I pinched the bridge of my nose. We didn't have time for this. "Kyle, I know you're my mate and have since we met. I have a nose, the same as you—and for the record, you smell like freshly picked sage—I just wasn’t sure what it meant for two alphas, so I’ve been sitting on it. For that, I apologize. As for the rest, why wouldn't I trust you? But we can discuss all that later. For now, we need a plan."
"Wait… hold up a second. We don’t need a plan! Holy shit, it makes sense now! We just need Dottie!" Kyle spoke fast, reaching for the gurney as a big smile crossed his face. "I can't believe the old drama queen was right. Okay, let's do this." I wasn't sure what else to do, so I helped him steer the gurney out of the room and down the hall.
While we rushed along, I radioed headquarters and used alpha compulsion along with my gift of charm to fix things on my end. "Sarge, got a copy?"
"Yup. What's going on with that prisoner, Ford?"
"Nothing, sir. It was a mistake and I'm letting him go. You're going to delete his file and we will forget him, just as you will begin to forget me. Copy?"
His voice sounded slightly stoned as he came back. "Roger that, Officer, ah... Dodge? Sorry for the mistake."
That settled, I turned off my radio and glanced at Kyle. He had guided us to an elevator and was waiting for it to arrive. Kyle nodded his approval with a teasing grin. "Nice one, Officer, um... Cadillac. Neat trick there."
I felt myself blushing and was relieved when the doors opened. After a few moments, I spoke up quietly. "With great gifts come great power. I don't like to risk misusing mine, so I'm careful. But yes, I can make people forget things. Once I log in to the system and have my final check routed to my account, I’ll leave a paper trail that looks like I quit two weeks ago and they’ll forget me completely by month’s end."
Kyle flashed me a wink. "Like I said, neat trick. Just don't ever use it on me and we're golden. Ah, here's our stop." The elevator opened and we were off and running again. Kyle took us to a private room. I wasn't sure what to expect but it surely wasn't for an old woman dressed in a velvet dressing gown to be sitting there holding a big purse and watching the clock like she was waiting for a bus.
"Damn. It’s about time you got your ass back here, precious. Grab my bag and help me onto that thing with your cutie pie. Sandy is downstairs with the RV, so let's get cracking. What are you looking at? Come on, move it, boys. We don't have all night." Her deep voice reminded me of a drag queen and I wasn't sure whether to hug her like a nana or drop to my knees and pay homage. She had so much flair that I couldn’t help but be instantly charmed.
“Ahem.” Kyle tapped the handcuff. "Get this off our cutie pie, please. Dottie is right, time is short." Kyle took over, getting Dottie easily transferred to the gurney and turning our mate onto his side so they were able to spoon. With a sheet over them, nobody would know there were two people on here.
We retraced our steps after grabbing her stuff. Kyle passed me a cell phone when he made a quick stop at a deserted nurses’ station. He pulled up the patient file for a Dorothy Cleary and started typing while he talked. "Call the number marked Office, would you? Just pull your trick and tell them they sent me home sick. And maybe have them forget me, if you think it's necessary."
Once we'd accomplished that last bit of coverup, we were on our way. Dottie yelled from under the sheet as we raced down a long hallway. "Sandy just texted my boob phone! They’re pulling up outside the back entrance. Ha! I bet you know right where to find the back entrance, don’t you?" She started laughing at that, a rheumy laugh that made me worry she'd keel over. Kyle was laughing with her though, so maybe she was okay?
I was still trying to figure out what the hell a boob phone was when we made it to the exit. We went outside and I found myself blinking a few times at the long, pink and silver RV with glittery paint that was parked at the curb. The damned thing sparkled under the parking lot lights.
“I think the Barbie RV came to life and is right there in front of us,” Kyle muttered.
While I was still wrapping my brain around the gaudiest Barbie doll-looking getaway vehicle ever known, the door swung open and a four-hundred-pound man leaned out of the door. He—or she? Better go with they for now—was dolled up in a blue gingham dress, ruby slippers, a Dorothy wig complete with parted pigtails and an apron that said “I’m the rainbow you want to get over.” They looked furtively from left to right before motioning for us to join them.
"You must be Kyle and his mates. Aren’t you adorable? I'm Sandy and I’m so happy to meet you. Please wipe your feet before entering our traveling abode. But first, where’s my Dottie?"
Before I could make sense of what was happening, the sheet flew back and slapped me in the face, nearly covering my head. I heard Dottie speak before I could get the sheet off. "I’m right here, weirdo. Sorry, I meant to say… Good job, Sandy. Now get this baby fired up while we get loaded. We need to hit the road."
I glanced at Kyle. "What is going on here? Do you even know?"
Kyle smirked and shocked me by leaning in and pecking a quick kiss to my lips. "What's going on is called adventure. And I know to roll with it when it comes, so that's what we're going to do. If you’re smart, you’ll play along and let me show you how to really live. You good with that?"
With his kiss burning on my lips, all I could do was nod numbly. "Y-yes. I'm good with that."
3
Larry
"He should be coming around soon. The vapor from the herbal tincture will be doing its work already." I smiled at the unfamiliar voice. The Australian accent was one of my favorites.
"I have a go bag at my apartment; we’ll need to stop there. No, don't take your eyes off the road. I will put the address into your GPS." Another voice spoke, this one had a commanding edge. That didn't bother me, I was used to dealing with higher-ups in my military days. If anything, it caught my interest. I turned my head toward the voice, wondering if the speaker was as attractive as the melodic baritone suggested.
“You’ll do no such thing. Nobody touches my coordinates unless I want them touching my buttons. And, honey? You’re not the type I’d let touch any button of mine. Now go sit down like a good little alpha and let the grown-up handle the driving.” The effeminate male voice arguing with the alpha made me want to smile. I knew without looking that hearing that sass would be making the alpha it was aimed at want to lose his shit. Whether he did or not would show what the alpha was made of.
I wasn’t worried though. In fact, I felt safe for the first time in several years, but I was also in a warm floaty space from the smoke from whatever herbs were burning nearby. The two unknown men continued to argue—the alpha holding firm while the other voice kept poking at him—but I tuned them out.
I probably should've been afraid of whatever I’d be opening my eyes to right now—especially after three years of being held captive—but everything in me felt safe. Not one of my senses were alarmed. The only thing holding me back from opening my eyes was the fear that the safety I felt might be just a dream.