by Aliyah Burke
“Thank you. I like them.” She moved her gaze between him and Dracen. “Am I interrupting?”
“Heavens, no. I was just saying hi to him. I’m off to get a few things done. If I don’t see you again before tomorrow, have a great night.” With a wave, Dracen walked away.
Taylor looked at him. “Are you sure I didn’t interrupt anything?”
He bent his head and pressed their mouths together. His body roared in response, but he kept his arousal in check. “Positive. Come on.”
“Where are we going?”
“To see Tiarnán and Billy.”
“Right, Wolvie and Gambit.”
He paused and shook his head. “What?”
“Well, Tiarnán is so serious, he is like Wolverine. And Billy is light-hearted and a flirt. Like Gambit. Or Iceman.”
“We’re not mutants.”
“Right. Powers, big mansion, evil fighting you. I can’t imagine why I keep making that comparison.”
“Come on, woman.”
He was glad she wasn’t freaking out about what had happened between them. Especially when he’d thought she would at least try to avoid him after. He hadn’t been sure how their sleeping together would have been taken. Quite the opposite.
She walked beside him as he led them through the mansion. Her amazement was infectious. He found himself smiling along with her as she took in the decor and other things lying around. Things he’d not really paid any attention to—they were just part of the house. But Taylor was impressed. Not with the money spent on the items, but on the items themselves.
“What is it about this stuff that you like so much?” he asked as she stood beside a Ming vase.
“Really? Think about it. Back in a hard time, one most of us now wouldn’t survive in, they were creating such works of beauty. We have all this technology now and it’s a machine that does it. These were made by hand, painted by hand. I mean, how did they make the colours? The porcelain?” She shrugged. “It’s so interesting to me to see how now, with all our so-called advances, we don’t seem to create such beauty. Not without putting it in a computer and having a machine do it for us.”
“Do you have an ancient art degree?”
“God no. I didn’t go to college. My grandmother didn’t think it would be necessary for me to do so. I had money, well she did, and she figured I’d marry money. No sense in filling my head with nonsense learning from books.”
“Feel free to use the library as much as you like. And I’m sure Lian would love to talk with you about some of the items here.”
Her smile brightened his soul. “Thank you.”
Swiping his finger along her cheek, he responded in kind. Then continued on the way to their destination. He pushed open the door and waved her in before him. They were the last to arrive.
“Danger room,” she whispered.
He tried not to laugh. It was what he’d thought she’d think of it as.
“Finally, something beautiful to look at,” Billy said with a grin. “No offence, Tiarnán, but you just don’t do it for me.”
Tiarnán blinked hazel eyes. “Crushed.” He turned an unemotional gaze towards the two of them.
“Sit down, Taylor.” Cale put her in the seat beside him. The one Aminta normally occupied.
“Can we see it?” Billy asked.
“We need the pendant, Taylor.” Cale touched her arm.
Instantly her calm vanished and she tensed. “Why?”
“To see if we can get anything from it which may give us hints on where the others are. Or what they are.”
Her reluctance saturated the room. Rubbing her skin with his thumb, he frowned over the speed of her pulse. “I didn’t think you’d let me take it without you so we figured it would be better this way. It won’t leave this room without you, Taylor. Just let us take a look at it.” He tried to cajole her but knew she wasn’t completely on board.
“The necklace will stay here in the room,” she said, more to herself than anyone else.
A zipping sound reached them as she skated the pendant along the filigree chain. He could see the other two relax with relief when she removed it from her neck and coiled it in his hand.
As before, sparks exploded throughout the room when they both touched it. Taylor wouldn’t meet his gaze—she wouldn’t take hers off the item he held. Billy and Tiarnán murmured under their breath and watched the display.
“Is that common?” Tiarnán asked.
“Every time the both of us touch it, yes.”
“Hand it over,” the eldest demanded.
Cale did and watched as Tiarnán stared at it, flipping it over in his hand. Then he set it down on a metal plate on the desk and pressed some buttons.
The screens on the far wall lit and a pale blue light shot up around the necklace. Three dimensional images of the item showed on the screens, different angles and views.
“What is that?” Taylor’s question was full of awe.
“Computer,” he said. He pushed his chair back and went to the middle one. “Enlarge this one, T.” He pointed at the frontal vision of the pendant with all its symbols and markings.
She’d never seen anything like this before, except in the movies. If something from one of those science fiction or paranormal movies had ever come to pass, this was it. In spades. Taylor watched her grandmother’s pendant hovering in the air, the blue light surrounding it and projecting numerous views of it on the many screens.
Part of her wanted to snap it away from them and return it to where it belonged. Around her neck. The stronger urge, however, was the one to see what all this stuff could do.
X-Men, hell. This is like Iron Man, and who knows what else. Batman. The Batcave probably had this kind of shit going on in there.
Her eyes drifted back to Cale, where he now stood in front of one screen. Tiarnán had risen to his side and they stood talking softly between one another. Billy seemed interested in another image.
