Phoenix Under Fire: A Zodiac Shifters Paranormal Romance: Aries

by Crystal Dawn

  “I heard there was some recruiting going on for a new group. What are the benefits of joining?”

  “What makes you think I know anything about these people?”

  “My mistake. I guess you’re just another loser that doesn’t know anything.” Nite turned to walk away.

  “Wait a minute, Hot Stuff. I might know something. You and your friends looking to join?”

  “I am, not too sure about them.”

  “Maybe we should leave them behind and go off by ourselves?”

  “You are so naughty! Still, I’m not as strong as a hunk like you and a girl has to be careful.”

  “I can understand that, but I’m the trustworthy type. You want me to trust you, so you need to trust me.”

  “Okay. As long as it’s not too far.” She followed the guy out of sight.

  “Is that a good idea?” Ram asked.

  “She’s a peacekeeper and she has a tracker on her. We all do,” Dae admitted.

  “That’s not as bad but shouldn’t we try to keep up with them?” Ram asked.

  “They’ve probably gone inside. Let’s circle around and we’ll be there in case she needs us,” Dae suggested.

  “I guess we don’t have a choice. I hate having her out of sight. How do you manage, man?” Ram asked.

  “It’s not easy, but it’s part of the job and I had to get used to it,” Dae offered. “She’s a strong female and she can take care of herself with that rare exception of when she is overwhelmed with too many adversaries. Then she has a panic button to push.”

  “A tracker and a panic button?” Ram asked.

  “No, a tracker that is also a panic button,” Dae clarified.

  “Can you see how far she is?” Cam asked.

  “She’s right here and I assume that means she’s below us. We need to find a way down,” Dae observed.

  “Well damn,” Cam said and Ram agreed.

  They moved into the nearby building and looked for a way down. “Over here,” Ram said. They both joined him and they went downstairs. “Shit! This is all connected. It looks like it was enlarged recently.”

  “They plan to hide below where no one will look. How far away is she?” Cam asked.

  “Looks like she’s on the other side of this wall. If we go through there, that’s where she’ll be,” He whispered.

  “How many of them could there be?” Cam said as he stepped around the door. “Fuck.”

  The other two followed them. Yeah, fuck. There were at least fifteen of them and they looked like gang members. They actually looked like the gang members that had been hanging out at the pool hall they’d drove by first.

  “Hey, we just came to get our friend back and we’ll be on our way,” Ram informed.

  “She’s our friend now. You have one chance to leave. Take it,” A big guy said. Ram started to laugh. “What’s so funny?”

  “That you think you and your buddies can take us on and win. Tell me, are you in charge?” Ram asked.

  “Yes, I am in charge here,” He confirmed.

  “This is going to be so much fun,” Ram assured.

  “You’re crazy. You guys are outnumbered four to one.”

  “Three to one,” Ram corrected.

  “How’s that?” The male asked.

  “You’re forgetting her,” Ram pointed out.

  “She can’t fight,” He said right before Nite flipped the guy restraining her and smashed his head into the concrete floor.

  “You were saying?” Ram asked.

  “I’ll show you.” The guy aimed a punch straight for Ram’s nose, but he caught the guy’s fist in his hand and squeezed it. The sounds of bones breaking rang through the air. The male screamed in pain.

  At that point, complete chaos broke out. Fists were flying, kicks were lashing out, and Ram felt like he was in his element. He’d not had a fight like this in years. True, it was a serious cause, but was it wrong to enjoy it so much? Ram just didn’t care.

  When all was said and done, their adversaries were done in. He looked around and saw his team was all still on their feet. “Now, we need to decide which of these reprobates to take back with us. The one that claims to be the leader for sure, but I question if that’s true,” Ram noted.

  “I doubt it too. I think this guy was secretly calling the shots here. His name is Con. He had plans for me. They weren’t good plans either,” Nite shared.

  “We’ll take those two and one more. We’ll fold the back seat and there’ll be enough room for the three of them. They’re buddies so they won’t mind close quarters,” Ram explained.

