Slipping the Past (27 page)

“It’s not the kid’s soul I want.” Gabriel exploded across the room, his feet barely touching the floor.

“When someone comes at you with a knife, deflect it like this.” Augustus stepped to the side and made a chopping motion, as if he drove an attack away. “Go ahead, try to stab me.”

He stood hip deep in the field of golden blooms, waiting. His dark hair ruffled in the wind and his intense eyes watched her.

Jocasta scanned his body, taking in his very bare and well-muscled chest. Scars crisscrossed his skin, but he was still a sight to behold. The warrior’s marks gave him a dangerous look, one that made her wet between the thighs. Her gaze traveled down his stomach and lower. “It looks like you’ve already been stabbed a time or two.”

“Minor wounds.” He crooked a finger. “Come on.”

She clutched the knife and eyed Augustus. “I’m afraid I’ll cut you.”

“Every Spartan woman could do this. So can you.”

“I’m not Spartan. I’m Roman.” She rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out. “Besides, nobody would mess with you. I’ll always be safe in your company.”

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I won’t always be here. There are times when you’ll be alone and you need to be able to protect yourself. Now attack me.”

Jocasta tossed the knife over her shoulder and launched herself on him, taking him to the ground. She straddled his hips and leaned down, kissing both his cheeks, the tip of his nose, and forehead. “Surrender or feel my wrath.”

Augustus groaned. “What am I to do with you?” His hands slid up her hips to her waist.

She shifted her body and ground against him. “Why don’t you teach me that grappling you spoke of?”

“After.” He flipped her over, pinning her to the ground.

She raised a brow. “After?”

“Aye.” He leaned in and kissed her, sliding his hand up her
tunica
. “After.”

A wave of energy swept over Jocelyn, lifting her hair and whipping it around. She rolled to her stomach, pushed to her knees, and staggered to her feet. Pain pinged inside her skull where Ian had hit her.

Boom!
Like a thunderclap, another explosion hit her from behind, taking her legs from under her and slamming her shoulders to the linoleum. Lights in oranges, reds, and blues danced through the air. They blurred for a second and came back into focus.

The psycho would kill him. Jocelyn stumbled to her feet and caught another blast in the chest. She slid backward, coming to a stop against a brick wall by the stairwell. The bruising impact knocked the air from her lungs and left her gasping.

Everywhere, the static-charged air popped and stung. A smell akin to sulfur and smelted metal permeated her nostrils. Another blast and she hit the wall again with a loud oomph. Jocelyn dropped to her knees and inhaled from a well of fresh air sitting below the ozone.

She lifted her chin and her heart rate all at once. Two silhouettes circled one another. The light from their energies cast shadows on all but their outlines. She blocked the radiance with her hand. Impossible to tell who was whom. They moved so fast they were a blur of whirling energy and shadows. Reds, oranges…blues.

They came together again and a ball of light swelled around them, then burst outward, rolling toward her like a tsunami. Jocelyn dropped to her stomach and let the energy wash over her. Her skin prickled with a thousand tiny stings.

She crawled toward them on her belly, trying to get closer. Perhaps she could help Gabriel? That, or get blown into a thousand pieces. Jocelyn ducked her head and braced as another wave rippled across her back, biting at flesh like an angry swarm of hornets.

There was no sane explanation for what she did. She should get the hell out of the museum, but Ian had her brother’s soul. She lifted her head and stared at the fighting men—Gabriel could die.

Another impact and Gabriel’s staff flew from his hands, landing a few feet from where she’d flattened her body. Jocelyn froze, not daring to draw a breath. Her heart pounded and smoke roiled around her, burning her eyes. She glanced across the storage room for the source and discovered the energy from their fight had sparked a blaze. Burning wax mannequins released a black cloud that bloomed up in a mushroom shape and then dropped, collapsing into a ceiling of hot air and toxic chemicals.

Neither man seemed to notice. They were too interested in the Ki-staff. Both eyed it, not moving for what seemed like forever. Jocelyn locked her gaze on the target in question and then turned toward Ian, who now stood still.

Gabriel lunged for it, advancing so fast his body blurred. Ian attacked just as rapidly. Gabriel ducked and jumped, bobbed and weaved away from each thrust and swing. Every movement of Saefa’s staff was accented by red lightning and showered the pair in a neon storm of sparks. His advance drove Gabriel farther from his weapon, but it also put his back to her and Gabriel’s staff.

