OnsetofDanger

by Aubrey Ross

  “The land around the prison was flat but there were mountains in the distance. I asked where I was and a female voice told me it was Colorado.”

  “You saw the entire building? Are you sure it was a prison?” Bronik looked even less convinced than the other two.

  “You’re inside a shielded complex.” Edrick said what all three of them were obviously thinking. “Who is powerful enough to push through our barriers and into your mind?”

  They didn’t believe her. Eloise tried not to let it upset her but she felt restless and annoyed. “Do you have any other leads? What do we lose by focusing on Colorado?”

  “Actually we do,” Alexi told her. “One of my contacts reported that one of the locations you gave us earlier is still in use. Not all of the captives are there but we’re hopeful, if we move quickly, we can recover more information along with the Rom females.”

  She nodded as her excitement deflated. Their doubt was understandable but she knew what she’d seen and heard. It hadn’t been her imagination. “May I use the computer?”

  “Of course.” Alexi slid it toward her. “See what you can dig up about Colorado while we check out the other lab.”

  “This is just recon, so I’ll stay here.” Bronik’s choice helped ease the sting of their collective suspicion.

  “If we need your help I’ll let you know.” Alexi pushed his chair back and looked at Edrick as he stood. “You ready?”

  Edrick nodded and they both flashed from the room.

  “You said the intruder was female. Could you sense anything else about her?”

  Eloise sighed as she situated the laptop in front of her. “Not really. It all happened in a second or two.”

  “Are you certain you didn’t doze off? We’re both rather sleep-deprived.” He softened the suggestion with a sexy smile.

  She shot him an impatient glance. “I wasn’t dreaming. I saw the prison clearly and heard the woman’s voice.”

  Rather than trying to convince him she hadn’t imagined it all, she ran an image search for prisons in Colorado. Most of the pictures were of the supermax in Florence or various famous inmates. She scrolled through several pages before frustration started to eat away at her determination.

  Bronik rested his arm across the back of her chair, surrounding her without actually touching her. “The prison can’t be in use. The risk of exposure would be too great.”

  Eloise nodded and switched the search criteria to recently closed prisons in Colorado. She found several articles that detailed the state downsizing locations, consolidating staff and shifting inmate populations, but she couldn’t find any mention of a facility that had been closed.

  They continued to investigate various possibilities for the next hour. Eloise was glad for his assistance. She suspected he was indulging her rather than honestly believing the new information would produce a concrete lead. Still, she was thankful for the support.

  Alexi walked back into the library some time later, his expression thunderous.

  Bronik pushed back his chair and stood, immediately responding to his cousin’s obvious agitation. “What’s wrong? Where is Edrick?”

  “The lab was deserted, which didn’t surprise me.” Alexi moved closer to Bronik and lowered his voice. “But it shocked the hell out of Edrick. He was jittery as a traumatized cat, jumped at the slightest sound. It was almost as if he was expecting an ambush that never happened.”

  Eloise watched the exchange through narrowed eyes. Was Alexi implying that Edrick was a traitor? Not wanting to draw attention to herself, she remained quiet and still.

  “Where is he now?”

  “He made some lame excuse and flashed off to who knows where. He’s been doing that a lot lately.” Alexi shoved a chair in hard enough to rattle the table. “He was expecting something to happen. It was obvious. And the only way he could have known about an ambush is—”

  “If he’d set it up?” Bronik shook his head. “Edrick has been nothing but accommodating since we arrived. Why would he betray you now?”

  Alexi paced beside the table, his strides long and anxious. “This isn’t the first time he’s acted like he was hiding something. There have been hushed conversations and—”

  The library door burst open and Edrick strode into the room. “Tara Kovac was attacked last night. Garrett, or someone who looks just like him, walked into the Vancouver compound and erased her mind.”

  Shock shot through Eloise and she covered her mouth with her hand. There was no way Garrett would harm Tara. They might not see eye to eye on everything, but Garrett… Garrett was the most ambitious person Eloise had ever known. And with her out of the picture, there was only one obstacle remaining between Garrett and the power he craved. Was he really that ruthless?

