Durance by Lyn Gala Page 0,50

but I would have to reset the spell, or I need a second or third computer. I should have more computers,” Milton muttered, but Kavon had turned his attention to Ahtisham.

“Um, not much,” Ahtisham said. “One of their leaders had a heart attack, but he’s recovering in the hospital.”

Maybe Anzu had had other plans that he’d changed when Kavon and Darren had walked into the middle of that lobby. It was a theory, and one that Darren liked. Given that Kavon’s emotions had taken on the sharp edge of determination, he clearly felt the same.

“We need to get eyes on the WCN staff.”

“Whoa,” Ahtisham said, “you two are on vacation, and our supervising agent is in the field coordinating the cleanup efforts down by the hotel.”

The fury that crashed through the bond startled Darren, but Kavon sounded calm when he spoke. “Call Coretta and tell her about the lead. You two are with us.” Kavon looked at Ahtisham and then Les, his emotional pile a riot of anger and determination and fear. Darren hadn’t expected that last emotion. He also hadn’t expected Kavon to flout the rules, not when he worshipped at the altar of the FBI rulebook.

Without a word, Ahtisham went to retrieve his sidearm.

“When people talked about how this team followed the rules, they were sorta full of shit,” Milton muttered. Kavon didn’t hear that or they would have been one probe short on the team. Kavon was already at his desk, typing something. While he appeared calm and collected, his emotions roiled under the surface.

“Kavon, can we talk a second?” Darren asked.

Kavon clenched his teeth and kept typing.

Feeling a little like a manipulative asshole, Darren pushed all his discomfort and genuine fear toward Kavon.

Kavon’s head snapped up.

“Bruh... what the hell?” Les asked, his voice shaky.

“Sorry,” Darren said. He’d meant to share his feelings with Kavon, not blast them out so anyone with a sensitivity got covered in emotional goop. Darren grabbed Kavon’s arm and pulled him toward the break room.

“What?” Milton was asking as Darren dragged Kavon into the hallway. “What happened?”

The darker, sharper edge of fury had vanished and now the bond was filled with confusion and a milder alarm. “What’s wrong?” Kavon asked. He opened the break room and ushered Darren in ahead of him.

“What are you thinking?”

Kavon froze for a second before he pulled the door closed behind Darren. “I know I’m breaking rules here, but this is not a normal case.”

“I don’t care if you break the rules,” Darren said. “Or wait, I do care. I’m the crazy one in this partnership, so if you’re going to start breaking rules, we might be royally screwed, but in the short term, I don’t care if you want to go charging off after Butler, even if he probably isn’t our shaman. I assume you’ve figured out that if he had a durance as a partner, he wouldn’t have introduced himself to us. I assume he had a partner or staff photographer with him.”

Kavon crossed his arms. “Aren’t you assuming a lot?”

“I don’t know.” Darren leaned against the lunch table and studied Kavon. “Aren’t you assuming a lot by going charging after this lead?”

“You know what we’re up against.”

Darren wondered if it was progress that Kavon’s aggravation was quickly overtaking his more dangerous emotions. “I do know, but I’m wondering what is up with you. You aren’t just talking about breaking FBI procedures, something that usually gives you hives to even consider, but you’re giving Coretta’s people orders. I saw her expression when she asked to talk to you. I felt your guilt. I know what she said to you in that room, even if I didn’t hear the words.”

Kavon’s anger spiked again, and he turned to leave.

Darting forward, Darren got between Kavon and the door. “Talk to me,” Darren begged. He knew how Kavon felt, but he didn’t understand why. And he definitely didn’t know why Kavon was charging around like a bull in a china shop. Maybe his guide’s personality was coming through too much. Maybe Bennu had thrown their balance off.

“We don’t have time. If Butler or one of his colleagues at that paper is the shaman partnered with Anzu, we need to know. We have no idea how much danger Anzu poses to the city.”

“I get that,” Darren said. “I don’t get why you’re so angry.”

Kavon slapped his hand onto the table so hard that the sound seemed to echo off the walls. “I want to stop Anzu!” Kavon took a quick