Desperate to do anything to stave off the insistent murmurs in her mind, she gave in to an urge to read tarot cards. She didnt consider herself particularly skilled with these sorts of readings, but shuffling and laying out the cards gave her restless hands something to do. She cleared the folding table she currently used for eating, painting and balancing business ledgers. The cards all but leaped out of her fingers into a traditional spread. They spoke of four men in her immediate future. A lover. A trickster. A villain. And a hero. But the cards stubbornly refused to tell her which one would win out in the end.
And that was why she didnt like using cards. She couldnt bully them into answering her the way she could stubborn spirits. She tried again, doing individual card turns. She turned over the Prince of Cups from the top of the deck. Then she pulled the Prince of Wands out of the middle of the deck. Then the Prince of Pentacles. She chose a fourth card with great reluctance.
No surprise. The Prince of Swords. What on earth? She would end up with all four men? That didnt sound like her. She would be thrilled to land one man, let alone four. Although she supposed she could do without a trickster or a villain in her life. Shed already had enough of the influence of those affecting her, compliments of her birth father, whoever he might be.
Her mother never had remembered anything about the night she was drugged at a party and raped, resulting in Lissas birth. Or maybe her mother hadnt wanted to remember. Not that Lissa blamed her. And not that she actually wanted to know who her birth father was.
Some people argued that Lissas gift was a result of the great trauma in her genetic past, and others said it was a curse visited on her. No matter its source, she would be glad to be rid of it.
Sometimes, when shed been little, shed been able to conjure a shadowy image of a mans face when she thought of her birth father, but shed never been able to see more than that. The fates had long made it clear that further knowledge of the man was not for her.
As she stared down at the four tarot cards on the table, another mans face swam into view in her mindthis time as sharp and clear as her fathers had been indistinct. He had short blond hair, light green-gold eyes that were reluctant to smile and a world of hurts accumulated on his handsome brow. She would love to know what had added such weight to Max Smiths spirit at such a young age. He couldnt be much more than thirty years old. Either that, or the man had the moisturizing regimen of a god.
His face still lingered clear and strong in her minds eye when she fell asleep. It even followed her into her dreams, promising to protect her and keep her safe.
And maybe that was why she didnt scream when she woke up and heard the noises coming from downstairs.
* * *
Max woke groggily as his cell phone exploded into sound. Cripes. What time was it? The face of the phone said it was nearly 3:00 a.m. The caller ID named L. Clearmont as the caller. What the hell?
Lissa? Whats up?
A frantic whisper replied. Theres someone in the shop. And it sounds like hes busting up everything.
Max lurched fully awake. Go into your bathroom. Lock the door or barricade it with a chair. Crawl into the bathtub, cover yourself with a white towel if theres one in there to make yourself harder to see and be very still and quiet. Ill call nine-one-one. Dont come out until the police identify themselves. Ill be there in ten minutes.
He leaped out of bed and yanked on jeans and a T-shirt, still rattling off instructions to her. If you have something heavy like a hammer or a wrench at hand, take it with you. Pound the crap out of any bastard who tries to lay a finger on you. Fight like a wildcat if they try to drag you out of there. And scream your head off. Wake up the whole damned neighborhood.
He grabbed his car keys and sprinted for Lola. Im getting in my car now. Hang on, Lissa. Ill be there as soon as I can and will kick their asses for you.
He tossed the phone, on speaker, onto the car seat beside him and peeled out, leaving expensive Italian racing rubber on the pavement. It was a fifteen-minute drive normally, but he made it in a shade under eight. The cops were still not there, the bastards.
The Saints had won their play-off game, and the partying on Bourbon Street had to be worse than usual, but still. Lissa lived in this town. She deserved a fast response from the NOPD to a break-in. Especially after the violent attack on her the day before. Hed no sooner had the thought than a pair of squad cars careened around the corner, sirens and lights screaming.
The cops advanced on the store, guns drawn, and he wasted no time moving up behind them.
Im a friend of the owner. Shes locked in the upstairs bathroom. While you gentlemen clear the main floor and the basement, Im going for her.
