Total pages in book: 164
Estimated words: 151345 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 605(@250wpm)___ 504(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151345 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 605(@250wpm)___ 504(@300wpm)
It didn’t make sense to Amaryllis either. She knew with absolute certainty that Whitney wasn’t in any way behind it. He was many things, most not good, but he was definitely a patriot and he would want Callendine stopped.
She swiveled in her seat. Behind them was a large gray van driven by one of the SEALs. “They’re GhostWalkers, aren’t they? Like you.”
“And like you. You’re a GhostWalker as well, Amaryllis.”
She shrugged. “I’m the misfit, not the GhostWalker.”
“Do you have any idea how rare a psychic healer actually is? I’ve only ever witnessed a couple of real psychic healers. Joe said you’re very powerful.”
“If I was that powerful, his bone would be healed.”
“Joe worked on him as well,” Ezekiel reminded her. “And so did Rubin. Rubin is as good as it gets. Better than any human surgeon. If it’s impossible, he can do it.”
She hugged herself, pressing her arms close to keep from shivering. She was freezing, as if every bit of heat and body temperature control had gone completely out the window. She hated the feeling of complete weakness that had descended over her. She could barely sit upright in the warm, padded seat. She threw a quick glance at Malichai’s brother.
“He wants to marry me.” She held up her hand with the ring weighing her finger down.
Ezekiel sent her a faint smile. “I’m well aware. He’s very happy he found you.”
She moistened her very dry lips. Everything felt dry. Her skin. Her hair. Her mouth. “He wants to take me back to Louisiana and have us live there near all of you.”
He sent her a sharp glance. “Do you want to live there? We’re setting up our homes there, close to one another where in an emergency we can gather into one of the fortresses we’ve created for our families to be safe. It’s a good solution.” He gestured toward all the cars on the road. “A place like this would be extremely difficult to protect.”
“I’ve made a few friends here,” she conceded. “Marie and Jacy are like family, but I would go wherever Malichai wanted to live. I’m not tied into anything. When you’re running from Whitney, you don’t dare make too many plans of settling down. If you stay too long in one place, he’ll find you. If you move too often, you can attract attention. I was anonymous here. I used Marie’s address and I made up a name for documents. I needed money to get a really good forgery, and have been saving toward that end.”
“I love my brother,” Ezekiel said. “And I want him happy. He seems to have found that with you. I don’t know you, Amaryllis, but he seems to think you’re very lethal, that you haven’t showed him everything you can do. If you are what he suspects, you’ll be an even bigger asset to us. On the other hand, if all you do is make my brother happy, you’re more than welcome into our family, and we’ll protect you from Whitney. We have the means to do that. Not to mention, the more of us there are, the less he’ll be able to come at us.”
She’d been expecting a warning. She wouldn’t have blamed him if he’d threatened her. The last thing she’d expected was a welcome. “Thank you.” What else was there to say? She knew she was always expecting rejection. Marie and Jacy had made her feel welcome, and she’d believed it completely after being with them for a good six months. Malichai had given her that same nonjudgmental acceptance. Now, Ezekiel had as well. She felt as if she’d found people with whom she actually fit. She belonged.
“I’m going to need your help with Marie, Amaryllis,” Ezekiel went on as he turned toward the parking lot where guests of the bed-and-breakfast had parking spaces reserved.
“Oh my gosh, I forgot my car,” she suddenly realized. “I just left it there. And there’s a dead body in the storage unit. The cops will be swarming there.”
“First, it’s a military matter,” Ezekiel said. “National security. Second, Trap’s bringing your car back for you. And you wore gloves when you picked the lock. Trap had your back.”
A little skitter of awareness went down her spine. She had no idea anyone was watching out for her and it felt good to hear. “Why do you need help with Marie?”
“I want to be up-front with her. Tell her what is happening and what we think is going to happen. We need some of our people there at the bed-and-breakfast. I’ve got a plan, but I want to remove Jacy. I don’t want a child at risk. If Marie chooses to leave with her and go to Louisiana where they’ll both be safe, I’m good with that. Of course the running of the place will fall on you.”