A Touch of Crimson

CHAPTER 16

“She’s here in Anaheim.” Torque shielded his eyes against the headlights of a car pulling into the parking spot in front of his ground-floor motel room. “But Adrian’s been gone almost a month, barring a one-night visit over a week ago when he was seen out with her.”

“It can’t be Shadoe then,” Syre said with a sigh of regret.

“I can’t say that for certain. She has a lycan guard. If she leaves the hotel for any reason-which is rare-he’s with her. It’s possible that Adrian just doesn’t want to put her at risk while he’s hunting.”

“Leaving her with one guard? Away from the Point?”

“She’s working for Raguel and living on his property. She doesn’t need a lot of protection when she’s under the wing of an archangel.”

Syre exhaled harshly.

Torque frowned at the sound, hearing a wealth of disquiet and frustration in it. Not what he would have expected from his father while discussing Shadoe’s possible reincarnation. “What’s wrong? What aren’t you telling me?”

“You remember what Adrian said about Nikki? About her appearance and behavior?”

“Like I’d forget fucking lies like that.”

“Torque…” Another weighted pause. “I’ve received two reports of similar sightings. These came from within our own ranks.”

“Sightings of what?”

“Disease. Infection. You haven’t heard anything?”

“No. But the cabal here is successful because of its discretion. They keep to themselves and stay focused on watching Angels’ Point.” Torque’s spymaster cabals, known as the kage, were comprised of his most trusted minions, those who took orders without question and deeply respected that he was the son of Syre. “What kind of infection are we talking about?”

“Unreasoned aggression, mindless thirst. Adrian’s description of foaming at the mouth and bloodshot eyes has been corroborated.”

Torque sank onto the edge of the bed, his heartbeat quickening. “Nikki was only gone two days…”

His father’s worn, comfortable desk chair creaked over the cell phone receiver. “If it’s not possible for you to definitively establish the woman’s identity by the end of the week, I want you to come home. Depending on how widespread this sickness is, we could be looking at an imminent war with the Sentinels. We need to be prepared.”

A young family of tourists walked by Torque’s window, laughing and chattering with little regard for the lateness of the hour. He turned his head away from the simple happiness he would never know and looked at the clock on the nightstand. “I think it’s even more important that I find out who this woman is. Think about it, Dad. What if Adrian’s behind everything that’s happening? What if he’s deliberately staging these attacks to give him the excuse to come after you? It would make sense if the blonde is Shadoe.”

“A blonde?”

The pain in his father’s voice iced Torque’s blood. If the woman was his sister, they were as far from looking like twins as could be. “Yeah. And I’m dying my hair now to get the blond out. How ironic is that? I’ve got a job interview with her tomorrow and we’ll see what happens. That’s why I asked you to overnight the Fallen blood to me. I have to head out in daylight.”

“Did it arrive?”

“Yes. I’ve got it.”

“Vashti should be there shortly, if you need more. I’ll be waiting to hear reports from both of you.”

Torque was tired of waiting. “I’ll be in touch as soon as I can. In the meantime, think about the possibility of Adrian orchestrating these attacks and the illness.”

“He wouldn’t go to the extent of killing Phineas. They were as close as brothers.”

“Anyone will sacrifice a lot, Dad, if they’re desperate enough. It can’t be a coincidence that Vash is tracking Nikki’s abductor right back to the Point. While you’re investigating the reports of sick minions, see if you don’t also hear reports of vamp abductions.” Torque scrubbed a hand over his face, feeling weary and irritated by the chemical stench of hair dye. “I think what you’re hearing are carefully planted rumors, but if there’s any truth to them and Adrian is involved, he has to be abducting vamps to infect. And if so, someone out there is missing those who’ve been abducted. Like I’m missing Nikki.”

Missing her so badly it was eating him alive. Inside, it felt like he was screaming at the world through soundproof glass.

“I’ll look into it, son. As always, I’m grateful for your counsel.”

“Yeah, well, I wish we had better things to talk about.”

