So what was Craze expecting to achieve by making a mystery woman believe she was Mariah, being abused by Stephan? It didn’t make sense. Between the newspaper and Skylar, it was obvious Craze was trying to make Stephan look bad, but there had to be more to it. The pieces just weren’t adding up.
He walked back into the house and began testing dimensional portals. Nearly every room had a portal into the bunker below. Just like the compound at Rare and Unusual Imports, the bunker lay in another dimension. Stephan had been thorough in his instructions to The Order, and they had obliged him on every request. He had a house more secure than the White House, and would soon have a Shadow Watcher well-trained in every manner of attack and defense. That was the only way he could be sure that if he brought his family here, they would have a chance of surviving an attack if for some reason he was not around to protect them.
He trusted Mariah’s strength and had complete confidence in her. God, he loved that woman. Everyday she showed him just how much they belonged together. She’d adapted to the Shadow Walker life with ease, surrendering her everyday freedom for a life of necessary precautions.
Stephan smiled in spite of himself as he walked into the nursery. He and Mariah had decided to keep the sex of the baby a surprise until birth. One of the few surprises in their lives they were able to look forward to.
Like the rest of the house, the nursery was unfurnished, except for a hand-carved wooden cradle. When it had arrived at Rare and Unusual Imports, Stephan couldn’t pass it up. The symbols etched into the wood were ones of health and protection. His chest tightened as he looked into the empty cradle. His baby would sleep there. So tiny. So helpless. Fear strengthened his resolve. He would keep his family safe. Nothing else mattered.
Hey, Stephan. Fiero clicked-in. The Watcher is here. He goes by Slade.
Okay, good. I’ll be right there. I want to talk to him and make sure he knows what he’s doing before he’s introduced to Mariah.
The Order readied him for an apocalypse, but I knew you’d still wanna double check. That’s cool. And Ryan’s training Mariah with his blades right now. I’ll make sure they keep working until you’re ready to have them meet.
Thanks, Fiero. Check ya later. Stephan clicked-out and walked into the hallway. Down the hall was the master bedroom suite. To the left of the nursery was the room where the Shadow Watcher—Slade—would sleep. He hated the idea of another man, a relative stranger, sleeping in his house. At least they would be able to keep his presence quiet. Slade could slip in and out of the house through the portals and no one in the neighborhood would be the wiser. The last thing he wanted was for the residents of Talisman Bay to think that Mariah and he had a third party in their relationship—no matter what David wanted the town to believe.
Stephan did a final sweep of the master bedroom. The fort was secure. He ran through the portal in the back of their closet and landed in a truncated hallway. It was capped on both ends by brick walls, the one behind him disguising the return portal to his house. There were four doors to his left and another four to his right. Was this some kind of new defensive feature? Which one led to the bunker?
He started opening them to double check The Order’s logic. All of the doors revealed small closet-sized spaces. Stephan tested all of the rooms for secret exits, but there weren’t any. He stepped back into the hallway and threw himself at the pink door. Sure enough, he fell right through into the main bunker. To test his theory, he went back into the hallway. All of the doors were like that. If you touched the handle, they opened on closets. But running through them caused a fissure, which allowed a quick escape into the bunker.
Once in the bunker, Stephan scrutinized The Order’s design. The walls were made from cement and the room was furnished in such a manner that Stephan knew he and his family could sustain long periods down there. A full kitchen area, preserved food, beds, a small bathroom area and other necessities likened the room to a bomb shelter. But if The Order had done it right, this room would also connect him to the compound below Rare and Unusual Imports.
All of the six different-colored doors in the room opened on closets. Stephan crashed into empty closet after empty closet until he blasted through the blue door and found himself in a rather full closet…the back of Dusty’s closet at the compound. Goddammit. Everything was fine up to that point. Why’d The Order fuck it up at the last second? Stephan fought his way through clothes piled knee deep and stepped out into Dusty’s room. Was that The Order’s idea of a joke? From one closet to another? He shouldn’t have to wade through Dusty’s shit every time he had to make a quick trip from his house to the compound.