  “You’re devious,” Nite accused.

  “That’s been said before, but I don’t understand why,” Ram admitted, looking innocent.

  Let’s grab these two and a random guy. Toss Nite your keys and she can get the SUV ready for company,” Ram instructed. Cam did as directed and Nite ran up the stairs to prepare for them. After waiting a few minutes and noticing some of the adversaries beginning to stir, he figured it was time to leave. “Let’s go.”

  He grabbed the first male he came to while Cam and Dae got the targeted ones. They lugged them up the stairs and out to the SUV where Nite had everything ready. “I was about to come and get you guys,” She declared. They restrained the males as they loaded them. “We need to get the hell out of here before they get reinforcements.”

  They closed the back and they all got in the same seats as before. “I hope we can get something out of them,” Nite said.

  “We have ways,” Ram assured.

  “Do I want to know?” Nite asked.

  “Best if you don’t. You’ll get full disclosure of anything we find,” Ram offered.

  “I still don’t know who the hell either of you are,” Dae said.

  “We are well connected and your kind of people. That’s all you need to know.”

  “Humph,” Nite made a noise.

  It didn’t matter, Cam just headed toward home. They’d made excellent time and he hoped to be back early enough to meet Annie for supper. He gave her a call even though he had no privacy and made arrangements to meet her at headquarters. Once he knew she’d be there, he made another call and set up a romantic supper in the rec hall. He hung up happy with what he’d accomplished.

  “We invited to supper too?” Nite asked.

  Ram chuckled. “I’m sure you and Dae have plans.”

  “Yeah, right,” Nite said and she reclined and went back to sleep. How rude.

  The ride was long enough to be boring and short enough he couldn’t sleep. Ram was happy when they pulled in the parking lot of their headquarters. He was even happier when he saw Annie there waiting for him. They exited the SUV and he hurried to her pulling her into his embrace.

  “Nite, Dae, nice to see you,” Annie said and they nodded to acknowledge her.

  “You know each other?” Ram asked surprised.

  “I consult for the peacekeepers sometimes,” Annie mentioned.

  “When we can afford it. Annie is the best,” Dae admitted.

  “My father is very money driven,” Annie agreed.

  “You should become a peacekeeper,” Nite suggested.

  “My father would have a calf,” Annie said.

  “He needs to become more community minded,” Dae suggested.

  “We know that will never happen,” Annie admitted.

  “Well thanks for the Simmons case, anyway,” Nite offered.

  “You’re welcome. That poor little kid,” Annie observed.

  “Simmons case?” Ram asked.

  “Annie gave us a freebie. Her father didn’t know. Toddler was abducted by a predator. She found him right away,” Nite said.

  “I was driven to. Poor little thing,” Annie declared.

  “If only we could have that kind of help all the time,” Dae observed.

  “Don’t you have witches that are peacekeepers?” Cam asked.

  “A few, they aren’t like Annie. No one is like Annie,” Nite replied. “It’s
that powerful bloodline, good reflexes, cool head, and caring outlook.”

  “Sounds like you have a crush on her,” Ram observed jokingly.

  “If she was a male or I swung that way, I would,” Nite admitted.

  “Not what I expected you to say. I’ll admit I think she’s wonderful, but she’s my mate,” Ram said possessively.

  “I hadn’t heard,” Dae said. “Congratulations.”

  “It’s not common knowledge yet,” Annie mentioned. “We just met recently.”

  “Mum’s the word,” Nite offered.

  “It’s not a secret either but Dad’s negotiating trying to get his pound of flesh out of Ram’s family,” She admitted.

  “Should you be admitting that?” Nite asked.

  “Dad already told Ram as much,” Annie said with a shrug.

  “I just want to run away with her and come back mated. That would teach him,” Ram declared.

  “I’d pay to see the look on his face,” Nite laughed until tears formed in her eyes.

  “Not a fan of Royal?” Ram asked.

