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177
The Hanged Man: The Eternal Kiss
by Diana Castilleja
"I can't let her run rampant," Houston said, throwing out
an arm. "Look who she brought home the last time." He gave
Diego a caustic stare.
Laney rested a hand on Houston's arm. "Did you ever think
maybe she was supposed to?"
"Wha-?" Houston almost fell on his butt from his crouch.
"Laney, how could you say that? You know what he is."
Her smile turned angelic, and Diego could have kissed her
himself. He forced his expression to remain unmoved instead.
He never would have believed to have one of them on his
side. The picture of Houston tearing out his throat was not
exactly the way to friendship, either. "Remember what
happened when I met you?" Her green eyes sparkled in
memory. "I never planned on making that audition. I was
going to audition for that commercial. I thought it would get
me into Hollywood."
Houston wore a silly grin for a split second. He rubbed a
hand over his cheek. "Yeah, how could I forget? You walked
onstage with that kitten and all hell broke loose."
Laney shrugged, her eyes dancing. "How was I supposed
to know it didn't belong to the studio and that you hate cats?"
Houston fell silent for a minute, everything he felt for his
wife burning in his light brown eyes. He sighed once, making
a decision. He shifted, focusing on Diego. "I'm not letting you
forget this, Diego."
Diego took a deep breath, testing his lung capacity. His left
lower lung was sore where the bullet had nicked him, but he
could live through the pain. He pushed it to the back of his
mind.
178
The Hanged Man: The Eternal Kiss
by Diana Castilleja
"I will get her back. I promise you that." Diego used his
hands to brace himself, then steadied himself against the
wall. Standing, he stretched and winced. "No gymnastics," he
warned himself.
He took a deep breath, registered the time of night, the
arc of the wind, even how close his best chance of prey was.
Diego asked, "I am just curious in this, but why does she not
know your secret? Does not seem fair if you ask me."
"I didn't ask you." Houston offered Laney a hand, curving
her protectively under his broad shoulder. "It just never came
up, honestly, and she would never ask. When I met her, she
was skinny, all eyes, and scared to talk to anyone, fearing
she'd overload. The only outlet she had was her singing. And
man, when you hear her sing..."
Diego smiled, clapping a hand on Houston's shoulder. "You
feel blessed."
"Yeah. That's it." He turned, walking with Diego toward the
street. "Eventually she opened up, and I met her folks. I think
her dad was hoping I'd ask, but I don't love her like that. She
feels the same way." Houston shot Laney a look. "Meeting the
parents. Now that I want to see."
She punched his arm lightly, biting her lip to keep from
laughing, hiding an all too apparent, guilty look from Diego.
He was beginning to feel a touch of acceptance in Titania's life
from their teasing, at least from Laney.
Diego stopped them in the shadows just off the street.
"For all the years you offered her your friendship, and more, I
thank you." He gave Houston a gallant little bow.
179
The Hanged Man: The Eternal Kiss
by Diana Castilleja
Houston accepted the thank you with an offered hand of
friendship that Diego clasped. "You were someone important
before this happened, weren't you?"
Diego glanced away. "Once. Yes. A commander, second to
DeSoto." He faced the couple. "I need to replenish." He
purposely avoided using the word "feed" out of consideration.
"I have an address from the two who have been watching the
hotel." He fell silent when Houston cursed again. Diego's brow
arched. "I guess she has not found it necessary to share this
information with you?"
"She has been giving me the silent treatment unless I look
for her first," Houston told him with disgust.
Diego did not say that was because he had been with her
almost nonstop. Some things were better left unsaid. He took
another deep breath and felt the weight over his heart.
Titania was missing, and every atom of his being shrieked at
him to find her. The fires of retribution were clawing at him.
He closed his eyes, gathering his energy. "I need to go."
He gave Houston the address. It was pointless to tell him not
to come. "When you arrive, stay silent. I will find you."
He heard Laney's gasp as he dissolved then shot off into
the sky to find what he needed. He would need to be at full
strength to bring back Titania. Diego knew Tenorio meant
business. He continued to search for her, but found nothing
but empty space where usually her light laughter resided.
* * * *
Titania tried to roll over. She moved her arms again and
came up short. Her shoulders ached. She let out a long
180
The Hanged Man: The Eternal Kiss
by Diana Castilleja
breath. She was breathing. That was good. Her head was
killing her. That was bad. The headache had to be the
absolute worst in history. When she tried to open her eyes,
light sliced her brain in half. Her lids snapped shut on a yelp
of pain.
She lay still for several minutes, trying to figure out where
she was. She moved her hands again, and this time the
weight of the manacles registered. She found the cold iron of
one, traced it carefully with her fingers. She was shackled?
She tugged and got nowhere.
She breathed and listened. She could hear her own heart,
her breathing. And nothing else. She dared to open her eyes
again and managed to make slits out of them. Tears
streamed from them, but she forced herself to concentrate
beyond the discomfort.
She was in a room, a stark, metal, gray room. She was
stretched out on an examiner's table, cold steel, one bright
light directly overhead. She shifted her weight. Her feet didn't
move.
She tried to find her feet. They were tied down too? She
focused. And screamed. Her clothes had been split down the
middle. She was as naked as naked could be.
Panic swelled, obliterating the pain of the piercing light.
She yanked frantically on the wrist cuffs. Iron links held her.
She couldn't possibly break them.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She needed
to concentrate. She needed to find a way out of this,
whatever this was.
Cara? He sounded so far away.
