I took Abbey in my arms. “We won’t let anything happen to you.” I rubbed her back as she laid her head on my shoulder.
I didn’t know what would happen next, but one thing was certain—Edmund would die soon if for nothing else, taking Abbey’s mom away from her.
16
Jo
I stared out the window of the plane as I replayed Abbey’s vision over and over in my mind. Edmund had driven a dagger straight through Rachel’s neck. The scene, along with Abbey’s crying, had gutted me. She would never see her mom again.
I closed my eyes, listening to Dad give out orders of what to do when we landed. I should join in the discussion, but I couldn’t bring myself to think of anything other than how I would kill Edmund. I still didn’t know if I would be the one. I did believe in what my grandfather had said to me in my dream. Maybe that was the reason I didn’t care to add my two cents to the discussion.
Webb’s woodsy scent announced him before he sank into the seat next to me. “I’m worried about you. Are you up for this?”
The clouds outside the window clipped by.
“I will be,” I said in a quiet voice.
Touching my face, Webb guided me to look at him. “I’m all for you sitting this one out. But if your grandfather said you will be the one to end Edmund, then we need you at a hundred percent.”
My gaze melded with his. “I’m in. I just needed some time to process what Abbey showed me.” I leaned my head on his shoulder. “Is Abbey asleep?”
Webb interlaced his fingers with mine. “She’s sound asleep in Alia’s lap.”
Before we left Massachusetts, Dad and Webb had debated on whether to bring Abbey along. In the end, they hadn’t wanted to take any chances on leaving her behind in the event Edmund had someone waiting in the wings to snag her, like Jonah or Dyson.
The plane’s engine droned to a quiet hum as I listened to Dad. He wanted to take out every guard on the premises and replace them with our team. That could work, giving us access to get inside, although the mystery was how many more guards and soldiers were inside that warehouse. According to the feedback Crysta had given us before she was captured, she’d seen a truck full of humans. But that had been one truckload. If there were more inside, we could be facing an army of misfit vampires. And if they were anything like Blake Turner, fierce and strong, then we could be walking into a death trap.
I hated to even think that the only surefire way to get in was with Abbey. As much as I didn’t want to subject her to Edmund, we desperately needed to assess the inside of his fortress.
I lifted my head. “I have an idea that my dad should hear.”
Webb didn’t waste any time in getting up. I followed him to the back of the plane. The team was split up on both sides. Abbey had her head in Alia’s lap, sleeping. Alia’s eyes were closed. Howell and Dr. Vieira were reading on their phones. Victor and his grandson, Matthew, were sitting together, talking. Sam and Ben were playing cards. Olivia and Tripp were crowded in the back galley with my dad, where he had a drawing of Edmund’s compound.
Dad stopped talking when I approached. “What is it?”
Webb leaned against the bathroom door, and I settled next to him. “The only way we’re going to win against Edmund is if we give him Abbey. And before you say no, hear me out. If Edmund gets Abbey, then he gets me. He did want me to work for him. Anyway, he’ll be preoccupied with Abbey. In the meantime, I can assess what we’re up against.”
Dad chewed on the inside of his cheek.
Webb’s cobalt-blue eyes flashed to vampire black. “If you did go in, how would you get us the information?”
I bit my lip. “I’ll find a way. Maybe I can leave a door unlocked. Also, before I go in with Abbey, he has to release Kraft, Kodiak, and Crysta. That was the deal after all. Right? And they might have better information for you on how to get in.”
“Storming the place would only drive Edmund to flee,” Tripp said. “We do need to catch him off guard. And if we take out his guards and insert ours, then we can use their security credentials to get inside. We’ll have the man power to do that with our Viking II SEAL team.”
Dad dragged a hand over his unshaven jaw. “We do need Kraft and Kodiak. And we do need to know the ins and outs of that warehouse.” Dad pointed to the plans on the counter. “These blueprints aren’t telling us much.”
Webb’s nostrils flared. “I don’t like it. I can’t lose you again, Jo.”
