by Teri Gilbert
His mind shot into overdrive as he jumped into his Mustang and headed down Elmwood toward Brooks Avenue and the address Eleni had provided. Until now, he’d managed to stay focused on the task at hand and block out the nagging questions. Now they bombarded him, making his temples throb and the back of his head pound. Special abilities?
Stephanos was alive.
Possibly.
Eleni’s skin showed evidence of a major injury that was no longer there. If he’d had any proof, he’d swear he’d been drugged and this was all some sort of crazy hallucination.
But it wasn’t. He made several sharp turns, then squealed to a stop in front of a rundown warehouse. Feeling more pumped up than ever, he tugged out a crumpled sheet of paper. Yep. This was the address Eleni had given him. He parked across from the dilapidated structure. Not the best part of town by a long shot.
In fact, the warehouse looked as if it hadn’t been used in years. There was no sign of life, no parked cars, no streetlights. A spear of panic sliced through him. What if it was all a ploy? What if this place were truly abandoned? What if Stephanos was dead? All along he hadn’t believed Stephanos was truly alive. But now he had to be wrong, didn’t he? Otherwise, with no one to help him, how could he find Eleni? Who would believe the strange things he’d seen?
Alec strode across the cracked and worn pavement to a side door next to the loading dock. He hesitated a moment, then entered. Cold sweat prickled his skin as his eyes adjusted to the dim interior. In the center of the spacious room sat a grouping of odd shapes. He drew closer, and could make out three chairs, one desk, and a table with a computer on top, its electrical cord disappearing into the darkness. The furniture looked like it had been purchased at a schoolyard salvage sale.
His heart gave a start as he spotted a man standing a few yards away, arms crossed. He’d have to get a closer look, but he certainly appeared to be the man he’d seen at Amalgamated—the one without a pulse. And unless he had a twin out there somewhere, he was very much alive.
Blood pounded in Alec’s ears as he strode toward the man he believed to be Stephanos. If it was, then he sure as hell had better have some answers.
“Mr. Androulakis.”
Alec felt a chill. The man had the identical heavy Greek accent as the one who’d narrated Eleni’s video. If he really was alive, then...
Stephanos extended a hand. “I have much to thank you for.”
Alec ignored the outstretched arm and studied the man some women might find attractive. His jet-black hair was shorter than the current trend, his aristocratic nose a bit oversized, and the scowl that crossed his face gave him a stern appearance.
Stephanos stared beyond him, dark brows slanted upward. “Eleni?”
Alec’s muscles tensed at hearing Eleni’s name fall so easily from Stephanos’s lips, as if he truly cared about her. If he did, she wouldn’t be in danger. She’d be living a normal life, just like everyone else in the world. “She’s gone. Taken.”
“What happened?”
Alec recounted Eleni’s abduction, struggling against the impulse to tear into Stephanos. He hated like hell that he needed his help to find her.
“Were they wearing hats?” Stephanos rubbed his chin.
“Yes.”
“Was there a flickering of air?”
“Yes, but we don’t have time for twenty questions.”
“Hades had the helmet of invisibility, Hermes had the speed. The men you encountered came from a mixed bloodline.”
Alec raked a hand through his hair and tried to absorb Stephanos’s explanation. “But why take Eleni?”
“I think they wanted you.” Stephanos appeared deep in thought. “When the atmosphere changed, where were you?”
“In the middle of the ripples, just like Eleni.”
“So, you’ve got some Hades in you.”
“What does that mean?”
“You can’t be affected by the powers of someone in the same genetic line as you.”
Great, so somehow he, or rather his tainted bloodline, had put Eleni in their grasp. “Who took her, and how do we get her back?”
Stephanos held up a hand. “First things first. The doctors say I should be dead. My body’s been riddled with bullets, but I’m still here. Do you know anything about that?”
