“I’ll take that chance.”
“Hold please.”
A bad rendition of Mozart’s Symphony Number 39 replaced the woman’s voice, and I cringed.
“They need to pick a better artist for their music. This guy’s destroying a classic,” I mumbled as the artist missed another note.
We listened to the hold music for a few minutes before the man finally picked up the phone.
“I assume this is Mr. Jaber,” a harsh voice said, reminding me of the old cook at one of my recent jobs.
“You assume correctly,” Kellen replied. “What do you want?”
“I don’t appreciate your tone, boy,” Smith retorted.
“I don’t appreciate three obviously federal vehicles parked outside my home.” Kellen paused. “Now, what do you want?”
Silence filled the vehicle for several moments before Mr. Smith replied.
“You have something of great value to me.”
“I have many things that are worth a lot of money,” Kellen responded.
“I have no use for any of your antiques or artwork, and you know it.” The man’s harsh voice crackled with irritation. “I will give you five hundred thousand for the girl.”
My eyes grew wide, and I clamped my hand over my mouth. Kellen looked at me with raised eyebrows.
“I’ve already had better offers,” he replied. “Try again.”
“If you’ve had a better offer, you would’ve taken it,” Mr. Smith retorted.
Kellen smiled at me and looked in the rearview mirror. I turned around to see the black sedans still following us.
“That’s your problem, Commander,” Kellen replied. “You’re like all the rest. You value money over everything else, and you truly believe it will solve all your problems. I don’t need money.”
Mr. Smith grunted, followed by muffled voices, as if he held his hand over the mouthpiece to talk to someone else. “What can I give you for the girl?” Smith asked after his muffled conversation.
“What do you want with her?” Kellen didn’t hesitate to ask. “The others want her dead. What are your intentions?”
Another muffled conversation ensued and Kellen rolled his eyes. “We want her alive,” Smith replied. “But I won’t discuss our plans over the phone.”
Kellen’s eyes narrowed, and I recognized the expression. He was deep in thought. “I want three days to consider whether or not I’ll cooperate,” he stated. “And I trust you’re intelligent enough to know that I will not hand her over. If your intelligence has failed you, then I suggest you take the next three days to figure it out.” Kellen ended the call as the Smith started to argue.
“Wow,” I said, letting out a long breath. “Five hundred thousand is a lot of money. Have you really had better offers?”
“No, only death threats,” he replied, glancing in the rearview once more.
I swallowed hard. He could’ve given me up, but he didn’t. Why? Was I really that important?
“We need to lose the idiots behind us,” he continued. “Take the wheel for a minute.” He looked over at me and tilted his head to the side. “On second thought, you’re small enough for us to just trade places.” He pushed the driver’s seat all the way back and held his right arm towards me.
“I can’t drive,” I said, looking at the floor. It wasn’t something I wanted to admit.
“Really?”
I heard the surprise in his voice, and my embarrassment deepened.
“I can’t afford a car,” I replied defensively, “so I didn’t see any point in getting a license.”
“Alright, I just need you to steer,” he said, but he didn’t move the seat forward.
He looked in the rearview again, then back towards the road. Without warning, he cut the wheel to the left and plowed across the desert. The SUV bumped across the rocky ground and Kellen cursed.
“There’s the road,” he mumbled and jerked the wheel to the right.
The jarring motion subsided, but only slightly. I turned around to see the three sedans react to the sudden turn, dust billowing out behind the trail of vehicles.
“Get over here,” Kellen demanded.
“But.” I snapped my mouth shut as his eyes met mine. We needed to lose our pursuers, and I suspected he would use the miles of sand and rock around us to make it happen. I crawled over the center console and onto his lap, gripping the steering wheel with both hands.
“I should be able to regulate our speed, so just keep us on the road. It’s a straight path for the next mile or so.”
He removed his hands from the wheel and rolled down both front windows. The wind rushed into the vehicle and wrapped around me in a soft caress. I inhaled deeply and almost closed my eyes but remembered at the last second that I was supposed to be watching the road. The earth beneath the SUV rumbled, and the vehicle jerked forward. I yelped as the tires landed hard and threatened to turn to the side.
Alisandra, let me help. The whisper caught me off guard, and I looked around.
“Stay focused, AJ,” Kellen hissed from behind me.
The vehicle lurched to one side, and I realized I veered off the narrow path. I jerked the wheel to the right and over-corrected. The back of the SUV swerved violently and panic gripped me. I spun the steering wheel in the other direction, but the vehicle didn’t respond as I hoped.
Kellen’s arm wrapped around my stomach as we tilted to one side.
Let me help! The whisper sounded urgent and demanding.
“Yes, please help!” I called out.
A warm gale blew through the open window and righted the vehicle. Kellen’s right leg rose between my own, and I lurched forward as he slammed on the brakes. Dust billowed around us as the SUV skidded to a stop.
Kellen’s arm loosened around my middle, and I leaned back against him, peeling my fingers from the steering wheel and resting them on his arms. He pushed the shifter in park and sighed.
“Holy shit,” I whispered, as a panicked grin spread across my face. “That was crazy.”
Kellen chuckled beneath me. “You could call it that.”
