Liz squeals into the phone. Hey. Ill hook you up. We can double-date.
I almost spew out a second mouthful of wine. No, no. Im not bringing a date. Im not even sure Im going. I have nothing to wear and
Dont be stupid. You can borrow something. You have to go. Keep me company. Evan will be networking all night.
Theres an ominous pause. I can hear the wheels turning in Lizs brain through the phone line. Or rather, the pages of her mental Rolodex flipping from one prospect to another.
Yes, she says triumphantly. Walter.
The werewolf? The irony is almost laughable. No, Liz.
Hes a bit of a bore, and not very bright. But he looks great in a tuxedo and hes absolutely amazing in the sack. He has this thing he does with his tongue . . .
Once again, I have to swallow quickly to keep from choking on a mouthful of wine. TMI, Liz. Really. I put the glass down on the dining room table. Never know what Liz is going to say next, and I really dont want to waste this wine.
Although Id really like to meet Zack, she says.
Shit. Did she really just say that?
Zack?
Yes, Zack. Your partner. Call and ask him.
Cant. Full moon tonight.
Shes not deterred in the least. So ask him tomorrow. Let me know what he says.
Liz hangs up.
Im left staring dumbstruck at the phone.
Even after three glasses of wine, I cant sleep. Images from last night have been flitting through my mind off and on all day. Instead of fading, the itch seems to be growing stronger and more urgent. Try as I might to focus on something else, anything else, my thoughts are of Zack, the way he looks, the way he feels, the way he makes me feel. That moment in his kitchen last night was my doing. And yet there is more than my power sparking between us. Zack proved that this afternoon in the conference room. We agreed to keep it professional. We need to keep it professional. But theres something between us, not just the simple lust we felt in Charlotte. Not even the aftereffects of my powers, which Ive seen drive men to distraction. Something more. And it scares me.
Why dont I just admit it?
Because I cant.
Bitterness burns the back of my throat. I lied to him. It was for a good reason. It was for the best reason. But when I think about the way I liedso dismissive, so condescendingmy gut twists. Zack deserves better. Id like to make things right, but how can I? What would I tell him? That Im something very old, very rare, and very dangerous? That I have been cursed by a goddess determined to bring ruin to anyone with whom I find love? That its dangerous for both of us to even think of having a relationship? That he needs to forget what he knows, or what he thinks he knows?
Maybe Ill call him, apologize for being so abrupt. Keep it short. Professional. Even Demeter could find no fault with that. I dial before I lose my nerve.
His phone rings in my ear. Six. Seven. Eight rings. Then it goes to voice mail. I panic and hang up. Of course, Id get voice mail.
I hear the howl of a coyote drifting up from the canyon at the edge of the property. Not an unusual sound. Tonight, though, it makes me feel terribly lonely. I wander out to the courtyard and look up. The moon in a cloudless sky casts shadows on the ground. Shadows that touch my feet and draw me forward into the darkness. The air is quiet and still. I am alone. Normally I would take comfort in that. Tonight, being alone simply feels . . . lonely.
Id say my thoughts drift back to Zack. But since we had words earlier, they havent been far from him. I wonder where he spends these changeling nights and with whom. Last night I felt confident that if Sarah came to him for shelter, hed turn her away. Would he do so tonight? Did he make it home on time himself?
Even those who have risen through the ranks to a position of power as leader of a pack are subject to the pull of the moon. Only the absolute strongest Weres can resist. Fewer still can change at will. Whether theyre Alpha, Beta, or Omega, one thing all Weres have in common is that they are fiercely loyal to one another, to their pack, and to their mates. Relocation is rare.
Why did Zack leave South Carolina? And, if his relationship to Sarah ended there, why has she followed him to San Diego? To convince him to return to his home? To his pack?
So many questions.
This is the third night. Zack will be free of the moons hold tomorrow. The old ones used to say a waning moon is the time to eliminate negative thoughts, release all guilt.
I wish it were that easy.
Wherever Zack is, I cant reach him tonight. But tomorrow . . . I pick up the phone, dial his number again. This time I leave a message.
Im coming to the beach house tomorrow morning, Zack. Ill bring breakfast. See you about seven.
Demeter comes to me in a dream. Shes standing in my garden, dressed in a long gown that sparkles, its fabric sheer and woven from ice crystals. Everything about her is icefrom her translucent alabaster skin to her piercing cobalt eyes to her stark white hair, flowing past her waist and tinged with frost. She holds a sword in one hand, a severed head in the other. Blood from it drips onto the pristine pile of snow that has formed at her feet, staining it.
Do you know who this is, Ligea? she asks, turning the head so I can see the face.
