"Aphrodite's_Passion_017" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kenner _Julie_-_[Protector_02]_-_Aphrodite's_Passion_(V1.0)_[lit](multi-file...)

Chapter Fourteen

Hale’s sister?
Tracy’s jaw practically dropped onto the counter; then she jerked her head around to look at Zoë more directly— managing to totally mess up her eyeliner in the process.
“Oh!” the salesgirl cried, dragging the soft pencil across Tracy’s cheek.
“Sister?” Tracy said aloud, wondering what Hale could have said.
“Yeah. He and Elmer are really excited about working with you.” She turned to Mordi with another sweet smile. “I don’t suppose you have a role for Elmer? He’s quite the little entertainer.”
A thin smile touched Mordichai’s lips. “No. No role.” He turned to Tracy and gave an apologetic shrug. “I think I’ll leave you two to catch up.”
“Oh.” She frowned. Or started to until the salesgirl tsk-tsk‘d. “Well, I’d love to talk more about your project. Maybe you could call next week?”
The man nodded; then Tracy extricated herself from the makeover maven long enough to extract a business card. “My cell phone number’s on the back.”
He took her hand, then kissed her fingertips. “You’ll definitely be hearing from me.”
“Oh, wow,” the salesgirl confided as Mordi disappeared down an aisle. “Is he ever a dream.”
“Mordi?” Zoë’s face scrunched up, like she’d just tasted something unusual but not entirely unpleasant. “I never really thought about it.”
“He’s your cousin. Why would you?”
“True,” Zoë admitted. She met Tracy’s eyes. “What do you think? Dreamy, or not?”
Tracy found herself allowing, “There’s definite dream potential there. The way he talks for one thing. Is he British?”
“Boarding school.”
“Ah,” Tracy and the salesgirl said at exactly the same time. “Well, that’s pretty dreamy. As for the rest of him ...”
“What?” Hale’s sister bounced a little, looking just as eager as a kid at Christmas.
“Nothing.”
“Tracy! What?”
She stifled a laugh. They’d known each other all of three minutes, and already this Zoë was pestering her just like Mel. “I was just going to say that Mordi’s voice is dreamy— and he’s cute and all—but compared to Hale ... well, there is no comparison.”
“Well, I don’t know who this Hale person is,” the salesgirl said. “But, girl, you must have it bad for him.”
A smile lit up Zoë’s face. “He’s my brother, but empirically, I’d have to agree.” She leaned closer. “And if you ever want to know where to find a website showing pictures of him in a loincloth, just let me know.”
“Really?” Tracy asked.
“Where?” the salesgirl echoed.
Zoë laughed. “Do you have a computer?”
“Um, yeah.” Tracy squinted, trying to figure out when this conversation had gotten so out of control.
“Remind me sometime, and I’ll show you the web page. I could even show you tonight if you want.”
Tonight. “I can’t. I have a date.” She glanced at her watch, suddenly realizing how late it had gotten. No time to dilly-dally.
“I’ll take it all,” she told the salesgirl.
“All this makeup?”
Tracy nodded. She couldn’t really afford it, but she considered the makeup ammunition. Besides, she was putting it on a credit card. “Finish me quick and then ring it all up. I’ve got to run.”
“But I need to show you how to apply it.”
“Am I good for tonight?”
“Hold still,” the salesgirl said, “while I add some powder and mascara.”
Tracy did. “This isn’t what I expected when I got up this morning,” she said.
“What isn’t?” Zoë asked.
“All of this. Your brother. My date tonight with Leon Palmer. Making friends in the mall. It’s all kind of strange and unusual.”
Zoë’s smile was warm and inviting. “I guess the question is, do you have a problem with strange and unusual?”
Tracy knew that Zoë meant the question lightly, but something in her voice gave Tracy pause, and she considered the question honestly. “No,” she finally said with a small smile. “No, I don’t. In fact, I think I prefer strange and unusual. I mean, who wants their life to be entirely normal?”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
Tracy started to ask why, but the salesgirl got into the conversation first, announcing the price for Tracy’s war chest of makeup.
“Ouch.” She looked at Zoë. “It’s been a strange and unusual day already. And expensive. Very, very expensive.”



Hale kicked back in Zoë’s living room, still on a caffeine buzz from the three lattes he’d had with Tracy before she’d insisted that she really had to run. He’d spent practically the entire day with her, and still her image filled his mind.
As obsessions went, this particular one was rather nice.
Absently, he drummed his fingers on the armrest of the sofa, his foot tapping out a rhythm against the coffee table as he waited for his sister to get home.
