Guild of Truth 02 - Shield from the Heart Read online

He slapped a sheet of paper down in front of her. “Not only an address. Look at what was being shipped to this location.”

  Cali came up behind him. “Propofol?”

  Sydney snatched the document. “It’s a sedative, the one that I use in my practice.”

  Cali caught on instantly. “Which means that there’s something at this address that they are trying to contain.”

  “All in favor that what they’re keeping are people?” said Joel while raising his hand.

  Sydney shared a look with Cali before they both raised their hands in agreement.

  “This is it,” said Sydney, staring at the address. San Francisco. Her heart beat rapidly. “We need to get Niella and Felix in here to discuss our next move.”

  Cali already had her cell phone out. “Felix said he’d be here shortly. He also has a surprise for you.”

  A surprise for her? The thought gave Sydney pause.

  “Come on.” Cali beckoned them out of the office to the front lobby where Niella sat at her regular post behind the reception desk.

  Niella Souveray was the guild’s Dreamer. Her power included visions of the past, present, or future. Unfortunately, she had no control over what or when she Dreamed. She looked up from her work when they entered the room. “So? We learn anything new?” She wheeled herself out into the middle of the lobby.

  Sydney handed her the printout of the e-mail.

  Niella’s hazel eyes scanned the information. “So who’s going to San Francisco?”

  “I am.”

  “I will.”

  Sydney exchanged a startled look with Cali who had answered at the same time. They both stared at one another until Felix came through the door. Cali’s eyes instantly sought him out.

  Sydney felt a pang of jealousy — which was ridiculous because she had Joel.

  She looked over her shoulder at him and found that he was watching Cali and Felix too, a wistful expression on his face. Her jealousy turned to guilt. Out of everyone in the guild, Joel had suffered the most at her strange behavior. She owed it to him to find this man so that she could return once more to the woman that she was.

  He caught her staring at him and offered a warm smile before he came closer and took her hand in his. Sydney waited for the flutter of her heart or the flip of her stomach, but she guessed that after dating for so long it was natural to lose some of the excitement.

  She squeezed his scarred fingers, resisting the urge to wince. The scars that ran along Joel’s hands and forearms were something that she could never truly accustom herself to. It wasn’t that she was shallow and wanted his skin perfect, she just couldn’t look at them without thinking about how much pain he’d gone through when he’d been cut or burned working on cars with his father as a teen.

  “What’d I miss?” Felix slid one arm around Cali’s waist to address the group at large.

  Cali gazed up at him. “We’re going to San Francisco.”

  Sydney stepped forward. “Actually, I think it’d be best if I went.”

  The silence that followed was oppressive. She shifted nervously under everyone’s gaze.

  Cali found her voice first. “You can’t just take off for a week. As much as I hate to admit it, I don’t have a steady job like you do. I’m a little more flexible right now.”

  Sydney’s brain understood the reasoning behind Cali’s words, but her heart simply wouldn’t listen. “I’ll take time off, reschedule all my appointments. I’m overdue for a vacation anyway.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Syd,” said Felix. “Cali’s right, we need you to stay employed to fund our little Guild of Truth.” He flashed a grin.

  Sydney’s temper flared. A normally rare occurrence that she now found happening more and more. “Maybe I don’t want to freakin’ stay behind this time. Anyone ever think of that? I may not have the most offensive powers but I can still pull my own weight. I don’t want to be the guild’s sugar momma.”

  Felix held his hands up. “Whoa, totally not what I meant, Syd.”

  “I know what you meant and I’m sick of being assigned to the B-team.”

  “Now you know how I feel,” Niella mumbled.

  Sydney left that comment alone. She wasn’t about to get into it with Niella. “If Vander’s at this location then anyone who goes up there is in danger.”

  “Yeah,” Cali butted in, “which is why — ”

  “Everyone but me,” Sydney cut her off. “Vander is powerless with me there. Literally.”

