Reese took a deep breath and nodded in concession. She owed it to them, as much as to herself, to give this unusual relationship a try. The Nobles were a different breed. It stood to reason they would do things differently. Although Jagger was human, progression happened. She was lucky Jagger loved her the way she was, flaws and all. Her flaws could kill, but he loved her anyway.
“As I was saying earlier, we found who located you,” Theo said, bringing the conversation around to the beginning. “You’re not going to like it.”
“Who? It was impossible for anyone to find me. You and Jagger flew me in and then flew out. My scent was nowhere,” Reese exclaimed, not believing what he was saying.
“Not impossible for a certain man.”
The implication that Theo made sent Reese’s heart racing, and she searched his eyes, seeing the truth. There was one man who could find anyone. A Noble, the best Tracker ever born, would have been able to locate her, but she refused to believe it. “No. He wouldn’t turn Rogue.”
“I’m sorry, Reese,” Theo sympathized. “I didn’t want to believe it either. I had heard some chatter underground that the Fray was offering immunity and a lot of cash for anyone who would be willing to find you and bring you in alive. No one would touch the offer because they knew it was a death wish. But Cane stepped up.”
Reese just shook her head in disbelief. Everyone knew of Cane. The tall, dark, and mysterious Noble who carried a scar on his face and kept people at a distance, never letting anyone get close to him personally. He was always on the outside of the goings-on between the Nobles and the Fray and refused to get involved. While he made it seem he was always out for himself, Reese saw in him compassion. She had caught him a few times helping other Nobles in a way that no one noticed. She had also seen honor in the way he carried himself. He was proud to be a Noble. How could she have been wrong about him? Was the offered immunity his way at self-preservation? Was he willing to give up his own kind to get freedom? And once you sold your soul to the Fray, were you ever really free? The government would try to use him over and over again, until he was just a tool. That’s when it hit her.
“If you’re right and it is Cane, then he knows we’re here,” Reese said, panic starting to set in. “You’re not safe. Either of you. We need to fly out immediately!”
“We’re not running,” Jagger declared. “We’re making a stand.”
“Are you crazy?” Reese looked at Jagger in disbelief. “Do you know how many men he will bring with him if he’s working with the Fray? I don’t care what kind of security you have in this place, Cane will find a way in.”
“We have you,” Jagger stated, as if that would solve all their problems.
“What don’t you understand? He knows my ability as much as Theo. I can only use so much energy before my body gives out. He knows this. The Fray knows this. That’s why you guys hid me, because all that time I was in the government facility, they became aware I only had so much output.”
“Not if we use your power the right way,” Theo calmly explained.
“What right way?” Reese couldn’t believe they were even having this conversation. They should be leaving immediately. The storm had lightened to flurries, so there was no reason they shouldn’t be on their way. Standing here was just inviting death. “Let me explain how he’ll get to me. He’ll use a wave of men to come in first, so I deplete my energy. If he’s really smart, which we know he is, he’ll use a second wave, so I’ll use whatever is left. By the time he gets here, I’ll be unconscious, you two will be unprotected, and we’ll all be fucked!”
“Look at the printout of the mountain and tell me what you see,” Jagger ordered, standing up and coming around behind her. Putting his arms on either side of her and resting his hands on the counter, Jagger looked over her should at the blueprint, pointing to the east side. “What’s here?”
Reese studied what Jagger was pointing at. The blueprint showed the outline of the mountain and the small fortress Jagger had built at the farthest point. The side where Jagger’s finger lay, the mountainside was steep. A person couldn’t climb landscape that extreme after a snowstorm, even with the proper equipment.
“What do you see here?” Reese looked up to the north of the printout and saw rocks and cliff overhangs. The terrain would cause rougher conditions than the east side. “And here?” She followed Jagger’s finger to the south. Was that supposed to be slate? “It’s covered in slate from an old mine that used to operate here. It’s been closed for many years. No one could climb that without causing the entire side of the mountain to collapse.”
“So that leaves the west side?” Reese still wasn’t seeing where they were going with this. “I know you don’t have an access road and you use your private plane to come and go as you please, but the west side is climbable.”
“Yes, but not to an entire team. They would have to come in phases. You would have plenty of time in between to recover, if that’s what we needed to do. But Theo had friends fly in last night. We’ve positioned them to our advantage. My guards on the towers will keep us apprised as well. Also remember, they don’t want media coverage on something like this. The sympathizers would go up in arms and create all kinds of hell for the Fray. So that would rule out an air strike. As for the west side of the mountain, it’s too visible to the town. So they’ll need to be careful on how many men they use.”
“And how long do you think this will go on, Jagger?” Reese turned in his arms and lifted her face to his. “Say we win this time. What about the next time? We will forever run because of who I am!” Brushing his arm aside, Reese walked to the side of the counter where she could see both men. “You two say you want to be with me. Share me and share my life. Have you really thought about what that entails? My God, we’ll always be looking over our shoulders, not knowing who we can trust!”
