Damned and Defiant (9 page)

“Really? Great.” She stared at him for a moment as if he were crazy. “May I ask if you’re using these for healing or for another purpose? This is an unusual amount.”

“Not for healing.”

She nodded. “Oh, I see.” But she looked confused.

After Dante paid, he walked across the room, examining another display to avoid any further questions. He was sure she had no idea he was planning to use the stones as a means to propel his alternative universe through the ninth dimension back to its planet of origin.

Leane wrapped the stones and placed them in a bag while Dante continued to look around and entered another room. He glanced at the closed door to Ambros’ office. Would Haley remember her abduction and near death in Tarik’s lower chamber? At that time, when Dante had rescued her, nearly all her chi energy was drained from Tarik’s experiment. If she did remember, she’d know that Dante was a demon. She’d also know about Anartia.

The muscles in his neck tightened and a pounding began in his head. Even immortals experienced headaches. If this enlightened man was so brilliant, why didn’t he sense the danger he was putting Haley in by helping her regain her memories? Any mortal who knew of their existence could be a threat to them by interfering with their ability to obtain chi.

A hand rested on Dante’s arm and he jumped. Leane stood beside him, giving him a sympathetic look. “They shouldn’t be much longer. Can I make you some tea?”

Dante took in a slow breath. If Haley did remember, he’d explain how she needed to keep that information to herself. “No, thanks on the tea. I’ll look around while I wait.”

Leane handed him his bag of stones. While Dante admired a piece of Navajo sandpainting on display, his nebula stone began to vibrate. Dante put the bag of crystals down on a table and took a couple steps back but the nebula stone continued to vibrate. All the stones and crystals were in the next room. What was causing his pendant to respond?

Odd,
he thought.

“Shopping for earthly souvenirs now that we’re leaving this damn planet?” Valdon’s tone was mocking and condescending. Standing beside Valdon, wearing jeans, a Sedona Red Rocks T-shirt and lightweight hiking boots was Natesa looking more like a tourist than a demon from Anartia sent to seduce mortals and collect their lifeforce. Valdon knew how to quickly acclimate new Drones to their surroundings. That was his job. Thank God he’d found Natesa, and she wasn’t roaming around Sedona attacking real tourists in her wolf form.

Dante hated how Valdon tended to show up unannounced like the Drone was spying on him. Natesa shot Dante a cocky grin and wandered off to admire a wall of necklaces and earrings.

“I have the crystals the demoness requested. What have you been doing?” Dante asked so the other patrons in the store couldn’t overhear.

“You found crystals? Where?”

Dante held up his sack. “Citrine and quartz. The nebula stone detects a clear flow of energy with these.”

Valdon peered into the bag and gave a snort. “Where are the rest of them?”

“This is it.”

Valdon’s eyes widened, then laughed. “That’s it? You’ll annoy Gwyllain with that insulting offer. We stopped by the ranch earlier to take you to our find. We collected a few more than you.”

“I heard you were there. Stay away from Haley.” Dante didn’t care that Valdon was larger and stronger. He had enough anger and determination to kick his ass if he came near her again.

Valdon grinned, hardly impressed but obviously not willing to make trouble. “Let me show you what we’ve collected.”

Outside of the store, Valdon opened the back of his Jeep. There were three large burlap sacks. “What’s in there?” Dante asked, hoping they weren’t bodies from carelessly collected Kithra offerings.

“Open them.” Valdon leaned on the side of the Jeep, arms crossed looking quite pleased. Dante opened one of the sacks. Inside, multicolored quartz crystals sparkled in the reflected desert sun.

“Where the hell did you find all these?”

“Traveled through a vortex to an underground cavern,” Valdon explained. “Tarik located them. We used an altered version of Zorian’s boltstick as a laser to cut the stones.”

Dante laughed. “The instrument for pain and pleasure during Zorian’s disciplinarian sessions used as a stone-cutting tool. Interesting.”

