Chapter 3

 

Chris

 

I walked into the control room and let out a low whistle at the setup. It was twice the size of the one we’d had in Santa Cruz, and Tristan had obviously spared no expense. I recognized the guys from Raoul’s team manning some of the computers, and they all called greetings to me.

“Look who finally decided to visit us.”

Raoul left a station and came toward me. “Great to see you, man.”

“You, too.” I waved a hand at the room. “Nice digs you have here.”

Tactical operations had come a long way in the last few decades. I remembered when we didn’t have cell phones or computers, and now we had surveillance equipment that would make the CIA wet its collective pants.

“You planning to stick around a while?” Raoul asked.

“Until I get bored with you guys.”

He chuckled. “Plenty to keep you busy and entertained in LA.”

I looked around. “Speaking of busy, where is the boss man?”

“I think he’s in the garage, working on his bike. You know how he is with that thing.”

“Yeah, I do.”

We had service contracts with mechanics in every state, but Nikolas and I preferred to maintain our own motorcycles. Some of the places we’d ended up, you couldn’t count on help if you had bike trouble.

My Ducati was being shipped from Westhorne and should be here tomorrow. Not soon enough. After a month away, I couldn’t wait to have my own wheels under me again.

Raoul pointed me toward a door that led to the garage. As soon as the door closed behind me, I heard the clink of tools and saw Nikolas up to his elbows in grease.

“Need some help?” I called, walking toward him.

He stood, wearing a smile. “About time you got your lazy ass back here. How was Germany?”

“Too quiet.” I leaned against the SUV closest to him. “Living here, it’s easy to forget some countries don’t have as much trouble as we do. I did a few jobs, but the trip was a little more relaxing than I’d hoped for.”

Laughing, he reached for a rag to wipe his hands. “Well, we’ve got plenty for you to do here.”

“That’s what Raoul said. Trouble?”

He shook his head. “It’s not as bad as it was last year, but I can see why this command center was needed. We manage everything from here to San Diego, and already we’ve seen a slight dip in vampire activity in the area. Tristan said the Council is planning to establish a center in New York City next and then Miami.”

“Let me guess, he wants you to oversee the setup.”

“Yes. Sara wants to see New York, so we’ll probably go there.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “You going to do the sightseeing thing now?”

“Sara heard there’s a big demon community there, and she wants us to build relations with them.”

A laugh burst from me at his pained expression. “Sara in the Big Apple. What could possibly go wrong?”

He made a sound that was suspiciously like a groan, and I laughed harder, earning a scowl from him.

“Has she transported again since that time in Atlanta?”

“No. Eldeorin thinks it’s linked to her emotions. She was afraid for us, so she did it subconsciously. No telling when it will happen again.”

His expression told me he’d be happy if it didn’t happen for a long time.

“How much longer are you two staying in LA?” I asked.

“That depends on what your plans are.”

Plans were something I didn’t have. Nikolas and I had been partners for years, and there’d been no shortage of jobs to keep us on the road together. Now that he and Sara had mated, the three of us were a team. The dynamic was different, but I enjoyed working with them.

There was one place I’d been meaning to go for a while. I hadn’t been home to Longstone in years, and on the long flight from Germany, I’d thought about driving up there for a few days. I wasn’t sure what reception I’d get, but it was time to go back, to see her.

“I’ll probably do a short trip to Oregon, and then I’m here as long as you need me.”

“Good.” He crouched beside the Ducati again. “I’ll show you around when I finish up, and we’ll talk about the setup here.”

“Sounds good.”

A rumble filled the air, and I turned to see two motorcycles pull up outside the open garage door. The first rider shut off her Ducati and removed her helmet to reveal short blonde hair and a face I knew all too well.

The other rider dismounted, facing away from us, and I couldn’t help but admire the figure she cut in her jeans, boots, and black leather jacket. There weren’t many things sexier in my book than a woman riding a Harley.

