held the Glock. 'Keep yourself alive. That's the most important thing.'
The silence stretched out between them. Not quite comfortable, not quite uncomfortable.
She blew out her breath, then twisted in the seat to face him. 'So I hold both arms out steady, and just keep pulling the trigger until all the bullets are gone. Even if they're down for the count?'
'Yeah, especially if they're down. You can't kill them with a gun. You can only slow them down long enough for me to finish the job.'
'With the sword.'
'That's right. Guardians can heal most injuries, but we can't grow back limbs or our heads.'
'Yuck.' She shuddered.
'And keep your eyes open. Sounds obvious, I know, but the report of the gun naturally causes the eyes to blink. You can fuck up a shot that way.'
'Eyes open. Okay.'
The hands-free communications system signaled an incoming call and they glanced at each other. Connor activated the line and said, 'Tell me you have something good, Cross.'
Aidan's brogue came through the speakers. 'We've got a location on the black sedan. Your recollection of the plate numbers was right on and that led us to a rental agency in San Diego who has GPS locators on all of their vehicles. You're almost on top of them now.'
'Where?' Stacey cried.
'They stopped in Barstow, near where the trace lost the cellular signal. Hopefully, they decided to hole up for the night and didn't just ditch the car.'
Connor looked at the green highway sign they passed. 'We'll be in Barstow in just a few minutes.'
'I've got a chopper on the way,' Aidan said. 'We may need it.'
'Stace?' Lyssa's voice come over the line filled with concern. 'How are you doing?'
'I'm okay, Doc.'
'The crew here is in raptures over your pie,' Lyssa said. 'I hope you don't mind. It's been a few hours since you left and they're getting hungry.'
'Are you kidding?' Stacey smiled wryly. 'They're helping me get my kid back. I love each and every one of them. They can eat whatever they want.'
'Hey!' Connor complained, working with Lyssa to keep Stacey's spirits up. 'Save me a slice.'
'Don't worry.' Stacey touched his forearm, then pulled away quickly. 'I'll make you your own pie. You won't have to share.'
The look she gave him made his breath catch. There was affection there. Her body language told him she was wary, but her overture gave him hope.
'They're fighting over who can have some,' Lyssa said with a soft laugh. 'Too many people, not enough pie.'
'It's still not better than sex,' Aidan insisted.
'Depends on the sex,' someone shouted out in the background.
That brought a genuine smile to Stacey's face. It did Connor's heart good to see some life in her. She was so pale, her eyes so big, her lush mouth framed by deep grooves of stress.
'You guys are making me hungry,' he complained. He hadn't eaten since breakfast, which was not the way he liked to go into battle.
'Okay.' The alertness in Aidan's tone caught Connor's attention. 'You're going to take your next exit.'
Glancing over his shoulder, Connor was grateful for both the number of dreams he'd shared where he learned to drive and also for the light traffic. Pretty much the only vehicles behind them were reinforcements-vans with cleanup crews and Hummers with armed backup. One day, he'd ask Aidan why McDougal needed a personal army, but right now, he was grateful for the support. 'Okay, we're on the off ramp.'
Aidan directed them away from the freeway to a motel that had probably never had a good day begin with, and certainly wasn't having one now. The two-story building appeared to have once been painted peach and brown, but in the yellow glow of the parking lot lights it was hard to tell for sure. The paint was cracked and peeling, the colors faded by the California sun.
Connor parked the car a short distance up the road from the establishment and said, 'We're going in.'
'Be careful,' Aidan admonished. 'I know you've never worked with humans before, so listen to me: Don't try and do everything yourself. McDougal is a savvy spender. He only hires the best. Trust your team to do their job. I'm fairly confident that you're going to pay through the nose for their help, so use it. I need you alive.'
'Got it.' While the order was given bluntly, Connor understood the friendship behind the words and took comfort in it. He was in a strange world, but he wasn't as alone as he'd first felt.
Disconnecting the line, he climbed out of the car and looked over the roof at Stacey as she did the same. His shoulders were well above the roofline. She was height-challenged, lifting to her tiptoes to see him more comfortably.
'Here's how we are going to handle this,' he began. 'We're just going to have a look around. Check out the car and the front desk. See if they're here or if they switched transportation and bailed.'
She nodded grimly.
'Don't try to be a hero,' he said. 'I'm good, sweetheart, believe me. But with multiple opponents and a hostage at stake, I'm not in a position to fight them all and keep on eye on you. If they're here, you need to stay out of harm's way so I can concentrate on getting Justin back, not saving your ass.'
He saw how much that killed her. The thought that her son could be close and she might have to restrain herself. Still, she said, 'I understand.'
'Do you trust me?' He made no effort to hide the emotions behind the question. Right now, his lack of detachment was both his greatest strength and his biggest liability.
Stacey's lips compressed until they were white, then tears glistened in her eyes.
Connor slammed his palm down on the roof so hard he startled her, making her gasp and jump.
'Damn it! Stop thinking about all the losers in your past and think about
'We just fucking met!' she hissed back at him. 'Don't act like we've known each other forever.'
'I care about you, Stacey. It doesn't matter how long we've known each other or not. It comes from here,' he hit his chest, 'and it's important to me. I think if you stopped trying to convince yourself that all men are the same, you'd realize that time doesn't matter.'
'Easy for you to say, Mr. My-life-is-endless.'
'Yeah, and your life isn't and you're wasting it.' Connor held up a hand to cut her off. 'I've lived centuries, Stacey. I've known a lot of women. I've spent years with some. I've done things with them that I haven't had time yet to do with you, but I already know this is different.'
Shaking his head, he backed up and opened the rear driver's side door. 'Forget it. I don't know why I asked.'
'I didn't say I don't trust you.' She came around the back of the car.
'You didn't say you did either.'
He motioned her closer and then held up a shoulder holster for her to maneuver into. 'You're going to wear this to hold the gun. If you have to, defend yourself.' He tightened the straps until it was snugly secured, then he turned her to face him. 'But I want you to run first. Shoot only if you have no other choice. Got it?'
'Yes.'
Connor moved to turn away and she caught his arm. 'I don't think you're like any other guy I've ever known.' Her thumb stroked over his skin restlessly, an innocent absentminded caress.
'Damn fucking right I'm not,' he growled, kissing her hard and swift before she could pull away. 'I'm the guy who's going to wear you down. The guy who's going to make a nuisance of himself every time he's in town. The guy who's going to seduce you every chance he gets, even when you say no… Shit, especially when you say no.'
Stacey gazed up at him with wide eyes and worried her lower lip.
'I can't promise to wear a suit and come home for dinner every night.' He pushed her away and reached into the backseat for his scabbard, which he slung over his back. 'But I can promise to care about you. And I'm stubborn, so get used to me.'
Grabbing a windbreaker, he shoved it at her. 'That'll help to hide the guns.' Then he looked down at himself
