She looked at him, shocked. “Ow! What the hell was that?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want you ready for it. I wanted you to feel a subtle attempt first.”
“That was about as subtle as a fucking atomic bomb.”
He nodded. “And you might feel that from someone. I want you ready for anything.”
She rubbed her forehead even though it didn’t hurt anymore. “How can you prepare for something like that?”
“You have to.” He let her go, closed his eyes again, and she felt a strong probe. She envisioned her bubble, built of concrete and rebar.
He smiled. “Talk about subtle.”
“What the hell do you want me to do?”
“You watched TV growing up.”
“Yeah, so?”
“Ever see Get Smart?”
“What? You’re kidding?”
He shook his head. “Try it. Well, obviously, one that would work.” She loved his playful smile. Even though she knew this was serious business, his smile lit her heart and melted her inside.
She envisioned a clear Cone of Silence surrounding her and felt his probe slide off. It was easier than the other image she’d used, and she realized it didn’t drain her nearly as much. “Hey, that’s not bad—ow!” He mentally hit her again, but this time she was startled more than rocked physically.
“Feel the difference?” he asked.
She nodded.
“At the meeting, you’ll need to find a balance between the Berlin Wall and a paper bag. Something that won’t distract you, that you can maintain without exhausting yourself. You also need to learn to strengthen it if you feel someone trying to snoop where they don’t belong.”
He looked toward the parking lot. She followed his gaze. A lone man made his way across the bridge, long strides quickly carrying him along the boardwalk. She instinctively knew he was coming to them.
“Now’s your chance to practice,” he said.
“Rafael?”
He nodded. “I wanted him here early. I trust him completely. We’ll need him as backup.”
The man rounded the Excelsior Geyser basin when she felt it. Different than Matthias, it was like someone picking her mind up in their hands, gently twisting it like a Rubik’s Cube, and trying to find entrance.
Someone who felt very familiar.
She was glad she was still sitting. She nervously reached out a hand for Matthias.
“It’s okay,” he encouraged. “You need to do this. He won’t hurt you, but he will test you. He’s very powerful, stronger in some ways than I am.”
Taz felt the intruding probe working around the perimeter of her mind. Fear overtook her. She eyed the quickly approaching stranger. Luckily, he was near a wide section of boardwalk. She slammed down the concrete wall, and even though Rafael was still halfway across the basin complex, he stumbled and fell to the boardwalk.
Matthias laughed. “Good work, sweetheart.”
The man got to his knees and looked at them, shaking his head. He approached and Matthias stood, smiling.
Rafael had his cousin’s intense blue eyes, but he was a little shorter, had a slighter build. The men shook hands before hugging. There was something so…familiar about him. Like she’d seen him somewhere before, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.
She noticed the ring on his right hand, a fairly plain gold setting with a large, yellowish stone. He rubbed it with his thumb, twisting it on his finger. An ingrained stress tic, she thought.
“Matts, you should have warned me, big guy.”
“I didn’t know she could do that, Rafe.” She started to stand, and Matthias motioned to her to stay seated. “I don’t want you to trip.”
“Yeah, like I did,” Rafael quipped. He had short, dark, wavy hair and a roguish smile she imagined charmed many women to bed. He was handsome, but not in the same way as Matthias. He had a cloak of charm, a sense of playful, friendly ease about him that willingly drew people in and made him attractive without trying. “Rafael Collins.” He extended his hand, and she took it.
“Taz.” She looked at his face, studied him, trying to figure out what it was about him. Why did she feel okay with him calling her that right off the bat? There was something else teasing the edge of her conscious, so close, but when he let go of her hand it slipped from her mind.
She felt safe lowering her defenses. “Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to make you trip.”
Rafael smiled. “It’s okay, I understand. That was good. I enjoy falling for beautiful women.” He winked.
She felt a sudden probe, and he rocked back on his heels as she blocked it.
“Damn it!” Rafael’s swear was a mixture of pain, surprise, and admiration.
Matthias watched them. “Obviously, I didn’t use the full force of my mind on you, Taz. I wanted to see how you reacted to Rafe.” To his cousin he said, “I’m trying to help her find a fine balance.”
Rafael rubbed his forehead. “So I gathered.” He looked at her with newfound respect. “You have no idea how powerful you are.” She avoided his eyes, not wanting to try her luck. She knew she couldn’t refuse Matthias, no matter how strong he said she was. But she didn’t want to risk getting pulled in by his charismatic cousin, especially considering the odd feelings she had about him.
She sent a probe of her own to Rafael, imagined it as a gentle hand, squeezing, manipulating. She didn’t want to let go. He welcomed her in, she realized, dropping his barrier so she could easily slip inside his thoughts. And before she could really look inside Rafael’s mind, Matthias’ lips were on hers, passionately kissing her, breaking her train of thought.
When Matthias released her, she gasped, trying to get her breath back. “Darling, you need to wait before you try to do that, please,” Matthias said.
“Why did you kiss me?” Not that she was complaining.
“Because I knew it would distract you.”
Damn it. It did.
Rafael looked at her with shock and awe and something else, obviously not accustomed to meeting someone of her strength.
“You’re worried about her?” he asked Matthias. “Seriously? Why not just have her probe everyone at the meeting and see what’s up?”
“Because that would be rude.”
“Screw rude. She’s—”
“Powerful. Yes, I know. She’s also not used to using her powers, and we have no idea what she’s capable of.”
“And she’s sitting right here, you jerks,” Taz said from the boardwalk. “And she doesn’t like it when people talk about her like she’s not here!”
Matthias helped her to her feet. “Okay, we need a break. All of us. I want Tim and Albert to help us for the next phase.” They returned to the parking lot and rendezvoused at the cabins. With Larry, Moe, and Curly keeping watch outside, the five of them crammed inside Matthias’ room.
Matthias quickly updated Albert and Tim. Robertson didn’t seem surprised, but Albert looked stunned. “This is amazing!”
Matthias nodded. “I know.”
“Are you sure it’s a good idea to bring her to the meeting?” Albert asked.
“I have to. I don’t think there is a traitor in this group. If there is, the last place I want her is out of my sight. At least there will be enough allies at the meeting for us to protect her.”
“I thought you said you trusted these people?” she asked.
“I do. But there is such a thing as foolish risk.” Then Matthias’ mental wall appeared again, and she looked at him. Could she force him to lower it if she wanted to?
Reading her thoughts, he smiled. “You probably could, but please don’t try.”
Shit.
The men looked at each other, and she tried to stifle her left-out feeling. Matthias was obviously instructing them. They might not be as strong as he was, but he could certainly broadcast to them from this close. Especially considering how well he knew them.