“You okay,” Derrick asked, encircling her waist with his arms.
She afforded him an unconvincing nod, gulping in the process, her hands sweating. She knew she didn’t have to hold on, but the instructor had told her to be careful that no part of her skin touched the line. So what if her hand slipped out of the glove?
The guide stepped in front of her. “It’s no different than the others, Mrs. Ashton. Just let the harness do all the work. Lean back in the cannonball position we showed you, point your toes downward, and have fun.”
Kris gave another nod and stepped forward, but then turned to Derrick. “Maybe you should do this one first?” she suggested.
Derrick pressed his hand to her cheek. “You’ll be fine, love. Just keep your eyes forward. Focus on Mount Washington.” He gave her a wink. “Pretend you’re gazing out at the trees from our suite.”
She smiled and huffed out a breath. “Maybe I’ll just rappel down. I handled the rappelling okay.”
“But how would you get to the next platform?” Derrick suggested.
“You go first,” she insisted again. “That way you can catch me if I fall—I mean, come in too quickly.”
The guide laughed, so obviously he thought nothing of her blunder. Of course, who would imagine that her husband was capable of jumping off a building and saving her?
Derrick stepped toward the front of the platform. “Okay, Kristina.” He chuckled along with the guide. “I’ll be waiting to catch you.”
The guide checked Derrick’s straps, and using the carabiner, hooked his harness onto the line. After getting an “all clear” from the guide on the opposite platform, Derrick whooshed over the expanse of trees, letting out a thrilled whoop for her benefit she assumed.
After a few minutes, the other guide’s voice came through the radio, signaling it was safe to send her down. Even though her heart pounded in her chest and her hands were still sweaty, Kris took a deep breath and let it out and then said through gritted teeth. “Okay. I’m ready.”
The guide didn’t respond. She turned, but saw nothing as a cloth covered her entire face. Unable to control her need to take a breath, she inhaled the ether-like odor, a sweet taste prickling her tongue. She tried to pull the glove-covered hand away, but to no avail.
He’d found her. The rogue had obviously been watching for the first moment she was alone.
The world seemed to wobble before her eyes, and her legs felt non-existent. For a second, she wondered if she was even standing. Then the trees whooshed by her, but she heard no sound as if she’d gone deaf. Was she falling? Had the rogue just dropped her? She tried to scream for Derrick, but nothing left her throat, at least she didn’t think so, remembering she hadn’t heard the trees that looked as if they jumped over her either.
Now the entire forest bobbed up and down, and she just wanted it to stop. Dizzy and feeling sick, she closed her eyes and just waited to hit the forest floor and die. Unfortunately, Derrick would not be able to save her this time.
Derrick. Tears burned her eyes, or maybe it was the chemical on the rag. Her husband would be alone forever. She attempted to lift her head, tried to fight, but it seemed her body wouldn’t obey. Then the sun flickered off and on, as if it were the fluorescent bulb in her kitchen. Dampness spread over her entire body, or was she drowning? The icy, dark water engulfed her.
That’s right, she remembered. She’d jumped off the Tobin Bridge, and she would die. It had all been a dream. None of it had been real. Derrick… his name… her Dark Angel had a name. He was real. Derrick, she repeated. Though again, she wasn’t sure if the word escaped her lips. She had to believe; she had to hold on for Derrick.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Michael called Victoria, but she didn’t answer. Next he called Jonas, ready to confront him. He didn’t have a problem with him being back, but they needed to make a decision. He had no intention of fighting with his best friend over Victoria’s affection. And Ry, well, he could just give it up. He was too young anyway. Vic thought nothing of him but a kid brother. Hell, she probably thought of Michael as a brother too, but he could remedy that.
Jonas’ cell phone went to voicemail as well. “Damn!” He hated thinking what that might mean. He searched his phone contacts and found Ry’s number and touched the name.
“Yo, what’s up, Mike?” Ryan answered. “I was just in the middle of something.”
Michael heard Ry’s car door slam. “Have you seen your brother?”
“Nah. Not since last night. We pulling same shifts tonight?”
“Yeah,” Michael answered. “How about Vic? I can’t reach her either.”
Ry laughed through the phone line. “Oh, I get it. You think they’re together. That maybe Jonas is comforting her after telling her where the newlyweds went.”
Michael stopped walking toward his vehicle. “How do you know where they went?”
“We overheard them yesterday after the meeting. I think since Derrick is with a human, he forgets that we can hear him.”
Continuing his tread to the car, Michael hopped in, irritated. “Hey, you want to go out tonight, Ry? I have one thing I have to handle, but then I can meet you downtown around ten-ish.”
“What about watching?”
“I don’t think we’ll see any action tonight, but come dressed though.”
Ry clucked his tongue. “I’m in the middle of something. I’ll call you later this afternoon if I have time.”
“Sounds good,” Michael told him. “As I said, I won’t be available until ten-ish anyway.” Michael looked at the time on his phone. One-thirty, he had just enough time.
