Alpha Hunter (9 page)

How nice for you
. Rather than speak the grumbling thought, Angie offered Aria a tight smile.

Fear and frustration propelled the thought into
Blayne’s mind. His connection with Angie was still active, but he’d constricted his end so only strong emotions passed across the link. “Our primary concern is the possibility that Nazerel can track Angie. During their last interaction, he briefly touched her mind.”

“Does
Nazerel share your gift or did he bug her?” Drakkin wanted to know.

“He
anchored a tracer strand. I don’t think it’s functional, but there were complications when I attempted to sever the link.”

Drakkin stood and strolled across the room, hands clasped behind his back. His nonchalance was calculated. He was downplaying the importance and the danger. “Will you allow me to take a look?” He smiled at Angie, but she remained tense and suspicious
, clearly not buying his casual act.

“He won’t hurt you,” Aria
assured. “He’s very good at this.”

Drakkin shot his mate a secretive smile and Blayne felt the subtle ripple of telepathic communication. Drakkin was just flirting with his mate, but Blayne didn’t want Angie to misinterpret the exchange. He stood and approached her a
s well. “One of Lord Drakkin’s apprentices founded the Conservatory. Lord Drakkin is extremely skilled and—”

“I appreciate the vote of confidence,
Blayne, but the lady hasn’t refused.”

It was a subtle reprimand.
Not wanting to anger their host, Blayne briefly inclined his head. “I apologize.” He moved to Angie’s side and placed his hand on the back of her chair.

She looked up at him and then at Drakkin, her expression devoid of emotion. “Are you just going to look around?”

“If it’s possible to release the tracer strand, would you like me to do so?”

“Of course.”

Drakkin nodded. “Then let’s begin.”

Anxiety radiated off Angie in waves. Blayne dilated his end of their connection and eased into her mind. He kept his touch light, ensuring that she didn’t sense him.

Is there some reason you’re being this paranoid?
Drakkin’s signal was narrow and heavily shielded, clearly meant for him alone.

She
’s been through a lot and I promised to protect her. I will not interfere.

Then stay back. If you become a distraction, I will push you out.

Understood.

Drakkin advanced with gradual pressure, his signal strong yet meticulously controlled. He released some sort of pulse, but Blayne didn’t recognize the frequency.

You are calm. There is no danger. You are safe.
Drakkin sent the thoughts ahead of him as he ventured deeper into Angie’s mind.

Images flooded Blayne’s mind, inundating him with chaotic emotions. A red-haired woman with kind blue eyes appeared in many of the memories. This had to be Angie’s mother. The emotions surrounding her were too complex and convoluted to be triggered by anyone else. Anger and
grief, fear and regret were all eclipsed by Angie’s burning resentment. Yet an aching sense of loss threaded through the bitterness.

A stronger pulse made Angie gasp and Blayne instinctively reached for her. He ran his hand down the back of her hair and m
assaged the nape of her neck. He started to speak, to say something soothing, but Drakkin had warned him not to distract her.

She remained tense and still beneath his hand, her eyes tightly shut.

Drakkin moved closer, his shins nearly touching her knees. “I can remove the link, if that’s what you want, but I think it’s unwise.”

Her lashes fluttered then she opened her eyes and looked up at Drakkin. “Why?”

“As Blayne detected, the link is not functional, but it could well lead you to Nazerel.”

She shook her head, glanced at him then back at Drakkin. “I can’t even feel it. How can I use
something I can’t feel?”

“I
’m about to activate your gift. Once I’ve done so, you will become aware of many things.”

“Gift?
What gift?” She crossed her arms over her chest and sank back into one corner of the chair.

“You
’re a farseer. You will be able to perceive events as they happen in distant locations from your physical body. It’s a relatively common gift. However, I detect a second component to your gift, one very few possess.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Drakkin’s smile was patient, yet his gaze had turned fierce and speculative. “You’re a temporal farseer. Your visions are not limited by space or time. Once you learn to control your gift, you will be able to
see
into the past and the future.”

“Cool,” she muttered th
en looked away.

She doesn’t believe you.

Drakkin chuckled.
I’m aware.

Angie fidgeted beneath Drakkin’s assessing stare. He obviously believed she had some sort of psychic power, but she knew better. All of these men were crazy if they thought she was anything special. If Nazerel knew all of the things she’d done, and all the things that had been done to her, he’d shudder and walk away. Ontarian blood or not, she wasn’t anyone’s ideal mother. Blayne was wasting his time and Drakkin obviously had better things to do than…

Uncertainty seeped into her impatience. She’d been teleported to another planet after witnessing a telekinetic fight between two telepathic aliens. How could she be sure about
anything
anymore?

“
I’ve never had any sort of vision.” She shrugged, feeling foolish. “I rarely even dream.” That was a blatant lie. Each time she closed her eyes she prayed she wouldn’t dream because her dreams were filled with images and events she’d spent the better part of a decade trying to forget.

“Your gift is latent,” Drakkin told her. “It’s not surprising that you’re unaware of it. I can activate it in stages, if you prefer. That will make it easier to control.” The rings in Drakkin’s eyes suddenly flashed and he looked at Blayne. “Lor wishes to speak with you. He says it’s urgent.”

“Ask him if the information is for me alone or if he’d rather speak with Angie as well.”

Drakkin stepped back from her chair and made a sweeping gesture with one hand. Lor’s image appeared to his right
, vivid yet transparent.

Magic video conferencing?
What would they think of next?

