by A. J. Macey
“I'm always suspicious of those two,” Acer stated simply. Knowing him, he was probably shrugging or flashing me an impish grin, but he was currently walking on my left, invisible, so I couldn't be sure.
“Silas?” I prompted, his silence not going unnoticed. “If you have some insider knowledge, which I know you do, feel free to share!”
“You don't have to mentally yell, Sweetheart,” he teased. I glared, letting my silence speak for itself. “And to answer you, I don't know what he's doing.”
“Psh,” Acer scoffed skeptically. “You literally read minds.”
“Yes, but he purposely stayed far enough from me today, so I wouldn't be able to rifle through his mind. Whatever it is, he'll tell us when he's ready, that's Kane's way of running his crew.”
I rolled my eyes. Once a stubborn asshole, always a stubborn asshole.
“Yes, but don't pretend you don't enjoy it,” Silas added.
“If you could not go digging around in my head, that'd be awesome,” I deadpanned. “Well, it looks like it's a pretty boring day. Only had one mugging, what a letdown.”
“The fact you love beating up douchebags makes me so happy on the inside,” Acer teased. “You're one of a kind, Angel.”
“Cheesy,” I laughed. “Alright, let's head back. I want a cookie.”
“You and your cookies.” Silas shook his head as he chuckled, all of us walking in silence on the way back to the SUV. Thankfully, the drive was quick, and before I knew it, we were back at The Syndicate building. Acer had turned visible as we walked inside, but there was a commotion in the hall, and a man’s pained scream rang out. Without a second thought, we rushed toward the sound.
“What the hell?” I exclaimed when I realized what I was seeing. Kane hoisted a now unconscious man onto his shoulder with ease, a thin trail of blood leaking from a cut on the man’s forehead and onto the man's zip-tied wrists as they dangled over Kane's back. Carson darted around his uncle and opened a door to another holding room. Damn. How often do these guys “borrow” people?
“Were you seriously out kidnapping someone?”
Declan's words from the night before swirled in my head. Not nice people... but I shoved the thought away, knowing there was a reasonable explanation… well, hopefully. No one answered my questions as Kane and Carson secured the man to the table and chair. Acer watched from my side with a narrowed gaze, his arms crossed over his chest tightly. Silas looked unruffled at the turn of events, seemingly used to the actions of The Syndicate.
“To answer your question, Blue. Yes, we were,” Kane finally answered, his tone steady as he glanced down at me. I groaned and rubbed my eyes.
These men are giving me a damn headache.
Kane
Evera glared at me, her arms crossing in irritation, but when it came to the safety of the men and women in this family I’d built, I would do what I felt was necessary.
And kidnapping the head of security for Vega City Mutual seems pretty necessary to me.
“Well, care to at least let me in on why you kidnapped this guy? Or who he is?” she prompted with a wave of her hand toward the man.
“I wanted to be sure about the layout and knowledge of VCM's infrastructure and security. While the blueprints and stuff Acer located are good, I'm not risking any of us being caught.” My unspoken addition of 'especially you' rang out in the silence between us, and I could see the understanding blanket over her features. Granted, that didn't completely ease the tiny down turned curl of her luscious lips.
“What do you plan on doing? Beating the answers out of him?” Acer asked, his sarcastic attitude angled at both Carson and me, and I could see the tone already irritating my easily irritated nephew.
“No, we'll wake him up and ask,” I started.
“And if he doesn't want to talk?” Evera questioned, her tone skeptical as she eyed me.
“That's what I'm here for,” Silas answered, stepping closer to the man and looking him over. “He should be easy to wake up if we want to get started.”
“How can you be sure he won't say anything?” she continued her string of inquiries as I moved to stand behind the chair opposite of our captive.
“You'll just have to wait and see, Baby Blue,” Carson prompted with a cocky smirk.
Evera rolled her eyes and shook her head, and the tiny hint of worry in her eyes sparked my own unease, but I held it at bay. This is necessary to keep her safe. Whatever the cost, it’s worth it.