At ten o’clock, Michael turned his phone on. He had several missed calls from Derrick and his father, but he wasn’t in the mood. It’d been a long day. He tried again to reach Ry, Vic, or Jonas. What the hell were they doing, he wondered. He needed company, preferably of the female persuasion. He lifted his phone and searched through the contacts again, Rebecca would do well. She was fun, cute, and she generally wanted to be with him.
The thought that Victoria could be off with Jonas somewhere burned his insides. He thought he could just let her go if Jonas wanted her, but now he felt otherwise. The current situation he was in allowed no time for screwing around, he knew, but if he didn’t act quickly, he could lose her forever.
Would jealousy work? he wondered. Jonas had told her last night of both their interests, so maybe…
Rebecca picked up on the first ring. “I was hoping you’d call,” she drawled. He wasn’t certain where she’d picked up her slight southern drawl, but he had to admit, he liked it.
“Hey, Rebecca,” Michael responded simply. No sense in getting her hopes up too much by turning on the charm. He just needed her with him for a few minutes. Fifteen at the most. “You still up for that drink?”
“Sure,” she answered without hesitation. Too hastily. No challenge. He sighed inwardly, wondering why he needed a challenge.
“Meet me at the pub at ten-thirty.”
“I’ll be there.”
As soon as he hung up, he clicked Victoria’s number again. No answer, of course. Maybe she and Jonas had skipped town together. “Hey. Meet me at the pub round ten-thirty, so we can discuss this evening’s route.” He clicked end, ran his vehicle through a car wash, and then headed to meet Rebecca. He hated even the slightest bit of dust on his Charger. She was his baby, the one woman who could do no wrong.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Vic sat across from Jonas, thinking how good he looked, wondering why she couldn’t fall. They sure gave it a good shot. And it’s not to say that she could never fall for him, but evidently, she had to get her head screwed on straight first.
Still, she did appreciate what a good-looking man he was. She hated to think it was true, but after her attraction to Derrick, and Ry’s confession, she had to believe that their heritage is what drew her to them, even though a human man had never turned her on. She could never be attracted to a man who was weaker than
she was.
“Ry told me about you—”
His gaze bolted up from his plate. “What? About us?”
“Yes. It’s okay.”
Jonas shook his head. “No, it’s not. He had no right.”
Vic raised her hands in confusion. “I don’t understand. Why is it such a big secret? Everyone thinks Derrick and Michael are an anomaly—”
“And yet, Ry and I also have a human parent. In fact, I think Ry is stronger than Derrick. He’s younger and doesn’t know as many moves, but he’s strong.”
“So, why don’t you want anyone to know? What’s the big deal?”
Jonas pursed his lips, staring out the window for a few seconds before turning back to her, his eyes cold and blank. “Because our father hated us when he found out we weren’t all human. My parents had been together for years, but my mother had hidden what she was.” He bit down on his lip. “But she didn’t think about kids, about the fact that she couldn’t hide the eating habits and strength of a creatus child. He’d been in the military, so he missed a lot of our rearing. But when he was stationed in the states permanently, he saw me.” Jonas inhaled a deep breath. “Ry had thrown a ball up on the roof by accident, and I, being the big brother, went up to get it. When my father saw me jump off the roof, he flipped. Scared at first, but then he was excited. Thought he had some superkid for a child. My mother assumed as many years as they’d been together, he’d accept her.”
Vic reached across the table and squeezed his hand. Ryan hadn’t told her this part of the story. Maybe he hadn’t known since he was obviously younger.
Jonas shook his head. “He—my father—treated us like pariahs. He didn’t think twice about picking up the phone right in front of my mother. She had no choice. That S.O.B. was going to call his superiors in the army and turn us in as aliens. Can you believe that?”
“No,” Vic responded. She’d never been fond of humans, but his own children?
“She killed him. Right there in front of me. She snapped my father’s neck. Then she brought us here, where she said we had family. The family forged papers for us, and she stayed out of sight from all authorities.”
“I’m so sorry, Jonas,” Vic said, but he pulled his hand out from under hers.
Jonas pushed his chair away from the table and stood, throwing his napkin on his plate. “Don’t feel sorry for me. I don’t want your pity. I think I made that clear last night.” He skirted the table and pulled her to her feet. “Did you think about it? Are you gonna try? Will you leave with me and start a new family?”
She exhaled a deep breath. “I—”
“Enough said, Victoria. I get it. You’re still hung up on Derrick. Fine.” He stormed off, slamming the door behind him.
Jonas had left so quickly that his absence seemed to leave an empty vacuum in her apartment, dead space that needed filling. She just couldn’t think. Yeah, she loved Derrick. She wanted to believe that this was all subterfuge to protect Kristina, but it wasn’t Derrick’s face that she’d seen when she was with Jonas last night; it was Michael’s.
Still, she had to know. Vic glanced up at the clock: eleven a.m.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
The guide called up for a second time and still there was no answer.