Tiarnán scared her, if she wanted to admit it to herself. Hell, even if she didn’t want to admit it. He did. It wasn’t like she was worried he would do something to hurt her. Not at all. He was just so intense and serious. She knew if what they said was true and all this was coming down the pipe, he would protect her, but she doubted he even liked her.
A good looking man for sure, with his thick black hair and hazel eyes. Well-muscled and if a woman wanted a man who looked like he’d just strolled off a ranch or the back of a horse, well, he was the one. She’d thought Cale was a good size, but as they stood now, side by side, she realised that Tiarnán was much bigger. Still, both men were without body fat. She couldn’t say that about herself.
Billy was the leanest of the three. He was built more like a runner, with wiry muscles. Tiarnán was taller than Cale and Billy as well. She liked Billy—he made her smile and feel at ease, quite the opposite of Tiarnán. Billy caught her looking at him and gave her a wink and a grin.
“Come here,” Billy said with a wave.
She pushed back the chair and it rolled soundlessly over the carpeted floor. Taking her time, she made her way down to where Billy waited for her, gesturing to the seat beside him.
“Look at this.”
Hell, they had a small monitor built into the tabletop, which had his attention. She sat, grateful for the comfort of the chair.
“Zero gravity.”
“What?”
“The chairs. They’re zero gravity, which is why they feel so nice. I heard your groan when you sat.”
What was she supposed to say to that? She gave him a slight smile. “What are you looking at?”
“The chain.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s not just a filigree. Look here.”
He pressed some buttons and up popped a 3D image right between them. The entire length of the chain was there, like someone was holding it in a circle so they could look at it from all sides.
“Incredible.”
“Look closer.” He blew up th
e image and stretched it out even more.
Taylor frowned as she stared at it. “Wait, are those symbols that make up the chain?”
“Yes.”
“I never noticed.” She reached out towards it only to pause. Billy took her wrist and put her hand into the image. She could touch, turn and manoeuvre it. “Wicked,” she breathed.
The filigree chain was gold, like the pendant. Inside each oval, seemed to be a collection of Asian characters. She didn’t know what language, but she’d seen enough on tattoos and things like that.
“What is this?” she asked him, turning the chain to see more.
“It’s Chinese. Guys, you’re gonna want to see this.”
Tiarnán and Cale appeared and she felt Cale’s hard leg next to her against her side when he leaned over.
“Damn,” Cale said. He put his hand on her shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. “It’s all the animals in the Asian zodiac, as well as the words for the others. And more.”
“Like you wear on your shoulder?” she asked Cale.
His long fingers joined hers in the image, spun it around to a specific one then touched it before scaling it larger. “This is mine. The dog.”
She stared at it and scanned the rest of the chain. The same symbol was there a few more times. While it was gorgeous, it was also freaking her out a bit. Why hadn’t she noticed this before? Like back when I got the thing from my grandmother.
“I swear I don’t recall seeing those markings on it before. The pendant, yes but not on the chain. It was just a smooth filigree.”
“Maybe when the sparks happened?” Tiarnán suggested. “That was a big display you put on here just now.”
“Smaller than the first time,” Cale commented, dragging his fingers along the back of her neck.
She blushed and wanted to hide. Yes, what he said was true. But it’s how he said it. He doesn’t have to make it sound so, well, sexual. Even so, she still wanted to smile. For a few seconds, she allowed herself to think about what it had been like to be in his arms.
“It would make sense,” she said ignoring his comment. “I’ve not really looked at it since he touched it the first time.” A slight pause. “Well, makes sense as much as any of it can.”
Cale reached out and took the necklace from where it hovered above that metal plate then draped it over her head. Instead of moving away as she’d thought he would, he remained behind her, hands upon her shoulders, rubbing lightly. Normally the display of public affection would sit a bit at odds with her, but right now, she needed it.
“There are a few on here that I’ll have the computer pull up. My Chinese isn’t all that impressive, sorry to say.” Billy shrugged and began typing.
“What about the pendant?” she asked, refusing to be cut out of whatever it was they were trying to get to the bottom of.
“One of the symbols on the back is hope,” Cale said. “The second, I’m not sure and I don’t entirely know what the markings along the front side are, but the computer should find it out in no time. We’ll give the stuff to Edmond, he’ll figure it out for us.”
“Did your grandmother give you anything else?” Tiarnán posed the question.
“Nothing like the necklace. I mean, money of course from the will, the necklace and, oh, the purple suitcase.” Who’s Edmond?
“That leopard-print catastrophe?” Cale sounded shocked.
“Yes. She gave it to me about a month before her death. I was shocked, given how she’d always been about appearance, but she just smiled and said sometimes a woman has to do something outrageous. I chalked it up to her one outrageous thing.”
The three men stared at each other. “I have to go back and get it,” Cale said as the others commented on how he had to go.
She glanced at him. “When do we leave?”
“Sorry, honey, I’m not taking you with me.” Cale shared a look with Tiarnán, and Taylor frowned when she saw a fog or mist rising from his shoulders.
“What do you mean you’re not taking me with you? You’re leaving me here?”
“Yes. Billy is here, along with Dracen, Lian and the others. Tiarnán and I will be handling this.”