She removed her helmet, and I watched as she shook out long blonde hair that tumbled past her shoulders. Her hand came up to smooth down one side of her hair, and I found myself waiting for her to turn around so I could see her face.

Jordan said something to her companion as they removed shopping bags from their bikes’ storage compartments. Feminine laughter floated toward me.

I frowned. I knew that laugh…

The women turned toward me, and a jolt of recognition stole my breath when I saw Jordan’s friend’s face. Shock rippled through me.

Beth.

It had been four years since I’d last seen her, but I’d know her face anywhere. I stared at her, unable to believe she was here and looking even more beautiful, if that was possible. At sixteen, her features had still borne the traces of youth, but at twenty, there was nothing childlike about her. She was curvier and a little taller now, and she walked with all the self-assurance of a young warrior.

I’d heard she had finished training, and so many times in the last two years I’d thought about going home to see her. But something had always seemed to get in the way. I’d assumed she was still at Longstone, and the last place I’d expected to see her was here in Los Angeles.

I knew the moment Beth saw me. Her eyes widened, and she faltered for a brief moment before her face took on a closed expression.

Jordan, who didn’t seem to notice the change in Beth, smiled widely when she caught sight of me. “Blondie! I had no idea you were back in the country.”

I returned her smile. “Got back today. I figured you guys were missing me, so I flew directly to LAX.”

She chuckled. “You’re so full of yourself. And I haven’t missed you at all because I’ve been making new friends.”

“So I see.”

My eyes went to Beth, who met my gaze with the polite interest of a stranger, nothing that resembled the adoring looks from the girl I had known.

“Hello, Beth.”

“Hello,” she said. “It’s nice to see you again.”

Hearing her voice after all these years made warmth flood my chest. God, I’d missed her. The urge to hug her was strong, but her cool demeanor held me back. Regret filled me. We used to be so close, but she looked at me as if I was little more than an old acquaintance. And it was all my doing.

“What brings you to LA?” I asked.

She adjusted her hold on her shopping bags. “I work here now.”

“At the command center?”

My eyes went to Jordan and then to Nikolas, who nodded. It was on the tip of my tongue to say Beth was too young for a place like LA, but I refrained when I remembered she had been a warrior longer than Jordan had.

“Yep!” Jordan gave Beth a one-armed hug. “Beth is the newest member of the Scooby gang.”

“Scooby gang?”

Jordan laughed. “Sara has us watching reruns of Buffy with her.”

“Ah.” I had no idea what Buffy was, and I didn’t ask.

Beth shifted on her feet, looking like she was about to leave. I wasn’t ready for her to go, and I searched for something to say to keep her there a little longer.

“Have you been in LA long?” I asked her.

“We got here two weeks ago,” she said in the same detached voice.

We? “Is Rachel here, too?”

Her brows drew together slightly, and she shook her head. “Mason and me.”

“Mason?” I repeated, trying to ignore the sudden tightening in my gut.

“He’s my friend from home.” She took a step back. “I should go. I’m working tonight. It was nice seeing you again.”

She turned toward the garage door, but Jordan snagged her arm.

“Wait. We have to show Sara what we got.” Jordan looked at me. “Later, Blondie.”

Without another glance in my direction, Beth followed Jordan into the house.

I stared after them, unable to take my eyes off Beth until the door closed behind her. I let out a long, slow breath as I recovered from the impact of seeing her again and the knowledge that she could still affect me after all this time.

“Do I want to know what that was about?”

I turned to find Nikolas crouched beside his bike again.

“What?”

“You and Beth. She’s usually more talkative.” He gave me a sideways glance. “You didn’t…?”

The unfinished question hung in the air for a few seconds until the meaning sank in.

“Jesus, no.”

His eyebrows shot up at the vehemence of my denial.

“It’s Beth,” I said.

He gave me a confused look, and I sighed. “You remember Beth. I found her at that fire in Seattle.”

Recognition dawned in his eyes. “The one you were always buying gifts for?”

“Yes.”