Being the boss meant making tough choices, and getting Evera, Carson, and me the ability to avenge Rett's murder was worth more to me than the worried glint Evera had as she looked at me.
Sometimes, the rumors really are true.
Evera
I found myself standing in the little room attached to where they held VCM's head of security, whose name I found out was Nate Forester. There wasn't much Acer or I could do, other than watch from the outskirts as Kane interrogated him, Carson and Silas standing in the corners, observing silently.
Thankfully, the man was afraid enough of Kane and his threats, so he talked, confirming everything we already knew about the bank and its layout. As much as I should be upset at the extremes Kane was going to, I wasn’t. Instead, I was finding myself way too pleased, knowing I wasn't the only one who woke up their dark side to get what I wanted.
It certainly didn't help that Kane—in his scary 'head of the largest crime organization in Vega City' mode—was hot. The desire uncurling through my body was making it hard to stay mad, and soon enough, Kane nodded at Silas and exited the room.
“Well, seeing as how that was a waste of time,” Acer grumbled under his breath, “I'm going to go head to bed, Angel. I'm exhausted.” Nodding, I looked over at him just in time for his lips to brush mine. “You know where to find me if you want some company.”
I smirked but didn't say anything, knowing if I didn't have the increasing headache thudding through my skull, I would have taken him up on his offer. Acer turned, revealing Kane standing in the doorway with a scowl. I shook my head slightly at the display between the two, eyeing Kane's harsh glare and Acer's cocky grin.
“Kane,” I called, interrupting his angry glare toward Acer. Glancing back at me, he sighed, shutting the door behind him. “What's Silas doing?”
“Mind Meld,” Kane explained, stepping up until I felt his chest brushing against my back. “It'll give him a severe migraine, and he'll be laid out for up to twenty-four hours, but he'll be able to alter or mask the memories of what Nate Forrester saw here. Since it's a recent thing, Silas will be able to mask them completely, so our ‘guest’ won't even realize he didn't go straight home tonight.”
“What happens if it isn't recent?”
“It would be much more difficult. He wouldn't be able to completely mask them, so he would have to alter them. Essentially, masking the memory with one of his, so it's changed enough, it wouldn't be recognizable.”
“Huh,” I mumbled. “So, you're taking him back to his house now? Or at least once Silas is done?”
“Yeah,” Kane sighed softly, turning me around, so I was facing him. His finger hooked under my jaw and angled my face up until our eyes met. “Blue, I don't want you to be afraid of me, but sometimes, I have to do things—”
“I'm not, Kane,” I reassured, grabbing his hand and squeezing lightly. “I could never be afraid of you.” Nodding, Kane bent down, kissing me softly before pulling back.
“Go to sleep, Blue, we have a long night tomorrow,” he murmured. Chuckling, I did as he asked, happy to be able to escape and take some damn medicine.
By the time I reached my room and was able to dig out the bottle of medicine, Silas had brought me when I moved in here, my head was pounding. Knowing the normal dosage wouldn't do anything for my pain, I shook out eight pills, popping them in and downing the water I had on my small table. Nothing like having a power that burns through anything I put in my system extraordinarily fast.
Joys of being a Phenom.
/> 14
October 18th
Friday Night
Evera
“Angel babe,” Acer’s rich, sleep-laden voice pulled me to the surface, but his muscled body and the soft blanket were lulling me back to comfortable bliss. “Angel.”
“Ugh,” I groaned, burying deeper in the blanket and wrapping my arm tighter around his waist, cuddling into his side. “What?” My word was muffled as I smashed my face into his torso.
“We’re supposed to be getting up,” he explained, his fingers brushing over my back and shoulder blades.
“No, don’t want to,” I huffed like a child, too comfortable to move. After dinner with Declan the other night and the headache yesterday, I felt odd and out of sorts, but I couldn’t place why, so as soon as Acer was finished working out the final details with Granger and Silas, I dragged him away and proceeded to cuddle the hell out of him. The familiarity of his voice as he read his paperback to me and warmth of his body had swept me into a dreamless sleep, and right now, I didn’t want to leave his embrace.
