TWENTY
Aiden hesitated before opening the kitchen door. How would Leila react to him now that their buffer, Manus, was gone? It turned out that he didn’t have to worry about it. When he opened the door, she was still staring at the TV, watching the same news program. He knew enough about her to realize that it wouldn’t make her feel any better, so he walked to the TV and switched it off.
“You should rest.”
To his surprise, she nodded and didn’t protest when he ushered her back to their room. Aiden closed the shades to make it more comfortable for Leila to sleep while the sun was shining brightly outside. She now lay curled up on the bed—fully clothed this time. It appeared she didn’t want him touching her ever again.
Frustrated and feeling more than just a little bit guilty about his earlier deception, he lay stretched out on the couch, knowing his presence in the bed wasn’t welcome. This fact did nothing to quell his growing desire for her. Neither did thinking about her for hours while she slept only feet away from him.
When Coralee delivered food to the room sometime well past midday, Aiden placed the tray on the coffee table and opened the shades before walking to the bed. Leila looked vulnerable with her eyes closed, her hair open and spread around her like a halo. He felt the urge to take her into his arms, to protect her and assure her that she would be safe. But he couldn’t do that. Neither did she want his touch, nor would he be telling the truth if he told her she was safe. She would only be safe once he and his fellow Stealth Guardians could trick the demons into thinking that she was dead and with her all chances of recreating the drug.
Even once they’d achieved that, they would have to keep tabs on her. And she would have to assume a new identity, as if she were in the federal witness protection program. It was no different from that. But they needed her cooperation for that, which meant Aiden had to start mending what he’d screwed up. The quicker the better.
“Leila,” he called softly, but she didn’t stir. He tried again, but received no response, so he gently shook her shoulder.
She reared up with a frightened look on her face and wriggled away from him. “What do you want?”
He instantly pulled back, giving her space so she wouldn’t perceive him as a threat. “I want to apologize.” Nervously, he ran a hand through his hair, messing it up even more than it already was. “I shouldn’t have . . . ” His voice died. Hell, he’d never learned how to apologize to anybody. This was harder than fighting two demons in a dark alley with one hand tied behind his back.
Her ocean blue eyes lowered to evade his gaze. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Did he imagine it, or was a soft, rosy blush building on her cheeks? Oddly enough, it didn’t appear that she was angry at him, despite her words. It look more like she was . . . shy. The confident, determined Dr. Cruickshank was shy when it came to intimacy? Could that be the reason why she’d reacted so vehemently when they’d been interrupted by Manus?
“I need to explain one thing. Please.”
She gave an almost unperceivable nod.
“Thank you . . . There was one thing Manus was trying to explain to you: while a Stealth Guardian sleeps, his ability to cloak a human with his mind disappears. Only his touch is still effective. I needed to touch you if I wanted to sleep. But . . . ” He cast her a cautious glance, noticing that she watched him closely. “ . . . I have no excuses for touching you the way I did, other than that I’m attracted to you. I’m sorry. I should have explained it to you and just asked to take your hand while you slept.”
Her eyes assessed him for a long moment. “Is that what you do with the other women you protect?”
“No!” His protest was instant. “No . . . It’s not like that. When I need sleep, I call my second, Manus or one of the others, so he can take over while I catch a few hours of sleep.”
He sought her eyes. “I don’t . . . touch my charges when I can avoid it. But you . . . ” He dropped his head. “I’m sorry. It was wrong of me.”
When she didn’t immediately answer, he motioned his head toward the coffee table. “Coralee brought us some food. You must be hungry.”
She nodded and rose from the bed.
When she sat down on the couch and reached for one of the plates, he let himself sink into the armchair. At least he’d said his peace; he only hoped that eventually she would understand and forgive his transgressions.
“How long do we have to stay here?” she asked.
Aiden grabbed a plate. “Maybe two or three days. By then Manus should have initiated everything to stage your death.”
He noticed a shudder going through her at his last word.
“You say that as if that happens all the time.”
“It doesn’t. But occasionally, we have no choice in order to get the demons off our charges’ tails. They’ll only give up once they think they’ve lost. And in your case, simply making sure that they can’t get to your research isn’t enough. If they get to you, they can get you to reproduce it for them.” He shoved a fork full of Pad Thai into his mouth.
She shook her head. “I wouldn’t do that. I’d never work for the demons.” Her body tensed visibly. “Not after all that’s happened to me because of them.”
Aiden put his fork down and chewed, contemplating his next words. How should he explain to her that just like other humans before her, she would succumb to them? “It’s not that easy to resist them when they are trying to seduce you to their side.”
“I don’t see why. Now that I know what they are and what their agenda is, I think they’ve lost that mental power over me. There isn’t anything with which they could seduce me to their side.” Leila thrust up her chin in a determined gesture, indicating that she was prepared to fight.
“Trust me, they’ll find something even you won’t be able to resist. They’ll look long enough to find your weak point, find something you really want, and then promise you that you’ll get it if you work for them. I’ve seen it before.”
His last charge had succumbed. The demons only had to find the right trigger. They would find Leila’s too. Nobody could hide their deepest desires for long, least of all a human. And lately he wondered if even he as a Stealth Guardian could hide his desires any longer.
