Guild of Truth 02 - Shield from the Heart (12 page)

Jente growled low in his throat and a second later his phone
pinged,
alerting him of a new e-mail. He opened the attachment and flipped through the pictures.

Well, well, well …

It looked like Cali’s little guild just kept digging themselves deeper and deeper into Vander’s business. No wonder the man was so pissed off.

• • •

Sydney spotted Cali waiting for them by the baggage claim. She waved, the silver bracelets on her wrists clinking together with the movement. She was dressed in regular Cali fashion: dark blue jeggings, black boots, and a white t-shirt. Her dark hair was pulled back, her side bangs framing the side of her face.

Sydney gazed out of the corner of her eye at Merrick and she couldn’t help but wonder, did he prefer his women tall and leggy?

His expression gave nothing away, leaving her to ponder the idea.

They’d missed Joel and the others at the airport but were able to catch the next available flight. Merrick had insisted on walking around the airport the entire time they’d waited for their flight. Sydney’s legs had wanted to fall off.

The plane ride had been heaven. She’d never wanted to sit more in her life. She’d even dozed off and woke up with her head propped against Merrick’s shoulder. She had apologized profusely but he hadn’t seemed to mind.

“Hey,” Cali greeted when they reached her. “Everyone else is waiting.”

“They made it okay?” Sydney asked.

“Of course,” she said to Sydney before she turned her attention to Merrick. She eyed him up and down with her obsidian gaze. “It’s nice to finally see you out of that hell hole,” Cali said.

Merrick did his own head to toe evaluation. “I know you,” he said. “You’re the one that Vander tried to get to love him.”

Cali stiffened. Her head whipped to Sydney as if to ask if she had told him about her time with Vander.

Sydney shook her head.
It wasn’t me.

“You know,” Cali said at last, “it seriously creeps me out when you guys seem to already know me without actually knowing me.”

Merrick’s lips curled into a small smile. “Tell me about it.”

They followed Cali out of the airport to Felix’s white Hummer.

“Where is everyone else?” Sydney asked.

Merrick climbed into the back seat and Sydney nearly followed him. She stopped herself at the last second and hurriedly made her way over to the passenger seat.

Cali started up the behemoth of a car. “Everyone is at Felix’s. We didn’t realize it was going to be such a slumber party. A little warning would have been nice.”

“Didn’t Joel tell you we were bringing back some people?”

Cali gave her an arched look. “He said people, not kids. You know that Hazel girl is only nineteen?”

Sydney winced. “Was she taken from her house?”

Cali shrugged as she merged onto the freeway. “She doesn’t really talk all that much. Unlike Juliet.” She shuddered.

Sydney laughed.

“So what’s your story?” Cali asked as she stared Merrick down through the rearview mirror.

“Well, I’m not a kid if that’s what you’re asking. I’m thirty, a PI, and want to crush Vander like a fucking cockroach.”

Cali nodded. “I like it. You got a name, Mr. PI slash Vander killer?”

“Merrick Haskell.”

“Cali Crazar.” She flipped the blinker to exit the freeway. “Nice to meet you. I think we’ll get along swimmingly.”

They pulled into Felix’s driveway. It was well into the evening. All the lights inside were blazing.

When Sydney entered the house she realized Cali had been right. It looked exactly like a slumber party. Sleeping bags were thrown on the floor of Felix’s living room. There were bowls of popcorn, chips, and pretzels everywhere and the distinct smell of pizza wafted from the adjoined kitchen.

Sydney made a beeline for the kitchen. Now that she knew Joel was safe she could take care of some more basic urges. Like hunger. Felix was behind the counter, a piece of pizza in his hand. Felix was the only guy in the world that she knew of who looked good with a five o’clock shadow. He smiled when he caught sight of her, but she noticed the small bags under his blue and green eyes. His bronze skin was looking a little pale too.

She frowned. “Everything okay?”

He saluted her with his pizza slice. “Busy week.”

She nodded and moved closer to the open pizza box. “Tom’s?” she asked hopefully. Tom’s Pizzeria was a few stores down from her clinic and offered the best pizza around.