  Cali wanted to say more. Sydney could see it in her expression. Cali had a vendetta against Vander after he kidnapped and tortured her personally. There was also the small fact that he’d tried to have Felix killed. But she also knew how much Sydney needed to find this mystery man of hers.

  Their eyes locked, her green with Cali’s obsidian.

  “You know, I’m a little overdue on some vacation time too,” Joel broke into the conversation.

  Sydney gave him a dazzling smile. He was backing her up. After everything she’d put him through he was still sticking with her.

  “When are you guys leaving?” Felix kept his hands up in surrender and Sydney felt a little bad about snapping at him like that.

  “As soon as possible, I guess,” said Joel.

  Sydney straightened her shoulders. “Tomorrow night.”

  Joel gaped at her. “T-tomorrow night? Syd, I have to request time off. I can’t just get up and leave.”

  “Tell them a relative passed away. They’ll understand.”

  Joel shot a beseeching look at Felix. Felix shrugged his broad shoulders, some of his regular mirth shining in his blue-green eyes. “Oh, before I forget, Syd,” said Felix, “I have a surprise for you.”

  Any more debate about San Francisco was put on hold as Felix led them out into the crisp autumn evening. The wind had kicked up, the sun already setting, the days getting shorter as they neared October. Gone were the days when it was light until eight at night.

  “You too, Niella.” Felix called as she stopped her wheelchair in the doorway of the clinic.

  She waved him off and crossed her arms as the breeze barely disturbed her short pixie hair. “I can see everything I need to from right here.”

  Cali stuck her tongue out at her. Niella quirked an eyebrow, her lips twitching as if repressing a smile.

  “What are we looking for exactly?” asked Sydney with a shiver.

  Joel put his arm around her and tucked her into the warmth of his body. She stiffened for a fraction of a second before she forced herself to relax.

  “You ready?” Felix’s grin widened. He scanned the plaza parking lot but the traffic was slow. He inhaled deeply and focused his eyes on the empty handicap parking spot.

  Everyone waited.

  They kept waiting.

  Sydney looked to Cali to see if she’d give anything away but her attention was riveted to her Mirror Mate. “What — ?”

  Felix waved his hand. Sydney’s Toyota Yaris appeared out of nowhere.

  “Shit,” Joel breathed.

  Sydney stared at her long lost vehicle. “You brought it back?” Three months ago when Felix had rushed to Cali’s rescue, Sydney had followed to offer backup and was rewarded with Felix Erasing her car so that no one could trace her to what had turned into a semi-crime scene. She’d thought the car she’d bought last spring to be lost forever. Felix had never been able to return things once he Erased them. But that was before he bonded with Cali and became full-forced.

  She went to the hood of her car. It was hot to the touch. Unnaturally so. There was a faint aroma of sulfur that lingered.

  “Where did it go?” She pulled her hand back with a frown. Her fingers were covered in a sticky goo. In fact, the entire car seemed to be coated in the faint pink mucus. Brown dirt clung to the goo-like film and Sydney investigated the side of her car where there were a few dents and scratches.

  A frown marred Felix’s handsome features. “No idea.”

  She crouched down to get a better
look at the markings. She had to be hanging around Joel and Felix too much, because if she were perfectly honest, the scratch marks didn’t look entirely human or animal.

  Chapter 3

  “When did you learn that you could do this?” Sydney finished wiping the substance off her hand with the towel Niella offered her.

  “Cali’s not the only one that’s been experimenting,” said Felix. “I first started with Niella’s theory that when I became full-forced it’d increase the distance in which I can use my powers. I tried Erasing something I couldn’t see in another room, but that didn’t work. So I moved on to something extremely far away that I could still see.” He shook his head. “But that was a no-go too. Finally, I tried to bring back something I Erased.”

  “And still no idea where it went?” Joel pointed to Sydney’s car.

  The entire guild was a little on edge after they inspected her vehicle.

  Felix promised to clean off the “ectoplasmic membrane” by the time she got back. But that wasn’t what worried her. What if the substance was toxic? It was highly unlikely, considering that she’d touched it, but what if it was ingested by accident? She almost wanted Felix to Erase it back to wherever it had been.

