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shoulder, pushing her toward the building. “Go, Titania. I will be fine.”
    Her gaze swept up and down his body, unconvinced. There were numerous seeping wounds along his torso and a long, garish slice down his arm. At least it looked like the bleeding was slowing on most of them.
    His voice lowered, becoming something intimate between the two of them. “I could never lie to you, Titania. I will be fine.”
    “You’re in a gang, aren’t you? A drug lord. Great. Now I’m going to wake up in bed dead some afternoon.”
    He laughed a deep sound. “No to all of that.”
    “Tani! Where the hell are you?” Two heads swung around at Houston’s anxious shouts.
    She turned to face the tall man again and found he was gone. She stood alone, her sweeping gaze finding not even a hint that he had been there. She staggered a step on weak legs, her hand rising to stifle the cry that bubbled up in her throat. He had disappeared! Just like Brakka had vanished.
    “I didn’t even get his name,” she muttered, beginning to shake uncontrollably, saying anything to keep herself grounded, to hear her own voice. This is not happening. They did not disappear like ghosts. She knew that.
    She quietly shrieked when his voice whispered over her like a soothing caress. “ Diego, cara.”
    “Stop that!” she hissed. Her legs buckled, planting her on damp ground, her head pillowed on crossed arms. Now her imagination was talking to her—in his voice!
    “Tani, damn it, are you back here?” Houston sounded very anxious now. She looked at her surroundings and realized she was in the darkest shadows of the building. Stupid didn’t even begin to describe what she had done.
    “Back here,” she called, swallowing when her voice cracked and trembled.
    She heard their running steps right before Laney screamed. Both landed on their knees next to her. “Ambulance,” Houston choked out. “You’re covered in blood.”
    “It’s not mine.” The words tumbled from her, trying to reassure them, fighting to sound stronger than she felt. The chatter of her teeth didn’t put up a believable front. “I’m fine.”
    Houston enfolded her into his arms, searching over his shoulder. “David, go tell them we’re canceling the rest of the show. We’ll do a makeup later in the month if we have time.”
    She heard David’s concerned tone in answer, then his jogging feet as he left them to do as Houston asked.
    “What the hell happened, Tani? We thought you went to your room to rest.” Houston hugged her close. She could hear the racing of his heart beneath her ear.
    “I’m sorry. I had to stop them.”
    “Them? Where are they?” Houston demanded. “Christ, Tani! Look at yourself. You’re a wreck.”
    “Houston, lay off. She’s still shaking,” Laney said, rebuking him. She put a comforting hand on Titania’s arm.
    “Brakka ran. Diego was here until just before you rounded the corner.” To her mind that sounded plausible. Telling them they’d both vanished like mist on the air didn’t.
    “Did you stop for tea to get to know each other or something?” His anger and fear were barely concealed in the whip of sarcasm. Houston continued to search the surrounding darkness, but it was just the three of them.
    She described her attempt to stop them, finishing with, “Diego told me his name when he said thank you. He left when we heard you. He was bleeding. He needed care.” She sagged into his shoulder, relief making her limp to be safe after touching the evil in that other man.
    He nodded once, saying, “Let’s get to the hotel. You need to get cleaned up.” Houston stood, helping Titania to her feet. Laney took her other side, wrapping her close. Houston let out a sigh. “Next time you want to take on someone, let me know. You scared ten years off me. Your mother will kill me if anything happens to you.”
    “I’m fine,” she reiterated. She offered them a wobbly smile. “See?”
    “Faker,” he accused, but he didn’t argue