

SUSAN GRISCOM

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States.

Ignite the Flame is a work of fiction. All characters and incidents contained in this work are the creation of the author and are meant in no way to represent any persons living or deceased. This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Copyright (C) 2017 by Susan Griscom

Visit: http://susangriscom.com

Edited by Michelle T. Green

Edited by Ella Medler

Cover designed by Airicka's Mystical Creations

Cover Models: Jax Turner and Brandon Katz

Photos by Period Images

# A Special Dedication

To Cael and Addie—you were with me in the beginning and have never left.

"Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song. At the touch of a lover, everyone becomes a poet."

— Plato

"One day our descendants will think it incredible that we paid so much attention to things like the amount of melanin in our skin or the shape of our eyes or our gender instead of the unique identities of each of us as complex human beings."

— Franklin Thomas

"Discrimination is a horrible reality. People are afraid of what they don't understand."

— Cael Sheridan

"Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired."

— Robert Frost

Table of Contents

A Special Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Forty

Acknowledgments

Also by Susan Griscom

# Chapter One

The eerie wail of the howling wind sent shivers down Addie's spine. Pulling her jacket sleeves down over the palms of her hands, she gripped the steering wheel to hold it in place. Thank God the heater worked. The vicious cold air outside mixed with the fog floating in from the ocean, enveloping her truck, filling her with an ominous sensation. It swirled its way over the landscape, transforming the spectacular terrain into something unfamiliar. Sinister. The late morning haze shrouded most of the highway, snaking its way through the massive redwoods, stirring visions of her nightmare. The roar of the surf thrashing against the rocks emphasized the menacing force.

She shuddered. Her breath quickened. Hot and tingly blood pulsed through her body, swamping her with a sense of dread. The force strengthened and burned as though her veins were on fire.

Addie inhaled, holding her breath for a few seconds before exhaling. "Deep breaths, Addie, slow, deep breaths," she whispered as the memory of the horrible nightmare flooded her mind.

She concentrated on her breathing, feeling the rapid beat of her heart, determined to steady her nerves.

"Think of something else," she demanded and glanced down at her camera and tripod. She'd remembered to bring them along today, hoping the sun would come out so she could go to the cliffs during her afternoon break, still determined to decorate her bare apartment walls with pictures of the giant waves crashing against the massive rocks. She grimaced, leaning forward to peek at the sky, perturbed the sun wasn't going to cooperate.

Addie turned her concentration back to the road. One wrong turn could be fatal if her truck were to swerve and go over the cliff. Her new truck—well, new to her anyway—was sturdy and powerful, exuding confidence and strength, the exact attributes Addie needed at the moment.

She absently tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. "Another cloudy day. I should have taken pictures during the summer months, like any other normal person." She glanced up at the sky again before bringing her eyes back to the road.

That was when she saw him standing in the center of the highway.

She screamed, grasped the wheel with both hands, and steered to the right. The truck lurched. Her camera and tripod clunked against the passenger door and then fell to the floor. Addie tried to straighten the wheel, but the gravel on the side of the road sent the wheels spinning toward the ditch. She slammed on the brakes, skidding several feet before finally stopping inches from a very steep slope.

"Oh, God ... did I hit him?" She'd heard a thump against the truck. "I must have hit him."

Her hands shook. In fact, her entire body trembled with fear. Forcing her uncooperative limbs to move, Addie shoved open the heavy truck door, held on to support her quivering body, and stepped out. Her rubbery legs buckled under her as the fierce wind blew her jacket open. Steadying herself, she used both hands to keep it closed and crept to the back of the truck, scanned the area, but saw no one. Not even a hint of a body.

She called out. "Hello? Sir, are you all right?"

No one answered. The silence was disturbing, as if something had sucked all evidence of life out of the area, leaving nothing behind except the sound of the wind rustling through dead leaves and the surf pounding against the rocks below. Still holding her jacket closed, she sprinted to the other side of the truck, but there was no trace of the man.

Her stomach knotted. Her eyes fell upon the dents and scratches on the front fender. She studied them for a few seconds, but it was impossible to tell if there was any new damage. Just last week she'd miscalculated a turn and scraped the fender against the dumpster at work.

Keeping her jacket closed with one hand, she held her long dark hair back from her eyes with the other and searched the area the best she could. She didn't see anyone.

"Where did he go?" She ran back to her truck, pulled herself up onto the seat, and quickly shut the door. Her hands shook as she pushed down on the locks, and for a moment, she just sat, frozen.

"No one was there." Her eyebrows tightened and tears stung her eyes. Certain there was nothing to do, Addie glanced down the highway before slowly easing the truck back onto the road. With one hand on the steering wheel and the other fumbling with her seatbelt, she glanced in the rear view mirror. Addie let out a long, uneasy breath, and managed to relax some, but questioned her sanity. Was she seeing things? No, she saw him. Why was he standing in the middle of the road, and how did he just vanish? Where had he come from? She hadn't seen a car parked anywhere and knew this stretch of the road. There wasn't a house or any other building around for at least a quarter of a mile.

Addie tried to picture his face after only a brief glimpse of the man. He wasn't someone she recognized. He wore a tattered black leather coat that hung down to his thighs and his thick black hair, falling just inches above his shoulders, blew around his face. Any more detail was impossible to recall. The idea of a man standing in the middle of the road and then just vanishing was absurd, but she had seen someone and the whole experience frightened her. She considered the possibility that it was a ghost, but he'd looked so real. Then again, she had never seen a ghost before, so how would she know what a ghost really looked like? No, no, the ghost theory didn't cut it. He had been real.

She needed a distraction, something to take her mind off the man, and out of habit, pushed the power button on the radio before remembering it had stopped working during an electrical storm a week ago. Frustrated, she banged the top of the dashboard with her fist. The veins in her fingers burned, and as she opened her hand, tiny sparks shot forth from her fingertips.

"Ouch!" She shook her hand as the radio crackled for a few seconds, then began to play. Perplexed, Addie glanced at her hand as though it belonged to someone else and then back at the radio again. She shrugged, deciding the jolt from the sudden stop had somehow jarred the wires. In an effort to calm down, she sang along with the radio, her voice timid. Every now and then, she glanced in the rear view mirror as if the man were somehow running behind her. She couldn't help wondering how he'd materialized out of nowhere, and then ... poof, just vanished. Was he a figment of her imagination?

The song changed, luring her back to reality. She glanced at her watch. She was late for work, and Gerry, her boss, would be livid.

Cael Sheridan stepped out from behind a thicket of Manzanita bushes and onto the highway. He looked left, then right, and proceeded to walk along the side of the road, a bit more cautious of oncoming traffic than he'd been a few minutes earlier. She'd nearly run him over. He knew it had been careless of him to be in the middle of the road, but from what he'd remembered, there usually wasn't much traffic on this stretch of highway, especially this time of year.

It had been several years since he'd been back to Whisper Cape, though he sensed not much had changed. The narrow highway was completely deserted other than the one truck. The swirling wind stung clear down to his bones. He pulled up the frayed collar of his coat and frowned as the loose strands of fabric tickled his chin. Glancing down the side of the cliff, he paused to admire the roaring surf crashing against the rocks.

"Ah, still breathtaking." He smiled, then breathed in, as the cool moist air filled his lungs. He reveled in the fresh ocean breeze with the faint taste of salt in the air.

Yes! I love this coast.

Taking in another deep breath, and suffering the bite of the wind, he continued walking.

He hadn't meant to frighten the woman in the truck, but hadn't wanted to die either. So he did what came naturally to him and disappeared.

Hiking along the road, Cael willed his thoughts back to business. He was tracking a killer on a hunch—a hunch leading to the sister of his friend, his mentor, Risteard. Soon after Risteard's death, his sister had left New York and moved out west to Oregon. Cael's gut warned him the murdering monster, known as Eidolon, might have followed her. Cael was certain Eidolon hadn't found what he'd been looking for when he'd slaughtered Risteard. Eidolon was sinister and deranged. Cael knew he would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. He enjoyed the walk into town, but picked up the pace, hoping he'd arrived in time.

# Chapter Two

When Addie arrived at the Cliff Hanger, the place was already resonating with sounds of chatter and laughter from customers enjoying a mid-day brew or a warm bowl of chowder. The small Bar and Grill sat nestled in a grove of tall trees high on the cliff overlooking the Oregon coastline, boasting one of the best ocean views for miles around. The attractive little restaurant offered a touch of class while keeping the cozy feel of a neighborhood bar.

Sneaking in the back door, Addie heard Gerry's barrage of profanity over the clatter of dishes and babbling customers. He was, as usual, in the kitchen, swearing at Jared, one of the chefs. Gerry, a stickler for punctuality, would be furious with her. He not only owned the Cliff Hanger Bar and Grill, he cohabited with her Aunt Maia, a pleasant enough arrangement for them. They always seemed so much in love, but Addie thought Gerry overstepped his duties of faux-uncle a bit too often.

She reached for her apron hanging on a hook behind the kitchen door, desperately hoping they wouldn't notice her creeping in.

"There you are," Gerry bellowed, grabbing her arm and turning her to face him. "Addison MacKenna, do you know what time it is?"

She flinched when Gerry called her Addison. The only one who'd ever called her Addison was her father and the memory tugged at her heart like a boat anchored to the bottom of the ocean.

"Where have you been? You know, there are plenty of bonny young women around this town that would love to have your job." Gerry's voice crooned with a hint of a Scottish lilt, which intensified when he was upset. "Don't think for one second that I wouldn't ... what?" All at once, his expression changed to shocked concern as he noticed the terror in her eyes. "Addie, what's wrong? What happened?"

God, she wished her emotions weren't so transparent around him, but she had to admit the experience had been so frightening she probably looked like a scared rabbit. She could feel her bones secretly shaking under her skin. "Please, Gerry, I know I'm late, but I had, ah ... um ... an accident with my truck."

"An accident? Are you hurt?" He placed his hands on her shoulders and eyed her up and down as if checking her over for some sign of bruising or cuts.

For a few seconds Addie just stood there stunned by his reaction, holding her breath.

"Breathe," he ordered, still holding on to her shoulders.

She let out a long puff of air. "No, no, I'm okay, I didn't hit anything, but ... I almost did ... a man. I had to swerve to miss him and almost ran my truck off the cliff."

"You almost hit a man? Where? Is he okay?"

Addie was tongue-tied, not sure what to say. The sounds of the small Bar and Grill became unusually deafening and swirled in her head. The customers' chatter, the music from the jukebox, the clang of dishes in the kitchen, the swoosh of water spraying in the dishwasher all clouded her thoughts. Her head spun from the sounds, the room felt as if it were closing in on her, and she had trouble getting a grip on reality. The experience had been so frightening yet so unbelievable, like another bad dream. If she were to tell Gerry she didn't know if the man was okay, he would think she was irresponsible. If she told him the man vanished, he would think she was crazy.

"He seemed to be okay. He didn't have any trouble getting around." A half-truth, she figured, was better than an all-out lie.

"Okay, then, and you're not hurt?"

"No, I'm fine," she said, straightening her spine.

Gerry's face softened in relief as he released her and stepped back. She didn't want to talk about it anymore and moved away from him. Trying to sound cool and collected, she added, "I'm a grown woman and I can take care of myself. You needn't get so worked up about things."

Addie knew Gerry to be a caring man. A bit overprotective, but caring nonetheless. Gerry Briden was a tall, handsome man of thirty-nine, thirteen years her senior—a detail he sometimes liked to affirm, thinking it gave him the right to treat her as though she were a child. He swept his hand through his short, dark, wavy hair, and bulging ridges protruded from under his rolled-up sleeves. Addie thought that Gerry proved her aunt had impeccable taste in men.

He stood with his hands on his hips, his concern settling into impatience. His full-lipped mouth curved up on the right side when he spoke, accentuating his subtle Scottish accent, which Addie knew many women found irresistible. "Well then, if you're okay, pull yourself together now and get to work. We have a bloody busy afternoon yet. Rob was in here earlier and said he saw a tour bus headed this way while he was on his morning patrol. Those people are going to be thirsty and hungry."

She heard the irritation in his voice and winced.

Tour buses always brought in a couple of dozen hungry and thirsty tourists. The last thing Addie needed was a bus full of people. God, why this morning of all mornings, when I have so much on my mind?

She thought of Rob, the chief of police, then of the man she may have hit, and in her mind, saw him lying on the side of the road, dead. She wondered if the chief would soon discover a body somewhere along the highway while he was on patrol.

"Rob ... Chief Thompson was here? When?" How could she have been so stupid? She really hadn't checked the side of the road very well. Her breath caught in her throat as she thought of the man bleeding to death in a ditch somewhere, unable to answer when she called out to him. She just left him there, helpless. She froze, staring at Gerry, unable to hide the horror on her face.

"Come on now, you've never let a bus full of tourists get to you before. What's really going on?" Gerry threw a dirty bar rag into the bin, retrieved a clean one from the shelf behind him and looked at her with a bemused expression. "Have you had another nightmare then?"

"Yes!" she wanted to scream but, "No," she lied, considering that the whole morning had been one long, continual nightmare. She wanted to tell him about the man disappearing into thin air, but then thought it sounded too crazy. Maybe she did just imagine him, or maybe he had been part of her nightmare. Maybe.

"Um ... nothing's going on. I'm just tired and the idea of a full bus. Well, I guess I'd better get busy." Addie grabbed a wet rag, wiped up some beer spills from the bar and tried to shake the image of a dead man on the side of the road from her mind.

"Good, we don't have time for fucking around today." Gerry turned to pick up a case of beer, then proceeded to stock the mini fridge in the bar area.

It was all so ridiculous. The man must have been a figment of her imagination, a manifestation from her nightmare. No one could just disappear, and she convinced herself that if the man had been real, and in fact hurt, he would have been there when she got out of the truck.

Addie tiptoed by the kitchen, located beside the back door and behind the bar. The room, newly outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment, emitted a silvery shine. Jared poked his head out the door as she passed.

"Hey, Addie," he chuckled, looking relieved to have Gerry pick on her for a while instead of him.

"Morning, Jared," she mumbled. God, please don't make me have to talk to him. On top of everything else, dealing with Jared right now would just be too cruel.

"Addie, wait," Jared called after her. "There's a bunch of us getting together for a campfire tomorrow night at the beach. Would you like to come?"

Jared had asked her out before, but she'd always managed to come up with an excuse. He stood there—bar rag slung over his shoulder, his curly-blond hair hanging over his forehead—looking hopeful. He had a nice face, nice body ... well, great body, Addie corrected, but she'd always thought of him more as a friend and didn't want to start a relationship with a coworker. Besides, she'd felt there was something between Jared and her friend Darcy, one of the waitresses, although they both denied it whenever she asked them.

"Um, sure," she said and turned to walk behind the bar. He'd caught her off guard, damn it, and she hadn't been quick enough to come up with a good excuse on the spot.

He beamed, his face a mixture of shock and excitement. "Really? Sweet. I'll pick you up around seven. Dress warm—even though we'll have a fire, it's still going to be frigid down there."

She paused for a moment, searching for the right words, not wanting to hurt his feelings. It was weird enough to go with him to a campfire—a campfire with other people—quite another to be picked up by him. Too much like an actual date, as far as she was concerned.

"Why don't we just leave from here? Then we can use my truck and you won't have to worry about drinking and driving," she said, pleased with her quick thinking.

Jared frowned down at the grill as he fiddled with something in a pan, and tucked a blond curl, which was forever falling out, back under his cap. "Oh. Ah ... yeah, sure, if that's what you want."

Something brushed Addie's arm and she turned to see Darcy, her best friend, standing with her arms crossed and tapping her right shoe.

"What's taking so long with my order?"

"Working on it, Double D," Jared snapped back at her.

"You're going to the campfire tomorrow night, right?" Addie said, turning to Darcy with a pleading smile as she fastened her black apron around her waist, wrapping the long ties around twice so the bow wouldn't hang down to her knees. Then she slipped behind the bar. "The three of us can all ride down together. There's plenty of room for our beach chairs and the truck has a comfy back seat."

Jared frowned. "Yeah, just what we need. Sure, Double D, come along; we could always use a third wheel."

Addie cringed. The term 'Double D' not only referred to the name, Darcy Delacroix, but also to Darcy's bust size. She knew without a doubt that Darcy absolutely, unequivocally, detested the label, and Addie never wanted to be in the line of fire when Darcy caught someone using it.

"Shut up, Jared," Darcy scowled. "Unlike you, Jared Kane, I never have any problem getting dates, you worm. Go on now," she gestured with her fingers toward the kitchen, "slither back into your little hole and stop calling me Double D, or I'll rip your tongue out."

Addie was sure Jared felt the sting from Darcy's glare as he slunk back into the kitchen. Darcy followed Addie out to the bar and set her tray down on the long L-shaped, walnut counter. The fifteen cushy stools around it would soon fill up once the tour bus arrived, as would the six tables along the front windows. They always went first, leaving the four square tables in the middle of the room unoccupied, except for busy days like today. Darcy gave Addie the drink order she needed for her table, but as Addie turned to fix the cocktails, Darcy caught her by the arm.

"Maybe you should just tell him you're not interested, since he's too dense to understand subtle rejection. Then you wouldn't have to play these silly games. He's a grown man, he can take it."

Addie glanced back in Jared's direction to make sure he wasn't listening. "Yeah, well, silly to you. I'm not as cold-hearted. I'll handle it my way, thank you very much."

"Suit yourself. Hey, tell me about this man you almost hit. Who was he?" Darcy picked up a cherry and plopped it into the glass Addie had just filled with Coke and placed it alongside the pint of draft on her tray.

"Oh, um, I don't know, I don't think he's from around here. I've never seen the guy before and he left before I could check on him." Addie winced as the words slipped past her lips and hoped Darcy hadn't caught them, knowing she'd probably think she was crazy. How could someone just vanish anyway? She really wished she could get the image of that man out of her head.

Addie wanted to confide in Darcy since she was Addie's closest friend—actually, the only friend she had made since she'd moved to Whisper Cape. It wasn't easy for Addie to make friends. She'd spent most of her life moving from city to city every year and learned early on it was better not to get too close and risk the heartbreak of having to say goodbye.

Darcy was gregarious and candid and Addie found her amusing and fun. She was also very attractive and had a great following of the opposite sex. Her dark hair, short and straight, spiked out at one side in a stylish manner, fitting her slender face and making her huge blue eyes seem even larger. Darcy was the one Addie trusted most to confide in about any of her problems, but this time she felt it best to keep the bizarre event to herself.

"Well, whoever he was, I'm sure he's glad you didn't hit him."

"Yeah, me too," Addie mumbled, relieved when Darcy hadn't noticed the slip about the guy leaving before she could check on him. Her stomach was still in knots as she replayed the event in her mind and considered the possibility that the whole experience was a remnant of her nightmares. People didn't just disappear. Did they?

# Chapter Three

The Bar and Grill filled up quickly with hungry and thirsty tourists, just as Gerry had predicted. The place was packed, but it didn't bother Addie. She was grateful for the busy day. It kept her mind off the horror of the morning and allowed Gerry no time to give her any more grief about being late.

By the time the lunch crowd dwindled down to just one customer, Addie was exhausted. She sat at the counter, Darcy beside her with two steaming bowls of clam chowder and hot buttered rolls.

Addie scooted her stool closer to the counter. Drawing in the delicious aroma, she eyed her friend appreciatively and settled in to enjoy the soup. "Mmmm, looks good, thanks. I didn't realize I was hungry until now."

"You're welcome. Now, eat before you pass out. Jared spiced this up just the way you like it."

"Hmmm ... I don't know what I'd do without you to look after me."

"You'd probably starve to death." Darcy smiled as she scooped up a spoonful of the creamy, hot soup.

"Yeah, you're right." There was more truth there than Addie cared to admit. She often went without eating simply because the thought just never occurred to her. She was thin by any standard, but never to the point of worry.

"Hey, I almost forgot. You missed it," Darcy said.

Addie sunk her teeth into the soft buttery roll. "Mmmm ... butter," she said with a blissful grin. "Missed what?"

"With all the commotion about your near accident, I didn't tell you about the new police lieutenant Chief Thompson hired."

"Oh?" Addie stiffened at the mention of the Chief of Police.

"Yeah—he came in here this morning with the chief and ooooh, he's tall and muscular, has dark hair, and gorgeous brown eyes." Darcy sighed at the memory.

Addie relaxed and smiled. Darcy's many infatuations dominated most conversations. "Hmmm, he sounds yummy. How old do you think he is?"

"Dunno. Maybe early thirties. Just so there's no mistake, I've got dibs."

Addie laughed. "Not fair, you get all the good men."

"I do not. Well ... maybe. Anyway, his name is Duane—Lieutenant Duane Whelan."

"You've got that look in your eyes again."

"What look?"

"You know, the one that says, 'I wonder what he's like in bed.'"

Darcy laughed. "Well, at least I'm healthy. When's the last time you thought about a man?"

"I don't know." Not since her nightmares, she thought. She wasn't sure she could trust anyone enough to be intimate with, especially here in this small town. None of the men she'd met attracted her anyway, and the ones who were just visiting, passing through, didn't appeal to her because Addie didn't want a meaningless fling. If the right man were to come along she might be tempted, but she couldn't allow herself that luxury just yet, not until she found out what had happened to her father. Maybe the nightmares would stop after that.

"Yeah, now that's unhealthy," Darcy said.

"Please, let's not go there."

Gerry returned from the kitchen and started counting out the cash drawer. "Addie, when you're finished eating would you mind cleaning the mirror for me? I splattered a wee bit of cream all over it earlier and I need to get this money in the bank."

"No problem." Gerry liked a clean and sparkly bar, always bragging about how far it had come since he'd purchased it a little over a year ago from an elderly couple who'd had trouble maintaining it. Gerry renovated the old run-down building and expanded the eating area to seat more customers. Adding a deck for an outside eating area overlooking the ocean, he turned the restaurant into a great local hangout as well as a popular tourist attraction.

"So why were the chief and his new lieutenant here this morning anyway?" Addie asked.

"Oh, shit, you didn't hear. They found a dead woman this morning on the outer edge of the old Tully farm. Her body was so mangled they couldn't even identify her. Scary, huh?"

Addie nodded and thought of her father's death. "Yes, scary. Did they say what killed her?"

"They're not sure but they think it could have been a mountain lion or some other animal, but they won't know anything until after the autopsy."

"A mountain lion?" Addie thought about that, then remembered the mysterious man, and wondered if he'd had anything to do with it.

"Maybe we shouldn't go to the beach tomorrow night," Addie said.

"We'll be okay. Besides, mountain lions don't like fire and they won't come near the water."

"What if it wasn't a mountain lion?"

"Not to worry, we'll have men to protect us and keep us warm."

Addie frowned.

Darcy smiled, scooped up another spoonful of soup, and motioned to the door leading outside. "Hey, speaking of warm, I can't wait until those heaters for the deck arrive. Any word on when they'll get here?"

"Gerry said sometime this week, if we're lucky." Addie, grateful for the change in subject, added, "Let's eat out there as soon as they come, okay?"

They looked forward to using the new deck; it extended off the dining room and curved around the back, overlooking the best location around for whale watching. Gerry had installed a barrier of Plexiglas standing eight feet high that surrounded the entire deck, protecting the area against the strong coastal winds, but heaters were definitely a necessity.

"Absolutely. So, what are you planning to wear tomorrow night? You can borrow my new pink blouse if you'd like. Do you want me to help you with your makeup?" Darcy smirked as she reached over and started to fuss with Addie's hair, pulling it up in the back to see what she might be able to do with it.

Addie swatted Darcy's hand away. "Cut it out! There's no way in hell you're touching my face or my hair, and what is this incessant desire of yours to always want to dress me?"

"I just think you should explore some colors other than black all the time. The Goth look is okay for a while, but don't you think it's time for a change?"

"The Goth look?" Addie asked with a half-laugh.

"Yeah, you know, all dark and spooky." Darcy wiggled her fingers in the air trying to look scary.

"Thanks," Addie choked out, suddenly self-conscious about her appearance.

"Oh, come on, Addie, you know what I mean. You know you're really pretty; I just think you could look a bit sexier if you wore something other than black T-shirts and black pants all the time. You'll never get a boyfriend if you don't make any effort."

"Well, you know I dress this way for work. The last thing I want is to look sexy here and have every man pawing me and lusting after me."

"Yeah, we should all be so lucky."

Gerry walked up behind Addie and leaned in close. "I'll protect you, sweetheart."

"What are you doing listening in on our conversation?" Darcy asked.

He laughed. "Sorry, couldn't help it. It's quiet in here at the moment."

Both women shook their heads in exasperation.

Gerry winked. "It's true enough, though. Even if you were to use more makeup and dress differently, it wouldn't change you in the slightest. You'd still be sexy-beautiful."

"I guess you're cursed," Darcy added.

Addie pursed her lips. She knew her body had its share of ample curves, she just wasn't keen on the idea of showing them off the way Darcy did, and she certainly wasn't convinced that wearing a sexy blouse was a good idea even if Gerry was there to help ward off any male prowlers. Of course, she didn't really need his protection; she was very capable of defending herself, but still, having a man in her life right now might complicate things. The nightmares had something to do with the way her dad died and Addie considered them a presage of her own future. The last thing she needed was a man telling her she was crazy and should get over it—as the cops had implied after her dad's death. Her Aunt Maia agreed with her, but after the police closed the case, Maia told Addie she needed to move on. She said there wasn't anything they could do about it, and suggested they move back to Whisper Cape, where she was born, and start a new life.

Addie picked up her bowl, paused, and, not wanting to go anywhere close to the kitchen where Jared was, gave Darcy a pathetic look.

"Someday..." Darcy mumbled, shaking her head and rolling her eyes as she grabbed Addie's empty bowl along with her own and headed toward the kitchen.

Addie strolled around to the other side of the bar and wiped up the place where they'd had their lunch. She liked the way the bar had a relaxed come-sit-for-a-spell feel. As she moved on to wipe the cream spots off the mirror she couldn't help but admire the way it gave the illusion that the bar and dining area were twice as large. At certain times of the day, like now, with the sun glimmering in, it created an illusion of tiny sparkling lights emanating from the bottles lined up in front of it.

Addie continued to speculate over the possibility of whether or not she might have actually killed a man today, which would make her a murderer. Why hadn't she tried harder to see if he was okay? She reached beside the cash register for the remote to the television to check the news when her blood ran hot again and a jolt of tiny sparks surged from her fingertips.

"Ouch," she cried in a low whisper, jumping back from the remote. "Damn static electricity," she grumbled and rubbed her hand on her thigh as the television blasted on. She stared at the undisturbed remote control.

"How did that happen? I didn't even touch the remote," she mumbled to herself in a low voice. Her gaze moved from the television to the remote and back again. She looked around to see if anyone else could have used the other remote, but Gerry had already left for the bank and Darcy was on the other side of the room singing a song as she cleared away some dirty glasses.

"Hey, Darcy, have you experienced any static electricity today?" she asked, trying to control the tremor in her voice.

"Static electricity?" Darcy repeated, giving Addie a puzzled look. "No. Why?"

"I don't know. I just got shocked and was wondering."

Darcy returned to her song and clearing the table. Addie grabbed the remote and surfed the channels for some news. If she had killed him, surely they would mention it, but the only thing on the news was the story of the woman they'd found that morning, mauled to death. They had discovered her on the outskirts of an old farm, her face and body mangled, her clothes in shreds. Addie shuddered but continued to watch the news for about half an hour and was relieved not to hear any mention of a hit-and-run anywhere.

She looked over as Gerry entered through the back door, returning from his bank errand. Darcy and Jared were in the kitchen, chattering to each other about something Addie didn't care to know about. She glanced out the window, saw the sun shining, and remembered the camera she'd brought with her, thinking it would be a good idea to take advantage of the afternoon light and get some pictures of the coastline.

"I'm going out for a while," Addie said to Gerry as she removed her apron, laying it beside the register. She grabbed her jacket and ran toward the door.

"Okay, but be sure you're back by four o'clock. I need your help with the liquor inventory for tonight, and don't go wandering off by yourself near any farms!"

"No problem," Addie shouted back and glanced at her watch. She had an hour, which gave her plenty of time to get some good pictures.

Addie drove about a mile, then pulled over at what looked like a great spot providing several different views of the coast. Leaving the clunky tripod behind, she grabbed her camera and headed for the trail to the cliffs. Gazing around at the high shrubs, she realized it wasn't a well-traveled path and an uneasy tightness inched up her spine as she thought about the dead woman. Nearing the edge of the cliff, Addie spotted a small building. An old tool shed, she figured, with a small group of sightseers milling around on the other side of it.

Popular place, she mused and trekked on with a sudden surge of courage. Her spirits brightened as the sun warmed her skin, but she thought she'd better hurry and get some decent pictures before it disappeared behind the clouds she spotted rolling in.

Addie strolled toward the shed, thinking it might make a good picture with the cliff in the background.

She froze when she saw the black leather coat.

He stood at the corner of the entrance to the shed, reading something resembling a map. The sun glared in her eyes, and she squinted, trying to make out his face. She was sure he was the same man. She'd recognize that coat anywhere and the black hair he kept tucking behind his ears as the wind blew it around his face. A great sense of relief came over her as she realized he was alive. Excited, she headed in his direction to apologize for almost hitting him, and ask where he'd disappeared to so quickly. As she approached, his gaze met hers and he scowled. She strode toward him, and as she neared, he turned and walked around to the other side of the shed.

She struggled with the decision to turn and go in the other direction or continue walking toward him. Curiosity got the better of her so she continued to the shed.

The sun filtered through what was left of the roof and the holes in the faded green walls made it easy to see through to the other side. As she rounded the corner, he looked up and his frown deepened. She wasn't sure if she should be frightened or angry. She was certain he recognized her, but as she started to speak, he brushed past her in a blur and disappeared into the thicket a few feet away.

She hadn't expected the cold brush-off.

That went well. What an ass. Hmmm... Addie shook her head at the thought, leaned against the side of the shed, and sighed. Glancing down at the camera in her hands, she remembered the reason why she was there and wandered toward the edge of the cliff, taking her bruised ego with her, only to discover the fog had rolled in.

"Jeez, so much for taking pictures today."

The fog grew thick around her, abrupt and so dense. With each breath, she tasted the minute particles of water penetrating her tongue, cool and salty. Barely able to see five feet ahead, Addie felt the sinister air all the way through; every bone in her body trembled. She heard the waves crashing against the rocks below the cliffs, and the roar they made had her stepping backwards. She thought of the dead woman they'd found earlier and her heart pounded in her chest as a lump formed in her throat. The trail, now covered with fog, was only a memory, and she ran, blindly, in the direction of her truck. When she reached it, she jumped in and locked the doors. Panting, she took a minute to calm herself before starting the truck. She glanced around and noticed the fog had dissipated almost as quickly as it had appeared. It was still cloudy, but at least she could see the road as she eased onto the highway.

# Chapter Four

Cael walked back to the old abandoned shack he'd been leaning against for shelter from the wind when the woman had shown up. He'd been checking out a local map in search of a hotel close by when she came strolling over with a camera dangling from her wrist. She walked straight toward him, mumbling, recognition written all over her face. Man, questions about his instant disappearance were the last thing he needed.

Although, before he brushed her off, he took the time to notice the brown hair cascading around her shoulders and her long slender legs—legs that seemed to glide as she walked—the kind of legs a man would really enjoy having wrapped around him. Damn, when she started to approach him he'd panicked and disappeared into the thicket. What was he thinking? Now she'd probably be even more curious.

The dense fog scared her enough, he noted, and smiled. He'd watched with his heightened vision as she sprinted back to her truck. He could almost feel the scream welling in her lungs. Well, maybe he'd get lucky and never run into her again during this mission that was turning out to be the most important one of his life. His world was being threatened and the dead woman they'd found that morning just made his task more urgent.

He'd been a private investigator for the Sectorium for nearly two years now, after his short stint with the New York Police Department. He had known from the time he was a small boy what he wanted to do—what he would do—when he grew up. Being a cop had been just a stepping-stone to his career with the organization.

He walked toward the road and thought about finding a place to stay. A hotel for a couple days would be fine, but considering they'd found the dead woman, it appeared as though he would most likely be here longer than just a couple of days. A house would be the only way he would feel comfortable and something with an alarm was imperative. So first thing tomorrow, he would search for a house. He looked forward to having a kitchen—he hated eating out all the time. He was a decent cook, and actually enjoyed it. Besides, from what he remembered, there weren't too many great places to eat around here. The Cliff Hanger restaurant he'd noticed was most likely the only respectable place other than the small cafe in town.

He'd been here before, many times as a child and again as an adult. Whisper Cape was a small town and Cael enjoyed its welcoming spirit and wished he could visit more often. He thought of the woman again, her long slender legs and flowing brown hair. A reason to visit more often? Hmmm. The last thing he needed now was a beautiful female complicating his life, not that he wouldn't enjoy the complication, especially with this one, but business first.

Addie worked nonstop through the dinner rush. She fingered the tip money in her pocket and smiled. It had been a good night so far and she was grateful, not only for the money, but for the distraction from worrying about the mystery man.

At half past eight, locals started trickling in. Being Saturday, she was in for a long night.

Addie saw Nick in the bar, taking advantage of his night off. A man filled with encouragement and good cheer, he'd helped Gerry train her as a bartender. Not exactly a young man, he'd never had any problems picking up the young pretty tourist women. With his charming gift of gab, Nick was an attractive man for someone Addie guessed to be about fifty. Despite a little gray at the temples and a few laugh lines around his eyes, he still qualified as a definite lady-killer. Tonight he'd managed to surround himself with a couple of blonde hotties—tourists, no doubt.

Jared had finished his shift for the night and was sitting down at the other end of the bar. She was glad for that. He was a nice guy, but more Darcy's type than hers. Darcy always went for the rugged silent type, giving her the upper hand. She enjoyed wrapping men around her little finger.

Darcy and Jared had dated each other in the past, and Addie wondered why they were no longer together. Any time Addie asked Darcy about it, she'd clam up.

Glancing toward the end of the bar, Addie caught her aunt, Maia, staring at her. Addie smiled and waved and Maia waved back. Maia usually came in on Friday and Saturday nights to hang out with Gerry. Most times, she would assist behind the bar, wait tables, or anything else that needed attending, but tonight she just sat, looking worried as she listened to Chief Thompson and the new lieutenant.

Maia was her dad's younger sister, fourteen years younger, actually. She was a pretty woman with soft golden brown eyes that twinkled when she smiled. Some people said Addie resembled her aunt, but she thought she looked more like her mother. Then again, she had only seen pictures of her mother, who'd died during Addie's birth.

Maia was the one who'd raised Addie. Maia had been just eleven years old when Addie's grandparents had died in a car accident, leaving Maia nowhere else to turn except to her older brother, whose wife had just died a few months earlier, leaving him to care for a new baby girl. Addie thought of her dad and what a tragedy it must have been for him to lose his wife and his parents all in the same year. Maia was old enough to help care for Addie, and as time passed, she became Addie's sole care provider as her dad's work often took him away for days at a time. Maia sacrificed most of her teenage years caring for Addie, giving up friends and boyfriends.

After twenty-something years of living back east, they moved back to Whisper Cape, where Addie had spent the early years of her childhood, and where her aunt and her dad had grown up.

Addie wondered why Maia was talking to the chief and his new lieutenant for so long. The chief, with his dark hair and dark eyes, seemed very serious as he tugged on his bushy mustache. Maybe the man she'd almost hit had filed a complaint against her. She watched as the lieutenant got up, smiled as he said his goodbyes, and then left—but the chief remained. If he planned to arrest her, surely he'd have done so by now. But she still couldn't shake the mystery man from her mind. The way he had vanished was so bizarre.

The night dragged on and Addie found herself glancing at her watch—several times.

She sighed; eleven o'clock. Two hours left—two very long hours. As she pulled the tap down to fill a glass with beer, the front door opened and the wind blasted through, hitting her in the face. Addie looked up and there he was.

A lump formed in her throat as she watched him walk straight to the little table in the back corner. She gulped, and then motioned to Darcy to join her.

As Darcy shimmied her way between two customers seated at the bar, Addie leaned closer and whispered, "There he is."

"Who?" Darcy whispered back.

"The man I almost ran over this morning."

"Where?"

"He's over there at the corner table."

Darcy looked over at the table. "Are you sure it's him?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I saw him this afternoon by the cliffs when I went there to take pictures."

"Well, it's a good thing you missed him. You forgot to mention he was gorgeous. I wouldn't mind running into him myself," Darcy teased.

"No, please don't."

"Okay, settle down. It's nice to see you're interested," she laughed.

Addie tried to calm herself. Maybe he hadn't gotten a good look at her before he disappeared.

Addie placed a glass under the beer tap and filled it. As she turned around, her gaze met his. This is it. My life is over. She tore her eyes away and glanced to see Chief Thompson still talking with her aunt.

Addie turned to the man at the corner table again and this time their eyes held. She smiled at him, and like this afternoon, he didn't smile back. Again, her ego took a dive. She turned to wipe up a spill, feigning disinterest. When she looked back in his direction, he was still staring at her.

He was rather striking and rugged. His scowl added a warrior edge to his face, sending a chill down her spine. Even with the frown, he was undeniably handsome.

Addie glanced in the mirror behind her to check her appearance ... nothing out of place. She smoothed her hair—tightening the elastic band holding it together in one long tail that draped between her shoulder blades—and bit her lips, hoping to elicit some color from them. She hated to admit it, but maybe Darcy was right and she could use a sexier wardrobe.

She watched as the man ordered a drink from Darcy and noticed a slight smile form on his lips as Darcy walked away with a smirk.

"I need a Screwdriver, a Bloody Mary, and a Guinness," Darcy said as she placed her tray down in front of Addie's station.

"What did you say to him?"

"Nothing, just asked him want he wanted."

"Why would you do that? I asked you not to." Addie frowned.

"Uh, it's my job? He's the Guinness."

"Oh. Why were you smiling?"

Darcy shrugged. "He's very polite."

Cael sat at the only available table in the small restaurant. When he noticed the woman from this afternoon standing behind the bar, he wished there had been somewhere else to go, but this was a small town without many choices. All he could do now was try to enjoy his beer.

He found himself staring, and as he studied her more closely, he considered her slender features. A straight nose, large golden brown eyes, almost too large for her face, those lovely lips, and her hair, that silky brown hair—now pulled away from her face and hanging in a sleek trail down her back. He was unable to tear his eyes away from her.

"Complications," he muttered.

His lifestyle didn't leave much room for relationships; even casual encounters were difficult. He was here for one reason only, to find Risteard's killer—who was most likely the same monster who'd slaughtered the woman they'd found that morning. Cael needed to find him before he murdered anyone else, and with any luck, he just might find the crystal and the sacred journal, both of which had been in Risteard's custody.

He continued to watch the woman behind the bar. It was almost impossible not to think about touching her. Hell, he was a man, and as a man, he bet she'd be dynamite in bed. One beer ... one beer only, he promised himself. A man's entitled to one beer, and so what if the view was gorgeous while he was drinking it? So much the better.

# Chapter Five

Addie found it hard not to glance over at the man seated at the corner table. She grimaced upon discovering his intimidating glare remained. Darcy delivered his beer, and he smiled at her but then turned his scowl back toward Addie.

"Polite?" she mumbled.

He sipped his beer, eyeing her over the rim. He looked dangerous—dangerous and sexy. Why did he continue to frown at her? She wished one of the many nautical items hanging around on the wall would fall on his head. That would give him something to frown about—hmmm, if only ...

Unable to take the scowl anymore, she turned to Gerry. "I'll be back in five," she said and sprinted to the restroom.

She sat in the stall with her face in her hands, irritation turning to anger. Why the hell did she care about him anyway? If he wanted to act like a pompous ass, well, she shouldn't be bothered.

Regaining her composure, she stepped out from the stall and went to the sink, ran cold water over her hands and splashed some over her face. She dried her hands and the bathroom door opened. In walked her Aunt Maia.

"Here you are. You look stressed," Maia said, putting her arm around Addie's shoulder.

"No, I'm fine. Just a little tired." Addie offered up a weak smile and hoped her aunt would accept her excuse.

"Yes, it has been busy tonight. Gerry told me you were late this morning. He also said something about you almost hitting a man on the road. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she lied.

"You must have been pretty frightened, especially on that highway. One wrong turn, and ... well, let's not think about it."

"Right, I'm trying not to."

"Sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up, but I was concerned about you, and I'm glad you're okay."

"You worry about me too much."

"I know, but since I don't have any kids of my own, you get all my attention—which reminds me, Chief Thompson was telling me about the woman they found. He's not sure what killed her but thought it might have been a mountain lion. So, be sure to stay alert when you're outside."

"Mountain lions don't usually come this close to the coast, do they?"

"I don't think so, but whatever it was, just be aware, okay?"

"Okay." Addie hesitated, and then went on, "Maia, don't you think it sort of sounds familiar?"

"You mean the way your dad was killed?"

Maia took Addie's hands in hers and faced her, the two women looking so much alike they could almost be twins. "Addie, what happened to your dad was hideous. Perhaps we'll never really know the truth. Your dad wouldn't want you to live in fear." Maia paused. "Are you still having nightmares?"

Addie wanted to say no. She didn't want to talk about the nightmares that began ten months ago, after the morning the police came to the door and informed her they'd found the body of her father, Professor Richard MacKenna, in the woodsy area behind their home in upstate New York. It had been two long, agonizing days since Addie and Maia reported him missing. The police called it an accident, claimed a bear attacked him as he walked through the woods. Addie refused to believe them. Something lured him out there—something much more sinister than a bear. No, she would never accept what the police said and she wouldn't rest easy until she knew what happened to him.

Addie lowered her head and sighed. "Yes."

"I'm sorry."

"I think my nightmares might have something to do with dad's mur ... I mean, the way dad died."

"Of course they do. You're going through a very difficult time. I just wish there was something I could do."

Addie smiled. "I know. I don't think there's anything anyone can do. Don't worry. I'll beat the nightmares on my own."

"I know you will. Remember what I said about staying alert, especially tomorrow. I heard you're going to a campfire on the beach tomorrow night with some of the kids around here. It sounds fun, but just be careful. Oh, by the way, I think Jared is a nice guy."

Addie tried not to let it bother her when Maia referred to people Addie's age as kids. After all, she was twenty-six years old; she and Maia were more like sisters than aunt and niece. Maia was the closest thing to a mother Addie had ever known, though, so she allowed Maia the privilege of treating her like a child once in a while.

"Yes, well, he sort of caught me off guard when he asked me to go. I didn't want to hurt his feelings," she confessed.

Maia glanced at herself in the mirror and fiddled with her hair. "Just go out, have fun. Oh, by the way, did you meet the new lieutenant yet? Nice man, and handsome too."

Addie nodded and smiled, mostly for Maia's benefit.

She left the bathroom feeling relieved to find out Chief Thompson hadn't mentioned anything about her near accident that morning, which meant the man probably wasn't going to press any charges. Still, she couldn't get the similarity of the two deaths—her father's and the dead woman's—out of her mind. Add to that the mysterious man, and she thought she would go crazy. Stepping behind the bar, Addie looked over at the corner table, but he was gone.

Addie walked to her truck after closing up, rummaging through her purse for her keys, wishing she could see better. It was dark on this side of the parking lot. She'd make sure to tell Gerry to replace the light tomorrow. Finally, she placed her hand on the little ball connected to her keys, unlocked the door and jumped in. The lights came on immediately, a nice feature Gerry had installed not too long ago. She started the truck and the headlights blasted across the lot. She looked up and froze. There he was. He stood on the other side of the gravel parking lot, talking to old Bart. He turned and their eyes met. She watched as Bart's hands flung left and then right as if he were giving directions to several different places, while the mystery man's gaze remained riveted on her.

Addie wondered what Bart was pointing to and what sort of conversation the two men were having. Sitting in her truck, she realized she held her breath and let it out. She'd have to find a way to quiz Bart about him tomorrow. Bart Calloon hadn't missed a lunch at the Cliff Hanger since his wife had passed away three years ago. Addie was certain he'd be there tomorrow as well.

She revved the truck engine and it roared as she backed out and turned the truck toward the street, skidding a little more than intended. Glancing in the rear view mirror, Addie saw the man listening to old Bart, but his eyes were still tracking her.

Addie tossed and turned all night, dreaming of a dark-haired man wearing an old beat-up leather coat lying face down on the side of the road. She pulled her truck over and got out to help him. It was just before dark and a thick mist covered the ground, making her steps difficult on the spongy terrain, as if she were walking through a bog. When she got closer to him, he lifted his face up, and frowned. "An evil force has come. A demon lurks." He raised his hand up in a gesture to stop her.

"What? What evil force?"

"Beware, it follows you now," he warned, pointing behind her.

She turned, but saw nothing behind her. When she turned back, he was gone.

She awoke with a gasp, exhausted and drenched with sweat. A gray light seeped in through the slits of the white lace kitchen curtain and the tick of the clock droned on the table beside her. It was only seven in the morning. She could sleep for another hour. Settling back on her pillow, she closed her eyes, then quickly opened them, realizing she was freezing. She tugged at the blankets, bunched up half on the floor and the other half tangled up in her legs, and pulled them up, tucking them under her chin. She thought of the man and yesterday's encounter with him, thought of her nightmares. Something tied them together; why else would she dream about him?

At least this dream hadn't been anything like the nightmare she'd been having over and over again since her father's death. A nightmare that haunted and frightened her.

No longer interested in sleep, she pulled out her laptop.

Nightmares suck, she thought as she rubbed her tired eyes.

"Recurring ones suck more," she grumbled and began searching the internet.

Gritting her teeth at the annoying hum of the old laptop, Addie tapped the keyboard, one finger at a time, thinking the sound might be enough to drive her insane. "Come on, don't die on me now." She stroked the lid, the gentle motion softening the hum to a silky purr. "Hmmm, that's it, hold steady, old girl, hold steady," as if the machine could actually hear her. "Atta girl. I must have a magic touch." She blew out a puff of air, relieved she wouldn't need to spend her next paycheck on a new computer.

Addie clicked on the top search result, "Dreams and Nightmares, Types of Dreams..."

With one hand on the mouse and the other massaging her throat, she tried to ease the phantom pain where, just moments ago, it seemed as though someone else's hands had been. She read the comments on the computer screen.

"When repeated, nightmares are a way for the subconscious to wake up and take notice. Pay attention!"

She sighed. Hugging her knees to her chest, she rocked back and forth, willing the vision and the sensation away, and then sank back against her pillow.

She glanced around at the familiar and somewhat comforting surroundings of her tiny one-room apartment. She stared at the bare walls and stark beige counter separating the kitchen from the living room, wishing for just a second—one tiny second—that she wasn't alone as she remembered the horrible dream.

Everyone had nightmares, but night after night? Except for this new one, they'd always been the same. The same, except along with each new episode rolled in an additional piece of the story, but they always ended with someone choking her, the face shadowed or masked each time. Similar to a suspenseful horror story where you know the beginning and end, but the middle—the who, the where, and the why—comes in bits and pieces like tiny clues, each new revelation more terrifying than the last.

They seemed so real and drained her energy. She shuddered and read on.

"Recurring dreams show little variation in story or theme."

"Well, the theme's the same, but what about the rest ... and the face; why can't I ever see the face?"

"Dreams may recur because an encounter portrayed in the dream remains unsettled. Once a resolution is recognized, the dreams will stop."

"Hmmm ... a resolution. Identifying the murdering bastard would help," she said, the memory of her father's death forever present in her mind. Always.

Addie rubbed her burning eyes and gingerly pulled herself up from the sofa. Holding her breath, she tiptoed to the kitchen as though the nightmare might gather substance and engulf her any minute. She'd set-up the coffee pot on a timer the night before. Otherwise, the heavenly aroma of the dark roast dripping into the pot drove her crazy. The impatient wait for that first sip of coffee always seemed excruciatingly long. She poured herself a cup and sighed as she thought, once more, of the horror that plagued her most nights.

"They're just bad dreams," she mumbled. "Bad dreams my ass," she reconsidered. Something evil lurked in those nightmares. She trembled a bit remembering the way they took hold and wouldn't let go, strangling her until she woke up.

She sipped the strong brew while absently massaging her throat, glancing out the window and down at the almost empty parking lot. Her truck sat in its usual spot—alone in the lot—the last of its fellow smog machines. At half past nine in the morning everyone else in the small apartment complex had already left for work, school, or wherever. It looked so lonely—the way she felt now—and that familiar longing for her dad crept over her. Addie was convinced her nightmares had something to do with his recent death.

She grasped the locket she wore around her neck—a twenty-first birthday present from her dad, who said it would keep her safe—and held it as she headed for the shower.

Addie switched on the single light embedded in the middle of the bathroom ceiling and drew back the seashell shower curtain. The water soothed as it flowed down her face and she stayed under longer than normal, hoping to wash away the remnants of her dreams. Stepping out of the tub, she wrapped a towel around her head and another around her body. She stared into the mirror, into her own eyes, searching for some hidden clue, as if the shower had cleared her mind to reveal a reason for the tormenting hell she fell into every night. No such luck.

She turned away from the mirror and, remembering the campfire, opted for a pair of jeans instead of the usual black pants. Then, thinking about Darcy's suggestion, she put on some makeup. Pulling on a pair of black boots, she grabbed a black sweater—rather worn, with frayed cuffs, but still her favorite—and hoped that would be enough under her jacket to keep her warm. Campfire or not, it would be downright frigid at the beach.

Why did I agree to go? Maybe Darcy was right and she should have refused, but it was too late to back out now.

Since she got up so early, she took her time dressing and did a bit more primping than usual. Not feeling hungry, she poured some coffee and stood gazing out the small window above the kitchen sink. She found herself lost in the view of lush hills and the way the trees flanked up the side, each one higher than the first, and thought of mountain lions. Something caught her eye down in the small courtyard next to the parking lot. Ed Lewis, her apartment manager, seemed to be fiddling with a sprinkler or something and glanced up at her window as if he sensed she was there, which sort of gave her the creeps. He waved and Addie found herself waving back. She turned away and shrugged. The guy was probably just making sure she was okay. He really was a sweet little man, always ready to help. Darcy said he was a new manager, much nicer than the old one, and a whiz at fixing things. She'd see him periodically at the Cliff Hanger, having a few beers or eating dinner—usually alone. He kept to himself most of the time and she wondered if he was just shy or preferred the solitude. Considering he was a funny-looking, scrawny little man with unruly wiry-brown hair, she figured not very many women would find him particularly attractive.

She acquired the apartment a month ago when Maia and Gerry started to get serious. Gerry—being the ever overprotective near-uncle—had been against it. He didn't like the idea of Addie living alone, but when Addie accidentally walked in on them one night during an intimate moment, he changed his mind. She used a little of the money from the trust fund her father had set up for the first month's rent. She barely made enough money to get by but vowed to make it on her own without tapping any more of the trust fund. Her newly found independence was important to her; a late bloomer some might say, but she didn't care.

She headed for the door and looked around to make sure everything was in its place. Her apartment was essentially one room, with a counter dividing the living room from the kitchen. It was small but adequate, all hers, and she loved it.

Thirty minutes later, Addie walked into the Cliff Hanger Bar and Grill, grabbed her apron from its hook, and strolled behind the bar. Gerry turned toward her, grinning.

Addie grimaced at him. "What?"

"Ah now, there you are. Don't you look lovely, Addie?"

Addie turned back toward the register, tying her apron around her waist. "You don't need to sound so surprised."

"Sorry, I haven't had the pleasure of seeing you with much makeup before. You've always been a beautiful lass, but now you're ... striking," he said.

She turned and caught her reflection in the mirror behind the bar. She had to admit, the soft rosy color she'd added to her cheeks did bring out a sparkle in her eyes.

Gerry chuckled as he watched her. "Addison, you're a beautiful woman, and what makes you more beautiful is, you don't even know it."

Addie blushed. "Well, I..."

"Just accept the compliment." Darcy walked behind Addie. "Gerry's right."

"Fuckin' A, I'm right." He smiled and opened a bottle of Heineken, setting it on the bar in front of old Bart.

With a sheepish grin, Addie started slicing limes for the cocktails. She remembered her plans to question Bart today, but he and Gerry seemed to be engaged in a long conversation about whether or not the Oregon State Beavers would beat Cal next week. She needed some time alone with Bart so she could ask him about the man he was talking to last night.

# Chapter Six

Addie searched around the dining area for some sort of distraction that would pull Gerry's attention away from old Bart.

Jared became her unknowing savior as he poked his head out the kitchen doorway. "Gerry, could you give me a hand with moving these boxes?"

"Sure. Excuse me, Bart, duty calls."

"No problem, you go right ahead, I'll just sit here and gaze at this pretty new bartender you have." He gave Addie a wink.

"Hey, Addie, you look different ... nice," Jared said, before going back into the kitchen.

"God, I wish everyone would stop making such a big deal about my appearance."

She stepped over to Bart and leaned in close. "Hey, I saw you talking to a man outside around closing last night. Do you know him?" Her voice was hushed, almost a whisper.

"I might." He grinned and took a sip of his beer.

Bart was a charming man, not really old, but he referred to himself that way, so people just started calling him old Bart. He had a knack for telling wonderful stories and was always ready to share one.

His deep blue eyes twinkled when he smiled and Addie felt certain he must have been very handsome in his younger years—was still handsome. He had a full head of hair, mostly black with small traces of silver scattered throughout. He wore it long to his shoulders, usually pulled back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck, but today, it hung down in thick, soft-looking waves.

"Well, who was he and what did he want?"

"Oh, he wanted to know if I knew anything about the cliffs we have around here."

"Why did he ask about the cliffs?" Addie placed her elbow on the bar and her hand under her chin, leaning in closer to hear.

"Oh, well now, you wouldn't know, would you?"

"No, I guess not. What do you mean?"

Bart told stories with such conviction, you never really knew if they were true or not, and she had a feeling this was going to be a good one.

"You see ... there's a story of a horrific dark and powerful monster capable of great destruction."

Yeah, this is going to be good. Addie straightened her back and listened.

"Well," Bart went on, "he roams the cliffs at night in search of a powerful crystal, killing anyone or anything in his path. You see," he wiggled his finger for her to come closer, "the crystal is guarded by the most prestigious member of an ancient secret society. If the monster finds that crystal and kills the protector, he can steal the guardian's special powers ... probably kill all the other members as well, draining their powers from them, which would give him enough strength to control the entire world. He had slaughtered many over the years. They say if you stand out at the cape, you can hear the dead whispering warnings. Some people claim his last victim's body washed up on the shore several days after she'd gone missing—mangled beyond recognition. Some say he only appears during a full moon. Others disagree, saying he's always searching and roaming the cape, taking on many different forms, from a gigantic wolf with demonic features to a humungous bear with claws the size of ten-inch blades and some say—"

"Bart, stop." Gerry appeared next to Addie, placing his hand under her chin and closing her gaping mouth. "I won't be having you scaring my bartender with foolish stories. She has enough bad dreams to contend with now."

"I've lived here for nine whole months. Why is it I'm just now hearing about this?" Addie demanded.

"Because, Addie, you're too susceptible to nightmares. Nobody should be filling your head with this bloody garbage. It's just an old fable," Gerry said, giving a stern glance toward Bart.

"Well, I did say it was just a story, now. Some people believe and some don't." Bart chuckled.

"Addie, don't let him scare you," Darcy chimed in. "That old legend has been around ever since they named this place Whisper Cape. People walk the paths along the cliffs all the time. Nothing bad ever happens to them."

"Yeah, what about the woman they found yesterday? What killed her?" Addie demanded.

"I'm sure Bart's monster had nothing to do with it," Gerry said.

"Yeah, and besides, she was nowhere near the cliffs," Darcy added.

Addie tried to relax, but Bart's story sounded too familiar, too much like her nightmares.

Bart's cheeks puffed as he let out a huge breath of air. "Well, time for me to go home. I suspect I've caused enough damage for one day. Addie, sorry if I frightened you." He stood and leaned in close to her. "By the way, that fellow I spoke to last night wanted to know if I knew of any rental property available around here. He's a real nice young man. Seems he'll be in the area a while." He winked and turned to leave.

"Thanks," Addie said, satisfied she hadn't been the topic of conversation last night. Although, she did wonder why Bart winked and figured he must be part of the conspiracy to find her a man. She smiled at him and returned to cleaning the counter, trying not to think about the story.

She kept her eyes on the door for the rest of the afternoon, wondering if the mystery man would be the next one to walk through, surprised to find she was disappointed that he hadn't shown up by the end of her shift.

There was plenty of room in Addie's truck for Darcy and Jared, which was perfect because she really hated the idea of being alone with Jared. They hiked down the slope to the beach, each clutching a small canvas chair, Jared carrying a six-pack of beer in his other hand. The huge campfire was set up in a pit in the sand surrounded by people sitting on beach chairs. With the moon hidden behind the clouds, the only light Addie could see for miles around was from the red flames of the fire and the tiny lamp at the edge of the restroom near the parking lot.

"Everyone, this is Addie," Jared said and several of the people mumbled back, "hi" and waved. "And you all know Darcy," he added lifelessly as Darcy went to sit by a dark-haired guy.

Addie thought she recognized him and some of the others from the bar. She found it interesting that Jared still had long-time friends from his high school years. Addie had never retained a friend longer than six months in her life, because every time she made a friend, she had to move away. Jared handed her a beer and sat down beside her.

"Who's that guy Darcy is sitting next to?" Addie whispered to Jared.

Jared glanced at Darcy, then lowered his eyes and studied his beer. "I think his name is Tim. He's some biker dude who started hanging out here. I don't know too much about him."

"He looks like a creep to me."

"Yeah, you got that right." He toyed with his beer and looked like he'd lost his best friend and Addie, unsure if she should ask why, simply took a sip of her beer.

"So, why'd you move all the way out here?" Jared asked as though something snapped and he remembered where he was. "I mean, shit, all the way across the country."

"Well..." She dreaded talking about her past, so she made it quick and simple. "I had a hard time after my dad died. Everywhere I turned, everything I touched in the house reminded me of him. My aunt suggested we move here and start a new life. She and my dad grew up here ... and I was born here."

"Well, I'm glad you came back."

"Me too."

Surprised the short explanation hadn't been so difficult, she smiled and relaxed, taking another sip of her beer and tilting her head back to admire the sky. The moon was full and surrounded by pillows of clouds; she thought of the story Bart told her, and a shudder crawled up her spine. "Wow, will you look at the moon? I don't think I've ever seen it look quite so, I don't know, intimidating."

Jared grinned. "You're not afraid of old Bart's story, are you?"

"No," she lied. "It just the moon ... it's so large and the way the clouds are surrounding it like cushions, I don't know, it's makes me feel small and insignificant."

"You're anything but insignificant, Addie," Jared whispered in her ear.

His warm breath on her neck gave her an uncomfortable feeling and she flinched when he slipped his arm around her shoulder. An awkward situation, but she wanted to be careful with Jared. She considered him a friend and didn't want his feelings for her to ruin their friendship.

"I'm glad you came tonight, Addie," he said, leaning in to kiss her.

