by Jane Cousins
“You call that a successful end to a first date?”
“I grant that it was unconventional but you are sitting across from me this morning sharing breakfast wearing one of my t-shirts and Maat give me strength, a pair of my boxers. If you look up the definition of how to end a date in the dictionary this picture would be under ideal.”
“Anyone seeing me here now would completely misinterpret what happened.”
“Let them. You and I know the facts. That’s all the matters. Now as I said when you first came in, we need to talk. What can you tell me about what happened in the haunted house last night?”
Hadleigh paused, looking confused. “You were there, don’t you know?”
“I was kind of wedged into that little metal box on wheels pretty tight. First I knew something wrong was when Bella started screaming blue murder. You brushed some spiders off me. Helped Bella. Almost fell out of the car and then you got bit. That’s what I saw.”
Hadleigh leaned over scooping up a peach danish, suddenly she was starving. “There was a demon possessed skeleton with a knife. It came out of the dark, straight at Bella.”
“So what was the intent? If the spiders didn’t kill her the skeleton would?”
Hadleigh frowned, thinking back over the attack. “There are a couple of problems with last night. Paralyxis spiders only nest in places where there is a complete absence of light. I’m talking caves, holes, any place there is absolutely no natural or unnatural light.”
“So someone definitely planted them in the haunted house. What else?”
“Well their bite doesn’t kill you for a start. They paralyse their prey and then take their time cocooning and husking their victims. But it’s a slow process that can potentially take days. Normally they feed on bats and voles.”
“So what, the spiders were sent in first to paralyse Bella so the demon skeleton could finish her off? Sounds convoluted and why pick on the blonde?”
Hadleigh took a big bite of pastry and chewed slowly thinking about the skeleton. Last night those hellfire filled eyes had been her primary focus. She replayed in her mind her block and sweep. “Oh-O.”
“What?”
“The knife the demon was carrying. It had a great big honking amber stone in the handle.”
“So?” Vaughn shrugged, intrigued but lost.
“Amber is used in a lot of relocation spells, the knife would have acted as a focus.”
“You’re saying the plan was for the spiders to pump the intended victim with their paralysing agent, then the skeleton appears, stabs them with the knife transporting the now docile victim somewhere else?”
“Yes and you combine last night’s attack with that of the Drexel incident and I’d say someone is out to capture or kill your leading man.”
“You think they wanted Xander?” Vaughn appeared unconvinced.
“Who else? He was at both attacks front and centre.”
Vaughn looked grim. “Well if that’s the argument you want to go with, so were you.”
“N...” Hadleigh paused with the denial on her lips. “Okay yes I was. Were we followed to the amusement park?”
Vaughn shook his head. “No.” He mused over the problem. He had notified the team of his intended whereabouts but he trusted those men with his life.
“It has to be about Xander. I bet you anything he tweeted, posted and bragged that he was visiting the park last night.”
Vaughn shook his head. “That’s a bet I won’t take. Okay, I’m going to let the guys know that we’ll only be handling critical missions this week, everything else is on hold. For the foreseeable future we’re on Xander protection duty until we can work out what’s going on.”
Hadleigh nodded. “Okay and I’ll speak to some experts about what it takes to summon Paralyxis spiders and shove a demon into a skeleton and convince it to do your bidding.”
“Experts?” Vaughn looked wary.
“My family. No doubt one or more of my aunts, uncles or the greats will have an idea of what’s involved. Though I’ll probably start with my cousin Darcy, she usually has the most pertinent information at her fingertips.”
Vaughn looked concerned for a moment. “Just don’t go alone okay? Until we know for sure what’s really going on.”
“Okay.” Hadleigh only conceded because she could read the look on Vaughn’s face. Getting to her feet, she ran fingers through her tangled locks and grimaced. “I need to shower and change. Thanks for breakfast ... and thanks for looking after me last night.” She turned and walked unhurriedly towards the door, as if it were common place for her to be leaving a man’s home at this time of the morning.
“Hadleigh?”
She stopped at the door looking back. “Yes?”
