Forged in Ash (A Red-Hot SEALs Novel)

by Trish McCallan

  “Why?” she demanded. “You either believe me or you don’t. You aren’t going to change my mind about Wolf. I won’t be able to change yours. Talking is redundant at this point.”

  “I believe you.”

  Another surprise.

  “You believe me,” she repeated sarcastically, injecting every ounce of disbelief she was feeling into her voice. “Why? You sure didn’t five minutes ago.”

  “Because he’s your brother. Because before I knew he was your brother, the thought of him in your bed—ah hell, it was messing with my mind.” He ran a tense hand over his head, but held her gaze squarely. “Because you wouldn’t lie. Not about that. Not about something so important.” Sincerity vibrated in his voice.

  “So you don’t think he set the bomb? You don’t think he’s on the take, or working for the other side, or any other of the myriad of suspicions that were running through your mind?”

  He gave her level look. “Let’s just say I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.” He paused, looking at her steadily. “Because of you.”

  Warmth unfurled in her chest, spread through her body in a frothing, foaming tide. He believed her. That was more than she’d ever expected.

  “Now please, come back outside. Before your brother walks through that door and sees me in your bedroom.” The barest hint of teasing lightened his voice. “He’s the protective sort.”

  Kait laughed. Now that was the understatement of the year. To prove her point, a fist sounded on the wall next door.

  Cosky turned and glared at the wall. “See? I’m getting to know him already.”

  “Overprotective.” Kait raised her voice as she slid off the bed.

  Another boom sounded on the wall beside her bed. She stuck her tongue out in the general direction of the sound before following Cosky down the hall, through the kitchen, and onto the porch. After they’d settled onto the bench, Cosky handed her the sketch pad and her pencils.

  A comfortable silence fell between them as she sat down, but she could sense his questions. His curiosity. Sighing, she dropped the pad onto her lap.

  “Dad didn’t know about him.” She wondered if the comment sounded defensive. It felt defensive to her.

  “I’m sure he didn’t,” Cosky said quietly. “Everyone would have known about him if your dad had. He was proud of his kids. He wasn’t afraid to show it.”

  “Yeah.” She coughed the lump out of her throat. “As near as we can figure it, Dad and Wolf’s mother were childhood sweethearts. But Dad, well—his home life was pretty awful. He rarely talked about it. But Aunt Issa told me once that his father beat him. I guess there was a lot of drinking.”

  “Which explains why your father never drank. I don’t remember ever seeing him tip a bottle of beer, let alone something harder.”

  “That’s what Aunt Issa said. Anyway, he hated the reservation. Wanted off it something awful. And then something happened when he turned sixteen. He snapped or something. Almost beat his father to death. He went to Wolf’s mother. Told her he was leaving. Wanted her to come with him.” Her voice trailed off.

  “She didn’t go with him.”

  “No.” Kait stared blankly out into the dazzling sunlight that danced between the tree trunks. “Dad hated his heritage. He legally changed his name from Littlehorse to Winchester. Went to school. Joined the navy. He cut his family and clan off completely. He hardly ever talked about his life before college. And never talked about the reservation. Of course we knew we were half Arapaho. But that was all. No idea which tribe. Which reservation.”

  “You weren’t curious?”

  “Of course I was. As for Aiden, I don’t think he cared. He belonged to the teams from the moment he was born. But I wanted to know. So I asked him what tribe we were from. I was sixteen. I thought knowing might help me figure out my gift. That someone on the reservation—like a relative—might teach me how to use it. My dad, well, he was next to no help. He got so cold and sarcastic and angry.” She shook her head, her fingers tightening around her sketchbook. “I’d never seen him like that before. I never asked again.”

  Cosky took her hand. Squeezed it. “How did you find out about Wolf?”

  Kait stared down at their clasped hands. His fingers were warm against hers. Strong. “I took one of the earlier pictures of Dad, when he was in college, and sent it to all the Arapaho reservations asking if anyone knew who he was.” She looked up. Smiled. “And Wolf showed up at my door.”