She pushed at him with her free hand. "Jared, please, don't take this the wrong way, but I'm not sure this is the best thing for us. We do have to work together."

"I like to live dangerously," he cajoled.

"Well, I don't. Besides, we're friends and kissing ... well, it would just complicate things. So let's not go there, okay?" Wanting to be alone, she stood and placed her empty beer bottle down in the sand. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?"

"To the bathroom."

"I'll go with you. You shouldn't go alone. Remember the mountain lions?"

"Jared, mountain lions don't come this close to the ocean. You stay here, enjoy the fire and your friends. I'll be fine."

"But it's all the way up the fucking hill," he protested, pointing up toward the restrooms.

"I can manage." She just needed a few minutes, that was all. It was a bit scary going up there alone, but she could take care of herself. She'd had enough self-defense training to enable her to kick the ass of any possible assailant. "Look, you can see it from down here. I'll be fine. I promise."

"Okay. I'll be watching the whole time, though. Oh, here, take this flashlight," he said.

"Thanks." She took the flashlight and started her trek up the hill, sensing his eyes on her the whole way—a little unsettling, but at the same time, she was somewhat grateful for his concern.

The hike up the hill turned out to be tougher than she'd expected. By the time she reached the top, she was completely out of breath and made a mental note to work out an extra day in the coming week. She stopped to catch her breath before stepping onto the path. It was dark except for the soft glow of the yellow bug light on the other side of the building near the entrance to the bathroom. Keeping her head down and focusing on the flashlight so she wouldn't trip, she hurried toward the facilities. Rounding the corner to the entrance, her head slammed into a large metal sign blocking the entrance to the bathroom, sending her backwards.

Someone caught her.

# Chapter Seven

"Are you okay?" His voice strummed like a deep velvet chord resonating in her ears.

"Huh? Um ... I think so." The dim light from above flickered on and off, but it didn't take long before she realized who held her and her heart slammed so hard against her chest Addie was sure he could feel it.

The stranger who kept showing up everywhere helped her to stand, then swiped at the dark curl hanging over his eye. His dimpled grin turned to a frown as he brushed his fingers over a very tender spot on her forehead, then returned his hand to her arm, holding her steady. "You should glance up once in a while when you're walking fast in the dark. You're going to have a nasty bump there by tomorrow."

"Yeah." Addie touched her brow, gingerly rubbing the sore spot. She frowned and wondered what he was doing out here.

"I saw you at the bar last night. I think you were working."

"Right, I'm a bartender there."

He smirked. "Yeah, I figured as much, since you were behind the bar mixing drinks."

Addie started to sway and he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Whoa, are you sure you're going to be okay?"

Mesmerized, she gazed into his dark blue eyes; the soft light shining down on them added a warm glow to his beautiful face. He had a slight curve to his lips, almost a smile, which hadn't been there before. She wasn't afraid, though her mind told her she should be. Instead, she felt surprisingly safe there in his arms. There was something heartfelt, yet mysterious, so enigmatic and undeniable about him. Blinking, Addie's cheeks burned as she realized she was staring.

"Yes, I'm sure. I'm fine. Thanks for catching me," she mumbled.

He eased his arms from around her, but moved his hands to her shoulders. "My pleasure. Lucky for you I was here—you would have hit that rock on the ground harder than you hit the sign you so gracefully ran into."

"Yeah," she managed. A great comeback to his sarcasm eluded her while she looked into his eyes. Suddenly conscious of how close they stood, she attempted to move toward the women's room door but was unsuccessful under his firm hold.

"I think I'll be okay; you can let go now."

"Okay." He eased back and, slowly lowering his arms, stuck his hands in his pockets, a very nonthreatening gesture. "But you'll have to use the men's room; the women's doesn't seem to be working."

"What?"

"The sign," he said, nodding toward the large metal pole with the notice on it.

"Jeez, just my luck."

"I can stand guard if you'd like." His broad smile had her stomach fluttering and the blood throughout her body tingled.

She glanced around and didn't see any other option since she'd drunk an entire bottle of beer and it was determined to find a way out. "Okay, if you don't mind, thanks."

"No problem. It's really not so bad in there. There are stalls with doors." He chuckled.

Feeling a bit uncertain about the idea of using the men's bathroom, she entered and glanced around. Two stalls just like the women's room, except in this room, against the wall next to the sink, stood a urinal. She wrinkled her nose at the sight of it as she stepped into one of the stalls and closed the door. The small room reeked of antiseptic, but Addie straddled the seat anyway, not wanting her skin to make contact just in case. She was surprised at how well kept the place was and had a new respect for the Parks and Recreation Department.

What is he doing here at the beach and why does he keep appearing out of nowhere? He seems harmless, but one can never be too certain. Who is he, anyway?

Addie had a ton of questions she wanted to ask him. She quickly washed her hands in the little sink and emerged from the bathroom. There he stood, as promised, leaning against the wall with his hands still in his pockets, looking gorgeous and rather mysterious. Her stomach fluttered as though it held a million tiny hummingbirds vibrating their wings.

"All finished, Grace?" he asked. The smug look on his face caught her off guard.

Gathering her poise and ignoring the barb, she considered asking him about his disappearing act, but thought better of it. Maybe he hadn't realized she was the one in the truck or at the cliff yesterday.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" Addie asked.

"I was out here taking a walk—my hotel is just over there." He pointed toward a large two-story building across the highway. "I was enjoying the sound of the waves until you came huffing up the hill, and proceeded to almost knock your head off."

"Oh," Addie muttered, but then added in defense, "I wasn't huffing."

"Yeah, you were, a little." His smile suggested he was teasing, but Addie couldn't be certain about that, or anything else about this man.

"Well, so sorry to have interrupted your serene moment."

"No problem, I rather enjoyed it. The interruption, I mean."

How could he be so charming now? She wanted to yell and scream at him for all the anguish he put her through over the past two days. One minute he scowled at her and the next, he was cordial, almost likable. Almost. Underneath the charm, Addie detected arrogance, and she wasn't quite sure if she found him appealing or irritating.

"Well, thanks for guarding the door," she finally managed.

"Anytime. See you around." He smiled and walked around the corner of the building.

Intrigued, she hurried to the corner and peeked around after him—but he was gone.

Cael had been checking out the area and taking in the cool night ocean breeze when he heard her panting up the hill. Amused, he'd stopped to watch her and, as she reached the top, he decided, why fight it, there's just no avoiding her.

He had chuckled to himself as she walked—eyes down at her flashlight—heading straight for the large metal out-of-order sign. He thought she would have looked up but when she ran smack into it, he'd had no choice but to rush over and catch her as she fell backwards, almost hitting her head on a nasty jagged-edged rock.

Closing the door and turning the cheap lock of his hotel room, Cael tugged off his coat and threw it over the chair. There it was, a blown opportunity. He cursed. Why hadn't he stayed and talked to her?

He sat on the bed and flipped on the bedside lamp, but the bright bulb assaulted his eyes. Turning it off, he tossed aside the heavy brown comforter, leaned back against the pillow and stared into the dark, realizing he'd never be able to get to sleep. His blood ran warm most times, and thinking about the woman made it worse. He knew the risks of getting involved while he was on an assignment, especially with a woman as sexy as this one. However dangerous the mission was, she was all the more dangerously gorgeous. Cael tried to maintain relationships but they always ended poorly. Most women couldn't accept the secrecy. He wasn't a normal man, and he'd had to keep secrets from those close to him for their protection as well as his own. He'd had his share of one-night stands; wanting more than that was just asking for trouble.

He'd considered going to the Cliff Hanger Bar and Grill earlier that day. Thought he might catch another glimpse of her—possibly talk to her—but time ran out after spending most of the day with the chief of police, gathering information about the recent Jane Doe case. The chief seemed grateful for the extra help, which was just the reception he'd hoped to receive. If he was going to find Risteard's killer, he needed all the data he could get. Then, he'd gone to see about renting a house and simply ran out of time.

He thought of the woman with the long legs again, the way her brown hair fell over her shoulders. His fingers ached to tangle in the strands of soft silk. Complications or not, there was something about her...

Jared beamed and hurried toward Addie as she approached him. His smile faded as his finger brushed over the red bump on her head. "What happened?"

"I had a little collision with an out-of-order sign," she said, and thinking that sounded idiotic, she explained. "I had my head down, looking at the flashlight and I didn't notice the stupid sign as I turned the corner."

"Bet you'll have a nasty bruise there tomorrow."

"Yeah, I've heard that already," she mumbled.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing."

He grabbed her hand, tugging her along down toward the water. "Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"For a walk. If I can't kiss you, I need to walk."

"No, Jared, it's too cold away from the fire. Besides, my head is starting to hurt. Maybe it would be better if we just sat for a while."

"Okay." His shoulders slumped as he led her back to her chair.

"Thanks for understanding." Addie noticed the regret in his eyes as they both glanced at Tim and Darcy, their lips locked tight, and she was grateful Jared didn't try to kiss her again.

The fire blazed, lighting the whole area around them as tiny sparks and embers floated into the air before dying out. She considered asking him about his relationship with Darcy, since Darcy was so reticent about it.

"So, you and Darcy used to go out, right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I just wondered. Was that before you started working at the Cliff Hanger?"

"Yeah. Do you like working there?"

Well, she'd given it a shot. "Yeah, I do, even if it is different from what I'd originally planned."

"What was that?"

"Oh, working with my dad, researching ancient artifacts, going on expeditions to archeology digs and excavations, and exploring ancient ruins. But I enjoy meeting new people, seeing locals come in every day, getting to know them, and Gerry's usually pretty easy-going even though he tends to be a bit overprotective at times."

"Rumor has it you don't really need to work and that you're rolling in dough."

"Where did you get that idea?"

"Darcy."

"Oh. Well, my dad did leave me a considerable inheritance, but I don't want to depend on it. I think I would get bored if I didn't work. The money's there if I need it, but I'm trying to make it on my own. Did you always want to be a cook?"

He shrugged. "No. When I was ten I wanted to be an astronaut."

"Doesn't every ten-year-old boy?"

"Maybe. Darcy always accused me of being a daydreamer."

"Right. So was it Darcy who changed your mind about careers?"

"No. It happened when I realized I'd have to eat food resembling cardboard and pee in my space suit."

Addie laughed. "You're hilarious."

Jared opened another beer for himself. "Want one?"

"No, thanks," she declined, not wanting to have to make another trip to the bathroom soon. Her head throbbed and she wanted the evening to end. Nightmares or not, she needed an ibuprofen and her bed.

"How's your head?"

"It's starting to hurt more. Maybe we should go."

"Yeah, but..." Jared nodded toward Darcy and Tim, faces still attached.

"Oh. I guess we can wait a little while longer. Listen, you know the story old Bart told me today?"

"Yeah, he really had you scared."

She frowned. "Do you think there's any truth to it?"

"I don't know about his story, but there are rumors of strange things happening over the years at different spots along the cliffs. I wouldn't worry about it though; the monster only kills young women at night when they're all alone."

"That's not funny," she said, thinking of the dead woman they found.

"You're right. Sorry."

Addie felt a drop on her head and stuck her hand out. "Was that a sprinkle?"

Within seconds, that sprinkle became a torrential downpour. Everyone scrambled for their things and headed up the hill toward the cars. They raced across the parking lot and all four of them jumped into the cab of Addie's truck. It seemed Tim was determined to stick close to Darcy as he scooted in next to her in the backseat. Soaked to the bone and looking like drowned rats, they laughed.

"Does this thing have a heater in it?" Tim asked, rubbing his hands together.

"Yes." Addie handed Jared the key since he was sitting behind the wheel. He started the truck, and turned the heater on high.

"Turn on the radio," Tim suggested once they were on the road.

"She can't. Lightning struck it a week ago and fried the wires." Darcy fluffed her hair with her fingers, spraying water everywhere.

"Well, actually," Addie hesitated. "It started working again."

"What? How'd that happened?" Jared turned, frowning at her.

"I'm not sure. I guess the wires must have reconnected or something. I banged it with my fist out of frustration and it just started working again." She didn't mention the sparks.

Tim laughed, lifting his wet jacket out from under Darcy's thigh. "That's bullshit. Once a wire is fried, it's fuckin' fried. Women, shit."

To Addie, Tim was nothing more than a creep, and she couldn't understand what Darcy saw in him. He wasn't even attractive. With his scruffy, dirty brown, half-inch sorry excuse for a beard, he was a bit grotesque. She imagined that his breath must reek, but wasn't going anywhere near him to find out. Then again, Darcy wouldn't have been kissing him if his breath was all that bad.

Addie reached forward and pushed in the power button to the radio and it blared on.

"Well, whatever happened, the radio sounds great," Jared said.

Jared pulled the truck into the parking lot of the Cliff Hanger, the wet gravel sounding mushy under the truck tires. When he threw the gearshift into park, Tim and Darcy jumped out and ran toward the bar.

Jared started to get out, but glanced at Addie. She hadn't made a move to leave the truck and he slid back in. "Everyone's going in for a drink. Aren't you coming?"

She sighed. "No, I get a little tired of this place after being here all day and my head hurts. I think I'll just go home. I'd like to go on to bed and get an early start tomorrow."

He didn't plead with her to stay but he didn't leave the truck right away either. Instead, he turned toward her and said, "Addie, I know your feelings for me don't go anywhere beyond friendship and that's okay. I can accept that, but I want you to know I'll always be your friend, so when I ask you to do something with me, I don't want you to feel like I'm pushing myself on you. I'm sorry I tried to kiss you tonight. It won't happen again, I promise. I also know it's tough on you with your dad gone, so if you ever need a shoulder ... well, I'm here."

"Thanks, Jared. You know, I don't make friends very easily, nor do I take them lightly. It's good that we're friends."

"I'll hold you to that. Will you be okay?" he asked, lifting the hair from her forehead with his finger and studying the bruise.

"I think so. It's just a nagging dull ache."

"Okay. Goodnight, beautiful lady, and pleasant dreams."

Pleasant dreams? If he only knew.

# Chapter Eight

Rain drummed down above Addie's head on the roof of the truck's cab and slammed against the windows. Wipers flew from side to side as the rain pelted the glass in quarter-sized droplets. It was almost impossible to see the road. Between the rain and Addie's aching head, the three-mile drive home seemed like six. All of a sudden, something dashed across the street in front of her truck. She swerved to the left and the tires screeched, the right front fender just missing the thing before it disappeared into the thicket. Luckily, no cars approached from the other direction or she'd have been sitting sideways right in their path.

"God, what was that?" Addie gasped. It seemed rather large, too large to be a mountain lion, but it could have been a man. No, a man couldn't possibly move so fast. Thoughts of almost hitting the guy the other day came to mind; he'd certainly moved quickly, hadn't he? She maneuvered the truck back to the proper lane and slowed almost to a stop, but then remembered about the dead woman they'd found yesterday and sped back up, worried if she stopped, whatever it was might attack her.

Oh, for the love of Pete, get a grip, Addie. The rain probably made it seem larger—it was probably just a deer running across the road. Maybe it was time to brush up on her self-defense skills, just in case. She'd ask Maia if she wanted to practice with her tomorrow. Grateful for the company of the radio and determined not to think about the mechanics of it, regardless of what creepy Tim had said, she assured herself it was possible for the wires to reconnect, fried or not.

The rain pounded down as Addie pulled into her apartment building parking space. She noticed Ed Lewis's light was on and she was glad he was home. She enjoyed living alone, but there were times—particularly on rainy nights—when she felt somewhat jittery.

Secure in her warm apartment and relieved the campfire outing was over, Addie changed out of her wet clothes and towel-dried her hair. She fixed a cup of chamomile tea and took two ibuprofen, then headed straight for the sofa, pulled open the hide-a-bed and straightened the covers before getting in. She was still a little chilled and snuggled under the fluffy blue comforter, reaching for the remote to check the news. Once again, her veins grew hot. A prickly and burning sensation radiated down her arms, and before she even touched the power button, sparks shot out from her fingertips and the TV screen sprang to life. Startled, she jumped up from the bed, no longer cold.

"Okay ... now I'm beginning to freak out. First the radio in my truck, then the television at the bar, and now here? What's going on?" Her voice trembled and she fought to steady herself.

Addie thought about the day her dad had died and remembered the note she had found on his desk the day of his funeral. She didn't know what it meant but felt it was important no one else find it, so she'd placed it in her keepsake box along with her other valuable possessions. The box and its contents were the only things she had belonging to her mother, who had purchased it during a trip to Scotland. It was an antique, intricately decorated with wood mosaic. She remembered her father saying it had substantial value.

She went to her closet and took out the box, sat with it on her lap and flipped open the lid. Inside were her mother's watch and gold bracelet, both her parents' wedding rings, and the note. The only other valuable thing she owned was the locket she never took off. She picked up the note, carefully unfolded it, and read it again.

Addison will soon be of age. She will inherit the powers. Her safety is my main concern.

Addie stared at the note for a few minutes. What would she soon be of age for? What powers? Bart's story raced to her mind. That's absurd! She frowned and thought back to her childhood. Was there something special about her dad? About her? Surely, Maia would know. She read the note again and thought of her dad's warning about keeping her safe. She considered her options and resolved to remain quiet for now.

Standing with her hands outstretched, palms up, she examined them—turning each over and back again as if they were foreign to her.

"If I can turn the television on without touching the remote, can I turn it off as well?" she whispered.

She hesitated, stretched out her hand toward the remote, trying to suppress the stinging pain in her veins as a stream of electricity flashed from her fingertips and the television turned off.

"Whoa, this is amazing!" she said, letting out a nervous laugh. Again, she stretched out her hand toward the remote, more sparks flew, and the television came back on.

She sucked in a breath. "This is unbelievable. What is going on here?"

Addie repeated the little game a dozen times before she walked to the kitchen to try it on something else. She stood by the blender on the counter, placed her hand close to it and it buzzed on as electrical energy shot out again. She clapped her hands with excitement, then proceeded to the toaster, and the same thing happened. She experimented with the distance. It worked just as well from ten feet away as it did from one. She flitted around the apartment like a giddy child with a new toy, turning on one electrical appliance after another, jumping with delight each time. She wondered if there was a way to tone down the sparks so she wouldn't draw attention to herself. Sitting on the bed, she placed her hands under her legs and faced the remote, thinking only about turning the television on.

Nothing happened.

"Hmmm ... mind over matter, Addie. Meditate." She stared at the remote and thought of nothing except the TV for twenty minutes. All of a sudden, it blared on.

"Yes!" Addie jumped with excitement.

"Hmmm ... I wonder what the sparks are for then. Could they hurt someone?" Inspired, Addie walked to the kitchen and retrieved a slice of bread from the package. Placing it in the sink just to be safe, she stuck out her hand, fingers outstretched, and focused on the bread, the sparks, and the toast. Nothing happened.

She straightened. "Huh. What do I need to do here? The sparks come easily when I turn on the TV, why won't they now? What do I need to think about?"

She glanced around the apartment hoping for a clue and picked up the note again. "'She will soon inherit the powers.' There's more than one power. What are they?"

She went back to the kitchen, eyed the bread. "What does bread need to become toast? Heat."

Once again, she positioned her hands. Not only did she think of heat, but of fire. She pictured flames blazing from her fingers, until a small bolt of lightning flashed toward the bread and burned it to a crisp.

"Whoa, that was sort of scary." Shaken, Addie decided to hold off on experimenting with sparks and fire for now. Exhaustion took hold, so she brushed her teeth, and pulled on a long-sleeved shirt she liked to sleep in.

"I should check the internet to see if I can find anything about other people with strange abilities. Tomorrow," she yawned. There's got to be some explanation. I don't want to turn into some freak. Unable to keep her eyes open another second, she fell fast asleep soon after her head hit the pillow.

Addie ran through the darkness, her legs heavy, the forest floor littered with sticks and mottled with holes. She tripped and scrambled to her feet, wiping at the tears stinging her eyes. She could hear it breathing as it drew closer, then a faint groan and her body trembled as she realized the sound came from her throat. She needed to hide. Her legs had grown sluggish, and she couldn't run much farther. Veering to the left, Addie jumped over a fallen tree trunk and tumbled down the short slope on the other side, landing on her back. She rolled over, exhausted. The smell of dirt and leaves filled her nostrils and, using every ounce of strength she could muster, she managed to crawl to a little alcove in the thicket.

Every bone in her body trembled. Branches dangled from above and sharp twigs stuck her from behind. Her heart pounded against her chest when her foot slipped and she froze, not daring to make a sound. A loud thump, perhaps the drum of her heart, but then the trees shook. Another thump, and another. Leaves scattered. The limp branches vibrated. Addie covered her ears as the sound became deafening. Then everything grew quiet. It stood outside just inches from her. It reached, its long bony fingers clawing at her, pulling her up by her throat, her dangling feet kicking violently. "Daddy, please help me!" Addie choked and woke with a start.

She sat up, gasping, drew her knees close to her chest, buried her face in her arms, and rocked. Her body shook and she wiped away the tears trickling down her cheeks. Tears weren't going to help. Nothing could help. Her dad couldn't come to her rescue. Not this time—not ever again.

"Why, Daddy, why is this happening? What do I need to be kept safe from?"

In the bathroom, Addie splashed water on her face, hoping to wash away the nightmare that always seemed so real. She studied herself in the mirror. Her brown eyes, puffy and laced with red lines, stung. She opened the medicine cabinet and saw the pills the doctor had given her. She picked up the container and stared at it, tapping her finger on the top.

No, I won't take them. I refuse to live my life in a fog. Drugs only temporarily mask the pain. I need to face it. I need to find out why.

Placing the pills back in the cabinet, she left the bathroom.

"Coffee, I need coffee."

Addie shuffled to the kitchen, squinted at the light coming in through the window, and rubbed her tired eyes. She made coffee—extra strong—and as she stood waiting for it to brew, she remembered her new, yet freakish skill. She shook off the nightmare with a glimmer of excitement, glad her day off would allow her to experiment. She also wanted to take some time to explore the internet before she headed off to the cliffs.

Her feet felt wet and she looked down at the puddle of water around them.

"What is this?" She crouched down, opened the cupboard under the sink, and peeked inside. "Oh, this is just great. A leak."

Sidestepping around the small pool at her feet, she walked to the table next to her bed where she'd left her cell phone, searched through her list of contacts, found the manager's funny picture, and pushed send.

"Hi, Ed. Um ... this is Addie."

"Oh, Addie, hello. It's kind of early for you, isn't it? Is everything okay?"

"Yes. No. I mean, I'm fine, but there's a leak under my kitchen sink and I was wondering if you could come up and see if you can fix it."

"Is it a big leak or a little leak?"

She pondered that for a moment. Did it matter? "Well, there's a puddle on my floor, so I'm guessing a big leak."

"Ah, well, we can't have that, now can we? I'll be up in a jiff. Just give me a couple of minutes to get dressed."

"Okay, great, thanks."

As she turned to hang up the phone, the doorbell rang. Startled, Addie jumped. It was too soon to be Ed. She glanced at the clock ... eight-thirty ... probably Darcy. She pulled on her robe and opened the door.

"Hey, Addie." Darcy beamed. Not waiting for an invitation, she shoved her way in and sat on the unmade bed.

"Darcy, hi. What are you doing here so early?" Addie closed the door and joined her, pulling the blanket up in her lap to keep her legs warm.

"I just wanted to see how you were since I didn't get a chance to talk to you last night. You went home so early and I wanted to know how things went with you and Jared."

Addie rolled her eyes. "Jared and I are just friends. Besides, Darce, how could I go out with Jared knowing you and he used to date?"

"What Jared does is his business and what I do is mine. He can go out with anybody he wants. I don't give a shit."

Something in Darcy's voice suggested otherwise. "What's with this Tim guy? You never mentioned him before."

"Oh, he's just a guy I sort of like. He works in construction and has the biceps to prove it." Her expression became animated. "And, oh God, Addie, he owns a Harley and wants to take me out on it this weekend!"

"Wait, you're not seriously going to ride on it, are you? You hardly know him. How do you know he can control it? What if you crash?" The guy was a sleaze and Addie had a difficult time understanding what it was Darcy saw in him.

"God, Addie, what are you, my mother? It's just a ride on a motorcycle, not a trip to Las Vegas to get married or anything. Oooh, now there's an idea."

"You wouldn't!"

"No, but the look on your face! God, you are so gullible. Don't worry. Jeez, I'll be fine. Hey, let's get together tonight. We can eat dinner, rent a movie, or just talk. I have a great bottle of Cabernet we could share."

"Sounds great. Let's order a pizza," Addie said.

Darcy wrinkled her nose. "My hips are going to require major squats but, what the hell—pepperoni?"

"Sure." Addie considered telling Darcy about her new little power but wasn't sure how to explain it. A knock on the door made them both jump.

# Chapter Nine

"That should be our good old dependable apartment manager. He's here to fix a leak under my sink," Addie said, calming herself.

Addie opened the door. Ed stood there, his dark wiry hair sticking out in all directions. Chances were it hadn't seen a brush yet that morning. A huge smile lit his face, a utility belt hung from his waist, weighing down his baggy bright red pants, and his hand clutched a large toolbox. His once white T-shirt, now a dull gray, was only half tucked in.

"Hey, Addie. Darcy." He sauntered over toward the kitchen, his tool belt clanking at his waist, his small dark eyes focused on the puddle in the middle of the floor.

"Hmmm." He stood looking down at the floor, rubbing his head. "This is quite a leak you have here, Addie. It might take a while. It must have been leaking all night. Good thing you called me first thing this morning before it went through the floor to the Richardsons' apartment."

"Well, thanks for coming up so quickly." Addie turned her attention back to Darcy and they exchanged grins at the sight of the strange-looking little man.

Addie looked down at her robe and grimaced. "Darcy, will you stay while I get some clothes on?" she whispered, glancing toward Ed, indicating her discomfort at being alone with him while she changed.

"Sure, but hurry. I have things to do."

Addie left Darcy sitting on the bed and grabbed a T-shirt from her closet, snatched up the jeans she'd left piled on the floor and went into the bathroom. Tugging on the pants, she glanced at her reflection in the mirror and frowned at the red lines still so heavy in her eyes. She pulled the shirt over her head, ran her fingers through her hair and splashed more water on her face.

"There. Not perfect, but okay for now."

When she came out of the bathroom, Darcy was still on the bed, looking bored. She jumped up when she saw Addie, straightened her pants that had bunched halfway up her calves and headed toward the door.

"Well, I guess I'll see you tonight, then."

"Yeah, tonight. Thanks." Addie shut the door and turned to see how Ed was doing with the leak.

"If you've got things to do, I can lock up for you when I'm done." Ed's voice sounded muffled as he spoke from under the sink.

"Oh, no problem, I need to do some work on the computer anyway. You know, check my email and stuff." Addie wasn't exactly keen on the idea of leaving while there was someone in her apartment—even if it was just Ed. Besides, she could take this opportunity to check some websites on the subject of paranormal abilities.

She went into the kitchen, stepping over Ed and his tools, to grab a cup of coffee before starting her internet search, but soon found herself engaged in a conversation with the funny little man whose head was stuck under her sink, the red pants covering his skinny legs stretched out over her floor.

"So, do you ever get lonely living on your own now? You know, away from your aunt?" Ed asked.

"Oh, now and again, but mostly I like being alone."

"Seems to me a pretty young woman like yourself should have a man coming around more often than you do."

"Not you, too! Why does everyone think I need a man?"

"I'm just sayin' I haven't noticed you bringing anybody home at all since you moved in, not that I'm nosy or anything. But, I do like to keep a watchful eye over my tenants, especially the young women, make sure no harm comes to them. You know?"

"Yeah, well, no need to worry about me. I'm not really interested in men right now."

"Oh, sorry. I didn't realize you were one of those gays."

Addie choked out a laugh. "No, Ed. I'm not gay. I just haven't met anyone I'd like to get to know that way, if you know what I mean."

"Oh yeah, sure, I know what you mean. Sorry, I didn't mean to imply ... well, you don't look masculine or anything."

Addie laughed again and was sure his face under the sink was bright red. "Thanks, I think." Having a conversation about her sexual orientation with her sweet little landlord was the last thing she thought she'd be doing this morning. "Well I guess there is a bit of comfort knowing you're looking out for me."

"I try to keep a lookout. Young women like you and Darcy need to be careful these days."

"Yeah, did you hear about the woman they found Saturday morning? A bit scary, don't you think? Those things usually don't happen around here."

"Yeah, I heard about it. Young women shouldn't be out by themselves no matter where they live."

"You're right, of course," she agreed. "What about you, Ed? I don't see you bringing any women home."

"Me?" He laughed and Addie watched his stomach jiggle. "My courtin' days are long gone. Nobody's gonna be interested in a scrawny little old guy like me."

"You're not old and you're not scrawny." Much. "I'm sure there's a very nice woman out there just waiting for someone like you."

"That'll be the day. Well, I think she's fixed," he said as he shimmied his way out from under the sink.

"You're done? Wow, you're quick; a regular miracle worker. Thanks."

He averted his crimson face from hers as he picked up his tools, placing them meticulously in their respective slots on his belt.

"Well, I'll be off then. Appreciate you letting me know about this right away. Better to nip these things in the bud before they escalate to bigger problems."

"Yeah, no problem," she said, walking him to the door. "I appreciate you coming up so fast."

"You take care, now."

With Ed finished with the leak under the sink and out of her hair, Addie grabbed another cup of coffee, took out her laptop, and began her search. A dozen different sites popped up for paranormal ability; people possessing psychic powers, telekinetic and telepathic experiences, and people claiming to have clairvoyant abilities, but not one of them was remotely close to what was happening to her. She scrolled down the page, clicking on another article, and paused.

"Wait a minute, wait a freaking minute. What's this?" She tapped her fingers on the side of her cup as she read the article about a girl who could emit electrical sparks from her fingertips strong enough to knock people down.

After reading the whole article, she found there was nothing to substantiate the girl's claim. "It's nothing but a hoax. Well, shit." Every article she read proved to be much the same. Frustrated, she gave up her search and went back to experimenting with her ability again.

Placing another slice of bread in the sink, Addie concentrated on heat and fire again, only to be disappointed. After about an hour and several slices of burnt bread in the trash, she finally managed to toast a piece without burning it. "Well, now, this is more like it. I think I'm getting the hang of this, whatever this is." Feeling rejuvenated, she decided it was time to head off to the cliffs.

Darcy kept telling herself she didn't care what Jared thought. Back in her own apartment, she drew a hot bubble bath. The scent of lavender and ginger filled the small room and she tried not to think about Jared as she leaned back in the tub and closed her eyes. But it was impossible not to see his face. Why after all these months did visions of him have to start popping into her head again? As a couple, they were over. He'd made his choice when he slept with that slut, Hannah. So what if he didn't remember anything about it? So what if he was drunk beyond standing? Come on, did he really expect her to believe him? He had begged and pleaded with her to forgive him, but all she could picture in her head was the two of them, naked and tangled in bed. And yet... Face it, Darcy; you know the man can still make your knees go limp.

In spite of everything, she'd never stopped loving him, and was glad Addie respected her feelings even though Darcy had never told her how she really felt about him. Her passion for Jared was becoming a problem. Was it love or hate? Darcy wasn't sure anymore. Better to continue playing the field and try to forget him. Maybe someday she'd find the perfect man who could make her legs wobble the way Jared could.

The sun peeked out from behind the clouds as Addie steered into the tiny turnout off the highway. She stopped the truck, got out, and shut the door. Realizing her hands were empty, the camera still on the passenger seat, she tugged at the handle to open the door. Locked. She reached in her pockets for her keys, but they were empty. She looked in the window—her keys dangled from the ignition.

"Oh shit, shit, shit. Now what?" Addie considered using her new skill. "I guess this should be a good test."

She looked around and, confident she was alone, focused on the lock, stretching out her hand, her fingers pointed straight at the door. Sparks flew toward the handle, unlocking the door, and to her amazement, also starting the truck. As the engine roared, Addie opened the door, jumped up on the seat, and turned the ignition off. She sat stunned for a minute, trying to comprehend what had just happened.

"I really need to be careful with this."

Once again she left her truck, this time with camera and keys in hand. As she walked closer to the edge of the cliff, she snapped pictures, trying not to think about the story Bart had shared with her. Instead, she focused on capturing the waves as they crashed against the rocks jutting out from the cliff. She took several more pictures, and then, as she looked closer over the edge, she noticed a small cave in the rocks below.

"Hmmm ... that would be great if I could get a shot of that white foam flowing into the opening."

Wanting to find a more direct angle of the waves slamming against the rocks before they entered the cave, she leaned over as far as she could, but still couldn't get a complete shot of its opening. She inched closer—ignoring her sudden fear of heights—held the camera close to her eye and searched through the viewfinder. She took a step forward and the ground under her feet gave way.

# Chapter Ten

Addie screamed and dropped the camera as she struggled to grab hold of a root protruding from the side of the cliff. She hung on with one hand groping for the edge with the other, screaming for her life as a hand grabbed her wrist.

"Hold on!"

"Please ..." She looked down at the rocks and the waves crashing over them, the roar exploding in her ears. "Oh God, please don't let go!"

"Don't look down, look at me. I won't let go. Let me have your other hand."

"No, I can't. I'll fall." Her gaze moved again to the jagged rocks below.

"No, I've got you, I promise. Look at me."

It was a command, one she couldn't ignore. As she looked in his eyes, she saw strength and confidence and allowed herself to trust him.

"Now reach up and give me your other hand."

With every ounce of courage she could muster, she let go of the root and grabbed his outstretched hand.

"Good, I've got you. Now dig your toes into the side of the rock and push." With one fast sweep, he pulled her up and she landed on top of him.

There they lay, face to face, chest to chest, his arms wrapped tightly around her, as she stared down at the dark blue eyes she remembered so well from the night before.

"It's you," Addie said, sounding a bit like a squeak-toy.

"Yes, it's me. That's twice now, Grace."

"Twice?"

"Yes, twice in the past twenty-four hours I've had to save your life."

"Last night? I wasn't dying then, just dazed."

He grinned. "So, what the hell were you doing just now?"

Fully conscious of his body underneath hers, she squirmed. "Let me up, will you?"

"Sure, if you promise you won't try to kill yourself again."

"Kill myself? Why would you think I was trying to kill myself?"

"I can't think of any other reason why you would get so close to the edge without looking where your feet were."

Noting his cynicism, Addie twisted to free herself from his grip. "Let me go."

"No, not until you promise," he grinned.

"You are infuriating. You know damn well—"

"There are some who would agree with you, but I'm still not letting go until you promise."

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Okay, I promise I won't kill myself. There, are you happy? Now let me up."

"Sure, if you insist." He unclasped his arms as he laughed.

"Why are you laughing? I could have died." She stood, brushing the dirt from her clothes.

"'Could have' are the operative words here, Grace. Lucky for you—again—I was here." He stood, and running his hand through his hair, smiled.

Remembering her camera, Addie turned her attention to the ground.

"Oh no, where's my camera?" She stretched out on her stomach, positioning her body close to the edge to see if she could see it anywhere. He crouched down next to her as they both peered over the edge. The camera swung on a branch by its strap. "Damn it."

He rubbed his chin. "Looks a bit too far to reach."

Addie glared at him and wished her newly acquired talent could help retrieve the camera. She sighed. Even if it could, she wasn't ready to share that particular skill with anyone just yet, especially him. With her luck, he'd turn out to be the FBI and turn her over to some government science lab for alien testing or something. She stood and brushed herself off again.

He stood up also and looked around. "Sorry, there doesn't seem to be anything around here long enough to reach it."

Addie watched him brush the dirt off his coat. "I don't think you're going to accomplish much there."

"What?"

"Your coat."

He frowned as he looked down. "What's wrong with my coat?"

"It looks like it was in a war ... and lost."

He smiled and she thought he almost looked proud.

Remembering her camera, she murmured, "Well, this is just great. I've wasted my whole freaking morning. I had some great shots of the waves, too."

"Not to mention the replacement cost of the camera," he added.

A moment ago she found him heroic, now his callousness irritated her. As she turned to leave, his hand caught her arm.

"Where are you going? Don't you want your camera?"

Addie glanced down at his hand on her arm and frowned. With a look of reluctance, he let go.

"Of course I do. Unfortunately, it's hanging twenty feet down the side of a cliff on a branch with no possible way any human could retrieve it without a twenty-foot pole and I don't see any around here, do you? So unless you're going to fly down there and get it, I'm leaving."

For a minute, he looked as if he actually considered it. Addie shook her head as she walked off, wanting to get as far away from him as possible.

Idiot, a self-righteous idiot. "Shit, now I have to buy a new camera."

As Addie stomped back to her truck, he strolled along beside her. She quickened her pace hoping he would take a hint and leave her alone, but his stride was much longer and he didn't have any problem keeping up.

"Why are you following me? You've had your laugh for today. Please leave me alone."

"Well, you could at least say 'thank you.'"

"Thanks. Satisfied?"

"You're a hardheaded one, aren't you? I'm not sure if I find your stubbornness irritating or sexy. Oh yeah, speaking of heads, how's yours, Grace?"

"I'm not stubborn, I'm annoyed, and if I irritate you ... tough. Your problem, not mine. And I'm sure there are plenty of women around you can have sex with." With a fierce look, she added, "Call me Grace one more time and I'll deck you."

"I didn't say I wanted to have sex with you. I just said you were sexy. Though I wouldn't mind if you want to—I mean have sex." He ran his hand through his hair again, and then stuffed both hands in his pockets.

She stopped walking. Did she just hear him correctly? She looked him up and down. Considered. Maybe some other time, some other place, a tumble with him might be wonderful, but she didn't know him and she wasn't in the habit of sleeping with men she didn't know. The prospect of having sex hadn't occurred to her in a long time, at least not since she'd moved here.

"Well, pal, I'm flattered you find me so sexually..." Addie's eyes fell to his crotch, "arousing. That's quite an ego you have, but your arrogance won't help get you into my pants. So don't think for one minute just because you saved my life I'm going to jump in the sack with you. I don't even know you. I thanked you for saving my life, now please go away." She placed her hand on her forehead, felt the bump from the night before, and started walking again. She was annoyed, her head throbbed, and yes, she was slightly aroused.

"I can't."

She stopped again, placed her hands on her hips, and asked, "Why not?"

"I need a ride," he muttered and lowered his head as he rubbed his sexy stubbled chin.

Addie didn't respond right away; she just stared, unable to believe he wasn't joking. He looked at her as if he were actually hurt because she wasn't jumping at the chance to sleep with him. She started walking again and smiled when she heard the frustrated slap of his hands on his coat as he came up next to her.

"Come on now, I just saved your life, the least you can do is give me a ride."

"You may have saved my life but you're still annoying." They reached her truck and her hand shook as she tried to place the key in the lock.

"Here, let me." He took the key from her, unlocked the door, and holding it open, held Addie's arm and helped her in.

She looked at him and sighed. "Okay, get in. Do you have a name?"

He intrigued her, and that bothered her. She hoped he couldn't detect the tremor in her voice.

"Cael Sheridan," he said, slipping onto the passenger seat.

She took a deep breath and looked over at him. "Kyle?" she repeated, now completely in control of her voice again.

"No, Cael. C.A.E.L. Pronounced 'Kay-el.' My mother had a thing for the Celts. Cael was the name of an ancient Gaelic warrior," he said with a broad smile.

"Oh." Amused, she thought it seemed fitting.

"So...?" He raised his eyebrows and stared at her.

"So what?" Addie started the truck and eased onto the highway, trying not to look at his gorgeous face.

"So, are you going to tell me your name? I suppose I could just continue to call you Grace, if you prefer."

Addie hesitated. Oh, what the hell, what would it hurt to tell him her name?

"It's Addie."

"Addie?"

"Yeah, Addie, short for Addison."

"Addison, I like it. It suits you."

"Oh yeah? Why?"

"It's a strong name. You strike me as a strong-minded woman. What goes with it?"

"Excuse me?"

"Your last name. You do have a last name, don't you?"

"Oh, yeah, it's MacKenna. Addie MacKenna."

He fell quiet for a moment, a pensive look on his face as if he'd just remembered something important.

"Well, Addison..." he finally said, drawing out her name, the sound lingering on his lips. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Her father had been the only one who had ever called her Addison. She thought about telling him she preferred Addie, but the way he said "Addison" with his deep velvety voice had a certain melodic sound to it, and she decided it would be okay.

"So Cael, where do you need to go?"

"Into town, if you don't mind. I need to see a man about a house for lease." He rolled his window half way down and the wind carried his scent to her as she inhaled. He smelled like a combination of salt water and musk and she wondered if he'd been in the water, but nixed the thought. He'd have to be crazy; it was too damn cold.

"Aha, so you'll be staying in the area for a while, huh?" Settle down Addie, she ordered herself, you sound like an eager beaver.

"Yes, it seems so," he said, tapping his finger softly against his lower lip and sounding contemplative. He didn't seem to want to share any more information. She found him very mysterious, but fascinating. After a few seconds, she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, and saw he was frowning again.

They pulled into town and he directed her toward the real estate office. It was late in the day and some of the streetlights were already on, creating an amorous mood. Addie loved this little town, especially at this time of day.

He got out of the truck and turned toward her. The light from the lamp above gave his dark hair a reddish glow. "Thanks for the ride. See you around, Addison," he said as he got out.

Cael needed to pull himself together. What a disturbing revelation. Addison MacKenna; could she be Risteard's daughter? If she was, why had Risteard never mentioned her? He knew something was up when he saw her start her truck from outside without even touching it. Then, when she said her last name, he knew at once she must be the professor's daughter. Cael wondered what she knew of the crystal and sacred book, if anything, and from what he could see, it didn't look as though she had a handle on her telekinetic power just yet.

Why did Risteard keep her a secret? Was he protecting her? How much did she know?

He knew there had to be a reason why he kept running into Addison, especially now since he knew who she was ... damn. Was she part of his mission? Was he supposed to protect her? She was beautiful, but this was more than just a physical attraction and he feared things were about to get very complicated.

# Chapter Eleven

As promised, Darcy came over with a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Addie took a sip of wine. "I saw the mystery man today."

"What mystery man?" Darcy had a puzzled look.

"You know, the guy I almost ran over. He was at the cliffs this afternoon. I saw him when I was there taking pictures." She took another sip. "He saved my life."

"What? How?" Darcy asked.

Addie picked at a slice of pizza. "It was stupid really. I wasn't paying attention, I slipped, and as I was hanging there on the edge of the cliff, he grabbed me and pulled me up."

"Holy crap, Addie, you were hanging from the edge? You could have died!" Darcy sipped her wine and took a bite of the pizza, plopping an additional slice of pepperoni in her mouth with it.

"Yeah, I guess."

"You guess? If he hadn't come along ... well, jeez." She shuddered. "So, what's he like?"

Addie shrugged. "He's different."

"Yeah, he's different. From what I saw the other night, he's a lot different from any of the guys around here. He's gorgeous."

"That may be, but the thing is, he's really hard to figure out. One minute he's nice and charming and the next he's the most arrogant man I've ever met.

"Arrogance can sometimes be appealing. What's his name?"

"Cael, and hell, I don't even know why I'm thinking about him. I'll probably never see him again, anyway."

"Yes you will. If he's staying in town, chances are he'll be back at the Cliff Hanger to eat. There aren't too many places to hang out around here, you know."

"I'm not sure I want to see him again though. He's very irritating."

"Irritating as in hot and bothered? Ha, if you ask me, I'd call him irresistible."

Addie let out a long exhale and closed her eyes, realizing Darcy was right, and it bothered her. She wasn't sure she was ready. It had been a very long time since she'd met a man to whom she was attracted. There just weren't many guys around the cape she'd even consider dating—not that she'd been looking. She couldn't deny the sexual attraction she felt toward Cael, but considering how extremely handsome he was, he probably had a female companion in every city and she'd just be another notch on his belt.

They watched a movie they had both seen before, making their conversation easier. Addie didn't mention anything about her freaky sparks to Darcy. Secrecy on the issue was best—after all, someone could get hurt.

In the morning, they woke on Addie's floor, pillows and blankets strewn about, and an empty bottle of wine beside them.

"What time is it?" Darcy yawned, stretching her arms up over her head.

They needed to be at the Cliff Hanger by eleven that morning.

Addie glanced at the clock and yawned. "It's only nine o'clock. We should get up, though. I'm glad you stayed over—I didn't have any nightmares."

"Good, maybe you should drink more often. I'm sure the wine had more to do with it than me sleeping on your floor."

"Maybe, but I'm grateful, anyway."

For a Tuesday, the bar seemed unusually busy during lunch. Thoughts of yesterday's experience at the cliff kept popping into Addie's head. She felt sure she had taken some good pictures and became frustrated remembering they were dangling from the branch twenty feet down the side of the cliff. It was a cool camera, too, with a great zoom feature.

The heaters for the deck arrived, and Jared, Darcy, and Addie helped position them. Gerry probably could have done it without any help, but they were anxious to get them set up. Once the heaters were in place, Darcy and Addie deemed it their duty to test them out, so for the first time, they ate their lunch out on the deck feeling warm and cozy. Gerry and Jared, each holding two glasses of champagne, soon joined them, and they all sat and toasted the new heaters.

"So, did you manage to get any good pictures out at the cliffs?" Gerry sipped his champagne, his sharp green eyes fixed on hers.

"Well, yeah, but ... oh, what the hell. I lost the camera."

"What do you mean you lost the camera? How the hell did you lose the camera?"

Addie glanced at Darcy, who nodded. "Go ahead, Addie, tell him."

"Well, I was at the edge of the cliff, and I saw this really cool cave and I wanted to capture it in a picture but I couldn't get the right angle, and well, I slipped, and lost the camera over the edge."

"Well, at least you didn't go over the edge too."

Darcy cleared her throat and blurted out, "She did."

"What?" Gerry said.

Addie glared at Darcy. "Actually, I managed to grab hold of a branch and was able to hang on until..."

"What? You were dangling over the cliff edge?"

Addie straightened her shoulders. "Yeah, but I'm fine, a guy came over and pulled me up."

"Jesus, Addie, what the hell were you thinking? You could have died! Good thing there was a man close enough to pull you up. How could you be so fucking careless?"

"I wasn't careless. I just wanted a good picture. How was I supposed to know the ground was so unstable? There should have been a warning sign, and why do you have to talk to me like I'm a child?"

Jared and Darcy winced.

"Because I care about you and you are Maia's niece."

"But I'm a grown woman, and very capable of taking care of myself."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I'll try to restrain my protective instinct from now on. So, who was this guy who rescued you?" Gerry leaned back in his chair, relaxed a bit, and took a sip of his champagne.

Addie wasn't sure she wanted to tell him any more about Cael. Gerry was inclined to be overprotective. The last thing she needed was for him to interfere with her personal life, but since he asked, she said, "Oh, he's not from around here. His name is Cael. He said he's out here on business. I think he was out at the cliffs taking in the sights."

"Well, if he comes in here, let me know and I'll buy him a beer."

"Right, Gerry, you just want to get a look at him. I don't want him to come in. He's really very irritating."

"Yeah, irritatingly irresistible. He got Addie all hot and bothered," Darcy chimed in.

"Darcy, stop it. You're not helping."

"Really?" Jared said, grinning while Gerry sat tight-lipped and frowning.

"No. He is very annoying and rude. I don't think I want to see him again," Addie lied and took a long sip of her champagne before she said anything else she might regret.

The dinner crowd started much too soon and the noise level grated on her mounting headache. Thankfully, it wasn't as busy as lunch had been. Addie had one hand on the tap and the other on a glass as Cael glided through the door. She wanted to appear impassive and in control, but her hands shook and she spilled beer all over the counter.

He strolled to her section of the bar, his eyes set on hers. The cool easiness in his gait suggested he had all the time in the world and no particular place to be. She gulped. She didn't want to like him, no matter what Darcy said about physical attraction. How could someone be so arrogant one minute and so enticing the next? He sat down right in front of her, wearing a wide grin, and her entire body tingled.

"Hello, Addison." His smile was too damn sexy. "I'll have one of those," he said, pointing to the Guinness in her hand.

Still giddy from the champagne, Addie smiled, set the pint of beer down by the man on Cael's left, and bravely asked, "Did you find anything you like?"

"Could be I'm looking at her."

Her face grew warm. "No, I mean a place to rent." Addie filled another glass with the foamy brown brew and set it in front of him.

"Not yet, no, but I have a place lined up to see." He took a sip of beer. "I have something for you, though." His voice was deep and soft and her knees quivered.

It was upsetting to know he could make her feel so powerless. "What could you possibly have that I would want?"

Her feeble attempt to seem uninterested sounded lame, even to her. He reached in his pocket and held up her camera as his lips broadened to a wide smile.

"My camera—how did you...?"

"I have my ways."

Addie wondered what ways he meant as she took her camera. She examined it to see if the pictures were there, thinking maybe he'd gone out and purchased another one trying to impress her. Sure enough, though, they were there, and yes, she was impressed.

"Wow."

Their eyes locked for a brief stirring moment.

Gerry came up behind her, breaking the spell. "Well, you must be the man who saved our Addie," he said, extending his hand.

Cael stood and the two men shook hands.

"She held on for quite some time before I got there. It's a good thing she has strong arms."

Was that a compliment?

"Well, we do appreciate your heroism. That one's on the house," Gerry said, motioning toward the beer.

"Thanks, appreciate it." Cael sat and returned his eyes to Addie.

"Listen, I need to take a look at a place up the road—see if I want to rent it while I'm here. Maybe you could come with me and give me your opinion, from a woman's perspective, I mean."

His eyes twinkled with his smile. As much as she found him arrogant, she still wanted him to like her. "Well, sure. When would you like to go?"

"When do you get off work?"

"Oh, today?"

He nodded.

Trying not to sound disappointed, she said, "My shift's not over until eight o'clock."

"What about tomorrow?"

"I'm working, but I have three hours in between my shifts."

"That should work. What time is your break?"

"Two o'clock."

"Sounds good." Cael sipped his beer while Addie got busy with a couple sitting in her section. The bar started filling up with more customers and Addie stayed occupied mixing drinks as Cael watched.

After about thirty minutes, he stood, leaning into the bar close to her. "I'll see you tomorrow then, at two o'clock." He smiled and strolled out.

Addie watched him leave and took a deep breath to settle down the flutters in her stomach, but the more she thought about seeing him again, the stronger the sensation got.

The rest of the evening dragged on and Addie wanted to go home. Between the champagne and Cael's visit, it had been an emotionally exhausting day.

# Chapter Twelve

The sound of a tree branch thumping against the living room window woke Addie from yet another episode of the continuing nightmare. Not much new. She'd hoped over time they'd provide a clue to her father's death, but nothing so far. Rising from the bed after the long fitful night and shivering from the cold shrill of the wind, she donned her sweater before making herself a cup of coffee.

She thought about Cael. He was more handsome than any man she'd ever encountered. That thought scared her a bit—scared of what she might allow herself to do. She wondered if she was making a mistake in seeing him again. Feeling a little apprehensive, she wished she hadn't told him she'd go with him to look at a house, and thought about making up an excuse to get out of it. But as she got ready for work, she spent a bit more time and attention to detail with her appearance than usual.

When she entered the Bar and Grill, Addie caught Darcy and Jared in the kitchen in the middle of a very heated discussion.

"Why do you care who I go out with, anyway?" Darcy shouted. Her hands were on her hips in a very defiant manner and her face was beet red.

"I just think you should be careful about who you associate with. There's something about Tim I don't trust." Jared reached out to stroke her cheek, but she swatted his hand away.

"Don't touch me!"

"Come on, Darce, you know I'm only concerned about you."

"It's not your responsibility to trust who I go out with and you certainly don't need to be concerned about me. You don't have any say in my life. Not anymore."

It was obvious Jared still had feelings for Darcy, and Darcy still felt something for him, even if she wouldn't admit it. Addie's heart went out to them both and she hoped they would work it out soon.

Jared dropped a heavy pot on top of another, adding to the dissonance coming from the kitchen, which brought Gerry rushing in.

"Men!" Darcy stomped by him on her way out.

"What the hell was that all about? The customers could hear all the yelling—I don't believe I've ever seen Darcy so upset." Gerry looked at Jared and then at Addie. Addie shrugged her shoulders.

"Nothing... Sorry for the disturbance," Jared muttered and turned his attention to a large pot Addie assumed contained the day's soup, which had the heavenly aroma of creamy tomato basil.

"Well then, keep it down in here from now on." Gerry turned to Addie, "Morning, sunshine." He threw a dirty rag in the hamper by the door and grabbed a clean one before leaving the kitchen.

"Good morning ... I think." Addie grabbed her apron and gave Jared a sympathetic look. She wanted to ask him what was going on but if she didn't get behind the bar, Gerry would soon be ranting at her. She touched Jared's shoulder and then left the kitchen.

Darcy had to force herself to stay at work. She wasn't quite sure how to react to Jared anymore. She grabbed her pad, stuffed it in her apron, and gathered up her tray. As she headed to a table occupied by a young couple her own age, she thought about Jared and wished things had turned out differently. They could have settled down, gotten married, and had kids. It was what she really wanted. It'd been a year since they'd been together. He had no right to tell her what to do, especially regarding men.

She knew Tim was a creep, but she could handle him. He had a Harley and she had always wanted to ride on one. She would dump him right after he took her for a smooth long ride on his shiny bike. Jared was just going to have to suck it up, because when she was finished with Tim, she was setting her sights on Lieutenant Whelan.

The lunch hour went by quickly and Addie was a jangle of nerves, her stomach a jumble of knots as her thoughts turned to spending an afternoon with Cael. But when he entered the bar at two o'clock looking just as handsome and rugged as he did yesterday, she was glad she had said yes.

"Hello, Addison. Are you ready?"

She smiled as the knot in her stomach unraveled and fluttered. "Yes, just give me a second."

Addie poked her head in the kitchen. Gerry looked up from where he was plowing through the sink full of dishes. Addie smiled. "I'm leaving. I'll be back at five."

Gerry nodded and went back to his mountain of dirty plates and cups.

Addie pulled on her coat and they walked out. "Your car or mine?"

"Yours, I don't have one."

"How can you not have a car?"

He shrugged. "I never needed one, I guess."

"Hmmm." Weird, she mused. "Well, how do you get around?"

"I manage."

Addie grimaced, not quite understanding how anyone could get along without a car, especially out here on the west coast. Public transit was a bitch.

For once, the sun was out and the cab of the truck warm. Cael rolled down his window.

"So, where do you really live, permanently, I mean?"

"New York. I'm here on business and I don't know how long it will take. The hotel is okay short term, but I need a place with a kitchen."

"You cook?"

"Doesn't every good-looking single guy?"

"You certainly are full of yourself, aren't you?"

He grinned. "It was either learn to cook or starve to death. I do okay. I'm no Emeril Lagasse, but I can grill a pretty juicy steak."

"A lot of guys cook. Jared's pretty good."

"Jared ... a boyfriend?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No, he's just the cook at the Cliff Hanger and a friend."

"This is it." Cael pointed to the building on the left. "Just pull in here."

She turned into a winding cobblestoned driveway heading toward the beach before dead-ending at a small two-story building. She glanced down at the keys in the ignition and grabbed them. When she turned to get out, she looked up, and to her amazement, he stood by her door, holding it open with his hand out for her. "Come on, the door should be unlocked."

The house sat on a grassy hill about fifty feet from the cliff edge. The door was located on the other side, facing the ocean. He tried the knob, smiled at her, and opened the door.

She stood, looking out at the ocean. "Nice view."

"Yes, it is ... let's see how it is from inside. Ladies first," he said, sweeping his hand in front of him, pointing the way as he held the door open with the other.

"Wow, you're going to rent a whole furnished house?" Addie asked as they entered the small but beautifully decorated home. They walked into a living room done in earth tones. A comfortable-looking sofa covered in a rich deep red leather was flanked by two chairs—one a rocker—and a marble-topped coffee table, all positioned to provide an inviting conversation area in front of a large, rustic rock fireplace. The other side of the room had a massive window spanning the entire wall, providing a breathtaking view of the ocean.

She walked over to the window and Cael stepped up beside her. "The view is gorgeous," Addie muttered. "I wonder what the upstairs looks like."

"Let's find out." Without hesitation, he grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him as he raced up the stairs.

"Hey, wait a minute," Addie protested, but it was too late. They were already halfway up. Addie gasped as she took in the spacious loft-style area. The whole upstairs consisted of one large room with another gigantic picture window overlooking the ocean, and a bathroom the size of her entire apartment—with the most inviting-looking bathtub—sporting its own window with another picturesque view of the sea.

"This place is spectacular," Addie said.

They stood, still holding hands, facing a magnificent view as they watched the ocean crash against the side of the cliff that jetted out to a point. A long stretch of white sandy beach sprawled impressively to the side of it, and in the other direction, there was a small cove with a long staircase leading down the side of the rocks to the water, the whole scene just begging for explorers.

As they stood mesmerized by the view, Cael's fingers tightened around her hand. Heat rose in her chest and she wondered if he was going to kiss her.

"Beautiful, isn't it? The voice came from somewhere by the top of the stairs, jerking them both out of their trance. They turned around to see who could be disturbing their magnificent moment of tranquility and saw a short man with sandy colored hair and a broad smile on his face standing by the top of the staircase.

"They say if you stand out at the edge of the cape you can hear the dead whisper. Perhaps that's why they named this town Whisper Cape. I'm Tom Willits. You must be Cael."

"Cael Sheridan."

He shook Cael's hand then turned to Addie, "And this beautiful creature is?"

"Addison." Cael pulled her closer to him.

He stuck his hand out to Addie. "Yes, yes, I recognize you from the Cliff Hanger. Nice to meet you both. How do you like the place?"

"Looks great."

"Have you seen the kitchen yet?"

"Not yet, but if it's as great as the rest, then you've got a deal."

Tom Willits smiled. "Well then, when would you like to move in?"

Cael shrugged. "No time like the present."

Addie tried to hide her amazement. She had to admit, Cael was impressive. He hadn't even asked how much the place would cost. Who was this man, anyway? Most certainly, she'd like to find out.

While Cael signed all the necessary paperwork, he left Addison in the living room, gazing out the huge picture window.

"You come with good references. This is a small town and everyone knows just about everyone. Here are the keys. You two have a nice evening, now." Addison turned toward the two men as Tom glanced in her direction and she blushed as she smiled back. Cael thought she looked radiant.

Cael closed the door and strolled toward her. "So, Addison, welcome to my temporary home." He stretched out his arms with his palms up, wanting to resume where they'd left off upstairs.

She held up her hand and bent to grab her purse from the table, pulling her jacket tight. "I should go."

As she started for the door, he caught her arm, bringing her in close to him. He held her, gazed into her soft golden brown eyes. God, how he wanted her—there was no denying it. He put his hand under her chin—tilting her face up to his—his mouth just inches from hers. Searching her eyes, he remembered there was a great possibility she was Risteard's daughter and he slowly eased away from her.

"Sorry, you're right. You should go."

She almost stumbled as he let go of her. "Right ... it would probably be the best thing."

