We walked for a good ten minutes through the strange hush before I noticed the steps ahead had stopped. My heart just about leapt into my throat. God, had he heard me?
I paused in the shadow of a pine and listened intently. The only thing to be heard was the galloping of my heart. I took a deep breath, trying to cairn my nerves, then slowly padded forward. The pines and gum trees seemed to close in, and the shadows thickened. Even the air seemed cooler, less welcoming.
His weird non-scent no longer rode the air, but the traces of Moss's passing - the faint disturbance of leaves and twigs - provided a tangible trail. At least it did until it disappeared.
I stopped and looked around. No smell, no trail, nowhere he could have gone.
The damn man had just vanished into thin air. Which was impossible, of course. If Moss had shifted shape, become a bird, I would have heard the flap of wings. The forest was too still, too quiet, and the sound would have carried. And if he'd become something else there would have been a trail to follow. Hell, even a vampire couldn't help leaving signs of his passing in the lush undergrowth of the forest floor. Not that a vampire could have disappeared like that in the middle of the day - unless, of course, he was some sort of day vampire, able to use the daylight to hide his form the same way a regular vampire can use the night and the shadows.
Even then, I should have been able to catch his non-scent on the still air.
So, there had to be some other explanation. Like maybe, a hidden entrance to underground hideouts. There hadn't been one on either the plans Jack had given me or the ones Dia had drawn, but then, if Starr was so worried about security, he wouldn't have advertised the fact that his foxhole had escape routes. Exits could become entrances to those with unsavory intent.
I let my gaze roam over the ground, but I couldn't immediately see anything that screamed "hidden entrance." Nor could I afford to waste time searching. Not now, in daylight. But it might be worth coming back tonight and checking it out more thoroughly. If I could escape Moss's clutches at a decent hour, that was.
I turned and retraced my steps. When I was well clear of the spot where Moss had disappeared, I hit the com-link.
"I just met Leo Moss."
"And?"
"He's madly in lust with me. I'll be spending tonight in his bed." Or wherever else it was he liked to have sex. It wouldn't be standard stuff, of that I was certain.
"Excellent. I wouldn't try reading his mind tonight, though. Scout out the situation, give it time, and let him feel relaxed around you."
"I wasn't intending to do anything until Rhoan got here." He was the experienced one, so everything I did I'd clear through him first. If that was possible. "Listen, has the Directorate got access to satellite scanning?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Because I followed Moss, and in the middle of the forest he simply disappeared. I'm thinking there might be a few tunnels under this joint."
"Makes sense that Starr would have escape routes. And we do scan this area every six months to record changes, but maybe the tunnels are a recent addition. I'll arrange for scanning in the next pass over."
"Good, but I might check it out later tonight anyway."
"Don't do anything to jeopardize your position."
"I'm not dumb."
"No, just inexperienced."
"This from the man who is constantly pushing me to be a guardian."
"Which is why I don't want to lose you just yet. Be careful, that's all I'm saying."
"I will. Talk to you later, boss." I pressed the com-link, and loped the rest of the way to the clearing where Kade waited. Where, after a little discussion on what had happened, we filled in the remainder of the time sating his needs and mine.
The old man came out as I rode up to the stables. Kade stopped, and I slid off his back.
"Good ride?" he asked, accepting the reins from me.
I nodded, and patted Kade's sweaty shoulder. "This bad boy was horribly frisky. I think he needs to be ridden more often."
Kade snorted and stamped a foot, and I barely restrained my grin.
"You'll be back tomorrow then?" the old guy asked.
"Yeah."