After a few seconds of silence, he turned to her. “So where are we going?”
“My house, please.”
He nodded. Time to start his Oprah-esque routine. Get to know the girl. Get into her heart. Get the belt. Trying out his most charming smile, he turned and closed his hand over hers. “You just relax and enjoy the ride.”
Dammit
! Hale stormed through his hotel room, searching for Tracy—to no avail. He’d rushed up here to find his hotel card key still didn’t work, and she wasn’t waiting for him. She’d lied. She’d said she was coming up to the room, but she’d lied.
And now she was somewhere in Los Angeles, completely unprotected.
All because he’d acted like an ass. She’d seen an old friend, and he’d lost touch with reality. She hadn’t been flirting; he’d just let his emotions overcome his common sense. He’d been a jerk and, worse, he’d hurt Tracy.
For the first time in his career, he’d screwed up a mission, and damned if he didn’t now what to do now. He needed to find Tracy and the belt. He needed to make sure she was safe. To make sure Uncle H and his band of creepy Henchmen didn’t get to her. Hell, he needed to hold her in his arms.
Dammit, dammit, dammit!
He was still pacing and cursing when his cell phone rang, the tone announcing that the call was coming in over the Council network.
“Yes?”
“It’s Zoë. Where are you?”
“At a hotel.”
“Is Tracy with you?”
“She skipped out.” He closed his eyes, silently hoping she was simply walking off steam.
Zoë sucked in a loud breath.
“What is it, Zo?”
“Get over here now. I’m at Tracy’s house with Lane.”
She hung up before he could question her, but from the tone in her voice, he knew better than to argue. Fearing something had happened to Tracy, he started for the door. He was just about to pull it shut behind him when he noticed it—
the belt
. Draped over the armchair in the corner, just where she’d left it last night.
If he took it, would he be risking his powers? He wasn’t stealing it, but he was taking it without Tracy’s knowledge. Did that count?
At the moment, he wished Aphrodite had written a rule manual. He really didn’t have a grasp of this damn thing’s tricks. Of course, if Tracy was just in the gift shop, it was a moot point. She would ask for it back. But if she’d had a run-in with a bad guy of the Hieronymous sort...
Hale needed to know what was going on before he could make a reasonable decision.
Rushing to the elevator, he was down to the lobby in no time. Of course, just being there didn’t exactly do him any good, and he swiveled around, trying to decide where to start his quest.
He settled on the front desk, but no one there remembered seeing Tracy. After trying the restaurant, the bar, and the gift shop, he finally popped his head into the ladies’ room. That little endeavor earned him a couple of nasty looks, but no Tracy.
It wasn’t until he stepped outside and talked to the bellman that he finally cut a break.
“Cute little thing in a red sundress?” said the lanky gray-haired hotel employee, who was probably pushing sixty. He leaned against the bell stand. “Yes, sir. I remember her coming in with you, and I remember her leaving with that other gentleman.” He leaned closer, as if about to engage in some secret divulgence. Either that or he was angling for a tip. “Not a bad-looking guy, but I gotta say, I don’t know what she saw in him compared to you.” He puffed up his chest. “Now, if she’d left you for me...”
Hale handed him a five. “So what did this Lothario look like?”
“Tall. Dark. Held himself sorta regal-like. Had a real polished way of talking.” He shrugged. “She seemed to know him, but I wouldn’t worry yet, Romeo. Maybe they’re just old friends.”
“Trust me,” Hale said, his stomach churning. “It’s time to worry.”
Mordi
! The name echoed through Hale’s mind as he raced back up to his room, bursting through the door at a speed he usually saved for cross-country travel.
Still no Tracy.
But the belt still hung over the armrest of the chair.
He crossed to it, trying to act casual, but feeling a little nervous about approaching the thing when it wasn’t around Tracy’s waist. As soon as he got close enough, he grazed his fingers over it in the lightest of movements. No lightning bolts, no nothing.
Hmmm. He didn’t know the rules, but he had to assume that taking the belt to return it to Tracy wouldn’t be a violation.
Besides, as things stood, he didn’t have much choice. Mordi had Tracy. Mordi was Hieronymous’s son. The next step in the equation was pretty obvious. Once Mordi realized Tracy didn’t have the belt with her, he’d come traipsing back here—whether he was working for his father or not.
