Masked Attraction by Mary Hughes Page B

wizard’s momentum practically drove his face into Daniel’s knuckles. Wham.
    Zeus fell to his knees, hands clapping to his cowled face. Blood and curses ran freely from underneath.
    Daniel’s knuckles rang with pain. But damn, that felt so good. He shook his hand, shaking off the blow and admitted to himself he’d wanted to do that since the first time he’d seen the brutal man’s hand on Zoe.
    “Come on .” She grabbed his wrist and yanked him from Zeus’ crumpled form.
    They ducked out the small side door, and Daniel found himself in a narrow, windowless corridor. A couple spooned against one wall.
    “Where are we?” he asked.
    “Old servants’ passage. This way.” Zoe pulled him faster.
    They’d gone maybe fifty feet when the door slapped open behind them, accompanied by Zeus’ roar. “ The woman is mine! ”
    Now Daniel had a problem. Bare corridor meant no props he could use against Zeus. No crowd between them meant no cover. And with that couple as potential witnesses, he had to be cautious about using his power. Although, they didn’t appear to be paying much attention. They’d barely looked up at the evil wizard’s improbable declaration, maybe thinking it was part of some dramatic game he, Zoe, and Zeus were playing.
    But the other wizard might not be so cautious. If he was evil enough, he might even consider killing a few witnesses as merely collateral damage.
    No props to call on here, although Daniel could possibly burst all the lights—darkness would hide his magic from the mortal couple. But no, that wouldn’t do much to hide any of them from a fire wizard.
    “Zoe,” Daniel said. “We need to hide.”
    “Right. This way.”
    She lunged to her right and ducked out a heavy metal door. He dived through after her. Fresh air blew sweet and cool in his face. He was surprised to see they were in a private outdoor garden in the middle of the villa.
    The courtyard was empty except for another couple making out. Hells bells, why couldn’t people get their romance on inside the ballroom? Daniel swept a quick reconnaissance. The foliage was mostly climbing vines and teacup bushes, useless for hiding. They were still vulnerable.
    “No good.” He urged her to keep moving. “We have to find somewhere completely hidden. Preferably with a locked door.”
    “Back inside?” She tugged him forward.
    He kept tight hold of her hand as she ran along the colonnade portico, head swiveling, looking for entrances. Her wolf must’ve been to the fore, because she was almost too fast for him, his heart pounding to keep up. She’d wheeled through a corner and his breath was starting to rasp when the door clanged open behind them.
    Zeus shouted, “Give me that woman!”
    Power shot past Daniel’s head and crashed into the stucco of the wall next to them.
    “Damn it.” Zoe growled the words as she whipped around, one hand up as if she’d claw the daylights out of anyone who approached. “What the hell was that?”
    “Hey,” the guy in the kissing couple yelled. “Keep it down. You’re spoiling the mood.”
    “There.” She tugged him toward an arched door flush with the wall, directly opposite the ballroom.
    Footsteps thudded through the garden, Zeus cutting a direct path. Daniel was in good shape, but he was breathing hard because of adrenaline. He admired Zoe’s steady lope, especially considering she was running in high heels.
    They zipped through the door, into a hallway.
    He automatically looked right for a hiding place. The corridor stretched for seeming miles. Nothing but windows. Nowhere to hide. No doors to lock. Muscles tightening, nerves singing, he swung his head left…and nearly missed the exit door directly across from him.
    Zoe saw it at the same time, pointing. She grinned at him and despite the danger, it felt like the sun rose inside his heart. Renewing his grip on her hand, he dashed them through.
    The festively lit, upper lakeside terrace was empty of people, Lake Michigan a