(31) When all else is lost the future still remains

“About time you got here,” Kayne said acerbically.

Race glanced at Addie and then beyond her to the door. With a smile she told him Shan had been right behind her. “Knowing him, he’s checking the condition of this level and probably even assessing its defensibility.”

“Considering what happened it’s in fairly good shape,” Shan said seconds later as he joined them. “If I’m remembering correctly, there were only two entrances directly from the outside, the tunnel we just used and another one from here.” He tapped his fingers on the computer console nearest him, thought for a moment, and then strode across the command center to one of the tall cabinets that lined the far wall. Touching it he murmured a few words and it swung ponderously inward. “Easier than physically pulling it open,” he said when Race looked surprised.

“You were not aware he is a sorcerer?” Kayne asked Race.

“I guess I knew that, sort of. Addie said something to him about wards around his house on the island. But I’ve never seen him actually use his magic, well that kind of magic.”

Kayne nodded, once again studying the young man.

Shan watched them both before smiling knowingly. “Are you going to try to bring it to the forefront?” he asked Kayne.

“Definitely something to consider. You did not see it? I am quite surprised.”

“I wasn’t really looking,” Shan replied with a shrug.

Race moved closer to Addie, whispering, “What are they talking about?”

“If I were to hazard a guess, I’d say you have the potential to be a magic worker, which isn’t surprising all things considered.”

“Umm humm, sure. Human here, in case they didn’t notice.”

Addie laughed. “We have a very human friend who is gifted. It happens.”

Overhearing them, Shan said to Race, “It’s possible that the same accident that caused you to be able to sense non-humans also opened up the part of your mind that holds your magical abilities.”

“Then why haven’t I been able to do…whatever?”

“Because you didn’t know you could, and because you need to be trained on how to.”

“And he’s going to do that?” He glanced at Kayne.

Kayne shook his head. “I am afraid I do not have the time. Even being here helping the three of you is taking me away from my duties. No, I think I shall leave that task for Darshan.”

Guardian Angels – An Interesting Life (16)

An hour later, Vic was at his computer. It sat, with all the necessary peripherals, on a very modern oak and steel, U-shaped desk.  A slow smile crossed his lips when he finally found what he was looking for and he said, "Got ya."

"Who?" Evan asked, leaning over his shoulder to look at the screen.

"Someone named Carl Peake."

"Who's he?" Paddy asked.

"Good question. Not anybody I've run into during my investigation, so I suspect he's another hired hand." As Vic spoke, he was doing a search on the man, using information gathered from what he'd learned about the phone number. "Lives on the south side of the city." He nodded. "Married. Owns an auto repair shop. Registered Republican. No mention of an NRA membership."

"And is pretty stupid, if you can find all that info in less than ten minutes," Evan commented.

Vic grinned. "Or I'm damned clever and know where to look." He sobered. "He was stupid, giving those men his real phone number. Or… someone else is using it."

"Meaning either he leaves it lying around, or someone stole it?"

"Both are possibilities. We need to have a talk with Mr Peake."

"Might I suggest that before you do, you change clothes," Paddy said. "You look as if you've been wearing what you have on for more than a few days."

Vic snorted in amusement. "Probably because I have been. Next stop, my place, and then on to pay Mr Peake a visit."

If Evan had been surprised at how modern Vic's office was, he was equally surprised when they walked into Vic's apartment. It was in an older building and the antithesis of his office. The living room walls had been painted medium beige, the floor was carpeted in brown. The drapes were dark brown, matching the sofa and two armchairs that faced a fieldstone fireplace. Despite the preponderance of the one color, it was very cozy and comfortable looking.

"Make yourselves at home," Vic told the others, before disappearing down a short hallway into his bedroom. He returned fifteen minutes later in a fresh pair of jeans and a blue button-down shirt. And he had shaved, which made him look much more businesslike.

Evan was standing in front of the long set of bookshelves. "You have very eclectic reading tastes—history, art, classic novels, mysteries and thrillers." He tapped one shelf, which held a selection of books on forensics, true crime, and criminal investigation. "Research?"

"Yep. It pays to keep up on what's new out there, considering what I do. Are we ready to leave?"

"No, I thought I'd spend the day here, reading," Paddy said, holding up a crime scene book he was glancing through. "That way I can pretend to be Archie Goodwin to your Nero Wolfe."

"The day I'm as big as Wolfe is the day I retire," Vic replied, heading to the front door. "If you all are going to compare me to fictional detectives, couldn't you at least pick ones who are more recent?"

"Harry Dresden?" Evan said with a grin. "You've got the supernatural thing going now, with Paddy and Dom hanging around."

With an exaggerated roll of his eyes, Vic waited for the others to leave then joined them in the hallway after arming the security box and locking the door behind him.