“We could do some other things if you don’t want to get out of bed quite yet. To, you know, help you wake up,” he whispered, a sinful smile taking over his face, his black curls fanning out over his pillow. Perking up, I pressed my lips to his, but only a moment into our kiss, I heard a shout echo through the hallway.
“Back the hell off! I don’t know where she is!” Declan’s accent grew thicker as he bellowed.
Jumping up with Acer hot on my heels, I flung the door open and saw Kane and Carson cornering Declan against the wall two doors down. Looking across the hall, I noticed my door open.
“She’s right there, now fucking get your hands off me.” Declan waved a hand toward me between Kane, who stood to the side, and Carson, who had him pinned to the wall.
“What the fuck!” I shouted, already growing tired of having to ask that question with this group of guys. “You immediately panic just because I’m not in bed and go after him? I stayed with Acer last night.”
“Oh, so it’s like that?” Carson ground out, glaring at Acer as he shoved Declan into the wall.
“No, actually,” I snapped, too tired to deal with this shit so close to having woken up. I am not a morning person. “I just didn’t want to be alone, and I haven’t spent much time with him lately. But last I checked, that’s not any of your fucking business. Jesus Christ,” I sighed, shaking my head. Grabbing my sweats off the floor in Acer’s room, I realized we were making a scene, and I was in a t-shirt and my underwear. Storming out of Acer’s room, I waved at Acer and Declan before pointing at Carson and Kane. “All of you with me. Right fucking now. Get Silas on your way. Don’t even fucking try me right now, Bruiser,” I ground out when Carson opened his mouth to argue. Without further argument, I stormed down the hall and went to Kane’s office, plopping into his chair and waiting.
“Oh, shit,” Acer chuckled as he saw me lounging in the lush leather chair. Kane’s brow rose, but he kept his mouth shut about me blatantly disrespecting his authority within The Syndicate.
With this crew of men? I’m the boss.
“Here’s how this is going to work from now on,” I started, my tone low and deadly. “You don’t get to go after each other over me. You don’t get to barge into people’s rooms just because I stayed somewhere else. You either respect my decision of not choosing with this weird ass shit we’re trying to work out, or I’ll cut you the hell out of it.” All the men stood stoic, finally seeming to listen to what I wanted.
“Right now, my goal is to figure out what the hell the Legion Council is hiding in the records at VCM. This is the first major lead I’ve had regarding Rett’s murder, and I’m not going to let petty squabbles fuck it up, so either you’re with that, or you aren’t.”
Looking around the room, I saw guilt and head nods, every one of them agreeing, including Declan, who was silent for the first time since I met him.
“Good. Now let’s go over the plan for tonight, Granger and Harrison are waiting for us,” I directed, getting up from Kane’s chair and coming around the desk. Everyone filed out of the room after me, the mood sobering as we realized tonight was the night we broke into Vega City Mutual. At the reminder, my body started to buzz with nerves.
“Granger.” Kane waved a hand as we entered our workroom, giving him permission to explain the plan despite Declan being in the room.
“Plan is relatively simple. Acer will be in the van, working on the security and looping the traffic cameras before we get there while Kane is around the corner in the SUV as lookout. Declan will fly Carson up, then Evera, followed by me, then Harrison. Silas will be holding down the fort here. Go through the vent system until we’re on the top floor to avoid any cameras at the staircase access door on the roof. Since it’s one floor down, Acer will have to get us through the door to the stairs, then again through the lock on the two floors that house their records. We’ve identified the most likely place for the records to be where Evera and Harrison will take while Carson and I will take the top two floors. As soon as we locate what it is, we scan it with one of these,”—Granger held up a portable paper scanner—“and when Acer gives the okay it was properly scanned, we make our way up, and Declan brings us back down. Simple as pie.”
