Otherworld Nights (40 page)

My gut clenched. “I know I can be immature—”

“And so can he. That part evens out. You’ve matured enough that, honestly, that isn’t a problem. Even Lucas admits it.”

“But you just said it was a problem. For Adam.”

“The
fact
of it is a problem for Adam. Not the reality. Not the day-to-day relationship with a younger woman. The problem is …” She tapped her head. “Up here.”

We reached the corner. She checked around it and then said, “Josef’s still there. Just standing with his bodyguards. About Adam … Do you want me to shut up now?”

“No.”

“Good. I’ll be quick. You know he’s been working out a lot more. You think that’s because of his scare with Balaam. I’m sure that’s part of it. But the bigger part? Having a gorgeous twenty-two-year-old girlfriend.”

I made a face. “Adam has nothing to worry about, and he knows it. My gaze doesn’t wander. It’s got something damned fine to look at already. He knows that. Confidence in that area has never been a problem for Adam.”

“It is now. But that’s just a symptom of the bigger problem. This is it for him, Savannah.
You’re
it for him. The one he wants to spend the rest of his life with. Has he told you that?”

I shook my head.

“Has he even hinted at that?”

“No, we don’t … talk about it.”

“You need to. He’s not saying it because he’s worried about scaring you off. That’s what the age difference means to him. He’s a guy who’s found what he wants and is ready to settle down. You’re a girl who’s just starting life on her own. He’s being careful, Savannah. So careful it only takes one hint that this isn’t what you want, and he’s going to panic.” She looked up to meet my gaze. “You can’t go on like this. A relationship needs more stable ground.”

“I know.”

“Good. Put that in your back pocket for now, and go handle Josef.”

“Uncle Joe!” I said as I walked toward him, arms wide. “Big hug? No?” I glanced at the two bodyguards stepping my way. “Sorry, guys. No hugs for you. Family only. Unless you’re hot, which … No, sorry.” I turned to Josef and put my arms out again. The look on his face said he’d rather be devoured by alligators.

“If it’s family only, then I’m afraid I don’t qualify,” he said.

“Ooh, snap. Are we going to play this again? Here, let me get it out of the way.
You are not my brother’s child, witch-brat
. Yes, I am. He stood right in front of you, in manifested form, and told you—
No, you lie. You and your witch mother. She’s cast a spell on him to make him believe he’s your father
. Um, then why do I have my father’s eyes? And sorcerer powers?
Because she slept with some random blue-eyed sorcerer to further the charade. She is evil. Evil, incarnate.”
I stepped back. “There. Did I cover everything?”

“I’m sure you find yourself very amusing, Savannah—”

“He does, too,” I said, pointing at the hulking bodyguard on Josef’s left, who quickly erased his smile. “I know what he’s thinking: Joe’s right. I can’t possibly be related to such an unrelentingly boring and humorless old coot.”

“If you’re done, Savannah …” Josef said.

“Nope, not yet. I have a message for you from my dad. Well, from Jaime Vegas, who got it from my dad. Something about manipulating share prices? I don’t know exactly. I don’t speak corporate. But the upshot is that if Sean and Bryce don’t get their fair due in the division of assets, he’ll …” I paused and looked around. “I’d rather not say in public. It’s kind of rude. How about I just pass on Jaime’s e-mail?”

Josef glowered at me.

“I’ll do that. And now, familial chitchat over …” I waved to Paige. “The boss takes the stage for business.”

Paige stepped forward. “Get the hell out of my city, Josef.”

“Your city? Big words for such a little witch.”

“Portland is Cortez Cabal territory. My husband is Benicio’s heir. We work together on his Cabal responsibilities. Ergo?” She looked up at him. “My city.”

“I’m not sure which is more amusing, that very tenuous logical leap or the fact that, after all these years of fighting Cabals, you’re actually claiming a role in one.”

“I’m
accepting
a role in one, as Lucas and I both have been for several years. I’m sure you got the memo. You would have also gotten the one from the intra-Cabal regulators, ordering you to stay ten miles away from Savannah while your Cabal assets are being split.”

“She came to me.”

“We’re three miles from her place of employment, which is well within that court-mandated radius.”

“Is it?” His brows shot up. “I can’t be expected to know where your office is.”

