Worried about awakening his temper, I gave up. He was in rare form, but I only half listened to his animated voice as he described the passing sights. While I found that he was still extremely disturbing, I also felt like he was doing his best to be more normal. As the city lights flashed by our windows, he pointed and laughed, talking like a tour guide who loved his home town. I racked my brain, trying to remember if there was an Oklahoma City Circle of Guardians, but I didn’t think there was. At the Ranch, I’d met a girl from the Tulsa Circle, though. That city was probably about 90 minutes away; although, when that distance was traveled by Guardians it could be done in half the time.
Before I knew it, we’d stopped in front of what looked like a mid-rise condominium building. Waiting for the automatic gate to open, I noted scaffolding at one end and wondered if a renovation was in progress or if the place was still under construction. A chill swept over me as we pulled into an almost empty parking garage. There were only four other cars. If this was a condo building, I had a feeling Kieran was the only tenant.
We left James and Vincent behind and took an elevator to the top, twelfth floor. I noted a video cam in the upper corner. Kieran used a key card, explaining I would be given one the next day when he gave me an official tour. He also clarified that the outside of the building had surveillance in the form of security cameras and guards. Under no circumstances should I even attempt to leave or I’d be sorry. Only he said it wouldn’t be me enduring the physical punishment; it would be Ava Rose. He certainly knew where to strike. With a threat like that, I wouldn’t even consider going against his wishes. Not yet, anyways. Not until I was certain I held the upper hand. Dejectedly, I squeezed my hands together. That might not happen for days.
I couldn’t help but gasp when we stepped into a swanky, expensively-outfitted penthouse. Spacious and contemporary, the main living area boasted polished gray concrete floors, vaulted ceilings, and expansive, tall windows that offered a panoramic skyline of Oklahoma City. Showcasing space rather than things, the room was sparsely furnished. The two neutral-colored leather couches and the chair with ottoman took center stage. Only the throw pillows, along with a couple of very strange almost disturbing-looking paintings on the wall, added a shot of color and texture. While modern and bold, I found the room cold – lacking in feeling and warmth. Just like Kieran.
Off the living room to the left, I followed him down a hallway where he pointed out my room, but I didn’t bother entering it. I asked him to take me directly to Ava Rose. Luckily, her room was next to mine. He opened the door, and because of an amazing nightlight that projected a rainbow across the wall and ceiling, I could see her small body curled up in a monstrous bed. Actually, it wasn’t a bed; it was a mattress situated in the center of a concrete slab, which was only about a foot off the stone floors.
“See, she’s sound asleep. Perfectly safe…and happy, I might add.”
I gave him a dirty look, and said, “You can go now, I’ll be sleeping in here with Ava Rose.”
He laughed softly. “Why am I not surprised? Bathroom’s over there,” he said, pointing to a door in the corner of the room. “I’ll see you in the morning for breakfast. And Lexi,” his voice chilled, “Unless you want to alarm Ava Rose, I suggest you treat me as you would a close friend. Remember, you brought her here on a surprise vacation. I’d hate to see you spoil that for her.” With that, he turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Sighing in relief, I dropped my things and ran over to the bed. I hugged Ava Rose, taking in her sweet scent of innocence along with a little Johnson’s Baby Shampoo. The last time I’d smelled that was a few weeks before on sweet little Thomas Jason. A memory of Jason doting on his nephew had me close to tears as I wondered if I’d ever see either of them again.
“Ava Rose, I’m here now, sweetie. You’re safe,” I whispered, running a hand along her forehead.
She roused and opened her eyes. A huge smile broke out across her face. “Lexi! Yay! I’m so glad you’re finally here.” Sitting up, she reached for me, and I engulfed her in a big bear hug.
“I’m here, Ava. And I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’m so glad,” she said, yawning loudly. “There’s so much I want to tell you.”
“And I want to hear about it, sweetheart. But not tonight. I want you to go back to sleep and back to your fantastic dreams. You’ll have time to tell me everything in the morning.”
“Okay. Oh, did you bring my clothes? Uncle Kieran said you would.”
