“Okay, letting it go to voicemail was fine one time, but I can’t not answer it forever.”
“I know. I know. We’ll figure out something to tell her after we come up with a plan.”
The phone chimed, and they both jumped.
“Shit, she left a message. Should I check it?”
Eva opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by loud thuds racing from the back window to Bridget’s door. Bridget yelped and ducked down while Eva fumbled with her seatbelt latch.
“Bridget. It’s Alek.” His voice was quiet, muffled by the window.
“Alek?” Bridget slowly unclenched and rolled down the window. “You scared me to death. What are you doing here?”
“Alek?” Eva’s eyes met his. “It’s you.”
“Wait, you remember him?”
Alek stuck his torso through the open window and leaned across Bridget. “Eva, are you well?” His hazel eyes shined warm and inviting.
“I didn’t even know if you were real. How did you find me?”
Bridget put her hands on his chest and pushed him out of the window. “Yeah, how did you find us? Shouldn’t you be in jail or something? I think the police are after you.”
“What is it they suspect me of doing?”
“Besides her, you were the only other person there when the cops raced into the house sirens blazing. So, I’m pretty sure they suspect you of, I don’t know, kidnapping.”
Eva rolled her eyes. “Bridge, he didn’t kidnap me.”
“I figured that by the oh so calm greeting you gave him.” She pressed a button and the door locks released. “Hop in, blondie. There’s a lot going down, and we’re like sitting ducks out here.”
He opened the back door and climbed in behind Bridget. “I have missed something. What role do ducks play in the current situation?”
“I hate to say it, but I think your new boyfriend is kinda slow.” She drove the car out of the parking lot and onto the main road.
Alek chuckled. “Your realm has no one with power comparable to mine. My speed can be matched by no man.”
Bridget raised an eyebrow and glanced in the rearview mirror. “Have you had anything to drink today? You’re sounding pretty crazy, and I know that you can’t handle your liquor.”
“You two know each other?” Eva asked, surprised.
“We ran into each other at the Ambassador. He was looking for you before I even knew you were missing.”
“And I would have reached you sooner had she not attacked me,” Alek interjected.
“Attacked you? What happened to mister no one has as much power as I do?” Bridget said in her best dumb-jock voice.
“You forced poison down my throat and dragged me into your room.”
“Forced, dragged. These words are a little harsh, don’t you think?”
“Guys! I don’t care what happened between the two of you. I want to figure out what’s happening to me right now and how you went from being in my head to sitting in the backseat of this car. We can figure everything else out after we’re sure no one is chasing us.”
“Fine,” Bridget mumbled.
“That is why you left the hospital so quickly. Are you in danger?”
Eva turned around in her seat. “How did you know I was at the hospital?”
“On my journey here, I thought only of you. Naturally, that’s where I arrived.”
“Well, naturally,” Bridget mocked. She pulled up to the entrance of the condo complex and passed her key card in front of a large box. The security gate lifted, and she followed the arrows leading up to the parking garage. “So, just to clarify, you’ve been following her? That’s why you were at the Ambassador, that’s why you were there when Eva was rescued, and that’s why you’re here now.”
“Precisely,” he answered with a smile.
“You can’t say precisely like that. Like it’s okay that you’ve been stalking me.”
Bridget made a wide turn and swung the SUV into a numbered space. “Yeah, maybe I let you in the car a little too soon.”
“I’m only here to keep her safe.” He turned back to Eva. “Can you not feel that we’re connected?”
She shuddered against the goose bumps rising on her arms “Look, I’m not going to deny that I feel something, but I don’t even know you.” She opened the door and stepped out of the car.
“But you do feel it?” Alek slid across the backseat.
She slammed the car door and turned, almost running into Alek. His amulet glimmered in the strips of sunlight pouring into the parking garage. “Where did you get that? I swear I’ve seen it before.” Her fingers hovered above the cloudy pink crystal.
“You guys do know that I live upstairs, right?” Bridget asked with her hand on her hip.
“Yeah, sorry, we’ll be right there,” she said, letting her hand fall.
“Eva, I can help you discover your true self.”
“Fine. Then answer my questions.”
“As you wish.”
“Who are you? Why are you following me?”
“I am Alek, son of the Furies and Immortal Warrior of Tartarus. My only agenda is to unite with you so we may save your realm from evil and mine from destruction.”