(30) When all else is lost the future still remains

Addie and Shan, the Were again clothed, arrived back at the Compound to find neither Kayne nor Race anywhere in sight.

“I’m not certain whether to be worried that something’s happened to them,” Addie commented as she used her senses to search the area for potential enemies. “Or to just figure they’ve found one of the tunnels that led down to lower levels and are exploring.”

Shan nodded, willing himself to remain calm. “I don’t feel any strangers, so I’m betting the latter. If you want to, go see if you can find them. I’ll wait here.”

“No,” Addie said sternly, “you’ll come with me. No more hiding Shan.” She took his hand firmly in hers.

“Addie!”

“Don’t growl at me, mister. Come.” She started forward, tugging his hand so that he was forced to follow, albeit reluctantly.

It didn’t take them long to find the same tunnel Kayne and Race had half an hour earlier.

“Kayne’s been at work,” Shan told her. “I can feel his magic. He’s been reinforcing it as they go along.”

“Good. I’m not really much into premature burial if it can be helped.” She moved cautiously into the tunnel’s entrance. “Coming?” she asked, glancing back over her shoulder.

Taking a deep breath, Shan nodded.

The tunnel led steeply downward. In places they could see where it had partially collapsed and Kayne had used his powers to break through the rock fall and repair the damage. Finally the tunnel leveled off and widened enough for them to walk side by side.

“I see light ahead,” Addie said. “Kayne’s doing I imagine, for Race’s benefit.”

The tunnel turned sharply and then they were in a long hallway that both of them recognized instantly.

“I’d be willing to bet they’re in the command center, or what’s left of it.” Addie started down the hall toward the light at the far end.

Shan followed slowly, forcing his mind into purely in military mode now, as he assessed the damage. He was surprised to find that it was minimal, at least from what he could see. The walls of the hall had some vertical cracks ranging from hairline to several inches wide, but the ceiling appeared solid enough. “Good construction,” he muttered to himself. Several doors off the hall hung partially open. Checking the room behind one he found that, again, the damage was minimal. More like something a minor earthquake would have done than that an explosion powerful enough to level the rest of the Compound.

(29) When all else is lost the future still remains

“There.” Race pointed to what appeared to be just another hole created by the explosion that had brought down the Compound.

“You have good eyes,” Kayne commented as he moved to stand at the edge of it.

“I’m just used to looking for…things like that. May I ask a question?”

“Of course.”

“Why don’t you just transport us inside?”

Kayne chuckled. “I may be powerful, more so than you can imagine, but I’m hardly willing to chance doing that and ending up disturbing what could be the delicate balance of some wall or ceiling. Having part of the remaining structure crashing down on us would serve no useful purpose and could end in injury, and in your case death.”

“So instead we’re going to go crawling down some tunnel and possibly do the same thing in the end.”

“No, because as we move along I can set up reinforcements to keep that from happening, whereas just jumping into the center of an unknown area might not give me the time needed to do so.”

“But aren’t you the all powerful Wizard of Oz?” Race asked, trying not to laugh at the look of disgust that crossed Kayne’s face a second later.

“Boy,” Kayne growled.

“I do have a name you know.”

“Race in no more of a name than Boy,” Kayne retorted.

“True, but it’s mine for whatever that’s worth.”

“Yours by choice, not by birth?” When Race nodded Kayne patted his shoulder. “I would suspect it might fit you better than your given one. Now, shall we see what lies beneath this mess?”

“Are you going to fit in there?” The opening was wide enough, but peering into it, it looked as if the tunnel narrowed quickly.

Kayne smirked. “Would you like it if I turned us into mice so that you don’t have to worry?”

“Can you do that?” Race asked, figuring he probably could.

“Yes, although I usually do it to enemies. For now, however, I suggest we go down as we are. A touch of magic when necessary will ensure neither of us gets stuck.”

(28) When all else is lost the future still remains

Race stood to one side as Kayne surveyed what remained of the Compound. Shan still wasn’t back and Addie had disappeared somewhere, leaving him alone with the terrifyingly tall, powerfully built man. As a result he wasn’t quite sure what to do with himself.

Kayne turned, beckoning to Race. “Come here boy,” he ordered.

Hesitantly, Race walked over the stand beside him, feeling very much like the ‘boy’ he’d been called as he looked up at Kayne.

“If you were going to make this place habitable again what would you do to it? Keeping in mind that it also has to be defensible against whatever that sorcerer might throw at you.”

Race frowned. He was shocked that Kayne had asked his opinion and intended to give the question the serious thought it deserved. “First,” he finally replied, “we’d have to find out if anything is still there under the rubble. I’m would guess, since they keep calling this the Compound, that it was some sort of military base and probably went down as well as up.”

“It did,” Kayne replied. “And what if some of the underground rooms still remain in usable condition?”

