Defeat the Darkness (Hearts of Darkness) (25 page)

“I don’t think she’ll agree to go with you.”

“I’m counting on you to talk her into it, Max. This mutation could be serious.”

No comment from Max had Kyle making the decision for him. “We’ll be there in fifteen minutes. Can you meet us?”

“I’m heading out the door now. Where do you plan on taking her?”

Kyle shook his head at Victor. “I’m not going to tell you that and put you in danger, too. And Max, don’t warn her that we’re coming. If she bolts, tracking her down will cost us valuable time.”

“Doctor Hamilton,” Victor interrupted, “I promise I will stay in constant touch with you. I may need you to run some tests for me. You have the means, correct?”

“Uh, yes. I-uh…Kyle, we’ll talk about this when I see you.” Max disconnected and Kyle touched the power off button.

“I’m warning you, he’s going to figure out what we’re up to sooner or later.” Kyle sighed. “I don’t know how to keep this from him when he’s already seen the scientific evidence that our DNA exists.”

“Dylan will make the decision about what to do with him after he goes to the council. It won’t be the first time they have made an exception, especially if the human in question can help us.”

“What else can they do?”

“Several of the members have the ability to do a powerful mind wipe. Dylan is one of them.”

Kyle stepped on the gas and Victor white knuckled the sissy strap.

“My driving making you nervous, Victor? Being as old as you are and an immortal, seems like you’d be immune to fear?”

“We can be injured.” Victor looked a bit sheepish when he answered. “The pain is as painful now as it was when we were human. Although you fortunately have not experienced a mortal injury yet, returning from death hurts the most.”

“Wimp.” Kyle snorted at the immortal. “I won’t get you killed, Victor.”

“I always thought if I learned how to drive one of these—”

“What? You don’t drive?”

Victor shook his head. “I didn’t have a need—”

“It’s not about need, man. When I lived in Boston, I didn’t need to drive, either, but no red-blooded young man hits sixteen without getting his license. It’s a ‘rite of passage’.”

Still weaving in and out of traffic, Kyle glanced over at Victor. His hand now lay in a nervous fist in his lap.

“Listen, when all this is over, and after you’ve taught me how to manage my demon, I’ll teach you to drive.”

Victor looked unsure until Kyle added, “We’ll buy you a sweet little Lamborghini like Dylan’s—”

“Yes!” Salazar perked right up. “I would like a—how do you say? A ride like Dylan’s.” Victor’s face was as animated as a sixteen-year-old boy’s contemplating his first naked girl.

“Well, let’s save the princess, fight the demons, and thwart the evil Queen’s plans.”

“You are joking?”

“Not really. All this sounds like a Grimm’s fairy tale.”

“Ah, the brothers Grimm. I met them once. The council wasn’t happy with all their diaries getting out.”

“Oh. So I guess they weren’t writing fiction after all.” Kyle shook his head and released a sigh.

He was doing a lot of sighing lately. His head wanted to explode. This was almost too much for him to take in, and he had a nasty suspicion it wasn’t all. How was he going to break any of this to Shelby?

He turned the wheel, rounded the corner, and brought the Jeep to a screaming halt behind Max’s Mustang GT parked in front of the clinic. He jumped out and checked the interior on the way by. His friend had already gone inside.

Victor turned three hundred and sixty degrees. “Smell that?”

“Yes. She’s been here.” Kyle’s gut churned.

As he and Victor bounded up the steps, Shelby was unsuccessfully struggling to break free of Max as he dragged her out the door.

When she bumped into Kyle, she stopped fighting Max.

“You!” she gasped and went limp, deflating like a burst balloon.

“I’ll take her now,” Kyle said.

He held on and Max backed away. “You and Salazar go in your car. We’ll meet up at the same place where I met you earlier.”

Max stared at Shelby and then asked, “Shelby, are you okay with this?”

She shook her head, then apparently reconsidered and nodded. Finally, she added, “I’m not sure.” She’d gone pale at the sight of Kyle and Victor. “How?” her lips continued to move but no sound escaped.

“You wanted me to find Kyle for you,” Max said, sounding defensive. “So here he is.”

