Secret Worlds (340 page)

I stared out the window. “What do you mean feline DNA?”

“The sample had a trace of feline DNA along with yours, like a cat hair was present in the vial, so all we can surmise is that the lab screwed up or the containers were contaminated.”

I sat down heavily on the couch. “Um, we’re headed out of the country to visit Damian’s relatives. Can I follow up with you when we get back?”

There was silence on the line and then a hurried, “That will be fine, thank you for understanding.” A dial tone stretched through the line and I disconnected the call.

I was still in shock when Damian stepped into the room with a box in his arms. He put it on the table and met my gaze.

“What’s up?”

I stared at the computer and peripherals sticking out of the box and then looked up at him. “I don’t have diabetes, but apparently my blood contains traces of feline DNA.”

His eyebrows arched and he slid onto the couch.

“They think it’s a lab error or a contaminated vial, but...” I trailed off. I thought the tiger was a left over result of the shadow virus. Damian sat with his mouth open in shock, so he obviously thought the same thing. He blinked and cocked his head.

“Does that mean my blood contains traces of hawk DNA?”

I didn’t even want to consider the ramifications of what this meant for the baby in my belly, but one image kept flashing before my eyes. The symbol for my grandfather’s specific bloodline: a winged-tiger.

“They wanted me to come down for another blood test, but I told him we were headed out of the country.”

“Quick thinking,” Damian said and stood, retreating to the bedroom to change. He hadn’t said a word about my attire, and I appreciated it. He returned in the clean clothing I had laid out for him and dropped his dirty clothing in the garbage, sealing it and dumping it out in the garage.

“You about ready?” he asked after he finished packing his laptop and note pads that were scattered over the coffee table.

I looked up at him, still in shock from the news. “You did everything, including fixing the keypad?”

He nodded. “It took a little longer than I wanted though,” he said and I glanced at the clock.

A little over an hour had passed since I started packing. Of course, it took me forever to find something that fit over my belly. “We might need to go shopping before we find a place to stay,” I said and stood, waving toward the sweats. “I had nothing that fit.”

He pressed his lips into a tight smile. His attempt at hiding the budding humor lost, and instead of addressing the breach in manners, he picked up the box and disappeared into the garage.

“Did you want to do a quick walk through?” he asked and I nodded.

“I already packed the mural,” I said. That was the one thing that followed us from place to place and I know it meant a great deal to him. He gave a nod and pulled out his phone. I turned away, heading to the bedroom and scanning the vacant dresser shelves. Opening and closing drawers and dressers before doing the same in the bathroom. On impulse, I grabbed the first aid kit and opened it, dumping the headache remedies, anti-biotic ointment and bandages into the box before clipping it closed.

Damian held my coat open as I stepped into the living room. He had Ted’s thick hunting jacket on instead of the sleek leather he usually wore.

“I figured Ted could use something fancier than this. Especially since this one is better for packing,” he said. “I also have all the extra ammunition for his nine-millimeter stored in the trunk.”

“Does he know?” I said, feeling the first bite of irritation, but it disappeared with a nod from Damian.

“He doesn’t know I left him my coat, but I did ask if we could take the gun. He has no issue with it and in a few weeks, he’ll report it stolen. In the meantime, he’ll keep us informed of Valerie’s condition,” he said and led me to the car.

“Ready?” he asked once he settled into the driver’s seat.

“I’m ready. Are you?” I asked, glancing at his shaking hands.

He followed my gaze and chuckled. “I have to admit, I’m a little nervous. I have no idea what’s waiting for us out there.”

Every muscle in my body tensed as we pulled out of the garage. I waited until the door had closed before turning the car around in the driveway. I gave Naomi a cursory glance and took a deep breath, pressing the gate controls as I approached.

No one was visible in the vicinity and after pulling through the gate, I pushed the button, waiting until the gate clicked closed, then I gunned it, turning toward the nearest highway route. I kept glancing in my rearview, expecting a tail, but there was nothing on the road behind us, or in front of us, for that matter, and I gave a relieved laugh as the house disappeared from view.