No matter what name I currently use, Demeter always calls me by the first.
My stomach knots. Yes, I whisper, head bowed.
His fate was in your hands. You had a choice. You made the wrong one. You betrayed him with your lust.
Not lust, I cry, tears streaming from my eyes. Love. He was my husband. I loved him.
Silence! You havent earned the right to love. Demeters voice thunders into the night, her sparking anger splits the darkness like lightning. You and your sisters lost that right when you lost my daughter.
But you got Persephone back. Even as the words fall from my lips, I know Ive made a mistake. Weve been here before, she and I. Youd think I would have learned by now. I should never challenge Demeter.
The goddess grows still. Youd be wise to remember who you are talking to, Ligea, she says, the soft tone of her voice more frightening than if shed been yelling. Or I may add another head to my trophy shelf. A cold smile turns her features into stone as a thin layer of ice and frost forms outward from the edges of her gown, covering her skin.
She holds the head up once again. She turns it so I can see the face. A scream rips out of my throat.
This time, the head she holds is Zacks.
My eyes fly open.
The moonlight coming in through the windows casts the room in an eerie glow. My heart is pounding, my breath comes hard and fast, freezing into mist on the bone-chilling night air. The doors to the garden have been thrown wide. I know Id closed and locked them. With trepidation I slide out of bed. The normally warm wooden floor is ice-cold on my bare feet. I hardly register it or the thin layer of condensation that seems to be covering every surface. My gaze is fixated on the open doors, and the glass panes frosted now with a crackling web of ice. I move toward the door, not quite sure if Ive wakened from a dream, or am in the midst of one. When I reach the threshold, I see that the deck is empty.
Except for a pool of water shining in the dark exactly where Demeter stood in my dream.
I feel as if all the air has been sucked from my body. I lean back against the wall of the house. It feels solid, real, but its not enough to support me. My legs give way and I slide down to the ground.
CHAPTER 13
Day Four: Friday, April 13
I wake up, my face wet with tears. Demeters warning was clear. I cant let my feelings for Zack rage out of control. Shes watching.
My body aches. At some point last night, Id fallen asleep on the back deck. Again. When I awoke, my head was pounding. Id dragged myself back into the house and fallen, exhausted, into bed. Still, I didnt rest well. I couldnt. Demeters flashing sword cut into my subconscious until my early-morning dreams, like last nights nightmares, dripped blood.
Another warning comes when I finally tumble out of bed and look at the calendar.
Friday the thirteenth.
All the superstitions about the date flood my head, casting even more of a pall on my already dark mood.
Ridiculous.
As ridiculous as some of the myths spun around my sisters and me. Bird women? Mermaids? Luring men to their death with a song? The only death we are capable of is le petit mort, and so far, no man has ever complained about an orgasm that leaves him breathless and panting for more. In fact, most myths were made up by men who needed a scapegoat to avoid taking responsibility for a catastrophe of their own making. Thoughts of my sisters, of the home I may never see again, fill me with melancholy. Thoughts of the possibility Im about to make a grave mistake fill me with dread.
Demeters visit has set my nerves on edge. Exactly her intention.
A cold shower clears my head. I know Im here for a reason. To gain Demeters forgiveness and earn my freedom. I need to remember that. I need to do what I keep telling Zack. Keep my head in the game. I must set Zack straight once and for all. If that means being truthful, so be it. A calculated risk for the greater good. Ill come clean. Ill make it clear our relationship is a professional one and can be nothing else. Not ever. Its a mantra I repeat a thousand times as I get dressed, shop for groceries, and drive out to the beach.
Its a little after seven when I pull up to his house. Only Zacks car is in the driveway. If Sarah was with him last night, shes already left. I curse myself for feeling relieved.
I knock on the door. Wait. Knock again. I pull out my cell. Dial. I can hear the telephone ringing somewhere just inside the door. When it goes to voice mail, I hang up. Where is he? I give the door a try. Its unlocked, which seems uncharacteristic, so I assume its for me.
I walk inside. Just as Im about to call out, I hear the shower running. It explains why he didnt hear me knock. This mornings newspaper is spread out on the countertop next to the coffeemaker, which is already brewing.
I flip on the kitchen light and get to work. Zacks cupboards are neatly organized. I have no trouble finding bowls, utensils, and an iron skillet. I put the pan on the stove to heat. Prepare blueberry pancake batter. Slide a dozen bacon strips into the skillet.
I figure the smell of the cooking bacon will draw him down.
In no time at all, it does.
Zack rounds the corner into the kitchen like a ninjaquick, deadly quiet, and intent. This ninja, however, carries not the traditional tantoˉ, but a standard FBI-issue Glock.