Beth’s transition to her new life had been difficult, and I’d stayed at Longstone for a week to help her settle in. I’d never done that for another orphan, but there’d been something about the angel-faced waif that had stirred my protective instincts. Eventually, I’d had to get back to work, and she’d cried when I left. I’d made sure to pick up a little toy or trinket for her whenever I went on a job. I hadn’t made it home every month, but she’d always been excited to see me. I’d loved watching her reaction when she opened the gifts I’d brought her.

Nikolas picked up a socket wrench. “I take it you haven’t seen her in a while. How long has it been since you last went home?”

“Four years.”

“Well, she’s not a little girl anymore. And she doesn’t look as happy to see you as she used to be.”

“I know.”

I stared at the door Beth and Jordan had gone through, but all I could see was sixteen-year-old Beth, her gray eyes filled with hurt. I didn’t know how yet, but I was going to make things right with her again.

 

Beth

 

As soon as the door closed behind us, I sucked air into my lungs and eased up on the death grip I had on my shopping bags. I was grateful Jordan was ahead of me and couldn’t see my face. I needed a moment to recover from seeing Chris so unexpectedly.

Ever since I’d realized he could show up here, I had told myself I was ready to face him again. God, I was such a fool. Coming face-to-face with him had sent me right back to that day, and it was all I could do not to run to my room and cry like I’d done back then.

I schooled my expression as we entered the kitchen. Jordan tossed her bags onto the table and went to the fridge for a bottle of water.

“Back already?” Sara walked into the kitchen. Her eyes fell on the bags, and she grinned. “Forget that last question. Did you leave anything for the other shoppers?”

“Only the stuff we didn’t want,” Jordan joked. “You should have come with us. We found the most amazing outfits.”

Sara made a face. “I have more than enough clothes, thanks to you. I still haven’t worn the stuff I bought the last time you dragged me with you.”

Jordan’s eyes took on a gleam I was starting to recognize. “That’s exactly why we need to do a girls’ night out.”

“Define ‘night out,’” Sara said with a hint of wariness. “Are we talking dinner or another one of those underground dance clubs you tricked me into last week?”

“What was wrong with Aro’s?”

“Nothing, if you don’t count the pixie who asked me to join him and his friends for a foursome,” Sara said with a shudder.

Jordan laughed. “You should be used to faeries, as much as you hang around with Eldeorin.”

“Eldeorin is my mentor, and he’s like a cousin to me,” Sara protested.

Jordan snorted. “If you weren’t happily mated, he’d be trying his damnedest to get into your pants. Right, Beth?”

“I…can’t say. I haven’t met him yet.”

Sara frowned. “You okay, Beth? You look a little flushed.”

“Yes. I mean, I’m fine.”

Jordan smirked at me. “Chris has that effect on most women.”

Sara’s mouth curved into a big smile. “Chris is here?”

“He’s in the garage with Nikolas.” Jordan finished off her water. “All we need are Emma and the wolf boys, and the whole gang will be here.”

Sara chuckled. “Good luck getting any of them out of Maine these days, especially Roland. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I never would have believed he would settle down.”

“Yep. Emma even has him housebroken.”

“Jordan!” Sara shook her head and started for the garage.

“Hey,” Jordan called after her. “Thursday night is girls’ night, so don’t make plans.”

Sara mumbled something that sounded like “whatever.” She reached for the door, but it opened before she could touch it. My stomach lurched when Nikolas entered, followed by Chris, who immediately pulled Sara into a hug.

“How was Germany?” Sara asked Chris when she pulled away from him.

He didn’t answer immediately, and I looked up to find his eyes on me. My stomach fluttered despite the tightness in my chest, and I grew angry at myself for letting him have any effect on me.

“Germany was great, but I missed you guys,” he said, still looking at me.

My jaw clenched. If Chris thought a few smiles and sweet words could undo the past, he was sadly mistaken. A few years ago, his charm would have worked on me, but I was no longer the naïve girl he used to know.

