Then the room spun and went black.
Chapter 8
“Why now?” Malachai grumbled, staring down at where Trevor lay unconscious on the couch. “After we went through all the trouble of setting this sting up?”
Siobhán studiously avoided looking at Trevor. Whenever she did, her heart rate kicked up and her breath shortened. She should’ve known better than to keep him around a moment longer than necessary. Every second she spent with him made her more vulnerable.
When he’d looked at her with heat in his eyes, his stunning face made hard by a mortal’s raw desire to mate, she’d felt a quickening in her blood and a terrible yearning for his touch. The soft glide of his tongue and the grip of his hand in her hair had stirred something frightening inside her—the need to submit and surrender, to forsake everything for him.
She cleared her throat. “He was becoming too attached to me.”
Carriden rubbed his hand over his jaw, studying her. “It doesn’t matter, Malachai,” he said. “It’s done. Should I take him to the archangel, Siobhán? Or would you rather do it?”
Gratitude flooded her for his intervention. As far as she was concerned, there was no point in discussing any of this further. She couldn’t change the choices she’d made or how she reacted to them. She could only move forward.
“If you would, please, Carriden. Thank you. I’ve already cal ed Raguel and discussed it with him. He’s in Las Vegas, but he’s made arrangements for Trevor to be received at his offices in Anaheim. Malachai and I Will stay here with Daniela to see if Trevor’s scent stirred anything up.”
“Al right.” The red-haired angel bent down and col ected Trevor’s lax body, tossing the mortal over his shoulder. “I’l cal you once I drop him off and see if you want me to come back here or return to Ontario.”
Reaching out, she touched Carriden’s arm. Could you double-check and make sure I didn’t miss anything in his mind?
Carriden met her gaze, his own fil ing with compassion. He nodded. “I’l talk to you soon.”
Siobhán knew her request betrayed her. If she hadn’t been compromised, she wouldn’t fear leaving a piece of herself behind in Trevor’s memories. As it was, she couldn’t be sure she hadn’t and she needed the certainty of knowing that every single recol ection and impression of her was wiped completely away. He needed a fresh start, without any possibility that she might inadvertently hold him back.
When the front door shut behind Carriden, she looked at Malachai. “Where’s Daniela?”
“Fueling up the van. She should be back soon.”
“We’ll go out when she returns.”
Malachai crossed his arms, his chin lifting stubbornly. “Are you okay, Siobhán?”
“What if I’m not?” she shot back, tired of his poking and prodding. “If you want to cal Adrian about me, just do it.”
“Don’t get pissy. I’m just worried about you.”
“What does that accomplish? It’s over. I just want to forget about it.”
He exhaled audibly. “My understanding is that it’s not so easy to get over having feelings. Adrian’s never recovered.”
“But he’s still effective, isn’t he? He still does what needs to be done. His dedication has never lagged, and neither Will mine.”
“Okay, okay.” Malachai lifted his hands in surrender. “I’m here for you if you need to talk about it. Actual y, I wish you would. I’m curious.”
Siobhán arched a brow at him. “Don’t they say curiosity kil ed the cat?”
“I’m not a cat.”
“No, you’re a pain in my ass.” She turned toward the door as it opened and Daniela walked in. “Let’s go. I need to hunt.”
* * *
Aurelia climbed onto a stool beside Siobhán and muttered, “Who knew the lycans were so much better at hunting than we are?”
She looked up from the slide of lycan blood she was studying to meet her fellow Sentinel’s discouraged gaze. “Stil no luck?”
“Three days and Malachai, Carriden, and Daniela have nothing to show for it.” Aurelia’s gaze roamed over the lab. “Did you see my suggestions for how we might keep some of the subjects alive while conscious?”
“I did, yes. You pointed out some chal enges I hadn’t thought of. Thank you.”
“You’ve been distracted.” Aurelia’s fingers rubbed absently into the aluminum tabletop. “Do you miss him?”
“Who?” But she knew, and she looked back into the microscope to hide her face.
Yes, she missed Trevor. Missed him in the infirmary, where he’d helped her draw blood and replenish intravenous fluids. Missed him in the lab, where his comments and questions about the samples had sparked theories and ideas. Missed him in her room, where he’d been a great sounding board for her and something very pretty to look at... So little time and yet they’d shared so much.