“Did we lose them?”
“They won’t be going anywhere for a while,” he replied, his breath ruffling my hair.
A tingling sensation prickled my hand, and I lifted it in front of me. Kellen moved his arm with mine, and I watched as a tiny spark leapt from him to me. It raced along my skin, up my arm, then back down again.
“What is that?” I asked. “And why can I see it now but not before?”
Kellen shifted slightly beneath me, and my face flushed. I shouldn’t have been so comfortable with his hard, muscular body beneath me.
“That’s the link between us,” Kellen replied. “I’ve heard people describe it in many ways, but most of the time it’s a small spark.”
“Is it yours or mine? It seems to start with you, then jump to me.”
“I never noticed it until I attempted to remove your binding,” he replied. “I’m not sure who it belongs to.”
I watched it make circles around my hand, then disappear into Kellen’s. “You don’t control it?”
“Not at all,” he replied. I heard the humor in his voice again as he dropped his hand back to my stomach. My pulse quickened, and I felt a flutter in places I shouldn’t.
“We should probably get moving,” I said.
I opened the door and tumbled out of the SUV. Kellen kept me from falling into the sand, as he climbed out behind me. My heart still raced, and I tried to tamp down the mixed emotions raging through me. I wasn’t used to having someone in my personal space. They always tried to avoid me, like my physical deformities were contagious. Kellen didn’t have that problem, but he also saw the new me, not the old me. Maybe things would be different this time.
Chapter 16
“Oh my God,” I exclaimed as I took in the destruction behind us. “That’s terrifying… and amazing!”
The ground rose in shattered pieces ranging from ten to fifteen feet high. The s
etting sun cast shadows around the large boulders scattered between the upheaved earth. Dust lingered in the air, leaving an eerie sight behind.
“Should we see if they’re okay?” I asked, concern replacing my amazement.
“I imagine they stopped before hitting the barricade, but we shouldn’t stick around to find out.”
I nodded and circled around to the passenger side of the SUV, glancing back at the destruction in our wake. A soft gasp escaped my lips at the sight of a softball-sized rock embedded in the passenger door. I contemplated whether I should tell Kellen or let him find it on his own. Not wanting to be the bearer of bad news, I climbed into my seat, and he took off while I fastened my seatbelt. “I hadn’t realized the extent of your strength,” I said softly, wondering if our pursuers were hurt. “Or the possible uses for our magic.”
“That was not just my power,” Kellen said. “The wind tore those boulders free, not me.”
I looked over at him but had a hard time seeing his features as twilight closed in. I thought about the whisper in my mind, asking me to let it help. “I heard something whispering to me during our wild ride,” I said.
“I heard you reply to it.”
“That was the second time it asked,” I explained. “The first time wasn’t as urgent, and I thought I imagined it.” I bit my lower lip. “I hope we didn’t hurt those people.”
Kellen remained silent as he followed the dirt trail across the desert. After thirty minutes, we arrived at another set of gates. Kellen leaned out and pushed a button on the console. It remained silent. He pushed it again, then again.
“Damn, Kellen,” Logan’s voice crackled over the mic. “Give me two seconds to get in here. I don’t camp out in the security room.”
The gate slowly rolled open. I assumed they had cameras mounted on the walls, but I couldn’t see them. Kellen drove through and crested a small hill. The estate below lit up the darkening sky.
“Did he have to turn on all the lights?” Kellen mumbled. “He’s a damn vampire. He can see in the dark.”
He pulled the vehicle directly into the opening garage door. I stared at the two wide doors, wondering how I missed that detail on my first trip here. The garage hadn’t materialized overnight. The door rolled closed behind us as Kellen got out of the SUV. I pushed open my door and remembered the rock lodged in the side.
“Kellen, you might want to see this,” I said.
He walked around to the passenger side and a string of curses exploded from his mouth.
“And you might want to come with me, princess.” Logan’s voice startled me, and I glared at him. “I know, some warning next time,” he said, grinning, but I doubted he would comply.
I followed him out of the garage and into the kitchen. “How did I not see this door here earlier?” I asked.
“Because you weren’t looking?” he offered.
“Smart ass,” I replied. “Are there any leftovers in the fridge?”
He looked at me with raised eyebrows and dropped into one of the stools at the bar.
“Oh, right,” I said, realizing my faux pas. Vampire’s wouldn’t have leftovers, at least nothing I would want.
The fridge offered several plastic containers that looked like they might have been there too long. I opened the freezer and found a variety of frozen dinners. I picked two and dropped them on the counter.
“Aren’t you the little homemaker,” Logan said.
I looked at him and grinned. “These are gourmet dinners,” I said, pointing to the label. “If I put it on a plate when they’re done, it’s almost like I cooked them myself.”
He laughed, and I smiled with him. I seriously doubted his claim to vampirism. He acted like a normal man, with the exception of his really fast movement. But I was no longer in a position to deny that magic existed, so I had to assume he was more than just human. A loud, wrenching noise from the garage interrupted our silliness.
“He’s really pissed,” Logan said. “How’d that rock get embedded in the side of his car?”
