* * * *
“Mr. Thorpe? Sir, we have received word of a bombing in Asheville. It appears someone targeted Hilargi, Inc. A black BMW M5 matching the description of Eleanor Beckett’s was seen leaving the area. We believe she is headed this way. What would you like for us to do?” The skinny, small-framed man looked more like a sleazy used car salesman than a messenger. Tension and fear filled his voice. He was only a few steps into the room but seemed to think it was too far in for comfort.
His boss looked up from his paper with no particular interest, picked up his wine glass, and gave the dark-red contents a hard look. He took a large mouthful and swallowed hard. Giving the skinny man an appraising eye, he thought about the message for a few moments more.
“Let her. Don’t try to stop her, for your own safety. If she
i
s on the run, there’s something far more dangerous on her trail. Do you know if she was alone?”
“We can’t be sure, sir, but we think she has her niece and a fairy with her.” The salesman-like messenger took a step back toward the door, anxious to be anywhere but here.
“Well, then. I think we can expect guests. I look forward to meeting them. Send most of the guards and staff away. Tell them they can have the evening off and to go party responsibly.” The man practically ran from the room, leaving him alone. He was intrigued. Eleanor was rumored to have something of tremendous value in her possession. Whatever it was, she was sure to have it with her. Her visit had the potential to be very profitable. Perhaps she would barter safety for a little slice of the pie. He would have to call this in to
his
boss. His boss required a taste of Thorpe’s profitable dishes, but it was okay. That was just how the system worked, how he himself had became so wealthy. He smiled to himself and went back to reading his paper.
* * * *
Sabrina had fallen asleep somewhere around Lake Hartwell. A nudge against her shoulder roused her. She could see bright lights and tall buildings up head. They were somewhere in the urban sprawl headed into a large city.
“Where are we?” she asked, taking a deep breath and stretching. Every joint ached from lack of movement. Clay shifted, allowing her to have the seat to herself. He had been her pillow for an unknown amount of time.
“We are just outside of Atlanta. We will be within the city limits in about ten minutes,” Clay answered. He did not seem to be very happy about it. She was confused. They had escaped. Eleanor would not have taken such a long trip for fun. There must be help to be had here. However, something had Clay on edge. Eleanor had not spoken. No emotion played across her face. She was the ultimate poker player.
Half an hour later, Eleanor pulled the BMW into a parking garage of a tall multi-use building. She parked in the darkest area she could find. She leaned her head back and whispered something Sabrina could not make out. A swirl of breeze filled the car. It whispered something only Eleanor could understand and dissipated. She opened her eyes and turned to the backseat.
“We’re alone. The elevator is under the lights to the left. Clay, I want you to walk Sabrina over there. Hold hands and act like you are going home after a date. Hit the button for the penthouse. There is a directory beside the doors, but don’t stand there staring at it like you’ve never been here before,” she directed.
He bit his lower lip a little. It was something he did when he was nervous. “You’re going to go with us, aren’t you?”
She gave him a reassuring smile. “I’ll be right behind you. Don’t worry. I don’t think we were followed, but just in case, I’ll stick to the shadows. Now let’s go.”
Sabrina and Clay made their way to the elevator. Clay hit the up button and watched the lighted numbers above the door. Sabrina sneaked a peek at the directory. The lower floors were taken by shops, boutiques, and salons. There was a small organic green grocer advertised for at the backside of the block. Offices were listed on the directory for the second to fourth floors. Above those were apartments. The penthouse was occupied by a B. Thorpe.
The elevator doors opened slowly. Sabrina and Clay stepped in as the couple inside stepped out. Sabrina stared out at the parking area, hoping to see Eleanor, without any luck. Clay pressed the button for the penthouse, and the doors began to close. A misty shadow suddenly filled the elevator car before the doors shut tight. Sabrina stifled a scream. The mist took the shape of a woman. It was Eleanor holding the gladius, her bow across her chest and arrows on her back.