  Then another possibility crept into her mind. Could it have been the Levari shapeshifter?

  Before she could remind Bronik of the shifter, Alexi grabbed Edrick by the throat and slammed him against the nearest wall. “And what motivated you to check on Tara? Did she miss her appointment with you?”

  “What are you talking about?” Edrick pulled on Alexi’s wrist with both hands but the prince held firm.

  “How did you find out about Tara’s accident?”

  “I called… I mean, one of my contacts called and reported—”

  “You were right the first time.” Alexi sneered into his uncle’s face. “You called your contact because no one was at the lab. What was supposed to happen, Edrick? Was I supposed to be captured or killed?”

  Edrick just glared in mutinous silence, his fingernails digging into Alexi’s wrist.

  Two of Edrick’s guards rushed into the library, apparently responding to a telepathic signal. They looked at Edrick and then Alexi, clearly torn by their loyalties.

  “Take Edrick to his suite and ensure that he stays there,” Alexi directed.

  After a long pause, one of the guards took Edrick’s arm and the other followed suit.

  “Wait.” Alexi dug through Edrick’s pockets and retrieved two cell phones. “Also remove the phones and computers from his rooms.”

  “Yes, sire,” one of the guards responded as they led Edrick out of the library.

  Another tense pause followed and then Bronik said, “You have no real evidence against him and you can’t act until you do. Everyone will think it’s a power grab.”

  “I know. I’ll have his phone records searched as well as his computer. There has to be something that will prove my suspicions.” He rubbed his eyes and sighed. “If all else fails, I’ll have one of the elders scan his memory.”

  “Just be careful. This can’t look like a coup or you’ll lose the loyalty of the people.”

  Alexi nodded then looked at Eloise. “I’m sorry for your loss. That was a horrendous way to learn of the tragedy.”

  He seemed sincere but she couldn’t help asking, “Why would you consider it a tragedy?”

  “I don’t, but she was your mother. Edrick should have been more tactful.”

  She couldn’t quite manage to smile. The news was unexpected and confusing but she felt no overwhelming grief. She had basically been mourning the loss of her family since her kidnapping made it impossible for her to return to Vladya strain.

  Rather than dwell on her conflicted emotions, she decided to share her suspicions. “I don’t think Garrett attacked Tara. I’m not saying he isn’t capable of stabbing her in the back. Still, he wasn’t in Vancouver when I melded with him. At least he wasn’t at the château. I think it was the Levari shapeshifter.”

  “But what does Desmond gain by disrupting Vladya strain?” Alexi didn’t disregard her suggestion but he seemed far from convinced.

  “If the Levari are still around, it’s possible Desmond isn’t the only shapeshifter,” Bronik pointed out. “The ability is relatively common on Strigoia Prime.”

  “All the mysteries surrounding Levari strain will have to wait. We need to focus on the Rom captives. Were you able to learn anything while I was g
one?” Alexi asked Bronik.

  “Nothing yet. We’re still looking.”

  Alexi nodded and shot Eloise one last compassionate glance. “I’ll leave you to it then. I have a traitor to expose.”

  * * * * *

  Caresse exited the messy bedroom and left the door cracked so she could hear Desmond the instant he stirred.

  “Is he going to be okay? He didn’t look so good.”

  Hoping to soothe the anxiety so apparent in the human’s eyes, Caresse smiled. “He’ll be fine. He just needs quiet and darkness while he rests.”

  “Migraine?”

  She was unfamiliar with the word, so she made a noncommittal sound and motioned toward the computer in front of the human. “Have you found the answer to my question?”

  “Still digging. Give me a few.”

  Caresse wasn’t sure why this particular human was so hard to understand, but each time she’d asked for a clarification she’d ended up more confused.

