A Shadow's Embrace

by Carnes, Cara

  Silence descended on the footage. Betrayal burned Devyn’s insides, coating with a new lacquer of distrust. She’d been so damn stupid.

  “You listen to me. I haven’t sat back and endured all this bullshit for years for you to turn tail and run now. We’re taking that cow and her crew down. I don’t care if she’s fucking Jesus himself. I’ll cover, and the SEO won’t be any wiser.” Mia’s agitated voice rose. Her words punctured Devyn. What the hell?

  Mia paced in the control room of Indigo Order’s second compound. “Yeah, well, I handled Rider, didn’t I? You don’t think I can take her?”

  Dare cursed from the other side of the room. She cast him her sympathy. How could Mia do this? Why? Devyn, Dare and Rider had done everything they could to protect Mia in the facility since she’d come across as the weakest of them all. Was that a lie as well?

  Ace cut the feed, and Kaeden crossed his arms as he took control of the room once again. “As we all know, empaths are unpredictable at times and can be downright dangerous. Fortunately, she isn’t a level five or six. Handling her shouldn’t be difficult, but, since we don’t have proof of her grade, we need to be careful.”

  “What do you mean about being dangerous? Doesn’t she just feel people’s emotions and shit?” Diaz asked. He flashed Devyn an apologetic wink for using bad words.

  “Most empaths we’ve worked with are able to use their ability as a weapon, in much the same way a manipulator can. They can overwhelm a person with negativity—pain, sense of loss, fear, whatever they think will work to debilitate their opponent,” Trent stated.

  “Higher levels can make it so realistic the mind never recovers,” Rex added. “We’ve seen it done. We’ve done it ourselves when needed. It’s an effective weapon with potentially permanent consequences.”

  Oh, my God. Devyn had no idea. She trembled within Dagan’s grasp as she processed the past. She could sense Dare doing the same thing. His jaw twitched, and he shook his head. Yeah, she’d been fucking with them all for years.

  Event after event shuffled through her mind. Like the time Mia had her thinking Rider was being overly assertive with the street kids. It’d been unfathomable to imagine him beating up on anyone weaker than him—especially kids. But the evidence Devyn had seen drove her to confront him anyway. It’d been complete bullshit, and Mia swore she had no idea who supplied the intel.

  And the time Dare confronted her, claiming she and Rider were involved. That’d really set Rider off big time. The two men hadn’t spoken for a week afterward. Devyn never asked where Dare had come up with that crazy notion. But it all made sense now. She’d seen him in a heated discussion with Mia after that.

  And the computers. Cadence was going to go nuclear. Mia had ruined so many computers over the past couple of years they’d eventually banned her from the surveillance room unless she was with someone else. Hell, she’d even managed to “accidentally” delete folders of surveillance footage from the system before.

  Her mind continued listing occurrences until she inwardly groaned. If they hadn’t happened so far apart and seemed so innocuous, she, Dare, and Rider would’ve noticed. Hell, even Cadence would’ve gotten a clue. But nothing had been serious. All footage had been restored, computers replaced, relationships mended. Maybe that’s why none of them had seen it. It had been small, incidental bullshit—just enough to rub skin but not enough to infect.

  ‘What’s the plan?” Corbin asked. “My team and I are ready to move out.”

  It looked like the entire compound was. There were so many armed men—and a couple of women—in the room, she’d lost count somewhere around a hundred. The SEO was a much larger operation than she’d expected.

  “Since she was attempting to acquire the location of the compound, we’ll beef up patrols here, leave most of the squads on alert and ready to roll out if needed. This will be a good opportunity for trainees to step up to the plate and prove themselves. Don’t shy away from running them through worst-case scenario drills while they’re on these patrols. Increase the durations, keep them all on high alert.” Kaeden looked down at Devyn. “We’ll use the same setup we did when securing Rider. Devyn’s going in alone.”

  “Hell no.” Dagan tensed, his hands fisted at his side as he took a couple of steps forward. His gaze darted around the room, as though seeking someone foolish enough to argue. “We’ll discuss options, but she’s not alone for this.”