181
The Hanged Man: The Eternal Kiss
by Diana Castilleja
Diego! Help me. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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177
The Hanged Man: The Eternal Kiss
by Diana Castilleja
"I can't let her run rampant," Houston said, throwing out
an arm. "Look who she brought home the last time." He gave
Diego a caustic stare.
Laney rested a hand on Houston's arm. "Did you ever think
maybe she was supposed to?"
"Wha-?" Houston almost fell on his butt from his crouch.
"Laney, how could you say that? You know what he is."
Her smile turned angelic, and Diego could have kissed her
himself. He forced his expression to remain unmoved instead.
He never would have believed to have one of them on his
side. The picture of Houston tearing out his throat was not
exactly the way to friendship, either. "Remember what
happened when I met you?" Her green eyes sparkled in
memory. "I never planned on making that audition. I was
going to audition for that commercial. I thought it would get
me into Hollywood."
Houston wore a silly grin for a split second. He rubbed a
hand over his cheek. "Yeah, how could I forget? You walked
onstage with that kitten and all hell broke loose."
Laney shrugged, her eyes dancing. "How was I supposed
to know it didn't belong to the studio and that you hate cats?"
Houston fell silent for a minute, everything he felt for his
wife burning in his light brown eyes. He sighed once, making
a decision. He shifted, focusing on Diego. "I'm not letting you
forget this, Diego."
Diego took a deep breath, testing his lung capacity. His left
lower lung was sore where the bullet had nicked him, but he
could live through the pain. He pushed it to the back of his
mind.
178
The Hanged Man: The Eternal Kiss
by Diana Castilleja
"I will get her back. I promise you that." Diego used his
hands to brace himself, then steadied himself against the
wall. Standing, he stretched and winced. "No gymnastics," he
warned himself.
He took a deep breath, registered the time of night, the
arc of the wind, even how close his best chance of prey was.
Diego asked, "I am just curious in this, but why does she not
know your secret? Does not seem fair if you ask me."
"I didn't ask you." Houston offered Laney a hand, curving
her protectively under his broad shoulder. "It just never came
up, honestly, and she would never ask. When I met her, she
was skinny, all eyes, and scared to talk to anyone, fearing
she'd overload. The only outlet she had was her singing. And
man, when you hear her sing..."
Diego smiled, clapping a hand on Houston's shoulder. "You
feel blessed."
"Yeah. That's it." He turned, walking with Diego toward the
street. "Eventually she opened up, and I met her folks. I think
her dad was hoping I'd ask, but I don't love her like that. She
feels the same way." Houston shot Laney a look. "Meeting the
parents. Now that I want to see."
She punched his arm lightly, biting her lip to keep from
laughing, hiding an all too apparent, guilty look from Diego.
He was beginning to feel a touch of acceptance in Titania's life
from their teasing, at least from Laney.
Diego stopped them in the shadows just off the street.
"For all the years you offered her your friendship, and more, I
thank you." He gave Houston a gallant little bow.
179
The Hanged Man: The Eternal Kiss
by Diana Castilleja
Houston accepted the thank you with an offered hand of
friendship that Diego clasped. "You were someone important
before this happened, weren't you?"
Diego glanced away. "Once. Yes. A commander, second to
DeSoto." He faced the couple. "I need to replenish." He
purposely avoided using the word "feed" out of consideration.
"I have an address from the two who have been watching the
hotel." He fell silent when Houston cursed again. Diego's brow
arched. "I guess she has not found it necessary to share this
information with you?"
"She has been giving me the silent treatment unless I look
for her first," Houston told him with disgust.
Diego did not say that was because he had been with her
almost nonstop. Some things were better left unsaid. He took
another deep breath and felt the weight over his heart.
Titania was missing, and every atom of his being shrieked at
him to find her. The fires of retribution were clawing at him.
He closed his eyes, gathering his energy. "I need to go."
He gave Houston the address. It was pointless to tell him not
to come. "When you arrive, stay silent. I will find you."
He heard Laney's gasp as he dissolved then shot off into
the sky to find what he needed. He would need to be at full
strength to bring back Titania. Diego knew Tenorio meant
business. He continued to search for her, but found nothing
but empty space where usually her light laughter resided.
* * * *
Titania tried to roll over. She moved her arms again and
came up short. Her shoulders ached. She let out a long
180
The Hanged Man: The Eternal Kiss
by Diana Castilleja
breath. She was breathing. That was good. Her head was
killing her. That was bad. The headache had to be the
absolute worst in history. When she tried to open her eyes,
light sliced her brain in half. Her lids snapped shut on a yelp
of pain.
She lay still for several minutes, trying to figure out where
she was. She moved her hands again, and this time the
weight of the manacles registered. She found the cold iron of
one, traced it carefully with her fingers. She was shackled?
She tugged and got nowhere.
She breathed and listened. She could hear her own heart,
her breathing. And nothing else. She dared to open her eyes
again and managed to make slits out of them. Tears
streamed from them, but she forced herself to concentrate
beyond the discomfort.
She was in a room, a stark, metal, gray room. She was
stretched out on an examiner's table, cold steel, one bright
light directly overhead. She shifted her weight. Her feet didn't
move.
She tried to find her feet. They were tied down too? She
focused. And screamed. Her clothes had been split down the
middle. She was as naked as naked could be.
Panic swelled, obliterating the pain of the piercing light.
She yanked frantically on the wrist cuffs. Iron links held her.
She couldn't possibly break them.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She needed
to concentrate. She needed to find a way out of this,
whatever this was.
Cara? He sounded so far away.
181
The Hanged Man: The Eternal Kiss
by Diana Castilleja
Diego! Help me. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]