She glared in his direction and pushed away with her legs. The chair rolled smoothly beneath her command and she crossed her arms when he arched an eyebrow at her.
“What?” He checked his watch. “I have to get going.”
She was so furious she didn’t even know where to begin. So she didn’t. Stuffing the pendant down her shirt, she jumped to her feet and stomped to the door.
“Taylor!”
She ignored him and left the room, slamming the door behind her. How dare he? How dare he leave her behind? Hell, if it wasn’t for her he wouldn’t have the precious pendant.
“Artefact,” she snapped.
He caught up to her on the second floor, spinning her around to face him. “What is your problem?”
“Mine? My problem? You. That’s right, you are my problem.”
“How so?” He stepped closer to her.
She held her ground, refusing to give an inch. Even though she wanted to back up. Or was that jump into his embrace and see where it took them?
“You wouldn’t even know anything about that damn pendant if not for me. Not only that, but also my grandmother’s bag. I don’t know these people and yet you want to keep me here while you go off with Mr Never Smiles.” She rubbed her arm. “I wouldn’t get in the way.”
He cupped her shoulders then moved to her cheeks. “Listen to me, Taylor, and listen well. We’re expecting to walk into a trap. I will not put you in danger. It’s safest for you to remain here.”
“What am I supposed to do while you’re gone?”
“Whatever you want. Ride horses. Sleep. We both know it’s been a while for you to have solid and uninterrupted sleep. Read. Help Billy and Edmond out with the pendant and what it means.”
She brightened a bit. “I can do that still?”
“Yes. I’ll tell them to expect you to be there helping them. I just need to know you’re safe, Taylor. I’d much rather have you with me than Tiarnán. He’s not nearly as soft as you are to curl up next to in bed. Plus he snores.”
She chuckled while he grinned.
He pressed a cell phone into her hand. “Keep this with you so I can call and get in contact with you.”
After a toe-curling kiss, she stood there on the stairs and watched him jog down to meet Tiarnán on the ground floor. Cale waved at her briefly before the men went outside.
Chapter Seven
The building was dark—a bonus to getting in unseen. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Cale walked up to the door.
“Ready, brother?”
“I’m waiting at the back looking at what used to be her balcony,” Tiarnán spoke blandly.
“Used to be?”
“Part of the railing is missing and it looks like it wouldn’t take much to knock it all the way down.”
“Will you be okay?” If he thought about it, he would have realised how foolish his question was—Tiarnán was a warrior unlike any other they had. Yes, Dracen was a close second, but she still held back part of herself so he wasn’t always sure who between the two of them was better.
“Of course. Let me know when you’re at the door to her apartment. And no, I don’t see anything lurking about out here. But still expect a trap.”
He was. They honestly hadn’t expected to see any demons—that would ruin their surprise. And it was always much better to let the creatures assume they had the upper hand, for they were quicker to make mistakes then.
As he walked up the flights of stairs to her floor, he didn’t run into anyone. That was alarming in itself. Surely someone had to be going up or down. But nothing. Empty. Quiet. When he’d first gone to her place, they’d passed a couple people on the stairs and in the halls. Now there was nothing.
Suspicious.
“I’m there.” He felt his tattoo move as his power sped along his veins.
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“I will be waiting, and there if and when they attack.”
He allowed his senses to flare out—his heightened hearing and sense of smell. Just barely could he make out the lingering traces of human and demon. Nothing fresh, though. So if something was in there, he hadn’t a clue what it would be.
Moving with caution, he opened the door and slipped inside silently. “I’m in.”
“Anything?”
“Not yet. Nothing smells new. All I get is a hint of garlic.”
“Garlic?”
“Just telling you what I smell, man.”
“Get the bag and let’s get out of here.”
He moved through the room, stepping cautiously, trying to recall where she’d left the bag when the attack had come. Suddenly it was as if the walls came to life—demons peeled off them and swarmed him.
Even before he had a chance to call out, he heard the loud roar that accompanied Tiarnán. Silver shuriken slung through the darkness and pinned creatures to the wall. Then his fellow Chosen was at his side, weapons drawn as he battled against the swarm.
Cale threw his knives until he was out. Then he went to stars as well. It didn’t make sense how many of them there were.
“Eyes!” Tiarnán cried in his head.
Immediately he ducked and covered his eyes. It didn’t matter, the light piercing the room could still be seen. Demons screamed in agony before dying. He opened his eyes and got back into the battle. He went to his sword and continued slicing and dicing.
After chopping off the head of one, he turned in time to see a demon flying directly at him. It would have landed on the back of his head, but given he’d just spun around, it was coming for his face.
The mist rolled around him and the creature that had claimed him, making him a Guardian, snatched the approaching demon from the air and destroyed it with a single crunch of his jaws. That was new. His sign hadn’t ever protected him like that before.
Although they were severely outnumbered, it didn’t take them long before all the creatures lay dead. He stood amongst the rank and sulphur-smelling bodies and watched as Tiarnán gathered the weapons he’d thrown. Once his had been picked up, the men alternated positions and Cale grabbed his.