  He gave a bark of laughter. “That sounds like the bas—” He glanced at Kait’s face. “Guy.”

  She rolled her eyes and snickered. Like the name switch had fooled either of them. But at least he’d made the effort. An hour ago he would have let the bastard stand.

  “I take it he’s the only half sibling you’re aware of?”

  “Yeah, Wolf’s mom never married. So he has no other brothers or sisters.”

  Cosky was quiet for a while. She peeked down at their entwined fingers. Had he forgotten he was holding her hand?

  “Why the secrecy? Why not just acknowledge your relationship?” Cosky asked quietly after a moment.

  Kait cleared her throat. She should feel guilty for breaking so many of Wolf’s confidences, but all she felt was relief. “Wolf said he has enemies. Ruthless people who would come after me and Aiden to get to him. So please, don’t tell anyone else any of this. I couldn’t bear it if I put Wolf’s life at risk.”

  “You have my word,” Cosky said simply.

  Kait relaxed. Cosky’s promise was as good as gold. She didn’t need to worry about word of her new brother spreading.

  “You said you weren’t the only one blessed with a family gift. Can Wolf heal?”

  She squirmed slightly. This wasn’t her place to tell. “No.”

  He pinned her with a focused, thoughtful look. “But he has some kind of ability. That’s what you meant.”

  “Look.” She squirmed harder, and tugged her hand free. For a second, his grip tightened, clung, but then he released her. “I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s not my place to give his secrets away.”

  He nodded, apparently respecting that. With a deep breath of relief, she relaxed.

  “Obviously Aiden can’t do the kind of healing you do, but he’s certainly the luckiest bastard I’ve ever met. Everything he touches turns golden. Is that his gift?”

  Kait’s mouth fell open. “How did you figure that out?”

  Cosky shrugged. “It’s logical. You said family gifts. Ergo, more than one. Aiden has the same heritage, but he can’t heal, otherwise he wouldn’t have sent me to you. He is, however, uncommonly lucky. How does his ability work?”

  “I don’t know, actually. He says he just knows things sometimes. Like he’ll look at a stock and know it’s going to rise. He’ll look at a horse and know it’s going to win. My dad could do the same thing.”

  “Handy,” Cosky said absently, his voice thoughtful. “So that’s how you can afford an apartment in the most expensive complex in Coronado.”

  “Aiden and I inherited everything after Dad died.”

  Cosky nodded, without looking surprised. “Just knowing,” he murmured, a strangely amused look in his eye. He suddenly turned his head, focusing to Kait’s right. “Is that how you knew about the bomb? You just knew Kait was in danger?”

  Kait froze, and then slowly turned her head. Her stomach dropped straight to her toes at the sight of Wolf leaning against the wall to her right. Oh lord, how long had he been standing there?

  “I didn’t tell him, Wolf. I swear,” she said in a small voice. “He guessed.”

  “No harm done, netesei.” Wolf’s voice was soothing. The gaze he shifted to Cosky wasn’t nearly as gentle. “I make no claims.”

  There was open challenge on his hard face.

  “Of course you don’t.” Cosky stared back, his face impassive, but without the earlier aggression or animosity. “Since you seem to know so much, have you heard of Zane? Zane Winters?”


  A frown wrinkled Wolf’s tanned forehead. He straightened slightly. “So it’s true?”

  Cosky simply inclined his head.

  Kait looked back and forth between the two men. “If you guys are talking about Zane’s premonitions,” she said dryly, “Aiden already told me about them.”

  Cosky shot her a surprised look. “How long have you known?”

  Kait shrugged. “Since Aiden joined the team. Zane’s the first person outside of our family who has such a gift.”

  “Yet Aiden never mentioned his sense of knowing to anyone,” Cosky said dryly. “Not even after Zane’s flashes had saved his ass a time or two.”

  “Well, his isn’t quite the same thing. His doesn’t save lives. To be honest, I think he’s kind of embarrassed that it makes him rich instead of helps people, like Zane’s does.” Kait admitted, although Aiden’s embarrassment sure didn’t stop him from using it to his benefit.

