It usually only took a few minutes before Storm would respond or pop into existence, so when the minutes ticked by with no response, Ren became worried. Then the screen flashed.
Storm appeared on the screen so Ren could see him and lowered a crimson spotted cloth from his nose before he leaned back in his chair and smiled at Ren via the webcam.
Ren frowned at that and could also see that Storm was at home on the island. Im surprised you didnt come yourself but then it kind of looks like youve been breaking the rules again, Ren chastised with an arched eyebrow.
The time flux in your area is keeping me from jumping and giving me one hell of a headache. Storm explained holding the bloody tissues in his fist.
Then stop trying, Ren glared.
Storm nodded, Were going to have to stay in touch this way until things settle down on your end. For now, you have incoming PIT teams and its time you start learning how to work with them for everyones sake. Since you have a photographic memory and have read their files, Im sure you will know more about them than even they know about themselves.
So youre finally putting me in the middle of a lot of people with powers? Is that a smart thing to do? What if I cant control it? Ren asked not relishing the idea of working with someone else besides Storm.
Storm grinned and lifted his shoulders in a shrug, Practice makes perfect Ren and youre about to get a crash course in human interaction. Zachary and Angelica are moving in with you so they can access the databank and all the equipment Ive stored in the castle. Theyll also handle most of the PIT teams that are coming. As for you, your job is to try to find out what the hell is causing the time flux and barring me from the area.
He paused for a moment before leaning toward the screen. Answer your door.
The video link abruptly disconnected, leaving Ren staring at it with raised eyebrows. A loud knock at the door made him look in that direction then back at the blank screen.
I hate it when he does that. Ren grumbled and stood up from his chair grabbing his sunglasses to hide his eyes.
Walking through the open double doors that led into the foyer, Ren answered the door and stared at his visitors soon to be roommates.
Zachary was smiling when he saw the young man standing on the other side of the entrance. Its nice to finally meet the real ace in the hole that Storm has been talking about for as long as Ive known him.
Ren gritted his teeth but accepted Zacharys outstretched hand and nodded at Angelica before standing aside and letting them in. He knew every face on PITs roster and what their gifts were. Hed made a point to memorize the profiles of all PIT members not long after Storm took him in.
Storm had added notes into the blocked version of the profiles and Ren had mentally downloaded those too. Storm was right he probably knew more about them than they knew about themselves.
Zachary was a little bit of a wild child with what Storm had described as a double personality one minute Zachary was joking and the next he was as deadly as a ticked off cobra. Hed seen the news broadcasts of the fire that took out the home of a mob boss a while back and the whole situation had PIT, more specifically Zachary, written all over it. The next morning Zachary had filed the report into the PIT system and confirmed Rens suspicions.
Angelicas power was a little more complicated, being able to kill demons using the magic she was born with. Storm had once called her the key but never said what the hell she unlocked.
Her file was thicker than anyone elses it was as if Storm had been documenting her every move since birth. Ren couldnt figure out why and he didnt really care at the moment. Without a word, he closed the door and headed into the room that served as his office. Somehow hed known they would follow him.
So, Zachary said after less than a minute of awkward silence, Do you live here alone?
No, Ren said. I have new roommates.
Angelica smirked at the dumbfounded expression that appeared on Zacharys face. I think hes trying to break the ice.
Hes doing a bad job, Ren said already feeling crowded.
I know, Angelica soothed recognizing a quiet loner type when she met one.
Zachary sent Angelica a mock glare. Hey, youre supposed to be on my side.
Why? Angelica laughed. Believe it or not, some of us can go for days without running our mouths. You Im lucky to go two seconds without hearing you going on about something.
I can to be quiet! Zachary exclaimed. Watch me!
Zachary then commenced to slouch back on the sofa and cross his arms over his chest with his lips pressed into a thin line. Angelica rolled her eyes before getting up to take a closer look at the computer system Storm had set up.
Ren watched her closely, ready to answer any questions she might have and glanced over at Zachary. For some reason, the other man had found something very fascinating about the buttons on his shirt. Ren mentally counted down from five before the inevitable explosion occurred.