She’d called him just a few minutes before to report in. Apparently, it was a good thing he’d sent her. Mordichai had been there, sniffing around, and that definitely meant this mission was going to get tougher. Since Zoë couldn’t wrangle an invite to Tracy’s house, they’d sent Hoop and Taylor to sneak onto the property and keep an eye on the situation while Hale took a break to gather some things for his overnight stakeout and to be debriefed by Zoë.
From a logistics end, then, all was well. From a mission standpoint, Hale wasn’t so sure. The combined presence of Henchmen and Mordichai was definitely disturbing. He didn’t know if the Henchmen were loyal to Mordi or Uncle H, though Hale would assume Hieronymous. Mordi didn’t seem the type to use the foul beasts. Of course, Hale wasn’t very trusting of Mordi’s loyalties.
The only thing he did trust was that Tracy Tannin was the object of way too much attention. And strangely, all his priorities had shifted. At the moment, retrieving the belt didn’t seem quite as important as making sure nothing bad happened to her.
“Antsy?” Zoë asked, walking into the room.
With an effort, Hale stopped drumming his fingers and tapping his foot. “Just thinking. About the mission.”
“Yeah?” She looked disbelieving.
Hale scowled but didn’t comment.
His sister dropped down onto the couch next to Elmer, who looked up and yawned. She reached over and started scratching behind his ears, and the little guy writhed with pleasure.
Heaven, Elmer said. I love this woman.
Hale rolled his eyes.
So, are you going to tell her?
“What?”
You know....
Hale had no clue what the ferret was going on about.
“What’s he saying?” Zoë asked.
“He’s just being Elmer. All over the map and generally incomprehensible.”
“I’m not buying that. I think he’s talking about whatever put that pensive mood on your face.”
“You know, you can be a real pest.”
She shrugged. “I’m your sister. Isn’t that what you expect?”
Don’t dis this woman, Elmer squeaked. She feeds me when you forget. And you should tell her. Tell her you‘ve got the hots for Tracy. A mortal. She’ll love that. And that you’re acting screwy about it. I mean I’ve seen you seduce mortals before, and usually you’re in and out before I can say, “boo.” No pandering, no deep thoughts. But with this gal. . . you haven’t been yourself. And it’s not just the mission. Nope. Something’s up. Something’s definitely up....
Hale rubbed his forehead with his forefinger and thumb, wishing that the insightful little beast hadn’t zeroed in on the exact problem. But there wasn’t any escaping the truth. The fact remained that Hale was craving more than just a romp between the sheets. But that wasn’t something he wanted to confess to his sister.
Go on! Tell her. Maybe she can give you some advice.
Great. Now Elmer thought he needed advice with women. Any minute now, the sky was going to start falling.
“Now what’s he saying?”
“He’s saying you should leave me alone. I’m older. You’re supposed to trust me.”
I did not say that.
“Oh, puh-lease.” Zoë propped a leg under her, clearly settling in.
Hale sighed. He hadn’t really expected that she’d drop it, but a guy could hope, couldn’t he? “I wasn’t thinking about anything in particular. Just pondering what Mordi was planning at the mall. And I was vegging a bit while I waited for you.”
Not exactly a lie. His body was vegging; it was his mind that was going a million miles an hour thinking about Tracy. About the way she smelled. The warmth of her hand when he’d held it. The way her simple, straight hair highlighted those fabulous cheekbones. The fire he saw in her eyes, and whether or not it would ignite to a full-fledged blaze in bed.
Damn. He was beginning to sound like the inside of one of the romance novels he posed for. What was happening to him? He’d never felt this way when he was pursuing the many other women he’d lusted after. No, this was something else all together. Hopping Hades, whatever this was, it wasn’t an emotion he particularly wanted to deal with. So how did he explain all this to his sister?
Certainly he couldn’t relate that the thought of being near Tracy made him as fidgety as Superman in a kryptonite museum. If he showed even the slightest weakness in that direction, his sister would go off on him about what a hypocrite he was, falling for a mortal. Heck, she might even try to get him and Tracy Tannin together for keeps. And that was even scarier than failing the mission and Hieronymous taking over the world.
“You said we needed to debrief,” Hale reminded her.
“Right.” His sister sucked in a breath. “Well, she likes you, Hale.”
“Isn’t that the idea?”
“No. I mean, yes.” She ran her hands through her hair, then sighed. “I mean, she really likes you.”
Zoë’s assessment pleased him more than it probably should, and he had no clue why it should bother her. “So?”
“So ... I like Tracy.”
There were times when his sister drove him nuts. “Just spit it out, kid. What are you trying to say?”
“She’s nice. I like her. And I know we have to get the belt from her, and I know that we have to do whatever it takes....”
“But?”
“But now you’re planning this big seduction scene and, well, I just don’t want her to get hurt.”
“She won’t get hurt.”
