Destiny Kills

“Of the burger joint we’re going to stop at up ahead.”

“How do you know there’s a burger joint up ahead?”

“Because I’ve been this way before, and I always scout out localities.”

“When you’re planning a job, you mean?”

He shot me an amused look, neither confirming nor denying my accusation. “The place is open twenty-four hours. The early morning shift is one man, and he’s both the cook and waiter. You’re going to charm the pants off him.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. You’re going to make that man want you bad enough to take you out to his truck.”

“Where you’ll deck him and snatch said truck?”

“Precisely.”

“I’m not happy with this plan, I have to tell you.”

“Well, unless you got a better plan, this is the one we’re stuck with.”

“The car behind us will spot us leaving in the truck.”

“The car behind us will unfortunately have two flat tires by that time.”

“Why not do all four?”

“Four is trickier, and the chance of getting caught increases dramatically.”

I stared at him for a minute, then crossed my arms. But one glance in the mirror at our black shadow and the men within left me little in the way of options.

I blew out a breath. “What’s this cook look like?”

“Like a cook?”

“I’m not making out with a lecherous old man.”

“So you’d rather be caught by those behind us?”

No. I’d just rather come up with something else.

The burger joint turned out to be attached to a gas station, though the cobwebs draped over the pumps suggested they hadn’t been used in some time. The building itself was brick, and it was hard to say what color they were thanks to the years of grime coating them. The large windows that lined the front were decorated with Christmas lights that cheerfully flashed in the early morning sun, and a huge burger sign sat above the weather- worn entrance, flashing on and off intermittently.

The burger on that sign looked no more appealing than the place itself.

I sniffed. “I still don’t like this plan.”

“Sweetheart, we have no choice. They’re right up our asses.”

My gaze flickered to the mirror. The black car had stopped on the side of the road.

Great. Just great. I unbuckled the belt and gave in to the inevitable. “Okay, let’s get this over with.”

We climbed out of the car and walked over to the door. All the time the back of my neck prickled, and it was all I could do not to run.

They were watching.

They were always watching.

No matter what Egan or I or the kids did, they were there. Them and Marsten.

I shivered, and jumped a little when Trae touched a hand to my back. “In you go,” he said, guiding me through the door.

A little bell chimed as Trae closed the door, and a voice from the rear of the building called out, “Won’t be a moment, loves.”

I raised my eyebrows and looked at Trae. “Now, that’s the most feminine-sounding male voice I’ve heard in a long time.”

He frowned. “That it was.”

“Could it be the great planner got this one wrong?”

“I don’t get things wrong, sweetheart.”

“Call me that one more time and I’m going to stomp on your toes.”

He looked down. “Bare feet versus boots. Not so worried.”

“You obviously haven’t spent enough time looking at my feet.”

His gaze twinkled. “Most certainly not. There’s nicer things to look at than toes.”

Footsteps echoed as someone marched smartly up the hall to our right. Seconds later, a matronly looking woman with gray hair and a merry smile appeared behind the counter.

“Now, what can I get you young people?”

“Is old Harry here?” Trae asked.

“Nope. That bastard got sacked a month ago for pilfering the till. Me and Frank run the place now.”

“There goes the seduction plan,” I murmured cheerfully.

“Don’t suppose you do a traditional breakfast?” Trae said, cupping his hand under my elbow and leading me over to a table near the window.

“Depends what you mean by traditional,” she replied. “We do pancakes, waffles, and bacon and eggs.”

“One pancakes, one bacon and eggs, and two coffees, thanks.”

“The pancakes had better be for you, buddy boy,” I said, as the woman headed back out to the kitchen. “Otherwise there’s going to be words said.”

“You don’t have a sweet tooth?”

“Not when it comes to breakfast.” I slid into a booth seat and kept my back to the black car.

“How about we share the plates?” He slid in the booth opposite and crossed his arms on the table as he casually looked out the window. “There’s three men in that car.”

“Three?” A shiver ran through me. “There’s probably two hunters. The driver would be one of the scientists.”

He looked at me, eyebrow raised. “You make them sound like cowboys intent on drugging cattle.”

“They are. And we’re the cattle.”

He studied me for a moment, then shook his head. “I wish I’d known. I would have done something to try and get Egan out. And, in the process, the rest of you.”

I smiled. “I had the same thought when I was eighteen. I got caught.”

“I’m not eighteen, and I’m also a very good thief.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered.”

“So little confidence in my abilities,” he said, voice bland. “And yet here you are, trusting them.”

Because I had no other choice. I needed those codes, and I knew nothing about breaking into houses, let alone safes. I crossed my arms and stared out the window, watching the tufted grasses that lined the parking lot sway lightly in the breeze. Remembered wind of a different kind—a wind that howled and moaned through long, dark nights. A wind so cold it could kill if it touched bare skin. We’d gone to the Arctic to avoid them when we’d first escaped, but hadn’t stayed long. It had been far too cold for an air dragon to survive, despite Egan’s protestations that he was fine. So we’d looped around Iceland, and had come back through the North Atlantic, making our way down and around South America before swimming—or in Egan’s case, flying—back up to Mexico.

It had all been for naught, because they’d been waiting for us. And yet Egan had been so sure that they wouldn’t know about the villa. So how had they found us so quickly and easily?

Trae snapped his fingers in front of my face, and I jumped. “What?” I said, scowling at him.

“You were off in your thoughts again.” His gaze went from me to the car and back again. “Tell me, why do you think they killed Egan? If he was the only full-grown male, it makes no sense for them to get rid of him.”

“I think they considered him to be more dangerous than Mom or me, and he did start the fire that allowed us to escape.” Even if the fire wasn’t his. I shrugged. “I’m sure they were intending to keep his body and study him that way, but I foiled that by snatching him away.”

“I would have thought being able to control water was a greater threat than fire. Especially when you’re all being kept beside a loch containing a huge amount of freshwater.” He leaned back in the seat as the old woman walked over with two coffees.

“There you go, loves. Breakfast will be another five minutes or so.”

“Thanks,” I said, giving her a smile.