Angus led the way with her following and Leon bringing up the rear. “That’s some neat trick you have,” she whispered approaching the two jeeps.
“It was Silas’ idea. He said it would be the quickest way. Appears he was right.” Angus pulled out the bag from the back seat and handed it to her. He took the other one. “Should be two more bags over there. We need these to get on base.”
She looked at the military uniforms and then at Angus. “I thought two of the men were at home, off post.”
“According to Jacques, they are all on base waiting to leave. Our contact is monitoring the situation on base and will tell us where to find them. We have to make the change quickly so the contact can dispose of the bodies.”
She nodded and changed into the military uniform. “Everybody check your Id, you have new names. Memorize them. Be prepared to show the card at the gate and answer any questions, we are going in hot. La Patron said he would ease the way for us to enter the gate, but I am not sure what that means.” She looked at each man. “Bottom line is this. Tyrese Bennett will return to the states in time for the mating ceremony of his mom and our Alpha.” She paused. “By any means necessary…that will happen. On my life, that will happen. Any questions?”
“No, Sir,” Brix and Leon said together and then hopped into their vehicle.
Angus grinned at her. “No questions, just an observation.”
She climbed into the passenger side of their jeep and fastened her seat belt. “What?”
“Silas damned sure picked the right man for the job.”
She smiled at the compliment and then refocused on the drive. “We should be at the gate in twenty five minutes, see if you can shave a little of that off.”
Angus nodded. “Yes, Sir.” The jeep leapt forward down the road.
They reached the base with five minutes to spare. Angus contacted Silas to give an update. “We have to wait until they change shifts in five minutes, then proceed to gate one. We’ll be cleared and given instructions where to find the soldiers.”
She nodded. “Mistress?”
“Asia, everything okay?”
“Yes, I just wanted to reassure you we are on task and on our way. I may not be able to contact you again; we will be airborne within the hour.”
“Thank you, Asia. Take care of yourself and thank you for this. I feel better knowing you and Angus are going to free Rese.”
“My pleasure, Ma’am. They played him foul and are lucky La Patron allows them to live. I don’t think I would have.” She would kill the bastards, but she made an attempt of softening her words.
“We both know how you would go after the generals. But as Silas says, there are other, more painful ways to destroy someone.” She laughed. The sound warmed Asia as it always did. Her mistress was one of those rare people who brightened everyone’s day without trying.
“Silas is on top of dealing with that issue. Heads will roll…” She laughed again, except this time it was obvious she was serious.
“Yes, Mistress. I will let you know when Tyrese is on his way home, until then, enjoy your mating celebration.”
“Asia?”
She froze at the seriousness in her Mistress’ voice. “Yes, Ma’am?” Even though she was decades older than her Mistress, an inexplicable jolt of deferential fear shot through her at that tone. Age held no importance. Knowing her Mistress had something important to say turned back the clock to the time she learned to tie her shoes.
“As long as you’re open, I can find you anywhere in the world. You are never alone. If you need me or Silas, think hard and call out. I give you my word I will answer and be there for you. We will link together and feed you energy if you are in need. Do not play superwoman and try to do this on your own, I mean that.”
Her heart strengthened at the concern threaded through the tough words. “Yes, Mistress. I know that and it means everything to me. I am your sword of justice.”
“Time to go,” Angus said starting the jeep.
She disconnected from Jasmine and straightened in her seat. In her lap were the fake military ID’s and driver’s license. Angus waited behind a car, after that car was waved through; they pulled up to the gate.
“Evening,” Angus said, handing the guard his card.
The soldier looked over at her. Another soldier stepped toward her side of the car. She handed him her card. He nodded and gave it back to her and then waved them through. On the back side of her card was a slip of paper. She opened it as Angus drove slowly down the road.
“He gave me a map, turn here,” she pointed at the next street. “Now here,” she pointed again. “We need to go to building… she looked at the small paper again and then looked up. “We turn in here and go inside.”
She exhaled. With the chameleon, her wolf senses were dulled, but she sensed another full blood on the other side of the door. Exiting the jeep, she made sure Brix and Leon were behind her and Angus. Together they headed toward the building and walked inside.
The full-blood saluted them. “Master Sergeant Taykes.”
Brix was first to return the salute, the rest of them were slower. “Where do we go?” she asked without any preliminaries.
The tall, broad shouldered man waved them forward. They walked to the back of the building. He pointed to another building. “They’re resting over there on the first floor in the common room. No one else is with them at the moment. I am personally overseeing security detail and will block and erase signs of your entering. Leave the men in the closet and my team will take them out later, I need to be sure one of mine is on the back gate.”
Asia nodded. “Will we need to change again?”
He nodded. “Yes, you need to put on their clothes, they’re tagged.”
“Tagged?”
“Name tags,” Brix said.
She nodded. “What’s the best way to go over there?”
“Walk over one at a time, space it a few minutes each. That should give you time to change and be prepared to leave when the jeep comes.”
“But we need to take them at the same time…” she looked at Angus. “Right?”
