Night's Captive (18 page)

“Don’t worry about me,” Loni said, her voice clear, the tears on her face drying. “Just get out of here before he kills all of you.”

“He’s not going anywhere.” Dawson spoke with smug satisfaction. “You care too much for her, don’t you, Page?”

Loni held her breath in the moment of silence that followed Dawson’s question.

Alec met her gaze. “I love you, Loni,” he said aloud. “I’m sorry…for everything.”

More tears leaked down her cheeks as she read the truth in his eyes and a combination of a thrill and an ache went through her chest. He loved her.

“No.” She couldn’t shake her head because the drill bit was pressed against her temple. “You’re too important. I’m just a human and you’re an Enforcer. This world needs you.”

“Miss Stanfield is far too modest, isn’t she?” Dawson stroked her shoulder with his free hand. “Just a human, did you say?”

Loni winced as he pressed the drill even harder into her skin. It hurt enough to make her eyes water.

It was true that she wasn’t just human any longer. She was something more. Could she try something against Dawson that would help all of them?

The sorcerer continued speaking. “Come here, Page.”

As Alec moved closer, Loni closed her eyes. She concentrated on the drill bit, feeling it as it dug into her skin and pressed against her skull. Nothing happened as she tried to mentally push the drill away.

She needed more confidence in herself to do whatever she could to help them all. She remembered the things she had done earlier. She could do this.

Focusing on the bit, she blocked out all sounds around her. All she heard was the sound of her own breathing and her heart beating. All she felt was the bit pressed into her skull. She gritted her teeth as she pictured the piece of metal and imagined it bending and snapping.

Her body trembled from the effort. She knew she needed to concentrate on it more with her mind and ignore the reaction her body was having.

Dawson was saying something but she blocked it out. Her whole world focused on that single location and the bit, and nothing else.

She felt power rising inside of her. Power that was growing and growing until her entire body felt as if it was on fire and that the straps that bound her might burn to ash.

In her mind she felt the bit grow hot and start to give. It was bending ever so slightly. Dawson was too occupied to notice.

The bit snapped at the base of the drill.

Loni’s eyes flew open as she leaned forward and Dawson made a sound of surprise as his hand slipped. Still feeling as if her body was in flames, she felt the straps give that had bound her body.

She pushed herself up from the chair as Alec leaped for Dawson. She whirled to face the sorcerer as he shot out a wave of red magic at Alec.

Dawson’s magic slammed into Alec and he flew backward. He rolled to his feet and leapt out of the way of another burst of magic.

Petra and Erick each went for one of the males, but then one shifted into a tiger and went after Erick. The other transformed into a lion and began stalking Petra.

Why they weren’t protecting themselves with their own magic? Erick wasn’t shifting and Petra wasn’t using her witch’s powers.

Loni cut her gaze back to Dawson and saw his face red with fury. He pointed one hand at Loni, ready to send a burst of spellfire at her.

She ran. Time came to a standstill for everyone but her and Dawson. Magic crackled like lightning as he shot red streams of it out toward her as she ran toward Alec. She dodged the magic and Dawson swung his attention to Alec who wasn’t moving. Loni pushed Alec out of the way of Dawson’s magic.

The moment she touched Alec, time sped up for him like it had for her and the sorcerer. Dawson had a shocked but furious expression as Alec launched himself at the sorcerer and slammed him to the floor.

With his magic, the sorcerer flung Alec off of him. Alec flew back but landed in a crouch. He held one hand up and squeezed it together as if wringing the sorcerer’s neck. Dawson brought his hands up to his throat as he choked and Loni realized that Alec was mimicking Dawson’s powers. That was why he’d flung himself at the sorcerer—to fight magic with magic.

Dawson raised his hands even as his face purpled. Somehow he found the power to break Alec’s hold on him. The magic the sorcerer sent out was like a red wave that encompassed Alec who suddenly froze.

Loni’s heart raced as she realized that Dawson had trapped Alec in a freezing spell like he had done to her.

The sorcerer raised his hands, rage on his face, and Loni knew he was close to killing Alec. Dawson’s attention was solely on Alec. Just as the sorcerer sent out another wave of magic, Loni stepped between them.

Like she had with the witches, she focused on shielding herself from Dawson’s magic. The wave of red slammed into her shield and rebounded toward Dawson.

The sorcerer was caught off guard and his own magic flattened him to the floor. He looked dazed as he tried to get up.

Loni backed up and touched Alec, freeing him from the freezing spell.

Time sped up and Loni glanced over her shoulder to see Petra and Erick moving again as well as the lion and the tiger that looked ready to pounce.

Dawson gained his footing and held his hands palms up to the ceiling. A storm began to swirl around them and lighting crackled across the enormous control room. Lightning strikes started hitting close.

Alec grabbed Loni to him and shielded them both with a powerful spell. The lightning hit harmlessly around them.

But Petra and Erick were vulnerable, time having returned to normal. The lion and tiger growled and cried out as they were caught up in the storm, too.

With the shield up, Alec grabbed Loni’s hand and they charged the sorcerer who spread his arms wide.

The entire room started to shake and tremble. Fissures appeared in the floor and the walls. Loni stumbled over a crack in the floor and only Alec’s hold kept her from falling.

Chunks of concrete started raining from the ceiling and Loni’s fear for Petra and Erick grew.

“Let go.” Loni jerked her hand from Alec’s and turned around and ran. She broke free of his shield and again time stood still. Lightning strikes were completely frozen and pieces of the ceiling hung in the air.

An enormous chunk of concrete was about to land on Petra and Erick was close to a lightning strike.

