Untouched The Girl in the Box - By Robert J. Crane Page 0,15

Wolfe coming after you when you were seven.”

I shuddered, and deep inside felt Wolfe stir with interest at that idea. A few images floated to the surface of my mind, of places I’d never been, people I’d never met—young girls, all. I could taste bile rising in the back of my mouth and wished for nothing so much as the ability to drive his frightening psyche from my head. “That would have been bad. So what now for you?”

“I’ll be around,” he said. “I assume you’re not taking me up on my offer?”

I lowered my voice even more. “Can you get this maniac out of my head?”

He looked over to where Zack and Kurt were waiting for me. “I don’t think so. Once he’s in, he’s part of you from now on.” He shrugged. “There aren’t many experts on what you’re going through, and I don’t work with any. Counting you, there are three succubi on record. Only a couple of incubi.”

I rubbed my head. “I’m losing my mind. I don’t know how any of this works.” I snorted in wry amusement. “I don’t even know how my mom had me without killing my father, whoever he was.” I thought about it for a moment. “Hell, maybe she did.” I shook my head. “I know nothing about myself, where I came from, who my mother really is. You can tell me a little more, but I’d have to leave and go somewhere mysterious, somewhere outside the country?” He looked at me and nodded, and I knew he realized my decision was made. “Sorry,” I said. “I think I’m gonna stick it out here a while longer.”

“I figured. Like I said, I’ll be around.” He smiled, and with a gloved hand he brushed my cheek, sending a tingle through me. “You know how to get in touch with me.” He turned and started away.

“Bad choice of words,” I said to him with an impish smile. “I think the last thing you want is me touching you.”

“There are worse ways to go.” He laughed, shook his head, and disappeared out the door.

Chapter 5

After I watched him leave, I returned to where Zack and Kurt waited for me. The older man held his head, and let out a near hissing sound when I approached. “Every time I go somewhere with you...” he said.

“You blame this on me? Last time we went somewhere together, I believe you made it out just fine.” I smiled, and a look of panic crossed his features; the eyes widened, his mouth opened slightly and I would have bet his mouth was drier than the air outside. He looked at Zack, who was frowning. “I don’t see anything else,” I said, changing the subject to spare Kurt. “We can leave.”

“Let me be the first to say, ‘Thank God’ at the thought of getting outta here,” Kurt said with a grunt. He led the way, and I looked around, not quite forlorn but wondering if I was missing something, some subtle clue that might tell me more about where Mom was. I stared at the dark corners of the warehouse, as though I could sift the secrets out of the shadows if I only concentrated long enough.

“Come on,” Zack said. I looked back to find him standing behind me, and his eyes were warm. He put a hand on my shoulder, and even through the heavy cloth I felt the gentle pressure. I didn’t want to but I felt myself involuntarily close my eyes and wondered what it would feel like without his glove or my coat and shirt.

I forced a smile and buried that thought as Kurt yelled from the door. “Come on!” Without waiting for us, he pushed through to outside. Zack and I were only a few steps behind him as the door started to close, but before it did something silvery appeared with a flash and hit Kurt, sending the older man spiraling out of our field of vision.

I hesitated but was quicker to move than Zack. I burst out the door, felt my shoes hit the snow, the frigid air slamming me in the face followed by a metal-encased hand cracking me in the cheek. My feet left the ground and I landed in the snow. My jaw was on fire, and I felt the biting cold of the wet mush run down my collar. Before I had time to cry out, something punched me in the back of the head, and I felt a