“They’re tough,” said Kade. “They need to be, to have survived for this long. We’ll look after them, make sure they get the help they need. When they’re ready, we’ll invite them to join us, and give them something positive to fight for.”
“They’ll need a lot of support,” said Honor, as they reached the copter Lincoln had returned with.
“That’s why we’re here,” said Kade. “We’ll give them a reason to keep living.” He hoisted Honor onto the copter, his hand lingering on her back as he joined her on the bench.
“We will,” said Honor. “We’ll do everything we can to make this right. They won’t ever have to come to a place like this again.” She rested her head on Kade’s shoulder and let the exhaustion take her away into a comforting emptiness. This nightmare was over.
Chapter 25
“If you yawn one more time, Kade, I’ll think I’m boring you.” Danni frowned and folded her arms over her chest.
Kade pulled himself up straight in his chair and muttered an apology.
The squad sat around the table in the comms room, having debriefed Danni on the facility and the condition of the hybrids they’d rescued.
As hard as Kade tried, he couldn’t get Honor out of his thoughts. She’d slept the whole way back with her head on his shoulder, and he’d hated waking her when they got to the bunker. This was so new for her, and he didn’t want her spooked by everything she was discovering and decide this wasn’t the life for her.
Heath leaned over and nudged him. “Five more minutes and we’re out of here and then you can go find her.”
Danni cleared her throat. “If you’re wondering where Miss Davenport is, I insisted she go on bed rest. You’ll find her in her quarters.”
“I bet she’d rather she was in yours.” Lincoln grinned at Kade from across the table.
Kade glared at his brother but then shrugged. Just the thought of having Honor alone in his quarters had him looking at the door again and tapping his fingers on his thighs.
“Chatter online suggests the facility was destroyed an hour after you left.” Danni turned back to the screen showing a series of red dots overlaid on a map. “And thanks to the information you’ve gathered, we know of the locations of many more State sites. The Hives have picked up information that State operations have been suspended while a security review is completed.”
“It won’t be long before they try to do it again,” said Heath. “Or something even worse.”
Anastasia, who had been sitting quietly next to Lincoln, raised her head. “I’ll get the word out to the hybrid community. They’ll be happy to ruin any more of these facilities that are still running.”
“It will be safer if they report back to us and let us do the ruining,” said Danni.
“We only want to help,” said Anastasia.
“When you aren’t selling us out to the enemy,” muttered Lincoln.
Danni nodded. “Indeed. I’ll be spending time with you and your sister, working out the most appropriate redress for almost revealing us.”
Anastasia ducked her head and her shoulders slumped. Kade had to admire her for knowing when to keep her mouth shut. Danni was not somebody you messed with.
“I want hourly reports from the Hives,” said Danni. “We’ll keep on top of these facilities and make sure we know of any others and close those. With the data obtained by Annie from the State prison, and the map from Seamus, we have an upper hand with this. Hybrid testing will be stopped.”
Kade nodded. “That was the main facility. We’ll monitor the others and make sure they don’t start operating.”
“I’d like to help with that,” said Anastasia.
“I’m sure you would,” said Danni. “And after you show you can be trusted, you will be a welcome addition to the team.”
Anastasia wrinkled her nose, but made no further comment.
“The rest of you take the evening off,” said Danni. “Sophia and Clarissa are working with the hybrids, and while we gather intel about any other sites, you all deserve a break.”
“Sounds good,” said Lincoln.
Heath stood and grinned at him. “I’m going to see what Annie’s been getting up to while I’ve been away.”
Kade smiled as Heath left the room. When he wasn’t obsessing over dragon finds, Heath was obsessing over Annie, and it was an obsession that suited him.
“Fancy a drink?” Lincoln asked Kade. “Thought I’d head to the Down and Out.”
“I’ll pass,” said Kade. “I’m expecting a visitor and need to make sure everything’s in place.”
“Who’s arriving?”
