Fearless Mating

by Milly Taiden

  Josh looked down at her with sparkling eyes. Marriage? she thought. He didn’t want that right away, did he? When she mentioned getting married and kids earlier, she was joking. And kids—no way in hell. Ever. Womb closed for remodeling, eternally.

  The first lady pushed on her husband’s arm. “I don’t bring up half the things you did in school. You should be glad.” She went up on her toes and pecked him on the lips. That, Candy could do. Josh was a lot taller, but on her tiptoes, she could reach his lips. PDA as obvious as that would have to wait. Besides, given how her moves were working on him, she’d probably end up kissing his armpit or some shit.

  “Back to the question.” The first lady drew her attention. “I didn’t mention this, Candy, but in 1814 when the British set the house on fire, it completely destroyed everything inside except the painting of George Washington that Dolley Madison had cut from the frame and fled with. So this letter dated before that is a miracle.”

  “And apparently that book,” Josh added. “What’s the title?”

  Carefully, Monica let the book lower while holding the front cover level. She smiled and nodded. “Of course. It’s Dolley’s family bible. She wouldn’t leave without that. The president’s notes she must’ve grabbed on her way out or used them as a bookmark maybe.” The first lady carried the book and letter to a small side table, still talking about the find; the president followed.

  “Cool,” Josh said. “History is so much better in person.”

  Candy shook her head and rubbed her hand over her face.

  “What?” he whispered in her ear. Should she explain to him that history means not being there in person? Nah. She’d let him be happy in his own little world where everyone knew him.

  He kissed her on the head and took her hand. “Let’s see what the rest of this looks like before we drag those two farther in,” he said, motioning with his head to the president and first lady.

  On the way, she noted a slightly worn path in the dirt. Not much, but they were not the only ones to have walked this. She wondered if this open space was meant for something secret. Not built out yet. Josh tapped her on the arm.

  “Babe, shine your light on the ground in front of us,” he said. Kneeling, he examined faded small spots.

  “What is it? I don’t see much there,” she said. He pinched the dirt between his finger and thumb and brought it to his nose.

  “Blood.”

  Chapter Thirty-two

  “Old blood,” Josh said. Finding something like this in as remote a place as this, put his senses on alert. Searching for more, he saw a pattern of drips farther under the house.

  “How did you see that?” Candy asked. “It was nothing.”

  “That’s what I’m trained for, babe. My job. And that’s why you’ve changed your mind and are letting my department remain open.”

  She hit him on the arm with the flashlight. “Don’t gloat or I will change my mind back.” The smell of happiness surrounded her.

  “Let’s see where this blood trail goes.” He took her hand and led the way. He had to admit, it was sort of creepy walking under a huge-ass building. But the beams and bars, though rusty, looked sound.

  Then he caught that smell again. Death, decay. “Shine the light over the area,” he asked his mate. Slowly she scanned right to left. And there it was. She saw it too and walked ahead of him.

  “Is that what I think it is?” she asked. When they reached the disturbed earth, he had to say yes.

  “I do believe that is a shallow grave with bones and clothes sticking out. Rather hasty job on the cover-up. The government’s gotten better at that since this guy.” Behind him, she heard a gasp. The president and first lady had come up behind them. “Mr. President, I believe we found the reason why this secret passage was closed up.”

  The big guy stood beside him. They looked like linebackers for the Dallas Cowboys in white T-shirts and sweatpants. “This is certainly a surprise,” the man said. “Wonder who it was.”

  “We’ll send a crew in to collect evidence and figure that out,” Josh responded. “I wonder if that has anything to do with all the stuff over there.” Meaning the artwork and furnishings.

  The first lady shook her head and said, “Probably not. I think when remodeling, they needed a place to put those things until the basement storage room was completed. The tunnel connecting East and West Wings displaced several storerooms. They probably forgot it was down here.”

  “And whoever dumped this body was in too much of a hurry to care if it stayed down here,” his mate said. “Is this a secret passage, or just the underside of the house that happens to be six feet off the ground?”

  “All the secret passages I know of converge in the subbasement. I wasn’t told about anything under the house,” the first lady said.

  “Me, neither,” her husband replied. “I’m thinking that spiral staircase and all of this space was purposefully forgotten.”

  “Because of the dead body?” the first lady asked.

  “Maybe,” he replied. “We need to find out who that is before we can make any conclusions.”

  Josh nodded and turned in a circle, surveying the space. “Should we further examine the area or go back up to the basement? Think there’s anything on the other side?” Both flashlights swept the distance. Scores of structural materials, wires, and pipe were all there was to see—until Candy moved her light to the far right corner. Something shined when the light hit it.

  “There’s something in the corner. It could be a door. Let’s have a look-see, shall we?” Josh scooped up her hand again, leading around ground obstacles and overhead impediments.

  “Director, Candace,” the first lady said. The two stopped and looked where her flashlight was pointing along the wall. In the expanse of cement block was a black circle about a yard wide and a few feet off the ground.

  Josh glanced at Candy. “Any ideas?”

