by Erin R Flynn
“I probably deserved that,” he grumbled.
Which was the wrong thing to say. I turned and went back for him, but Carter caught me around the waist and held me against him.
“Why are we hitting humans that hard who are part of your government?”
“Carter Gomez, meet Lt. Commander Jason Roberson, also known as the reason Homeland Security, NSA, CIA, DEA, ATF, and just about every three letter agency besides the fucking EPA came for me in Memphis. One in particular wanting me as a lab rat he fucked because Jason can’t keep his mouth shut about private matters and blabbed to everyone way too much.”
“A little help here?” Noah called over, and I turned to see him trying to control Dain while Goran was blocking Hagan and Reagan.
“Only I get to beat on him,” I told them. “When he runs his mouth about how good you are in bed, then you can slap him a few times too.”
“A few times?” Carter muttered as he let me go.
Which was when I got that second slap in.
Jason growled and grabbed both my wrists just to be safe. “I deserve that and more, okay? I wasn’t downplaying the situation. I’ve left dozens of messages to apologize. I’ve listened to Brian Havers threaten to shoot me, and the Cooney twins there went into detail about how they would hunt me if I ever came near you again.”
“And yet here you are, Jas. Couldn’t stick to the plan, huh? How did the choppers get there so fast?”
“There was no way to warn you, and I didn’t like the over hour flight time to at least provide you with some support if it went to shit. You didn’t have enough cover,” he grumbled. “I got involved the second I heard and changed the plan so that you were better protected.”
“And if they had caught them? You could have gotten me in deeper shit if they—”
“They wouldn’t have,” he cut in. “We’re not stupid, Sera. We have connections and ways to handle this too. I came to help. I am sorry for my idiocy, but part of it was a bug we didn’t know about. I’m still sorry. I was a complete fucking asshole and did not think of the crazy it brought and at a level I would never have guessed, and I guess a lot, and you know how dark I can go.”
“Yeah, me too, but they went way over,” I muttered, pulling my hands away. “I don’t know I can forgive you this time, Jas. Accident or not, there is a very large target you’ve now put on my head.”
He sighed, scrubbing the back of his neck. “Baby, that target was always going to come. You’re too good and pure and don’t think of protecting yourself as the rest of us would. You jump in to help, and the rest of us aren’t like that. You were always going to be a target the moment you showed what you can do, even if it was to help.”
“You are not the only one who’s told me all of that.” I opened my mouth and then closed it, shaking my head again. “Still doesn’t mean I forgive you.” I narrowed my eyes when he opened his mouth. “I would never, not ever talk about all that happened in the shower that day, Jas. Others heard, as our hearing is that good, and they would never tell, as it was private. It didn’t involve them, and they never would. You do protect yourself. It hurt you wouldn’t protect me like I have you.”
I turned and headed to the door that would take us inside, nodding to the sailor who opened it for me.
“And none of us are shocked she is the very best sex you have ever had or will ever have, but you are not the best sex she’s ever had,” Dain told Jason under his breath, shocking the crap out of me that he went there. “So it’s time for you to accept she is realms out of your league and all the singing in the world won’t change that.”
“Is that a fact?” Jason chuckled.
“It is.”
“Oh, I don’t think you have any leg to stand on, as I made it my business to find out what happened on New Year’s Eve. Maybe don’t throw stones when you’re standing on fragile fucking glass.”
I kept walking, shaking my head as I followed after the guy leading. Jason wasn’t wrong, and I didn’t want to get involved in some pissing match. How Dain was acting shocked me, and I didn’t think it had anything to do with New Year’s Eve and everything to do with him being mine. He’d said one of the reasons he wanted me to siren him was so he could protect me better, defend me and help when I needed it.
I just didn’t think he’d meant it like that.
I nodded to the commander who was on the bridge holding out the phone to me. So yeah, they weren’t being patient at the moment.
“Chief Thomas, I’m glad to hear you’re fine,” the president greeted.
“Thank you, sir. The situation is handled.”
“What does that mean, Thomas?” the CIA director asked me.
And I was in a shit mood, so I answered. “It means I ripped out the asshole’s heart after I confirmed he wore every pair of crazy pants, and we took out the rest of that faction.”
“So that’s not your blood on your shirt then,” the commander drawled, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I don’t think I even want to know.”
I almost had a snippy retort that I hadn’t been talking to him, but I was on the man’s ship, so I had some manners. “Any spies—ours or from other countries—they will put on a plane and send home as long as they aren’t radical.”
“They’ll never find ours,” the director drawled.
I snorted. “I bet they find them in under a week. They can sense lies and hear way more than you’ll ever understand because I can’t even comprehend it still and I am one of them.” I snorted again. “I would guess they already know who and will be sending them home shortly. They had eyes and ears everywhere to pull this off, but I want to answer what the president wanted to know most—yes, they have nuclear weapons.”
I spent the next few minutes outlining what I was told and what we’d discussed. There was a long pause, and I used it wisely, handling something else.
“Commander, I need you to tell your people to settle down,” I told him quietly, covering the phone so they didn’t hear me. “The ones listening in are agitated, and you’ve got so much worry throughout the ship that something is about to short out in my head, and I can’t have that happen right now.”
