by Lizzy Ford
He pulled on his boots and left his room, dressed to fight rather than to monitor his teams this night.
“Yeah,” he said as he joined the pacing vamp at the top of the stairs. “What is it?”
“The White God sent his fucking Guardians,” came the hiss.
Jonny frowned, not believing Damian was stupid enough to drop a team of Guardians into his headquarters, no matter how tense things often got between them. Jonny trotted down the stairs and out of the mansion onto the front lawn, where the majority of his vamps were gathered in a circle.
“Make way!” someone called out as he approached.
The creatures before him parted, and Jonny strode through the vamps. His step slowed when he saw the five Guardians, hands on the hilts and butts of their weapons, with Ashley standing cross-armed in front of them.
He hadn’t considered she meant to fight tonight after almost dying. His heart did somersaults at the sight of her alive, and profound relief loosened the vise that had been around his chest since he first touched Ashley’s limp body at the factory. Jonny didn’t miss a beat, aware of the attention of all his vamps and the Guardians on him. He stopped two feet in front of Ashley. The fire in her eyes was back, her chin raised in defiance and her stance one of challenge. But he was also able to sense her condition.
Bianca was right. What was the White God thinking to send her out so soon?
“What is this?” he demanded.
“I told you. I’m going to find my brother,” she responded. “The Guardians gave me a team to help, but only you know where to go. So we’re here to work with you to find him.”
Jonny raised an eyebrow at her careful words. “You brought Damian’s people onto my headquarters without permission.”
“We’re. Here. To. Help. That’s it.”
Jonny considered her long enough for a familiar flush of arousal to reach her cheeks and her pupils to dilate. He stepped closer until only she was able to hear him.
“What kind of deal did you have to make for Damian to hand over a team of Guardians?” he asked.
“I told you I’d do whatever it took,” she replied.
“You’re in no shape to fight, Ash,” he whispered. “I don’t need to touch you to know.”
“It doesn’t matter, Jonny. I will find Brandon. These guys will help you. They have no qualms about killing vamps.”
He folded his arms across his chest.
“The other vamps,” she clarified. “Dusty gave me full control, and I told them the vamps with this mark are off limits.” She held up her hand.
“Whatever negotiation you made with any of them is non binding if it’s about me,” he warned her.
“It wasn’t. It’s about me.”
Jonny almost spoke the words he knew were very wrong for this situation. Instead, he spun on his heel and walked away. “Let’s talk. Now.” Those vamps nearest him jumped at his sharp tone. “Tell your team to stand down or they’ll be slaughtered where they stand.” Without waiting to confirm she complied, he strode back into the house and paused in the foyer. “Charles, do you know any of the Guardians she brought?”
“I recognize two. This is one of their special ops teams,” Charles said from his position at the table covered with weapons and radios waiting to be issued out for the night’s raid. “Very highly trained, very disciplined.”
“So they’ll obey her.”
“Yeah.”
“And she’ll obey you.”
Charles didn’t respond.
“There can be only one ops leader for this mission, Charles. She’ll do what you say, or she and the team are out.”
“Yes, ikir,” he replied.
“I manage my own team,” Ashley said from the entrance.
“You give them orders and Charles gives you yours,” Jonny replied. “Or have you forgotten …” He lifted his hand to display the mark all his vamps wore.
She rolled her eyes. He found himself looking at her too long, a thrill running through him to realize she wasn’t just alive but close to being herself again. He knew how powerful of a healer Bianca was. Seeing the evidence, however, made him truly appreciate his sister’s gift for the first time.
“Charles,” Jonny said and lifted his chin towards the door. “Tell the Guardians what they need to know not to be killed by our vamps tonight.”
Ashley shifted inside the doorway, and Charles left them alone.
“Come with me,” Jonny ordered her.
“Um, no.”
“If you want me to stop the seizure you’re going to have soon, you’ll listen to me.”
She cursed him and every vamp under the sun – but she followed.
Jonny took the steps two at a time and continued down the hallway to his bedroom. He stopped to await her and closed the door behind her once she’d entered.
“What?” she demanded, facing him.
“What the fuck are you doing?” he returned with more heat than he intended. “You’re more likely to get yourself and those idiots killed than help Brandon!”
“They can handle themselves and so can I.”
“Oh, really?” He almost laughed. “You can handle yourself?” Jonny snatched her wrist and held out her hand. “Can’t keep it still, can you?”
She pulled at it. He held it in place. Her hands quaked. She was too weak to fend of the looming episode let alone spend an entire night fighting vamps.
“What choice do I have?” she asked. “Would you have let your sister die because you didn’t think you could face Czerno?”
“Never,” he replied. “But you have people willing to help you and are too stubborn to listen to them!”
“I’m still the best fighter you or they have, even if I’m a millisecond slower than before,” she retorted.
“You are,” he agreed. “You are also my biggest liability.”
“Then patch me!” She took a step closer and pulled her braid over one shoulder. Her nearness, coupled with the challenge in her gorgeous gaze, sent a flare of desire through him.
“Why the fuck should I?”
