“Jesus,” she breathed, wincing at the resulting burn from the mark. A bucket of ice water couldn’t have doused her lust faster. “You know I feel like—”
“—you haven’t had sex in three weeks? Join the club, Eve. Don’t expect sympathy from me.”
A hand touched her elbow. She jerked in surprise, her head swiveling to see who joined them. Gadara’s gaze moved over her, pausing on the labored lift and fall of her chest and her clenched fists.
“Ms. Hollis,” he murmured.
The tension rushed out of her like water down a drain, fleeing her body at the exact spot where the archangel touched her. Eve was suddenly chagrined and emotionally exhausted. Still aching and slick between her thighs, she nevertheless was now capable of coherent, rational thought.
“Walk it off, Abel.” Gadara’s order resonated with divine command.
Reed spun on his heel and left them, the leather soles of his shoes thudding angrily upon the cement drive and sidewalk. It took everything Eve had not to chase after him. The set of his shoulders told her so much about his mood. She’d backed him into a corner, then wounded him. Her frustration turned inward.
“You should be inside with the others,” the archangel said. His irises were an iridescent gold rimmed with obsidian black. He was so beautiful it hurt to look at him. “Our plane will arrive within the next two hours. We will need everything packed by then.”
“I don’t want to leave.”
His brows arched.
“I need to be here,” she continued. “I can’t go. You might not want to admit it, but the Novium is on me.”
Gadara stood silently, eerily composed in the face of the day’s events.
“There has to be something I can do here that we can both live with,” she persisted.
“It is too dangerous. I prefer your original suggestion to assist from the sidelines.”
“I don’t think that’s going to be possible. Not in the shape I’m in.”
“We can resume training next week. A hunt conducted under controlled conditions should suffice—”
“Next week? I can’t stay like this for—”
The rhythmic thumping of an approaching bass beat halted Eve’s tirade midsyllable. Her head turned toward the sound, her eyes catching sight of the pea-green van that turned the corner. It was followed by a white sedan, which in turn was followed by a red pickup truck. The procession slowed, then pulled into the driveway of the duplex directly across the street.
“Is that your investigative team?” she asked, her gaze riveted on the exiting occupants of the vehicles. They seemed far too rambunctious to be longstanding Marks. They tumbled out with whoops and excited chatter.
He stepped forward, taking an almost protective position in front of her. “No.”
“Then, who are they?”
“Good question.”
“They’re fresh faced,” she noted. “Maybe a college study group? Biology or chemistry, if all that equipment they’re unloading is any indication.”
“No one is supposed to be here while we are.”
Glancing aside at Gadara, Eve registered his alertness. His sweat suit wasn’t capable of softening him completely, not with his ramrod-straight posture and elegant bearing.
“Did you tell whoever’s in charge that we’re clearing out today?”
“Yes.” He returned her gaze. “But the military rarely moves quickly when civilian requests are involved. We began talks for this year’s training two years ago. I fail to see how they could have granted permission to a new group in so short a time.”
Eve started across the street. Every step was a relief. She needed to walk it off, too.
“Ms. Hollis.” The archangel’s tone was admonishing. “What are you doing?”
“Saying hi to our new neighbors.” She looked down the road toward Anytown, which was within walking distance. Far too close for mortal comfort.
As she approached the new arrivals, Eve caught the attention of one of the girls—a somber-looking brunette with black-framed glasses and orange camisole. The girl elbowed the lanky man next to her, gesturing toward Eve with a jerk of her chin. He turned with a frown that dissolved into a smile when he saw Eve. He had unruly brown hair, a peach-fuzzy goatee, and slumberous hazel eyes that were emphasized by the olive-colored T-shirt he wore.
“Hey,” he drawled, sauntering down the drive to the sidewalk.
“Hello.” She extended her hand. “Evangeline Hollis.”
“Roger Norville.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back. “What’s a babe like you doing in a place like this?”
She was taken aback by the line, thinking it was too cocky for such a laid-back guy. “I’m teaching a class on interior design.”
The answer rolled off her tongue as if it was her idea, but she knew it wasn’t. She didn’t have to look behind her to know Gadara was watching and listening through her . . . and compelling safe replies into her brain. Mind rape, but it had its uses.
“In this dump?” Roger’s brows rose. “No amount of decorating is going to fix these homes.”
“Interior design,” she corrected. “How spaces are laid out.”
“Oh, gotcha. Sorry.”
“No problem. How about you?”
He released her hand and shoved his hands into the pockets of his brown corduroy jeans. “We’re going to be filming the next episode of our show here.”
Eve frowned. “Show?”
“Ghoul School.” Roger stilled when she just stared blankly. “On Bonzai. The cable channel.”
“Sorry.” She shrugged. “I’m not familiar with it.”
He beamed, his vaguely smarmy countenance changing to one more genuine. “That’s good news.”
“It is?”
Roger laughed. “Forgive the corny pickup line. I thought you recognized us.”
She smiled, but was bemused.
“Chicks like geeks and television personalities,” he clarified, “but not sleaze.”
Eve laughed softly. “Whatever works.”
He gestured toward the brunette. “Linda, come meet Evangeline. She’s teaching an interior design class across the street.”
Linda walked over, her lips curved shyly. She was so short, the top of her head barely reached Roger’s shoulder. Her attire was deceptively casual at first glance, but closer inspection revealed a penchant for pricey designer pieces and her bob hairstyle was cut with expensive precision. “You must be part of the group we’re supposed to steer clear of.”
Roger nodded. “Right. Evangeline, this is my girl, Linda.”
“Please, call me Eve,” she corrected. She felt Gadara in her mind, sifting through her thoughts and leaving new ones behind. To her knowledge, he had never been able to do that before. Considering how new the Novium was for her, he seemed able to leap right in and make use of it without any trouble.
