The familiar freshness of Logan's anger filled the air, mixing with Rafael's.
“I said later,” he snapped. “Are you in or not?”
“Sure. We're still rescuing Archer, I presume? Or has the mission changed as well? Because I can still call Doug and tell him there's no need for the recon,” Rafael added sarcastically.
Logan's fist clenched and unclenched, and he glanced once at me before stomping to the phone, ordered coffee and snacks. Then without a word or a glance back at us, he grabbed some clothes and stomped to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.
I thought it was childish of him, but it was also very effective to prevent himself from lunging at his friend's throat. Or answering any questions.
Chapter Forty-One
We both watched the closed door for a moment.
Hmmm. What was that all about?
Rafael shifted back to me, his relaxed posture underlying the angry waves battering at my senses, begging to be consumed. “You don't look dangerous to me,” he repeated. I ignored his comment and just watched him. Would he consider me dangerous if I sucked the life out of him? Would I be able to do it again—fast enough to diffuse an attack?
It would be interesting to know if I could suck out the life of an enemy without him realizing it before it was too late.
Like his eyes, Rafael's hair was also brown, his face lean with sharp edges, giving him the prominent-dangerous look to him I suspected even ordinary humans would be able to sense.
“I guess it's true the old saying that looks are deceiving,” he mocked condescendingly. “I mean, pretty, soft, dreamy look in the eyes, looks pampered and well mannered. It surprises me Logan fell for it.” He looked me up and down.
Why was he trying to provoke a fight? I wasn't going to take the bait. Still, I had the urge to look behind me, see if there was anyone else in the room with us.
Soft? Dreamy look in the eyes? Pampered? Well mannered?
He shifted, and the grey flecks in his aura moved with the motion, making the green look flexible, like water. What could have an aura like that of a were and yet feel and look different? I searched my mind for what I had read in Dr. Maxwell's journal, but kept coming up empty.
“So, what's up with you and Logan?” He tried again.
I smirked. “Aren't you dying to know?” I mulled over the possibilities of some new species in my mind, something similar to a were.
“Don't be a smartass with me. I can tell you're hiding something. And even if Logan can't see past the pretty shell to your subtle scheme, rest assured you're not fooling me a bit. I've seen many like you before. Spill it.”
“Or what?” I asked nonchalantly.
“Don't push me. I'll get it out one way or another. There's something off about you, and I have no idea why Logan hasn't sensed it, but I have.”
I didn't answer him. I didn't know what to say to that.
“Start talking,” he hissed. Obviously, he had expected me to feel intimidated by now.
I did.
But thanks to all my years with the PSS, he would never know.
That, and being a predator myself, I knew not to show weakness in a game of dominance. And that's exactly what this was, a dominant predator asserting his alpha status.
“I have nothing to tell you.”
“Let me explain something to you, sistah. I've known Logan for a long time. I've seen him around pretty women before. I've also witnessed him in action before and know for a fact he'd never divvy from his objective. Much less when the objective is Archer.”
I cocked my head to the side. Who said he had?
“I thought he was waiting for you.”
“No, he knew I was unreachable, and he could have—should have—reached out for someone else.”
Again, I had nothing to say to that.
Rafael raised his eyebrows, his eyes frosting a few degrees. “So, start talking.” he snapped.
I straightened. “Why don't you just get that stick out of your ass and tell me what you think I'm doing instead of dancing around it?” I snapped, irritated.
Rafael inclined his head once. “Very well. I know you're playing him so you can sell him out. So, I'll tell you this: If you turn around and leave—and I mean without making a fuss—I'll understand you're doing it for your own sake and sense of survival and I won't hold it against you… that is, if you leave before any foul.” His Spanish was thicker by the time he had finished.
I just stared at him, dumbfounded. I looked at the closed bathroom door and wondered what Logan had told him about me.
“How the hell did you draw a conclusion like that?”
“Oh, small things here and there. They add up, and they give me a clear visual of you.”
“Really? Things like what? Soft, dreamy look in the eyes, being pampered and well mannered?” I inflected as much scorn and sarcasm in the words as possible.
If the darkening of his eyes was any indication, it carried loud and clear.
“No. Those are just covers. The easier to help you spread the web. What add up are actions and reactions. You see, we have a place nearby. If we're meeting here it's because either Logan doesn't trust you, which is damn unlikely since he's bringing you along in the raid, or you manipulated him to take you someplace where we wouldn't see you, because you know someone else would have tagged you and seen through the pretty face to what's underneath.” He sneered at my stunned expression, and I could practically see the venom dripping from his lips.
I had been right about Logan leaving his laptop somewhere near and safe.
“But that wasn't the only thing,” Rafael continued, taking a step forward, “While those creepy white coats had their clutches on the both of you, you conveniently woke up long before Logan did and managed to hijack their vehicle and save the day, all while Logan was unconscious. Then there is also the army. Was it twelve, fifteen SEALs? How did you get away? And Alas!” he gestured grandly, the motion more an agitated blur. “On top of everything else we have Black Drammen. How the hell did you get Logan to freely walk into that torture trap? And who the hell are you to warrant Black Drammen's attention anyway? Is that who you're selling Logan to? Or is it the white coats?” By the time he finished, his breathing came fast, his fists were clenched, and he no longer pretended to be relaxed.
