Twilight Siege

19

That night I put all my energy into my training. I felt on top of the world, and considering I was ankle deep in crap, I would take my wins where I could get them. OceanofPDF.com 7 The next afternoon I was at work when an unfamiliar ding sounded from inside my desk. I opened the bottom drawer and pulled my cell phone out of my purse but found no missed calls and no missed texts. I hadn’t set any alarms and wondered where the sound had come from when I remembered the burner cell that Lochlan had given me. I flipped open the phone that had been buried at the bottom of my bag. Lochlan: We leave for London on Saturday. I had done it! I found the Sword of Light and we were going to pop over to London to retrieve it. How exactly we were going to accomplish that was a mystery to me, but I figured it wasn’t my problem. I was just thrilled to be included. Exhilarated with my achievement, I tore off toward the elevator to find Cat and share the news. “Cat, I found it!” I shrieked as I hurried toward her desk. “I wasn’t sure but Lochlan checked it out and says we’re leaving Saturday for London to get it from the museum.” I handed her my phone displaying the photo of the sword at the British Museum. “Is this what I think it is?” Her eyes rounded as she examined the picture inches from her face. Lowering my head close to hers, I whispered, “The Sword of Light, I found it.” I bit my lip in excitement as she looked at me with astonishment. “You’re going with Lochlan? Rebecca, you can’t let them have the sword! Helping you is one thing, putting the sword in their hands is another. I can’t even imagine what my family would do if they learned I had helped the Hunt get that sword.” Panic swept over her features and that nagging sense of guilt was back like a stray cat you can’t get rid of. “They won’t hurt you or your family, Cat. I promise.” “You can’t know that.” Her cheeks had started to flush and I could hear the anger rising in her voice. I reached my hand out to touch hers and met her eyes earnestly. “Please don’t be upset. There are bad people out there that need to be stopped and if we don’t, the whole world may be at risk. I know we haven’t known each other long, but please try to trust that I won’t put you in danger.” Her eyes searched mine for a long moment before she let out a reluctant sigh. “I better get back to work.” As she walked back to the visitors’ desk I said a little prayer that my decisions didn’t come back to bite me in the ass. If Cat or her family were hurt because of my actions, I would never forgive myself. On Friday when I walked up to my apartment I found Lochlan sitting on the front steps, elbows on his knees, arms extended. The evening air was unusually balmy and he had rolled up his shirt sleeves, displaying the chords of muscle on his forearms. For a moment a bolt of panic shot through my system, igniting my nerve endings at the realization that this could be Ronan playing me again. I froze in place about ten feet from him and reminded myself that I was wearing the necklace, Ronan couldn’t fool me again. I concentrated on the man before me but there was no double vision, just Lochlan sitting with his brows drawn in confusion. “There something I need to know?” His voice was deep and gravelly and it calmed my frayed nerves. “No.” “You sure? There’s something growling in your apartment.” “I’m sure.” My voice sounded tired as I approached where he sat. “What can I do for you this fine evening?” He unfolded his long legs and stood towering over me on the steps. “You need to pack and be ready to leave for London in thirty minutes.” He stepped down to the sidewalk, eyes never leaving mine. “I have to run to the club, but I’ll be back to pick you up and I will not wait for your ass so don’t be late.” He walked past me and started toward his car. “I thought we were leaving tomorrow.” He never stopped or turned around, simply called over his shoulder, “I didn’t want to broadcast my plans in the event there’s still a leak. We get the sword tonight.” “What if I have plans tonight?” He finally looked back at me, his eyes narrowed. “Cancel them.” He strode to his car and lithely slipped into the driver’s seat before pulling into traffic. I stood dumbfounded on my front steps until a whine on the other side of the door caught my attention. “Oh, Knight, I’m so sorry!” I opened the door for the giant dog who bounded outside. “I bet you’re starving, go do your business and I’ll get you some dinner.” Leaving the door open, I set my things on the kitchen table and threw together a turkey and cheese sandwich for Knight. I cut it diagonally and with a piece in each hand, I sat down on the front steps. The mountain of white fur trotted to me and sat, eagerly awaiting his dinner. I laid my hand flat and he scooped the triangle into his mouth, downing the food in one swallow. “And that’s why you don’t get a whole sandwich at once. Do you even have a chance to taste what you’re eating?” His concentration was entirely devoted to my other hand, which held the remaining half of his dinner. “All right, here you go.” I turned over the last of the sandwich and he inhaled the food without hesitation. I brought out a bowl of water and watched as my giant protector slurped down gulp after gulp. “I have to head out of town for a bit, and I’m not sure when I’ll be back, so you’re going to have to be on your own for a bit. I’ll leave your water outside and put a bowl of dog food out for you. Not that you’ll eat it, but it’ll make me feel better.” He padded to the garden wall and on a loud sigh, plopped down against the brick. I rubbed his head before hurrying inside to change and pack my things. There was no way I would risk Lochlan leaving without me so I tore through the house and was back outside in record time. Even though I’d only been gone a matter of minutes, by the time I stepped back outside to wait for Lochlan, Knight was already gone. I texted Ashley but got no immediate response and Lochlan pulled up to the curb, so I threw my phone back in my bag and jogged to the passenger door of a fancy black Land Cruiser SUV. “New car?” I asked after taking a deep breath of the new car smell. “Not really, had it a while.” “How many cars do you have?” “A few."