He noted the disappointment in her voice and he walked her to the door, fully intending to open it, but instead he grabbed her again, pulling her close. This time he didn't hesitate as he took her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers. Her lips were warm and tender; he pulled back and stared at her, then covered her mouth with his again, losing himself when she slid her hands up his back and her lips parted. His tongue slid slowly over hers as he heard a soft moan escape from the back of her throat, the desire flooding his body unbearable.

Addison lowered her arms from his back and gently pushed away, ending the kiss.

His heart pounding, he sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I mean, it was just a kiss."

She blushed and he was amused at her attempt to sound casual.

He wanted to make love to her right there, but his sudden desire to protect her took over. He wanted to question her about the telekinetic ability he'd witnessed her using at the cliff, but didn't think she trusted him enough to confide in him yet. He figured she would never share her secret with him if she didn't trust him. Wanting to be cautious in his approach, he gently placed his hands on her shoulders and asked, "Addison, have you experienced anything strange lately? You know, out of the ordinary."

There was hesitation in her eyes before she darted them away. "No, why? I'm not sure what you mean."

He frowned, studying her face—her lips still inflamed from the kiss. She was lying, but he also knew she thought it necessary to protect herself from exposure to the wrong people. It would require time for her to trust him enough.

"Well, be careful, especially when you're out alone taking pictures or anything else, okay?"

He wanted to stay with her, protect her, and thought of telling her who he really was and why he was there, but realized it was too soon.

"Addison, will you let me cook you dinner, you know, for helping me today?"

"That's really not necessary, I hardly did anything. I'm not even sure I gave you my opinion."

"Oh, yes you did, upstairs—you said this place was spectacular."

Her smile brightened the room. "Yes, I guess I did... You want to cook me dinner?"

"Yes, I would like that very much. Besides, I need help breaking in the kitchen."

"Well, okay."

"When is your next night off?"

"Tomorrow."

"Good, then I'll come by for you. Will you be at the bar or at home?"

"I have the whole day off, so I'll be at home, but you don't have a car. How will you get there?"

"I'll manage." He smiled as he held the door open for her and they walked to her truck.

He wanted to take her in his arms again, but he knew if he did, he wouldn't be able to control the desire to drag her back inside, rip her clothes off, and kiss every inch of her soft curves.

He cupped her chin in his hand and ran his thumb over her lips. "I'll see you tomorrow, then," he said as he opened her truck door and helped her in.

# Chapter Thirteen

It was still the lull before the dinner crowd when Addie entered the Bar and Grill. Maia sat at the bar chatting with Gerry. Addie was close to being late, so she waved to her aunt and quickly headed into the kitchen to grab her apron. Maia walked over to Addie's section and sat.

"Addie," she said. "How did the campfire go?"

"It was okay, I met some new people," Addie lied. Well, not really lied—she had met one new person.

"Gerry told me about the cliff incident. You must have been terrified."

"It was stupid, really. I just wasn't looking where I was stepping and slipped. A man saved me. No big deal."

"What man?"

"Just a man." A mysterious and very difficult to figure out man. Although his kiss certainly didn't require any translating and Addie felt a flutter in her chest as she remembered it.

"So tell me what happened."

"Nothing. He grabbed me and pulled me up. He came in here afterwards to give me my camera he somehow rescued."

"What's he like?"

"Well, Darcy says he's polite, so I guess he is."

Maia stood, placed her hands on her hips. "Addie, what's he like?"

Addie snorted. "Well, he's tall, has dark wavy hair that sort of hangs over his ears, but not too long. And he's handsome. I'm having dinner with him tomorrow night."

"What's his name?"

"Cael."

"Cael?" Maia stared at Addie.

"What?"

"Nothing, sweetie." She turned. "Hmmm..." she said almost to herself as she picked up a rag and headed over to clear off a table in the corner. Looking back over her shoulder, she said, "I think it's great you've met someone and I'm looking forward to meeting him. Maybe you could bring him to our house for dinner. How's Monday night sound?"

Addie felt there was something her aunt wasn't saying, but let it go. "Oh, well, I hardly know him and I'm not sure if he'll even be around by Monday. Just because he rescued me and I'm having dinner with him doesn't mean we're involved or anything."

"Sure, I know." Maia picked up glasses and plates from the table and then wiped it down.

"Well, he's not from around here. I think he's just here on business."

"Well, if he is still around, bring him by. I'd still like to meet him."

"Maia, I'm not sure if it's a good idea. I'm not even sure I want to see him again, you know, because of the nightmares and stuff. What if he thinks I'm crazy?"

Maia shrugged and headed to the kitchen with the tray of dirty glasses and plates. As she rounded the corner of the bar on her way, she paused. "Give me a minute."

Maia returned and sat at the bar in front of Addie. It was between the dinner rush and the nighttime crowd, there were only a few customers, and Gerry was in the back.

Maia folded her hands and placed them on the bar. "Addie, your father loved you very much. So much, he wanted to protect you from everything. I'm sure these nightmares are just your mind's way of coping with the idea something horrible happened to your father. Something no one can explain. And I believe when something is unexplainable, your mind conjures up all sorts of scenarios. Have you thought about what these nightmares might mean?"

"I'm not sure I understand what you're asking."

"Well, your mind manifests a variety of possible circumstances of your father's death. I believe everyone has certain abilities and maybe these nightmares are trying to tell you something."

"I thought so, too, but they aren't very clear. What do you think they mean?"

"Honey, I don't know. You haven't really ever wanted to talk about them before. When my mom and dad died, I didn't think I could go on. I was eleven years old and was suddenly swept into a world of adulthood, and much like you, I was very bitter."

"I'm sorry, sometimes I forget about what you went through at such a young age."

"Well, I spent a lot of time feeling sorry for myself and one day your dad told me I needed to accept what had happened, but that I should never forget our parents and what they stood for. They loved me and I needed to find the little girl deep inside me they would want me to be. At first, I wanted to hit and swear at your dad. I told him it wasn't fair because he'd had them while he was growing up but I didn't. I was very resentful. He told me everything happens for a reason and I should search deep within myself and find that reason. Well, considering I was only eleven at the time, it was quite a bit of rubbish as far as I was concerned."

Addie moved a rag in circles on the bar, listening. Maia smiled and scooted closer, placing her hand over Addie's, stopping the motion.

"But one day, years later, I think you were about seven years old, I overheard you arguing with another little girl at the playground. She was a mean one and told you to go away. She said you couldn't play with her and her friends because you came from a broken family, because you didn't have a mother. Her mother told her little girls who grew up without mothers turned out to be whores."

"I remember. I punched her in the face."

Maia laughed. "Then you told her you might not have a mother who'd given birth to you, but you had something better than a mother. You had an aunt who loved you and took care of you, not because she had to but because she chose to and you wouldn't trade her for all the mothers in the world."

"I didn't know you heard that, but I meant every word."

"That day, I found the reason your father told me about. I loved you as if you were my own daughter. You've brought such joy to my life. The point I'm getting at here is, your dad wouldn't want you agonizing over his death, and I'm sure the nightmares you're experiencing stem from not knowing what happened. If you open up and maybe focus your energies on love instead of hate, your nightmares might lead to some sort of discovery. You may have some hidden abilities coming through in your dreams that may help bring some closure."

"Abilities?" Just what did Maia know?

"Well, yes. I believe everyone has hidden abilities and I think if you dig deep enough into your soul, you might just find talents there you never thought possible. So, instead of looking for the negatives about ... what did you say his name was?"

"Cael."

"Yes, Cael. Instead of looking at the negatives of starting a relationship, focus on the adventure. If you like the man, even a little, then there is something to explore. And maybe, just maybe, by focusing on him, your nightmares will subside."

"I'll give it some thought, but I'm not making any promises about dinner." Addie sighed.

Addie hung her apron behind the bar when her shift was over. It had been a long day and all she wanted to do was go home, take a hot bath, and relax.

She glanced at Darcy to see if she was ready to leave, but she was sitting in a booth, nuzzling up to that slime Tim. How could she? It was next to impossible to get her mind off what Jared had said about him. Why was he so concerned about Darcy seeing Tim anyway?

"Are you going to hang out here tonight, Darcy?" Addie asked, ignoring Tim. The guy was nothing more than a noxious worm as far as she was concerned.

Tim looked up and grinned. "Hi, how are your fried wires doing?"

Her hands fisted at her sides and it took every ounce of control she had not to punch that smirk right off his ugly face.

"Addie, don't pay any attention to him—and you, don't tease her," Darcy said and punched him in the arm. "There's not much happening tonight. We're just talking about the motorcycle ride we're planning Saturday."

"Have you ever ridden?" Tim asked Addie.

"No. I think I prefer the comfort of my truck cab."

"Oh, you should definitely try it sometime. You'd love it," Tim said.

"Maybe you have a friend, Tim," Darcy said. "We could double-date."

Addie cringed. Was Darcy out of her mind?

"Yeah, I've got a buddy."

"Is he good-looking?" Darcy asked.

"I guess. I'll talk to him tomorrow, see if he'd be interested in going on a blind date."

There was something about Tim—the look in his eyes—something ... evil. Addie thought of Jared's admonition; was there something Jared was privy to he hadn't shared?

"No, thanks," Addie said. "It would take more than a good-looking guy to get me on one of those things. There's something about having my body out in the middle of the air without any support. I'd probably get sick to my stomach."

She wanted to grab Darcy right then and make her go home. Even though Addie was tired, Darcy was her friend and she was worried about her being with Tim, so she stayed in the bar to keep an eye on them.

"Well, see you later," Addie said, and watched as Darcy turned toward Tim and nuzzled her chin into his neck. Addie still had to fight the urge to slap away the triumphant grin Tim wore as he stared at her, but she managed to turn and walk away. She strolled to the bar to have a beer and visit with Maia and Gerry. She really hadn't spent much time with them lately, other than her time at work.

"Gerry, could I get a Guinness, please?" Addie asked as she sat down at the bar next to her aunt.

"I'm glad you decided to stay and visit." Maia smiled and put her arm around Addie's shoulder.

Gerry placed the beer in front of her.

"Thanks." Addie smiled at him as she sipped the foam at the top of the glass.

"So sweetie, what keeps you here tonight? Are you waiting to see if the young man you told me about comes in?"

"I don't know. I've been thinking about what you said earlier and well, I hardly know him. Maybe he wasn't that into me and really just wanted a ride."

"What do you mean, you gave him a ride? Addie, do you know how dangerous that could have been?" Gerry asked, filling a pitcher of beer for a group of young tourists who'd come in a few minutes earlier.

Addie sighed at his words. "I thought we agreed you wouldn't do that anymore."

"Do what anymore?" Maia asked.

"Act like a crazed father," Addie hissed.

"Gerry, you didn't."

"Maybe I did, but I'm not going to change as long as she's going to do stupid things." He pointed his finger at Addie. "That was a hell of a dimwitted and irresponsible thing to do, Addie, giving a strange man a ride in your truck."

"Gerry, if he was going to hurt me, do you really think he would have saved my life?"

"Well, you never know. He could be some psycho who wanted to save your death for his own glory after he raped and tortured you and did ... God knows what."

"Gerry!" Maia and Addie glared at him.

"Sorry," he said and moved to the other end of the bar.

Maia shook her head and sipped from her drink. "So, you said his name was Cael. What's his last name?"

"Sheridan. Cael Sheridan."

"Ah, well, so tell me more about him."

"Hmmm... I already told you all I know. Except, well, he has these amazing blue eyes. But there's something different about him."

"Yes, something different indeed," Maia mumbled to herself.

"What did you just say?"

Maia cleared her throat. "I said, yes, so how different?"

Something in Maia's tone sounded suspicious, but then maybe her aunt was just excited that Addie actually met someone.

"Well, he's arrogant for one, and very mysterious."

"Ah, so you do like him."

"I just said he was arrogant. How do you get I like him out of that?"

"It's the way you said it."

Addie sipped her beer, "Okay, so I like him. But it doesn't mean anything."

"Well, it means there's hope."

"Hope for what?"

"Why, romance, sweetie. What else?"

"And you think romance is going to change my nightmares?"

"Maybe, but even if it doesn't, everyone needs a little romance, Addie. Take it from me; life is more exciting when you have someone to share it with." She glanced at Gerry.

"It's great about you and Gerry, really, but I doubt I'll ever find anybody I care enough about to spend the rest of my life with." Addie wasn't sure of anything concerning Cael. All she really knew about him was he could really kiss and she didn't want her aunt assuming anything. The chances of Cael even sticking around the area were slim and Addie didn't want to get all worked up about some guy only to have him take off and leave her pining for him.

"Just remember what your dad told me. Everything happens for a reason." Maia glanced up from her drink. "Speaking of your love life, don't look now, but here comes Jared."

"Oh, please." She rolled her eyes and took a long swallow of her beer.

"Hello, ladies," Jared said. "Okay if I join you?"

"Absolutely," Maia said.

Actually, Addie was grateful for the interruption and hopeful she would get an opportunity to speak to him about Darcy and find out why he was warning her about Tim.

"It seems everyone's going to hang out here tonight. What can I get you, Jared?" Gerry asked.

"Ah, thanks boss, I'll have a Guinness. Are you ready for another one?" Jared asked Addie.

Addie looked down at her glass, unaware she'd finished the first one. "Uh ... sure."

"Here you go." Gerry placed two beers on the bar in front of them.

Addie was starting to get a light buzz from the first drink, which reminded her she hadn't eaten all day. She stared up at Gerry through heavy eyes. Sometimes she wondered if he knew how much she admired him. As overbearing as he was, he was still the closest thing to a father she had now, and she missed her dad something awful.

Gerry looked at Addie as if he'd heard her thoughts. "Drink it slow, sweetheart. Remember you have to drive home tonight."

"Right." Addie nodded as she held her finger up in agreement and smiled.

"So Addie, this is unusual for you. What are you still doing here?" Jared turned toward Addie but his eyes went straight over to the table where Darcy was laughing and snuggling with Tim.

"Just hanging out, visiting with Maia."

The three of them chatted about the fast-approaching holidays and Addie was about to crawl out of her skin, wanting to ask Jared about Tim. She was relieved when Maia said goodbye, gave Gerry a quick peck on his lips, and headed toward the door. A smile lingered on Gerry's face as he watched her leave.

As Addie sat at the bar with Jared, she glanced down at the other end and noticed Ed, her apartment manager. She waved as he looked up at her. He smiled and nodded his head. He looked lonely and she thought about going over to say hello, but now that she was alone with Jared, she wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to question him about Darcy.

"Let's go sit over there." Addie pointed to the corner table. She thought of Cael as they headed over to it. She didn't want Jared to misconstrue her intentions, but she really wanted to talk to him privately.

As they sat, he smiled. "What's up?"

"Why does something have to be up? Can't we just sit and talk?"

"No, you've never wanted to sit at a private table with me and just talk before, so I'll say it again, what's up?" He wrapped his hands around his glass, resting his forearms on the table.

Addie mimicked him. "Well, I didn't mean to eavesdrop this morning—but it was hard not to, considering the way you and Darcy were yelling at each other. What did you mean when you said you didn't trust Tim?"

"Oh shit... I guess it doesn't matter anymore," he said as he lowered his eyes and rubbed his finger around the edge of his glass.

"What doesn't matter anymore?"

"Hiding the way I feel about Darcy. The way I've felt about Darcy since we were in high school ... actually, even before then."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know. I mean, I knew you two had dated, but I didn't know you still had such strong feelings for her. Does she know?" Addie didn't give him a chance to answer. "Wait a minute. I thought you liked me."

He chuckled. "I do like you—as a friend, remember?"

"Yeah, but what about wanting to kiss me the other night? What were you doing?"

"Sorry about that. Yeah, Darcy knows how I feel but she won't give me the time of day. Darcy and I were together since high school, but last year I cheated on her with some girl who really didn't mean anything to me. I drank too much and one thing led to another. I guess I used you the other night. I didn't intend to try to kiss you, but when I saw her kissing Tim, I couldn't help myself. I thought I could make her jealous. I'm really sorry."

"You used me?" Mortified, she wanted to yell at him, as she realized everything he'd told her the other night was a lie. "What about those things you said to me in my truck?"

"I really meant all those things. I'll always be your friend." He sat back and took a sip of his beer. "I thought you would be relieved when you found out I didn't like you that way. You know, I'm not an idiot, I can tell if a woman's interested in me or not."

"Well ... a girl does have her pride," Addie pointed out.

"I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?" He leaned in, placing his hand on top of hers.

She smiled weakly. "Okay. I guess I'll forgive you this time, but if we're going to be friends, you can't be deceiving me again."

"Okay, I won't."

"If you like Darcy so much, why do you always tease her and call her 'Double D' when you know she hates it?"

"When I make her mad, it's the only time she will even acknowledge my existence. Having her yell at me is better than nothing at all."

"Wow, you have it bad." Addie couldn't help but watch Darcy and Tim snuggling in the booth. Poor Jared.

"Okay, I get the part about your feelings for Darcy, but are you just jealous of Tim or do you really not trust him? Because, you know, there's something weird about that guy. I don't like him."

Jared sighed. "Yeah, I know what you mean." He sat back in his chair and glanced at Darcy and Tim, then leaned forward again so his face was over the center of the table. "Okay, here's the deal. I think he's married and isn't telling her."

"Married?" Her outburst caused a few heads to turn and she brought her hand up to cover her mouth. "Married?" she whispered.

She was feeling the beer, and the second one was going down much too quickly.

Jared sighed. "Yeah, I think so. She won't listen to me because she thinks I'm just jealous. Maybe you can talk to her."

"She's right. You are jealous, but how do you know he's married? He's not wearing a wedding ring."

Jared tilted his head and she realized he thought she was a moron.

"Oh yeah, I'm an idiot," she acknowledged. "He would take it off, huh?"

Jared nodded. "I've seen him in town with a woman and a little boy. The boy called him 'dad.'"

"Well, maybe the woman wasn't the mother, maybe it was just someone he was seeing, or maybe..." Addie stopped, realizing she was making excuses for a man she didn't even like. "Well, I'll see if I can bring it up without her getting mad at me. She does have a tendency to overreact sometimes." She shook her head, disgusted. "I can't believe this. Poor Darcy."

Jared placed his hand on top of hers. "Thanks, Addie, I appreciate your help."

"Sure. Oh, and poor you," she added.

She looked up, surprised to see Cael standing behind Jared, frowning at them. She yanked her hand away from under Jared's and looked up at Cael as he placed his hand on the back of a chair.

# Chapter Fourteen

"Okay if I join you two, or am I interrupting something here?"

"No, no, you're not interrupting. Have a seat," Addison said.

Cael glanced around. Not too many people—he was glad of that. Crowded bars had a tendency to be noisy and he wanted to talk to Addison. He'd been worrying about her since she'd left the rental house.

When Cael saw her sitting with another man, he felt a pang in his gut, and he chastised himself for his reaction to a woman he barely knew. But he wanted to know her, and he would get to know her, very soon.

When Addison left his house earlier, he went to do some investigating to find out if, indeed, Addison MacKenna was the daughter of Risteard MacKenna. He contacted the organization headquarters to make some inquiries. No one there had any information about Risteard having a daughter. He found information on Risteard's younger sister, Maia, who he already knew had no known powers, and therefore wasn't in any danger—but there was nothing about a daughter. It appeared he was on his own to find out as much as he could about Addison MacKenna.

Cael slid the chair out and sat.

"Cael, this is Jared. Jared, this is Cael." She took a long sip of her beer and stared at him.

"Is this the guy who saved your life the other day?" Jared asked.

"Yeah. What are you doing here?" she asked Cael.

"I came in for a beer. I thought you'd be home by now," he lied.

"Well, as you can see, I'm still here," she said, finishing the last of her beer.

"Excuse me a minute. I'll be right back." Cael listened to their conversation as he walked to the bar and overheard Addison tell Jared she knew he was the man she almost ran over the other day. He'd have to tell her who he was and he needed to do it soon.

Cael returned, juggling three beers. "You two were drinking Guinness, right?"

"Right. Hey, thanks, man," Jared said.

He set down the beers as he sat. "So, Jared, you're the cook here?"

"Yeah, that's right. Have you eaten here?"

"A couple of times. Not bad, not too bad at all, actually." He took a sip of his beer.

Addison looked up at him, her eyebrow raised. "When? I haven't seen you eat anything here."

He glanced at her. "You're usually gone when I come in to eat."

"Oh." She frowned and sipped her beer.

"I wasn't trying to avoid you or anything. I just eat at weird hours." He had tried to avoid her, but now all he wanted to do was be close to her, protect her.

Since the kiss that afternoon, he'd wondered if he'd come on too strong. After sitting there talking, he could tell she was enjoying herself, but there was something in the back of her mind he couldn't quite put his finger on. Something puzzling.

Jared finished his beer and stood. "I'd better head home now. Addie, you okay?"

"I'm fine. See you Friday."

Addie glanced around. There were fewer people in the bar now. She noticed Darcy and Tim had left. When did that happen? She finished her beer sooner than she'd intended, totally disregarding Gerry's warning about drinking and driving. Cael seemed to be studying her. "How many beers have you had, Addison?"

"Two ... I mean three ... I think. I guess I should go home, too." She started to get up but the room began to spin. Cael rose to steady her and helped her sit back down. Addie placed her head in her hands and said, "Maybe I should just sit here a little while longer."

"I'll get you some water," Cael said and walked to the bar.

He came back a minute later and handed her a glass of water. She downed the entire contents and began to feel better. Gerry's warning about drinking too much floated to her mind. Two beers she could handle, but when Cael showed up with the third, she figured why not? It seemed to be a good opportunity to get to know him a little bit before going to his house for dinner, and to her surprise she found she liked being around him.

Addie set the glass down, stared at Cael, and couldn't help thinking about kissing him. Realizing her condition, she thought it would be better if she weren't so close to him.

"Okay, I think I'm fine now. I really should go home." Standing, she turned to him, placing her hand on the table for support. "Thanks for the beer." She headed for the door and managed to walk out without swaying—much.

Once outside, Cael appeared by her side with his hand on her arm.

"You can't drive, Addison. Let me take you home."

"You don't have a car, remember?" She poked her finger at his chest. "So don't worry, I'll be fine." She thought she was okay until she tripped and fell into his arms.

"Let me drive your truck. I'll get you home."

"No, no, no. How will you get home?"

"Don't worry about me. I'll manage."

"Okay. You always do seem to manage, don't you?" She handed him the keys. At this point, she didn't really care how she got home, as long as it was soon.

The moon, low and barely visible in a sky full of clouds, gave the gravel driveway a gloomy atmosphere, sending off portentous vibes. As Cael helped Addison into the truck, something caught his eye in the thicket by the side of the building. He drove off, but checked the rear-view mirror and caught movement in the road. Whatever it was, he was sure it had been watching them. He was glad he'd come to the bar tonight and that Addison had still been there, even if she was a bit tipsy. She definitely needed protection, especially if Risteard's killer was skulking around.

Addison dozed off during the ride home, and woke up as they pulled into her parking space. As Cael got out of the truck, he had the same feeling he'd had outside the Bar and Grill. Something was out there, watching. He helped Addison out of the truck and guided her up the steps to her door. She was still a little uneasy on her feet.

"Where are my keys?" She dug in her bag, looking up at him with glassy eyes.

"Shhh, someone's watching," he whispered as he showed her the keys in his hand and opened the door.

Once they were in, he quickly turned the lock.

"Why do we need to be quiet? So what if someone's watching? We're two grown people and it's still early."

"Addison, I saw something outside at the Cliff Hanger, and again here. There was a movement ... something lurking by the dumpster."

"Movement by the dumpster? You're a grown man and you're afraid of someone putting their garbage out?" She laughed and shrugged off her jacket.

"No, I'm not afraid of someone taking out their garbage. That's not what I saw."

Then her voice turned serious. "Oh, wait ... maybe it's a mountain lion. You know they found a dead woman the other day and they think she was attacked by a mountain lion."

"No, I don't think it was a mountain lion," he said as he began locking all the windows and pulling down all the shades. He took a moment to look around her apartment, noticing how sparsely decorated it was. She didn't have much by way of furniture, but then the place was small. He did notice the picture on the table next to the sofa. It was a picture of Risteard with her. They stood with their arms around each other affectionately, smiling for the camera.

"Are you sure you saw something? Or ... were you just trying to scare me so I'd let you in?"

"Believe me, Addison, I wouldn't need to scare you into letting me in here." He stuck his hands in his pockets and stood watching her.

"You're very conceited, aren't you? What makes you think I would let you in under different circumstances? Just because I let you kiss me this afternoon and agreed to have dinner with you ... wait. How did you know where I lived? I never told you."

"I know a lot of things, Addison, and one thing I know for sure: someone or something is out there right now, watching us. Watching you."

"Oh, please say you're joking. This is ridiculous. Why would someone be watching me?" She plopped down on the sofa.

"Just trust me."

"Who are you? Please tell me what this is about because if you're trying to scare me, you're succeeding. If you're acting this way to try to seduce me, well, I think you should change your strategy, because scaring a woman half to death is not very attractive."

She came to her feet and he walked over to her, putting his arm around her shoulder.

"You're trembling." He gently helped her back down and sat next to her. "I'm not trying to seduce you." Not yet, not under these conditions. "Look, you've had a few beers tonight. We should discuss this another time."

"I've only had three beers." She seemed to regain some composure and pushed herself away from him. "I'm fully capable of understanding this charade of yours. I may have been a little tipsy before ... maybe more tipsy than I should have been ... only because I haven't eaten today. I went with you at lunch and then I stayed at the bar and didn't eat because of Darcy and Tim and... Oh God, I forgot about Darcy. I need to warn her."

"This is not a charade and ... who is Darcy and why do you need to warn her?" If she knew something about what was going on, he needed to find out.

"Darcy, my friend ... she's head over heels for that swine, Tim. She doesn't know he's married. Jared wanted me to be the one to tell her because he's still in love with her and she won't believe him."

Relieved she wasn't talking about anything relevant to the situation, Cael listened to her ramble. Maybe it was better she concentrate on her friends instead of what was outside.

It was cold in the apartment and she ran her hands up and down her arms as she spoke about her friends. Then she stretched out her arm toward the heater, sending sparks at it. It rumbled on, circulating warm air into the room.

It was obvious to Cael that Addison hadn't realized what she'd just done until she stopped talking and put her hand over her mouth, staring at him with those beautiful caramel colored eyes that reminded him of a fine scotch. He realized he'd better be careful or he might find himself intoxicated by the spell of those eyes.

"Now, if you continue to act foolish, you might get yourself killed one of these days. You should really be more careful when using your abilities—you never know who's watching." He reached over and picked up the framed photo of Risteard and Addison to study it closer.

"My abilities? You know what I can do?" She ran both her hands through her hair, pulling it up in the back before letting it fall.

"I do," he admitted, watching her golden brown waves spill over her shoulders, the slight curl at the ends just tipping over her breasts. Her hair color matched her eyes that were full of confusion and fear as they stared up into his. He set the photo back down.

"And you're not shocked, or think I'm an alien or some sort of monster or something?"

He smiled. "No, you're not an alien or a monster, but you are gifted with some special talents—as I am—and part of something much larger than you can comprehend at the moment."

"Like you?"

Her eyes were wide and beautiful.

"Yes, like me. Remember this afternoon, when I asked if you had noticed anything unusual happening?"

"Yes, and I lied to you. I wasn't sure if I could trust you."

"That doesn't matter. I know you lied to protect yourself, but now you can trust me. That's what we do—lie to guard our secret. I saw you start your truck the other day and it seems someone else saw you, too. You really should be more careful where and when you use your powers."

"My powers? You saw me? I didn't think anyone was around. Who else do you think saw me?"

"I'm not sure." Someone must have seen her use them, because he was certain that someone or something was stalking her and he wasn't going to take any chances.

"Listen carefully." He placed both his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "I don't want to frighten you, but there's something outside. I saw something by the dumpster and I believe it wants to harm you. I think he—and I use 'he' lightly—believes you have something he wants. I don't know how he managed to follow us here, but he did. We can't stay here. Believe me; I know what I'm talking about."

"No. I don't want to believe you."

"Addison, I would never lie to you."

"Please, tell me this is all just a bad dream. Are you certain you saw something outside? Maybe it was just a cat, a dog, or my apartment manager even. You know, people go out to the dumpster all the time. Maybe you just saw someone throwing out their trash."

"No, I can tell the difference between throwing away trash and lurking around. Look, I can't leave you alone knowing you're in danger. Please, you can trust me. I didn't freak out when you used your ability to turn the heater on, right? Don't you think I would have been amazed at what you did?"

"Well, yeah, I suppose. Okay ... but what should we do?"

He stood. "Come with me, I have a plan."

# Chapter Fifteen

Cael held out his hand for Addie, who took it and stood. "Grab your jacket." He wrapped his arm around her, pulled her in close, cupped her chin in his hand, and tilted her head up toward his, their lips inches apart. "Do you trust me?" His voice was husky, his breath warm, and her knees were about to turn to jelly.

"Yes, I think so. Do I have a choice?"

"No. Close your eyes," he whispered.

She did as he requested as a weird sensation of air swept through every pore, every cell of her body.

"You can open your eyes now. You're safe."

Addie opened her eyes. He still held her in his arms, which was good because she almost fell over from the shock. She blinked as she looked around, recognizing Cael's rented beach house, the red leather sofa and marble-topped coffee table from earlier that afternoon. It was dark except for the moonlight trickling in through the large window, giving the room a dreamy ambiance.

"How did we...?"

Before she could finish her question, he lifted her chin up to his face and pressed his lips down on hers.

Pushing away, she turned her face from his. "How is this possible? We were just standing in my apart—"

Without answering, he resumed kissing her. She started to pull away but then relaxed and tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer to her.

After enjoying the kiss for a few seconds, Addie came to her senses and shoved her hands against his chest, stopping the kiss. "Wait. You need to explain—"

Cael ignored her, silencing her with his lips once more. Addie lost herself in his tender embrace, unable to focus on anything else, which she knew was completely wrong. Every instinct told her she should be afraid, but she didn't care.

His mouth traveled down to her neck as she raised her head to accept the slight graze of his teeth and titillating touch of his tongue just below her earlobe, sending quick pulses of excitement though her body.

She sighed. "You can't keep silencing me with your kisses."

"It's working so far," he whispered, then brought his mouth back to hers, attempting another kiss, but this time she managed to turn her face aside.

"Please, stop. I need to know what's going on."

They stood for a moment, both lost in the sweet embrace.

He sighed. "If you insist."

"How did we get here?"

He smiled. "I have the ability to teleport. That's how I managed to save you at the cliff. I heard you scream but there was no way I could have run over there in time."

"'Teleport'? That's not possible."

He laughed. "Well, we're here aren't we?  I do it all the time. I can move from one place to another, instantly."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing, what she had just experienced. Her sense of logic denied what he was saying. The word itself was absurd. This whole night had been absurd. She pushed herself away from him, trying desperately to find some vestige of understanding, some measure of strength to continue this illogical conversation.

"How does it work, exactly?"

He shrugged. "I just think about it and it happens."

"Show me."

"Well, okay."

He vanished before her eyes, and then tapped her on her shoulder from behind. "Hey." He smiled a sexy grin.

"Holy incredible crap! This is unbelievable. Do that again."

He did. This time he disappeared for a bit longer and when he returned, he was holding a beautiful red rose that he handed to her.

She took the rose, feeling her knees go weak. "I think I'm going to need a moment." She sat. "So ... you can do this anytime you want?"

"Yes, usually."

"Take me somewhere."

"Where?"

"I don't know, anywhere."

He pulled her against him. "Okay. You should close your eyes, though. It can be a little ... unsettling at first."

Two seconds later, he said, "Okay, open your eyes."

She did and gasped. They stood upstairs in his bedroom.

"Someday I'll take you somewhere wonderful, but not tonight. There are more pressing issues at hand. For now, you need to get past the shock."

"This is just too amazing! All I felt was a slight swish through my skin and bones, like a brief, strong, cold breeze. And Darcy thinks riding a motorcycle would be exciting. Man, she has no idea!"

"You'd have gotten dizzy if your eyes were open. Close them again." She did, and they were back downstairs when she opened them.

Addie ran her hands along his sides and felt something odd—something hard—then looked up at him, puzzled. "What is that?"

He slowly lowered his arms from her and eased back, removed his coat and showed her the concealed belt holster holding a small gun alongside what Addie could only assume were extra bullets.

"You have a gun? Why do you have a gun? Who are you exactly and why are you here?"

"You ask so many questions all at once. Let's take it one at a time. We'll talk, but we also need to eat. Let's see what we have here in the kitchen and we can talk while I make us something. Come with me." He took her hand and she followed him. She wasn't hungry, but she knew she had to eat something.

He removed the holster, taking the gun out to show her. "This isn't just a gun. It's a sub-compact semi-automatic forty caliber pistol, and it's for protection," he said, then placed the gun back in the holster and set it on the counter next to an extra magazine of cartridges.

"Don't worry, I'm a private investigator and have a license to carry it. I assure you, Addison, it's quite legal. I'm surprised you didn't feel the gun when we were kissing this afternoon."

"I guess I just didn't think ... what do you mean, protection?"

"Protection for you."

"Me?"

"Yes, you, Addison MacKenna. Your life is in danger."

"So you said, but who would want to kill me?" She just couldn't get a grip on everything happening to her. She had never hurt anyone in her life, and couldn't imagine anyone wanting to hurt her. She leaned against the cool granite counter top, wishing she had something to do with her hands. There were two black leather stools by the side of it, but the last thing she wanted to do was sit.

"Maybe it's more of what wants to kill you. At this point I'm not sure." He pulled out some eggs and bread from the refrigerator, and setting them down on the counter, he paused. "Addison ... your father was recently murdered and—"

"Wait, how do you know? Did you know my father? Were you a student of his or something?"

"Do you always ask several questions at once?"

"Just answer."

"Okay, yes, I was a student of his, but in a sense, Risteard was more like a father to me. He taught me almost everything I know about fighting demons. He had more abilities than anyone else in the whole organization."

"What the hell are you talking about ... fighting demons? What organization? You must have me mixed up with someone else." She let out a trembling laugh and shook her head. "This is utterly insane. My father's name was Richard. Professor Richard MacKenna and he was a professor of ancient history and he investigated ancient artifacts—and yes, he was killed, but by a bear."

"Addison, you don't really believe that. Stop kidding yourself. Look at the facts. Think back."

"The police said it was a bear, plus you have the wrong name."

"Look, I saw the photo on your table of you with your father. He's the same man I knew as Risteard MacKenna. He was a powerful man who belonged to an ancient secret society called the Sectorium. I believe he took on the name Richard to disguise his identity and to help keep you hidden. I didn't even know you existed until the other day. I suspected something about you when I saw you use your power, but I didn't know you were Risteard's daughter until you told me your name." He cracked open a few eggs and started scrambling them as he watched her pace.

"This is crazy." She walked from one end of the kitchen to the other. Dragging her hand through her hair, she stopped and looked at him. "You're on the level here, aren't you?"

He nodded.

"But why would he change his name? And which is it, Richard or Risteard? God, I can't believe this."

"Risteard is Gaelic, meaning 'powerful ruler' so maybe the Sectorium gave him that name. I'm really not sure."

"Well, shit, how could I be so stupid? All the moving around we did—I was always starting a new school—and all those times my father would go away for months at a time. I just thought he was searching for ancient relics. You know ... I went to school to study everything I could about ancient history and art just so I could work with him. That's all I ever wanted to do ... until he died. Now I can't bring myself to even look at any historic pieces."

He poured the eggs into a pan and pulled out two slices of bread. He was just about to place them in the toaster when Addie placed her hand on top of his to stop him.

"Wait." She looked into his eyes and hesitated for a second, taking in his puzzled expression. She slowly took the slices from him and placed them on a plate. "Watch this," she whispered, then toasted the bread with her sparks. She looked at him, tears welling in her eyes.

"I can do this ... as well as turn machines on and off."

He brushed away the tears glistening on her cheek.

"Oddly, this all started happening to me when you showed up. The same day I almost hit you with my truck."

He took her in his arms, comforting her trembling body in his warm embrace. "I knew that was you. You damn near killed me, you know."

"I'm sorry, I should have said something, but I was afraid you were going to have me arrested for hit-and-run."

"Arrested? No, you're safe, especially since you didn't hit me. You know, Addison, we'll figure this all out, I promise. I know this is a lot to comprehend."

Eyeing the bread she'd just toasted to perfection, he raised an eyebrow and said, "Now that's a handy little talent you have there. Very handy indeed. Let's butter it and eat."

"I have to say, as frightened as I am about these powers and everything else you've told me, I am a bit relieved to know I finally have someone to confide in who knows as well as I do that a bear didn't kill my father."

Addie didn't think she could eat anything and the idea of swallowing seemed impossible, but after the first bite of soft, buttery eggs, the rest followed with very little effort. Feeling somewhat dehydrated from the beers earlier in the evening, she drank two large glasses of water.

"Okay, let's say—for argument's sake—you're right and this man Risteard was my father. If you knew him so well, why didn't he ever tell you about me?"

"My guess is he kept you hidden from us for your own protection. His powers were far greater than any of the others' in the Sectorium. I believe he kept you a secret because he knew your life would be in danger. Addison, there are only about ten people known to the organization—in the world—who possess such prodigious powers as we have. These powers are only obtainable through inheritance, and it only strikes one gender per generation, skipping genders each time. If you had been born a boy, you would be powerless."

"Oh, so then ... my aunt has no powers."

"Correct, and she can never pass any powers down to future generations—one of the reasons why there aren't very many of us. Not every person born with special abilities has a child of the opposite sex. As I said, if you had been a boy, then the power would have stopped with your father, but fortunately," he raised his eyebrows and smiled, "you were born a girl. We were aware of Maia MacKenna, but no one had any clue about you. Your name—Addison—isn't it also a boy's name?"

"Usually, yes."

"Maybe they named you Addison to hide your identity."

"Maybe. Almost everyone calls me Addie, though ... well, except for my father. He always called me Addison." And you. She lowered her head, not wanting to reveal her emotions. She wanted to say how she loved hearing him say her name—how she felt beautiful and special whenever the melodic sound of it passed through his lips.

Then she felt guilty. How the hell could she allow herself to think about this man that way when her life was in danger?

Cael's intense blue eyes focused on hers as if he could hear her thoughts.

"Addison," he said in a deep whisper, causing her stomach to flutter.

"Yes?"

"Come with me."

He stood, reached for her hand. She took it and followed him to the sofa in front of the fireplace.

Addie sat as Cael lit the fire, then joined her on the sofa. He faced her, taking her hands in his. "Addison," he repeated. "What I'm about to say is very serious... I'm sorry this has all come as a shock to you, but I need your help. I'm sure your father loved you very much. I knew him well. He was my mentor, perhaps more. I suppose you could say he helped raise me. I loved him and respected him. He was a great man with great powers. Because I knew him so well, my instincts tell me your father hid you away to protect you from the dangers to our kind and from the monster who wants to kill you."

A lump formed in her throat and she held back tears. She wouldn't cry. She stared at him, searching for some hint of a lie or trick, but nothing in those pools of deep sapphire revealed anything but sincerity.

"Our kind? What do you mean?"

"We are ... you are special. You have special abilities normal human beings don't have."

"Why didn't I have them before?"

He shrugged. "Exposure, perhaps. We can explore it later, if you like. I need you to think—think hard. Is there anything you can remember—some deep hidden memory from your childhood, perhaps? What about your mother? Where is she?"

Addison was silent for a moment as Cael stared at her, waiting for her to answer.

"My mother died when I was a baby. I don't even remember her." She stood up abruptly, throwing her arms down, her hands clenched into fists, hitting her thighs. "No ... I can't do this ... don't make me do this. Why is this happening? I don't want these powers. Why didn't he tell me?" Her posture was stiff as she glared at him. She stepped away, as if to bolt and leave the whole mess behind her.

"I need him." Her eyes softened and glistened. "He was always there. Whenever I had a problem, I could turn to him and he would make things better. He was my life."

Cael grabbed her arm gently, pulling her back down. Her face fell onto his chest, her tears soaking his shirt.

"I miss him so much."

"I know. It's okay now, let it out. It's good to let it out." As he shared in the grief of her father's death, he sensed she was weeping for the first time since her father had died.

Cael's own emotions balanced on a thin wire as he held her, thinking of his own childhood with Risteard. He found himself torn between love for the man and now the strong desire for the man's daughter. God, her hair was so soft, and her sweet fragrance had him mesmerized. Her skin felt smooth as silk as he stroked a finger down the side of her tear-soaked cheek. She was perfect. Her lips were full and trembling and he remembered how wonderful and soft they had been when he'd kissed her. Even though he grieved with her over a man he loved, he had to fight to control the erotic fantasies he had conjured up as he sat with her.

# Chapter Sixteen

The morning light filtered through the window, waking Addie from a deep, dreamless sleep. She was in a bed covered by a puffy, light blue comforter. Next to her head lay the rose Cael had given her last night. She pulled it to her nose, delighting in its sweet aroma; she closed her eyes and let its soothing fragrance comfort her. She sat up slowly, and as she looked around, she recognized the room as Cael's bedroom, but he was nowhere around. She must have cried herself to sleep and he'd carried her up to bed. How embarrassing, she thought, but then she marveled at the image in her mind of him carrying her up the stairs. Or maybe they just teleported. Just teleported, right. This was all so incredible.

She pushed the comforter off and realized she was still fully dressed—except for her shoes. She heard a clang come from somewhere downstairs, which she soon recognized as the clattering of pots and pans and ooh, she smelled bacon ... and coffee.

Cael looked up from the stove as Addison wandered into the kitchen looking a little sleepy but still good enough that he wanted to grab her and drag her back upstairs and do oh-so-many wonderful things to her. The erotic fantasies he'd had the night before were still fresh in his mind.

When he woke up this morning with her asleep beside him, he'd wanted to make love to her right then, but reconsidered. Addison wasn't some one-night stand he could jump into bed with and forget. He liked her, and she was Risteard's daughter, which warranted more respect than a careless romp in the sack. Moreover, with everything going on, it was better not to get involved. His past relationships had gone sour because of his abilities. He always had to be too secretive for any woman to trust him, but then ... Addison was different. He wouldn't need to keep the secret from her; she had her own secret to keep. She was like him ... and she was beautiful first thing in the morning ... and hell, they were already involved. When he did make love to her though, and he would, he wanted it to be meaningful.

"Good morning," he said.

"Good morning. What time is it?"

"Near noon."

"Wow, I haven't slept that late in ... well, I can't remember, it's been so long. My God, it smells heavenly in here. What are you making?"

"Blueberry pancakes, bacon ... there's coffee over there," he said, pointing the spatula in his hand toward the drip machine on the counter.

"Ah, terrific. Thanks."

She poured some coffee, took a sip, and stood with both hands wrapped around the cup. He watched her look around the kitchen, quite a contrast to the little kitchen in her apartment, and he detected a twinge of embarrassment come over her.

"You look much better then you did last night. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I did—your bed is much more comfortable than my old sofa bed. I slept like a baby. No nightmares." She sipped the coffee, then rubbed her finger around the rim of her cup as she leaned up against the counter.

"Do you normally have nightmares?"

"Yes, actually, I do."

"I'm sorry."

"It isn't something I normally talk about, but I seem to feel more at ease with you. Considering ... you know things about my dad. Things I didn't even know."

"I'm glad you feel that way."

"Yeah. Well, the nightmares started right after my father died and they usually involve someone or something chasing me."

"Maybe your subconscious mind is trying to tell you something."

"Yeah, I thought so, too. Maybe there is some meaning behind them and if I could only identify what's hounding me, I might figure out what happened to my dad."

"Maybe we can work on that together," Cael said.

Addie looked at him and smiled. "Um ... Cael ... I'd like to apologize for my hysterical state last night. I don't think I've cried before, I mean for my dad. I never wanted to sound weak and pitiful. Crying is so debilitating. So I guess I've been holding it in all this time."

"No apology necessary. You needed to get it out and I don't think you're weak."

"Yeah, but I'm not usually a blubbering idiot. I just wanted you to know."

She stood there looking so fragile. He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss the pain away. "Well, I don't believe that crying for the loss of someone you love is considered a flaw. It shows you have compassion, not weakness."

She smiled at him and he sensed the embarrassment fade from her mind, her posture becoming more relaxed.

He poured pancake batter into the pan and added several plump blueberries. As it cooked, he poured two glasses of orange juice and placed them on the table he had set with a small vase holding another beautiful red rose.

"Wow," Addison said as she noticed the table. "This is all so beautiful," she leaned in close to take in the fragrance of the rose. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Sure, you can get the bacon that's warming in the oven. There are some hot pads in the top drawer next to the stove."

She retrieved the pan and placed it on top of one of the potholders on the table, then sat to enjoy the breakfast.

"This is really sweet of you," she said, taking a bite of the fluffy pancakes. "Hmmm ... these are really good. You know ... someday you're going to make some lucky girl a great househusband."

"A househusband, is it? Now there's a comforting thought—all those years of training in martial arts, not to mention my time at Dartmouth and the stint in law enforcement I had to endure before I started working for the organization."

"Martial arts ...? You were a cop? I guess that makes sense, I mean before becoming a private investigator. Wait ... you went to Dartmouth?"

"There you go with the multiple questions again." He found this habit of hers delightfully amusing. "Does it surprise you that I have an education?"

"No, no, not at all, and I guess it makes sense you would attend the same college I did—the same college where my dad taught Ancient History. I wonder if you were there when I was."

"Probably not. I think I've got four years on you."

"How do you know how old I am?"

He shrugged. "I checked. Twenty-six, right?"

She grimaced.

"What? I wanted to know."

"You are very annoying, you know."

"Yes, so you've said." He smirked, then took a bite of his pancake.

"Okay, so you're thirty. Or ... let me guess. You have some longevity gene and you're really over a thousand years old."

"Hardly, but a nice thought."

"Oh."

"You sound disappointed."

"Well, you know the prospect of living forever and never aging ... every woman's fantasy."

She fell silent for a moment.

"What's wrong?"

"I was just thinking about something you said earlier about the training you had in martial arts."

"Yes, what about it?" He stabbed his fork into his pancakes.

"Well, I didn't have any formal training, but you know, my father did teach me a few things."

His fork—filled with pancakes just ready to go into his mouth—stopped as he stared at her, wondering if he'd heard her correctly. "What?"

"My dad trained me," she repeated.

"Trained you for what?" The forkful of blueberry pancake made it all the way in.

"He trained me to fight."

He stared into space, contemplating what she was telling him.

"You don't believe me. He taught me karate, kickboxing, sword fighting. I always thought we were just playing around, you know, for exercise. He started teaching me from the minute I could walk. When I was old enough, I would have contests with my aunt. My dad would be the judge, and the loser would have to dish up the ice cream or whatever dessert we were having. I remember losing more often than winning in the early days, since I was so much smaller, but, once I became the same height as Maia, I started whipping her butt. I wasn't aware at the time why he was teaching us—it was just fun—but now I guess I have a better understanding."

"Of course. How could I be so stupid to think he wouldn't have given you some instruction?" He laughed. Although he had no doubt she could fight, he did have some reservations as to whether she could hold up against someone who outweighed her by eighty pounds, but he kept that assessment to himself.

"Some instruction? What makes you think he only gave me some instruction?" She put down her fork and crossed her arms over her chest.

He took in the sight of her; she looked so sexy when she was defiant. It was another one of those little personality traits of hers he was beginning to adore.

"You know, Cael, sometimes you can be very arrogant."

"Well, I suppose having the ability to dash in and out of space tends to elicit a certain amount of self-importance. My apologies. I'll try not to sound so supercilious in the future." He smiled, waited for a smile back, and got one. "I guess we'll have to see about your skills, now, won't we?"

"I guess we will. That'll be one way to tone down your supercilious behavior. How about after we finish eating?"

"Are you challenging me?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Okay then, sure, why not?" He shrugged and took his last bite of pancake. He'd go easy on her, but he wanted to see what she had.

"Okay, you're on. I'm going to need to get back to my apartment soon after to change my clothes and shower."

"Right. We should have thought of grabbing some things last night, I guess. Well, no worries. We'll just zip over and pick up some clothes. I think you should come back here to shower. The less time spent at your place the better. We should leave your truck there, though ... try to throw him off. Since he seems to know your truck, he might follow it."

Addie took the last bite of the delicious pancakes. Surprised she ate three, she sat and sipped the coffee, her chest tightening as her thoughts turned to the monster hell bent on killing her. "Cael, this thing, this demon or whatever he is, I need you to tell me more. What do you think he is, exactly?"

"I'm not sure. I'm almost certain he was outside the Bar and Grill last night when we left. I sensed him again when we arrived at your apartment. Either he has the ability to teleport—like me—or there's more than one."

Addie shivered and took another sip of coffee.

"You didn't just shiver because you were cold. Are you okay?"

"I suppose," she paused. "Cael, you seem very in tune with my emotions. Can you read my mind?"

"Not completely, but when I concentrate, my intuition intensifies."

When she just stared at him, he continued.

"What I mean is, I can sense your thoughts. I can't hear them word for word, but I have a pretty good idea what they are."

"You mean you're empathic?"

"Hell no, just the thought, not the feeling. Thank God."

Addie frowned.

He stood, turned to her, and cupping her chin in his hand, tilted up her face. "Don't worry, though—I can't do it all the time, especially when someone's mind is so clouded with emotions as yours is most of the time."

"I'll try to remember that. What else can you do? I mean, you can teleport, and you have acute intuition. Can you fly, or do you have x-ray vision?"

He laughed. "No, sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not Superman."

Addie raised her eyebrows. I think you're a superman.

"I'm flattered that you think of me as a superman, but unfortunately I can't fly and bullets can kill me."

"You've just read my mind, or whatever it is you do. I'm really going to have to watch what I'm thinking around you, aren't I?"

"Sometimes, yes. I can hear and see better than most, too. Otherwise, I wouldn't have heard you screaming the other day when you were hanging from the side of the cliff. At the time, I was down the road, beyond a normal person's hearing range. Then last night when you were in danger, I could sense it."

"Right ... then, if you can't fly, just how did you get my camera?"

This time, like in the bar, his smile brought a twinkle to his eyes. "Ah ... now that was tricky. I had to teleport to it, grab it, and quickly teleport again so I wouldn't fall into the ocean."

"Wow, that's amazing."

He looked at her, shook his head. "Addison, you can shoot sparks from your fingertips—making some superb toast, I might add—and you can start machines with a wave of your hand. Now, I ask you, just what's so amazing?"

"Okay, it's all pretty amazing, I guess."

"You're damn right."

She grinned.

"You have a beautiful smile. This little dimple on the left side of your mouth shows up and makes me feel all warm inside." He touched his finger to the small indent on her cheek and she smiled wider.

After they finished eating, Addie stood and grabbed the plates and cups, then carried them to the sink. Cael walked up behind her, turning her so she faced two shiny stainless steel drawers set in a dark mahogany cabinet. He pulled open the drawers, exposing dish racks.

"Dishwasher," he said, pointing to the state-of-the-art appliance.

"Right. I knew that."

"Uh huh." He patted her shoulder, and then helped her load in the dirty dishes.

"I just remembered about Darcy and Tim. Do you have a phone here? I can't get a signal on my cell, and I still need to talk to Darcy, let her know where I am and ... shouldn't we warn her about whatever it is that's stalking me? Isn't she in danger too, since she lives in my apartment building?"

He seemed amused by all her questions and cleared his throat as if trying to stifle a chuckle. "There's no phone here, and you shouldn't tell anyone where you are anyway. Someone could let it slip, which is just the kind of mistake he'd be waiting for. Besides, he's not going to go after Darcy—she's not the one he's looking for. You have something he wants, something your father had. Have you ever seen, or did your father ever mention a crystal or an ancient journal or book?"

"No, never. Why?"

"Your father was custodian of them. They're the reason he was murdered. It's the book and the crystal that this maniac's looking for and believes you have."

"Why? What's so important about them?" Something sounded too familiar about this. That story Bart told her inched into her mind and she almost broke out in a laugh, thinking this was all a joke. But something in Cael's voice, his serious and intense stare, the powers she suddenly had, his ability to dematerialize and materialize, all told her there was nothing funny about what was going on.

"They're very powerful—I'll explain more about them later. I have some pictures, and maybe if you look at them something will seem familiar. First, let's get this little challenge out of the way. Come on, let's go down to the beach, and have a little fun."

"You do know it's forty degrees outside, right?"

"Yes, but we'll need the sand under us if we are going to fight. Unless ... are you chickening out on me?"

"No, there's no way you're getting out of this, fly-boy." With the prospect of getting some exercise, Addie grabbed his hand and braced herself for the transport.

# Chapter Seventeen

Pulling Addison against him, Cael teleported them to the beach. As soon he released her, Addison moved behind him, wrapping her feet around his ankles. His legs buckled and flew out from under him, rendering him flat on the ground. A little shocked, he stayed there for a few seconds but jumped to his feet before she could attack again.

"So you want to play dirty, huh?"

"Is there any other way?" She smiled and crouched. Arms in front of her, she wiggled her fingers. "Come on."

"Hmmm ... okay, I like your style."

He jabbed at her shoulder with his right hand but she blocked, turned, and swung her leg, kicking him in the gut. He scrunched over, grunting, "Okay, that's it. No more Mr. Nice Guy."

"Ha, give me all you've got."

"You're pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?" He kicked his leg toward her back, but Addison turned and caught it with her arm, flipping him over. He recovered and did a back flip, taking her by surprise, jabbing her behind the knees on his way down. She collapsed, but recovering quickly, ran to the wall of the cliff, and spun over, aiming her foot at his jaw as he ducked.

They crouched, facing each other.

"Okay," Cael huffed. "Point proven. I believe you. Your father trained you very well."

"So you surrender?"

"Why don't we call it a draw?"

"A draw? Not a chance. If you can't take anymore, I win."

He shook his head and teleported behind her, tackling her to the ground, pinning her with his body.

"You cheat," she panted.

"I thought we were playing dirty."

"Okay, you win since you must outweigh me by two hundred pounds. Get off." She pushed, but he didn't budge.

"Two hundred pounds? How much do you think I weigh?"

She grunted out a laugh. "I don't know, but it feels like you weigh a ton."

"One ninety-two, last time I checked."

He pushed himself up, held out his hand for her, and pulled her in close. Her skin was slick and she smelled of sweat—sweet girly sweat—and he wanted to take her up to the house and feel her slippery body all over his while he made love to her. Instead, he brushed the hair out of her eyes before pushing his own behind his ears. "Let's go get your stuff."

When they materialized inside her apartment, Addison's knees buckled and Cael had to hold her steady.

"Whoa. I think I need a couple of seconds to recuperate after that. I feel a little light-headed."

"Sorry, I forgot you weren't used to it yet, especially after the workout we've just had. Take your time."

She put her hand on her forehead. "I'm not sure I'll ever be used to you. I'm still considering the possibility that I'm dreaming."

"Ahhh, a couple more times and it will be nothing at all. You'll see."

"If you say so."

He let go. "Steady now?"

"Yes." She grabbed her backpack, put some clothes—including a sheer, pink button-down blouse Cael decided he was going to enjoy seeing her in—and toiletries inside it and they teleported back to his beach house.

"The pictures I mentioned are on the table over there. After your shower, have a look. I'm going to go check out the farm where they found the woman, see if I can find any clues. I won't be long."

"You think whatever is after me killed her?" Addison asked.

"I do, yes. Keep this door locked. Don't answer it for anyone."

Cael materialized at the spot where they discovered the woman's body. An abandoned tractor stood in the middle of the field, with hay in front and to the sides high enough to cover the large wheels. A freshly groomed path lay behind it. The owners had been working the area when they discovered the body.

He ducked under the yellow tape still outlining the area, being careful where he stepped so as not to disturb anything. He pulled out the gloves he had stuck in his pocket and searched for clues the police might have missed. He inhaled and smelled a faint trace of blood. He followed the scent to a blade of grass stained with a few red droplets. Retrieving a plastic bag from his pocket, he pulled up the clump of grass and placed it in the bag. His eye caught a sparkle of sunlight glistening off something on the ground. It appeared to be a small piece of glass from a beer bottle. He pulled out another bag and put the broken glass in it. He'd need to take the samples to the lab at the Sectory, the home of the organization's headquarters, before returning to Addison. He wondered how the police managed to miss them, but then they didn't have his acute sense of sight or smell.

When Cael returned to the beach house, Addison was sitting in the living room in front of a crackling fire, studying the pictures he had left. The glow from the light of the flames made her hair shine and he ached to run his fingers through the silky strands.

"Hey there."

She jumped. "I don't think I'll ever get used to you popping in and out of space so unexpectedly."

"Sorry. In the future, I'll try not to materialize so abruptly. Does anything look familiar to you?" He pointed to the pictures in Addison's lap.

"No, I'm sorry. I've never seen anything like these before."

"Ah, well, it was worth a shot. I'm going to take a shower. I'll be back in a jiff."

Upstairs he showered, shaved, and put on a long-sleeved black and gray pinstriped shirt and black plants. Thirty minutes later, he appeared back in the living room. This was the first time she'd seen him close shaven and dressed in something other than a T-shirt and jeans. Pleased by her astonished expression, he walked over to her.

She swallowed as he came closer.

"Feel like taking a walk?" he asked.

"Okay."

Addison put on her parka, and smiled as Cael pulled out a new black leather jacket from the closet. He slipped it on, once again pleased by her response.

"You never cease to amaze me."

"What?" he asked, placing his hands at the zipper, his shoulders proudly poised.

"You look ... normal."

He raised an eyebrow. "Normal?"

"Good ... you look good. Not so mysterious."

"I'll try to take that as a compliment."

"Okay, you look great."

"And so do you. I particularly like the pink blouse." He was glad she chose to wear something a little more feminine than the black T-shirts. It delighted him to know she dressed for his benefit.

Taking her hand, they headed to the beach.

Trees hovered over the cliff, drinking in the warm sun. They walked the long stretch of manicured lawn to the edge and strolled down a gradient leading to a little secluded beach.

"This place is amazing. On my salary, I can only dream of ever living in a place like this."

"Money's really not an issue for me, and having known Risteard, I find it difficult to believe it is for you."

"Ah, yes. He did leave an inheritance, but I like staying busy, and you never know what the future holds. I may need that money when I'm old and decrepit."

"Smart."

"You must make pretty good money as a private investigator."

"Well, I get paid very well for what I do."

"You were gone a long time today. I was beginning to get worried. Did you find any clues?"

He glanced at her eyes, a mix of confusion and concern. "You have beautiful eyes. The way the golden specks sparkle against the brown is fascinating."

He turned to face her and stared deeper into those eyes, tried to read her emotions, but for a moment became lost in their rich honey swirl and his concentration mired in their spell.

"Cael?"

He blinked.

"Ah ... yeah. No need to worry about me. I went to the farm where they found the body, discovered some blood samples and part of a broken beer bottle. I took them to the Sectory, the Sectorium's headquarters."

"The Sectory?"