“You know who. The mortal. Trevor.”
“I hope he’s doing well,” she murmured, her gaze unfocused as a now-familiar loneliness weighed heavily on her mood. She’d never felt alone in all of her existence until now. She couldn’t understand how it was possible to feel that way when she was so often in the company of her fellow Sentinels. “He certainly deserves it.”
“I’d like to save someone like that. all the way through. You know, from the time I find them until the time they’re ready to go back to living their mortal lives.”
She looked up again. The difference between her and Aurelia in that moment was so pronounced Siobhán was shaken by it. Aurelia was still pure of purpose, almost childlike in her inability to perceive or empathize with emotions. That brought home just how much Siobhán had changed and how long that gradual alteration must have been occurring.
The cracks must have been forming for ages. Trevor had simply slid into one with the precision of a honed blade, widening those cracks and making her even more susceptible to his potent affect on her.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Aurelia asked.
“I’m sorry. My mind wandered.”
Aurelia’s frown cleared. “I just think it’s great that you know you helped a mortal, because you did it directly. I’ve spent a lot of time wondering if we’re making any difference at all.”
Siobhán’s cel phone started ringing and she pul ed it out of the cargo pocket of her pants. She saw the name on the display and answered, “Hey, Damien. How are you?”
“As good as can be expected under the circumstances.” Damien’s voice was confident and smooth. It was one of the things she’d always admired about Adrian’s second-in-command—he never got ruffled. “Are you still looking for uninfected vampires?”
“Yes. Who knew they’d be so hard to find?”
“That’s the question I’ve been asking recently. It’s been very quiet since the lycans revolted.”
She straightened. “That doesn’t sound good.”
“It’s probably not. In the interim, I have three vampires here at Angels’ Point.”
She thought of Adrian’s home, Angels’ Point, a compound in Anaheim Hil s that served as headquarters for all Sentinels. It was only a few minutes’ drive from Gadara Tower, where the archangel Raguel based his operations. And where Trevor had been taken.
But he probably wasn’t there now. He’d likely been absorbed into Raguel’s network and dispatched to wherever a soldier medic would be the most needed. Raguel had his own battles to fight, after all. still...
“I’l head down,” she said, glancing at the clock. “I’l see you around two.”
“We’ll be expecting you.”
Siobhán hung up and wondered what she could wear. Her usual military style wouldn’t be appropriate if she was going out in public. “Where are you going?” Aurelia asked.
“To the Point to pick up some vamps.”
The Sentinel’s face brightened. “I’l come with you.”
“Great.” She headed toward the door. “We’ll take off in fifteen.”
* * *
Siobhán turned off the main road and began the drive up from the city into the hil s where Angels’ Point waited. The distance between sprawling hil side properties widened the higher they climbed until they reached a wrought-iron gate bisecting the road, cutting off further public access. On a rough-edged granite slab on the shoulder was sandblasted the words ANGELS’ POINT, which might have seemed welcoming if not for the gatehouse and the big lycan in human form who stepped out of it. She was able to recognize what he was straightaway because of his size—too large to be aerodynamic—and his electric green eyes, which came from the demon blood that coursed through his veins.
Knowing they needed to learn from their previous mistakes, she lowered the window of the Mitchel Aeronautics SUV she drove. “Hi,” she greeted him. “It’s good to see you. I’m glad you’re here.”
He blinked, clearly startled by the unusual courtesy from a Sentinel.
“Thank you for coming back,” Aurelia piped in.
“Uh... okay. Sure.” Looking bemused and wary, he disappeared into the gatehouse and the gate began to open. He offered an awkward wave as they passed him.
Siobhán drove the mile distance to the house, her eyes searching the hil side for lycans in lupine form and seeing only a few instead of the dozens that would normal y dot the landscape.
Rounding the circular driveway, she parked in front of the entrance to Adrian’s home.
“I still can’t get over how different this place is without the lycans,” Aurelia said as she hopped out of the passenger door. “It’s so empty and quiet.”
That’s the way Siobhán had felt since Trevor left, but she kept that to herself, turning her attention to the house instead. The residence scaled the side of the cliff in three tiers, each with its own wide wraparound deck. Distressed wood siding, rock terraces, and exposed wooden beams enabled the house to blend into the hil side.