  “I won’t be, not really. You’ll be there.” Devyn battled the fear rattling around in her. She had a room filled with enough Shadow Elites to take on a country. She’d be okay. What terrified her most was losing someone she’d considered a friend.

  “I’m sorry, babe. I know this sucks,” Dagan said. “We’ll get through it.”

  Everyone in the room chuckled when she smacked his arm.

  “Funny. You just wait till tonight. Keep that smartass attitude up and you won’t be raiding anything but the fridge.”

  “Damn. She got you good.” Ace whistled.

  The other men laughed, and some slapped him on the back. Kaeden made his way to her.

  “You ready to get this op started? You’ll contact her, establish a location.”

  Her pulse pounded, her stomach pitched its protest as nervousness soured her insides. What if she screwed up and Mia sensed something? Subterfuge wasn’t her strong suit. “Maybe Dare should contact her. It’d make sense that I’d turn this over to him since he deals with Patch and Diaz more than I do.”

  “No.” Kaeden shook his head. “You contact her. You wouldn’t shrink away from handling something like that on a normal day.”

  A normal day. Had she had one of those?

  You’re right.”

  “You’ll do great.” Dare put his arm around her and kissed her temple.

  Ace motioned toward the seat beside him. “Have a seat. We’ll use the secured line.”

  Devyn’s breath ceased for a moment when the phone began ringing. Silence descended in the room.

  “Hello?”

  “Mia. It took me longer to get a secured landline than I expected.” She swallowed and forced a couple of breaths. “You have eyes on Diaz and Patch? They okay?”

  “They’re stubborn assholes, Dev. I’m not cut out for this shit. I need your help.” Mia’s voice reverberated desperation, impatience. “What should I do?”

  “Tell me where you are. I’ll secure a ride there.”

  “No,” Mia shouted. “You know they don’t trust Shadows.”

  “Yeah, I’ve had my fill of Shadows. I’m coming alone. Just tell me where to head.”

  “We’re a couple of blocks west of the Indigo Order Kitchen. They wanted this done man-versus-man, so their crews aren’t here.” Mia lowered her voice. “Third floor. It’s the tallest brown building on the corner. You can’t miss it.”

  “I know the one.” It had been overrun with druggies and pushers until Dare and Rider had started kicking ass and cleaning up the streets surrounding Indigo Order’s sector in West Englewood. “I’ll be there ASAP.”

  The line disconnected. She stood and wrapped her arms around Dagan. “I wish we could fast forward and move past all this.”

  “Me, too.” He cupped her chin in his hand and pushed upward until she met his gaze. “So, you’ve had your fill of Shadows, huh?”

  Crap. She’d said that, hadn’t she? She smiled.

  “Maybe. Maybe not.”

  “Damn, man. That might be a record. We don’t usually run off a woman that fast,” Cash commented.

  “No shit,” Corbin added.

  The men all chuckled, and, before long, the volume in the room rose as the secondary forces of men she didn’t know filled the room with residual conversations that somehow calmed her. These operatives were all used to intense situations. This was their way of handling it.

  “No response to that?” Dagan kissed her neck. “Go Lara Croft up before I decide to prove you’re nowhere near tired of me.”

  She kissed his lips and pushed
away with a smirk. Yeah, she wasn’t anywhere near tired of him. She doubted she’d ever be. Heading to the exit, she halted just outside. Dare stood in the corridor near the doorway. He crushed her against him before she could speak.

  “This shit sucks hard, Indy.”

  “Yeah, it does. I don’t understand.” She looked around and noticed both Diaz and Patch hopping around like jumping beans. “You have something to share?”

  “You know there’s no love between that bitch and the street, Indy.” Diaz pocketed his hands and looked at Patch, as if seeking his approval. When the kid nodded, Devyn got gut-punched with apprehension. “We’ve been noticing some shit with her for a while. I had peeps on her, watching her with some of the groups who keep to themselves. She’s fucked up.”

  “How so?” Dare asked.

  “Someone saw her hurting a couple of little kids and laughing, like she was at a freaking circus or some shit. The kids are good now, but they’re still whacked on the inside, like that bitch twisted them up and they can’t unwind themselves. Plus people are poofing. One day they’re on the edge of our street, the next they’re ghosted.”