Loni stood between them and shielded them all from the danger around them. Time returned to normal and the room returned to its quaking and shaking, debris and lightning coming down. The lion and tiger were each hit by pieces of the ceiling. The lion limped and the tiger looked dazed.

And then Loni’s heart dropped when she saw Alec on his back…the sorcerer ready to fire a spell at him.

Pain slammed into Alec when the sorcerer released a wave of magic as he tried to get up. He cried out as he fell back, pain wracking his body. He tried to get to his feet again, his body covered in sweat, but he couldn’t fight the hold the sorcerer had on him.

Somehow he had to combat the sorcerer’s magic with magic.

His sight blurred a little but he gritted his teeth and managed to get to his knees. Dawson drew back as if to send a stronger burst of magic and Alec tried to bring a shield around himself.

The sorcerer looked to his left and Alec saw that Loni was coming toward them, determination on her features. He wanted to shout for her to stay away but he couldn’t get it out.

Dawson split his focus and his powers between Alec and Loni. The moment he did, Alec shot a spellfire ball at the sorcerer. Dawson started to raise a shield to but Loni reached him first. He couldn’t turn his attention fully on her and not protect himself from Alec.

The drill spun in the air between Loni and the sorcerer and then it shot toward Dawson as if Loni was pushing it with her mind.

Dawson held up his hand to use his magic to stop the impact but it caused him to lose his focus on Alec. The drill spun past his hand to his head and struck his temple. Blood flowed from a gash left by the tool.

Alec leapt to his feet and attacked Dawson before the sorcerer had time to recover. Brilliant flame shot from Alec’s hands and slammed into Dawson’s face.

The sorcerer screamed as his hair caught fire. One side of his face seemed to melt as flesh burned.

Dawson screamed again, twisting in agony.

Alec readied himself to attack the sorcerer again as the fire went out, the fire having left the sorcerer bald and disfigured.

Dawson looked weak but anger colored his face purple. He hunched over and raised his hand as if to throw another spell at Alec, but Alec was ready with more fire.

The sorcerer crumpled.

And vanished.

The room went quiet as the storm and the room’s shaking stopped. Alec and Loni stared at the place where Dawson had been.

“What happened to the sorcerer?” Loni cut her gaze to Alec. “He just disappeared. Did he die?”

“Hopefully he’s dead.” The fire on Alec’s palms vanished. “But it’s possible he has another stronghold and he’s gone there.” Alec looked furious. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he was prepared in case something like this happened.”

“He might be back then.” She rubbed her arms with her hands as she made the statement.

“Damn.” He stepped across the rubble and reached her. “But if he does, we will be prepared to bring him down for good.”

“How are Petra and Erick?” she asked.

“Fine.” Petra’s voice came from behind them and they turned to see her. She looked exhausted and scraped up, but thankfully alive. “Rider and Dani arrived in time to take care of the tiger and lion.” She gestured over her shoulder and they saw that the two human paranorms were in cuffs, no longer in their animal forms. “The other Enforcers are out taking care of the rest of Dawson’s human paranorms that are at this location.”

Alec breathed a sigh of relief that everyone was all right. “No doubt we have our work cut out for us, cleaning up Dawson’s mess.”

Petra nodded. “It’s been a long night. I’ll be glad when it’s over.”

Loni leaned into Alec and he held her to him. “Well, I guess we’d better get started if we ever want to get home.” He looked down at Loni. “And I really want to get home.”

She looked up at him and gave him a tired smile. “The sooner the better.”

Chapter 22

After he shut the door of his townhouse behind them, Alec put his arms around Loni and took her into his embrace. He brought his mouth to hers and she felt the firmness of his lips and the taste of him as his tongue touched hers.

She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck and the exhaustion of the night faded away. He raised his head and his chocolate eyes met hers.

“What about the taboo against paranorms and humans?” She slipped her hand into his hair and felt the silken strands between her fingers.

“All I know is that I fell in love with a human,” he said softly, “and you’re still here.”

“What do you mean by me still being here?” she asked.

“Don’t worry about it.” He smiled. “All that matters is that you’re here.”

“You really love me?” The thought seemed almost impossible yet incredible and amazing.

He gave a solemn nod and touched her chin with his thumb and forefinger. “I think it happened from the moment I saw you in that alleyway when Dawson was about to attack you. There was something about you that drew me.”

“I fell in love with you when I read about you in that book.” She gave a little grin. “You weren’t real then, but I wished you were.”

He held her to him and rocked her in his arms. He pressed his lips to his hair. “I will be grateful every day of my life for you.”

She breathed deep of his masculine scent as she pressed her face against his chest. “I’m grateful for you, too.” She drew away and looked up at him. “I’m thankful that Selena gave me the book and that it somehow led me to you.”

“Yes. Thank the Powers That Be for that book.” He kissed her again before drawing away then took her hand. “I need a shower. Want to join me?”

“Most definitely.” She squeezed his hand as he clasped hers.

Happiness made her almost giddy as they walked together, up the stairs and to his bedroom. Any exhaustion that had been there was long gone. Just being with him was exhilarating.

When they reached his bedroom, he brought her close and turned her around so that he could unzip her leather top. As it fell to the floor he lightly caressed her shoulders then slid his palms down her arms to her hands. He nuzzled the back of her neck and she shivered from the touch of his lips against her skin.

He held her close and palmed her breasts as his cock pressed into her backside. She leaned her head back, a gasp rising up in her throat as he played with her nipples. He slid one of his hands down her belly and traced his fingertips along the waistband of her leather pants. She sucked in her breath at the erotic feel of his touch.

His palms felt warm on her shoulders as he turned her around to face him. He caught her face in his hands and brought his mouth to hers in a slow and wonderful kiss.