“Yes or one of them could sound the alarm. Is there a place we can hide until all four of us are in the building?”
Taykes thought for a moment and then nodded. A second later a full-blooded young soldier entered the building. “Yes, Sir?”
“I want you to lock yourself in the control room. No one in or out. I’ve blocked certain cameras. If you see me or any of us on any camera...” He pointed to the four of them. “I want it targeted and deleted. Understood?”
“Yes, Sir.” The soldier ran up the stairs. A few seconds later a door closed and an audible click sounded.
“It’s dark but I will take you on a tour. I will point at things and you should look at where I point. Once we get to the building do what you need to do quickly, a car will be here to pick you up and take you to the plane. Sometimes they come early. Once inside I will go upstairs while you go into the room where the men are sitting. You have their names?”
“Yes, we each have been assigned a certain man,” Asia said, remembering the bio of the man she would assume.
Taykes nodded and slid his hat into place. “Let’s go.”
The darkness helped them move faster, even though Taykes talked the entire time. When they reached the building, he tipped his head toward a door and headed up the stairs. They walked into the room where the four men sat around laughing and talking.
“Hey guys,” the one named Carson, after the base she supposed, said after a quick glance in their direction. He wasn’t hers. She didn’t bother speaking, instead she searched for Lewis, he was her man. A few seconds later she located him on the other side of the room. He lay on the bench tapping his foot, she doubted he noticed them, not with his headphones stuck in his ear. She sat next to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. It didn’t take long and within moments they were changing clothes and then dragged the men into the closet. Problem. Al
l four men didn’t fit. She glanced at her watch and then stepped into the hall looking for Taykes. Inhaling she recognized his scent on the floor above hers and took the steps two at a time. She walked into an office where he stood talking to another full-blood.
She saluted him on instinct. “Sir, we have a problem.”
He nodded slowly, staring at her as if she were a ghost. “Let’s take it downstairs, show me your problem Lewis.”
When they cleared the stairs Asia turned. “The bodies are too big they won’t all fit in the closet.”
His eyes widened. He looked at her closely. “What…what has La Patron done? He can change people like this? Unbelievable… I didn’t think this plan would work even though he assured me it would. But…you look identical, even the salute, that’s exactly how Lewis does his.”
“The bodies,” she snapped. “We are running out of time and you need to move them before someone sees them.”
He nodded, without taking his eyes off her. “Yes, of course I’ll have my team come now. We were waiting, didn’t think this would work, couldn’t see how he’d pull it off. I should’ve known…he’s La Patron. He keeps surprising me.”
“You should not second guess your Alpha,” she said with censure in her tone.
“You are right…of course.” They entered the room and he stopped, stared at her team, and then at the men on the ground.
“Taykes,” Asia barked to get him moving. “We are on a tight schedule; get those men out of here.”
“Yes, my team is on the way. Could you go in the other room so they don’t see…this ability? La Patron needs to keep it a secret. This is big…really big.”
She nodded and the four of them stepped into the smaller room off the back.
A few minutes later he called out. “All clear. You have a few minutes to go over the information in their bags just in case someone asks questions.”
She nodded and refrained from telling him they had the memories of the men. He stared at them one last time, shook his head and left the room.
“I thought he was going to pass out when he walked in here,” Leon said and sat down where his soldier had sat.
“It was a shock and I am glad he will keep it a secret,” Angus said mimicking his soldier’s movements as well.
She brushed through the memories of Lewis; he was single, no family, no girlfriend, no real commitments. Silently she thanked La Patron for choosing someone similar to her with little to no emotional attachment.
Outside an engine approached and shut off. She lay on the bench with the headphones, a nice jazzy beat flowed through the speakers. She tapped her foot. “Buck up gents, it’s show time. Our ride just pulled up.”
Chapter 11
Danielle yawned and stretched. Rolling onto the side of the bed, she nearly fell to the floor. Irritated that the bed was smaller than any twin she’d ever lay on, and exhausted from the rush to get here, she opened one eye and then the other before it hit her.
“I’m in Lyrill…” she whispered, pushed and sat up, looking around her small room. “I’m in Lyrill.” This time her voice held a bit of awe that she had finally made it after all of this time. Laughing, she stood up and curled her toes on the cold tile floor. “Oh…oh…,” she hopped around until she reached the thick Persian rug a few feet away. She breathed deeply to get her bearings. Someone snored loudly in the room on her left. She chuckled and eased her senses back a little. Another yawn slipped past her lips.
They had arrived late last night, Pierce, a doctor of some sort, had been on the last plane. They had both been too tired to say more than hello after their driver grunted through lifting two large trunks in the back while introducing them.
She looked at the trunks and then at the doctor. “You live here?”
He smiled but never answered.
She shrugged, it wasn’t her business. Once at the castle the driver took them to a fairly modern building. Seeing him struggle with the doctor’s trunks, she grabbed her bag, offered him a smile and walked into the two story building. A woman with dark long hair greeted her, handed her a packet with her instructions and maps and then showed her to this room. It all happened relatively quickly.
