Authors: Jaime Reed

Burning Emerald (27 page)

BOOK: Burning Emerald

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“Your call.” He gathered both my hands in his and began rubbing the icy digits. “Your hands are freezing.” He lowered his head and blew hot air between my palms. My thumb grazed his soft bottom lip while his hands ventured lower, stopping at the pulse on my wrist. My fingers curled to cup his chin and he stopped to look up at me under thick lashes. The world froze again and this time I wanted to stay locked in this moment. No words were spoken, but I knew he felt the same kinetic energy, the mystical force pulling us further into madness.

The sound of a throat clearing caught our attention. Caleb and I looked up at the same time, identical expressions of annoyance on our faces.

David Ruiz stepped out of the crowd and touched my arm. “Are you all right, Samara?”

Caleb took the defensive position and pulled me behind him. “She
was
fine until you came along. What are you doing here?”

“I came to pick up Samara,” Ruiz said curtly, still looking at me. “Your mother's not feeling well and she asked me to pick you up.”

“Is she all right? Is she hurt?” I asked, punching numbers into my cell. I didn't remember exactly when I'd taken out my phone, but fear made the body work on autopilot.

“Not in any way that I can see. But she's safe at home, resting and taking some medication,” Ruiz explained.

The phone rang four times before Mom picked up. She sounded groggy but calm, a sign that the anti-anxiety medicine was doing its thing. She confirmed that Ruiz was my escort and instructed me to do everything he said.

I passed him the phone to report to Mom. I couldn't help but notice the worry in his voice as he kept asking if she was okay, making sure she ate and drank plenty of juice. The energy fanning off him was pure and sweet, a familiar vibe I often received from Caleb. He assured Mom that I would be home soon, then ended the call.

Caleb glared at Ruiz with distrust. “It's a good thing you came when you didâa bit convenient, even.”

“I do what is required,” Ruiz said. “I need to get you home. Don't want to worry your mother.”

I took a step back. “If it's all the same to you, I'd rather ride home with Caleb.”

“I'm afraid I can't allow that. I'm under strict orders to protect you.”

“From who? Who the hell are you?” Caleb demanded.

Ruiz loosened his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves, revealing two strong and hairy forearms, a clear prelude to a throw-down if I ever saw one. “Who I am is not important. The main concern is why I'm here. I told you, I'm here to investigate the happenings taking place in Virginia. The Ross family ruffled a lot of feathers in the Cambion world, what with Nadine Petrovsky's murder, Nathan Ross's death, just to name a few.”

And the truth finally comes out
, I thought. I'd known he had inside knowledge of our existence, but to hear him say it aloud didn't make it any better. The big mystery, however, was why Caleb froze up all of a sudden.

Before my eyes, he turned pale, even paler than usual. At the moment, he seemed more angry with himself, as if there was some key element he'd overlooked, a dark secret coming back to haunt him. I gave him a hard stare, though I wasn't surprised that he would keep this tidbit from me. I just added it to the list of vital knowledge that
conveniently
slipped his mind.

Ruiz enjoyed Caleb stirring in the hot seat, and this entire ordeal seemed better suited for an interrogation room. “I advise that you go home, Caleb, and remember what we discussed at the station. Stay close to your brothers; make sure they don't leave the country. I'll contact you if I need further information, and I expect your full cooperation. I suggest you use an alternative method of feeding until further notice. If there are any more reported accidents before then, our next meeting won't be as civil. Are we clear?”

“Crystal.” Caleb turned to me and pressed his forehead against mine, his anger made apparent by the trembling hands locked around my arms.

Our cold noses rubbed together while our lips danced around each other, never quite meeting. The second they didâthat gentle ghost of a touchâhe pulled back and walked away in a tight knot of frustration.

“Caleb.” I reached out for him, but he escaped my grasp and disappeared into the swarm of shoppers. I didn't need an empathic link to tell that he was furious, and it was probably a good idea for him to cool down. He would get cool in no time seeing that it was thirty degrees and I still wore his coat.

“Come on, Samara. The car is this way.” Ruiz extended his hand.

I dug in my heels, refusing to budge. “I'm not going anywhere with you until you tell me what's going on. What did you discuss with Caleb? Who sent you here to look after me?”

