Toxic Vengeance

by Kaylea Cross

  Trinity, Jesse and Amber were all there at the airport waiting for them next to the jet when they arrived. “What’d you get?” her sister asked.

  “Something to keep you occupied on the flight.” Megan handed the burners over.

  Amber rushed straight up the steps into the plane. Jesse smirked in chagrin and followed her.

  Heath and Ty helped Zack up the stairs into the cabin while Eden watched anxiously from the base. Trinity held them back with a gesture as she spoke to Chloe.

  Megan stepped up beside Eden, too curious to wait any longer. “Can I ask you something?”

  Eden glanced at her, then up at Zack as he entered the plane, distracted. “Sure.”

  “Were you guys together before?”

  That pretty amber stare came back to her. “Yes.”

  Ah. She’d wondered, but Trinity had never said. “Are you together now?”

  Eden’s expression filled with torment. “I don’t know. I want to be, but—” She stopped and looked away, embarrassed.

  Megan let it go, feeling bad for her. She knew what it was like to feel torn between head and heart, duty and desire. How hard it was to trust an outsider. How hard it was for them to hope. But she also knew how rewarding and freeing it was to let a deserving man in. And from everything she’d seen so far, Zack was deserving.

  “So I just got an interesting tidbit from Rycroft,” Trinity said as she strode over to them with Chloe. “His analysts got intel on the driver of the Tesla from the morgue. And it seems she had an interesting tat on her left hip as well.” She held up a phone.

  Megan cursed under her breath when she saw the picture. The tat was the exact same one as the dead female’s in the alley. “So what are we dealing with here? Another hit squad for the CIA?”

  “Doubtful it’s with the CIA. There’s been so much heat on them since they scrambled to dismantle everything to do with us. No way they’d go down that road again with all the scrutiny they’re still facing.”

  “Then what?” Eden asked with a frown. “The dead woman in the alley is barely out of her teens. Early twenties at most.”

  “Same with the driver last night,” Trinity said, reaching out to place a hand on Eden’s shoulder and giving her a warm smile. “I’m just glad you and Zack are okay. Now go take care of your man.”

  “He’s not my man,” Eden said, looking uncomfortable. But her eyes shot anxiously to the open cabin door as she turned and headed for the stairs.

  “He’s totally her man,” Chloe said with a chuckle when Eden was out of earshot. “And on that note, I’m going to find mine,” she said, aiming for the stairs.

  Just then Ty appeared at the top of the steps. He jogged down them, his gaze swinging from Megan to Trinity. “Pilots have clearance. You guys ready?”

  “Yes,” Trinity answered as she headed for the stairs.

  Megan started to follow her, but stopped next to Ty and waited for the other Valkyrie to disappear inside. Ty searched her eyes, concerned. “What’s up?”

  “Nothing.” Something had clicked for her today.

  The two of them had had so many close calls together, and there would undoubtedly be more before all this ended. Ty had been with her through thick and thin since coming back into her life. She trusted him without reservation and would be utterly destroyed if she lost him.

  Life was guaranteed to no one, least of all them. So what the hell was she waiting for?

  He frowned. “Must be something.”

  She remembered what he’d told her once. That he wanted her to come to him when she was ready.

  Say the word, and I’ll get down on one knee and ask you properly.

  “Okay, there is something.” Megan wound her arms around his waist and smiled up at him. “I think we should get married.”

  His eyes widened. “What?”

  “As soon as possible.”

  A startled smile broke across his face. “Are you serious? I—” He stopped, dropped to one knee in front of her and took her hands.

  “No, hey.” Laughing, she pulled him upward, spying Chloe and Trinity’s curious faces pressed to the windows above them, watching with interest. “You don’t need to do that. I already said yes.”

  Ty wrapped a strong hand around her nape and kissed her. “I’ve got witnesses. You can’t take it back.”

  She grinned up at him, her heart swelling with love and pride. “I won’t take it back.” Everything would be all right as long as she had Ty.

  Her head whipped around when she caught sight of two vehicles racing into the parking lot. Must have tracked them via CCTV feeds or maybe a drone.