When he sees me, he drops his gun hand. Fuck, Emma. I could have shot you.
No kidding. You just about gave me a heart attack.
He slaps his gun down on the counter. What are you doing here?
I point to his cell. Didnt you get my message? I said I was coming over this morning. I thought you left the door unlocked for me.
He shakes his head.
Oh. Sorry. I dont feel good about the way we left it yesterday. I thought this would be a better place than the office to try to sort things out.
His shoulders relax, but his expression remains unyielding. You could have gotten yourself killed.
With reflexes like yours? Unlikely. Besides, what kind of bad guy would break into someones house to fix breakfast?
Zack allows a little smile to crack the shell of his irritation and goes directly to the coffeemaker. Wait. I know this one . . . a cereal killer?
Very funny. Ill have a cup if youre pouring, I say.
I watch as he gets a couple of mugs down from a cabinet. Hes barefoot, bare-chested, dressed only in a pair of sweatpants. His hair is slicked back and wet. I realize the shower is still running upstairs. I clear my throat.
I think you left the shower running.
He pours out the two mugs and hands me one. The better to catch an intruder, he says. Ill go shut it off.
When he returns hes wearing a sweatshirt and jeans. He pulls a chair out from the dining room table and slumps into it, watching me from beneath lowered eyebrows. He looks tired. I guess Im going to have to start the conversation.
So, where is it? I ask, keeping my tone light.
Where is what?
The cage. Where you spend the night during the full moon? I grin. Or do you chain yourself up? You know, some women might find that kinky.
How do you know I didnt go rampaging through the city?
I listened to the news on the way over. No reports of a rampaging wolf. I take a sip of the coffee.
He does not look amused. You shouldnt tease. His voice is rough. Not from sleep or desire, from something else. The sun is barely up. My wolf is still restless. New area, not able to roam. He takes a gulp of coffee before skewering me with a look thats part anger, part smoldering seduction. And its mating season. He punctuates the last with another sip before adding, The cage is upstairs. Right next to my bedroom. Id invite you up to see, but I dont want to be accused of misreading your signals again.
His words send blood rushing to my face. I turn away, busy myself with finishing the pancakes. Got any syrup?
Zack comes into the kitchen, reaches over my head to a cabinet just above me. I smell the soap on his skin, or perhaps his aftershave. Its a blend of spice and citrus that reminds me of bay rum. I feel the heat of his body. Im sure he feels the heat of mine. His proximity is distracting. But I cant let my resolve crumble. I close my eyes for a moment, then move away.
He follows.
I cant deny it. Something is in play here. Something I dont understand.
Demeters face flashes in my head.
Im kidding myself. I know exactly what this is, whats happening.
And I have to stop it.
Damn it, Zack. I slam the plate of pancakes down on the corner and turn to face him.
What the hell? Im just getting the syrup.
Your coming here was a mistake.
Hes quiet for a moment. Is that what you came to tell me?
Yes. Partly. I move to the dining room, sink into a chair.
He follows again, taking a seat beside me. What are you afraid of?
Afraid is exactly the right word. In a rare moment of honesty, I answer, You.
He looks surprised. Because were attracted to each other?
Its not that simple.
Then simplify it.
It takes me a minute to gather my thoughts. Zack sits quietly, his expression calm, expectant.
Okay. I can do this.
I start with the obvious. There are so many reasons why we cant give in to this attraction, the least of which is that we are partners. Even if were not breaking any rules, we have to work together. We have an important job to do, one thats sometimes dangerous. We cant afford to lose focus. The job has to come first.
Youre not telling me anything I havent already told myself. But you said you were scared. Why? he says. Come on, Emma. Take a risk, just a little one. Trust me.
My heart beats like a jackhammer in my chest. So many years. So many secrets. Can I trust him with mine? He already suspects Im not what I seem. For the first time, I have a partner I can be honest with. Should I be? His gaze, so steady, so patient, coaxes the words from my lips. You were right yesterday when you said Im not purely human.
He smiles. I already knew that.
How did you know? When did you know?
He taps the side of his nose with a finger. Everyone has their own scent. Yours changes. Its subtle, but discernible. The night before last, here in the kitchen, Ive never smelled anything like it. It was . . . extremely compelling. So much so that I forgot myself and mentioned it. You deflected the question.
And you let me.
Zack nodded. When I was training, when I was in the field, I came across it all. But Ive never crossed paths with anyone, anything that smells so intoxicating. What are you?
I swallow. There are only three of us.
In the area?
In existence. Im a Siren, Zack. I . . . The words catch in my throat.