  “No,” Candy said. “Let’s check out the corner then we can backtrack if needed.”

  Josh hoped this corner had a door that led to somewhere safe and out. As soon as they did get out of this hellhole, he needed to make plans to mate and get married. They should get hitched right away. Maybe Vegas. Unless she was one of those girls who wanted a big shebang for a wedding. On second thought, hopefully they could hold off. He’d wait for her to bring it up.

  Unless she waited too long. He wanted to start their family right away. Like, when they got home tonight, right away. Her having siblings, he guessed she’d want several pups too. At least a half dozen. That reminded him, she never told him what happened to her siblings and her during the years after their mother died. He’d have a brother- and sister-in-law. Cool, a family of their own. He and his wolf had waited so fucking long for this. He was so excited, a thrill ran down his spine, giving him a shudder.

  “You okay there, son?” Mr. President asked.

  “Yes, sir. Fine, sir,” he replied. “A bit cold. That’s all.” His mate stared at him with concern. If she could trip on flat ground when she didn’t take a step, then he could be cold even though shifters ran hot.

  He winked at her and quickened his step. Going from one side of the house to the other was a long distance. Candy shined the light in the corner again and the shiny metal turned out to be a door. Thank god. They could go home.

  “Where are we in relation to the house?” Candy asked.

  The first lady looked around. “I’d say we’re at the far east side.” She pointed to the door. “See the letters on the door.” Josh easily read PEOC. “They stand for the Presidential Emergency Operations Center.”

  “Never heard of it,” his mate said.

  The president banged on the door with his fist several times. “It’s a bunker shelter and comms center in case of national emergencies or disasters.”

  “Oh,” Josh said. “I thought that was hidden in the mo
untains somewhere.”

  “There’s a couple there, too,” the president added. He banged again.

  The first lady tapped a finger on her chin. “You know, we are still a long way from the East Wing. Will they hear us?”

  The president sighed. “When I toured the PEOC, we started down a dark hall that led to one of the escape passages never used by any president, they said. I was in a hurry and decided to come back the next day to walk it. Never did, though.”

  Josh put his hands on his hips and said, “Seems strange. If I were in one of the safest places in the world like the PEOC, why would I leave?”

  “Agreed. Leave a nuclear protected bunker?” Candy asked and looked over her shoulder. “Not sure I’d call the spiral steps an escape route since you’re still stuck inside the house, even if in the subbasement.”

  Josh shrugged. “Semantics.”

  The president knocked on the door again. Josh felt their luck at finding a door was low. No one could hear them. They’d have to go back up to the house where more bombs could be waiting.

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Candy wandered off, following the cement block wall. If someone came to the PEOC door, then she’d hurry back. But that didn’t seem likely. The first lady was right: they were too far away for anyone to hear them.

  Josh hurried to catch up with her. She smiled at him. He had always been there for her, even when she didn’t want his cute ass around. He was more dedicated than she thought he would be. Not many guys in her past were award-worthy when it came to sticking around. But that was nearly impossible in her career situation. She could get used to him being nearby. She wasn’t telling him that, though. Boy needed to work harder before that.

  “We pretending again?” she asked.

  “Always,” he replied. “Where you going?”

  “Looking for the black circle in the wall,” she said. “I have a hunch about something.” She was thinking that maybe this space was designed on purpose, despite the dead body. She needed proof before spitting out her crazy idea. And to her, her idea seemed over the top.

  After a few steps she asked him, “Does your wolfy sense tell you which direction north is down here?”

  His eyes closed and head tilted back. She thought he’d be able to do this since the pull of magnetic north tugged on every object on the planet. Including animals. Ducks used it to fly south. Sea life used it to navigate north thousands of miles to give birth. A wolf would know.

  He put his hand on the wall next to which they were walking. “This is the north side of the house.”

  “Good.” One of the criteria was correct. Now if all the others worked. When they came upon the circle, she saw it wasn’t what she’d expected. A four-inch pipe came straight down the wall through the bottom of the house and curved into a pipe, three-feet in diameter, that extended forward from this point. She squatted and shined her flashlight down the tube. “See anything?” she asked.

  “Nothing different than the hundred feet before it,” he replied.

  “Can you see the end?” That would be astonishing. There would be no way she’d shut down these amazing creatures. That would be doing the U.S. a disservice. And besides, she couldn’t handle him with her 24/7. If she didn’t get a break, she’d run around the block screaming. Him following, of course.

  “I can see pretty far, but it ends in black, so I don’t know if that’s all I can see or if it’s the end.”

  Only one way to find out. She slipped her upper body and a knee in and that’s as far as she got. “Let go of my leg. Josh? What the hell?” She tried to shake him off but knew it was futile.

  “Hell, no, I’m not letting go,” he growled. “I’ll go if you tell me what you’re thinking.”

  She conceded and backed out onto her feet. Monica and the president were coming to join them. So much for getting proof beforehand.

  “What have you got there, Sergeant?” the president asked.

