The Fury (7 page)

“Dammit.” His bright green eyes turned black as the night. He tore off Rufus’s coat, grabbed her shirt and pulled it over her head. Her body trembled.

Tossing the smoldering shirt into the sink, Dagan picked Reese up and ran to the bathroom. He set her into the bathtub, turned on the water, tossed his holster, sheaths for his knives and stars off, then stepped in with her.

Pushing her under the spray, he silently lathered his hands with the soap and began massaging her chest, arms, and down her stomach. “The
galla
’s blood is like acid.”

He turned her around to rinse the soap off and undid her bra. “When I shot the last one some of its blood must have gotten on your clothes. That’s why it burned.”

Again, he lathered his hands and soaped her back, shoulders and arms. He threw the soggy bra on the floor and gently unbuttoned her pants and drew them down her wet legs and tossed everything into a heap. “Let me look at you, to make sure your skin is undamaged.”

He turned her to face him and brushed callused hands over her skin. “Just a little redness. It didn’t get all the way through your shirt enough to burn your skin, but let’s wash you one more time to be sure.”

She nodded but didn’t speak.

He rubbed suds along her throat to her collarbone and her breasts. She couldn’t hold the whimper that escaped her parted lips. The water trickled down the front of her body washing the suds away.

Reese opened her eyes, and for the first time since he’d lifted her into the tub, noticed the blood-stained rip in his shirt, the cuts on his lip and over his right eye, and a slash across his left forearm. “You’re hurt.”

She gently shoved his hand away.

“It’s nothing.”

“That thing’s blood got on you, too.” She slid the long-sleeved shirt down and pulled the T-shirt underneath up his arms and off, letting it drop as she examined his skin.

On his right forearm was a tattoo that looked like a starburst. A nasty, jagged, bright red mark cut across his right shoulder and down his chest to his left hip. It looked like a strip of sunburn. “Does it hurt?”

“No.”

He lied, it had to hurt. Catching her bottom lip between her teeth, Reese danced her fingertips down his stomach.

His muscles contracted.

“It will heal quickly,” he said through gritted teeth. His hands fisted at his sides.

Her fingers brushed the enormous bulge in his pants and he growled. Her eyes snapped to his battered face certain she’d find him smirking, but he stared unblinking at the wall and his tight jaw clenched.

Reese slapped her hands over her bare breasts and turned her back to him, suddenly aware of the intimate position.

The water had grown cold so Dagan reached his arms on either side of her to shut it off. He wrapped a beige towel around her shoulders and started drying her back.

She grabbed the edges and wrenched it out of his hands. “I can manage.” Glancing over her shoulder, she gazed into his eyes, which were green again. “Can you explain what happened here?”

He grinned. “Reese, honey, you know what nearly happened here.”

She felt the blush creep up her cheeks and she’d swear it traveled along her whole body. Shaking her head at his arrogant attitude she said, “I mean why I couldn’t remember anything and suddenly it all came back?”

He sobered. “We need to talk.”

“Yes, I think we do.”

He stepped out of the tub and ran a towel along his chest and shoulders. The burned areas of his skin had turned soft white, like old scars, and were disappearing rapidly. She needed answers.

She glanced at the wet pile of clothes on the floor. This could be a problem. Joel, her cousin, did have some clothes here but she didn’t think anything would completely cover this man’s incredible body. He was huge. Her gaze traveled down, all of him.

“You should stop doing that or we’ll not get any farther than the bedroom,” he said in a husky voice.

Her head shot up to see him watching her watch him. His eyes had gotten darker. Sure that honor and chivalry would only go so far, and not wanting to push her luck, she looked directly into his eyes before saying, “Then get out of my bathroom.” He hesitated. She turned her head away, knowing that looking at his semi-naked body again would be a bad idea. “Can you hand me another towel before you go?” she asked in what she hoped sounded like a steady voice.

He passed her another towel. “I’ll go in the other room. I need to contact Rufus and tell him to have another look around.”

Reese nodded. “Okay.”

When she heard the click of the door latch, she withered to the floor of the tub. Her life had taken a bizarre turn. How would she protect herself against something that’s not supposed to exist? And, what would she do about Dagan?

Dagan strode from the bedroom. He could not keep his thoughts from reaching back to those moments when his soap-slicked hands glided against skin so tan and supple he had to swallow a groan. A dull ache burned him from within as desire rushed to his already aching groin. His head filled with the music of his people, the ancient ritual drums pounded at his temples.

By all the gods, he should not continue on this course. It was forbidden for time walkers to have personal contact with humans unless absolutely necessary. But why had the
go’ras
not worked?

He remembered how she had stared up at him with those big blue eyes. The kind of eyes a man could get lost in for days and the same color as the blue satin panties covering her core. He groaned and reached into his soaking wet pants to readjust his erection.

Chapter Five

How could she remember him when he had erased everything from her memory? This did not make any sense. He rubbed his cheek where she had slapped him. Flipping open his cell, he hit the three button. Rufus picked up on the first ring.

“Do you see anything?”

“No, not since you got rid of that last wave. I had started back but you were done before I could get there.” A door slammed and the engine started. “She swings a frying pan as good as she does that bat.”

“Yeah, she has been pretty amazing through all this.” He sighed. “I have got a big problem though.”

“Oh?”

“She remembered everything when she saw me again.”

“No way. What’d she do?”

“She slapped me.”

Rufus’s laughter echoed through the phone. Dagan growled. Rufus would never let him live this down.

“You have your night gear?” Dagan said forcefully.

“I do.”

