by HK Savage
A lone tear leaked from the corner of her eye. “What about you? Can you keep anything from happening to you?”
Soft lips brushed her cheek. “Baby, I’m gonna watch my ass almost as close as yours so I can keep doing this, with you, as long as possible.”
The walls around her heart fractured. “No!” Eyes flying open, she pushed against his chest, needing physical space.
Unfortunately, physics worked against her. Smaller and lighter, her efforts gained her distance just not the way she’d planned. His bigger mass didn’t move. Her shove landed her square on his bed. An uncharacteristic squawk popped out of her mouth.
Grinning, Ryan rested his hands on his hips. “You always did prefer this to talking.”
Desperately attempting to plaster over the cracks before her walls fell and left her defenseless against him, Gabrielle scrambled backward until her shoulders hit the headboard. “I’m not doing this with you, Ryan. I came here to find out what you know about the other half of our team. It’s important. Now that Kenneth is on board any sort of problem could potentially be lethal. I need to know what we’re dealing with before he figures it out and we have a body on our hands.”
That sobered Ryan and he ran a hand through his shaggy hair, coming around to rest a hip on the side of the bed. He didn’t try to touch her. She felt an odd sense of loss.
Ryan took a deep breath and shook his head. “Truth is I don’t know.” Glancing up, he caught her eyes. “I’m serious. There’s something there, I know what you mean, but I don’t know what it is. Black knows there’s something too. When we were at the club and Mike tried to go AWOL with her...”
“What?” Gabrielle’s jaw fell open. “Michaelwas going to try to leave the unit? Are you sure?”
Relieved to have someone to talk to, Ryan let his worry for his friend show. “You should have seen it, it was fucked up. Mike was totally out of it. He vamped out in the middle of a club and dragged Becca out with him. I thought he was gonna take me down when I pulled her back. And Blackknew.” Ryan’s fingers drummed against his tan blanket while he thought. “I was dancing with this chick and my phone rang. It was Black telling me to catch Mike and stop him. I mean, how did he know? I didn’t call him and I’m guessing Mike didn’t. No way Becca did.”
Ignoring the pang at the thought of some woman rubbing herself all overherman, Gabrielle focused on what he was saying. It didn’t make any sense. Or maybe it did. “You mean you just got the call out of the blue?”
“Yeah. Weird, right? And there was something big going on with those two, Mike and Becs. She was a mess, begging him to stop. She didn’t want to run but he did, and he was bleeding. I didn’t see him take a hit. No way she could have done that to him, she can barely lift her own head these days. I don’t see her popping him hard enough to make him bleed from the ears. That takes some power.”
Gabrielle let this new information roll around in her head, combining it with what she’d seen between the two lovers. Could there be someothersort of connection between Michael and the human? Something more than love or lust? She’d seen vampires control humans before but Michael told her Becca was immune. Was she? And Black’s omnipotence was disturbing, though not surprising. That bastard could track them to the ends of the earth without breaking a sweat. He was scary as hell. That’s why she fell in with him so long ago. That all knowing, all seeing ability was going to let her finally get her revenge.
Realizing he was waiting for her to respond, Gabrielle nodded. “Yeah, yeah it does. A lot of power.”
“You think Kenneth is capable of paying attention to anything other than himself for long enough to notice there’s something up?”
“He’s pretty pissed about Becca being in his spot.”
“His spot? He was here for about a nanosecond the way I hear it and Black sent him out to cool off like thirty years ago.”
“That’s a long time to nurse a grudge.” Gabrielle leaned in, lowering her voice. “You didn’t see him or the setup he had going when I picked him up.” Rubbing her arm as a chill washed over her, she slowly shook her head. “I don’t know if even Black is going to be able to keep him under control. A mission with him in this state is going to be a mess.”
“All the more reason we’re gonna need each other.” He reached out to rest a hand on her knee. “I’ll always make sure you get home in one piece.”
Weak for a moment, Gabrielle closed her eyes and let him glimpse that part of her she kept locked up tight behind steel hurricane shutters. The part banging to get out, to reach out and smooth a hand over his tan cheek, she locked down. She stroked him with words instead.
“What about you? If something happens to you, then, notall of me makes it home.”
The hand covering her knee tightened and she heard his breath catch. The steady thrumming of his big heart jumped to double time. “What are you saying, Gabs?”
“That’s all Ican say, Ryan.” It was too much to share, a mistake to let him see. In one leap she was off the bed, leaving him staring as she whipped open the door and flew through. Only when she was back in her own room did she let go of the breath burning in her chest. Then she let the self-flagellation begin.
Stupid! He’s never going to let up now.Under normal circumstances they lived a dangerous life. Now they were up against some sort of self-righteous zealot who, if he figured out what they were, would launch into a holy war with the might of their own country brought against them. Oh, and let’s not forget Captain Insano. That crazy fucker, Kenneth, was going to get somebody killed, if not all of them. Black would survive, that bastard always survived, but what about the rest of them? The memory of Luc’s shredded body as her hands shoveled desert sand over him, burying more than just her unit but a huge part of herself that day. Ryan’s face superimposed itself over Luc’s, sand piling on top, slowly taking him from her as well. The image hit her square in the chest and she cursed her foolishness. Months she’d kept her distance, years she’d pretended it was nothing more than physical. She’d cut Ryan loose. And, in one moment of weakness, she’d set them both up for heartbreak.