Theo stood and walked toward her, while Jagger took the few steps to her other side. Theo pushed the last stool aside and leaned his hip on the counter, crossing his arms. “We know exactly what we’re getting into and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. You seem to forget that I’m Noble, too. The Fray doesn’t need my ability because I’m one of many, and they would kill me on sight. You also forget that’s how I stayed alive when we were captured. I always led on that my abilities were more powerful. By the time Jagger managed to get me out, they had figured me out and I was to be executed the following day. I’m of no use to them. So whether I’m with you or not, I’m being hunted. At least I can be with you and love you this way.”
“I’ve been looking over my shoulder since the day I rescued you,” Jagger continued where Theo left off. Jagger leaned forward, placing his hands on the counter to lean down so they were face to face. “I’m considered a traitor. You know this. You also know that I’m not going to leave your side. So what’s the real problem? And don’t make Theo probe your head. I know the headache it causes.”
Reese fought the laugh that Jagger was trying to get out of her and looked down at her clenched hands. These two men would stand by her side and protect her, even though she could protect herself. If they were hurt or even worse, killed, because of her… She didn’t think she could live through that.
“You’re doing good,” Jagger said.
“What do you mean?” Reese asked, looking back up at him with confusion.
“Even through your panic, you managed to regulate the energy. I can see the emotions in your eyes,” Jagger said, bringing his hand up to her face and caressing it with the back of his hand. “They turn almost black when you’re upset or mad. The progress you’ve made in a year is astounding. Look, only a little coffee splashed, but nothing even rattled.”
Reese looked at where his mug sat and saw some coffee splats on the counter. She looked back down at her knuckles. She watched the whiteness disappear and she opened them. If only it were that easy to make Cane and his men go away. “You have so much faith in me,” she whispered in disbelief, not hiding the skepticism that showed o
n her face. “They’ll never let us live in peace.”
“You’re right,” Theo agreed. “But we can find peace in each other. We will face the war one battle at a time. We’ve already won numerous battles. We’ll be ready for this one. Jagger knew what he was doing when he bought this land and built this place. This is where we will make our stand. This mountain is where we will call home. We can use it to our advantage.”
“I’ll kill one of our own, Theo,” Reese sadly expressed. “It’s hard for me to see him as a Rogue.”
“But he is,” Jagger countered, referring to Cane. Reaching out, he pulled her into his arms. Whether to make sure she was comfortable with where their relationship was going or just to give her time to come to terms with finding out Cane turned Rogue, she didn’t know. What she was coming to find out was that she craved their touch. She could rationalize that it was due to being alone for the past year, but what her body accepted, her mind needed a little more time to accept. Reese placed her cheek on Jagger’s white T-shirt, soaking in his heat. She felt Theo stand behind her and place a kiss on her head above her ponytail. “Let us show you what we have planned.”
Chapter Six
“What is he doing?” Reese asked, not understanding why there was only one red dot on the screen. Theo, Jagger, and Reese were in Jagger’s security room off the side of his office. They had spent the rest of the day talking and planning for the fight ahead. They weren’t sure when Cane would attack, but Theo’s people were in place and Jagger’s security system was up and running. They had been in the living room, listening to Theo communicate with the other Nobles outside by a two-way radio when the security system alerted them of a breach.
The security room was tiny, filled with six different monitors that displayed real-time footage of the surrounding property. She could see the guards suited up against the weather, pacing back and forth, vigilant in their watch. There were eight other monitors that differed from the others, sitting on another platform that revealed a heat source, whether it be animal or human. Seeing the different motions between the animals and the human climbing up the mountain was very evident, even to Reese. Jagger had placed the advanced security system to show all four sides of the mountain, but used the real-footage cameras for the adjacent land.
Theo was leaning against the table while Jagger had seized the black leather chair. Reese stood behind Jagger as they watched the blotch of red continue to climb. “Who the hell knows?” Jagger responded in frustration. “It might not even be Cane. Maybe it’s one of his lackeys.”
“He did send that army of men in at the cabin while he stood back. I’m still not sure why he didn’t close in on you two,” Theo wondered aloud. “It’s not like he didn’t have ample opportunity before I landed the chopper. Reese, you used a lot of power when you took them out and wouldn’t have been able to take out another line without having a good half hour to recuperate.”
“So why didn’t he?” Jagger asked, staring intently at the screen. “This doesn’t make sense, unless they are coming in by air. But if they do that and Reese unleashes, those choppers will crash, causing enough damage that the media would descend upon the town. The Fray are smarter than that.”
“Maybe they don’t care anymore,” Reese speculated, trying to hold her fear at bay. What if they were wrong and their plan backfired? Theo and Jagger, on the assumption Cane would bring with him numerous Fray soldiers, had called in a handful of Nobles they trusted with different abilities that would aid them in their upcoming confrontation. Strategically placed at the top of the mountain, they would try to take out as many Fray as they could until Reese had no choice but to use her power. They agreed that they were far enough up the mountain that her energy wouldn’t reach the bottom and jeopardize the town.
“There are too many human sympathizers for the government to alienate. The more the Nobles use their abilities to help mankind and the media covers it, the better reputation they obtain,” Theo rationalized. “Yes, we still need to hide among the humans, but the storm is starting to turn in our favor. Trust us, we’re not wrong.”