The elevator sped to the top. The doors opened to an entry hall lined with Gustav Stickly chairs and expensive artwork highlighted by track lighting. The walls were covered with a creamy damask paper that allowed the bright colors of the artwork to stand out. At the end of the hall was an elaborate carved mahogany door. The brass handle and backplate looked Victorian.
Clay inhaled deeply and stiffened at Sabrina’s side. He squeezed her hand hard enough to make her wince. Eleanor strode forward and rang the bell. When the door opened, Sabrina gasped. Heat flooded through her body, touching places she never knew existed. A flutter began deep in her core. It was as if, for the first time in her life, her soul said, “Ah-ha, there you are!” She could feel her cheeks flush and knew she was in full blush.
Here stood a well-dressed man in his late twenties in a gray pinstripe suit. Broad shoulders and a toned chest tapered down to a small waist under his white dress shirt. His hair was artfully sculpted into tussled spikes. His features spoke of a Sicilian ancestry, a strong, square jaw and Romanesque nose. His eyes were a dark brown rimmed in long, equally dark lashes. The dark coloring should have been accompanied by an olive complexion. Instead, it made his pale skin seem alabaster white. He flashed his fangs at Eleanor when he grinned at them. This was no man. B. Thorpe was a vampire.
“Welcome to Atlanta, Eleanor. What brings you to visit us this fine evening?” His smooth, deep voice rolled over Sabrina’s skin. There was a slight Mediterranean accent buried in it. He must have worked hard to cover it up, to seem more local. It sent a surge of adrenaline through her. He must have noticed the scent. His eyes darted to her. It was like a predator homing in on its prey, either as something to eat or to fuck.
Eleanor cleared her throat. “Um-hum. We need to speak in private, Brandon, if you don’t mind. It has been a long day. My niece is very tired.” She gave Brandon Thorpe a withering glare, daring him to continue gazing at Sabrina in such a manner. Her hand tightened on the gladius.
Brandon’s eyes flitted down to her hand briefly and then back to her face. A smile spread across his. “Ever the watchful guardian, eh, Eleanor?” He gave a chuckle and stepped back. “By all means, do come in.” He gave an overly dramatic bow and gestured them inside.
The interior was decorated in the same style as the hall. Expensive furniture from famous designers was accented with Persian rugs, Tiffany lamps, and colorful pillows. The neutral walls were dotted with lit paintings from a variety of time periods. A set of French doors opened to a wide balcony. Sheer curtains framed the doorway and fluttered in the hot evening breeze. Thousands of lights broke up the darkness. Some of them moved while others were stationary.
Sabrina was fascinated. It was the first time she had seen a city larger than Asheville and never at night from a high-rise. She wandered to the open doors and watched the tiny red and white dots follow each other along the roadways. There was a good deal of talking going on behind her, but she did not bother to listen.
Clay laid his hand on her shoulder, startling her. She put a hand over her mouth to hold in a yelp and moved it down to her heart once she recognized him. “Don’t scare me like that! Today has been bad enough,” she scolded.
“Sorry. I just couldn’t take listening to those two banter old-fashioned insincere pleasantries anymore. It was sickening. He agrees to let us stay here tonight, but he wants Eleanor to tell him what she is hiding. He has even offered to hide it for her. She’s not pleased but doesn’t have a lot of choice. The safe houses are being watched. Well, so says Thorpe,” Clay relayed. He rolled his eyes and made a gesture that resembled hanging himself.
With his tongue lolled out to one side and head hung over in response to the imaginary rope, Sabrina was unable to hold back a giggle. Her stress combined with his funny face was more than she could take. The giggle turned into loud, uncontrollable laughter. She grabbed her ribs and nearly doubled over. The lights on the balcony began to glow brighter. Dark rainbows emanated from the pendant’s facets. The more she laughed, the brighter they became until a high-pitched hum preceded the lightbulbs exploding simultaneously. Glass shards flew in every direction. She let out a squeal and covered her head. The word “no” shouted in her mind, and the tinkling sounds of flying glass stopped. She peeked between her arms.