“First off you, don’t disturb the vegetation that’s grown over the rubble. It has to appear that no one has been around since the building was destroyed.” Thinking, he tapped a finger to his lips before asking, “Do you know if there were secret entrances, especially leading to the lower levels?”

“I believe so. Addie and Darshan would know for certain.” He smiled slightly. “I understand that using secret hideaways is somewhat your forte.”

“I suppose so.” Race shrugged. “You do what you have to to stay safe on the streets.”

“Or anywhere else.” Kayne studied him intently for a long moment, causing Race to shift nervously under the scrutiny. “You have potential boy,” Kayne said.

“For what?”

Kayne just smiled. “When I decide, then I will tell you. Until then, what say we do a little exploring to see if we can find one of the secret entrances. I suspect Addie and Darshan will be a while still.”

Race felt a sudden flash of jealousy at that thought, even though he was almost certain it was unwarranted.

Chuckling softly Kayne told him, “They are friends, nothing more,” as he started walking along the perimeter of the blasted area, his eyes searching the ground.

“Did you just read my mind?” Race asked angrily as he followed.

“No, boy, your emotions were written on your face.” Kayne stopped short, looking at Race. “You might be good for him,” he said, nodding slowly. Then he continued walking.

(27) When all else is lost the future still remains

Shan watched as Race walked away. For a brief moment he almost said something to stop him, but the feeling that he should was fleeting. He didn’t need some callow kid trying to lecture him when he had absolutely no idea what life was all about.

What he did need was to get as far from there as possible, and there was only one way short of teleporting to do that. He shifted. And then he ran.

And his thoughts followed unbidden, unwanted, as he remembered.

Remembered the joy of loving, the anger of perceived betrayal, the horror of what he’d done in return. Then the wonder when he’d been forgiven and their love had blossomed anew. And, when it finally had, two insane creatures had killed the one person he’d ever loved in their attempt to gain control of him and Addie.

He sank to the ground finally, exhausted in both body and mind. He wanted to scream, to cry, to release all of the anguish that had become as much a part of his life as eating and breathing. But he didn’t know how. He wondered if he ever would or if, unlike for Addie, it would always be with him.

He heard the soft sounds of footsteps and growled a warning.

“Oh hush,” Addie said as she approached and sat down beside him, stroking his head. “And shift if you would. Talking to you in this form is a bit off-putting. I never really could do it with Doval without feeling sort of silly.”

He did, remaining on his stomach out of deference to her sensibilities, too tired to call up some clothes at the moment.

“You had me worried you know.”

“I’m quite capable of taking care of myself.”

She continued to stroke his head, running her fingers through his hair. “Actually, my dear friend, in some ways that is so far from the truth it would almost be laughable, if it wasn’t so sad. You’ve got the perception that men, well you at least, have to bury all your pain inside. To some extent I understand. The last time you let it out, really let it out, you did something unforgivable.”

“Addie, don’t!”

“Shush, I’m not through yet. We’ve had this talk before, although not in these words but I’m tired of pulling my punches. I’m tired of seeing someone I care about destroying himself inch by inch, pulling back from life so you won’t ever be hurt again.”

He turned his head to look at her. “Says the woman who won’t accept a man who loves her into her own life.”

“True,” she replied, smiling wryly. “But at least I’m willing to accept the idea that he does, and that sometime down the road I might finally be ready to love him in return, in the way that he deserves. You on the other hand have closed your mind to the possibility that there might be someone, someday, who you could care for as much as you cared for Lav.”

“I can’t, Addie.”

“Yes you can, damn it. Shan, to be very blunt, and you can take it for what you think it’s worth, if you don’t you’ll die. Not here,” she ran a hand over his back, “but in your heart and soul. And that, my dear sweet man, would dishonor Lav and all the love that the two of you shared.” She bent to kiss his temple. “Let it go, Shan, let the pain go. Please. Open yourself to the future and all that it can hold for you.”

Guardian Angels – An Interesting Life (15)

"How many of you want breakfast?" Evan asked when Vic and the two angels joined him in the kitchen the next morning. He looked Vic over, as much as he could see of him, because the man was in the same jeans and sweatshirt he'd been wearing since he arrived. "Off with the shirt so I can check you out," he ordered.

"Do you want an answer to your question? If so, I wouldn't turn down whatever you're cooking," Dom told Evan.

"Same here," Paddy agreed. "We don't need food, but we sure do like it when we're in this form and on a job. It's… I guess you could say, one of the perks of being on earth."

"First things first." Evan waited for Vic to do as he'd asked then expertly ran his hands over Vic's torso, watching his face the whole time.

"I'm fine. See," Vic said, gritting his teeth when Evan not too gently prodded his ribs.