"Yes, it has a laboratory. I thought it would be better if I took the samples there instead of turning them over to the local authorities. You never know whom you can trust."

He smiled, and took her hand to help her down the path and onto the sand. It was freezing, but at the end of the path, they took off their shoes and socks and walked through the sand in their bare feet.

"I told you I belong to a secret society called the Sectorium and it's made up of people like you and me. You know, people with special abilities. The Sectory has become sort of a sanctuary for us—a place where we're safe from the burdens of our gifts. Sometimes we need seclusion. Not many of us actually live there. As of now, there are ten of us, including you, known to the society. It's difficult to say how many others like us there are in the world. I can tell you this: powers are continuously developing and changing, and there is really no way to predict what type of gift someone might acquire. Hell, there could be hundreds of people out there with abilities, not associated with the organization. There's no way of knowing how many there are. Risteard had more powers than anyone we're aware of and he fought hard to protect our secret."

"He did?" She swiped the windblown hair from her face.

"Yes, he did. Anyway, a long time ago, in the fifteenth century, to be exact, a man named Colluthus started the society we call the Sectorium upon discovering there were other beings like him. They needed to go into hiding when several townspeople accused his best friend and confidante of devil worship after he used his abilities to save a small girl from dying after a runaway cart hit her. Even though what he did was a selfless act, the townspeople had him burned to death because they feared him. Colluthus realized the world wasn't ready—and possibly never would be—to accept our kind. So, he set up the Sectorium, and ensured they would always have a safe haven—known as the Sectory—for people with extraordinary abilities, a place where they could live without ridicule. Discrimination is a horrible reality. People are afraid of what they don't understand.

"You were smart to keep your abilities to yourself until you were sure you trusted me. There are always those, with or without abilities, hell bent on destroying us, which keeps me busy."

"This is all so unbelievable." Addison stopped to roll up her pants as they got closer to the water and Cael did the same.

"There's an ancient journal containing all the secrets of our people, including the teachings of Colluthus. Certain passages he wrote, when used along with a special crystal, create a force powerful enough to pull all our abilities together, creating a modification of our consciousnesses. Perhaps one day the book could help people to understand and accept us."

"Accepting us would be a good thing, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, but not quite yet, and not in the way this monster would attempt it. Eidolon used to be a member of the Sectorium. Perhaps evil-twisted psychopath would be a better way to describe him. He wants the journal and crystal so he can use them together with his powers to control those of us who have abilities. He could steal our abilities with the right phrase, if he had the crystal."

"Wait. This sounds really similar to that creepy story old Bart told me the other day."

"Old Bart?"

"Yeah, the older man you were talking to outside the Bar and Grill the first night you came in. Well, he's not really old—he just refers to himself as old Bart, so that's what we all call him. I believe he thinks it's funny, like old fart, which he also calls himself from time to time."

"Oh, you mean Bartholomew Calloon? Yes, he's quite a character."

"So you know him."

"Yes, I know him." He chuckled.

"I may not have your acute senses, but there's something about old Bart you're not telling me."

"Old Bart, as you call him, is my uncle, my mother's twin brother, to be precise." He smiled, unable to hide his pride.

"You've got to be kidding. He's your uncle? Ha, then he knows everything, right?" She slapped her hand down against her thigh. "I can't believe it. I thought he was just making it up—well, some of it I'm sure he made up—but the core of what he said was true, right? So ... your uncle. Well, now that you mention it, there is a certain amount of family resemblance there. God, he certainly is reticent about it. What's the matter, doesn't he like to admit he's related to you?"

"Hmmm ... well, I'll have to ask him about that. But most likely, it's because he's very protective of our secret. He wishes the gene had passed to him and not my mother, but as I said, it only gets inherited by a child of the opposite sex."

"Do you think my aunt knows?"

"Possibly. I should be able to sense whether or not she does. Maybe you could arrange a meeting."

"Actually, I'm supposed to go over there for dinner soon, and you can come. I know for a fact Gerry will be thrilled when he finds out you're coming. He actually told my aunt about you, which surprised the heck out of me. She's already asked me to invite you, and Gerry will be glad to have another man around during what usually ends up as a female-dominated conversation."

The waves swirled up as they walked, and the cold foam splashed over their feet. Addison jumped against Cael, almost knocking him over, and they clung to one another laughing.

"Whoa, shit! Damn, that's cold," Cael said.

"Getting back to this journal and why my father was killed..."

"Right. I think Eidolon believes he can harness the combined strength of our powers, to control the consciousness of humanity. What he doesn't realize is any rapid alteration of human consciousness is hard to achieve and humankind wouldn't surrender to it easily. He's not the first, and unfortunately, he won't be the last to attempt to destroy us. For centuries, we've fought hard to keep our secrets from the world. If people today knew of our abilities, they wouldn't see us as romantic superheroes from comic books, movies and television shows. We would be more feared than understood. It's human nature for people to fear what they don't understand and to fight against what they perceive as evil. They would consider us dangerous, forcing many of us to endure scientific laboratories, ridicule, and even death. Even though someday humankind will find our powers valuable and recognize their greater purpose, for now they must remain a secret."

"What about the book, and why does he think I have it?"

"The journal contains not only our secrets but also our salvation. They were in your father's possession when he was murdered. Well, I don't mean in his hands at the time, but he had custody of them. I've never actually seen the book or the crystal, only those old photographs you saw. We need to find both before Eidolon does. He will stop at nothing to get them. Monsters such as Eidolon make it difficult for normal people to accept us."

"I don't get it. If you know who this psycho is, why don't you just go after him?"

"Because I don't know what he looks like. His abilities are preventing me from knowing who or what he is. He may be a shape-shifter or have some other ability. I just haven't figured it out yet. Even if Eidolon stood right here, in his true form, I wouldn't know him. No one has seen the guy in thirty years. We can speculate about what he might look like with aging composites, but with all the technology available today, he could have had procedures done to alter his appearance. We just don't know."

"This is all very frightening. How will we ever catch him?"

"I'm working on it, and we will catch him." He was pleased that Addison seemed to be accepting everything he told her and even included herself in the quest to catch Eidolon. Cael only hoped he sounded more convincing to her than he felt, because deep down he was very afraid for her.

# Chapter Eighteen

The sky became a palette of purple and orange hues, all swirled together through the haze as the sun set over the horizon. As they headed back toward the house, they stopped to admire the miraculous view.

"It's so magnificent. It's hard to imagine there could be something so evil in the world."

Addison turned to face Cael.

"You're freezing. We should get back inside." His voice was husky and he cleared his throat as he rubbed his hands up and down her arms.

She reached her hands up to his face and gently pulled him to her, his lips covering hers as she pressed her body against his. Her mouth was warm and accepting. He held her close, the irresistible rise of passion stirring inside, and he knew she could feel his excitement. His hand slipped inside her jacket and cupped her breast.

Forgetting everything except her, he wanted her with a fierceness he had never experienced before. She moaned softly as she tangled her fingers in his hair while his tongue glided down her neck. She shivered as he kissed her softly.

"God, you smell delicious," he said, pulling her jacket aside as his lips and tongue skimmed down her collarbone. "Addison, I want you so much." He brought his face back up, covering her mouth with his. As he tasted her, he sensed her soul, the intensity so arousing he was losing control. Forcing himself to stop, he lingered at the spot under her earlobe.

"Not here." His voice was husky, his breath ragged. "Let's go back to the house before we have an X-rated scene on the beach."

They'd barely made it in the house before he was pulling her to him again, covering her with more hot kisses. As they struggled to get their jackets off, Addison's hand slipped and hit his gun. "Here, wait." He unbuckled the holster and let it fall to the floor. They tugged at each other's clothes with an uncontrollable frenzy. She unbuttoned his shirt, and he shrugged it off and onto the floor. His mouth came down on hers hard and she wrapped her arms around his waist, her fingers pressing into his back. He tugged her top up and she lifted her arms as he pulled her blouse over her head without even unbuttoning it.

He kissed her neck, brushing fluttering little kisses down to her shoulder. "God, Addison, you're doing some major damage to my self-control. Since I first laid eyes on you, I've dreamed of this. You're so sexy. I can't keep my hands off you."

He cupped her breast in his hand and covered her mouth again with his. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she moaned, and he scooped her up, cradling her in his arms as he carried her upstairs.

He laid her on the bed and stretched out on top of her, kissing her lips, then her neck, grazing her throat with his teeth, his tongue tasting the salt from the ocean breeze still lingering on her skin.

"You're making me crazy. I can't breathe, Cael." Her breath warm on his neck, she ran her nails down his back, trembling beneath him.

He started to move away, fearful of crushing her. "Am I hurting you?"

"No, don't move. Stay. I want to feel your body on mine." She pulled him tight, her heart pounding against his, as need had his breath catching in his lungs.

Sliding his tongue down her neck to her breast, he teased her nipple with his teeth before taking it in his mouth. His tongue flicked at it repeatedly while his fingers teased the other.

Moving his hand down across her stomach to her pants, he pulled down the zipper and tugged them off. "God, you're beautiful," he whispered and felt his eyes widen at the glorious site of her naked body. Her perfect breasts and those long slender legs overwhelmed him. Catching his breath, he returned to her breast, tasting first one, then the other. His hands roamed over her body, relishing every curve, his fingers teasing as her body quivered under him.

All his life he knew there had to be someone he could be himself with, and now he knew it was Addison. He delighted in the thought of not having any secrets from her. Addison had to be his. She was suddenly the most important thing in his life and he was determined to make her want him as much as he wanted her.

He reached down between her silky thighs, his long fingers taking pleasure in her wet satiny skin.

Cael was sending her into ecstasy; Addie jerked her hips up, accepting, needing, and pulled his face to hers, the spell of his kisses rendering her helpless. His hands were so sure and knowledgeable, so possessive. She loved the way they felt on her skin. He knew what he was doing, where he was taking her, and she let him. Her body tingled and roared from deep inside, pulsing, pounding with pleasure. She felt hot and sexy for the first time in her life.

"Do you know what you're doing to me?" she whispered.

"Tell me, baby, what am I doing to you?"

"You're making me hot, so hot. I can't breathe."

"You're breathing just fine," he groaned, crushing her mouth with his as she arched her body up against him.

She felt his hard erection on her thigh and reached for it, feeling him shudder. She struggled with his belt and tugged at his pants. "Help me. I can't get it undone."

He reached for his belt, unbuckled it, then shimmied out of his pants and kicked them off the bed. "Touch me, Addison, now. I can't wait to have your hands on me, around me."

She took him in her hands and felt the heat. Caressing her fingers around him and slipping her thumb over the slick tip, she felt him tense and quiver.

"I want to be inside you now." His voice was husky, his breath hot against her neck.

"Do you have something?"

"Hmmm ... I do." He reached into the drawer at the side of the bed, pulled out a packet, tore it open and slipped a condom on. He let her guide him in and she pulled him down, wrapping her legs around him as she raised her hips to meet his. Deeper and deeper she took him in. Never before had anyone made her feel so beautiful, so free of inhibitions, so filled with jubilation and lust. She thought she would explode. They moved in harmony, his eyes holding hers as pleasure ignited them. He pulled up and out slowly, teasing her with his tip until she begged for more. His strokes slow and deep, she shivered under him until his movements intensified and she erupted with wave after wave of orgasmic pleasure as he exploded with her.

They lay side by side, drained, their legs tangled, his arm across her as if he didn't want to let her go. Her rapid heartbeat slowly returned to normal as she sighed and curled her body closer into him. They stayed that way, silent, for a while.

Addie finally broke the spell. "You don't scare me anymore."

"You were scared of me? Why? Was I too rough? Jesus, I would never want to hurt you."

"No, not scared of this. I was scared of you before, the other day. I thought I'd killed you with my truck. You just disappeared and I didn't see you, couldn't find you. You were always frowning and glaring at me. And you know, the whole hit-and-run thing. I really did think you were going to have me arrested."

Cael burst out laughing. "I'm so sorry, baby. I wasn't frowning at you because I wanted to have you arrested."

"Stop laughing." She punched him lightly on the arm. "Then why?"

"I was frowning because I could sense you were the one in the truck and I didn't want you to find out my secret. Then, I found myself infatuated with you, and couldn't stay away, but the thought of getting together with you seemed impossible, considering why I'm here and what I need to do. Besides, I usually try to stay clear of relationships."

"Why is that?" She propped herself up on her elbow and twirled her finger around his hair before she pushed it behind his ear.

"The few I've ever attempted have always gone badly for me. Women don't care for men with secrets and I have many."

"But now?"

"Well, you're different ... like me. I don't have to keep secrets from you." Using his hand to support his head, he faced her and played with the long silky brown curl of hair draping over her nipple. Then his hand went to the locket she always wore.

"This is unusual. Do you wear it all the time?"

"Yes. My dad gave it to me for my twenty-first birthday."

"Hmmm. Addison, what happened to your mother? You said she died when you were a baby."

"She died right after I was born. I never knew her."

"Where did you grow up? I mean, if your father was gone all the time, and kept you hidden from the society all these years, who took care of you?"

"My aunt lived with us. My dad wasn't gone all the time, especially when I was a baby. Maia, my aunt, was only eleven years old when I was born, so my dad couldn't leave us both alone. I think we had a nanny or someone who came to watch us while he went to work, or I guess to the Sectory." The thought of her father lying to her all those years made her cringe and she felt a stabbing in her heart.

"I think when Maia was about fourteen or so he started spending more and more time away. We lived in New York, moving to a different town every couple of years. After my dad died, Maia and I moved out here to start a new life. They grew up here and she thought it would be a good place for us to live. Then she met Gerry, they hit it off, and Gerry gave me a job. It's strange, now that I think about it. The whole time I was growing up, Maia never dated anyone."

"Didn't you ever question why you moved so much?"

"Not really. I was always told we needed to move because of my dad's work, and then when I was older they said we needed to keep moving because of a man—a past boyfriend of Maia's—who had stalked her in college and she didn't want him to find her. I guess maybe they lied about that, considering she never dated anyone."

"You guess?"

"I suppose I was too trusting. I just never thought about it, you know. It's not as if I had any suspicions of strange things going on. We seemed normal. Why would I question anything?"

"Makes sense."

Addie sat up abruptly, "Cael, I just had a horrible thought."

"What?"

"You said my dad was like a father to you. You said he helped raise you."

"Right."

"Did my father and your mother have a relationship—I mean a romantic relationship?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

"Who is your real father? Oh God, Cael, what if—"

"Not a chance, Addison. What a sickening thought. Don't worry, you're not my sister. What kind of man do you take me for, anyway? Your father and my mother knew each other, but to my knowledge, they were never intimate. Even if they had been, it would've been years after both of us were born. I knew your father because he was my teacher. He taught me to fight and he showed me how to strengthen my abilities."

Cael reached for a bottle of water and handed it to her so she could have a drink before taking a sip himself.

"I knew my father. He left my mother when I was ten. He came around at holidays to visit, sent the yearly birthday presents, but he was a man full of his own pride, and could never accept my mother's abilities. He tried to forbid her to use them, or even to associate with anyone from the Sectorium."

"Sounds like you don't think much of him."

"I don't, and that might be another reason I've always stayed clear of relationships. I saw the hurt he caused my mother and ... I guess I've been cautious. I never wanted to go through that."

She reached for him, pulling his face to hers. Her lips grazed over his with a soft tenderness, stirring him to arousal again.

He rolled over on top of her.

"Wait a minute, let me grab another condom."

"Well, I'm on the pill. Are you ... I mean, okay?"

"You can trust me when I say I'm safe."

"I do trust you."

He slipped back inside, slowly, watching her as she moved with him. She'd had sex before, but it was only sex. This was something more, something that reached deep down into her soul, latched on, and wouldn't let go. She'd never felt anything like this, so powerful, so passionate. "It seems I haven't had enough of you yet."

She didn't think she'd ever get her fill of him either. He kept the pace slow, the pressure deep.

"You're so beautiful, Addison."

Tension heightened as heat speared into her. Her breath quickened and she arched, gasping with pleasure. His eyes were on hers as she trembled beneath him. Addie moved with him as he sank deeper. A feral hunger in his eyes intensified. The muscles strained in his neck and he groaned, emptying himself as waves of ecstasy rippled through her body.

# Chapter Nineteen

Addie sank back against the pillow and closed her eyes, unable to suppress the smile on her face—not really wanting to—as she thought of the tender, yet passionate way Cael touched her. He made her feel as beautiful as he claimed she was.

Someone's stomach growled—hers or his; she couldn't tell, as their bodies lay interlaced, stomach to stomach.

Lovemaking had made them hungry and Cael had promised to cook dinner. With his arm wrapped tightly around her, they walked down the stairs together. It was comforting, having his warm body next to her. Once they were downstairs, Addie scooped up his shirt and pulled it on. She felt sexy wearing it with nothing on underneath, while he wore just his pants. The sun had set and the moon was barely high enough to cast any light in the room. He picked up his gun and placed it on the mantle, before lighting the two candles on either side of it.

Her tangled hair hung down around her shoulders as she motioned toward the fireplace where the fire had died out. The room had grown cold, and Cael put a couple of logs on and started to strike a match, when Addie sent out a few sparks, bringing the fire to a roar, making them both jump back a bit.

"Whoa! You're a little heavy on the sparks there, baby. You need more practice."

He lit some more candles and pulled out a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from the wine rack, to go with the steaks he put on the grill.

"Is there something I can do to help?" Addie asked.

"Sure, you can open the wine. Glasses are over there." He gestured toward the corner cabinet.

"I'm an expert at opening wine bottles."

"Yes, I suppose it goes with the job. Bring the wine in here and you can help chop up some veggies for a salad."

They ate their dinner in front of the fireplace, sitting on pillows on the floor with their legs crossed under the coffee table. It had been a long time since Addie'd had the pleasure of eating a steak. As she took the last bite, she looked up at Cael, who was leaning back against the sofa, watching her, a sexy smile on his face.

"What?"

"I think I like watching you eat."

"Yeah?" She took a sip of the wine.

"Yes. You do it with a great amount of ... passion."

"Maybe I was just hungry..."

"Maybe."

"... and because the steak was perfect and each bite melted on my tongue. You're a really good cook."

"Thanks." He sipped his wine, then rubbed his finger over the dimple at the corner of her mouth that he'd mentioned he liked, before leaning in and covering the little dent with his lips.

They took the rest of the wine upstairs and Cael turned on the faucets in the large oval tub while Addie added some bath salts she had remembered to grab that morning from her apartment. They sat in the water foaming with the scent of pomegranate and blackberry, his legs straddling hers as he washed her back. The flickering candle and the moonlight filtering through the window gave the room a warm amber glow. He picked up her arm to run the soap over it.

"Holy mother of God, Addison, your arm's all bruised. Did I do this to you?" He picked up the other arm, noticing more bruising.

"What?"

"The bruises here on your arms, did I do this to you while we were making love, baby? God, they're huge."

"No, I'm sure you didn't. I think they must have happened this morning. My arms took the brunt of your kicks. You never did get through, you know."

"Well, good. I'm not in the habit of hitting women. I'm sorry. Do they hurt?"

"No, not really."

He brushed his fingers softly over the bruises.

"Well, a little, now that you're touching them, but are you saying you didn't even try to get through one of my blocks?"

"Um ... no, of course I tried. But most of the time I was defending myself. You're a very aggressive opponent. Your father trained you well. Now we need to work on your powers. You'll need more than martial arts to go against Eidolon. I just hope your bruises go away quickly. I never meant for you to get hurt."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. You know, this has been a perfect day." She leaned back, resting her head on his chest.

"Yes, it has. I can't remember ever having had such a good time with a woman. We sound like a couple of people in a romance novel." He chuckled, closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the tub.

"You read romance novels?"

"Let's just say I enjoy a good mystery once in a while and if there happens to be a little sex and romance in it, so much the better."

She laughed and he slipped his hand down between her thighs; soon her laughter changed to moans of delight. He lifted Addie up and turned her toward him as she wrapped her legs around his waist, lowering herself onto him. She quivered at the pleasure of having Cael inside her again as he moved deep within her.

How did he stir such erotic emotions in her? All those desires, somehow missing from her soul, now came to the surface. His possessive hands on her slick hips guided her slowly as he went deeper and deeper, until the rhythm intensified.

He pulled her close, his chest against hers, buried his face in her hair and whispered, "Addison." The sweet sound of her name spoken in a voice so soft and husky sent an erotic shudder through her body.

They moved together, water sloshing about as they both exploded in a swirl of ecstasy.

She sat against him, resting her head on his shoulder, neither one of them wanting to think about what horrors tomorrow might bring.

Down in the brush, Eidolon stood looking up at the low light trickling out the window of Addie's apartment. He had ventured out to this town on a hunch about Risteard's sister. Discovering Maia MacKenna had a niece was indeed an unexpected bonus. When he witnessed her using that pathetic little power of hers he was overjoyed, realizing she must be the offspring of Risteard, once his close friend, then over time, his greatest adversary. Risteard had refused to recognize any of his plans and ideas for the future of the Sectorium, leaving Eidolon no choice. Risteard had to die. Together, they could have had it all.

Addison MacKenna, a secret daughter hidden away all these years. She must have the crystal and the journal hidden somewhere. But now Cael Sheridan was here in his way. He'd take care of him. Patience, he thought. They'll slip up, and when they do, I'll destroy them. He didn't see her come or go from her apartment at all last night. Her truck was here—but he was no fool, and soon figured out they'd tricked him. He'd find them and then the fun would begin.

Addison's arms flung out and the lamp went flying across the room, waking Cael up from a most pleasant dream after a night of intense sexual gratification. They hadn't fallen asleep until just before dawn. His eyes shot open. A small fire burned on the floor next to the dresser. She screamed and he tried to grab her arms but her legs kicked out and he went flying off the bed, landing on the floor. He got up, pulled the blanket off the bed, and threw it over the fire, stomping his foot on it. He jumped back on the bed, pinning her arms down before she did any more damage.

He shook her shoulders. "Addison. Addison, wake up."

"No, please, stop! You're killing him," she sobbed.

"No, baby, it's me, Cael. Wake up, you're having a nightmare."

Addison opened her eyes and flung her arms around him. Cael scooped her up in his arms and she curled into him as he cradled her.

"Oh, God."

"It's okay, you're safe. Nothing's going to harm you."

"Not me, not me. You ... he was killing you."

"I'm fine, baby. Look at me, I'm fine. Nobody is going to kill me, I promise." As he said the words, he prayed he'd be able to keep that promise.

"Just hold me."

"I'm holding. You hold onto me." When he managed to calm her down, she pushed slowly away and wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

She looked around the room at the damage. "Oh God, I'm so sorry. Look what I've done. I couldn't control my abilities in my nightmare. I've never experienced anything like that. My nightmares were usually about something chasing me, never involving any powers before."

"You didn't know you had any abilities until a few days ago, and you just met me. It seems somehow reasonable that I would show up in your nightmares."

"But as a victim?"

"Why not? Your powers are still so new to you. It's only natural you would..."

Cael paused, realizing the irony of that statement and rephrased it. "You'll learn to control them. We'll take time today and work on them. I'll teach you what I know."

"But I have to work today."

"I hate the idea of you having to work when you have so much more to learn, but you're right. We do have to act as if nothing is wrong. You're going to need to take your truck to work today—for appearances—in case Eidolon is watching. We'll come back here during your afternoon break and practice your skills then. How's that?"

She nodded, regained her composure, and went to clean up the mess made by the fire and the lamp.

"This rug is ruined. Tom Willits is going to want you to replace it. I'll pay for it."

"I'll take care of it, don't worry. You go ahead and shower first. I'll start some coffee."

She started to protest, and stopped when he shooed her toward the bathroom. "Thanks. I'm sorry about this. A shower does sound good though; the warm water usually helps wash away the nightmares."

Cael stood in the bedroom, listening as the shower started. His heightened senses allowed him to hear the sound of the water flowing over her body and he imagined the feel of the soap sliding over her skin. He glanced at his uncontrollable erection and thought he would go crazy. Willing himself to think of something else, he remembered the coffee.

Addison had her head back, water flowing over her slick skin, when he placed his hand at her throat. She started to scream just as Cael's lips met hers. She tasted sweet and her tongue was warm. He pressed his lips harder as she lifted her hands to his face, then she pulled away.

"What happened to the coffee?"

"I got distracted." He turned her around and cupped his hand over the soft mound of curls between her thighs. Leaning her against his chest, they swayed together under the spray of the shower.

"I'm glad you decided to join me. This will definitely make the nightmare go away."

"Mmmm ... anything I can do to help."

He'd tried to force himself to go downstairs and make coffee, but it was no use; he'd lost the battle. He kissed her again, picked up the soap and slid it over her breasts, then down to her thighs. She turned to face him, took it from him and washed his chest, moving down across his stomach. Unable to take it anymore, he turned the water off, gathered her up in his arms, and carried her to the bed, snagging a towel on the way.

Her laughter was music to his ears. "You're getting the floor all wet. Why didn't you just teleport us back to the bed?"

"I tried. Apparently, I can't teleport when I'm aroused."

"Really? Now, that's interesting. At least now I know we won't end up in some strange place in the heat of the moment."

The idea of not being able to dematerialize when he needed to was a bit disturbing, but soon forgotten, as he placed her on the bed and straddled her.

"Shut up and kiss me."

After a morning full of impassioned lovemaking, and breakfast, Cael and Addie materialized in her apartment. Looking around, it didn't appear as though anything had been disturbed. She changed her clothes, wanting to wear something other than one of her old black T-shirts, and chose a long-sleeved, pale blue blouse, exposing just a hint of cleavage. She enjoyed the look on Cael's face when she put it on.

They left the apartment and Addie turned to secure the lock.

"I'm not sure what Eidolon is capable of yet and since the truck has been here for two nights, let's make sure it's safe and no one's tampered with it. Can you start it from up here?"

"I don't know. I'll try."

She pointed her fingers toward the truck and the engine started without a hitch.

"Seems okay. Let's go."

The drive to the Cliff Hanger was quiet, and Addie wondered if Cael had as difficult a time as she did concentrating on anything other than the passion they shared earlier. Arriving at the Bar and Grill, Addie started to leave the truck, but turned back toward Cael. He must have sensed her apprehension. "Don't worry. I'll be there in a minute and I will be around here all day—maybe not inside, but in the area. I'll know if you need me."

"Good." She smiled and kissed him lightly on his lips before turning to get out, but he caught her arm and pulled her back. Fisting his hand in her hair, he tugged her head back and covered her mouth with his, massaging her breast in his other hand, stirring up that burning desire.

He ended the kiss just as abruptly. "Don't think you can slip away from me so easily, Addison MacKenna. I'll never let you go with just a peck, so don't ever attempt it again."

"Male domination." She shrugged. "Hmmm ... an interesting concept, but outdated. Do you really think you can win my affection with brute masculine force?"

"I know so."

"Ha, you sure are full of yourself, fly-boy."

"That may be, but I've yet to have my fill of you."

# Chapter Twenty

Lunchtime at the Cliff Hanger was in full swing when Addie walked in. All the tables by the window were already occupied. She snatched her apron off the hook and fastened it around her waist as she stepped behind the bar.

Gerry glanced over at her and did a double take. He set a beer down in front of a customer and walked over to her.

"You're looking a wee bit flushed, sweetheart," he whispered close to her ear, making her flinch.

When Cael came walking through the front door, she couldn't hide the gleam on her face.

"Well, I guess I know where your glow is coming from. Just be careful where you put your trust, okay?"

Addie felt her cheeks get hot as Gerry patted her shoulder. Cael came and sat right in front of her. His smile brightened the perpetual sparkle in his eyes. "Hey, gorgeous, is it okay if I sit here while you work?"

Addie started to answer but Gerry beat her to it.

"You can sit there all bloody day as long as you order something, but just don't distract my bartender while she's working."

"Hey, Gerry, how's it going?" Cael said.

"Things were fine. You and Addie have been getting to know each other, I gather."

Addie winced at Gerry's cheeky remark. Why had he become so insolent?

"So just where were you all day yesterday?" Darcy stood, her hands on her hips, glancing from Addie to Cael, a smirk on her face.

Addie didn't think things could get any more embarrassing but sighed, realizing there was no escaping all the curiosity.

"I was with Cael at his house."

Darcy blinked her huge eyes. "All day? All night?"

Gerry pointed his finger at Cael. "Just so you know, Addie is very dear to my heart, so if you plan on spending time with her, you'd better treat her right or you'll have to deal with me."

Addie wanted to crawl under the counter and never come out. Gerry was worse than her father would have been.

"So noted," Cael said, giving Gerry a two-finger salute.

Addie was relieved he hadn't given him the one-finger variety, though she wouldn't have blamed him. Gerry was being a dick and she wasn't sure why.

"Do you suppose I could get a Coke, Addison?" Cael asked as he cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry," Addie whispered to Cael as she handed him a Coke and turned toward Gerry. "You people are driving me crazy."

"I just want to make sure your new boyfriend here knows how much we love you. You can appreciate that, right, Cael?"

Boyfriend? Addie hadn't really thought of Cael as her boyfriend. She wondered if he would even stick around after he found her father's murderer—that is, if they survived.

Just then, Bart Calloon walked in and sat down next to Cael. "Hey, folks, what'd I miss?"

Addie rolled her eyes. "I need a break." She threw down the rag she was using, and stomped off to the restroom with Darcy right behind her.

"You just got here!" Gerry bellowed behind her, but she ignored him.

"Okay, what gives?" Darcy asked.

"What do you mean 'what gives?' You and Gerry, that's what gives! Acting like police sergeants. I have had a man before, you know. Do you have any idea how embarrassing this is?"

"You had him? You mean you slept with him?"

Addie couldn't help smiling at the memory.

"Oh, this is good. Tell me more." Darcy rubbed her hands together as if she was getting ready to dig into a succulent piece of prime rib.

"Ugh." Addie went into a stall and slammed the door.

"Oh, come on, Addie, I'm sorry. I won't tease you anymore. Really, we're all just happy for you. Gerry's right. It's because we love you."

Addie came out from the stall and went to the sink to wash her hands. "Yeah, yeah, I know."

"Okay, so dish, what was he like? I mean, was he good? Come on, I would tell you."

"Yes, he was ... better than good, and I wouldn't exactly say we slept."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Not at all?"

"Well, maybe an hour or so."

"Oooo, sounds like you hit the jackpot."

"Yeah, it's kind of scary. I've never been with anyone like him before." Of course, Addie didn't think there was another person alive who had the abilities Cael had, so naturally, there wouldn't have been anyone like him before. But aside from that, the emotions and intensity of the sex amazed her and also frightened her a little.

"What are you afraid of? Falling in love? Maybe, if you had played the field more, you'd have someone to compare him to."

Addie threw a crumpled paper towel in the trash and studied Darcy for a second. She considered saying something along the lines of, "Like you?" but didn't want to start an argument by making accusations. "That reminds me, are you still planning to go riding with Tim tomorrow?"

"Yeah, why? Do you and Cael want to come? Does he ride?"

"No, he doesn't. I mean, I don't know if he rides; that's not the point. The point is, I think you should take things slow with this Tim guy. What do you really know about him, anyway?"

"You're telling me to take things slow? Do you know how ridiculous you sound when you come in after spending the whole day and night having sex with a man you barely know? You have some nerve. Jared put you up to this, didn't he? Maybe you should practice what you preach."

Darcy stormed out of the restroom, almost knocking Jared down. "And you, mind your own fucking business. You don't own me. If you ever try to interfere in my life again, I'll ... ooh, just don't."

"Well, shit, that went well." Addie put her head in her hands and hoped she hadn't just ruined the best friendship she'd ever had.

As Addie stepped out of the bathroom, she passed Jared. "Oh, hey. Look, I'm sorry, I tried, but ..."

"I'm sorry, too. I should have known what her reaction would be. She has a temper like a rabid wolverine. I heard her all the way out here."

Addie winced at the thought of Cael hearing everything she and Darcy had said. "Do you think anyone else heard?"

"Nah. I was standing right here, that's why I heard."

She started for the bar.

"Addie?" Jared touched her arm.

"Yeah?"

"Don't be afraid of falling in love. It looks good on you."

"Thanks." She headed back to the bar, hoping Gerry had settled down about Cael. God, why was Gerry acting like a tyrant?

"Hey, Addie, my nephew here tells me the two of you've been spending a little time together—nice to hear. I always thought she was the prettiest girl in town," Bart said, leaning in closer to Cael.

"Your nephew? You never mentioned Cael was your nephew," Gerry said.

"Guess it never came up." Bart winked at Cael.

"Well, now, isn't this interesting?" Gerry said.

For the remainder of the morning, Darcy and Addie avoided each other, which wasn't too difficult considering Darcy's cold-shoulder persona. Cael left with Bart, telling her it would look better if he wasn't sitting there all day. He thought people might think he was some crazed overbearing boyfriend or something. Addie shuddered at the reference. She'd certainly had enough of overpowering men today.

Cael was glad for the opportunity to talk with Bart privately. They walked the long road back to Bart's place. A golden blanket of leaves covered the road and crunched under their feet. The wind picked up a few, blowing them in a small circle before they slowly floated back to the ground. The crisp, chilly air stung Cael's face and he pulled the collar up on his jacket, before tucking his hands in his pockets.

"You're in great shape. Have you been going to the gym?"

"I'm not too bad for an old geezer, huh?"

"You're hardly old, though I hear that's the way you've been referring to yourself lately."

"Yeah, old Bart. Rhymes with old fart. Funny, huh? I take this walk every day for starters—there and back. Sometimes I get to the gym with Gerry. Speaking of old geezers—how's your mom?"

"She's fine, although I don't think she'd appreciate being referred to as an 'old geezer.'"

"Right, but being her twin, I'm privileged. So, what do you think Eidolon's next move is going to be?"

"I'm not sure, but I think he's acquired the ability to split himself as well as shape shift or something."

"Or maybe it's all an illusion."

"I hadn't thought of that. I suppose anything's possible. But how do you fight an illusion?"

"Don't know, son, I just don't know."

"Do you suppose it's just coincidental Maia MacKenna came back here to live with Addison, or do you think it was part of some grand scheme Risteard set in action before he was murdered?"

"It's certainly worth considering. I've known them since they were kids. Maia and Risteard grew up here—it makes sense she would return to her roots. She devoted her life to that little girl and put her own on hold to help raise her."

"So Maia knows about the Sectorium?"

"That, I don't know. I suspect she does, but she was quite a bit younger than we were. Didn't hang out with us— not for her lack of trying, of course. Little sisters can be a pain, and she was no exception. She tried to follow Risteard everywhere he went, but he always managed to ditch her, poor thing. You know, your mother babysat for her, but she never mentioned anything. By the way, you tell your mom she owes me a visit."

"I will."

It was a long walk back to Bart's place. He lived at the end of a stretch of single-lane highway, which eventually turned into dirt. Cael had considered teleporting back to Bart's, but then figured the walk would provide a chance to talk. He kicked at a rock and sent it soaring up ahead, where it slammed into a tree trunk.

"I suspected Addie had abilities the minute I met her, but I didn't want to take a chance on questioning her just in case she didn't. It's good to know she's starting to develop them."

"She said you told her one of your stories the other day."

Bart chuckled. "I wanted to see what sort of reaction I would get from her. The one I got told me she didn't know much about her dad's capabilities, but the idea of secret powers seemed to ignite a spark in her eyes, so I knew she'd been experiencing something."

"Your story made quite an impression on her."

"So did you. That girl is falling in love with you."

Cael froze. "What?"

Bart stopped walking, too, and turned to look at Cael. "That bothers you?"

Cael wasn't sure how to answer the question, but managed a slight nod.

Bart shook his head. "Well, I may not have any super abilities, but I know when I see two people falling in love."

"I'm not in love with her." The defiance in his voice was an ill attempt to convince himself. He started walking again and kicked another rock, sending it far out of sight.

"You keep telling yourself that, boy, but if you're not careful, you might start believing it, and then you'll find yourself heartbroken, lonely, and sorry."

Cael considered what Bart said. He didn't want to fall in love with Addison, especially now, since he knew who she was. But he didn't want to lose her either; it was complicated. Addison was like a magnet pulling him to her and he couldn't break the force. She was all he thought about, and since he knew he needed to protect her, the only way was to be around her as much as possible. Physical attraction would be difficult to ignore. Yes, it was very complicated indeed.

As was her usual habit, Darcy sang while she gathered up dirty dishes and glasses and wiped down tables. The lunch crowd had dwindled to two customers who sat at the bar.

Addie took off her apron, walked over to Darcy, and put her hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. I had no right to tell you how to act with Tim. You're my best friend. I was just concerned."

Darcy turned and gave her a hug. "It's okay, I forgive you. Friends have disagreements and they fight and make up. That's what they do. That's what we do."

"Right. Good. Um ... I know you're going to say this is none of my business but if I don't tell you this, and you find out later that I knew, you'll never forgive me."

"Okay, what?"

"Um ... I think Tim is married."

Darcy stood with the tray in her hand and Addie worried she might throw it, but Darcy sighed instead. "Jared put this idea into your head, didn't he?"

"Yes, but I think he may be right. He saw Tim with a woman and a little boy in town."

Darcy carried the tray to the bar and set it down, removed the dirty glasses, placed them on the counter, and turned to Addie, her eyes blazing. "Jared still thinks he owns me." She paused, taking a deep breath. "He wants to get back together with me and I'm sure he'll say anything to make it happen."

"Maybe, but..."

"Look, when I see Tim, I'll ask him. Will you be satisfied then?"

The front door swung open and the wind sent a shiver through Addie's bones as Chief Thompson and Lieutenant Whelan walked in.

"Hello, ladies," Lieutenant Whelan said in his easy, southern drawl.

Darcy blushed and Addie rolled her eyes. Sometimes her friend seemed so fickle about men. Addie's concern over Darcy's feelings was pointless. She'd probably be in love with the lieutenant before the week ended.

Darcy took their orders and then joined Addie at the bar. "They found another dead woman last night—this time on the beach. Chief Thompson just told me and showed me her picture, wanted to know if I knew her."

"Did you?"

"No, but, holy crap, Addie."

"What?"

"She looked just like you!"

A cold chill shimmied down Addie's spine.

As Darcy turned to walk away, Addie grabbed her arm. "What else did the chief say about the woman they found?"

"They really don't have any clues about her identity yet, but they said they were checking missing person reports and stuff. Jeez, when they showed me the picture of the woman, Addie, I swear, if you hadn't been standing here in the bar at that very moment, I would have ID'ed her as you. You should see the picture."

"That's okay. I'll take your word for it."

"They told me to keep my eyes and ears open and not to go out at night alone."

"Okay, so no one leaves this establishment unescorted. Do you two hear me?" Gerry's voice startled Addie. She hadn't realized he'd walked to the bar.

"Yes." Addie looked up as Cael entered the bar. "I have to go. I'll see you later, okay?"

# Chapter Twenty-One

Thick grey fog hovered over the cliffs, making it almost impossible to see the ocean as it crashed against the rocks below. Addison had given Cael the keys and asked him to drive, which was fine with him, hoping it would provide some distraction from all those thoughts of relationships and love.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed her watching him. Her mood seemed to mirror his. He knew he was frowning, and hell, who wouldn't be? The boyfriend comment Gerry had made was extreme, and then Cael had used the same dimwitted term himself. He wasn't ready to be anybody's boyfriend. What was it his uncle said about love? Was he deeply in love—just because they happened to enjoy each other in the sack? Ah fuck, no one said anything about being deeply in love.

He cared for her, sure, maybe too much. He knew it would be more than just casual sex with her. But love? Deeply in love? Using the term "boyfriend" was way over the top. He wondered if Addison thought of herself as his girlfriend now. No, he thought, she had looked shocked at the term, too. She had her life here. He lived in New York. She knew that, knew this couldn't possibly last, right? After all, long distance relationships rarely worked out anyway.

"Is everything okay?" Addison's voice yanked him from his thoughts.

"What? Oh, yeah. Why do you ask?"

"You're frowning."

"Yes, well, so are you."

"Yeah. Look. I'm sorry about the way Gerry and Darcy acted. If I'd had any idea they were going to come across like two possessive baboons I would never have told them we spent the night together."

"I know. It's not your fault."

That whole scene had made him uncomfortable. Maybe he should back off, stick to business. He didn't want to hurt Addison, though he would have to pull back eventually. Better now than later.

"So, where did you go when you left with your uncle?"

"Are you trying to keep tabs on me now?" The minute the words left his mouth, he regretted them.

"No, I just thought ..."

"Sorry, that was uncalled for. I didn't mean to sound so callous. I walked my uncle home and visited with him."

"I guess I should tell you. Chief Thompson and Lieutenant Whelan came in for lunch today. They found a dead woman on the beach last night."

Cael pulled to the side of the road, slamming on the brakes and the truck screeched to a halt, jerking Addison forward so hard she had to brace herself with her hand on the dash.

"What did you say?" Cael wanted to punch something.

"I said ..."

"Never mind, I heard you." His voice sounded a bit harsher than he had intended.

"They showed Darcy a picture of the woman. Darcy said she looked just like me."

He was angry, not with Addison, but at the situation and the sudden urge to protect her. It was getting too complicated, too many emotions.

"Ah ... fuck me."

Addison cringed.

"Sorry. This changes everything. I think Eidolon is sending a message to us. He wants us to know he's here. He wants the book and crystal and he'll stop at nothing to get them, even killing innocent people. He knows he can't kill you yet, because then he'll never find what he wants. But I bet he thinks by killing someone who looks like you, he might scare you enough to persuade you to tell him where they are."

"But I don't know where they are."

"I know you don't. Let's ditch this truck at your apartment and do some brainstorming."

"I have to be back at the bar by five."

He glanced at his watch. "That gives us almost three hours."

A light mist floated through the air as they walked up to Addison's apartment. A woman ran to the dumpster, threw a bag in, and hurried back to the building. Cael unlocked the door and they went in. Addison gathered up some things while Cael sat on the sofa and put his head in his hands. His convoluted emotions overwhelmed him. He didn't know if he was in love with Addison, but he sure as hell didn't want anything to happen to her, and the thought was harrowing. She sat next to him, touching her hand to his shoulder.

The beauty of her face forced a lump to his throat. He wanted to love her and didn't want to all at the same time. Searching her eyes, Cael ran his fingers over her hair. He wanted to protect her but wasn't sure how, and it ate at him. A burning desire for her wrenched at his heart and he pulled her to him, kissing her as he'd kissed no other.

Addison's hands moved from his back to his chest as she eased out from his firm embrace.

"Come on, let's get out of here," he said.

They teleported back to his beach house and Addie concentrated on managing the flow of the sparks she could emit from her fingers. After thirty minutes of pounding stream after stream into the stone fireplace, she gained control over the intensity of the current and Cael thought it might be time for her to try something new.

"I want you to hit me with some sparks."

"No. I might hurt you."

"No you won't. I can take it. Just try a small one to start."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I need to know the impact."

"There must be another way, Cael. I don't want to hurt you."

He laughed. "I'm sure you won't hurt me."

"Shouldn't we go in the kitchen, just in case, close to the faucet?"

"Good point."

He stood close to the sink, arms at his sides, hands fisted. "Okay, I'm ready."

Addie took aim.

"Wait!" he said, putting his hands up in front of him, palms toward her.

"What?"

"I'm left-handed so go for my right arm ... just a little spark, okay?"

"Okay, I'll try. Ready?"

"Yes. No! Wait." He removed his shirt and set it on the counter. "No sense ruining a good shirt. Okay, I'm ready."

"This is a bad idea." Addie closed her eyes. Veins warmed in her wrists and hands as the surge of sparks bolted from her fingertips. Her eyelids sprang open when she heard Cael scream and she watched in horror as he flew back, slammed into the counter, and then slumped to the floor, clutching his shoulder. Her aim had been off and the stream had gone high, hitting him below his collarbone.

"Holy shit! Cael, are you okay?"

"Why did you close your eyes? You were supposed to send a small spark to my arm. Not a nuclear blast to my shoulder." He rolled his shoulder and winced as the three-inch gash oozed blood.

"I told you this was a bad idea." She grabbed a towel from the drawer and dabbed at the wound. "This looks deep."

"Check upstairs, maybe Tom keeps a first-aid kit in the bathroom."

"Here, hold this on it."

Upstairs, Addie searched the bathroom. In her frenzy, she dumped the contents of a drawer onto the floor. Rummaging through it, she found nothing to help, not even a band-aid. She ran to the hall closet only to find sheets and blankets. She grabbed a couple of sheets, went to the bedroom closet, spied a box with a red cross on the top, and grabbed it. She ran back downstairs to find Cael slouched on the floor, his eyes closed, his face pale, and a puddle of blood pooling beneath him.

Addie raced to his side, removed the towel from his shoulder, and using one of the sheets, dabbed some blood away to get a better look. She had to stop the bleeding or he would die. There were no neighbors, no phone—not even a car to take him to a hospital.

"Damn it, Cael, this wasn't supposed to happen. Please, wake up. Tell me what to do."

He opened his eyes. "I'm awake. Try to stop the bleeding." He closed his eyes again, wincing at the pain.

She bunched a section of the sheet up, placing it on the wound, and pressed hard, hoping to stop the bleeding. "Can you teleport us to a hospital?"

"I don't think I..." His eyes rolled up and his body went limp.

"Don't you die on me! Please don't die. I need you. Please, please stop bleeding. You can't die! Not now. Not when I ...

"I love you."

She wiped away the tears streaming down her cheeks with the back of her other hand. She lowered her head and placed both hands on the gash, pressing with all her strength, blood soaking the cloth and her hands. Addie closed her eyes, her fingers making contact with Cael's flesh as the sheet slipped away from the wound.

Archaic words flashed to her mind. Strange words she'd heard somewhere before, but where? She found herself whispering them repeatedly, "Vis curatio vox secundum arts, vis curatio vox secundum arts, vis curatio vox secundum arts." A warm sensation flowed through her hands as she pressed. She didn't ease the pressure, determined to stop the bleeding, and continued chanting the words as a white light glowed through her hands.

Cael groaned and she opened her eyes then gasped.

The bleeding had stopped and the wound had closed as if nothing had happened.

"Cael, can you hear me?"

"Yes, I hear you," he grunted and opened his eyes. He reached up, and touched her cheek with his finger. "You've been crying."

She laughed and wept at the same time. "Yes, you stupid idiot. I thought you were dead."

"I think I was, because I heard an angel tell me she loved me."

He tried to sit up, winced, and fell back again.

She hadn't realized she'd said she loved him aloud, but he'd heard her say it. Did she really love him or did she say it because she thought he was dying?

"I think you're a little light-headed from the loss of blood. Careful, let me help."

She helped him to a chair and then went to the fridge and retrieved a container of orange juice. She poured a glass full and handed it to him. "Here, drink this; the sugar will help."

He grabbed her arm and held it. "Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Love me."

She turned her head, avoiding his stare. "I think you were delirious."

She pulled her arm away from his grasp and using the sheet, wiped up his blood from the floor. What she'd felt flowing through her was powerful, and Addie thought it might be love, but they hardly knew each other. Even if she really did love him, it wasn't the time to say it.

Cael regained enough strength to stand. He reached for her arms and pulled her against him. "You healed me."

"I know, I ... it just happened. I don't know how I did it. Something came over me, like ... like I was possessed or something. The words just flowed from my mouth and I couldn't control them. I've heard them before—I don't know where or when, but I've heard them."

Frightened and mystified by the experience, she turned from him and ran out of the house, sprinting across the grass to the trees by the edge of the cliff. She sat, pulled her knees up to her chest, buried her head in her arms and wept. She had almost lost Cael. It was an unimaginable thought and her heart ached because ... she did love him.

The ocean filled up the small cove below and retreated again with a mesmerizing motion. She spotted an archway formed by the rocks, almost a gateway, leading out to the ocean beyond. Looking through the arch from this angle, two small rocks peeked out of the water, just on the other side of the arch. She stared at them, noticing how they formed a shape—the shape of an angel, an angel in the archway.

Someone said her name.

"Addison." A commanding melodic voice that she recognized called to her and Addie looked up into her father's eyes.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, sweetheart, I'm here."

"How are you here?" She reached for him.

He cradled her as he spoke. "Addison, sweet, sweet Addison. I'm so sorry I've left you this way. You have many great gifts. Don't be afraid of them."

"Daddy, I don't understand any of this. Why didn't you tell me? I don't know how to use them."

He stroked her cheek and she grabbed his hand.

"I wanted to protect you. I'm sorry. You will learn how to use them. The knowledge is in you, it's always been in you. I love you with all my heart and soul."

"I love you too, Daddy. I miss you so much."

"I'm always with you. Put your trust in Cael."

Her father faded and so did the feel of his arms around her.

"Daddy, don't leave me."

Her body shook.

"Daddy, come back, please. I need you!"

He was gone, but his strong hands were still shaking her.

"Daddy, don't go."

"Addison, wake up, you're dreaming."

Her eyes opened to find Cael's deep blue ones staring into hers. Addie threw her arms around him. "He was here, my dad was here."

She buried her face in his chest as his arms wrapped around her, drawing her close to him.

"Addison, don't be afraid of your gifts. Your father had the ability to heal and I knew you would eventually. I wasn't sure how or when this particular power would come to you, but I'm glad you figured it out."

She looked into Cael's eyes. "I'm not afraid. Not anymore. We'll be okay. I know we'll be okay."

Cael sat on the passenger side of the truck while Addison drove, since his shoulder was still a little sore. It was just after midnight when they pulled into the parking lot of her apartment. Clouds shielded most of the stars and the heavy mist in the air had her clinging tightly to Cael as they headed up the stairs arm in arm.

Inside her apartment, Addison gathered some more clothes while Cael relaxed on the sofa, absently massaging his shoulder. The wound had healed completely, but the pain lingered. The plan was still to leave the truck at Addison's in hopes of tricking Eidolon into thinking they were staying at her place.

She turned from her closet and slapped her hand against her forehead. "Shit. Why didn't I think of this before?"

"What?" Cael looked up, his eyes heavy with fatigue.

"I just remembered something. The day of my dad's funeral, I was in his study, wanting to be alone. I found a note on his desk scribbled in his handwriting. It scared me when I read it. I didn't know what it meant but it sounded as if he was afraid for me. I crumpled up the note and stuck it in my pocket."

"Do you remember what it said?"

"Yes, I still have it. It's in here." She reached into the closet and when she turned back around, she held out a mosaic box.

He stood and took the box from her. "Where did you get this?"

"I've had it all my life. My father gave it to me when I was little. He said it had belonged to my mother. I keep all my valuables in it, not that I have many. Why?"

He took the box from her, sat back down on the sofa with the box on his lap and stroked his hands over the top, fingering the intricate details in the wood with reverence.

"Call me crazy, but this thing looks familiar, a picture I've seen. Not only that, but I can feel ... something. A kind of muted energy, maybe. I'm thinking maybe it housed the book at one time."

"What? No it didn't. It's my keepsake box. Look." She flipped open the lid and pulled out the note. "See? Here's the note, my gold bracelet, and oh look, my mother's watch and my parents' wedding rings... What?"

He took the note from her and read it. "Come on, grab your stuff, we need to go back to the beach house with the security system. Bring the box."

With her bag draped over her shoulder and holding the box in her hands, Cael teleported her back to the rental house.

# Chapter Twenty-Two

It had been a long day. Cael poured two glasses of wine while Addison lit the fire. Relieved to be back at the beach house, they relaxed in front of the warm flames. He downed his wine and poured another. It was his first drink of the day and he hoped the wine would dull the ache in his shoulder. He and Bart had shared a pizza and Cael had settled for a soda, since Bart was out of beer. He didn't think it was wise to hang out at the Cliff Hanger the whole time Addison was working. It just didn't look right. He knew she'd be safe there. As long as there were other people around, Eidolon wouldn't dare try anything. Cael wished he knew what shape the bastard had taken. The possibility of him masquerading as some sort of animal or lurking undercover as an ordinary human being had him wondering about her friends and he tried to remember if any of them seemed suspicious.

"You're being mysterious again and scaring me."

He took the box and sat next to her on the sofa, reading the note again.

"Well, I'm sure you know what this is about now," he said.

"Yes, but who do you think it's to?"

"Well, me of course. He obviously didn't get a chance to finish it, or maybe it was a note he wrote to remind him to tell me about you."

"Ha, you really are full of yourself, aren't you?"

He took a firm grip on her shoulders, firmer than he intended. He turned her body to face his and looked into her eyes. "Why do you continue to doubt me?"

Her smile faded and she gulped. "I don't doubt you. You just..."

"Just what?" His voice sounded deep and weary. He was exhausted.

"Sometimes your arrogance can be a bit exasperating."

"Well, I'm sorry you find me so annoying. It's not something I normally think about controlling and I'm sorry my mood offends you. I don't relish the thought of your father putting all his trust in me like this, but he did." He frowned, finished another glass of wine and poured more. He was still in pain and irritated by her remark.

"I'm sorry. I'm not offended. You don't offend me." She touched his shoulder and he winced.

"Oh, God." She covered her mouth with her hands. "I'm sorry; I didn't realize you were still in pain. I wonder why it still hurts so much. Let me see." She unbuttoned his shirt and examined his shoulder. "It looks completely healed. Why didn't you say something?"

"Maybe you need to fine-tune your healing ability. Why do you think I'm guzzling wine?"

"I'm sorry. It was the first time I've ever done something like that. I didn't know. Let me see what I can do." Her voice was sultry as she slipped his shirt off and showered him with soft kisses. First, his shoulder, then grazing over his collarbone, she moved to his neck, up to his mouth, and her teeth nibbled his lower lip before she pressed her mouth to his. He pulled her tighter. She tasted sweet and he forgot all about his shoulder, the book, everything but her.

"I thought you were in pain."

"You're making me forget."

He tugged her pants loose, letting them fall to the floor, and she kissed his neck. Cael lifted her hips, positioning his body between her thighs. She wrapped her legs around him as he unbuttoned her blouse, revealing her wonderful firm breasts. He covered a breast with his mouth, teasing her nipple with his teeth. He kissed her stomach, moving his hands over her thighs before his fingers slid between her legs, where she was wet and warm.

"Cael, let me touch you."

"Later, baby."

Her hips rose as his fingers tantalized her, and she shivered under him. Her fingers tangled in his hair as his tongue glided down her skin, over her stomach to her most sensitive spot, a taste as sweet as the first apricot of summer.

He wanted—needed to arouse her beyond reason, to hear her moan and feel her pulse against his touch. Her hips rose with the swirl of his tongue and he felt her body tremble. He watched as he brought her to climax after climax, each one more intense than the last.

He tuned in his senses to hers, her orgasm intensifying his erection, and it throbbed.

He moved off her, unzipped his pants, and pushed them to the floor, kicking them aside.

"Now, baby, now."

She wrapped her fingers tightly around him, but he wanted to be inside her.

"I can't stand it anymore." Ignoring his shoulder, he picked her up so her legs wrapped around his waist and moved to the wall, pinning her against it. "Guide me in," he begged, unable to control the urgent, desperate sound in his voice.

She did, and when he thrust into her, he thought he would explode right then as her tightness surrounded him. His mouth covered hers with the heat of his passion and he held her against the wall as he thrust deeper inside.

He pulled her tight against him, then carried her to the sofa and she straddled him, sending him into an orgasm unparalleled by any he'd ever experienced before.

Sprawled on the floor next to the crackling fire, bodies tangled, Cael and Addison still worked at catching their breath after the miracle that took place on the sofa. Stroking his finger down her cheek, Cael marveled at how beautiful she was with the light of the fire dancing in her golden eyes. His gaze drifted to her locket—did it just glow? Grasping it between his fingers, he thought it must have been the fire reflecting off the metal.

"Listen, Addison, I'm sorry about before."

"Shhh." She brushed his lips with hers.

He glanced at the box they brought from her apartment. He sat up, bringing it to his lap. "Let's see what we have here."

"I told you it's nothing more than a box I keep my stuff in." She sat facing him with her legs crossed.

"Yes, but..."

He pulled everything out of it, placing her treasures on the floor. He turned the box upside down, shook it and the bottom of the inside loosened.

"Hey, you broke my box."

He smiled at her accusation.

"No, look. It has a false bottom."

He lifted out a four-by-six inch leather book, roughly a half-inch thick, bound and secured with a black leather cord held in place by a small button.

"It's the journal."

"But the pictures I looked at ... there wasn't a picture of this box."

"I know. That picture went missing shortly after your father showed it to me."

As he held the book out for her to see, her locket glowed again.

"I wasn't imagining things! Well, well, look what we have here. Your locket. The stone is glowing as if it likes the book. Take it off."

"No!" She closed her hand over it.

"Trust me, I'll put it right back on." He struggled with the clasp. "Damn, it's stuck. Can you get it over your head?"

"No, it's too short. I've never tried to take it off before. I guess when my father put it on he meant for it to stay."

"Apparently."

"He said it would keep me safe."

"Hmmm ... does it open?"

"Yes, there's a photo of me as a baby, my mother, and my father." She opened it and showed him the picture.

"Why is it so thick and still glowing? Wait." He got up and went to the kitchen, returning with a safety pin. He knelt down in front of her and, using the pin, pried the picture out, exposing am amber-colored object with a yellowish tint to it. It glowed with a brilliance that illuminated the entire room.

They stared at it in awe.

"Clever man. It's the crystal. You've been wearing it this whole time. It must be reacting to the journal."

Addison glanced in the box. "What's that?"

A white envelope lay inside the box where the book had been. Cael picked it up and turned it over. The envelope had Cael's name on it.

"What is it?"

Shaking his head, he opened it and removed a letter, unfolding it carefully. "It's a letter from your father. He must have put it in there when he realized his life was in danger."

He started to read the letter silently as Addison looked on, biting her bottom lip.

"Please, I know it's addressed to you but ... what does it say?"

"Oh, sorry." He spoke softly. "It says, 'Dear Cael, if you are reading this letter, then you must have found my daughter, Addison—and I am dead. Please forgive me; it was necessary to hide her existence from the Sectorium in order to keep her safe from Eidolon, a madman the likes of which this world could never have imagined. His hunger for power goes beyond reason, and he will stop at nothing. He is the treacherous murderer of our good friend Stefan and his wife Claire, as well. You must stop him before he gets control of the book and the crystal, and before he kills my daughter. By the time you read this letter, Addison will just be beginning to realize some of her powers. You must guide and protect her.'"

Cael stopped reading and looked at Addison. Tears ran down her cheeks. He wanted to comfort her but, consumed with guilt, he only stared into her eyes. He had just made love to her, knowing she was Risteard's daughter, but only now, after reading the words written by Risteard confirming it, he felt compelled to put his feelings for her aside.

"Addison, I..." He wanted to say he was sorry. Sorry for what was happening, sorry for her loss and for the sudden changes in her life, but most of all sorry for the irrepressible feelings he had for her and the simple truth that he had no control over them.

Instead, he continued to read.

"'I never told Addison about the Sectorium and her powers, and knowing my daughter, she will resist. You must help her to accept her destiny. I have trained you well and I have faith you will do everything in your power to guide and protect her. I have loved you as if you were my own son. Tell Addison I love her and my spirit will always be with you both.

