***
Brannick felt a profound urgency to get on with things. His fae instincts told him time was critical. But when he started hearing a lot of screams coming from a different part of the underground building, he froze. “What the hell is that?”
“Roche showed me around when he first brought me here. Unfortunately, dreamglide sex combined with real-time often involves violence. The women Roche uses for his high-class clientele have strong dreamgliding skills. But he murders the women who don’t perform and of course sometimes they don’t survive the sex itself. This is a brutal place.”
Brannick’s jaw tightened. “Bastard.”
“He is at least that.”
Brannick reached for Juliet’s hand. He was surprised by her initial resistance. But when he glanced at her, the restraint in her expression disappeared. He thought he understood. He knew he was two different men with her, but he treasured his time in the dreamglide. It had come to mean everything to him, the reason he’d started feeling hopeful, like maybe he could have a life in Five Bridges.
The problem was, his conscious self was dug in and so far had only allowed a couple of memories to break through his refusal to engage with Juliet. She’d no doubt experienced his real-time distrust, and she’d responded accordingly.
But she drew close now and even held his arm as together Mary guided the dreamglide to the back entrance.
The double doors were wide open and four powerful, muscled fae warriors sat at a table playing cards. They were blurred so that Brannick knew the men weren’t actively inside the dreamglide, but rather part of the real-time setting.
Mary led them to the left then to the right and down what proved to be a double row of cells. Though she didn’t need to, she spoke in a quiet voice. “The dreamgliders, all women, live in cells like prisoners. Each is fed once a day, but injected with dark flame in the morning and at night. I’m the fifth on the right and sound asleep.”
Brannick saw that each woman wore the beige shift that Mary had on.
Mary answered his question, before he asked it. “No, they don’t perform their services in these sacks. When on duty, they’re sent to be cleaned up, hair styled, nails manicured. They’re then dressed in a costume the client has requested. After being used for the night, they return through the same process only in reverse, stripped naked, scrubbed in a shower, hair washed, nail polish removed and shot up with dark flame.
“Most hardly care because of the drugs. But I’ve watched them pass by. Every other woman returns cut and bruised. It’s a horrible, perverse situation.”
Brannick glanced into several of the cells. The women were either sitting on the side of a cot, staring into space, or passed out cold. Each had a toilet and a sink.
He still held Juliet’s hand. Her soft voice broke through his horror of Roche’s set-up. “Mary, I see you now.”
It was no wonder Juliet had been able to bring her into the dreamglide; she was in a profound sleep and hardly breathing. She must have been recently injected because the teal flames were bright on her bare arms and throat, even on her cheeks. In an odd way, it was beautiful.
“So, what’s the plan, Brannick? Are you and Juliet going to bust me out, or what?”
He shifted to look at Mary in the dreamglide. “That’s the plan. We have Fergus with us as well?”
“Who’s Fergus?”
“An alpha shifter from Savage. A border patrol officer.”
Her nostrils flared. “Just keep him away from me.”
Brannick stared at her, then remembered. Her sister had been killed in a shifter den during a dominance fight. She wasn’t a fan of the wolf population of Five Bridges.
“Fergus is a good man.”
Mary met his gaze, her eyes full of pain. But her shoulders fell. “Do what you must. The important thing is to get me out of here.”
Juliet squeezed Brannick’s hand and shifted to telepathy, though he could feel her include Mary in a group communication. Mary, you can leave now. We’ll take it from here.
Mary offered a faint smile then faded away to nothing. Even Brannick knew when she’d left.
Juliet stayed with telepathy. Roche is here. He’s suspicious. Stay very still.
Got it.
Roche appeared at the top of the aisle, shoving his thick, red hair back with one hand as he looked down the row of cells. He was blurred, which meant he was part of the real-time environment and an excellent sign.
Brann, as soon as Roche leaves my line of sight, I’m going to end the dreamglide, which will put us back at the court.
Ready when you are.
***
Juliet wouldn’t do anything until Roche was gone. So, she waited. She wasn’t sure what kind of temporal disturbance the cessation of a dreamglide could cause. But if it shifted the airwaves, Roche, as a powerful fae, would be able to detect it.
Once he’d disappeared the direction he’d come, she squeezed Brannick’s hand, then let go of him.
When she woke up, she was in Brannick’s arms. She felt dizzy from the sudden shift and took a moment to orient herself.
She glanced up at Brannick. He looked down at her, meeting her gaze, but he looked deadly serious. Jesus, Juliet I remember the entire dreamglide, especially how I treated you and what I said to you about my own issues.
He slowly released her and rose to his feet, lifting her at the same time.
Standing next to him, she asked, Did all your memories come back?
He shook his head. No. I’m only remembering how I felt when I first saw you in the dreamglide. I’m experiencing the rush of seeing a woman who had been my lover for months. Jesus.
Juliet stepped away from him. He reached for her, but his hand fell away. I owe you an apology. I didn’t know how conflicted I was about you or how much I was a full participant in our lovemaking. But enough of that.
He seemed to give himself a shake as he shifted his attention to Fergus. Juliet felt him expand his telepathy to include the shifter.