"Fine? No. Better? Yes. The bruising has diminished nicely." Evan chuckled. "You don't look like you went several rounds with King Kong. Now put the shirt back on and let me check your knee. You're still hobbling."

"No fucking way am I taking off my pants in front of an audience."

"We can leave," Paddy told him, smirking.

Evan shook his head. "Just sit down. I can do it through your jeans."

Vic did, moving his leg while Evan gently probed his knee.

"I have a knee brace," Evan said, "which I should have given you yesterday. I'll get it after breakfast. Since we're going to be out and about, it will help you move without too much pain."

"Thanks," Vic replied, reaching for the bottle of pills sitting on the table. He popped two of them, dry, before asking, "What's for breakfast? I can help."

"You can stay right where you are. I think I can handle scrambled eggs and sausage by myself. Dom, if you'd get the coffee going, assuming angels know how to brew a decent pot of java. Paddy, silverware is in that drawer"—he pointed—"and plates and cups are in the cupboard. We'll use the dining room table."

Soon everything was ready and the four men were digging in. As they ate, Evan kept glancing at Vic, until the detective said with a bit of asperity, "I'm fine. Honest."

Wasn't why I was looking at you. Evan realized that was true. Since Vic's declaration the previous evening, he was seeing him in a slightly different light. Yes, he still looked rough. Even more so since he hadn't shaved, but he was definitely appealing in a very macho way. Sort of like… He chuckled to himself, remembering his comment about Sam Spade. Give him a battered fedora and he'd fit the part to a 'T'.

"I know you are," Evan replied to Vic's words. "Or at least mobile enough, once I give you the brace, so that we can do… whatever comes next."

"Going to my office. I need to trace that phone number."

"If it isn't from a throwaway."

Vic nodded. "Let's hope not. When I find out who it belongs to, then I make a decision on what to do about it."

(26) When all else is lost the future still remains

Race looked at the torn and devastated landscape in front of him and wondered why the hell that Kayne dude had listened to Addie instead of Shan and brought them here. From what he could see, under the vegetation which had begun taking over, all that was left of the place they called the Compound was a huge hole in the ground.

Addie and Kayne were standing at the edge of it, the tall, blonde man with his arm around her waist. It appeared as if they were having a very serious discussion. Probably, Race figured, about the validity of being here after all.

Shan stood a few yards away with his back to them, his head bowed as he stared at the ground in front of him. Tentatively Race walked over to join him. Shan glanced up, his jaw clenched, and then he strode away.

Oh no you don’t. Race went after him, not letting him out of his sight as Shan walked into the trees surrounding the area. He was well aware that all Shan had to do was shift and he’d be left behind, but it didn’t stop him from following.

Shan turned, growling at Race. “I don’t want company. Go back.”

“You may not want it but you need it, so get off your high horse.”

“I’m serious Race, leave me alone.”

“And if I don’t what are you going to do, shift and run away? You can’t run from your feelings, Shan, no matter how hard you try.” Race took a deep breath, wondering how far to push this. “I know that you lost someone you loved. So did Addie. Do you see her trying to hide from the fact? No way. She’s hurting as badly as you are, I’m sure, but she’s come to terms with it, in her own way. You on the other hand are wallowing in self-pity.”

Shan froze. “Look you little son of a bitch. Until it’s happened to you, you have no idea what I’m going through.”

Race stood his ground. “And you think you’re the only one who lost someone they loved? Admittedly I haven’t, personally, but others have and they don’t bury themselves in their misery and pretend to the outside world that it never happened. Okay, I hardly know you, really, so I’m only guessing from what little I’ve seen but that…that shrine of pictures in your office…” Race stopped suddenly, realizing exactly what he had been doing. He looked at Shan for a moment, whispered, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…” then turned, starting back towards the destroyed Compound and Addie.

(25) When all else is lost the future still remains

“If he’s found us, why aren’t we staying here to fight?” Addie asked. “It’s certainly much more defensible that either of our places, and with the wards I’m certain you have in place, whoever he’s sending won’t be able to get within a thousand yards of us without you’re knowing.”

Shan scowled angrily. “Very true, but there are the islanders to consider, I won’t do anything that will endanger them. Their lives are hard enough as it is. So any battle here is out of the question. Sure, we could remain within the wards, but too soon you’d need to feed, and Race and I would need more than the mangos to keep us alive, as well. However,” he paused momentarily, “we’re not going back home.”

Something in tone of Shan’s words made Addie sit up and take notice. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“According to the message from Kayne, you don’t have a home any more,” he said quietly, putting his arm around her.

“Not again,” she whispered in a pain-laced voice. “When will it end?” There was a moment of deathly silence and then she straightened, pulling away from him. “Where are we going and who do we get to kill?” she said savagely.

