Jeanne Stein - The Watcher

His mind reaches out to mine and I feel something close around my thoughts like a noose drawing tight. Now, he says, tell me what you know about Belinda Burke.

I'm angry. Angry enough to close him out of my head. But if I do that, I won't get what I need from him. Information about this witch who threatened Culebra.

It doesn't take long to fill Williams in on what I saw in Beso de la Muerte. The discussion/fight that took place between Culebra and this Belinda Burke. The way she disappeared like a puff of smoke, to be followed minutes later by Culebra. The utter barrenness of the camp. The creepy sensation of being chased out of there by a malevolent spirit.

Nothing concrete.

Now it's his turn to tell me what he knows. I look to Williams for answers, but he's shaking his head.

"This is not good. Burke is a powerful witch, but teleportation is a new trick for her. She has tapped into a new source."

He's talking in riddles. "New source? What does that mean?"

"Witches derive their energy from the elements of nature. Earth, wind, fire. They are bound by them. Teleportation involves escaping the bonds of earth. It shouldn't be possible."

"You and I shouldn't be possible, but here we are. And I saw Culebra do the same thing, too."

Williams shakes his head. "If that's true, the situation is even more serious than I thought. If Culebra and Burke are working together—"

"No way. I saw the way he looked when he was talking to her. And after, he was distracted. He sent me away. Said not to come back until it was safe." I'm replaying the scene in my head. "Then he disappeared. We were face-to-face. One minute he was there, the next, he was gone."

Williams doesn't buy it. "Then he tricked you somehow. He's a shape-shifter. He can't teleport. It's impossible unless Burke …"

It's there, unspoken. Gave him the magic—or used magic on him to transport him somewhere he didn't want to go.

Williams resolve is hard and unbreakable as concrete. I know that from past experience. Still, I have to try.

"What do you want me to do?"

He has his face turned away from me, his mind unreadable.

"Williams?" I prod. "What do you want me to do?"

At last he stirs, half turning in the seat to look at me. "Nothing."

"What do you mean, nothing?"

A flash of annoyance tightens his jaw. "I told you what you were going to do. Disappear. If not to Beso de la Muerte, then you pick another place. But it has to be away from here and it has to be tonight."

Now the annoyance is mine. "You're kidding, right? You're going after this all-powerful witch and you don't want me to help?"

"You can't help."

He says it without equivocation.

He says it like I have no say in the matter.

He says it like Max telling me to butt out of his investigation.

But Williams isn't Max and this isn't a human matter.

"Culebra is my friend," I whisper.

He remains unmoved.

I have to change that. All the aggravation and frustration of the past two days sweeps over me, driving away any hesitation, any vestige of good sense. I launch myself at Williams with the ferocity of a tiger.

He doesn't see it coming. One minute he's sitting up in the seat, his resolve like a smug halo. The next, I have his throat in my hands and his body pinned beneath me. I feel Ortiz' startled reaction from the front seat. The car begins to slow.

Drive on.

He hesitates, glancing backward.

I put more steel in my voice. Drive on, Ortiz.

The pure heat of my fury convinces him. His foot presses the accelerator and the car resumes speed.

Good.

I've had a bitch of a week, and I'm really tired of arguing with men.

WILLIAMS DOES NOT STRUGGLE. HIS MUSCLES go slack, his face clears of emotion—no anger, fear or surprise. He simply waits for me to recover my senses and let go of his throat.

He knows I will. I know I will, too. I just want his attention.

Culebra is my friend. I don't know what part he is being forced to play in this witch's scheme, but he is being forced and he needs my help.

You're sure he's being forced?

Yes.

Williams' eyes reflect skepticism. Culebra is a shapeshifter with powers of his own. He is an old soul. Burke is a powerful witch, but a young one. She could not force him to do something he doesn't want to do.

I don't accept that. I saw the way he looked at her. She has some kind of control over him.

Williams doesn't respond, but his thoughts are clear on the subject. He doesn't believe it.

I sit back, uncurl my fingers from around his throat. He slides back away from me and sits up, tugging at his collar.

You wonder why I call you impulsive?

He can call me anything he wants. As long as he understands that I intend to play a part in whatever he has planned for tomorrow night.

Williams is staring straight ahead. I may be more powerful physically than he is, something I still don't understand, but if he closes off his thoughts, I can't get inside his head. Unless I forcefully take his blood. Doing that would break the tenuous bond we've formed in the last couple of months. I'm not ready for that. There has to be another way.

I blow out a breath and work at the kinks in my neck with the palms of my hands. I temper the anger out of my head and replace it with contrite rationality. "I'm sorry. It's been a rough week. First Max, then David. The telephone calls. Now this—"

Williams swivels toward me. "What telephone calls?"

I'd forgotten that I hadn't mentioned the calls before. "Someone is harassing me. Or trying to. I think it's Foley, trying to get me to lead him to Max."

Open mouth, insert foot. I know as soon as those words are out of my mouth that I should have left that last part out. I'm glad I didn't say more because Williams jumps all over it.

"Then how do you know he isn't here in El Centra? That he didn't see what happened in that canyon?"

Jesus. I'm pretty sure he did more than see it.

My silence confirms Williams' suspicions. "Anna, you're keeping something else from me, aren't you? No matter. If there is a mortal following you, it's even more important that you get away."

Williams pauses and I see the thoughts churning behind those eyes even if I can't read them. Then his expression clears and he snaps his fingers. "You are going to Beso de la Muerte."

"What? I just told you …"

"That the place was deserted. That's what makes it perfect. Culebra is gone, but the protection spell will still be in place. No one can follow you there."

"I don't care about that. I want to find Culebra. He needs my help, I'm sure of it. This is ridiculous. You're doing this to keep me away from the witch thing. You know where they're going to be, don't you?"

When he refuses to answer, irritation boils up, once again washing over me like a tidal wave. I have an overwhelming urge to grab Williams again and shake him like a dog with a chew toy.

He senses it. He responds with red-hot anger that matches my own. "I let you get away with throwing your childish tantrum once today. I don't intend to let you do it again. I'm trying to help you whether you realize it or not."

He must send Ortiz a telepathic command because the car coasts to a stop. Williams opens the door and steps out. He turns around and leans inside. "You'll find money in the glove compartment and a suitcase in the trunk. I'll get a message to David. Something to the effect that you need to get away for a little while. After what happened between you, he shouldn't be surprised. Don't come home until I send for you."

He doesn't give me the chance to argue. Like every other man in my life lately, he's here one minute and gone the next.