“I’ve not gotten to where I am right now by being weak,” Leila claimed.
“I’m not suggesting that,” Aiden denied, trying to remain calm. “I’m simply explaining what their modus operandi is. They are very resourceful. And they won’t stop until they know that their dream of possessing this drug won’t come true.”
“You can’t just expect me to live in hiding forever. I can’t do that. My parents . . . my work, I have to go on.”
Aiden set his nearly empty plate onto the tray. “That’s exactly what you’ll have to do if you want to live.”
Her eyes narrowed. “But you said the demons don’t want to kill me, because they want what I can give them.”
He stared at her, warring with himself whether to spell it out once more: if she worked for the demons, he or one of his fellow Stealth Guardians would have to eliminate her. Yet looking into her eyes now, he realized that he wouldn’t be capable of it. Would he go so far as to defend her even against his own brothers should they try to harm her?
Suddenly her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open. “Oh, my God, you do mean it, don’t you? You would kill me without as much as blinking.”
“By the looks of it, he wouldn’t enjoy it though.”
At the sound of the familiar male voice in the room, Aiden snapped his gaze to the door, jumping up from his chair simultaneously.
Shit!
The tall rugged stranger who had appeared out of nowhere and now stood near the door was none other than Hamish.
“You guys have to stop doing this. There’s only so much I can take,” Leila snapped and slammed her plate onto the coffee table.
“Leila, get behind me, now!” Aiden ordered.
Hamish looked just as he always had: dark brown hair, parted in the middle, the longer strands hanging into this eyes. He wore a four-day stubble, and his eyebrows were slightly elevated ridges when he furrowed them as he did now.
Glaring at his old friend, Aiden pulled his ancient dagger from his boot, ready for combat.
When Leila didn’t move, he repeated his order. “I said now!”
Hamish raised a hand, his stance remaining strangely relaxed. “That’s not necessary.”
“What the f*ck, Hamish! You’ve got nerves showing up here.” Aiden advanced on him, both relieved and angry at the same time. Relieved that his friend wasn’t dead, and angry because he couldn’t tell whose side he was on.
“I had no choice, but I have no time to explain now. We have to leave.” Hamish nodded at Leila. “Get all your things. It’s not safe here anymore.”
“The hell she will.” Aiden glanced at her. “You can’t trust him, Leila. He went rogue. He might be working for the demons now.”
With a shriek she rushed to his side. Aiden acknowledged her presence by squeezing her arm briefly.
Hamish let out an audible breath. “That’s not true. And in your gut you know it. I’m not working for them. I’ll explain everything, but later.”
Aiden shook his head. He didn’t know what to believe. Could he really trust his gut? Or Hamish’s words for that matter? Conflicted, he let his eyes wander over Hamish’s face, focusing on his eyes. They stared back at him as always, clear and without blinking, a soft brown. Not a hint of green. But was that proof enough?
“Explain it now. We have all the time in the world. And if I don’t like your explanation, I’ll acquaint you with my dagger.” It was best to make his position clear immediately. He wouldn’t take any bullshit.
Hamish gave a slow shake of his head. “I understand your sentiments, I do. The circumstances don’t show me in a favorable light.”
Aiden snorted. No, they didn’t. They showed him in a crappy light. So why had he shown up here?
“But you would have done the same in my situation.”
Aiden growled low and dark. “You abandoned me and my charge. Because of you, the demons got control over her. Because of you, I had to kill her.”
Hamish darted a nervous look past them toward the window. Early afternoon sun shone into the room.
“I had bigger fish to fry, and once you know the whole story, you’ll agree with me. Now pack up your charge and let’s get out of here before they come,” Hamish insisted.
Bigger fish than fighting the demons and saving his charge? Aiden had a hard time believing that claim. “We’re not going anywhere with you. You can’t expect me to trust you after all that’s happened. The council is already on your heels, but frankly I’m glad, that I’m facing you first. We have a bill to settle.” Aiden pushed Leila behind him and took a step forward, arms stretched out to his sides, hips squared.
“As much as I’d like to fight this out, there isn’t the time.”
The barking of a dog came from outside the building.
Hamish blinked. “Shit, they brought dogs.”
“The demons?” Aiden asked.
“No, it’s not the demons who are after your charge, not right now anyway.”
“Who is after me?” Leila asked from behind him, her voice laced with panic.
Hamish shrugged. “Honey, I wish I knew, but whoever they are, they just found you.”
Aiden heard the barking of the dogs come closer. This wasn’t good. He knew exactly what the arrival of dogs could mean.
“But how?” she despaired.
“Take your pick: Manus, a mole in the council, a phone call traced back to here, it doesn’t matter . . . ”
Suddenly, a loud bang came from downstairs. Instantly, excited voices echoed in the building, doors opened and closed, and hasty footsteps filled the corridors.
“Raid!” somebody screamed.
Hamish rushed to the door and opened it an inch, peering out into the hallway. “They’re making it look like a police raid, but they’re coming for Leila.”
He looked over his shoulder. “It’s up to you now, Aiden. Do you want to save your charge or not? Because if you don’t come with me now, they’ll be here in thirty seconds and kill her. There are too many of them to fight off.”