Protector

by Lisa Renee Jones

  “Tomorrow,” he said, as she opened her eyes and looked at him. “Please.” He let the word linger in the air. “Come to bed with me. We have a huge battle ahead of us. Let’s take tonight to rest. Give yourself a little time to digest all of this.”

  “What are you going to do about Michael?”

  “I’m to meet up with him tomorrow night. The problem is, he’s bringing men to join us. One could be the traitor.”

  “You won’t be able to trust any of them,” Holly said, laying her hand on top of one of his.

  His expression was grim. “I’m aware of that.”

  “So what are you going to do?”

  “The only thing I can do,” he said, “make the best of the worst. I’ll meet up with them and deal with it as the moment indicates necessary.”

  Not a good answer. “That’s not much of a plan.”

  He smiled but it held no happiness. “You call it how you see it, don’t you, Angel?”

  Her lips began to tremble. “I really hate this, Mason.”

  He took both of her hands in his. “Me, too. Me, too.” He stood and helped her do the same. “But I would hate it a whole lot more if I didn’t have you. It’s your conviction to do what’s right that has helped me see why we have to stand up and fight.” He kissed her forehead and then added, “And why losing simply isn’t an option.”

  Holly wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her ear against his chest. Listening to his heartbeat always calmed her for some reason.

  “Let’s go to bed,” she murmured.

  * * * * *

  The next day, Holly spent hour after hour in the lab, determined to find a way to contribute to the challenges ahead. The problem was, research took time. It was almost evening when an idea occurred. She raced to the elevator, eager to find out what Mason and Sterling had to say about it.

  She found them sitting at the kitchen table, eating sandwiches as they reviewed some map. Without even waiting for Sterling to finish his sentence, she raced across the kitchen and leaned her palms on the table.

  A bit breathlessly, she announced, “I’ve got an idea!”

  Both men looked at her. Mason’s lips hinted at a smile. Damn, he looked good, she thought. She shoved aside the thought, refocusing on her idea. A glance at Sterling told her he was irritated by her interruption.

  Holly didn’t care. “Sedate them.”

  “Sedate who?” Sterling asked.

  “The Arions.” Holly pulled a chair out and sat down, excitement in her face. “Don’t you see, if you can’t kill them, sedate them. Like a wild animal. Even if it doesn’t knock them out, it should deaden some of their mind powers.”

  “Huh,” Mason said thoughtfully. “Interesting concept.”

  “It’ll work,” Holly insisted. “I know it will.”

  “We could test it out,” Mason said, running a hand across his jaw.

  Holly was encouraged by Mason’s response. “A tranquilizer gun would be no different than shooting a regular weapon.”

  Sterling shook his head. “They could still deflect the bullets. It won’t work any better than a gun.”

  “It will,” Holly insisted. “From what I understand, a bullet won’t kill them, at least not easily, and they can block the pain. Once you get the tranquilizer in them, they won’t be able to block the pain of the next bullet. They’ll at least go down. I hope.” She frowned. “I think. Really, I’m almost positive. I don’t have the ability with my limited resources to test the theory. You’ll have to do hands-on testing.” She looked between both men and then said, “I say it’s worth a try.”

  “I agree,” Mason said, without hesitation. “I’ll see what I can get my hands on but it’ll have to wait until tomorrow. I can’t risk being delayed before meeting Michael.”

  “Why don’t Sterling and I go pick up the supplies?”

  Mason’s disapproval was instant. “No way. I want you here, underground and safe.”

  Holly’s eyes flared with irritation and a hint of anger. “I can’t live like some kind of caged animal, Mason.”

  A muscle in Mason’s jaw jumped. “Until I get things a little more controlled and at least know who the enemy is, you’re going to have to live within some boundaries.”

  “You mean caged, like an animal?” She pushed to her feet, shoving the chair back with her legs. “Maybe you should just use the tranquilizer gun on me. Then you certainly could keep me locked up, couldn’t you?”

  Mason’s eyes followed her movement but his face was a mask—no expression, no anger. Just nothing. “It is as it is, Holly.”

  Holly was livid, her hands clenched in tight balls by her side. “I don’t need a babysitter. At least send Sterling without me.”

  Very quietly, but with a definite tenseness to his tone, Mason said, “I’m not leaving you here alone.”

  “It’s worse than alone. We have Roger to think about,” Sterling added.

  Holly’s head turned to Sterling. Her tone was icy. “He’s locked up. It’s not like he’s going anywhere.” She turned back to Mason. “Have you decided what to do with him?”

  Mason pushed his chair back from the table as he stood. “I don’t have time to deal with him. Right now, he’s staying under lock and key.”

  “He’s not an animal either. You can’t leave him locked up forever.” Her hands went to her hips. “As for leaving me here alone, or rather, alone with Roger, this place is a fortress. No one is getting in who doesn’t know how. Sterling can get the tranquilizer and be back in no time. We can’t afford to go without something that could make a difference.”

  Mason and Sterling looked at each other. Holly glared at both of them. “Well?”

  “I have a friend who can get what we need,” Sterling offered a bit tentatively as if he wasn’t sure Mason would appreciate his input. “If I leave right away, I can be back not long after you leave. I think I should try and get what we need, Mason.”