“But—”
Hale hardened himself to his protective feelings and said, “Trust me, Zo. This girl only wants a fling. I heard her say so.”
At that, his sister looked him straight in the eye. Her dual-colored irises somehow made her pensive stare even more intense. “Just like you only want a fling.”
“Exactly,” he said. And he meant it. But even so, he felt the corners of his mouth turn down into a frown. Of course he only wanted a fling. A quick seduction. Just like he’d been saying all along.
And Tracy didn’t want any more than that. Which made the plan perfect. Absolutely perfect.
Except, somehow he couldn’t stop frowning.
Zoë was still staring at him, that curious expression on her face. He waved a hand. “Tell me about Mordi.”
For a second, he thought she was going to argue, but then her shoulders relaxed and she nodded. “Not a whole lot more to tell. I was surprised he was at the mall. I bet he’s been following—”
“He has.” An image of his cousin’s vivid green eyes in the coffee shop popped into Hale’s head. “I saw him. I just didn’t realize it was him.”
“Shapeshifting,” Zoë said, half under her breath.
“Yup. Pesky power when you’re trying to keep track of a guy.” Protectors could often recognize their own in shifted form, but unless they had Zoë’s super senses, they had to be paying close attention. Otherwise, a shapeshifter could easily escape notice.
“Should we report him to the Council? He might be violating probation.”
For a second, Hale considered it, then shook his head slowly. “No. So far he hasn’t done anything wrong.” He looked at Zoë. “Has he?”
“Not in front of me. I mean, he clearly wants to get close to Tracy—I think he may be planning his own seduction— and he was making me awfully nervous.”
The thought of Mordi getting close to Tracy pissed Hale off more than it should. He told himself it was because Mordi could compromise the mission. In truth, though, his annoyance stemmed from something else. Something he didn’t want to examine too closely. He aimed a frown in Zoë’s direction. “Send an e-mail to Zephron and let him know what’s going on. We have to be careful. If Mordi’s working for his dad ...”
Zoë sighed. “I’d really hoped he’d gotten his act together.”
“So had I. But Uncle H is his father. You’d have to be pretty strong to break free of a parent’s influence—even if he is an Outcast.”
“Yeah. Well, I hope he does.”
They sat in silence for a while, and Hale had a feeling he knew what was coming next. He was wrong.
“You should do something nice for her,” his sister finally said.
“I should what?”
“Do something nice for Tracy. Women like that. And you’re supposed to get her to like you, right?”
She had him there. “So you think I should ... do what exactly?”
“I don’t know. You said the grounds at the house are a wreck. Maybe you could fix them up for her. Shouldn’t take you too long.”
“You didn’t see them.”
Zoë shot him a look, clearly not appreciating his attempt at levity. “Well, it would be a nice thing to do.”
“So, between protecting her, seducing her, and trying to sweet-talk her out of the belt, I’m also supposed to be her groundskeeper?” It wasn’t a bad idea, actually. He’d like to do something nice for Tracy. In fact, Hale was somewhat irritated he hadn’t thought of this idea himself.
A devious smile touched his sister’s lips. “Yeah, well, you know what women think of sexy gardeners. I mean, there’s that whole Lady Chatterley thing.”
At the thought of a D. H. Lawrence moment happening between him and Tracy, every ounce of blood in Hale’s body rushed to his groin. He bit the inside of his cheek to bring himself back to earth.
“Trust me,” he said, as soon as he could talk normally. “I’ll get the belt, no matter what tricks I have to use.”
“Yes, Hale. But I think you should do it just because it’s a nice thing. Not just to get the belt.”
“Zoë...”
“What?” Her eyes were wide, and innocent, then she smiled. “I like her. I like you. What’s wrong with a little matchmaking?”
“She’s mortal, Zo. She’s mortal, and neither one of us is interested in more than a fling.”
Zoë smiled. “We’ll see.”
Hale just shook his head, determined not to encourage her. There was no reasoning with Zoë when she got something stuck in her mind. In the meantime, he intended to stick with the program. Which meant not falling for Tracy Tannin.
Zoë sighed. “Fine, you’re on your own.” She got up and headed for the kitchen. When she came back, she tossed him a crumpled-up paper sack. “What’s a stakeout without a few snacks?”
Hale peered inside. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich, two Snickers bars, an apple, and a cardboard box filled with grape juice. Hale wasn’t certain if he was on a stakeout or heading off to school. He had to smile; sometimes Zoë’s previous job as an elementary school librarian seemed perfect for her personality.
“Thanks, kid.”
She grinned. “You better get going. Time for you to relieve Hoop and Taylor.”
Lane joined them from the back rooms. “Oh, sure. Leave when the mortal walks into the room.”
