“I’ll be long gone by the time your next shift starts. I guarantee it.” She held up the money and smiled. “Thanks again.”
He nodded in return then retraced their steps into the belly of the building.
She wasn’t really hungry, but her caffeine addiction wouldn’t wait until 11:00. She approached the front desk and waited for the woman to look up. “I’m dying for a cup of coffee. Can you break a ten?”
“Hold on.” Obviously annoyed by the interruption, the woman pushed away from her desk and walked out of Angie’s line of vision. She returned a short time later with a Styrofoam cup of coffee in one hand and packets of creamer and sugar in the other.
“Thank you.” She took the coffee and packets from the woman and smiled.
The woman waved her away then turned to answer the phone.
Well, good morning to you too. Angie fought back her annoyance. Starting a fight would be counterproductive at this point. Hopefully, she’d be out of here in an hour or two. Instead of telling the grumpy woman what she thought of her attitude, Angie shoved open the heavy glass door and stepped out into the cool morning air. Mature trees shaded the wide approach area and then a double set of concrete stairs descended to street level. The detective told her she was in Provo, Utah, though all that really meant was she was somewhere northeast of Las Vegas.
With an Old Towne charm, the area felt safe and sort of sleepy. She spotted a stone bench near one of the massive trees centered in the lawn bordering the sidewalk. She could see traffic approaching from either direction and the setting was infinitely more appealing than the dreary reception area.
She hustled down the stairs and sat on the bench then took her first sip of coffee. The bitter taste scrunched up her face, but at least the beverage was steaming hot. Both packets of “cream” powder and sugar took the taste from unpalatable to nasty, so she focused on the improvement and tried to enjoy the peaceful surroundings.
Each moment that ticked by made her feel heavier, more encumbered by dread. Tori was sure to be pissed. Tori was always pissed when she had to swoop in for a rescue. She’d lecture and glare all the way back to Las Vegas. She’d tell Angie how irresponsible she was, how immature and selfish. And for the most part she’d be right. Angie didn’t spend a lot of time worrying about other people. If their mother’s death had taught her anything, it was that living life according to the expectations of others was an utter waste of time. Life could be stingy and cruel. What happiness Angie found had been wrested from fate’s clutches through sheer force of will, and she didn’t see that changing anytime soon.
A car turned the corner and headed toward her. Finally! It was a red Honda Accord. But rather than her sister’s pale face and slender frame behind the wheel, Angie saw a large, dark-haired man. She tensed for an instant, then reality kicked in, releasing her pent-up breath. Honda Accords were as common as ants; this was simply the wrong car.
Unable to silence her suspicion, Angie looked at the license plate. Nevada, 678 TTD. That was Tori’s plate. What was this man doing with Tori’s car? Angie stood and ducked behind the tree. The trunk wasn’t wide enough to hide her completely. Still, she felt less conspicuous.
The parking spaces in front of the building were reserved for employees, so the man pulled into the lot across the street. Don’t panic. Angie pressed her hand against her throat and took a deep breath. There had to be an explanation for why a stranger was driving her sister’s car. There was no way this was coincidence. Had Tori sent him in her place? If so, why hadn’t Tori come in person?
Angie automatically reached for her cell phone then cursed under her breath. She still couldn’t believe she’d run off without it. The lack had been a minor nuisance while she was with Jordan. Now, without the ability to contact anyone, Angie felt isolated and vulnerable.
The driver’s door swung open and the stranger got out. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with unfashionably long hair. His features were blurred by the distance between them, but his size alone was intimidating. He shut the door and looked around.
Angie glanced at the stairs. Could she make it to the front door before the stranger crossed the street and caught her? Or should she stand her ground and confront him about the car? He was a head taller than she was and out weighted her by at least fifty pounds. It wouldn’t be much of a confrontation.
