He pointed to his face as they walked outside. “It’s the dimples, isn’t it? Am I right?”
She laughed. “Yes, it’s the dimples.”
He held open the door of his Jeep Wrangler and she got in.
“What lake?” she asked when he slipped in behind the wheel.
“Rushden Lake. It’s only a few miles from here.” He reached over and squeezed her hand. “Stop being so nervous. It’s a party, Fallon, not an execution.”
Not wanting to put a damper on his first night out in a year, she smiled at him. “I’ll try.”
Enrique Iglasias came on the radio with Tonight I’m Loving You and the sexy lyrics filled the car as they drove to the lake. Kade continued to hold her hand and kept glancing at her with heat in his eyes.
“Stop it.”
The innocent look was back. “What? I am loving you tonight.”
“Keep your eyes on the road, Royce.”
He laughed and sang along to the song, and she found herself singing with him.
After a short drive, they arrived at the lake, and Kade parked his Jeep among the other cars on a rise that overlooked the beach. There must have been at least fifty people down below either standing and talking around a bonfire or swimming in the lake.
“Is it legal to have a bonfire on the beach?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Not in the public areas, but this is private property owned by Cody Harlen’s parents. Ever since Cody started at AU, he’s been hosting bonfires on Wednesday nights during the school year. But, since this is his senior year, they probably won’t be going on much longer.” He opened his door. “Come on.”
Nervously, Fallon picked up her bag, got out of the car and followed Kade down to the shore.
“Officer Royce!” A guy with blonde hair and boyish good looks ran up to greet them.
“Just Kade, Cody.”
“Oh, right. Hey, dude, none of us ever believed those charges against you. I just want you to know that.”
Even in the growing darkness, Fallon could see Kade’s embarrassment at Cody’s words.
“Thanks, buddy.” He turned toward her. “This is my girlfriend, Fallon.”
Odd how one little word can steal the air from perfectly healthy lungs. She had never been a girlfriend before. She dated one boy in her old life, but it wasn’t anything serious.
“Hey, Fallon, nice to meet you. Make yourselves at home. There’s plenty to eat and drink so have fun.”
“Thanks.” Kade turned back to her. “Let’s get something to eat and then go for a swim.”
She nodded and found herself relaxing with Kade by her side. He reminded her of Julian with his easy wit and humor. They soon had a group of people around them and Fallon found herself laughing and enjoying everyone’s company.
An hour later, Kade dragged her away from the crowd. He led her to an isolated spot down the beach and pulled her down onto the sand. He leaned over and kissed her. “I’ve wanted to do that all night,” he murmured against her mouth.
“Me, too,” she admitted.
A full five minutes later, he lifted his head and asked her if she was ready for a swim. She nodded, so he stood, helped her back to her feet and then shrugged out of his shirt.
Suddenly feeling awkward, she set her bag on the sand. Now that I think about it, there was a perfectly nice one-piece I could have bought! With a shake of her head, she pulled her shorts down and stepped out of them. Finally, she pulled her shirt over her head.
She didn’t have to look up to know that Kade’s eyes were on her body. But, he didn’t say anything. He just reached for her hand and pulled her to the water’s edge. The lake gleamed in the moonlight, reflecting the lights of the party. Kade let her get used to the temperature and then pulled her deeper into the lake. When he put his hands on her waist and lifted her, she wrapped her legs and arms around him.
“Kiss me, witch” he whispered.
She did and the world melted around them. Nothing else existed except his lips on hers and the water lapping at their bodies. A rising mist that floated sinuously off the water shut away all prying eyes.
Kade pulled back and cradled her head in his hands. He kissed one eye and then the other, each cheek and then the tip of her nose. Her head fell back to give him the access he needed to trail more kisses down her throat.
He groaned softly next to her ear. “I don’t think I can take any more of this. I’m not the saint you are, Fallon,” he confessed ruefully.
“I’m not a saint, Kade.”
“But…”
“Yes, there is a but, and you know what it is.”
“Marry me.”
She laughed. “Every time you get excited, you talk about marriage. You need to handle your lust, Mr. Royce.”
His eyes rolled skyward. “Oh, I do lust for you, Fallon Anders. Very, very much.” Dropping his gaze back down to her, he said, “But, I would take a lifetime of celibacy just to have you in my life.”
She had no words, so she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close.
“Hey, you’re trembling. You must be freezing,” he said, misreading her shivers. “Come on. I’ll race you back.”
Jumping free from his arms, she dove into the water and swam powerfully back to the shore.
“Hey!”
She heard him laugh as he tried to keep up, but he was no match for her. When he made it on shore, he grasped her around the waist and they fell to the sand in a giggling fit.
Fallon stiffened when she heard a rustle in the reeds lining the beach behind them.
“So, what do we have here?” said a menacing voice.
She leapt to her feet, followed quickly by Kade.
Two bearded men in dark jackets stood looking at them.
Kade laughed. “Oh, this is going to be good. Gentlemen, you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.”
Fallon didn’t laugh. “These are no gentlemen, Kade. They’re Kjin.”
