Deep Dark Mire (An FBI Romance Thriller ~ book four)

by Kelley, Morgan

  Agent Tori Christensen shrugged. “I have a military background Julian, and they teach you one thing.”

  Now he was intrigued. “Really? What’s that, Tori?”

  “If you can shoot it, then there is nothing to really be afraid of in life,” she answered, grinning and patting her Glock.

  Julian laughed. He loved a feisty woman and now she definitely reminded him of Elizabeth. “Then off we go,” he stated, heading into the tall grasses. Even though he was trying to stay alert for poisonous snakes, his thoughts were scattered. More than half of his awareness was on the woman who was following him into the mire.

  * * *

  Elizabeth pulled away from sleep and was aware she was against a warm body. For a few seconds it was disorienting, but then the scent of cologne helped her to relax. Slowly, she opened her eyes, watching Callen busily emailing someone from his smartphone. They were both lying on the bed together, and confusion overwhelmed her, since she didn’t remember how she arrived in a room.

  Maybe it was the concussion after all.

  “Hi, angel. Are you feeling better?”

  The relatively new nickname must be here to stay. Maybe it was appropriate since she’d almost just become one earlier in the day. “Yeah, I was tired. Are you okay?” she asked, staring up at him.

  “Yeah, I slept a little when you did, but then your bossy husband keeps emailing me to check on you every five minutes, and I couldn’t fall back to sleep.” Callen didn’t tell her he was still scared out of his mind over what happened.

  “That sounds like him.”

  “The nurse brought you scrubs for you to change into if you want out of your clothes.” He pointed over at the chair.

  “I’d like that a lot. Can you update me on what’s going on at the scene?”

  He’d like to say he was surprised, but he really wasn’t in the least. When she was out of here, it was going to be full speed ahead with the assignment. Elizabeth Blackhawk wouldn’t stay down for long. That was for sure.

  Walking over to the scrubs, she started stripping. It would be nice to get out of her jeans and shirt. She wasn’t comfortable in the clothing now that it felt caked in smoke and her own blood. As she unbuttoned the shirt, she glanced over at him. “What do we have?”

  Whitefox was enjoying the show. How Elizabeth expected him to concentrate and talk work at the same time was a mystery. Callen was having a hard time thinking straight, let alone relating anything to work.

  “Cal?” Now she was laughing. “Want me to go in there and change?” she asked, her hands pausing on the buttons.

  “No, but don’t fault me for leering when a gorgeous woman is undressing with me in the room. It’s a man thing.” Callen forced himself to look only at her eyes. “The explosion occurred when the locks disengaged; the mad bomber wasn’t an expert. The bomb team thinks it’s likely that he hooked it to the wrong wires. So we have an amateur.”

  Elizabeth thought about that as she slipped out of her shirt. Automatically she rolled her shoulder, and then noticed he was staring at her body. “What?” He looked alarmed, and she stared down. Everything appeared to be there.

  “I just didn’t expect the bruises,” he said, sickness rising up in his throat. There were the ones from the car that almost hit Doctor Adare, and then there were new ones. “Turn around,” he said softly, coming to his feet and moving towards her.

  “I’m fine Callen,” she tried to reassure him.

  “Ethan’s going to lose his damn mind when he sees this,” Callen stated, knowing he was just about lost his. “You better make sure it’s dark when you get naked. Holy shit, Lyzee! You’re pretty beat up.”

  “When doesn’t Ethan lose his mind? I get a paper cut, and he wants me to have it looked at by a surgeon.” She patted his cheek, and then figured why the hell not. He looked like he could use a kiss. “Come here, Mr. Whitefox,” she whispered, and then pulled him down to meet her lips with his. The kiss was slow, lavish and said everything that she thought he needed to feel from her right then.

  Automatically his body was ready for her. It’s just how it always was with Elizabeth. One physical contact and she had him running hot and hard. He kissed back, pulling her gently against the front of him as his hands wandered.

  “I love you, Lyzee,” he whispered into the kiss, as he continued to explore.

