Clayton and Thomas stepped up to them. “Wolf,” Thomas said with a nod of his head.
Nathaniel eyed the badge hanging around her mate’s neck. “Warden.”
“Warden Hamilton Clayton, this is Walker Nathaniel West.”
The men shook hands. “Nice to meet you, West. If you’ll excuse us?” Clayton said.
Irritation flashed through Nathaniel’s eyes. He didn’t like being excluded, but he also wasn’t about to pick a fight with a couple of Wardens. Instead, he merely said his goodbyes and went to help Jeremiah pass out the earpieces.
Clayton grinned at her. “Hello again.”
She couldn’t help but return the smile. Thomas’s irritation spiked again. She glanced at him. “And you need to take up yoga or pop a Xanax or something.”
There was a brief silence and then Clayton barked out a laugh. Even Thomas’s lips twitched and the irritation subsided. “I knew I liked you,” Clayton said.
She shrugged. “Someone’s got to keep him in line. What can I do for you, Warden?”
“Hamilton,” he corrected immediately. “I have a spell that I thought we might make use of. It’s not much, just a spell that turns away any who wish to cause others harm. I can cast it on each of the gates.”
“Not much? That’s fantastic.”
Clayton looked pleased but shook his head. “It’s no guarantee. There are lots of other ways he could get in here if he’s determined, but who knows.”
“And it will keep down the other instances of trouble,” Thomas added.
“And the less trouble, the better,” she said. “Please see to it as soon as possible. Then I’d like you and the other Wardens to stay centrally located so you can respond to the most severe threats. I’ll have Jeremiah put you on the same frequency as me, Thomas and Taft.”
“Taft?”
“He would be the pretty boy with the crush on my mate.” Thomas all but growled the words.
Juliana looked around to make sure no one was close enough to hear, then leaned in. “He does not have a crush on me. And if I get fired because you can’t keep your cursed mouth shut I’m going to be pissed.”
Thomas’s scowl deepened when Clayton said, “Then you can come work for us.”
Her mate held out a hand. “Come. I’ll show you where you’ll be keeping watch from.”
* * *
The crowds teemed below. Despite her earlier prediction, she’d hoped the worries of the Thief would keep the numbers down. That the public would be smart. But with almost every event cancelled in the city, there were more people here than usual. The only benefit was, it seemed for the most part, parents were keeping their younger children away from the carnival. It made her job easier, made fewer signatures for her to scan.
It wouldn’t be too much longer before she was completely useless anyway. She’d used her gift too many times and too long throughout the day. As it was, she already held a handkerchief under her nose to catch the blood that leaked from it every time she turned her gift on to scan another child. Pressure throbbed behind her eyes in a steady rhythm and made her ears ache.
As it grew later, there were fewer and fewer around the age range the Thief favored. She hoped they’d quit coming altogether before long. Another child by the carousel caught her eye and she flashed on her gift long enough to see the hybrid signature. She shut her gift off again so she could give an accurate description of the child.
She pressed on her earpiece. “We have a female. Eight or nine years old getting on the carousel. Dressed like a princess. Pink dress, brown hair and a tiara getting on the purple horse.”
There was a brief pause and she kept watch over the girl as the ride began its rotation. “We’ve got eyes on her,” Jeremiah responded to let her know one of the units below had found the girl and would keep her in their line of sight until she left the carnival. Though that hadn’t stopped the Thief before.
Pain spiked through Juliana’s head and she popped two more pain pills, downing them with several long swallows of water. Her eyes burned with exhaustion. She rubbed them with the finger and thumb of one hand before running her hand back over her head. When this case was over, she was crawling into bed and not getting back out for a week.
“How are you holding up?” Thomas’s voice directly behind her made her jump.
She turned to face him and leaned against the railing behind her. They were in a tower that usually served as the starting point of a zip-line ride across the grounds. Mephisto had been sued after some drunken idiot hurt himself on it last year. The ride had been shut down ever since. He wasn’t going to run anything that might cost him money. On the plus side, it made the perfect base for her. She had a clear line of sight of almost the entire fairgrounds. Angry ropes of muscle stood out on Thomas’s neck as his mouth settled in a tight line. She must look about as good as she felt.
He reached out and took the handkerchief from her hand then used it to wipe away more blood from under her nose.
She gave him a tired half smile. “Sexy, huh?”
A brow arched in response. “Quite. The large, black circles under your eyes add to the appeal.” He sighed. “You’re going to burn yourself out,
Joya
. Then you will be no good to anyone.”
She shook her head. “They’re kids, Thomas. How do I stop when I have the ability to keep going?”
* * *
That was his Juliana. Always helping those around her even to her own detriment. He should make her stop; she was harming herself. And the gods only knew what kind of permanent damage was being done every time she pushed herself too far. But she’d hate him for it, and he’d hate himself a little bit as well. She was right. As long as there was the possibility that her gift might save a child, she had to push herself. It went against every instinct to stand there and allow her to continue to put herself in pain, however.