  Wolf relaxed. “You obviously trust in your LC’s ability, which explains why you accepted Kait’s gift.”

  With a roll of his shoulders, Cosky shot Kait an apologetic glance. “I didn’t actually. I just figured, what the hell, it wasn’t going to hurt.”

  Amusement lightened Wolf’s dark gaze.

  “Pragmatic.” He sounded approving. Suddenly he straightened and turned. Opening the door, he disappeared back inside the kitchen.

  Cosky shook his head, watching him go. “Not much for talking is he?”

  Kait laughed, a deep, strong sense of relief rising. Cosky believed her. He wasn’t just parroting what he thought she wanted to hear. He truly believed her.

  He shifted on the bench until he was facing her. She smiled at him, her gaze caressing his battered face. His eye looked so terrible. So painful. “I want to try a healing on your face.”

  “No.”

  “Cosky,” she said, reaching for his eye. “I know it hurts. I’m back to normal again. I’m fine. Another healing won’t drain me.”

  He caught her hands in both of his. “The minute you touch me I go up in flames. I lose my common sense. I lose my control. All I can think about is getting you naked and under me.”

  Her hands started trembling. She thought it was because of his words, but then the burning started—the same heightened burn from the parking lot—and then his words sank in. Flushing, she jerked her fingers free. He didn’t have to sound so frustrated about his reaction to her.

  Suddenly she realized the burning had subsided.

  Maybe she’d imagined it.

  Before she had a chance to retreat, he leaned forward and caught her hands again. “If you do a healing here, we’re going to lose control. There’s a time and a place for these healings of yours. And it isn’t on the porch in public in broad daylight, with your brother breathing down our necks.”

  Kait froze; the fire had sprung to life again the instant his hands covered hers. The timing couldn’t be a coincidence. She shook his hands off. The burning vanished.

  His hands had been covering hers in the parking lot too. When that immense burst of heat had consumed her and she’d healed his knee from major damage in seconds.

  In seconds.

  She’d channeled more energy than she’d ever held before.

  “Kait,” his voice rose, thick with frustration. “I’ll admit to being an ass that first time. And I have no idea where this thing between us is headed. But when I thought you were in love with—”

  “Cosky,” she broke in and reached for his hands. Only this time nothing happened when their flesh touched. The fire didn’t spring to life.

  That was odd. Maybe she’d imagined the whole thing. Releasing her grip, she sat back.

  “What?” He didn’t wait for her response. Just reached out and settled his palms over the back of her hands again.

  And the burn was back.

  “You know that I want you, right?”

  Instantly, the fire leapt.

  She barely heard him.

  Her chest heated. The energy streamed from her chest up into her shoulders and down her arms, and her hands began to burn. Transfixed, she stared down at their clasped hands and watched them redden. Felt the energy build. It felt exactly the same as it had in the parking lot. All of a sudden, he seemed to notice. With a hiss, he jerked his hands away.

  They were brick red.

  “What the hell?” Cosky said, shaking his hands. Spreading his fingers out, he stared down in disbelief.

  The energy vanished. The burning in her hands dissipated.

  “You’re the trigger,” Kait said slowly, the disbelief a thick haze clouding her mind. “It’s because of you I was able to channel that enormous burst of power in the parking lot.”

  Cosky fisted his hands, which were slowly losing their lobster redness, and looked up. “What are you talking about?”

  “Remember I told you that healing in the parking lot was an anomaly? I’d never channeled that much energy before. I think it was because of you. You grabbed my hands, remember? That’s when everything went wild. I didn’t put it together until now. When you put your hands over mine, that weird fire started up again.”

  Cosky shook his hands again and rotated them until they were palms up. “It must be a coincidence. I don’t have any healing ability.”

  “I don’t think it’s a coincidence. It’s almost like when you put your hands over mine, it supercharges my ability. Supercharges the amount of energy I can channel.”

  Shaking his head, Cosky leaned back. “Kait, there’s been plenty of touching.” His silver eyes warmed when she blushed. “If it’s because of us touching, then we’d be burned to a crisp by now.”