“I suspect th
e fact isn’t going to please either of you, but you’re suddenly celebrities.” Lor appeared anything but amused.

Blayne moved to stand beside her chair. “What are you talking about?”

“You’re little dustup with Nazerel was caught on tape, including your miraculous departure. The recording is plastered all over the internet.”

“Shit,” Blayne muttered.

“And the Provo police want to question Angie. Her picture is nearly as popular as yours.”

Angie gasped and scooted to the edge of her chair.
“Why do they think I had anything to do with it?”

Lor looked at her as he explained, “The front desk clerk reported that you watched the fight and both men disappeared right after you
took off. She insists they were following you.”

Angie shook her head.
The men
had
followed her, but who had been in a position to jump to the right conclusion? “Must have been that jerk who gave me the horrible coffee. It was hate at first sight with that bitch.”

“Morgan has her people working on it. She insists that she can make
this go away, but she needs some time. Is Lord Drakkin still there?”

“I am.”
Drakkin shifted so Lor could see him.

“May we impose on your hospitality a bit longer than we originally thought?”

“Of course and it’s no imposition. They’re welcome to stay as long as they like.”

“Thank you.” Lor looked at Blayne again. “I’ll contact you when I know more.” The image blinked out before Blayne could reply.

“Who is Morgan?” Angie asked.

“She’s in charge of
the team of humans who assist with interdimensional conflicts. I’ve never worked with her before, but she came highly recommended.”

“She was recruited away from the FBI,” Drakkin told her. “
Our paths have crossed a time or two. Her title is Interplanetary Ambassador, but her organization doesn’t officially exist.”

“A
Men in Black
sort of thing?”

He paused as if he were searching a database for the answer.
“Ah, the motion picture. Yes, very much like the
Men in Black
.”

Blayne moved forward, insinuating himself in front of Angie.
“Maybe we should give Angie an hour or two to process all of this before you—”

“I’m fine.” She stood
and moved beside Blayne. “My bodyguard is overprotective.”

“I’ve noticed.” Drakkin flashed his charming smile. With a mate who was fabulously wealthy and drop-dead gorgeous, Aria had done very well for herself.

As if summoned by Angie’s stray thought, Aria stood and drew Drakkin’s attention. “If they’re staying for the foreseeable future, I have arrangements to make.” Her lavender gaze shifted to Angie as she asked, “Would you prefer separate rooms?”

“Yes,” Angie said.

“No,” Blayne stressed.

Both answers arrived at exactly the same time.

Drakkin chuckled. “One of the ambassador suites should be sufficient. They have separate bedrooms with a common sitting area.”

“Thank you,” Angie said. Blayne was here to protect her. It made sense for him to be nearby. Still, having him in the same bedroom would have been too…damn tempting. Heat rolled through her body, mocking her hesitation. Attraction had been smoldering between them ever since he zapped her away from the police station in Utah.

Aria gathered her shopping bags and left the room.

“The house is
fully staffed and still she refuses to allow anyone to assist her.” Drakkin’s gaze lingered on the place where Aria had last been. “She spent too much time on Earth.”

“Needless independence is a trait common to human females,” Blayne agreed.

“Independence is never needless and Aria isn’t human.”

“The only thing Earth’s females like better than flexing their independence is being contrary.”

Drakkin laughed, so Angie glared at them both. “I’m not contrary; I’m obstinate.”

“Could you please explain the difference?”

“One was your word the other was mine.” Blayne smiled and his gaze shimmered like liquid silver. Something deep inside Angie compressed, clenching in on itself until her abdomen ached. Why did she react to him so powerfully? She’d had lovers who hadn’t left her tense and tingling. All Blayne had to do was smile and her senses electrified. “Can we get back to scrambling my brain now?”

“
This will be more like unscrambling your brain,” Drakkin said with the hint of a smile. “I’ll simply release your full potential.”

“I thought you were going to do this in stages.”

“Are you always so literal? I will unlock your farseeing gift while leaving the temporal aspects inactive. Once you’re comfortable with your visions, I’ll activate the temporal element as well.”

“All right.”
She took a deep breath, refusing to cower like a frightened child. But really who would blame her. Everything that happened in the past twenty-four hours had been surreal. She was amazed that she was still standing and capable of creating anything resembling rational thoughts.

“Close your eyes.” Drakkin made a subtle motion and Blayne moved behind her.

Was Drakkin afraid she’d pass out or freak out or—

Relax. This will not hurt, but you will feel strange.
Disoriented.

As if hearing
his voice inside her head wasn’t disorienting enough. Warmth flowed into her mind and cascaded through her body, siphoning off her strength. Every muscle she possessed seemed to melt. Arms wrapped around her, pulling her back against something solid and warm. Blayne. They must have known this would happen. No, Drakkin was making it happen.

“Why are you drugging me?” She couldn’t think of a better word for the way she felt.

I need you to remain calm and still. It will only hurt if you resist what I’m—

The past surged into the present
, driving rational thoughts from her mind. She twisted out of Blayne’s hold, stumbling blindly before his arms wrapped around her again. “You’re safe, Angie. No one will harm you here.”

She wanted to believe him, needed to believe him, but her body didn’t seem to care. She jerked and arched, clawing at his forearms. “Let go of me!”

Stop
. Drakkin commanded.

Her body froze, stiff and motionless. She tried to speak, but her vocal cords wouldn’t respond.
Panic exploded inside her, pulsing through her mind in useless surges.