****
“Stand back, Kade,” Fallon said, her tone deceptively soft as she dropped into a crouch.
“Uh…that’s going to be a little tough for me to do, Fallon. You know that whole male ego thing you pointed out earlier.”
She didn’t turn to him. “I mean it. Stay out of it.”
“But, they’re just human, right? No extra powers?”
She didn’t get a chance to answer when one of the Kjin took a swing at her head. She easily ducked underneath it and spun, landing a kick square in his chest that sent him flying back onto the sand.
The other demon rammed into her side and tackled her to the ground, but she managed to keep her knees up underneath her body and used the power in her legs to launch him into the air.
“Fallon!” Kade shouted out.
“Stay out of it Kade!”
The first Kjin stalked toward her again and tried to kick her in the ribs, but she rolled out of the way and vaulted back to her feet. He came at her fast with both fists flashing at her, but she jerked her head out of the way each time. Stepping in close to him, she smashed the heel of her hand into his nose and heard the satisfying crunch of bone.
“Kade! My Aventi!”
“Where?” He sounded panicked.
“In my bag.”
The second Kjin came at her, and she pummeled him with three quick jabs to the jaw and then landed a punch to the abdomen. He doubled over in pain.
“Here!” Kade screamed out and she turned to catch the Aventi he threw her way. She banged it against the Kur on her arm and the sword flared to life.
The second Kjin cursed and ran down the beach still holding his stomach.
“Stay here!” she barked at Kade. “When I release the shade with the Aventi, it will try to seek out another body. I don’t want you anywhere near it!”
She took off at a run and was upon the fleeing demon in just a few second
s. She kicked him in the back and sent him sprawling in the sand. She stabbed him with one quick thrust of the sword and the demon wraith exploded out of the body, hissing in anger. Thinking only of her need to protect Kade, she pierced it a second time, and it disintegrated into black ash and drifted down onto the beach.
She rushed back to the first Kjin with the broken nose and found him kneeling on the ground in pain. She grabbed his hair and held the Aventi at his throat.
“What are you doing here?” she snarled.
“Oh, just out for a moonlight stroll, darlin’,” he answered, his voice already altered by the swelling on his face.
“I don’t get it,” Fallon said. “Why are you working together with another demon?”
“I just do as I’m told,” he drawled.
“So, you’re taking orders from someone else. Who?”
“The blackcoat boss, darlin’.” He turned his head toward Kade and lifted his lips in a bloody smile. “But, it’s him that I’m interested in now. Come here, boy. You look like you have a good, strong body, and I’ll be needin’ one momentarily.”
“Kade, go.”
“Fallon…”
She never took her eyes off the demon. “Go!”
“I’ll be waiting by the fire,” he said flatly and walked away.
The Kjin tried to lunge at her, but her Aventi slipped into his neck with ease. As soon as the dark specter rose into the night, she slashed it in two.
“That body is off limits to you, Kjin,” she said softly into the night. “That one is all mine.”
Chapter 12
All in a Knight’s Work
They drove home in silence. Her brooding centered on trying to figure out why the Kjin seemed to be gathering in Alden. The two tonight made five in the same area. She could no longer deny that something was going on. The Kjin admitted as much when he said he was summoned by the blackcoat boss, whatever that meant. It was time to call a council with the other Knights in the area to see if together they could figure this out.
But, what was Kade brooding about? Was he upset from watching the violence of her actions tonight?
He pulled the Jeep up in front of her house, and she looked at his profile in the darkness. “What’s the matter?” she asked him.
He grunted. “I’m a guy’s guy, Fallon, and I think it’s just going to take me some time to accept the fact that my girlfriend is stronger than I am.”
She winced. “That ego again?”
“Yeah. It pretty much defines me.”
“Ouch. Sorry.”
He turned to look at her. “Don’t be. It’s who you are and I accept that. It just might take me a little time here.”
“Do you want to come in?” She really shouldn’t even ask, because she needed to get to the university tonight and deal with his uncle, but she didn’t want to leave like this with his feelings so obviously conflicted about her. It felt unresolved.
“Can’t. I have to get some sleep. Test in the morning.”
“Okay, see you tomorrow.” She reached over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“Good night,” he whispered, but to Fallon’s ears it sounded like he was really saying goodbye.
She stepped out of the car, and he waited until she went into the house and shut the door before backing up and pulling into his own driveway next door.
Hurrying up the stairs, she stripped off her clothes and damp bathing suit. She chose black jeans and a black shirt again and retrieved her Aventi from her bag. Quickly tying her hair in a ponytail while she moved, she ran down the stairs and back out into the night.
The streets were quiet, and as she walked the four blocks to AU, Kade’s somber face filled her mind. For the first time since admitting to him that she was an angel, she was having second thoughts. Apparently, it was too much too soon, and he freaked out. Then again, how could she expect a normal guy to accept and understand the paranormal? The thought that she may lose Kade brought stabbing pain to her heart, but she refused to allow any tears to fall. Tonight she had a job to do. The tears would have to wait.