“Chief Thomas, I don’t know what you mean but—”
“Sir, you’re so worried you’re about to get an order to attack Iran, I’m getting so many images off of you when I’m not even touching you. Everyone needs to chill the fuck out.” I grabbed my head when it got worse. “And back away. Fuck, people, seriously, relax. This is good news. They want to help stabilize the region and fight terrorists, and they will do it better than we do, so just chill.”
“Does anyone have any migraine medicine?” Hagan asked, coming over to me and holding a cold bottle of water against my head. “You were rubbing your head on the flight here. I think it started before you got here.”
“Probably but I was so busy being relieved none of us got hurt and the next guy in charge was about the best case scenario.”
“I wouldn’t say that when he’s got nukes and won’t even discuss them with us,” the CIA director drawled, and I realized my hand had slipped from the phone’s mouthpiece.
“How many do you need?” someone asked, holding up a bottle of migraine pills.
“Five.” I smirked at him when he raised an eyebrow. “I’m a wolf, so they won’t last, and it’s a bad one. I’m seconds from vomiting all over your pretty ship, people are so upset.”
“Let’s clear the bridge a bit,” Reagan suggested. “Not everyone needs to hear all of this conversation anyways.”
“Agreed,” the commander said, ordering people to leave. It helped, but the pills and cold water did much more.
Then again, vampires were rarely loud broadcasters, going more possum when upset or worried. Humans—and apparently most on that ship—were the worst with what I would pick up. Though I had to give it to the sailors on that ship because none of them looked remotely worried or broke their calm façade, but I could feel it being a wolf, see too much as a c
lairvoyant, and most of them were ready to shit bricks.
7
“Thomas, you’re to go back and get the information on the amount and specific locations of where the nukes are,” the CIA director ordered me.
I sighed, annoyed I hadn’t seen that one coming. “And how would you like me to obtain this information?”
“You know how. Do your damn job and—”
“No, I don’t know what you mean unless you spell it out, and I don’t work for you,” I snapped.
“It was one thing when you were a useless virgin idiot, but I’ve got reports you have anywhere from seven to ten lovers at any time, so enough with the crap. You can add one more and do your damn job for the country.”
I swallowed most of my rage and response down, feeling the anger of those who heard what he’d said in my party. “Deputy Director Galvin, I’d like to file an official report of sexual harass—”
“Don’t you ever talk to one of my people like that again,” Galvin growled, not even listening to me. “I’m about to take you out back and beat your ass. I knew you were sexist and too cavalier, but our people are not whores. My people deserve better than that. You will treat them with respect they’ve earned, and she has certainly earned it, or we’re going to have a problem.”
“I agree,” said the president. “You may excuse yourself from the room, and we’re going to have a conversation later about your leadership of the CIA.”
“Yes, sir,” the director bit out, and as relieved as I was that he might get his dues, I wanted to sigh at another pissed off someone who would probably blame me.
“Thomas, what do you suggest for the situation as the boots on the ground?” the president asked.
I sat with that a moment. “Honestly, sir? Eva Dorcus is currently there working on some ideas and alliances. I promised to call Queen Laila and fill her in along with the vampire council as they gave aid. If I were you, I’d speak with her, as she’s one of the most powerful paranormal leaders and a US citizen. There is a lot of insight she can have and wiggle room you might not.”
“Plus her people are incredibly loyal to her and her stock keeps rising,” Galvin added. “It’s a bold move, but what’s a private phone call?”
“Alright, Thomas, we’ll try this your way and see how it goes,” the president agreed after a moment. “This is a much more promising position than it first started out, so let’s see how much more progress we can make.”
I gave them the number to Laila’s private line I knew she was waiting for me to call on, swallowing a laugh at how she answered.
“How are things with Dain? You have been dodging me when I ask, and now he was squirrelly when he called to ask for aid.”
“Queen Laila, I believe we have other matters to discuss,” I muttered, covering my face with my hand.
“Yes, yes, the lunatic vampire. Knowing you, he is very dead and with some poetic justice, ripping out his heart, as wolves seem to prefer that method while we take heads. I worry for your heart, my friend. You have been through too much, and it never seems to end or give you a lull.”
I glanced over when I saw something appear out of the corner of my eye, the cold Coke and McDonald’s now there making my stomach growl. “We’re working things out, and he’s at this moment groveling by feeding me. But we really need to talk about the situation. I called you with people on the line.”
“Yes, I have caller ID, Seraphine. They can wait until I feel comfortable you’re safe and okay.”
“I am, but I would suggest you have a conversation with some of your nobles that when they’re called in to aid, they’re not there as nobles. One opened his mouth and made requests for information while I was making nice with the new vamp in charge. His attitude left something to be desired, but at least he backed down.”
“Idiots. Absolute idiot male egos. I will handle it. Tell Dain I want the specific one sent to court, and I will make it abundantly clear that you are princess as daughter of Alena, not some run of the mill Alpha. I apologize for their ill behavior and hope the others of mine served you well.”
“They did, and the ones who helped back home were great. Um, I really can’t keep the president waiting anymore, Queen Laila.”
