Chasing the Shadows (Nikki & Michael 3)

Anne Harris, that would be. She's one of the eight I mentioned. Her husband is involved in shipping. It's not her present that's the problem. It's her past.

Perhaps you'd better talk to Mary some more.

I've probed her memories. As far as she's concerned, nothing unusual happened. Then probe deeper. Obviously, something else happened either that night or during the year—something that involved these twelve women.>Nothing and no one seemed to be approaching their room. Yet that sense of disconnected humanity continued to come close.

Get ready, Nikki. It comes.

She flexed her hands. Energy danced across her fingertips, brighter than he'd ever seen it before. Someone knocked loudly on the door. He glanced at her. She cleared her throat, then said, “Who is it?" No answer.

After several heartbeats, the knock came again. There was no heartbeat, no thoughts, nothing to indicate there was anything human, vampire, or anything else vaguely alive, standing on the other side of the door. It could almost have been a zombie, except for the fact there was no smell, and no shambling step. He nodded at Nikki again.

"Hang on a sec,” she called. What now?

Say you're coming, then step back.

Humor momentarily chased its way through the tension in her expression. I'd rather be coming right now than facing an imminent attack from a madman, let me tell you. So would I. He reached out through the link, momentarily caressing her mind with warmth and love. She smiled. And I love you, even if you are the most irritatingly stubborn man at times. He reached for the door handle, and her smile faded.

The door was rapped a third time.

Do it, he said.

"Coming, coming,” she called and stepped backwards, out of immediate sight. Michael turned the handle and pulled the door open.

Chapter Nine

It wasn't a zombie.

It wasn't anything, human or non human.

Just a bunch of flowers.

Michael stared at them for a heartbeat, then leaned out the door and studied the hall. Nothing. No smell, no sign of anything human. Whoever—or whatever—had delivered these flowers had disappeared as fast as they'd arrived.

He glanced down at the flowers again. Why would anyone deliver flowers ... A chill ran up his spine. Maybe they were meant as a gift—but not a gift of life.

He whirled, his form blurring as he raced towards Nikki. He swept her up in his arms, not stopping as he raced toward the bathroom.

What the hell ... ?

I think it's a small bomb.

Her fear swirled around him, sharp and acrid. He jumped into the large tub and pushed her head down, then covered her body with his own. A half second later there was a rush of almost deafening noise. Heat and dust swirled through the air, covering them in a fine blanket of grey. Alarms sounded, and the sprinklers dropped down from the ceiling, the fine spray quickly soaking them. He glanced down at Nikki. “You okay?"

She nodded and wiped the muddy droplets from around her eyes. “He's crazier than we thought. He could have killed everyone in the hotel with a stunt like that."

"Unlikely.” He pushed upright, then offered her a hand. “The explosion wasn't large enough. I think he only meant to blow up the person holding the flowers."

She shivered. He pulled her into his arms and brushed a kiss across her forehead. Then he simply held her close. Held her tight. Her heart raced so hard it felt like his own, and the fear that tainted the link was as much his as hers. If he hadn't been here, she might have picked up those flowers. Might well now be dead.

"If we can find that woman today, I will kill him tonight.” Though he tried to keep his voice flat, anger reverberated nonetheless.

She shifted slightly, looking up at him, amber eyes sparkling gold in the morning light. “You can't kill him in the middle of a crowded restaurant."

He could. And had done so—twice in the last hundred years. Why people thought there was safety in numbers he never knew. In most cases, a crowd only made it far easier to both kill and escape. He caressed her cheek with his fingers and journeyed down to her full lips. “I'll do what I have to do."

"He's not a fool, Michael. He may not have suspected last night that you were with me, but he'll put two and two together soon enough."

"Perhaps.” But it was still a risk he had to take.