Читать книгу Moonlight and Magick - Isobael Liu - Страница 5

Chapter 1

Hawk’s Point was known as a waypoint for hikers and campers who braved the Mount Rainier National Forest. It was a small town Lilian had wandered into a couple of years ago, and immediately fell in love with. It was perfect. No one knew about her past or her true identity. This was her chance to start over, live a simple life, away from the larger cities. Seattle, especially.

The residents of her new home recognized her as Lilian Quinn and accepted her as a welcomed member of their tight knit community. Regardless if everyone knew what skeletons lurked in their neighbors’ closets, they didn’t know her secrets.

She found a job working at the local diner, which paid little, but she didn’t need to be rich. As long as it paid her bills and there was a little extra, she was happy.

Taking orders from a few of the tables outside, she heard the loud rumbling roar of motorcycles. Dishes and glasses rattled on the tables. Lilian glanced up to see a small gang of about ten bikers riding by. She spotted one of the members as they passed. With his mirrored sunglasses, she couldn’t see much other than a masculine face and black hair long enough to hang mid way down his back in a ponytail.

She chuckled to herself and bent to hear the customer’s order, scribbling onto a small notepad, as their engines cut out. From the distance of the sound, Lilian assumed they had parked at the Motel 6. A few of the customers, however, kept their eyes on the strangers, and conversations shifted to the activities of the gang members.

Going about her duties, she heard from the lunch crowd what the bikers were doing; getting off their bikes, gathering around and stretching, which resulted in various debates over why. She smiled faintly in amusement at the patron’s musings, went inside to turn in the orders and pick up plates from the hot table to deliver. It took her a few minutes, as she served the tables and filled glasses, before heading back outside.

A wave of nausea and a sense of trepidation hit her as she stepped onto the terrace, causing her to pause and survey the area. As Lilian scanned the patio, she saw the two men seated at the far table, in dark suits and sunglasses. While sunglasses were par for the course on such a beautiful day in Hawk’s Point, suits were not.

The men sat themselves in such a way one could face and watch customers and servers moving about the alfresco area, the other faced out to the street to watch the coming and going of passersby.

Lilian knew they were trouble, but for whom? If they were here for her, she couldn’t run. She had to continue as if nothing was wrong.

After delivering food, she picked up two menus and a pitcher of ice water. Pasting on a smile, she approached the table. “Good afternoon.” She set their menus down and poured water into their glasses. “Can I get you anything to drink besides water? Iced tea or soda?”

“Lilian Powell?” He kept his tone soft, but still meant business.

Lilian shook her head. “I’m sorry, my last name is Quinn. Wrong girl.” She tapped the menus on the table. “I’ll be back to take your order in a few.”

Before they could say anything else, she walked away, checking on the other diners and refilling water glasses until she made it back inside, hurrying into the kitchen to escape the prying eyes of the two strangers .

“What’s the matter, chica?” Maria tossed a basket of onion rings into the fryer.

Maria was one of her closest friends, as close as she could be while Lilian still retained her carefully guarded secrets.

“There are two men in my section who’re just freaky. I think they might be government agents,” Lilian replied.

“Government? Cool! Bet they make some major money. Are they cute?” Maria asked as she flipped burgers on the grill.

Leave it to Maria to think of money and good looks rather than wonder why they were here.

“I didn’t pay attention.” Lilian checked her watch.

Damn, still thirty minutes to go before clocking out.

“Well, take a peek when you go back out and let me know, girl! I ain’t getting any younger!” Maria shooed her out.

Those men gave her the heebie-jeebies. Still, Lilian couldn’t hide in here or they’d become suspicious. On her way out, she picked up a pitcher of ice water in one hand, a pitcher of iced tea in the other, and turned to use her hip to open the door. Motioning to one of the other waitresses that she had the iced tea, the door flung open. She cried out as she stumbled. She turned her body to try and catch her balance, but collided into what felt like a brick wall.

There were a few gasps of shock and some masculine guffaws. Wondering what or whom she’d collided with she turned and stared into the face of the biker she’d noticed earlier. He was soaked. The water and the iced tea drenched the front of him, from chest down.

At least she had a better view of him.

He had a masculine face with a dimple in his left cheek, passably handsome in a rugged, outdoorsy way, and yes, the dark hair. He was tall, probably a good four inches taller than her, and from the way the now wet t-shirt clung to his torso, a nicely built frame, but not an overzealous bodybuilder. He grabbed onto her to keep her from falling, and she could feel the strength in his hands, though his hold was gentle.

“That’ll cool ya off, brother,” a man called out and laughed, joined by the others of the gang.

A low growl emanated from the drenched biker, too low for anyone else to hear, but it rumbled through the man and into her. Lilian’s eyes widened in shock, mortified. She jerked back from the man, or tried to, stammering out an apology.

“Please, I’m terribly sorry. I’ll pay for your meal, of course. I didn’t expect the door to not be there.” Her words tripped and stumbled over her tongue and she kept trying to pull away from him, but he refused to let her go.

“If you stop a minute,” he drawled, “I can let go of you without you flying down the street.”