“I didn’t get a chance to say it yet but you look really beautiful first thing in the morning.”
He had to be kidding. Her hair was a rat’s nest. Her face deathly pale and she was wearing his baggy clothes. She snorted and sent him a derisive look.
“What? I get to say stuff like that now that we’re dating.”
She just shook her head in wonder. “You are insane.”
“We’ll talk about what we’re going to do for our second date later.” Suddenly he smiled. A big broad grin that had her hesitant to leave.
“Why are you smiling like that?”
“Just thinking of all the second date rules.”
Hadleigh frowned. “There are second date rules?”
“Absolutely.”
“Like what for instance?”
“Well traditionally the second date is generally a scary movie. The girl, that would be you, generally clings to the boy, that would be me, for reassurance and protection. There’s generally some snuggling going on, a bit of smooching and I play my cards right, and trust me I intend to.” He flashed another big grin. “A little under the sweater action.”
“Perhaps I’m not that kind of girl.” Hadleigh responded dryly.
“I was talking about my sweater. And for the big finale there’s the goodnight kiss make-out session at the front door. Usually until the girl’s father storms out on the porch and breaks up the action.”
“My father can shoot lightning bolts out his fingers.”
“Good to know.” Vaughn still smiled.
Shaking her head Hadleigh slammed out the door. The man really was crazy and Goddess help her she was crazy about him.
Chapter Seventeen
Hadleigh opened her apartment door just after five o’clock to find Nate standing there wearing the unofficial off duty uniform of the team, khaki fatigue pants, matching t-shirt and brown boots. His whiskey amber eyes taking a moment to scope out Hadleigh’s outfit of black boots, pants and long sleeved V-necked top. He gave her a warm smile in greeting. “Well hello there, don’t you look nice.”
Hadleigh’s eyes narrowed, she remained unmoving, blocking the doorway.
Nate rolled his eyes heavenward. “Oh please … saying someone looks nice is not flirting. Maat it’s barely a compliment.” His smile widened into a grin, obviously holding no hard feelings against her for his unexpected dip in the swamp a few days past.
“You like to live dangerously don’t you?” Hadleigh stepped back grudgingly, allowing him to enter.
Nate sauntered past her, looking around curiously as he moved over to lean against the back of the sofa. “I understand you need an escort.”
“And you drew the short straw?”
Again he flashed that grin of his that no doubt hundreds, perhaps thousands of women had melted over in the past. Hadleigh didn’t melt but she did find herself smiling at him return, Goddess the man was consistent.
“I volunteered.” He offered.
“You sure I didn’t smack something loose when I punched you?”
Nate shrugged, the sparkle never leaving his amber eyes. “What can I say except I’m a sucker for punishment. Besides, things are never boring around you.”
Hadleigh rolled her eyes. Men! Would sh
e ever understand them? Punch them and they’re suddenly your best friend for life. “Come on.” She turned and headed for her bedroom.
Nate followed with a slightly puzzled expression on his face. “You’re definitely sending mixed messages here Hadleigh.” He waggled his eyebrows looking pointedly towards her bed.
“Shut up.” Hadleigh lightly cuffed the back of his head. “And get in the closet.”
Nate just laughed. “Funny, not the first time a women has ordered me to do that.”
They stepped out of Hadleigh’s closet into an empty hallway, facing a door with big gold lettering on it signifying that the office belonged to the Special Liaison Officer. Hadleigh made a perfunctory knock before walking on in, Nate close on her heels. His head swivelled every which way as he surveyed the huge room, filled with floor to ceiling bookcases every square inch of them crammed with books, papers or artefacts. There were neat piles on the floor and books stacked on several chairs. The only completely clear surface was the massive antique desk smack dab in the middle of the room. Perhaps that’s why the room’s occupant was currently sitting on top of said desk, a huge book in her lap, her legs swinging idly back and forth. She glanced up for a split second noting their presence. “Hi, just give me a sec.”
