Rogue Spotter Collection

by Kimberly A Rogers

  That was a terrible idea. The memory of the scary man from Weard, the one who dripped poisonous words into the collective ear of the paranormal community about Spotters, slammed into me. It would be so very foolish to actually get involved with Mathias, to follow the feelings he stirred. I hadn’t survived without being exposed as a Spotter by flirting with and falling for a man who not only worked for Weard, but was quite possibly one of the most dangerous men in the world. Falling for him . . .

  I closed my eyes, but I couldn’t deny it. Mathias was so very different and warm and kind and caring even when he had been terrifyingly cold that I, well, I would have easily fallen for him. But, I couldn’t let that happen. Mathias worked for Weard and their spokesperson speaking out against Spotters made me quite certain that it would be a very bad thing for Mathias to be in a relationship with me. And, I couldn’t bear to do that to him.

  We couldn’t be anything more than friends for this brief time, but I cared. I cared too much to let him come into danger for being associated with me if anyone here guessed I was a Spotter. And, I was going to leave soon. It wasn’t fair of me to let this continue. But . . .

  Shaking my head, I considered calling up to the sixth floor and speaking to Mathias, telling him the dinner was off. And yet ,I couldn’t bring myself to do it. As the calls sped up, I lost myself in my work. However, in the back of my mind, there was still a small part of me that was thrilled to go out to dinner with Mathias. A part of me that craved and hoarded every little moment we had together. I would need to leave, but I still wanted that little taste of normal. Maybe I was tormenting myself by wanting it, letting myself indulge in a temporary fantasy of a world where I wasn’t hiding my nature and Mathias wasn’t employed by the enemy. Where we could be . . . more. Maybe.

  By the time I had driven home, I had excused my excitement. When I left work, I made the decision to take my figurines from the desk. The fox, deer, and loon were now tucked safely in one of my shoes in my go bag. This dinner with Mathias could be my farewell dinner.

  After staring at my closet and dismissing the dresses as impractical or trying too hard to make it a date when it wasn’t really one, I finally pulled out a pair of dark wash jeans to go with a deep green cashmere sweater. It wasn’t too casual and it wasn’t so dressy that my legs would be cold while walking along the boardwalk. It was October after all, and the breeze off the inlet could often bring a chill.

  I had just put the finishing touches to my makeup when there was a knock at the door. Mathias looked me over when I answered and grinned. “You look lovely.”

  “Thank you,” I murmured feeling ridiculously shy and pleased that he liked my look. Not a date. Not a date. Not a date.

  We rode in silence until Mathias found a parking spot a little further down Fourth Avenue than I liked to be. But, it would allow us to walk up the boardwalk a little longer. The fall air was crisp, and I could taste the salt from the inlet as we crossed the street and reached the boardwalk. There was a good crowd of people mixed between tourists, locals, those intent on eating and shopping, and those heading into the marina. Most of the numbers I saw were 3s or 4s with a few 5s scattered amongst them. As we strolled up the boardwalk, the wind off the inlet picked up. Its chill cut through my sweater, and I wrapped my arms around myself in an attempt to stave off the cold. I had been so flustered by Mathias’ appearance that I completely forgot my coat.

  I shivered again and then something soft and warm settled around my shoulders. Mathias’ hands smoothed his wool coat over my shoulders, and I was really glad the lingering soreness from Monday’s attack had faded completely after the third night of taking the tea. I tugged his coat closer around myself even as I glanced up at him from beneath my lashes. “Thank you.”

  “Wouldn’t be a very pleasant experience if you’re in danger of freezing to death.”

  I smiled. “I don’t think it was as dire as all that. But I appreciate your chivalry.”

  Mathias chuckled. “Good.”

  A silence fell between us, but it was a comfortable one. I grinned as we drew closer to the kissing statue. Someone had draped a lacy red scarf around the woman’s neck, which now flapped in the wind. It added a touch of whimsy to the statue. I turned toward Mathias to ask him something and my question faded from my mind as I drew in a sharp breath. Three 7s now glowed in the crowd, and they were coming closer. My steps slowed as I realized there were two more 7s quickly approaching from the other direction.

  “Lauren.” Mathias’ hand touched mine, and I nearly screamed. When my gaze landed on him concern filled his eyes as he lowered his voice and asked, “What is it?”

  I dropped my voice to a hushed whisper as I stepped close to him. “7s in the crowd. They’re approaching us and fast. They weren’t there beforehand.”

  “Can you do another count? Estimate distance?” Mathias breathed in my ear.

  I nodded and took a deep breath, inhaling the mix of sea, cooking foods, and Mathias’ subtle cologne. Forcing a smile back into place, I casually turned around as I gestured to the seafood restaurant directly north of us. We had almost reached it. My smile faltered slightly as I studied the glowing numbers around us. 3s, yes. 4s, yes. A few 5s but those were mostly down the boardwalk from us. However, there were no 7s.

  They had disappeared. Mathias wrapped his arm around my shoulders and leaned in close as he murmured, “What’s wrong?”

  “They’ve gone. I don’t know how they disappeared so fast, but they are gone.” A flash of irritation and confusion filled me as I scanned the crowd again. “They were close enough that I should still see them.”