Lindsay glanced at the clock. She had fifteen minutes until her next interview. Although she knew she shouldn’t, she wanted to call Adrian. The phone call she’d just ended-the one to the bladesmith who fashioned her custom throwing knives-made her want to hear Adrian’s voice. She spent a moment spinning her phone around and around on her desk; then it rang. When she saw Adrian’s name on the caller ID, she snatched it lightning quick.

“Hey,” she answered, too fast. “I must have thought you up.”

“Lindsay.” He exhaled harshly. “I needed to hear your voice.”

Her smile faded instantly. “What’s wrong?”

“Everything. I… I lost a Sentinel last night.”

“Adrian.” She sagged back into her desk chair, knowing how seriously he took his commitment to his mission and his Sentinels. “I’m so sorry. Do you want to talk about it?”

“She did it to herself. I put her in a position where she felt like taking a fatal risk was her only option to being happy, and she paid with her life.”

“She had a choice,” Lindsay argued. “It’s not your fault she picked the option she did.”

He breathed softly into the phone. “Do you believe in leading by example?”

“Yes.”

“Then I have some culpability. And truthfully, I envy her strength of will. I’ve faced the choice she did. I didn’t-I don’t-have the courage to do what she did.”

The steadiness of his voice was more alarming than if he’d been noticeably upset. “She’s dead. That’s not courage; that’s nuts. You need to come home. You’ve been away too long, and you’re tired. You need a break.”

“I need you.”

Her free hand curled around the arm of her chair. She couldn’t help wanting to be the friend he needed. Just as she couldn’t stop wanting to talk to him about her new job, her weapons, her day-anything and everything. Because he got her. And she was pretty sure he felt that way about her in return. “You know where I am.”

He said good-bye and she hung up, her heart heavy with worry.

The dreams she had about him each night kept her connected to him. She felt almost as if she was seeing him every day, as if they hadn’t been apart since she’d left Vegas.

The night before she’d dreamt of them making love in a horse-drawn carriage. They’d been in costume. Something historical, like she’d seen in movie adaptations of Jane Austen stories. She’d climbed onto his lap, pulling up yards of skirts and underskirts while he unbuttoned a pair of breeches. As she’d enveloped his rigid length within her, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, disheveling her upswept hairdo and freeing strands of long dark hair. Gripping her hips, he’d thrust upward with barely restrained ferocity, driving her toward orgasm with single-minded determination. His eyes had glowed with that preternatural blue flame as he grated, “Ani ohev otach, tzel.”

I love you, shadow.

Lindsay was frightened by her understanding of a language she shouldn’t know. She was confused by both the vast differences in each dream-exotic locations and an endless spectrum of clothing from all time periods-and the repetitious similarities. Adrian was always with her. He was always in love with her, and she was always insatiable. Their time together was always marred by a pervasive sense of desperation and her greedy determination to conquer him no matter the cost. She was always a woman who loved Adrian with a dangerous disregard for the consequences, yet she was never the same woman. Her appearance, her culture, her language and background-it was all mutable.

Lindsay straightened, taking a deep breath to clear her mind. She was growing more scattered as the days passed. More restless and unable to concentrate. She needed to resume hunting. Until she made peace with her past, there would be no peace for her in the present.

The phone on her desk beeped a notice that her next interviewee had arrived. A moment later, a handsome young Asian man appeared on the other side of her clear glass office door.

She gestured him in with a smile.

He entered with a quick and confident stride. “Good morning.”

“Hi.” Lindsay stood, shooting a quick glance at his application to read his name. Kent Magnus. She liked the sound of it. As they shook hands, she felt herself responding to him immediately and surprisingly-he wasn’t human, but he wasn’t making her hair stand on end either. He was dressed in a loose pair of khaki Dickies pants and a short-sleeved black dress shirt. His smile was wide and charming, and when they shook hands, his grip was dry and strong.

Good or bad, she couldn’t tell, because she was hit with the overpowering feeling that she’d met and talked to Kent before. “Have a seat, Mr. Magus. Please.”

He waited for her to sit before he did. “The Belladonna is impressive.”