“Not my place. The exterior may still be standing but that’s all that’s left of it. Whoever is responsible for this is doing their best to make certain we have no real options left.”

Addie steeled herself as an idea came to her, one she knew Shan would resist with the very marrow of his being, just as she already was. But it was perhaps the only option. Taking his hands in hers she said, “We go back to the ruins of the Compound.”

“No fucking way in hell!” he growled, pulling away, rage suffusing his face. “How can you even suggest such a thing Addie?”

“Because it’s the one place in the world where no one would expect us to go.”

“No! Absolutely not! I’d rather face a thousand deaths than go back there again.”

Race walked around the corner of the house at that moment, bags slung over his shoulder. He froze when he saw the emotions running rampant over both Shan’s and Addie’s faces and began to back away.

“Get over here Race,” Shan growled. “We’re leaving. Unless, of course, you want to stick around and practice your defensive skills on a bunch of rabid humans.”

Race inched closer, muttering, “I’d rather not, given my druthers.”

“Good.” Shan grabbed his hand and then reached for Addie’s.

She stepped away with a shake of her head. “Not until you tell me where you’re taking us.”

“To meet Kayne. From there we’ll decide, but it will not be the Compound.”

(24) When all else is lost the future still remains

The afternoon of their fourth day on the island, Shan again checked his email. There was a message from Kayne that had Shan up and moving immediately.

“Pack up,” he ordered Race.

“Trouble?”

“There will be soon enough unless we get out of here.”

“What about Addie? She’s still sleeping and…”

“Just get everything together from your room and mine. Can you…No, probably not.”

“What?”

“Shoot a gun, or use a knife defensively?”

Race nodded. “Not a gun, but a knife isn’t a problem. I carried one when I was living on the streets.”

“Ever use it?” Shan asked as he shooed Race towards the house, following behind him.

“I did, and successfully, although I never killed anyone if that’s what you’re asking.”

“It was and it wasn’t. I need to see something, so come with me.” Shan led him into his room, which in Race’s opinion was very Spartan. The only thing that said it was Shan’s was the camera bag. It stood open on a low chest which matched the one in Race’s room.

“Holy shit,” Race muttered when he caught sight of what the bag held.

Shan smiled tightly. “I never go anywhere without protection no matter what, which apparently you believe, too, from what you just said. Why didn’t you have your blade with you when you delivered the message?”

“Who says I didn’t?” Race replied.

“You don’t have it now.”

Race cocked an eyebrow. “How do you know?”

“Kid, I’m the one who undressed you the night we arrived here. No knife.”

Race turned somewhat red when Shan said that, covering it by moving closer to the case to see exactly all that it contained. “I forgot it in our hurry to pack up and get out of your place,” he mumbled.

“First lesson, never do that again.” Shan handed him one of the knives from the case, smiling when Race took it, holding it as he should, the blade projecting up from the top of his fist. “One thing…” Shan took hold of Race’s hand, releasing it instantly when the young man stiffened. “Sorry, I keep forgetting,” he apologized. Retrieving another knife from the case, he demonstrated the thumb position that would give Race even better control in a fight.

Race nodded, tried it and then, with Shan’s, permission sheathed it, attaching it to his waistband. He snickered when he realized that drawstring pants didn’t give quite the support that a belted pair would.

Shan chuckled in agreement before telling him to get moving and do as he’d been asked. Then he strode from the room.

As he left, Race watched him hungrily, knowing Shan had misinterpreted when Race had frozen at his touch. Shan’s closeness had sent a frisson of desire through Race’s body that made him grateful Shan couldn’t read him—and unhappy about it at the same time. Heaving a deep sigh he set to work.

Guardian Angels – An Interesting Life (14)

"So?" Dom said, when Vic and Evan came into the living room.

"So, as much as possible, we believe you. Now we need to figure out what to do with the information you got," Evan replied. "Vic says he can trace the phone number but he has to be at his office to do it."

"He can't use your computer?" Paddy asked.

"I could, but I've got programs on mine that will speed things up," Vic told him.

Evan eyed him. "Legit ones?"  

"Define 'legit'."

Paddy chuckled. "That answered that question."

"Okay, so presuming you can put a name and address to the number, then what?" Evan wanted to know.

"We'll decide once I do. It depends on who it is. If he's just another hireling…"

"We take over," Dom interjected.

Evan looked at him. "And read his mind? Or hers, I suppose. We're just presuming it could be a man."

"Yes," Dom replied succinctly.

"Which means, you can read ours. I don't think I like that idea."

"We could," Paddy told him, "but we won't. It's not considered good form unless it's an emergency."

Damned good thing. Vic glanced at Evan. Try as he might, and he had, he couldn't help but find Evan interesting. Not that I could, or would, do anything about it. He might not be married—well, it's obvious from looking around the place that he's not—but it doesn't mean he doesn't have a girlfriend waiting in the wings, or whatever they do.