Jocelyn inched toward the staff, curling her fingers around it. Success! A warm buzz moved through her body, and she jumped to her feet behind an occupied Ian. She ducked behind the wax figure of a horse and rider. One hard shove sent it careening into Ian’s back, knocking him a step forward. Twisting, he grabbed the figure and catapulted it around on its wheeled platform to launch it at Gabriel, who dove away and rolled, returning to his feet.

“Get out of here, Jocelyn,” Gabriel growled.

Jocelyn glanced over to the stairwell.

Gabriel followed her gaze. “Shit.” Ian took a swing and he dodged, narrowly missing the staff. The blaze had grown larger, now blocking access to lower floors and freedom. Jocelyn tightened her grip on the staff and swung for Ian’s head, violet sparks trailed after the weapon like a comet.

Ian sidestepped and the staff passed harmlessly by his head. His back was still to her, but he seemed to know her every move. Her brother’s killer spoke. “Put the weapon down before you get hurt.”

She twisted and threw her body into the swing, bringing it back the other way. Ian blocked with his staff. Shocks zinged down her arms and through her body as though she held a live wire.

“Drop it!” Gabriel yelled over to her. “He’ll kill you.” He took a step toward Saefa and pulled out a soul-cell.

“Try anything and I’ll fry her.”

Jocelyn’s teeth clenched together as the voltage increased. She’d let go if she could. He’d already proven that fighting him was impossible. But maybe…if she couldn’t tear herself away….

Jocelyn pushed her energy through the weapon and Ian released his Ki-staff. It dropped to the floor, still glowing. He growled and his red eyes brightened.

“You shouldn’t have done that.” He raised his hands and eyed the roasted flesh on his palms. “This is the second time you’ve damaged me, baby doll.” He came around with a kick. Jocelyn ducked and drove Gabriel’s staff into Ian’s abdomen, knocking him back several steps. She pushed energy into the weapon, channeling everything she had at him.

Ian gasped.

“You killed my brother!” Jocelyn’s vision fuzzed. She wobbled, fighting the dizziness. Her fingers loosened on the weapon and the tip dropped to the floor. One swing should do it, but the staff felt like lead and wouldn’t budge. Flames now engulfed half the storage room, devouring everything around them. Jocelyn’s hair rose with the heat.

Ian stomped on the end of his staff, snapped it upright, and swept her ankles. Even as she hit the floor, it didn’t feel real. Everything reeled along in slow motion.

“Come any closer and she’s dead.”

Something moved in her peripheral vision. Gabriel smashed the globe onto the floor. “Get back, Jocelyn.” The crystal shards began to glow blue.

Jocelyn scuttled backward. Her nose, eyes, and throat burned. The room sizzled like bacon in a frying pan.

“What the fuck are you going to do with a broken cell?” Ian spun around, facing off with Gabriel while Jocelyn took the moment to put more distance between them.

Gabriel raised both hands and the shards lifted like a million fireflies. They began to hum and swirl, spinning, wrapping around Ian in a glowing blue tornado.

“Crystal contains. Even if it’s broken.”

Ian reached out and yanked his hand back. His flesh wept blood from a thousand tiny cuts.

“Let’s try this again.” Gabriel sped up the storm. “You have the right to remain silent.”

“You still don’t have the boy’s soul. I’m holding it.” Ian pounded his chest.

“Nate’s soul can stay. You owe him a body anyway.”

“This isn’t over.”

“Yes, it is. You’re not coming back. I’m fragmenting your spirit.”

The shards turned red, spinning faster and faster. Ian threw his head back, dropped to his knees, and howled.

The crystals screamed. The faster they went, the higher the frequency, until all the windows in the room exploded outward. The flames leaped higher. Jocelyn covered her ears and looked at Ian.

He stared back, sadness filling his eyes. “I always loved you, Jocasta.” He gave her a weak smile. “Later, sweetheart.” His body jerked and twitched as the red in his eyes faded. Ian collapsed. He stretched his fingers out and reached toward her.

The crystals rained down on him, tinkling on the floor like wind chimes. Gabriel rushed over and put a hand on both Jocelyn and Ian.

“Nate?”