  Desmond had chosen this location because the apartment’s usual occupant lived alone. However, Desmond had lost control of the teleportation and ended up in the hallway rather than inside the compact dwelling. Before he could flash them inside, he’d clutched his head and begun moaning. He managed to manipulate the lock so Caresse could open the door, but a “helpful” neighbor arrived as Caresse was dragging Desmond inside.

  The neighbor’s name was Lisa. After assisting Caresse with Desmond, the human made it obvious she was in no hurry to leave. She was talkative and full of advice, most of which Caresse only partially understood.

  “How do you know Matt?” Lisa asked without turning from the computer.

  She likely meant the apartment’s occupant. “Matt and Desmond are cousins. We just arrived from overseas.”

  “Overseas? Cool. Which country?”

  “We’ve lived many places, but we are not overly familiar with this country. I know we are in Montana, but where is that in relation to Colorado?”

  Lisa moved the small device cupped beneath her hand and the image on the display became a map. She then entered a command with the keypad and the image changed again.

  “We’re right here. Kalispell, Montana.” Lisa pointed to a dot in the upper-left section of the screen. “Colorado is down here.” She slid her index finger along the line, connecting the two dots. The second location was down and to the right, or east, of their present location. “So what’s your interest in Colorado prisons?”

  “We’re doing a cost analysis of converting the property for other uses.”

  “You’ve been hired to do a cost analysis but you don’t know where the property is located?”

  Caresse didn’t have time to indulge a curious human. She caught Lisa’s gaze and sent a compulsion deep into her mind. “You will ask no more questions. Instead, you will immediately comply with whatever I ask you to do. Do you understand?”

  “I understand,” Lisa replied in an emotionless monotone.

  “Good, now continue searching for an unoccupied prison in Colorado.”

  The human turned back to the computer and obeyed. Caresse blew out a shaky breath and went in to check on Desmond. He lay on his back, arms at his side, unmoving and silent. Had siphoning off Tara’s mind overloaded Desmond or was this a reaction to his blood binge?

  She didn’t really care about the cause as long as he recovered. She pressed her hand against his forehead and cringed. His skin was clammy, his face pale. She’d let him sleep for a few hours, but if he wasn’t restored by tomorrow night she would have to find a healer. Continuing on without him was not an option.

  Chapter Twelve

  “I think I have something.” Excitement thrummed through Eloise as she motioned toward the laptop. She’d read countless articles about the prison system in Colorado, determined to prove that her information was accurate. Bronik had insisted she take a break and eat a sandwich about an hour ago, but she hadn’t left the library all night. “I didn’t see it at first because it’s not a recent transaction.”

  Bronik returned to his chair beside her and sat. Alexi moved to her other side so he could see the screen as well.

  “Seven years ago a private company built a prison in Hulston, Colorado. The facility was only occupied for two years when the company went out of business.”

  “What became of the prison?” Bronik asked.

  “It was sold to a Canadian investor,” Eloise explained with a smile.

  “That can’t be a coincidence.” Alexi stroked his bottom lip, apparently lost in thought.

  “You’re in the middle of this thing with Edrick. Eloise and I will go check it out,” Bronik volunteered.

  “All right. But recon only. No one makes a move tonight.”

  “Understood.”

  Thrilled to finally have made some progress, Eloise pushed back her chair and stood. She stretched and rubbed the back of her neck then wiggled her toes and smiled. “I need some shoes, or better yet a pair of boots.”

  “We’ll stop on the way,” Bronik promised then held out his hand.

  He flashed them to a shoe store and Eloise found a pair of boots both sturdy and stylish. Bronik left a wad of bills by the register with the empty box. “Do you always pay for what you take?” She was pleasantly surprised by his integrity.

  “Humans have to make a living. It’s not their fault we can teleport.” He shrugged and pulled her back into his arms. “Ready?”

  “Ready.”

  “I can’t be specific with a location I’ve never been to before. I’ll slow things down toward the end so I can choose the best place to materialize.”