He exited Dusty’s room and headed straight for the meeting area where the Watcher waited. The man had strikingly dark features. He almost reminded Stephan of a stereotypical Hollywood villain. Stephan extended his hand as the man stepped forward. “Stephan Rashleigh.”
“Slade.” Deep voice. Very firm handshake. Probably decent with blades, guns and potentially pugilism. Reflexes seemed quick as well.
“You are aware of what’s at stake here? You are aware that you would sacrifice your own life for the child?” Stephan continued to size the man up. He actually had to look up slightly to meet Slade’s eyes, so the Watcher had to be a few inches taller than Stephan’s own six-foot frame. Slade’s clothes were neat enough for Stephan to believe the man did pay attention to detail without losing track of what was truly important.
“Yes, Stephan. Have no fear. The Order sent me through refreshers on all of my watching capabilities plus hand-to-hand, weaponry, thievery and survival. I’m beginning to think that I am the most trained Shadow Watcher in the history of the organization. I will not let you or your woman and child down. You have my word.”
“Good to know. You will be using all those skills, I’m sure.” There was one more question. “Do you have any attachments? Any family?” If the man had a family of his own, Stephan would have to send him back to The Order. Slade would have to focus on Mariah and the baby completely or there was too much risk of failure and loss of life.
Slade’s jaw tightened and his eyes darkened further. “There is no one.”
Stephan nodded. “Good.” Clearly there was more behind Slade’s words than he was saying, but Stephan believed the loneliness in the man’s eyes. The Order had given Slade their approval in his training. Stephan trusted his gut that this man would absorb himself in his duty as a Watcher. There was something about Slade that Stephan related to in regard to duty.
Stephan motioned for Slade to follow him. “We’ve been training her on as many weapon and combat techniques as we can. When she gets further along in her pregnancy, she might not be able to fight as much, but at least she’ll know how and be prepared in case something happens that neither you or me can get her out of.”
They crossed the meeting room and headed for the door nearly hidden by the weapon’s cabinet. Opening the door, Stephan beckoned Slade inside. The training room was more of a dojo instead of a gym like the back room of the import store. Mats protected the trainees from hard landings on most of the wood flooring. Training weapons were kept against one wall. A mirror made the space deceivingly larger. Ryan and Mariah were embrangled in a tricky spiral stance. Her teacher clearly showing her evasive maneuvering.
Watching Mariah spar with Ryan was an unbelievable turn-on. Her hair pulled back crookedly, clad in gray stretch pants and a sports bra, she looked even more gorgeous than she’d looked dressed up at the Charity Ball. Her skin was coated with a thin sheen of sweat and he wanted nothing more than to strip her naked and fuck her there on the mats. Her back was to them and she hadn’t noticed their arrival yet. Ryan looked up with a grin, releasing her.
Stephan stepped onto the mat with Slade following behind him. Mariah spun at their approach, blades in both hands, ready to attack. Her eyes focused on Stephan’s and she smiled, dropping her guard.
“So, did you come to watch me kick Ryan’s ass?” Mariah laughed, her cheeks brigh
t pink with exertion. Then a frown dampened her expression and she gestured toward his face. “Baby, what happened?”
Stephan lifted his hand to the bruises Dusty had left on his face and grimaced. “Just the usual hazards of the job, sweetheart. I’m fine.” He changed topics before she could question him further and end up worried. “I have someone to introduce you to. The Watcher’s here. Mariah, this is Slade.”
Mariah’s focus shifted to the man standing slightly behind and to Stephan’s right. Her smile froze and her face grew instantly pale.
“You fucking son of a bitch!” Enraged, Mariah charged past Stephan, raising her daggers as she attacked Slade.
The moment was over before it had begun. The blades were knocked out of her hands and she was spun around and immobilized within Slade’s embrace. Mariah struggled but was effectively pinned to the man. Stephan and Ryan charged Slade, but he let Mariah go, pushing her toward Stephan. Ryan remained ready as Stephan pulled her safely behind him.
