Immortal Dreams (26 page)

I'm almost jealous of how close they all seem to be, because I feel like such an outsider.  It's for the best though.  In less than a year, Kane won't be able to be mine anymore.

A shuffle of people scurry past me on their way into the noise box of a house.  It's crazy how soundproofed it is.  It's obvious now why they had it soundproofed.  They never cut the volume low on anything.

I down the vial of scent masker before attempting the stairs.  My face distorts into a medley of disgusted expressions as the slimy, tart liquid slides down my throat.  I always forget how terribly horrid this stuff is.

Feeling it start to strip me of my scent, I sprint down the steps and cover the distance to Gage's house.  I knock, but his home is soundproofed too.  An immortal thing.

The lights are on, and the entire house is covered in windows just like Kane's.  A small fluttering of butterflies hit me when I see Gage's shirtless body in the room just ahead.

His back is turned as he talks to someone on the phone.  I notice the tattoos on his back - various symbols, mostly magical.  I shouldn't find it sexy, but I'll be damned if I don't.

Finally, I ring the doorbell to keep from staring at yet another guy I can't be with.  Gage's back stays turned as the door opens on its on.

"We'll be there shortly.  See you then."

He puts his phone in his pocket and turns to face me with a small smile.

"You've taken a scent masker already I see.  I was going to offer you some."

My eyes accidentally stray to his ripped body.  There's not a flaw on his muscled physique.  He's so lean... I wasn't expecting such definition.

"Yeah," I bumble out like a stammering fool.  "I didn't want to risk leading them to Kane."

Gage is tall, almost as tall as Kane.  Without my high-heels, I feel so short in comparison.  Even with my heels, I still just reach his chin.  Without them, I barely meet his chest.

"Uncomfortable?"

My eyes pop up from their forbidden journey over his salacious contours.  Immortals shouldn't be allowed to be this eternally hot.  I hate immortals.

"Huh?" I ask, feeling more than a little foolish.

"I was asking if you're uncomfortable.  Again, your colors are all over the place."

Damn warlocks.

"I'm fine.  I was just curious as to why you have so many symbols tattooed all over you."

It's obviously a rather transparent lie to cover my drooling fiasco.  I never realized how
woman
I was until these past several weeks.

He lets a small laugh out, and then he pulls a shirt from the back of the chair to put on.  I'm relieved when he finally covers himself up.

"I'm a member of the Somage.  I run into some pretty unsavory creatures, so in order to avoid possessions, summons, and various other precarious situations, I took on the protective symbols.  It's saved my ass more than once."

Somage?

"I thought the Somage were just an urban legend."

He smirks and then shrugs.

"We like it that way.  We can only erase memories for short intervals, so it's a daily struggle to keep the fey world a secret when some creatures refuse to abide by the rules.  We take out the ruthless and careless killers who could potentially become exposure threats, and  we put down the wild, bloodthirsty bloodsuckers of all kinds if they lose control.  We're just a group of dark users trying to take care of the
big bads
.  What exactly do the light users do to keep people safe?"

His rhetorical question seeps sarcasm as he pulls on a thin, hooded jacket.

"I get it.  I realize the light tends to-"

"Tends to worry about their own hide and not give a damn about anything else going on in the world?  Glad we agree on that."

Jackass.

"So, is this where you pull out your score pad and mark where you've just insulted the light?"

He lets a snicker out, and then he shakes his head.

"This is the part where I give you some makeup lessons."

Question marks form in my head and swirl around in circles.

"Makeup lessons?"

He smirks as he walks over to me, and I feel his dark magic roaming through my body as something changes.  It steals my breath with its invasive touch, and I almost feel the need to go on the defense when it's suddenly over.

"Easy girl.  Don't be going to battle just yet.  Your scent is gone for a few hours, but your appearance could still give away your identity.  Take a look."

I walk by him and gasp when I see the red hair, bright green eyes, and unfamiliar face.

"How did you... we can't-"

"We can for short periods of time.  It'll last for three hours at most.  You won't be able to do it again for several weeks though.  Magic is a beautifully tricky thing like that.  Let's get going."

