She knew in her heart that if she didn’t disappear before his return he wouldn’t let her go, no matter how fatal that decision threatened to be. There would be no escaping him. Looking in the mirror on the visor, she took in the large SUV that Devil and Chaos had arrived in. It was big enough to carry the four men and Nikki back to the hotel. But could her conscience allow her to steal Judge’s car? The answer came swiftly. It was either that or she exposed Judge to the danger that haunted her every move.
She climbed over the center console, grateful to Judge for leaving his keys in the ignition. Turning the key, she prayed he would forgive her for what she was about to do. It wasn’t like she was stealing the car, just returning it to the hotel for him before sneaking away in a taxi. She knew it would seem childish, but she had little choice. She couldn’t expose these people to her father’s associates. With her resolve set, Charli set her plan into action. As she drove away, she refused to look back. It would gain her nothing other than more guilt.
****
Charli smoothed her suit skirt down after climbing out of the taxi. She was heading toward a meeting with a new client. One who was offering to pay her handsomely for her unique computer programming skills. She had developed a financial software program that could be adapted to each individual company’s needs.
It had made her a lot of money, which she stockpiled to ensure she and Emily could disappear without a second thought. For Emily’s continued safety, she wouldn’t hesitate to secretly sell all of her rights to the program to one of the many interested buyers who had made her some amazing offers. But that was her worst-case scenario. The threat of her father’s associates hadn’t caught up with them yet, and she prayed it never would.
The mere thought of the danger that haunted her every movement had her looking over her shoulder. Her father, his boss, and his boss’s cousin were never far from her mind. If she became complacent, it wouldn’t just be Charli whose life would be ruined, but Emily’s as well.
They had both inherited their paternal grandmother’s psychic talent. They were often flooded with visions, feelings, and a sense of knowing about events in the past, present, and future. And their father coveted their abilities to help line both his and his associates’ pockets.
It was something Charli had learned firsthand after her mother’s death. She had been sent back into her father’s care. Her awareness between right and wrong was tested every time she refused to help him make his boss money by picking the winners of certain races. Each time she refused, or predicted incorrectly, her father would beat her. Those she could handle. It was the cocked gun his boss’s cousin had pointed at her head while he held the racing fixtures in front of her that had her complying.
While one of her abilities had her in her father’s clutches, it was another that aided her escape. Her skill with the computer brought her to the attention of her technology teacher, which led to offers of college placements and scholarships. She secretly accepted the offer that placed her on the other side of the country, while she continued to play the scared schoolgirl frightened of her father and his associates.
In their arrogance they often left her to her own devices while they went about their business. It offered her the opportunity to leave the nightmare behind. Of course life wasn’t that simple. She soon learned through her only high school friend that her father had knocked up his current girlfriend. It wasn’t until four years later that she would meet her little sister.
A vision showed her father killing Emily’s mother. Charli immediately raced to the airport, hoping to prevent the devastating outcome. Unfortunately, the weather had other ideas. She was snowed in. Emily’s mother was murdered while Charli sat in the airport terminal waiting for the weather to clear. Her father had been jailed and as Emily’s only living relative, Charli had been granted custody.
It broke her heart every time she thought of that day she arrived at the house to see police tape surrounding the front yard. Emily’s mother had been stolen from her by her own father. Then she didn’t even get to say goodbye to the woman who had raised her. Charli couldn’t chance her father’s boss turning up in the days that followed or at the funeral. She swept Emily away from the only home she knew in order to protect her from evil. They only returned for the court hearing granting Charli custody. For the last two years, they had been hiding in plain sight in a city where plain and ordinary were lost amongst a sea of extravagance.
Returning to the present, Charli acknowledged that her paranoia was getting the best of her. No one was following her. No one was even glancing in her direction. Her dull grey suit guaranteed her anonymity as she blended in with the concrete buildings.
Shaking her head in embarrassment, she continued toward the restaurant where her client would soon be arriving. It was customary for Charli to arrive to a meeting at least ten minutes early. It allowed her to choose her seat. She always booked the table in a quiet corner, against the wall. She couldn’t allow anyone to gain the upper hand and sneak up on her. If only her client understood the rules. He was already seated when she arrived at the restaurant. And in her seat, no less.
“Miss Smythe, it’s lovely to meet you,” the elderly man said, standing and offering her his hand when she approached the table. “Would you care for a drink while we wait for Mr. Martin?”
“I didn’t realize I would be meeting anyone else, Mr. Borris,” she stated suspiciously.
“Please call me Henry.” He smiled, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Something stirred in her stomach, screaming at her to move. Before she could, a hand landed on her shoulder.
“Hello, kitten. You are one hard woman to track down!” came the voice that had been haunting her dreams for the last week.
Chapter Two
Judge found pleasure in the shock-filled face that was staring at him. His mate deserved nothing less and a whole lot more in his book. He had been in a constant state of agony and arousal since experiencing her delicate scent. And to make matters worse, Charli Smythe, as he now knew her, had had him chasing his tail like a damn dog this last week. Every time he thought he had a handle on her whereabouts, he received a lead pointing him in the opposite direction.