His expression grows skeptical. A Siren? Like in the story about Ulysses?
No. Thats a stupid myth, I snap. I regret the heat of my reply when Zack sits back. Goddamn Homer and his idiotic story of the Sirens song. How I wish Leucosia, the elder of my sisters, had never met him and never scorned him. Homer was the reason we had a falling-out. The reason we decided it would be best to go our separate ways, to seek our separate redemptions. I dont sing and I dont drive men insane. And . . . Im real.
Are you sure about the insane part? Because you do drive me just a little
I glare at him.
Okay, Zack says, raising his hands as if fending off a blow. He chooses his next words carefully. How did you become a Siren?
You dont become a Siren. I was born, of Gaia. It was very long agoa different time, a different world.
Youre talking about the world of the Titans and Olympians? Seriously? If you tell me youre here to destroy the world or save mankind, Im going to have to trade this coffee in for a stiff bourbon.
Im here for one reason: to save the innocent from peril, to find and bring home the missing.
Zack stares at me long and hard. You expect me to believe that?
You change into a wolf once a month. You expect me to believe that?
Again, just the hint of a smile ghosts his lips. Touché.
Its my sentence, my punishment, I continue.
I can hear the weight of emotion in my voice.
Zack must hear it, too. He stands abruptly, heads for the credenza, and splashes two fingers of bourbon into a couple of glasses and brings them back to the table. He thrusts one at me. Punishment for what?
I take the glass, sip. The bourbon burns, grounding me. They dont call it liquid courage for nothing. For allowing Persephone to be taken. For not finding her quickly enough. For failing. Finding Amy Patterson and others like her may bring me one step closer to redemption.
Then what? You go back to . . .
Olympus. I dont know. Maybe. Ive been at this a long time. I could be at it a lot longer. One thing I do know is that this, between us, it shouldnt be happening. You shouldnt be feeling any attraction to me. My powers are suppressed and yet
What powers?
I have trouble maintaining eye contact. I can insinuate myself into the minds of others.
Youve been reading my mind?
I shake my head. Its not like that. No. I can plant an idea, or a command really.
Youre compelling me to be attracted to you?
Of course not. But I can compel someone to reveal the truth.
Like a vampires thrall?
A vampire can play with memories. I cant. If I question someone, or command them, theyll remember it.
Theres more to it. His tone tells me he knows Im holding something back. This time, hes not going to let me get away with it.
My mouth is dry. Sirens were made to be seductresses. But I live in a mortal world. I try to live a mortal life. If I use, when I use my powers to get someone to reveal the truth, there are consequences
And you did it to me, the other night, to find out if I was on the take.
Yes.
And what were the consequences? He pauses, studying me. You think the attraction between us is a consequence?
Yes. No. I dont know.
Zack reaches for my hand. Maybe it wasnt a consequence. Maybe it was already there. From before.
Was it? Our eyes meet.
He nods. Yes.
I gently pull my hand from his. That makes pursuing a relationship even more dangerous.
Dangerous? Thats a strong word.
Shit. I dont know how to respond. I let the silence drag on too long and Zack has looked away, his eyes distant and unfocused. After a few more seconds of silence, they again find mine.
I dont know how having a relationship with you could be dangerous. But you obviously do, he says.
I swallow. His words hang in the air. The memory of Demeters nocturnal visit is too fresh. Im still shaken by it. I need to do what I came here to do. Put my partnership with Zack back on course. He can be an asset. I need to look at him as an asset.
He knocks back the last of the bourbon. The sound the empty glass makes when he sets it down on the table has a ring of finality to ita decisions been made.
I could argue with you, Zack says. Tell you we are both adults and can handle whatever is thrown at us. Tell you that precisely because we are different from others, we could make it work. Tell you there could be something special between us and that well figure this out, whatever it is, together. He leans back in his chair. But you have to want it, too. It needs to be real. And it needs to be right, for both of us. His expression is solemn, serious. If theres going to be another move, its going to have to come from you.
And if that never happens?
We just focus on the case, then the next one, then the one after that. We go on living our quiet little lives, he says, echoing my words from two nights ago. His eyes flicker away and he nods toward the kitchen. Think those pancakes are still warm? Im starved.
The change of subject is like whiplash to my brain. I dont know whether to feel relieved, disappointed, or irritated. In fact, I feel them all. I jump up from the table, glad for a chance to hide my face from Zacks intent gaze. Arent I the one who just pointed out how impossible a relationship would be? And did he not react not only like a professional, but like a gentleman?
Isnt that what I wanted?
Yes, but did he have to agree to back off so quickly? Did he have no other questions for me about my nature? I just told him something few other people in the whole world know. Even Liz had more questions when she first met me, and shed known and been taught about me.
