Reid's Deliverance (19 page)

Footsteps approached outside. The warped door, half off its hinges, creaked open. The pungent odor of manure clung to humid air. A tall, lean man entered. His blond hair gleamed in the sunlight beaming through the cracked windows.

The magazine reader who’d sat in the hospital waiting room. The bastard who’d made Lauren scream. A throat punch would wipe that arrogant look off his face.

“Saving your energy?” Kell, unruffled in his crisp-looking suit, stood in front of him.

“Yeah, so I can kick your ass.”

A backhanded slap whipped Reid’s head to the side.
Shit.
The fucker had packed some power behind that one. He forced a grin through a split lip. “Was it something I said?”

Kell stepped closer. A sickly sweet cologne smell mixed with the stifling heat and the stench of manure. “Keeping your captor on the defensive with insults—a bold but risky move.” The hint of a foreign accent wove into his words.

“Critique my performance later. What do you want?”

“You couldn’t be that clueless.”

He lifted up, trying to lessen the weight straining his shoulders. Thane had mentioned Kell possibly having a fixation. Did Kell actually believe he was an angel? “It would go a lot smoother if you told me what you’re after.”

“I’ll show you.” Kell’s multicolored gaze grew stormy.

Ancient power bled into his mind.
Fucking impossible.
But undeniable. He strengthened mental barriers. They held.

The cold sweat of relief trickled down his spine. Phasing eluded him, but he’d blocked Kell. The last thing he needed was a twisted ancient pawing through his thoughts and memories. He’d always wondered why Dalir had trained them so hard in mind protection. Now it made sense why he’d acted like such an asshole. Another ancient. Just Kell, or did more exist?

Kell cocked his head. “So you honestly think you can handle me?”

“Focus on a familiar image. Recall how every detail stimulates the senses. Hold onto it as if it’s the most precious possession in the world.”

Dalir’s remembered words brought calmness. “Mind games. All day. Every day. They’re my specialty.”

Kell chuckled. “At least you’ll be a challenge. Xenia. You remember her, don’t you?”

The image of the dark haired researcher from the botched mission flashed in. She’d disappeared into nowhere. Kell was involved? How had Dalir missed it? “How is the twisted scientist doing? Still cooking up nasty surprises in the lab?”

“A brilliant mind with clear motivation, but I overestimated her capabilities.” As Kell slowly circled, he nudged him.

Reid swung back and forth like a pendulum. Discomfort tingled down his arms. “Sounds like she messed up your day.”

“It was a disappointment when I found her crawling through the ducts of that dwelling.”

“You mean the shopping mall?”

“Yes, that’s it, the mall. I’d arrived too late to find what drew me there. The way she was scurrying away like a scared mouse, I thought she had answers.” Kell’s exhale blew on Reid’s nape. “But…”

“She didn’t.”

“Unfortunately, no.”

Volts of electricity zapped into Reid’s side. His seizing muscles crushed his chest and stole air from his lungs. The surge ended. The raw burn of pain remained. He dangled from the chains. A roundhouse kick by a mule would have hurt less.

“Oh, I like this!” Kell held up a stun gun. “Your woman was carrying it. If I would have had this at my disposal, Xenia may have lasted. She died before she could tell me what I needed to know.”

The grimy, peeling tile framing Kell’s polished shoes came into focus. Understanding settled in Reid. Kell had ripped into Xenia’s thoughts, mining for information. He’d tortured her to death. Why? What could she have possibly known?

“I learned my lesson with Xenia. I forgot how fragile humans are. Pry too hard or deeply into your mind, and you’ll pop like an egg. I have to sprinkle in a few rudimentary techniques in with my power. Like salt in a dish, I have to make sure I find the right balance.” Kell laid the stun gun on the chair. He took off his jacket and arranged it over the back. You’ll last much longer than she did.” He smiled peacefully as he rolled up his sleeves. “Mind or body. I can’t wait to see which one crumbles first.”

Lauren
. Reid let the image of her emerge. When she smiled, he wanted to discover a million ways to keep her happy. He lifted his head. One more detail before he let Lauren completely sweep him away. “What did you expect Xenia to tell you?”

“What you will. Eventually.” Kell’s blue-eyed, brown-eyed gaze grew cold. “Where to find Dalir.”