Angels’ Point had appeared in numerous architectural magazines and been the focus of a television special on extravagant ecofriendly homes. It was all part of Adrian’s strategy and message to the vampires— I’m here. Take me on.
One half of the double-door front entrance opened as they approached and Damien fil ed the threshold. His handsome face was impassive as always, his eyes watchful and his aura as dark as his inky hair. He was an angel well worth having at your back... unless you pissed him off. He was ruthless in everything, from the strength of his friendship to the ease with which he cut down his enemies.
“Siobhán. Aurelia,” he greeted them.
“You have a lycan at the gate,” Siobhán said.
“More and more straggle in every day. It seems not everyone was unhappy with the status quo.”
“And how’s Adrian?”
Damien’s head tilted to one side, considering. “Hmm... Settled, I’d say.”
Adrian had been conflicted over his love for aeons. Being “settled” was a gift—for him and for all the Sentinels. “That’s good,” she said. “The timing couldn’t be better.”
“It surprises me to hear you say that. Lindsay is a huge vulnerability.”
“I know.”
“Siobhán has her own mortal,” Aurelia interjected. “She understands Adrian better than we do.”
“I know she does.” Damien’s gaze stayed on Siobhán’s face as he held out his hand and summoned an envelope.
Taking it from him, she broke the seal. There were photos of Trevor’s sister and her family inside, including shots of his namesake. “You got them. Thank you.”
“Go ahead and deliver that,” he said evenly. “The vamps are still on their way from Anza, so you have some time.”
She frowned, confused.
“Malachai told me about your situation,” he explained. “I understand you need to see the man. You need to make sure he’s doing well and that he doesn’t remember you. So go. When you’re done perhaps you’l become settled, too.”
“Thank you, Damien.”
“I’m learning to adapt to Sentinels and their mortal quandaries.” A slight curving of his lips made her realize the impact Lindsay was having on everyone. “Trevor Descansos won’t know you,” he warned. “Be prepared for that.”
Her breath caught as comprehension hit. “You’ve seen him.”
She saw it in his eyes and wondered what Malachai had said about her “situation.” Whatever it was, Damien had taken the trouble to see for himself that Trevor’s mind had been completely wiped of all trace of her.
Damien gestured for Aurelia to enter the house. “Descansos is leaving California today, Siobhán. Raguel’s going to put him through med school.”
“Good. That’s good.” That meant Trevor’s life was back where it had been before he was taken—at least as much as it could be considering his former friends and family believed he was dead. She heaved out her breath. “I won’t be long.”
Aurelia offered an encouraging smile. “See you when you get back.”
Was it possible to truly go back? Siobhán wondered. Back to the Sentinel she’d been before she’d found the one mortal capable of making her feel... human? Did she even want that?
Perhaps there was no going back for her.
Chapter 9
Siobhán couldn’t believe she’d forgotten how impressive Gadara Tower was. Located on Harbor Boulevard south of Katel a, the gleaming glass skyscraper was the headquarters of the archangel whose territory encompassed all of North America.
As she stepped out of the elevator car that had brought her up from the subterranean garage, Siobhán noted the gold-veined marble floors and the congestion of the lobby, which proved the health of Raguel Gadara’s many business interests. The hum of conversation and the industrious whirring of the glass tube elevators lent an energy to the sun-drenched space.
Fifty floors above her, a massive skylight invited the warmth of the sun into the lush atrium and kept spirits high. Raguel had become a master at manipulating human emotion over time, a skil that ensured that his real estate, hospitality, and entertainment empire was always newsworthy. She went straight to the reception desk, offering a smile to the young man who greeted her enthusiastical y. During the drive over, she’d decided it would be best not to see Trevor at all. He was on a good path, one that would ensure he was kept safe and comfortable. There was nothing to be gained by seeing each other again, except pain and regret for her.
“I have a package for Trevor Descansos.” She pul ed the envelope out from where she’d tucked it into her waistband at the smal of her back. “If you could see that he gets it...”
“Of course.” Jansen—as his badge read—searched for Trevor’s name in the computer and typed a quick note into the system. “Would you like to leave your name?”
“That won’t be necessary. I’m just a courier.” She signed where he indicated on a clipboard, then stepped back.
