by Angela White
Twitching, Angela stretched her arm out carefully. She hadn’t picked him up at all. He was good.
“Then I wouldn’t be able to use it at the first aid class tomorrow.”
Angela’s hand came up to reveal her gun. She was going to be very fast to pull it again for a while and she slid it into the holster with a sigh. “When can we start my real lessons?”
“A week or so.”
“I don’t want to wait.”
“I know.”
“I’m working my regular schedule.”
Adrian’s sigh was resigned and proud at the same time. “I know that, too. It’s why you were chosen for this, why you’ll succeed.”
Adrian saw she had gotten the wound bleeding again by spending time with the camp and then on duty, instead of resting. He concentrated, pulling from his fury at her injury and a bolt of vivid gold energy shot from his hand and sank into her shoulder.
Angela arched at the sensation, body alive with need and then it was gone, as was the pain. She drew in a calming breath.
“My thanks.”
“My honor.”
The pain would return with dawn, but the open show of his own gifts, of their likeness, had Angela fighting the urge to step toward him. She was saved the battle by the sound of a sentry coming.
Jeremy slammed an icy façade into place at the sight of them, at the striking need in the air. “Marc’s coming this way.”
Suddenly bone weary, Angela surprised both men. “I’ll find him in a bit.”
The Level Three Eagle left quickly and Angela tried to resist the comfort that Adrian still wanted to give. Marc would be hurt, but it was still better than his oaths of better protection and guilt. She didn’t blame him, but she wasn’t ready to spend this time, when her mind was so empty, being refilled with things that didn’t matter. This was her life, her choice to make, and those who were really with her would accept it.
Adrian studied her, unsure of the mood. Was she blaming Marc? Did she blame leadership? The Eagles were his and their failures belonged to him as well. He started to say so and then realized that was likely the reason she had avoided Marc.
“How did it happen?” she asked suddenly.
“With the disks out, he must have crawled all night under the fog.”
“I meant the shift in power you’re putting in place.”
Adrian’s expression became shuttered, but he didn’t lie. “It’s destiny, fated.”
“And you have no doubts, even though everyone else, including me, does?”
“None.” His words were rough with emotion. “It’s meant to be.”
He didn’t say more, but Angela felt it anyway and refused to let the two words even form in her thoughts.
Aware of all the ears on them, she opened her lids to reveal those glints of steel that Marc would have recognized instantly. “Cesar has to die. We’ll never hold this camp together while he murders our people.”
Adrian was relieved to have her agree, but it also sealed his choice. If he didn’t get her ready for it, she would do it untrained. Her loathing of the evil man had finally conquered her fear of carrying the guilt over his death.
“Yes, it has.” Like the man she’d killed on her trip here, another life would be sacrificed for hers. It was hard to swallow, but Angela let it slide down her throat like a fine drink after a toast. Everything I am and will be to eliminate the slavers!
The man beside her echoed those thoughts. Together, they would give their flock room to grow without the wolf nipping at their heels.
Marc listened to the conversation with only a little guilt and a lot of confusion. He had gone to the medical tent first, expecting her to be there recovering. Instead, he’d been told she was on guard duty in the parking area. He was pissed, wanting her to get to bed, but even with all that frustration, their words sank in. Had his sweet Angie just ordered a hit? And why wasn’t Adrian telling her the Eagles would handle it and she would be in the rear?
Marc scowled in the darkness, making Dog’s ears tense. Because she wouldn’t be. If Adrian had his way, Kenn the Destroyer would be on his right and Angela the Witch would be on his left. With that type of an opening line, a leader would be nearly invincible.
There isn’t anything, it seemed, that the pair wouldn’t do for Adrian. And Marc had brought her here, to this…savage garden. To the very place that would take her away again.
7
Kenn was high.
Being in everyone’s good graces again had him feeling like there was hope for the first time since he saw those two Blazers in the street and realized she was here. Saving Angela’s life had made up for all those little moments with the camp and even with some of the Eagles. When he ducked into the medical tent hours after making the shot, he felt attention on him, but not in suspicion. If he wanted her dead, she already would be. He only wanted to talk.
“She’s not here.”
Adrian’s voice was hard and Kenn knew instantly that Adrian hadn’t forgiven him a single hit.
He entered the dim tent, finding the five other stern profiles waiting. “What happens now? You shoot me even after all those pretty words?”
“This is just a conversation.” Adrian stated, indicated the empty bench. “A short one.”
The leader waited until Kenn was seated before giving him another hard, searching look and leaving the tent.
It told him this had Adrian’s full support and Kenn braced for the blows.
Instead, there was silence until Kyle finished lighting a cheroot.
“Is it over now?”
Kenn didn’t blink. “Is what over?”
“Your vendetta against her and Marc. Is it over?”
Kenn’s mind flew through answers. His first thought was to lie.
“I don’t know,” he ground out. “Maybe.”
“It is!” Seth warned.
“It isn’t up to you, scrounger!” Kenn sneered in hatred.
Kyle gave Seth a resigned nod and the undercover cop leaned in.