Before Angie could determine her best course of action, a flash of light momentarily blinded her. She blinked away the brightness, then found a second man facing off with the stranger. The second man’s back was to her, but where had he come from? It was almost as if he’d just…
They circled each other, staying just out of reach. As they rotated, Angie saw the second man’s face. Her heart dropped into her stomach and she shrank deeper into the shadows. Naz. The name echoed through her mind like the ominous rumble of thunder. She’d only seen him once before. They’d flirted briefly at the casino where she used to work. But Tori insisted he was dangerous, that Angie needed to stay as far away from him as possible. Tori had no reason to lie or exaggerate the danger, so Angie had listened and left the state.
Naz swung and the other man twisted, barely avoiding Naz’s fist. Angie could hear their angry voices, yet she couldn’t make out their words. Naz made a sharp gesture and the other man grinned, his teeth starkly white in his tanned face. The stranger obviously didn’t consider Naz as much of a threat as Tori did. Naz lunged, but the stranger—zapped from one side of Naz to the other. Angie felt her eyes widen and her throat went dry. There had been no blur of motion. He’d instantaneously shifted from one place to another.
The coffee cup slipped from Angie’s hand and landed in the grass at her feet. She covered her gaping mouth with one hand and grasped the tree trunk with the other. She must be dehydrated. She was hallucinating. That couldn’t have been real. Yet Naz’s arrival had been just as bizarre. He’d just blinked into view as if he materialized out of thin air.
Suddenly the stranger went on the offensive. He landed two solid punches, but when he tried to sweep Naz’s feet out from under him, Naz blasted the stranger with…energy pulses? Frozen by fear and fascination, Angie scrambled for an explanation. Shimmering light burst from Naz’s palms and the stranger cried out as each ball of light struck him.
Angie, run! Get the hell out of here before he sees you!
She didn’t recognize the deep voice that barged into her mind, but she couldn’t argue with the strategy. Turning sharply, she ran in the opposite direction and darted around the side of the building. She didn’t look back, didn’t question the advice, until a hand grasped her shoulder from behind. She screamed and twisted away as something stabbed into her brain. Her vision blurred and her skull contracted, then she crashed into a solid wall of muscle.
The stranger’s arms closed around her, yanking her tight against his big body. Her surroundings swirled and the ground beneath her feet dissolved. She screamed and screamed, clinging to the stranger because she had no other choice.
She squeezed her eyes shut, but the fight replayed in her mind. They could move at the speed of thought and battle with pulses of light. What the hell were they?
And what did they want with her?
Where was this one taking her?
Each question compounded her fear.
Her feet touched down and his arms loosened, without releasing her completely.
“Are you okay?”
She struggled out of his embrace and stumbled back several steps, arms flailing as she tried to keep her balance. “Who are… What the…” Fear scattered her thoughts and set her feet in motion. She spun to the side and ran, not caring where she went, only knowing she didn’t want to stay with him.
Her foot caught on the uneven ground and she landed hard on her hands and knees.
“Angie.” His voice came from right behind her.
He knew her name! Was that good or bad? Twisting around, she sat in the dirt and stared up at him in disbelief.
“I’m not goi
ng to hurt you.”
He sounded sincere, but her fear-addled mind rejected the assurance. She dragged her gaze away from his face and looked around. Bleak, desolate desert stretched as far as she could see. Her belly tensed and her chest felt heavy. She had nowhere to run. Not that she had any hope of outrunning someone who could teleport.
If immediate escape wasn’t an option, she needed information.
“Who are you?” She tried to lick her lips but her mouth was too dry.
“My name is Blayne. Tori sent me.”
The adrenaline rush eased, leaving her weak and shaky. Then reality came back into focus. He stood over her though he made no move to touch her. Instead, he watched her intently, his expression cautious. For just a moment his eyes seemed to swirl, drawing her in with hypnotic intensity. Then the color stabilized, becoming a striking mixture of silver, blue and gray. His features were strong and symmetric, yet his lips had a sensual fullness that was accented by a short goatee. Dark brown and slightly mused, his hair flowed away from his face and brushed his shoulders in distinct waves. He emanated the same sort of sexy menace that had drawn her to Naz. Were they related? They obviously knew each other.
