by Lynn Hagen
“Are you Alpha Enrique?”
Dorian began to sweat, glancing at the glove box. His fingers cramped thinking about grabbing the gun. He knew he couldn’t let them get arrested.
“Who’s asking?” Rick’s tone never wavered or gave away that he was probably just as scared as Dorian.
“Sympathizers,” the cop answered. “There’s a road block a mile up the road. It would be in your best interest to take another route.”
Dorian’s jaw hit his chest.
“Thanks,” Rick replied.
“I’d stay off the main highways and roads as well. You never know who you might run into. And get another vehicle. This one attracts too much attention. Y’all have a nice day.” The cop grabbed the brim of his hat, gave a slight nod, and then walked away.
“Holy shit,” Dorian said in a rush of breath. “Did he really just warn us?”
“He did,” Rick said and then made an illegal U-turn in the middle of the road, heading in the opposite direction. The cop didn’t stop them. Halfway down the road, Rick took the exit, getting them off of the main highway.
“Should I be really worried that a state highway patrol knows about what’s going on?” Dorian asked. “I mean, we knew the government was out to exterminate nonhumans, but a freaking highway patrol cop knows what’s going on, Rick.” Dorian could hear his voice rising and knew panic was setting in. Just how big was this?
“Calm down, Dorian.”
“You calm down. What in the fuck is going on?” Dorian couldn’t breathe. His heart was beating too damn fast.
“A war,” Rick reminded him.
“Oh, fucking hell,” Dorian said as the inside of the car began to spin. Rick pulled over into an empty lot, grabbed Dorian, and kissed the shit out of him. It had been such a surprise move that Dorian’s first response was to slide his good arm around Rick’s neck, holding on for dear life.
Rick softened the kiss, nipping at Dorian’s bottom lip. “Are you calm now?”
Dorian numbly nodded. He had never thought Rick could kiss so damn well. Everything about the man was hard—except his lips. He had kissed Rick the night they had fooled around, but it was nothing compared to the way the man had sank into his mouth just now. His lips tingled for more as the man slid away from him. Sitting there in stunned disbelief, Dorian damn near asked Rick to do it again.
“It tasted better than I remembered,” Rick said and then pulled back onto the road. “I’ll have to get another when we find a motel room.”
Dorian numbly nodded once more. He wasn’t sure what to say. Rick was surprising him left and right lately. And if truth were told, Dorian would have to say that Rick tasted just as good as he remembered.
“It’ll take us much longer to reach the truck stop, but we should be safe on the back roads.” Dorian heard the strain in Rick’s voice. The man was just as affected as he was by the kiss.
“Okay,” Dorian replied and then sat back when the throb in his shoulder began to increase. “But I think I should take a pain pill right now. My shoulder is killing me.”
Rick looked apologetically at Dorian. It was the first time Dorian had seen him look so regretful. “I wouldn’t have slammed on the brakes had I noticed you weren’t wearing your seat belt.”
Dorian reached for the small bag Bryson had given them. He fished out the pills and took one, drinking the Gatorade Rick had bought for him early this morning. It was piss-ass warm, but helped him swallow the pill.
He tossed the bag back onto the floor in front of him and then settled back, closing his eyes, and thinking about the kiss Rick had given him.
Somehow, his attraction toward Rick no longer bothered him.
Chapter Sixteen
Rick drove his car behind the truck stop and parked next to the big red Yukon. It had new dents in it that Rick hadn’t seen before and knew they were from Nate helping them escape the Death Squad.
Glancing at Dorian, Rick saw that he was still fast asleep. He reached over and pressed his hand over Dorian’s forehead. It was cool to the touch. He was going to have to clean the wound when they got to a motel room.
Rick slipped from the car, checking the area before heading toward the back of Nate’s truck. He was surprised when Nate gave him a quick hug. “Good to see you’re still alive.”
He was glad he was still alive as well. “I ran into a state highway patrol when I left the rest stop.”
Nate growled. “Did he try to arrest you?”
