Under Siege (Eternal Flames Book 10)

by Cree Storm

  "We need Orion. He can find who has the jewel. Remember, he said he can feel power. He knew Suneth had the thing and what it was to begin with," Wade reminded them.

  Destrain looked at Dain. "Go get Orion and Ezra. Tell them they are needed at the council building."

  "I need to find General Tatum," Rune said anxiously.

  "General Tatum? You know him?" Suneth asked with a slight growl.

  Nodding, Rune replied, "He's my inside man. He's the reason I'm still alive. He will help us with this situation."

  "Is that so? Then why was your friend in my home, trying to steal my jewel?" Suneth asked harshly.

  Kerrick took a menacing step forward with his hands fisted, snarling, "Don't speak to our mate like that or I'll create a potion that makes you a eunuch, just before I rip your nuts off."

  Wade stepped in front of his mate giving off an impressive growl for a human, saying, "Threaten my mate again and it will take DNA to identify your remains."

  Illan got between the two angry men. "Both of you, stand down. We will go get the guy―"

  "Guys," Suneth interrupted.

  "What?" Illan asked in confusion.

  Smiling with pride, Suneth said, "My Timmy took out five fairies trying to get to me and my jewel, including Rune's friend."

  A loud growl came from behind Suneth as York snarled, "He is mine."

  Everyone looked in York's direction as he walked towards them holding Timmy in his arms.

  Ollie burst out laughing and then started singing, "Here comes Peter Cotton Tail."

  "Keep it up, fox and I'll shift and eat you," York replied with a curled lip and bite in his tone.

  "Oh come on, this is too easy. You're standing there with floppy ears, a cotton ball on your ass and bunny feet. You can't expect me not to say something," Ollie replied still laughing.

  York looked at Ollie, growling, "Try."

  "We don't have time for this. Fallon is coming back tomorrow, and we need to be ready for him," Wade replied in agitation.

  "Wade's right. York, get Day and whoever else might be needed to gather the intruders in the gargoyle house and get them to the cells at the council building. We need to tend to the injured, make arrangements for the dead, and then come up with a plan on what to do about Fallon. I don't know about the rest of you, but I have about had it with this bastard constantly threatening my family, friends, and town," Justice said with a firmness in his voice he had not expressed in a very long time.

  York turned to do as Justice ordered, his tail moving with each step he took. Ollie did a cat whistle, shouting, "That's it, York, work it. Work it."

  York started swinging his ass left then right emphasizing his ass, loudly saying, "You wish you could have this."

  Illan practically purred as he wrapped his arms around his mate from behind, whispering, "I do love when you get all kinds of bossy."

  Justice tilted his neck as Illan kissed him just under the ear, softening his tone, "Well, I just want a quiet life for everyone in this town that isn't filled with drama and fear, and I want to be able to enjoy my mates without a constant threat. Fallon needs to go.” Justice righted himself and said to Nash, "Go get Manny and make sure he meets us at the council building. We're going to need him to help us talk to our prisoners."

  A loud squall came from overhead and Pascal gasped, "Is that a pterodactyl?"

  "Fuck me, again?" Dain snapped lifting a hand to defend the people around him.

  The large flying reptile swooped low just as Dain shot an electric bolt in the beast’s direction and seconds later was dangling a fairy high in the air. Taking his large claws, he tore the man in half then swooped down and picked up another fairy closer than the first.

  "Son of a bitch, he's helping us," Illan shouted then turned.

  Dain quickly turned to Drake. "You and Edge, take your men and search the surrounding area. We have spies."

  Drake and the others left to do as their Regent ordered just as the pterodactyl swooped down, landed, and shifted.

  "Russel?" Destrain, Justice, and Illan asked in shock

  At the same time, Wade and his men gasped, "Admiral?"

  CHAPTER 14

  With the help of the pixies, it didn’t take them too long to dispose of the bodies and clean up the mess. Once everything was righted, they made their way into the gargoyle’s home and everyone gathered around the living room.