GAH! Zachary yelled. I cant stand this.
Ren laughed making Angelica and Zachary look at him in surprise. It didnt last long and Ren ran a hand through his hair before taking in the others. Go ahead and explore the castle, there are plenty of bedrooms. he said once all traces of humor vanished from his face.
Angelica nodded, Ill go get my suitcase.
Once she was gone, Ren looked over at Zachary and found himself face to face with the other side of the fire starters personality. Im curious what powers do you have?
Yours, Ren smirked, and Angelicas and anyone else that comes within my succubus range.
Zachary flipped his palm up and opened it seemingly satisfied that his powers were still there.
I didnt say I took your power away, Ren shrugged, refusing to resort to parlor tricks to prove what he was saying. He locked eyes with Zach and saw the disturbed man behind the mask. By coming near me, you are giving me the same power, he stated for clarity.
I take care of Angelica while shes here, Zach announced out of the blue.
Im not a babysitter and you can take care of everyone who shows up, Ren corrected him. Its not my job.
Zach nodded as if he had just won a strategic war, I know Storm is putting together an army.
Ren nodded, Yeah.
Hes going to need one, Zach rubbed his hands on his pant legs and stood up. Who else has he called in for this?
Almost everyone as far as I know, Ren answered. But there are a few he hasnt been able to locate.
Anything I can do to help out? Zach asked.
Ren nodded toward the computer, Find those that Storm cant. Hes listed all that are still missing in action.
Zach grinned and walked over to the computer. Lets see who the almighty one missed.
Ren watched, completely fascinated with this total switch in attitude. He didnt know which side he liked best but he knew which one he trusted more.
Chapter 4
Angelica lay on the bed with a couple of pillows propped up against the headboard behind her trying to avoid sleep her new favorite pastime. As soon as she came back in with her suitcase, she knew Zachary had pulled his little switch on Ren as the other man was sitting on the sofa staring at him. Zachary had told her to go ahead and find a room and get some sleep so shed happily pretended to do just that.
Chapter 4
Angelica lay on the bed with a couple of pillows propped up against the headboard behind her trying to avoid sleep her new favorite pastime. As soon as she came back in with her suitcase, she knew Zachary had pulled his little switch on Ren as the other man was sitting on the sofa staring at him. Zachary had told her to go ahead and find a room and get some sleep so shed happily pretended to do just that.
Shed walked the long halls for a few moments before choosing a door at random and opened it. Upon seeing the interior she smiled and placed her suitcase on the bed. The room was decorated in shades of purple accented with gold and lighter shades of lavender.
The bed was huge, probably emperor size, with a beautiful canopy accompanied by gold and purple throw pillows and comforter. The sheets and pillowcases were lavender and she almost giggled at the little gold tassels on the corners of them.
A large armoire sat on the far side of the room. When she opened it, she half expected to see it filled with old fashioned dresses from the ballroom area. To her disappointment, it was empty. On the wall across from the bed was an antique vanity table with a large mirror.
Next to the bed was a writing desk with a supply of pens and paper, along with a note telling her the data port for her lap top was on the wall underneath it. Angelica had almost laughed when she read this and bent over to take a look. Sure enough, she saw the access point and immediately dug out her laptop and hooked it up.
From her lazy position on the bed, she had a perfect view through the balcony doors at the moonlight shining down on the ocean. She smiled because it was an honest to god balcony.
Most people that knew her would have thought that she didnt go in for such girly things but all little girls had the fantasy of being a princess in a castle and she was no different. She even used to pretend that she was Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty, waiting for her prince to come and take her away.
Too bad she no longer believed in the theory of a knight in shining armor coming to rescue her from the big bad demons who surrounded the castle.
With a sigh, Angelica looked back down at her drawing and sketched out a few more lines before putting the pencil down on the night table beside her. Placing it on her lap, she lifted her hand and studied her palm where the symbol was imprinted. It wasnt a burn nor a tattoo of any kind it was just there.