Stephanos must have just been close to death and resuscitated. But what about the tingle of energy running through him and into Stephanos? His entire arm had felt alive, as if millions of tiny creatures moved deep within. Then there was the burst of heat when he’d lifted Eleni into his arms after the explosion. What was that? Was there even a logical explanation? “What I know is that I’m Alec Andrews, meteorologist for News Team Seven.” The words sounded corny, even as he spoke them.
“And direct descendant of one of the most powerful healers known to man.”
“According to myth.”
Stephanos nodded toward Alec’s hands. “You said you were in a fight? That you struck a man with your bare hands. Where’s the evidence?”
Alec stared at his hands in disbelief. Where bits of flesh had dangled, tiny fine scars lined his hands. Dried blood verified the injuries. “These weren’t like this half an hour ago.” He raked a hand through his hair. “Even if I believe you, why now? Why haven’t I noticed this power before?”
“I’ve given that a great deal of thought myself. Have you ever been around injured people who needed healing?”
Alec searched his mind for any instances. In high school, he’d opted for the science and chess clubs and had never been into sports, not the more likely places to encounter someone who’d been hurt.
“I didn’t think so. Even if you had, I would suggest that perhaps the shock of seeing so many dead people at Amalgamated might have triggered your ability.” Stephanos gave him a speculative look. “I see from your expression you need more proof.”
Alec wanted to yell in frustration. He didn’t have time for whatever “proof” Stephanos had in mind. But he got the distinct feeling his argument would fall on deaf ears. Besides, what choice did he have?
Stephanos turned and nodded toward a man Alec could now make out standing in the shadows at the far end of the warehouse. Within seconds, harsh light flooded the immediate area.
Stephanos gestured for the man to step forward. Short and slim, with thick wavy hair and smooth features, he came to stand about a foot away.
“Theo is one of my most loyal friends.” Stephanos slid a jackknife from his jacket pocket and extended the blade. He gestured at Theo. “Hold out your hand.”
Realization dawned on Alec. “Wait.”
Stephanos ignored him and swiped the blade across Theo’s palm, leaving a bright red trail in its path. The man’s lips pulled away from his teeth, and his pupils contracted to pinpoints of pain.
Bile rose in Alec’s throat at the sharp, metallic smell of blood. A cut that deep would require stitches. These people were sick.
“Do what you did when you healed me.” Stephanos jerked his head toward Theo’s hand.
“All I did was touch you.”
“Then take his hand. Don’t think about it, just do it.”
Alec did as Stephanos directed. His hand started tingling at the point of contact. Heat pulsed somewhere deep within his torso and started traveling through his veins, to his arm, out his hand, into Theo. All three of them watched as the cut began mending, like a zipper closing over itself. Several minutes passed. Afterward, there was no sign of an injury, except for a faint white line.
“How do you feel?” Stephanos faced Theo.
The man flexed his hand. “There are days my arthritis would make it impossible to move like this.” He stared at Alec in wonder. “Would you do my other hand?”
Alec touched him, and the same flash of heat preceded the surge of energy. Still no white light, like when he’d healed Stephanos.
“Hmm.” Stephanos placed his hand on his chin and rubbed again. “So it’s true. You are coming into your power.”
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Alec sifted through his thoughts. He was a man of science, of the principle that he had to see it to believe it, which is why he’d steered clear of organized religion. However in this case, there could be no other explanation. “What do you mean ‘coming into my power’?”
“Judging from your history, you haven’t been in much trouble, no teenage scrapes with the law. Chances are, you haven’t needed your power until now.”
A thought occurred to him. “Are you saying I’m immortal?”
Stephanos shook his head. “Though some healers live maybe a couple years longer than average, most don’t comprehend who they are until it’s too late, and if they’re in our line of work...” He shrugged. “Well, they don’t tend to reach a normal lifespan.”
The P.C. way of saying he was unlikely to come out of this alive. “That still doesn’t explain why I haven’t noticed it before.”
“My guess? If your ability wasn’t triggered by what happened at Amalgamated, it has something to do with Eleni.”