“Knock on wood,” I said and gave Naomi’s hand a squeeze. She responded with only a strained smile before she continued her darting scan of the landscape.

“I don’t think...”

“Shush. Not until we are a safe distance away, okay?”

I nodded consent and focused on the road. The only cars that pulled out behind us turned down different roads and by the time we pulled onto the highway, I relaxed enough to fully exhale.

When we passed the Welcome to Massachusetts sign, I glanced at Naomi again and shrugged. “I guess my checking in for our flight out of Hartford may have given us just enough of a window to get out of there,” I said and the muscles in my shoulders relaxed a notch.

“When did you do that?”

“Right before I reprogrammed the basement keypad,” I said and glanced at the clock on the display. “The plane will start boarding in another half hour. Just long enough for us to put a little more distance between us and the airport.”

“He’s not going to buy that we went to Michigan with the cars?” she asked.

“No, not with us killing his dogs. I have a feeling they were sent on a suicide mission just to prove we were still there.” I finally voiced my thoughts and the wound on my leg flared, sending an itch that made my hands grip the wheel tighter.

“I’ve been meaning to ask, hellhounds talk?”

Her question made me raise an eyebrow in her direction. “What?”

“When you asked the hellhound what he wanted, he spoke.”

I couldn’t help the laugh. “No, baby, it just growled up a fucking storm.”

She laughed as well, but something about the tone of it, pulled my gaze to hers. “Actually, they were sent to bring your head back, at least that’s the answer I heard.”

The shock of her words left me quiet and I glance at her, wondering just what kind of freak she was. The worry in her eyes calmed me. If she was a freak, it didn’t matter. She’s the one that saved my sorry ass. Again.

“My head, huh?” I asked and she nodded. “I can see that,” I replied and took her hand bringing it to my lips. “If you hadn’t come, I’d be dog chow by now.”

“You were doing a pretty good job with the crowbar.”

I chuckled. “If you say so.” Whether she admitted it or not, I knew I wouldn’t have survived and the garage floor would have been stained with my flesh and blood. I shivered at the thought.

The traffic was pretty light and we pulled off the highway exactly three hours later and I pulled into the first gas station off the exit ramp and parked by the pumps. Naomi scuttled out of the car towards the building, walking fast with her thighs together and I grinned. The car still idled and I turned the ignition key, shutting off the engine and stretching before I reached down and popped the gas cap. As I pulled my wallet out, I paused, wondering if using a credit card would alert Lucifer to our whereabouts.

“Shit,” I mumbled and opted for cash, pulling a twenty out of the billfold and heading inside to pre-pay. While I was inside, I grabbed a couple of bottles of water and stepped to the counter as the bathroom door opened and Naomi came out. She grabbed a candy bar and some mints and added them to my tab.

I paid just as the door jingled and as I turned, I handed Naomi the bag with the drinks. She took it and looked up at the man in the doorway, freezing on the spot. Her widening eyes made me take a closer look at the stranger.

The man stared at me, just as wide-eyed as Naomi.

“Oh, hey, Agent Williams, how are you?” the kid behind the counter asked and the man sent a nod in his direction.

“I’m good, John. Didn’t you need to check something in the stock room?” he said and a cold shiver traversed my spine as the kid nodded and disappeared into the back of the store, leaving the three of us alone.

A base warning at the pit of my stomach said to run, to get away as soon as possible and my heart clenched in my chest. I reached into my jacket, wrapping my hand around the handle of my revolver but the flutter of wings caught me off guard and I stepped back, my eyes darting around to find the source.

“Be careful, Steve,” the voice whispered and Naomi stepped back as well, her hand shooting out to grab my elbow.

When my gaze landed on Agent Williams, he was assessing me with narrowed eyes.

“Why don’t you give me the gun, son,” he said and put out his hand.

I blinked as I pulled the gun out of my pocket, almost as if I had no control, but instead of handing it over, I pointed it at him.

“Damian,” Naomi gasped.

“I don’t want any trouble,” I said and the agent cocked his head, looking between the gun and me as if perplexed.

“Give me the gun,” he said more forcefully and I felt a tickle in my mind, followed by the instinct to give him our only weapon.