Picking the paper back up, she looked at the picture shed drawn of Syn and added the symbol in the bottom right corner of the page. She blinked when the picture started to blur and lowered it back to her lap, closing her eyes for a moment just to stop them from burning.
Syn appeared beside Angelicas bed as soon as shed fallen asleep. Hed silently made his way through the castle and the city touching the minds of everyone shed interacted with. Hed needed to gain knowledge about her life so he would know exactly what he was dealing with. So far the most interesting information hed gained had been from Zacharys mind.
The blonde man was sharp as a whip but hid that fact under so many layers. He also held power of his own right as a hybrid. Zachary had been assigned as her protector and he took the job seriously. Syn knew Zachary would have to quickly get over his crush on Angelica she was not for the hybrid.
Zachary had read her dossier that PIT had on file, starting with her birth until now. The details were very accurate and siphoning that information from Zachary's mind let Syn know there were several people in her past, her childhood to be more precise, that would later meet a very uncomfortable fate.
Syn silently promised that he would erase them from existence without her knowledge. She would never again know the pain of rejection or violation of any kind.
Syn had watched through Zacharys eyes the memories of Angelica fighting the monsters of this world and knew it was sheer luck that she was still alive. He was sure she knew it as well, though with her interesting view of this world she would never admit it. His eyes trailed to her lips knowing the real reason he had come to her tonight.
Bending over her, Syn placed his hands gently on the pillow on each side of her head and let his lips hover tantalizingly close to hers. When she inhaled deep in her sleep, his lips parted and he blew softly. He watched the silver tendrils of power flow from his lips to hers. It was his promise the gift of a sun god to bestow the breath of life on his soul mate for her protection. From now on, any injury she received would heal just as quickly as it was given and she would no longer age.
He stood back up and gazed down at her with soft eyes. Her dark brown hair tumbled over the pillows, shining in the soft light of the room. The rich brocade of the pillows reminded him of how shed looked the last time while he watched her sleep in their bed on their home world.
The palm of her right hand was turned upward, revealing the mark he had placed there. It had already started its work, awakening her powers and soon her craving for him would follow.
He tried again to see into her mind but her ability to block him was just as strong in this life as it had been in the past. He found himself filled with jealousy knowing that Zachary could read her mind and he could not. He wondered over this but concluded it had to do with trust. She trusted Zachary enough to let her guard down around him he planned on gaining that same amount of trust.
If shed ever taught him anything, it was to have an obscene amount of patience, which he realized he was starting to grow a bit short on. Right now her mental shields were high but he was looking forward to working past them and convincing her to let him back in. Now that she was protected by his power, he would have all the time he needed.
Syn sat down on the edge of the bed and picked up the notebook to see what she had been working on. An intense calmness stole over him when he saw his detailed likeness on the paper she was already reaching for him and didnt even know it.
Angelica felt movement beside her and opened her eyes thinking it was Zachary. Only he would have the nerve to enter her room while she was sleeping.
She blinked finding the dark haired man shed just drawn sitting on the edge of her bed holding the drawing shed been working on. Angelica acted on instinct, diving toward him with her palm outstretched to exorcise him as she would any other demon.
Hello wife, Syn caught her by the wrist without looking up from the drawing and finished his perusal of it before lifting his dark amethyst gaze to hers.
Angelica locked her elbow in place, making her arm taut. She cocked an elegant eyebrow deciding to ignore the wife remark demons were delusional.
Syn abruptly pulled her toward him until there were only a few inches between them, close but not touching. Never lowering his eyes, he lifted her palm to his lips and kissed the suddenly glowing symbol.
Angelica stopped breathing for a few seconds she felt like hed set her on fire with such a simple and seductive move.
Youre a very stupid demon, she said trying to push away the sensation of his lips on her palm.
Im not a demon, Syn informed her. And your magic will never work on me. He released her wrist when her arm relaxed in his hold.
Angelica slowly pulled her hand back, Just because you say it, doesnt mean its true. She wrapped her own hand around her wrist trying to rub away the feel of his warm flesh touching hers. Who are you?