When I turn back around, pancakes in hand, I study Zack closely, looking for a sign of deceptionsome inkling that this is all part of a manipulation. I see none. The damned Were has me in knots. I place the dish of pancakes on the table, avoiding Zacks eyes.
Before I have a chance to serve myself, my cell rings. I check the caller ID. Its Liz. Shes crying into the phone and it takes me a moment to get her calmed down enough to understand why she is so upset.
Evan didnt come home last night. And he didnt show for his early-morning hearing. Ive tried every spell I can think of to try to locate him. Nothing works. Its not absolute death, Emma. He hasnt been released. I can tell. Hes just . . . gone.
CHAPTER 14
As soon as I disconnect, Zack is standing beside me.
That sounded serious. Liz is the friend you were talking to the other night? The one with the guy who is ready to make a commitment?
The one with a vampire who is ready to make a commitment. Another vampire whos missing. Zack, I went back to Amy Pattersons after you left last night. I found traces of blood in the glasses in her dishwasher. Shes a vampire. Isabella, Amy, now Evan? I have to go. Im already on the move, snatching up purse and keys.
Zack raises his eyebrows, then moves to block my way. Im going with you. Give me five minutes to get dressed.
Make it three.
Hes on his way upstairs before the words leave my lips.
I lean against the kitchen counter. Lizs skill at casting spells is legendary in the witch community. If she cant locate Evan, there must be powerful magic working against her. If Evans disappearance is related to Amys and Isabellas, and supernatural elements are involved, the case just became infinitely more complicated.
Zack bounds down the steps. I told him to take three minutes; hes taken just shy of four. I dont know how he did it, but his hair is combed, his tie knotted, his suit coat in his hand. Lets go.
On the way over, I give Zack a quick rundown on who and what Liz ismy best friend and one of the most powerful witches west of the Rockies. He has two questions for me. Does she know what you are? And How did the two of you get together?
I feel as if Ive revealed more than enough for one day, for a lifetime. So I answer yes, she knows Im a Siren, but edit out the details of the two spells Liz works for methe reverse glamour to hide my true appearance and the dampening spell to diminish my innate powers of seduction. As for his second question, I choose my words carefully and go for the simple truth.
I knew her grandparents, powerful witches in themselves. They raised Liz when her own parents were killed. Shes a magical mercenary of sorts, selling her services to a variety of individuals. I needed her help witha personal problemseveral years ago. Weve been best friends ever since.
Sounds reasonable. No need for Zack to know the several years was really a couple of decades or that she also happens to be my touchstone when it comes to keeping my heart in line.
At Evans, I pull into the same guest spot I occupied yesterday and lead Zack to the condo. Liz pulls the door open before I have a chance to ring. Thank the gods youre here.
She pulls me in, barely acknowledging Zack in her panic.
Zack, however, definitely acknowledges her. I forget how beautiful Liz is until I see her reflected in the eyes of others. Zacks breath literally catches in his throat. And why shouldnt it? Liz is five feet seven inches of stunning. Her long hair is a cascade of dark waves that sets off her almond eyes. Shes barefoot, dressed in jeans and a mens dress shirt, probably one of Evans, with the sleeves rolled up. She manages to make this casual outfit look elegant enough for Vogue. Only the dark smudges under her eyes and worry lines pulling at the corner of her mouth mar the image.
There are other indications of her distraction. I know how Lizs mind works. If she wasnt so worried about Evan, shed be interrogating Zack and peppering me with embarrassing questions. Her cool, appraising glance and the way she turns away from Zack after the briefest of handshakes say it all. Her attention is focused on Evan.
This isnt like him, Emma. Liz leads us into the living room. Not showing for a hearing? It isnt like him at all.
Liz and I take seats side by side on the couch, Zack across from us in an armchair.
I take Lizs hand. Tell me about the last time you heard from him.
Liz bites at her lower lip. The text I told you about last night. It said he was going to be late at the office. Preparing for an important hearing this morning. When I woke up and he wasnt home, I didnt worry. I knew he kept clothes at work for just this sort of thingall-nighters followed by court. Its happened before.
She leans toward me. But this morning, Sid, his assistant, called because Evan missed his court appearance. They had worked together until around midnight. After theyd finished, Sid said he asked Evan if he wanted to stop for a nightcap. Theres a bar right down the street they go to. But Evan begged off. He said he had a quick note to make and then hed be heading straight home. They were supposed to meet at the courthouse this morning. When Evan didnt show, Sid got a postponement, then called me to find out what happened. Thats when I knew something was wrong and tried to locate Evan myself.