  A surge of adrenaline shot through her. “Shit, we’ve got more company. Let’s go,” she yelled up into the cabin as she tore up the steps. Ty was right behind her to yank the hatch shut and lock it. “We gotta go now,” she told the pilots. “Right now.”

  When she turned around, Trinity and Chloe were peering through the windows on the other side of the plane. “Two cars,” Trinity announced.

  The engine noise increased as the pilots powered up and began moving the plane forward.

  Ty was right beside Megan as they hurried to a window across the aisle from the others as the plane turned. “This is gonna be close,” she muttered. They had maybe thirty seconds before the first vehicle was within easy firing range.

  “Yep,” Ty said, settling a hand on her hip, the solid weight of it reassuring her.

  Megan reached for his hand and gripped it tight. Whatever happened, at least they were together.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “Okay, let’s lay you down here so Heath can doctor you up more,” Jesse said as he helped Zack into the small bedroom at the rear of the cabin.

  Oh, yes, thank God for the bed in the back.

  Zack kept one hand pressed to the entry wound and entered the cabin, then gingerly stretched out on his uninjured side while Heath pulled on a new pair of gloves and came to crouch beside the bed with his med ruck. The bandages he’d wrapped around Zack earlier were completely saturated. He dripped blood onto the sheets as Heath unwrapped his waist.

  Zack clenched his teeth at the sudden, intensified burn as the air hit the wounds.

  “We’re gonna need an ultrasound done on your left kidney when we get to the UK,” the former PJ said, reaching for his ruck. “In the meantime, I’m gonna put in some stitches for now. Don’t have any lidocaine on me, but I think I’ve got a fentanyl lollipop in here somewhere if you want it.”

  “Nah, I’m good.”

  “You sure? No shame in it.”

  “I’m sure.” These guys barely knew him. He wasn’t gonna pussy out and suck on a damn lollipop just for some stitches. But he wasn’t gonna look while Heath put them in, either. “Go ahead.”

  “Got a tongue depressor here. Wanna bite down on it?”

  “Just sew me up,” he said curtly, sick of bleeding all over the place and just wanting it over with.

  “Okay.”

  Turned out that having his hide stitched back together without any anesthetic sucked, he decided a few moments later. Heath held a penlight in his teeth while he sewed Zack up with the curved suture needle. Having a needle stabbed into torn flesh wasn’t any fun, and neither was the thread as it pulled through—especially when Heath just kept going. And going.

  “How many stitches are you putting in me?” he bit out.

  “Enough so you don’t leak all over the place,” Heath responded around the penlight. “Shoulda taken the lollipop.”

  Zack was clenching his jaw and trying to think of something else when Eden walked in a moment later. “Hey, how you doing?” she asked softly, coming to kneel in front of him so they were at eye level. She took one of his hands, her eyes full of concern as the engine noise increased and the plane started forward.

  Christ, she was beautiful. Just looking at her eased his pain. “Good.”

  She looked at Heath. “Did you give him any pain meds yet?”

  “Nope. Just ab
out done with the stitches now. When was your last tetanus shot?” he asked Zack.

  “Can’t remember.”

  “Okay, so you’re getting one of those, too.”

  Awesome. What was one more needle stick on top of everything else he’d just gone through?

  “How bad was the exit wound?” Eden asked, peering anxiously at Heath’s hands as he worked.

  “About twice as big as the entry wound. He’s missing a decent size chunk out of his hide, but he’s lucky. Shock wave could have pulverized his kidney.”

  Eden stroked her thumb across the back of Zack’s hand while Heath tied off the last suture and then gave him the tetanus shot in the side of the ass.

  He’d barely withdrawn the needle when hurried treads came up the aisle on the other side of the door, then Trinity yanked it open a second later. “Get ready for immediate emergency takeoff.”

  Eden shot to her feet and spun to look out the small window as Zack bit back a groan and pushed up on his right elbow. “More shooters?” he asked, tensing.

  “Two vehicles racing for us,” Trinity answered, moving to watch over Eden’s shoulder.