“Isn’t it?” A fact that made Lindsay’s discontent only more annoying. Her job was a fabulous, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and she wasn’t appreciating it the way she should be. “You’re applying for the night auditor position.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I have to say, you’re overqualified.”

“I’m hoping the position has room for advancement…?”

Lindsay gripped her armrests. The especially strong sense of déjà vu his presence evoked made the room tilt. The previous address he’d listed on his application was Virginia, a state she’d driven through many times. It was possible she’d crossed paths with him at a gas station or diner at some point. She blinked through the black spots dancing before her eyes, then made a concerted effort to get her brain firing on all cylinders.

Kent wore his hair cut short. Like hers, it was the same length all around. He also had a great build, with broad shoulders and thick biceps, but he wasn’t as big as a lycan. She made a mental note to have Elijah classify him for her.

“There’s definitely room for advancement,” she assured him. “I noticed you’re new to the area. I confess I’m worried about whether you’ll decide to stay or not. The West Coast is very different from the East Coast.”

“Have you traveled to the East Coast often?”

“I just moved from North Carolina.” Unable to shake off her wooziness, she stood. “Would you care for some water?”

He stood when she did, displaying the etiquette she expected in men but had found sadly lacking in most of the applicants she’d seen over the last two days. “No, thank you. So you and I were practically neighbors.”

Pulling a bottle of water out of the minifridge in the bookcase behind her desk, Lindsay was relieved to feel less disoriented after standing. She took a long drink and noted his wedding band. An inhuman who was married. That threw her for a loop. “The hours are from eleven p.m. until seven a.m., and the days are Tuesday through Saturday. Will that be a problem?”

“Not at all. I’m a night owl.”

“Your wife, too?” She didn’t mean to pry, but she also didn’t want to train a night auditor only to lose him a short time later.

All charm and humor left his face. His beautiful amber eyes revealed a deep sadness. “My wife recently passed away.”

His application said he was twenty-six. Far too young to have suffered such a loss. Then again, maybe he was thousands of years old like Adrian. Or even several decades like Elijah. “I’m very sorry.”

He gave a short nod. “I want a fresh start, in a new place, with a new job that keeps me busy at night. If you hire me, I promise you won’t be sorry.”

Lindsay sucked in a deep breath, feeling sympathy for Kent Magus, regardless of whatever kind of being he was. She knew how hard the nights were when dealing with the loss of a loved one. It was easy to stay busy during the day, but nighttime was when one closed ranks with family and settled into private routines-dinner, favorite television shows, before-bed rituals. His confidence and quiet dignity were two traits she very much admired, and his earnestness suggested that he gave a hundred percent to everything he set his mind to. She also acknowledged the possibility that she liked him because he was something “other” yet had loved and lost and grieved, just like she did. Just like Adrian did. Her angel had shown her that not every preternatural creature was bad.

“How soon can you start?” she asked.

Kent’s smile returned. “Whenever you say. I’m ready when you are, Ms. Gibson.”

“Call me Lindsay.”

The minute Lindsay spotted Elijah waiting for her in the Belladonna’s expansive lobby, she knew something was wrong. It was visible in the set of his shoulders and the grim line of his mouth. And he was pacing-prowling, actually, like an agitated panther. Scratch that-like a wolf.

Her heart sank into her stomach. “What’s the matter? Is it Adrian?”

He shook his head, his hands going to his hips. A low growl rumbled up from his chest. “Remember that friend I told you about? The one I wanted to have reassigned to partner with me?”

“Yes.”

“He went on a hunt in Louisiana right before we left for Utah. I just found out he was missing until this afternoon.”

“Is he okay?” Lindsay crossed her arms tightly, knowing Adrian was taking hits left and right, and suffering for them.

“He’s half dead, I’m told. And he’s asking for me.” His verdant gaze was sharp as he looked at her. “I need you to stay put. Don’t leave the hotel until I get back or someone else comes to watch you.”

“I want to go with you, El. I don’t want you going alone, and I know you don’t want to leave me here. If you do, you’ll be worried about me and your friend at the same time.”

“I didn’t want to ask you,” he said gruffly. “Micah’s at Angels’ Point.”