Blood dripped from Slade’s left hand, but it was his face that captured Stephan’s attention. Shock and pure wonder. And relief? “Mariah? I—I thought you were….”
Mariah growled. “Surprised, Michael? It’s not often someone you leave for dead comes back to haunt you.”
“You better get the fuck out of here before you end up dead,” Stephan snarled. His mind was reeling. The Shadow Watcher was Michael Slade, Mariah’s cruel ex-boyfriend. Why the hell would The Order send a Watcher who in the past had tried to kill the woman he was now assigned to watch? What the hell kind of sense did that make?
Slade glanced at Stephan, some retort clearly on the tip of his tongue. The Watcher, instead, returned his attention to Mariah, shaking his head, jaw slightly open before he spoke. “I left you for dead? What? I could never do anything of the sort. I nearly died when I was told you’d been murdered.”
If it wasn’t for the look of sheer astonishment on his face, Stephan might’ve started in on Slade where Mariah left off. She placed a trembling hand on Stephan’s arm, and said, “No. No, I don’t believe you. I heard you planning a murder, and hours later I barely clung to life. Explain that to me.”
The sound of switchblades whizzing and clicking open filled the air as Ryan stepped forward. “I think you better leave.”
Slade looked from one man to the other as he tightened his bloody hand into a fist. His eyes softened when he looked at Mariah.
Stephan could not block the bolt of pain that shot through his heart. Whatever had happened between Mariah and Slade, there was no way that man could have wanted her dead. He clearly still loved her. If Slade’s words were as true as his reactions, Stephan couldn’t help but wonder if the man would try to get back into her life as more than just a Watcher.
Slade’s appearance hardened as his attention shifted from Mariah to Stephan. As if simply putting on a mask, Slade once again became the Watcher that Stephan had so foolishly approved. “I was sent to do a job and now that I know the full extent of it, I accept its danger wholeheartedly. And I stand fast in front of it. You’re not gonna find someone more qualified. So, you can put away your weapons. I don’t have it in me to hurt the woman I have loved for so long and was forced to go on without. I already promised I’d give my life for hers. I would never go back on my word.”
Mariah’s voice shook as she spoke. “Stay away from me, Michael. I almost died because of you. I’m not giving you a second chance.” She spun around and stormed toward the exit. Stephan followed Mariah, but she stopped and turned toward him. “No…Stephan, I need time to think…alone. Please…” The need for his understanding was clear in her eyes before she fully retreated from the room. It didn’t stop his pang of anger that everything he gave a damn about was rapidly careening out of control. His woman…his best friend…everything was in chaos. And it had all started when Craze came back into their lives.
When would something start making sense?
* * * * *
Question after godforsaken question swirled around in Dusty’s head as he walked along the pier toward Rare and Unusual Imports, intent upon seeking out Stephan. Happy shoppers went from store to store. Children played tag and jumped from bench to bench without a care in the world other than keeping away from the kid who was “it”.
And that was how Dusty felt. Like he was “it”. Like his world had just rained a whole gaggle of geese nipping and teasing at him, but as he turned to tackle each question or cruel situation, he came up empty-handed and a little more hurt by each one. Not to mention ten times more frustrated than if he could’ve just broken out into a full tilt run away from everything.
But that wouldn’t do him any good, either. Loneliness was already creeping into his heart, taking up some of the hole Skylar had just created. Why in bloody hell did his heart want her so fucking badly? Stupid question. The complete joining of their bodies and souls had answered that last night.
Last night. There was a topic he could think on for the rest of his life without growing weary. It was everything after it that really irked him. Couldn’t time just have frozen while he was still in Skylar’s embrace? What kind of bad luck did he have to fall in love with a woman who was already taken? He wanted to blame Skylar, but she was just as much of a victim as he was. She couldn’t have faked the surprise in her eyes when Hawke walked into the cave, or the pain when she’d told Dusty she was sorry.
