Chapter Twenty-Five

ERIN

Our — er, activities — made a mess of us, but we cleaned up as best we could, then snuggled, waiting for the storm to break. Over the next hour, I wondered if it ever would. But after a drawn-out wrestling match, the sun finally broke through the clouds, and light lasered down in long, brilliant rays. The rocky red landscape had never been so spectacular — not that we had time to admire it. As soon as it seemed safe to venture outside, we made our way back to the balloon and radioed in.

“Desert Skies One! So happy to hear you!” Chico cried, picking up a split second after we called. The man was truly a gem.

He’d dropped off Madden and the guests at the office, then headed back out into the storm to search for us, tuning in to the radio the whole time. Once we made contact, he maneuvered the van over punishing terrain to reach us. I was all for hauling the balloon out of the hollow there and then, but Chico and Nash insisted it could wait, and we drove straight back to town.

The storm had caused chaos there too, but that didn’t stop a detail of police from appearing at the office in response to emergency calls about an out-of-control balloon. The press was hot on their heels, and we had to run a gauntlet of cameras and microphones on our way into the office.

I steeled myself for the worst, like What the hell were you thinking going aloft on a day like today? or How do you feel about kissing your license goodbye?

But their tenor was entirely different, and I blinked in surprise.

“Miss Sattler, Miss Sattler! How do you feel about saving so many lives?”

“Were you afraid to die, Miss Sattler, or are you as brave as they say?”

I stared. Huh?

Apparently, Madden had tried to make himself out as a hero, but Chico, John, and the guests had set the record straight. Instead of basking in attention, he was slumped in a chair in the back room, surrounded by officers taking copious notes.

The police split Nash and me up for separate questioning. But since Chico, John, and the guests had already reported their accounts, the police were patient — even friendly — with me, and the ranking officer finished with a smile.

“Flying isn’t my thing, but if I ever go up, I’ll make sure you’re the pilot,” he said.

So, whew. Maybe I didn’t have to worry about losing my license after all.

Thank goodness the guests weren’t the social media type. By the time they’d thought of whipping out their phones to film the action, the balloon had been far away. Good news, because I really didn’t want to go viral as the pilot who’d headed recklessly out in a storm — or who was oblivious to the crew member dangling on a rope beneath.

The police even treated me to coffee and doughnuts once they’d finished questioning me.

“Sweet of them, huh?” John grinned.

Too hungry to groan at the pun, I stuffed my mouth with goodies.

Finally, we were free to go — but that put us at the mercy of the press gathered outside.

“Miss Sattler! Miss Sattler!” they all called out, competing for my attention.

I peered upward, ignoring them. The sun was shining, and the sky was blue, as if nothing had happened.

Then the hair on the back of my neck rose, and I scrutinized the crowd. Dozens of people had gathered by then — not just the press, but rubberneckers drawn by the commotion. An older lady with her shopping… A sweaty guy from the nearby fitness studio… A couple of sunburned tourists…

I froze. Harlon stood at the back of the crowd, casual as could be.

God, the nerve. I stuck my hands on my hips and glared.

Nash must have followed my eyes, because he tensed too.

“Meteorologists say that storm was completely unexpected,” one of the reporters said. “Did it catch you unprepared?”

I kept my gaze pinned firmly on Harlon. “Any good pilot knows to expect the unexpected.”

The warlock’s lips quirked.

“In those two hours without contact, many assumed you were dead,” another reporter observed.

I snorted in Harlon’s direction. “Well, I guess I’m not that easy to kill.”

Angelina was beside him, and her scowl deepened.

“From what we hear, you could have jumped out of the balloon to safety. Why didn’t you?”

I mulled that one over. “My dad taught me not to give up and to fight to protect the things I value.”

The warlock grinned openly and raised his hands in silent applause.

I kept my gaze steady. Not amused, asshole.

Angelina leaned in to kissing distance of Harlon’s ear and whispered something.

Someone jostled through the crowd, blocking my view of them. A moment later, they were gone.

Good riddance, I decided, though I knew it was only temporary.

* * *

It took a while, but Nash and I finally escaped the crowd and drove home. It was time for a powwow, for sure. I’d already texted my sisters, and Nash’s contact at the agency had just returned his call.

“Hey, man. What have you found out?” Nash asked.

I listened in, privy only to Nash’s side of the conversation. His expression filled in the ominous pauses, telling me the news wasn’t good.

“She did what?” he yelped.

I touched his arm. Was she Angelina? And, yikes. What did she do?

Nash stared at the road, still listening to his friend. Then he sighed. “How can it get worse?”

I winced. We’d faced a year’s worth of worse in half a day. What now?