  “They’re coming up fast,” Eden said, her posture stiff. “How long until we’re on the runway?”

  “Under a minute, hopefully.”

  Zack thought fast as Heath wound a fresh bandage around his waist. “Have we got any rifles on board?”

  “A few,” Trinity answered, “but if it comes to that, we’re in deep shit.”

  The plane turned sharply. Zack shot out a hand to keep from rolling off the bed and the engines powered up more.

  “They’re coming right at us,” Eden said, turning and dropping to her knees beside him. “Hold on.” She wrapped an arm around his shoulders to brace him, Heath keeping him steady on the other side.

  Zack couldn’t hear the approaching vehicles over the noise of the engines, but then the sharp crack of gunfire punched through it. He grabbed Eden and held her close, ignoring the fresh wave of pain.

  She let out a hiss as rounds hit the back of the plane. “How bad?” she asked Trinity. “Can you see?”

  “No, but… Shit, hold on.”

  More rounds raked across the fuselage.

  The jet kept going, picking up speed, then nosed upward. Zack closed his eyes, helpless to do anything to protect Eden. If any of the rounds had clipped the fuel or hydraulic lines—

  Trinity pushed back from the window and reached for the door, leaning forward to counteract the angle of the plane’s nose. Heath tied off the bandage and squeezed Zack’s shoulder once. “You’re good to go. Hang tight.” He was up and out of the cabin as the plane started to climb.

  Zack started to get up but Eden pressed him down onto his right side with firm hands and a warning look. “Stay here.”

  “No.” He pushed upright, needing to be ready. The plane had sustained significant damage. If they had to do an emergency landing, then he needed to be ready to get Eden out safely within seconds of touching down.

  “Yes.”

  Done with arguing, he swept her aside with one arm, a surge of adrenaline masking the worst of the pain in his side as he struggled to his feet.

  The plane dropped sharply, knocking him off balance. He hit the bed on his good side, bit back a howl of agony as fire shot through him, registering another sharp prick in his hip too late.

  What the hell? He jerked his head up to stare at Eden in astonishment, taking in the syringe held in her hand. “You drugged me?” he accused.

  “It’s for your own good. Now lie down before you rip open your damn stitches,” she ordered, pressing him down once again.

  He opened his mouth to argue but whatever she’d hit him with was already pumping through his system, making his limbs heavy and his entire body drowsy. His grip on her eased, his muscles going lax. Then he smelled it.

  Smoke.

  Eden’s head snapped up as she smelled it too.

  “Jesus, are we on fire?” he said. His voice was already slurred.

  “Dunno.” Her expression was tense.

  Oh, Christ. The plane was burning and he was too weak to move.

  Through his rapidly blurring vision he barely made out Eden’s silhouette as she raced through the door and shut it, the scent of smoke filling his nose as the blackness closed in.

  EDEN SHOVED ASIDE the sharp twinge of guilt and raced up the aisle to the others. Everyone had their faces pressed to the windows, looking at the aft portion of the aircraft. “How bad is it?”

  “Bad,” Trinity said, staring out her window, tension visible in her face and the line of her shoulders. “I can see smoke and flames coming from the tail.”

  “Pilot’s requested an emergency landing,” Ty added, grabbing Megan and pushing her into a seat to strap her in. “Better buckle up.”

  Shit.

  Eden spun and ran back down the aisle, leaning forward to counteract the downward angle of the plane. She didn’t like the sound of the engines, either. The smoke was getting thicker in the cabin, a harsh, acrid stench that burned her eyes and nose, filling the air in a dark cloud.

  Zack was lying on his back on the bed, out cold.

  The smoke was the biggest threat to him at the moment, and he was closest to the source. Eden grabbed him under the shoulders, wrenched his torso upright until he was in a seated position. The door banged open behind her and Ty was beside them an instant later, hoisting Zack over one broad shoulder to carry him out.

  Eden followed, shutting the door behind her to try and contain the worst of the smoke, then rushed after Ty, leaning back to keep from stumbling during the steep descent, and shoved armrests out of the way so he could lay Zack down. The two of them quickly strapped him down tight across the chest and hips with seatbelts, then Eden scooted in beside him to buckle into her own.