Your friend, Risteard.'"

Confusion clouded his mind as a dull ache welled in his chest. He tried to fight off the knowledge of what he would have to do. Addison was Risteard's daughter. What had he been thinking, anyway? She would need to center all her energy toward learning her abilities. He had to find a way to make her understand, he must. He knew what he had to do.

When Addie awoke, she reached for Cael, but her hand found his side of the bed cold and empty. She brushed her fingers over his pillow where his head had left a dent. Drawing it close, she hugged it, inhaling his scent still lingering there. The morning haze hid the sun from the room. Rolling over, she smiled at the memory of last night, how wonderful Cael had made her feel when he'd made love to her. His sensitive touch drew her into a world she never experienced before. Her smile turned to a frown as she remembered the letter from her father. How would Cael deal with that? How would she deal with it? She glanced at the red display on the clock beside the bed and jumped up, tossing the covers away. She had slept late and needed to get to work. She ran to the shower, tossing the letter out of her mind just as easily as she had tossed the covers aside.

Cael sat at the table in the kitchen, the journal and the letter her father had written in front of him.

"There's coffee," he said without looking up.

Addison poured a cup and, after taking a sip, stared at him. He stared back, feeling her strong sensual energy. Right now, she had a beautiful aura. A mixture of red, yellow, and pink—confident, powerful, passionate and sensual. He also noted a bit of gold, the color of divine protection, and he hated himself for what he was about to do.

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? You're asking me what's wrong? You know damn well what's fucking wrong." His rough and stinging tone shocked even his own ears, and he hated himself.

"Well, other than my life being in danger, and yours as you know it about to be destroyed, I mean."

"Yes, other than all that. You need to stop taking this so lightly. It's time for both of us to stop kidding ourselves. You have responsibilities now and you are going to be a very powerful woman. We need to concentrate on the development of your powers so we can destroy Eidolon. You can't go around acting like your flighty trouble-free friends, not having a fucking care in the world, because if you do, maybe there just won't be a world for you. Damn it!" He slammed his fist down on the table, and she flinched.

Addison placed the cup on the counter and stood stiff, hands at her sides. Her aura changed to a mixture of muddied colors—blue, forest green and blood red—indicating her fear, confusion and anger. He hated how nasty he sounded and wanted to take back everything he had just said, but it was too late.

"Well, I don't know what those responsibilities are yet, do I?"

He scowled at her, trying hard not to go to her, take her in his arms and tell her everything would be okay. He shook his head tersely. He knew she had a lot to learn, but he couldn't turn soft now. He had to hold this mood steady, make her understand how wrong it was for them to continue playing at this game of love. She was too vulnerable and, fuck, so was he. Not being able to teleport while he was aroused scared the hell out of him.

"Well, please forgive my potentially-powerful ass if I'm not serious enough for you. This is all new to me. Unlike you, I didn't have the advantage of growing up knowing I had special powers. Don't think for one moment I don't know the seriousness of this situation. This is my personality, pal. If you don't like it, why the hell are you with me? This is how I deal with stress. If you can't handle it, take a hike and you can shove this whole mess up your ass while you're at it. I can take care of myself."

Her voice was strong, determined, but he could see the hurt in her eyes and wanted to comfort her, hold her and tell her he was sorry for being a prick. But this is what had to be done. He had to be able to control his abilities, and around her, they seemed to get all mixed up.

"I need to get to work now, so would you please take me to my truck?"

"Yes, let's go."

"I don't suppose you'll be staying at the bar today."

"No, I'm sure you'll be fine. Remember, you have powers. For fucking sake, use them if you need to protect yourself." He cringed to himself and didn't know if he would be able to keep this up long enough to make her hate him. If she hated him, it would be easier to keep their relationship platonic—easier for her to walk away. He didn't care about himself. He figured after today, he deserved to suffer the loss and wallow in misery for the rest of his life.

"I never said I needed you to protect me."

"Right. So focus your energy on staying alive, not on me. I have better things to do, like find out where, and who, or what Eidolon is. If we keep having sex all the time, we're going to end up dead. I can't keep hanging around, twenty-four/seven, having casual sex with you as if nothing's wrong. It's not as if we're in love or anything. It's over, Addison." He knew it was illogical to break up now when she needed him to protect her, but he needed to be able to focus. Having her naked and in his bed all the time, only clouded his mind with distractions.

# Chapter Twenty-Three

Addie's face was hot, and she wanted to cry, but not in front of him. She wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry over him. She took a deep breath as he grabbed her by the arms. She held onto his waist and closed her eyes.

When they entered her apartment, he let her go and disappeared, leaving her standing alone without even saying goodbye.

It was over, just like that? He wasn't in love with her, said he had better things to do. The words stung, and she fought back tears. Sure, she knew he had an obligation to the Sectorium and would do everything possible to protect her, but throwing the sex in her face was cruel. Was it just casual sex to him? She really thought she had meant more to him, and now it was over. She stood there stunned for several minutes, not caring whether she lived or died.

For a Saturday, the Bar and Grill didn't have many customers. Just as well, as far as Addie was concerned. She was in no mood to play nice with anybody today, her belligerent and rude behavior uncontrollable. Never before had she felt so used and betrayed.

"Damn it, Darcy. Why didn't you just say what you wanted in the first place? Now you made me waste a perfectly good drink."

"I did tell you. You weren't listening. You have your head in the clouds today."

"I do not. You need to speak more clearly and stop mumbling so a person can understand what it is you need."

"It seems to me you're the one who needs to pay closer attention to the orders and stop screwing them up. I don't know what's going on with you, but you'd better stop yelling at me, or you're going to find yourself flat on your ass."

"You'd better watch your own ass; it's certainly big enough."

Darcy's face turned red and she walked around the bar, hands fisted at her sides.

Jared stuck his head out from the kitchen. "What the...?"

Gerry grabbed Addie by the arm and pulled her out the back door, stopping Darcy in her tracks as Jared looked on with wide eyes.

"Darcy, watch the bar," Gerry barked on their way out.

"Let go of me." Addie squirmed to tug free.

Once outside, Gerry let go of her arm. It was nippy outside and Addie leaned up against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest, her sleeves still rolled up from when she washed glasses. Gerry stood facing her, his arms folded across his chest, mimicking her. Addie kept her eyes on the ground.

It was no use. To Gerry, she was an open book. He read her moods better than anyone did. After all, they worked side-by-side most every day. There was an unspoken mutual respect and admiration between them.

"What the hell's the matter with you, Addie?"

"Nothing."

"You've been jumping down everyone's throat all morning. This isn't like you. What's going on?"

"It's really none of your business."

"Bollocks. Don't give me any bloody bullshit. The man you're seeing, Cael, did he do something to you? Did he hurt you?"

"I don't want to talk about it," she said, her arms still crossed and her eyes cast down toward the ground.

"Oh, I think you'd better or..."

She looked up. "Or what, Gerry? You think just because I work for you I have to do everything you tell me to do, or maybe because you're fucking my aunt you have the right to pry into my personal business? Well, you don't. I don't have to tell you anything."

Addie hadn't meant to be so crude and spiteful but she'd had enough of people telling her what to do. She was unable to shake off the sting of Cael's words and had given up on controlling her anger when lashing out at everyone seemed easier. If she softened, she'd break down and she refused to permit herself that luxury right now. It took less effort to stay hard and angry.

Gerry lowered his head and scrunched his eyes closed as he squeezed the bridge of his nose. Addie knew the gesture, knew the signs of the man gaining his composure before he said something he might regret.

"No, not when you keep it outside of work, but when you start bringing your personal issues to work with you—throwing out insults to customers and other employees—that's when I get involved. And no, I don't think I have the right to pry into your personal business, I just happen to care about you ... and if he's done anything to hurt you then, aye, I make it my business."

She turned to walk back in, snubbing everything he'd just said.

Gerry grabbed her arm again, holding her back. "Addie, you will not ignore me. If you don't want to talk about it, fine. Just look me in the eye and tell me he hasn't hurt you."

His eyes searched hers. Knowing he already knew the truth, but unable to face it herself, she lied. "He hasn't."

He stood holding her arms—eyes steady on hers for a long, intense moment before he said anything—and she hoped he didn't detect the tears welling in her eyes.

"Okay, then," he said with a tenderness she hadn't expected. "I want you to take the rest of the day off. I'll get Maia or Nick in to cover for you tonight."

"But I..." and then she broke. Tears flooded down her cheeks. "Oh God, I didn't want to cry, I can't cry. I need to be strong." Her arms went up to her head as she fell against Gerry and sobbed.

"There, now." He gently stroked her head then lifted her arms. "What the fuck is this? Did he do this? He'll pay for this, he'll be sorry he hurt you."

Gerry's voice cooed in her ears as she wept. She was absorbed in her own anguish, not paying much attention to what he was saying. She swiped her tears with the back of her hand. "I apologize. I appreciate your concern. I'm sorry I've been so hard to get along with today."

"Ahhh... I'm sorry, too, Addie. I should have realized what kind of man he was right from the beginning. Bart's nephew or not, that son of a bitch won't get away with this."

"Okay, I guess I should take the rest of the day off. It'll probably be better for everyone."

"Good. You look exhausted."

She forced a smile, but her heart ached. Cael's last words still rang loud in her ears. "I can't keep hanging around, twenty-four/seven, having casual sex with you. It's not as if we're in love or anything. It's over, Addison."

What would she do without him? Where should she go? If she left the bar now, how would she let Cael know where she was? Did he even care? They'd never bothered to exchange cell numbers—since up to now he was always with her. She wasn't sure where she should go. If she drove to his house, Eidolon might follow and know where she'd been hiding. If she went home, he might follow her there. God, she was pathetic. Maybe Cael was right. She was depending on him too much. She had powers; she would use them if she needed to.

Then it dawned on her. She would drive downtown to the stores where other people were. She'd be safe there, even pick up a few new outfits while she was at it. After being with Cael, she wanted to take better care of her appearance, but then if Cael was serious about ending it, what did her appearance matter, anyway? Well, she'd do it for herself. Obviously, he had been in it just for the sex, and after this was all over, he would go back to New York and forget all about her.

Could she forget him? She didn't want to; no man could ever make her feel as wonderful as Cael had.

She drove the short ten minutes up the coast to the little shops in the neighboring downtown area and parked her truck on the street. With a heavy weight in her chest, she found it difficult to get excited about shopping. Perhaps if she found something sexy she could...

Who was she kidding? Cael was adamant about them not having that type of relationship.

She'd been downtown a few times before, but until now never with the intent of actually buying clothes. Maybe she would just do some window-shopping.

Walking along the charming cobblestoned sidewalk, she noticed a variety of little boutiques on both sides of the street, stretching a span of about two blocks. There were antique shops, art galleries, clothing stores, gift shops, even a little pastry shop—all the usual tourist places. It was a small town with no traffic signals or gaudy business signs. She stopped for a few seconds to admire an attractive little garden tucked in between two buildings. A man and woman sat on a bench throwing an occasional crumb from a muffin they shared out to a bunch of hungry little birds. They looked happy and in love. She turned away from them as the vision made her think of Cael.

She walked across the street, glancing in each window as she passed. She stopped at one of the dress shops, focusing on a few of the items when an ominous awareness came over her, as if someone was watching her. Addie looked over her shoulder, but didn't see anyone suspicious. She walked past a cafe and considered stopping for a cup of coffee and maybe a muffin. Her stomach was in knots from all the arguing, and she thought it might be a good idea to put something in it. She ordered coffee and a banana nut muffin and sat for a long while thinking about Cael. She stared blankly into space, crumbling the muffin into tiny pieces, scattering them around the plate. She glanced down at it and realized she hadn't taken one bite. She pushed it away, finished the coffee, and left.

Cael kicked the wall outside the police station. It was an old building and the force of his foot caused the stucco to crack. He felt horrible about fighting with Addison. He'd wanted to hold her and take back the casual sex remark when he saw the anguish on her face. Why would she think he didn't like her personality? It hadn't been about that, and he hated the way he had treated her. The argument had just been a necessary ruse to facilitate an end to the physical side of their relationship and his piss-poor lack of judgment. "Yeah, mission accomplished, fuck-head."

He had to make her understand how important her role was. They couldn't let their emotions interfere. He wasn't sure if she was in love with him or not, but he was certainly on his way to falling in love with her. One thing he was right about was the sex, though. They needed to stop or they just might end up dead. Discovering his ability to teleport had disappeared while he was aroused was staggering. He had no idea before, since he'd never tried it. The revelation scared the hell out of him. If Eidolon ever attacked when they were having sex, he would kill them both. He wasn't sure about Addison's powers. They were so new to her—she hadn't even begun to realize her strengths. He hated ending things with her, but it was over, done with. She'd probably never want to talk to him again anyway, after this morning.

Chief Thompson sat behind a wide desk cluttered with piles of files and pictures of the two dead women scattered in front of him. A black mug with an insignia of the police department sat half-empty in the middle of it all.

Cael walked in and the chief looked up.

"Detective, glad you stopped by. We've identified the two women, the first as Lisa White and the second as Karen Strung—both from Portland."

Cael studied the photographs and knew immediately why Eidolon had chosen them as his victims.

"They look alike." Similar to Addison.

"Yes, I agree."

"Since they resemble each other, it could be murder."

"Hmmm ... I don't see any other connection between the two. One woman, slain by a wild animal and left mutilated in a field, the other washed up on the beach after having plummeted a hundred feet to the rocks below—most likely a suicide. I don't think either one of the women were murdered."

"Will you keep me informed of any new developments?"

"Will do."

Cael kept his knowledge of Eidolon to himself. Divulging that information would only result in the Chief doubting his sanity, and it could risk exposing the Sectorium. The message was loud and clear, though. Eidolon was targeting these women because they looked like Addison. Cael was certain Eidolon hoped to scare her into revealing the whereabouts of the crystal and the book when he captured her. Cael had to make sure he never got the chance.

Cael left the chief's office and took off to the Sectory to check on the evidence he'd left there. He materialized directly in the laboratory, a room set up with mostly medical equipment, various machines and monitors with an assortment of wires hanging loosely from them. There were a couple of cots covered with white sheets and lightweight blankets folded neatly at the foot of each. It had all the current necessities required for testing evidence. The bloodstain turned out to be the victim's—no surprise there. But the identity of the only fingerprint lifted off the broken beer bottle had Cael's heart in his throat.

Addison must have served the bottle of beer to the killer who somehow left the bar with it, smashing it to use as a weapon. He had hoped, with any luck, that someone else's prints would show up as well.

Unfortunately, luck wasn't on their side.

The broken bottle hadn't been what had killed the woman, though. Maybe Eidolon had used it to threaten her, to go with him to the field before ... before what? Turning into an animal or a monster?

What frightened Cael more was the thought of Eidolon taking the bottle directly from Addison's hand. He ran his fingers through his hair as he walked down the long hallway of the Sectory to his mother's office.

He rounded the corner through the open double doors and knocked lightly, more to alert Siana Sheridan of his presence than to ask permission to enter. Her doors were always open and visitors always welcome. Siana sat behind her large marble-top desk, studying her computer, and looked up with a smile when he entered. Cael glanced around. Not a single piece of paper lay out of place and not a shred of clutter existed. Rays of sun danced down on a dustless table with two rich dark brown leather chairs tucked in on either side. He inhaled the sweet aroma he loved while growing up. Her office always smelled of gardenias.

"Hi, Mom."

"Cael, honey, it's good to see you." She stood and walked to him, caressing him in a warm embrace.

"Got a minute?"

"Of course. I was hoping you'd come by. Any news? Come in and tell me. Have a seat." Siana gestured to the dark brown leather sofa against the wall.

Cael stepped toward it but didn't sit. He turned and faced her, sticking his hands in his pockets, feeling like a ten-year-old reporting his day's adventures at school.

"Uncle Bart says hello and he claims you owe him a visit."

"Yes, I do. It's been a while, but you tell your uncle the train runs in both directions."

"I will, but then he'll just remind me that you're the one with the free ride."

Siana smiled. "Yes, I suppose I am ... but you haven't come here to talk about Bart. You have information about Addison MacKenna."

"Yes." He always had a difficult time keeping things from his mother, since her abilities were similar to his. He remembered having some weird conversations with her when he was younger, especially when his interest in girls had erupted—there was no point in trying to hide anything from her.

"She's definitely Risteard's daughter and she has the journal. It was in an antique box like the one I think I saw in the old photographs, hidden under a false bottom. The picture of the box is missing or we would have found it sooner. Risteard told her the box had belonged to her mother and Addison was using it to hold keepsakes."

"And the crystal?" his mother asked.

"It's hidden inside a large locket she wears around her neck. Risteard gave it to her when she turned twenty-one. She never takes it off. In fact, the clasp is soldered shut and the only way to remove it is to break the chain. Mom, she didn't know any of this. She's totally innocent."

"I don't doubt her innocence, Cael. What about her powers? Has she started to develop any yet?"

"Yes, a few. How did you know she has powers? I never said she had any."

"No, you didn't, but she is the female child of a great man who had many powers."

"Right." He shrugged off his jacket and laid it on the arm of the sofa while his mother walked behind her desk.

"You say she's innocent. Do you mean innocent or naive?"

"Well, in a way, both. She's innocent because she's a victim. She's naive in her skills, but she's very intelligent." And beautiful.

His mother didn't sit; instead, she turned to study Cael. "Your feelings for her are strong."

"Yes, I have feelings for her."

"You're in love with her."

As he heard the words, he sat down and put his head in his hands. "I don't want to be in love with her."

Siana grinned and walked to him, and sat next to him on the sofa, her body facing his. "Do you really believe you have the power to choose the woman you fall in love with?"

"Okay, yes, I love her." He admitted it—hell, not only to himself, but to his mother as well—and all of a sudden, he felt sick.

She placed her hand on his shoulder. "It's not supposed to be painful."

"I shouldn't be in love with her. She's Risteard's daughter; it's just wrong." He handed her the letter Risteard wrote.

She got up, walked behind her desk and while reading the note, lowered herself into the chair. When she finished, she looked at him, "Why would the fact that she's Risteard's daughter prevent you from loving her?"

He stood up, his hands clenched into fists. "Because, damn it, I'm just..." He lowered his head, defeated.

"You're just what, Cael? Just a soldier sent to protect her? Give yourself more credit, honey. You're the greatest warrior groomed and chosen by Risteard himself. It's obvious to me he wanted you to be with her and trained you for this very reason. He wrote this letter to you. Don't you see why? He loved you like a son. Couldn't you sense the affection and the admiration he had for you? I know I did."

"But I can't keep her safe from Eidolon if I can't use my powers when I'm ... I can't control myself. The attraction's too strong. Just the thought of her makes teleporting difficult." He ran his hand through the side of his hair, pushing the black strands behind his ear before resting his elbow on the arm of the sofa, placing his forehead on his hand.

Siana sighed, sat back in her chair and toyed with a small pearl-handled magnifying glass Cael's father had given her. "I know the feeling. I also struggled with that when I met your father. I'll admit emotions for us are more intense than for normal humans, but sometimes love is stronger than the physical attraction. Now that you've admitted to loving her, you can find a way to use your abilities during those moments—it is possible. I know it's possible. You just need to channel your emotions. There's a part in your brain you can keep open ... find it and you'll maintain your abilities. It's difficult at first, but after a while, it'll become second nature."

Cael hoped she was right and prayed he would have another opportunity to find out.

Siana laid the magnifying glass on the desk, pushed the sleeves of her royal blue jacket up her arms, and folded her hands on top of the desk. "Now, what else do you know about Eidolon?"

He sat back on the sofa and told her about the two women, how much they resembled Addison, and that the police didn't see the relationship between the two deaths. With the added knowledge of Addison's fingerprint on the beer bottle, Siana agreed it had to be Eidolon sending a message.

"When can you bring her here?"

"I don't know. She works so damn much—we don't want to disrupt her normal routines and give ourselves away—maybe between her shifts, but..." Cael shook his head, knowing he'd made a terrible mistake.

"But what?" The edge in Siana's voice caught him off guard and he felt like a child again.

"She may never want to see me again after the way I spoke to her this morning. I thought she would be safer if our relationship ended. I told her it was over."

"Cael, my dear, I love you very much, but sometimes you do such idiotic things."

"I thought it would be best."

"Well, go apologize and bring her here as soon as possible. She needs to see the facilities. She needs to learn more about herself—and quickly."

Cael was grateful he'd always had an unfettered relationship with his mother—he could tell her just about anything. Nothing seemed to shock her, but then, he'd never had much choice. He often wished he had the ability to block her out. After all, there were times when a man needed his privacy.

# Chapter Twenty-Four

After finishing the coffee and destroying the muffin, Addie walked to a small boutique. The crowded area swarmed with tourists and she still had that uneasy feeling someone was watching her, but there were many people about and she did not notice anyone looking suspicious.

She shrugged off the feeling when she entered the trendy shop and found a beautiful black and lavender lace blouse. When paired with a short, tight, dark lavender skirt, it offered just the right amount of femininity. Showing off a few curves couldn't hurt, and dressing a bit sexier might make Cael regret what he'd said.

She tried on the skirt. It hugged her bottom more than she was used to and she winced at the length, just inches below the top of her thigh.

"I guess a few sexy outfits won't hurt."

Her rent was due soon, but hell, it was only money, and tomorrow the world might end. She splurged and bought two more skirts, one black and one dark green with white squiggly lines through it, and two more blouses to go with them. And, damning Darcy's Goth description, she went ahead and purchased a few new tops for work as well.

Addie left the boutique sporting the lavender skirt and the blouse that matched, and walked into a shoe store. If she was going to start wearing skirts, she should have some decent shoes to go with them. She found a pair of strappy black heels she thought went well with the lavender and black skirts and a second pair in gold with tiny green speckles. The heels added a good three inches to her five-foot-eight frame, bringing her closer to Cael's six-foot-two. She might have trouble walking, but she didn't care.

She continued on her little shopping spree, feeling excited about her new look. For a change, the sun sat bright in the sky, warming her cheeks. Addie, pulling her hair up in her hand for a minute to feel the warmth on her neck, approached a small lingerie shop and stopped to glance in the window. When she sensed those eyes on her again, she went into the store—getting off the street made her feel much safer.

Racks of lacy bras adorned the aisles, and tables lined with silk panties in every color to match graced the store. Addie had spent more money than she intended already, but with Cael on her mind, she actually enjoyed browsing through the soft, delicate panties and bras. Her breath hitched when her fingers brushed over a silk, sexy, elegant black bra and panty set that might drive Cael crazy—if, in fact, she'd have another chance to drive him crazy. She went ahead and purchased a chic white-lace bra and matching panty as well.

Addie walked to the register and paid, then held up the black set. "Um, I'd like to wear these now, if that's okay."

"Sure. The dressing rooms are over there." The saleslady pointed to two sets of curtains covering the entrances to two rooms side by side.

Addie took her time, wanting to stay in the store for as long as possible.

After the lingerie store, she headed down the street toward her truck. She glanced at her watch, noting it was a little before one o'clock. The streets would soon fill up with more tourists, but for now, they seemed quiet. A bird flew low then swooped up into the tree at the corner. Another joined it. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw someone approaching her. She turned and the figure darted into the doorway of one of the shops, preventing her from getting even a glimpse of the person. It was probably her imagination—only someone in a hurry to go into a store.

As she continued on, she heard footsteps close behind her and the faint sound of her name, but she walked faster—well, as fast as she could in her new heels—in the direction of her truck. Then someone grabbed her shoulder.

Cael walked into the Cliff Hanger Bar and Grill and panic swept over him when he didn't see Addison anywhere. The remnants of a busy lunch hour were evident by the unoccupied tables left with dirty dishes and glasses.

He strolled toward Darcy, who hummed some song he couldn't quite put his finger on, filling the air with her off-key voice, triggering a weird sense of ease and placidity. He took another step in her direction when something with the force of a Mack truck hit his jaw, sending him backwards, slamming him against the door, where he slid to the hardwood floor. Cael looked up, stunned to see Gerry standing there, his hand still in a fist.

"You've got a hell of a nerve showing your face in here! Get the fuck up."

Bart came over and placed his hand on Gerry's shoulder in an effort to calm him and prevent another attack on his nephew. "What's the problem, Gerry? What's Cael done?"

Gerry glanced at Bart with a hint of annoyance on his face.

"He bloody well knows what he's done. Now get up, you son of a bitch."

"Let's try talking about this as civilized men," Bart said.

"It's okay, Uncle Bart, I deserved it." Cael stood, rubbing his chin. "I don't want to fight you, man. I'm sorry. I know I've hurt Addison."

"Hurt her? You could have killed her. Fucking right, you deserved it. You deserve more than just a punch in the jaw. You're twice her size and any asswipe who manhandles a woman that way is not a man in my book, but a no-good son of a bitch punk."

"What are you talking about? Is she okay? I never ... I would never lay a hand on Addison, or any other woman for that matter."

"Where did she get the bruises on her arms, then?"

"What? What bruis ... Oh, the bruises."

"Yeah, the bruises. So you admit you gave them to her?"

Cael lowered his head in shame. "Yeah, I did."

"You son of a bitch." Gerry lunged at Cael again, but this time Bart held him back.

"Hold on a minute." Cael held up his hands. Gerry's face was crimson and Cael hoped Bart had a strong hold on him while he tried to explain.

"I swear I didn't do that on purpose. Addison and I were playing around the other day. She was showing me her martial arts skills and she got the bruises while she was blocking my kicks."

"Martial arts?" Gerry said.

"Yeah. She's got a hell of a right cross, too—almost knocked my head off."

"If the bruises were accidental, then why did you say you deserved to be hit?" Bart said.

"Because I told her we were through. Christ, I'm an idiot. I was only trying to protect her." He glanced at Bart, who nodded in acknowledgement before letting go of Gerry and offering his hand to help Cael.

Cael stood, rubbing his jaw. "But now I realize I'm in love with her."

"You're in love with her?" Gerry and Darcy asked in unison.

"You sure have a funny way of showing it," Gerry said as he walked to the bar and sat on an empty stool. Nick was already scooping up ice and placing some in a bag. After handing it to Cael, he poured a double shot of whiskey, placed it in front of Gerry, then poured another for Cael.

Gerry handed one of the glasses to Cael, then picked up the other. "Drink; it will ease the sting."

Cael looked at Gerry, nodded. "Thanks."

"It'll help me apologize. Slainte Mhath." They swigged down the contents. "She was cr—"

"Quite pissed off." Darcy jabbed Gerry's side.

Cael sensed Darcy's protection of her friend's pride and admired it. Women never wanted men to know they made them cry. He was even more worried about Addison now that he knew she'd been crying.

"Ah ... fuck," Gerry mumbled, glancing at Darcy.

Cael placed the ice bag up to his jaw and flinched when he first felt the cold.

"I had to make her angry with me so she would think I wasn't good enough for her."

"Bollocks to that. Completely unnecessary. You're not good enough for her—but hey, that's just my opinion." Gerry rubbed his red knuckles.

"Why would you think you weren't good enough for her?" Darcy asked.

"It's the work I'm involved in. Being a private investigator can sometimes be ... dangerous. Where is she, anyway?" Cael asked, still holding the ice to his jaw.

"I told her to go home. The pole she had shoved up her ass was beginning to irritate everyone. She was arguing about anything and everything." Gerry barely had time to finish his sentence when Cael dashed out the door and disappeared.

He materialized in Addison's empty apartment and then teleported to his house, calling out her name as he searched every room, finding them empty as well.

"Addison, where are you?"

If anything happened to her, he would never forgive himself. He went outside and stood stiff as a board, concentrating on her, but he couldn't sense her anywhere, which meant she wasn't close by.

Think, Cael!

Addison knew she'd be safe as long as she wasn't alone, didn't she? Where would a young woman go when she wanted to be around other people and occupy some time? Then an idea snapped into his head.

Addie stiffened, but was relieved to discover it was Lieutenant Whelan's hand on her shoulder. She stood facing him, her hand over her heart. She sighed.

"Lieutenant. You scared me half to death."

"Hello, Addie. Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you."

"I guess I've been a little jumpy lately."

"What brings you downtown? Aren't you usually working on Saturdays?"

"Yes, but I needed to take some time for myself today. I never get a chance to come down here and shop." She held up her packages as proof. "What brings you down here?"

"Just work. Listen, let me ask you a question, if you don't mind. Umm ... you know Darcy pretty well, right?"

"I suppose, yeah."

"Is she involved with anyone? I mean, does she have a boyfriend?"

She had to catch her laugh. "Darcy? No. Not presently."

"Well, do you think she'd be interested in going out on a date with me? I mean ... unless she has some deep repulsion to cops or something."

"I think you're safe there. I'm sure Darcy would love to go out with you.

"Really? Has she said something? Talked about me?"

"You could say that. Go ahead—ask her out. You'll have a good time."

Cael hurried down the street just in time to see Addison talking to Lieutenant Whelan, and his heart leaped realizing she was safe. He ran up to her, taking her in his arms, not caring if she was still mad at him or if he was interrupting her conversation.

"Addison. Oh God, Addison, I'm sorry, I'm such an ass. Please forgive me, baby." He planted little kisses over her mouth and cheeks.

"Cael," Addison mumbled.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the lieutenant standing there.

"Did something happen? I've been worried sick. Are you all right? Is she okay, Lieutenant?" He glanced at the lieutenant while keeping her close and protected.

"Yes, she's fine." The lieutenant's eyes shifted, scouring the area, then he frowned and flushed a little. Cael had a sudden impulse to whisk Addison away from him.

"I'm fine, Cael," Addison said. "We were just chatting. I was doing a little shopping, and ran into Lieutenant Whelan here."

Cael sensed anxiety from Addison and felt her heart beat against him more rapidly than normal. He realized it was something more than just her being mad at him. He believed there was something she wanted to tell him but didn't want to say in front of the lieutenant.

"Lieutenant, sorry, I haven't had the pleasure. Cael Sheridan." Cael eased his grasp around Addison but left his arm around her shoulder, reaching out with his right hand to shake the lieutenant's.

"Ah, right. You're the P.I. the chief told me about."

"Yes. Has the chief briefed you on what I suggested?"

"Yeah, he did." Whelan's brow furrowed and his voice sounded skeptical.

"So, I take it from the look on your face you agree with him."

"Yeah, I do. There's no solid connection to support your theory."

Cael was perplexed as to why the chief and the lieutenant were so intransigent about the two deaths being unrelated. Anyone could see there was a resemblance between the two women. That fact alone should have their guard up, but he let it go. "You may be right. It was just a hunch, anyway."

"Well, sometimes those hunches pay off. Addie, I'll definitely ask Darcy. Thanks for the tip. Y'all take care and have fun enjoying the brief sunshine. I hear it's supposed to rain tonight."

"Yay, more rain. See you, Lieutenant," she said.

Cael turned Addison to face him. "Baby, you know I didn't mean any of those things I said."

"Then why did you say them?"

"Because I'm an idiot. I thought I'd be able to protect you better if we weren't involved. After reading your dad's letter, I started thinking about everything. Addison, I can't teleport you away from danger when I'm sexually aroused and I was frightened for you."

"Oh. Well, as you so nastily pointed out, I do have my own powers and I'm learning more about them every day. I think I can defend myself. I don't need you to be frightened for me, or to protect me."

She turned to walk away and he took her by the arm, tugging her around the nearest corner. Within seconds, they were in the bedroom at the beach house. He backed her up against the wall with his hands on her shoulders.

"You have no idea what could happen."

The shock of the abruptness of their travel caused Addison to drop her packages and she raised her arms, shoving her hands against his chest.

"Addison, you can't possibly believe I meant any of that. It's all about your safety."

"My safety, because of my father."

He searched her eyes. "You know it's more than that, and you'd be damn stupid to think otherwise. You know I care about you."

She shoved at him, but he didn't budge. "Then call me stupid. You don't need to care anymore. I can take care of myself."

He grabbed her arms, held them above her head, pinning her back to the wall. "Fuck this, Addison. I will not apologize for caring about you."

His body pressed hard against her so that she was unable to move.

"Let me go, you're hurting me."

"No, I'm not, and I never will, not intentionally."

You hurt me, her mind screamed, and he flinched, feeling the pain that emanated from her thoughts.

"I'm sorry. You need to know that. Believe that."

His lips were inches from hers and he felt the heat. He swung her around, shoved her to the bed, then stretched out on top of her. Still pinning her arms above her head, he nipped at her neck.

"I care about you, Addison. God, I care about you so much and I want you so bad." Then his mouth covered hers hard, possessively, his free hand roaming over her trembling body. Pushing up the skirt and tugging down her panties, his fingers searched and found her warm and wet. Her moans ignited his already sizzling blood. "Scary bad," he whispered, as he slipped her blouse and bra up to expose her breasts before tasting them.

He unbuckled his belt, unzipped his pants and shoved them down with his free hand. With her skirt yanked up to her waist and her arms still pinned above her head, Addison let him take her. He thrust into her hard; she opened to him, moved, and rose with him.

"I care about you. Damn it, I care," he said as he drove himself inside her. He released her arms, she cried out his name, and the unexpected jolt of her nails digging into his back thrilled him beyond imagination as he accepted her sensuous wrath.

"Scary bad," she huffed back in agreement. "So scary bad."

Addison trembled under him and he felt her orgasm burst through with his like the rush of a tsunami as he floated into that all-consuming swell of ecstasy.

Damn him, how did he do that? She should hate him. But she thought she'd died and gone to heaven. If that was make-up sex, Addie was definitely looking forward to more fights with Cael. Well, maybe, if they skipped the ugly parts. She'd never felt anything so erotic before. She rolled over and noticed him rubbing his chin. "What's wrong with your jaw? It's all red."

"Your boss sucker-punched me."

"Gerry hit you?" Addie covered her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh.

"You don't need to look so smug about it."

"Well, maybe you deserved it. It should have been me that slugged you. I knew Gerry was upset about the way I was acting, but I didn't realize he'd be angry with you. He's usually such a gentle person. It's hard to imagine him punching you."

"Well, he did. He knocked me clear across the bar, too, and if my uncle hadn't been there to stop him, he would have taken a second swing."

"Huh ... never thought he would do that."

"It was the bruises."

"The bruises? When did he see ... oh. That's what he was babbling about." She stood, repositioned her bra, and pulled her clothes back together.

He looked at her as though he'd just noticed what she was wearing. "Wow, you look ... extremely sexy, by the way."

"Flattery won't get you off the hook."

He raised his brows as he drank in the length of her legs. "Just stating the obvious."

"I wanted some new clothes. Speaking of new, where are my panties?"

He bent to pick them up, twirled them with his finger, and smiled. "You mean these?"

"Give me those." She yanked them away from him.

"I like those and I like you. Do you believe now that I care about you?"

"Yes, but I get that you don't consider my personality, shall we say, ideal?"

He blinked and took a step back. "What?"

She glared at him.

How could he have forgotten about the personality dig he'd made? "Because of what you said about me acting like my flighty friends, which would mean you don't like my personality."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean any of it."

"You mean you don't hate my personality?"

"God, of course not. I love your personality; I just thought it would be better ... safer for you ... if we weren't so intimate."

"Can't say I like the way you handled it."

"I needed to make you angry at me so you wouldn't get hurt. But I guess I screwed up."

"Yeah, you did. We're in this together, pal."

"I'm sorry for deserting you this morning. I won't do it again, I promise. Forgive me?"

"I'm not sure. First, answer one question."

"Okay, what is it?"

"What exactly is it about my personality you like?"

"Oh ... well, let me think. First, I said I love your personality, and what I love about it is you're smart and witty."

"Is that all?"

"No. You have a strong right cross and one hell of a back kick."

She rolled her eyes.

"You're also courageous, honest, caring, compassionate, self-reliant, beautiful, sensitive, and responsible. And did I say beautiful?"

"I think I heard that somewhere in there."

"There's one more, very important quality."

"What?"

"You're very, very sexy." His eyebrows arched up and he smiled, taking her in his arms, twirling her around and making her laugh.

"Okay, okay, I forgive you this time, but in the future, don't assume you know it all. There are two people in this relationship and ... by the way, beautiful and sexy are not personality traits."

"Well, neither are back kicks and right crosses, but who the hell cares?" He took her face in his hands and planted his lips possessively over hers.

"Now that I've found you, Addison MacKenna, I'm not letting you go. And I'm famished. How about it, are you hungry?"

"Yes, starving."

# Chapter Twenty-Five

With Cael's arms wrapped tightly around Addie's waist and hers linked around the nape of his neck, they appeared inside a small alcove set back from the same alley they had left from earlier. Addie dropped her arms and glanced around, relieved no one saw them materialize. Somehow, he always managed to find that special little off-the-beaten-path spot to reappear in. How did he do that?

They walked hand in hand to the same little cafe she went to earlier. Sitting outside at one of the metal tables blocked off from the sidewalk by an iron railing, they watched tourists pass by. As a small distraction, they played a game, guessing where different people lived based on their appearance, a game Addie had played with Maia when they were kids. The memory gave Addie a warm feeling and the horrible fight with Cael no longer clouded her mind. They munched on burgers and laid out strategies for defense. Cael ordered a side of French fries and Addie reached over and stole a few.

"Give me your cell phone number. I don't want to take any more chances of not being able to find you again," he said.

She glanced away and he sensed a twinge of fear come over her.

"Are you okay? You seem anxious."

"I'm okay. I did have a weird sensation earlier. I felt as though I was being followed."

"But the feeling's gone now?"

"Yeah, it was strange. Even when I was talking to the lieutenant, I felt uncomfortable, like something was wrong, dangerous, but now it's gone. Maybe it was my imagination."

"Hmmm. Maybe, but I wouldn't discount your intuition too quickly. Your powers are getting stronger every day."

Addie smiled at his reassuring words.

"I'm sorry you had to be on your own, but you do have abilities to take care of yourself. Mighty powerful abilities, I might add." He rubbed his shoulder in remembrance.

"I know, but how am I supposed to use them if he grabs me from behind or something?"

"I don't think he'd chance grabbing you around other people. You'll be okay as long as we stay together. But I suppose it's possible he might come at you unexpectedly sometime and you should be prepared."

"So, just expect the unexpected, right?"

"Exactly."

"Ah, there's a comforting thought." She stole another fry, smothering it in ketchup before popping it in her mouth.

"You know, you could've gotten your own fries."

"I like yours better. They're not as fattening this way."

He shook his head and shrugged, grabbing at the last fry, but she beat him to it.

"Hey!"

She grinned, put the French fry between her teeth, and leaned toward him. He took his half in his mouth and they shared a kiss.

"Do you need to go back to work today?"

She ran her tongue over her lips. "No, I don't. Gerry said he would get Maia or Nick to cover my shift."

"Good, then we're going on a trip."

"Where?"

"I need to take you to the Sectory."

Addie felt the color drain from her face.

"Don't worry. It's not a horrible place. You need to go there, learn about it and the others like us. You'll be fine. Besides, my mother wants to meet you."

"Your mother? Your mother is there?" Addie didn't think she was up for meeting Cael's mother.

"Yes."

"What if she doesn't like me?"

"She'll love you."

"I don't think I feel very well. The burger doesn't seem to be settling quite right. Maybe I should go home and lie down."

"What are you frightened of? The idea of meeting other people with abilities or meeting my mother?"

"Both." Meeting his mother and other people with powers. She really wanted to throw up.

"When are you going to realize how lovely you are? You, my sweet, are a member of the Sectorium and everyone will adore you—it's in their blood." He brought her hand to his lips, pressing little kisses on it before heading to her truck."

"What do you mean, it's in their blood?"

Cael realized he'd have to answer all Addison's questions eventually—he just wasn't sure he was the right one to answer them. He'd give it his best shot.

"Let's see if I can explain this correctly. Your soul ... our souls possess a magnetic energy that stimulates others of us with a feeling of jubilation that races though our blood, exciting a pleasure gland we all have. We're born with our own special energy, but it's stronger for some than for others. It's not something you would feel or recognize without a complete study of our genetic makeup."

She stopped walking, jerking him to a stop, causing him to spin around toward her, almost bumping into a baby carriage being pushed by a very stern-looking elderly woman.

"Sorry, ma'am." Cael stumbled to get out of her way and Addison cringed at the near collision. It was still the lunch hour and the sidewalk was crowded with tourists.

"Get out. Are you trying to tell me we can make people like us?"

"No, not normal people—only other people like us, with abilities. We each exude a pleasurable fragrance that stimulates our senses."

"That's absurd."

"Why? Why is that so hard to grasp after everything else I've told you?"

She looked around and stepped back. "Seriously?"

He nodded.

"Then why can't I just make Eidolon like me?"

Cael sighed. "Eidolon has crossed over to an evil domain. His crimes against the society have condemned him to the dark depths of Hell. I'm sure his senses are no longer susceptible to your powerful magnetism. I doubt it would penetrate his vicious mind."

He pulled her along until they reached the truck and he opened the door for her. The frown on her face had him worried his explanations were not getting through.

"Is this magnetism you speak of the reason you're attracted to me, Cael?"

"No. Yes. Not completely. It has nothing to do with physical attraction. I won't lie to you, but I think this energy radiating from your soul keeps me—how should I say this—loyal?" Only with him, it went beyond his senses. It went deep down, exciting his soul, which was probably why he couldn't get her out of his head.

"Loyal is good. You're sure this energy has nothing to do with the reason you can't seem to keep your hands off me?" She smirked and buckled her seat belt as Cael entered the driver's side.

He glanced at her with one eyebrow raised. "I'm positive. I'm loyal to you as your teacher, as well as your warrior and guardian, and I will give my life to protect you."

"So, now you're my warrior and guardian?"

"Yes, always." Yes, he most definitely was. He would die for her—not only because he was her protector, but also because he knew he'd never be able to live without holding her in his arms every day for the rest of his life.

He flashed a grin her way. "But the rest is pure male attraction because you're so damn sexy—especially in your tight short skirt. It's almost a fraction above illegal—makes a man forget what he's doing. In fact, I think I'll just pull over here and show you what I mean."

He turned the wheel and the truck rolled over the soft gravel shoulder. Addison placed her hand on his thigh.

"Down, fly-boy, just keep driving."

"Kill-joy." He slowly pulled back on the road.

"Maybe I should change back into my black pants before meeting your mother."

"No, no, please don't. I promise I'll behave."

He studied her, trying to sense her emotions, but her mind seemed confused again. "When I said I would lay my life down for you, I meant it. I would die for you, Addison. Do you believe me?"

She didn't respond, but underneath all the fear in her mind, he knew she believed him, and knew it scared her even more.

"Just be careful what you're thinking when you're around my mother. She has the same abilities I have. Growing up with her was rather ... interesting, to say the least."

"Did you always have your powers?"

"No, but I acquired them much earlier than you. I was about twelve years old when I first teleported, and soon after, I started training with your father."

"Why did my abilities come so late?"

"I don't know. Exposure, maybe—I'd been around them my whole life. I do know something has to trigger them.

"The very first time I teleported was a bit of a shock, actually. I mean, I knew it would happen eventually, I just didn't know when or how. One night I was standing in my room, brooding because my mother wouldn't let me go to Kelly Freeman's thirteenth birthday party, since I'd snuck out of the house the night before to meet Kelly down at the lake. She was my first girlfriend. Well, my mom put a new lock on my window so I couldn't get out. I remember standing there, looking out the window, wishing I knew what was going on at the party without anyone seeing me. If they did, word would get back to my mom. All of a sudden, I was standing in Kelly's backyard, dazed and confused. The unexpected transport made me sick to my stomach and I ended up puking in her mother's geraniums."

"That's a nice picture in my head. A smaller version of you, retching over a garden. How did you get back?"

"When I was finished throwing up, I went ahead and peeked in the window and saw all my friends just sitting there looking bored as hell and I thought, okay then, I'm not missing much. So I closed my eyes and pictured my room and I was back in a flash. No one even knew I'd left."

"Did you throw up again?"

"No. I felt a little dizzy but I didn't have anything left to vomit. After that, I learned to get used to the feeling. Closing your eyes helps."

He turned the truck into the parking lot outside Addison's apartment and glanced at her. "Didn't you say your powers started right after you almost hit me?"

"Yes, but all those years I was around my dad they never showed up."

"Yes, but he never used them around you. Right before you almost ran me over, I materialized right in front of you, then immediately teleported away. Maybe my appearance was enough to energize your abilities."

She rolled her eyes.

"Sorry if I sound a bit pretentious, but that's the best explanation I can come up with."

# Chapter Twenty-Six

They ditched the truck in its usual spot at Addie's apartment, still trying to throw Eidolon off their tracks. As they raced up the stairs to her apartment, Addie tripped and Cael barely stopped her from skinning her knee on the top step.

"These heels! I'm not used to wearing them."

"They are sexy, but very high. Would you like to change your shoes?"

"No way. I like being this tall around you. I might start wearing them all the time."

Cael unlocked the door to her apartment, closed the door, and took her in his arms. He placed his hand at the nape of her neck and kissed her—long, passionate, possessive. Addie moaned, wrapped her arms around him, tugging his body against hers. She felt his erection press against her hip as desire flowed through her veins. The newly familiar flush of her body dematerializing and materializing startled her. She opened her eyes and blinked, finding it difficult to settle down from the erotic sensations stirring through her body. To her amazement, they were standing in front of a very large house constructed of river rock on the bottom half and wood panels interspersed with large windows on the second story. The third story had smaller windows—most of which were stained glass, providing an elegant array of color, like a band of jewels around a crown.

"Hey, I thought teleporting was impossible when you were aroused."

"A very annoying little inadequacy I'm working on conquering."

"It appears that you're winning."

"Yes ... baby steps." He cleared his throat and checked himself. His grin was mischievous, as if he had some huge secret he was keeping.

"You recover quickly." Addie looked around. The massive house sat nestled in a heavily forested wilderness of pine and spruce trees with no other properties in sight. "Where are we?"

"Upstate New York. Somewhere in the middle of the Adirondack Mountains, to be exact. Come on," he said with the excitement of a kid wanting to show off a shiny new bicycle. He grabbed her hand and tugged her up the stairs, making her giggle as she tried to keep up without tripping. The stairs led to a large deck with intricate mahogany diamond-shaped inlays arranged in a pattern at the middle. It must have taken months to complete, Addie thought, as they made their way around the curve of the deck, which wrapped all the way around the second story of the house. From there Addie could see just how secluded it was.

Once inside, she was astonished at the furnishings. Two elegant tan chairs graced each side of a green marble fireplace with an ornate mirror above a white mantle. Two dark brown leather ottomans—a decorative tray of glass ornaments in the middle of each—sat in front of a plush light-green sofa. She ran her hand over the back of it, being careful not to disturb the scatter of throw pillows that provided an eye-catching contrast. Very modern, very expensive, and very cozy. Nothing like what she thought the headquarters of a secret society would look like. It was as if they had just walked into someone's home. "This is the Sectory? It looks like a normal house—well, a very nice, normal house. Does someone live here?"

"I wanted to bring you in the front door rather than directly down to the actual facilities of the organization. Right now—besides my mom—four or five other people actually live here. It changes depending on the circumstances. My mother lives in this part of the house; there are additional rooms on the lower levels for use by various people if they have the need. Most of us have our own places. We do try to live normal lives."

They headed up more stairs and entered another large sitting area where a series of interesting portraits adorned the walls. She noticed her father in a few of them. One in particular caught her eye, and she stopped to look at the picture of her dad as he stood proudly with his arm around a young boy.

"Is this you?"

"Yes. I was a cute little tyke, wasn't I?"

All at once, she felt a pang of jealousy as she realized her father had experienced a whole other life he'd never shared with her. She felt Cael's fingers brush her cheek and she remembered he could sense what she was thinking. She found herself embarrassed by the feeling.

"He would have shared this life with you if he hadn't been so fearful for your safety. You've got to believe that, Addison."

Cael pointed to a picture of himself, standing with his arm around a beautiful woman with dark hair. "This was taken last year. That's my mom."

"You look like her."

"There you are." His mother entered the room, walked up to him and gave him a kiss on his cheek, along with a very caring embrace. She was about the same height as Addie and wore her hair swept up in a flattering arrangement of curls. She was dressed in a well-cut royal blue suit, which lent a regal air to her appearance. Her beauty was striking, and Addie noticed she had the same blue eyes as Cael.

His mother touched Cael's face. "Cael, what happened to your jaw?"

"Oh, just a small misunderstanding with Addison's boss. It's nothing to worry about."

"I hope not. You should put some ice on it."

"I'm fine. Mom, I'd like you to meet Addison MacKenna. Addison, this is Siana Sheridan, my mother." Addie had grown accustomed to hearing "Addison" roll from Cael's lips and she rather enjoyed it, so she didn't bother correcting him.

"Addison, it's so very nice to meet you. We are all very sorry about your father, and I'm glad you were able to come here today." She took a step back, and as she tilted her head slightly to the right, she smiled and added, "You resemble your mother. She was a beautiful woman."

"You knew my mother?" Addie turned to Cael, whose eyes mirrored the shock she felt. "Cael said no one knew about me, but if you knew her, then..."

"My son doesn't know as much as he prides himself in knowing."

Cael stood rigid, his eyes wide as he gaped in disbelief at his mother.

"Come, sit. We have so many things to discuss." Siana led Addie to a brown leather sofa, sat next to her, and motioned for Cael to take the chair across from them.

Siana was gorgeous. She didn't look a day over forty, but Addie knew she had to be if she was Bart's twin sister. Besides, Cael was thirty. Clearly, Siana hadn't given birth to him when she was ten years old.

A large shadow loomed over the glass coffee table, catching Addie's eye, and she glanced up to see a tall thin man wearing a black suit. His stiff posture seemed to enhance his already inconceivable height. He seemed a bit creepy, similar to the character Lurch from the Addams Family. In fact, this whole experience was creepy, and her skin crawled with goose bumps. Then she remembered what Cael had said about minding what she was thinking while in his mother's presence, and she turned her thoughts to her own mother again.

"Benjamin, please bring us some tea," Siana said.

"Right away. Good to see you, Cael."

"Good to see you, too, Ben."

"Miss." Ben nodded toward Addie before leaving the room to fetch the tea.

Cael looked just as befuddled and uncomfortable as she did by his mother's disclosure.

"Your mother and I were friends, Addison. We went to college together. In fact, I introduced her to your father—I'd known him my whole life."

"You never told me you knew her mother, and when I told you I discovered Addison, you acted surprised," Cael said.

"I'm sorry, Cael. No one was to know about Addison." Siana looked at Cael, then squared her shoulders and turned to Addie. "You see, dear, Genevieve, your mother, died giving birth to you. Well, not exactly you ... she died giving birth to your twin brother."

"My twin brother? I don't understand."

"I'm sorry you never knew. It was all for your protection and a promise your father and I made to your mother. Your mother gave birth to you first. You were a beautiful baby." Siana smiled.

"When Genevieve held you ... well, she was so happy, so proud." Siana spoke softly, and her eyes glazed over remembering the event.

"You were there?" Addie asked.

"Yes, I was. Your mother and I were very close and she wanted me there, just as she was there when Cael was born. Your father was away at the time she went into labor. He tried to hurry back, and I wanted to go get him and bring him, but your mother wouldn't let me leave her side. While she was working hard at delivering your brother, something went terribly wrong. The doctors tried everything. Your brother's heart rate dropped and he died shortly after he was born. Then there were other complications after the deliveries. They rushed Genevieve into surgery, but she had lost too much blood. They tried to save her. Your father never forgave himself for not being there in time to save her and your brother."

"So, my brother and my mother died because of me?"

"No, no, please don't ever think that. Your father wouldn't want you to feel that way."

"Why didn't he tell me?"

"He couldn't. He felt guilty. He thought you would blame him. It was very difficult for him. Addison, look at me. It was not his fault, it was not your fault, and your mother wouldn't want you to believe it was. I know this is hard for you. They let me bring you to her just before she died. Your little face was the last thing she saw."

Addie wiped at the tear that fell down her cheek and Cael handed her a tissue. "I'm sorry, Addison, I didn't know."

Siana glanced at Cael. "No, you didn't. Addison, your mother was my dearest friend, and before she passed, she made me promise. She feared for your life even then. She knew something ... she didn't have an ability, but somehow she knew your life would be in danger. It didn't take much to convince your father; he loved your mother and knew she feared having a girl. I couldn't tell anyone, not even after Risteard's death. I knew there was the possibility of Cael finding you when he told me his plans to head to Oregon in pursuit of Eidolon. In fact, I had hoped he would find you before Eidolon did, but I also felt it necessary to keep my promise to your mother and keep your existence a secret unless revealing it was absolutely necessary. It's been very difficult all these years."

"Why didn't you tell me this when I told you I found her? Why did you continue the charade?" Cael scowled at his mother, crossing his arms over his chest.

After ducking under the doorway, Ben entered the room carrying a tray with the tea and a few cookies. He strolled to the table, set the tray down without saying a word, and then left them to their tea.

"I was afraid if I told you, you would tell her everything before she was ready to accept it. You didn't know all the details, and it wasn't your responsibility."

She took Addie's hands in hers. "I'm sorry. I've kept this secret for so long. I loved Genevieve. We were sisters, spiritually speaking. When she died ..." Siana's voice broke and she dabbed a tissue at the tears in her eyes. "A part of me died with her, and there's not a day that goes by when I don't miss her. I've known your father since we were children. It was their secret—I was only honoring their wishes."

"And now? Why tell me now?"

"I believe you deserve the truth, and you're old enough to handle it."

"What was his name? My brother's?"

"His name was Keelan."

"Keelan," Addie whispered. She stood, smoothing her skirt as she walked over to the window, not sure if she was angry or hurt by what her parents had done.

Staring out the window, Addie saw two transparent figures, a man and a woman. She recognized them immediately as her mother and father. They stood with their arms around each other, smiling up at her as if they were trying to reassure her everything was okay.

She wanted to scream at them, tell them what they'd done was wrong.

"Don't you know what you made me give up? Don't you know? Don't just stand out there looking up at me! My whole life has been a lie! Why couldn't you have told me? I would have understood. Why couldn't you trust me? Why did you keep this from me?" She banged her fists against the glass until Cael came up behind her, grabbing her hands.

Turning, Addie fell against him. "Why are they standing out there smiling up at me? Don't they know they've hurt me?"

"I'm sure they know, Addison, I'm sure they know."

Addie stepped back, pushing Cael away, and looked out the window. Her parents still stood below. She blinked, hoping the image would go away, but it stayed.

"Do you see them standing down there?"

"No, I don't, but I believe you do."

She turned and noticed Siana had left the room. She looked at Cael again—he was frowning at her and she knew he was trying to sense her thoughts. Her eyes burned with rage and the headache behind them throbbed through her skull.

"You think I'm crazy, don't you? You believe I see them, but you know they're not really there."

"No, I don't think you're crazy, and I really believe you see them. Honey, you have many abilities and I believe this is another one."

A tetchy laugh escaped from her throat. "What, now I see dead people? Don't patronize me, don't you dare patronize me!"

"I'm not ... I know you see them."

He took her hand and pulled her over to the sofa to sit, poured some tea and handed her a cup. "Drink some, it's soothing."

She took a sip, then another. It was rich and smooth, tasting of peaches and honey, and some spice she couldn't identify. Her body relaxed into a state of complete tranquility, her muscles numbing, her bones floating within her limbs. She didn't feel drugged, just very calm, and she took another sip.

"It's an old family recipe. Nice, huh?" Cael said.

Addie nodded and sipped again.

Cael took a sip of his tea and set it down. "I'm going to tell you something I've never told anyone before. One day I walked in on your dad as he was having a conversation with someone I couldn't see. When I asked him about it he said I wouldn't believe him, but he was talking to Genevieve, his wife, and that he often spoke to her whenever he was upset or sad. Now I knew Risteard to be a sensible man, but I started to question his sanity on this one, and asked him if he saw other deceased people. To my surprise, he said yes, but only one other. Only the ones he loved unconditionally. He said anyone could do it if the love had been strong enough in life and they knew how to tap into the dead person's soul."

Addie drank her tea as Cael picked up his cup again. His cheeks flushed red after he sipped, and reaching up to touch his face, and then her own, she wondered if her face had reddened, as well.

"Yes, yours are rosy, too. Don't worry; it goes away in a couple of minutes. Your father said he would teach me, but if I hadn't loved anyone who had died, it probably wouldn't work, and of course, it didn't. I didn't think Risteard was crazy, and I don't think you're crazy."

"So, it wasn't just a dream yesterday. I really did see him."

"Yes, most likely. Look, there are going to be many things you see today, things you never thought possible. I didn't bring you here to make you sad or angry and I'm sorry if that's how you feel. I brought you here to help you understand more about what's happening to you, so you won't be afraid anymore."

With the soothing tea, the puffy weight behind her eyes and the throb in her skull vanished.

"I'm not afraid and I'm not angry ... anymore. And I'm definitely not sad. But if you knew my mother was dead, why did you ask me about her?"

He shrugged. "I wasn't sure that Genevieve was your mother; I thought maybe Risteard remarried, secretly. I mean, you were a secret. It made sense at the time."

She reached out to touch his hand. His skin felt velvety to her touch—as hers did when she brushed her fingers over the back of her hand—like the way her tongue felt when she rubbed it along the inside of her cheek. She finished the last of her tea and set the cup down. "I'm going to want this recipe."

"I'll be sure to get it for you." Cael grinned.

"Did my dad say who the other person was?"

"No, and I didn't ask. If he had wanted me to know, he would have told me. But I think we can guess now who it was."

"Keelan."

"That would be my guess. Keelan, 'little companion.' There's a plaque downstairs dedicated to Keelan. I never knew who he was until today. Are you feeling any better?"

"Yes, actually, I am. This tea is lovely."

"Come with me, I'll take you on a tour." He stood with his hand outstretched for hers.

Addie stopped and put her hand over her mouth. "Oh God, your mother. I should apologize to her for the way I acted."

Cael frowned. "She's just revealed a tragic secret about your mother and a twin brother you knew nothing about, and you want to apologize to her? No, she should apologize to you."

"She was just honoring my mother's wishes. You can hardly fault her for that."

He sighed. "I think you're being too easy on her, but it's your choice."

Cael led Addie down a short corridor, stopping at the end before pushing a button on the wall.

"An elevator?" Addie asked with surprise.

"Would you rather take the stairs?"

"No ... I just thought ... well, I didn't think you needed an elevator."

"We could teleport, but I thought it would be better for you to see how to get around here without my help."

"Ah. Good plan."

"Listen, before we go any further, what you're about to see ... these people ... well, they are here for various reasons. Some help run the facilities, and others because at certain times they don't fit in the outside world. I'm not sure who is here right now, but they don't want or need your pity."

"I understand."

# Chapter Twenty-Seven

The elevator doors opened and Addie and Cael started to step inside when Siana appeared beside them.

"Addison, I'm sorry I had to be the one to tell you everything. I wish things could have been different for you, dear."

"Thank you, and I'm sorry for the childish way I reacted. It's comforting to know my mother had such a wonderful friend."

