Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Everett
A cold front moved in overnight, and since this was his favorite time of the year, Everett went outside to breathe in that cooler air.
Dax was in the shower getting ready to introduce Everett to his parents.
He was probably going to be pissed that Everett had moved so far away from him, but Everett wanted to breathe in the fall.
Normally Everett would take a walk but he didn’t think Dax would appreciate him taking off that much on his own.
The description of the warper wizards was still freaking him out.
The other two bodyguards were outside, so he felt safe, but he still shouldn’t go far.
He walked toward the driveway, enjoying the brisk autumn air on his face. Slipping his hands into his jean pockets, he closed his eyes and lifted his face toward the sky. The earthy scent of changing leaves and dying grass was in the air, along with that hint of cold that he never could describe.
His night had been fantastic. Having Dax next to him these nights had kept him from getting up to write.
Instead, every time he’d awakened, he’d just snuggled in and enjoyed the feel of the big man wrapped around him.
And this morning, those first kisses had happened while still under the covers.
Kisses that had turned into hands wandering, as always.
He smiled as a rush of joy washed through him.
He was so in love.
It was crazy and fast, and the love of his life wasn’t even human, but it was the truth all the same.
He was absolutely head-over-heels in love with a seven-foot-three ogre, one who was wicked smart and kind and gifted him with shy smiles that turned his heart into mush.
He wanted a lifetime with Dax. A lifetime of blowjobs on the couch and snuggles under the covers.
A lifetime of conversations about books and even physics—which hadn’t interested him until Dax showed infectious excitement whenever the subject came up.
Everett had learned more than he needed to know about matter and its motion, and when Dax had waxed poetic about the three-body problem, he’d been so cute, Everett had tackled him.
Well, jumped into his arms—tackling the massive ogre would be impossible for him.
He wanted it all. Wanted to move Dax into his house and feel his presence next to him in bed for the rest of his life.
The sound of an engine pulled him from his thoughts, and he opened his eyes to see an unfamiliar car driving toward the house.
Driving fast.
The tinted glass kept Everett from seeing who was behind the wheel, and his trepidation grew.
He was turning back when the car abruptly pulled to a stop just a few yards away.
The passenger door opened, and a huge man—someone he’d never seen before—ran toward him.
He was close to Dax’s size, and his bad intentions were obvious in his fierce, determined frown.
Ivor shouted, and out of the corner of his eye, Everett saw both him and Emory running in his direction.
Everett turned to race back to the house—he knew he’d never be able to fight the massive attacker himself.
He wasn’t quick enough. He was tackled to the ground, solid arms wrapped around him, his head and face smashed into the grass and dirt.
Dizziness swamped him. Disoriented, he took too long to realize the man was scooping him off the ground.
The huge man threw him over his shoulder and carried him toward the car.
Panicking, Everett began to struggle, kicking and aiming punches at the man’s kidneys. But he couldn’t get enough strength behind either movement. The guy’s arms were tight around his legs, and he was moving too fast.
Everett was shoved into the backseat of the car. He scrambled to sit up and get a good look at the driver. He recognized her instantly.
“Jessica?” He’d last seen Rick’s assistant cataloguing the antiques in the living room. Still dizzy, he tried to make sense of it. “I fired you. All of you.” He could hardly hear his own voice through the roar in his ears.
She ignored him. She was shifting into gear, staring at the house.
That was when Everett realized the roar was real.
Dax was running toward the car, his face twisted in terrifying fury.
Jessica hit the gas and turned the wheel, panic on her face, but she’d waited too long to move. By the time the car was aimed away from the house, Dax was there in front of it.
He heaved up his arms and smashed them down on the hood of the car. It crumpled with a horrible crunching noise. Dax brought both fists down again, and the car’s engine stalled.
Jessica didn’t hesitate. She jumped out and took off at a run. Everett’s abductor tried to follow, but Dax, moving faster than one would expect from a man his size, zipped around the car and tackled him to the ground.
