Protector(94)

“It’s a deal.”

After that, he had to focus on maneuvering through the crowded streets around the mall, then pulling into the shopping center’s parking lot. Following the signs, he began to head toward where the movie theater was located. Right then his phone rang, and although he didn’t want to get distracted, he knew he couldn’t ignore whoever might be calling.

That person turned out to be Miguel. He didn’t even give Alex time to say hello, but immediately said, “I talked to your father, and he told me what’s going on. I’m almost at the mall now, and so is Jack.”

Thank God. That was probably the first piece of good news Alex had heard all day. “We’re here now. I’m about to park over by the theater.”

“Okay. Do some recon, but if you do see those warlocks, don’t engage until Jack and I catch up with you. Comprendé?”

Alex reflected that his cousin Miguel had watched way too many war movies, or played way too much Call of Duty. Still, his advice made sense. “No worries there. We don’t even know for sure if she’s still at the movies or not, but that’s the only information we have to go on right now. If I see anything, I’ll call you.”

“Got it. I’m less than five minutes away now.”

“Then we’ll see you in a few,” Alex said, just as Miguel ended the call. After sliding the phone into his jeans pocket, he told Caitlin, “The cavalry is coming.”

“Thank the Goddess,” she breathed.

“What, were you worried I couldn’t handle it on my own?”

She didn’t respond to the half-smile he’d worn while asking that question. Those big sea-colored eyes were fixed on his face and filled with worry. “They’re killers, Alex. I’ve seen what they’re capable of. It’s not that I don’t believe in your power, but I know they’ll fight dirty if they get the chance.” Her gaze faltered, and beneath the worry, he saw the anger seething in her. “What I don’t understand is how they could even find Zoe. I mean, I doubt your family goes around broadcasting information about its prima-in-waiting’s whereabouts.”

“I’ve been thinking about that,” Alex replied as he pulled into an empty parking space. Since it was late on a Friday afternoon — almost evening, actually — the lot was filling up, and they’d had to park farther away from the theater than he would have liked. “I have a feeling that either Jorge’s or Tomas’s talent is finding people, witches specifically. My grandmother’s ability was similar, although in her case it was more knowing who was in her territory who shouldn’t be there, knowing what all her people were up to. But the talent for finding things is a pretty common one, so it’s not a big leap to go from that to being able to find particular people.”

“That makes sense.” Caitlin picked up her purse from where it had been resting in the footwell and shrugged the strap over one shoulder. “It would also explain why Matías was hanging out with them. He’d only keep people around who had talents he thought were useful.”

“Yeah, which begs the question, what talent does the other one of the gruesome twosome have? Nothing friendly, I’m sure.”

“Probably not.”

They both paused then, neither of them apparently eager to open their door, even though Alex knew they needed to get going, that time was slipping away. He really didn’t want to admit it to Caitlin, but he was scared. Never in his life had he gone up against anyone like Matías. There had been some scuffles with his older brother Diego…more roughhousing, really…and a few more with a couple of guys at school, but magic hadn’t been involved in any of those fights, low-key as they were. Matías wouldn’t hesitate to do whatever it took to make sure he achieved his objective of making Zoe his.

But they couldn’t wait. Maybe stall a little, until Miguel and Jack got here, but if Miguel was only five minutes behind them, he’d be here soon, too. He was the sort of person Matías wouldn’t spare a second glance for — slightly overweight, edging toward middle age. And Alex knew Miguel would make damn sure he didn’t get close enough for Matías to sense that he was a warlock. Maybe Jorge or Tomas would be able to figure it out, if locating witch-kind really was one of their talents, but Alex had to hope they’d be distracted by the crowds at the mall and wouldn’t be able to quite pin down who was pinging their radar.

“All right,” he said, then opened his car door. “Let’s do this.”