No one was wearing cologne as far as she could tell. But someone smelled—
Wrong.
She sat through the first three hours of the meeting, trying to listen to Matthias outline what happened up until that point, things he’d found out from his trip overseas and other investigations. All the while, she tried to figure out what was wrong with Rafe. But he was blocking her. And she wasn’t about to force her way in.
At one point, Matthias looked at her and realized she wasn’t okay. He reached over and touched her hand, caught her eye, and she shook her head.
“Let’s take a break,” he announced.
Robertson and Matthias flanked her as they returned to the private room.
“I don’t feel good,” she said.
Boy, that was the truth.
Matthias looked concerned, and that made her feel worse. “Do you want to go back to the cabin?” He already had the Land Rover keys in his hand.
She shook her head, but took them from him anyway and slipped them in her pocket. “Not yet. I’ll be okay. Just let me stay here for a few minutes to catch my breath.”
He nodded. Moe stood guard outside while the others rejoined the meeting.
She felt better after lunch. She was standing at the window, looking down the hillside, when the door to the private room opened.
The guard left, and she immediately smelled something not right. Then the chill.
She turned. Rafe stood in the doorway.
“I told my cousin I would check on you,” he said.
Something was wrong. Something was horribly wrong, besides Rafe apparently being mad at her. He held his hands at his side, his fingers still.
“Don’t let it touch you, Taz!”
She didn’t know whose voice that was in her head, but she listened. Rafe slowly approached, and she backed away, around the room, trying to edge her way toward the door, keeping furniture between them. She didn’t dare drop her barrier.
Rafe smiled. “That was interesting, what happened last night,” he said, and her stomach rolled.
“I’m sorry, Rafe,” she said, rounding a large leather sofa.
“Don’t be.” His smile looked cold and hard, without a hint of warmth. Had she really kissed him yesterday and liked it? His lips were two sharp, thin wounds of color in his pale face. What had she done to him? Did she hurt him?
Then in her mind, what almost sounded like Rafe’s voice screamed at her.
“Taz baby, please, get out of here! Run NOW!”
The guard stuck his head in. When Rafe turned, she bolted, her terror taking over.
She heard the guard call for Matthias, but she was in the Land Rover and on the road before they even reached the front door of the conference center.
Taz hesitated, then turned west toward Norris, instead of south, which would take her past West Thumb and then to the cabins. She could loop around the other way. She just had to—
“Get away, Taz. Don’t stop. Keep going.” If only that voice in her mind, the one sounding so much like Rafe, would stop backseat driving.
She felt Matthias tugging at her mind, pleading with her to let him in, and someone else.
Something else.
She slammed the barrier down. She’d been acting like a child and gotten herself in a jam. It was time she acted like an adult and cleaned up her own mess, took control of the situation. She’d let Matthias lead her through this—look where it got her—and now it was time to quit blaming him and do something about it.
Come to think of it, she was in this mess because Matthias insisted on being in charge. Bossing her around. Not telling her vital information. Hell, she’d gotten more information out of Rafe than she had out of Matthias. What if she hadn’t known about being marked and someone tried it at the meeting? When was Matthias planning on telling her?
Was he planning on telling her? Maybe he’d been planning to mark her, before she caught on, and Rafe spoiled it for him.
Maybe she’d picked the wrong cousin to settle down with.
She boiled, seethed, then tried to calm herself. No, she’d seen inside Matthias’ heart. He was telling her the truth. He didn’t want to control her. He wanted her to love him of her own free will.
That didn’t mean she couldn’t be pissed off at him.
On top of everything else, she felt like she was crawling out of her skin. They weren’t kidding when they told her she might feel overwhelmed. Whether it was her activities last night or the stress, or even really horrendous PMS, there was something different inside her today. She felt changed somehow.
Also, there was something horribly wrong with Rafe. In her gut she knew she was the cause. She couldn’t face Rafe, Matthias, or anyone right now. She needed to calm down, get hold of herself. She needed time to figure out what was going on, what to do. And she had to be alone to do it.
It was luck more than anything that got her to the Museum of the National Park Ranger, near Norris Campground, without running anyone off the road. Her original plan was go to Mammoth Hot Springs and double back later, but this sounded interesting. She could play tourist.
Except she couldn’t focus on the exhibits. She felt edgy, flighty. The new voice in her head drummed at her, worrying her, pressed her to keep moving, not to stop. She ignored it and asked the volunteer at the desk for information on the Norris Geyser Basin, close by but to the south, and returned to the Land Rover.
* * * *
The men watched her peel out of the parking lot in a spray of gravel. Matthias started to run after her, but Robertson caught his arm.
“You’ll never catch her. We’ve got to get them out of here first.”
Rafe hung back. Matthias turned on him. “What happened?”
He shrugged. “She’s upset about something. I went to check on her, and she ran like a scalded cat.”
Matthias smelled a whiff of sulfur, unusual at the conference center but not impossible, he supposed, if the winds were right. He adjourned the meeting. Ten minutes later they piled into the other Land Rover while Rafe got into his car.
“I’ll head back to the cabins,” Rafe said, “and wait there for her in case she shows.”