Tension and anger and contempt pulsated from him like waves on a stormy beach.
It was a wonder he hadn't snapped yet.
“I don't know how you've been managing to keep Logan from seeing what's happening right under his nose, but Douglas and I have you figured for what you are, and what you are is a manipulating, pretentious, and conniving bitch, and I'm not letting you drag him under after all he's been through. How straight is that for you?”
I was speechless for a second or two, unsure if I should have been insulted or amused at him, so I opted for a loud, unladylike snort as means of insult and disdain.
He took a step forward, either to intimidate or to manhandle me. I tensed, my fingers shaking in anticipation. He caught the motion and smirked.
I watched him with an unwavering gaze.
“Tell me. Are you selling him out for leniency for your crimes against the white coats?” His hands snaked out fast and grabbed the lapels of my robe and jerked me forward before I could blink twice.
Shit, he was incredibly fast.
Our faces were close, inches from touching. I pushed my shock away and reacted fast. I had my talons around his throat before he could dodge.
If it hadn't been for my miscalculation about his reach and his speed, he wouldn't even have gotten that far. Not without a fight.
My thumb talon was positioned on top of the pulse on his neck, my index talon mirroring the position on the other side.
One wrong move and there'd be a bloody smile below his jaw.
Expectedly, Rafael froze.
“Let go and back away slowly,” I said, my voice low, menacing.
In response, his hand tightened aro
und the robe's collar and his eyes narrowed on mine.
Animalistic. This close I could sense the jungle in him. The feral music of savagery.
I saw his aura begin shimmering. I flexed my talons a little, enough to send the message, opening two identical slashes on each side of his throat. Blood oozed around my thumb and index talon. Rafael's anger intensified, turning into a furious rage that tasted metallic, like the smell of his blood.
“If you try to shift, I promise you'll be dead before you're over the first stage.”
His eyes flickered with surprise, and I knew if I hadn't been looking directly into them I would have missed it. I had no idea what he could do or what he was besides being a preternatural, but I wasn't about to find out the hard way, no matter how curious I was. I could tell he was trying hard to guess what I was. I don't think he'd come upon many people who could discern when a preternatural was about to shift. I could also tell the second he realized his mistake for underestimating me. From the tick in his clenched jaw, I could tell those mistakes weren't many. Or repeated. I knew I wouldn't get a second chance to catch him by surprise again.
One more reason to make this time count. If he decided to come after me again, it would be abrupt and very aggressive. It scared me shitless to know someone as cold as this man would be added to my list of worries, but none of it showed on my face.
“Back off,” I said again quietly. When he began to let go I added, “Slowly.”
He did. I didn't take my talons back though.
“Now it's my turn to speak. I don't give a damn if you trust me, or idolize, or dislike me. I'll tell you this, and only because what you're doing stems from friendship and loyalty and I admire that. I'm not going to betray Logan and I don't intend to sell him out, not to anyone, not to Remo, or much less to the people that enslaved me for almost a decade.” His pupils contracted with surprise at that, his only outward reaction. I would have missed it had I not been that close. “But I don't like you, and I don't like your assumptions of me. Keep in mind that I keep my eyes out for people like you, and I don't take scorn and insult well. You fuck with me and I'll make sure you'll regret it. Understood?” I hoped he believed my threat. Now that the element of surprise was gone, I had to make this one time count. I saw the flash of fury in his eyes and felt a chill run down my spine.
This man didn't like being bested and I had done just that. I had a sudden image that after this was over I'd be constantly watching my back, keeping an eye out for him. I was sure that while Logan was around, he'd do me no harm, but after this thing was over and Logan and I parted our ways, he'd be coming after me. And if I relaxed a bit and he found the opportunity, I wouldn't know what hit me.
I was about to take away my talons when the bathroom door burst open and Logan stood there, dripping water everywhere. Feeling like I had been caught with my hand in the cookie jar, I let go—but I didn't take my eyes off Rafael until I took a step back, this time careful that I wasn't within his reach. I didn't think he'd do anything with Logan near, but I've seen enough deception in my life to be so foolish as to take things at face value. I caught Rafael's eyes following my hand and registering the blur and re-formation of my fingers. There was a flicker in his eyes, quickly gone, and this time I couldn't tell if it was anger, surprise, or something else. Up to that moment, he hadn't known what I was threatening him with, just that it was sharp and could sever his artery. His eyes jumped from my hand to my face and there was an expression in them I couldn't read.
Because I had been turning to face Logan and had both him and Rafael in view, I caught Rafael's questioning look and Logan's barely perceptive nod. Question asked and answered, I thought mildly. But whatever the silent exchange had been about, Logan wasn't deterred by it. His eyes were narrowed, and I could feel anger coming from him in waves, a familiar sensation pulsating above Rafael's rage vibes.
Had he heard the conversation between me and Rafael while the shower was still running? Whatever alerted him about what was happening, he hadn't finished his shower yet. His narrowed eyes shifted to me. He was trying to figure out who he was supposed to aid.
