Elf (Mystic Guardians #2)

Chapter 6

Chapter Six

E zra

Ezra placed his hand on the door handle, then turned toward Alaric. “Maybe you should wait in the car. He probably won’t talk to me with you there.”

“No.”

“But I know him, and he wouldn’t hurt me. Was always nice because we bonded over the game Fallout. When he’s not looking out for my ex, he’s always playing video games. But he’s cautious, won’t talk in front of a stranger.”

“I go where you go. Always.”

Something about those words struck Ezra on a deep level. For one moment, he allowed himself to feel what those words would be like from someone who loved him. Actually loved him. It wasn’t something he’d ever experienced, and the deep desire for something like that still shocked him. He’d long ago decided there was something wrong with him. Some undefined trait that made him not deserve that kind of devotion. That kind of adoration. What would it be like to have that one person who saw you that way?

He’d never know.

The knowledge sent actual, physical pain into his chest. He could only hold his breath. He hadn’t realized how deeply that need went until it reared its ugly head.

“What just happened?” Alaric asked as he touched Ezra’s arm. “Ezra? You have this expression…that’s bothering me.”

Ezra made himself meet Alaric’s eyes. “It’s nothing.”

Alaric just stared for a long time, then nodded.

“Come on.” Ezra got out of the car. He had taken two steps when he was hit by a blast of wind so strong, it slammed him into the brick wall of the building. Dazed, he tried to turn but the wind kept pushing him. Screams sounded, debris went flying, and thunder rumbled so loudly, he felt its vibration in his bones.

Alaric’s big body was suddenly there, coiling around him. The elf blocked enough of the wind so Ezra could open his eyes.

The world had turned to utter chaos. One man held onto a pole that ripped from the ground, sending him flying. Others were trying to fight the force of the wind as they tried to get inside the nearest building. The apartment they were outside of was the closest, and as he watched, a woman got one of the doors open only for it to fly off its hinges.

“It’s a sylph,” Alaric yelled, still shielding him. “Hold onto me!”

Something big hit the side of Ezra’s head. He collapsed, dizzy with spots in his vision, but Alaric scooped him up and held him close. He was so damn strong.

Everything was swirling around him now. Nausea sent acid hurling up his esophagus, but he managed not to puke somehow.

Alaric started taking steps against the wind. It abruptly changed direction, causing him to stagger back a few steps. He cradled Ezra close as the change in direction propelled them inside the building. Glass shattered as the windows blew in.

The lobby, now covered in glass, wasn’t as big as the one in his own building, with room for only the counter for the doorman—if it even had one—and a couple of chairs. Alaric set him on the floor behind the counter. “Stay here while I try to pinpoint its location. Sylphs are invisible.”

Ezra started to nod, then winced at the knife-like pain in his skull. Holding his head perfectly still, he watched as Alaric stepped back out into the gale still coming in through the broken windows and door, turning his head this way and that. His strength in the force of the wind was admirable, especially when a trash can came flying at his head and he quickly ducked. Then there seemed to be a blur in the doorway, a break in the wind. Alaric flung out his hands. An inhuman screech roared over the wind before everything abruptly stopped. That change was so sudden, Ezra grew disoriented and slumped over, cradling his head.

Alaric knelt in front of him and gently lifted his face. Ezra worked to focus on those purple and gold eyes, but the pain was near blinding him. Through slitted eyes, he watched as Alaric slowly placed his hands on Ezra’s head.

“Should have done this sooner,” the elf murmured softly. “Forgive me.”

Warmth seeped through his scalp, chasing the pain and disorientation away. His thoughts became clearer, as did his vision, and he could only gape at Alaric as one by one, all the other aches from the beating left his body until he actually felt good. He twisted to see if the deep pain in his ribs from the beating was gone, and it was.

He blinked at Alaric in utter shock. “Did you just heal me?”

The elf nodded, slumping slightly. His skin had turned unnaturally pale.

“It takes something out of you, doesn’t it?”

Alaric studied Ezra for several moments. “Interesting that you noticed.”

“You’re white as a sheet. How could I not?”

“It’s not just the healing. It took a lot of energy to incapacitate the sylph. Elementals are very powerful beings.”

“Then you used more to heal me? You should have waited until your strength was back.”

Alaric just studied him with a thoughtful expression that held a faint hint of surprise. “You had a concussion. I couldn’t wait.” He looked around the destroyed lobby. “This changes things, Ezra. Sylphs cost a fortune to hire. Whoever’s doing this means business. We need to move to a safe house—you’re no longer safe at home.”

Ezra opened his mouth to argue, then snapped it shut on the first words that had come to his tongue. This…man…had just used the last of his strength to take away Ezra’s pain. He deserved better than his normal sharp tongue. “You want me to hide? What about talking to those who might know something?”

“We can still do that, but we’ll stay the nights in a safer location. We can’t go back to your apartment. I’ll have a coworker get some of your clothes, if that’s okay.”

“How will he get in?”

“You wouldn’t believe the assets on our payroll. Finn can get into anywhere.”

“That’s…convenient.”

Alaric’s smile made his breath catch. The elf really shouldn’t be that gorgeous.

“I’ll tell Finn you think so. He’s a sucker for admiration.” He slowly stood, his exhaustion clear.