Her breathing quickened as she remembered the morning Adrian had taken her flying over the hills around his home. Her body responded to the memories as if she was experiencing them all over again. The wind had been happy that day, whistling with a joy she so rarely felt in it. Or maybe the joy had been hers.

Abruptly, the fragrance of the massive floral arrangements decorating the lobby became cloying. The soaring ceiling seemed to close in on her. Everything about the hotel felt entrapping. She didn’t fit in here. As much as she was trying and giving it her best shot, she was still-and would always be-a misfit in the “normal” world.

“It’s okay,” she assured him, as much for herself as for him. “If you need another reason to take me, I’ll remind you that I need to get my suitcase anyway. It’s a good time for me to get that done.”

Elijah nodded. “Do you want to change or need to grab anything?”

“Yes to both.”

Fifteen minutes later, they were climbing into her powder blue Prius hybrid, which had been delivered by the car transport service just the day before. Elijah sucked up all the space in the vehicle, even with the passenger seat shoved back as far as it could go. She felt bad about cramping him, but she liked her car. She’d told Adrian she had no aspirations of saving the world, but she did try to not pollute it or drain its natural resources.

They hit the road. Elijah was a great side-seat driver, telling her where to turn in time for her to maneuver across lanes.

“You’re twitchy,” he noted when she rubbed her damp palm against her jeans-again.

“I’m worried about all the bad stuff that’s been happening since I met you and Adrian. It’s a lot more than usual, isn’t it?”

“We’re always busy, but it’s definitely getting more intense.”

“God.” She exhaled in a rush. “I’m sick over Adrian. He’s lost too many of his friends lately and he’s not getting a chance to grieve properly with everything falling apart at once.”

“Mortals don’t mate so quickly.”

She shot him an arch glance. “Not sure where that came from, but I have to disagree. Haven’t you ever heard of a one-night stand? Some mortals mate within minutes of meeting each other.”

“Not mate as in fuck,” he corrected drily. “Mate as in take a bullet.”

“I’d take a bullet for you. And while you’re very hot, I don’t want to mate with you.”

“You’re nuts, you know that?”

She shrugged. “And you’re my friend. So what does that make you?”

He stared at her profile for a long time, then finally turned his head to look out the passenger window.

As they climbed the hill toward Angels’ Point, Lindsay’s cell phone rang. She pulled it out of the cup holder where she’d dropped it and answered, fumbling to hit the SPEAKER button. “Dad. How the heck are ya?”

“Missing you. How are you?”

“I’m hanging in there. Hiring staff for the grand opening and trying to stay out of trouble.”

“How’s Adrian?”

Recalling the weariness she’d heard in Adrian’s voice, she sighed and said, “He’s having a rough time.”

“But you’re still sticking with him. That’s hopeful. It must be serious between you two.”

Glancing at Elijah, Lindsay spoke the truth because she knew both men had her best interests at heart. “Actually, I kinda put on the brakes.”

“Why?” Unlike Adrian, Eddie Gibson revealed every emotion in his voice. The undertone of disappointment was unmistakable.

“We’re… incompatible.”

“Did he say that?” Now he sounded pissed.

“No,” she said hastily. “He wants to go for it. I just see the trouble ahead, and it’s best to cool things off now, before we’re invested.”

“You’re already invested, baby,” he argued. “Or you wouldn’t be worried about trouble ahead.”

Her lips pursed. “Hmm…”

“You’ve been keeping guys at arm’s length your whole life. I was happy about that when you were younger, and later on I figured if your dates were worth anything, it wouldn’t be so easy to cut them off. But shutting Adrian out isn’t easy, is it?”

“Dad, can you please not psychoanalyze me? Or at least save it until you’ve tried dating again.”

“That’s why I called. I’m taking someone out to dinner tonight.”

Lindsay’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. For a moment, she couldn’t decide what she was feeling. It wasn’t all good. She was surprised and scared, dismayed and hurt, happy and excited.

“Lindsay?”

“Yeah, Dad.” Her voice was too husky. She cleared her throat. “Who’s the lucky lady?”

“A new customer who came in today. She asked me out after I changed her oil.”