“Who you sent to spy on me.”
“Don’t blame her. She was doing her job.” He shot him a knowing look. “And I don’t imagine you objected too strongly.”
No. Meeting Eleni had been one of the most amazing events in his life.
At his silence, Stephanos waved a hand. “Then get over it.” His intense, dark eyes narrowed. “You must have some feelings for her or you wouldn’t be here.”
Alec swallowed hard and nodded.
“Good.” Stephanos paused and ran several fingers along his chin. “Did she show you the tape?”
“Yes.” That and the grim images at Amalgamated were forever etched in his mind. “What makes you think this Mallaki’s behind the death and destruction?”
Stephanos contemplated him with keen eyes. Trying to figure out how much to say? “We can’t be one hundred percent certain they’ve taken her to Mallaki. You have to determine where she is.”
“What?”
Stephanos smiled, revealing perfectly-spaced white teeth. “Haven’t you learned anything yet?” He paused. “We’re not dealing with an absolute science. The closest thing these powers resemble is magic.”
Alec opened his mouth to object, then closed it again.
“You’re a healer. Quite possibly a seer.” He paused. “Examine your heart. Concentrate. Find Eleni.”
Next he’d be telling him he was Dorothy and that he’d had the power to go home all along. In spite of his skepticism, Alec closed his eyes. He had nothing to lose. He cleared his mind, then focused solely on Eleni. An image of a white mansion resting on the shore of a crystal blue sea came into focus. He waited several long minutes, but saw nothing more. A stab of disappointment shot through him. Not that he’d expected this to work, but he’d hoped to see Eleni, gain some sense she was okay. He opened his eyes and described the place to Stephanos.
A muscle clenched in Stephanos’s jaw. “That confirms our suspicions. Mallaki is at his estate in Miami. The men who attacked you must have taken her there.” He paused. “On the occasion of each disaster, Mallaki was hosting some powerful guests. We have a team already set up in Miami.”
“Let me guess. More descendents of the Greek gods?” Alec couldn’t keep the sarcasm from his voice.
“Yes. Those whose combined power puts even me in awe.”
“Let’s say I buy into this. What could they possibly do to influence the weather half a world away? What would be the point?”
“Good questions. Ones I want answers to. I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to infiltrate Mallaki’s estate. You may be the one to accomplish that.”
“I’m only interested in getting Eleni back.” A thought forced its way through his subconscious. “Did Eleni know this was a possibility? Did she understand how much danger she was in when she accepted...her assignment?”
“Yes, of course. During any mission, there’s always the possibility a member will be taken hostage.”
“Why would she risk her life?”
“Because Mallaki must be stopped. What he’s capable of makes Katrina seem like a mild storm.”
And Mallaki had Eleni. “But if I go myself, Mallaki will kill me, and Eleni will be no better off.” But what if Mallaki agreed to let Eleni go in exchange for him? What then?
“If you agree to help us, you’ll meet with our Miami team. They can brief you in more detail. Then you’ll go in alone. You’ll need to get as much information as possible about his plans, the layout of his estate, then you’ll get Eleni out of there.”
His last words sounded hollow, without conviction.
“You don’t think he’ll let her go.”
Stephanos’s direct gaze bore into him. “No, I don’t. But he will try to tempt you to join him. Mallaki likes to think of himself as a cultured man. He’ll try to woo you first.”
If that phone call was Mallaki’s idea of wooing, he’d hate to see his idea of force.
“Mallaki can be charming. You wouldn’t be the first seduced by his logic, so before we go any further, there’s something we have to do.” At the apologetic look on Stephanos’s face, a trickle of unease filtered through Alec.
Stephanos nodded, and Theo started toward them. As the man drew closer, Alec could see he carried a tray full of intricate tools and what appeared to be a mammoth syringe.
Alec’s heartbeat kicked up a notch. They were going to drug him?
