The Vigilante & The Dragon - Book 1 of the Guardians Saga [COMPLETED]

The Search for Cale Begins Ch. 11.3

Gabe stood, shook his wings lightly, and folded them against his back. "As much as I would enjoy watching her blast you, I have pity for Alex."

"I'm doing this for Cale."

Gabe's expression hardened. "Let's go."

He strode out of their apartment and was up the stairs to Alex's in no time, stomping on the outdoor staircase so hard that it rattled. Rile was hot on his heels. Gabe knocked on Alex's door instead of opening it, ignoring Rile's impatience. Gabe fit the key in the lock and started calling Alex's name even before he opened it. Rile huffed at him, also stomped loudly across to her bedroom door, and rapped on it with his staff. Gabe winced as he heard a thud, obviously Alex falling or jumping out of bed.

"It's us!" Gabe shouted.

Both he and Rile cringed back when Alex yanked open the door, her eyes and hair wild, hand flaring with white power.

"Cale needs your help," Gabe said quickly.

The appeal for help cut through her morning fog and she blinked, sanity returning to her eyes. She stopped the power to her hand and ran it through her unruly hair.

"Fire truck it all, Cale," she said. "First stop, Dr. Dewey. He can give me names of male lab assistants so I can scope them out for one likely to fall for a little sexual temptation. Just a little!"

"Of course," Gabe said politely. "You are no fainting female that falls prey to others."

"Strong enough to save your golden hide," Rile said.

"Mutual saving," Gabe replied stiffly.

Alex clapped her hands. "Boys, please, no squabbling until we've rescued Cale. I've got my work cut out for me. What are y'all going to do? No attacking labs without me, please."

Gabe scowled briefly then said with dignity, "We will learn the layout of Tulane and march the perimeter several times to memorize it thoroughly."

***

On the second day, Alex entered her apartment to find Rile waiting for her.

"Hi, Rile." Alex's face was obscured by her overflowing shopping bag. She yanked her key out of the door and kicked it all the way open. "There are pralines in the right hand cabinet."

"Forget the pralines. What did you buy? Why did you go shopping without me?" Rile plucked the bag out of Alex's hands.

"Rile! You're lucky I despise public bathrooms and am desperate." Alex disappeared into her bedroom.

Rile followed her and sat on the bed while Alex was in the bathroom. He looked into the bag and picked a black spike heel out of the bag. "What are you doing with this torture device? I thought you didn't believe in them."

Alex said something, but he couldn't hear it over the running water. He took out the black dress from the bag and shook it. A smaller black item fell from its folds.

"An artificial breast enlarger? You swore you would never own one."

"Rile!" She stuck her head out of the bathroom. "It's part of my plan. Now hand me that enlarger and dress, please." She stuck her hand out of the bathroom and he complied. She disappeared again, firmly shutting the bathroom door in Rile's face.

"Plan? What plan?"

"Shoes and stockings, please." Her hand reappeared and again he handed over the items.

"Alex, what's this all about?"

She stepped out of the bathroom and twirled before him."Be a sweetheart and zip my dress the rest of the way." She lifted her hair out of the way and he managed the zipper. "Thank you. What do you think?"