Page 41 of Darius

“You’re so good at picking up on problems no one else does. A superstar!”

“Thanks, Angie. See you tomorrow.” Mara turned and headed for the door as her colleague called after her.

“I’ll be here.”

Chapter

Sixteen

Stepping out into the early evening air, Mara breathed deeply. She loved air-conditioning when the temperature was hot outside but often froze inside the bank. The caress of the warmth on her skin was heavenly. She shrugged off the routine pressure of her job and walked around the corner of the bank so she could keep an eye on the driveway and parking lot.

Mara pulled out her phone and checked her messages and email. She’d almost finished going through the new stuff when she heard a dog yelping frantically. Pain ricocheted through the sound, quickening her heart rate as she struggled to pinpoint where the cries came from. Turning in all directions, she zeroed in on the direction—across the street from her location at the bank’s entrance.

Mara checked but couldn’t spot anyone over there. The dog’s constant cries for help broke her heart. She shouted, “Hey! Stop hurting that animal. I’m calling the police.”

Would the police come immediately for animal cruelty or would they tell her to phone animal control? She’d hoped the jerk hurting the dog would cease when alerted that someone was listening. Anger flared inside her when the high-pitched yowls continued. They weren’t stopping.

Her feet crossed the bank’s entrance before she consciously decided to help. Pushing away her concerns for her own safety, Mara had to help. No one else was around. Once in motion, Mara continued in the general direction of the pitiful sounds. She dodged the traffic to cross the street and paused to pinpoint the correct direction to proceed.

She zeroed in on the trajectory and stomped forward, ready to interrupt whatever was happening and rescue the poor animal. The cries grew louder as she neared a wide loading alley between two buildings across the street. Delivery drivers parked there daily to take supplies to the adjacent storefronts. Glancing over her shoulder at the bank, Mara considered waiting for Darius but caved at the next whimper.

A puddle of darkness enveloped the mouth of the alleyway. When she paused to let her eyes adjust, glass crunched under her sensible business pumps. Someone had broken the streetlight, casting dark shadows across the area. Peering into the gloom, she shivered when she couldn’t see far into the alley. This was like one of those vampire movies she’d watched with Carina and Alessia when the heroine shouldn’t continue and would be the next to die.

Continuing was incredibly stupid, but her heart was breaking for the pet. Mara had considered becoming a vet when she was in school and had always loved animals. Banking had won out when she’d received a business scholarship.

Mara again looked up and down the deserted street and couldn’t see any other people. The dog’s pitiful cries had dropped in volume as if the creature was losing hope or strength. I have to at least see if there’s anything I can do to help. She stepped off the curb.

Sticking to the middle of the alleyway, Mara walked deeper into the passageway. Ultra-bright headlights of a huge truck suddenly illuminated the alley from its parked position ahead. She froze like a deer before frantically raising an arm to shield her eyes from the blinding glare. Terror, like she’d never experienced, flooded her mind. Instinctively, she reached out to Darius.

Daddy!

Mara? What is wrong?

A truck!

Where are you, Mara?

The truck’s engine roared to life, growling like a ferocious beast. A grinding gear shift later, the sound grew louder. The massive vehicle was accelerating rapidly at her. The bulk of the vehicle’s body filled most of the alley. Trash and pallets scattered into the air as the semi crunched the debris piled along the brick walls. There was no way to dodge to the side.

Panicking, she turned and ran back toward the street as the truck raced after her, gathering speed as its tires chewed up the gravel on the road.

The growl of the motor chased behind her. She peeked over her shoulder and screamed. She wasn’t going to reach a safe spot.

I love you!

Time seemed to stop. The shadows around Mara deepened to patches of absolute blackness so sudden her mind couldn’t process what she was seeing. Out of the swirling shadows thrown off by the truck’s headlights, a figure coalesced into the shape of a man who reached for her as the truck loomed inches behind her. In that fraction of an instant, she recognized Darius.

Then the light vanished as darkness wrapped around them. The silence was almost deafening. Were they dead? Mara was still too disoriented to reason through what was happening, but Darius held her. His scent surrounded her as his powerful arms enveloped her. Her heart pounded as the warmth of his body radiated toward her. She wouldn’t feel anything if the truck had killed them, right?

Mara blinked as pale light flickered around them. She didn’t have a chance to think about her situation when, suddenly, she heard a muffled thunk and a soft buzzing sound from behind. When she checked, nothing stood there but dark shadows and a menacing ambiance. Mara turned back to Darius, studying his stern expression and concerned gaze. “How…?”

Darius held her out before him, scanning her for any sign of harm. Finding none, he gave her a reassuring smile. “You called. I came. That’s how our bond works.”

Mara’s eyes adjusted in the dim light. She stepped slightly away from the shelter of his arms and rotated in a slow circle to take in her surroundings. A chill ran down her spine. Peril felt almost physical here. A whisper of movement in the dark, stark location created a demand for self-preservation. Darius would keep her safe.

Quickly, she scooted back into the shelter of his warmth. The air around them had cooled significantly. Her movement dislodged a stone from the path below them. Everything was indistinct and shrouded in a misty haze, but wherever she was, this wasn’t the alley.

If Darius hadn’t been with her, she would have totally freaked out. “What is this place?”