Sir, we need to clear the entire building before you enter the premises
Just dont shoot me, he tossed over his shoulder, his own pistol drawn from its shoulder holster and at the ready before him in a trained shooters grip. Ive got the left quadrant and stairs. And with that he spun through the smashed front door.
The cops must have recognized a trained operative, for they let him precede them and ceded the left third of the store to his search.
Clear! he called after racing up and down the first few rows of smashed curio cabinets and overturned display cases. Im going upstairs.
Roger that, one of the cops called back. Holler if you need backup.
Youll know if you hear gunshots, he bit out. If whoever had trashed the store had laid a hand on Lissa, there would be no fight. There would be lead flying and dead bastards bleeding out on her floor.
He moved quickly and silently up the stairs and spun into her living room, low and lethal. No movement. He pointed his weapon at each dark corner of the room, searching quickly for man-size shadows or any hint of movement. Hed told her to take Mr. Jackson with her into the bathroom if she could find the cat without having to go looking for him. Hed also suggested that she use the cat as a weapon, to throw it at anyone who tried to break through the bathroom door.
The living room was clear. He spun into the guest room and her bedroom, pausing to check under the bed and behind the armoire before moving to her bathroom door.
Lissa, its Max. The police are here, and the intruders have left. Its safe to come The door flew open and a soft, slight body flew into his arms, knocking him back a step with the force of her rush.
I knew youd come for me. I knew youd save me. You were there in my head, both of your faces smiling down at me and telling me everything would be fine...
What the hell was she talking about? Both of his faces?
We clear up here? someone called from over by the staircase.
All clear, Max called back to the cop. Ive got the owner of the store with me, and shes fine. Shell be down in a second to make a statement.
But for now he was just going to hold her and let their mutual panic subside a little. He was startled to realize his heartbeat was galloping madly and adrenaline screamed through his veins. He hadnt gotten this rattled since he was a kid, before his father starting training him seriously in how to be an undercover field operative. Spies didnt have strong emotions. Or if they did, they certainly didnt let those emotions get the best of them.
Damned if Maxs knees didnt feel a little wobbly, though. Was he really that smitten with this woman he barely knew? He lifted his chin off the top of her head to stare down at her, and she leaned back enough to stare up at him. There it was again. That rope of electric attraction hovering right at the edge of his vision, drawing them together.
Kiss me, Max.
I dont take advantage of women under duress
Kiss me, dammit, or bend down here so I can kiss you.
Youre bossy for a little thing
She looped her hands around the back of his neck and tugged his head down to hers while she stood on tiptoe. And then she kissed him.
Hed had some fine kisses in his day, but this was something else altogether. A movie of their future life together unfolded in his head almost too quickly to process. An entire symphony sound track played in the background, and his soul left his body, joined hers, twined with it. Then both leaped back into his body in the space of time it took to blink once.
Laughter. Love. Loss. Generations before and generations to come all crowded into his brain and then fled again, consumed by the fiery passion that exploded between him and Lissa the moment their lips touched.
She groaned and pressed herself closer to him as his arms tightened around her delicate frame. Although she didnt feel delicate right now. She felt like an untamed tiger in his embrace. And he felt like the one being consumed as she inhaled his soul into herself, stripping him bare and leaving him wide-open to her.
She staggered back from him with a gasp. I... Im so sorry... I know better than to cut loose like that.
What are you apologizing for? Laying the hottest kiss on me Ive ever experienced? He blinked down at her, stunned. That was incredible.
Youre not scared? she asked in a small voice.
Should I be?
Well, most people would be a little freaked out by the...intensity...of that.
Passion is nothing to be afraid of. I mean, I could see some guys being afraid of it. But it takes a lot to scare me... He trailed off, not entirely certain what they were talking about.
You have a point. She sounded bemused. A little distracted even, as if she was pondering something else altogether.
Whats going on in that complicated head of yours? he asked lightly, even though the question was dead serious.
Thats the second time the floodgates have opened around you. She didnt explain her comment.