“It’s a long story,” I replied, “one I should probably let him tell. I’m pretty sure there are parts of it that went over my head. Not to mention I was in a state of shock half the time.”
I put the dinners in the microwave and sat down next to my ‘vampire’ friend. If nothing else came from today’s events, the threat to my life was confirmed. The Magister wanted me dead. Victor’s group wanted a weapon. I had no idea what the strange Mr. Smith wanted, but he was willing to pay a great deal of money for it. Maybe my current company wasn’t that bad after all, and maybe they were trying to protect me.
“So, anything wild and crazy happen while we were gone?” I asked.
“That reminds me,” he responded. “I expected you to come back in some new clothes. Yet, here you are in the same baggy blue jeans and t-shirt.”
“Don’t evade the question,” I countered. “You and Kellen both do that. It’s extremely irritating.”
He swiveled on the stool and faced me, pushing a long lock of hair from his face. “Alright, fair enough. The portal room is completely destroyed, as planned. The patio garden is a disaster and three windows are broken, not as planned.”
“What happened to the garden? And the windows?”
“I’m fine, princess, but thanks for caring. Unfortunately, Kellen will not be when he finds out how much damage is done.”
“Did they really attack the house?” I asked, remembering Kellen’s comment about people looking for us.
He nodded.
“Who was it?”
“No one you know,” Logan replied, swiveling back to the counter.
“I don’t know. I met a lot of people today.”
He tilted his head my way. “Really? Do tell.”
“Well, first was a bear, who was terrifying. Then, a pack of mutts, as Kellen called them. Their leader was even scarier. Then, some government group who wanted to buy me for a huge amount of money.” I frowned, realizing he dodged my questions.
“Damn. I’m guessing the mutts were Victor’s,” he stated. “The bear, was it a man or woman?”
“A woman who looked like a man. She was huge.”
“There are several possibilities there.” Logan scratched his chin. “The government boys must have been the ones camped at the gate all afternoon.”
“That was kind of fun,” I said with a grin.
The slamming door drew my attention to Kellen. I covered my smile with my hand. Streaks of dirt covered his face, and large, dark stains dotted his shirt.
“What happened?” I asked, trying to smooth my features.
“We’re not talking about it.”
The microwave dinged, and I jumped down from my stool. I removed the two dinners and set them on the counter, then went in search of plates. Kellen eyed me suspiciously as he scrubbed his hands in the sink. I gave him my sweetest smile and started transferring the mashed potatoes and cubed steak to the plates I found.
“What are you doing?” Kellen asked, drying his hands on a towel.
“You should wash your face too,” I replied, ignoring his question.
He raised his eyebrows at me and went back to the sink. I heard Logan cough and turned to see him smiling. Kellen sat down opposite of Logan, and I slid his plate in front of him.
“Thanks, I think.”
“Sure thing,” I replied, resuming my seat next to the vampire, chuckling at the thought.
“Looks like someone left out a few details,” Logan said.
“I told you I’d let Kellen explain what happened. I’m still struggling to sort out everyone I met today.” I waved my fork at him. “You two talk. I’m eating.”
“She’s got quite the little spark, doesn’t she?” Logan asked.
I choked on the bite I’d just taken, hoping he wasn’t referring to my partnership with Kellen. But Logan was a mage with a partner before he became a vampire. He would know. I decided to ignore his comment and finish my gourmet meal.
“Don’t go there, Logan. Just tell me what happened today,” Kellen said.
Logan swiveled towards Kellen. “Two teams of vampires showed up,” he began. “I let the outer defenses take care of the first team. When the second witnessed the demise of their fellow blood-suckers, they hesitated. I managed to kill three of the seven before they reached the house.”
He paused, and I leaned forward so I could see Kellen’s expression. He stared at Logan with his fork halfway to his mouth.
“Your guardians finished off the rest of them, but the garden’s a mess.”
Kellen dropped his fork on his plate and rushed towards the glass doors leading into the garden. I slid off the stool and Logan grabbed my arm.
“You should give him a few minutes,” Logan explained. “The garden was his mother’s.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I stood at the glass door, looking out into the ruined garden. The tall palm trees that once lined the right side lay on their broken branches, crushing the flowering bushes I didn’t have names for. Kellen knelt beside one of the largest trees with his hand on the rough, layered bark.
As soon as my feet left the house, a sense of overwhelming sadness washed over me. I approached the nearest fallen tree and noticed multiple claw marks cut deep into the bark. The tree’s sap oozed from each one and tears pooled in my eyes. Why was I getting so worked up over a tree?
I dropped to my knees, placing my hand on the jagged cuts. Waves of pain assaulted me, and I snatched my hand away.
“It’s one of the guardians,” Kellen said, kneeling beside me. “I can’t fix it. None of them.” He motioned towards the line of fallen trees, and I looked over at him.
“What’s a guardian?” I asked, watching his pained expression.
“They’re part of the estate’s defense,” he replied, “and my mother’s creations. They’re more than just trees. They’re sentient beings that protect my home and the portal to the palace.” He placed his hand on the open cuts and streams of mud rose from the ground. The thick mixture coated the tree’s wounds, but didn’t stop the flow of sap pouring from it.
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