Zoë laughed, but Hale thought it sounded like a pretty reasonable plan.
“Is Davy asleep?” Zoë asked.
“Yup. We just finished another Harry Potter chapter. I don’t have any idea if he’s really following the story, but I’m having a great time.” She walked over to the hall table and picked up Zoë’s key ring. “Can I borrow your car? I need to grab a few things at the grocery store.”
“Sure,” Zoë agreed.
“What’s wrong with your... that thing you call a car?” Hale asked.
“Hey. Don’t dis the Gremlin. Usually she runs great, but Taylor’s fiddling with something, and he pulled off some belts.”
Hale shrugged. “I could put it back together for you.”
The look Lane flashed him was one of pure disdain. “You’d fix my car? For me? A mere mortal?” She fluttered her hand over her heart. “I’m in awe. That’s something a friend would do.”
Hale stifled the urge to roll his eyes. “I’m here to help. That’s my job, after all.”
“Helping us poor defenseless little mortals?”
Annoyed that his uncharacteristic generosity was being thrown back in his face, Hale snapped, “Pretty much. Yeah.”
Lane crossed her arms over her chest. “You know, it’s not such a big deal to befriend a mortal. A lot of us are capable of watching out for ourselves.”
Hale thought of Tracy and the way she’d swung that tire iron. “I know,” he said.
Lane’s eyes widened as she turned to look at Zoë, whose eyes were equally wide. Clearly, neither woman had been expecting that response. “Oh,” Lane said.
In truth, he wasn’t ready to believe it. Not completely. The thought of a mortal—especially Tracy—having to defend herself against Hieronymous, for example. Hale shivered, not liking the image at all, and especially not liking the way his priorities had changed. His first instinct now was to rescue the girl—no matter the cost to whatever mission he was on. What was happening to him?
Vulnerable. Just like Taylor said. Mortals made a Protector weak. Emotionally, professionally. All around.
Not a good thing.
Yet Lane wasn’t talking about befriending mortals like Tracy. She was just talking about appreciating your average mortal on your average day. And under those circumstances, Hale had no problems keeping a focus on his professional career.
“Maybe it’s like helping a lady across the street,” he said. He wanted to explain the reason he liked to help mortals, but also felt more comfortable keeping them at a distance. “She could do just fine on her own, but it feels nice to be useful.”
“Useful? Not superior?”
“That, too.” Hell, that was the truth. He smiled to take the edge off his words, though.
Lane shook her head, a small grin dancing on her lips. “You should just admit it, you know,” she said.
He lifted an eyebrow. “Admit what?”
“You like us. Mortals. Me. Deena and Hoop. Taylor. We’re not so bad.”
He grunted, not willing to articulate more of a response.
Lane shook her head. “If you ever find a woman out there who understands you, you better grab her up. Because there can’t be very many of them.”
“Hear, hear,” Zoë piped up. She gave Hale a meaningful look.
“I’m leaving,” he said, pointedly avoiding their last comments. “Taylor and Hoop are expecting me.”
“You gonna be okay hanging outside all night?” Lane asked.
He held up his backpack complete with his Mission Essential Kit, Propulsion Cloak, and the lunch Zoë had packed him. “And I can run really fast, too. I’ll be fine.”
“Sorry. Sometimes when I’m around you, I tend to forget that you’re supposedly a superhero.”
She bounced out of the way just in time to miss the pillow he threw at her.
“So you’re really just going to lurk around outside this girl’s house all night?”
“That’s my plan.”
“Isn’t that going to get really boring?”
“Just like a cop on a stakeout. It comes with the job, I’m afraid.” Of course, with his allergies, he was going to keep disappearing and reappearing like some schizophrenic ghost.
“Is Elmer going?” Zoë asked.
Elmer’s happy where he is. The ferret’s bored, sleepy voice drifted to Hale from the other side of the room, where he was curled up in a beanbag chair watching Kindergarten Cop.
Hale laughed. “Are you kidding? He’s got videos, the remote control, and a plate of treats. The guy’s not going anywhere. Heck, you guys are better to him than room service.”
Lane laughed. “I guess.” She looked at Zoë. “I suppose it’s better that your brother will be out there watching over Tracy, but it still seems weird to me. Staking out the good guys.”
It didn’t seem weird to Hale at all. He needed to protect Tracy, and he intended to go to whatever lengths were needed. The odds were slim Hieronymous would try anything in Tracy’s own house—what with the eminent traceability of such an action back to him if he failed—but Hale didn’t intend to take any chances. And there was always Leon to protect her from.
Truth be told, he was looking forward to this part of the assignment. Maybe he couldn’t talk to her. Maybe she wouldn’t even know that he was there. But the simple fact remained that, more than anything, he was thrilled that his job called for him to drive to Beverly Hills and satisfy his urge for one more glimpse of Tracy Tannin.