I forced myself to relax, not an easy feat with Rafael near, and gave Logan a forced smile.
“Rafael thought I wasn't fit to join the mission, that I looked harmless. I told him that I could get past his guard and he wanted me to prove it.” Aiming my forced smile at Rafael, I shrugged and added, “I guess I proved my point.”
Rafael's jaw tensed a fraction, understanding the underlying meaning of my words. Then he smiled back, a more convincing one, and leaned back on the desk.
“Indeed, you surprised me.” And it won't happen again. The words weren't spoken aloud but acknowledged nonetheless.
Logan was still angry though, and I didn't want to be the cause of a feud between two friends. Soon I'd be gone, but those two would still be there, or bump into each other occasionally if nothing else. If they wanted to fight over something, it was not going to be over me.
Rafael relaxed, and this time it was genuine because the rage began dissipating, clearing the stifling atmosphere. And I could see Logan was trying to do the same.
“You need some help scrubbing your back?” I asked, giving him an appreciative look, although I was careful to keep my eyes above his chest. Any other time, I'd have blushed to the point of combustion at my words, but today they were only words, without any weight or meaning. He looked down at himself, as if just now noticing he was naked and dripping wet. He shook his head, turned and went back to the bathroom. He didn't close the door all the way.
I raked a contemptuous glance at Rafael after I heard the shower stop and found him watching me, a speculative gleam in his eyes.
“I see why the white coats think you're dangerous,” he said, acknowledging his previous comment.
“You see nothing,” I snapped.
“They offered me a lot of money to go after you,” he commented, before turning and flipping on Logan's laptop.
So, they both shared a profession. I bet this Douglas guy did too.
How many hired mercs had refused coming after me? I narrowed my eyes at Rafael's back and said, “I'd have killed you.”
“I'm sure you'd have tried,” he said, almost absentmindedly.
Logan came out of the bathroom, dressed in faded blue jeans and a long-sleeve, dark blue cotton t-shirt. He looked from Rafael to me suspiciously, and then approached Rafael.
Chapter Forty-Two
While I showered, I contemplated Rafael's reaction to me. Although it was obvious Logan had been updating him, he had left vital details out, things that would have prevented Rafael from suspecting me of foul play. Things like the fact I had been rescued by a six-legged, bear-like creature, not that I had been able to evade the army single-handedly. And there was Kincaid and the fact that there had been too much blood and gore in the hijacked vehicle—proof there had been a fight, not that I had been given the car as a payment or something. And the truth about Remo—although explaining Remo would have been dicier since even I had no idea why he had targeted me.
I tried to put myself in Rafael's place. Would I have reached the same conclusion if I had his information?
“…After all he's been through,” he had said. What did that mean?
If Logan had been leaving him multiple voicemails updating him with events, then Rafael had no reason to believe there were vital details left out. I tried approaching it from different angles, but I couldn't find a reason why Logan would want his friends to suspect me of anything.
One thing was for sure. Logan didn't trust me, because I sure as hell didn't manipulate him to isolate the two of us. If he hadn't taken me to the place Rafael had mentioned, which I already had suspected was nearby, it was because he didn't trust me.
I paused with the shampoo in my hand and frowned at the facts. If Logan didn't trust me, why agree to let me accompany him in the raid? What was I missing? No wonder Rafael was so paranoid about me. I might have suspected myself give
n the same information. But selling Logan out? He was definitely reaching, and reaching far, wasn't he? Perhaps Logan had just as many people as me gunning for him. And if I could count on Rafael's words and connect them with past events, the PSS and “Black Drammen” were two of them.
Two common enemies. It had me wondering about the guardians' attack. I had assumed they were after me, but hadn't the first move, the first guardian, gone for Logan first? And when Logan had run back to the hotel room, the guardian I'd been fighting had followed after him. Maybe if I hadn't kicked the hand of the second guardian he would have followed too?
What was I missing?
I was staring at a difficult puzzle, one in which many pieces were missing. I couldn't even get an obscure, vague image of a corner, much less the whole picture.
God, what a mess.
I could hear Logan and Rafael murmuring outside and, leaving the water running, I tried to eavesdrop.
Logan was saying, “… Not waiting for the next meeting of the council for them to realize he's indeed missing. They won't even connect the case with the Society for a long time after that. They know I'm going, so if I get caught, they would have no choice but to come for me.”
Rafael argued, “Douglas is trying to reach Vincent. He's been out of touch on a case, but he thinks he should be back soon. The hunters will no doubt try to verify your claim. All you have to do is wait.”
“I can't. The Society might just hide Archer. If it's a formal call, they'll have plenty of time to stash him somewhere no one will find.”
“The place is huge. It's too secure and you're personally involved. You're not being objective, and that is risky enough, and I'm not counting all the variables.”
“I'm not leaving him there. I'm going in. I already have a rough picture of the place if you can't hack in.”
There was a snort—Rafael's—and he said, “Doug showed me. It's nothing more than chicken scratches, neither I nor he understood diddly from it.”
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