  Jett sat on the floor between Zev’s legs as he leaned back against his mate’s wide chest, and Zev leaned against the wall. Jett couldn’t keep his gaze from going around the room, then snapping back to York. He was dying to say something about his cute PJ’s, but didn’t want to interrupt Illan who was speaking to the dude that shifted from a pterodactyl. So fucking cool.

  “So, Russel is your Admiral?” Illan asked Wade.

  “Yes, but I don’t understand, how do you all know him? And how did we not know you were a shifter?” Wade replied.

  The large man who looked like he was maybe in his mid-forties to early fifties, gave Wade a sideways smile. “You weren’t supposed to know that I am a shifter, Wade. That’s the point.”

  Shadow narrowed his eyes at the Admiral as he grumbled, “Yeah, but Bull and I are shifters and we had no fucking clue you were too. We should have at least known.”

  “Not Russell’s breed,” Illan replied and gave the Admiral a smirk.

  “A fucking pterodactyl? I guess not,” Bullseye huffed as he crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the Admiral.

  Destrain, Justice, Illan, and the Admiral all looked around at one another and something passed between all of them, like a silent secret.

  Wade stared at the man, then sighed before saying, “Why do I get the feeling there’s more to this than meets the eye? And what are you even doing here, Russ? It’s too fucking dangerous for you to contact me and my team in person. This is not how we do this.”

  Russel looked at Wade, meeting his gaze and replied, “That in itself, should tell you something.”

  “So is that where you have been hiding all these years, Russ? In the military?” Justice asked.

  “For the past oh, I don’t know…how long ago was your Revolutionary War?” he asked with another smirk.

  Illan raised a brow. “So you have been hiding within the military of this country for over two hundred and fifty years?”

  “I have served in every war this country has had since. If it makes you feel any better, I was always on the side of right.”

  “No wonder you’re a fucking great leader and Admiral,” Flyer whispered.

  “So, Russ?” Wade asked and raised a brow in question.

  The Admiral stared Wade down for a moment, then looked around at everyone present. His gaze finally landed back on Wade and he replied, “First, I need to have your word as well as Illan, Justice, and Destrain, that whatever is said in this room goes no further. If there is anyone sitting here now that cannot be trusted, or shouldn’t be trusted, with sensitive information, they need to leave now.”

  “I vouch for everyone in this room,” Illan said.

  “So do I,” Justice agreed.

  Destrain nodded, then Wade also agreed. “This is the new paranormal council and everyone else who is privy to insider information. You can trust this group.”

  Russel nodded. “I had to come for a few reasons, actually. First, I was compromised just like your team, Wade. I was at a conference in Geneva when the car I was riding in was attacked. I was able to shift and escape, then hid. Once I knew no one could find me, I did some digging of my own and found out that the weapon used in the attack was friendly fire.”

  “Shit,” Wade seethed. “So, they tried to first take us out, then when that didn’t happen, they came directly after you. You do know this is someone within your group that has figured out which team you contact, right?”

  “Not necessarily, but I think you may be right. In the meantime, they think I’m dead. As I was in hiding, I stayed close to the wreckage to see who w
ould come for us. That's when I realized that things that were discussed among my group, in private meetings, things that are top secret, were being leaked. So I'm certain it's from someone on the inside. I heard them saying I was dead and how they needed to contact the General. I then knew I needed to hightail it out of dodge and hide from the government, but I also needed somewhere to go that they would never look for me. Which brings me to the second reason I came to Crystal. As a shifter, I have been hearing the rumors about the dragon and phoenix reuniting and have been keeping tabs on everything from afar.”

  “You knew I was from Crystal. Did you also know about the phoenix being here?” Wade asked.

  “Yes. That’s the main reason I kept an eye on you all these years, Wade. You came from the town that the leader of the phoenix founded. If there was ever a chance of the phoenix and dragons coming together again, it would be here. Or…in Denver, where Illan, the leader of the dragons settled his clutch. A coincidence? I don’t think so. Fate? Now that I believe,” the Admiral answered.

