He gave Evalle what he hoped was a look of confidence he didn’t feel. “Fixing things with Reese is on my list.”
Evalle’s phone buzzed. She snatched it from her back pocket. “Why didn’t you call me telepathically, Trey?”
She yanked the phone from her ear where Trey snarled at her, “Because I’m talking to others telepathically right now.”
She pulled it back. “Sorry. Got it. Just text if that’s easier.” She listened, nodding as she did. “On the way.” Shoving the phone into her pocket, she told Quinn, “Let us know what happens with Tristan.”
Rain started falling for which Quinn said a word of thanks. Anything to keep the sun from Evalle. “I’ll inform Trey and I’ll let you know when I return.”
“Okay, thanks.” Evalle turned to Adrianna. “Ready to cloak? We’re headed to Centennial Park.”
“I’m on it.” Adrianna waved her fingertips. “Bye, Quinn.”
They disappeared from sight.
Quinn turned the opposite way. With no humans in sight except the homeless guy now curled up on the ground facing away, he leaped across weeds and debris to reach a road used by delivery trucks on the opposite side from the tracks.
He tried Reese’s phone again, letting it ring until her voice message came on. “Not here.” Click.
Was she really that undisciplined about listening for phone calls and returning texts?
Or just his calls and texts?
He’d left plenty of messages over the last two weeks, asking for a time the two of them could sit down and talk. Reese had worked brilliantly with him to save his daughter when a nonhuman kidnapped her before Quinn had ever met his child. Then with the support of some mysterious guardian Phoedra’s mother had put in place before Phoedra’s birth, Reese ended up living next door to Phoedra and her foster mother in California. Phoedra became close with Reese when his daughter started dog sitting Reese’s massive mutt. The woman caring for Phoedra had belonged to her elusive guardian Quinn had never met.
When the smoke cleared, Reese was the one person Phoedra had bonded with over the past year when she’d had no idea who her parents were.
He understood that Phoedra needed time to adjust to everything. She’d been just as uninformed of having a father as he’d been about having a thirteen-year-old daughter.
Still, it hurt to miss even more time with her. He’d gained and lost his daughter all at the same time.
As long as Phoedra was safe and wanted for nothing, he had to be patient and allow her the time she needed to come to him on her own.
He only wished to get to know her and for his child to enjoy her life after all she’d survived.
Rain continued to sprinkle as he climbed the last stretch of road that ascended to the surface streets of Atlanta. He texted his driver the location to pick him up.
Traffic whizzed by at a steady pace. Humans living normal lives.
He’d always been proud to be a Belador and had no desire to give it up even if he could, but there were days he’d like to be just some Joe coming home from work to his family.
Standing under an overhang to avoid becoming slowly soaked, he sent another call which reached Reese’s voicemail yet again. This time he left a message. “Please call me as soon as you get this, Reese. It’s extremely important.”
While Reese made him crazy on a daily basis, he could not ask for a better protector to watch over his daughter. She had an energy inside of her that drew demons to her like flies to honey.
That same energy killed demons.
What if Reese went up against multiple demons taken over by Imortiks roaming Atlanta? Quinn shuddered at that possibility.
As a black sedan pulled up, he stepped to the curb and opened a door to the backseat. He told his driver, “I’m going to Reese and Phoedra’s apartment.” His driver knew the way.
Quinn tapped the number for Lanna next. His twenty-year-old cousin from Romania loved her phone and always answered if she had it close by.
“Cousin!” Lanna’s bubbly voice and accented broken English never failed to brightened his world.
“Hello, Lanna. Are you—”
Her voice abruptly changed to a hush. “You are not good. I can feel problem. What is trouble? I will help.”
That young woman would never be accused of lacking courage. If anything, she raced into trouble without hesitation if it meant saving someone in her circle of friends and family, or even an innocent stranger.
He was surrounded by fiercely protective women. Not that he didn’t love that quality, but he constantly worried about them diving into danger.
Washing a hand over his tired face, he attempted to calm her down. “I’m fine, Lanna. I’m just looking for Reese.”
“You do not tell truth.”
“Lanna.” Little got by that one, but right now was not the time for her to poke her nose into his business.
“Fine, Cousin. She is with Phoedra.”
“I figured that, but I can’t get an answer when I call Reese’s phone.”
Lanna didn’t speak at first, which was strange in itself because she always had something to say. “Did you tell her about dark power in city?”
“I left a message last night for her and Phoedra to stay inside until I had time to tell them what was going on. I said I’d call today.”
“Reese said you call all the time. I fear she ignores phone when she sees your name.”
He clamped his lips against the curse ready to launch from his lips. Buildings went by at a slow clip in the busy downtown traffic. When he had time, he’d normally prefer walking, but he hadn’t wanted to risk this conversation in public.
“Do not get angry, Cousin,” Lanna said in a quiet voice. “Reese is not in happy place.”
He lost his focus on anger and keyed into Lanna’s