Chapter Fourteen

Hale’s sister?
Tracy’s jaw practically dropped onto the counter; then she jerked her head around to look at Zoë more directly— managing to totally mess up her eyeliner in the process.
“Oh!” the salesgirl cried, dragging the soft pencil across Tracy’s cheek.
“Sister?” Tracy said aloud, wondering what Hale could have said.
“Yeah. He and Elmer are really excited about working with you.” She turned to Mordi with another sweet smile. “I don’t suppose you have a role for Elmer? He’s quite the little entertainer.”
A thin smile touched Mordichai’s lips. “No. No role.” He turned to Tracy and gave an apologetic shrug. “I think I’ll leave you two to catch up.”
“Oh.” She frowned. Or started to until the salesgirl tsk-tsk‘d. “Well, I’d love to talk more about your project. Maybe you could call next week?”
The man nodded; then Tracy extricated herself from the makeover maven long enough to extract a business card. “My cell phone number’s on the back.”
He took her hand, then kissed her fingertips. “You’ll definitely be hearing from me.”
“Oh, wow,” the salesgirl confided as Mordi disappeared down an aisle. “Is he ever a dream.”
“Mordi?” Zoë’s face scrunched up, like she’d just tasted something unusual but not entirely unpleasant. “I never really thought about it.”
“He’s your cousin. Why would you?”
“True,” Zoë admitted. She met Tracy’s eyes. “What do you think? Dreamy, or not?”
Tracy found herself allowing, “There’s definite dream potential there. The way he talks for one thing. Is he British?”
“Boarding school.”
“Ah,” Tracy and the salesgirl said at exactly the same time. “Well, that’s pretty dreamy. As for the rest of him ...”
“What?” Hale’s sister bounced a little, looking just as eager as a kid at Christmas.
“Nothing.”
“Tracy! What?”
She stifled a laugh. They’d known each other all of three minutes, and already this Zoë was pestering her just like Mel. “I was just going to say that Mordi’s voice is dreamy— and he’s cute and all—but compared to Hale ... well, there is no comparison.”
“Well, I don’t know who this Hale person is,” the salesgirl said. “But, girl, you must have it bad for him.”
A smile lit up Zoë’s face. “He’s my brother, but empirically, I’d have to agree.” She leaned closer. “And if you ever want to know where to find a website showing pictures of him in a loincloth, just let me know.”
“Really?” Tracy asked.
“Where?” the salesgirl echoed.
Zoë laughed. “Do you have a computer?”
“Um, yeah.” Tracy squinted, trying to figure out when this conversation had gotten so out of control.
“Remind me sometime, and I’ll show you the web page. I could even show you tonight if you want.”
Tonight. “I can’t. I have a date.” She glanced at her watch, suddenly realizing how late it had gotten. No time to dilly-dally.
“I’ll take it all,” she told the salesgirl.
“All this makeup?”
Tracy nodded. She couldn’t really afford it, but she considered the makeup ammunition. Besides, she was putting it on a credit card. “Finish me quick and then ring it all up. I’ve got to run.”
“But I need to show you how to apply it.”
“Am I good for tonight?”
“Hold still,” the salesgirl said, “while I add some powder and mascara.”
Tracy did. “This isn’t what I expected when I got up this morning,” she said.
“What isn’t?” Zoë asked.
“All of this. Your brother. My date tonight with Leon Palmer. Making friends in the mall. It’s all kind of strange and unusual.”
Zoë’s smile was warm and inviting. “I guess the question is, do you have a problem with strange and unusual?”
Tracy knew that Zoë meant the question lightly, but something in her voice gave Tracy pause, and she considered the question honestly. “No,” she finally said with a small smile. “No, I don’t. In fact, I think I prefer strange and unusual. I mean, who wants their life to be entirely normal?”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
Tracy started to ask why, but the salesgirl got into the conversation first, announcing the price for Tracy’s war chest of makeup.
“Ouch.” She looked at Zoë. “It’s been a strange and unusual day already. And expensive. Very, very expensive.”



Hale kicked back in Zoë’s living room, still on a caffeine buzz from the three lattes he’d had with Tracy before she’d insisted that she really had to run. He’d spent practically the entire day with her, and still her image filled his mind.
As obsessions went, this particular one was rather nice.
Absently, he drummed his fingers on the armrest of the sofa, his foot tapping out a rhythm against the coffee table as he waited for his sister to get home.
She’d called him just a few minutes before to report in. Apparently, it was a good thing he’d sent her. Mordichai had been there, sniffing around, and that definitely meant this mission was going to get tougher. Since Zoë couldn’t wrangle an invite to Tracy’s house, they’d sent Hoop and Taylor to sneak onto the property and keep an eye on the situation while Hale took a break to gather some things for his overnight stakeout and to be debriefed by Zoë.