And there was another sore subject. Hawke’s arrival as a Tracker in Talisman Bay clearly proved that The Order was involved. They were still doing the same bullshit, keeping the truth from those who needed it most, ripping up people’s lives without a care beyond their cause. Which was all the more reason Dusty needed to talk to Stephan. He would know more about how to handle The Order and their cruel manipulations. They could band together and present a much stronger force to be reckoned with.
Dusty walked through the delivery door into the backroom of Rare and Unusual Imports and was greeted by a mess of scattered newspaper across the floor. Not a good sign. Scooping up the wrinkled sheets, he saw what had caused the paper to be discarded so angrily. There were pictures from the Charity Ball, unsavory photos showing Stephan in a terrible light. Rage crept into Dusty’s blood. That should not have been front-page news. Craze was making the game public now. One more reason he needed to die.
Suddenly Stephan’s intense anger from earlier made more sense. He’d seen the newspaper then gone to the cave and found Dusty in bed with Skylar. The woman, who by Craze’s doing, had effectively driven a wedge between Stephan and Dusty. Shit. This was more than Stephan protecting his woman. Craze was crumbling the foundation of the Talisman Bay Shadow Walkers and Dusty really had played right into it.
Dusty, you’re an idiot. You’re just as involved in this as Stephan is. Skylar’s just as involved in this as Mariah is. The Order is just as involved as…
“Dammit, dammit, dammit,” Dusty muttered as he quelled his inner frustration and pounded down the stairs into the compound, even more determined to straighten things with Stephan.
Entering the living area, Dusty felt as though something big had just transpired. Residual emotion simmered in the air. Whatever the trouble, he hoped it would require a violent and bloody response. Something to clear his head and help him see what to do about the twists his life had suddenly taken.
Like a whirlwind, Mariah came storming out of the training room, one arm held protectively across her stomach. Angrily, she ran through the main living area then down the hall to the room she shared with Stephan.
Shit! What the hell had just happened? Dusty sprinted across the room and into the training room…and into the middle of a standoff.
Instinctively, Dusty’s hands fisted as he drew to a halt just inside the room. It looked like he just might get in a good ferocious rumble after all. Stephan was glaring at a tall dark-haired man who Dusty assumed must be some kind of enemy. But on further assessment, the man didn’t appear in the least bit hostile, even as he warily returned Stepha
n’s glare. Judging by the two knives strewn on the floor—one of them with traces of blood on it—a melee had happened. Even further illustrating the clash was the blood dripping around the fingers of the man’s left hand. Dusty expected Ryan to be the cause, but he was poised, blades out and ready, clearly waiting for Stephan’s signal.
Stephan clicked-in before Dusty had the chance. So, are you here to help, or just to piss me off?
Damn. Take it easy, man. I ain’t here to fuck with you, Dusty replied as he came around to flank Stephan. Even though Stephan remained focused on his prey, his shoulders relaxed just a touch. Then, for a split second, he glanced at Dusty and a flash of understanding passed between the two of them. Although Dusty knew this time was far worse than any other mishap, he was glad to see in Stephan’s eyes that the outcome would be the same. Tempers had flared this morning, neither was completely sorry, but both understood why it had happened and they’d move past it to help each other. So, who’s this guy? Someone Craze sent to cause us more hell?
Stephan was the picture of restrained anger as he addressed the man aloud. “You mind tellin’ me what really happened between you and Mariah?” Then he set about answering Dusty’s question. He’s Slade…Mariah’s Watcher—
So what’s the problem?
He’s also her ex-boyfriend.
“Well, shit.” Like a gunshot, the words cracked in the silence of the room. The Watcher turned sharply, focusing on Dusty. It was obvious Slade knew there was a click-in conversation going on that he wasn’t a part of—and he wasn’t happy about it. As though to punctuate his anger, he kicked the discarded blades, knocking them against the wall, away from anyone’s grasp.
Dusty studied the man, trying to pin him as a friend or foe. He couldn’t help but notice the pain in the man’s eyes. It was obvious why Stephan might be worried. Clearly the Watcher still loved Mariah.
Forsaken Talisman Page 13
