VISION BLURRED BY TEARS, CASSIDY WATCHED the All Children’s hospital sign fade in the distance through the back window of the “borrowed” car. Leaving the little girl proved tougher than she’d expected though she knew it was the right decision. All Children’s would provide the specialized care and emotional support the girl needed in the aftermath of St. Matthew’s. Still, it broke her heart.
I miss the feel of a child in my arms. The gentle sway of Magnus’s conservative driving lulled her to sleep.
Cassidy jerked awake as Magnus shifted into Park and opened his car door. The dome light flared and she covered her eyes.
It’s dark? How long was I out?
Sleep fogged her thinking, but she remembered it being no later than two in the afternoon when they dropped off the little girl.
“Where?” Cassidy stretched.
“Your house.” Magnus turned in his seat. “Remember the plan. After I check the place out, we all go in while you get what you need, then we port to the Cradle.”
“Right,” Wren said. “We’re gone in fifteen minutes, tops.”
The seriousness of her two companions dispelled the lingering effects of her nap. Wide awake, she peered into the darkness surrounding the car. As usual, the neighborhood was as silent as a grave.
“Do you really think Gray will try something?” Cassidy asked as she tried to look out of all the windows simultaneously.
“He killed a lot of people today and you are the only witness.” Magnus said as he unlaced his boots.
Wren shook her head. “Nice work there, Captain Ominous. The only thing missing was the sinister laugh. Oh, and by the way, the boots ain’t working. It’s flip-flops for your birthday this year.”
“Don’t bother. Won’t wear them.”
“Whatever.”
Cassidy didn’t mind the bickering. She’d come to realize that’s how they dealt with stress. In a way, it was comforting. She could imagine herself hanging with these people, the big brother and little sister she never had.
And what about Dev? She didn’t know what to think about him. There was something there, but the fire thing…
“I’ll be back in a minute.” Magnus got out of the car then stuck his head back in. “Eyes open. Be alert.”
“Oh, hey.” Cassidy fished her keys out of her pocket and handed them to the Earth Knight. “You’ll need these.”
Their hands touched.
“Whoa,” Magnus jerked his arm away and a strange I-knew-there-was-something-different-about-you look came over him. “You have a gift.”
Holy shit. He felt my gift too.
“I…I.”
“It’s okay, Cassidy. You don’t need to hide it.”
“What’s going on?” Wren asked.
“Nothing at all,” he said. “Yell if you need me.”
Wren gave Cassidy a speculative look.
Cassidy derailed Wren’s question before she could give it voice.
“What was all that with the shoes?”
Wren frowned at the change in topic, but played along. “The shoes block his earth mojo, I mean, power. When he is in direct contact with his element, he can sense what’s going on around him. Vibrations, movement, things like that. Comes in handy on recon missions like this one.”
“Makes sense.” Cassidy nodded and watched for anything out of the ordinary.
“Let’s go. He’s waving us in.” Wren pointed to the front door. “Get only what you need. We’re exposed here. The sooner we’re gone, the better.”
Only what I need. Right.
Cassidy and Wren hurried into the house. Wren ran for the back door and looked out from between the blinds. Magnus watched the front yard from the big window in the living room.
Cassidy grabbed her suitcase and filled it with the essentials—a few pairs of jeans, t-shirts, underwear, toiletries—to survive a few days away from home. Next stop, she rushed to the kitchen counter to grab her laptop. She still owed a major story to her editor and some time away would give her the chance to get it done.
Next to her computer, the answering machine flashed a red four. Unable to resist, she played the messages while she packed up the laptop power supply. Her editor left the first three messages. She winced at his rising level of urgency and concern in each one. In the last, he pleaded for her to contact him immediately. She’d told him she would be at the opening and he wanted to make sure she was alright after the accident.
That was no accident.
The fourth call was just wrong. As soon as Alexander Gray’s silky voice purred through the speaker, she hit delete.
You’ve got to be kidding me. Is he really that stupid?
Her house phone rang. Cassidy looked to Magnus for guidance. He shook his head and turned back to his surveillance. After three rings, the machine picked up.
All packed and ready for whatever came next, Cassidy carried her bags to the front door while her digitized greeting played.
“I see you made it home safely.” Gray’s silky tone oozed out of the speaker. “I saw you on the news. Who were your friends?”
“Knulla.” Magnus swore. “He’s here. Wren?”
“Nothing back here. You?”
“No. Be ready.” Magnus called on his earthen power and changed. His body grew and hardened to granite in seconds.
The sound of Gray’s voice should have petrified her, should have dropped her to the floor in a puddle of whimpering slush. She growled instead.
I’m sick of this mother fu—
Gray continued. “No matter. They will share the same fate. Goodbye, Cassidy Sinclair. Our association has come to an end.”
Teeth clenched, she placed her bags in the center of the room.
“What can I do?” she asked, her voice cold and grim. Anger ripped through her. She thought of those who died at the hospital, of the head nurse, of the girl who lived—all victims of this monster. He had to be stopped.
“Do you have—” In his big stone form, the Earth Knight’s words came out in a gravelly rasp. Midway through the sentence, his voice quit. His lips moved, but no sound came out, like someone pushed his mute button.
“What’s going on?” Cassidy heard the words in her head, but they never left her mouth.
A bright green flash lit the world outside her front window.