by J. M. Davies
Without another thought or word, she lifted the small bundle into her arms, soaking in his fresh scent, and rubbed her nose against his cheek before she kissed his petal-soft skin. The warehouse didn’t exist anymore for her. Her only care or concern lay in her arms and no one would remove him from her ever again. She cuddled the baby as he gurgled against her chest and let out a deep breath. Raising her eyes to survey the scene, she prowled like a hunter, not willing to give up what belonged to her.
“Remarkable. I knew you would come. I didn’t know when or how, but I knew without a shadow of a doubt you would come. Tonight, when the guard phoned ahead to let me know that two agents requested an interview, I knew it was a ruse. They know you’re here, Ella.”
Cradling her child, she lifted her head and stared into the narrow eyes of her enemy. The professor stood in his long white coat, no weapon in sight and his dark spectacles perched on his nose as he examined her. A door banged, and heavy boots stamped into the warehouse. There were screams, but she didn’t dare take her eyes off the vile man before her.
I’m here, Ella.
“No matter what you do, you’ll never stop them, Ella. The Padre’s reach is all encompassing. All he cares about is power and your brother is helping him gather all those with magic. I could’ve escaped but I wanted to see you for myself. Only now, seeing the real you, do I believe what the Padre said all along. You’re not like the others. I have the DNA that proves you and your beloved are extraordinary individuals. Extraordinary.”
Brother? What is he talking about?
She couldn’t form words. Fear overwhelmed her at his revelation. She swallowed down her alarm and risked a quick glance as footsteps grew louder. Two camouflaged men charged at the professor, but he didn’t resist as he held his arms out in front. Bear snapped plastic tags onto his wrist and looped it onto a second one on the other wrist to secure him before they each grabbed his arm. They pulled him away and out of sight. She couldn’t move. It didn’t seem possible.
Ella.
She twisted around and Marcus stood there with his thick brows arched, his gaze intent on the baby in her arms. He lowered his head to kiss the quiet bundle on the forehead.
We need to go, Ella.
Marcus stepped back and grabbed the charts and notes that were in the folder at the end of the cot. There would be other records, bloods and files, but they didn’t have time to collect anything more. He motioned for her to move in front, which she did, careful as she clutched her precious baby tight. She raced toward the exit, flanked by Payday and Preacher Boy. As she stood at the exit, she paused and looked back at the babies left behind.
What about all the rest?
The authorities have been called, but we cannot intervene today. Nate was the mission. Once he is home and secure, we will put an end to what the Elusti are doing.
“Boss, you have one minute and counting. Get out of there, now.”
Ella ran as fast as she could holding Nate, who fell asleep in her arms. She couldn’t take a breath until it was all over and kept running. She watched the halls and doorways, nervous of an intervention. The door up ahead was open with Payday securing the exit as she dashed through and stepped outside into the glorious and sweet fresh air.
The sky was a gunmetal gray, lighter than the inky sky of earlier, and birds chirped. It felt as if they had been inside for hours when in fact it had been twenty-four minutes. Just steps away, the professor was held by the team. As Shadow open the back door, to push her enemy inside, he stumbled and fell back, dropping to the ground.
“Move. He’s been shot.”
Ella felt a hand push against her back and shove her into the Humvee, but she twisted to see what had happened. The professor lay on the ground. Blood saturated his white coat.
“I need to save him. We need him alive. Marcus, take Nate.”
“Ella—go.”
She handed the baby to him. Despite her feelings, she slipped out of the vehicle and charged over as the boys carted the professor into the back of the black van. More shots fired and the boys peppered the air with bullets. She jumped up alongside the professor as the door slammed behind her. Rapid gunfire continued as she pressed her hands over the wound, pushing all her energy into the still and lifeless body.
EPILOGUE
Marcus opened the door to Steel’s office, and held it aloft to allow Ella, who carried Nate in her arms, through ahead of him as he sighed. Neither of them had slept much last night, and he knew his wife was running on empty. But she wouldn’t listen to him. He had tried and failed to keep her at home this morning because she insisted being here to listen to the update on the professor. But there were other concerns.