  “Thanks,” she said to Ty, who was strapping in across the aisle from her beside Megan. God, they were dropping so fast her stomach was floating up into her ribcage, like the first big drop on a roller coaster.

  “No problem.”

  A second later the cockpit door swung open and the copilot craned his neck to shout at them. “Brace. Heads down, stay down.”

  Eden leaned forward and laced her fingers behind the back of her head. She coughed at the smoke irritating her lungs, then reached down and grabbed hold of Zack’s shoulder. It was for the best that he was unconscious. There was nothing he could do to save them, and if they were about to die at least he wouldn’t suffer the fear and pain.

  The scream of the engines was the only sound other than occasional coughing, everyone otherwise silent as the pilots tried to get them on the ground safely. She didn’t know how close the nearest runway was.

  Just when her heart started to climb into her throat, the plane leveled off. The engines changed pitch. Seconds later, the wheels hit the ground with a thud. Eden grunted, the force of the impact slamming her chin into her knees, knocking her teeth together. They bounced twice, then stabilized, and the pilots hit the brakes hard.

  Oh my God, we’re still alive.

  The thought was still running through her head when the plane came to a sudden halt, more smoke pouring through the cabin.

  “Everybody out,” Trinity ordered.

  Eden needed no further encouragement. She ripped off her seatbelt and reached for Zack’s, ready to get the hell out of this deathtrap.

  ****

  Voices swirled around Zack as he struggled up through the heavy weight of the blackness surrounding him. He was bouncing.

  He struggled to clear the cobwebs from his brain. Something was wrong. Something bad had happened. He hurt. There was danger.

  Shots hitting the plane. Smoke.

  Fire. The plane on fire with Eden in it.

  Zack sucked in a gasping breath and tried to shove upright, the world spinning around him. Pain shot through his side, but he was frantic to find Eden.

  “Uh oh, someone’s awake, and he does not look happy about it.”
>
  He squinted up at the source of the familiar voice. A woman’s face came into focus. Long blond hair. Brown eyes. Jaw working as she chewed.

  Chloe. “Did we crash?” he mumbled, sounding drunk and feeling worse.

  “Almost.”

  What? He struggled to turn his head and look around. Ty and Heath were carrying him using a blanket. “Where’s Eden?”

  “Whoa, take it easy, brother,” Ty said. “She’s fine. Everyone’s fine.”

  He’d believe that when he saw her for himself, and not before. “Where is she?”

  “I’m right here.” Her face appeared above him, and Zack quickly scanned her for signs of injury. She didn’t seem hurt. She even smiled down at him as they carried him…somewhere.

  “You drugged me,” he accused. “Again. While we were on fire,” he added for emphasis. “What is wrong with you?”

  She didn’t look the least bit sorry. “You were being stubborn. Refused all pain meds and wouldn’t stay lying down even though you’d just been shot. It’s your own fault.”

  His own— He dragged in a calming breath, wincing as it spread flames up from his wound. “What’s going on?”

  “Assholes shot our plane full of holes,” Chloe answered, happily chomping away on her gum. “The tail section caught fire.”

  And Eden had rendered him useless in the back. They were having more words about that later. As for right now…

  He glanced around in confusion. Ty and Heath were bouncing him so fucking much, making his already woozy head spin. “Where are we?”

  “Quantico,” Eden answered. “They gave us clearance to do an emergency landing.”

  “Yeah, it was touch and go for a bit there, but it’s all good,” Chloe said cheerily.

  All good… Holy hell. And he’d been unconscious through everything. “Where are we going now?”

  “New ride,” Chloe said. “Man, Rycroft was pissed that we got the last plane shot up.” She grinned, the light in her eyes a little unnerving. “Epic.”

  Yeah. Epic.

  “Do yourself a favor and lie down,” Heath said from behind him, carrying the weight of Zack’s head and upper body. “The dose Eden gave you’ll be in your system for a few hours yet.”