by J. K. Coi
The general shrugged and looked up at the house before answering. “Yes, it’s probably safe to assume that the man who set the bomb on the airship was Captain Dunsmoor.”
“Why would he do that? How does he know about us?”
“We had a breach of security at the War Office last night. We think he posed as another officer to get in and infiltrate our file. That’s how he would have known you’re being sent to fetch him.”
“By pose, you mean—”
“What happened to his face?” Jasper interrupted
“Last year while he was on a mission for us, one of Captain Dunsmoor’s explosions backfired and caused him significant injury. His identity was exposed to the French. By the time we recovered him and brought him to the good doctor, his life hung by a thread. The heart transplant almost didn’t take. Nobody believed that the damage to his face was repairable, but Helmholtz had been working on a way to synthesize skin cells using his nanites. The War Office requested that in the course of treatment, the captain’s appearance be…altered so his skills could be used more efficiently upon recovery.”
Callie gasped. “You mean you altered his appearance on purpose? Just so that you could use him as a spy?”
Black’s mouth pressed together in a thin line. “As much as you may believe it to be so, I am not personally responsible for every action of the War Office, madam,” he snapped.
“No,” Jasper countered, disgust evident in his sharp tone. “But I’ll lay bets that you could take credit for at least half of them.”
Black raised a brow and sneered. “And would we lay the other half at your feet then, Colonel?”
Jasper’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t rise to the bait. Callie knew he’d tried to break free of his past…right up until the day she was attacked. To save her, he’d gotten on his knees before the very same organization that had nearly stripped his soul and promised to serve them again. It was why Callie had insisted on being his partner. If he was to be indebted, she refused to let him descend back into hell alone.
“So who is he? Whose face did you give him?” he demanded of General Black.
Oh, dear lord. It couldn’t be true, could it? She could understand that in the course of repairing the damage, the man might have come out of it looking a little different. But to have been given someone else’s face. Someone specific. That was diabolical.
“We captured a colonel of the Renegade forces who we understood to be privy to very sensitive information. All our efforts to interrogate him had failed. He happened to match Captain Dunsmoor in size, height and coloring.” The general’s words were clipped, his tone sharp, as if he would provide the facts but nothing more. “The opportunity presented itself, and when Dunsmoor healed from the procedure, he was an exact match for the enemy soldier.”
“Ah, God. Did you even ask him before you hacked away at his face? Christ, of course not.” Jasper spun away and pushed a hand through his hair with a harsh oath before he rounded on Black again. “You took his identity. Turned him into the enemy, and he has no way to ever come back from it. It’s no bloody wonder he turned on you. Jesus.”
Callie was the only one to notice the small twitch in the general’s temple. Was the situation getting to him as deeply as it did Jasper? At some point someone had made him the face of the War Office. From what she knew of him, he wouldn’t have appreciated that. His shoulders were wide enough to take on the burden, but it couldn’t be easy being the one who would always bear the consequences of Britain’s intelligence efforts, which were rarely well received when exposed to the public, and often underhanded and devious.
Why did he continue to align himself with the War Office if he didn’t agree with their methods? Perhaps he was indebted to those in command just as she and Jasper were. Either way, she would never ask. He would definitely never tell.
“This is information we should have been given immediately.” Jasper was practically shouting. “Before the man tried to kill us.”
“But he didn’t succeed,” Black said. “And now you should have no difficulty locating him once you reach Manchester.”
Callie frowned. “The last time you thought he would be in Manchester, he was right here under our noses. What makes you think he’ll go there now?”
“He’ll go to Manchester because he broke into the War Office for a reason,” Jasper interrupted. “The files he stole…he’s still after the doctor, isn’t he? And now he knows where you’ve hidden him.”
Chapter Six
They were given only one hour to pack another bag before leaving again. This time Callie insisted on taking the train, and General Black agreed to transport the three of them to the station. She could only hope that steam travel meant less likelihood of fire and falling to one’s death, but given her luck lately she wasn’t going to bet on it.
As they waited to board, Jasper turned to her. “It isn’t what you thought it would be, is it?”
“What do you mean?”
“The spy business. None of this is very exciting, unless you consider near-death disasters exhilarating.”
“I suppose I assumed our first mission together would be filled with thrilling political intrigue. That we would dash off somewhere romantic like Italy or France under cover of night and wear exotic disguises in order to infiltrate the enemy and recover stolen information vital to our country.” She laughed. “Instead, here we are riding the train to Manchester on a sunny afternoon to apprehend a wanted fugitive of our own government.”
“Despite the lack of seductive intrigue, don’t underestimate the potential for danger. If the degeneration of the nanites in Dunsmoor’s blood has affected his brain and made him as unhinged as Black says—”
She wasn’t able to hide her wince and clenched her hand into a tight fist. “Do you think the doctor will be able to reverse it?”
“I’m certain of it,” he said. Did the conviction in his voice sound forced, or was it only her own doubt that made her think so? “Have you experienced any of the symptoms Peabody mentioned?”