“A large group just came in the west gate. They’re older, but not beyond the realm of possibility,” the elemental said over their earpieces.
Juliana held out her hand and he placed the cloth in it. She turned toward the area of the grounds in question and he moved to stand directly behind her. He smiled a little when her breath hitched at his nearness. At least she wasn’t completely immune to his presence. Sometimes he wondered.
After looking with her own eyes for a moment, she lifted a pair of binoculars. “They’re all Altered or human. No mixed.” She put the binoculars down and pressed the stained cloth to her nose. There was more red than white visible by that point.
He pulled a fresh one from his back pocket and handed it to her. Blood flowed freely when she exchanged the handkerchiefs. “Shit.” She applied more pressure and pinched the bridge of her nose with her other hand. When that failed to work, she leaned forward as well.
“Since when do you carry handkerchiefs?” she asked him.
“Since I started spending time with you again. You bleed more than any woman I’ve ever met.” There was more than a touch of sarcasm in his tone.
“Gee, thanks.”
He pressed on his earpiece. “Have someone run a first-aid kit up the tower.”
“It’s on its way,” the elemental answered almost immediately. “How’s she doing?”
“She’s about done.”
“No, I’m not.” She straightened and removed the now red cloth as proof of her ability to continue torturing herself.
“If he’s asking for a medkit, you’re almost finished,” came the reply before Thomas could say anything. “Cling to your stubborn denial all you want, but you know your body won’t give you a choice before long.”
Eventually, her gift would just cease to function. It was undoubtedly her body’s safety mechanism to keep her from literally burning herself out.
“Well, until that happens, let me try to do as much as I can.” She turned back around to scan the crowd and he stepped forward to stand beside her at the rail. Her eyes weren’t glowing so she hadn’t turned her gift back on yet. At least she was being smart about when she used it.
Footsteps pounded on the ladder below them. He glanced back to see a uniform pushing a first-aid kit across the deck in their direction. He nodded his thanks and looked at his watch. It was almost nine o’clock. She’d been at this for eleven hours. It was amazing she hadn’t been drained long ago.
He squatted next to the kit and rifled through it, pulling out a stack of gauze. It wasn’t the greatest option, but it would do the trick when she started gushing again. If not, he’d tell Jeremiah to send up a pile of towels next time.
Chapter Sixteen
Juliana was hyperaware of Thomas standing behind her, watching her work. He’d spent the day rotating between circling the grounds and checking on her. When he wasn’t with her, he kept an almost constant stream of conversation flowing between them over their earpieces. That had stopped when Taft tried to join in. Jeremiah, being the intelligent person he was, told them to keep the channel clear before Thomas could start anything with the detective.
Once Thomas’s channel of communication was severed, his patrols of the grounds had become more compact and centered on the tower. As much as she wanted to be annoyed, she also couldn’t help the warmth that filled her at his gesture of protectiveness. It was nice to be taken care of occasionally.
A tremor of unease ran up her spine. Something was wrong. She stepped closer to the railing and switched on her gift, barely noticing when Thomas thrust a handful of gauze at her. Her eyes scanned the crowd, frantically searching until they fell on a familiar signature—pale purple with swirls of black rotating through it. A vampire with ties to black magic. Only one person she’d ever met had a signature like that. Raoul. She shut down her gift so she could get eyes on him and confirm what she already knew.
“Son of a bitch.” He was draped in a cloak and wore a skeleton mask. He was also looking right at the tower. He’d left her alone for almost seven years and now he seemed to appear everywhere she turned. At first, she got it. He’d tried to kill her to keep her from telling Thomas what he’d done to her. But now Thomas knew and had put a bounty on Raoul’s head. What more could the man possibly want from her?
She pressed on the earpiece. “Jeremiah, I’ve got eyes on Raoul. I need the Wardens with me. Everyone else maintain their positions.”
Thomas was instantly at her side. “Where?”
She gestured in that direction. The bastard waved at them and ducked into the building beside him. The nightclub. The only place she didn’t have covered by her men because she thought they weren’t needed there. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
“He just went in the club. He’s wearing a cloak and a skull mask.” She started to tell the Wardens to kill him if they had the chance but remembered she was supposed to be the good guy. The good guys didn’t order people killed. No matter how much they might deserve it.
By the time she finished calling in the update, she was already at the bottom of the ladder. The crowd parted in front of her. She didn’t know if that was because of the swords she held, the blood still trickling down her face or the fact she was running. And frankly, she didn’t care as long as they stayed out of the way.