She was halfway to the elevators when she heard Trevor’s laugh. The rich, deep sound rol ed over her senses with such vibrancy it made the thrum of noise in the atrium fade to insignificance.
Her head turned without volition, her gaze seeking and finding him walking beside a pretty, smiling blonde. He had a duffel bag slung over his shoulder and a wheeled carryon rol ing behind him. He’d fil ed out, his body once again big and lean, his face breathtaking in its beauty. He looked fit and as happy as she’d hoped he would be.
Her chest ached unbearably at the sight of him, constricting her breathing. He was grinning down at the woman beside him, his eyes bright and his charm evident. The blonde was riveted, her attention focused solely on him.
Gasping for a deep breath, Siobhán forced herself to look away and continue toward the elevator, fighting an unknown stinging in her eyes that made her feel terribly exposed. She hated the pretty woman who could enjoy Trevor without restriction, and she hated herself for feeling that way. If the blonde made him happy, Siobhán wanted to be happy, too. She should be, if she hadn’t fal en so far from grace.
Stabbing her finger into the cal button for the elevator, she Will ed the car to hurry so she could retreat into privacy. As the doors slid open, she rushed inside, affording herself one last look at him.
He’d stopped and was staring directly at her.
Her breath caught and her heart ceased beating for an endless moment. No, she thought. Please don’t remember me.
“Hold the elevator!” he shouted across the distance between them, lunging into motion.
Spurred by the need for flight, she pushed the button to close the doors, seeing his jaw set with determination as the two halves slid together and shut him out. Siobhán sagged heavily into the brass handrail of the moving car, her chest heaving. It had been a mistake to come. He’d been fine. She’d been fine. Coming here had only stirred things up again.
When the elevator arrived on the garage level, she stepped out into the cool, dark space and headed toward her vehicle, her blood rushing through her ears. The outrageously powerful response of her body to emotions she shouldn’t be capable of feeling rattled the very foundations of who she’d been created to be. Because of him. Because being around Trevor did something to her she couldn’t fight or control.
“Hey! Hold up.”
She stumbled, startled to hear Trevor cal ing out behind her. The pounding of his booted feet grew louder as he drew closer at a dead run. She faced him, feeling almost dizzy with delight that he’d come after her... fol owed swiftly by fear of what the consequences could be.
He was dressed in navy cargo pants and matching T-shirt, looking very much like the EMT he was. His hair had grown long enough to touch his col ar in the back and drape over his forehead in the front. Her hands clenched against the desire to touch it again, to see how it felt with its new length. He’d ditched his luggage somewhere. And the pretty blonde.
He skidded to a halt in front of her and grinned. “Hi.”
She looked up at him, unable to resist smiling back. His eyes were bright and his mood boisterous. “Hi.”
He held his hand out to her. “Trevor Descansos.”
“Siobhán.” She shook his hand, feeling a tingle race up her arm from his touch. She abruptly remembered the taste of him and the power of his kiss.
“Shiv-awn,” he repeated, caressing her name with his voice. “A beautiful name for a beautiful woman.”
“Thank you.” She loosened her grip on him, but he wouldn’t let go.
“I know this is abrupt, but do you have time for coffee? Or lunch? Or anything?”
Something fluttered in her stomach. “I’m sorry. Have we met before?”
“No,” he said emphatical y. “Trust me, I’d remember. I saw you and you hit me like a two-by-four between the eyes. I know that sounds like a line, but I’m serious. So take pity on me and give me a few minutes of your time. Or a few hours. Could I talk you into a few days? Maybe a week or few?”
She laughed, couldn’t help it. “Don’t you have plans?”
His brows rose. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You had luggage.”
“So you did see me.” Trevor pul ed their joined hands up to rest over his heart. “I’m crushed. You ditched me.”
“You had someone with you.” She didn’t mean to sound piqued.
“Don’t be jealous. I was waiting for you. My whole life, I think. So... coffee? A meal?”
“Your plans...?” Her fingers flexed against his chest, feeling the hardness of his pectoral muscle and the warmth of his skin. He smelled wonderful and looked even better. His angel blue eyes were so deep and inviting she could drown in them if she wasn’t careful.
Dear God, she’d missed him so much more than she could make excuses for.
“Plans. Yes,” he murmured, stepping closer. “I have some. I’l have to change them. I can’t go there when you’re here.”