Namely, her brother.
She shot him a deadly look, and he raked his hand in his hair. As they stepped into the room, raised voices greeted them.
“I want you both to know that you are not working together on the next mission. It’s out of the fucking question. Until this conflict between you two is sorted, you keep your distance from each other. Understand? There is no place for romantic liaisons of any kind among the team,” Steel spat out, boring holes into Jake and Isabella.
Marcus closed the door behind him with a loud bang, and everyone turned to face them.
“Aw.” Isabella rushed to Ella’s side to fawn over the baby.
“Nice to see you, Drayton. Ella, I didn’t expect you here.” Steel’s gaze reached over the women to land on Marcus, who arched his eyebrow and shrugged.
Ella smiled at Isabella, but lifted her head to gaze at the interplay between Marcus and their boss. “I needed to know how the professor is.”
Steel motioned for Ella to sit down in the tufted brown leather armchair next to the desk, and she moved to settle herself all the while gripping Nate as he slept.
Marcus stared at her. Getting her to relax and leave the baby for a second proved difficult. He understood her worry, but she would make herself ill if she carried on.
She lifted her gaze to spear him with another angry glare.
I cannot help it.
You must lighten up a little. He’s my son too. It wouldn’t hurt for you to give in a little. I want to help.
He blew out a breath. He didn’t want an argument in front of the team—or at all, for that matter. He needed coffee. Fast. He wandered to the corner of the room where the tall silver thermos promised him relief and helped himself to a strong, full mug of the rich dark roast he knew Steel had. He looked back at Ella.
Coffee?
She shook her head and stared at Steel.
Marcus sipped the hot brew and leaned back against the wall cabinet, listening to the conversation as it swirled around him.
“The professor is sedated, but he’s expected to make a full recovery, which is good news for us, because I’m letting you all know, he’s going to have no choice but to join the team.”
Marcus choked and spluttered his coffee as he digested the words Steel said. He swiped his hand over his fitted dark T-shirt and slammed his mug down on the desk. “What the hell is that supposed to mean? The professor is the enemy. He’s murdered people, been involved in playing God with our DNA, abduction, and anything else you can imagine. He needs to be put down. I get that we need him for intel, but shit, becoming part of the team? You cannot be fucking serious. We cannot trust him.”
Marcus couldn’t rein in his fury as he spoke. He knew he needed to control that, but lately, his temper escalated at the slightest provoking. Steel zeroed in on his face and his eyes narrowed. He knew his tone caused Steel to question his mood.
“Drayton, I’m not asking you to trust him, but he could prove useful. I suspect the Padre wanted him dead, and for that reason alone we need him. Our task is to make him understand he has no choice but to help us as soon as he’s recovered. In the meantime, I want you to report to Dr. Davies for support and counseling.”
Marcus rose from his position and tread closer to Steel, his fists clenched. All eyes rested upon him
and he grit his teeth. He glanced over at Ella holding their son and she lifted the sleeping baby toward him. He exhaled and bent over to place his hands under the soft white blanket. He picked up the light weight and Nate’s saucer-like blue eyes flashed open wide, capturing his sole attention. Straightaway, the tension in his shoulders eased and he smiled down at his son. His heart ached as he brushed the plump round cheek, and he brought him closer against his chest. Nate smiled. He knew it was wind from the books he had read and a vibration under his hand confirmed it.
“What the hell is that smell?” Jake said.
“He needs changing.” Ella stood. “I’ll take him. I must call in and see the doctor, too. She is going to run some tests on Nate. Can you meet me there when you’re finished here, Marcus?”
He nodded. “I won’t be long.” He kissed his son’s rosy cheek and handed him back to Ella’s waiting arms, watching her as she headed toward the door, but she stopped and turned around to face them.
Here it comes.