Kyle hated to see her so distraught. Although it was for her own good, her confusion made him cringe. She was going to be tired of hearing that before this was all over, and he was going to take the brunt of her anger.

The scent of brimstone grew stronger and Kyle grew more uneasy by the minute. “You’re in danger, Shelby. We’ll take you to safety.”

Victor moved closer to Kyle, and drew Shelby’s attention. “We must go.”

Shelby visibly relaxed when Victor stared into her eyes and spoke. Kyle needed to learn how to do that.

Despite Victor’s strong suggestion, her attention shifted to Max. “What about him?”

“For now, he’s not the issue and Victor will stay with him.”

“Go ahead.” Max encouraged Shelby. They’ll explain everything, and I’ll see you as soon as I can.” He kissed her cheek before helping her into Kyle’s car. “Take care, babe.”

After the door closed, he walked around to Kyle’s side, stared at him, then at Shelby, and warned him, “We’ll be right behind you. Be careful.”

Chapter 31 Danger

Kyle pulled into traffic and carefully maneuvered his way out of town. Once they were on the open highway, the interior of the Jeep never felt so stifling. Shelby was unusually quiet, actually silent. That wasn’t a good thing. It meant she was thinking, and knowing how sharp she could be at peeling away the layers of an onion, he was expecting a battle from her at some point. He should be relieved she got in the car with him.

The hard top muffled the outside noise, making the silence inside the car almost painful. The other distractions didn’t help, either. The beat of her heart and the scent of her blood forced him to battle his jaguar back from the surface and focus on his plan.

He clicked on the radio, tuning in a station they used to listen to, and hoped the background music wouldn’t be a “done-somebody-wrong” song. Salt in the wound wouldn’t help his cause. And damn, he needed to dilute her scent before it drove his cat mad.

Kyle opened the window on his side, but all he succeeded in doing was letting in the hot humid air. Fortunately, there was no lingering sulfur odor coming through the night air, but the breeze whipped through Shelby’s hair, blowing her scent through the interior in a frenzy. He closed the window and turned on the AC.

She smoothed her hair, repaired her ponytail, and gave him a dirty look. “Nice move,” she snarled under her breath.

God, he loved her spunk. Everything about her called to him. His primal instincts demanded he claim, provide for, keep, and protect his mate. They were all screaming at him. As much as he wanted to deny it, Kyle realized Dylan was correct. Shelby was his soul mate and with the scent of the cat in her blood, his jaguar roared for release.

Though, so far, he managed to push the cat back, each time it repeatedly became a greater struggle. That alone made him more certain than ever he wasn’t the best choice of guardians for Shelby. Someone had to acknowledge the danger he posed to her. Was he the only one who realized he was out of control?

“Did Max know where you were all along?”

After the silent treatment, her question startled him. He’d been so lost in thought he nearly jumped when she spoke. Her voice sounded thick with emotion, and he didn’t dare risk looking to see if there were tears.

Wounded.
She sounded as if she’d been betrayed.

And she had been—but not by Max. He couldn’t let her believe the one person she trusted implicitly would lie to her.

“No,” Kyle glanced at her. “Not until today. I made him promise not to say anything to you—”

“What changed your mind? You showed up where I work unannounced, and what the three of you did came darn close to abduction. If I hadn’t agreed to go with you, would you have taken me anyway?”

Her voice sounded stronger, more indignant. To his way of thinking that was a good sign, even if his answer wasn’t going to make her a fan of his.

“Yes. Absolutely.”

“Dammit, Kyle—”

“I warned you from the start this was serious. After the drugging in Guatemala, you should be convinced. Believe me. I won’t risk your safety again.”

She shivered, and although the night was hot and humid, the AC was blowing cold. He considered turning it off until he glanced at her to gauge her reaction to his words.

She stared directly into his eyes when he turned toward her. “What have you gotten us into?”

The perspiration on her upper lip glistened in the moonlight, and her pupils began to change shape. Ready or not, the moon approached its zenith and the fever was upon her.

“I’m sorry. But I’ll take care of you, Shelby. No need to worry.”