  “I’m a fan of the missus, I don’t know how she tolerates him,” Nite admitted.

  Annie sighed. “I know he’s difficult, but he is my dad.”

  “I know, and for that I’m sorry,” Nite offered. “So, what do we do with these guys?”

  “Let’s take them inside. We have a holding cell,” Ram admitted.

  “Really?” Dae looked interested. “Interrogation can be difficult if you’re not experienced.”

  “We are,” Cam admitted. “All too much so.”

  Nite had the back open where the three men lay trying to get loose. “Just like three peas in a pod.”

  “Let’s each grab our guy and follow Cam to the holding area,” Ram instructed. He picked up his guy who seemed to have gained weight on the way here. “Why does he seem heavier?”

  “It’s all the struggling,” Nite advised.

  Annie got the door and she and Nite trooped after them. Cam went through a door and down stairs Ram hadn’t paid attention to. He and Dae followed. The basement area was two full flights down making it right below the rec room. Lights came on automatically as they approached.

  The place wasn’t fancy, but it was clean, open, and well lit. It looked like ten cells, each with a cot, a toilet, and sink. Nothing fancy there, either. There was a separate room for interrogation with a chair for a prisoner. Ram could see it through the large one way mirror.

  Two of the males were put in rooms, the other was put in the hot seat so he could be questioned. “Any volunteers?” Cam asked. “I’d like to see what one of you do, if you don’t mind.”

  “I’ll take a shot at it,” Dae offered. He walked into the room where the prisoner was restrained in the chair. He was no longer gagged. “What’s your name?”

  “I don’t have to tell you anything.”

  “You don’t, if you don’t mind being sent to our prison for life.”

  “I didn’t do anything.”

  “Then answer my questions. If you’re innocent, you’ll get to go back home. Now, tell me what your name is?” Dae asked again.

  “Mason Treller.”

  “Okay, Mason, what were you doing with those guys?”

  “They threatened us, all of us. When I get home, my family will probably be dead.”

  “Who threatened you?”

  “You have one of them. His name is Con and the other one is Vin, but he wasn’t there. He comes around once in a while to see if everything is going like he wants it to.”

  “When was he there last?”

  “Just last night. He was pissed. Vin said the cops were interfering with him getting the whores he needed. He’s got a cop in the station feeding him information.”

  “That’s helpful, Mason. Did he say who the cop was?”

  “One of them is dead, no Deeds?”

  Dae and Nite looked at each other. Yes, this was helpful to them. Ram hated dirty cops. They sold out the public trust. One was about to go down hard.

  “Do you want us to get your family? We’ll send someone for them so they won’t get hurt.”

  “Would you? We have a newborn and a two-year-old.”

  “Here,” Dae passed him a notepad. “Write down your address.”

  “Nite, go get them yourself please? I have a bad feeling,” Annie said.

  “Are you psychic?” Nite asked.

  “No, I cast a spell and danger surrounds his family. These bad people have cops on the force in Miami,” Annie offered.

  “Okay. We’ll go now, but we’re coming right back here. Tape any questioning they do,” Nite demanded.

  “Watch out for Officer Tompkins. I don’t know if he’ll be there or not. If he is, don’t trust him,” Annie advised.

  “I understand. Basically trust no one, not even cops. I got it. Come on Dae, let’s go.” They left and now Ram, Cam, and Annie were alone with the prisoners.

  “Don’t put that man near those other two, they’re poison,” Annie said.

  “I hadn’t planned to,” Ram admitted. “I think he’s just a victim. His aura is a little muddy, theirs is black.”

  “You can see auras?” Annie asked.

  “Sometimes. This guy got handed some bad luck,” Ram said as he got him loose from the chair and took him far away from the other two. “Get some rest, man. When your family gets here, we’ll feed you.”

  “Now what?” Annie asked.

  “I need to call my dad,” Ram informed.

  “This shit is getting real fast,” Cam offered.

  “I should call my dad, but he’ll want in the middle of everything,” Annie admitted.