  “I love you too, Cal,” she looked up into his eyes. She was going to offer more than a kiss, when there was a knock on the door.

  “Damn it! I was just about to get lucky in a hospital.”

  Now she was laughing, as she pulled the hospital scrubs over her head. “Maybe later, since I feel perfectly fine.”

  His body tightened again at the prospect. “I’m going to hurt whoever this is interrupting.”

  Elizabeth snickered. “Uh, it’s their job.”

  Whitefox unlocked the door and partially opened it. Standing outside was a man with a stethoscope. “Yes?”

  “I need to examine Elizabeth Blackhawk.”

  Whitefox looked over at her changing. “She’s getting changed, and then you can do the exam.” He stared down at the man.

  “Okay.”

  “Callen, I’m good,” she said from behind him.

  When he turned, she was back sitting in the center of the bed, and she looked so fragile that his heart pounded in his chest.

  “Ms. Blackhawk, how are you feeling?” asked the doctor. “You took quite the knock to your skull.”

  Elizabeth smiled. “I have a very thick skull, as the men in my life will attest.” She winked at Whitefox, and noticed he was hovering not far out of reach, staring at the physician like he was the enemy. Good Lord! The man was possibly more over protective than Ethan. How was that possible?

  “In this case, that’s probably what saved your life. I need you to lean forward so I can check your breathing.” He slid the end piece from the stethoscope under her scrubs and listened. “You sound like everything is fine.” Next he looked into her eyes with his pen light.

  “Am I going to live, Doc?” she inquired, laughing.

  “Definitely, but try and keep the head out of danger.”

  Elizabeth nodded. “So I’m perfectly fine?”

  The doctor nodded and placed the stethoscope around his neck. “Someone tried to blow you up, so fine is debatable, but physically you’re in excellent shape.”

  “Can I get sprung from here?”

  “First thing tomorrow. I won’t be back in, but the nurse will have you discharged then. If you need anything, just contact them.” He nodded at the man standing guard. “Make sure she gets some fluids for the blood she lost, keep her from taking any more head shots and stays out of danger too.”

  Whitefox laughed. “I have a better chance of winning the lottery. She attracts danger.” He patted his gun, and then noticed the doctor’s eyes lingered on his side arm.

  “Yes, I guess.”

  Elizabeth laughed as the man left quickly. “Well good job! You just terrorized a physician.”

  “I didn’t do it on purpose. He looked skittish when he came to the door.”

  Now she wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. “The poor staff here. I’m sure Ethan freaked them out, demanding I not be placed in any danger, and here we have guns lying all over the room.” She pointed to hers then his on his hip. “And a very large Indian just stopped him at the door. When you crossed your arms you looked like Geronimo protecting the fort.”

  Whitefox grinned.

  “Plus by now the doctor that I terrorized has been recounting my sunny disposition to everyone that will listen.”

  “Probably, but I happen to love your disposition, and your smile, and your body, and your…”

  She stopped him before he named every part on her body he found fascinating. “How about we go see Christina and check in on her? The poor woman has to be scared shitless.”

  “Good idea. Then I can update Ethan.”

  Elizabeth stood, taking his hand in hers, as t
hey twined fingers like they always did. “Try not to intimidate anyone on the way down there.”

  “I’ll try and be on my best behavior.”

  Elizabeth snorted. “Yeah, we’ve both seen that in action.”

  * * *

  Julian stood in the marsh, scanning his surroundings for anything that looked out of place. He was blocking everything out, but that natural sixth sense he had when he was looking for things. Some liked to say it was some special gift, but really his superior tracking ability was nothing more than years of training from his family and common sense. He’d perfected it over the last twenty years or so, and used it to do his job.

  Tori Christensen observed the man she was teamed up with to find the bomber. She was good under pressure, or at least she thought so, but her one weakness was her patience. Julian was making her insane by taking his time.

  “We need to find something for Director Blackhawk before tomorrow, or she’s going to go off the edge.”

  He smiled over his shoulder. “I like when Elizabeth gets all feisty. She and I have an understanding. I’m not worried about it.”