  “It’s all right.” Mathias hesitated and then slipped his arm from around my shoulders as he straightened. Why did it leave me feeling cold again? I pulled his wool coat tighter around me as Mathias suddenly smiled. “What do you say to a change of venue for tonight’s plans?”

  “I think it’s an excellent idea,” I replied, still forcing a smile.

  As we turned around and headed back down the boardwalk, Mathias’ hand wrapped around my own. His clasp was warm and even a little comforting. I kept an eye out for the 7s if they returned as we walked, and I couldn’t help wondering if someone was trying to expose me. But they shouldn’t know I was there. Unless . . .

  I glanced at Mathias and dismissed the idea as nonsense. He had too much honor to break his promise to me. Unless he decided it was necessary. But, he had said it was going to be all right and that I just needed to be cautious. I clung to that more tightly as I forced myself to smile and talk casually with Mathias as we walked back to his car. In case someone really was watching, I didn’t want to make the same mistake the vanished Spotters had made by not acting normal enough around numbers.

  Once we reached Mathias’ car, I tried to give his coat back to him but he only opened the passenger door for me to slide in. Admitting defeat, I tucked his coat around me and slid into the seat. After Mathias closed the door and climbed in the driver’s side, I quietly asked, “Do you think I gave myself away?”

  “No. I think we looked like a couple out who changed their minds about the venue for their evening plans.”

  My cheeks suddenly felt warm when he mentioned us as a couple. A ridiculous and foolish reaction. I could not get distracted right now. I took a breath and looked out the windshield. The golden numbers mingled with the crowds, and I still only saw the lower numbers. The 3s, 4s, and a few 5s peppered throughout, but not even a glimpse remained of the 7s I had seen. I had seen them, hadn’t I?

  “I am quite certain that you did see them, Lauren,” Mathias said as he pulled out of the parking spot. “Why they changed their minds on approaching us is debatable, but I know you saw them.” His voice softened as he added, “Don’t start doubting your talent now. It is what keeps you alive, you know.”

  “How can you be so certain that I saw what was there and not what was imagined?” I challenged him, feeling a little combative. And, wanting to hear the reason far more than was wis
e.

  “Because I know to never doubt a Spotter.” He glanced at me with a soft warm light in his eyes before he pulled into traffic. “Now let’s see about our new venue.”

  “Where are we going exactly?”

  “The one place in all Olympia that I am certain you’ve never seen.”

  “Where?”

  “My flat.”

  * * *

  Chapter Eleven

  Lauren

  The apartment complex Mathias drove to was closer to Halliman’s than I expected, but he was also still on Fourth Ave close to restaurants and shopping centers. It was more expensive than my own rent, that was for certain as I had looked at this very complex before deciding it would stretch my savings too far. Mathias’ apartment was on the top floor of five and it was tucked in a corner.

  Mathias opened the door, letting me into the apartment, before he said, “I will have to grab dinner, but it shouldn’t take me long. Make yourself comfortable.”

  He vanished, door closing behind him, before I could think of a way to protest. I would have thought he’d have a stocked kitchen given how he reacted to mine the first time he was there. I turned on the lights and looked around the place. It was an open concept with modern finishes everywhere. A sleek black couch sat with its back to the kitchen island, forming an invisible line of demarcation between the living area and the kitchen, and faced a home entertainment center that only held a television. There was a glass coffee table in front of the couch but nothing sat on it. There wasn’t even a throw on the couch.

  I wandered to the windows and peeked out. The skyline was probably gorgeous during the day with a glimpse of the inlet in the distance and even the Olympic mountains further out on clear days. Letting the curtains fall back into place, I went to the TV and peeked at the back. Just as I suspected, the wires were still bundled together and definitely not plugged into anything.

  A check of the kitchen revealed neat and carefully cleaned utensils as well as plates and pots and pans. None of them showed any wear. I poked through the refrigerator and poured myself a glass of water while noting that his food stock was much lighter than my own. Enough for maybe a day or two.

  I sipped my water as I studied the rest of the living area. There was a single print hanging on the wall. I recognized it as a picture of whales playing off the shore of the Olympic Peninsula. It was a print available in most stores and kiosks. Not a very personal touch since I had seen the exact print in a hotel room when I first moved to Olympia. Still carrying my glass, I finally indulged my curiosity enough to peek in the bedroom. The bed was neatly made and there was a copy of the whales picture hanging above the headboard. The more I looked around, the more it seemed that Mathias’ apartment was still staged to give the impression of what it could be like rather than him living here. Only the closet held any hint of Mathias’ presence when I peeked inside it. If not for his clothes and the scant amount of food in the kitchen, I would have been tempted to wonder if this was really his apartment.

  Feeling a little guilty for snooping, I returned to the living area. I hadn’t been back in the kitchen long before the door opened and Mathias walked in carrying a pizza box. He grinned at me. “It’s not seafood but I thought this would make a good meal, don’t you?”

  I smiled, my mind flashing back to the first time he brought me dinner. It had been a pizza too, and I had let him into my apartment because of it. It seemed fitting that our last meal together would be so similar to the very first meal we shared. My smile wavered at the thought, but I still went to get down plates.