“No,” Rick said as he glanced into the back of the truck to see two large duffel bags. “He warned me about a road block and suggested I stay off the main roads.”
“Seriously?” Nate asked. “How would he know?”
“Dorian asked the same question. I think this is bigger than either you or I suspected. I mean, the caller said the government was behind this, but seeing it in real life is so damn surreal.”
Nate looked toward the Mustang. “How is he?”
“Asleep. He’s holding up pretty well. His shoulder is healing, but I worry about his mental state. I’m pretty damn sure he led a mundane life before all of this, and then to be tossed into the fire in such a short period of time…” Rick shook his head. “Amazingly, he’s doing okay.”
“He’s stronger than you give him credit for. Since this has happened, the pack has agreed to put off making you choose a mate. Silvia isn’t arguing about it or Omar for that matter. They both agree that you can take your time.”
Rick felt one of the burdens lift from his shoulders. “Honestly, Nate, between you and I,” he said, “there wasn’t going to be any choosing. I decided when Dorian got shot to make him my mate.”
Nate grinned. “I knew you would. For a human, he has incredible backbone.”
“You just want to sleep with him,” Rick said as he grabbed one of the bags. “So forget about it. I’m not giving him up.”
Nate laughed. “I was just pulling your chain.”
They both turned when a black SUV pulled into the truck stop behind Nate. Rick’s heart was in his throat, thinking the Death Squad had found them until he saw Selene jump from the driver’s seat and close the door. “Got you a new vehicle to drive, Alpha.”
Rick set the bag down and wrapped his arms around her. “Thanks, Selene.”
“Hey,” Nate said. “Get the bags into the truck.”
Rick turned, seeing irritation in Nate’s jade-green eyes. Well, now wasn’t that interesting. Rick had never suspected that Nate had feelings for his subordinate. Taking a step back, Rick released her. If Nate was going to find a mate, Selene was a good choice for him. Although it made him inwardly chuckle. Nate could be very dominating and pigheaded at times. He had a feeling Selene wouldn’t put up with that.
Good.
“We checked on Dorian’s brother,” Selene said as she opened the back door of the SUV.
“How is he?” Rick asked, helping Nate load the truck.
“Better, although he is going through withdrawals. I’ve never dealt with a fang addict before. It’s almost like he is withdrawing from a real street drug. He had the shakes, cold sweats, and pain. Olivia is taking damn good care of him, but…” Selene shook her head, her eyes filled with sadness. “He’s so young. It breaks my heart to see him like this.”
“He’s a fighter,” Nate said. “Just like his brother. Ian will pull through.”
Rick nodded. “Good, because I need Dorian focused on what lies ahead. I can’t have his mind on his brother.”
“That’s cold.” Selene narrowed her chartreuse eyes.
“It’s a fact,” Rick replied. “If Dorian is worried about Ian, his concentration is somewhere else. That could mean the difference between life and death.” It did sound ruthless, but Rick had to think about his and Dorian’s safety. This fight was bigger than anyone anticipated, and he didn’t need his or Dorian’s head blown off because Dorian was worried about Ian.
Rick had nothing against Ian, but his first priority was Dorian.
�
��Here.” Nate reached into his back pocket and pulled out a wallet. “It has fake IDs in there for you and Dorian. There are also some prepaid credit cards and some cash. I used your emergency bank card that you keep hidden at your place to withdraw the cash, so if your accounts are being watched, then whoever is watching them thinks you are still in Shelton.” Rick took the wallet. “I also used your bank card to buy groceries.” Nate grinned. “I needed them, and you needed to look like you were still in town.”
Rick nodded at the SUV. “Whose ride is that?”
“Jay, over in the leap, owns a car dealership. He dummied the paperwork so the title matches your new identity. There should be no problems if you get pulled over, but I would suggest you avoid that as much as possible.”
“Rick got pulled over by a state trooper,” Nate told Selene. “The guy warned Rick about a road block and told him to stay off of the main roads.”