Kade glanced around the room. “I got in touch with the hospice taking care of Honor’s sister and have arranged for her to stay here.” He’d also hacked their records, making sure they’d approve his request to transfer Isla without asking questions.
Lincoln’s eyebrows shot up. “Danni approved?”
“She wasn’t wild about the idea. Another sick person drains resources. But Honor’s sister, Isla, has agreed to be a test subject for the new serum Sophia and Clarissa have been working on. If it’s as good as they say it is, it could cure Isla’s illness.”
“Going to tell your lady about this? Bet she’ll be happy.”
“She’s not mine,” said Kade. “And I want it to be a surprise.”
“She might as well be yours,” said Lincoln. “The way you glare at any guy who looks at her means you’ve staked your claim.”
“That’s up to her,” said Kade. “I won’t push anything onto Honor. She’s only just remembered what’s going on. Going on this mission tonight, and discovering what the State have done to hybrids, must have been a shock. Especially after it was her research they’ve been using.”
“From what I’ve seen of Honor, she can handle herself,” said Anastasia, as she moved to Lincoln’s side. “Don’t be deceived because she’s a woman.”
“The female of the species is more deadly than the male,” said Lincoln. He placed an arm around Anastasia’s shoulders but she shrugged him off. “How about you? Fancy coming for a drink?”
“Doubt I’ll be allowed.” Anastasia glanced back at Danni. “Looks like I’m in big trouble with your boss.”
Kade walked out of the room with Anastasia and Lincoln. “She’s tough, but fair. Danni gets you made a mistake and understands the reason why. We’ve all messed up here. So long as you prove your worth and don’t do it again, you’ll be fine.”
“That’s not reassuring,” muttered Anastasia. “I’m not good at following orders.”
“Neither is your sister,” said Kade. “Just make sure she doesn’t go stealing any more bikes while she’s here.”
Anastasia shrugged. “I’ll do my best. But Bellatrix does what she likes.”
“Come for a drink with me and I’ll tell you all about the time I overloaded the power grid,” said Lincoln. “Danni threatened me with scrubbing the bathroom floors for six months as a punishment.”
“Another time,” said Anastasia. “I’m going to check on Bellatrix.” She walked along the corridor, leaving Lincoln and Kade alone.
“You’re into her,” said Kade, as he studied his brother’s pensive face.
“I can never resist a redhead.”
“If you say so.” Kade knew that look in Lincoln’s eyes; he was more than interested in Anastasia as a one-night stand. He’d only ever seen that look once before, and it had ended with Lincoln’s career in ruins and his heart shattered. Ever since then, he’d played the field and hadn’t committed to anyone. Maybe Anastasia would change that.
“I’ll see you later.” Kade hurried along the corridor into the squads’ quarters and tried Honor’s room. But if she was in there, she wasn’t answering the door.
He tried the canteen, still no sign of her. His wrist comms pinged letting him know Isla had arrived, and he had to abandon his search and head to the vehicle bay.
A small truck sat in the bay, its back open and Sophia and C
larissa already standing by it. Kade dashed over. “How’s the patient?”
“Sick.” Sophia glared at him. “And unconscious. She’s been given a huge dose of sedative. It will take her a few hours before she comes around and we can begin treatment.”
“But I think she’ll be fine.” Clarissa removed her hand from Isla’s chest. “She’s young and has fight in her.”
Sophia shook her head. “Stop with this mystical dragon diagnosing technique on my patients.”
“They’re our patients now,” said Clarissa. “And my diagnosis is always accurate.”
Sophia snorted. “We’ll take Isla to a private room and let her sleep off the drugs, before moving her to the medical room.”
“Does Honor know her sister is here?” asked Clarissa.
“Not yet,” said Kade. “I wanted to surprise her.”
“Keep it a secret for a bit longer,” said Sophia. “She’s working herself to death in the medical bays. The woman needs to rest before she collapses. If she knows her sister is here, she won’t leave her bedside, and will end up getting sick herself.”