“Got him right here. Same smart mouth, different package,” Gabriel assured her.

“It’s going to take me a while to get used to that.”

“We’ll worry about that later. Time to go.” He slid one hand into her hair and pulled her close. His lips brushed hers, sparking through her blood. With a growl, he captured her mouth and the world burst into a thousand colors.

The building groaned, and the roof collapsed.

***

The quiet in the room could drive a sane person crazy. Jocelyn stood a few feet from the stand, with Gabriel behind her on the right and Nate on the left. She gnawed at her sleeve, working the silk into a tattered mess. She shivered as the judge entered. The spectators rose to their feet and Jocelyn’s heart jumped. Was it enough?

He sat and shuffled through papers, taking his time, not bothering to glance up. When he cleared his throat, Jocelyn startled.

“This mark,” the judge said.

Gabriel reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

“You say it was so Enforcer Solaris could find you?”

Jocelyn nodded.

“Speak up, Ms. Miller.”

“Yes. Sir. Your honor.”

He raised his eyes. “You would testify to this, Enforcer Solaris?”

“Yes.”

The judge nodded. A reader had already taken his statement. Everything sat before the judge in black ink. “And your petition for release from service, Enforcer Solaris?”

“I wish to take a wife and have a family.”

“We need all the Enforcers we can get and you’ve got one of the best records.”

“The DSLE isn’t a place to raise a family.”

The judge frowned. “Your petition is approved.” He signed a paper and set it to the side.

“Thank you, your honor.”

“If I could legally bind you, I would. You’re no longer an Enforcer, Mr. Solaris. Make sure you stay out of DSLE business. If I so much as get a whiff that you’re messing around in department business, I’ll personally issue a warrant.”

He cleared his throat again and glanced down at the papers. “In light of the evidence presented to this court, we’ve no choice but to drop all charges against you, Ms. Miller, Gabriel Solaris, and your brother, Nate Miller.”

The judge’s dark gaze sent shivers scurrying along her skin. If he only knew the three of them were starting an agency to help the innocents the Enforcers hunted. Those who couldn’t help themselves would be helped.

“Stay out of trouble. If I see any of you back in my courtroom, I won’t be so nice.”

“Truly? I’m free to go?”

“Yes.” He rubbed the bald spot on his head. “We’ll be watching you, Ms. Miller. If we feel you’re a threat, you’ll be contained. No second chances.”

“I can leave?”

The judge nodded and sighed. “Go on, get out of here.”

Jocelyn squealed, spun around, and jumped onto Gabriel. She locked her legs around his hips and slid her hands into his hair and stared into his eyes. “You saved me.” She tipped her face and kissed him. His tongue slipped between her lips. Spice and heat. Jocelyn sighed and Gabriel tightened his hold, pulling her closer.

A gavel pounded behind her and cheers filled the courtroom, the loudest coming from Diego in the back. He whistled and hooted. “You dog, Gabriel. Like I told you, better than a donut,
mi amigo
.”

“Ms. Miller. Enforcer Diego. Everyone. Silence!” Louder bangs. “Control yourself in my courtroom.” Jocelyn tore her lips away and glanced over her shoulder. “This is a court of law, not a motel, Ms. Miller.”

She turned to Gabriel with an impish smile. “Can you do that shifty thing and take us somewhere else as his honor suggests?”

“My pleasure.” Gabriel smiled and lowered his mouth. His hands slipped lower on her ass and squeezed. He glanced over at Nate. “How about a room with one of those heart-shaped, revolving beds and a velvet swing?”

Heat rolled through Nate. He’d kill the sonofabitch. “Don’t even think about it.” He moved in.

“Not thinking about it at all. I’m a man of action.” Gabriel cocked an eyebrow and shifted. Only their energy shivered before him. Nate clenched his jaw.

“God damn it. He knows I haven’t figured out how to teleport yet.” Nate snatched his Louisville Slugger from the bailiff and stormed toward the door. The crowded room shrank away from him like he was Moses parting the Red Sea, but he didn’t care. He was getting used to it. The only hard part was having a decent conversation. First off, when someone saw a six-foot-eight reaper with a tribal brand covering half his face, they usually tried to run. Today alone, he’d had one woman faint when he asked her the time and another snatch her children and push them behind her as if he’d gobble the kids up.

And then there were the voices that never shut up.