Alpha Hunter (3 page)

Suddenly the stranger went on the offensive.
He landed two solid punches, but when he tried to sweep Naz’s feet out from under him, Naz blasted the stranger with…energy pulses? Frozen by fear and fascination, Angie scrambled for an explanation. Shimmering light burst from Naz’s palms and the stranger cried out as each ball of light struck him.

Angie, r
un! Get the hell out of here before he sees you!

She
didn’t recognize the deep voice that barged into her mind, but she couldn’t argue with the strategy. Turning sharply, she ran in the opposite direction and darted around the side of the building. She didn’t look back, didn’t question the advice, until a hand grasped her shoulder from behind. She screamed and twisted away as something stabbed into her brain. Her vision blurred and her skull contracted, then she crashed into a solid wall of muscle.

The stranger’s arms closed around her, yanking her tight against his big body. Her surroundings
swirled and the ground beneath her feet dissolved. She screamed and screamed, clinging to the stranger because she had no other choice.

She squeezed her eyes shut, but
the fight replayed in her mind. They could move at the speed of thought and battle with pulses of light. What the hell were they?

And what did they want with her?

Where was this one taking her?

Each question compounded her fear.

Her feet touched down and his arms loosened, without releasing her completely.

“Are you ok
ay?”

She
struggled out of his embrace and stumbled back several steps, arms flailing as she tried to keep her balance. “Who are… What the…” Fear scattered her thoughts and set her feet in motion. She spun to the side and ran, not caring where she went, only knowing she didn’t want to stay with
him
.

Her foot caught on the uneven ground and she landed hard on her
hands and knees.

“Angie.” H
is voice came from right behind her.

He knew her name! Was that good or bad?
Twisting around, she sat in the dirt and stared up at him in disbelief.

“I’m not going to hurt you.”

He sounded sincere, but her fear-addled mind rejected the assurance. She dragged her gaze away from his face and looked around. Bleak, desolate desert stretched as far as she could see. Her belly tensed and her chest felt heavy. She had nowhere to run. Not that she had any hope of outrunning someone who could teleport.

If immediate escape wasn’t an option, she needed information.

“Who are you?” She tried to lick her lips but her mouth was too dry.

“My name is Blayne. Tori sent me.”

The adrenaline rush eased, leaving her weak and shaky. Then reality came back into focus. He stood over her though he made no move to touch her. Instead, he watched her intently, his expression cautious. For just a moment his eyes seemed to swirl, drawing her in with hypnotic intensity. Then the color stabilized, becoming a striking mixture of silver, blue and gray. His features were strong and symmetric, yet his lips had a sensual fullness that was accented by a short goatee. Dark brown and slightly mused, his hair flowed away from his face and brushed his shoulders in distinct waves. He emanated the same sort of sexy menace that had drawn her to Naz. Were they related? They obviously knew each other.

“Are you steady enough to stand if I
help you up?” His lips parted in a patient smile while awareness arced between them. “Teleportation can be disorienting if you’re not expecting the rush.”

Tele
portation
. The word echoed through her mind, mocking her circumstance. People couldn’t really teleport. So how did she explain her location? Or everything she’d seen in that parking lot?

“Where are we?
” She took his outstretched hand and he pulled her to her feet. Her legs trembled beneath her, so he moved his hand to her elbow. His palm was warm, his fingers long and strong, easily spanning her arm.

“We’re back in Nevada.
About thirty miles from Las Vegas.”

Okay, hysterics weren’t getting her anywhere. She had to think this through.
Unless she’d had some sort of psychotic break, which didn’t seem likely, she’d just been teleported from one state to another. She eased her arm out of his grasp and took a step back. “Why were you driving my sister’s car?” It was the least preposterous of the questions swarming her brain.

With slow, nonthreatening movements, h
e slipped his hand into his pocket and withdrew a cell phone. Or to be more exact, he withdrew
her
cell phone. The anime sleeve was custom; she’d designed it herself.

“Where
’d you get that?” She held out her hand expectantly and he handed her the phone.

“Your sister gave it to me. She recorded a message for you.”

She found the recording and played the short message, splitting her attention between the screen and the stranger. “Hey, sis. Sorry I couldn’t come get you, but I sent this hunk instead. Somehow I don’t think you’ll mind. He’s got a mouth on him, so don’t get him started or he’ll twist every word you say. I’ll see you tomorrow. Behave yourself!” Tori’s image blew her a kiss and the clip ended. This confirmed that Tori had sent Blayne, but it didn’t explain why. “I have so many questions. I don’t even know where to start.”

“Nazerel
touched you right before I flashed you here. Did you feel him in your mind?”

“Naz
Zerrel? Is that his full name?” She was stalling. She’d sure as hell felt something, like a knife slicing into her brain. “I’m not sure.”

He tilted his head and narrowed his gaze, obviously not believing
her. “His name is one word, Nazerel. He has raw power, but his skill is limited. Tell me what you felt.”

“
Someone grabbed my shoulder and something hot stabbed into my head. It’s gone now. I don’t feel it anymore.”

He moved closer, his eyes gleaming, expression
suddenly grim. “I need to scan you. It’s likely he tried to anchor a tracer strand. I need to see how far he got.”

She backed up each time he stepped forward
, maintaining the distance between them. “I don’t want to feel that again.” Besides she knew nothing more than this man’s name. And the fact that Tori trusted him. The realization did little to ease Angie’s anxiety.

“I’m infinitely more skilled than Nazerel.
” There was no arrogance in his claim, just a firm statement of fact. “I won’t harm you, but I can’t take you to Tori if you’re bugged.”