“I like her already. She’s obviously smart and has great taste in men.”

He laughed. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

“Totally,” she fibbed. “I’d be mad if you didn’t go. You better have a good time, too. And wear the shirt and slacks I got you for your birthday.”

“Okay, okay. Got it: Go. Have fun. And don’t dress like a bum. But you have to do something for me, too-give Adrian a shot. A real one.”

She groaned. “You don’t understand.”

“Listen,” her dad said in his no-nonsense voice. “Adrian Mitchell is a big boy. He can take care of himself. If he doesn’t see a problem, don’t make one. You deserve to be happy, Linds, and no relationship is risk-free. I’m dipping my toes in the dating waters again. But you-you’ve never jumped in at all. I think it’s time you took the plunge.”

“I love you, Daddy, but the metaphors are killing me.”

“Ha! I love you, too, baby. Be good.”

“I’ll want a rundown tomorrow,” she warned.

“As if I kiss and tell. Talk to you later.”

Hitting the END button, she looked at Elijah, who met her gaze. Her dad was finally putting himself out there. She thought she’d be happy about that. She was-mostly. But there was a part of her-an admittedly childish part of her-that felt as if her dad was leaving her mom behind. Which was something Lindsay still couldn’t do.

“You’re close to your sire,” Elijah noted.

“We’re all the other one has, if that makes sense.”

Nodding, he said, “Explains why Adrian has lycans guarding him.”

Her foot lifted from the gas pedal. “What? Why?”

“Adrian assigned lycans to watch your father. I didn’t know why. Now I do. He’s doing it for you, because your sire is important to you.”

“When did he set that up?”

“In Vegas.”

Lindsay pushed harder on the gas, thinking it would be better not to be behind the wheel at the moment. “Why would my dad need guards?”

“Anyone important to Adrian is at risk of being used against him.”

Getting to her dad would get to her, which would get to Adrian. “If something ever happened-”

“Don’t worry.” Elijah offered a reassuring smile. “Adrian asked me to pick the team, and I suggested the best of the pack. They’ll keep him safe.”

She might have kissed him, if she hadn’t been driving. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. You should thank Adrian, too.”

“Yes,” she said softly, her heart softening further. Adrian’s fall wasn’t the immediate concern; it was her own fall that was imminent. “I should. I will. Shit, everything’s a mess.”

“Yep.”

Which reminded her why they were driving to the Point to begin with. “Do you know what happened to your friend? Why he was missing?”

“He was ambushed and left for dead. It took him a couple days to make it to the highway, where he was found.”

“Jesus,” she breathed. “Was it vamps?”

Elijah gave a curt nod and gestured for her to turn left up ahead.

“Fuckers. I want to kill them all.” Even as Lindsay said the words, the depth of hatred in them surprised her. Her life had changed so much in the last couple of weeks. Vampires were now hurting her friends, and they were responsible for making it impossible for her to have Adrian. She couldn’t think of one good reason for them to exist. They were like fleas or mosquitoes-disgusting, worthless, bloodsucking parasites that were better off extinct.

She pulled up to the wrought-iron gate and gatehouse that protected the Point. The guard took one look at Elijah and let them in. It was midafternoon. The sun was still high in the sky, affording her the opportunity to check out all she’d missed the first time she’d driven through the elegant gate. The wolves stayed on the other side of a rise in the road, keeping themselves hidden from public view. When she crested the top, she saw them dotting the native landscape. So many of them. So majestic and imminently dangerous.

Pulling around the circular driveway, she parked. She tried to expel some of her tension with a swift, audible exhalation.

Elijah was out of the car in a controlled yet powerful rush of movement, opening her door before she had released her seatbelt. He waited until she climbed out, then pointed to a large hangarlike building set atop a hill about a half mile away. “I’ll be there. You can come up when you’re done grabbing your things, or wait for me here. If I’ll be more than an hour, I’ll send word.”

Lindsay caught his arm before he turned away.

He stared down at her hand, which she pulled back quickly. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to put my scent on you. I just-I’m sorry about your friend, Elijah.”

