Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 125037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Diego slipped away from the site, becoming a shadow in the forest, following Jim. With Jim separating himself from the others, it was an opportunity to dispose of him before the soldiers reached Leila. It was imperative, before he struck, to know Jim’s gifts. He’d prefer to stay silent so the others weren’t aware they were being stalked.
Jim was thorough looking for tracks, but he stayed on the trail, resisting the lure of the deeper woods. He stopped occasionally and studied the forest on either side of him for long minutes, his eyes carefully searching the edges leading into the trees. He examined brush and fern, looking for twisted, bruised leaves.
Diego stayed in the trees, watching the man for signs of any talents that made him lethal. He couldn’t forget the way Jim’s fellow soldiers acted around him. None of them wanted to be close to him. There had to be a reason.
Jim suddenly crouched down, one palm sliding just above the ground while he looked around, his gaze going to the trees where Diego was concealed. Jim’s head tilted first one way and then the other as if listening for something. Diego knew he couldn’t be seen, and he wasn’t making a sound, but there was no doubt in his mind Jim knew he was there. Had the soldier tapped into the mycelium network? Was he capable? Diego didn’t think so. It was something else.
“If you need help, Leila, I can give that to you. There’s no need to be afraid. Just come out where I can see you.”
Diego was shocked to feel the compulsion embedded in the voice. The notes didn’t affect him—compulsion rarely did—but he hadn’t expected this man to have such a strong talent in that area. He should have, given the way his fellow soldiers regarded him.
He came out of the trees, ensuring Jim wouldn’t see him until he was within throwing distance of his knife. He didn’t want to use a gun and hoped his own voice would work on the soldier to keep him from attempting to shoot him. He would prefer for Jim’s friends not to have a clue what happened to the man.
“I’m not the Leila you’re apparently looking for,” Diego greeted. “I live up here; you’re actually on my property.”
He kept his image somewhat blurred so it would be difficult for Jim to see his features. He’d been told he could look predatory, and that was the last thing he wanted his adversary to think.
Jim immediately gave him a friendly smile. “A local? Maybe you’ll be able to help me.” His voice was very amicable. He stood up slowly, taking several steps toward Diego. “My sister was hiking the trail, and she didn’t check in with us. I was worried about her, so I came looking. It hasn’t been long enough to call for search and rescue.” As he spoke, he continued forward toward Diego, closing the gap between them, looking completely at ease.
As Jim approached, the hairs on Diego’s body reacted, standing up. He’d had a similar reaction when he was close to his sister-in-law, Jonquille. She drew lightning to her, and the ensuing electrical storm was always life-threatening. But there was no storm overhead. Diego couldn’t sense one brewing. No rain. No thunder. The clouds weren’t right for an electrical event. It was Jim generating the electrical reaction in Diego’s body but without the help of a storm. That was puzzling.
Jim’s smile was friendly—and practiced. It didn’t quite reach his eyes. The female owl screeched a warning. Deliberately, Diego took a step toward the enemy, coming straight to him at a casual, steady pace. He didn’t look at the sky when the shadow of the owl moved over him. Instead, he took another step into his enemy’s space.
Jim stretched his hand out in greeting. “Jim Volter. I’m glad to meet a local who knows the area.”
Diego gripped his hand, taking care not to use strength. Jim didn’t either. There was no bullshit vying to see who was stronger, yet the moment Diego came into physical contact with Jim, he knew he was in trouble. The touch might be light, but the man instantly connected with Diego’s heartbeat by pressing one finger over the pulse point in his wrist.
Diego felt the mild disruption, so faint that it was only the healing well inside him that allowed detection of the electrical pulses moving toward his heart. He smiled, looking straight into the soldier’s eyes, allowing Jim to see his true character, the one hidden from most people. The killer.
“Nice to meet you. Name’s Diego. Diego Campos.”
Healing energy could go both ways. Diego had discovered that as a child when he’d first been trying to learn how to help animals. He could use that same energy to humanely kill a suffering animal. It wasn’t that different from what Jim Volter was doing. He smiled as he introduced himself. His first step was to protect himself, to neutralize the electrical activity Jim pushed into his body.