  Mathias put a kettle on the stove and pulled out a box of earl grey. I shook my head. Of course, he would have tea with his pizza.

  “Do you always live in staged homes?” The question slipped out before I could stop it.

  Mathias glanced over at me, then his gaze travelled around the front area before landing on me once more. “You don’t approve?”

  “It’s not that. I just, well, it is far more Spartan than I expected.”

  A little grin appeared as he murmured, “Your place is not much of an improvement over this one.”

  “That’s how I know it’s lonely.” Realizing that had revealed more than I ever wished, I hurried to point out, “My furniture is stuff I bought or bargained for and my television actually works.” I paused then added triumphantly, “At least I have house plants.”

  “You don’t have any house plants,” he protested as the kettle whistled. He prepared his tea as he continued, “I’ve been in your flat. There wasn’t a single plant to be seen.”

  I frowned at him. “I had house plants. They just died in July, and I haven’t had time to replace them. But, at least I had them.”

  Mathias chuckled. “Very well, your housekeeping skills would please a Brownie especially in comparison to my own.”

  “You didn’t answer my question, you know.” I didn’t know why I wanted the question answered, but for some reason it was deeply important to me to understand why he didn’t leave any mark of his own in his apartment.

  “I paid extra for the staging to be included, yes. It was easier than spending money on furniture when I knew I was going to leave soon.” Mathias was quiet for a moment as he put pizza slices on the plates, then he said softly, “I think you would understand why.”

  “Yes.”

  We moved to sitting on the couch, eating in silence. I set my empty plate down and swiveled around to face Mathias as I propped my elbow on the back of the couch. Leaning my head against my hand, I quietly asked, “When do you plan to leave?”

  “After the job is done.”

  “Do you think the job will be done after I leave?”

  I didn’t know why I asked that or even mentioned the suspicion that had been brewing since seeing the news. Suddenly, it was vitally important that I hear his answer. Mathias sipped his tea before returning the cup to the saucer and setting it on the glass coffee table next to our plates. His expression was hard to read when he finally broke his silence. “I’m starting to fear that is the case.”

  “Wouldn’t it be a good thing? In that case, the firm will be safe again once I leave.”

  “No. I don’t want you to be the center of a hunt.” He looked away as he added so softly that I almost didn’t hear him, “Especially now.”

  Without thinking, I reached out to rest my free hand on his forearm. When his icy blue eyes fixed on me once more, I couldn’t help asking, “Why do you stay? The rumors have grown louder in recent years that Weard doesn’t send security experts anymore. They are sending mercenaries. Is it true?”

  Mathias’s eyes shuttered, but he didn’t pull away as he stated stiffly, “There are . . . changes to the management of the company. And no, I do not care for them nor do I fully trust most of the others who work there now. But, that is my habit. It is not a comment on whether Weard has mercenaries on payroll.”

  I rubbed my thumb against his arm wishing I could do something to comfort him. Beneath the stiffness he sounded . . . torn. The changes bothered him. That much was clear. “Why do you stay with them? If you don’t agree with the changes and don’t trust the new management, why do you stay?”

  He didn’t answer right away. I slowly withdrew my hand and then picked up our plates. After placing them in the sink, I returned to the couch and sat back down. Mathias was leaning forward, elbows on his knees, with his mouth resting against his clasped hands. I hesitated and then touched his shoulder. “Mathias? I’m sorry for prying. You do not have to answer the question. It was probably too personal for me to ask anyway.”

  I withdrew my hand and was wondering if I should call a cab when Mathias broke his silence. “I stay for a very simple reason. Not a good reason, perhaps, but a simple one nonetheless. I stay with Weard because I have nothing else outside of my work. I have neither family nor friends, and I can’t even be considered a proper soldier anymore. All I have, all that I am, is tied into my work for Weard. I go wherever they send me and do what is needed i
n each situation.”

  My heart ached for him and before I could think too much about it, I reached over to touch his clasped hands. I covered his fingers with mine caressing gently. Mathias looked at me sharply but I only held his gaze as I said, “You have a friend outside of Weard now.”

  Something flickered in his gaze and it seemed the point of contact between our skin burned. I couldn’t look away. He leaned toward me and for a brief moment I thought he would actually kiss me. Then, he blinked. Clearing his throat, he turned his face away from me as he lowered his hands from beneath mine.

  I drew my hand back, resting it against my chest, as I stared at him. My breathing was a little fast and I struggled to control it. This was not how this was supposed to be going tonight. I was supposed to be saying goodbye not . . . growing closer to him.

  Struggling to regain control over my emotions before I totally embarrassed myself, I brushed the hair back from my face. I almost jumped out of my skin when Mathias broke the tense silence. “Have you decided when you will inform Mrs. Pope of your resignation?”

  “I’m going to do it tomorrow. I was originally thinking that I would give two weeks’ notice, but maybe I should try to leave sooner. Maybe, it would be better for Halliman’s if I leave sooner.”

  Mathias didn’t answer right away and when I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the muscles in his jaw were tight. He wasn’t happy about something. I hesitated then asked, “Is something wrong?”