Matthias nodded. He was driving the other Land Rover and stopped at the intersection, not following Rafe south.
“What is it?” Albert asked.
Matthias turned right, heading west. “I don’t know. I don’t think she went south.” He tried to find her, feel her. “I think she went this way.”
“Is Rafe okay?” Albert asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Taz was right. He seems off today.”
“I don’t know.” Matthias had bigger things to worry about than his perpetually horny cousin’s mood, but he did sense something out of the ordinary.
Matthias noticed the car trailing them. He was moving fast, ignoring the posted speed limits and passing slower-moving vehicles, and it passed, too. He didn’t say anything at first, then motioned to the others to look.
There were two picnic areas on the way to the west road. Matthias felt the need to stop and check them. When he reached the Norris Junction, he closed his eyes, prayed, and turned north. At the Museum of the National Park Ranger, Matthias had a sudden flash, wheeled in, and parked.
They poured out of the SUV. “Split up,” he said, even though the other Land Rover wasn’t there. “Let’s see if she’s been here.”
He walked to the far end of the parking lot and watched as the other car pulled in. It carried three men, all apparently dressed in identical Windbreakers. They dropped one off and left.
Matthias stepped back to the Land Rover, got what he wanted, and looked across the parking lot at Albert. Albert caught Robertson’s eye. The stranger went inside, returning a few minutes later.
Matthias covered the distance in less than five strides, the sword in his hand. Albert caught one of the stranger’s arms, Robertson the other.
The daemon pulverem glared at Matthias. “So, you finally
figured it out?”
Chapter Thirty
Matthias grabbed the daemon pulverem by the throat, choking it, his rage protecting him from any attempts it might make to control him.
It didn’t care. It grinned at him. “You really are stupid, considering how old you are, Hawthorne.”
Matthias shook the thing. “Who wants her? Why do they want her?”
“Same reason you do. For an heir.”
“What?”
“Look asshole, ever heard of in vitro? You’re not the only one with scientists on the payroll. If the Others can create a hybrid cross with a vampire, they can save their race and kick human ass. And vampire ass.” He laughed, even though it was difficult with Matthias’ fingers digging into his trachea. “Alive, dead, they don’t care. All they want are her ovaries. Thank hell for dry ice, right?”
“Who hired you?”
“Us, dude.” He grinned. “Go ahead, off me. Every moment you waste with me puts us closer to her. My buddies will take care of her, and I’ll be back sooner than you—”
Matthias ran the creature through with the sword. It exploded in a cloud of foul ash. Matthias fought his rising bile.
“We have to find Taz. Right now.”
* * * *
Taz stewed. Maybe this was a huge mistake. As much as she liked—okay, loved—Matthias, realistically, she barely knew him. Had only known him for a short time. How did she know he wasn’t playing her?
“Because you’ve glimpsed his soul.” That sounded like Rafe’s voice in her head again.
How ironic! Vampires had souls. Who’d a thunk?
And it would have nothing at all to do with the fact that Matthias lit her up like a Christmas tree in bed, would it?
Yeah. Uh-huh.
But what about Rafe? What she felt for him? She couldn’t deny she loved him, too.
“You love Matthias, Taz baby. Trust me, I know.”
God, that voice was annoying. Must be a guilty side effect of mentally raping Rafe. What a happy little house of horrors she built for herself.
Taz dropped change into the honor-system box and took a Norris Basin guide. She walked through the small museum breezeway, would look through the exhibits on her way back. She stopped at the Porcelain Basin overlook and then paused, checked the map, and changed her mind. She’d do the Back Basin trail first, then Porcelain. She needed time to calm down, Matthias and Rafael be damned, and she wanted to see as much as she could. Considering she’d spent most of the past week cooped up and unable to work out, a mile-and-a-half hike would go a long way toward helping her feel normal and work off some of her nervous agitation.
She still had two bottles of water in her pack, and her sunglasses and new hat helped cut the afternoon glare. She worked her way around the Back Basin trail, trying to relax. It was a comfort, in a way. That nature could be as unpredictable as humans.
Well, okay. Vampires. Sheesh.
It was as beautiful as it was harsh.
There were quite a few tourists walking in the same direction and at the same ambling pace she was, so she didn’t think anything of the two men trailing not too far behind.
* * * *
“Where is she?” Robertson asked him again.
Matthias spun on his heel. “I don’t know. Don’t you think I would be with her if I knew?”
“Calm down. We’ll find her. Try reaching out to her again.”
“She’s blocking me. I don’t know where she is.”
“Calm down. Try again. Calmly.” Robertson knew Taz was upset, but he wasn’t strong enough to reach her from a distance even if she wasn’t blocking. He had to calm Matthias enough to get her to answer him. He wasn’t even sure Matthias was strong enough to reach her from a distance through her barrier.
Matthias glared at him, but took a deep breath and stepped away from them into the shade. He closed his eyes.
“Anastazia, please, you’re in danger.” He reached out to her, wishing he was stronger.
What if she dies because of me?
He tried to shut off that line of thought.
He didn’t know where she was. He had no idea. All he could feel was a hard shell, closed even to him.
