Her Fierce Warrior (X-Ops #4)

by Paige Tyler

  Minka cried a little then, her face hidden in his neck. There could not be anything more beautiful in the whole world than this…and Angelo had just given it to her.

  It was not until well after her orgasm and after Angelo had rolled beside her and pulled her into his arms that she realized her eyes had changed during the most intense heights of her pleasure. She knew because everything around her was now bright in the dim light.

  She bolted upright, making Angelo groan.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  She couldn’t look at him. “My eyes changed. Oh God, I’m so sorry.”

  He sat up beside her, gently cupping her cheek and turning her face to his. “Why would you be sorry about something like that?”

  Minka tried to look away again, but he held her still. “Because it must have been uncomfortable for you. Seeing my eyes go red like that…in the middle of what we were doing.”

  He chuckled. “They didn’t turn red. They glowed green—the most amazing, brilliant green I’ve ever seen.”

  Green. Like a shifter’s eyes. Not like a hybrid’s. “It didn’t make me look…ugly?”

  “God no,” he said. “It made you look even more beautiful.”

  Minka sighed with relief. If Angelo said they made her look beautiful, then they did. He would never lie to her.

  She smiled. “I can’t imagine ever getting tired of hearing you say that.”

  Angelo laughed again, a warm, soft sound that made her feel good all over. Then he leaned in close to her ear. “Good. Because I’m never going to get tired of saying it. You’re beautiful.”

  He said it again…and again…and again. Then he kissed her, and she knew her amazing day was not over yet.

  Chapter 11

  “What are you so happy about?” Landon asked.

  Angelo gave him a sidelong glance as they walked down the hallway to John’s office. The director had called Landon a few minutes ago, saying he wanted to meet with them. John hadn’t said what it was about, but after last night, Angelo sure as hell hoped it was to tell him that they needed him to hang around for a few more weeks—or longer.

  “Who says I’m happy about anything?” Angelo asked, trying to conceal the smile he knew had been pasted on his face since he’d woken up that morning exhausted but frigging stoked as all hell.

  Landon looked at his wife, who was walking between him and Angelo. “You were right, weren’t you?”

  Ivy laughed. “Yeah, I was.”

  “Right about what?” Angelo asked.

  She glanced at him. “That you and Minka spent the night together.”

  Angelo stopped walking. Ivy and Landon stopped, too.

  “How did you—?” he began.

  “How did I know?” Ivy smiled. “Well, the silly grin you’re wearing was the first clue. But the dead giveaway is the fact that you have her scent all over you—and she’s covered in yours. I got a good sniff of her in the cafeteria. It’s obvious what you two were up to last night. You probably should have showered this morning. By now, every shifter in the DCO knows you two are sleeping together.”

  Angelo groaned as he started walking again—not in embarrassment but because he and Minka had showered this morning. Unfortunately, they’d decided to shower together, which had led to a quickie right there in the bathroom. After that, they’d been running a little late, so they hadn’t been able to get cleaned up again before they left.

  He smiled to himself. Last night had been beyond amazing. What Minka lacked in experience, she more than made up for in passion. He’d never been with a woman like her in his life. He only prayed they got to spend a lot more time together.

  “You might want to wipe that goofy grin off your face before we go in to see John,” Landon said as they neared the director’s office. “He’ll probably think you’re on something.”

  “I think he looks good with a smile.” Ivy glanced at her husband as they walked into John’s office. “You should try it sometime.”

  John’s secretary looked up from her computer as they walked in. Older, with graying hair and reading glasses perched on her nose, she reminded Angelo of his teacher in the third grade.

  “Hey, Olivia,” Ivy said. “John have you out here full-time now?”

  Olivia nodded. “Most of the time. He’s been spending more time out here at the complex lately, so it makes sense. I certainly don’t mind. Cuts my commute time by half.” She motioned toward the closed door that led to John’s office. “He’s waiting for you. And he’s not alone.”

  Angelo didn’t like the way the woman darted a disdainful glance at the door as she said the words. She obviously didn’t think much of whoever was in there with her boss. He glanced at Landon and saw his friend mouth Dick.

  Coleman was definitely with John, but there was a sharp-dressed middle-aged man there, too. Angelo didn’t know who the man was, but he recognized a shark when he saw one. That probably meant the guy was a lawyer, a powerful CEO, or a politician.

  John glanced at the man. “Thomas, you remember Agents Halliwell and Donovan.”

  “Of course. They made quite an impression.” The man moved forward to shake hands with Ivy and Landon. “Nice seeing you again.”

  Then he turned to Angelo and offered his hand. The guy had a firm grip and looked him straight in the eye. People said a handshake could tell you something about a man’s character, but in Angelo’s experience, it could just as likely mean the guy was really good at playing people.

  “And you must be Sergeant Rios. I’m Thomas Thorn, one of the members of the Committee that provides oversight to the DCO. It’s a privilege to meet you. John and Dick have been telling me about you. You did an outstanding job of getting the hybrid back here so quickly.”