  “Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

  “’Cause she’s your crew. I wouldn’t want you telling me shit about my peeps,” Patch said.

  “Yeah, we handle shit internally,” Diaz stated. “Besides, I verify everything, and no one’s talking. No one. Indy, that ain’t right. I’ve never had problems getting the street to talk.”

  “It looks like we’re past due for a discussion about communication,” Dare replied. “Go get ready, Indy. I’ll handle this.”

  She choked back her gratitude. Dare wouldn’t want it. Darkness had settled in his aura. Knowing Mia had something to do with Rider’s abduction and subsequent torture made the situation even grimmer.

  Somehow she’d channel her inner Lara. For Dare, for Dagan. For Rider.

  * * * * *

  “We don’t even know if she’s alone. That could’ve been Conver she was talking to. There could be an entire squadron in there.”

  Dagan motioned toward the vacant tenement building where Mia had insisted Devyn meet her.

  The abandoned structure was a popular squat for the smaller underground psychic crews because it sat at the edge of the city’s psychic sector without actually being in it. That meant surveillance cameras and technology were minimal, which translated to a weak spot for Devyn.

  Cash and Corbin’s squads had been called in to wire up as much of the surrounding area as possible without alerting any lookouts Mia might have on the street. Diaz had insisted on dispersing his people. Everyone on his crew haunted this stretch of turf to ensure the inhabitants were okay.

  Dagan watched Devyn move toward the building with a confidence that belied the terror, the anger, the hurt broiling her insides right now. He settled into her mind, absorbing as much of the excess emotion as he could. God, she was gorgeous—strong, determined, independent.

  Can you hear me, babe?

  Dagan. His name was a breathless whisper sweeping through his soul. I hear talking. She isn’t alone.

  Neither are you. Just breathe and remember the cues, okay?

  Okay.

  The small button camera shone on the door of apartment 212 before she opened the door and stepped in. Her footsteps echoed against the concrete flooring.

  Devyn halted several feet from Mia and two men, who had automatic rifles trained on her.

  Son of a bitch.

  “Everyone, stand down.” Kaeden shouted the order into the comms. “She’s an operative. We handle this like we would any op.”

  She’s not trained for this shit, man.

  She’ll be fine. Trent’s within striking distance, as is more than half the SEO. Pull it together before she senses anything.

  Dagan settled, knowing Kaeden was right.

  Devyn's voice punctuated the tension. “Mia. W—what’s going on?”

  “I’m afraid there’s been a shift in management, Devyn. Oh, wait. Would you rather I call you Indy?” Mia pulled out a gun. Disdain charged her words. They were bitter shards ripping Dagan even from a distance.

  “Put down the gun. This is ridiculous, Mia. What’s going on?”

  “I’ve waited for this for years.” She slammed the gun handle into Devyn’s face. Dagan heard the grunt, felt the shock, and absorbed the bursts of pain across her face. “Devyn, Devyn, Devyn. Every fucking second of my existence was protecting Devyn. Do you have any idea how much shit I took for you? Dealt with because everyone in that fucking facility wanted to cover your ass?”

  “So this is how you rebel? Years later? Guess what, Mia, everyone there suffered. Everyone endured the torturous tests, the pain experiments. The punishments.” The darkest pockets of her thoughts flashed open, and Dagan stifled his curse as the images assailed him. “You don’t think it killed me every time one of you was dragged back there, and I could hear your screams, knowing I might, just might, be able to get us away?

  “But we agreed. We all agreed it was too risky. Death wasn’t an option, even if it meant surviving hell.”

  “And that was all because of you. You ruined everything. They were supposed to break. If they’d broken and died or surrendered and been good little soldiers, I would’ve been freed. Don’t you get it? I was there because Dare and Rider couldn’t trust anyone else to read them.”

  Dagan leaned forward when Mia began waving the gun around.

  “What do you mean? Mia, you aren’t making any sense.”

  “Dare and Rider. This is all their fault. They were supposed to break. Mom and Dad swore I’d only be in for a couple of months at most, but then those two pricks saw you and knew. They knew you were different, thought you were worth enduring whatever shit Mom thought up just to keep you hidden.”

