Lover Uncloaked (Stealth Guardians #1) - By Unknown Page 0,94

with more than just two other demons to finish them off? Already, the first time they’d attacked, they had been so strong that Hamish and Aiden had barely been able to defeat them.

Biting her fingernails, she entered Aiden’s rooms. In his closet she found a bomber jacket. She slipped into it and inhaled. A faint smell of Aiden hung in the air, helping calm her nerves. When she closed the closet, her eyes fell onto her handbag, which lay on the dresser where she’d left it hours earlier. It was all she possessed now. Even the clothes on her body weren’t hers.

Enya had lent her a pair of jeans with plenty of metal buttons and clasps on it that weren’t really to her taste. But, she figured, beggars couldn’t be choosers. At least she was glad that Enya’s clothing size was identical to hers, so the jeans fit like a second skin. She’d been surprised that the female Stealth Guardian had lent her anything at all, considering the hostility with which she’d treated Leila. While the men in the compound had been polite enough, Enya had not made it a secret that she wanted her gone.

Leila opened her handbag and peered inside. She realized immediately that her cell phone was missing. Her wallet was there, together with a pair of sunglasses, a notebook, and her can of mace. She reached for it, remembering the evening she’d met Aiden and how he’d told her at the Irish bar that anybody who knew what he was doing could easily wrestle the can out of her grip. He’d proven that he could. She sighed. So much had happened since then. The things she’d been afraid of then had blended into the distance and become insignificant. There were greater dangers in this world than a few muggers who wanted her money.

And she’d thought that she could never date a policeman or a military guy because of the danger they faced every day. Funny, how she now considered these choices to be safer than losing her heart to a Stealth Guardian who battled demons on a daily basis. And she was in danger of losing her heart to Aiden, even though she knew there could be no future for them. He was an immortal. She wasn’t. End of story.

Leila shoved the can of mace into her jacket pocket, not really knowing why. Stupidly enough, it made her feel safer in Aiden’s absence, even though she knew that the can could never defeat a demon. She’d felt Zoltan’s strength, and had she not at the time had Aiden’s power in her, he would have overwhelmed her.

She shuddered at the recollection of Zoltan’s face so close to hers, of his green eyes boring into her, his hands on her throat, and his thoughts in her head. Instinctively, her hand went to her neck, rubbing it, trying to wipe away the gruesome memory.

Not wanting to remain alone any longer, she made for the exit and rushed back along the corridor. As she turned a corner, she spotted the door to the command room. It was ajar.

Then everything went dark.

“Fuck!” she heard Pearce curse.

Fear gave her wings, propelling her toward the room. “Pearce!” she screamed.

“Power failure. Leila! Get in here, now!”

She ran, then stumbled, her hands flailing, gripping something.

***

Enya peered through the drapes, watching the street below where the hookers plied their trade. Behind her in the dark room, Logan slouched in one of the comfy chairs, his long legs resting on the coffee table.

“Anything?” he asked, bored.

“All clear so far. Not that I think that our suspect will arrive uncloaked.” She turned to him. “I could have bet that by now one of the council members would be on the move. Are you sure your cell phone has reception?”

He glanced at the phone in his hands, then waved it at her. “Yep. Still no message from Pearce.”

It bothered her. Her instincts were never wrong. And she knew that Aiden’s plan was solid. The council member who had tried to kill Leila would assume that their last hiding place was the Thai massage parlor—unaware of the farmhouse in California—and therefore return to it to finish Leila off.

Turning away from the window, she crouched down and stroked the head of the dog who lay next to Logan’s chair. The German shepherd looked up at her. “Good dog,” she murmured.

The room was shrouded in darkness. On the nightstand next to the bed lay Leila’s cell phone. Enya had taken it from