Disgust crept out in waves and Kenn was surprised to feel a small tinge of fear.
“You think you have the power here.” Seth delivered their message. “We’ll run you out.”
“And we won’t give you the chance to sneak back,” Jeremy warned coldly. “You won’t leave this tent if we’re not convinced it’s over. We won’t let you bring it all down.”
“We don’t want to have to talk to you again and we won’t.” Kyle’s hand went to his Glock. “If you break this deal, we’ll kill you and we won’t worry about the herd witnessing it.”
Kenn was silent for a long moment, doing his best to shield his thoughts from his face. If he got his place back, he might be able to let go of the need to hurt them.
“Things will be the way they were?”
“As much as they can be, but there are limits to this deal,” Kyle stated. “Leave her alone. If you can’t help her grow, at least stay out of our way.”
“I already do that.”
“And if she crosses your line and becomes Marc’s legal mate?” Seth was still furious that Kenn was getting off without a punishment. “Because she will as soon as you leave her alone.”
Kenn let his mind go where it wanted, needing to know if he could accept that, and he let out a breath. “I’ll work through it.”
And instantly, he knew he could. She wouldn’t rush into Marc’s arms anytime soon and he would slowly adjust.
“You sure?”
“You sure you can treat me with respect?”
“For Adrian? Absolutely.”
Confident they’d made their point, Seth moved toward the door with his fingers snapping and unsnapping his holster.
“But all is not forgiven, Kenn. You’ll break this deal. I have faith in that as much as Marc does, and since I drew the short straw, I get to pull the trigger.” Seth headed for camp. “It’s worth the wait.”
Kenn snarled his anger, pushing to his feet in a way that had the Eagles te
nsing to fight.
“We’ve made a deal and I’ll stick to it, but be careful. This trap could still blow up in your faces!”
Kyle shoved forward at that. “Are you one of us?”
“I’m Adrian’s!” Kenn ducked out, hoping Tonya was still awake. “The rest of you can go to hell.”
8
Rick read the letter a bit nervously, not sure if he had missed anything. The camp around him was half-angry, half-happy mob and his frustration grew as music blared to life in the Eagle tent next to his. Had he gotten across the importance of laying back and taking out the leadership here before attacking again?
He’d been able to get Mitch to tell him the truth about the tank and then spent some time with a map. If the slavers were trapped by the Cheyenne River, they would have to take the long way around. He had roughly ten days before Cesar got here using their cleared roads, a week and a half to take out Adrian.
Rick snarled in anger. And O’Neil if he could. That one had it coming.
Rick slid the two-paragraph note into a plastic baggie and then deep into his pocket. He would put it in the ground tomorrow as they left. There was too much attention on him to do it tonight. After defeating another bad guy, Safe Haven was in higher spirits than ever. If Cesar came now, he would need more than a tank.
Chapter Eleven
Tropical Heat
1
Kendle was drowning. Her lungs burned as the shark dragged her below the icy water, and her desperate punches had no effect.
“Home. Have to…”
Kendle thrashed restlessly and Luke listened with a heavy heart. Soon, she would ask him to leave with her and he would go, even knowing he wouldn’t survive it.
He wasn’t certain how his death would happen, was terrified of that part, and yet, he would go where she did. When he’d first found her, Luke hadn’t realized it was his pain that would be healed. He no longer woke with his own screams echoing; no longer slipped into those trances of the past that he couldn’t be wakened from. She had healed the rift, and there wasn’t anything she wanted to do that he wouldn’t help her with.
“Please…”
“Kendle, wake up.”
She jerked out of the dream as if she’d been slapped, gasping for air.
Luke jumped.
“You okay?”
Kendle tried to control her ragged breathing. “Yeah…shark.”
Luke got her a drink. She’d told him of her battle for survival after her cruise ship flipped and about how, in her dreams, the shark always won. He was amazed that he believed her. Movie star, female, young, and yet one of the strongest people he’d ever met.
“Do you want a pill?”
Kendle considered. She’d refused the last couple of times. “Yeah.”
He got it without a comment, handing her the drink and capsule before going to the small table to roll a smoke.
They’d been in the hole-up for four days as soon as the chilly dawn graced them, and in that time he had fortified their new home. His assessing gaze went over the traps and wires along the baseboards, the caps in the ceiling. Ethan was responsible for the body on the beach, Luke was sure, and it was only a matter of time before the rich playboy decided to tie up the loose ends and take what he wanted.
Luke glanced at Kendle and was glad to discover that she’d lain back down. He couldn’t lose her now. They’d spent the last days quietly so he could think it all through and make plans. He’d strengthened the hole-up so that they would have a place to make their stand, and he’d packed them survival kits, but the next phase would be harder and he wasn’t sure if she was ready for it. He had a duty to perform, and soon, before anyone else died.
Kendle’s thoughts were more in line with Luke’s than he would have guessed. The sight of the body on the beach had woken the old Kendle. Until that moment, she had only been a victim of an unnamed disaster, the sole survivor, and thoughts of her old life had come and gone without much effect. She hadn’t been able to recall the Kendle who had bungee jumped, rode the rapids, and spent weeks away from her California home. That girl had been determined to make her mark on the world, fearless.