  Mason took several steps, stopping a mere inch in front of Holly, ignoring Sterling. They were so close, she could sway and they would touch. He looked down at her, his eyes dark and brooding. “Woman, you’re going to be a pain in my ass for the rest of my life, aren’t you?”

  Holly blinked.

  The rest of his life? They had never talked about forever but it was there, in the back of her mind, wanting to be talked about. But then there was the baby thing. She couldn’t have them. She told herself that didn’t matter but she would always wonder if it did to him.

  “No,” Holly said quietly, the wind suddenly knocked from her sail. “No, I’m not.”

  She started to turn but his hand snaked out to stop her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Whatever you want it to mean,” she said, staring at his chest. His very nice chest with a nice cotton shirt pulled snug across rippling muscles. Damn, why did she always want him so badly?

  “Holly—”

  She looked up at him, not letting him finish his sentence, not wanting him to. “I don’t want to talk to you right now, Mason.” Then she did something she never did. She rambled. “And I definitely don’t want you to touch me.” She shook her arm where his hand rested but he didn’t move it. “When you touch me, I forget everything we should be talking about, that I don’t want to talk about right now.”

  Sterling cleared his throat. Mason frowned. “And yes,” Holly added before they could speak, “I know that makes no sense to you but it makes perfect sense to me. Just let me go back to the lab.”

  A long pregnant silence filled the air.

  His hand dropped. “As you wish, Holly,” Mason said, taking a step backwards.

  There was something about the way he said her name that kept her from moving. Her eyes went to his face but he turned, as if intentionally guarding his expression.

  Sometimes, no, most of the time, she could feel what he was feeling. Now, she couldn’t. It was almost as if he had shielded his emotions from her. And perhaps he had. He had powers he was only no
w learning to use. Thinking he had shut her out that completely felt like a sharp prick in her heart.

  She turned on her heels, moving toward the door as quickly as possible. Yes, she had wanted some space but not like this.

  Would she ever understand her feelings for Mason?

  * * * * *

  Sterling took one look at Mason’s face and said, “You both took each other wrong. You’re both under a lot of stress. Go after her.”

  Mason stood rigid, unmoving. “I won’t force myself on her. Mate or not, if she doesn’t want to be a part of my life, so be it.”

  Sterling had known Mason a long time. He was a trusted friend who was unique in his abilities, both mentally and physically. David’s turn for the worse had messed with his head though. Sterling knew Mason needed Holly if he was to lead them all to a better tomorrow.

  Leaning forward, arms on the table, Sterling said, “I don’t believe that for a minute. She loves you. It’s clear to see. Don’t let what you’re facing skew your judgment.”

  Mason looked at the clock on the wall. “I have to leave soon.”

  He wasn’t letting him off that easy. Sterling’s voice was firm. “All the more reason to clear things up before you go.”

  Mason sighed. “I do need to show her how to monitor the perimeters while we’re both away.”

  Sterling pushed to his feet. “I’ll be here. She’ll be fine. Unless you’ve reconsider and want me to go? I’m worried this could be a trap.”

  “I need to know someone is here for Holly. And you won’t be here when you go for the tranquilizer. I want her to understand what to do if something goes wrong.”

  Sterling didn’t like idea of leaving Holly alone any more than Mason did but he really wasn’t keen on Mason going to meet Michael alone. Not after what they knew about Roger.

  He also wasn’t convinced the tranquilizer thing would work. Still, it was worth a try and leaving Holly alone in the cave was safer than taking her above ground. They did need every advantage they could get.

  Sterling let out a frustrated breath. He had few options. “I’m going to leave now so I can get back as quickly as possible. The less time she is alone, the better we will both feel. You know, it might be good for you to tap into some of those special powers you possess. ”

  “I feel better going with what I know. There is too much on the line for me to get carried away with things I don’t even fully understand.” Mason’s voice was thick with worry as he reverted back to the prior subject. “You really think she’ll be fine here alone?”

  “It will be an hour at the most.”

  Mason was silent a long moment before he gave Sterling a quick incline of his head.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Holly looked into the microscope without really seeing what was before her. She was thinking of Mason, of their fight and their future or, rather, lack of one.

  She could see the writing on the wall. If the Arions weren’t completely shut down, and soon, there would be a major change in humanity. Mason could easily be the leader of what would be a group of people fighting for freedom and goodness. He would need children to rise up and follow in his footsteps as leaders.

  She couldn’t give him what he needed.

  The emptiness quickly building inside was suddenly replaced with an awareness that washed through her mind, a warmth that only one presence gave her.

  Mason.

  She turned toward the doorway moments before he walked into the room. How did she know he was there? This weird sense of understanding him and knowing him was starting to rattle her a bit.

  They looked at each other, eyes locking, yet neither spoke. Holly took in his appearance with open regard. His hair was pulled back with a tie and he had changed into all black. He had a knife and a gun holstered to his belt and she was certain there were other weapons she couldn’t see. He looked big, dangerous and ready to act. She could literally feel the edginess he felt as if it was a hum on her own skin.