“Aren’t they beautiful?” Natesa grabbed a large red one the size of a plum and held it up to the sun.

Dante picked up a few of the crystals, some of them the size of grapefruits. “Why wouldn’t Tarik tell me the location of these crystals? Time is limited for Anartia.”

Valdon attempted a surprised look but his mouth worked into an amused smirk. “Have you pissed off Tarik?”

Dante didn’t think so, but avoided the demoness’s consort if he could.

“We’ll need your help carrying these bags through the portal,” Natesa added. Dante noticed she had a sparkly crystal necklace next to her nebula stone. He wondered if she paid for it.

“This will be adequate for Tarik’s needs. Perhaps Anartia will be leaving sooner than planned.” Dante kept his voice steady. He didn’t want Valdon or Natesa to hear his concern. He still had much work to do with the horses.

Valdon studied Dante. “Are the horses ready?”

Dante placed the stones back in the bag. “They will be.”

Valdon laughed. “I thought you were set on revenge, instead you play with horses. Hasn’t the demoness revealed Reilly’s identity yet? That would be one less Drone she’d have to eliminate.”

“No, she hasn’t revealed who Reilly is. My horses are my priority. If I can’t find him on Earth, then I will on Prygos. I will have my revenge eventually.”

Valdon seemed satisfied. “Let me know if you need help. I always liked a good fight.” A car pulled up next to the Jeep, and Sakari and Brad stepped out. They both gave Dante and the other two Drones guarded looks as they marched past them and straight into the store without a word.

“A bold move from the one who betrayed the demoness,” Valdon said referring to Sakari. He took a step toward the store.

Dante noticed Brad had his leopard skin slung over his shoulder. Ready for a fight? What’s going on? Holding his arm up, Dante blocked the large blond man from taking another step. “Not the time or the place. Sakari’s mortal now and the other—”

“I know of his powers,” Valdon said without moving. “He’s still mortal and can be beaten.”

“They’re not a threat.”

Valdon glared at Dante. “Any mortal or immortal who threatens Tarik’s project will be drained, eliminated.”

A moment later, the door to the store swung open and Sakari, Brad and Haley stormed out. Haley glanced at Dante for a second, her eyes cold, her jaw tight, then turned away.
Fuck.
She knows. “Haley, wait. Where are you going?”

She kept walking.

“Haley? What’s wrong?” There was a tightening in his chest but he hoped Valdon didn’t hear the desperation in his voice.

“Back to the ranch,” she snapped.

“Are you leaving?” he asked, softly.

She turned to look at him again and tears welled up in her eyes. She didn’t answer as she climbed into Brad’s car. They sped out of the parking lot.

* * * * *

Haley watched Siren race around the corral in wide frantic circles as if the horse was attempting to work off nervous energy. She had the urge to do the same, although she doubted a jog around the corral would make her feel better. “I’m not leaving the ranch,” Haley said to Sakari and Brad, stomping her foot and alarming Siren in the process. The horse skidded to a stop with her shouts, then continued with her trek at a slower pace.

Sakari and Brad followed her back in the barn as she went around cleaning up the stalls but nothing they said would convince her to leave Dante or the ranch. She’d made up her mind.

After the chores, she climbed up on D.A.’s saddle and tried ignoring the concerned looks from her two friends. D.A. was his usual sweet self. “Don’t worry. I can take care of myself,” Haley called over her shoulder. “Dante won’t harm me.”

“How do you know that?” Brad asked.

“He saved my life in the desert months ago.”

“You remember that?” Sakari asked.

“I remember part of what happened,” Haley walked D.A. once around, got him up to a canter, then slowed him down again. “If he’s such a bad guy why are you friends with him?” she asked Sakari.

Sakari and Brad exchanged looks. “I’ve known him a long time. It’s more complicated than that.”

Haley gave them an annoyed smirk. Why were her friends so convinced she couldn’t handle something out of the ordinary? If they only knew what kind of life she’d lived. “I know he’s not of this Earth. Why would you think I’d have such a problem with this? I know about why Brad carries that leopard skin. It’s not because he has a fur fetish.”