Lauren slipped out the door of the house. She hastened across the expansive front lawn surrounded by trees and ornamental shrubs. Celine had been doting on her like a mother hen. After running her a hot bath, Celine had practically dressed her in the blouse and jeans she’d let her borrow. Complaining wasn’t fair. If Thane hadn’t retrieved Celine’s luggage, she’d be stuck in her grimy dress, remembering Kell’s hands on her. She didn’t want to sleep, eat, or wait for news any longer. If she didn’t get fresh air, she’d combust. Too many hours had passed.

A bad feeling kept hounding her. Where was Reid? Why hadn’t Thane returned? What was Dalir doing to find Reid?

She veered down a stone path lined with neatly squared bushes and colorful flowers. Further in, taller shrubs shielded her from view. Along the way, the path curved right then left. She followed it through a series of turns to a dead end.
A maze?
Lauren traced her steps back. Everything looked the same. After several wrong turns, she grew more intrigued than annoyed. Finally, she emerged. Water flowed down a beige stone shaped like a triangle in the center of a circular pool. An infinity symbol was etched on one side of it. The soothing scents of orchids, roses, and green foliage lulled her into closing her eyes.

Leaves rustled.

Lauren whipped around.

Dalir broke through the bushes. His expression morphed from troubled to surprise in seeing her.

She sat on a marble bench and braced for the worst. “Any word from Reid or Thane?”

“No.”

She averted her eyes from Dalir’s steady gray gaze. Didn’t people throw coins in fountains for luck? Where was a quarter when she needed one? If she had a coin, she’d wish for Reid’s safe return and a chance to beg for his forgiveness.

The ancient stared at her, and then he looked to the fountain. The same scowl she’d witnessed since they’d arrived deepened.

“Being angry at the guys or us isn’t helping.”

“They inspire frustration, not anger. They don’t listen.”

“You trust them to use their power for good. Why don’t you trust their judgment in telling us?”

“Trusting anyone outside of their brotherhood leaves room for errors. It exposes weaknesses.” His gaze bore into hers. “It gets people hurt.”

Lauren curled her fingers around the cool edge of the seat. Celine had said what would make her feel better. Dalir wasn’t afraid to tell her the truth. “I know I’m to blame. Don’t hold it against Reid. Please, just find him.”

Dalir brusquely waved her off. “Confessions and assigning blame won’t find Reid. Information will. Tell me about the man who took you. What did he look like?”

“Almost as tall as you but thinner. Short blond hair and his eyes…”

The ancient stood in front of her. “What about his eyes?”

Lauren recalled the image of her captor telling her what he’d do to Reid. She shivered. “Harsh, cold, like he didn’t have a heart.”

“Describe them. What color were his eyes?”

“Two colors. One brown. One violet blue.”

His broad shoulders dropped as if burdened by a weight. “It really is him.” He looked at the sky. “How?”

The bad feeling she’d struggled with earlier crystallized. “You know him?”

“Yes.” His skin glowed silver swirling in gold. His clothes morphed into high black boots with dark pants tucked into them. Leather strips crisscrossed his bare muscular chest.

Awe and twinges of inferiority almost made her bow her head as a curved sword formed in his hands.

Dalir’s gaze hardened. A hint of sadness intertwined with the anger in his eyes. “He’s my brother.”

* * * *

The stun gun shocked Reid’s thigh. Spasms clenched his muscles from his hips to his toes.

Kell removed it. “It doesn’t have to be this way. Just tell me.”

Lauren’s laugh. It was as if he could hear her light, flirty chuckle. She made him want to follow her into the happiness that inspired it.

“Fine.” Kell snarled. “Have it your way.”

Continuous shocks formed an endless wave of pain. Kell searched for weaknesses, hammering relentlessly on the mental blockade. When the stun gun quit working, he threw it against the wall. Kell grabbed a chain from the floor. “As much as I’d like to, I can’t smash your pretty face. You still have to be able to talk.” He wound part of the chain around his hand and slashed it through the air like a sword.

Reid envisioned every gouging strike and merciless punch as Lauren’s kisses. He buried himself in recollections of caressing her, holding her, loving her.

Breathing heavily, Kell stopped. Sweat trickled from his brow. Dalir never broke a sweat. He always remained cool.

Reid spit a metallic taste from his mouth. Blood flowed freely with the agony of ripped skin torn to the muscle and broken bones. When he made love to Lauren, he never wanted it to end. But everything would, here and now. He couldn’t absorb much more of Kell’s rage.