She shook her head quickly and glanced away. It was hard to keep lying to him, but she was afraid admitting the truth would be worse. If Jasper knew what was happening to her, he would either force her to submit to the doctor’s examination, or let fear convince him she should be locked away safely at home for the rest of her days. All the ground she’d gained in her fight to be his equal partner would be lost…and their marriage would be over.
Callie watched a woman drag a large chest on wheels, holding the hand of a small child as they weaved slowly through the crowded terminal. Was she meeting her husband? How long had they been parted? Were they a happy family? Even as she wondered, a man several feet away called out. He lifted his arm, waving madly until the woman saw him. The relief on her face was unmistakable, as was the big smile of joy that brought out a pair of dimples in the little boy’s cheeks. The man pushed his way to them until he could lift the child up with one arm and wrap the other around his wife’s shoulders.
“Thank God,” Jasper said.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“I said I’m glad you’re all right.” He smiled. “I don’t think we have anything to worry about.”
She swallowed a pang of bitterness. She wasn’t so certain, and she really didn’t believe he was, either. With the threat of this degeneration problem hanging over her head, it was a good thing she would not be able to bear children. The thought of transferring her problems to an innocent…no. That she would not contemplate.
But to never know the joy of holding her own child? Never look up to see the smile of tenderness on Jasper’s face as he watched her with their baby? Never to have a child run on tiny little feet into her arms and hear a sweet voice call her “mama”? It hurt. Combined with all the other things she would never do and never have, what did she have to offer, as a woman? As a wife?
Callie shook off such thoughts as Jasper draped his arm over her shoulder and pulled her closer, much like the strange
r had done with his wife. She forced her body to soften and relax, resting her head in the curve of his shoulder. She knew he loved her and she was grateful for the things she did have. She only wished she had something more to give back to him. She feared the day it would stop being enough for him.
Her determination to succeed at this mission doubled. “Yes, I’ve been fine.” She willed it to be the case.
“We should maybe let Dr. Helmholtz examine you when we get to Manchester, just to be cautious,” he continued. That was the very last thing she wanted. “But I’m starting to think whatever problems Dunsmoor is experiencing are endemic to his own physiology, an unforeseen reaction his body may be having to the technology. Perhaps because his very heart was replaced there were more serious complications after his surgery, things we know nothing about. I wouldn’t put it past Black to have kept even more information from us.”
She couldn’t bring herself to lie and agree with him, not when she could hear the fear underlying his optimism. At the same time, she couldn’t voice her own fears, not yet.
The young couple and child had come closer as they made their way to the platform exit. A train pulling into the station on another track pushed a whoosh of wind over the crowd, and the woman’s bonnet blew off her head. Jasper plucked it out of the air and handed it to the man.
“Thank you, sir.”
Jasper smiled at the couple and their child. “It was nothing. You have a very beautiful family. Take care of them.”
The man nodded and said thank you again before reclaiming his little boy’s hand and guiding his wife forward with a gentle touch to the small of her back.
Jasper turned back to Callie, envy and expectation shining in his eyes. “One day soon that’s going to be us.”
“Are you certain? What if—”
“What?”
She swallowed hard. “What if we aren’t able to have children?”
“Don’t talk like that. You’re just nervous because we’ve been talking about it again for the first time since…” He traced the line of her cheekbone with his thumb and looked into her eyes. “We deserve children, Callie. After everything that’s happened, nobody would dare take those dreams away from us.”
“But—”
The crowd had gotten thicker as more and more passengers gathered on the platform. They were surrounded by strangers who didn’t need to be privy to their private business. She couldn’t do this now. She couldn’t watch the hope in his eyes die. Not here.
A quick movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention. Turning, she searched each face, moving slowly until something flickered along her senses. Her gaze settled on a man who looked somehow familiar even though she didn’t think she’d ever seen him before. He wore a long dark jacket, but the collar of a military uniform peeked out from beneath it.
As she examined him, he watched her just as closely, with eyes that pierced the thin veil covering her face.
The man’s light hair was cut short, and there was a severity to his features, as if the skin was stretched too tightly across his cheekbones. For all that, he seemed young, not even two and twenty. She had the oddest sensation of familiarity—
Could it be Captain Dunsmoor?
“Callie, what is it?” Jasper repeated.
“I think we’ve been followed.” She pointed. “The man right over—”
He’d disappeared.
“What man?” Jasper frowned.
“He was there. Dunsmoor.” She shook her head. “Or maybe not. But I think so, and whoever he is, now he’s gone.”
“Are you certain it was Dunsmoor?”
She paused. “No. I’m not. The man I just saw looked younger. In fact, besides the same hair color and build, it didn’t look like the man from the airstrip at all. But something reminded me of him. The look in his eyes maybe. I just…it was only—”
Jasper put his arm around her and leaned in close to whisper in her ear. “Welcome to spy work, my darling. Where you see the enemy at every turn and second-guess yourself constantly.”
“But I could swear…”
He was watching her with an indulgent smile that proved he wasn’t taking her seriously at all. Maybe he was right, but the impotent frustration still burned. “I think we should at least search the train once we’re on board,” she said.
He patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”
“I can help.”
A brief hesitation, and he nodded. “All right, we’ll do it together. But let’s get settled in first.”
He pressed his warm lips to her temple as the cabin attendant appeared and the line of waiting passengers in front of them started to move forward. Callie glanced behind her once more, but neither saw nor felt the presence of anyone paying special attention to them. She smiled up at Jasper, hoping he didn’t see how hard she was working to keep all her worries from leaking out.
As unreasonable as her suspicions seemed, she found herself staring through the small squares of glass inset into each door as they boarded the train and made their way to the compartment Jasper had reserved. She kept wondering where the young man she’d seen on the platform had disappeared to and couldn’t knock the feeling she’d been looking into the face of the very person they’d been ordered to apprehend. The same man who’d stared out at her from a photograph in a file. The same man who’d been not three feet from her this morning on that doomed airship…and she still hadn’t recognized him.
* * *
Jasper was glad he’d had the presence of mind to reserve a second compartment for Patrick. “I told him to rest,” he said to Callie with a grin. “The lad’s had a rough day.”
She removed her veil almost immediately and rubbed her temples.
“Are you all right?”
She smiled up at him but her lip quivered. “Yes, of course. Just a headache from wearing the veil. You know how the mechanical eye tends to overcompensate when I cover it up.”
Her hands were kept busy adjusting the pleats of the long, heavy skirt and he realized just how much inconvenience she suffered in order to appear in public without drawing unwanted attention.
He lifted his hand to her cheek until she looked up at him.
She slipped her hands around his neck. Her breasts pressed against his chest. “Perhaps we should rest as well,” she murmured, lifting her face for a kiss.
There was no resisting her. He didn’t even try.
The desire to be gentle lost out to his need for reaffirmation after everything they’d been through. Another damn fire! He crushed his lips to hers, plunging his hands into her hair.
When she moaned and opened her mouth, he recognized the invitation and responded. His cock hardened and his blood quickened. His tongue slipped inside and slid against hers in a slick exchange of breath and heat and passion until he found himself fumbling at her clothes.
She pressed her open mouth to the crazy pulse pounding near his throat. “Oh, yes,” she whispered, reaching to pull open his jacket and vest, yanking the linen shirt from his waist until she could flatten her hands over his abdomen. “Jasper, hurry.”
Backing up to the long bench seats, she rucked her skirts a little higher with each step until he was seeing more than just the strength and steel of her powerful lower legs, but the smooth creamy skin of her perfect thighs.
He jerked his hat and jacket off and hung them on the hook to cover the small spyhole window in the door, then double-checked to make sure the bolt had been jammed home.
Removing his waistcoat and shirt, he watched Callie. Her breath caught as she watched him, too, and she began to work at the fastenings of her prim white blouse.
His gaze caught on the swell of her breasts as she spread the garment open, but he soon noticed that she’d lost a button in her haste, and her fingers were having difficulty with the last few. “Stupid things,” she muttered, glancing up at him with an apologetic smile. “I should have worn one of the new shirts with the simple snaps, but—
”
His voice felt like sandpaper dragging the back of his throat. “Jesus, Callie.” He pushed a hand through his hair. “What the hell am I doing?”
“What do you mean?” She looked at him in puzzlement.
“I can’t just take you on the bench in a train compartment. You’re my wife, for God’s sake.”
She tilted her head. “So if I wasn’t your wife, you could do it?” Her grin tugged at his control.
“You shouldn’t tease me like that,” he warned, stepping forward.
“And why not? Are you going to do something about it?”
He loved that her playful, daring side had started to shine through again these past few weeks, and up until the past few days the shadows in her eyes had come less and less frequently. She leaned back on the bench and let her legs fall open, leaving her skirts hiked up to her thighs so he could almost see…
Sweat broke out on his brow. He couldn’t look away. God, she was so beautiful. Her smile beckoned him, breasts offering themselves up to be licked and sucked, daring him to leave delicious pink marks all over her before he teased her nipples to hard points.
“In fact, I think I will do something about it.”
She’d said he must quit treating her like fine china, and she was right. He had to stop thinking this second chance would be yanked away as soon as he let down his guard. He wasn’t going to lose her. He could protect her.
Standing between her spread thighs, he wasn’t prepared for her to sit up and reach for the fastening of his pants. In short order his hard cock was in her hands and she leaned over him, taking him in her mouth.
She swirled her tongue and sucked him deep while her hand squeezed. He groaned and shook with the effort to remain standing and not dissolve into a puddle at her feet. Her mouth was bliss, but the sensations she pulled from him were deeper and more complex than he expected, sending him off balance.
Would he slip? Would she sense his tension and fear? Did she know how much the things they’d learned worried him? She might not realize how clearly she’d been broadcasting her own worries. Or that it was killing him to wait until she was ready to tell him. All of this—and the thought of her in danger again for any reason—was enough to rip his heart out, and he was barely holding it together.