From a logistics end, then, all was well. From a mission standpoint, Hale wasn’t so sure. The combined presence of Henchmen and Mordichai was definitely disturbing. He didn’t know if the Henchmen were loyal to Mordi or Uncle H, though Hale would assume Hieronymous. Mordi didn’t seem the type to use the foul beasts. Of course, Hale wasn’t very trusting of Mordi’s loyalties.
The only thing he did trust was that Tracy Tannin was the object of way too much attention. And strangely, all his priorities had shifted. At the moment, retrieving the belt didn’t seem quite as important as making sure nothing bad happened to her.
“Antsy?” Zoë asked, walking into the room.
With an effort, Hale stopped drumming his fingers and tapping his foot. “Just thinking. About the mission.”
“Yeah?” She looked disbelieving.
Hale scowled but didn’t comment.
His sister dropped down onto the couch next to Elmer, who looked up and yawned. She reached over and started scratching behind his ears, and the little guy writhed with pleasure.
Heaven, Elmer said. I love this woman.
Hale rolled his eyes.
So, are you going to tell her?
“What?”
You know....
Hale had no clue what the ferret was going on about.
“What’s he saying?” Zoë asked.
“He’s just being Elmer. All over the map and generally incomprehensible.”
“I’m not buying that. I think he’s talking about whatever put that pensive mood on your face.”
“You know, you can be a real pest.”
She shrugged. “I’m your sister. Isn’t that what you expect?”
Don’t dis this woman, Elmer squeaked. She feeds me when you forget. And you should tell her. Tell her you‘ve got the hots for Tracy. A mortal. She’ll love that. And that you’re acting screwy about it. I mean I’ve seen you seduce mortals before, and usually you’re in and out before I can say, “boo.” No pandering, no deep thoughts. But with this gal. . . you haven’t been yourself. And it’s not just the mission. Nope. Something’s up. Something’s definitely up....
Hale rubbed his forehead with his forefinger and thumb, wishing that the insightful little beast hadn’t zeroed in on the exact problem. But there wasn’t any escaping the truth. The fact remained that Hale was craving more than just a romp between the sheets. But that wasn’t something he wanted to confess to his sister.
Go on! Tell her. Maybe she can give you some advice.
Great. Now Elmer thought he needed advice with women. Any minute now, the sky was going to start falling.
“Now what’s he saying?”
“He’s saying you should leave me alone. I’m older. You’re supposed to trust me.”
I did not say that.
“Oh, puh-lease.” Zoë propped a leg under her, clearly settling in.
Hale sighed. He hadn’t really expected that she’d drop it, but a guy could hope, couldn’t he? “I wasn’t thinking about anything in particular. Just pondering what Mordi was planning at the mall. And I was vegging a bit while I waited for you.”
Not exactly a lie. His body was vegging; it was his mind that was going a million miles an hour thinking about Tracy. About the way she smelled. The warmth of her hand when he’d held it. The way her simple, straight hair highlighted those fabulous cheekbones. The fire he saw in her eyes, and whether or not it would ignite to a full-fledged blaze in bed.
Damn. He was beginning to sound like the inside of one of the romance novels he posed for. What was happening to him? He’d never felt this way when he was pursuing the many other women he’d lusted after. No, this was something else all together. Hopping Hades, whatever this was, it wasn’t an emotion he particularly wanted to deal with. So how did he explain all this to his sister?
Certainly he couldn’t relate that the thought of being near Tracy made him as fidgety as Superman in a kryptonite museum. If he showed even the slightest weakness in that direction, his sister would go off on him about what a hypocrite he was, falling for a mortal. Heck, she might even try to get him and Tracy Tannin together for keeps. And that was even scarier than failing the mission and Hieronymous taking over the world.
“You said we needed to debrief,” Hale reminded her.
“Right.” His sister sucked in a breath. “Well, she likes you, Hale.”
“Isn’t that the idea?”
“No. I mean, yes.” She ran her hands through her hair, then sighed. “I mean, she really likes you.”
Zoë’s assessment pleased him more than it probably should, and he had no clue why it should bother her. “So?”
“So ... I like Tracy.”
There were times when his sister drove him nuts. “Just spit it out, kid. What are you trying to say?”
“She’s nice. I like her. And I know we have to get the belt from her, and I know that we have to do whatever it takes....”
“But?”
“But now you’re planning this big seduction scene and, well, I just don’t want her to get hurt.”
“She won’t get hurt.”
“But—”
Hale hardened himself to his protective feelings and said, “Trust me, Zo. This girl only wants a fling. I heard her say so.”