Sakari laughed. “When did you learn about Brad?”

“Ambros. He saw you put your leopard skin on and shift into the leopard.” Brad was a shapeshifter, an ancient and rare genetic trait, not like the immortals from Anartia. His gift was
Eigi Enhamhr
, passed down through the males in a family.

“I should borrow my brother’s grizzly bear skin,” Brad said. “I’d have a little more muscle to deal with those Drones.”

“It’s not necessary,” Haley said.

Brad scratched his head and stared out across the desert. “I don’t get it. The guy’s a demon. He’s dangerous. He drains energy from humans and you’re not afraid of him?”

“No, I’m not. If he was going to hurt me, he would’ve done so by now.” During the hypnosis session, she’d learned of another incident with Dante in the desert that happened almost a year ago when she first arrived in Sedona. But she’d blocked it out. She thought best not to mention it to anyone. Why hadn’t he told her?

“Why the scene at the store?” Brad asked.

“He lied to me about who and what he is,” Haley said, not making eye contact with Brad. There was more, but she couldn’t tell them.

Now she knew why Dante seemed familiar when she’d first met him in the Red Rocks Bar and Grill. They’d had casual sex in the desert, a one-night stand. She’d been a willing participant, but this was more than two strangers having the hots for each other. He did it because he had to.

This primal need or instinct seemed to consume him. He’d had the power to kill her that night, but he didn’t. Why?

Instead, after they were done, he made sure she had a safe place to sleep and paid for her motel. She’d sensed regret and sensitivity, not a characteristic she would expect from an evil being.

“Anyone who loves horses like he does can’t be all evil. I have psychic means to protect myself.” She patted D.A.’s neck and the horse nodded as if agreeing. “Ambros believes the rotation of my chakras was altered in some way.”

“Tarik tried to drain your energy,” Sakari said gently. “He almost killed you and Brad. He did kill another mortal.”

“I don’t know about another mortal.” Getting off D.A., Haley removed his bridle and let him roam the corral on his own. She hooked the bridle over a fence post. Her extraordinary abilities weren’t helping her to understand everything. “Who’s Tarik?”

“Tarik and his mistress run things.”

“How do you know?” Haley asked.

“Because I was once like Dante, Valdon and Natesa. Now, I’m mortal. I’m telling you this because you’re in danger. Not with Dante, but with the other two. They may decide you’re a threat. You’d be smart to stay away from them all.”

“I’m sure they can’t harm me. Ambros taught me skills against psychic attacks.”

“Contact with a Drone is not like a psychic attack, Haley,” Sakari warned.

“What do you remember about what happened to you?” Brad asked.

Haley closed her eyes for a minute and shuddered as images flowed into her mind. “It seemed like a torture chamber. The room had three large crystals hanging from the ceiling. And the hum of machines. I felt pain, and also pleasure. Energy moved around and through me.” She took a breath and rubbed her arms. “Ambros’ tests say my powers have increased at least ten times.”

“Ten times!” Sakari and Brad announced at the same time, they’re eyes widened. The horses seemed to sense the tension in the air. The animals stopped, then shifted side to side with their ears back.

“Maybe she’s right, Sakari. Maybe they can’t hurt her now,” Brad said.

“I think it’s the strangeness or energy of his immortality that’s preventing him from getting close to his horses,” Haley said. “What if he became mortal?”

Sakari leaned on the fence and spoke softly, but firmly, “Haley, Dante doesn’t want to become mortal. He was mortal once. He won’t give up immortality.”

She glared at Sakari.
How could she possibly know what he wants?
Haley tried to keep the desperation out of her voice. “I’ll talk to him anyway.” She climbed up on the fence and sat. “Why are they here?”

Sakari shook her head. “They’ve been trapped here for over a thousand years. They’re returning to their planet.”

I’ll have to change his mind about leaving.”

Sakari and Brad stared at her without saying a word.