“Go where?”
“Anywhere you’re not. I might sound crazy, but you’re about to walk away and I don’t know who you are or where to find you, and if I can’t find you again I’m pretty sure I’l regret it for the rest of my life.”
Siobhán sucked in a deep, shaky breath. “I’m sorry, but I have to decline.”
He caught up her left hand and looked at it. “No ring. Not married, right? I knew you couldn’t be. Whoever he is, Siobhán, he’s not the right one for you.”
“You’re awful y sure of yourself,” she said softly, enjoying him. And yet she knew it was wrong. Trevor didn’t know anything about her or what she was. She had to be the responsible one and walk away.
It had never been so hard to be responsible.
“As a rule, yes,” he agreed. “But this is different. Give me a chance and I’l prove it.”
“I really can’t... It wouldn’t work out.”
“Siobhán.” He looked into her eyes, his voice fervent and earnest. “I believe everything happens for a reason. There’s a reason we found each other today, a reason why we’re throwing sparks off of each other. We can’t just walk away from that because it’s inconvenient. If you do, you’re going to look back on this someday and you’re going to be sorry.”
What if he’s right? a little voice in her head wondered. Before she’d wiped his memory he’d said he would be attracted to her even without the connection they’d forged when she rescued him. It seemed that was true.
Just to be certain, she reached into his mind and felt the piercing rush of feeling he’d experienced when he saw her in the lobby. It had been a sudden kick of primal recognition that had nothing to do with memory, which meant it would be impossible to prevent him from being drawn to her no matter what she did. Moreover, Adrian and Lindsay proved that it didn’t matter what stood in the way—if two souls were meant to find each other, they would.
Running from Trevor wasn’t the answer. She had to make sure he didn’t want to hunt her down.
“I can’t go with you right now,” she heard herself saying. “I have work this afternoon. People are waiting for me.”
“Dinner, then.”
“I’l be in Ontario.”
“Ontario, California?”
She nodded.
“That’s fine. I’l come to you. Tel me where. Seven o’clock okay?”
“Okay,” she breathed, feeling as if she was about to step off a cliff without her wings. “The Elephant Bar in Montclair.”
“I’l find it.” His gaze darted over her face. “Promise me you’l be there.”
Siobhán felt her lips curling into a smile. “You don’t trust me.”
“You look scared. You don’t have to be. I’d never hurt you, and I won’t let anyone else hurt you, either.”
Despite her turmoil and weakness for him, it was so good to see him whole and strong and confident. He was so powerful y vital, a potent force of nature.
“Trevor. You have to understand. You and me... It can’t happen. My job won’t all ow it. Ever.”
“Jobs can change.”
“Not mine. I was born to do it. There’s no other choice for me.”
He smiled and pul ed out his cel phone. “Let’s just start with dinner, okay? What’s your number?”
She gave it to him and he texted her, watching as she pul ed her cel out of her pocket to read, 7 at the Elephant Bar w/Trevor.
“Now you’ve got my number, too,” he said. “Promise me you’l be there.”
“I promise.”
He backed away, looking boyishly anticipatory and darkly handsome. “Seven o’clock, Siobhán. But I won’t mind if you show up early. You can show up late, too, and I’l still be waiting, but I’d rather you didn’t. It’s going to be hard enough waiting the next four hours.”
“Bye, Trevor.”
“Try ‘see you soon’ instead. That sounds better.”
She found herself blowing him a kiss, a completely spontaneous gesture that shocked her as much as it seemed to shock him.
“Can I talk you into a real one of those?” he asked, his voice husky.
“Seven. I’l see you then.” She was smiling when she got to her car. She smiled all the way back to the Point. It was only when she passed through the gate that reality hit her hard enough to somber her mood.
She was fal ing for a mortal. She was fal ing, period.
* * *
“This is harder than I thought it would be,” Siobhán murmured, looking through the viewing window at the three vamps being held in cages. Two males and one female. all young—only a couple decades past the fledgling stage. “I have to infect them and watch the il ness take them over, and I can’t put them to sleep like the others because I need to monitor how long they retain higher brain function. I can only pray the progression of the il ness isn’t too painful.”
Carriden set his big hand on her shoulder. “We’ll heal them with our blood when the time comes.”
