Dez

 

Glancing over my shoulder as I walked into the law building for class, I once again was reassured no one was following me. Part of me was surprised. I’d been sure Ms. Shadow was going to sell my ass out fast to the Shifters of Anubis after last night. Not that they knew who I was, yet, but it was a matter of time. And then, the look in her eyes.

Disbelief. Anger. Betrayal.

I wished I could have told her she could trust me. Let her know who told me there were traitors or where I’d found the information that had led me to Boston. That she could tell me who she was.

But I couldn’t. At least, not yet.

Stopping to adjust my bag, I stared out the window at the stark white skies and let out a long sigh. I’d relived that night one too many times.

And still, I found myself reliving it again.

 

Bear Valley, California – a few months previous

 

“Kes?” I asked, turning and staring around the empty hallway. She’d been right behind me; Rurik, Roy’s big gray dog at her side. Now she was gone and I ran back the way I’d come.

But that only led to more hallways splitting off, as the ground rocked with another explosion. Dammit, I thought, backing up. Roy is going to kill me.

I’d seen the way he looked at my friend and it had brought me no end of joy. But if I was the last person to see Kesari… I shook my head. I couldn’t think like that.

Although, I couldn’t help but wonder how many ways Roy knew how to kill someone.

Rushing back down the hall, I rotated my shoulder as my bicep stung and burned. It was still bleeding and I darted into a room to tie my scarf around it. My vision was getting weird, I suddenly realized. Everything had an odd hue and was blurring. Frowning, I removed my glasses and stared around. Crystal clear vision. Vibrant colors. Slowly I folded them up.

After thirty-some-odd years, I didn’t need them anymore.

Pocketing them, wondering if this was some strange adrenaline side-effect, I was about to leave the room when I saw there was an office on the other side. Through the window, I could see maps with brightly colored lines going from country to country.

Even though I could smell smoke in the distance, I ran across the room and tried the handle. It was locked. Throwing my weight against it, I winced as my shoulder ached, then I tried again and to my surprise, the door all but blew open.

Ignoring that, I darted in and ripped down the maps, noting they were shipping routes. A large stack of orders, most of them filled, was below the counter. Along with bank statements. My eyes went huge as I saw the amounts. Thousands to millions of dollars.

In an instant, I realized what I’d found and I let out a gasp of delight.

Grabbing as much as I could, I hurried back to the hallway and all but walked into a masked man striding down the hall. He gave me a double take as I stumbled back. We stared at each other and then his hand flew out, crushing my neck as he pinned me against the wall.

"Ah, the professor running around with Piper and Baltsaros. How nice to meet you, not that I ever bothered to learn your name," Parasite said, eyes gleaming. "Now where is that doctor?"

Choking for air, I managed to shake my head and his grip increased. He was going to snap my neck, I realized as less and less oxygen went to my brain.

Then he grunted and I was released, sliding down to the floor.

Faye Knight stood over me, her blonde hair down and wild as she glared around, searching for Parasite. She turned back to me and extended a hand.

“Dez, are you alright?” she asked, her Australian accent lilting and sweet. She patted my cheek as I stood up. “Good thing I got separated from Roy and happened to take this hallway, huh?”

“Roy’s down here?” I gasped out, trying to breathe hard.

“Yes, looking for Kesari, I’d assume.” Faye looked distracted and she reached down to pick up what I’d dropped. Her eyes went huge as she flipped through it, then another explosion rocked the building and I fell, heavily, on my bad arm.

Faye was there in an instant, getting me back on my feet. Her eyes took in everything as I stood. “Dez – what happened here?” Quickly, I summed it up for her and she sucked in her cheeks. “You need to get back to Beni, now. Tell him what happened and have him get you out of here. Only tell him about this – all of this. And what happened to you. Protect yourself. You have to get help and fast.” She shoved the folder at me and gripped my arm. “There are traitors in the Order.”

“What?” I asked, straightening. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Faye said. “I saw them with my own eyes.” Suddenly she straightened and a cold smile spread across her face. “Parasite is coming back and he brought a little army. You need to get out of here, Dez. You won’t make it unless that wound is bound. Go. Now.”

“Faye, come on, we can go together,” I urged her.

"You must have realized what you have there and what is happening to you, Dez," Faye said, clearly torn. "I wish I could help, but I have to make sure you get out of here.

“Faye, please!” I begged her. “Don’t sacrifice yourself for me – we can escape together!”

“There is an exit two hallways over to the right, tucked in the corner. Survive for me. Make this right. Stop them.”

Before I could say another word, she’d darted down a hall on the left and yelled, “Dez, this way!” Immediately footsteps pounded after her and she yelled, “Hurry!”