Nash’s brow creased more and more deeply. I’d never seen him so stunned.

Then he gave himself a little shake and said, “Yeah, I’m still on the line.”

I pulled over slowly and not just because we were about to lose the cell phone signal.

Nash ran a hand through his hair, and it struck me how abruptly he’d returned to the hollow, weary look he’d worn when he’d first arrived in town. Over the past days, he’d slowly…well, perked up didn’t exactly fit, but it was close. As if he’d come to Sedona a little lost but gradually homed in on whatever he’d been looking for.

His eyes met mine, and wow. I got a repeat of that glorious sun bursting through the clouds moment, all within the universe of his eyes. The dark, broody something lifted, and tiny points of light danced. They danced all the way over to me, lifting my soul.

Destiny, a voice in the back of my mind whispered.

I’d heard the stories, of course. That destiny wasn’t just a concept, but a force. One with the power to bring people together — or tear them apart. And once destiny decided on one of those two actions, it was pointless to resist.

Old wives’ tales? Maybe not, because my whole body warmed. My mind churned slowly, stupidly.

Nash… Me… Destiny?

Destiny, the glow in his eyes confirmed.

The phone crackled with a faraway voice, making Nash blink. Me too, as we both emerged from that momentary spell. Then he cleared his throat and spoke into the phone. “I’m putting you on speaker. Repeat what you just said.”

“Um, Nash…” his friend said hesitantly, loud and clear now.

“You can trust her,” Nash assured him.

My heart doubled in size, but his friend didn’t sound convinced.

“Okay, but call me Frank for now,” his friend insisted.

Ha. A code name. I couldn’t blame him, though.

Nash rolled his eyes. “Okay, Frank . Go ahead and repeat what you just said.”

Still, “Frank” hesitated.

“It’s okay,” Nash assured him. “She and I are in this together.”

My heart thumped. Yes. Yes, we were. In every possible sense, good and bad.

Frank snorted. “Ha. What happened to dragon shifters work alone? ”

I stared at Nash. Dragon shifter?

He squirmed in his seat.

Heat rose to my cheeks. Just when I thought I could trust him…

“You said wolf,” I hissed.

Nash stuck up his hands. “You assumed wolf.”

I nearly denied it, but when I played that conversation back in my mind, I found he was right.

“It never occurred to you to correct me?” I hissed.

Nash winced.

“If you two are too busy to talk…” Frank cut in.

Nash frowned and resorted to his favorite trick — changing the subject.

“Sorry. Repeat what you told me about Angelina.”

I gave him the evil eye. Did I really have to hear about his ex, the vampire?

He really, really had to learn some tact.

“Go ahead,” Nash insisted when his friend hesitated. “We don’t have much time.”

No, we didn’t, because I was about to kick his sorry ass to the curb and drive away.

Frank hemmed, hawed, and finally spoke. “Angelina is no longer with the agency, but she’s been in touch with the top brass. To warn them — about you, Nash. According to her, you’ve lost it. You’re a danger to society and to the agency. She says you’ve been stalking innocent people and provoking supernaturals, including that class-four warlock up there.”

My jaw hung open. What?

Nash might be the world’s most tactless, annoying wolf — er, dragon — shifter, but Harlon was the one who’d done the provoking.

Nash huffed. “Innocent people, like Angelina?”

Frank made an equally frustrated sound. “You and I know she’s poison, but when it’s her word against yours…” After an ominously long pause, he went on. “She’s made you sound so unhinged, they’re putting together a team to come after you.”

I stared. That spooky, mysterious agency was sending a team to Sedona — to nab Nash?

“That’s ridiculous!” I barked.

The line went silent. Oops. Frank might be willing to risk his job to help Nash, but sharing insider information with me obviously pushed his limits.

Nash sighed, then waved at the phone. “Frank, meet Erin.”

“Erin, huh?” Again, that hesitation. Why? A moment later, he went on. “Uh…nice to meet you?”

I laughed, though there wasn’t much humor in it. “Nice to meet you — if you’re one of the good guys.”

Frank took a deep breath. “I like to think so, but I have to wonder sometimes.”

I liked the sound of him. Wondering was a good sign.

Nash, on the other hand, had a hell of a lot of explaining to do.

A few seconds ticked by in silence. Then Frank cursed at some sound on his end of the line. “I have to go. I’ll do what I can, but that might not be much. Once a train this heavy gets moving…”

Nash blew out his cheeks, then filled in the rest. “…it’s impossible to stop. I get it. Thanks.”

“Watch your back, man,” Frank warned.

Nash nodded slowly. “Yeah. You too.”