Wolf. Yes, that felt right. Carmen moved her hands, just a little, and tried to concentrate on the conversation.
«A council member would never use the regular way anyway. They can’t have dirty infected wolves in their family. Being a halfbreed may not be much, but it’s still better than that.»
«Like I said, there are rumors of old ways, but it’s beyond me. I wouldn’t know where to begin.»
The witch. Carmen struggled to remember, but a terrifying blankness formed where her memories should have been.
She snarled.
Warmth surrounded her at once, a comforting pressure born of magic, almost tangible. «You’re okay, Carmen,» the darker man murmured, his voice a soft rumble. «We’re taking you somewhere safe.»
She opened her mouth to tell him she wasn’t okay, but all that came was a low moan. If she could order her thoughts, she could talk to them, ask what the hell was going on.
The other man cursed. «I can’t repeat the spell, Alec.»
«Doesn’t matter. When we get to my place, I’ll let her run a bit. Burn off some energy.»
«Will that work?»
«Probably won’t hurt.»
The dark man was driving, and the other turned to peer over the seat at her. He had kind blue eyes, filled with a calm, soft sympathy that scared the hell out of her. How many times had she looked at someone like that, someone with injuries or illnesses so severe they wouldn’t live to see another sunrise?
He spoke. «Hey, don’t freak out. You’re all right. You’re going to be all right.»
Carmen laughed. She couldn’t help it.
A soft curse from the front, and the engine roared under them. «Leave her be, Jackson. We don’t need her coming over the seat at you if she gets spooked.»
He sputtered something, but she didn’t listen. She clamped her hands over her ears again and rolled face down on the seat. Every instinct screamed for her to turn over, not to leave her back unprotected, but she ignored the urge. Instead, she began to meditate.
She’d never been so strong that she couldn’t control her empathy, not even from her earliest memories. Unless under duress, she had always been able to close herself off, in a box if necessary, until she was ready to come out. It was only as she grew older and began training that she learned how to do it no matter what was going on around her — or in her head.
Walls. Usually she preferred clean ones, but these she envisioned as a faded red. Plenty of buildings in the Quarter were made of rough bricks just that shade. In her mind, she traced every chalky white line of mortar, until she’d built up five walls — four all around her, and one to close the box.
Nothing penetrated, not until a warm, gentle hand dropped on her shoulder.
She stiffened, but managed not to jerk away as she sat up and looked around. The truck was parked in front of a white house with a large front porch, and a soft breeze carried the scents of grass, earth and water into the cab.
The man stepped back, leaving her a clear path to the door.
Outside, pine trees and live oaks rustled in the breeze. Suddenly, the thought of walking into another closed-off space was unthinkable. Unbearable.
Carmen shoved past him and hit the ground at a run.
It took a minute to recognize the light feeling singing through her as relief. She ran every day, but this was different. No mp3 players or cross trainers, and she didn’t run out of concern for her cardiovascular health. Running meant freedom.
Trees flashed by — magnolia, cypress, more oaks heavy with Spanish moss. She only stumbled to a halt when she hit the edge of a marshy pond and almost fell into the water. Her legs shook, and she clutched one hand to the painful stitch in her side.
«Better?»
He wasn’t even winded, but the observation melted into a realization that he’d followed her. Logically, she knew he’d had to; she was out of her head, high on magic and probably crazy.
Instinct told her he would have chased her anyway.
She was too exhausted to begin the complicated dance that came next, the give and take of wary attraction, so she shook herself and answered his question. «I don’t know. Nothing fits, but I’m so tired.» The thick sound of tears in her voice embarrassed her.
«I know.» His tone was quiet. Gentle. «I don’t know what happened to you, but we’re going to find out. Make it better.»
This time, the reassurance didn’t make her want to laugh. «I remember you. Kat’s boss. Franklin’s friend from the army.»
He nodded. «Alec. Or Jake, if Franklin’s been telling stories.»
«Alec Jacobson.» With the nervous magic quieted, her mind cleared a little. «Where are we?»
«My house.» The corner of his mouth kicked up. «Actually, my lake. A little swampy, but not so bad.»
«It’s lovely.» Carmen took a step and groaned when her legs almost gave out. She had no idea how long she’d run, but the house had to be over a mile back. «I’m an idiot.»
«Nah. Seems like you got a pretty big dose of magic.» He took a careful step forward, his gaze locked on her face. «Feeling okay?»
Pride almost made her lie. «No.»
«Tired?»
«I think I need to rest before we go back.»
Alec nodded toward a patch of grass a few yards away. «Wanna sit? Fresh air can’t hurt.»
She didn’t sit so much as crumple to the ground, and only sheer willpower stopped her from stretching out on the grass. «My father. I talked to my father, and then the van came—»
«Shh.» He sank down a few feet away. «It’ll keep. Tell me how you feel.»
«Confused. Wary.» She sighed. «Confused.»
«Wish I could say that’ll go away. Just try to remember I’m not going to hurt you.»
«I remember.» What he had to know already was that it didn’t matter if she recognized intellectually that he wasn’t a threat. What mattered were the tense, heart-stopping moments where primal instinct took over.
«Good.» He leaned forward and braced both elbows on his knees. «Don’t worry if you get angry and try to rip my head off, either. I won’t take it personal.»
«Ha. Franklin tells stories, Jake.» She gave up and lay back, closing her eyes against the afternoon sun. «I’d never get my hands on you.»
His low chuckle vibrated deliciously over her nerve endings, and she relaxed a bit. «I dunno, I’m slowing down a bit. A new wolf landed a few punches on me yesterday.»
«You don’t say.»
«Mmm. Then, this morning, he kicked my door in. Still working on his temper.»
Carmen considered laughing, but all she managed was a soft smile. «Lucky for you, I don’t have a temper.»
«We’ll find out. I have it on good authority I can piss off just about anyone.»
I think you probably could. After her exertions, just lying there felt like floating, and she fell asleep.
Alec paced by the closed guest room door for the third time in under twenty minutes and wondered — also for the third time — if opening the door to check on her would make him a creep.
Only a little creepier than prowling in front of her door. That the thought came to him in Kat’s voice had to be a sign that his mind was slipping. Or his sense of humor was returning. He could only imagine the look Kat would give him if he admitted instinct demanded he shove open the door and count every damn breath Carmen took.
Not that he couldn’t hear her from the hallway. Adrenaline had brought every sense on high alert. If he stood outside the door, he could number the beats of her heart, slow and steady in a sleep so deep it might have been unconsciousness.