She forced her gift back on as she reached the low white building that housed the temporary nightclub. She threw open the door and screamed as pain scorched across her brain. Black lights illuminated the interior of the club, making costumes, makeup and walls glow. That combined with the swirl of signatures was sensory overload. She bent over and sucked in a lungful of air as her gift shut itself down. She wouldn’t be able to use it anymore tonight. Unfortunately, the pain didn’t recede with the useful part of her gift.
She shoved her discomfort aside and continued her pursuit of the vampire. Her foot came down on something soft and she glanced down. A skeleton mask, cloak and gloves lay in a pile at her feet. She pressed on her earpiece. “Raoul has discarded the costume. Look for a man with half a face.” Afraid of injuring a bystander with her blade, she slipped it into the sheath and drew her gun instead. After double-checking the safety, she stepped forward into the gyrating mass. “Give me a location check.”
“I’m coming around the back,” Taft said. She decided to ignore the fact she’d ordered him to maintain his position. Making sure Raoul didn’t escape again was too important.
“The Wardens are behind you and everyone else is still monitoring the fairgrounds,” Clayton answered. “We’ll get the son of a bitch, don’t worry.” The vehemence in his voice had her wondering just how much of her story the Wardens knew.
She wished she could believe he wouldn’t escape again, but their prey was a case study in how to not get caught. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Thomas and the rest of the Wardens fanned out behind her. “Badges out and draw your weapons. I want him to panic. He’ll be easier to spot in this crowd if he runs.”
“Gods, woman, you’re bleeding all over the place,” Deke piped in.
“I’m fine. Fan out.” She swiped an arm across her face and waited for them to do as she asked. She pushed her way through the dancers, watching for any sign of Raoul. The floor started to open up as people realized something was going on and cleared out of the way. Then she saw him, one figure moving against the flow. Not dancing with everyone else or moving to the sides. No, he had a purpose. He was heading straight to the back door. He glanced back and confirmed with his face like melted wax that it was him.
She pushed more fervently through the crowd as he neared the edge on the far side. Curse it, why would no one get out of her way. She aimed at the nearest speaker and put a round in it. Several people screamed and most of them ducked. Everyone quit moving but her prey, and the DJ shut the music down. “Move,” she yelled.
Bodies scrambled out of her way as she thrust herself through the crowd just in time to watch her quarry disappear out the back door. “He’s out the back door,” she yelled into her earpiece. “Repeat, suspect is no longer in the club.”
She ran into the crisp night air and the door slammed behind her. A heavy beam fell against the door with a
thud
, making it impossible for the Wardens to follow her out. Raoul grabbed her and slammed her against the wall. With one hand on her throat, the other clasped around the wrist of her gun hand. Pounding came at the door of the club and Thomas screamed her name. She wrapped her fingers around the wrist of the hand at her throat.
“Where is it?” Raoul hissed inches from her face.
His rancid breath made her cringe away from him and try to turn her head. “Ever hear of a breath mint, asshole?”
He shook her again. Slammed her hand against the wall trying to get her to drop the gun. “Where is it?”
She sucked in weak breaths past the pressure on her neck. “What?”
A
click
resounded in the alley and they both turned toward the source. Taft stood a short distance from them, weapon drawn and ready to fire. “Release her.”
Raoul hissed and curled his lip in a sneer. He snapped his hands open and backed away. Juliana brought her weapon to bear on him. A small gold band on his finger caught her attention as he turned it with his thumb. A portal shimmered behind him and he stepped backward through it. It shut as soon as he was through.
“Shit.” She moved away from the wall and wove to the side.
Taft caught her arms and steadied her. “Whoa. You okay?”
“Where did he go?” she asked.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” he answered.
Her head swam and black spots crept into the edges of her vision. Not now. She pushed Taft away as heat flooded her face and she stumbled to the side. She stayed bent over with her hands on her knees, swaying slightly.
“Are you all right?” Thomas asked from beside her.
She hadn’t even heard him enter the alleyway. She turned her head to answer him and the world went black.
* * *
The color drained from Juliana’s face and Thomas caught her just before she collapsed to the ground. He knew she’d pushed herself too far. He sat on the ground and pulled her into his lap. “Call a medic,” he told the detective.
“Is she okay?” the man asked instead of doing as he’d been told.
Thomas ground his teeth together. “Medic. Now.”
Hamilton came over to them. “Is she all right?”
“She will be. Get that beam off the door.” They’d had to retrace their steps and come around the side of the club to get to her. They’d entered the alley between the two buildings just as Raoul disappeared. Again.
“Was that him?” Hamilton asked as Deke and Rebel moved the beam.
“Yes, that was him.” Juliana stirred in his arms and Thomas glanced down to find her color returning to normal.
“Any idea where he went?” Hamilton asked.
“If I knew that, I’d already be after him.”
The pretty boy knelt in front of them and looked Juliana over. “Medics are on the way.” As much as he hated to admit it, Thomas owed the detective. He’d stepped up and helped Juliana when she’d needed it.