Now that he knew her chosen profession he suspected her skill with the computer far exceeded program development. She was hiding from something other than him, and he was positive she’d made sure there was a confusing data trail that led to nowhere to ensure her continued anonymity. He would have been impressed by her ability had it not been used to keep him from her side.
He hadn’t even been able to pump Nikki for information about her friend. Viper was keeping her isolated in their quarters for everyone’s safety. No one was able to predict how she would react to what she had become. She was a unique creature before both Devil and Viper had saved her life, even though she had been human. Now as a half fae and half vampire, she was one of a kind.
“How … how did you find me?” Charli stammered. Her face was awash with worry and anger.
“You’re my mate. There’s nowhere you can hide that I can’t find you, kitten,” he warned. Though what he’d said wasn’t completely true. When they mated he would know exactly where she was at all times through the link that would form between them during their mating ceremony. Until then he would be using all of his resources to gain that information.
“Kitten! That’s a bit backward, isn’t it? Considering what you can turn into,” she scoffed, and Judge would have bet anything that she was trying desperately to maintain her anger.
Bringing his hand up to her face, he gently ran his fingers down her cheek. “Our children will be referred to as cubs, not kittens.”
She backed away from his hand, though her gaze stayed on him, yearning, fear, and anxiety swarming through her eyes. As he raised his hand to run through his hair, he saw her flinch and take another step back. The move was telling. By her actions, she spoke of the abuse she had received at the hand of someone. Someone who won’t be of this earth
for very much longer. His mountain lion wanted the blood of the person who had placed that fear in his mate’s stunning eyes.
“How’s Nikki?” Charli asked warily.
“By all accounts she’s doing well,” he responded, moving around the table to take a seat. “But Viper hasn’t allowed anyone to see her outside of Devil. Not even Gabby’s allowed in to see her. They didn’t want to take the chance that the bloodlust newborns usually suffer would affect her.”
“Bloodlust?” she whispered, looking around at the busy restaurant.
“Devil had to change her to save her. She’s part vampire,” Judge explained.
“She’s something else, though, isn’t she?” she asked, leaning over the chair in front of her to maintain privacy rather than sitting down.
“Yes, she’s also part fae. But it’s the vampire blood that is worrying both Devil and Viper. Some newborn vampires are lucky enough to avoid the uncontrollable need for blood, but most aren’t. Devil and Viper are just waiting to see if the bloodlust takes a hold of her.”
“And has it?”
Judge pointedly looked at the empty chair, silently encouraging her to sit down. Once she realized that he wouldn’t answer her question until she complied, she plonked into her seat with a “humph.” Only then did he share what he knew.
“No, but still Devil and Viper remain vigilant. From my understanding, Viper even convinced her to quit her job as a nurse.”
“She would be devastated,” Charli said softly.
“She was, but she knew it was the right thing to do because no one knows what outcome combining these two creatures would produce.”
Judge watched as Charli’s eyes went blank. No emotion could be seen in them. He knew what was happening. He had witnessed her having a vision in his office. His beast became restless, and he understood exactly why. While these visions hit his mate, she became completely oblivious to the outside world. Anyone could attack her like this and there would be nothing she could do about it. It was a good thing she would have him by her side from now on.
Suddenly a smile lit up Charli’s face. “She’s going to be fine,” she reassured before uncertainty replaced her obvious joy. “What are you doing here, Judge?”
“I’m here to hear about this program of yours.” Though it was the truth, it wasn’t the only reason for his presence in the restaurant.
“Really?” came her cautious response.
He could understand her skepticism. If she had any knowledge of the mating bond, then she would know how difficult it was for a mate to walk away from their other half. It was exactly what he was suggesting by only showing an interest in the product she was here to discuss.
It was all part of his strategy. To catch this certain prey he needed to keep her unbalanced and unsure of what was to come. Of course her obvious computer skills and psychic ability would work against him, but he had every intention of catching her and keeping her where she belonged. By his side.
“Yes, really,” he replied casually. “Now why don’t you tell us all about it?”
“Umm, okay,” she said, obviously still not trusting his true motives. “I developed it with small businesses in mind. It incorporates everything a small business would need, payroll, invoicing, ordering, bank reqs, well you get the idea. It all came about while I was studying. I worked my way through college in a little family-run café. The owner was always complaining about how hard doing the books had become since technology appeared. He hated that he would have to spend so much time with all the different programs just trying to keep up-to-date. And even though his business was doing well, he couldn’t afford to employ an accountant to take care of it. So I developed a program for him. It integrated everything he would need in one program. Soon some of the other companies around his asked for a copy of the program. I gained most of the sales in the beginning through word of mouth. Now I send it all over the world to customers. So that’s my story. Now may I ask what you would need it for, Judge? I doubt it would benefit the casino.”