  Holly knew the weapons were necessary but they made her worry. He was going into danger. She didn’t want him to get hurt. “You look like a walking arsenal.”

  “Just trying to be prepared,” he said flatly.

  “When are you leaving?”

  He stared at her, not responding immediately. “Soon,” he finally said. “I need to show you some things in the equipment room.”

  “Does that mean Sterling is going for the tranquilizers?”

  “It does.”

  She knew how hard it was for him to give in. Even now, she sensed his hesitation to leave her alone, his fear for her. It was hard to stay angry when she felt his concern, so real and alive, as if it were her own. “Thank you.”

  He didn’t acknowledge her words but she saw the surprise flash in his eyes before he wiped it away. With a nod of his head, he motioned her forward.

  Holly followed him to the small equipment room. It had a countertop, two rolling chairs, which faced the large monitors, and equipment sitting on metal shelving. Mason sat down in one the chairs and pulled the other out for Holly.

  He showed her how to log in to the system, what to watch for and what alarms could go off and why. She took in all the information, hoping—no, praying—she wouldn’t need to put it to use. She had seen what an Arion had done to Mason. She knew they were dangerous.

  The last thing he showed her was how to send him a distress message on a silent beeper he carried. “The system has special wiring that will reach above ground even beneath all this rock. If you call my cell phone it will be detected so, whatever you do, don’t use it. This device will be safe.”

  “Is that why you can’t call Michael and warn him?”

  “Exactly. The signal would be picked up and tracked. It’s too big a risk.”

  Mason swiveled his chair to face Holly’s. “There’s something else.” He seemed to hesitate. “If you should have trouble and you can’t get to the computer, there is another way to contact me.”

  Holly turned her chair halfway toward him, a question in her eyes, but instead of explaining how she could contact him, he asked, “Is being around me the rest of your life such a horrible thought?” His voice was soft, even gentle. Still, Holly sensed his apprehension. Her heart sped up, adrenaline pumping through her veins in some unknown form of anticipation.

  She swallowed, feeling as if her throat was suddenly far too dry. “Not for me but it sounds like it would be for you,” she said, with edginess to her tone. And because she didn’t want to talk about the baby thing, she said, “After all, you said I would be a pain in your ass and that’s a direct quote.”

  His eyes narrowed. “I don’t want someone who whimpers and whines, Holly. Your convictions make you more, not less, in my eyes.”

  She made a sound. “You have a funny way of showing it.”

  “You knew I wasn’t serious. Why did you respond to it out of the context we both know it was meant?”

  “I…I don’t know, Mason.” She looked down, not wanting him to see what was in her eyes.

  He grabbed the arms of her chair and turned her to face him, his arms locking her into a captive position. Her eyes went to his instinctively.

  “I love you, Holly.” His voice was a soft caress touching her heart. It began tearing down her walls. “I want us to spend the rest of our lives together. If you don’t want that, if what I am scares you, then tell me so. Don’t search for an out. I won’t force you to stay with me.” He hesitated. “I will force you to let me protect you. I won’t let you get hurt.”

  His eyes met hers, searching her expression in some soul-deep way, almost as if he could read her mind if he tried hard enough. His eyes held something raw and needy and his voice was urgent, but low. Her shields seemed useless with Mason. And she really didn’t want them to exist anyway.

  With Mason, she felt the need to share her thoughts and feelings, good and bad. It was a fear of holding him back, of keeping him from having children, forcing her to shield herself at all.<
br />
  “What aren’t you telling me, Holly?”

  She averted her gaze, staring at her lap. In a very soft voice, she asked, “What makes you think I’m not telling you something?”

  He gently took her chin between two fingers and made her meet his gaze. “I can sense your feelings, just as you can mine. You know I know when you’re upset. I feel your distress and I also know you really want to tell me what’s bothering you.”

  With obvious trepidation in her voice, she said, “I’m not able to be everything you deserve to have in a woman.”

  “Meaning what?”

  She shut her eyes since he still held her chin. “Haven’t you wondered what I am doing for birth control? It’s not like I have a pharmacy nearby.”

  In an instant, she was in his lap, legs over the arms of the chair. His arms were strong and comforting and she clung to him, soaking in the power of their connections, wanting it to last forever.

  He slid his hand to her cheek and made her look up at him. “Are you telling me you think you’re pregnant? If you are, please don’t think I’ll be upset. It’s not the best of circumstances but how could I be upset about having a child with the woman I love? We will just have to pray my genetic changes won’t be a problem.”

  Her stomach twisted in knots. “I’m not pregnant.”

  He studied her as he gently brushed hair behind her ear. “Talk to me, Holly. I don’t understand what you’re telling me.”

  She sighed and then started to explain. “I was talking to Sterling and asking him if he dated and—”

  Mason stiffened. “Why would you do that?”

  Holly gave him a look. “That’s not the relevant issue here. He told me how Arions mate. He also said they only have a limited opportunity to have children.”

  “That’s true,” Mason said. “It must be with their true mate or conception won’t take place.”

  “You will need a child to carry on your role should this turn into what it seems it will. I think it will become a war of leaders, with you as one leader and David as the other, good against evil.”