“Shit,” she whispered as the first tear fell.
Chapter 12
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I told you, I’m fine.” Michael forced a tight smile. She meant well but Becca’s paranoia that Black had caused permanent damage was getting on his nerves. It didn’t help that the skull fractures left a banging headache in their wake. Draining five bags before takeoff in addition to the four that morning had him mostly healed, but the pressurizing of the cabin as they reached altitude sure didn’t feel great on freshly knit bones. Rolling his shoulder, he tested the arm Black had been kind enough to break. No residual pain. Great. At least he wasn’t physically handicapped anymore. Though the message remained, much as the human president could say to any of his minions: “You serve at my pleasure.” And that’s all Michael or any of his team were to the admiral. Minions.
Feeling the tension emanating from the woman beside him, he reached out and took her hand. Squeezing, he offered a small smile and watched her return it, catching the thinning of her lips before she twisted to look out the window at the pinking clouds below them.
A few rows up, Ryan slouched, elbow on the armrest, head in hand, long legs stretched out in front of him. Kenneth insisted on taking the farthest seat away in the back, keeping eyes on everyone. Real trusting.
At least Gabrielle could get away. Piloting their aircraft not only kept her mind occupied, it allowed her physical distance from the rest of their team.
That wasn’t a half bad idea.
“Hey, any of you look at your briefs yet?”
Becca shook her head.
Twisting in his seat, Ryan gave him a look.
Kenneth’s lips twisted in a half sneer.
“Didn’t think so.” He nabbed his from the bag he kept at his seat complete with music, headphones, phone; the usual. “This isn’t a typical op, it’s political,” he spo
ke to the sour look Ryan aimed his way. “And we’re on their home turf. This could go a hundred different ways of wrong and we have to know all the players by sight and how they vote. Alliances are no different on The Hill than they are anywhere else. They’re all looking for an angle. We can’t seem to go straight at this guy like we usually do, so we have to find another way.”
“We could kill him.” Kenneth suggested with a straight face.
Michael shook his head. “Not a good idea. He’s got a lot of support. We could take him out but there are at least three more on his committee ready to step into his spot and four deaths in the same committee is asking for an investigation.”
Horrified, Becca gasped and leaned back, turning her torso and facing him straight on. “Are you seriously telling me you’ve considered murdering US citizens? Elected officials? That’s political assassination. We don’t do that. Do we?”
Kenneth made a rude noise.
Ryan continued to look stony.
Michael let his features soften. “No, we don’t.” He ignored Kenneth’s muttering. “Wedon’t,” he emphasized for Kenneth’s benefit. “Kill American citizens. Our sole goal is to protect them. We are still soldiers. We did, at one point, take an oath to protect this country and that includes the people in it.”
“Thanks for the reminder, Captain America,” Ryan stood to face the others, leaning a big shoulder against one of the overhead bins, head nearly scraping the ceiling. “But I’m at a bit of a loss here. Why is Black sending all of us in on this one? Seems like he just needs the witch portion of the team and maybe you to write the report.”
Ryan’s unusually biting sarcasm was worrisome. Something to keep an eye on.
“Black wants us all in on this because we all have something to offer here, not just Becca and Kenneth.” He let the weight of his stare rest on Ryan. They were friends, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t still to be obeyed whether in a war fought with bullets or one fueled by words and votes.
“But if you can’t manipulate Reese’s mind, then what good are our,” Becca’s finger waved between herself and where Kenneth sat glaring, “abilities? Even if we hear something, we can’t scare them into backing off or voting differently. We can’t stop them from persecuting us. We certainly can’t come straight at them, you’ve proved that. Black wants us to listen in regardless, so what’s he not telling us?” Her eyes drifted to his torso, seeing the scars she knew Black had given him. “What’s really at play here?”
Ryan straightened, crossing his arms. Curiosity pushed out the bitterness that had pinched his features. “Yeah, Mike, what are we walking into here? It doesn’t feel like we’re getting the whole story.”
Gabrielle’s profile came into view as she turned an ear to their conversation.
Kenneth continued to glower, arms crossed like a spoiled child.
Michael wished he could throw him off the plane. It might not kill him but it would hurt like hell and it would make Michael feel better.
“Is it not enough that we’re facing a committee intent upon shutting us down as ‘unnecessary research and development’? If they cut our funds we won’t be able to have these fancy planes and special weapons that let us go to all corners of the world and maintain the precarious peace our kind honors while keeping humans in the dark. If that’s not enough of a reason to call all hands on deck, then I don’t know what is.”And I wouldn’t tell you if the bastard would let me. Some things are better left unknown.