  “Will the peacekeepers allow that when he never helps them?” Ram asked.

  “He’s a political figure. He’ll pull some strings and they’ll have to,” Annie revealed. “Does your dad help your peacekeepers?”

  “He’s the head peacekeeper. We don’t have much crime, but when we do, he’s all over it,” Ram declared.

  “Is that true? Ram might not see his dad clearly,” Annie asked Cam.

  “His dad is solid. The man is true blue,” Cam agreed.

  “My dad tries, I think. He just can’t see past his own responsibilities,” Annie admitted.

  “Hey, why don’t we leave Cam down here and go upstairs for a while? I have something for you to see.” Cam nodded his agreement.

  Ram would have food sent down here to him. They were going to have to call in some support. Things were getting out of hand right when his dad was planning a visit. He led Annie upstairs and took her to the rec room. A lovely candle-lit supper was laid out with roses and everything.

  “This is beautiful.” Annie gushed.

  Ram pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply. He’d got a lot done today, but damn he’d missed spending time with her. That was his only regret. Whoever Hubolla was, he had a head start on them, but Ram would deal with that. This evil guy wasn’t going to win.

  Chapter 7

  Love Me

  Annie was tired of waiting and exactly what was she waiting for anyway? He was her mate, of that she had no doubt. His kiss set her on fire and she wanted that fire put out. There was only one way to do that. Right now, they were sitting at a table covered with food and Ram was smiling at her.

  Her heart was so full of feelings, she thought it might burst. He’d been out of town all day working hard and still had arranged for this wonderful meal. She had never felt more cared for. Ram was eating his meal, but monitoring her closely so he could meet her every need. The man had also ordered a meal for Cam so they could take it to him when they were finished eating.

  Thoughtful people made a big impression on her and this guy was as thoughtful as anyone could be. “You seem distracted,” Ram noticed.

  “No, I’m just wondering what you intend to do with the prisoners,” Annie admitted.

  “We’ll question them and once we’re sure we’ve gotten what we can out of them, the peacekeepers wil
l take them.”

  “How will you be sure?”

  “Sure of what?”

  “That you’ve found out all they know?”

  “It’s an educated guess, I suppose.”

  “Do you want me to double check?”

  “How would you do that?”

  “The easiest way is a truth spell.”

  “That makes them tell us whatever we want to know?”

  “In a perfect world, maybe. It just prevents them from lying. Usually that means they’ll say nothing at all.”

  “But if they do speak, it will be truth?”

  “Yes, that’s how it works. They can’t lie, but it doesn’t make them talk.”

  “We can work with that. At least we can check out whatever they do tell us.”

  “How do you like your meal?”

  “I love cordon bleu. It’s hard to find the good stuff.”

  “I hope this qualifies.”

  “It certainly does. The rice pilaf is marvelous too.”

  “I wasn’t sure what you might like and the chef here is French. He suggested the escargot but I don’t eat snails,” Ram admitted.

  “Me neither,” Annie shivered. “I don’t like oysters either and I use sushi for bait.”

  “You go fishing?”

  “I do. Whenever I get a chance.”

  “Do you dive or maybe swim?”

  “I do both. The waters around Florida are gorgeous and they hide many amazing sights.”

  “I know a place you’d like just as well. I plan to take you all over the world to many exotic locations.”

  “I’ve only traveled in the U.S. I would love to travel the world with you,” Annie agreed.

  “I’ve seen the world, but it will all be like it’s new with you at my side.”

  Ram was a romantic at heart which surprised her. It shouldn’t have because she was too and that matched them perfectly. They finished their meal and he pulled out the dessert. He took a fork and cut some cheesecake then held it up to her. She took it and savored it.

  “Mm, that’s so good.” They shared the dessert until someone entered the room and dropped off Cam’s food.

  “Let’s finish this and bring Cam his food and discuss what he’s found out.” They finished dessert and he grabbed the bag loaded with Cam’s food.