“Look, yesterday, the professor told me I have a brother. I don’t believe him for a minute, but I need to know why he would say that. He said my brother is helping the Elusti gather people like us. I’m sure it’s a pack of lies and fabrication but I need to know.”
Sweetheart, we’ve been over this! The man will say anything to hurt you.
Steel flashed a stern look at him and back at Ella.
“Now that your son is back, our focus is on the Elusti and the Padre. I have multiple missions going on in America, Asia, and Europe. This is the job you all undertook when you signed on. It isn’t something that will be achieved overnight. I’m not sanctioning any further personal missions. Whoever this man is, Ella, if he isn’t on the radar or part of an active mission, it will have to wait. There’s too much going on.”
Steel walked to the door and opened it to enable Ella to leave. Marcus wanted Ella to take a break from Orion; she was entitled to maternity leave. Hell, she didn’t need to work at all. He would be happy if she played the stay-at-home mom for a while, but he knew as he folded his arms that’s not what she planned. Damn it, after everything, she remained infuriatingly stubborn.
“I understand. I want to let you know that I’m taking personal leave. To look after Nate. I feel I’ve lost so much time with him, and I don’t want to miss another moment. He’s so precious to me and Marcus.” She pinned him with her angel-blue eyes.
His heart stammered in his ribs.
Are you out of your mind? Ella.
Drayton—not now, not here.
He ground his teeth together and swung his gaze back at Isabella, who stared at him with complete understanding. Ella may well be taking time off from Orion, but she wasn’t going to quit working. She intended to search for her brother with Nate in tow.
You are not doing this, Ella. Why didn’t you include me in this decision?
Because you would try to stop me?
Too fucking right.
“I’ll see you at the doctor’s and we’ll talk later, you can be damn sure of that,” Marcus said aloud.
Steel flicked his gaze between the two, as if getting an undercurrent of a conversation he didn’t understand.
She nodded.
“I think taking time off to spend with the little one is perfect.” Steel smoothed his finger over the baby’s tiny hand.
“Good.” Ella stepped outside.
Steel closed the door and swiveled around to face the remaining trio. “Now, what the hell is going on? Jake, you and Isabella last night—that interlude shall we call it—was all over the transmission. We all had an earful here. Who the hell is Roman? Should I be concerned? Do I need to bring him in?”
Marcus sighed. He couldn’t get his mind off Ella, even as the others talked around him. She was a damn force of nature, he had always known that, but to strike out on her own to search for her kin, when she hadn’t even talked it through with him, floored him. The fact that she had made that decision alone and simply expected him to accept it pushed all the wrong buttons.
“It’s a non-issue, boss. It won’t happen again.” Isabella’s eyes focused right ahead.
Marcus rubbed his forehead.
“That’s shit, and you know it. If you hadn’t trounced off the other day in a mood, you would have heard what I wanted to say. I don’t care who this Roman is. If you have feelings for me, and I’m sure you do, I want to explore them. Steel, stay out of my face. I give you my time, my energy—my life, damn it—but this, this I get to have.” Jake stood in front of Isabella.
She stepped back and opened her mouth.
Marcus knew she was about to tell Jake to back off even though she wanted the opposite. It was a move at self-preservation. A mind full of reasons why they shouldn’t get involved exploded into his mind. Roman, the vampire prince, and starting a war with his people, to name a couple.
Shit!
Jake grabbed her shoulders and kissed her. It happened so fast that even though he knew she wanted to resist, she didn’t have chance.
Marcus turned away, not wanting to be a voyeur in this scene.
“Doesn’t anyone listen to me? This is my office. Get the fuck out of here, you two. Now, before I fire the pair of you.”
Jake broke away and flicked his gaze over at Marcus, a huge smirk plastered on his face, and he pulled Isabella with him as he headed for the door. “See—she cannot resist me.”
Jake opened the door and they left, closing it behind them.
