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Pillars and beams—no doubt load-bearing—were spaced evenly through the room. Toward the back, I spied a large throne, or perhaps it was just a massive chair, but it was huge, with a door beyond it. Four women were sitting around the base of the chair, and one I recognized from the picture that Faerman had given us. It was his wife, Syringa. They were harnessed, unable to go farther than their tethers, and they all looked afraid and exhausted.
As Halcon pushed me from behind, toward the throne, I realized that I’d just become Gulakah’s fifth…wife? Handmaiden? Whatever he was using them for. It took everything I had for me to force myself not to run. The sight of the tethers and harnesses were flashing me back to the chains Hyto had used to restrain me. Playful bondage with Smoky and his hair? Not a problem. The real thing with a megalomaniac who was also a god? No, thank you!>“Well then, shall we go get some coffee? I know a Starbucks near here that’s still open.”
“Don’t you want me to talk to your members, like the others?” I peeked over my shoulder, as he steered me back to the door.
“My associates can handle the job. Please, allow me to persuade you to join our little group? I sense a great deal of promise in you, and I like to welcome our most appealing newcomers personally.”
Halcon aimed me for the doors, and as we approached them, I realized the Tregarts had formed a semicircle behind me. There was no real way for me to get free. Halcon and his men had set up a spiderweb and I was caught smack in the middle, with them creeping in from all sides.
Remember, this is your trap, not his. You aren’t in danger. Not yet. But you can’t let on you’re nervous or they’ll become suspicious. This is supposed to be something you want.
As I gave myself a mental pep talk, we entered the hall, and Halcon turned me to the left. He kept up a steady patter of conversation as we moved swiftly down the hall, and I realized he was talking so fast there was no way I could get a word in edgewise. He was bulldozing me—or he thought he was—and I tried to control my nerves as he pushed open the side door and we exited the building.
We were on the side of the Community Center now, and I hoped that Shade was nearby and following. We were in the shadows, after all, so he might be. Praying that was the case, I feigned interest as Halcon continued to praise the Network for all the good it did its members and for its goals in the future, which sounded like a bunch of vague promises to me.
Meanwhile, I could feel the continuous probing from the spirit seal and I knew I was going to have to let down my shields some more or he’d be alerted.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked, breaking into the one-sided conversation.
“I want you to meet someone,” Halcon said. “I want you to meet the founder of our organization. He’s always in need of people who have a great deal of psychic power, and my dear, you have more than most anybody I’ve met, except for a few others of your heritage.”
Gulakah. He was taking me to Gulakah.
“Your leader—he’s not here tonight?” I deliberately stumbled over a crack in the sidewalk, giving Halcon a chance to rest his hand on my elbow. It also gave Shade a chance to catch up with us, if he was following.
“No, he keeps to himself. He’s…he’s not quite like the rest of the mortals.”
“Oh, he’s one of the Supe Community or Fae?” I forced my voice lighter than I felt and also did my best to remain clueless, at least in Halcon’s eyes.
“Not exactly. Wait till you meet him. He doesn’t go out much—he’s very…sensitive to the energy of others and of the city. He stays in seclusion. I hope you don’t mind a little ride.”
He was practically dancing. I wondered if he got brownie points for bringing in members who were psychically strong. Or did Gulakah just promise to let him live, providing he brought him enough fodder?
I still hadn’t seen Faerman’s wife…but as we headed into the parking lot, I wondered if she, too, had been the recipient of Halcon’s unwavering attention. The seal could easily have charmed her, considering she wouldn’t have recognized it for what it was.
At that moment, I noticed we were heading toward an SUV…and it was parked right near my Lexus.
I let out my breath in a long, slow stream. The others had to see us from here. Relaxing, I allowed Halcon to help me into the front passenger seat. He hopped into the driver’s seat, the Tregarts slid into the back, and we were off. As we pulled onto the street, I sidled my gaze to the mirror on my side and was relieved to see Morio’s SUV pull out on the street behind us. He was hanging back, but he definitely had us spotted. I focused on Halcon and listened as he continued to prattle on.
The Tregarts had remained silent throughout the entire evening. I decided that it would be only natural to say something to them. I turned around, breaking in when Halcon fell silent during a left turn.
“You’re all members, too? How did you get involved?”
The three men looked startled, and one nervously glanced at the back of Halcon’s head. Finally the second one cleared his throat.
“We’ve been friends of Halcon for quite a while. After a lot of hashing out things, he convinced us to come work for him. Best job security ever.” He gave me a short nod.
“I see…so you’ve been in the network for a long time?”
Halcon broke in. “They’ve been with me since near the beginning, my dear. They watch my back.” And with that, he began talking again, and I turned back around. Another side glance told me that Morio was still back there.
“Is there something outside that’s catching your interest?” Halcon asked, turning right.
I shook my head. “No, just looking out the window. You said we were going to Starbucks?” We’d already passed two of the drive-through coffee shops. I knew it had been a ruse, but I needed to keep up appearances, and Morning Glory would have been concerned. My persona wasn’t stupid, just naïve.
Halcon reached down and my door lock clicked. “I’m afraid that we don’t have time to stop for coffee now, my dear. I promised our leader that I’d be back at a certain time, and when I called him from the Community Center to tell him about you, he was positively thrilled. He wants to meet you. He’ll be especially interested in the fact that you somehow can resist my gentle…persuasion, Morning Glory.” His voice shifted from friendly to cool. “If that is your name.”
My stomach lurched. First, Halcon hadn’t called anybody at the center. And second, he might not know who I was, but he knew something was up. I wanted to glance in the mirror again, reassure myself that Morio and the others were still behind me, but that wasn’t a good idea. I forced myself to keep my eyes on the road in front of us.