  The way the man had said hybrid, as if Minka were some kind of thing that wasn’t even worth having a name, got under Angelo’s skin. Combined with the way Thorn had dropped that little hint about him being in charge of the DCO, it told Angelo he wasn’t going to get along with the man.

  “Let’s sit,” John said, gesturing to the small conference table that occupied one side of his office. “We have quite a bit to talk about.”

  Angelo pulled out the chair beside Landon, already sure he wasn’t going to like where this was going.

  “I’ll get right to the point,” Thorn said after they were all seated. “Dick told me he spoke with the hybrid and that she was able to positively identify the men holding her in southern Tajikistan as Johan Klaus and Jean Renard, the doctors we’ve been trying to find for almost a year. The way she described the facility has us thinking it’s permanent.”

  “The Committee believes the hybrid represents our best chance of finally catching Klaus and Renard, and they want to send in a team immediately,” Coleman added. “They want the doctors brought back alive.”

  Angelo’s gut twisted. Oh yeah, he definitely didn’t like where this was going.

  “Correct me if I’m wrong, Dick, but I thought Minka was unaware of the facility’s exact location,” John said. “She’s not even sure how long she wandered before Sergeant Rios found her.”

  Coleman nodded. “Minka can’t. But she told me the hybrid inside her has access to memories she doesn’t. We think it can tell us. We just have to get her to let it out.”

  Angelo frowned. “That isn’t going to work. Even if she was willing to give up control to the thing inside her, it’s an animal. It’s not going to draw you a map to where these doctors are, no matter how nicely you ask.”

  “We’re aware of that,” Thorn said. “But if we could put the hybrid on the ground in the general area of the facility, it could likely lead our team in from there.”

  Angelo jumped to his feet so fast he practically knocked over his chair. He leaned across the table to get in Thorn’s face. “The hybrid has a name—it’s Minka Pajari. She barely survived what those doctors did to her the first time. There’s no way in hell I’m going to let you send her back there on the off chance she might
be able to find those psychos.”

  Thorn’s eyes narrowed. “You’re not going to let us send her, Sergeant Rios? I don’t remember asking for your permission. Minka is currently in this country on a political asylum visa that the rest of the Committee and I arranged. One word from me and that visa will be revoked. Keep that in mind before you start deciding what you will and will not allow.”

  Angelo tensed, ready to launch himself across the table and punch the asshole right in the face. He probably would have too, if Landon hadn’t put a restraining hand on his shoulder.

  “The ultimatums and threats aren’t helping the situation,” John said firmly. “Sit down, Angelo.”

  Angelo didn’t like the idea of letting Thorn think he’d won, but John was right. Punching the guy wouldn’t make the problem go away, so he sat down, then allowed himself to envision all the different ways he could have killed Thorn right then.

  “Thomas, Minka’s control is extremely tenuous at this point. Even if you could get her hybrid side to come out, there’s no guarantee that it would do what you want,” John said. “She’s as likely to try to kill you as help you.”

  Thorn nodded. “Dick mentioned that. But he also said Sergeant Rios seems to have a knack for keeping her calm.”

  “So, it’s your intent to send them in as a team, then?” John asked. “Even though Minka obviously has no field training and Sergeant Rios isn’t a member of the DCO?”

  “They wouldn’t be part of the actual team going in,” Coleman said. “Her job will simply be to guide them to the facility. His will be to keep Minka calm and in control. She wouldn’t be in any danger.” He gave Angelo a pointed look. “Besides, I’m sure Sergeant Rios wouldn’t mind a free ride back to Tajikistan. It’s about time he rejoined his A-team, isn’t it?”

  Angelo’s heart dropped. This was worse than just taking Minka back to Tajikistan. For whatever reason, Coleman was using this mission as a way to get Angelo out of his hair and back to his team. Angelo had woken up this morning assuming he and Minka would have at least another week together, hopefully more. Now it looked like their remaining time together was going to be measured in hours.

  Angelo could barely breathe as the rest of them discussed how fast the mission could be pulled together. Thorn was pushing for them to move ASAP and already wanted to set up a mission briefing for that afternoon. It was insane to go into something like this so fast and with so little planning, but Angelo got the feeling that what Thomas Thorn wanted, he got.

  Thorn and Coleman left a little while later, the deputy director saying he’d get the ball rolling on the mission briefing. Angelo stared down at the conference table, wondering how in the hell he was going to break it to Minka. She’d be terrified about going anywhere near those doctors, not to mention devastated that he probably wouldn’t be coming back with her after the mission.

  “What if I just refuse to go?” he asked suddenly, searching for something—anything—to stop this from happening.

  John shook his head. “I wouldn’t recommend it. Thorn will call your bluff and send some other operative out to try to control her. Are you willing to let anyone but you protect Minka?”

  “No.” Angelo ground his jaw. “I’m just pissed at being manipulated by that prick.” He looked at Landon. “I thought you said Thorn was the one bankrolling these doctors. If that’s the case, why the hell does he want us to track them down? Shouldn’t he know where they are? And why does he want us to capture them? Won’t they lead back to him?”

  Landon shook his head. “I wish I knew.”

  “It’s possible this is all a charade and Thorn is only acting gung ho about tracking down the doctors because he already knows they aren’t still at this facility—if we find it at all,” John said.