Kell’s eyes darkened. “You find this amusing?”

“It must have sucked growing up with a brother who’s better than you.”

“Better than me? Dalir is a disgrace to his kind. A coward. He took what he didn’t deserve. Destroyed what was mine.” Kell grabbed Reid’s throat. “And you’re stupid enough to protect him.”

“You’re the one who’s stupid.” Reid swallowed against tightness of Kell’s grip. “You’re weak. If you were half of Dalir, you’d find him yourself.”

Fury lit up in Kell’s eyes. His face flushed as more of his power seeped in.

Reid’s heart sped up. He’d found Kell’s weakness. Now it was time to break him and bring it all to an end. “But you can’t find your brother because, compared to him, you’re nothing.”

Kell yelled in fury.

A fierce energy struck into Reid like a coiled snake held back too long. Kell stopped toying with him and delivered deadly strikes.

Reid’s wounds tore wider, joints stretched out of place, bones cracked. It felt as if his heart was exploding, catapulting him beyond agony. He could let go and die. His last breath fueled a final thought. Lauren smiling up at him. She faded and he welcomed the darkness.

“You must live.”

The whispered words expanded inside of him like the air refilling his lungs. But he couldn’t live. He didn’t have enough strength to shield his thoughts from Kell.

Darkness gave way to the blinding sun. He stood in the desert wearing gear from his army recon days. Shimmering heat dissolved, revealing Thane and the team, also dressed in desert camouflage, yards ahead. They beckoned him to join them. He took a step and stopped. The day Dalir had saved them. That’s what his was reminiscent of. It was an illusion, a trick. Kell had gotten inside.

The vision of the desert disappeared. The dusty wood building replaced it. Strong energy vibrated in the air.

A hazy image of Kell facing off with Dalir emerged. No longer in refined modern clothes, Kell sported dark pants tucked into boots. Golden armor formed to his torso. Kell lunged at Dalir with a sword in his hand.

Dalir dressed similarly to Kell countered the stab but did not move out of the way quick enough. A line of crimson appeared on his bicep. He sliced his blade down.

The tip scraped over Kell’s armor.

Dalir’s cool, calm expression remained. “You can’t win.”

“Check the score card, brother.” Kell held the sword with two hands and took a balanced stance. “You tried to kill me once and failed. Humanity’s weakness taints your blood.”

The ancients circled. In between volleys of spark-raising strikes, metal slithered against metal. The ground shook. Wood groaned and shuddered. A corner of the building collapsed. Puffs of dust dispersed into the air.

Dalir spun and swung down in a high arch.

Kell blocked too late. He grabbed his throat, eyes wide as if in disbelief as blood seeped through his fingers.

Reid’s heart thundered against his sore ribs.
End him.

Phase power rose from Kell’s feet. He vanished in a swirl of reddish gold.

“No.” Reid wheezed. He wanted to sit up. His body refused. Light swirled. As he flew upward, he shut down his mind and descended back into darkness.

* * * *

Lauren sat on the edge of the gray chair in Dalir’s sunroom and gulped whiskey from a tumbler. The sun beaming through a domed glass ceiling failed to melt the icy chill locked in her bones. Raiding the liquor cabinet helped.

Celine slid the other chair closer. “Are you sure that’s what he said? Thane never mentioned Dalir having a brother.”

“I don’t think Dalir told them.” Hands shaking, she picked up the decanter from the round blue-tiled table in front of her. As she poured, amber liquid sloshed over her fingers. “If Kell is an ancient, imagine what he’s doing to Reid…”

Celine sat back, failing to mask a flicker of alarm. “Dalir will find him.”

Alive or dead?

Heavy footfalls came down the hallway.

Thane rushed in. His grim expression told her everything.

She plunked her glass on the table and shot up. “Where is he?”

“Down the hall with Dalir.” He blocked the door. “He’s alive, but—”

Lauren pulled out of his grasp and ran, Celine at her heels. Her bare feet slid over the polished wood as she turned the corner.

Late afternoon sun radiated out the door at the end of the hall in prisms of light.

Reid was slumped over Dalir’s shoulder.

As she got closer, she saw the bloody slashes crisscrossing his back.

Dalir laid him on the bed and his arms flopped on the snowy white sheets. His palms and fingers pointed in unnatural directions.