“We’re going on that?” Carissa gasped as he pulled back the brown tarp covering a Harley Roadster. He had spent a long time fixing the old bike up.
“Yup.” Pulling a tight-fitting riding jacket out of a locker, he slipped it on over his shirt. “Fastest thing I have.” He handed her a helmet before pulling another out. “Besides, the full-face shields will help hide our identities from the guys watching the house.”
Carissa stared at him stunned. “What?”
“You didn’t see the van sitting just down the street?” Michael set his helmet on the bike and took hers. Carefully, he gathered up her hair. He loved how it tangled around his fingers. She was so warm under his hands. All he had to do was… He pushed away the voice egging him on and tucked the golden curls up on her head so he could put her helmet on her. Now was not the time for what he wanted to do. “They probably had someone watching my back fence, too, but they might not expect us to come out of my neighbor’s yard. It should give us time to get away.” Turning from Carissa, Michael popped his helmet on and opened up the door.
Rolling the bike out onto the concrete pad, Michael shut the shed up before climbing on the bike.
“Wait.” Carissa grabbed his arm before he could start the thing up. “I’ve never been on one of these.”
“And I’ve never flown,” Michael teased through his open face shield. “Now climb on.” He nodded to the seat behind him. “At least I don’t have to toss you off a ten-story building for this.” He smiled at her.
Carissa considered him for a moment before shutting her helmet and climbing up on the seat behind him.
“Just hold on.” Michael tucked Carissa’s arms around his middle. “Everything will be fine.”
Flicking his helmet closed, Michael fired up the old Harley. God, it felt good to be back on his bike. This was a thrill he knew. Kicking it into gear, he took off, making Carissa grab onto him tighter. A rumble of pleasure shivered up from his chest. Even through his protective gear, she felt wonderful.
Michael shook his head slightly and forced his concentration back to the bike and the road ahead of him. A flash in his mirror drew his attention just in time to see a dark SUV pull out to follow them. Reaching down, Michael tightened Carissa’s hold on him before twisting the accelerator and dropping the bike down a gear. The SUV kicked it up, too, and raced after Michael as he shot out into traffic.
So, someone did know about his bike. Well, he knew a few tricks they didn’t.
Slipping in and out of traffic, Michael tried to lose his tail, but the driver stuck to him. Whoever was driving that thing was damn good. Michael cut a hard right, making Carissa squeeze him tighter. Damn, he was going to have to take her riding sometime when he could really enjoy the feel of her pressing into his back. Putting that thought out of his mind, he pulled a hard left into the local park. He could hear Carissa squeal as he hopped the curb and pointed his bike into a gap in the trees. His little Roadster wasn’t really made for trail riding, but that SUV sure wouldn’t be able to follow him.
A few minutes of bumpy, dirt trails spilled them out on the other side of the park, free of Eternity’s radar. For now. Michael could feel Carissa’s angry rumbles against his back. Surely she couldn’t fault his choice of escape routes. Okay, so it hadn’t been the smoothest ride, but it had gotten the job done. He concentrated on keeping the bike between the ditches as the image of her anger-filled eyes floated in the back of his mind. God, she was beautiful when she was angry. With those luscious curls all rumpled up from being under that helmet. That ever-present voice joined in with his imagination, tightening his pants to an uncomfortable point. Man, when he got out of this, he was going to have to find himself a nice girlfriend. His peanut gallery cried out for the woman behind him. That would be great, but he truly doubted she would have him. She was, after all, the king’s sister.
13
Full night had fallen by the time Michael tucked his bike in between a rusting-out pickup and a worn farmhouse and shut it down.
Carissa wasn’t sure how she felt about her first ride on a motorcycle. The first part had been a bit hair-raising, and she definitely hadn’t liked the shortcut through the woods, but Michael had handled both of those parts with expert skill. Her jangled nerves had finally settled after they lost Eternity and Michael sent the bike tooling down the open road. That part had been amazing. She had even relaxed into the purr of the motor and Michael’s warm back. His rich spice and the hint of dragon musk had lulled her back-brain into several very nice fantasies. Maybe, when this was all over, she might find a way to entice him into trying a few of them out.
Reluctantly, Carissa pulled her hands out of the pockets on Michael’s coat and got off the bike. She pulled her helmet off and looked up at the old house while Michael rummaged in the bag on the side of the bike.
Standing in the shadow of the moonlit house, Carissa couldn’t really see much, but the place looked deserted. The white paint on the clapboard siding curled away, and a shutter on one of the windows hung at a precarious angle in obvious disrepair. Why had Michael brought her here? Weren’t they going to see his friend and pick up some information?
“Does your friend live here?” Carissa asked as Michael finished slipping a metal plate between the kickstand of the bike and the soft earth under it.
He chuckled and set his helmet on the motorcycle. “Something like that.” Taking her headgear, he perched it on the seat. “This way.” Michael turned and led her down a narrow path to the back of the building.
Carissa’s breath caught as Michael stepped from the shadows. The moonlight twinkled in the soft silver of his hair with the same iridescence of dragon scales. It gave him an almost ethereal look that stole her breath away. Images of moonlight playing over his toned skin danced in her head. Yummy!
“Over here.”
Michael’s voice cut into her thoughts, and she quickened her stalled feet to his side.
Michael bent into the tall grass and pulled up what looked to be a door.
Carissa glanced into the gaping hole. A set of wooden stairs led down into the black abyss. It must have been some kind of storm shelter.
Michael pulled a penlight from his inner pocket and pointed it into the hole. The thin beam didn’t do much to dispel the darkness. “After you.” He held his hand out for her to lead the way.
You have got to be kidding! Carissa gave him a questioning look before taking the light he held. A deep breath bolstered her courage, and she stepped from the packed earth onto the first of the rickety-looking steps. Surprisingly, they were a lot sturdier than they appeared.
Descending into the dusty vault, Carissa looked around in what little light filtered in from the doorway. It was definitely a storm shelter. Boxes of supplies were stacked neatly along the walls. Her study of the room was cut short as Michael pulled the planks of wood serving as the door shut. She clutched onto the little Maglite as he made his way down to her side.
Michael pointed to the back of the room. “Over here.” He knocked on a flat space between two shelves. Two heavy pounds, followed by three short raps. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, Michael drew Carissa in against his side and waited.