“Take a seat.” Stephanos gestured behind him to one of the high school chairs, complete with oversized desktop. “Normally our screening process takes years, but we don’t have the luxury of time.”
“What exactly do you intend to do?” Alec’s stomach turned inside out, and he felt his throat dry up.
“Truth serum.” Stephanos rocked back on his feet.
Alec glanced at the tray again.
“You do want to find Eleni?”
“Yes, dammit. Of course.” Alec sat and forced himself not to squirm, feeling much like the naughty child brought into the principal’s office.
Stephanos inclined his head toward Theo, who stepped forward and wrapped a tight cloth around Alec’s upper arm, then prepped the needle. Sweat formed on the insides of his palms. He wanted to yank off the band and bolt. But he had to take the chance Stephanos could help him get Eleni back.
Alec felt the sting of the needle, followed by a prickling sensation as the warm fluid spread outward from the injection site to other parts of his body.
The light illuminating Stephanos from behind made a silhouette out of him, reminding Alec of an old-fashioned interrogator from the movies. Stephanos titled his head. “You haven’t asked why I’m doing this.”
“You’re wondering if Mallaki has somehow gotten to me, persuaded me to join forces with him, then sent me back to spy on you.”
“It’s nice to know we haven’t underestimated your intelligence.” Stephanos leaned forward. “This won’t take long. Theo will read your replies. He’ll know instantly if you’re lying, so don’t bother. He’ll stand to this side, so only I can see him. Tell me your name.”
“Alec Androulakis.” He frowned. He’d meant to say, Andrews.
“Do you or any or your family members have the ability to see the future?”
“No.”
“What is Mallaki planning?”
“He wants to return to the way it was, Greek gods the ruling power, and the rest of the world subservient.”
“How do the storms fit into this?”
“I don’t know.”
Stephanos gave a satisfied nod. “Either you’re immune to the drug or you’re being honest.”
“Honest.” Alec half-mumbled the word, suddenly feeling exhausted.
“Are you a spy?”
“No.” Not yet, but he would be soon, if it meant getting Eleni back safe and sound. “Uh, make that a yes.”
Stephanos’s lips twitched, then turned upward. “Let me clarify that question for the record. Are you a spy for Dorian Mallaki?”
&nb
sp; “No.”
“That will be all for the time being. Theo will give you a little something to reverse the effects. We have too much to do to lose you to a drugged stupor.”
Theo jabbed him again.
“Do you love Eleni?”
Stephanos’s question caught him off guard. He’d never thought about how he felt about her, never wanted to examine his feelings that closely. “Do I love Eleni?”
“You can’t get out of this by parroting the question. Do you love her?”
An image of Eleni detailing their cause, logically laying out her proof, believing he was the one to help them fixed in Alec’s brain. There’d been passion in her eyes, conviction in her voice, logic in her reasoning. But did he love her? No. He didn’t know her well enough to love her. Did he? Sure, he’d looked forward to seeing her every day at work and felt empty when she wasn’t around, and getting to know her better had been one of the most pleasurable experiences of his life. But that didn’t mean he loved her, did it? “No. I don’t love Eleni.”
From the satisfied expression on Stephanos’s face, Alec couldn’t tell whether he’d passed the question or not.
Chapter 10
Eleni crossed the polished marble floor to the picture window of the rotunda, careful not to sway her hips. She felt Mallaki’s gaze burning into her and took several deep breaths of the warm, humid air, trying to rid herself of the feeling of a giant hand squeezing her chest. Behind her stood the man responsible for the deaths of everyone she loved, yet how could she alone hope to make him pay? She had no weapons of any kind. No possessions. Only the clothes on her back. She didn’t dare let him know how much she hated him, lest he conclude she wasn’t worth the trouble and killed her outright. Her power was nothing compared to his.
Moonlight glittered off the sparkling body of water stretched before her. The rumors had always been that Dorian Mallaki considered himself a god. He’d certainly chosen a home worthy of one. For a split second she could mentally elevate the mansion and imagine she was on a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