Sorry. We needed to exchange a few words.
No problem. How we doin’ with Roche?
Well, he’s got one helluva a setup, but I think we can get Mary out.
Juliet listened as Brannick relayed the route to Fergus and described the setup at the back entrance, the guards and the row of cells.
Brannick turned to her. Before we charge in there and disrupt the guards, is there anything else about Roche that you can tell us? Anything that might impact the mission?
Juliet thought for a moment, but shrugged. I honestly don’t know much about what he does or how he does it, only that he’s dangerous. Just never underestimate his overall power. And I should warn you, he has a connection to the dark witch covens in Elegance.
Brannick settled his hand gently on her shoulder. Okay. Good to know. Can you continue to use my vampire shield the way you are right now?
Yes. No problem.
Okay. Here’s how this will go. You unlock Mary’s cell, and I’ll keep Fergus shielded while we distract the guards.
She loved that he’d touched her. For a moment, he felt more like his dreamglide self. Was it possible his two selves were merging a little more? It’s an excellent plan, and I can hold a shield. If I need to cover Mary, I can do that as well.
His lips curved. Then let’s get Mary out of there.
Juliet levitated at the same time as both the vampire and the shifter. She was struck all over again how they were three separate species yet they shared the same mind and intent. The Five Bridges Tribunal had kept each territory separate for decades through the use of ditches, bridges and tons of barbed wire. She knew the reason for it, since the species tended to annihilate each other.
Yet here they were, having joined together to save one fae woman.
She flew swiftly, stunned once more that she not only had the ability to levitate, but the same skill set Brann possessed. And it rocked.
She loved the freedom of flying, as well as the joy of whisking by people, i
nvisible to them.
More than once she glanced back to see them looking around for the source of what must have felt like a surprising movement of air.
She smiled as she flew, whipping left and right without hesitation at each juncture. She also saw that Brann knew the way as though it had been imprinted on his mind as well. Maybe the dreamgliding had done that.
She was in sync with him and began to slow at exactly the same split-second that Brann issued the order. As a group, they eased back when approaching the backdoor to Roche’s high-class sex shop.
Within ten yards of the doorway, he dropped out of levitation and walked instead. He made hand signals to Fergus, specific moves that all border patrol officers knew.
She could tell Brann was communicating with Fergus and laying out a strategy.
She stood back from them and saw that the set-up was very simple. A metal box, about the size of a home fuse box, held the keys. It was even partially open so that she could see inside. She alerted Brann that she was going to check on the number of the cell, then be right back.
He nodded to her. We’ll wait to attack until you return, but get behind us in case this goes south and we need to leave in a hurry.
Understood.
Concerned that her sandals might make a noise on the floor, she levitated once more. She moved carefully in the direction of the guards, but not one of them looked at her.
Seeing that she was free to move, she levitated faster and arced around the guard to the left, then sped down to Mary’s cell. She hunted for a number and found it in the upper right corner.
She hurried back and returned to the position in the hall that Brannick had requested.
Brannick once more lifted his hand and the next moment, each drew his Glock, then switched the guns around to hold the sidearms by the barrel. Brannick came up behind the man with his back to the door and Fergus took the guard Juliet had flown around.
She watched Brannick and Fergus make eye-contact with each other then afterward slam the butts of their guns down on the backs of the men’s heads. The man at the table flopped forward. The guard standing crumpled to his feet.
The other two guards froze, since they had no way of knowing what had just happened to the other two.
In an orchestrated and very quick manner, Brannick moved to the man closest to the key box and Fergus to the other fae warrior, who were both rising to their feet. They repeated the strikes of the weapons, and the other two guards fell to the floor.
Brannick gestured for Juliet to come in.
She levitated to the key box and fished out the correct key, then flew down the corridor. She took her time unlocking the door, intending to keep the noise down to a minimum just in case for some reason she could be heard.
Fergus was right behind her and as soon as the door was open, he moved in and picked Mary up in his arms.
That’s when things went haywire, though Juliet didn’t at first have a clue what was happening.
The moment Fergus held Mary against his chest, he lifted his head back and howled. With the woman pressed against his chest, his mating cycle must have kicked into high gear. The sound reverberated down the line of cells.
Brann, I don’t know what to do. I think you’d better take care of this.
I’m on it. Come out of the cell.
Juliet tossed the key on the bed, slipped past Fergus and entered the hallway. Brannick immediately went inside, then caught Fergus’s face in his hands.
Fergus became as rigid as a pole, though his mane of hair shook in an odd way. At first she thought he was fighting Brannick. Then she realized Fergus was forcing himself to regain his self-control.
Juliet glanced at Mary’s inert form, her head pressed against Fergus’s shoulder. The shifter’s long hair brushed Mary’s cheek where the drug’s teal flame marked her face.
Juliet wanted to help but didn’t know what to do. She kept glancing toward the head of the aisle. Fortunately no other guards had shown up yet, but she knew it wouldn’t be long.
When Fergus’s shaking didn’t stop, Juliet felt compelled to return to the cell and put both her hands on his face as well.