  This time she wasn’t making the same mistake she made when she met Callen Whitefox the first time. “Are you in anyway related to the Blackhawks?” she asked, watching a snake sliding by in the water.

  “Why because I’m Native?”

  She looked at him like he had two heads. “No, because the last time I said anything about the Blackhawks it was to Director Whitefox. I wasn’t aware they were family, and I’m trying to get my bearings.”

  Julian relaxed and laughed. “Dug a hole did you? I’m just a friend that helps them out, off the FBI record.”

  “Good, because I’m having a hard time keeping score with it all. Last time I ran into all three directors, Whitefox was helping out his girlfriend, Doctor Adare.”

  Littlemoon laughed. “Newsflash, that’s old news and not happening anymore. If I were you, I wouldn’t bring that up with Doctor Adare. It’s a very sore point right now.”

  “I probably don’t want to know,” she said.

  Julian Littlemoon walked towards the bank of the pond. “Oh, you probably do want to know, but I think I’ll let you figure it out on your own. I don’t gossip about the Blackhawks. Elizabeth could kick my ass, or shoot me with her fine gun skills.”

  “I’ve seen her on the range, she’s pretty decent.”

  Julian laughed and stared at her. “She picked off a mountain lion between the eyes with a tactical rifle, as we trudged through the snow before it had me as a snack. Then, for a follow-up, she took out a lunatic between the eyes while he was strangling Doctor Adare. She’s a bit more than decent. Elizabeth is very good under pressure.”

  She wondered if Elizabeth could survive in a warzone with things blowing up around her.

  “Trust me; you don’t want her shooting at you.”

  Tori sensed the movement above Julian before she saw it, grabbing his arm, and pulling him towards her quickly. They both went off balance and toppled into the water. When they came up, Littlemoon was sputtering.

  “Are you insane? These waters are teeming with leeches.” He looked over at her incredulously.

  Christensen glared over at him. “You think I want to be picking leeches off me all night? I should have let you get bit,” she muttered, pointing at the snake that was dangling from the tree right above where he was standing. “Water moccasin at twelve o’clock.”

  Julian Littlemoon looked up at the snake and then over at the woman, grinning. “Thanks, and as payback, I’ll de-leech you later.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Terrific. That’s exactly what I call a good time.”

  * * *

  Elizabeth and Callen knocked on the door and entered her tech’s room. When Christina looked up at her, her eyes were filled with tears and pain, and immediately Elizabeth’s heart ached for the woman.

  “Hey Boss,” she said, softly.

  Elizabeth went over to her tech and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “How are you Christina?” Her arms were covered in burns and wrapped in white hospital gauze, as her face was shrouded in pain.

  “I’ve had better days.”

  Whitefox hurt for the woman too, and all he could think of was this could have been Elizabeth if she hadn’t forgotten her key.

  “I’m here to cheer you up,” said Elizabeth.

  “Great. I must be in pretty bad shape if you’re the one they sent to make me happy.” Her eyes filled with more tears.

  Elizabeth sat carefully on the side of her bed. “Oh you doubt my skills? I know how to cheer you up.”

  “You do?”

  Elizabeth smiled at her. “After the explosion, I hear that my husband rushed out of the building, past me and actually picked you up in his arms and held you in his lap.”

  “Really?” Christina indeed looked and felt happier.

  “Oh yeah. Right past his own wife to save his favorite lab tech. Image how much he must value you.”

  Christina giggled. “Was his shirt off, because that would make this scenario perfect?”

  Elizabeth laughed. “You can pretend it was if you want.” Elizabeth gently took the woman’s fingers in hers. It wasn’t long ago that she’d been abducted, and this woman held her hand during a rape kit, never leaving her side.

  “I think I will if you don’t mind.”

  “Tell you what; you can imagine him naked this one time. Close your eyes and go for it. I’ll join you.”

  Both women closed their eyes, and soon Christina was giggling.

  Whitefox smiled at the woman he loved. The compassion she had was bottomless, if she’d sit there and openly allow a woman who lusted after her husband to have at it in her presence.