Siana held out both her hands and Addie took them in hers.

"If you'd like to know more about her I'd be happy to tell you sometime. I have some fascinating stories about her college years."

"I'd like that, thank you."

"Maybe you should stay here until you learn more, just to be safe. You can take one of the spare apartments on the lower level. Eidolon would never come here."

Addie looked at Cael, then at his mother. "No ... no. I can't ... I can't walk out on my life. I have to work. I can't take off whenever I feel like it. Gerry and Maia would never understand why I wasn't there."

"Okay, but if you change your mind, the offer still stands. This is your home also," Siana said.

"Thank you," Addie said, trying—with some difficulty—to accept the idea.

They stepped into the elevator and Addie was amazed to discover the building had two more stories below. The next level down looked like a beautiful hotel hallway, with plush carpet and doors to rooms on both sides.

"Each room is a studio apartment with a full kitchen, bath, and living room/bedroom, similar to your own apartment," Cael explained. "I believe at present there are only three people living here. One of them would be the notorious Benjamin you met upstairs. He has the ability to stretch his body to the span of twenty feet from head to toe."

"That's funny. He reminds me of Lurch—you know, the tall character from the Addams Family. Oh, God, I'm sorry. That was rude."

"No worries. You're right, he does, and he'd be the first to admit it."

They stopped in front of one of the doors and Cael knocked. The door opened and a woman appeared. Addie took a step back, in awe of her silver-haired beauty and eyes so green, they made Addie think of emeralds.

"Cael, what a wonderful surprise. How nice to see you."

"Mary, hi, I'd like you to meet Addison MacKenna, Risteard's daughter. Addison, this is Mary Daniels."

"Yes, I heard you'd be visiting. So sorry for your loss," Mary added sympathetically.

"Thanks," Addie managed.

"Mary can change her appearance with a blink of her eyes. She can change her facial structure, the shape of her nose, her eyes, and her hair. Would you mind demonstrating for us?"

"My pleasure."

The emerald in Mary's eyes turned a deep blue as her hair grew, cascading golden brown curls down to the floor. She touched her finger to her nose before it changed from short and straight to turned up and narrow.

"Wow, bet you save a lot of money on haircuts."

Mary laughed. "Yes. I must confess, though, when I'm not feeling well, I can't control how I appear, so I spend those days here. I've just recovered from a head cold and will be leaving today to return home to Maine."

"Well, glad we got to see you before you left," Cael said.

"Enjoy your visit."

Cael guided Addie down the hall toward a man just leaving his apartment. "Razzle Dazzle, my man. I'd like you to meet Addison MacKenna. Addison, this is Razvan Sakolov." A tall handsome man with dark hair reached out and took Addie's hand.

"It's a pleasure. Such a tragedy about your father, my condolences," Razvan said with a thick Russian accent as he pulled her hand to his lips.

"Raz, since you have the ability to create a virtual environment, I was hoping you'd show Addison how it works."

"Ah, yes, well then, how's this?" Within seconds, he had both Addie and Cael not only visualizing, but also feeling as though they were on a sailboat in the middle of the ocean.

"This is so unbelievable! It really feels authentic." Addie clutched onto Cael as the sea breeze stung her cheeks with sprays of salt water. The next moment they were standing back in the hallway with Raz.

"Thanks, Raz."

"Anytime. It was my pleasure."

"We'll see you later." Cael nudged Addie down the hallway. "There are six separate apartments on this level and they're available to anyone at any given time. Most everyone has his or her own house and leads relatively normal lives, but every now and then, someone needs a reprieve from the real world."

They took the elevator down to the third level. The ground level, or as Cael called it "the cave," housed a laboratory full of computers and medical equipment. "This is where we come when we're sick. This is also where I brought the samples I found the other day."

A young man with fire-red hair that hung down in ringlets over his ears stood at a counter, staring at a computer. He glanced up as they entered.

"Red, I'd like you to meet Addison MacKenna. Addison, this is Red, or Dr. Flynn. He can heat objects with his touch."

"Nice to meet you, Addison. Welcome. If you ever need help or feel sick, please feel free to come see me. I helped your father many times."

"Thanks, good to know."

Down the hall from the medical facilities, they entered a huge room different from all the others. Addie scanned the room. It appeared to be a gymnasium. There were various types of weight machines, and several thick mats stacked against one wall. A gigantic mirror completely covered another wall, and a wooden cabinet with glass doors hung just opposite, sporting a row of swords in many shapes and sizes. Kitty-cornered to the wall with the swords was a built-in floor-to-ceiling bookshelf housing large books that looked ancient to Addie, similar to some of the books she remembered seeing in her father's study.

"Jeez, Cael, this place is huge. This is where you trained with my father?"

"Yes. This is where I spent most of my afternoons perfecting my skills. Your father was a terrific teacher."

"All that time, I thought he was working at the college or off on a dig."

"I'm sorry. I hope this isn't too difficult for you."

"No, I'm okay. Whoa, look at that!"

A large indoor swimming pool took up the other end of the room and some splashing was coming from it.

Addie took a step toward the pool. "Wait, just a minute." Cael stopped her, and turned them both away from the water.

Twenty seconds later, they turned and resumed walking to the pool. A young woman with long, wet, blond hair stood with a towel wrapped around her.

"Addison, this is Salacia."

"Nice to meet you." Salacia held out a hand to Addie.

"Nice to meet you," Addie said, taking Salacia's hand and noticing how warm it felt. "Is the pool heated?"

Cael shook his head and smiled. "No. Salacia, Addison is Risteard's daughter, and I've brought her here to show her the facilities and to meet everyone."

"Oh, I'm so sorry for your loss, Addison."

"Thank you."

"Salacia's body temperature runs a little warmer than ours. It's sort of like an extra coating of heat just under the first layer of her skin, which helps keep her warm," Cael explained. "Maybe it would be better if you showed Addison what you can do?"

Salacia nodded. "I'd be happy to. You'll need to turn around for a moment, though." She twirled her finger in front of Cael's face. He raised a brow in protest before spinning around and Addie turned with him, feeling a little jealous at Cael's obvious attraction to the woman. Addie forgot about that pretty quickly when she heard a splash.

When they turned back, Addie had to cover her gaping mouth with her hand.

"Oh my, she is truly beautiful." A large multicolored fish about five feet in length swam around in the pool.

"Salacia is an amphibious shape shifter. She can become any water-dwelling creature as well as any land creature."

The fish changed from blue to orange and then transformed into a man-eating great white shark. Addie took a step back when the shark approached the side of the pool before changing into a dolphin. The dolphin spiraled about ten feet in the air and then came back down with a huge splash. Cael grabbed Addie and pulled her back from the pool just in time to avoid being drenched from head to toe. Her mouth, still wide open because she'd been gaping again, got a good taste of the water. It was salty.

Cael looked at Addie, amused. "It's a saltwater pool."

After a few minutes, Salacia wiggled her dolphin tail and bobbed her head up and down making dolphin sounds, which Cael quickly deciphered. "Okay, okay, keep your tail on, we're turning."

"You can turn around now," Salacia said, tucking the end of the towel in to help secure it to her body.

"Wow. I've never seen anything so spectacular. You're so beautiful."

"Thank you. I'm in the process of having a couple of real dolphins transported here so I can do some practical research on their cognitive state. Their cerebral development is similar to that of humans. There are many similarities between humans and dolphins, which I find very fascinating, and if I have them here ... well, I'm sure I'm boring you."

"No, not at all. I find this stuff really interesting," Addie said.

"Well, I'd love to sit and chat with you, but it will have to be another time. I hate to cut this short, but if you'll excuse me, I'm late. I'm meeting my husband for dinner and I really need to get ready. It was a pleasure meeting you, Addison. I hope to see you again soon."

Salacia scurried across the floor and out the door.

"She has a husband?" Addie asked.

"Sure, why not?"

"I don't know. I guess ... she's so amazing."

"Yes, she is."

Cael took Addie's arm. "Come on, let's go. I don't think anyone else is here."

"Cael!"

A child shouted and came running across the room. An adorable little girl with long dark hair, fashioned neatly in a braid hanging to her waist, jumped into his arms, almost knocking him over. "I've missed you so much."

# Chapter Twenty-Eight

Cael spun the girl around and nuzzled her neck. "Hey, squirt, I've missed you, too. How's my favorite girl?"

"I'm great, now that you're back. Are you going to stay for a while?" she said, eyeing Addie with a soft smile.

He set her down. "Sorry, sweet thing, I can't."

"Aw." She pouted.

"Listen, there's someone here I'd like you to meet. Breena, this is Addison." Then he whispered close to Breena's ear, "She's important to me, so be nice."

"Hello, Breena, it's a pleasure to meet you." Addie held out her hand.

"Hello." Breena swayed, holding her hands behind her back.

"Breena won't shake your hand without your permission first because when she touches your skin, she can see your future."

"Only the next twelve hours of it," Breena corrected.

Cael smiled at Breena. "Right, but in the process, she can also transfer that vision back to you so you can see what she sees."

"Would you like me to show you?"

"Well, okay, I suppose, but first—how old are you, Breena, if you don't mind me asking?" By the gleam in the girl's eye when she looked at Cael, Addie noted a great amount of affection for him. Cael seemed to possess the same feeling for the girl and it made Addie wonder exactly who Breena was.

"Nine and three quarters—I'll be ten in three more months and we're going to have a huge party." Breena spread her arms out as wide as they would go and her eyes brightened with the word "huge." "Cael, you said you'd be there. You promised!"

"I promise! I wouldn't miss it for the world."

She smiled and turned toward Addie. "Okay, give me your hand." She took Addie's hand in hers and, within just a few seconds, both jerked their hands back and Breena flashed a very sheepish grin.

"What is it?" Cael asked.

"Um..."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to..." Breena dropped her hands behind her and looked down at the floor, one foot pointed out, swaying her body again.

"Cael, can you give me a moment to have a word with Breena ... in private?"

"Sure, but if there's something wrong, I need to know."

"Nothing's wrong," Addie assured him.

"Okay, then. I'll just be over here." Pointing to a weight machine, he sauntered over to it and fiddled with a few weights.

Remembering Cael's acute hearing ability, Addie turned to him. "Do you mind?"

"Really? Oh, okay." Taking the hint, he disappeared.

She placed her hand on Breena's shoulder and walked her over to a couple of chairs on the other side of the room.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Breena. What you saw ... what Cael and I were doing..."

"It's okay. You were in your underwear and Cael was kissing you, so I know you were going to make sex."

"You know about sex?"

"Of course. I'm not a baby."

"Of course not. I didn't mean to imply you were. How do you know about sex, anyway?"

"My Grammy Siana told me all about it a few years ago when I saw it in someone else's future."

Her Grammy Siana? Was this beautiful little girl Cael's child? Surely he would have mentioned it—wouldn't he?

Breena sat with her hands folded in her lap, a habit Addie figured the girl had adopted to avoid touching people accidentally and seeing their future.

"He loves you, you know. But ... at the same time, he's afraid to love you. He's afraid of what you mean to him. He's scared for you—and terrified of losing you. Actually, he's a mess."

Addie smoothed back a loose strand of hair off Breena's face. "How do you know all that?"

"I'm empathic. It's a new ability for me. I haven't had a chance to tell Cael yet, so he didn't know that, when I hugged him, I could feel all his emotions. It's not a very fun ability—I don't like feeling all that stuff. At least I only have to feel it when I hug someone. If I had to go around feeling everyone's pain and worries all the time, jeez, I would probably hide in my room all day."

"I can see how that would be a major problem." This young girl seemed so wise, beyond her nine short years.

"I'm sorry about what happened to your dad. I really liked him."

"Thank you, Breena, that means a lot to me."

"And I like you, too. Will you come back soon?"

"I'd like to."

They stood and Addie started to give the girl a hug, but Breena shook her head, stopping her. "Better not. One love-sick puppy a day is enough for me. Maybe we should keep that little secret to ourselves for a while."

Addie cringed. "You're a very wise young lady. Thank you for sharing with me."

They walked out in the hall, where Cael waited. Breena waved goodbye and skipped down the hall.

"Okay, so, what was that all about?" Cael asked, on their way to the elevator.

"Oh, nothing." Addie smirked.

"Don't give me that, Addison. Tell me."

"Can't you figure it out?"

"Somewhat... I know you're embarrassed."

"Let's see. How should I put this? Breena showed me the two of us in the middle of a ... let's say a very provocative performance, one a young girl her age shouldn't have witnessed."

"Oh ... you mean she saw us having sex?"

"Almost, yes, you might say that." Addie lowered her eyes, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Hmmm..." Cael said, bringing his hand to her chin and studying her eyes as her cheeks flushed with heat. "Can you be more specific?"

"No, I said 'almost.' You're horrible. Doesn't it bother you that a little girl almost saw us ... you know?"

"Of course it bothers me." He turned and brought his hand to his own chin. "But since I can't do anything about it and you did say 'almost,' there's just one thing I want to know."

"What?"

"Was I enjoying it?"

Addie punched his arm just as the elevator doors opened.

"Ouch! I just wanted to know what we're doing later tonight."

Heads turned when Cael and Addison walked through the door of the Cliff Hanger. Cael had suggested they go there to eat dinner, giving Addison a chance to check in and let everyone know she was okay.

The place was packed with tourists and locals, but then it was Saturday night. They walked to the only two empty seats at the bar, Cael's arm protectively around Addison. He saw Gerry stiffen as the woman next to him—whom Cael instantly recognized as Maia from photos he'd seen—gave him a nudge with her elbow. Gerry frowned and relaxed his shoulders.

"Gerry, I'd like to thank you for sticking up for me, but in the future, please keep your fist out of my affairs and out of Cael's face."

Gerry cringed. "Sorry, I guess I overreacted. No hard feelings?" He extended a hand to Cael.

"No, we're fine," Cael assured him as the two men shook hands.

"Nice outfit, Addie. I see your day off was productive. Very nice indeed," Gerry said, admiring the new clothes.

Cael felt a sudden twinge of jealousy come over him and it startled him. He told himself the man was just being nice; after all, Gerry had just decked him in the jaw six hours ago avenging Addison as if she'd been his own daughter.

"Yes, Addie, you look very pretty." Maia turned her attention to Cael. "Hello, Cael, I'm Maia, Addie's aunt. I've heard a lot about you."

"Nice to meet you, Maia."

"So, what are you two having?"

"I think I'll have a glass of Cabernet. Where's Nick? I thought he would have been filling in for me tonight."

"He had other plans. It seems he's found another young pretty thing to hang on his arm for the weekend. What'll you have, Cael?" Gerry said.

Cael glanced around and noticed a man and a woman walking out the door, leaving a table free in the corner. "I'll have the same. I think we'll take our wine over to that table in the corner that just became available and order some dinner, if that's okay."

"I'll send Darcy over," Gerry said.

Cael took Addison by the elbow as they walked to the newly vacant table. No sooner had they sat down when Darcy came over, almost skipping. "Wow, you went shopping ... nice."

"Thanks. Sorry about earlier. You know, the comment about your ass."

"It looks mighty fine from where I'm sitting," Cael assured them.

"Ha! Well, Addie, you're forgiven on the grounds that you've been keeping such excellent company lately." Darcy gathered up the dirty dishes and glasses from the table and placed them on a tray she had brought over, then wiped off the table.

"Did you go for that ride today?" Addison asked, a look of concern on face.

"Yeah, I did, and I have to admit you and Jared were right. He is married, the swine."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I still had fun on the bike. He finally confessed after a phone call from his wife, telling him their little boy was sick and he needed to get home. I decked him square in the jaw, sending him flying off his stupid two-wheeler. You would've been proud of me."

"Good for you." Cael laughed.

"Oh ... and guess who asked me out earlier."

Addison shrugged her shoulders. "Hard to tell."

"Lieutenant Whelan. I mean, Duane."

"Hmmm ... imagine that."

"Yeah, he's taking me to dinner Monday night. A real date. I can't wait. But hey, that's enough about me. You're here to eat. What can I get for you?"

"I'll have the fish ... oh, wait." Addison winced and gave Cael a weak smile and he knew she was thinking of Salacia. "Change that. I'll have the skirt steak and a salad."

"I'll have the same," Cael added.

"Okay, two skirts it is." Darcy jotted it down, heaved up the tray of dirty dishes, and walked away.

"Cael, everything today was so fantastic. It still seems so surreal. I mean Breena, Ben, Mary, Raz were wonderful. Oh, and Salacia was truly amazing. It's all so mind-blowing. I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but their powers don't seem very lethal—unless you're in the water with Salacia—and I have to wonder, why am I the only one with a dangerous power?"

"You're not. And quite frankly, your powers aren't strong enough yet to be dangerous."

She frowned. "Strong enough to hurt you."

"That was me, an unmoving target not using any abilities to defend myself or to counteract yours. We have no idea what Eidolon might use against us when we confront him. Let's be honest. You know it. I know it. We have work to do. The abilities the others have may not seem threatening at first, but if you consider the possibilities, the results could be extremely severe. For instance, take Razvan. He can make you imagine anything, and if he made you believe you were choking and you couldn't get any air, then I think you would surely die. And you know, I haven't shown you all my powers yet."

"Really? How would your abilities be so life threatening—scaring someone to death by making them think they ran you over with their truck?" She smirked.

"You joke, but once I show you, you'll understand."

"Can't you just tell me?"

"No, I'd rather show you."

"Now I'm really curious."

Darcy appeared with their food, set it down, looked at Addison and grimaced.

"Are you two okay? You're not fighting again, are you? Because I don't think Gerry could take it."

"No, Cael was just about to tell me what his strong points are." Addison leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms over her chest, and stared at Cael.

Darcy rolled her eyes and smiled. "Strong points, ha! I can only imagine. The steak looks good, don't let it get cold," she said and strolled away.

Cael glanced up at the bar and noticed Gerry staring at Addison. "What is it with you and Gerry, anyway?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Gerry—he's always staring at you."

"Are you jealous?"

"No ... no ... not at all." At least, he didn't think he was. "It's just that he seems a bit overprotective of you, more than he should be. I mean, he's your boss and your aunt's boyfriend, not your boyfriend ... or am I wrong there? Has there ever been anything between the two of you?" As much as he hadn't wanted to, he had to ask.

Addison didn't answer right away, and he felt foolish, regretting having asked at all. Man, she was difficult to read sometimes. Her mind seemed to be in a state of flux and he always had trouble sensing mixed-up emotions.

"I know he can be very protective, and yes, sometimes it bothers me. Gerry is Maia's boyfriend, not mine, nor has he ever been. He has this big brother thing going on, nothing more." Cael studied her face, accepting her explanation. She trusted Gerry, so he decided to give the guy a break.

Addison took a bite of her steak then washed it down with a sip of wine. Glancing toward the other side of the room, she smiled. "Oh look, my apartment manager is here tonight, and he's actually sitting with a woman. I wonder where he met her. She doesn't look familiar. I worry about him, you know; he always seems so lonely. Well, now at least I know he doesn't just sit at home brooding all the time."

"That's one of the many things I like about you. You're always concerned about other people."

She clutched the locket that hung around her neck. "Yeah, right now I'm concerned about this. Could Eidolon really steal our abilities?"

"It's possible, yes."

"It'd be like Satan himself," Addison murmured.

"Maybe. What bothers me right now, though, is the idea of Eidolon lurking around unnoticed, almost ghostly. Eidolon actually means 'phantom' in Greek."

They lifted their glasses of wine at the same time and sipped.

"How appropriate, but why in the world would any mother name her child that?"

Cael choked out a laugh, almost spitting wine all over the table. "That's not his real name, silly."

Her cheeks turned pink as she looked down at her plate and cut into a piece of meat. "Oh, well then, what is it?"

"Edgar Bonar."

"Hmmm ... not much better than Eidolon."

"We started calling him Eidolon when he defected from the society and became dangerous. Listen, Addison, we need to stay together—never separate. The chances of any harm coming to you are much greater if you're alone." The idea of staying close to her gave Cael a momentary sense of reprieve. Until now, he hadn't realized how much he hated the thought of her possibly staying at the Sectory while he came back here to fight Eidolon. He was relieved when she'd refused. Cael took a rather large gulp of his wine, emptying the glass.

"I think I need a refill. How about you?"

"Sure." She raised two fingers when Darcy looked over, then pointed to the empty wine glasses.

Addison reached out, placing her hand on top of his. "You can't just hang around here every day while I work. People might start to think you're a trifle overprotective, don't you think?"

"Better me than Gerry, and after what happened this morning when I couldn't find you, I don't see any other option right now."

After eating, they hung around the bar for a while to see if any customers, tourists or locals struck Cael as a potential threat.

"So, tell me about Breena."

"What about her?"

"Well, she's only nine. When did she start being able to see the future?"

"When she was three. It was quite annoying at first, until she learned to respect people's privacy. Now she wears gloves a lot of the time."

"Three? Wow, and you've known her how long?"

Cael studied Addison for a moment.

"I know what you're thinking, and no, Breena is not my child. Although, if I had a little girl, I would love to have one just like her. She has a way of brightening up my day. Her parents were close friends of mine."

Addison sat back in her chair and took a sip of wine. "Why does she call your mother Grammy Siana?"

"When her parents died, Breena was five and had no other living relatives, so my mother took her in. She just started calling her Grammy Siana on her own. It didn't seem to bother my mom, so she just let her.

"Until I read the note from your father, I believed—we all believed—Stefan and Claire died in a plane crash. But now I can only assume that Eidolon tampered with the plane somehow, making the crash look accidental."

He reached across the table to Addison's hand. "Do you want kids? I mean ... someday?"

Her eyes grew huge.

"I suppose. I haven't given it much thought. I mean, I've never really been involved with anyone I'd like to have children with."

"Ouch." He pulled his hand back and sat up straight.

"Cael, we've just met, not to mention that I have had other pressing issues on my mind."

"It was just a rhetorical question, Addison, though I'm surprised at the way you seem so indifferent about our involvement."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say I wouldn't want to have children with you. I'm sure that if I ever ventured down that path with someone, I might consider it... I think I'd like some water." She stood to go to the bar.

"Wait, I'll get it."

"No, let me. I'm feeling a bit guilty about not working tonight, and I want to thank Maia for filling in for me. Besides, I need to go to the ladies' room."

Cael sat at the table mulling over her words. She "might consider it"—might—with someone, but she hadn't said with him.

It bothered him and he hated that it did. He was falling in love with her, had been from the first time he saw her, but he wasn't so sure the feeling was mutual. He was supposed to be able to sense her feelings. She'd gotten so upset this morning that Gerry had to send her home. Now she was unwilling to admit she would want his children. Why the hell did she bring it up, then? Oh, yeah, she didn't—he did. She had only asked about Breena.

Cael watched Addison's apartment manager get up and head toward the door, but the woman he was sitting with remained behind. Well, so much for Addison's good wishes for the guy. Cael caught a whiff of something stale in the air as the door swung open and about six people walked in, making the source of the odor unrecognizable. He studied the group and recognized Lieutenant Whelan as one of them. The cop headed away from the group and took a seat at the bar. When Cael had met Whelan earlier, he hadn't sensed anything sinister about the guy, so he ruled him out, but he wondered about the other five people.

Cael studied them for a few minutes. Three men and two girls. He thought he recognized one of the guys, but couldn't remember where he might have seen him. He had a poorly manicured black growth of beard and wore heavy black motorcycle boots. The way his messy hair stuck up looked as if he'd just ridden a bike without a helmet—hell, maybe he did, but that wasn't Cael's concern. Then it dawned on him. Ah, Darcy's motorcycle guy. Yeah, he looked like the sort of jerk who would cheat on his wife.

In the restroom, Addie stood in front of the mirror and stared. What sort of question was that? The conversation she and Cael had just had, the unexpected question of whether she wanted to have children with him, caught her completely off guard. She didn't know what to say to him. Yes, it was something she had thought about, but the whole idea frightened her, especially now, after learning how her mother had died. My God, what would happen? A child with Cael, with all the abilities the two of them possessed. It was frightening. If they were to have a child together, it could very well inherit all of the abilities they each had—or would a boy inherit hers and a girl his? God, a person could go crazy thinking about it. What kind of being would they create? No. It was an absurd idea. Thank God for the pill, and she'd make sure she didn't skip any.

She had to admit, she'd been relieved to learn Breena wasn't Cael's child, though she honestly wouldn't have had any problem with it. She truly liked the little girl.

# Chapter Twenty-Nine

Addison returned to the table as Jared came up behind her. "Would it be okay if I join you two? There doesn't seem to be any other open seats in here tonight. It's been a long day, and I could use a beer and some company."

"Sure, have a seat." Cael pushed the extra chair out with his foot.

Addison sat, the frown on her face turning into a forced smile directed at Jared. Cael felt a perverse bubble of confusion and unrepressed fear emanate from her mind, and he wondered if it was the idea of children that had her upset. He wanted to talk more about it, but now with Jared here, the topic would have to wait.

"Thanks. Hey, did you guys hear about the third dead woman?"

Cael felt his eyes bulge as he stared at Jared. Addison's eyes were just as wide. "No, when did this happen?"

"They found her this afternoon, close to downtown. They said she died of a drug overdose and had most likely been out partying the night before and didn't make it home before the drugs killed her."

"Excuse me." Cael got up and walked over to Whelan, determined to find out why Chief Thompson hadn't notified him regarding this new death.

"Hello, there, Lieutenant. Remember me? We met this afternoon. Cael Sheridan, private investigator."

"Right, I guess you heard about the new casualty."

"Just heard. I thought Chief Thompson was going to call me if any new developments turned up."

"Well, considering this incident is completely different from the others, I guess he decided it wasn't worth bothering you about."

"When are you two going to admit that these deaths are related? Now we have three dead women in less than a week. What are the odds, man?"

"You have a point there, but there's nothing to substantiate a relationship between the three. We can't find anything. As coincidental as it seems, we have nothing to go on. I'm sure the chief wouldn't mind if you stopped by the station tomorrow; maybe between the three of us we can come up with something."

"Good, I'll be there."

Cael sat down and sipped at his wine. Trying to tear his thoughts away from Eidolon's newest victim, he listened while Jared talked about Darcy and her obsession with every other man except Jared. Poor bastard. Hell, he felt bad—Jared was hopelessly in love with a woman who didn't give a rat's ass whether or not he existed.

Cael glanced at Addison's watch. It was getting late, and since he couldn't identify Eidolon any more than he could tell how she really felt about him, he figured it was time to leave.

"Addison, we should go. It's been a long day."

"Right. Sorry, Jared, I'd love to stay and talk more, but Cael is right. It has been a long day and I'm exhausted. See you tomorrow."

As they walked out, Cael noticed Darcy was now sitting with Whelan and thought, too bad for Jared.

Lieutenant Whelan sat sipping a Coke at the bar and Darcy's stomach did somersaults in anticipation of her upcoming date with him. It was so exciting, dating a cop. She was always excited whenever she went out with someone new, but this man had intrigued her far more than anyone else had since ... well, okay she had to admit it—Jared. He was being so annoying lately. Yes, there had been love there once, a year ago. It was his fault; after all, he was the one who cheated and shattered her heart. She'd wanted to marry Jared, have kids with him, grow old with him, but she couldn't forgive him—she had her pride.

Darcy sat next to Duane, but her eyes were on Jared at the next table, brooding like a brokenhearted dove. She tried to ignore him as she sat and listened to Duane tell her where he planned to take her for dinner Monday.

"There's a little restaurant, about seven miles north, called Barney's. It's similar to this but without the great view. I thought it would be nice to go somewhere you didn't work ... if that's okay with you," Duane said.

Darcy sat staring at Jared.

"Darcy?" Duane tapped her on the shoulder.

"Huh?" she said, completely bewildered.

"Is that okay with you?"

"What?"

"Barney's."

"Oh, sure. I've been there; it's nice."

"Okay, I'll pick you up at seven. We have reservations for seven-thirty."

"Great. Are you off duty yet? I'll get you a beer." She stood.

"No, I have the late shift tonight, which I should get back to. See you Monday night."

When Duane left, Darcy walked over to Jared. She supposed it was time they tried to have a civilized conversation.

"Do you mind if I sit for a minute?"

"Sure." He scrambled up and pulled out a chair for her. Jared seemed nervous. She had always loved that about him; somehow, it made her feel special, as though he felt it necessary to try harder to please her. In fact, Jared was actually the best lover she'd ever had by far. Of course, she actually hadn't really had sex with any man other than Jared. But even thinking about men who seemed like they might be good lovers, she was sure Jared would win out over all of them, not that she would admit that to anyone—not even Addie. She wanted Jared to think she was having the time of her life, and the more men he thought she was sleeping with, the better.

"Look, I know this bothers you, about me going out with other guys, but you need to move on."

Jared sipped his beer and looked her square in the eyes.

"I can't. I still love you as much today as I did a year ago ... hell, twenty years ago. I've always loved you and I always will. You need to get back at me for cheating on you. I get it. You go ahead, go out with other guys. When you finally get it out of your system, I'll be here."

Darcy sighed. If things could only be that simple. She left Jared to brood over his beer, wishing things had turned out differently for them.

After the usual routine of leaving the truck at the apartment, Cael and Addison returned to the rental house. He transported them directly to the bedroom, where he looked Addison up and down. The conversation about children would have to wait.

"As much as I love looking at you in this tight short skirt, I'll need to remove it now, so I can find out exactly what Breena almost saw today."

He unbuttoned her blouse and saw the new lace bra she had purchased. "Nice ... very nice, and very sexy."

"You saw this earlier."

"Only saw the panties. I didn't notice this. I was busy."

He cupped her breast and kissed her just above the lace of her bra. Then he took her mouth with his as her lips parted with acceptance. He wanted to take it very slowly.

He unfastened her skirt and it slipped down to the floor. Then he tugged at her panties and she pushed his hand away.

"Hold on, pal." She stood there in just her bra, panties, and high heels.

"Have you seen yourself? You can't ask me to wait, baby, that's just too cruel."

"Well, if you want to see what Breena nearly saw, you'll need to let me take the lead." She tugged his belt loose, unbuttoned his pants, and pushed them to the floor. Before removing the rest of her clothes, Addison knelt down and he let her take him on a heated erotic journey.

His body was on fire, his head was spinning, and his breathing heavy as he fought back the explosive urge to let go. She raised her head, grazing her tongue along his tip, glancing at him before taking him in again, and he was unable to fight it anymore as his orgasm burst from him.

He scooped her up, placed her on the bed and straddled her. Covering her mouth with his, he fiddled with her bra as it snapped against the back of his hand.

"Ouch!" he said, lifting his head. "These things are lethal. Why do you wear them?"

"To drive you crazy." She laughed.

"I'm crazy enough about you. I don't see the need."

"Are you trying to say I have small breasts?"

"No, of course not, especially considering where your knee is."

With a wicked curve to her lips, she jerked her knee up a bit.

"Watch it, or you'll ruin the rest of the evening's activities." Then he took her breast in his mouth, released it. "They are perfect."

After finally getting those panties down, his exploring fingers found her already wet and inviting. He covered her mouth once again, savoring her, then moved lower to place soft kisses against her neck as he plunged himself into her.

She let out a soft moan and whispered with heated breath. "I thought you would need to wait a few minutes."

"No, it's one of the perks of my abilities."

"Mmmm ... I love your abilities."

Cael's feet tingled against the cold sand as he ran along the edge of the water, Addison splashing him as she ran alongside, laughing as he splashed her back. Suddenly something came out of the water and grabbed her, dragging her out to sea as she screamed for him. He awoke with a jolt and reached for her, but she wasn't there.

Panic-stricken, he bolted out of bed and pulled his pants on, foregoing the boxers bunched in a pile on the floor next to his shoes. He teleported downstairs—first to the kitchen—she wasn't there—then to the living room, but she wasn't there either. Light from the full moon hovered over the horizon and filtered in through the living room window. The front door was wide open and he shouted for Addison as he ran through it in search of her.

He spotted her across the plush grass by the edge of the cliff. Relieved first, he quickly became concerned at the sight of her; completely naked, Addison was talking to someone—no, arguing with someone—but Cael didn't see anyone.

"Addison?"

Panic returned when she didn't respond. "What the fuck?"

He walked toward her, and as he got close, he heard a low growl come from the left of him, stopping Cael in his tracks. He turned his head to see large fangs protruding from the slavering mouth of a gigantic black beast. It appeared to be a dog or a wolf and it stood hunched, hackles at attention, ready to pounce. He reached for his gun. "Fuck." His gun was in the house. He could teleport to get it, but that would leave Addison out here alone with this ... this thing. He glanced back at Addison. She didn't seem to hear the growl as she was still conversing with someone invisible. Is she talking to her dad or did she walk out here in her sleep?

"Addison!"

The dog crouched closer to her.

"Addison!" She still didn't respond. "Sweet Jesus." Raking his hands through his hair, he tried to think. Addison fell to her knees, clutching her stomach, and he realized she wasn't sleeping.

He had to act quickly. If the beast reached her before he could get there to teleport them, he risked taking it back inside with them. But what else could he do when his gun was inside?

"Oh, fuck. What the hell?"

He flashed to her just as the dog latched onto his pants leg. He wrapped his arms around Addison and all three materialized inside. As he scrambled for his gun, the beast sank its fangs into his calf. Cael yelled at the searing pain that erupted in his leg and fell to the floor.

"Cael!" Addison yelled, finally freed from the spell.

Sparks flashed from her hands, hitting the animal as its fangs clamped down a second time over Cael's thigh. It continued gnashing and growling. She sent out another bolt of fiery streaks as the creature turned toward her, snarling and snapping through the foam that dripped from its jowls. She covered her mouth and nose to diminish the stench of its breath with one hand and sent out spark after spark with the other as the creature advanced. Finally, the beast yelped and fell to the floor, whimpering, transformed to nothing more than a poor wounded dog that slinked out the door.

Addison rushed over to Cael. "Oh God, it bit you."

"Twice. Who the hell were you talking to?"

"I don't know ... something was inside my head." Her voice trembled as she placed her hands over Cael's wounds. He was losing a lot of blood.

Cael caught a glimpse of the front door swaying back and forth in the cool ocean breeze. "Hurry, close the door before it comes back."

Addison stumbled to the door, slammed it shut and then turned the dead bolt. She grabbed up Cael's shirt from the sofa and shrugged it on before kneeling by his side. Pressing her hands on his wounds, her eyes glassed over as she entered into some sort of trance again and chanted. "Vis curatio vox secundum arts, Vis curatio vox secundum arts, Vis curatio vox secundum arts."

Cael's leg itched as the skin around the wounds began to close. He laid his head back and closed his eyes, listening to her chant.

After a few minutes, he groaned and slowly opened his eyes. She got up, went directly to the liquor cabinet, and took out a bottle of Jameson's whiskey. She came back over, sat behind him, and placed his head in her lap.

"Addison, I don't think I need that; the bites weren't very deep." She poured a small amount in a glass, ignoring his protest, and he realized it wasn't for him but for her as she downed the contents in one quick motion.

She had one arm wrapped around him as she stroked his hair with her free hand. He started to move.

"Shhh, lay still."

"Hmmm ... okay ... I could stay in your arms like this forever."

"Yeah, you're becoming an expert at recovering from injuries because of me."

God, he hated that she felt she was the cause of all this. "No, baby, not because of you. Eidolon wants the crystal and the book so he can change the world. He needs our powers to do it. He wants to expose our secrets and he believes that, by doing so, he can change the way people think, but in the end, he'll only succeed in destroying himself and us. He wants to kill me just as much as he wants to kill you. But he also knows that, without us, he'll never find the journal or the crystal."

"But he knows you're here to protect me, and thinks I possess the book and crystal. He doesn't need you alive."

"Yes, he does. He knows I'm protecting them as much as I am you. He won't take the chance of destroying me before he has them."

He reached up and touched her cheek. "You were chanting again. I heard you this time. The words you spoke were Latin. Translated in English, they mean 'force healing powers, according to the art.'"

"You speak Latin?" she whispered.

"Yes, aliquantulus—a little. I told you I know a lot of things." He was surprised he could actually remember anything right at that moment—especially Latin.

"Yes, you did," she whispered, but he could hear the tremble in her voice.

"Actually, I understand it better than I speak it."

Cael began to sit up as Addison grabbed the bottle of whiskey and poured a generous two fingers into the glass.

"Are you trying to get drunk?"

"Sounds like an excellent idea. What the hell was that thing?" she asked before drinking a good portion of the whiskey, then handing it to him.

"Come on, let's move to the sofa. I'm guessing it was Eidolon, and he's learned a few tricks over the past year. Getting in your head that way ... are you okay? Do you remember any of it?" He held onto her as he hobbled and they fell into the big cushy couch together.

"I remember being thirsty. I'd gotten up to get a glass of water, and when I went down to the kitchen, I don't know ... a voice. It called me, luring me outside. I couldn't stop myself. I wonder if my father fell into the same trap—

"Never mind. It's no use thinking about that anymore."

Addison filled the glass once again, then raised it to her lips and drained it. He took the glass from her and set it down. He didn't think she should have any more or she would never be able to tell him what happened. He knew it would be hard for her—all sorts of things were running through his mind. He didn't want her to suffer through it again, but if she didn't get it out, she'd have nightmares about it. Cael placed his hand over hers and squeezed.

He shifted his weight and she pressed her hand hard on his chest. "No, please don't leave me."

"I won't leave, I promise. I was just moving so you can rest your head on me."

"I can't lean on you if I'm going to tell you what happened. It's too hard to think."

She took a deep breath, exhaled. The smell of whiskey lingered in the air. "He held me captive; I couldn't move. He was inside my head, saying all sorts of horrible things. I kept trying to break free—I tried to make it stop."

"What sort of horrible things?"

"He described ... no, that's wrong. Actually, he showed me how he killed my father. How he tortured him with fire, burning him from the inside out, how he clawed his skin, slowly, making every incision deep and agonizing, twisting his razor sharp talons so people would never know what butchered Daddy." She squeezed her eyes tight for a couple of seconds as though trying to block tears from flowing as her voice quivered.

"It was the most terrifying thing I've ever seen. He said if I didn't give him the crystal and the book, he would kill everyone I know and love, one by one. He told me he would kill you the way he killed my father, but before he killed you, he would—oh God..."

"It's okay if you want to stop."

"No ... I need to tell you."

"Okay."

She took a deep breath. "He said ... he could turn himself into anything, and he would take me in front of you—so you could watch—as he ... feasted on me. Cael, he showed me ... I could feel him ripping and tearing at my insides."

"Mother of Christ," he murmured, and poured himself a generous portion of whiskey, downing it in a single gulp.

He set the glass down and glanced at Addison, her face white as a sheet. "Ah, come on, put your head down." He pushed her head to her knees and massaged the nape of her neck.

"I'm so sorry. I swear he'll never get the chance to do those things. I'll kill that sick bastard before I let him lay a hand on you. I promise." Sickened from hearing what she'd seen, he held her close, wanting to keep her there by his side, protected, forever.

"Oh, God." Addison covered her mouth, jumped up and ran to the bathroom.

After vomiting, she rejoined Cael on the sofa. "Cael, I hadn't realized until now just what we're up against; you were right. Before, I was taking this too lightly. My sparks barely scratched him."

"You did more damage to my shoulder than you did to that dog. What happened?"

"I don't know. I was scared. Maybe I wasn't concentrating enough. If he can take on any form, how are we supposed to know what he could be? What if he's someone we know? Can he do that? Can he just take over someone's body? I wish we had a way to know what he looks like."

"I saw a picture of him years ago when he was a much younger man, but who knows what he looks like now?"

"He controlled my mind. How do we fight that? How does he just develop new powers?"

"I don't know, baby ... I don't know. I should have foreseen this happening. I'm supposed to know these things, damn it. We'll find a way." He prayed to God they would.

# Chapter Thirty

The light shining through the window was bright and Addie stole a peek at the clock through squinted eyes before pulling the covers over her head. It was nearly ten-thirty; she needed to get up. After Gerry had sent her home from work yesterday, she didn't want to be late today.

She glanced over at Cael, still sleeping and gorgeous. He had teleported them back up to bed after he'd healed from the early morning encounter with Eidolon.

Propping her head up on her elbow, she watched him sleep. She would have preferred to stay there in bed with him for the rest of the day. He was without a doubt the most beautiful human being she'd ever laid eyes on. She studied him as he lay there on his back, admiring the few strands of hair in the middle of his chest and the tiny diamond-shaped birthmark on his right side just above his hip. The lean muscles of his chest moved up and down in a steady rhythm. She carefully slid the sheet down to peek at the small patch of hair below his belly button.

Why was love so impossible? How could fate be so cruel to send her a man to love, only to have his life threatened because of her? If she weren't around, he'd be safe. Her family would be safe. Eidolon would follow her and leave Cael and her family alone. She needed a plan.

She showered and dressed for work and considered her options. Tonight, after my shift, after we come home and go to bed, I'll sneak out and draw Eidolon away from here, away from Cael. Eidolon would follow her, she had no doubt; but this time, she would be ready for him.

Cael left Addison at the bar and went directly to the police station. He wasn't planning to be away from her too long and knew she'd be safe as long as she stayed there, which she had promised to do.

Chief Thompson sat, his gaze hovering over pictures spread on his desktop. The blinds on the windows were wide open and the sunlight played against the computer screen at the corner of the desk, giving it a wet black appearance. He looked up from the pictures and gestured for Cael to come in.

"I was just about to call you. Want to take a look?" The chief motioned to the pictures. "I'm beginning to agree with you about the similarities. All three women have the same features—long brown hair, brown eyes—but, unfortunately, I have nothing else to go on. There's nothing else to suggest any of these women were murdered by the same person, or even that they were murdered. One woman was mauled to death by a wild animal, the other was found washed up on the shore after falling from the cliff, and now, this one appears to have been a drug overdose."

"Has the autopsy come in yet on the third woman?"

"I was just about to head over there. You're welcome to tag along if you think you can handle it."

"I can handle it."

In the morgue, what Cael considered the antithesis of medical examiners greeted them. In fact, the only resemblance the man bore to a typical M.E. was the lab coat he wore, open in front. Cael blinked at the vibrant deep dark purple shirt accessorized with a very effervescent pink tie embroidered with row after row of black and white kittens. Cael glimpsed at the gold band on the finger of his left hand and concluded that his wife bought that particular ensemble and he was wearing it to appease her. His peppery gray hair, pulled back and fashioned with a ribbon the same color as his shirt, hung to the middle of his back. Two tiny gold hoops adorned each of his ears, and his protective goggles rested on his forehead, making him look like a crazed scuba diver.

"Hey, Chief, come to see your latest?"

"Nelson Draker, this is Cael Sheridan, the detective I told you about. He wants to have a look-see at the victim. Seems to think the three deaths are related."

"Here." He threw them each a pair of gloves. "Well, let's see. There were no signs of a struggle, although she's wearing only one earring, but then one never knows with fashion; it could have been deliberate. However, considering she was stoned out of her mind on designer drugs, Ecstasy and Rohypnol, that's the date rape drug—"

"Yeah, Nelson, we know what it is," Chief Thompson interrupted.

"Just sayin'. Anyway, she may not have realized she had only one earring on."

"No woman in her right mind would voluntarily take a drug like Rohypnol." Cael went to stick his hands in his pockets, and then remembered the gloves.

"Most likely, someone slipped it in her drink." Draker scratched his head. "Though the reasoning behind that eludes me, since she wasn't raped. These drugs, combined with the alcohol found in her system, hell, she could have been walking the street completely naked and not even realized it. But that's not what killed her."

"No?" The chief's eyebrows rose.

"No, it was the Ketamine that killed her. Injected right here." He pointed to a small pinprick on the inside of her left big toe.

"Special K? The animal tranquilizer?" Cael knew what sort of monster Eidolon was and had ideas of just what he might be capable of—especially after this morning—but he couldn't exactly let the chief in on it.

"Yep, and too much of that stuff along with the other drugs made rubber out of her motor functions and completely shut down her respiratory system." Nelson nodded.

Cael glanced up at Nelson. "So, it's not a simple overdose. Someone had to have tricked her into using all those drugs at once. It was murder."

"Yeah, murder," Draker confirmed, and Chief Thompson shook his head in disgust.

Eidolon was smart. He'd covered his tracks well. At least now, the police knew there was a murderer out there. Not that there was much they could do to help catch him, but it was something. Cael knew he couldn't count on any help from the police, but just the idea of having them know there was someone out there killing young women brought him a little relief. They could get the word out so others might be more cautious, but when it came down to defeating Eidolon, he and Addison were on their own.

Cael stood outside the door of the Cliff Hanger, reached for the door handle, then paused a few minutes to shake off the horrible memory of the autopsy. He rubbed his hands over his face to clear his thoughts and then entered the bar. A vertiginous frisson swept through his head as his heart literally leaped in his chest at the sight of Addison's vibrant smile. It seemed strange—it had been only a week since he'd first saved her from falling after her breathless trudge up the hill to the bathroom. He smiled at the memory. She'd seemed so clumsy at the time, and he'd teased her by calling her Grace. Now, as he stared at her, he noticed the graceful elegance she displayed as she moved.

There were still a few customers in the restaurant and he was hungry, but not just for food. It had to be close to the end of her shift. He went to her, hugged her, and lifting her off her feet, swung her around much the same way he had Breena—not caring who was watching.

"Put me down. People are staring."

"I don't care, I'm just glad to see you." He had been itching to grab her and hold her ever since he'd left the coroner's office. The sight of the dead woman had left him terrified for Addison.

Cael peeked over her head as he realized Gerry was standing there. "Hey, Gerry, how's it going?"

"Great, but best keep your hands off my barkeep while she's working."

"I'm off now," Addison beamed as she swung around to face him.

"Well, then get out of here before customers start to think I'm running a bloody brothel."

Addison took off her apron, went to Gerry and kissed him on the cheek, before turning back to Cael.

"Be back by five," Gerry reminded her.

Cael held the truck door open for Addison. "So, since when do you kiss him goodbye?"

"Whom? What? Oh, Gerry felt so bad about slugging you—he's been so sweet—I just couldn't resist."

"It wasn't a slug. It was a sucker-punch." Cael slammed her door shut harder than he'd intended, then followed suit with his own door after climbing in the driver's side.

"You're jealous."

"No, I'm not." Was he? "I just don't think you need to go around kissing every Tom, Dick, and Gerry when you think they've been sweet."

"Ha! Well, if it brings you any comfort, if I see Tom, I swear I won't kiss him, but the only dick I know is sitting right here beside me."

"Okay, I guess I deserved that." He'd never thought of himself as a jealous man, but he really didn't like the way Gerry looked at her.

"Look, Addison, the man is only, what, nine years older than I am. Surely you must be aware of his affection for you."

"Oh, please. Sure, he has feelings for me—brotherly feelings, I assure you—and I won't change the way I act with any member of my family. Gerry is family, and technically it was just a peck on the cheek, you know."

He didn't want to argue, especially about Gerry. The man was too controlling as far as Cael was concerned. But maybe she was right. It was just a peck.

"Let's forget about it. We're going to the beach."

"Why the beach? It must be forty degrees outside."

"We need the beach so I can show you something, and besides, where else can we go where you can practice throwing fireballs?"

"Fireballs? Ha, I can't throw fireballs. Maybe that dog bit more than just your leg. You're saying some of the strangest things today. Are you feeling okay, babe?" She touched her hand to his forehead.

"Yes, I'm fine, and yes, you can. I'll teach you."

"How are you going to teach me to throw fireballs?"

"Remember last night when I said I have powers you have yet to see?"

"Yes, but then I thought you showed me. You know, in bed?" She raised her eyebrows.

That brought a chuckle to his voice and a rise to his ego.

"Yes, well, another one of my finer attributes."

"Okay. If you can throw a fireball, why didn't you this morning, when the dog was attacking?"

He got out of the truck and immediately appeared on her side, holding the door open. "I never said I could throw fireballs. Come on, let's get this over with; I'm hungry, and not only for food."

"You're always hungry."

"Yes, which I might add, is your fault because you're so damn sexy."

# Chapter Thirty-One

Addie shuddered from the cold. The fierce wind soared right through to her bones. No one else was in sight. No one in their right mind should be down here. She glanced up to see two seagulls swoop down, racing toward some unlucky critter on the ground as they made their way across the sea grass shushing in the breeze leading to the beach. A tiny tan crab scurried by as they stepped onto the smooth, undisturbed sand. The low whispering sound of the waves crashing would have been soothing if it were a few degrees warmer.

Cael grabbed a rock the size of a bowling ball. "Now, it's time I show you what else I can do."

He flung the rock out over the ocean and it skyrocketed as far as Addie could see before it disappeared.

She gaped. "Whoa, I knew you were strong, but ... wow, let me see that again."

He picked up another rock and flung it out—again it soared until she could no longer see it.

"Jeez, incredible, but I suppose I shouldn't be shocked considering all the things I've seen lately. I'm impressed, but I don't see how you throwing a rock is going to teach me to throw fireballs."

"I'm trying to make a point here. I couldn't throw a rock that size farther than ten feet if I didn't utilize all my energy. Believe me; as much as I'd like you to think it, I'm not really that strong. I just know how to project my energy—in this case, through an inanimate object. You can do the same thing with your sparks, or your telekinetic ability. All you need to do is believe. Do you remember what you did to my shoulder? You can do far worse damage than that if you learn how."

He picked up another rock about twice the size of the ones he'd just thrown and placed it on top of an even larger rock.

"We have an ability known as kinetic absorption. It deals with the dynamics of the motion of objects, kinetics being the force that produces or changes motion. You can absorb forms of kinetic energy into yourself and convert it into physical strength. We all have it. It's a way of enhancing our abilities. Didn't your father ever speak of kinetics?"

"Well, yeah, but obviously not the same way he spoke of it to you."

"Sorry, that was a bit insensitive of me. Come here." He placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her body to face the rocks.

"Now, concentrate all your energy to your fingertips and aim at the rock on top."

She stood straight, aimed her hand toward the rock, and sent sparks to it, managing to make a few scorch marks on its side. She wrinkled her nose. "Not exactly a fireball, was it?"

"It's okay, try again."

She did, and got the same results.

"This is hopeless and I'm freezing."

"Focus all your energy toward the rock and believe. After you shatter that rock, I'll take you in, warm you up and feed you." He stood behind her, close. His lips brushed her ear and he kissed that sensitive spot on her neck below her earlobe.

His breath was warm. She should be distracted, but instead it filled her with heat, and she stretched out her hand. This time she thought of all the amazing things she had seen over the past couple of days and knew she could do this.

Bam! She shot out an enormous fireball, shattering the rock into a million tiny pieces.

She screamed with excitement and threw her arms around Cael's neck.

"Great! That's great, baby. Now try it again." He found another rock and placed it on top of the larger one.

Cael watched as Addison blasted another fireball, shattering another rock—it seemed with no effort at all.

"Well, now, I guess you've got the hang of it. Let's go get warmed up."

"I'm pooped," Addison said while lighting the fire, then shrugged off her coat and sank down on the sofa.

"I know you're exhausted from last night and this morning, but we need to keep up the training. You'll need to learn to cope with fatigue and hunger if you expect to have any chance of defeating Eidolon."

"What more training could there possibly be?"

Because she was Risteard's daughter, Cael knew Addison had more powers. "I'm sure you have more abilities. We will have to figure out what they are. I don't expect Eidolon to remain in the shadows much longer, especially after this morning's little episode."

Cael walked to the kitchen to make some lunch. "I hope turkey sandwiches are okay. We're going to need to make a trip to the market soon; we're running low on food."

He looked up, surprised to see her standing in the doorway. "I repeat. What more could there be?"

Cael gathered the turkey, the cheese, and the mayonnaise from the refrigerator. "Grab some glasses, will you? We still have some milk in here. Have you tried using your telekinetic powers on anything besides appliances?"

"Like what? And how about mustard? I don't like mayonnaise."

"How can you not like mayonnaise?"

"I don't know, I just don't like it." Addie took a couple of glasses down and placed them on the counter.

"Huh, the little things one learns. Well, we know you can turn things on, including me." He flashed a devilish grin. "But have you tried to move anything?"

"What do you mean by 'move'?" She stared at him as if he'd just asked her to fly to the moon.

"With your mind, sweetness, with your mind," he said.

"My mind? No."

He studied her, remembering she hadn't grown up the same way he had. Abilities didn't just appear all at once. Everyone else had always acquired their powers gradually—over time, even years—and he silently cursed Risteard for not telling her about them and training her properly. Surely, Risteard had known this day would come. Now, it was all left up to Cael to teach her everything.

"Cael? What do you mean?"

Her voice cut into his thoughts, bringing him back to the discussion. "I'm sorry, I forgot you really don't know what you are ... or will be ... capable of doing. You, my love, have the ability to move objects with your mind. Here's your sandwich—mustard, no mayo. Sit. Eat. You need your strength."

She ignored the order. "How do you know? I've never given you any indication of that. In fact, I've never even thought of the possibility before. Why do you think I should have that ability?"

"Just because you haven't done it, doesn't mean you can't. Our gifts don't appear all at once. Some take years to learn. I know you have this ability, because your father had it and you—as his female offspring—must also have it."

"You make me sound as if I'm part of a litter of puppies. Look, I'm getting a bit tired of surprises. Just tell me now. What else could my father do? I'm not taking one bite until you tell me."

Cael couldn't deny his amusement at the sight of her defiant demeanor, and found it very sexy.

"You're only hurting yourself." He shrugged and tried to hide his grin as he bit into his sandwich.

"I'm glad you find me so amusing. But seriously, what else could he do?" She took a bite of her sandwich and stared at him.

"Okay, aside from the manipulation of machines, the sparks, and the fireballs, he could move objects—heavy objects—with his mind, and he could also..." He took another bite before taking a sip of milk.

"What? Tell me before—"

"Before you what, shoot me with a fireball? I don't know if you're ready to know."

"How can you joke at a time like this?"

"I am not joking. I really don't think you're ready to know."

She took another bite. "Of course I'm ready. What do I have to do to prove it to you?"

"It's too risky. Look, you're aware of what's at stake here. And you know that at any given minute, Eidolon could take over our minds, make us give him the book so he can use the crystal. Then we would be watching him take over the world, or maybe he'd just kill us first. I'm sorry, baby, but I just don't think you're ready."

Addison's face turned crimson. "I can't believe you. You are so, so ... condescending." She stood up, and with a backhanded wave of her hand through the air, sent his sandwich flying over to the counter, allowing it to drop in a fragmented heap next to the sink.

"Hey, my sandwich." He'd accomplished what he'd intended but still wanted his sandwich.

Addison gaped at the mess next to the sink. "I can't believe I just did that."

"See? I told you that you could. You just needed some inspiration, something to ignite that flame of power that's been lying dormant inside of you for way too long." He walked over to salvage what was left of his sandwich, grinning back at her.

"There really aren't any more abilities, are there?"

"That's always a possibility, but none that I know of, and, as I said before, there's really no way to predict what abilities one might acquire from the old gene pool. Your great-grandfather could have had some ability your grandmother and father never used."

"Hmmm ... interesting."

The lights in the Bar and Grill were turned down low. There were only locals left in the place. The old jukebox hummed out "Stand by Your Man" and Jared sat at the bar, nursing a beer, brooding. Darcy sat at the corner table with Lieutenant Whelan. Jared had finally gotten her to see the truth about Tim, but now she had her sights on this fucking cop. Jared watched out of the corner of his eye as she flirted with the lieutenant. Darcy had been the love of his life ever since they were four years old. Always was, always would be. He just needed to convince her of that.

Whelan sat there in his freshly-pressed-highfalutin uniform, dressed to kill as he leaned in, whispering something Jared guessed to be romantic garbage in Darcy's ear. How the fuck was he supposed to compete with a badge and a uniform?

Jared glanced up when Cael and Addie came back in from wherever they had disappeared to right after Addie's shift was over. Now there was a happy couple, he thought. He looked around, noticed Gerry talking with his loving mate, Maia. Now there was Cael and Addie. When was it going to be his turn? He sunk his head in his hands as he felt a friendly slap on his back.

"Hey, there, Jared. Is your shift over now?" Addie sat on the stool next to him, while Cael stood beside her.

"Yeah," he said.

Addie glanced over at the corner table.

"You'd think I'd be over her by now—the way she treats me, flaunting every new guy she meets in my face."

"I don't think she's doing it on purpose. Maybe she just doesn't realize it bothers you."

Jared frowned at Addie. "Hell, you're right, Addie. I'm sure Darcy doesn't give a fucking rat's ass what I think."

Cael and Addie gave each other a sorrowful look at his expense. "Shit, I don't need your pity. I'm going to hit the men's room and head home. You two have a great evening."

Jared finished his business and stood at the sink, washing his hands, when in walked none other than Lieutenant Duane Whelan himself. The lieutenant brushed by him and smiled.

"How's it going, son?" he asked, turning to do his business.

"Fine," Jared mumbled, then noticed something shiny on the floor. He picked it up and saw it was an earring.

"Did you drop this, Lieutenant?"

"Oh, yeah, now there's something I wouldn't want to lose." He pointed to his earlobe. "I have to keep it in my pocket when I'm in uniform—it's against regulations. Thanks, son."

Son? Who the hell did this guy think he was, calling him son? He was what, maybe only a year or two older then he was. Jared wanted to deck him right there, tell him to keep his grimy hands off Darcy, but considered that would only get him a night staring at an old musty striped pillow and an uncomfortable cot to sleep on. Hell, he wasn't even sure they had pillows in jail.

# Chapter Thirty-Two

It was a slow night at the Cliff Hanger and Darcy was there, sitting at a table with the lieutenant. Darcy still wore the same clothes she'd had on earlier, so Addie knew she hadn't gone home yet, and Duane was still in his uniform. She could hardly blame Jared for being upset and leaving in such a huff.

She wished her two good friends could make amends. Addie knew Darcy could hold a grudge for a long time, but enough was enough; a year of brooding was a long time. Either Jared needed to move on, or Darcy needed to give him another chance. But it really wasn't any of Addie's business and she needed to stay out of it, which she would. All she could do was just be there for them.

Addie and Cael stayed in the bar a while longer. There was no point in hurrying back to the beach house, since it wasn't exactly safe anymore. They sat drinking water, as neither one of them was in the mood for alcohol, especially since Addie had gotten sick that morning from the whiskey. The horror of what Eidolon had conjured up in her mind, the fear that he was getting so close, frightened her and her hand shook as she held the glass of water to her lips.

"Maybe you should go stay at the Sectory for the night."

"I'm not going into hiding again. I've spent most of my life moving from town to town and not knowing why. Now I know why, and I'm not going to run anymore. I know my father gave you the responsibility of protecting me, but you have to understand. If we go into hiding, we'll be running for the rest of our lives. Is that what you want? Is that what my father wanted for me? You know it isn't. He knows it's time—time for me to fight Eidolon."

"Time for us to fight Eidolon," Cael added.

Remembering the injuries Cael had already sustained on her behalf, she thought again about leaving while he slept. She wanted to be far away from Cael when she faced Eidolon. Alone.