Kendle after the event, was a ball of live nerves and a terrified survivor who saw only what could have been. Even her grief at losing her twin, her entire family, was second to the need to survive and her waking moments had been consumed with it. Ethan’s subtle stalking had magnified that helpless feeling and she’d depended on Luke for security. And she may have remained in that shocked state for an unknown amount of time, if not for the body on the beach.
Mora looked enough like her to give Kendle the sense that she was viewing her future. It had been eerie and scary, but also shocking enough to succeed where all else had failed to reunite her with that other Kendle. The maid from Baxter’s was dead, murdered, and Luke was about to be framed, leaving her unprotected. Ethan would claim her the instant Luke was in custody. And then, he’d make her sorry for the wait.
“Are you all right?”
Kendle glanced up from her seat against the wall. “I will be after we catch him.”
Luke blinked. She already knew what he had to do.
Kendle rose slowly, feeling the strength, but also the limits of her body. Whatever she’d been hit with on that cruise ship had done permanent damage, along with turning her the color of a boiled lobster and she was still hoping time might return more of her health.
“We should go to Jenna.”
Luke wanted to tell her no, but after their confusing trip to the Sheriff, he’d come to the same conclusion himself. The only reason Cole had let them go was so the body could be found by a town resident and complete the frame-up. His ex, on his part of the beach, and now he and Kendle were missing. The residents would think they were guilty. Travel would be dangerous, to say the least.
“Luke.”
“Yeah, I know.”
The crazy woman was related to the ruling family here, but more than that, Jenna had those little details that would help them solve this mystery. Without her, he was going to take the fall. Luke’s mind flashed to them arriving in town to report what they’d discovered.
“Very convenient, it being found at your place.”
Luke frowned at the Sheriff. “She’s on the beach. If you don’t hurry up, the tide will pull her out.”
“You mean go there now, at night?”
The Sheriff’s tone was sarcastic, but the fear on his sweaty face was genuine.
“Why should we do that when her killer is standing right here?”
“He was with me.” Kendle spoke up, hating how the Sheriff’s slimy gaze went over her. “We were going to spend the night on the beach.”
Silence fell at the image of her and Luke about to share a romantic evening and Kendle took the moment to check out the room. The two-cell town hall was dusty and obviously not used much. Sheriff Cole had been sleeping in the bottom bunk of the smallest one, but he’d jumped to his feet when they came through the door.
As if he was expecting trouble, Kendle thought, recognizing his instant accusations as distraction.
He’s in on it.
Kendle swallowed her need to strike out in anger, feeling that old fire. This man could lock them up and then they’d be sitting ducks for the real killer.
Luke’s thoughts were along the same line and he waited for the Sheriff to decide what to do next. Things were far worse than he’d thought, even upon discovering that body.
Knowing that locking them up wasn’t in the plan yet, the Sheriff turned glowing green irises toward the door. “I’ll check things over when I get out that way.”
Luke nodded, slowly moving Kendle toward the exit. Those eyes!
“Fine.”
“And we’ll be by, for your statement.”
Luke nodded again. “I’ll be watching for you.”
That had been four days ago and they had only been to the cabin once. After a fast trip to gather their things, Luke now had them in his hole-up.
Kendle had assumed he was making plans and left him alone, but with each day that had gone by, the tension thickened. Mostly, it was because of an answer he’d given a while ago, when they’d come here to avoid an early hurricane.
“Anyone else know this is here?”
“Probably. Everyone out here has a hole-up. It’s the way you do things on Pitcairn.”
Eventually, the Sheriff and his co-conspirators would show up.
“We’ll leave at dusk.”
Kendle didn’t protest being in the jungle during the night. It wasn’t safe for them anytime.
“What causes their eyes to do that? Do you have a theory?”
Luke set his mug down so she wouldn’t discern the way his hand shook. “None I care to share.”
“I have ideas of my own, you know.”
Luke leered. “Are they naughty? We’ve got a few hours to kill.”
Kendle didn’t return the joke, too worried to be so easily distracted.
“I think it’s something from the war.”
That had Luke’s mind taking notes. He hadn’t thought of that. “Like a side effect?”
She was thumbing through one of the old magazines he’d dug out for her. “Chemical warfare.”
“Our nukes didn’t have that shit.”
“But if there was a world war, not just our weapons were fired, right? And diseases can be let loose too.”
“And maybe it could affect optic nerves, too…”
“Yes. I think parts of this island are contaminated with something that has side effects that include dementia, rages, and changes in appearance, like a mutation almost. Did you catch that twitching the Mayor was doing when we first met him by the creek? Some type of biological agent is what I think.”
Luke felt his panic slowly begin to ease. He hadn’t been able to explain those irises, but her theory made sense.
“We’ll do a scouting trip on the way to Jenna’s. Maybe we can trace something down by the wildlife.”
Kendle surveyed him worriedly. “Will they be monitoring her place for us?’
“Yeah, I think so. We’ll have to go on foot.”
“And if they catch us?”