“Umm…uhh…,” I stalled, trying to think up a believable excuse. “S-somehow…the suitcase was misplaced by…by the airlines,” I stuttered. “Sometimes that happens. I’m sorry,” I said.
“Oh, that’s okay. Uncle Kieran said he’d take us shopping anyways. He must be super rich, huh?”
“Yeah, he is. I have a favor to ask you,” I said, changing the subject.
She nodded and yawned again. “What’s that?”
“Can I sleep with you tonight?”
She giggled. “Like a sleepover?”
“Exactly.”
“Of course you can. This bed is so big; we could invite all of my friends.” She giggled but then frowned. “I have been kind of lonely in here all by myself. And I’m super glad you’re here now.” She pointed at the wall. “Isn’t the rainbow the coolest thing ever?”
“It is,” I said, smiling. “Okay, you lay back down here.” I patted her pillow and then pulled up the covers and tucked her in. “I need to brush my teeth, and then I’ll be back.”
“Okay, Lexi. Good-night. I love you.”
“I love you too, Ava.”
By the time I finished up in the bathroom and returned to the bedroom, she was already sound asleep. Quietly, I crawled in next to her. We might not be safe yet, but at least we were both alive and she hadn’t been hurt in any way. I didn’t think Kieran would harm her unless I broke one of his rules. And I had no intention of doing anything that would endanger her. But make no mistake, I’d be watching and plotting. If an opportunity for escape presented itself, and I thought it was worth the risk – for at least getting Ava Rose to safety – I would take it. Snuggled up next to her, I touched her short curls. For the first time in days, relief washed over me. A few minutes later, I fell fast asleep.
I awoke early and smiled at the sound of Ava’s soft snores. She was so darn cute. Deciding not to wake her just yet, I dressed quickly and snuck out of the bedroom. Barefoot, I walked along the smooth concrete floors. All was quiet, except for a soft “whish” of the cold air blowing out of the ceiling vents. Once inside the immaculate living area, I spotted Kieran out on the balcony. As if sensing my presence, he turned, smiled, and beckoned me. What a way to ruin the morning – a conversation with a Ray-pac.
As soon as I was seated, Kieran’s hand swept over the table, which was filled with a surprising array of breakfast items. “Help yourself to anything…and please, eat up. You’re too thin. And I don’t like it.” I glared at him, but he just smiled and continued talking. “I imagine you haven’t eaten much in the last few days – too worried about Ava Rose, I’m sure. All the while, she’s been here, having the time of her life.” He actually snickered. “But now you know she is happy and healthy, so you can start eating again.” He leaned toward me. “What I’m saying is, your appetite will return.” It wasn’t hard to discern this was a command not an opinion.
My stomach gurgled, and I realized just how famished I really was. Oh, I’d eat. But not because he told me to. While helping myself to strawberries, grapes, and a blueberry muffin, the slider opened, and a lady in her forties stepped onto the balcony. It was obvious by her grey and white dress and the way her black hair was pulled back in a tight bun that she was a staff member.
Kieran leaned back in his chair. “Lexi, this is Maya. She is my personal assistant, chef, housekeeper, and as of late,” he chuckled, “nanny. She will be available to you should you need anything, whether that be clean clothes or something to
eat.” He drummed his hand against the armrest and squinted. “It is important you understand that Maya does not engage in chit chat. No personal conversations of any kind. So for her sake and the longevity of her employment here,” his voice deepened and he gave me a knowing look, “I suggest you respect these rules.”
Despite the balmy morning, I shivered and then nodded. Maya’s expression never changed; it remained neutral, yet cordial. “Would you like any coffee, tea, or juice this morning, ma’am?”
“Orange juice would be fine.”
“Mr. Black has informed me you would like an omelet. What ingredients would you like? We have most everything.”
My eyebrows shot up. How fitting. His last name was Black – the darkest of colors, resulting from the absence of light. My mind went wild. Black. The color of mourning. Also associated with death and evil. Rampantly, my thoughts ran through a list of words: blackmail, blackballed, black Monday, black sheep, black magic, black mark…
“Lexi. Maya is waiting.” Kieran snapped his fingers in front of my face.