His gaze lifted to hers and his features softened. “I know you are. Thank you.”

“If you need anything, I’m here for you.” She offered a commiserating smile, then headed toward the double-door entrance. She’d just lifted her hand to knock when the door opened.

“Ms. Gibson.”

A tall, sinewy redhead filled the doorway. His hair was long, hanging past his shoulders, but there was nothing effeminate about him. He brought to mind a Viking warrior of old, grim faced and resolute.

Lindsay hesitated. “Hi. I just need to grab my stuff; then I’ll get out of your way.”

He stared at her for a moment, assessing her in a way that suggested he found her lacking. Then he gestured her in.

She knew he was an angel. All the Sentinels had the same flame blue eyes, although only Adrian’s ever gave off heat. The Sentinels were works of art, really. It was rather intimidating being surrounded by dozens of perfect, gorgeous beings.

Since the redhead declined to say anything further, Lindsay headed straight for the bedroom she’d used when she’d spent the night. Everything looked the way she had left it-the bed was made and her toiletries were neatly arranged on the bathroom counter. When she’d last walked out of the room, almost two weeks earlier, she had expected to be back that night. The loss of what she might have had if she could’ve joined Adrian’s world tightened her throat and made it hard to swallow.

In hindsight, the plans she’d made to live in this sumptuous space, with its balcony that led to a deck where she could watch angels take flight with the sunrise, and its owner, who was the most magnificent creature on earth, seemed preposterous. But she had held the dream for a moment, and she missed it terribly.

Lindsay looked at the bed as she moved past it, remembering how she’d fantasized about seducing Adrian there. Her imagination in that regard had been especially vivid, yet nowhere near as raw and searing as the real deal had turned out to be.

“I’ve got to get out of here,” she muttered, fighting the fierce desire to stay-forever. Fighting the aching longing to embrace the angel, his life, and the possible friends-like Elijah-who would understand what drove her.

Packing in record time, Lindsay grabbed the handle of her suitcase and wheeled it out of the house. She had to pass a large number of Sentinels who’d crawled out of the woodwork to get a look at her. She now understood why they eyed her the way they did. She was the interloping human who was fucking with their leader’s head. Despite their palpable animosity, she paused on the threshold of the open front door and faced them.

“I’m rooting for you guys,” she said. She wanted to ask them to take care of Adrian for her, but she didn’t have the right to do so. He belonged to them, not her.

The front door shut behind her with a soft click of finality. She didn’t cry; she refused. She would not feel sorry for herself for doing the right thing for Adrian. For the world, actually, which was dependent on him but didn’t know it.

Popping open her trunk, she collapsed the telescoping handle of her suitcase and lifted the carry-on from the ground. The wind kicked up, swirling in a funnel that encompassed only her. She was held motionless in the churning embrace.

Stay, stay, stay, it crooned.

“I’ve caused enough trouble,” she shot back.

Don’t go, Lindsay. Lindsay… Lindsay… The wind ceased abruptly, leaving a vacuum in which her name cracked like a whip.

“Lindsay.”

Her head turned. Adrian stood beside the open rear door of the Maybach, which sat idling at the start of the circular part of the driveway. The wind was all over him like a lover, riffling through his dark hair, which had grown at least a half inch since she’d last seen him. He looked rakish and beautiful in a black long-sleeved henley and dark blue tailored slacks. His face was serenely composed and his posture relaxed, but she sensed the raging turmoil in him. His gaze dropped to the suitcase in her hands and an icy surge of desolation washed over her, making her shiver. She’d never felt such hopeless despair, such heartrending guilt and pain. His and hers.

Tears stung her eyes. She could scarcely catch her breath.

God. Of all the things she had to give up, why did it have to be him? She’d give up food. Chocolate. Water. Air. If it meant she could have him without restriction for any amount of time.

He shattered his stillness by lunging toward her and breaking into a dead run.

The carry-on fell from her slackened grip and hit the gravel drive. “Adrian.”

She’d barely taken a few steps when he snatched her up, tackling the breath from her lungs.

His wings burst free in an eruption of crimson-stained alabaster, and they surged into the air.