He knew their path was littered with troubles, but as he scratched his head, he wondered whose wasn’t. He heaved out a long breath, and studied Steel as he reached in the bottom drawer of his desk. He knew what the man kept there and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.
Steel settled the bottle of whiskey on the desk and pulled up two glass tumblers, filling them both with hefty measures. He handed him one and he accepted the alcohol, needing it for what he was about to do.
“I’m getting too old for this shit—now, tell me what that was all about? Ella isn’t the kind to stay at home,” he said.
Nothing escaped Steel.
“Getting Nate back—well, it isn’t over, is it? The reason they took him haunts us both. They have our DNA. Not just ours, either. The world is full of other entities and they’re creating an army of beings trained for their purposes, with who knows what as their agenda. Some of their plans are written in the files I recovered along with Nate. The fear for him, and others like him, will never go away. Ella lives in that perpetual state of being ready, trying to save everyone. We’re immortal, Steel. Imagine having an army that never dies? They would be fucking invincible. We must stop this. We must work with all the vampires, shifters, soul-shifters, and the other otherworldly beings out there because everyone is under threat. Humanity is under threat.”
He sighed and raked his hand through his hair, studying a portrait on Steel’s desk. His eyes widened. Fuck, he knew he’d seen that witch before. He studied Steel, who followed his gaze and lifted the picture off the desk and slipped it inside his drawer.
“Not a word,” Steel said.
Marcus rubbed the day’s growth of whiskers on his chin and stared at the man facing him. He nodded and looked away.
“I wish Ella was the stay-at-home type. Nate’s a baby—he doesn’t get a say in any of this—but I do, and I’m going to make my voice heard. I won’t interfere in your life, but don’t fucking mess with mine. I won’t back down. This is my family, and I will do everything in my power to protect them, even from themselves,” he said.
He rambled, but it was a confession of sorts.
“I’m not sure what you mean, son. Ella is a remarkable woman. She reminds me of Josep—”
“Don’t—she reminds me of my mother too. She sacrificed everything and ended up alone. I know what it’s like to grow up without a mother, and I won’t let that happen to Nate or any other children who come our way.”
Marcus placed his tumbler back on the table, certain of
his action as he stared at it and watched the sunlight hit the glass, reflecting a rainbow of bright colors. He stood. “I have to go and collect my wife.”
Steel smoothed his hand over his bushy moustache, twisting the ends, and cocked his head to the side as he strode to the door.
“Whatever you’re up to, Drayton, be careful. I thought I had all the answers once. It didn’t work out so well for me. One day, I will tell you my story. One thing you’re right about is making alliances with those at risk. I’m going to arrange a gathering.”
Marcus opened the door. They needed to join forces. A war was coming. As far as Ella, was concerned, she belonged to him. He had every right to invoke his control over her.
****
After talking with Steel, Marcus cleared his mind. For his plan to work, he needed Ella to be unaware of what he intended. He acted the dutiful husband at the doctor’s, talking about the various blood tests to check the baby’s development, and watched as the slim and pretty Doctor Davies with freckles showed him Nate’s weight and percentile chart. She confirmed that everything looked normal. After the doctor’s, he took Ella and the baby home, where she talked eagerly about her plans.
“I will take Nate with me. We will travel to Wales. I have a hunch it’s a good place to start.”
He forced himself to remain focused and in control. “Let’s talk about it later.”
The day slipped into night and he lay awake in bed, aware that Ella sat in the white rocking chair, snuggling Nate against her breast. Reading her thoughts as she wished that Josephine and her mother were alive touched him deep inside. Ella wished she had been closer to her own mother and missed Josephine, who had shown her love unlike her own mother. A sadness filled her. He studied her as she brushed Nate’s silky hair with her hand, loving the feel of it between her fingers as he smiled in his sleep.
“Ella, come to bed. I cannot sleep without you by my side. Give Nate to me,” he called.
Lifting herself off the chair, she moved near the bed and Marcus sat forward to take the baby from her. She passed Nate over and slid into the bed in her short silky nightshirt.