by Vella Day
“Don’t worry about the system,” Connor said. “We have equipment to bypass their devices. If we can’t, or don’t have time, we should be able to disrupt their signal.” He glanced over at Kip. “We have an expert in the house.”
“I’m hardly an expert, but I can cut the power to the bunker, allowing us full access.”
Connor looked at Kip. “Do we have any idea what this magic will look like? And if and how we can transport it back?”
“Teagan told me that one of our most powerful witches explained to her that our magic glows, kind of like fireflies.” No one said anything for a moment, and he wasn’t sure what to make of it either.
“We’ll bring in sacks then,” Connor said.
For the next few hours, they hashed out what they needed to do. Jackson would stay back and fly the drone over the area. If the team ran into more trouble than they could handle, Rye and Kalan said they would organize a standby team to go in and help.
“Let’s reconvene at eight tonight. Kip, you and Sam should wear black—assuming he agrees to help. The rest of us will go in as wolves and bears. Kalan can probably take out the guards if need be.”
Kalan’s mouth opened in mock offense. “Probably?”
Rye chuckled. “Kalan will take out the two guards.”
That worked for him. Now all Kip had to do was convince Sam to be part of this dangerous mission. The hardest sell would be to Teagan since she’d insist Sam stay behind where he’d be safe too.
Chapter Thirteen
‡
When Kip returned home, Teagan was thrilled—that was until he told her he wanted Sam to participate in the takedown. While she understood her brother would be an asset to the team, she felt it wasn’t fair to ask him.
“He’s here on leave and didn’t come here to work. Besides, it’s dangerous.”
In reality, she didn’t want to lose any precious time with her brother. She then stopped arguing once she realized how petty she sounded. Randy had lost his powers, and she needed to think of him.
Sam rubbed her arm. “I’m happy to help, Kip. Hell, I miss the action already, and it’s only been a few hours. Besides, it’s for a good cause.” He looked over at her. “Don’t want these buggers coming back for my sister. I know if anyone succeeded in taking my magic from me, I’d be incomplete.”
Incomplete was a good word for it. Goose bumps rippled up her arms at the possibility of losing everything she had. The recent attack had made it all too real. She rubbed Sam’s arm in return. “Fine, but be careful.”
He hugged her. “I will be. You don’t have to worry about me. I can take care of myself.”
When Kip arrived home with take-out dinners from the Lake Steakhouse, she’d figured he was buttering her up for some reason. Now she knew why.
“I contacted your aunt and uncle,” Kip said. “They would be happy to have you visit, and Izzy is going to be there too.”
“That’s nice of them.” Teagan spent all day with Aunt Kathryn, so what were a few more hours? Having Izzy join them would be an added bonus. “Other than our recent brief visit, I haven’t spent any quality time with my cousin in a while.”
“Good. You haven’t had any premonitions, have you?” Kip asked.
“No, but I think that man who tried to kidnap me might have done something to my abilities. I haven’t had any images floating through my head.” Other than erotic ones with you, Kip.
He shook his head. “You’re telekinesis abilities are still working. You moved that rock with your mind.”
Sam sat up straighter. “What’s this? You moved a rock?”
A bit of heat raced up her face. “It’s nothing. It mostly works when I’m in a heightened state of anger or fear.”
“Show me,” Sam said.
“It really tires her out.” Kip was clearly trying to save her.
While it was true it required some energy, she’d told him that because she wanted to spend more time in the tent with him. Teagan waved a hand. “That’s all right. I need the practice.” Learning to control her power ought to be at the top of her list of things she needed to do.
Sam nodded to his beer. “Can you lift the bottle to your mouth and drink from it?”
She laughed. “Hardly.”
“Why not? You told me you moved a heavy trashcan.”
“I was mad.”
Her brother gulped down much of the contents of his drink. “You’ve got to do better than that. Can you imagine if I only read half of a person’s thoughts when I’m being shot at?”