That ended her retreat. She had a million questions and she’d much rather have answers from her sister than a man she’d just met. If letting him “scan” her was the
price for being returned to Tori, then she’d grin and bear it. “Can you turn it off if he planted a bug on me?”

“Likely. Let’s start with a simple scan.” He slowly raised his arm. “The link is easier to form if I touch you.” He pressed his hand against the side of her face, thumb absently tracing her jawline. His eyes were unbelievably beautiful. She’d never seen
a blue so light yet intense. “Close your eyes.”

She
slowly lowered her lids, but her other senses immediately took over. His fresh, spicy scent became stronger each time she inhaled. His warm breath teased her cheek and her skin tingled beneath his light touch. She grew restless, wondering when he’d start.

“Relax. I need to
push deeper.”

A shiver dropped down her spine. Apparently
, he was scanning already. His other hand touched her hip then slid around to the small of her back. Strength bled from her legs and she swayed against him. She wasn’t sure if he caused the sudden weakness or if he’d just been expecting it. All she knew was she was glad he was there.

She grasped his shoulder with one hand and wrapped her other arm around his waist as he shifted her head into the bend of his elbow. Light and color erupted inside her mind, swirling through her, sinking deeper as it swept her along.

Then a hot sting burst through her lethargy. She gasped and tried to twist away.

Don’t fight me. The more you resist
, the more it will hurt.

Memories
crashed through her composure, dark and distant, yet detailed. Her eyes flew open and she twisted out of his embrace then firmly shoved him away. “If it hurts, you shouldn’t do it.”

He was silent for a moment then spoke carefully as he said,
“The link is not fully formed, but it is anchored deeply. I must rid your mind of—”

“Screw you!
” She furiously blinked back tears, refusing to submit to past demons or present intimidation. She’d worked too hard and fought too long to be controlled by things she couldn’t change. “Stay out of my head and take me to my sister.”

“If I take you to Tori without severing the link, I’ll endanger everyone.” He crossed his arms over his chest but his expression was carefully neutral. “
If Nazerel completes the link, it will give him direct access to your mind. We can’t allow that to happen.”

“Then take me home. That wo
n’t endanger anyone but me.”

“No.”

“No?”

“No.” He emphasized the word with absolute finality.

“Just no? Because you say so?” She made an exasperated sound and kicked a dirt clod at him. “You’re an asshole!”

To her utter astonishment, he laughed. “I’ve been called far worse.” The smile left his lips, but amusement shimmered in his gaze. “Let me spell it out for you
, sweetness. You weren’t supposed to know about any of this. I was going to show up, have you play Tori’s message, then drive you back to Las Vegas without you realizing I wasn’t human. But Nazerel changed all that. You’re in this now regardless of anyone’s intentions.”

Her mind hung up on one strange phrase.
Realizing I wasn’t human
. “You’re not human?” The question sounded foolish after all she’d seen. Of course he wasn’t human. What human could do the things these men had done? “Then what are you?”

He straightened, shoulders squared, chin raised to an imperious level.
“I’m a Master Level mage from the planet Ontariese. I’m sworn to your protection, which is why I can’t take you home. Nazerel is likely watching your apartment, waiting for your return.”

The sun was bright in a cloudless sky and the temperature was rapidly rising. Without water or any other supplies, she had no hope of hiking out. Unless Las Vegas was significantly closer than Blayne had indicated. She squinted into the distance, but she could see nothing but barren earth and the occasional cactus.
Her eyes were stinging and her mouth was so dry she could barely speak.

“
Well, we can’t stay out here without water. At least I can’t.”

Blayne heaved a frustrated sigh. “Nazerel
already knows where your sister lives. I suppose it won’t do any harm to take you there.”

“If I don’t show up at my apartment, won’t he ‘flash’ over to Tori’s house?” She regretted the question an instant after it left her mouth. Why was she discouraging him? He’d just agreed to take her to Tori or at least to Tori’s house.
They’d be back in civilization where Angie had a far better chance of escaping him.

“We won’t be alone at Tori’s. It gives us better odds.” He held out his hand and waited.

Did he mean Tori would be there or were there other people from Ontariese on Earth? It didn’t really matter. She could trust him or bake in the sun as she tried to walk all the way to Las Vegas. Dread twisted through her gut as her helplessness became ever more obvious. Seeing no other option, she reluctantly took his hand.

Blayne scanned Tori’s house for potential dangers before he materialized with Angie in the living room. Lor’s shielding still protected the compact two story from unwanted visitors, but Blayne knew the Mystic passcode that allowed him to penetrate the barrier. No one was home, not even a sentry patrolling the perimeter. Everyone must be on the ship. Or there had been developments while he was away.

Angie swayed against him, her hands moving to her temples. She wasn’t used to teleporting, so he gave her a moment to acclimate.

Meticulously shielding his transmission, he reached out to Lor.
I’ve returned with my passenger, but there were complications. Can you meet me at Tori’s house?

We encountered complications as well.
Give me an hour. I’ll brief you when I arrive.

Copy.

He released the telepathic link and found Angie watching him, her big blue eyes wide with uncertainty. Considering all she’d seen, she’d been remarkably composed. Hopefully her cautious yet rational approach would continue. He had no experience dealing with hysterical females.

“
Who were you talking to?” Her hands rested lightly on his chest though she seemed to be steady now.

He started to deny the conversation then realized the futility of the impulse. She already knew he was telepathic.
“I let Lor know we’d returned.” He let go of her arms and stepped back. “He’ll be here in an hour.”