He drew a sharp intake of breath and slid his gaze to her, his eyes wide. He blinked several times in a row, then dipped his chin. Just like that, the trembling ceased.
When he started to look back down at Mary, Brannick caught his chin and held it upright. He engaged in group telepathy once more. No, Fergus. Don’t look at her. We’ve got to get out of here. Your roar was heard everywhere.
Fergus scowled heavily. Shit. I lost control.
Don’t think about that now. Let’s just get the women to safety.
Juliet moved out of the cell once more, and Brannick followed her. Fergus emerged with Mary cradled in his arms.
Juliet could feel the profound shield that Brannick held over all three of them now, while she kept her own disguise in place as well.
Roche’s voice intruded. “I can smell you, Juliet. You’re here, aren’t you? You must have Mary as well since the door to her cell is wide open.”
She turned around. Roche stood at the top of the row of cells with a formidable force arrayed on each side of him, at least a dozen fae warriors.
As he lifted an AR-15, Juliet followed her instincts and moved like she never had before. She didn’t even have time to warn Brannick, because she knew it was now or never.
She levitated and flew fast, then took herself to a horizontal position close to the ceiling though only two feet above Roche.
When she drew close, she used a maneuver built into her because she shared Brannick’s memories. She turned herself on her back, brought her feet up tight and as she got within inches of Roche’s smiling face, she kicked him hard. He flew against the wall behind him, and dropped his rifle at the same time. His warriors backed away.
She didn’t stay in place long. Instead, she remained levitating high above the men and stretched out horizontal once more. This time, she flew past the recovering guards and into the hall. She couldn’t do anything to help Brannick or the others and could only hope they’d follow her lead. For that reason she continued to fly, though she dropped into a vertical position halfway down the narrow street.
Brannick’s voice entered in her head. We’re right behind you, Juliet, so keep flying as fast as you are. Damn, but that was an incredible move. You looked like you’d been doing this your entire life.
With the passageway empty in front her for fifty feet, she glanced back. Brannick, along with Fergus holding Mary in his arms, were flying swiftly and gaining on her.
She focused her attention dead on and flew even faster. She knew Roche would be behind them, and that he wouldn’t give up without a fight.
She had to do something.
Brann, I’m contacting Officer Keelen for back-up.
Do it.
She centered all her attention and fae ability on Keelen. It took a tremendous amount of energy because they were well underground. She focused as hard as she could. Keelen. It’s Juliet Tunney. Can you hear me?
Nothing returned, so she tried again.
And again.
Finally, she heard his voice, though very weak, within her mind. Juliet? Where the hell are you? You sound like you’re in a cave.
Something like that. She explained about the rescue and that Roche was on their heels. I need back-up at the Fae Cathedral. I’m afraid that once we try to leave the building through the front entrance, he’ll have us. We’re shielded because of Brannick’s vampire ability, but as you know, Roche has an army. If he figures out a way to trap us, we’re dead.
I’ll get some troops over there right away. Maybe we can create a diversion that will help get your team out of there.
She puffed air from her cheeks. I knew I could count on you.
She cut off communication, then aimed her telepathy at both Brannick and Fergus, letting them know what was going on.
Within another minute she arrived back at the court bu
t rose high into the air. Fergus and Brannick joined her. She could feel Roche now. He was in a rage as he headed in their direction, and he wasn’t far behind.
A few seconds later, he and his squad flew into the courtyard though they stayed near the floor. Those shoppers nearby scattered for cover at the sight of thirteen powerful fae men with sidearms and rifles raised.
Brannick levitated next to her and took her hand. You did good. How long will it be before Keelen gets here?
Let me find out. She contacted Keelen, and he let her know he had five squad cars on the way. The first would be arriving within the next minute. The last, in three.
She told Brannick. But at the same time, Roche and his security force headed up the wide spiral pathway leading to the lobby of the cathedral.
She felt the tension in Brannick’s hand. Invisible or not, with such a large force in a relatively small lobby, something could go wrong. She had Keelen to think of as well. If shooting started in order to provide them cover, some of the Revel officers could get hurt or worse.
This isn’t simple, is it, Brann? I mean, even if we’re shielded, something could wrong.
Yes, it could. But I have an idea.
She looked up at him. What? Tell me.
Let’s go back the way we came, back to where Roche kept Mary in the cell. The clients don’t come in through the Fae Cathedral lobby, so where do they enter? If we can locate it, we can leave. Roche won’t even think to go that direction and Keelen and his force can keep Roche busy.
That sounds perfect.
Brannick addressed Fergus, What do you think, wolf?
Let’s get the hell out of here.
Juliet didn’t hesitate a second, but swept back down the avenue, heading south and moving faster and faster. The route was as familiar now as her own face in a mirror. While she flew, she contacted Keelen and told him what they were up to. Keelen said he’d do everything he could to keep Roche busy while they got away.
Juliet didn’t slow until she approached the back entrance to Roche’s sex club. The smell of the dark flame drug once more hit her full in the face.
Bad Boys of the Night: Eight Sizzling Paranormal Romances: Paranormal Romance Boxed Set Page 155