I jerked. Looking at Maya, I fumbled my words, “Umm…I… how about peppers, onions, ham, and cheese. Please.” She nodded and swished away.
“How do you like the view?” Kieran asked, swiveling in his chair.
Small talk. Really? I slammed my fork down, somewhat smashing the strawberry on the other end. “I want to know why I’m here. And I want to know when you’re going to let Ava Rose go.”
Completely ignoring my outburst, he took a swallow of his coffee and then pointed toward the city. “For the most part, Oklahoma is a flat blanket of farmland. Even here, the skyline is set to see more low- and mid-rise buildings, with the exception of our latest claim to fame – the Devon Tower. A 52 story, three-sided glass tower with diamond-shaped faces at the top. It’s just fascinating, isn’t it?”
Practically foaming at the mouth, I scowled. “I don’t care about the damn tower.”
“You should.” Focused on the building in the distance, he rubbed his chin with his thumb as if in awe. He might have cleaned himself up like some wannabe salesman, but I noted he was still wearing the absurd snake ring on his thumb and a vicious wolf tattoo marked his arm. He cleared his throat. “A restaurant called Vast takes up the tower’s top two floors. The views from there are incredible.”
I breathed heavily, refusing to comment.
He turned and looked at me. “You asked what I want from you. Well, what I want is to take you there for our celebration.”
“Celebration of what?” I fumed.
His eyes flared nefariously. “Why, the celebration we will have after the two of us link, of course.”
Having just taken a bite of blueberry muffin, I choked and covered my mouth to prevent myself from spitting it out across the table. Blurry-eyed and coughing, I patted my chest. He handed me a napkin, but I waved it away. That’s what this was all about? Kieran thought he was going to link with me? Well the joke was on him. When I finally made eye contact with him, I said incredulously, “You’re kidding. Right?”
That must have pissed him off, because all of sudden, I could sense he was about to strike me. Swiveling in my seat, I raised my left arm, blocked his fist, and swiped his arm to the side. But just barely in time. He was strong. Stronger than I remembered. In a flash, I was out of my chair, launching a powerful kick toward his face, but I barely scraped his chin because he ducked sideways and I hit the back of his chair. Springing to his feet, he held his hands out in warning. Fearing how my actions might affect Ava Rose, I froze.
A disturbing smile crawled slowly across his face. “Stop, Lexi. While I find this very entertaining, I have no desire to fight you. I only wanted to test you. So sit back down.”
I made no move from my defensive position. “Test me why?”
Reclining into his chair, he chuckled. “Since you have the unusual ability to hide your link, I needed to test your Flair – just to make sure you were still linked.”
The ability to hide my link? That wasn’t exactly true. I had no control over that. I bit my tongue and shrugged. It was just an advantage of being a Dentelle.
“Why do you care if I’m linked?”
“Wanted to make sure nothing had changed with you. In a few days’ time you and I will link. The ultimate bonding experience…between a Ray-pac and a Dentelle.” A satisfied smile crossed his face. “And having our link hidden from others will be an added bonus. Think of the places we will go undetected.”
“Hey, Lexi. How was the flight? How’s your uncle doing?” Ash’s voice was crystal clear in my mind. There was no hint of fuzziness. No indication we were separated by 2000 miles of terrain.
I dropped my fork, and it clattered onto my plate. “What?” I said aloud, meaning to speak telepathically with Ash.
“Oh, good. You’re surprised. Well, you shouldn’t be. I’ve done my research, Lexi,” Kieran said all smiles. “I knew you were an Amethyst, but once you used your other abilities, I realized you were something more. Something much, much more. Yes, I’ve been studying up. You see…” he rambled on but I was interrupted by Ash again.
“Lexi, can you hear me? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Ash. Just busy.”
“How about your uncle?”
Kieran was talking about some journals he’d stolen from a Guardian stronghold. That’s how he’d gained knowledge of Dentelles, but he was curious as to why I’d survived the linking process when no one before me ever had. I was having trouble listening to him while carrying on a conversation with Ash.