  Mom? Dad?

  “Son of a bitch. She’s Conver’s kid with Doctor Lang?” Dagan shouted, unable to believe what they’d just heard.

  “Fuck.” Kaeden pounded the control panel. The image of Devyn flickered. “Sorry, I can’t believe we never made the connection between those two sick fucks.”

  Dagan felt the weight of Devyn’s shock meld with his. I know, babe. Just hold it together. Keep her talking.

  She hates us so much. “What did I ever do you to?”

  “You lived,” Mia screamed. “I told Mom about you the day I heard Dare and Rider whispering about what they thought you could do. They didn’t realize I was a grade five. I could hear their conversations back then because they weren’t as careful as they are now. They were too weak, in pain to worry about anyone hearing them because we were all beneath them. Except you.”

  Mia lunged forward and grabbed a fistful of Devyn’s hair.

  “Don’t touch me.” Devyn screamed as she kicked out at Mia defensively.

  “That’s it. I’m done with this trip down memory lane.” Mia laughed. “You don’t even get it, do you? The second Mom heard about you, even she turned on me, said you were too priceless for Dad to find out about you until she’d gotten a chance to study you in action. She pushed them harder, pushed you harder, until you all plotted your escape.

  “She allowed it, ordered me to go along, and feed her intel so she could see you in your primal surroundings, as she called them.”

  * * * * *

  Shock coursed through Devyn’s mind before Dagan absorbed it all.

  “Oh, my God. All this time you’ve been spying on us for Doctor Lang?”

  "You know, for a supposed high grade psychic, you are really fucking stupid sometimes.” Mia pulled her hair harder. “You were the experiment that wouldn’t end. Your involvement with those fucking gutter rats, your ability to enthrall everyone and come across as so defenseless when you have enough power to destroy everything around you. If they knew what power you hold within, they’d cower. That’s what Dad said when he figured out you existed.”

  “That’s why Conver started chasing me.”

  “Mom grew impatient, wanted
to bring you in for the breeding program. They’d shut it down after those two maggot twins got away, but you…You were worth breeding.” Mia spat. “With Rider. That fucking cow of a mother wanted to breed you with my man.”

  Breeding program? Her man? Thankful for the tight leash Dagan held on her emotions, she wiped the spittle from her face and glared at the woman. “You’re crazy. Rider was never yours. He couldn’t even stand to be around you, and now I know why. Did he figure you out? Is that why you betrayed him?”

  “I was this close to having you gone. Dad’s army had you surrounded, and you did precisely what I expected—turned tail and scurried home like the little lab rat you were. But you just couldn’t help yourself. You dragged that fucking Shadow back with you to fix him. You’re always fixing every fucking thing. You had to bring in that street urchin to heal the bastard who helped you. But I’m resilient. I had it handled. Then Rider charged out of the compound, pissed off about what you’d been doing with the SEO. He stepped right into the center of Dad’s army.”

  “Y—you blew up the compound, didn’t you?”

  “Yes. Too bad that fucking Shadow moved so fast. You were supposed to be in it. When things went south because Rider screwed them to shit, I knew what I had to do. Destroy the experiment. Destroy you. I think you should experience exactly what I did to our Rider.”

  Oh, God. Her limbs numbed under the weight of Mia’s words. The pain he’d endured rippled through her as Mia laughed. The anguish of betrayal he’d felt as Mia tortured him.

  Nausea overcame Devyn, and she vomited, purging the contents of her stomach onto the concrete flooring as Mia thrust the violent cruelty she’d wrought on Rider onto Devyn.

  Fuck. Hang on, babe. Just a little longer.

  She’d destroyed him. She’d raped him. S—s-she….

  The onslaught of images, searing pain, and desperation wouldn’t end. They struck her like waves of battering rams. Devyn sensed a third then a fourth presence in her mind. The third exploded a brushfire of power that blasted the imagery.

  Mia screamed and grabbed her head as she fell to her knees. The two men focused their guns on Devyn, but a blur of movement from the corner gave her the signal to fall to the floor. The whirl of bullets, followed by splays of blood, gave her something to focus on as the strangers in her mind helped Dagan keep her from losing it altogether.