"I've already had to save your life twice now, haven't I? I'm the one he's after. I'm putting your life at risk. You're the one who should hide."

"Save your breath, Addison, it's not going to work. Do you expect me to sit idly by while you try to destroy him on your own? I know what you're thinking and you're not going after him alone. This is our fight, not just yours, and I won't let you take on Eidolon single-handedly. I've spent my life training for this and you need me—you can't deny that."

"I don't deny anything. I just couldn't bear it if something happened to you."

His eyes twinkled and he took her hand. "I'm glad you feel that way and I feel the same about you, but it doesn't change the fact that we need to face him together. Tomorrow we'll spend the day at the Sectory and refine your skills. We'll work on them all day if we have to. You do have tomorrow off, correct?"

"Yes. One thing, though. I have to wonder, why did my dad have to die? Why couldn't he have stopped Eidolon? Why did he leave it all up to us?"

"One thing? That's three. Why do I find that quirky little trait of yours so charming?"

"What quirky little trait?"

"Never mind. I don't know, to answer your questions. It's been puzzling me, but I do know one thing: your father underestimated you when he kept you hidden all those years. You're a hell of lot stronger than he seemed to give you credit for. By the way, sweetness, we are even on the life-saving score."

"What are you talking about? You haven't saved my life twice."

"Yes, once at the bathroom, the other at the cliff when you were taking pictures."

"You can hardly count the bathroom incident as saving my life. All you did was put your arms out and catch me while I was falling backwards."

"Falling and nearly hitting your head. You could have struck your head on a rock and died. You were heading straight for one." He took a sip of his water and grinned.

"Oh, please, I was not."

"Yes, my sweet, you were."

Addie glanced around. "Whatever. It's near closing and most of the customers are gone. I guess Darcy and Duane left. Did they leave together? Oh well, I suppose it's none of my business."

"No, it's not, and we should leave, too." Cael pushed his chair away from the table as Gerry and Maia walked over to them and sat.

"Cael, you will be joining us for dinner tomorrow night, right?" Maia asked.

Gerry frowned. Cael glanced at him and pulled his chair back in. "Thanks. Yes, Addie did mention it to me. I'd love to."

"Great. I hope you eat meat—I'm making a pot roast."

"That sounds great. Pot roast is one of my favorites."

Addie stood, saying, "Excuse me, I'll be right back. Um, nature calls."

Maia stood and followed Addie to the restroom, leaving the two men alone at the table.

The distrust Gerry felt toward Cael poured out thicker than molasses and seeped into Cael's senses, overpowering all his other emotions. Why was Gerry so interested in what Addison was doing? He didn't care for the way Gerry was always looking at her. Addison had tried to reassure Cael that Gerry had nothing more than brotherly affection for her, but there was something about the way the man looked at her. Cael just wasn't sure what. Ever since he'd met Addison, his perception had been off. He knew Gerry suspected something, and Cael had his own suspicions about Gerry.

"Addie is a beautiful woman, but she's also naive in the romance department," Gerry said.

"I'm not sure what you're implying." Cael was worried that the man was going to admit he'd been intimate with Addison when she'd already denied it.

"What I mean is, Addie hasn't had many dealings with men. She's not the most experienced of women. She's fragile. Maia says she had a few dates during college, but never a serious relationship with anyone."

A great sense of relief came over Cael. "Oh. And you think it's your place to tell me this? I don't think Addison would appreciate it."

"Look, I know you don't like me since I slugged you—"

"You mean sucker-punched me."

"Well, okay. I suppose it was a cheap shot, but I assure you that my intentions were only to protect Addie. Look, before dinner tomorrow night you and I need to get one thing straight. I love Addie."

Cael's neck muscles twitched and his hands fisted. He wanted to pound Gerry right there.

Gerry put a hand on his shoulder. "Hold on now. I love Addie as a younger sister and I'll do whatever it takes to make sure she doesn't get hurt. She is Maia's niece, Maia has always taken care of her, and since I'm with Maia, I look out for both of them. So remove the bloody chip from your shoulder. I just want you to know how vulnerable she is."

Okay, so his perception was off. Maybe Gerry was just concerned for Addison's wellbeing. Hell, he would be, too, if he were in the guy's shoes. Maybe Addison was right and he was jealous. He really needed to get a handle on things.

"I know she's fragile. Why do you think I thought I wasn't good enough for her? That's why I tried to pull away, but she's a bright and strong woman, and I think everyone has underestimated her, including me."

Gerry raised his eyebrows.

"Well, she may be bright and strong, but she's still as sweet as they come."

"Yes, I know."

"Your uncle has nothing but the highest praise for you and I've known him for a long time, so I guess if Addie's going to fall for a man, it might as well be you. Just watch your step."

The moon hung high in the sky and clouds gathered around it like pillows cushioning a baby. Cael and Addie took their time going home, figuring it wasn't going to make a bit of difference. Eidolon knew where they lived no matter how long the trip took. As Addie drove, Cael kept his gaze focused on the sky, and she wondered what Gerry had said to him to make him so quiet. She wished Gerry would mind his own business.

A large column of smoke rising a few blocks away grabbed Cael's attention as he straightened. "There's a fire. Turn here."

She turned the truck down a residential street and pulled over. There were flashing lights from fire trucks in front of a two-story house engulfed in flames. The entire building emanated a flickering orange glow. A cacophony of shouts filled the air while onlookers stood by, gaping as flames roared out through the windows. Firefighters held up hoses spewing water in an attempt to extinguish the fire.

Two firefighters stood at the front door, holding axes, ready to enter the house, when a blast blew them back about five feet, knocking both on their asses as flames burst out in front of them.

Sirens screamed past Addie's ears as a rescue truck whizzed by.

A woman cried as she tried to break loose from the grip of a firefighter preventing her from racing back into the house, "My son, my son, he's in there! Please let me go, he's only four years old. Won't someone please go find him?"

Addie looked at Cael as he unbuckled his seat belt. "No, Cael, you can't go in there." She threw her hand out to stop him, but she was too late; he was gone.

She sat in her truck, stunned by what she was seeing. She unbuckled her seat belt to get out of her truck to help when a hand covered her mouth. She felt a knife at her throat as a raspy and muffled voice spoke close to her ear.

"It looks like your hero is a sucker for trying to save people. This time, though, maybe that fire's just going to burn him alive."

Addie stiffened, but wanted to see the face of her attacker, and turned her head as the knife jabbed harder against her throat.

"Drive, bitch. Turn this fucking truck around and drive—and don't try any of your little telekinetic or sparkler shenanigans on me or I'll kill you right here."

Cael materialized in one of the bedrooms upstairs, the crackle of flames hovering all around him as part of the roof collapsed. A beam clipped him in the shoulder—the same shoulder Addison had healed the other day. Cursing, he clutched at it in agony.

"Hello! Little boy, where are you? Can you hear me?" He didn't know the boy's name, but hoped he would respond.

He managed to get to the other bedroom, but couldn't see anything for the smoke. He checked the bathroom, thinking maybe the boy was hiding in the tub. Where would a scared four-year-old boy hide? He teleported downstairs to the kitchen and called out again. Nothing.

The smoke choked his lungs. He grabbed a towel he found at the sink, ran water over it, and put it up to his face. He walked out of the kitchen and entered what was left of the living room. A table collapsed with a crash as the legs became charred stumps. The sofa roared with flames and glass exploded from the television as Cael heard shouts and the pounding of axes cutting through from outside. Fire surrounded him, but no sign of the boy.

He called out again, his voice hoarse from the smoke. He tuned in his hearing, heard a faint cry come from around the corner and headed in that direction to a closed door. He entered a room he surmised to be a playroom—still unharmed by the fire. There was a large plastic slide, toys scattered all over the floor, and three large plastic blocks interlocked together with a blanket draped over them forming a cozy little fort. He bent down thinking the boy was there. He frowned when he found it vacant, but then remembered ... children will usually hide under a bed or in a closed space. The whimpering came from behind him—a closet. He swung the door open and saw the boy crouched on the floor inside, tears trickling down his freckled cheeks.

"There you are. Come on. Your mommy's waiting for you."

"Mommy, where's Mommy?"

"It's okay, don't be afraid. Come with me, I'll take you to your mommy." He scooped the boy up in his arms and covered him with the blanket from the fort. He looked up and saw the ceiling was about to give way and heard it come crashing down as he teleported them to safety. The heavy smoke lingering in the air disguised their instant appearance behind the house. Cael ran with the boy to the front, where firefighters helped them to the street.

Cael handed the boy to his mother and she cried, hugging the boy and thanking Cael. A firefighter escorted them to the medics.

"Come this way, you need help." A firefighter tugged on Cael's arm.

"No, I'm fine." Cael coughed, shooing him away, but when he tried to stand on his own, his knees buckled. He found himself relying on the help of the fireman as he hobbled over to the medic truck, where he sat on the tailgate, breathing in oxygen from a mask one of the paramedics had affixed to his face.

The fire chief came up to Cael. He was a burly man with a bushy gray mustache and looked as if he'd seen his fair share of fires. "That was a brave thing you did. Are you okay?"

Cael pulled off the oxygen mask. "Yes. How's the little boy?"

"He's probably suffered some minor smoke inhalation, but I think he'll be okay. He was lucky you got to him when you did. Can't say it was a smart thing, you going in there, but it was a brave one. Maybe you should think about a career in firefighting."

"Right. Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."

Cael looked for Addison's truck, but it was gone. Where did she go? Sheer panic ran through his veins. He closed his eyes, trying to feel her essence; she wasn't close. He knew she wouldn't just take off. Something made her leave. Eidolon.

# Chapter Thirty-Three

With a knife at her throat, Addie didn't dare move a muscle, and without her hands, her powers were useless. Strands of material brushed against her neck as her captor spoke with a muffled sound. Guessing he was wearing some sort of hood over his head, the recollection of her nightmares swamped her mind. Fearing the sharp point of the blade would pierce deeper into her flesh, she did as he ordered. Under the tip of the blade, something dripped down her neck. Her dry mouth made speaking—let alone screaming—impossible. Her plan to sneak out later to protect Cael mocked her as the impact of the situation floated to the surface of her consciousness. She'd be dead soon, but all she could think about was Cael running into the fire.

"That's a nice fire I started, isn't it? I knew your boyfriend would try to save that kid. He's a real boy scout, that one. Drive faster, before I shove this blade further into your throat."

Addie pressed down harder on the gas, and the truck accelerated to fifty miles an hour. The speed limit was only twenty-five on the curvy road. She fought to keep the truck steady so she wouldn't lose control and end up topside in a ditch, but maybe that wasn't such a bad idea.

The blade of the knife pierced her skin deeper; the liquid she felt tickling its way between her breasts must be her blood. If she died now, Cael would be safe—assuming he survived the fire. She already knew in her heart he had. He wouldn't have rushed into a fire unless he knew he could teleport out with the boy. Eidolon would continue to search for the journal, but she was the real key here. He wanted the crystal, the book, her abilities, and then he wanted her dead. But if she managed to kill them both ....

She thought of her powers, but couldn't figure out how to wield them without using her hands. Every time she tried to move, the knife pressed harder, so she stayed still for fear of antagonizing him further.

"Pull over here, bitch."

Addie slowed the truck down and pulled over into some gravel. The truck swerved and the front two tires landed in a ditch as the knife jerked, cutting her even more.

"Fucking bitch. Not the smoothest landing, but it'll do."

Maybe she could try something now that she no longer had to concentrate on driving.

Her cell phone rang and she prayed it was Cael.

"Keep your hands on the wheel. That's probably your Mr. Sheridan; I bet he's frantic right now, if he made it out of the fire alive. Don't move your hands. Remember, I can take over your mind if I have to."

Yes, she remembered too well, so she did as he said and kept her hands planted on the wheel. She was frightened, and not sure of his intentions. She wished she could see his face, but he held the knife with the point sticking into her neck, its sharp blade piercing deeper into her skin with the slightest movement.

"Now you listen to me and you won't get hurt—not this time, anyway. You tell me where the crystal is, and while you're at it, the fucking book. Shit, the crystal is worthless to me without the book."

"I don't know what you're talking about. What crystal and book?"

"Don't play stupid with me. You know damn well what crystal and book. I know your father had them hidden all these years. Thought he could fool me. I've had all this time to perfect my powers. They are far greater than his ever were, and greater than yours will ever be. And once I have yours and everyone else's, I'll be even stronger."

"It'll never work."

A piercing sting sliced through her skin as the cold blade sank deeper into her neck.

"Shut up. You don't talk unless I tell you to. I don't give a rat's ass what you think. I want the crystal. You little whore, you thought you could stop me with a few little sparks, but all you managed to do was hurt that poor, defenseless little dog. You have no idea what I'm capable of doing. You will tell me what I want to know or I will kill your friends and your family, one by one, until you tell me. I'll start with your little friend Darcy. I'll snap her neck, but first I'll have my way with her, show her what a real man is like. Tell me now or Darcy will be the first to go."

"I can't, I don't know, please, you're hurting me."

"You're lying."

From somewhere deep inside, Addie found her courage. "Why don't you just go ahead and kill me now, get it over with? It won't make a bit of difference if you do it now or later. You still won't have what you want. Kill me—I don't know where the stupid crystal and book are."

He repositioned his body, reaching around her and she realized she'd only made things worse. He laughed and placed his hand over her breast.

"Nice." He moaned and pinched her nipple hard, bringing tears to her eyes, then moved his hand down, sticking it inside her pants, grabbing at her crotch.

"You're very stupid. You really don't expect me to believe you, do you?" He yanked on the curls of her mound before his fingers slipped inside her and she couldn't hold back the tears that streamed down her face.

"I could take you here. Maybe I should just fuck you until you tell me. If you don't, you'll condemn all those close to you. As your loved ones die off one at a time, you'll be begging to give me what I want. Remember my words for now, and know you will eventually succumb to me."

Addie cringed as he tugged at the hair between her legs again, then her temple exploded with pain just before everything went black.

Cael ran from the site of the burning house and into a thicket, then teleported to the main highway. He was frantic; Addison's truck was nowhere in sight. Then it dawned on him. "Ah shit, I forgot." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He found her name among his contacts and pushed send, hearing the phone ring on her end, but then it went to voicemail. "Addison, for the love of God, where are you? Call me."

He vanished, materializing farther up the road, dashing in and out of space every quarter-mile or so until he became lightheaded. He'd never used so much energy before, never teleported so frequently in such a short amount of time. His throat burned and the smoke lingering in his lungs wasn't helping matters. Wearing down, losing stamina, he bent over, placed his hands on his knees and tried to catch his breath.

"Dear God, where is she? Please give me strength to find her." Cael continued searching, but still no sign of Addison or her truck.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "What good are these powers if I can't use them when I need them?"

Cael had never cried before—at least not since he was a child. He'd wept when his dad left, but those tears soon turned to anger and he vowed never to cry again. These were different, though; they were tears from exhaustion, and most of all, fear for Addison.

Fighting the fatigue, he vanished once more and reappeared again, finally spotting her truck stopped on the shoulder of the highway; the entire front end was stuck in a ditch.

He ran on weak and shaking legs and found her body slumped over on the seat.

"Addison!"

Cael tugged the door open, almost tearing it off its hinges.

"Oh God, Addison." Blood trickled from her neck.

He placed his fingers on her neck to feel for a pulse and felt the sticky blood oozing from a wound.

She moaned.

"Thank God. Addison. Addison, wake up, baby. There you are. Can you hear me?"

Addison moaned again, and slowly opened her eyes. He blinked his wet eyes and smiled. The emotional display would have embarrassed him in the past, but he didn't care if she saw the tears. He'd found her, and she was alive. Nothing else mattered.

She groaned, and touched his cheek. "You've been crying."

"I know, baby, I know. I was so worried." He wiped his face with the back of his hand.

She tried to sit up and brushed her fingers over the bump on her head before lowering them to her neck; it was sticky. When she looked at her hand, she saw the blood, then sank back down on the seat. "Eidolon, it was Eidolon. He—"

"You're going to be okay. I have you now. Come on, I need to get you out of here." He scooped her up, cradled her in his arms.

"I don't know if I'll ever be..." Her voice trailed off as she lost consciousness again.

The muffled sounds of people walking by the glass wall of the ER waiting area continually caught Cael's attention. He sat hunched over his knees in one of the yellow plastic chairs that lined the wall, wishing one of those passersby would be the doctor. What was taking so long? Being the only one in the drab little waiting area and annoyed by the sound of the TV hanging from the wall in the corner, he stood, reached up and switched it off, then paced the gray-carpeted floor. He'd used Addison's cell phone to contact Maia and Gerry. He wasn't sure how bad her injuries were and they'd be pissed if they found out later. Now they were on their way.

He stopped pacing and leaned against the wall with his head back, his eyes squeezed tight, his hands fisted at his sides. The need to punch ... no, more like beat-the-hell-out-of something, raged in his chest. How could he be so stupid, so fucking irresponsible to leave her alone? He turned to slip out the door, to get the hell out of there, to go bash a tree or something, when he saw Maia and Gerry hurrying toward him.

Here we go, he thought as he caught the anger flaring in Gerry's eyes.

"Cael," Maia yelled out as both she and Gerry came running over to him. "Is she okay?"

"I don't know."

Maia placed her hand on Cael's shoulder. "What did the doctor say?"

"Nothing yet. They took her for x-rays or something."

"Where were you when this happened?" Gerry asked.

Cael ran his hand through his hair; he wanted to pace, to pound something. He didn't want to stand there and answer questions.

"We were on our way home and there was a house on fire. We stopped; I ran out to help. When I came back, her truck was gone. I found her a short way up the highway. She must have gone to try to turn the truck around or something and landed in a ditch. She banged her head pretty badly. God, if anything happens to her... I'll never forgive myself." He was used to lying or stretching the truth, but never liked it, especially this time.

Gerry glared at him, but he didn't care. He'd even considered not calling them, but the gash on her neck would only make them suspicious and worried if they were to see it and not know what happened.

The doctor finally came out. "Are any of you folks here waiting for Addison MacKenna?"

"Yes," they answered as one.

"Well, she's doing fine. The injury to her neck required seven stitches, which should dissolve on their own, and she has a minor concussion. She should be feeling much better by tomorrow."

"Oh, thank God," Maia said.

"We took a CT scan of her head and there doesn't seem to be any major trauma, and no hemorrhaging. Her vision and reflexes are fine. She's good to go whenever she's ready. Because of the concussion, she'll need to have someone stay with her through the night and wake her every couple of hours, just as a precaution.

"She says she doesn't remember what happened. Can any of you tell me?"

Gerry and Maia looked at Cael.

Cael cleared his throat and stuck his hands in his pockets. "I'm not sure. When I found her, she'd passed out in her truck in a ditch on the side of the road. I can only assume she lost control of the truck somehow."

"Well, she's lucky you showed up when you did. With a little rest, she'll recover nicely."

"Thank you, doctor. Thank you so very much," Maia said.

"You're welcome. You can see her now."

Addison was still lying on the bed when all three of them entered her room. Cael rushed to her side and took her hand. Maia went to her other side. Gerry stood at the end of the bed, arms crossed over his chest.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I never should have left you alone."

"We're just glad you're okay, sweetie," Maia said.

"Do you know how you lost control of the truck, Addie?" Gerry asked.

Addison glanced at Cael before answering. Cael noted the sudden shift in Gerry's feet, and he sensed the man's suspicions.

"I'm trying to remember, but my head's still a bit fuzzy. I should get dressed. The doctor said I could leave, right?"

"Sure, sweet thing. Maia, you help her. Cael and I will wait out in the hall."

Cael kissed Addison on the forehead before leaving the room.

In the hallway, Gerry leaned up against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, fury welling in his eyes. "How did she get the gash in her neck?"

"I can't answer that. I know you blame me for this, but—"

"Fucking A! I should beat the bloody hell out of you, is what. Lucky for you, I promised Maia I wouldn't."

Cael only nodded. "Look, I take full responsibility for what happened."

Cael shuddered when he thought about it. That sick bastard could have killed her tonight, but he figured he was toying with them, at least until he located the crystal and the book. He wondered why Addison hadn't tried to use her powers—but maybe she had.

"It's too late for that. I think you should stop seeing her."

Did Gerry really think he had that much control over Addison? "What? I think that should be—"

Addison and Maia stepped out from the room.

"Addie, you'll stay with us tonight," Gerry commanded as they all walked out of the hospital.

"No! I don't think I need a babysitter. No offense, Maia, but I'd rather stay with Cael tonight, if you don't mind."

Gerry was a hard-ass, and played the fatherly role a bit too heavy, in Cael's opinion. He secretly smiled when Addison stood up to the man.

"No, sweetie, of course I don't mind. We'll drop you two off at the truck." Maia gave Gerry a calming pat on the shoulder and Cael figured she understood that Gerry was acting like a jerk.

"The truck is in a ditch, Maia. We'll have to call for a tow tomorrow," Gerry said.

"I'll take care of it," Cael assured them.

"We'll give you a ride to your place then," Maia said.

The ride home was agonizingly quiet. Cael took a silent deep breath as he and Addison left the car. Just before Gerry steered the car away from Cael's rental house, Maia stuck her head out the window. "Nice place, Cael. Don't forget, dinner tomorrow night. Will seven work for you?"

"Sounds great. We'll be there."

Cael and Addison strolled toward the door arm in arm.

"Did you save the boy?"

"Yes, but I almost lost you." The unbearable thought wrenched his gut.

# Chapter Thirty-Four

They entered the house and Addie headed straight upstairs. She left the light off, needing the comfort of the dark. She hoped it would ease the ordeal of telling Cael everything, not being sure of how he would deal with it. God, she wasn't even sure how she was coping. Remembering the whole horrible experience had her trembling as she sat on the bed. Cael came over and sat beside her. Draping his arm around her, he drew her in and reached for the light.

"No, please. Leave it off."

"Tell me what happened."

Moving away from him, she sank back against the pillow, slung her arm across her forehead, and closed her eyes. "It was Eidolon."

"Yes, so you said before you passed out. Tell me what happened." His hands clenched, watching her.

She opened her eyes but kept them lowered, unable to look at him. "I'm trying! It's just..."

"I'm sorry. I know it must be difficult. Eidolon is very powerful."

He misunderstood, and she shook her head. Maybe if she just eased into the assault, one horrible step at a time. Addie sucked in a deep breath and started with the easy part.

"He was waiting for you to leave. He set the fire and knew you'd go in to rescue that little boy. When you disappeared, I unbuckled my seatbelt so I could get out, but he stopped me, put a knife to my throat. I'm not sure how he got in the truck; I wasn't paying attention to anything other than the fire, and I was so afraid for you. I didn't have a chance to think and I couldn't figure out how to free my hands to use my powers." Her voice trembled. She lowered her arm and sat up.

Cael scooted closer. "I'm sorry."

She sighed again, twisting her fingers together on her lap. "With the knife at my neck, he told me to drive, so I did. He kept telling me to go faster, and when he told me to pull over, I lost control of the truck and plowed into the ditch. He swore he'd kill everyone I know if I didn't give him the crystal and the book, starting with Darcy. He said he'd have his way with her first, I think he meant sexually, before killing her. I heard my phone ring, but he wouldn't let me answer it. He told me to keep my hands on the wheel. Every time I tried to move, he pressed the knife harder into my neck."

Addie stopped talking and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to find the courage to go on, to talk about it, to release the anger, the fear, the filth, the humiliation, and the hate from taking over and consuming her for life. Would she ever be the same?

"Cael..." she hesitated, looked out the window and closed her eyes.

A rock developed in Cael's gut as he stared at her. "What is it?"

Addison kept her gaze on the window, avoiding his, and he wanted to yank her out of the shell she suddenly withdrew into until she finally said, "He touched me."

"What? Where?" Fury rose in his veins as heinous thoughts skated through his mind.

"My breast. He..."

"What else did he do?"

"I can't ... I don't know if I can." Addison lowered her head into her hands and sobbed. "He stuck his hand down my pants and yanked at my crotch and ... and put his fingers in me. God, I feel so dirty."

He rose and turned toward her—his one hand fisted into the other—and felt the unchecked rage rise in his eyes.

"Cael?"

"I'm not handling this very well. You have no fucking idea."

"Please, don't. I can't bear it. You found me. You were there for me when I needed you." Her voice quaked through sobs, almost incomprehensible.

"No! Fuck! I wasn't there! I should have been there! He touched you! He touched you, for Christ's sake!"

"I'm okay," she said, trembling.

"No, you're not. I'm not. I'm not okay. God, why didn't I sense him? It's one of my abilities. I swear I'll kill him."

Cael's voice shook with each word, with each quiver of every muscle in his neck. His veins pulsed, threatening to burst. Addison sat still, staring at him, her cheeks blotchy and tear-tracked. The vehemence behind his eyes ignited and he felt dangerous. He'd been so calm and steady, so attentive to her needs—staying centered for her—and now he paced the floor like an angry tiger in a cage. He took another look at her and, not wanting her to see his rage, dematerialized.

Materializing down at the beach, he kicked sand into the air. He ran to the wall of the cliff and pounded his fist into it, making a hole the length of his arm. He had no control over Eidolon and his abilities and it scared the hell out of him. God, he wished he had the power to give Addison back those last few hours; he should never have left her alone in the truck.

Shit. What did he just do? He'd left her again. Leaving her, even for this short amount of time, was detrimental, unforgiveable. Standing down here sniveling like a two-year-old wasn't helping anything. He shook his head, swiping tears from his cheeks with the backs of his hands, then closed his eyes and disappeared, praying she was still safe and would forgive him for abandoning her again.

Addie had forced herself to think of Cael, standing to comfort him, but he'd vanished without a word. The room spun around her and she sank back down on the bed. She wanted to wash the filth off her body, but couldn't make the world stay still long enough to get undressed. She buried her face in her arms and cried, wondering if Cael hated her now or thought she was dirty.

She looked up at the distant sound of his voice whispering her name and blinked as she watched him materialize in front of her. Red-rimmed eyes suggested he'd been crying.

Weren't they a pair?

She sat up, waited, unsure if he would still want to touch her. Did he think she was dirty now? Damaged goods? Oh, God. Would she be able to accept his caresses?

He sat next to her, his hands in his lap. "I'm sorry. This isn't about me. You don't need me ranting and raving right now. I ... I'm sorry that happened to you. I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you. God, Addison, I am so sorry."

Somehow, she found the strength. "You have nothing to be sorry about. You had no idea it was a trap." She sniffled, wiping away tears with her fingers. "You and I both know ... even if you had been aware of him, with the raging fire and the little boy—you had to save him, no matter what. The child would have died if you hadn't gone in for him."

"I know you're right. I had to save him, but at what cost? The life of a kid for yours? Either way, I don't think I could live with myself. I'm sorry. I can't imagine how you feel, but please don't feel dirty, baby. You have no reason to feel that way. You're beautiful." He pulled her close and stroked her hair, then brushed his lips lightly on her forehead.

"I think I'd like to ... clean up now, take a shower." She needed to remove every trace of Eidolon from her body.

"Sure, but better make it a bath," he said.

"Why?"

"Stitches."

Cael covered her neck with plastic wrap and secured it with tape so the stitches didn't get wet. He helped her bathe, being careful to keep the water away from her neck. He washed her hair, massaging her head, and she almost fell asleep in the tub.

He carried her to bed, lay down beside her, and held her close. She accepted his arms, the gentle tugging reassuring.

"Cael?"

"Yes."

"Don't let go."

"I won't, baby. Just hold on as tight as you want."

He held on to her. His arms were strong, protective and gave her courage. After a few silent minutes, Addie said, "Eidolon said the dog that bit you wasn't actually him, but he was controlling its actions somehow, the same way he controlled my mind."

"Then I was wrong about him; he's not a shape shifter after all, just a mind controller."

"You mean like Raz?" she asked.

"Similar, but Raz can't control what people do. He can only make them see things. What a person does while seeing them is up to the individual. Eidolon must be far more dangerous than we thought. He must believe that if he has the power of the crystal and steals everyone's abilities, he'd be able to control everyone in the world that way."

"What? You mean like puppets?"

"Yes, exactly."

"I'd rather die."

"Yeah, me, too."

He kissed the top of her head as she drifted off to sleep in his arms.

Cael did as the doctor instructed and roused Addison every couple of hours. She woke once on her own, screaming from a nightmare, but he cradled her in his arms and she soon drifted off again. He didn't know what he would have done if she had died. He was supposed to protect her. How could he have just left her there?

He let her sleep while he showered and dressed, and then went down to start breakfast, hoping she would wake soon from the aroma of bacon and coffee swirling up the stairs. The powers of a hungry stomach were on his side; he looked up from the stove and saw her standing in the doorway, wearing only his shirt. He thought of scooping her up in his arms and carrying her back to bed, but considering what happened last night, he went back to cooking. Damn fucking bastard. He would kill Eidolon if it was the last thing he did.

He pasted on a smile and said, "Look at you. You had a near-death experience less than ten hours ago, and you still manage to tempt my manhood." He flinched slightly as the words left his lips, thinking that it might be too soon for that kind of talk. The vision of her not only had him spilling eggs over the counter as his whisking increased with his blood flow, but his sense of timing and lack of appropriate behavior deserved a serious flogging.

"Your manhood doesn't require much coaxing."

"Lucky you." He smiled, relieved when she smiled back. "Hmmm, you do look delicious in my shirt."

"See? I rest my case. I hope you don't mind. I took another bath and didn't want to get dressed yet."

"Not at all. That shirt probably reeks of me, though."

"That's a good thing." She rubbed her hands up and down her arms. "It is a bit chilly in here."

"Go spark up the fire. I'll bring breakfast to you."

"You're spoiling me. If you keep this up I'm going to expect this when we're old, you know."

He froze and stared at her, not sure he heard her correctly. "Old?"

"If we get to be old, that is. Um ... I'll just be out here." She gestured toward the living room.

Careful, Addie, you might scare the man away; as it is, you damn near rendered him speechless. The fire crackled, and the sofa felt cozy as she curled up on it, pulling the small blanket off the back and covering her legs. She touched her hand to her stitches and tried to keep from thinking about last night. She hoped the scar wouldn't be too noticeable.

The journal Cael had stashed under the cushion poked her in the rear. Pulling it out she examined it and considered how a little book could cause such chaos.

Cael strolled in, carrying a tray with two plates of bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast. Two glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice and two cups of coffee completed the meal. He had even put a beautiful pink rose in a little white vase.

He placed the tray on the table, then bent down and kissed her softly on the lips.

"This is wonderful, thank you. You must have grown up on another planet, because the men I know from Planet Earth don't usually know how to crack an egg, let alone scramble one and present it with such elegance."

"Oh, sure they do. What about Jared? I'm sure he can scramble up a couple of eggs. Maybe the flower's a bit much?" He scrunched up the corner of his mouth, giving her half a grin.

"No, the flower's perfect, but where do you keep finding them this time of the year?"

"You forget whom you're talking to."

"Right. But I'm beginning to feel guilty; you've been doing all the cooking."

He handed her a fork. "I don't mind. I enjoy cooking. It's a nice stress release."

She took a bite and then a sip of coffee. "I'll cook tomorrow night, since we're going to Maia's tonight."

"You can cook?"

"Of course I can cook, I just don't do it much. I don't like to cook for just me—it seems like too much work for one person—but I'd love to cook something for you. You know, Thanksgiving is Thursday. Maia's going to want us over there for dinner then, too, if that's what you'd like to do ... I mean ... I don't want to assume anything here, and with what's going on with Eidolon and all, but if we're still alive, would you like to go over there for Thanksgiving? I'll bake a pie. What's your favorite pie? Do you even like pie?"

Cael chuckled. "There you go again, asking all those questions without waiting for an answer. Let's see if I get this in the right order ... yes, any kind, and yes, I love pie."

Addie grinned, then winced when a shooting pain ran down her neck. Touching the bandage, she thought about the scar.

"I don't think you will scar badly. I'm sure it'll enhance the sexy warrior princess look you have going, and if that's the case, I'm doomed. When I look at you, I see a very brave woman, a woman I am very proud to be with."

Addie was surprised, in light of what had happened last night, that her relationship with Cael was as vibrant as ever, and he still wanted her as much as he had before. At least she hoped he wasn't putting on a ruse just to make her feel better. "Well, don't expect me to wear a sexy little costume."

"Aw, why not?"

She shrugged and grinned.

"Does that mean maybe?"

She shook her head.

"Now you've shattered all my fantasies."

Addie smiled and took a bite of toast.

After they ate, Cael took the tray back to the kitchen, refilling both of the coffee cups before coming back to settle next to her on the sofa. He sat with one arm around her and sipped at the strong brew.

"Cael, maybe we should destroy the journal."

He frowned. "The book is very valuable to our people."

"I don't see why."

"It contains our history, our purpose, and the passage for change—maybe not for our generation, but for a future one. Without the journal, the words would be lost, and without the words, the change can't occur."

"It seems to me the book's just going to destroy humanity. Why don't we throw it in the fire and let it burn?"

"Well, darling, it's true that if it fell into the wrong hands, it would be lethal, but some day, when society is ready, it may be very useful."

Addie stood, picked up the book, and glanced at the fire, then at Cael.

He shrugged. "Go ahead."

She tossed it in the fire. It rested on a log, flames encircled it, but the book remained intact. "The flames don't seem to be penetrating the cover. You knew that's what would happen."

"Well, now you know, too. Come, sit here," he patted his knee, "enjoy your coffee, because we need to leave soon to get your truck."

She sat on his lap and watched the flames dance around the unscathed book.

# Chapter Thirty-Five

"I am ready."

"I don't want you to get overheated. We'll take it easy at first, okay?"

Sitting in the cab of Addie's truck waiting for the towing service to arrive, Addie argued with Cael, certain she should start training again. Trying to convince Cael was another story. Fog shrouded most of the copse to her left, but toward the ocean, the haze thinned and a small whirlwind made its way across the road. She opened the window and a swoosh of cold air blew in, robbing the cab of the warmth from the heater Cael had just turned off.

"What are you doing? Close that window before we turn into popsicles."

"You said you didn't want me to get overheated."

He sighed. "You're an incorrigible little weasel. Okay, you can train today. Just close the window."

Once the towing service arrived, it took thirty minutes to pull Addie's truck from the ditch, since it had rained during the night, burying the front tires in two feet of mud.

They went to the Sectory and stopped in to see Red, hoping that maybe he could do something to speed up the healing of Addie's neck wound and perhaps avoid the dreaded scar.

They entered the medical facility and saw Red standing at a white counter cluttered with microscopes, a variety of borosilicate glass beakers, boiling flasks, graduated cylinders and test tubes full of different colored liquids.

He stood over a little brown dog, which appeared to be dead. Within a few seconds, the dog twitched and sprang to life. Red hugged the dog and waved to Cael and Addie.

"Come on in. This is Butters. He fell into the freezing lake this morning, and when I fished him out, he had hypothermia. But I think he'll be okay now. Isn't that right, Butters?" He ruffled the dog's fur and scratched him behind the ears as he eyed Addie.

"Addison, what happened?" Red touched his fingers to her neck.

"Eidolon got to her last night. She needed seven stitches. Can you do anything to speed up the healing?"

"Well, possibly." He gave Cael a puzzled look.

"Yes, she has the power to heal, but she can't heal herself."

Red looked at Addie. "Well, now, I believe you can."

"What do you mean? I already tried, but nothing happened," Addie said.

"It's something your father and I were experimenting with. First, we need to take out those nasty stitches, though.

He motioned to a cot. "Lie down over here. This will hurt and I can't give you anything for the pain. You'll need to be completely coherent for the healing."

"Not even any numbing stuff?" Cael asked.

"No, the nerves need to remain intact in order to react properly."

Addie sank down on the cot and reached for Cael's hand.

"Go ahead, baby, squeeze all you want."

"Steady now; take a deep breath and exhale, good, good. There's one."

"Great, only six more to go." She managed to stifle the urge to scream as he took out the other six stitches, and Cael's hand turned white from the pressure of hers as she cringed with each extraction.

Red dabbed some sort of ointment on the wound.

"You're very brave. I doubt Cael would've been able to endure that." He glanced at Cael's frowning face. "Women have a remarkable tolerance for pain. Perhaps that's why they were chosen for the task of childbirth."

"Huh..." Cael rubbed his hand up and down his thigh, as though willing the circulation back.

"Now, Addison, sit up. I want you to look at me and place your hand in mine. I'm going to place my other hand on your neck. It will feel very warm. I want you to say the healing words. Do you remember what they are?"

"Yes."

"Good."

Addie closed her eyes and spoke, "Vis curatio vox secundum ..."

"You don't need to say them aloud, just hear them in your mind."

Addie opened her eyes. "Oh, okay."

Staring up at Cael, she thought of the words and felt a burn on her neck. Stifling the urge to scream, she squeezed Cael's hand again. The pain soon faded and she relaxed as her neck began to heal.

Cael brushed his finger against her skin where the wound had been. "That was incredible, Red. How long have you known about this?"

"Risteard and I'd been playing around with it for a few months. It all happened by accident one day, when he inadvertently stabbed himself in the hand. He came to see me, and when I held his hand to examine it, he repeated the healing phrases. With the combination of both our abilities, his hand healed. After that we tried it several times and it worked in every case."

Red examined Addie's neck, and then stood. "All healed. You seem to be getting a handle on your abilities."

Addie touched her neck, amazed. "Thanks, Red. Next time I'm injured, I'll come see you first. Warrior princess or not, I really hated the idea of a scar."

"Beg your pardon?" Red said.

"Never mind," Cael replied.

The training level was fireproof, and the best place for Addison to practice. Cael set up blocks of wood and several unbreakable objects in between the weight machines and the pool. She shattered pieces of wood into splinters and moved objects around the room with her mind. He was pleased to see that her skills were progressing, but she still lacked the force required to cause fatal damage. He contacted Razvan about his ability; the similarities to Eidolon's were too close to ignore.

While Addison worked on her skills, he flipped though the ancient codices, discovering one documenting every known type of ability dating back to 587 A.D. He read about a man who'd lived in the 16th century who controlled minds. Although he wasn't a menace, most regarded him with great respect and some actually feared him. When he took over someone's mind, he had the ability to make them do anything he wanted, similar to hypnotism, but with much greater power.

"Hmmm ... interesting." He grabbed his phone and called his mother.

Feeling tense and nervous about her date with Duane, Darcy headed to her bathroom. She grabbed an oversized towel from the closet and filled the tub. She opened the cupboard under the tiled counter and picked up some lavender scented bath salt. She poured two capfuls in the water, inhaled the soothing fragrance, and waited for the bubbles to rise to the brim of the white porcelain tub. A foaming bath, a glass of wine and the new book she'd recently purchased should help settle her nerves.

She soaked, sipped at the golden liquid and read until something in the book reminded her of Jared—that unforgivable night he'd slept with Hannah Johnson. The night that started out perfect, but ended up ruining the rest of her life.

They were on their way to a movie when they'd run into Bill and Doug—Jared's two best friends at the time. It was Doug's birthday and the guys begged Jared and Darcy to come out and drink with them instead of going to the movie. Darcy had agreed, but when Jared drank too much, she'd gotten upset and left him at the mercy of his friends. If she'd only stayed, he would've come home with her and they'd still be together. Jared had gotten very drunk and his friends thought it would be fun to coax him into sleeping with Hannah. Some friends. Jared didn't even remember the incident, and she knew it hadn't been entirely his fault. Hannah bragged about it all over town, but since Jared had been so drunk, Darcy was sure he hadn't been able to get it up. The ho just said he did. But Darcy still had her pride, after all, and had had no choice but to break up with him.

Darcy soaked until her fingers pruned. She didn't want to dress too early, so she wrapped up in her robe and took extra time applying her makeup and doing her hair. She jumped when someone knocked on the door. It was only four in the afternoon, too early for Duane.

Siana appeared in the training room, frowning as though irritated that Cael had interrupted her day, and marched to the small lounge area where Cael was sitting on one of the black leather chairs. Addie strolled over to say hello. Siana wore her hair down this time, and Addie admired the way it flowed to her shoulders, as dark and thick as Cael's. Two tiny pearls adorned her ears, and her black pants with the sapphire blue sweater accentuated the warm blue of her eyes, emphasizing the woman's elegance. Her outfit was quite a contrast to Addie's spandex workout pants and Nike sports bra. Addie felt dreadfully unattractive, standing there with sweat dripping down her cheeks and her hair pulled back with an elastic band.

"Hello, Addison, nice to see you again. I see you're making progress."

"Yeah, I think so. I'm actually starting to enjoy this."

"Good. The sooner you learn all there is to know, the better. We'll need your abilities to help defeat Eidolon."

Siana took a seat on one of the vacant chairs across from Cael and motioned to Addie to join them. "I spoke to Razvan, and he wanted me to tell you he'd be up as soon as he's finished looking over some papers. What's so urgent?"

Cael placed his open book down on the table in front of him. He turned to his mother and tried to keep his hands steady despite the adrenaline building in his veins. "I can't believe I never thought of this before. Mom, I need you to think about sex."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Okay, sorry, um ... think about your wedding night, then. Think about what it felt like."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

Siana sat with her arms crossed for a second. "Okay, so I thought about it. Why?"

"I couldn't sense your thoughts. I got a total blank."

"Yes, so?"

"Listen, there was a man back in 976 A.D. who controlled minds, but had been unable to control his own wife's mind. She had the ability to block him somehow. So, don't you see? You can block me from sensing your thoughts."

"Yes."

"Then I should be able to block you from mine, right?"

"Of course."

"Why didn't you ever tell me this?"

Siana blushed. "I ... well, there are things a mother needs to hide from her son, but when you were small, I didn't want you hiding things from me. If I'd taught you to block your feelings and desires, I wouldn't have been able to save you. Remember the time you went swimming by yourself and almost drowned? I never would have known you were going to jump in the pool in time to rescue you."

"I did that?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Okay, but when I grew up, why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, it certainly wasn't intentional. The subject just never came up."

"What do you mean, it never came up?" His neck muscles tensed and his voice cracked with the word "mean."

"Wait a minute. So we can't use our abilities unless they're introduced to us?" Addison interrupted.

"No," Cael barked and Addison flinched.

He softened his voice. "That's not entirely correct. I just never thought of blocking someone before. Just like you never thought of moving objects with your mind. Mom, I can't believe you kept something as important as this from me."

"Cael, how was I supposed to know you never thought of it? I never needed my father to tell me about it. You haven't lived with me since you were eighteen."

His face flushed with heat.

Siana's cheeks reddened even more. "Really, Cael, I never violated your privacy when you were a teenager."

Addison covered the smirk on her face with her hand and Cael wanted to crawl in a hole. He really didn't need this embarrassing topic clouding his thoughts right now.

He cleared his throat. "Getting back to the point, I need you to show me how, so I can learn to block Eidolon from controlling my mind."

"Actually, I'm sorry. I didn't know Eidolon was capable of mind control. You didn't tell me."

"We haven't had an opportunity to talk to you since his attack."

"He attacked? Oh, God, are you all right?" She looked from Cael to Addison.

"Red helped Addison. He removed seven stitches from her neck and helped heal her. But Eidolon hurt her. Badly." Cael clenched his fists, unable to block the visions in his mind from his mother as he remembered every heinous detail of what Addison had told him about the assault. Siana's eyes grew huge.

Siana glanced at Addison. "I'm so sorry! Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, but thank you. I'll be okay."

Cael told Siana what had happened with the dog, the fire, and the episode with Addison in her truck.

"I wish I had known Eidolon was capable of these things. Cael, you should be able to keep him out of your mind and, while you're at it, block him from Addison, as well."

"What do you mean?" He was on his feet, hands fisted on his hips, staring down at his mother.

"Addison, would you like some tea? I'll need to speak to Cael alone about this."

"Sure, I'd love some." Addison smiled, and Cael arched his brow, knowing how much she loved that tea.

"I don't want to leave her alone. Why can't we discuss this in front of her?"

Ignoring Cael, Siana said, "I'll call Ben, and he can come down and bring some tea and sit with Addison. I'll have him bring Breena down, too, since I left her with him."

Cael plopped down on the brown leather sofa, crossed his arms over his chest, and put his feet up on the glass coffee table, knowing how much it irritated his mother.

She didn't comment on it and that irritated him, too. Siana kept the lights dim, the way his father had like it. Cael thought of the many times in his youth he'd walked into this room wanting to turn the lights up, but knew that if he did, he'd be scolded. He eventually learned the reason behind his dad preferring less light, thinking it gave him more of an edge on his wife's ability to sense his moods. Cael knew it didn't help, but whatever the old man wanted, his mother gave him. His dad eventually admitted the lights didn't help; nothing helped. He couldn't handle the idea of his wife, and soon his son, being able to know his thoughts, so he left.

"Okay, Mom, spill."

"I'm sorry about what happened to Addison. I know you're feeling responsible."

"Yeah."

"I didn't want to talk in front of her. I know how you feel, but I haven't had an opportunity to find out how she feels about you."

"You stay out of her mind," he warned.

"If that's what you want, I will." She reached for the tea Ben had prepared for them.

"That's what I want."

Siana sighed, picked up her cup, and took a sip. "If your love for Addison is real, and if—now I say if—she feels the same for you, then you should be able to project your mind to merge with hers. But this can only take place if you truly love her and she loves you."

"What is this, a joke? This isn't some fucking ... sorry, some lame fairytale. This is real life, Mother, and much more dangerous." He put his feet down, picked up his tea and sipped.

"It's very difficult, but it has happened before, though not for centuries. When two people with special gifts are deeply in love, their passion for one another strengthens their powers. Together, you and Addison—if you are indeed meant for each other—will be very powerful."

"I don't get it. I mean, I know there aren't many of us, but why do we continue to choose mates without abilities if we know we would be more powerful together?"

"No one ever chooses whom they fall in love with, you know that. Not everyone is lucky enough to meet someone else with abilities and actually fall in love with that person. Do you know how Addison feels about you? Is she in love with you?"

Cael sipped his tea, remembering the conversation he and Addison had had the other night about children.

"I'm not sure. My intuitive gift is foggy with her. She can be rather ambivalent at times."

"Maybe she's not sure how you feel about her and is reluctant to show her own emotions. Some women aren't comfortable exposing their feelings for a man unless he's revealed his first, especially in a new relationship. Have you told her you love her?"

"No."

"But you've made love to her."

"That's none of your business and I prefer not to discuss my sex life with you. I've only known her a little over a week and I'm not in the habit of telling women I love them, especially after such a short time."

He took another sip of tea and Siana sat silently, looking at him.

"Oh, hell, I think I love her, but I need to be careful. Infatuation and lust feel very similar to love. I need to be sure. And, we've been a little busy lately with Eidolon."

"You have time to make love, but not time to discuss love?"

"You have me there, but it's difficult."

Siana set her cup down and stood. "Well, now you see why I wanted to have this conversation in private. Think about it, Cael, but don't take too long. You're running out of time. Let's get back downstairs before Breena talks Addison's ears off about her Barbie collection."

The idea of Addison and Breena discussing dolls tickled Cael, and he wondered how Addison would deal with that. He thought she had a fondness for children, but he wasn't sure.

Cael and Siana materialized back in the training center, where Addison and Breena sat cross-legged on the floor, patting each other's hands in time with some sort of rhyme they were singing. Breena had on the gloves she usually wore when she didn't want to see someone's future. Good thing, Cael mused as he sat on the black leather chair he'd been in earlier while Siana took the other one. Addison actually looked as if she knew the words and the different hand placements and seemed to be enjoying herself.

When the song was finished, they both jumped up and Breena ran over to Cael, jumping on his lap.

"Addison knows a lot of fun songs and she promised to teach me a new one every time she comes to see me."

Cael looked up at Addison and felt his heart tug. "That's cool, squirt. Listen, I need to work with Grammy for a while. Addison, would you mind taking Breena over there and showing her your powers while I work with my mom?"

"Of course not. Come on, Breena, let's go." Addison took Breena's gloved hand in hers and they walked to the area of the room Cael had set up for her to practice. Cael smiled as they walked hand in hand with their arms swinging all the way.

Siana and Cael stood. His smile vanished as he faced her. She placed her hands on his shoulders and looked into his eyes.

"Okay, first I want you to clear your mind and meditate."

"It's hard to mediate standing here with you staring at me."

"Concentrate."

"Okay, okay." He closed his eyes and relaxed his shoulders.

"Good, I can't get anything from you. Now think of something while you meditate."

"How?"

"Focus, Cael, you can do it."

He let out his breath and thought about taking Addison away when this was all over.

"Good, I couldn't detect a single thought or emotion. Now, think of something you really never ever want me to know about, but at the same time think of something you do want me to know about."

Cael stood and thought about sex—what else could he think about with Addison so close?

"Keep it clean, please," his mother said before he'd had a chance to think of something else.

He thought about sex with Addison again, but more specifically, sex on a deserted island, but also thought of Thanksgiving dinner with her aunt—and how he was dreading it because Gerry would be there.

"Okay, I'm a little upset that you're not going to be here for Thanksgiving, but what does this Gerry have to do with anything?"

"Oh, it's a long story—some other time. Anything else?"

"No."

"Really? Wow. Sorry about Thanksgiving, but I'm sure I can persuade Addison to drop by here for a short while, if you promise hors d'oeuvres and cocktails."

"Yes, of course, that would be lovely."

"It's all about the chaos, right? That's why I can't read people when they're confused. Let's try it again." He was excited and felt as if he were twelve years old again, when he'd first learned how to teleport.

After a short while, Razvan came in.

"What's up, Cael?"

"Oh, hey, Raz, my man. I was wondering if I could get your help with something since you have the ability of illusion, similar to Eidolon."

"Hmmm... When did he acquire that?"

"Don't know, but he has it."

"This is news to me. I didn't think anyone could ... well, never mind. What can I do to help?"

"I'd like you to throw some visions into my mind. I want to try to shield them."

"What type of visions?"

"Something I wouldn't like—something that might hurt. The worse the better."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"All right, then. This should be interesting. I've never given anyone an unpleasant vision."

Cael buckled over, clutching his gut in agony as a six-inch blade plunged into his stomach. He knew it was only a vision Raz threw into his mind, but he couldn't make the pain go away. As he gaped at the blood oozing from the imaginary wound, he heard Addison and Breena gasp with horror as they came rushing over.

"I thought you couldn't make someone do something they didn't want to do," Addison said.

"I can make him experience pain from what he sees or thinks is happening, but I can't make him walk across the room," Raz confirmed.

"That's very confusing," Breena said.

"Stop, Raz, stop! I can't do this," Cael choked out, still clutching his stomach.

Siana leaned into Razvan and whispered something in his ear. Razvan's eyes grew huge, as if in shock, but he nodded.

Cael screamed, "No, stop! Please. Oh no, oh God!"

After a few seconds, he stood straight and stared at Raz, his jaw unclenched, his shoulders relaxed, his expression unwavering. He took a deep breath. "Man, don't ever put that vision in my head again."

"Well, it looks like you're not going to let me anymore. You're blocking me now."

"What happened?" Addison asked.

Raz patted Cael on the shoulder. "You can relax now, man, I stopped."

Raz turned to Addison. "I showed him a virtual scene of you dying."

"Oh." Addison paled as Breena's gloved hand squeezed hers.

# Chapter Thirty-Six

Darcy opened the door, expecting to find Addie or Ed Lewis, the apartment manager. She was surprised to find Jared standing on the other side, leaning with one arm up against the doorframe.

"What do you want?" Darcy held her robe closed with one hand and the door open with the other.

"I want to talk."

"Jared, there's nothing to talk about, and I don't have time anyway. I have a date tonight, and I need to get ready."

Her heart pounded in her chest at the sight of him leaning against the doorjamb, with his blond curls hanging down over his forehead. His blue jeans hugged his thighs just tight enough to show off the curve in his hamstring, and Darcy wished she didn't have a date. She hadn't seen Jared outside of work in such a long time she'd almost forgotten how sexy he really was.

"Please, just hear me out." He dropped his arm down and put his hand on the door she held open.

"Okay, come on in, but only for a minute."

"Thanks. Do you have any beer?"

"You want a beer? You come to my door three hours before I have a date with another man and you want a beer?" She wasn't sure why, but she went and grabbed a beer out of her refrigerator and handed it to him.

"Thanks." He twisted off the cap and took a long pull on the bottle.

"Okay, what do you want?" Darcy picked up the glass of wine she'd been nursing and sipped, keeping her eyes on him.

"I don't care if you have a date tonight. I've stood by for a year now, watching you date. I came over to tell you one more time that I'm sorry for what happened with Hannah. You have to believe me, I was passed out drunk and don't remember having sex with her. I'm not even sure I did, but she said we did. When I woke up and saw her next to me, well ... shit, this is old stuff. We've gone over it so many times before, Darce; I don't know what else to say to you, other than I love you. I wake up every morning wishing I didn't love you anymore. But it's you, baby, it's always been you. I've always loved you, since we were kids. I can't move on, I've tried. There's nobody else I want to be with but you, nobody else I want to touch. I want you back, and I'm willing to do anything, anything you want."

Darcy's heart melted. Melted. Her entire body tingled with excitement and she couldn't believe what she was considering after all this time. Could she actually still love him?

"Look, Darce, we've been dancing around this thing for a year now. I'm tired."

"Maybe we should just listen to the music for a while, then." She stepped toward him, her fingers touched his cheek, and she brushed her lips against his, testing to see what would happen.

Jared slipped his hand inside her robe and around her waist, pulling her against him. She fell into him, his mouth found hers, and her lips parted with acceptance.

Her stomach did a flippity-flop and she moaned. His mouth was as sweet as she remembered. God, she was still in love with Jared. She eased back and away, pulling her robe closed.

For a moment, neither one spoke.

She bit her bottom lip. "Well, where do we go from here?"

Jared let out a half-laugh mixed with a sigh. "I don't know, Darce. You tell me."

She wasn't sure if she was about to make the biggest mistake of her life—God knew she'd been down this road with Jared before—and wondered if she was setting herself up for heartache all over again. But it had been a year now and he still hadn't given up on her, no matter how many times she'd discouraged him. She'd tried hard to forget him and gone out with other men, but no one could ever measure up to Jared. There must have been something right about this.

She moved into him without thinking. His mouth covered hers, as her robe fell to the floor. The kiss, tender and full of passion, made her ache for more as he grazed his teeth down her neck, pressing little kisses. He found his way to her breast, and before she knew what was happening, they were both naked on her bed and it was just as wonderful as it had been a year ago—maybe even better. Yes, she still loved Jared.

They lay with their legs tangled together and Jared's fingers intertwined with hers.

"I love you, Darce."

"I love you, too, you big moron."

"I'm the biggest." He kissed her head.

"I have a date tonight with Duane."

He propped up on his elbow, leaned his head on his fist, and twirled her hair in his fingers.

"Cancel."

"I can't cancel. He made dinner reservations and everything. It would be rude. I'll go to dinner with him and explain everything so it won't be awkward next time I see him, especially since he stops in the bar all the time."

She wished she could cancel her plans with Duane and stay with Jared, but it would be better to go and explain. God, after all this time, laying here with Jared seemed so surreal; her body craved more of him.

"Right, the last thing we need is a pissed off police lieutenant hounding us. Will you meet me at the Cliff Hanger after?"

"It's a date."

"Darce?"

"Yes?"

"Don't let him kiss you."

"I won't."

He took her in his arms and kissed her again.

Addie leaned into Cael, his embrace tight and possessive. Maybe he was still trying to get the vision of her dying out of his mind. After they said goodbye to Siana, Raz, and Breena, he glanced at his watch and grinned.

"There's still time before the dreaded dinner with your aunt. Are you ready to go?"

Addie rolled her eyes, wishing he didn't feel that way. "Yes."

"Close your eyes."

"Trust me, I always do." Addie closed her eyes as the familiar feel of the slight motion of air sliced through her bones.

"Open."

She blinked and looked around at palm trees swaying in the soft warm breeze. "Where are we?"

"French Polynesia, on the Motu Tapu, just off the island of Bora Bora, to be exact. I wanted to surprise you, take you to a different beach before we go to Maia's for dinner. I want to talk to you."

She threw her arms up in the air and danced around in a circle. There wasn't a soul around, other than the two of them. Birds chirped from above, waves lapped and settled into soft-looking foam as they spilled onto the sand. The sun was warm and still high in the sky. The turquoise waters of the lagoon played off the deep blue color of Cael's eyes. They stood on a white, sandy, palm-covered islet out on the reef, which circled the lagoon like a delicate ribbon of pearls.

"Oh, God, Cael. I never dreamed you could ... I mean ... well, I thought about it, yeah. You know, if you could go anywhere, anytime, why wouldn't you? I just never expected it. And will you look at that?" She pointed at two towering peaks of sheer black rock a short distance away that dominated the center of the island's lush green tropical slopes, giving way to valleys blossoming with hibiscus.

"I wanted to take you somewhere warm to talk, a place where no one could interrupt us. Let's go sit over there." He pointed to an old weathered palm tree backing up against the sand ridge.

"This is definitely warm and beautiful." She shrugged off her heavy coat, hung it on a protruding branch, and sat on the eroded tree trunk.

Cael took his jacket off and spread it out on the sand. He sank to his knees in front of her.

"Cael? What's going on?"

"Addison." He took her hands in his as he squared his shoulders with hers. God, he was nervous.

"Addison. I'd like to bring you here sometime ... I mean, shit. Sorry, I'm screwing this up." He stared into her puzzled eyes, as if searching them would make the words flow easier.

It didn't. But her slight smile warmed his heart.

"Look, I brought you here to tell you..." he shook his head, "...I mean, I can't read you, but after this thing with Eidolon is over, if we even survive it, I don't know what you want, but I want you. I want to be with you."

She swallowed as if her throat were dry. Jesus, he knew his was.

"Addison, I'm in love with you."

Her eyes grew wide.

"Before you say anything ... I've never told a woman I loved her before. I know we haven't known each other very long, but this is something I do know. Without a doubt, I love you. You don't have to say anything. I'm not expecting you to say—"

She kissed him, silencing him mid-sentence. A tender kiss, turning hot as his hands reached up to caress her cheeks. The enchantment from the aquamarine lagoon waters and the fragrance of the abundant marine life filled his senses, dissolving all of his inhibitions. He grabbed her coat and laid it next to his on the sand. They fell onto their makeshift bed and his heated kisses found her neck. He reached up under her sports bra, where she was warm and smooth. The hardness of her nipples excited him.

He kissed her lips and she took his face in her hands and pushed him back, her eyes on his. "You've changed my life. I can't think of anything but you. I've never felt the way you make me feel."

He kept his eyes on hers. It was impossible to look away. It was there in her eyes that he saw something—something powerful, something he couldn't quite comprehend until now. It was a mixture of tenderness and strength. He saw the need and the desire in them. He loved how she felt sexy and beautiful with him. She trusted him, knew he cherished her.

"God knows I love you," Addison said.

His pressed his mouth to hers, exploring, tasting, moving his lips to her neck, kissing, nibbling, then whispered, "I need you. I want you, now."

Cael pulled the sports bra over her head, exposing her breasts, each one warm and firm to his lips.

