“Procedure has taught us that the van should sit there for at least a month now. I’ll have my human team take it away sometime during the day when most of the alter species will be asleep. How does that sound?”
“Good. Real good. And we’re sorry about this.”
“Not your fault and please don’t give it a second thought.”
Brannick pulled his phone from his pocket and made a call to one of his human contractors and arranged for the tunnel work. When he put his phone back, he said, “They’ll get started right away, though you probably won’t even know they’re here and they’ll work through the day. Tomorrow night, go ahead and move whatever you like into the closet. Just try to arrange everything to make it look as though it’s been settling for a while.”
“Thanks so much, Brannick.” He compressed his lips. “Do you have any idea how we became suspect?”
He shrugged. “It’s possible a neighbor saw the van pull in and called the Crescent station. That’s all it would take. But don’t worry. I’ve closed up tunnels dozens of times.”
“Will you have to dig a new one?”
“Not entirely. We’ll arrange for a replacement host, hopefully on a nearby street not far from the tunnel, then cut in from there. Again, the contractors are skilled at what they do.” He clapped Carl on the shoulder. “Thank you for your service. As for this evening, four more women were delivered safely through our network and are by now headed to a local Phoenix hospital and will get the care they need.”
“That’s good, but I sure wish that officer hadn’t shown up.”
Brannick nodded then glanced toward the night sky. “I wish you both well, but right now Juliet and I need to get going.”
Carl drew back the sliding glass door.
Brannick stepped through. When he moved onto a small patch of grass in the center of the yard, ready to take off, he realized Juliet hadn’t followed him.
He glanced in the direction of the house and saw that she was holding Carl’s wife in a warm embrace and speaking softly to her. When she drew back, the woman smiled then wiped her cheeks with her hands.
For a moment, as Juliet turned in Brannick’s direction and started crossing the patio, he felt as though something grabbed his heart and squeezed hard. She was kind and thoughtful, a loving woman, the kind he wished he could have in his life, a woman like his wife had been.
He shifted to look up into the sky, anywhere but at Juliet. He didn’t want to be feeling like this, like if given the chance, he could fall for her.
He’d made a promise to himself the night he’d watched the dark coven witches burn his sister alive that he’d never allow himself to care for anyone ever again. He couldn’t risk it. Not in Five Bridges. Caring had fueled his rage, which had set him on a vigilante course that ended with the death of the rest of his family, including Tracy.
He’d spent thirteen years atoning for something that he could never make right. But he had no intention of getting involved at this late hour with Juliet, even if he had been engaged in a serious affair with her.
When she drew close, he held out his arm and his right boot. “Have you flown much?”
“A couple of times. But, yes, I’m a nervous flyer.”
“I’ll take it slow.”
She stepped up onto his boot, then settled her arm across his shoulders. Oh, God, she smelled so good. She smelled familiar. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close.
She leaned into him in a way that told him exactly how comfortable she was with him physically, as though she’d always been flying with him. Of course, it was another reminder that they’d been having dreamglide sex.
His whole body felt flushed. He needed to take her back to Revel, drop her off and make sure that within the structure of his tunnel rescue network he never saw her again.
He also needed to make it clear that there would be no more dreamgliding. Not now. Not ever.
~ ~ ~
As Brannick rose slowly into the sky, Juliet felt his special vampire disguise flow in a soft whirl around her. Even this unique power had the feel of Brannick as she’d come to know him in their shared dreamglide.
She felt safe in his arms and much less nervous than if she’d flown with anyone else. She could even look around.
Brann, I didn’t realize we were this far north. She probably shouldn’t use his nickname. She’d have to work on that.
Only a half mile from the Loop 101.
As she took in the terrain of Crescent Territory, she clucked her tongue. Most of Five Bridges really has the look of a warzone, doesn’t it?