“Dude, have you ever actually made pie? It’s a pain in the ass,” Declan added, looking through the blueprints and papers on the table and projector. “What am I doing this whole time? Just staying on the roof?”
“Well, you’re certainly not needed within the building. It’s faster with two pairs,” Acer explained. “We went over the most efficient way to scour the records yesterday, so if you keep an eye out for any approaching cars, that would be beneficial.”
“And how are we going to be communicating through this? Smoke signals? Bird Calls?” he questioned sarcastically before making a ‘coo coo’ sound, and as much as I didn’t want to, I couldn’t stop the giggle that bubbled out of me. The triumphant smile he flashed me was sexy, and with the bright white of his teeth nearly glowing against his olive skin and black stubble that had started to grow out, my core tightened in response.
“No, Feathers,” Acer bit out, picking up a box of small earbud communicators, “we’ll be wearing one of these.”
“We’re rolling out in twenty, so eat, piss, do whatever it is you need to. We’re on a tight schedule with their security rotations,” Kane instructed, calling the recap meeting to an end. Nerves continued to build, making me antsy and uncomfortable, so I slipped out of the meeting and walked back to my room.
Pulling out one of the boxes Kane’s men had packed from my apartment, I dug through it until I found the piece of paper I was looking for—the drawing of a phoenix Rett had done for me right before everything happened. Collapsing on the floor where I stood, the crippling wave of grief at losing my brother washed over me. The scent of his daily body spray washed through my senses as the memory of his calm instructions while he taught me how to control my temper and powers filtered through my thoughts. This is hard, Rett. So much harder than it should be. Even so much later, the pain felt almost fresh. When you hide away in grief, refusing to let a new life spring from the ashes of what was lost, there’s nothing left to dull the ache.
“Baby Blue,” Carson murmured, his voice pained as he saw my tears and the drawing I held in my hand. He knelt down behind me, his hand rubbing my back before wrapping around to hold me against him. “I miss him too, so damn much. It was so hard when we had to pull away. There’s a lot that went down, and it wasn’t safe for you to come with us, but I missed you. Every day for the last ten years, I tried to find you,” Carson rambled, his body shuddering as a tear dropped on my head, both of us drowning in our shared grief. “Please don’t ever leave, Ev. Promise me you won’t, no matter what may come up between us. I love you too much to lose you again.”
“Really?” I shifted, looking up at him. “You love me?” My heart leapt into my chest at his admission, my brain refusing to believe
he said it.
“Of course, I do.” He shook his head with the tiniest grin as if he couldn’t believe I had just asked that. “I have for years, Baby Blue.”
“I love you too,” I murmured softly, a pulse of fear radiating through me at whispering the words I had wanted to tell him since I was fourteen. Wrapping my arms around his chest, I buried my head into his soft shirt. “We’ll get the asshole who took Rett, right?”
“I will tear this city apart to give that to you, Ev, I promise you that,” he whispered resolutely against my hair. I wanted to believe him, but since the last words he had ever whispered to me were that same statement, I had my fears. But for now, I turned my focus on our upcoming job.
Time to become a thief.
Less than an hour later, I found myself buzzing with anxious energy, the sparks that danced under my skin, making me restless, but I kept it contained. Double checking my comm, I secured my mask and hat before putting the face guard Kane had given me around my face. Declan was in the process of taking Carson to the roof, and based on how fast he was flying up there, it would be my turn in just a moment, so I readied to hop out.
“Angel,” Acer murmured, grabbing my hand before I could get out, “stay safe.” I nodded, squeezing his hand before getting out of the back of the black van we had arrived in. A gust of wind ran over me as Declan’s wings flapped to stop his descent, his black boots softly thudding on the sidewalk as he opened his arms. Wrapping my hands around his neck, I let him lift me into a cradle, and before I could take a steadying breath, he took off.
“Holy shit,” I nearly screamed, pressing my face into the crook of his neck as my stomach and heart dropped. “A little warning next time would be fucking great, Wings.”