She tugged at his pants, shoving them down to his ankles, and he kicked them off. He pulled down her tight black workout pants as she kicked them away and they both accidentally rolled off the jackets and onto the sand, laughing, kissing, and rolling back onto the jackets again. There were only the two of them in their own little patch of paradise.

"I thought you were opposed to having an X-rated scene on the beach."

"That was in Oregon; this is Bora Bora."

He loved her, needed her, and he loved the way she made him feel. He needed to take from her and to give back. She guided him in. His thrust was intense and her moves flowed with his as if they were one, gliding together through space. This woman, this beautiful woman floating under him was so passionate.

Floating? ... Sweet Jesus, they were floating.

He had never known such pleasure, as he tasted her lips again and watched as she climaxed under him, over him, around him. He lost any ounce of control he'd had. His rhythm was fast and hard as he buried himself in her. Addison's body trembled around him, and his hot release poured into her as he reached the peak of ecstasy with her on a deserted beach thousands of miles away, in the middle of paradise.

"I believe we've reached a new stage in our love making." Cael pulled Addison close to him, tucking his arm under her neck. They lay on their backs, naked on the sand, the need for clothes forgotten.

"I know. It felt ... almost as if we were floating."

"We were floating, darling—you made us float."

"Me? My God, I did, didn't I?"

"Hmmm, yes." He reached for her hand and interlocked his fingers with hers.

"We've reached a certain nirvana, and I don't think I'll ever be the same."

"Yes, I agree. I guess I have my work cut out for me now."

"I have faith in you. Oh, how I wish we could stay here, forget all about everything back home."

"Me too." Cael closed his eyes, the euphoria of the moment still lingering in his mind.

Addison, I love you so fucking much it hurts. Don't ever leave me.

"Don't worry. I love you that much, too. I won't leave you."

"What?"

"I said, don't worry, Cael, I won't leave you. I love you, too." Jeez, are you going deaf?

"No, no." You answered me when I didn't say anything—I only thought it.

"No. No way! That's impossible."

Is it?

But, how did I? "Seriously?"

Cael grinned and nodded. Yes! You're beautiful!

I hear you! "Your lips aren't moving." Oh. My. God!

We're hearing each other's thoughts. This must be what my mother was trying to tell me. We are stronger now. Our minds are fused.

This is freaky.

"Henry!" The shrill voice from above their heads pinged in their ears.

The couple must have been in their eighties. The woman covered her eyes, but then hit the man over the head with her hat and attempted to yank him away as he stood gawking at Addison's breasts. Cael and Addison bolted up, groping for their clothes.

They couldn't stop laughing when they materialized back at the beach house in Oregon.

"That old woman, did you see the way she hit that poor old guy?" Addison said.

"Yeah, at first I wasn't sure if she was going to be able to pull the old geezer away from goggling at your breasts. But I gotta hand it to the old gal, she still had some muscle." He took off his pants, being careful not to shake sand on the floor. Addison did the same, and then they both stepped into the shower.

I love you, Addison.

I can't believe I can hear your thoughts. I love you too.

Cael drew Addison against him, wrapping his arms around her as they swayed together under the stream of water.

Darcy pulled on her skirt and buttoned her blouse, being sure to button it all the way up. Not her original plan, but now that she and Jared were back together, it was the safest. The doorbell rang. She fluffed up her hair and glanced at the clock—Duane was punctual. She went to the door, searching her brain for an easy way to tell him she wanted to keep their relationship on a friendship basis. She looked forward to meeting Jared later and hoped the evening would go by quickly.

She opened the door and there stood Duane, flowers in hand. This was the first time she'd seen him dressed in something other than his uniform. He wore black pants and a green and black pullover sweater over a black-collared shirt. Not bad, she mused, but not Jared.

"Hi."

He held out the bouquet. "Hi. These are almost as beautiful as you."

"Thanks. Come on in and have a seat. I'll just put these in a vase." She strolled to the kitchen, startled when she turned around and found him right behind her. His boldness made her feel a bit uncomfortable.

"Do you have anything to drink? I was hoping we could hang here for a little while. Our reservations are for eight instead of seven-thirty."

"I have some wine open, if you'd like a glass, or there's some beer in the refrigerator. Help yourself to either while I put these in water."

He was too close, and she edged away as she filled the vase with water and slowly arranged the flowers.

"Beer's good." He pulled one out of the refrigerator. "Want one?"

"No, thanks. I'll have some of the wine, though, if you wouldn't mind pouring some." Maybe another glass would help ease her tension.

He grabbed the wine bottle and poured some of the golden liquid into the glass sitting on the counter. "Nice little place you have here."

He strolled to the sofa and sat. Her nerves settled a bit.

"Yeah, little for sure, but I don't need much room and it's easy to clean."

"I bet that's a plus, especially having to work as much as you do."

"I like working."

"Really? I'll tell you, when I get married, my wife won't work. She'll be home, taking care of the kids and me. I guess that makes me sound chauvinistic, but I was brought up in the south, where women are respected for the hard work they do at home."

"I'm sure there are many women in the south who have careers."

"Maybe, but my mama didn't work, and that's the way I want my kids to grow up. I suppose that's where it stems from."

She placed the flowers in a vase and took her time walking over to the sofa, carrying her wine so she'd have something to do with her hands. Even though Duane acted all charming and seemed safe, her heart belonged once more to Jared. Sitting at least two feet away from him, she sipped her wine and noticed he wore an earring in each ear.

"Funny. This is the first time I've seen you out of uniform. I didn't realize your ears were pierced."

"Yeah, I had it done when I was in high school, long before I became a cop. I can't wear the earrings on the job, but I still like them, so I keep them in my pocket when I'm on duty. I almost lost one last night."

"They look good on you."

# Chapter Thirty-Seven

Night absorbed the day, gradually, like a fog snaking across the coastal mountains. Stars glistened through patches of clouds as Cael drove to Maia's. He glanced down at Addison's legs, shimmering with glimmers of moonlight. As they passed tree after tree along the deserted highway, he reached out, unable to resist placing his hand on her knee. She wore another tight skirt that hugged her thighs and was short enough to expose a good portion of them. She looked amazing.

I have half a mind to turn this truck around, take you back home, and ravage you. That skirt should be illegal.

Only half a mind? What's the other half doing?

He frowned. "Ahhh ... reluctantly concentrating on the drive to your aunt's house."

"Hey, you're the one who wanted to talk with her. I could have gone without you."

"What, and miss all the insults Gerry likes to toss my way? Not a chance." He felt the crease between his eyes grow deeper at that thought, though.

"Oh, come on, he means well. He's just a smidgen overprotective." Addison pulled down the visor so she could see to put some lipstick on.

"You think?" He glanced at her out of the corner or his eye. "Hey ... you don't need that, you know."

"What?" she said before opening her mouth wide and applying a glossy pink substance to her lips.

"The lipstick."

"Oh, I'm having fun being girly."

"Believe me, sweetness, you're girly enough, especially in that skirt." He placed his hand on her bare thigh, inching it up under the skirt.

"Stop before you crash the truck." If I'd known you'd be pawing at me all night, I would have worn pants.

And ruin all my fun.

She laughed. This telepathy stuff is pretty cool.

Her expression quickly turned serious. "How do you want to approach the subject with Maia?"

"I've been thinking about that. You could bring it up during dinner."

"Why me?

"Because, sweetheart, she's your aunt."

"Okay, but I'm sure she doesn't know anything, and if she does, she's not going to talk about it in front of Gerry. How did you and your uncle first discuss it?"

"Bart always knew. He's my mother's twin. I'm almost certain Maia knows about you and your dad."

"Maybe, but it won't help us fight Eidolon."

"No, but it will make life easier for you if she knows about your abilities, don't you think?"

"Yeah. Turn here, this is it."

He glanced out the window as he turned into the driveway to Maia's house. "Nice little cottage. Have you considered what you're going to tell Gerry about last night?"

"Yes, I have."

"What?"

"You'll see."

He scrunched his eyes together conveying as much skepticism as possible.

"Trust me."

The house was a small three-bedroom, two-story cottage, nestled among several oak trees on a hill overlooking the ocean. A flagstone walkway curved its way through two rows of pink and red carpet roses. The cottage itself was made of stone and the front door faced the mountains, affording the back of the cottage the spectacular ocean view. Multi-colored leaves covered the ground from the assortment of trees surrounding the property.

The wind picked up, taking some leaves with it and swirling them in the air. Addie tugged at her coat and repositioned the scarf around her neck. Aside from keeping her warm, the scarf concealed the now healed gash on her neck.

Both Maia and Gerry greeted them at the door, wearing matching blue aprons; one said "Hers" and the other, "His," and somehow Cael managed to stifle a laugh as he handed Maia a bouquet of flowers.

"These are beautiful. Thank you."

"Hope this goes with dinner." Cael held out a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon to Gerry.

"Thanks, this will go nicely."

"Addie, come help me fix some appetizers while Gerry opens the wine."

"How are you feeling, honey?" Maia placed her hand at Addie's elbow and guided her toward the kitchen.

"Better, thanks. Nice aprons," Addie said, chuckling and forgetting about the healed gash on her neck as she pulled the scarf off and hung it on the hook with her coat. "How did you get Gerry to wear it?"

Maia laughed. "Oh, I think Gerry forgot he had it on. You know he'd never want to be caught dead in it, especially in front of Cael."

"I don't think he likes Cael much."

"He's trying. He thinks of you as his little sister, you know, and when he saw the bruises on your arms Saturday, well, he sort of lost it, I guess."

"Bruises? Oh yeah. I didn't realize he saw those until later and then I forgot to mention them. Cael didn't cause those bruises, Maia. Well, he did, but not the way Gerry thinks."

"I didn't think so. So, how did you get them?"

"Cael and I were playing around, you know, the way you and dad and I would practice self-defense. I went at him, he blocked, and my arms received the brunt of his blocks. It'd been so long since I'd practiced my skills and I guess I bruise more easily than I used to."

"I had a feeling it was something like that. So then, why were you upset last Saturday?"

"I was upset because Cael and I had a small disagreement, nothing more."

"A small disagreement doesn't put someone in that much distress. What gives? Tell me the truth. Does it have something to do with your dad?"

"Dad? No, of course not, why would you think that?"

"Addie, it's me, Maia, remember? Your dad, my brother, there are ... things you don't know about."

"Things? What things?" Addie wanted Maia to say it.

"I know who Cael is. He's Bart's nephew, which means he's Siana's son."

"Right. She used to babysit you, didn't she?"

"Yes, she did. I know what she can do. I know what your father could do. I grew up with them."

"What exactly do you know?" Addie whispered.

Maia kept her voice low also, but she was serene, as though it was all very normal. "Your dad and Siana had the abilities to do remarkable things. Superhuman things. I've kept their secrets, just as Bart has. I've kept quiet about it for your protection. It's what your mother and father wanted."

Maia touched Addie's neck. "So, I take it you've discovered your own abilities."

"Yes, some. I'm learning. I'm sorry, this is a little unsettling for me. I don't know whether to be mad at you for not telling me or excited that I can finally talk to you about it. I can't believe you've known all this time. Why didn't you tell me so I would know what to expect?"

"And how would I do that? You would have thought I was crazy. I had to wait until you developed your gifts before I could say anything, and when you started seeing Cael, I knew you must have begun to experience them. I knew he had abilities. I wish things could have been different. Sometimes I get so angry at your dad for leaving things the way he did."

"I'm sorry, too. Why did he go by 'Richard'?"

"For your protection; he thought it would be easier to keep his life with us separate. He went by Richard when we were kids."

"Jeez, Maia, I feel like my whole life's been a lie. I wish he told me and taught me how to use these powers. Wait, does Gerry know?"

"No. It's your secret to tell, not mine. I know how the world reacts to people with abilities. Most people aren't kind and besides, Gerry would go crazy with worry if he knew what was going on." Maia set a plate of brie and crackers on a tray.

"But Maia, Gerry deserves to know about your family. Maybe we should tell him."

"Let's just keep it to ourselves for now. Since Cael is here in Whisper Cape, I take it Eidolon is close?"

"I can't believe you know about all this. I thought I knew you pretty well, but I guess I didn't."

"Don't be mad, sweetie. You know everything else about me. It had to be this way. Your dad promised your mother. Have you gone to see Siana yet?"

"Yes. Why couldn't you tell me any of this? Why did it have to come from her?"

"Because Siana knew your mother better than anyone. I was only a child when you were born, and they kept me out of the loop, rightfully so. If anyone knew the story well enough to tell you, it was Siana. She's a good woman and Cael is a good man. I'm glad you found each other, but you still haven't told me why you were upset."

"Cael had this insane idea I would be better off if we weren't involved—romantically, that is—so he tried to end it. Not a big deal now, but it upset me then."

"I see. So you straightened him out, then."

"Yeah, I did. Um ... today he told me he loves me. God, I can't believe it. It's so scary."

Maia smiled. "Love can be scary, but also wonderful. Do you love him?"

"Yes, I do."

"Well, I had a hunch. He was very worried about you last night when you got hurt. It was Eidolon, right?"

"Yes. Cael had gone into a burning house to rescue a little boy. Eidolon somehow got in the back seat of the truck and held a knife to my throat. I couldn't move my hands to use my powers."

"Oh, Addie, that must have been terrifying. I've been so worried about all this. You know he won't go away. You'll have to kill him."

Addie looked at Maia, shocked that her aunt would actually approve of something so horrible. "Yeah, I know, but I can't believe you are actually condoning this."

"I do know what kind of monster he is. I've lived with this my entire life. Just, please be careful."

"Don't worry too much. Next time, I'll be ready."

"You're very brave and I'm proud of you. Your neck seems to have healed pretty well. How did you manage that?"

Addie's hand instinctively went up to her neck. "Oh, I forgot. My scarf."

"Yes."

"Um ... Red, the doctor at the Sectory, he and dad discovered a way for dad to heal himself, and it works for me, too."

"That might be hard to explain to Gerry. Here, let's put a bandage over it so he won't notice. We'd better go join them before they start dueling or something."

Maia secured a bandage to Addie's neck, picked up the tray, but set it back down. "Oh, yeah. There's one more thing I wanted to tell you before we join the men."

"What?"

"I'm late."

"Late for what?"

"Addie!" Maia placed her hands on her stomach. "I'm late."

"Oh, God. You're late! You're pregnant?" She gathered Maia in her arms; they clung to each other swaying and crying.

Addie stepped back and wiped her tears. "When, how soon?"

"I'm a little over seven weeks, so sometime in late June."

"Oh my God, Maia, this is so fantastic. I bet Gerry's just beside himself about it."

"Well, I haven't told him yet, so mum's the word." Maia put her finger to her lips before picking up the tray again and they walked out to join the men.

Except for the roar of the fire, not another sound came from the small parlor. Cael sat on one of the tan loveseats, skimming through an issue of House Beautiful. Addie smiled at the sight.

Nervous, babe?

Cael glanced up. Huh?

Well, I just thought you might be, the way you're flipping through that magazine, hardly stopping long enough to actually read anything.

Cael frowned and set the magazine down on the table in front of him. The rectangular glass table trimmed in mahogany, positioned between the two loveseats, complemented the array of multicolored pillows of red, sage, tan, blue and even a little purple that adorned each small sofa. The three pieces of furniture sat in front of a gray and tan stone fireplace where Gerry stood, moving the wood around with the fire poker, then adding another log to it as Addie and Maia crossed the room. Gerry finished fiddling with the fire and sat down on the opposite sofa, facing Cael. The two men looked as if they had their territories staked out and neither one would attempt to invade the other's.

Addie went to join Cael, and Maia sat next to Gerry, who had discarded the apron. Addie was a little disappointed she'd missed her chance to tease him, but that was just as well.

Everyone took a glass of wine and Gerry held his up, saying, "Here's to Maia, the love of my life and our wonderful hostess."

Maia blushed, smiled, and allowed her lips to barely touch the wine.

Addie was so excited that Maia knew everything, she couldn't contain her thoughts.

She knows, Cael, she knows it all!

She sat close to him trying hard not to think about the baby.

Good. Now don't you feel relieved?

Yes.

"So, Addie, how are you feeling today?" Gerry sipped his wine as he settled back against the pillows on the loveseat.

"I'm okay."

"Have you remembered what happened?"

She sipped her wine before explaining. "Yes, it came back to me this morning. When Cael left the truck to rescue the little boy, I panicked. I didn't know what to do. The battery in my cell phone was dead and all I could think of was getting help, so I started to drive to the Cliff Hanger to get you. I was speeding, and lost control."

Gerry raised his brow.

"I appreciate your faith in me, but I don't know what good I could have been, and driving like a maniac, you could have died."

"I know, but I needed you."

His face flushed with a smile that sparkled in his eyes. "Well, I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, then."

His reaction was everything she'd hoped for, but she saw the disdain in Cael's eyes—which he so graciously refrained from rolling—and she had to chuckle to herself.

Hell, Addison. Why don't you just ask the man to bend over so you can kiss his ass?

Ha, the only ass kissing that's going to happen is you kissing mine once I clear his suspicions away.

Mmmm ... looking forward to it, baby.

Get out of my head and let me finish.

"How did your neck get hurt?" Gerry asked.

"I'm not entirely sure, but we found this on the seat this morning when we went to get the truck." She reached into her purse, pulled out a plastic compact, opened it and showed him a broken mirror inside. "We found this piece on the seat in the truck. I guess that's what cut my neck."

"Ah, yes." Gerry took the jagged piece of glass and examined it before placing it on the table in front of him.

Cael cleared his throat. "So, Maia, my mom tells me she used to babysit you."

"Yes, she did. Our families were very close when I was young. How is Siana?"

"She's great."

"You never told me you knew Cael's mother," Gerry said.

"I didn't know I did. Not until Addie told me his last name. I didn't realize he was the same Cael I met when I was a child. He was just a baby then."

"How long has it been since you've seen her?" Gerry asked.

"Oh now, let's see. I don't believe I've seen Siana since I was about ten or eleven. Jeez, let me think. It was about twenty-some years ago. I think you were about four or five years old then, Cael. I'm sure you don't remember me."

"Don't you think it's strange that Cael and Addie should meet now and start seeing each other?" Gerry asked, eyeing Cael suspiciously.

"I don't think so. I've always thought they would get together someday. Both their families grew up here in Whisper Cape. It's fate. I think Bart would agree."

Gerry smiled at Maia. "You're such a romantic, but I guess that's what I love about you."

"I may be a romantic, but it just makes sense in this case. Cael's family and our family have known each other since we were children. Bart still lives here, and Cael came to visit his uncle. Addie's here now, so it must be fate."

# Chapter Thirty-Eight

"So, do you always use flattery to get to Gerry?"

"It worked, didn't it?"

Cael and Addison sat at the corner table at the Cliff Hanger, sharing a glass of port wine, feeling safer around other people. It was a slow night and not too many customers lingered past the dinner hour. For the first time, it was quiet enough for Cael to hear the soft melody playing from the jukebox.

"Yes, but I didn't see the need to put him on such a pedestal. You laid it on a bit thick, don't you think?"

"You're just upset because I made it look like you needed his help."

"Well, I know how to be humble when it's deserved, but not in this case. You know he hates me and this just made it worse, but I guess I should commend you on your quick thinking. You do know how to get to the man, that's for sure."

And to you.

I heard that.

"Shit, I forgot. Anyway, I'm glad Maia knows everything. It makes life easier for us."

"Yes. It helped when you explained to Gerry about the bruises on your arm, substantiating my story. He still hates me though, and I'll probably have to put up with that for a long time. But I suppose you, my sweet, are well worth it." He intertwined his fingers with hers, remembering what Maia said about fate.

Hmmm ... yes. Maybe that's why my dad left my training to you.

He smiled at her. Our secret fate discovered in Whisper Cape?

Addison snorted, "Exactly."

"Yes. Maybe we should write a song."

She snorted again.

Cael lifted her hand to his lips and placed soft kisses against her fingers. "Listen, since it's quiet now, can you focus on the people around here? Is there anyone new to the area?"

"Let me see." She glanced around. "I can't think of anyone new."

"Think hard. Maybe you should just list the people you know, and then we'll eliminate them as we go."

"Okay. Oh, there's Tim, that loser Darcy was seeing."

"What can you tell me about him?"

"Jeez, I don't know. He's been in here a few times. He's that jerk with the Harley. Remember, Darcy liked him for a while until she found out he was married? He's so creepy and skuzzy-looking. He could definitely be Eidolon."

"Hmmm, anyone else come to mind?"

"No. Not really. Except, there's Lieutenant Whelan, but it had better not be him, because he has a date with Darcy tonight."

"Naw, I've already ruled him out."

Addison glanced over Cael's shoulder. We need to put this conversation on hold; Gerry and Maia are coming over to join us. And Jared, too.

Cael looked behind him and stood as the three approached, pulling out a chair for Maia, and pushed his own closer to Addison.

"We won't be sitting," Maia said.

"I will, if that's okay," Jared chimed in and sat down on the empty chair.

"We just came in to start closing up and make sure Nick has everything under control. We enjoyed having you over for dinner tonight, Cael, and look forward to seeing you on Thursday," Maia said.

"Let's get to work, sweetheart." Gerry took Maia by the arm, leading her behind the bar.

Jared sipped his beer but kept glancing around the room.

"What's up, buddy, you waiting for someone?" Cael asked.

"Yeah. Darcy. She was supposed to meet me here around nine o'clock." He took a sip of his beer and gave the room another quick perusal.

"Really? I thought Darcy had a date with Lieutenant Whelan tonight," Addison said.

He grinned. "She did ... does, but something happened between us this afternoon. I went to see her and I think we're going to try to make another go of things. You know, rekindle our relationship. Except she's late and I'm beginning to worry."

"She was supposed to be here at nine? It's nearly ten," Cael said.

Jared frowned. "Yeah, I know, that's why I'm worried."

Addison put her hand on top of Jared's. "Don't worry. Maybe she couldn't end it so soon."

Jared shot her a sour look and shifted in his chair.

"What I mean is, sometimes it can be difficult ending a date early after a guy's gone to the trouble of buying you dinner and all."

Cael raised his eyebrow and she frowned at him.

"They're probably just sitting around at Barney's, sipping port like we are, and talking. Darcy might be having a hard time finding an excuse to leave, especially if he's being nice."

"Right, and maybe she started feeling guilty about using the man to buy her dinner and then just dumping him." Cael felt a kick on his ankle from Addison under the table.

"Ouch." He glared at her. That wasn't necessary.

Well, you're not helping. Addison glared back.

"Look. I'm sure she'll be here any minute. We'll hang out here with you until she shows." Cael remembered what Addison had said about Eidolon taking Darcy first and prayed she'd show up soon.

Jared leaned forward, elbows on the table, his fingers toying nervously around the rim of his glass. "Thanks. I'm just concerned, you know, with the three murders and all. Speaking of those, any new developments?"

Cael studied Jared carefully before answering. He didn't want to worry him any more than he already was. "Actually, yes. The last wasn't a drug overdose; she was murdered."

Not very subtle, babe.

Be quiet, Addison. Let me finish.

"But they still don't think the three deaths are related. The woman was missing an earring, so maybe the killer took it or it could have just fallen out."

Jared straightened. "What did you say?"

"When? Which part?"

"About the earring, the part about the fucking earring. You said she was missing an earring!" Jared was almost shouting as he vibrated in his seat and his hands trembled around his beer.

"Yeah, so?"

"The other night, I don't know, maybe last night or the night before, I was in the bathroom here and Whelan came in. I remember this because he irritated the hell out of me, not only because Darcy liked him but also because he kept calling me 'son' as if he was so much older. Anyway, he dropped something. An earring. I picked it up and handed it to him. He thanked me and made some lame comment about not wanting to lose it and that he couldn't wear it while he was in uniform. Maybe he's the killer. Holy fuck, he has Darcy! I need to go."

Cael grabbed his arm. "Wait, man, you don't know this for sure. You can't go off half-cocked, accusing a police lieutenant of murder."

"Well, then you tell me, where the fuck is Darcy? She was supposed to be here at nine. He must have her. And what if he ... oh, God, what if he's already killed her?"

So much for not wanting to worry him. Addison frowned at Cael.

Well, I don't want him running off to save Darcy if in fact Duane Whelan is actually Eidolon. So help me find a way to keep him here so you and I can go and destroy the bastard.

Addison turned to Jared, placing her hand on his arm. "Okay, listen. If Duane is the murderer, you can't go after him. He has a gun. He could shoot you. Let Cael go. At least he has a gun, and is trained to use it. Do we even know what kind of car he drives?"

"Yep, it's a puke-green Prius," Jared said.

"Have you tried calling Darcy?" Cael asked.

"No, wait, shit, shit! I left my phone in the back. I'll go get it." He scrambled out of his seat and sprinted to the kitchen.

"Oh, God, Cael. What if Jared is right? Eidolon did say he would go after Darcy first."

"Yeah, I remember. We should have been watching out for her."

"Yeah, but who would have thought—Lieutenant Whelan?"

"I should have."

"You can't blame yourself. We both knew she was in danger."

# Chapter Thirty-Nine

Cael and Addison waited about three minutes, and when Jared didn't return, Cael went looking for him, but returned almost immediately.

"Jared slipped out the back. Let's go," Cael hissed and grabbed Addison by the arm, tugging her to the door.

"Cael, slow down, I can't keep up in these." She pointed to the three-inch heels on her feet and Cael grimaced.

"Addison, you can't fight a demon in those. Let's go." He pulled her to the bushes behind the trash bin.

"Ouch."

"You okay?"

"Yeah, but I stubbed my toe. A demon?"

"Well, that's really just an expression, though he's the closest to one I've ever seen. Hold on."

"Wait. You said you were trained to fight demons."

"Yeah, but I've never actually seen one. Now hold on."

They appeared in the bedroom of the beach house and Cael let go of Addison, hoping she wasn't too scared about what they were about to do.

Cael barked out orders. "Quick, change your shoes—change your skirt while you're at it—and hurry up. I'm going to get a couple of flashlights. You'd better grab a jacket. Meet me downstairs."

Cael adjusted his gun, making sure he could get to it quickly. He took a second small pistol and stuck it in his ankle holster. He made sure the knife he carried was secure in the sheath strapped to his shin. He looked up to see Addison staring at him, her eyes wide and horrified.

"You have your weapons; these are mine."

He went to her, placed his hands on her shoulders. "I know this scares you, baby, but it's time to get tough. I need you to concentrate on using your abilities—we need your powers to destroy Eidolon. The guns and knives are just for extra precaution."

Cael retrieved the journal from under the sofa cushion and stuck it in the inside pocket of his jacket.

"Why are you taking that?"

"Bargaining power."

He stood in front of her, brushed his thumb over her bottom lip, then kissed her softly. Lifting his face an inch from hers he stared into her eyes and in a low commanding voice, said, "You can do this. I believe in you. You need to believe in yourself. Remember, I'm in your mind. Use me."

She swallowed. "Okay. Let's go kick some ass."

"That's my girl. I love you."

They went back to the truck since they had no clue where to start looking and Cael didn't want to waste energy teleporting in and out, especially with the added weight of Addison.

Addison's phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and looked at the display. "It's Darcy."

"Keep it cool. Never mind. Let me have it."

"Darcy, where are you?" he demanded.

Not so cool.

Cael frowned at Addison.

"Well, hello. Could this be Cael?" A raspy voice, thick with a New Jersey accent, chuckled from the phone. "I haven't talked to you since you were, let's see, two years old, I believe. I'm so glad you could join the party out here in Whisper Cape. It's going to be a blast."

"I know you have Darcy." He glanced at Addison again; she sat stiff next to him with a blank stare. Eidolon had her in a trance through the phone. How the fuck was he doing that?

"Yes. Ten points for the hero P.I. No harm will come to her if I get the journal, of course. Oh, and the crystal, too. Damn fucking book is useless without it, but then you know that already, don't you? Bring the book and the crystal or she dies. Oh, and bring that pretty girlfriend of yours. I didn't get enough of her last time. The things I've been wanting and waiting to do to Risteard's daughter—ooh, it makes my blood vibrate with anticipation."

"Where are you?" Cael's stomach knotted. He grabbed Addison's knee and squeezed.

Addison, baby. I'm here with you. Try to block him.

She didn't respond.

"We're outside your house at the beach."

What? They had just left there, but they'd never gone outside. Cael glanced over at Addison. She was still in a trance. "Release Addison's mind right now or we won't come. You're going to kill Darcy anyway, or you probably already have."

"You're not in a position to make demands, my dear boy. Here, sweetheart, say something."

"Cael? Please hurry, he's insane! He—"

"Shhh, sweetheart, we don't want to give away all our secrets, now, do we? Better hurry, she doesn't have long. It's a shame, though; she's so pretty! Nice knockers on this one. Double D is what they call you, right, darling?" he said to Darcy, and Cael heard her whimper in the background.

"Eidolon, release Addison."

The phone went dead.

"Addison, baby, are you with me?"

A few tense and frightening seconds passed before she responded. "I wasn't, but I am now. He had me again. I couldn't move. I couldn't hear anything and I couldn't feel you in my head. Where did you go?"

"Sorry ... I guess I backed off from your mind to concentrate on what Eidolon was saying. I won't let it happen again. We can stop him. We can stop him from taking control of your mind. Together. We have to work together. He has Darcy outside of the beach house. We must have just missed them. I had my suspicions about Duane, but I just didn't think he had it in him."

They pulled up to the rental house.

"Look, there's the Prius," Addison said.

They got out of the truck. Cael pulled out his gun and released the safety, then took Addison by the arm. "Look at me. Together we are strong. If you feel him start to enter your mind, call out my name. We can do this, baby. Trust me."

"Let's go. Wait, Cael, look over there!" She pointed her flashlight toward the Prius. There was a body lying on the ground next to the car. They ran to it.

"It's Duane," she said.

Cael knelt down, felt for a pulse. "He's alive. Whose body is that sick bastard in?"

They headed toward the door of the house, but Addison tripped over something else on the ground and stumbled to her knees. Cael aimed his flashlight at it as he helped her up.

"It's Jared. Damn it." Again, he felt for a pulse. "He's alive, too."

Laughter filled the air as they turned to see Tim. His Harley lay on the ground, while he held a knife at Darcy's throat. Tears streamed down her cheeks. They stood huddled between two trees over by the edge of the cliff.

Cael!

Cael tried to shield Addison, but he was too late and she stopped moving.

He pointed his gun at Tim, but fear of hitting Darcy had him hesitating to pull the trigger. They were all dead without Addison's powers.

The archway leading to the ocean caught Cael's eye. The strange rock formation through the opening on the other side wavered, casting off a shimmering reflection.

Take hold of Addison, Cael. Together you are strong in mind and body.

Not Eidolon's voice, he thought. Risteard's.

Cael reached out and grabbed Addison by the arm, pulling her to him. She blinked and came to.

"It's not going to work, Eidolon. You can't penetrate our minds. Let Darcy go."

"Now, you don't think I came all this way to give in that easily, do you? You dumb fuck. You're just as stupid as those two fuck-heads on the ground. I can do more than penetrate your mind. Every day my powers grow stronger. I know the crystal's here; I can feel it."

A low growl came from beyond the trees as an animal resembling a large wolf—teeth bared and mouth foaming—came charging at them. Addison held onto Cael's arm as she threw fire at it, sending it howling to the ground.

"Oh, that's good. Gotta admit, the girl's got some skill. Bet she's good in the sack, too, huh, Cael? I only got a little taste. She's yummy." He licked his fingers. "I'm looking forward to fucking her while you watch."

"You'll never get the chance, you sick fuck."

Stay close. When I say "now," send the knife he's holding into the trees. Then quickly send a fireball at him.

But what about Darcy? I might hit Darcy.

I know. It's a chance we have to take. You can heal her later.

Tim's eyes were wild with rage. "Give me the book now or I swear I'll slash her throat."

"Let Darcy go, then I'll give you the book."

Tim shook his head and grinned as a tree branch cracked, split and fell to the ground merely inches from where Addison stood. She gasped in horror, but stayed close to Cael.

"No, no, no, first the journal and the crystal—them's the rules."

"You know it'll never work. We've dealt with this for centuries. The whole reason for the book, the crystal—they exist for our protection. You know the chaos you'll create if you follow through with this. If you chant those words, it'll be complete pandemonium. People will be afraid of you, they'll hunt you down like a wild animal. They'll experiment on you, try to figure out how you work, what makes you tick. They'll find a way to destroy you and ruin everything we've fought to protect all these years."

"No, they won't get the chance. Once I say those words, I'll have control. No one will be able to resist me."

"Don't count on it. If you destroy the Sectorium, we all die, including you."

"Give me the book, now! This knife is getting mighty heavy in my hand. It's ready to slip into this lovely lady's neck. Are you going to be responsible for her death?"

Cael reached in his jacket and pulled out the thin leather journal. "Okay, okay. Here's the book. Let her go and I'll throw it to you."

Cael moved closer to Addison and took hold of her arm.

Tim lowered the knife several inches.

Now, Addison!

She waved her hand, and the knife went flying into the trees. Tim's eyes bulged with surprise before quickly narrowing to little slits. His face reddened and he struck Darcy in the back of her head with his fist, rendering her unconscious. Her body drooped over. Cael took aim and shot, hitting Tim in the side. He sank to the ground with Darcy slumped on top of him.

A deep rasping laughter vibrated from behind them. "You didn't really think that was me, did you? I'm not an idiot, fuck-face."

"Ed? Ed Lewis?" Addison said.

"Yeah, how 'bout that, little Miss Addie? It's me—it's always been me. You haven't been staying in your apartment much recently. Tsk-tsk, whoring around with Cael every night, you little slut. You'd have done better if you'd stuck with your same sex, like I thought. Maybe Cael is helping you cope with your nightmares. Poor little Addie. I've heard you have them quite frequently. Do you still?"

"You're my nightmare, you son of a bitch."

"Oh, stop whining and give me the fucking book. I'm getting tired of this little game."

"You're not getting the book. Even if you did, you'd still need the crystal," Cael said.

"If you won't give it to me, I'll just take it." Eidolon raised his hands up in the air and the wind swirled around him as the sky clouded over, the moon disappearing behind them. Leaves and sticks went flying as the ground shook under them. Addison lost her footing and fell. Cael lost his balance and his gun went flying out of his hand toward the trees; the journal soared into Eidolon's hand.

"Now, get up! It won't be any fun destroying you while you're crouched on the ground."

Cael fought the wind, pulled the knife out of its casing and pitched it right into Eidolon's stomach.

Eidolon clutched at the knife and yanked it out. "Ha, you can't hurt me with a little piece of metal, you stupid fuck. I wonder if I can make you beg for your lover's life the way her father begged for his."

"I'm warning you, leave her alone."

Eidolon grabbed Addison by the hair, tugged at her shirt and pulled her to her feet. She kneed him in the crotch, but he didn't flinch.

"Balls of steel," he laughed.

She pulled away and her shirt ripped, exposing the fully illuminated crystal that hung from her neck.

Eidolon blinked. Smiling, he dropped his hand from her shirt.

"So, that's where you've been hiding it." He grabbed for it. Addison took his hand and twisted it, swinging her body around with her leg in the air, clipping him in the jaw. She jumped back and shot a stream of fire at him—he yelled as it went sailing centimeters from his face, leaving some nasty scorch marks on his cheek.

"You'll pay for that, you bitch." His eyes were fire-red with rage, as the vortex got stronger, fiercer, sending Addison sailing against a tree. She slumped to the ground.

Addison!

Cael tried to get up, to go to her, only to find himself caught up in a second tornado.

Addison shook off the blow as the tunnel of wind surrounded Cael.

Eidolon laughed. "You can't fight me. I'm stronger than you."

"No, you're not." Cael disappeared from inside the whirlwind and reappeared beside Eidolon.

Addie heard the crack of bone as Cael's fist slammed into Ed's jaw. Ed or Eidolon? The image of baggy red pants sticking out from under her kitchen sink filled her head and she wondered: was it Eidolon or just another pawn? Then Cael pounded him in the stomach, sending him flying to the ground. Cael lunged at him and the two men wrestled on the ground as the book went flying.

Addie stood, trying to get a good aim with her hand at what she hoped was Eidolon, but the two men rolled over the ground all tangled together.

Cael, move. Move away. I can't get a clear shot.

Cael released his grip. Eidolon broke free, ran to the book and scooped it up. He sent another blast of wind at Addie, sending her back to the ground before she could send out more flames. Cael grabbed for her arm, but the wind was strong and kept him just out of reach.

Addie saw the glow from the arch.

"Reach, Addison, reach for Cael. You can destroy Eidolon if you have hold of Cael."

"Daddy?" She stretched out her arm, her fingers. Cael come closer, I can't reach you.

Fighting the whirlwind and the flying debris it created, Cael crawled his way closer to her.

Reach, Addison, reach for me!

She stretched her arm until it ached, and their fingers met, clasped together as they lay on the ground. She took hold of the crystal around her neck, its brilliance lighting up the entire area. Cael grabbed her arm and pulled her close. He stood and brought her up with him.

"Are you ready to join your daddy? He didn't do too well against me. What makes you think you can defeat me?"

"You leave my father out of this, you pathetic, sorry excuse for a landlord. You're nothing but a little worm." With one hand around the crystal and Cael holding her tight, she aimed her other hand at Eidolon. An enormous fireball ignited him into flames; the scream was deafening.

"Bet you didn't see that one coming, you sick slimy fuck! Burn, fucker, burn ... burn to the dark depths of hell, where you belong!" Just to make sure, she sent out another fireball at the already burning, contorted figure. As the flames consumed him, the vortex subsided and the journal fell to the ground, unscathed.

Everything went still and silent. Cael and Addie stood holding one another up, not moving, waiting to see if he was really gone. Then Cael stared at her, unchecked shock on his face.

"Well, Addison MacKenna. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. I don't believe I've ever heard such vulgarity escape from such lovely lips before."

"These lovely lips?" She pointed to her mouth.

"Yes, these lovely lips, right here." He brushed his finger over them, then kissed those same luscious lips.

Addie slowly pulled away, smiled, and shrugged. "It just seemed to help project the force of the fire."

"Oh, absolutely, baby, I agree. A much needed enhancement."

"We killed him, we really killed him."

"Ah, you killed him."

"Yes, I did, didn't I?"

"You did."

She glanced across the yard. "Oh God, Darcy."

She ran over to Darcy and Tim.

Cael picked up the journal and his gun. Cocking the safety, he holstered it, then crouched down beside her. "Quick, you have to heal Tim's side before any of them come to."

Addie looked around and shook her head. "How will we explain to them what happened?"

"I believe I can help with that."

Startled, Addie and Cael looked up to see where the voice had come from.

# Chapter Forty

"Gerry?" Addie said.

Gerry stood with his hands in his jacket pockets, with Bart standing next to him, grinning.

"Uncle Bart, what are you two doing here?"

"Ah, come on, Cael, we couldn't let you two have all the fun, now, could we? As it turns out, Gerry here can alter their minds so they won't remember any of this."

"Really?" Addie glanced at Cael. Did you know about this?

Hell no! Didn't you?

No way!

"Well, have at it, man." Cael stood to give Gerry room.

Gerry squatted down next to Addie and placed his hands on Darcy's head.

"You knew the whole time?" Addie asked.

"Yes, sort of. I knew you were about to come into your powers. But there's no time to explain right now, Addie. Hurry up and heal that man before he loses any more blood, or we'll have to figure out how to fix that, too."

Addie placed her hands on Tim's side, closed her eyes, and silently chanted the phrase to heal him. When Gerry finished with Darcy, he laid her down next to Jared so her body draped over his. Then he placed his hands on Jared's head, then Duane's, and then Tim's, synchronizing their memories, altering them to a completely different scenario.

"None of them will remember Eidolon. They'll all think Ed Lewis killed those women. They'll stay unconscious for about another fifteen minutes, giving us enough time to rearrange things. Duane will think Ed hit him over the head and knocked him out. Jared will remember coming to save Darcy and seeing Duane unconscious, but nothing else, so he'll also think Ed hit him on the head.

"Bart and I will take Tim and his bike and arrange them at a place down the road. He won't have any memory of this. He'll think he lost traction and skidded off the road. Let's go, Bart, before they come to."

"Wait. What about the charred body?" Bart pointed to the pile of burnt flesh.

"Good point." Gerry looked in the back of Ed's truck, saw a gas can. "Hmmm ... convenient." Not wanting to leave any of his own fingerprints on it, he pulled out a hanky from his pocket, picked up the can by the handle and shook it. "Good, it's empty," he said, and used his mind, sending it flying over to the charred body.

"Cael, when they come to, tell them he refused to be taken alive, drenched himself with gasoline, and set himself on fire. Addie, burn the can, will you?"

Cael and Addie stood there staring at Gerry as if he'd just stepped in from another planet.

Gerry shrugged. "You have a better idea?"

"No ... no, that should work. But we need to talk after we're all finished." Cael pointed his finger at the two men as they turned to leave.

"Fair enough. Meet us at the bar in thirty minutes."

Addie walked toward the charred body and the gas can and smiled. A stream of fire spewed from her fingertips as she stretched out her hand toward the can. She jumped back when it exploded with a loud bang.

"Whoa! I thought Gerry said it was empty," Cael said.

Addie shrugged. "I guess he misjudged."

"Yeah, well, that's makes two of us. Come on."

Cael took Addie by the hand and went to sit on the step by the front door to wait for everyone to regain consciousness.

Addie rubbed her eyes with her fingers. "I can't believe it was Ed Lewis. Ed Lewis, my apartment manager. He was always so quiet and lonely looking. I actually felt sorry for him."

"Huh? Oh yeah, Ed." Cael frowned and stared at the ground, shaking his head. "I don't know how I could have missed that one."

"Yeah, Ed—who would've thought?"

"No, Gerry. How could I have not seen through him? Since I've met you my gift of perception has diminished."

"It seems to me it just evolved into something else."

"Meaning?"

"You needed to be able to block Eidolon from our minds, and maybe, in order to do that, you had to pull strength from your other ability."

"Hmmm ... thanks, baby. Possibly."

"Or ... maybe it has to do with the fact that you're hopelessly in love with me and can't think of much else."

"Most likely the latter. Something else happened tonight."

"What's that?"

"It could be the power of suggestion about Whisper Cape and the dead, but I swear your father spoke to me tonight. He told me to take hold of you, said that together we are strong in mind and body."

"Well, you loved him, right?"

"Yes, I did."

"My guess is he loved you, too. So, why wouldn't he speak to you? We were in danger. He spoke to both of us."

"You're right again." He brushed his lips over hers and everyone started to stir as they gradually came out of Gerry's mind spell.

It was after midnight and the bar was technically closed, but the atmosphere inside was bright and cheery. Gerry took out a bottle of Jameson's and poured a round as Maia, Addison, Cael and Bart sat listening to him explain about his abilities.

"I met Risteard when I was a student of his. One day I tried to alter his mind to make him forget about an assignment he'd given, which I hadn't completed. Of course, I couldn't change his mind the way I could everyone else's. When he realized what I was trying to do, well, he confronted me. He tried to talk me into joining the Sectorium, but I told him I was an individual and needed my privacy. He respected my decision, but wanted me to know the Sectorium would always be there if I ever needed it. We became friends, and when he realized what was happening with Eidolon, he called me. Told me he'd requested that Maia bring Addie out here if anything were to happen to him and asked me to look after them. He knew Addie would come into her powers soon."

Maia nodded, looking at her niece. "That's true. Your father did tell me that, if anything ever happened to him, he wanted me to bring you back here."

Gerry put his hand at the nape of his neck and rubbed, then looked at Maia. "I'm sorry I never told you any of this, Maia. I didn't know I would fall in love with you, and it's been a wonderful journey. One I plan to continue if you'll still have me."

Maia smiled as a tear dripped down her cheek and he wiped it away with his finger. "I will. I wonder if our baby will inherit your abilities."

Gerry blinked. "What?"

"You're going to be a father."

"What?"

"Woo-hoo!" Bart shouted.

"Fucking A!" Gerry gathered Maia up, and twirled her around. "This is the greatest day of my life. You know I love you with all of my heart and soul."

"Congratulations." Cael pulled Addison close to him. I know you knew.

Addison smiled. "Congratulations, Gerry and Maia."

"Wow, okay. Wow! I guess I should finish explaining." Gerry rubbed his forehead, looking a bit thunderstruck, and glanced back at Maia.

"Wow!"

Shaking his head and rubbing his chin, with a mile-wide grin now a permanent fixture on his face, he continued, "What a bloody fucking surprise. I love you, Maia. Fuck, now where was I? You got me all flustered, woman."

"Which is a rare event." Bart laughed.

"You'll have to start watching your language, Gerry, now that you're going to be a father," Addison told him.

"Aye, I will. Let's see... When Cael showed up, things started to change. I noticed a difference in Addie—not the normal differences you'd see in a woman who's falling in love, but other changes. Fuck it, when you work side by side with someone every day, you get to know them a bit."

Everyone laughed at Gerry's poor attempt at cleaning up his language.

Gerry glanced at Maia. "Ah ... it'll take some time. Anyway, I kept quiet and watched as things progressed with you two. Sorry I kept giving you the impression I didn't like you, Cael. I was trying to figure you out, and then when Addie showed up with those bruises, I ... well, that's water under the bridge, right?"

"Yeah, sure." Cael still didn't feel completely comfortable around Gerry. After all, the man had an ego larger than his own, which was nearly impossible.

"When Jared ran out tonight, and then you two followed, I knew something was up and I told Maia about my abilities. Of course, she made me prove it first. Then she told me about Cael and Bart," Gerry glanced at his old friend, "which I had mostly figured out on my own from all those stories you tell. Anyway, we weren't sure where to start looking, but something made us drive to the beach house. We got lucky there, and well, it looks as if we showed up just in time."

"Well, here's to a successful mission," Cael said.

"Since we're in the mood for toasting, here's to good friends, family, and wonderful lovers." Gerry tipped his glass toward Maia, prompting several hoots and whistles from the small group.

Cael stood. "Let me add that, centuries ago, our ancestors forged a society to keep our people safe from ridicule and persecution. Even though someday mankind will find our powers invaluable and recognize their great purpose, for now they will remain secret. There will always be others who will attempt to destroy us, and we will fight."

"As family," Addie added.

Gerry raised his glass again. "Aye. Let's remember the past and give honor to those who deserve it, and may we stay alive and ready in the present to safeguard the future."

"Let's drink already," Bart said.

"Slainte," they all said together.

When Cael and Addie returned to the beach house, he took her in his arms and nuzzled her neck, his breath warm and sweet.

"Addison, how would you feel if I stuck around for a while ... I mean, live out here?" They swayed together, gazing out the window at the moon.

With her hands wrapped around his waist, she clasped her hands tight behind his back. "Here? You're going to move to Whisper Cape?"

He looked in her eyes. "It has crossed my mind. I want to be the one you reach for first thing every morning. I want to be the one you hold on to when you're scared. When the demons in your nightmares rob you of sleep, I want to be there to comfort you. I love being with you. I love you. And besides ... I never told you, but I didn't rent this house from Tom Willits. I bought it."

"You bought this house?"

"Yeah. I fell in love with it when I first saw it. When I first fell in love with you. I figured it was time for me to get back to my roots. I was born here in Whisper Cape, too, you know. And now, well, I thought we could protect the Sectorium from here just as well as we could from New York."

"We? You want me to help you protect the Sectorium?"

"Well, yeah. We are stronger together, and besides, like Maia said, it's fate."

"Hmmm ... beautiful, fantastical fate." Addie beamed.

"You still have a lot to learn, but I figured as my wife you would want to help since—"

"Your wife?"

"If you'll have me. Will you?"

"Marry you?"

"Yes, marry me."

"Promise me, no more secrets?"

"I promise. That was the last one."

"In that case, yes, I would be honored to be your wife."

"Well, then, as your humble warrior and future husband, I do have this constant desire to protect and to serve you."

"Oh, yes, warrior princess or not, I do need protecting and serving. I mean with all my abilities, there's just no telling what sort of danger I might get into."

"Right. Well, your abilities may be more dangerous than mine, but I'm still stronger than you."

"Prove it, warrior."

He scooped her up in his arms and carried her up the stairs. "See? I doubt you could carry me."

She pressed little kisses on his neck on the way up. "I still think you're arrogant, but I suppose I can deal with it. I love you. Maybe you should take me back to Bora Bora and show me some of that serving stuff you mentioned a minute ago."

"Now, baby, that's the best idea you've had all day. But this time we'll get a room."

# Also by Susan Griscom

Paranormal and Urban Fantasy Romances

The Sectorium

A Steamy Urban Fantasy Romance

Ignite the Flame, Book 1

Reflect the Flame, Book 2

Tame the Flame, Book 3

A Gypsy's Kiss A spinoff novel from the Sectorium

The Immortal Hearts of San Francisco

A Steamy Paranormal Romance

Tempted by a Vampire

Captivated by a Vampire

Rocked by a Vampire

Possessed by a Vampire

Contemporary Romance

The Beaumont Brothers

Beautifully Wounded

Beautifully Used

Beautifully Undone

Sand and Sunset Sereies

Broken Wide Open

Single Titles

Allusive Aftershock

A Young Adult Contemporary Romance

Keep reading for a sneak peek at Reflect the Flame, Book 2 in the Sectorium

Chapter One

Cucumber Salad

Tomato juice splattered everywhere as the bottle hit the gray tile floor. Maia gasped at the shattered glass, unable to tear her eyes away; the thick red liquid pooled at her feet like a stagnant river of blood.

"I'm sorry, Manny, the jar just slipped out of my hand," she said, sensing the old man's presence at her side and half-wondering how he'd gotten across the aisle so quickly.

"Don't you worry, sweetheart."

"I'm so clumsy lately. I can't seem to hold on to anything these days."

"Are you hurt? Did any glass cut you?" He took her by the elbow, leading her away from the debris.

"No, I'm fine. Let me help you clean up." She glanced back at the slimy red liquid mixed with pieces of sharp, ragged-edged glass, making the aisle resemble a murder scene from some B-rated detective show on TV.

"No, no. I'll get Jeff to clean up. He'll be here in about five minutes. Now be careful where you step." He placed a large orange cone near the edge of the area to ward off any unsuspecting customers from the slippery mess.

"Thanks, Manny. I am so sorry—I'll pay for the juice."

"Not to worry. A bottle of juice gets broken in here at least once a week." He winked and managed to bring a smile to her fretful face.

Good old genial Manny, the master of calm, owner of the small seaside grocery store—the only food store in Whisper Cape—and everybody's grandfather. He had a particular soft spot for pretty women. Except right now, Maia didn't feel pretty. She felt fat and clumsy. Determined to stay out of maternity clothes for at least another month, she tugged at the waist of her once loose old gray sweat pants and rubbed at the indentation the elastic etched on her tummy. Even the normally beautiful, long, golden-brown curls she'd tucked up in her green wool hat refused to cooperate this morning as they constantly slipped out and fell in her eyes. She walked with Manny toward the other end of the store, and as he veered off to the checkout area, Maia continued on to the deli section.

The small store was quiet except for a group of teenage girls giggling over the cover of a DVD. A group of young men hung around outside, looking in at the girls. School would start soon and they'd all be on their way. Maia MacKenna glanced at them and smiled, remembering what it was like to be that age—innocent, not a care in the world. She placed her hand over the small bulge in her abdomen. Life would never be the same for her.

At this time of the morning, Manny's Beachside Market—aptly named as one could hear the pounding of the surf whenever the front door opened—was often the main attraction of the kids from the nearby middle school and high school. The small-town grocer managed to carry all the essentials, from sunscreen to meats and produce, even a small variety of wines and beer. The refrigerated glass case Maia perused housed a few selections of prime cut steaks and marinated pot roasts and the deli department consisted of popular cold cuts and cheeses; nothing fancy, just the basics. The produce counter offered a variety of heads of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, some apples, oranges—enough to get by for residents and families visiting the area for a few days. Almost too small for the word "market," Manny's place  happened to be the closest grocery store within five miles of the cozy cottage where Maia lived with Gerry Briden, the love of her life and the father of her unborn child.

Hoping to finish the shopping before her doctor's appointment later that morning, she stood facing a cleverly stacked display of tomatoes contemplating how many she'd need as something in the corner of the adjacent deli case caught her eye. A billow of steam escaped from a small crack at the bottom, and she found herself mesmerized as the dewy cloud rose and dissipated, rose and dissipated.

A voice, a soft whisper, came from somewhere behind her. "A precious cargo."

She turned at the sound and looked into the face of a sweet old woman examining a head of lettuce. She didn't recall ever seeing the patron before, and yet ... there was something familiar about her. Her long black skirt, with a delicate pattern of purple swirls, hung several inches below her dark gray coat. The old woman's hair, like strands of silver silk twisted into a braid, hung down the center of her back. Her eyes, though old, were brilliant, a rich shade of brown with little specks of gold.

The woman must be mumbling to herself. Maia shrugged and turned her attention back to the tomatoes. Her niece, Addie MacKenna, was coming over for dinner tonight with her boyfriend, the two having just returned from a well-deserved month-long holiday. Maia smiled, thinking how happy they were, but her lips tightened a bit as she remembered how they'd been in such danger going up against that sick psychopath who'd murdered Maia's older brother a little over a year ago. Maia sighed, still in awe of Addie's power, how she and Cael destroyed Eidolon, torching him down to nothing more than a pile of ashes.

Maia placed two plump red tomatoes—well, as plump and as red as you could get this time of year in Whisper Cape—in a plastic bag and placed the bag in her cart. She stepped to the cucumbers and heard the voice again.

"A very precious cargo."

She yanked off her wool hat to expose her ears, thinking that would help her hear. Her thick mess of curls fell over her shoulders.

"Excuse me, did you say something?" Maia asked the old woman.

Maia's fingers reflexively came to her lips and she gasped as the old women's face contorted into a bizarre pattern of creases almost as if she were going in and out of focus. Speaking as though her throat were constricted, the old woman rasped in a low tone, "You'd better watch out."

"Watch out for what?" Maia asked, wondering if the old woman was having a stroke, fearful that an unfortunate medical emergency might be happening right in front of her.

The old woman cleared her throat and smiled before speaking again. "You carry a valuable cargo," she said a bit softer, pointing to Maia's stomach. "Take guard."

At approximately twelve weeks along, Maia hardly looked pregnant, especially in the heavy coat she wore that easily concealed her abdomen. She wondered how the old woman could tell, and why on earth she had felt compelled to warn Maia.

"How did you know I was pregnant?"

The older woman ignored Maia's question and simply added, "You must protect them."

Them?

Before Maia had the chance to say anything, the woman turned her attention toward the deli case, her previous words forgotten. "Look at those cucumbers now, will you? We'll have to take one. We love a nice cucumber salad, don't we, dear?" she said, looking directly into Maia's eyes. She turned away from Maia as the group of girls swooshed by and out the door to join the boys. When the aisle had cleared, the old woman was gone. Maia looked around the store, but couldn't spot her anywhere.

What did she mean? Crazy old woman must be suffering from dementia and confusing me with someone from her past. Maia shrugged and selected a cucumber for the salad she had planned for tonight's dinner and went to the checkout.

"You look radiant this morning, Maia." Manny smiled and began ringing up her groceries.

"Thanks, Manny." She nervously fluffed up her mass of unruly curls. Surely, the man needed glasses. "You look rather dapper yourself today." Manny was ... God ... wasn't he eighty-four at his last birthday bash? But he was as sharp as any twenty-year-old.

"Don't forget to put the bottle of juice on my bill, Manny, or I'll worry about it all day."

"Guess you'll have to worry then. Anyway, it wasn't your fault. Jeff said the bottles were still slippery from one that toppled over yesterday because he stacked them too close together."

Maia figured he was lying, but smiled and let it go. It wasn't the first time Manny had given her something free.

"Who was that old woman who was in here a while ago?" Maia asked.

"What old woman?" Manny's eyes brightened. It was comical the way he always perked up at the prospect of meeting an available female ready for a bit of schmoozing and romancing. Not that there were many his age around these days, but then, age never mattered much to Manny. He prided himself on still being a lady's man, always teasing Maia, never missing a chance to remind her that he was available if she ever decided to dump Gerry.

"Don't kid, Manny, you know what woman."

"No, sweetheart, the only woman's been in here all morning is you—well, aside from those teeny-boppers who aren't old enough to be called women—and you're hardly old."

"Well, that's odd. Are you sure? I could have sworn ..." She shook her head.

"Maybe that bundle of joy you're carrying is making you see things."

"And hear things, too," she mumbled. "Maybe you're right. I have been a little stressed lately."

Still thinking about the woman, Maia walked to the old blue Jeep and grabbed onto the top roll bar, pulling herself up into the seat. She grunted at the effort. One of these days, she and Gerry would need to get another car instead of this beat up soft-top jungle cruiser. Soon, she thought, as she rubbed her hand over the "precious cargo" inside her womb. Her brow furrowed as she envisioned a huge freighter ship loaded with crates and cartons of God knows what. She glanced at the clock. Good, she still had plenty of time to get the groceries put away before she had to leave for her doctor's appointment.

Putting the jeep in gear, Maia carefully merged onto the highway. Disquieted by the strange encounter with the woman, an uneasiness tickled the tiny hairs at the nape of her neck. What did that old woman mean by, "You must protect them?"

# Emotional Stuff

A special thanks to my husband—you believed in me, knowing from the very beginning you'd see this book published. I love you for never giving up on me. To my children, for their patience with my wandering mind. Thank you to my son, Brodie—your brilliant idea of genetics started this whole thing. Traci, your keen insight on police procedure was wonderful; and Mike, your awesome knowledge of firefighting is amazing. Extra thanks to my editor, Michelle T. Green, for her continued encouragement and enthusiasm for this book—you make me look good. A big thank you goes to all my beta readers, Anne Carter, Renee Miller, Dani Sovia, Bud Griscom, Jane Ardell and Brodie Hamilton. Thanks to my mom for all your support and for telling everyone you know to buy my books.

# About the Author

Susan Griscom is an Amazon Bestselling Author and a Silver Medal winner in the 2017 and 2016 Readers Favorites International Book Awards, as well as First Runner Up/Honorary Mention in The 2015 Rone Awards. Her book Beautifully Undone was awarded, Official Selection in the 2016 New Apple book awards.

She writes paranormal and contemporary romance - steamy and sexy are the way they usually turn out. She's a huge fan of superheroes and bad boys confronted with extraordinary forces of nature, powers, and abilities beyond the norm mixed with hot, blow-your-socks-off romance.

She loves those days when she gets to sit around in her yoga pants, doing nothing but day dreaming about the sexy heroes she writes about and writing emotionally charged stories about love and romance.

She lives in Northern California with a gorgeous view of Folsom Lake from her office where she spends a lot of time day dreaming when she's not writing. She loves to drink wine and fortunately there are several local wineries close by and she visits them as often as possible. Together, she and her romantic husband have five great superhero kids and eight mini-superhero grand kids, so far.

You can find out more about Susan Griscom by visiting her website.

http://susangriscom.com