“Because I’m going out there whether I collapse mid fight or not! If there’s any part of you that ever cared for me, you won’t let that happen.”
Jonny glared down at her. He’d never been so turned on and angry as he was in that moment. Ashley’s breathing quickened, and he grew too aware of how little space was between them.
“What did you have to promise them for them to help you?” he asked again.
“It’s none of your business.”
“You want my help? You tell me.” Jonny slid a hand along the side of her neck. Her pulse was fast and growing faster, and desire raced through him at the intimate placement of his palm against the delicate skin of her neck. She didn’t flinch or move away, didn’t look away or back down. His Ashley had never shied away from him, and he hadn’t appreciated how much he enjoyed her challenges until he’d nearly lost her.
Ashley hesitated and licked her lips. “They want me to join them. I told them I would after Brandon was safe.”
Wrong answer. Jonny spoke the word silently. This was what he intended when he dropped Ashley off the night before with his sister. He’d fully expected never to see Ash again, but the price of the White God’s permission to heal her was worth it.
One look at her upturned face, at the fire in her eyes, and he didn’t think it was possible for him to let her go willingly.
“No,” he spoke quietly. “I’m not okay with that.”
“It’s not your choice to make,” she shot back. “Means to an end, remember?”
Jonny reacted rather than speaking. He kissed her hard, testing the waters that were far too muddy for him to decipher his own emotions. Ashley’s arms went around his neck instantly, and she leaned into him, her mouth opening to give him access to its depths. She melted into his passion, meeting his need with her own.
With a growl of primal need, he pulled her against him and kissed her, deep and long, wanti
ng to do so much more than he had time for this night. He hadn’t been able to shake the fear he experienced when he saw her body hanging in the factory. He wasn’t going to be able to let her go when this was over, and he didn’t want to face the idea she could end up dead.
When he’d rendered her breathless, he kissed a path down the side of her face to her neck and sank his teeth into her. She gasped and clung to him, her body trembling from more than exhaustion.
Jonny savored her taste. After last night, he was all too aware that there was no guarantee of tomorrow for either of them until Valon was stopped. If his plan failed, if he wasn’t able to protect Ashley, if Valon’s vamps got a leg up …
He listened to her ragged breathing and did his best to experience every tiny drop, every inch of her body, every sensation he could as he fed from her. She was too weak for him to drink his fill, and he used his magic to patch up the attack waiting to take her down and withdrew much sooner than he wanted. Ashley remained against him, her cheek against his chest. Jonny rested his chin on top of her head.
He was surprised to feel just how deep the instinct to keep her close, to protect her, ran.
“I hate you, Jonny,” she whispered.
He held her, uncertain if or when they’d have another chance to be together after his plan tonight. “You belong with me, Ash. Not the fucking Guardians.”
“Oh, so you want me to stay this time?” she returned.
He hesitated.
She was quiet, waiting for him to speak. When he didn’t, she did. “It doesn’t matter. I may not have a choice when this is over.”
“You always have a choice.”
“You sound like Xander.”
He didn’t respond. Xander had taught him this, and he was surprised every time he realized how true it really was.
“I won’t survive this if Brandon dies.” Ashley’s voice was hushed and tight.
“He won’t,” Jonny replied. “I promise you, Ash. I won’t let him die.”
“I want to believe you but you’re … you.”
Jonny had spent years building a wall around his emotions but he felt it again the moment the words left her mouth. Pain. The kind that never really healed. The remembrance of everything he’d lost when he chose to save his sister’s life six years before.
He lifted her chin and met her gaze. “Yeah. That’s why I’ll win,” he said. “That’s why you’re better off with the Guardians and why I’ve done everything I can to convince you not to love me. Do you really understand what I am, Ashley? What I’m capable of?”
She studied him, troubled. “I don’t think it matters, Jonny. I don’t think it ever did.”
“It should.”
“No.” She lifted her chin out of his grasp. “It shouldn’t because I don’t care. You’re right. Common sense says I belong with the Guardians. Common sense says loving you is what fucked up my life to start with. Common sense says Brandon is probably already dead after my confrontation with Valon.” Her voice broke. She cleared her throat. “I say fuck common sense, Jonny. I don’t care how wrong it is or how stupid you think I am. I am going to do whatever it takes to save you both from Valon because to me, there is no other choice. So don’t you dare try to tell me there is!” Tears sparkled in her eyes. “That’s what you do when you love someone. You fight for them.”
Ashley ripped away from him and slammed the door open.
It was almost impossible for him to isolate and repress his feelings when it came to her. What started as a trickle of emotion upon their first meeting was turning into a torrent he struggled not to let influence his actions and decisions. The team of Guardians was going to be a boon, but he was reconsidering the plan he’d created for tonight. His goal had been to get the confrontation over with Valon. Ashley was right – even at half capacity, she was still a force to be reckoned with.
But he was purposely walking into a trap knowing he was going to lose a great number of vamps to reach his end goal. It was a difficult decision to make for the purpose of defeating his enemy once and for all. He couldn’t risk her though, even if he were able to justify losing his vamps.
