you… Then…”
“It was bad. I almost….”
He let the sentence linger between them.
What happened between him and Angelique? And who was the feisty woman who taunted Travis? What did she have to do with this Red Coat Society, anyway? How did she know Travis?
As usual, she had more questions than answers.
It reminded her of her older brother.
“Look.” Travis nudged her arm. “I think your family arrived. Those are their cars, right?”
Mye peered up, then studied the headlights.
No. Those weren’t her brothers.
Who else followed them here?
She waited until the cars became cleared in the dimming light. Her feline vision kicked in at the last second.
Bloody hell. Their competitors decided to practice here tonight, too.
Today couldn’t get any worse.
“Nope.” Her dejected tone carried through the car. “That’s the other team. I should’ve talked with them about practices, but work’s got me too preoccupied. Well, between work and Lim, I—”
“And me.”
She nodded.
“I’ll be okay.”
Then why did his expression say the opposite? Why did he slouch in his seat when he practically sat ramrod straight throughout their entire drive?
Mye shook her head. “Don’t lie to me.”
“Well, there’s freaky side effects, but I’ll live.” He gave a lopsided smile. “It’s not detrimental yet. Promise.”
“You better not lie to me.”
“Oh, I should.”
“No, you shouldn’t. Our asses—”
He flicked her forehead.
“Ow.” She rubbed her head. “What was that for?”
“You worry too much.” His tone relaxed. “I’ll be okay. At least I have stuff to offset my headaches. However, I can’t get over how words taste like food. It’s the oddest sensation.”
She raised her eyebrow. “You sure you didn’t get a contact high from Lim earlier?”
He shrugged. “If I did, it diminished the headache I had earlier. But I don’t think so. Why?”
“Because he mentions weird shit whenever he gets high or eats those special candies he makes for his girlfriend. It depends on what strand he makes, though.”
“I have no idea what you’re—”
“Forget it.” She stepped out of the car. “Just wait here. And don’t drive off without me.”
Travis grabbed the wheel. “I should.”
“I’ll break your fingers.”
“I’ll disappear.”
Well, damn. He had her there.
Mye slammed the door and waited. The cars piled in one by one. Several Dodge Challengers parked nearby and surrounded her car.
Great. A standoff.
Just what she needed tonight.
What are they doing?
Mye jumped. She imagined her partner’s crystal-clear voice because he had the window closed, right? There was no way he could—
There you go with your conspiracy theories. He chuckled. It’s easier than you think. Now, what are these people doing? Did you piss in someone’s Cheerios again?
Maybe. She didn’t know.
She’d pissed in everyone’s Corn Flakes lately.
Another set of cars followed behind the first. Her brothers finally arrived. Of course, Lim arrived fashionably late as always, but he arrived. So did Maurice.
And behind them—like a bad ulcer—was the dreaded silver Stingray Mye wanted to run off the road.
She already dealt with enough changes in her life. For one thing, she didn’t know how Karyn would jive with the team. Just because they got along didn’t mean they would race well together. In fact, she hoped they didn’t so she could cut her loose. Then she wouldn’t have to share her brothers with anyone.
Mye knew it was petty, but—
It certainly is.
How the hell did Travis do that? She wore protection amulets against this problem.
She glared at him.
He shrugged.
She’d have to roll with this change. He said his powers became wonky. As long as he didn’t become as powerful as Lim, she’d toler
ate it.
Otherwise, they’d have a real problem.
Karyn had one advantage to her tiny Stingray—the ability to sneak into small places. She sped into the small opening the Chargers left between Mye’s car and the available parking spots.
Her brothers followed her.
“Damn.” Mye rubbed her chin. “I didn’t anticipate this.”
“Sis, we got some news for ya.” Lim kept up with her while she powerwalked. “Aquarius visited me. She told me where Donahue’s hiding. It’s in the Port of Baltimore. I think Chelsea’s there because I still have a lab there.”
Then she’d head there tomorrow and ask about Lim. He hid more shit from her.
His bestie would tell her something. It might be cryptic, but she’d figure out her riddle somehow.
She had another brain on her side.
Aw, come on. Travis’s voice didn’t give her the creeps like Lim’s whenever he used magic. Don’t drop your guard now. Focus on the other racers here. Their auras are weird.
Damn him. She didn’t need inner commentary from the peanut gallery.
“Sis.” Lim’s body language turned tense as he exited his car. “Something’s off about them. I can’t pinpoint it, but they’re … different.”
Her claws came out and ruined another pair of gloves. “How?”
“Well, it’s hard to explain.”
“Are they dead?”
“No. Just different.” He took her glasses away from her face. “Look at one of them. You’ll see what I mean.”
“Are you sure you’re not high again?”
“He’s right.” Karyn came up beside her. “Their electrical currents are off. Whatever happened messed with their energy patterns.”
“Tch.” Mye readied herself in a defensive stance. “People aren’t electronics.”
“What I meant to say was brainwaves.” Her face turned a lighter shade of red. “Magic is difficult to explain. They can’t perceive the difference. Think of watching the results of an EKG test. People’s electrical patterns resemble the same pattern.”
Another car door slammed shut and Maurice curled his hand into a fist. “Nice analogy. But your pretty pictures don’t help in this situation, Kar.”
Five cars. Five adversaries.
One for each of them.
Well, if she included Travis.
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