“If we don’t lose them first.” She set her hand over his, feeling guilty that she’d be leaving soon to see Trevor. Her one comfort was the knowledge that once she infected the vampires, she would be confined to the infirmary and lab indefinitely. There would be no chance for Trevor to see her again.
“These three were part of a cabal in Anaheim,” she said softly, referring to a family-type unit of vampires. “They’d traveled away for fun and returned to find all their friends slaughtered. Damien’s investigating.”
“Someone else took them out? It wasn’t us?”
“It’s not an order either Adrian or Damien gave.” She mul ed her emotional response—the emotions she shouldn’t be feeling—to the plight of the three vamps. They were clearly distressed and that affected her. “Everything’s fal ing apart. The lycans are in the wind, the vampires are ravaged by this disease, and presently we’re the only cure. There are times when I wonder if the end is nigh. If this delicate balance between the three factions has final y crumbled.”
“If it has, We’ll go down in a blaze of glory.”
She faced him, shaking her head with a smile. “That simple, cowboy?”
“Sure.”
“Since I’m going to be trapped in the lab for a while, I’m heading out to shop and pick up some things to keep me occupied and comfortable.
Probably buy some bath stuff, maybe some hair dye. Books and fashion magazines, too.” Siobhán deliberately elaborated on her purchases to keep him from volunteering to come with her. “Need anything?”
“No, I’m good.”
“Okay. When I get back, We’ll get things going.”
His head tilted to one side. “You seem better today. More upbeat.”
“It was good to get out in the sunlight for a few hours. I need to make an effort to do it more often.”
“Whatever the reason, it’s good to see.”
She squeezed his hand. “You’re a good friend, Carriden.”
“Friend?” He frowned, obviously considering the merits of the word over others they’d used, such as “col eague.”
Laughing softly, she headed toward the door. “Think about it. You might like it.”
Chapter 10
Trevor glanced at his watch for the hundredth time as he paced the walkway in front of the Elephant Bar. It wasn’t quite seven and he’d already been waiting almost half an hour. God, he was nervous. And anxious. Siobhán had been so skittish. He was afraid she wouldn’t show up. Then he’d have to track her down somehow...
“Trevor.”
He spun at the sound of her voice and stared as she approached, riveted by her perfection. He’d never seen a woman so stunning. She was petite and delicate in appearance, her piquant face framed by a trendy cut that suited her features perfectly. She was lush and curvy in all the right places, and yet she was a tiny thing. The top of her head barely reached his shoulders.
“Siobhán.” His voice was deep and gruff, his blood pumping fast and hot. He was struck with that feeling of rightness again, the bone-deep certainty that he was where he was supposed to be with the woman he was supposed to be with. You’ll know, his sister Stel a had told him long ago. When you find the one, you’ll know.
“Have you been waiting long?” she asked, her words laced with a gorgeous resonance that vibrated through him.
“Twenty-eight years. Give or take a few weeks.” He caught her up in his arms as if they’d known each other for months rather than moments.
“What took you so long?”
Her hands went to his shoulders, her stunningly blue eyes shining in the glow of the streetlamp behind him. “What am I going to do with you?”
she asked softly.
“I’ve got a list.”
That made her laugh, and his breath caught at the beauty of the sound.
She brushed his hair back from his forehead, her gaze sliding over his face in a warm caress. “I wish I could keep you.”
“I’m afraid you’l have to. You won’t be able to get rid of me.” He adjusted his grip, aligning her body to his and marveling at the fit. As smal as she was, her curves melded precisely with his, as if they were two halves of a whole. He wasn’t the kind of guy who thought in terms like that usual y.
Dating was fun. Women were fun. He loved the female gender as a whole, and certain members of it with feverish enthusiasm, but he’d never been blindsided like this.
“Is there someone in your life?” he asked. “A boyfriend, a lover, a significant other?”
Shaking her head, she said, “I told you, romantic relationships aren’t possible for me.”
“I get it. You’re talking to a reformed commitment-phobe. I’ve said that very thing countless times. We’ll just take it easy for a while, okay?” He wanted to add the word “exclusive” in there somewhere, but was afraid to scare her off. still, he couldn’t bear to share her. Not when he knew she was his. Knew it absolutely. “Let’s go in and sit down. We can talk over dinner and drinks.”
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