He ushers me out the door, and I follow him down the stairs of the deck to his garage.

"Don't have an inside access?" I ask.

"To my garage?  Of course I do.  I just didn't want to drag your through my house and give you a chance to get comfortable.  The way you were looking at me... I was worried I was about to get unwrapped like a Christmas present while we were merely in the living room."

My cheeks flush upon hearing his teasing comment.  I cut my eyes away as he opens the door.  He laughs ridiculously hard, and then I hear a familiar voice behind us.

"Nothing?" Kane asks with disbelief, and without thinking, I whip around.

Gage walks over to me just as Sierra, Deke, and Kane come into view.

"Nothing.  It's as though... I don't know.  There's just nothing."

"What's going on?" Gage pipes up, and my heart leaps into my throat.

I'm going to kick his ass for this.

Kane walks toward us, not recognizing me at all as his eyes barely give me a second glance.  What's he doing leaving his party?  What are they looking for?

"Sorry.  I didn't realize anyone was living here.  I didn't mean to appear as though we were trespassing."

He sounds so formal, polite, and... oddly different.

"I just moved in a few weeks ago.  My girl and I were about to go grab a bite to eat, and we heard voices."

I could slap him right now.  I really hope he's reading the vibrant red of anger my aura is flashing at him.

He smirks, letting me know he has seen my fuming red colors lighting up like a neon sign.

"Sorry to have bothered you.  I was just checking up on something.  I won't hold you up.  Welcome to the neighborhood."

Kane turns to jog off once Gage thanks him, and I watch as the three of them head into the woods - a shortcut to town.

"Seriously?"  I slap Gage across the stomach, instantly regretting that foolish move when I pull back my throbbing hand.

"What?" he asks, feigning innocence.  "We need to meet up with the guys.  They've lured the night stalkers toward the edge of town - the deepest section of the woods that stretch on for miles.  You, my little redhead, will be in the center, smelling like a virgin."

"I'm not-"

He rolls his eyes while cutting me off.  "Believe me, I know.  I live next door, and well... there was that one time-"

"Oh shit."  I had completely forgotten about Gage being just outside during one of my bedroom romps.  "I hate you."

He laughs harder as we hop in his very sleek, black sports car.  It definitely suits a bad boy dark user.

"Chill," he teases while cranking the purring engine and throwing it in reverse.  My head jolts from the unnecessary force, and he skids around to slam it into gear.  The tires squeal with me as he continues.  "The virgin blood is something we have in stock.  Donated to us, of course.  Many people enjoy helping our cause.  It'll be strong enough to lure them to you.  We use just tiny drops to represent a true wound.  Their victims have all been virgins."

I still don't know the gruesome details, nor do I want to.

"Just don't let them get a hold of my witch blood.  They'll never stop."

My breath catches when his hand is suddenly on mine.

"I wouldn't do anything if I thought you'd be at risk.  We've pulled this trap more times than one can count.  Never once has there been anything go wrong."

His hand moves back to the wheel as he skirts around a curve, making my whole body tense up.  I'm starting to wish I had just let him vaporize me.

"Some of us are still mortal, you know."

He simply laughs at my aggravated remark, never slowing his hasty, dangerous, bat-out-of-hell driving.

Note to self, immortal drivers are bad for my health.

I'm relieved when he skids to a halt on the dirt drive next to the lake.  The dark woods promise to carry mischief to anyone who enters.  I climb out and instantly shiver upon seeing nothing but the leery darkness beyond the edge.

Gage climbs out, and I gasp when I see his masked face along with his drawn hood.  He looks just as scary as anything I'll see out there.

"Always cautious.  It's important to conceal our identities in case something goes wrong."

"That's encouraging," I grumble.

"No worries.  Like I said, just cautious."

I follow him, wondering why I ever agreed to this.  He moves with stealth through the forest that seems to go on forever.  Finally, we stop.  The silence is only interrupted by the scurrying night creatures who are curious about our imposing arrival.

"Okay, you'll be waiting here.  Cade, one of my friends, just sent a text saying the night stalkers are on the way.  I've got a few guys already out here."