“No shit,” Selene said in amazement. “Then the rumors are true.”
“What rumors?” Rick asked.
“There is a manhunt for you and Dorian. Be careful. You and Dorian’s picture has been on television for days now. There is even a reward for your capture.”
Rick remembered the newspaper he had seen in the gas station early this morning. “I saw a paper with mine and Dorian’s picture on it, but I didn’t stop to read it.”
“You don’t know?” Selene asked and then turned to Nate. “He doesn’t know.”
“Know what?” Rick asked, his gut clenching. From the expression on Selene’s face, he wasn’t going to like this. She was usually composed, showing very little, but right now, her emotions were bare on her face. She was afraid.
Nate cleared his throat. “The head detective on your murder case was found dead, his throat ripped out. They are blaming it on you.”
Shit. If the authorities thought he killed a cop, then every fucking law enforcement official had a hard-on for him right now. This was so fucked-up. They were trying to corner him, giving him and Dorian nowhere to run. He was now labeled a cop killer. There would be nowhere he could go that would be safe. Now more than ever Rick had to watch who he came into contact with. There was a price on his head, and many a person would cash in on him.
“Get word to Dorian’s father that he is safe. From what Dorian tells me, they are pretty close. I don’t want him worrying about his son.”
Selene nodded. “We’ve already been in touch with him about Ian. He’s a pretty damn good human and an even better father. He says he’ll protect Dorian and Ian with his life.”
“Tell his parents to take a vacation or something. I don’t want them used against Dorian.”
Nate grinned. “Way ahead of you. We already stashed them, along with Isabelle, with Miguel’s parents.”
Rick grimaced. “Miguel is going to adopt Dorian’s parents, you know that, right?” He was relieved that his sister was taking this seriously. She could be a brat sometimes, but he loved her. That was one less person he had to worry about. Miguel’s home had a hidden escape route underneath, allowing easy escape if needed. The underground tunnels led to an opening close to the Great Oak Forest.
Selene smiled. “He already has. He thinks Dorian’s mother is his responsibility. She can’t make a move without Miguel following her. Benito is just as bad with the father. Luckily, Dorian’s parents are good-natured people and are handling this pretty well.”
Rick nodded. “How’d your meeting with Sasha go?” he asked Nate.
“He says whatever you need, it’s yours. And to tell you he may know who killed the three changelings.”
Rick rubbed the back of his head as he nodded. As badly as he wanted to find out who killed the three changelings, the situation he was in now took precedence.
Selene nodded toward the truck. “There are two throwaway phones in the front console. And I’ve already rented a large storage unit for your car. It’ll be safe.”
“Sounds pretty ridiculous that I worry about my Mustang when the world is falling apart.”
Selene shook her head, her expression intense. “No, you need something normal to grasp right now. There is nothing wrong with it. Once this is all over, I’ll have your car repaired.” She gave him such a sad smile as she continued. “Whatever happens, Rick, know that your pack is fighting just as hard as you are to keep the weaker members safe.”
She had used his first name. Things were pretty damn bad when a pack member without top rank used his first name. He glanced back at the Mustang. “I need to move Dorian.”
Selene walked around the back of the truck and opened it. “I placed thick blankets back here so he could rest more comfortably.”
Her thoughtfulness seemed never-ending. Rick was forever grateful to these two. If it wasn’t for Nate and Selene, he would have been sunk by now. In that moment, the realization hit home that Rick was going to have to depend on a lot of people if he were going to pull this off. Some may twist a knife in his back while others were going to die helping him.
“You need to get moving,” Nate warned. “Spending too much time in one place isn’t good.”
Rick headed toward the car. He opened the door, unbuckled Dorian, and then, as gently as he could, lifted the smaller human into his arms, carrying him to the back of the SUV. As he settled Dorian in, he turned to Nate. “Can you clean my car out and store the things in it up front?”
Nate gave him a knowing nod. Rick was going to need his gun. “I brought you extra ammo.” Nate walked to Rick’s car.