  Wade narrowed his eyes at the Admiral and Jett could see his jaw clenching. “So all these years, what, have you been playing me because of the shifters here?”

  The Admiral’s eyes softened as he stared at Wade, then he gave him a small smile. “Of course not. I have been keeping an eye on Crystal and Denver for longer than you have been alive, Wade. But I must confess that when you came for basic, I knew you were from Crystal and kept a close eye on you. At first, I was hoping you were a shifter, but one whiff of you and I knew you were human. But you were one of the best recruits I have ever had the pleasure of training. You worked hard and quickly moved up the ranks, that’s why I recommended you for Seal training. I knew you would be perfect for it. I also hand-picked your whole team. I saw something in all of you that I knew would be a good fit. Then when you all decided to leave together, I didn’t want to lose this team, which is why I recommended you all again for this Black Ops team and insisted I be your contact.”

  “And now someone is trying to kill you and maybe us,” Six said.

  “Yes, and I have no idea who,” Russel replied.

  “So why here? I mean, why come here where we are?” Snake asked.

  “Because I knew I would be safe here, just as I know you all will be because of the shifter population here and now the pixies. I actually came to talk to Illan and Justice and ask for sanctuary. Once I did that, I was going to contact Wade and see if together, we can all figure out who’s behind this.”

  Illan replied, “Of course you can have sanctuary with us, Russel. Actually, you couldn’t have come at a better time. The white phoenix is here, and he could use your expertise at training him to control his powers. Justice, Destrain, and I have been discussing who we could bring in to help Manny, but I can’t think of anyone more qualified than you.”

  Destrain nodded as he said, “I agree. I had thought of you when we were discussing it, but had no idea how to contact you.”

  “And why would he be the best person to train Manny?” Day asked.

  Illan, Justice, Destrain, and Russel all looked at one another with smirks on their faces. “Oh no, I know that look. They all know something big that we don’t and they’re about to drop a fucking bomb on us,” Jett said.

  Illan looked to Jett and shook his head, then shifted his gaze to Day. “Russel is a special kind of shifter.”

  “We know that already with him being a fucking pterodactyl and all. Tell us something we don’t know,” Ollie huffed.

  Justice looked to Ollie with a devious smile and said, “Russel is the first shifter. The original. Russel is basically the shifter history all in one package. He knows everything there is to know about the paranormal world and all its creatures. There is no living paranormal with more power than this man.”

  “Holy shit!” a few said at the same time.

  “Exactly, but not only that, Russel knows what will happen in the future. He is sworn by the gods and fate herself to never divulge what he knows to anyone. He also pretty much has every power known in our world and knows how to use them. And…” Illan said and looked to Russel with a raised brow.

  Russel chuckled, then looked around the room, meeting each of their gazes before moving on and dropping another bomb. “And…I can shift into any creature.”

  “Shit! Like a real shapeshifter?” Jett asked.

  Russel laughed. “Technically, yes. True shapeshifters can change into most forms, but not all. I can shift into any shifter.”

  “And he’s older than dirt,” Destrain said with a smirk.

  Russel burst out laughing. “Ha, says the man that’s how many thousands of years old now?”

  “Yes, but you were here long before me, my friend. Hell, you were here when the creature crawled up out of the sea and evolved into the first human,” Destrain replied.

  “So wait a minute. You’ve been here since like the beginning, beginning? Like the beginning of time?” Ollie asked in awe.

  “Pretty much. About that,” Russel replied as he nodded.

  "Where is Manny? I really need him to undo the stoning Timmy did on Tate," Rune insisted.

  Illan looked at the statues around him, saying, "We take them all to the council building and sort everything out there."

  CHAPTER 15

  Wade and Suneth walked into their room and moved around the boxes till they reached the bed, then both dropped down on the edge beside each other in silence.