She stared at him. “You don’t need to be a mind reader to know his intentions. He wants to kill you.”
He set the bottle on the table. “That was a bad example. Suppose I want the enemy to think they are seeing a vast, empty desert, instead of the one hundred men who are charging them? If my abilities falter, and they imagine seeing twenty tanks and more fire power than a thousand men, it could be bad.”
“Why? The men would run. At least they wouldn’t be shooting at you.”
Sam glanced at Kip, acting as if she were dense. “We don’t want them to run away. We want to capture them.”
“You mean kill them.”
He held up a hand. “The bottom line is that if you have the talent to move objects with your mind, you need to practice.”
She had practiced her skills with interpreting her visions, but after that can-moving experience, she’d vowed to stop with her telekinesis. Now she could see she’d been wrong once more. “Okay.”
Grinning, he leaned back in his seat. “Then move my bottle. It’s nearly empty, so it won’t make a big mess if it spills.”
If she failed, she’d never live it down. “Here goes.”
Teagan focused on his beer, drawing on her inner magic. Blocking out all sounds, she imagined pulling the bottle closer. When it moved a few inches, she had to tamp down her excitement. While her emotions helped her succeed, she feared they would break her concentration if she congratulated herself too soon.
Now came for the hard part—lifting the bottle without spilling it. Hands clenched, her nails dug into her palms, heightening her awareness. The bottle rose one inch then two. Yes, she could do this. Imagining the bottle at her lips, she mentally drew it toward her. As it cleared the edge of the table, the bottle dropped, pinging off the table edge, and landing on the carpet.
“Shit.” She jumped up, but Kip stayed her with a hand.
“I’ll clean it up. Good job.”
She furrowed her brows. “I dropped it!”
Sam clapped. “That was magnificent. Soon you’ll be able to clean up the dishes without moving from the table.”
He was totally exaggerating. “I wish.”
Kip picked up the empty bottle then returned with a wet towel and blotted up the beer. “Back to normal.”
“Next time I’ll try it with an empty bottle.”
The men laughed. Kip nodded at Sam. “How about we drop you off at your aunt and uncle’s place now? Sam and I need to head into the office to go over the plan. I’m hoping Jackson will have more intel for us by then. Devon said he’d find out more about some of the men we might run into. Apparently, Nathan and Olivia gave us a few names.”
“I know what you’re trying to do.”
“What’s that?” Kip asked.
“Distract me from what’s about to happen. You act like this is an ordinary run-of-the-mill case, but it isn’t. You’re going to take on the vilest creatures in town, and yet you act as if it’s nothing. They’re highly dangerous. You all could be killed.” Her stomach churned as tears brimmed on her lashes.
Kip sat next to her and hugged her, his demeanor totally serious. As much as she appreciated the gesture, it didn’t help her shakes one bit.
“I won’t lie. It is dangerous. I didn’t dwell on it because I don’t want you to worry. Trust me, we’ll be careful.” He stroked her cheek. “Nothing is going to stop me from coming back to you.”
“You better. In case this
mission doesn’t go as planned, I’ll pack an overnight case.”
Kip leaned over and kissed her. “Thank you for being so understanding.”
“It’s hardly being understanding. I just don’t want to stay here alone.”
“Smart girl.”
*
When Kip and Sam arrived at the office, Connor had turned their conference room into what looked like a war room. He had photos from the drone taped to the wall, arrows indicating where they would go, as well as the position of the guards. To Kip, it looked like a complicated football play, with each of the team members listed and their locations.
“Impressive,” Sam said.
Kip had to agree. Next to the photos were lists of things that he’d need time to study. Connor had gone all out in planning the retrieval of Randy’s powers.
“We want to be prepared for every contingency,” Connor said. “No telling how much magic the Changelings have stolen over time.”
Sam walked over to the map on the wall and studied it. “What do these letters H, W, and B stand for?” Sam asked.