“Ikir.” Charles said from the doorway. “It’s time for the briefing.”
Jonny drew a breath. No matter how he felt or what he feared, he wasn’t willing to stop the plan he’d put into steamroller motion after returning from the White God’s compound the night before. Either he succeeded, and he dealt with what he felt for Ashley after the fact, or he failed, and it didn’t matter. Telling her how he felt when he wasn’t able to guarantee her they had a chance at tomorrow was wrong in every way.
Resolved, Jonny trailed Charles out of the mansion to the steps overlooking the dock and beach. The leaders of each team, including Ashley, were gathered for the briefing about the plan he’d kept under wrap all day. He purposely didn’t look at her.
“You have one goal,” he started. “Keep Valon’s vamps distracted. No matter how many losses we take. I want to clear a path for me to challenge him directly. He’s smart, shrewd and will do what he can to make this a very unfair fight. We will take major hits. We will lose a lot of vamps. But if we’re not all in tonight, we face a war of attrition and the destruction of the truce we have with the Guardians.” Jonny paused and nodded to Charles. His second handed out the individual team’s objectives to each leader. “Read those instructions. Destroy them. Do not stray from your mission or location, no matter what you see or hear happening elsewhere.”
He felt Ashley’s gaze on him. She was frowning and this time, it had nothing to do with their muddy relationship.
Jonny gave the team leaders time to read their objectives and then asked, “Any questions?”
No one spoke, though Ashley’s hand shot up. Jonny doubted it was because of her assignment; she’d been given an objective as tough as any other team.
“Yeah, Natural,” Jonny said brusquely.
“Hector and I faced Valon at the factory. I think I figured out how to get past his weird voodoo disappearing act.”
“Everyone else, join your teams. Stay here, Natural,” Jonny directed.
Ashley approached him.
Jonny waited, not about to let any emotion show in front of his vamps.
“Two things,” she started. “The first is you can see him from above, even if you can’t see him when he’s at your level. So, if you’ve got the option of an aerial view or … I’m not sure. A tree or something, use it. Second, you’ll see this tiny spark of red where he is before he hits you.”
“Good pointers,” he allowed. “You get one warning, Ash. If any member of your team goes off the reservation, they all die.”
“They won’t, Jonny,” she said. She turned away and started towards her team.
“Ash,” he called.
She faced him once more.
Jonny reached into his cargo pocket and withdrew a knife. He tossed it to her.
“I have a few already,” she said, puzzled.
“This one is special,” he replied. “This one killed Czerno.”
Her eyes lifted to his, and he saw her surprise.
“It’s for luck,” he said awkwardly. “Return it to me when this is over.”
She accepted it, her features glowing once again.
“We know Brandon’s there. We’ll get him out,” he added.
“Thanks.” Her expression softened. “Try not to get killed.”
Jonny watched her walk away, fighting the urge to say more. It wasn’t the right time for him to show weakness of any sort, and emotions were weakness when he needed his head clear. Knowing she was going out unprepared to face Valon’s vamps, he didn’t think he’d be able to concentrate on his own objective for the night.
He motioned Charles over to him.
“Everyone ready?” he asked.
“Yes, ikir,” Charles replied.
Jonny handed him a Taser. “When you get there, lure her away from her team and drop her. Your team’s objective is now to find Brand
on and get him and those fucking Guardians out of our business. Once they have Brandon and Ashley both, they leave or they die.”
Charles met his gaze, surprised.
“You were right, Charles. I can’t live with sending her out knowing we’re going to get fucked up,” he said. “She needs to make it out of this alive.”
Charles accepted the Taser. “I understand, ikir.”
“Do you think me weak for putting the lives of two Naturals above ours?” Jonny’s gaze followed Ashley’s movement through the vamps to her team.
“Never, ikir. But I think you underestimate her.”
“I really don’t care right now. As long as she survives.”
“You’re stronger than Valon. You have nothing to fear.”
“There’s always something to fear when you care too much about someone else,” Jonny replied, troubled. “Remember – keep all the teams on their assigned locations and missions. When they’re done, they come straight back here. Someone needs to survive this.”
“Will not you share your location even with me?”
“No,” Jonny said firmly. “This is my battle. I’ll face it alone.”
“May I speak openly?”
Jonny glanced at Charles. “Go.”
“You need to survive this, ikir,” his second said. “Your vision for the vamps, the ability for us to live alongside humans in peace, is worth fighting for.”
“It is, I know.”
“Valon will take everything from you if he lives. He’ll slaughter all your loyal vamps and he’ll go after the Natural, because he knows you care for her.”
“I get it, Charles. I can’t fail. I don’t plan on it,” Jonny said with some impatience.
Charles was studying him. Jonny sensed there was more his second wasn’t saying.
“What?” Jonny snapped.
“Good luck, ikir,” Charles said.
“You, too. Let’s go.” Jonny stood back and watched his teams deploy for the night’s objectives. He waited until certain everyone was gone before he Traveled to the point where he expected Valon to meet him.
He materialized in the dark forest near the burnt down lodge. The forest around him was quiet, but he sensed what lingered in the shadows.