He closed the lid so she could read the fast food chain name. “Sorry,” he said around a mouthful of pizza. “We tried to get Niella to order us one but she refused to go over there.”

One day Sydney was going to unearth the reason behind why Niella avoided Tom’s like the plague.

That day wasn’t today.

She snatched a piece of pizza and turned, nearly running face first into Merrick’s chest. His warm hands settled on her shoulders, steadying her. She gazed up into those ice blue eyes, her mouth dry. “Sorry,” she managed to squeak out.

“It was my fault, I was too busy following my nose to watch where I was going.”

“Help yourself.” Felix held out the pizza box to him. “We ordered plenty. I’m Felix, by the way, Felix Del Valle.”

Merrick released Sydney but he still remained where he was, which meant he was only a few inches away from her. She could feel the heat from him, her body hyperaware of his.

Merrick introduced himself and Felix started the whole friendly chit chat thing.

Sydney could have gone and mingled, left the boys to their manly talk, but she stayed where she was.

Merrick settled against one counter while Felix faced off on the other. Every now and again Merrick would reach for another piece of pizza, his arm brushing against her side or her stomach. He apologized each time, but she noticed that as it went on the touches became bolder, the pressure of his touch firmer.

Sydney’s stomach was flipping so frequently she had to stop eating for fear that she wouldn’t be able to keep her pizza down.

Felix gave her a curious look when she continued to remain in the way of the pizza. She could easily tell he was wondering why she didn’t just hand it to Merrick.

Because I want to steal as many touches from him as possible.

Of course she’d never tell Felix that.

“Here you are.” Joel’s arm slid around her shoulders and he planted a firm kiss on her cheek.

She tensed. Felix’s eyebrows shot up. She forced herself to relax. Beside her Merrick’s body went stiff.

“I should have known you’d be by the pizza.” Joel reached around to grab a slice. “So what are we talking about?”

Sydney ducked out from under his arm. “I better go find Cali and Niella.”

As she passed Merrick she could have sworn she felt his hand reach out and slide against her arm.

She shivered.

Merrick watched Sydney leave out of the corner of his eye. He hadn’t been able to resist stealing one last touch. And when she shivered? His entire body clenched.

He directed his attention back to Joel and Felix. Both men were watching him.

Shit, caught red handed.

Joel looked like he was barely holding on to his temper.

Felix’s expression was carefully neutral, almost contemplative. He glanced between Merrick and Joel. “Come on, Merrick.” Felix hustled him out of the kitchen. “Let’s introduce you to Niella.”

The name tickled something in the back of his memory and Merrick allowed himself to be led over to a woman in a wheelchair. Cali was at her side. Joel had pulled Sydney back into the kitchen where they were talking near a small circular table. He didn’t like the way Joel was invading Sydney’s space. The urge to go over there was fierce, but he shoved it down.

“Ladies,” Felix interrupted the two women. “I wanted to bring Merrick over here to introduce him to Niella.”

Merrick tore his eyes away from the kitchen. Niella had light brown hair that was cut in a short pixie style. She had intelligent hazel eyes and an attitude that Merrick could feel from two feet away. This was a woman who didn’t like to let people get close to her. Again he felt the tug of familiarity. Like he’d seen her before. But where?

“So you’re the one I’ve been Dreaming about the past few days.” Niella held out her hand politely.

Merrick drew back.

“Told you,” Cali said smugly. “Creepy as fuck.”

After being introduced to Niella, Merrick migrated over to where the “kids” were sitting around their own pizza box. The fact that they were closer to where Joel and Sydney were standing had nothing to do with his sudden interest in them — or so he told himself.

Hazel smiled at him and offered him a piece of pizza. He was beyond full but he accepted the food anyway and took a bite to keep from having to talk. He sat down on the couch and listened.

“ — Felix can take care of them. We’re on vacation. I thought you said we were going to spend the rest of the time together.” He could barely make out Joel’s voice.

“I know.” Sydney sounded genuinely conflicted. “But I feel bad just leaving them behind. We’re kind of all they know. I don’t want to abandon them.”

Joel grumbled in frustration. “It’s only for the night. They’ll be fine.”