  After a few minutes, Suneth looked to Wade and placed a hand on his thigh, pulling Wade’s attention to him. Suneth gave him a shy smile and said, “I always knew of the first shifters existence, but I have never met the man, and I’ve been around for a long time. I honestly thought he was a fable. Something that shifters told their kids about, like a story about the gods or something. I really didn’t think he was real.”

  “It blows my mind to think that this man that I have known for so many years, this man I have called friend as well as my superior officer, is not only a shifter, but the first one and has been around since…shit, I can’t even fathom the beginning of time. I mean you hear about things like 500 BC or whatever, but you really don’t grasp how long ago that actually was,” Wade said, then looked at Suneth intently. “Wait a minute, how old are you?”

  Suneth bit the inside of his cheek and looked down. “Would it matter?”

  Wade grabbed his chin and drew Suneth’s face up to look at him. “No. It wouldn’t matter. Even if you told me that you were as old as Russel, it wouldn’t matter. I love the man sitting beside me and am thrilled to call him mine. And, I look forward to spending many years with him.” Wade leaned forward and gave Suneth a quick kiss.

  Suneth relaxed slightly and sighed, then he confessed, “Good, because for a minute there I got worried. I’m not as old as Russel, but I am close to Illan and Justice. I am fifteen hundred years old.”

  Wade’s brows rose into his hairline as his eyes opened wide. “Fifteen hundred? Shit. I don’t even know how long ago that actually was. What year is that?”

  “Somewhere around the year…five hundred,” Suneth answered hesitantly.

  “Holy shit. And Illan, Justice, and Destrain are all older than you?” Wade asked. Suneth nodded uncomfortably. Wade’s face softened and he wrapped an arm around Suneth’s shoulders. “I’m sorry if that made you self-conscious or uncomfortable. I didn’t mean it. It’s just so amazing to me that shifters live that long. How much older can you get?”

  Suneth shifted around uncomfortably as he cleared his throat, then mumbled, “Gargoyles can potentially live forever. If we don’t get killed.”

  “Forever? Shit, little man. Does that mean that when I die, you can potentially be alone forever?”

  “Um…” Suneth swallowed thickly.

  “What is it, Sun?” Wade pressed.

  “Now that I claimed you, you will live as long as I do. If you don’t get killed,” he rushed to say the last part.

  “So now that we’re mated, if neith
er of us gets killed, we can live probably forever? Together, for…ever?”

  Suneth’s heart broke from Wade’s words. Yes, Wade knew about mates and how this was a serious thing, and how they would be together forever, but he didn’t really know what that meant. Maybe the man didn’t want to be with the same man for so long?

  Wade grabbed his face again and turned Suneth to look at him. “I know what you’re thinking, mate, and I want you to stop it right now. Yes, it is all a shock to me, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want you. I want you very much. I think fate made the perfect mate for me and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my days with you, however long that may be. Even if it is another fifteen hundred, or more. I love you, Suneth.”

  Suneth’s eyes teared up as he listened to Wade’s declaration of love and wanting to be with him forever. “I love you too, mate.”

  Wade smiled, then captured his lips in a heated kiss. Suneth immediately opened for his mate, loving the dominating way Wade just took over the kiss.

  Wade pulled back and gave him a sexy smile. “Well, little man. We’re alone in our bedroom and if I remember correctly, I’m in total control in this room. So, take off your clothes. I want to play with my mate and drive him crazy with need. I think I may punish you some for not telling me that I will maybe live forever. Just think, we’ve only just started. We have so many nights in our future to play.”

  A shiver of desire raced down Suneth’s spine. The heated look in Wade’s eyes held promises of a very pleasurable night. He stood and took a few steps away, then grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it up over his head and placed it on the night stand. Suneth then toed off his shoes as he popped the button on his jeans and lowered the zipper. Slowly he slid the pants over his hips and wiggled a little, then bent to pull them, his underwear, and socks off all at once.