  “Well, sir, the black circle we saw is actually a pipe extending a long way.” She gave Josh a stink eye. “I was going to see where it went, but my associate didn’t like that idea.” Josh stood with arms crossed over his chest, not fazed one bit about her tattling on him. The president looked between the two of them. She could only imagine what he was thinking.

  The president cleared his throat. “Sergeant, your job is to protect me, right?”

  “Yes, sir,” Candy replied.

  “Then since I am here, I suggest Director Tumbel be the one to go,” he concluded. Not the answer she wanted, but one she respected. Diplomatic.

  “Yes, sir.” She turned to Josh. “Get going. If we’re not here when you get back, someone from PEOC opened the door. I’ll come back for you. Maybe.” Yes, she would always come back for him.

  Josh leaned down and gave her a big kiss. She was mortified and loving it. She pushed him away, breathless. “I’ll always come back for you, too. Don’t forget it.” With that, he was gone.

  Her face felt on fire. She steeled herself for the smackdown the president had a right to give after such a display. How many times had she gotten on others for just holding hands, also prohibited?

  She contemplated pulling a pistol from the pocket of her camo pants and shooting once down the tunnel, knowing it would hit Josh in the ass. His wolf would heal him with their mojo or whatever it was they possessed.

  “Sorry, sir. I . . .” She had nothing to say.

  “Sergeant—” the big man barked.

  Monica cut in. “I think that was an ambush, don’t you, dear?” Her husband stared at her with a questioning look. “Yes, an ambush. She had no warning of such an attack and was unprepared to handle it according to regulation.” She winked at Candy. “I think we should be very happy she survived.”

  The big man sighed, wrapped an arm around his wife and kissed her on the forehead. “All right, dear. I pick my battles and this one I’ll give to you. It’s not like we’re in public anyway.”

  Candy was speechless, but instantly knew why these two people had been together so long. She had witnessed the secret to a loving relationship that would never end. The couple made it look so easy. But Candy knew better. Her father did beat her mother to death.

  A loud explosion startled them and the steel beams shifted and groaned above their heads. The front of the White House was collapsing.

  Chapter Thirty-four

  “In the tunnel. Now!” Candy hollered. The first lady was already moving in the direction of the mysterious tunnel under the White House and the president had enough smarts not to argue. Candy brought up the rear, her flashlight illuminating the way so the first lady could crawl faster without using the one she held. She heard Josh’s voice echoing. She answered, “We’re behind you. Keep going.”

  They hadn’t left the second floor that long ago, but long enough for the bomb dog and the explosives crew to get there. Hopefully, that wasn’t the team’s attempt to disarm a device. Tears came to her eyes, which surprised her. She’d been a hard-as-nails, don’t-give-an-inch-on-anything, badass leader. Never once, even as a child, had emotions overwhelmed her. She always found a way to hide from them.

  Then she met Josh and twelve hours later, she was a mush. But a happy mush. These feelings Josh created in her were new and exhilarating. She saw the world in a different light. Everything wasn’t bad, not everybody would hurt you, and some things weren’t worth getting mad about.

  Was she okay with this change in herself? Yes. Yes, she was. Sheldon was right. Women were not on the same level as men. Women were continuously evolving creatures, growing and broadening with every new experience. Women see the world and internalize it, taking the good in it and throwing away the rest. That was how she’d coped all these years in hell’s home with her father and then on the battlefield.

  When her face was suddenly close to the president’s proportionally large backside, she push
ed herself backward. Oh, god, how horrible would it have been if her head plowed into the ass of the man she was sworn to protect? At least then no one could accuse her of having her head up her own ass. A giggle forced itself from her throat. God! Now she was really losing it. Sergeants in the United States Army didn’t giggle.

  Then she heard Monica’s voice up front. “You’re not passing laughing gas back there, are you, dear?”

  The president grumbled, “Teachers and their kiddie jokes.”

  That was too much for her. She covered her mouth with her hand and laughed out loud. She’d get in trouble, but it was worth it.

  A gruff “Sergeant” echoed back to her and she took a deep breath.

  “Here, sir. Sorry, sir.”

  The man grumbled more and she had to bite her lip. This couple was amazing. She needed to learn all she could from Monica. Maybe then she would be good enough for Josh. His voice was just ahead of her. He was helping the first lady from the tunnel. The president crawled out next and Josh was there for her.

  She emerged in a small round room lined with more cement bricks identical to those under the house. Steel and wood beams supported a flat roof with a machine of some kind in the center with a pipe sticking up from it, through the ceiling. The others were looking around, gaping as well.

  This was not what she was expecting. “Is this really the fountain in the north lawn?” she asked.

  “Huh,” the president said, “this must be what the POEC meant when they said the door led to a passage.”

  His statement made her feel better at least. Her crazy idea about the fountain being a way out wasn’t so crazy. Now they just needed to find the “out” part of it.

  “Everybody watch your eyes,” Josh said. A red light in a green mesh cage filled the room. If that didn’t scream military design, she didn’t know what did.

  “What’s that?” Candy asked, pointing to the boxed machine sitting on a platform in the center of the space.