Paddy cocked an eyebrow. "You never know."

"You said you weren't going to read our minds," Vic spat out.

"I didn't. I was reading the emotions on your face. So ask."

"No."

"Chicken."

Vic almost replied 'Bock, bock' but refrained, knowing he'd sound childish. "You're going to push this, aren't you?"

Evan had been listening, a speculative look on his face. "What's going on with you two?"

Paddy grinned. "Vic has a question for you."

Taking the bull by the horns, since he had the feeling Paddy wouldn't let up, Vic blurted out, "You're good-looking looking, smart, easy to get along with, so why aren't you married and settled down with two point five kids and all?"

Evan seemed to ponder how to reply. Then his lips quirked up when he said, "The right man hasn't asked me yet."

"I… oh… well," Vic managed to get out. "I guess that answers that question."

Evan chuckled. "I could ask you the same thing."

"Yeah…" Vic shrugged. "You'd get the same reply. Only if I met a guy who interested me that much, I wouldn't wait for him to ask, I'd get down on… Hell, never mind. You get the picture."

Evan smiled and nodded, eyeing Vic with more than a bit of interest now. "I do."

"Gentlemen," Dom said, "if you don't mind, can we get back down to what's important at the moment, finding out who those men work for."

"In the morning," Evan told him. "Right now I'm beat and Vic needs more rest, if he's going to be up to even half-speed to deal with this."

"I'm fine—or at least better," Vic protested.

"Sure you are. Better, maybe. Marginally. Get a good night's sleep and perhaps you'll be moving without wincing with every step. And before you say anything, remember I was a medic, I know what to look for. So"—he turned back to Dom—"we will continue this discussion in eight hours, give or take."

"I had to get the bossy one," Dom grumbled, explaining when Evan asked, "we're not tag-teaming the two of you. I'm your angel; Paddy is Vic's. You two take off in different directions then I stick with you."

"And I watch out for Vic." Paddy sighed. "Better than I did last time."

"Hey, you got me out of the car," Vic said. "Okay, not by airlifting me or whatever, but if you hadn't, I might be dead now, not just a bit more battered and bruised. That counts for a lot in my book."

"Thanks."

"Okay," Evan said, standing, "we're going upstairs. The alarm is on, so if you two decide to go out for burgers or something, do your dematerializing act. Okay?"

Dom laughed. "If we were going to, we would. As it stands, we're sticking around, because that's what we do."

"That actually makes me feel better," Vic told him, as he clambered unsteadily to his feet. "Do not say one word," he muttered, looking at Evan. "By morning, I'll be dancing a jig."

"Now, as an Irishman, that I've got to see," Paddy declared as he watched Vic go upstairs with Evan right behind him.

Release day for 'In the Blink of an Eye'!

In the Blink of an Eye

https://www.jms-books.com/erotic-romance-c-29_94/in-the-blink-of-an-eye-p-2194.html

 

Four men whose lives intertwine: Craig Hudson, the manager of a used bookstore in New Orleans; Scott Reed, Craig's boyfriend, who vanishes in the blink of an eye while celebrating his birthday with friends; Kevan Martel, a small-time private investigator, hired by Craig to find Scott; and Zoran, the one responsible for Scott's disappearance.

Will Craig be able to find Scott with Kevan's help? And if they do, what will happen to the growing attraction developing between them? Meanwhile, can Scott survive what Zoran has done to him? If he does, will Zoran regret it?

EXCERPT: 

 

Kevan heard the waiting room door open and went out to see who was there.

"Mr. Martel?" a good-looking man Kevan figured was close to his own age asked.

"Yes. May I help you?"

"I don't know. I hope so." The man looked around and Kevan had a feeling he wasn't terribly impressed with what he was seeing. Not too surprising, since the walls were institutional beige, with two chairs and a short, brown sofa along one of them. A desk, which would have been for a receptionist, if he'd had one, faced the landing doorway, while the doorway to his office was opposite the seating area. Kevan knew that, with his scruff of a beard, he fit right in with the ambiance. Every morning, he vowed it was time to get rid of it -- and didn't.

"Only one way to find out. Tell me your problem," Kevan replied. "And your name would help."

"Craig Hudson."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Kevan, with an 'a'." Kevan gestured toward his office. "Let's go in there and you can tell me why you think you need my services."

Kevan was aware that his office wasn't much more impressive than the waiting room, but at least the walls were a decent blue. His desk was old, antique in fact, and took up a good portion of the right half of the room. He gestured to the chair in front of it, while talking his seat behind it.

"Now, what's the problem?" he asked.

Craig took a deep breath. "My boyfriend is missing." From the look on his face, Kevan figured he both worried about that, and about how Kevan would react to the fact he had a boyfriend. Of course, being New Orleans, he shouldn't be.