I frowned. I didn’t want to die. I wanted to get married, make love to Webb for the first time, have Dad walk me down the aisle. And now that Abbey didn’t have a mom, I wanted to be there for her. As a female vampire, I couldn’t have kids. So I wanted to be the stand-in mom for her.
“One problem,” Dad said. “Your grandfather told you that we need to protect Abbey. Handing her over to Edmund is not protecting her.”
“That’s why she and I are a package deal. I’ll protect her. Besides, Edmund isn’t going to harm Abbey.” I wasn’t sure of that, but he wanted his daughter badly, so he wouldn’t do anything to her, at least not right away.
“But he could kill you,” Webb added. “Then Abbey won’t have anyone to protect her.”
I considered Dad and Webb. Both were struggling with my plan, which wasn’t surprising. The fact that we were even discussing my plan made me stand up straighter. They believed in me. They believed I could handle myself. I understood their hesitation too.
Olivia, who had been quiet, spoke up. “Edmund has been all talk when it comes to Jo. I don’t believe he ever wanted to kill her. As we know, he wanted her DNA and might still. So as far as Jo, I don’t believe he will rush to end her life. I also agree that Edmund won’t lay a finger on Abbey. He’ll be too smitten with her to react in a violent way, at least in the beginning. So that will give us time to regroup and shut him down for good. We do desperately need Kraft and Kodiak’s skills. We could use Crysta’s talent as a wolf shifter. But the only thing I caution you on”—Olivia fixated on me—“is don’t go in with your guns blazing and piss off Edmund. Keep calm. Do as he says. This is all about keeping both Jo and Abbey safe. If we’re not inside within twenty-four hours, then find a way to first kill your uncle Patrick. Without him, Edmund can’t continue to build a vampire army.” She looked at me. “And under no circumstances do you let Abbey out of your sight.”
I would do everything in my power not to let anything happen to her. I wished there was a better plan. But storming the warehouse without meeting Edmund’s demands would only get us through the door, and more people would get killed. The end result would be the same—Edmund would escape us again. With my plan, it was better to be closer to my enemy. That way if Edmund did disappear with Abbey and me, at least I could do everything in my power to kill him.
“You do bring up all valid points,” Dad said to Olivia.
Webb shook his head. “Sometimes, Olivia, I do hate you. But I also respect the way you think.”
She rolled her brown eyes. “Jo is tough. She can handle herself.”
“True,” Webb glanced at me with love and fear. “But I would like to prevent my heart from stopping again. And it will if Jo dies.”
I leaned into Webb. “I’m not going to die. I have nine lives. I know I’ve only used two,” I teased.
Webb tensed. “You have got to make sure you have all your senses open. Nothing can happen like it did with Nicki. You must be vigilant in making sure you know the room, the exits, the heartbeats, and the sounds. You took that mind-blocking potion, so he won’t be able to read your mind, but you can still read his and anyone else’s. Just don’t get too deep into their minds, or else you’ll tire yourself.”
“Jo,” Dad said. “I want you to take an extra dose of the antidote before we land. We don’t know how long you’ll be in there. And if they do shoot you with the sedative, act like the drug works. Then they might leave you alone long enough so you can do some detective work.”
I hadn’t thought that far ahead, but t
hat was a great idea. Although if I did act as if I was passed out, then I wouldn’t have eyes on Abbey. I nodded at Dad, anyway. I would determine my next move as I went along. All the planning in the world was great, but sometimes, plans didn’t work out the way they were set.
17
Jo
We sat parked in a windowless van about two miles outside of Edmund’s compound. The weather was brisk for November in Alaska, and daylight was slowly slipping away. Aside from Dad, Webb, Olivia, Abbey, and me, the rest of the team had checked into a motel somewhere north of where we were.
Abbey was strapped in between Webb and me in the back seat. “Are we ready to see my daddy?” Her voice held a note of sadness. I suspected it wasn’t because of Edmund but because her mom was dead.
We had talked to Abbey on the way from the airport, letting her know that she and I would pay a visit to her father. With her visions, she didn’t seem surprised.