“Of course you do,” I cut in. “You followed Keefer from it.”

“Who?”

I opened my mouth, but Paige cut me off. “As an acknowledged executive representative of the Cortez Cabal, I’m hereby informing
you that Keefer Brown is under our protection. If you need a
man’s
word for it, Lucas will be here in a few minutes.”

Josef pursed his lips. “Under your protection, is he? Then why did he flee your offices not thirty minutes ago?”

“He was taking a walk,” Paige said.

Josef snorted.

“And, since you just admitted to following him from our offices, you just admitted to violating a more important boundary rule.” She lifted her phone. “Now, I know you normally aren’t all that worried about the intra-Cabal regulators, but with your company’s assets being split by them, I think a call is in order.” She turned to me. “You should go look for Keefer. I’ll handle this.”

I’d turned to go when Josef said, “Have you contacted Sean about this boy, Savannah?”

I glanced over.

“I’m sure you have,” he continued. “You play Sean like a violin, and he’s young enough—and weak enough—to fall for it. You called him for information. What did he say?”

I resumed walking.

“Did he react?” Josef said.

I turned back. “To what?”

“News of the boy and his powers.”

“If you’re asking if he’s interested in Keefer, I’m sure he is. Possibly even salivating. A high-powered teleporting demon is a valuable prize, and if he ignored that, I’d think him an idiot. Which he is not. So, yes, he reacted.”

“
How
did he react?”

“What?”

Josef stepped toward me. “I know you aren’t very bright, Savannah. Further proof that you’re not my brother’s child. But let me explain this slowly for you. When you told him about young Mr. Brown, could his reaction be construed as more than simple interest? Oh, by ‘construed,’ I mean—”

“I know what it means,” I snapped. I glanced at Paige, but she was on the phone with her back to us. “But I don’t know what
you
mean. He was interested—”

“Oh, I’m sure he was interested.
Exceedingly
interested in a teenage boy with genetically modified supernatural powers.”

“Genetically—? What the hell are you talking about?”

“Ask Sean. I suspect you’ll discover you’ve just loosed the fox on the chickens. I’d be very surprised if he wasn’t already in his jet, on his way here to take young Mr. Brown off your hands. Just being helpful, of course.”

Running footsteps sounded behind me. Adam jogged over, his gaze darting between me and Josef.

“No need to run to her rescue, boy,” Josef called as Adam slowed. “We’re just talking.”

Lucas came around the corner then, moving fast, his gaze fixed on Paige. Adam kept walking, stopping when he was still two feet from me but lowering his voice to say, “Everything okay?”

“No,” Josef said. “I’m attacking her on a street corner in broad daylight. No wonder you two make such a good pair. Between you, there’s a full share of brains.”

Adam flinched, but it wasn’t at the insult—that was Josef being an ass, as always. He flinched at the part about us making a good pair.

Josef continued, “Now, Savannah, as I was saying. About Sean—”

“Keefer,” I whispered.

Josef sighed. “No,
Sean
. Remember him? Your alleged—”

I jogged off before he could continue, though I caught something about my limited attention span. Adam came after me.

“Savannah?”

“He’s stalling me. Damn it.” I scanned the row of buildings. “Keefer’s here, and Josef’s men either have him or they’re closing in. He was talking about Sean to distract me. Not hard to do right now.”

I didn’t look at Adam when I said that. Couldn’t. I had to focus. As for what Josef said about my brother, I didn’t dismiss it. I just set it aside for later.

My gaze stopped on a shop front with a For Lease sign. Adam stepped closer and murmured, “Too small and too open. The front’s all glass. Look left, but carefully.”

I did and saw a more promising choice, another empty shop front, this one without a front window, likely former offices—medical, legal, something. When I started to move in that direction, Adam whispered, “No, Josef’s watching. Let’s prove we’re as clueless as he thinks.”

I walked over to the first storefront. An unlock spell opened the door. This wasn’t the kind of neighborhood where they put security systems on vacant shops. As we slipped inside, Josef snorted and resumed talking to Lucas, having dismissed the inept duo who would spend the next twenty minutes searching the wrong shop.

We went in the front and out the back. The lock on the next one proved a little tricky for my spells, so Adam moved in with his picks.

