“You all set?” Dom asked his fellow Guardian Jackson Foss. “She’s coming.”
“Yep,” Jackson replied on the other end of the line. “I’m ready, although I think you’re going way overboard with this convoluted scent-masking scheme.”
“Just do what I tell you to do.”
If only Dom could let Mackenzie go straight home. Or better yet, invite her into his warm car with its heated seats.
But it was crucial to confuse her trail if any Darkbloods got to the cemetery looking for him. They’d pick up her scent and follow her like bloodhounds. This was the only way to make sure they couldn’t track her.
He sensed her discomfort and wished there was something he could do. When he saw her fall in the creek, he had jumped to help, but he had to stop himself and could only watch as she got drenched.
After her bike roared past his location in the trees, he waited a few impatient moments before following.
“Where do you have the first detour?” Dom gritted his teeth as he glanced at the speedometer. Did she even know what a speed limit was?
“At Maple Grove Road. She’ll want to turn right, but I’ve got the road closure barricade set up, and she’ll have to turn left. Hope there isn’t much traffic.”
“There shouldn’t be. Just don’t lose her, all right? And don’t get too close. Don’t forget she’s a sweetblood.”
Why in the hell had he let Jackson set up the detours anyway? He should’ve done it himself.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Here she comes now.” Jackson paused and Dom heard the low rumble of her bike through the phone. “Oh shit, dude, she’s pissed.” As the guy erupted in snorts of laughter, Dom bristled. “She didn’t see the sign until she was almost on it. She pulled a u-ey and kicked the damn thing over. You should’ve seen her whip that bike around. And when she drove away... Man, she’s hot.”
Dom nearly ran the Porsche off the road. Cursing under his breath, he told himself to stay calm.
“Gotta get the next one ready.” Jackson laughed, and the line went dead.
Dom drove straight to Mackenzie’s house, laying down masking scent as Jackson did on the long route. After parking down the block, he reclined the seat and turned on some music. His shoulders ached, and he reached back to rub the knotted muscles. Taking a deep breath, he tried to relax. The circuitous route home should put her back here in thirty or forty minutes. No big deal.
But what about that phone? Her finding it screwed up everything. How was he going to get it back? The data might not be retrievable, the device might be too damaged, but he still had to try. He’d just let himself into her house tonight and take it. That’s all there was to it. Then he’d be done with this.
He glanced at his watch, ran his fingers through his hair. She should be pulling in soon but he didn’t sense her presence yet. What the hell? His fingers drummed the back of his headrest, then the steering wheel, and he inspected his watch again. Technically, they weren’t really late. The half-hour timeframe was merely an approximation.
Fifteen minutes later, he texted Jackson.Be there soon,was the reply. After goose bumps prickled his arms and he shivered, he realized he was sensing her chills.
He couldn’t bear to sit inside any longer. When he climbed out of the car, the peppery smell of wet pavement and the sound of spring frogs hidden in the dark reminded him he was among the calm energies of the Seattle area, not the volatile ones he was used to in the South.
He paced the sidewalk for what seemed like a millennium, memorizing every crack, every stray weed, and the license plate numbers of every car on her block. Picking up snippets of herneighbors’ lives, he heard a blaring television, an argument with kids about bath time, and one neighbor was fucking someone who wasn’t his wife. Christ.
When he didn’t think he could take it a moment longer, a single headlight flashed in the distance, and he heard the low rumble of her motorcycle. He leaned on the hood of the car, slumping his head with relief. Finally, he could breathe again. Although he sensed how cold she was, she was here. She was fine. She pulled into her garage and disappeared into the house.
Minutes later, two headlights appeared and a jacked-up black 4x4 pulled in behind the Porsche. He had Foss by the neck before he could put the vehicle in Park. Dom leaned in close, his fangs extended.
“What the hell did you do to her?”
“Jesus, Dom, what’s wrong with you? Get off me.”
“Did you touch her?” His thumb and fingers tightened around his friend’s larynx as he took a deep whiff, sniffing for any sign ofher.Nothing.
“No. What the hell’s your problem?” Jackson choked.
Relieved on one level, but still pissed off, Dom loosened his grip and Jackson shoved him away.
“What took you so long? You should have had her back thirty minutes ago.”
“It’s not like I’m some weakass Darkblood wanting to suck anything with two legs and a pulse,” Jackson said as he rubbed his neck, “even if she is a sweetblood. She got pulled over by the cops. Talked her way out of a ticket though. Since when did you become so protective?”
“Why didn’t you call or text me?”