“Are you steady enough to stand if I help you up?” His lips parted in a patient smile while awareness arced between them. “Teleportation can be disorienting if you’re not expecting the rush.”
Teleportation. The word echoed through her mind, mocking her circumstance. People couldn’t really teleport. So how did she explain her location? Or everything she’d seen in that parking lot?
“Where are we?” She took his outstretched hand and he pulled her to her feet. Her legs trembled beneath her, so he moved his hand to her elbow. His palm was warm, his fingers long and strong, easily spanning her arm.
“We’re back in Nevada. About thirty miles from Las Vegas.”
Okay, hysterics weren’t getting her anywhere. She had to think this through. Unless she’d had some sort of psychotic break, which didn’t seem likely, she’d just been teleported from one state to another. She eased her arm out of his grasp and took a step back. “Why were you driving my sister’s car?” It was the least preposterous of the questions swarming her brain.
With slow, nonthreatening movements, he slipped his hand into his pocket and withdrew a cell phone. Or to be more exact, he withdrew her cell phone. The anime sleeve was custom; she’d designed it herself.
“Where’d you get that?” She held out her hand expectantly and he handed her the phone.
“Your sister gave it to me. She recorded a message for you.”
She found the recording and played the short message, splitting her attention between the screen and the stranger. “Hey, sis. Sorry I couldn’t come get you, but I sent this hunk instead. Somehow I don’t think you’ll mind. He’s got a mouth on him, so don’t get him started or he’ll twist every word you say. I’ll see you tomorrow. Behave yourself!” Tori’s image blew her a kiss and the clip ended. This confirmed that Tori had sent Blayne, but it didn’t explain why. “I have so many questions. I don’t even know where to start.”
“Nazerel touched you right before I flashed you here. Did you feel him in your mind?”
“Naz Zerrel? Is that his full name?” She was stalling. She’d sure as hell felt something, like a knife slicing into her brain. “I’m not sure.”
He tilted his head and narrowed his gaze, obviously not believing her. “His name is one word, Nazerel. He has raw power, but his skill is limited. Tell me what you felt.”
“Someone grabbed my shoulder and something hot stabbed into my head. It’s gone now. I don’t feel it anymore.”
He moved closer, his eyes gleaming, expression suddenly grim. “I need to scan you. It’s likely he tried to anchor a tracer strand. I need to see how far he got.”
She backed up each time he stepped forward, maintaining the distance between them. “I don’t want to feel that again.” Besides she knew nothing more than this man’s name. And the fact that Tori trusted him. The realization did little to ease Angie’s anxiety.
“I’m infinitely more skilled than Nazerel.” There was no arrogance in his claim, just a firm statement of fact. “I won’t harm you, but I can’t take you to Tori if you’re bugged.”
That ended her retreat. She had a million questions and she’d much rather have answers from her sister than a man she’d just met. If letting him “scan” her was the price for being returned to Tori, then she’d grin and bear it. “Can you turn it off if he planted a bug on me?”
“Likely. Let’s start with a simple scan.” He slowly raised his arm. “The link is easier to form if I touch you.” He pressed his hand against the side of her face, thumb absently tracing her jawline. His eyes were unbelievably beautiful. She’d never seen a blue so light yet intense. “Close your eyes.”
She slowly lowered her lids, but her other senses immediately took over. His fresh, spicy scent became stronger each time she inhaled. His warm breath teased her cheek and her skin tingled beneath his light touch. She grew restless, wondering when he’d start.
“Relax. I need to push deeper.”
A shiver dropped down her spine. Apparently, he was scanning already. His other hand touched her hip then slid around to the small of her back. Strength bled from her legs and she swayed against him. She wasn’t sure if he caused the sudden weakness or if he’d just been expecting it. All she knew was she was glad he was there.