“About earlier …” I said.

“Not now.”

“It’s not what it seemed. I have no intent—”

He met my gaze. “Not now.”

He was right, of course, but having him here made my gut twist, added to my distraction, and I wanted to get that out of the way—
I’m not leaving
—so I could focus. Before I could try again, he opened the door, and that was my cue to step inside. A knockback spell can sideline an attacker only temporarily, but it’s a lot faster and easier to launch than a physical attack. So I stepped in first with my fingers raised.

The hall was pitch-black. I cast a light ball and tossed it up to illuminate the rear corridor. I do carry a flashlight—I’d learned my lesson about relying too much on spells—but the ball was easier here, leaving us both with our hands free for power attacks.

There was one door at the end of the hall and another to my left. I eased forward with Adam right behind me and pushed open the door on the left. It opened into a dark room. I waved the light ball in. Adam followed it, prowling the room while I guarded. There was no need to discuss the plan. No need to glance at one another before executing it. We’d worked together for years. It came as naturally as breathing. But that day, watching him circle the room, knowing exactly where he’d look first and even how he’d look—the motions, the expression, the regular shoulder checks back at me, making sure I was fine—it all set my gut roiling.

I could say I’d been in love with him since I was twelve, but that’s not true. I’d crushed on him since I was twelve. I’d deeply cared about him—as a friend—for years. Now, though, thinking of losing him? It felt like a fist in the gut, knocking the air from my lungs.
This
was love. Complete I-can’t-live-without-you love, and that scared the shit out of me.

It was too much. That was the problem I couldn’t articulate to Paige. That I was happy—utterly and unreservedly happy. Happy with my job and with my life. Ecstatically happy with Adam. And that was all I wanted. This life with this guy, and nothing more. I felt like that was wrong, like I should want more.

I walked behind him and lowered my voice. “I—”

He lifted a hand, and I started to shake my head, to say
No, I need to get this out
. Then I caught a whisper of sound through the wall. Adam waved me back into the hall. The door at the far end was locked. A quick spell solved that. I pushed it open a crack. Darkness. I caught a muffled thump. No light ball, then. Too risky.

I opened the door another inch and blinked, hoping my eyes would adjust. Adam claims I have better night vision from Balaam, but if I do, it’s only the very slightest boost. I peered into the room. After a few seconds I could make out a door on the other side, faint light circling the edges. Another thump sounded from inside.

I turned to tell Adam, but he was right there, looking over my shoulder. I stepped aside to let him past. As he went, I leaned in and whispered, “I’d never go.”

He glanced over.

“I never planned to go,” I continued. “I just wanted to see if I could get accepted, but when I did, and I felt …” I swallowed. “I feel as if I should consider it, but I don’t want to. I just want … this.”

His brow furrowed.

I went on, still whispering. “I don’t want to go anywhere else. Be anything else. And I know that’s wrong.”

“Wrong?”

“I—”

The blow hit Adam in the side of the head. I never saw it coming because there had been nothing to see. Now, as Adam went down, a man lunged for me. I was already casting. My energy bolt hit him in the chest as my kick struck his knee. He dropped. Another kick made sure he didn’t land on Adam, who was staggering up. I caught the guy in a binding spell.

“I’ve got him,” Adam said. “Go on.”

A kick to the side of the half-demon’s head made sure he couldn’t use his teleportation power when I released the spell. As he collapsed, I raced past Adam and kicked the door open. That sounds far more impressive—though perhaps more stupid, too—if I don’t admit that I’d noticed it was already cracked open. My kick slammed it wide, and the guy inside jumped, which was the point of the dramatic entrance.

I caught him in a binding spell and jogged in to find Keefer Brown trapped inside a ritual circle.

I took a good look at Keefer—and right-hooked his captor in the jaw.

“You son of a bitch,” I said. “You get off on hurting kids?”

“I’m not a kid,” Keefer mumbled through his swelling jaw. “But there were two of them. One held me down.”

“While the other used you for a punching bag?” I kicked the guy in the binding spell hard enough for Keefer to wince.

“Because I bit his buddy.”

“No excuse,” I said. As Adam walked in, I erased the circle and took the ritual knife that magically held it in place. Then I looked at Keefer. “You want to get out of here?”