Lilian fell silent, blinking in surprise. It was true. His hold on her kept her upright, but she kept pulling away and if he did let go of her, she would go flying just from her momentum. She glanced up at him, but with his sunglasses on, couldn’t see his eyes. There was a wry twist to his lips, not quite a smile, but not a grimace either.

Lilian went still and he let go of her upper arms.

“There,” he said.

She stared at her reflection in the sunglasses. He lifted a brow at her, the corner of his lips tilting up into a smile. She blushed and backed away a couple of steps.

“Don’t scare her off, little brother,” another of the gang said. “I’m hungry and thirsty.”

“The way she’s looking at him, you’d think he just told her she’s on the menu,” said another.

Lilian looked away from the man in front of her and made a quick, visual foray around the outdoor section. The biker gang took up residence at the empty tables, her appointed station now filled to capacity. Dismayed and nervous, she snapped her gaze back at the one in front of her.

“Could we have some menus?”

Lilian blinked, nodded, turned and ran back into the diner as though the hounds of hell were nipping at her heels. Hounds of hell, no, but the guffaws of the biker gang followed her inside.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw him looking toward her, having not moved from the spot he stood before. Uneasy, she looked away and headed to the front desk.

As if the two suited men hadn’t been enough, now she had to deal with this?

It wasn’t a personal threat she sensed. If Lilian had been in some form of danger from him, she’d have known. Still, something about him made her feel uneasy. What? Because he was in a motorcycle gang, or maybe because he was a stranger and strangers, especially strange men, made her uncomfortable?

Opting to err on the side of caution, she handed the menus off to one of the other waitresses, trading with her so Lilian could watch over the interior tables.

Thirty minutes later, with her shift over, she removed her apron and tossed it into the hamper. She picked up her small purse and clocked out. With a final wave to Maria and fellow waitresses, she used the back door with the hopes of escaping the notice of the suited men and the bikers. Unfortunately, her plan didn’t work so well. As Lilian stepped out of the parking lot and onto the sidewalk along Main Street, one of the suited men stepped into her path and stopped her.

“Miss Quinn.”

Lilian heard the wry tone in his voice as he said her name and knew he doubted her.

“Yes?” she asked.

“We’d like to speak to you. In private.”

The second suited man crossed the street to join them. Lilian knew if she went anywhere with them, she’d disappear.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t have the time. I have some errands to run.”

“I don’t think you understand.” The man reached into his jacket’s inner pocket.

Lilian tensed, wary, and shifted her stance so the two men couldn’t position themselves to box her in.

The man withdrew what looked like a white card and turned it to show her a photograph of her as a child, after the “incident”. The blood rushed from her head and a sinking feeling filled her gut.

“Maybe you’d like to try again with your name?” he asked.

Lilian glanced up from the photograph to the man. He still wore his sunglasses, but she didn’t need to see his eyes to read his mind. Very carefully, and with the lightest of touches, she scanned his surface thoughts. “Run. Run so I can chase you. When I catch you, I’ll punish you. I’ll pin you down and show you…”

She immediately pulled her mind from his, nauseated. “I’m sorry, but who are you? Where did you get that picture?”

She quickly but carefully scanned the second man’s thoughts, which were easier on her senses. “Stephan’s description was exactly like the picture shows. She’s the right one. She’s obviously lying about her name. Why are we wasting our time here?”

Neither man replied to her questions, but it was obvious they intended to get her to confess her real name. However, she was spared any further attempts with the arrival of the biker gang.

“There you are,” the biker leader called out. “Come on, we’ll be late.”

Lilian and the suited men looked over at him. His friends flanked the leather-clad man, and despite the friendly tone he’d used, all were tense. She quickly scanned the surface thoughts of the leader. “Help her. Those men are up to no good. Don't trust them.”

As she stepped toward him one of the suited men grabbed onto her arm. A mistake. The biker gang exploded into action and rushed toward them. The suited man released her and she was pulled into the arms of the gang leader. He led her some distance away.

“Let go of me.” She struggled to free her arms.

“That’s not very nice,” he quipped. She could hear the amusement in his tone. “I just saved you from who knows what and I don’t even get a thank you.”

Lilian found herself blushing, yet again.

“Thank you. Now, let me go.”

He chuckled before changing the subject. “What’s your name?”

The distinct sounds of fighting emanated behind her, but a quick glance over her shoulder revealed nothing. Deciding they must have dragged the fight into the alley, she turned to look back up at the man.

“Lilian Quinn. Who’re you?”

He grinned at her. “Matthias.”

She heard a loud snarling sound from the alley, but when she turned to look, Matthias used his hold on her and kept her from looking. Was he trying to distract her from seeing something?

“Why are they harassing you?”

Lilian looked back at him, frowning. “Why do you want to know?”

He lifted a brow at her. “I asked first.”

She studied his face. Every logical fiber told her not to trust him. Still, he and his friends did come to help her when she needed it.

“I can’t tell you. I don’t even know who you are. Please let me go.”

Matthias released her and she took a step back from him.

“Thank you.” She rubbed her arm.

“You know why those men are after you, don’t you?”