Becca nodded, but her eyes said she wasn’t buying it.
Ryan gave a slow nod, leaning back against the overhead.
Gabrielle’s profile disappeared and he saw only the back of her head again.
Kenneth gave a weird little laugh. Michael’s skin prickled in a vampire’s version of a shudder. Was Black certain the creep could only read thoughts if he was touching someone? Another eerie titter from the back row.
Seeing as he had everyone on the same page and mostly back to somewhat normal, Michael opened his file.
“Take a look at these particular individuals, they’re closest to Senator Reese and tend to vote with him.”
***
They checked into their hotel, taking three rooms at the far end of the top floor. Ryan was first off the elevator, shifting his black duffel on one shoulder and striding out fast. His door clicked shut, deadbolt swinging into place with a loud clang just as the other four reached their rooms.
“If you need anything, Gabs, let me know.” Michael stopped and faced her as she and Kenneth prepared to enter their room. He didn’t question Black’s “request” that Kenneth not be alone. Ever. It just was a bad deal for Gabrielle that she had to room with the wild card. Michael’s cohabitation with Becca was partly due to their relationship status and also to keep an eye on her, and, to make sure she didn’t faint and hit her head or something in her weakened state. The vampire inside him chafed at the thought of losing her. On this rare occasion the man agreed with the monster. He wished there was more he could do for her.But there is.Quickly, he let song lyrics run through his mind. No need for that to get back to Black.
“Thanks, Michael.” Gabrielle offered him a tight smile, though none of her usual attitude. Hopefully she wasn’t feeling the strain of the added responsibility as Kenneth’s keeper. The factors pointing toward this whole thing going bad were starting to pile up. Michael considered advising the admiralagain that this was “ill advised.” More accurately defined as a shit show.
“No problem, Gabs.” Drifting from hers, he let his blue eyes find Kenneth’s pale greens and reiterated Black’s directive he’d introduced on the plane. The asshole had been busy pouting so Michael wanted to make doubly sure he heard. “Lay low. We’re settling in tonight then we meet our man in the morning. He knows me and the rest of you are former military contractors. You’re not going to have to do more than listen for now. Okay? We’re going to get the lay of the land, see what’s changed and where they’re all at, then we pick a few people and start listening in. Maybe we luck out and find a weak link or a chink in Reese’s armor and we have our in.” He raised an eyebrow. “Don’t give Gabs a hard time and don’t be a pain in the ass.” Leaning back, he caught Gabrielle’s eye. “Be ready to roll at oh-nine hundred.”
She gave a nod and turned to open their door. There was a click and she swung it open.
Kenneth lifted his chin, lips twisted in a sneer. “You plan on feeding me or is it more of this McBlood you have in these coolers for me?”
In a heartbeat Michael had a hand to Kenneth’s chest and had pushed him inside the room and shoved him backward. The smaller vampire rushed to keep his feet under him.
Enough.One foot wrapped around the back of Kenneth’s heel and down he went, Kenneth landing with a grunt and Michael doing nothing to stop it.
“You trying to fuck me, Rossi?” Kenneth spat in Michael’s face as he leaned over him.
“Only person fucking you is you, asshole,” Michael hissed. “Keep in mind who holds your leash, Williams. If you get out of line, I’ll be forced to put you down like I would any rabid dog.”
“Who holdsyourleash, Captain?” Green eyes flicking to the space over his shoulder, Kenneth’s snarl turned to a twisted grin. “Or are you more concerned about who holds your balls?” He gave an air kiss over Michael’s shoulder where the vampire could smell his mate, her scent mixed with Gabrielle’s behind him. “I might let her hold mine while I suck her dry.” The tip of his pink tongue barely got out to swipe suggestively across his lip before Michael’s fist smashed into it. The sound of cartilage shifting followed by a high pitched wail broke him from his rage. Kenneth’s pained cry turned into broken laughter. Hands dropping, fangs flashing, the vampire licked at the stream of blood flowing from his freshly broken nose. Hysterical laughter erupted, shaking the smaller man’s shoulders. A sharp pain shot through Michael’s brain as the admiral warned him to control himself.
In a flash, he was off and standing by the foot of the far bed, loo
king around the room and taking in the scene around him. He’d been so focused on Kenneth’s taunts he was oblivious to the rest of his team.
Ryan must have heard the commotion or smelled the blood; he stood beside Gabrielle, arms crossed looking supremely annoyed.
Gabs had her arms around Becca, struggling to get to him. From what he could see, it didn’t look like Gabrielle had to try very hard. Becca looked pale. Kenneth’s threatening to harm his mate snapped his last nerve.
Restraint.He reminded himself. He might not want to have to train a new second in command, but Black would not hesitate to take him out should he prove unstable. And if he went down, that would sign Becca’s death warrant.
His vampire howled in frustration but Michael straightened his shirt and addressed the team. “Oh nine hundred. No one leaves their rooms before then.” He spun on his heel and walked to the door. “Becca,” he barked, and walked out of the room.