Night gear consisted of several different things, the most important of which were night goggles. Pyre had modified them so that they picked up the faint electrical impulse generated by the
galla
.

“Keep your eyes open. They’ll be back.”

“Okay.”

Dagan picked up Rufus’s coat and willed it to his car. “I also need you to get one of the others to head over to her father’s house and keep watch.”

“Did she give you an address?”

“No.”

“Fine, I’ll look it up. Anything else?”

“Yes, contact one of the sources in Europe. Riley Whittaker, Reese’s sister is there. She will need to be looked after as well.” He dug his fingers into his eyes and rubbed. “I’m not sure where in Europe she is, but she left two years past.”

“No problem, I’ll check phone records. I’m sure they’ve spoken. I can track her down that way.”

“Okay, get on it,” Dagan ordered.

“Right, and Dagan?”

“Yeah?”

“You better hide the bat.”

Dagan snapped the phone shut, silencing more laughter.

“Flame.”

“Dagan, my man. What’s up?”

“Have you ever heard of a
go’ras
not working on a human?”

“Are you serious?”

“I’m afraid so. She remembers everything.”

“
You’re there again
?” Dagan winced at the tone of his friend’s voice in his head.

“I had Rufus watching the place. We had visitors.”

“Did they get to her?”

“
No
.”

Flame popped into the room. “This is serious.”

“No kidding.”

“Did I hear you…” Reese walked into the room wearing a 49ers jersey that stopped mid thigh, tan stretch pants that molded to her body, red fluffy socks, and carrying some other clothes.

Flame whistled.

“Hello,” she said then narrowed her eyes on Dagan, a familiar sight.

Turning to his friend, Flame chuckled. “Now I understand why you’ve taken an extra interest. She’s got nice long legs and her face isn’t bad to look at either.”

Reese glared at Dagan. “I don’t recall you saying anything about company and why is he talking like I’m not in the room? Did I suddenly become invisible?”

“Impossible!” both men said in unison.

Dagan smiled. “Reese, this is Flame. Flame, Reese Whittaker.”

“Charmed,” she said.

“My pleasure.” Flame sauntered over, took her hand and kissed it, lingering a little longer than Dagan liked.

“That’s enough, charm boy, get your ass over here.” Dagan grabbed Flame by the arm and yanked him toward the fireplace.

Reese sat and watched the two men. Dagan stood at least two inches taller than the other man who was dressed in a pair of jeans that looked as though they’d been worn everyday for the last three years and were just now getting broke in. His black Jimmie Van Zant T-shirt had no sleeves and tucked into the pants giving her a fine view of his washboard abs. She noticed his right forearm held the same tattoo as Dagan’s. It had to be significant. She stared hard at his blond hair, tipped in red and spiked. If you looked at it long enough, it seemed to sway and dance like fire. She wondered if Flame was his real name or an alias to go with the outfit.

“I can’t tell you what I don’t know, Dagan. I’ve never heard of the mind wipe not working on a human. This is beyond my knowledge. You will have to ask one of the Eight.”

“If I go to one of them it will raise suspicion.”

“Mind wipe?” Reese said in an accusing tone.

Neither offered a reply, but Flame looked over at her and winked.

“I’m thinking Nazi would be your best bet. Get him loaded enough and he’ll tell you what you need to know.”

“I guess it’s worth a try.”

Flame slapped his hand down on Dagan’s shoulder. “Well, brother, you have your work cut out for you. I’ll go talk to Rufus while I’m here about those other matters.”

Flame gave her the once over. “I like the jersey, but I’m a Steelers fan.” He grinned. “Goodnight, Reese,” he said and opened the front door.

Stunned she yelped, “Where’s your coat?” and got up to shut the door. “For God’s sake it’s freezing out there.”

“I hadn’t thought about the temperature when I popped in.” A devilish gleam entered his eye. He snapped his fingers and a black leather duster appeared in his hand. “It’s lined so I should be fine, doll. I appreciate your concern.”

She didn’t have time to question him about the little magic trick because he flew out the door. She turned to find Dagan loading wood into the fireplace, still wringing wet from the shower.

“I meant to get some matches but I’ve been abducted by a strange man and held captive.”

“No need for matches.” Ignoring her snide comment, he stood, snapped his fingers and flames shot up through the chimney.

“I’ll bet you come in handy at bonfires.”

“I have many good uses.” He steadied his intense gaze on her, heating up her entire body like the fire he’d started.

Like a predator, Dagan moved toward her. Every inch of his sculpted form stalked her as prey. The primal gleam in his eyes had her fighting the urge to step back.

From what now seemed an incredible height Dagan said, “Get dressed, we’re going out.”

“What? I just got undressed.”

This time she took a few steps back so she could see his face clearly. His hungry gaze made her quiver. Goose bumps herded across her already heated skin. She’d need to be more careful about the words she let escape from her mouth.

“While I’d like nothing more than to stay and debate your clothing choices…” his eyes changed, darkened, seemed to swirl, “…we need to go find a god to answer some questions.”

“You can leave me here—”

A dark expression crossed his face. “No. You’ll not be out of my sight again. Get dressed.”

She’d had enough. He would not bully her and order her around in her own home. She calmly strolled toward the kitchen to make some coffee. Before rounding the corner, she fixed her eyes on Dagan, shooting silent daggers with flaming tips in his direction. “I’m not going anywhere with you. I’m not leaving and you’re not staying. I want answers here and now. Got me?” Then she disappeared. A low rumble sounding like thunder but what she knew to be Dagan’s temper boiling over floated her way.