  The blush still heating her cheeks, Kait laughed. “I don’t think it works that way. I think the touch has to be more specific. Just now, when I touched you, nothing happened. But when you put your hands over mine, the fire soared. Remember how red your hands got. When you jerked your hands away, the burning stopped. Somehow, your hands on top of mine boosts my healing ability.”

  He was silent for a moment, a deep frown knitting his forehead. Eventually he looked down at his hands again. “But why?”

  She smiled back, trying to mask her satisfaction. He was going to get that healing, whether he wanted it or not. “I have no idea, but it will be easy enough to test. Put your hands out.” As soon as he extended his hands, she laid her palms over them. “Anything?”

  “You’re certainly lighting a fire, but it’s not to my hands,” he said with a slight quirk to his lips and a glitter to his eyes.

  Flushing, Kait pulled her hands away.

  He quirked an eyebrow. “I wasn’t complaining.”

  Kait blushed again. She wasn’t normally the flushy-blushy type. But this new behavior was such a departure from his earlier hands-off icy demeanor, she wasn’t quite certain how to react. What if she said the wrong thing and he reverted back to Mr. Iceman?

  Maybe it was best to ignore his flirting, until she figured out whether he was serious. With that in mind, she cleared her throat and held out her hands, palms down. “Now cover the back of my hands with your palms.”

  The instant his flesh touched down over hers, the heat hit. The fire pulsed higher and higher. Her hands started burning.

  “Shit,” he said, pure disbelief in his voice.

  He was looking down at their hands, which were getting redder by the moment. After another second, he pulled his hands away. He splayed them out in front of him and just stared.

  “See?” Kait asked quietly.

  “This is what happened in the parking lot.” It was half question, half statement.

  “I think so. I think you boosted the energy I was channeling. I think this was why I was able to heal your knee so quickly. And why the blisters disappeared.” She paused, held his gaze. “I want to try this on your eye.”

  Mac hit the ground on his belly to the rat-tat-tat of gunfire and rolled to his right, crawling beneath a scorched steel desk, which wasn’t much of a shield considering the f
irepower those bastards had. AK-47s could pierce pretty much anything.

  He glanced to the right and left, then had one breath-stealing moment of worry for Amy before he forced her from his mind. Zane was to his right behind some kind of steel mini fridge, the damn thing barely shielded him, and Rawls—Mac chanced a quick glance to his left and found his corpsman behind another fried desk, their mystery woman smashed against the wall behind him.

  Mac snorted in disgust. The damn idiot had put his body between her and the shooters. Forget the fact she still had hold of that length of pipe she’d nailed him with and looked like she could use it again at any moment.

  The gunfire ceased. Mac popped his head up to locate their targets, which started the rat-tat-tatting back up again. Christ, they were well and truly pinned down, like fish in a fucking barrel.

  He glanced over at Zane, but his LC was as pinned down as he and Rawls were. From the heavy artillery lighting up the room, those bastards had both the men and the guns. A sense of déjà vu hit him. It looked like Amy had been right. The bastards pinning them down had the same overkill approach as the ones they’d confronted in that farmhouse all those months ago. He hoped to God they fared better this time.

  Rawls was effectively stuck. There was a wall to his right and behind him, and absolutely nothing but empty space to his left. He had no place to go if he tried to make a play. Zane was in pretty much the same position. There were only a few feet between him and that monstrosity that their mystery girl had been trapped beneath though. He had no idea what was behind it. But it was time to find out.

  He caught Zane’s eye and jerked his head toward the towering machine. Zane nodded and leaned around his desk to fire. Mac bolted for the machine, skidded around it, and slowly made his way around the back. The area tightened the deeper he went into the room, but at least there was a solid wall behind him. Although solid wasn’t the best description—riddled with holes worked better. Those holes made him nervous.

  If someone was back there, he was fucked and dead.

  Apparently their attackers hadn’t inserted throughout the building yet, because the back recesses remained empty and silent. By the time he reached the north corner, the wall had thinned to studs and charred wire. Which didn’t leave him any cover.