In response to Ash, I said, “He’s good.”
“Oh, that’s great. Then you’ll be heading home –”
“No, I mean he’s worse. And he’s in critical condition and was moved to ICU, so I haven’t been allowed in to see him yet.” I shifted in my chair, trying to maintain eye contact with Kieran. I didn’t want to give away that I was communicating with Ash. And I didn’t want him to stop talking because he was finally imparting knowledge. Knowledge that might be valuable to me. If I had a better understanding of what he did and didn’t know, I’d have a better chance of taking him down.
“Oh, that’s not good. You have to get to him, Lex. Your touch will make all the difference.”
“I know. I’m planning on sneaking into his room if I have to. Haven’t had a chance yet.”
“Okay, that’s it. Just go undercover. Be stealth and all. You know, like I did when…”
“I will. I promise,” I said hurriedly.
“You sound strange. Are you okay?”
“Yes, just worried. Lots of family here and…and nurses all around.”
“Okay, Well, no news on Ava Rose. But I’ll keep you posted. What about –”
Kieran was starting to frown, and I realized I was cracking my knuckles. “Gotta go, Ash. The doctor is coming out,” I lied. “Talk to ya later.”
“You and I linking? That’s not gonna happen,” I said confidently to Kieran.
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Oh, yes it is, Lexi. It’s going to happen, or you will be responsible for Ava Rose’s death.” His tone was rancorous, indicating he was not fooling around. He cocked his head and stared at me pointedly.
“You can’t…” Wait a minute! Kieran obviously didn’t know my link with Ash was permanent. There was no reason to tell him either. This might be my only advantage against him.
As if reading my mind he said, “You are done with Ash. I realize you may not want to link with me. But you will. It’s up to you whether you do it willingly or I take you by force.” He reached over and grabbed my orange juice. Raising it in the air, he tipped it slightly, and then took a drink. “One thing has puzzled me, though. According to James, you tend to spend equal amounts of time with Ash and Jason.” His voice was something akin to a growl. “I can’t figure out why you’ve stayed with Ash. I really thought you were partial to that pathetic Imitator.” He set the glass down. “I should have finished him off that day in th
e woods,” he said, shaking his head. Sliding his chair closer to mine, he looked me straight in the eye. “So, why did you choose Ash? I’m curious?”
I didn’t answer right away. My mind was busy at work, forming a plan with all this golden information. On the day of the next full moon when Kieran expected to link with me, there would be a short window when he wasn’t linked but I still was. That’s when I would have opportunity. And that’s when I would destroy him. I gripped my fork a little tighter. Maybe, I needed back-up for that. I could have Jason and Ash and the entire Bellingham Circle arrive here the day before but not give them my location until…
“Lexi!” Kieran said impatiently. “Are you hiding something from me?”
I leaned forward and got right in his face. Time for a big lie. One I had to make believable. “Jason wanted to link with me, just like you do,” I jeered, “but he’s not half the man Ash is. And you’re no man at all.”
Kieran leaned his head back and laughed loudly. Meanwhile, I waited with anticipation. Did he believe me? At least Jason and I had kept our relationship under wraps for so long that not even Ava Rose knew we were together. Finally, Kieran sat up straight and said, “My, my. Aren’t we sensitive on the matter? I am impressed, though. I view Ash as a much more worthy opponent than Jason. He is devious and smart. I just didn’t think he’d be your type.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You leave Ash out of this.”
“Oh, don’t worry about him. He’ll be left behind when you and I link in five days.” His voice took a tense edge, and his amber eyes glowed with intensity. “If you alert him in any way, I will kill Ava Rose. And I will make you watch. Do you understand me?”
My toes curled, and my nerves screamed with refusal, but I nodded. Time to be passive. “You can’t hurt her. She is just an innocent child.”
“Her fate rests in your hands,” he said evenly.
Lowering my head, I said meekly, “If I link with you willingly, I want assurance Ava Rose will be safe and you will…”
Dentelle #3 Guardian series Page 25