“So, what’s Ghoul School?” she asked, the thought coming from Gadara. “If you don’t mind my asking?”
“We’re a paranormal investigative club based out of Tristan College in St. George, Utah. For a while, we were putting our investigation videos up on YouTube, but someone from the Bonzai network found us and gave us a weekly slot.”
“Paranormal investigations?” She glanced back at Gadara. “Like Ghostbusters?”
“The opposite, really,” Linda said. “We don’t go into an investigation hoping to find something. We go in hoping to disprove it. We’re skeptics.”
“You’re hoping to disprove something here?”
“At the request of the commandant,” Roger said. “She granted permission for another show—Para-normal Territory—to investigate a few months ago and they suggested that areas of the base are haunted. She appreciates our more scientific approach. Basically, she wants a second opinion.”
“That’s fascinating.” In a wholly alarming way, considering Molenaar’s tragedy just hours ago.
Roger draped an arm around Linda’s shoulders. “Are you a skeptic, Eve?”
She shook her head.
Linda grinned. “We’ve found a believer.”
“I wouldn’t call myself that,” Eve said dryly. “But there are unusual events and situations—”
“Beings?”
“—that are unexplainable.”
“Want to come with us?”
Roger shot a startled look at his girlfriend.
Linda’s returning glance was mischievous. “Don’t look so surprised. Eve’s interior design expertise could prove useful. Plus the contrast between her belief in the supernatural and our skepticism would make for great television. She’ll reinforce Paranormal Territory’s position on the hauntings; we’ll debunk it. Gently, of course.”
“Ms. Hollis.” Gadara’s voice poured over the three of them like warm water. It affected Roger and Linda immediately, bringing an enthralled look to their faces.
Eve made the introductions and rehashed the information the archangel had already heard through eavesdropping.
“My brother is a big fan of yours, Mr. Gadara,” Roger said, shaking the archangel’s hand. “He’s a house flipper who wants to be like you when he grows up.”
Gadara’s smile was a thing of beauty. “Real estate can be wonderfully lucrative.”
“That’s what he says. Of course, he needs to learn how to budget first. So far he’s managed to barely break even.”
“Tell him to detach himself from the project. It is business. No more, no less. He should not approach the assignment with his own desires and needs in mind.” The archangel looked at Eve, but she already understood that he was talking to her as much as to them.
“I’m impressed that you would take time out of your schedule for a class,” Roger said. “The waiting list for that course must be years long. Maybe I could get my brother on it? I forgot his birthday last month.”
“It is a private class, given to select employees.”
“Lucky employees.” Linda smiled. “So . . . would you be interested in roughly thirty minutes of fame? It’s an hour-long show, but commercials and setup eat up time. We would love to have you along. We’ve never had a celebrity guest before.”
“I am hardly a celebrity,” Gadara protested, but Eve sensed he enjoyed the thought.
“You’re very nearly a household name,” Roger countered. “As well known as Donald Trump.”
“Your presence would boost our ratings,” Linda cajoled. “Plus, it’s fun.”
Gadara smiled boyishly. “Where are you investigating?”
“Anytown.”
If Eve hadn’t been looking for his surprise, she might have missed it.
Archangels are brilliant actors.
Startled by the new voice, Eve’s gaze darted to find the source. A deep bark brought her attention to the Great Dane leaping from the passenger seat of the red pickup. A pretty redhead exited from the driver’s side and called out, “Don’t bark at the neighbors, Freddy.”
Freddy rolled his eyes, then dipped his large head in a bow to Gadara.
“You have a dog,” Eve said.
“Yeah.” Roger snapped his fingers, and Freddy padded over. “Animals have keener senses. When the viewers see that Freddy is bored, they know nothing paranormal is at work.”
Obviously, I’m a brilliant actor, too.
Eve winked at him.
Gadara cleared his throat and looked suitably regretful. “We are utilizing Anytown at the moment.”
“No worries,” Roger assured. “The commandant warned us. We film at night, so we won’t get in your way.”
Curious to see how he would maneuver his way through this new curve, Eve watched the archangel closely.
“Hang on.” Linda pulled away from Roger and ran back to the van. She dug into a duffel bag resting on the threshold of the open sliding rear door, then returned with a DVD case that she extended to Gadara. “Here’s the episode of Paranormal Territory that was filmed here at McCroskey. Take a look at it. We won’t start filming until midnight. Hopefully that will give you plenty of time to consider it.”
Gadara accepted the video, then made their excuses. Eve waved to Freddy before falling into step beside the archangel.
“We can’t leave them here alone,” she said.
“Clean-up is progressing as we speak, and I will speak with the lieutenant colonel again.”
“Going to put the persuasive whammy on her?”
“I will simply suggest that she delay them until we are completely cleared out.”
“Shouldn’t we catch whoever killed Molenaar before we say we’re done here? We can clean up and go, but that doesn’t mean the killer won’t be left behind.”
“You no longer believe the culprit is one of your classmates, Ms. Hollis? Or me?”
She also had concerns about the Infernals working for him, but she’d keep that to herself for now. “I never said it was any of you.”
“Not directly, but the implication—the suspicion—is there.”
“Okay. That mind-pillaging thing is just plain creepy. If I have something to say to you, I’ll say it. Please don’t dig around in my brain.”
“It is concern for you that motivates me.”
“Really? And that’s why you decided to ignore the Novium that’s tearing me up?”
Stopping by the Porsche, the archangel faced her with narrowed eyes. “Tell me how you think I can best help you.”
Eve’s fingers touched the trunk, seeking a connection with the vehicle in lieu of Reed. The car was sleek, expensive, and dangerously fast. Just like the man who drove it. “They invited us to go with them. I think we should. We could protect them.”