Should I know what youre talking about? he asked.
No, of course not. Im just rambling on about nothing.
What floodgates? he persisted.
A police officers voice interjected from by the stairwell. Maam, if you could come downstairs, we need you to make a statement.
Thank God. Saved by the cops.
Yes, Officer, I know the drill. I was attacked last night on the street.
Someone got it in for you, maam?
Max froze at the question. Hed been too panicked on his way over there to make the obvious connection between the two attacks. He looked down at her, still nestled in his arms. Who wants to hurt you? Do you have enemies?
Not here. I just got to New Orleans.
Did that mean she had enemies elsewhere? Mad enough to follow her and take their revenge on her in the Big Easy? We need to talk, he murmured.
She nodded once, reluctantly.
The vandals had been kind enough to leave a calling card in the form of gang symbols spray painted on the walls and windows of the shop. This was retaliation for Julio G.s capture. Maxs jaw went hard as he stared at the damage. Julio G. wasnt the only guy in town who could call in muscle to make a point.
He asked the police tersely, Do you know where this gang has its headquarters?
Hey, now, buddy. We dont want no retaliation from the likes of you. Besides, these punks are a big, powerful gang. Lots of guys. Lots of guns. You stay away from them. Ya heah?
I hear, he replied evenly. He ignored, but he heard. Julio G. and his boys were about to deeply regret messing with one Lissa Clearmont.
Tonights police interview took considerably longer than last nights. Not only were the police less concerned about her mental well-being, since she hadnt been physically attacked this time, but they were highly suspicious of two attacks by a notorious gang in such quick succession. They probed at length for some connection between her and a gang member, some enemy, some ex-lover or disgruntled customer who could have caused Julio G. and his boys to target her.
Dawn was breaking by the time the last law enforcement professional packed up his tools and left. Max carried down a sheet of plywood from upstairs and sawed it to fit in the frame of the broken shop door. Youre going to need a new door. While youre at it, you should upgrade to something with a wrought iron security grill.
Id have no idea how to go about finding something like that.
Then youre in luck. I know every antique and secondhand dealer in town. Well find you something. But first, breakfast.
* * *
Lissa looked around the interior of one of New Orleanss most famous restaurants in dismay. They were the only customers. Is this place even open for breakfast?
Its open for us. I did the owner a favor a while back.
What kind of favor?
Max grinned across the white linen tablecloth at her. A big one, chère.
She subsided, knowing an evasion when she heard one. Max ordered eggs Benedict, bacon, sausage, grits and fresh fruit for two, and then leaned back to study her intently enough that she started to squirm a bit.
About that kiss last night, he started.
Oh, Lord. Shed been hoping he wouldnt bring that up. She had no idea why such a massive flood of impressions, images and information had come over her when theyd kissed. Her big visions were always tied to violence, not to hot kisses.
Maybe it had been her own fear that triggered the sudden onslaught of psychic emanations in her head. Shed probably just been too scared to put a lid on the vivid emotions that had flooded her. That was all it had beenemotion. Physical attraction and arousal. Not anything psychic. She was done with opening herself to those energies.
Max leaned forward curiously. What happened? Is that what its always like to kiss you?
I wouldnt know. Ive never kissed myself.
Something happened when you kissed me, Lissa.
He hadnt picked up on some of the visions that had shot through her when theyd kissed, had he? You mean the earth moved under your feet? she joked.
He frowned across the table at her. Im serious.
She really wished he would drop the line of questioning, but she sensed there wasnt a chance in hell he would do that. Instead she asked, a shade shortly, Describe something.
It was like my imagination went crazy. I saw all kinds of images and felt all kinds of feelings. Hell, I even thought I heard music. But it all happened in, like, a millisecond.
She swore under her breath. Did he have a gift of his own, then? Most mundanes were lucky to catch tiny snatches of her vision flow. Nobody saw the whole unedited show inside her skull. She leaned forward. Has anyone ever told you youre empathic?
He frowned. As in the woo-woo kind? An empath?