“Then what is he doing?” Reese pointed toward the computer, frantic that things weren’t going as they had planned.
“I’ll grab my rig and head down the mountain. If I can circle around, I’ll hear his thoughts,” Theo said, starting to turn to walk out of the room. Reese caught him by the sleeve.
“No, you won’t. We both know he’s keeping his thoughts to a minimum anyway. It’s foolish to risk your life when we know you won’t get anything.”
“She’s right,” Jagger said.
“It’s worth a shot. I have good men outside that will watch my back.” Theo took Reese’s hand and brought it up to his mouth, gently running his lips across her knuckles. “And you.”
“I can’t protect you if you’re not around me, you know this. I still don’t know why you think the Nobles out there will go unharmed if I send a blast of energy out.”
“I’ve taken care of that,” Jagger informed, turning from the monitor and picking up her other hand, placing it over his heart. “I’ll give each of them a two-minute warning. There are hidden entrances that lead inside the old mine. During the past year, I had each outfitted with a safety-room in case we ever needed it. We have ten Nobles out there, and I purposefully placed them so they could reach cover in two minutes. Just don’t release your energy until I say so.”
“Whether or not that’s Cane climbing up here, it is his plan that’s being implemented. It’s counter to what we thought he was going to do,” Reese said, worrying her bottom lip but not letting go of her men’s hands. “So what do we do now?”
Jagger turned toward the screen and watched the dot move higher and shrugged his shoulder. “We watch and wait.”
* * * *
Cane smelled them. He counted eight to ten scents permeating down the mountain. Equipped with his well-stocked backpack, he continued on the path he’d mapped in his head before leaving the motel this morning. He was dressed in black, including a black face mask more for protection against the weather than anything else, thermal clothes, hiking boots, and climbing gloves. Attached to the outside shoulder strap on his backpack was the little device he clipped for easy access, and on his wrist, the apparatus to detonate the deliberately placed small bombs he had planted six months earlier. He gave a rare smile underneath his mask. It always paid to be one step ahead.
Cane figured they would let him reach the compound gates before taking action, which would give him plenty of time for what needed to be done. He saw the cameras immediately and knew they would show the infrared heat his body produced and knew they had to be wondering why he was coming in alone. Cane found from experience that when he kept his prey off balance, they were easier to catch. They preoccupied themselves with the “whys” instead of carrying out their defensive strategy. Cane knew that Jagger Malone and Theo McKay were not stupid. They were anything but. Unfortunately for them, they were his targets along with the Deity. Too bad he wouldn’t be handing them over to Richard Howell or his division.
* * * *
“Target in sight. Confirming object,” a feminine voice resounded loudly from the two-way receiver Theo held in his hands. Jagger had taken his position back and sat in the chair observing the monitors. Reese was pacing while clenching and unclenching her hands to keep her energy from building too fast and releasing too early. “It’s definitely Cane. I have visual on his mask, and there’s no mistaking those dark eyes of his.”
“Stand by,” Theo ordered, walking over to stand behind Jagger. Watching the red haze reach the summit and pass the other scattered dots indicating his team, he said, “Wait for my word.”
They had all agreed to wait and see who their trespasser was before adjusting their strategy. Now that the confirmation had come through that it was Cane, they needed to figure out the next step.
“He’s playing with us.” Jagger turned in the chair to face both Theo and Reese. “Whatever he’s doing,
it’s with the intention of taking Reese and making us second-guess things. He’s the best Tracker there is. I have no doubt he knows your people are situated around the peak. He’s way too confident they won’t take him out. I say give the signal.”
“Does he have a death wish?” Reese asked, walking over and seeking Theo’s warmth. He placed his arm around her and pulled her in closer. “I know two of the Nobles out there working for Theo, and both have the capability of taking him down. Tavia can bring a person to their knees in agony with just a thought, and Shane can alter Cane’s perception if he can get close enough to look into his eyes. Both of them working as a team can have Cane debilitated in seconds. By now, he not only knows there are Nobles out there, he knows exactly who they are. Why would he keep coming unless he has others flying in?”
“He’s not flying them in, Reese,” Jagger spoke confidently. “And I made sure they couldn’t access the lower mine entrances. I—”
The explosion rocked the mountainside.
Theo immediately pulled Reese down to the floor and covered her with his body, using his arms to shield her head. Jagger quickly turned to see the live-footage feed of the compound. “What the hell happened? Theo, give me the radio!”
Theo slid Reese to where she had cover in case of another explosion. Despite her glare, he motioned for her to stay there while he grabbed the radio from where it had fallen to the floor. “I’ll do it,” Theo said, getting to his knees but not moving away from where Reese lay. “Tavia, can you hear me?” Nothing but static came over the line, and Theo studied each monitor. The red haze was still heading toward the front gate, and the others were still in their designated spots. “Tavia, answer me, damn it!”
“We’re okay. The bombs took out the entries to the mine,” Tavia informed. “Don’t have Reese use her power, Theo. She’ll kill us all.”
Noble Desire [Nature's Nobles 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 6