And for some other reason, she was willing to be his need.

“Don’t get it.”

Sola’s eyes were on JJ as he leaned from the bed to check his cell. Warren. “I have to.”

“You’re putting work ahead of me.” Her bottom lip, swollen from his kisses, would be sticking out.

“Ahead of the competition, yes.” He smiled as he angled back, but she turned away. Snorting, he putting a hand over the receiver in case Warren came on the line. “Don’t even try it.”

Solange threw the sheets from her body, backside swaying as she made her way to the bathroom. A few seconds later water began running into the tub. “Yes,” he said, tone altering at Warren’s voice. His leader had begun calling JJ first, whether it was to assist with recon, stakeout, or especially attack. How ironic that he had Sola to thank for it.

“I’ve found her.”

JJ stood. “You haven’t.” But he began pulling on his jeans one-handed. “Where?”

“Right where she’s supposed to be.” Warren laughed, and it wasn’t his maniacal spiral, though it couldn’t be called tame, either. “She wasn’t in hiding or kidnapped by the Shadows or even in jail over a traffic violation. She went to fucking Maui, but now she’s back.”

Maui. JJ rolled his eyes. Tonya Dane predicted his world’s savior and then went surfing. “Where are you?”

“The motel on Fremont.”

“I’ll be right there.” JJ flipped the phone shut and slid it into his pocket. Getting to Tonya first was a huge coup. That woman’s mind—mortal, but a psychic’s—was a big red arrow on a map that, with luck, could lead directly to the Kairos.

Solange was soaking in the tub, slim and shining legs propped against the faucet, dark tendrils pressed against the damp curve of her long neck. JJ smiled reflexively when he saw her, but she didn’t even look up.

“Off to play angel of mercy?” She wrinkled her little nose, and sourly truncated his reply. “I don’t understand why you bother saving those who won’t lift a finger to save themselves.”

Given his recent burnout, JJ was surprised to find himself arguing. “We allow freedom of choice from your influence. We don’t interfere unless there’s an outright victimization. We simply counteract your machinations so the mortal population remains autonomous.”

“Shadows can’t influence those who aren’t already predisposed to chaos,” she answered, as quickly. “All you do is delay the inevitable.”

“We grant a person time and space to make a better choice.”

“You waste your life to better the future of those who are undeserving.”

“Everyone is deserving of a chance,” he answered simply, hand to her cheek.

She mimicked the movement. “I told you you’re a romantic.”

“You are, too.”

She pulled away at that, the lips he loved to lick pursed in a tight bow. “Uh-uh. I live for myself. I put my life above all others. It will always be that way, mark my word.”

“And is that written in the stars?”

“You know the answer to that.” It was written between them.

“Go.” She lifted a leg in the air, soaping one tight calf, her mouth still thinned in a pout.

He wanted to say he was sorry, that she knew how duty called, and all that, but it wouldn’t deter Sola from a mood she was determined to be in, and it was also untrue. He wasn’t sorry, because the moment she got wind that the soothsayer was back in town, she and her entire troop would swoop down upon her as well.

Right now he ignored Sola’s combative words by lifting her from the water and pulling her to him. She squealed, though he could tell she was delighted. How could one of the softest things he’d ever touched also be one of the hardest people he’d ever known?

“You won’t be far behind,” he reminded her, circling his hands on her bare hips.

She shrugged one slim, wet shoulder, like she didn’t care, but beckoned him forward after another moment. Lifting to her toes as he curled about her, she tucked her hands into the back pockets of his jeans, wetting the front of him with her warm body, her tongue darting gently to meet his lips. He opened to her, but she didn’t deepen the kiss, just pulled back to stare up into his eyes, the fingertips of her left hand rising to circle the tattoo that lay beneath his T-shirt.

“Be careful out there.”

He reached around to cup her ass, lifted her slightly, and deepened the kiss himself. Her response was fired, and seconds flipped into minutes. “Find me again tonight?”

“That soon?” Surprise lightened her voice. They usually waited at least a day between meetings.

He smiled. “I’m hard now.”

“I’ll be here.”

JJ was still smiling as he let himself out into the morning light. Behind him was an enemy mistress, who made him feel bold, oddly heroic, and shockingly alive. In front of him was a mortal Seer, who might or might not know the identity of his world’s savior. He tried not to think of himself as being caught between them. He still wanted it all.

4

Warren had Tonya Dane stashed away at a dilapidated motel on Fremont Street, which, while not a safe zone, was a good enough place to hide, as long as emotions didn’t run high when Shadows lurked nearby. There were a number of hidey-holes and nondescript locales used this way by both sides of the Zodiac. Safe zones—like Master Comics, where the troop manuals were created and displayed—were desired, but rare.

But today JJ had to quell the laughter that threatened to bubble out of him when he entered the Lazy Dayz Motel to find a superhero masquerading as a bum getting his palm read by a woman who looked like a cross between a country music star and a stripper.

Tonya Dane stared up at JJ when he entered, blinking a good half-dozen times as she took in his short, blond cut, the skin as naturally dark as her enforced tan, and his overall size. When she finished, her frosted smoker’s mouth pursed. “Obviously another one of y’all.”

JJ glanced at Warren, who sheepishly withdrew his hand. “It’s okay, she knows everything. She’s agreed to a full memory cleanse as soon as we’re finished. We were just passing the time until you arrived.”

Tonya reached over, bright pink nails digging into Warren’s weather-beaten hands. “Remember what I said. She still loves you. She’s showing it in the only way she knows how.”

Warren cleared his throat and rose. “The others should be here shortly.”

That distracted JJ from Tonya’s words. “Others?”

“I decided to bring in the rest of the troop after we talked. Ms. Dane here says that different people bring out nuance in her readings, even if related to the same subject.”

“Time is more fluid than this world believes. Even future relations can be read in the present.”

So she’d be able to read connections between them and the Kairos…if there were to be any.

“I figured there was no harm in introducing her to the others as she’ll give up the memory anyway. It’ll give Tekla a rare opportunity to talk shop with someone who shares her talent, but on the mortal side.” He smiled at Tonya. “She’s our troop’s Seer.”

“I know,” Tonya said, eliciting a truncated snort from JJ. He sobered when her sharp eyes found him again. “We can start with you.”

“Start what with me?”

“The readings.” And she held out her hand for his palm.

“Wait.” JJ turned back to Warren to find humor threading the man’s mouth. “I thought we were questioning her. Not the other way around.”

He didn’t think a mortal Seer could rival their world’s psychic in skill, but with a secret life, and his lover’s touch so recently on his skin, it was best to stay away from Seers altogether…which was why Tekla’s impending appearance was so disturbing. He’d been avoiding her as well.

Warren sobered. “Just give it a try. You may have a residual connection with the Kairos.”

JJ wanted to ask how it could be residual if it hadn’t happened yet, but knew better from his sessions with Tekla. Ask one innocent question and you’d get a weeklong lecture on the intricacies of quantum physics. He had long since learned to keep quiet.