  His arms tightened around her and they left the physical world behind. It didn’t matter how many times he teleported with her, the sensations were still overwhelming. Unlike dissolving into mist, physical sensations not only remained but they were heightened to the point of pain. She felt as if the flesh were going to be stripped from her bones by the momentum and the roaring wind made her ears burn.

  The forceful rushing gradually slowed. Blinding streaks of light became distinct shapes against the darkness. They spun in a slow circle and then materialized in a field. Eloise blinked and panted, trying to regain her equilibrium.

  Bronik sank to his knees, drawing her down with him. There’s no cover. We have to stay down.

  She nodded, still too rattled to speak.

  Razor wire fences surrounded the two-story complex. The perimeter lights weren’t on. Even the exterior windows were dark, making the prison appear abandoned. Bronik nodded toward the parking lot in the distance. Eleven cars were clustered toward the front of the lot.

  Take my hand. I’ll get us closer to the building.

  The guard towers didn’t appear to be staffed, so she placed her hand in his.

  Teleportation was instantaneous this time. They rematerialized in the corner of an enclosed exercise yard. Staying low, they crept toward the building.

  Do you sense anyone? She matched him step for step until their backs were pressed against the wall.

  There are definitely people in there but that’s about all I can sense.

  Mist?

  He nodded. But stay close. I’ll shield us both.

  Eloise slowly dispersed her physical body and became a tiny wisp of mist. Bronik disappeared entirely, though their link allowed her to sense his location. They sank through the wall and drifted up toward the ceiling. She spread herself as thin as possible, not wanting to be mistaken for smoke.

  The ground floor was deserted, as was the second story. They passed rows and rows of empty cells, an unused cafeteria and vacant offices. It was all rather creepy. Then they used the elevator shaft to descend below ground and finally found signs of life.

  Light glowed down a narrow corridor, drawing them onward. The complex was still remarkably quiet, almost eerily still.

  They came to a lab first. The long, narrow room was lined with cabinets and five scientists surrounded the main workspace in the center of the room. If the s
hadowed eyes and hunched shoulders were any indication, the scientists were sleep-deprived and overworked.

  “Is he still in with Maggie?” one of the three men grumbled, clearly upset by the possibility.

  “It doesn’t matter,” one of the two females snapped. “You know better than allowing yourself to become attached to any of the test subjects.”

  Eloise had seen enough of this environment. She drifted back into the corridor and felt Bronik follow her. They found a control room, from which the guards could view any of the cells. And then they located the actual cells. Each woman was enclosed in an identical space.

  Fighting back anger and pity, Eloise focused on logistics. A team of eight could easily overtake the guards and free the captives. Bronik said nothing but she could feel his temper smoldering right along with hers. As she feared, Jackson was in one of the cells, locked in a passionate embrace with one of the captives. It was all she could do not to yank them apart and pummel Jackson’s smug face.

  Soon. The warning in Bronik’s thought was unmistakable.

  As they exited the prison Bronik surrounded her, sweeping her from mist to incorporeal rush without warning. For a moment she panicked, feeling lost and out of control. Then his energy flowed through hers, vibrant and familiar, and she surrendered to the dizzying sensations.

  They materialized in the library and Eloise stumbled forward. Bronik caught her around the waist and pulled her back against his body. She shivered then relaxed against him and covered his arm with hers.

  “That was fast.” Alexi looked exhausted.

  “This can’t wait until tomorrow.” Bronik quickly explained what they’d found. “With a relatively small team we can be in and out before they have time to summon reinforcements.”

  “Were they aware of either of you?” Alexi asked.

  Bronik shook his head. “I was able to shield us.”

  “Then it would be wiser to wait until tomorrow. It’s less than three hours until dawn.”

  “I disagree.” Bronik squared his shoulders and moved to Eloise’s side. “Those women have been victimized long enough. We can’t leave them—”

  “I used Edrick’s phone records to identify his human accomplice. My six strongest hunters are out searching for her. If they haven’t found her by dawn, they have instructions to return. We can strike first thing tomorrow. That will also give me time to contact Inatta.”