It bothered Ezra that Alaric had weakened himself with that healing, but at the same time he was so damn thankful. That beating had left him in miserable pain. And that slam to the head had been scary as hell. He didn’t doubt he’d had a concussion. But now, he felt normal. No, better than normal. Hell, that ache he’d carried in his foot for years from one of his father’s more painful lessons was actually gone.

“I have to call Xavier,” Alaric murmured as he pulled out his phone.

Ezra listened to the call, watching as Alaric stayed mostly silent and his frown deepened with every second.

“I understand. I’ll need some backup. Oh, he’s that close? Send him.” When he hung up, he held out his hand to help Ezra up. “Xavier told me something you aren’t going to like.”

“What’s that?”

“The person after you has put a bounty on you. The reward is so high, the sylph makes sense now.”

“How much is it?”

“Two million dollars.”

“Whoa,” Ezra muttered, barely able to breathe. He’d been scared before, but that fear had now turned to a kind of bottomless terror that made him reach out to brace one hand on the wall. “I’m surprised the first two guys didn’t just shoot me.”

“Xavier believes they were hired directly. But when they failed and you hired us, the price on your head went out.”

“Went out where? How did your boss find out?”

“Dark web. We have people who can find anything there, including Xavier. He has his finger on the pulse of everything.”

He shut his eyes, that terror sucking him into a vortex of helplessness he hated. He controlled his life and had since he’d realized he was the only one looking out for himself.

“Ezra,” Alaric said softly as he turned Ezra to face him.

Ezra opened his eyes, meeting that pretty, purple gaze.

“I will keep you safe. And it won’t only be me. We’re adding another preternatural and taking you somewhere secure.”

“For that much money, they’ll be relentless. Hell, in another couple of months, I could pay several times that for them not to kill me. My father might have hated me but I’m still in the will and getting so much, two million will be a drop in the bucket.”

“Is your husband?—”

“Ex-husband! Soon to be anyway.”

“The divorce isn’t final.”

“Not yet. But he’s rich, too. He’d have no reason to kill me for money.” Ezra paused, taking a shaky breath. “But Brian hates me, which is why I still want to question Jake.”

“Then that’s what we’re going to do. Bain should be here soon—he was already on his way to investigate the sylph’s disturbance. Once he’s here, we’ll go up.”

“Bain?”

“Coworker and friend. And don’t let his appearance fool you. He’s strong, and his alternate form is terrifying.”

“Aw, you say the sweetest things.”

Ezra whipped around to face the speaker, eyes flaring wide. The man who gracefully stepped over all the debris was absolutely stunning, with silvery-blond hair in a high ponytail and beautiful, androgynous features. He wore blue leather pants that showed every lean muscle in his legs and a colorful shirt that actually sparkled like it had been sewn with glitter. “Wow, is everyone who works at your company gorgeous? Is it a prerequisite?” he blurted out.

“Oh, I like him,” Bain said with a wink to Alaric.

“Give it time,” Alaric muttered.

Ezra supposed he deserved that. Still, he looked between the two, realizing that while Bain was certainly someone he would have pursued in the past, he didn’t come close to how much Ezra preferred looking at Alaric, with his dark, wavy hair and brilliant purple eyes. He even loved the pointed ears. They looked so elegant. The man, or elf, just flat out did it for him.

They took the elevator to the fifth floor, and Ezra knocked on Jake’s door. The massive bodyguard raised his eyebrows high when he opened the door, then narrowed his eyes. “Ezra? Why would you come here? This is a bad idea.”

“Can we come in? I need to talk to you.”

Jake’s gaze flicked to Alaric and Bain. “Hanging out with models these days? They can’t come in.”

“They’re my protection. They do what you do, and I need them with me.”

It took a few moments for Jake to reluctantly nod and step aside. “I’d invite you to sit, but there’s glass everywhere from that freak storm. Already called the landlord about replacing the carpet. So watch where you step.

Glass crunched under Ezra’s shoes as he walked into the small living room. “This won’t take long. Do you know if Brian put out a hit on me?”

“A hit? Are you sure?” He crossed his arms. “You know that even if I did, I can’t answer that. Kemper always knows when someone talks.”

“How would he know?”

Jake shrugged his big shoulders. “He just does. I can say nothing about him.”

“Have you heard anything about this elsewhere?”

“Obviously not, since I was surprised.” He dropped his arms to his sides. “Look, you didn’t deserve what you got. No one would. But even if I’d known about this, it’s not like I could warn you.”

“So, it could be him.”

“It took guts for you to move out. Surely you expected some kind of retaliation.”

Ezra curled his lip because that statement told him what he needed to know. “Because Brian like to keep all his things close.”

Jake said nothing to that, but Ezra got the feeling the man believed his ex was behind this. That was all he needed.

Glancing at his two silent bodyguards, he said, “We can go. Jake can’t help me.”

“I’m really sorry, Ezra. It’s not the same without you there. Nobody else games.”

“I really wasn’t happy. You know that. I also thought I’d be in danger if I stayed. Seems leaving might have made things worse.”

The earlier terror returned to twist a knot in his gut. He’d endured years with that asshole, and now it seemed his ex was still trying to get in the last word.