"How long has he been gone?" Kevan asked, starting to take notes.

"Since last Friday night. We went to a club, to celebrate his birthday. Around, oh I guess one-fifteen or so, he said he had to use the men's room. I haven't seen or heard from him since then. No one has. Well, at least none of our friends who were there, or his parents."

"Have you filed a missing persons report?"

Craig nodded. "The officer didn't seem too interested. I mean, he took the information but ..." He spread his hands.

"Your boyfriend is an adult, and I presume in his right mind, so I'm not surprised. What's his name, for starters?"

"Scott Alan Reed. He's twenty-five."

Kevan wrote that down. "Do you have a picture of him?"

"Yes." Craig took out his wallet. "I gave the officer two of them. This is the last one. At least the last one I have with me at the moment." He handed Kevan a photo.

It showed a good looking man with blond hair, perhaps a bit too long in Kevan's opinion, and pale blue eyes. A definite contrast to Craig's shorter brown hair and hazel eyes.

"Where does he work?"

"At a souvenir shop in the Quarter." Craig gave him the address.

"Have you talked with anyone there to see if they've heard from him?"

"I called, Saturday afternoon," Craig replied. "He hadn't shown up for work, or called in."

Kevan added that to his notes. "You said none of his friends have heard from him."

"No, they haven't. It's like he vanished off the face of the earth."

"How were you and he getting along?" Kevan asked.

"Fine. We never really argued. It just wasn't us. Friday night Scott was happy and having fun at the club. We both were."

"How long have you been together?"

"Umm, a little over two years. He came into the bookstore where I work, we got to talking, and pretty soon he was a regular. Eventually, I asked him out, he accepted, and things progressed from there."

Kevan jotted that down before asking, "Are you living together?"

"No, but we'd been talking about it."

"So you had a pretty solid relationship."

"Yes," Craig replied emphatically.

"All right. Back to the night of the party. Which club?"

"The Avenue."

"I know it. Nice place. So, according to you, he went to use the restroom at --" Kevan checked his notes, "-- one-fifteen. How long before you missed him?"

"About twenty minutes, I guess. Janie, she's one of our friends who was there, suggested maybe he'd gone outside to get some fresh air. I didn't see him do that, but the place was crowded."

"It usually is," Kevan said.

"Yeah. So, anyway, I tried calling him rather than searching for him. It went to his voicemail. I asked Felix, the doorman, if he'd seen Scott leave. He said he hadn't, and he knows him, and me. We go there pretty often. While I was doing that -- and then while I went outside to check the car, just in case -- everyone else was looking for him inside the club. No luck." Craig sighed, then grimaced. "I've come up with a million scenarios about what could have happened, but none of them make sense."
 

(23) When all else is lost the future still remains

Three days passed while the trio took advantage of their enforced leisure. During the afternoons, while Addie still slept, the men swam or lay on the pristine beach soaking up the sun. They talked in a casual way about nothing in particular, each one avoiding anything to do with their lives or what might happen once the three of them returned to New Orleans.

Shan was quite aware that the younger man looked on him as more than just a casual acquaintance, or at least that he wanted there to be more between them. But that was not something that would happen. Every time he looked at Race he thought of Lav and vowed that never again would he open himself to someone and chance the agony of loosing them. In his world, with who he was and what he did, the risk of that happening was enormous. Better to live alone with his memories.

Addie joined them when she woke, usually just as the sun was going down. At her age she was able to tolerate it and savored the bit of daylight allowed to her. Then the trio would spend their time exploring Shan’s part of the island. Each time they did Shan shifted so that he could run, loving the freedom it gave him, while Race had watched in wonder.

“He’s beautiful,” he’d whispered when it happened again on the third night.

“That he is,” Addie agreed, “although I think he’d prefer handsome.”

“He’s that too. It almost makes me wish I was a Were. There’s something magical about being so at one with the earth and life. Something a human could never experience.”

“Very poetic, and very true I suspect. There are advantages to being non-human as you so politely put it. That’s one of them.”

“But there are disadvantages too, like you not being able to be out during the day,” he replied, nodding.

“There’s always good and bad to everything, Race. You just have to make the best of the bad and embrace the good the way Shan is at this moment.”

“I know,” he said, leaning back against one of the trees while they waited for Shan to return. “Every time I got really bummed about how my life was, I’d think of the fact I was my own person with nothing to tie me to anyone. No one other than me expected more than I could give. And if I wished, well sort of anyway, I could go wherever I wanted to, and do whatever I wanted to, and no one would be hurt.” He grinned. “Well, no one but me that is, if I did something totally stupid.”

“You weren’t lonely, living like that?”