“Exactly, it’ll just be for tonight,” Sydney bargained. “Once I know they’re taken care of, then we’ll spend some real time together.”

“You’re killing me, Syd,” Joel said in defeat. “Trust me, after three months of celibacy every day is like an eternity.”

Three months of celibacy?

Sydney hadn’t slept with Joel for three months?

Merrick’s mind whirled.

Three months …

He realized with a start that it was three months ago that Sydney had seen him in his cell.

Surely that was nothing but a coincidence …

You don’t know that. She could have stopped sleeping with him because of you.

He threw the thought away. It was impossible.

Wasn’t it?

His mind circled back to the question she’d asked him in the elevator.

What if she’d asked him if he’d felt something between them because she had too?

What if, like him, she thought they were Mirror Mates?

He shook his head. Too many “what ifs.”

He spent the rest of the night in a thoughtful stupor.

Cali drove Niella home but the rest of them bunkered down at Felix’s. Joel and Sydney retreated to the guest bedroom. Juliet and Hazel each took a couch in the living room while Merrick and Luke toughed it out on the floor.

“I’m really sorry I don’t have anything more comfortable for you to sleep on,” said Felix. “I used to have an air mattress but I accidentally Erased it.”

Merrick was still trying to get used to all the new terminology Sydney’s guild seemed to use. Felix was an Eraser and caused things to vanish. Cali was a Silencer — she could manipulate sound. Niella was the Dreamer. He’d even learned the proper name for Joel — a LockSmith with the power to Lock anyone to anything with a single touch.

Merrick, Hazel, and Luke had all confessed to their abilities and Joel had promised to think them up titles. Juliet had seemed very interested with the entire ordeal. She’d even taken down notes. When she was questioned about her own powers she admitted that she didn’t have any. It turned out that she had been a little too close to another woman that Vander had taken and because Juliet was seen so close they instantly assumed the two were friends and that Juliet had powers as well.

Merrick didn’t know if he bought the story. Why would Juliet be seen hanging around another person with powers? How would she even know that person had powers?

Had it all simply been bad luck?

Merrick focused himself back to the present.

Sydney walked in behind Felix. “I thought you could bring back anything you Erased? Why not bring back the air mattress?” She continued into the kitchen, which meant she missed Felix’s reaction. But Merrick didn’t.

Felix instantly tensed, something like unease flickering behind his eyes before disappearing. “Remember how your car came back, Syd?” Felix’s voice held a hint of forced cheer.

“Don’t remind me,” Sydney said as she filled a glass with water.

Felix grinned. “I rest my case. I don’t think I’ll be bringing back anything I’ve Erased for a little while.”

“Well, goodnight.” Sydney waved to them before disappearing down the hall. A few seconds later Merrick heard a door click shut.

Felix stood there for a few awkward moments before he stepped back. “I have an early start so I better turn in. The others all gave me their orders but I didn’t catch yours, Merrick — do you want anything in particular from the bakery?”

Merrick shrugged. “Anything, really. I’m a man of simple tastes.”

Felix excused himself and Merrick tried to get comfortable on the floor.

He slept a solid four hours before Hazel started making noises in her sleep. The others were too exhausted to be bothered by the small mewling but Merrick couldn’t ignore the sound. He decided to head to the bathroom and come back in a few minutes to see if the nightmare would pass. He didn’t want to wake Hazel up. The kid deserved all the rest she could get.

He finished drying his hands in the bathroom and stepped out into the darkened hall where he collided with something small and soft.

A quick gasp.

Merrick’s body instantly stiffened as the person shifted against him. He inhaled deeply and caught the faint scent of vanilla.

Sydney.

She tried to step back but he wrapped his arms around her, keeping her flush against him. She didn’t resist.

He ground his teeth and forced himself to speak. “What are you doing up?”

“I heard someone in the bathroom.”

She heard someone and had wanted to investigate? Or had she gone to investigate because she had been hoping it was him?

You’re delusional. Stop making something out of nothing; you’re only going to hurt yourself in the end.

His hands trailed down the sides of her body. He hissed when his fingers reached the end of her oversized t-shirt. It was all she wore.

Here he was shirtless and she was in nothing
but
a shirt.