Even if Kristina had chickened out, the guide would have called before rappelling down and trekking toward them. Derrick glanced up at the man in front of him. He hated to do it, but he didn’t have a choice. Chances were the man wouldn’t even know what happened. Derrick just had to decide if he should choke him out or hit him. It wouldn’t take but a couple seconds for him to drop. The movies had it all wrong. If you knew what you were doing, a man would drop in less than three seconds.
He decided not to hit the innocent man; instead, as the guide stared up toward the higher platform, Derrick used his hand to compress his carotid arteries, hence causing cerebral ischemia and a temporary hypoxic condition in the brain. The guide dropped before he could even lift his hand to Derrick’s arm.
After lowering the man to the deck and strapping his carabiner onto the cable in the event he rolled over, Derrick grabbed his rappelling gear and hopped off the platform, hitting the ground and leaving a deep pit. He quickly covered his tracks and took off in the direction of the first platform.
As he ran, he attempted to listen to all surrounding sounds, but it was no use; there were too many tourists on the property. Every direction he turned, he heard skiers, hikers, and animals scurrying through the underbrush.
Keeping his focus, he remained within the trees so he could run. It only took him a few minutes, but he knew it’d be too late. He was faster than most creatus, but Kristina would be barely more than a backpack to the rogue, and he had the benefit of a head start and three different directions he could have taken. The only thing that Derrick could pray was that he was wrong. Nothing had happened; she’d just been terrified and rappelled down the tree instead. The other guide just hadn’t heard the transmission.
Stopping at the bottom of the platform, all his hope melted. There, lying at the bottom, his neck twisted in an unnatural position, was the other guide. Granted, the guide could have fallen, but this appeared to be the rogue’s M.O., when he wasn’t ripping their bodies to shreds to attract the family’s attention, that is.
He dropped to his knees and felt for a pulse. Nothing. Derrick held his breath and listened for anything. Any sound. His gaze dropped to the forest floor. Nothing.
As with Janelle, no tears fell. His heart ached, but he had no time for sorrow, only hatred filled his veins—and guilt. Just like Janelle. He’d failed to protect Kristina, just as he’d failed to protect Janelle.
Moving on instinct, and because his mind wouldn’t allow him time to grieve, he jumped to the platform, grabbed the rappelling gear, ripped the harness as if it had broken, and dropped it over the platform. Then he darted back to the tree stand and watched as the other guide rappelled down the tree.
“What happened?” the guide called as he dropped a few feet at a time.
Derrick gave a noncommittal shrug. “I came down to find my wife, but I haven’t seen her. She must have walked back to the hotel. Probably furious with me for forcing her to go zip lining.”
The man shook his head. “I mean. How did you get down?”
“I rappelled down,” Derrick answered, as if it was the most obvious answer. Why would he have thought anything else? He dropped his gear and turned away. “I have to go find my wife.”
“Wait,” the man called. “I woke up on the deck. What happened?”
Derrick shrugged again. “You were fine when I saw you. Maybe you’re diabetic.” He bolted off before the man could ask any more questions, charging his way through the woods the moment he was out of view. He had no time to waste. He needed to contact his family, track down all the people who could have been responsible. There was no doubt anymore. Someone in the family was the rogue.
He’d left his phone in the room. He never left his phone, but he’d wanted the day to be about Kristina and him. Derrick struggled to keep his expression passive as he walked as swiftly as was humanly possible to his room, but instead of taking the elevator, he took the stairs, knowing few humans bothered. He paused only a second to listen for any sounds and then shot up to his floor.
As soon as he unlocked the door, he made a beeline for his phone. Four o’clock. Michael first, so he could track down the others. He hit “call” and then buzzed about the room, packing up everything. As much as he wanted just to run, leaving everything behind, he had to be sensible. He couldn’t give the authorities any more than they already had. Of course, who would possibly think that someone as small as Kristina could push the guide off the platform? No. They’d have to assume that the guide was in a hurry to rappel down and the harness broke. And, they couldn’t blame Derrick because he was with the other guide, who as he’d assumed, hit the deck so fast, he had no recollection of what had happened.
So, as always, he’d leave no trace
. And his story would be that his wife was livid with him for making her go, and he couldn’t find her afterward, so he’d hiked back to find her.
The call to Michael went directly to voicemail, so Derrick systematically dialed all his top suspects. When none of them answered, he made his way to the Navigator. As soon as he was inside, he called the only other person on earth who would understand his pain—his mother.
Tears stung his eyes the moment she answered.
“Derrick?” she screeched his name in panic after he hadn’t answered the first three times because he couldn’t find his voice.
“He got her, Mom,” he choked out. “And I don’t know where to start looking.”
Sabrina screamed his father’s name, and Derrick had to extend the phone away from his ear. After all these years, she still forgot. He switched the call to the hands-free SYNC and peeled out of the parking lot. His only hope would be that the rogue wanted Kristina alive, wanted Derrick to somehow witness her death. And wouldn’t he know if she were already dead? If the rogue had wanted her dead, wouldn’t he have left her on the ground for Derrick to find her?
Creatus Series Boxed Set Page 27