“Sure, sometimes. But the alternatives were worse than the loneliness. I couldn’t, wouldn’t go back home. Not to people who hated me. Living in a shelter wasn’t an option. Not when I’d know about anyone I happened to literally bump into. I got jobs sometimes so I’d have money, but as I told Shan they didn’t last long because of the whole touch thing.”

“You let us touch you,” she pointed out.

“Because I know you’re good people and I trust you.”

“And we’re the first ones since you left home?”

“Yes,” he replied quietly.

(22) When all else is lost the future still remains

Later the same night Shan checked his email, frowning at the response he received from Kayne. “He found nothing,” he told the others. “He also says there are no rumors, real or otherwise, about any powerful vampire sorcerers other than the one on the Continent who was the Master’s friend.”

“Which just says that whoever it was, he isn’t really a vampire,” Addie commented.

“No, it says if he is, he’s keeping himself well protected from discovery. Honestly, Addie, I can’t see anyone but a vampire wanting something from you these days. As ‘the Messenger’ said, it was your words in that minion’s ear which caused the King to end up truly dead. One can logically presume there are those who have a reason to hate you as a result.”

Race spoke up, asking, “Why couldn’t it be the one you just mentioned?”

“Because, according the Master, he never leaves the Continent and rarely even leaves his home, as he’s very reclusive. Besides, what reason would he have to be interested in Addie. He’s the one who warned us about the involvement of the man responsible for killing all of our friends and our families.”

Race nodded, again seeing the devastation cross Shan’s face; and Addie’s when he looked at her. “I’m sorry,” he said softly. I shouldn’t have asked.”

Addie patted his arm. “It’s all right. What happened happened, there’s no changing it and we’ve learned to handle it for the most part.”

Shan just nodded, ignoring the brief conversation because he no choice but to do so if he was going to stay in control. There wasn’t a day he didn’t think of Lav and miss him to the point of pain. He knew that was true for Addie as well and didn’t understand how she could talk so calmly about the loss of her lover and their family.

Concern limned Addie’s face as she covertly watched Shan bury himself in what he was doing on the computer. She worried about him. He kept it all inside now. He had almost since the beginning, being stoic on the outside, but she knew his thinking of Lav still tore him up emotionally.

She glanced at Race as he stared at Shan and saw that he seemed as concerned as she was. Concerned and more, and a brief thought came to her—he might be just what Shan needed. Then she pushed it away, knowing it was too soon. Just as she was avoiding a certain man who she knew loved her, so Shan would back away fast from anyone who might come to care about him on a truly personal level. Perhaps in the future both she and Shan would open themselves to love again, who knew, but not now. She just prayed Race had enough sense to realize that, for both his and Shan’s sakes.

(21) When all else is lost the future still remains

Shan forestalled any questions from Race, telling him he’d just as soon wait until Addie was up and moving so he didn’t have to repeat himself. There was food laid out on a low table---fresh fish, fruit, and a juice that Shan informed his came from the mangos that grew all over the island.

“That’s what those are?” Race nodded towards the huge trees laden with fruit at one side of the clearing.

“Got it in one. If nothing else, we won’t starve while we’re here.”

Race frowned. “What about Addie though?”

“People live at the other end of the island. They rarely if ever come here because of the demon leopard that haunts this side.”

“Meaning you I presume.”

“Exactamente.” He glanced at the house and smiled. “Speak of the devil.”

“If I don’t get a shower soon I will be the devil incarnate,” Addie grumbled as she came to join them. Sitting down beside Shan she asked, “Just how did we end up here?”

“Teleported of course.”

“Wait,” Race said, “I thought you weren’t going to do that because we could be followed.” He looked around as if expecting attackers to appear through the trees at any second.

“I couldn’t do it, but we’ve got a friend who is probably the most powerful sorcerer still alive. He did it without leaving a trace of a signature behind.”

“Kayne,” Addie said, smiling. “How is the old gryphon these days?” When Race looked surprised and doubtful she nodded. “Yep, a gryphon. A real one when he isn’t in his human form.”

“He’s bossy as always,” Shan replied in answer to her question. “But he did volunteer to come back and help if we needed him.”

“I don’t suppose he could shed any light on who the ‘person’ is that’s taken over the Messenger?”

“Nope, but he is going to stop by my place and see if he can pick up any clues. He said not to count on it though. A sorcerer strong enough to inhabit someone else’s body is undoubtedly able to hide any traces of who he is from others. Even from Kayne.”

“What are we going to do then?” Race asked as he munched on a slice of pineapple, wincing slightly at the unexpected tang. “Not like out of a can,” he commented.

“Not even,” Shan agreed. “As to what we’ll do. For the time being we’re going to enjoy our short vacation, get a good tan,” he chuckled, “well except for Addie of course, and wait to see what our enemy tries next.”