They were both big. Both strong. And when they scrambled to their feet and began to fight, the punches they were both letting loose would have flattened Everett.
Everett reached for the door handle nearest him, only to realize it wasn’t there.
They’d planned ahead. He crawled over the seats and got out through the passenger side—only to be slammed into the side of the car by the kidnapper.
Dax released a ferocious, low growl and dragged the huge man away.
Everett stared in shock as Dax lifted the man completely off his feet and hurled him into the closest tree.
How the hell had he picked up someone his own size and thrown him like that? Was it the ogre strength he’d talked about?
Thoroughly impressed, though his heart was racing and he was still dizzy, Everett waited to see if the guy got back up.
He didn’t. His eyes were staring unblinking at the sky, glassy and unfocused. And when Everett looked closer, he saw that the man’s spine was bent at an unnatural angle.
Holy shit, Dax had broken his back.
Everett turned to find Dax breathing fast and glaring at the body on the ground. Because it was a body. With that broken spine, those wide-open eyes, he had to be dead.
Panic set in.
“Oh my god! He’s human, right? Do you handle this or do we call the police?
Will you get in trouble for this? They did try to kidnap me.
” He kept blabbing as he frantically looked around for Jessica.
She was struggling with Emory and Ivor, who had stopped her escape.
“That’s Jessica. She’s with that estate sale company I’d hired.
” He scrubbed his hands over his face. “I don’t want you to get into trouble, Dax. ”
“Hey, hey,” Dax said softly as he placed his hands onto Everett’s shoulders.
“That’s not a man, but a demon. And no, we don’t call the cops, just as we didn’t with the perytons.
Xavier will send someone here to take him away.
It’s going to be fine. We handle magical beings differently. ” He hugged Everett close.
“Why did they…?”
“I think they’re after that stone. They couldn’t find it in your things, and then you kicked them out. They must be trying to take you to find out where you’ve put it.” He snorted. “If they knew it was at Protective Solutions, they wouldn’t dare go there. Most preternaturals are scared of Xavier.”
“What, is he like a super-supernatural or something?”
The corner of Dax’s mouth quirked. “Something like that. He’s the strongest preternatural I’ve ever met, and it’s well known throughout our communities that he is not someone to mess with.
” Dax pulled back, his mouth falling open when he looked at Everett’s forehead. His scowl returned. “You’re hurt!”
Everett reached up and winced at the pain of his own touch. His fingers came away with blood. “I must have scraped it on the ground when he tackled me.” Anger shot through him like a fiery arrow, and he stomped over to where Jessica was being held. “What the fuck do you want with me?”
She tightened her lips and glared at him.
“You’ve wasted your time. The stone’s not here. Is Rick behind all this?”
All he got was a mutinous scowl.
“She’s not going to talk,” Emory said, fingers still wrapped around her arm. “We’ll take her to Xavier.”
Her face went shock white. “I don’t know anything. I was just supposed to take Everett because we couldn’t find the stone. That’s all he wants.”
“Why does he want it?” Everett asked.
“I have no idea. I promise, I know nothing else.” She looked at Emory. “Please, just let me go.”
“As if we would.” Emory smirked. “Dax, I’m going to take her in. Ivor will see to the cleanup here. I’ll come back as quickly as I can.”
Dax nodded and touched Everett’s shoulder. “Let’s go in and clean up the scrapes on your face.” He scowled. “I’m sorry I didn’t get out here fast enough.”
“It’s not your fault. I shouldn’t have come outside by myself. I just thought it would be fine with your friends out here. This was all my mistake.”
“At least we now know who’s been after you. I’ll call our IT guy and have him pull up everything he can on the estate sale company and its owner.”
“His name is Rick Aspen. You know, I thought the whole time this might be coming from that real estate guy, Allen, but it was Rick.”
Dax touched his face again, his expression dark. “We’re not going to meet with my parents today. There’s something I need to do first. And you can’t leave my side again like that. I need you to promise me.”
Everett nodded. “I promise.”