Thomas looked around for a portal. “Who did you call?”
Confusion furrowed his brow. “Emergency services. Who was I supposed to call?”
Idiot. All he had to do was tell Jeremiah to call the Agency medics in. Thomas grunted in annoyance. “Hamilton?”
“On it.”
Moments later the familiar blue glow of a portal lit the alley as medics stepped through. Warden medics. Thomas shook his head. The Agency would have a fit over this later he was sure. But when didn’t they find something to complain about?
The detective moved out of the way and one of the medics took his place. “If you’ll lay her on the ground, we’ll look her over.”
“She’s fine where she’s at.” They could take her pulse and listen to her heartbeat in his lap. He wasn’t laying her on the cold ground unless it was absolutely necessary.
“Don’t be an ass. Just do what they tell you,” pretty boy piped up.
Thomas snapped his head around to look at him, but Hamilton stepped between them before he could even say anything. “If I was you, and I’m really glad I’m not right now, I’d be shutting my damn mouth.”
“You called the medics? Seriously?” Juliana said, her voice weak.
He looked down to find her gazing up at him through half-shut eyes.
“And I don’t suppose anyone bothered trying to track that portal?”
Thomas blinked, still trying to process that she was awake and complaining.
“There’s no need. I already know who cast it.” Thomas ignored the look she gave him as he helped her sit up and lean against his chest. The medics proceeded to examine her while she continued to talk.
“You and I are going to have a conversation about your latest trip.” She squinted and cringed against him when the medic shined a bright light into her eyes. “Take it easy with that, will you? I’ve got a headache.”
“You really should come in for some tests,” he said as he pointed the light at the ground.
She snorted. “Don’t think so.”
The medic glanced at Hamilton, who was the highest-ranking Warden on site. He shrugged. “I can’t make her do anything. She doesn’t work for me and she ain’t my wife.” He looked right at Thomas as he said the last. As if Thomas had ever been able to make her do anything.
“Are you sure you’re okay? Raoul didn’t do any permanent damage?” he asked against her ear, frowning when she trembled.
She shook her head. “This wasn’t from him. I’ve had much worse. This was all me. I burnt out, pushed too far. I’ll be fine.”
Thomas studied what he could see of her face. She seemed sincere. He nodded once at the medics. “We’ll keep an eye on her and take her in if anything else happens.”
“Suit yourselves,” one of them said. They gathered up their belongings and departed through another portal.
“What’ve you got for me?” she asked and he followed her line of sight, surprised to see the elemental and the wolf. He hadn’t even been aware of them joining the gathering.
“There’s nothing going on around here except your run in with Raoul. It’s late enough that kids in the age range we’re looking for are heading home or not coming at all,” the elemental told her.
“I’m sorry,” the wolf said. “I know you were hoping to catch him tonight.”
She shook her head. “Don’t be sorry. I’m disappointed we didn’t catch the bastard, but I’m not going to complain because he didn’t show up to snatch a kid.”
“Maybe my spell worked,” Hamilton suggested.
“Maybe so.” She smiled, then yawned and rubbed a hand down her face.
Thomas looked at his friend. “Can you finish up here? I need to get her home.”
“Absolutely. Just take care of her. We’ll check with you in the morning.”
Hamilton stepped over and took Juliana’s hands to pull her to her feet. And he literally had to pull her up. She swayed and Thomas quickly rose behind her. He resisted the urge to sweep her into his arms and carry her home, knowing she wouldn’t appreciate it. He tossed his keys to Hamilton. “Make sure my car gets home,” he said, then he called for a portal to take them to the Roma.
* * *
Juliana tossed and turned in her sleep. She kept having dreams where she chased faceless shadows but never caught them. She didn’t need an analysis to guess where that came from. A voice drifted through her slumber and pulled her awake.
Thomas was arguing with someone. She strained to catch the words. “And I’m telling you she’s not coming. She’s not up to it. Take pictures, tell her about it tomorrow. Don’t call again.”
Shit. Just what she needed. The bastard had killed another kid while they wasted time at the fairground. She fumbled around on the nightstand until she found her cell phone. She flipped it open and called Jeremiah.
“Talk to me.”
“What...how did you even know?” he stammered.
“Thomas is in the other room arguing with someone on the phone. I figured it was you.”
“Taft,” he spat the word. “That little shit. I told him to leave you alone.”
She scratched her head. “It doesn’t matter now. I’m up. Tell me what’s going on.”
“There’s no body. You don’t need to be here. We can fill you in later.”
She sighed and shot a glance at the clock. Two in the morning. “For gods’ sakes, just tell me.”
“I’m not sure how to tell you,” he said, sounding defeated. “There’s no way to describe it. It’s like his art gallery. I don’t know.”
“What’s the address?” she asked as she tossed the covers off.