“She’s supposed to be resting now.” Kade turned toward the door, intent on finding Honor.
“We will get Isla comfortable,” said Clarissa. “You take care of your lady.”
Kade opened his mouth to argue she wasn’t his, but then stopped. He wanted her to be his, and everyone saw them as a good fit. Why fight it? He wanted Honor, every stubborn, beautiful inch of her. “I’ll get Honor to rest. And thanks for helping with Isla.”
Sophia waved him away. “It’s what we do.”
Kade ran to the medical rooms and found Honor cleaning up used equipment, still wearing her battle fatigues, her hair scraped off her face with a black bandana. She was a long way from the board room and the pencil skirts he loved seeing her in, but she fitted in here perfectly.
She looked up as he entered the room and her eyes brightened. “Finished your debriefing?”
Kade nodded. “How are things here?”
“Lots of sick, scared hybrids,” said Honor. She placed the equipment she was holding down and turned away from Kade. “I still can’t believe Intergen used my research for this.” She gestured toward the full beds in the medical room.
“How could you even know?” He strode toward her and wrapped an arm around her waist.
“I should have. Somehow,” said Honor. “I thought they wanted my synthetic sequencing program to repair damaged DNA and end disease. If I’d have known they wanted to use it to exploit hybrids, I’d never have allowed that.”
“The State have everyone convinced they’re our savior,” said Kade. “You’d have carried on believing whatever they wanted you to. You had no choice.”
Honor pressed her fingers against her closed eyes. “Now all we need to do is bring back dragons, and everything will be fine.”
Kade smiled and ran a hand down her arm. “One step at a time. First off, you need sleep.”
“I’ve tried,” said Honor, giving an exhausted sigh. “But every time I lay down, images of what we found return. I keep seeing all those frightened faces looking at us, expecting it to be the end for them.”
Kade’s heart clenched at the sadness in her voice. “Sophia insists you get rest.”
Honor glanced around. “Where is she? I haven’t seen her for the last half hour, and she never leaves this place.”
“She had an emergency to deal with. But I saw her a few minutes ago, and she insisted you take a break.” Kade thought the fib sounded plausible.
“I should go help her.”
“No! Clarissa is with her, and they have everything in hand.”
Honor sighed again. “Sleep would be good.”
Kade grabbed her hand and led her to the door without another word. He kept hold of Honor’s hand as he led her back to her quarters, waiting as she unlocked the door and stepped inside.
She looked around the room and her shoulders slumped. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Follow Sophia’s advice.” Kade stepped into the room and the door slid shut behind him. He placed his hands on Honor’s shoulders. “Get some sleep. Then take time getting to know your new world. It’s a different place than the State have been portraying, and not always the nicest of places to live in. But there is brightness.”
“I’m beginning to realize that.” Honor pulled the bandana off her head and scraped her hand through her hair.
“You don’t have to stay,” said Kade, seeing the indecision on her face. “If this isn’t the right place for you, we’ll understand.” Just saying those words made him feel like he’d been kicked in the guts. “Or we have other bunkers you might prefer—”
Honor pressed a finger to his lips. “It’s not that. I can be happy here.”
“Then what is it?”
A tear tracked down Honor’s cheek. “I thought I was so clever, giving Intergen what they asked for. Whatever challenge they gave me, I met it. I gave them so many programs and information they’re now using to suppress hybrids and make sure people don’t know what’s going on.”
Kade nodded, his gut tightening. He’d done exactly the same thing.
Honor heaved out a groan. “When I think of the damage I’ve done—”
“You didn’t do the damage,” said Kade. “None of what happened is your fault.”
“It is! If I hadn’t used my desire to prove myself and show off that I could create anything they wanted, more hybrids would be alive. They’d be nowhere near testing synthetic DNA on innocent people. I should have asked more questions, been more diligent.”