Kip chuckled, remembering how he’d asked the same question when he’d first been hired. “H is for human. That would be you and me. W is for wolf, which applies to Devon, Rye, and Connor. And B stands for bear, which is Kalan. Jackson, is also a bear shifter, but he’ll be staying behind to save our butts should we need it.”
“We should be able to handle a few wolves.” Sam looked over at Connor. “You have a problem with us packing?”
“No, but I’m hoping you don’t have to shoot anyone.”
“That makes two of us,” Sam said.
“Once Jackson, Rye, Devon, and Kalan return from the roof, we’ll go over the plan again so that Sam is up to speed,” Connor said.
“Did Jackson ever figure out how to install the infrared lens on the drone so it can photograph at night?” Kip asked. Their new purchase only arrived a week ago.
“He said he did. He’s trying it out right now.”
As if Connor had summoned them, the missing members returned.
Connor sat at the head of the table. “Let’s go over this one more time.”
*
“You mated with him?” Izzy said with a huge amount of enthusiasm. She set her glass of wine on the coffee table in front of the sofa.
They were both sitting in the Berta’s den and had closed the door, not wanting Aunt Kathryn to overhear their conversation, just in case either of them mentioned anything of a sexually naughty nature.
“Yes, and it was wonderful.” Teagan still couldn’t believe how amazing it had been to be enveloped by his blue glow. Sparks had shot through her veins, but it was the warmth that surprised her. “It was almost like what I imagine receiving a blood transfusion would be like. Of course nothing was actually entering my veins.”
Her cousin grinned from ear to ear. “I told you so. What changed your mind about wanting to be with Kip? Was it Rosa?”
“Sort of, but it was when Kip came over after I spoke with Rosa that one thing led to another. I just knew he was the man for me.” Thinking back to when they’d made love, caused her face to flush. “We never even made it onto the bed that night!” Teagan giggled.
Izzy laughed. “That’s how Rye and I are. I think we’ve done it in every room in the house. Too much information, I know.”
“Nah, I’m glad you’re happy.”
“Thanks, and I’m happy for you and Kip too.”
Teagan sighed. “When he came over that night, I realized how much I loved him. Rosa explained that by giving myself to Kip fully, my powers would flourish.”
“Did she say anything else?”
“Only that by being with Kip could I help protect him.”
“I’m glad you got that cleared up.”
“Me, too.” Teagan crossed her legs under her. “What’s the best part about being with Rye?”
Her cousin’s eyes widened. “The list is endless, but not only am I mated to one of the best men in the world, now I can shift into a wolf and run whenever I want. That gives me one more layer of protection against those Changelings.”
Teagan blew out a breath then sipped her wine. “I’m rather powerless around them.”
Izzy rubbed her shoulder. “That’s another reason for you to stay close to Kip.”
“True.”
“Once Sam heads down to see your folks, and Kip goes off to work, will you be okay being home alone?”
“Not really, but what choice do I have? I’m not going to insist Kip leave work in the middle of his surveillance job just to babysit me.”
“Is Randy back at work?”
“Not yet, but Kip thinks he will be very soon. Even if he were home, without his powers, I don’t know what he could do if those two Changelings came back.”
Izzy nodded. “You’re right. Do you see Kip living at your place then?”
She shrugged. “The alternative is to move into his place, but that would mean Randy would have to find other accommodations, and that doesn’t seem fair.” It might be a five-bedroom home, but having him there would cut down on their spontaneity.
“Did Kip mention anything about following you into work each morning and picking you up afterward?”
“Like Rye did with you?” That would be terrible. Izzy nodded. “I couldn’t live like that.”
“It sucked when I had that stalker, but it was necessary. Between my parents and Rye, I was being watched all the time. It was bad. Fortunately, I only lost my powers for two days—two very long days.”
“I remember. Your dad acts the same with me.” Teagan polished off the rest of her drink. “They better find that man who attacked me soon.”