“He’s perfect for you,” Selene commented. “I’ve met his parents. They are strong people, and it seems they passed that trait to their sons.”
Rick tucked the blankets around Dorian, using the duffel bags to press on either side of his body, making him more stable for the ride. He ran a knuckle down the side of Dorian’s face, wishing he could see the man’s pretty brown eyes and remembering the kiss they shared. “He is perfect for me,” Rick admitted. “Strong, brave, and willing to fight a battle he could easily walk away from.”
“Not that easily.”
Rick shook his head. “Yeah, it could be easy. All he has to say is that I used some sort of mind control on him, tell them everything he knows about us, and be done with it. I even offered to drop him off someplace safe, away from me.”
Selene gasped. “You didn’t.”
“I did, but he refused to go.” And that alone had endeared Dorian to him. The man was willing to fight by Rick’s side, maybe even die by his side. The government wanted to exterminate changelings, not humans, yet Dorian had picked up the gauntlet and declared which side he was on.
The man confused the shit out of Rick with his flip-floppy opinion about changelings, but his actions had said it all. He was in this for the long haul. Yeah, the man was perfect for him. Rick knew he didn’t need to mate Dorian.
The man was already his, whether Dorian knew it or not.
“Just take care of him. His parents would go crazy if something happened to him,” Selene said as she brushed her hand down Rick’s arm. She needed reassurance that her alpha wasn’t going to die. Rick couldn’t give her that. He wasn’t going to pretend everything was all right. It wasn’t.
“Many are going to die, Selene. This fight is just beginning. There are going to be heavy losses on both sides by the time the dust settles.”
She nodded, her eyes shining with tears. “I know. Nate and I already talked about this. But you are the one leading the fight. We can’t lose you. Promise me that you won’t do anything to put yourself at risk.”
Rick pulled her into his arms, giving her a tight hug. “I can’t, Selene. The only thing I can promise is that I’ll try my best not to get killed.”
Nate cleared his throat. “Everything is in the front seat.”
Rick released Selene, pushing her toward Nate. “Take care of her, Nate.”
“With my life,” Nate replied.
Selene rolled her eyes. With tears in her eyes, it wasn’t as effective as it
should have been. “I can handle myself.”
Rick chuckled. Nate was in trouble. The man was about to get a run for his money with such a dominant female at his side. But then again, Nate wouldn’t be happy with a kowtowing mate. The man liked a challenge, and Selene was going to be his biggest challenge yet.
He moved back and closed the hatch. “I’ll call you in a few days.”
Nate gave him a quick hug. “And I’ll keep the pack as safe as I can until you get back home.”
“We will keep them safe,” Selene said, glaring at Nate. “You may be the top enforcer, but I’m not a weakling.”
Rick smiled.
“I never called you weak,” Nate argued.
“You implied it.”
“On that note, I’m going to head out.” Rick walked toward the front of the truck as he watched Selene head toward his Mustang.
“She is impossible,” Nate complained. “Anything I say, she has an argument ready.”
“Such is the life when you are in love.”
Nate’s eyes snapped over to Rick. “Who says I’m in love?”
Rick laughed as he climbed inside the truck. “Deny it all you want. A blind man could see how you look at her.”
Nate scowled. “She’s still impossible.”
“If it’s worth having, then it’s worth fighting for. She’s scared, Nate. We all are. Go easy on her.”
“Yeah, right. If I went easy on her, she would argue I was treating her like a girl.”
“She is a girl,” Rick pointed out.
“Tell her that.” Nate tapped the side of the SUV. “Be careful.” He walked away shaking his head.
Rick watched Nate and Selene pull away and then started the motor. He glanced at the front seat to see the small bag of medical supplies and the other bag filled with a few articles of clothing he had Byron buy while stuck in that motel for two days while Dorian was taken care of.
His life had amounted to a backpack and now the duffel bags Nate had brought. Shaking his head, Rick reached over and opened the glove box. His gun was tucked inside, along with a box of bullets.