“Where are you taking me? And why?”

“The
where
is simple. I have a friend who lives in a remote Parrish out by the bayou. The
why
is because he offered us his guest house until the authorities track down the danger.”

“And
what
exactly is the danger? That woman?”

“Yes. That crazy, stalker bitch already murdered two people in our neighborhood.” There was no point denying it. She needed to be frightened. “Under the circumstances, I’m not sure how safe you are with me, either.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He glanced over to find her looking at him for the answer. What could he tell her?

He went with a generic but true explanation. “I’m not the same man I was when I left here. You’re in danger for being someone I care about. Isn’t that reason enough?”

“Don’t worry. I trust you to protect me, Kyle.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t,” Kyle muttered and made a sound of disgust.

“Kyle?” She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. “What’s happening to me? I feel different.”

“You caught a virus in Guatemala.”

“Geez, it’s hot, but I can’t stop shaking.” She shivered again, doubled over, and more sweat formed a sheen on her face. “I don’t feel well.”

“Victor thinks he knows what’s wrong. He brought some jungle plants to ease your symptoms. Max said your symptoms were mild…”

“They were. Suddenly they’re getting worse.”

“You don’t look so good. Are you going to be okay until we get there?”

“I don’t know. I’m on fire. Every joint and muscle in my body aches.”

Kyle glanced at the moon and cursed. To complicate things, it was going to be a blood moon, too. He remembered how he felt with the fever and the aches. When her joints began to stretch, the pain would feel like every bone in her body was breaking. It was excruciating to experience, and he wanted to spare her as much as possible.

“Hold on, Shelby.” He punched in Max’s number and set the phone to speaker. “Change of plans,” he shouted into the phone when he heard Max answer. “She’s sick. Very sick. Stick close. Don’t get lost. I’m taking her to my friend Dylan’s place. Salazar can give you directions if we get separated.”

Once he saw the headlights in his rear view mirror, he drove faster. Dylan and Garr were going to hand him his head for bringing Max into the Parrish, let alone to the estate.

Shelby arched back and screamed. The sound echoed through the car before she slumped over, unconscious in her seat.

He put his fingers to the pulse at her neck. It was steady but weak. “It’s not far, now, sweetheart.” He gently squeezed her fingers and released the breath he’d been holding when she squeezed back. “That a girl. You’ll be fine.”

Her hand went limp in his, and he checked her breathing. It seemed regular, but worry made the cat within him roar. Until he reached Dylan’s, and Victor could dose her with the medicine he brought from the jungle, she was better off unconscious during this painful stage.