Too tired to be anything other than appreciative at the sight of the small bed she thanked her hostess, closed the door and fell fully clothed onto the bed. She looked down at herself and frowned. Although her traveling clothes weren’t really wrinkled, she smelled funky.
Her wolf whined and whimpered, having been out of sorts since yesterday. She groaned hearing the familiar sounds. Unable to give her beast what she wanted Danielle sought for a compromise.
“We will find him, soon we will find him. Work with me here a bit…shower, get dressed, the ceremony and then we can leave.” Her beast eased down and Danielle was glad for the reprieve. A shower or bath was necessary before she could do anything else. She grabbed her bag from the chair and rifled through it searching for her toiletries.
“There you are,” she murmured taking the small travel sized containers from the bag. She looked down at her feet and pulled out her ballerina slippers. The lavender shoes had seen better days, but they were the most comfortable shoes she owned, plus they offered protection from the floor. Hopping on one foot, she slipped on one shoe and then the other. Armed with her toiletries she headed to the small door that her hostess said was her bathroom.
The shower, toilet and sink were crammed into what had probably been a small closet. After bumping her knee on the toilet, she took more care moving about the tight space. Despite the inconvenience she appreciated the warm water, the fragrant smell of her soap and shampoo. Washing the stench of travel from her stole time she could be eating breakfast or taking pictures of the landscape, but she wanted to have this behind her so her entire day would be free.
She wrapped her body and hair in the thick towels provided. Pouring generous amounts of almond oil on her skin, she massaged it into her body until it glowed. Her mind developed a portfolio of her absent mate. He had to be taller than her, with hair? She frowned trying to imagine what he looked like. Muscular? Probably. Bald? No, hair would be nice. Kind eyes and a ready smile, she wanted her mate to be her best friend, not arrogant, but partners. He should be someone she could share her private shame. She shivered at the idea of opening up about her parents, although they were both dead. They weren’t the best, not compared to her grandmother, but… she recognized them with respect for the position they had in her life.
Next she worked a bit of the oil through her damp hair, combed out the tangles and then blow dried it straight to match the picture she sent the invitation committee. With the humidity she felt last night, she would be sporting a head full of curls by this afternoon. By then she would have met those she needed to reassure of her identity.
Once her hair was done, she slipped on a wrinkle-free, royal blue sleeveless dress that she took everywhere she traveled. It was a combination of jersey and spandex. She loved the simple vee-neck style and had it in two other colors, red and black. A blue, red, black and white scarf was another stable to dress up or down her ensemble. She folded the scarf carefully, pulled out her designer buckle and threaded the scarf. The scarf resembled a multi-colored belt with gold accents drawing attention to her small waist. Pleased with the look she applied eyeliner and mascara to give her a smoldering, sophisticated look. She turned to the side, and then the other. “Not bad…not bad at all, girl.” What would her mate think? “Would you think I’m beautiful?” She rotated her position and looked over her shoulder. “Am I sexy enough for you?” Great sex between mates was a given, at least everyone who’d shared graphic details about their mating heat said the same thing…the sex was out of this world amazing. A low throb started low in her core at the idea of the mating heat. It wouldn’t matter that she had never seen him before; their wolves would want to claim and submit to each other.
Shaking free of the images of them making love in exotic locations while she worked on the edge of danger
in pursuit of the next story… She sighed happily and snapped on her watch, diamond tennis bracelet, an old gift from her grandmother, and slid on her black sandals before looking around the room for her camera bag. They would be the next Clark Kent and Lois Lane, reporting from all over the world. It sounded good to her, but then her fantasies were custom tailored to please her alone.
The packet she received on arrival remained on the small table where she threw it last night. She groaned and walked over to retrieve it. Why hadn’t she looked at it first thing this morning? She prayed she hadn’t already missed an appointment.
Quickly she tore into the large white envelope bearing the Lyrill crest. Heart racing, she swallowed hard before pulling out several pages.
“Welcome to the crowning ceremony…blah, blah, blah,” she said reading the same stuff they had mailed her. Bypassing the map and an itinerary, she flipped to her schedule of appointments. She wanted to know when she would meet and interview the prince and princess. Exclusivity was the true benefit of being the only journalist allowed to enter the ceremonies.
Her hand flew to her chest as her heart beat so fast, dots floated in front of her, she read the words again, aloud this time. “The interview of the crown prince and princess will not be granted this year due the hectic schedules of the prince and princess. We have set up alternative interviews with the Prime Minister and the Ambassador instead.” She closed her eyes and bit her lip to hold back a scream. Both the Prime Minister and the Ambassador were old news. She needed something fresh to send to potential clients.
“Well, that sucks.” She re-read the entire letter and then her schedule again. Although this trip cost her nothing, other than her time, she felt cheated. “I missed the big breakfast,” she said reading her schedule. She glanced at her watch, calculated the time before the next event and sat hard on the chair. The parade started in thirty minutes. She needed to be at her post to capture history, but she wanted that story and spent the next few minutes trying to figure out how she could get it.
BirthSign (La Patron, The Alpha's Alpha) Page 11