I look around, but no one or nothing stands out.

"I don't see anything."

He nods, a small smile forming.  "That's the point.  I'll be out of sight too, but don't you dare think I'm very far away.  When a night stalker is hunting for blood, they can sense our immortal veins.  That's why you're here, and that's why we'll be hanging back.  If something feels off, just scream my name.  It'll make for good practice."

The devious wink he gives me after his seductive ending makes my cheeks flush.  I roll my eyes, feeling completely idiotic.

"I believe you were the one who bashed Thad for flirting with me, when you've now done it quite a bit lately."

He smiles, his eyes lowering bashfully, and then he shrugs.

"Well, I prefer to think of it as us being a little less defensive around each other.  Don't let it go to your head.  I need to go get into place."

I think I just made a dark user blush.  Didn't even know that was possible.

He starts to turn away, and I grab his arm as the reality of the situation sets in.

"Don't let them touch me.  If they-"

"They won't get close enough," he says in interruption.  "Even if they did, they won't be using their subduing powers against a witch because they'll just think you're a pretty little mortal girl lost in the woods.  Just think of yourself as Little Red Riding Hood facing off with the Big Bad Wolf."

The problem is, I've heard the dark version of that fable - not just the bubblegum tale where Little Red Riding Hood comes out unscathed.

I shiver slightly, and then murmur, "These aren't the kind of villains that waste time on some evil monologue.  They go straight for the kill without wasting time."

His eyes soften before the heat of his touch finds my arm in a comforting motion.

"Don't worry.  I swear I'll get you out of here if anything was to go wrong.  You're in good hands, Red."

He gives me a wink, and then he vaporizes to disappear into the darkness.  In all my life, I never thought I'd be playing bait for night stalkers while my rescue lay in the hands of a dark user.

I'm either incredibly stupid or insanely brave.  I'm not betting on the latter of the two.

I hear the rustle of the limbs, and I take a steady breath to calm my rampaging nerves.  In an effort to play the part, I start playing the prey.  I just hope I don't play the prey too well.

"Is anyone out there?  Please, someone?"  The fear in my voice is authentic, for I'm scared out of my frigging mind right now.

I'm sure they can hear my mortal heartbeat pounding against my chest as it tries to explode from the anticipation.  Then I see them - glowing eyes in the distance.  They keep fading in and out of sight as they start toying with me.

"Hello?  Someone?  Anyone?"  My voice breaks this time.  The squeaky pitch exuded is unintentional, but it still goes with my character.

Little Red Riding Hood only had one damn wolf to worry about.  I've counted five sets of glowing eyes so far, and there were only supposed to be three.  Already this plan is amiss.

Gage, you better not fuck this up.

I almost wish he could read minds right now.  I'd tell him I changed my mind, and get me the hell out of this sacrificial placement.

"A lost lamb?" an eerie voice pronounces, but it's alone.  Where are the other four?

"Can you help me?  I don't know how, but I got turned around," I murmur to the vacant, dark air, trying to find the place where the voice came from.

My breath is stolen as the glowing blue eyes suddenly find mine - directly in front of me.  I would gasp, but the painful air is trapped deep in my lungs, refusing to budge.

"Pretty girl," he breathes, playing with me all the more.  "Let's see how pretty you scream."

I do scream.  I can't help it.  When at last the sound finds my lungs, I can't stop screeching a terrified shriek, praying the action is about to go down.

He wasn't supposed to touch me, but his hand is clamping my mouth just before my back slams the tree.  Just when I think the game is over, he's flying backwards and crushing the tree behind him, causing the giant oak to creak, crack, and crash.

"Fucking trap!" another voice screeches, and within a blink, the five start rushing away.

Four others from Gage's mystery, masked brigade come into sight and start aiding in Gage's attempt to keep the night stalkers from fleeing.

I breathe out in relief as they are thrown back toward the circle the guys have prepared.  Slumping down against the tree, I silently watch, my heart still pounding.  Though I want to help, it's best not to reveal to them I'm a witch with mortal blood still coursing through my veins.