“What the?” he muttered.
Suddenly, projectiles crashed through all three windows infront. Smoke instantly began filling the vehicle.
“Damn it,” the driver roared, slamming on the brakes.
Ivy lurched forward and dropped the water, extending one armto keep herself from smashing into the back of the seat. She dropped to thewide floor, panic engulfing her. Pain ticked from her knees, and she shoved itaway, bunching her body to move. The car slid into a skid and spun around.
Was it the same attackers as yesterday? She blinked to see,but the smoke was too thick. It burned her eyes and up her nose. She had to getout.
Coughing and holding her hand over her mouth, she scrambledto release the door and fell out and onto the asphalt. Dark pebbles cut intoher knees. The attackers ran from the forest on both sides, standing on theopposite side of the fence. They were covered head to toe in black, and shecouldn’t make out their faces. She blinked and coughed, trying to see throughthe smoke. They lifted weapons and fired wildly at the vehicle.
The motorcycle spun to a stop, and a feminine hand reacheddown. “Ivy, let’s go.”
“Leah?” she asked, coughing again, panic nearly consumingher.
“Let’s go,” Leah said, grabbing her wrist and pulling.
“Stop,” the driver yelled, falling out of the car, his largebody denting the asphalt.
Ivy burst up and jumped onto the back of the motorcycle,wrapping her arms around Leah’s waist. “Go, go, go,” she yelled.
Leah laughed loudly and twisted the throttle, zooming awayfrom the still-smoking vehicle.
Ivy coughed severaltimes. “What was that?” she yelled.
“Just a smoke bomb. Nothing serious,” Leah called back, thewind whipping her hair into Ivy’s face.
Ivy turned her head, trying to see the forest on eitherside. “Who threw the smoke bombs?”
“A couple of guys I hired,” Leah yelled back. “Hold on,we’re going to have to go fast. I’m sure they’re calling this in.”
Oh, man, Athan would be pissed. Ivy bit back a chuckle.Something triumphant soared through her, and it was probably something she shouldn’tbe proud of. But he was always in control and telling her what to do—though itlooked like she and Leah had just outsmarted him. She held on and ducked herhead against the chilly wind as Leah drove like a maniac down the private roadand then turned, zooming through the streets of LA.
There was no doubt CCTV caught them in several places, butLeah seemed to have a sixth sense for where to go. Or rather, she’d probablymemorized the entire city and knew how to avoid the cameras. Finally, she drovethem into an underground parking area and stopped at the far end. “All right,we have to switch vehicles now.”
She waited until Ivy pushed off the motorcycle beforefollowing and shaking out her long, dark hair. She threw back her head andlaughed.
Ivy brushed pebbles off her jeans. “How did you know whereto find me?”
“Oh, please. Like I don’t know where the Maxwells have theirairports. Come on.” Leah motioned toward a nondescript blue Chevy. “We have to go.We have a private flight waiting.”
Ivy grinned. “You have this all figured out, don’t you?”
Leah shrugged. “I figured we could have a problem some timeor other, so I had a plan in place. Right now, we really have to get moving.”She looked at her watch. “We’re supposed to meet a possible kidnapper in abouttwo hours.”
Ivy sobered up. “You’re right. Are you ready for this?”
Leah nodded. “Yeah, it’s time.”
* * * *
Athan sat very still in front of the video monitor as hewatched his mate tool off on the back of a motorcycle. She looked fragile andin peril as they sped away with smoke in their wake. Enemies could be comingfrom any direction, and she was speeding away from certain safety. Oh, he’d definitelymade a mistake in wanting her to enjoy freedom and her own destiny for a shorttime. Now, he had to find her. “Are you getting this?”
“Yeah, I’m getting it.” Jasper was in Montana but showed ina box in the upper right corner of the screen, his irritation coming off him invisible waves. Athan would take a moment to appreciate that fact later—it wasimpressive. For now, it was clear his fury matched Athan’s.
Athan shook his head. “This entire situation was wellplanned out.”
“I’m aware,” Jasper muttered. His hair was jet-black and hiseyes an odd comingling of blue and green that was too electric to pass forhuman hazel eyes. Like some immortals, he normally wore colored contacts ordark glasses when in public. “Apparently, Leah has gotten even better atsubterfuge than she was eighty years ago.”