The first thing she saw was Clay’s face. His mouth was hanging open in shock. Behind him were Eleanor and Brandon Thorpe, looking equally stunned. She removed her arms from her face. Floating around her were thousands of shards frozen in midair. Some still rotated in place. Others were completely still. In the center, where she stood, there was nothing but empty space shaped like a bubble.
Eleanor raised one hand and pointed at the shards. Her lips moved in silence. She slowly lowered her pointed finger to the ground. All the needle-like glass followed her movement. When they almost touched the floor, she released them. They made a harmless windchime sound as they hit the concrete balcony floor.
“What the hell was that?” Brandon’s surprise had worn off. He was looking back and forth between Sabrina, Clay, and Eleanor. “I’ve never see someone fold time. Did she do it or did one of you?”
Eleanor spun sharply to face him. There was a widening of stance and a shifting of weight to her back foot. A hard look of appraisal was on her face, tension around her eyes. She was sizing him up as a threat. Sabrina had seen that look countless times over the last ninety-eight years. It made her want to run and hide, even though none of it was directed at her.
“I told you. She is special and needs a good deal of looking after. Her magic is unstable. How can I possibly leave her here with you? Luring the Army of Light away is a good idea, but I was charged with her protection. That includes protecting her from herself,” Eleanor said. Sabrina noticed Eleanor did not answer all of his questions but rather deflected them with a generic response. Typical.
“I understand that, Eleanor, but if you stay here, they are going to find out. If you take a decoy glamoured to look like her, you will be able to lead them to a battleground of your choosing. There is a great deal of uninhabited countryside not far away. Let them gather there and turn on them. They will be surprised, and you can kill them while maintaining our secrecy. She’ll be safe. The secret’s safe. Assassins are dead. Everyone gets to be happy,” he rationalized. He shrugged his shoulders with his palms out.
Eleanor looked as though she were weighing his words. Clay, however, did not look satisfied. He stepped between Sabrina and Brandon.
“How can you keep her safe? What if something like this happens again?” He sounded worried. “You’re all asleep during the day. If she were to have another outburst, there would be no one here to stop it.” Clay covered her completely. She had to lean over to look around him to the others.
Brandon gave him a hard stare. The predator was sizing up the competition. Something about Clay made him smirk. It was clear to Sabrina that Clay did not measure up, in Brandon’s opinion. A flash of anger washed through her. How dare this stranger judge her brother and find him wanting! Clay meant the world to her. He was the only male friend Eleanor had ever allowed. The air began heating up around her, reminding her to remain calm. She took a deep breath and counted to ten. It helped. The air cooled. If Clay noticed, he did not let on as if he did.
“Eleanor isn’t the only witch in the world, you know. We have a fair few here in Atlanta. During the day, we use day walkers to run things and guard us. I can assure you. She would never be alone, day or night,” he addressed Clay. He turned to Eleanor. “I have an Italian werewolf that almost matches Sabrina’s height and coloring. A switch of the clothes and a little glamour would pass her off as your niece. You could take the fairy boy and her. It would look like you were turned down. The local witches are on alert. You could ambush in the place of your choosing. How about it?”
Eleanor began pacing the floor in a small circle, thinking. She would stop every so often to stare at Brandon and then continue her pacing. It reminded Sabrina of a caged tigress looking for a way out, frustrated at finding none. Clearly, Eleanor did not want to leave her here, but she needed to deal with the larger threat. After what seemed like hours, she stopped pacing.
“I am going to need more than your word that Sabrina will be safe,” she said at last.
“Like what?” Brandon sat down in an overstuffed cream-colored armchair. He looked more like a king sitting on his throne than a vampire having a conversation with a witch. On second thought, Sabrina decided he was a king, and these were negotiations.
The new outlook changed the dynamic. She was no longer a damsel in distress but an item. It annoyed her to no end. Shouldn’t she have some say in this? Was it not her future they were discussing? A little voice in the back of her mind soothed her. It told her Eleanor had only ever protected her, did things in her best interest. The annoyance was mollified.