  Felix looked genuinely concerned. “No idea, man,” he answered Joel. “Everything else I’ve Erased and brought back were on a much smaller scale.”

  “They also weren’t Erased for as long as Sydney’s car,” added Cali.

  “So who’s going to brave going inside of it?” asked Niella.

  Hesitant glances were exchanged all around.

  “I think it’d be best if we let it stay here for a while,” said Sydney.

  “Agreed,” said Felix as he ran a hand through his hair. It was a nervous habit of his when he was troubled.

  Sydney put her hand on his forearm. She had to crane her head back to look up at him. “Don’t worry, okay? We’ll figure it out. Thank you for bringing back my car though.”

  He seemed to relax a bit. “You’re welcome.”

  • • •

  Sydney spent the majority of the evening rearranging appointments and clearing her schedule for the next week. She booked herself and Joel a flight up north to Oakland Airport where they’d stay at a nearby hotel. She couldn’t help but think that the further they distanced themselves from San Francisco the safer they’d be from Vander and the Kratos Corporation clutches. Plus it was a little cheaper to stay outside the city.

  If this whole rescue went off without a hitch, the first place Vander would look for them would be close-by hotels.

  Not if, she reminded herself, when. When they pulled off the rescue without a hitch … she’d finally be rid of the anxiety that coiled inside of her.

  • • •

  “So this is it, huh?” Joel asked.

  Sydney stared at the beige two-story building from across the street. Nothing stood out aside from the fact that it looked run down and half empty. The small windows on the bottom floor were all covered. There was no street entrance to the building, only a fenced-in parking lot off to the side.

  Joel and Sydney watched as an elderly man got into his BMW and drove away. There was no security guard and no cameras that Sydney could see. But she was far from a trained expert.

  “Should we come back later?”

  Joel pulled out his laptop and made his way toward the crosswalk.

  “Where are you going?” Sydney tailed him.

  “I’ve been updating my hacking and pretty much everything illegal software. I want to walk the perimeter of the building to see if I pick up on anything.”

  Sydney felt completely exposed, like their intentions were obvious as they walked the outer edges of the building, but no one spared them a second glance.

  One their third walk-by Joel stopped. “Got it.” He shut his computer. “Let’s go plan.”

  • • •

  “Everything all right, Syd?” Joel kissed the back of her neck.

  Sydney jumped. “What?” She’d been completely lost in thought. They’d gone over their plan of action at least a dozen times. Sydney had convinced Joel that they needed to strike that night. She should have been excited, instead she was filled with dread.

  He started to massage her shoulders but Sydney couldn’t force her muscles to relax. Joel stopped. Sydney braced herself for the inevitable question.

  It didn’t come. “We still have time before we go out, why don’t we take a shower? Calm your nerves?”

  “A shower sounds … wonderful.” And it did. She’d shared dozens of showers with Joel, why should this one be any different? Everything was fine. She was simply suffering from some pre-rescue mission anxiety. It was natural. Totally and completely understandable.

  Joel visibly sighed in relief. He trailed his hand down her arm. “I’ll get the water running.”

  Sydney got up to strip, her hands shaking as she folded her clothes neatly into her dirty laundry bag.

  She clenched her fingers into fists to stop the trembles.

  What was wrong with her?

  It was just a shower.

  Just. A. Shower.

  Then why was her stomach knotted and her dinner threatening to come up?

  “Syd? Are you — ?” Joel stopped short when he saw her standing there naked. His Adam’s apple bobbed and his navy blue eyes roved over her hungrily.

  Sydney felt the ridiculous urge to cover herself.

  Joel was only clad in his jeans, his sun tanned chest seeming even darker in the poor hotel room lighting. He drew closer. His hand reached out and rested on her shoulder. “The shower can wait.” His voice was rough. His other hand slid along her lower back to bring her closer to his body so that her small breasts pressed firmly into the hard warmth of his chest.