Which meant Hale could either wait to confront his cousin. Or he could take the belt, keep it away from Mordi and Uncle H, and return it to Tracy just as soon as he got her back.
Because he
did
intend to get her back.
Of course, waiting wasn’t really an option. Mordi was no fool. If he’d lured Tracy into his car, then he’d been to the hotel last night. He likely surmised what had happened. And he knew Hale well enough to know Hale wouldn’t just sit by and let his uncle abuse a girl he’d been with. He sighed, thinking of the way he’d acted earlier. No, he wouldn’t let Hieronymous hurt Tracy—no matter how he himself had hurt her this morning.
Mordi was probably taking Tracy to Uncle H right now. And worse, any minute he’d demand that Hale deliver the belt in trade.
Hale had no intention of delivering anything to Mordi, but Mordi didn’t need to know that. And if having the belt gave him that extra insurance in getting Tracy back, then so be it.
His fingers brushed the cool metal, and Hale stifled a cringe. He wasn’t stealing this. He was simply taking it into protective custody to return to Tracy as soon as he found her. That’s all. Nothing nefarious.
He considered saying the explanation out loud—just to make sure its enchantment was on the same page that he was—but time was wasting. Taking the belt this way was a risk, true. But it was a small one. And for Tracy it was a risk he was willing to take.
Before he could change his mind, he closed his hand around the belt, said a silent apology to Aphrodite, grabbed it up, and waited. Nothing. No lightning bolts. No deep voices from Mount Olympus. No dizzy feelings as he transformed from superhero to mortal.
Well, that was good.
Now for a quick test. He glanced around the room, looking for something to levitate, and finally decided on the pillows on the bed. In his mind, he tested their weight, then applied the slightest of pressure. Up they sprang. His telekinetic skills were working A-OK.
Another quick test, and he confirmed that his power of invisibility was working fine, too.
Presumably speed, strength, agility, and all the rest were functioning as well. Which only left his ability to understand animals. Considering he’d gone and abandoned Elmer for over a day, and the ruckus that would cause, he almost wished that power
would
disappear—at least temporarily. The ferret was really rather peevish when he felt abandoned.
But that was something he could worry about later. Right now, he needed to find out what trouble was brewing at Tracy’s house, and he needed to get there fast. His Ferrari was fast, but his propulsion cloak was better. Turning invisible, he whipped the cloak around his shoulders and took off from the balcony.
As the superhero flies, it wasn’t very far to Tracy’s house. In under five minutes he’d managed a perfect landing in her front yard. Not bothering to take off the cloak as he materialized, he raced to the front door and burst through—not sure what he was expecting, but hoping it wasn’t the worst. He became visible.
Except for Davy tormenting Elmer with plastic cars on the entrance hall floor, no one was around to greet him. Well, damn.
It’s about time you got here! Do you know how long I’ve been playing with this kid
? Elmer shrieked.
And playing trucks? Don’t you think I’m a little old for this
?
Hale ignored the ferret. “Zoë? Lane?” His voice echoed through the silent house. “Where are they?” he asked Elmer after a second.
Waiting for you, and leaving poor old Elmer to watch the kid.
Despite his fear that something terrible had happened, Hale still had to smile at the thought of the ferret as a reluctant babysitter.
“Unca Hale.” Davy toddled over, his arms out to be picked up. Automatically, Hale hoisted the kid, then pushed him back to get a good look at his freshly washed little face.
“Where’s your mommy, big guy?”
“Kitcha.” One chubby arm pointed to the right, and Hale headed in that direction. Elmer skittered behind them.
Deep in conversation, Zoë and Lane didn’t even notice when he walked in.
“It could just be a coincidence,” Lane was saying.
“Could be. But I doubt it.” Zoë ran her hands through her hair. “I want to know where she is. And whether or not the belt’s with her.”
“It’s not.”
At Hale’s pronouncement, both women turned to him. Immediately, Lane jumped to her feet and took Davy away.
He nodded, then said, “I’ve got it.”
Zoë blinked. “You’ve got the belt? How? She gave it to you? Then we’re done. It’s all ov—”
“No. I
took
it.”
AH the color drained from Zoë‘s face. “You what? Are you crazy? You’ll be—”
“I’m fine. I didn’t
steal
it. I just took it. She left it in my room, and I saw it when you called. I grabbed it.” He looked his sister in the eye. “Now tell me what’s going on.”