Sara said something, drawing his attention back to her, and I used that moment to make my escape. If anyone noticed me leaving, they said nothing.

Back in the guesthouse, I threw my shopping bags onto the couch and paced the living room, allowing my calm façade to slip.

I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t see him every day and pretend I felt nothing.

I’d told Mason I could deal with it if Chris showed up, but I’d been lying to both of us. I could leave, but it would raise questions I didn’t want to answer. Plus, Mason would insist on going with me, and I would not let him give this up for me. He loved Los Angeles and working with Nikolas, and I’d never seen him so happy.

I sank down in a chair and put my head in my hands.

What am I going to do?

 

*     *     *

I yawned and rubbed my tired eyes as I walked into the kitchen. For the second night in a row, I’d done more staring at the ceiling and punching my pillow than sleeping. I needed coffee, stat, and I was grumpy enough to maim anyone who got in my way.

Some people liked a big breakfast to start the day. I was a coffee person, and I kept the cupboard stocked with my favorite French roast beans from New Guinea. Even Mason, who usually woke up with the appetite of a pack of ravenous bazerats, wouldn’t dare touch my coffee beans.

He would, however, drink all the milk.

“Mason,” I growled when I opened the fridge and saw nothing but bottled water and juice.

I looked longingly at the coffee pot then down at the camisole and short cotton pants I’d worn to bed. Coffee or shower?

It was no contest. Pulling my bed hair back into a messy bun, I left the house, not even bothering with shoes. It was still early and the sun hadn’t yet risen above the trees, but there were lights on in the main house. Someone was always up here, manning the control room.

The house was quiet when I entered the living room through the French doors, except for the faint murmur of voices coming from the direction of the control room. I moved silently to the kitchen, not wanting to disturb anyone still sleeping, and I let out a happy sound when I opened the fridge and saw four large cartons of milk. Jackpot.

I was grabbing one of the cartons when I heard voices coming toward the kitchen. I grimaced at what I must look like, and then shrugged it off. No one could possibly expect me to look civilized before my first cup of coffee.

Raoul’s voice drifted toward me. “I’m going to recon the place for the next day or so.”

“Sounds good,” Nikolas replied. “Who are you taking with you?”

“Whoever is available.”

I turned as the two men walked into the kitchen. Raoul smiled when he saw me with the milk carton.

“Did your roommate drink all the milk again?”

I made a face. “Yes.”

He chuckled. “I have something that might cheer you up. How would you like to go on a stakeout with me today?”

“A stakeout?” I asked a little breathlessly, because that could only mean one thing. Vampires. My stomach fluttered in anticipation.

“We have reason to believe there’s a new vampire nest in Long Beach. If you’re –”

“Yes!”

Raoul and Nikolas laughed. Okay, maybe I was more than a little excited, but they were talking about a real vampire nest. New warriors never got to see a nest. This was exactly the reason I’d wanted to come to Los Angeles, to have opportunities like this one.

“When do you want to leave?” I asked, my coffee all but forgotten.

One corner of Raoul’s mouth lifted. “Can you be ready in an hour?”

“Ready for what?”

My body stiffened at Chris’s voice. Since his arrival two days ago, I’d managed to keep my distance from him, mostly thanks to Mason. My best friend had not been happy to see Chris, and the first thing he’d asked me was if I wanted to leave. When I said no, he’d stuck by my side whenever we were at the house, blocking Chris’s attempts to talk to me. The last thing I wanted was to dredge up the past, so I was grateful to Mason for running interference. I wasn’t too proud to hide behind my best friend, and I really wished he was here now.

I comforted myself with the reminder that Chris would leave again soon and my life could go back to normal. In a month or so, Sara and Nikolas were heading to New York City to oversee a new command center there. I fully expected Chris to go with them. Until then, I had to bide my time and do my best to avoid him. As far as I was concerned, we had nothing to talk about.

“Beth and I are going to recon a nest,” Raoul told Chris.

“How big a nest?” Chris asked.

“Small, maybe three or four vampires.”