At that, his sister looked him straight in the eye. Her dual-colored irises somehow made her pensive stare even more intense. “Just like you only want a fling.”
“Exactly,” he said. And he meant it. But even so, he felt the corners of his mouth turn down into a frown. Of course he only wanted a fling. A quick seduction. Just like he’d been saying all along.
And Tracy didn’t want any more than that. Which made the plan perfect. Absolutely perfect.
Except, somehow he couldn’t stop frowning.
Zoë was still staring at him, that curious expression on her face. He waved a hand. “Tell me about Mordi.”
For a second, he thought she was going to argue, but then her shoulders relaxed and she nodded. “Not a whole lot more to tell. I was surprised he was at the mall. I bet he’s been following—”
“He has.” An image of his cousin’s vivid green eyes in the coffee shop popped into Hale’s head. “I saw him. I just didn’t realize it was him.”
“Shapeshifting,” Zoë said, half under her breath.
“Yup. Pesky power when you’re trying to keep track of a guy.” Protectors could often recognize their own in shifted form, but unless they had Zoë’s super senses, they had to be paying close attention. Otherwise, a shapeshifter could easily escape notice.
“Should we report him to the Council? He might be violating probation.”
For a second, Hale considered it, then shook his head slowly. “No. So far he hasn’t done anything wrong.” He looked at Zoë. “Has he?”
“Not in front of me. I mean, he clearly wants to get close to Tracy—I think he may be planning his own seduction— and he was making me awfully nervous.”
The thought of Mordi getting close to Tracy pissed Hale off more than it should. He told himself it was because Mordi could compromise the mission. In truth, though, his annoyance stemmed from something else. Something he didn’t want to examine too closely. He aimed a frown in Zoë’s direction. “Send an e-mail to Zephron and let him know what’s going on. We have to be careful. If Mordi’s working for his dad ...”
Zoë sighed. “I’d really hoped he’d gotten his act together.”
“So had I. But Uncle H is his father. You’d have to be pretty strong to break free of a parent’s influence—even if he is an Outcast.”
“Yeah. Well, I hope he does.”
They sat in silence for a while, and Hale had a feeling he knew what was coming next. He was wrong.
“You should do something nice for her,” his sister finally said.
“I should what?”
“Do something nice for Tracy. Women like that. And you’re supposed to get her to like you, right?”
She had him there. “So you think I should ... do what exactly?”
“I don’t know. You said the grounds at the house are a wreck. Maybe you could fix them up for her. Shouldn’t take you too long.”
“You didn’t see them.”
Zoë shot him a look, clearly not appreciating his attempt at levity. “Well, it would be a nice thing to do.”
“So, between protecting her, seducing her, and trying to sweet-talk her out of the belt, I’m also supposed to be her groundskeeper?” It wasn’t a bad idea, actually. He’d like to do something nice for Tracy. In fact, Hale was somewhat irritated he hadn’t thought of this idea himself.
A devious smile touched his sister’s lips. “Yeah, well, you know what women think of sexy gardeners. I mean, there’s that whole Lady Chatterley thing.”
At the thought of a D. H. Lawrence moment happening between him and Tracy, every ounce of blood in Hale’s body rushed to his groin. He bit the inside of his cheek to bring himself back to earth.
“Trust me,” he said, as soon as he could talk normally. “I’ll get the belt, no matter what tricks I have to use.”
“Yes, Hale. But I think you should do it just because it’s a nice thing. Not just to get the belt.”
“Zoë...”
“What?” Her eyes were wide, and innocent, then she smiled. “I like her. I like you. What’s wrong with a little matchmaking?”
“She’s mortal, Zo. She’s mortal, and neither one of us is interested in more than a fling.”
Zoë smiled. “We’ll see.”
Hale just shook his head, determined not to encourage her. There was no reasoning with Zoë when she got something stuck in her mind. In the meantime, he intended to stick with the program. Which meant not falling for Tracy Tannin.
Zoë sighed. “Fine, you’re on your own.” She got up and headed for the kitchen. When she came back, she tossed him a crumpled-up paper sack. “What’s a stakeout without a few snacks?”
Hale peered inside. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich, two Snickers bars, an apple, and a cardboard box filled with grape juice. Hale wasn’t certain if he was on a stakeout or heading off to school. He had to smile; sometimes Zoë’s previous job as an elementary school librarian seemed perfect for her personality.
“Thanks, kid.”
She grinned. “You better get going. Time for you to relieve Hoop and Taylor.”
Lane joined them from the back rooms. “Oh, sure. Leave when the mortal walks into the room.”
Zoë laughed, but Hale thought it sounded like a pretty reasonable plan.
“Is Davy asleep?” Zoë asked.