* * * *
Taz looked up and around, felt Matthias’ probe. He was worried.
No, damn it, he’s got to learn that just because he’s a bazillion years old he can’t boss me around. He has to treat me with respect, give me space when I need it. And not sit in my head and spy on me.
Uh, immature much?
No, wait, that wasn’t right. She was upset because of what she’d done, not because of Matthias. Even if it was his fault, he’d spied on her. Even if it was his fault he hadn’t clued her in to what she could do.
What if he didn’t know what she could do?
What if he didn’t want her to know what she could do?
She thought about letting him know where she was then reconsidered. She wasn’t even halfway around yet. He’d swoop in with the Stooges and ruin her peace and quiet. Besides, she was safe. The Others wouldn’t come out here of all places. It was nearly as safe as Old Faithful. Once she was close to the end of the trail, she’d send him a thought so he could quit worrying.
Until then, let him have a taste of his own medicine. She needed time to quiet her mind, figure out how to handle things with Rafe, and tell Matthias what happened. She needed to cool off. They were right about her feeling crazy with her powers awakening. And she didn’t trust herself to talk to anyone until she calmed down and regained some control over her temper.
Not to mention she didn’t trust herself not to hurt someone as upset as she was. She couldn’t live with herself if she did that. She already had enough amends to make as it was.
She stood and continued her walk, stopping frequently to take pictures like most of the other tourists.
* * * *
One of the guards ran up to them. “Someone in the Museum thinks she headed to Norris Geyser Basin. She asked for information. It’s just a few minutes away.”
Matthias exchanged looks with Robertson, who shrugged. “She likes to hike. It’s a good place to start.”
They bolted for the Land Rover, Matthias’ heart pounding in his throat.
“Please, Taz, I couldn’t take it if I lost you.”
* * * *
She tried to ignore Matthias tapping at her conscious. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. Between her guilt and his agitation, it was too much.
She closed her eyes.
“LEAVE ME ALONE!” she mentally screamed at him.
* * * *
“Ahhggg!” Matthias swerved, trying to maintain control of the SUV. He jammed the brakes and managed to pull onto the narrow shoulder without wrecking.
Albert reached over and shifted it into park. “What is it?”
Matthias had the heels of his palms pressed against his forehead as he writhed in pain. He couldn’t speak, just moan in agony.
Robertson got out and pulled Matthias from behind the wheel. One of the guards helped get him into the backseat. Robertson slid behind the wheel as he looked at Albert. “She’s pissed. Really pissed. Even I felt that one.”
He checked for traffic and floored it, racing toward Norris.
* * * *
That was probably too much.
“Uh, yeah, baby, ya think?” She should name that new voice. It seemed bound and determined to have a life of its own. But why did it have to sound like Rafe?
On second thought, fuck Matthias. Maybe he’d learn not to piss her off. What was the use of having all these fantastic vampire powers if she couldn’t use them to at least hike by herself?
That brought a fresh wave of guilt. She didn’t want these powers if it meant hurting people who loved her, like Rafe and Matthias.
Taz walked, stewing. No more probes from Matthias. The further she walked, the worse she felt. One more thing to apologize for. She was really racking them up. Just add another one to her big list o’ guilt. Kiss
the cousin? Check. Tell him you love him? Check. Practically rape him and then blast your fiancé’s brain? Check and checkeroonie.
In her mind she heard a chuckle, knew it wasn’t her. There was nothing at all funny about this mess she was in.
Add losing my mind and gaining a disembodied voice to the list. Why the hell not? Check.
She’d reached the far side of the back basin area, just past Vixen Geyser. She could backtrack and take the cut-through trail, see Steamboat, then reach out to Matthias and let him stop worrying.
Taz stopped for a break. There were less people now, except for the two men she kept noticing behind her. They didn’t look dressed for a hike. They looked like foreign tourists.
* * * *
“How far?” Matthias moaned from the backseat. He was still in pain but at least coherent.
Albert checked the map. “Just ahead.”
Matthias nodded and pulled his hands from his face. His eyes looked horribly bloodshot, tears of pain streaming down his cheeks. She’d nailed him good. “Okay. When we get there, we’ve got to split up.”
“There’s the entrance.” Albert pointed, and Robertson braked hard, sliding around the corner, narrowly missing an RV in the process.
“Don’t stop. Circle the lot and see if the car’s here,” Matthias ordered.
They found the other Land Rover at the far end. Matthias stumbled from the backseat, the sword in hand. “Let’s go. Do we have a map?” She was here. He could feel her, he just couldn’t reach her.
Or reach out to her.
Fortunately, that late in the day the tourists were starting to thin out. The men found the box of trail guides and grabbed two without paying, barely breaking stride as they hit the museum.
Robertson found a volunteer and didn’t bother talking. He touched her shoulder and caught her eye. She looked at him, woozy, and he bolted toward Porcelain Basin. “She saw her go this way.”
Matthias stopped at the top of the descent and closed his eyes, almost afraid to reach out. He sensed Taz’s presence. She was here, or had been not too long before. He raced down the steps, trying to find her, and sent the guards to cover the other part of the trail while Robertson and Albert pounded down the path after Matthias.