Webb hung his arm on the back of the seat as he lowered his head to Abbey. “Will you be a brave and strong girl for us and listen to Jo?”
“I’m not afraid,” Abbey said in her singsong voice.
“That’s my girl,” Webb said.
I couldn’t be afraid, either. I had a job to do, and that was to keep her safe. I didn’t want to die, but I would if it meant giving my life for Abbey’s. After all, she was an important part of the vampire world and keeping our existence alive.
Dad studied me from the driver’s seat as though he was trying to get into my mind. I was thankful for the mind-blocking potion. I didn’t want to give him a reason to worry any more than he already was.
“Are we ready to make the call?” Olivia asked.
Edmund hadn’t given us a time line for delivering Abbey. However, we’d made haste in getting on the plane, which had been fine with me. I was extremely anxious to get past the fighting and get on with my life, but dread filled my stomach.
My dad dialed Edmund’s number. The line rang once.
“Have you come to your senses?” Edmund’s deep and scratchy voice sent a shiver down my spine. I shouldn’t have felt icky about Edmund. My last interaction with him had been quite pleasant at times until he’d learned of Abbey.
“Here’s the plan,” Dad said. “Jo and Abbey will be outside the gate of your complex in five minutes. Have Kraft, Kodiak, and the wolf shifter ready to exchange. Once they’re in the van and driving away, then Jo will walk Abbey in. No funny stuff, or else you’ll never see your daughter. Deal?”
“It seems too easy,” Edmund said. “I know you have something up your sleeve.”
“Are you afraid?” Dad asked.
“Not in the least. But if Jo walks in, she’s not walking out,” Edmund said evenly.
“Jo can handle herself,” Dad said then clicked off.
I puffed out my chest as an extra boost of adrenaline spiked in me. I needed all the encouragement I could get.
Olivia readied a crossbow. I’d only seen that weapon one time many months ago when one of the SEALs had been ready to use a crossbow on Jonah. The arrowheads were cobalt, and if inflicted directly into the heart, they would kill a vampire.
“Dad, any word on where Jonah is?” I asked.
Dad shifted the van into gear. “Jonah is not a concern.”
“He should be,” Webb said. “You trusted him, almost bringing him onto our team.”
“We should be worried,” Olivia chimed in. “Jonah has always been loyal to Edmund.”
A muscle twitched in Webb’s jaw. “And what about Dyson? Do we know if he’s here?”
“According to Hollings, he’s got a location on Dyson,” Dad said. “He should be arresting him as we speak. Focus on what’s about to happen. Jo, we’ll be positioned far enough away but close enough to take out any of Edmund’s men if we have to. Get out of the van but leave it running. Once Kraft, Kodiak, and Crysta are in the van, then walk in and not a minute sooner.”
Webb placed his hand on the back of my neck. “Remember, we’ll be inside within twenty-four hours at the most.”
My heart began to race as fast as the cars that were speeding by, going in the opposite direction. “Abbey and I will be fine.”
Within no time, Dad was pulling into an open and deserted parking lot. With the exception of Abbey, everyone got out. A hard wind blew, sending an icy chill through my body as I rounded the van to the driver’s side.
Webb, Olivia, and Dad were clad in all black from their knitted hats right down to their boots. Daggers were strapped to their legs, swords at their waists, grenades hooked to their belts, and ear communicators tuned and ready to go.
Webb wrapped his strong arms around me. My stomach knotted as I melted into him. This could be the last time I see him or feel him again. “If I don’t come back, will you promise me one thing?”
His gloved hand gently held my face. “Don’t talk like that.”
“Please. Just promise me you’ll take care of Sam and my dad,” I said, holding back all my emotions. “And please try and fall in love again.”
He mashed his lips to mine, hard, fast, and with such vigor that I almost collapsed, and not from the strength behind his kiss but for the mere fact that this could be our last.
“Time to go,” Dad said.
I heard Dad. I was sure Webb had as well. But it didn’t stop us from memorizing each other.
A hand landed on my shoulder. “Jo, the sooner we get the show started, the sooner you can come back,” Olivia said.