“But you were,” said Kade, his fingers stroking up and down Honor’s arm. “I remember the ten-page report you made me fill in before we worked together.”
Honor gave him a sad smile. “You got off lightly. Most new clients have to complete a fifty-page document and give me ten years of their work history.”
“Why did I get off so lightly?”
“You have an honest face.” She looked up at him and her chin wobbled. “I can’t stop thinking about that disgusting place—”
Kade closed off her next words with a kiss, sliding his hands around her waist and pulling her to him.
Honor wrapped her arms around his neck and opened her mouth, letting Kade’s tongue slide inside and meet hers.
He broke the kiss and looked down at Honor. “Let go for now. Stop thinking and just feel.”
Honor curled her fingers in Kade’s hair, as they moved back toward the bed. They tumbled onto the single cot, a tangle of limbs and breathless kisses. He was determined to give her something else, something that brought her alive and made her forget the horrors she’d witnessed.
He’d make sure Honor never wanted to leave the bunker, or him. He was going to be her brightness and her reason for staying.
HONOR’S EYES BLINKED open, and for a second, she had no idea where she was. She shifted and bumped into Kade’s chest, his arm draped over her as he breathed deeply beside her.
Smiling as a faint blush crossed her cheeks, Honor remembered the last few hours lost in Kade’s arms. She’d forgotten everything as he’d removed her clothes and lost himself in her body, exploring every inch with his mouth and fingers, before opening her and filling her with pleasure.
She looked up into his face and saw his eyes open.
“How did you sleep?” asked Kade, his hands tightening around her waist.
“Better than I have for a long time.”
“No nightmares?”
“Didn’t dream a thing,” said Honor. And she hadn’t. She’d felt no fear as she’d fallen asleep in Kade’s arms, breathing in his scent and listening to his heartbeat. She could get used to this. And she wanted to. She’d wanted Kade for longer than she cared to admit, but had been too stubborn and proud to take things further. Her work had been everything, but look where that had gotten her. She shook the thought away.
“It will get easier.”
A smile wobbled ac
ross her lips. “I hope so.”
“It does,” said Kade. “We’ve all been where you are, and it’s confusing and horrible and messy, but look at us now. This bunker is full of well-adjusted individuals.”
Honor laughed. “I have met your brothers.”
“Not all of them,” said Kade. “Maybe I’m leaving the worst till last.”
“They’re all lovely in their own weird, quirky ways,” said Honor. “Just like you.”
“You think I’m weird and quirky?”
“You verge on odd, at times,” said Honor. She grinned at him and ran her fingers through his tangled dark hair. “But I love it.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” said Kade. “Because I want you here. I’m dying under the workload Heath’s given me.”
“That’s the only reason you want me here?” Honor’s hand drifted down Kade’s firm chest.
“Can’t think of any other reason.” He pulled her closer and brushed kisses down her throat.
Honor’s insides heated as Kade’s hand went lower. “Perhaps I need to give you a reminder of what we did last night. Then you’ll realize there’s more to me than codes and DNA analysis.”
Kade chuckled low in his chest. “I already know that. I’ve never met anybody like you. You’re brilliant and beautiful, and as for what you can do in the bedroom...” his eyebrows flashed up and his lips met hers.
Honor lost herself in his embrace. This new world was a crazy one, but she wanted to be in it, and in it with Kade. Together they’d bring down not only Intergen but the whole rotten facade of the State.
Kade pulled back and sighed. “You’re thinking again.”
“Only about how we will mess with the State.”
Kade shook his head, a mock frown crossing his lips. “Not acceptable. When we’re naked together you’re not allowed to think about business, or codes, or next steps.”
“And what if I do?”
Kade’s hand landed on Honor’s backside, and she jumped as her skin burned.
“Seriously! You’re going to spank me?”
“That’s what you get for misbehaving.”
Kade (sci-fi romance - The Ember Quest Book 2) Page 23