Part 18 (2/2)

”You folks are the best entertainment I've had here since I took it over, but the truth of the matter is, these rooms rent by the day. Mostly to miners what don' mind doublin' up a bit. I got one room that has three-no, make that four-others in it. They wouldn't complain none-as long as ya shared yur woman.”

”I don't share.” Talon was angry enough to go for the man's throat-if he could see him. ”Is there another hotel in town?”

”Mister,” the manager said when he could stop laughing, ”this ain't one of them big, fancy towns down across the wilderness. Ya got three choices. Ya can take what I got here; ya can pay out the a.s.s up at the Golden Ghost; or ya can sleep in the street, but it gets mighty cold here at night.”

”We'll take our chances, elsewhere.” Shadow informed the obnoxious man. ”Lead on, fancy man.” She pulled out of his embrace and slipped her arm around his waist again.

”h.e.l.l, darlin' you've been leading me around by my short leg for weeks. I see no reason to change what works. You can lead me anywhere you're willin' to pay for the privilege.”

Talon waited until they were mounted and on their way up the mountain before moving in closer to Shadow. ”Another word for ghost is phantom. Could it be that simple?”

”You know him better than I do. Is he stupid enough to think no one will put it together?”

”He's not stupid but he is arrogant enough to think his little play on words wouldn't be taken serious. Just so you know, I was able to see heat images in there. They were faint, but it supports what I said on the trail about this being temporary.”

”I hope you're right.”

They rode in silence until Shadow pulled them to a stop and whistled.

”Son of a...you won't believe this place. The Golden Ghost is three stories tall with wrap-around balconies on each level. If I didn't see this with my own eyes, I'd never believe it.”

”What are you talking about, Blue? It sounds nice.”

”Oh, I wouldn't describe it as nice, exactly. Talon, it's painted metallic gold!”

”You're kidding. Does it reflect the sun?”

”If you look straight at it you're blinded. I'm serious; this building is polished to a mirror-like s.h.i.+ne.”

”You have to love a criminal who doesn't understand the concept of keeping a low profile. Let's get inside so my eyes can adjust. This is too easy.”

They entered the Golden Ghost arm-in-arm but Shadow didn't go into the urgent lover character. She asked for a corner room on the third floor, and could it please have a view of the mountains.

You missed your true calling, Blue. I know exactly where you came from but I would swear you were educated in the best private academies on the planet.

”Sweetheart,” she purred in his ear, ”do we want to pay in advance and receive a discount rate or settle the bill when we check out at a substantially higher rate?”

”We'll pay when we leave.” He managed to coat his words with just a hint of disdain. After three weeks on the trail they certainly didn't look like they could afford this place, but the desk clerk was too well trained to say anything.

They were escorted to the room Shadow requested. After their young escort deposited their travel bags on the floor, Shadow asked him to close the curtains so she could nap after her bath. The woman was stripping out of her clothes as soon as the door closed behind the kid. He had instructions not to disturb her for at least a week-or until time for dinner.

Talon fumbled his way to a chair and sat down. The room was warm and the closed curtains blocked the glare of the snow and the building itself, if what Shadow said was true. This was the closest he'd come to Draagon even though he'd crossed paths with dozens of his Phantom Riders over the years. They came here following nothing more than a hunch-a gut instinct. That same instinct told him that evil b.a.s.t.a.r.d was here. All he had to do was regain his sight.

Chapter Thirty-Seven.

Shadow stayed in the tub until her fingers and toes wrinkled up and the water turned cold. She was shaved, trimmed, and plucked in the appropriate places and ready to get this a.s.signment completed. The face staring back at her from the mirror wasn't as familiar to her as it was before she met Dak and Kierin.

Things were so clear back then. Find Talon and do whatever she had to do to bring him back into the world of the living. Dak figured it would take her six months. She didn't have anything scheduled so she had the time and the pay was astounding. She got half of the coins up front and the rest would be waiting for her when she delivered her final report. After that, all she had to do was decide which group of mercs to join and she'd be set. The kicker to that plan was she didn't want to go back to that 'soldier-of-fortune' life.

You know what you did. You used the 'p' word. Never, ever use the word plan. It messes up everything. Her inner voice whispered from the image.

”I am so screwed and it's all your fault.” She softly accused the woman in the mirror. ”You had to go and fall in love with the target. That's a newbie mistake, b.i.t.c.h. Sorry, you quit cussin'.” She listened for any sound of movement from beyond the door but it was eerily quiet. ”What am I going to do if he can't see?”

One thing was certain. She couldn't stay in the bathroom all night. She had to know, one way or the other. She slipped into the rest of her clothes, drew in a deep, fortifying breath, and went to confront Talon.

He turned and watched her walk across the s.p.a.cious room. He had the biggest smile on his face and it warmed her to her soul. He pulled her onto his lap and she snuggled against his chest for a minute before sitting up so she could see his face.

”What's the verdict?” She was proud of her ability to sound calm and only mildly curious.

”I can see all the fireworks exploding around you, Blue.” He winked before pus.h.i.+ng her back against his chest.

”Do I hear a but in there?” She asked quietly, her heart beating wildly against her ribs.

”Yes and no.” He finally answered. ”I'm not totally blind in the eye with the working implant. I can make out shadowy shapes if I focus on them. The good news is that the other eye is working fine. The pulses of color are clear even when I looked out the window earlier.”

Another wave of guilt threatened to suffocate her. It all went back to the accident with the cart. If she hadn't been so pushy....

”Blue, we've had this discussion.”

She didn't realize she spoke out loud.

”IT. WAS. NOT. YOUR. FAULT. It was an accident. Please, baby, don't do this to yourself.”

”But if I....”

”I don't know about you, but I'm starving.” Talon wouldn't allow her to continue.

”There's a room service bell beside the bed. I'll order dinner while you take advantage of that tub. It's huge.” Tonight she would be whatever he needed her to be.

”Are you complaining about my manly essence?” He asked, sniffing his armpit and making gagging noises.

”I like manly essence. You're gamey.” She laughed at his antics. ”Take a bath, fool.”

Hours later-after a delicious meal-after the hottest s.e.x she'd ever had-after Talon made sweet, seductive, love to her-she slipped from the bed. Every brush of cloth against skin sounded loud enough to wake the dead. She didn't know how he could sleep through her thundering heartbeat. When he fell asleep in the tub, it gave her time to gather and pack her things and write the note she would leave with the clerk to deliver to him with the morning meal they pre-ordered last night.

Her heart was breaking but there was no other way. The bounty hunter academy was waiting for him. He needed to confront Draagon before he could move on with his life. She could give him that.

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