“Yup. We just finished another Harry Potter chapter. I don’t have any idea if he’s really following the story, but I’m having a great time.” She walked over to the hall table and picked up Zoë’s key ring. “Can I borrow your car? I need to grab a few things at the grocery store.”
“Sure,” Zoë agreed.
“What’s wrong with your... that thing you call a car?” Hale asked.
“Hey. Don’t dis the Gremlin. Usually she runs great, but Taylor’s fiddling with something, and he pulled off some belts.”
Hale shrugged. “I could put it back together for you.”
The look Lane flashed him was one of pure disdain. “You’d fix my car? For me? A mere mortal?” She fluttered her hand over her heart. “I’m in awe. That’s something a friend would do.”
Hale stifled the urge to roll his eyes. “I’m here to help. That’s my job, after all.”
“Helping us poor defenseless little mortals?”
Annoyed that his uncharacteristic generosity was being thrown back in his face, Hale snapped, “Pretty much. Yeah.”
Lane crossed her arms over her chest. “You know, it’s not such a big deal to befriend a mortal. A lot of us are capable of watching out for ourselves.”
Hale thought of Tracy and the way she’d swung that tire iron. “I know,” he said.
Lane’s eyes widened as she turned to look at Zoë, whose eyes were equally wide. Clearly, neither woman had been expecting that response. “Oh,” Lane said.
In truth, he wasn’t ready to believe it. Not completely. The thought of a mortal—especially Tracy—having to defend herself against Hieronymous, for example. Hale shivered, not liking the image at all, and especially not liking the way his priorities had changed. His first instinct now was to rescue the girl—no matter the cost to whatever mission he was on. What was happening to him?
Vulnerable. Just like Taylor said. Mortals made a Protector weak. Emotionally, professionally. All around.
Not a good thing.
Yet Lane wasn’t talking about befriending mortals like Tracy. She was just talking about appreciating your average mortal on your average day. And under those circumstances, Hale had no problems keeping a focus on his professional career.
“Maybe it’s like helping a lady across the street,” he said. He wanted to explain the reason he liked to help mortals, but also felt more comfortable keeping them at a distance. “She could do just fine on her own, but it feels nice to be useful.”
“Useful? Not superior?”
“That, too.” Hell, that was the truth. He smiled to take the edge off his words, though.
Lane shook her head, a small grin dancing on her lips. “You should just admit it, you know,” she said.
He lifted an eyebrow. “Admit what?”
“You like us. Mortals. Me. Deena and Hoop. Taylor. We’re not so bad.”
He grunted, not willing to articulate more of a response.
Lane shook her head. “If you ever find a woman out there who understands you, you better grab her up. Because there can’t be very many of them.”
“Hear, hear,” Zoë piped up. She gave Hale a meaningful look.
“I’m leaving,” he said, pointedly avoiding their last comments. “Taylor and Hoop are expecting me.”
“You gonna be okay hanging outside all night?” Lane asked.
He held up his backpack complete with his Mission Essential Kit, Propulsion Cloak, and the lunch Zoë had packed him. “And I can run really fast, too. I’ll be fine.”
“Sorry. Sometimes when I’m around you, I tend to forget that you’re supposedly a superhero.”
She bounced out of the way just in time to miss the pillow he threw at her.
“So you’re really just going to lurk around outside this girl’s house all night?”
“That’s my plan.”
“Isn’t that going to get really boring?”
“Just like a cop on a stakeout. It comes with the job, I’m afraid.” Of course, with his allergies, he was going to keep disappearing and reappearing like some schizophrenic ghost.
“Is Elmer going?” Zoë asked.
Elmer’s happy where he is. The ferret’s bored, sleepy voice drifted to Hale from the other side of the room, where he was curled up in a beanbag chair watching Kindergarten Cop.
Hale laughed. “Are you kidding? He’s got videos, the remote control, and a plate of treats. The guy’s not going anywhere. Heck, you guys are better to him than room service.”
Lane laughed. “I guess.” She looked at Zoë. “I suppose it’s better that your brother will be out there watching over Tracy, but it still seems weird to me. Staking out the good guys.”
It didn’t seem weird to Hale at all. He needed to protect Tracy, and he intended to go to whatever lengths were needed. The odds were slim Hieronymous would try anything in Tracy’s own house—what with the eminent traceability of such an action back to him if he failed—but Hale didn’t intend to take any chances. And there was always Leon to protect her from.
Truth be told, he was looking forward to this part of the assignment. Maybe he couldn’t talk to her. Maybe she wouldn’t even know that he was there. But the simple fact remained that, more than anything, he was thrilled that his job called for him to drive to Beverly Hills and satisfy his urge for one more glimpse of Tracy Tannin.