She grasped his shoulder with one hand and wrapped her other arm around his waist as he shifted her head into the bend of his elbow. Light and color erupted inside her mind, swirling through her, sinking deeper as it swept her along.
Then a hot sting burst through her lethargy. She gasped and tried to twist away.
Don’t fight me. The more you resist, the more it will hurt.
Memories crashed through her composure, dark and distant, yet detailed. Her eyes flew open and she twisted out of his embrace then firmly shoved him away. “If it hurts, you shouldn’t do it.”
He was silent for a moment then spoke carefully as he said, “The link is not fully formed, but it is anchored deeply. I must rid your mind of—”
“Screw you!” She furiously blinked back tears, refusing to submit to past demons or present intimidation. She’d worked too hard and fought too long to be controlled by things she couldn’t change. “Stay out of my head and take me to my sister.”
“If I take you to Tori without severing the link, I’ll endanger everyone.” He crossed his arms over his chest but his expression was carefully neutral. “If Nazerel completes the link, it will give him direct access to your mind. We can’t allow that to happen.”
“Then take me home. That won’t endanger anyone but me.”
“No.”
“No?”
“No.” He emphasized the word with absolute finality.
“Just no? Because you say so?” She made an exasperated sound and kicked a dirt clod at him. “You’re an asshole!”
To her utter astonishment, he laughed. “I’ve been called far worse.” The smile left his lips, but amusement shimmered in his gaze. “Let me spell it out for you, sweetness. You weren’t supposed to know about any of this. I was going to show up, have you play Tori’s message, then drive you back to Las Vegas without you realizing I wasn’t human. But Nazerel changed all that. You’re in this now regardless of anyone’s intentions.”
Her mind hung up on one strange phrase. Realizing I wasn’t human. “You’re not human?” The question sounded foolish after all she’d seen. Of course he wasn’t human. What human could do the things these men had done? “Then what are you?”
He straightened, shoulders squared, chin raised to an imperious level. “I’m a Master Level mage from the planet Ontariese. I’m sworn to your protection, which is why I can’t take you home. Nazerel is likely watching your apartment, waiting for your return.”
The sun was bright in a cloudless sky and the temperature was rapidly rising. Without water or a
ny other supplies, she had no hope of hiking out. Unless Las Vegas was significantly closer than Blayne had indicated. She squinted into the distance, but she could see nothing but barren earth and the occasional cactus. Her eyes were stinging and her mouth was so dry she could barely speak.
“Well, we can’t stay out here without water. At least I can’t.”
Blayne heaved a frustrated sigh. “Nazerel already knows where your sister lives. I suppose it won’t do any harm to take you there.”
“If I don’t show up at my apartment, won’t he ‘flash’ over to Tori’s house?” She regretted the question an instant after it left her mouth. Why was she discouraging him? He’d just agreed to take her to Tori or at least to Tori’s house. They’d be back in civilization where Angie had a far better chance of escaping him.
“We won’t be alone at Tori’s. It gives us better odds.” He held out his hand and waited.
Did he mean Tori would be there or were there other people from Ontariese on Earth? It didn’t really matter. She could trust him or bake in the sun as she tried to walk all the way to Las Vegas. Dread twisted through her gut as her helplessness became ever more obvious. Seeing no other option, she reluctantly took his hand.
Blayne scanned Tori’s house for potential dangers before he materialized with Angie in the living room. Lor’s shielding still protected the compact two story from unwanted visitors, but Blayne knew the Mystic passcode that allowed him to penetrate the barrier. No one was home, not even a sentry patrolling the perimeter. Everyone must be on the ship. Or there had been developments while he was away.
Angie swayed against him, her hands moving to her temples. She wasn’t used to teleporting, so he gave her a moment to acclimate.
Meticulously shielding his transmission, he reached out to Lor. I’ve returned with my passenger, but there were complications. Can you meet me at Tori’s house?
We encountered complications as well. Give me an hour. I’ll brief you when I arrive.
Alpha Hunter Page 2
