Page 16 of Death Trap

I could have sworn I saw the thing swivel, as if it were turning toward me. Then, it shook midair, frazzled, and zoomed around the house. I half ran, half hopped after it as fast as I could, scrambling to pull the gun out of my boot and cock it. When it reached the driveway, I finally had my weapon in my hand and aimed.

I pulled the trigger. My hope was to scare the thing enough to stop it, or at least slow it down, but as the bullet flew through the air, it hit the thing in the upper corner. Shit, I needed more practice. I hadn’t meant to actually hurt it.

The ball froze and dropped onto the driveway pavement like a sack of potatoes. Hurrying over, I watched as the light dulled. The ball twisted and contorted, growing larger and more defined. Limbs stuck out, and the whiteness was replaced with pristine skin, a load of muscles, and a head full of black hair.

I stepped back, shocked at what I was witnessing.

The naked butt, broad shoulders, and square jawline… My ball of light stalker was actually a man.

He turned slowly, sitting spread-legged in all his naked glory. And boy, let’s just say, he was something to look at. All muscles and a face that could make a beating heart stop. Cole was handsome—a model type—but this guy was…beautiful. I could say that, right? There was no other way to describe him. His angular nose, hazel-green eyes, and full lips gave him an almost ethereal look. Too pretty for this world, no doubt.

I could have sworn his skin shimmered when he moved. Or maybe that was just my eyes playing tricks on me.

Not only that, he even had what I called magic hair. Everyone knows what I am talking about—that longer style that swoops past the eye, around the ears, and sits flawlessly just above the shoulders?

Boom. Magic hair. And this guy had it.

If it wasn’t for the hole blown out his shoulder, which he now clutched in disbelief, he would have been a perfect specimen.

I shook myself awake from my trance. It was easy to forget he had been spying on me for who knows how long and had fallen out of a floating glowing ball five seconds ago.

His gaze latched onto me, and my hands shook around my gun, which was still pointed at him.

I tried to channel some courage back into my voice. “Who are you? What do you want? Why were you following me, and why are you naked?”

Okay, Jade. Probably shouldn’t throw so many questions at him at once.

And of course my subconscious had to throw in the question about him being in the nude. My cheeks burned with embarrassment.

He stared at me for a long moment, saying nothing. Maybe he was still in shock that the bullet had affected him, like I had been when Cole’s bullet had ripped through me the first time.

I waved my gun a bit, trying to look more intimidating. “I’m not playing around. I’ll shoot you again.”

Slowly, the man held up his hands in surrender and climbed to his feet. My gaze landed on his wounded shoulder he’d been covering. Now, I could see the tattoo there, with its delicate sweeping curves and lines.

Just. Like.Mine.

This guy had an angel mark, too?

“Who are you?” I demanded again, my voice shaking.

“I am Elijah,” he finally said, his tone tinged with an accent I couldn’t place. Confusion touched his brows. “But you know that.”

I did? My gaze searched him again, making sure to skip over the family jewels. Familiarity tickled the back of my mind, especially when I rolled his name around in my head, but that was it. No memories sprang up. Just the normal tease of recognition followed by annoyance.

I grunted.

Elijah took a step forward, but I jerked my gun upright, and he jumped back.

“You really don’t remember me?” He frowned, and even then, no creases appeared on his face.

“Don’t take it personally,” I said. “I don’t remember much these days. It’s not just you.”

When I glanced at the bullet wound on his shoulder again, it had already closed, but the skin was still pink and a bit angry-looking.

So, he was definitely a spirit of some kind. And since the Holy Water wasn’t burning him, not a demon. That was a plus.

“I suggest you start talking,” I told him, my patience wearing thin. “How do I know you, Eli?”

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