“Yes, of course, greetings, Mr. President,” she said, her tone formal.
“It’s a pleasure to speak with you, Queen Laila,” he replied, his tone not as certain after the way we’d started. “Chief Thomas made the suggestion we speak about the developments, as you are a concerned party, have more experience in this area than we do, and our interests align.”
“What happened, Seraphine?” she asked, skipping the bluster and getting to it. I told her, and she sighed. “While nuclear weapons as a whole terrify me, I cannot even fault them for keeping them. There are other countries who would be less inclined to attack knowing they have them. He was telling the truth, yes?”
“Yeah,” I sighed before stuffing more fries in my face. I glanced around and saw the others nodding as well. “We all felt the same. I’m new, but he was relieved we interceded, the plan was back to what it was, and I was there even. The plan was always to ask for me to mediate this. They want peace with you guys, and I would bet a toe it’s because they’re in the fucking desert and—”
“That would mean nothing to us and our abilities with plants,” she murmured. “That is interesting. Very interesting. What would you think of my sending an envoy of elders and trusted nobles to aid in this idea of cleaning up radicals? Another party to attest to the treatment of the humans?”
“I think he’d be all for it, as it acknowledges them by a big player like you that they’re not a threat,” I answered after a moment to mull it. “His biggest focus was to show they are not the monsters, what people in the region are doing to all paranormals is what’s monstrous.”
“And this sharing information? Would you do it?” she pushed.
“I would give them something, a test maybe.” I shrugged as I hurried to take a sip of drink. “Give them something most everyone knows. Some target or group they might not know everyone hates, as they were here with most information locked out.”
“So nothing top secret but information most of our allies have,” the president clarified.
“Yes, sir, like that. We have big names we think are here or have suspected Iran is helping and hiding. Let them have that and see how it goes. He said more than once that threats against us would be threats against them as they wanted progress, and while he didn’t say Westernize, as democracy wasn’t invented by us, that was sort of the implication.”
“He’s her servant in a way,” Jason said from behind me, obviously answering a question I didn’t hear asked. “That’s how fairies work, their caste system and whatnot.”
“He’s not anymore,” I assured him, wanting that clear when there were other fairies in our group. “We worked it out so he’s not, and that’s not something you answer about, Jas.”
His eyes went wide, and suddenly he was there grabbing my arms. “You got married?” His mood turned dark as I blinked at him, shocked he’d gotten so caught up on fae or paranormal practices. “You married him?”
“Not in the way you’re implying,” I muttered.
“But I am hers, so remove your hands from her,” Dain warned, his sword suddenly at Jason’s throat.
“Don’t,” I whispered, slipping my hand in to block the blade and protect Jason. “Thank you for jumping in, but please don’t escalate this or hurt him.”
“I apologize,” Dain accepted, putting his sword away. “The anger coming off of him was alarming.”
“It was,” Hagan agreed. “I didn’t think Jason had such darkness in him.”
“I did.” I realized why he’d gotten so pissed though and burst out laughing. “Oh, Jas, always the end game, huh? Maybe you should have put a ring on it years ago when you could do no wrong in my eyes and all of it could have been yours.”
“I don’t understand,” Carter admitted.
; “Jason’s probably been making it clear that he’ll get me to forgive him and he’s a candidate to be Mr. Alpha. I’m a catch now, Simone said. Even saying Dain was a servant when he knows it was never like that. He’s showing there’s nothing in the way because people here have heard him say something to imply I’m his. Am I close, Jas?”
“Always such the fucking smartie,” he grumbled but then moved in closer so he pressed me against the desk. “But for the record, it had a lot more to do with feeling more at home when I stayed in Chicago this last time than I have in a long, long time. Yes, you are a catch, but you always were, baby, even if you couldn’t see it. You’re a bigger fish to catch now, and I won’t even deny the idea is intriguing, so yeah, I was clear others shouldn’t even try for you.”
It took me a moment to recover from my shock that he was telling the absolute truth.
I shoved him away and picked up the phone I’d dropped when he’d grabbed me. “The amount of my personal crap being let out in front of the president is a bit much. Enough. You can get all pissy later, but there’s a situation with Iran we’re currently working on.” I studied Jason for a moment and swore. “But you’re a good person to go in and negotiate a lot. You’re military and US, but they know you have ties with me and would be careful.”
“He didn’t come solely to help because you were involved, but because you were a way to get a door into the situation,” Dain surmised, feeling what I did from Jason.
“Yeah, he’s pretty damn good at dancing like that,” I grumbled.
“Roberson handling more talks if Thomas gives him the intro is a good pick, sir,” someone advised the president as I brought the phone to my ear.
I met Jason’s gaze and realized he’d heard, thrilled at the possibilities. I looked away from him as tears burned my eyes. Fuck, I was so stupid and always with him. Time and time again I got burned or at least scorched and somehow could write it off or give him understanding he really maybe never deserved.
“Sera, wait,” he whispered, and I smacked his hand away when he reached for me. Honestly, it was a bit too hard, and if I’d made more contact, I could have broken his hand, which meant I needed to get it together.