I felt Chris’s eyes move to me, but I kept my gaze fixed squarely on Raoul until Chris spoke again.

“I can go with you if you need a backup.”

What? No. Anger and dismay flooded me, and I glared at Chris, only to find him looking at Raoul again. I opened my mouth to protest, but Nikolas spoke first.

“I think this would be a good learning experience for Beth, and she’ll be safe with Raoul.”

I could have hugged Nikolas at that moment. I turned hopeful eyes on Raoul, who gave me one of his familiar smirks.

“Beth and I can handle it. I’ll just have to make sure to get her some coffee on the way.”

I could barely contain my excitement. “I’ll be ready to go whenever you are.”

He came over and took two wrapped muffins from the basket on the counter. “See you back here in an hour.”

He and Nikolas headed back toward the control room, and I almost did a happy dance until I remembered I wasn’t alone. Chris was still there, and the look on his face said he was going to try to talk to me again.

Dread twisted my stomach. The logical part of my brain said I should just be an adult and get it over with. Let him have his say and move on. But the hurt sixteen-year-old in me wanted to run away and cry every time I saw his face. That part of me was frantically trying to think of a way to escape now.

“Beth, I –”

The door to the garage swung open, and Mason entered, followed by a laughing Brock. Mason came up short when he saw me alone with Chris, and my expression must have told him all he needed to know. He headed straight for me and wrapped me in a one-armed hug.

I immediately ducked out of his hold. “Ew! You stink of fish and seaweed.”

The two of them laughed. Mason and Brock had hit it off since we got here, and Brock had introduced Mason to his first love: surfing. Mason had taken to the sport like a…well, like a fish to water. If he wasn’t talking about watching Nikolas spar, he was telling me about the perfect wave he’d caught that morning.

I didn’t mind. I liked seeing his face light up when he talked about the things that made him happy. And it wasn’t as if I hadn’t made new friends here, too. I spent half my free time with Sara or Jordan, sometimes both. Mason and I would always be close, but we were getting to know new people, and that was a good thing.

His eyes lit up. “We caught some great waves this morning. Brock knows all the best places to go.”

“You should come with us. Give it a try,” Brock said.

I made a face, and he chuckled. I liked the ocean, but my idea of communing with nature involved a mountain trail and a sturdy pair of hiking boots. At home, I used to drag Mason along with me, before he’d discovered his love of surfing. Now I either went alone, or Sara joined me if she was free.

“No, thanks. I’ll stick to dry land, if you don’t mind.”

Brock looked behind me. “How about you, Chris? You still surf?”

“Not in a few years.”

Suddenly, I had an image of Chris’s wet muscled body walking out of the ocean, and warmth infused me. I swallowed and pushed the thought to the farthest recesses of my mind. So, I was still attracted to him. What female wouldn’t be? It didn’t change anything.

I clutched the milk carton I still held. “I’d love to stay and talk surfing with you boys, but I have to run. I’m going on a job with Raoul today.”

Mason’s eyes widened with interest. “Oh, yeah? What kind of job?”

I could barely contain my excitement. “We’re staking out a vampire nest.”

“No way. Are you messing with me?”

“Nope. He asked me right before you got here.”

“Ah, man.”

I shrugged, deciding a little payback was in order. “Just think. If you hadn’t drunk all the milk again, I’d be over at our place right now, enjoying my coffee in blissful ignorance, and Raoul might have asked you to go with him instead.”

Brock snorted, and I thought I heard Chris chuckle behind me. Mason looked like someone had taken away his surfboard.

“Later, boys.”

Smiling, I headed for the door to the garage to avoid walking past Chris. I heard footsteps behind me, and for a second, I thought he’d followed me. Then I caught the smell of salt water and knew it was Mason. I should have known he’d have my back, no matter what.

I slowed to let him catch up, smiling my thanks at him.

He gave me a devilish grin and laid an arm across my shoulders again. This time, I didn’t push him away. It was a small price to pay.