She found the bricked, four-story Bartlett Hall in the administrative section of the campus. Knowing the doors would be locked at this hour, she slipped around the west side of the building—the furthest from the road.
Stepping back to examine the exterior wall, she noticed one window on the third floor slightly ajar. That was all she needed. There would be enough handholds in the brick and mortar to make it to the window. Enough for her anyway. With one quick glance around to make sure no one was in the area, she leapt at the building and scaled the wall, shimmying effortlessly over the surface.
When she reached the window, she used her strength to pry it open all the way and slipped inside. Soundlessly, she dropped to the floor.
The room was empty. It was a conference room of some sort and she hurried through it and out into the hallway. The clerk she spoke to on Monday told her that Marc Ellis’ office was on the second floor, so she found the stairs at the end of the corridor and started down.
The faint sound of a running vacuum cleaner from somewhere deeper in the building drifted to her, but it was too far away to give her serious concern.
Jogging down the hall, she looked at both sides of the corridor for nameplates or signs. Some doors had no labels, but she ran past them, deciding to come back only if she couldn’t find the professor’s office. But, she did find it. On a thick oak door at the end of the hall hung a plaque with the name Marc Ellis, President and Professor of Anthropology.
She tried the door, but it was locked. After another quick glance down the hall, she slammed the heel of her hand into the knob and the splinter of wood echoed in the hallway as it popped free of its casing. She pushed inside and closed the door behind her.
Moonlight streamed in the south wall made up almost entirely of glass. She moved to the enormous desk in the center of the room and began opening drawers.
They were completely empty! How can they be empty? No files? No paperwork? Student records? It didn’t make sense. Finally, she tried the narrow center drawer and found a single piece of paper inside.
She took it out and read. Good evening, Miss Anders. I hope you will not be too disappointed that your search has turned up nothing. Thank you, my dear, for making my job easy. Goodbye, Fallon.
Her blood ran cold.
Marc Ellis knew who and what she was.
As soon as she slammed the drawer shut, she heard a metallic click and every instinct in her body warned her that she just set off a trip wire of some sort. She started to sprint to the door, but a blinding light stopped her in her tracks an instant before a thunderous explosion sent her sailing backward out through the glass wall and into the night beyond.
****
Fallon knew immediately that her back and legs were broken. It took several long minutes of lying in the intense heat of the fire before she could even think of trying to move.
Fighting through the pain, she used the strength in her forearms to drag her battered body into the sculpted hedges that ringed Alden University. As loud sirens pierced the night and emergency personnel converged on the scene, she covered herself as best she could with leaves and branches from the ground. It would take some time for her injuries to heal, and she just hoped to remain hidden until then.
She didn’t have the energy to question how Marc Ellis could have known that she was a Knight. She would unravel the pieces later, when she was restored to health.
Teeth gritted in a grimace, she listened to the firemen fight the blaze as her body healed itself, realigning bones and knitting sinew back together. She felt every wrench as her fractured vertebrae fused back together. Sweat dripped from her brow. It took every bit of willpower she possessed not to cry out as she silently endured the agony caused by the healing and from being immobile on the cold ground for so long.
She had never been t
his hurt before and passed out twice during the night from the extent of effort needed to repair her injuries.
Several times, men drifted close to her place of concealment in their search for evidence, but passed by without discovering her.
Only when the faint blushes of pink from the rising sun made their appearance, did she finally feel whole again. Tentatively, she tested the movement in her limbs and discovered that she was able to do so without pain.
Relieved, she lifted herself into a squat and peered through the bushes. People were still mingling around the scene—mostly officers from the Alden CSI Team. Brushing the grassy debris from her hair and body, she exited the back of the hedge row and made the short walk back to her house unseen.
Without showering, she fell into her bed and drifted off to sleep knowing there would be no classes at AU today. Not that she would have attended anyway, she realized drowsily. That ruse was now over.
When she awoke again at nine o’clock, she felt better but was famished from the healing process. She went downstairs to make herself a breakfast of eggs and toast and after she ate, went back upstairs to take that much needed hot shower. As the water poured over her body, her mind focused on Marc Ellis.
He tried to kill her.
The note he left for her clearly indicated that the bomb was meant for her. How did he know she was a Knight?
Kade?
She shook her head in denial. No, she trusted Kade. She trusted him with her life and no matter what the circumstantial evidence, she refused to believe he would betray her.
But, where was he?
He must have heard about the explosion last night. Wouldn’t he want to check on her to make sure she was all right? Or, did he decide after seeing her destroy the two Kjin at the lake that he couldn’t accept her for what she was? Maybe that was what made him run to his uncle and tell him all he knew?
Oh, Kade. What did you do?
As much as she wanted to deny it, there was just no other possibility. No other way Marc Ellis could have known about her.
She felt sick. Earlier she fell victim to Father Tomas’ romantic notion that love was an option for her, but she had been a fool. That much was clear now.
Frustrated with herself, she turned off the shower and stomped out of the bathroom, dripping water over the floors. As she dressed, she ignored the pain in her chest and decided on her next course of action.