  He kissed her. A slow, gentle kiss with a delicate swipe of tongue. His hands started to wander. Sydney pushed back. Her hand shook where it rested on his skin and she snatched it back before he could notice. “Joel.” She cleared her throat. “We really should shower.”

  He stared down at her in confusion, the bulge in his jeans painstakingly obvious. “What’s going on, Syd?”

  She went to push away but his hands tightened, keeping her close.

  “I know this is really going to sound bad, but we haven’t had sex in three months. Ever since we helped rescued Felix and Cali from the Kratos building you’ve been acting differently. You’re keeping me at arm’s length and I don’t fucking know why.” His eyes pleaded for her to confide in him.

  She looked away.

  Joel cursed and dropped his arms from around her. “What’s gotten into you? Is it me? Are you getting a three-year itch or something?”

  Sydney whirled back to face him. “What? No. Joel, I … I want you.” She cupped his cheek and forced herself to kiss him. He clutched her to him as if she’d disappear any second. Their tongues twined; the familiar flavor and feel of him after nearly three years together was like returning to the comfort and safety of home after a long trip away. Joel had been the longest relationship she’d ever had. She didn’t want anyone else. No one knew her like he did. Fate had to have missed the memo where Joel was supposed to be her Mirror Mate.

  When they broke apart they were both breathing heavily. “Then what’s been bothering you?” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

  She’d been trying to analyze the answer to that question for months. And the only thing she kept coming back to was her brother. He’d died of cancer at age seven. She’d been able to do nothing but watch as he withered away, as he suffered through treatment after treatment. She had been nine. It had been her job to protect him and there wasn’t a single thing she could’ve done.

  No one in the guild knew.

  She kept the memory of Aaron locked away like she had his possessions locked away in her closet.

  She stared Joel in the eye and answered as honestly as possible. “I can’t stand by and do nothing if I know I can prevent someone from dying.”

 
Sometimes she wondered why she never majored as a doctor or oncologist to deal with her brother’s loss. It would have made more sense than becoming a veterinarian, but she’d never forget the proud look on Aaron’s face when she told him that she wanted to take care of animals. He’d always wanted a ton of pets but with his disease they were never allowed to have them. Sydney had promised that when she became a vet and when he got better, she’d take care of all the animals he could fit into his house. She’d pinky promised him.

  Joel brought her back to the present. “You’re too good of a person, you know that.”

  She shook away the melancholy thoughts. “I’m not that good of a person, trust me. So … are we okay?”

  He trailed a finger down the side of her face affectionately. “We’re golden.”

  “How’re we on time?”

  Joel glanced over at the alarm clock. His face fell.

  “Not enough time for sex and a shower?” she guessed.

  Joel flashed her a bright smile. “We can always kill two birds with one stone.”

  Sydney scrunched up her nose. “You know how much I hate that saying. Besides, in the shower? I don’t think so. Sex wasn’t meant for the shower.” His face grew crestfallen. She kissed him on the nose. “After,” she promised. “After we get back home we’ll spend the rest of our vacation together. In bed.”

  Joel perked up instantly. “Then what the hell are we waiting for?”

  • • •

  “Not much security, is there?” Sydney surveyed the area for what was probably the seventh time. She wrapped her arms tighter around her body as another breeze swept through the streets. She didn’t know if it was just her, but the San Francisco wind seemed so much colder than the breeze that blew off the Newport ocean back home.

  Joel was busy on his laptop. Somehow he had hacked into the building’s well-concealed security system and deactivated the feed and alarms. He had some kind of loop playing that would make them invisible in the building as long as they didn’t encounter anyone.

  “Only a handful of guards on duty,” he answered.

  And they had no idea if those guards had powers or not. Which made their plan extra tricky. Back in their hotel they’d come up with a roughly put together plan. If they came across someone with powers, Sydney would Shield until Joel could get close enough, then she’d drop her Shield and he’d use his ability to Lock anyone to anything, including a person’s shoes to the floor. One their prey was stalled with nowhere to move, Joel would knock them out. Because once she put her Shield back up his Lock would be negated.