nodded and gave Peggy a weak smile. “Yes, we’re done. Just put it on my tab, all right?”
“I’ll pay for dinner,” Matthias said.
“No, you won’t.”
Peggy looked between the two of them. “Umm. Okay. No problem, Lil. I’ll make note of it.” She hurried away.
Matthias made a soft rumbling noise, beneath his breath.
Lilian lifted a brow, then turned and headed for the exit. She knew he followed, and closely, because she could feel his body heat emanating from him against her back, and her skin prickled with awareness of just how close he was. As she reached for the door, one of his hands shot out and held the handle before she did. She stopped so he could open the door, but when he didn’t, she glanced back over her shoulder at him.
“We have more to discuss,” he whispered.
“No, we don’t. I’m tired. I want—no, I need a hot shower and then some sleep. I have a house to clean tomorrow.”
“If the police release the scene and let you go back,” he said.
“They better. It’s my house. I need clothes.”
Matthias opened the door, pushing it wide enough to let her pass. He used his body to herd her out of the diner and into the night air.
“It might take another day or two for them to finish investigating,” he reminded her.
Lilian sighed. Of course, they would. It wasn’t like on TV where they came in with high tech gadgets and finish so the victim could get on with her life. No, they had to make it hard for her.
“I’m sure they’ll give you permission to grab some stuff,” he said.
She shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I’ll pick something up. If worse comes to worse, I’ll get a ride into Enumclaw or Bonney Lake.”
“If you want, I can take you.”
“Not on that motorcycle of yours.”
He chuckled and walked with her back toward the motel. “I have a truck.”
“Where do you live anyway?”
There was a hesitation on his part. Matthias looked unsure, as if he didn’t know whether to tell her or not. Anger hit her, hot and hard.
“I caved and told you about me, but you can’t even answer one simple question of mine in regards to your life?”
Matthias started to speak, but she shook her head. “Forget it.” She stormed down the street, toward the motel. She just wanted to lock herself away and collapse.
“Lilian, wait.”
By the time he caught up to her and had grabbed her by the arm, a loud, piercing whistle split the night. Matthias pulled her to him as he turned his head toward the sound. Lilian’s temper flared and she started to pull from his grasp as she found herself manhandled yet again by Matthias.
He called out in another language. It sounded like Latin to her, but not exactly the same. His call was replied to in the same language. She tried to peer around Matthias to see, but he kept her against him with one arm, and adjusted his movements to hers.
Three of Matthias’s friends approached. She recognized their faces from the diner and the rumble in the alley with the CS agents. They smiled at her, but when Matthias growled, they looked away from her and at him instead.
They continued to speak in their language, and it sounded rather serious. She tried to put some space between her and Matthias, but he wouldn’t let her move very far from him.
Lilian had had enough. She stomped on one of his feet and with a shift of her body, kicked a foot out, catching his legs. She swept them from under him. Matthias lost his balance and went down to the pavement. Unfortunately, he didn’t release her so when he went down, she did too, and landed on top of him with a soft oomph. The others burst into laughter as Matthias lifted a brow at her. She thumped him hard on the chest.
“You were supposed to let me go!”
He gave her a crooked smile. “I rather like how we ended up.”
Lilian blinked and scrambled to her feet as the blood rushed to her face, heating it. The guys continued to laugh with relish.
“I’m so glad you found it hilarious.” She glared at them.
“Can’t remember the last time the Alph–oomph!” one said, interrupted when another elbowed him.
She looked between the two of them.
Matthias stood up and she turned to him. “What’s going on?”
He sighed and gave her a shrug. “I suppose I should tell you.”
Lilian started to back away. “So, you are hiding something. I knew it. I should have known better.”
“Wait, let me explain.”
The guys sobered and watched the two of them carefully.
She lifted her branded hand, as if to ward him off.
“No, stay back, Matthias. I mean it. I don’t want to hurt you.”
He held out his hands, palms upward. “Lilian.”
One of his friends moved in a quick motion and she took her eyes off Matthias to look at him. It gave Matthias the chance to dart in and grab her. She reacted as she was trained, to strike at a vulnerable spot on his body, and in this case, a punch at his throat.
Matthias snarled and grabbed her wrist before the blow could connect. He turned his body and carrying on with the momentum, spun her around. With a jerk, she found herself back against his firm, muscular chest with her wrist in one of his hands and his free arm around her throat in a sleeper hold.
Lilian hissed in anger and gave a struggle, but he merely tightened his arm in warning. “Enough.”
Since he had her arm already extended, he forced her to turn her hand over, palm up, to show the brand.
“Look at this,” he told his friends. “I want this mark traced.”
One of the men came forward and studied her palm. She tried to jerk her hand away, and turn her palm down, but Matthias wasn’t having it. Tears welled up in her eyes.
“It looks familiar,” the man said.
“I thought so too,” Matthias replied. “What do you know of it?”
The man shook his head and she could see he was trying to remember, but nothing came to mind, it seemed.
“All right. Tiberius, you look into it. Lukas and Augustus, I want you two to look into Custodes Secreti. Check the archives. Also, check for offshoots of the Knights Templar. I want everything we can find on them.”
The three