  Angelo frowned. “That makes no sense. Who’s he trying to impress? It sure as hell can’t be us.”

  John shrugged. “I agree. I doubt he’s doing this for anyone in the DCO. This has something to do with the Committee, but with both houses of Congress out of session and no one even in town, I couldn’t tell you what it is. All I can assume is that there’s a game going on here that we can’t see yet.”

  “Do you think there’s a chance we’ve been wrong about Thorn all along?” Ivy asked. “What if someone else on the Committee is funding the hybrid research and Thorn is actually trying to stop these doctors?”

  John didn’t have an answer to that.

  Damn, Angelo hated all this cloak-and-dagger shit. If he had wanted to play games like this, he would have joined the CIA instead of Army Special Forces.

  “Can Minka do what Thorn is asking, Angelo?” John asked. “Can she access her hybrid memories and find the facility she escaped from?”

  Angelo thought about it. He remembered her describing how she’d gotten her claws to extend by letting the beast out in a controlled manner. Then there was the way her eyes had stayed completely green last night while they’d been making love. That told him she’d been subconsciously keeping the beast in check even while she’d screamed in orgasm.

  “My first instinct is to say no, but that would just be me trying to protect her,” he admitted. “In reality, she probably can. She still has a long way to go, and there will be setbacks along the way, but right now, she’s gaining control of her hybrid side more and more every day. I don’t think there’s anything she can’t do if she really wants to do it.”

  John was silent as he considered that. “That’s amazing. Tanner has been working on controlling his rage for almost a year, and he’s only started making headway these past couple months. Zarina said Minka is the same kind of hybrid that Tanner is, but Klaus and Renard have obviously improved the serum since leaving Washington State.”

  Angelo saw Ivy and Landon exchange looks.

  John must have seen it, too. “What?” When Ivy and Landon didn’t answer, the director scowled. “If there’s something I need to know, I’d rather hear it now than wait for it to come out at the wrong time. So spill it.”

  Ivy hesitated, looking at Landon again. Her husband nodded.

  She sighed as she turned back to John. “I guess it’s time we told you anyway. Minka wasn’t made using the same serum Klaus and Renard used to turn Tanner. She was made from serum with my DNA.”

  John’s eyes narrowed. “Run that by me again.”

  Ivy swallowed hard. “When Landon and I went to Washington State to find Stutmeir, Stutmeir captured and tortured me. Klaus and Renard were thrilled to get their hands on a shifter, so they took samples of my DNA, hoping it would accelerate their research.”

  John didn’t say anything for a long time, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out he was steamed. “Klaus and Renard have had access to your DNA for nearly a year, and you just decided to fill me in now? Why the hell didn’t you tell me when it happened?”

  “We were worried you’d figure out that I’d violated DCO orders and let Ivy’s shifter identity be compromised because I refused to kill her,” Landon said.

  John swore. “Do you think I give a shit about that? That’s a stupid directive put in place by Thorn and the Committee after what happened with Adam. I never expected you to carry it out. Besides, you made it clear the first time we met that you’d never turn against your partner, no matter what. Hell, that was a big part of the reason I wanted you with her. After all the shitty partners she’d had, Ivy deserved someone who would have her back.” He shook his head. “No, what pisses me off is that you forced me to operate in the dark for almost a year when I could have been helping you.”

  Ivy gave him a sheepish look. “Landon would have told you a couple months ago, once we realized you were really on our side, but I wouldn’t let him. I was hoping against hope that he and I could find the doctors ourselves. Then, no one would ever have to know what Stutmeir and his doctors had done to me, and Landon and I would never have to explain anything.”

  John’s expression softened. “You should have told me, Ivy. You’re like family to me. I had a
right to know. But I understand why you didn’t.”

  Angelo wondered if Ivy and Landon were going to mention the part he and the other members of his A-team had played in rescuing her out in Washington. He sure as hell wasn’t going to say anything about it if they didn’t. There was no need to put the rest of his team on the DCO radar, too.

  “So you think Minka’s rage issues are being tempered by your DNA, huh?” John asked.

  Ivy shrugged. “Maybe. Tanner seems to think so, but Zarina says there’s no way to tell.”

  John frowned. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that Zarina knows about what happened to you. She’s obviously been hiding stuff from me for a while. But Tanner, too? Is there anyone else involved in this that I should know about?”

  “The only other person who knows about Stutmeir getting my DNA is Kendra,” Ivy said. “But that’s only because she’s my best friend. And Layla, of course.”

  John sighed. “I know we can trust them not to say anything. As for Minka, we’re going to need her to get as close as we can to where you found her, Angelo, then ask her to lead you the rest of the way.” He gave Angelo a small smile. “I think it might be best if you tell Minka we’re sending her back to Tajikistan to find Klaus and Renard. She’ll take it better from you.”

  Angelo nodded. He still didn’t know how the hell he was going to do it, though.

  Beside him, Ivy and Landon were exchanging another of those looks again, like they were trying to decide if they should say something else.

  “Is there anything else you want to tell me?” John asked.