His sister and Lane exchanged glances, then Zoë met his eyes. “I think you should follow me.”
“It’s all like this,” Zoë said, watching Hale’s face as he took in the disaster area that made up Tracy’s bedroom. It looked like a gang of marauders had whipped through. Clothes everywhere. Furniture slashed. Glass shattered. “Her room and the attic. All the other rooms.”
“The whole house,” Lane agreed. “We just got the entrance and the kitchen put back together. And Taylor and Hoop are cleaning the attic with Deena.”
Hale looked at both of them in turn, and Zoë noticed the way the color faded from his face as he held on tight to the doorjamb. “When?”
“This morning,” Lane said. “We came by to see how Tracy’s date with you had gone. The door was open and ...” She ended with a shrug.
“Hieronymous,” Hale said, and he met Zoë‘s eyes. “Uncle H sent someone to ransack the house.”
Zoë nodded. “At least Tracy was with you.” She paused. “Uh, until you lost her.”
Hale dropped onto the bed and started rubbing his temples.
“You wanna tell me what happened?”
Hale looked decidedly uncomfortable, and Zoë had the feeling that this wasn’t about the mission at all. That look was about Tracy and Hale—and a brand new bunch of feelings her brother just didn’t want to think about.
She turned to Lane. “Maybe you and Davy should see if the guys need any help.”
Lane nodded and took her child away.
As soon as she’d left the room, Hale’s eyes met Zoë‘s. “She left me. She ended up with
him
—Mordi. We need to find her before she agrees to give him the belt.”
“But you already have the belt.”
Hale nodded. “But she didn’t
give
it to me. It’s still Tracy’s, and she can agree to hand it over to anyone.”
Zoë propped a hand on her hip, feeling mildly peeved. “That’s it? That’s your worry? That Mordi will sweet talk the belt away?”
“Yes, exactly. What else would it be?”
She sighed. “You might fool Lane, big brother. But not me. Since when have you ever been worried about Mordi? About anyone, for that matter. This is more than just the job. Tell me what’s really going on inside your head.”
On the bed beside Hale, Elmer started chattering, and even though Zoë couldn’t understand a word, she knew the tone of a lecture when she heard one.
“Zo.” Through the harsh tone of his voice, Hale’s concern was coming through loud and clear. “Can’t we do this later? We need to find her.”
“Zephron’s already on it. He’s tracking her by satellite. I contacted him right after we talked on the phone.” She aimed a gentle look in his direction. “You know there’s nothing more we can do.”
“We can scour this town. Fly over it. You can look through every roof. I can peer in every window. Hell, Zoë, we can go door to door.”
Zoë was amazed by her brother’s vehemence. “If she’s with Mordi, she could be in Venezuela by now.”
He blinked. “Venezuela?”
“Wherever.” She waved her hand, frustrated. “The point is, they could be anywhere.”
“We can’t just sit here not knowing.” Hale’s voice was frantic.
“Apollo’s Apples, Hale. Just tell me.” Their eyes met and locked. “Tell me, or I’ll tell you.”
“What? What will you tell me?”
“That you’re in love with her, of course.”
Her words started a whole new round of chattering from Elmer, but the only reaction she got from Hale was more rubbing of his temples. Damn her brother. She’d never met anyone more stubborn.
“You might as well admit it. It’s as obvious as ... well... as the mess in this room.”
But her stubborn, stupid brother didn’t admit it. Instead he just looked her in the eye, managing to look sad and annoyed at the same time.
“Mighty Zeus! You’re so stubborn. You’ve got this whole we’re-superior-to-mortals thing going too far. Taylor’s right. I swear, you might as well join Hieronymous. That’s pretty much his party line.”
Anger flashed in Hale’s eyes, but still he said nothing.
“Well, say something already,” she demanded.
At first he didn’t say anything, then he looked away. When he glanced back again, the intensity in his eyes made her gasp.
“Why do you think Taylor’s not going to leave you?”
Not at all the question she expected, Zoë sank down onto Tracy’s now-unstuffed chaise lounge. “I just
know
,” she said at last.
“Are you absolutely sure?”
Zoë frowned, trying to read her brother. His whole life he’d made a point of telling her that mortal-Protector relationships didn’t work. Mortals leave, he’d say. And why bother with them, anyway, since Protectors were so much better. Sex with them was fine, but a relationship with a mortal was slumming.