Izzy clasped her hand. “If he is a Changeling and he’s caught, I’m betting the head Council will just send another one.”
Her stomach tumbled. “Are you saying I’ll have to look over my shoulder my whole life?”
“We all do. But you aren’t defenseless.”
“What do you mean? Even if I wanted to hurl a rock at a person, it takes a long time to focus before the rock even moves.”
Izzy shook her head. “When you and Kip mated, I bet you inherited some of his magic, and he got some of yours.”
Butterflies attacked her stomach. “I’ve heard rumors to that effect, but I always believed I wouldn’t be able to do what Kip does because my powers are already so strong.” Izzy had told her she too had believed that she couldn’t shift because of the strength of her own magic. However, she was able to shift—but there had also been consequences.
“You won’t know until you try it. Try doing something Kip can do.”
Teagan smiled, remembering how he’d written out that he loved her in sparks. Lifting her forefinger she examined it, but it looked rather ordinary. “Kip can send light in the form of electricity from his fingertips.”
“Go for it.”
If both Izzy and Uncle Len could shoot fire from their palms, and their hands looked normal, perhaps she could shoot electricity. “I’m not sure how.”
Izzy grabbed her hands. “I taught Rye to shoot fire, so maybe it’s the same for you.” She had Teagan place her fingertips together. “Now, picture yourself shooting electric sparks from your fingers.”
She supposed if she could move a rock with her mind, she could also do this. Perhaps when what looked like an infinity symbol had appeared between them, it could have been them sharing their magic. “Here goes.”
Not wanting to harm Izzy, Teagan twisted to the side and tried to do something magical, whether it was shooting a lightning bolt from her palm, or merely writing sparkly words in the air with her fingers. She drew the letter I in the air, and she thought she detected something lighting up.
“I think I saw a flicker,” Izzy said, excitement lacing her tone.
“Can you turn off the lights? We might be able to see it better.”
“I heard Kip can turn them off and on at will.”
Teagan rolled her eyes. “
Yes, and you can part the sea, but I bet Rye couldn’t do much on his first try.”
Her cousin grinned. “No, he couldn’t. I’ll turn them off.”
She stepped next to the door and suddenly the room turned black. Teagan inhaled. With total concentration, she dragged her finger down to form the first letter of Izzy’s name. Sparks flew and her heart raced. “Did you see that?”
“That’s awesome.”
It wasn’t as spectacular as what Izzy could do, but it was a start. Teagan drew two Z’s followed by a Y. “I don’t know how this will help me in life, but it is cool.”
“Totally. Humor me and try to turn the light back on,” Izzy said.
“I don’t know where to begin. Do I say light turn on?”
“Picture it,” Izzy said with encouragement.
Teagan did and the light flickered. They both clapped. “It’s a start.”
“Well, I’ll be damned.”
Chapter Fourteen
‡
Connor had asked both Kip and Sam to wear the ear buds during this mission so that they could communicate with Jackson. Everyone else would most likely be in their shifted form and unable to use them.
According to Jackson’s surveillance, the team wouldn’t be spotted if they parked on a fire road about a mile from the compound. Because Kalan wasn’t interested in traveling a mile in his bear form, he opted to walk in with Kip and Sam. He’d shift once the bunker was in sight. The rest of the men left their clothes in their cars before heading off into the woods.
The plan was for Kip, Sam, and Kalan to make first contact. The rest of the team would hang back until after the guards had been neutralized. For the last few hundred feet, Sam would have to go in alone in order to put an image into both of the sentries’ minds. He’d make them believe the only thing in front of them was a black, dense forest. If only Sam could inhibit their other senses, they could waltz in unnoticed.
In Kip and Sam’s backpacks were special flashlights with red filters that would help them from being easily spotted. However, they might not have to use them as there was still enough light from the nearly full moon to help them find their way. The wind rustling the leaves would also make it harder for the sentries to hear the shifters.