She sighed. The man is infuriatingly persistent.

“Yes, but I’m not going to tell you why.”

She could feel him studying her, but those sunglasses hid his eyes. What color were they? Lilian tilted her head slightly as she studied his face.

“Why are you staring at me?” Amusement colored his tone.

“You were staring first,” she said.

“Was I?”

“What color are your eyes?”

A faint sense of satisfaction came over her when she saw his brows lift over the rim of his shades.

He was spared from answering by the return of his friends. The men joked a bit back and forth, teasing one another about their lack of practice, but the words didn’t sink in. Instead, her attention was drawn to the crimson color. A couple of them had bloody noses and others had scraped knuckles. Even from where she stood, in the darkened parking lot of the diner, the blood stood out like a bright beacon. Time seemed to slow, and then stop as she stared at them.

Long buried memories crashed down on her and she couldn’t help but relive the night her stepfather had murdered her mother. All she could see was the crimson splatter left in the wake of his brutality.

Lilian backed away from the approaching group, but ran into Matthias. Feeling weak and lightheaded, she turned to face him.

Her knees threatened to buckle and she stiffened her muscles. She had to get out of there, away from the blood and the reminders of her past.

Matthias reached for her, but she jerked back from him. He frowned, but before he could speak, Lilian turned and bolted for the entrance of the diner.

* * * *

It had taken a couple more hours before she braved leaving the diner to head home. She’d gotten a ride with a customer who lived near her home. As they left the diner, she glanced around for signs of the suited men or of Matthias and his gang, but neither were to be seen. Overly cautious, Lilian knew, but she had to remain vigilant.

Once home, she checked and locked the doors and windows before taking a hot shower to soothe her frazzled nerves. She took her time, washing off the taint of fear and loathing from her skin. By the end she relaxed, her mind clearer.

Twenty minutes later, she was enjoying a cup of chamomile tea when her phone rang, shattering the peaceful silence.

“Hello?”

“My pretty Lilian. I’ve missed you.”

Lilian’s heart jolted and then pounded back to life as pain coursed through her chest.

Stephan.

She didn’t believe in coincidences, just as she didn’t believe Stephan’s call had nothing to do with the presence of the suited men in Hawk’s Point.

“Miss me?” he asked.

Goosebumps rose along her skin and the hair on the back of her neck tingled with chilling fright. Lilian said nothing in reply. She couldn’t. There wasn’t enough air in her lungs to say anything.

“Do you remember the last time we were together, my darling? Do you remember how much I hurt you? Do you remember the blood?”

Lilian slammed the phone down. Her stomach heaved and threatened to empty its contents as she struggled to breathe, to keep from panicking.

Memories flooded into her mind’s eye, reliving every moment in supersonic speed. Stephan’s smile, cold and unfeeling, superimposed over the memories, the physical abuse, the hospital visits, the blood stained towels. He’d been so kind in the beginning, but slowly changed. He’d begun to abuse her, mentally, verbally, and at the end, physically. She had planned to run away and leave him. Once he discovered her plans, he took away all her money and the ID she had, and threatened to turn her over to the police for murder.

The final straw had been when she found the printed email giving him directions of how to hold her for the agents to pick her up. It had been a shock to her and the idea of returning terrified her. In the many times her mind accidentally brushed against his, never once did she pick up the thought of him knowing the truth about her. Lilian didn’t know how he’d found out about her past, or if perhaps he’d been a trap set by them all this time, but after two years with Stephan, she left that night.

She went through her house one more time before she retired for the night. She was tempted to pack a bag and head into town, just in case, but her own home was her haven, for the moment, and so she stayed. When she lay down in bed, curled up beneath the covers, Lilian knew sleep would be fleeting, if it came at all.

* * * *

She could hear the hounds baying in the background. Looking around, she saw no trail, no landmarks she recognized, but knew she had to run. Lilian had already been running, her heart beating hard in her chest, and was out of breath. Still, she knew if the hounds caught up with her, they would tear her apart.

She crisscrossed the ground quickly, her feet barely touching the soil, leaping over fallen logs and ducking low branches in order to escape the death at the jaws of the hounds and spear of the hunt master.

How did she know this?

Even with her speed and agility, Lilian knew the hounds were gaining on her. It was only a matter of time before they caught her, and when they did, they'd tear her apart. She stopped and looked around, for a way out, a place to hide; anyplace she could wait out the hunt. There was nothing, only the dark forest which stretched out before her in every direction.

Suddenly, there was a flash of white in her peripheral, a glowing white, almost ghostly. She turned her head and saw a white stag. It stood tall, the top of her head reaching its shoulders, and had a proud head, heavy with antlers as wide as the beast long. As she watched, it pawed the ground and waved its great head at her.

“There is not much time, my child. Come with me.”

She was surprised when the stag spoke to her, not aloud but in her mind. Even though she hadn’t heard its words, there was an urgency and she nodded.

It turned and ran, Lilian following behind it. As she did so, she heard the baying of the hounds and the enraged bellow of the thwarted huntsman.

Lilian jolted awake, heart pounding.