He looked at me as if the answer was as plain as day. “Evangeline Petrovskyâwho else?”

T
hough I only lived a few minutes away from work, it was the longest road trip of my life.

I didn't look at Ruiz during the drive home, and sharing breathing space with him made me sick. An army of thoughts hijacked my brain, and I was too busy trying to reach Angie on my cell to talk anyway. I'd had a feeling she wouldn't leave well enough alone, but how could she betray my confidence like this? How much had she told the detective?

After the third call that went straight to voice mail, I gave up.

“You probably won't catch her for a few days,” Ruiz said behind the wheel. “She's in New York now, delegating with the Cambion family. I believe Broderick Ross is with her, interceding for his brothers. Not sure what good that would do, but it saves us from hunting him down.”

I sat in a deadened state, too burned-out from this screwed-up world to be shocked anymore. I heard the words, the information knocked at my head, but no one answered. But at least I knew where Brodie had disappeared to. While Haden and Michael looked after Caleb, Brodie was working behind the scenes to bail them out.

The detective kept his eyes on the road, his thumbs tapping the steering wheel. “I'm not explaining myself very well, am I? I keep forgetting how little you know. Let me begin by introducing myself. My name is David Manuel Ruiz, emissary and inquisitor for the Cambion family of New York. I'm sure you've heard of them.”

I nodded. Haden had told me about a Cambion authority and how older families governed the smaller ones on their turf. “This family has dominion over all Cambions on the East Coast,” he explained. “They never interfere in the lives of their subjects unless abnormal behavior catches their attention. The events in this town fall under that category, don't you agree?”

I leaned in with intrigue. “That's great, but what does this have to do with me?”

“Samara, you're a new Cambion under a different name, a new strain who could begin your own lineage should you choose. Since you're still a minor, you're under the Petrovsky title. On the same note, you were born within the family's territory, so you're under their protection and authority as well. Nadine's death occurred on this family's soil, under their watch, so they're obligated to investigate and document the event. And considering your ... conversion, you've incited an interest with my employers. You are the first self-made Cambion to come along in centuries.”

Fabulous! Not only was I a sideshow attraction, but I had more rules and protocol to deal with. Yay. “Who are you to this family, their messenger boy?” I asked.

“Again, who I am is not important.”

“I think it is,” I countered.

He said nothing until he rounded the corner leading to my neighborhood. “Believe it or not, I'm here to protect you, Samara. Your involvement with Caleb is dangerous, what with his history with women and all.”

Whatever argument I had crumbled at once. “What are you talking about?”

“For centuries, the major Cambion families have set out to eradicate all incubi from the Earth. They're an abomination to human existence, as are any Cambion on the verge of transformation.” Ruiz looked at me. “Caleb and his brothers knew that their father was on the brink, yet they failed to report him. The accidents this summer make the Cambion family of New York believe that Caleb's following in his father's footsteps.”

My eyes grew wide with horror. “He's not.”

He lifted a brow in a challenge. “Do you care to explain why three nurses went into cardiac arrest the very night Caleb went missing from the hospital? He's lucky he didn't kill them. I have to wonder how far he's willing to go before the conversion starts.”

“He's not converting. He doesn't want to turn into a demon. He's a good person,” I argued vehemently, but there just wasn't enough evidence to support my case. And after the Caleb-Capone mash-up on Thanksgiving night, I didn't have a leg to stand on, and neither did Caleb. The only leverage we had was that Ruiz didn't know about the mishap. At least I hoped he didn't.

“That may be so, but he's unstable, and I have the right to report this and take the Ross brothers back with me to New York for trial,” Ruiz said.

“You can't!” I cried. Caleb may have been irking my nerves right now, but there was no way this guy was taking him away. If it meant kidnappingâor worse, calling up my grandpa to pull some stringsâI'd do it.

“Caleb and I are linked. If something happens to him, it happens to me, and we wouldn't want to upset Evangeline, would we?” I said. He wasn't the only one who knew how to strong-arm people around here.