Judge felt pride in his mate. He’d looked into her program and the reviews it had gained. It was a sought-after product that filled a gap in the industry. While it was a niche market, it was larger than most people would realize. And she had created it just to help out her boss at the time. Now it was a global success and something he was positive would solve one of his problems.
“My pride runs a tour company through and around Lake Mead. We offer guided tours, adventure tours, and camping advice as well as offering our tracking services when the authorities request it,” Judge explained. “Henry’s son is my beta. And I think he would have a lot easier time of the books if he had your program working for him. Are you available for demonstrations?”
Suddenly, the phone on the table began to vibrate. He assumed that, like any good businesswoman, Charli would allow it to go to voicemail. However, when her gaze landed on the screen, her breath hitched and worry filled her eyes.
“I’m sorry, I have to take this,” she said, standing and grabbing her phone.
“Your mate’s very flighty, Alpha,” Henry stated as they both watched Charli walk away from the table.
“I’ve noticed. Has Andrew managed to dig up anything more on her? Like what sort of trouble she’s in,” he asked, knowing that his beta would be turning over every rock to discover Charli’s secrets.
“Nothing that I have heard.”
Judge barely heard the man’s response. Instead his focus was on his worried mate as she rushed back toward the table.
“I’m sorry to cut this short, but I have to go.”
Judge abruptly stood, sending his chair into the wall behind him. “What’s wrong, kitten?” he asked, hoping she would share her burden. Surprisingly she did, though he suspected it was the growing mating bond that had her doing so.
“My little sister had another fit. She’s being loaded into an ambulance as we speak. I have to get to the hospital.”
Rushing to her side, he placed a hand on her arm, offering her his strength. “Come on, I’ll drive you. You’re in no fit state to get behind the wheel.”
“I don’t own a car,” came another little bit of information about his mate.
“Even more reason to allow me to drive you.”
He left Henry to offer apologies for using the table and not staying to eat. He led Charli out of the restaurant and around the corner to where his car was parked. Holding the door open for her just as he had a week ago, he encouraged her to climb into the passenger seat. She appeared to be in such a state that she sat without any arguments. Charli kept her back ramrod, refusing to accept any comfort from the luxury seats, while her gaze was fixed to windscreen. She remained unmoved. Reaching in, he pulled the seat belt securely around her luscious body. As soon as he was satisfied that she was safe he walked around to the driver’s side and pointed the car toward the hospital.
Chapter Three
“Does your sister suffer from these fits often?” Judge asked as they made their way into the ER.
Before she could respond, she heard Emily’s weakened voice calling her name. Rushing toward the gurney being pushed by a paramedic, she grabbed the tiny hand that reached for her.
“How is she?” Judge asked from behind her, his hand on her shoulder offering her comfort.
“From what we were told it was quite a severe seizure. But I’m sure the doctors will be able to tell you more once they have examined her,” came the paramedic’s reply.
While Charli listened to what the paramedic said, she did her own visual assessment. Emily looked so tired. Her face was pale grey, and she was having trouble keeping her eyes open. Charli had been expecting this hospital trip, though not this soon.
Emily’s visions were getting stronger and seemed to be lasting longer each time. They were also coming more frequently. Afterward her sleep was restless, often filled with nightmares. Her lack of proper sleep would have been a contributing factor to today’s seizure.
“I�
��m tired,” Emily stated, barely in a whisper.
“I know, honey,” Charli cooed softly. “Mommy’s here. Everything’s going to be all right. The doctors just want to make sure you’re okay.”
At the mention of the word “mommy” she felt Judge stiffen behind her. He thought her to be Emily’s sister, which she was. But on any official document, Charli Smythe was Emily’s mother. Charli had set it up that way when she’d created their new lives. Anything to keep her father’s associates from their doorstep.
“What have we got, Joe?” a soft, feminine voice asked before a gasp sounded. “Charli, Judge, what’s happened?”
Looking up, Charli recognized the nurse standing on the other side of the gurney. “Gabby, I didn’t know you worked here.”
“Not for long.” Gabby smiled, rubbing her stomach. “Now, what’s going on?”
“Charli’s daughter had a seizure,” Judge replied, with a little emphasis on the word “daughter.”
Recognition lit Gabby’s eyes. It would seem that Nikki’s best friend at least knew enough of Charli’s story not to be surprised. “Okay, Joe, let’s get her into cubicle six and do hand over,” she said before looking back up at Charli. “Do you remember the doctor that treated her on her previous stay? I can look it up, but this way I can get him down here quicker.”
Charli shared the information, dreading what Emily was about to endure again. Her last stay saw her having every test under the sun, most of them involving some sort of needle. The poor thing looked like a pin cushion by the time she was discharged.
“What’s wrong?” Judge asked, worry evident as they followed Emily into the cubicle. “If you don’t like that doctor, I will find the best in his field for Emily and fly him here.”
Mated to War Page 2