For a moment, I almost went after her, then I forced myself to turn and run to the right. My arm was burning with pain and I stumbled to the top, tucking the precious information I’d found deep into my jacket.

After I found Dara Seng and given her what Kesari had found, I’d left. Said I had to leave, something had come up and walked away, calling Beni.

Leaving Bear Valley in the back of a van, the ache in my arm was unbearable and my vision was switching between blurry and crystal clear.

Parasite’s words played over in my head, along with Faye’s expression.

Beni had met me at the airport, ushering me onto a private plane and we were winging through the sky as the sun broke across the horizon. He’d peeled back the scarf and stared at my arm, shaking his head.

“How is this possible?” he’d asked.

“Anything is, isn’t it?” I asked with a dry chuckle.

“You should be dead,” he’d replied.

“I have a feeling unless I’m bound with the sacred rituals of Bellator Animis, I will be,” I’d said to him. “And I think we both know what this will mean…”

 

Faye had died that night and I still wondered in the space between dreams if I’d been the last person to see her. She’d sacrificed herself so that I could live and this secret information could be put to good use. I had to honor that. I had to see this through.

Setting my jaw, I began walking again, a new plan forming in my mind.

If Shadow was going to prove a problem, I was going to have to remove her.

Arriving at my classroom, I gave no indication of my dark thoughts as I strode inside. Most of the students were there and they scattered to their seats. In the next few minutes, the rest of the class arrived and I announced with a cheery grin, “Let’s talk papers.”

Most of them groaned, except a few eager looking students and Mya, who seemed amused. Later, when we wound up walking together to the Warimber Building, I commented on it.

She chuckled, “If these kids think a paper is something to groan about, what are they going to do when life really throws them a curveball or two?”

“Kids?” I asked, praying I didn’t sound like I was flirting.

Raising an eyebrow, Mya asked, “You know I’m older than them, right? Doesn’t it tell you our ages and hometowns on the roster or something?”

It did, but I’d barely glanced at it. “I prefer to get to know my students in real life.”

“Ah, sure Professor Devoy,” she joked as we went inside the building. “Well, I know I have a bit of a baby face, but I just turned thirty-four.”

“Oh,” I said noncommittally. “Year younger than me.”

I wanted to ask more questions, but I already felt like I was pushing it. Mya was already testing my boundaries. And as we walked up the stairs, her scent drifted back to me and I inhaled deeply. Underneath her couture perfume was a blend of spices I couldn’t name. But it was warm and comforting in a way that was impossibly alluring to me.

Between Shadow and Mya, I wasn’t sure what to think. Never before had I had two women – three if you counted Evie, although she wanted my head on a pike – causing me these kinds of problems. Besides my Grams, aunts, and a handful of cousins, I didn’t know much about women. I’d only dated a little and had two serious girlfriends, the last one over five years ago. Plus, I’d studied in male-dominated fields and had been the guy friend any number of times.

But unlike most guys, it didn’t bother me in the least. I liked being friends with women.

Sometimes, though, with Mya, like now when she glanced back over her shoulder and smiled, I felt a lurch in my stomach I’d never had before. It was getting harder to hide how nervous she sometimes made me or how stupid.

Those hours we’d spent together alone on Monday had been enjoyable and I’d thought about them more than once in the following days. The more I got to know her, the more I wanted to know her. But beyond the impropriety as well as rule-breaking, there was the situation with the TLO. I couldn’t get close to anyone right now and risk putting them in the line of fire.

“Mya,” I heard myself say as we walked down the hall. “One of these days, remind me to tell you about the best-kept secrets in Boston. Cafes, bookstores, you name it.”

“Alright,” she said with a grin. “Or you could just show me.”

Adjusting my glasses, I swallowed and nodded. We were at the office door and she pulled out her keys, unlocking the door. Letting her go first into the office, I decided in a rush it couldn’t hurt to be friendly. We were going to be in the same classroom and office a lot this semester. And we were adults, we could be friends.

“Are you free on Friday?” I gulped out and my eyes went wide.

What did I just do?

Mya turned, her dark hair gleaming in the light coming through the windows and her gray eyes dancing. “Professor Devoy, are you asking me out?”

“What-no,” I spluttered, hunching my shoulders. “Not at all, forgive me–”

She began to laugh, her cheeks scrunching up and tossing back her braids. “I’m sorry, I’m kidding. I know you’re not that kind of guy. And I’ll let you know, I’m not sure.”

Letting out a long breath, I nodded and made my way across the room. While my alter-ego, King, may have had some moves, Professor Desmond Devoy did not. And it was time I remembered that. Before I wound up putting my foot in it again.

“I’m free,” she suddenly announced. “Is three good?”

“Um, three is fine,” I managed to say out loud, heart beating hard with triumph and nerves.

Definitely a huge mistake.