So was he. His protective instincts wouldn’t survive her pain.

~~~~

When Shelby opened her eyes, the room was dark and the bed was comfortable. She glanced around and realized she could see details as if every light in the room were ablaze. She was hot, but there was no fire in the fireplace—no windows to let light in. A comfortable genuine looking Queen Anne’s chair stood beside the bed. The rest of the furniture, an armoire, dresser, and night table, seemed to match the period. There appeared to be nothing else in the room except the modern day, king-sized bed where she lay.

Where was she and how did she get here?

The last thing she remembered was talking to Kyle before she suddenly began to shiver and sweat. Nausea and excruciating pain soon followed. Finally, it eased, and then she passed out.

The hair falling over her forehead bothered her. She tried to brush it away, but her arms felt too heavy to lift.

Drowsy and confused, she was able to hear Kyle’s voice and it registered he was speaking with someone in the next room. The other man’s voice wasn’t familiar. His dialect was American, but when she listened more attentively, she caught a slight Scottish burr in a word or two.

Suddenly, as if he sensed her listening, he stopped speaking, and as soon as she struggled to sit up, she heard him say, “Ack, Kyle. Yer Shelby’s awake.”

What the heck?
From her prone position on the bed, she checked the room for cameras. Seeing none, she was still busy wondering how the Scot knew she was awake when Kyle called her name.

“Shelby?” he said, “I’ll be right there.”

More male mumbling followed. Max’s and another familiar voice with a soft Spanish accent she knew to be Victor Salazar’s. Max argued with another man. The deep, gruff voice made all the fine hair on her back stand on end. She felt the urge to stand and fight or claw her way from the house.

Weird reaction.

Panic she’d never experienced filled her with dread even though her rational mind dismissed it.

The Scotsman said, “Hurry. She’s reacting to Garr.”

Me? No, I’m just freaking out for no apparent reason.

Kyle appeared at the side of the bed as if out of nowhere and gripped her shoulders to still her. With a strength she didn’t remember him having, he lifted her off the bed. Cradling her in his arms like a baby, he sat back down and calmed her with a gentle, soothing voice.

“Shh, relax. Everything will be all right.” He reached for a glass from the nightstand beside the bed. “Here, drink this.”

She took a sip and choked. “Yuck. This is terrible.”

Kyle stood his ground. “Drink it. All of it. Victor says it will help ease your symptoms.”

“What symptoms?” When she woke up without any memories of how she got here, she figured that was what Kyle meant. “Do you mean what happened in the car?”

“Yeah that and other symptoms you’re about to experience. Drink up. Victor made the concoction just for you.”

“The stuff tastes like old, dirty socks and cut grass.”

Kyle slanted his head and asked, “And you know that because…?”

He at least made her smile on the inside. “Okay, never mind. I stand corrected.” She was too tired to argue. “It’s what I would expect that combination to taste like.”

Scrunching her nose, she held her breath and quickly downed the rest like a shot of Sex-On-The-Beach. Swallowing the potion did soothe her parched throat and immediately eased her stomach cramps.

When she handed him the empty glass, Kyle still looked tense as he placed it on the night table.

“What will I begin to experience?” she asked, watching him for a reaction.

“Let’s go into the den so we can talk,” he said.

That didn’t sound like it was going to be good news, but his blank face gave nothing away. Usually she was good at reading Kyle’s moods, but no more.

He helped her stand, allowing her a moment to get her balance. His touch triggered every sense in her body to a fevered pitch. The immediate sensation was like touching an open circuit. She had to shake his hands off to regain her composure.

His expression looked pained when he moved away from her, giving her space. He edged closer to the door. “Victor is here already.”

“What about Max?

“Yeah. He took some blood samples to the lab Victor set up in the cottage. He should be here any minute. Come on. I want you to meet our host. We’ll stay here while you recuperate and hope the authorities track down Amyra soon.”

“Is our host the one with the Scottish brogue?”

“Brogue? Yeah, come to think of it, the old accent does pop out when he’s excited.” Kyle surprised her by laughing. “I think he’s been in this country for a long time, though.”

“Tell me how you and Dylan met,” she requested, as she tested her balance.

“You need help?” he asked.

“No. I want to try.” She wasn’t ready for any kind of physical reaction to him, yet. “Go on with your story.”

“An old friend of Victor’s put us in touch. When I returned, they arranged for me to finish recuperating from the jungle ordeal here at his place. Dylan freelances for local and state police as a consultant and, when necessary, also for the FBI.”

“That’s handy under the circumstances.” She took one tentative step, then another.

Kyle opened the door wider.

She halted mid step when she caught a strange scent in the air. “Who else is out there? I thought I heard someone else. Maybe Cajun?”

“Deep, gravelly voice?”

The sense of panic set in again. She couldn’t control the trembling in her hands or the vibrations rising from somewhere deeper inside her. She nodded at him but had to stop when the room spun. He rushed to her side and supported her before she fell. This time, the physical reaction to his touch as he caught her was a low, pleasant hum.

Heady. Warm. Nice.

Gripping her shoulders to keep her from hitting the floor, he wrapped her in his embrace. “That’s Dylan’s friend, Garr.” Kyle murmured against her ear. “He’s here to help train Dylan’s ward, Jackson. You okay?”

“Yeah. Just a little dizzy.” Shelby winced and slowly shifted her attention to the doorway. She pinched her nose. “What’s that smell? Wet dog?”

“No. But I understand why you might think that.” Kyle looked like he was holding back a grin. “You’re trembling. There’s nothing to be frightened of here. You’re safe with any one of us, including Garr. Do you understand that?”