He pulled up to the curb in front of my house and cut off the engine. The leather seats squeaked as he turned to me. “I'm aware of your entanglement, Samara, and I truly sympathize. But this cannot continue and risk harming innocent women. Think of your mother. This is a highly sensitive situation and I can't afford to have this leak to other Cambion families. As I said, Mrs. Petrovsky is meeting with the family, trying to straighten things out. If all goes well, no one will be harmed, but we'll have to see. In the meantime, no one is allowed to leave town until I receive word.”

I fell back in my seat, swaying from a sudden head rush. I'd known Angie had connections and influence, but to have her pull rank like this was creating more problems than solutions. This world was so complicated, and if Ruiz's convictions were true, Caleb would need a good lawyer. If he ever decided to talk to me again, I might even do it pro bono.

Did Ruiz open the door and tell me to tuck and roll? No, he escorted me to the house and came inside as if he lived there. I was too concerned with Mom to care. I found her upstairs, nursing a mug of herbal tea and covered in a blanket.

“Mom, you okay?” I sat next to her on the bed.

“I'm fine. I'm just overwhelmed. There's so much going on and too little time to process it.” She stretched her stiff muscles and adjusted the sleeve of her frilly nightgown. “I talked to your father and told him about the storm. I hate lying to him; I was never good at it. He always said my nose twitches when I do, so it's a good thing he didn't stop by. We need to tell him soon, baby. He can't be left in the dark forever. He's worried sick about you.”

“I know. Just a little longer,” I promised, though I wasn't sure it was one I could keep. Dad was set in his ways and I was terrified of how he would react.

“But we finally got the insurance issue settled,” she continued. “We can try to get a used car on Tuesday. It may not be the one you want, but it's transportation for school.” Mom offered a weak smile.

Of all the things to worry about, she fretted over if I liked a car. Granted, I was still butt-hurt over losing my whip, but in the grand scheme of things, it was just a car. A few months ago, this would've meant the end of the world as I knew it. I couldn't believe how self-absorbed I had been, yet I still grieved in a way, for the innocence of that time had died with the leaves. Childhood was truly over.

I took the mug from her trembling hands and helped her lie down. “Come on, you should go to bed.”

Mom didn't put up much of a fight and allowed me to tuck her in. She curled into the fetal position, clutching the pillow tight to her chest. I watched her toss and turn under the covers for a good twenty minutes until her body stilled. There was no way she was sleeping alone tonight, but I had to lock up the house.

Trotting downstairs, I realized Ruiz was still hereâI had completely forgotten. It was kinda sweet how he stuck around, but it didn't excuse all the secrecy.

He hovered by the entryway and appeared dignified in light of the circumstances. He tilted against the wall, watching my descent with a furrowed brow. “How's your mother?”

“How do you think?” I snapped, then dragged my free hand through my hair and gripped the root. I wanted to cuss this dude out so bad, I could taste its poison on my tongue, but it wouldn't change anything.

Ruiz waited patiently as I tried to keep my temper in check.

I opened the door for him, hoping he would take the hint. “Tell me somethingâwas Mom and this dating thing just a means to an end? It's not cool to get played like that.”

“No. Everything I told her was true, but she's forever asking questions. It's not easy to lie to her,” he murmured to himself.

What did that mean? I stared at him for a moment before it finally hit me. Disgusted, I held the door frame for balance. “That's the real reason she's upset. She knows why you're here, doesn't she?”

“She knows Mrs. Petrovsky sent me for protection. Your mother is a cautious woman, one who wouldn't allow just anyone to bring her daughter home. But I couldn't tell her about my mission with the Ross brothers. Outsiders can't know about Cambion politics.”

“She's my mom, not some accident or a pawn to be used in your little spy game.”

He rounded on me with cold eyes and that no-nonsense persona that was all too familiar. “I have an obligation to not just one but
two
Cambion families, and I can't jeopardize my position for anyone, and that includes personal affiliations. Just know that this wasn't my intention.” He stepped outside, then stopped and looked at me with a pensive expression.

“So what now?” I asked. “I'm under the impression that you care about her a lot. If so, you need to make this right and tell her everything. Secrets will ruin any relationship. Trust me.”

“I know.” The cold air fogged his breath as he sighed in frustration. “At some point, I'll tell her, but right now it's just ... it's complicated.”

“Welcome to my world. Enjoy your stay.” I closed the door, leaving him standing on the porch.

BOOK: Burning Emerald

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