“I don’t think so,” I said, resisting the urge and another flutter caught my attention. “Why are you following us?” I asked. That was the only justification I had for him being here at the same time, after all, he was a cop.

He let out a quick laugh. “I wasn’t following you. This is completely coincidence and from the look on your faces, you know exactly who I am.”

“And you know who I am.”

He nodded. “Yes. I suggest you put the gun away before someone else comes in or John figures out he really didn’t need anything from the back room.” He glanced up at the camera in the corner and then back at me. “If you’re not going to give it to me, put the damn thing away.”

I laughed. “Why? So you can arrest us?”

The tension in the room mounted and wings fluttered yet again along with another warning directly to Agent Williams.

“What’s with the angel?” Naomi spouted and both our gazes dropped to her. She wasn’t looking directly at Steve. Instead, her gaze was over his shoulder to the right, as if a ghost I couldn’t see stood at his side.

“You can see him?” Steve said, pulling my attention back to him. He looked just as shocked as I felt.

“Sort of, but he doesn’t seem to be a dick like Lu …” She stopped and covered her mouth before she conjured the bastard by mistake.

“We have to go,” I said and stowed the gun in my pocket. The close proximity of any angel to where we were only meant trouble and I wasn’t sticking around to find out whether this man was on our side or not.

“I’m on your side,” Agent Williams said and planted his feet, blocking the only exit.

“Bullshit. You’re a cop.”

“Ex-cop,” he said. “And why would being close to an angel be an issue for you?”

A jolt zapped me, creating a prickly tickle all over my skin and I stared at him. “You … can read minds?”

The cocky smile and nod confirmed it. “I can do a hell of a lot more than that,” he said. “Gas up your car and follow me. I need some answers.”

I straightened my back. “While that sounds charming, I think I’ll pass,” I said. “Besides, I don’t give a shit what you need. We’re out of here.” I glanced at Naomi. “This was a bad idea,” I said and started for the door. If he didn’t get out of my way, I’d run him over and his gaze narrowed, reading my intentions correctly.

“I can be your best friend or your worst fucking nightmare, it’s your choice, kid.”

I ignored him but Naomi pulled back on my arm. I peeled her hand off, meeting her frightened gaze. “I’ll be fine,” I whispered and turned back to Agent Williams.

“I don’t think you want to do that,” he warned as I approached and I let out a strained laugh as every muscle in my body tightened, ready for battle.

He didn’t yield, instead he stood his ground, his hands curling into fists as well and when he shifted into ready stance, I stopped, recognizing the form.

“Karate?”

He just nodded and for a brief instant, I thought it might be nice to spar again. I hadn’t truly sparred in years.

Agent Williams raised an eyebrow. “Years? What were you, a toddler?”

It was my turn to send a sarcastic smile. “I’m a master in a few different schools,” I said, prompting a laugh from him as he sized me up.

“You aren’t old enough,” he said with authority.

I glanced at Naomi and then back at him. I’m sure my life story would completely blow his mind, but I kept a wrap on my thoughts.

“Please move, Agent Williams,” I said. “I need to fill my car.”

He shook his head and I stepped in, throwing the first punch. When his hand closed around my fist, stopping it from connecting, the world swam in front of my eyes and I wasn’t the only one who gasped. Like a hyped up download, the man’s entire life flashed like a bizarre slide show in my head.

Everything he experienced right up to this moment downloaded into my brain and I inhaled, yanking away as if contact with his skin had produced burning blisters.

His face remained pale and his jaw slack as he stared at me. It took me a moment to understand the transference that occurred.

If I saw his entire life … 

“What just happened?” Naomi whispered and I turned to her.

“Nothing,” I said and we walked past the stunned agent to the car. I helped her into the front seat and pumped the pre-paid amount into my car. I kept glancing at the store expecting Agent Williams to come out, but he hadn’t recovered from the glimpse of my life he received.

Hell, I couldn’t blame him, his life was bizarre enough, but the existence of vampires alone must have blown his logical circuitry right out of the water. When I finished, I returned the pump to the holder and closed the gas cap.