  “Boss? Can I ask you something?” she asked, sheepishly. “I know I probably shouldn’t, but if you're going to let me fantasize about Director Blackhawk, you must feel bad for me. I may never get this chance again.”

  “Hey, you just got blown up. You can call me Elizabeth and ask anything you want. You Christina, join the ranks of being bad ass! Once you get shot, blown up, or in a fist fight with someone bigger than you, it becomes a badge of honor.”

  The woman giggled more. “Are you really with both brothers? You know, ‘with’ with, and not just hanging out.”

  Elizabeth looked back over her shoulder at Whitefox. The choice was hers, and she wasn’t going to hurt him by denying what they had.

  “Between us girls, and since we’re off the clock, yes I am.”

  Whitefox wasn’t expecting her to admit it to a co-worker. Something in his heart squeezed that she wasn’t going to pass off what they had, like it was something she was ashamed of or embarrassed by. The love he felt completely overwhelmed him, and he dropped a kiss on the top of her head, as if to punctuate their relationship.

  “I assumed when I saw the tattoo with your initials, but then I just saw the ring that Doctor Adare used to wear.”

  Elizabeth twisted the ring on her finger. “Well, this is the Blackhawk family ring, and when Callen and Desdemona decided to part ways, I got lucky. He decided to pick me to wear it next.”

  Callen placed his hand on her shoulder, drawing her focus to him. “Not just next, but forever and last.”

  She accepted his kiss and smiled when he broke away. “I like forever, personally.”

  Christina grinned up at her boss. “When I grow up, I want to be Elizabeth Blackhawk. I used to idolize Gustav Kirchhoff, but you are so much cooler.”

  She laughed at the comment and like always, she had no clue who Christina was talking about. So when in doubt- go for it. “It’s a good gig. If you ever get the opportunity, jump in and do it. For obvious reasons, it’s pretty damn awesome.”

  ~ Chapter Fifteen ~

  Thursday Evening

  Blackhawk paced his room, feeling edgy and out of sorts. It wasn’t his own safety he was concerned for, but for the woman who he loved more than life itself. Right now she was away from him, and it
was crushing his heart. What Ethan really wanted was to hold her in his arms, climb into bed and forget how close they’d come to a different outcome.

  In fact, the room was lonely without her and Callen. He’d grown accustomed to having his brother and wife beside him as he slept. It felt natural and gave him a sense of peace. Now that they were away from him, a part of him was empty.

  Maybe he’d call her, just to see how they were doing. Hearing their voices might make him feel a little better. You’d think a grown man could survive one night away from his wife, but like a strung out junkie, he was going through withdrawal. Ethan even caught himself lying on her pillow, just to be reminded what her hair smelled like. The scent of her shampoo, lingering with his and his brother’s cologne, mixed together simply called to him. Blackhawk couldn’t explain why it did. It just did, and he was out of sorts without them.

  The love he felt for her was just overwhelming.

  Ethan pulled out his phone and dialed his brother. Callen answered the phone laughing, and he was both happy and disappointed that they were having fun without him. How he desperately wanted to be there with them.

  “Hey Ethan! Your wife is cheating her ass off in cards and believes it’s acceptable because she’s ‘hurt’,” he stated, his voice full of amusement.

  “Is she really cheating or are you just that bad at it and need a scapegoat?” he asked, smiling. Blackhawk was accustomed to their normal back and forth teasing.

  “Shhhhh. Don’t tell her!”

  Elizabeth grabbed the phone, giggling when Whitefox tried to look at the cards in her hand. “Hey, Cowboy. I miss you!”

  His heart skipped a beat. “I miss you too, Lyzee. I wish I was there with you.”

  Immediately, she heard his emotions in his voice. “Are you okay, Ethan?” She looked alarmed, and grabbed Whitefox’s hand to get his attention.

  “Yeah, I just miss my wife. How are you feeling?” he inquired. “Did you have dinner?”

  Elizabeth’s eyes filled with tears. “I happen to know for a fact that your wife misses you too. I’m perfectly fine, handsome. Callen got me chocolate for dinner. Want me to leave and come be with you?” she offered.