Hadleigh watched Nate’s reaction out the corner of her eye as he surveyed Darcy for a split second before switching his attention back to the contents of the bookcases. Hadleigh was kind of shocked, she’d been expecting Nate to take one look at Darcy and act like a heat seeking male missile. Because let’s face it Darcy was hot, and she knew it. Somehow her mish-mash of styles, catholic schoolgirl meets silent screen legend just worked on her, and on any man that came across her path. The short black plaid skirt, tight hot pink shirt and knee high boots were a sharp contrast to her ultra-short dyed black bob, pert nose, constant I know something you don’t smile and the piece de resistance laser sharp ice blue eyes. Or as her older sister Nell described them - ‘Darcy has the eyes of a psycho killer promising mayhem, mischief and a painful death to all who even think about crossing her.’ It was an apt description.
“Interesting reading?” Hadleigh enquired as Darcy closed the book dropping it carelessly to the floor.
Nothing was allowed to mar the perfection of the empty desk except her cousin.
“Not really, just trying to figure out if a person can be infected with invisibility via a sheep bite.”
“And can they?”
“According to Great Uncle Barty they can?”
“You’re not convinced?”
“I think he just likes walking around naked.” Darcy shuddered delicately. “He thinks claiming he’s invisible and blaming the sheep will stop him from being fined.”
“Yikes.” Hadleigh added a shudder of her own.
“Double yikes, Barty won’t see ninety again.” Darcy leaned back on her desk, her legs swinging faster. “Nell mentioned she caught up with you in Atlanta. Somehow I thought your Viking would be taller … blonder.”
“This is Nate … Nate … Darcy, my cousin.” She performed the introductions.
Nate turned, sent Darcy a smile of greeting then resumed his perusal of the bookcases. Weirder and weirder. She didn’t think there was a woman young or old who escaped Nate’s attention and devotion.
“So what brings you to the office of the Special Liaison?”
Hadleigh huffed out a sigh, ignoring Darcy’s I know something you don’t smile.
“What skill set would it take to capture and command Drexel, Paralyxis spiders and a demon possessed skeleton armed with a relocation spelled knife?”
Darcy blinked slowly giving nothing away. The woman was killer at poker. “Interesting combination. Did they come all at once?”
“No forty-eight hours between visits, the Drexel first, then the Paralyxis and the demon together.”
“Makes sense.” Darcy nodded “Use the Drexel to find the victim then send in the spiders to paralyse, the demon to capture.”
Hadleigh shook her head. “No, the Drexel weren’t on a hunt; they were contained at a location by a focus rune. When we busted the rune they were happy to escape.”
“Mmmm, interesting, in centuries past they were known as Drexel hounds, they didn’t stop the hunt until they found their prey.”
“Maybe they did find their prey.” Nate turned, leaning carefully back against a bookcase.
“Perhaps it was a test?” Darcy mused out loud.
“Of the Drexel?” Hadleigh enquired.
Darcy shook her head, the edges of her black bob clipping her high cheekbones. “No a test for the prey. Following that logic they passed so send in a team to contain and capture.”
“So who would be capable of setting something like that up?”
Darcy’s response was immediate. “A God.”
“What?” Hadleigh’s mouth dropped open and for the first time she sensed tension from Nate.
“Or a demi god, anyone with god like powers running through their veins.”
Hadleigh’s mobile phone beeped, breaking the tension, she pulled it out, frowned, hit the ignore button and stuffed it back in her pants pocket. Giving Nate a wary glance she had to ask. “Could Maat be behind it?”
Nate’s face remained impassive, it was Darcy who laughed.
“Maat? Goddess no. She can be tricky I’m sure but Maat abhors chaos and that’s just what the incidents you describe are all about.”
Hadleigh breathed out a big sigh of relief. “So anyone specific in mind?”
Darcy shrugged. “Well you need to be looking at the darker end of the spectrum.”
Hadleigh jumped as her phone buzzed again, hauling it out she glanced at the screen, huffed a sigh and this time turned the phone off before returning it to her pocket.
“Problem?” Darcy asked, sharp blue eyes missing nothing.
