Dana’s face lost all color.
Aidan shot forward in a blur and placed himself between them. “You stay the hell away from her, Roland.” He’d slay the other immortal if necessary and damn the consequences to keep her safe. Aidan wasn’t about to let Roland harm Dana, intentionally or not, because Chris Reordon had run his fucking mouth without thinking first.
“I’m not here to hurt her,” Roland thundered. “I’m here to kill you.”
And the battle began anew.
Behind Roland, Sarah yanked a phone out of her pocket and raised it to her ear. “Seth!” she cried.
Seth appeared beside her.
Dana gasped.
Aidan and Roland both swore.
Seth’s eyes flashed a brilliant gold as fury darkened his features. Thunder split the night. Scowling, the powerful Immortal Guardians’ leader waved a hand.
Aidan’s and Roland’s swords flew out of their hands and landed in the gravel somewhere on the other side of the cars.
Breathing hard, Aidan shook his head. “I wish to hell I’d thought of that.” He’d been so concerned about Dana and her reaction to Roland’s attack that using his telekinetic abilities hadn’t even occurred to him.
Sarah rushed forward to grip Roland’s shirt. “Honey, are you okay?”
“Yes,” he grumbled, then glared at Seth. “I demand the right to seek retribution.”
“You,” Seth retorted, pointing at Roland, “need to rein in your fucking temper. You left before Chris could finish his report.” He turned his glare on Aidan. “As did you. What the hell is wrong with you?”
“What’s happening?” Dana whispered.
Seth frowned, noticing her for the first time. A long sigh escaped him. “I’ll take care of this,” he grumbled and started toward her, no doubt intending to bury her memories of the past several minutes.
Aidan caught his arm as Seth drew even with him. “Wait.”
Seth halted.
“It’s okay,” Aidan told him, voice low. “I’ll handle it.”
The elder immortal tilted his head to one side. His glowing eyes narrowed. But Seth couldn’t read Aidan’s mind without tearing down his strong mental barriers. So of course the elder turned those narrowed eyes on Dana and read her mind instead.
Damn it.
A look of surprise washed over Seth’s face. He glanced at Aidan. “You didn’t circle her name.”
“What?” It took Aidan a moment to figure out what Seth was talking about. “You mean on Chris’s list?”
“Yes. You didn’t circle her name.”
“I know.” Aidan gave a weak shrug, then winced as pain shot through his arm and chest. “I didn’t want Chris to muck things up.”
Seth looked over Aidan’s shoulder at Dana, then motioned to Roland, whom Sarah now examined for wounds. “I think Roland may have done that for him.”
Aidan could only nod, afraid to glimpse Dana’s expression.
She had gone very quiet behind him.
Why did you flee the meeting? Seth asked telepathically. Chris took it as an admission of guilt, as did Roland.
I thought Veronica was the only one, Aidan responded, sending him the thought so Seth wouldn’t need access to Aidan’s mind to hear it. I thought Veronica had been targeted for her connections to the network. But five of the other gifted ones I’ve encountered in recent months have been taken. The last five I saw before I met Dana and stopped looking. He shook his head. Once I heard that, I didn’t really think at all. I just hauled arse over here to make sure she was safe.
And you drove instead of teleporting because she doesn’t know what you are, which allowed Roland to follow you. Releasing a weary sigh, Seth rubbed his eyes, then drew his hand down his face. All right. I’ll see to Roland and Sarah. You see to Dana. Tell her what you will, then take her to David’s place.
Seth—
He held up a hand. Do as I ask. I’ll meet you there and we will discuss this more then. “Roland,” he commanded aloud, “get in your car and go back to David’s.”
Roland bit back whatever caustic rebuttal he wished to make and limped over to his car, Sarah at his side.
A common complaint Aidan had heard many an immortal mumble was that Seth, at times, had a way of making even those who were thousands of years old feel like teenagers being upbraided by a parent.
Sarah cast Seth a cautious look. “Can I ride with him, Seth?”
“Yes. I’ll take Ami’s car.”
The immortal couple got in the Fisker Karma without another word and drove away.
Seth closed his eyes, his face a study in concentration.
Aidan remained silent until Seth opened his eyes once more. “What did you do?”
Seth nodded to the second story windows. “Made sure no neighbors saw or heard anything.”
Aidan groaned. He had forgotten that Dana wasn’t the only proprietor who lived above her shop.
“Don’t worry,” Seth said. “The woman next door is out of town and the couple down the street heard nothing. But you still fucked up.”
“I know.” And according to Dana’s visions, he would do so again in a big enough way to make Seth want to kill him the next time.
After giving Aidan one last warning look, Seth folded himself into the Tesla Roadster Sarah had borrowed and drove away.
The immortal leader was so powerful he could have simply touched the car and teleported both himself and the vehicle wherever he wanted to go but drove instead, Aidan knew, in an attempt to minimize the damage with Dana.
Speaking of whom…
With great reluctance, Aidan turned around.
Chapter Seven
Dana stood several yards away, face pale, features pinched with shock and he wasn’t sure what else.
Aidan wanted so badly to read her mind just then, to see how much damage had been done, if there was any way he could salvage their relationship. But he had promised he would only do so in an emergency.
Inwardly, he kicked himself. He should have told her. He should have told her everything. Before this. Before most of his secrets had been flung in her face in a few minutes’ time span. Because this was a hell of a lot to take in all at once.
He took a hesitant step toward her.
She didn’t back away. That was a good sign, wasn’t it?
“Dana—”
“Your eyes are glowing,” she interrupted. Though she said it matter-of-factly, he could hear her heart pummeling her rib cage.
Aidan reached up and rubbed his eyes. Of course they were. He was furious at Roland. Furious at himself. And terrified that Dana would not be able to accept this part of him. Or that she would not forgive him for keeping it from her.
Their relationship was new. Too new, perhaps, for them to work through this.
And the notion tore him up inside.
“I know,” he responded softly. “I’m sorry. The stronger the emotion that grips me, the harder it is for me to control it.”
He might have only known Dana for a couple of weeks, but he had never been this drawn to a woman before, had never been so captivated or craved a woman’s company as much as he had Dana’s. And it wasn’t because of loneliness. It was because she made him happy. Made him feel normal… human… and had brought light back into his life.