Webb let go first, and suddenly, ice coated my veins. We locked eyes until Dad stepped in between us.
“Pumpkin, you will return.” He guided my chin up. “You’re strong and powerful. Use your powers.”
“I will if the warehouse isn’t full of cobalt.” The last time Edmund had kidnapped me, the rooms were made of cobalt, rendering my powers useless. It didn’t matter, anyway. My powers would only stop a vampire long enough to get away, and the mission wasn’t about fleeing. It was about killing.
“The mind-blocking potion should keep Edmund out of your head,” Webb said. “It shouldn’t wear off for a month.”
I laughed nervously. “I hope I’m not in there for that long.”
“Twenty-fours at most,” Olivia delivered with confidence, and I believed her.
I got in the van before I decided to snag Webb and run as far away as we could. That cabin we’d stayed at in the Alaskan mountains sounded fantastic at the moment.
“Give us two minutes then head down. The warehouse will be one mile on the right,” Dad said then closed my door.
I waited as they jogged down the road then out of sight.
“Jo,” Abbey said. “My daddy won’t hurt us.”
I shifted into gear then glanced in the rearview mirror. Abbey had a smile on her face. “How do you know that?”
“I just do,” she said.
I swore she acted older than five years old.
The warehouse came into view on my right. High fences bordered three sides of the perimeter, and like Crysta had mentioned, the fourth side of the warehouse disappeared into a mountainside. I stopped the van within thirty feet of the guard shack at the gate. The vast parking lot was desolate with the exception of one large eighteen-wheeler that was butted up to a roll-up door. Men patrolled the outer perimeter of the fence, while four were on top of the flat roof of the warehouse with guns at the ready.
I shifted into park, letting the engine idle, then climbed out, leaving the door open in the event I had to jump in and take off. As I opened the back door, I spotted the guard at the gate with a phone to his ear.
Abbey pointed out the windshield. “Look, Jo.”
My pulse idled along with the engine, ready to sprint at any signs of trouble.
Two burly men shoved Kraft and Kodiak. Both stumbled but righted themselves. I didn’t see Crysta. I glanced past Kraft and Kodiak, but saw nothing.
“I’ll be right back,” I said to Abbey. I inched closer to the SWAT-dressed vampire at the gate
. “The deal was the wolf shifter too. Either get her out here or tell your boss the deal is off.” I probably should’ve waited until Kraft and Kodiak were outside the fortress before I gave any ultimatums.
The guard snarled, showing me his fangs.
I lifted my right arm and squeezed the air with my hand. The gate guard grabbed his neck.
I held out my arm, squeezing the air harder, cutting off his ability to fill his lungs with oxygen. “If you want to breathe, make the call.” I dropped my arm.
The guard choked as he tapped the screen of his phone. “The wolf shifter.” His voice cracked.
When Kraft and Kodiak reached the gate, they nodded at me. Both vampires had blood-crusted hair, ripped uniforms, and beards that had grown in since they’d been abducted. Their appearance brought back memories of when Sam and I had found them deep in the Alaskan mountains after they’d been held for months as prisoners of Bruno Almeida.
Kraft, massive in size all the way around, narrowed his mahogany eyes at the gate guard. “I guess she put a hurt on you.”
The red-faced vampire sneered at Kraft.
Kodiak snickered.
I opened a telepathic connection to both. The deal includes Crysta. Have you seen her?
Both shook their heads, while Kraft’s nostrils flared. He and Crysta had some type of relationship. In my book, it was a love-hate relationship.
“Jo,” Abbey called from behind us.
I peered down to find Abbey at my side. “We’re not ready yet.”
She pointed a finger toward the warehouse. “She’s over there.”
I followed her line of sight. Crysta jogged out, her long red hair whipping around in the wind. The burly guards in charge of Kraft and Kodiak stiffened.
The gate opened as Crysta sidled up to Kraft. Several cuts marred her face as though someone had taken the tip of a blade and scored her pretty skin.
On the Edge of Infinity (A Vampire SEAL Novel Book 5) Page 14