“Not at all. So how do we narrow this down? Is there a spell? Or a protection charm for the intended victim?”
“If it’s one of the full blood Gods or Goddesses there’s probably not a lot you can do. If we’re talking demi, lesser or wannabe bastard great great grandchild then there are a couple of things you could try.”
This time it was Nate’s phone that buzzed loudly. The women watched him haul it out, smother a chuckle as he read the message before texting a reply. Glancing up he noted the attention being sent his way. “Carry on, I can text and listen at the same time.”
Hadleigh couldn’t believe Nate had just passed up the opportunity to make an innuendo regarding his multi-tasking skills. “I think I broke him.” She muttered under her breath.
“Hey we’re all broken in some way.” Darcy chirped, launching herself off the desk with a high kick, sending her skirt flapping. “I have a list here...” She looked around at the bookcases. “Somewhere.” Her eyes narrowing on her target. “There!” Darcy put Hadleigh to work pulling down the files and books she wanted from a high shelf. “I was surprised when I heard you’d taken a vacation. I distinctly remember you telling me you loathed them with a killing passion.”
Hadleigh shrugged. “My feelings have not changed on the subject let me assure you. Luckily it’s been more like work than a vacation.”
“Which pleases you no end I can see. But still I had no idea you were such a big reality TV aficionado. I thought you said Declan killed your last set and you hadn’t bothered to replace it.”
Typical Darcy, mind like a steel trap and tenacious.
“It was more like I was volunteered to help out. All that holiday leave piling up finally came back to bite me on the ass. Edward dobbed me into Alma and before you know it…”
“Wait!” Darcy held up a hand. “It was Alma’s idea to send you to Atlanta and you went! Are you insane?”
“Hey, it’s not like I had a choice.”
“But Hadleigh, Great Aunt Alma! You know she’s tricky! Oh my Goddess you and the Viking!”
“It’s not like that.” Hadleigh protested in an urgent whisper.
&
nbsp; Her tone must have been lacking in firmness for Darcy jumped all over it.
“You love him?” Darcy looked aghast first at Hadleigh and then across the room at Nate. “Him?”
“What him? Goddess no!” And then like a train wreck she couldn’t stop the words issuing from her mouth. “I told you, that’s Nate, Vaughn is the Viking but he and I are just friends.”
Darcy stared at her intensely. “You are in so much trouble … Goddess what am I saying? We are in so much trouble. Look you need to be strong. Ditch the guy. Kill the guy but whatever you do don’t fall in love with him. For pity sake Gaia bought on her own misery but if you fall to Alma’s machinations what’s to stop her from coming after the rest of us?”
Hadleigh couldn’t stop the small laugh that issued forth.
“What?” Darcy asked warily.
“Me! In love? You’re forgetting who you’re talking to.” Hadleigh waved a hand. “The Jolly Red Giant as my first boyfriend so aptly nicknamed me does not do love. And men do not fall in love with all of this…”
Darcy rolled her eyes. “Seriously you’re back on that tired old horse. Hadleigh you have to be strong here. Wake up and smell Alma’s devious plot?”
Hadleigh shook her head. “Darc trust me, you have nothing to worry about. Think about my track record with men, it’s lousy bordering on laughable.”
Darcy didn’t look convinced. “Nell told me the Viking is gorgeous. That he looks at you like a thirsty man in a desert looks at a glass of water.”
Hadleigh shifted uncomfortably, glancing Nate’s way to ensure he was still safely across the far side of the room. “It doesn’t matter if he’s attracted to me … if I like him. I’m not good at … the intimate side of things. Even if I do slip, and have…” gulp “sex with him it will just end the same way all the others do … disappointment and the usual back lash of name calling.”
Darcy huffed a small sound of displeasure. Her eyes glowing an eerie blue as she contemplated the idea of vengeance. “Those men were idiots, if only you’d give me their names.” Darcy smiled fiercely and then shook her head as if to dislodge a really evil fun thought from taking hold. “Besides I’m guessing if Alma is behind this your Vaughn will turn out to be different.”
